Act 3: Attack of the Big Green Monster
Chapter 9: Drinking, Whenching, and Having a Grand Time at the Opree
[52 hours before at a hotel room in Springfield.]
An middle aged raccoon starts to put away the tools of his trade into a little black bag that physicians used to be known to carry about with them.
[Translated from Spanish]
"Well, Doc, you think she's going to recover?", Alfredo asks.
"She'll be fine, but I'll stay here until she wakes up, in about an hour or two.", the doctor says.
"Any evidence of her being violated by Prince Wilfredo?", Alfredo asks.
"None that I can see from here.", as the doctor raises the bed's blanket to her shoulders, "Only a gynecological exam would tell us exactly, but since to do that now would violate her privacy and other evidence suggest otherwise, I believe that our Prince was going to do the deed in his bedroom. She's lucky you were there to stop him."
"That's good to hear, Doc.", as Alfredo stands in front of the bed examining the young doe as she lays there silently, "We wont be expecting problems from the Prince in a long time."
"Good... I don't know why the family keeps such spoiled seeds, if he were my son...", The Doc starts to say.
"We would all take such appropriate measures against Wilfredo if he were of our own flesh and blood. But as part of the royal family, he is to be protected...", Alfredo explains, interrupting him.
"HMPH! Protected... I'll give him protection...", The Doc starts to say, as he pulls a chair closer to the bed.
"Not to worry, Doc. He'll be given the best protection Spain can afford...", Alfredo starts to explain, "...in the dankest cell we can find, surrounded by guards 24/7."
"He deserves no better.", the Doctor says to himself.
"In a couple of hours you say?", as Alfredo point to the doe.
"Yes, and I'll take care of her from here.", the Doctor says.
"Fine then... I have to check on the rest of the troops, and see how the round up is going along.", Alfredo explains as he walks towards the bedroom door.
#
[Not far from ZZ Studios]
"What to you think happened?", an aged and greyed canine says to his friend.
"Its simple to deduce:", as the other aged canine bends down to examine the dead lion on the floor, "He managed to shot the first rounds which took care of the goons that we got locked up, but a fourth person came into the scene and did the actually killing. Being that this lion is one of the Royal Guards we're working with, who ever got him had to be fast, very fast."
"A Cheetah, perhaps.", the first said.
"This is SPOTS territory.", the second said.
"Well, that narrows it down to a couple hundred individuals then.", the first says looking down at a paper cup that was placed to cover a shell casing inside. He slowly reaches for it to reveal the empty case which he picks up with a pair of tweezers.
"What do you think?", the second asks.
"Large caliber, looks like from a .45 automatic- there would have been no shell if it was a revolver. The Goon Squad and the Royal Guards uses those exotic 10MM mini-machine guns, and the local gang members use 9MM automatic. No- this belongs to one specific member of the gang.", the first explains.
"Any names?", the second asks.
"Not yet, only rumors, and evidence to another murder with the same kind of ammo being used and a possible suspect.", the first answers.
"Has he been caught yet?", the second asks.
"Unfortunately- no. Every time we get close, he disappears.", the first explains.
A well dressed lion walks up to the pair as they converse with each other.
"Good evening Captain, Commissioner.", the lion says as he bends down to examine his fallen comrade.
"Good Evening.", they both reply back. The lion takes a pair of latex gloves and puts them on.
"Looks like our little war has claimed its first casualty.", the lion says.
"Can you ID him?", Commissioner Warren asks.
"Lets see.", as the lion reaches over to the body and stops mid way, "Is it safe to move him? I don't want to disturb any evidence."
"Everything's been collected.", Captain McCallian explains.
The lion nods agreeingly with him, and reaches inside this comrade's jacket, past the bullet proof lining, past the shirt, and continues towards the undergarment; find a metal chain with a metal tag on it. He slowly withdraws his hand out, pulling out the chain with the metal tag. Once outside the jacket, he slowly pulls it over the head of the deceased and off the body. All three look at the metal tag. Its rectangular in shape with semi circular ends, enameled in purple with a gold castle on it.
