The white were-tiger puts down the specially made headphones and steps away from the parabolic dish to stretch. With the listening device pointed towards the condo that Jack Crawford resides in; the were-tiger was able to listen in to everything the were-panther said. Stealing a quick glance at the laptop nearby to see if any emails were intercepted; the were-tiger manages to stifle a yawn as he makes his way to the coffee machine in the sparsely furnished condo he and his grandfather secured.
As he pours himself a cup of the hours old coffee; Kai steps towards to windows of the condo to look out on the city of Seattle. Despite being in his fursona; Kai doesn’t concern himself with possibly exposing his kind’s existence to the world. Knowing the windows are polarized to ensure no one could look in, plus several dozen stories up; Kai was in no danger of the Seattle inhabitants freaking out as a white were-tiger looked down upon them on the city streets below.
“Has anything changed,” a familiar voice could be heard behind him.
“No,” Kai sighing as he turns around to see his grandfather Far Houjin; also a white were-tiger and in his fursona staring back at him. “Jack Crawford is still on his phone trying to contact various business associates.”
“So it seems,” Far pouring himself a cup of coffee and grimacing at how bitter it has become; “Lance Knight’s expose has had the desired effect.”
“Those Jack does business with,” Kai finding the bitter coffee palatable; “have started to distance themselves from him.”
“And his wife,” Far pouring the stale coffee down the sink; “anything regarding that early morning announcement of her possibly being barren?”
“Not a word,” Kai putting his coffee mug down and placing his paws to his face; trying to rub the sleep from his eyes as he struggles to remain awake. “Either she didn’t remember the dream,” Kai looking at the now emptied coffee machine and sighing; “or that article traumatized her to the point of stunned silence. I was going to finish that coffee by the way.”
“That batch has been there this morning,” Far responding; “and you need to sleep. I’ll monitor the feeds while you rest up.”
“I made that pot just before you sat down for your meditations,” Kai speaking; “I just lost track of time.”
“Never the less,” Far heading to the surveillance equipment; “we need to be back in Moon Lake this evening. Ignoring Tachibana’s request to meet her this morning was bad enough,” Far adjusting the headphones to fit his feline head; “fortunately it was past sunrise when she called and knew we were stuck here until night fall.”
“Very well,” Kai yawning; “but I’ll be glad when our new home is finished being built. A chance to sleep in a proper bed is…”
“Something that can wait,” Far finishing the sentence; “plus with our new corporate office in Moon Lake nearly finished, it won’t be long before your sister and her husband will join us. Along with the rest of the white tiger clan,” Far smiling as best he can with his feline muzzle.
Kai rumbles in delight at thought of his sister and her mate leaving China to be here in America. Not having seen her in nearly a year; the were-tiger feels a sense of excitement at the inevitable family reunion.
“It’s a shame father won’t be here,” Kai excitement quickly turning bittersweet; “he always loved family gatherings.”
“I know,” Far nodding; “but you can’t dwell on the past. You need to look forward and beyond. Remember why we are here.”
Kai nodded as he headed to a nearby room to lie down for a few hours. Recalling the time he and his grandfather came to Moon Lake and visited Tachibana in regards to an ancient debt the skulk owed. Their original request was to have Tachibana help in unseating Benton from Knight Industries. Also in having Frieda emancipated and her taking over the company; the plan quickly changed after it was discovered that Benton was bi-polar and began making a concerted effort to be a better parent to Frieda. While Kai knew through overhearing some of the private chats his grandfather had with Tachibana that it had to do with some prophecy dreams; Kai never could understand why. He knew Benton destroyed his father; the primary reason why the Wang Technological Corporation and the White Tiger clan set out punish the were-panther.
Yet know that another were-panther started placing his paws into the mix; both Far and Kai have had to shift their focus in blunting the man’s effort in revenge. With these thought racing through the white were-tiger’s head; sleep came quickly, however it would not be restful or pleasant.
******
“Well my parents know I have been discharged from the hospital,” Nate looking at his phone as he sat at the kitchen table in the Talbot household; Putting his phone down as he use the cane he was given to get up. Needing it as the attack he suffered from last evening did damage to his inner ear; his sense of balance off as a result.
“Don’t tell me you forgot to tell them,” Jean looking at her mate; all the while as she helps her mother prepare dinner.
“No,” Nate taking a few ginger steps before having to shake his head from feeling slightly dizzy; “they just haven’t had a chance to look at their messages until now.”
