Too frightened to Breathe 

There was nothing Juke wanted to do more than sit behind his desk in his agronomical chair and count the money he had taken in that day. He unlocked his office door and turned on the lights then shouted in surprise.

"Hello, Juke," said a sleekly dressed woman in his chair. She was felinian from Panparthus, covered with fine dark hair, possessing piercing green eyes and equally as piercing nails and incisors. The teeth went unnoticed until she smiled widely which she loved to do condescendingly or to intimidate. A dark haired cat with similar eyes rested on the desk in front of her.

"Madame! What a surprise," Juke said. He laughed nervously then added, "You look great."

Her expression was cold and blank. "Cut the chit chat. Where is she?"

"By she, you mean..."

"We only pay you 2000 coin a month to keep tabs on one person, Juke," she said leaning forward.

Juke cautiously took a step back. "You see. It wasn't my fault it was that boy."

"Boy?" she said cocking her head to the side.

"Yes, yesterday this foreigner tried to steal a flyer, Kam went after him and never came back."

The cat stretched and stood up. Juke eyed it carefully.

"You don't have a tracker on the plane?" The felinian asked, regaining Juke's attention.

"It crashed in the desert, but Kam called."

"You might have started with that," she said through clenched teeth.

The cat began to pace. Juke wanted to back up more, but the door had shut behind him and there was no more room to do so.

"She didn't say much, just that she would be back in a couple of months unless things went well."

"I take it you two don't have a strong bond. Doubt she'll have any desire to contact you again." The woman turned away as if she shared Kam's disdain.

"I could find her. I know some people".

"That's quite alright. I think I'll use someone more competent. I'll find her."

"And then you'll bring her back here?" Juke asked, thinking of the 2000 coin.

"If she doesn't cause too much trouble I have plans for her," the woman said coolly.

"Kam?" Juke snorted. "I hope you have a plan b."

The felinian stood and slammed a glowing fist into the desk. "I do. If you're not careful I may try it out on you first."

The cat glared at him and licked its face. Juke looked at the floor afraid to say anything. The cat jumped to a chair and then suddenly was on Juke's shoulder. Its claws dug painfully into his skin. As Juke cringed it stretched itself around the back of his neck resting its front legs on his other shoulder and nuzzled his cheek with its head.

"Let me make one last thing clear," the woman said, walking past him to the door. The cat hissed in his ear and grazed his cheek with a claw. The possibility of what the two creatures in the room could do to him frightened him more each visit.

"If she does contact you let me know right away. I do NOT want to have to contact you first. And don't let her get away again," she said, opening the door.

"Yes, ma'am."

The cat sprung from his shoulder to hers as she walked out the door. The woman and the cat left, but Juke still did not relax. He was frozen in fear for a moment. Finally, Juke shakily closed the door and his body slackened slightly. He leaned against the wall beside it almost too frightened to breathe.