Chapter 3

"Monica." Klaus said, going over to Monica. He sat down by her. "There, there, don't cry. We'll get out of here."

"Why are you here?" Monica wanted to know in an irritable tone.

"That's a silly question. To save you, of course."

"I don't want you here."

"Well, I'm here, so sorry." Monica sniffed.

"Are you going to marry my mom when we get back to Earth?"

"Ja, after we get the ring back, that's the plan."

"Well, I don't know if I want to go back." Klaus was puzzled, so were Steve and Francine.

"What?! You don't mean that, do you? Your mother misses you; you don't want her missing you, do you?" Monica sighed.

"No. I mean, I want to go back, but…" She sighed again. "It's complicated."

"You don't want me to marry your mom, do you?" Monica looked up at him.

"How do you know?"

"Oh, I know. You gave many hints whenever I'm with her."

"Yeah, but you're just going to do it, aren't you?"

"Well ja, I love her und your mom loves me. Therefore, we were meant to be and should marry, don't you think?"

"I guess. I mean, I want to see my mom happy again, but how do I know?" She looked at Klaus. "How do I know you're the one? The last one Mom married betrayed her and the one before that died. How do I know you're the one that'll stay true to his vows?"

"Because I'm not that guy who cheated on your mom, und I'm not dead yet. Listen Monica, I know I can't replace your original dad, but I'll love you just the same. Und I'll never do things that'll hurt you or your mom. I promise you that."

"I just don't want to be hurt again."

"Und you won't. Trust me, you'll in good hands."

"I'm glad that you two are making up and all," Steve said. "But, how do we get out of here?"

"Hmmm," Klaus thought out loud. "How are we going to get out? Good question. What haven't been done in these stories before?"

"If only we had something, sharp." Monica said. "Then we could just pick the lock." Steve then saw something poking out of Monica's pocket.

"What do you have in your pants pocket, Monica?" Steve wanted to know. Monica grabbed it and looked at it in her palm. It was a pink hair clip.

"I forgot this was in here." She said out loud. She looked at the others. "I was breading my friend Shannon's hair because she wanted a new look on the first day of school. I put it in my pocket because she didn't want it getting in the way. She had to rush to go school shopping with her mom as soon as I was done."

"Perfect! Maybe that'll be our key to get us out of here. Put it in the lock and twist it a few times." Monica nodded and she went to the lock of the cell. She knelt down, put the sharp end of the clip in the lock, and twisted it.

She twisted it until she heard a click.

"Did it work?" Steve asked. Monica opened the cell door.

"It worked!" Klaus cheered "Wunderbar!" Monica put the clip back into her pocket.

"Nice opening skills." Francine congratulated her. Stan noticed they were free, and stood up.

"You're free!" He observed. "Now, do me!" Monica took out the clip and opened his. She put the clip back into her pocket. Stan got out. He smiled at Monica. "Thanks, kid."

"We did something similar." Steve said to Klaus. "Remember? Hayley unlocked where Sasha Obama was being held captive, only that time we had her key, so it was pretty easy." Klaus was confused.

"Huh?" Steve then remembered.

"Oh yeah! You weren't with us."

"Never mind if you did something similar. The point is we got us and Stan out. Now let's go get that ring, get Roger, and get out of here." Klaus looked at Monica.

"Monica, do you know where the wedding ring is?" Monica shook her head.

"That alien made his guards throw me in the jail cell." She answered. "He then went off with the ring on his finger." Klaus sighed.

"Fine. We have to look for the ring around the ship, then get out of here as soon as possible." He looked at the others. "Come on, guys. The sooner we get this done, the better."

"I'm free, I'm free!" Marik shouted. He looked at Stan.

"Thanks for being my cellmate for about ten minutes."

"Uh, you're welcome." Stan said and he and Marik shook hands. Marik then ran off.

"Uh, Stan?" Francine said to him. "Should we have freed him?"

"Don't worry, Francine." Stan assured her. "He made out with the empress-to-be. He still did a bad thing, but not jail worthy bad." Francine nodded in agreement.

"Focus!" Klaus told them. "We should separate. That way, we can hopefully find the ring faster." He looked at Stan and Francine. "Stan, you und your wife go left, and Monica, Steve, and I will go right." Stan and Francine nodded.

"Good luck!" She told him, Monica, and Steve. She and her husband then went left. Klaus, Monica, and Steve went right.

"Klaus, it's the ring!" Monica said. Klaus and Steve looked at where she pointed, and saw Emperor Zing wearing the ring on his finger, going to a bedchamber. Get the ring

"Good eye, Monica!" Klaus congratulated her.

