Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Here we go, its dinner time.
This was very hard to write. Thank you MisaRae for everything.
A black Lincoln town car pulled up to the front of Ambrosia, flanked by three other Ford Crown Victoria sedans, all black. Several toms got out of the Crown Vics and surrounded the entrance of the restaurant. They were all dressed in black suits and wore dark glasses. After a few minutes, one of the toms gave the 'All Clear' sign to the rest of the group.
One of the toms went over to the town car, opened the rear passenger door, and helped an older tom out of the car. Once the older tom was safely out of the car, the younger one closed the door.
The older tom was dressed in a handmade suit, tailored from the finest gray linen that could be found. He also wore a salmon-colored silk shirt and matching tie. On his fingers were a few simple rings. His escort led him to front door, and when he was close enough, another tom opened it and waited for him to pass before letting it close behind him.
Sniper and Angel watched intently as the parade of black cars stopped in front of the restaurant, and the melee of toms dressed in black suits got out and fanned out. Sniper withdrew a stick of gum from her pocket, carefully unwrapped it, but before she placed it in her mouth, she said, "Show Time." She then placed the rifle's support on the parapet of the roof and took up her position with the barrel of the rifle, trained on the front door.
The tom made his way to the hostess' station and said, "Charlene, it's good to see you again. You look lovely, as always. How are the kittens?"
"They are all grown up and gone. I hardly see them nowadays, David. Let me show you to your table. Your guest has already arrived," Charlene replied.
She led David through the empty restaurant and towards the back room where Callista was waiting.
Charlene was just about to open the door to the back room when David stopped her, putting his hand gently on her arm and said, "Thank you, Charlene. I can take it from here."
Charlene went back to her station, leaving David alone. He took a few breaths, and then opened the door.
Callista was actually having fun playing with the lit candles. She had every one of them dancing in time with the music that was playing in the room. She then heard the door open, and a lone, well-dressed tom entered. She scowled, twisted her right paw, and pointed her finger at the tom. Instantly, five of the flames that had once been dancing merrily in their places leapt up and transformed into flaming daggers, which flew at the tom who had just entered the room. They stopped about six inches from the tom and floated in midair, awaiting her command to end his life.
David felt the heat of the daggers as they floated mere inches from his body. Only years of dealing with dangerous individuals kept him from flinching, allowing him to stare his possible death in the face briefly before turning his attention to the furious she-cat beyond. He clucked his tongue, then smiled before saying, "Callista, is this any way to treat a tom who has invited you to an expensive dinner? I promise no harm will come to you tonight. Please put your claws away."
Callista quickly extended her right arm out to the side, and the daggers zipped backwards, becoming mere candle flames once again. However, her facial expression did not change.
David breathed a sigh of relief as the daggers headed their mistress' command and turned back into slightly more innocent flames. He then said, "Thank you, Callista. I just bought this suit, and it cost me a pretty penny." He looked over at her, saw how beautiful she was, and decided that the stories of her beauty had not done her justice at all. He said, "Everyone told me how good looking you are, but they were wrong. You are the most beautiful she-cat in the city, if not the world. Even with that scowl on your face, your beauty is unmatched. Now, may I sit down?"
Callista returned her right arm to her side, and silently motioned for David to have a seat.
David took his cue and sat across from her, took a sip of water from the glass in front of him, and then said, "I wish we could have met under better circumstances. I have no doubt that in time, we would have made a lovely couple."
Callista's eyes flashed with anger, her voice low with rage as she replied, "You had my daughter and her husband executed, you threaten my granddaughter, and now you have the audacity to say that we would have a lovely couple? I am not a violent cat by any means, but if you keep this up, I will not hesitate to rip your throat out and watch you die in front of me."
"I only threatened your granddaughter in order to get you here tonight. I knew you would not come, otherwise. As for your daughter and her husband, the idiot I hired just to scare her was drunk, and should have not gotten behind the wheel that day. Killing her was not part of my plan. However, watching you destroy that city block was breathtaking," David said.
"Perhaps if you had asked nicely, David, I would have been more eager to oblige you. As for my daughter's death not being part of your plan, the very fact that you arranged for her life to be in any kind of danger is something I can never, ever forgive you for." Callista said.
Lisa heard the fury in Callista's voice, and realized she had better get in there before the other cat was incinerated on the spot. She opened the door, and said, "Hi, my name is Leila. I will be your sever tonight. May I get you something from the bar?" She then handed David a menu, since Callista already had one in front of her.
