Mistoffelees was taken from the junkyard into a nearby alley. He couldn't believe this was happening.

Had he missed something? Where were they going? What was going on?

Why was his friend doing this to him? And what did he mean when he said that he had to make this look convincing. What was "this"? Who was watching them?

These questions filled his head. But as long as he could feel the tiger cat's claws against his throat, he would remain silent.

The jellicle toms continued further down the narrow alley. When they were far enough that they wouldn't attract attention from the street, Mungojerrie threw the little magician to the ground. Unseen by Mistoffelees, he lifted up a pile of newspapers and pulled out a length of rope which he had hid there earlier.
The sudden impact with the cement brought Mistoffelees to his senses.

He was free now. It was time for some answers.
He got to his feet and glared at the striped tom.

"All right Mungojerrie," he said angrily. "I've played your game. Now tell me what the Heavyside you think you're doing!"

Mungojerrie turned back to him.

"It's not a game."

The tuxedo rolled his eyes.

"I don't know what's wrong with you, but I've had enough! Goodbye."

He started out of the alley but Mungojerrie roughly pushed him back.

"You're not going anywhere!" he shouted.

Mistoffelees stared at the striped tom in disbelief.
He didn't know what to say. As long as he had been a part of the jellicle tribe, he had never seen Mungojerrie like this. He was usually so lighthearted and mischievous.

Now, he stood between Mistoffelees and the street, holding him where he stood with nothing but a cold stare. Misto swallowed nervously.

"Have you gone mad?" he stammered.

Mungojerrie started toward him.

"Maybe," he hissed.

Mistoffelees found himself backing away from the tiger cat. His anger was dissolving into fear. He still didn't know what was going on, but he had to get out of that alley and fast.

"Disappear," he thought. "Snap your fingers and disappear."

But his fingers would not move. He continued to back away. A menacing grin had spread over the striped tom's face and it wasn't long before Misto realized why. There was something solid against his back that prevented him from moving any further. A wall.

The magician felt as though his heart had stopped.
He was trapped.

There was no other way out.
If only those fingers would cooperate!
The gap between him and Mungojerrie was swiftly closing.
Now!
He had to disappear now!

With a sudden surge of energy, Misto raised his arm ready to snap his fingers and leave the alley.

Only he never got that far. Misto wasn't sure what happened, but one moment his paw was raised and the next moment it was back down to his side. There was blood on his fingers.
Mungojerrie retracted his claws and angrily grasped the tuxedo's wrist.

"This is what happens when you cross me!" he hissed.

Misto stared at his injured paw. He could hardly believe that blood was his. For the moment he felt no pain. He was now positive that his friend had lost his mind.
He had to get away!
He took a deep breath and twisted his arm out of the striped tom's grasp.
He then pushed Mungojerrie away with all of his might and made a break for the street. The tiger cat regained his balance, threw down the rope and lunged at the retreating magician. He landed on his stomach just close enough to grab Misto's ankle. The tuxedo fell to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of his lungs but there was no time to stop and catch his breath.
He rolled onto his back and kicked Mungojerrie away.
He struggled to his feet. So did the tiger cat and within seconds he had lunged at the little tuxedo. Both toms rolled across the ground grasping each other by the fur.
Mistoffelees came out on top.
His right paw was injured, so he swiped Mungojerrie the best he could with his left, then leapt to his feet.
It didn't do him much good. The striped tom recovered quickly from the weak blow and kicked the magician's feet out from under him.
Before Misto could recover, his opponent was on top of him, pinning his arms behind his back. He fought hard to free himself, but it was no use. He was defeated.
He ceased his struggles and concentrated on catching his breath while Mungojerrie grabbed the rope and bound his wrists together.

"You know," he said, also heavily panting. "For a cat of your size, you put up a pretty good fight."

Mistoffelees flinched as the knots were tightened, but he said nothing.
When he had finished his work, Mungojerrie got to his feet and stared down at his prisoner. The tuxedo also managed to stand, but he was quickly pushed down to his knees by the tiger cat.

"Down. Stay!" Mungojerrie ordered.

Misto closed his eyes and turned his head away.
The striped tom leaned against the wall opposite the tuxedo and crossed his arms.

"How's your paw?" he asked.

It wasn't until that moment that Mistoffelees noticed the dreadful stinging sensation in his right paw. Those scratches he had received earlier must've been deeper than they looked. He said nothing. In fact, neither of the toms said anything for what seemed like hours. Mungojerrie continued to stare at the magical cat.

"It's not what you think," he said at last.

Misto turned his head toward his captor.

"Isn't it?"

Mungojerrie bit his lip and diverted his gaze from the accusing eyes of his prisoner. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"I'm not doing this because I want to," he said. "I'm doing it because I have to."

The magician turned his head away from the striped tom.
Mungojerrie decided to take his own advice from earlier and just get it over with. He couldn't let this go any further without at least trying to explain himself. He took a deep breath.

"Macavity has, in a sense, recruited me to do this for him."

Only someone who has experienced the sensation one feels when one has fallen through the ice of a frozen lake could understand how Mistoffelees felt at the mention of that name. His lungs constricted and all other thoughts vanished from his mind. The striped tom did not notice his discomfort and continued with his explanation.

"I don't know if you remember, but the other day Teazer and I decided to go jewelry shopping. . ."

"Holy Heavyside! Mungo, look at this!" squealed Rumpelteazer to her mate.

She gingerly reached a paw around the sharp edges of the smashed glass display case and pulled out a diamond necklace.

"Do you think they're real?"

