FIRE ON HIGH

    “Fire On High” is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. All characters and settings © Tigermark 2003-2018 unless otherwise noted. Request permission before using them, please.

The characters of Anatol Altaisokova and Melinda Altaisokova are my names for characters © Max Blackrabbit. They appear in this story with his permission. The characters of Brandy, Maxwell, Tonya and Zig Zag are also © Max Blackrabbit and appear here with his permission. Events and information relating to Tonya, Anatol, and their family are presented here, but are not to be considered canon to those characters or any other story but this one. ZZ Studios, and all characters associated with ZZ Studios, James Sheppard, and Marvin Badger © James Bruner and appear here with his permission.  Although characters from and events referring to Zig Zag the Story appear here, this story is not canon to that one, and the author will disavow any knowledge of this story. Wanda Vixen © Chris Yost and appears here with his permission. Sabrina Mustidalae © Eric W. Schwartz and appears here with his permission. This story is not canon to Sabrina Online the comic, or Sabrina Online the Story, either. Matt Barstock, Angie Rockwell, Intermountain Charter, The Bitch, and her crew, and Jerry Kitt © Silver Coyote. See their story HERE.  Gail Rutherford © me and is not canon to any other story involving ZZ Studios. Gabrielle Ryder and Jean LeBrun © Aslaug, from her Transitions stories. See them at her site, The Axe Shed, available from the links page. Aramis Dagaz is© his player and appears here with his permission.

Author’s Note: Lewiston, Maine’s airport, identifier KLEW, is actually uncontrolled. That is, it has no control tower. Poetic license was used for this story, so Alex and company talk with a control tower whilst aviating there.

Chapter 121

Waiting

“Hey Russ! Didja hear what happened over at Helipro this mornin’?”

Jefferson Mastifson had been walking by the ramp crew breakroom on his way up to his office, coming back from delivering some documents. He stopped still, and then stepped back and to the side to listen.

“Naw, what?” a second voice responded.

“George was over by Helipro in a fuel truck and saw that pretty lioness land in her chopper. Said she was cryin’ her eyes out when she got out.”

“Well, no big mystery there. That tiger o’ hers that she’s engaged to? He’s headin’ for the war. He’s in th’ Reserves I hear. Word is they’re callin’ all them up.”

“Oh, yeah. Thomas and some others around here are in the Guard. They’re goin’ too. So, ya reckon he left today?”

“Most likely. Usually when that chopper comes in, they’re both in there. Plus, I didn’t see his black truck over in Kentiger’s lot.”

“Uh Huh. Gonna be a rough one, Russ.”

“Yer right there, Johnny.”

Mastifson quietly went on up to his office and sat down, trying to digest all he’d just heard. O’Whitt and his lioness engaged? After several moments he decided that this changed nothing. As long as she didn’t get in his way, his target remained O’whitt. He rather hoped she wouldn’t. It would be a shame to have to harm one so lovely.

But now, he was feeling a bit confused. His target, his reason for hunting and killing, was gone. Likely to Langley, with the probability now of going overseas to war. Well out of the Rottweiler’s reach. He still had the urge to hunt, but something was cautioning him to lay low. To wait. Perhaps O’Whitt would not return from this war.

Deciding that hunting dessert would have to suffice for now, he picked up his next file and got to work.

#   #   #

Aramis and Diana were again frustrated. The Captain from Birmingham had answered their query in a very short email.

“There were no businesses with security cameras in use for two blocks up or down that street. It’s composed of low-income apartments whose landlords could care less about security as long as the rent is paid. We checked adjacent, but all we found were pointed inside. Hope you’re having better luck than us.”

The Charlotte Police Department had answered the query with a terse, “You’ll know when we do.”

Lt. Col O’Whitt had left that morning for Langley Air Force Base, Virginia to join up with his Air Force Reserve duties. While both felt better that he was out of Mastifson’s reach, it was the end of fresh clues unless the Rottweiler did something more.

Just then, Diana’s phone pinged. She pulled it out of her pocket and read the text message.

“Well well, maybe our luck is changing. This is from our Charlotte office. There’s a package coming our way, to be signed for at the UPS office here. Should arrive by afternoon. Contents, two copies of security tapes. One right across the street from where the dancer died, and one just down the street.”

“Great!” Aramis exclaimed, brightening. After a moment, though, his expression fell again.

“Even if it shows him, all it will show is that a Shadow-like figure is our killer. That won’t link anything to Mastifson.”

“Step by step, Aramis,” Diana reminded him. He nodded as they stood up to go retrieve the package. Then they needed to find access to a good video playback system.

#   #   #

The three Angels of Helipro were together eating lunch. The day’s schedule had afforded them a rare chance to get together.

