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 2003-2006 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, 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. Matt Barstock and Intermountain Charter, The Bitch, and her crew © Silver Coyote. See their story HERE. Gail Rutherford © me and is not canon to any other story involving ZZ Studios.
Author’s note: Believe it or not, this part of Fire On High was written well before all the rest of the story you’ve seen so far. This and the following two chapter’s scenes involving Alex was the original idea from which Fire On High has sprung. I have revised it slightly to better portray certain characters and to match continuity.
CHAPTER 31
Cat’s Out Of The Bag
Alex drove his rental car carefully down the city streets, following the prompts from his portable GPS unit. He was being extra cautious since he was unfamiliar with Columbus, and he didn’t want to be late for his appointment at ZZ Studios. The flight and approach into CMH had taken a lot longer than he’d thought it would. There had been several heavies in line ahead of him for landing, and the orbit the controllers had put him in had conflicted with a couple of thunderstorms, so he had been constantly calling them for deviations. All that had put him about 35 minutes past his ETA. Good thing he planned his arrival in plenty of time for unforeseen delays, but now he was cutting it close.
Looking to his right, Alex assured himself that the box on the seat was in no danger of sliding off. Its contents were unknown, and he didn’t want to risk damaging it if it was fragile. All Alex knew of the box and its contents was that his cousin’s grandfather had given it to his father with instructions to deliver it to said cousin, who lived here in Columbus. Anton hadn’t been able to accomplish that task. He had given Alex the box with its taped-on envelope, along with a sealed envelope to be read in his cousin’s presence, the week before he died. His father had made Alex promise to deliver the box so now, after the funeral and other details were over, here he was on the way to ZZ Studios, where his cousin worked. Alex still wasn’t comfortable with the plan not to reveal who he was or why he was coming before he presented the box to its intended recipient. Alex did understand why all the secrecy was necessary, but he still didn’t like it. He intended to follow his father’s wishes, though.
ZZ Studios was a very successful business, so Alex was coming on the pretext of a sales call for Kentiger Executive Air Service. Since retiring from the Air Force the year before, Alex had almost doubled the charters they did by doing these kinds of sales calls.
“Worst thing that could happen is an unproductive sales call,” he thought. “Best is I’ll get to make friends with a cousin I haven’t seen in years.”
“TURN LEFT, NEXT INTERSECTION,” the voice from the GPS prompted. “YOUR DESTINATION IS 3 BLOCKS DOWN, ON THE RIGHT.”
Alex slowed to a stop, awaiting the light to make the turn. When the green arrow came on, he proceeded down the street towards the studio. At the next prompt from the GPS, Alex turned right into a parking lot. ZZ Studios was a low, single-story warehouse type building with a glass-fronted office section and a large sign above the doors. A smaller sign on one door said, “No Minors.”
“Hoo boy. Well, here goes.”
Alex pulled into an unreserved space and got out of the car. He retrieved the box and his briefcase and laptop, closed and locked the doors, and headed for the studio.
# # #
Gail Rutherford looked up as the car pulled into the parking lot outside the studio. Everyone had been back from lunch for at least an hour, so the collie checked the appointment book in front of her. This was probably the air service rep with the 3 o’clock appointment, she decided. As the Siberian Tiger got out of the car, she noticed he was tall and slim for a tiger. As he turned around she noticed his unusual tail. It was twice the diameter of the usual tiger tails she had seen, fluffed out and with a peculiar, almost double-stripe pattern and a black tail-tip.
“Not bad,” she said to herself, “Not bad at all.”
As the tiger headed for the door, Gail buzzed her boss’ office.
“Yes?” came the response.
“Zig Zag, your 3 o’clock is here.”
“I’ll be right out,” came the reply.
The tiger entered the building and presented himself at the receptionist’s desk and offered his business card.
“Hello,” Alex said with a smile, “I’m L…”
He paused for a second and started again, reminding himself that on business calls he was no longer Lt. Col. O’Whitt.
“I’m Alex O’Whitt; I have a 3 o’clock appointment with Zig Zag.”
Zig Zag herself, a skunk in form but with tiger stripes from head to toe and a dramatically striped tail, came out of the door into the lobby in time to hear the exchange.
“Hello, I’m Zig Zag,” She said with her usual business smile. Alex turned to her and offered his paw, and only just managed not to drop his jaw on the floor. He remembered her as the small, slightly skinny cousin with the curious nature and somewhat guarded manner he’d babysat when he was a teenager, but the tall, absolutely gorgeous femme before him would take any male’s breath away. She was dressed in a rather short black skirt and a silky lavender blouse that matched the eye shadow she wore.
