Chapter 10: Duty, Family, and Omegas
There were many things that Callie loved to do. One is serving her city, making sure every decision makes an impact. Now that she's mayor, she can do much more than when she served under Manx as his deputy mayor. She learned a lot, mainly because Manx refused to write his speeches or handle his side of the work. Of course, always being in the line of fire had opened her senses to be more vigilant. This brings up her other favorite thing, knowing a hot bath awaits her at home. She could just picture it. The hot water eased her muscles, and the whiff of her favorite fruit candle whisked away all the evil thoughts.
"Cal, you in there?"
Callie snapped out of it and focused on her mate. Seeing the usually tough-looking female in a stunning red dress and heels made her smile. Of course, she could picture Felina ripping that dress if trouble came, and she would gladly show the hidden side piece tucked underneath. It would be nice if trouble didn't rear its ugly head tonight, especially during a charity event. However, this is Megakat City, and kats must be wary of anything.
"Sorry. Just wishing this could speed up a bit," Callie admitted.
Felina snorted, pulling at her dress and looking at it with disdain. "Yeah. You and me both." She glanced around, eyes narrowing and nudging her head in a direction. "But it could be worse."
Callie eyed at what Felina pointed at. Like a rabbit getting surrounded by wolves, Feral and Luna were trying to enjoy their night while nosey kats came and bothered them. Usually, kats would leave the big kat alone, but they thought Feral having Luna around made it easier for them to vent their frustration or say something mean hidden behind their fake smiles. The attendees' eyes widened when they saw Feral with someone, and it spread like wildfire that it was his mate. Callie and Felina were both surprised when Feral told them he had a mate, and it was none other than Chance's little sister.
"Let's go support them," Callie said.
Walking from their spot, she made it around kats and moved with Felina. Kats would stop them from talking about different things and halting them momentarily. She would try to be polite while Felina would tell them to move with her eyes as they kept going. As they walked, Callie gazed at the surrounding area.
The orchestra played a gentle melody while kats of high society or position walked around and mingled with other donors. Everyone, including the security, was suited and dressed. At each point, they stationed guards and provided many checks to Adam's charity. The tom in question was an older tom who started life at the bottom and went to the top. The charity had many donors. Most believed in the cause, though some were snobs looking to flaunt their money. However, Adam would thank any donor, wanting orphaned kids to have a better experience than he did. He talked with a couple in the middle of the room, but something about them made Callie's fur flare up.
Despite dressing up, they had a thuggish appearance. They wore matching dark blue suits and dark glasses that covered their eyes. The tom was short and stubby, while the molly was skinny and taller. The most alarming thing about them was their face. Callie didn't want to be rude, but it looked like someone had put it on them.
The she-kat in question scanned around, her eyes locked into Callie, and for a moment, those shades glowed red.
Callie looked away, staying calm and reaching inside her purse, rummaging through her stuff before she found the triangle communicator. She didn't dare pull it out, pressing the middle of it and slowly returning her hand. Her hand grabbed Felina's hand and squeezed it hard. She ignored her mate's look and looked forward, finally arriving at their destination. Some pompous orange kat kept asking about Feral's plan to improve the city while Feral looked ready to chuck him somewhere. Poor Luna kept that from happening as she stroked her mate's hand and tried to smile while the surrounding kats looked like they wanted something from them.
"Feral," Callie said.
Feral turned his attention to her, looking relieved to see her. However, that did not last long, as he looked her over and frowned.
The pompous kat sputtered and hissed. "Excuse me. Mayor, we were in the middle of a—"
"What's wrong?" Feral asked. His eyes scanned the area and instinctively moved Luna closer.
Callie gave a wane smile. As always, she hoped the Swat Kats would come in time, knowing Razor carried electric weapons to stop this menace, but for now, she had to work with the commander of the enforcers to see if they could keep the casualties down. "The usual. Seems like two robots are going to crash the party."
Razor checked the monitor, seeing Oliver asleep and twisting in bed. They had tucked Oliver into bed and left his room, opting to go to bed early until their new silent alarm went off. Chance opted to take the call while Jake hurried to contact Freya through the communicator that he had made her. At first, they were wary when Callie didn't respond, though they knew better than to mark it as a false alarm. Though it pained them to leave Oliver alone until his grandma came, they had to answer the call and fight off whatever omega they had to deal with. They locked the front of the garage and quickly descended towards the hanger, changing swiftly and speeding onto the runway, heading to Callie's location.