"Why is he wearing it on his finger?" Steve wondered out loud. "He's not married yet."

"I don't know." Klaus said. "But, that doesn't matter. Let's just get the ring, get Stan and Francine, and get the heck out of here." The three of them went to where Zing was headed.

"So, what do we do?" Steve wanted to know. "How do we get the ring back?"

"We wait until he goes to bed."

"How long will that take?"

"Hopefully not long. He is going to his bed chamber after all."

Twenty minutes later, they saw the emperor put his book on his end table, turned off the lights, then shut off his lights.

"Finally!" Steve said, relieved. "I thought he'd never go to bed!"

"Ja," Klaus agreed. "I wasn't suspecting that. But, at least we can get the ring now." They all went into his bedchamber. Steve noticed the book that Zing was reading. It was a romance novel.

"Why is he reading a romance novel?" He questioned.

"Shhh!" Klaus shushed him. "Don't wake him." They all looked at the ring on his finger.

"So, how do we get the ring off his finger without him noticing?"

"Very carefully." Klaus slowly moved his hand towards the ring. "Almost got it." Emperor Zing then turned to the other side on the bed, Klaus silently cursed himself.

"Blast! Almost had it." He went to the other side. "Okay, let's try this again." He outstretched his hand towards the ring. "So far, so good. Come on, baby!" Steve and Monica held their breaths. Klaus reached further…and grabbed it! Monica and Steve sighed with relief. "Got it! Now, come on, let's get out of here." Steve and Monica followed Klaus out of the room. Klaus put the ring in his pocket.

As Stan and Francine ran, Stan smiled when he saw a familiar face. It was Marik. He was making love with another alien. Stan smiled.

"Hey! It's Marik and he found an alien to make babies with. Good for him!"

"Don't stop, Stan!" Francine told him. "Keep looking! We need that ring."

"Oh, right!" He then resumed running with his wife, but couldn't help listening in on Marik and his lover.

"Marik, stop it!" The female alien told Marik, withdrawing from him. "If Emperor Zing finds out…"

"The emperor isn't going to find out." Marik said to her. "And even if he does, so what? I love you Zing. And there's nothing that the emperor can do about it!" Stan's eyes widened. Zing? As in empress-soon to be Zing? Stan shook his head. Nah! It couldn't be. There's probably another Zing on this spaceship. Stan then remembered something else. He remembered what Marik had told him in the jail cell.

"Making love with the emperor's soon-to-be bride." Marik had said to him. Stan knew he should continue looking for the ring, but he couldn't help it. He stopped and ducked by some pillars, looking in at Zing and Marik. Francine noticed this. She looked mad and went to her husband.

"Stan!" She scolded. "What are you doing?! We can't stop. We need that…"

"Shhh!" Stan shushed her. "I think Marik is making love with Zing." Francine was puzzled.

"Huh?"

"He's making love with the emperor's soon-to be bride." Francine's eyes widened.

"What? You sure?" Stan nodded. Francine knelt by her husband and looked at Zing and Marik. Stan did too.

"Oh, Marik, I love you!" Zing told him. Francine and Stan gasped. "I know I'm marring that jerk tomorrow, but I don't want to. I'd rater marry you instead!"

"Then why don't you? You can still have a wedding tomorrow, just ditch that loser at the alter, then run to my arms, because I'll be there, and we'll be married."

"I like that. I can't wait."

"I can't wait, either."

"Then I'll be there."

"Ooh, how exciting." They then kissed, waved, and Zing went off.

Marik then rubbed his hands together, looking mischievously.

"Before we eat at the wedding," He took out a bottle of poison. "I'll poison the emperor, and then, I'll become the new emperor!" He put the bottle away, and laughed evilly. Stan and Francine gasped again.

"Oh my gosh!" Francine spoke. "Marik can't be the new emperor unless…" She gasped again. "Stan, we can't let that happen!"

"But, what about the ring?" He wanted to know.

"This is more important. Emperor Zing is going to drink poison, not knowing it's poison. We got to hide the poison before he does!" Stan nodded.

"Stan, Francine!" They heard Klaus. They looked up and saw Klaus, Steve, and Monica running their way. They stopped when they were by them. Klaus took out the ring and showed it to them. "We got the ring. Now, let's find Roger, and get out of this place." Francine shook her head. "We can't. Not yet." Klaus, Steve, and Monica were shocked.

"What, why?!"

