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.
Author’s Note:
Chapter 75
Beginning Goodbyes
Corrie sat at a table in a small restaurant in downtown Lewiston. She’d had her fellow Sheilas of the North meet her there for lunch. They could all tell she had something to say, but they’d waited her out through the meal. Finally, she looked at them each in turn and spoke.
“Fellow Sheilas of the North, you’ve probably guessed I have something to tell you.”
Patti Delancey interrupted her before she could continue. “Alex proposed, didn’t he! Oh YAY! we get to plan a wedding! I’ll--.”
“Whoa Patti!” Corrie interjected. “No, we’re not that far along yet. Now let me finish.”
Patti looked chagrinned, and quite a bit disappointed as Corrie continued.
“I went south, yes to see Alex, but also because his partner had a business proposition for me. We’ah starting a helicoptah business in Lexington. The paperwork’s all done.”
There was a moment of stunned silence before Terri Moggy gave her a typically inscrutable felid smile.
“Congratulations, Corrie. I know this is a dream come true.”
Joanne and Patti quickly joined in.
“Oh yeah! That’s fantastic.” Patti managed to actually look enthusiastic.
“Really great. Er, not to seem like we want rid of you, but how soon are you moving down there?” Joanne asked, a bit hesitantly.
Corrie smiled, her expression a bit rueful. “Oh, I’m not running off next week or anything. It’ll be a couple of months at least, and more likely on into the Fall. Don’t worry y’self, I promise I’ll be back up for a visit as often as I can.”
After a moments silence, Patti started to wind up.
“Who says? I’ve had my fun with most of the eligible guys up here. Maybe I want some new hunting grounds. A nice southern gentlefur sounds pretty good.”
Joanne piped in. “Yeah! All I keep seeing up here are memories and reminders of Bill. A change of location would probably do me good too.”
They all looked at Terri. She looked back at them, blinking once before settling back into her cool felid stare.
“What? I’m quite content where I am.”
Corrie now chided the others. “Too right, Terri! I do not expect all of you to disrupt your lives and follow along aftah me.”
“Mumpf! It’s my life, I’ll go south with my best friend if I choose to,” Patti replied, mock-gruffly.
“And to everyone up here, I’m just ‘poor Bill’s widow.’ Not even ‘Bill’s Ex.’ Somewhere new is exactly what I need,” Joanne stated, looking a bit introspective.
Again, everyone looked at Terri as though it was her turn to speak. She eyed them all for several seconds, and then gave an exasperated snort and flip of her tail.
“Oh alright! I’ve met someone, and we’ve been dating for a couple of months. We’re keeping it rather quiet, as we’re both pretty private furs. I think she’s a wonderful lady and yes, I said it. I like both femmes and males. Satisfied?”
Terri’s tail lashed agitatedly as she waited for the flood of shocked questioning. Patti just smiled.
“Well congratulations! I take it she isn’t someone we know?”
Corrie just shrugged. “Congratulations, she must be a special gal.”
Joanne didn’t seem perturbed, either. “Yeah, good for you! And don’t look like that, we all pretty well knew your preferences. As long as it didn’t get weird like you making a pass at one of us, it wasn’t a big deal or any of our business.”
“Speak for yourself, I’m nosy,” Patti interjected, grinning.
Terri now gave a soft chuckle and a smile. “I should have known it wouldn’t matter to you three. You’ve been my best friends for what, ten years? And how did we go from talking about Corrie moving south to talking about my love life?”
“At least you have a love life,” Joanne chimed in ruefully. “If it wasn’t for my b.o.b. I’d have probably exploded by now. As I said, everyone just knows me as Bill’s widow.”
The other three burst out laughing as Joanne blushed furiously for a bit. Finally, Terri waved a paw. “So, you three are heading south. That’s fine, just come back and visit sometimes, okay?”
Corrie smiled warmly at her. “And you come south sometimes. Bring your girlfriend, I’m sure we can make her feel welcome.”
Terri nodded, and Patti began to chatter about what the males in Kentucky might be like. Corrie sat back and let her go. So, the Sheilas of the North were, mostly, going to migrate.
She just hoped Kentucky was ready for them.
# # #
At first glance it seemed Alex was sitting at his desk lost in whatever was on his computer screen. Billy, who’d just stuck his head in Alex’s office door, noted the ear buds in the tiger’s ears. He seemed to be counting to himself and moving his paws. Billy waved a paw to get his partner’s attention.
“Hey Alex! You in there?”
The motion caught Alex’s eye and he looked up. He held up his paw, index finger up to tell Billy to wait a moment. He continued counting and moving his paws for several seconds, and then clicked the mouse on his desk to stop whatever the computer was doing. He pulled out the earbuds and greeted his friend.