A tiny flash above the monitor made him switch the view to the outside of the garage. An old classic car entered the main gates and arrived at the garage. Freya stepped out first and then Pops, both looking dazed but alert, as they grabbed the hidden key nearby and headed inside.
Razor exhaled, clicking the monitor's upper button to show the Turbo Kat's gauge. "Your folks just arrived," he informed.
T-Bone shifted in his chair, glancing back to nod. "Roger. Let's focus up."
Razor gave a thumbs up, using his other hand to turn on the enforcer's frequency. At first, nothing came apart from some calls about burglary or an incident downtown. However, a significant call occurred within a few moments about the Metalikats and their causing havoc at a charity party. With that, he felt T-Bone shifting gears and zooming them faster across the skies. They would be there in moments, and Razor began looking at his arsenal to take care of the tin cans.
As they arrived, T-Bone slowed the Turbo Kat and put it in hover mode while Razor prepared to use an X-ray to see what was happening inside. Suddenly, Callie's green sedan bolted out of the parking lot, speeding away from the area and avoiding the enforcers who were setting up outside.
"There's Callie. However, if she's running, that means," Razor mused. He shifted his cameras around and verified his suspicion. Mac and Molly shot laser rounds in her direction while heading toward their Metalikat Express. "And there they go. Follow them, T-Bone!"
"Way ahead of you!" T-Bone said. He shifted gears and began chasing after them.
Absolute mayhem occurred below them as the Omegas' vehicle rushed towards Callie's car, bumping and hitting anything coming. Callie narrowly avoided them by taking tight turns and entering small alleys. However, the Metalikats brute-forced their way to keep on her tail, never being shaken off and nearly striking Callie with missiles.
"Woah. I knew Callie could drive, but I never knew she had moves like that," T-Bone grunted. He flew the Turbo Kat around and kept on them. "Do you have a shot? Sure-shot?"
"Almost," Razor said. His thumb hit the trigger once his reticle aligned with them, and they kept straight. "Missile deployed! Let's see how they can handle a storm!"
His new Storm Missile hit the Metalikat Express, gripping its target before glowing and shooting out bolts of electricity. Like the name, a ball of energy surrounded it, shooting out thunderous electricity in a repeated pattern. The ball would come and go multiple times, glowing brightly and turning off anything within the vicinity of it. Soon, it stopped, and everything looked normal until the vehicle slowed down and veered to a wall, smacking it hard and sticking in halfway.
"Take us down, T-Bone. We must ensure those two are down for the count," Razor said. He equipped his glovatrix.
"Roger. Taking us down," T-Bone said. He put them in hover mode and descended the Turbo Kat, parking them in the middle of the street.
Once the canopy opened, they jumped out and hurried towards the vehicle. The door popped open, and Molly appeared. Her metallic body shook as she exited the car. She raised her weapon at them. Razor and T-Bone put their gloves up and prepared until Molly lowered her hand and crashed to the ground, her red eyes turning off as she let out a scrambled groan. Razor kept his gloves up and carefully moved with his partner to check the driver, seeing an unmoving Mac with his head on the wheel. Letting out a breath, Razor grinned.
"Welp. That was easy," Razor said, raising his paw at T-Bone. "It seems like someone forgot to keep a spare battery."
"Like a couple of old toys," T-Bone said. He high-fived Jake. His ears perked, and he glanced down the street. "And here come the enforcers. Late to the party, as usual. I think I see Sourpuss and Felina."
Razor was about to comment till he saw Callie's car coming their way. It arrived at the same time as the approaching enforcers, with Feral being the first to hop out and then Felina. Feral looked furious, though anxious.
"Let me guess. 'Do you know much damage you hot shots did?'" T-Bone mocked. He smirked, though it went away when Feral blew past him and moved towards Callie's car. "Woah. No complaints? What's the big idea-"
Callie exited the passenger seat, and Felina quickly checked up on her. They embraced and talked about something, with Felina sounding upset and Callie sheepishly laughing.
"Wait, if she wasn't driving, then who?" Razor stopped.
