The four door sedan made its way through the suburban streets until it arrived at its destination, a large walled property that dominated the left side of the small street. The sedan slowed and pulled up to the main gate. A man standing guard opened the gate and waved the driver through. The sedan pulled forward and parked next to the two story brick house that dominated the center of the property. The driver exited the vehicle and opened the rear driver's side door. Out stepped David Seville. He was followed closely by Theodore, Simon, Jeanette, and Eleanor. They all nervously followed Dave and the driver to the front entrance of the house.
"Right on time" a uniformed policeman greeted them
"I'm always on time." The driver replied gruffly. "I checked 'em back at the station. They're good." He mumbled and nodded towards his passengers.
"Alrightie then…" the officer opened the door and let them all in.
They were led through what appeared to be an old house that had been converted to its new purpose- housing those under the 'temporary custody' of the L.A.P.D.
The man stopped them in front of a door at the end of the hallway. "Alright, just to review some ground rules… no physical contact with the subjects, you can talk about whatever you want but you will be under surveillance. No food or drink in this room, and we have the right to control the environment of this room… aka, you start fighting- we're gonna kick you out… You guys good then?"
They all nodded in agreement.
"Then let's go." The man smiled and opened the door.
"Alvin! Brittany!" the visitors burst into the room to see their missing siblings seated on a couch, each sporting a flashy orange jumpsuit. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah…. We're good..." Alvin replied.
"Fine…" Brittany mumbled
The boys went first to their brother on the left side of the couch while the girls caught up with their missing member on the right. Both groups assaulted their particular missing sibling with a barrage of questions. Dave checked up on Brittany first.
"Brittany, are you okay? Ms. Miller is worried sick about you…."
"Yeah, and we are too!" Eleanor chipped in.
"What happened?" Jeanette piled on.
"Alright!... Relax…" Brittany answered, perturbed at the sudden assault of concerned questions. "I shouldn't even be in here." She turned to Dave, "They arrested me because someone else, believe it or not, has good taste."
Dave gave a questioning look. He didn't understand.
Brittany sighed and began to explain her story, "Look. I went to that stupid Jewel showing thing. I had to leave my purse at the 'secure coat room'" she sarcastically signed, "and when I came back my purse was missing…."
"That's why you're in here?" Eleanor didn't understand.
"No!..." Brittany huffed, "Later that night the place got jacked and they found my purse…"
"That's not enough to arrest you…. just tell them where you were. They'll see that you couldn't have been there… even if your purse was." Jeanette offered.
Brittany lowered her head… "No…" she sounded frustrated, "I already did that… nobody else saw me come home…"
Dave got down to her level, put his hand on her shoulder, and looked her in the eye. "Are you doing okay?"
Brittany looked away, "this isn't fair…" she whispered her voice a mix of anger, frustration, and sadness.
"Don't worry Brittany." Dave made her look him in the eye. "We're going to take care of this… we're going to take care of you." he said in his caring, fatherly tone.
Brittany looked at Dave and felt, for the first time since this whole affair had started, a small glimmer of comfort and hope in her chest. A smirk cracked her long face. "Thanks…" she mumbled.
Dave stood and moved to the other side of the couch where Alvin and his brothers were talking.
"Alvin…" Dave put on his all-to-familiar 'you're-in-trouble-young-man' face.
Alvin looked up from his conversation with his half-innocent face, "Yes Dave?"
"What is going on here?" he demanded
"I…uh…" Alvin shot a glance at the guard standing watch observing the conversations. "I can't tell you…"
"Alvin. This is serious… about as serious as it gets… what did you do?" Dave pressed.
"They didn't tell you?" Alvin tried to change the subject.
Dave shook his head and continued to wait for his answer.
Alvin ran his hand through his hair and down the back of his neck trying to think of an excuse… but what excuse can you give that explains why you're jail?
Alvin sighed, "Can I talk to you alone?" he asked looking at his brothers.
"Why can't you trust us?" Simon asked
"Yeah, I won't tell anyone why you're in jail." Theodore added.
The two brothers looked at Dave who nodded them away towards the other side of the couch.
"Fine…" Simon was slightly offended, "it's not like I'm your brother and would do anything for you…" he mumbled taking his younger brother with him.
When they had left them Alvin turned to the towering father-figure standing before him… "Uh,… well… I didn't do anything…" he spoke softly.
Dave lowered himself to hear, "What was that?"
"I didn't do anything." He explained
"What do you mean?... you're here" he motioned towards the room, "they don't do this if you haven't done anything."
"Well… I went with detective LaRay to try to help Brittany out… I was there when they picked her up yesterday… and when I heard what they were saying about her…I kinda… well, I kinda told them that I did it…" he flinched waiting for Dave to explode with his typical 'Alvin!' yell… But instead there was only silence. He looked up and Dave had a puzzled expression on his face…
"What?" Dave didn't get it. "Why would you do that?... That's…. stupid… what did that accomplish?" he tried to understand.
"I thought they would let her go…" Alvin answered.
"No… they're only going to keep you along with her until they sort everything out..." Dave shook his head, "now, go and tell them you didn't do it." Dave ordered.
"No…" Alvin answered simply
"What?"
Alvin leaned closer, "I'm not going to leave her here all alone…" he whispered.
"Alvin, she's fine… I'm sure everything will be all right… there's no good that can come from telling a lie like this… you're just going to make things worse when you lie."
"I don't care… I'm not going to leave her here all alone with everyone thinking she's guilty… I know she wouldn't do this…" Alvin defended
Dave shook his head and stood up again, "Alvin. That isn't right. Do the right thing."
