Lisa pulled off to the side of the road once they were a safe distance away from The Society's compound. She turned in her seat to face Mark, then asked, "Can you believe that place? It's built like Fort Knox. What the hell goes on behind those walls?"
Mark was still looking at the compound in his side view mirror when he heard Lisa's question. Without changing his focus on the exterior walls, he replied, "I have no idea. That is why I want to call Chance and Jake to have them perform a Recon flyover. Something is not right about that place, and before any one of us steps inside that compound, I want to know what is beyond those walls." He turned to Lisa, grasped her paw in his, and said, "Tim's girlfriend looked like she had seen a ghost or something, and knowing your cousin the way we do, he has got to be worried sick about her." Mark squeezed her paw tighter, then asked, "Did you notice the way they touched and looked at each other earlier?"
Lisa smiled, then responded, "Boy did I. Those two are so far gone that I was surprised he wasn't telling us they had eloped. I'm really happy for my cousin; he deserves to have someone like her to love."
"So am I, Lisa," Mark said. "She seems to be really a good match for him. Not only does she seem very intelligent, but she is quite a looker, too. I wonder if she has a sister I can introduce Sean to?"
"Stop trying to play matchmaker for your brother, Mark," Lisa said as she took her paw back. "He will eventually find someone. The only question is when."
Mark took one more glance back at the compound before he said, "That place is giving me the creeps. Let's get out of here before we are spotted."
Lisa put the car back in gear and drove off back towards the center of the city.
Tim's eyes didn't leave Candice for a second. He knew she was frightened, but putting on a decent façade to cover it up. His stomach turned as he watched her proceed through her day almost robotically, not showing any signs of being her normal self. After she sat down at her desk, he went over to her, started to massage her shoulders, and said, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Candice. You are not acting like yourself, and that worries me. I want my confident, fun-loving girlfriend back."
She responded without removing her eyes from the paperwork on her desk, "Tim, I keep seeing that tom coming after me with a loaded gun and shooting me like he did to those kids." She spun around in her chair, looked into his eyes, then said, "I don't know if he saw me that night, but I definitely recognized him. I feel frightened, and I hate it! I don't know if I will ever be the same girl you fell in love with ever again." Candice eyes started to water before she said, "If you want to breakup with me, I completely understand."
Tim was not only shocked by her statement, but furious that Candice would even think he would break up with her. He lifted her out of her chair and looked into her eyes before he answered, "I understand that you are frightened, Candice, but there is no way I am ever going to break up with you. I meant every single word I told your grandmother and your parents at the house. I'm in love with you and I want to marry you. Nothing is ever going to change that!" He accentuated his statement of love for her by pressing his lips to hers and passionately kissing her without a care in the world as to whoever witnessed it.
Candice closed her eyes and returned his kiss while her fingers laced around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her.
Eventually, they both had to stop in order to breathe. Between panted breaths, Candice said, "That was intense, Tim." She took a few more deep breaths, then said, "Keep kissing me like that, and I will have to show you how Leona bagged Lionel."
Tim smiled, then said, "That's the she-cat I know and love to death. If I have to kiss you like that to break you out of a funk, then that is what I will do."
Candice caressed the side of his face as she tried to smile so he wouldn't worry so much about her. But her fake smile and the lack of warmth in her touch was a dead giveaway to Tim that she was still not herself. Tim decided to take action. He picked her up in his arms and started to carry her out of the office without a word.
"What are you doing, Tim?" Candice asked. "Put me down. I have work to do."
"Not today you don't," Tim replied. "Today, you and I are going to a place where I guarantee you will be safe."
Candice pounded her fists into his chest and yelled, "Are you planning on kidnapping me!? You can't do that! I'm an independent she-cat, and I don't need you to come and rescue me like I'm a damsel in distress!"
"Yes, you are, my dear. However, you are not yourself today, and I am going to take you away from all of this until you turn back into the she-cat I have fallen in love with. So be prepared to be swept off of your feet and pampered by your adoring boyfriend for the rest of the day."
Candice resigned herself to the fact that Tim was not going to put her down, no matter how much she protested, and he was going to get his way. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Alright, lover. You think that you can pamper me and make me forget that tom?" she asked.
