Empty cradle

Chapter 14

By Leanna

The lioness didn't go back to bed; she had work to do and a short time to put everything in action. Stage one was complete, now she had to work on stage two and three, she walked down to the hanger and took out a pair of work coveralls and slipped them on over her night clothes, tucking her long hair down collar and put a small cap on her head to hide the rest of her hair. She then raided the panther's tools chest and placed them in a small duffle bag. She then took a handful of grease and smudged it over her face then took one of the transport cars and stopped at the door of the hanger. Punching in the security code, she hoped no one on duty in the control room would take notice of her leaving. She got into the car and headed to Meka's house. She was on a mission, that mission was to find evidence of Meka's and her father's dealings, and anything else that would incriminate them and make Meka keep his word. If he was resorting to low tactics... so would she.

The lioness parked a discrete distance away from Meka home and crept up to the house, the two guards that were posted there were busy talking about what had happened at the house, she over heard one make a comment about not wanting to be the one to piss off Panthro, the other laughed and agreed. Leanna just smirked, she needed to get into the house, and she snuck around to the other side of the house and found the kitchen door. Placing the duffle bag full of borrowed tool on the ground, she rummaged inside the bag until she found a flat headed screwdriver and stood, putting the screw drive into the space between the lock and the door frame, she then forced it open with a small crack sound. Wasn't the best method, but she wasn't exactly a good burglar either. But it had worked, she knew the alarm system would be turned off, the lock broke and the door popped open.

Know the guards had orders to stay outside, she knew she would be able to move around inside without too much trouble as long as she kept quiet. She headed to what she hoped was Meka's office. She checked three doors before she found what she wanted, she went inside and started opening the drawers of the large desk, looking for anything she could use.

Outside the guards took turns walking around the house to make sure everything was secure. The guard made it half way around the house when he seen a light in one of the windows, he knew that there was no lights left on in the house, he stopped and radioed the other guard. Meanwhile inside, Leanna found a folder tucked away inside a locked drawer, using her trusty screw drive, which she learned had many more uses then turning screws, she had forced open the lock and found the folder, she was looking through it when she heard footsteps out side the door, "Crap!" she thought to her self and quickly turned off the light and stuffed the folder into her duffle bag and looked for a place to hide.

The guard slowly opened the door and did a quick scan of the room, using his flashlight he made a slow sweep of the room from one side tot he other. Seeing nothing, he stepping inside and flipped on the light. Leanna slowed her breathing as she heard the guard come closer to her hiding place behind the long thick drapes that framed the large window. She closed her eyes and stayed as still as possible as the guard stood on the other side of the drapes.. then it happened, she caught a whiff of the guards aftershave and being highly allergic to perfumes and aftershave , her nostrils twitched and her eyes started watering," No, oh, "she though, "Please move away quickly" She said in silent prayer. But the guard was looking at the half opened drawer of the desk, his brow furrowed in confusion, and then he heard someone sneeze, whew healed around and saw movement behind the curtain.

The lioness squealed as the guard grabbed a handful of the material and pulled the drape back, "hold it right there, "He said levelling his weapon, "Don't move".

Leanna put her hands up and sneezed a few more times, "Damn allergies "she grumbled to herself, "If all the times for them to act up"

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the guard questioned.

"Umm would you believe me if I said I was house cleaning?" she said sweetly.

The guard just looked at her and gave her a "do you think I'm that stupid" look.

"Guess not huh?" She said. Then realized they wouldn't recognize her, with her hair tucked in, her face smudged with grease and in the get up she was wearing and even if she told them who she was, she had no identification on her, her ThunderCat insignia was back in her room.

"Come on," the guard growled and toughly grabbed her by the arm, "you can explain it to the king"

"I would rather not, "she said as she was dragged by the arm outside then down to their transport car and taken back to the lair.

Panthro turned over in is sleep and did what he always done, her reached for his wife to snuggle close and burry his face in his long silky hair, but his hand found nothing, he opened his eyes, lea's side was empty, he turned his head, the bathroom light was off, and there was no sound in the room but the soft ticking of the clock on the nightstand. He put his hand on the sheet..cold..which meant Lea had been gone for a while. His eyes widen and he bolted upright in the bed, his first thought" Meka". She had snuck down to see him. The panther got up and pulled on a pair of black sleep pants and headed bare foot down to the med bay, he had asked the two guards if Leanna had been there, they told him she had come down to get a headache remedy. But Panthro knew that was a crock, Leanna hardly ever got headaches. He thanked the two guards and headed back towards the twins room, he checked in there the two cubs were sleeping soundly in there beds with the Snarf Sele just outside the door, so he knew she hadn't come in here.. .Question was where was she?

The panther then went down to the kitchen to see if maybe she might have gotten thirsty and needed a drink, but when he got there the kitchen was dark and deserted. The more places he checked the more worried he became, there was only a few places left and he knew she had no business being in either the hanger or control room so late at night. So he went to the control room, just as the doors opened Bengali who was serving night shift turned around in his chair, "I was just about to call you" he said.

"Oh?" Panthro questioned curiously.

"Yeah, the guards brought in a looter from Meka's house and she wants to speak to you and only you" the white tiger replied.

"She?...oh no" Panthro sighed, knowing he just found his mate, "ok, I'll go down to the holding cells..Thanks Ben"

"Want me to wake Lion-O?" Bengali asked

"No, I'll take care of this," Panthro answered and left the control room and headed down to the holding cells.

When he got there one guard greeted him and explained what had happened, "she insists on speaking to only you" The guard said as he lead the panther to the cell where his prisoner was being held.

"She never gave you a hard time?" Panthro asked.

"No sir...She was too busy sneezing" the guard laughed, "seems she's allergic to me"

Panthro got a whiff of the guards aftershave and grimaced, "By jaga, man did you take a bath in a ditch or something?" the panther asked recoiling from the stench of the obviously cheap scent

"Hey on my salary it as the best i could buy" the guard said slightly insulted

"What was it called ode to low tide at the swamp?" the panther asked then chuckled and shook his head. "Son, only thing you'll attract with that is bugs"

The guard frowned and snorted then went back to his post at Meka's house.

Panthro just shook his head and went to the cell, there sitting in the corner was his mate, her eyes were bloodshot, her nose read and runny, which didn't do much for the grease she had smudge on her cheeks. "Lea?...what in Jaga's name were you doing?" he asked, trying not to laugh at her ridiculous get up, "and what in Thundera are you wearing?"

Leanna got up off the cot and stood, oh? Do you like it? I thought I'd wear it to bed one of these nights," she said with a seductive smile as she turned around.

"That is so not funny lea," The panther said with a scowl.

"Aww come on, we can play hide the wrench," she said with a grin and slowly unzippered the coveralls.

"Woman, do not toy with me," Panthro said firmly." Now what were you doing at Meka's house?"

"Gathering evidence, "she said pointing tot he duffle back, "Hope you don't mind i borrowed a few tools"

Panthro's eyebrows shot up "you used my tools to break into his house?"

"Just your good screwdriver, don't worry I didn't put a scratch on it"

Panthro just shook his head and opened the cell door, "come on... you getting changed, you look like on of my junior mechanics".

Leanna walked out and looked down at her self, "I though I looked quiet sexy if i do say so myself".

"LEA!" the panther barked.

"Ok, ok, Geesh chill man" The lioness said as the two left the holding cells and went back up stairs.