"It's blank.", Commissioner Warren says.
"It only looks blank. Looks can be deceiving.", the lion says as he pulls out his PAW750i PDA, putting the metal tag inside a slot on the back of the device. Unknowing to the others, he pressed on the castle, which injected a computer chip into the slot. A few claw strokes on the screen reveals the information inside the computer chip contained inside the tag:
Name: Samuel Carlos Gutierrez
RGID No.: 3468723502
Rank: Sergeant; Missions Specialist, Medical Technician
Service: 15 years.
Family: Eliza- Wife; Juan-9, Carita-7- Children
Press:
[O]Enter Supervisory Code for Missions Details
[O]Enter Supervisory Code for Dossier
[O]Enter Supervisory Code for Awards and Penalty Listing
"...he was one of your better men...", Captain McCallian saids.
"Actually- no; we maintain a very high caliber membership, though he was average to our standard, like all, he was the best in what he does.", the lion explains.
"That's kind of cold to say.", Captain McCallian says.
"Maybe to you it is, but we all accepted that this may be a possibility, and accept it as one of the risks in guarding the royal family.", the lion explains.
"This device you got; where can I get it for my officers?", Commissioner Warren asks.
"This?", as the lion looks at his PAW-PDA unit, "Its a standard PAW-PDA you can pick it up at a local computer store, but the software is custom made.", The lion explains.
"What about...", as the commissioner asks, pointing to the metal tag sticking out the top. The lion pulls it out of the PDA, revealing the small computer chip that fits inside the PDA.
"Also standard, but hidden in the tag to give protection against the elements.", the lion explains.
"I see." the Commissioner says.
"Its only a matter keeping up with the latest technology and using it to your advantage.", the lion explains, "If you like, you can speak with our commander in charge for a technological exchange."
"What if the tag is broken or missing?", Captain McCallain asks.
"Well, unless anyone of us gets caught in an explosion, in certain places: we're tattooed with a personal bar-code, and embedded under our skin with a micro-ID subdermal transceivers which requires a special equipment to access its code.", the lion explains as he rolls up his sleeve to reveal a small tattoo under his fur on his arm.
"Since he's one of yours, how shall we proceed?", Commissioner Warren explains.
The lion thinks about it for a while, being careful not to over-step his command boundary, "Keep him at the morgue until my supervisor decides what to do with him, but no autopsy."
"We'll take care it from here", the Commissioner explains as they all get up facing each other. The lion looks around and spots a large structure nearby with a large sign on it which says, 'ZZ Productions'
"What is that over there.", the lion asks.
"Oh, that place...", the Captain says in disgust, "That is a pornographic film studio, which should have been shut down a long time ago."
"Hmmm....", the lion says to himself, "They're open now?"
"I do not think so, but why would you want to go there?", the captain asks.
"Our evil prince has a taste for such places, so if his goon squad managed to get this far, who knows if they got in there.", the lion says.
"Another Texas Grill incident... in there?", the commissioner says to himself, "...lets go check it out."
The three walk to the building, passing the police and royal guards who are guarding the crime scene. Not far from them in a roped off area is the crowd of locals who are trying to get a glimpse of the body.
"You see- told you they're secret service...", a voice in the crowd says.
"...yeah- somebody's gonna hang for that one", another voice in the crowd says.
A slender and tall female walks away from the crowd, slowly following the trio. Strange that nobody notices her, for her kind is almost never seen in this area. A few give her an odd yet scared look to examine her as she walks away. The green and smooth but scaled skin and long tail gives her away that she is not a fur, but many thinks she's a member of the Cold-Blooded Ones. The guns holstered at her sides and the long and ornimated walking stick tells everyone that she is not to be trifled with.
She walks away without making a sound, walking behind a building across the street from the trio as they approach the front door of ZZ Productions. Stepping into a shadow, she disappears.
