DISCLAIMER!!! Yes, I stole these characters from HB, even though I promised to give them back. I'm not going to!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! {gasp pant wheeze} What? They can *sue* me? Oh. Well, in that case, I guess I'll give 'em back. sigh. And here I was going to donate them to this ml. The cats--Kit, Dana & Colin--are mine, as are January & February Fiztgerald. Risk is up for grabs!

Lost in Shadows ch 8

There was a soft thump in the shadows before them, then another just after it. The third was almost noiseless.

Race pivoted on one foot, crouching to one knee just in front of Jessie, aiming his gun at whatever it was he couldn't see. A fur covered, muscular black leg stepped slowly out, claws ticking on the tile floor. Black bicycle shorts could be seen as the cat stepped away from the shadows. Wavy black hair was long, growing wildly over his shoulders. Big black hands curved into claws, sharp nails protruding from their points. Thick fur was on his arms, legs and chest. A long black tail was held just off the ground, the end twitching. Hard blue eyes and slightly pointed ears, with long whiskers, and fangs that could be seen in his silent snarl, made him look terrifying.

"Colin?" Jessie whispered, her eyes wide. She took a step forward, but Race held out an arm, stopping her.

"He's wearing a headband."

Jonny bit his lip. "Race, Risk, you guys can't kill him. You just can't."

Risk shot the boy a dirty look. "We know that, half-pint."

Jonny would've made a crack abut the fact that he was bigger then she was, but he was too worried.

From behind Colin came Dana, her lighter fur and smaller bones making her look less intimidating. Her fangs were smaller, as were her claws. Blue eyes were dull, as if she was tired. Her tail drooped, almost touching the floor several times. Slowly she looked around, flexing her claws and sniffing the air. Her long black hair fell over her shoulder as she bent low to reach behind her and claw at Kit, who was close on her heels.

Kit hissed and swiped back, purposefully missing her. Jessie cringed when she saw his face. Wild, not a trace of humanity at all. He crouched on the ground, body coiled tightly underneath him. Long black hair fell in his face, his bright yellow eyes with the slit pupils staring unblinking from between thick locks of hair. His teeth were sharp, fangs coming through lips even with his mouth closed. There was dried blood on his three inch long claws, and his four-toed, clawed feet were bare. Long muscles rippled underneath massively thick fur, his tail in the air above him twitching with excitement. He slunk forward, moving fluidly, soundlessly. On his head was a headband--as was with the other two. Stitches could be seen, almost hidden by his hairline. Blood seeped from a newly opened scab, soaking into his fur. One eye was blue and his lip was split.

The three felines started to spread apart, surrounding their prey with the same instinct lions used.

"Dana," Hadji said quietly, looking at the melancholy girl who stood nearest him, "We're friends, remember? I was teaching you how to read, and you were going to teach me how to climb trees so I could keep up with Colin."

She showed no sign of understanding him, merely sharpened her gaze and watched him with an unblinking stare that sent chills down his spine.

"Race," Risk said, leaning back so she could talk to him without taking her eyes from Kit, "There's only three of them. We don't have our powers, they're still neutralized, true, but we can take the cats down without shooting them."

Race shook his head slowly. "Don't underestimate them, girl. They're fast and deadly from what I've seen."

Jonny yelped as Colin leaped at him, and both Race and Risk turned and fired while Benton grabbed Jonny and pulled him out of the cat's path.

The distraction having worked, Kit and Dana attacked, one jumping Race and the other taking Hadji.

Hadji fell as Dana's claws dug into his chest, and only the techniques Race had drilled into him saved his life. Using her own momentum against her, he brought his legs up and rolled, throwing her off over his head.

She twisted, landing on her side instead of her back, and was up the next minute.

Stalking.

Risk shot at Kit, hitting him in his arm as he leapt off Race and back into the shadows, where he couldn't be seen.

Race grabbed Benton's arm, hauling himself up. "Get back from the shadows! Stay in the light! Stay together!" He shouted, grabbing children's arms and hauling them into a small circle. "What does anyone know about cats?" Race asked, almost hissing the question.

"They normally hunt alone," Hadji offered, holding his claw marked chest in shock.

"'Normally.' What ones don't hunt alone?"

Dana and Colin started circling again. Kit stayed hidden.

"Um, lions."

"And how do they hunt?" Race asked, training his gun on Dana while Risk watched Colin.

"One of them distracts the prey, then the others drive one from the herd, surround and kill it."

Race grabbed Jonny as he started to wander. "You heard him. We're the herd. Don't leave."

Jonny shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe they'd kill us."

"The headbands," Jessie said, taking her eyes off Dana to look up at her father. "If we can get them off, we should be able to make them override the programming, right?"

