FIGHTING DARKNESS

Chapter 2: First Battle Won...Many more to go

Razor prepared to be assaulted by the victim's terror but this time he was prepared. Straddling the big tom's body, he ripped off his gloves, tossing them beside him then leaning forward to place his paws over the sweating temples of the tom's head.

Instantly, his fingers felt like they'd been plugged into an electric socket. His body jolted hard but his mind shield held firm against the pressure from the evil spirit who sensed his presence and immediately increased its attempt to overtake its victim before its immortal enemy could stop it.

And that was something Razor couldn't allow. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he opened his shield and slammed head on into the evil. It recoiled, retreating but still attempting to claim its victim at the same time.

The poor victim's mind screams were gradually fading to barely heard pleas for help as its attacker pressed its advantage with cruel indifference to the tom's agony but the Guardian poured light against the darkness making the evil spirit scream in frustration and fury at being inexorably forced out. Finally giving up trying to take its victim, the evil turned all its considerable fury and deadly power against its enemy.

Gritting his teeth, sweat beginning to make his mask stick to his face, Razor steeled his will and poured his heart and soul into forcing his enemy to abandon its prey. He likened the effort to an ant trying to move a huge boulder up a steep hill. He could feel his energy beginning to flag and desperately searched for a new energy source.

How was I to know I would need all my reserves, he hissed irritably to himself then sensed his partner's aura hovering nearby. Without a by-your-leave, he reached out to that source of new power and pulled.

T-Bone gasped in shock. Something was pulling on his very soul...hard, dropping him to his knees. His eyes were wide and terror filled behind his mask but then eased as he suddenly felt a warm and soothing presence tell him he would not be harmed...his help was needed. It wasn't words he heard, exactly, but a strong feeling that the presence needed him to be brave and allow this to be done to him for the welfare of another.

The mind reaching out to him had pricked the tabby's sense of honor and duty which helped him override his fear and relax enough to allow the other to use what it needed from him.

Now bolstered by the extra burst of energy Razor was finally able to oust his enemy. It screamed foul curses at him as it pulled away and vanished into a portal leading to its dark realm.

The slim tom nearly collapsed on top of the tom he'd saved but forced himself to carefully climb off to sit on the bed beside the big body while releasing his partner at the same time.

Groaning, T-Bone keeled over unconscious face down to the carpeted floor.

Staring down at his insensate partner, Razor sighed. Wish I could do that right now. God of my father, I'm exhausted. His limbs shaking and weak, he leaned to his right to check the big tom on the bed. Lightly tapping the tom's sweaty and drawn face, Razor was rewarded by a slow groan then golden eyes opening to stare at him blankly.

Razor eyed him closely. The blankness slowly faded and awareness returned along with fear. Those formerly empty eyes now held stark terror but before he could voice the scream beginning to bubble up, the SWAT Kat instantly plunged into that maelstrom of terror and blanketed it with soothing waves of comfort and warmth, like a Queen easing a terrified kitten. The scream froze before it could be voiced and confused eyes stared up in awe at the smaller tom.

"What are you?" the big tom whispered huskily, voice hoarse from screaming.

"Someone you're lucky had heard your screams in time," Razor sighed, leaning away.

Still very shaken, the big tom sat up. His sweat soaked body was starting to chill him as it dried making him shiver. The fear scent in his fur made him ill but he still managed to have enough presence of mind to frown at the strange sight of SWAT Kats in his quarters. Razor sat watching him while swaying from obvious exhaustion then he noticed the big tabby pilot sprawled face-down on his floor, unconscious. Say what? He wondered, confused.

"What the heck happened? How did you know I was being..." he began before the whites of his eyes showed again as his mind remembered the awful terror of not being able to move and the feeling of his very soul being smothered. He began to shudder violently.

Razor instantly wrapped the big body in his arms and once more poured warmth and reassurance into the badly shaken mind. "Easy...you're safe now...I can mute some of that memory if you want..." Letting his words trail off, questioningly.

Pulling back, the tom gulped and stared, afraid of the strange tom he thought he knew, struggling to fight his fear down, and hating his inability to do so.

"No, don't do that!" Razor said sharply, aloud, tapping the tom on the nose to get his attention. "It isn't your fault you're having so much difficulty pushing that back. You were attacked by pure evil. No mortal is strong enough to repel that kind of attack. But, trust me, you fought back bravely and far longer than any I've ever seen before and it was because you refused to give up that I had time to come to your aid. Now do you want me to mute that memory a little so it's not so overwhelming? It will help you recover faster and get your self confidence back. We certainly can't have you doubting yourself. You are too important to this city and your Enforcers."

