Hello all! Since we had a THIRDS Halloween flash fiction this week over at the DSP blog, which you can find here if you missed it, I thought we’d get the team in the hot seat again! Today we have with us Hudson, Lou, and Austen who are going to answer some of your questions. Remember, if you’d like to leave a question for any of the cast, you can do so here. Let the fun begin!
Charlie: Hi! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here with us. Why don’t we start with Hudson? This question is from Katelyn. I was wondering if Hudson was near or far sighted, and then my thought progression made me wonder if visual impairments transferred to Therian forms.
Hudson: Well, Katelyn, our Therian DNA may set us apart from Humans in many ways, such as strength, resilience, and of course the existence of our feral side, but whether we’re Therian or Human, we’re very much susceptible to the same ailments. However, there are certain conditions specific to Therians as these are directly linked to the effects of the vaccine which brought about our mutation. As for my vision, I’m nearsighted. Occasionally I wear contacts, when I can get the blasted things in, but I much prefer glasses.
Charlie: Our next question is from Jacob for Austen. How long after Sloane got him hired by the THIRDS did he join TIN? And is spying on the team for TIN or for him?
Austen: *arches an eyebrow* That depends. Is anything I saying going to leave this room?
Charlie: Um, no. Just me, you, and our readers.
Austen: *smiles brightly* Good, because if anyone spills the jelly beans, I’ll find out, and it won’t be pretty.
Charlie: *smiles sweetly* I think you forget your book’s not written yet. It could get pretty hairy.
Austen: *lets out a snort* Please, like it won’t anyway. How many times have you blown up or shot Destructive Delta?
Charlie: *clears throat* Let’s move on shall we?
Austen: Yeah, I thought so. Bring it. Right, TIN. I don’t have an exact date of when I joined TIN. I was working for them before I even knew I was. A few months in, Sparks started training me herself, so that’s probably when it happened. Also, I need to point out that I’m not one of their operatives. I’m a freelancer. You have to be pretty fucking scary to be an operative, and as long as I have people I care about, I can’t be an operative, not just for the safety of those I care about, but for my own. TIN doesn’t mess around. The job always comes first. And as for the spying, that’s usually either for Sparks—off the books—or for me. These guys grow on you, you know? I might work for TIN but I don’t trust them. Hell, there are few people I do trust. I need to make sure they’re okay.
Charlie: Next question is from Carol Ann for Lou. How did you feel when you saw Dex again once he was a thirds agent? Regrets? And what was your first thought when you caught him and Sloane making up?
Lou: *sighs* I did have regrets at first. At the time I just couldn’t handle the media hounding me, the phone calls at all hours, the threats. The walls were closing in on me and I’m not very good when that happens. *looks embarrassed* I’ve been accused of being flighty and a bit of a drama queen, and maybe that’s true. Dex was always caring and sweet, though. Of course, he had his moments. Dios mio! There is no man more stubborn than Dexter J. Daley. When I saw him at the bar, I was a little breathless. He looked so fantastic, but I wasn’t surprised. No matter what life throws at him, he finds a way to pick himself up. My first thought when I saw him and Sloane kissing? Initially it was mostly curse words that crossed my mind. I just couldn’t believe it. I mean, Dex had always been fighting for Therian rights, something he got from his parents, but he’d never been involved with a Therian before. It made me wonder if that was why things didn’t work out between us, because I wasn’t… enough for him. But I quickly realized we wouldn’t have worked in the long run.
Charlie: Okay, next question is for Hudson from Jazette. I was wondering if Hudson only dates humans, now because of his mating marks?
Hudson: *shifts uncomfortably* I, um, I’m afraid my career doesn’t leave much room for dating. It’s been a while.
Austen: *frowns* Hold up, by while, do you mean years? As in since you and a certain beefy tiger Therian broke up?
Hudson: *sniffs* I don’t think that’s any of your business.
Austen: *shakes his head sadly* Man, you have got it bad. It’s been years. Are you at least getting laid?
