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Chapter 13: The Trap is Sprung!

Friday morning shone bright and sunny, the rain having blown off the night before. The day was fairly normal. As the afternoon dragged on, the Sergeant was getting more and more nervous. He wished the day to be over already.

At the salvage yard, Chance was hurrying but trying not to appear he was doing that, as he worked on the cars waiting repair. His partner was still broody, so was not paying attention to his friend.

By two-thirty, the cars were finished. Jake looked a bit bemused by the fact they were finished so early.

"Come on buddy, let's you and me go out for an hour of target practice? I'm feeling antsy and want to get some flying in." Chance said as he wiped his paws off. He was relieved to see the last customer leave through the gate. It had been cutting it fine, getting done in time.

"I guess we could use some practice time." Jake said somewhat reluctantly as he helped Chance close the garage and gate to the yard.

It didn't take long before they were screaming along the canyon pathways taking out targets Razor had set up some weeks before. It was exhilarating and had helped to loosen his partner up to T-Bone's relief. He checked his watch and noted it was time to set the trap in motion.

"Well I think that's enough for the day, buddy. Let's go home and get something to eat." He said nonchalantly.

"Sounds good, T-Bone. It was a good practice." Razor agreed easily.

Sighing inwardly, T-Bone deliberately took a more northerly route back. Razor frowned and wondered why his partner was veering away so far from their home.

"I thought we'd pass over the city for a brief patrol before quitting for the night." T-Bone said, divining his friend's unspoken thoughts.

"Oh, guess that's a good idea. Been quiet lately which is a good thing." Razor said agreeably.

Right on time, T-Bone received the alert and made sure Razor heard it through his headphones.

"Hmm, we're not far from there, why don't we check it out?" T-Bone asked casually, though his heart was pounding hard. He never liked to lie to his partner.

"Alright by me!" Razor said.

Sighing inwardly, T-Bone veered the jet toward the Rickert Factory.

Meanwhile at Enforcer Headquarters, the Sergeant noted the time and took a deep breath. Taking took hold of the Commander's door handle, he briskly opened it and strode up to his superior's desk. Feral looked up at him questioningly.

"Sir, I heard a rumor that those smugglers may have returned to the Richert Factory. There's been no official confirmation on that but I thought you should hear about it." The Sergeant said formally.

Before Feral could answer, Felina came in on cue. She walked up to his desk and dropped a report on it. She didn't say anything and looked at the Sergeant inquiringly as she waited for her uncle to acknowledge her.

Feral frowned a little at her interruption and distractedly picked up the report but didn't look at it as he responded to the Sergeant's report.

"Hmm, I think a patrol should go and have a look and let dispatch know if they see anything suspicious." He ordered.

Felina felt her heart stutter a moment but kept her face bland. "What's up, Uncle?" She asked casually.

Feral glanced at her but signaled the Sergeant to repeat his report. After the Sergeant had done so, Felina pretended to be thinking about it.

"Uncle, they shouldn't be coming back there. We beat them soundly and arrested the leaders. Perhaps something or someone else is thinking of taking over their operation thinking we wouldn't go back there again since it had been exposed. It'd be a canny thing to do. Why don't we go check it out? The last thing we need is a smarter than average crook starting up the catnip trade again. Besides you've been cooped up in here all day, getting out would do you good." She coaxed, hoping she tweaked his curiosity enough to get him to go.

The Sergeant and her held their breath as Feral frowned and stared at his niece for a long moment.

"Perhaps you're right, Felina. Very well, let's you and I check it out." Feral grunted finally. He got up from his desk, put away his files and locked up others then stepped down and made for his coat.

Behind his back, Felina and the Sergeant traded relieved looks before schooling their faces back to the business at paw.

"Take care of those reports, Sergeant." Feral said gesturing to a small pile of folders on the end of his desk.

"Yes sir!" The Sergeant said briskly moving to retrieve the folders while behind him Felina and Feral left for the elevator, taking it down to the lobby. As she hoped, he was taking his sedan. As soon as they reached the factory, she would alert T-Bone.

