Timeless - Part 3
Author - Modad
Rating - T
Email - mfiske6@yahoo.com
Warnings: Violence
Disclaimer: SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron," its characters and concepts are copyright to Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc and are used without permission.

Summary: Unwanted memories of events that are best left not remembered fill the mind of a certain Enforcer Commander.

Author Statement: After a solid year, I've finished another chapter. I'm not too incredibly proud of this piece of work, or at least not as much as I would have been. This particular chapter was originally completed a month after the second chapter, but was lost due to computer error. It was about 40k or so, a devastating loss that took me this long to piece back together. It was quite literally pieced back together, as there would be month long periods where nothing would be written, and I often wrote the different parts separate from one another. After piecing them together, I have assembled a third chapter. Hopefully the "assembling" process went well, but there are bound to be a few unusual errors. Hopefully this won't hinder the reading experience.

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The numbers on the altimeter gradually increased as the newly freed Turbokat soared into the now morning sky. Jake flew the jet as best he could, occasionally wobbling the jet from side to side, but overall staying on course. But then again, what course am I taking? Jake thought to himself.

He leaned back in his seat in the Turbokat, a jet that he had designed, yet somehow felt very foreign to him.

"It's just not the same," he thought out loud as he stared out of the canopy. His proximity alert abruptly broke the odd silence, and Jake looked at the radar to see what was causing it. Bogeys, four of them, were lit up on the screen in a green aura, signifying them as "friendly's".

Unfortunately, circumstances had changed, and Jake knew that they weren't going to be friendly anymore.

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Felina Feral sat at her desk tapping her fingers, causing a small repetition of noise to spread across her expansive office. Still no word on Clawson, no finished stance on the investigation, and still no remains of Furlong.

She had let Jake go, despite all her training and professionalism. Many times over the past few days she'd wondered if it was indeed the right decision, or if it had even been her place to decide at all. She was personally attached to the situation, something that all the rulebooks made perfectly clear not to do.

"I can see why," she muttered. Crying had lost its appeal after Mayor Briggs had left the previous day. Felina never cried for anything, but she had cried for Chance. Not just for the fact that he died, but also for the fact that they hadn't made their peace with one another.

A sharp buzz interrupted her thoughts as she snapped back to attention, the intercom on her desk blinking. She cleared her throat as she pressed the receive button.

"This is Commander Feral," she said briskly.

"Mayor Briggs is here to see you again, Commander," her secretary stated. Felina sighed, with a mix of relief and worry.

"Let her in," Felina replied. After a moment the door at the far end of the office opened as the blonde and pink-suited Mayor entered the room. Despite being in her mid-40's, Mayor Briggs still kept an aura of youth about her, somewhat out of place in the aging Ultrakat City.

"So, what can I do for you this time, Mayor? Aside from collapsing into tears again that is," she said with some bitter humor.

"Unfortunately, it's City Hall this time," Callie said with a weary smile. "As time progresses, people are beginning to ask more questions. I've been keeping them at bay as best I can, but I can only slow the process so much without it looking suspicious."

"I know, Mayor. It's just...I need more time before an official report can be made. Felina got up from her desk, walking over to the large window that dominated the room.

"I've never been clear on all the details, Commander. I never have. It's always been an issue of trust. I've trusted a select group of people, and it's always worked out. But I need to know if that trust has been misplaced," Mayor Briggs said as she walked up beside Felina.

"I...I can't answer that at the moment. There are too many conflicting reports, and some previous knowledge that I've had doesn't help too much either."

Mayor Briggs blinked.

"Previous knowledge?"

Felina sighed, deciding it better to let all the details be known.

"As you know, I was friends with the SWAT Kats. What you don't know is how deep that friendship went...maybe further than friends..."

Callie Briggs nearly gasped as realization dawned.

"You had a relationship with one of them, didn't you? And, now he's dead..."