Race nodded slowly. "Could be at that, ponchita. Risk, you take the female. I'll take the one we can see. Try--"

He didn't finish his sentence as Kit dropped from the rafters into the middle of the group, forcing them to scatter and taking Benton down with him.

January whipped around, connecting her heel with Kit's face as he bent his head to Dr. Quest's jugular.

The cat cried out, a short sound, and fell back. Whipping around he hooked his leg behind Jonny's and toppled the boy, then was on him in an instant. Colin joined the fracas, leaping onto Race's back and grappling with him as they fell.

Jessie picked up her father's gun and used the butt of it to hit the nearest cat, which was Dana as she flew toward the red-head. There was a sickening thud as Dana hit the ground, then started scrambling to get away. February was on her in an instant, leaving Hadji to help Jonny with Kit. February screamed as nails caught in her skin and tore, then Jessie was there, ripping the head piece off the cat. Blood poured from her temples and the base of her neck, where the thing had been attached.

Dana yelped, a high, piercing sound that stopped most of them dead in their tracks. Kit left off Jonny and Hadji to run to his kin's side, almost tearing out Jessie's throat in the process. She was able to throw her body back far enough that he couldn't quite reach though, and he grabbed his sister and flung himself into the shadows. Colin disappeared too, and for a few seconds everything was silent. Race turned to Jonny, picking him up off the floor. "Are you okay?"

"Compared to how I could be? Dead? Yeah, I'm okay." He checked his shoulder, which was bleeding badly, and was glad the adrenaline pumping through his system was keeping the pain at bay. Then again, it could be shock, which would be bad.

"How's Benton?" Race asked Risk quietly.

She looked up, frowning. "He's got a concussion. He won't wake up."

Race frowned. Hadji was bleeding from a new slash across his calves, and he was having trouble walking with the muscles cut. Race was willing to bet that had been the point. He looked around, seeing the blood on Jonny's face where someone had gone for his eyes and he'd moved. "You two were fighting Kit?" he asked quietly.

They nodded.

"And he dropped on Benton?"

Risk looked up and affirmed it.

Race looked at the floor, thinking. "We're going to have to go after the cats one by one. If you can get Colin's headband off, great. But try for Kit's. He knows how to kill. It looks like he's been working at it."

Jessie frowned. "Why do you think that?"

Race held up a hand, listening. "Let's move away from here while the cats are gone and I'll explain." He picked up Benton and watched as Jonny and Risk each took one of Hadji's arms to help him. "Colin was the distraction. He's big enough to do damage if he gets lucky, but he's not the head dog--cat--here. Dana attacked Hadji. Small prey. Kit came after me, but didn't stick around when he saw he couldn't win against Risk's gun. Then Dana and Colin were distractions while Kit got above us. He dropped straight onto Benton, getting rid of one of the bigger members of our "herd." He wasn't able to finish the man off since January kicked him, so he turned and went after Jonny, who was close. Brought the boy to the ground where he was vulnerable, but did it without jumping on him, Dana's mistake. He cut deeply into his shoulder before Hadji got there, then went after Hadj's legs to cripple him. Crippled prey can't fight back, and Kit could go back to getting Jonny killed. Went for his eyes, blinded prey can't fight back, when he heard Dana. Dana and Colin each managed to inflict flesh wounds, but nothing seri--" He stopped and put Benton down against the wall. "Jonny, Jessie, Hadji, twins, get out of here."

Jessie started to protest, but Race turned back to her, one of those"do it" looks on his face. "Go! Now!"

Jessie swallowed and took Hadji from Risk, then they all went racing down the hall as fast as they could.

From the rafters, Colin cocked his head and looked at Kit.

Kit eyed the three humans sitting below. One was unconscious. One had a gun. The other was just big. Then he looked down the hall, having no trouble picking out the quickly moving shapes from his dark perch.

They had two guns, one wounded, and four relatively healthy. Silently he crept on all fours across the beams, jumping from cross bar to cross bar. He'd wait. Soon the one would bleed himself out, and he would be easy pickings too. It would take some work to get rid of all of them, though. Thanks to that human who blew a hole in his arm. He hated humans.

Colin dropped down as Kit went off, landing just in front of Race. He lashed out with one claw, his fangs gleaming, blue eyes cold.

Race hit back, kicking at the boy. Colin jumped to one side as the foot came at him, then ducked as Risk swung the gun at his head. He leapt at Race, scooting to the side at the last minute and reaching out with his claws to swipe at the big man. Race sucked in his breath as claws tore through his shoulder and arm, then swung with a fist at the retreating form.

Colin ducked down, jumping toward Risk.

"Tell Jessie I'm sorry!" She said, and squeezed off a shot. Colin staggered, holding his side and yelping as blood poured through. Suddenly he hissed and lunged at Risk, intent on killing the thing that hurt him.