The captain reaches over and knocks on the door. There is no answer, just silence. The captain knocks on the door louder.
"WHO IS IT?", a staticy voice comes over the an intercom box on the wall.
"Its the police, mind if we ask a few questions?", the captain says.
"Hold on- I'll be there in a minute!", the staticy voice answers, followed by a loud click.
Time passes, just over a minute, but enough to raise suspicions. The door opens, revealing a tall black feline in a custodial uniform and a wet mop in tow. She looks at the trio, as they look back at her.
"Long time, no see- captain, commissioner.", Darke Kat says to them as she looks to the lion, examining him.
"May we come in for a couple of questions?", the captain says.
"Well, if you can make it short, I have to clean up this place.", Darke Kat says as she allows them to walk by, "Be careful where you step on, don't want a law suit- you know."
"You know this fur?" the lion asks to the commissioner.
"We know everyone here, unfortunately. Though they deal in smut and perversion, they do keep it confined to themselves and are willing to be helpful to the community when ever possible. They honest people here.", the commissioner answers.
"Zig Zag here?", the captain asks of Darke Kat.
"Nobody's here- she left over a couple of hours ago with some of the staff for a dinner somewhere.", Darke Kat answers.
"So the place is empty?", the captain asks.
"Just me, the wet floor and my mop- sir.", as she walks back to her rolling bucket and plucks the mop into the water within.
"There's been a murder down the block from here. Heard anything?", the captain continues to question, following her, looking around the halls and open rooms.
"Nope, it must have happen while I was in one of the studios- you know they're sound proofed.", Darke Kat answers as she pulls the mop through the wringer and continues mopping the floor. After a while, she stops and looks at the captain, "Who was killed?"
The captain looks around trying not to step on a wet area she has encircled herself with and slip. The commissioner and the lion stay with in their distance, but the lion speaks up before the commissioner could.
"One of my men was killed.", the lion saids.
"And you are?", Darke Kat stops mopping and looks at him.
"Major Juan Carlos Gutierrez- of the royal spanish guard.", he saids with authority in his voice.
"Spanish Guard? The pope escaped from you guys or something?", Darke Kat says trying to hide the smile from her face, knowing that the strong smell of cleaning fluids have all but destroyed Prince Francisco's scent.
Juan looks at her in disgust from the almost mocking answer she gave.
"Its alright, lets go.", the commissioner says as he turns around and walks towards the door.
The door is opened and the trio steps out into the outdoors.
"What do you think?", the commissioner asks of his captain.
"She's too stupid to be lying.", the captain answers, "Besides, Darke Kat has never lied to us before."
"None of them has ever lied to us before, why start now?", the commissioner saids.
"Then why is this place here?", Juan asks.
"Zig Zag runs a clean house- though ranked with filth and smut, she has been cooperative when we need her assistance on various situations. But the law is strict as to where this type of business can and how to be operated, and she has never crossed that line.", the Captain explains.
"Yet...", the commissioner says.
"I see.", Juan says to himself.
The trio continue walking back to the crime scene, discussing of the case and what options are available.
#
[52 hours later, back to the present, inside the hearse]
"Looks like our Prince may be lying after all.", Zig Zag says as she clutched the steering wheel with her paws.
"What do you mean by that?", Sabrina asks from the rear seat. Jammeka sits quietly next to her. Darke Kat sits in the shot-gun position.
"Why do you think I have not called you in to work in the past 2 days?", Zig Zag asks, "While we were taking you home, there was a murder nearby the studio, and somebody saying he's from the spanish guard was asking questions with the police."
"But Francisco was with us all the time.", Sabrina says in his defense. Zig Zag enters onto the major thoroughfare and picks up speed.
"You don't seem to understand, dear.", as Zig Zag continues driving, "people are getting killed because they want our friend, and perhaps the reward on his head."
"Why is she here? And where's Francisco?", Sabrina asks.
"I was the one they interrogated..", as Darke Kat turns around to face Sabrina and hisses at her.
