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Chapter Nineteen

"Lookin In"

By

Furry Sith Lord

Will sat on the sidewalk of the motel smoking and he rubbed the cigarette tip on the ground to snuff it out as the doberman approached him. He put it back in his pack and stood adjusting his suit to look presentable.

He took the money Lou sent and bought a couple of suits at a nearby thrift store. He was grateful the package had not been intercepted because the amount the deer sent was sizable and he could have bought really expensive ones but that was not his style. He knew he had to be true to himself.

He was wearing a light brown coat and pants but the shirt was a deep royal blue and no tie. He really liked the combination when the old clerk suggested it to him. The doberman wore a far different suit that was very expensive and Will could tell it was a Buck Brother's. It was a dark blue but the color was not as attractive as his shirt, Will thought to himself. His shirt was bright white and he had a black tie.

"Looking good my friend," The doberman said and put his arm across his shoulder and gave him a look as Will trembled as he was touched.

"Sorry, when I was a cub my daddy would beat me when he got drunk. I kinda react when I'm touched. It's nothing personal." Will said and the doberman lowered his arm.

"No problem, So are you ready for your first day?"

"No, honestly I have no idea what I'm doing, or should be doing, or what's going on." Will complained.

"Stick close to me kid and I'll walk you through it." The doberman led him to a soda machine and showed him a secret panel on the side and by inserting his card it opened a secret door to a set of stairs leading downward. At the end there was a small room that had a female hawk sitting at a desk observing a computer. Near her by the wall an armed Bull Terrier leaned watching them while he wore a guards uniform. Will noticed that the hawk had put her arm under the desk and figured she was reaching for a gun.

"Gentlemen, please identify yourselves." She ordered them sternly. Will heard the doberman whisper to him to relax and he took out his ID and showed it to her then identified himself.

"Good you see you, sir. Is that your guest?" She asked and eyed him as if she were observing a deadly viper. Will took out his ID and showed her then identified himself in almost the same manner as the doberman had.

"He'll be joining us as a consultant, temporarily." The doberman added for emphasis.

"Welcome, please remember the rules will be strictly enforced at all times. Make sure you are accompanied by your escort and remain in the areas you have been assigned clearance.

You will be monitored by our cameras at all times and any breaches of protocol could possibly lead to legal actions with penalties up to and not limited to 20 years in a federal penitentiary.

Welcome to the C.I.Z.A." she said and finally smiled at him as she finished. She then pressed a button next to her computer and another secret door opened and the doberman led the way.

"Are you guys for real?" Will asked and the doberman laughed.

"We take security pretty tight here but don't worry you'll get used to it." he replied, then they walked down a corridor that made Will feel like he was in school again. Everything was plain, clean, and sterile. Nothing to show any scrap of friendliness or anything to make this a pleasant work environment. Even the agents walking around had a serious look on their faces that he really questioned what had the deer gotten him into.

He was led to a conference room that was again lifeless and plain but a few televisions were set up and agents waited patiently for the briefing to begin. When they entered a couple of the agents mumbled a greeting to the doberman but he was relatively ignored. One thing that seemed very unusual was the fact that most of the agents were canines and only a few were different species other than canine.

He must be the only feline here and he could feel the centuries old hatred between felines and canines coming through as the dogs observed him without showing that they were. He could detect their glares, because one thing his job impressed upon him was that he needed to be very perceptive in order to keep his clients safe.

"Good morning everyone," The doberman began as the rest of the agents arrived and sat in desks the way police officers did at their morning briefings. There were several more bits of the agents mumbling and the doberman paused briefly then continued.

"We have a big day ahead of us so everyone listen up. Will will be joining us as a consultant. Our agent is currently getting groomed to make him look like the White Fox again. Tonight we sent him and Team Teal out to advertise that the White Fox has escaped police custody.

Following the breakout Will will be appearing on news claiming the fox killed someone, we haven't figured out who would get more sympathy, then claim vengeance and begin his own manhunt for the fox."

"The public are sucks for stories of children dying. If we say it was his cub or baby brother the public will rally behind his cause. There will even be a big push of donations to support his hunt for the White Fox." A German Shepherd replied as he tapped a pen against the notebook in front of him.

"That's a good idea, Larry. Why don't you start up a GoTreats me page to stand b y and collect the donations they public will throw at him." The doberman replied then turned back to Will. "What will it be? Your son or little brother dies?"

