Chapter 24:
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"Freddy…" The male fox looked across from his cell at his wife. Locked away in her own with her youngest son held tight, she looked at him. Scared, tired, hoping… "If there is a time to be you, now is that time."
"Shhhhh…" he said, turning past her and walking past his oldest son, held in the same cage as he was.
"That is not very…"
"We have little, yes, but we have time. Time to think, time to prepare, time to…"
"Time to wonder what they're doing to my nephew," she said, turning down and soothing her kit as he began fussing.
"-If it's a change he needs," a new voice cut in, "I can help you."
The mother fox turned up and narrowed her eyes venomously at the pallas cat walking in. "I hope you don't take it non-personally if I say I'd decline that offer."
The pallas cat relaxed against a concrete column, studying her claws. "I was merely going to offer supplies. What's the worst I could do? Antifreeze in the milk? Highly caustic compounds in the wipes? -I've done some truly depraved things with pacifiers in my time, but do you really think of me as someone willing to hurt an innocent kit?"
"Yes," the female vixen said, matter of factly.
"I see you're a good judge of character then," the feline said, looking up and smiling, "-Felicity. Felicity?"
"That is my name."
"Mine too," the cat purred. "That or Felicia, it can go either way." She almost ran up to the bars, both cheeks smushing into one as she pushed her head up. "Don't you think that's the finest little coincidence?"
"I'd rather settle for us not even sharing the same planet, yet alone the same room…"
"-It could have been the same species," the cat said, stepping back. She paused as she looked over Mr Fox. "That would have been fun," she said, walking over to him. "Wouldn't it? -I heard you're quite the talker."
"When I have worthwhile things to say to worthwhile mammals, I can be," he smiled.
"To be fair it's probably for the best that you stay out of it. Grrrrllll talk."
She turned back, only for a shout from Ash to cut her off. "You're not a Grrrrlllll… -You're, you're a wicked youngish woman, at best."
She turned to him, tutting. "A little bit of advice," she said. "When I'm giving your cousin over to the mammal who traumatized him as a play thing, don't give me an excuse to let her have more time with him."
"You can't have," Felicity scoffed, Felicity turning to face her.
"Oh I can," the pallas cat said.
"I mean you can't have simply recruited that mammal into this ludicrous scheme," the female fox waved off. "There's a level of absurdity that…" She trailed off as she saw the photograph of the serval, dressed up in her new 'prison officer' uniform. "You can't have…"
"I'm pretty sure I established that I just did, and…"
"-I meant that in the moral and disgusted sense."
The pallas cat let out a short laugh. "In the moral and disgust sense, I learnt a long time ago that 'can't' is just a word made up to stop mammals having fun. -Now you tell me this, once we're through with your brother in law, once Rattigan has ascended, once all of this is over… -We won't need you. You shall just be a play thing like so many others, with so many potential… -Options, for what to do with you, all of you."
She looked around, focussing on Ash. "Hey kit, you like science."
"I enjoy chemistry."
"Oooh, and here I am a biology fan," the cat purred. She turned to Felicity, smiling. "You know, tickling… It's a funny thing. Not sure why we have it, you just get attacked and end up giggling and laughing, having a good time."
The vixen fixed her opponent with a stony glare.
"-Seems I'm the only curious one," she waved off. "Curious about this, about that, about what happens if you start tickling and…" Her eyes rested on Ash. "Just, don't, stop." She walked forward. "It'd need to be a major study with multiple mammals, ideally of a similar age and species, though 'teen fox' is certainly not too hard to fill."
The muddy-furred vulpine stared back at her, fixing himself in place, muzzle wrinkling up as she carried on. "I'd not want the answer simply to be 'starves or dehydrates to death' so intravenous nutrition would be required, though as for breathing… A few trial runs to see if asphyxiation is a potential source for termination. In such a case a mechanical breathing mechanism could be implemented." A claw ran up and down a cage bar. "Bound tight, tickling devices on full, for an hour, a day, a week, a month… Observing whether the mammals just expire, and what happens to their mental state. Taking them out after certain periods of time, seeing if they've been reduced to mental wreckage or not. Of course someone would have to be set in for a permanent treatment." She shrugged, lookin at him with a glint in her eye and a tongue licking around her lips. "You could be quite the tourist attraction. -If you have what it takes."
"Leave…" Felicity growled. "My… Son… ALONE."