"That's where we are going...", Zig Zag says. Sabrina could only sit back and sink into her seat.
"Anyone we know?", Sabrina says quietly to herself.
"No one that we know off.", Zig Zag says. She begins to pull off the thoroughfare and drives through the parallel side streets. Several turns later, they arrive at the First Class Motel.
"You remember this place.", Zig Zag says to everyone.
"How you managed that.... No- don't tell me, I don't want to know.", Sabrina says to herself.
"Come, lets go.", Zig Zag saids as she pulls into a parking spot in front of the room they were in before.
#
She stands in the shadows, being unseen as she walks around the building, working on the scent of the female skunk she's followed here. With little concentration, she places the pads of her fingers against the wall and pulls herself up with them. In nature, every species has developed their own unique adaptation for survival; and though for many such days of hunt or be hunted had been replaced with more intellectual pursuits, many of those traits still exists in them to this day. Being able to cling to various surfaces and climb upon them has been one that lizards had mastered over the eons. So has changing the colour of their skin to match the outside surroundings, though requiring come concentration on their part, most would rather remain green.
She makes it past the floors of the short building and onto the roof, where she continues to go across to the other side and down to where the scent is strongest: Sabrina's bedroom. The window is a jar a tiny bit, to let air circulate; with a bug screen covering area of the entire frame. With little effort she undoes the screen and quietly puts it on the bedroom floor before entering it herself.
She stands in the middle of the room, taking on an eyeful of all there is within. The bed, the closet with her clothes, the shelves with personal items on them, the Amiga system, the dresser where more personal items are stored and the Transformers that seems to fill every empty space. Her ears takes in the noises from the rest of the apartment: Amy putting little Timothy to sleep, and closer by- Tabitha watching Sesame Street on TV in the living room. No one else seems to be in there with them, and she smiles thinking how easy this will be. For now, she thinks of the next set of steps to continue on with her job.
She looks around and finds two transformers from various locations. From their positions and stance, she quickly figures out that these are leaders of their associated groups: Optimus Prime and Megatron. Silently taking them to the Amiga system, she takes apart the Optimus figure and sets the pieces onto the mouse pad, arranging them in an almost random but predefined pattern. She then takes the Megatron figures and poses it in a victory stance; with a foot on Optimus' torso, gun pointed to Optimus' detached head, and fist raised in the air.
Looking around for a second, she finds a writing pad and pen from which she scribbles a note of few words and large lettering. Ripping the page from the pad, she returns the items to their place, and folds the note in half where she places it behind the miniature battle scene. On the folded inside, is written the words, 'YOU'RE NEXT.'
Quietly, she walks to the window, climbing out to the sill and blending in with the wall once she has a firm grasp on it. With a free hand, she reaches into the room to retrieve the window screen and replaces it back on the window frame. Hiding in the shadows, she returns to the tree across the street, where she waits once again.
#
"OH GOD!", Sabrina runs into the room to Francisco, who is tied up and gagged in a chair in the furthest corner of the room where he cant been seen until one has fully entered the room, "Why you have him tied up for?"
"We just needed to make sure that he did not escape. He has a lot of answers to give before we can trust him to be running wild and free again.", Zig Zag explains as Sabrina undoes his bindings.
"But you did not had to tie him up.... HANDCUFFS? WHY THE HANDCUFF!!!?", Sabrina almost screams.
"Well, such procedures were necessary at the time being.", Zig Zag explains.
"WHAT THE HELL FOR...", Sabrina says in anger as she undoes his gag.
"Well, since you have him more sedated, let me explain it to the both of you...", as Zig Zag explains while laying down on the bed, "First of all dear, the body of the royal guard was found dead not far from the production studio, but secondly... here has been some strange goings on while you were away."
"Like What?!!", Sabrina says demanding for answers.
"I don't think anyone of us here are safe anymore; word on the street is that a Cold Blooded One is out there looking for him, and killed the guard. Another thing- things in the office have been moved around, and notes left behind saying we're next...", Zig Zag says.
