The beginning of an explanation

Dunnigan smiled at Hunter's expression as he opened his briefcase and placed a tablet on the desk.

"I can assure you I am neither joking nor mad, Mr. Collins," Dunnigan said with a reassuring smile. "No doubt you have asked the young lady who brought me here to call you soon so you have an excuse to end our meeting. I ask you to delay until you have watched a short video." He made a few keystrokes, and turned the screen towards Hunter.

He recognised himself jogging along the path in the park. And recognised the large dog that suddenly appeared, snarling and circling him, looking for an opening.

"I didn't see anyone there," Hunter said, looking up at Dunnigan. "Where were you filming from?"

"It's from one of two remote cameras I set up, Mr. Collins. " Dunnigan smiled and paused the video as the phone buzzed. "That will be your receptionist calling. I suggest that you delay at least long enough to watch the entire video. After that, if you wish me to leave, I will do so without argument or delay."

Frowning, Hunter picked up his phone and thanked Toni for the call. Hanging up, he gestured Dunnigan to continue. The older man smiled and resumed the video.

Hunter saw the dog bite him, then his kick to its throat and the dog backing away into the trees still snarling, and then himself cursing and limping away holding his ass.

"Interesting, but I don't see..." he began.

"I think you will find the next part very illuminating Mr. Collins. Indulge me a bit longer if you will."

The scene changed to a wooded area. The dog, very clearly the same dog, trotted into the camera view. It lay down, it's tongue lolling out, its face staring up at the camera as if it knew it was there.

And then it began to change.

The transformation began slowly, then rapidly advanced. The dog's body stretched and contorted, the fur seeming to fall away, or somehow absorb into the skin, the muzzle shortening, the legs changing, the paws turning into hands and feet. It took two minutes as Hunter watched wide eyed. Two minutes for the dog to transform into a naked human who stood up and approached the camera with a smile.

"Hello Mr. Collins," Henry Dunnigan said from the screen.