This is more a final push, to tie the last remaining events together.
The next day. Murdoc is doing a running check of the bands finances. The Bassist had received a few nasty e-mails about "Non payment", and felt he should check to be sure he at least had enough to keep him in cigarettes and booze.
'Demon Days' had made them a lot of money. But their expenditure had been quite high. He'd propped the album up a bit, with the release of 'Slowboat to Hades'. And the bands biography, 'Rise of the Ogre'. This had helped considerably. And at first, they didn't seem to have any problems. Murdoc had managed to clear away the last few remaining debts he'd had. And 2D's "Err, family commitments?" he mutters, thinking that 2D had finally dealt with that himself. And hopefully it had now been settled. But still the money had just seemed to melt away. And now they were getting, "Some pretty evil sounding letters again." He draws on his cigarette and stares at the Winnie ceiling. Even with Murdocs stinginess helping them along. It was obvious to the Bassist that they were in a bit of trouble. He sighs and decides to go for a walk around Kong. To think about a few things. He slowly makes his way through the dilapidated building. It soon becomes quite obvious what needs to be done.
"First things first. I think it's time to sell the old girl." he says, jumping out of the way as a large piece of plaster falls from the ceiling at his feet. "This place is just falling apart! And I'm beginning to wonder, if that's why Cass had kept lookin at me funny. When I was bein interviewed fer the book?" He brushes the dust from his pants leg, and goes to the front desk to get the phone directory.
The old man makes arrangements with a real estate agent. He's confident that by the time the place is sold. Noodle will be back and all the problems will be "Over and done with." The Bassist makes his way to the pub to catch up with some friends. Happy that as far as he's concerned, the only remaining problem is the Noodle one. And that is not so much a problem for him, as it is for her. So taking a bit of time off Demon chasing. And leaving 2D to get on with packing. The Bassist decides to get well and truly wasted.
Much later that night, Murdoc arrives back at Kong. Deciding to leave the Geep where it is for a moment. As he can't remember how to open the car park door. He's making his way through the lobby. After a brief run in with the Desk Jockey Demon, it hands him a ransom note. The Bassist is furious.
"Bastards!" he shouts, leaning up against the desk. 'Just when I got everythin' worked out. The Dullard decides to fuck me in the arse, by gettin' kidnapped. When will all this shit stop happenin to me?' he thinks and decides the Demon receptionist probably knows more than he's letting on.
After having dealt with 2Ds kidnapper. Who turned out to be his older brother Hannibal. He gets 2D back and is on the long drive back to Kong. At the bottom of Kong hill, even though the Bassist had decided to let his brother go, but not willing to quite let bygones be bygones. He pulls the car to the side of the road. And leaving 2D in the car, reports his escapee brothers whereabouts, to the police.
"That'll teach ya fer thinkin' yer smarter than me. Heh, heh." he chuckles, closing his phone and making his way back to the Geep. "Now. Everythin' is fine." he mutters. Starting the car again, and heading up the hill to the studio.
At the airport. Hannibal decides to put plan two into effect, and using a remote detonator. Blows up Kong. But the older mans determination to kill his little brother fails, as Murdoc and 2D were not actually in the building at the time. But now Murdoc has lost his last greatest asset.
"This shit just never seems to end?" The Bassist finds himself saying out loud at breakfast. No longer having anywhere to live. Murdoc booked him and 2D into a cheap Motel. And rang Russel to tell him to make his way there.
"Wha?" 2D asks, looking up from his dry piece of toast. The Bassist looks at him confused a moment, then realizes he must of spoken out loud. He shakes his head and waves 2D off.
"Nuthin'. Nuthin'. Just eat yer....? What is that anyway?" he sneers eying the stale looking bread, and grimacing in disgust. 2D turns it over in his hand and taps it on the edge of the table.
"It's s'pose ta be toast. But it tastes more like a burned piece of cardboard ta me. Can't I just have some Shreddies instead?" the Keyboardist asks, tossing the toast back onto his plate and pushing it from him in disgust.
"Err. Yer gunna trust that a place like this." he answers, leaning back on his chair. "That can't even provide a decent piece of toast. Is gunna give ya a bowl of cereal that's edible? The milk is probably freshly squeezed from a dog they found in the alley?" he quips with a sly smile, thrusting his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the alley outside. 2D stares at him wide eyed and turns away half gagging at the thought.
"Ewww. Dats disgustin'." the young man replies. He thinks for a moment, before adding. "Wot kind of dog?" Murdoc rolls his eyes and slides down in the chair limply.
"When you bog off into that hole ya call a brain. Is that what you do? Come up with all this garbage ya call conversation? SHUDDUP!" he snarls and grabbing the toast, tosses it at the young mans head. 2D ducks and it misses and bounces off the wall behind him.
"Awww. Muds. That woz me breakfast." the keyboardist complains.
"Aww. Gee. That is unfortunate. Don't tell me you were really gunna eat that crap?" Murdoc snarls and lights up a cigarette. "Why don't ya ring Madonna? Maybe she'll be nice enough ta let ya come over to hers for breakfast?" he adds jokingly.
