PART III

                With the last bell of the last day of school for the week, the students at Molly's school exploded from the buildings, laughing and chattering as they headed to homes, shops and playgrounds to start the weekend. Molly sighed.  She got to go home.  Still, she had  known what she was getting into when she got into the fight, and so mom really couldn't be blamed.

                The bearess paused at the end of the steps, waiting for Jereem to hobble on down, and then started walking home.  The sun was pleasant,  and the weather was warm, but not too hot, with a breeze ruffling Molly's hair, so they  walked slowly, enjoying the afternoon.

                They both waved as Michael came walking down the street from his school, pointedly ignored by some of the other students from the school.  Jereem noticed the cold shoulder treatment the tiger was getting.

                "What happened?"

                "Oh, I had a discussion with some of my fellow students... regarding how to treat my friends."  Michael said.

                "Did it get you in trouble?"  Molly asked.

                "Not at all."  Michael said, "In fact I can safely say that it was the highpoint of the day."  He paused, "Speaking of that, granduncle called the school to let me know that it was alright if you and Jereem came over tonight.  He said that he had called your mom, Molly and gotten her approval."

                "He did!?"  Molly said surprised.  "How did he get mom to agree?" Michael shrugged.

                "Don't know."  Michael answered.  "Are you interested?"

                "Sure!  What about you, Jereem?"  The coyote hesitated.

                "Well, I should be going home..."

                "You could call from the tower."  Michael said. Jereem looked up, made a decision.

                "You're right.  I'll call later tonight, after mother gets home."  Jereem walked on with them.  Michael looked curiously at some  of the items on Molly's belt. 

                "What are those?" 

                "These?"  said Molly, pulling out a small metal box and metal wedge.  "This is my toolbox... Wildcat gave it to me for my birthday, and this,"  She said, opening the metal wedge with a flourish, "is a air board."

                "Air board?"  Michael asked, "what's that."

                "Oh, that's right, you've never met Kit."  Molly said.  "Well, his parents were into a lot of experimental stuff, and they came up with this.  If you're moving fast enough, well then you can ride it in the air, like a surfboard."  Michael took it and curiously looked at it.

                "Interesting... and your mother doesn't mind."  Jereem laughed.  Molly glared at her friend.

                "Well.... sometimes."  She said, putting it back into her belt.

                "And the tools?"  Molly laughed,

                "My main babysitter's for the last 7 years have either been Kit, who loved to cloud surf, or Wildcat, who loved to take things apart.. and put them back together."

                "How good are you at it?"

                "Well...."  Molly paused.  "I can tune up the Seaduck's engines, and I've worked on them a few times, with Wildcat looking on.  The plane's never crashed... at least not because of me."  Michael grinned.

                "Well, I wish I had something that exciting to talk about... but my school... St. Peter's School For the Terminally Dull really doesn't encourage excitement."

                'Well.... think."  Molly said

                "Ok. I do have a few incidents... some of them starring the acquaintances you made yesterday, Molly...."

                By the time the three reached Khan's tower, they were laughing and talking about their various friends, and not-friends at school.

                "Well..."  Michael said, "The worst thing that happened at my school was when we were one a field trip... you know, they choose the most boring place in the city to make you thankful for school?"

                "Oh yes..."  Jereem and Molly chorused, laughing.

                "Well Buffy decided to show us how good she was with animals, so when we were at the zoo... she opened the gorilla bird cage."

                "No!"  Molly gasped.  "What happened?"

                "Ceciela, Buffy, our teacher, and the zoo guide all ended up hanging from the branches of an oak tree, with the birds thundering around the bottom like air pirates around a blimp."  He laughed.  "It took half the attendants in the zoo to get everything under control."

                "Did they get the birds back?"  Jereem asked,

                "Evidently not, from what you say about Dave."  Michael supplied.  Molly doubled over.

                "That is so evil... because it's true.  I hadn't ever thought of the similarity before, though."  Michael laughed along with her.

                "Well, here we are... my home, otherwise known as the dark tower of Cape Suzzette."  He said, gesturing at the tall building.  Pulling open one of the glass doors for Molly and Jereem, he gestured them inside. The two kids walked inside, looking around at the marble and chrome office. 

                "This front room is worth more then mom's entire business."  Molly softly said.  Michael waved at the secretary, who was checking in a worker, the muscular otter taking back his ID.

                "Oh, that's nice.  Mr. Khan's grandnephew doesn't have many friends over."  The otter looked over at the secretary's words.

                "Friends are important, true."  He said,  "I'll see you tonight."  The secretary smiled as the gentlemen went into the employee's elevator.  He must not have worked for Khan very long if he thought that he'd be finished before her shift ended.

***

                Baloo and Kit took off from Louie's and came back onto a heading for Cape Suzzette, moving at a leisurely pace.  Kit finished taking the compass reading, and put the navigation gear back into the compartment.

                "What did, Ms. Cunningham call you about?  Are we late again?"  The younger bear asked Baloo.

                "Naw, ever more of a surprise then that."  Baloo answered.  "It seems Molly has a new friend."

                "That's a surprise?"  Kit said, puzzled.

                "His name is Michael Khan... as in Shere Khan's grandnephew."  Kit paused, a bottle of coke halfway to his lips.

                "That is a surprise."  He thought, "Does Ms. Cunningham approve, Papa Bear?"  Baloo shifted in his seat.

                "I don't think she knows herself, yet.  I just hope Molly understands that some of those rich folks really don't care about anyone but themselves.... I'd hate to see pigtails get hurt."  The bear continued, face darkening.  Kit nodded, but spoke up.

                "I wouldn't worry about that, Baloo...  Molly's tough and smart, and not easy to fool at all.... or don't you remember the first time she snuck aboard the Sea Duck?"  Baloo involuntarily looked back into the cargo bay.

                "Heh... You've got a point, Kit...  She's gonna be at Khannies tower tonight... I just hope it doesn't turn out like that flight did..."

                "Well," Kit said, "We can always take a quick spin around the tower... if it's there... and not on fire, we know everything's all right."

                "Ya'know, Kit... I think I'll take you up on that."  Baloo said.  "Wanna take over?  I've gotta go and check the soda's in back... wouldn't do to have Becker's cargo sloshing all over the floor." 

                "Sure Baloo."  The younger bear laughed, taking the stick.  "Just remember that she does intend to sell it, so don't drink it all testing for taste."

***

                Molly peered around Michael's room... or rather rooms.  Apparently, when he had come to live with Shere Khan, the elder tiger had simply converted some of the office space adjoining his main suite to rooms for the younger tiger.  Everything was nice, neat, and far too sterile for Molly's taste.  She looked over a rack of plants at the main window.

                Plants?  That doesn't seem like Michael  Michael walked up beside her.  He smiled, somewhat uncomfortably.

                "The maid decided that the room needed a more comfortable touch... so I let her put them in."  He smiled, "She's one of the nicer workers here."   Molly looked over at him.

                "They're not like the plants mom described in Mr. Khan's office."

                "Oh, of course not."  Michael said, "You don't think I want the maid to get eaten?"

                "Well no."  Molly answered.  Jereem was peering out the window, turning a faint shade of green.

                "Don't you ever get nervous, living so high."  The coyote asked,  Michael laughed.

