Chapter One

December 14th 2006; Modo and Sally had returned from their honeymoon in Orlando, Florida, and were put on assignment in Seattle, Washington.

Michael had sent them to investigate a series of murders that were happening to successful Bank managers.

After having questioned Colleagues and employees of the murdered Bankers; Modo came to the conclusion that it was another successful Bank manager that was eliminating the competition in order to establish himself as the Banker in Seattle.

The Banker in-question was Martin Hereford; a 45 year old man, black haired, with a slim-build.

He had been in the banking business for years; but it was when other Banks began opening up with more attractive deals than his, that hit him hard.

He had lost 55% of his customers. He felt he didn't have to change his business tactics, so; Modo believed he went to the ultimate extreme of 'eliminating' his competition.

They were on a stake-out on Leonard Street; just outside of Hereford's Bank around 1 PM.

KITT: Are you sure it's our man, Modo? What would drive a respectable businessman to go and murder his competition?

Modo: That's just it, Kitt. Respectable businessmen don't go around killing their competition; even if they are taking their trade away from them. He's either not as sound of mind as he would let people believe, or he was desperate. One way or another; we'll find out.

Sally: I had Nicole cross-check his Bank's performance for when the other banks started opening up, and he did suffer a great loss in trade. He almost went out of business due to Bankruptcy. Then the murders started taking place; he bought the other banks and one-by-one; he started gaining dominance in this town.

Modo: And leaving families and good businesses in ruin. And when you take into account the evidence we found from what you had Nicole look up; as well as listening to what employees of the other banks had to say; then it becomes very clear as to who did it.

His wife was impressed with his analysis.

Sally: A very reasonable deduction as usual, sweet-heart. I couldn't have said that better myself.

KITT: I get the impression that you're settling into this line of work with hardly any effort, Sally.

Sally: It's not really that different from my duties back on Mobius as a Freedom fighter, Kitt. And as proud as I am of being a Princess; I'm not really cut out for the Political side of it. I leave that to better people who have more time and patience for it.

Modo: That makes two of us.

stepped out of his Bank carrying 2 briefcases.

Sally: That looks like our man, boys.

KITT: Affirmative, Sally. That is Martin Hereford himself.

The Princess thought it odd for a Bank manager to have two briefcases when all he would need is one.

Sally: Seems a little odd for a Bank Manager to be carrying two brief cases.

Modo: Not if he's doing extra-curricular banking activities that most Bankers would never think of doing.

Sally: Good point, Modo.

Modo: Go to X-ray mode, pal. What has he got in those cases?

KITT x-rays the cases to find legal documents in one, and a gun with large amounts of money in the other.

Modo: Those papers look pretty important, buddy. Can you tell if they happen to be deeds to the other banks?

KITT: Yes. They are legal documents for ownership for all the other banks that have had their managers murdered.

Sally: And presumably the gun in his second case is not just for show.

KITT: No, Sally, it is not. The Revolver in his case has bullets that were identified as the ones found in the murdered managers.

The male Knight knew that it was time to put an end to the murderous banker's schemes.

Modo: Time to get him.

He got out of the Trans am and proceeded to walk over to .

Modo: Excuse me; are you Martin Hereford, the manager here?

Martin: I am. Who are you?

Modo: My name is Modo Jeda; I work for the Foundation for Law and Government.

At that precise point; the Bank manager knew that he was on to him and began getting uncomfortable.

He whacked Modo in his side with his second case and ran off into an alley.

The male knight was winded momentarily and fell to his knees clutching his side.

After taking a few moments to catch his breath back, he got back up.

Modo: *into com-link* Kitt, contact the Police; I'll see you on the other side of the alley.

Sally: Are you alright?

Modo: I'll be fine, Sally. Let's just go nab him.

Sally: You got it. *slides over to the driver seat* you heard him, Kitt. Let's go get him.

KITT: Right away, Sally.

Modo makes chase with Hereford into the alley whilst Sally races down the road in KITT to where the alley would end on the other side of the block.

