Story © 2000-2004 by Keith Dickinson. All rights reserved. Characters Sabrina the Skunkette, Amy the Squirrel, Tabitha, Carli, Tammy Vixen Shiela Vixen, Clarisse, and Carrie Squirrel © Eric W. Schwartz. Character Thomas Woolfe © Michael Higgs. Characters Chris Foxx, Susan Felin, Cindy Lapine, Debbye Squirrel, Clarence Skunk, Mr. Canis, Dexter Collie, Angel Collie, Sarge and Endora Mustelidae, Wendy Vixxen, and Wanda Vixen© Chris Yost. Character ZigZag © Max BlackRabbit. Character James Sheppard, Doug and Kelly Granitz © James Bruner. Character Mark the cheetaur © Mark White Eric W. Schwartz © Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz. Michael Jones © Martin Pedersen. Arden Eastridge © Keith Dickson. All rights to additional characters reserved by their respective owners.


Identity Crisis
Act IV
Chapter 7

Excuse me, but I have a plane to catch.

After having been under the hot studio lights for over four hours, the lukewarm summer's eve breeze felt almost chilly against Zig Zag’s fur. She let her eyes half close as she leaned against James while the two walked across the parking lot to their cars.

James smiled as he looked down, noticing the tired look on the skunk’s face. “You falling asleep Zig?” he asked.

“I'm Exhausted,” she complained, leaning her head against his shoulder. “If I was any more tired, I’d ask you to carry me.”

“OK,” James replied lightly as he reached down and picked her up.

“Hey!” Zig Zag yipped at the unexpected action. “I said if I was any more tired!” she said, laughing.

“So, what? You want me to put you back down?” the coyote asked with a sly grin.

“That depends,” she replied coyly.

Both of James’ ears perked up. “Oh? On what?”

“On whether you plan on driving with me in your lap or not,” she replied, nodding at their cars which were now only a few feet away.

James growled and grimaced as he looked at the vehicles. “I suppose it is a little too far to carry you home,” he reluctantly agreed as he gently set her down. “What about the ferryman’s fee?” he asked with a crooked grin.

“Fee? For that little bit of walking?” Zig Zag asked with her hands on her hips and the mischievous grin back on her face. “What kind of fee are we talking?”

“Oh, nothing much,” James replied as he wrapped his arms around her before giving her a deep, sensual kiss.

After about a minute, their lips broke and Zig Zag opened her eyes. She smiled up at him and said, “You know, I think I paid too much. I want some change back.” As they kissed again, Zig Zag shifted her weight forcing James to stumble backwards half a step, causing him to bump into his car, which immediately set off the alarm.

“Hey!” James yelped as he tried to disengage himself from the amorous skunk. “Zig Zag!” he complained as he dug his keys from his pocket. Using the remote, he disabled the car alarm as she continued to nip and kiss his throat and face. “Zig!”

Zig Zag smiled as she leaned back slightly. “What’s the matter? Are you afraid someone’s going to see us?”

“No!” he defensively declared. “I just hate the sound of that car alarm!”

“I suppose I can live with that,” she replied as she stepped forwards to press herself against him. “So, what say you give me a lift home tonight? I’m just too tired to drive.” She looked up at him and gave him her best, puppy-dog eyes.

James let out a bark of laughter. “Too tired to drive, eh? What about after I get you home? You gonna to be too tired for anything else?”

“Oh, I suppose I could find the energy for something,” she admitted as she snuck in a kiss. “Of course, (kiss) that all depends (kiss) on what (kiss) you had in (kiss) mind to do.”

“I’m sure I can (kiss) think of something (kiss) on the way home,” he replied giving her one last smooch before breaking the embrace.

“Hey!” Zig Zag called as he started to walk around to the passenger side of the Cadillac. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To open the door,” James replied, stating what he felt to be the obvious.

“I’m not leaving my car here,” she declared as she walked over to stand next to her Viper.

“I thought you wanted me to drive?” he inquired as he walked back around towards her car.

Zig Zag laughed and tossed him her keys. “I do,” she replied before opening the passenger car door and climbing in.

James stared down at the keys in his hand in total shock. He looked back up at Zig Zag and blinked. “You want me to drive?” he asked incredulously. “But you never let anyone drive ‘The Beast’!”

“I guess there’s a first time for everything,” she replied as she started to buckle herself into the passenger seat.