"It's...it's much more complex than that, Callie. We were in a relationship at one time...but times change...not always for the better."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It had been carefully planned. Despite Jake's warnings Chance had decided to go on ahead with his plan anyway. After saving their lives nearly 12 months ago, Chance had taken particular interest in Lieutenant Felina Feral. It was a unique opportunity for the ex-Enforcer, a situation that at last allowed him to bypass his fears.

Ever since becoming a SWAT Kat, Chance had always lived a double-life, a life that prevented him from getting seriously involved with anyone. But, here he had the perfect opportunity. Not only was Felina Feral attractive, available, smart, funny, able-bodied, and well trained, but she also knew of his secret as well.

That was what had convinced Chance to make an honest and forth-coming approach, and it had lasted him 12 months. It sounded corny, but there was no other way to describe it. They were in love.

Now was the time, Chance thought. The time to reorganize my life, and put a better sense of purpose into it. The time to tie the knot.

With his salary alone it would've been nearly impossible to obtain a ring suitable for the occasion, but he still had friends; several of which he now owed severely. He'd lost count of how many free lifetime tune-ups that he'd arranged, but all in all he'd decided it was worth it.

"You're still going through with this?" Jake asked as he entered the garage. Chance was standing on the far end, polishing the 24-karat gold ring that he'd acquired.

"That's the plan," Chance said, holding it up into the light.

"You're sure now?" Jake reemphasized. "I mean, there's no rush after all."

"I'm certain, Jake. Completely, totally 100% certain. I've never been more certain about anything else in my life," Chance replied.

"Well..." Jake began, stopping himself.

"Well...?" Chance asked, a look of concern developing.

"It's nothing, buddy. You go, you have a good time, and you get yourself a fiancée'," Jake said with a smile.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"What happened?" Callie Briggs asked.

"I've always known that my job would always be a boundary for whatever I wanted to do. Law Enforcement always takes its tolls on someone's personal life. But, Law Enforcement at the vigilante level is even greater in its risks, and the tolls it can take on someone's personal life are far more severe..." Commander Felina Feral said.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"You still haven't told me what this is all about," Felina said as she sat across from Chance at a table next to a window overlooking Megakat City. The two were at the newly opened restaurant on top of the newly rebuilt Megakat Tower, both feeling out of place in the upper class environment.

"Alright, I'll give you a clue; it has to do with the date today," Chance said.

Felina gave him a funny look as an idea came to mind.

"Laundry day?" she asked, toying with him.

Chance slapped his forehead and couldn't help but chuckle.

"No, it's something more important than that."

"Ah, something more important than laundry," Felina thought aloud. "Well let's see, if I remember correctly I started dating a certain grease monkey mechanic one year ago today."

"You know, it's usually the guy who doesn't remember," Chance remarked. Felina once again smiled and she leaned over the table. Chance did too, but stopped halfway as he leaned back in his seat. "But, that's not the only reason." Felina's brow arched in puzzlement as Chance got up from his chair. She then blushed, her cheeks turning a deep crimson as Chance knelt on one knee and removed a felt box from his back pocket.

"Felina, for the last year you've been everything to me, and I still want you to be everything for a long time to come, so," Chance paused as he cleared his throat and remembered the words he had practiced a million times. "Felina Feral, would you give me the honor of marrying me?" he proposed as he withdrew the solid gold ring.

Felina was beside herself, and as red as ever as the entire restaurant focused its attention on her.

"I...I..." she stammered, caught completely off guard. Before she could reply, the restaurant was suddenly caught in chaos as the lights went out, and a nearby explosion knocked her out of her chair and onto the floor as the world turned to darkness.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"This sounds too familiar," Callie commented.

"It should," Felina replied. "This was the night that everything changed."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Felina was the first to regain consciousness; the explosion had sent both her and Chance flying across the restaurant. She slowly opened her eyes to see just what had happened. One wall of the restaurant was completely destroyed, and entering was something that she had hoped to never have to deal with again.

Dr. Viper.

