EPISODE 3
The man who had once been Kirk Rex had gone completely insane, there was no doubt in Ann's mind about that. If he's appearance wasn't enough to convince her of that then his logic was. Way the man now know as Forecaster would attack a news station of all places was beyond her. If he was looking for attention, surly there were better ways of requiring it.
"Why are you doing this?" Ann asked, surprised at how calm and professional her voice sounded despite the gripping fear that had taken her over. "And how do you know Jonny?"
The maniac changed his focus over to her, making Ann regret ever speaking in the first place. He was leaning face to face with her and she wanted to scoot away very badly, but the fallen table was blocking her from behind and at her sides were Jonny and the fallen light fixture surrounded by a sea of glass. What made things worse was that Forecaster was smiling as wide as ever, and she could see just how white and sharp his teeth were. All the better you eat you with, my dear. She quickly pushed that thought out of her head. She was freaked out enough, thank you. No reason to make anything worse on herself.
"My aren't we then inquisitive type?" He said. "But then I suppose all good reporters must be and that's what you are, aren't you? No, no. No need to tell me. I can see that you are, you have that look about you. It's a look that only seasoned reporters have. Feel honored."
She wasn't feeling honored at all. What she felt was the fear slipping from her and being replaced by anger. She couldn't stand the fact that he was making a fun of her and all of the damage that he had caused. She wanted to slap him so badly, but didn't, wondering if he'd first take the time to laugh at her before killing her.
Forecaster stood up strait, still floating, towering above their heads and placed a paw over his chin making him look like a war veteran about to tell his grandkids how he and his men crossed enemy lines looking for POWs or at least something to that affect.
"I'll answer the second question first. You see, eight years ago I was a reporter for Kat's Eye. Actually, I dare go as far as to say that I was the reporter. There was no story that I couldn't dig up, despite the danger involved. I always put myself in the middle of the action if I could. You see, the news came first and safety came second. That was my way of thinking. I met Jonny here when he was still in college. Back then he dreamed of being a field reporter more then anything so he came by the station looking for work. Of course he had no chance, still being in school and with no experience, but there was just something I liked about him. He had, what's the word? 'Spunk'. I pulled a few stings and called in a few favors and landed the kid an internship, however it was with camera work. I didn't expect the kid to take it since it wasn't what he wanted, but he did.
Jonny was a little wet behind the ears, but he did his job well. And slowly, I noticed his internist in the field change from reporting the news, to recording it. I'm glad to see you stuck with it, Jonny. Smart move, kid. Smart move."
Forecaster smiled and shook his head side to side, taking a silent walk down memory lane. Ann took the distraction as a chance to look for a weapon to defend herself with until help came, but unless smacking him with a tape would do any good, they were out of luck.
She spared a glance over to Jonny to see how he was taking it. Jonny was sitting just as he was, listening to the story, still holding his battle scar. Ann could see the blood between his fingertips now. Jonny needed a doctor and fast. Why haven't the Enforcers arrived yet? Or, better yet, the SWAT Kats? Surly someone saw the explosions! They had to have been on their way, she couldn't give up hope. All she needed was a little more time. The more he talked about himself, the less damage he could do.
"Now for the first question," He continued as if nothing had happened. "But to answer that I have to explain how I became what I am today. You see a few months after Jonny came along, a scientist named Professor Hackle had just finish a machine that he called a 'Weather Control Device' at his desert lab. He wanted immediate coverage over his invention so he called Kat's Eye News, and they called on me. However our field reporter was out sick that week so I asked ol' Jonny Boy here if he wanted the chance to do some real field work and the kid jumped at the chance. We packed up the equipment and headed out.
"I tell you the machine that we saw there was the biggest thing I had ever seen. It was shaped like a giant, black box and was covered with buttons, knobs, meters, and all that science junk. On top was what looked like a radio antenna that stretched from the device and through a skylight out into the open air.
"We did an interview with Hackle. The machine was another one of the professor's deluded attempts to help katkind. With that device it could rain over dying fields of crops, tornados could be broken apart, storms disbanded, heck, the thing did everything but blow your nose. He explained all of the technology that went into it. I won't lie, I didn't understand a word he said, but that's besides the point.
"Finally came the demonstration. He was going to have a light rain in the area around the lab. For protective reasons we all moved behind a safety wall. Once there Hackle used a remote control to power the machine. It hummed to life and purred like a kitten, but then the purring turned into loud bangs and the machine started to smoke and shake. The professor tried to stop it, but the remote failed. I asked if the device could be manually shut off. Hackle said yes, but it was to risky, still I made a break for the machine. However, I had no idea what to do. I did all in my power to stop it, but it exploded none the less, leveling the building with me inside. Jonny and Hackle had evacuated by this time, I saw them go shortly before the big boom.