"Oh, I could do that. But where? A deserted island? An isolation cell? All wrapped up." The pallas cat gave her captive opponent a set of puppy dog eyes. "I mean that could be a fantastic little bit of art. One of them subjected to permanent and complete sensory deprivation, and the other the most extreme and intensive over-stimulation. Together, just feet apart, I wonder what title I could…"
She flinched back as a pawful of dirt was thrown her way, the pallas cat stumbling back against Mr Fox's cell with a bang before her eyes widened with feral glee. "There we are!"
"Leave them alone, I will make you suffer, I will…"
"Spill words from behind your bars," Felicity said softly. "Which is a shame, really, I heard you were a painter."
The vixen's head tilted. "What does that have to…"
"-A fellow artiste. Only in this case held back, humbled down by the burdens of family, by mundanity… I could set you free. It'll be like a rollercoaster, a pit in your stomach at first, and then? -Exhilarating."
"This is getting quite the bore," the vixen waved off, turning back to her bench and sitting down, kit held tightly to her chest as she stared off into a corner of the wall.
The cat tutted. "The 'ignore them and they'll go away' technique. Tell me, when has that ever, ever, worked?"
Felicity didn't answer. Ash did. "SEE! Even she gets it."
"Now's not the time dear," his mother chided.
"Oh I think it is," their captor said. "Time for a lot of things. Your brother in law is finally doing his work for us, your nephew is finally paying for his 'crimes'. And my dear Rattigan is almost back in the city from his trip abroad. The key to all of this in his paws."
"All according to plan," Mr Fox said.
"Very much so," the cat purred, turning to him.
"Including needing a new quote-unquote 'key talisman thingy' after the one you stole from us failed or whatever."
Her fur bristled just a little. "Delays, complications, the route has been unexpected, but the home port is in reach."
"This spirit then," he continued. "The one it was believed, according to the kung fu mammals who were part of this, that these talisman's contained. Are they friendly?"
"Quite, quite nasty and evil," she waved off. "But with a power he refused to truly yield, something that once he's claimed it Rattigan will not repeat. -You can give the key back now."
Mr Fox sat down, paws on knees, and smiled at her. "What key?"
"The one to your cell, that you stole, when I bumped back into it. -That was clever of you," she smiled, her expression darkening. "So give it back, or in short order I will have a hers fox tail to match my Dear Paddy's his fox tail."
"-He, he doesn't have it, stop lying," Ash growled.
"I have a distinct one missing," Felicity scolded, before turning to a smile. "But I must say, for future captives, that would be a delightful way to help break them in. -I might now break you after all."
"He still doesn't…"
"-I could just call backup, shoot you all dead," she said, the mirth vanished from her voice.
Mr Fox sighed, slipping a paw into his pocket and throwing the key out. It rattled against the floor, the pallas cat picking it up. "So what was it?" He asked. "My general lack of talkiness, indicating I was planning something and relying on the key acts of others to play out naturally?"
She smiled. "I did have a sneaking suspicion given that a notable husband like you was not a ranting, screaming, menace at my threats to your loved ones."
"-Well in that case you completely misunderstand me. I fully intend to completely wreck you, your plans, your hopes, dreams and aspirations in the most total way possible. -And stay composed while doing so."
"No wild animal craziness then?"
"Oh, certainly. Just not now. There's always a time, and a place."
The pallas cat tutted. "You know that sounds just like my parents, my teachers, therapists, case workers, psychiatrists, etcetera… I learnt to ignore them."
"As did I."
"Are you sure you're not the Felicity here?"
"Are you sure you're not the fox here?"
She smiled, turning away and marching back to Mrs Fox. "You know, this is why the whole 'ignore them' thing never works. He parried each of my thrusts. An equal and opposite reaction, fun certainly…But not something I can ever claim or feel victory from. -Just humour myself, like one would playing a piano. -But not having the spectacle of seeing it break, crash, the strings tearing it into itself. That splendid cacophony. You, though, you're a nut, a juicy precious nut that just screams out to be cracked. No matter how frustrating it gets, no matter how much effort is put in, it only makes the promise of the end victory far, far more satisfying. Isn't that right, Felicity?"
Mrs Fox remained silent.
"Part of you knows that deep down it's true," the cat said. "It's just you say otherwise as it's one of those many, many, many motherly obligations. You just can't say the opposite, can you?" She turned back to Ash, flashing a knowing smile.
He didn't repay it, instead watching as she clapped her paws, the door to the room opening and two large polar bears walking in. "Seize her and bring me the baby."