Race was only barely fast enough to grab him and throw him into the wall, pinning him there with one large arm. Reaching down he grabbed the headband and ripped it out. He clenched his jaw and tried not to remember this boy as he had been before, when he'd been living with the Quests.

Colin scratched, trying to reach the man's eyes. Giving that up as Race batted away every attempt, he started on the arm that was pressed against his throat, cutting of his air. His vision was clouding by the time Race's words penetrated the fog around his brain.

"Calm down and I'll let you go. Calm down, Colin. You're going to pass out if you don't calm down. Calm down . . ."

Race watched the blue eyes roll back in his head and looked at Risk. "Where's Kit?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I can't see or hear him."

Race frowned and loosened his hold on Colin, slapping his face and telling him to wake up.

He did after a minute, then started fighting again. Race was ready for it this time, and had the boy on the floor while Race sat on his chest. His throat was held down with one arm, his arms clamped to the floor above his head with the other. And the more Colin struggled, the more the hand pressed down on his throat.

"Colin, stop. I can't let you up unless you're lucid. Stop."

Race sighed in frustration as the cat lost consciousness again, then looked up at Risk. "Go check the kids. I thought both cats would come after us, but they didn't."

Risk looked down the hallway, worried. "What if he's waiting for me to leave?"

Race shook his head, keeping an eye on Colin as the boy awoke again. "We'll have to take that chance. Go."

She nodded and left, running down the empty hallway.

***

He'd come out of nowhere, dropping down onto January and crushing her with his weight. He'd cut at Hadji, toppling him, then jumped back to the shadows and up. He'd dropped down again, almost landing on February, missing when she'd leapt away, ready for it. He'd stopped the predictable pattern then, first attacking Jessie and then February again, missing the first and knocking the second unconscious. He'd left Jonny and Hadji alone, attacking them only when they were in the way. Jonny, woozy and faint from lack of blood as it all ran out and down his arm, had shouted for Jess to run, and she had.

The cat had given chase.

Now they stood, not twenty feet apart, and instead of thinking of how to get out of this, all Jessie could think about was the scene in Jurassic Park where the raptors where stalking the kids in the kitchen. Somehow, that seemed more real. "Kit," she tried, knowing by the gleam in his eye this wouldn't work. He was enjoying himself. "Kit, we're friends. Remember that time you got stung by a bee on your toe and said that you would die unless someone kissed it? Remember that, Kit? I kissed it, remember?" She looked past him to where she could see Jonny and Hadji, Jonny unsteadily aiming a gun. She moved away from the cat, trying to get out of the line of fire.

He ducked his head and moved with her.

Jessie swallowed. "Remember the time you caught that mouse and--" She stopped. He liked fast things. Like mice. If she could distract him. . . . Moving slowly she took off her shoe, waving it in front of her face. She watched Kit's eyes focus on the thing and she threw it as far as she could. For a second he followed it, then remembered the blood and turned back to her, resuming his stalking.

***

Dana stopped just above where Race and Colin were, then jumped softly down. She knew she wasn't quite herself still, but she could remember most things as though from a dream. And she remembered Race. She stayed down, crouching against the floor. Slowly she crept up, watching Race to be sure he didn't attack her. She stopped when she was only inches from his face, then reached forward and rubbed her cheek against his.

Race just watched her. Beneath him Colin struggled harder, hissing and spitting with what little breath he had left. Race sighed. The kid had finally started to listen, and now he was freaking again.

Dana bent and nipped Colin's ear, then his nose, purring all the while, telling him Race was okay and giving him the other man's scent. She rubbed her face on his, and he rubbed back, trading smells. Race let him go and sat back slowly. Colin got up slowly, eyeing the man. Dana went forward again and rubbed Race's cheek, and this time he mimicked Colin and rubbed back. Colin growled, then stuck out his chin and pulled Dana away.

"No," he said gutturally.

Race sighed in relief. He could talk. "Okay. Colin, where's Kit?"

Both cats looked at him blankly.

"Your brother. Where is he?"

One of Colin's whiskers twitched, and he continued staring blankly at Race.

"Kit! Your brother!" Race held up his hands like claws, hunched his back and snarled in an imitation.

Colin shrank back, but Dana smiled and ran down the hallway where Tiger's smell was coming from. After a minute, when he was sure that the human wasn't going to attack him, Cougar followed. Race took a deep breath and went after them both, pelting down the hall.

***

Risk shot at Kit the moment she saw him, muscles coiling as he prepared to leap.

Kit screamed, an unholy sound as he fell forward, the shot having ripped through his chest and lodging in his ribs. Jessie screamed as he fell onto her, and the two other cats and Race came charging around the corner. Risk whirled when she heard them, and they both dropped to the floor while Race screamed that they were okay.

