EPISODE 9

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room after T-Bone spoke. He was afraid that he'd just brought up more questions rather then stopping them. They were wasting time anyway- Forecaster would be on the hunt for him and start blasting away at more of the city to do it. The first thing he needed to do was change the subject. That was easy enough. He had questions of his own.

"So how did you get here, Ms. Briggs? And what about the mayor?"

"The mayor's fine." Callie answered carefully, looking at him in an understanding that T-Bone wouldn't talk about Razor any more then he had. "We moved him out of the city when things started to get really bad. As for myself," She paused. "I couldn't stand back and let this place be destroyed. I had to do something."

"Alright." T-Bone said, wondering if there was ever a politician as devoted to their work as this she-kat was. "So now that we're here, what do we do?"

There was silence in the room again. Apparently no one had come up with anything brilliant yet. Well they were getting nowhere fast. It was Felina that spoke up first. The strategy was simple, but just might be able to work.

"We flank him." She said.

"What?" Callie asked.

"Flank him." She repeated, as if that would explain everything. "It's simple, T-Bone and I will draw Forecaster's fire away from the building and get him to follow us. Then, Uncle, you and the squadron attacking him from behind."

"Felina," Feral protested. "I refuse to put you in a situation that dangerous!"

"Sorry, Uncle, but it may be our only chance."

Suddenly Felina grabbed on to his arm and pulled. He stumbled a little and then raced off outside behind her. The girl had guts, he had to admit. She was as stubborn as he was, too. Plus, anyone who would disobey Feral was okay in his book. They raced the way he had come down the alley and stopped at the end, peering down the main roads. He was no one in site. If it wasn't for the storm overhead acting as a constant reminder of their situation, one could believe he had left the city.

There was a crackle of thunder and a heavy blast. The post office to their left crumbled and the top and fell. Pulling Felina with him, T-Bone leaped out of the way of the demolition. When they had safely landed, he looked behind at the damage. The building had actually fallen into the alley, blocking it and ruining the flanking plan completely.

Forecaster rose from the other side of the building that crafted the alleyway. He was still laughing like he had laughed since he first arived, it seemed like he would never stop doing that! T-Bone raised his Glove-O-Trix, ready to shut him up for good. Forecaster pointed a single finger at his weapon and a thin line of energy struck the paw mounted weapon. It began to spark and then caught flame. T-Bone had to rip it off his paw before he caught his fur on fire. The loon blew his finger like a cowboy puffs out the smoke from his gun in a western movie.

"I reckon this city ain't big enough for the two of us." He said in the worst western accent he had ever heard, though Forecaster laughed. The man must have considered himself a riot.

Felina pulled on T-Bone's arm again and again they took off. He heard Forecaster abruptly stop with his laughing fit at their departure. Against his will, he spared a look back and saw the kat was in pursuit with another energy ball building up in his hands. He started to sprint a little faster.

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Commander Feral was visibly upset with his niece, Callie could see that, but she wondered is it was the fact that she disobeyed an order, or ran off with T-Bone that really got tom him. Whatever the case, he went along with her plan. He gave to order to wait till Forecaster could be completely distracted, and then strike. Then came the explosion. When it hit, the vibrations were felt from where they were, several building over. Items from the shelves fell over and Callie was nearly stuck by a can of tuna.

When the rocking stopped, Feral was the first out the door. He stood half in, half out of the backroom for several seconds. She feared the worst, just as she feared the worst about Razor. She didn't understand exactly what happened to him, but it could be nothing good.

"The ally has been blocked." Feral said, stepping back in the room, and holding open the door. "This changes nothing. We'll loop around the other side of the ally and find a way back onto the roads. You better stay here, Ms. Briggs. It'll be too dangers out there. Now, move out!"

The four remaining Enforcers raced from the room with their side arms drawn and ready. After the were outside, Feral shut the door behind him. Now Callie was left alone. Shortly after, there was another blast, farther away, but still strong.

"It's too dangerous here too." She said to no one.

She would find a way to help her city, and no one was going to stop her. Callie crept to the door and opened it slowly, glancing out. There was only the wind and the thunder. When she was sure it was safe, she stepped out, hoping that she was doing the right thing.

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"This way!" He said.

