Chapter 3: News Flash
"This is Ann Gora, bringing you the latest news update on Katseye News," Ann Gora announced enthusiastically, "I am here at the scene of the recent bomb explosion of Megakat City's experimental lab, Pumadime. And now I have here with me Commander Feral, of the Enforcers, to tell us more of this tragedy. Commander Feral..."
"I have every reason to believe that the Swat Kats are behind this act. We think that they have teamed up with a group of corrupted imbeciles, betraying the Enforcers. We all know that Pumadime was taken away from us at this time yesterday and I figured the only way to put an end to whatever plan they've had installed, was to demolish it immediately," Feral spat angrily. "Unfortunately, we were one step behind the lunatics as they too had rigged the lab with explosives. But, with the quick efficiency of the Enforcers and a little assistance of the Swat Kats, my team of Enforcers managed to detonate our bombs first, destroying whatever equipment they wanted to get. And then those two-timing Swat Kats, why I'd like to get my hands on that bunch of rouges, went right in and..."
"Commander Feral," interrupted Ann, "I am sure that Megakat City is indeed privileged to have such a skilled and capable commander like you, but don't you think you should think twice before accusing the Swat Kats of being part of this plot? After all, they have saved our city more than once before."
"I don't even have to THINK about it!" Feral exploded, "If I ever get my hands on the Swat Kats, I'll charge them for every offence, including kidnapping!"
"Kidnapping?!" Ann was taken back. "What kidnapping?"
"Why, they've kidnapped my best lieutenant. And not only that, she's my niece, Lieutenant Felina!" cried Feral as he stomped away angrily to his awaiting car.
"Well, there you have it folks, straight from the Commander's mouth," Ann said with a smile and turned her attention from the police car to her cameraman. "This is live coverage of today's explosion. Are the Swat Kats innocent or guilty? Katseye news will guarantee you all the live updates as soon as the Enforcers have solved the case. This is Ann Gora, signing off!" Ann Gora said as she signalled to her cameraman to end the broadcasting.
As Ann watched the infuriated Commander drive off in the car, her mind whirled thinking of what she could do to help prove the Swat Kats were innocent. She knew, as her job of a reporter, that she would have to start investigating the disappearance of the Lieutenant to find the real culprits. She also knew, from her experience that waiting for the Enforcers to solve a big case on their own would be waiting for the day when the sun went nova.
Ann knew that the forest was the most likely place for Felina to have gone. Calling for her cameraman, she instructed him to check out the forest, while she investigated around it. Ann sighted a dead tree, which lay fallen on the ground a few meters ahead and found, interestingly enough, several footprints heading towards it. She followed them carefully trying not to make any sound for fear that whoever that was behind the log might hear her approach. Crouching, she half-crawled and half-walked toward the log. Ann picked up a rock hoping to use it to injure the kat who was behind the tree. Leaping up, she drew her hand back to strike her opponent with the rock. To her surprise, she found nothing except for more footprints. Examining these footprints carefully for a couple of times, she finally came to the conclusion that there had been a least one other kat hiding behind the log before. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together.
Felina was approaching the log when the Swat Kats surprised her and kidnapped her! Ann thought excitedly. She went back to the other set of footprints and what she saw made her change her mind. In front of Ann laid three sets of different footprints, so she concluded that Felina did not approach the log at all. Disappointed, Ann decided to walk behind the log to look for more clues.
What if Felina was behind the log? Ann thought, trying desperately to cover all possibilities, so then the Swat Kats must have been the ones who approached her.
Ann pulled out her pocket magnifying glass and examined all the footprints. She detected something that she did not see before. It was the way the all the footprints were formed. One side was deeper than the other, and Ann guessed that it meant that the kats were pushed backwards together by some force. Ann ran over to the nearby trees and found that her suspicion was confirmed. On the ground lay several footprints and handprints. Those footprints led off into the forest. But to her surprise, there were only three different sets of prints.
"Could they have carried her?" Ann inquired aloud and to satisfy her curiosity, she followed the footprints. To her utter dismay, the footprints led off in different directions.
Quickly, Ann ran back to the tree. "Felina must have been forced back somewhere else!"
Ann started inspecting the vicinity of the dead tree. There were a couple of bushes and she inspected each of them carefully. Finding no clues, she found herself back at square one. Frustrated, Ann decided to return back to see if her cameraman had found any clues. As she turned around, she found herself walking smack into a large tree. Suddenly, a funny idea hit her.
"Maybe Felina was forced into a tree which was really a trapdoor in disguise," she whispered, remembering a detective show she had watched a week ago, which had trapdoors that had led to the villain's lair.
Since she was out of other bright ideas, Ann was game to undertake the silly idea. Just when she was about to tap her tenth tree, something hard struck her from behind. Pain erupted from her shoulder and down to her legs. The force made her legs weak and she collapsed, face first, onto the soil. She tried to call for help but had no strength to do so. Her limbs faltered and failed her as she felt another blow delivered onto her head. As she felt darkness enclosing in on her, she heard a cruel laugh followed by a silly cackle.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you never to knock on your enemies' door?" a low, masculine metallic-like voice sniggered. "That way, you'll be looking for less trouble. But unfortunately, there will be no more next time..."