Hudson: *glares at Austen* That is most certainly none of your business.
Lou: *eyes go wide* You haven’t had sex in years? *pats Hudson’s leg sympathetically* Oh, honey.
Hudson: Why are we bloody talking about my sex life? No one says I haven’t had sex. The question was in regards to my dating, not sex.
Austen: Well the two kind of go together, don’t they?
Hudson: They most certainly do not. Not everyone has sex you know, and that’s perfectly acceptable. Besides, I don’t hop into bed with every man who takes me out.
Austen: And how many is that, because form what I can tell—
Hudson: *goes pale* You’ve been spying on me?
Austen: Well, yeah, duh. We pretty much established that. You are part of Destructive Delta.
Hudson: *gets flustered and crosses his arms over his chest* I am not discussing my love life—
Austen: Or lack thereof
Hudson: Piss off! Bloody wanker.
Austen: *cackles* I love when he gets all indignant. He’s so proper even when he’s cursing you out.
Charlie: Okay, next question. This one is from Pam for Lou. I was wondering when u left Dex you really had a problem with Therians but that seemed to changed. What happened to change your mind?
Lou: I guess it was a few things. It had taken a while to get used to Cael. He’s such a sweetheart, but he’s a Therian. At first, I hadn’t been sure if I could be in a relationship with Dex knowing he had a Therian brother. I won’t go into why I felt the way I did about Therians, but I will tell you what changed. Once I saw what a genuinely sweet guy Cael was, I started to relax around him. I admit, Sloane scared the life out of me. I mean, the guy is huge. On top of that, he’s lethal, and not just because he’s a THIRDS agent. Jaguar Therians are some of the most dangerous Felids out there. He also wasn’t the most pleasant, at the time. But then I saw how he was with Dex and how crazy Dex was about him. Sloane was gentle. Passionate. Not traits I associated with Therians. He also let me be a part of Dex’s life. I respect him. Then I met Bradley. *sighs* He’s so handsome and sweet. I was so surprised that when he started talking to me, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought. I mean, I still am, but it’s more because I like him rather than because he scares me. We’re still getting to know each other, but between Cael, Sloane, Bradley, and some of the other members of Destructive Delta, how they’re a family, take care of each other, it really changed my perspective on Therians.
Charlie: Last question. This is for Austen from Shania. Has Austen seen Zachary again after being protected by him?
Hudson: *smiles knowingly at Austen* Zachary? As in Agent Osmond Zachary from Unit Beta?
Austen: *narrows his eyes at Hudson* I got mauled and Sloane had Zach babysit. What?
Hudson: *holds his hands up in surrender* Nothing.
Austen: *grumbles incoherently* Yeah, I’ve seen him. He did me a solid, so I occasionally check up on him. It’s no big deal.
Lou: *coughs* Isn’t he, like a three hundred pound bear Therian?
Austen: Your point, cupcake?
Lou: *rolls his eyes* You’re not fooling anyone.
Austen: Like I give a shit what you think. Trust is a luxury I don’t get to have in my line of work, so when someone puts themselves on the line for me, I don’t take that lightly.
Hudson: It doesn’t hurt he’s a rather strapping lad.
Austen: You know what, you two can bite me. I’d don’t get all melty and swoony over a pair of beefy biceps and a nice ass. Unlike you two goody two-shoes. I also have sex whenever the hell I want, and I have fun doing it. I don’t need to be tied down by any one guy. Besides, Zach’s too nice. I check he’s okay, and that’s it. He never even knows I was there.
Lou: So, you’re spying on him.
Austen: *throws his hands up* What is this, the Spanish Inquisition? *jumps out of his chair* I’ll see you nerds later.
Lou: *chuckles* He’s so full of it.
Austen: *calls out from the hall* I heard that, Lou, and I just want you to know I’m flipping you off right now.
Hudson: *smiles* That went well, didn’t it?