                "Not really.  Remember, I've lived her since I was five."

                *And it still looks more like a hotel room... or maybe I'm just as messy as mom claims.*  Molly thought.

                "I bet you have a problem keeping this place so neat."  Jereem said, echoing Molly's thoughts.

                "No."  Michael said, "I have a problem getting it messy.  I could destroy the entire place... and by the time I got back from school, It'd look like this."  He sighed.  "It'd be nice to be able to make some sign I live here, though."  He shook his head.  "Well, does anyone want anything to eat?  One nice thing about living here is that the cafeteria is open 24 hours... something having to do with having a vampire for a boss."  Molly laughed at that, Jereem chuckled somewhat more uneasily.  Michael opened the door for them, then followed them out into the corridor.

***

                Far below the main tower, Khan had long since excavated the underpinnings, installing subbasements, underground garages, and extensive power, heating and cooling plants to support the massive visible operations above.  In many ways, the tower was like an iceberg-- many of its operations concealed under the ground, layered in ferroconcrete and steel.

                At the lowest parking garage, a nondescript van entered, its perfect, and counterfeit, ID getting past all of the guard posts above.  Stopping, the garage fell silent for a moment, most of the day shift already gone, and few of the night workers yet arrived.  Three men got out, with the one in the lead, a puffy, scruffy looking Coyote, looking at a map.

                "OK."  Kalin said, "The hanger is midway up the tower.... Khan only has people working on it during the day.. so it should be empty now, except for a few guards."

                "And they're going to be fueled?"  One of the others, a muscular wolf asked.

                "Yeah... not only that, but Khan's demonstrating them tomorrow... which means that they'll have everything up there ready to arm 'em too."   He put the map away.  "C'mon you guys... Time's awasting."  They walked over to the door, where Kaolin opened up a circuit breaker box, and pulled two fuses. 

                "There.  Now the elevators between the hanger floor and anywhere else aren't working."

                "How do we get up there then?" 

                "I left the cargo lift running... and we can jam it once we get up there.  Otto said he'd also deal with the phones."  Kalin grinned,  as he pulled a .45 from one of his pockets and gestured.  "Let's go."

***

                Molly leaned against the elevator wall, watching the dial wind back up. She had to admit that the cafeteria had been better then most restaurants she had been to.  Still, it had seemed a bit impersonal.  

                "What happens if the power goes out?"  She asked Michael.

                "It never has."  The tiger answered, "Granduncle has four separate power systems feeding the elevators and lights, so no possible problem could knock them out."  At that moment, the elevator shuddered and stalled, and the lights went down, flashed brightly, then died all together, leaving the three kids in the dark.

                "Michael?"  Jereem asked, "Have you ever heard the phrase... 'don't tempt fate'?"  Michael paid no attention to Jereem, and went to the emergency phone, picking it up.  He fumbled for a minute in the darkness, and then clicked a switch.  Light flooded the elevator from the pocket flash he had taken from the same rack holding the phone.

                "Of course, granduncle didn't get where he is by trusting to anything."  Michael said, triumphantly, holding the light up. 

                "and the  phone?"

                "dead."  Michael said, puzzled.  "I didn't think it used the same system as the elevator..."

                "It wouldn't."  Molly said, "that's why you don't lose phones even when the city loses power.... They're on a  completely different system." She looked around.  "So how do we get out?"  Jereem looked up at the dial.

                "Well, we were almost at the 34th floor when the power died... maybe we could open the door?"

                "No."  Michael said.  "If the elevator came back on while we were half way in and out..."  he left the gruesome possibility unsaid.  Molly looked at him. 

                "I can fix that."  The golden bearess said, She pulled out Wildcat's gift.    Opening it, she pulled out a variety of small tools.     

                "What are you going to do?"  Michael asked, leaning in close to her. Molly looked over at him. 

                "Elevators have clamps to keep from falling if the cable breaks."  She said, looking for a screwdriver, and finding it, setting to work on one of the expensive oak panels.  "If you trigger it, then the elevator's locked... and it can't move regardless, so we can get out."  Jereem and Michael knelt next to the bear, helping her pull free the panel.  Just as Molly had thought, there was a bundle of wires underneath it.

                "So... which one is it?"  Michael asked, peering down, shoulder touching Molly's shoulder.  Molly looked for several minutes then pointed. 

                "That one." 

                "How can you tell?"

                "It's the only hydraulic tube... you wouldn't use electricity for the clamps, in case it went out."  She reached down to the release valve. "Anyone want to say anything?"

                "No.  I'll save my breath for the scream of terror when the elevator plummets."  Jereem said.  Michael shook his head as Molly glared at her friend.  She gently turned the valve, and the three heard a screech of metal on metal as the clamps fastened tightly around the guiderails.

                "We are going to look very bad if the power comes on now."  Michael said, looking up.  However, the light's remained stubbornly off.  He got his claws in the gap between the two sides of the door, and started to pull.  Jereem and Molly got on the other one and helped him.  With a protesting groan, the door opened slowly, revealing another elevator door in front of them.  The next door was even harder to open.  Grunting and puffing, Molly and the others pried it open. 

                The hallway outside was also dark, only a few emergency lights relieving the gloom.  Michael directed the light up at the floor label and frowned.

                "What's wrong,  Michael?"

                "We shouldn't be here."  The tiger replied, uneasily.  "This is one of  Shere's very hush hush floors.... he never told me what he's doing here."

                "Then let's find a guard."  Jereem said practically, "We can explain what happened and then get them to let us out."

                "Right."  Michael said.  Choosing a direction at random, the three set out.  Before too long, they came to an intersection... with a guard lying, face down, in it.  Michael ran up to the guard and turned him over.  The hound dog breathed noisily through his mouth, but nothing the kids could do could wake him up.

                "What's wrong with him?"  Molly asked, "Is he drugged?"

                "Maybe..." Michael paused.  "Jereem?" 

                "Yes?" 

                "There should be a first aid pack in the room down the hall... could you get it and put a pillow under his head.  Molly and I will go and find a phone."

                "OK, I'll catch up with you in a minute."  Jereem said, walking off.

                "Here, Jereem."  Molly said, handing him the flashlight.  "I can see more light down that way so you need it more."  Jereem nodded, walking off.  Molly and Michael headed off in the other direction.  The building was dead silent, even the normal murmur of the ventilation system stilled by the power outage. Unconsciously, Molly grabbed Michael's hand,  and he gave it a squeeze, both to comfort her... and to calm himself as well.

                "Well..."  he said, trying to lighten the mood, "I told you it would be interesting."

                "Yes you-  do you hear that?"  The bearess said.  Michael nodded, as they walked forward.  This part of the corridor opened up on one of Khan's hanger's, its sliding roof rolled back to expose the pad, to the sky.  The light they had seen was the glow of Cape Suzzette the lit buildings and streets sending a glow onto the darkened surface of the Khan building.

                Two aircraft sat on the pad, one looking like an odd transport, the others waspish, spidery outline unlike any other plane Molly had ever seen.  The twin props of both airplanes were sticking straight up, like helicopters, the propellers were far too small. Two men were working on the smaller plane.

                "So... what are you going to do with your money?"  One asked the other.

