Drew's Trouble with Cats and Roaches

To all,

Due to the interest in this series, here is part 7. This chapter is about retribution and the future of the Pride.

Any aliens, real or imagined in this story are purely a construct of my twisted and warped mind. My attempts to enter a realm (writing), that has always eluded me, has been exciting. I hope you enjoy my continued tale of Drew Jr.

***

Part 7

"That is him. What would fill any creature with so much hate that they could just stab someone for fun?" asked Bob.

Drew stared at the dead huge human. What does it take to turn the hate so inward, that you enjoy killing with a knife? He had learned in training that knife work was personal. Not only did you see your enemy die, but you smelled them and heard them. You had them in your hands and could feel them shudder in pain and death. To enjoy that?

Drew did not answer Bob, but he knew a few people that were going to answer for it. He reached down and picked up the knife. Bob did not say a word but looked at Drew, looked at the knife and then back at Drew.

"That thing can only provide pain." Bob commented.

Drew huffing under the weight of his gear and Bob replied, "I am aware. Its who's pain that is in question."

He trudged through the woods and at Bobs direction found the hiding place of the sleds. He carefully placed Bob inside the canopy, slipped in next to him and tried to remember the codes and controls to fly.

Bob just looked at him sadly for a bit with his eyeballs floating. One was lower than the other due to loss of fluids, so he had a lopsided look. Finally, Drew heard the familiar 'Harrumph".

Drew looked at Bob, and Bob looked back. Bob stated "Home!" and the sled energized and levitated off the ground and started home. Bob said, "All Home!" and Drew looked out the canopy to see the other sleds lifting and following.

"I am going to sleep for a bit, but you really need to pay more attention when you are being taught things" Bob intoned.

Drew smiled at his odd friend and watched him turn a sold grey as he 'slept.' The flight home at treetop level, was filled with thoughts of Thing Two and Bob being injured and most of all the loss of Kay. He also began to get incredibly angry over the losses they had suffered because of an irritational human hatred for anything different.

There were people that were going to pay for this, and he was going to make sure it happened.

***

It was dark when Drew landed behind the work shed. He was met by medical personnel that carefully lifted Bob out of the skimmer and took him to medical.

He was informed, that all were gathered waiting on him at the glade. He straightened his shoulders trying to get that stress knot loose, but that was a waste of time. He walked around the shed and saw the glade lit by torches.

He wanted to take a shower.

He wanted to cry

He wanted to be anywhere else but here.

But he was Drew Scott, Lord Protector of the Pride. It was his fault she was dead. If he had had a backbone, he would have refused to let her come and she would be alive. But she was dead and he regretfully, was alive.

He had the responsibility to send her soul to the afterlife with honor, and he would do it because he owed her that much.

So as dirty and filthy as he was, with her blood still staining his clothes, he walked solemnly into the ring of torches. He knew the rites. He had helped perform them on that small planetoid where he became the Lord Protector.

They had already built the funeral pyre.

Kay was laid in honor, wrapped in white cloth with her arms crossed over her chest. He started to cry, but immediately felt Meme and Tiffany invade his mind and bolster him for the service.

Words and phrases reached him 'morn soon, honor first'. He looked out and saw his Dad seated and weeping. He wanted to, but he could not go comfort him now.

He straightened himself up and walked to the pyre and placed his hand on Kay's. Meme and Tiffany were at each of his shoulders. He quietly whispered. "Goodbye Mom Kay, we will miss you very much." It was meant only for Kay, but both Meme and Tiffany almost lost their composure when they heard the words and felt the emotions behind them.

The three turned and faced the Pride and Else.

"We are here to honor 87^54%4#4%#2@ Slut Warrior and Pride member. She died in the highest form of honor, in rescue and protection of the young of the Pride." Drew paused trying not to tear up.

"She loved this family and brought laughter to this family. This family we call the Pride."

"Kay gave her last measure devotion to the Pride. That term comes from a famous man that lived not far from here. He led a country through a bitter war. Those are his words to thank the warriors that gave their life for those they loved...Last measure of devotion."

Drew, Tiffany, and Meme took a torch and lit the fire. The pyre began to burn hotly so the three walked to the line of warriors surrounding the blaze. Beta's memory was formally passed to all the Pride. It was of Kay's last moments. Each could see the light in her eyes when she knew she was dying. They could see the smile and her determination to take her un-honorable enemy with her. The sound of the spoon popping free, the sound of her roar and her final resolve as she sunk her teeth into his neck."

