Unknown Enemies

Part Twelve

At Talia’s house, Chase and Talia sat on the sofa watching the news conference that was on all the screens on Thundera. Talia contacted Chase when she awakened and as soon as he arrived, the conference was starting. Leela was at the podium speaking and behind her, were the ThunderCats at the entrance of Cat‘s Lair.

“….and so early this evening with the aide of ThunderCat nobles WilyKit and WilyKat, my fiancé, Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats captured the Cheetah Leader. Her name is Cheetara.” Leela flashed a picture of Cheetara so the cameraman can flash it on their screen as Leela continued to speak. “We don’t know the full reason for Cheetara and her followers to rule Thundera and wipe out the lions but we’ll find out.”

Many reporters raised their hands to ask a question. Leela pointed to a tiger.

“It has been said that the cheetah’s cause is because they feel the lions oppressed them.”

“Yes, that is true. We don’t know why the cheetahs would say something so ludicrous, but I promise you, you will find out.” She points to a panther. “Yes?”

“Does it have anything to do with the fact that no cheetahs are ThunderCats?”

“It’s a possible factor we will look into, but in the past we have had cheetahs as ThunderCats. The reason there were no cheetahs for Lord Lion-O is because they didn‘t win the competition to be ThunderCats.” Leela pointed to a lion reporter.

“With Cheetara captured, is the war over and what will happen to Cheetara?”

Leela laughs elegantly. “That’s two questions not one, but I’ll answer them anyway. So far the war is at a standstill. We can’t say if it is over. The cheetahs may try to free her, which is why Cheetara is under twenty-four hour surveillance under the tightest security. For punishment, the obvious answer is death.”

Talia gasped. “No. We can’t let them do that. We must stop them.”

“You’re right, but how?” Chase said. “Cat’s Lair is an impregnable fortress. It’s going to be hard to break in.”

“Can you get the leopards to help you?” Talia asked. “We’ve got to do something.”

Chase shook his head. “No. We tried talking to them but they refused to fight. The lions questioned them at the beginning of the war so that might have scared them off from helping us.”

Talia frowned but then her face lifted as if she had an idea. “I just thought of something. Do you think if we contact with Cheetara mentally and told her to tell them that she is pregnant, she will get spared?”

“No!” Chase shouted. “That may make things even worse. They mustn’t know. No one must know! Our goal is to free Cheetara.”

“And then what? Once the ThunderCats discover she is gone. They are going to come looking for her here!” Talia finally yelled. “Don’t you see? It’s over. It’s all over! Cheetara can never show her face again on this planet if we’re able to get her out of Cat’s Lair.”

“Don’t you think I know that?!” Chase yelled at Talia. “Our dream, what we cheetahs have been working with is all over!” He stopped yelling and calmed himself down. “Now, I have a plan, but it cause for a sacrifice.”

*****

After the conference ended, Leela and the ThunderCats went back inside the lair. Leela was so happy about the conference but she wasn‘t through. “I’m going to visit our little prisoner and I do I want you Tygra to stand guard outside Cheetara’s cell. At dawn, Panthro you will take over watch.”

“Isn’t Lion-O still talking with the Cheetah Leader?” Tygra asked. “I’m not sure why he is talking to her alone anyway. We all should be there.”

“Lion-O might be trying to find out why this is war is happening, Tygra. I doubt if he’s still there anyway. No more questions; just do what I say,” Leela commanded.

Tygra sighed a bit annoyed with Leela but agreed with her decision while Panthro headed upstairs to sleep. There was nothing anyone else could do that night except rest.

Leela embraced the twin ThunderCats. “You two have done a marvelous job.”

“We were happy to do it. We have the Cheetah Leader, so peace should return to Thundera soon,” WilyKit said.

“Yes, peace and hopefully my marriage to Lion-O. Take the rest of tonight and tomorrow off,” Leela offered. “You two deserve it.”

“Are you sure?” WilyKat questioned unsure with Leela’s decision. “With the possibility the cheetahs may strike here, you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

“You know what, WilyKat, you’re right. All right. You two take the rest of the night off. I wish I could give you some kind of medal. With your help, we wouldn’t have won the war with the cheetahs so soon.”