                "Well, I've got some girlfriends that I'm going to show the town," the other laughed.

                "Heh.  I wonder what Khan's going to do when his secret project goes away out from under his nose?"  The other laughed at the words, and they continued, loading cylindrical objects under the wing of the slim plane.  Michael pulled Molly back into the door.

                "They're stealing the planes!"  He hissed in the bearess's ear.  "We've got to get help?"

                "How?"  Molly whispered back, "No phones."

                "We'll find a stairway and go down to the ground floor."  Michael said, "Then we'll call the cops from there."  As he turned to go, a third shape appeared in the hallway behind them.  For a moment, Molly thought it was Jereem, but it was far to big to be her friend.

                A fist lashed out and caught Michael on the side of his head.  The young tiger staggered and fell, stunned, as Molly looked on in shock.  The young bearess tried to grab at the stranger as he raised his hand for another blow.  She managed to hold his hand back, giving Michael a chance to scrabble backwards.  Growling, the man, a large coyote, threw Molly into the side of the wall, stunning her as her head struck the concrete.  Getting a painful grip on her hair, he looked at Michael and then walked away from him.  The Tiger rose up.

                "Hey!  Get away from her!"  With a snort, the stranger lifted Molly off her feet by her hair, causing her to cry out in pain, then swung her over the edge of the pad, leaving nothing but air beneath her feet, all 32 stories worth of it.  Molly cried out, fear now added to the pain in her voice, as she frantically tried to reach up and grab at the hand holding her.

                "Shut up and relax, or I'll drop you know."  The stranger said.  "Unless you want your little friend to go splat," this to Michael, "You'll come over here."  Michael walked out, shaking his head a little to stop the ringing.  "Hey, boys!"   The man called over to his two compatriots,  "Look who I caught!  Mr. Khan's little grandnephew and a girlfriend.  They were probably out here for some kissy face!"  He laughed coarsely.  Molly said nothing, looking down at the ground.  Michael stood as the two others grabbed him and threw him roughly onto the ground, binding his hands and feet.  Molly gasped as the man threw her down next to Michael and quickly bound her in the same way.

                "What do we do with 'em, Kalin?"  One of the two, a large wolf  asked.  Molly looked up in shock.  *This was Jereem's father?*

                "Well boy's... I don't know who the little blonde chippie is, but the tiger is Mr. Michael Khan... and I'm certain that Shere will pay as much as we're getting from Hank to get junior back safe and sound."  He smiled.  "And I'm certain that the parents of this kid we'll also pay."

                "I dunno..."  The wolf said, "That's a kidnapping rap... they don't play around with that, and if we hurt Khan's family..."  His companion also looked uncertain.  Kalin spat at the ground.

                "That for Khan.  He won't do anything!"

                "You think Khan is going to pay a ransom for me?"  Michael said.

                "You shut up!"  Kalin said,

                "Well,  I was just going to tell you that."  Kalin viciously slapped the child, snapping Michael's head to the side.  Stunned, he said nothing more.

***

                Down five floors, Otto finished taking the last of the microfilm pictures of the plans, not just for the planes above, but for several other projects of Khan.  Walking calmly out of the room, he opened the camera and placed one of the two rolls of film in an envelope. and put it in his pocket. The other he kept in the camera.  Looking up at the ceiling, he wondered how the others were doing.

***

                Jereem finished making the guard comfortable, then walked towards the light, turning off the fading flashlight to preserve its batteries.  He paused at the sound of voices.  One of them sounded familiar.  Then he heard it.  It was his fathers voice!  In shock, Jereem quietly walked towards the hanger, every sense on the alert.

***

                Kalin turned around to his two fellow criminals.

                "Have you got the planes ready?"  They both nodded.  "Good.  Put these two in the transport, and I'll fly it out of here.  You guys take the gunship."

                "Oh...  Scared of a little boy?"  Molly snarled, glaring at Kalin after seeing Michael, his head lolled over to the side from the force of the slap.

                "You shut up."  Kalin said walking over.  His two compatriots looked nervous, but said nothing. 

                "Oh, that's your answer for everything?"  Molly sneered, angrily.  "It must be awful, having to pound on a son half your size.. crippled too."  At the wall, Jereem was frantically praying that Molly would shut up.  She had no idea what his father was like if one of his rages was triggered.  His prayers were unanswered.

                "In fact, I guess that's just the natural reaction to having a son who is more of a man then you will ever be in a million years."  The young bear continued, as Kalin walked over to her, an odd smile on his face.

                "You know, little girl.  You need some discipline.  And since your mommy and daddy aren't here to provide it-"  Kalin kicked the girl viciously, the toe of his boot sinking into her ribs. Molly gurgled as agony exploded up and down her body, her breath whooshing out of her as she desperately tried to roll away from the man.  Kalin flipped her over with his toe and grinned down.  "Ohhh... I thought that you were tougher then that!  Weren't you that miserable excuse of a son's bodyguard?"

                 "No?  Well here's some more."  He said, kicking her in the face.  Molly choked and spasmed.  The wolf and hippo ran up and grabbed the coyote. 

                "That's enough man!  Are you nuts!"  The wolf demanded as he pulled Kalin away from the sobbing girl.  Molly gagged, her hands bound so she couldn't even curl up.  Michael screamed at Kalin.

                "You coward!  Leave her alone!"  Kalin tried to walk towards him, but the two held him back.

                "Kalin, No!  If we hurt him... Khan will have our skins on the wall in his office." 

                "Yeah."  Kalin reluctantly agreed.  "Put 'em into the transport."  He walked into the small office that served as the pads control tower, and got a small book.  Walking back onto the pad, he entered the transport, laughing as the weeping girl cringed away from him.  At the laughter, Molly tried to ignore the pain and sit up, still sucking air into her abused lungs.  Kalin warmed up the transports radio then tuned it to the proper frequency.

                "Hello?  Is anyone on this?"  An official sounding voice came back.

                "Who is this?  This is Mr. Khan's private frequency.  Get off of it Immediately!"

                "No, you get 'Mr.' Khan."  Kalin replied, "Unless you want to be responsible for seeing his grandnephew die."  For a moment, the radio was silent.  Then another, very familiar voice came on.

                "This is Shere Khan.  Who is this."  Coming into Cape Suzzette, Khan spoke calmly into the mike, while his free hand gripped the armrest so tightly that the metal bent under it.

                "That doesn't matter, Mr. Khan.  I have your brat, and his friend, and your tiltrotors."   Kalin smiled.  "I was wondering... how much would your little cubs safe return be to you?" Michael looked up, feeling Molly trembling next to him. 

                *I wonder what this man will do when he finds out how little I'm worth.*  He thought.

                "How much do you want?"  Shere said, calmly.

                "Oh... How about one million for your brat, and I'll throw the other in for a hundred thousand."  Khan immediately replied.

                "I will pay two million for the safe return of the children.  You may specify the place of delivery.  If either one is harmed, in any way, I will pay however much it takes to see you, and your associates, dead."  Khan turned to his pilot.  "Get on another channel.  Inform the police, but they are not to try anything.  Also... send a car to Ms. Cunningham's."

                "And the retrieval of the prototypes?"

