Chapter 4
Kitty suppressed the urge to yawn as all of her friends continued to---at least in her must humble opinion!---natter on about the silliest and most mundane of things. Things like fashion trends---boring! thought Kitty---and hairstyles and the latest fashion in jewelry…which at least Kitty had a modicum of interest (I mean, Kitty might be tomboy…but she was still a girl!). Kitty began to fidget, bouncing her knee rapidly, as she fought down the urge to filch Naomi's keys and take the Roadster for a long ride about Paris.
However, Kitty's thoughts of petty larceny proved to be unnecessary, as little Enrico Fox finally succumbed to the excitement of the day and yawned hugely in Yuri's lap, blinking his big brown eyes sleepily.
"Ah, it seems it is time for my little one's nap," Carmen observed with a motherly smile. Yuri smiled and gently kissed the top of Enrico's head.
"Da, the same for my zaichik as well, Carmen," Maria pointed out from the armchair she sat in, with little Maria Fox snuggled on her lap, softly sucking her thumb. However, the little vixen also had a fistful of Maria's long white hair clutched firmly in her hand. "A little help, pahoolsta, my friends? My Maria has quite the grip." Maria Foloreva smiled, then winced as she tried futilely to extract her hair from the little girl's vise-like grip.
"I think my Maria likes you," Carmen opined with a telling grin. "For she does not do that to just anyone. Although, she does do it me all of the time." Maria's mother moved over and knelt down to whisper something gently in Spanish into her cherubic daughter's twitching ear.
"Mmm," little Maria sighed, and opened her little fist, allowing Maria Foloreva to thankfully extricate her hair from the little girl's grip.
"Spasiba," Maria said to Carmen, smiling. "My thanks, tovarisch."
Carmen looked over to Yuri with a blank look on her face. "Tovarisch?" Carmen asked, clearly confused.
Svetlana moved over to explain, the pretty petite tigress smiling. "That is Russian, Carmen. It means 'comrade'…you know, friend? My Maria does not call just anyone that, you know. You have made quite an impression on her, I think." Svetlana smiled gently at both Carmen as well as her friend, Maria.
Maria blinked a moment, then grinned, nodding. "Da, I like you, Carmen Fox," Maria declared. "You are a fine woman."
Carmen's hazel eyes twinkled in appreciation. "I like you too, Maria Foloreva…in addition to the fact that you happen to share my daughter's pretty name," Carmen replied.
Maria chuckled softly, her blue eyes cleverly regarding the tall hazel-eyed vixen.
"Now, my two nursemaids," Carmen then said, waving them to get up and follow her. "It is time to put my angels down for the naps."
Yuri stood, holding the peacefully sleeping Enrico in her protective arms, while Maria snuggled the fitfully dozing Maria Fox in her own. The three made their way upstairs to the Fox children's room, where with Carmen's help, the two little foxes were laid down in their cribs and covered with soft warm blankets. "Do they always look so peaceful?" Yuri whispered to Carmen, as she gazed down upon the two little angels. Carmen nodded, and beckoned for the two to follow her out of the children's room, and back downstairs.
"To answer your question, Yuri," Carmen replied, now that there was no danger of awakening her children. "Most of the time the answer would be 'yes'. However, do not get me wrong…there are times when they can prove more than handful, let me assure you!"
"I suppose that makes sense," Yuri mused aloud, clearly trying to get a grip on this whole upcoming motherhood thing. "I think I can suffer through those times if I may enjoy times such as these too."
"You know, Yuri," Carmen replied, still hardly believing the fact that she was on a first name basis with one of the most famous Parisian. "I think you shall be a good mother…for you understand already, what it is to love a child."
Yuri could only blush softly, a warm smile on her face. "Merci," she murmured.
"Yuri? Maria?" Kitty hissed softly from the base of the stairs. "You'd better get your butts down here or we're leaving you here with Carmen!"
"Why the hurry, cheri?" Yuri asked, even as she gracefully led the procession down the stairs.
"I'm on duty in an hour, Yuri," Kitty explained. "That's why! Ling and I have the night shift this evening."
Carmen saw them all to the door, smiling at their gracious thanks. "No, I should be thanking you all," she insisted. "But, adios my friends! Do come back soon!" She waved as she watched the girls begin getting into their beautiful cars.
