Ni-hao! This is "Don't Wait Up", part of the Arcana Saga.

Again, you'll see why it's titled this way.

What is Jake’s connection to Phoebe? Has Lokii succeeded in separating Callie and the SWAT Kats? Also, Callie gets strange phone calls.

Author's note: This (finally) has the piece of dialogue "Krissy-chan" and I have been talking about. Now you don't have to worry about J-kun, Kris. ;)

As always, send me any comments or questions to AkaneKitty@aol.com or drop me a line in my Review section at Fanfiction.net. Enjoy!

Ja ne,
AkaneKitty


****************
The Arcana Saga:
Don’t Wait Up
****************

"It's a part of my past I'd rather left behind. . ."

". . .But, in my past, are also my happiest times. . ."

". . .The same past that had what I wanted. . ."

"Happier times. . ."

". . . Before they took. . ."

". . .something important to me. . ."

". . ."But, I suppose I can't have my cake and eat it, too. . ."

". . ."

". . .Perhaps I can. . ."

********************

The chaos that was City Hall had died down somewhat after an intense hour. Callie tried her best to field questions from reporters while at the same time alleviate the public's fears. She hoped she pulled it off. To compound things, neither Manx nor Kandi was yet to be seen, leaving the whole office burden on Callie's shoulders, again. Feral was around, but he was too busy arguing with the feds.

In her office, Callie tried to relax. It wasn't coming. It was a regular Manx-less day compounded with a potential city crisis. And, even on top of this,
she had a new phone that wasn't cooperating. A Deputy Mayor can't live without her phone.

"Anshi, this phone is a little complicated for my tastes," Callie stares at her new cell on her desk, which she hadn't used since she bought it. "Are you sure we needed an upgrade?"

"Hai, Briggs-sama." Anshi nods, scribbling down some notes in the seat across from Callie while reaching for the phone. "Besides, your phone contract was about to run out."

"I know, but. . ." Callie notices two familiar forms coming towards her. "Hey, guys! I was wondering why you didn't respond."

"We had a run in with Katra." Razor explains as he and T-Bone walk into Callie's office.

"Great." Callie sighs, leaning back into her chair. "We can add her to the list of problems with Turmoil."

"Turmoil?" T-Bone asks.

"She's the reason I was calling you." Callie explains. "We had a jail break and she escaped."

"But, she's been a model prisoner. So I've heard." T-Bone says quickly.
"Why would she break out?"

"My question exactly."

T-Bone and Razor turn to see Feral coming into Callie's office, noticing he had on a suit on rather than he uniform. Feral turns off his cell phone.

"The vigilantes are here!" Feral narrows his eyes, smiling a bit. "Late, as usual."

"Excuse me?" T-Bone growls.

"You've always talked about how the Enforcers are always late." Feral says, walking over to Anshi. "Now, I can talk about you."

"We were late doing your job!" Razor challenges. "Did you know MegaKat Biochemical was being robbed?"

"Nope." Feral hands his phone to Anshi. “Hold this for a minute.”

"Well, then."

Feral shrugs. "I can't respond to something I don't know about. I mean, it's only fair . . .but, you don't play by the rules, do you?"

"Guys, please!" Callie pleads, but it doesn't do any good.

"You're the incompetent one here!" T-Bone challenges. "Maybe, if you did you're job, say, 25% of the time, we wouldn't need to be here!"

"That's a stretch. You would be here even if I could to my job to your glorious high standards." Feral says, getting into T-Bone's face.. "So you would
always be in my way."

"In the way of what?" Razor asks.

Feral smiles, which has an odd settling effect on the SWAT Kats. "Some things are better left unsaid."

Feral grabs his phone back from Anshi, and starts to leave the office. "Ms. Briggs, I'll keep you post on this situation as soon as I get more information from the feds. See you later."

Callie sighs, watching him go. "Must you three get into arguments like that?"

"He started it!" T-Bone replies.

Callie sighs again. "Well, I don't think this Turmoil is going to cause more trouble today. So the city should be safe for tonight, at least."

Razor nods. "All we can do is watch and wait."

T-Bone sighs, knowing that Razor is right. "Okay. We'll keep in touch Ms. Briggs."

Callie nods, watching the SWAT Kats go. "Anshi, do you have my phone?
I need to go find Manx."

"Hai." Anshi stands up also, handing Callie her phone.

"I'm going to see if I can find our esteemed mayor at his old haunts. Hold the fort for me, all right?" Callie grabs her purse.

Anshi smiles. "Hai, Briggs-sama."

********************************

"So, the Squires hesitate at the Queen’s Call." Lokii laughs, watching the SWAT Kats go. "Such a pity."