“Hello, I’m Alex O’Whitt,” He managed to say in as normal and friendly a tone as he could.
Zig Zag noticed that he met her eye to eye, as an equal, and that his eyes didn’t wander all over her, as happened with most males. She was amazed at the shade of blue his eyes were.
“Ice Blue,” She thought. His pawshake was firm, but not overbearing. Zig Zag decided she liked this tiger already. He did look oddly familiar to her, though.
“My office is this way,” She said as she turned and indicated for Alex to follow her.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“Ooh,” Zig Zag thought, “James would like him.” She also noticed his accent. Not quite a southern drawl, but tending that way. He pronounced his words very precisely. She couldn’t help tossing her standard line over her shoulder at him, though.
“Look, it’s just plain ol’ Zig Zag. Don’t call me ma’am.”
Alex almost answered with a ‘yes ma’am’ but caught himself. “All right, Zig Zag.”
Alex kept his eyes and comments to himself when a shapely mongoose wearing a loosely-closed robe walked past them. She nodded to Zig Zag, and boldly looked Alex up and down. He nodded politely, keeping his eyes on hers. She seemed a bit taken aback by that, but smiled broadly at him as she passed.
They entered her office and Zig Zag indicated a chair in front of her desk for Alex to sit in. Alex carefully sat the box he carried on the floor, then sat down and opened his briefcase and laptop. For the next thirty minutes, he and Zig Zag discussed costs, services, schedules, and comparisons to airline travel.
“So you see,” Alex said in summation, “We can pick up your folks and equipment at a discreet location, deliver them wherever you want, and do it within ten percent of what the airlines charge first class. Plus you won’t have to put up with all the airport security delays.”
Zig Zag put on her best client smile. “This looks pretty good. Leave the paperwork with me and I’ll have my accountant look it over and then decide.”
“No need in hurrying,” She thought.
“Thank you very much, Zig Zag,” Alex replied.
Zig Zag started to rise from her chair, thinking that the meeting was at an end, but Alex held up a paw, saying, “If I may take a few more moments of your time?”
Zig Zag arched an eyebrow, her curiosity kicking in. “Now what?” she thought.
Alex reached into his briefcase and produced a sealed envelope.
“This,” he stated, “is a letter from my father to you. He passed away two weeks ago, and one of his final wishes was for me to read this letter in your presence.”
Zig Zag frowned. She got all kinds of odd requests, and if this was another freaky letter from some weirdo fan, this tiger had probably just lost her business. She started to speak, but Alex again held up a paw.
“I know you probably get all kinds of odd requests and letters, but let me finish, please?”
Zig Zag thought it over for a second. This tiger seemed very sincere, and not the pervert type, so she nodded her assent.
Alex opened the envelope, and before he read said, “I’m as much in the dark as you are, Zig Zag. Dad didn’t tell me what this said, only to read it to you.”
He began to read:
“Dear Tonya,”
Zig Zag started at that, but Alex continued before she could speak. She closed her mouth, a frown on her face.
“Or should I say Zig Zag? For that is what you are called now. I am your cousin Anton. My father and your grandfather were brothers. I have not seen you since you were a child, but I have followed your life through what I can find out in the papers and magazines.”
“All right mister, that’s enough!”
Alex looked up at Zig Zag. Her eyes were narrowed, her tail straight up behind her, twitching with emotion. She was on her feet, and he could see anger seething in her expression. He could also see old pain, but it was buried deep. He decided now was a good time to just shut up and let her vent her anger before he tried to say any more.
“You come in here,” she hissed through gritted teeth, “representing yourself as someone who wants to do business with my company, and then you start reading a letter from a father who claims he’s my cousin! Like hell he is, but even if he is, why should I care! I’ve had no use for my family, and they no use for me for quite a few years now. How dare you come waltzing in here under false pretenses, and then expect me to listen to some letter from some cousin who you say is dead now. I bet it’s either some sick fantasy scene you want me to respond to, or some crappy condemnation he wrote to make himself feel better about his morality before he died. If you’re family, where were you when I needed help? Where were all you too-good-for-me cousins when things were bad? All I ever got from my family was condemnation for doing what I had to do to survive. I’m going to have you thrown out of here on your ass! So come on then, Mister Hot Shit Flying Service rep, what have you got to say for yourself before I call Marvin and have him kick you out?”