"I don't think so, Candice. I know I can make you forget about him," Tim answered as he pushed the elevator call button with his knee.
"Confident, aren't you?" Candice asked. "Alright, I'm yours for the day." She held her right index finger to his lips, then said, "However, if you can't make me forget all of my worries for the rest of the day, you are going to have to whisk me away to some exotic destination, far, far away."
The elevator doors opened and Tim kissed her finger before he said, "Challenge accepted, and I promise, by the time the sun sets, you will have forgotten all about him."
They entered the elevator and Tim turned around to face the front. Then as the doors closed, he leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
After stopping at her apartment to pack two small bags, they returned to the garage and left for a destination only Tim knew, and he was not going to tell her about, no matter how many times she asked.
They drove for what seemed like for hours, leaving the buildings of the city behind them for the tree-lined streets outside the city's borders.
Tim eventually turned onto the highway, heading north.
"Where are you taking me?" Candice asked as the dense lines of trees passed by them.
"You'll see, dear," Tim replied. "Just be patient, we are almost there." He then placed his right paw on her left knee.
Another half-hour passed and the highway ended. It flowed into a two-lane road that appeared to wind its way up a mountain. Tim drove for another few minutes before turning off of the road, onto a dirt driveway that was cut through a dense line of trees.
Candice switched off the car's air conditioning and lowered her window. She stuck her head out and inhaled the fresh air of the forest surrounding them as the wind whipped through her long mane of hair.
Tim slowed the car, turned to his girlfriend, and looked at the side of her face as it was illuminated by the sun. His heart slammed in his chest as he desired to really ask for her paw and marry the she-cat he had been dreaming about meeting since he was a teenager. He pulled up to a rustic house and parked the car before switching it off and saying, "We are here."
Candice got out of the car and took a good look around. She noticed there were no other houses in sight, but she could hear the playful squeals of young kittens playing off in the distance. She then turned and faced the house. It wasn't modern by any stretch of the imagination. However, it had three floors, and each one had a porch that went from one end of the house to the other. The lower floor's wall was lined with windows, while the upper two floors appeared to have a pair of windows per bedroom. The entire house was clad in wood siding painted a light gray with real working wooden shutters painted white. As she walked towards the house, she asked, "What is this place?"
Tim was removing the bags from the trunk when he heard her question. He watched her as she looked at her surroundings in amazement and awe, then he answered, "This was where I spent my summers when I was growing up. My grandparents owned the place, and when they died, they left it to me. Welcome to my little Castle of Solitude. I still come here when I need to get away from it all. There is no phone, cable, or internet. However, just beyond that treeline, there is a dock and a crystal clear lake to swim in. The house also has a decent-sized library full of books. My mother and grandmother loved reading, although most of the books they read were trashy romance novels." He extended his paw to her and said, "Come, let me show you around."
Candice walked over to him and took his paw in hers. He led her onto the porch and to the screen door. He fished out a key from his pocket, opened the screen door, and inserted the key into the lock. He gave the key a twist and the front door opened with a creak. "I need to fix that someday. Come inside and wait in the hall while I turn on the electricity."
They entered the hall, and Tim let go of her paw to turn on the power to the house.
While he was gone, Candice looked at the photos that lined the hall. She stopped at one particular photo of what she could only assume was Tim's family.
The lights came to life, and Tim returned to the hall to find Candice looking at a photo. He came up to her and kissed her cheek before he gazed at the photo that had caught her attention. "The pair on the left were my grandparents, Agnes and Howard. Standing next to them are my parents, and finally, the lean kid is me."
"Lisa was right, you do have a scrawny tail," Candice said, then started laughing.
Tim scrunched his face, and then started laughing right along with her. He eventually said, "I guess I did. That photo was taken when I was fourteen, right before I had my growth spurt. There are more pictures towards the kitchen that I think you will find interesting, too."
Tim explained every photo in detail to Candice as they walked down the hall. They stopped at one photo right before the kitchen, and Tim said, "This photo was taken the day my parents were married. Didn't my mother look beautiful?"
Candice looked at Tim's mother's face, and he was right. She was smiling from ear to ear as her new husband held her. Then she noticed the way Tim's mother's stomach bulged slightly. She asked, "Was your mother pregnant when she got married?"