“Thanks, Leela,” WilyKit said gratefully.

“It’s good someone appreciate us being here,” WilyKat added.

“Night,” the two said walking up the steps to their bedroom.

“Goodnight, you two,” Leela smiled.

Finally she was left alone in the room. She nearly skipped as she went to Cheetara’s dungeon. Cheetara was sitting on the floor with her knees to her chest crying.

“Well, well, well. How the mighty have fallen!”

Cheetara met brief eye contact with Leela and turned away.

“Oh no, you’re not,” Leela said and opened the cell Cheetara was in. “I’m not done with you yet.” She yanked Cheetara off the floor in her chains. “I know more about you than no one else knows.” She shoved Cheetara in the wall. “I know you slept with my fiancée!”

Cheetara’s eyes widen in horror.

“Yes,” Leela said coldly. “I know. I saw you marry him and I know you’re carrying his children!” With her strength, Leela pushed Cheetara hard in a corner of the wall. The force was strong enough to bruise her cheek and a make cut on her lip. “You’re such a whorish tramp, sleeping with my fiancé!”

Cheetara pulled herself from the corner of the wall and spat the blood in her mouth on the floor. “He came on to me, what does that make him?” Cheetara questioned.

Furious, Leela slapped Cheetara. “Don’t lie to me! It won’t work! And even if he did, he was mine! You had no right to him!”

“No, I didn’t, but he came to me, so I had something he didn’t want from you.”

That struck a chord with Leela so bad that Leela punched Cheetara across her face and then a punch to her stomach so hard that Cheetara fell on her knees. “How dare you say that to me?!”

Cheetara lied on the floor in pain from the blows but also she was angry that Leela punched her stomach. Her children could’ve been hurt. Cheetara looked at her ankles bound in chains and as Leela stepped over them, Cheetara raised her leg to trip Leela.

Leela cried out but she was able to catch herself on the bars. She looked at Cheetara angrily. “You did that on purpose!” She kicked Cheetara in the face with her boot, causing blood to spill out of Cheetara’s nose. “Just for that, tomorrow I’m going to give you a drug that will kill your children before you die.”

Leela opened the cell and marched out. “She’s going to pay for this.” Leela marched to the Control Room and pulled up Cheetara’s cell on camera. Tygra was standing outside prison door that lead to Cheetara’s cell so no one could enter. Leela took the tape out and replaced it with a blank one.

After she left the Control Room, Leela skipped to her room with a bowl full of popcorn in her hands. She passed Lion-O’s room and thought about entering. If she entered now, Lion-O would be very vulnerable and at her mercy or should could watch the tape of Lion-O telling Cheetara off.

“Which to choose? They both are tempting. I’ll watch the videotape. After what happened tonight, Lion-O is certainly mine.”

Leela entered her room, popped the tape in the VCR, sat on her bed with the popcorn in her lap, pressed play and enjoyed the show.

*****

Later that night, Chase and a few other cheetahs hidden themselves outside Cat’s Lair. They were in full war attire, loaded with guns, grenades and smoke bombs. The lair lights were off and the only security on in the lair were the Cat’s Eyes on the lair’s head moving around on auto power.

Chase stood up. His eyes glowed yellow as he contacted Cheetara.

Cheetara. Cheetara. Wake up. Can you hear me? It’s Chase.

In her cell, Cheetara was sleeping on her cot. She looked around and saw she was alone in the cell. The only person she could make out was Tygra‘s head far ahead at the doors leading into the prison. She heard Chase call for her again. Cheetara wasn’t sure she should answer after what he did to her, but seeing she was all alone now felt she had no choice.

Chase?

Yes, Cheetara, it’s me. I have some soldiers with me. We’re going to break you out of there.

No, Chase. It’s dangerous. They already have a ThunderCat here guarding me.

I don’t care! We’re going to get you out. I’ve pinpointed your location. Now just be calm and we’ll get you.

