Chapter 10
Across the street from C'est Sing…
"Mallory and Turner Security Services, Limited…how may I help you?" a male voice could be heard as it answered the phone within the newly opened business.
While one of the co-owners of the shop saw to the business…the other one stood in the doorway of their new store, eyeing the curious goings-on across the street…where the Surete had just arrived.
This man, the one that stood in the doorway, that is---name of Jack Turner by the way---was a big strapping white tiger fellow, with unruly slightly wavy black hair atop his head…a black that neatly matched the stripes upon his exposed face and forearms. He watched as three Surete cruisers sat before C'est Sing's…their blue lights flashing. Jack's eyes were blue---now, not as blue as Kitty's were, mind you---but they were blue, and those eyes never seemed to miss too much. He watched, sipping his big mug of steaming hot cocoa, as the French coppers brought out a handcuffed pair---a tall raccoon, and would you believe, a pretty little black mink, of all things!---and led them forward and into the waiting cruisers.
"Oy, Sean! C'mere, mate…yeh've got ta take a look at this!" Jack called out in his booming voice, a voice laden with a decidedly Australian accent. The big tiger with the black unruly hair was dressed in black canvas trousers and a long sleeve khaki safari jacket, with its sleeves rolled back to the middle of his burly forearms.
"Keep yer shirt on, Jack!" came that first voice---the one that had been answering the phone, remember?---from the back of the shop, answered, just a hint of an Irish brogue showing. "In case ye've forgotten, we do have a wee business to run, y'know…" A moment later, the big tiger was joined by a smaller---but by no means small---leaner fellow, a lynx as chance would have it. "Now, Jack me lad…what's all this caterwaulin' o' yers about now?" The Irish lynx---oh yes, he was called Sean!---leaned forward around his big friend's broad shoulders to see outside.
Sean Mallory was a pleasant enough looking chappie. Now, he wasn't as handsome as his big friend Jack, mind, but he was a nice-looking man. He had deep green eyes, and his fur was a sort of a tiny speckled black-tan-white-grey sort of mix, the fur darkening when it moved out into his cheek ruffs. Now, if you were to of initially met Sean from the right side, why you'd think he was an ordinary looking lynx fella. However, if fate decreed you to meet him on his left, why…that'd be a different experience altogether. For, you see, Sean had himself a very noticeable scar on the left side of his face…one that started upon his forehead, skipped over his left eye, then carried down to the middle of his cheek. Anyone that could truly call himself Sean's friend knew that scar was the result of injuries he sustained in an ambush in Kuwait, whilst serving in the armed forces of Her Britannic Majesty, the Queen. That wound, the most serious of his injuries, had cut his career as a military man short, shorter than poor Sean had ever would of counted on.
Sean and Jack, these two, had met a good while before that mischance, back during a joint exercise between Sean's regiment, the 2nd Commando, and Jack's own, the Aussie 5th Parachute Regiment. The unlikely pair had hit if off almost immediately, and became fast friends before too long. That friendship had blossomed over three years, that being when Sean had been wounded. Well, after Sean had been injured, and subsequently discharged from service, Jack decided he'd not re-enlist either, and---after a bit of effort---hooked up with his longtime pal during his lengthy convalescence.
Jack saw Sean's plight, and it touched his big heart. That was when he decided that Sean should stay with him in Australia. I mean, that's what yer mate does now, doesn't he? Now, true, Jack had been forced to talk rather quickly and convincingly, but he finally did manage to get his disheartened friend to join him in his native Melbourne, Australia. There, the two again cemented their friendship, and with the ever-optimistic Aussie cheering up his sometime solemn, yet hard-to-dislike Irish pal, the two finally decided to do something with their lives…they'd go into business together! Since both of these lads were ex-military types, what a better line to go into than security services! Now, with Jack's seemingly endless enthusiasm and his outgoing personality linked with Sean's eerie business savvy and driven work ethic, the sky was the limit, mates!
Question was, of course…just where to open this lovely business of theirs? Well, they both thought hard and long---over many a pint at many an Aussie pub!---on that, and finally decided that both had always wanted to see Paris. That decision now made, Sean spent many a night perusing the 'Net and finally stumbled across a building for sale in a nice part of suburban Paris. The two pooled their considerable savings together, and with plane tickets in hand, were Paris bound!
That brings us back to the story rather nicely now, doesn't it?
