Megakat City...Theater district...
Some hours later, the old tiger was sitting in a private box watching a performance of Le Chat. A well dressed young male slid into a seat beside him. He was nervous and kept pulling at his tie uncomfortably as if a suit was not his usual style of clothing.
"Relax, enjoy the show." The tiger admonished his young visitor.
"I hate these kind of things." The young tom muttered unhappily.
"Pity!" The tiger drawled, his voice cold as a glacier. The young male went still, fear making his fur rise.
They sat silently, the tiger watched the play intently, the young tom fervently wishing he was elsewhere. Finally, intermission arrived. The tom made a move to get up but was stayed by a hand gesture from the tiger. He reseated himself uneasily.
"I have a proposition for you. I can allow you revenge on a certain someone who is a deterrent to your endeavors." The old kat murmured quietly.
"Who would that be and what's in for me?" The young tom asked nervously.
"A tidy sum for your participation and it's the Chief Enforcer." The tiger said bluntly.
The young tom's eyes widened then narrowed suspiciously. "How much and what would I be doing and just so you know, I don't kill." He growled.
"I'm aware of your limitations. You are to be a diversion, nothing more," The tiger said quietly and named a payment that made the tom choke.
Swallowing nervously, the young kat said hesitantly, "And if I refuse?"
The tiger's cold eyes narrowed, "That would be very bad for you. It would be easy for me to have you turned over to the Enforcers who I believe are looking for you."
A flash of anger sparked in the young tom's eyes before quickly being suppressed.
"You don't give me much choice." He hissed.
"No," was the icy response.
"Fine. When and where?" He asked resigned.
"Enforcer Headquarters and I will inform you of the day and time later tonight. Be at the number you gave me tonight." The tiger said. "You may go now."
Hard Drive scrambled from his seat as if he'd been shot and quickly disappeared in the crowd returning to their seats for the second half of the show.
Another tiger took the seat Hard Drive had left. "You sure you can trust that small time creep?" He asked a bit concerned.
"It isn't he that double crosses but the criminals he associates with. For a small time criminal, he has some surprising scruples left. He's just not particularly smart in being a criminal." The tiger said, a satisfied smile on his face. Is everything ready?"
"Yes Uncle. The small fleet you needed is fueled and the pilots ready and waiting. My associate has reviewed the plans for Enforcer Headquarters and he feels confident he can get us to where we need to be when the power goes haywire and she attacks." He reported briskly.
"Excellent!" The tiger said, pleased. He returned his attention to the play.
Morning...Enforcer Headquarters...
Feral woke up still tired and aching but he got up and dressed anyway despite his mate's objections.
"You should not be pushing yourself. It is not good for your wound or your pregnancy." Shakil said annoyed by his mate's stubbornness.
"I have much work to finish and reports and tasks I need to delegate to others before I am unable to do it myself." Feral said firmly though he winced when he tried to put his shirt on.
Shakil moved quickly to his side and helped him. He sighed and pulled Ulysses to him for a moment, nuzzling his face. "You worry me endlessly, my beauty."
"I can't change what I am, Shakil. You will just have to accept that." Feral said softly nuzzling him back. Nodding reluctantly, Shakil released him and escorted Ulysses to breakfast.
Across town at Megakat Salvage Yard...
Jake was fussing with the engines on the Turbokat while Chance was loading ammo aboard. The garage was quiet so they were using the time to do maintenance and prepare the jet.
As Chance returned from the loading chamber, Jake called to him. He stopped and came close to the engine Jake was fiddling with.
"You know its been too long since the last attack on Feral. He's getting bigger and I can't see the one trying to end the pregnancy waiting too much longer. At this point, trying to destroy the kitten will kill Feral as well. It makes me very uneasy." Jake said tightly.
"Yeah, you're right. I feel a little edgy too. Like the clock is ticking. It's hard to wait for the bastard to try again." Chance said his voice a little lower showing his tension.
"That's what makes it worse is the increasing tension of waiting. It can make us careless." Jake warned. "I have a strong suspicion we will see some action any time now."
Chance just grunted in agreement and went to continue loading missiles.
Enforcer Headquarters...mid afternoon...
Jake would be unhappy to know time had run out. It was just after lunch, when the electronics in the building went nuts. Lights blinked, power fluctuated, computers flickered and spouted gibberish, elevators worked intermittently, and security systems opened and shut doors with no rhyme or reason. The worst was cell doors opening and closing causing chaos in the cell block. The tower could not direct air traffic because their computers kept malfunctioning. They warned off aircraft that were already airborne and cancelled flights that were supposed to be taking off.
