Greetings, whoever shall, and will, read this document. I am... I am... Oh forget it! This is my first SK fan fiction, for all you SwatKat fans (not to mention addicts) out there. Many thanks to DJ Clawson, who posted this document on her website as well as Alf and Jade F. Callan, for their interesting and inspiriting work. Hey, what the heck am I doing! Enough with the mushy stuff, let's get on with it! HEART OF ICE: THE TORMENT OF JAKE CLAWSON by Calvin Wong Location: Where else, Megakat city. Date: Late August, 1995. Jake sighed, rubbing his eyes. He'd spent all night trying to sort out their bills and paperwork. Marcus, the kat that they had hired to do their paperwork, was out of town, attending his brother's wedding in Selinda, leaving Jake to do the work for a couple of days. His watch (His fifth one due to Chance's high G flying) read 3.36 a.m. Chance had fallen asleep in the chair behind him, despite his promise to keep him company as long as he worked. Jake looked again at the enormous stack of paperwork on Marcus's desk and groaned. This was going to be a long, long night. 'Hey, come on buddy, wake up. You've been asleep all morning.' Jake groaned again, pushing himself off the desk. He saw a long line of ink on the check, which he had been writing out, and the pen lying on the table. 'Crud.' 'What did you say?,' asked Chance. 'Nothing.' 'Come on, do you want lunch or not?' Jake's eyes widened. Lunch? It was that late already? God, he 'was' working too hard. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leaned back down on the desk. 'I just wanna sleep.' 'Hey, I understand. Why don't you go to your room? It would be a lot more comfortable if you slept in your own bed, ya' know, instead of on this desk?,' Chance asked. Too late. Jake was already fast asleep. Chance sighed. Jake had been working extremely hard recently. What with Marcus gone and all that... The ringing of their phone interrupted his thoughts. Now who could that be, he wondered. 'Jake and Chance's Auto and Salvage Yard, Chance speaking.' 'Chance?' 'Kate?,' Chance answered with surprise. Kate was Jake's sister. She rarely called, considering Jake didn't have much of a relationship with his family since he and Chance were booted out of the Enforcers. 'What do you want?' 'Can I speak to Jake please?' 'Err,' Chance looked at Jake who still had his head on the desk. 'He's uh, kinda busy at the moment.' 'Oh, I see. Could you ask him to call me back later?. I'm at my apartment in Selinda.' 'Sure, no problem,' said Chance. 'Great. Thanks. Bye.' 'Bye. I'll tell him you called.' Chance hung up and turned to see Jake standing behind him. Jake had a reputation for disappearing from one place to another in a very short period of time. 'Who was it?' 'Your sister, Kate' 'What did she want?' 'I don't know. She wanted you to call her back though.' 'Did she say where?' 'Yeah, her apartment in Selinda.' 'Thanks.' 'Hey, anytime. Meanwhile, I'll go and fix us a couple of sandwiches.' Jake picked up the phone and dialed her number. He waited patiently for Kate to pick up the phone. Kate was lying down on a sofa reading the newspaper when the phone rang. Putting down the paper, she picked it up on the third ring. 'Hello.' 'Hi Kate.' Kate got up. It was Jake. 'Kate? You there?' 'Yeah, I'm here Jake,' she said, nervousness in her voice. 'You called?' 'Yeah, I was just wondering if it would be alright to come over to the salvage yard to, uh, you know, visit.' 'Sure, no problem.' 'Uh, OK, so, uh, see you there.' 'Yeah, I'll be here.' 'Bye Jake.' 'Bye Kate.' Jake put down the phone just as Chance came in balancing a plate in each paw. 'Lunch is served, sleepyhead.' Jake just sat down and began to eat the tuna sandwich on the plate. He'd skipped two meals the day before, and he was famished. Before Chance could even take a bite of his sandwich, Jake had finished his and was headed to the kitchen for another one. 'Well, look at Mr. I'm-so-hungry-I-could-eat-the-Turbokat go,' Said Chance as Jake came in again carrying a half eaten sardine sandwich in his right paw. 'Yeah, yeah.' 'Hey, don't take it seriously buddy.' Jake simply ignored him, finishing off the last of the sardine sandwich. 