Hi, all:

This is the follow up to Wounded: Twenty-One Shots.

Callie is Feral's reluctant date to a charity casino night. In return for some support, Callie gets some much needed business prospects for the city. But as the night wears on, it appears that Feral's plans for Callie do not include charity...

This is part one of a two part story. I thought about writing it like
Wounded, but I felt I lot of background would be lost. The title
refers to a card game Feral and Callie play in part two.

This first part is pretty tame, even though it has Feral's innuendo. Hope
you all enjoy it. Any comments, questions, or reviews, drop me a line.

AkaneKitty

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Twenty-One Shots:

Part 1

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"I don't want to see him...but I can't avoid him forever."

Callie revised the Manx speech in front of her for the umpteenth time. She did that a lot lately. Anything to keep herself from thinking about that day in the Tower. Miraculously, it still stood, and being cleaned of plant debris.

Luckily, her work proved to be a great distraction. However, soon that work would have her careening directly into the path of the one kat she wanted to avoid.

Commander Feral.

Soon the new council would be sworn in, and she would have to talk to him soon. She still was so angry at his callousness that day. But, there was something about the kat that made her loose control...pinned against the wall and enjoying every minute of it.

She didn't want to loose control like that again.

"There. Another Manx masterpiece guaranteed to put you to sleep in record time." Callie doodled on her notepad as she heard a knock on her door. "Come in."

"Hello, Ms. Briggs."

Callie nearly jumped out of her chair and looked up. "You!"

Feral smirked and walked into the office. "You've been avoiding me."

"And why do you think that is, you tomkat!"

"I can guess, but the Deputy Mayor avoiding the Commander?" Feral leaned against Callie's desk. "What will the neighbors think?"

Callie crossed her arms across her chest. "You have some nerve coming in here and-"

"And what? You know that Ms. Gora will start sniffing around if this goes on any longer, if she hasn't already," Feral said. "So we might as well get this over with now, hmm?"

Callie started to protest, but stopped and leaned back into her chair. "Fine."

"...You know...I'm doing this for you, Ms. Briggs." Feral glanced at her. "Because as much as I want to inform a certain pair of vigilantes of our little tryst, I won't."

"And why don't you?"

"I'd hate to see two grown kats cry."

Callie glared at him. "I'm flattered. So, other than keeping up appearances, what brings you by?"

"I need a date."

"You need what?"

"A date."

Callie couldn't believe her ears. "After you just quantified our encounter as a tryst, you-"

"...Wasn't it?"

"Eh?"

"I mean, it was a one night stand..." Feral looked at her. "But, if you want something more..."

"I...I..." Callie squelched any fleeting desire that may have arisen within her. "N-No thank you!"

"Really. That's too bad." Feral pushed away from Callie's desk. "I'm sure a certain Mr. Ernst would like to have met you."

"Ernst? As in Gregory Ernst the much sought after business developer?"

"The one and the same."

"What would he have anything to do with this?"

"In few days, Mr. Gregory Ernst will be hosting a charity casino night in Lakeline Springs. I'm going there to play for the Enforcers' Widows and Orphans Fund." Feral placed his paws into his pockets. "This will be my fifth year attending."

"So..."

"So since you still need help filling up MegaKat Towers with business prospects, I thought I'd ask you to come along."

Callie leaned forward. "Just what do you get out this if I go with you?"

"Some company and possibly stopping some asinine comments about certain city officials not supporting their Commander."

"You blackmailer!"

Feral shrugged. "Well, Ms. Briggs? It's your call."

Callie just glared at the kat. She didn't like being manipulated, but the chance of gaining a contact or two was too good to pass up.
After the disaster of Manx nearly sinking the city's entire budget into the Towers again, she needed all the help she could get.

"Okay...Fine. I'll go with you as your 'date'." Callie stood up. "But, you are keeping your paws to yourself!"

"I'll be a perfect gentlekat."

"Like I believe that."

"You should." Feral walked back to Callie's office door. "The last time you didn't, you ended up against a bathroom wall."

"I..."

Feral chuckled. "See you later, Ms. Briggs."

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A few days later...

"Are you coming? I'd like to actually win some money tonight!"

"Patience, Commander. I'll be right down."

Feral found himself leaning against the wall of Callie's penthouse lobby, waiting for Her Majesty to descend from her royal throne. He tugged impatiently on his suit jacket's sleeve.

