Chapter 3 - A Plot in Motion
The Corneria Presidential Building was a prestigious five-story establishment that stood tall through the generations. Leaders of the planets within the Lylat System often congregate here whenever threatening hot button issues arise. This building was located in the center of the magnificent city, known simply as The Capitol. Shimmering mirrored glass hid the interior from the outside. Shrubs and hedges lined up around the rim of the yard in a flawless pattern. Five flags, each representing a populated planet, stood tall in the center of the courtyard. Blue stood for Corneria. Brown stood for Zoness. White stood for Titania. Red stood for Katina. Green stood for Fortuna.
Security was unusually tight on this day. Armed guards in black suits and shades roamed around the perimeter, constantly communicating and keep each other in check. An invisible force field protected the edifice from unwanted intrusion or damage. A potentially dangerous dilemma has once again gathered the important heads of several planets to the Corneria Presidential Building.
Inside the top floor President Brenton was pacing back and forth in his posh office, footprints starting to appear in the exotic beige carpet. The 6' tall owl was dressed in an extravagant, flowing sky-blue cleric robe. He was obviously stressed. His assistant Chancellor Rei, a slightly shorter otter dressed in a less overstated green robe, was trying to keep the President relaxed, despite the recent turn of troubling events. Brenton was in his mid fifties, with slicked-back gray hair and trimmed beard. Rei was in his early twenties. The President was brash and headstrong, while the Chancellor was soft-spoken and conservative.
Brenton stood up to the window with his hands behind his back. He breathed a deep sigh as he observed his diligent city below. Rei was right behind him, with a cup and saucer.
"Sir, all this stress isn't good for your health. Please…have a spot of herbal tea. It will soothe your nerves and give you a clear head."
He put an arm up, still looking at the city. "Thanks, but no thanks Chancellor. I'm fine. There's just a lot to think about, that's all."
"Understood. As you wish, Sir." he said, then carefully put the cup and saucer on the nearby table.
"I still can't believe that two of our most important assets have slipped out from right under our noses. It's ridiculous."
"I can't believe it myself, Sir." Rei added. He picked up a feather duster and started cleaning his office.
"I mean, where in the world was our security? How come I haven't heard so much as an utter from intelligence until it was too late?"
"It boggles my mind as well, Sir."
Brenton turned around swiftly and walked slowly toward his desk. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmmmm…"
"Is something on your mind, Sir?"
"…"
"Sir?"
"Hmm? Oh…no no…my apologies. I was just thinking…"
"May I ask what?"
"Don't worry about it. It's not important."
"Very well."
The temporary silence in the Presidential Office was broken by a beeping on the intercom box. The owl quickened the pace to his desk and pushed a button.
"President Brenton here."
"Mr. President. We are ready to begin the meeting whenever you're ready."
"Good. Inform them that I will be there in five minutes."
"Yes Mr. President."
Brenton released the button and stood before a mirror. He made sure he was presentable for the meeting. The ever-helpful Rei didn't waste any time rushing over and straightening out his robe, smoothing out his hair, and dusting him off.
"How do I look, Chancellor?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"You look positively exquisite, Sir. You are a worthy man fit to represent Corneria."
Brenton only smiled and nodded his head at the man before him. Rei's compliments to his boss were a dime a dozen.
"Chancellor, take care of things here while I'm gone."
"Absolutely, Sir."
"If anyone calls, tell them I'm at the meeting. I will reply back as soon as possible."
"Yes Sir."
Once he was prepared, the President turned around and headed for the door. His assistant was right behind him with a small tin box in his hand.
"Mr. President?"
"Yes Rei?" he asked, turning around.
"…Would you like a breath mint?"
"What? Excuse me? Breath mint? Just what are you implying?"
He waved his hands frantically. "Oh no. I'm not implying anything Sir. I assure you. It was just a simple suggestion. Please don't take it the wrong way."
Brenton only gave a small smirk before turning back around for the door. "Just make sure you don't miss any calls. I will return soon."
He closed the door with a light slam, leaving Rei to watch over his high office. The otter gently rapped himself on the forehead, mentally punishing himself. "(What in the world was are you thinking? Stupid! Of course it was going to offend him. That wasn't very smart Rei.)"