Mrs Fox sat up on her bench, the blanket slipping off as she pulled her kit closer to her. -It didn't matter though, nor did Ash starting to yell, or the firm promises from Mr Fox that he would undo this. That when he got out he would not be nice, that he would not hold back as she was a lady, that she would regret even laying a paw-pad on his wife or his child.
Nothing could stop the cell being opened, the bears marching in, fighting through her bites and scratches as they began restraining her limbs, slowly peeling off the now howling little baby. Handing it straight to the pallas cat who retreated out, the bears quickly following behind and locking the door, even as a red furred paw shot out, reaching but unable to grasp her son.
Mrs Fox fell to her knees, paws gripping the bars tight as she stood up, body trembling, teeth tight and bared as her paws strangled the bars. "Don't you dare hurt him," she hissed. "Touch one fur on his body and my husband be damned, I will get to you first and tear you limb to limb."
Holding the howling Rowan, gently rocking him up and down to sooth him, the cat looked up, a soft sympathetic look on her face. "Oh don't worry dear. It's okay, it's okay, he's going to be just fine."
"I hardly believe that," she scoffed, spitting venom.
"Oh I swear by it," the cat said, looking up before turning down, shushing the baby a little. A few paw motions in front of her, the screaming had retreated to a soft set of sobs. "We're going to have so much fun together, so…" She kissed him on the nose. "Much." And again. "Fun."
Mrs Fox stared at her blankly. "What are you doing?"
She looked up. "Saying hello to my new son," she said, kissing him again. He remained quiet. "I mean, you won't be in a position to really do anything, so I'll take him in. I'll raise him. And I won't hurt him. He'll have a good kithood, a fantastic one, with so much mother and son fun. So, much, fun!"
She kissed him again.
"Drop, my, son," she hissed.
The pallas cat ignore her, playing with the little fox, his eyes split between her and his mother. "Who's that weird fox there, huh? Who is that?" -She blew a raspberry on his stomach, a laugh bubbling out. "-We can do all sorts of things no other kits can. -I mean, I plan to play this big game of 'the floor is lava'. I know the kits of some bad mammals who turned good, I mean…" She tutted. "What a stinking betrayal. Mrs Lang, Mrs Wolford, so many others… And I get to gather all their adopted kits and cubs up, and they get to play a whole game of 'The Floor is Lava.' -With real lava… Fwoooo…" A paw gesture and noise, the kit looked on with slight curiosity.
"That's right, so much fun! -Do you know what happens if they touch it. POP! FWshshshshsh…"
Rowan laughed.
"That's right! POP! FWSHSHSHSHSHS!"
He laughed again.
"Let him go," Mrs Fox growled, starting to rattle the cage.
"Such a fun gamesmaster, so many you'll have fun with. Pop! Smash! I'm going to share all my hobbies with you, all of them my little Rowan Rattigan. My precious adopted fox boy. You, me, everyone who will fear us and we'll get to laugh at them as we make them play our games. And it'll be so, so much, fun." She turned up to meet one of Mrs Fox's curses, eyes narrowing as Rowan started crying again. "Stop scaring the baby," she warned, shrugging. "I'll take the best care of him, my son, I promise."
And with that she turned, walking out. Mrs Fox held on tight, yelling, cursing, then collapsing, begging, tears weeping as she called out her son's name. She heard him start to cry again, the cat just rocking him and scolding her for upsetting the baby as she turned the door slamming shut behind her.
Mrs Fox left trembling on her knees, sobbing, her husband and son locked next to them.
The door opened again, Mrs Fox's head snapping up to see Felicity looking in, a Cheshire smile on her face. "Oh, that was glorious. And don't worry, I'll make sure to keep you regularly updated." The door closed shut again.
Ash tried to offer some words, some promises, nothing worked.
He finally turned to his father, shaking his head. "What… DO SOMETHING!"
"I am," he said.
"...WHAT!"
He breathed in and out, hunkering down to whisper. "Son, believe me, I despise that cat with every inch of my fibre. For what she's done to my son, my nephew, my wife. I would yell and curse if it made a difference, but it would not."
"So, you're not going to do anything!?"
He leant forward, whispering in his ear, his eyes widening.
"-You mean, you…"
"-Not right now," Mr Fox said, waving him off as he walked over to the edge of his cell. On his knees, looking forward, a paw out.
Practically a whole ocean away his wife still sobbed, curled up on the floor.
"Dear…"
She was too caught in her own misery.
