Chapter 29
Yuri smiled as she laid down the phone. The fact that Maria had agreed to take the promotion she offered didn't really come as any surprise to her. After all, Maria was a savvy intelligent young lady, and was more than up for the challenges of Naomi's old position. "Well done, Maria cheri," Yuri whispered to herself, smiling…even as she began to ascend the broad staircase of her chateau. "You deserve your chance to shine, my Russian friend." Yuri smiled, enjoying being able to reward her friends…as well as challenging them too.
Which, Yuri then mused…led to her own challenge this day: Svetlana.
Yuri continued to slowly make her way up the richly carpeted stairs. "Now, I must convince our Svetlana to accept my reward for her hard work," she mused, lifting a hand to idly tap her chin. "Though, that most likely will prove a far more difficult task." Yuri shook her head, unable to understand just why her Svetlana simply could not see just how exquisitely beautiful she really was! Yuri was used to dealing with beautiful women---after all, that was her stock in trade, no? But, how did one deal with a beauty such as Svetlana…when the girl herself did not see herself that way?
"Ah, well," Yuri said aloud to herself as she reached the top of the stairs. "Am I not always saying that I do love a challenge?" Yuri rested then, leaning her shoulder against the wallpaper-covered walls of her hallway. "Mon Dieu," she groaned softly to herself, then smiled. "I never realized just how many stairs my home has," she muttered lying a hand to her slightly distended abdomen. "Until now…" She rested a moment longer, then continued her walk down the hallway. It wasn't too much longer before Yuri found herself outside the door of Svetlana and Maria's bedroom. She knocked politely. "Svetlana? Hello, cheri?" she called.
No answer.
"Hmm," Yuri then mused. This was most unlike Svetlana…who normally was up and going early each morning. Yuri frowned, but then quietly worked the door's s-shaped handle, and moved inside. She smiled fondly as she spied the beautiful little tigress curled up on her left side…sound asleep. Yuri moved silently over and sat herself down upon Svetlana's bed. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Sleepyhead," Yuri commented to the sleeping Svetlana, reaching out a hand to softly stroke the girl's long wavy dark hair. "Svetlana cheri?"
"Mmm," Svetlana murmured, enjoying Yuri softly stroking her hair.
"Svetlana. Come, cheri…it is time to rise and shine," Yuri told her, then smiled as she saw Svetlana open her big brown eyes, blink, then smile warmly her way.
"I am up, Yuri," Svetlana told her as she lithely stretched her small frame under her covers. She then yawned, covering her mouth, and grinning. "Thank you for waking me, Madame."
"My Naomi tells me you did not sleep well, oui?" Yuri asked, even as she continued to now softly caress Svetlana's rounded shoulder. "Is something bothering you, cheri?"
Svetlana grinned at Yuri's concern. "No, nothing is the matter, Madame," Svetlana assured her…thinking, I am sure you would be most surprised, Yuri, if you truly knew what kept me awake last night… "Um, Yuri…Naomi told me that Sly Cooper and our Carmelita were very busy last night," Svetlana posed to her friend. "May I ask doing what?"
"Ah, curious, eh cheri?" Yuri countered, grinning. This one was the more curious of the two Russians, that much was for certain. Always wanting to know the where, what, and why. "Well, you most likely will hear all about it in the media today," Yuri told her, then smiled. "But, I will give you a summary, if you would like, Svetlana," Yuri then grinned, "while you get yourself ready, of course."
Svetlana laughed softly at Madame's cleverness. "Oh, of course, Yuri," Svetlana replied, throwing her covers off. The tigress was dressed in a deep purple camisole and shorts. "I am off to take a shower!" she called out, ducking into the bathroom. "Could you tell me as I do so, Yuri?"
"Of course, cheri," Yuri answered, shaking her head. "Provided you do not steam up the place. I have no wish to re-do my hair this morning, you know."
Svetlana laughed, "Nyet! I shall hurry, Madame," she promised. The sound of the shower running sounded as Yuri stepped inside the bright white bathroom.
"Well, cheri," Yuri began, pulling the small padded stool that rested in the corner out so she could sit. "It seems an Interpol associate of our Carmelita asked for her and Monsieur Sly's help…if you can believe that."
