A much slower update, I'm slowing down it seems. Pretty confusing chapter ahead, try not to get confused. ^^' All will be revealed soon.
Chapter 10:
Tension You Mention
The word on the streets spread like wildfire. A cat gang had made a direct attempt on a Police Offer's life. Things worked subtly here in the alleys of New York, and though horrible crimes did occur, none had happened so bluntly as this did. It happened, they say, in broad daylight beside a fully packed park of bystanders to witness it, in one of the most busy hours in the day.
Which made some people wonder if it had been done just so it could be seen.
Sergeant Murphy placed the phone down on the hook with a grim air, raising a rough hand to wipe his forehead. The window was open, the sun bright and beaming from behind the glass, to combat the coldness both law enforcers felt.
Standing before his desk was Officer Dibble, his hand plastered a little after scraping against the tarmac road after his fall. He'd been lucky not to have been hit.
"I won't lie, Dibble. This is getting serious." Murphy said slowly, looking weary. "Direct attack on Police Officers after our engines are sabotaged."
"Maybe these new suspects have some kinda grudge against the Force..." Dibble offered uncertainly. Murphy placed his elbows on the wooden desktop, resting his chin on his hands.
"Perhaps, Dibble, but then again- you did mention that Top Cat...had er, given you some small key-ins information wise."
"Maybe it just me they're after then." Dibble found himself scowling, "They're scared I'm gettin' too close for their tastes."
Part of him felt a rush of thrill; being considered a threat to these crooks. But, his more rational side was obviously wary, even if it was a bunch of cats that only came up to his thigh in height. Murphy still wore the same grim expression he'd held through the whole week.
"You know our work is dangerous, Dibble, and although I know you got nerve, I don't want you taking unnecessary risks. We came combat this in a way that doesn't put you or any of our Officer's in the target range of those crooks."
"I think we're all already in their target range, Sarge." Dibble admitted.
Murphy only shook his head, resting his chin back on his interlocked fingers; looking graver than grim now. "You have a point, Dibble. But they came after you, because they know you know Top Cat. He could have something-"
"Sarge, I don' mean ta be rude, but Top Cat's...well, he wouldn't stoop that low, to murder." Dibble found himself speaking without thinking, rambling even, "His agenda's about swindlin' people, earning an easy buck, not offin'-"
"I know, Dibble, I know..."Murphy said, waving a hand to cut him off quickly, "But this is a Cat Gang thing going on, and he's clashed with the new guys. If he's withholding evidence or information, he needs to come clean."
Dibble didn't like that implication. Top Cat wouldn't speak willingly. And it could made the gap between his trust of Dibble widen far too much for this serious situation, "I think T.C figures that if the Police poke him too much, he won't be as able ta get the info he needs...I kinda get that..."
Infuriating as it was, Top Cat would dig deeper if he didn't have the police leash on him. Gang members wouldn't talk to a cat that was too associated with the cops. It didn't take a college professor to figure that one out.
Murphy let out another slow, heavy exhale. "...All right, Dibble. But the Police Force can't put all its money on Top Cat. We're gonna have to gather our own info while he's at it, too...seeing how he's taking his time." The last bit was a sour sort of mumble.
Dibble would have protested, but felt it was too much. Top Cat had a way of making him stick up for him, even if the person was saying the exact same things Dibble himself thought of him. Guess it was another one of his swindles...
"All right, Sarge. I'll see what I can find..."
...
Top Cat regarded the newspaper in his hands with an eerie silence. He had not uttered a single syllable since his gang had returned that morning, waving a paper depicting the events that happened the very day before. The gang in question stood huddled before their yellow leader, shuffling on their feet uneasily as his eyes scanned the carious lines on the paper, his expression falling deeper and deeper into a frown, fingers tapping louder and louder against the side of the trash can.
"...How 'bout that, someone tries ta off Dibble." His voice was flat, and unreadable. Fancy-Fancy and Choo-Choo exchanged a nervous glance.
"It was pretty messed up, T.C" The pink cat remarked quietly, wringing his paws before him, "It was like they planned it really well or somethin'."
"They probably did. Though what I wanna know is how they knew Dibble and us where in cahoots for the time being..." Top Cat dropped the paper to the side; the headline blaring 'Attempt By Cat Gang on Cop' to the world. It wasn't so subtle anymore.
"Ya think someone found out we where gonna help Dibble catch 'um?" Choo-Choo commented, "But there was you back in the alley when he talked to ya."
"I know, I know, can it Chooch, I'm thinking." Top Cat rested his chin in his propped up hand, glaring skyward as he continued drumming his fingers on the side of the trash can. Benny picked up the newspaper, looking over the front photo; the scene yesterday: The truck that had skidded to an untimely halt, the shocked pedestrians, and above all, the back of the traffic lights, with its wires torn and ripped like new curtains in the hands of a new kitten.