"Dearest…" He bit his lip as he couldn't reach out to her, as he held himself back, letting his temple rest on the bars, the sobs of his wife like hammer blows striking an iron in his heart. Rage growing on his face. A paw hovering over his pocket, shaking, clenching and moving away.
"Dearest, I know I cannot hold you right now, though I wish I could. I know that my words may bounce off of you. I know that right now things are bad. Terrible, even. But trust me. I will get us out of this." He looked up at the door. "And 'Felicity', as I know you're watching on out there, I know you're listening in, enjoying what you've done. -Enjoy it, while it lasts."
He felt the touch of a paw on his shoulder and looked up to Ash.
The fox stared at the door, teeth baring, before looking back at his mother. "It's hard," he ended up saying.
"I know it is," his father said, holding his paw back.
…
"Dearest…"
"-Freddy…" Finally came the weak reply, his efforts finally breaking through.
"I'll get us out of here, and get our son back."
"Freddy, I…"
"I promise," he said, standing up.
"It's no use…" She said, her voice hoarse. "There's no use…"
"There is," he said, his resolve shining across. Taking in a sniff, she looked at him. He sat down. "You said that if there was a time for me to be me, it was that time." He managed a hopeful smile. "Well, this is that time, and this is just the starter. And when it comes, when they least expect it, the main course will be…" He closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to think of a suitable word, before finally shrugging. "You know what? It'll be…" He gave a double whistle and two clicks of his tongue.
And despite it all, choking down a sob, Felicity managed a small hopeful trembling smile.
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Kris kept his breath calm.
They'd let him out of the restraints, which was a positive.
What was coming up next was not a positive.
He held his breath in, bracing himself, as the door opened up, the serval strutting in. Still in her uniform. Still cock sure. She looked at him, a victorious smirk on her muzzle. "So, criminal, how does it feel?"
Kris kept his breath calm. He… -He could get over this. It was different now. It was…
"-Answer me!"
His head jumped up as she marched forward, pointing at him and then down at the floor. "Sit."
He looked at the chair he was in. "I am sitting, I…"
"-On the floor! -And that's Officer Sarrahson, do you hear me!?"
"Yes," he said, closing his eyes before standing up. "I do."
He stared off at her as she shook her head in disgust. "Typical, you haven't even learnt your lesson."
"I've learned… -I've learned not to fear you," he said, voice shuddering it out.
She looked at him, walking up, truncheon beating into her paws, once, twice, three times, four… "Yet you're looking at me with terror in your eyes. -I lost everything because of you. My family, brainwashed, ran away, my career gone, mammals trying to sue me to…"
"-You lost that yourself," he said back, eyes widening as she swung out. He jumped back, easily dodging it, the serval growling before swinging again, again…
"STAND STILL COWARD!"
He ducked another quick punch, his breath tight, his eyes widening a little as he skittered away before he focussed them on her once more. "You're the one attacking an unarmed kit."
He jumped back again, circling around, only for her to charge forward in a pounce. This time he couldn't just leap away, a paw coming out to rake him. Legs braced, his own up to meet it, he hooked her claw and pushed it back, sending them apart, his attacker hissing.
"-Next time you'll still be in that gurney, or chained up, like filth like you deserve."
Kris help himself steady, his breath ragged. Hold firm, be strong, be like the tiger, paws of steel, in control. "I'm guessing it'll make it far more satisfying when you beat me then."
"Don't give me that cheek."
"You're nothing more than an overgrown schoolyard bully, who…"
"LIAR!" She hissed out, swinging wildly.
"You quit!"
"Projection!"
"You threw everything away!"
"Filth!"
"YOU drove your family away…"
She roared, leaping at him and crashing down her truncheon in a skull breaking swing. One that Kris easily dodged, firing off a jab into her side. Then another, then a third. Bent over, the cat turned, firing off a mix of wild swings to clear him off, Kris retreating to the edge of the room, out of the way.
"It's pointless," she hissed at him. "You can't escape."
"Ten minutes, was it?" he asked.
"Oh that wasn't being literal," she said, stomping her foot.
"I think it was," he said. "Knowing the mammal who agreed to it. She's going to enjoy seeing you frustrated, failing, losing your chance. -All before she turns on you and…"
"-HOW DARE YOU!" She yelled. "We mammals are united. We know what you, your family, do for the elites. Smuggling, killing mammals, giving their flesh to those decadent pieces of scat that pull the strings. Using howlers and lies and murder to cover your tracks. -And we know that it is me, her, the real Rattigan who are the only ones fighting to save the world. No matter how many lies your ilk pull, no matter how much you slander us, trick the city into thinking we are monsters. And we are going to make you all talk, and make you all pay for what you did." She began marching forward.
