MISSION 10:

The Return Pt.1


In the sky, the roaring sound of the jet could be heard, flying at speeds that no Enforcer would go for as Chance tested the newly functional Turbot Kat. He donned his usual flight attire with different colors than the blue and red uniform he used to wear, now grey and black. His old mask was changed to a more appropriate color like his suit, and he now donned the Strays symbol.

Chance was grinning and enjoying this time to push the limit of the Turbo Kat. This was not true for the co-pilot, who was fuming behind him. Jake had ordered him to go to the canyon to test out the missiles, but the tabby would blow him off.

"Hey, stupid!" Jake finally snapped, "We are here to retest both the jet and the missiles!"

"Choke on a hairball!" Chance snapped back, getting agitated and wishing he had the eject button for Jake's seat. However, the smaller tom had predicted this and removed that option. "We have enough time! So just shut up and let me do my thing for now."

Jake grumbled to himself. He was at the mercy of this tabby and had to wait till they landed so he could kick him. Jake sighed, shaking his head and inspecting his work area, seeing all the updates that had been added and gauging the Turbo Kat's performance. He had hoped that the pilot would have been less confident, but Chance showed his mastery, which was like riding a bike for him.

The Turbo Kat has been updated internally with new controls and additional screens to help the gunner fight off threats. He had a complete overview of everything around him, eyes that would allow him to see any danger, especially if someone decided to stick cement below their bomb bay again. Much to his annoyance, Jake had added some weapons from their counterparts, unlike their previous jet, which had more lethal weapons. June had to remind him that they would support whatever crisis came their way, including rescue and capture missions, so they needed tools to deal with everything.

Jake inspected everything once more before leaning back against his chair and waiting till the pilot was done with his little adventure. He looked at the area they were flying, the canyon, but too far above to test the weapons. Jake closed his eyes and cursed a small boy's favor…

HOURS AGO

The morning started like usual for Jake. He would wake up alone in his room and just stare at the ceiling, marking another day that passed. Jake would stretch, inspect his robotic arm, and clean his room if he spotted something he had left on the floor the day before.

Looking around his room, it was neat and clean, with plants around to give the room more life. There was an old record player that played classical music, a TV where he would see David Litterbin, his workbench where he would dabble on some minor projects, and a small library wall with his books. His library now had more books due to him becoming someone's teacher.

Jake groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, recalling how Ethan invaded his personal space. The boy was quickly and firmly told not to touch his things, sit in the corner and only bother him when he was getting stuck on something. However, that was the first couple of days, and it was slightly different now. Jake has eased in with Ethan's teaching and has taken the approach Benson advised. Ethan was getting better, and it would show that Ethan could learn things….just needed more patience and guidance with him with text.

Jake would take a moment before looking at his calendar marked today. 'Sink or Swin Day!'. Jake let out another groan as the Turbo Kat was done, and their official test day was today. He grumbled that he would haunt everyone who pissed him off if the tabby led them to their deaths.

"Well….. better die with a full stomach," Jake whispered, heading towards the door and opening it. It was five in the morning, so to expect someone to be awake before he was out of the question. He lifted an eyebrow to see Ethan waiting for him, leaning on the opposite wall and waving at him as soon as he stepped out.

Jake's mouth opened briefly before shaking his head, ignoring his student, and heading down to the mess hall. He could tell Ethan was following him but would not acknowledge the little pest. He needed some coffee before dealing with him, which, he assumed, was Ethan's question of the day. He silently prayed that Ethan would not say anything till he got his morning bliss.

Ethan followed Jake, catching up to be at his side and opening the door when he arrived at the mess hall for them. Jake kept giving him looks but would continue toward the kitchen. Ethan stuck with him like gum and waited until the orange kat prepared coffee.

"Can you make some for me?" Ethan asked, finally breaking the silence.

Jake sighed, waving the coffee can and pointing at the label. "This is stronger coffee and more bitter. Also, didn't you say you hated coffee?"

"I've grown to get used to it. Please….I'm not really a morning person," Ethan yawned, rubbing his eyes and looking at the coffee can.

"So why are you awake at this time? Usually, that idiot is carrying you here, so what gives?"

"Just wanted to try something new," Ethan said with a tired smile. He winced when Jake put the coffee can down with force and looked at him with his usual 'tell me the truth.' "Alright…..fine…..I wanted to ask you something."

"Kit….I don't really feel like having a conversation about magic at this-"

"Not that!" Ethan blurted out before scratching his arm and looking away from the tom. The boy took a deep breath and muttered something barely audible.