Hereford thought he was safe until KITT cut off his escape at the end of the alley and Modo tried to apprehend him by putting a hold on him.

But Hereford winded the Knight which prompted Sally to jump out and karate kick him to the ground.

Sally: That is what you get for not only harming my husband, but also taking the lives of innocent people.

The Police show up in 2 cars and Detective Luke Stevens got out of 1 of the cars and he was surprised to see Modo again.

Luke: I guess FLAG's work just can't stay out of Seattle, eh, Jeda?

Modo: *catching his breath back* Detective Stevens? It's been a while.

Luke: Sure has. We heard that you were looking into the Bank murders.

Modo: He's the guy you're looking for. The evidence is in his briefcases.

Detective Stevens opens the cases to see all the legal documents and the gun that matched the bullets to which killed the bankers.

Luke: Take him away, boys.

The uniformed Police handcuff Hereford and take him away.

Luke: Thanks again, Jeda.

Sally: Modo, do you know this man at all?

Luke looks to Sally and is shocked at what he sees.

Luke: Wait, you're not the daughter of the King from Mobius, are you?

Sally: I am indeed. I am Sally Alicia Acorn-Jeda. I see you're well informed of relations between Earth and Mobius in the last month.

Luke: Yeah, it was on the news that FLAG had announced exchanging information between worlds and having visits of each other's governments this week. And did you say Acorn-Jeda?

Sally: Of course. I am Modo's wife.

The Detective was surprised even further that Modo had actually married a royal Mobian.

Luke: Whoa…I didn't realise that you were into intergalactic relationships, Jeda.

Modo: Sally's no different from any other woman on this planet, Luke. She's my soul-mate as well as my partner.

Luke: Jeda's a good man, -Jeda. You take care of him.

Sally: I already do.

Luke: Thanks for your help too. I'll see you around.

He got into his car and drove off along with the other Police car. Sally tended to her husband after what Hereford did to him.

Sally: Are you alright, Modo?

Modo: I'll be alright, Angel. Just a little winded. Man that guy packs a wallop with that case.

KITT: *scans* you do have bruising on your chest, Modo; But nothing serious to worry about.

Sally: That's a relief.

KITT: Indeed.

Modo: I think we can safely say; case closed.

KITT: Affirmative. I suppose we can head on home now.

Modo: Yeah. I would stop in and pay my Sister a visit. But she's on vacation in Italy with Tommy and Cecilia.

Sally: She's a pretty little girl, Cecilia.

Modo: She takes after her Mother, Sal.

Sally: That's true. I was looking forward to spending time with the rest of your family. Your Mother took quite a shine to me before our wedding. And she was talking to me more than anyone else at our wedding reception.

That was not unusual for the Prince to know, his mother was always friendly and affectionate to everyone.

Modo: Mother loves just about anyone. I think she was surprised when she first met you. But then so were a lot of people. I think she likes purely you for what she saw on how good you are with me.

Sally: That; and I think she was just happy that her son married a nice young lady, as I seem to recall her saying.

Modo: She normally thinks highly of everyone. And she is right.

Sally: Thank you. I'd really like to spend some more time her as well.

Modo: Another time, perhaps.

They both got back into KITT.

Sally: Yeah.

KITT: So, do you want to do your Christmas shopping here? Or wait until we're back in San Diego?

Modo: Normally; I would do it now, Kitt. But it's gonna be a long drive and I think we just want to get back.

Sally: Hold on a sec', Modo. It might be better to get the shopping done here. The Malls will be closed by the time we get back to Diego.

Modo: Fair argument. Let's go to the Mall here.

Modo steers the Trans am over to the Seattle Mall over on the South side of the city.

KITT: I suppose Michael asked you not to get him ties or socks again this year, Modo.

Modo: Oh, he did. To be fair; I can understand why he doesn't like that; if I had my folks giving me that every year I think I would feel some resentment to those items for Christmas every year.

The super car recalled a moment before Christmas in the 80's where Michael explained to him why Michael didn't like menswear accessories.