Luna appeared from the driver's seat, shaken up and lost even when Feral stopped before her. Feral looked so confused, as if ready to say something until he didn't and pulled Luna close for a hug. She jumped a bit until she relaxed and wrapped her arms around Feral.
"Damn it, Luna," Feral said. He pulled Luna back to look at her. "What were you thinking? You could have been hurt or worse!"
"It was a kind of spur of the moment," Luna said. "Wow. Is it me, or does the world look off?"
Feral sighed, gently putting his paws on Luna's shoulders and rubbing them. "It's the adrenaline talking. I think I remember telling you and Callie to leave."
"It's not her fault. She got stuck with me when I got their attention away from the attendees," Callie said, moving closer to them.
"Cal, you got to be more careful. You can't throw yourself into the line of fire like that," Felina admonished. She pinched her nose and groaned. "But you got them away from the citizens. Just tell me next time when you plan to do something crazy."
Razor watched them keep at it as he stood on the sideline with T-Bone. Speaking of which, he shifted towards his tabby, noticing T-Bone's narrow focus and tight fist. Taking that as their cue to leave, he reached for his partner's hand and squeezed it. T-Bone broke off his stare and gave Razor an annoyed look.
"Time to go. The Swat Kats don't know her," Razor whispered. He began pushing his mate towards the jet with much effort. After one more shove, T-Bone gave up and moved with him.
They jumped in, taking their seats, and T-Bone started the engines. Once up in the air, they sped away, rushing back home as fast as possible. They said little, though Razor knew better than to say anything when his mate got like this. The tabby would bounce back to his old self with time.
They didn't take long to arrive home, entering their secret runway. T-Bone slowed their speed and stopped them at the platform that brought them to the upper level. With the canopy opening, they hopped off and headed towards their locker. They quickly changed to their usual self and hung their G-suits and helmets, heading up the ladder and into the garage. Jake was the first to get up, waiting for his mate to arrive before closing the hatch and clicking a button near the wall. A solid floor covered the hatch and moved the furniture forward. Before, they only had a rug to cover it until Jake upgraded it.
Heading out to the front, they headed upstairs. The late-night news became more transparent with every step, with Ann Gora reporting on the incident and giving a quick breakdown. A blue, white light shined above, the only light source on the second floor.
"Damn it," Chance whispered, hurrying up the stairs.
As they reached the second floor, on the right, they could see Pops and Freya gazing at the television. The elder kats broke off their focus from the TV and glanced at them. Freya looked grimly, showing that they should look at the TV.
It wasn't great. It's not that the news was saying anything negative about the Swat Kats or Enforcers, but how quickly news teams were interested in Feral's mate. The brown kat stared them down and hissed, leading Luna to his cruiser while Felina and Callie acted like bouncers. Even though the Metalikats' bodies were nearby, it seemed these media kats were going for something fresh. As they left, they kept talking about Luna and trying to figure out who she was.
"These idiots," Freya muttered. She leaned back and rubbed her head. "Always hungry for the next big thing. My poor baby will have a tough time till they find something else to chew on."
"No kidding," Jake said. He made his way to the kitchen. "Coffee? Anyone?"
A universal 'yes' came from all of them. Jake nodded, preparing their coffee machine and grabbing four mugs. As he waited for the machine to start, he wondered if he should check on Oliver but noticed the looks on the Furlongs. He couldn't blame them. The media now announced to every creep and omega a potential target they could go for after Feral. It wasn't great. Working things in his mind, he wondered if he should install security measures at Freya's house. It wouldn't be as simple as installing it in the garage, as too many eyes would wonder what he was doing around the house. Maybe he could pull it off at night and tell those who don't know their secret that he is helping Freya with some wires.
"Jeez. How can this get any worse?" Jake muttered to himself.
"Crud!" Chance yelled out from the living room. Heavy footsteps hurried towards the kitchen, and he appeared at the entrance with a tense look. "No time for coffee, kitten. Looks like Dark Kat is on the move!"
"Damn it. Let's go," Jake said. He followed Chance back out and headed towards the stairs. Before stepping down, he stopped and looked back at Freya and Pops. "Sorry about this. Take our bed if we take too long."
Freya gave a small smile and nodded. "Watch each other's back and come back home safe. Is that understood?"
