Sunday, March 26, 2017

Catman #2

Catman and Jack put on boxing gloves. “I’ve been a member of the Order since I was 18. My old man was also a member. I was never big on groups like that,” Jack said. “A lot of the members are weirdoes. Yeah, some of them use the Order to further themselves or their beliefs but most of them just use the Order to get their jollies. It’s like a present-day Sodom and Gomorrah.”

“It sounds like even if I get Priest Andreij, the Order will just find a new leader,” Catman said.

The two of them stepped into the ring, Jack holding the ropes open for Catman. “It will continue in some form or another,” he sighed. “I don’t know much about it but I would assume it started with noble intentions. Know anything about boxing?”

“A little,” Catman said. “I’ve been to a few gyms and my Dad was a boxing fan.”

A fist landed on Catman’s cheek close to the nose. “Five minutes or until knockout,” Jack said as they began circling each other in the ring. “The clock is on the east wall. Fight,” Jack shouted and the match began.

The two men’s feet scuffled across the canvas of the ring. The gloves occassionally hit each other but mostly they hit body. Despite Catman’s stamina and abilities, Jack was a much better boxer and within a couple of minutes, Catman’s lip had a small split in it. After just over four minutes, a downward jab sent Catman to the mat.

“Knockout,” Catman said with a laugh in his throat.

“Really? You barely went down,” Jack said.

“I know when I’m beat,” Catman stood up and took the gloves off. “Besides, the remaining twenty seconds won’t change the fact that you’re going to beat me.”

“Look, about the Order,” Jack began “I wish I could be more help but I never really got into them. I can point you in the direction of a really bad member. They call him the Toy-Man because he uses toys to gain the trust of little kids.”

Catman shuddered. “Where can I find him?”

“The old Embassy tenement on MacVicar. His apartment has a giant stuffed bear in the window.”




Catman stood on a building across the street from the Embassy Building. He stared directly at the teddy bear in the window. The bear was slightly faded from being in the window for God knows how long.

According to Jack, the Toy-Man was sheltered from the law by the Order. He had molested nearly a hundred young kids, both male and female. He had even killed a couple and had gotten away with all of it. It was time to end this man’s streak of good luck.