                "Is unimportant.  The children's safety is to take precedence... complete precedence... Is this clear?"  The tiger paused.  "He only spoke of two... the other child may not have been taken, or may be dead.  Find out."

                "Yes, Mr. Khan." 

***

                Skorzeny listened to the conversation in barely restrained fury.  He had noticed that they had not left yet, and had found a radio transmitter, in order to find out what was going on.  Instead of providing a distraction, those idiots might start a crusade.  If Khan's nephew was killed, Khan would take the building apart.  There was no garuntee that Skorzney's espionage would remain undiscovered, and half the importance of the information lay in Khan not knowing anyone else had it...  The otter formed a fist, considering going up to the pad and dealing with the three himself, then shook his head.  Police were already on their way to cordon the building off, he was certain, and mucking about was a good way to get caught and lose everything.  He turned, heading for the stairway, and considered that if he didn't make it down before the police arrived, his ID would get a considerably more in depth check then he had expected.

***

                Jereem waited, watching his father crowing over his victory, as he walked over to the smaller aircraft, where his compatriots waited.  The coyote couldn't hear everything they were saying, but it was plain that Kalin's improvisation hadn't gone over that well.  Creeping softly, and mentally cursing at every click of his brace, he entered the transport..  Michael and Molly were on the cargo deck, huddled together.  Looking up, Michael saw Jereem and jerked his head towards his bonds.  Jereem shook his head, and quietly took out a flaregun, taking up position behind the door.  Carefully, he sighted in on the barrels of fuel behind the men, then pulled the trigger.

                Kalin howled as the lance of fire skinned past him, crisping his hair.  He turned and saw his son slamming the transport hatch shut.

                "You little! I'm going to kill you?"

                "We're all gonna die!"  The wolf yelled, "Unless we get out of here, look!"  He pointed to where the flare had come to lie, next to the kerosene tanks and racks of ammunition. 

                "Good."  Kalin viciously said, "Let the little gits burn!"  He ran towards the gunship, yelling at the hippo to start it up. 

                Meanwhile, inside the transport, Jereem had untied the other two. 

                "We've got to get out of here,"  The coyote shouted.  Michael shook his head. "We can't.. that fire... It's already spread between us and the door."  Jereem looked out the front of the craft, and saw that Michael was right.  Michael jumped into the pilot's seat, then turned around.  "It's a good thing that I've flown with granduncle before."  Then he got a load of the completely unfamiliar controls.  "ah.  Molly...  Could you give me a hand."

                "OK, Michael."  Molly whispered, still favoring her abused side.  She gingerly slid into the copilots seat, and winced in pain.  "Oh... wow. This looks like a jet model... Wildcat showed me one of these at the Winger city exhibition." 

                "Good.  How do we turn it on?"  Molly looked, biting her lip. Then the bearess punched several switches.  With a whine, quickly building into a howl, the turbines at the end of the wings came to life, spinning their props.  Michael grabbed the stick.  "Damn... it's like a cross between a helicopter and a plane's controls." He muttered. 

                Behind them, in the gunship, Kalin looked out with disbelief. 

                "Those!  Give me the gun!"  He snarled. 

                "Why?" 

                "Idiot... They've seen us... all of us."  He reached out and flipped the safety switch off, then opened up with one of  gunship's rocket pods even as the transport lumbered off the platform.  The rocket barely missed the wing of the transport, slamming into the stored jet fuel and completing the work of Jereem's flaregun.  With an explosion heard across the city, the ammunition and fuel detonated.  The gunship itself barely cleared the debrie as it lifted off.  Meanwhile, in the transport, a spirited discussion was taking place.

                "How do I get this thing to move!"  Michael snarled. 

                "There must be a way to get the propellers facing forward.."  Jereem said, looking around the complex control board.  "What about the radio?"  He asked.  Molly silently pointed to the radio box, impaled by a fragment from one of the tanks,  "oh.:"

                "Here."  Molly said, grabbing a stick, "this should do it."

                "Molly wait, we're not moving fast enough yet, we- AIEEEE"  Michael gave a cry as the rotors at the end of the wing obediently rotated down.  Unfortunately, the craft was moving far slower then stall speed, and plummeted towards the street below.  Michael desperately fought the stick, pushing the planes nose down, trying to get enough speed for the wings to bite into the air.  Just a few hundred feet above the earth, he felt a response, and pulled back on the stick, clearing the ground by a few feet as the plane rocketed along at 200mph. 

                "Next time you try to kill us ask permission first!"  He yelled at Molly.

                "Oh really!  And maybe waiting for them to shoot us down wasn't trying to kill us?"  She yelled back, wincing in pain.

                "BRIDGE!"  Jereem screamed, pointed toward the span flying towards the plane with terrifying speed.  Michael pulled up on his stick and Molly pushed down on hers, and the combination sent the plane into a corkscrew... just in time to fit between the spans.

                "Argue later?"  Michael asked.

                "Argue later."  Molly said.  "Let's find a place to land this thing and get help... I don't feel so good."  Now that she could do something, Molly no longer felt like crying.  Anything was better then lying tied up on the floor, being kicked by that monster.

                "Don't worry. I've got the hang of it now,"  Michael said, just as twin steaks of light lashed out from above, obliterating the street below.  Jereem hung his head out a shattered window and pulled it back in, pale. 

                "The other..."

                "Is after us."  Michael said, hauling the stick over as the gunship descended, rocket and gunpods blazing.  "That idiot is tearing the city to pieces!"  With a shriek, a hole was punched in the wing by a 30mm round.  Several gauges on the dashboard began to twitch and an ominous buzzer started to sound.

                "The city isn't the only thing he's tearing to pieces."  Molly said, "Do something!"  Michael tried.  But at best, he barely had control of the plane, and the pilot of the other craft hung on to them like glue.

                "Shoot them down already!"  Kalin snarled.

                "I'm trying!"  The wolf snarled back... "But I've never used these weapons and whoever's piloting that thing is either crazy or an ace!"  He continued as the transport nearly fishtailed into the facade of a building.

                "Then get closer!"  Kalin ordered.  Another spray of .50 caliber and 30mm shells went out and some of those hit.

                "AAIIGGGHH"  Jereem screamed, as something hot and agonizing tore through his good leg.

***

                Rebecca leaped out of the car, and gasped as she saw the pad at Khan's building.  The fire was roaring, consuming all that remained on the pad, and it was all the buildings firefighters could do to keep it from spreading.  Dimly, she heard an onlooker say.

                "Poor devils... if anyone was  there, then they're dead."  The bearess sank to her knees, then felt a hand on her shoulder.  Looking up, she saw one of Khan's security personnel. 

                "Ms. Cunningham, the children weren't up there. We believe that they're on a aircraft that took off just before the pad exploded."  He pulled her to her feet.  "They're tracking the planes.  Come on!"  He pulled the woman into a police car, which roared off sirens wailing.

***

                Kit and Baloo looked on in horrified fascination at the scene below the Sea Duck. 

                "The Kids..."  Baloo whispered.  Kit looked down and  to the left. 

                "Baloo!"  He said, and pointed.  They both saw the two aircraft twisting down in the city, fire stabbing out from the pursuer and the pursued aircraft's frantic attempts at dodging the fire. 

                "We can't follow them, Kit."   Baloo said.  "The Duck can't maneuver down there."  Kit nodded.

