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 129
End Game, Part 1
Aramis walked into Kentiger Executive Air on Monday morning after he and Diana had made sure Mastifson was at his office.
“Good morning, Mrs. Jetter,” he greeted the lynx femme who worked as Administration Specialist there. She looked up and smiled.
“Good morning Agent Dagaz, what can we do for you today?”
“I need to talk to Colonel O’Whitt. Is he in yet?”
The lynx gave the agent a sidelong grin. “Ah, no, he isn’t. They just got back from their honeymoon yesterday evening. I’m surprised they’re even walking.”
Aramis felt himself blush. Loni had all she could do not to say, “Awwww.” Aramis recovered himself and continued.
“May I sit and wait? How soon do you expect him in?”
Loni gave a nod. “Certainly, have a seat there in the lounge area. I expect they’ll be in before too long.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Jetter.”
Aramis walked over and had a seat. Loni found herself a bit disconcerted, thinking that being called “Mrs. Jetter” by the young agent made her feel old. With a shrug, she went back to work. Aramis found himself looking at the large poster on the wall. He blushed again, taking in the entirety of ZZ Studios in one picture. There, in the middle, stood Colonel O’Whitt, distinctive in his flight suit and fur pattern. He had a smile on his muzzle and seemed calm and dignified. The felid couldn’t fathom how Mastifson could have developed such a grudge against this fur.
Just then the door opened, and Alex walked in, smiling and humming to himself.
“Good morning Alex, welcome back. Like that smile.” Loni greeted the tiger.
“It is a good morning, Loni. Good to be back,” he replied.
“Agent Dagaz is here to see you,” Loni advised as Aramis stood up in the lounge.
“Thank you. Good morning Aramis, what’s up?” Alex responded as he stepped around the counter, his tail flicking in curiosity.
“Good morning, Colonel. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, especially right now. Congratulations on your marriage, by the way.” Aramis answered, opening up his part in the conversation.
“Thank you. What’s Mastifson done now?” Alex responded. This was not what he wanted to return to.
Aramis looked at him levelly. “May we talk in private? I don’t doubt or disrespect Mrs. Jetter’s discretion, but this really needs to be for your ears only.”
Loni smiled. “No offense taken. Talk to you later, Alex.”
Alex looked neutrally at the agent and gave a nod. “My office, then.”
The tiger led the way back, went in and sat down at his desk, indicating a chair for Aramis to sit in.
“Okay, what’s Mastifson done that’s so secret?
“He’s become a serial killer.” Aramis stated flatly.
It was a full ten seconds before Alex shut his muzzle and arched both eyebrows.
“I knew he was a bit off, but really?”
“Let me lay it out, sir. We’ve been following Mastifson, as I told you. We knew he was going downhill, but we never expected this. He’d been going out of town on weekends for one-night stands. We were able to follow him and noticed a change in his routine. He began visiting, ah, theaters. In bad neighborhoods. Then we began to see suspicious deaths in the same area and time. We’re awaiting DNA testing on evidence, but we believe he has killed at least three furs. We’ve been sharing information with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, and their conclusion is that he’s practicing.”
Alex looked perplexed. “Practicing for what?”
Aramis took a breath before stating the conclusion. “He’s practicing to come after, well, after you.”
Alex was appalled. All this to get to him? He took a breath himself and set his jaw.
“Well, what is your plan? Do I need to confront him? He never struck me as one who would shoot someone, or stab or strangle them. He’s much too upper-crust for that.”
“True,” Aramis stated. “It’s hard to believe, but he’s gone on an obsessive spiral, and is nearing the bottom. Completely insane, if you ask me. No, I don’t think confronting him would be a good idea. Allow us to get him. He’s…. beyond what you could imagine. He…dresses like The Shadow and then drugs his victims.”
Aramis went on to lay out Mastifson’s M.O. Alex sat there considering what the agent said.
