SWAT Kats: Joining a Pride, Ch 3
#3 of SWAT Kat: Joining a Pride
Chapter 3: And the Headaches Keep Coming
Ann Gora and her news van got to Enforcer Headquarters just behind the paddy wagons that were carrying the disgruntled lion prides. She had Johnny, her camerakat, film the prides being off loaded and processed. Ann and her crew ended up waiting for more than a couple of hours before being allowed to see the prisoners.
It turned into a useless visit. Ann had asked for information on the reason for the hunt and received stony looks from both parties. She tried everything she could but was met with no response. She sighed and packed it in finally. She really wasn't surprised, the prides were very close mouthed about these things. She would just have to keep her eyes and ears open over the next few days and hope for a break.
Feral's head was pounding when he finally closed the scene and went back to his office. Shift change had already occurred, as it was well after seven p.m., and already the rumor had raced through the new shift so Feral had to endure even more odd looks from his troops.
After downing a handful of aspirin, he plopped down at his desk, booted up his computer and tirededly made out an incident report. He had ordered Felina to return to her scheduled duties and, by now, she should be pre-flighting her chopper to head out on patrol.
He could tell on the drive back to headquarters that she had a lot of questions but he just wasn't in the mood to talk about it right now. Thankfully, she took his silence correctly and didn't hound him. Other good news was he didn't have to speak to the Mayor until tomorrow.
An hour later he'd finished and was locking up his office. He stood indecisively in the act of putting on his coat. He didn't know whether to just go home and crash or go see his mate in the cell block.
After leaving her uncle to head for her duty assignment, she paused and decided to make a brief detour to the cell block. Within minutes, she was standing before a large cell. Her uncle's new pride sat on the left, the other pride sat or stood on the right.
They stared at her with curiosity. For herself, she found it interesting that they were not fighting and according to the cell block officer, they'd been quiet the whole time, not even talking to each other or the press. She sighed inwardly, more pride politics she guessed. Their quarrels and hunts were not for public display. Actually, she was grateful for that bit of clannish behavior since Ann Gora had left empty pawed.
"I never got your name but you claim to be my uncle's mate." Felina said without preamble staring at Tendaji. "I want to talk to you for a moment."
Tendaji stood up and came toward the bars and studied her. She was a rather handsome female and he could see the family resemblance in her face.
"Looks like your mate's family are good looking too!" Came the laconic comment from the leader of the other pride. His companions whistled their appreciation to the annoyance of Tendaji's pride members.
Tendaji ignored the comment as, he was pleased to note, did Ulysses' niece who only flicked her eyes coldly toward them then back to him.
"My name is Tendaji, I'm head of the Kymer Security Firm." He said politely.
"I'm Lt. Felina Feral." She said flatly. "I'm assuming this mating occurred very recently." She questioned.
"Last night to be exact." He said with a small pleased smirk.
She grimaced but asked, "Did my uncle consent to this mating?"
Tendaji's face went blank. "I'm sorry but that is private. Perhaps you should ask your uncle. I wouldn't want to speak out of turn without his permission first." He said distantly.
That he wasn't a chatterbox and given to crowing about his conquest, made Felina think better of him. "Fair enough then can I ask when you plan to formally introduce him to your pride?" She asked.
Her uncle's mate flicked his eyes to the other pride then back to Felina. "This is not a good place for this conversation." He said quietly.
She sighed inwardly, he was right. There were some things that needed to be kept private from others and this was definitely one of them. "Fine, understood! I just don't want my uncle caught in a Pride struggle for too long." She said flatly.
"We are in agreement on that score. I'll do my best but Ulysses makes it really hard to protect him as my instinct insists I must. Trouble follows him like a magnet." Tendaji said with a grimace of annoyance.
Felina snorted. "That is very true. We are in perfect agreement about that! Just do your best and I'll do mine." She told him.
He blinked in surprise as did the others in the cell. "No offense, Lieutenant, but you don't look like you could prevent such a thing." He said in disbelief.
