Night of the Shinobi

By Mr_Khan

The groundwork has been laid with my previous work, The First Mission. The SWAT Kats have revealed themselves to Megakat City, but they have not yet established one of their most useful relationships: their link to the Mayor's Office through Callie Briggs. That is the point of this story, and it may, like the first one, explain the backgrounds of a few other things that later appeared in the TV series (notably those Ninja kats who were working for Dark Kat in episode 18, Razor's Edge, who I am dubbing the Kuro Neko Clan.)

ACT ONE:

Fade in at a jewelry store, at night. A night-watchkat is walking between rows of glass cases towards the back of the shop. He hears a noise and whirls around.

WATCHKAT:

Who's there?

He shines his flashlight in the direction of the cash register. He sees two ninja kats, in their full, black bodysuits, hunched behind the counter, trying to pick the lock to gain access to the jewelry in the counter's display.

WATCHKAT:
Gah!

The two ninja kats pounce, bearing the watchkat to the ground. When they step away from his prone form, it is seen that the watchkat is bound, gagged, and unconscious. Cut the scene to the next morning, where a number of Enforcers are found looking for evidence. Feral, Lieutenant Steele, and the owner of the Jewelry store walk on the scene.

STEELE (sounding bored):
Okay, sir, do you have an inventory of what they stole?

JEWELER:

Of course! They took the set of special-cut rubies that I just got!

STEELE (vaguely annoyed):
Yes, but exactly how many were there, what did they look like, that sort of thing.

FERAL:
Quiet, Steele! We found someone!

Feral, Steele, and the Jeweler are seen standing over the unconscious watchkat. Another Enforcer leans over, cuts the watchkat's bonds, and removes the gag. The Jeweler leans over and shakes him awake.

JEWELER:

Did you see it? Who took my rubies?

WATCHKAT:

Ugh. What? What am I doing here? I don't remember going to work yesterday.

FERAL:
Kat's alive! Another perfect crime! No evidence, no paw-prints, no witnesses.

STEELE:

Guess that means we can't help you.

JEWELER:
But someone took all six of those rubies! I had to special order those!

STEELE (still annoyed):
Wait, six rubies? A whole jewelry store to take advantage of and they only took six rubies?

JEWELER:
But they were special order! Priceless!

FERAL:
Don't worry. The Enforcers will track down these thieves. Your thieves are probably the same thieves who have been on a crime-spree, and they've been flaunting the law for far too long! Finish filling out the police report, Lieutenant. I'm going to go get started on tracking these thugs down.

STEELE:
Yes sir, Commander.

Cut to the hangar, where Jake is seen screwing in a panel labeled "ALARM" over a light in the wall. Chance is standing over near their big monitor.

JAKE:
Okay, Chance. Give it a try.

Chance hits a switch below the monitor, and it results in a loud, annoying, buzzing sound. Not a steady ring, like the alarm later was, but constantly buzzing. Jake falls back to the ground.

JAKE:
Whoa! Turn it off! Turn it off!

Chance hastily jams the button, until the irritating buzz stops.

CHANCE:
Geez, Jake. You think we'll be able to hear it?

Jake is still on the ground, twisting a claw in one of his ears.

JAKE:
Sorry buddy. This is the best alarm system I could find in the salvage yard.

CHANCE:
I guess our luck in finding stuff in the salvage yard had to run out sometime. But at least this is something we could buy at a store.

JAKE:

No can do. The mechanic business hasn't been too good lately.

CHANCE:
It's not like we can use the stupid alarm anyway. Who's going to call us? The Enforcers still want to arrest us.

JAKE:
One problem at a time, okay?

Cut to Enforcer Headquarters, where Feral steps out of his car and walks up the steps, and sees Callie Briggs near the door.

FERAL: (annoyed)
And to what do I owe this visit, Miss Briggs?

CALLIE:
The District Attorney needs some of your files for his case against Mac and Molly Mange.

FERAL:
Can't he wait? I have better things to do.

CALLIE:
Like deal with that jewelry crime-spree?

FERAL:

Just thinking of those jewel thieves burns me up! Between them and those blasted SWAT Kats, I don't get a moment's rest.