"Why not my whole family! I'm sure I can dig up a picture of me as a cub and we can have the news focus on showing that picture so it stays burned into the minds of the simpletons watching the news." Will said and there were several that agreed as they murmured.

"CFN will be a likely choice to spread the story we want. Donnie the Head Lemon is very obedient and will tell the public what we want them to think and feel about the story. Then he'll cry outrage and tell how this poor innocent tiger has lost everything because of an evil white animal trying to break families apart." An Irish Setter replied.

"Sure, he now has to bury his mother, father, and little brother and no tiger should be forced to do that." The German Shepherd quoted as if preparing a headline for a newspaper.

"Can we organize a protest against the White Citadel?! This should definitely get their attention. They'll send operatives to make contact with the White Fox and if nothing else to silence him from giving them a bad rep." The doberman said, smiling.

"Already in the process, sir." The female skunk remarked as she was jotting notes on a pad she held.

"Simon, I want a team prepared to extract those cubs. I want them by the end of the week!" The doberman shouted and he saw the agent making notes then he took out his phone and started texting someone.

Will wrote on a pad he was given but he used the code Lou had given him so ultimately it looked like what he was planning to eat for lunch. He added a few things like get a picture of him as a cub for the media to display. Only his family would know the truth but since he never spoke to them he wondered how to keep them quiet for a while.

"Obviously my parents will know the whole thing is bunk. Is there a way to keep them quiet about the whole thing? It's just that we stopped speaking to each other a long time ago." Will mentioned.

"Gele?" The doberman asked.

"On it sir." She again replied without looking up from her pad.

"Sir, I can have a team ready for extraction for Friday night." the agent named Simon said as he finally stopped typing on his phone. Will made a mental note in order to tell the deer later on and wondered if he was the type to have a special panic room set up unless he had already devised an escape plan in case of invasion.

"Excellent. I'll await your report of their capture then." The doberman said as he rubbed his paws together. Will seemed uninterested and he just looked around at the others and made a mental note of their reactions.

"Anything else?" The doberman asked and the room fell silent with a couple of the agents shaking their heads. "OK, dismissed." The agents rose and gathered their stuff while Will just sat there wondering what he was supposed to do now. When the room emptied the doberman approached him.

"That was interesting," Will remarked and the dog smiled at him.

"Usually not this exciting but this is a major operation we're about to unfold and we must make sure it runs like clockwork."

"So what do I do now?" Will asked.

"Our agent will convince the police that the White Fox escaped and tomorrow we'll send a news crew to your place so you can deliver the lines I'll send you. Check your emails tonight and you'll find a script from me that I want you to practice. You have to appear as if you are actually saying the words and not merely reading them. Wear a suit and look resplendent for the news crew. If you look like a homeless one then your credibility will be shot and you'll ruin our whole operation. I'm serious! Just realize that if you blow this it will put me in an awkward situation because I approved of you working for us."

"Relax, I took drama in school so I'm not clueless when it comes to being in front of an audience." He said and wanted to kick himself because he suddenly wondered if he fell into a trap the deer warned him about. The dog may now know that he's a good actor and question how he's been behaving.

"You star in any plays?"

"Na, always supporting cast. I wasn't one of the drama teacher's favorites so I never had any good roles. Just like one or two lines then I stand there like a statue." Will replied truthfully and even he was surprised how honest he was being.

"Tough break but for once it looks like you have the role of a lifetime." The doberman said.

"Wow, now that I think of it I can't even remember his name, the teacher that is. He was a fox that thought too much of himself and I'd love to shove his nose in it at how good I'm gonna do tomorrow." Will said mostly to himself although the doberman was listening.

"That's the spirit," the doberman laughed.

"Brian, I think his name was Brian but it wasn't too artsy-fartsy enough and wanted to b e called something like Bryeyun or some such nonsense." Will continued and the doberman lightly gripped his arm and led him back towards the entrance. Will let himself be led and he appeared lost in thought but in actuality he was memorizing the surroundings.

"Which reminds me," Will said as if he suddenly had a moment of clarity and finally stopped talking to himself. "That agent that looks like the White Fox, what is his name? He has one right, I mean a real name or is he forever to be known as fox." Will asked and the doberman let out a soft growl then answered him.