He wasn't alone, as dozens of his mutated plantimals followed him inside, all hissing and snapping. They were busy rounding up the unconscious attendants, dragging them all towards the center of the room. Felina decided it best not to act awake at the moment as she glanced over towards Chance. He was laying motionless on his stomach, still breathing, much to her relief.

She then turned her head again to analyze the situation, and sighed. She was going to need help, and she knew how to get it. Moving stealthily she reached over and grabbed onto Chance's jacket, and quickly removed the familiar triangle shaped device from it. As she did, she caught the attention of one of the mutated monstrosities, and it began to charge at her, snarling and foaming from the mouth orifice.

She fumbled with the device momentarily before finally pressing the button in the center. The creature leapt and tackled her; its bite penetrating her skin. She dropped the now blinking communicator and fell backward, the venomous bite taking its effect.

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Feeling somewhat left out, Jake had taken to finding ways to entertain himself for the evening. After spending a few hours down in the hangar working on his latest designs, he had come upstairs to order a pizza. Some time had since passed as he turned on the TV.

He yawned for what seemed like the 10th time that night, and he once again looked at the nearby clock. It read 12 o'clock, and he leaned back in his chair in the "living room" of the auto body shop. He had already turned on the David Litterbin show in an attempt to stay awake, but the long day and late night was starting to take its toll. His eyes gradually began to close as he fell asleep, not noticing the blinking emergency communicator on the far wall.

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Chance awoke with a start, his Enforcer training taking over for a brief instant as he grabbed whoever it was that had grabbed him and flung it over his shoulder. He quickly realized that it wasn't a he; it wasn't even a kat. The creature he had thrown bounced off the far wall and regained its composure, coming back at him.

Chance got back to his feet and started to take the opposite route as more of the creatures from around the room joined in the fray, converging on him with great speed.

"Seize him!" a voice slithered, and without having to look, Chance knew that it was Dr. Viper, mutated insane biochemist with aspirations of turning the city into a swamp from which he would rule all.

Jumping up, Chance grabbed one of the decorative pseudo-marble columns, swinging around and knocking down the pursuing plantimals feet first. They collapsed in a literal domino effect, giving the mechanic a moment to catch is breath. It didn't last long as he felt a leathery object wrap around his neck.

"I don't know who you are, but you musssssst be taught to resssssspect my creationssssss," the mad scientist said in his slithery lisp, increasing the pressure on Chance's neck.

"Let go of me, you filthy creep!" Chance shouted out as he grabbed onto the tail like an oversized burrito and bit it. Viper howled in pain, releasing Chance. The large tabby took advantage, tackling the mad scientist.

Struggling soon ensued as both fought for what was quickly becoming a battle of survival. Chance punched Viper squarely in the jaw as the evil biochemist returned with a bullwhip slash of his tail. Both were knocked aside by their respective blows.

"Give it up, Viper!" Chance stated. "There's no way you're gonna get away with all this."

Viper snarled and prepared his own returning statement, when he paused rather abruptly. There is something familiar about this kat, he thought to himself. Quickly putting two and two together, Viper laughed aloud.

"Oh, thissss issss too good to be true," the mad scientist nearly exclaimed, clasping his hands together in pure amusement. "Ssssso, SsssWAT Kat, I've managed to intrude upon your persssssonal time?"

Chance's shoulders slumped, and he realized that he had been acting on reflex all this time. Years of being a vigilante had that effect, and Furlong had forgotten just where and who he was. Where and who I am, Chance thought, then snapped out of his phase when those realizations came into focus.

"Felina!" Chance shouted out, dashing off to the side with Viper's eerie laughter following him. The plantimals prepared to attack once more, but with a gesture Viper called them off, intent on watching how the situation would play out.

Chance quickly found that Felina was not breathing, her face had quickly turned a pale blue as the veins in her arms turned purple. Chance saw the bite marks and snarled in anger as he stood back up to face Viper again.

"Quite the predicament it would sssssseem, isssssssssn't it?" Viper observed aloud, his snide sadistic voice slithering with evil intent.