"What did foxes ever do to you?" Kris asked, voice firm.
"What did we ever do to foxes to deserve this," she hissed, shaking her head. "No, it's always been that your culture has said what you do is okay. Your family raised you from birth to see us, my family, every normal good, honest, working mammal as nothing more than play things, as pawns in their game, as useful idiots to be brainwashed into going along with it, marching along merrily into their demise. -Well no, that's no excuse. And I'm here to bring justice for all your victims."
Kris looked on at her, cocking his head. "Like Luke Ruta?"
She paused, scoffing. "What does that sorry excuse for a mammal have to do with any of this?"
"The fact that your Felicity rescued him, just so he could threaten me?"
"Liar."
"He was in before you, you could smell him. And that wolf. -And a groundhog, the one who planted howlers in my locker and…"
"Oh, you mean your actual victim, the one they set up to give you an out," She crossed her paws. "I'll have to meet with him to apologise. -And as for Luke? -Well if he is here it's worth it, the ends of making you confess are worth it."
"What do you want me to confess to?"
"Everything…"
"Which is?"
"What," she scoffed. "You want me to give you a laundry list of your sins to parade off? -No, I know what you did, I…"
"-I'm a fox," he spoke back. "An honest, intelligent, good mammal. A fox. Nothing more. Nothing less. Only, that's a problem for you, I see. -You think I'm nothing more than a liar, a cheat, a criminal. You won't trust anything that comes out of my mouth. -So, what should I do, seeing as you don't have me over your knee like you've always wanted."
"-I can arrange to change it next time. And I don't think, I know."
"Then," he said, "there's nothing stopping me from being what you want of me. A lying, untrustworthy mammal, ready to spill lie after lie." He closed his eyes, smile growing. "So, I did do it. Everything. Helped to smuggle mammals, dispose of some bodies, flying over into the city I brought conflict diamonds and I was moving around nighthowlers. My father and family have been at parties with the highest politicians, bankers and celebrities in the city, discussing which bunnies to bring in to savour. I've eaten over a hundred types of mammal meat, and wear the skins of my first victims on nights of a blood moon." He crossed his paws, firm, an eyebrow raised. "Happy now?"
"You cheeky little," she charged forward, swinging again as he ducked out of the way, a stomp coming down on her foot-paw. -One from Po. She hissed, yelling, as he darted around, a jab to the side to throw her off and then a grip on the tail, bending it over his knee. She yowled, kicking back and jumping to get a pounce on him only to misjudge the height of the room, slamming into the ceiling. Falling back down onto all fours, her eyes widened as she saw him grab the chair and slide it right under her, her belly hitting the top of the backrest, driving the air out of her.
Running around, she saw his fist come out, striking her once, twice, in the face as she pulled back, grabbed the chair, and began swinging it around, madly, forcing him back.
"You're going to pay! You're going to pay!"
"So the answer is no then," Kris said. "It seems even being your sneaky fox isn't good enough for you. -Which is good, as that's not who I am."
"You're a howler smuggler, you're…"
"The wrong mammal in the wrong place," he said, fixing his feet. "And if diplomacy won't solve that, if you make it so that no words can save me, then fighting will."
He ducked out of the way as the chair was tossed at him.
"Your family killed mammals with their howlers."
"No they did not…"
"-I was there!" she yelled, running forward. "Seeing you dart them as we came in to extradite you, we…"
"Those," Kris said, ducking to one side to avoid a wild kick. "-Were." He raced in and pounced, headbutting straight into the belly of the unbalanced big cat. "Blueberries!" She felt herself stumble and fall, the ceiling swinging above her before snapping into a blur of stars as her head hit the concrete floor. She saw his foot come down on her, the world going fuzzy.
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"-I see you're awake…"
The world swimming she steadied herself up, forcing through and focussing on him, off on the other side of the room with a shock-prod in paw. Her… -She reached down, realising all her interrogation tools had been stripped. -She was glad she hadn't brought in cuffs or cable ties, she could still fight!
She stumbled slightly as she got up again, eyes boring him down. "You're only making this worse for yourself."
"You could say the same thing," he said, stoic, steady, eyes fixed on her. "I've already beaten you."
She shook her head. "No, not this time. And even if so, there'll be next time." She cocked a smile. "I should have expected a cornered mammal to be far more dangerous. -You really were good at disguising your danger back in prison, weren't you?"
