Part 65

Lion-O returned his attention to Snarf on the Thundertank's communicator. He was looking and sounding more concern now. "Who escaped prison?"

"Laura. Snarf. Snarf."

"How did she escape and how long has she been gone?"

"The guards found a dead guard in her prison cell. Her neck was broken. They figure that Laura tricked the guard to come in there, and with her guard down, Laura broke her neck and exchanged clothes with her. They don't know how long she has been gone."

Lion-O cursed under his breath and kicked the Thundertank. "She's got her."

Cheetara looked Laura over. She was still wearing the prison guard uniform. "Why have you done this?"

Laura looked at her accomplices. "You two leave and stay hidden," she ordered and they left immediately. "If I know Lion-O, he's probably using the Sword of Omens to find you, but he can't since this place is lined with enough radiation to block out the Sword of Omens but not enough to harm us,"

Laura closed the door. "Why, you ask? You of all people should know why. You ruined my life after what you said in court."

"It was the truth. You ruined your life when you killed your sister," Cheetara pointed out.

Laura slapped Cheetara. "Don't you dare put this on me. It's all your fault and you will pay with you and your child's life."

"What do you mean by that?" Cheetara asked worried.

"I have a bomb planted here that will finally put an end to you. Don't try to find it. It won't help. I have it set to go off--"

"On my wedding day?" Cheetara guessed.

"Of course not. I'm not that evil. I'm going to have it blow up the night before your wedding day, but then again, I could end it tonight," she said and pulled out a gun of .45 caliber. "Guns like these are old-fashioned, but they are extremely effective." she aimed it at Cheetara and fired.

Laura laughed as she saw Cheetara quickly ducked from the bullet. "You're fast, but that won't help you when that bomb go off."

Cheetara summoned her telekinetic power and but nothing happened. "My powers? What's happened to them?"

"I should have told you sooner. While you were unconscious, we drugged you. It's a special drug your old flame Tygra made. It weakens you. It's kind of like Thundrainium but it's not as deadly. You really should have chosen him over Lion-O, Cheetara. Come to think of it, Tygra made enough for both of us to use. I wonder what he is going to use that for. How is the old tiger anyway?"

Cheetara looked surprised. She thought for sure Tygra had something to do with this.

When Cheetara didn't answer, Laura said, "Oh well, it's not important."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to Lion-O at Cat's Lair."

That comment made Cheetara laugh. "You have got to be kidding if you think Lion-O would want you after what you've done."

"I'm not stupid. He's going to give me all the money I need and a private plane so I can leave Thundera forever without being chase by him or the Intergalactic Police. That is, if he wants to see you and your unborn child safe and sound."

"Where exactly am I, anyway?" Cheetara asked.

"You're at the outskirts of Claudus City. There's nothing but old ruins here."

"Where would you go?"

"I don't know, but I hear Plundarr's good this time of year, especially if you have Thunderian secrets to share."

"You're willing to sell out your own planet because of me?"

"No, because Thundera turned its back on me. I was suppose to win the trial, not you, and they will pay for that mistake with their lives," the red-haired lion said darkly. She smiled, "Well, time to go. There's plenty of food to keep you around in your last days."

"How am I suppose to free myself and eat?"

"You saved yourself at the trial, you figure it out," she smiled and exit the room, locking the door.

Cheetara looked around to find something, anything to free herself. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a glass water pitcher on a table in front of her. Thinking this was her only chance, Cheetara hopped in the chair towards the pitcher. She lifted her legs on the table and knocked the pitcher down, shattering on impact and spilling the water on the wood floor. Cheetara rocked the chair from side to side at least three times before falling on the floor. Her hand was close enough to get a piece of broken glass in her hands. Using the broken glass, she carefully and slowly cut the ropes on her right wrist. Free, she pulled off the ropes on her other wrist, body and ankles.

Cheetara ran to the door and tried to knock it down with her shoulders but that only hurt her shoulders.

"She's really got me. I can't use my powers, Lion-O can't find me because of the radiation, and who knows when that bomb is going to go off."