"What?!"

"I said….can you….do me a favor?" Ethan repeated, scratching his arm and swallowing his pride. "Look….I know you don't owe me anything but….I just wanted to ask if you could do something for me today…..maybe for a while….."

Jake blinked, feeling Deja Vu and looking at the kid struggling to say what he wanted. He sighed and tapped his claws on the kitchen counter, "Depends….on what it is."

Ethan nodded and looked into Jake's eyes. "Can you watch over Chance?"

Jake was taken aback, expecting other requests but that. He tried processing what he had just heard and ensuring he heard right. However, the boy asked what Jake thought he had heard, which infuriated Jake. He let out a snarl and approached the boy with the boiling heat of a volcano.

"Are you joking? Why the hell would I do that?!" Jake spat, "Did you forget what I told you!"

"I know…" Ethan said, backing away a bit, "I just…."

"Just what?!"

"I….don't want him to get hurt," Ethan meekly said, putting his head down. "He's….a good friend."

Jake was still gritting his teeth, but it slowly began to dissipate when seeing the boy's demeanor. He felt conflicted and was refusing to believe what he had just heard. When they were Swat Kats - Chance and Jake had nobody when they returned to their hideout, constantly alone and bitter against the world – still remaining somewhat friends despite the situation until their defeat which was the final nail in the coffin. 'They were loners now!' he thought, but seeing the child before him reminded him of the new reality. Chance had someone waiting for him back home, who had gotten chummier and more friendly with him. Of course, Chance was also getting close to the doctor. Evelyn seems to have accepted the tabby like an annoying friend.

Jake…was alone.

The orange kat bit his lip and cursed his awkwardness with kats. He would lean on Chance when meeting new kats when they became best friends in the academy and was jealous of the tabby's confidence with anyone. Jake had smarts but was a bit introverted and struggled to make new friends, preferring to deal with machines than other kats.

"I know….." Ethan said, getting Jake's attention back, "I know…me and you have our issues with each other…..but please, I beg you to watch over him. I've never been good at making friends….. always been picked up by somebody or the situation leading them to deal with me."

Jake stayed silent, but it did hit him hearing Ethan's words. He closed his eyes and sighed, returning to the coffee machine before stopping. Jake looked at the machine blankly before putting enough water and coffee for them. He turned on the device and put his hands on the kitchen counter.

"I won't promise anything…but I'll see what I can do," Jake said.

Ethan looked up, appearing surprised but smiling at the kat. "Thank you!"

"Again, not promising anything," Jake reminded, watching the coffee coming out and into the coffee pot.

Ethan ignored him, grabbing two cups and placing them near Jake. He leaned to look at the kat, who scowled at him and looked away.

"Hey…stay safe out there as well," Ethan laughed at the kat's action, "Or who's going to teach me things?"

Jake snorted, "Please….I have no intention of dying. Speaking of which…..the month ends soon, and I'll be testing you out! I will kill you if you are still scoring low….Ethan."

Ethan groaned but nodded his head.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Jake reopened his eyes and tried peeking at his pilot, only to be able to see the side of him. Jake wondered something before clenching his knees and forcing himself to talk.

"T-Bone, I need to start testing things out," Jake said, only getting a grunt from Chance. Jake fought the urge to yell, "I want to ensure we are ready for whatever comes our way. I want to go home alive and would prefer we not cause each other's deaths due to a lack of communication. Unless….."

Chance's ears flicked, focusing more on what Jake had to say and slightly turning his head to face him.

"Unless what?" Chance challenged, expecting a threat from the smaller tom.

"What good are you to Ethan if you are dead," Jake reminded, staring the tabby back with the same hostility. He expected Chance to argue or yell at him but was surprised when seeing the tabby eyes widen before looking away. Jake waited as Chance was thinking to himself.

Chance leaned back against his seat, looking at the open space around him. It was a long since he had flown, and he thought his piloting days were over. Chance finally returned to the skies and wanted to savor it every second. However, Jake's words reminded him he had someone to look after back at base. Evelyn was there for Ethan, but she could not do it alone and would need assistance if Jason, or anyone, ever tried anything.

Jake was about to say something until Chance lowered the jet and approached the training area. He was lost for words but kept his thoughts to himself and reviewed his weapons.

"You better cover us when things heat up," Chance spoke up, slowing down the jet to a more appropriate speed and starting their run in the canyon course. He sighed, shaking his head and staying vigilant as Jake's targets would shoot live ammunition at them. "Hope that aim hasn't gone down the gutter after all these years."

