MISSION 13

The Lonely Roads


Ethan yawned, tired after enjoying a day out with Chance, bobbing his head back and forth as he attempted to stay up. He rubbed his eyes as he felt Chance's paw on his shoulder, seeing the tabby signaling him for them to go, also yawning as they had been enjoying the day in the mall. After the movie, they separated from Jason and Mike, keeping themselves entertained and eating food court food while talking about things. Unlike before, Chance and Ethan had gotten more comfortable talking about their lives, but specific topics were still taboo for them to talk about. Ethan would avoid talking about his biological parents, while Chance would tense up when discussing his Swat Kat years and Jake.

"So…let me get this straight," Ethan said, walking beside Chance with his arms behind him. "Feral billed you and Jake because you destroyed the new Enforcer building? But you guys were pursuing Dark Kat, and it sounds like you guys had him if he did not butt in. I'm so confused….this does not sound like Feral."

"Believe it, kit. It's not so strange since many Enforcers want the glory for themselves, and it would have been a great achievement for the one that brought Dark Kat down," Chance grumbled, shaking his head and waiving his hand at the sky. "It's a mess….. the politics, the bullshit, and the backstabbing assholes. As long as you perform great feats, the more of a shield you have, but the moment you make one huge fuck up….it's all over."

"That's…kind of deflating," Ethan said, seeing the night sky above them as they went up the transparent elevator and some stores closed. "But…not everyone is like that…right?"

Chance was about to say something but stopped and thought about it. He and Jake were lucky with their careers early on, achieving so much quickly and taking risks despite their superiors warning them to stop. He already made a mental list of Enforcers to avoid based on things he had heard or passed by while an Enforcer.

Chance glanced at Ethan, who was looking around until he looked at him, giving a grin and not yet experiencing the horrible side of the Enforcers. The tabby's heart tugged, hoping Ethan would never go through that and keep smiling as he kept doing missions with the Enforcers.

"It depends…maybe some aren't bad like Winston, but that's a hard maybe," Chance said, recalling using a free day to meet up with the mix. He really needed a drinking buddy and hoped the mix was sincere. "Just…..keep an eye out for any red flags and let me know if anything happens….you hear?"

Ethan blinked, nodding and seeing his guardian look away as he exited the elevator. They stayed quiet as they made their way through the lot and found the tow truck quickly in the somewhat empty lot. Chance started the engine and waited for Ethan to secure himself before putting it in drive and heading down the lower levels till finally leaving the parking lot. It was nighttime, and heading to the eleventh hour as they drove around the lonely streets with a few passing cars.

The only sound was the engine as they kept going, with Chance solemnly looking at the road and Ethan trying hard to stay awake. Ethan shook his head, reached toward the truck's radio, and heard a couple of laughs, making him stay on the first channel.

"Let's see here….Dear David, you stink! Well, my dear writer, how about you stop trying to smell me until I get off the shower. Or better yet, let me get all nice and pretty next time for our next date. I swear I'll smell like flowers, my little bumble bee," David Litterbin said, getting a laugh from the crowd.

Ethan listened on, hearing a groan from Chance and looking to see his guardian.

"Not a fan?" Ethan said.

"I prefer to watch Scaredy Kat," Chance said, turning the radio to something else and finding some instrumental rock music. "Plus…..you know what, never mind."

"It reminds you of Jake," Ethan said, getting a glare from Chance. Knowing this was dangerous territory, he winced but wanted to talk about it, taking a moment before continuing and looking out the window. "I sometimes watch it with him when studying…..he really loves this show. Though sometimes the jokes fly over my head, if I'm honest. But….. it's nice to see him laugh, unlike most of the time."

Chance's face softened, taking a long sigh as he watched the lonely road and saw a sign that said construction was in progress. He cursed and went a different route, tapping his thumb on the wheel and semi-paying attention as he kept them going. He glanced at Ethan and started to open his mouth till he stopped, looking away and rethinking.

"How….." Chance began, rubbing his mouth and shaking his head, "How's he doing?"

Ethan looked back at Chance with a surprised look before smiling.

"He's doing okay…..you guys should really talk," Ethan said.

"It's…..not that simple kit. We went through hell. The same kats we were before are gone, and all that remains is….." Chance trailed off, thinking about the past and how they used to be together. Chance swallowed the new reality and let out a heavy breath. "It's sad, really…how things are going great one day, and then it all crumbles to shit."

Ethan frowned, staying quiet and nodding his head in agreement.

"We…..…we were more than friends….we were brothers! We were so different, but we just clicked and helped each other with what we lacked. I had his back, and he had mine…..we would be there for each other no matter what, but….."

Chance wished he could avoid it, but the flood of that fateful day was rearing back to his memory…..


