EPISODE 6

"I know your secret." The voice repeated.

Every window had the curtain drawn and every light was turned off. The only sunshine that came into the room were from the occasional crack through the blinds that gave off a thin thread of sun that streaked the floor like an arrow. Jake was alone in the dark with whatever had captured him.

Jake was not one to go down without a fight. He didn't know who it was that was brave enough or stupid enough to try and take down the SWAT Kats, but the guy had another thing coming. The grip was strong, but it left Jake's left arm free. He brought his elbow back sharply, hitting the who or what directly in the gut. It gasped at the blow and loosened it's grip. That was all he needed. Jake dropped down to a crouch, and spun around with his right leg extended, hitting the thing in the legs. The intruder fell at the impact to the floor. Quickly. Jake reached over to the light switch, turning on the overhead lamps to shine light on the intruder.

The lights flickered a few times and then came on. The person on the floor was now sitting up, holding his stomach and couching harshly. It took Jake's eyes a minute to adjust to the sudden change, but when they got into focus he got a good look at the kat.

"Chance!"

Chance was climbing to his feet, still coughing a little and holding the area he was hit. He leaned against the back wall by the door and raised his free and up in the air like a criminal.

"Okay, I give. Uncle. Geez, you didn't havea hit so hard, ya know."

"Chance, what was that all about?"

"I told you, I know your secret."

Jake looked generally confused and shook his head from side to side as to say 'I don't get you'.

"I went outside to checkup on the work and saw Ms. Briggs' car was here and the tow truck missing. You may be the brains, sure-shot, but I can still add one and one." He explained.

He was now standing strait up without the wall and put his hands down to his sides. Jake felt sorry for just attacking him like that, but what else was he supposed to do? He had no clue that it was Chance, after all. So really it wasn't Jake's fault at all, but that still didn't stop him from feeing a little guilty for hurting his friend. That was just the kind of kat he was.

"You know," Chance continued. "it's not very nice to drive off with a pretty girl and leave your best buddy behind."

"I was just giving her a ride back to the mayors office. Didn't think you'd want to come."

"And miss the opportunity to spend time with Callie? You must be crazy."

They began opening up the shades, letting the early noon sun into the shop. "This was all a little theatrical, wasn't it, Chance?"

"Everybody needs a good scare in their life."

"Yeah, well I've had plenty of scares for all nine of mine."

After putting the inside back to order they went to check out the car. The whole while Chance was making cracks at Jake for getting so worked up about the joke.

---------------

On the other side of the city in Megakat Chemical Labs, Prof. Hackle was sitting at his cluttered desk surrounded by papers, test tube beakers, small experiments, junk parts, and a countless supply of sticky-notes filled with things he need to do. It was insane that the man who could crack the theory of Quantum Pyro-Scofic Hone Physics couldn't even keep his lab clean for the life of him, but Hackle was an old kat now. He had spent over half of his life dedicated to science and the betterment of katkind. Those days may have been coming to an end, sadly. He couldn't keep this up forever and knew it. His mind was as sharp and talented as it ever was, his body was failing. Time was getting the better of him and there was nothing science could do to reverse that.

He was currently writing in his journal about the production of the tests from the day before. They were a continuation of an experiment done several years ago with weather control. Though the last time, things ended tragically. He still carried the guilt of that, but he never gave up on the project. Hackle knew that such power was possible and he was determined to crack it. He had already spent two days strait in the lab, sleeping at the desk and using the restroom to clean himself up. The currently technology had advanced greatly from when he started this project. The machine that had once taken up an entire room was now small enough to be built and modified into a kind of a glove.

Hackle stood up, journal papers in hand. His back popped several times as he got to his feet. That was just another reminder that he was not the kitten he used to be. He walked over to a small platform where the to his newest Weather Control Device (or WCD II, for short) was and examined it. It a glove that went halfway to the elbow on the average kat. With it, the wearer could control the environment from any area. However there were it's drawbacks as well. It was untested and dangerous. The glove needed to know your commands to produce results so wires were connected into the wearer's arm and skull. They acted as the transmitters from the brain. It was as delicate as it sounded and if anything went wrong, it could mean death.