"Of course!"
Jake hurried downstairs, following his mate back to the hangar's entrance. "When one comes, the rest follow."
Oliver swung his foot as he sat between his father's. His attention would drift to the nicely decorated area. The area had carpet floors that were colorful orange. The walls were covered in pattern sheets with cartoon characters and blue and red seats for them to sit on while waiting their turn. From what he remembered from the show he'd seen, this was a hospital where doctors would check on their patients. Of course, on the show, they would mostly kiss, talk, or 'wrestle,' but he would be engrossed in it when they performed operations on kats. It made his stomach feel queasy, though seeing those kats solve a problem and save a kat was fun. From the sign when they came in, this was the pediatrician's office... whatever that means.
A kitten cried nearby, its mother holding it close and humming a lovely tune. Nearby, a teen with an arm cast let out a groan and slumped down on his chair, with his father letting out a hiss for him to sit up. Other kittens and parents were there, though the kids played in the center of whatever the facility offered them. A miss-and-match of puzzles, wooden blocks, or toys was around for them.
Glancing at his folks, he saw Chance covering his face with one paw and leaning on it for support as he slept. Jake was no better, with crossed arms, head tilted back, and eyes closed. This morning, both adults rushed it, shouting curses underneath their tired breaths as they hurried out and headed here. It's been a hectic week. Then again, Oliver noted how interesting this week had been as he'd seen his grandma and grandpa more than once. When they arrived there, his Pa and Dad apologized to the front desk nurse, though she smiled and waved at them to calm down, urging them to sit and wait for their turn. As soon as their butts sat down, both were down for the count and sleeping.
As Oliver watched the kids play around him, he wondered if he should join them, though he internally told himself to stay since he didn't know them. So, he opted to watch and keep close to his parents. A kitten noticed his staring, a young silver she-kat with black hair. Her spots on her side made her look like a cheetah, though her puffy and fluffy ears made her look different. She tilted her head, smiling and waving for him to come. He ducked his head and blushed, shaking his head. He could see she appeared confused from the corner of his eyes but nodded, returning to her castle building with wooden blocks.
A door opened, and a nurse stepped in, looking at her charts. Her fur was black overall, with some orange patches around. Her pink nose and misty eyes looked pretty on her circular face. She rubbed her neck and exhaled before quickly turning her mouth into a small smile. "Oliver," she said. She scanned the room. "Oliver... Clawson and Furlong."
Oliver blinked, wondering if she meant him. He watched her scan the room again before shifting towards the nurse at the reception. She chatted with her, and she got a head nod in their direction. Thanking the other nurse, the nurse with the clipboard headed towards them, stopping momentarily to look at Chance and Jake, appearing to decide which one to wake up before chuckling and moving closer. She waved at Oliver before gently nudging Jake.
"Hmm... what... huh?" Jake sputtered, springing his head forward and blinking. He looked at the nurse, confused, before his eyes widened. He blushed, letting out a sheepish smile before sending an elbow nudge to Chance. The tabby snorted and hissed, pinching his eye before sending a sharp glare. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."
"Did you have to hit me?" Chance asked, rubbing his side.
"You wouldn't have woken up if I shouted at you," Jake said, standing up. He looked at the nurse. "Sorry about sleeping."
The clipboard nurse nodded. "No worries. It's not unusual to see parents asleep here. How about we go inside and get this started? The sooner we start, the sooner we can get you two fellas back home and rest. Come with me."
Jake nodded, letting out a yawn as he followed her.
Oliver turned to look at his pa, seeing the tabby slowly stand up with much effort and making an annoyed grumble. He grabbed his pa's gigantic hands, tugging him to follow.
"I'm going. I'm going," Chance muttered.
They went through the door, which led them to the back. After walking around some small hallways, they made it to a private room. The exam room contained two single blue chairs in the corner where a rainbow rolling cabinet sat, a toxic waste bin, a scale, and other medical things, such as the medical bed with a cabinet wall hanging above and below on its right side with a sink nearby.
