It was late into the evening; a time when most would be in bed. Yet for the servants working about at the Tachibana estate, sleep was a luxury none could afford at the moment. Their employer having just returned home after the tumultuous emergency session with the elder council with a few members in tow, made clear that tea must be made, light snacks brought out and every one at attention; waiting for Tachibaba No Akane to summon them for various reasons.
With Tachibana was Martin Stovall, the former mayor of Moon Lake and now the wer-mer rep of the elder council. Rachael Gauldet, the were-otter rep. A former refugee when Hitler’s Nazi Germany annexed the French province of Alsace-Lorraine prior to the start of the Second World War. Fluent in both French and German, she had a thick accent when speaking in English, made more noticeable when she was excited or upset as she would slip into speaking in either French or German. With both following Tachibana to her study, neither were embarrassed or adverted their eyes when their host stripped down out of her cherry blossom patterned kimono and assumed her wer-vixen fursona.
“Feel free to let you fur out if you wish,” Tachibana taking a brief look at the various messages left for her.
“With all due respect,” Martin being the first to speak; “I do need to get back home soon. I don’t want to leave Mellissa alone with the twins.”
“We’ll keep this brief then,” Tachibana noticing Rachael shifting into her wer-otter fursona. her chitter in delight as the feeling of dark brown fur covering her body and thick pads making contact with the bamboo hardwood floor.
“I’ll be glad when this were-alert is over,” Rachael taking a seat in a nearby chair; “swimming at the rec center is a poor substitute for a moonlight swim in the lake.”
“You could always get a pool installed at your house,” Martin politely refusing the offer of tea from the servant that appeared out of nowhere.
“I live in an apartment,” Rachael answering; stretching and wriggling her webbed toes. “Where am I going to put a pool?”
Tachibana let the two banter back and forth for the time being; taking a second look at her messages, she sees one from the warden at the prison Martin’s daughter Julie is incarcerated. Eliciting a small scowl as she puts it aside.
‘Something to deal with later,’ Tachibana thinks as she sips the tea her servant brought for her.
Putting the message aside, Tachibana signals to a nearby servant; whispering in her ear; the awaiting wer-vixen nods and then quickly leaves the room.
“All I’m saying,” Martin speaking; “you wouldn’t need to head to the lake all time if you had a house with a pool in the back yard.”
“And I’m not a financial wizard like you are,” Rachael responding; “not all of us can retire early from politics and relax like you are doing.”
“Who said I have been relaxing,” Martin scoffing; “especially after Melissa gave birth to twins and I have reopened my financial office.”
“Alright,” Tachibana putting her tea down; “that is enough. Let’s discuss these issues that you couldn’t bring up during the council session.
Both Martin and Rachael stare at each other for a moment. Each turning their head to look at Tachibana.
********
The trio in the non-descript sedan sat in silence as they drove to Seattle. Listening to the council talk and debate over how to handle Jack Crawford and the issue of him being accused to trying to assassinate Frederick Parker. A sticky problem, as Jack Crawford just after the Labor Day picnic, out right declared war of the council and weres the world over. Threatening to expose the existence of their kind if any action is taken against him. A bluff that most believe the were-panther would enact if he was backed into the proverbial corner.
Tonight the council talked if the man was now in that corner. Hemming and hawing over what to do with Jack Crawford. With the head of the Luna brotherhood in attendance; acting as an advisor, it was his suggestion that spurred them to vote on a solution. Now with that solution agreed upon, the former KGB agent from Hungary was accompanied with two men he only met briefly. Both from China and running a successful tech frim, the head of the Luna brotherhood sighed when Tachibana requested they join him when they went to confront Jack.
Looking at the two, one dressed in robes as if he was a monk. The second with a displeased look and wearing an old suit. While imperceptible to most, the werewolf could tell the suit was ill fitting and its wearer was feeling uncomfortable in it.
“The sooner we get this done,” the man speaking up; “the sooner we can get some sleep and relax.”
“I’ll relax,” Kai grumbling; “when I’m able to get out of this suit I’m wearing.”
“You can always go to a tailor and get it adjusted if its uncomfortable,” the man responding.
“My grandson has eschewed clothes,” the monk speaking up; “both he and I have spent most of our time in our fursona. This is the first time in decades, the elder man continuing to speak; “that we have had to defur.”
The werewolf arched an eyebrow at this revelation; the two men accompanying him running a successful business, risking exposing the existence of weres.
“I know what you are thinking the elder man speaking; “the two of us entering a board meeting in nothing but fur. Hosting annual shareholder meetings; you’d think we were the greater threat than Crawford.”
“Tachibana did mention to me about your eccentricities,” the werewolf responding; “I thought she was just yanking my tail.”
“The advantages of being rich beyond avarice,” the monk smiling; “you can do whatever you want.”
“How have you been able to get away with being in your fursona all that time without anyone finding out?” the werewolf asking.