As this was going on, other alarms went off. Coming at the building was a small fleet of aircraft. When they got close enough, bullets spit and broke countless windows and sent flight crews scurrying for cover on the flight line. The tower tried to send a mayday but their radios were out.
Using cell phones only, sections were able to speak to each other but that only helped ease the panic but not help launch planes. Using his cell phone, Feral called the flight deck and had his gunners man the cannons on the roof. They had to get there by using the stairs. Very soon, he heard the guns fire at the small, fast jets.
The noise alerted a nearby news chopper and Ann Gora had her pilot get as close as he dared while she captured the battle at Enforcer Headquarters.
It was her live broadcast that alerted the SWAT Kats.
"Crud, Chance look at the TV!" Jake shouted at his partner from his position on the wing of the jet.
"Damn, we've got to go. Stop messing with that and close it up." Chance said sharply running to change his clothes.
Jake quickly closed the engine cowling, pulled the ladder away and stowed the tools quickly then he too rushed to change clothes. T-Bone was already waiting for him on the jet. Razor leaped into his seat and his partner closed the canopy and began to taxi out of the hangar.
Within minutes they were airborne and heading for the embattled enforcers.
In Feral's office, Shakil had run up the stairs and arrived in his mate's office just as glass sprayed inward. He dove on top of his mate and covered him. Moments later, he got up and help his mate to his feet pulling him to leave. As Feral resisted leaving, two strangers rushed into the office. They both were dressed as ninjas and rushed the two.
Shakil pushed his mate behind him backing them up to his pedestal desk. One opponent tried to end run around the silver tiger to get at Feral. What he didn't know was Feral's cell phone was still open to the flight line. The officer there heard the attack and contacted Lieutenant Feral.
Feral ducked the attack coming at him and made it under his desk before the other could snatch at him. Shakil roared in fury as he wrestled with the other, bigger opponent. He was stabbed in the arm but he ignored it and fought harder.
Under the desk, Feral kicked out at his attacker catching the other in the jaw and knocking him back.
Outside, the SWAT Kats had arrived and were engaging the small fighters. Some of the patrolling choppers had also returned to the area and were trying to protect the building from any further attacks.
Inside, Felina had finally arrived as well as the Sergeant who had been alerted by Feral's secretary. They charged into the room. The Sergeant immediately went for the attacker battling Shakil while Felina went after her uncle's opponent.
Shakil's attacker managed to stab the silver tiger in the chest causing Shakil to stagger back gasping. The Sergeant used his drawn laser to shoot the knife from the attacker's paw then slammed his weapon in the other's skull dropping him. Seeing he was definitely out for the count, the Sergeant quickly went to the tiger's aid.
Felina had drawn her weapon and fired as the assassin made a last effort to reach her uncle under the desk. Feral used his chair to slam the kat back and Felina's laser finished him off.
Panting hard, Feral crawled out from under his desk. Felina helped him to his feet and held him when he swayed a bit. He looked around and saw Shakil on the ground with a knife in his chest.
"Nooo...Shakil...," he cried in anguish dropping to his knees beside his mate.
The Sergeant was applying pressure around the wound and Shakil was still conscious.
"You are alright, my beauty?" The tiger said thickly.
"I'm alright but you...," Feral said tightly taking one of the tiger's paws in his.
"I've come too far for a knife to take me. Don't fear for me, my love." Shakil said tirededly.
Using her uncle's cell phone, Felina called for the medics.
Outside the battle had ended with most of the enemy jets destroyed and two of them were captured by the SWAT Kats and put down on the flight line where the enforcers angrily grabbed the pilots and arrested them.
The SWAT Kats asked the controller if Feral was alright. They were informed that the Commander's mate had been injured. T-Bone told them they would be willing to transport. The flight controller acknowledged and passed the word.
The medics finally arrived to take charge of the badly injured tiger. He was stabilized as best they could under the circumstances and then transported downstairs to the waiting Turbokat.
Razor monitored the loading as T-Bone got back into his cockpit and prepped for takeoff, calling the trauma center to warn of their plans to land at their chopper pad and insure it was cleared.
Razor made sure the gurney was secured and pulled down jump seats for the traveling medics, Felina and Feral. Once he was certain everyone was secured, he climbed up to his seat and gave T-Bone the go ahead.
Feral ordered a blackout on who had been injured. Whoever ordered the attack was still out there and he was determined to draw out the guilty party at the hospital.
When they arrived, he ordered that Shakil be covered so that no one could see who was being brought in and ordered tight security. Then he took his jacket off and put a tarp over his head that Felina had pinched from the SWAT Kats supplies.