"Bozhe moi!" Svetlana said, her voice echoing slightly in the tiled confines of the shower. "Do we know this person, Madame?"
"Oh, oui," Yuri answered, her noise twitching as she caught the scent of jasmine. "I did not know you like jasmine shampoo, mon petite," she inquired.
"You are changing the subject, Yuri," Svetlana countered, lathering her thick hair with her favorite---yes, it was jasmine!---shampoo. "Who was this person?"
"Ah, it was that cute little Irish woman," Yuri replied, smiling. "Trish Connelly, I think Carmelita said."
"Ah, the vixen with the red-blonde hair…that one?" Svetlana asked, as she ducked her head under the shower's nozzle to begin to rinse the lather out of her hair. "She was very nice…and understanding," she continued. "She was there when…er, you know…um…"
"You mean when you threatened to blow that pompous man's head off, cheri?" Yuri helpfully supplied, trying to make light of the very serious incident in their past.
Svetlana stood there blinking in the shower, unable to say a thing, caught up in the awful emotions that prompted within herself. "Da, Madame…that was it," she finally answered.
Yuri knew she had upset Svetlana, though that was the last thing she had intended to do. "Pardonnez moi, cheri," Yuri apologized quickly. "I did not mean to---"
"I know, Yuri," a somber Svetlana replied, smiling at her friend's concern. "Do not concern yourself, da?" Svetlana then picked up the soap and began to wash herself. "Now, what happened…with Sly and Carmelita, I mean?"
As Svetlana finished her ablutions in the shower, Yuri filled her in with the goings on last evening. "…and so, this Zuikawa woman is---as we speak, cheri---undoubtedly being interrogated by Ms. Connelly right now." Yuri nodded her head as she heard the shower cease running.
"It is good to know that our friends are safe," Svetlana mused as she reached outside the shower stall for her towels…one for her hair and one for her body. "To think, eh Madame…to fend off seven enemies---with swords, no less---with nothing but canes. Our two friends are incredible."
"I know, cheri," Yuri agreed, nodding. "I was connected to their communications net last night…so, I heard. Mon Dieu! My heart was in my throat when my Bentley reported Sly and Carmelita were being attacked by sword wielding thugs…as well as confused yet eager Japanese Marines!"
Svetlana appeared a moment later, a thick fluffy towel wrapped around her torso, with another around her head, drying her thick hair. "How did they ever manage, Yuri?" Svetlana wanted to know, more from professional interest than anything else.
"It appears, mon belle petite," Yuri told her, "that our two friends received assistance from some unknown benefactor last night."
"Unknown?" Svetlana replied, gazing at Yuri reflection in the bathroom mirror. "That is most odd, nyet?"
"Particularly so, Svetlana," Yuri replied. "Though, neither of our friends was complaining, you understand." Yuri then stopped, wondering to herself. "Carmelita says they saw a figure in the treeline outside the Embassy. Sly insists the mysterious person was a woman…but Carmelita is not so sure."
"A woman?" Svetlana demanded softly, turning her head to look directly at Yuri this time, one dark eyebrow arching. "Really? How could he possibly know this?"
Yuri chuckled then. "You know our Sly, eh Svetlana?" Yuri explained. "He says he knows it was a woman because he know how a woman moves…and this figure---at least in his opinion---moved the way a woman would."
"I wonder who this mystery woman could be then, eh Madame?" Svetlana asked, more to throw Madame off her apparently unraveling trail. "Not that it matters though. Nyet, what matters is that all our friends are safe and sound."
"You have the right of things, mon ami," Yuri agreed, nodding. She then got to her feet, just a little less graceful than was her norm. "I will leave you alone to dress and prepare. We shall then share breakfast when you arrive downstairs. Do hurry though, Svetlana…I wish to have a talk with you before you leave for work this day."
"I shall, Yuri," Svetlana promised, thoughtfully opening the door for her pregnant friend. "Do be careful on the stairs, Madame…"
"I shall, cheri," Yuri said with a laugh. "Hurry now…"
Twenty minutes later, Svetlana---clad in a creamy white cowled sweater and charcoal grey knee-length skirt, and black boots---made her way into the kitchen, where Yuri sat.
"Ah, all beautiful again, cheri?" Yuri asked, grinning.