Chance lunged at the mad scientist, driving them both to the ground.

"Cure her!" the large tabby shouted.

Dr. Viper merely laughed in amusement.

"Why sssshould I?"

Chance got up and lifted Viper by the collar, holding him up in the air.

"I said cure her!"

"Not a chance, ssssSWAT Kat, unlesssss..."

"Unless what?" Chance demanded.

The mad scientist snickered, feeling the sensation of victory approaching.

"Unlesssss you reveal who you and the other sssssSWAT Kat are," Dr. Viper began. "To me."

Chance paused as realization sunk in. Felina was mere moments away from death, and the large tabby had a decision at hand, one that had to be made quickly. He weighed the options as best he could. If he revealed Jake's identity, then Dr. Viper would know who they both were, thus being able to not only endanger them personally but also anyone close to them as well. But, if he didn't, then Felina would die.

"I-I...all right, Viper," Chance said, obvious remorse seen clearly in his composure. "You win."

"Excellent, now, firssst the identities then I cure your girl friend," Viper hissed.

"I'm...Steve...Johnson and he's..." Chance stated, hesitating.

"Don't lie!" Viper snapped in anger. "I can see your pupils dilating, I can sense your body temperature fluctuating, I can sssssmell the odors being released from your stench-ridden body. You lie again and she diessss!"

Chance gritted his teeth, barely containing himself. He had no choice.

"I'm...Chance Furlong," he stated through his teeth.

"Now, the other name, or elsssse I withdraw my offer!" Viper snapped.

"He's..." Chance started, and then with a final air of defeat finished. "Jake Clawson."

Viper laughed in a near maniacal manner, having finally done what so many had failed to do. He had discovered who the SWAT Kats really were.

"Now, cure her!" Chance demanded once again.

Now Viper was really laughing, his slithery mutated voice adding to the overall evil of the act.

"You fool! There issss no cure!" Viper exclaimed.

Chance's eyes went wide. In a moment of desperation he had not only endangered himself but betrayed Jake as well. The feelings of guilt were quickly replaced by something else. A rage unlike any other he had felt overwhelmed him as he leapt back at Viper.

"You monster, I'll kill you for that!" the large tabby declared.

The evil biochemist quickly ceased his display of amusement, taking a defensive stance. Blinded by his anger, Chance attacked head on, predictably lunging full speed.

Viper ducked aside and swung around, hitting Chance in the back of the head with the full force that his reptilian tail could muster. Almost instantaneously, Chance was thrown back end over end, landing in an unnatural fashion nearly ten feet away.

Struggling to get back up, the mechanic by profession slumped and fell victim to unconsciousness.

"Idiot," Viper muttered under his breath. "Now, back to businesssss!" the mutated scientist ordered his assembled plantimals.

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Jake awoke with a start, the sound of the klaxon penetrating his exhausted sleep. He shot up out of the recliner and rushed down the concealed ladder and into the hangar. Running up to the klaxon, he answered it.

"Crud, how long has this thing been going?" he asked aloud as he listened in for whomever it was that had been calling. "Hello? Ms. Briggs? Lt. Feral? Hello?" Jake asked as no one made an opening statement.

The only reply was that of static.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Is that...when your uncle..." Callie began, not having to finish her question as Felina nodded in acknowledgement.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The numbers on the panel of the elevator increased as Commander Feral grew tense. The Enforcers had received news of an explosion on the penthouse restaurant of Megakat Tower, and with the building's history of events the Commander had wanted to investigate personally.

The numbers reached their final destination at 300 as the elevator chimed and the doors automatically opened. Accompanied by four other Enforcer commandos Feral walked into the room to find something that even he hadn't expected.

"Felina!" Feral shouted as he ran over to his fallen niece. Her face was a deep violet and her eyes were devoid of their pupils. She lay still and motionless, not breathing or showing any sign of life what so ever. "Get me a medic!" Feral said, and then with further emphasis, "NOW!"

