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on this list. Their full name, current status, gender, caste, current rank, grades, and study focus will do.”
    “Mr. Smith, this college is not a private investigating service,” the dean replied, and he growled, sounding far more like an animal than a man.
    The young man with my boss straightened, flexing his hands.
    Kenneth tossed the papers onto the empty chair beside Terry. “I’ll settle for whether or not the individuals went missing this morning. There are a notable number of your students in that mess, so I thought it would be wise to use your resources. In exchange, I can provide the same information on some of your more important donors.”
    People were missing? I straightened, staring at the stack out of the corner of my eye. What was going on?
    I cursed myself for not having had time to check the news before leaving my apartment. At least I wasn’t covered in imaginary neon-orange cheese. Once I escaped the dean’s office, I would have to look into what was going on.
    The way the dean frowned promised trouble for someone. Brushing by me, the older man snatched up the sheets, flipping through them. “Since classes are cancelled, I suppose you can make use of my students for the interim, Mr. Smith. I will expect your complete list by the end of the week.”
    Kenneth narrowed his eyes, and for a moment, I feared he’d pull out his gun and be done with the dean then and there. When he smiled, he lacked his normal warmth.
    While my boss often worried me, he’d never made me chill from the inside quite so much. The young man beside him cleared his throat and said, “The end of the week seems right acceptable to me.”
    “Fine. End of the week,” Kenneth grumbled.
    The dean offered the stack of papers to me. In my hurry to leave my apartment, I had forgotten my gloves, and I grimaced at how red my hand was compared to the bleached white of the sheets. “Deal with this.”
    “Yes, sir,” I replied, tucking the stack under my arm without looking over their contents. “Is there anything else you require of me?”
    “Take Mr. Moore with you, and see if you can make use of him, somehow.” The dean snapped his fingers and gestured to the door.
    I marched out, relieved to escape my boss’s presence, although I loathed the idea of having to dodge Terry and his excessive radiant heat. At least I wouldn’t have too difficult of a time pulling basic information on people. It was the most tedious of the basic of work. Maybe while sniffing around I’d find out why a bunch of people were missing.
    Kenneth had probably concocted the assignment to make use of me while waiting for my downfall. It wouldn’t surprise me if he were the reason for the disappearances—if anyone was actually missing at all. It was like him to set a trap, lure his victims into it, and wait for the fireworks. I sighed, and without waiting for Terry, I headed for the administrative building’s main entrance.
    The feathered panda was still trying to climb the walls to get at the potted bamboo, who catcalled its pursuer. Their dispute quieted at my approach.
    “Some bloke was looking for you,” the plant said, pointing its leaves towards the front doors.
    “Thanks,” I replied, wondering who would be looking for me and why.
    Terry’s heat warned me he was approaching me from behind. Turning to face him, I secured my hold on the papers the dean had given me. He made a grab for them. His heat drove me back, and he pursued me all the way to the foyer, snarling something unintelligible under his breath.
    “I’ll make you a copy. Keep your pants on,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
    The double doors banged open, and I whirled around. The pink-winged werewolf I had noticed outside rose up on his hind legs, fanned his feathers, and breathed fire at Terry Moore.

    Kenneth and his stupid drug-dealing operation were going to get me killed. I avoided incineration by a pink-winged werewolf by inches. Jumping back, I pressed my back to the