Vixen Vigilante

Part XII: Captain Paws

"Are you sure that this is the place?"

"I'm positive," Markus replied, crossing his arms across his chest.

Jenny frowned, turning to face the colorful movie theater.

The outside air was frigid and heavy, but not unpleasant. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon, shrouding Manhattan in darkness that was alleviated by various man made lights that illuminated the buildings like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

She had been reluctant to leave her apartment, but Markus had insisted that they travel to Manhattan to meet with someone important.

Someone that can help us save Kai. I wonder what he's like.

"I hate movie theaters," Haze muttered, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his newly acquired bomber jacket. Along the way to their destination, the three had stopped at a mall to purchase some clothes for him more suited to the chilly weather.

He had seemed the opposite of grateful, still as opposed to wearing clothing as he had been before.

"Suck it up," Markus advised, slapping a jovial hand on his shoulder with a smirk. Haze shook his touch away, glaring at the asphalt ground.

"Are we going to watch a movie?" Jenny asked, gesturing to the bright neon sign depicting the showings for the night. At the top of the fluorescent board was Daylight Hero: 6:30-7:30 pm.

She had never been a fan of superhero movies, finding them far too cliche and even outright unrealistic at times. The portrayal of heroes and villains was often skewed in the media, especially when it came to fictitious situations.

"We are not watching a movie. Francis is finishing up one. He wanted us to meet him here afterwards," Markus said.

"Why here? Who exactly is this guy?" Haze grumbled.

Francis Tran, a friend of Kai. Upon Kai's disappearance, Markus had dialed him up and explained the situation, leaving out a few key facts that would reveal too much information.

A few seconds later, the theater doors opened and a barrage of people exited in a flurry of excitement, most likely remembering their respective movie experiences. The smell of buttery popcorn and sugary beverages assaulted her senses for a second before it became apparent that someone was watching them.

The man lingered by the entrance, eyeing them wearily for a moment before he approached. As he neared, Jenny began to examine him.

He was tall, and his facial features were soft and slightly chubby. His eyes were framed by a black mask reminiscent of a comic book character. Each of his cheeks had a painted black paw print on it. His black hair had bright silver highlights and was parted in the middle. He appeared to be of Asian descent.

"Markus? Jenny? Haze?" He asked, coming to a stop before them.

"Yep. In the flesh, man," Markus confirmed, extending a hand.

To her surprise, the man bursted into tears.

He quickly wiped his face, turning an impressive shade of red as he used his free hand to grasp Markus' in a firm handshake.

"I'm sorry. I just get emotional when I think about Kai."

"That's understandable. This is Francis Tran, and he's going to help us rescue Kai," Markus introduced.