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This is a Roundabout project that somehow I got into. I'm sure Crownedclown13 will be kicking himself after reading this, unless he's already too sore from doing so.

This is the third part, so you have to read:

http://www.sofurry.com/page/276553/user

Followed by:

http://www.sofurry.com/page/279061

Then you can read what I wrote.

I figured a story needs an antagonist, or two.

***********************************

Luka yawned widely, his massive canines gleaming in the morning light. He had been watching the beach house most of the night from the cramped quarters of the Mercedes. He was tired. The caffeine from the three energy drinks he had earlier had long since faded. He wanted to close his eyes for a moment, but he knew if he did that he would drift off. The first rays of the sun beating down on the black truck didn't help matters. The ursine turned the key in the ignition. The finely tuned German engine came to life effortlessly. He set the air conditioning on as high as it would go. Maybe a little cool air would perk him up.

Luka shifted uncomfortably in the seat. His knees jammed against the dashboard. The sport utility vehicle was the most spacious he could find, but he still felt like he was shoehorned into it. Very few vehicles were capable of supporting his five-hundred pound frame. For all the so-called "equality" that gets touted, cars were still made to suit the average human. He knew a guy who did automobile modifications especially for furries, but didn't have an opening for another week. Until then Luka would have to suffer.

He picked up the large binoculars off the passenger seat and scanned the house again. He couldn't make out any movement. Unlike casing a house at night, where one can clearly see lights and shadows and even make positive identifications through windows that don't have shades drawn, the sunlight steals the ability to see though windows. They hadn't left. That much he was sure. From his position he could see both the front and back porch. The human didn't look like he was in much shape to go anywhere anyway considering the tiger had practically carried him into the house around midnight.

"Papa Bear," A feminine voice came through the earpiece of his two-way, "You're about to have some company." Luka looked in his rear view mirror. A police cruiser that had passed him several minutes ago was pulling back around the bend. He picked up the scrambler style radio. They were illegal in the states, but since the transmissions could only be picked up by another scrambler with a matching sequence code, they were more secure then a normal walkie talkie or cell phone. He pressed the button.

"I am seeing him, Mama Bear." He spoke in a thick Russian accent with a voice that seemed to be carved from stone. The cruiser turned on its lights as it pulled up behind him, the siren yelped once to make its presence known.

"Ugh! I told you not to call me that!" The voice insisted, "Listen, I don't know if this one is on the take, but give him the card anyway. We don't need any trouble so if that doesn't work just do whatever he asks. You can reposition if you need to. Just be polite."

"I am always being on my best behavior." He told her.

"No, Luka, I'm serio-" He clicked off the radio and didn't hear the rest of her plea. He loved to tease her. She was a bit high strung and needed to relax more anyway. He blew a kiss towards the upper ridge line where she was set up with the telescope. He couldn't see her from where he was, but he knew she could see him.

The officer stepped out of the car after a moment. He adjusted his military style hat as he approached Luka's truck, pulling it low for a more intimidating presence. The ursine smiled to himself. It took more then a few cheap wardrobe tricks for him to give a human any respect. The officer tried to look through the rear windows into the vehicle as he walked up, but the tint was too dark to see through. When the police officer reached the drivers window Luka could tell that he tried his best not to be startled by the mass of grizzled brown fur wearing a suit and stuffed in the driver's seat, but he didn't quite manage it.

"Good morning, svin'ya." Luka grumbled as he rolled down the window, he glanced at the name tag. Sallantino was emblazoned on it. "How may I be of helping you?"

Officer Sallantino regained his composure. "Sir, are you aware that there is no parking allowed on this road?" It was a ridiculous question, there was a 'no parking' sign posted every twenty feet. There was one right next to the Mercedes. Luka was amazed that this was the first police officer to notice him there, but the shoulder of that ridge road was the best place for miles to observe the beach house without being made by it's occupants.

"No, svin'ya, I am not being aware of that," Luka decided to play dumb, "But I am not parking, engine is running."