He yanked Felina down a different alley just as an explosion rocked the street behind them. If they didn't turn when they did, chances are they would have been in that blast. T-Bone wondered if they were just being played with now, like a game of kat and mouse. If Forecaster really wanted them dead, they just might have been. One way or another all he knew was that a moving target was harder to hit, so running was their only option.

This alley was wider then the last. It looked as though a truck could easily fit down it. He soon saw that wasn't exactly the case. The alley was long and T-Bone had been too busy checking up on the nut chasing them to be looking ahead, and was the mistake that would get them killed. Blocking them off from running onto another street was a big rig delivery truck. The back was open and inside where several boxes, all unmarked. The road wasn't large enough to fit a delivery truck that size so it had actually jammed between the buildings, creating a barricade. The driver must had been trying to flee the city in his rig and gotten stuck. They were forced to stop in their tracks. This was incredible, it was like some higher power wanted them to get killed.

The winds picked up greatly and T-Bone had to actually shield his eyes from the gusts. Peering through squinted eyelids, he saw Felina actually being pick up off the street and then thrown, violently, into the brick wall beside her. Her entire body hit at the same time and then dropped to the earth just as the wind died out.

"Felina!"

T-Bone raised over to her. She was sprawled out on her stomach. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving at all. T-Bone turned her over and pressed an ear against her chest. To his relief, she was still breathing, but it was shallow and weak. Felina had taken a nasty hit was knocked out cold, however; she was alive. For the time being. He thought.

"Oops. Did I go that? That was entirely a my bad."

Forecaster came down the ally, actually walking this time instead of flying on the air. But why would he bother to walk now? Maybe he can't fly. Maybe he used so much power to lift Felina, that he just can't fly. No, that didn't make sense. If he could fly himself on the wind, then tossing a girl of lesser weight then he was by at least thirty pounds would have been a snap. The answer was simple; he was just trying to act cool. They guy watched too many movies and was being dramatic.

T-Bone stood and brought out his claws and snarled to show his teeth. These were the only weapons he had left. He would see how tough the reporter was after a few good blows to the face. He ran forward at him, brining up his fist and swinging. Forecaster grabbed his fist in the gloved hand. T-Bone swung with the other, but that was caught too by the regular paw. They both were pressing their upper body strength against one another. For several seconds they were at a stalemate, but the T-Bones arms started to give and he was being pushed back. Forecaster barked a single laugh and kicked him directly in the gut. That kick was added back a hard gust of wind that seemed to come for Fore's body it's self and sent T-Bone back on his butt.

Now, he was a big kat last time he checked. He stood six foot eleven and weighed over two-hundred pounds (muscle) and to be thrown back like that was just unbelievable! He looked up at his attacker who was still standing there, smiling smugly, waiting for him like he had all the time in the world. This was bad. He didn't have the Turbokat or his Glove-O-Trix, and on top of that, he was out matched in strength too. He pushed himself up onto one knee, holding his gut, winching at the pain. This was the second time he was hit there today.

"This is really sad, you know." Forecaster said. "I was expecting some big dramatic finish, but it wasn't meant to be, I suppose."

He formed another ball of electric energy from his glove.

"However, since I'm such a caring person, I'll still let you go out with a bang."

He aimed the ball directly at T-Bone. He was going to be blasted away by a complete loser. How pathetic, that after everything he went through, this guy would be the one to kill him. What was the world coming to?

"Any last words before you sign off?"

He had a few choice words, yes. However, he wouldn't have the chance to say any of them. From behind the kat came a single headlight, piercing through the darkness. It was just now getting in the alley, but was moving at great speeds. T-Bone stood up from the ground and readied himself.

"Yea, I have one; look out behind you."

"Oh please! Do you really think I'll fall for that……old……trick?"

He turned around when he heard exactly what T-Bone had saw. T-Bone pressed himself on the brick wall by the downed Felina, freeing as much space as he could. He then watched as someone leaped off of the vehicle coming at them, a motorcycle. The cycle jerked upward as the rider bailed. As Forecaster attempted to fly out of the way, he was stuck head on. The force sent him sailing backward into the big rig with the bike pressed against him like a lover. There was a heavy crash inside and the truck jerked forward hard at the sound of crunching metal and boxes, then settled back down.