"Shut it. Just keep us steady and don't hit anything. All systems ready," Jake growled, seeing his first targets appear, a couple of mini-tanks shooting missiles at them. "Deploying Cluster Bombs."

A missile with a large head heads to the incoming missiles, exploding and creating a debris shield that effectively stops all the rockets. Jake quickly dispatches his new Laser Machine Turret, appearing below the Turbo Kat and shooting beams of energy toward the tanks. A few quick blue lights quickly destroy the pesky tanks.

"Bingo!" Jake said, clenching a fist before scanning for the other targets, "Keep us steady and moving, T-Bone. More bogies are incoming from both directions."

"Roger, Razor," T-Bone said, focusing on his surroundings and seeing the new targets approaching them.


It was just another typical day for a security guard at Megakat Towers, waiting for his shift to be over so he could go home and sleep. The tom was praying for the higher gods for nothing to occur today, wishing to end the shift without incidents and not be in the middle of some bullshit attack. He and his fellow co-workers only watch the lobby since the companies above hire private security for their floors. However, this security team on the first floor has made bets on who would deal with the following 'incident' with the omegas or criminals.

"Just a couple of minutes," the guard mused, leaning against his chair and eyeing the parking lot cameras to see his co-worker coming in. He smiled as soon as the guard stepped inside, waving at each other and ready to swap out.

Suddenly, a massive explosion was heard above, and both kats jumped, realizing today was not their day. They ducked to whatever cover they could find and waited for anything else. Nothing else occurred, only the sound of debris landing outside.

The initial guard gathered the strength to check outside and see the damage. The top of the tower exploded, and only a fiery mess was left. A red jet was hovering near the destruction before swapping to propulsion mode, speeding away and heading towards its new target.

"Thank the higher gods for those kats above barely come to that office space," the security guard mused, keeping his eyes on the destruction above, and he looked down to see his co-worker approaching. He gave a weak smile and raised his paws to lighten the mood, "So…..who pays for the drinks this time? Technically, it's the one who calls the Enforcers, and…..my shift has ended!"


Inside the red jet, called the Cyclone, a similar jet to the Swat Kat's Turbo Kat but with Dark Kat's modifications. The Sky Twins headed towards their next target – Megakat Refinery. They had a list of targets they could hit, but the real challenge was when the Enforcers arrived and started attempting to stop them. Ryder was the pilot, and River was the gunner. Both were wearing flight suits and helmets with Dark Kat's logo. The plan was to cause as much destruction and confusion as possible until Dark Kat called them to leave.

"Let's try to keep the civilian casualty to a minimum," Ryder said, smiling and looking at his brother, "Let's give the Enforcers a real challenge! What do you say?"

"Fuc' yeah! Ah, don' ta worry! I gotta us cover! Easy monay!" River shouted, giving his brother a thumbs up before focusing his attention on his radar like a hawk and switching his demeanor. He zoned in and would quickly switch to the Enforcer broadcast for any updates.

Ryder nodded and focused on his duties, whistling at how the Cyclone was unlike any jet he had flown. He mused and understood why the Enforcers struggled to fight the Turbo Kat. It was advanced tech-wise, and never feared to go with unconventional jet construction methods, constantly pushing for peak performance. Dark Kat has stolen the old blueprints and created other jets. However, the jets need strong teams that trust each other or those crazy enough to move it to the limit.


Ethan yawned as he assisted another investigation for his last day, a case of a murdered kat, the victim of envious business partners. Ethan had been given the victim's fur and would reverse the image from where the body was discovered, which led them to a somewhat lonely industrial area. His eyes drifted to his partner working with other detectives and giving his viewpoint of the case.

Thanks to Ethan's new development with Shadow Resonance, they can now somewhat retrace anyone's step and switch to a more precise picture when needed. However, it was straining to be changing, release, and rechanging the attributes of what they wanted to see. Ethan would take more breaks and eat bars to regain his energy.

Ethan pulled out a notebook and started to write things out, which Jake had reminded him to do when testing things out. From his notes and Jake's theories, Shadow Resonance would still drain him at the lowest output but in a slower manner. It was like changing from sprinting to walking, costing less mana and lowering the risk of straining the boy. Ethan understood that he could run this setting for forty minutes. Of course, following the shadows speeding away was challenging as the blob was sometimes difficult to see. If it was a jet or something with that kind of speed…it would be impossible for Ethan to keep up, and it would break away from his area of investigation – effectively cutting off the connection and forcing Ethan to reuse his ability again.

