"What shall we do?" asked Kai, remembering not only what lied at stake, but Tachibana no Akane's unique request to them as well.
"What we must," was Far's solemn reply.
That was thirty minutes ago. Far and Kai watched as the FBI entered the complex housing Jack Crawford’s condo; debating what to do.
“Are the taps secure,” Far Hojin asking; referring to the surveillance software surreptitiously placed on the computer Jack does business on last year prior.
“It is as secure as our client’s secrets,” Kai looking at his grandfather. Far and Kai run The Wang Technological Consortium; a tech frim from china. The dealt with electronic security and data storage; also specializing in designing and setting up network infrastructure. With a variety of clients ranging from rich and famous; to multi-national corporations and select countries; the tech firm was not a fly by night operation. Preferring to operate in the shadows; The Wang Technological consortium has never advertised, nor have they had a need to cold call for new clients.
“Then there is nothing more we can do here,” Far sighing; “lets head back to Moon Lake. We will need to advise Tachibana on what has transpired.”
“Grandfather,” Kai looking at the surveillance equipment strewn about; “it is after sunrise and the entire ground floor is most likely loaded with spectators.”
“I know what you are implying,” Far grabbing a large black suitcase; a suitcase that Far packed before leaving China, yet never opened. “But in order for us to maintain our kind’s secret,” Far opening the suitcase; revealing several suits and robes; “we must do what we haven’t done in decades.”
Kai watches as his grandfather grabs a robe; a robe reminiscent of a Buddhist monk, and then tossing Kai a suit that smells of mothballs.
“We must shed our fur,” Far looking at a confused Kai; “I kept these clothes for emergency sakes. Now we must put them on,” Far looking at his white furred paw, complete with black stripes.
“But our vows,” Kai holding onto the polyester blend garments; “ever since grandmother…”
“…your grandmother would understand,” Far growling as he interrupts; “after the Tiananmen Square massacre…”
“It’s no shame to talk about it,” Kai placing a comforting paw on his grandfather’s shoulder; “I hold no love to the People’s Army just like you do.”
“Its still hard to talk about Kai,” Far moving away from the window; “you were still a cub then, suckling on your mother’s milk. After your grandmother was killed from the pro-democracy protests,” Far pausing before turning around to his grandson. “And besides, I made the vow myself to stay in my fursona for that reason. You made no such promise,” Far pointing to his grandson; “now let’s shift and get dressed.”
“Not even sure I remember how,” Kai walking to an empty bedroom.
“It’s muscle memory,” Far speaking up so Kai could hear through the walls; “just imagine your tiger going to sleep and the body will do the rest.”
“Muscle memory,” Kai sighing; dropping the clothes at his paws, Kai concentrates. Imagining his tiger going to sleep; he closes his eyes as a slight tickling sensation envelopes his entire body. Feeling the white and black fur receding back into his body; his stance changing as his digitigrade paws shift to regular plantigrade feet. His retractable claws morphing to nails, as his paws shift back to hands. Feeling a slight pulling; Kai opens his eyes and his tail shrinks back, receding back into his tail bone. The final change happened on his face. With his eyes open, Kia witnessed his muzzle retracting; his black triangular nose receding as his jaw line follows suit. The whiskers on the side of his muzzle disappearing to what is now Kai’s cheeks. His feline like eyes turning from yellow to a dull brown. With his ears now back to the sides of his head instead of up top and triangular and the return of his black hair; Kai sighs as he looks at his human body. Already missing the fur and tactile feel from his paws; Kai grabs the clothes his grandfather tossed his and puts them on.
******
I feel naked without my fur,” Kai coming out of the bedroom; looking miserable as he stares at his grandfather wearing the dull orange robes of a reclusive monk.
“You spent the first fourteen years of your life without fur,” Far Houjin looking at his sullen grandson; “a few hours out of your fursona won’t be the death of you.”
“But,” Kai trying to speak before being cut off.
“And yet you still can’t dress yourself,” Far adjusting the collar of the dress shirt Kai was wearing and picking a stray thread off the lapel of the suit.
“No need to wear clothes,” Kai rolling his eyes; “while furry. But why this suit,” Kai looking at the black jacket with a white shirt; “doesn’t it feel dated?”
“I suppose you are right on that,” Far stepping back to look at his grandson; “and it is a slight too big for you. After all it was your father’s.”
“This belonged to dad,” Kai looking at his grandfather questioningly.
“That it did,” Far smiling; “while you might not see it. You look like the spitting image of your father in that suit.”
“The shirt collar reminds me of the suits worn by New York mobsters,” Kai quipping; “the red polka-dot tie and the three buttons done up…”
“If it will make you feel better,” Far adjusting his robes; “we can stop at a clothing shop to get you a better suit. But first we must head to Moon Lake.”
“I have a better idea,” Kai heading to the window; seeing Jack Crawford being lead to a blacked out SUV. His wife being lead into a separate one; “what say we pay the Crawford residence another visit before we leave.”
“No,” Far looking out the same window; “chances are the feds still have people in Jack’s condo looking for evidence. Let’s just leave while we still can.”
“And the surveillance equipment,” Kai looking at the parabolic listening dish along with headphones and the laptop.
“Take the laptop with us,” Far heading to the door; “perhaps we can use it to help Jack Crawford out after we arrive at Tachibana’s.”