Kiara tried desperately to conjure up a solution to her problem without hurting anyone else. Suddenly...
BANG
Kiara looked in horror at the monitor as she saw Sarafina get shot in the head. Sarafinas body jolted, before Amanda loosened her telekinetic grip, and dropped her lifeless body on the ground.
Kiara looked at Amanda with mixed feelings of rage and sadness. 'YOU DIDN'T EVEN WAIT FOR MY RESPONSE!!!' Kiara shouted with tears in her eyes.
'Oh, I forgot to mention something.' Amanda said evilly. 'From now on I'll add one extra lion to the number in the firing line, so next time there will be three lions. Plus, for every minute that you don't tell me anything, Jones kills one of the lions in the firing line.'
Amanda looked at her watch. 'You have 20 seconds before that lion joins the other two.'
Kiara looked at Kovu on the monitor; she watched as Jones pressed his pistol to Kovus head. Kiara didn't know what to do; she couldn't just sit back and watch as her one true love was executed in front of her. Kiara saw Amanda turn her head back to the monitor; Kiara knew she was going to give the command for Jones to kill Kovu.
'Wait!' Kiara shouted.
Amanda turned back to Kiara.
'Ok.' Kiara said reluctantly. 'I'll tell you.'
'Good.' Amanda said with a smile. Amanda looked at the screen again; at once Kovu flew back into his cage and the door behind him closed and locked. The cameraman manoeuvred the camera so Kiara could clearly see all the lions and lionesses in their cages. Amanda turned back to Kiara. 'Point her out to me.' She said.
Kiara carefully examined the caged pride landers; she could not see Lara. She double checked, still nothing.
Amanda grew impatient. 'Well?!' She asked furiously.
'She's not there.' Kiara cowered.
Amanda felt insulted. 'Liar!'
Kiara began to cry. 'Please! You have to believe me, I'm telling the truth!'
Amanda was furious. She turned back to the screen where Jones was now standing in view. Kiara was sure Amanda was going to order more of her pride dead, she just knew it. But to Kiaras surprise...
'Go back to the coordinates and do a full sweep.' Amanda ordered Jones. 'Make sure you didn't miss any.
'Right away Ms Evert.' Jones replied as the screen went dead.
Amanda turned back to Kiara. 'If I find out your lying then the deals off and I'll execute every last member of you pride regardless of whether you give me the information or not.' Amanda then turned her attention to the two mercenaries. 'Take her back to the cell.'
At that moment a casually dressed man entered the room holding photographs. 'Sorry to interrupt Ms Evert.' He apologised.
'What is it?!' Amanda asked furiously.
'I think you should see this.' The bloke replied as he handed the photographs to Amanda.
Back on the 14th floor
Zip had been trying for ages to hack the keycard system; he had already inserted the card into the slot, but in order to actually upgrade the card the consol required a password from both the head of security and Amanda. Zip worked for ages until suddenly...
BEEP... 'Security upgrade authorised! Upgrading personnel to security level 5! Please wait!'
Zip could not believe what he had just heard. To him he had only just begun to work but yet he was able to somehow hack the system quicker than expected. Zip picked up his radio again. 'Catalina I've hacked the system and the card is upgrading; any intel I should know about?'
'I'm looking now.' Catalina replied. 'Hold on a sec Zip.' Catalina whispered into the radio. 'I've got company.'
Zip waited impatiently for Catalina to pick up her radio again; what company was she talking about? Would she be ok?
Several minutes later Catalina spoke to Zip again. 'Ok, everything's fine; it was only my supervisor asking about when my reports would be finished by.'
BEEP...'Upgrade complete! Please remove card!'
Zip removed the card from the reader and placed it in his pocket.
'The card's upgraded; what do you have for me?' Zip asked.
'I've picked up an instant message to the head of security.' Catalina replied. 'Apparently Kiara is being moved to Amandas office on the top floor to continue the interrogation there. Now that you have the upgraded card you should be able to access the lift and head there.'
'Ok, I'm on my way.'