"We just heard that Marik is going to poison the emperor tomorrow, so he can be emperor. Oh, and also Zeng loves him, not Zing. They are getting married instead."

"So? That's not our problem. The emperor is evil. I say let's get Roger und get out of here while we have the opportunity." Francine shook her head.

"No. We have to help the emperor before it's too late, evil or not. It's the right thing to do."

"But…"

"There they are!" They heard someone. They all looked at the alien guards. "Get them! They can't get away!" They both ran to them, but were shocked as they didn't try to escape.

"You didn't run away." Said a guard.

"Yeah!" Added another. "Usually when we catch up to prisoners, they run away from us."

"We have horrible news." Francine told the two guards. "An alien named Marik is going to poison Zing's drink at the wedding and is going to marry Zeng." The aliens then both burst out laughing. "I'm serious!"

"Yeah, right!" Said one. "Marik is not going to poison his brother." Francine was confused.

"Marik is Zing's brother?" She wanted to know.

"Yeah." Replied the other. "And he's not going to do that to his own flesh and blood. And even if that was his plan, he can't. He's in jail."

"What if," Stan began. "Say he wasn't?" Both guards were shocked.

"What? He escaped?" Asked one. They both then pointed their spears at them. "You didn't by chance help him escape, did you?" Stan laughed nervously.

"What? No! And even if we did, I don't think he deserved to be in jail because all he did was make out with the emperor's soon-to-be bride. I mean, sure, it's wrong. But, it's nothing to be sent to jail for. Not on Earth, anywhere."

"Well, we're not on Earth, and when you do that here, you get jail time, now get back to your jail cell. We'll handle Marik."

"But, you got to listen to us!" Francine said. "Your emperor is in real danger."

"Yeah, yeah! Just get back to your cells. You all start jobs tomorrow, so you need your sleep."

"What's going on?" Zing wanted to know, going over to them. They all looked at him.

"Zing," Said the first guard. "What're you doing up? Your wedding is tomorrow."

"I'm up because I was going to ask for a glass of water." He looked at Stan, Klaus, Steve, and Francine. "And why aren't the prisoners in their cells? They all start their jobs tomorrow."

"These humans think Marik is going to poison you at your wedding." Zing was confused.

"Marik? My brother? My own flesh and blood? Ha! He wouldn't do such a thing!"

"But, my husband and I heard him!" Francine told him. "I know it's hard to hear, but, it's true! He's going to poison you so he can become emperor, and he's going to marry Zeng."

"No, he's not. Zeng loves me, not that creep."

"No; Zeng loves him."

"Ha; never! Besides, if that's his plan, he can't. He's in jail." Stan gave out his nervous laugh.

"About that," He said.

"Emperor Zing! Emperor Zing!" The second guard shouted to him, who had gone back to check on Marik. "Marik's not in his cell." Zing looked at him.

"Well, what are you doing then? Capture him and put him back in."

"Yes, sir!" He then was off. Francine went to the emperor.

"You have to believe me." Francine said. Zing looked at her and shook his head.

"I don't think I do." He responded.

"But your life is in danger!" Zing then got mad.

"I had enough of this! My life will be fine and Marik isn't going to eliminate me!" He looked at the guard. "Put them in their cells."

"Yes, sir." The guard said and he led the humans to their cell.

"We need to get out again." Klaus said when they were back in their cells and after the guard had left. "I got to get to my wedding. My wife is counting on me."

"She's not your wife yet, Klaus." Stan told him from his cell. Klaus looked at him.

"She will be. Und I can't let her down."

"But, we got to prevent the emperor from drinking that drink!" Francine said. Steve snapped his fingers with an idea.

"I got it!" He said. Everybody looked at him.

"What do you have, son?" Stan asked him.

"We'll get out, find Roger and ask him where the escape pods are. Surly, he'll know. Then we'll come back here, and at the emperor's wedding tomorrow, we'll save him, and then escape with Roger to the escape pods. Then we'll get to Klaus' wedding." He looked at Klaus. "What do you say Klaus?"

"That may work." Klaus replied. ""If we hurry und nothing goes wrong." Steve smiled.

"Great! Then, it's settled then!" Klaus looked at Monica.

"Monica, do the hair clip?" Monica nodded and put her hand in her pocket.

"Uh-oh!" She cried. Klaus was puzzled. She checked her other pocket.

"What do you mean by 'Uh-oh'? Don't tell me our plan is already failing." Monica looked at him.

"I must have dropped it." She looked at Klaus. "I'm sorry, Klaus." Klaus sighed.

"It's alright. Hopefully we'll see Roger at the wedding or before."