"I don't know how long I was buried, but somehow I pulled myself out of the rubble, broken and battered, but alive. In the mist of pain and delusion I wandered off into the desert. I went for miles before I collapsed from the heat. I was dying of thirst by then. I needed water, more I'd ever needed anything in my life. I wished for rain with every fiber of my being and that's when it came, like a gift from above. I rolled on my back and opened my mouth wide, drinking the sweet nectar of life! It was when I had my full that the rain just stopped like magic. The strange part was it had only poured around me, nowhere else! I wished for the rain back and it slowly did. I wish it away and is stopped!
"You see, my friends, when that machine blow, it did something to me. It gave me power greater then any kat before more. I could control the weather it's self! I could do anything! I was invincible! But want I wanted more then anything was my revenge on both Kat's Eye for sending me out and on the mad doctor, Hackle. They were trying to kill me! I know that now! They were jealous of me, of my skill! They hated me because nothing was a secret when I was at work! That's why they rigged the machine to blow! Hackle built the bomb and the station set it off! But it didn't work, did it Jonny! It's not so easy! It didn't work!"
Forecaster threw his head back and laughed stretching his paws up high in the air, turning them into fists, and then pulling them down. Outside, a loud burst of thunder and lighting came like something out of a cheap movie. The desert heat had snapped his mind like a dry twig. Now they were in some serious trouble.
"Kirk," To Ann's surprise, Jonny spoke. He sounded better then before, calmer. That was good. Forecaster shut right up and looked down at the camera man. "Kirk, that's not what happened, man. It was an accident, you know that. Calm down. Maybe we can get you help."
"Help?" The psycho laughed. "Help? 'Help' the kids says! You two need the help! If you have yet to notice, boy, you and the she-kat are my hostages here!"
"Kirk-" Jonny tired to press, but was cut off.
"It's Forecaster!" He screamed. "Kirk is gone! Forecaster lives! I spent eight years out in the desert, Jonny-Boy! Eight long years honing my skills to near perfection! Like hell I'm stopping now! I'm taking Megakat City over and you two are going to help me do it."
"Fat chance!" Jonny yelled right back at the man, matching him for volume. Both of his paws were balled into fists. "We're not helping you with anything! You can't make us!"
Forecaster smiled at that. That smiled scared Ann, deeply.
"Oh, really?" He asked.
Suddenly one of Forecaster's paws shot out at Ann, she tried to move, but wasn't quick enough. His paw clutched the front of her shirt, claws digging into the fabric, lifting her off the ground like a rag doll and carried to the gapping hole in the wall, she struggled the entire way, with no avail. Forecaster stretched his arm out, holding her out of the building. She grabbed on to her captor's arm with both paws and tightly squeezed her eyes shut.
"Ann!" Jonny screamed and shot up to his feet, only to fall onto his stomach, his face clutched, holding in a scream pain.
"Here's the deal, boy. You agree to help me, and she lives to see another day. Disobey, and the little lady here becomes street pizza. So, do we have a deal?"
Jonny looked over to them, helplessly. He lowered his head in defeat and spoke just above a whisper: "Alright. Just don't hurt her."
"Smart move."
Ann was thrown back into the room. She hit the ground and rolled. Once steady she moved back over to Jonny quickly, kneeling over him. He had opened the cut wider when he's tried to stand making it worse. She didn't think the wound was bad enough to kill him, but if she didn't get him to a hospital soon……Ann didn't even want to think about it. She didn't want to lose Jonny. He was the best man she'd ever worked with. They had done so much reporting together that they'd almost become mentally tuned, and now when he needed help the most, Ann couldn't give it.
"Please." Ann begged, looking up at Forecaster. "Please, He needs medical attention."
"And he can have it." The man said. "Just as soon as he does something for me."
Jonny asked what is was he was needed to do.
"Work the camera. Turn it on live feed. I have a message to spread to the city."
"He can't do that!" Ann yelled. "He can't even stand and you want him to film you!"
"That's why you're going to help him, ma'am."
Forecaster had moved behind the news desk. He bent down and pulled up a fallen chair and took a seat in it. He must have felt like he was Kirk again, right back at home behind that desk, being Mr. Reporter.
"Ann.' Jonny said. "Just help me to the camera. I can take it from there."
"You can not be serious."
"Ann, I'm asking you as a friend; please help me to the camera."