The nearest Enforcer commando immediately took out his radio and issued orders into it as Feral began to perform CPR on his niece. He had barely begun to perform the procedure when out of nowhere a leathery green object struck his back and sent him reeling.

"Two Ferals in one night; too bad thissss isn't the lottery," Viper said with a sardonic air about him. The Enforcer commandos responded sluggishly as they were attacked by Viper's horde of plantimals, keeping them preoccupied as the mad scientist approached the Enforcer Commander.

Feral struggled to get back to his feet, feeling slightly exasperated by the effort. He was in his late 40's, and the years of physical battering from his job had been taking their toll. Nevertheless, getting back up, Feral faced off with Viper.

"You're getting old, Feral," the evil biochemist observed. "Perhapssss you should've brought your wheelchair?"

"I don't need a wheelchair, Viper," Commander Feral replied as the two circled each other. "But, when I'm through with you, you'll be needing one."

"I don't think sssso, Feral, I'll have you begging for mercy in seconds. Who'll save your niece then?"

Feral growled, knowing that he wouldn't be able to help Felina until Viper was taken care of. Withdrawing his side arm and taking aim, the Commander made the first move. Dr. Viper had expected as much and swung his tail around, knocking the gun from Feral's grasp and sending it clattering across the floor.

Now disarmed, the Enforcer Commander resorted to another tactic and lunged straight at Viper instead. With greater speed than the mad scientist had expected, he was tackled as both went tumbling end over end through the window that led to the exterior balcony dining area. Feral got back up first and let loose with a right hook, connecting solidly with Viper's jaw.

The evil biochemist was sent reeling at the impact and toppled over the nearby railing that guarded against accidental falling. Thinking quickly, he used his tail as a bullwhip, catching Commander Feral by the arm and dragging them both over the side.

"Gah!" Feral vocalized as he too went over the side, reaching out wildly with his other hand, barely managing to grab onto the ledge. The two foes now hung suspended between life and death, the massive cityscape bustling 300 stories below them.

"Well, isssssn't thisss interessssting?" Viper asked rhetorically as he increased the squeezing pressure on Feral's upper arm. The Enforcer Commander winced as he felt the blood circulation in his upper body begin to slow.

Beginning to perspire, Feral struggled to maintain his grip with the other arm.

"You idiot, Viper!" Feral shouted through gritted teeth. "You're going to kill us both!"

"That'ssss the point," Dr. Viper replied, chuckling in his unique way.

Commander Feral struggled for one last instant, desperately attempting to hang on, when the ledge cracked and broke apart from the rest of the building.

Feral dropped, only to be jerked upward as the grip on his arm intensified. Viper had managed to grab onto an exterior ledge, and was now the only thing hanging onto Feral.

"Lookssss like I've got the upper-hand, or is it tail?" the evil scientist chuckled in amusement. Before Feral could answer, Viper released, allowing the Enforcer Commander to plummet towards his demise.

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"Careful now...let's see, Megakat Tower at coordinates 3455x83999 and...Whoa!" Razor shouted as he looked at his scopes. A lone figure was plummeting over the side of the top-level penthouse, falling quickly towards certain death.

"Hang on..." Razor gritted his teeth as he sent the Turbokat into full-throttle, rocketing towards the individual.

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The result was instantaneous; plummeting downward Commander Feral rushed at high speed to what seemed to be his demise. Feral closed his eyes as he knew it would all be over soon. No more command, no more existence, nothing. It was over. He would never see his niece again, nor would he ever see the rest of his family. The Enforcers were leaderless, and the city would fall into doom and destruction.

Viper had won.

Abruptly, a sound similar to that of a gunshot interrupted Feral's mental reprieve and he felt something wrap around his legs and pull tight. His momentum rapidly halted, and the sense of falling ceased. Gradually opening his eyes, Feral found himself dangling by a few mere inches above pavement.