“Hi Billy. Guess I didn’t hear you knock.”
“Yeah, I was a little worried. I knew you were in here, but when you didn’t answer I poked my head in. Whatcha doing?”
Alex nearly laughed at the curious look on Billy’s face. He motioned the tiger to sit. “Going over the music for the airshow routine. I wanted to doublecheck that the timing was right on the transition from the first song to the second.”
Billy nodded as he sat down, his face scrunching up in thought as his tail waved behind his chair. “Yeah, if we finish the roll too early, we’ll miss entering the loop at midfield. That would put us too far back and throw off the timing of the climbing four-point.”
There was a moments silence, and then Billy took on a serious look.
“Alex, I know we practiced our brains out, but I think the bookings we have for this Summer are all the airshows I’m gonna do. I’ll be getting super busy by Fall with the new business. Plus, well, ah heck, I’m in my mid-fifties. These high-G moves make my lower back hurt like the dickens. I know, guys like Bob Hoover and Chuck Yeager are still flying aerobatics, and they’re in their seventies. They don’t have my back. Don’t worry, we’ll still keep our toys to make sales calls and such. They’re too good a word-of-mouth generator to get rid of. But the airshow stuff, ah, this’ll be our only season as a team.”
Alex blinked, digesting what his partner had said. After a moment, he spoke. “Okay Billy, that’s fine. I guess we are too busy with other things to go play on the airshow circuit like we did with the T-birds.”
“Darn right. Several years from now, I hope to sell you the majority in Kentiger, and Corrie the majority in Helipro, and retire. I don’t want to leave Penny a widow, and my grandcubs without their crazy Grampa Tiger, or your girlfriend without a partner to help get that business going.”
Alex wondered what had caused Billy to suddenly become so introspective. When doing the high performance aerobatics they had in their airshow routine, caution was okay to a point, but being too timid could be just as bad as being reckless. A second off on the timing of a maneuver could lead to a very bad day. Finally, Alex stated bluntly what he’d been thinking.
“Okay Billy, spill, what’s wrong?”
Billy just looked at him steadily for a moment, and then answered.
“Can’t get anything by you. Penny probably has an idea about this too, but the honest answer is, something, but I’m not sure what.”
Alex gave him a puzzled look, so he went on.
“Y’know when you’re at cruise and something doesn’t seem right? A stray noise or unusual vibration sets you searching for something wrong, but you don’t know what?”
Alex nodded, his tail flicking over behind him. “Yes, usually finding it stops a small problem from becoming a larger one.”
Billy continued, his expression pensive. “Yeah, well that’s how I feel. There’s something not right with me. I passed my flight physical four months ago with flying colors, but something’s not right. I have an appointment with Doc Preston in two weeks. I haven’t told Penny, but I’m sure she knows something is up.”
Alex was at a loss for words for several moments. The thought of something wrong, or even losing Billy just wouldn’t settle. Not after all the others he’d lost in the not-too-distant past.
Finally, he found his voice. “Billy, I don’t know what to say. Whatever it is, don’t let them just brush you off or say it’s nothing. When Dad had cancer, they said if he’d paid attention to the symptoms, and they’d caught it earlier, they could have cured it no problem. Make them keep looking until they find what’s wrong.”
Billy now grinned, looking very determined. “Oh, you can count on that. I’m never one to go quietly. Plus, I’ll have had this talk with Penny by then, so I’m sure she’ll go with me. Hate to be them if anyone tries to snow over this with her there.”
Alex grinned in return. “Ha! Yep, she’d turn the place upside down and have them looking forward to the fall from the ceiling.”
“Yeah. Hey, I’ve taken up enough time with this. Have you heard from Corrie? How’d her boss and her friends take the news?” Billy was back to his normal boisterous self.
“Talked to her last night. Ben’s fine with it. Expected it, even. She was going to tell her friends today, so I don’t know how they took it.” Alex replied with a shrug.
They lapsed into silence for a moment, and then Billy shrugged too.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to it. Not a word to anyone about the doctor’s appointment, okay?”
“Not a word. See you at lunch?” Alex replied as he prepared to get back to actual work.
“Yeah, see you then,” Billy said as he got up and left the office.
Alex began working on the check ride schedule. In the back of his mind, though, he was praying, and very uneasy for his friend’s health.
# # #
Jefferson Mastifson was sitting at his desk, contemplating going to lunch. It had been a productive week so far, insofar as his FAA duties went. He found he was actually quite good at the reviews, questions, and minutiae that his job entailed. The thought had crossed his mind several times to just forget O’Whitt, settle into the work, and look for a chance to move on and up.
