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Of Cats and Men	By : Collip99 Category: +S through Z > Thundercats Views: 4248 -:- 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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In the morning he woke and opened the curtains. He saw over the sea of roofs a fading column of smoke, the Night Guards still damping down, clearly. He walked over to his jacket and removed the case from his inner pocket. He looked again at the glow from the object inside…it was eerie, and yet beautiful too. Schwenk then dragged his dresser to one side and removed a specific floorboard and placed the object in the space under the floorboards. Then he placed the floorboard back, and replaced the dresser. He then got washed and dressed and trotted downstairs.
“Morning Lani!” he chirped.
“Hello Gaston….what’s the story then?” Lani, the innkeeper replied.
“Another dull, boring evening in of course” he said innocently.
“Well of course you did my love” she giggled. “and the smoky, dirty clothes?”
“Ahh, well…I’ll bring them down for a good scrub-up”
“Best you had…Night Guards are starting to sniff around. In fact, you get yourself some breakfast and I’ll get them”
“Thank you…you’re very kind!” he said genuinely.
“Of course I am!” she affirmed. “Oh…by the way, I assume you know you’re being watched”
“A large lion that looks ready to kill, by any chance?”
“Yeah, that’s him”
“No problem…I’m assured he likes me!” he said dryly.
“I sure wouldn’t want him hating me” Lani added.
“Don’t worry, with Aurelio, you wouldn’t stay hated for long!”
“Really?”
“Nope…you’d end up dead very fast!” he chuckled.
“Well, you mind yourself. Any news on Myra?”
“No” Schwenk said remembering his concern “she’s overdue in contacting me”
“I’m sure everything will be fine….you’ll see” Lani put her hand on his arm.
“Thanks Lani” he smiled.
“Now…you get yourself in the dining room and I’ll get your washing and do some breakfast for you!” Lani said decisively.
“Will do” and Schwenk sat at a table in the bow window, watching the world walk past.
In fact, today there was more world and they weren’t walking they were running. The blaze had stirred up a lot of activity. He would lay low for a few days, although there would be inevitable interviews with police. He got that regularly, it went with the job. Among his many tools was Lani at the inn. Sometimes Schwenk rather unkindly called her an ‘alibi on legs’, he had received a slap for that one! Lani was no fool either, she was a deadly assassin in her own right and it was a foolish person who took her on. He and Lani had always got on well, a sort of mutual professional respect. Schwenk had seen her work as well, it was always cold and neat. He hoped he never benefited from her professional services. In reality that would never happen, if an assassin ever needed ‘removing’ professionally, an outside assassin would be used. Or, in the case of Gaius, Aurelio would do just as well. Aurelio was no assassin. A good analogy would be cracking a safe by an assassin, or blowing it up with dynamite….that would be Aurelio.
Lani came padding back down the stairs with an arm full of washing.
“Gaston! Look at the state of these! What if the police had seen them!” she growled.
“I’d say they were yours” he smirked. Lani’s face broke into a broad grin
“You get worse! Let me get some food for you”
“Cheers hun”
“Call me ‘hun’ again and I’ll slit your throat and shove your breakfast down there myself” she scolded.
“OK, OK…sorry!” Schwenk looked out of the window again and saw the tradesmen setting up their stalls. The city was getting into its stride now and soon the streets would be noisy, dirty and full of life. Schwenk loved the city, a million places to hide, a sea of faces to be unrecognised in. The bell on the door tinkled and a police officer walked in.
“Gaston” the officer tipped his hat as he saw Schwenk.
“Constable Stride” Schwenk kicked the chair opposite him to allow the officer to be seated.
“Ahh, very kind….thank you” Constable Stride sat down. “Bad business that…”
“What business would that be?” Schwenk asked innocently.
“Hmm” Stride raised an eyebrow “A laboratory got burned down last night”
“Really? Nobody hurt I hope!”
“Yes….the resident scientist there, murdered I’m afraid”
“Oh…hence the visit”
“Yes….we both know the routine, I know you have an alibi etc, etc still, paperwork needs to be completed.”
“Yes…quite” Schwenk nodded.
“Can you tell me where you were last night, sir?”
“Yes…I was in all evening” Schwenk stated emphatically.
“Right-o, can anybody testify to that?”
“Yes, Lani the Innkeeper”
“Right-o…that’s me done..thanks for your time, sir” he said, getting to his feet.
“No…thank you!” Schwenk said standing.
“Must be on my way now…plenty of other alibis to listen to” he remarked dryly.
“Yes……rather you than me!”
“Hmmm” and Constable Stride left the inn.
