Starting Over

Stray Rat Strut!

Inspired by the music of Stray Cats

The assassin, the rat bastard dressed completely in black, his gun tucked neatly in his belt, his knife in its sheath, attached to one thigh. Another gun hidden away in an ankle holster. More weapons? Perhaps, but they were hidden to all but the most expert of eyes. Remaining in the shadows, the rat stalked his prey, using the moonlight as his only source of illumination.

The prey, an innocent man of fifty plus years sitting on his back porch, under a spotlight, a forgotten paperback novel at his side. A pitcher of iced tea and two glasses on a small table. His rocking chair still as he dozed lightly, unaware of what dangers lurked in the shadows. A matching empty rocker, his only companion.

The assassin drew closer.

The prey shifted, swiping away at an annoying mosquito that buzzed his sleeping ears.

Rats scurry quietly, making little sound. They have the ability to hide in the smallest of spaces. The assassin had similar traits. Taking advantage of a large cloud that temporarily obscured the moon's silvery glow, the rat scurried across the yard using stealthy movements.

The prey remained peacefully asleep.

Deciding a gun was far too noisy for the quiet night air, the rat unsheathed his knife. He quickly scanned the sky, in a moment the cloud would move, the moonlight would reveal his presence. He had to act, now. Knife in hand, he sliced through the air...his victim dead before the body hit the ground.

"Did you get it?" Skinner's baritone voice broke the silence.

"Fuck!" Krycek cried out, dropping the knife that just barely missed his boot. "Warn a guy, will ya?" Alex held one hand to his chest, taking a few deep breaths, then picked up his knife, carefully sheathing it.

Walter laughed. "So what am I supposed to say, 'excuse me Alex, I'm about to speak'?"

"I don't know but you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I sincerely doubt that but I'm sorry I startled you. Come and sit, have a glass of iced tea." Walter poured some tea into a tall glass.

The two men sat sipping their tea, unaware that the cadence of their rocking was synchronizing. Relishing in the silence of the summer night.

"Guns, a knife and a garrote, Alex? Isn't that overkill?"

"It was huge."

"It was a mosquito, Alex."

"One big fucking mosquito, Walter. Two inches across and annoying me for at least three weeks. It had to die."

"A garrote?"

"Did I mention it was a big fucking mosquito? Probably some mutant strain, cooked up in a secret lab somewhere like those bees."

Walter growled ominously.

"Just kidding, I swear. But it had to be dealt with. Thank you for being the bait," Alex said softly and in all sincerity.

"My pleasure. It made a pleasant change not being the intended victim for once. I found it amusing. You still have the touch, Krycek."

"Thank you, big guy. I'll take that as a compliment. I don't often get the chance to practice my technique."

"True, sneaking up on chickens must hold little challenge for you especially after all this time."

"Yeah, the silly dumb birds," Alex sighed.

"Don't forget ornery."

"Never."

Alex poured them both more tea. They rocked quietly enjoying the company and the night until the pitcher was drained.

"Come on, old man, time for bed. Time to sleep the sleep of the righteous," Alex quipped.

"The righteous?"

"It was a righteous kill, Walter," Alex said with dignity as he picked up the glasses.

Walter chuckled, picked up the pitcher then followed his partner indoors.

The lovers settled, the house was dark save for but a few spotlights strategically placed around the perimeter. The alarm system in place, infrared cameras recording everything for Alex to review the following day.

They flew too low and too fast for the cameras to pick up. Alex paid little mind to the fact that the carcass of his previous night's kill, had vanished from the yard. He assumed Mother Nature took its course. All Alex knew was that he had a very restful and quiet sleep. No annoying buzzing to wake him through the night.........

........for now.

-end-

Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh,

Black and orange stray cat sittin' on a fence

Ain't got enough dough to pay the rent

I'm flat broke but I don't care

I strut right by with my tail in the air

Stray cat strut, I'm a ladies' cat,

A feline Casanova, hey man, that's where its at

Get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man

Get my dinner from a garbage can

Yeah, don't cross my path

I don't bother chasing mice around

I slink down the alley looking for a fight

Howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night

Singin' the blues while the lady cats cry,

"Wild stray cat, you're a real gone guy."

I wish I could be as carefree and wild,

but I got cat class and I got cat style.