Chase led his men to the bottom of Cat’s Lairs step, stealthily moving between the lairs eyebeams. “We’re gonna have to be direct. There is no other way.” Chase told his soldiers.

“We have to rescue our queen. I’ll sacrifice myself for her.” A soldier said.

Chase pulled out a grenade from his satchel. He ordered his men to arm themselves. Chase pulled out the tiny piece on the grenade and threw it at Cat’s Lair doors. Five seconds later, the grenade detonates, blowing up the lairs’ double doors.

“All right, men! Let’s move! Time is of the essence and we’re going to have a tough battle on our hands!” Chase ordered.

The loud explosion awakened the ThunderCats, sending the alarms to blare loudly, to wake up anyone who didn‘t wake up to the explosion. The grenade cause fire at the lair’s doors and the automatic sprinklers went off.

“What was that?” WilyKat said jumping out of bed.

“It’s an attack on the lair. Let’s go!” WilyKit said putting on her weapons and heading out the room.

Leela jumped out of her bed, startled awake from the loud noise. “It must be the cheetahs! They’ve come to rescue Cheetara. Over my dead body!” Leela pulled out a laser gun from under her bed and raced out her door. She met Lion-O and Panthro in the hall.

“They’re here to get Cheetara. We must stop them!” Leela hollered.

In the dungeon, Cheetara sat up, waiting patiently for her rescue. Tygra opened the door to the prison and entered, checking to see if Cheetara was still there. He saw her but Tygra looked surprised at Cheetara. The woman looked as if she was in a fight.

“What happe--”

Tygra’s words were cut off when he heard a buzzing noise behind him. Tygra pulled out his whip and prepared himself. He knew this was a rescue attempt to save Cheetara. The door exploded open with a bang. Tygra shielded his eyes from the falling debris. Cheetara covered her ears to protect them from the loud noise.

Cheetara, cover your nose. Chase told her mentally.

Cheetara did as Chase told her and a two gray balls bounced in the room. Gas shot out of the balls, spreading all over the room. Tygra coughed and tried to hold his balance as the gas was taking affect.

“Sleep gas.” Tygra said covering his mouth.

Chase entered with a gas mask on his face. He rushed behind Tygra and hit him with the back end of his gun hard, knocking Tygra out. Another soldiers shoots the keyhole open, unlocking the door to Cheetara‘s cell. Chase pulled Cheetara out of the cell and saw the gas was beginning to affect her. He quickened his speed out of the room. When they got out of the room, Cheetara breathed in the fresh air.

It was then Chase noticed the bruises on her face. His lips twisted in an angry snarl. “They beat you?!”

“Yes,” Cheetara said, still coughing. “It was Lion-O’s fiancée.”

“They will pay for this!” Chase growled. Chase pulled out another grenade and throws it to the wall.

At this moment, Panthro and Lion-O arrived, Cheetara saw Lion-O as Chase covered her body from the impending explosion. Lion-O saw the grenade just as it detonated and exploded. Cheetara’s eyes widen in horror as she saw the grenade blows up in front of Lion-O and Panthro.

“No! Lion-O!” Cheetara screamed.

After the explosion, Chase saw a giant hole in the wall. “Come on,” Chase said rushing Cheetara and the other soldiers out of there.

There was so much smoke. Cheetara couldn’t see if Lion-O survived. She was reluctant to go. She wanted to check on Lion-O, but Chase yanked her arm.

“Come on!” he growled angrily.

Chase dragged Cheetara to a hover vehicle. He roughly pushed her in and signaled for another cheetah to fly with Cheetara. “You protect her!” Chase ordered and got on a hover vehicle of his own and flew. This surprised Cheetara. She thought she would be riding with Chase.

****

Leela coughed heavily as she reached the dungeon. As the smoke disperses, she saw Lion-O and Panthro in a protective shield created by the Sword of Omens. Lion-O removed the shield.

“What happened?” Leela asked.

Lion-O saw at the giant hole and growled. “They got away.”

“No! They are not to get away!” Leela said.