The nurse would ask Oliver to do multiple things, such as standing on the scale and taking his height. While she guided Oliver to everything, she would chat with Chance and Jake about things, mainly regarding anything they might know about Oliver's medical history. They explained the situation to the nurse, getting a tiny 'oh' from her before she apologized and wrote it down on her chart. The adults kept talking about medical things, and she spoke about shots. Oliver wondered what she meant by that, though it wasn't like he could ask her. After a few more moments, the nurse excused herself and told them the doctor would see them shortly.
Oliver felt bored as he sat on the exam table. The nurse said it would be only a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. Shifting his body and moving the white piece of paper around, it crumbled and made sounds. After that got old, he began reaching towards the cabinet wall at the side, seeing some cotton balls within a glass container. They looked so fluffy, and he wanted to play with them.
"Oliver, don't," Chance said. He sat with Jake on the chairs, his arms crossed, as he attempted to stay awake.
'Pa. I'm bored,' Oliver signed. He shifted his attention to the upper cabinet. Standing up, he reached for the handle.
"Oliver, sit down," Chance said.
Oliver gave him a look. Huffing, he turned towards the other side, seeing some brown sticks. He reached for it.
"Oliver. I will not repeat myself," Chance said in a low tone. He shifted forward and tapped his biceps, staring intently at Oliver. "Sit down."
It was hard to understand why Chance was making a big deal out of it. Oliver wished his pa could leave him alone and wondered if Dad would support him. Turning to face the cinnamon tom, he expected some sort of help but only saw a solemn face on him.
"Listen to your Pa," Jake said.
With that, Oliver hissed, retreating to sit his butt on the exam table. He had already wanted to go home and watch some TV. Pouting, he dropped his upper body back so his back could lie on the exam table. The white LED lights shined brightly and looked bare with the spotted square tiles around.
A knock came from the wooden door. Soon, a bushy coffee and orange-colored fur tom poked his head in. "Hi there. Sorry about the wait," the elder tom said, going inside and closing the door behind him.
"It's alright. Busy day?" Jake said, being the first to stand up and shake the doctor's hand. "I'm Jake Clawson. This is my mate, Chance Furlong."
Chance reached in to shake the doctor's paw. "Pleasure to meet you, doctor..."
"Doctor Bush," Bush said, giving them a nod. He turned his attention to Oliver, letting out a big smile and putting his hands on his side. "And this might be the star of the show. How ya doing sport?"
Oliver blinked, looking at the strange old tom. Though Bush had a gut, it made him look like an egg with bushy features. His tail was bushy like a raccoon's, his face had a long white beard, and near his neck area, it looked puffy. The only thing that wasn't bushy was his hair, which was short and well-kept.
Looking at Jake, Oliver pointed at Bush. 'Saint Kat?'
Jake chuckled. "He thinks you are Saint Kat."
Bush blinked before putting a finger on his lip and shushing Oliver. He got close and whispered. "Shh... don't blow my cover, kid. Alright?"
Oliver covered his face and giggled, liking the old tom. Bush got closer, pulling his stethoscope and signaling Oliver to pull up his shirt. There was a pause where the doctor frowned, though he changed it back to a smile when Oliver looked at him. After long breath tests from the front and back, Bush returned his equipment around his neck before performing an ear check. Finally, the doctor picked up the wooden tongue depressor and shined a light towards the inside of Oliver's throat.
"Hmm... everything looks good," Bush said, turning off the light and backing off to look at Oliver better. He scratched his beard and let out a humming sound. "And he can't speak, right? Only produce sounds like a mew, hiss, or purr."
"Yes, but sometimes they sound strained or off," Jake affirmed. His ears twitched, and he moved closer to Bush. "Did you find something?"
Bush shook his head. "No. Everything checks out. However, usually, kats don't lose their voice. It could be a neuro problem, but that would require testing," he said. He exhaled and gave a very understanding look at both of them. "I've looked over your insurance... I'll be honest, it wouldn't be covered."
Chance and Jake looked hurt after hearing that, looking away and hissing.
"Don't fret. Your boy is healthy, and that is all that matters," Bush quickly said. He coughed and patted Oliver's head. "Good weight and height. Good blood pressure. Unfortunately, we're in the dark about his shots, so we would have to assume he has gotten none since birth. Which means..."
The door opened, and the nurse from before came in, bringing some needles in individual bags.
"Ah, Sam, perfect timing," Bush said.