"Be that as it may, sir, your vehicle can't be here. It poses a hazard to the other drivers." Sallantino told him. It was a line of bullshit. The speed limit was a mere twenty-five miles per hour, and the shoulder was more then wide enough to accommodate the SUV without impeding traffic. The 'no parking' signs had been put up due to a petition by the local homeowners who wanted to keep the beach as much to themselves as possible.

"I would not wanting to be a hazard," Luka said as he turned the ignition off on the car, "But it seems I have just running out of gas."

The officer blinked at him, unamused. Sallantino stepped back from the truck a bit and motioned to the ursine, "Step out of the vehicle, sir."

"Of course, svin'ya, of course. I am wanting to stretch my legs anyway." Luka swung open the door and went though the agonizing steps of squeezing his huge body through the opening. The suspension of the Mercedes seemed to sigh in relief as it rebounded from his quarter ton weight being lifted off. Luka stood up to his full height of nearly eight feet and brushed himself off, flattening the creases of his suit coat. Officer Sallantino stepped back and put his hand on the butt of his pistol. The ursine smiled at him. Even if he hadn't been wearing a bullet-proof vest it was unlikely that the 9mm would be able to stop him if he so chose to attack. "Are you wanting my license now?"

"Close the door and step to the front of the vehicle, sir." The police officer insisted.

Luka opened the left side of his coat, "But I am having my license right here." A gun harness was now clearly visible, as well as the wooden grip of his revolver.

Officer Sallantino's reaction was almost immediate. Dropping to a combat stance and drawing his pistol. "Keep your hands away from your body!" He shouted, keeping his finger from the trigger and the gun pointed low.

Luka acted as if he couldn't hear him, "Right in my pocket here," His right paw slowly moving up to his left side.

"Sir! I will be forced to shoot you if you don't comply! Keep your hand away from the gun!" Sallantino raised the pistol and moved his trigger finger to a firing position.

Luka's paw moved fast, but didn't reach for the revolver, he snatched a white business card out of his breast pocket between two of his three inch claws. There was a sharp "clink" from the officers pistol as the hammer dropped. Nothing happened. Sallantino had forgotten to release the safety. Luka had picked up on the error and decided to push the officer all the way without fear of being shot.

The ursine held up the card. "I am thinking you are wanting this." He told the officer.

Sallantino kept the gun on Luka. "Set it on the hood and back away." This time Luka did as he was told. The officer moved forward cautiously and picked up the card. It was blank, but there was a raised impression on it. A hammer with a serpent coiled around it. Sallantino looked at the ursine suspiciously for a moment. Then he slipped the card into his pocket and holstered his pistol.

"Have yourself a nice day, sir." He said with a slight nod and returned to his patrol vehicle. The bear heard him mutter, "Asshole." As he slipped into the cruiser.

"You having a nice day too, svin'ya." Luka called with a wave as the police car glided past him. Officer Sallantino flipped him the bird as he drove off. Luka only laughed.

Luka turned the two-way back on. He didn't have time to say anything before he heard his partner shrilling in his ear.

"You are such a fucking cub! Do you have any idea how close I came to shooting him?"

"I am thinking not close enough, is still alive." Luka quipped.

"You are so lucky that there isn't much traffic this early on a Sunday morning. That could have turned ugly, how did you know he was one of ours?"

Luka had heard the name 'Sallantino' before, and knew there were actually several police officers in that family. They were all crooked. He wasn't about to tell her that. Not when he could tease her some more. "His name sounded like Italian, so I am thinking he is bad cop." He told her. Her family was largely from Italy, so that should get under her skin.

"Oh, I'm not even talking to you anymore, you're an asshole!" She pouted.

"Do not say that, dorogaya. I am loving you even though you are Italian." He chuckled to himself, but she didn't reply.

"Mama Bear?" Still no reply.

"I make it up to you, Mama Bear." Luka promised.

She finally responded, "Right, the last time you 'make it up to me' I couldn't sit for a week."

