A/N: One month . . . three months . . . they're sort of the same thing. Sorry to keep you guys in suspense for so long — life intruded on my writing for a while there. Yeah, *this* is the chapter where you finally get to learn Maggie's code name! But first, a public service announcement:
WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES support the victims of the Sept. 11th tragedy. Remember the dead. Fight for the living. United we stand.
Okay, that said — on to the fic!
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"Yeeeeah-ha!!" T-Bone howled triumphantly. "Take *that*, techno creep!"

"Shield readings at fifteen percent . . . twelve . . . ten . . . ." Razor's voice held an obvious note of proud satisfaction. "We've got him, buddy."

"Those baby boomer missiles did the trick." T-Bone agreed. He craned his neck and examined the weakening techno-lizard below. "Let's take him down."

"Roger that." Razor thumbed one of the cockpit's many firing buttons. "Buzzsaw missiles — deployed!"

"Sliced and diced." T-Bone announced smugly as the robot creature hit the ground with a screech.

"And right on cue," Razor interjected, glancing off to the right, "Here come the Enforcers."

A trio of Enforcer choppers came into view a moment later, hovering over the wreck of the techno-lizard.

"Well, I'd say they can handle it from here." T-Bone pulled the TurboKat into a wide turn. "We're makin' tracks for city hall."

******

Maggie glanced at the timekeeper on her glovatrix. "Well, I think the guys should be done with your little toy by now." She sat at the deputy mayor's desk, booted feet propped up and Molly's energy weapon in hand. The Metallikats, disentangled from her net, were now bound paw and foot with high-density cord. "By the way, does MacClawed still have that cat?"

Mac scowled in reply, and Maggie shrugged.

"You know, you're impossible to talk to when you're sulking."

Hearing footsteps approaching in the hallway outside, Maggie turned her attention to the door. She stood as the deputy mayor entered the room, flanked by a pair of Enforcers on either side.

Callie nodded at her. "These guys can take it from here." She said, as the four approached the Metallikats.

Maggie smiled back, placing Molly's gun on the desk. "Good." She jerked her chin at the Metallikats. "Holding a conversation with these two is like pulling teeth. Took me five minutes just to get them to tell me who gave them that techno-lizard."

One of the Enforcers glanced at her, frowning slightly. "And you are?"

"Relax, Captain." Maggie replied in a soothing tone. "I'm one of the good guys." She glanced in Callie's direction. "Just ask Miss Briggs."

"She's right, Captain Muller." Callie lifted her chin. "She can be trusted with the information. Just see to it that those two end up in the proper paws."

Muller snapped a casual salute. "You got it, Miss Briggs." Seizing Molly's arm with one paw, he motioned his team out of the room with the other.

Maggie leaned against the doorframe as they left. "Pulling rank when you're not even in the Enforcers. I'm impressed, Miss Briggs."

Callie smiled. "Years of running a city will teach that to a girl." Then she frowned, still confused. "I'm sorry . . . I've got this strange feeling that I know you. Have we . . . ."

"Not likely." Maggie replied, straightening up. "I keep to myself."

Callie didn't seem all that convinced, but she let the question drop. "Anyway, you saved my life. I owe you one."

"Forget it." Maggie grinned, leaving the office. "We've got a customer service program." She called back over her shoulder. "The first rescue is free!"

As she headed towards the elevator, her helmet communicator buzzed to life. "TurboKat to Swat Kat One." Razor's voice beckoned. "You'd better be wearing your helmet."

"Like I'd really ride a *Cyclotron* without it." Maggie replied sarcastically. "Where are you guys?"

"Above your head, if you're in City Hall." T-Bone replied. "And don't look now, but you ain't getting out of there without a Kat's Eye photo op and an Enforcers interview."

Maggie groaned and rolled her eyes. "What are the odds that Feral *won't* be there?"

"*I* wouldn't bet on 'em."

"Well," Maggie sighed as she entered the elevator, "At least we won't be in a courtroom, this time."

******

The Enforcers who were adding up the damages and collection evidence in the parking garage eyed Maggie with varying degrees of suspicion, mild annoyance, and thinly veiled admiration. The last look was the most common — and she suspected it had more to do with the Swat Kat uniform she was wearing that with anything else.

The fresh-faced Corporal standing guard over the Cyclotron was no different. Shoving honey-blonde hair out of her face and shouldering her rifle, she gave Maggie — of all things — a quick salute as she stepped away from the vehicle."Bang-up job ya did down here." She said, indicating the shattered attack drones.

"Thanks." Maggie grinned, deactivating the Cyclotron's security systems.

The corporal glanced enviously at the Cyclotron. "Bet that's a heck of a ride."

"Sure is." Maggie glanced toward the entrance of the parking garage. Realizing that she was going to have to walk the Cyclotron to the street because of the crowd, she gave the Enforcer a quick, laid-back salute and seized the bike by the handlebars. "Keep up the good work."

"Same to you."

*Well, well.* Maggie thought with a mental chuckle. *Looks like not all the Enforcers in this town hate us as much as Feral. That's good to know.*

Lost in thought, Maggie hardly notice when she stepped out into the bright November afternoon — until the clamoring voices of half-a-dozen kats broke into her thoughts.

"Excuse me, miss! If I can just ask you . . . ."

"I'm with the Amerikat Broadcasting Corporation . . . ."

"Enforcers Investigative Branch. We have some questions for you . . . ."