"Da, Yuri," Svetlana returned, pausing to toss her wealth of silky black, slightly wavy hair over her shoulder. "Though Madame flatters me a bit, I think."
"Eh, perhaps, mon petite," Yuri replied, then beckoned the girl over to take a seat. "Now, I have some coffee---your favorite kind---as well as a bagel and some cream cheese. Please…eat, and we shall talk, eh?"
Svetlana was starved, and wasted no time taking the first bite of her cream cheese-covered bagel half. She sighed in pleasure, then took a sip of her piping hot coffee---mocha latte, her favorite. "Mmm, this is heavenly," she told Yuri. "Spasiba, tovarsich."
Yuri smiled as she started in on her second half of her bagel---which was plain, as her stomach was more sensitive of late, it seemed---and her herbal tea, which her doctor has prescribed. "You are most welcome, cheri," she told her.
The two slender women finished their breakfast quickly enough. As Svetlana took yet another sip of her coffee, she felt Yuri gazing her way…again. "What?" Svetlana wondered, feeling a bit shy all of the sudden. She then put her coffee cup down.
"Ah, mon belle petite," Yuri then proclaimed, smiling and then reached out both of her hands to gently cup Svetlana's lovely face in them. "I know I have said this many times before, cheri…ooh, but what a beautiful face you have, my Svetlana!" she said sighing.
"Madame is far too kind," Svetlana replied, blushing furiously under Yuri's scrutiny. "But, I am no prettier than the next girl…and no where near as lovely as Madame is…"
Yuri snorted at that. "That is nonsense, and you know it, cheri," Yuri countered then, gazing fondly into the startled tigress' face. "Ah, but I wish sometimes that you could see just how truly spectacular you are, Svetlana. For, you are, you know, cheri."
Svetlana blushed, and eased her face away from Yuri's hands. "Madame, please!" she protested weakly. "I am not that beautiful."
"You just let me be the judge of that," Yuri told her. "I have seen my share of beautiful women in my years in the fashion industry, Svetlana. Trust me, I know spectacular when I see it."
"Yuri…" Svetlana moaned, disliking all the fuss.
"Very well, I shall relent, cheri…for now," Yuri replied, then smiled most mischievously. "Now…on to another subject, nes pas? Do you recall, cheri…just what I said to you the very first time we met?"
Svetlana nodded…for indeed, she did remember, very well indeed! She recalled the eerily strange feeling of Yuri´s glorious green-gold eyes gazing deeply into her own. "Da, I remember, Madame," she reluctantly admitted.
"Then you remember how I also asked you if you had ever considered a life on the runway, oui?" Yuri persisted.
"Da, I remember that too," Svetlana admitted, wondering just where this conversation was heading.
"Well, cheri…have you thought about it?" Yuri demanded…though softly, fondly.
"You mean me? As some fashion model?" Svetlana responded, shaking her head at the very idea! "Bozhe moi, Madame! I could not! I am no---" Svetlana only stopped her protesting at the very stern look Yuri gave her just then.
"So stubborn," Yuri grumbled, but then smiled. "So, Svetlana…have I ever told you how our sales performed after the fashion show?" Yuri asked, changing the topic suddenly again.
"Nyet, Yuri," Svetlana admitted, shaking her raven-haired head in confusion. "What of them?"
"For your information, my love," Yuri informed the little tigress, "the clothing that was sold the most favorably were the outfits that both you and Kitty presented during the show. My petite line, as it were."
"That is good, da?" Svetlana ventured, pleased to know Madame's business was thriving.
"Da, indeed!" Yuri teased, using Svetlana's Russian on her. "Sales went through the roof, cheri! Now, I will most freely admit that our Kitty---rascal that she may be---is a very cute young lady. Heavens yes!" Yuri then paused, and her green-gold eyes locked on Svetlana's again…much to the girl's distress. "However, cute as Kitty is, she is by no means imaginable anywhere as beautiful as you, mon belle."
"I think you are being most unfair to Kitty, Madame," Svetlana protested…though weakly. She felt a slow flush heat her poor cheeks again.
"You are embarrassed by all this, nes pas?" Yuri ventured pretty accurately.
"Da, a little, Yuri," Svetlana agreed, smiling uneasily. "Very well…a lot."