Tim smiled and replied, "Yes, I was the special wedding gift they were not expecting to get. According to my father, they had just finished making plans for their wedding, and decided to have an early dinner, then come back here for a swim in the lake. Well, one thing led to another, and they went skinny dipping that night. Nine months later, I was born."
Candice turned around and noticed another photo of Tim's mother resting in a hospital bed, holding a small bundle in her arms with her husband lying next to her with his left arm around her shoulders. "Aw, you were an adorable kitten."
Tim came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and said, "That was taken the day after I was born. My father told me that my mother didn't get much rest after I was born. I was always hungry cranky when I was separated from either her or my father. The nurses decided I needed to be close to my parents at all times, so they moved my crib out of the nursery and into my mother's room. I guess I was a 'Mama's Boy' because I latched onto her and never let her go when I was younger." A tear left Tim's eye and rolled down his cheek before landing on Candice's left shoulder.
She felt the tear hit her shoulder and turned around in his arms. She then asked, "Why are you crying, Tim?"
Tim didn't realize he was crying until she mentioned it. He wiped the tears away, then replied, "My mother died when I was sixteen, Candice. She was mugged. Even after she gave the mugger all of her money, he shot her. My father came to get me from school that day, but wouldn't tell me why. He drove in silence all the way to the hospital, and when we got there, he pulled me into a hug and said, 'I'm sorry, son. Your mother, my loving wife, was killed today.' I ran out of the car, crying my eyes out. After her funeral, my father and I grew distant. He died a few years later. That was when I enrolled in the Enforcer academy, vowing I would do my best to keep the innocent safe."
"I'm so sorry, Tim," Candice said as she caressed his cheeks. "I remember the day Lionel died, and I was devastated. If it wasn't for Leona and my parents, I probably would have shut out the rest of the world and ran away."
"It's alright, Candice. My parents died years ago. It still makes me feel sad that they never are going to be able to see me in love, or get to meet their grandchildren. When we have them, that is," Tim said before he kissed his mother's image, then said, "Enough of me being somber. I promised I would pamper you for the rest of the day and that is what I am going to do. What do you want to do first? We can lay out on the dock and rest in the warm sun. There is a boat I can take you for a ride in, or you can waterski behind it, or I can take you on a tour of the small town I call my home away from home. Your wish is my command, my love."
"Hmm. Waterskiing sounds like fun. Although, lying out on the dock in a skimpy bikini, letting the sun warm me up sounds nice, too," Candice said as she let her claws walk down his chest to his abs. "What do you want to do, Tim? Go waterskiing, or lay out in the sun? Either way, you'll get to see your girlfriend in a swimsuit."
Tim couldn't deny he wanted to see Candice in a bikini and rest the day away with her on the docks. But then he had another idea. He said, "How about both? We can go waterskiing, and then rest on the docks. Then later tonight, I can take my girlfriend into town for a romantic dinner and a stroll before bed."
"You keep coming up with more creative ways to make me love you, even more than I already do, Tim," Candice said before she kissed him. She withdrew from the kiss and said, "I'll race you upstairs!" before she took off with her bag in her paws.
Rodney parked his Cadillac in his designated spot and got out. He entered one of the compound's buildings and ran into Michael. "Hey Michael, how is Helen feeling?" he asked.
"She is pregnant with twins, Rodney. Other than that, she and Evelyn are doing great. We actually enrolled Evelyn in school today. She couldn't be more excited that she gets to attend a regular school," Michael replied.
"Is that really a good idea? She is a sorceress, not a normal girl. Is she going to be able to keep her powers under control?" Rodney asked.
"Evelyn's powers have not come forth yet. She is too young for that to happen. She will be fine," Michael said.
"As long as you think so, my friend. I just don't want anything to happen to her. You know I care for her like she is my own," Rodney said as he put his left paw on Michael's shoulder.
"I know you do, Rodney," Michael said. "David wants to see us."
"What does he want now?" Rodney asked.
"From what the others tell me, we are expecting a very special guess to come and visit," Michael said.
"Really? Who would want to come here?" Rodney asked.
"The queen," Michael replied.
