Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Artemis has grown into such a lovely, compassionate she-cat. I hate what I've done to her. However, things will change in her favor soon enough.
Artemis was sitting in her cell by herself. The gray windowless walls, with only a steel gray door separating her from the rest, made her hopefully temporary home, feel like she was already dead. There was no natural light or air, not enough room for her to stretch out, and worst of all, they wouldn't let Roland see her. She brought her knees up to her chest, leaning forward onto her knees, and sobbed from being so isolated from the rest.
After a few minutes, there was a knock on her door. She knew when someone was entering her cell, she was to stand and face the bed with her paws behind her back. And that is exactly what she did.
The door opened, revealing two armed guards and Eduardo. He was wearing a lime green suit with a white shirt. However, he didn't wear a hat this time so his heavily graying head of hair was on display for all. He took one look at Artemis' accommodations and said, "My client doesn't need to be isolated from the rest. Why is she in Solitary instead of with the General Population?"
"Judge's orders, Councilor. Nothing I or the Warden can do about changing it," one of the guards replied.
Eduardo's frustration level hit an all time high. He knew, as well as everyone in MegaKat she was innocent of the charges brought against her. "I will have a word with the judge, once I finish with my client. Is she allowed to leave her cell, to use one of the Consultation Rooms, or does the judge also have something against her having the right to counsel as well?" Eduardo asked.
"Nothing that I'm aware of, Counselor," The guard answered, followed by, "Hate to do this to you, Miss Hughes. But the rules state you need to be cuffed."
Artemis hadn't moved an inch. She still had her paws behind her back, waiting for whatever occurred to happen. "I understand," was her response.
The guard came forward and lightly applied the cuffs to her wrists.
She turned around to face Eduardo and the guards. However, instead of the she-cat who's face used to be full of light and joy, showed the complete opposite. Any ounce of happiness was drained away. She appeared to be a Lifeless Zombie, just going through the motions of life, instead of living life too the fullest.
Eduardo took one look at her face, and his stomach wretched. Gone was the she-cat who loved teaching and playing with her students, who was so full of life, who absolutely loved dancing with Camille, and wiping the Dance floor with him and her fiancé, then laughing the rest of the night away. "Please take us to the Consultation Room I have reserved,"
A few minutes later, Artemis and Eduardo were lead into a dark gray windowless room with only two steel chairs and a steel table, with a steel tubular bar running the length of the table. Artemis was sat in one of the chairs. Then the guard released one of the cuffs long enough to be passed under the bar and re-secured to her wrist again.
"Is that necessary?" Eduardo asked, taking a seat opposite Artemis.
"Yes, it is," the guard responded. "You have a half an hour." He then turned and left the room.
Eduardo turned back to Artemis, and said, "My apologies for not getting you out of here sooner. The judge seems to have more influence than I expected. I do have some news you are going to want to hear. Paul thinks he's found a Loophole which will have the remand negated. He's currently working through the motions now with my wife. She's not only a superb dancer, she was my clerk before I married her. Camille knows the law, just as well as I do."
Artemis' face grew a little lighter, then asked, "Does that mean I'll get to see Roland again?"
Eduardo reached across the table to take her secured paws in his, and answered, "Si. If Camille gets her way, and Judge Carrol, the original judge who was supposed preside over your case, doesn't go and punch Judge Peterson's lights out when he reads what happened in Court."
Artemis let out a light chuckle, then focused on her secured paws. "I knew I would have to spend sometime behind bars for what I've done. But now that I have a life, instead of just living, I really miss being on the outside. I miss teaching my classes, seeing your wife and Lisa trying to out dance each other, and mostly, I miss being able to touch Roland. While I was under David's heel, I never thought I would find a tom, who would actually want to marry me. Now I'm engaged to a tom who really loves me. I so want to get out of here and continue living my new life with Roland by my side as my husband," she said.
Eduardo took her secured paws in his, and said, "Camille misses you too. She told me the studio isn't the same without you. Your students miss you as much as you miss them." He sat down in front of her, and said, "I can't guarantee Paul's plan is going to work. However, he's quite confident it will. I trust him to know what he's doing." He gave her paws a reassuring squeeze, then said, "Do you think any of the other girls would be willing to testify to what they went through, if you know how to get in touch with them?"
"I really don't know," she replied. "The ones I remained in contact with are scared of being found and disappearing, never to be seen again. David had no qualms about me eliminating his problems so I highly doubt he has a few cats, ready to get rid of anyone willing to testify against him."