The kat from the bike stood up from where he landed on the ground, dusting himself off. T-Bone was sure that there was nothing that could surprise him after all he had seen, but he was just proven wrong.

"I can't believe it. Jake?"

"Hey." Jake said, smiling a little.

"Jake, why did you-I mean, I thought you-you know-left."

"I did, T-Bone. But then I did some thinking." As he spoke, he walked over, closing the distance. "I wanted to apologize, for everything. I'm sorry I yelled and I'm sorry I ran. I haven't been myself lately. I kept thinking I'd be happier somewhere else, but…..but everything I really need is right here, in this city. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted you to know that I am sorry."

T-Bone smiled and shook his head.

"Tell ya what. I'll forgive you as long as you forgive me for punching you back there."

Jake rubbed the side of his face.

"What? You call that little slap a punch?"

Both kats started to laugh. It was the first good laugh either one had in a long time. When they calmed down, Jake extended his hand and T-Bone took it. They shook, heartily.

"It's good to have you back, Jake."

"The names Razor."

That started a whole new wave of laughter, sadly this one was cut short. There was movement from the truck. First the sound of falling boxes and then foot steps, then came the source. By some miracle, Forecaster was still alive and walking. He made it to the end of the truck and was holding onto the side for support. His clothes were ripped a little, but that was the worst of it. He was hit by a motorcycle! A freaking motorcycle! How was he still okay?

"Owww!" He yelled. "That really hurt! Oh, I am SO blasting you for this!"

"T-Bone." Razor whispered. "Get Felina somewhere safe. I'll take care of his guy."

"Are you sure. He's a handful."

"I can do it. Go!"

T-Bone scooped up Felina in his arms, not liking how her arms and legs dangled. She was in bad shape, maybe bleeding internally and here he was, laughing like he was at a party. He felt like a total ass. First for letting her get hurt and now for leaving Razor behind.

"T-Bone, get moving!"

Razor wave a hand at him to shoo him off, though he never took his eyes off of Forecaster, who was still gathering himself in the tuck bed. T-Bone nodded once and hesitated only a second before racing down the road and out into the streets of Megakat.

As they ran, T-Bone heard several explosions and each time he had to fight the instinct to run back to help. He would help, but not now, he had to protect Felina now. He started to have a million and one terrible thoughts about what could happen to Felina an if any of them happened, it would be all his fault. He would have to get her medical help as soon as he could. First he would drop her someplace safe. He spied a small warehouse after he had ran for about six or seven blocks. They were just now crossing from the commercial district into the industrial (from white collar to blue collar) and that building would be as good as any to rest her in, then he'd go back and help.

As he crossed the street to the building he felt Felina move in his arms. She groaned slightly and opened her eyes. It was the single most beautiful thing he ever saw.

"Morning, Lieutenant." He said.

"You know, flyboy, I have legs. You can put me down."

Her voice was little more then a whisper, but she didn't sound delirious and that was good. She wasn't suffering from any trauma.

"I plan on doing just that too, just give me a minute."

The warehouse had turned out to be an automotive storage facility. There were cars lined about the room and many were still missing parts. T-Bone moved Felina to a stack of tires. He lowered her and held her close in one arm and used his free hand and legs to line up two rows of five tires, making a kind of bed. She was leaning heavily upon his shoulder with her head with her body pressed on his side. She was standing, slightly, but only with the aid of his body as a crutch and his arm which was wrapped tightly around her waist.

T-Bone could feel her breath on the back of his neck. And he felt something inside, a feeling he couldn't explain. It was weird, but nice. He never really knew Felina on a personal level, they had only met a few times, but only when he was a SWAT Kat and she was an Enforcer. He wondered how they would have gotten along if he was just Chance and she was just Felina. T-Bone shook those ideas from his head. This was not the time or place to think about such things. As gently as he could, he laid her down on the bed of tires.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I've been better." She responded. "Did we win?"

"Not yet, but soon. I know you don't like taking orders any more then I do, but I need you to rest here for a bit. I'll come back for ya when it's safe."

"Promise?" She asked. It came out sounding like a joke, but T-Bone thought he saw, if only for a second, a look of sincerity in her eyes.

"Promise."