Ethan groaned, recalling the captured twins and the excited taxi driver who was initially confused but thrilled to be told 'to follow someone' like in the movies. Only it was a shadow they were following in reverse. The boy thanked the kidnappers for not speeding around the city when heading to the capture point, taking a calm drive, and only speeding up on the highways. It was a challenge, but Ethan managed to reach his destination with a few interruptions.

"Yep….still mad at me," Ethan muttered when seeing a few kats give him a look. The partnership was there, but Ethan felt their annoyance with him when he returned the next day after the twin rescue. They were on high alert and would make sure the kid did not pull anything again.

Ethan stood up and wondered if anything was interesting around the corner, only to hear a whistle behind him and look back to see Winston. The mix snapped his fingers and indicated the boy return to the area, shaking his head and pointing for the kid to sit down. Ethan groaned, returning to where he was and giving his best-annoyed look at the adults watching him. Of course, Ethan put both his middle fingers up and showed them how he felt.

Winston sighed, putting his hand on his head as he heard the adults growl at the brat. He excused himself and headed towards Ethan, sitting beside him and watching the boy ignored him. Winston scratched his neck, their partnership had turned, and Ethan had gotten defensive.

"Listen….I know you don't like how things have been going with us in the department, but you destroyed the trust between them and you. You can't rebuild it if you constantly challenge them or…throw insults at them," Winston explained, only getting a snort from the kid.

"Please…..they are just mad because they can't control their tool," Ethan spat before looking at the sky above for peace.

"I can see why you would think that but try to see others' perspective. You are not from this world, can summon things from nothing, and…..a child. I can't speak for everyone, but….this whole thing is very conflicting for them for different reasons."

Ethan rolled his eyes and glared at the mix, "And what do you think of me? Probably think of me like a pain in the tail."

Winston laughed, patting the kid's back and smiling, "That's partially true! You are my friend, my partner, and a pain in the tail!"

Ethan froze, looking away from the adult and scratching his head. He looked around before looking at Winston eye's to confirm the adult was telling the truth. Ethan felt his shoulders ease up, and he sighed.

"I'm not going to change for your department or play nice. If I think I can help, then I will do it and not wait for someone to tell me," Ethan said, standing up and taking a few steps before turning, smiling at the mix. "But…I don't mind working with my favorite detective. Like c'mon….what would you do without me!"

Winston groaned, shaking his head, but his tail wagging at the boy's declaration. He was about to say something till his ears perked up, hearing the sound of a jet approaching them. Winston looked up to see it pass him and head toward the refinery a bit away from them. He raised an eyebrow till his eyes widened to see the jet firing missiles at the refinery. Winston quickly stood up and grabbed Ethan to move them against the building's wall, eyeing the jet and watching it fire some more missiles in the area before darting away.

"Holy shit!" Ethan blurted out, seeing the destruction away from them. He tried following the jet with his eyes, flying out in another direction. Ethan returned to look at Winston, that was holding him close to him and eyeing the jet, "What the hell was that?!"

"Nothing good!" Winston growled, reaching for the radio and contacting the tower.


Chance and Jake returned to the Stray's base, parking underground and letting the mechanism turn the jet to face the runway. Everything was operational and ready to go whenever they needed to go out. Both toms jumped to the floor and did not say anything to each other, going separate ways and taking off their mask. Jake prepared to refuel the Turbo Kat, and Chance headed towards the locker to change out.

An alarm blared out, making Chance and Jake's ear perk up and stare at the red light. They were confused until their personal communication device signaled that June was trying to contact them.

"Yes, Garden Mother?" Chance quickly picked up, putting the device close to him.

"T-Bone, are the both of you still finishing your training?" June's voice came on.

"No, we just return to base. What's wrong?"

"You guys are being deployed for your first mission. The city is being terrorized by a jet, and the Enforcers are struggling to take it down."

Chance's eyes widened, and he looked at his gunner with uncertainty as they were about to be sent out on their first official mission as a team for the Strays. Jake was eyeing and approaching the tabby with the same expression.

"Understood. We just need to resupply, and we will head out in a moment," Jake said, shaking his head and looking at the ground.

"Do it quick and be vigilant with this one. Seems like someone created their own Turbo Kat!" June announced, ending the call and making both males' jaw drop.

Both toms growled and clenched their fists, realizing Dark Kat was involved.

"Do you think it's him piloting that jet?" Chance asked, eager to go out and kill that pest.