Alex bowed his head. So much anger, and all she said was true. Her family hadn’t been a family to her, and his was too distant to help. He realized then that he could lose much more than a sale if he didn’t find a way to convince her to let him finish the letter. She hadn’t picked up the phone or activated the intercom yet. What could he say to her? Then it came to him, what needed to be said. Even if not all of what was left of the family agreed with it, he needed to say it. He raised his head up and fixed her with as earnest an expression as he could, again looking her straight in the eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
Zig Zag was taken aback. She’d expected anger, or fear, or a stammering, sheepish, lousy, lying explanation of some sort. Now she was looking into those ice blue eyes she’d noticed, and all she saw was honesty. This fur actually meant what he said. And somehow she knew, he wasn’t just sorry for coming there, or for not telling her the real reason he’d come.
“W-what?” she managed after a moment. Alex continued looking her in the eyes. In a very contrite voice, he went on.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that none of us were there for you. I’m sorry the family turned its back on you. I’m sorry it has taken so long for any of us to make the effort to contact you. I didn’t realize that my cousin Tonya was actually the Zig Zag until Dad told me, which was when he gave me this letter. Your grandfather lost your home address and phone number, and so none of us knew how to reach you. I’m also sorry for deceiving you. I really am co-owner of Kentiger, and everything I showed you and told you is legitimate.”
Zig Zag was silent for a few moments. Her thoughts were confusing. Part of her wanted to reject this tiger, to have Marvin kick his stripy tail into the parking lot, but at the same time, part of her yearned for a connection, for someone in the family. Finally she decided.
“Finish your letter.”
Alex nodded. She wasn’t ready to talk, but at least she was going to listen. He started over.
“Dear Tonya,
“Or should I say Zig Zag? For that is what you are called now. I am your cousin Anton. My father and your grandfather were brothers. I have not seen you since you were a child, but I have followed your life through what I can find out in the papers and magazines. Don’t worry; I didn’t believe most of it. Let me say that I am quite proud of you and your accomplishments. Your grandfather was very proud of you, too, but circumstances being what they were, he didn’t get to tell you in person. The tiger reading this is my son Alex. He is a good fur, and will be a good friend to you if you let him. He is all our family can offer you now, as I will soon be gone. Let him into your life as a friend and ally, and I’m sure you won’t regret it.”
Zig Zag narrowed her eyes again at the presumptuous tone of the letter, but she said nothing. She was in fact quite surprised that this cousin actually said he was proud of her.
“Please forgive the subterfuge,” Alex continued reading, “It was my idea, as I didn’t know how you would react to a long lost cousin suddenly appearing out of the past. You and Alex have met before. He watched you for your grandparents when they were busy a couple of the times you visited them. You were quite small then.”
Now Zig Zag remembered. “That’s why he seemed familiar,” she thought.
“I was almost 18 then,” Alex interjected as he noticed the recognition on Zig Zag’s face. He then continued reading:
“Now for the box. Alex, give Zig Zag the box now, please.” Alex smirked slightly at having read the instructions aloud, then bent and retrieved the box. He sat it on the desk in front of Zig Zag. She peered at the writing on the envelope suspiciously and was amazed to see her grandfather’s signature.
“G-grandpa?”
She said it so softly that Alex was barely able to hear. It had not been that long since her grandfather’s death. Could this really be something from him? She looked back to Alex with an arched eyebrow and nodded for him to continue.
“This box was given to me by your grandfather. I don’t know its contents, but he was emphatic that I deliver it to you. Unfortunately, my health failed before I could make the trip, and he was equally emphatic that I not mail or ship it to you. I don’t think he trusted either since coming here from the Old Country. I hope its contents are a pleasant surprise for you, and not a sad one. The love of this part of our family goes out to you.
Your cousin,
Anton O’Whitt”
Alex concluded reading the letter and said, “The final instruction says to open the letter first and then the box. If you’d prefer to do that in private, I understand, but before I go let me say personally that I am honored to be of service or assistance in any way I can. You are family, and now it seems about the only ones left of our clan are you and I. I offer you my friendship and loyalty, and I give neither lightly. You don’t need to call, ah, Marvin? I’ll see myself out.”
Alex rose to leave, glad to have at least delivered the box and gotten the letter from his father read. Zig Zag thought to let him go, but something said to have him stay, to trust this possible connection to family. She had dreamed of family, of someone to share her good news, and bad news with. She’d practically forged one out of those at the studio, but she would never open up to them. Something in her practically screamed that she could do so with this tiger.
Deciding quickly, she said, “Please stay. You’ve carried this all this way to me; you might as well stay to see the contents. I do remember you. You and Grandpa always treated me like I was special. I’ve only recently found someone else who does that. If I read you right, I think I can trust you to keep this to yourself.”
