New Allies on Both Sides
David Noble
Dnoble49@hotmail.com

There's another rival for the SWAT Kats, this time it's Roland, Feral's nephew. I'd
like to note that Roland and Diego Cortez are my characters. Thanks to Jennifer
for her help in giving Roland his character. I want to thank my father for helping
me with the different military ranks. 


During a hot July afternoon, Feral went chasing after King Naermer in his
chopper. Naermer looted a case of auto pistols, revolvers, and bazookas in his
Harrier jet. 

"Shoot! This is getting pretty tight!" Naermer grumbled.

"You can run, but you can't hide, hoodlum!" Feral yelled, getting closer to him. 

"Hey, man! Give me some room to breathe," Naermer said as he launched a
missile that hit the propeller of Feral's chopper, causing it to plummet. The SWAT
Kats came and caught Feral with the giant grabbling hook.

"Need some help, Feral?" T-Bone said, lowering the helicopter to the ground. 

"The enforcers can take care of it from here, SWAT Kats," Feral said.

"They're not looking anymore. Now's my chance to scram!" Naermer said. 

Some of the enforcers' shots struck his windshield and the forcing winds
distracted him. His fuel indicator was running low with the meters dropping
before his eyes. 

"Crap! They hit my fuel tanks too. I'd better get out," he said as he gathered his
spoils and took a parachute out. 

Suddenly a new enforcer sped passed them, giving the Turbokat an air pocket.
The smokes from the ramjet engines blinded T-Bone's view. The enforcer caught
Naermer and delivered him to Feral. 

"What the heck was that?" T-Bone demanded. He looked up and saw a young
tomkat with a head and a structure resembling that of Feral's. "Who are you?"
T-Bone asked crossly.

"Feral's nephew, Lieutenant Roland," he answered with a light French accent.

"And what does that make you, owner of the skies? Why did you cut us off? We
were ready to catch him before you were, junior!"

"If you SWAT Kats can detect objects around you, why didn't you just move out
of the way?" T-Bone pounded his fist on the instrument board.

"Why you young son of a dog!" Felina flew by the arguing pair.

"Roland, leave them alone. Sorry SWAT Kats, my brother is new and he has a
totally high attitude," Felina said.

"No I don't, Felina!" Roland snapped. 

"It's ok, lieutenant. T-Bone will get over it," Razor said. 

"Roland! Get your sorry tail over to Headquarters now!" Feral yelled. Roland
turned back and gave T-Bone a cold stare. T-Bone hissed. 

"That boy is fried meat if I run into him again! I don't care if he's a trainee or
Feral's nephew!" he shouted.

"Come on, T-Bone, let's go home. He's just a kid, you know," Razor said. 

T-Bone just grunted and headed out. He was afraid that the tables of envy would
turn on him. His concern for Roland started to grow the same way Razor's did for
Phurranha.

*********

Outside the prison, Hard Drive put his coat back on and zapped through the
cables. The enforcers going after him had lost sight of him. All they could see was
a blue streak of static racing after Hard Drive down the horizon. 

"Looks like he's out of sight," one of the enforcers said.

"Let's head back," his partner responded. "We'll get him next time he comes."

Hard Drive went back to his shack and found enough linen and microchip bytes to
sew another serge suit. He wanted Diego to be his partner in his future theft
adventures. "I think I'll make this one purple. It'll look nice on Diego!" He
snickered as he started sewing.

*********

Meanwhile, Roland was in Feral's office for a lecture. Feral calmly seated himself
and peered at Roland. "Look nephew, don't you to be performing any dangerous
maneuvers with the Enforcer property. It costs money and I can't afford consistent
funding for damages. You've got great skills and potential, but you don't always
think straight."

"I always use good judgement, uncle," Roland replied.

"Then use it! Remember I can throw you off at any time. I don't care what my
brother will say or do. Am I quite clear?"

"Yes uncle." Feral got up and walked over to Roland.

"You know I could require that you called me 'sir', but you're a relation of mine, so
call me uncle."