KITT: I suppose a life time of men's accessories would be enough to put one man off them.

Sally: This is going to be interesting for me; because I won't really know what to get anyone.

Modo: That's not a problem, Sal. Once we get into the mall; you'll start to get ideas.

The Trans Am did not think that was such a good idea considering the last time that Modo went to a Mall with Amelia.

KITT: I don't know, Modo. Remember what happened when Amelia went shopping for your Birthday this year?

Modo: Don't remind me.

Sally: What did she do?

Modo: She was in the women's fashion boutique stores for ages. She spent more time in there shopping for her than she did for me. But to be fair; she did get me a nice book to read.

She was a little suspicious.

Sally: It wouldn't be one of your private eye novels, would it?

Modo: No. I've had those for years. The one she got me was a romance story. Amelia's sappy like that. It was alright, but not really my kind of story.

Sally: I see.

Modo: Anything you want in particular?

Sally: Surprise me.

Modo: Alright then.

KITT: Just remember; no super hero DVDs for me.

Modo: Somehow that never entered my mind for you, pal.

The car was releaved to hear that.

KITT: I hope so, Modo. I'm somewhat undecided for this year. I need to know what to get you, which of course I shall have to get Maria to get for me.

Sally: So that's you, Maria, Michael, Amelia and Delia to shop for. I want to get something for my Dad; just in case he wants to visit.

Modo: That's a good thought. But what do you get a King who has everything?

Sally: Dad is not as complicated as you may think, dear. He's really old-fashioned with his possessions. He likes literature and fine art.

The super car was pleased that he had something in common with King Acorn.

KITT: Sounds like a man after my own heart.

Modo: Oh, great. Now he won't shut up about it.

They continue on to the Mall.

Later that night Over in Los Angeles; a young blonde haired woman working at a café was taking a cigarette break near an alleyway. Just before she could light her cigarette; she heard a man screaming in the alleyway.

She looked into it to see a man in his early 20's running in fear from something running very fast behind him.

She couldn't make out what it was; only that it didn't look human. And it was make snarling noises that sounded alien to her.

The man almost made it to the end of the alley when what was chasing him had pinned him to the floor and had snapped his legs in half.

She quivered in fear and horror at hearing his bones snap right before it broke his neck killing him.

She ran in fear of whatever it was and back into her café and just told her manager to lock the doors as there was something out there that just killed a man.

He told her not to worry, but it was only when he heard an animalistic roar that seemed to be in the distance that was eerie and intimidating that he locked the doors and pulled the shutters down.

Something was stalking the streets of LA.

Throughout the night; more murders began occurring. A husband and father of three in East LA had just been putting the garbage out for the night when something came out of the shadows and went about disembowelling him.

His wife came out to see what was taking him so long and she was frightened beyond comparison when she came to see that all was left of him was just his head.

One man had gotten away lucky; as he only lost his legs. At what appeared to be an animal complex just outside of LA; he had been offered a job there before into what was an animal testing site and had refused it stating that the scientist in charge of the testing was tampering with nature.

One of the cages had been opened and a large carnivore was released. The animal had bitten off his legs and left a hole in the wall.

He was saved by a farmer coming back from a day's work on his Farm in his pick up truck and shot at the animal, the animal dropped its prey and was dazed long enough for the farmer to pick the critically injured man up and off to a Hospital before the animal had a chance to make chase.

The Police were inundated with reports of murder and mangled bodies that had been left on the streets of the city of Angels.

In one Police department of LA, they had received the most calls for murder of the nature that was happening there.

Cop 1: Serge, just got another one. Woman says all she found was her husband's head.

Cop 2: This is really turning into a sick night. And we've already got more people than I can spare working on these murders.

Cop 3: One guy got lucky, chief. He had both his legs bitten off, but the farmer that saved his life took him to Baremont hospital. He's critically injured and on life support, chief. But At least he's alive.

Cop 2: I want to question him when he's out of danger.

More murders went on into the night.