"Come, Svetlana…do turn around, hmm cheri?" Yuri then bade her friend. "Would you allow me to braid your lovely dark hair?"
"Of course…if you'd like to, Yuri," Svetlana allowed, moving over to sit beside Yuri, turning her back to her slightly.
Yuri smiled as she ran her slender fingers through Svetlana's silky soft hair, which gleamed like black water in her hands. She then began to collect Svetlana's hair and deftly began to weave the young woman's hair into a thick braid that fell nearly to her shoulder blades. As she worked, Yuri continued to counsel her friend, "All I am asking, cheri, is for you to think about what I suggest, hmm? I know you disagree, cheri…but you have a most beautiful face, one that can be used to the benefit of C'est Sing…and yourself, Svetlana. Sales figures, cheri…they do not lie."
"No…I suppose they don't, Madame," Svetlana said softly, pondering what Madame was asking her.
Yuri then completed Svetlana's braid, and worked quickly to fasten a rubber band around it to secure it. "There, tres manufique!" Yuri then added, turning Svetlana toward her. "Now, cheri…everyone can now see your lovely face that much better, no?" Yuri grinned, her green-gold eyes mischievous still.
"Madame!" Svetlana protested, blushing anew.
"Well, they will!" Yuri persisted cleverly…then unleased her piece d'resistance! "Including your charming Mr. Mallory, nes pas?"
Svetlana smiled, wondering if Sean really would think her that lovely just now. Oh, she certainly did hope so. But, she would have to wait until lunch time to know for sure…when she and Maria would have their lunch with the boys from Mallory & Turner Security Services. Svetlana then blinked, realizing just how cleverly Madame had played her just then. Shaking her head, she grinned over at the smiling snow leopardess beside her. She then unexpectedly leaned over and hugged Yuri tightly for a long moment. Then, Svetlana leaned back, and cast her gaze at the clock on the wall. "Well, Madame…I am needed at work, nyet?"
Yuri smiled, then nodded her head, feeling fairly sure she had made some headway with her Svetlana. "Of course, cheri. But of course…"
Meanwhile, at Interpol Headquarters…
Lieutenant Kitty Petro stretched languidly in her chair, then made a face, grimacing. "Gah! Man, I hate all this paperwork," she muttered darkly, eyeing the small mounds of paper that took up more of her desk than she liked.
Inspector Ling Chu smiled patiently, having heard this complaint from his Kitty many times before. "I know, my love. Hmm, though I suppose…" he mused, then fell silent…the best trick he knew to get Kitty's interest when she was in a bad mood.
"What?" Kitty growled after a long minute. "C'mon, Ling…out with it…whatever it is!"
"Well, instead of filling out all this paperwork you appear to despise, Lieutenant…you could always complete your compulsory weekly exercise regimen, you know," Ling suggested craftily as he could.
Kitty sighed, closing her eyes wearily a moment. Last month, Interpol has instituted a compulsory set of exercises that each member of the force had to accomplish each week. It appeared that more than a few of Interpol's finest weren't quite up to snuff in the physical fitness department. "Great, now I'm between a rock and a hard place," Kitty groused, then sighed again. "Okay, okay…I guess I might as well get this torture over with already." Needless to say, Kitty wasn't the most eager participant in this program…
Ling frowned in disappointment. "Come now, Kitty," he pointed out patiently. "I did not want to say anything…but, well, my love…I don't think it's proper for an Interpol Lieutenant---such as yourself---to become out of breath by simply walking up a long flight of stairs." Ling looked significantly over at the now glowering Kitty, a grin ghosting his lips. "Don't you agree?"
"Oh, you are the funny man, Inspector," Kitty remarked, not at all amused by Ling's insinuation. Though, privately---to herself---she didn't think Ling was too far out of line…she really could use to get more fit.
"Hey, look on the bright side, Kitty," Ling then reminded, smiling at his lady love winningly. "Today's Friday…and, you do know what this Friday is, do you not? The day when we are all supposed to attend the Party. You know, the party where Bentley's supposed to pop the question to Yuri at Le Bistro Bourgeot." Ling smiled, knowing how much Kitty---and himself, for that matter---were looking forward to that event.