"Well, what do we do now?"

"Well, we all have a big day tomorrow so I say we get a good sleep in. I don't see another way of escape." He looked above at the ceiling, then back at Monica. "There's no vent." The others nodded, went into relaxing positions, and then went to sleep.

The phone rang at the Smiths. Hayley and Jeff were fast asleep in the master bedroom. The phone rang again and again.

"Hayley, can you get it?" Jeff questioned, not wanting to have to get up. "I'm sleeping."

"I'm sleeping too, Jeff." Hayley told her husband, also not wanting to get up. "You get it."

"No, I'm too tired. You get it."

"You get it." The phone kept ringing.

"Hayley!" Hayley sighed, removing her covers, and getting up.

"Fine!" She went off.

"Thanks honey; you're the best."

Hayley went downstairs and answered the phone.

"Hello?" She asked into the phone.

"Oh, Hayley, is that you?" Clara wanted to know on the other end.

"Yeah."

"Sorry I woke you, but I'm getting more worried by the minute. Is Klaus or Monica there?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I was afraid you might say that. I don't know what to do. The wedding's tomorrow. I called the police and they won't help because of their stupid 'we have to wait 48 hours before we consider your child as missing' rule. Do you think I should call of the wedding?"

"No, this wedding took a long time to arrange. I'm sure Klaus and Monica will be there."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You just get your sleep. Your husband to be won't let you down. He'll return with your daughter safe and sound." Clara smiled.

"I hope you're right, Hayley." And with that, she hung up.

"I hope I'm right too." She too, hung up and rejoined her sleeping husband upstairs.

"Morning, losers!" Roger chimed in the next morning. The humans woke up in their cells. Stan noticed Marik wasn't with him.

"Guess they didn't catch him." He observed. "Ether that or he's in another cell."

"Oh, they didn't catch Marik yet." Roger told him. "He's still out there."

"Is the emperor's wedding still on?" Francine wanted to know.

"Yeah, it's still going on. One escapee isn't going to ruin the emperor's day."

"Killing him will ruin everyone else's'." Stan muttered. Roger heard and was confused.

"What?" The humans explained to Roger Marik's plan.

"And so, we're going to the wedding." Francine concluded. "To stop Marik's plan." Roger burst out laughing.

"This is serious!"

"You crack me up, guys! Marik's not going to do that to his brother."

"I'm not bluffing, Roger! I heard him myself!"

"Yeah, right!" He then became serious. "Besides, you guys can't go to the wedding. You have your jobs to do."

"Well, we're not doing them." Klaus told him. "If you forgot, it's also my wedding."

"So? Can't you leave your wife and stay here instead?" Klaus glared at him.

"Nien; I can't. You know that." Roger sighed.

"Fine, but I want in on this." Francine smiled.

"Fine by us. We'll need you anyway to escape to the escape pods."

"You bet you do!" The alien agreed. "Without me; you'll get lost and surly will get caught!"

"Okay," Klaus said, looking at his watch. "The wedding is at four. We can do this; we just have to put it into action as soon as the wedding starts."

"Okay," A guard came and unlocked their cells. "It's time for your jobs." Klaus looked at Monica, then at the guard.

"What's her job?" He wanted to know.

"She works as a cashier at our burger joint." The alien informed him. "Now come, we don't tolerate tardiness here." Klaus leaned to talk to Monica.

"I'll come get you before the wedding starts." He whispered to her. "You just go to your station and do your job before then."

"You and Mom's wedding or the emperor's wedding?" She asked. "We don't know when the emperor's wedding is, do we?" Klaus's eyes widened. Crap! They planned it without even knowing when the emperor and Zeng's wedding!

"When is the emperor's wedding?" Francine questioned the guard, as if reading Klaus' mind. The guard looked at him.

"That's none of your business!" He said. "You won't be going anyways!" Francine laughed nervously.

"Right! But, if we knew what time it was, we would be thinking of it, and it could be like we're there, because we can imagine it in our minds."

"It's none of your business! You all will be busy. You can't be daydreaming of the wedding." Francine sighed.

"Fine." Roger leaned in to her.

"It's at eleven." He whispered to her.

"Thanks, Roger." Francine whispered back and she whispered it to the others. Francine whisper to Roger again.

"We'll meet right here again before we go to the wedding, say at 10:30?" Roger nodded and Francine whispered to the others.

"What's with it with all the whispering?" The guard asked.

"Nothing!" Francine lied. "Show us to our jobs." The guard hesitated, and then led the humans to their jobs.