'By the way, what did Kate want?' 'She wanted to know if she could come over to the salvage yard for a visit.' 'When?' 'She didn't say.' Chance polished off his tuna sandwich and stood up. 'D'ya want some milk?' 'No thanks, I've got work to do.' Jake got up and went back to the office. High above Megakat City, a floating citadel hovered menacingly over City Hall. It's captain smiled as she thought about revenge on the tomkat who had betrayed her and sent her to Alkatraz. Yes, revenge would be hers, soon, soon... Jake headed for the door. 'I'll get it.' As he opened it he expected maybe the kat from the Power Company, Felina, Sami or maybe even the tax auditors. He had clearly forgotten about his sister. 'Kate?' 'Yeah, um, ah, hi Jake, and, uh, you too, Chance,' Kate said after seeing Chance in the doorway behind Jake, nervousness obvious in her voice. 'Hiya Kate,' replied Chance shaking her paw. 'Why don't you come in?' Kate stepped into the garage, a nervous look strewn across her face. She was short for a twenty-five year old she-kat, only 4' 11". She had long, copper hair, neatly tied into a ponytail. Her fur was a deep shade of grey. 'Good to see you again, Kate,' said Jake. 'Good to see you too.' 'Why don't you put your things in the guest room?' 'Yeah, I think I will. Have you got any milk?' Jake smiled. 'I think we have a can or two,' announced Jake, heading for the kitchen. His sister had always liked milk. As he took out the can, he began to think about how he would spend his time with his kid sister. Maybe take her to Megakat Mall or to a movie. 'Here you go Kate.' 'Thanks Jake.' 'Er, Kate?' 'Yes Jake?' 'Why did you come here?', he said. Knowing his sister was not a social type, she rarely went to see anyone, especially if they were a good four and a half-hour drive away. That question shocked Kate. She opened her mouth to answer but a deep buzzing cut her off. The she-Kat smiled again as her dedicated and loyal crew scurried around like ants, obeying her every command. She was close to revenge, a thing that she had wanted for so long. 'Is the vertigo beam ready yet?' 'Yes, Turmoil.' 'Good. Prepare to fire, on City Hall.' Callico was tired and weary, as a result of writing and re-writing the mayor's speech for tomorrow's Megakat docks reopening. She got up and walked to the window. What she needed was some fresh air, she thought, as she opened the heavy glass window. Strange. That cloud was moving at an alarming rate towards City Hall. From experience, Callie knew it had to be Turmoil's work. She pulled out her communicator and pressed the button just as the world seemed to become hazy, and out of focus. 'Swatkats, this is an emergency.' I'm at City Hall and I think that...' She got no further. Her voice just refused to escape her mouth. Dropping the communicator, she was feeling very dizzy. She leaned forward to stabilize herself on the windowsill and suddenly had a peculiar sensation of falling. The Turbokat landed in front of City Hall, two Kats jumping out as the canopy opened. Oh God thought T-bone, what the heck had happened down here. From the air, they could see an ambulance, some Enforcer cruisers, and a huge crowd. Now, on the ground the Enforcers were sealing off the area. Someone was being carried into the ambulance, but he couldn't see who. Craning his neck did not help much either. They caught a few words from the crowd around him: 'What happened...' 'Was it suicide?' 'Poor thing. She didn't stand a chance.' T-bone and Razor pushed, or rather tried to push their way through. They finally gave up and decided to ask a crying she-Kat who was standing nearby. 'What happened in there?' asked T-bone pointing a claw at the confusion. 'It's so sad, just so sad... ,' She trailed off, sobbing uncontrollably. 'What's so sad,? Inquired Razor curiously. 'She must have jumped off. Poor thing. Off the seventieth floor too.' Razor began to develop a nagging feeling in the back of his mind and he was sure T-bone did too. 'Who jumped off?' The she-Kat started crying again. 'It... It was,..,' she stopped. 'Oh it's just too bad.' 'Who?,' growled T-bone, becoming impatient. 