Chance panicked as he struggled to attempt to swim, but he had no experience in swimming and had never practiced after a lousy experience and fear of the water. He cursed himself for not learning, but his worries were beating his thinking as he was surrounded by darkness. The light above him was getting farther away, sinking like the Turbo Kat beneath him. Chance saw Jake swimming up, wishing he could yell out for his friend to save him, but he could not.

'At least…he's okay,' Chance thought, calming down and wondering if this was the end of him. He laughed, thinking how shitty things had turned out today and wondering if Callie was cursing the pair for failing Dark Kat's plan. He could already picture the headlines and how the menace T-Bone died drowning in the bay. Citizens would cheer and celebrate his death, thankful an omega was defeated. He and Jake have been getting on each other's throats lately, so no one would miss him after he was gone. He clenched his fist and shut his eyes, accepting his new reality and wishing things were different. Chance stopped fighting, wanting to die and finally rest after such a long struggle. He felt like he was fading and accepted death with open arms.

Chance was unsure what happened next, only to see pitch darkness until he felt the water exiting his lungs and pressure on his chest. His eyes widened, and he coughed out the water as he shivered from the cold waters and felt drenched. Chance shivered momentarily, weakly getting off his side and sitting up to see Jake looking away. The tabby noticed that Jake had used the glovatrix new propeller feature for swimming them up. However, Chance's eyes widen when catching Jake's left arm, almost torn off and with a tourniquet placed by the smaller tom.

"Razor, let me…." Chance attempted to reach for his friend.

"BACK OFF!" Jake growled, eyeing Chance while using his other hand and teeth to tighten the tourniquet. He yelled and gritted his teeth as the pain got to him, quickly grabbing his first aid from his belt and stabbing himself with an injection. He relaxed, but his eyes hardened as he looked at his partner. "You stupid oaf…..we could have avoided this if you didn't go chase our copy kats! Every time…without fucking fail…..you open your mouth or do things….and I get fucked over."

Chance's worry flew out the window, getting furious and snarling at the tom but flinching when feeling the cut on his head. He touched it and felt the gash, making him grumble in annoyance as he kept looking at Jake. This was the norm now. They would argue, separate from each other, come back, joke about it, return to normal, and rinse and repeat.

"Shut up…..you weren't complaining about it and were all for it!" Chance spat, feeling weak and unable to move.

"Because I was stupid enough to believe in you," Jake snapped back, too weak to do much anymore, especially with a damaged hand. "Typical. I should not have trusted you…now I'm losing a fucking arm because of it!"

"Oh, it's my fault!? Seen them….I wished you had kept your mouth shut when Dark Kat approached us. You are the fucking reason we are in this mess!" Chance growled, looking away and grunting as he felt his injuries.

"Who snapped at Feral? We could have kept our jobs and wouldn't be stuck with a bill if you didn't open your mouth!" Jake growled, gripping his arm and leaning against a beam.

There was complete silence between the two with the sound of approaching Enforcer cars approaching the bay. It would have been pointless for them to run in their condition, and they slowly accepted that this was the end of the road.

For one tom, it was the end of something else as he stared at the tabby with hostility.

"You and me…are done," Jake said.

"What?" Chance said, lifting an eyebrow and scoffing at the other tom. "Sure….whatever."

"I'm being serious," Jake said coldly, making Chance relook at him.

Both stared at each other, with Chance trying to read his friend, attempting to see a crack. The tabby saw none, and Jake's eye showed no hint of regret, just pure hatred and utter disgust for him. Chance stared at the ground for a moment before eyeing Jake with the same hostile eyes.

"So why did you save me?" Chance said.

"If I'm going to jail….then I want you to suffer with me."

"Is that so…..how kind of you."

"Don't bother or come to me while in jail. You are on your own from this point forward. I want nothing to do with you."

"Same here…..don't expect me to help you."

Both toms stayed quiet, looking away from each other and waiting for the Enforcers to pick them up.


Chance stayed quiet, gripping the wheel tighter and wishing those brothers were still alive as they were in Enforcer days. It was an internal battle, one side wanted things to get back together, and the other part wanted to kill Jake….feeling like he was the reason for all of this.

Ethan frowned, wishing he could say something to put Chance at ease, but nothing came out, and he stayed silent. He looked ahead for something only to see a decent newsstand some distance away. He weakly smiled and wondered if it was enough to distract the tabby.

"Hey….let's check that out!" Ethan said, glancing at the tabby that barely registered what he said and automatically shifted the truck to the side to park. The boy winced but hopped out of the car, hoping to find something to get the tabby back up.

Ethan noticed the stand had comics, making the boy grab one that read 'Rockat' and begin reading it. He laughed, wondering if Chance would like this one, only to see a paw swiping it from him. Ethan flinched, looking up to see a very annoyed old greyish kat with a green hat and glasses.

"This isn't a library kit. Either buy em' or scram," the older kat said, putting his paw out for Ethan to pay.