“Without a doubt, Zig Zag,” Alex replied after a second as he sat back down. So he still had a chance at making friends with his cousin. He’d have to take the chances as they came. It had been so long since he’d last seen her, and he now realized that he knew very little about the femme in front of him.
Zig Zag pulled the envelope from the box. It read, “For Zig Zag Only” and carried her grandfather’s signature underneath those words. A letter, from her grandfather. The only male that she’d felt really cared about her until recently. She carefully opened it and began to read to herself:
My Dearest Tonya, my little Zig Zag,
Though not so much the little girl anymore, eh? First, let me say how proud I am of you. I read in the newspapers and magazines that your business does well. Good for you, I say. Keep giving the Bigwigs fits. What your business is and your acting, Ahh, maybe I don’t like it so much. It is your business, though, so I’ll say no more.
Second, let me say how much I admire you. You have great courage to take on your father like you did. I thank you for the chance you gave your grandmother and me to raise Brandy and Maxwell. They were good kids, but maybe Maxwell needs convincing of things now and then, eh? His memory of things is not too good sometimes. I am sorry your mother was not better for you. She had many things happen to her as a youngster that she wasn’t able to overcome.
Third, let me say how much love I have for you.
Alex had been quietly watching the expressions playing across Zig Zag’s face as she read. Wonder, at first, then a welling of tears that she turned her head to try to conceal. He decided now was the time to try to connect with her on a family level.
“It’s all right, Zig Zag,” Alex said softly. Zig Zag turned back to look at him.
“Let it come out a little. There’s no shame. I loved your grandfather very much, too,” Alex stated, guessing at the cause of her tears. Zig Zag smiled weakly, wiped her eyes with the back of her paws, and continued reading:
You have grown into a lovely, remarkable person. Some of the family, ah, they don’t think much of you. I always tell them you’re a good kid.
The things in this box I saved for you. Mostly pictures and such, and a few of the things we made when you visited as a little girl. I know you are too old for Pecking Chickens, but Brandy says your father smashed your old one after you left home. I started this one for you, but the paws, they don’t work like they used to. Maybe you can find some nice young fur to finish it for you, eh? Or maybe finish it yourself! You could do it, you know. You have good paws.
Zig Zag grinned at the accidental double entendré, then read on.
My health is not good, or I would have come to see you and bring these things to you myself. I am sending them by my nephew, your cousin Anton. You remember him? He and his family would visit sometimes while you were here. His son babysat you when you were little while you visited us and we would have to go out. He is a nice guy, Anton is, so be good to him, eh?
Your loving Grandfather,
Anatol
When she had finished reading, Zig Zag laid the letter down and pulled the box close to her. Alex breathed an inward sigh of relief. The smile he’d seen said she was glad of what the letter said. He watched without comment as she tore off the yellowed tape that sealed the box.
Opening the flaps and looking inside, Zig Zag found several old school certificates, commemorating the high points in her rather lackluster academic record. Under those were several groups of family photographs, mostly of Anatol and his wife with Zig Zag and her siblings. She placed these on her desk and continued bringing things out of the box. Next came several small wood carvings, and then the two most exquisite items of all. A partially-completed Pecking Chickens toy and a carved wooden figurine of a tiger-striped skunk. Zig Zag immediately picked that item up to look at it closer. It was about 6 inches tall, and Zig Zag was taken back in her memory to a time spent standing beside her grandfather’s workbench as he would work on items like this. Anatol had inlaid onyx for the stripes, and had pawpolished the item to such a high gloss that it seemed to glow. Zig Zag closed her eyes and held the figurine up to the side of her muzzle, lost in memory. Alex whistled softly, breaking her reverie.
“That is the most beautiful carving I’ve ever seen,” he commented. Zig Zag smiled and put the figurine back into the box.
“Grandpa always did excellent work,” she said with pride. Alex smiled and nodded in return. He remembered quite well watching her grandfather as he worked in his workshop. That was a memory he’d have to share with Zig Zag when he got a chance.
Looking at the Pecking Chicken’s toy, Alex said, “It’s too bad he didn’t get to finish that.”
“I think I know someone who can help me with it,” Zig Zag said. “The coyote I’m dating is very good at woodworking. He builds furniture and stuff by paw, no power tools.”
“That’s very impressive!” Alex commented.