Kitty smiled at that, the details of a plan she'd been hatching since she'd first heard of Bentley's plans forming in her devious mind. "You're absolutely right, Ling," Kitty told him with a sincere smile…one she knew had a rather pleasant effect on her beau. "But, I'll tell you this too, sport…I don't think Yuri's going to be the only one getting surprised tonight."
Ling, who knew his Kitty as well as anyone might, was instantly suspicious, and frowned. "All right, Kitty," he replied, crossing his arms before himself. "Just what are you up to, my love? And…don't give me that innocent, puppy-dog expression of yours either, you!"
Kitty frowned in return…blinking as Ling seemed to know just what action she would of used on him next. Damn, she thought, I've got to change my routine…Ling's starting to figure me out. "Never you mind, buster," Kitty told him, just before she leaned over and quickly bussed him on the lips. That brought a temporary smile to her lips…which dimmed at the prospect of what was to come. "Well, Ling…I'm off for my weekly ration of abuse. See you later, sweetie."
"Have fun," Ling called out after Kitty had nearly ducked out the door.
"Bite me!" Kitty called back, laughing.
It didn't take Kitty all that long---unfortunately!---to find Interpol Headquarters gymnasium---or as she liked to call it, Paris Interpol's Torture Chamber---which was located almost across the building from where Kitty and Ling normally worked. Kitty moved into the women's locker room, found and opened her locker, and then changed into her gym attire…which consisted of a t-shirt and a pair of black shorts, some tennis socks and her favorite cross-trainers.
Kitty, now girded for battle---so to speak!---headed out into the gym proper. She made her way toward the treadmills, her intended destination, when she was forced to stop…and rather abruptly too. For, a line of about twelve young, very fit men and women hustled by, their sneakers pounding on the wooden floors of the gym, whisked by right in front of her. "Have at it, guys and gals!" Kitty called, smiling at her example of cheer-leading. "Now…I wonder what all that's about?" she mused aloud to herself.
Kitty got her answer a moment later when she spotted Interpol's QRF commander, Leutnant Uma Metzer. Kitty smiled to see the big---yet pretty cute still---bobcat woman exhorting the string of running men and women, clapping her hands and smiling…while shooting occasional looks at her watch. Intrigued, Kitty---who needed no excuse to start sweating just yet, thanks!---headed over to her budding friend, Uma. "Hey there, Uma," Kitty greeted her, then grinned. "What's shakin', girl?"
Uma blinked then looked over to see none other than Kitty Petro, a girl she least expected to see in the gym. Uma grinned at the little scamp's greeting. "Ah, hello there, liebchen!" Uma replied in a friendly manner, nodding her head, her short blond hair swaying. She then regarded Kitty again, her curiosity growing. "I must confess, Kitty…this is the last place I expected to see you, meine Freundin," Uma pointed out.
Kitty didn't know why…but she took a shining to Uma. The big bobcat gal could appear very intimidating…to be sure. But, somehow, in getting to know her a bit, Kitty realized that she could also be very warm, kind of funny in her own way, and quite likeable besides. Kitty grinned at Uma's teasing. "Yeah, yeah," Kitty pretended to grouse, "I'm not here because I enjoy it, you know…"
Uma then understood, and laughed once quickly. "Ah, the compulsory exercise program, ja?" Uma ventured, putting two and two together.
"Ja, Uma," Kitty returned just as cleverly. "My weekly torture session, I call it."
Uma laughed again. "Come now, liebchen," she counseled. "Exercise is not all bad. Sure it's work, ja? But, it can be very fun and rewarding if you make it that way."
"Yeah, sure," Kitty countered, thinking the prospect of her ever thinking that bloody unlikely, thanks. "Whatever you say, Uma."
Uma patted Kitty's shoulder companionably. "You should join my QRF candidates, Kitty, for their workout, ja?" Uma suggested with a grin. "They will tell you…they love it!"
"Uh-huh," Kitty replied, then grinned and looked back at Uma. "And, I'm sure that the fact that they're all trying to get on one of your teams has nothing at all to do with how much they're 'loving it'…"
"So pretty to be such a cynic," Uma observed with a laugh, when Kitty blushed at her compliment.
"Just you hush, Uma," Kitty growled, which only made Uma laugh even longer. "So…what with this group, anyway, sport?" she asked, indicating the running troops with a jerk of her thumb. "Some fresh meat for the QRF, my friend?"