                "Let's stay up here... Sooner or later they'll have to land-- or crash."

***

                The Tiltrotor spun around the corner of the building, barely avoiding the edge. Michael hauled back on the stick, fighting the bulk of the aircraft as it threatened to spin out.

                "I thought Mr. Khan let you fly!!" Molly yelled at the 12 year old tiger.

                "Yes, He Does... In an open sky, when we're not being shot at."  Michael gritted out as the attack tiltrotor came around the corner behind the larger, slower transport, and opened fire, fist sized balls of fire marking the passage of 30 millimeter tracer rounds.

                "Maybe we should land... try to get away on foot."  Jereem said.  Molly turned around and looked at her friend, his eyes closed in pain as his hands wrapped around his blood-soaked leg, trying to staunch the flow of blood.  Her face hardened. 

                "Michael, hold the plane steady, I have an idea."  She said as she grabbed a canister of oil, and started the cargo hoist running, playing out cable.  It wasn't like the Seaduck's... but...

                "What in God's name are you planning!?"  Michael asked.

                "Kit did this to Karnage all the time,"  Molly said, flipping out the board. 

                "I thought you said your mom never let you do that!"

                "No, I said she didn't let me do it much.  I've done it before."

                "While being shot at?!" Molly paused.

                "No, but there's a first time for everything.  Besides, once I pour the oil down the intake, well, that's all I need to do."

                "YOU ARE CRAZY!!"  Michael screamed, then shouted a very un-Khanish word as he almost lost control of the aircraft.  That was fortunate, because the unexpected gyration saved them, as a missile rocketed out, obliterating the facade of an unfortunate office building, and sending onlookers diving for cover.

                "Well, we don't have a choice." Molly said, opening the rear bay doors, opening the air board, and leaping out. Her first thought was that keeping steady was much harder with Michael at the controls then the steady hand of Baloo.  Her second thought, as a cannon shell screamed past her head with the sound of a thousand angry hornets, was that Michael was right.  This was much different.

                *OK... Now all I have to do is keep from dying*  Molly thought trying to hold onto the rope without losing the skin on her palms.  The wind whipped by her, the gyrations of the transport threatening to dump her at any moment.  She looked back. almost lost her footing, then watched as the gunship closed on them. 

                Michael concentrated on the controls, the added damage making them mushy and unresponsive.  It didn't matter, trying to turn now would sling Molly right into a building.  He hung on and tried to ignore the sound of bullets smacking into the hull and wing.

                "Jereem... are you ok?"  He asked. 

                "Fine...."  came the faint reply.  He didn't sound fine to Michael.

                Molly brought herself down and closer to the gunship.  Gulping once, the golden bearess let go of the rope with one hand and prepared to throw the can with the other.  Molly waited, seeing he black gulf of the jet intake, mounted on the top of the fuselage.

                "Oh, very nice you little..."  Kalin said, bringing the nose up slightly and centering on the overall clad girl trailing behind the transport.  His finger tightened on the trigger.

                Molly threw the can.  It tumbled, trailing oil as it was sucked into the intake.  The cannon muzzles under the nose flashed and Molly screamed as the tracers seemed to float towards her and the plane.

                Kalin's grin vanished from his face as the gunship jerked in midair, a tearing, grinding sound coming from behind him. 

                "What the-"

                "She threw something in the turbine."  The hippo yelled.  "It's gonna-"  The turbine exploded, sending pieces of the blades in all directions.  The gunship veered off, staggering in the air as the rotor blades lost power, and chunks of the engine broke apart, slashing through hydraulic and fuel lines.

                "I can't-!"  Kalin screamed as he lost control and the gunship, still firing, dived towards the ground.

***

                "They're heading for the beach, Baloo!!"  Kit yelled, as Baloo prepared to put the Duck down at the waters edge.  There was no way to tell if there was any underwater snags, but the older pilot didn't think so... besides, there were things more important then his plane.

                Kit dove from his seat, heading for the rear.  He grabbed the first aid kit, and then paused, and pulled out a pistol from an unobtrusive box in the cargo bay.

***

                Michael was panicking.  The last shots from the now absent gunship had sliced through the right wing.  All of its control surfaces were fluttering in the wind, shredded and useless.  The beach was right ahead-- but there were still a dozen buildings between them and its clean white sand.

                "C'mon... C'mon...."  He prayed, the control stick getting mushier by the minute.  Suddenly, there was another lurch, and half the remaining lights on the panel turned red.  He spared a quick glance at the right engine nacelle.. its propeller was slowing while the turbine merrily burned.  Michael turned and frantically looked for the fire extinguisher controls, and almost didn't see the radio tower coming up in front of the plane.  He tried to avoid it, but the transport was too sluggish, and it caught the edge of the wing.   He cried out as the stick whipsawed to the side, moving with irresistible force.  With a shower of sparks, and the scream of shredding metal, the transport dove, then slammed into the white sand, coming to a shuddering, grinding stop.

                Molly felt the transport start to go over, and let go the line just in time to avoid loosing what little skin remained on her palms.  She kept her balance on the board long enough to get over the water.  She tried to remember how Kit had landed on the water using the board, got it for a while, then lost it and hit the surf, twisting an ankle on impact..  Even at her reduced speed, the water hit her like a freezing deluge of bricks.  She felt her breath explode from her, sucked in seawater, then came to the surface, gasping and retching.

                She staggered out of the surf, feeling every pain and twinge coming back to her.  She made the error of putting to much weight on her injured ankle, and cried out at the pain, falling down, holding her hands to her chest while her ankle screamed out.  She looked around the beach.  There was nobody there, but she could hear sirens approaching, while several aircraft were circling overhead.

                Both planes had somehow made it to the beach, lying in crumpled, burning heaps on the sand.  Molly felt tears begin to come to her eyes.  She didn't see Michael or Jereem.

                *Are they dead?*

                "There-uhh, you are."  A familiar voice came out of the shadows, as Kalin staggered into view.  The crash had not been kind to him.  Blood poured down his face, and his breath rasped through his smashed muzzle.  One arm hung uselessly at his side, but the other was steady enough, the gun pointed right at her head.  "I'm going to put you out of my misery..."  He said, raising the gun.

                Molly tried to get to her feet, failed, and fell back to her knees.  She looked up at the gun, as it swung in line with her head.  She didn't say anything... she wouldn't give him the pleasure of begging, not as if it would do any good.  Pain and fear combined, as she tried and failed to keep from sniffing, tears crawling down the matted fur of her cheeks.  A tiny sob escaped her.

                *I love you, Mommy*  She had gone directly to the tower... she hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to Rebecca.  Kalin lowered the gun... as Kit came flying out of the shadows.  Molly didn't see what exactly he had done, but Kalin screamed in agony, a high pitched squeal. and went flying.  He staggered to his feet and turned, to see that Kit had his own gun out, locked on Kalins body like the eyes of Kali.

                "Don't."  Kit softly said.  Kalin froze like his feet had grown roots.

                "You OK, Pigtails?"  Kit asked Molly.  Molly tried to speak but found that her throat and vocal chords weren't working that well.