"His name is Marrin."

"Thank you for the information." Lou replied into his special phone that he had special ordered for Will and himself. Will was calling to tell him about the plan to invade the mansion on Friday.

"Just be careful, right now I'm going over the script he gave me for the newscast tomorrow. Tonight the White Fox escapes and kills my family in the process." Will told him.

Lou was naked in a bathtub relaxing as the humidity was still bothering him. The Air Conditioning had yet to be repaired no matter how many contractors he called to get the mansion serviced. Even the cubs were having a hard time and unlike him with just his pelt, they had fur which made things worse.

When he got home he found them sitting back to back in their underwear sound asleep. They looked so cute he quickly took a picture then went to his room to strip off his suit before the sweat dripping off him permanently stained it. He settled on a bath to help him relax and cool off.

He was almost sound asleep when Will called telling him about the supposed invasion this Friday. Lou was skeptical that they would reveal this much to an outsider on the first day. He guessed it was more of a test to see if they could catch him leaking Intel to him. Lou was glad he had thought to get them special phones, the C.I.Z.A. didn't know about, and could trace their calls to each other.

"I doubt the team they are sending in is real. I think it's a test to see if they can trust you. I have plans in case someone tries to invade but I doubt I'll have to use them, at least not on this Friday. Either the day before or sometime after but Friday I can guarantee will not be the day they come after us."

"Hope you're right," Will remarked.

"The big question is do I have to ask you about the invasion because if you do, it might be suspicious that you asked. However if you don't ask it might be suspicious as if you were already told the outcome. I'll have to consider this very carefully." Lou replied.

"Whatever," Will replied, already bored with the conversation. The maid walked in and Lou turned and smiled at her then held up a finger gesturing to her to wait so he could finish his call. He was surprised at how calm he was as he sat there naked in just the water. He had not bothered to add any soap to make bubbles, he only wanted to sit in the cool water.

He even surprised himself that he had not flinched when she entered without knocking and he sat there in only his pelt and was not embarrassed that his member was visible to her. As he quickly thought about it she could enter wearing only her feathers and he wouldn't think a single thing of it. She had become part of the family before they even realized it.

"I'll talk to you later," Lou said and he ended the call.

"Excuse me sir, but I put the little ones to bed. They were so cute being tuckered out on the sofa that I carried them and tucked them in, so to speak."

"Thank you, The heat must have really gotten to them." Lou replied.

"They were swimming all day so it was no wonder they couldn't keep their eyes open. They called some of their playmates over and the group had a good ol' time swimming and splashing about. You know they have a good group of friends that don't judge them because of their fur color.

I sat back and watched making sure no one got hurt and as I watched them together it gave me hope for the future. When the next generation steps up I think species will no longer be judged by fur color but all but all colors will be treated equally." She said and Lou smiled to himself.

"I would love that more than anything!" he replied. His thoughts quickly shifted and his mood changed to sadness. He had received a letter today and it was something he was not expecting.

"You alright sir?"

"I don't know if you figured it out yet but my husband has been captured and is being held against his will."

"I know it sounds ill of me but I'm so glad to hear that. I was afraid something really serious had happened and that any day I was going to b e told about his funeral."

"This is where things go bad though. They sent a ransom note saying that I am to give the cubs to them or they will kill Leggo. I can't tell you how scared I am right now because I can't give my sons up but if I don't then my husband dies. I don't know what to do." he said and he was on the verge of tears. Normally it was a weakness he could not afford to show but it was a burden he was tired of carrying alone.

He knew he would never turn the cubs over to them and it meant he was sacrificing Leggo. The thought was eating him up inside because he had to face facts that there was a chance his plans would fail and he would be forced to choose. He also knew Leggo would approve his decision to pick the cubs over him but his stomach felt like it turned to water over the thought of it.

He was delaying things as best he could while he set his plans in motion but everyday he was afraid he would come home to a package that held his husband's head lying lifeless inside of it or some other mutilated body part to encourage him that they meant business. He was not sure what ends the C.I.Z.A. would go to in order to get their paws on the cubs.

He was also taking a big gamble that hopefully they had spread themselves thin between this plots of the news being used to attract the White Citadel's attention, the supposed invasion of his mansion, causing the Fake White Fox to escape, and lastly keeping Will fed with misinformation in case they figured out he was a double agent.