Security was just as plentiful inside. Brenton strolled to the end of the monochrome, sterile hallway and took the elevator down to the first floor. More guards lined up the brightly lit hallway as the President walked through. His face was made of stone right now.
A suited man greeted him and opened the double doors for him. "Good day Mr. President. The meeting will begin at your consent."
"Thank you."
Inside the expansive Congregation Room, four important figures sat at the round table in the center. The area around the table was four inches higher than the rest of the room. They were dressed professionally and sat in upright postures. Classy three-piece suits and blouses were all around. Each one was a representative of their planet.
Maurice was a forty-something lion from Titania. Klein was a hyena in his thirties from Fortuna. Claire was a German Shepard from Katina, twenty-one years of age. Jeffrey was a dingo from Zoness, same age as Claire.
Security in the balconies kept watch. The five Presidents' safety was their top priority.
"Welcome everyone. I humbly thank you for attending this emergency meeting." Brenton announced. He graciously took his seat at the table.
"What exactly is this meeting about Mr. Brenton?" Maurice asked.
"Let me get straight to the point. This morning, as of 07:00 hours, our intelligence faction had released a report that two of the Corneria War Division's top weapons scientists, Daniel Wilburn and Matthew Kuntz, have been pronounced missing. Their locations as well as reason are still unknown at this point. Since then, intelligence has moved out and are currently combing through The Capitol. So far, there was not a trace of them."
"Has this been released to the public?" Claire questioned.
"No. We are trying to keep this incident as isolated as possible. The less people that know about this, the better. I don't need the press breathing down my neck."
Klein politely raised his hand. "Do you know for sure that they are missing? Have you checked their residences?"
"Please. No need to raise your hand before speaking Klein. Anyways, yes, we are positive. Their residences were the first places we checked outside the War Division complex. Nothing was turned up."
Jeffrey's paws were kept below the table, out of sight. The dingo was squirming in awkward positions, but no one paid attention to it.
"How did they disappear in the first place?" Klein asked.
"Well…The two scientists were not permitted to leave the building until 17:00 hours. They arrived at their workplace at 05:00 hours, early in the morning. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything went like clockwork. At approximately 05:48 hours, they left their work area. Surveillance had spotted the two scientists going into the bathroom."
"Both scientists went on a bathroom break at the same time? Sounds pretty fishy." Maurice commented.
"My thoughts exactly. Something definitely wasn't right. At 06:14 hours, they still hadn't left the restrooms. Security became suspicious and they checked inside. They weren't there. They were gone. It was all squeaky clean. At that point, the War Division building had been put on alert. A search through every nook and cranny of all three floors revealed nothing. Cameras showed no evidence of them leaving through any of the exits. At 07:00 hours, they were deemed missing."
"How in the world could two people disappear just like that?" Klein asked, looking confused.
"I wish I knew."
"Wait a minute…"
"What is it Maurice? Something on your mind?"
"Yes...there is. For the sake of argument, let's just say they were actually kidnapped."
"Okay. Go on."
"If I wanted to kidnap somebody, I wouldn't do it while the person was inside a high-security facility. I'd wait until they were at home or in a dark alley or someplace where fewer eyes are watching. Something…something just doesn't add up."
"(Not exactly high-security anymore…)" Klein muttered.
"You've got a point. Perhaps they did this to send a message…that they were pros…if a kidnapping did actually occur of course."
Claire cleared his throat. "No disrespect by any means Mr. Brenton, but how does this affect us? Why are we here?"
The owl took a deep breath, relaxed, and turned to the German Shepard with a face of stone. "Ms. Claire, I understand that this is your first meeting here?"
"Yes."
"Have you heard of the infamous Titanian Conflict? Of ten years ago?"
Maurice felt a pang in his stomach and looked down at the table. The lion swallowed a huge lump in his throat. The memories flooded back into his head. He remembered it like it was yesterday. A certain dark, horrific image that occurred during that epic battle was forever etched into his mind..
"…I…I think so…" Claire stuttered.
