Chapter 11

"Blimey," Jack opined, as he stretched his aching back, mop handle in hand. "This place 'as more dirt than back in th' Outback..." He dipped his mop back into the bucket of sudsy hot water, then groaned as he bent over once more to wring it out. "That Sean…he's a fair slave-drivin' devil, he is…" Jack groused…that is, until his sharp ears caught the sound of the door chime. "What a relief, mate," he breathed with a sigh, grinning. "Company…"

He placed his mop back in the bucket, then leaned the mop handle against the wall. "Sean! Company, mate!" Jack called out, already moving toward the front of the store, which he'd only just recently mopped. "G'day! Welcome to Mallory and---crikey, hang on a moment, luv!" Jack was about to go into his spiel, when he saw the first figure to enter through the door slip on the apparently still slick floor. Jack sprang forward with his quick reflexes and snagged the young woman under her armpits, saving her from a nasty fall. "Got ya, Miss!" Jack added, happily…handily easing the woman back on her feet. "All right are ya, luv?" He ducked his head down so he could look into her face.

Maria Foloreva blinked her eyes, surprised to find herself still on her feet. She had moved quickly---apparently a bit too quickly!---into the new shop, and felt her heels shoot out from under her. She had initially resigned herself to a bruised backside…when someone---someone very strong!---had scooped her up from beneath her armpits and placed her like a feather back on her feet. "Da, spasiba," Maria answered, looking up into the concerned blue eyes of the largest tiger gentleman she'd ever seen. "Bozhe moi! A giant!" she murmured to herself, then blushed.

Jack looked down into the big surprised eyes of one very lovely girl! Oy, mate…and what lovely blue peepers this sheila had too! She was absolutely bloody, blinkin' gorgeous. Jack, almost without thinking about it, gave her his most charming of smiles. "Yer welcome, of course," Jack said graciously, then---much to his own surprise---blushed down at the girl. He quickly recomposed himself, however, when he noticed three more lovely sheilas heading into the shop. Jack drew himself up to his full height, and smiled his---he hoped!---most business-like smile. "G'day, ladies! Welcome to Mallory and Turner Security Services, Limited!" he said grandly, by way of greeting.

"Bon jour, Monsieur," Yuri returned, bowing her head cordially to him. "We are from your neighboring shop across the street, you see. And, well…we thought we would just drop in and welcome you to the area, oui?"

"Why, that's right neighborly of you, Miss---?" Jack replied, fishing for a name, then realized, much to his own chagrin, that he'd not provided his! "Sorry, luv, me head's in the clouds agin," he joked. "I'm Jack. Jack Turner that is…"

"Ah, it is good to meet you, Monsieur Turner," Yuri said graciously.

Somehow, Yuri even managed to make the normally silver-tongued Jack a bit tongue-tied. "Er, the feelin's mutual, Miss," he stammered. "Er, sorry 'bout the mess, but as ya kin see…we've just moved in, ladies."

"Oui, we know," Yuri informed him with a small smile. "My ladies and I were informed that there were new tenants in the Souillere Building. I am Yuri Sing, Monsieur…I own the shop across the street from yours."

"Yuri Sing? Ya don't say…" Jack mused aloud…positive that he'd heard that name before somewhere. "Well, if ya don't mind me sayin' so, yer a right pretty thing, Miss Sing." Jack, a typical Australian, annunciated 'right' to sound more like 'royt'.

"Merci," Yuri replied with a small charming laugh. "Ah, you I am going to like, Monsieur Turner…"

"Please, Miss…Ah'm more comfortable wit' just plain Jack, if it's the same to you," Jack explained.

Yuri smiled, nodding her head. "Very well, Jack it shall be," she told him. She then turned to the tall slender cheetah woman with bright platinum she wore down her back to her shoulder blades. "Mon---er, I mean, Jack…this is the Executive Director of C'est Sing, as well as my dearest friend…Ms. Naomi Rousseau."

"Bon jour, Monsieur," Naomi replied, giving him a small courteous bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Jack?" then mused the sweet-faced little tigress to the other side of this Yuri sheila. My, Jack told himself, but she's a tiny thing…but, oy…did she ever fill out that dress of hers nice! "From where I am from, you would be called Vanya," the tigress informed him with a heart-pounding smile. "But, Jack it shall be, no? I am Svetlana. Svetlana Umanova," Svetlana added, reaching out to shake the tiger's enormous hand…smiling as her little hand seemed to disappear within his own.