A death fitting a warrior of the Pride.

Each of the warriors roared out an oath to her bravery and then shot an energy blast into the inferno. The blue energy of the weapons and the red of the fire combined to send her off. The fire and energy rose to the sky in a cyclone of vermilion.

In the distance a different tribute was offered, the wolves joined in the roaring. Their howling could be heard echoing through the hills. Drew knew deep down that somehow, they knew. Somehow, they too were paying tribute to a fallen warrior.

***

"My Lord, you need to rest," commented Meme.

"Not until I see Thing Two and Bob in medical," He paused when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He stopped and turned to Meme, "I promise as soon as I see them, I'll come to bed...I promise."

"Yes, my lord, I will be waiting." both queens turned and walked off into the darkened path.

Drew entered the lower level to medical. The nurses just bowed and left him to look at the healing tanks. Thing Two floated suspended in the middle of the tank. Her shoulder and left arm looked like raw meat. There was a cloud that seemed to obscure his vision. He knew of course it was the med nanites at work.

He felt a presence behind him and turned to find Thing One. She started to bow but he grabbed her and hugged her close. Hugging was a human thing, but she was ready and hugged back. She nuzzled him and began to lightly sob. They stood that way letting the pent-up emotions drain.

They stayed that way for quite a while, left alone by the nurses. Drew finally signaled that he needed to relax. They slid down on the cushions that had miraculously been slid over to them. Thank the gods for the nurses.

"So, you are ok? I was separated and haven't had a chance to check on anyone." Drew questioned looking into her eyes.

"Yes, my lord. Just worried for my sibling. She almost did not make the trip. If not for Elsa she may not have. If Tita had not killed the human, I would have torn him apart. He used special ammunition that exploded and shredded flesh. She may never gain full use of her arm again. We shall see. Elsa and the other doctors are hopeful." She paused looking at Two in the healing Tank.

"What are we to do with the prisoner my Lord," One asked.

"What prisoner?" Drew asked open mouthed and surprised.

"From what I understand from Tita, Two was delirious, but kept sending messages about the 'fat guard" as she was being evacuated. The fat human's scent is one from the wolves, one of the no-honor humans that stole the children. Tita had one of the other warriors get him and bring him along. He is being held at the end of hallway in the storeroom."

Drew was quiet, he knew what he had planned, but it was for Dick and a few unknown others. But to have one of the actual members of the team that stole the children in his hands...

'Well I wish we could have found the other one. The other one Wolves gave us the sent for." Drew commented

Drew turned and was shocked by the open-eyed look on One's face.

'What? What don't I know?" Drew asked.

"My apologies Lord, I thought you knew. The creature that Kay killed was the other. I forget that you cannot smell as we do. She was coated in the creature's blood and smell. The knife you brought back has his smell. She avenged his outrage against the Pride my Lord. She will always be remembered as what you will call a saint amongst us."

Drew leaned back against the adjacent medical equipment and began to cry again.

"I am sorry my Lord I did not mean to upset you"

"It's not you, I am just overwhelmed now and need to sleep. I am going to look at the nursery and then I made a promise to go to bed. De-brief will be all morning." Drew got up to leave and then realized he had walked right past Bob in a smaller children's tank floating and healing. He looked at the nurse and she sent him an incredibly soft, kindly mental note that Bob was doing very well.

***

Dick awoke with a start. He was laying on his side on hard concrete and all the muscles and bones in his body ached. He quickly realized that his hands were tied behind his back and he was black hooded. He heard other movements, shuffling, sniffling, and moaning.

"Hello? What is going on, why are my hands tied? Hello?"

"Dick, Dick is that you?" Another voice questioned from the room.

"Yes, who is talking? I can't see I am hooded," responded Dick.

"It's Jim Aramis, what the fuck is going on?"

"Oww, oh fuck what is all the noise and why am I tied up?" a third voice rang out questioning.

"Rob? Rob Ostrand? Its Jim, what the fuck is going on?

At that moment, all the hooded parties heard a metal door being unlocked and finally creaking open.

They became silent waiting on answers.

