Panthera Spelaea

There were a dozen people around the breakfast table as we walked in. Like all areas of the ship, the covered dining area was elegant and opulent. I asked about the striking table, made of an exotic wood that almost looked alive in its waves and swirls. “Curly Bubinga. Italian craftsman made it using two sequential slabs of a very expensive log.” That was impressive, as the table was at least four meters long and three wide and as thick as my index finger.

I ran my fingers over the glossy surface, which seemed to move under my gaze as I looked at it from different angles. “Beautiful,” I said. “Doesn’t the salt air affect it?”

“The table is epoxy coated. Not much can affect it,” Art told me. He took his place at the head of the table, directing us to sit in the seats to his left. Introductions quickly followed; the Element’s Captain and First Mate were to his right, along with senior members of the Karpen Investments company and two assistants. I was surprised that the food was served family-style, with bowls and trays passed around the table. I noticed that Art and I had larger plates than the others, and he ate as much as I did.

I was taking a drink of my mango-orange juice when the Captain asked how long it had been since I had let my Cave Lion out. I nearly choked, wondering how my closest secret could be common knowledge. I looked at Art with my eyes wide open. “They know?”

“Of course they do, John. They were as excited as I was to find there was another Switcher in the world.” I looked around the table, wondering how this could remain secret if everyone on the ship knew about it. “How do you know they’ll keep my secret?”

“They’ve been keeping mine all their lives, John. Everyone on this ship is related to me, from sons and daughters down to great-great-grandchildren. Thirty crew and another forty employees of my company.”

It was mind-blowing. “How is that possible?”

“My wife was fertile for almost five centuries. I didn’t keep her barefoot and pregnant, but I didn’t stop her from having children. When I say I have a big family, I mean it. Guess how many of my descendants work for my household or my company.”

I picked two hundred, Anna one hundred, and Svetlana went with five hundred. “One thousand, nine hundred and eighty-seven at last count. Add in another three thousand who work in the world but maintain family loyalty and are available to help when needed.”

“Like Marina,” I said.

“Exactly. Marina grew up in Moscow and showed legal talent, so I paid for her education and guided her career. I have loyal family members in key places in Russia and a dozen other European countries. Judges, police officers, doctors, government officials, administrators, military leaders, politicians? All of them highly competent and loyal to our family.”

My head was reeling. “It’s like a Mafia family,” I said.

“In terms of secrecy and loyalty, yes, but we are scrupulously honest and legitimate,” Art said. “As the head of the family, I want the best for every member of my family. I help with education, training, and job placement to ensure each person and the Family benefits. Family means everything to me. I can count on their loyalty.”

They went around the room again, this time giving their relationship to Art. “Having so many children to find spots for is the job of my granddaughter and a staff of two dozen. Every person in the family meets with me every three years to map out their future. Like all fathers, I want them to succeed and be happy.”

Anna asked, “Don’t you worry about someone selling your story to the tabloids or stealing from you?”

“In over five centuries, no family member has betrayed me. That does not mean my life has not been in danger. I’ve survived countless assassination attempts, and five times I have waged an effective war to wipe out a threat to my life.” He looked out over the blue waters. “What do you think would happen if our secret got out?”

I’d only looked at it from my perspective. “I was worried the police would fill me with lead.”

“They might, but remember what we said about how the spirit moves after death. I surround myself with family. If I die, one of them will touch me and receive the gift. It’s the only thing I can do to try and control who takes over from me. You don’t exist in a vacuum, John. When we figured out there was another Switcher out there, the first thing we had to do was decide if you were a good person or not.”

“I must have passed your test.”

“Yes. If you hadn’t, we would have chosen someone to take your place. A team would have moved in when we had control of the surroundings. They’d kill you and guard the body until the chosen person could take the gift unto him or herself. The team would keep the new cat safe until it was stable, and we would go from there.”

My cat wasn’t happy with the threat. I let out an almost subsonic growl. Both girls were ready to spring to my defense. I figured out what he meant. “You would do this before someone else could.”

“Yes. Marina and a team of my investigators are cleaning up the mess you left behind in Moscow. Viktor Kaprisov is in our custody, and we are applying pressure to find out who is pulling his strings. We also had to kill a detective watching your room; he had taken photos of Ekatarina. We got you out of there before they could take your Lion.”

“What happens with Viktor when you learn what you want?”

“Our people planted evidence of a gambling problem. Distraught and broke, he will commit suicide in his apartment.”

Damn. These people didn’t mess around.

Svetlana leaned forward. “Now what? We’ve passed initial muster, and you’ve told us your secrets. Do you trust us enough to head to America on our own, or are we going to be held here until you are sure?”

“You are my honored guests on my boat. I hope you will be my trusted friends before long. We are heading south along the island of Sardinia. We will anchor off the coast near Cala d’Arcu Silibedda. It has an isolated beach for our boat to land and a nature preserve beyond it. Our crew will send drones out to verify the area is free of tourists, and then your training will continue.”

“You’re a bear switcher, Art. How are you going to help a cave lion?”

“I’ll do what I can, but Edward will be there. It’s time for the Cave Lion to meet the Scimitar Cat.”