CALLIE:
Should the SWAT Kats really be a priority? I mean, they're only trying to help.

FERAL:
They say they're trying to help, but they've got an unlicensed supersonic jet that's armed to the teeth, and that's problem enough for me.

CALLIE:
Anyway, about those files.

FERAL (growls):
Just get off my back! Give me a few days, and I'll have those jewel thieves behind bars! And then I might have time to do the District Attorney's job for him!

Feral enters Enforcer Headquarters, slamming the door behind him.

CALLIE:
Well fine.

Callie walks away. Cut to a scene in a darkened room, where a shadowy figure is watching the previous scene with Feral and Callie on a monitor.

FERAL (on monitor):
Give me a few days, and I'll have those jewel thieves behind bars!

SHORU (laughing):

That Feral is truly delusional, isn't he, Oki?

The shadowy figure turns into the light, and we see a tomkat with cream-colored fur, but with a short black goatee, as well as black hair done up in a top-knot, with decidedly Asian-looking eyes. He is clad in a simple, white gi (basic uniform used in many Japanese martial arts). Shoru finishes his turn to look at his companion, Oki. Oki is huge, barrel-chested with thick arms and legs, tan fur, and a thin black mustache. He is also clad in a white gi.

OKI:
Yes, Sensei. Delusional. Our Shinobi have run rings around his Enforcers.

They hear a mild beeping.

OKI:

Sounds like the latest group is back, Shoru Sensei.

SHORU:
Yes. Come on, Oki.

Cut to a clean locker room, where two of the Ninja kats are stripping off their full black bodysuits. One of the kats sets down a small cloth bag, shown to contain a number of diamonds.

NINJA KAT:
Why are we stealing jewels? We're the Kuro Neko Clan! This is beneath us.

Shoru and Oki step through a door into the locker room.

SHORU (contemptuously):

Ignorance does not become you, my servant.

NINJA KAT:
Shoru-sama! A thousand apologies!

SHORU:
It is forgiven. With your narrow vision, you could not be expected to comprehend the fullness of my plan.

NINJA KAT:
Here are the jewels you requested, master.

The Ninja Kat offers up the bag of jewels. Oki comes forward and grabs them.

SHORU:
You have done well.

Shoru and Oki return to the monitor room. Oki pulls a diamond out of the bag and inspects it.

OKI:
Your Shinobi have an eye for quality. If you really were in this just to steal jewels, you could clean up.

SHORU:
Yes. The Kuro Neko Clan's skills are unsurpassed, but now it is time to move beyond this petty thievery.

OKI:
Now? Why now, if you excuse me for saying, Sensei?

Shoru keys for an image of Feral to come up on the monitor. Feral looks angry.

SHORU:
What is the first rule of Ninja conduct?

OKI:
A Ninja must know his foe.

SHORU:
Exactly. This Feral is noble, irritable, and impatient. It's a quality common among law enforcement officials, and one that can be easily exploited. With each perfect crime, Feral feels more and more pressured to do something, to solve the cases and do his job. By now, he is growing desperate. There is but one missing element to bringing his desperation to its peak, when he'll begin acting irrationally.

OKI:
And that's the kidnapping you've been setting up, right?

SHORU:
Yes. A high-profile kidnapping is just the thing to push him over the edge. But who do we target?

OKI:
Mayor Manx?

SHORU:
You disappoint me. A casual observer can see that Manx is merely a figurehead, a fancy name behind a political dynasty, but he has long since lost any leadership ability. No.

Shoru keys another image to come up on the monitor, a picture of Callie.

SHORU:
She is the key to cracking Feral. Tonight, Calico Briggs will disappear, ushering in the Night of the Shinobi and the beginning of the end of Megakat City.

Shoru and Oki start laughing. Cut to City Hall that night, where Callie is seen at her desk, assiduously writing up some document. Manx steps into her office.

MANX:

Come along, Callie. We can't be late for the new art museum dedication.

CALLIE:
Hold on, Mayor. I need to sign off on these documents for the District Attorney.

MANX:
Ahh yes, the Mange Case. Well, can't it wait? It's not every week we get a new museum opening.

Manx walks out.

CALLIE (under her breath):

It certainly seems like there is.