The Thundercats met back at the lair. They were in the control room looking all over the planet where Laura could be hiding Cheetara. They knew that whatever it was, it had enough radiation to block out the Sword of Omens power.

"I should have known Laura would do this. I warn Cheetara not to mess with her," Panthro grumbled.

"That's over, Panthro. Right now, we need to find Cheetara. I wonder if Tygra had anything to do with it," Lion-O pondered.

Snarf entered. "Lion-O, Snarf, Snarf. You have a guest."

"Snarf, unless that person is Cheetara, I don't want to see them. I don't have time."

"No time to see your ex?" Laura asked coming into the doorway.

"Laura. What have done with my wife?" Lion-O ordered.

"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves? She's your fiancée."

"What have you done with her?"

"What makes you think I know where she is?" she asked.

"You escaped prison today and Cheetara is suddenly missing. That is not a coincidence."

"You're right. It's not. I know where she is and if you want to see her again, you going to do exactly as I say."

Part 66

Laura made her demands and Lion-O had no choice but to follow them if he were to ever see Cheetara again. When all her demands of a ship, money, and a promise that the Thundercats would never try to track her down again, Lion-O met with his ex-wife in the council room.

"We've done what you said: got you an aircraft, got your money and have no tracking devices on the ship. Now tell me where Cheetara is," Lion-O order.

Laura shot a look at Lion-O, "You're in no position to order, honey. Aren't you even curious as to why I asked for an aircraft?"

"Hopefully, so that you will leave Thundera and to never return."

"I expected that. Before I tell you, I want to see my ship."

Cheetara walked around the room, trying to think of a way to escape. She has been there for only a few days and made no progress of getting out. On the plus side, her telekinetic powers were slowly returning.

There must be a way out of here, Cheetara thought walking to her bed and laying down.

Looking up, she saw an airshaft. It looked big enough for her to get through. However, she wasn't strong enough to levitate herself from the floor to ceiling, which had to be at least forty feet. She looked to her right and saw four long draperies on the unbreakable, sound and bulletproof windows. Cheetara figured Laura had that put in. Looking back at the draperies, she guessed each to be at least ten feet long.

Hmm, if I could--it's my only chance.

Cheetara hopped off her bed and pushed it out of the way. She then begin pulling down the draperies, tying the ends together, hoping her idea would work.

Laura admired her ship. It was small ship with a lion design. "I love it. You guys outdone yourselves, Panthro, Lion-O, in finding me the perfect ship."

"Since you think that, mind telling us where Cheetara is?" Panthro asked.

The wicked female lion looked at her watch. She has a little over an hour before I blow up her prison, Laura thought. "I trust you keep your word and not follow me?"

"We are bound by a code of Justice, Truth, Honor and Loyalty. If you tell us where Cheetara is, then we will never meet again," Lion-O promised her.

I'm pretty sure we will once the mutants attack knowing Thundercat secrets. "Very well. I shall tell you."

On the floor, were a long train of draperies. Tied to the end of the last drapery, was a rod that fell to the floor when she was pulling the draperies down. She looked back up at the airshaft, and with her sharp vision the shaft were squares looking to be about three inches wide for each one. The rod was two inches wide. It could get through. Summoning some of her strength, she mentally call for the draperies to rise off the ground. It begin to slowly glide up to the ceiling. Cheetara was soon weakening from it. Most of her powers have not returned, but she had to continue, she had to escape. Otherwise, she would die. The rod hooked on the vent. Drained, she fell to her knees. She rested for a minute and got back up again. She pulled on her manmade rope and it was sturdy. She jumped up and begin climbing.

The air vent was old and with the extra weight on the draperies, the vent begin to weaken. Cheetara noticed that and climbed faster. If it were to break, she would fall and the cheetah wasn't sure if she could catch herself. When she reached the top of the vent, she let out a sigh of relief, but then a scream when the vent split in half.

The Thundertank roared at full speed as it headed towards the ruin where Cheetara was held at. Panthro was driving and glanced at Lion-O in the passenger seat who was looking very worried.

