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Of Cats and Men	By : Collip99 Category: +S through Z > Thundercats Views: 4261 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the ThunderCats or any character or events associated with it. I do not own or make any money from the ThunderCats or from this fiction

Chapter List
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Schwenk paced up and down his room and wrung his hands nervously. Myra hadn’t called for too long now. She was overdue by more than two days, and that wasn’t like her at all. Now, to make things a million times worse Gaius wanted to see him. Gaius controlled much of the underground in the city, and Schwenk was on his payroll. Things didn’t normally go wrong, even when they did Gaius normally allowed his employees to ‘sort things out’, but not this time. He’d been summoned to meet with him. Much worse was the fact that he was getting an escort too. That was worrying, why would Gaius even think he wouldn’t show up? Now he had the prospect of being accompanied by a large lion with a short temper…great. A loud thumping on the door broke the nervous tension. Schwenk opened the door and found most of it blocked by Aurelio, a large thuggish lion with a habit of breaking things…mainly bones and wind.
“Not tonight thank you, I’m trying to give it up” Schwenk laughed nervously. Aurelio snarled and picked up Schwenk by his lapels.
“Tell me cheap meat…when was the last time I laughed at a humorous remark made by you?”
“Erm….I don’t think you ever have!” Schwenk said sheepishly.
“Then I see no reason to start now!” he roared and dropped Schwenk. “Let’s go…Gaius doesn’t like to be kept waiting!”
“Yes, yes….I know!” Schwenk muttered and followed the lion. They both climbed into the carriage and it set off, clattering through the dark streets. Schwenk tried to make himself comfortable, but was mainly squashed. Every time he fidgeted he got a harsh glare from Aurelio. In the end Schwenk stayed crunched up in a corner of the carriage. He opened the window slightly.
“You think I smell?” Aurelio growled.
“Oh…no….I just like some air that’s all” Schwenk lied “No…you smell lovely!” he added.
“What!!” Aurelio replied angrily.
“Oh…erm…that’s not what I meant…I meant…err….I….I’ll shut up now!” Schwenk went silent.
“I hope Gaius lets me spend five minutes with you!” an evil glint appeared in Aurelio’s eye.
“I bet” Schwenk thought “It’d easily be four minutes more than necessary” Schwenk decided that silence was the best reply.
“Cat got your tongue?” Aurelio chuckled.
“It might be heading that way…yes” he replied gloomily, wishing this carriage journey would soon end. Aurelio had hygiene issues and a diet of raw meat did nothing to improve them either.
“You remember Castagaine don’t you?” Aurelio asked.
“Yes…..the mercenary…I’ve worked with him before, how is he?”
“Would you like to hear from him?” Aurelio asked.
“Erm……yes?” Schwenk replied dubiously. Aurelio leaned forward, his face inches from
Schwenk’s. He then let out a huge belch, Schwenk nearly fainted from the stench.
“He tasted lovely thank you!” Aurelio laughed loudly.
“You really do get job satisfaction don’t you” Schwenk said grimly.
“Yes….you get to meet such interesting people…..oh sorry, that should be ‘eat such interesting people’” he laughed loudly again. “I notice you don’t laugh at my humour cheap meat!” Aurelio’s laughing cut short.
“Would you like me to?”
“It’s only polite” Aurelio replied.
“Ahhh, OK then” Schwenk then laughed.
Aurelio reached forwards and grabbed Schwenk and brought him face to face again.
“Don’t patronise me cheap meat!” he snarled.
“Sorry!” Schwenk jibbered.
The carriage skidded to a halt. Aurelio shoved Schwenk out and then escorted him inside and up the stairs. Aurelio gently tapped on the doorway at the top of the stairs, and after a muffled reply, pushed Schwenk into the room. Aurelio then closed the door and stood in front of it, Schwenk was trapped.
“Ahhh….Mr Schwenk…thank you for joining me” Gaius spoke. Gaius was a tiger in his mid-forties, had a scarred face and a patch over his right eye.
“Well thank you for the invite…and of course the escort. The streets are a dangerous place at night.” Schwenk replied.
“Hmmm….quite. I’m very concerned Mr Schwenk”
“Really, about what?”
“Dr Attas…..he seems to be….well…..alive!”
“Ahh, yes…the good doctor. Yes, he is very much still alive, I can confirm that”
“Why? I asked you to arrange for him to have a funeral, shall we say”
“It’s merely a matter of money Gaius, nothing more” Schwenk smiled.
“You’ve been paid!” Gaius said flatly.
“Yes…but not the agreed fee!” Schwenk replied. Behind him Aurelio growled menacingly.
Gaius chuckled and steepled his fingers. “It seems we have reached a difficult position then Mr Schwenk….as far as I can recall, you work for me, and as such, you should carry out my orders.”
“I’m an employee of yours in so much as I’m freelance, pay me my fee and I’ll do the work, I’m not arguing about the job itself, I’m merely asking that I receive one hundred percent of my fee, as agreed. You are always more than generous with your payments, and I’m sure you’d agree that my work is of excellent quality…I’m sure this can be resolved easily.” Schwenk responded.
“Maybe Aurelio can…..persuade you?” Gaius said, Aurelio’s eyes lit up.