"Yes sir!" Feral sighed and sat back down.

"Okay. Now get out of my office," he said. Roland groaned and walked out.
Richard, who was still the Flight Coronal of the Air Force, waited outside for
Roland to come out.

"It's alright, lieutenant. It's not always a piece of cake working for family
members," he said to Roland.

"My uncle just doesn't trust me," Roland groaned.

"Oh he does, Roland. He trusts your sister, Felina."

"That's because she's been an enforcer longer than me."

"So what? Just because you're new shouldn't mean he couldn't trust you. You're
working in my unit and you know you can't cut the others off just to have all the
shots. The enforcer who's closest to the enemy is the one who gets the hit. It can't
always be you."

Roland smirked. "No, but it can be if I pull up close enough," he said. Richard put
his paw on Roland's shoulder.

"As I said, that would be cutting the others off. Yours will come at the right time,
I promise."

"You can't promise anything that's not there, but it could be worth waiting for."  

"If I was Commander and I knew your attitude, I'd think twice about letting you in
the air force," Richard said, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, I'll let the others have their chance," Roland replied.

"You're just like your uncle was when he was a trainee," Richard added. He led
Roland up to the Headquarter runway and went on patrol with him. Roland started
to wonder if he got his attitude from his uncle. 

"My uncle's a big fat hypocrite! I shouldn't love credit, but he loves it," Roland
thought, while he buckled up and took off.

*********

Hard Drive finished making Diego's suit and went off to Megakat prison. Diego
heard a clash of voltage as covered his eyes as the flashing light blinded his
vision. Hard Drive came out of an outlet. 

"Come on, Diego. You remember me, Hard Drive," he said.

"Can I look now?" Diego asked. Hard Drive chuckled and put his paw on Diego's
shoulder.

"Go ahead. I only flash up when I travel." Diego took his paws from his face and
saw Hard Drive.

"Hard Drive? How did you get out?" Diego asked. Hard Drive ejected a fingernail
and grinned. 

"My serge suit has given a bit of spark to my veins. Now I want you to help me in
my pursuits. I've sewn you a serge suit of your own." Hard Drive gave Diego the
computerized clothing. 

Diego tried it on and his appearance transformed. His eyes became yellow and his
brown/black hair became buzzed in the front and the rest of it flowed in the back
with the tip touching the top of his spine. Purple light blazed around his body and
the yellow lights on his suit glimmered. Diego looked at himself in the mirror by
the sink and was amazed.

"You look nice," Hard Drive commented.

"Thanks! This should make stealing easy for me," Diego responded. Then two
guards heard a screeching of static electricity outside.

"Hey, I think I can hear something from inside," one of them said. They came in
the prison hall and saw two reflections of radiant lights dancing at the last cell.

"That must be Hard Drive!" They took out their magnums and ran down towards
the cell. Hard Drive saw the officers coming.

"Let's go! Follow me!" Hard Drive grabbed Diego by the arm and led to him to the
outlet where they made a narrow escape. The officers fired as they saw the purple
figure rapidly disappear. 

"That must have been Diego in that purple light. Now we've got two Hard Drives
in town," complained the other as he called Feral.

*********

Meanwhile at the salvage yard, Chance and Jake looked at a burned engine due to
a major thermostat problem. "I think we'll need to replace the thermostat and this
car should be working just great," Chance said to Jake. 

"We might need to do more than that, pal. The valves need to allow the coolant to
be generated to supply the engine with the right temperate in certain weather
conditions. If the engine is damaged by heat, the car won't function properly. I
need to test the engine to see if it still works right," Jake explained.

"I think we'll get this baby working right if you'd cut the lecture and get on with
it," Chance said.

"If you'll stop standing around, we can get this done!" Jake snapped. 

"Oh, right," Chance said, as he installed the new thermostat. Then he hoped into
the driver's seat just as Jake checked out the old engine.

"Don't turn the ignition yet, buddy," Jake said.

"You said you wanted to get this done, right?"