"Hang tough, Lion-O. We should be there in thirty minutes," Panthro tried to cheer his boss' spirits. "You should be happy."

"I should be happy, Panthro, but I have this feeling that Cheetara is in trouble. I don't think Laura would hand Cheetara to us that easily," he sighed. "I guess I won't relax until Cheetara is in my arms again."

Panthro thought about Aline for a moment. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Lion-O looked at Panthro curious, "You do? Something like this has happened to you before?"

"Uh, oh, no, Lion-O. No. I was just saying that I understand how you are feeling."

Lion-O nodded curiously. "Okay," he looked at the road ahead. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"I'm going at full speed now. Try not to worry."

Not to far from the Thundertank in the sky was Laura. She was in a hover car and was following Lion-O and Panthro. "The look on Lion-O's face will be priceless when he see his beloved Cheetara go up in flames. Heh. Heh."

Cheetara stood forty feet above the ground. Her hands were on each of the vents which were now broken in two. The hinges were weakening and Cheetara knew she had to move fast. She removed her right hand from the right vent and reached inside the vent. When she got a good grip, she pulled the rest of herself in the vent. She took a moment to catch her breath.

"I've got to keep moving. Who knows how long I've got. I'm lucky to be alive this long."

She crawled through the vent. After what seem like an eternity, she saw the ventilation shaft was divided in two. She felt air coming from the right and followed in that direction.

Laura looked at her watch as she continued to fly. "Five more minutes."

"We're almost there, Lion-O," Panthro told Lion-O.

Cheetara finally came to the end of the ventilation shaft and saw the duct's cover. She tried to knock it open by pushing it with her hands, but that wasn't working. She moved around so that her feet were in front of the vent. Cheetara pushed the vent with her feet, but it seem the metal wasn't going to budge. However, she kept pushing through.

Panthro stopped the tank and he and Lion-O jumped out. They only got a few steps before the building blew up in front of them. The force of the explosion knocked them off their feet and onto the ground. Lion-O got up with a horrific look on his face.

"Cheetara. No. NO!!" Lion-O yelled in agony.

No. Lion-O wasn't going to believe Cheetara was gone. Not after everything they've been through. Lion-O pulled out the Sword of Omens.

"HO!" He shouted.

The sword stretched to it's fullest length.

"Sword of Omens! Eye of Thundera! Strike the dark night to create rain that would knock out this fire! HO!"

The Sword of Omens power shot into the sky. The dark clouds begin to rumble. Blast of lighting and sounds of thunder filled the sky as the heavy rain begin to fall. As this happen, the rain begin to wash the fire out.

"I won't believe she's dead until I see a body. Let's go," Lion-O ordered.

Laura laughed victoriously when the building exploded but frowned as she saw the fire being put out. She begin to fly around the building.

"If Lion-O thinks he will find Cheetara, he can--what?"

Laura growled lowly as she noticed an unconscious Cheetara on the ground. She was curled up in a fetal position not to far from the building. She quickly lowered her vehicle. The lion woman walked to Cheetara and checked for a pulse.

"That witch. How could she have gotten out?" she asked herself. "It doesn't matter now. This is the last of her tricks. She will die, and I don't care if I have to go with her to see that," she picked up Cheetara and carried her back to her vehicle.

Part 67

The rain died as Lion-O and Panthro searched through the burnt, ruin building for Cheetara. They have been searching for nearly an hour but found nothing.

"Cheetara!" Lion-O called out. "Answer if you can!"

Panthro looked around disgusted. It's terrible. I can't tell whether it was like this before or after the explosion. He looked at Lion-O as he frantically looked for Cheetara. Poor Lion-O. Suppose Cheetara's body was destroyed in the blast. How can I tell him that? It's almost like losing Aline, but given our situations, I can't tell who has it worse, Lion-O or myself. Laura's going to pay for this. If Lion-O doesn't find her, I will.

"Panthro! Come in here quickly!" Lion-O called from a room.