Her uncle parked his car in the alley and they went in the side door, Felina had a key. The interior was gloomy and they pulled out their weapons and began their search. Felina paused a moment to press the jury-rigged alarm then hurried to catch up to her uncle.

Only five minutes later, the SWAT Kats arrived. T-Bone landed the jet on a roof opposite the building in question. They rappeled down to the ground and made for the main door. Razor used his glovatrix to get them inside. T-Bone took point once they were in and pretended to search the top floor before leading Razor down to the basement.

Felina and her uncle were in the basement already and were nearing the room the conspirators had set up. Behind them they heard a noise, Feral whirled around and pointed his laser pistol at T-Bone as he and Razor came into view.

"What are you two doing here?" Feral growled angrily.

"Caught an alarm for the building, thought we'd check it out. Seems you were doing the same." T-Bone said innocently, shrugging his shoulders.

Feral was about to argue when Felina interrupted him.

"Uncle, look at this!" She called him urgently, standing before the open door of the trap.

Hissing in annoyance, Feral turned away from the pair and went to the indicated room. T-Bone stood still a moment letting Razor precede him. Razor's curiosity was getting the better of him so he didn't notice that his partner was lagging behind strangely.

"What the heck is this?" Feral rumbled in confusion, staring at the prepared room.

Razor stepped in behind him and looked around in puzzlement as well. At that moment, T-Bone stepped to the doorway, tossed a quick acting gas capsule into the room then quickly slammed the door shut.

"Why did you gas them?" Felina said in shocked anger.

"Because they are armed and there was no other way to take their weapons from them." T-Bone said simply.

"Oh, crud, we forgot about that," She said in chagrin.

"Yeah, I know. I just realized that as we were coming down here." The tabby said equally annoyed at himself. "I least I did remember or the whole plot would have failed."

"Good thing...whoops! Someone didn't pass out immediately!" Felina said as they heard a loud thump against the door.

"Huh! Probably your uncle or Razor or both. They would have tried to hold their breath but Razor made that pretty potent so it would work quickly." T-Bone said shrugging his shoulders.

"How long will they be out?" She asked.

"About ten minutes. They should be unconscious now. Hold your breath when I open the door." T-Bone warned as he reached for the door nob and opened it. The residue of the gas rushed out then dissipated.

On the floor near the door was Feral and Razor. Working quickly T-Bone and Felina began to strip the pair. T-Bone removed his partner's weapons harness, glovatrix, his helmet and emptied his pockets. Felina removed her uncle's coat, tie, belt, shoes, weapon and emptied his pockets. She searched him for other weapons then nodded that she was finished just as T-Bone finished as well.

"Okay, lets lock them in. You have the note?" T-Bone asked as he prepared to close the door.

"Oh, yes." Felina reached into her uniform pocket and took out the note they had composed the other day. She laid it near her uncle so that he would see it when he woke.

A groan warned them time was up. The pair quickly left the room and locked the door. They left for the upper floor.

"You know, this is the part we didn't discuss. How long do we leave them and shouldn't one of us stay and guard, ensuring no one bothers them and to let them out when they are ready?" T-Bone asked.

"You're right! Well, can you take the first shift? I have to return to headquarters with my uncle's vehicle so no one sees it here." Felina said.

"Yeah, we were done for the day so I can stay. Any TV around here?" He asked looking around.

"Hmm, yeah I saw one in the front offices. Going to watch a little screen?" She said in amusement.

"Well I don't want to be listening in especially when they reach the weepy stage. Though I will keep an ear during the fight first. I hope that therapist is right and they don't try to kill each other." T-Bone said in concern.

"So do I. If it does go sour, contact me immediately." She said firmly.

"Yeah, I'll do that but first I'll toss another gas capsule in to stop the mayhem." The big tabby said, grimly.

"Good idea! Okay, I'm off. Here's hoping it works out. I'll see you around seven p.m.." She told him as she made to leave. He just nodded and started to move back down the stairs as she hurried out of the building.