But then a little voice that sounded like the hated tiger began sneering at him. Mocking and laughing at him. Then his anger would rise as his sense of honor was offended. As he seethed once again, his frustration made him growl. His plan to use his contacts had crashed miserably, as apparently the tiger had a good rep and enjoyed great favor in the aviation business community. With the exception of a little nitpick here or there, his contacts could not do as he wanted without losing their positions. As much as he wanted to get O’Whitt, crashing his carefully crafted network was not the way to do it.
In the midst of his anger and frustration, a thought came to him. Perhaps he had been coming at this the wrong way. He’d been focused on O’Whitt’s reputation, his flying, his business. Maybe he should be going after O’Whitt himself. Instead of ruining him career-wise, ruin him!”
The thought of going up and punching O’Whitt out, while satisfying, almost made Mastifson laugh. He worked out and was in good shape. He’d boxed at the Academy, so he knew he could defend himself. Yet something he had read a while back made him doubt he’d ever go toe-to-toe with the tiger. The article had been in the newspaper, which he’d been reading in the lounge while waiting to talk to an airline rep. It had told of a west Lexington martial arts school that had been attacked by a street gang. The gang had been handed its collective arse by the teachers and students. One of which was one Alex O’Whitt, 3rd Degree Black Belt.
Mastifson thought that he might be a bit overboard in his hatred of the tiger, but he wasn’t crazy enough to fight a martial arts master. Besides, Mastifson was an Academy graduate and a purebred Rottweiler. Fighting O’Whitt directly was both base and beneath him.
As his thoughts progressed, he realized he’d have to get someone to do the deed for him. It couldn’t be anyone local. That would be too easy to trace back to him. Plus, he had no contacts amongst the local unsavory types who might do such a thing.
“This will require more thought and research,” he mused to himself.
Another tack came to him. Get at O’Whitt through his toy. That tiger-striped menace of an aircraft. After a moment, he rejected that idea. When O’Whitt’s tail was not in the pilot’s seat, the aircraft was watched over buy the retired Marine bulldog and his maintenance crew. Mastifson harrumpf’d to himself, and then thought of O’Whitt’s other toy. He’d not seen the beautiful lioness around this week, but he may have just missed their comings and goings. He rejected that idea as too much of an unknown.
Then he thought of O’Whitt’s other aircraft. The Cessna Skymaster he’d seen them in waiting to take off. If that was based here at Bluegrass, there might be a chance of causing O’Whitt harm through that.
Mastifson realized he’d taken another mental step across the line towards the insane, but he also knew that once the tiger was dealt with, he’d be perfectly fine again. At least, that’s what he told himself as he pulled out his book of contacts and began perusing for someone to come into town, do some dirty deeds, and then disappear before they were caught or could compromise him.
# # #
Billy arrived home a bit earlier than usual. His heart just hadn’t been in work today, so he’d knocked off early in hopes of catching Penny just getting home and taking her out to dinner. He was surprised to find her already sitting on the sofa in the living room.
“Hi Penny! You’re home early.” Billy tried for his usual boisterous tone, but it came out a bit flat.
“I could say the same for you, Cowboy. Come sit and tell me about your day.”
Billy froze. Her tone had been her usual warm, friendly self, but the undertone he picked up made him feel like he’d just been called to the principal’s office.
“Er, just the usual. Alex and I had lunch together. He said Corrie’s boss took the news of her leaving well, but it’ll be tomorrow before he can tell me how her friends reacted.”
Billy fell silent a moment, and then tried, “Erm, well, how was your day, Princess?”
Penny looked at him steadily. “Fine.”
The tiger-fox femme didn’t say another word. She just sat looking Billy steadily in the eye. After a minute’s silence, he began to fidget. At two, he actually began to sweat. At two minutes and ten seconds, he broke.
“Aw Penny, don’t do this to me!”
“What?” she replied, with a slight arch of one eyebrow.
“That! Give me one-word answers and silence otherwise. It makes me think you’re mad at me!”
Billy looked miserable. Penny held her silence a moment more, then gave a sigh.
“No, I’m not. I should be, though. I saw you had scheduled a doctor’s appointment. You aren’t bleeding buckets, and all your limbs are still attached, so what’s going on?”
Billy took a deep breath and decided to come clean. He’d planned on telling her at dinner anyway, but his lovely ti-fox was way to astute for that.
“Penny, something is . . . not right. With me, physically. I don’t know what. I’m not hurting, other than the usual aches and pains, but I just don’t feel right. I decided to have Doc Preston check me over.”