"Yeah, but wait a few minutes, okay?" Chance sighed.

"Sure thing. Just tell me when you're ready," he said. Jake examined the engine
and cleaned it off to make it look new. Finally, he made the connections.

"Okay Chance, you're on!" Jake called.

"It's about time." Chance test-drove the vehicle and no steam was emerging from
the hood. "I think this auto seems okay. Let's call the guy up."

"You got it. And Chance, you can't rush a machine repair. It takes some time to
figure out the problem," Jake scolded, going to the phone. 

"Hey I'm a professional same as you," Chance called.

"Then you should have followed what I lectured to you about," Jake called back.
Chance slapped his forehead and pounded his fist in his paw.

"Sometimes I'd like to hurt you! You're still my buddy, but if you make that
remark again, I just might hurt you," Chance growled. Jake calmly patted Chance
on the shoulder.

"Take it easy, partner. I think you're a good repairman," Jake began. Chance
smiled and slapped Jake on the shoulder.

"That makes us equal, buddy!" Jake shook his head and called the customer.

*********

At a dance pub, Tipo sat at a corner drinking a Kahlua Black Russian. Felina
stepped in and saw Tipo sitting by himself. "May I sit down?" she asked.

"Sure," he said and he grabbed a stool for her. Felina really felt sure that he was
Phurranha.

"You know I saw the new SWAT Kat fly the Turbokat one time," she began.

"Good for him. What about your brother, Roland? Is he flying any better?"

"Oh him? He's getting there. In fact, he's a regular born hotshot, a Maverick."

"Maverick? Who's he?" Tipo asked. 

"Oh, just a make-believe pilot. He doesn't exist."

"I'd like to see Roland fly sometime," Tipo said. Felina laughed lightly.

"Well, if you see a jock-pilot leave his wingman or cutting others off their aim, it
will be him." Suddenly the song 'Crazy for you' played and Felina saw all the
dancers pair up. Unexpectedly, Tipo got up and offered Felina his paw.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked.

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied. Before she gave him her paw, her
portable phone beeped.

"Christ! What is it this time?" she scuffed. "Yes uncle?"  

"Felina, where are you? Hard Drive and Diego have escaped and I need your help
in catching them!"

"Sure uncle, be right there." She hung up. "Sorry Tipo, gotta run." She walked out
of the pub and into her car. "Damn! Why is it that everytime I'm with Tipo, my
uncle has to get in the way?" 

Tipo drove his bike home and told Chance and Jake about Hard Drive and Diego.
"Diego and Hard Drive, huh? It looks like they've teamed up. Let's go kick two
lightening bugs' tails!" Chance said. Then the three tomkats suited up and headed
out.

*********

Roland and Felina chased the two villains who were now in a Tomkat F-15.
"Stop, Diego and Hard Drive! I repeat, stop!" Felina shouted.

"As you say," Diego said and fired at her jet. It plummeted and the SWAT Kats
caught her by the grabbling hook. Hard Drive accelerated the speed and turned to
the shore where a new shipment of shellfish was coming in. 

Roland started to go after the criminals. "Roland, wait. Stay with your sister!"
Richard said who was in the cockpit with him. Roland rolled his eyes.  

"Okay junior, step aside. The SWAT Kats can take care of this!" T-Bone roughly
said to Roland. Roland growled. Feral flew between them.

"I'm the one who gives the commands, SWAT Kat!" he yelled. 

"Sorry, Feral. Gotta run. Out!" Roland decided to follow the SWAT Kats in
pursuit. 

"Listen uncle, I'm following the SWAT Kats and helping to catch those static
packers. I've done it before," he said. Feral grunted and nodded his head.

"Alright, but take Felina with you." 

"I can do this without her help, uncle," Roland said as he sped off. Felina followed
behind him as his wingman.

"I'm going with him, whether he likes it or not!" she thought.

Diego looked on his radar and saw the three jets following them. "Hard Drive, I
think we've got company," he said.