"This was almost exactly how the Titanian Conflict started. Weapon scientists were missing, but as it turned out, an enemy from another planet had abducted them…and forced them to create weapons that would threaten life in the Lylat System as we knew it. It was a very dark and depressing time…"
Maurice scratched his chin. "So…what did you want us to do Mr. Brenton? Inform our people about these events?"
"Precisely. I want the four of you to spread the word among your peers. Have your intelligence parties become more vigilant than usual. Notify your top military officers of the situation. Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious. We don't know if the scientists were actually abducted or not, but we cannot take any chances whatsoever. I have already informed the Cornerian Army's General Pepper of the situation."
Maurice nodded. "I will take necessary precautions then, Mr. Brenton. Thank you for this essential information."
"Yeah…same here." Klein added. "I will spread the word. If something happens, we'll let you know."
"No problem. I'm just looking out for everyone's well-being."
The German Shepard asked. "Well…I sure wasn't expecting this kind of news when I woke up this morning. Again, no disrespect but, don't you think this is a bit extreme Mr. Brenton? I mean, sending four planets into alert status because of two missing people?"
"It never hurts to be careful Claire. If taking all these precautions will prevent another galactic conflict, I will gladly do it."
"Understood Mr. President."
Jeffrey was fidgeting nervously in his chair, and was breathing through his mouth. He tried to look calm and casual, but wasn't doing a very good job.
"Is something wrong Jeffrey?" Brenton asked. "You haven't said anything since the meeting started."
"Oh…n…no. I'm fine. Just a little…stomach ache that's all. So…Sorry." he stammered.
"Are you sure? You're looking pretty tense. You look like you need a glass of water."
"No…no…I'm fine. Continue on Mr. Brenton."
"If you say so..."
"What were the names of the two scientists?" Claire asked.
"Daniel Wilburn and Matthew Kuntz. Remember those names."
Maurice looked at Jeffrey out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but notice his constant fidgeting. The dingo had been doing it ever since they entered the room, and it was making him concerned.
Brenton stood up from the table and tugged on his elegant robe. "Ladies and gentlemen, as much as I hate to say it but…We are on the brink of war. I can feel it…and I don't like it."
Klein, Maurice, Claire, and Jeffrey looked at each other, then at the tall robed owl.
"This meeting is adjourned. Again, I humbly thank you for coming."
The four rose up out of the seats. Jeffrey ran like a bat out of hell and was the first one out the door. The President of Corneria walked back toward the elevator and rode it up to the fifth floor.
It was a half past four o'clock. The weather was a typical spring day in The Capitol. The city roared with the hustle and bustle of its citizens. There was no time to rest, errands and business had to be done.
Across the street from the Corneria Presidental Building was a parking lot, where a sleek, black hover car awaited. Jeffrey walked briskly with his hands in his pockets and entered the passenger's side, where a coyote was waiting in the driver's side.
The 5' 9'' black coyote was looking sharp in his black suit and tie, with a pair of round name-brand sunglasses. His build was above average, and toned quite well. His whiskers were trimmed short. An enticing cologne grabbed him many a look. A single tiny diamond earring was on the tip of his left ear. He had a real cool vibe about him.
"Well…do you have it Jeffrey?" he asked, still facing the front.
"Y…yeah…right here."
The dingo rummaged in his pocket for a bit before pulling out a silver micro recorder, which the coyote quickly snatched away. He rewinded it to the beginning, and played it back with a simple button press.
"Welcome everyone. I humbly thank you for attending this emergency meeting."
"What exactly is this meeting about Mr. Brenton?"
With another click, the coyote stopped the tape. He looked mighty pleased. He slipped it into his right pocket.
"Good work Jeffrey. Very good work. Heh…I knew you were good for something. Here's the 300,000 credits…just as I promised." he said, handing him a card.
"Th…thank you. Pl…please don't tell anyone about this."
"Now now…don't you worry your pretty little head Jeff. Your secret is safe with me. Now…if you'll excuse me, I have to report."
Jeffrey, still nervous, stepped out of the car. The smooth coyote sped down the street and out of view. The dingo looked around erratically, thinking everyone on the planet was watching him. He ran to his stylish red hover car in a hurry and zoomed out of the lot, almost colliding with someone in the process.