"My, my…but ya do seem to grow 'em pretty at this Say Sing place of yers, Miss Yuri," Jack teased…though only just a little.

Svetlana giggled at his compliment, then grinned and pulled her friend Maria over, clutching her arm possessively. Maria had been trying to avoid talking with the handsome giant, and now, here was Svetlana pushing her into the limelight once more! "The woman you saved from falling…she is my dearest friend on earth! May I introduce you to Ms. Maria Foloreva, Jack?"

Maria gulped, but grinned, her blue eyes huge now. "Um, er…thank you once more for saving me from a fall, Monsieur Turner," Maria stammered, best she could, trying very hard to avoid Jack's mesmerizing blue eyes.

"Maria and I…why, we work on Madame's budgets, balance them, that sort of thing," Svetlana explained, quite the chatterbox all of the sudden…at least in Maria's most humble opinion.

Jack laughed at the irrepressible little tigress beauty. "I see. A right whiz with th' numbers, are ya? Ah'll keep that in mind, Miss. I know me mate, Sean, he might need a few pointers in that area, y'see." He then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, all ya loverly lasses work over at that ritzy shop right across the way then?" he observed, grinning when they all nodded. He then took another good long look at the stunning Yuri Sing. "Eh. I don't know right why, Miss Yuri…but, I swear I could've seen you before somewhere," he declared, his brow furrowing in frustration.

"You have, Jack?" Yuri asked, trying hard to hide her mischievous smile.

Then, it came to Jack…like a thunderbolt! "Crikey! Now I bloomin' remember! Aye, it'd be me baby sister, Sydney, what brought you to me attention! Oy, but she never misses an opportunity to watch ya on the telly, Miss! Oh, and in all them fashion magazines she has just stacks of! Sydney, why she fair claims you are her idol…y'know, that she wants to be just like you, Miss Yuri!"

"Why, I am most flattered, Jack," Yuri mused aloud, pleased.

"Sorry 'bout puttin' ya on the spot like that, Yuri luv," Jack apologized, idly rubbing his neck in embarrassment…but, this was Jack…and it didn't last. "Now…Ah don't want to appear nosy or anythin'…er, but might I ask you lovely girls just what was all that wonkin' business in front of yer shop? What with the coppers an' all…"

"Oh, not much, Monsieur Jack," Naomi explained, trying to make her voice appear bored and matter-of-fact. "It was just two recently escaped prisoners…ones that were trying to steal themselves a bit of clothing, you understand."

"Oh, right," Jack observed, then smiled. "Right-o, happens all the time 'round here, I'm sure," he added with a clever grin. Jack then realized all the ladies were shuffling from foot to foot on the hard wood floors of the shop. "What a bloomin' savage I am!" he declared, slapping his forehead. "Might I offer all you lovely gals a seat? Wait…be right back, luvs!"

Svetlana started to giggle as she watched the comical Jack disappear into the back room. She then thought to mention her amusement to her friend, Maria, when she noticed that Maria was silent, but gazing rather pointedly at where the handsome Jack had just disappeared off to. "Hmm, I think that someone has herself a crush," Svetlana teased her friend, giggling anew.

"Svetlana, hush! I do not!" Maria replied stubbornly, looking away.

Yuri shook her head, smiling over at Naomi, who shrugged, but did return the smile.

Jack was back in a flash, bearing some rickety, but serviceable wooden folding chairs. "I'm truly sorry, luvs…I know they're not all that comfy, but…eh, it's the only chairs we've got at the moment, sorry," Jack explained, a bit pink-faced.

"That is the second time you've mentioned 'we', Jack" Yuri mentioned. "And, then there is the matter of your company name as well. 'Mallory and Turner'…is it not? You are the Turner, I know…however, just who might this mysterious Mallory fellow be, hmm?"

Jack chuckled, then gave them all a wink. "Right, I plum forgot! Oy, where's me manners, I ask ya?" Jack said. "It'd be Mallory and Turner, all right, Miss Yuri. I'm the Turner---like ya said---and me pal Sean, why he'd be the Mallory, y'see. If ya'd wait a jiff, I'll just nip down to the basement where me pal's at, trying to sort out all of the stuff we just got in, you see." Jack looked up. "Would all you gals like to meet 'im?"