"If that's the case. Our plan now has a major flaw. One which will have to be rectified before your next Court appearance," he said. "We need at least one to verify your claims. Once we have her testimony documented, the courts will have little reason to hold you and go after David and the Society as a whole."
She grasped his paws, and pleaded, "No! Most of those behind those walls, only did as they were instructed, as to not attract David's wrath. They shouldn't be charged as Conspirators to his wills."
"Miss Artemis. I can't ignore they broke the law, even if it wasn't under their volitions. I would be no better than Judge Peterson, if I didn't bring them to justice."
"Mr. Valdez," Artemis started, but was stopped by him saying, "Eduardo, miss Artemis."
"Eduardo, some of those girls were barely of legal age, just like I was when I arrived. They also didn't have the same responsibility I had. None of them, that I was aware of, killed anyone. They mostly were there to provide nightly, entertainment to the toms," Artemis stated.
Eduardo stiffened as Artemis more of less told him those girls were molested. He rubbed her paws with his fingers as he very nervously asked, "You mean they were forced to.."
Artemis quickly surmised what he was going to say, and stopped him, by correcting, "No. They didn't have.. relations with them. They were dressed very provocatively and suggestively danced for them."
Eduardo let out the breath he was holding, then said, "Thank Bast for that. I wouldn't want to have to have them relive that trauma."
"Neither do I," Artemis said. "I do know one girl, who might be willing to collaborate everything I said, with the right incentive."
Eduardo asked, "What type of incentive are we talking about?"
"Nothing illegal, I can assure you. Mostly protection since her family paid quite handsomely to make sure what happened in her past, stayed buried nice and deep."
"Can you contact her, once Paul gets you out of here, and have her reach out to me? I can promise, she will be completely safe," Eduardo asked.
"I can. However, I can't say whether she will reach out or not," Artemis stated.
"I can accept that," Eduardo said before he stood. "I'm going to head back home, and hope Camille hasn't turned Paul into a Cowering Kitten with her feisty attitude."
About 40 minutes later, Eduardo arrived back at his modest home he shared with his lovely wife. As soon as he got out of the car, he heard the muffled sounds of Camille yelling something in latin. He closed the door to the car and raced into the house. However, as soon as he entered the kitchen, a coffee mug hit the wall just to his right, causing him to duck and cover his head.
"I don't care what that that jerk Peterson said! Artemis doesn't belong in jail any more than I do!" Camille roared at Paul.
"Don't you think I know that!? Judge Carrol was all set to sentence her to Community Service, with Time Served based on her testimony, Camille! Then Peterson was assigned at the last minute. Eduardo and I didn't have time to pivot our strategy to keep her free! I know you're frustrated but throwing a mug at my head isn't going to change anything! We filed a Counter Motion almost as soon as we got here. We need to let the system work!" Paul roared back.
"Would one of you tell me what's going on?" Eduardo asked.
"Your loving wife believes that, impaling me with a Coffee Mug will help Artemis' situation! We already filed the Counter Motion but as you know, the paperwork takes time to be processed and read by another judge. As much as I hate it, Artemis is going to have to stay where she is." Paul said.
Eduardo faced his enraged wife, and said, "Unfortunately, Paul's right. We have to let the system work. I don't want her there anymore than you do, Camille. But these things take time." He stepped forward, taking her paws in his, then said, "Artemis did say she would reach out to one of the girls she was staying with and ask her for her testimony. I'm hoping her friend will say yes. If she does, we'll have another witness to David's atrocities. Hopefully more will come forward to bring him down."
Camille looked into her husband's eyes, then cautiously asked, "There were more girls, doing what Artemis is accused of?"
"Si, and no," Eduardo replied. "There were more girls of various ages. However, they were mostly for… entertainment of the male staff."
"They weren't…" Camille started to ask, but never got to finish her question when Eduardo said, "By Bast no. According to Artemis, they only were dressed and danced provocatively."
"Thank the heavens," Camille said.
"That jerk must be set example of and put behind bars!" Paul stated. "Artemis is the same age as my daughter! I could see Alexis in Artemis' place! No one should have to be subject to that torment!" Paul started to pack up his belongings in his briefcase, then said, "I'm heading down to the Courthouse to personally see the Counter Motion getting processed." He snapped his briefcase closed, picked it up in his right paw, then said before he walked out of the door, "If I get my way, she will be free by nightfall. I will call you two later."