"I know you sir, and you ain't no fool! I was working when your daddy was alive and he raised you to be smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies. You got this and when it's over I have faith in you that when it's all over and done that you, that dumb wolf, those charming boys, and myself will be sitting and drinking a big glass of lemon aid." She remarked and began to rub his head like when he was a little fawn then he heard her mumble that his antlers had grown back.

"Thank you." He replied weakly as he wiped his eyes.

"Now be a deer and put some decent clothes on are you sleepin' in that thing?" She mocked trying to sound as if she were scolding him but he could hear the amusement in her voice.

The next morning father was rushing to finish eating so he could go to his office, his air conditioned office, to escape the humidity. We were slowly munching on our breakfast with our underpants and sleeveless undershirts soaked with sweat with it sticking to our fur. The maid had said the repair guy was coming today and we could not wait!

"Father, can I get permission for something?" Lyon asked and we both turned to look at him surprised he had spoken up. He'd been quiet most of the time since dad had been captured. I'm not sure if he knew what was going on but my oath prevented me from telling him anything no matter how much I wanted to reassure him.

"What is it, Lyon?" Our father was intrigued and even I wondered what he wanted.

"Well my friend Dash and I were wondering if he could have permission to sleep over." Lyon asked with his ears bent low. I smelled nervousness, and sweat, on him

"Who is Dash?" Our father asked.

"Well it's not his real name but we nicknamed him that because he's a rabbit and he runs really fast. He's my best friend and when we're both on the same team we never lose." Lyon said as his face beamed with pride and the fear he had had vanished and was replaced with joy. I tried to think of who his friends were and couldn't remember who Dash was. It suddenly struck me that he had been right and I had been so busy with my online friends and playing video games that I was losing sight of my brother and his life.

I supposed if I started talking about DM127 and Sniper from when we teamed up in Howl of Duty he'd have no idea who they were either. I guessed we were growing up and we would never be side by side for our entire lives. I secretly reached under the table and grabbed his paw, which startled him and he looked at my paw then at me. I gave it a squeeze just to let him know that I loved him then I withdrew my paw from his.

"I don't see why not, it sounds like a perfectly reasonable idea." Father replied after thinking it over. "Just get his parent's permission and we'll set something up." The smell of disappointment returned as his ears lowered again. Even father noticed and he raised an eyebrow wondering.

"Never mind then." he said glumly.

"Is there a problem?" Father asked.

"His mom hates me cuz I'm white. She says I'm an abomination!" Our father suddenly silenced us as he banged his fist against the table in anger.

"Small minded twit." he replied under his breath and he probably thought we couldn't hear him but us predators have great hearing and knew exactly what he said.

"Father," I replied weakly and he turned and looked at me and realized I heard him.

"Sorry guys but that kind of thing makes me really mad. I'll try and get a hold of his mother and smooth things out, but we can't allow him to sleep over without his mom's permission." Father replied and Lyon agreed but his ears remained lowered and his scent of sadness remained as he deemed it a lost cause.

"Good morning Bruce, I'm here with a victim of last night's break out when the White Fox escaped custody. Will Panthera- T received a call from the police and the hospital when it was revealed to him that his parents and little brother," A picture of a small Bengal tiger cub was displayed on the screen. The cub was wearing a baseball team outfit and he was holding a baseball bat as he waited for a pitch to be thrown towards him.

"They were murdered by the White Fox as he tried to steal their car and use it in his escape. Mr. Panthera- T my condolences on your loss." A female tuxedo cat reported as she held a microphone while speaking to a coyote cameraman as he filmed her. She then turned and pointed the microphone at Will. Will stood there wearing a nice dark brown suit, a white shirt and a black tie. He was crying as tears streamed down his face but only he knew that a special salve had been given him to place under his eyes to make him cry at will for the camera.

"Thank you," he replied and he made his mouth quiver as if he were really crying. He definitely looked the part of a son mourning the loss of his parents and a sibling.

"How are you feeling now?" She asked and it was a standard reporting question though Will always wondered how dumb a reporter must be to ask a animal that as they stood in front of then crying their eyes out.

"I used to believe the White Fox was a hero but what kind of hero kills an innocent family just to rob their car?" Will said as he began to recite the script the doberman had sent him. He had worked all night memorizing it for today's performance.

To Be Continued...