Rise of the Cat Women Ch. 03

It took only a minute for them to roll the fur and pack their meager belongings; as they did, so did Candy and Baby Girl. As they started to leave John went over to Candy and hugged her, "Be safe squid."

"You too grunt." She watched as they walked east and then looked at Baby Girl who was crying. Wiping her own tears away she led her mate south east. Once they were about a mile away she said softly to Baby girl, "We will head south and then walk parallel to them about five miles away." She paused and looked at her mate, "Or would you rather just go south?"

Baby Girl slapped Candy on the arm, "What do you think?" She smiled and said softly, "Close enough to help in a pinch but far enough away to keep Honey's need for privacy intact." She looked northward and added, "Should we tell John we are close?"

Candy smiled and shook her head, "No, I bet he already knows. It is what he would do if the positions were reversed."

As they walked John was troubled at what had happened. Finally, he reached out to Kitten's mind and told her gently, "Once she calms down she will want you beside her. Trust me Kitten..."

"I do," came the hurt mind's reply.

It was almost an hour later when Winston said, "John?"

"Yes Winston?"

"Kitten is sad, she just shuffles along not speaking, crying, and every time I say something to her she replies it doesn't matter... Look if I give up the other names, will you have Honey make up with her?"

"No,"

"Come on John, please I'm begging you." Winston pleaded.

"The answer is no. But not because of what you think." John glanced at Honey before continuing. "Whether you like it or not, you are part of my family. You became so when you and Honey pulled that shooting stunt. I plan on talking to Honey because it is good for the family, not because you tried to bribe me. Family does not bribe family."

"I understand, I think."

"Winston, every government has plants with us and I fully understand duty for god and country though in your case it is Queen and country I guess. I was mad and wrong to ask you to turn over the others. But as leader of this family, I am correct to say I don't want any of our movements or business to become known." He sighed mentally and said, "Life would be simpler if you just retired from the spy game now that Callie is dead."

After a moment Winston replied, "I already have. I did the minute Kitten came back looking like she wanted to die. I love her John, more than anything else in the world."

"I know you do..." John replied. He slipped his hand into Honey's and said. "It will be dark soon and we should find a place to stop."

In a clipped voice Honey replied, "We can go all night, put more distance between us."

John stopped and by holding her hand forced Honey to stop also, "You may be able to walk all night, but I have had a long day and need to rest love."

They found an old evergreen and set up camp under it. Even though he was not hungry John managed to eat a couple pieces of jerky before lying down. As soon as he lay down, Honey snuggled up tight to him and started crying silently. He stroked her head and back and kept quiet. Finally, when she cried herself out he thought gently to her, "Want to talk about it?"

Not moving Honey replied, "I was so cruel to her love. Once I found what hurt her I kept at it until she broke." She whimpered softly as fresh tears started and thought, "I couldn't stop myself...now Kitten hates me."

"She doesn't hate you; she loves you and needs to know you love her too." John said as he stroked her back. "The last time we took opposing sides we got into a fight so I am not going to fight this time. All I am going to say is that you need to make up with Kitten. She is our family and we take care of our own no matter how much they mess up."

"You think she will forgive me?" Honey's mind clung to his as much as her arms did.

"Yes, I think she will."

"Mother?" Honey thought to Kitten. When there was no reply she reached her mind out to touch to others. What she found devastated her. Kitten's mind was so deep into depression it was a wonder she had not taken her life to end it. "Oh god mother I'm so sorry... I love you and didn't mean to hurt you."

"Honey?" came the broken reply.

John tried to listen in but somehow Honey and Kitten both shut him out. Instead he talked to Winston, "They are talking..."

The joy in Winston's reply was evident, "Yes!"

"Which way are you two going?"

After a minute Winston replied sheepishly, "East John. I had thought we could go north a bit and follow you two. With Kitten the way she was, if we got into trouble I wanted help close."

John laughed, "I was going to ask you to do so. I am positive Candy and Baby Girl are somewhere close also. Once we hit a land mark, like a river or something I will let you know so you can judge distance."

"Good idea and thank you John."