"She can't come here with the compound looking like this!" Rodney stated. "This place is not fit for her, period! It needs a feminine touch to make it feel warm and cozy and not this cold and dreary place it is now."
Michael chuckled at Rodney's comment, then said, "You are right, my friend. This place is not fit for someone of her status. I guess I can have Helen and Evelyn take a shot at making this place a little more tolerable. Come on, let's go and see what our leader wants before he decides we aren't getting there fast enough."
They started walking down several halls illuminated by lit torches as Rodney said, "David really needs to be removed from power. He has twisted the once peaceful mission of this place into his own perverse calling in an attempt to woo the queen. Morale here is at an all-time low, dear brother, and a large amount of the members want to return this place to its former glory, with or without David."
Michael stopped and spun Rodney around to face him. He looked directly into Rodney's eyes and said, "Be careful what you say within these walls, brother. You never know who might be listening to what is being said. I would really hate for you to end up like that jerk, Snow."
"You know I hated murdering those teenagers so we wouldn't have any witnesses to me dumping Snow in the river," Rodney said.
"I know you didn't want to murder those teenagers, Rodney," Michael said before he asked, "Why did you have to kill them? Couldn't you have just given them a good fright, instead?"
"Believe me, I wanted to just scare the crap out of them, but you know David's orders are to be carried out without question or the consequences are rather dire," Rodney replied. He looked away from Michael for a second before his focus returned to him and he said, "They looked like they were really in love with each other. Both of them were too young to be doing what they were doing, though, in my opinion, but they didn't deserve to die because of that. I went to their funerals just to learn their names and pray for their forgiveness."
"You what!?" Michael yelled. He looked around to make sure that no one was watching him. Then he pulled Rodney into a room and closed the door. "What were you thinking!? Do you have any idea what would have happened if someone saw you!?" Michael shouted.
"Relax, Mike, no one saw me. I stayed hidden behind a tree the entire time, and only showed myself after everyone had left."
"I certainly hope so. I don't want to have to explain to Evelyn why her favorite uncle isn't coming around anymore," Michael said.
They left the room Michael had pulled him into and continued down the hall to a pair of very heavy doors. Michael knocked and waited for a response before entering.
David was preparing his plans to take over the city from the 'Normal' citizens once Callista was fully indoctrinated into The Society and saw things his way. He dropped the pen he was holding, letting it fall to his desk as a ghostly apparition of Callista wearing her long gown waiting for him in his personal chambers appeared before him. "Soon, my queen, you will be mine," he said, then he heard a knock on the door. The knocking snapped him out of his thoughts and he said, "Enter."
Michael opened the door and motioned for Rodney to enter the chamber before going in behind him and closing the door. They both walked side by side until they reached David's desk where they both lowered themselves down onto a single knee and bowed their heads.
"Rise," David said.
They rose to their feet and waited for David to state why he had summoned them.
"As you both know by now, these walls will soon be housing a member of royalty. I fully expect everyone to welcome the queen and treat her with the proper respect at all times." David turned ever so slightly to Michael and said, "Michael, I want your wife to be Callista's personal assistant during her stay. Helen is a warm and loving she-cat, and I have a good feeling she and the queen will get along perfectly. I also know this place does not radiate warmth at all. Therefore, I need Helen to brighten this place up. Queen Callista should feel comfortable and at home while she is here."
"I will ask her when I return home tonight. However, I must inform you she is pregnant with twins, and I will not place my children's nor my wife's health in jeopardy," Michael said.
"That is wonderful news!" David exclaimed. "Our numbers are dwindling daily. It will be nice to have two new kitten magic users in this place. When is she due?"
"Not 100% sure," Michael responded. "I need to take her to the doctor to find out."
"Please give Helen and Evelyn my congratulations. I'm very happy for you both," David said.
"Thank you," Michael responded.
"Rodney, you are my best guard, and are willing to do whatever is necessary to make sure my wishes are carried out," David said.
"Thank you, David," Rodney responded.
"Please remain behind after Michael leaves so we can discuss the queen's security detail," David said.
"As you wish," Rodney responded.
Michael slapped Rodney on the left shoulder before he turned and left.
As soon as the door closed, David asked, "Do you take me for a fool?"
Rodney's stomach dropped, then he responded, "No, David. Why would you say something like that?"