“The police?” Lani asked
“Yeah…Stride, the poor sod” he chuckled.
“Oh…him” she snarled.
“Oh…he’s harmless, I can’t see why you dislike him so much”
“He’s a jobsworth…always leaning on me for various minor offences with my alcohol license etc. He knows what’s going on and because he can’t ever prove it he leans on other things….he’s a pain in the arse. On day….one day…..”
“What…you turn into a cop killer, I can’t see that somehow”
“Just makes my blood boil, that’s all” she grumbled.
“Just don’t burn my eggs as payback!” he laughed.
“Maybe I will to teach you a lesson” she snorted sarcastically.
“How would I know the difference” Schwenk replied.
“You bastard!” Lani growled, she flexed her clawed hand near Schwenk’s face. “It’s a good thing I like you!” she giggled and went to the kitchen.
Whilst waiting for his breakfast, Schwenk thought about the previous night. The glowing object was certainly strange, he’d never seen the like of it before. He was sure it was valuable, something like that just oozed value. A man died for that object too. He also felt nervous, someone might notice the lack of an object…..probably the person who paid for the hit in the first place. Schwenk had the unfortunate habit of taking stupid risks, but if he was right he could retire and settle down with Myra for the rest of their lives. He started thinking about Myra again, doing her charity work a long, long way from the city. She wholly disapproved of Schwenk’s trade, but had so far been unsuccessful in changing his vocation. Instead she removed herself from it and hoped that he would come to his senses. Schwenk missed Myra a lot, and he was always on the lookout for an exit from being an assassin. Unfortunately it wasn’t the sort of job where you could just walk away and get your retirement clock. Many ‘retirements’ were the same sort that Aurelio had given Mr Castagaine. He loved Myra with a passion and sorely wanted to be with her everyday, but the simple fact was that he was good at his job, very good in fact. Gaius would be in touch in the next couple of days with a new job, and he normally got the premium marks going because he was so good. Just as he was getting absorbed in his reverie his breakfast turned up.
“There you go Gaston” Lani said, placing a large plate of sausage, bacon and eggs in front of him. Lani sat opposite him with a mug of tea. “You look deep in thought”
“Mmm, just thinking about everything really…getting the ‘I hate my job’ blues I guess”
“Thinking about Myra again?” she replied softly.
“Yep” Schwenk seemed a million miles away.
“Gaston…you’re a good man. You need to do your job and she needs to do charity work….she doesn’t love you any less, and I bet she wants to be with you right now.”
“I just wish I could change my line of work, it’s not the best for a stable relationship is it?” Schwenk sighed.
“You’re right Gaston, but it’s what you’re good at….you’re damn good and I’m a good judge too! I’d hate to have you on my tail!” she smiled.
“That’s funny, I was thinking the same thing about you” Schwenk said, tucking into his breakfast.
“Really? You think I’m deadly?”
“You kidding me….I’ve seen your work….the only reason I’m nice to you is because what you might do to me!” he winked.
“What are you like?” she chuckled.
After breakfast Schwenk ambled back upstairs to have a bath and shave. He shut his bedroom door behind him and made his way through to the bathroom, he turned on the hot tap of his bath. He left it running and walked back through to the bedroom, he looked out of the window. The smoke had mostly stopped, and now snowflakes were floating past the room. Schwenk liked the look of snow in the city, it covered the grime and made everything look new, but it also had the habit of recording secret footsteps too. He turned around and was met by the chest of Aurelio.
“Shit! Don’t you ever knock?” Aurelio didn’t reply, instead his large hand wrapped itself around Schwenk throat and squeezed.
“Aaargh…what are…..you….doing?” he croaked. Aurelio smiled menacingly.
“You did something wrong…..just like I hoped” he squeezed again. Schwenk felt his eyes bulge.
“Please…Aurelio, I’ve done nothing wrong. I removed Attas, like I was ordered” Aurelio roared and threw Schwenk across the room.
“You must think me an idiot. Attas is dead, but you stole something and you were told not to” he padded over to where Schwenk lay on the floor. He grabbed his hair and raised him up again.
“I stole nothing….I swear! Take me to Gaius…we can sort this out.”
Aurelio laughed and brandished a piece of paper in front of Schwenk eyes. It read:
Aurelio,
Please visit Gaston Schwenk and take whatever action you think is necessary to ensure the integrity of the business.
G.
“Have you read it?” Aurelio asked.
“Y-Yes….” he stammered. Then Aurelio shoved the note into his mouth, chewed a couple of times, then swallowed noisily.
“I love it when I get to choose what happens. How would you like to die, cheap meat?”