James hurried around to the driver’s side door, grinning like a fool at the thought of driving the car. As with most red-blooded Americans, he had a fondness for the idea of a muscle car. The fact that Zig Zag was offering to let him drive her pride and joy wasn’t lost on him as he slid the seat back before climbing in. He closed the door and reached down for the seatbelt. As he pulled the buckle around, he noticed that it was round rather than square and had slots for four belt-tabs. “What the heck?” he asked as he examined it closely.

“These are five point racing harnesses,” she commented as she reached up over her shoulder to pull two more belts down from small slots in the back of the seat. She laughed as she cinched up the four belts she had connected before looking at James. “That’s right. You’ve never ridden in my beast, have you?”

“Um, no,” the confused coyote replied.

“It’s simple. These holes are for two side belts, two shoulder belts and one that comes up between your legs. Just stick them in the appropriate holes,” she said with a devious grin and a wink, “and then tighten them up so they’re snug.”

“Good lord, Zig!” James declared as he felt around for the other three belts. “Why on God's green earth would you need something like this?”

Zig Zag laughed again. “This is a Doug Lapin Viper!” she declared as she rubbed the armrest with a tender, loving hand. “This car can produce over one thousand horsepower, and that’s without turning on the nitrous oxide! He’s got a six speed transmission driven by a V10 engine that’ll damn near outrun anything on the street.” She gave him a mischievous grin and wagged her ears at him. “I got this car as a publicity stunt. You know, fastest woman in the fastest car kind of thing.” The grin relaxed to become an honest smile. “He’s my pride and joy.”

“Wow,” was all James could say. When he’d heard her refer to the car as ‘The Beast’ and describe it as a true muscle car, he hadn’t had any idea to what extent she had meant. He was almost intimidated at the idea of driving it. “Um, Zig Zag? Just how fast will this thing go?”

“I don’t know,” she replied wistfully. “I chickened out at a hundred and sixty and I wasn’t even in sixth gear yet.” She chuckled at the memory. “That’s back in the days when I used to get a ticket almost every other week.” She looked over at James and her expression changed to one of surprise. “James! Don’t tell me you’re afraid to drive this thing, are you?”

“What?” he yipped. “NO!” He put the key in the ignition and turned it, starting the engine. A quick tap of the accelerator caused the car to twitch as the RPM’s jumped by a thousand RPM in an instant. “Good god,” he thought to himself, “This thing really IS a monster!” He took a moment to locate the headlights and turn them on. Shoving the heavy clutch in, he put the car in gear and released the parking break before slowly pulling forward. He cautiously drove to the exit of the lot before he stopped, then pulled out onto the deserted main thoroughfare.

“So what do you think?” Zig Zag asked as she watched him cautiously shift gears.

“This thing is incredible,” he declared with a laugh as he slipped around a slow moving car.

“Take the long way home,” she suggested, pointing towards the entrance ramp for the Interstate. “That way you can have a little fun.” She nodded as James smoothly pulled the car to a stop at the light. “OK. Look at the tach,” she directed. “See the yellow line?’ She watched for him to nod before continuing. “When you’re accelerating, don’t shift until the needle hits that. That’s fifty seven hundred. Six thousand is redline. Try not to let the engine drop below one thousand if you need to slow down.”

“Got it,” James replied as the turn signal changed to green. He let out the clutch and accelerated smoothly down the ramp.

“When you get to the bottom of the ramp, punch it!” Zig Zag shouted as she took a hold of the shoulder harnesses with both hands.

James gave Zig Zag a nervous glance as the car reached the bottom of the ramp. He lit the turn signal and merged into almost nonexistent traffic doing around forty. He floored the pedal and was slammed into the seat as the car leapt forward. He barely had time to let off the gas as the needle flew into the yellow zone. He slammed the gearshift into third and started to hit the gas again when he realized that he was already doing close to eighty. He let off the accelerator and slowed the car down to seventy-five as he heard Zig Zag laughing over the wind. He looked over and gave her a wide grin for a moment before returning his attention to the road.

Zig Zag released her grip on the harness and relaxed as she enjoyed the drive. It was the first time since she’d bought the car that she’d let anyone else behind the wheel. She remembered the one and only time that Doug Lapin had taken her and the car out onto the test track to show off its capabilities. She’d almost wet herself as he tore around the racetrack with an abandon that seemed reckless at the time. Later she had realized that he had actually taken it easy on her. The first and only time she had turned on the nitrous boost had scared her so much she’d wet herself. Being in the passenger seat as James drove the car wasn’t quite as terrifying, but it was much more exciting in a way than when she was driving.

