Chapter 6. Bad Luck

"What was that?" the pussycat cat in heels shouted out. Although it was just the bang-banging of tinny garbage cans being tossed about in the back yard, the sudden noise was loud and completely unexpected.

"Oh, it's just the garbage bins out the back, sweetheart," Bill assured her. Just to be sure, he gently guided her by the arm and led her towards the children, towards the cover of the house. Bill cautiously walked towards the driveway, right hand gently touching the gun in his left side holster. Catlike himself, Bill glided town the driveway, and disappeared into the dark.

Within a few seconds, noises of more banging tin cans, high pitched yowls of a cat, and angry words of an agent caught off guard echoed from the back yard. A moment later, Bill returned to the front of the house only to find the mice, the dog and the cat standing near the safety of door. The cat's back was towards the street, as she crouched down and comforted the children, and held onto Rufus' collar.

Bill looked at the four of them, and smiled. They were his charge of friendly furry animals. They were, for the moment, all his. He came up behind them, and unexpectedly put his hand on his pussycat's shoulder, as he shouted "It's ok, troops! It's safe to come out now!"

His approach and his announcement were unexpected. The pussycat jumped up with a high pitched squeal, as she let go of Rufus' collar. She swung around, and grabbed onto his arms. Holding her and receiving her, Bill steadied her, as he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist.

Looking down into her eyes, Bill quietly whispered, half joking "Don't worry, darlin'. Agent Maxwell has neutralized the threat."

With a deep sigh and a deeper breath, she pulled herself into him, pressing her chest up against his. Although she was relieved to be in his arms, she felt less secure, knowing that her fate was no longer her own.

"What was it?" the pussycat asked, genuinely frightened, and completely under his control.

"Oh, nothing. I threw out some fish earlier tonight," Bill responded. "It was just some black cat grabbing a quick bite..."

Surprised, the woman tried to pull away against his firm hold. "Was that a black cat? Or a tuxedo?" She tried to pull away, only to have him pull her in closer.

"A tuxedo?" Bill asked, confused.

"Did it have any white? You know, on her paws, on her... chest." She pointed at her own chest, then looked at him, growing embarrassed as the last word passed her lips.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Does it matter?"

"A black cat, crossing your path on Halloween? Of course it matters."

"Darlin," Bill said, staring at her like a smitten schoolboy. "Tonight I can't believe a black cat crossing my path could possibly be bad luck..."

Realizing what he had just said, realizing how close he was holding her, this time it was Bill who began to look embarrassed. Still, he squeezed her gently.

There was no use hiding his feelings in subtle flirtation.

"Well, Agent Maxwell, would you at least lie to me?"

Without missing a beat, Bill looked at her and replied "It looked like it had a white goatee."

The two stared at each other for a moment. Their eyes began to close, as Bill leaned his head in towards her. Just as the two were about to kiss, the trash cans began to rattle once more.

"Damn," he whispered, as he moaned deeply, looking up past her pussycat ears, and off into the sky.

Just at that moment, Rufus caught a glimpse of the cat rushing out from beneath the hedges. Without missing a beat, he followed pursuit.

"Rufus! Rufus!" cried the two mice, as they pointed into the dark.

Bill quickly looked at the pussycat in his arms.

He had no choice.

He kissed her quickly on her lips, let her loose, and raced after the dog.