Looking up, he saw the all-too-familiar form of a hovering black jet above; from which he soon realized had shot a grappling cable to catch him mid-air. The canopy opened as an equally familiar kat shouted down to him.

"A little late to go skydiving, isn't it, Commander?" Razor called down.

Avoiding the usual banter, Feral replied quickly. "It's Dr. Viper!" Feral shouted from his more than slightly uncomfortable position. "He's got a room full of hostages along with my niece!"

---------------

Razor tensed as he heard those last few words. Felina was with Chance on the top floor of the tower, out to dinner with marriage proposal goals in mind. He would have found it humorous hadn't it been something as serious as Dr. Viper.

Reaching over to the grappling claw controls, Razor set Feral down on the street below, making sure that he got off the cable safely. Just as the Commander's feet hit the ground, the SWAT Kat increased the throttle, which sent the Turbokat rocketing upward in vertical thrust mode.

Bringing up the infrared display, Razor did a quick exterior scan of the top floor restaurant. There were several motionless kat-shaped heat signatures, all of them very faint. They were followed by an even greater number of unknown heat spikes that were very strong and glowed brighter than the ones that were still.

Upon closer scrutiny, Razor found one in particular that he had seen one too many times before.

"Dr. Viper," he muttered under his breath. "So that's why Chance called."

Bringing up his weapon's display, he considered his options. He could easily blow up the top floor, taking Viper and his mutated minions with him, but then he'd lose all the hostages, not to mention Felina and Chance.

He'd have to take a more complex form of action, one that he wasn't particularly fond of. Considering the options at hand, he realized that it wasn't a complex action that would solve the situation, but a quick action of surprise and accuracy. Praying for above all accuracy, Razor prepped the Turbokat.

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Returning to the restaurant style penthouse, Dr. Viper supervised his mutant forces as they finished remodeling the restaurant to serve its new diabolical purpose. The hostages had all been subdued and were detained by vine restraints. Granted, some took a bit more persuasion than others to contain did, Viper thought to himself, still rubbing his sore jaw.

In the end, however, it had turned to his advantage, an advantage that many in his line of work had been trying hard to get. Thumbing through the unconscious kat's wallet, Viper found that his assailant was indeed Chance Furlong, some kind of garage mechanic. It made sense, Viper supposed as he tossed the item away.

"It makesssss no difference what you are, ssssSWAT Kat," Viper said aloud as he circled the unconscious form of Furlong. "Becaussssse in a matter of minutessss, Megakat City will fall to itssss kneessss, under my total control."

Briefly looking about the room, Viper saw that everything was in place. His last attempt to use Megakat Tower as a launching platform for his mutagenic spore pod had failed due to a number of factors. One such factor was the pod's slow growth rate, which had given the authorities time to lay waste to Viper's plans.

"Not thisssss time," Viper chuckled as he reached into his lab coat and withdrew a single round seed. "All I need do is add water, and my spore pod will grow to exponential proportions and then explode, covering this city in my mutagenic spores and transforming it into my Megaswamp City!"

The wall on the far side of the room abruptly exploded, sending large pieces of flaming debris flying into the air. A few of the assembled plantimals were caught off guard and crushed as a result.

Viper lurched, dropping the seed and allowing it to roll across the smooth marble floors.

"No!" Viper shouted as he looked to see what was happening. Hovering just beyond the newly "opened" opening in the wall was a sight that the mad scientist had developed a particular hatred for: the Turbokat.

Before he could react, he found himself knocked across the room, restrained against his will. An eight-armed missile, red in color had deployed itself around him, securely fastening him to a concrete pillar. His plantimals tried to rush to his aid, but were mowed down by machine-gun fire emanating from the hovering black jet.

In mere moments his forces were turned to nothing.

"Damn you!" Viper shouted from the very top of his lungs.

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Despite his best efforts to keep all the weapons he used non-lethal, Razor did realize the necessity of conventional weaponry. Carefully selecting the 50-caliber machine gun for the rotating weapons pod, a weapon that he rarely used, he had managed to decimate Viper's forces. Looking through his scopes, he found that he'd managed to hit his mark.

