Norton, Andre - Anthology (8 page)

 
          
 
Harry went through his routine in a haze of
pain and fear. Diavolo was getting plenty of pleasure out of playing cat and
mouse, with Harry the mouse. The sentient cat had all his feline instincts.
Just frightening the prey wasn't enough. Every so often, what looked like a
near miss wasn't. Harry was having trouble keeping the angry scratches and
resulting scars from Amii.

 
          
 
At least he could be proud of Linda. About a
year ago, she had worked up an amusing version of his routine using Jetlag the
cat. Even Amii chuckled as Jetlag refused to obey commands, leaving Linda in
her imitation lion tamer's gear, begging and pleading, while her father's
animals went through their act flawlessly. Now it was part of the act, although
outside the cage. Linda was a wonderful performer, and timed the amusing parts
of the act (as when Jetlag hopped off the tiny bucket and ran away from her)
for the parts of his act where he was merely rearranging the animals.

 
          
 
Linda's act was becoming very popular. He had
noticed that it was up more and more on the giant repeater screen.

 
          
 
But it made it worse for him, because she now
rehearsed with him, to be sure she had the rhythm of his act down pat.

 
          
 
She was very observant. Suppose she noticed
something wrong?

 
          
 
Even Diavolo complained about her. A leg
touched his. **get the child and that ridiculous excuse for one of us out of
here **

 
          
 
Harry pursed his lips. "I can't," he
muttered, with a glance over his shoulder. Linda had flopped to the dust of the
practice floor, and Jetlag was purring as he made biscuits on her tummy.
"I would if I could," he added desperately.

 
          
 
"Did you say something, daddy?"

 
          
 
"Just mumbling to myself, sweetheart.
Nothing important."

 
          
 
**you have three cubs and a mate, you won't
miss that one**

 
          
 
It was a threat and Harry knew it. He
straightened. He was panting in rage and fear for Linda. He put both hands on
the beast's shoulders and glared into topaz eyes. "I'll turn you in to the
authorities!"

 
          
 
"Is that part of the act, Daddy?"
Linda had gotten up, and come to stand beside him, Jetlag rubbing at her
calves.

 
          
 
Harry still had his hands on Diavolo's sleek
shoulders. "It will be fact if this idiot animal doesn't cooperate."

 
          
 
Linda giggled. "You've never given up on
an animal before, no matter how stupid."

 
          
 
**ape flesh is a treat,** Diavolo warned.

 
          
 
"Wild animals put down by authorities don't
worry about treats or anything." Harry meant it, and the brain link
carried his determination.

 
          
 
"Dad-dy!" Linda wailed

 
          
 
**do as you're told and I'll keep my word,
apething.**

 
          
 
"Daddy!" Linda flung her arms around
his hips and howled; even Jetlag was complaining at the top of his lungs.

 
          
 
"Linda." He dropped his arms from
Diavolo and shook her slightly. "Remember the rules. Don't upset the
animals. I didn't mean anything. He's just stupider than the other
animals" aarcH got a little nicked at him, that's all."

 
          
 
Tears streaked down her cheeks. "Real
true, Daddy?"

 
          
 
"Real true. Remember, more flies with
honey, sweetheart." He forced a smile. "Okay, baby?"

 
          
 
"Um-hum," she swiped at her eyes.
"I shudda known you wouldn't do anything like that. Sorry, Daddy."

 
          
 
He smiled his love down at her. "Get back
to your bucket, with Jetlag. We're going to have to take this one from the top
again."

 
          
 
His hand patted the giant black shoulder next
to him. "This animal's gonna learn." His mind added, **or else!**

 
          
 
Hihihihi! Nuisance the kitten danced around
Oberon, long time cat to Boris Mandela-Andrews. The older cat rolled over and
yawned. One eye opened. It was as if he asked. How did you get loose, pest?

 
          
 
Hi! Nuisance butted Oberon. Come and play!

 
          
 
Oberon stretched luxuriously.

 
          
 
Play PLAY! Nuisance sank her baby fangs into
Ober-on's ear.

 
          
 
"Rorrrrw!" Oberon screeched
objection to the tiny pinprinks.

 
          
 
Haha! Nuisance ran toward the door.

 
          
 
Oberon got up slowly, body language
proclaiming, I’m gonna FIX you!

 
          
 
Nuisance wriggled with glee. Chase me!

 
          
 
Oberon crouched.

 
          
 
Nuisance zoomed back into the room, circled
the large adult cat. flicked her tail under his eye, and zoomed back. Can't
catch me, naaa naaaa!