She turned and looked at him as he pulled off onto the US highway that would take them back towards her house. There was a childlike gleam in his eye as he maneuvered the high performance vehicle through the late night traffic. She watched as the wind swept through his hair, tugging at it. For a moment, she imagined him as being an old World War One fighter pilot, flying in his open cockpit biplane through the skies over Europe, looking for an enemy to shoot down. The image was an intensely romantic one for her. He was her personal flying ace, darting through the clouds, seeking out danger only to return to her at the end of the day.

Having made his escape from the worst of the city traffic, James glanced over at Zig Zag and noticed the dreamy look on her face. He smiled and chuckled. “What?” Getting no response, he glanced back over at her and grimaced. “What?”

“Oh, I was just wondering,” she replied, letting the words trail off.

“Wondering what?” he asked, risking another glance at her.

“Well,” she said demurely as she let her fingers trail lightly up the outside of his thigh. “Back during the interview you said that you’d want more than one kit. I was wondering how many you would want?”

“Oh, that,” James nervously responded. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind someday having three, maybe four kits? Someday.”

“After we got married, right?” she prompted.

“Yeah,” he replied, nodding. “Someday. After we got married.”

“Someday? What's with all this 'someday' crap? ” she repeated. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

James frowned. “It means someday! Not today. Not tomorrow. Someday.”

“What? Are you trying to back out of what you said back in the studio?” she demanded in a terse voice.

“NO!” James tersely replied as he slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a virtual standstill before cutting the wheel sharply to the right, and turning into a parking lot where he then stopped.

“Damn it, James!” Zig Zag shouted as she held onto the racing harness with both hands. “What the hell---“

“Stop it!” he shouted angrily as he partially turned to face her. “Just stop it, Zig Zag! OK? Someday means some day! Not today, not tomorrow, but some day in the future!” He turned and gripped the steering wheel angrily so as to occupy his hands. “Look at us, Zig Zag. We’re at each other’s throats almost constantly. You’re either pushing me away or making demands on me that I can’t deal with right now!” He turned his head to look at her again. “This isn’t about you and it’s not about me. It’s about us! It’s about two people cooperatively going through life together, not constantly fighting for control!”

Taking a deep breath, James tried to let the anger go as Zig Zag sat frozen in a mixture of surprise and shock at the sudden outburst of rage. “Damn it, Zig. I do love you. I do want to have kits with you, but you’re not making it easy. Ever since this crap with the DA started, it’s all been about what you think is best. You think I shouldn’t be seen with you. You think we should sneak around and have a low profile. You think, you think, you think! I’m sick of everything being what you want or think! And if you have any hope that our relationship might go farther than just sleeping together, you might want to think long and hard about that!”

Before the conversation could continue a black and white police cruiser with its lights flashing turned into the parking lot and came to a screeching halt a few feet away from the parked viper. The spotlight came on, blinding the two as a voice came booming out of the loudspeaker. “Put your hands on top of the windscreen,” the voice ordered.

“Just great,” James snarled as he and Zig Zag both placed their hands up on the upper edge of the windscreen. A second later, the heard the scuffing of shoes as the cop approached. “Is there a problem, Officer?” he asked, feeling like a totally idiot for having done so while at the same time noticing the cop had his pistol drawn.

“Is there a problem, ma’am?” he asked, addressing Zig Zag.

“No, officer,” she replied, squinting against the bright lights. “No problem at all.”

“Are you sure?” The officer asked as he maneuvered to get a clear look inside of the vehicle.

“Really, officer, I’m fine,” she declared.

The cop paused and stepped around to get a better look at the driver. “Mr. Sheppard?” he asked as he lowered the pistol slightly.

Confused at the recognition, James lifted his arm to block the light and get a better look at the cop. “Yes?” As the shadow of his arm allowed him to see the cop clearly for the first time, he realized that it was the same polar bear who’d pulled him over the week before. He let out a groan and resisted the urge to pound his head against the steering wheel.

“You can put your hands down now,” the cop directed. Officer Lambert mentally kicked himself for not recognizing the male in the driver's seat when he’d first pulled up. He’d recognized Zig Zag’s car and knew from the news reports that they were supposedly going out, but that hadn’t quite registered until now. He holstered his pistol and stepped up to the car. “We meet again, Mr. Sheppard,” he growled in a low, dangerous, arch-villain kind of voice. “License, insurance and registration?”