Jake shook his head, "Doubt it. That piece of shit prefers bigger aircraft and uses others to do the dirty work, so my best guess is that he replicated my designs and decided to replace us with two other kats."

Chance was about to say something before stopping. He was about to say how they were the original and that they would show them who the real kings of the skies were. He scoffed and shook that buddy-buddy attitude, deciding to head towards the nearby missiles and start loading up for their battle.

Jake was the same way, almost saying something along the same lines, shaking his head, and heading back to the jet to refuel.

"I'll keep us moving…..make sure you do your job!" Chance said with a dry tone, picking up two missiles with ease.

"Right back at you!"


It was a raging ariel battle between the Enforcers and the Sky Twins, with the latter quickly having the upper hand and dispatching all choppers and jets approaching them. The city citizens were evacuated from the city center as air vehicles kept falling from the sky and crashing toward nearby buildings. Feral arrived at the scene and was briefed by the Flight Units Captains and Sergeants, setting up a quick base of operation in a building near the fight. The Commander was growling as he watched another chopper be brought down with ease.

Feral shook his head and grabbed the communication device, wanting to determine the motive for this sudden attack. No ransom, no demands, and they remained in the same area, waiting for whatever the Enforcers threw at them. 'What are those kats hoping to accomplish?' Feral thought, seeing his Sergeant Talon give a thumbs up that device was ready.

"This is Feral!" Feral growled, "What's the meaning of this attack, you no good crooks?"

"Ay, who the fuc'?" River responded first over the radio, "Who the helt is thad?"

"Calm yourself, brother, and let me do the talking," another voice said. However, the kat's voice was slightly altered to mask Ryder's actual voice. "Well, if it isn't the Commander himself? I was worried about you when my brother took you down. Glad you managed to land on your feet!"

Feral grimaced, recalling how they shot his chopper's blades, only to be safe by their new safety feature that would create a foam ball to protect the Enforcers from dying. Thanks to the previous menace of the skies, Enforcers had safety measures in case they were ever taken down. Of course, a particular old scientist deserves all the praise as he agreed to help the Enforcers with defensive technology….however, Professor Hackle firmly refused to be involved with anything that was a weapon, much to the Enforcer's disappointment. However, an ally was still an ally for the Enforcers.

"How about you tell me what you want," Feral ordered in his usual tone.

"Woah! Now ease up, Commander," Ryder laughed, "We are just testing this new baby out and seeing how the Enforcers handle a bit of pressure. I gotta say, I expected a bit more bite than this, but it seems like the Enforcers are always a few steps back….no wonder those Swat Kats walked all over you guys."

Feral snarled, slamming his fist on the desk, "Listen here, you bunch of no-good crooks! You better hope on your nine lives that-"

"Ya fuckin' ta loud, ya prick!" River chimed in, now with the filter set up.

"Yep, he is brother…..that he is. Listen, Feral, we can argue back and forth but let's just have a pleasant, civil conversation. I mean, if you are not going to fight us a hundred percent, let's chat. Since that's the only thing you can do," Ryder remarked, Feral almost hearing how smug and confident he sounded.

Feral gripped the speaker, gritting his teeth before eyeing his Captains, who gave him a nod of confirmation that they were ready. He nodded, smiling a bit, looking back at the sky, "So, you want my Enforcers at their best….then let's see how you deal with this."


With the twins, Ryder raised an eyebrow, wondering what the Commander meant by that. He got his answer when getting an alert from inside the Cyclone. Ryder instinctively spun the jet to the side, avoiding the incoming laser shot before hearing other alarms of incoming attacks. In the brief moment with the cockpit facing down, Ryder grinned excitedly, seeing Enforcers turrets appearing in certain buildings. The Enforcers have set up hidden turrets around the city in case of aerial battles like this one.

Ryder whistled, "Alright, I take it back. Maybe you guys have improved a bit, but let's see if you can keep up with us! Ready, bro?"

"Always!" River laughed, looking at the feast before him and readying the weapons.

It was a flash. They dived toward the city, and the gunner began firing back at the turrets aiming and shooting at them with hostility. River quickly engages his turret gun and shreds the Enforcer's equipment like swish cheese. The gunner focuses entirely on his task and switches to missiles to destroy a pair of clustered turrets. Ryder would zoom in between buildings, keeping them tight and blocked with nearby buildings as the Enforcers attempted to shoot them down.

Ryder quickly tilted them up and engaged the thrusters, letting his brother take out the remaining defense with a couple of missiles, blowing them to smithereens. Ryder laughed, giving a thumbs-up to his brother behind him.