 
          
 
Oberon thought it over. Slowly, as he did most
things these days.

 
          
 
Nuisance wriggled, and made a happy yawn,
showing the little fangs.

 
          
 
Oberon rose to his full (and impressive)
height.

 
          
 
Nuisance made a cat giggle, and turned her
little rump on Oberon.

 
          
 
Oberon made a low growling noise.

 
          
 
Nuisance poised to run.

 
          
 
Oberon jumped up on Boris’ empty seat, and
then onto the desk. With deliberation, he walked all over the keyboard.

 
          
 
Nuisance, puzzled, watched him.

 
          
 
Oberon rolled on the keyboard for good
measure, then jumped back on the empty chair and down on the floor. Within
seconds, he was back in his favorite curled-up pose and apparently asleep.

 
          
 
Nuisance watched, mouth open. Then she zipped
back in the room again.

 
          
 
Footsteps echoed outside the door. Boris,
carrying a fresh cup of coffee and a bag of healthychips, froze on the
threshold as he saw two cats where he expected to see one.

 
          
 
"I told Loi to keep you out of—" His
voice stopped, and he got a look at the screen. "You miserable animal! I'm
gonna fix your wagon!" He stomped over toward the console and the two cats
below it.

 
          
 
Nuisance didn't know what she'd done wrong,
but recognized the tone. She streaked for the open door. Ob-eron cracked one
eye.

 
          
 
"Agggrgh!" Boris had gotten a better
look at the screen. The coffee and chips went on the table, then he sped after
the kitten, who was screeping at the top of her lungs in fear.

 
          
 
Oberon shut his eye. Justice was going to be
done.

 
          
 
Harry knew something was wrong as soon as he
heard the threatening growl. He stiffened his spine, and carefully shut the
door as he walked into Diavolo's cage.

 
          
 
Diavolo made a come here gesture, and Harry,
his teeth biting his lip, stalked over to stand next to the cat. The chunk of
meat he had meant to feed the animal dangled forgotten in his hand.

 
          
 
Diavolo laid his paw across Harry's throat,
claws out and one of them over the jugular. **he wasn't there y apething. why
didn't he come?**

 
          
 
Harry swallowed, pressing his skin against the
sharp claws.

 
          
 
Fury glittered in the topaz eyes. **well!**

 
          
 
"I don't know," Harry said. "I
didn't even know he wasn't there. None -of the^pub seats were empty, so someone
was sitting in that seat."

 
          
 
**yes. but that person was a coworker of the
mate, a healer of all the useless crafts, she only knew that the one i wanted
couldn't come, and so the female invited her to use the ticket**

 
          
 
Harry shut his eyes. It wasn't the first time
that something outside his control had stopped Diavolo. "I know nothing.
I—" He swallowed again. "Get the claws away from my throat, and I'll
try to find out."

 
          
 
The claws retracted, but only a little. They
still lay, a threat, near his jugular.

 
          
 
Harry pulled his communicator off his belt,
and called the cheerful retired clown who now handled ticketing. "... old
friend of mine, didn't use his ticket, or rather handed it off. Know anything
about it?"

 
          
 
The older woman chortled. "Yes I do,
Harry. I always keep an eye on ticketing requested by any of us. You're gonna
love this, m'boy. It was a cat made them make the last-minute switch."

 
          
 
"What?" He hoped his voice didn't
sound as weak to her as it did to him.

 
          
 
"A kitten, really. The daughter was
telling me about it while I was punching the seat passes. They have this new
kitten, see, and it likes to jump on keyboards. The little dickens got out of
the kid's room and into her daddy's office, and gave the keyboard a real
workout. Ruined some work he had to hand in asap. Big important gummint secret
stuff, according to the kid. He'd about finished it, but hadn't saved when he
went to get another cuppa. So the kitten put him back on square one. He backed
out of the performance so he could rework it, madder'n hops he was, and they
got a last-minute substitute. The daughter was scared he might make her stay
home, too, as punishment, but he decided wasting two tickets was too
much."

 
          
 
"I see. Thanks, Angie." He cut off.
Swallowed. "Satisfied?"

 
          
 
**I must be. but such accidents happen too
often**

 
          
 
Between gritted teeth. "I've done the
best I can. You can't blame me."

 
          
 
**your mind is clean, but why so many strange
incidents and why usually involving those miserable scraps you call cats?**

 
          
 
"Why not? Most families share their homes
with cats. More than have dogs or any other pets."

 
          
 
**pah! pets? no, not even those minuscule bad
imitations would be what you call pets.**