'Let's just say that Megakat City needs a new deputy mayor,' she said as she walked to her car, leaving the Swatkats dumbstruck. T-bone growled like a wolf and rammed his fist into the nose of the Turbokat again and again and again, causing his knuckles to bleed and a substantial dent to grow in the Turbokat. Razor on the other paw, sat down on the asphalt and leaned against the landing gear, eyes closed, head down. T-bone finally stopped punching, leaned on the hull and started to cry. Razor rose his head and looked at the open window on the seventieth floor. A single tear flowed from his right eye. Kate was sitting in front of the TV set in the salvage yard, reading a novel that she had brought along when suddenly she heard the newscaster say something about a suicide. She put down the book to listen. 'This is Ann Gora, Katseye News, live at the scene of a probable suicide.' The TV had Kate's full attention. She was the sympathetic type, a care-for-everyone-else kat. Wait a minute. Wasn't that City Hall in the background? The Turbokat landed in the salvage yard, the platform bringing them up to the hangar. As the jet stopped. Chance hung his head, swearing under his breath. Jake was now sobbing, his tears dropping on the Turbokat's controls. They both heard Kate come down on the access ladder. Jake looked up. Kate had also been crying, no doubt about that. 'I heard.' 'We were there.' All three remained silent for some time. Kate finally broke the silence. 'Do you think...' 'That it was suicide? Callie wouldn't do something like that, especially when she called us in," was Jake's reply. 'Are you suspecting murder, Jake?' 'Maybe, sis. Most probably.' 'Definitely,' said Chance. He slammed his fist on the controls. 'Goddamn, Callie has had some close encounters in her time, but who or what could drive her off the seventieth floor?' 'According to an Enforcer study, Deputy Mayor Briggs's office was locked, they had to break down the door. They also found no signs of breaking in,' submitted Kate. 'Eyewitnesses say that she just sorta dropped out of the sky.' Jake narrowed his eyes. 'Then, lets rule out suspects. Dark Kat is out.' Chance nodded. 'Dr. Viper and The Metallikats are also out. Chop Shop and Morbulus are dead. We haven't seen any flying saucers lately, so Mutilor is out as well.' Jake sat up as realization suddenly hit him. 'Then that leaves us with only two people: Hard Drive, who is in jail,' 'And Turmoil,' inserted Chance. 'Damn, I should have known.' Sami Higgins sat beside Jake, trying to console him. Kate was fingering a piece of paper nervously, as if hiding something. Chance had gone out to pick up a car that had broken down on highway 23. Jake had his head on the table, still sobbing from the previous night's events. Kate stroked his hair. 'It's alright Jake.' Jake got up to face his sister. 'Whaddaya mean, It's all right? Callie's gone.' 'So's ma.' That caught Jake's attention like a rat trap. 'Gone?', he choked. She nodded. 'Heart attack. That's the reason I came here, to tell you about it.' 'Why didn't you tell me on the phone?' 'I couldn't bear to break it to you. You sounded so, you know, happy-go-lucky.' 'Well now that I know, the real reason you came here, why don't you just leave?', anger, disbelief, and frustration all in his voice. Sami realized that Jake was about to blow a fuse. 'Come on Kate. Let's go to the guestroom, let my fiancé simmer off for a while.' She looked apologetically at him. 'No offense Jake.' 'None taken, Sami.' Both of them got up and left the room, leaving Jake in the dining room, caught in his own thoughts. He didn't hear the tow truck come into the garage. Neither did he hear footsteps coming up the lobby. 'What's up Jake? How come you're so glum?' Jake held back tears. 'Ma.' 'Ma?' Jake nodded. She's gone. Goddamn it, SHE'S GONE!' He kicked out a leg from under the table and grabbed a lamp. His eyes were red and bloodshot. Chance caught the lamp but a book hit him square in the chest, causing him to drop the lamp, which smashed into the floor. So much for Hope's birthday present, he thought. Before Jake could do anymore damage, Sami and Kate, who had heard the confusion from the guestroom, restrained him. With Chance's help, they pinned him onto the sofa. His arms and body were being held down but his legs were still flailing. Chance began to panic. 