Zip raced out of the security room and down the corridor to the lift. He used the swipe card in the receiver, gained access to the lift and headed for the top floor. Zip activated the signal on his PDA to disable the gun turrets and equipped his pistol. The lift doors opened, and Zip cautiously exited with his pistol at the ready.
He found himself in a narrow corridor with an open door at the end leading into Amandas office. Zip raced down the corridor and into the office where he found Kiara tied to the chair facing Amandas desk with duck tape over her mouth.
Zip ripped the duck tape off Kiaras mouth. 'Kiara, you ok?' He asked, concerned.
'Zip!' Kiara replied with tears in her eyes. 'I'm glad you're here.'
'I'm sorry for all those things I said; I didn't mean any of it.' Zip apologised as he started untying Kiara.
When Kiara was free she shot from her chair and hugged Zip tightly. 'I thought I was gonna die.' She said while crying.
'It's ok.' Zip reassured Kiara. 'You're gonna be ok, Alistair's found out how to switch you and Lara back...'
'Lara!' Kiara interrupted as the dark reality of the situation manifested from the happy moment. Kiara released Zip. 'Amanda's got my pride!'
'What?' Zip said with confusion.
'Some of her henchmen are in Africa. They kidnapped my pride, threatened and killed two members so that I'd give her some information. She showed me my pride of some strange human communication thing.'
'What information?' Zip asked.
'Information on which lioness was Lara and something about an entity called The Black Lioness.'
Zip headed round to the computer consol on Amandas desk and began searching through the files. 'Chances are Amanda keeps a record of all her operations; if I dig hard enough I might be able to get a lead on the location of your pride.'
Zip searched through the files on Amandas workstation until eventually he found what he was looking for. 'I've got it! Amanda's got a dig sight not far from where Lara was exploring; chances are your pride's being held there.' Zip noticed a note pad and pen on Amandas desk; at once he picked it up and noted down the coordinates for the dig sight.
Zip ripped the page from the note pad and slipped it into his pocket. 'Ok, lets go.' Zip said as he grabbed Kiaras hand and led her to the door.
Before Zip and Kiara had a chance to escape the door immediately slammed shut and locked itself. Zip immediately let go of Kiaras hand and took out his pistol again. Zip looked around the room for a possible escape route but there was none.
Suddenly, the gigantic windows behind Amandas desk exploded sending shards of glass flying through the room. Zip immediately pulled Kiara to the floor to prevent her from getting hurt by the flying glass.
Zip and Kiara slowly hauled themselves off the floor as a cool gust of wind filled the room from where the window used to be. Zip and Kiara were both surprised at what they saw. For floating in the night sky just outside of the window was Amanda with one arm gripped tightly around Catalina who was struggled to break free. Kiara was terrified by the dark red glow being given off by Amandas necklace.
Zip stepped forward with rage and aimed his gun sharply at Amandas head. 'AMANDA!' He shouted.
Amanda smiled at Zip. 'You sure are stupid; you walked right into my trap.'
'Trap?' Zip said with confusion.
Kiara was so happy to see Zip that she had completely forgotten about Amandas trap...
Flashback
Amanda turned back to Kiara. 'If I find out your lying then the deals off and I'll execute every last member of you pride regardless of whether you give me the information or not.' Amanda then turned her attention to the two mercenaries. 'Take her back to the cell.'
At that moment a casually dressed man entered the room holding photographs. 'Sorry to interrupt Ms Evert.' He apologised.
'What is it?!' Amanda asked furiously.
'I think you should see this.' The bloke replied as he handed the photographs to Amanda.
Amanda carefully studied both photographs. She then turned to Kiara with a displeased look. 'So, your friends have come to rescue you.' She said as she showed Kiara the photographs; they were surveillance pictures of Catalina letting Zip into the building via the fire exit. 'It's a good thing I ordered hidden cameras to be fitted in the hallway leading to the fire exit.' Amanda added.
Amanda turned to Chris with an evil look. 'I believe we can use this to our advantage.'