"How about an I owe u?" Ethan said, getting a sigh from the older kat. Ethan glanced up to see the stand name 'Pops Newstand' and looked down at the Pops. "Listen….uh, Pops? Right? I'm trying to see if you have the latest Kat Kommando issue….my dad loves them, and I want to cheer him up."

"Of course I do. Your dad?" Pops said, raising an eyebrow before looking behind Ethan towards the truck, noticing Chance still sitting in the driver's seat and appearing elsewhere. Pops gasped, shifting his glasses to make sure he was seeing right till he was so sure it was Chance. He then looked at Ethan again, re-examining the boy and putting his paw in his mouth as if he saw a ghost.

Ethan was alarmed by the sudden change in tone, seeing Pops exit his stand from the side and come towards him. He was so confused when Pops smiled at him and put both paws on his shoulder, sensing the older kat's sadness and happiness when looking at him.

"What's your name, son?" Pops said.

"Uh….Ethan?" Ethan said, trying hard to process everything.

"If you'll excuse me for just a bit," Pops said, messing with Ethan's hair before frowning and reaching a baseball bat over the counter. He then approached the truck with hostility, appearing ready to beat Chance.

Ethan finally escaped his confusion and blocked Pops from approaching the driver's side.

"Woah! Hold up!" Ethan said, glancing towards Chance, who finally noticed him and Pops in front of the truck.

Chance blinked, and his mouth dropped when seeing Pops and finally looked around to notice he was in his old neighborhood. He froze when seeing the angry Pops, wishing to grab Ethan and book it. Chance released a heavy breath, opened his door, and cautiously took the first step outside.

"Well, if it isn't Chance Furlong….so what should I hit ya for…getting arrested, not letting me know you had a kit, or that your kit was growing up while you were in jail," Pops growled, waiving his bat but not been able to get around Ethan.

"Cool it, you old kat!" Ethan said, swiping the bat away from Pops and eyeing the adults. "You know him? Chan…Dad?"

Chance groaned, wishing he had paid attention to where he was going. He went to the front of the truck and stopped near Pops, who crossed his arm and tapped his foot as he waited for him to say something.

"Hey Pops…..it's been a while," Chance said, getting a huff from the older kat. He grabbed the bat and handed it to the older kat, ignoring Pop's stare as he took it, "Look….we're just going to-"

"As much as I want to tear you a new one for many reasons…..I'm happy you are out of prison," Pops said, frowning and putting the bat down. He sighed and looked at Ethan again, "How old is he?"

"Thirteen and some months," Chance said, getting a sharp glare from Pops. Chance scratched his neck and, thinking of a good excuse, "It's a long story…..look, it's getting late….the kit's mother is-"

"I don't see a ring or bracelet….so, are ya not married?" Pops said, disapprovingly hitting his head and groaning as worries increased. "By the higher gods, do you at least take the boy to church?"

"Church?" Ethan blurted out with a snort but regretted it as Pops groaned again, and Chance glared at him to shut up.

"Your mother above is going to shout at me! I can already see her waiting for me to croak and chew me out," Pops grumbled, putting his paws out to pray. "Please, o' great Ernas of Life, defend me when my time comes from the anger of Freya."

"I've been meaning to ask…how many gods do you guys pray to?" Ethan whispered to Chance, expecting one or so.

"It's a lot and too many to count, with Ernas and Yara, goddess of Luck, being the most popular here. However, other gods exist for other things, like the god of harvest, fertility, death, etcetera. But forget that! Just stay quiet and let me do all the talking," Chance whispered back, seeing Pops take a moment before looking back at them.

"This is a lot to process….." Pops grumbled, looking at his arm watch and seeing the time. "It's getting late for sure…..I expect to see you again soon and bring Freya's grandchild with you. Hold on!"

Pops pulled out a pen and ripped a newspaper, writing his number down for both toms and waiting for Chance to give him his. Chance sighed, writing his communication device's personal number, hoping June would not get annoyed or Pops to call him when in a meeting. Pops smiled at the boy and said Ethan could call him anytime for advice. On the other hand, Pops sternly told Chance that he would like to talk to him soon and understand what was going on.

"…..I just want to make sure you're doing okay….alright?" Pops said to Chance, watching Ethan hop in the passenger seat. He waved at Ethan and glanced back at Chance, "I see a bit of Freya in him. Please let me get to know him…so don't cut me off again."

"I…..yeah…I won't," Chance said, heading towards the truck's driver's side. Before opening the door, Chance looked at Pops again, thinking, "I'll come to visit soon….just this new job is a bit strict on me. I'm glad you're still doing okay."

"I see….but you keeping your nose clean?" Pops said, shifting his glasses and cleaning them a bit.

"Of course," Chance said, making the older tom stare at him to confirm he was telling the truth. Pops nodded at him, and Chance hopped in the truck.

Chance started the truck again, waving at Pops as he left. Ethan would glance back to Pops until they were a distance away. Both stayed silent until Ethan felt it was long enough.