"Oh, I hate uninvited guests! There's the ship we want. Its signal can take you
there pronto." Hard Drive opened the canopy.

"You're just like my other master! Always having to do all the dirty work!" Diego
complained.

"I'm going to deal with the SWAT Kats in person! Don't worry. We can take turns
next time!" T-Bone saw Diego disappear and the purple blaze dart for the ship.

"Crud! He's gotten away!" he said.

"Go ahead and get Hard Drive, SWAT Kats. I'll go after Diego," Felina said.

"Thanks Felina. Phurranha can help you track him down," Razor said. Felina
smiled and hurried off. Then Roland pulled along side the SWAT Kats. T-Bone
put his jet in neutral control. He squeezed his eye and gnashed his teeth.

"Who said you can come along, junior? Who said we need your help?"

"I'm fighting Hard Drive with you. Don't try to leave, because I can keep up with
you."

"Yeah right. Why don't you go home and play with your toys, Roland?"

"T-Bone, leave him alone. He's a good fighter and he wants to help out. Just let
him," Razor said and winked at Roland.

"Alright junior, you can come. Just stay out of my way," T-Bone scuffed and sped
off.

"You're very much like your sister. Always insistent on having your way," Richard
said.

"Say that to my uncle. He always insists on having his way," Roland replied as he
followed T-Bone.


*********

On board the freighter, several stockmen were carrying crates of imported
shellfish to the sliding door. "Come on, guys, hurry this up. This stuff won't stay
fresh if you don't get moving," the manager said impatiently. 

"And we won't get paid if you keep shouting at us. Just lay off! We're moving,"
one of the associates replied in an annoyed tone.

Instantly, Diego appeared in the room from the ship's communicator. "Who are
you? How did you get on board?" the manager demanded, going to ring for the
enforcers. Diego grabbed the manager by his shirt. 

"Don't worry about that," Diego said in a 'none of your business' manner. "Let me
have your crates of crab now and nobody gets hurt!"

Felina landed her jet and Phurranha landed his sub on the stern of the ship. One of
the crew came up to them. "Lieutenant, some kat in a serge-suit came out from
nowhere and is assaulting our mates," he said.

"Don't worry, we will take care of the situation. Follow me, Phurranha," Felina
said. Meanwhile, the SWAT Kats were on the chase with Hard Drive. 

"I just have to get rid of those pests! Why not use the water-tower trick." Hard
Drive hit the supporting poles supporting the water tower. The weight of the water
inside popped the lid open and the rushing tides blinded T-Bone's view. "Ah,
sweet revenge!"

"Shoot! I can't see him!" T-Bone said.

"Don't worry buddy, the heating ventilation should clear you up," Razor said.

"Thanks, Razor," T-Bone said as Roland passed by the Turbokat.

"You SWAT Kats better stop hanging around and get Hard Drive," Roland said
and went ahead in front of the Turbokat.

"You'd better worry about staying with your wingman, Roland!" T-Bone said
angrily and rushed up to catch him. Hard Drive watched Roland come close at his
tail.

"Another meddler! I'll teach him to fool with me!" Hard Drive fired from the
machine cannons at both Roland and T-Bone. Now they were really in danger
now, for they were flying between skyscrapers. They had to maneuver vertically
while dodging the shots.

"Crud! A perfect time to fly sideways!" Roland complained and flew ten feet
behind Hard Drive.

"Good going, junior! Leave your wingman, so we can be hit!" T-Bone snarled.

"It's okay, T-Bone. I can use my Turboblades with him out of the way!" Razor
released them, which barely hit Hard Drive's dihedrals.

"Nice try, hotshot, but just a tad straighter and you'd have got me!" Hard Drive
laughed. Richard prepared to use the laser cannons, while Roland locked in on
Hard Drive.

"Alright, sir. Locked on!" he shouted. Richard fired and hit Hard Drive's left wing.
Its ramjets burst and the craft lost its direction power. Hard Drive ejected as it
crashed onto the tip of the Enforcer Headquarters. 