"OK!" 2D replies happily. And standing up makes a phone call. Murdoc shoots him a startled look, then chuckles into his chest and rocks slowly back and forth in his chair. 2D hangs up the phone and heads to the door, making his way to the lobby. Murdoc confused, drops the chair down and quickly follows.
"Where the Heck are you goin'?" he asks, as the Keyboardist is about to walk from the building.
"Madonnas? She said it would be fine"? 2D answers confused. Murdoc stares at the young man dumbfounded. Then suddenly leaps forwards and grabs him by the throat.
"I JUST DON'T BELIEVE YOU SOMETIMES!" he screeches and tries to throttle the life out of him. At that moment Russel walks in and sees him.
"Man! Who decided ta turn Kong into landfill?" the Drummer asks, distracting Murdoc and giving 2D a chance to escape.
Later that night. Murdoc sits staring out the window of his and 2Ds Motel room. The Keyboardist has already gone to bed. But Murdoc has more important matters to think about. He sighs at the thought of the situation he and the band are now in. The sale of Kong would of helped considerably. But he knows it still wouldn't of lasted long. Now that whole idea has gone straight out the window.
"Money. Money. Money. Where do I get some money?" he sighs again, drawing on his cigarette and leaning a little out the window. All the recent events have drawn the band a lot of attention. This has helped with sales. But having to explain it all without going into too many details was hard. Even for Murdoc. He knows it's just a matter of time before the fans realize Noodle is not just, "Off on holidays in the Tropics". And now it seems that Russel is, "Loosing the plot again".
"Kong wasn't the only thing fallin' apart." he mutters and spits out the window. Suddenly an idea forms in his mind. "Maybe"? he slurs, scratching at the stubble on his chin. 2D stirs and the old man looks back at him a moment. Waiting for the Keyboardist to settle again. 2D smiles and giggles, then continues gently snoring. Murdoc turns his attention back to the window.
"A quick knock up of another 'Sides' album? So, so? Or summink similar?" he shrugs and takes a swig from the bottle of Rum he's holding. "Of course the fans are gunna want summink different. Spoiled bastards. Sooooooo. If we tweak one or two of the songs a bit? That should add enough of a flavor to shut 'em up till we can do summink else?" he grins, taking another draw from his cigarette. "Publicity? Pfft. What am I thinkin'? Of course! It's perfect. What better way of attractin' attention? Than by tellin' 'em their precious 'Axe Princess' is battlin' Demons in Hell? And who, but the glorious Murdoc able to save her?" he chuckles to himself and watches the lights of the city, blinking away in the night. "Of course. That's only if the Hellhole survived. Not to mention the 'Soul Jar'. Without them. I'm Knackered." he sighs and tosses the butt of his cigarette out the window.
He thinks carefully about the location of the Hellhole. So far down in the bunker the chances it survived were pretty good. After all, that thing was designed to ward off random explosions. 'At least all the dead Nazis thought so?' He laughs to himself and takes another swig from his bottle.
"Bah! They survived. All I need is a way of diggin' 'em up". he smiles and finishing the bottle, tosses it out the window and makes his way to his bed.
A few days later. Murdoc picks his way through the rubble that was once Kong. With a backhoe he borrowed from a friend. Moving large pieces aside. He slowly makes his way down through the layers. Stopping every now and then to check his progress.
He brakes through the surface and finds a large section of floor has crashed down and come to a stop against the wall that had once lead straight to the lift and down to the bunker. He breathes a sigh of relief and switches off the backhoe motor. Jumping down he walks over for a closer look.
"Now that. Is what I like to see. Just a little co..." he stops and rethinks making any reference to Fate. Just in case the rest of the shaft is blocked. Too dark to see, he steps back and wonders if there is a way to get the lift working again? "Just need a heavy duty battery? Kind'a like the one in the backhoe there." he smiles and goes to retrieve it and the machete he brought with him.
Murdoc roughly wires the battery to the lift controls and steps back. Taking a deep hopeful breath. He hits the button and waits. The lift shudders for a moment and with a loud screech, slowly begins to move.
"Yes! Ha! Ha!" he shouts and punches the air. The leans over and kisses the controls.
The release of the 'D-Sides' album has brought the band a fresh supply of money. And Murdocs decision to abandon the Official site, and instead invite them to Facebook to hear about all that's happened. Has given the band a whole new load of fans. Now with the fans happily chatting amongst themselves. Murdoc is free to continue working on the 'Noodle problem', without having to keep the fans focused and entertained. The lift grinds to a halt and Murdoc jumps down, making his way to the Hellhole.
Levitating over the hole, machete in hand. He draws another selfish soul from the jar, and drops down into Hell. He smiles to himself as he walks down the filthy corridors.
"Don't worry Luv. While there's still breath in my body and a way of makin' money outta this. I won't let ya down." he sneers. A group of Demons appear just ahead of him and he flexes his grip on the machete handle. "Oh boy I hope you appreciate all the crap I've been goin' through fer yer sake?!" he adds with a grimace. Then screaming at the top of his lungs, charges at the oncoming Minions.