"So…..I thought you said you had no family other than your mom?" Ethan questioned, getting a grunt from the tabby. He could see Chance was avoiding his gaze, and he sighed. "He seemed concerned about you…..is he like your dad?"

"He's not…no…..that's not fair to him. He is the closest thing to one for me. He was a family friend who took me in when my ma died. Look… let's not talk about this-"

"C'mon, Chance, compared to most dads, he seemed pretty alright apart from the bat," Ethan chuckled, "What's the big deal? Let's go visit him and-"

"Stop talking and think for once," Chance snapped harshly, making Ethan flinch and stop."I didn't want to see him. His prison visit was the worst I've ever felt, and I've avoided him since then. He's better off without me reminding him of how much of a fucking failure I am…..CRUD! I meet him again, and I lie to him so easily…..I don't have a kit!"

Ethan felt something in his heart pull, making Ethan feel like a bandaid was harshly pulled on him. He was thankful he was getting better at hiding his emotions, or his kat ears would fail him. Ethan stayed quiet as he watched the tabby angrily grip the wheel and look at the road ahead. Something felt stuck in his throat, but he pushed it down and let the tabby vent his frustrations in peace.

The pair were silent for the rest of the ride home.


A red kitten yawned as he opened to bright light, hissing as he expected darkness. He grumbled something, sitting upright, surprised to see he was in a hospital room. His eyes widened briefly, and he darted around until he spotted his father and Enforcer nearby. The kitten would have jumped off the bed until he realized he was strapped on it, making him gasp and whimper as things got too much.

"Dad, what's going on?" the kitten screamed, seeing the Enforcer approach him and his father cautiously standing behind him, covered in bandages and trying to hide his fear. "Dad?"

"Hey there, son," the Enforcer said, grabbing the seat nearby and sitting near the kit. He glanced back at the father and frowned, returning to the kit. "I know this is all confusing….but I need you to remember last night…..what's the last thing you remember?"

The kitten raised an eyebrow, but it hit him that he did not remember last night or anything apart from attending class one day. The boy's mouth dropped, thinking he should still be at the school, and exams were a few days away.

"What am I doing back here?" the kitten finally said, "Mom's going to get mad if I'm not ready for…."

The father's face softens, letting a tear out before swiftly turning and leaving the room. The Enforcer winces, taking a moment before putting a paw on the kit's shoulder, preparing to deliver the news as the father would not be able to.

For the first time, one of the brainwashed kittens had finally killed someone. If there were ever any barriers left for the mission to proceed, they crumbled as a significant figure lost his wife. A swift morning call came to the leader of the Strays.


Ethan woke up the following day earlier than Chance, going about his lonesome and aimlessly wandering outside. He brought his broken switchblade with him and placed it near a tree, sitting a bit away from it and watching it as he held himself in the cold morning. Ethan was unsure how to pray how Zoe prayed back home, never believing in things like that, but after coming to this world and experiencing magic, he felt like maybe she could hear him.

"Um…..not sure if I should clasp my hand or something, but of well," Ethan said, staying silent and looking at the knife somberly. He held himself close and touched his neckerchief, "Uh….Zoe… I hope you can hear me from back there…..way back there. I'm doing great for now. Shit, this is weird. Actually…..I'm not sure. Ever since coming here, it's been ups and many downs. When I think things are going well….they just turn to shit. There's this guy…..um kat….called Chane Furlong. He's a pretty cool dude. Don't let his anger fool you because he's watching over me as…..….his friend."

Ethan stopped, holding himself tighter and burying his face in his arms as he attempted to smile. He retold his late mother his adventure from his fights, friends, and thoughts. He would occasionally stop, rethinking all of this but pushing on as it felt nice to let it out, though he wished Zoe could respond to him.

Ethan rubbed his eyes, feeling tears coming out and cursing at himself.

"At least you are with your brother now….send him my best wishes. I hope….both of you are happy."

Ethan could not hold in anymore and sobbed as he tried holding himself together. This morning, he felt so alone and cold, wanting someone to hug and comfort him.

"A bit cold to be out here, no?" a voice called out to Ethan, making the boy jerk from his position to see June standing near the tree. She was wearing some workout clothes and appeared to have been jogging.

Ethan felt his heart drop, and he looked away, rubbing his tears as if this was the last kat he expected to be here. He hoped his boss did not hear anything he said, avoiding her gaze as she walked towards him and sat close to him. To his surprise, he felt a gentle brush on his hair from the she-kat, making him look at her.

June stayed silent, looking at the broken knife closely. She said nothing as she grabbed the boy and gently guided him close to her fur for warmth when noticing him shiver.

Ethan was alarmed, feeling her soft fur and very odd behavior. He was too stunned to move and allowed June to hold him as she kept looking ahead. Ethan swallowed his fears and confusion, wanting to know something.

"How much did you hear?" Ethan said.