Felina arched an eyebrow at him. Males were always underestimating her to their sorrow.
"I didn't make Lieutenant because my uncle is the Commander. I earned it on my own. You would do well to not underestimate me. The ones who did never got a chance to repeat it." She said with a grim smile.
Tendaji eyed her more intently. She was as fearless as their females, he believed her and was impressed. She just might keep her uncle safe at that.
"Then I won't underestimate you, Lieutenant. I welcome you into my family. You are like our females...fearless and take no crap from anybody." He said, giving her a warm grin.
She smiled back. "I hear you'll be released in a few hours. I'll be seeing you around, I've got to start my patrol." She said in farewell.
"Ahhh, then we might see you on the street in a few hours?" One of the other pride males asked hopefully.
"Doubtful since I'm a chopper pilot." She snorted and left.
"Woah! A pilot! Man, what I wouldn't give to take that wildcat for my own." Said another of the other pride's males.
"Ditto for me! Though I think she'd be real hard to manage." Another said thoughtfully.
Tendaji ignored them and went to sit with his pride again. By the sound of interest the other pride was giving Felina, he would have to include her in their protection. Though he sensed she would fight well to defend herself, she was only one Kat and could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers or a very cunning lion. Maybe one of his own pride would be interested in her? It would solve a lot of problems.
He sighed, things with the Feral family were just getting more complicated as time went on.
By the time Feral was wrestling with his choice to see Tendaji in the cellblock or go home, the object of his concern was already being released by their lawyer as was the other pride.
They ignored each other as they retrieved their belongings and made for the lobby door. The other pride passed them and went outside but Tendaji could see them lingering, not in a hurry to leave the area.
He growled in annoyance. He didn't know if Uly was still here or had left. He and his pride members turned away from the lobby doors and went to the bank of elevators, taking one down to the parking garage. He was relieved to see his mate's car in the mostly empty parking lot.
"As soon as Ulysses arrives, you guys split. He's going to be pissed and seeing all of you will make him even madder. Just blend in with the scenery and leave a pair at his building. The rest of you get some sleep. It will no doubt be busy tomorrow." He said quietly. They nodded and disappeared from sight.
Feral had finally decided he would just go home and untangle things tomorrow so he wasn't happy to see Tendaji standing near his vehicle waiting for him.
"Ahh, it wounds me to see you aren't happy to see me, Uly." Tendaji said lightly when he saw the annoyance on his mate's face.
"Haven't you caused me enough trouble for one day." Feral snapped, walking around to the driver's side and unlocking the doors.
Undeterred by Uly's temper, his mate opened the passenger door when he heard it unlock. Getting in, he held his piece as he put on his safety belt. Feral grumbled under his breath as he started the car and drove out of the garage. Within minutes, they were speeding down the road to Feral's apartment.
He grunted in annoyance. "We're being followed!" He growled.
Tendaji looked into the side mirror and watched for several seconds.
"They are mine. They're making sure we get home safely then they will leave." He said calmly.
"All those back there are yours?" Feral asked stonily.
His mate blinked in surprise and studied their back trail with a more intent look. Sure enough there were quite a few more vehicles than his pride behind them.
"Can you get rid of them?" He asked, cocking his head at his mate challengingly.
Feral just gave him a disgusted look then performed some stomach wrenching moves. He veered into a narrow alley suddenly, shot through it going fifty mph. then turned an abrupt left going back the way they came before again shooting down another alleyway then turning right once more and ducking into another alleyway before racing down a short street. As soon as they passed over a cross street, Feral suddenly applied the brakes and turned into an underground garage. All trace of their tails were gone.
"Wow! That was great. My pride mates will be miffed and the other pride will eventually find out where you live but for now we are free of all tails." Tendaji said in admiration.
Feral felt a brief moment of warmth at the compliment but that faded as he realized he would be holed up with his 'mate' again for the evening. He wondered if he was going to get any kind of sleep tonight. 'Of course I'm not.' He thought in resignation as he got out of the car. He secured it as soon as he heard the other door close.
They walked together toward the elevator.