{{AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay. Work hassles are over, for now, so I'm back folks! It maybe a while before I get caught up on ALL the various Moon Lake threads, but since Franknfurter69 just posted an Earth 2 episode yesterday, this thread was the quickest to access.—tmw.}}
In a certain Seattle apartment with a covert view of another unit across the skyline, two cellphones rang simultaneously.
When the owners of those phones saw who Caller ID said was on the other end, they answered immediately.
"Gentlemen," began Tachibana no Akane, "I'm afraid we have a situation developing here."
"What is it?" Far Hojun and his grandson Kai Wu Wang, the were-white tigers stationed there asked into their separate units.
"What is the status on Jack Crawford and his wife right this moment?" asked their friend in return.
"Having not left their apartment all day, the werepanthers are still present. He has been on his computer or cellphone, trying his best to contain the damage done by the wide spread publication of the Moon Lake Gazette expose on them, when not dealing with her, because apparently the wife is in a strong heat cycle right now," replied Far. "Why?"
"Fredrick Parker has been shot in an assassination attempt," began Tachibana. "One deputy is dead while the murderer is still on the loose. Moon Lake is in a more severe state of lock down right now than the Code W*. We can deal with the Sheriff's Department, the FBI, and the various media outlets covering the story here at the moment, but Jack Crawford has suddenly become a person of interest, if not an actual suspect, in the investigation."
"How?" asked Far.
"Apparently a private detective he hired to look for... secrets to use against those Crawford considers his enemies here is the assassin," explained Tachibana.
Kai mumbled a curse under his breath as Far asked, "What do you need us to do?"
"I'll need you to send me copies of all your surveillance and intelligence gathering since you returned to your post yesterday. The Elders will make sure any relevant information will get into the proper hands discretely, without putting weres at any further risk than we might already be."
"I take care of that personally," promised Far. "Anything else?"
"Yes, but I'm hesitant to ask," said Akane.
"You know all you have to do is ask, and if it is within our power to do so..." replied Far.
"I know, but what I might need you to do is quite serious, and possibly dangerous as well." Then she paused before continuing. "The local police, if not Seattle agents of the FBI too, will soon come calling on Jack and Kenya Crawford. At the very least, they will want to ask him some questions in regards to the agent he employed that shot Parker and killed a deputy in the process."
"Agreed. We know Crawford has been in contact with someone today, and the last message between them was quite cryptic," observed Kai.
"The Sheriff and the FBI already know about that, which is why they now wonder about Crawford's possible involvement in the attempt on Parker's life."
"But none of the messages we have intercepted involved any references to killing Fredrick Parker, unless that arrangement was made before we resumed our watch of them," said Far.
"One does not discuss murder lightly, or often," observed Akane.
"You are concerned that Crawford might consider this the catalyst that causes him to reveal the existence of weres to the world as he uses the shock of that announcement to cover an escape attempt?" asked Kai, before his grandfather could.
"Yes," answered Akane without hesitation. "Crawford and his wife need to fully cooperate with the authorities without putting were society at risk. Whatever he might be guilty of, his sins are those of an angry and bitter man and not a noble were. If they attempt to flee, that will just make them look more guilty in the eyes of the law. They still have much to answer for to us, but their transgressions against regular humans must be addressed as well."
"And you want us to..." began Far.
"Do whatever it takes, without risking further expose of were society, to make sure Jack and Kenya Crawford face their accusers and whatever else happens as a result of the investigation into events here like regular people and not weres. Even if that means you two must break your vows and temporarily resume your human forms to do so."
"You know what you ask of us?" wondered Far, while Kai looked at his grandfather with great concern. Neither had been in their human form since...
"Yes, and this request is not made lightly. I am already surrounded by several members of the Elders' Council here in my estate once more. All of us are currently in our normal forms. While we have discussed the matters at hand at length as new facts have been discovered and confirmed, the Crawfords, especially Jack, are too dangerous to be allowed to roam free without facing justice in any form. We have decided to let the normals proceed with their pressing claims first, and resume pursuing ours later, provided were society is not put at risk in the process."
"You do know our position in regards to fursonas," began Far.
"Yes. Suppressing nature's gifts isn't right, but many of us do it on a daily basis as we go about our lives. Yet the world isn't ready to know, let alone deal with knowledge of our existence, so this is the best course of action we have right now. There are too many of us at stake, not just in Washington state but the entire world as well, to risk on the whims and megalomania of one man," said Tachibana, realizing that if things had gone differently in the recent past, it would be the issue of Benton Knight being discussed, before his bi-polar disorder was discovered and proper treatment began.
"Can I count on you?" she asked, but silence was the only answer.
Tachibana waited a moment before asking again, "Can I count on you?"
Then Far looked at his grandson, who simply nodded his head.
"We will do what is right and honorable for the welfare of all," was Far's answer.
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*No were can be out and about in their fursona during a Code W Alert, even when it would normally have been okay for them to do so.—tmw.