"Well….I can easily say I didn't….but that would be a lie," Evelyn said, turning her head to see him better.

"Oh," Ethan said, grimacing as he hoped that was untrue. He shrunk inside, wishing he could reset time and hide his pain. Ethan felt another shiver, making the boy take refuge closer to his boss.

"My my….seems like someone forgot their sweater….or better yet, his ring," Evelyn chuckled, getting a scoff from the boy. She looks back at the knife, "It's difficult…..to move on with life when those around you are gone. Especially those you care about…..sometimes you wish it was you rather than them, but then they would suffer."

Ethan looked at June, her grip tightening and her eyes cold yet lonely as she thought about things. She let out a heavy breath and weakly smiled at Ethan, seeing a smile unlike before, though broken as she attempted to keep it.

"Do you….think they are watching us?" Ethan said.

"Who knows….I've never been a believer…of course, seeing things like you and what you can accomplish…..sometimes I do hope."

Ethan nodded, understanding the feeling and easing up with the she-kat. He wiped his wet face and gently placed his head closer to June's side.

June looked at the boy again, her blue eyes softening as she shifted closer to him.

"I lost my family a while ago. My husband, my son, and my son's family in an instant," June said, feeling the boy gasp and look at her. She gently rubbed Ethan's back to let him know she was okay, "Dark Kat was going on a rampage one day, and let's say my family was unlucky that day. I woke up in the hospital…..alone and without a family….. Life is cruel….it is okay to let out your emotions but be able to continue on…..carrying the burden of living until the bitter end."

"Does it ever get easy?"

"Nope. It does not," June softly said, glancing at the sky and muttering something. "Even the rest of the team suffers with their own burdens….the Enforcers, the citizens, and everyone else has their own issues…dealing with it however they can."

Ethan stayed silent, captivated by this other side of June and making the boy wonder what kind of kat she was. He smiled and moved his head forward to look at her better.

"You know….you ain't bad, Tundra," Ethan said, seeing June jerk her head to look at him and smile at him in her usual way. He gulped, wondering what happened, "Did I say something…..OUCH. OUCH. OUCH."

"Never. Call. Me. That," June said, pinching the boy's cheek hard before letting go. She laughed, cupping his chin to make him look at her, "So…..who told you my nickname? It wasn't the Strays so…."

"Did you have to pinch me? It was Feral," Ethan whimpered, moving out her hand and rubbing his cheek.

"Ah…..figures," June muttered, thinking about getting back at Feral later. She grumbled something under her breath before standing up. She lifted the boy and signaled him to follow her, "Let's head inside and get some hot cocoa before you catch a cold. Don't want my little wizard getting sick."

Ethan grumbled under his breath, watching June walk down the path before staring back at him.

"You coming?" June said.

Ethan sighed, grabbing the broken knife and putting it in his pocket, deciding not to argue with June today. He quickly caught up to her and rubbed his sore cheek as he stared at June in annoyance.

"Tun…." Ethan was about to say but stopped when June reached for his cheek again, "Alright, alright….I won't say it."

"Good, happy to know you can fall in line," June said, patting the kid's head and leading them toward a secret hatch. " I was planning to get you and Benson later, but let's enjoy some time together before that."

"What for?"

"Don't worry about it till then…..oh, let's stop by my room for some sweet bread."


Chance woke with a bit worried, seeing the human had woken up before him, and wondered where he was at. He frowned, shaking his head and deciding to shower first since he did not take one when he returned home. Last night still lingers in his mind, making the tabby wish he could just pretend it did not happen, but it would not be fair to Pops.

Chance made his way toward the shower area, ignoring Mike, who was also showering, both sore and hung over from last night. Mike gave a weak hi before grunting and placing his head against the wall for support.

"Rough night?" Chance said after much debate, getting a groan of confirmation. He laughed, turning on his shower and cleaning himself, "Judging from how you are rubbing your ass…..I take it you are the bottom of the relationship."

"Not funny," Mike said, letting another groan as he let the water hit his broad chest. He smirked and shook his head at the memory, "Jason dragged me to a bar. We got a little too wild…..well, mostly him, and we did not get to the hotel."

Chance whistled, "Damn, I didn't peg you like that, Mike. You seem so ANAL about everything."

"Ha ha ha….very funny," Mike said, rolling his eyes but chuckling. "Funny, Jason would say the same thing when I met him. I used to be worse, you know? My parents are both Enforcers and were very strict with our litter. Thankfully, Jason and June got me to relax a bit…..though SOMEONE needs to be responsible in this team."

"Of course, Mr. Secretary," Chance said.

"I wish Ethan didn't shout that nickname to the whole squad," Mike grumbled, shaking his head since it stuck quickly with everyone. He laughed, wincing as he felt another hit, "Ethan had fun yesterday?"

"Yeah…he did. I thought of showing him around the city when June approves my free days. Any ideas of where I should take him?"

"How about the MASA museum or observatory!"