Brenton stepped back into his high office, where Rei was in the middle of cleaning the windows. He had already vacuumed the carpet beforehand.
The otter turned around. "Welcome back Sir. How was the meeting?"
"Everything ran pretty smoothly. They were updated on the current situation. The word is being spread. Jeffrey of Zoness wasn't feeling well though."
"Really? What was wrong with him?"
"He said he had a stomach ache. He was acting pretty odd during the entire meeting."
"That's a shame. Hope he feels better."
"Me too."
The day had been stressful for James and Benjamin back in the countryside. Local police had taken the both of them in the station for a long session of questioning. The dead body had been taken to the St. Francis hospital for an autopsy.
James leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms in the dim room, where a single light bulb hung freely from the ceiling. The fox had been real cooperative, answering their questions with quick and short answers. Three Dalmatian police officers were there, one sat down while the other two stood up.
"Okay Mr. James McCloud…you are free to go. We appreciate your cooperation on this matter."
"…Thank you." he said before getting up.
"We will notify you if any new developments turn up."
"Okay."
The fox walked into the lobby. Benjamin was there waiting for him, eating a bag of bar-b-que potato chips and ginger ale from the vending machine.
"They finally let you off, huh?"
"Yeah. I noticed that they asked me the same round of questions twice. I guess they were seeing if I was lying or changing up the story as I go."
"Heh…I've noticed that too. I didn't like the way they were asking me some of the questions."
"What do you mean?"
"They spoke to me all slow, like I was some big retard. Normally I wouldn't get offended, but that really pissed me off."
"Bah…I wouldn't worry about it Benji. This backwoods region is full of jerks."
"…Well I'm just glad it's over."
"Me too."
"….So….are we ready to go? I don't think I can stand being here much longer."
"Yeah…let's get outta here. I'll drive."
The two went outside to the truck, which was parked alone in the third row back. The stars dotted the night sky and the crickets were already making music. The time was twenty past eight. Once buckled in and the engine started, James pressed on down the road.
The trip back home had been mainly quiet. Benjamin fell asleep within the first fifteen minutes. Unlike James, he didn't snore. He made the occasional hiss. The fox had the radio on with another rock song playing. The volume was turned down so his friend could slumber in peace. The highways still remained busy.
James could've returned the truck to Smit's and the two would walk home, but instead he drove to Benjamin's house first. His home was modest, like James'. A single window had a light on. He slowly crept up to the driveway and stopped. The bear was nudged on the shoulder again and again until he woke up.
"Mmmm…? What's up? Are we at Smit's?"
"No. We're at your place."
He rubbed his eyes and shook his head and looked out the window. "…Oh. Well thanks. I don't think I could've walked home without falling on my face."
"I know. What a day it's been eh?"
He yawned. "Tell me about it….what time is it?"
"Half past ten."
"Great. Wife's probably going nuts."
"Just explain what happened. I'm sure she'll understand."
"Hah…my ass…" he grumbled. Ben unfastened and got out of the truck.
"Good night Benji. See ya tomorrow."
"Night J. Oh…and don't forget…"
"?"
"About our little bet…"
"(Rats! I forgot all about that!) Ah…sure Benji."
"G'night…(heh heh…)"
James stayed there until Ben was able to get in the house, then put the pedal to the metal. A trail of dirt clouds kicked up behind him. He arrived at Smit's a few minutes later and stopped the truck in the same spot where they got it. The watchful otter held a shotgun coming outside his house, but put it aside when he saw James.
The fox walked slowly toward him, with hands behind his back. "I'm…really sorry about your friend Mr. Smit. You have my condolences."
"Ah…don't you worry yourself none about that. He was really old anyway. His time was close."
"…I suppose."
"Where's Ben?"
"He's at home. I dropped him off there."
"Did you deliver the goods like I said?"
"Yep. They're in the backyard as you ordered."
"Good work…oh and here…before I forget…"
Smit handed James his forty dollars for today.
"Heh…almost forgot that…thank you."
"No problem. I'll give Ben his pay first thing tomorrow morning. Now you go and get some rest. I reckon it's been one hell of a day."
"Yeah..."
"Did you want me to drive you home?"
"Nah. I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."
James waved goodbye before taking off his shirt and making his routine run home.