'Kate, I think he's having a seizure. Call an ambulance, NOW!' Kate wasted no time in leaping for the phone and dialing 911. Turmoil had been smiling all day. Her crew had noticed that she was in an unbelievably good mood today. They wondered why. Jake lay in his bed at the salvage yard, Kate and Chance always by his side. He had calmed down considerably since the epilepsy attack. Kate suddenly gasped. His eyes were opening. 'Jake?' 'Kate?' 'Oh, thank god you're awake. We were getting worried.' 'We?' 'Chance and me.' 'I see. How long have I been asleep?' 'A day.' 'That's a long time.' 'Mmmhmm.' 'Where's Sami?' 'At Enforcer HQ.' Jake nodded and went back to sleep. 'We've locked on to their location, Turmoil. The Megakat Auto and Salvage Yard.' 'Excellent. Move in.' 'When?' 'Tonight.' Five shadowy figures descended onto the salvage yard. Two entered the front door while the other three slipped in the back way. Jake awoke to Kate's cries for help. He got up from the bed and gave her assailant a punch on the jaw. Suddenly he felt a gun barrel on his neck. He tried to move but his attacker held him tightly. Of all the times for Chance to go to Felina's place, he thought. There was a click, then everything went black. Chance returned from an excellent night at Felina's apartment in the tow truck. Kats, that Felina is good he thought to himself. He entered the salvage yard to find it in a mess, files, papers, books, all strewn untidily across the floor. Jake's room was empty. Jake was gone. And so was Kate. Turmoil was getting impatient. He had resisted all of her threats and interrogations, refusing to talk even when torture was applied. This was the third time she had nearly given up in frustration. He was painfully resistant, refusing to reveal the whereabouts of his friend, T-bone. Suddenly, she had an idea. 'Bring the prisoner. And his friend.' 'Yes Turmoil.' Kate looked at her brother in the cell across her. He was dead tired, the interrogation and torture had been going on for hours. Suddenly the cellblock door opened and she heard footsteps coming into the cellblock. She recognized the warden and ten guards. The warden opened Jake's cell door and five guards picked him up. Then She turned to open Kate's cell door as well. 'You too, sister,' said the warden as five more guards picked her up. They were both brought to the bridge of Turmoil floating citadel. Turmoil was sitting in her chair, surrounded by her crew, all of which were holding machine guns. She leaned forward. 'Where is he?' 'I don't know', Jake continued to lie to Turmoil. 'You do know. And you will tell me or your girlfriend here gets it!' Turmoil announced, standing up and grabbing the back of Kate's collar with one paw. Jake jumped forward but the sound of hundreds of machine guns cocking made him back off. Turmoil produced a gun from her pocket and drove it into Kate's back. Kate winced. 'She's my sister Turmoil. I've had a really, really bad week. If you touch her, you are gonna be dead meat.' 'Ooh, I'm so scared,' said Turmoil, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 'I promise you, you will be if you harm my sister.' 'I'm going to ask just once more or your 'sister' here will eat a bullet in the heart. Where is T-bone?' Jake gritted his teeth and looked at his sister. Her eyes spelt out pure terror, as well as a Don't-do-it-Jake look. 'I said,' voiced Jake with forced calmness 'I don't know.' 'Suit yourself,' said Turmoil, and squeezed the trigger. Jake's mind went on slow motion. He heard the crack of the gun as a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. Kate jolted a trickle of blood streaming down the right side of her chest. 'Kate!' Turmoil simply threw Kate to the ground but Jake rolled forward caught her just before impact. She was still breathing; Turmoil had missed the heart. She was, however, in intense pain, sobbing like a newborn kitten. 'I'm sorry Kate. I'm so sorry.' 'That's alright Jake,' she managed to say, though her voice was slurred. Suddenly, she became desperate, clinging on to his T-shirt. 