"This is Ann Gora, bringing you the latest news update on Katseye News," Ann Gora announced enthusiastically, "I am here at the scene of the recent bomb explosion of Megakat City's experimental lab, Pumadime. And now I have here with me Commander Feral, of the Enforcers, to tell us more of this tragedy. Commander Feral..."
"I have every reason to believe that the Swat Kats are behind this act. We think that they have teamed up with a group of corrupted imbeciles, betraying the Enforcers. We all know that Pumadime was taken away from us at this time yesterday and I figured the only way to put an end to whatever plan they've had installed, was to demolish it immediately," Feral spat angrily. "Unfortunately, we were one step behind the lunatics as they too had rigged the lab with explosives. But, with the quick efficiency of the Enforcers and a little assistance of the Swat Kats, my team of Enforcers managed to detonate our bombs first, destroying whatever equipment they wanted to get. And then those two-timing Swat Kats, why I'd like to get my hands on that bunch of rouges, went right in and..."
"Commander Feral," interrupted Ann, "I am sure that Megakat City is indeed privileged to have such a skilled and capable commander like you, but don't you think you should think twice before accusing the Swat Kats of being part of this plot? After all, they have saved our city more than once before."
"I don't even have to THINK about it!" Feral exploded, "If I ever get my hands on the Swat Kats, I'll charge them for every offence, including kidnapping!"
"Kidnapping?!" Ann was taken back. "What kidnapping?"
"Why, they've kidnapped my best lieutenant. And not only that, she's my niece, Lieutenant Felina!" cried Feral as he stomped away angrily to his awaiting car.
"Well, there you have it folks, straight from the Commander's mouth," Ann said with a smile and turned her attention from the police car to her cameraman. "This is live coverage of today's explosion. Are the Swat Kats innocent or guilty? Katseye news will guarantee you all the live updates as soon as the Enforcers have solved the case. This is Ann Gora, signing off!" Ann Gora said as she signalled to her cameraman to end the broadcasting.
As Ann watched the infuriated Commander drive off in the car, her mind whirled thinking of what she could do to help prove the Swat Kats were innocent. She knew, as her job of a reporter, that she would have to start investigating the disappearance of the Lieutenant to find the real culprits. She also knew, from her experience that waiting for the Enforcers to solve a big case on their own would be waiting for the day when the sun went nova.
Ann knew that the forest was the most likely place for Felina to have gone. Calling for her cameraman, she instructed him to check out the forest, while she investigated around it. Ann sighted a dead tree, which lay fallen on the ground a few meters ahead and found, interestingly enough, several footprints heading towards it. She followed them carefully trying not to make any sound for fear that whoever that was behind the log might hear her approach. Crouching, she half-crawled and half-walked toward the log. Ann picked up a rock hoping to use it to injure the kat who was behind the tree. Leaping up, she drew her hand back to strike her opponent with the rock. To her surprise, she found nothing except for more footprints. Examining these footprints carefully for a couple of times, she finally came to the conclusion that there had been a least one other kat hiding behind the log before. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together.
Felina was approaching the log when the Swat Kats surprised her and kidnapped her! Ann thought excitedly. She went back to the other set of footprints and what she saw made her change her mind. In front of Ann laid three sets of different footprints, so she concluded that Felina did not approach the log at all. Disappointed, Ann decided to walk behind the log to look for more clues.
What if Felina was behind the log? Ann thought, trying desperately to cover all possibilities, so then the Swat Kats must have been the ones who approached her.
Ann pulled out her pocket magnifying glass and examined all the footprints. She detected something that she did not see before. It was the way the all the footprints were formed. One side was deeper than the other, and Ann guessed that it meant that the kats were pushed backwards together by some force. Ann ran over to the nearby trees and found that her suspicion was confirmed. On the ground lay several footprints and handprints. Those footprints led off into the forest. But to her surprise, there were only three different sets of prints.
"Could they have carried her?" Ann inquired aloud and to satisfy her curiosity, she followed the footprints. To her utter dismay, the footprints led off in different directions.
Quickly, Ann ran back to the tree. "Felina must have been forced back somewhere else!"
Ann started inspecting the vicinity of the dead tree. There were a couple of bushes and she inspected each of them carefully. Finding no clues, she found herself back at square one. Frustrated, Ann decided to return back to see if her cameraman had found any clues. As she turned around, she found herself walking smack into a large tree. Suddenly, a funny idea hit her.
"Maybe Felina was forced into a tree which was really a trapdoor in disguise," she whispered, remembering a detective show she had watched a week ago, which had trapdoors that had led to the villain's lair.
Since she was out of other bright ideas, Ann was game to undertake the silly idea. Just when she was about to tap her tenth tree, something hard struck her from behind. Pain erupted from her shoulder and down to her legs. The force made her legs weak and she collapsed, face first, onto the soil. She tried to call for help but had no strength to do so. Her limbs faltered and failed her as she felt another blow delivered onto her head. As she felt darkness enclosing in on her, she heard a cruel laugh followed by a silly cackle.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you never to knock on your enemies' door?" a low, masculine metallic-like voice sniggered. "That way, you'll be looking for less trouble. But unfortunately, there will be no more next time..."