Yuri turned toward Carmen, and called, "Come see me at C'est Sing, cheri! Any time…I would love to talk more with you."
"I will!" Carmen replied, then watched Yuri disappear from view into her Ferrari. The three cars then started and in intervals whisked away from her suburban curbside. "Vaya Con Dios…"
A couple of hours later, Lieutenant Kitty Petro of Paris Interpol Division glowered down furiously at the stacks of paperwork that adorned her desk. She yawned a moment later, hating how she had yet to adjust to this new shift time. And…on top of all that…it was Monday. She hated Mondays!
Inspector Ling Chu looked up from the data sheets he was going over to see his lady love glaring venomously at the paperwork before her. "I love being a Lieutenant," she mused aloud, "but God! I do hate all the paperwork!" She thumbed the first stack before her, and sighed. "I think it's multiplying. See? Watch, if you look close enough…you'll see it…" She gestured to the paperwork, bidding Ling to do so as well.
Ling smiled, then shook his head. "Then, you had best see it done before it consumes us both, Kitty," Ling recommended, grinning cleverly over at her. He laughed softly when she frowned then stuck her tongue out at him. He then closed his eyes a moment, then took a deep cleansing breath, and let it out. "Okay, pass some over here," he said, beckoning her to hand him some of it so he could help.
Kitty grinned. "Thanks, buddy!" she murmured appreciatively. "I knew I could count on you!"
"If you weren't the absolute love of my life…" Ling grumbled, though his deep green eyes were slightly mischievous.
"Yes, dear," Kitty replied with a grin. She lifted up the next nearest stack of paperwork, and they both got to it.
Kitty completed her first stack, and with Ling's most helpful assistance, one more stack was finished. She then laid her pen down, stretching her arms above her head. "Two down," she moaned, frowning, "only er…eleven stacks to go. Perfect. Just perfect…" She sighed forlornly.
"Did you think becoming a Lieutenant would mean less work, dear?" Ling inquired with one arched eyebrow and a small expression of disapproval.
"Well, no," admitted Kitty with yet another frown, "but I sure didn't think my entire day would be used in keeping caught up on all this useless paperwork." She waved a hand meaningfully at the still impressive stacks.
"It is not useless…and you know it, Kitty Petro," Ling commented. "Tedious, perhaps…but never useless."
Kitty flicked her eyes to glare at Ling. "You know, you're such a stickler for protocol that you nearly want to make me scream sometimes, buster!" she declared.
"Nevertheless," Ling persevered, ignoring Kitty's complaint. "Police work has more to do with this 'useless paperwork' than it does dashing about town after Sly Cooper and his associates, as you seem to prefer, dear heart."
"Yeah, sure. Right," Kitty replied, her brow furrowing.
Ling sighed, then continued. "Criminals are apprehended through finding and processing clues and evidence, don't you agree?" Ling asked.
"Well, yeah…so?" Kitty replied…just a bit truculently.
"So, my dear Lieutenant," Ling told her. "All of this mundane, unexciting paperwork provides law enforcement---that's us!---with the evidence analysis, timelines, and eyewitness accounts needed to make our case for arrest warrants, as well as making cases for the judiciary to use to put the bad guys behind bars."
Kitty knew Ling was absolutely correct…but that still didn't mean she had to like it! "Okay, all right, it's necessary…but it's still evil," Kitty allowed, closing her pretty blue eyes wearily a moment. "But," she wheedled a moment after that, "can't we at least take a little break? I mean, I'll even go as far as to buy you a cup of congratulatory coffee…for the way you somehow finagled me into actually wanting to get all this crap done…" She grinned.
Ling smiled, realizing that compromise was the heart of any relationship…even more so with one as stubborn as his Kitty, so… "Of course, Kitty," he accepted graciously, getting to his feet, then watching as she grinned and got to her own. Ling still couldn't keep his heart from speeding up each and every time he saw Kitty turn and look into his eyes. "Shall we, Lieutenant?"