“When you are a Chinese national who knows enough secrets to bring down the Chinese Communist Party,” the elder man speaking; “you’re given unlimited leeway to do what you want.”
“It’s part of the reason why we have been able to stay in America for so long as we have,” Kai chiming in; “for the People’s Army to try a take us back, is to risk being mauled by a pissed off tiger.”
“Publicly,” the elder man speaking; “the Wang Technological Consortium provides network and security services. Privately,” the man looking at the former KGB agent; “we store secrets. My name is Far Hojin and my Grandson’s name is Kai. We are both white wer-tigers and members of the white tiger clan.”
“My name is Vladimir,” the werewolf speaking; “before I became the head of the Luna brotherhood I was a KGB agent working to root out spies and dissidents that undermined the communist party of Hungary. I also helped smuggled people across the iron curtain.”
********
Back at the Tachibana estate.
“George Walker,” Rachael responding; “we need to find a way to get him to cough up the money he owes to his wife and son and soon.”
“I thought the techs were doing that,” Tachibana responding; “pouring over George’s various aliases and trying them to closed accounts. Following the paper trial as it were.”
“I overheard the argument George had with his son earlier tonight,” Rachael sighing; “Brian let slip that the debt George saddled upon Patricia has amounted to a million and a half.”
“That is quite the sum,” Tachibana mulling; “and George has been reluctant to hand over any money to help out?”
“He is still as belligerent the day he was caught,” Martin responding; “calling me and Andrew a bunch of smelly eels as we told him why he was being locked up.”
“Where is Andrew Curry by the way,” Tachibana smiling whistfully through her vulpine muzzle.
“Last I heard he was enjoying the French coast with his grandchildren,” Martin answering; “I’m guessing he wants to take them to explore some of the more famous sunken war wrecks.”
Tachibana chuckled as the former wer-mer rep made good on his vow to spend more time with his family. Stealing a glance at the photo of her and her deceased husband holding their first born. A happier time when they lived in Hiroshima; months before America dropped the first atomic bomb. Thinking of that day; the horror of imagining her husband being burned to death or succumbing to radiation poisoning.
“Perhaps,” Tachibana looking at the photo once again; “when this crisis is over, I should make time to be with my grandchildren.”
“You thinking of stepping down,” Racheal asking.
“Not for a few more decades at least,” Tachibana answering; “However, I am looking at stepping down from Tachibana Enterprises in few years. Let Daisuke take over the day to day operations. That will give me the time to afford in spoiling my grandchildren,” Tachibana smiling. “As for George,” Tachibana’s smile fading; “there is not much more we can do. But we can talk with the creditor’s hounding Patricia to back off. Maybe get them to forgive some of the debt George left for her to deal with.”
*******
Meanwhile, the non-descript sedan parks outside of the condo tower housing Jack Crawford’s residence. With the three getting out and entering the building, careful in avoiding the eyes of anyone assigned to keep watch of those coming and going from the building in question. While none were in their fursona, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be careful. Entering the elevator, Vladimir was surprised to see Kai punching a code into the elevator's security panel.
“This is not the first time we paid Jack a visit,” Far responding as the doors closed and the initial lurch of the elevator beginning their ride to the upper floors.
“I take it,” Vladimir commenting; “the prior visit was business related?”
“In a sense,” Far answering; “we made it clear to Jack that his attempt to take over Knight Industries was doomed to failure. At the time we had our own plan regarding Benton, and didn’t want Jack to interfere with it.”
“You have to tell me about this,” Vladimir answering just as the elevator stopped and opened its door to the small hallway ending in an elaborate oak door.
“We can discuss it with tea in the building across from this one,” Far smiling; “we have a place set up that allows us to observe Jack without worrying about counter surveillance.”
Vladimir nods, understanding the usefulness of such a resource; the werewolf makes a mental note to have a fellow brotherhood member stay to keep an eye on Jack. Looking on the door, Vladimir pauses thinking about why they are there.
‘Inform Jack who I am, and the organization I operate;’ Vladimir thinks to himself as he pulls out a scroll with a black wax seal on it. The seal depicting a wolf howling under the light of a full moon. ‘Let him know that unlike the elder council,’ Vladimir continuing to think to himself; ‘the Luna Brotherhood has no problems in eliminating with prejudice, those who would dare threaten the safety of were’s the world over.’
“Getting cold paws,” Far speaking; breaking Vladimir’s train of thought.
“No,” Vladimir looking at the scroll; “just thinking on what needs to be done. Pondering our host’s reaction, when he realizes that his problem with the feds is the least of his concerns.”
“I imagine all end in a violent confrontation,” Kai waiting for the inevitable.
“That is a strong possibility,” Vladimir answering; “I trust you two know how to defend yourself incase Jack bares his claws and fangs?”
“We are both experts in wushu,” Far answering; “Chinese martial arts. So yes we can handle ourselves.”
“In that case,” Vladimir knocking on the oak door; “let’s begin.”