“He is that,” Zig Zag said, and then paused. Was she willing to let this cousin who had appeared out of the past into her current life? He was sitting there, looking at her with those calm, blue eyes. He wasn’t asking for any more than what she’d given, leaving the next move up to her. That told her volumes about his sincerity, and his discretion. He wouldn’t press her for anything, she had a feeling. She also felt quite sure that what he’d said about his friendship and loyalty was absolutely true. Again, she felt herself liking this tiger who’d just barnstormed into her life. She nodded slightly to herself
“Hey, would you like to meet him? He’s picking me up for dinner in about,” she checked her watch, “an hour or so. Better yet, join us for dinner?” Zig Zag was sure that Alex and James would get along well.
“Uh, no thank you, Zig Zag. I wouldn’t want to be a fifth wheel,” Alex politely declined.
“Nonsense,” Zig Zag said earnestly, “We’re just having dinner. You’re more than welcome to come along.”
Alex considered it again. His father had said to make friends, and if he were going to do so he should meet her boyfriend. Being friends with Zig Zag might be complicated, Alex thought, but she gave every indication of being loyal to those she was friends with. That was a quality Alex greatly valued.
“All right,” Alex conceded, “You talked me into it.”
“Good. I think you’ll like James. You and he have a bit in common, I’d say.” Zig Zag smiled at that. Alex decided to wait and see, rather than press her for answers about that comment.
“About this,” she indicated the box, “When did Grandpa give it to your dad?”
“As nearly as I can figure, almost a year before he died,” Alex replied. “Dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer about 2 months before Uncle Anni’s death.”
Zig Zag looked curiously at Alex.
Guessing her question, Alex said, “We always called your grandfather ‘Uncle Anni’ even though he was actually our great uncle.”
Zig Zag smiled at that. It gave her a feeling of closer connection to her grandfather. She’d missed him terribly since his death. Now, her cousin was telling her things about him, and sharing memories with her. She realized that there was probably a little of her grandfather in Alex. That made her decision even firmer. The pair continued to talk about family, and the few times in Zig Zag’s childhood when she was happy. It felt good to have someone she could talk fairly freely with about those times. Since Alex had been there, there were no secrets to hide from him. Alex shared Zig Zag’s opinion of her father.
“It was only Dad’s intervention that kept me from hunting that skunk down after the details that came out in your lawsuit. I’m glad you were able to get your siblings away from him. It’s probably best he took off after that. Someone in the family would’ve done a number on him, sooner or later,” Alex stated.
Zig Zag looked at him sharply. “I thought you said you didn’t know I was me until two weeks ago. How could you know about the lawsuit and not know my name was changed?”
Alex smiled disarmingly. “Because I was overseas when it actually happened. Dad told me the details when I got home, but he always just called you Tonya.”
Zig Zag thought the answer over, and decided there was no reason to doubt it. She smiled in return. Just then a knock came on the door. At Zig Zag’s, “Come in,” A large, muscular badger opened the door and entered the office. He had already started to say something about the next feature scheduled for taping when he noticed Alex was there. Alex took one look and was immediately glad it hadn’t come to him being thrown out.
“Oh, hello,” the badger said, “I’m Marvin.” As Alex rose to greet him, Marvin took in the lean, muscled physique and said “Are you the new actor we’re hiring?”
Alex stopped in mid-step; paw extended to shake, and arched his eyebrow. Zig Zag almost doubled over in a fit of laughter.
“What’s wrong?” Marvin wanted to know. Then he saw the Kentiger Executive Air emblem on Alex’s shirt.
“Oops! My mistake. I apologize, sir,” Marvin said contritely. Alex had recovered himself and proceeded to shake paws.
“That’s all right. It’s not every day I get mistaken for,” he had almost said porn star, but thought the better of it, “an adult film actor.” This caused Zig Zag to laugh even harder.
Alex introduced himself, “I’m Alex O’Whitt, with Kentiger Executive Air.”
Zig Zag sat there holding her sides, shaking with laughter. Looking at her, Alex could contain himself no longer. He burst into a long, hearty laugh. Marvin was still at a loss as to what was so funny.
Zig Zag recovered first, wiping a tear from her eye with the back of her paw. “Marvin, Alex is, as I’ve just found out, also my second cousin.”
Marvin’s eyes grew wide. This was the first family member of Zig Zag’s he had ever met, and now he goes and mistakes him for an actor.
“It’s all right, really,” Alex said, recovering from the laughter now also.
Zig Zag narrowed her eyes in merriment and said slyly, “So, cousin, what do you say? Would you like to give acting a shot?”
Marvin had the feeling she was teasing both he and Alex, so he remained silent.