"Ah, oui, very much, Jack," Yuri replied. "Do bring him up so we may welcome him too."

Jack nodded, grinning…knowing just how well Sean was going to like being surprised by guests…oy, and especially a batch of lovely sheilas like these! Then, he remembered something else, and frowned a bit. "Right, I'm off to get me pal. Um, but…okay, there's this about me pally now, right?" Jack rubbed his neck again in embarrassment. "Me and Sean was both soldier boys not too long back…an' well…let's just say I came out of it a bit better than me mate, right?" Jack then hurried to dispel the surprise on the girls' faces. "Sean's a handsome bloke, don't get me wrong…it's, well…he might seem a might scary first off. But, don't ya fret, luvs! He's a gentle as a lamb, me Sean is!"

"Understood, Jack," Yuri assured him.

Jack nodded, smiling thankfully. Then the big tiger dashed through the open doorway to the shop's back room, bellowing, "Sean Michael Mallory, front an' center, mate! We've got ourselves some most welcome company!" Jack waited a moment, tapping his big foot impatiently. "Leftenant Mallory!" he boomed.

"Bloody hell, Sergeant!" Sean's voice echoed up, full of irritation. "Keep yer shirt on, mate…I'm comin' up smart like."

Jack smiled apologetically back at his guests. "Er, I'm right certain he'd behave more gentlemanly-like if'd he knew all you beauties was up here waitin' fer him…"

Svetlana covered her mouth to stifle yet another giggle she felt in her chest.

Jack smiled indulgently, then slapped his big hands together eagerly…startling the four girls with the crack of his hands. "Oop, sorry, luvs. Er, could I interest any of you with something to drink? I've coffee, hot cocoa, and tea. Any takers?"

"Tea would be just wonderful, Moniseur Turner," Yuri answered.

"Tea for myself as well, Jack," Naomi added.

"Tea, da…that would be perfect," a hushed Maria added a moment later. "Svetlana?"

Svetlana was gazing about the shop, and didn't hear her friend at first. "Er, hmm?" she stammered. "Um, coffee for me, and thank you, Vanya," she replied rather absently…not even noticing she'd referred to Jack with his Russian nickname.

"Vanya, is it?" Jack replied, chuckled, and nodded. "Right! Back in a flash, luvs!" He dashed away into the back of the store once more.

For some reason, Svetlana was simply fascinated by this rather barren storefront. She had always been a curious girl, and that being the case, she began to look around the place. Her quick brown eyes quickly found the only two adornments on the wall, two cheaply framed photographs. "Ah," she murmured.

"Found anything of interest, ami?" Yuri asked good-naturedly, smiling.

"Perhaps, Madame," Svetlana ventured, rising up on her tiptoes to look at the two framed photos. The left-most one showed a group of men in uniform, perhaps two dozen of them, standing and grinning. They must have been comprised of two different units, Svetlana guessed, as there seemed to be two different sets of uniforms, both camouflaged but with different patterns, and one group wore floppy hats with the left brim folded flat against the side of their hat, while the other group sported black berets. Svetlana rubbed her chin as she studied the photo, looking for clues as to what this gathering was about. She then turned and looked at the next photo. This one had two young men, arms about each other's shoulders, huge happy grins on their tired, dirty faces. The right-most fellow was easy to identify…there were not many men as big as Jack Turner, and here he was, his funny floppy hat perched on his head at a ridiculous angle. Svetlana then looked at the other fellow in the picture. He too was grinning, his beret worn comically backwards. He was a feline gent, with laughing eyes, a roguish smile, and down-sweeping cheek ruffs. Just who are you? Svetlana asked the picture. She didn't know, of course… "Madame?" Svetlana then called out distractedly.

"Oui, cheri?" Yuri replied, crossing her long pretty legs as she sat in one of the provided folding chairs.

"If Jack comes back…could you please call me? I want to look around further, but…I don't want to miss meeting his friend either," Svetlana explained.

