Chapter 2
(author's note: both I-80 and the "Ryan" (or Dan Ryan) are expressways found in Illinois...)
The mid-morning sun bore down on the expressway opressively with it's unbearable heat. At only eleven o'clock the tempurature was already a searing ninety-seven degrees, coupling with the almost claustrophobia-inducing humidity, no kat or she-kat in their right mind went without their air conditioning system on full blast. One such she-kat was returning from an archaeological confrence down state. Zipping in and out of traffic, the massive, red SUV plowed down the interstate, making it's way back to Megakat City.
Miriam Lynx was in a good mood. She had attended the confrence as a "guest of honor" and was welcomed on the National Archaeological Academics panel. Not that Miriam was an archaeologist, far from it. She spent her days as a small business owner and antiques dealer. However, it was Miriam's late husband, Dr. Arthur Lynx who held the mind for history and actually possessed a educator's residency at the Megakat City Museum of Natural History. Yet, Dr. Lynx had made great strides concerning the topic that caused the NAA to gather over the weekend. Katlantis. The mere mention of the name caused an earthquake in the academic community. Did it exsist? Was it pure fiction? Or, was it a mix of both? Were the works of Klato to be taken as literal or figurative?
Initially, when Miriam had received the invitation in the mail, she couldn't fathom what she could offer to such a debate. However, it was in that same weekend that she came across her late husband's academic journal that caused her to travel in his stead. Inside the leather-bound tome were maps, drawings of sculptures and paintings that had adorned the walls of ancient tombs. Miriam flipped through the pages, smiling wistfully as the memories of her Artie came back to her. The trips he had to take, the archaeological digs he had to lead, the small adventures that he would insist that she attend. She had seen a lot of the world that way, traveling with her husband. Turning one of the worn pages, she came across his last entry before he fell ill. In it he stated that he had found a suprising tablet with an ancient inscription in a language that he had never seen and to ensure it's safety, he had the tablet hidden away. With that information, she decided that not only would Artie attend, were he still alive, but that in finding this last journal entry, it was his way of asking her to go in his stead.
Her weekend having been surrounded by her husband's former peers was informative and an educational experience. If she were frank, she'd say that she wouldn't have expected to have had such a good time. While on the panel, she was treated with defrence and respect, the other academics knowing and understanding that while Dr. Lynx's widow was not an archaeologist herself, she still possessed some knowledge into her husband's work. So it was that she had woke up this morning, pleased with her decision to make the two hour drive down state and promised herself that she would return next year.
Passing an elderly couple in a green sedan, Miriam zipped through traffic with the icy-cold A/C on full blast. Like invisible fingers, the force of the air conditioning system, danced through her chocolate-hued tresses, exposing the soft, feminine contours of her face. Her large, youthful eyes were encircled with a natural, smokey-brown band of color, giving the impression of eyeshadow and providing a dramatic contrast to the swimming-pool blue of her eyes. Her cherub-like pout was perfected with the smallest hint of color from her pink lipgloss. Her fur was a soft fawn in color, almost white, with contrasting chocolate markings on her arms, legs and on the tip of her tail. Her father, Chien had always teased her saying that when she was a kitten, he had simply dipped her into a vat of the sinfully warm and sweet brown dessert. Truth to be told, Miriam inherited her fur color and eye color from her grandmother, Ming who was a Siamese.
The sultry voice of jazz songstess Ella Katsgerald soared over the notes that eminated from Miriam's radio. Softly, Miriam sang along to the song that told the tale of a broken-hearted femme who was happy to see the kat who had broken her heart, had his heart broken in the same manner. The ringing of a phone promptly caused Miriam to turn down the volume on her radio and pull out her small mobile phone from her purse that sat beside her in the passanger seat. Depressing a button on the side of the phone caused the device to spring open, "Lynx."
"Mrs. Lynx? It's Ann Gora from Kats Eye News, how are you this morning?"
Miriam smiled, "I'm fine Ann. How are you?"
"I'm well, thank-you. Listen, the reason why I was calling is because I wanted to confirm that you were going to be here this morning for our interview. I'm really interested in the confrence that you visited concerning Katlantis. I've heard through the grapevine, of sorts, that your late husband discovered something of great archaeolgical significance?"
Miriam couldn't help but chuckle. There were times when Ann Gora's skills as a reporter stunned her, "Yeah. My husband found a tablet with some sort of ancient writing on it. I'll be able to make it Ann, though, for a second I was worried if I'd make it on time. Coming from down state, I erronously took I-80-"
Ann groaned, "How bad was it?"