Kris' face wrinkled. "It's always me, isn't it?"
"Ah, in comes the narcissism…"
"-No," he said, voice firm. "Whenever you make a mistake, whenever you overstep, whenever you screw up, it can never be you, can it? It's always me, everything. -You were wrong about me being guilty, my fault. Your 'big justice' moment screwed everything over and everyone left you, my fault. No wonder that cat was able to hire you. -Let me guess, she made up some giant conspiracy about how I and my family were secretly behind the riots, behind everything, right?"
"Don't gaslight me."
"I don't need to. I don't need to do anything to you other than survive."
"And I don't need to do anything to you other than survive and persist," she hissed. "Next time, you'll pay. -Your cousin will pay too."
Kris' ear folded down. "Leave him…"
"-There we are," she said, smiling. "There's the way in. Honour among beasts."
"He's my cousin."
"Exactly," she said, rising to her full height again. "I almost got howlered by him. I…"
"-It, was, a, blueberry!"
"Even if it was, you made everyone think they were. You still had no qualms about striking that fear into our hearts. -Just like breaking the Geneva convention, just like everything. All of you are guilty. -And if your empathy for him is a weakness, well…" She smiled. "A punishment must be due, and two birds and one stone can…"
He let out a fox scream, charging forward, shock rod ablaze as it dove in for her chest. She tried to dodge only for it to hit her flank, shocking her down to her knees, teeth grit in pain. Before she could recover he threw himself behind her and shocked the inside of a knee, twisting her over onto her back. Both hand paws erupted in pain as they were stomped down, rising up in a blind swipe to reach him, met back with a leap over and a screaming gekker.
He swung the shock prod down, right into her open mouth, only to freeze.
The two held still for a moment before he pulled it out, brought it over her knee and snapped it, throwing the pieces away.
He retreated back to his corner, holding a truncheon ready to defend himself but not moving.
She steadied herself, looking at him. "If you think you owe me anything or…"
He let out a snort. "I am not a wild animal. But deep down, one lives on in me. I can accept that, I know I can call on him when the need arises. To protect me, to protect my family. -And I know that that wild animal doesn't rule me, it serves me. When I want it to stop, it stops. What about your wild animal?"
She stood up, unsteady, weak. "You… You don't get to lord this victory over me! You don't get to…"
"I don't get to change what you think of it, but you don't get to change what it means to me. -You don't scare me anymore. Because unless you rig the game, I know I'm the stronger mammal."
"Well then," she smiled, pausing as she heard a bell ring.
"-Ten minutes," Kris said, the door opening as Felicity, with escort, came in, a sorry look on her face.
"My apologies," the gray furred cat began, "but…"
"Don't worry," Sarrahson said, "I overestimated him, he's like that. But restrain him, and next time…"
"If the father acts up," the Pallas cat said softly, coming over.
"-No, I can do this, I can…"
"We need the older fox to work for us," Felicity said, her voice hardening. "And for that, our word needs to be true. Ten minutes, for ten minutes…" -She saw a word about to form on Sarah's face but pre-empted after. "After all, we're not sneaky foxes, are we?"
"-I…" the Serval said, a flash of pink across her face as she simmered. "I know, I know, but he is so… Just wait. There's always next time. And lessons learnt from this one."
"Such a shame though," the pallas cat said. "Such a mean specimen, an attitude adjustment, a reduction of his ego… -It seems stronger than ever…"
"-I…" the serval said, watching on as the guards gestured for Kris to walk out with them. "-I'll do better next time. We'll be prepared. He won't be able to pull the same tricks again. I'll instil respect in him."
"Well, hopefully it won't backfire and result in another increase."
"I…" the serval choked. "If you ever get that chance…"
"It might be an idea to try a different approach next time," the grey furred cat said, paw on the tan spotted one before she turned away, shrugging. "Different mammal, different needs, after all the cause comes before all…"
The silverfox stood silent, watching on as the serval began stringing together promises that then flowed into pleads. Her superior remaining softly spoken, sympathetic, a little hidden grin on her face as she played the savanna cat like a fiddle.
"Anyway," Felicity said. "Rattigan is close now, very close."
"-I… Fantastic, I'd love to meet him, I'd…"
"Listen, I think you've done enough for today," the pallas cat said, the serval's ears pulling back.
"I can still…"
"Take a break," the smaller cat said, with a press of authority. "I need to listen in to what Rattigan has to say, we need to act fast. Have faith."