There was a rumbling from outside almost like a large truck was rolling right by, but that could be right. His office was near the middle of the building and the sound was way to close for that. All of a sudden an area of the ceiling blasted open and a rain of concrete and insulation came pouring down. From that hole, a kat floated in on nothing but the air it's self. He came to a soft landing on the floor and looked around the room, smiling. The kat's eyes came to rest on Hackle who was knocked to the ground by the sheer volume of the explosion.

"Is that you, Professor Hackle? My how you've aged in such a short time."

The professor picked his glasses off the floor and cleaned them with his shirt before placing them back on his face.

"Who-who are you?"

"I'm insulted! You don't even remember the person you tried to kill. Tsk tsk, professor."

"Kill? What? Why I never-"

"Don't you lie to me!" The man screamed and pointed an angry finger at Hackle. "I can smell a liar from a mile away!" The man visibly calmed himself before continuing. "

Eight years ago. Megakat desert. Your stupid weather contraption. I am-was Kirk Rex. I was the reporter you tried to kill!"

"My word."

Hackle stood to his feet, looking the man over. He remembered that day clearly. It had haunted him ever since, but the person before him barely resembled the person from before.

"Yes. Yes I remember. I remember you foolishly running to stop my machine. I remember how you wanted to he the big hero. I did nothing to you, my boy. You dug your own grave, Kirk, so it's your to lie in."

Kirk laughed like a loon.

"I'm no ghost, old man. I'm alive and kicking. Your machine has granted me super powers and with them I will rule this city. But first," Kirk started walking over to him. "I'm going to finish you off, gramps. I do thank you for these powers, but you're a loose end. And I hate loose ends. No offence."

Hackle was backing up, but was far too slow. The kat who had once been a mild reporter raced over, grabbing Hackle by his neck and lifting him up in the air. His fingers tightened around his throat, cutting off all air. He struggled, but couldn't get free. Things began to get dark and he fought less and less. Hackle was actually going to die like this. He knew his life was short, but never thought that it would come so quickly or by the hand of another. This isn't how he wanted to go out. He still had so much he could do, but now it seemed like it was too late. He was a so good as dead.

Just has he was ready to give up he suddenly felt himself being thrown to the ground. He landed hard and his glasses went flying. Hackle laid there, gasping for air when he heard Kirk speak. He look toward the voice and saw that he hadn't just been dropped, but tossed clear across the room. On the other end, where Hackle started out, was Kirk. He was looking down at the WCD II.

"Now this looks interesting."

"No!" Hackle managed to squeal between coughing fits. "Un-untested."

"Well it's about to have a it's first run." He said and tucked the item under his arm. In his hands, he was holding his journal and flipping through the pages, skimming over the notes.

"This is another weather device! Hackle, you don't give up do you? Thank you for the gift. I'll cherish it always."

"You can not take that."

Hackle was feeling slightly better. He could see now (as well as he could without his glasses that was) and his breathing was back to normal, though his throat was bruised and it hurt to swallow.

"It's untested." He continued. "We have no idea what it is capable of."

"Well we're about to find out, aren't we? And the first thing I'll do with this baby is take care of you."

The door behind the professor burst open and three armed security guards came charging in. Better late then never. The all raised their weapons at Kirk.

"Hey," One of them said. "It's the guy from the news!"

Kirk looked upset with the arrival for a moment and then went back to his cruel grin.

"I'll come back for you later, Hackle. And by the way, it's not Kirk anymore. I'm Forecaster!"

Kirk, Forecaster, leaped back into the air and flew out of the hole in the roof as the guards opened fire, missing the mark. When he was gone the same guard that had spoke before holstered his gun and walked over to Hackle. He bent down and help him to his feet.