Cut to the parking garage underneath City Hall, where Callie gets into her car. She starts the car and drives out of the garage and onto the street, barely catching a yellow light as she makes a left turn onto another street. Then her engine sputters and dies, with the car coming to a halt just over a kathole cover.

CALLIE:

Stupid thing! What's wrong now?

Just then, a ninja kat pops up from her back seat, grabs her, and pulls her back.

CALLIE:
(muffled scream)

Fade out. End Act One.

ACT TWO:

Fade in with a view of Callie's stopped car in the middle of the street. Another car crashes into hers from behind. The other car's driver steps out, a burly tom-kat.

DRIVER:
Hey! What's the matter with you?

He looks in the driver-side window.

DRIVER:
Crazy city drivers, think they can park anywhere they want! I'm callin' the Enforcers!

Cut to the Shinobi's lair. A pair of Ninja-kats walk into Shoru's monitor room, bearing a bound, gagged, and blindfolded Callie between them. The ninja kats then look questioningly at Shoru, seated in his viewing chair.

SHORU:
Go ahead. It's only fair that a host introduces himself to his guest.

The Ninja kats remove the blindfold and gag from Callie.

CALLIE:

What do you want with me? Let me go!

Shoru steps off his chair, and strokes Callie's cheek with his claw.

SHORU:
All I want, my dear, is you yourself. For you are the key.

CALLIE::
What do you mean? Key to what?

SHORU:
The key to cracking Commander Feral, of course. The key to destroying the Enforcers, and to taking over Megakat City.

CALLIE:
Are you going to hold me for ransom? Is that it?

SHORU (chuckling):

Nothing so crude, Miss Briggs. But I don't think a lesser intellect such as yourself could really comprehend the subtleties of my plan.

CALLIE:
You're the lesser intellect if you think you're going to get away with this!

OKI:
You're in no position to speak to my master that way!

SHORU:
Peace, Oki. Hers is just the meaningless venting of the trapped and desperate.

Callie looks despondent. Cut to Enforcer headquarters, where Feral is hunched over his desk, speaking to an Enforcer traffic cop.

FERAL:
And you're sure it was the Deputy Mayor's car?

TRAFFIC COP:
Yes, sir. We ran the plates, and it matched up to her car. We also found her purse, with her ID inside.

The traffic cop sets Callie's purse in front of Feral, who examines its contents.

FERAL:
So you think it was a kidnapping?

TRAFFIC COP:
Yes, sir. Her car was stopped over an open kathole.

FERAL:
But there was no ransom note?

TRAFFIC COP:
Nothing we could find, but… (gets cut off)

The phone on Feral's desk rings. Feral picks it up.

SHORU (on phone):
We have the deputy mayor. She is unharmed. For now.

The phone goes dead.

FERAL:
Kat's alive! If they're trying to provoke us, then they're doing a good job! Steele!

Lieutenant Steele steps in.

STEELE:
Yes, sir?

FERAL:
Put out an APB! I want all available units scouring the city, ready to move as soon as those kidnappers show their stinking hides!

STEELE:
Right, Commander.

Steele exits. Feral slams both fists on his desk.

FERAL:
First that jewelry store crime spree, and now the deputy mayor's kidnapped!

Feral lays his head on his desk.

FERAL:
What else can go wrong?

Cut to a gallery in the Megakat City Museum of Art, where Manx is standing with a number of other high-society types.

MANX:
Now where is that Callie?

A maitre d' walks up to Manx, bearing a cordless phone on a platter.

MAITRE D':
Phone for you, Mr. Mayor.

Manx steps away from the other socialites, and answers the phone.

MANX:
Hello?

Manx listens for a bit.

MANX (startled):
What? Now you listen here, Feral. Get Callie back here right now! She needs to be back here in time for the museum opening!

He listens again.

MANX:
I don't want to hear your excuses, just get her back!

Manx hangs up the phone. A socialite walks over to him.

SOCIALITE:
Is something wrong, Mr. Mayor? Is the opening going to be delayed?

MANX (nervous):
Don't worry. Everything's on schedule.

Manx points to the other side of the gallery, where Anne Gora and Johnny can be seen.

MANX:
See? The Media's here on time, at least.