Alex, now fully recovered from his fit of laughter, surmised that Zig Zag was teasing him also. He looked evenly at her and said, “No, thank you. I really think it would hurt your business to put a scarred-up, broken down ‘ol fighter jock of a tiger like me on camera.”
Zig Zag eyed Alex carefully. The only hint of any age on him was the salt-and-pepper in his close–cropped hair.
“Don’t sell yourself short,” she said, causing Alex to blush slightly.
Marvin shook his head and said, “I can tell I won’t get anything more out of you for the rest of the day! I’ll catch you first thing in the morning with these.” He indicated the paperwork in his paw and then turned and left before any more misfortune befell him.
Zig Zag wiped her eyes with the back of her paw one last time and said, “Thank you, Alex. I can always use a good laugh, and you handled the situation very well.”
“No sense taking offense where none was intended,” Alex replied. “I’m actually quite flattered.”
“So then, my handsome cousin, tell me a bit more about yourself. Do you have a wife, girlfriend, family?” Zig Zag asked. She normally wouldn’t have asked, preferring to respect another’s privacy as she expected hers to be, but she was curious about her newfound cousin and he seemed open to talking about his side of their family.
“No, I’m not married or seeing anyone right now,” Alex said, almost wistfully. “I’ve had a few long-term dating relationships, but duty always seemed to call me away at the critical times when they could have moved on to something more. I’m retired Air Force, flew F-15’s. Still do in the reserves. Since I retired last year, I’ve been too busy spending time with Dad and working to build up my business to date anyone. Now that Dad’s gone, I may be able to. I’d like a family, but I’m still waiting on the right lady.”
“She’ll be one lucky lady,” Zig Zag commented, causing Alex to blush slightly again.
“Hmm, he’s awfully humble for a tiger, and a fighter pilot. I always heard those guys were all ego,” she thought.
“I get my family fix looking after my brother Jason’s wife and two kids,” Alex stated, rather flatly. Zig Zag noticed a slight frown play across Alex’s face as he spoke. At her inquiring look, Alex pulled the stack of pictures toward himself. He’d noticed a certain one in the pile when she’d laid them down.
“Jason is the other cub in…,ahh,…this picture.” Alex plucked one of the family photos from the stack and handed it to Zig Zag. It showed a large male Siberian tiger with his arm around a petite female snow leopard. In front of them stood two young tigers. Zig Zag could pick out Alex as the taller one by his distinctive facial stripes. She now realized that while most tiger faces had horizontal stripes on the cheeks, the stripes on Alex’s face turned vertical halfway up his cheeks and ended just below his eyes. She also recognized where he got his tail, as it was a larger version of the one his mother had in the photo. The shorter tiger beside him in the picture had standard markings.
“Jason was an Air Force fighter pilot, also,” Alex stated, his voice still flat. “He was killed in a crash during a training mission over two years ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” Zig Zag said. There was nothing else she could say, not having known the younger tiger.
“He died doing what he loved,” Alex said sadly. He didn’t include, “Following in my footsteps,” in his comment, although he always felt a sense of guilt over that fact.
Zig Zag said softly, “And your mother?”
“Car crash about ten years ago. I was tied up in a critical mission overseas, and didn’t even get to come to the funeral.” Alex stated quietly, only his eyes giving any hint of the deep sorrow he still felt.
Zig Zag’s heart went out to him. Here, in some ways, was someone in the same shape as her, with most of his close family lost to him. “You really are alone,” she said, her voice full of compassion. Alex looked at her with a sad, faraway look, and then seemed to shake off the feelings Zig Zag was sure were churning just below the surface.
“It seems so. I think that’s why Dad was so eager to have me deliver this ASAP after he was gone. He hoped we would become friends, and give both of us a bit more of a family connection.”
“I’m glad he did it this way,” Zig Zag commented. “He was right, if you had showed up or called claiming to be a cousin, I would not have seen you. Sorry about the harsh reaction, by the way. Most of the family disowned me long ago, so if I hear from any of them, it's rarely a good thing. I’m still close with Brandy and Max, my sister and brother, but even they don’t get to see very much of me.”
“How are they doing?” Alex asked, glad to be able to move on from his personal tragedies.
“Great!” Zig Zag brightened, also glad to move to happier subjects. “Brandy recently got promoted at her work, and Max is in his last year before residency in med school.”
“Wonderful!” said Alex, smiling now. “I guess intelligence just runs in the family.”
Zig Zag chuckled. “Thank you, it must come from the tiger side of the family.”
Alex snorted and gave a large, toothy grin. The two continued talking about surface family information, slowly getting to know each other as they waited for James to arrive.