Sighing with relief, Razor looked for a place to land.

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Running with the vigor of someone half his age, Commander Feral, trailed by dozens of Enforcers, ran up the stairs of the building. The elevators were down for some reason, and helicopter support was 10 minutes away. Too long for Ulysses to wait, and he began the long ascent up the 300 story building.

After what seemed like an eternity, he burst onto the scene. There was a sticky black residue everywhere, along with bullet-holes from a heavy machine gun. Looking around, he found his niece still unconscious, her face an unnatural purple.

"Felina!" he shouted, rushing to her side. She wasn't breathing, and her body was extremely cold. An Enforcer chopper soon hovered into view, viewable through all the large holes in the facility's infrastructure. Standing up, he waved the chopper in closer, signaling for an emergency pickup.

Descending from jump-lines, two Enforcers carting along a stretcher made it next to Felina. Supervised by Feral, they quickly secured her, taking her back up into the chopper, the residual wind generated by the blades sending a strong gust about the room.

Feral watched the stretcher ascend.

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Finding a suitable landing spot on the far side of the tower, Razor made his way to the smoldering Penthouse. Mostly intact, it had several holes that made it more comparable to a block of Swiss cheese. Entering from one such hole, he watched as Commander Feral assisted in putting someone into a stretcher who was then carried up and away.

"I wonder who that was?" Razor asked no one in particular as he began his search for Chance. The place was a mess; unconscious bodies were everywhere as EMT's disregarded the SWAT Kat and went about assessing the injured. It only took a few minutes, but it seemed like forever as Razor found a lone body far from the others.

"Chance!" he shouted, rushing over to the still form. Groaning in pain, the larger kat slowly awoke, rubbing his head. As he did, a realization returned as his expression reverted to that of anger.

"Where is he?!" Chance shouted.

"Calm down, buddy. The situation's been handled. Viper's being handled by the Enforcers now," Razor said, trying to keep Chance from rushing up. Chance struggled for a moment, but stopped as an even larger form silently walked past. Razor paused as well; watching as Commander Feral made his way past them, not even bothering to look at them.

"Something's up," Razor whispered.

Even in his most stoic of moods, Feral had never ignored them like that. A "You stupid hotshots!" or "Reckless Vigilantes!" always ensued, but not this time. A sinking dread-filled feeling soon rose in Chance's stomach.

"No..." he whispered.

Commander Feral was walking towards the other side of the penthouse, where the Octopus missile that had Dr. Viper contained was. An Enforcer Sergeant was nearby, speaking to the contained criminal.

"You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney-" the Sergeant stopped abruptly as Viper spat in his face.

"You ssssstupid moronic sssssimpleton! I'm above your pathetic code of moralsssss and lawsssss. Sssssoon, you'll all regret the day you challenged Dr. Viper!"

Commander Feral had reached his destination, standing beside the Sergeant as he wiped his face off with a handkerchief.

"And you, Feral! I hope your niece decaysssss in the ground where sssssshe belongssss! I'll be putting you there too! All of you!" Viper shouted. "No one will-"

Razor's mouth gaped, wide open in shock as did Chance's. Viper's speech had stopped abruptly, so fast that the sound of gunfire had very slowly crept into their ears. The Sergeant gasped as well, noticing that his side arm was out of its holster, having been removed so quickly that he hadn't had time to react. He looked about for it, and found out where it had gone.

Smoke was still rising out of the barrel. The barrel of the gun held by Commander Feral.

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A quiet filled the room, which was abruptly interrupted by an urgent knock on the door. Felina sighed as she regained her composure.

"Enter," she said, all traces of sadness gone in an instant, replaced with the stern look of duty and discipline once more.

"Commander, we've got a situation," a sergeant said as he walked in. "It's the Turbokat."

"What about it?" Felina asked.

"It's been stolen."

To be continued...