"Don't thank me, you would have done the same for me." John replied. He waited to see if there was a reply and then thought out to Candy and Baby Girl, "How far out are you two?"

"Whatever do you mean," Candy asked as Baby Girl giggled.

"I guess I could just sneak over there and ravish you two until you give up, but I need to spend time with Honey, she and Kitten are making up."

"That's good," Baby Girl replied. "Does that mean we rejoin?"

John felt Candy shake her head no even as he said, "No. Once we get out of area a smaller group stands a better chance and with us close, two miles or so apart, we can cross support. By the way Winston and Kitten are somewhere behind us right now. Tomorrow they will move to our left flank." He laughed, "It seemed our little ex spy had the same idea you did Candy."

"Ex?"

"He resigned..."

"And you believe him?" Baby Girl replied.

"I do... and you two should too. We are a family now and have to get along."

"Just like a boat crew," Candy replied.

"Right, we all have strengths and weakness. We need to learn and use to our advantage to take on the world."

"Like someone can't help if he is a grunt," Candy laughed.

"Any more than being a squid," John laughed back. It had at first made him madder than hell to be called first a grunt and then a pussy. But now that he had calmed down, he realized Candy had been trying to take his anger on herself.

If you think he is a grunt now, you should have heard him grunt when I turned him," interjected Kitten's laughing mind.

As the others laughed at him John sent her a private message, "All better between you two?"

"Not completely but yes much better lover," Kitten's mind said giving him a mental hug.

He looked down at Honey who was smiling up at him. "So Honey girl still want to spend all night cuddling?"

She caressed his body before replying, "Honey give John a cookie if John give Honey a baby."

"Do you really want that?"

More than anything else..." she purred

"So you will make camp with the other four while I continue looking for Doc alone?"

"No, where John goes, Honey goes."

John sighed, "Honey girl, you cannot go into the mountains in winter and give birth. Not only that but take care of a newborn while on the move and the most wanted person by the humans is not a wise idea."

"I can give birth on the move and in the mountains John," Honey said sitting up.

"Would you risk your daughter, our daughter's life on it?" He reached up to caress her face. "My love, I want a daughter as much as you do. But if we wait six months, then that gives us almost year to find or conclude Doc is dead."

"What about the others, Candy and Baby Girl, why do they get to travel pregnant but Honey cannot?"

"When they reach term or near, they will stop and make a long term camp." John replied patiently.

Pouting Honey said, "Honey want John's daughter." She paused and then added, "However, Honey will wait five months, no longer." She sat up and looked down at him, "You will not be able to talk me into waiting again love."

"Don't worry, I won't even try."

Over the next month they made good time. To the north of Honey and John were Kitten and Winston. While to the south were Candy and Baby Girl. Their good fortune turned when they reached the foot hills. John, Honey, Winston and Kitten were at a small river waiting for the other two to catch up when Kitten dropped a deer on the other side.

"Wahoo, fresh meat," Winston announced.

"That is if someone would let us get together for one night...hint, hint..." Kitten added.

"Okay, for fresh meat I guess I can stand calling a female Winston," Honey laughed in reply. "Or should we change her name to Winnie? What say you mother?"

In the middle of their laughter, Winston said on the edge of panic, "Contact! Fifty yards north along river!"

"Kitten drop and freeze!" John said quickly. "What side of the river Winston?"

"East side! They are headed towards Kitten."

"Hide in a tree and DON'T SHOOT!" John looked at Honey, "Give me your M-16 and cross over." He added to Candy and Baby Girl, "You two get your ass to the river, cross and head north and link up with Honey."

Honey didn't reply as she handed John her rifle. She nodded and ran across the river and hid.

As John sprinted north he said to Kitten, "Once I pull them away, you two take the deer and head south. Once with Honey and the others head east as fast as possible. Find a defendable position and wait."

From the panic he was feeling in Kitten's mind he knew they must be close to her. He was not going to be able to get off to the northwest to pull them away as he had hoped. He fired a burst on full auto into the water with the M-16 before cutting North West. He ran a hundred paces and fired again and added a pair of shots from the sniper rifle.

"They crossed over and are running towards the shots," Winston reported.