"I am" Alvin crossed his arms… he was standing his ground.
"Alvin!" Dave started to raise his voice.
Alvin simply shook his head and looked away.
Dave was about to raise his voice again when the guard interrupted, "Sir, I didn't mind you comforting the young lady but I'm going to have to ask that you keep it down. Remember the rules."
Dave nodded and looked back at Alvin.
Alvin flashed a cocky 'I-beat-you' victory look.
Dave simply steamed and returned to check on Brittany.
Simon and Theodore returned to Alvin's side of the couch. "Are we fit to come back now?" Simon asked with a sneer in his voice.
"Sorry Simon… I just needed to talk to Dave."
"What is going on? Why are you here?" Theodore inquired
"Look… here's what happened… They think either me or Brittany or both of us stole those diamonds from that exhibit at the museum the other night… ya know, the one Brittany was at?"
"But you were with us… playing basketball, right?" Simon asked.
"I know… and they'll probably let me go but they found her purse with a diamond in it… and she says someone stole her purse before the robbery… what should we do?" Alvin asked "you always seem to know what to do..."
"Are you both innocent?" Simon asked
"Yeah… I just told you we were…"
"Then let it get settled in court… you can try to-"
"What?! I'm not going to court! I didn't do anything!" Alvin protested.
"That's what the courts are for." Simon argued "and you are innocent… until PROVEN guilty." He emphasized.
"But we didn't do anything."
"And they will prove that at court." Simon replied.
Alvin rolled his eyes, Typical Simon… not seeing the big picture, "Whatever."
Dave, the Chipmunks, and the Chipettes all continued to visit and plan their next actions for the next hour or so until their scheduled meeting time ended. Alvin and Brittany watched as the guards escorted the guests out of the room leaving them alone for a few minutes until they returned.
Alvin looked around, double-checking that they were alone, and then shook Brittany out of her depressed, lost-in-thought stare.
"Brittany! We're alone." He began
"Ya, so? They'll be back…" she sighed depressed
"Brittany, let's break out of here tonight." Alvin cut to the chase.
"What?" she looked at him in shock, "that's crazy!"
"Hey, they're going to take you…us to court for something we didn't do. THAT'S crazy!" he persuaded, "let's do this."
"I don't know…" she shook her head
"Look. I already have a plan. I came up with it last night. I know it'll work." He looked his counterpart in the eye. "We ARE breaking out tonight…"
"But-" Brittany tried to object
"No 'buts'!" Alvin ordered, "Wake up at 2 and ask to go to the bathroom."
"But-"
The door opened and the guard reentered cutting their conversation short, "Well, they're gone now…" he informed them. "Your guys' family cares for you guys a lot… that's good to see."
"Yeah..." Alvin replied and met Brittany's gaze, "We're pretty close to our families…"
Brittany met his gaze. What does he mean by that? Is he talking about our 'families' or 'us'? she wondered
"Well, anyways. It's time. Head back to your rooms till supper shows up in about…," the man looked at his watch, "eh, half an hour."
"Great… grounded…. Just like back home." Alvin replied sarcastically before standing up and following the man out.
Brittany sat and let her mind race…. Should I try to leave with Alvin? Jeanette says I have a good shot in court… should I risk it?... what did he mean by "we're pretty close"? Should I try to escape? Help Alvin get out?... What should I do?...
The man returned and escorted Brittany to her room… She would have to make up her mind by morning… she heaved a sigh…
A short figure in a black hoodie made her way through the darkened streets of L.A. She turned down a particular alleyway and made her way between two towering warehouses. She moved quietly and blended into the surrounding darkness with ease. There was a uneasiness to her stride as she made her way to one of the warehouses' unlocked man doors. She looked around, making sure the coast was clear and then slipped inside.
She glanced around the room, letting her eyes adjust to the new level of darkness in the room. As she looked toward the far end of the room, she noticed a small light shining. She took a deep breath and moved forward…
She entered the light and stood next to a table centered under the hanging light… and waited…
"You're late." She heard a voice sound from somewhere above her. She looked, but was blinded by the light she was standing under.
"Sorry…" she replied simply with no apology in her voice.
"You shouldn't be so careless when talking with me…" the voice continued
She didn't reply… only waited.
"Your payment is in the briefcase." The man broke the silence. "Now disappear until we contact you…"
"But what about our earlier agreement?..." she asked the darkness surrounding her, "What did they say?"
"They said to go into hiding and wait until we contact you." the voice repeated himself.
"You didn't ask them did you!?" the figure clenched her fists, "Why I aught to-"
Strike 1…" was all the voice replied.
The young figure's stance immediately softened. She froze… waiting…
"Go…" the voice spoke again.
The figure roughly snatched the briefcase and turned away. Obviously angry with what the man had said.
As she slipped out of the exposing light and back into the comforting darkness the voice spoke again, "Relax… it's not all that bad…"
She paused for a moment, a solitary tear slipped down the figure's hidden face. The voice in the dark began to chuckle…
The figure winced before opening the door and slipping back into the dark of the street…
A/N: Hey guys! Good to read you, :-)
Anyways, sorry for the chapter being a little short. Seemed that way to me at least. Things are heating up! Please stay tuned to see what happens next!
And by the way, Thanks for the Reviews and Follows… You guys are AWESOME! Thanks for the Support…
And hope you're doing better H. F. Get well soon. :-)
And I HOPE ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT DAY/NIGHT! K? :-)