“That … that’s sick. Hard to defend against, and sick. So, if I suddenly find myself face to face with someone dressed like an old radio and comic book character, beware his cane. Where could I expect this?”
“The first possibility is your home. Most everywhere else you go is too public. Plus, you don’t frequent the parts of town that match with his M. O. We think he’s killing in these areas because the targets are drug addicts or less aware. Plus, a drug overdose death in a drug-infested area didn’t raise much attention until we put together Mastifson’s movements with the drug deaths. Do you have a security system?” Aramis asked.
Alex smirked. “I didn’t before, but now I do. They installed it while Corrie and I were on our honeymoon.”
“I’d advise making sure it’s set, even if you’re there. I’d advise you to be wary of being outside after dark. We can track his car, and an FBI agent and I are following his every move, but he has shown an uncanny ability to be right in front of us one moment and then, like The Shadow, disappear, only to reappear right where he’d been. The most frustrating thing is knowing he’s doing this, but having to wait, and wait, and wait on evidence to be processed.” Aramis’ frustration was apparent, his tail lashing and his ears laid half-back. Alex shared that frustration.
“I can NOT believe this. He’s done all he has, and has now killed furs, and the authorities can’t seem to stop him.”
“Not for much longer. I feel that he’ll make his move soon. As soon as this coming weekend. We’ll be watching him as closely as we can. If we see him heading in your direction, I’ll call you and alert you. If you see him lurking about, or anything suspicious happens, call me. We have a team of officers from the Lexington Police assisting us. I’m sure we can get the Clark County Sheriff’s Department to help us, too.”
Aramis had stood up while making his last statement, letting Alex know the agent had said all he could. Alex stood and shook the felid’s paw.
“Thank you, Aramis. You and your team be safe while you’re tracking and hopefully getting Mastifson.”
“You’re welcome, and thank you, too, sir. Keep safe and wary.”
With that, the felid AFOSI agent left, leaving Alex thinking through all his home and personal security measures for he and his bride.
# # #
Corrie walked in to find Destiny and Harmony both waiting for her. They had check rides and orientation to do today. The other three Angels were in as well, waiting for their day’s flights. It seemed everyone had been getting to know each other while they waited for the lioness to arrive.
“Good,” Corrie thought. “Looks like they’ll integrate well.”
“G’day all. Ready to staht a new week?” is what she actually said.
“Hi Corrie,” every single one of them, including Kath, replied, imitating the greeting from the old TV show. The lioness just shook her head.
“Yeah, yeah, just be safe and have a good Monday.”
“Oh, we will,” Jaqi quipped. “And it looks like you already did!”
Corrie blushed all the way from her ear tips to her tail tuft. Before she could come up with any response Everyone laughed and Jaqi and Kate departed to prep and preflight the Longranger and one of the Jetrangers for their first flight of the day. Farrah headed back to the pilot’s lounge to wait for her first flight at 1100.
Corrie, after taking a breath and her blush fading, looked at the two new pilots.
“C’mon, let’s see what you can do. Weathah’s good, and we’ll need to get the bird back for Farrah to use on her eleven hundred flight.”
“Lead on,” Destiny responded with a sweeping gesture.
“Yes, do lead on,” Harmony added.
Corrie gave a nod, her tail waving idly by her shoulder. “Destiny first, then. Harmony, you can wait in the lounge. I’ll call Kath and have her let you know when it’s your turn.”
Harmony nodded. “Yes Miss Corrie.” She then walked back toward the pilot’s lounge. Destiny joined Corrie and they went through moving the blue and silver Jetranger out of the hangar. A thorough preflight later, they took to the air. As Corrie put the snow leopardess through her paces, she noted that the femme handled the aircraft very well. She exuded a vibe of being at ease and enjoying being in the air. Once the checkride portion of the flight was done, they landed back at Helipro and shut down. Corrie had called in on the company frequency and had Kath send Harmony out to meet them. Corrie had the Siamese go through the preflight and then took Harmony through the same checkride, with Destiny riding in the seat behind the femme. Once that was done, Corrie began the orientation part of the flight, directing Harmony where to fly. Destiny caught a quiet moment and asked a question.