Dicks hood was yanked off and he squirted in the suddenly bright light of the storeroom.

"Well good morning gentlemen, I hope you had a nice nap. It's going to be a busy day." Drew commented as he continued to remove the hoods from the restrained prisoners. While Drew wanted to be flippant and enjoy this time with his prisoners, the pain they subjected his family to, caused him to pick words that would intone his enjoyment, but his voice came out flat, hard and lethal.

"You!" commented Dick, 'You filthy, alien-breeding, half-breed, let us loose!"

"Do you know who I am? Do you know what they will do to you when they find me missing?" replied an exasperated Jim Aramis.

Drew crouched down and pulled the hood from the last of the prisoners.

"Mr. Ostrand? Nothing from you? No, I did not think so." Drew paused looking at the steady hate coming from the large, well-built man.

Drew straightened up and looked back at Jim Aramis.

'To answer your question, they will do nothing. You all just vanished. Three days ago, to be exact." Drew paused again, looking back into Ostrand's malevolent eyes.

"But to be more understanding of your position in the community Mr. Aramis, Yes, I know who you are. That is why you are here. You have been funding these hate groups, well you and Mr. Ostrand. Not out of religious or fanatical belief, but because it's good for business. You have paid good money for trolls to whip up anti-alien sentiment worldwide. And done while falsely cheering my Dads and my fight to Save earth, with two aliens by the way."

"That is ridiculous, I have done no such thing. You need to let me go right now. My people will be looking for me" Aramis blustered.

"Oh, as of today, leaks are hitting the outside world, with proof of your endeavors. You have been quite busy funding the hate, stealing from your partners, odd profits you were reaping, etc., etc., etc." Drew smiled and continued, "And yes, there have been people by to ask some questions. Mostly about that little issue in the forest. And did we know anything about some dust up at an old military base." Drew continued to smile and crouched back down.

"Yes, proof of your miss-deeds are being released with backup. You have spent a lot of money, time, and energy stirring up things Mr. Aramis. And the personal affairs Mr. Aramis? When do you find the time to fuck all those others men's trophy wives? I assume because you are good friends, Mr. Ostrand gave you permission to fuck his wife? The video is quite nice. And in the ass too?" Drew finished and saw the deadly look, shift to Aramis.

Drew did a little 'Bob Harrumph' to get Ostrand's attention back from Aramis.

"I met your brother Ostrand, at least the DNA says he was your brother. He seemed a bit under the weather when I saw him, well a little bit dead really."

Ostrand took that moment to try and strike out with his bound feet, missing Drew by millimeters. One of the cat guards stepped in, but Drew just waived her off.

"You Mr. Ostrand are the most dangerous of this silly little group of rich playboys. And your leisure time activities are not much to brag about. Did you know that your brother kept video of the rape and snuff activities you both participated in?" Drew ended while still staring into Ostrand's eyes. He tried to kick Drews legs out again, but Drew could 'see' it coming.

"Now, now Mr. Ostrand, there will be plenty of time for that today. We are going to play a little game. It is a takeoff from a movie made almost a 100 years ago. It is called 'the naked prey." It's about a bunch of white folk that insult the natives, one is kept alive but is given an opportunity to survive. He must get out of the native territory before he is recaptured or killed."

Drew paused remembering kissing 'Two' as she was pulled from the tank. He remembering Bob coming out of his healing tank. And most of all, remembering Kay, her last moments in the arms of the other Mr. Ostrand and her body on the pyre.

"Gentlemen, there will be no lawyers, no court of law, no appeals. Only the will of fate or whatever deity you believe in. I need to tell you something and you need to promise not to tell if you make it to the end of the gauntlet and live. Promise?" Drew paused not waiting for commentary,

"Dick, you will be especially interested in this. Something happened while I was first with the Cats. A treatment I was forced to endure. It gave me my growth spurt, my eyes and most of all, it gave me a version of the psychic connection the Cats have. But my DNA caused mine to be a bit different. I cannot truly read minds, but I get enough feedback to know things". Drew paused again.

"And you gentlemen, are as deep and dirty as you can be in this whole mess. So, can we please refrain from lying to each other? I make you a personal promise, if you survive the gauntlet, you will go free. If not...well let's say there is a true circle of life."