“Is it just me or did Corrie seem a bit red-eyed and distracted this morning? I hope nothing’s wrong between her and Alex,” Kate mused. Both Farrah and Jaqi made to answer at the same time. Jaqi motioned Farrah on, as she still had a bit of sandwich left to chew.

“I hope not, either. They’re so cute together.”

Jaqi swallowed and then responded. “I think they’re fine. It’s probably because Alex left for Virginia this morning.”

“What’s in Virginia?” Farrah inquired. Both the other femmes looked at her askance. Kate almost took the easy line and said “Virginians” but didn’t want to start that in the middle of a more or less serious conversation. Jaqi replied to the question.

“Langley Air Force Base. I heard he was recalled to active duty for the war.”

“Oh.” Farrah looked down, chagrinned, as she spoke. “Yeah, I kinda knew that. I’d just forgotten. No wonder she’s down.”

“Wow, I’d forgotten he was in the Reserves too,” Kate added. “We need to do what we can to help Corrie through this. Nothing worse than thinking you’re all alone with your problems.”

“Add to that, she and Billy are planning on getting another Longranger and adding a couple more pilots. That’s a lot going on at once,” Jaqi stated.

“If their names end up being Cheryl and Tanya, I’m running away,” Farrah stated with a grin.

“Oh, I know Corrie wouldn’t do that to us on purpose. Billy might, but Corrie wouldn’t,” Kate avowed with a shake of her head and a grin of her own.

“They could always be named Bosley and Charlie,” Jaqi quipped with an arch of an eyebrow. She couldn’t hold it and they all burst out laughing. They were just getting that under control when Corrie walked in. She was still a bit red-eyed, but the laughter had caused her to smile.

“Well, I like laughter. Hello Angels.”

“Hi Corrie,” they all managed in unison before dissolving into laughter again. Corrie smiled. It was good to see smiles and hear laughter.

“What’s funny?” she inquired.

“We were speculating on what the names would be for the new pilots. Just having a bit of fun,” Kate explained as she got her laughter out.

Corrie smiled again. “I can assure you we won’t use that as a hiring criterion. If it happens, it’ll be someone well above my or Billy’s paygrade who has the sense of humor.”

Corrie walked on over to her desk as the Angels finished their lunch and prepared for their next flights. The Lioness felt good to have them around both as pilots and as friends.

#   #   #

“Only three,” Loni stated. Billy had just asked how many pilots they had who were subject to call up for Reserve or Air National Guard duty for the war.

“Dan Rivers is a C-130 pilot in the Air Guard over in Louisville. Pat Jones is in the Reserves, I think as a C-141 pilot. Harry Blish is also a C-130 in the Air Guard in Louisville.”

Billy nodded. “Good thing we are already in the process of hiring more pilots. I expect business to pick up even more with a war going on. Folks are kinda leery of the airlines right now.”

“That’s true,” Loni agreed. After a moment, she spoke again.

“Billy, will Alex be alright?”

The tiger blew out a breath and gave a shrug. “It’s another war. Most likely, he will. The Tigerkahts will be doing top cover, and there isn’t a lot left of the Iraqi Air Force. With a war, though, never say never. Then again, he’s done stuff I could never pull off.”

Loni nodded. “I agree there. So, interviews next week?”

Billy also nodded. “I think so. I value Alex’s input, but we can’t wait an indefinite time, especially with three others also out.”

They went on with their day, but in the back of their minds Alex’s absence weighed on them.

#   #   #

Sheila Roland found herself sitting in a viewing room with a forensic video analyst, along with Diana Forsham and Aramis Dagaz. The two agents had called her asking about video facilities, and she’d obliged. Diana was now setting the stage for what they’d be looking at.

“This tape is from down the street. I suggest watching it through once, and then go back and pick it apart. Same for the second one, which is from right across the street.”

Roland nodded, as did Aramis, and the video began to play. It showed a typical night scene in a run-down neighborhood. A figure they immediately identified as the victim by his haircut walked into view, moving away from the camera down the sidewalk. Suddenly, the fur stumbled a bit and stopped. He looked up and around, and then started to collapse. A dark form, nearly indistinguishable from anything in the shadows, seemed to lift the victim away into the alley. As the tape ended, the analyst, a slim Border Collie male, advised them.

“The angle is poor, the camera quality poor, the image grainy. I can try to enhance it, but I can’t make any promises.”

“Let’s look at the other tape and come back to this one,” Diana suggested. Sheila agreed with a nod.

The second tape began to play. It was taken through the front window of a pawn shop across from the alley where the Pit Bull dancer had been found. They watched as the victim stepped into view, stopped and looked up and around, and then began to fall. Again, a dark figure that seems to be part of the shadows reached out, hoisted the victim and disappeared back into the darkness of the alley.

