"Hey, move your paws!""You're acting weird. How much longer are we going to wander around?""We need to stay away from prying ears. You'll find out soon enough…"

The road the professor had chosen grew darker and grimmer. Occasional flickers of light ran across his face twisted in an unreadable grimace, half from the drizzle, half from some inner strain. Eventually, the narrow alleys led them to an abandoned building. Its worn-down walls seemed more suited for rituals than for an honest conversation. The drizzle turned into heavy rain, leaving them no choice but to seek shelter inside. Shaking off the water, Cat was looking around when a faint silhouette flashed through one of the doorways. Spacelunch's hand slowly reached into his pocket.

"You okay, Doc?""Looks like your feline instincts have taken a day off. The road is paved, fluffy.""What? Road to where?""To hell. Say goodbye, idiot."

A gun stared straight into his trusting eyes. The cold metal seemed to whisper that the warmth of friendship was about to fade away, too.