# # #
“Hey Jack, how ya doin’?” the burly Great Dane said as he stuck his head in the door of the construction site office trailer. Jack Lazarus looked up from the blueprint he was reviewing.
“Oh hey Brad. Fine, yourself?”
The canid winked, causing Jack to look askance at him. “No complaints here, and I bet none on your end either, you dog you.”
“What are you talking about?” Jack asked with a perplexed look on his face.
“Oh don’t play dumb. That tiger gal you’re seeing. The one I saw you meet last week. You are one lucky pup.” Brad had an almost leering expression.
Jack just smiled back. “Yeah, she is beautiful.”
“Yeah, and geez, you go from no girlfriend at all to one with a layout in Furfemme. Way to go!”
Jack’s smile fell as he jumped to his feet. “What!”
Brad looked confused. He involuntarily took a half-step back and raised his paws. “Easy Jack. I didn’t mean nothin’.”
Jack relaxed the frown on his face slightly. “All right, I know you didn’t, but what are you talking about?”
The Great Dane looked uncertain. “Well, I saw an ad for next month’s Furfemme, and it said there would be a pictorial of Miss Sunburst, the gal from those store displays. My wife uses that brand of conditioner that the ad is for. Sure didn’t make her look like that, but it does make her fur soft. Anyway, you remember when the displays came out; they made such a big deal of the fact that the ad company here in Lexington did the design. They wouldn’t say who the model was, only that she was a local gal. When I saw a white tigress, I just figured, y’know? Since there ain’t that many of them around.”
Jack blinked, and then chuckled. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but Jenna isn’t a model. She does work for Bluegrass Advertising, but she does computer work for them.”
Brad thought a moment, and then said, “Oh. My bad, I guess. Funny that there’d be two gorgeous white tigresses working at the same company. The stripe pattern sure looks the same, though. Well, uh, I gotta go check on . . . something. S’long!”
Brad was gone before Jack could say anything more. Jack just shook his head and sat back down. How some things got started! He went back to reviewing the blue print.
After a few minutes, he stood up and started pacing back and forth. Of course it wasn’t Jenna. She wasn’t a model, even though Jack thought she was more beautiful than any of the ones he’d ever seen. She certainly wouldn’t have posed for a male’s magazine, especially one with the reputation for being as raunchy as Furfemme. The coincidence Brad had brought up was just that, a coincidence. The idea was nagging at him, though. Could she have posed for the initial ad pitch, and then another model have done the campaign? Jenna had never said anything about it.
After several more minutes of pacing, he sat back down. He resolved to ask Jenna about the matter when he met her for dinner. Hopefully, she’d get a laugh out of the whole notion.
# # #
James Sheppard walked through the doors of ZZ Studios and started to go past the receptionist.
“Hi Gail,” he called to the collie. “Zig in her office?”
“Yes, Mr. Sheppard, but I think she’s still with an appointment. Better let me call first.”
James stopped where he was. “Hmm, I thought Zig said her last appointment today was at 3, and it’s nearly 5 now. Wonder what’s taking so long?” James thought to himself. Gail had picked up the phone and punched the button for Zig Zag’s office.
“Zig Zag, Mr. Sheppard is here,” James heard her say. He smiled to himself, thinking that he came by here all the time, but Gail still called him Mr. Sheppard.
“Go on in, Mr. Sheppard.” Gail gave him a friendly smile as she nodded toward the door.
“Thanks, Gail,” James said, returning the smile and walking through the door into the interior of the studio. He turned right and headed down the short hall to Zig Zag’s office. The door was shut so James knocked and heard Zig Zag say, “Come in!”
James opened the door and stuck his head in, saying, “Hi Sweetheart! Ready to—.” He stopped short as he took notice of the white tiger now rising and turning to face him. Slim, muscular without being bulky, salt-and-pepper military-short hair, and something about the facial markings not quite the usual. Something unusual about the tail, too, but what caught James’ attention at that moment were the calm, glacial blue eyes that locked onto his. James had the feeling of being quickly and thoroughly evaluated.
The corners of the tiger’s mouth bent upwards in a smile as Zig Zag said, “Come in, James. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
James stepped into the office and closed the door behind him.
“James, this is Alex O’Whitt. Alex, this is my boyfriend, James Sheppard,” Zig Zag said, then sat back silently to gauge the reactions between the two. Alex had looked the coyote over when he entered the room. A hybrid like him, he surmised. Coyote with gray fur and nearly white paws, but with the black muzzle and ear tips, and a name like Sheppard, most likely mixed with German shepherd.