David looked up at Lisa and let his eyes travel down her body. He liked what he saw, very much. He replied, "I'll have vodka over ice, please, and whatever the lady is having."
Lisa turned to Callista and asked, "And for you, Miss?"
Callista turned her head towards Lisa and replied, "I'll just have a seltzer with lemon, please."
Lisa bowed and said, "Very well, I will be right back with your drinks. Please look over our menu while you wait. I'm sure you'll find something to your taste, but if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them." She then turned on her heel and left the room.
David watched intently as the movement of Lisa's hips and tail made the short skirt of her dress sway, almost giving him a glimpse of what lay beneath. He murmured, almost as if to himself, "Now that is one she-cat I would not mind waking up next to."
Callista heard him, and she snapped her head around to face him. Then she said, "You really are a piece of work. You imply you are here to try and woo me, then you make an inappropriate comment about our waitress. When was the last time you actually had a date?"
"Far too long ago, my beauty. However, I have no problem finding a she-cat when I would like a little feminine companionship. Sadly, they are always after just one thing: my money," David said, and then looked directly into her eyes and said, "On the other hand, if you were to join us," David purred, "we could have all the money and power that the world has to offer, Callista. As I mentioned, you could be a queen again, and I would be your king. Our empire would be unstoppable. Think how life would be, you sitting on a throne, having every cat out there at your feet, awaiting your command. And me, standing by your side as your adoring husband, waiting to take you back to our bedroom for a night of ecstasy. Isn't that an enticing proposition?"
Callista slammed her paws down on the table, and then replied, "I was a magnificent queen. I never had to worry about any of the cats in my kingdom because I respected every single one them, and they respected me. I never ruled with an iron paw. Now as for you becoming my king, that is not going to happen. I have very recently become engaged to a tom that I originally fell in love with years ago, and he is the one who will to take me to the heights of ecstasy."
Lisa retrieved their drink order from the bar and quickly made her way back to the private dining room. She did not want to leave Callista alone with the tom for any longer than was absolutely necessary. She opened the door to the room and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She then smiled and walked confidently to the table. When she arrived, she said as she handed out the drinks, "Would you care to start off with an appetizer?"
David turned his attention to Callista and said, "Whatever you would like, my fetching beauty."
Callista felt her gut wrench as David spoke to her using such terms of endearment. The only thing she wanted to do was get away from him and move on with her life. She looked at the menu and saw that they were serving snails, one of her favorites. She replied, "May I have an order of escargot, please?"
"Certainly, and for you, sir?" Lisa asked.
David was in the middle of draining the vodka from his newly-brought glass when Lisa asked her question. Once the glass was empty, he put it down, licked his lips, and then replied, "I'll have an order of the fried calamari, and another one of these."
"Very well, I'll be right back," Lisa replied. She left them alone again to place their order. Lisa made quick work of the POS system, and had the appetizer order in to the kitchen within seconds. She then made her way to the bar and said, "Harry, the sleazeball wants another one."
Harry took the glass from her tray, placed it in the sink, and then grabbed a clean one, loaded it with a large ice cube, and finally, grabbed a bottle of vodka from the top shelf, pouring some of the contents into the glass. He said as he placed the glass on Lisa's tray, "I know that guy can be rude. When my own daughter worked here last summer, he made a pass at her in front of me. I so wanted to slam my fist in his face. No she-cat deserves to be treated in such a manner."
"So why didn't you?" Lisa asked.
"Raul may be a pervert, but he is kind to his employees. He pays me generously for what I do, and is helping with my daughter's schooling. Besides, watching my daughter slap the guy across the face was enough for me," Harry replied.
Lisa took the tray from the bar and walked back to the private room. She opened the door and went inside. Then she walked over to the table and gave David his second drink.
David took the glass from Lisa and downed it in one gulp. He looked at her and said, "Bring me another, and this time, have Harry give me the bottle."
Lisa smiled and replied, "Very well, your appetizers should be out shortly." As she turned to leave, David slipped his right paw under her dress, feeling her underwear-covered butt.
The sensation of David's paw on her backside made her tighten her grasp on her serving tray so that she wouldn't deck him. No tom had ever placed their paws on her without her permission, not even Mark when they made out. She quickly slapped David's paw away and said, "Sir, I am not on the menu. If you try that again, I will have you escorted out of here." She left after she finished speaking.
David thought as he watched her leave, 'That she-cat has one of the firmest butts I have ever felt. I wonder how she would look without any clothes on?'
Callista could not believe her eyes. She said, "Now I know why you can't get a decent date. No she-cat in their right mind would even think about dating you."