“This one is much better quality,” the analyst advised. “I can digitize it and zoom in and slo-mo it more, so we can see more details.”

“Let’s go again on this one, very slowly, just before the victim comes into frame,” Roland stated. She’d been quiet, but now the other two could tell she had a lot more experience working with video evidence. Both Aramis and Diana nodded for her to proceed. The tape started again. Aramis spotted it first.

“Hold on, what’s that?”

There appeared to be a sudden fog in front of the alley.

“Can you zoom in on that and go back a few frames, so we can see where it came from?” Roland asked.

The tech nodded. The scene started again, now advancing one frame at a time. Zoomed in, they saw a slender black object come into the light, and a mist spray out from it. The object disappeared back into shadow, and the victim walked face first into the cloud. They saw the canid stop and look up and around, appearing somewhat annoyed. Then his eyes began to glaze over and close as he wobbled and began to fall.

The face of the figure that came out of the darkness to catch him was the stuff of nightmares. Two large round red disks where the eyes would be. The dark outline of a muzzle, but no discernable nose or mouth. All details under the black wide-brimmed hat were obscured.

“Well, there’s your Shadow, Aramis,” Diana stated with a shudder.

“So it would seem,” Aramis replied quietly.

“I’ve seen some ugly mugs in my time, but that’s just way out there,” Roland said quietly. Even the veteran police officer was taken aback by the apparition.

Shaking off the killer’s appearance, Aramis continued. “Now we know how he subdues his victims. My bet is an aerosol agent like the Russians used in that theater siege.”

“You sure it’s a he? I’ve seen some pretty strong femmes in my time,” Roland inquired.

Aramis shrugged. “Generic term, actually. But if this isn’t Mastifson, we’re really back to square one.”

Roland nodded and continued, “I tend to agree. I also agree on the subduing agent. Fontadyne comes to mind. It comes as both an injectable and as an aerosol for use on children or animals. The spray is at pain-relieving levels.”

“So, if he’s using the aerosol to do this, how’s he getting it up to knockout strength?” Diana asked.

“Simply add pure Fontadyne to the base spray. When I say aerosol, I mean like nasal spray, not like a spray can,” Roland explained.

Diana nodded. “I want to send these in digital form on to the BAU and see what they can make of them. It does help link the other cases where a Shadow-like figure was seen nearby at the crime scenes.”

The tech nodded, did a few mouse clicks and keystrokes, and nodded again. “On their way, ma’am.”

Diana nodded and thanked him. Aramis picked up the discussion.

“But it doesn’t link Mastifson or his travels, so again, we wait. At least this is another clue and another step in catching up to our killer.”

“Good thing Colonel O’Whitt is out of his reach for now,” Diana said as they stood up to leave. Roland looked at her quizzically. Aramis answered the questioning look.

“Lieutenant Colonel O’Whitt was called to active duty and is on his way to Iraq.”

“Sheesh, out of the frying pan into the fire. What will Mastifson do without his target?” Roland asked.

“Either pick a new target or go dormant. We have to wait and see which,” Aramis answered ruefully.

They all felt good to have fresh clues to work with but frustrated they couldn’t find a link to the killer’s actual identity, be it Mastifson or someone else.

#   #   #

Corrie had been home for about an hour when her cell phone rang. Seeing the number, she eagerly answered it.

“Hey Jet Jockey!”

“Hey Chopper Gal. Wanted to call and let you know I made it to Langley fine. I have the weekend to settle in, and then I report in to the Tigerkahts first thing Monday morning,” Alex said in greeting, smiling at hearing her voice.

“Yeah. Heh, I guess I forgot about cell phones. I didn’t think I’d hear from you. You gonna call me every evening?” Corrie asked in a teasing tone.

“And twice on Sunday. I certainly intend to. Once we go downrange, though, it’ll slow down a lot. Many times, service is spotty and very expensive,” Alex answered.

“Do you know when you’ll go?” Corrie inquired.

“Not to the day, no, and I couldn’t say anyway,” Alex replied neutrally.

“Oh yeah, you told me about that, sorry.” Corrie sounded a bit chagrinned. Alex had told her before that there would be things he couldn’t tell her. OPSEC, or Operations Security, it was called. Not giving away details on who was going where when.

“No problem, Love. I’ll tell you what I can, when I can. I’ll do my best to call you after we go downrange. That is, when we get where we’re going.” Alex was giving what comfort he could.

“I’ll have to live with that. I miss you like crazy already.” Corrie was trying to sound strong. She was only partly successful.

“Right there with you, I miss you too,” Alex replied.

The conversation went on for another hour. Mostly about nothing in particular, just wanting to keep hearing each other’s voice.