Uma looked over querulously at Kitty, then shook her head and smiled. "Ja, meine Freundin, new recruits," Uma allowed, then frowned. "However, liebchen…I am undecided about them as of yet. They seem to have a good deal of potential---I will freely admit---however, none of them have overly impressed me."
"Oh, I don't know, Uma," Kitty mused aloud, watching the candidates run by, and noticed that there were some pretty cute-looking fellas in that group. "Some of them are pretty darn cute, girl…" Kitty was unable to help herself, and her match-maker genes kicked in. Maybe, she mused, just maybe…even as she eyed her new friend with purpose.
Uma started at that, blinking over at Kitty. "Cute?" Uma asked, then chuckled, shaking her head. "Ja, I suppose you are right there, Kitty my friend." Uma then carefully scrutinized the running candidates again…this time professionally. "But, that is neither here nor there…their cuteness is not a determining factor for joining the QRF, you know."
Kitty blinked, then looked away before Uma could spy her looking her over. "Yeah, I know," Kitty told her. "But, last I looked at least…their ability to sweat shouldn't be a factor either, right?"
Uma blinked again, then flicked her eyes down to her watch again. She then grinned over at Kitty. "Ja, you are right…they've been at that long enough, I think." Uma lifted the whistle she wore around her neck up to her lips, and blew it sharply twice.
The QRF candidates---not a one of them that even looked the least bit fatigued to Kitty's eye---stopped running, and then jogged their way back over to stand before Uma. Most were now perspiring slightly, but not even one of them was even breathing heavily just yet.
Uma looked over to Kitty then. "Now, we shall see just how alert they are, ja?" Uma told Kitty softly. She then eyed her clipboard for a name. "Cowley, Edward," Uma called out.
A tall, fit-looking jackal gent took a step forward, then stamped his right foot down before saluting. "Cowley, Edward…reporting, ma'am!" the reddish-furred Englishman stated quickly.
Uma smiled, nodding her head. "Very well, Candidate Cowley," she acknowledged. "What is the proper procedure for breaching a closed room with criminals and hostages within, ja?" she demanded.
Candidate Cowley frowned a moment, but then began his recitation. Then, Uma snapped suddenly forward, driving her right hand forward in a tae-kwon-do strike to the man's solar plexus. The English jackal grunted as Uma's blitzkrieg strike took him unaware, doubling the poor fellow over for a long moment, as he heaved for breath, grunting.
Uma leapt back, then watched the man recover, shaking her head slighty in her obvious disapproval. "Thank you, Candidate, that will be all," Uma declared, paying no attention to Kitty's shocked look at her previous action.
"Erskine, Stewart!" Uma then called out next, her green eyes intent and focused on the task at hand. The burly wolverine, an American, stepped forward, his expression as somber as someone at a funeral. And, so it went…name after name. Uma surprised some of her candidates, quizzing them on procedures while testing their combat skills as well. Some failed, and were dismissed outright by the strict bobcat commander. Others, a lucky few, surprised her as well, and stayed in the rapidly shrinking group of potential candidates.
"Jaeger, Aslan!" Uma then called, nearing the end of the names on her list.
A quiet hulking male lion stepped confidently forward, his deep quiet voice informing Uma he was now there and ready to be tested. Kitty was impressed with this guy. He was pretty tall, clearly over two meters tall, his body---where it showed, of course---was a very fit and muscular tawny golden brown, while he sported a full head of long reddish-brown hair, complete with a one longish braid on each side of his head. "Hoo-whee," Kitty remarked under her breath, shaking her head. This guy was ripped! she observed, noting his huge arms and chest, as well as his thickly muscled legs. She also noted that he had an most unusual tattoo of sorts…a pair of woven vines, done in greenish-black ink, completely encircled one massive bicep.
"Candidate Jaeger," Uma drilled the big, quiet man. "Tell me…just how many parts does the Fabrique Nationale FN-11 shock rifle consist of, when field stripped?"