"David shrugged elegantly before replying, "I have no use for she-cats with minds, on general principles. However, you, my dear, are an exception I would be more than willing to make." He then looked under the table, and saw Callista's right thigh peeking out from under her dress. His mouth started to water as he stared at such a shapely appendage. David dragged his gaze back up to Callista's face and said, "For a she-cat as old as you are, you are a breathtaking sight to behold."
Lisa came back, this time with a clean glass and the bottle of vodka, as had been requested. She placed the glass down, followed by the bottle. She then reached out and discreetly took Callista's paw in hers for a brief second before she left for the kitchen to check on their appetizer order.
Callista felt slightly more at ease after Lisa's nonverbal encouragement. She still didn't know whether to take what David had just said as a compliment or as an insult. She decided to take it as a compliment and replied, "Thank you. However, I am physically only 35, so I am not that old."
"Callista, you could run for Miss MegaKat City, and would win. The only other she-cat that could run you competition is your granddaughter. Although, I don't think she is the type of she-cat to parade around in a skimpy bathing suit."
"And you think I am?" Callista asked, while raising an eyebrow.
David finished his fourth glass of vodka, and the filter between his brain and mouth began to shut down. He replied, "You might be. I have seen you in some very revealing outfits over the years, especially when you were trying to seduce your husband into impregnating you." He then poured his fifth drink and swallowed another mouthful of vodka.
Callista's face started to turn red upon hearing that David had spied on her and her late husband during some very intimate moments. She replied, "Who gave you the right to look in on me and my husband in our own home!? You are one of the most despicable toms I have ever known!" She stood up and threw her napkin down on the table before she said, "I will never join the Society as long as I live, and if I hear from or see you ever again, you will regret it, David."
Rather than taking Callista's words as the threat they were, the alcohol he had already imbibed turned them into a flirtatious challenge. Feeling a surge of vodka-driven fool's courage, David got up from his seat and went around to her side of the table. Before Callista had a chance to react, he grasped her paw and dragged her up out of her seat, yanking her up against his body. Callista struggled, but that only seemed to make him more determined as he pinned her arms with his embrace against his chest, his paws splaying against her back. He took a moment to savor the scent of her golden hair and the way she was writhing against him before slipping one hand down to her tail and slamming his lips down on hers.
Callista tried as hard as she could to push herself away, but he was too strong for her. She opened her mouth, figuring that he would want to take the kiss further, which he did. As his tongue went into her mouth, she bit down hard, drawing blood.
David's yowl was muffled until she finally released his tongue and he staggered backward, wondering if she had bitten it clean off. He reached for his water glass with a shaking paw, carefully taking a mouthful and swishing it around to get the taste of blood out of his mouth. He moved his tongue experimentally, reassuring himself that it was still in one piece before tamping down his urge to yell, modulating his tone back to its more seductive one before asking with a reproachful look, "What was that for, Callista? I only wanted to demonstrate how much I want you to join me and the rest of The Society, then you went and bit me!"
"I don't like to be man-handled by anyone, and you had no right to kiss me, either. As for your offer, I respectfully decline. Good night and good bye, David," Callista said, and then walked out of the restaurant.
As she was leaving the room, Lisa and a couple of David's lackeys entered. Lisa went to work cleaning up the mess, while one of the lackeys asked, "What happened, Boss? You said she would be putty in your paws."
"I guess I was wrong about her," David said, as he wiped some more blood away. He watched Callista's tail slip through the door, and then said, "Kill her before she leaves the restaurant."
"Are you sure? The Society's interest goes back farther than any of us have been alive," the lackey said.
"As much as both The Society and I desire her, her continued defiance is becoming an inconvenience. Kill her now," David ordered.
Both lackeys left the room, followed by Lisa with a tray of glasses balanced in her paw. She quickly dropped the tray off at the bar and sprinted towards the front door to warn Callista.
Callista opened the front door and saw Ulysses standing next to his car, waiting for her. She smiled and walked just a hair faster, desperate to be held in his strong arms and let him kiss away the awful taste in her mouth.
A few steps behind her, one of the lackeys pulled a gun from his belt and took aim at Callista's back.
Lisa bolted out of the door, saw the gun in the tom's paw, and made a beeline for Callista.
Knowing that he had a clear shot, the tom cocked his gun and fired.
Lisa heard the clicking of the gun's hammer, and she sped up, desperate to reach Callista. The next few moments were a blur. Lisa heard the gun fire, but all her attention was on Callista. A second later, she was tackling Callista to the ground as pain exploded in her shoulder.