Panthro followed Lion-O's voice into the room. It seems most of the damage was in there.

"Look at this Panthro," Lion-O pointed to the burnt draperies, "And up there," he pointed upward towards the ceiling.

"Well, I'll be," the panther said putting two and two together. "Cheetara?"

"It had to be her. She climbed out. Come on. We need to find where the ventilation shaft leads to outside."

Laura was flying over the ocean now, over the rushing waves and jagged rocks. She let the top down on her vehicle. Cheetara, unconscious, was in the passenger seat with chains around her ankles and wrists. Cheetara groaned and awaken. She looked over and saw Laura.

"Laura? What?"

"You just won't die, will you? Now, I have to make sure you go with my own eyes. I can't leave you alone otherwise you'll try to escape."

"Let me go!" the cheetah shouted.

Laura smiled. "Okay," she unbuckled Cheetara's seat belt, opened the passenger door from her side, and turned her vehicle on her side.

Cheetara screamed as she rolled out of the hover craft but grabbed onto the passenger door, hanging onto it for dear life.

Laura growled. "Must I do everything myself?"

Lion-O and Panthro stood behind the ruin building where the air duct lead to.

"Look, Panthro, footprints. Also the vent here is knocked open."

"It was obviously Cheetara, but she was not alone."

The Sword of Omens growled. Lion-O pulled the mighty blade from the Claw Shield. "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight."

Through the sword's hilt, he could see Laura's hover craft and Cheetara hanging onto the passenger door swinging thousands of feet above the angry waters below.

"By Jaga. It's Cheetara."

"She's alive?" Panthro asked.

"She won't be for long unless I get to her. Get to the Thundertank, Panthro, and go the rocky cliffs twenty miles outside the Evergreen Forest."

Panthro looked up. "The rocky cliffs?" Flashes of Ursula and Ralik falling over the cliff ran through his mind.

"Yes, Cheetara is hanging for her life over there. I need you to meet me there."

Reluctantly, Panthro nodded and left in the Thundertank.

Lion-O held the Sword of Omens over his head. "HO! HO! HO!" Lighting formed in the sky and struck the Sword of Omens. The sword stretched from its normal size to the size it was when he flew with it. He figured he'll get to Cheetara quicker instead of the Thundertank. "HO!" He shouted again and the sword lifted him off the ground and flew away in the night sky.

Laura put her aircraft on auto pilot. She unbuckled her belt and carefully moved towards Cheetara. The female Thundercat saw her coming. Quickly, she swung her body forward and kicked Laura in the chest. Laura felled back on her seat and Cheetara safely got back in, but she didn't close her door. Instead, she punched Laura. Laura lashed at Cheetara, tackling her on her back and choking her. Cheetara was struggling and trying to push her off. The two continued to battle without noticing the hover craft heading for a mountain ahead. The auto pilot kicked in and it flew on it's side. The women screamed as they both rolled out. Cheetara grabbed the open door with her chains and Laura fell out and grabbed Cheetara's left leg.

"Hang on, Laura. I'll try to pull us up," Cheetara said.

"Yeah, right. You're going to knock me off."

Laura begin pulling on Cheetara's leg.

"Laura, stop! If you don't, then we'll both fall to our deaths!"

"As long as you die, I don't care!"

Laura continued to move and pull on Cheetara, causing the cheetah to lose her grip. Laura tried something else. She climbed up on the cheetah. She tried pulling Cheetara's hands off the door. Cheetara tried to stop her but it was hopeless now once her fingers slipped. Both women lost their balance and fell. Cheetara screamed as Laura laughed. Her vengeance was complete. Cheetara was finally going to die. Laura was so happy that she didn't care she was going to die too. The two were getting closer and closer to the hard, powerful waves below. Laura turned back and saw it wouldn't be long now. She looked at Cheetara.

Laura laughed. "I'll see you in--No!"