Sam placed the bags on the movable tray before heading near Oliver's back. She stroked Oliver's neck, making him purr and relax as she kept going. While she did that, Bush explained what each needle had to Chance and Jake before taking a position on the other side of Oliver.
Oliver had wondered what the needles were for, feeling worried until Sam stroked him. He felt good about the treatment until she stopped, gripping his scruff hard. His body felt limp, and he struggled to move as she pulled him up and moved him so he faced the bed, leaving his back exposed. He saw Bush taking the first syringe out and flicking the point before moving it closer. A wave of understanding finally hit him, making him yowl and hiss, wanting to be let go. Looking at his folks, he whimpered for them to stop these two, but all he got was an apologetic look. Then, like a piercing sting, the needle got inserted into his scruff, and he sobbed.
"One down. A few more to go," Bush said.
It still amazed him how he and Jake started here. Chance could perfectly remember the mess they had to deal with in year one. The salvage yard was in shambles, with the out-of-service garage and the upper apartment looking like a junkie hideout. Of course, his mate's vision of them becoming vigilantes kept him hopeful about the future, and it became more tangible when they found the underground bunker. Sometimes, he felt it was impossible since there were so many logistical hurdles that they needed to overcome, but Jake never swayed from the vision. With a lot of patience, sweat, and coffee, they solved both fronts.
"And look at us now. We're getting married soon and now have a kid," Chance mused. He shook his head and returned to focus on the paperwork before him. The usual bland side of their life, but it kept the lights on. Glancing back, he saw his kid on the floor, looking at the TV slightly too close. "Kiddo, backup, or do you want to go blind?"
'Okay,' Oliver signed, shifting back. He never broke off the concentration of the TV showing some boring drama.
Looking back at the paperwork, Chance wondered when the parts would arrive before shifting to the next sheet. While he handles the garage today, Jake checks out potential schools to enroll Oliver in. Unfortunately, it became an issue since they lived in such an odd spot. Traveling to the city or the residential areas in the less populated areas was the same distance from each other. Yet, they also needed a school that could accommodate Oliver's needs.
Letting the paper fall to the desk, Chance looked back at his son. The kid seemed so glued to whatever he watched that Chance would bet Oliver wouldn't notice a thing. He chuckled, shaking his head. "You actually like that show?" he said, getting off the chair and heading towards his kid. Confirming the soap opera show, he groaned and shook his head. "Scaredy Kat is so much better."
'Both,' Oliver signed.
"Hmm. Speaking of which, it should be on soon. How about it? Let's switch this show to something good," Chance said.
Oliver nodded his head.
Picking up his kid, Chance took them to the couch and picked up the remote as they sat down. Flicking through the TV channels, he landed on the channel. The commercial played until it ended, and the Scaredy Kat opening started, letting out melody toons with some slapstick sound effects as the main character got hit, maimed, or shot at. A title card showed it was the underwater episode, making Chance chuckle as he had seen this episode so many times. He loved this show, as it was something he and his father used to watch when he was little. It made him happy and sad, reminding him of his good times with his late father. He could also remember watching it with Richard, seeing the usually serious tom break down in a laugh. They would watch it together and let their worries fly away, enjoying the moment and forgetting whatever had them down that day.
Of course, another tom joined them.
Chance felt a tap on his chin, making him look down and see Oliver with a worried stare. He must have stopped laughing and got serious. "I'm okay. Sorry. I just remembered something."
'What?' Oliver signed.
With an exhale, Chance thought about moving on, though his heart got heavy as he remembered Richard's previous words. It hurt to talk about it, and the family pretended it had never happened.
But it happened.
Chance pulled his son close, keeping his eyes on the show. "There was a time when I watched this show with four kats. My dad, my brother, and my adopted older brother. It was such a great time when we were all together. I can just picture it. I've come from school with Richard. We would walk out of the school and stop by... we'll mostly be me unless I dragged Richard along... pass by Pops' Newstand. After that, we would run home before our ma would get mad at not being home for dinner. At home, our older brother would work on his bike or get chewed out by Ma. My older brother wasn't a bad kat but would get into trouble easily or hang around the wrong crowd. Dad would be there on the couch, drinking after a long day at work and taking care of my little sisters while the nanny left for the day. Sometimes, one of us had a bad day, whether it be me getting flustered with homework, Richard getting picked on at school, Dad butting heads with his superiors, or my older brother getting into trouble. But that didn't matter once we tuned into Scaredy Kat... we wouldn't worry about what happened that day and just laugh it off."