The tom in the alley had finished his business with the prostitute, dressed, and walked back towards Adonis. He said, "You should have taken her up on her offer. She was nice and tight."
They both heard the gun shot and ran to the sound of the shot. Adonis opened his mouth to respond when the sound of gunshots reached their ears. He and the other tom both raced out of the alley towards the front of the restaurant, only for Adonis to see Pirouette crumple before his eyes.
Adonis's eyes went wide and he screamed, "Pirouette!" He desperately tried to get to her, but the other tom held him back. Adonis saw nothing but red, and slammed his fist into the other tom's face, breaking his nose in the process. As the tom released Adonis, Adonis ran to Pirouette's side and picked her up in his arms.
Ulysses ran from his car and made his way to Callista's side. Once she was in his arms, he asked, "Are you alright, my love?"
"I am fine, Ulysses, thanks to Pirouette. How is she?" Callista asked.
Ulysses turned his head to try and assess Pirouette's injuries. He thought he could see her bleeding from her right shoulder, but it was hard to tell with the way that Adonis was holding her so tightly in his arms.
Sniper watched in shock as the tom shot at Callista. Sniper looked through the lens of the scope and aimed at the offending tom. She then said, "No way are you getting away." She fired a single shot at the tom, her aim perfect as the bullet lodged itself in his knee.
The tom fell to the ground and brought his knee up so he could grab it. He started yelling obscenities as the pain increased.
Angel leapt off of the roof as soon as Sniper fired her shot. She extended her wings and glided down to street level, landing next to Ulysses and Callista. She then folded her wings, crouched down next to Callista, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Callista turned her head and faced Angel. She quickly studied Angel's face and body, and recognized her old friend immediately. She asked, "Amelia, what are you doing here?"
Angel placed her paw on Callista's shoulder and replied, "Now is not the time, my queen. Right now, your friend needs your help."
Empress and Havoc also heard the gunshot and ran to the front of the building to see Ulysses holding Callista, a winged she-cat crouching down with her paw on Callista's shoulder, and Adonis with a bleeding Pirouette in his arms, his entire focus on her.
Empress reached out, grabbing hold of Havoc and pulling her into a tight embrace. Feeling her friend's arms go around her was the last straw, smashing through her composure and turning her into a trembling wreck. The sight of Pirouette lying broken and bleeding in her fiancé's arms was a vivid reminder of how she had almost lost her own fiancé such a short time ago. Eventually, the memories faded back into their place in the back of her mind enough for her to regain her composure. She pulled back, giving Havoc and sheepish look before turning her attention to Ulysses and asking, "What happened?"
Ulysses replied, "Callista was leaving the restaurant when the tom lying on the ground over there pulled out a gun and tried to shoot her. If Lisa hadn't tackled Callista, Callista might not still be alive. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly how badly Lisa has been wounded yet."
Callista broke free of Ulysses and Amelia and walked over to Lisa, kneeled down next to her and Adonis, and asked, "Can I see the wound?"
Adonis moved his arm at Callista's request, but even such a slight movement made an arrow of blinding pain shoot through Lisa, and she screamed in heartrending agony.
Adonis flinched inwardly at Lisa's cry of pain, but he kept his arms steady. It was all he could really do, and he hated it. He was a tom of action, and his beloved fiancée might be dying in his arms. He looked up at the only cat he knew that had even the slightest chance of fixing things. He pleaded, "Please help her, Callista. There has to be something that you can do to help her."
Callista took one look at the wound and saw that the bullet was still in Lisa's shoulder. She leaned over to Lisa and said, "Much as I would love to, I don't dare remove the bullet. Doing so may do more harm than good. I can, however, help you by putting you to sleep. Is that what you want, Lisa?"
Lisa could not answer her, though; the pain was too much for her to bear.
Adonis heard his fiancée cry out in pain once more, and turned his head to face Callista. He ordered, "Do it!"
Callista replied, "Alright, here we go. Lisa, when you wake up, you will be out of surgery and on the mend. We will all keep a close watch on Adonis for you, so you don't have to worry about a thing. Now sleep." Her left paw started to glow, the soft, white light giving off a gentle heat. She slowly waved her paw over Lisa's face, starting with her forehead and ending at her chin. Once Callista's paw completed its journey, Lisa was sound asleep.
Adonis cradled Lisa in his arms as tears flowed from his eyes. He raised his head to Callista and said, "Thank you." He then lowered his head, so he could bury his face in Lisa's hair.
David watched the entire scene unfold in front of him before getting in his car and leaving without saying a word.
End of Chapter