James removed his license and insurance from his wallet while Zig Zag dug the registration out of the glove compartment. He passed the paperwork to the cop and sighed as he gave Zig Zag an annoyed glance.

“This is the second time in two weeks, Mr. Sheppard,” the cop stated. “This time you were doing seventy-five in a fifty-five zone. Care to explain?”

“It’s all my fault,” Zig Zag replied before James could. “You see, we haven’t had a chance to get together since you pulled him over last week and, well, we were kind of in a hurry. If you know what I mean,” she explained with a broad grin.

James winced and banged his head against the cushioned headrest of the Recaro bucket seat.

“All right,” the cop said, nodding as he noticed James’ discomfort. “I’ll be just a minute.” Turning, he walked back to his car and climbed in.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, putting a hand on James’ arm.

“Did you really need to tell him that?” he grumbled.

“Well,” she said with a small shrug, “it was the truth. Besides, I think he’ll sympathize with you. After all, if he were in your place, he’d sure as hell be in a hurry to get me home!”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he sighed. “Once again, you decided what to do in a situation where it should have been my decision. I was the driver. This ticket is my responsibility, not yours.”

Zig Zag’s expression started to cloud up as she got angry. He was dressing her down for trying to get him out of a ticket? Her expression fell as she turned and folded her hands in her lap suddenly realizing that this is exactly what he was talking about. She was being more concerned with how she felt then with how he might feel.

Having found the book he was looking for, the cop climbed back out of his vehicle and approached the sports car. “By all rights, I should ticket you for reckless driving and speeding, but I’m not going to,” he stated as he handed James back his paperwork. “However, if I catch you speeding on my highway again, I’m going to throw the book at you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” James replied meekly as he put his license and insurance away.

“Miss,” the cop said as he offered a notebook and a pen. “If you’d be so kind as to give me your autograph, I’d be appreciative.”

“My pleasure,” Zig Zag replied as she accepted the pad. She flipped over the cover and smiled at the cop. “How should I fill it out?”

“If you’d just make it to 'Officer Lambert', I’d appreciate it,” he said as he hitched up his gun belt slightly.

Zig Zag smiled as she uncapped the pen.

To Officer Lambert,

A cop who made a hard

situation, pleasant.

Hugs and kisses

Zig Zag

She then pursed her lips and kissed the pad, leaving an imprint in lipstick on the paper. “There you go,” she cheerfully said as she handed the pad and the pen back.

Lambert looked at the notepad and chuckled. “Damn. Now I’m afraid to show it off. Someone may think I was doing something disreputable with you.” He flipped the book closed and tipped his hat in her direction. “Thank you kindly, ma’am.” He looked down at James and scowled. “And you!” he said, pointing a finger at James. “Drive slow, you hear me?”

“Yes sir!” James replied as he started the car and put it into gear. He cautiously pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway, taking great care not to show off the excessive power that the vehicle had.

After a brief, speechless trip home which lasted a mere fifteen minutes but felt like hours, James finally pulled into Zig Zag’s driveway. They sat, unspeaking as the garage door opened, he pulled into the garage, then killed the car as the door closed. It wasn’t until the door had completely closed that James spoke. “Zig---I’m sorry---”

“No,” Zig Zag interrupted without looking over at him. “I’m sorry,” she said in a low, contrite voice. “You’re right. I was wrong.”

“Zig, listen,” he started, but was again interrupted.

“Please, James, let me speak,” she pleaded as she put a hand on his arm. “You’re right. I’ve been pretty self-centered of late, and I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve always had to rely on myself and take charge to make sure things go right, and it’s not easy for me to change that.” She looked up at him with glistening eyes. “I do love you, James, and I’m sorry for having hurt you. I’m going to try and do better from now on, OK?”

James smiled and nodded. “Sure. After all, that’s what relationships are all about, right?” he asked. “Working together for a common goal?” He tried to lean towards her for a kiss, but was stopped short by the harness. He reached down and quickly became frustrated as he tried to undo the latch, but couldn’t figure out how to get the thing to unlock.

Zig Zag chuckled as she reached across the console, twisted the top of the latch and then hit it with the edge of her fist, releasing the belts. “There’s a safety catch to keep it from accidentally popping loose during an accident,” she explained as she undid her own belt.