The Chief Enforcer of Megakat City stared into the face of someone he knew couldn't be a normal Kat but what the tom was, he hadn't a clue. He swallowed and thought hard about what he was being offered. He shuddered. Maybe he should accept. The terror still lurked there in his mind and he felt dirty and soiled in some way. No way could he function with that hanging over him.

"Alright, but you're not going to alter anything else, right?" he asked, anxiously, afraid to have someone else messing with his mind.

Razor gave him a solemn face as he gently reassured the still frightened tom. "I promise all I'm going to do is mute the horror for you. Removing the memory is not a good idea as it would leave you open to a renewed attack by my enemy."

Feral shuddered, eyes wide at the very thought of that thing being in his mind again. He nodded his head yes, violently, unable to speak.

"Easy, stop panting, you're just scaring yourself anew. Take deep breathes...in and out...that's the way..." Razor murmured working to get the tom to relax more before reaching up and touching the tom's right temple with his fingers. Very gently he altered the traumatic event enough to dim their potency while leaving Feral the memory of its occurrence. Removing his paw, he watched as Feral relaxed, his broad shoulders slumping in relief and breathing more easily. "Better?" He asked softly.

Feral nodded. "Yes, thank you."

A groan drew their attention to the tom groggily regaining consciousness on the floor.

T-Bone rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling in confusion a moment until memory spurred him to his feet instantly. In a defensive stance, he stared at Feral who was sitting eyeing him curiously from the bed and his partner who sat beside him. Both looked relaxed and calm though the tabby could still smell the reek of fear coming from Feral.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded, still tense.

"Take a seat, buddy and listen...both of you," Razor sighed, rubbing his neck and trying to ease the tension in his back and shoulders as he prepared to explain things he'd rather not.

"Could I shower first," Feral asked rather meekly.

"Oh, of course...go ahead," Razor said, realizing the big tom couldn't relax still smelling of fear.

Climbing off the bed and standing, a little unsteady on his feet and feeling weaker than he could ever remember, Feral moved slowly to the bathroom, pausing at the door to look back at the pair a moment, thoughtfully.

"There's water in the little fridge there. Help yourself," he politely said before disappearing into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

T-Bone got up and walked to the fridge. Pulling two bottles from it without being asked, he tossed one off to his partner who caught it easily before returning to sit in a chair by the door and opening his own bottle. Taking a deep swallow, he sighed then stared at his friend.

Razor drank more than half the bottle in one swallow, ridiculously parched. The effort had drained him alarmingly and he would have to go to his secret chamber and recharge before his enemy tried to strike again...which it assuredly would since it apparently had some plan in mind for this city.

"You're not a normal Kat are you?" the tabby asked suddenly.

Razor turned his head toward his friend and stared at him a moment. "Not exactly, no, but let's wait until Feral comes back, okay?"

"Alright," his friend reluctantly backed off then looked toward the bathroom as the sound of the shower filtered to them. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be shaken for awhile but, yes, he should be okay. I'm interested in how he was able to hold out as long as he did, though. It suggests he's got something interesting in his gene makeup but we're both too exhausted and he's too hurt for me to find out what that difference might be. It could be very useful if my enemy has decided to hunt here," Razor murmured thoughtfully, then his face darkened with cold anger that made T-Bone suddenly shiver in fear. "He'll regret trying to make a bid for this city," The slim tom growled to himself, his voice promising swift retribution.

T-Bone had a feeling Razor wasn't making an empty promise and it made him even more unnerved about his partner. Just how much of his real self has he kept from me? The tabby wondered.

Less than ten minutes later, the bathroom door opened and Feral came out, his fur fluffed from the dryer. He went to his dresser and opened a drawer, pulling out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt and redressing. Then he walked to the fridge to get a bottle of water for himself before returning to the bed and sitting as far as he could from Razor. It was obvious the slim SWAT Kat made the big tom very nervous.

"Feeling better?" Razor asked solicitously.

"Yes, thank you. Now could you tell us what happened here tonight?" Feral asked, including T-Bone in his question as he hadn't failed to hear the tom sound just as confused as he did. He was fairly certain that whatever Razor was, he'd never told his partner.

Razor sighed, rolling his head to ease his tight neck muscles. Okay, so how much do I say here? He thought, troubled. Glancing over at his partner, he knew he would have to give his friend more answers than he was willing to speak before the Chief Enforcer...but Feral...well the big tom needed to know enough to protect himself.

This is going to be so much fun...not! He sighed, resigned.