End Of Flashback
While Amanda and Zip were busy with their reintroductions Catalina slowly reached into her pocket and took out her car keys. She knew there was no way she was walking away alive, but she figured that Zip and Kiara still had a chance; Catalina tossed her car keys into the office building and they landed by Zips feet.
Zip scowled at Amanda. 'So the whole card upgrade thing was you?'
'Correct.' Amanda replied.
'The email? That was you too?'
'Actually I didn't send any email.' Amanda replied.
Flashback (Catalinas Office)
Catalina was sitting at her desk checking through the intel on her computer. 'I'm looking now.' She said into the radio. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. 'Hold on a sec Zip.' Catalina whispered into the radio. 'I've got company.' Catalina hid the radio in her desk draw and minimised the intel on her screen. 'Come in!' She said.
The door opened and standing in the archway was Amanda. 'Ms Evert.' Catalina said.
'Working late Catalina?' Amanda asked.
'Yeh.' Catalina replied. 'I've got a tonne of paperwork.'
'Maybe you should take a break.' Amanda suggested.
'I'd love to, but I have too much work to do.'
Amanda gave Catalina a displeased look and showed her the surveillance photographs. 'By work I assume you mean breaking my little prisoner out of her cell!'
Catalina was at first scared of what Amanda might do to her; but her fear quickly turned to anger as she scowled at Amanda. 'People like you make me sick! You make your money off the suffering of others! Arms dealing! Drug smuggling! You have no idea how many have died because of your greed!'
'My heart bleeds.' Amanda said sarcastically.
'If you're going to kill me you may as well do it!'
'Oh don't worry I'm not going to kill you yet.' Amanda replied. 'I need you to help me squash that little bug on the middle floors.'
'Never!' Catalina replied.
'If you don't then I'll kill both you and Kiara! And from the looks of things, Kiara isn't going to prove to be any more useful.'
Catalina thought to herself for a moment; she would rather die than assist someone as evil as Amanda; she knew that Zip was resourceful and that maybe if she played along with Amandas little scheme it might buy Zip enough time to free Kiara.
'What do you want me to do?' Catalina asked reluctantly.
'Contact Zip and tell him you've intercepted an email saying Kiara's being transferred to my office for further interrogation.'
End Of Flashback
'Catalina has nothing to do with this.' Zip said calmly to Amanda without taking his gun off aim. 'Let her go, it's me you want.'
Amanda giggled. 'Well now that you mention it...' And at once Amanda released Catalina.
'CATALINA!!' Zip shouted as he ran over to the window.
Catalina screamed as she plummeted down the side of the building to the ground below.
'NOOOOOO!' Zip shouted as he took aim for Amandas chest and emptied his clip. Amanda jolted as the bullets pierced her chest, eventually her necklace stopped glowing and like Catalina she plummeted to the ground below.
Zip watched as Amanda faded into the darkness.
'Is it over?' Kiara asked.
Zip turned round, picked up Catalinas car keys and walked over to Kiara. 'For Amanda. As for us, we need to get out of here and save your pride.' Zip attempted to open the door but it was electronically locked.
Meanwhile, outside on the ground floor
Amandas bullet riddled body lay motionless next to Catalinas; her left arm and right leg had been dislocated from the fall. Suddenly, Amandas necklace began glowing red and her eyes shot open; she rolled onto one side and with all her strength and a loud crunch forced her arm back into place; she did the same with her leg and stood up. Amanda concentrated deeply; as she did so the bullets lodged in her chest were slowly forced out and the wounds closed up. Amandas necklace returned to normal as she looked up at the building with rage.
'You'll pay for that!' Amanda said with rage. 'No one puts a bullet in me and gets away with it! I think I'll reintroduce you to an old friend of yours!'
Amanda tore the stone pendant from around her neck and held it in her palms; she concentrated deeply and the pendant began to glow dark red. Amandas eyes emitted a dark red glow similar to the pendant; she floated off the ground as she slowly began to change form.
To Be Continued