James sat in the car without moving, staring at the darkened instrument panel.

“James?” Zig Zag prompted, resting her hand on his thigh.

“You know, Zig,” he said quietly with a tinge of awe in his voice, “Just when I think I know you, you spring something like this car on me.” He smiled, turned towards her before leaning over and giving her a kiss.

“A lady can’t give up all her secrets at once, can she?” she commented as she opened the door then climbed out of the car. Stepping around the front of the car, she embraced him as he closed his car door. Her lips met his and they again kissed as she melted against him. “So, do you think you have the energy to let me apologize to you properly?”

James got smiled roguishly. “That depends on whether you’ll let me apologize back or not.”


“YEARGH!” Hecate half grunted, half shouted as she swung the bull around and slammed him head first into a brick wall, stunning him. “You stupid son of a bitch!” she raged as she lifted his head and slammed it into the asphalt pavement of the alleyway several times. “When I say stay down, I mean stay down!

The bull roared and reared back, throwing Hecate off him with the flick of his arm. He turned and stumbled towards the T intersection at the end of the alleyway.

The demoness climbed to her feet and scrambled after the bull, tearing around the corner in the same direction she’d seen him go only to come to a screeching halt at what she saw. The bull, all five hundred plus pounds of muscle and meanness lay unconscious on the ground with a small, gray mouse wearing a smartly tailored, black suit and tie, top hat and carrying a cane standing next to him.

The mouse dusted off his jacket before looking up at Hecate and smiled. “Ah, Hecate,” he said, holding out a delecate hand to the approaching female. “Just the person I was looking for.”

“Who the hell are you,” she demanded, ignoring the proffered hand, “and what the hell do you think you’re doing with my bounty?”

“Your bounty?” the mouse inquired with a prim and proper, British accent. He looked down briefly at the bull and grunted. “Oh! Dear me,” he said before smiling at Hecate again. “Please, I have no intention of coming between you and your bounty. I simply thought you might require some assistance.”

“Yeah? Well thanks,” she muttered without a trace of gratitude in her voice. “Now shove off.”

“I’m quite afraid that I can not do that,” the mouse declared as he leaned casually on the cane. “We have unfinished business.”

“What kind of business?” the demoness demanded, her eyes narrowed to slits.

“I would like to hire you to locate someone,” the mouse explained. Noticing that the bull was beginning to come around, he raised the metal tip of his cane and thwacked the creature in the back of the head, knocking it unconscious again.

“Sorry, I don’t do missing persons,” she declared as she crossed her arms. “That is, unless you can make it worth my while. I’ve got to warn you, I’m making good money catching bond jumpers like this.”

“Indeed,” the mouse replied with a curt nod. “I believe that I might be able to provide you with something you’ll find far more valuable than simply the local currency.”

“If you’re talking drugs, I don’t need them,” she growled, noticing that the bull was again starting to wake up. She reared back with her tail and slammed it down against the creature’s head, causing it to bounce several inches off the asphalt.

“I don’t mean to be contrary, but I believe you are mistaken,” the mouse explained in a very polite voice. “You see, I have something that I know you are in dire need of.”

“I don’t need anything from a fancy pants piece of rat shit like you!” she snarled as she unsheathed her claws. “Now bugger off before I turn you into limey hamburger, asshole.”

Un-fazed by her hostility, the mouse simply shook his head. “As I understand it, you’re already almost out of viscous mana,” he said with a knowing grin that brooked no humor. “In fact, I believe that you lost all but one bottle of it shortly after arriving when you were struck by a vehicle,” he continued.

“How the hell did you know that?” she demanded angrily slamming her tail against the bull’s head again even though he hadn’t stirred.

“Please, Hecate,” the mouse said, trying to calm the demoness down. “I had nothing to do with that. That was all your father’s doing. I, on the other hand, am in a position to help you.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small paper bag. Opening the top, he reached in and removed a small candy, which he then popped into his mouth. “Candy?”

“I don’t want your god damned candy!” she snarled. “I want you to tell me who the hell you are and how you know so much about me.”

“Take one, and I’ll explain everything,” the mouse replied, offering her the open bag again.

Hecate angrily reached in and took a piece of candy, which she then popped into her mouth. “Fine! Happy now? Now tell me who you are and how you know so much about me!”

“Bite it,” the mouse directed, crunching on his own candy.