"I know you went to those teenagers' funerals, and I want to know why," David demanded.
"Then you also know, I didn't want to kill those teenagers. They didn't need to die that night just because they wanted to be alone," Rodney stated.
"You know the rules, Rodney!" David yelled. "No regretting decisions made as result of my orders! I specifically said 'no witnesses', and even if they were occupied coupling in the backseat of their car, they still could have seen you dumping Snow's body!" David got up from behind his desk and went over to Rodney. He then asked, "It's obvious to me; as you aged, you have gone soft. You are not as ruthless as you used to be. What shall I do with you?"
"David, I have never failed you before, and I will never fail you again," Rodney said. "Please forgive me for my only transgression."
"Rodney, you have been loyal to me for decades. I have relied on you to perform tasks that many others would have shied away from," David said as he laid the palm of his left paw against the small of Rodney's back.
Rodney gulped when he felt David's icy touch, and braced himself for death.
"Rodney, go to the spa and let the new masseuse I hired remove the stress from your body," David said.
"Yes, David, and thank you," Rodney responded before he turned and left.
After the door closed behind Rodney, David said, "You are welcome, Rodney, you stupid fool. I can't have someone in your position that has a conscience."
Rodney walked down the hall and wiped his brow with his right paw. He said, "I dodged a bullet in there this time. I need to be more careful." He eventually ended up at the spa and entered. He instantly noticed a shapely she-cat with wavy light brown hair that fell to her mid-back with her back towards him. "Excuse me, miss. I was sent here for a massage," he said.
She turned around, faced him, and said as she put the folded towel down, "Yes, I have been expecting you, Mr. Harris. Please go and change out of your clothes and put a robe on. I'll be waiting for you in the other room." She then walked into the massage room and closed the door behind her.
Rodney couldn't help but watch her hips as she walked in her semi-formfitting white jumpsuit. After she disappeared behind the door, he went to go change as she had requested. He emerged a few minutes later and went to the massage room. He knocked on the door and entered the room.
"Please, come and lay down on your stomach," she said.
Rodney entered the room and noticed it was lit with scented candles, which filled the room with an odor of cinnamon and spice. He walked over to the padded table, which was covered in white linen. To the left of the padded table was a smaller table with various oils, as well as a small warmer for them. To the right was a wooden rack holding several towels. He lowered his body to the table, crossed his arms, and rested his head on his forearms.
The masseuse came over to him once he was settled and lowered the robe from the upper half of his body. "My, my. Aren't you a strong tom? You must have the ladies flocking to you."
"Don't I wish," Rodney responded.
"Isn't that a shame," she said as she grabbed a bottle of oil from the warmer. She returned to his left side, poured some of the warm oil onto her paws, then laid them on his shoulders. She started working the muscles in his shoulders and asked, "How does that feel?"
"Mmm, nice. Do you have a name?" Rodney asked.
"Angel," she responded.
"If you want, you can be my angel anytime," Rodney said. "Your paws are heavenly."
She smiled, then responded, "Thank you." Then her paws started to head lower, working the muscles in his back until she heard a pop. She stopped and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Perfect. That knot has been there for months. I should thank you properly. Care to have dinner with me tonight, Angel?"
Angel started working again, but didn't respond. She stopped long enough to get some more oil from the warmer, as well as a sharp dagger hidden in the towels. She slipped the dagger into her belt and returned to Rodney's side. She started working on his lower back and heard him moan. "That's it, Rodney. Let your stress fall away and relax." She then leaned forward and whispered in his left ear as she withdrew the dagger, "As much as I would like you to take me to dinner, I don't date my targets."
Rodney started to roll over as he started to ask, "What are you..?"
Angel quickly dragged the razor sharp edge of the blade across the right side of his neck, severing the carotid artery.
Rodney tried in vain to stop the bleeding, but with every beat of his heart, more blood spurted out of the wound. Eventually, Rodney lost too much blood and closed his eyes for the last time.
Angel wiped the blood from her paws and covered Rodney's face with the used towel. She then kissed the towel, and said, "Too bad I didn't get to know you earlier. We might have had a decent shot at something wonderful." Angel then left the room to go and collect her pay for her deadly services.
End of Chapter