Julia was looking out the window in her dark blue blouse. She was worried for her husband's safety, seeing as he was usually home by eight. It was a quarter past ten and there was still no sign of him.
She sighed and began to go toward the kitchen when James entered the house. Julia's face lit up and ran to her husband. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her as well and nuzzled her cheek.
"Where have you been James? I've been worried sick."
"I'm sorry…but something bad happened at work today."
She looked up at him. "What?"
"Ben and I were making a delivery to a friend of Smit's. He wasn't home when we got there. In the end it was decided that we leave the goods in the backyard. Everything was going fine until the trip home."
"…What happened?"
"I know this may sound strange but, as I was driving…I collided with somebody. It turned out to be the person we're supposed to deliver the cargo to."
"Oh my god! Did you kill him?"
"No no…the guy was already dead when I hit him."
"…What? He was already dead when you hit him? That...is strange."
"I told you…Ben contacted Smit who contacted the police. Ben and I were taken in to the police station for questioning. It lasted for a quite a few hours. We didn't leave until after eight."
"How did he die?"
"Don't know yet. The body was shipped to a local hospital for an autopsy. The police said they will inform us once they determine what the cause of death was."
She squeezed him in a hug again, rubbing her hands up and down his hot back. "My god...I hope Smit is taking this well."
"I'm pretty sure he is. He seemed just fine when I talked to him about it afterwards."
"…That's good…well…I'm just…glad you're okay. I was beginning to get scared."
Julia closed her eyes as James gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"I'm here now Julia. It's okay."
She released her hold on him. "I know how much you like leftover spaghetti, so I put some out on the table."
"Thanks hon…I'm pretty hungry. Is Fox asleep?"
"He's sleeping like a baby. I'm going to take a shower."
"Okay."
As the wife entered the bathroom, the husband tossed his shirt in the hamper. He helped himself to a heaping plate of day-old spaghetti. It was still warm from reheating. Once he nabbed a can of soda from the fridge, he sat down on the couch with his feet resting on the table. James turned on the television. A sitcom about a family of wolves was on.
He didn't twist the spaghetti around the fork. He simply dove right in, slurping up any remaining noodles that drooped from his mouth. James chuckled at the show, then took a swig from his soda.
At that very moment, Julia stepped out from the bathroom after a hot shower. Heat and steam bellowed out from the room. Julia's wardrobe took James by surprise. Her see-through evening gown left absolutely nothing to the imagination...every curve…every part of her body…those slender legs…that ample chest…revealed through clear silk.
James choked on his drink. "Cough! Cough! Coughcough! Wo…wow. Where'd you get that robe from?"
She gave a naïve smile and headed for his direction. "Oh this old thing? I've had it for years."
The swinging of those hips caught his attention. The way she walked…the way she looked at him… His heart began to beat faster. She sat down beside her husband and leaned up against him.
"Re…Really? I haven't seen that robe before."
"You probably wouldn't remember. I haven't worn it in a long time. I thought I'd change it up. You know…add a little variety."
"…Heh heh…interesting."
James' nose twitched, taking in the scent of her irresistibly aromatic body. He shuddered and felt his blood heat up, rushing to all the right places. The fox couldn't help but feel tightness in his pants, and he shifted himself to get in a more comfortable position.
"(Oh man…) You smell…really…really…good…"
"Thanks hon…it was some old perfume that I had. I decided I should start using it again."
"…Oh…well…that's…nice."
Julia lightly sighed and snuggled her head on his chest. She casually placed her hand on his right leg. He looked down but remained quiet. She smiled on the inside, feeling James' heart pounding. She could tell. She had him wrapped around her finger.
James tried to watch television, but his mind was occupied with Julia. "(Why oh why did I have to make that bet…)"
She breathed into his neck, and her hand was slowly…slowly…creeping up his leg. Her delicate fingers were now teasing his thigh, lightly caressing it. James' pants felt even tighter, and his mouth slightly opened with a gasp. Between her deliciously revealing outfit, her fragrance, her breathing, and her touching, he was growing mad with lust. Julia knew she was driving him wild. His musky scent was beginning to fill the air.
