Chapter 3: Cleaning House

Bill and the Major had been running for almost an hour, following the scent of the male. Suddenly, there was a break in the forest they had been running through. Before them lay the sprawling castle of one of his uncles.

Growling, Bill stopped as they saw that the castle had been fortified with heavy artillery. Cursing, Bill also noticed the heavy shields on the exterior. Snapping out a communicator, the Major called command control.

“I need heavy batteries at Castle Krong. We have a traitor within its walls,” the Major said.

“We can’t authorize that without the permission of the king. There is no king or king-elect so...” A male voice replied from command.

Snatching the communicator from the Major, Bill growled, “This is the king-elect. I want that traitor taken into custody now! Submit him to the mind bender! Now, send out the big guns or I might just have all of you under the mind bender!” There was a number of voices yelling, and two minutes later, a ship appeared and settled near them, as an older male stepped out, looking around.

“Amb...” The male started when he spotted Bill.

“No!” Shouted Bill, effectively quieting the man. “I go by my human name, at least ‘til I ascend the throne! Though it is good to see you, General Roth.”

“As it is, your kingship,” the older male said as he bowed.

“I am not the king yet,” here Bill sighed, “that will be soon enough. First, it appears that there are many who do not wish for me to take the throne. It seems that we still have a den of traitors left after I had both of my uncles incarcerated.”

The General gained a twisted smile as he asked, “How would you like me to do this?”

Bill was also smiling as he said, “One warning, then destroy the shielding. Another, and if they don’t surrender?” Here Bill’s face twisted in anger for a moment. “Then blow the hell out of the place!”

The General’s smile got bigger as he ordered the huge battery into place. Nodding, the General thought, they might have heavy artillery, but it was nothing compared to the royal batteries!

Opening a channel, the General said, “By the order of the king-elect, lower your shields! Surrender to the royal guard or we’ll destroy your position!”

For a moment, the General thought there wasn’t going to be a response, then static came from the com. “We do not recognize the bastard brother of the dead king! We defend the rights of the king’s uncles to take the throne!”

A smile slowly crept onto the General’s face. Nodding, the General watched as the cannon opened up. Even as he watched, the General could see the holes starting to form in the shielding. A few more powerful blasts and the castle’s outer walls and shields were shredded.

Turning, the General informed Bill, “Walls and shielding down, sire.”

Bill nodded and grabbed the com. “I suggest you come out now! This is the only warning you get, then we will level this pathetic castle that you think you are safe in!”

There was a great amount of shouting over the com, then several hundred males were marching out the front. Even as they marched past, Bill was still hunting for the one they had been after. They were about halfway through the line of males when one whirled, drawing a gun. Faster than anyone thought possible, Bill crossed the fifteen feet between them. Growling, his tail swishing left and right rapidly, Bill had the tabby male in the air by the throat. Hissing at the male, Bill threw him to the ground and started to rip him to pieces.

Snapping his head up, Bill’s claws dripping the blood of the dead male, he growled, “Any others? I am not the weak, mindless fool my uncles led you to believe! Well? Are there any others that wish to die? Ah! Cowards!” Whirling, Bill growled at Twitty and Glenna, who were looking at him with heated looks. “As I said, I do not need guards. Mates, yes, but not guards!”

“You might not be so assured later, sire!” Twitty growled back at him, her ears back and her tail flicking.

“No matter what you say, your brother the king ordered us to watch you. I cannot disobey an order from the king!” Glenna growled, her teeth and fangs showing, her own tail flicking rapidly.

Sighing loudly, Bill threw up his arms. It would be impossible to argue with them; it was, after all, their duty. Both Twitty and Glenna looked at each other and smiled broadly; they knew they had him. He might be the next king, but even he couldn’t refuse them their duty.

Turning back to the line of prisoners, Bill kept looking for the leader of the group that had fired on the ship. Finally, the last male marched past, causing Bill’s eyes to narrow, then he and the Major took off for the castle.