"I will being gentle this time."

"I'll think about it, and stop calling me Mama Bear. I'm not even a bear, much less a-- Hold on. I'm getting some movement. Someone just opened a shade. Get your glasses on."

Play time was over.

Luka reached into the Mercedes and retrieved the binoculars. He leaned on the roof of the SUV to steady himself as he scoped the beach house. He couldn't see anything of interest, but that wasn't surprising. He had a view of the north side of the house, while his partner had the south. Luka was not a patient person, be he understood the necessity of this part of the job. Never go in unprepared, never get surprised.

After many long minutes he finally spied some movement in the kitchen. Someone was silhouetted by the large glass sliding door in the kitchen.

"I am seeing someone." Luka told his partner.

"The human or the tiger?"

"I am seeing tiger. Female tiger. There is third person in house."

"She must have already been there when they went in last night, probably sleeping. Give me a description."

"Seeing for yourself. She is coming out of back." The door opened and the tiger stepped out onto the deck.

"Krasivaya." Luka murmured to himself when he saw her full figure. She was young. Early twenties. She was wearing only a blue bikini bottom and a black sports top. Her orange and black stripes contrasted brightly in the sunlight. She was athletic and very well toned. She stood facing the ocean for a moment with her eyes closed, enjoying the sea breeze as it blew across the fur on her body. Her tail swishing slowly side to side.

"It's Asher's kid sister, Claudia Miles." The female voice over the radio informed him, "She must be staying with him for the summer break. She attends the University of Nevada, majoring in, surprise, surprise, business. Probably a bubblehead." Luka could hear her clattering keys on her laptop, "The last two summers she worked at a topless bar in Reno, guess that explains the boob job."

"I am thinking those are real." Luka said trying to focus the binoculars for a better view as Claudia put a hind paw on the rail of the deck to stretch her hamstring. She leaned forward, pressing the objects in question against her thigh.

"Cat's don't grow em that big, believe me, they're fake."

"You would be knowing." He said with a smirk.

"Hey! These are one-hundred percent home grown, Papa Bear." Luka had seen her naked on several occasions, he was well aware of the validity of her statement.

Luka caught a second silhouette in the kitchen. "I have Asher." He told his partner.

"Good, what's he doing?"

"He is coming to back door... he is opening door... is saying something to girl... she is not being happy about something."

"He brought home a sloppy drunk last night, I wouldn't be happy either."

Claudia turned away from Asher, ran down the steps of the patio and across the grassy dune towards the beach. Apparently Asher wasn't finished with the conversation and he followed her to the base of the steps. He was talking loud enough that Luka could almost make it out over a quarter mile away, if the wind had been right he probably could have. Claudia turned back once and said something dismissively to her brother, then proceeded to jog northward on the beach. Asher looked around with an embarrassed "what would the neighbors think" expression then returned to the house.

"I am not seeing him now." Luka said after Asher disappeared into the house.

"That's alright, we have a positive I.D on him. Let's stay a while longer. I'm getting hungry, and I have to pee, but I want to get some photos of the human. I couldn't get a clear picture of him last night. I don't have anyone in my files that match him so I don't think he's important, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions."

"He is, perhaps, a...uh...fling?" Luka offered.

"I don't know. Asher is bi, but picking up a stray drunk doesn't seem like his normal modus operandi." She paused for a moment, then she said sternly, "Luka! Stop watching the girl!"

Luka smiled. He was following Claudia with the binoculars as she passed on the beach below, jogging toward the jetty. Now that he's seen her run he was positive that they were real, "You are being jealous?"

"She's not our target."

"I am thinking we can be using her." He explained.

"Not in broad daylight. Maybe she can be a backup plan at best."

"You are becoming soft, Mama Bear." Luka chided.

"Just watch the house, Luka."

The ursine did as he was told. Eventually moving back into the air conditioned interior of the Mercedes. It was not terribly warm yet, but Luka still found the southern California weather to be uncomfortable. He didn't like being this far south, where you couldn't escape the heat, even the ocean water was balmy and useless this time of the year, but it's where the work was.

