“Hello and welcome back to tonight’s Insider Business. My guest today is none other than Jack Crawford. Mr. Crawford,” the interviewer turning from the camera to the man; “please tell us, what is new in the world of stocks and corporate business.”
“Well,” Jack Crawford displaying a devious smirk; “Plenty. Did you know that the CEO of Knight Industries is older than he looks?”
“What are you talking about,” the interviewer look confused; “are you implying Benton Knight had some sort of face lift no one knows about?”
“No,” Jack laughing; “nothing so pedestrian. He is like me. A were.”
“A what,” the interviewer looking at Jack oddly.
“We are live correct?” Jack asking; “no commercial interruptions?”
“Of course,” the interviewer answering; “but can we go back to my previous question. A what?”
“A were-panther to be specific,” Jack Crawford removing his suit and effortlessly shifting into an anthropomorphic black furred were-panther. The look on the interviewer as the crew behind the cameras make sounds of shock and horror after witnessing the spectacle.
“We weres exist,” Jack Crawford speaking; “werewolves, were-tigers, wer-mers and many more. We live for centuries and are very strong and very fast compared to you normals. We live next door to you,” Jack staring at the interviewer; “and you’d never even know it unless you saw us doing what I just did. Shifting.”
“Benton Knight is like you,” the interviewer looking scared.
“He is roughly sixty years old,” Jack Crawford growling; “yet only looks twenty. We age slowly.”
A Kunai hits the t.v screen causing the televisions to spark and sizzle. The were-vixen watching the show growls and snarls as she witness what she feared the most.
“Daisuke,” Tachibana screaming; “Daisuke! We have been outed!"
“He won’t hear you,” a strange man speaking; causing Tachibana to wheel around and utter a vicious snarl.
“YOU,” Tachibana recognizing the strange man; “what is this? A future I dread coming to fruition?”
“It’s a possibility,” the strange man calmly answering; “yet you’ve always feared the existence of were’s being revealed happening by Benton’s own mental issues. Jack Crawford,” the strange man looking at the smoldering television; “never saw that coming did you?”
Tachibana stares the man as he looks to his right. Tachibana wanting to know why he won’t make eye contact looks at what he is looking at and is stunned to see herself in her lotus position staring at the pile of shredded summons scroll pieces along with Jack Crawford’s threat. Watching the strange man pick up the note and reading as he shook his head in dismay.
“Are you going to say something,” Tachibana seething; “or are you going to watch me try and have a conversation with myself.”
“This is a serious threat,” the strange man looking at Tachibana; “it explains your reaction to the news you just watched.”
“So that was the future,” Tachibana’s ear drooping; “are we truly done for?”
“It’s not the future per say,” the strange man looking at the despondent were-vixen; “it is a possibility. This Jack Crawford seems to be willing to cut off the proverbial nose just to spite the face.”
“You’re saying it is a possibility,” Tachibana looking at the strange man as he stares off into space; “are you going to answer or not?”
“Tachibana,” the strange man looking at the were-vixen; “why is Jack Crawford hell bent on exposing the existence of weres?”
Tachibana shakes her head as she explains the situation. Starting with how the man used an alias to stymie the construction of the new elementary school, all the while supporting its construction. Tachibana goes into the whole history of how Jack has been waging a personal war against Benton Knight; all stemming from when Benton took of Crawford and Knight and rebranded it to Knight Industries; kicking the Crawford’s out completely. She explains how her white tiger guests discovered Jack Crawford having bugged Frances Twist’s therapy office; ensuring he knew what Benton Knight said during his therapy sessions. And lastly, Tachibana details the failed press conference in announcing Kenya Crawford’s bid to run for mayor.
“Sounds like Jack is desperate,” the strange man listening to Tachibana’s brief; “lashing out at everyone for his plans falling apart before him.”
“The council had a lively discussion regarding the wer-panther,” Tachibana shaking her head; “not all of the ideals were pleasant.”
“I can imagine,” the strange man responding.
“No you can’t,” Tachibana looking cross; “you weren’t there!”
The strange man smirks as he looks at Tachibana. Letting loose his trademark smile; Tachibana finds herself in the lotus position as the entire council surrounds her. The cacophonous sounds of everyone shouting and arguing amongst each other was, enough for Tachibana to place her paws to her vulpine ears in an attempt to drown out the noise. Mercifully, the strange man took pity on the wer-vixen and silenced the din as he approach the center of the gathering in her zen garden.
“I don’t need to imagine,” the strange man being serious. “While it is true I wasn’t here to witness this gathering,” the strange man looking at the crowd of various weres still in their human forms; “but that doesn’t mean I can’t relive it through a dream.”
“Like the one I’m having,” Tachibana sighing.
“Exactly,” the strange man smiling.
“So answer my question then,” Tachibana getting up; “what I saw on the television. Is that a prophecy dream or just a really bad nightmare?”
“It all depends on your course of action against the man,” the strange man looking at the were-vixen. “Do you believe he will make good on his threat?”
“I can’t afford not to,” Tachibana responding; “Jack Crawford threatens not just the residents of Moon Lake, but every were-beast in the world. He has declared war on us all.”
“Yet he only directed his threat to you and the elder council,” the strange man picking up the message from Jack Crawford.
“Moon Lake may be home to the largest population of were’s,” Tachibana looking thoughtful; “that doesn’t mean we’re the only were-community.”
“True,” the strange man looking directly at Tachibana; his stare burrowing into Tachibana’s soul as he thinks and ponders for what seemed like an eternity before nodding. “Lance’s gambit is crafty,” the strange man smiling; “his expose will hurt Jack but will it be enough?”
“The Luna Brotherhood will see to the rest,” Tachibana answering; “they will let every were-beast the world over regarding Jack Crawford. That were-panther will soon be persona non-grata.”
“Then do nothing else at the moment,” the strange man answering; “let him make the next move after your plans bear fruit. I also suggest you talk to the one person who knows Jack Crawford better than Jack Crawford himself.”
“I don’t want to talk to him,” Tachibana looking glum; “Benton may have been civil with me at the picnic. But that doesn’t mean he still isn’t pissed off at finding out that Far and Kai of the Wang Technological Consortium have been guests of my estate.”
“And just how did Benton find out they were staying here,” the strange man chuckling.
“You didn’t have a paw in that did you,” Tachibana baring her teeth.
“No,” the strange man shaking his head while chuckling; “that was Jack Crawford.”
Jerking awake from her sleep Tachibana stares out the window next to bed to the sun just beginning to rise. Think on what the strange man showed and said to her; the wer-vixen shakes her vulpine head as she dreads having to talk strategy with Benton Knight.