“Right. Panthro, fire up the Feliner,” Lion-O ordered. “They will not get away with this.”

Panthro ran off to warm up the Feliner.

“Where are the twins?” Tygra said stumbling out of the dungeon still dazed.

“They are battling invaders here,” Leela said upset Cheetara got away. “Go help them!” Leela ordered Tygra.

Tygra nodded and ran off.

“I’ll get in contact with the lions to help you, Lion-O.” Leela said and made a quick dash to the control room.

In the main hall, WilyKit and WilyKat shot lasers at the cheetah. They hid behind the two long staircases. The twins had their lasers set for stun but they figure the cheetahs had their lasers set for kill.

WilyKit and WilyKat shot most of the cheetahs down. WilyKit’s laser’s was running low. As she recharged her lasers with another cartridge, a cheetah shot WilyKit’s right arm. It pierces through her skin.

WilyKit screamed in pain and grasp her arm. WilyKat fired at the cheetah knocking him out. Tygra aided them by turning invisible. Unaware of Tygra, the cheetahs didn’t see him pull their weapons out of their hands and aiming it at them. WilyKit and WilyKat stepped out from behind the columns and held their guns at the cheetahs. The cheetahs couldn’t do anything except raise their hands in defeat.

In the Control Room, Leela relayed her message to the lions about the break-in. “I repeat, Cheetara has escaped. We need all help to get her back. She’s armed and dangerous!”

“Don’t worry, Leela. I have all my lions out tracking them.” Luther told her over the monitor.

“Good. Our cameras tells us they left in a hover vehicle. Lion-O and Panthro are tracking them in the Feliner, but the cheetahs have a fifteen minute advantage ahead of them,” Leela explained.

“No problem. I have my best lion warriors out there. They won’t get away,” Luther promised.

“Good. Because I want them dead or alive…. preferably dead.”

“As you wish, Leela.” Luther said smiling just as sinister as Leela.

Leela cut off communications. “With Cheetara out of the way for good, no one will know about Lion-O’s children and I’ll have him all to myself.”

A beeping noise was chime on the controls. Leela punched it up. “Leela here.”

“Leela, we have found them.” Lavarius, another elder spoke.

“Yes!” Leela said triumphantly.

“Cheetara is being escorted by other cheetah ships. The lions have tracked them down, but they are fighting the cheetahs surrounding Cheetara. Wait a minute, the Feliner has showed up.” Lavarius said.

*****

Cheetara held onto her guard tightly as they flew at full speed. Where are we going, Chase?! She called out mentally.

I’m getting you out of here!

One of the ships that were guarding Cheetara was shot down. Cheetara watch in horror as the ship crashes to the ground and exploded.

There out to kill us, Chase!

I know that! Shut up! He was furiously. They should kill you after what you did! The cheetahs should, too after getting yourself pregnant by Lord Lion-O!

Cheetara gasped. How did you know?

You were so concerned over Lord Lion-O when the grenade went off! Why would you be unless he fathered your children! Your emotions are like an open book, Cheetara!

Cheetara had forgotten how she acted back at the lair. She wasn’t thinking. She didn’t know she gave it away like that. No wonder he was so angry when he was getting her out of the lair.

How did you know? Cheetara asked.

I suspected something with your reaction against us killing cheetahs if they are involved with lions. You’ve been trying to make peace with the lions instead of killing them. I’ve noticed changes in you. The way you called for Lord Lion-O was the final proof I needed!

Cheetara lowered her head. I’m sorry, Chase.

You‘re only sorry you got caught. It‘s time for payback for your betrayal. I‘m going to kill Lion-O after what you did!

Cheetara’s eyes widen in horror. “No, you can’t!” She yelled.

“You don’t think so?!” Chase questioned as he sneered at her. His eyes were full of rage. He was mad now. “Watch me!” Chase turned his hover vehicle around and flew in the direction of the Feliner heading straight for Lion-O. “He’s going to pay for this if it’s the last thing I do!”

Go to Part Thirteen

Return to Lady Thundera's Fanfics