"Shoot! My uncle's not going to be happy about this!" Roland said. Hard Drive
tried to run to the closest power line, but Razor grabbed him by his coat and
brought him over to the Headquarters with the grabbling hook. 

"Goin' somewhere, Hard Drive?" Razor demanded. Richard cuffed Hard Drive's
paws behind him. Feral marched up to Hard Drive.

"You're under arrest, Harry! Thank you, Richard and Roland," Feral said as the
enforcer guards dragged the criminal to the prison. Feral walked over to Roland.

"You know you're never supposed to leave your wingmen even if they are those
irresponsible SWAT Kats. They could have been killed and you would be
responsible for their deaths."

"Looks like Feral's giving us some rare credit," T-Bone said happily listening to
the lecture. He landed the Turbokat and hopped out.

At the same time, the crew had rounded up the imports. Diego was about to make
his call for Hard Drive until a shot from Felina's auto pistol blasted it out of his
paw. He turned and saw Felina and Phurranha approaching him.

"Give it up, Diego! This is the second time I've caught you in the act!" Felina
sharply said. 

"You can't stop me this time, lieutenant!" Diego tried electrocuting Felina, but
Phurranha pushed her out of the way and jabbed Diego in the stomach with his
trident. Parts of the programs were jammed up and Diego tried to grab Phurranha's
staff.

"Neither can you, new SWAT Kat!" Phurranha kicked at Diego's face, but he
dodged the blow and touched him on the shoulder, which knocked him
unconscious for a few minutes. Felina did a karate kick in Diego's chest. He fell
on his back and Felina cuffed him. Then she helped to get Phurranha back on his
feet.

"Are you alright, Phurranha? Speak to me, my friend." He recovered his senses.

"Am I still alive? I'm glad I'm not fried katnip," he said, feeling his shoulder.
Diego's circuits melted the shackles and he took out a small explosion packed in
his suit. 

"Too bad this isn't the love-ship. But it's okay. You two will be joined together in
death!" Diego injected a spark to the wick and threw it to the ground. It exploded
and the water started leaking in the hauls.

"Christ, this ship's going down! Men, get into the lifeboats!" the manager yelled.

"No time for the lifeboats! Jump off the railings and I'll call a rescue squadron!"
Felina called out. Phurranha grabbed Felina by the shoulder and led her over to
the stern. Within ten minutes, the ship sunk bow down into the waters. Rescue
choppers came and picked up the crewmen. They waved thanks to Felina. She
waved back and followed Phurranha to the shore.

Some enforcers drove by and picked up Felina. "I'll be here if you need me,"
Phurranha said. Felina nodded thanks and went up to the enforcers. Saden, who
was now Feral's Major Officer, came up to Felina.

"Lieutenant, we've still got Hard Drive's ally to catch," he said.

"I know. Hopefully the SWAT Kats and my brother can track him down," she said
getting in the car. Feral had finished talking to Roland.

"You've got too much of your father and me in you. Be a good pilot yes, but don't
be too good. You've got your shot this time, so be happy." Feral hugged Roland
and patted his back.

"Thanks uncle," Roland said, doing the same. Then an announcement sounded on
his intercom.

"Commander, Diego sunk a freighter off of Megakat bay and is headed for
enforcer database."

"Crud! There's the other lightening bug!" Feral grumbled. 

"Here I go again!" Roland said. Feral commanded Richard to go with him. Roland
saw Richard walking up into his jet.

"No thanks, sir. I think I can manage."

"Listen son, Feral ordered me to go with you," Richard said, buckling in and
switching the controls. Roland sighed.

"Still doesn't trust me to go alone, does he?"

"Hey, my accompaniment might help you until you can pick a co-pilot of your
own." The SWAT Kats hopped back in the Turbokat. 

"Looks like our pal's is joining us again," Razor said. T-Bone became a little
adjusted to Roland, but he just wanted to give him a few precautions. 

"Hey junior, guess we're going to be fighting together again. But as long as we're
doing this, I'm your wingman and you need to stick with me. You understand
me?"