Cut over to Anne and Johnny. Anne looks bored.

ANNE:
Well, I guess being the lead anchorkat can't always be a thrill-a-minute.

JOHNNY:
Yeah, but look around us. The mayor, and all these other big-wigs. It may not be an Enforcer car chase, but you can't get more high-class than this.

ANNE:
Well, it would still be better if we… (gets cut off)

The lights suddenly turn off. Many in the room scream, and there is the sound of breaking glass and hurrying. Figures are seen jumping through a skylight, and there are hurrying sounds.

ANNE:
Johnny, you have your night-vision on?

JOHNNY:
Got it.

Show the previous scene, just now with a night-vision filter. Johnny and Anne can see a number of Ninja Kats, led by Oki's huge form, running around and securing the various guests.

ANNE:
Check out those guys! Get me on the air, now!

Cut back to the Hangar, where Chance is watching Scaredy Kat on TV. Scaredy Kat is being chased by a ghost, and jumps into what appears to be an open pipe in the wall. It seems Scaredy Kat can breathe easy, but then we see the ghost on the other end of the pipe, which is actually a cannon. The ghost pulls the ripcord, firing Scaredy Kat out.

CHANCE:
(laughing uproariously)

Suddenly, the scene on TV cuts to Anne Gora in Night Vision mode.

CHANCE:
Hey! Why do they always have to interrupt Scaredy Kat? And what's wrong with the TV?

Jake comes in from another room.

JAKE:
Something's wrong with the TV?

ANNE (on TV, and in a hushed, urgent tone):
This is Anne Gora, Kat's Eye News. We're here at the Megakat City Museum of Art, where shadowy figures have been (gasp)!

Suddenly, a dark paw goes up over the camera lens, and the screen goes to static.

JAKE:
You catch all that?

CHANCE:
Yeah, let's roll!

Show an extended sequence of the SWAT Kats getting in the Turbokat, then taking off in the Turbokat, flying towards the city. Cut to Enforcer Headquarters, where Feral was watching the same broadcast in his office while putting on his coat.

FERAL:
Kats Alive! Steele!

Steele walks in

STEELE:
Yes, sir?

FERAL:
I want every Enforcer that's left on this Art Museum attack!

STEELE:
Everyone, sir? Is that wise?

FERAL:
Don't question me, greenhorn! We have a job to do!

Cut back to the Turbokat, flying over the nighttime city.

RAZOR:
Set 'er down a block or two from the Museum, T-bone. It's probably a hostage situation by now. We don't wanna spook 'em with a supersonic jet.

T-BONE:
I don't like having to go so far from the Turbokat, what if things get ugly?

RAZOR:
What, scared of trying my Glovatrix?

T-BONE (grudgingly):
Ahh, alright. But I don't like it.

T-bone sets the Turbokat down on the top floor of a parking garage, and they deploy the cyclotron. Cut back to the Museum, where Feral is standing with the Enforcer Sergeant in a perimeter of Enforcer cars and tanks.

FERAL:
What's the situation, Sergeant?

SERGEANT:
I don't know. They're keeping it pitch dark in there.

Feral pulls out a pair of infrared binoculars.

FERAL:
Then let's try infrared.

Show an infrared view of the museum, with a few huddled groups (hostages), as well as a number of figures walking around (shinobi), and one large figure in the middle of it all (Oki). Then cut inside the museum. This scene is set in night-vision, since it is pitch-dark in the museum. Oki is standing near a pair of ninja kats who are guarding the main group of hostages, which includes Manx and his associates. The ninja kats (as well as Oki himself), are in their normal full-body suits, supplemented with night-vision visors.

OKI:

All points, check in.

A number of voices come in on a radio set in Oki's ear.

VOICE1:
Front gate secure.

VOICE2:

Roof secure.

VOICE3:

Security neutralized.

VOICE4

Loading dock secure.

Cut to the museum's service entrance, a single door in a side alley. Two ninja kats are guarding it. One of them speaks into his mouth-piece.

VOICE5:

Service Entrance secure.

They hear a noise behind a set of trash cans.

NINJA KAT:

Did you hear that?

VOICE5:
Probably another rat. I'll check it out.