For the past few months, interstate 80 was under heavy contruction and it was deeply reflected in the travel time, "It was a virtual parking lot, Ann!" Miriam chuckled and Ann couldn't help but chuckle too.
"Well you're on your way now, right?"
"Yeah, I'm heading up the Ryan right now...I can even catch the faint outline of our fair metropolis! I'd say I'd have maybe another half hour-fourty five minutes...if traffic holds up."
"Very good, Mrs. Lynx. I'll see you soon then!"
After Miriam bid the reporter farewell, she hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passanger seat beside her. Yes, Miriam thought, things were going rather well for her. She turned the volume up on the radio and once again began to sing along with Ella. So distracted by her own thoughts, Miriam didn't notice the steam that began to rise from the hood of her 4X4. Soon, steam poured out of her hood and over her car as thick as smoke!
"Oh my lord!" Miriam cried as she quickly pulled her car over on the side of the road. The massive vehicle groaned in protest then came to a studdering halt.
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Quickly unfastening her seatbelt, she opened her diver's door and leapt down to the scorching pavement, her high-heeled sandals klick-clacking around to the front of the car. Even though the engine had died, steam still poured out of vehicle. Miriam began to message her temples, "This can't be happening...this can't be happening...! Okay, get a hold of yourself Miri! You have a mobile phone, call for help...then call Ann!"
Miriam rounded to the left of the SUV to the passanger door, unlocked it and grabbed the phone on the seat. She opened the glove compartment and withdrew a sheet of paper with a myriad of phone numbers typed on it. Glancing over the list, she quickly found what she needed: roadside assistance. Dialing the eight-hundred number, she waited for someone to answer on the other end, "Hello? Yes, umm, my name is Miriam Lynx and I've stalled on the side of the road going north-bound on the Ryan expressway..."
Jake and Chance watched blissfully as Mrs. Longtail pulled out of their garage and drove out of the salvage yard. "I thought she'd never leave..." Chance remarked.
"She sure did give us a piece of her mind..."Jake started to chuckle remembering the tirade the elderly she-kat went on when she came in to pick up her car.
"What was left of her mind anyway." Chance quipped. "I'm gonna get some milk, you want anything?" Chance asked, as he turned and made his way toward the rear of their shop.
"Milk is fine." Jake stated, "Thanks." Sighing, Jake made his way into the waiting room and sat on the couch, absorbing the cool air conditioning, his mechanic's uniform damp with his own sweat. Unfortuantely, like most other vehicle repair shops, their garage was not air conditioned. It wasn't economical to do so when the garage doors would constantly open and shut which made working in such conditions nearly unbearable...and exhausting.
Chance soon arrived with two cans of ice-cold milk. Tossing a can to Jake, Chance popped his open with a swift puncture from the claw on his index finger, Jake did the same. Sitting down next to each other, they sat in the silence that often was the result of uncomfortable heat and exhaustion. Unable to move, neither made an attempt to turn on the t.v., they simply sat and sipped on their cans.
Jake removed his red cap and leaned his head back into the couch, closing his eyes. It was nearly noon, and while that would usually mean lunchtime for the two of them, Jake thought that perhaps his lunch hour should be spent taking a nap. Chance too, seemed to share the idea, stiffeling a yawn, the burly kat stretched out, propping his large feet upon the coffe table, wrinkling a few magazines.
With a shrill ring, their business phone sprung to life. Both Chance and Jake groaned in displeasure. "We're on lunch!"
Jake reluctantly looked at the clock on the wall, "Not for another three minutes we're not."
Chance sighed, "Would you mind getting that, Jake?"
"You're closer, buddy!"
Groaning, Chance got to his feet and paced over to the office in the garage. With a tired sigh he picked up the phone, "Jake and Chance's body work and all repairs...this is Chance." He listened as the kat on the other end of the phone explained the situation. "Alright, we'll pick her up. Where is she? The Ryan...northbound near the exit on 95th? Alright. What kind of vehicle is it? A red Land Comber? Okay, you can call her back and tell her we'll be there in about fifteen-twenty minutes."
After hanging up the phone, Chance crossed the expanse of the garage, back into the waiting room. "Looks like we're taking a late lunch today, Jake."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"
"That was Triple A, they have a member stuck on the Ryan...a Miriam Lynx and she needs a tow."
Jake sighed, finished his milk with one last swig and stood. "Well, let's go then." Then after a moment, "At least we're picking up a girl!"