“I don’t think that’s necessary Gaius, the amount outstanding is only one hundred crowns, a trifle to say the least. I think there has been an administrating error, that’s all. one hundred crowns and Dr Attas is history…surely that reasonable?”
Gaius considered this for a moment and smoked his cigar. Aurelio in the meantime started cracking his knuckles in anticipation.
“You are quite right Mr Schwenk, your work is of an excellent standard if it wasn’t you wouldn’t be an employee….more like a meal for Aurelio. I think a mistake has been made! He rolled a one hundred crown coin across the desk. “I’m sorry that this meeting may have ‘appeared’ a bit heavy handed, but I’m sure you’re aware that business needs to be kept in order, and there’s plenty of employees who take advantage of my good nature.”
“Like Mr Castagaine?” Schwenk mused
“Quite! A perfect example of a ‘take the money and run’ attitude. Of course, money is no good where he is now”
“Yes. I heard!” Schwenk grimaced. “I do feel bad that Aurelio here has had a wasted meeting really.” Schwenk said, again Aurelio growled.
“No matter…you’ll be seeing him quite a lot really in the future” Gaius said matter-of-factly.
“Erm….why?” Schwenk sounded nervous.
“As it happens, Aurelio here has taken quite a shine to you, so he tells me; and would like to be in your neighbourhood…you know, just in case there is….’trouble’”
“How thoughtful…don’t worry though, I’ll be fine” Schwenk stood to leave. Aurelio strode over and pushed Schwenk back into his seat, and kept him there.
“Sorry Mr Schwenk, you don’t seem to understand…Aurelio will be keeping an eye on you…no choices etc, etc! I like to ensure good value for money and anyway…..Aurelio likes you” he smiled falsely.
“I’m touched” Schwenk squirmed.
“Keep doing a good job and I’ll make sure you’re not ‘touched’ at all.”
“Most generous…..may I leave now?” Schwenk asked politely.
“Yes of course…..Aurelio, kindly show Mr Schwenk to the door”
Aurelio picked up Schwenk by the shoulders and led him to the door, he opened it and just before shoving him through it, whispered into his ear
“Please do something wrong! I’m getting hungry” he purred loudly then shoved Schwenk into the corridor and shut the door.
Schwenk made haste back to his room and bolted the door. He sat on his bed and dabbed the sweat of his brow. He hated business meetings.
At 2am Schwenk got out of bed and lit a small candle lamp. He retrieved his original ‘job request’ from Gaius. It simply requested that Dr Attas be removed, and his laboratory be burnt to the ground. The last bit piqued his curiosity though:
‘Touch nothing, look at nothing and remove nothing. Destroy all.’
Schwenk was inquisitive by nature and was keen to know what sort of work Dr Attas did, why Gaius wanted him dead and why the job required him to stay so ‘non-curious’. Of course, Schwenk knew that Gaius couldn’t care less about Dr Attas, or any other recently departed victim, Gaius was merely a businessman, he never asked questions about the mark, as long as the gold was good and real, that was all that mattered to him.
Schwenk had learned a long time ago never to ask ‘why’ someone was going to be killed, or any questions apart from where they lived and when they’d be found. He knew of countless people who had fallen foul or asking questions….it kept people like Aurelio in business. He buttoned his jacket and placed his silenced pistol inside its shoulder holster. He then left silently and made his way to the laboratory of Dr Attas. In fact it was only three streets away and he was there in minutes. He glanced around the frosty street, nobody was about. He carefully picked the lock and let himself in. He sidled down the corridor, the walls were bathed in a greenish-blue light and there was a background ‘hum’. He peered through a crack in the doorway. Dr Attas was at his bench, back to the door.
“Perfect” Schwenk thought and pulled his pistol out.
He liked the late night workers, it just seemed so right to kill in the small hours as opposed to midday. He pushed the door open some more, no squeaks or scrapes, the door opened without a sound. Schwenk raised his pistol and pulled the trigger, with a gassy ‘pop’ the bullet struck Attas on the back of the head. He was dead before he hit the floor. Schwenk walked into the lab and prodded the body with his boot, but he knew he was dead. Schwenk then removed a small flask of highly flammable liquid, he opened the lid and considered the best place to set the fire. He found a mound of papers and got ready to soak them. He took a swig first, whiskey made such a good firelighter, then emptied the flask on the pile. He took a match and was about to strike it when something caught his eye. Now he was in a dilemma, he knew he had orders, he knew that the consequences for disobeying them would be slightly fatal….but Schwenk had the eye of a magpie. He walked over to the case and opened it. The room was flooded with the blue-green light and the humming grew louder.
“Oooh….pretty!” he whispered to himself.
He lifted the case. “So…what do you do I wonder?” he glanced around the room to see if there happened to be a copy of ‘Dummies Guide to Glowing, Humming things’, but there wasn’t. He agonised what to do, if he took it he ran the risk of giving Aurelio indigestion, if he left it he would stay relatively poor….the object clearly had value. He pocketed the case and went back to the soaking pile of papers. “Maybe they’ll assume it got destroyed in the fire” he struck the match and dropped it. The pile erupted in flame with an audible ‘whoomph’. Schwenk lingered for a moment, then seeing the fire spreading, left. On the way out he locked the door again and casually made his way back to his accommodation. He undressed and went to bed…..a good nights work.
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Of Cats and Men