"-I, -I will," she said, her conviction growing. "And when I'm needed, I'll be there." As she said it, she turned to Kris, the fox staring blankly back. "Isn't that right?"
"I don't mind. As I said, I can't give you what you want, and you don't scare me anymore. Besides, it seems your usefulness has run to an end."
"I'll make you regret saying that," she warned. "And when you do," She smiled. "When I see that, I'll be a happy cat."
Kris just glanced at Felicity. "She'll make you regret plenty more. And when you do, when I see that. -I won't care."
She let out a hiss but remained silent as they were led away, Kris sighing with relief.
His heart still raced.
His body and muscles trembled.
She'd tried to break him, but he'd shown her that he was strong.
And she'd shown him that they could throw them their worst, but he would survive. -He had faith Ash would too.
A door opened up and he was pushed along, down corridors and soon into a cell room, the rest of the family there, looking up, calling his name, asking if he was okay.
He turned to Ash, saying that he was okay. To his uncle, saying his father was too. He was pushed into a cell with his aunt, who gripped him tight, rocking him back and forth, crying over and over.
He immediately held her back, holding her, saying it was okay.
Ash was calling over, asking what happened, what was going on.
"I'm okay," he said, looking over. "I'm okay, I… -Where's Rowan?" His older cousin's face began to wrinkle up, a look of cool concerted rage on his uncle's.
"She's taken him," came the sob from below him.
He turned, the pang hitting him as he breathed in and held her tight, gave her the comfort her close family couldn't.
Mr Fox and Ash didn't say much, only sincere thank-you's for giving the comfort they could not.
.
.
.
.
Breath in, breath out.
And step in.
Timofey kept his gaze ahead of him as he entered the hospital, the doors closing behind him cutting off the cooling draft. Mammals of different kinds walked about, the speakers were talking about the need for those without urgent injuries to leave, given the need to take on mammals hurt in a 'major incident' downtown.
More of the distractions, throwing up obstacles for the city, keeping them off Rattigan and his underlings and whatever they were doing. Whatever they were up to.
A few police officers were there too, looking out, likely waiting to see if any of the other escapees from the Central Precinct tried to slip in, get some care. -Timofey was certain that far more were over in the Accident and Emergency intake.
Pointless.
Back in the good times, even he knew that were any mammal injured on the job, there were back-street clinics to get patched up at. Set bones, receive blood, suture wounds, pull out bullets. All the things that would attract unwanted attention. And…
-Well, Timofey supposed that even after Rattigan took over they would still be in place, still be operating. And if cut away, the goons disposable as they now were? Well, it wasn't as if those medics could find proper employment, was it?
They'd still be where they were, the escapees crawling to them.
Only the truly stupid would try and walk into the General Hospital.
-Like him.
But there was another rule he learnt. Head forward, act casual, blend into the crowd so that they wouldn't even see you. If engaged, act courteous, act like you truly had nothing to hide. Timofey didn't, all he had on him was a fake ID. Well, that and the box cutter and cable ties from his little hideaway, but those were stashed where those mammals wouldn't search.
As it happened they must not have heard about the breakout at the youth prison or, if they had, it was just an incidental addition to the real chaos they had to face. Not that he studied them, but he was certain they gave him nothing more than a glance.
-And then he was in. Walking along the main corridors, eyes peeled for the Polar Bear wards. -A few times when his father had earned far more explainable injuries he had gone here to visit and, even now, he retraced his steps from long ago.
Up two flights of steps, along a few, move and…
He held himself steady. There it was. Behind those doors, if what he heard was true, was the mammal, the one of their own, who had betrayed them. Left them abandoned. Cut all ties of loyalty as if he could just flee…
All behind a locked door, a swipe pass or voice intercom his only way in.
The young bear sat himself down on a chair and began thinking. -Naturally it wouldn't be this easy. Naturally there'd be something in the way.
Of course he wasn't going to give up, he wasn't going to leave that traitor unmolested, letting the same kind of apathy that had rightfully condemned him in the first place then save him.
-No…
He'd wait here. He'd loiter about. Listen in, watch.
Like all bears in the business, or due to be inducted in it, he'd learned the basics first. How to punch, how to be strong, how to act, how to pickpocket. Wait for a shift change, wait for a few nurses to walk out, spy a lanyard to the side and, with a quick swipe of his paws in a crowded lift…
It was a long shot, it was a wait, but he was not going to back out.
And so time began to tick on.