“There has been a big mistake…I swear I took nothing….nothing at all. Please Aurelio, let’s talk this through….you’re a reasonable person…”
Aurelio lifted Schwenk’s face to his, Schwenk’s feet dangled above the floor.
“Oh no…..let’s not talk. I’m not a talker really, I prefer action!” again Aurelio threw Schwenk across the room, he landed on the dresser, smashing it to pieces. Schwenk tried to stand but Aurelio was on him in a flash.
“Please…..you’re making a terrible mistake!” Schwenk groaned.
“No….I don’t think so.” Aurelio lifted his boot up and was about to bring it down on Schwenk’s head, when a chair exploded over the back of his head. He wobbled briefly, then crashed to the floor, Schwenk rolling out of his way just in time.
He saw Lani standing with the remains of the chair in her hand.
“Lucky he likes you!” she said casually. Lani reached down and lifted Schwenk to his feet with one hand, she was physically very strong.
“Thanks for that” Schwenk said, brushing himself down. Lani slammed Schwenk against the wall, claws out and she had a murderous look in her eye.
“You need to be very, very honest with me Gaston!”
“What are you doing?” Schwenk sounded worried.
“People don’t get this sort of visit from Aurelio for no reason!”
“I don’t know what he….wait, how do you know?”
“He’s my brother” she replied flatly. Schwenk was speechless for a moment.
“You never said…..”
“Why should I? You didn’t ask” Schwenk tried to move away from the wall, Lani pushed him back. “Don’t move!”
“Lani….what’s all this about?”
“You tell me what’s going on…then we can be civil again”
“I don’t know…he just jumped me….”
Lani grabbed his throat and traced small lines on his neck with her claws.
“Don’t lie to me Gaston….you’re not so good as you think you are”
“OK…OK” Schwenk panted, he was more scared of Lani than Aurelio “I took something from the job last night…” Lani wheeled around, arms in the air.
“Gaston! You fool! No wonder Gaius and Aurelio are after blood….hell” Aurelio started stirring and groaning.
“Erm….what are we going to do about him?” Schwenk asked nervously.
“I’ll cover for you…but don’t think for a moment this problem will go away, I know my brother very well and you’re a marked man!”
“Great! What am I going to do? Death wasn’t part of my career plan”
“As I said, I’ll cover for you…and you need to get rid of that ‘object’ damn smartish, and no, I don’t mean hide it somewhere else!”
“But Lani….it’s my nest-egg!”
“OK, fine…I’ll get you to explain to Aurelio that you’re going to retire….I’m sure he’ll give you a lovely send off.” She said sarcastically.
“Right….fine…I’ll ditch it….but there is no way he saw me with that object…no way whatsoever….I’ve been set up”
Aurelio got to his feet and rubbed the back of his head. He saw Schwenk and growled, and made his way over.
“Oh no you don’t!” Lani placed a finger on the chest of Aurelio and he stopped. “You’re not smashing up my business for your pleasure.”
“Then let me take it outside” Aurelio replied, never letting his gaze leave Schwenk.
“Aurelio, you’ve been misinformed….Gaston is no thief. Did you see him with anything with your own eyes?”
“Well…no, but…..”
“No ‘buts’…..what were your orders from Gaius?”
“To kill him!” he roared.
“No they weren’t!” Schwenk protested “They were to take whatever steps necessary to ensure the integrity of the company….those orders are now in his stomach”
“Where you should be cheap meat!!” Aurelio replied. Lani then slapped Aurelio on the cheek, an action that took Schwenk and Aurelio by surprise.
“Gaston is my friend and you would do well to remember that brother! You don’t have to like him, but in my establishment you treat him with respect and you be polite!”
“But…” Aurelio saw the fire in his sisters eyes “fine!” he scowled.
“Now go downstairs and help yourself to the food in the kitchen. Then go back to Gaius and tell him the integrity of the business is fine and the matter has been dealt with.”
Aurelio stormed out of the room and slammed the door.
“Thanks” Schwenk said weakly
“Hmm, I should think so too” Lani sounded less than impressed.
“Can I give you the object so you can get rid?” Schwenk asked
“No!!! No you cannot….you sort out your own problems!” she snarled.
“OK…sorry, I was only asking” Schwenk hung his head. Lani regretted her snapping at him.
“I’m sorry Gaston, I didn’t mean to get nasty. We are friends, I meant what I said to Aurelio. You’ve done a bloody stupid thing, but you know that anyway.” Lani put her arms around her and squeezed him tight. Schwenk felt a lot better for that.
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Of Cats and Men