“With both of them teacher’s,” Regina speaking up as she looks at the time displayed on the stove; “it makes sense they wouldn’t see the message until now. School is most likely winding down now.”
“Which means,” Nate struggling to take a few more steps; “I need to get home. They will want me and Eric home for supper.”
“Not a chance,” Jean looking at her mate; “you wouldn’t make it past the front entrance before fainting. You’re staying here. Overnight if need be,” Jean being serious.”
“I agree,” Regina looking at the werewolf in his human form; “so just sit back down and relax for the time being.”
“But my parents,” Nate unable to stand up any longer and quickly sitting back down.
“I’ll call them,” Regina answering; “let them know you’re here.”
“Well you better set the table for two extra then,” Leon coming into the kitchen; “Peter is leaving the hospital today and will be here with Helen in a few hours.”
Everyone looks up to see Leon cleaning the grease from his face with a rag; looking at the coveralls and seeing them stain with grease and other assorted engine fluids, It was clear Leon spent the entirety of his day under a vehicle or three.
“You’re not sitting down in those dirty clothes,” Regina speaking; “clean up first.”
“It’s just engine grease,” Leon rolling his eyes.
“And it’s next to impossible to remove from fabric,” Regina growling; “so unless you want to be reupholstering the sofa or any piece of furniture you sit in, go change!”
Nate watched as Leon grumbled before leaving the kitchen; wondering if Jean will have this kind of sway on him later, Nate just sighs as he continues to watch Jean and Regina make dinner.
******
Coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist; Jose looked a lot better. After managing to secure a motel room; primarily to get a wifi signal for his laptop, Jose couldn’t argue with the need to clean himself up. Living in the back of his car as part of his cover for why he is in town was getting ripe; even for him. Booting up the laptop as he continue to dry his hair; Jose looks at his phone to see a missed call.
Dialing the number, Jose is greeted with a familiar voice.
“You’re overdue for your check in. Have you arrived in Moon Lake?”
“Yes,” Jose plugging in the wifi password to access his emails; “I got here early this morning and have already established a plausible cover. Police think I’m one of the many reporter’s here for Frederick’s arrest.”
“Police,” the mysterious man shouting; “what are you getting at?”
“You know how I like to operate,” Jose reading his emails and smiling; “I always like to pose as a private investigator posing as a sleazy reporter. I guess I did too good of a job with my disguise,” Jose rubbing his sore ankle from his altercation with mayor Twist this morning.”
“Who is the rube you managed to get to hire you,” the man sounding concerned.
“Some rich snob in Seattle,” Jose chuckling; “a Jack Crawford. He wants me to find some dirt on a few people in town for him. Meanwhile he doesn’t know my true purpose.”
There was silence before the mysterious man speaks up.
“Be quick with your primary assignment; the outfit is concerned Frederick might talk. You know what you need to do.”
“Of course,” Jose responding; “I have my tools to complete the job. However,” Jose pausing as he reads Crawford’s email regarding Benton and Tachibana’s address’s; “the court house in this town has more security in it than Fort Knox and the police station that Frederick is in is crawling with deputies."
“How you handle Frederick,” the mysterious man speaking cautiously; “the outfit leaves up to you. With Frederick’s holdings disappearing faster than we can take them over; it is imperative that whatever The Shark knows of, stays with him. And do not concern yourself with whatever this Jack Crawford wants you to do,” the mysterious man stating; “just string the man along and disappear once the job is done.”
Jose hears the call terminated and he puts down his phone and looks at his email one last time. Getting up and opening the case containing the camera equipment; Jose picks up one of the telescopic lenses. Opening it up to reveal a piece of a high powered sniper rifle; Jose starts collecting all the hidden pieces and quickly assembles them together. Placing the rifle in the duffle bag, he heads back to his car. Peeling off the inspection sticker that deputy McCord noticed was expired; Jose reveals the current and up to date one underneath.
“The things I do,” Jose muttering to himself; “to get my wet work done. At least those deputies didn’t take the time to inspect the camera equipment,” Jose climbing into his car; “I would hate to have to kill them for doing their job.”
Unbeknownst to Jose; the motel manager heard everything his recent guest said as he was in the adjoining room cleaning it. Being a were-panther under the employ of Benton Knight; the owner of the motel, the manager heads to the front office after waiting for Jose to drive off; picking up the phone, the manager makes a call to Moon Lake’s police.