"Sky Twins two and Enforcers zero. Got anything else for us, Feral?" Ryder called back, hearing Feral's growl on the other side.

"Seems like someone is having fun! Mind if we cut in?" Chance's voice was heard, making Ryder blink and look around to see an approaching jet…..The Turbo Kat.

"You two?!" Feral growled.

"The Swat Kats?" Ryder questioned, seeing the jet back in the air. His smile wavered a bit, but he was gearing up to go with the famous duo.


Chance grinned as he saw the Cyclone, itching for a proper aerial battle, especially with another version of the Turbo Kat.

"I thought you guys were done for," Ryder's voice popped on their radio. "Guess that info is a bit outdated. So what brings you guys back from retirement?"

"Oh, you know, nice beaches and a couple of martinis don't compare to this," Jake retorted, aiming at the other jet. He clicked on a simple rocket and launched it, which darted toward the Cyclone.

"Ay, thin' again," River chimed in, effectively launching countermeasures via a rocket throwing a wall of shrapnel, blowing the heat-seeking missile. River shot his missiles toward them. Two missiles came towards the Turbo Kat, quickly peeling out and becoming mini-missiles, "Don't ya look don at us!"

"Nice shot, sure shot," Chance mocked, engaging the thrusters and quickly spinning to the side, avoiding the incoming mini-missile. He gritted his teeth and moved them out of harm's way while keeping an eye on the jet. "Next time, aim with your eyes!"

"Choke on a hairball! Just keep us steady, you big oaf!" Jake snapped, thinking about how to approach this new nemesis.

"Sure, let me stand still and wait until we get blown up. Genius!"

"Want to shoot?"

"Want to fly?"

"They sound a bit rough with each other, don't they, brother?" Ryder called out, laughing playfully and moving the Cyclone around the Turbo Kat.

"Ay brother, dey soun' like a angry coupal!" River mocked.

"Fuck off!" Chance and Jake said in unison before cutting off the communication.

Chance chased the Cyclone, with Ryder taking them to the skies above. Chance would chase after them and quickly evade any incoming projectile. It was a tight chase, each shooting at the other and avoiding incoming attacks. They would weave left, right, up, and down and try to get the upper hand on each other. Chance is the better pilot, and Jake is the better shot. However, they were dealing with all their countermeasures and the Turbo Kat's speed. It was like they were fighting their twins again but with new gear. However, they hid that terrible memory and focused on winning this one.

Chance sighed, biting his lip and attempting to communicate with his gunner. "Any bright ideas, scuzzball?"

Jake scoffed, looking at the jet they were chasing, "I've built countless countermeasures and drafted ideas in case of what-if scenarios…..looks like Dark Crud modified some of my thoughts. That asshole…..actually…this whole thing has bothered me from the beginning."

"Whatcha mean?" Chance asked, slightly turning his head and seeing a bit of Jake.

"Think stupid. These kats aren't stealing anything, and from where I'm sitting, they were just keeping the Enforcers in this one area…..So the question is, why?"

"Hmmm….not that you mention it," Chance paused, watching the Cyclone more closely, "They aren't really engaging with us…..more like an annoying fly that responds when you try to hit it. Almost like…"

"A distraction," Jake growled, switching his channel to the communication line, "Garden Mother, do you copy?"

"Go ahead, Razor," June's voice was heard.

"We have reason to suspect Dark Kat is involved, this is purely a distraction, and he is probably trying to steal something somewhere."


June's expression was blank, her ear flicking at the mention of the name and her eye staring at the ground. She just made it to the scene with Mike and was going to Feral's current location. Mike opened the door for her, and they went inside towards the group.

"Understood. I'll mobilize our two kats on the ground. However, you two need to remain there and take down that jet," June coldly said.

"If I may, this is a waste of our time. Better for us to go look for him!" Chance growled.

June eyed the battle outside, "Negative. While this might be a distraction, these kats have already caused enough damage to the city and need to be taken down. If you want to join the search for Dark Kat, take that jet down…..is that understood?"

June could hear a snarl and grumble from the pair.

"Understood," Chance replied before ending the communication.

June turned her attention to Feral's group, who were listening to the call, and she raised an eyebrow.

"While my kats are dealing with this jet, let's keep our ears up for any distress calls…..Ulysses, let's find this psychopath."

Feral was about to argue something, but when looking at June, he did not see that usual façade but her stone-cold look. She seemed tense and gripped her gloves tightly as if imagining crushing a certain kat's windpipe. Plus…..she used his first name.