"Once you are clear let me know," John replied as he headed south. He needed to pull them away he thought as he stopped about a half mile from the river and emptied the M-16 into the ground. As he shouldered the M-16 he looked for a place to fire a few close shots with his sniper rifle before making his escape.

"Damn hills," John mumbled. He found some large rocks to hide behind and set up the front bipod on the rifle.

A minute later Kitten's voice said, "Clear of river and moving inland with others."

"Good," John replied. Even though he was expecting the humans to come he was surprised at how fast they had reached him. He fired and hit a tree near the first one. As expected they went to ground spraying the woods with automatic weapons fire. Jumping up John went to move away when a round creased his leg and he went down. Moving back to the rocks he waited, sooner or later they would move off and he could make his escape.

"I'm going to have a nice scar from this," he said calmly.

"Situation?" Candy asked.

At the same time Honey said "John?"

"Pinned down...one sec." John had not wanted to get into a firefight with humans but he was up against the wall. He saw a few get up and start darting from rock to rock. He scared them by a few well-placed shots into some trees. Before he could do more he heard sounds of helicopters coming in. "Crap, they have air support..."

"We are on our way," Honey replied.

"Bzzzzzz..."

"Ah fuck..." John said as he dove behind a rock. Even though they had not hit anywhere near him he knew the distinctive sound of a Gatling gun. "Don't try it," he replied. Looking up through the trees he could just make out the dark shape of one of the helicopters above him. John knew he had to try running, if he stayed here they would dial him in and toast his ass. Also the others would come and also get chewed into little bits.

"Who would call in for close air support for this, "John said as he looked for somewhere to hide.

The only thing John saw was an old tree that had toppled sometime last year. While it was about two feet around and had all its limbs, there wasn't a leaf on it. The other down side was that he would have to cover about twenty feet of semi open ground to get to it. He waited until the gunship started firing again, this time about fifty yards to the south west, and crawled on his belly to the downed tree.

John had just removed his pack and the M-16 from his back and was slowly trying to break up his body with leaves when he caught sight of movement back where he was. Five ropes dropped down and were followed by five men, all wearing black dropping down the zip lines. "Something's up...." He thought to the others.

As he watched the five men moved over to the others who stood to meet them. As one, he assumed to be the leader, stood and talked to the leader of the men who were following him the others moved into a semi-circle around the patrol. Without warning, the men in black opened fire on the patrol and killed them. "What the fuck? Some guys in black just dropped out of a helicopter and killed the patrol..."

Should he take them out or keep hidden? That question raced through John's mind as Candy replied, "Covert op... keep your head down John."

The safe thing was just to keep quiet and let it go. But it galled him to watch and not do anything. To die in battle was one thing, but to be gunned down by your own troops, humans, was bullshit. "Sure Candy," John replied even as he swung the sniper rifle on target. Three of them were close and he could drop them fast. Of the other two, one was in plain sight but he only had a partial of the last.

"DON'T!" Candy yelled in her mind. She knew damn well what John was going to do, simply because it was want she would do. She broke into a run with first Baby Girl and then the others following.

As fast as he could fire he shot the three together. He did not try to be fancy he just wanted them dead. Swinging his rifle towards the one in the open he saw the man in black had dropped down behind a rock and he did not have a clear shot. Even as he pulled the first trigger he saw a puff of pink erupt from behind the rock and knew someone had shot him from the other side.

Swinging his rifle towards the other man he saw him running towards the ropes. He fired and for the second time in his life missed. "Fuck!" he said softly as he sighted in again. Before John could get off a shot he saw several cat women bodies and weapons falling from above. If that wasn't bad enough the Bzzzz of the Gatling gun sprayed through the sisters and the men. Finally, the helicopters flew south with the lone surviving man clinging to one of the ropes.

John breathed a sigh of relief as he realized he was going to live after all. Rolling over to grab his pack and Honey's M-16 he came face to face with a rattle snake. As they looked at each other from inches away, John said softly, "Make you a deal, you don't bite me and I leave you alone." After a moment the snake gave a small rattle and turned away. He watched it slither through the leaves until it was out of sight. Only then did he get up and lean against the downed tree.