"Crikey, mate…I'm wonderin' what all that's about, eh?" Jack mused aloud, his blue eyes alight with curiosity. "Why, I think I might jus' take meself a stroll over an---urk!" Jack added, taking only one step out the door, when his head was wrenched back, his eyes tearing as he experienced a searing pain in his ear. "Ow! Leggo of me lug, you bandit!" he yowled.
"Oh no you don't, me boyo!" Sean warned, dragging the grumbling tiger back inside by one black, rounded ear. "Yer always gettin' distracted, Jack me lad. Especially when there's work t'be done." Sean turned his big friend around, and thumped him in the chest with an insistent index finger. "Jack Turner, yer not leavin' until we open, inventory, then stow away all ten of those crates in the back. Do yeh hear me, Sergeant?" Sean looked up into his friend's watering blue eyes. The lynx was wearing a tan pair of trousers, and his old olive-green commando sweater, a woolen cable knit with bare epaulettes on each shoulder.
"Ouch! All right, yeh tyrant," Jack protested, but didn't resist. "Just leggo of me ear, ye wonker!" Jack hastily added, "Er, I mean, Leftenant."
Sean could only chuckle, though he did drag his inquisitive friend deeper inside before releasing his hold on the tiger's sensitive ear…having to endure Jack's rumbling protests all the while, of course…
Meanwhile, back at C'est Sing…
Svetlana sat beside Yuri, her head on Madame's shoulder, her arms around the the snow leopard woman's waist, softly weeping. Yuri gently rocked the distraught young woman, stroking her hair, quietly talking to her. "Hush now, cheri. Both of them are gone now, shh," she said, pausing to gently kiss Svetlana on the top of her head.
Svetlana cried harder, tightening her arms about Yuri. "B-B-But, Madame! You d-don´t understand," Svetlana wailed softly. "That wretch Arkady…and that horrible Ludmilla…they have escaped before, nyet? What is to s-stop them from doing so again?" Svetlana shook in Yuri's arms.
"Svetlana, please listen," Yuri soothed, kissing Svetlana's sable-haired head once more to comfort her. "Those two escaping was but a fluke, nes pas? An unfortunate set of circumstances. I am certain---what with Kitty, Ling, and their Chief's testimony---that Interpol shall make sure nothing such as this happens again. They now know how dangerous those two are, and shall take steps to see they remain incarcerated. You need not worry about them again, mon belle petite."
"But, what of us, Madame?" Maria wanted to know, asking from where she sat across from Svetlana and Yuri. "Now, my Svetlana and I…our pasts are known, nyet? We were part of Polarsky's organization…do you th-think that Interpol will p-put us both in jail?" Maria gulped in near panic.
Yuri looked up and saw terror in the eyes of the normally unflappable Maria, and did not like that look. "Please, Maria," Yuri answered. "You will not! Not if our Kitty has anything to say on the matter, at least. At this very moment, she is most likely explaining to her superior that Svetlana and yourself had been---what is that term again? Ah yes---shanghaied, essentially pressed into service against your will to work with that monster, Polarsky."
"That is good, of course, Madame," Maria responded with a wary smile. "But, what of the testimony of Polarsky's other lieutenants? They will not corroborate the story that Kitty had cooked up, nyet?"
Yuri then surprised them and smiled triumphantly. "Ah, very good, Maria," Yuri congratulated her. "I was wondering when you two might think of that. Well, let me tell you…their verbal testimony will not mean anything at all, once Interpol decrypts the files Polarsky kept," Yuri said mysteriously.
"Why would that be, Yuri?" Svetlana said between sniffles, looking up at Yuri with her wet brown eyes.
"Why, cheris?" Yuri grinned as she spoke. "Oh, because the version that my Bentley and I cooked up for that data---most of which is unadulterated, please understand---will absolve you of everything, you two! There are records of your being kidnapped, there are transcripts of your interrogations, as well as reports of numerous times you both attempted to escape, but were recaptured again and again. It makes a rather heart-wrenching and sad tale. I am sure the French magistrates will eat it up with a spoon!"
Maria chuckled, then sighed in relief. "Very clever, Madame," Maria replied, shaking her white-haired head. "Please give Bentley both Svetlana's and my own thanks for his efforts," she added.
Yuri grinned, then asked, "Ah…but what of my efforts, cheri?" Yuri's grin was mischievous. "Am I to receive no thanks for my efforts?"