                "Kit... Kit...."  She sobbed out, "Michael and Jereem..."  Kit didn't take his eyes off of Kalin, but he put his arm around her, gently draping the blanket he had also taken off the Duck around her sodden and trembling body.

                "Shhh."  He said, "It'll be ok.  Baloo's checking the other plane... Michael and Jereem will be alright."

***

                Michael came to.  It seemed that every single bone in his body was crying out for attention.  He tried to move, groaned, then lay still.  The smoke was getting irritating, though.

                *Wait a minute- Smoke!?*  Michael tried to get up again, and cried out as he saw that the control stick had painfully pinned his leg against the shattered control panel.  The rear of the cargo bay was already engulfed in fire, little rivulets of burning fuel migrating down towards the cockpit.  Jereem was coughing, gradually coming too.

                "Jeer-cough, Jereem!"  Michael called out.  "I can't move."  Jereem dragged himself over to the other boy and tried to pull him free, but the stick refused to budge.  The air was getting thicker and hotter, and now he could see burning fuel pooling outside of the cockpit.  Jereem tried again, and failed.

                "Jereem... get out of here yourself."  Michael said, thinking that it would sound more heroic if he wasn't crying from the smoke and fear.  Jereem ignored him, pulling at the leg again.  Then, the pilot's door got pulled open from the outside, and Jereem and Michael both gaped at the rotund gray bear that filled it. 

                "Heya  guys.... I think it's time to leave this party."  Baloo cheerfully said.  He lifted Jereem out and pointed him towards the beach, and then swung the crowbar, wedging it between the stick and the firewall. The bear leaned back, straining briefly and with the sound of failing metal, the stick broke in two.  He leaned down and easily swung Michael out of the cockpit, walking away quickly, but with no sign of panic, from the burning plane. 

                "I can walk..."  Michael protested feebly.

                "Sure you can,"  Baloo answered, making no motion to put the boy down.  Noticing  Jereem's injured leg, Baloo casually shouldered the other youth and kept walking.  Once safely away from the burning plane, he put Michael down.

                "How..."  Baloo pointed to the Seaduck, bobbing a few yards off the surf. 

                "We saw you coming in, and figured you could use a little help."  The bear started as the ammunition in the gunship began to cook off, sending trails of sparks high into the night sky.  "Hope that isn't coming out of your allowance..."  The bear commented to Michael.   While he was talking, Baloo wrapped Jereem's injured leg in a pressure bandage.

                "Muh-Molly?"  Michael asked, then started up. "She was behind the plane!! I tried to hold it steady but we crashed, she must be-"  The tears threatened to start up again.

                "She's down the beach, with Kit."  Baloo said,  "I saw him get her, and take care of the bad guy... she's alright."  He continued, wrapping blankets around the two shocked youngsters.  He looked back towards the city, and saw more and more emergency lights flashing, as police and medics approached the beach.

***

                "I know stuff!!"  Kalin gobbled,  "More then those other two, but you'll have to cut a deal, and I-"  Kit didn't take his hand off  Molly's shoulder, as he stood up.

                "Shut. Up."  Kit said, quietly.  "I don't care what information you have.   If you say anything else, I'll make certain you regret it."  Molly was staring at the criminal, shrinking back behind Kit.  Without taking his eyes off Kalin, Kit said.  "Don't be afraid Molly... you three beat him."

                "I-I was so scared Kit..."  Molly said, reaction and shock making her babble.  "When he tied us up, he kicked me and it hurt..."  She didn't see Kit's face, but Kalin did, and he quailed, realizing how easy it would be for Kit to shoot him right then and there.

***

                Back, off the beach, Otto heard enough of the discussion to understand what was being said, but not enough to know what was going on.  The fat bear was a civilian, but the younger one was clearly a soldier... what was he doing, and how had he gotten here that quickly?  Had one of those morons bragged, alerting the wrong people?  Otto shook his head.  If that had happened, they would have been taken the minute they walked into the building. No, this was simply bad luck.  He waited for a moment, then sighed.  The soldier on the beach was simply too good to be goaded into killing Kalin.  Unfortunate.  Kalin knew too much, and if he couldn't tell anyone who had hired him, it wouldn't take much to realize that air pirates probably had nothing to do with this.

                He screwed the silencer into his pistol.  Getting involved like this was bad tradecraft, he thought, sighting in on the target, but then, there were no prizes for neatness in this business.

***

                Kalin opened his mouth, then looked surprised at a small, unassuming pop, as he fell forward.  Kit fell on top of Molly, ignoring her cry of pain and trying to look around the beach.  That had been a silenced pistol!  The young bear cursed the burning wrecks that made it impossible to see back behind the beach, but gradually relaxed as the first police cars careened onto the sand.

***

                Otto calmly walked up off the beach, stopping off in an ally to dump the gun and gloves in a dumpster behind a Chinese diner.  By the time he had made it to the first major street, he had exchanged his clothes for proper business attire, and joined the gathering throng, murmuring and pointing at the chaos at the Khan tower and the beach. 

                Later that night, he boarded a train heading out of the city, after mailing the first set of microfilm to an address in Macadamia.  The other set would come with him, but the chances of anyone examining one package out of the tens of thousands that moved out of Cape Suzzette everyday was next to nil.  All in all, it had been, if not completely successful, a profitable evening.  He opened up the newspaper, and started unconcernedly doing the crossword puzzle as the train moved out across the darkened countryside.

***

                The beach was becoming crowded with dozens of police and rescue workers shining flashlights this way and that.  An occasional shot echoed across the beach as the gunship's ammunition continued to cook off.  That had the unexpected bonus of keeping most onlookers well clear of the beach.

                A police car came to a stop and Rebecca exploded from the passenger seat. A reporter made the error of trying to block her way for an interview and ended up curled up around where Rebecca's elbow had smashed into his solar plexus.  The petite bearess ran over to where a cluster of ambulance and fire vehicles were.  Baloo walked up to her.

                "Baloo!  Where's Molly?  Is she-"  Rebecca couldn't continue. 

                "She's fine, Beckers."  The gray bear said,  "Just a little banged up and upset."  Becky didn't pause, running to the rear of the ambulance.  Inside, Molly was sitting, covered in a heavy woolen blanket with a paramedic flashing a light in her eyes.

                "Doesn't look like anything worse then a mild concussion, a lot of contusions, bruised ribs, a twisted ankle.  Maybe some other stuff, but we'll know once we get her to the hospital.  Are you the mother?"  He turned to Rebecca.  The bearess mutely nodded. "Then you can ride along with her."  He said.  Baloo waved as the door closed and went over to Kit and the other two.

                "I thought I had been shot."  Jereem muttered, still in shock.

                "Nah."  Kit said, "It  was shrapnel... pieces of the hull getting blown free.  A hit from a 30mm would have taken your leg right of- oh, sorry."  He said, noticing Jereem's pale face.  The Paramedics lifted Jereem into the stretcher next to Michael.  The tiger was weakly protesting.

                "I can walk, you know."  Michael said. 

                "Well you aren't."  a paramedic said as they strapped    him down and lifted him up. 

                "Hey Kit."  Baloo asked.

                "Yeah, Papa Bear?"

                "I'm going to take the duck over to H&H and get Wildcat.  You want to head on over to the hospital?"  Kit nodded, and the older bear headed off to the plane.