After Paul left, Eduardo started to clean up the remnants of the once mug. He took one of the pieces in his left paw, flipped it over, and saw the partial logo of the college he attended to obtain his degree in Law. He faced his wife, and asked, "You had to use the mug my professors signed the day I graduated as a projectile?"
"It was either the mug, or the Kitchen Knife I was holding. I figured Blunt Forced Trauma is better than a stab wound any day," Camille answered.
Gregg had finished moving into Sean's apartment. He couldn't believe he was taking such a large step only after a few months of dating Sean. However, being with Sean felt so right, especially after a night of passion. Followed by sleeping in each other's strong arms.
Since Sean had to work, he tidied up the apartment. He was currently cleaning out one of the Bedroom Closets, placing Mark's stuff off in a corner, and putting his own stuff in its place. When he came across a smaller locked blue and red duffle bag hidden far in the back. He pulled the bag out and set it on the bed. "I've known Mark long enough to know, he never locks up his bags. So what is so valuable in here he needs to secure it?" Gregg asked.
He left the bedroom to get his Lock Pick set from the closet. When he returned, he sat on the edge of the bed to the left of the bag and removed a few of the picks fro the set, then got to work on the lock. Luckily for him, the lock was simple enough to pick and a few seconds later, the lock clicked open. He out the picks back in their case, closed it up, and set them aside before refocusing on the bag. He pulled the two zipper tangs apart, opened the bag and reaching inside with his left paw. That's when he felt the textured material. He had felt the same material before when he first kissed Adonis, and he remembered in vivid detail how the vigilante's body responded.
Gregg removed the fabric from the bag and held it up. In his paws was a light gray uniform with black accents, and apparently quite form-fitting to the wearer. Putting one and one together, coming to the conclusion that Mark is Adonis, then shaking his head thinking, 'There is no way he is a SWAT Kat! He's a Lieutenant of the Enforcers, married to Lisa, and has two completely adorable kittens.' He lowered the uniform to the bed and stood up. He started walking out of the room, but stopped as he remembered the black low-hanging ponytail under the mask of the hero, the same one his friend had. He turned and faced the uniform again, and asked, "Same beautiful hair, same hunky build, and the same hot ass I've been dreaming about holding in my paws for years. Could Mark and Adonis really be the same cat?"
He sat back down on the bed, took the uniform in his paws again, then reached over to the end table for his phone. He called Mark, wanting to get the answer to the burning question in his mind.
Mark was on the way home from a long shift. He had to ride solo, since Marissa asked, more like demanded for Jasmine to be her permanent partner. He was about to turn onto the street heading back to the precinct when his phone starred to ring in his front right pocket. Since becoming a lieutenant, he was given a newer patrol car complete with a radio which connected to his phone. He pushed a green button on the steering wheel with his right thumb, and answered, "This is Lieutenant Samuelson."
"Hi, Mark," Gregg replied.
"Gregg, I hope this is important. I've had quite a long day and the only thing I want to do is to get home to my family," Mark said.
"Speaking of your kittens, how is my niece and nephew doing? Their uncle misses them," Gregg asked.
"They are doing well. Kathy has started teething and Raphael is getting quite big. I hope he doesn't blow up like a balloon," Mark answered.
"With the way you and Lisa exercise daily? I highly doubt it. I see him being just like you. All big and muscular. Every gay tom's dream,"
Mark coughed after Gregg said Raphael was going to be a Dream Boat. "I really didn't need to hear that. You can see them this weekend. Now, couldn't this wait until the morning?"
Gregg lifted the uniform to his face, then answered, "I found something important you left behind."
"What did I leave in my old apartment that is so important?" Mark asked.
"Something you might need, if you go out on Patrol, Adonis," Gregg answered.
Mark almost drove his car into the side of a parked bus when he heard his code name leave Gregg's mouth. He avoided the bus by a foot, turning the wheel hard to the left. Once he got the car under control. He pulled off to the side of the road, put the car in Park, and very cautiously asked, "How did you find out?"
"I found a locked blue and red duffle bag towards the back of the closet I was cleaning out. You hardly ever lock anything, so I wanted to make sure it wasn't something either very valuable, or something hazardous to my or Sean's health. You know, you should really invest in better locks." He said and lowered the uniform back to the bed.
"I'll talk to Razor about the locks. I'm heading over once I get off shift. I guess you and I are going to have a long talk,"
"The discussion might be quite short, if I get to see you in this uniform again, before I try to rip it off of you. See you soon," Gregg stated.