"I said for him, not you, damn nerd."

"Hey, I might be one, but I was part of the football team too!"

"For real?…. I was also on the football team in school."

"No kidding….what position did you play?"

"I-"

Chance and Mike have gotten friendly with each other due to Ethan, with Mike sometimes showing up in their room and learning some Spanish from the kit. Chance was grateful to Mike for being a great friend and supporting Ethan like an older brother. The only thing that bugged Chance was when the pair spoke Spanish and pointed at him, knowing they were secretly saying something and wishing he could understand it.

The pair finished, dried themselves in the machine, and headed towards the cafeteria. Chance and Mike kept the conversation about sports, with each talking about their most significant accomplishment and what team they followed. They then spoke about other sports they had an interest in. The world had similar sports to Earth, with some unique ones due to their kat bodies.

"Say….maybe we should take Ethan to watch a game of Jungle?" Mike said, getting a grin from Chance.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea! I bet the boy would like it. Hmmm…..the summer season is already ending soon, and the next one doesn't start till winter, so we have time to plan it out," Chance said, getting a nod from Mike.

"Hopefully, the TREND continues for winter," Mike grumbled. "Say…not really discussing what you did as a Swat Kat, but…..you guys also relaxed during the winter, right?"

"Yeah….no point in doing crime with a frozen tail," Chance growled, shaking his head and scratching his chin. "I know some assholes still want to cause trouble….but thankfully, the omegas are less active during that time. Maybe it's the approaching holidays, the winter, or just because that's when they decide to take a break."

"Just hope it proves true this year," Mike said, opening the door and freezing when noticing an odd sight. He felt Chance bump him from behind, snarling but freezing, when seeing June and Ethan laughing, enjoying some cocoa and sweet bread. "What the….I'm dreaming."

Mike shook his head and moved inside with Chance, eyeing them with confusion until Evelyn grinned at them. He felt his heart break when noticing what Ethan was eating, June's sweet bread, which she had never shared with anyone. Mike felt anguish within himself and a cloud forming over his head, feeling like he earned a slice after dealing with all of June's bullshit and taking all the heat when she bailed meetings.

"You want one?" Ethan said, noticing Mike's stare at the bread and handing him one.

Mike felt the heavens open up to him and gingerly grabbed the slice, taking a bite and grinning as he always craved one. He would stand near June and smell the sweets, waiting for a day for June to invite him to eat one. They were fresh and sweet, showing that June strongly mastered the bakery.

"So good," Mike mewed, feeling satisfied finally eating one.

"You seem to be really enjoying it," June said, raising an eyebrow and smiling at Mike's reaction. "If you really wanted one….you could have just asked."

"Is not that simple with you," Mike groaned, sitting near Ethan and getting another sweet bread from the boy. "You should try one!"

Chance raised an eyebrow, scoffing when noticing June's irritating smile, and headed towards the kitchen to grab something non-June related. He made himself an egg sandwich and went towards Ethan, seeing Mike and Ethan talking in Spanish, getting a raised eyebrow from June as she tried following along with the boys' discussion.

"Por que te gusta él? Es un imbécil y me trata como una mierda!" Ethan grumbled, getting a shake from Mike to steer the conversation to something else.

"No quiero…..qa…..fuck….uh….que ella…..se entere," Mike said, wishing he had his book to write this down. He's been desperately trying to get Jason and Ethan on more friendly terms, but they would just use Mike as a wall from each other.

"Whatever…..so, I was thinking between furniture or some new clothing for the next request. Hmm…what do I want," Ethan mused, reviewing his options and grumbling about what was more important. "Maybe….a computer…..hmmm….."

"Whatcha thinking, lil' bud?" Chance said, taking a seat near the boy.

"Don't worry about it. Just thinking for now," Ethan said, feeling Chance mess with his head.

"Thinking? Don't blow a fuze on me, alright," Chance chuckled.

Ethan stayed silent, smiling and looking away toward Mike, semi-ignoring Chance, and he softly moved Chance's hand away.

Chance blinked in confusion, expecting Ethan to joke back at him or say something in annoyance. He rubbed his head, wondering if the kid was alright but brushed it off as Ethan woke up early than him. Chance ate his sandwich while keeping an eye on Ethan.

The rest of the team showed up, preparing their food and greeting each other as they woke up. Jake was the last to arrive, appearing tired as he was wearing some jogging clothes and stretching.

Once everyone was settled and finished, June called Benson over.

"There's going to be a slight pause on Ethan's education," June announced, getting a little cheer from the Dynamic Duo and Ethan. She rolled her eyes and kept her smile as she eyed Benson, "I need you to prepare Ethan and teach him the basics, setting up devices, and whatever else you think he needs. Mike will hand you the details in a bit."

June grinned, glancing at Ethan, Evelyn, and Chance as if she would enjoy this next part. The trio felt their stomachs tightening and sensed a wrench would be thrown at them. June laughed, getting close and placing a firm paw on the shoulder of the two adults.