He stood and went to the employee door next to the garage door, used to drive cars in and out. T-Bone took a second looked back at Felina. Her eyes were closed like she was sleeping again. She looked so peaceful and angelic that he couldn't help but smile a little bit. He then closed the door. As he did so there was another blast a few blocks over. That sound broke all thoughts away from Felina and onto Forecaster. T-Bone took off running.

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Callie had to climb the jagged pile of rubble that had once been the very post office where she used dropped off her mail and get stamps. After slicing her suit open in several places, she made it over. It was hard work, but it was shorter then the way Feral's team had gone. That was the way she came in from and most of the most damage in that portion of the city, turning the streets into a maze. Feral and his men would either have to climb a few piles of brick and stone like she did, or walk till they found a way to loop back around.

The streets on the other side of the rubble were as empty as they were anywhere else. However, it was the sounds of the battle that kept her on her toes and looking about. They sounded very close. And wherever those noises were coming from, that's where she needed to go. She walked carefully up the street, which she thought was Ninth Avenue, but couldn't tell for sure. From there she crossed onto Oak's Lane, a road she drove constantly a could identify even in this mess. Now there was another boom, closer then the last. From a back alley just ahead of her and from the left side, she saw Razor fly backward. He flipped in midair and managed to land on his feet.

Callie was so glad to see he was alive. By now she was sure that he had been killed, but just couldn't come to terms with that theory. Somehow the idea didn't seem real, like it wasn't possible. It made her feel hollow inside before. Now she felt relief, like waking up from a bad dream and realizing that those problems you faced weren't real.

There was a car parked (abandoned was probably a better word) in the middle of the street, covering both lanes. She raced up to it, ready to go around it and up to Razor. She wanted to hug him for being alive and then slap him for putting her though so much stress. She did neither. What she did do was duck behind the hood of the car for protection when another blast hit the pavement, sending chunks of road in all directions. When the bits stopped falling, she peered over the side. Razor was now backing up in her directing as Forecaster came from around the corner, floating like a ghost.

"This is your last chance," The villain called. "to surrender before I destroy you."

"Like I'd ever give up to some hack ink-jockey like you."

"That smart mouth will be the death of you!"

He sent another blast at Razor, but a suspicious one. It was extremely low and hit at Razor's feet causing him to jump. The reason for that first move was soon explained. Forecaster brought a gust of wind, throwing the SWAT Kat off balance and sending him up in the air. He then shot a second beam. Callie watched in horror as it hit him dead center and sent him flying. Razor landed on top of the hood of the very car Callie was hiding behind, bounced off and landed on his back at her feet. Callie bent down over him.

"Razor!"

She shook him, but he didn't move. She spared one glance over the hood only to see that Forecaster was closing in to finish his job. She wouldn't let him, though, no sir. Callie took off one of her heeled shoes and held it like a weapon. She didn't know what good it would do, but she had to try something, anything to help Razor.

Callie was never one to believe in silly things like guardian angels, but she must have had one that day. As Forecaster was closing in on the car, there came the noise of laser fire from the other end of the street. Callie looked over the hood again and saw Feral's team had arrive, all with their weapons drawn and were firing, no warnings this time. They were out to take him down. It looked like they had scaled over the fallen buildings to save time. Forecaster abandoned his hunt for Razor and went after the Enforcers.

Callie focused back on Razor. His clothes had been ripped up badly and she could see brown fur sticking out from the suit in places. She watched his chest carefully. When she saw that he was still breathing, she closed her eyes and sighed. She didn't think she could take any more surprises today. However, she still had one left. Callie had been so worried about his breathing, that she that Razor's helmet had been knocked off in the blast and the mask underneath had been ripped down the center like tent flaps.

There came a heavy wind and Callie held her skirt down until it passed and died. It was then that she saw what she had missed. The gust had opened the mask and pulled it off. For the first time ever, Callie was looking into the bare face of someone who had saved her life countless times, someone she had known only as Razor. But now, looking into that face, she saw the person behind it and it was someone that she knew. She had spent so much time with the SWAT Kats and relied so heavily on them when things got out of control, but she never knew who they were, or why they did what they did. But now, all of those questions had been answered by one gust of wind. She saw that Razor was really-

"Jake."

TO BE CONCLUDED