Chapter Three: The Cat, The Fall, And The Question

As soon as the walked into the hotel, Martin went to check in. Java followed Martin, while Diana walked around and looked at some of the paintings on the lobby wall. She was walking down a huge hallway into the common room next to the lobby when a lady's cat escaped from its cage and ran in front of Diana. Diana, who wasn't paying attention... stepped on the cat's tail. It was pandemonium. The cat screeched, and sunk his claws into Diana's left leg. Diana screamed and tried to fling the cat off her leg. The cat jumped off spitting while poor Diana was stumbling backwards at a fast pace. Diana tripped over a bag lying on the floor and desperately tried to stop herself from hurtling into a wall. She was just about to hit to floor with a crash until... she stopped.

"Wha?" Diana said quickly, until she turned around. Holding onto her right arm was...Marvin!

"Wow, you should really look where you're going!" Marvin said dashingly.

"It wasn't my fault." Diana said as she tried to explain.

"Never mind, accidents happen." Marvin said. "You're just lucky I was here or else you could have really been hurt!"

"Oh!" Diana said blushing. "Yes, I could have. Uh, thanks Marvin." She muttered.

"Oh, it's you." A voice said behind her. Martin was standing behind her looking not too pleased.

"Marvin just saved me from breaking my neck." Diana said.

"Oh, cool..." Martin said stiffly. "What are you doing here anyways Marvin?" he asked.

"Oh, I came to Halifax to try out my new windsurfing board. The waves are radical here!" Marvin replied. "How about you guys?"

"Oh, us?" Diana said. "We're here to uh...um...ahh...hit the beach and do some sight seeing." Martin nodded.

"Cool." Marvin said.

"Say Marvin... what are you doing tomorrow night?" Diana said quickly.

"Nothing really. I only surf in the daytime. It's a lot safer that way. Why?" ... He asked.

"Uh. I have an extra backstage pass to the Sparkle charity ball tomorrow night and I was wondering if you'd like to be my escort." Diana said blushing like crazy.

"Is she that new pop singer?" Marvin asked.

"Uh, yeah." Diana muttered.

"Sure! Why not?" Marvin answered.

"Ok, I'll meet you in the lobby at eight ok?" Diana said.

"Sounds cool." Marvin said.

"Oh and by the way" Diana said hurriedly, "It's formal dress ok? You know fancy stuff. Sure you can handle it?"

"Yeah, I still have my tux from my aunts wedding in my bag. See you!" With a last dreamy smile, Marvin turned and headed down the hallway and headed to his room.

"Did you hear that?" Diana yelled. "HE SAID YES! What am I going to wear?" Diana paused, then bolted up to her hotel room, grinning from ear to ear.

"What does she see in that dork anyway, eh java?" Martin asked stiffly.

"Java no know." Java answered.

The 3 agents spent the next day walking around town trying to figure out the case. They revisited Saria and Maie. They were the same as before. Every hypothesis given was rejected by some fault. In the end, they went back to the hotel to prepare for the ball.

"So Martin..." Diana questioned from the bathroom where she was getting ready. "Who are you taking to the ball? You did get a date didn't you?"

"I got a date...with Clarissa!" Martin replied smugly as he put on his tie.

"Excellent. Tonight's going to be awesome!" Diana said smiling. "Martin...you aren't going to wear some really ugly tie and embarrass us are you?"

"No." Martin said sadly, "I would have, but I left my favorite acid green tie at home."

"Good," Diana said.

"I'm going down to meet Clarissa in the lobby. Are you coming?" Martin asked

"You go ahead of me. I'll be down in a minute." Diana called though the closed bathroom door.

"Ok, just don't be forever or I may kill Marvin." Martin joked as he and Java left the room.