"Congratulations…..you two are now married, and you are enrolling your kit into a very exclusive school," June said, letting go of the shocked pair and heading towards the exit with a smirk, "Shame I didn't get the wedding invite….Mike will give you the details as well."

The team was silent till Dynamic Duo hollered together, with Jason making sounds of angels and Tina throwing bread at them. Chance was dumbfounded, awkwardly looking at Evelyn to make sure he heard right, but the doctor was blushing and avoiding her team's gaze. Ethan grimaced, briefly staring at his two 'parents.'


Ethan was told to pack up, as he would be training with the Enforcers and Benson for a while. Mike had just left Ethan and Chance's room, briefing the trio about the job and that it depended on Ethan getting approval from the Captain to proceed. Ethan's training would be nonstop for a one-week crash course that they used to train foreign civilians to become spies in countries. Apart from the surprise, Ethan's eyes glowed when hearing he was getting prepared to do undercover work.

"This is pretty cool!" Ethan mused to himself, hearing a sigh from behind him, wincing as he looked back to see Evelyn. "Aw, come on, Eve….this will be our first mission together!"

"I know….just wished I didn't get sidelined by June," Evelyn muttered, eyes glaring at the smirking tabby. "Seems like someone is enjoying this too much."

"I just wished I could remember our honeymoon, darling," Chance joked, getting over the shock. "I was just a simple mechanic, and you were an ambitious doctor. Though stubborn…..I won your heart, and then the condom broke."

"My god! I hate this," Evelyn groaned, gut-punching Chance with her elbow.

Chance winced but grinned, "Just like when we realized our love for each other! I injured my stomach, and she fixed me real good! Only I was in a coma and waiting for my princess to wake me up with a kiss."

Evelyn groaned, shaking her head and sharply looking at Chance. She could not keep it as Chance smiled at her and winked. Evelyn shook her head, looking away, and a small smile appeared.

"I should have pulled the plug on you," Evelyn said, glancing back to Chance.

"But you couldn't! Your love for me was too strong!" Chance chuckled, "Your loving whispers woke me up, 'Don't let me raise a kit by myself, Furlong or so help me, I'll kill you!'"

Ethan rolled his eyes and smirked, about to jump in, but stopped when he remembered last night. He sighed and turned to open his dresser and see what to take.

Chance's smile faltered, scratching his head and nudging Evelyn towards Ethan. Evelyn looked at the boy, who seemed to have switched off and was trying to keep to himself.

"Everything alright?" Evelyn said.

"Huh? Oh….just fine," Ethan said, glancing briefly back at them and giving a dismissive wave.

"You sure?" Chance said.

"Yeah."

"Kit…..you want to talk?"

"I said I was fine," Ethan said with a bit more venom, getting a glare from the tabby.

"Someone seems to be in a bad mood," Chance said, standing up and approaching the boy. He stood close, leaning against the wall, and stared at the child, who kept ignoring him and collected some clothes, placing them in a bag. "Something on your mind?"

"What do you care?" Ethan said, making Chance's mouth drop.

"The hell…. what's the matter with you?" Chance said, annoyed and getting concerned as this was far from the norm. Ethan would argue with him but never to this level of backtalking or hostility. "Okay….fess up, kit. What's pulling your tail today?"

"I said I was fine! God, can you listen for once!" Ethan snapped, grabbing his toothbrush and slinging the backpack behind him only to feel it tugged away from him. He crossed his arms and looked at the tabby, "Really?"

"Sit." Chance ordered firmly, pointing a claw toward Ethan's bed.

"I'll stay standing."

"I wasn't asking."

"And I'm not doing it."

Chance felt a rumble in his throat, getting agitated every second, ready to get on Ethan's case when he felt Evelyn grab the bag and hand it back to Ethan. The boy took it and headed towards the door within seconds, slamming it and making both adults wince. Chance let out a snarl, about to chase the boy and give him a good yell, when he felt Evelyn tug his hand back.

"Evelyn, we can't let that kind of behavior fly!" Chance growled and sharply looked at Evelyn. "Next time, don't step in."

"Look, I just didn't want you guys to fight again and have another repeat like the first mission," Evelyn said, looking away from Chance's shocked gaze.

"Do you honestly think I would strike the kit?" Chance questioned, shaking his head and sitting in his bed. He clicked his tongue as he recalled the incident, making him flatten his ears, "If you are scared about that…..then don't be. I have a temper, but I will never raise my hands at the kit…not after what happened."

Evelyn's eyes widen. Sitting next to the tabby and placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. My fears got the best of me."

"I think it's more than that," Chance said, wincing as Evelyn looked at him with a questioning gaze. "I mean….remember we have to be firm with him. He's our friend, but a kitten that needs our support and guidance in this vast world. As much as we would like to give him passes…..we can't since we are the adults here."