For a moment, Hecate was tempted to spit the candy in the mouse’s face and then slowly take him apart until he talked. Despite all her nearly all-consuming desire to do so, she managed to resist the urge. If this guy had a source of viscous mana, then she’d need to suck up to him until she discovered his supply. After that, she’d be having mouse-burgers, extra raw. She bit nosily down on the candy and felt the electric shock of a liquid against her tongue. Her entire body stiffened as it responded to the contents of the sweetmeat. She staggered backwards a couple of steps before leaning heavily against the wall and panting. “Son of a bitch!” she said with a hoarse voice. “That was viscous mana!”

“Indeed,” the mouse said as he closed the bag. “I imagine the local law enforcement agencies would be most suspicious if I were to travel while carrying a large number of small vials, filled with a thick, unidentified liquid. This candy,” he said, tossing the bag to the demoness who caught it, “is quite nondescript and wouldn’t be worth a second look. There’s a months supply in there for you as down payment for your services.”

“Just who the hell are you?” she snarled, sullen and defeated.

“A friend of a friend,” the mouse said agreeably as he thwacked the bull, which had once again begun to move.


James lay staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. There was a question running around in his head and he couldn’t shake it lose. Finally, he rolled over to face Zig Zag. “Zig? You still awake?” he whispered in a low voice.

“Only if you want to do that last position again,” came the sleepy response.

“Not exactly,” he responded a bit reluctant to continue.

Zig Zag rolled to face him, reached out and wrapped an arm and a leg around him as she scooted a bit closer. “You sure? I thought it was kind of fun,” she teased.

“Actually, I had a question for you,” he grudgingly admitted.

"Huh?" She swiveled her free ear in his direction and opened her eyes. “What’s up?”

“Well,” James said, delaying the inevitable for a moment or two, “during the interview you said that you stopped taking the pill back in the early nineties, right?”

Zig Zag blinked and wiped the sleep from her eyes as she yawned. “Yah, that’s right. Why?”

“Um---I um---,” James hemmed and hawed for a moment, “I know you didn’t have time to put in a diaphragm tonight, or most other nights, and we haven’t been using condoms either, so I was wondering---“

“You’re wondering if I’m using some contraceptive, or if it’s sheer dumb luck I haven’t gotten pregnant?” she finished for him.

“No!” he declared in a defensive reflex. “I mean, yes, but not like that---“

“James,” Zig Zag said quietly as she held her hand up to cover his mouth, “it’s a fair question. You’re right. I’m not taking the pill or using a diaphragm. I get a shot once every three months.”

“They have a shot for that?” he asked incredulously.

She laughed. “Yes, they do. They’ve had them since back in the mid eighties.”

His brows furrowed as another thought occurred to him. “That’s not what you were on when you got pregnant before, is it?”

Zig Zag shook her head. “No, it’s not the same stufft. I’d traveled to France on a promotional tour and had gotten the Norplant implants, but they weren’t effective for me. That’s when I got pregnant. Afterwards, I had my OB remove the implants and I switched back to the pill. Then, later, when they came out with the improved version of the same drug and offered it as a quarterly injection, I tried it again while my doctor monitored my hormone levels closely to see if it would be effective. I was out of work for a month and a half until the doctor confirmed that it was working and I’ve used it ever since.”

James felt like a louse. “I’m sorry, Zig. I shouldn’t…”

She interrupted him with a kiss. “Look, you have every right to ask something like that,” she said before kissing him again. “I mean it. No apologies.”

“Well, if you insist,” he replied with a smile before kissing her again.

“Of course, if you really wanted to apologize,” she suggested with a sly grin and a wink.


Zig Zag slowly drove her black Lexus along the access road that ran around the small airport, heading towards the hangar where the FBI said Sheila’s jet would be arriving. As she approached the gates she saw a media circus of broadcast vans, camera men and reporters talking into their microphones, all of whom apparently had nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon.

She turned towards the gate and honked to get the media hounds to move, but only succeeded in getting their attention. Fortunately, two of the FBI agents came out from behind the fenced in area and managed to make a path for her. They took one look in through the driver’s side window to confirm who was in the vehicle before escorting it through the gate. At the urging of the agent standing next to her car, she rolled down her window. “Yes?”

“Miss Zumbrowski, you need to proceed over to that hangar and go in through the door. Agent Chronaur will meet you there,” he stated pointing to a building with several government vehicles parked in front of it.