"Somehow I don't believe you. Now give me the keys to the handcuffs.", Sabrina demands.
"If you want the keys, you're gonna have to get it yourself...", as Zig Zag reaches in and pulls a note from her breasts. She flings the paper towards Sabrina, just stopping in its flight several feet from her.
Sabrina reaches to retrieve the note, opens it and reads it. "You could have... written... this...", she saids, slowly realizing that the handwriting is not of Zig Zag's.
"Its nobody's handwriting that I know of.", Zig Zag explains, "Not even Jammeka or the prince here...."
"Then why do you have him tied up for?", as Sabrina works on the restrainment around his muzzle, which kept his mouth shut.
"Had too, when he found out a royal guard was killed in the area, he went ballistic.", Zig Zag explained.
Sabrina stops working on the prince for a moment, looking into his eyes for an answer. "Look, I can trust him, just give me the keys so he can be released.", Sabrina saids, trying to convince Zig Zag.
"You want the keys, come and get them.", as Zig Zag points to her cleavage.
"You are so unfair...", Sabrina saids trying to hold back her anger, failing at the end, "you bitch!" Turning to the prince, she whispers, "I promise to get you... somehow..."
"Maybe we should gag and tie her up too.", Darke Kat saids.
Sabrina turns around towards Darke Kat's direction, and notices that she is standing in front of the door. "You wouldn't dare.", Sabrina says, challenging her.
"Maybe I would, maybe I wont...", Darke Kat says with a hiss, "only one way to find out missy."
Sabrina only returned a scornful look at her, as Darke Kat leans against the door taking her left hand and presses on each pad-digit on her right paw, making it seem like the claws popping out from them were mechanically switched. When they were all out for display Darke Kat only smiled at her.
"Sheath you claws, Kat. And the first one that makes a move to the other will be skunked me!", Zig Zag almost yells to the both of them.
"Then give me the keys, Zig Zag.", Sabrina says back to her in a loud tone.
"You want them, come and get them.", Zig Zag says in a mocking tone, pulling on the neck of her low cut top, exposing more of her cleavage.
"Jammeka, you go get them.", Sabrina orders her assistant to do the job for her.
"Fuck You!", Jammeka says in a shock response as she stands not too far away from her with her arms crossed. Zig Zag rolls on her back and starts laughing her head off. As does Darke Kat as she leans against the door.
"What did you say to me, miss?", Sabrina says angrily as she slowly turns to her.
"You heard me- you deaf or something?", Jammeka answers her in a defiant tone.
"Why you little hoe.", Sabrina says to herself.
"I may be a little hoe- but you're a full grown one!", Jammeka answers her.
Zig Zag rolls over and starts pounding on the bed with her fists in laughter, as Darke Kat slowly collapses onto the floor laughing. Sabrina just stays there, in awe as to what is being said and done in the room. Jammeka slowly walks away from Sabrina and to a chair on the far side of the room, where she sits- putting distance, obstacles and people between herself and 'her supervisor.' Zig Zag rolls on her back once more, holding onto her stomach, and rolls again, falling of the bed.
*THUD!* as Zig Zag continues to laugh after falling onto the floor. Then she stops laughing for a while, Darke Kat looks by the bed wondering if Zig Zag injured herself. Zig Zag starts laughing again on the floor, followed by Darke Kat.
#
[In a desolate road in the middle of no where.]
[Translated from Spanish]
A tall lion in uniform walks up to a parked car in a parking lot, and opens the door to get in and sits down. A scene that has played out almost everyday for many years with other individuals before him and will continue for others after him. Eventually, he gets into the driver's seat of his personal hatch back and drives to the gates of the garrison.
"ID?", the guard at the gate asks him with rifle in arm. The lion reaches around his neck and removes a chain link necklace with an ID Card, which he hands over to the guard. The guard takes the ID card to a booth and swipes it across a computer terminal card reader, as another guard stands watch over the lion in the vehicle.