Alex stepped forward with his paw extended, saying, “James, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
James shook paws and was favorably impressed with Alex’s firm, easy grip.
“The pleasure is mine,” James said. Taking in the logo on Alex’s shirt, he added, “Where is your company out of? I don’t think I’ve seen anything from you out at the airport.”
“We’re based out of Bluegrass Field down in Lexington,” Alex replied. “We don’t have any operations up here, yet. I have several sales calls to make tomorrow and if we can generate enough business up here, we’ll open a small office at the airport to assist with customer service and passenger handling. That would give me even more of an excuse to come up for a visit.”
Alex had a bemused look on his face as he spoke. James was wondering why this sales rep was speaking with such unwarranted familiarity.
“Oh, do you have family or friends here?” James asked.
“You might say that,” Alex replied cryptically as he glanced over at Zig Zag. She suppressed a giggle behind her paw and continued to look inscrutable.
James frowned slightly and said, “I have the feeling I’m missing something here.”
Alex turned and looked at Zig Zag, arching an eyebrow towards her.
“I told you he was smart,” Zig Zag said mischievously, barely able to keep from laughing.
“That you did,” Alex agreed, a large smile breaking across his muzzle.
“I don’t get it!” James said, still at a loss to explain the pair’s strange behavior. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked Alex up and down again.
“Oh, I get it now! The joke’s on poor James. Are you the new actor Zig was going to hire?”
At this both Alex and Zig Zag burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. James stood there looking uncomfortable, realizing he had probably made a mistake. When their laughter finally subsided, Alex spoke first, a wide smile on his muzzle.
“I can’t believe it, twice in one day.”
“That’s what happens when you hang out at an adult studio,” Zig Zag advised him, still smiling broadly herself.
“OK,” James said, “It’s time to let the straight man in on the joke. What’s so funny?”
“James, Alex isn’t an actor. He is co-owner of Kentiger Executive Air Service, and also, I’ve just found out, my second cousin.” Zig Zag said, a mischievous lilt still in her voice.
James looked askance at the tiger, thinking, “Oh great! First one of Zig’s relatives I meet and I call him an adult film actor right off the bat.”
“Please accept my apology, Alex,” James managed to say. “But you two were being so obscure I didn’t know what to think.”
“It’s all right, James,” Alex said, still smiling. “It’s just that’s the same assumption Zig Zag’s studio manager Marvin made when he met me.”
Looking now to Zig Zag, Alex continued, “Do I look that much like an adult film actor?” She started laughing again.
Looking back to James, Alex said, “Apparently your reaction was justified. In any case, no harm done. Zig Zag has had some very good things to say about you.”
“It’s good to hear she still likes me,” James said, a little sourly.
Zig Zag had recovered enough to speak. “Oh James, I’m sorry, but what happened with Marvin kind of set the mood, and I couldn’t resist.”
James finally smiled. “Hey, I like a good joke as well as anybody. Just don’t let me flounder around so long next time.”
“I promise, Sweetheart,” Zig Zag said, in a voice that made James sure she didn’t mean a word of it.
James sighed. “If you two are through torturing me, I believe we have dinner plans, Zig.”
Zig Zag smiled seductively at James. “Would you like a special surprise with dinner?”
James, reading her look, teased back, “Zig Zag! Please! Not in front of the igertay!” with a comedic wiggle of his eyebrow in Alex’s direction.
Zig Zag giggled and Alex looked at James askance, trying to figure out if he was kidding. He was still amazed that James hadn’t fallen over after the look Zig Zag had given him.
“Now I think I’m being teased,” Alex stated, breaking into a grin.
“Of course you are,” Zig Zag said, “Your family, right?”
“Absolutely,” Alex replied.
James smiled. “I take it Alex will be joining us for dinner?”
“See? I told you he was smart,” Zig Zag said, laughing again.
“That you did, that you did,” Alex replied, grinning.
They all three had a laugh at that. Zig Zag put her treasures from her grandfather back in the box, putting off any questions from James with an easy, “I’ll show you later.” She picked it up and took it with her as the three left the office. Talking and laughing between themselves, the trio made their way out of the building, barely noticing the odd looks they garnered from the few furs they met as they left. Zig Zag never even had to break stride, as first James and then Alex took turns opening the doors for her. As they left the lobby, Gail just shook her head in amazement.
“Now who has she collected?” she wondered, referring to Zig Zag’s habit of offering jobs to those who helped or impressed her.
END OF CHAPTER 31.