When she reached the scene, Honey saw John leaning against a downed tree with blood running down his leg. "John, you're hurt," she said as she ran up to check him over. Even though it looked like hell, it was nothing more than flesh wound. She chided him as she bandaged it up. It bothered her that John's mind was troubled and he only said it was nothing to worry about. Standing up she took his face in her hands and said softly, "Don't shut Honey out... Honey needs John."

John looked at Honey and smiled wanly, "I really thought I was a goner there love." He looked towards the bodies that the chain gun chewed up and shuddered. "That could have been me."

"Um, John?" Candy's mind called.

With Honey following John walked over to the other men in black. "What's up?"

Candy was looking at one man, the leader, "I know this face. He was in Afghanistan as our CIA contact; name of Smith of all things." He bent down and picked up one of the machine guns they were carrying. Tossing it to John he said, "Recognize it?"

"Who wouldn't, I knew the moment I heard it fire...AK-47."

John looked at the bodies and then realized that the patrol following him was part of the Canadian army. Suddenly he realized what Candy was hinting at. "If I had a blown op in a friendly country, what would you do?" Without waiting for Candy to answer, "Run for it. We need to be across the river NOW!"

As she ran Honey asked, "What's wrong?"

"They have to destroy the evidence," Beth replied.

"Fire bomb?" Winston asked also running.

"My guess is cruise missile. Anything else will be picked up on radar," John replied.

"How long do you think we have?" Candy said putting on a burst of speed.

"Not long enough. Once I shot the first one they knew it was blown. So figure at least five minutes have passed..." Although his leg was throbbing and John felt the wetness of it bleeding down his leg, they made it over the river without incident. Once they were safe he said, "Check me if I am wrong. A patrol of Canadian soldiers is ambushed by the CIA and made to look like it was our sisters using AK-47s. What purpose?"

For a long time no, one said anything, finally it was Winston who spoke. "What if the Americans wanted it to look like someone was supplying arms to us?"

"Okay, but what good would that do? I mean there are thousands of places to buy AK's even in bulk." John replied. "Accepting that somehow they pin it on a country, the question of why still remains."

"Who knows what the CIA is ever thinking," Candy replied. She looked at Winston, "Are you able to tell anyone what happened without giving us up?"

Winston took a while to answer, "Yes but if I do now then the others will know where I am and thus where you all are." She looked at John, "What do you want me to do?"

John looked at the others seeking their advice. But they, including Honey were waiting on his answer. "Do it and pass on the chance of an impending missile strike." As he stood he said, "Sorry about us not having fresh meat, but we need to make some serious tracks before something shows up."

Moving quickly, they managed to make about seven miles before it got dark. Instead of everyone scattering into three little groups they made a fireless camp together. It was sometime after night had fallen when they saw a distant flash to the west. A few minutes later they heard a soft rumble.

"Well that's that," Kitten said softly.

In the morning they started out again still as a group. As they walked John's mind was still filled with the events the day before. No matter how he cut it, it didn't make any sense. The only reason he could come up with was to declare war. When they stopped early in the day in the middle of a thick evergreen forest he had not been able to get past that reason.

"Go ahead and ask him," John heard Kitten say softly to Winston.

"Ask him what," John asked looking at Kitten and Winston.

Kitten looked at Winston who shook her head while not looking at John. Rolling her eyes Kitten said, "Winston wanted to know if you still hate her?"

"No," John replied. He looked at Winston and added, "I don't hate you Winston. You were just doing your job."

Winston didn't look at John as she mumbled her reply.

Honey nodded, "Good point." She looked at John and said, "Why not?"

"Why not what," he replied. He looked around and said, "Am I the only one hard of hearing here?"

"Why haven't you granted her your love," Candy said softly. She looked at Winston, "I agree, if it was me I would think John hated me too."

John looked at their accusing looks before turning to Winston. "We've been apart and then on the run." He reached out to touch Winston's hand, "I'm sorry. Would you like to go fool around?"

Winston looked at John's hand on hers and then up into his face. "No, I don't want a charity fuck John." She turned and walked out of the camp.