“Corrie, I looked up the Angels reference. I can see how it fits Jaqi, Kate, and Farrah, but I don’t get it for Harmony and me.”
Harmony answered before Corrie could. “I looked a bit further, I think. It fits us, too. From an old British science fiction series. The Angels there were all femme fighter pilots. It was from a time when femmes were not allowed to be fighter pilots in the real world. Miss Corrie, you may find a Melody fairly easily, but you will be hard-pressed to find a Rhapsody or Symphony.”
Corrie laughed. “We didn’t hire you for your names. It was for your skill as pilots and your personalities and how they would work with our expected clients. The names, all of them, are pure coincidence.”
“I have found,” Harmony commented in her precise accent. “That there are no coincidences. Simply happenings fate has not yet revealed the meaning of.”
Destiny nodded. “I would agree.”
Corrie shrugged. “I agree with the premise, but you call it fate, I call Him God. In any case, I agree.”
Harmony nodded in return. Corrie continued to show them the area, and at 1030 on the dot, they were back on the ramp at Helipro. As they got out, Farrah walked up, ready to head out to pick up her first flight of the day. A visiting surgeon at the U.K. Hospital Complex, to be delivered to the airport for his flight home.
“See you guys, and welcome!” she called out as she supervised the refueling of the Jetranger. Corrie and the two new pilots went inside to the pilot’s lounge and sat down.
“You’re both good to go. It’ll be next week before we get ouah Longrangah back from maintenance, but your welcome to hang out here and catch any flights that come up. You’re on salary already but flight hours add to your paycheck,” Corrie advised them. They both nodded, but before any more conversation could take place Corrie’s cell phone rang. She held up a paw indicating the two should hold on a moment as she answered it.
“Hey husband-o-mine, miss you. What’s up?”
On his end, Alex grinned. “Already? Me, too. Hey, if the weather holds, plan on flying to work and back the rest of the week. We may go away over the weekend, too. I’ll tell you why when I see you. Gotta run! Love you, Sweetheart!”
“Love you, too, Luv!” Corrie managed, barely in time. Alex had sounded a bit off about something. It concerned her, but she knew he’d tell her when he saw her. For now, she turned her attention back to answering questions from Helipro’s two new Angels.
# # #
The week had literally flown by. Business at both Helipro and Kentiger was thriving. Allaistor had been true to his word and had hired on two more helicopter-rated Airframe and Powerplant technicians, both former Marines. The second Longranger was returned to them ready to go on Thursday, nearly a week ahead of schedule. Kath had promptly put Helipro Angel Four, a.k.a. Destiny, to work with it. Harmony, designated Helipro Angel Five, allowed them to give breaks and time off as needed. Corrie had, in her thoughts, the overblown designator Helipro Angel Chief.
Friday came, and Billy corralled both Alex and Corrie in his office at Kentiger.
“Okay you too, I’ve seen a lot of whispering between you two this week, and not with happy looks. What’s going on?”
Alex looked sour as he said the name. “Mastifson.”
“Now what?” Billy asked. Corrie was looking quite angry, as she had every time the Rottweiler came up in conversation since Alex had told her of his visit from Agent Dagaz.
“The bloody drongo has a few ‘roos loose in the top paddock! He’s gone serial killah, and they think he’s coming aftah Alex this weekend! I’m so jack of ‘im I could bloody well chundah!”
Billy looked askance. “Serial killer?”
Alex picked up the explanation. “According to AFOSI, he’s likely killed at least three furs while practicing his technique to come after me.”
Billy looked shaken by this revelation. “So…well, ah, what’s your plan? Leave town this weekend?”