                "Where's granduncle?"  Michael whispered.  Kit looked at him compassionately. 

                "He was in a regular plane... couldn't land anywhere but the airport. He's heading for the hospital."

                "I thought he would want to check out the wrecks..."  Kit looked over at the skeletal remains.

                "I don't think that even entered his mind." Kit said.

***

                Rebecca paced around the hospital waiting room like a caged animal.  Molly had been too stunned to speak much on the way to the hospital.  Rebecca hadn't asked anything, just gently brushed her matted hair back and spoke soothingly to her daughter.  When they had come to the hospital, a doctor had shooed Becky away, just as other doctors had shooed Kit away from Jereem and Michael as they had vanished into the emergency room.    Rebecca sat, her arms wrapped around her, while Kit talked to the police.

                "I'm certain it was a gunshot." Kit was saying.

                "Maybe, but we've found nothing else.  Are you certain that it wasn't just a round cooking off from the gunship?  We found pistols in the wreckage."  Kit paused, then nodded.

                "That could have been it,"  The bear said, still unsatisfied.  He walked over to Rebecca.

                "What's taking them so long?"  The bearess said, miserably.  Kit took her hand.

                "Don't worry, Ms. Cunningham."  He paused, "They're probably checking to make certain nothing got by the paramedics, and that no bones are broken.  The means they have to wait for X-ray's to be developed."

                "Kit's right, Beckers,"  Baloo said, as he and Wildcat came in.  The bear must have broken every safety reg in the book getting back to H&H, Kit thought.  "You know doctors... they always take twice as long as they have to." Kit didn't comment that the big bear looked no more patient then Rebecca.  The door to the ward opened again, and Shere Khan came striding in, ignoring the camera's and microphones... and ignoring the perhaps overly energetic efforts of his guards to keep the area clear.

                "Ms. Cunningham."  The tiger said, "Has there been any word?"

                "No."  Rebecca answered.  Kit looked up at Shere.

                "I saw them, Mr. Khan.  They're not seriously injured, but the doctors want to go over them first."

                "Not seriously injured... We should be thankful for small favors, at least."  The tiger said, relaxing just slightly.  "Still," he went on, slashing the air.  "This should have never happened.  Ms. Cunningham, I beg your forgiveness.  I had no idea."  Rebecca looked up at him.    

                "You couldn't control what those people did, Mr. Khan."  she said,  "Let's just be thankful that they seem to be alright."  A doctor poked his head out of the door.

                "Ms. Cunningham?"  He asked, "I'm doctor Lacy.  Could you come with me?"   Becky seeming teleported to his side.  As he walked her down the hallway, he continued.  "Your daughter was really very lucky-- no serious injuries at all.  She had contusions on her knees and side, some severe bruising-- evidently, she was kicked in the solar plexus, several times, as well as having someone stomp down on her thigh, a severely twisted ankle-- I'm afraid that she won't be walking for the next several weeks or so, severe abrasions to the palms of her hands, bruises and contusions to her ribs and legs-- probably from the impact with the water, and of course, she did swallow a fair amount of sea water."  He paused, then looked over to Rebecca, who had a hand up to her mouth in horror.

                "Those are 'no serious injuries!?'"  Becky demanded in a faint voice.

                "Well, yes."  The doctor replied. "Ms. Cunningham... your daughter will be in great pain for the next several days, and it will probably be a while before she can properly be considered healed, more then that to get rid of the twinges.  BUT,"  He stressed, "none of these injuries will lead to permanent injury or dysfunction, and her life was never in danger-- at least not from the injuries."  He paused, and went on in a lower voice.  "However, your daughter was beaten, and had a man point a gun at her, intending to kill her.  I would suggest that you prepare yourself for some nightmares... how bad, I can't say, since you know her better then I do."  He opened a door, and gestured her in.  "Well, here we are.  I'll leave you two alone for a while, but you daughter needs rest, Ms. Cunningham, so don't let her over talk."

                Rebecca walked over to the bed and sat down besides it.    Molly's face had more then a dozen bandages on it, scratches and cuts that she hadn't even realized she had had, and her hands were bandaged, the palms skinned raw where the tow rope had pulled through her grasp.

                "Mom?"  Her daughter said, Rebecca winced at the pain in her daughters voice.

                "Yes, sweetie?"

                "I'm sorry I messed up... You were right... I just made things worse for Jereem."  Becky hushed her daughter, leaning down gently kissing her on the forehead.

                "No you didn't, Molly."  She paused, "You've made me prouder then I ever thought I could be."

                "I don't f-feel like it," Molly said.  "He, he was going to kill me mom... He had kicked me, then he laughed and did it again."  She paused, her breath beginning to come faster with the memory of the pain and fear.  "Then on the beach he was going to shoot me... and I couldn't do anything, just sit there, and I was so scared..."  Rebecca leaned over and hugged her daughter, her own tears mixing with Molly's.

                "Hush, baby."  Molly's mother said, gently stroking her daughters hair, "He can't hurt you now, you're safe."

                "But why?"  Molly asked, "Why would anyone do that?  He was beating Jereem... all the times Jereem said he ran into a door, or fell down.  Why??"

                "Because some men are evil, Molly."  Rebecca said.  She didn't want to upset her daughter, but she deserved the truth.  "I'm just grateful that you survived, you, and Jereem and Michael."    She looked down at Molly and saw that the day had taken it's toll on her daughter.  Molly's eyes were closing, despite everything she could do to keep them open.  "Tired, sweetie?"

                "mmmm-hmmm.."  Molly said,  Rebecca gave her hand a gentle squeeze, not hard enough to hurt.

                "Then go to sleep.  I'll be here."  Molly didn't say anything, as her breath started coming regularly, relaxing into the calm rythmn of sleep.  The doctor poked his head in.

                "Is she-  Good."  He looked at Rebecca.  "I'll have a cot brought in, but if everything's fine in the morning, she can probably go home tomorrow afternoon.  She shouldn't go to school or carry out any energetic activities for at least a week, though I don't think you'll get much argument there."

                "Thank you doctor."  Rebecca said.

***

                Michael was trying to get out of bed for the third time, when a shadow fell over him. He looked up and saw Shere Khan, standing at the end of the bed.

                "Michael."  Khan said, walking towards  him.  Michael looked up and sighed.

                "I'm sorry about the planes, granduncle-whoof!"  He said, as he was unexpectedly caught up in a bear hug from his granduncle-- the first one he could remember.

                "The planes are unimportant."  Khan said,  "You, and your friends lives... are much more important."  Michael looked up.

                "They beat Molly." 

                "I know."

                "Why did you double the price?"  Michael asked.

                "It offended me."  Khan said,  "and I did not wish to risk them feeling that your friends were expendable."

                "Thank you.  Are Molly and Jereem?"

                "The young lady is fine, although she might disagree tomorrow.  Jereem is under sedation.  He needed an operation on his leg."

                "Oh God..."  Michael said, "Does he know about-"

                "His fathers death?"  Khan sighed, "Yes.  I have sent a car to get his mother..."

                "What are they going to do?"  Khan shook his head. "I don't know, Michael.  I will have to give it some thought."  He looked down and saw that Michael had sagged back into the bed, the end of the adrenaline rush knocking him out as effectively as any drug.  The older tiger stood, put his hand on Michael's forehead for a moment, then walked back out.