Ostrand had been quiet long enough, "What gives you the right? This is earth and you and the other disgusting aliens should be thrown off. We pure humans have the right to decide. So, I ask again, what gives you the right?"

Drew pondered the question and then began, "I take the right, because without my father, two aliens and me, you would be dead. All of you 'pure humans' would be dead. And Mr. Ostrand, You are no longer a 'pure human'. Inside that chest of yours, alien technology keeps that black, evil heart beating."

Drew had paused again trying to gather his words and keep his anger in check, "But most of all, I take the right of sanctuary. All we wanted to do is live our lives and watch our children grow, in peace. You kidnapped our children and threatened our lives, and now you are here to pay for that transgression."

Drew just stopped talking. He turned to leave but added one more comment at the door.

"Food and drink will be brought to you. If you lash out at the Cats, they will lash back. Mr. Ostrand. You are a big man, trained by the military to kill. You and your brother were at the top of the predator chain, but no longer. You need to all behave, because if you try and strike back, you will only last a few seconds with one of the adult Cats. Save your energy for the gauntlet."

***

The prisoners were unceremoniously dumped in the grass of glade, one of the cat warriors cutting their bonds with an easy swipe of her claws. There was a security perimeter of armed cats, very visible. In the center of the perimeter was a group the 6 younglings and Alexander milling about agitated.

"Ok gentlemen, get loosened up, 10 minutes until game time." Drew said with too much enjoyment.

"What am I doing here? I was just a soldier following orders. I am not a boss like these guys," said the fat non-named mercenary.

"You landed here, in this glade, at night, in stealth, moved across our border, through our land and captured our children. You set up a kill zone that would have decimated the whole Pride. Then killed two wolves for sport on your way out. You wonder why you are here? Shut up and hope you make it through the game." Drew responded.

"What happens if we refuse to play the game? Will you just kill us in cold blood?" Aramis questioned.

"Aw, well. Let me introduce you and Mr. Ostrand to several members of the Pride. Dick is already familiar with these two. I am pleased to present you to our beautiful Queen Tiffany, fresh from delivering 6 new cubs for the Pride. She bore 3 out of the 6 you kidnapped." Tiffany just stood still and angrily stared at the men. "And this female warrior is Thing One, whose twin sister is still healing from battle injuries obtained while rescuing the younglings." Drew paused again, sweeping his hand at the growling younglings.

"So, the answer is yes. I will have absolutely no issue in letting these two avenge the one we lost and the ones that were hurt. If you decide not to play our little game, I walk away, and they own you." Drew again responded in a flat emotionless tone.

"Let's discuss the rules of our game, shall we? See that cell tower blinking on the ridge?" Drew paused to point at the location. "it is really simple and straight forward, touch the tower and you are free. Its approximately 9 klicks or 5.6 miles to the base." Drew paused again looking at the prisoners.

"We will provide you a ½ hour head start. At a 6-minute mile, you end the game almost before we begin." Drew ended smiling.

"That's all bullshit. Its uphill, on rough terrain with rough trails if there are any." Ostrand commented. "And then you are going to have these alien furballs run us down? They are not cheetahs, but they will run us down in the first or second mile. Why should we?"

"Well, because the Big cats are not going to be chasing you, only the younglings. Of course, I cannot speak for any local flora and fauna that may want to look at you like steak on the hoof."

"Local flora and fauna, what the hell is that?" asked the no-name mercenary.

"Coyotes, bob cats, puma, snakes, spiders or wolves...normal woodland creatures." responded Drew.

"None of the adult warriors will be directly involved in chasing you down. They may be around for herding you or chasing you down if you decide to make a break for it. That will mean automatic disqualification from the game. Which equates to instant death, Mr. Ostrand. And of course, we have a shuttle above us to keep track of you."

"So, are we ready gentlemen?" Drew queried.

Dick finally spoke up, "This is ridiculous. I am a representative of the Northern Alliance. You just cannot kill me. It could mean war against your aliens."

"Dick, you were the hardest for me to deal with. Loyalty and Trust are a hallmark in the Pride. You lived among us, you were allowed access to the nursery, one of our most precious areas. And how did you repay us? By taking out our security and being there as the younglings were kidnapped." The anger started to well up in Drew, but he felt Tiffany beside him and Meme in the shuttle above, calming him.