He frowned, wishing things didn't end up like they did. That horrible night still lingered in his brain and would wake him up in a cold sweat. His mate had seen him shaken up one night, though he brushed it off as nothing. It was a bit of Furlong pride or stubbornness. He wasn't sure. All he knows is the number of kats that kept telling him and his family to go to therapy and discuss it. They didn't want to talk about it, especially with some shrink.
Letting out a huge breath, Chance looked at his son and smiled. "So, if you are ever down, let's watch Scaredy Kat together, okay?"
Oliver nodded, pointing at Chance as if to ask the same for him.
"Of course. You, me, and Jake!" Chance said.
Just then, the sound of a car approaching the garage came. Chance looked to see a nice-looking vehicle stopping before the garage entrance. He groaned, giving his kid a quick brush on the head before standing up. "So much for a break. Welp, duty calls."
Chance headed out of the waiting room and approached the front. That's when he noted a problem. Examining the vehicle, it was a newer model and very expensive if he remembered right. It's odd for someone with this type of car not to go to the dealership's garage to get it fixed. But Lindsey stepped out of the vehicle before he could think about it any longer. She eyed the surrounding area with dismay before turning to Chance, smiling and nodding her head.
"It's good to see you again," Lindsey said. She tapped her fingers together and looked behind Chance. "Is Jacob here?"
"No, ma'am," Chance said. He wasn't sure how his mate would react to his mother being here, but he would be damned not to be polite and be hospital to his future mother-in-law. "Come in. How about some coffee, or do you prefer tea?"
Lindsey appeared glad, letting out an exhale before following him. Chance led them to the waiting area. Oliver's ears perked as they entered, and he shifted his attention from the TV to look at Lindsey with a wary look.
"Hey, don't be rude," Chance said, slightly tapping his son on the back of the head. Go say hi to grandma."
Oliver hissed, rubbing his head and signing an 'okay.' He moved in closer to Lindsey. 'Hello.'
"Hi to you too. Gosh, I wish I could learn how to sign," Lindsey said. Her hand reached forward but stopped and retreated. "Sorry. You barely know me. But I hope in time you can consider me as your grandma."
Oliver tilted his head, eyeing Lindsey carefully before nodding his head. Slowly closing in, he grabbed her paw and tugged it while pointing at the TV.
"Seems like he wants you to join him," Chance said, feeling a sense of pride.
"I would love that," Lindsey said, letting Oliver lead them to the couch.
Chance smiled, heading towards the nearby wooden drawer where they kept snacks and drinks for customers as they waited. Getting the electric kettle ready, he filled it up and turned on the machine. Pulling the wooden drawer below, he grabbed the instant coffee jar and tea bag, putting them into separate mugs. As he waited, he eyed the snacks, wondering if Lindsey would be okay with cheap cookies. A small chuckle got his attention, making him look to see his mother-in-law covering her mouth and appearing amused at Scaredy Kat.
"You like the show?" Chance asked, grabbing the kettle as it was ready.
With a slight nod, Lindsey glanced at him. "Of course. I remember when this show used to be in black and white."
"Really? Huh. Sorry, I never expected you to enjoy something like that."
"And what do you think I would watch?"
"Maybe Gray Kat or Hospital Nine?"
Lindsey winced, waving her hand dismissively. "Those shows bore me. I would watch them with Markus but not by myself. Especially David Litterbin. He's fine as a host, but it isn't my cup of tea."
Grinning, Chance finished the drinks and headed towards Lindsey, handing her a mug. "So that's where Jake gets his sense of humor," he mused, taking a seat. He glanced at his son, who seemed preoccupied with the show. Returning to Lindsey, he sipped his drink while thinking about how to talk to her. "What brings you here? Jake?"
Keeping her eyes on the drink, Lindsey's expression softened, and she nodded. "I wish I could fix my relationship with my son and him with his father. I know it seems like I chose my husband over my son, but I don't. I love them both equally."
"I could understand that. However, why didn't you visit Jake when we were in the academy or when we got booted here?" Chance asked.