"Of course, Svetlana," Yuri replied, smiling and shaking her head. "We will. Now, go on…enjoy yourself, dear…"

Sean straightened himself up, and then stretched. He then smiled, then chuckled. Leave it to Jack, he told himself…we've been open---what? a few hours maybe?---and he's already drumming up business. His mate had the Gift, as he liked to call it. He took a quick look at himself in the scruffy, dusty mirror standing against the wall. He straightened his sweater, and tucked in the tails of his white shirt back into his trousers. He then pulled his black beret from under his left epaulette, where he normally stowed it folded. He placed the black felt beret on to his head, and pulled it into shape. He then smiled at his reflection, and thought, not bad. That is, until his bright green eyes focused---as it always seem to do since then---upon the thin disfiguring scar that marred the left side of his face. He gazed a moment longer, frowning. He then smiled, drew himself proudly erect, and moved toward the stairs leading upstairs. For a fit figure of a man, he made nary a noise as he made his way up.

"Faith, Jack!" Sean called out as he closed the door to the basement, and headed toward the storefront. "I do have work to do, you know, mate. Those crates aren't gonna unpack themselves, y'know!" Sean marched along toward the sound of voices…that is until he heard a dull, but heavy-sounding thump upon the floor. "What in blue blazes?" he murmured, then saw Jack's solid copper ashtray---which why his pal even kept the thing around when he didn't even smoke!---rolling lazily in a circle upon the wooden floor. Sean bent over and stopped the ashtray's crazy circling. Just as he was about to stand back up, his green eyes went wide…for before him, not more than a foot away, was a pair of dainty, and quite lovely, woman's feet…in a pair of low purple heeled shoes. Frowning, he arched his head, then his body upward…though slowly. He looked up from those feet, to a pair of shapely ankles, which then led to an equally appealing set of alluring calves. Sean blinked as he then caught sight of the hem of a deep purple, pleated skirt, which as he rose, revealed in the small, but most womanly figure before him. He continued raising his gaze upward, realizing he was now looking at a truly stunning woman before him…this true, even without seeing her face yet. Finally, at long last, Sean stood up straight and looked into the large, curiosity-filled eyes of the loveliest woman he'd ever set eyes on. If an angel had descended from the very heavens to stand right before him this very moment…this is what she would look like! Bloody Joseph and Mary…she was beautiful! he told himself.

Svetlana blinked at seeing the tall, slender man before her. She felt so embarrassed! She had been getting into things, she knew, she most likely should not have…and then she had inadvertently knocked over that bulky ashtray! Bozhe moi! She had expected---when she first saw the man, as he bent over to pick up the guiltily spinning ashtray---to give her a look of irritation. However, as the man finally stood up straight before her, she saw his face for the first time, but was too busy apologizing to notice much. "Hello," she offered, just a bit nervous. "I am sorry…is this a restricted area? I am too nosy for my own good sometimes! I…" Svetlana started out talking a mile a minute, but eventually winded down as the man before her said nothing, and just stared at her.

Sean heard the amazing women---a beautiful tigress he noticed!---speak to him, but…for the life of him, he just couldn't seem to get his mouth to form even one little word! Sean had heard of men being rendered speechless by a woman's beauty before…but, he always had put it down to the work of romanticists. Well, he supposed just then, apparently, mate, they weren't wrong at all!

"Ah, I know!" Svetlana guessed. "You are Jack's friend then, da? This Sean? Sean Mallory?"

Sean grinned thankfully at her, nodding. What a genius this woman was, he thought with a sigh!

"I am right? Da, that is good!" Svetlana replied, smiling brightly…nearly causing Sean's heart to beat out of his chest, incidentally! Blissfully unaware of the effect she was having on the poor Irish lynx fellow, Svetlana ambled along. "Oh, it is nice to meet you. I am Svetlana. Svetlana Umanova." She just a bit shyly offered him her hand to shake.

That Sean could do! He softly took her hand---her small, perfect little hand---and gently squeezed it in his own. That small act finally seemed to break the spell he was under, and he spoke for the first time. "Yes, Miss. I'm Sean Mallory, all right," he explained. "And, no…this isn't a restricted area, by the way. Um, though, to be fair…we probably should be getting back to the others, don't you think?" He then grinned gallantly. "Wouldn't want Jack to be getting any ideas, you see…"

Svetlana nodded, smiling, then blinked, deciding to take a closer look at this handsome lynx fellow's face. He had the greenest eyes she'd ever seen before, and his facial fur was a sort of fascinating speckle of black, tan, white, and grey. As he turned his face to the right, Svetlana gasped softly, catching sight of the poor man's scar. "Oh…" she murmured, her hand slowly moving up.