The Voice5 Ninja Kat wanders towards the trash cans, and is suddenly jumped by Razor.

VOICE5:
Gah!

NINJA KAT:
What? Gah!

T-bone reaches from behind the Ninja Kat's head and bears him to the ground. Show T-bone and Razor perched above the unconscious forms of the two Ninja kats.

RAZOR:
Ready, T-bone?

T-bone readies his glovatrix.

T-BONE:
Rock and roll!

They beat down the door, and stumble into total darkness.

T-BONE:
Switching to night-vision.

T-bone and Razor lower the visors on their helmets, which glow with the indication of night-vision. Show the scene in night-vision.

RAZOR:
Night vision active, and operational.

T-BONE (sarcastically):
Think they've got night-vision too?

RAZOR:
Probably, but I've got a plan to use that to our advantage. Head for the main gallery, I'm going to look for a circuit breaker.

T-bone smiles his signature Cheshire cat smile.

T-BONE:
I got yah buddy.

Move the scene ahead (still in night vision), show Razor opening a door, where he sees the main circuit breaker. He approaches it, and grabs a switch labeled "Main Power." Razor speaks into his headset.

RAZOR:
Ready, buddy? Go to normal vision… now.

Show Razor pull the switch, then cut to T-bone as he deactivates the night-vision visor. The light goes on, and T-bone rolls out from behind a large, ornate urn where he was taking cover, he levels his glovatrix, and looks up, where he sees Oki and the Ninja Kats, all baring their claws at him, and all with their night-vision goggles off.

T-BONE (quietly):
Awh crud.

Fade out, End Act Two.

ACT THREE:

Fade in at the Enforcer Line outside the museum, where the Sergeant is looking through a pair of binoculars. They see the lights go on in the museum.

FERAL:
What's going on in there?

SERGEANT:
Someone broke in there.

FERAL:
I didn't authorize that! Who's in there?

A realization then dawns on Feral, and he slaps a paw to his face.

FERAL:
It's those infernal SWAT Kats again, isn't it?

SERGEANT:

I can't see, but whoever it is, they've got the suspects running wild.

FERAL:
Are the hostages clear?

SERGEANT:

Yes, sir.

FERAL:
Then we're going in, those SWAT Kats aren't going to hog all the glory this time! All units, we're going in!

The Enforcers begin charging towards the front gate. Cut back inside, where two Ninja Kats try jumping T-bone, who lashes out and knocks both of them aside. Another leaps on T-bone's back, who T-bone grabs and tosses over his head.

OKI:
Hold him!

Two more Ninja Kats grab T-bone from both sides, and Oki rushes forward, launching a jump-kick towards T-bone.

OKI:
Kiyaaaah!

Suddenly Oki is pelted by an array of Cement slugs. Razor appears in the rear exit from the main gallery.

RAZOR:
Glovatrix works like a charm, T-bone.

T-BONE:
Fine, fine.

Razor and T-bone stand ready.

OKI:
Pile on!

The whole mass of Ninja Kats rush them, and dog pile on T-bone and Razor. The pile quivers, and then the Ninja Kats scatter as T-bone and Razor break free. T-bone and Razor fire mini-spider missiles, which snare two of the Ninja Kats, and then dodge laser fire, as more of the Ninja Kats have pulled out their holstered laser guns. They fire a set of mini-missiles, and break up a formation of Ninja Kats trying to rush them. There is a shattering sound, and a new array of laser fire peppers the Ninja Kats. The Enforcers charge in.

T-BONE:
Here comes the cavalry.

RAZOR:
Yeah… Right on time! For once.

The Ninja Kats are clearly outnumbered, and the Enforcers are beginning to cover the hostages. Then Oki casts a smoke bomb, and the whole gallery is filled with smoke.

OKI:
Retreat!

In the smoke, Oki fires a grappling hook straight up, to grab the edge of the skylight, and begins retracting up to the roof.

RAZOR:
You're not getting away that easy!

Razor fires his glovatrix's grappling hook at a point on the other side of the gallery, so that his intersects Oki's almost perpendicularly. He quickly retracts the line, flying up towards Oki and kicking him down. Oki falls back to the ground, where T-bone is waiting.