"Does everybody have to lecture me?" T-Bone sharply nodded. 

"I'm giving you some elemental precautions so you don't get confused and screw
up."

"Well, I'm glad you SWAT Kats care about me. And one thing; don't call me
junior anymore. I hate that word." T-Bone chuckled and saluted him.

"You got it, son." Roland sighed.

"Just call me Roland, okay?" he said and turned off his telecom. Then they took
off in pursuit. 

Feral softly said at Roland as he said to Felina before, "Good luck."

*********

Diego sped passed the enforcers through the cables, switching directions. T-Bone
tried to stay with Roland, while tracking Diego down. "Pincher missiles, away!"
Razor shouted. 

The gadgets clipped the racy renegade between head and foot. As the cut wire
lightly touched the ground, Diego reappeared. 

"Crud! What's his suit made of anyway?" Razor said and swung down using his
three steel blades from his glovatrix to slice off the serge-suit. Diego dodged his
kick and struck him in the chest.

"Razor!" T-Bone cried as he picked Razor up and rested his unconscious body on
the cockpit seat. "Are you okay, pal?" T-Bone patted Razor on his shoulder. Razor
recovered his respiration and felt his chest.

"For a moment my heart almost stopped pounding. Crud, my chest burns a little!"
Razor's teeth gritted in pain. Diego chuckled and hoped into the power lines
nearby and rapidly disappeared, leaving circling purple beams of static behind.

Richard thought that the SWAT Kats should not risk more injury. "You stay and
take care of your partner. Me and Roland will track him down," he said. T-Bone
rejected the suggestion.

"Negative, Flight Coronal! My buddy will survive. We're gonna get this burning
scum together."

"Alright, but I have to remind you while Feral's gone, I'm in the rank next to
Feral's and I take the charge!"

"There's gotta be some tomkat to give orders when working together, huh? Alright
sir, but I'm firing on my own terms," T-Bone grumbled as he followed Roland.

"Suit yourself, T-Bone. But remember I have to take orders from Feral as well. He
also didn't start out being commander. He had to enter as an enlisted. That's the
entry level for all kats joining the enforcers," Richard explained as he led T-Bone
out into the open air.

"Well, that's good to hear that Feral started out as a rookie," T-Bone replied with a
smirk. "You're such a better tomkat, you should be commander!"

"Maybe someday, but right now I don't think that Feral's ready to give up his rank.
He loves the taste of being cream of the crop."

"So I've known." 

"And by the way, your voice sounds familiar, like one of my young aeronautic
students. He was kicked off the force along with his partner." T-Bone shivered
with fear of being recognized but played along discreetly.

"Sorry to hear about that. Poor kid must have been too good to let go."

"He was. I was sad to lose what could have been a fine flight lieutenant." T-Bone
hung his shoulders with sadness.

He thought, 'Crud! I have a good mind to tell him I'm Chance, but then he'd report
me to Feral. I just can't trust an enforcer these days. Even if he was one of my best
friends!' They entered the Top Secret facility and landed their jets. The security
guards pointed their guns at the SWAT Kats. Saden walked up to Richard.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but this area is off limits to vigilantes!" he said.

"Back off, Saden! SWAT Kats are coming me!" Richard sharply said. Saden
backed off and saluted him.

"As you say, Flight Coronal." 

"But remember, I still fire on my own terms." T-Bone said as he patted Razor on
the chest. "Stay here, Razor. You need to rest," he said. Razor gave him his steel
blades.

"Take these. You might need them."

"Thanks." T-Bone got out and joined Roland and Richard. 

"Looks like he's entered the file lab," he said, scanning the area.

Indeed Diego had entered the room where he ran face to face with an enforcer on
guard. "Who are you? This area is off limits!" he shouted, pointing his bazooka.

"Try and stop me!" Diego sneered. He grabbed him by the throat and threw him
over. Then he sucked up the files with his vacuum. He looked up at a screen and
saw T-Bone and Roland headed for him. In a rush, Diego took out a pistol and
pointed it to the hard-drive and blasted it, shorting out the whole system. "Now let
them try to save any more files," he jeered and blasted away.