Alex sighed. “Can’t. We have flight watch at both businesses, since you took the time for us to take our honeymoon. They don’t think he’d try anything here. Too public. At home, we’ll fly in and stay inside after dark. If he shows up trying to get in, we’ll call it in and let the police handle him. If we suddenly run into him, that’ll be to his detriment. I know the secret of how he subdues his victims, and I have a good idea how to avoid it.”
Billy gave a smirk. “You know I’ll cover the weekend again. You don’t have to do this.”
Alex and Corrie both nodded. “We know,” Alex stated. “But if not this weekend, then when? He’d just keep watching and waiting to catch me out. Agent Dagaz said they were waiting on evidence to come back from analysis, so they could move on him. What if it comes back inconclusive or tainted? We’re going to live our lives and if he comes, deal with it and him then.”
Billy just shook his head. Crazy stubborn felids. “Okay, just make sure I don’t have to attend any funerals next week. Head for home, I’ll close up here and at Helipro if Kath needs help.”
The pair left for Helipro to fly home. It promised to be a tense weekend.
# # #
Jefferson Mastifson walked back into his office feeling quite smug. He’d noted the black SUV in the back of the parking lot. That hadn’t been there until a couple of weeks ago. It was too far away to see who was in it, and his office windows didn’t face that way. He didn’t want to risk being seen peering through his binoculars on that side of the building, or risk looking at the SUV only to see a pair of binoculars looking back! It had taken a bit of thought to come up with a plan on how to get around the surveillance, but then he thought, why not use it to his advantage? They obviously knew his car, and likely where he lived. He devised a plan to lead them to his home and leave them there.
He'd found a cut-rate rental place that would take cash with proper I.D. When he’d left his office for lunch, he’d parked his car at a restaurant and went in. He walked on straight through and out the back, making sure the black SUV was not around, and no one was watching him. He’d walked down a few blocks to the rental place, gotten a very nondescript car, and drove it to a business parking lot two blocks from his apartment. He’d called a cab from a pay phone at that business. The place closed over the weekend, so there’d been no fuss about parking it there. He had the cab drop him off a block from the restaurant where his car was parked. He walked in from the back, picked up food to go, walked out to his car, and drove back to work. The black SUV was still where it had been, and Mastifson could make out two occupants, but no detail about either.
He worked on through the afternoon and left at his normal time. The SUV was gone when he came out, but he had a feeling they were not far away. He drove on home, parked in his usual spot, and went inside. His apartment was on the second floor and was accessed by elevator or stairs. No one outside the building could see when he came and went out of his front door, but he decided not to take any chances. He had a back door and window that led to a fire escape. When he had packed his kit into a backpack, he carefully surveyed the alleyway the fire escape opened into. Finding it clear, he went down as quietly as possible to avoid attracting the attention of anyone as he went past. He went down the last few steps and quietly walked away. He covered the two blocks to his rental car in just a few minutes. The car was old and dingy enough not to attract thieves, so it was undisturbed when he got there. He stowed his backpack in the trunk, locked everything up, and walked back to his apartment. An hour later, when he left to go to dinner, he noted the black SUV across the corner at the end of the block. He ignored it and went on to eat. Tomorrow would be the day.
# # #
Diana blew out a breath. Aramis had to agree. It was Friday afternoon, and they were still waiting. On DNA test results. On Analysis of what the syringe and spray tip contained. On Mastifson to do something! His car hadn’t moved, so he’d been in his office all afternoon. There’d been no report of credit or debit card activity. He’d gone to lunch but had likely paid cash there.
“You know,” Diana stated, mostly to break the silence and monotony. “I think he suspects we’re following him. I’ve seen him glance our way a little too often the past couple of days.”
“Probably true,” Aramis replied. “Perhaps we’d best move to somewhere out of his sight and line of usual travel and let the tracker do its job.”