Maybe this was a bad idea...he didn't to further complicate an already complicated 'relationship'.

But, then again, their little fling was quite fun. He wouldn't mind finding another bathroom wall again, and...

...Never mind.

It's all about appearances now, and the Deputy Mayor can't be too estranged from the Commander, SWAT Kat element aside.
So, even though he had to do a little manipulating, things were partially back where they were. Hopefully his good will gesture would keep the city solvent...

...and maybe he'll have the chance to have a little more fun as well...

"Commander."

Feral broke out of his thoughts and turned around. Callie walked towards him, her long dress swishing about her as she took a step.
While the dress itself was elegant, on Callie it was slinky, making the already attractive she-kat rather intoxicating. She smiled nervously.

"I'm ready when you are." Callie adjusted her wrap around her arms.

"I bet you are..."

"Excuse me?"

"...It's nothing." Feral was struck by Callie's eyes, which were always hidden behind her glasses. "You look great."

Callie reddened and fiddled with her wrap again. "...Thank you."

Feral cleared his throat. "We should be going. It's a bit of a drive to get to Lakeline Springs."

Callie nodded, and the action caused a strand of her hair to escape its pin. She sighed.

"Not again..."

Feral collected the strand and repined it, causing Callie to blush again. "Shall we?"

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"...Do I still owe you a suit?"

"W-Why are you asking me this now?"

"Oh...I don't know...maybe it's the enclosed space that's reminding me of something."

"Watch it, Feral." Callie, irritated, tapped one of her stilettos on the elevator's floor. "And, yes, you do."

The gall of that kat.

She shouldn't be here. She should try to be as difficult as possible on this 'date'. But, when there's a chance to help the city attached to it, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Seeing the Commander out of uniform didn't help matters, either.

The kat could be strikingly handsome at times. Seeing him in his three-piece suit stirred up some feelings that she was actively trying to suppress since that day in the Tower. The tingles she felt when he nonchalantly fixed her hair...

...And here she was acting like a giddy teenager going to her first dance.

Callie shifted her feet, hoping her decision to wear stilettos wouldn't come back to bite her in the tail later on. Good thing this was a nice hotel, called The Grand. The casino night was being held in its grand ballroom. If the Commander ever got too drunk to drive back, they could easily get a hotel room...

...What was she thinking?

The last thing she needed was to be trapped with him again, even though a small part of her wanted to be. She suspected the kat had an agenda for this evening, and she was not going to be an item he checked off the list.

Not without a fight at least.

"We're here." Feral's words pierced into Callie's thoughts as the elevator lurched to a stop. He offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Callie accepted his arm, and the two stepped out into the ballroom. The room buzzed with energy and bright lights. Lots of kats and she-kats crammed around the roulette wheel, keno board, and the blackjack and poker tables. Callie made a mental note to try her paw at Blackjack later on.

"Ulysses! Glad you could make it."

The two turned to see an older gray kat in a nice suit walking toward them. Feral extended his paw to him.

"You know I wouldn't miss this, Gregory. Too many kats depend on the Fund." Feral shook paws with the kat, and then stood aside. "Let me introduce my date for this evening: Deputy Mayor Calico Briggs. Calico, this is Gregory Ernst of Ernst Development."

"A pleasure." Gregory also shook Callie's paw. "So, you're the she-kat Ulysses told me to talk to whenever I wanted to expand into MegaKat City."

Callie blinked at that. "He did?"

"Yes, and only her. Remember what I told you off the record about Manx." Feral started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Callie called after him.

"To win some money! I'll see you soon."

Callie sighed as Feral headed to the roulette wheel. Gregory chuckled.

"Ulysses is my three-time champion."

"He is?"

Gregory nodded. "The kat who wins the most money is declared champion of the night and has their winnings matched by my firm. He has won over a million for his Fund over the years."

Callie absorbed this. "I see."

"As you can tell, he takes this event very seriously." Gregory smiled at turned to Callie. "So, Ms. Briggs, is it true you built MegaKat Towers three times?"

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"Twenty-three. House busts. The lady wins."

A couple of hours later, Callie sat at the blackjack table, with a modest collection of chips in front of her. The House was being very generous tonight. That wasn't surprising...it was for charity.