"Are you okay, professor?"

"Yes, my boy. Yes, I'm fine. But I fear that Megakat City won't be, not for much longer."

---------------

The laser blasts from the guns came very close to hitting him, but Forecaster was faster then that. He should have just killed the old geezer right there and then taken the glove. This was his punishment for getting sidetracked. Well, it was no real matter. Hackle was only prolonging his own death, anyway. His time would come soon enough, especially now that he had this new toy.

Forecaster had flown several blocks away from the lab and landed on top on one of the city's many skyscrapers. The view stretched on for miles all around. Soon all that he saw would be his. He was going to be powerful enough to take over this entire city. He had started his mission only to terminate Kat's Eye and Hackle, but since he had the power to take the city, he might as well. No one would be able to stop him! And all he had to do was slip on a glove, if only everything were that easy.

He tried reading through the notes taken from the lab, it the entire thing was filled with equations and math and science junk that he didn't understand. After several pages of flipping and coming up empty, he just tossed the book over his shoulder. It went sailing trough the air and over the side of the building to the ground below. He knew what the thing was and that was good enough.

This was it. The moment of truth. Forecaster held the glove up in the air as a relic of power and put his hand inside. It was a little big on him. He didn't know what size kat this thing was designed for, but it wasn't his. Still he had it, that's what counted. He had the second wave of weather technology combined with his own. With it he felt…

He felt….

He felt…. nothing.

"Hey!" He yelled brining the item down to eye level. "Stupid thing doesn't work!"

He started pressing random buttons on the glove and shaking it a little.

"Come on you stupid thing you! Work!"

He punched it once and all of a sudden there came a humming sound and the glove started to feel warm, like an electric blanket was wrapped around his arm. Then came the feeling of a thousand pins sticking into his arm from the inside of the glove.

"Hey! What's going on!"

He tried to pull the thing off, but it wouldn't budge and it sent a wave of pain up his arm. Suddenly three things that looked like tiny suction cups with wire attached came from the side of the giant, metal glove. The first two went into his upper are and shoulder, the last on his temple. Each one caused the feeling of pins being stabbed into his skin again, only stronger. He screamed in agony. But then that slowly changed. The pain had transformed into a new felling. He couldn't place it exactly, but he could feel it. It was the feeling of pure power being pumped into his very being by the glove. His appearance started to change as the pain had changed. For one he became bigger, stronger then before. His yellow hair gained streaks of white that zigzagged upward like lightning bolts. Also his eyes became solid yellow as pure energy, white as mist, came wafting out of his eyes. It also pumped out of his nostrils and mouth when he breathed. Forecaster's scream of pain turned into a laugh of triumph. He had become even more powerful then before, but how much more, he wondered.

He looked at his gloved hand and made a fist. As he opened up his fingers, sparks gave off from his tips. He jettisoned his entire arm forward and a bolt of electric energy blasted out, streaking across the sky like a comet. He laughed harder. Forecaster reached up to the sky and above the white clouds became dark and heavy. The storm clouds spread outward like a virus across the early afternoon sky, cutting out the light over the area above him like an eclipse. Within a matter of moments, the darkness covered the entire city. Next came the thunder and lightning that only amplified the storm's power. All of this came out of this glove, and all because he simply willed it to! The power was immense and beautiful.

He floated off of the building top and into the air. He hovered high over the city, watching the buildings below. Using his hand he willed the lightning to strike the office where he once stood. The force obeyed, demolishing over half of the building in one blow. He commanded it again and again to other buildings. Each one took heavy damage and the smaller ones were blasted into rubble.

"Hear me, city of Megakat! I am Forecaster! Your city belongs to me! Surrender and you just may survive! This is not a test of the emergency broadcast system! This is an actual emergency!"

He laughed again as more bolts blasted in the sky and the thunder rumbled on. This was the beginning of the end for Megakat and there was no one who was going to stop him. Not now, not ever.

TO BE CONTINUED