"...Hey T.C..."
"Not now, Benny."
"But T.C..."
"Benny!" Top Cat finally looked at him, dark irises blazing, "I'm tryin' ta think here, could ya pipe down before the whole neighbourhood starts thinkin' someone left some kind of record playing over and over out on the street?"
"But T.C, who's this guy here in the paper?" Benny inquired, stubby a stubby finger at the paper in question. Since he was facing Top Cat, all the leader of the group could see was the back of today's issue bantering on about sport stars.
Top Cat blinked. "Whaddaya mean, Benny? There's loadsa people in that photo..."
Choo-Choo leaned over past Benny's short shoulder to see what he was talking about, and his Siamese-like eyes widened. Fancy did the same, and his jaw dropped slightly. Spook looked perplexed,
"Gosh..."
Top Cat snatched the paper away from them abruptly, giving it a flick to straighten out and glowering down at the picture, scanning every corner. He saw it, and if Benny hadn't pointed it out, he probably would never have found it.
In the back, behind the heads of the many onlookers, peering around the corner, was the unmistakable figure of an adult cat, short and lean, with fur as white as the clouds, wearing something blue. Their facial features was obscured by the shadow cast by the building beside them, but Top Cat could tell it was definitely feline, watching the incident from afar. And, as he peered closer, his nose touching the paper, he could see something clutched in their paw...
A pair of scissors. He raised his head slowly, hat slipped down over his furrowed brow. "..."
"Who d'ya think is is, Top Cat...?" Benny asked in a small voice, sounded a little afraid. Top Cat didn't turn his head, didn't budge.
"...I dunno, Benny...but somethin' tells me it won't be long 'till we find out."
...
The alley of the kittens was unusual quiet; far too still. The kittens, as ragged and ruffled as ever, had all gone stiff as statues, their large eyes set on the entrance to the dead-end street they called their home.
Kristoff, his black hat slipped down just above his slit-like eyes, regarded the entrance to their domain with disdain. The other kittens slowly parted their little crowd as the newcomer slowly approached. Cha-Cha, Bluedoo and Kip stood at the entrance, too, fidgeting with unsuppressed nervousness.
Toby was huddled at the side of Kristoff's throne-like chair, wringing his jumper in fretful little paws. But, he didn't look afraid of the newcomer. In fact, it was the fuming striped kitten above him that made him nervous.
The crowd had parted completely and the new kitten stared up at Kristoff, slightly taller, back straight and paws in pockets. His paler yellow fur was neat and not littered with dark stripes, but a single black patch of fur lay over his right eye, in a way that almost reminded Toby of a monocle. A pale blue cap, much like the one that...Jazz man wore, was sat on his head. His white tutle-neck jumper was spotless, if not greying due to being quite old now.
"Kristoff." The fellow yellow kitten remarked loftily, eyes set on the later above.
"Notch." Kristoff returned plainly, leaning back in his chair, slumped in deliberate contrast to their straight-backed guest.
"I heard things where jumbling together." Notch said in a refined voice, no shortened words or accented slangs, "I came to see if...you two where...doing well."
"We're doin' just fine, Thank ya." Kristoff folded his arms sourly, eyeing him with clear distaste. Toby fidgeted.
"How's Toby?" Notch asked in his blank, firm tone. Kristoff's nose wrinkled.
"He'd just fine, ain't ya, Tobe?"
Toby smiled faintly at Notch, who, when glancing at him, offered a very brief one in return before frowning back up at the striped kitten above.
"You know you wanted me to come, you need all of us here, together." Notch said, his voice low as he glowered at the tiger-like kitten, "But let it be known I came for Toby's sake."
Kristoff smirked without any humour in his pointy little grin, "I though' so, Top Notch, Thought so indeed. Ya brought your own lil' gang of stiffs like I asked?"
"Yes." Notch replied, frowning, "But whatever messed up ideas you have, remember you don't have as much control as you think."
"Can the fancy talk, will ya?" Kristoff snapped, finally losing his patience. Toby cringed, wishing he could leave, but he knew he couldn't possibly to it, he needed to remain. "I got a plan all right, but it ain't messed up. Just wait 'till everyone else gets 'ere for the gatherin'. A big...family reunion before we get down ta business."
He hopped down from his chair, landing right in front of the contrasting kitten Notch, who scowled deeply at the move. He threw an arm around his shoulders, not gently, and continued grinning from ear to ear. "Just like old times."
Notch slowly peeled the striped kitten's arm away, frowning stiffly.
"Don't be too cocky."
Toby lowered his head, regarding his small, bruised little toes.
He hated it when his brothers fought.