"Fine. Captains! Disengage and redeploy our kats to other sectors. If I know that kat, his target is anything with weapons of mass destruction."


In one of Puma-Dyne's many facilities around the city, focusing on their testing site in the desert. A couple of kats were at the facility, going about their day and doing their jobs. Puma-Dyne has developed many technological advancements, from mobile weapons like the Macro-Bots to precise lasers to prevent earthquakes. Whether their technology would be used to rebuild or destroy depended on who had the trigger. Currently, they are housing a new device that can precisely shoot things from their unmanned satellite, the Eyes of God, they called it. It was supposed to be used for decimating creatures or dangerous kats from a safe distance, whether from a small lighting laser shot to a devasting one that can create a mini crater.

Eyes of God was still in its early stages but operational. The final plan was to implement many of these tools on their moon in case another alien attack occurred. All that was needed was the massive case to control it, which was securely sealed off and completely guarded. Of course, it would deter any common criminal except a certain few.

One guard was doing his rounds inside when his eyes drifted to the window, seeing a Doomsday Fortress approaching the area. The guard gasped when it fired missiles toward him, and he ducked. He barely managed to survive but was pinned down by the debris. He coughed and pulled out his alert button, clicking it, before succumbing to his injuries.


Tina and Jason rode on Thunder-Truck in the desert, with Jason on the gun and Tina driving them around. Tina kept an eye on the distress radar, waiting for something to pop off till she saw an alert. Tina grinned and poked her head out to see her partner.

"Look who was right!" Tina shouted with the wind brushing her hair, "Guess lunch is on you today!"

Jason rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Whatever, just keep your eyes on the road and keep us moving. Let's give that shithead a warm welcome!"

"Roger, Atom!" Tina laughed, tapping the truck's roof before focusing on the road.

The Thunder-Truck roared as she engaged the thrusters, speeding towards the direction of the alert and making good time.


In a temporary shelter, Winston and Ethan arrived, greeted by the sight of injured Enforcers and some civilian stragglers that refused to evacuate the area. Winston patted Ethan's shoulder before heading in and assisting the disabled in any capacity. The boy noticed Benson was also here, helping with aiding the citizens as best he could. Ethan stood by the door, unsure of what to do, watching the scene before him.

There were no fatalities but wounds that needed to be addressed.

"Ethan!" a voice called out, making the boy turn to see a masked individual, Evelyn.

"Grim?" Ethan said, seeing the doctor kneel and brush his head with her paws.

"You are not injured, right?" Evelyn asked, inspecting the boy and sighing in relief. She hugged Ethan, glad one of her worries of today was addressed. She pulled back and saw Ethan's shy look, "Where's your mask?"

"Kind of left it somewhere when the attack happened," Ethan sheepishly said, "Oops?"

"Don't worry about it, just stick close to me and…." Evelyn paused, seeing the boy looking back at the door.

"I wish I could help," Ethan said, briefly seeing the Turbo Kat distance away.

Evelyn's ear flattened, smiling at the boy's worried look and putting her paws on his shoulder. He pulled the boy's face back to her and put it under his chin.

"I know it's not easy to stand by and wait for things to end on the sidelines. However, we can help in this situation in different ways…." Evelyn said, signaling with her head towards the injured kats, "Starting by caring for those needing help. Can you back me up?"

Ethan smiled, nodding and being led by the doctor to those in need. His face turns again at the door momentarily before returning to the kats nearby.


The Turbo Kat roared among the skies, following the Cyclone as they were now tightly flying between buildings. The nearby building's window shook as they were assaulted by both jets as they passed, and the echoing sound could be heard below.

"Razor, how about you do something already," Chance snarled, keeping up with the pursuit and shifting them to a tight turn on another street. "Don't tell me this is the best you can do?"

"Shut it, dumbass. We don't want to waste all our ammo! Dark Kat is still out there, and I can't think with all your yapping," Jake muttered before thinking about something, "Disengage, for now, T-Bone, and get around them to face them. We are going face them head-on."

"What's the plan?"

"We can't do this with usual tactics….we need to surprise them! I will pop open the canopy and shoot out a Flash Kat! Better engage your visors for protection when I do it."

Chance was about to argue but shook his head and did as he was told. Quickly engaging the thrusters and speeding in front of the Cyclone some distance before spinning around and facing them. "This better work! Or I'll kill you!"

"Hey now, getting a bit desperate, I see!" Ryder called out.