OKI:
No!

T-BONE:
Oh yes.

T-bone punches Oki heavily in the head, and Oki falls.

OKI (faintly):
It wasn't… supposed to be like this… ugh.

Oki faints. The smoke clears, and most of the Ninja Kats are gone, the few remaining either unconscious or captured. The Enforcers are releasing the hostages, and Feral walks in, suddenly noticing the SWAT Kats.

FERAL:
Arrest those two!

T-BONE:
Hey! If it wasn't for us, you'd still be sitting out their twiddling your claws!

FERAL:
Your vigilantism is reckless and stupid! You could've gotten the whole set of hostages killed!

Manx is helped up by an Enforcer, and walks over.

MANX:
Now, now, Feral. We owe the SWAT Kats a debt of gratitude, they saved the mayor, after all.

Anne Gora and Johnny rush over.

ANNE:
And they saved this reporter! (aside to Johnny) Are we rolling?

JOHNNY:
You're on, Anne.

ANNE:
This is Anne Gora, here with the SWAT Kats after they performed an incredible save when the exposition at the Megakat Museum (gets cut off)

STEELE (on radio):
Commander! Commander! Come in!

FERAL:
What is it, Steele?

Cut away to Lt. Steele, who is driving an Enforcer patrol-car, and is still watching a narrow, black stealth jet flying off in the distance.

STEELE:
There's some sort of… jet thing. It's flying low and fast, and headed back towards Enforcer headquarters!

FERAL:
What? But it's completely undefended!

Again, Feral smacks his paw against his face.

FERAL:
And that's exactly what they wanted, isn't it? This was all a setup, and these Ninja Kat scum are probably the ones who kidnapped the deputy mayor!

RAZOR:
What? The deputy mayor's been kidnapped?

FERAL:
You're not supposed to know that!

ANNE:
And now Kat's Eye News has the scoop!

FERAL:
Just shut up! All of you! None of that matters, since we can't get to Enforcer Headquarters in time!

T-BONE:
Maybe you can't, but the SWAT Kats can.

T-bone and Razor run off.

FERAL:
This is an absolute disaster!

Cut back to the parking garage, where the Turbokat takes off.

T-BONE:
Got that thing on radar?

RAZOR:
Barely. It must be some sort of stealth-jet, but I've got the heading.

The Turbokat blasts away. Cut to the Stealth Jet, a long, sleek black jet, flying low along the tops of the skyscrapers. Inside, Shoru is standing next to Callie, who is tied to a chair and gagged, and watching two Ninja Kat Pilots.

SHORU:
Watch, my dear, for you are about to witness the beginning of the end of Megakat City. With their headquarters gone, the Enforcers will slowly fall before the implacable might of my shinobi.

CALLIE:
(muffled shouting)

NINJA KAT PILOT:
Shoru-sama! Someone's on radar!

Shoru looks at an internal monitor, which shows the Turbokat coming up fast.

SHORU:
Those SWAT Kats that stopped those mercenaries last week? Those meatheads didn't factor into my plans. Lose them!

NINJA KAT PILOT:
Hai, Shoru-sama!

The stealth jet begins twisting in between skyscrapers.

T-BONE:
Think you can beat me in a game of canyon tag? Heh heh heh.

The Turbokat pursues the stealth jet. Show Razor's targeting screen, where the reticule is tracking the stealth jet back and forth.

RAZOR:
Keep it steady, T-bone. Octopus missile loaded, locked (gets cut off)

SHORU (on radio):
Do not fire, SWAT Kats! I will kill the deputy mayor!

But Razor is already committed.

RAZOR:
Away!

An Octopus missile fires, clipping the edge of the stealth jet's drive, and the jet begins flipping out of control.

T-BONE (snidely):
Don't think you can kill anyone now. But we can't let it crash.

RAZOR:
Roger, deploying magnetic latch.

The Turbokat pulls over the spinning stealth jet, and grabs it with the lower magnetic latch (as seen in Cry Turmoil). The jet steadies, and the Turbokat pulls up.

RAZOR:
Where can we set this down?

T-BONE:
Nearest place around is Enforcer Headquarters.