“Thank you,” Zig Zag said. Rolling up the window, she cruised slowly over to the building and parked in an open slot near the door. She climbed from the car and took a moment to straighten the plane, black dress that she wore before walking purposefully towards the door without even acknowledging the existence of the media who were, without a doubt, filming her.

Once inside, she let her eyes adjust to the relative dimness before looking around. She realized that the office she had stepped into was nothing more than a small room with an air conditioning unit that sounded like it was on its last legs, a desk, some chairs, a filing cabinet and a coffee maker. She was about to go out the other door that lead into the main part of the hangar when the door opened and the same crème colored stallion she’d talked to previously entered. “Agent Chronaur?”

“Yes ma’am,” the stallion replied with a nod.

“How much longer until Sheila’s plane shows up?” she asked, looking out into the hangar and seeing very little activity.

“Actually, that’s what I need to talk to you about,” the agent said as he gestured towards a chair. “Please, you might want to sit down.”

“Oh my god,” Zig Zag gasped as her heart skipped a beat. “Something didn’t happen to her plane, did it?”

“No ma’am,” the agent replied as he took her arm and guided her into a chair before sitting down himself. “The jet took off just fine out of New York City this morning as scheduled. Unfortunately there was a medical emergency during the flight involving Miss Vixen and the plane had to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh.”

“Oh my god, no!” she cried out. “Is she OK?”

“I don’t know,” the agent replied. “All I know is that something happened to her while she was onboard the plane and that she was air lifted to the hospital immediately upon landing.”

Zig Zag’s mind was like a Superball trapped inside of an empty paint can that had been loaded into a shaker. Questions rattled around in her brain ranging from what happened, to why would this happen now. She looked up at the agent, terrified that he was holding back some terrible secret. “Do you know what hospital she’s been taken to?”

The agent shook his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t have that information,” he replied while pulling out a small case filled with business cards. He removed a card and quickly wrote a name and number on the back before handing it to Zig Zag. “That’s the number for our Pittsburgh office. Agent Hampton should be able to give you more information in an hour or two. If I find anything out, I’ll give your office a call.”

“No,” Zig Zag said as she pulled one of her cards out of her purse and quickly scrawled a number on the back. “That’s my cell phone number. I’m going to catch a flight to Pittsburgh.”

“I wouldn’t suggest that, Miss Zumbrowski,” the agent gently stated. “There’s nothing you can do for her there.”

“No!” the tiger striped skunk said as she hastily stood. “I’m going to Pittsburgh! Sheila needs me and I won’t let her down.”

Agent Chronaur frowned and then nodded. “All right. We’re holding off on officially notifying the press, however, I have a feeling they’re going to guess something is up when you leave before the plane arrives.”

Zig Zag nodded, her mind in a bit of a daze and having not quite heard all he said. She turned and walked hurriedly back to her car and climbed in. Driving quickly back to the gate, she waited impatiently for it to open. Several news people tried to press through the opening, but she gunned the car and slammed on the brakes, making them dive out of the way before she gunned the car again. She glanced in her rearview mirror and smiled sadistically at the sight of a furson picking up a video camera, which appeared to be in three pieces with wires dangling out.

Reaching the main road, she gunned the engine and sped towards home as she hit the hands-free button on her car’s cell phone and dialed her travel agent.

“Unifursal Travel,” the cheerful male voice announced.

“Chris? This is Zig Zag.”

“Ziggy!” the male on the other said, obviously happy to be talking to her. “What’s up?”

“Chris, I need a first class ticket on anything going directly to Pittsburgh, ASAP!”

“First class to Pittsburgh? Ok,” he said with the sound of keystrokes in the background. “Only non-stop to Pittsburgh I have is with US Air and there’s no first class. You want that?”

“How soon?”

“Next fight is at two o’clock and the next one after that is at four and then at six-thirty.”

Zig Zag glanced at her clock and saw that it was eleven forty five. If she hurried, she could make the two o’clock flight. “OK. Book me on the flight at two.”

“All righty,” he said cheerfully as the keyboard clicked in the background. “OK. You’re all set. They’ll have the ticket waiting for you at the gate.”

“Thanks, Chris! You’re a dear!”

“No I’m not!” he declared with mock offense, “I’m a tiger!”

Despite her bad mood, Zig Zag had to chuckle. “Why yes you are, aren’t you.” She hit the button to hang up the phone before speed-dialing James.