Lion-O came flying in with the sword. He took one of his hand off the sword and grabbed Cheetara. Once he got her balanced with him, Lion-O tried to catch Laura. Laura was too far from them now and made a hard impact on the waters below. Her body plunged into the waters. Lion-O and Cheetara landed on the shore. Lion-O freed Cheetara from her chains and dove into the water. He came up and went down again. He stayed underwater a little longer and swam deeper into ocean. The waves were unusually strong that night. They were beginning to push Lion-O deeper into the water. He saw something and grabbed it. He felt for something and sadly didn't find what he hope to find. Lacking air, he came up. He swam to shore where a worried Cheetara was waiting.

"Well? Did you find her?"

Lion-O continued to breath heavily. "I found her body. I felt for a pulse, but there wasn't one. She's dead. The impact on the water must have killed her. I tried to bring her up, but I was lacking air and the waves were too strong and forceful for me to get her tonight. It could be pushing her too far in the waters for us to reach her now."

"I think we should leave her there. Let her rest in peace there. We shouldn't disturb her now. I think she went mad after losing the trial. Something that was building up ever since she killed her sister. I think she regretted it at least a little. You know, I really feel sorry for her and everything she had to do to be accepted--killing her sister, marrying you, trying to kill me. Maybe now that she is dead, she can be at peace. Wherever she is, she won't have to feel a need to be accepted because she will," Cheetara thought.

"What a noble thought. After everything she did to you--to us, you still have a good heart about her."

"Nobody should have lived the life Laura did or deserve the tortures she went through. It's sad that she had to do everything she did. I just hope she finds peace, wherever she is. I hope she is happy. Someone so tortured emotionally, but looked so strong to hide all that deserve that at least."

Lion-O nodded agreeing. "Are you all right?"

Cheetara became teary-eyed and hugged Lion-O. "I am now. I didn't think I'd see you again."

"I thought I lost you too." Lion-O pulled out his sword. "Ho!" It stretched and lift Lion-O and Cheetara off the ground. They landed on the top of the cliff where Panthro had just arrived in the Thundertank. Lion-O picked up Cheetara and carried her to the tank. "Panthro, contact Cat's Lair and have Pumyra get Cheetara's doctor to the lair, and have Snarf prepare Cheetara's bed."

"You got it, Lion-O. Is Cheetara hurt? Where's Laura?" Panthro asked.

Lion-O helped Cheetara in her chair and looked at Panthro. "She doesn't look hurt, but I want her to get checked out. Laura's dead. She crashed into the water; died on impact and her body's probably sinking to the ocean floor now," he said despondently

Panthro nodded understanding. He turned the Thundertank around and headed back to Cat's Lair. So Laura's dead. Good. Now my secret will be safe forever. No one will ever know that I killed WilyKit and WilyKat's parents.

A couple of hours later, Cheetara's doctor finished examining Cheetara. Lion-O was with her in her room.

"How is she, Sarah?" Lion-O asked.

"She's fine, my Lord."

"And my baby?" Cheetara asked.

"Your baby's fine. If you weren't still in your first trimester, I wouldn't think so considering all that you have been through," she noticed how affectionate Lion-O and Cheetara were getting after receiving the good news and figured it was her cue to go. "I'll see my way out. I'll see you at the wedding tomorrow."

"You know, we can postpone the wedding if you're not up to it." Lion-O said.

"No, Lion-O. Nothing's stopping me from marrying you tomorrow," Cheetara said.

"If that's the way you want it," he said and kissed her cheek. "Tell me this though, how did Laura get you?"

"She must have done it when I was knocked out. I made it out of the building just before it exploded. The impact knocked me off the ground but I managed to curl myself up before hitting the ground. I fell unconscious and when I woke up, I was in Laura's craft," Cheetara explained.

Lion-O put his arms around Cheetara and squeezed her. "I'm just glad this is over and you and our baby are safe."

"Me, too, and now we can focus on our future together as husband and wife and our bundle of joy." Cheetara held Lion-O as close to her as she could, knowing that she is home and finally safe from any more harm.

Part 68: The wedding of Lion-O and Cheetara.