RAZOR:
Alright, but keep their jet pointed away from the base. No sense in doing their job for them.

They set the stealth jet down on the Enforcer HQ landing platform, pointed away from the building proper. They let the magnetic latch loose, and set down, quickly jumping out of the Turbokat. Cut inside the Stealth Jet, where Shoru is unconscious (he was standing freely when the jet was hit, and tossed around, everyone else was buckled in), and the two Ninja Kat Pilots are shaking him.

NINJA KAT PILOT:
Shoru-sama! Wake up, sir!

SHORU (faintly):
Ugh, what? No! How did we crash?

They suddenly hear the sound of blow torches.

SHORU:
No! Cover them!

Cut outside, where T-bone and Razor are cutting through the Stealth jet fuselage with blowtorches in their glovatrixes. They kick in the hole they made in the fuselage, then leap in. Immediately, the Ninja Kat Pilots fire their lasers at them.

RAZOR:
Whoa!

T-bone and Razor leap out of the way, then quickly fire mini-spider missiles, which snare the two of them. Then Shoru throws two shuriken at them, and keeps throwing shuriken at them, tracking them as they dive for cover at different ends of the jet's interior.

SHORU:
Kats like you are no match for a true Shinobi!

For a time, it looks like a standoff. Shoru is poised with two shuriken to throw at T-bone and Razor, and they have their glovatrixes trained on him, he is standing a few feet in front of Callie in her chair. Then Callie catches T-bone's eye, and makes a kicking motion. He notices that Callie's legs are free, the ropes bind her at her waist and arms. T-bone steps forward.

T-BONE:
Oh yeah?

Shoru steps back in response to T-bone's advance, and Callie kicks out, and trips him. As he goes down, T-bone and Razor tackle him, and he falls to the floor heavily.

RAZOR:
Bingo!

T-bone turns towards where the Ninja Kat Pilots were.

T-BONE:
Alright, freeze! (gasp)

Both the Ninja Kat Pilots are gone.

RAZOR:
Gee, I guess they really were Ninja.

T-bone steps behind Callie, and undoes her gag.

CALLIE:
Thanks guys. The City owes you a debt of gratitude, and so do I.

T-bone starts working on her ropes, and discreetly slips something into her suit pocket. Razor notices, and shoots T-bone an odd look.

CALLIE:
What's wrong?

RAZOR:
Nothing. I mean, that's what we're here for. No rewards, no agenda, we're just here to help the city.

T-BONE:
Yeah, and don't let Feral make you think differently.

T-bone finishes untying her ropes, and she gets up, rubbing her arms.

RAZOR:
And if you ever need us, we're just a buzz away.

He tosses the triangular communicator to her, and she catches it.

T-BONE:
Just try to keep it a secret from Manx and Feral.

CALLIE:
Don't worry, I know an asset to the City when I see it.

Cut the scene ahead, showing the Turbokat flying away.

RAZOR:
T-bone, what did you put in Callie's suit?

T-BONE:
Just a little way for her to show the City's gratitude.

RAZOR (exasperated):
T-bone…

Cut ahead to the next day, at the Garage, where Chance and Jake walk out to see a tow-truck bringing Callie's car in. Callie steps out of the tow-truck, and walks over for them.

CHANCE:
Hey, you're the deputy mayor! We saw you on the news this morning.

CALLIE:
Yeah, that was a rough night. But aside from the kidnapping, my car broke down. I must've picked up your business card sometime yesterday, and figured I'd give you a try.

Chance winks at Jake.

JAKE:
If there's something wrong, we'll figure it out.

Jake shakes paws with her.

JAKE:
I'm Jake Clawson.

Chance does likewise.

CHANCE:
Chance Furlong.

CALLIE:
Calico Briggs. And if you're any good, you'll get a lot of business from the city.

Chance and Jake high-five.

Fade out. The end.

Author's Note on Japanese names: Shoru is named after my college Japanese professor, though my Sensei is a sweet old lady, not a megalomaniacal Ninja, and the name didn't sound too stereotypical. Oki is a play on the Japanese adjective Ookii (Big), and Kuro Neko means "Black Cat."I originally intended to call them the Paw Clan, but figured that was too close to TMNT's "Foot Clan."