The barrier slowly starts to raise over head out of the vehicle's way as the guard returns to the vehicle.
"Don't come back late.", the guard says as he returns the card to the lion.
"Believe me, I have no intentions..." the lion says as he puts back on the necklace with the ID card; thinking to himself, 'of ever returning here...'
"You can go.", as the guard steps back and signals to the lion. Slowly, he pulls away from the gate until he is of a respectable distance before applying more speed to his escape.
"You can stop being nervous, I can smell the fear from here.", a female voice says from behind the rear seats. One of the cushions collapses and she crawls out from the enclosed storage section of the hatch back.
"That was a close one, remind me to repay you the favor when all this is done, sis.", the lion says.
"Not to worry bro, I'll remind you.", she responds with an evil and toothy grin.
"Where to now?" the lion asks.
"Castillo National Airport. We can take out one of the smaller planes from there.", the female says, Then to Madrid, Bermuda, New York, and then Springfield."
"That's going to be a long flight.", he says.
"You think I can't make it? How you think I sneak out to Morocco every now and then?", she saids.
"There is a major difference between Morocco and Bermuda; like 5000 miles of Atlantic Ocean.", he said trying to explain.
"Ha! I've flown to Bermuda too..." she boasts.
"Is there anything that you have not done that I should know about, sis?", he asks.
"Oh- you think because I'm a girl, that I am not capable of the things you did? Except for killing off Royal guards and making dates disappear- I've done everything you've done, and maybe then some.", she says in an angered tone.
"No- I did not say that, Solmaria. I'm just wondering why you're to interested as to getting me out of trouble?" he asks.
"I swear- sometimes I think that when Francisco was born, everyone was too busy celebrating his birth and left you inside mom just a bit too long- cause you act like you've been oxygen deprived since birth!", Solmaria complains.
"Well now, looks who's having a tizzy attack...", he says.
"Look who's acting retarded.", Solmaria says interrupting him.
"The answer me this then- Why, why want me in the throne when you can get it yourself.", he asks.
"You idiot! You know that mom would rather stay on as Queen than to advocate to me those powers. But you being male born have rite of passage over her." she explains, "Now with you in power, I can be free..."
"Free to be Princess Slut of the Hoe Mountains.", he says to get on her nerves.
"I think those rumors of syphilis rotting your brain are true.", she says loudly to herself.
"And I hear you been laid longer than the railroad tracks that line this little country of ours.", he says.
"Wilfredo, I know that you have been spreading those rumors, so cut it out before you disappear like one of your dates.", Solmaria says.
"You would not know how or where to begin...", Wilfredo starts to brag.
"I could have done nothing, and you could still be connected to those machines and drugs, sleeping the rest of your life away.", Solmaria explains with a cold grin on her face.
"OK, you got me there.", Wilfredo says.
#
[Commissioner Warren's office in Springfeild]
"Well sir, all the goon squad has been captures as of last night with the loss of one of your own. What's the next step?", Commissioner Warren says pacing back and forth in his room.
"Keep them here, and we'll get a military transport plane to pick them up for us.", Alfredo explains.
"And the remains of your officer?", Commissioner Warren asks.
"Already being taken cared of as we speak.", Alfredo explains, looking at his PAW750i PDA. He scrawls his claw lightly on the surface as he checks the schedule of items to do.
"Any loose ends?", Commissioner Warren asks.
"Prince Francisco is still missing, we still have the doe under our medical care though she seems to be recovering well- just have to make sure she not going to suffer side effects from what ever Prince William gave her.", Alfredo explains.
"When you expect to be clearing out?", the commissioner asks.
Alfredo looks at his PDA in a blank stare for a moment, gathering the information inside his head to assemble an answer. "I cant honestly answer that one, but I can assure you that once the goon squad is on that transport, 1/2 of my crew will be going with them.", he answers.
"I can accept that.", Commissioner Warren says to himself, "Any leads on your lost prince?"
"None.", Alfredo stated.
#