This was a more passive job then he or his partner were used to. In a way, far more dangerous. If their goal had been to send a simple message, "Mama Bear" could have easily taken Asher down when he appeared on the deck. Luka didn't know what Asher had done to scorn their financier, but whatever it was, their boss took it deeply personal. He wanted Asher alive so he could kill him with his own hands.

Luka flipped through the file folder on the passenger seat. It was the file with all the information they had on Asher. He was born in Newport, Wales, where he attended all his schooling up until high school. He studied martial arts feverishly as a child, earning his first black belt in judo at age twelve. He would later round out his studies with tai-kwan-do, tai-chi, and jiu-jitsu. After high-school he traveled to the United States on a student visa to attend Stanford University where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. Having earned his degree he returned to the British Isles and joined the army. His available service record was very thin. Where he was stationed, rank, etc, was all classified. This strongly indicated special forces, even though four years is a short stay for a spec op. After an honorable discharge from the military Asher returned to California and picked up a few odd jobs until he secured the finances to open his own business: Going the Miles Inc. A ridiculous name for a company that started as a bounty hunter service for bail bondsman. Later Asher would expand it to "collections" which was simply legalized strong arming. In the old days they called that a protection racket.

Taking him alive wouldn't be a simple task. Asher would be formidable, but then, so was Luka.

Finally, Asher reappeared in the kitchen. Making breakfast it appeared. Shortly afterward a third figure finally appeared.

"I am seeing the human now." Luka said into the radio, "And he is coming onto the back."

"These people couldn't be more accommodating if we asked them." The female voice said approvingly, "Maybe Asher will tie himself up for us."

"If wishes be chickens..." Luka said.

"If wishes were horses, Papa Bear. God, you're cute when you're stupid."

"You are thinking of my offer?" He said hopefully.

"Maybe."

Luka watched as the two ate breakfast on the patio, oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. Oblivious to the rifle that was inside of arms length of the most dangerous female sniper in the world. She could end them both easily, nobody would even hear the shot. No one would even know they were dead until Claudia returned to find them that way. They were lucky. This morning that sniper's weapon is only a camera.

"Wow, this guy must have a cast-iron liver." The female voice noted as the two stepped off the patio and began to jog. After a few steps the human stopped to pull off his socks and put them in his pockets. "Not exactly bright though. He'll be throwing up in the ocean in less then a mile."

"What we be doing now, Mama Bear?" Luka asked as he watched the pair jog past him in the same direction the female tiger had.

"I have some pictures I need to run through the database, I really have to pee now, so come pick me up."

"We doing it tonight?" Luka asked.

"Yeah, we'll pick up our heavy non-lethals and come back before dark to get the lay of the land. If everything works out we should have Asher bagged and tagged before midnight. Hit him hard hit him fast. Don't let him recover."

"No, we doing it tonight?" Luka emphasized.

"We're doing it as soon as you get me back to the hotel and let me pee. Then you're taking a nap, you're nodding like you're about to hibernate. I need you fresh since I'm counting on you to take down Asher."

"I am coming for you now, dorogaya." Luka smiled to himself as he put the Mercedes in gear. He happened to spot two tiny figures in his rear view jogging on the beach. One of them doubled over to puke on the beach.

It was a beautiful morning for a jog. He thought as he pulled off the shoulder and drove down the road.

***************************

Hmmmm... still no yiff. Something Ruth wrote left me with the impression that there were more people living in the house then just Asher, so I added his sister. Asher's job also sounded like it might lend itself to very dangerous enemies. "Mama Bear" is yet unnamed and described, but Luka seems to have taken a fancy to her.

I wasn't exactly wild about branching off like this and complicating the story, but when I tried to write about two guys jogging on the beach I about clawed my eyes out in boredom.

Translations:

Svin'ya = Pig

Dorogaya = Darling

Krasivaya = Beautiful