Callie tossed in a few chips to start another game. The dealer passed out the cards. A low rumble reached Callie's ears. Was that rain?

After chatting with Ernst and his associates for a time and gaining a few contacts, the kat urged her to play a few games. She could play for any charity she wanted, so Callie chose Feral's Enforcer fund. Not that it mattered. By the time she started to play, the Commander was already in first place.

Fourteen. Callie tapped the table for another card.

Speaking of which, where was that kat? After introducing her to Ernst, she hadn't seen Feral anywhere. She would almost be offended about being ditched if she wasn't trying to woo contacts all night herself.

Nineteen. Callie waved off another card, and dealer completed his hand.

"Eighteen. Nineteen beats seventeen. The lady wins."

Callie blushed slightly at the hushed applause and collected her winnings. She tossed in another chip.

"I'm in this game."

From Callie's left, a tan kat leaned in and tossed a few chips onto the table. She sighed.

"Is that any way to greet your ex?" The kat chuckled as the dealer started to pass out the cards.

"Nice to see you too, David." Callie checked her cards. Sixteen. Damn it.

David Balinese. Of all the kats she run into, she had to run into him. One of Mr. Young's associates, she dated him for a spell. It didn't end well.

"So...what is my favorite politician doing here?" David tapped the table for another card. "For the contacts no doubt, but how were you invited? This is invitation only."

"My date invited me here."

"Really? I thought you were too busy to date...at least that was the excuse you gave me."

"Things change."

"I'm sure they did."

Callie tapped the table. Twenty-six and busted. She sighed again. David won this hand.

"But, who is this date of yours?" David smirked and collected his winnings. "He mustn't be too interested in you since you're here by yourself."

"That's because her date was busy securing his position atop the leader board. Something you should try doing. This is for charity."

Callie blinked as Feral positioned himself between herself and David. "Ulysses..."

David took a step back. "This is your date? Commander Feral?"

Feral just ignored him and turned to Callie. "The poker games are starting up and I need a good luck charm. Do you mind?"

"No. In fact, I was just about to cash out anyway." Callie gathered her things and signaled the dealer. "Shall we?"

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"David's an ex of yours?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Interesting."

"Not as interesting as to where you placed your paws as you were leading me away, you tomkat!"

"Just playing the part. Besides, David didn't seem to like it that much."

"Neither did I."

Feral smirked and checked his cards. "Liar."

Callie reddened. At the poker table, Feral proved to be a great player. Callie doubted he needed her 'charms' to win, but she obliged him. Anything to stay away from David.

"By the way, thank you for playing for the Fund. Your winnings helped me out." Feral won another hand. "When did learn how to play blackjack like that?"

"My father taught me. Every politico needs to learn a game, he said." Callie sat back in her chair. "Didn't like poker, so I chose blackjack."

Feral chuckled and tossed in chips to start another game. "Better winning percentages, too."

"Which is great for politicians." Callie smiled. Once again, a low rumble reached her ears. "What in the world..."

"Sounds like rain." Feral looked up from his cards. "Hope it doesn't get too bad. This area has a tendency to flood."

"And I'd be stuck with you again."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

"Considering what happened the last time we got trapped, I..."

Another rumble, louder this time, shook the room. Feral motioned to the dealer. "Watch my hand, we'll be right back."

Feral grabbed Callie's paw and led her over to one of the ballroom's bay windows. Sure enough, the heavy rain began to blanket the city.

"Oh, great..." Callie sighed.

"I can't drive back in this storm." Feral thought for a moment, then reached into his pocket for his wallet. He handed it to Callie. "Here, go get us a room. The front desk knows what I like."

"A-Are you crazy?" Callie took a step back. "There is no way in hell that I'm going to spend the night with you!"

"Got any other ideas? I don't see you driving back in this downpour!"

"I still say..."

"Besides, I may have drunk too many drinks. Can't mix that with driving."

Callie narrowed her eyes. "You planned all this!"

"Nonsense! I can't control the weather! Besides, I need to get back to my poker game."

"I don't believe you." Callie folded her arms across her chest. "But...Fine. I'll do it."

"Good. Come join me back at the poker table when you're finished." Feral looked at her and smiled. "I'll be on my best behavior."

Callie just looked at the kat as Feral headed back to his poker game. Either the kat knew what he was doing, or he had incredible karma. She sighed again.

Just what had she gotten herself into?