At the same moment, the heroes entered the smoky room and covered their
mouths. T-Bone used a squirt cannon from his glovatrix to quench to fire. "Crud!
This is one way to make a plunder!" he said.

"We're too late, but I think he'll be heading down to a black market. I've known
one located at an abandoned garage shop around the outskirts. The enforcers have
spotted a lot of crime taking place there," Roland explained.

"Let's check it out, then," T-Bone said, heading back to the parking lot. Roland
followed close behind him.

"Listen T-Bone, would it be okay if we all went in my jet?" he asked. T-Bone was
a little hesitant.

"Oh? Why?" 

"Your buddy's got to recover and it would be safer to take one air-craft."

"Alright, let's go." T-Bone went over to the Turbokat and helped Razor out.
Richard helped support the tired tomkat. 

"I'll put him in bed and have his burn looked at. Then I'll join you two." 

"Thanks, captain, but I think me and T-Bone can handle it," Roland said. Richard
turned and looked sternly at his pupil.

"Do you think you're alright by yourself, Roland?" he asked. Roland did not like
to worry his instructor.

"Well, maybe this once." Richard smiled and put his paw on Roland's shoulder.

"You'll get your chance, I promise."

"Yeah, and T-Bone's coming with you too. Don't forget you asked me to come
along." T-Bone softly poked Roland on the shoulder. 

"Oh yeah. Sorry I forgot," Roland apologized and hopped into the pilot's seat.
There was an extra seat next to him where T-Bone sat next to him. He wanted to
make something clear to Roland.

"Listen pal, you've got to work as a team and not trust your own decisions. They
many not always work." T-Bone wanted to use Jake's rebuking in a good way if it
would help him or take away the embarrassment of hurting his own self-respect.
Richard sat down in the cockpit.

"Ready gentlemen?"

"Ready!" both the pilots said and took off. 

"And how's Razor? Is my buddy ok?" T-Bone asked with anticipation. 

"He's resting right now. His chest just received a third-degree burn. It is being
treated right now. I'm glad myself that the current didn't penetrate through the
skin. He should be out of the hospital in a few days."

"Good!" replied T-Bone. Roland used his radar to scan any flashing light and sure
enough, he flew over to the outskirts and found his lucky spot.

"Sir, T-Bone, I think I've just found our little friend!"

*********

Diego arrived at the black-market where no one was doing business that night. "I
should have come earlier." Then an idea struck his mind. "Hey, I could study these
files and get even with the enforcers. And maybe snatch a little something on the
way." 

He went over to the register and fired the doorway, causing the drawer to pop out.
"Just borrowing from my neighbors. They owe me anyway," he said, grabbing
hundreds and fifties. He took off his serge-coat and stuffed the cash in the
pockets. Diego looked around to see if no one was in sight. "Alright, now's the
time to get away." But he guessed wrong. 

"Think again, bolt-brain! Your tail is ours!" He looked up and saw T-Bone
pouncing down to him. Diego pushed him off.

"How the heck did you get here?" he demanded. Put his serge-coat back on and
charged at T-Bone. The SWAT Kat grabbed Diego, used the triple-blade weapon,
and sliced Diego's suit right off.

"No!! Damn you, SWAT Kat!" Diego took out his knife. T-Bone fired three mini
rockets from his glovatrix, which knocked Diego on his back. Roland jumped
down to join the action.

"Too bad this isn't the gym. Guess it's my turn to cuff him," he said.

"All yours." Diego got back up after regaining his senses and ran up behind
Roland. T-Bone's eyes bulged. 

"Buddy, look out!" he yelled as Diego waved his weapon behind Roland's neck.
T-Bone instantly pushed Roland away from the blow. 

