Chapter Three

The four forms moved silently. There location was the private drive up the road to Orpheus, the Pollicle leader's home. There was no conversation. When they wanted to communicate they used hand signals. They're identification cards were secured in the safe in Macavity's business office to make sure the previous mistake was not repeated. The original reason the three new recruits had been chosen was that the first three agents who had been working this case had failed, and done so at a very high price. They'd all died. And Macavity had been ridiculed for his slip up. Never again would Macavity allow society to scorn the Napoleon of Crime. Demeter, who was at the head of the group, seemed to melt against the wall as they approached the house. Stargazer, who stood closely behind her concentrated her mind on the gate's lock and at the same time tried to breech the security system. They were completely unaware of dark violet eyes that sparkled and glimmered with an inner flame, watching their every movement. A soundless spell was being whispered out into the wind. The words slowly swept over the four agents, immobilizing them. Leaving them incapable of any sort of defenses. And then the strays appeared from their concealment and attacked. Cats and dogs alike began to lurch themselves forward. Attacking without clemency. The noiseless words danced and encouraged the outsiders'. The four feline agents on the other hand were beleaguered and abused, the spell adding to their injuries. Even as fists and feet connected to each of them their strength held, and it was a final blow from supernatural that sent them falling into unconsciousness.

Five Hours Later

A lone tom walked across the same dark drive that had so previously been breached by the four scheming felines. The tom's sharp eyes immediately noted the four shapes lying motionless on the ground. He quickly reached for the cell phone in his pocket and dialed a number.

"Munkustrap? Yeah. Alonzo here. We've got four unknowns' in front of Orph's place. Yeah. Err…" Alonzo surveyed the fallen creatures, his stormy gray eyes darkening. "Shit." He growled. Then back into the phone, "We've got one tom and three queens. Yeah. Got it. Bye." Alonzo hung up the phone. Five minuets later the sound of a car brought him up from his crouching position over one of the females he'd been inspecting. He turned, tensing. He relaxed as he noted the car. It was a black dodge ram pickup with the license plate - IMAHOT1.

Tugger.

Alonzo thought ruefully, shaking his head with a grin. There were three toms sitting inside the pickup, two sitting in the back. Alonzo waved at them in acknowledgement as they jumped out of the truck. Coricopat wearing a look of concern, approached Alonzo and the four fallen cats with much more caution then it appeared was necessary. The other four, Mungojerrie, Munkustrap, Plato and the stud himself, Rum Tum Tugger, approached with a lot less ill ease. Munkustrap, wearing a now ruffled suit, was the quickest to reach Alonzo.

"Did you check them for identification?"

"Yeah." Alonzo replied. "There was nothing on 'em." Munkustrap bent down to have a closer look at the tom, then glanced over the three queens.

"Nothing seems to be physically wrong with them…a few bruises here and there, but nothing to cause a person to just drop like this. I wonder…"

"Nothing's physically wrong with them." Coricopat whispered, his voice hoarse. "This was done by a very powerful physic." The five toms glanced at him wearily, knowing very well that they shouldn't doubt him for a minuet. Munkustrap turned back to look at the four cats lying sprawled on the ground.

"Macavity do ya think?" He asked. Coricopat shook his head. Munkustrap nodded.

"Alright. Alonzo, Jeri, you get the tom. Coricopat, Tugger, grab a queen. I'll get this one." Munkustrap said resignedly, and reached down to pick her up. The rather large knot at the nap of her neck came loose and long strands of black gold hair fell and trailed onto the ground.

"Shit." Munkustrap hissed.

"Damn! 'Hat girl has got a 'ell of a lot of 'air!" Jeri said in bemusement. Munkustrap grunted his agreement as he twirled the queen's hair around his arm so it wouldn't drag across the ground. The other toms began to load the felines into the truck. Munkustrap started to do the same when the sound of an on coming car froze everyone. Munkustrap bristled as he recognized his mate, Bombalurina's red viper. Resignedly he watched her pull into the drive. She jumped out of the car, her curly, shoulder length red hair streaming out behind her as she ran toward them.

"Munkus what happened?" She gasped, out of breath, when she finally stopped in front of him.

"Alonzo found four unknowns lying out in the middle of the road. We don't know what happened, exactly." He replied calmly.

"Dear God, I wonder if…" Rina started, then stopped when the small queen in Munkustrap's arms moaned and shifted. All eyes shifted to the queen. Rina paled suddenly, and made a soft choking sound.

"Rina?" Munkustrap looked at his wife in alarm. "Rina what's wrong?" Bombalurina gulped and put her hand over her mouth, as she continued to stare at the queen.

"M, Munkus…I, I think, that is, I mean…Demeter…" Munkustrap's eyes narrowed.

"Who's Demeter?" He questioned.

"My, I…she…she was my younger sister. I, I think that's Demeter." She whispered and promptly fainted.

"God dammit!" Munkustrap roared. "Alonzo, take this her will you?" Munkustrap growled, shoving the queen in his arms at Alonzo. Alonzo obliged, taking the queen from Munkustrap. Munkustrap picked up Bombalurina and headed toward her car.

"I'll meet you all back at the Yard." He said, and the cats all got in their separate cars and drove off.