"Yes, ma'am," Candidate Jaeger began, "the FN-11 shock rifle consists of exactly thirty-six separate---oof!" Jaeger was interrupted as Uma leaned back and directed a sharp high kick toward the big lion's head, which he adroitly dodged, though he did grimace as he heard the whistle of Uma's combat boot snap past his ear. Jaeger blinked once, then zipped forward, squatting down, to perform a textbook leg sweep that put Uma on to her back…hard. Jaeger then moved back, assuming a defensive posture.
Uma grinned, impressed with this fellow's agility. She quickly rolled to her feet, and moved before him, and began to warily circle him. "Tell me, Candidate Jaeger…you were forwarded to us from the South African Constabulary, nicht wahr?" Uma inquired, even as she threw a rapid-fire one-two punch to Jaeger's taut mid-section, her fist making a double whump! sound.
"Jawohl, Fraulein Leutnant!" Jaeger replied with a grunt, his face contorting briefly as he absorbed Uma's hard blows. "Das ist richtig." Jaeger leaned forward then, and snapped an arm out to grab Uma by her right wrist.
"Ah, du kann auf Deutsch gesprochen?" Uma queried in her native German to the man, even as she twirled about to crash her back to his chest. Uma then took one step forward with her left foot, and deftly tossed the startled South African over her hip to crash to the wooden floor.
"Ja, mein Leutnant," Jaeger answered, grinning now…then rolled rapidly away, getting to his feet once more eagerly.
"Enough, Candidate," Uma commanded then, holding up a hand. "You've done well by yourself, mein Herr."
Kitty had by then gravitated to the treadmills, and began diligently walking on the moving belt, her favorite song playing in her head. She watched Uma complete the last of the twelve QRF candidates' interviews, the last a tall, trim cheetah girl that reminded Kitty of a burlier Naomi for some reason.
Kitty held on to the handlebar before her, her feet pounding out a rhythm as she paced her five miles on the infernal thing. She didn't hardly notice this though, as she watched in a sort of interested fascination as Uma did her thing.
Uma stood before the six remaining candidates of her group. There were four women and two gents…one of them the huge South African, Jaeger. "Well done, one and all," Uma declared, snapping her heels together sharply, then bowing her head to them. "You have all successfully passed initial qualifications, my good troopers." Uma then began to pace back and forth before the alert men and women, even as she continued to speak. "I have vacancies in both of my squads…and as such, I will be splitting you up…three to each squad." Uma then consulted her clipboard, where she had made some notes to herself. "Chin, Killian, and Sanchez," she intoned, pointing to a strong, but short Siamese Cat fellow with deep blue eyes, then to a hungry-looking red-haired jaguar woman with rippling muscles in her arms in legs, and finally a deceptively ordinary looking grey furred feline gal. "You are with First Squad. Good luck to you all. You will report to Sergeant Quinlan." The three new QRF troopers moved off, nodding to one another as they did so.
Uma then addressed the remaining three. "Rafferty, Jaeger, and St. Thierry," Uma read off her notes, pointing first to a dangerous looking ibex woman with big doe-like brown eyes, then to the big South African, and finally to the tall cheetah woman Kitty had noticed before. "You are now assigned to Second Squad, and will report to Sergeant Brown." Uma smiled at them all, then nodded companionably. "Dismissed."
Kitty was nearly finished an hour later, having spent most of the time watching Uma doing wind sprints up and down the gym's bleacher seats again and again. Kitty stepped off the treadmill all sweaty and puffing, out of breath, as Uma finished her last set of sprints. "You make me tired just watching you, Uma," Kitty complained, bending over at the waist, trying to catch her breath.
"What, this?" Uma protested, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow with the back of her forearm. "Nein, that was just something to burn off my nervous energy, liebchen."
"Bloody hell," Kitty groaned, eyeing Uma with grudging respect.
"I am pleased that you finished your workout, Kitty," Uma said, even as she began to do sets of twenty jumping jacks. "However, if you'd only---"
"No, not another word from you, Uma," Kitty warned, holding up a hand.
"Of course, meine Freundin," Uma promised. "Now that you have gotten warmed-up, what will you do next, hmm?" Uma finished her last set of jumping jacks, and began doing sets of free curls with a pair of eleven-and-half kilo weights.
"Well," Kitty replied after a moment, wiping her brow with the towel she had around her neck. "I guess, for my next trick, I'll be heading back to the lockers, to change and have myself a nice, long shower."