"Spasiba, Yuri!" both girls declared together, moving in to smother poor Yuri with thankful hugs and kisses. Yuri laughed, peals of her soft, warm laughter lightening the room.
"Stop! Stop!" Yuri pleaded a moment later, giggling. "Be nice to this pregnant lady, no?"
Svetlana gasped, both hands going over her mouth in concern. "Madame! Are you all right?" she quickly asked, putting an apologetic hand over Yuri's own.
"I am only teasing, Svetlana," Yuri confessed with a smile. "I am fine. Please do not worry…I'm sure my children enjoyed my laughter nearly as much as I did!" Yuri's green-gold eyes were still mischievous.
Naomi chose that moment to duck her fair head inside Yuri's door. "I have just spoken to Kitty, Madame," she informed them all.
"And?" Yuri demanded, though still with a smile. "Go on, Naomi…"
"Well," Naomi began, a smile threatening to appear on her lovely face at any moment. "First of all, those wretches…they are on their way to France's most dedicated penal colony…the penitentiary on Ile de Mer. It on this tiny rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea, an island that averages twenty days of soaking rain and violent storms out of every thirty. A fitting place for those two, I daresay!" Naomi then made a most indelicate and disparaging sound.
"That is good, Naomi," Yuri reminded her friend, who relaxed…much as Yuri had hoped. "What more have you to tell, my friend?"
"Ah," Naomi said, nodding her bright blond head. She then gazed fondly at the two Russian girls. "You, mon belle amis…you are not to be charged with any crime. This straight from Kitty's Chief, this Chief Rob…who got this information from the French Judiciary itself. You two may start over now…you know, begin your lives anew, nes pas?"
Svetlana grinned, wiping at her tears, looking over in relief at her dearest friend, Maria, who smiled and nodded her head. "It…it is too much to believe, is it not, my Svetlana?" she observed, shaking her head and smiling.
"Um," Naomi then hastened to add. "I nearly forgot…such was my relief at hearing you two are free." Naomi moved over to the two sitting girls. "There is a catch to this agreement with Interpol, mon amis…"
"A catch?" Svetlana frowned, still wiping at her tear-streaked face. "Ah, you mean, we must do something for this privilege, da?" she guessed.
"Da, I mean, oui…ooh, you and your Russian!" Naomi stammered, then giggled, even as Svetlana did. "I think you shall not find the price hard to pay, my friends," Naomi pledged. "They simply would like your 'assistance'---as they put it---on some matters. It appears that they have several unsolved cases, ones that they suspect involved this Polarsky fellow and his organization. Since they know that you had dealings---no matter if they were forced upon you or not!---with them, they would appreciate any help you two might be able to provide."
"Da, we will be only too happy to help," Maria declared, nodding her head. "Won't we, my Svetlana?"
Svetlana thought a moment, then nodded her beautiful head in agreement. "Da, we will, Naomi. Perhaps this will be our way of atoning for some of our…er, past mistakes, nyet?" Svetlana reasoned.
"Da, exactly so," Maria said, nodding.
"Maria?" Naomi then asked.
"Da, Naomi, my friend?" Maria answered, quirking up one dark eyebrow.
Naomi smiled at that, then continued. "Kitty asked that we call her…you understand, to let her know of your decision. As soon as possible, oui?" Naomi urged…but gently.
Maria got to her feet, moved over to Naomi, then rose up on her tiptoes to kiss the startled cheetah woman on her cheek. "Spasiba. For everything…especially for defending Madame Yuri so. You were magnificent, tovarisch."
Naomi blushed, but smiled her thanks. "I-It was nothing, cheri," she stammered.
Maria knew better, and her blue eyes showed this fact to Naomi, who blushed even deeper. "Come, my blushing friend…we have a call to make, da?" she teased.
"Of course," Naomi replied, and the two turned and walked out of Yuri's office.
"Are you feeling better now, my poor Svetlana?" Yuri asked.
"A bit, Madame," Svetlana replied, sniffling again.
"You frightened me today, Svetlana," Yuri told the girl, taking her small hands in her own. "My poor heart was in my mouth when you pointed your pistol at that Arkady fellow. For a moment, I thought---oh, cheri!---I thought you would commit murder!"