Before they left to follow the gurney, they spoke hurriedly to the SWAT Kats. They nodded grimly in agreement and as soon as the last of their passengers departed, the Turbokat took off.
They didn't go far. They took the jet out of sight of the hospital and landed it on a roof only after depositing a cyclotron on the ground first. Rapelling down from the roof, they mounted the bike and tore off back to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Shakil was wheeled into a private trauma bay and only those medicals needed were allowed in. It was determined that the tiger needed surgery and he was covered and guarded the whole route.
The SWAT Kats arrived as Shakil was wheeled into surgery. They stayed out of sight as much as possible so that they wouldn't scare off their quarry. The tiger was in surgery for two hours then taken to recovery. Only Feral, a surgical nurse, and the doctor who had performed the surgery were allowed in the room.
Shakil regained groggy consciousness. "My beauty," he said hoarsely his voice barely a whisper.
"Hush, it's alright. You've just come from surgery to repair a lung and stop the bleeding. You're safe and, yes, so am I so stop worrying and get some rest." Feral admonished leaning down and kissing his mate on the cheek.
Shakil sighed and fell back to sleep. Feral sighed and caressed his mate tenderly. He was soo tired, he realized belatedly that he was clinging to Shakil's bed to keep on his feet.
"Come on Commander, he is going to be taken upstairs in about an hour. You should be laying down as well so no arguments. I'm going to get a wheelchair for you. You'll be taken to the room he's been assigned and you and your kitten are going to examined. " The doctor told him firmly.
Feral didn't have the strength to argue. The nurse grabbed a chair and made him sit. He continued to hold Shakil's paw while waiting. The doctor went out and spoke softly to Felina telling her about the tiger and her uncle then left to retrieve a wheelchair.
Felina walked to a shadowed area nearby and signaled to the SWAT Kats hiding there.
"They are taking my uncle upstairs because he's too exhausted to walk and needs to be checked over. I think one of you should go with us and the other watch Shakil." She said softly.
"I agree. I'll go with you Felina." Razor volunteered.
"The doctor said Shakil will be kept here for another hour than taken to where my uncle is going." Felina told T-Bone. He nodded and took up his vigil again.
Down the hall came the doctor rolling a chair. Felina and the doctor went into the room and came back out with Feral covered by a sheet. Razor took control of the chair with Felina following. The doctor had told her what floor and what room to go to. They took an empty car up to the indicated floor. They wouldn't allow anyone on as they moved up the floors.
When they arrived, a nurse met them and walked by their side. She opened the door to the room they had been assigned. She indicated the bed nearest the door and said Shakil would be placed near the window. "Understanding the security involved, is this going to be okay?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Feral answered as he removed the sheet from his head. She nodded and between Razor and her they helped Feral get on the bed. Razor stepped outside the door while Felina aided her uncle in undressing. The nurse had left a set of pjs for his use.
"You know I really hate these things," Feral sighed his voice exhausted.
"Yeah, I know, I hate them too," Felina murmured as she helped him. She noted just how big her uncle was now and sighed. She would be very glad when he finally delivered. It looked really odd seeing her very male relative pregnant. She gently helped him into the pjs just as a knock sounded on the door. Razor poked his head in.
"The doctor is here to check Feral over. Are you ready?" He asked quietly.
Felina nodded as she carried her uncle's clothes to the closet and began to hang them up. The doctor, followed by Razor, came into the room. Razor went behind the privacy curtain and Felina joined him. The doctor had wheeled in a fetal monitor and was hooking it up while they listened.
"Alright, let's check you over first before we listen to the kitten." the doctor said as he proceeded to check Feral's heart, lungs and eyes. He finished by checking his wound. "You need to have that changed. Okay lay back down please," he instructed as he helped ease Feral onto his back and raised his legs and swung them onto the bed. He turned on the monitor and the fetal heart tone filled the room with its reassuring and fast heartbeat. "Sounds perfect. Alright, I'm going to get a wound kit and fix that injury of yours then I want you to get some rest. Be right back." He said warmly and left the room.
A few minutes later, the doctor returned. "Now, Commander, I want you to roll onto your side please. Just hold still for a bit and I'll fix this up." He said briskly as Feral complied.
He was quickly done, drew the covers over the tired Commander and dimmed the light over his head. Felina and Razor followed the doctor out into the corridor. The doctor went off and the pair leaned on either side of the door.
"Thanks for staying around and for helping out against the attackers." Felina said quietly.
"You're welcome. Hope this works and we finally catch the bastard responsible for causing all this." Razor said grimly crossing his arms tightly across his chest.
"Yeah, me too!" Felina agreed.