"Just playing a bit of chicken. Let's see who blinks first," Chance retorted over the intercom, zooming towards the other jet.

The Cyclone and Turbo Kat were heading toward each other, almost a quarter of a mile from hitting. Ryder decided to drift upwards to avoid the collision while Chance kept going.

Jake quickly opened the canopy, aimed his glovatrix up, and shot out a small missile upwards before they passed each other. The rocket was now in front of the Cyclone before quickly exploding, covering the whole area in bright sunlight. It was so bright that the entire area was lit as if an atomic bomb had gone off.

"Son of a bitch!" Ryder growled, pulling up towards the sky.

Jake wasted no time and engaged the laser turret, aiming and quickly shooting a beam of light toward the Cyclone's right wing. It was a hit, damaging the wing, and a few of the shrapnel hit the canopy, effectively causing it to spiral towards the nearby bay. The jet crashed towards the water, finally stopping the Sky Twins.

"Bingo!" Jake raised his fist.

Chance was also about to celebrate but held his excitement, shifted gears, and flew towards the Puma-Dyne facility at higher speeds. They would reach their destination soon, wanting to stop Dark Kat and kill him. His head slightly turned to look at his co-pilot, thinking about something before focusing on the front.

"Nice shot, Razor," Chance managed to say, almost in a whisper.

Jake heard him, ears flicking and slightly frowning. He was about to snap at the pilot but held his tongue. Jake tried to focus on their current ammo and inspect the Turbo Kat's performance. However, his eyes did glance to the side to see if he could see the big pilot.

"Nice flying, T-Bone," Jake muttered.

Chance tilted his head, hearing that, and nodded.

"Let's go get Dark Kat. I want to bury that kat six feet under!"

"I can agree with you on that! Let's end him!"

Chance gripped the controls and eyed what was before him with a clear goal.


Ryder gasped when resurfacing back from the water. He managed to eject him and his brother while beneath, only to somewhat reach the surface and force him to swim upwards for the rest of the way. His usual demeanor was gone, as he would have been laughing with his brother at their loss. However, he was panicking and dragging something toward a nearby pipe.

When reaching the pipe, his eyes darted to ensure nobody saw him and his unconscious brother entering the sewers. The sound of approaching Enforcer's sirens could be heard, and they were closing in fast. He moved them inside, and fireman carried his brother deeper inside. Ryder glanced at his brother, who was wearing a mini oxygen mask and had a piece of shrapnel at his side.

"Don't die on me, River!" Ryder cried, hurrying deeper inside and gripping his brother's arm, "Please stay strong!"


Back at the refugee camp, Ethan was assisting Evelyn as best he could, summoning portals that contained medical gear. Evelyn was thankful she had told the boy to store some equipment in case of emergency. Ethan served as solid support and summoned things when needed, acting like the medical Enforcers go to point for resources.

However, kats and Enforcers would give Ethan odd looks ranging from fear to pure hostility when approaching them, with one citizen growling for the boy to stay back and not touch him. Evelyn, Winston, and Benson would snap at anyone that would give the boy grief. Ethan was thankful for the trio having his back but started understanding why they wanted him to wear a mask. Ethan felt like a bunch of Jasons was staring at him, and he wondered what happened to them to earn this hostility.

Ethan was done assisting for now and was taking a break nearby some benches. He was lost and had his knees close to his face as he wondered about things. He was getting attention, but the kind that drowns people about their image. Ethan looked at a mirror nearby, saw his image, and inspected himself, thinking about how these kats saw him….a freak. No fur covering his body, ears to the side instead on top, and nose unlike them.

The boy jumped off the bench with a heavy sigh and walked around for solace. He put his hands in his pockets and kept his head down, wondering how long until he could go home. Ethan was nearing the exit when something caught his ears.

"Those Swat Kats took down the jet. We are sending any available Enforcer to look for those fallen kats. We assume they entered the sewers, so grab your best boot and let's go!" a sergeant said on the other side of the door and firm confirmation from the small squad.

Ethan peeked out to see the leaving Enforcers heading towards the bay area to start their search. He looked back towards where the trio were still working and was about to say something till he saw a kat give him a nasty look. Ethan grimaced, wanting to show them he was not a threat but was there to help.

"Help, huh?" Ethan whispered, glancing back at his team before the first step outside, "Better than doing nothing."

To Be Continued…..


AN: Using the WayBackMachine website, the link to the old version of this story will be in my profile, in case anyone is interested! Until next time!