Svetlana's face paled, then she looked apologetically to Yuri, her eyes stricken. "I apologize with all my heart, Madame!" Svetlana vowed, one tear leaking down the outside of her right eye. "I never wanted to upset you…please know this, da?" Then Svetlana's hands trembled, and when she continued, her voice trembled with emotion. "Arkady, ooh, but he made me so angry! So very angry indeed! When I saw his smug face again, it only reminded me…reminded me of all that he had done to me and to those I love."
"Svetlana, you don't---" Yuri began, but Svetlana cut her off this time.
"Please, let me finish, da?" Svetlana pleaded. "I must---how you say---get this off of my chest, nyet?"
"Of course," Yuri acquiesced, nodding. "Do go on, Svetlana…"
"First, I am not proud of this fact…but at the time at least, I encouraged Arkady, allowing him his advances, his rude behavior…so I could rub the fact that he was so handsome in all the other girls' faces. You see, back then at least…I was very vain. But, even allowing for that…I resented how he treated me…even though I did put up with it. He could be very charming, Arkady Ivanovitch could be…when he wanted something, that is. Arkady admired my looks…this I know. And, I am ashamed to admit, I teased him with that fact. But, that teasing would only go on for so long, and he would become angry with me, slapping me, saying I was a bitch, a flirt, a tease. Especially after---" Svetlana blushed furiously, then swallowed hard and continued. "After we had been kissing…you understand, passionately, da?"
"I understand, Svetlana," Yuri told her, smiling encouragingly. "I was young like you once, my friend."
Svetlana nodded, "Da, and far more beautiful than I, Madame," she observed. "However, do let me go on. After we had kissed hotly…well, Arkady…he wanted…er, um, how do I say this? He wanted more than kissing, from me, you understand. But, and here I am forever grateful, I steadfastly refused his angry demands. That was when his true nature showed, where he would abuse me, name me a bitch for refusing him what he so hotly wanted of me. But, I would not do that!"
"And, well you should not have!" Yuri congratulated her, nodding her approval.
"Da, I know," Svetlana answered, but weakly. "All the same, his scorn, his contempt, his demands…they all haunt me."
"Shh, cheri," Yuri said, trying to soothe poor Svetlana.
Svetlana's head drooped. "Am I fated to always be a plaything, Yuri?" she asked in a quivering voice. "Is there no man who will want me for just being me? Who will love me, cherish me? Protect me from harm? Simply just be there for me?"
Yuri felt tears well in her glorious green-gold eyes as she stared at Svetlana, and silently despaired for the lovely young woman who had experienced so much unpleasantness, so much loss. Yuri tried to speak, but she stopped when she heard her voice crack. She cleared her throat a moment later, and finally managed to sound herself. "Of course you shall, cheri," she assured Svetlana. "Trust me, Svetlana…some day---most likely when you least expect it---you will meet a man, the right man, and that poor fellow will be so smitten by you that he won't be able to utter a single word."
Svetlana grinned crookedly, her brown eyes glistening. "Really?"
"Oh, of course, cheri," Yuri declared, taking Svetlana's small hand in her own. "You will know when you meet this one. Oh my yes! You will feel butterflies in your stomach, your heart will pound---for no reason! You will not be able to take your eyes off of him…nor he you!"
The door to Yuri's office re-opened, and Maria and Naomi both moved inside again. "Ah, is my Svetlana feeling better now, da?" Maria asked gently, her concern evident in her caring blue eyes.
"Da, I am, Maria my love," Svetlana answered. "Madame is so wonderful…how could I not?" Svetlana turned adoring brown eyes on a smiling Yuri.
"You flatter me, cheri," Yuri murmured, then looked away, smiling.
"Ahem!" Maria then said, clearing her throat to gain everyone's attention. "I have talked with Kitty," she explained. "Kitty told me that we will be seeing her Chief tomorrow morning. She felt that Svetlana---well, all of us really!---have had enough excitement for today." Maria grinned, shaking her head.
"Da, I know I have," Svetlana observed, nodding her head. That caused the other three girls to giggle, making Svetlana smile, then eventually join in.
Once the four had composed themselves again, Maria asked, "The day is still young, nyet? What shall we do now, Madame?"
"Hmm, a very astute question, my Russian friend," Yuri replied smoothly, then began to tap her index finger against her chin as she thought. "Well, I do not think any of us could manage to do any worthwhile work now, do you not agree?"