"The Tower Card hasn’t been proven true. But, I have a feeling that it will come to pass. . ."

***********************************

"So, I had a Feral and didn't even realise it." Turmoil smiles, going through one of the many files she had securely hidden away. "My, how the cookie
crumbles."

Turmoil runs her paw over the files labels, finally extracting a file. "Before I took to the skies, I was into chemistry."

Turmoil sits back on her heels, clutching the file to her chest. "Well, Cabreti, my love, I will see you soon. . ."

***********************************

"Let's see. . .Rose Hill, Rose Hilton. . .Why didn't I get the number when I had a chance?"

Jake sits at the kitchen table, thumbing through a phone book. After getting back, Chance decided he had to calibrate his throttle. Jake figured there might be something wrong, but Chance was covering. Besides, his instruments were 'sensitive', so only he could retune it.

Rolling his eyes, Jake happens upon the number to the Rose Terrace Hotel.  Making sure Chance was away, he picks up the phone and dials the number.

The hotel puts Jake through to the Clawson room. The phone rings a few times, and, finally, the line clicks.

"Hello?"

"Phoebe? It's me, Jake."

"Jakey-chan! It's good to hear you again!" The voice on the other end squeals.

Jake rolls his eyes, sighing. "Umm, look Phoebe, can't you call me J-kun or something?"

Phoebe is silent for awhile. "You don't like it?"

"It's not that, Phoebe. It's just that 'Jakey-chan' is so. . ."

"Jakey-chan." Phoebe cuts him off. "It wouldn't sound right otherwise. I am your-"

"I know. I know." Jake sighs, knowing he's lost. "Listen. If nothing comes up tonight, I'll be by."

Phoebe purrs. "Then I shall await your arrival, Jakey-chan. . ."

********************************************

"What a time for the mayor to disappear like this!"

Callie was coming back to downtown, her efforts to find the mayor finished. Walking back from one of the golf courses, Callie shifts her purse onto
her shoulder, sighing.

"Even if I were to find the mayor, he would have dumped this whole mess back on me, anyway." Callie thinks. "What a way to celebrate a 6 year anniversary.
. ."

The smell of roses snap Callie out of her thoughts. She slows to a stop, looking around.

"MegaKat Arboretum!" Callie exclaims, looking up at the sign. "Too bad it’ preparing for the Fall season. . .I could use the peace."

Callie’s phone starts to ring, and she answers it. "Hel-"

"Hello! Hello! It’s me! It’s me! Please let me hear the sound of your voice!"

Callie blinks. "Nani?"

The voice, a female one, pauses. "Oh! You’re not Feral."

"You must be very involved with him for him to allow you to answer his phone." The voice continues. "Too late for me, eh?"

"Look. I’m not. . ." Callie starts, but the line goes dead. "Great. I wonder who that she-kat was. . .Is she-?"

Callie shakes her head. "Stop it, Callie! Feral can talk to whom ever he wants to."

"But. . ."

**************************************

"Hey, Chance!"

Chance was climbing out of the TurboKat, oblivious to Jake’s calling.

"Chance?"

"Huh?" Chance looks up after reaching the ground. He notices Jake, who was dressed in oriental style type of outfit. "What’s with the outfit?"

"That’s what I’m coming to talk to you about." Jake walks around the hangar to his bike. "Dad called. He wants to talk to me."

"What about?"

"I don’t know." Jake fibs, mounting the bike.

"What if something happens?" Chance asks, wiping his paws with a rag.

"Use our Com Link. I’ll have it on." Jake revs the motor. "Oh, Chance?"

"Yeah?"

Jake smiles. "Don’t wait up."

*******************************

"This is not my day." Callie sighs, finally reaching her office. "I get Feral’s phone, Manx and his ‘girlfriend’ are gone, and now Anshi has disappeared!"

Callie flops down into her seat, tossing her purse onto her desk. She extracts Feral’s phone from her purse.

"Must be involved, huh?" Callie looks at the phone. "Are w-"

The phone begins to ring. Callie hesitates, but she answers the phone.

"Hello?"

"Calico. . ."

"Huh?" Callie nearly drops the phone. It was male, but she couldn’t place the voice. The voice chuckles.

"I have you, and only you, my love. . ."

************************************

"So, this is Rose Terrace. . .Nice." Jake walks through one of the many halls, trying to find his family’s room.

Jake finally comes to door, and knocks on it.

"Hai?"

"It’s me. . .Jake."

The door opens. There, before Jake, in her royal blue kimono, is Phoebe.  The petite she-kat had on simple eye make-up, and her brown hair was in a tight braid.

"Welcome, Jakey-chan," Phoebe smiles, flashing her emerald eyes, "My betrothed."