"Oh…." Evelyn said, folding her ears. "You're right…."

Chance eternally breathes a sigh of relief, thankful Evelyn accepted his answer but cursing himself for not addressing his concern. He feared Evelyn was using Ethan to replace what she had lost, acting more like a mother than a friend or guardian to the boy. Chance shook his head, hoping time would return Evelyn to her senses.

"Don't make me the only bad guy here…..alright?" Chance said, looking at Evelyn.

"Using my own words against me? Not fair, Furlong. When did you become the voice of reason?" Evelyn chuckled, brushing her hair and staring at the tabby's green eyes.

"Learned from the best," Chance said, grinning as he looked at the doctor. He saw a couple of her hair blocking her and gently brushed it to her side to see her face better.

Despite her smile, he can tell she's been through things thanks to her puffy eyes and crowfeet from the sleepless nights. Chance didn't care, liking them as much as her unique eyes. Of course, he was initially interested in bedding her, but that was not his mind recently, enjoying his time with her as they talked about things. It was refreshing to have someone to talk to after such a long time in jail, especially someone he shared something in common.

Before prison and his relationship with a cane, he would wallow his lonesome with one-night stands and alcohol, placing himself in this bubble that life would always be like that for the rest of his life. A friendship nearing its end, a huge bill that barely flinched despite how much they paid, and his criminal activities bringing no joy as before. He had no goals and would find himself awake, and hung over in random places.

"Chance?" Evelyn whispered, bringing him back to her.

"Yes?" Chance said, realizing they were awfully close to each other's faces.

Chance's head drifted towards her, wanting someone to himself, hating being alone. His lips were on her, and he felt her accept it. He would have reached for her waist to pull them closer if she did not gently push him away. Chance blinked, disappointed, and looked at the doctor, who had her head down.

"I just….." Evelyn said, standing up and heading towards the door. "I better check on Ethan."

Chance didn't say anything, hearing her leave and close the door. He put his hand on his face and sighed.

"Shit."


Benson sighed, feeling his reservations about this, but did not voice his concern as he was with Ethan away from the base. They were at a shopping district, with Ethan donning his disguise and waiting for his teacher to teach him. Benson seemed to be window shopping, which irritated Ethan as he watched the adult in annoyance.

"So are you going to start or-" Ethan stopped when Benson glanced at him sharply.

"We already are, and you are standing out like a sore thumb," Benson said, shaking his head and wondering if the accelerated training would work. "What's your name?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"What's your name?" Benson grumbled, stopping himself from pinching his nose.

"Oh….Nate Otis," Ethan said, hearing a chuckle behind him, making him look back to see an old lion. He tilted his head and felt something was off, tensing up and taking a step back.

"Oh….seems you have an excellent habit of questioning things. However, don't show it and instead analyze how to proceed based on the circumstance," Mccoy said, crossing his arm and eyeing Ethan. "Thankfully, you are infiltrating a school, not a hostile nation, or you would surely be dead."

"Uh…..sure," Ethan said, seeing his red eyes and scars, "I'm guessing you are an Enforcer?"

"Me? I'm just old kat thinking about how my son is doing on his trip, getting some supplies to work on the house, and wishing my wife would stop nagging me," Mccoy said, getting close to Ethan with a smile and getting close to whisper. "Which part was the lie?"

Ethan tensed up, feeling the smile become more hostile and less welcoming as he eyed the lion cautiously. The lion did not stumble with his words or give any indication he was lying when casually saying things. Ethan scratched his head and thought about it.

"All of it, I'm guessing…..though it's hard to tell since you are so good at lying," Ethan said, hoping that was the correct answer.

Mccoy snorted, changing his death stare to a calmer look, "That's the point when doing this job. You are not Ethan but Nick Otis with his father, Thomas Otis. You must become Nick from top to bottom, never revealing your true self. You received a file when coming here but did not fully adopt this new persona…..so Nick Otis blew it. So now both you and Thomas are dead. Reset in one hour with a new file. My Enforcers will be watching."

Ethan noticed a couple of kats eyeing him, all appearing to be ordinary civilians, only to break character and reveal their true selves. He felt a massive pressure as all eyes were on him, and he failed to notice them all.

"I'll be honest….were on a tight deadline, and I'll decide if we proceed with the mission…Don't feel defeated…. it's normal to fail the first time and-" Mccoy stopped, noticing Ethan grinning and eager to continue again.

"This is fun….don't worry, I'll beat your stupid game next time," Ethan said, following Benson and waving at Mccoy. He felt this training was similar to what Zoe taught him, though more advance than eyeing just undercover cops or shifting situations when robbing. "You better be prepared, old man!"

Mccoy tilted his head, a slight smirk appeared, and he shook his head.

"Interesting, fascinating kit you have, June," Mccoy mused, snapping his finger and his unit retaking their roles as if nothing happened.