"Da," Svetlana agreed, knowing her nerves were jangled enough. Then, an odd thought blipped inside of her head. "Um, Maria?"
"Yes, Svetlana?" Maria answered.
"Um, I know I am being silly and all," Svetlana told her. "But, um, whatever happened to my handgun? Did Interpol confiscate it?" Svetlana blushed, not believing so trivial a concern had popped into her head. "I am sorry…I am being most silly…"
"No, I understand," Maria observed. "Rest easy, my friend. I still have your weapon. Interpol only confiscated the ammunition for it, you see…"
"Da, that is good," Svetlana replied with a whoosh of relief.
"Ah, I know!" Yuri then proposed, then waited a long trying moment, waiting for someone to take her bait.
As always, it was the innocent Svetlana that finally did. "Know? Know what, Madame?" Svetlana wanted to know.
"Naomi," Yuri then said, winking in Naomi's direction. "Do we not still owe our new neighbors a welcoming visit from C'est Sing?"
Naomi smiled. "Oui, we do, Madame," she answered. "But, I think circumstances quite beyond our control have prevented us thus far from performing our neighborly responsibilities, no?"
"Ah, oui…that is undoubtedly true, my Naomi," Yuri ruefully replied, playing along with Naomi's rather masterful acting. Yuri then got to her feet, which caused the other girls---those not already standing, that is!---to emulate her. "Well, as our calendar seems to be clear this moment…what do you all say we discharge that particular responsibility right now, hmm?"
"Oui! Of course, Madame," Naomi answered, laughing as both Svetlana and Maria's eyes widened in anticipation, no longer upset, but now intrigued.
"Ah, but first, we all wish to put our best face forward, do we not?" Yuri reminded them all. "We all represent C'est Sing…and we do want to make the proper first impression, do we not?"
"Oh, of course, Madame!" Svetlana replied, eager for the distraction of doing something pleasant and interesting this harrowing day.
"Well, then," Yuri then proclaimed. "Svetlana. Maria. You two…go and wash your faces, you look absolute frights!" She smiled warmly to let the two know she only teased them. "Oh, and comb your lovely hair as well."
Svetlana grinned, grabbed Maria's hand, and the two dashed out of the room.
"Nicely done, Yuri," Naomi congratulated her friend, her boss. "A distraction is exactly what those two need after today."
"I quite agree, cheri," Yuri replied, nodding her head to her friend's praise. "Oh, Naomi?"
"Oui, Madame?" Naomi replied, curious.
"Could you be an absolute dear and fetch my faux sable coat?" Yuri asked, smiling. "The wind is very chill outside today, is it not?" Yuri thought a moment, then added, "Oh, and I think that dark blue peacoat will look just fabulous on you, my friend…"
Naomi blinked, then grinned. "Very good, Yuri. Now, if you will excuse me…"
"Wait!" Yuri exclaimed, bringing Naomi up short. "Fetch that royal purple trench coat for our Svetlana, would you? Hmm, and that periwinkle blue three-quarter length jacket for our Maria, don't you think?"
Naomi shook her head. "Perfect as always, Madame," Naomi told her, grinning at her friend's abilities. "I shall be back in a moment…" The fleet cheetah girl took to her heels, disappearing from view.
"We are back, Madame!" Svetlana called as she and Maria---looking much better and more themselves now---re-entered Yuri's office. Their faces were fresh and clean…Yuri grinned when she noticed both girls had taken the time to apply some mascara and eyeshadow to their large lovely eyes---a soft lilac for Svetlana, and a pastel steely blue for Maria.
"Indeed you are, my clever girls," Yuri congratulated them. "Now, we only need wait for our Naomi, and---"
"Ah, I am back, as promised, Madame," Naomi called as she stepped inside, four coats in her long arms.
"Here, Madame, is your sable," Naomi offered, handing Yuri her long rich imitation sable fur coat.
"This is for you, Svetlana," Naomi then said, handing the handsome purple trench coat over to the little curvy tigress, who smiled and began to don the lovely coat.
"This is for you, Maria," Naomi instructed, handing over the periwinkle blue three-quarter length topcoat, which made Maria's eyes twinkle in happiness.
Naomi then whirled her peacoat around cleverly, donning it and working at fastening the big buttons, as the other secured their own jackets closed.
"Well, then," Yuri observed, nodding as she examined all of her 'girls' one last time. "Let us be on our way then, eh cheris?" she suggested with a grin.