"Because he didn't want me."
"I'm sorry?"
Lindsey sighed. "When his grandfather died, he was distant with all of us. We used to talk before that happened. He would come to me when he was down or needed someone to talk to. Imagine getting eyed by a loved one every day with eyes that burned, 'You murdered my family.' I got scared and thought giving him space would make things better. But that was just me being a coward and wishing my baby would come back to me one day." She looked away, and the tea in her mug shook in her hand.
Frowning, Chance didn't know what to say to that. It especially bugged him the look Lindsey described, as he also gave that look to his older brother. However, unlike his mate, it wasn't because of an indirect action that caused his father to die. A tiny crack made him snap out of his trance, and he looked to see he had caused a small crack on the handle. Cursing silently, he placed the mug on the nearby counter before it fell. He checked to see if Lindsey or his son noticed his minor rage, though they didn't, which made him glad.
Licking his lips, Chance waited for a bit before continuing. "Jake closes himself off when he's down or angry. Giving him space is my usual go-to, especially when I make him mad. Trust me, I know the feeling."
Lindsey turned back to him, worry on her face. "But have you ever been to that level where he eyes you down?"
Chance rubbed his chin to think about it. "Hmm. Actually, yes. When we started the academy together, we got into a fight. No more like multiple fights."
Gasping, Lindsey covered her mouth. "Oh my. You guys fought?"
"Yep."
A tap on his chest made Chance look down to see Oliver with a curious look. 'Why?'
"Now you're paying attention?" Chance mused. He petted his son's head and glanced at both. "Jake and I didn't like each other much when we met. We were two different kats. There was too much ego and a lot of things biting our tail. I was good at the physical stuff while he aced every text they threw at us. Then, we got into an altercation during some teamwork exercise. Thankfully, we didn't get kicked out, though we were punished by getting sent to a cruddy cabin in the middle of the woods."
"And then you two became friends?"
Chance laughed, shaking his head. "Heck no, we got into another fight. Nothing too bad. We didn't want to hurt each other or get kicked out, so we had a sparring session to see who would get the top bunk. At first, I thought I would win since I was bigger than him, but he won fair and square. When we disagree on something, that's how we resolve things. I won some, and he won some. After a while, we just stopped and just talked about it. Soon, we got along and helped each other when one of us struggled. It was strange. We liked different things, but we soon became so close that we felt like we had been longtime childhood friends. The holiday week came, and I invited him to my house."
Lindsey and Oliver nodded, keeping their attention on him.
Chance felt his heart warm at the memories he had with his mate. "Just imagine how happy I was when I found out he would join me in the pilot course. After that, we became inseparable, graduating with the highest marks and becoming a team in the Enforcers. At first, I thought I had just found a best friend, but the closer I got to Jake, the more I knew I had feelings for him. I didn't... want to ruin our bond during that time in case he didn't feel the same way, so we stayed friends. Then we got kicked out and..." he stopped, knowing he couldn't talk about the moment that changed. How they worked as Swat Kats for years, and how he almost lost Jake to Dark Kat. He rubbed his chin. "We got closer when arriving here."
The corner of Lindsey's lips lifted. "You really love my son."
"He's... everything," Chance said, pushing Oliver closer. "And so are you, kiddo, to me and Jake."
"You three are going to make a wonderful family," Lindsey said. She looked around, taking in the area. At first, he wasn't sure if she was looking at it with disgust, but the more he watched her gentle face, the more he could tell it was genuine concern. "I wish I could do something for you guys."
"You don't need to do anything."
"No, I have to," she said, ears lowering. She looked back at Chance. "But I think Jake wouldn't want me to be a part of your lives." Lindsey put her hands together and exhaled. "Something to show that I care about him. However, I can't repay your debt or use money since Richard would see it. If I do, then Richard and Jake would butt heads with each other for sure. Oh dear. There must be something." She glanced at Oliver. Her soft eyes lingered on him before they widened, returning to Chance. "Say, maybe there is something. It could benefit all of you."
Chance's eyebrow raised as he pondered Lindsey's thoughts. He would have said no immediately but could not do so with her pleading expression. It pained him to see his mate's mother like this. A desperate mother who wants to be a part of his son's life. He reasoned he could at least hear her out. He nodded. "What is it?"