He spoke in a stern voice that Ann had never heard before. There was determination in the way he spoke. She sighed knowing there was no way to talk him out of it. As carefully as she could, she put his arm around her shoulders and aided him to his feet. Jonny put all his weigh on his good leg on the way up. Together they hobbled over the main video camera. Jonny grabbed in to it with both arms and held on tightly. All the while the man who was once Kirk Rex sat right where he was, smiling. Smiling and watching.
When Jonny got his balance, he began to work. Ann stood right by his side, helping him when he looked like he was about to fall and fetching the wires needed to plug the camera in and get it ready for live feed. The last of the cables needed was bundled on the far side of the room, knock to the floor at one point or another. As Ann grabbed it, she got a look out a small window by her side. Off in the distance, she saw an army of helicopters on the way. The Enforcers were closing in! Ann thought about stalling on her way back, giving as much time as she could, but one look at impatience growing on Forecaster's face told her that that would be a bad idea. Ann hurried back with the cable, plugging it in.
"Alright." Jonny said, sounding very tired, but still speaking in a professional manner that made Ann want to burst out laughing at the idea that there was anything still professional at this point. "It's done. Going live in 3, 2, 1. You're on."
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It felt like a lifetime since Jake and Chance started repairs on the jalopy and they weren't even half way done with the stupid thing. They were going to have to work into tomorrow, Jake was sure of it. He stood up from the hood wiping the sweat from his eyes and pulling a rag he had stuffed into his back pocket earlier to wipe the grease off his paws.
"What's the matter, Sure-Shot? Little auto repair too tough for you?" Chance joked, his voice coming from under the raised car.
"It's the heat. It's killing me."
"I don't blame ya, buddy." He replied, rolling out from the car and brushing himself off and he stood. "What do ya say we take a little break? The car won't be any more broken when we get back?"
"Fine by me. I could use something to drink."
With that, the two left the garage and went inside. They washed up and went to the fridge. Jake took out the same can of milk he had early (it was still full from the weight of it) and tossed an unopened can to Chance. He caught in and went to the TV, falling down onto the couch and take the remote off the table before putting his feet up. Jake sat down on the other end, which wasn't far since the thing was only built for two, and took one long gulp of the cold milk. It felt good going down his dry throat, like heaven in a can.
"Hey! Great timing too, buddy," Chance called. "Fraidy-kat is on!"
"Oh please, Chance. Not again."
"What's the matter, you have something against good TV?"
"No, but I do have something against this show."
"Ha-ha. Funny."
The screen suddenly went to static, cutting out of the show and was replaced by the Kat's Eye News logo. A recorded male voice told them their regular programming had been interrupted by a flash news bulletin.
"Oh, kats!" Chance groaned. "I hate these things."
Jake was about to reply that he was starting to warm up to them when the screen flashed over to the weirdest looking dude Jake had ever seen. The guy had bright yellow hair that stood strait up off of the kat's head and, call him crazy, but he could actually see electrical discharges shooting out of it. He was sitting at a desk with a jagged hole behind him giving a clear view of the city beyond.
"Good afternoon, Megakat City." The man spoke in a sickly sweet voice. "I am Forecaster and soon you will all bow before me. For you see an ironic twist of events cause by this news station and one Professor Hackle has granted me with incredible powers. You may have noticed the increasing temperature as of late. You may place the blame on me. I am in control of your weather now, citizens and I demand that the entire city he handed over me or else things are going to get very 'uncomfortable'.
For every hour my demands aren't meet I will increase the temperature in the city greatly. Any attempt to oppose me will be dealt with harshly."
The nutcase had no sooner finished that sentence when the voice of Commander Feral came from the outside the building over what sounded like a bullhorn. The timing couldn't have been anymore perfect.
"This is Commander Feral with the Enforcers! Give yourselves up now! You are surrounded!"
The man calling himself Forecaster looked to the sound of Feral's voice and smiled back to camera.
"Well, well, well. It looks like everyones about to get a taste of my power. This is Forecaster with Cat's Eye News, signing off."
With that the guy actually flew from the desk and out the door he had made for himself in the wall. Jake looked in disbelief, mouth wide had what he'd just seen.
"Chance, did you just see that?"
"Yea, and I also see Feral's about to get us all killed. Come on! We haveta get down to the news studio!"
"Right behind ya!"
They leaped from the couch spilling their drinks and ignoring the TV with had now gone back to static and snow. The two raced for the lockers and dawned their suits as fast as they could, then dashed for the Turbokat. T-Bone took the pilots seat and Razor sat in the back. They fired out of their hidden, underground launch pad and into the air. Razor prayed that they wouldn't be to late. The Turbokat was fast, but was it fast enough to get across the city before Feral did something really stupid?
It better be. Razor thought. It better be.
TO BE CONTINUED