"What's this?" Uma protested, frowning. "But, you've just gotten started, liebchen! You've got that healthy workout glow going for you, ja?"
Kitty grinned, for she did sort of like the feeling of pleasant warmth in her muscles just then. But, as nice as that might be, she had no yen, really, to continue on past the strict requirements Interpol had established. "Thanks for noticing," Kitty replied, smirking, "but I think I'll still pass, Uma…until next week, you understand."
"Ach," Uma told her with a weary sort of sigh. "Kitty…I do wish you would train a bit more, my friend." Uma then stopped her curls and set up a barbell with fifty kilos on it. She then laid herself down on a bench, and began to bench-press the weight, breathing out forcefully on each upward push. "You never do know, my friend…just when being fit might prove to be just what saves your life, ja?"
Kitty watched the muscular yet feminine bobcat woman heave the heavy weight up, her biceps bulging with her efforts. "Okay. Okay…so I'm no Uma Metzer, superwoman," Kitty agreed with a mischievous grin. "Hey, for what I lack in strength, I more than make up in my agility."
Uma paused and set the barbell into its rest, breathing a bit heavier than normal now. She sat up, looking over at Kitty curiously. "Is that so?" she remarked with a smile. "You have good reflexes, ja?"
"Sure do!" Kitty concurred, folding her arms before her chest. "Don't you remember back when we were on that Polarsky raid? Back when that raccoon, Rezneykov, tried to pop me with his Russian pea-shooter?"
Uma frowned, her eyes showing concern and a mixture of anger and regret. Kitty had been Uma's responsibility that evening, and she had---quite negligently, in Uma's opinion---let her new friend down. "Ja, I remember, liebchen. Es tut mir leid, meine Freundin." Uma's tufted pointed ears swiveled back to lie flat against her sweaty blond hair.
Kitty saw Uma's shame, and moved over to pat the big girl on the shoulder sympathetically. "C'mon…don't worry about it, okay? He got the drop on us both, you know?" Kitty informed her. "But, think if I hadn't been able to duck as quickly as I did, eh?"
Uma blushed. "Ja, liebchen…I know, and I'm sorry."
"Uma, c'mon," Kitty told her. "I'm fine, and it all worked out for the best, right? All I'm saying is had I been like you, almost two meters tall and a ball of muscle…do you really think I would be standing here with you right now?" Kitty challenged, though softly.
Uma sighed again, begrudgingly acceding the point to Kitty. "Point taken, mein libechen," Uma acceded. "Still and all, it would not do you any harm to train a bit more often and harder, you know."
"If you think---even for a minute---that I'm going to do your QRF workout," Kitty informed Uma with a shake of her head, "then you have another thing coming, sport."
"No, Kitty…I do not advocate you doing a work-out such as mine. Ach, nein! But, say an hour more once week wouldn't be all that much, nicht wahr?" Uma nudged.
"The hour I do already is enough, Uma," Kitty grumbled. "Trust me on that…"
"So you say, liebchen," Uma countered, shaking her head. Then tried a new tack for her argument. She grinned cleverly at the pretty Kitty, then reached out one big smooth hand to pat Kitty's trim belly a couple of times. "Hmm…your Inspector Chu…he likes you trim and fit, does he not, Kitty?" Uma tried, then patted Kitty on her rump once with a chuckle. "How much more might he think of you if you were a bit buffer and harder, hmm?" Uma quirked one blond eyebrow up cleverly.
Kitty's eyes went wide, and she blushed. "Uma!" Kitty gurgled in surprise. "Geez, girl…" Kitty then shook her head and laughed. "You just don't quit now, do you?"
Uma spread her arms and shrugged, grinning impishly. "A girl can but try, nicht wahr?" Uma commented.
Kitty chuckled, her cheeks still a bit flushed from Uma's rather risqué suggestions. "You take it easy, okay Uma?" Kitty said by way of farewell. "I'll be seein' you around, sport."
"Auf wiedersehen, liebchen!" Uma called out as she shook her head, watching Kitty sashay out of the gym. Uma then laughed out loud as Kitty looked pointedly back at her, then wiggled her hips suggestively once before she ducked inside the locker room, laughing all the way. "What a scamp!" Uma laughed, stepping up to take her turn on the gym's treadmill.