Chapter 8

"I'm Not Signing Anything"

While Danny, Sawyer and Pudge were still in New York City having been scheduled to leave in a few days, Herbert Sorrell walked through the gates of Mammoth Studios with the intent of getting L.B. Mammoth to sign with his union. In his mind, Sorrell wanted to be the most powerful man in Hollywood and the mere mention of his name would bring studio bosses to their knees and make them beg for his mercy. L.B. was no different than any other studio mogul in Hollywood and Sorrell knew it. But nevertheless, he was more than determined than ever to get L.B. Mammoth to sign, for he knew that the animals he threw out after the ark incident deserved better treatment and a second chance to return to the limelight and perform in front of a camera once again.

In fact, the moment he stepped into L.B.'s office, the head of Mammoth Studios looked like he was going to be ready for a fight and Sorrell knew it. L.B. was determined to stand his ground by all means necessary and that he was going to defend his studio to the bitter end.

"I know what you are going to say, Mr. Sorrell," said L.B. "And the answer is no. So, if I were you, I'd get out of my office without even opening that briefcase of yours."

"Is that so, Mr. Mammoth?" asked Sorrell. "Well, then, perhaps your animal actors deserve a second chance along with those group of animals you hired back because of a gig they did at a film premiere a while back. Isn't that true?"

"It is," he said. "I want to start small and then consider hiring major animal actors again. I have hired 250 additional animal actors as extras for an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that didn't do well at the box office recently."

"My friend, you are so naïve of the world around you," continued Sorrell. "The world is changing. Haven't you read the papers, Mammoth? There are communists running about and some could even be working right here in your own studio. Who knows? Maybe that tabby cat and his girlfriend are communists."

"If you are talking about Danny and Sawyer," defended L.B. "Then I refuse to believe such a thing. They know better than to believe false information that people like you are trying to get out to the acting public."

Sorrell knew that he was gaining the upper hand on Mammoth. For he knew that if he gave out the truth that animal actors were really communists, then he would force L.B. to sign for his own safety.

"Very well then, Mammoth," he said. "If you think that I am going to walk out of here and leave you victim to the communists, then you can think again. It's for your own safety my fine friend."

L.B. grew more and more madder as Sorrell continued to mock him with every chance he got. The more Sorrell taunted L.B., the more defensive he got as he continued to stand his ground.

"I refuse to believe anything you say, Mr. Sorrell," thundered L.B. "I refuse to let the dignity and respect of this great studio fall victim to your union ways. The animal actors I fired will return when the time comes and I won't do so until I feel like it."

This made the notorious union leader chuckle, knowing that a strike was now impenitent. For he knew, that L.B.'s decision to not sign with the union was going to give Sorrell the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sorrell," said L.B. "But, I'm not signing anything. Now, get out of my office before I call security."

"Then so be it," said Sorrell. "But be warned, you will have rougher days ahead of you now that your studio is vulnerable. So, I hope you are in for the long haul. Good day."

Sorrell grabbed his hat and suitcase and walked out the door. L.B. got up from his desk and walked over to the entrance to the door of his office and slammed the door behind him. He was not going to sign with Sorrell's union and was now beginning to realize that his studio was about to fall prey to the unions that were now starting to form to give actors and other industry people better ways of life by demanding things from their bosses. Nevertheless, L.B. Mammoth was ready to stand his ground no matter what.

Meanwhile, Sorrell had left Mammoth Studios and had gathered his henchmen, Erid, Tolah and Hod to his office.

"Listen up, Gentlemen," he said. "I want this impending strike to have rammifications all over the world. Now, is our time to embrace the ideas that the Furher of Germany has imposed. It's our chance to bring together the unions of Hollywood and show the leaders of Germany, Italy and Japan that we are willing to live to the new world order."

"And we are the ones that you have chosen to enforce this order," said Erid. "We are willing to do anything you say to impose these strikes."

"Indeed," said Sorrell. "But, what I want you to do is to keep an eye on those two cats and that penguin of theirs. I do not want them to get in the way of our mission of eternal glory and if they do get in the way, I want you to do whatever means necessary to prevent them from getting in our way. If you have to use violence, then use it."

The three animal henchmen nodded in reply and Sorrell laughed even harder.

"Don't you see it men?" he cried. "The history of this town is about to rewritten for the future of this world. It is here that our sons and our daughters will have a better way of life under this new world order that the Furher of Germany is creating. Embrace it, men. This is our time!"

And the group of union members laughed hard at the top of their lungs, eager to begin one of the darkest chapters in Hollywood history.