"Nuhh…Julia…I know you're…in the mood and all but…uh…we can't do it tonight."
"…And why is that, hon?" she whispered, looking into his nervous eyes.
"Uhh…headache…heh heh…yeah. Big headache."
"Oh really James….that's too bad…"
Julia took a move from James' playbook by kissing and nipping on his neck. He tried to focus on the tv, but it was a blur at this point. Twinges of pleasure ran from his neck on down. Julia's fingers delicately danced up his thigh and onto the button of his pants, which she undid with one smooth motion.
"Nuhhh…Julia…Julia…"
His full-on arousal was obvious now. It was straining against his pants. He felt like he was going to burst. His claws dug into the arm of the couch, trying his best to relax. Julia had him in the palm of her hand and she enjoyed it immensely. Still kissing him, she put her hand on his zipper and pulled it down bit by bit…
"You know what Julia! I…I…I'm going to take a shower!" a flustered James suddenly said. He got up and walked at a fast pace to the bathroom, holding up his pants. "(A subzero, arctic, freezing, ice cold shower…)"
If foxes could sweat, James would be drowning right now. He got undressed and stepped in. The cold water was turned on full blast.
"Ah…hh…"
While he was cooling off, Julia chuckled to herself as she ran to the phone. She dialed the number of a familiar friend. There was only one ring before someone picked up.
"Hello? Hey Ben. This is Julia. Yep…oh yeah…he's going crazy…hehe…I feel so bad for him…I don't think he can last a whole week of this. Yeah…okay….okay…yeah I think it'll be best…sure…Good night Ben. Bye."
Ten minutes later he emerged from the bathroom wearing a towel around his waist. He appeared more serene. "Ahh…good night Julia…I'm off to bed."
Julia ran up and stopped him before he could go any further. "Hehe…wait James…wait…hold on…"
"W…what is it?"
"I have a…little confession to make."
"…Confession?"
"Yeah…uhh…well…me teasing you was Benjamin's idea. He put me up to this. He wanted me to get you all riled up so you would lose the bet. I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about that anymore though. Ben decided that the bet was off."
James just stood there with no emotion on his face, a complete blank. You couldn't tell what he was thinking. He rubbed his chin, and just stared at Julia. She looked back, but didn't move an inch. She wasn't sure what reaction to expect.
"…Are…are you mad at me…James?"
"…"
"Are you mad at me?"
"…"
"James?"
"…"
"…So…you and Ben…were in on this the whole time…heh…you sly dogs…"
"…Are you mad?"
James had that playful look in his eyes. He took off the towel and let it drop to the floor. "Oh no…I'm not mad…not at all…now c'mere Julia…"
She started taking steps back as he started taking steps forward. "James…"
She backed up into the kitchen, still facing her approaching husband. He hunched down and put his paws up as if he was ready to pounce. "C'mere Julia…I just wanna talk..."
"Hehe! Yeah right! James…James!"
Julia giggled as James began chasing her around the house. The two foxes circled around the couch in the living room, switching between clockwise and counter clockwise.
"All I want is a little conversation…why are you running my little vixen?"
"Conversation? Pffffft. Whatever!"
She darted back into the kitchen but James was there at the other end. The two stared for a moment. Julia fake-stepped going back into the living room and James fell for it. He left the exit wide open. She took this chance and dashed right into the bedroom, but she underestimated James' quickness and didn't notice that he was right behind her.
"Whew…" she muttered, then turned around. "EEP!"
James held onto Julia's shoulders and gently pinned her to the wall, followed by a lick on the nose. "…Gotcha." he whispered.
"Hehe...I guess you did…" she whispered back. "I guess I'm in trouble huh…."
"Big trouble."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be…I can take a joke. You and Ben got me good…I'll admit."
James released his hold on her to close the bedroom door…and lock it. He looked at her with that face she knew all too well. Julia was stirring with anticipation, just as he was. With a quick flick, he turned off the lights. The darkness was silent at first…an eerie calm…
"Ben was right…you're such a horndog."
"I prefer the term 'hopeless romantic'…besides…I don't hear you complaining…"
The black of the room soon became alive with laughing…kissing…moaning…and much…much…more…
Chapter 4 coming soon…