"Charmed, I'm sure, Inspector," Kitty replied cleverly, wrinkling her nose cutely at him, for just his benefit. Hmm, she thought, maybe there was some benefit to working the swing shift every once in a while…
They headed over to the vending machines on the other side of the squad room, where Kitty bought Ling a cup of his favorite cappuccino, while she herself bought a cup of frothy hot chocolate. Talking softly with one another, the two headed back to their offices, which were adjacent to one another.
Ling opened the door for Kitty---that was just Ling's way!---and they both were completely startled when they saw their boss, Chief Rob, standing in her office, his back to them both, staring out though the window outside. "Chief?" Kitty managed to sputter.
"Petro. Chu. Inside," Chief Rob commanded in his gruff voice. "Be sure to shut the door behind you."
Ling ushered Kitty inside, then came inside himself and shut the door. "Chief, we sure didn't expect you to---" Kitty ventured nervously…only to be politely yet commandingly cut off by her superior.
"No doubt," the Chief told her. "I'm just glad I didn't get a repeat of the last time I dropped by unannounced," the moody canine Chief of Paris Branch pointed out with the barest hint of a blush.
"No, sir!" Kitty quickly added, her cheeks flushing a hot red a moment. "Won't happen again, sir!" Kitty felt her heart flutter as she remembered that time. Kitty had been feeling…well, a bit frisky---shall we say!---that evening, and had just pushed a most unsettled Ling down into a chair, then had climbed into his lap for a little bout of what she liked to call 'lip wrestling', when…as fortune would have it, the volatile Chief chose that particular moment to barge in, embarrassing the three of them most acutely.
"It had better not," Chief Rob reiterated softly…even though, he had to work hard to keep from smirking at the two. He privately didn't approve of worksite romances…they just didn't work out well very often in his experience. But, as there was no official policy against it…he could do very little to enforce his opinion. However, he could let his officers know what he expected of them…and did just that. He then got back to the matter at hand, and waved away Kitty's worries for the moment. "But, that's not why I'm here, you two."
"No?" Ling asked, suddenly curious. "Is something happening, Chief?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," Chief Rob began, then stopped to reach into his pants pocket to pop another antacid into his mouth and chew it, "there is. I was pleased to see that you two drew the night shift this evening…despite my better judgment." He finally swallowed down the tablet, grimacing at the chalky aftertaste. "Yes, trouble is afoot, you two. Does the name Raikon Polarsky ring any bells, Lieutenant?"
"You bet it does, Chief," Kitty replied, nodding her head emphatically. She then bit her lower lip in worry. "Please don't tell me that dirtbag is out on the streets again!"
Chief Rob shook his head, giving Kitty a brief smile. "Thankfully no, Lieutenant." Chief Rob then moved over to take the seat behind Kitty's desk, and then gestured for the two of the to sit. "No, that polar bear bastard is scheduled to meet his end at the end of a stout rope tomorrow night." Chief Rob nodded his approval of this punishment for the cruel Russian crime boss.
"Normally, I'm against the death penalty, Chief. You know that," Kitty pointed out, but then grimaced. "But, in Polarsky's case, I think I'll make a notable exception."
Chief Rob nodded his understanding. "Noted, Lieutenant," he told her. "Have no fear, either of you…Raikon Polarsky is currently cooling his heels in solitary confinement on Death Row at the maximum security Gaudi Penitentiary in Bordeaux…making peace with his Maker one hopes, even as we speak."
"No indications that the Russian mob might make a try at breaking him out, is there, Chief?" Kitty wondered aloud.
Chief Rob grinned wolfishly at that. "We certainly do hope they'll try, Lieutenant," he replied. "Oh, I know I could live with apprehending or ridding the world of that lot…if they're of a mind to give it a try." The canine Chief then shook his head. "That sort of segways into why I've come to you tonight, though…"
"Oh?" Kitty asked, while Ling nodded his agreement. "How so?"
"Now, what I'm about to tell you two is highly confidential," Chief Rob growled, his deep brown eyes intent. "And, as such, it does not leave this room, you understand?"
"Understood, Chief," Kitty acknowledged, followed a moment later by Ling.