#   #   #

Zig Zag and James were relaxing at his home, glad to have a quiet Friday night to themselves for a change. James smiled as Zig continued to talk through ideas for a video based on Helipro’s Angels. She still had a speculative look as she spoke.

“I think I want to do something like the old TV show, only with more sex. Being on TV, they always cut away or implied it, or if it was a bad guy something would interrupt them. Having it be a helicopter service might be fun, pilots are always sexy, but the more I think about it the more I think it would cause them problems. Males tend to think with their crotch, and I could see someone watching my video and then getting out of line with Helipro’s Angels thinking it was the same. I think I’ll go with Zig’s Angels instead, and I’ll be the voice on the phone, sending them on their sexy adventures.”

James grinned. “That sounds like a ZZ Studio’s Production.”

“Oh yes it does,” Zig agreed. Just then her cell phone rang. Looking at the number, she clicked on and answered.

“Hi Alex! How’s it goin’ Cousin?”

On his end, Alex smiled. It was good to hear a cheery voice.

“It goes. I’m in Virginia right now.”

“Oh,” Zig replied. “Is it your drill weekend again already?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” Alex stated. “I’ve been recalled to active duty. We’re getting ready to go overseas.”

Zig didn’t keep up with news that much, but she had heard rumbling of possible military action in the Middle East. She was silent a moment before saying anything more. James looked at her and noted the odd expression on her face.

“What’s up, Sweetheart?” he inquired. She looked at him and blinked.

“Alex is in Virginia. He’s back on active duty and heading overseas. Does that mean what I think it means?”

James went wide-eyed for just a second before his old military training kicked in. Then he nodded, with a neutral look on his face.

“Yes, he’s been called up for the invasion of Iraq.”

The striped skunkette looked horrified for a moment, and then remembered she was on the phone.

“Alex, that’s terrible!”

“Well,” he replied, smiling ruefully at the delay as the news had sunk in. “It’s not that bad. I’ll likely spend most of my time bored out of my mind. At least, that’s how it’s being presented, anyway.”

“Hmmpf. A war is a war. Things break, and furs die. How long will you be gone?” Zig asked, not much comforted by Alex’s casual attitude.

“No idea. Wars can be funny things. Just when you think it’s done, the other side comes up with something more.” Alex’s reply was very neutral, not wanting to give away anything.

“Will you be back in time for your wedding?” Zig asked, sensing it would be good to move on to another subject.

“I plan on it. If something else comes up, we might have to postpone, but for now nothing has changed,” Alex answered.

“If you say so. Will I get to hear from you?” the femme skunk inquired.

“Most likely not. I’ll be lucky to get a call out to Corrie from time to time. If I have computer access, I’ll send you an email and let you know how I’m doing and if the wedding time needs to change,” the tiger replied.

“I guess that will have to do. You be careful, Cousin! Don’t go chasing camels or whatever other stupid things there are to do over there,” Zig advised.

“I already told Corrie that stupid stuff happens in war and kills furs. I promised not to do anything stupid,” Alex replied.

“Good, I have a hard enough time with relatives without losing the one I’m on good terms with,” Zig said in a serious tone.

“I don’t have many left either. I don’t have the final say, but I’ll do my best to get back in one piece. How’s the video idea coming?”

Alex was trying to leave the subject of his leaving behind for more cheerful subjects.

“Oh, great so far! I’ll probably make it a series, each one focusing on a different Angel. I’ve decided that, while we might use a helicopter shot or two, it’s not going to be a helicopter business. That’d give Corrie and Billy too many problems with those who see the videos and then fly with them. Best of all, I’ll be ‘Charlie’ and do the voice on the phone thing. Probably do a few cut scenes to tie things together, too,” Zig said enthusiastically. James gave her a sidelong look. She muted the phone.

“No sex scenes for me, no. Just me lookin’ sexy and actin’ like a narrator.”

James grinned and nodded. Zig went back to her conversation.

“It should be a fun project, and a pretty good moneymaker. I have in mind which femmes will be my Angels, just have to figure out my Bosley.”

“Can’t help you there, Zig. You know your actors way better than I do,” Alex advised. Zig grinned to herself.

“True. Well, by the time you get back, we should have at least one finished. I’ll make you and Corrie an edited cut, so you can see how it comes out. I’ll cut the raw sex scenes.”

Alex smiled. It would be good to see his cousin’s work without having to close his eyes and plug his ears through most of it.

“Deal. I’ll let you get back to planning. I’ve got a bit of settling in to do. I’ll email when I get a chance. Love you, Zig.”

“Love you too, Cousin. Be safe.”

Zig clicked off the call. James noticed her wipe her eyes, but when she looked up, she was smiling.

“Now to start writing!”

 

End of Chapter 121

 

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