The noise was enough to make Maggie want to cover her ears. Steadying the Cyclotron with one paw, she held the other up in a request for quiet. The crowd of civilian onlookers and City Hall employees grew somewhat quieter — but the small knot of reporters and Enforcers who were crowded around her didn't.

"Now, look . . ." Maggie began. The words were barely spoken, however, before she was interrupted.

"Excuse me! Kat's Eye News, coming through!" A vaguely Siamese-looking she-kat elbowed and clawed her way through the crowd, followed closely by a brawny camerakat. Ignoring the protests of the other reporters, the she-kat turned to face the camera lens.

"Ann Gora here for Kat's Eye News, reporting live from the scene of an amazing hostage situation. Only moments ago Commander Feral's team of Enforcers received a phone call from deputy mayor Callie Briggs. Briggs was believed to be held hostage by the vicious Metallikats, Mac and Molly Mange. However, the Enforcers arrived to discover the deputy mayor freed and the Metallikats disarmed, apparently thanks to this strange she-kat." Gora turned and shoved the mike in Maggie's face. "Do you have anything to say?"

Maggie blinked, keenly aware that several cameras besides Gora's were focused on her. "Ah . . .well . . . ."

*Kats, Maggie, you're on TV. At least TRY and put together a coherent sentence.*

"Is there a reason you're dressed like one of the Swat Kats?" Gora demanded. "Have you joined the team?"

Maggie brushed her ever-present bangs out of her eyes. "I prefer to think of it as . . . lending a paw to some friends in need." She replied, using uncle Matt's old trick to disguise her voice. *Maybe not much of a disguise, but it should be enough.*

"I see. Will you be staying in MegaKat City, miss . . . ?" Ann Gora inquired, not even bothering to disguise the leading question.

Maggie grinned. "The name's Hurricane, Miss Gora." She turned to head for the street. "And you can count on it."

As she wheeled the Cyclotron away, the crowd parted in front of her in a scene worthy of Hollywood. At the edge of the crowd, Mac and Molly Mange were being escorted into an Enforcers paddy wagon, and a familiar jet soared into view in the sky above.

Maggie — *no, it's Hurricane when I'm in character* — grinned. "A she-kat could get used to this." She murmured.

"Just a moment!" A harsh voice boomed from behind her.

*Uh-oh.* Hurricane turned to find herself face to face with Commander Ulysses Feral.

"Hi there." She purred, fighting a sudden swell of anger. The last time they'd faced each other, he had openly accused her of being a traitor.

"I've got a few questions for you, Swat Kat."

Hurricane jerked her chin in the direction of the Metallikats. "Ask *them* the questions, Commander. They're the criminals here."

"I haven't determined that yet."

"Oh?" Hurricane's tail twitched and her voice grew low. "And what did I do wrong, exactly? Was it saving the deputy mayor? Or capturing the Metallikats, perhaps?"

"I . . ." Feral seemed at a loss for words.

"I didn't even break anything." She shook her head. "You've got nothing on me *this* time, Feral." She turned around once more.

"*This* time." Feral agreed. "There will be others."

"Count on it." She shot back. *I still owe you one.*

But then again . . . .

Hurricane broke into a secretive grin as she mounted the Cyclotron. "Commander." She once again indicated the Metallikats. "Ask *them* about James MacClawed." She started the ignition.

"MacClawed?" Feral was startled. "How did you . . .?"

"Just ask them, Feral. I guarantee the results will surprise you." Hurricane glanced upwards at the pair of kats in the jet above, then grinned and flashed a thumbs-up. They returned the signal, and she gunned the Cyclotron's engine. Still grinning, she looked over her shoulder at Feral. "Give my regards to the Canines."

As jet and cycle roared away, Ann Gora once again turned to face the camera. "There you have it, katizens of MKC. We've just witnessed the birth of a new Swat Kat — and Kat's Eye News was there. This is Ann Gora. Back to you, Tom."

******
THREE DAYS LATER
******

"And, in other news," The television newskat declared, "Fugitive weapons designer James MacClawed was extradited from Canis today after four years of hiding from law enforcement officials."

Matthew Blackclaw turned from his place at the kitchen sink to watch the screen, where a downcast kat with white fur and piercing blue eyes was being led away by a squad of Enforcers. Matt smiled. "Well, now . . . ."

"MacClawed was wanted for questioning concerning the infamous Hurricane Squadron incident, which left five Enforcer pilots dead during the Desert War." The announcer explained. "He was arrested and extradited after testimonies from both of the Metallikats implicated him as the designer and supplier of this weapon," The scene cut to footage of the techno-lizard's rampage, "Which terrorized downtown MegaKat City for more than an hour on Tuesday. It was defeated by the city's resident vigilantes, the Swat Kats, while the Metallikats were captured by the newest Swat Kat, who goes by the code name Hurricane."

The screen was filled with a photograph of the vigilante in question. Matthew's eyebrows shot up, and he turned to the line of photos on the counter. A slow smile crept over his features as he glanced at the television once more. Matt chuckled. "Well, now. Well, now." Drying his paws, he reached for the photograph of his younger brother and examined it thoughtfully.

"You always told me not to count her out, didn't you?" He shook his head gently, still smiling. "You would be proud of your little girl, Michael." He set the photograph down, watching the knowing gleam in his brother's eye. Matthew chuckled again.

"Yes. You would be very, very proud of your little hurricane."

Still chuckling, Matthew Blackclaw went back to doing the dishes.

******
Continued in the Epilogue
******