Act 8: For Whom The Bells Toll
Chapter 23: Some Laugh For Sorrow, Others Pain, But Never for Happiness.
With a muffled 'POOF!', the group of females along with the prince appear a couple feet above the bed in the studio sound stage that has been in use for other reasons than filming. Once materializing above the bed, gravity catches them and they all fall onto the bed. For a moment they all stare at each other before they break into laughter and joy. Each one tries to grab and hug onto Tabitha, who for the while was enjoying the attention.
The old lady-fur, Ahvgrez steps out of the bed, "I must be on my way. But we will meet again."
"Wait a minute.", Sabrina tells her as she also gets out of the bed.
"What shall it be?", Ahvgrez asks as she stops in mid step before turning to face her.
"There are so many questions to ask...", Sabrina says loudly but to herself.
Ahvgrez picks up her cane and taps the handle to her chest, "All the answers you seek are in here." She then puts the cane to the floor and continues to walk through the door. Walking down the hall, she fades away into nothingness.
Puzzled, Sabrina thinks about the answer given to her, and then tries to run out after Ahvgrez, but find her long since gone even for the slow pace she was taking.
Slowly, everyone starts to get out of the bed, and onto the hallway.
"She's gone?", Zig Zag asks.
"Looks like it.", Sabrina answers.
Prince Francisco steps out into the hallway, not sure where to go, but certain that this was the place to be at the moment.
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Several blocks away by the burnt out shell of the Zig Zag Home for Run-away Girls, the place is crawling like ants with police officers about the place. A body was found and reported, the same body Repteal had killed a couple of days before.
At the scene of the crime deep inside the building, both Commissioner Warren and Captain McCallian look over the evidence and the body as their forensics officers comb the place for those precious clues.
"Another gang slaying? Doesn't look like it.", the Captain asks then says.
"What makes you say that?", Commissioner Warren asks.
"Gang slaying would have consisted of either knife or gunshot wounds. This guy, though he wears gang colours, was strangled and a weapon found nearby had no blood on it. I assume that it was his.", Captain McCallian says.
"So whatever got him was fast and silent.", Commissioner Warren stated.
"Yeah... almost like that other murder a couple of weeks ago.", the Captain stated.
"Really? You think there is a connection?", the Commissioner asks.
"Well, yes. They were both gang members, and what ever took them out, was fast.", Captain McCallian stated.
"Like our unknown lizard friend...?", Commissioner Warren asked.
"Yes.", Captain McCallian answered.
A young female officer walks to the pair, handing the captain a clipboard to sign of various paperwork. The Captain looks over the paper work before signing them and handing then back to the officer. She walks way, gathering several sealed bags of evidence into a metal case before heading out the building.
The young female officer walks out of the burnt out building and into a police car, driving away. Once out of sight of the immediate area, it takes a turn into an alley. Coming out from the other side, a bright red sports car slowly rolls out onto the streets. As the car gets upon the street, a loud cackle of laughter can be heard from within.
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A pair of long black limousines pull up to Zig Zag studios, and several lions in expensive suits bearing arms step out and encircle the place, covering ever door way and exit of the place. Three others walk to the main entrance and rings the intercom.
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"Now who could that be?", Zig Zag asks as she starts to walk to the main entrance. Sabrina and the prince follow her to the door.
Zig Zag stops at the intercom panel at the other side of the door, pressing a button on the panel itself. "Who is it?", she then asks.
"Its Alfredo Gutierrez of the royal guard, we spoke before with the police, I would like to speak with you some more.", a voice answers back.
Hearing an all too familiar voice, the prince becomes excited that somebody has finally arrived for him, though given enough time, he would have been able to make it back home on his own. Zig Zag signals to the prince and to Sabrina to calm themselves down before commencing with the conversation with the intercom. "Give me a minute and I'll let you in."
"Hurry please, my patience and time here is very short.", Alfredo answers back on the intercom.
"In the break room- NOW!", Zig Zag whispers to Sabrina and Prince Francisco, signaling for them to go. Sabrina takes the prince by the hand and runs him to the break room. Zig Zag goes through the motions of dusting herself off as she looks at the pair go down to the end of the hall and into the break room at the far end. She then reaches over to the door and opens it.
Alfredo was there with two other lions: the Dr. Alvarez, and Victor- his second in command. Together they walk inside the studio entrance and stand by the wall facing Zig Zag. Victor sniffs and air and nods at Alfredo, as Alfredo and acknowledges the same to him.
"My apologies for my anger the last time I was here.", Alfredo started to explain.
"No need to apologize, I know how these things can be.", Zig Zag interrupts him, then signals the group to follow her into her office half way down the hall.
They stop by the door, as Zig Zag signals them to enter, "Please, take a seat." For the moment, everyone sits down, as does Zig Zag as she puts on a pair of glasses and starts looking onto a set of paperwork on her desk.
For a while, there was a moment of silence, which tensed the air of the room. Zig Zag continued to look through her paperwork, waiting for the right moment to speak. Alfredo shifted in his seat uncomfortably after sitting still for the lengthy amount of time.
"The Prince is here, in the other room.", Zig Sag started to say to them as she puts down her papers and glasses, "But explain to me this much- why?"
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