"There was a jailbreak this evening," Chief Rob told them, grimacing as yet another rush of stomach acid burned his esophagus. "From the Cailloux Maximum Security Prison in Alsace-Lorraine. It appears that all of Polarsky's lieutenants that had been apprehended, as well as his second-in-command, somehow managed to escape their way out of the prison and hijacked an outbound sanitation truck to make their getaway. We found the unconscious crew of that truck hours after they were gone. As luck would have it, though, we got a break of sorts when some of the local gendarmes managed to pick up three of the four lieutenants that had escaped. However…the whereabouts of the two are currently unknown."
"Only the two got away?" Ling tried to confirm.
"That's correct, Inspector," Chief Rob agreed. "Here's the dossiers we have on them both." The big heavyset canine fellow tossed two thick manila file folders on to Kitty's desktop. "Read up on these two, and let me know if you get any ideas on how we might be able to track those two down." Chief Rob then got to his feet, already reaching for yet another antacid tablet. "It's been a long night, you two. I'll see you tomorrow. G'night." The obviously worried Chief nodded his farewells and departed.
Ling frowned and slid the two folders over to their side of the desk, turning around so they could read them. Kitty took the leftmost one and opened it. "Ludmilla Irina Tetrakova. Mink, female. Black hair, black fur…blue eyes. Wanted in the Russian Federation for scores of offenses…ranging from petty theft to formation of a prostitution ring. Considered armed and dangerous. It says here the police psychiatrists think she's got paranoid tendencies and has no conscience whatsoever." Kitty looked over to Ling. "That must be the mink that Carmelita told us about, buddy. The one that tried to pop Sly, remember?"
Ling nodded his head. "I remember, Kitty. I was just thinking…do your recall how this one seemed to hold a grudge against our Svetlana and Maria? I'm certain that her hatred for those two has not lessened, but only intensified after her brief stay in prison. We must warn them that she is on the loose again." Ling then opened his folder, and slid it between them both to share its contents. Ling's lip curled at the look of the fellow in this dossier. "Arkady Vasiliovich Rezneykov. Raccoon, male. Dark hair, gray fur, normal markings for his kind. Cold, blue eyes. Wanted in the Russian Federation for twelve counts of murder, as well as acts of terrorism, assault, gun-running, a thoroughly disreputable fellow. Also to be considered armed and dangerous…even more so than his fellow escapee, it would appear."
"Lemme see that," Kitty urged, leaning to her right to look at the mugshot of the raccoon. It was at that moment that she finally recalled where she had seen that fellow before, and gulped in her realization. "That's the bastard that tried to kill me," she pointed out, her blue eyes hard and flinty. "Good thing I was faster with my shock pistol than he was with his Makarov." Kitty shuddered at the memory.
"Yes! That's right!" Ling replied, remembering. He frowned, remembering how his heart had pounded at the thought that only a centimeter's difference and his Kitty would not be sitting beside him now. He made a deep, low and menacing growl in his chest, his green eyes like agates just then. "This one had never come within striking distance of me," he said softly.
Kitty looked over and her eyes went wide in surprise. Ling's normally smooth fur was all fluffed up, and there was definite mayhem in the snow leopard's eyes just then. "Whoa, easy there, Ling!" Kitty counseled, realizing just then what had riled the normally even-tempered Ling up. "I'm fine, that bastard didn't even come close to hurting me."
"I disagree," Ling said softly. "Had your reflexes not been as sharp, you would not be here with me this day, Kitty." He felt a sudden lump in his throat, and tried vainly to swallow it down.
Kitty put her hand over Ling's and squeezed. "Hey, it's part of what we do, buddy," she explained. "That's why Uma had us all dolled up in those flak vests and helmets, remember?"
"Yes, I remember," Ling replied, his mood improving. "That still does not change my opinion of this Rezneykov fellow, Kitty. If I catch sight of him threatening you, he had best watch out."
Kitty leaned over and laid her head on Ling's shoulder, softly hugging his closest arm. "I know," she said. "I love you too."
Ling turned to her, kissed her on the forehead, and then grinned. "So…what next, Lieutenant?" he grinned.
"That's easy," Kitty returned. "We make copies of all this, and then…"
"…we call our friends," Ling finished.
"I've always liked the way you think, Inspector Chu," Kitty opined, leaning over to kiss Ling's cheek. "Now, let's get to it…the night's not getting any younger…"