For the next two weeks, Patricia waged a bureaucratic war. Marcus’s mailbox was flooded with absurd citations printed on pink paper. He was fined for the "unauthorized opacity" of his fence, the "suspected presence of unapproved flora," and "obstruction of an HOA official." Marcus handed every single notice straight to his attorney, who assured him Patricia had zero legal standing.
But Marcus knew people like Patricia. Bureaucracy was just her first weapon; sheer, arrogant entitlement would be her next. He knew she would eventually try to breach the gate when she thought he wasn't home. He needed a security system. But cameras were too passive, and dogs required too much time inside the house. Marcus needed a specialized, outdoor security force that was entirely self-sustaining, legally permissible, and utterly terrifying.
He spent an evening researching agricultural laws and local zoning ordinances. Whispering Oaks was technically zoned for "limited urban agriculture." The next morning, Marcus drove to a rural hatchery two counties over.
Marcus returned home with a custom-built trailer towed behind his SUV. Inside were four adult Roman Tufted Geese.
Geese are not pets. They are the honey badgers of the avian world. They are highly territorial, possess razor-sharp serrated tongues, and have the aggressive temperament of a cornered gladiator. Roman Tufted Geese, in particular, had been used as guard animals since the days of the Roman Empire because they fear absolutely nothing and will sound a deafening alarm before attacking intruders with relentless fury.