While Gregg waited for Mark, he kept looking at the uniform laying on the bed. He pictured how well it fit around every one of Mark's well defined muscles, making appear almost naked. "Wonder if he wears anything under this?" He asked himself.
He picked it up again, feeling the coarse texture of the material on the pads of his paws, then reached into one of the legs to find the material felt almost silky smooth. "This must be actually comfortable to wear!" He made a decision and started removing his clothing down to the minuscule black briefs he was wearing. He pulled the uniform over his legs and hips and eventually securing the upper half to his body. He walked over to the full length mirror to gaze at his reflection.
Staring back was a slightly less built version of Adonis, minus the mask, helmet, fingerless gloves, and boots. However, since Gregg's body wasn't as developed as Mark's, the uniform didn't fit quite as tightly to his body. The upper half, especially around the chest, arms, and shoulders, felt slightly loose, while the lower half conformed to his legs, tail, and crotch. That was when he noticed the seams of his underwear being shown through the material. "That answers that question," Gregg said. He removed the upper half of the uniform from his shoulders, pulling it down past his waist. Then with the claws on his left paw, shredded the sides of the briefs he was wearing and letting them fall to the floor. He pulled the uniform back over his shoulders and zipped it up all the way to the bottom of his neck. He looked at himself in the mirror again, not seeing the seams, and said, "I was right! This is very comfortable to wear. Too bad I have to give it back, the guys at the club would love to see me in it!"
Mark pulled up to his old building, now wearing a pair of well fitting jeans and a bright red t-shirt. He parked his and Lisa's car in the spot reserved for the apartment he turned over to Sean, knowing his brother was at work and wasn't going to be retuning anytime soon. He got out of the car, closing the door behind him and went into the building.
Gregg was checking out how well his backside looked in the uniform when the Door Buzzer sounded. "Mark must be here. Wonder if me wearing his uniform will get the same reaction out of him as when I kissed him?" He went over to the door, looked through the peephole to see Mark on the other side, and opened the door. "Hey Sexy," Gregg said on a purr.
Mark's eyes almost flew out of his head, when he saw Gregg wearing his uniform. Then he heard ,"Hey Sexy," leave Gregg's mouth, and asked, "Do I really look like that?"
"No, you look, better, Adonis," Gregg said, followed by, "Come in, I'm sure you want to talk." He stepped aside, letting Mark into the apartment. However, as soon as he closed the doors his eyes drifted lower to Mark's tail section, really liking what he was seeing.
Mark sat down on the couch with his legs spread wide, followed by Gregg sitting across from him, crossing his right leg over his left.
"So, now you know I'm Adonis, Gregg. Where do we go from here?" Mark asked.
"The way I see it, two things can happen. The first is you let me join your little group. I'm sure I can be a good asset to the team. The second is you tear this tight costume off of me, and let me live out my fantasy of having you in my bed," Gregg answered, completely straight faced.
Mark's eye's flew open wide when he heard Gregg wanted to sleep with him. But before he could react, Gregg said, "Relax, sleeping with your brother is almost like sleeping with you, Mark. However, he's not as big as you are. I can image the things you do to Lisa with that thing between your legs. She must be completely worn out when you two are done."
"What my wife and I do, when we are alone is not of your concern, Gregg," Mark stated. "If you pass the test, everyone of us took, you can join. But this is not a game where you get to run around in a tight uniform, gaining the attention of others, Gregg. What we do is very serious. I've had by shoulder sliced open, shot at, I even died. That's the type of life you are going to be living, every time you put on that uniform. Are you and Sean prepared for the day one of us has to tell him you're not coming home, ever again? I've met your parents, Gregg. Your mother would be furious with you, if you joined."
"I know my mother will not be happy with me, Mark. She might not even speak to be again. However, she won't find out. I will tell Sean when the time is right, but I won't tell him about you being Adonis. That is your story to tell, not mine," Gregg said before he stood up, walked over to stand between Mark's legs, and said, "I'm more than ready to handle whatever SWAT throws at me. I've been shot three times already, stabbed twice, and various other bad things, no one should ever have to endure while I worked undercover in the Street Crimes unit. I know how the criminal mind works and can use that information to better our strategies in opposing them. As for what I gain, I get to see your hot body, in your uniform, and I might even be able to do this." Gregg took a big risk and sealed his lips to Mark's.
End of Chapter