***

                Molly slowly woke up, looking around the room in confusion.  This wasn't her room!  She looked around, then remembered the events of last night. The bearess looked over, seeing a cot, but then realized that Rebecca had fallen asleep in the chair by the bed, her hand still covering Molly's.  Molly smiled, then winced as every muscle in her face protested the move.

                "Mom?"  Rebecca woke up, looking at her daughter.  Molly winced at the streaks running down her face where the older woman had been crying.

                "How are you, Molly?"

                "I hurt."  Molly said, "all over."

                "I'll go get you some breakfast, if  you think you can keep it down."  Molly smiled, then frowned.

                "Mom... what about Michael and Jereem?" 

                "They're fine.  Jereem will be her for a while, but I think Michael might get out before you do."  She got up, kissed her daughter, and walked out to find some breakfast.  Molly looked up at a knock on her door, and grinned as Michael came walking in, wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday. 

                "What, don't they let you get new clothes?"  She asked the tiger.

                "Of course they do... but I'm not about to go wondering around in a hospital robe... they have no backside!"  Michael finished offendedly.  He walked the rest of the way over to the bed, using a cane he had found somewhere. 

                "Is your leg ok?"  Molly asked,

                "It hurts.  How are you?"

                "Fine.  OK."  Molly said.  Michael leaned in closer to Molly. 

                "Molly?" 

                "Yes."

                "I wanted to thank you... That was one of the bravest things I ever saw-"  Rebecca came walking back in,  and Michael sat  up straight.  Becky walked towards them, pretending not to notice. 

                "Oh, Michael!"  She said.  "I didn't know you were up. Well, you can have the breakfast I got for myself."

                "Ms. Cunningham-"

                "No, I insist."  The woman said, putting down the food, and retreating back out of the door.  Neither Molly nor Michael noticed the grin playing around Becky's face. The two started to eat, and quickly found that they were famished, polishing off the food quickly.  Later, they simply sat together, until Michael brought up the subject that they had both been avoiding.

                "Jereem's father died."

                "I know..."  Molly looked at him, "I saw him die."  She shuddered, remembering how he had looked surprised, then when Kit carried her away, she had chanced to see the boneless figure, crumpled on the ground.

                "What are we going to do?"

                "I don't know."

                "They say he'll be awake later today."  Molly sighed. "We'll have to talk to him."  Michael nodded solemnly.  Then he looked at the bearess. 

                "You saved our lives." Michael said,

                "Don't worry about it."  Michael looked at her, then gently bent down and kissed her.  Molly's eyes widened for a moment, then she reciprocated the kiss.  They held it for just a few seconds, then broke off, both faces tinged with red.

                "Thanks... I think..."  Molly said.

                "It was a thanks,"  Michael said, "For everything."  He took her  hand in one of his.  "If you are still willing... maybe I could come over to your house... after you're feeling better?"   Molly smiled up at him.

                "I'd like that.  A lot."

***

                Outside, Jereem's mother was talking to Shere Khan.

                "Ms. Kalin."  The tiger said, "I trust your son is well?"  The skinny coyote nodded, trembling.  "I have,"  The tiger continued, "noted that you went to college and gained a CPA... why are you not in that field."

                "Once my husband.... started his activities,"  She said softly, "Nobody would hire me."

                "Do you wish to be hired?"  Khan said,

                "Charity?"  She asked,

                "No.  Payment.  Your son saved my son." Khan continued.  "The actions of his father and your husband were not your responsibility. If you wish a job, it is yours."  She looked at him.

                "I don't know if I can stay in Cape Suzzette, Mr. Khan."  She looked beyond him, "I used to love it, but after all of this..."

                "Take your time,"  Khan said, "A benefit of having the largest corporation in the world is having many other offices.  Wherever you move, there will be a job."  The tiger took her hand and gravely bent his head over it.  Watching him leave, Jereem's mother felt her eyes fill.  Why couldn't Jereem's father been like that, like the father Jereem had deserved?

***

                Later, Molly and Michael headed for  Jereem's room.  Michael was nearly completely recovered, so much so that he was pushing the wheelchair Molly had proven to need.  The bearcub had recovered much of her spirit, enough to glare at  her hands, still bandage covered.

                "It'll be weeks before I can play baseball again."  She had grumped to Michael on the way up.

                "Don't worry."  Michael said, "Remember, you're still grounded."  he continued, purposefully not noticing her glare.  As they got closer to Jereem's room, the conversation flagged.  Finally, Michael wheeled Molly around and into the room.  Jereem sat in the bed, looking out the window.

                "Hi." Molly said,

                "Hello."  Jereem said, looking at her, "Are you ok?"  Molly laughed, then winced.

                "I hurt all over, but the doctor says' I'll be fine in a week or two...  This one,"  She said, mock glaring at Michael, "had the bad grace to get up and be walking around.  No decency towards ill people at all."  She looked over at Jereem, "how are you?"  Molly said, wheeling herself closer.

                "I don't know."  Jereem said, "I... I feel kinda empty on the inside."  He looked at Molly.  "Everytime he got drunk, He'd beat me... which was better then when he beat mom."  He paused, "I remember when I was five... I ran in to show him something, and spilled a bottle... that's when I started needing the brace."  Molly looked shocked, and put a hand over his. 

                "But he's gone now."  Molly said, softly, as Michael walked up beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

                "I-I know.  I should be happy, that he didn't kill you, and that he won't be hurting mom anymore..."  Jereem's face started to crumple, sorrow replacing it's empty expression. "But he-he was my father.  Oh, God... I wished he would just once have been happy, or wanted to see me... Now I'll never be able to hope that one day he might love-"  His voice choked off into a sob. Molly leaned forward, ignoring the pain as Jereem unconsciously bore down on her injured hands.       

                "Oh, Jereem, I'm so sorry..."  Molly said.

                "It-it doesn't matter."  Jereem said, still choked.  "It's just me and mom, now, like it has been so many other times, only this time, it'll be that way forever."  Molly hugged him from the wheelchair, and looked up as Michael spoke.

                "No. It won't be.  You're  our friend, Jereem Kalin. I don't have a lot of  them, and certainly not enough to leave them in the lurch."

                "But it was my father..."  Jereem said,

                "So?"  interrupted Michael.  "You couldn't control what he did... and you risked your life to save us.  You didn't leave me in the cockpit... and I don't' know if I would have done the same."  He smiled. "You are our friend, there's nothing you can do about it, and so you might as well get used to it."

                "He's right."  Molly whispered, hugging Jereem.  "You'd better get better, cause when I can play baseball again I want to show Michael why you always get picked first for pitching."  Jereem suddenly found his throat too tight to reply.

                "You are our friend." Molly repeated,  and reached out her other hand to Michael.  "Besides, given what's happened in the first week, we'd better stick together.  That's what friends, and families do, isn't it?" Jereem looked at the tiger and bear, looking back at him.

                "Yes."  he said, suddenly not finding it difficult to speak at all.  "They do.  We do."  He finished, reaching out and clasping Michael's' free hand as Molly held his other hand.  "Whatever comes..."  Jereem whispered.  "We stick together."

END