"Don't shoot!" Dana shouted, her voice hoarse from disuse.

Risk swore and swung the gun as another shot went off, just missing Colin.

"Dad! He's dead!" Jessie cried, holding Kit's prone form.

Race looked up at his blood-soaked daughter, most of it belonging to the cat.

"No, he's not," Risk said as she ran over to feel his pulse. "But he's hurt badly. So are Jonny and Hadji, and who knows about the others. We have to get out of here, pronto."

Colin looked up, his eyes distrustful but knowing Tiger could die. He still couldn't quite remember these people. "I know out," he said brokenly. He stood and hesitantly picked up January, helped a just waking Benton up, then started down the halls, watching to be sure he wasn't jumped, and that they brought Tiger.

"Where is everyone?" Race asked quietly as they looked around at the vacant hallways.

"All leave to let us loose," Dana explained, loping alongside him. "Boss go in plane. Others go in other plane."

It was a ten minute run through dark hallways and up stairwells, then they emerged in an office building where people walked about, unaware of what went on below them. The cats kept to the shadows while Race called the police, briefing them on the situation. He came back to the small group, around which a crowd had gathered. It wasn't every day the office had people who looked like death warmed over appear out of the closet.

Race pulled Benton aside, whispering about the cats. If they told the police about them, they'd be put in some sort of institution. If they didn't, Kit could die.

Benton placed a call to Theresa, telling her to meet them at their house. And bring an operating room.

***

A very tense two hours later, Jonny lay in a hospital bed, his shoulder (and various other body parts) bandaged up and fresh blood being poured into his veins. Hadji was in the bed beside him, legs wrapped up. January had been released already, her healing factor having kicked in as they left the building. (The doctors were still trying to figure out how she had come in with a severe concussion, and not half an hour later all the tests show up as though she were the healthiest person in the world.)

Benton was under observation for side effects from his concussion, and the others had all been released. Dana and Colin were home, getting re-aquatinted with the house under the watchful eyes of Race and Risk.

Doc T was operating on Kit. She was going to call as soon as he stabilized.

***

North looked at the news, his purple eyes hard. All his machinary, his cats, his test subjects, everything, were gone. Because of the Quests. He wanted them back. And he wasn't used to 'no.'

***

Four days later everyone was home, Hadji in a wheelchair as his legs slowly healed, and Kit had come out of his coma.

Dana wrapped her arms around Jonny, hugging him to comfort herself. He hugged her back and kissed her hair.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dana asked, worry in her voice. She had fully regained her memory, and Colin was almost there. Still distrustful, still wary, but getting there. Kit--even without the headband--was just as wild as he had been before. Race had fashioned a small room in the basement, where he wasn't around lots of people and felt safe enough to sleep sometimes. They took turns guarding him.

"I don't know," Jonny replied truthfully. He watched as Race walked in with Colin, the only person Kit would even marginally trust. And the only person who stood half a chance of living if he got in a fight with Kit.

The cat hissed and lurched at Race, who quickly moved out of the way. He set down food while Colin watched his back, then they quickly got out.

Kit took a few rapid breaths, hissed and backed into the corner again.

"Who's turn is it to watch him?" Race asked, looking around. Jessie stepped forward, grabbed her chair and book and plopped down bonelessly.

Race smiled at his daughter, putting his big hand on her head as he passed. She smiled up at him and watched as they all headed upstairs. Colin hesitated, walking back down a few steps. "You'll call if--talk?" he asked brokenly. Jessie smiled. "You know I will. You'll be the first one I call if he talks."

Colin smiled, the movement more like a snarl, and left the room. January popped in half an hour later, literally coming out of the shadows. "How long you guys gonna keep guard over him?" she asked as she watched the boy growl at her.

"Until he snaps out of it."

January nodded. "Well, Jonny's teaching Feb to drive, so I'm gonna be here for a little while. Want some company?"

Jessie looked up, her eyes mischievous. "You're trusting your sister with my brother?"

"I figure he can't hurt her too bad as long as I have the keys." She grinned and held up a jangling ring of metal.

Jessie laughed. "I'd love some company!"

Kit watched them, crouched in the shadows of his cell, fingering the scars given to him by humans, and the clean white bandges that hid the new pains. His fur had grown over the scars, but sometimes they still hurt. Like at night, when he slept. He wouldn't let the humans get him again. He wouldn't. So he'd watch them, and if he got the chance, he'd kill them.

And they wouldn't hurt him.

-Finis-

JJJJJJJJQQQQQQ

"Hey, waitaminute," I hear you cry, "what happens now??" Go read Caterwaul! (Why, yes! This is an unabashed plug!) But first, tell me what you think!

Did you know . . .
Tigers are the largest cats, at eleven feet from the nose to the tail.

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