Quickly picking up the scent of the male again, Bill and the Major set off. They were again very closely followed by Twitty and Glenna. Another hour saw them rapidly approaching another castle. Looking back at Twitty, he growled, stopping just out of range of the weapons. “This is getting ridiculous!” Opening up a com channel, Bill growled, “General Roth, have you returned yet?”

A moment of silence, then the General was answering, “No, sire, though I was about to.”

“I need you by Castle Krang; the traitor has run to my other uncle’s castle!” Bill almost shouted.

“Be there in a moment!” General Roth answered.

Two minutes later, the ship was dropping beside them. “Same way, sire?”

“Perhaps,” Bill said as he stared at the castle. Opening up a channel, Bill stated, “I have already taken Castle Krong! I have no use for traitors that hide enemies of the crown. Turn the traitor over NOW or I will not hesitate to level this place. You have one specton, no more. No discussion, no deals! Well?! You have Three-quarters of a specton!”

There was a moment of silence, then a line of Xendrans were marching out. Bill nodded to the Major, then the General, as he took off for the back of the castle. Far ahead of them, they saw a figure running at breakneck speed from the castle. Smiling, Bill increased his speed, as did the Major and Bill’s mates.

Bill was surprised that the male was keeping a good distance from them even with the increase in speed they had made. Pushing himself and the others harder, Bill was starting to eat away at the distance. Roaring, Bill could smell the fear of the escaping traitor. Still, how was he as far ahead as he was?

Finally, twelve spectons later, they were within sight of the traitor. Still, Bill was surprised that the lone male had kept them at bay as long as he had. Pushing harder, Bill felt his legs start to ache from the prolonged chase. Suddenly, they all broke into another clearing in front of a third castle! Bill poured on the speed, though a moment later, the shields caught him unaware as he slammed into them.

Picking himself up, Bill started to curse; this was no common male. Thinking a moment, he pulled out his com. “Central!” He roared. “I want status on the prisoners!”

There was a few moments of silence, then a voice came from the com. “Sir! Both of the prisoners are gone!”

“I want all guards held; all duty personnel will submit to a truth scan! I’ll be there soon!” Shutting off the com, Bill roared his disapproval of the situation. “Roth!” Bill shouted into the com. “Transport to central; we need to be there as soon as possible. I am afraid I am going to end up executing half the staff at the rate things are going!”

“Yes, Sire. I’ll be there in a moment,” came Roth’s voice.

It was a mere two spectons later that they were landing beside the ship they had come in on. “You made sure that they are all loyal?” Bill asked the General.

“I made sure, sire. They are loyal to me and you,” Roth replied.

“Good. I need to have the troops on my side if I am to set this world right!” Bill growled.

Entering central, there were more than just a few people lined up against the wall waiting. Suddenly, there was shouting as one of the guards was making a break for it. Bill was in the guard’s path in a moment as he clotheslined the male to the floor.

“I’m sorry, sire; he...” The female tech started.

The guard laughed as he looked up at Bill. “You? Now I know I made the right choice; you haven’t the guts to...”

The man stopped talking as Bill savagely put his hand through the male’s chest and ripped out his still-beating heart! Leaning close, Bill smiled, “Wrong, asshole, you’re dead!”

The guard smiled. “I may be, but so will you; they can’t be beat!” Without ceremony, the guard fell over dead.

Standing up, Bill looked at all the central staff with a low growl. Bill stated, “I hold the same fate for any others that wish to betray the crown! I’d rather get this over with and just have you confess; no one can resist the truth scan. Not when it is set at full intensity!” Bill waited, but no one was forthcoming. “Fine, if you lie at all on any question, you are gone. The lie will determine if you die!”

Two more guards came forward and knelt at Bill’s feet. “We were told that you would lead us to a life of ease. That you were going to ban the hunt. Your Uncles told all who would listen. They were holding our families in Castle Krang that you liberated. We both regret our decisions and await your decision of death for us. Knowing our mates and children are safe, let us accept the punishment that you will deliver.”