With a nod, the desert cat put the black SUV in gear and they drove to a street down from Mastifson’s apartment. He would not drive past them on his way home, but they could still visually watch the front of his building. There, they waited again.
Mastifson came home at his usual time, parked in his spot and went inside. They had put up a camera watching the front of the building, so Aramis made sure it was working and recording. There was no other movement until he came out to go to dinner. He drove their way but turned at the corner. The two agents looked at each other and by silent consent moved to a parking lot a few blocks away. The GPS tracker showed the Rottweiler coming home a little bit later. The camera showed him going into his building, the lights coming on in his apartment, and him not coming back out. With Mastifson at home and showing no sign of leaving again, the two agents decided to head for the hotel. They’d pick back up in the morning, but until Mastifson made a move, they were just biding time.
# # #
Saturday morning dawned cool and cloudy. Jefferson Mastifson was up early. He’d been so full of anticipation that he’d been restless all night. He wasn’t quite sure how long it would take him to hike the mile and a half from the spot he’d chosen to park the rental car to the back of O’Whitt’s house. He packed food, water, and drinks to last him through until the next morning. If he hadn’t been able to catch the tiger out by then, he’d hike back out and try again the next weekend. The hunt was on, and he’d keep at it until he caught his prey.
Shouldering his pack of food and gear and slipping down the back stairs/fire escape, he made his way the two blocks to his rental car. It was still there, intact, as dingy as before. After consolidating his kit and food and gear, he got in and started out for his hunting ground. The Saturday morning traffic had yet to pick up, and before long he was on I-64 East, heading for Winchester. At Exit 96 he left the interstate and headed North. He passed the turn for Thatcher’s Mill Road that led directly to O’Whitt’s house and drove on another mile to the road he’d chosen. Stony Point Road ran roughly parallel to Thatcher’s Mill and would provide the perfect place to start his hunt from.
He drove on until he spotted it. A long stand of trees on the right with an old dirt and grass trail that led back away from the road. He turned and drove along the trail away from the road until it was out of sight, then pulled into the trees. He pulled far enough into the dappled shadows for the trail to be almost out of sight. The shadows mixed with the car’s dinginess made it nearly impossible to see from the trail. Mastifson considered putting branches and such on it, but after looking back from the trail decided that would be overkill. The leaves were out full, and as he hoisted his pack to start on along the trail he found the car was invisible.
He made his way along, ready to duck out of sight if he heard or saw anyone coming. He could hear the noise of tractors at work in the distant fields. The occasional kali barking well off in the distance reassured him he was traveling along the backside of most of the farms. Twice he had to seek cover as someone on an ATV came along the trail. He reached a small stream called Stoner Creek according to his GPS and map. He’d set O’Whitt’s home as a waypoint, using the map to set the coordinates, and the device showed him to be right where he wanted to be.
Finding a low spot with enough exposed rocks, he worked his way across the stream and along the stretch of woods on the other side. The GPS showed O’Whitt’s to be directly across a small hill. Now he worked his way slowly and carefully along, being as quiet as possible. Near the top of the hill, he came across a trail. The well-worn earth spoke of many feet treading it. He was edging along it when he heard the sound of a turbine engine starting up and the unmistakable beat of helicopter blades.
He ducked into the trees, staying invisible from the air. In the direction of O’Whitt’s house he saw a white and black helicopter rise above the hill into the sky and depart in the direction of Lexington.
“O’Whitt, or his lioness, or both, going to work,” he asserted to himself. He went on along the trail over the crest of the hill until he could see the back of the house down the hill from him. He entered the trees and worked his way along the edge to where he couldn’t be seen from the trail, but he could still observe the house. There, he settled in to wait. When the helicopter returned, or dusk came, he’d don his kit and be ready to pounce. That is, unless O’Whitt had stayed at home and came out for a stroll along the trail. In either case, he’d be ready.
For now, though, it was time to relax, watch, and wait.
End of Chapter 129