Sean frowned, sensing her surprise…knowing that she was most likely repulsed by his terrible scar. He turned his face to the left, trying to hid his shame away from her. "Sorry, Miss," was all he said, his eyes becoming hard to hide his pain and shame.

Svetlana felt a pang of pity for this proud man, and then concern. She reached her small hand up to gently touch his face, then his scar. "Please, Mr. Mallory…do not be ashamed," Svetlana pleaded with him. "My father, he too bears the scars from war. His from his time in Afghanistan." She looked up moving her head around until he was forced to look into her eyes. "Please, I beg your forgiveness. I was only surprised, I assure you, not frightened."

"No need to apologize, Miss," Sean assured her, actually turning his scarred face her way. "I'm used to it."

Svetlana shook her head, her wavy hair moving too. "I think not," she observed. "And you should not. I think it makes you…um, very distinguished looking, Mr. Mallory." She then nodded her head, and gazed up into his startled green eyes.

"Distinguished?" Sean repeated, pleasantly surprised. "Really? This?" He pointed to his scar.

"Da!" Svetlana assured him. "Distinguished, most definitely!"

"You're Russian, aren't you, Ms. Umanova?" Sean suddenly asked, not wanting his somewhat intimate conversation with the pretty girl to end just yet.

"Ukrainian, actually," Svetlana corrected with a clever little smile.

"Spasiba, tovarisch," Sean then answered, grinning.

Svetlana did a double take, her cute little mouth forming an 'O' of surprise. "You speak Russian?" she demanded in pleased surprise.

"Da," Sean grinned, very pleased. "But…only a little. I had training in the Commandos, you see."

"You were a commando?" Svetlana exclaimed softly. "Like our Spetsnaz, da?"

"Da," Sean replied, nodding. "Second Regiment. That's where I met Jack, you see."

"Jack is a commando too?" Svetlana mused aloud, canting her head in curiosity.

Damn, but she was adorable! Sean found himself thinking. Sean composed himself quickly though, and shook his head, snorting. "He wishes, Miss! No, Jack's from Australia. He was with the Fifth Para Regiment in his home country, you see," he explained.

Svetlana nodded her understanding, and then the two just stood there, feeling quite comfortable with one another for some reason…even though they had only just met.

Sean blinked a moment later, realizing he had kept her from her friends long enough. "Come on, Miss…let's go meet your friends, eh?" Sean offered. "I feel bad havin' left those poor lasses alone this long with a shark like Jack."

Svetlana nodded at his suggestion. She looped her arm with a very startled Sean's, and gazed up at him even as they walked. "Why is Jack a shark? I thought he was a tiger, da?" she asked, puzzled.

Sean chuckled, and patted Svetlana's hand on his forearm.

Once Sean and Svetlana had appeared, Yuri---for C'est Sing---and Jack---for Mallory and Turner---exchanged information…addresses, phone numbers, the usual stuff. Yuri, with Naomi's help, then caught Jack up with all the neighborhood gossip, and Jack entertained them all with several amusing anecdotes from his home in rural Australia. But, like most things, all good things must eventually come to an end…

Yuri decided that it was high time that she and her girls get back to work. However, she was thoughtful enough to extend the hand of welcome to her own place of business to the two friendly gents. "Ah, my new friends, please feel free to visit us any time you like, no?" Yuri urged, while Maria and Svetlana nodded along most emphatically.

As the girls were leaving, Sean turned towards Jack, making sure his voice carried. "Jack, me boyo…have we died, d'ye think?" he asked, grinning.

"What's this?" Jack countered, confused. "What makes you say a crazy bit of news like that, mate?" Jack didn't look at his friend, however…no, he was gazing a bit longingly after the lovely Maria as she walked out together with Svetlana.

"Why, lad? Why, because I do think I've seen meself an angel, so I have!" Sean observed in a husky voice, then grinned as he saw Svetlana turn her head back to him and smile.