Minutes, hours. More hours that then turned out to be minutes.
The bear sat.
He stood.
He worked his legs and he listened in to what few words mammals entering or leaving would say.
Never much.
None of them recognised him, at first.
In time, a few going back did notice him there. Asked a few questions. If he was okay? -Yes. If he was waiting for anyone. -Yes. They softly mentioned that visiting hours had been suspended 'given recent events' and he nodded, saying he understood, saying that the mammal inside knew he was there and, if and when they got enough strength they'd be leaving. They'd catch up in the garden, or the restaurant.
They nodded, some of them asking further about which mammal in particular it was, if they could see how they were doing. -Maybe even bend the rules a bit if they needed a wheelchair to get out.
Timofey nodded slowly. "Pyotr Kozlov," he finally said. "I'm a friend, of Fru-Fru's."
He breathed in and out as they left to go in. It was not what he would have liked. But, if the flow was pulling him this way, then…
The door opened, the nurse walking out. "He actually left not that long ago," she said, his head snapping up to her.
"You mean, discharged, or…"
"-No, no… Down to the canteen to get dinner," she said. "That was a while ago, you…"
"-I did not see him go past."
She gave a soft smile. "Must have dozed off. Or he left by the other exit. Don't worry, he'll probably be back soon enough. I can tell him…"
"-No, no, much nicer down there, good food, not some hospital ward," he said, standing up and giving her a courteous nod. And with that he made his way off, turning the corner and picking up the pace.
Following the signs, keeping his eyes rigorously focussed, as they should have been. What kind of idiot, what kind of shame was he, missing that.
He clenched his teeth, shaking his head, body trembling slightly before he cleared it. Up a few more steps, around, he turned into the canteen and gave it a long look. Most mammals had packed up.
Only a few left.
Fewer still polar bears.
Too old, wrong sex, wrong bears.
The young one had to halt himself from stamping his foot on the ground, instead allowing himself to merely dig in his claws, as if he wanted to tear up the vinyl floor and scrunch it into a ball beneath him.
He held his breath in and let it out.
In.
And out.
Pah, what kind of pathetic, useless, stupid mammal even was he!
Even now that otter guards' words rang in his ears, only now they were mocking. Of course that mob stuff was stupid. -He didn't even have the right stuff for it, he was pathetic! Not being there when that fox was jumped, loosing control, getting duped over in the escape and now, and NOW, the one thing he could do, the one thing to yank the scales of karma over and he'd just gone and…
He froze as he saw a glint of white out of the corner of his eye.
Turning, eyes narrowing in, out through a glass window and on a small outdoor terrace.
One last polar bear.
Fur thin, far thinner than usual, and despite the balmy hovering-zero temperatures outside he was wrapped up well. Weaker, older, but no.
It was him.
It was the traitor himself.
Timofey slowly began stepping forward, making his way around, moving his weapons and gear to where he needed them. The knife, some small bits of cable-tie -He saw that the sliding door had a level-lock handle, easy enough to bind closed. And, looking on, it was clear he was alone out there.
Just the two of them.
A talk.
-Maybe a fight. The opponent would be a mighty foe, but he'd been weakened, his retirement from his obligations had not been kind on him it seemed.
Not that it earned him any sympathy.
They weren't high up.
A quick escape, not that it would do the younger bear much good. -Whatever happened, he was going to be picked up, years ahead behind bars would be his fate. But in this case? Well, it was going to be for something worthwhile at least.
He opened the door up, sliding through and turning to close the door behind him.
A cough came from behind him. "You back soon, huh?"
Timofey ignored him, pulling up the locking level and threading through the cable-tie, fumbling slightly. He focussed, he forced his paws not to tremble, this way, no that…
"-Ah, new mammal, huh? Here to enjoy fresh air for change?"
He pushed it through, the click of the plastic locking ringing out as he grabbed the end and pulled it tight.
"I am afraid I have impor…"
Timofey turned on the spot to face the polar bear, paw going down to grab his weapon. Into a pocket, paw gripped around it, eyes staring daggers at the massive bear in front of him. So much larger, older, tougher, frailer.
Kozloz just raised an eyebrow. "Did Rattigan send you?"
Timofey shook his head, muzzle wincing up. "No, I come here myself, traitor."
The old bear sighed. "Well, that is interesting one." He coughed a few times. "For long time, I wait for my sins to catch up with me. Though this." He shrugged. "Is not how I imagine it." And then, the old traitor bear smiled. "So, son of Osip. Read me my rights."