“Sheppard Computer Systems, James speaking.”

“James, this is Zig Zag.”

“Hey! I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon!” he declared with a smile that could be heard over the phone. “Are you on your way to the airport to meet Sheila?”

“No. The opposite. Sheila’s plane had to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh. I’m on a two o’clock flight out there to be with her.”

His voice became filled with concern, “Damn! Is she OK? Do you know what happened?”

“No clue. The feds aren’t talking,” she said with a growl as she slammed on her brakes for some idiot at a green light who didn’t understand what an accelerator was for. “They can’t even tell me what hospital she’s been taken to.”

“I understand,” James stated. “Listen, I’ll take off from work, grab an overnight bag from the house and meet you at the airport, ok?”

Zig Zag shook her head even though he couldn’t see her. “I don’t think that’s really necessary. I’ll call you from Pittsburgh when I know more about the situation.”

“Are you sure about that?” he asked, his voice neutral.

“Yeah. No need to drag you away from your work,” she explained. “Sheila’s my problem, and I don’t need to be dragging you into it.”

“All right,” James replied. “I’ll get off the phone so you can concentrate on driving. Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “I love you,” she hastily said as an afterthought.

“I love you too,” came the reply from the other end before the line went dead.


James released the hook on the phone and dialed the Double Z Studios.

“Double Z Studios, how may I direct your call?”

“Maurine?” he asked as he leaned back in his chair and picked up a pen. “This is James.”

“Oh! Hi, James. Zig Zag isn’t in. She went to the airport to meet Sheila.”

“I know,” he replied with false cheerfulness. “Listen, I’m planning a little surprise secret getaway, and I wanted to book it through Zig’s regular travel agent. Can you give me the number?”

“Sure! That’s Unifursal Travel at 800-555-6969. Talk to Christopher Roth. He handles all of her travel.”

“Great,” James declared as he finished making a note on his pad. “I’ll give him a call. Thanks.” Once again, he used a finger to press down the receiver and hang up the phone before dialing the travel agency.

“Unifursal Travel,” a female voice announced, “This is Marie. How may I help you?”

“Hi, Marie. I’m looking for Christopher Roth, please?”

“Sure. Hold on one moment and I’ll transfer your call.”

James listened to a brief radio style advertisement for a vacation to the Bahama’s, which was starting to get interesting when it was interrupted, “This is Chris. How may I help you?”

“Hi, Chris. This is James Sheppard,” he announced, hoping that the man would know about him. "I'm a friend of Zig Zag."

“James?” he heard the confused cat say, “Oh yes! Ziggy’s James! Hi! What can I do for you?”

“Zig’s flying out to Pittsburgh for the weekend and originally I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it,” he lied, hoping his story would be believed. “I was wondering if you could book me a seat next to Zig Zag?”

“Why sure! Let me get you setup in the system…”


Zig Zag ran towards the gate with her high-heeled shoes in her hand. She reached the boarding area just as they announced last call for that flight. She handed her ticket to the gate attendant who tore off a copy and returned the envelope to her. Pausing for a second, Zig Zag leaned against the counter to put her shoes back on before she made her way down the boarding ramp and onto the plane. She gave the stewardess an apologetic smile as she stepped past her and made her way down the isle. Checking her seat assignment as she made her way towards the back, she was forced to apologize occasionally as her carry-on bag bumped into people.

She stopped at her seat and held the ticket in her mouth as she hefted the bag over her head into the compartment above the seat and then slammed the door shut, hoping it wouldn’t pop open and drop everything out onto her head during the flight. Out of breath, tired and annoyed she turned and dropped into her seat and began wrestling with the seatbelt.

“Excuse me,” a deep voice said from across the aisle, “But aren’t you Zig Zag?”

“Yep,” she replied as she cinched the belt tight and turned towards the speaker and froze with her jaw hanging open. “James!” she cried out in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I decided to take a long weekend and go visit a sick friend in Pittsburgh,” he replied with a sly smile. “How about you? What are you here for? Business trip?”

Zig Zag gave him a warm smile. “Actually, no. I’m visiting a sick friend, too.”

“Well, I guess it’s a lucky coincidence that we both just happened to be on the same plane, sitting in aisle seats on the same row, going to the same city, both to see a sick friend, eh?”

“I guess you could say that,” she admitted, touched by the effort he’d gone to in order to be with her. “In fact, I think you could say I am one very lucky lady.”