"Two heroes are bad, but three is just too much!" Diego grabbed T-Bone by the
leg and gave him a shock that nearly made him pass out. Then the clever Spanish
kat jumped on top his victim while he was lying down. He finally took out his
knife and held it to the tabby's throat. "Time to say your last words, SWAT Kat!"
 
Roland got up and shot Diego in the shoulder blade. Diego screamed as Roland
cuffed his paws in front of him. "You damn son of a bitch!" he screamed at
Roland's face. Richard jumped down and called Feral. T-Bone walked over to
Roland and slapped him on the back.

"Thanks, Lieutenant Roland for saving me!" he said. 

"And thanks for giving me a chance," Roland replied. 

"That was your cue to act, not a chance." 

Richard covered Diego's bullet wound. Roland heard choppers and Feral burst
down the doors. He pointed his magnum at Diego.

"Great job, Roland and Richard. Men, take him down!" he ordered.

"Just you wait! I'll get my own back at your nephew and at that f******g SWAT
Kat!"

"Get him out of here!" Feral ordered again. As the enforcers led Diego away,
unexpectedly he said to T-Bone, "I guess I owe you one for being with my nephew
in this."

"Well here's something I don't hear Feral tell a SWAT Kat everyday!" T-Bone
replied.

"Don't mention it. As for you Roland, you helped find another black market here
in the city and stop that criminal." Roland picked up the pieces of the serge-coat
and gave it to Feral.

"T-Bone helped me in stopping him."

"And he helped scan in tracking Diego down!" T-Bone added. Feral put his paws
on Roland's shoulders.

"I've been trying to treat you too much like a kitten instead of an enforcer. I think I
can trust you on your own. But remember that all pilots have to go with
wingmen."

"I accept that and whenever T-Bone's in town, I can trust him as my wingman."
Roland shook paws with T-Bone. T-Bone was more than willing.

"Sure thing, kid. And one thing though; you're a bit dangerous, but you're a great
enforcer! Don't ever change!" he said. 

"I've seen you fly viciously too. But it's flying in style. Don't you ever change."

"That makes us equal, buddy!" T-Bone said as he hoisted Roland back to the roof
where Roland's jet was waiting.

"By the way, where did you get those smart remarks? They're awesome!" Roland
asked. T-Bone gave a smirk on his face.

"That's just Razor's way of telling me we both won. It helps to keep rivalry out."
Roland and T-Bone went on talking as they traveled back to the database parking
lot.

*********

After Diego was treated and imprisoned, Felina hopped into her chopper.
"Lieutenant, where are you off too?" Saden asked her. 

"I'm just going to meet somebody. I'll right back." Feral drove by and walked over
to Saden.

"Sergeant, who is Felina going to see?" he asked.

"I don't know sir. She wouldn't tell me." Feral started thinking about why she had
been sneaking off and sometimes missing her duty on patrol. Felina flew to the
shore and hoped to find Phurranha there. Sure enough she found him on him sub
patrol. He looked on his radar and saw Felina wave to him. 

"I'm glad somebody's coming to visit me," he said to himself. He rested his sub on
the shore next to her chopper and got out by the conning tower. "Thanks for
coming to visit. Did they catch him?"

"Yeah, along with the help of my brother Roland. He loves to play the hero."

"He's just doing his job. I'm happy that you're okay." Phurranha took Felina by her
hand.

"How's you're shoulder, my friend?" she asked. He had put burn-free gel and
gauze on the wound.

"It will heal in time. Listen, I want to thank you for helping me. You know I kind
of like you and there's something I've been meaning to say..."

"Yes?" Felina asked eagerly. Phurranha rubbed his ax shipped cheek along hers.

"Does that explain a little better?" Felina found it impossible not to turn red in the
face. She just felt too embarrassed to answer his question.

"Listen, I've got to go back on patrol. See you later, Phurranha." Felina used a
tone
that meant 'I'm in love with you'. As she got into her chopper, she blew a kiss to
his cheek and flew off. 

Phurranha sighed and said, "Love is one feeling I've never felt in a long time." He
smiled and watched her chopper disappear into the night sky. 

THE END