Penny now looked concerned, with all pretense of anger gone. “Oh Billy! Didn’t you get a clean result on your flight physical a few months ago?”
“Yeah,” he replied, looking a bit relieved to have Penny not acting mad anymore. “All good. But it’s . . . like flying at cruise and hearing an odd sound. One, it bugs you. Two, it usually means trouble. Three, it can turn into a major catastrophe if you ignore it.”
Penny now reached over and hugged him close. “Oh, I’m so very glad you’ve chosen not to ignore it. I knew something was bothering you, but I thought it was business, and then I saw the doctor’s appointment on our calendar. I didn’t know what to think!”
Billy pulled into the embrace, kissing his wife’s hair. “I’m sorry I worried you. I didn’t really know what to tell you. Not being sure what’s happening is . . . not really how I like to operate.”
Penny leaned back, releasing the hug. “You can’t narrow down what doesn’t feel right? That would help the doctor.”
“Nope. I’ve tried. I guess it’s more just a . . . feeling of unease. Like I said, I’m not hurting or uncomfortable anywhere specific.”
Penny snuggled into his side, her voice soft, but still concerned. “Cowboy, make sure they find whatever is wrong. Don’t let them dismiss what you’re feeling lightly. I don’t want you going anywhere.”
Billy pulled her into his side, his arm around her shoulders. “Princess, I don’t want to go anywhere either.”
# # #
Sheila Roland looked at the time on the bottom corner of her computer screen. Still a half-hour to the end of shift. She sighed and refocused on the report she was working on. Routine residential burglary, except that the felid perp was caught after the homeowner’s kali had chased the guy up a tree. She’d had to work hard not to make any “kaht up the tree” jokes while writing.
Just then her phone rang. Snatching the pawset out of its cradle, she answered with her standard greeting.
“Detective Sergeant Roland, Street Crimes.”
“Roland. Lt. Parker. Hey, there’s a call coming your way from an Agent Andy Denver from the Air Force. Chief says give full cooperation with whatever they want, short of killing someone.”
Sheila almost snorted in the phone at the Labrador’s attempt at humor. “Sure Lieutenant, not a problem. Full co-op, no body count.”
“Right, just don’t sound so unhappy about it. Later.”
Sheila put the pawset back down. The only Air Force thing she’d even remotely looked at recently was the Rottweiler she’d been keeping an eye on. A moment later, the phone rang again.
“Detective Sergeant Roland, Street Crimes,” she answered.
A medium tenor voice with no discernable accent responded. “Detective Roland, Agent Andy Denver, Air Force Office of Special Investigations. You recently inquired about Jefferson Mastifson the Third. We are raising the level of monitoring on him and his activities, and we’d like you to be our liaison with the Lexington Police Department. What that means is if we get any actionable intelligence that he is about to harm someone we’ll notify you so that you can stop him and hold him until federal marshals can arrive. You chief has authorized your full cooperation.”
There was a moment’s silence before Sheila responded.
“Agent Denver, while I will cooperate and work with you, let’s get one thing straight. I am not your errand femme. We will either work together or you can forget it. And if Mastifson steps out of line, I will arrest him right then. No waiting for more or worse crimes to happen. Got it?”
There was a very slight tone of amusement in Agent Denver’s voice as he answered. “Yes Ma’am. I look forward to working with you. Any questions?”
“Dozens, but you can send me a file here at work with the details on what you’re looking at Mastifson for. As long as it isn’t classified, I know.”
After a moment, the AFOSI agent answered. “Done, the unclassified file should arrive by courier tomorrow. Thank you, Detective.”
“Call me Roland, Agent. Talk to you soon.”
“Goodbye, Roland.”
Sheila hung up the pawset and let out a breath, feeling she was in it up to her chin now. At least she’d established that she wasn’t going to be a pawn in some military game. Then she began to wonder, what was Mastifson doing to garner such attention?
# # #
Agent Aramis Dagaz hung up the pawset and sat back. In the course of making contacts to keep tabs on Mastifson, he’d come across an inquiry from a detective in the Lexington PD. Apparently, Detective Sergeant Sheila Roland had encountered Mastifson in some way and it had caused her to check his record. A call to the chief of the Lexington PD, using the cover name of the case Agent Andy Denver, insured the top brass knew what was going on and he wouldn’t be stone-walled. The call to Detective Roland had been partly what he’d thought. No one wants someone else to come into their yard. But he’d discerned a strong dedication not to territory, but to their work and making sure no one who didn’t need to be was harmed. If Mastifson had made a bad impression on her, it might prove to be a very costly mistake for the Rottweiler.
End of Chapter 75