'Please, Jake, don't let go of me. Please.' 'I won't let you go, Kate. I promise.' 'Say goodbye to Pa, Evette, Marie and Leo for me will ya?' Jake pretended to laugh. 'What good-byes? You'll live Kate. You were always the survivor of the family.' Kate smiled 'And you were always the liar of the family Jake.' With that, she closed her eyes and her pulse stopped almost immediately afterwards. He held her for a few more moments, seeing her smile on her face, so dead, yet, so alive. 'How touching,' said Turmoil, an evil grin on her face. Jake set Kate down on the floor and stood up to face Turmoil. She raised the gun again. 'Your turn.' 'Turmoil,' he put up his hands. 'I've had a really bad week. First my mother leaves from a heart attack, you shoot my sister and the Deputy Mayor goes out the window.' 'You can thank me and my vertigo beam for that one.' 'So it was you,' Jake's voice was getting dangerously low. 'You cold, sadistic, heartless little...' 'I really appreciate all your compliments, but you really must go.' She aimed the gun at him again. He raised his hands. This produced a smile from Turmoil. 'Goodnight, Swatkat.' She squeezed the trigger only to produce a click. Her eyes widened. She pulled the trigger again. Again only a click. Again and again she pressed the trigger but the bullet refused to come out. She was sure she had loaded the magazine. As Turmoil was preoccupied with the gun, Jake reached into his right sleeve. She looked up to see an Enforcer Army knife coming her way. Turmoil screamed with pain as the knife embedded deep into her right wrist, causing her to drop the gun. Jake grabbed it and pointed it at Turmoil, oblivious to the gunfire all around him. 'Was that painful, Turmoil? Well you ain't felt nothing yet.' He pulled off the safety clip. 'Getting careless, aren't we Turmoil? This is for me,' he said as he pumped three bullets into Turmoil's stomach, which sent her onto the floor, groaning. 'This is for Callie,' sending three more bullets into her back. Then, he got in close, pointing the gun at her head. 'No! You can't do this!' 'Oh really? And why not? By the way Turmoil, this,' He fired three more shots. 'Is for Kate.' Turmoil stopped dead on the floor. Jake got up, letting all of his anger and frustration go with those nine bullets. There was a huge explosion as the Turbokat plowed its way through the hull of Turmoil's floating citadel, sending her crew running. The jet stopped and the canopy opened. 'Hey Jake, I... Oh god,' said T-bone as he caught sight of Kate's lifeless body on the floor as well as Turmoil's. Jake turned and dropped the gun. He walked over to Kate, picked her up and set her in his seat. He then sat beside her and pressed the button labeled 'canopy close/open' 'God Jake, is she...' Jake nodded. 'So's Turmoil.' So I've noticed.' Without further ado, T-bone started the Turbokat's engines and headed for a hospital. Neither one looked back as Turmoil's floating citadel crashed into Megakat Bay, a smoldering wreck. EPILOGUE Chance decided to leave Jake alone for a while. He'd lost not one, not two, but three of his relatives and close friends. The bullets he took in the shoulder and limbs would heal. Now all he needed was some rest. With Marcus back, the paperwork was handled and Chance could fix all the cars with some help from either Felina or Sami. Sometimes both. Jake lay in bed, thinking about the past, savoring memories of Kate and his mother (Probably the only two Clawson's who still appreciated and truly loved Jake after the incident with Dark Kat and Commander Feral) who were now gone. Some new deputy mayor replaced Ms. Briggs. He had insisted upon leaving the hospital to attend all three funerals, despite the fact that he had taken over ten bullets in various places of his body. His life was shattered, ruined. The only thing to look forward to now was the wedding with Sami. The End, and the beginning. It took me eighteen hours non-stop to write, re-write and spellcheck this thing, so appreciate it, will ya? Also take into consideration, this one fact when criticizing my story: I am eleven years old. Honest. Yours truly, Calvin Wong