"Who cares? If they're big enough and shiny enough, no one will even bother to ask." said Mungojerrie with a smirk.

Rumpelteazer smacked her mate on the arm before returning her focus to the necklace.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Very," replied the striped tom. "You should have it."

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

With a sweet little smile, Rumpelteazer tossed the diamond ornament into her sack and looked around for anything else she had to have.
Mungojerrie raised an eyebrow.

"What're you looking for?" he asked. "We've cleaned the place out."

"It may appear that way my love, but you can never be too sure when it comes to diamonds and pearls!"

Mungojerrie smirked again. He shouldered his sack and wrapped an arm around his mate's waist.

"Don't worry, my love," he said, playfully mimicking her. "You have enough diamonds and pearls already. Now, we should be going."

Rumpelteazer giggled and smacked him again, but she allowed herself to be steered to the back door of the shop and out into the dark alley.
They shut the door behind them and started back to their junkyard home after another job well done.
It was then that they were aware of the moonlight reflecting off of several pairs of yellow eyes in front of them.
They turned their heads to see the eyes to their left. . . and to their right.
They whirled around to find that they were surrounded on all sides.
Quick as lightning, they dropped their bags and started to run, but the eyes had closed in on them and the big, black figures to whom they belonged were now coming into view.
Mungojerrie pushed his mate behind him in an attempt to shield her from the foe.
A sickeningly familiar laugh filled the night air and the tall figure of Macavity the mystery cat emerged from the shadows.

"Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, the notorious couple of cats," he said. "It's been a long time. Just because you are no longer in my employ does not mean we should ignore each other."

All at once, the henchmen were on top of the two thieves. Mungojerrie felt a loud pain in the back of his head . . . then he felt nothing.

When consciousness returned to the tiger cat, he found himself on the floor in a place he knew all too well;
Macavity's hideout.
He was surrounded by henchmen and couldn't see Rumpelteazer anywhere.
He shook his head to clear his vision. Then he caught site of his mate.
Macavity was holding her in his arms.
He had one of his paws on the back of her head, trying to force their lips together. Mungojerrie heard nothing but her screams and saw nothing but her frantic struggling to free herself.

"Get off her!" he shouted as loud as he could. "Let her go!"

He leapt to his feet and rushed at the ginger cat. He didn't get very far before the henchmen grabbed him and held him in place.
Macavity released his victim and smiled at Mungojerrie. He turned to another of his men who stood by the door.

"Take her."

With a bow of the head, the black tom took Rumpelteazer by the arms and led her out of the room.
Macavity turned back to Mungojerrie who was too enraged to utter a sound.

"I'll let her go," he said coolly. "I'll even let you go. In fact," he continued. "I'm willing to give my word never to bother either of you again if you, Mungojerrie, will do something for me."

The striped tom made a move to attack which only resulted in the henchmen tightening their grip. He glared at Macavity.

"What's that?" he asked.

The mystery cat smiled and crossed his arms.

"Simply bring me Mistoffelees, the magical cat of your tribe."

He shrugged casually.

"Then you'll be free to go."

Mungojerrie felt his insides twist when he heard the proposal. He hoped his face didn't reflect how sick he felt.

"What if I don't?" he demanded.

Macavity's suave demeanor hardened and he glared at the tiger cat.

"If you refuse," he hissed. "Then I will kill Rumpelteazer in front of you. Not only that, my friend, but I will hold you prisoner for the rest of your miserable, pathetic life knowing that you had the chance to save her and earn freedom for you both, but chose to ignore it."

Mungojerrie stood very still amidst his captors. It seemed to him that there was only one thing to do . . . . .

"And here we are."

The tiger cat looked down at his prisoner.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?"

Mistoffelees took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"What do you expect me to say?"

"I don't know," replied Mungojerrie. "Just something."

Mistoffelees took another deep breath and looked away.
What was there for him to say?
The situation was clear enough. Macavity had captured Rumpelteazer and demanded him as ransom. It wasn't as though he had any say in the matter. What was the point of talking about it?
He didn't feel angry anymore.
He didn't feel much of anything at the moment.
All he could think about was Macavity; the most evil feline in the whole of England. There wasn't a cat alive who didn't know the name of the Napoleon of Crime. Even pollicles were known to shrink away at the sight of him.
And now he was going to be given to him; handed over to the master criminal as a ransom.
He felt sick at the thought.
The tom in him told him that he had no right to be afraid. A queen was in danger. Only by giving himself to Macavity could he save her. It was his duty. He ought to be ashamed for allowing himself to feel even the beginnings of fear.

What kind of a tom was he?

When it all came down to it, he would rather it be him being held captive by that criminal than Rumpelteazer.
Even so, thoughts of Macavity filled his head. The tom he had hated and feared more than anything else since he was a kitten. The tom who was wanted for every crime under the sun. Once Macavity had him in his clutches, what would stop him from. . .

He had a right to fear for his life didn't he!

"Couldn't we just go back to the junkyard and explain this to the tribe?" he blurted. "I mean. . . we could. . . we could raid his hideout or-or something. . . We could take him by surprise and rescue Rumpelteazer ourselves instead of me. . . instead of me. . ."

Mistoffelees let his voice trail off. The reality of the situation was becoming more real and more frightening by the second.

"I did think about that," said Mungojerrie. "But like always Macavity was one step ahead. He ordered some of his more clever henchmen to follow me and make sure I don't go back on the deal."

Misto's last hope vanished and his heart sank.

"That's what you meant earlier when you said they were watching you and you had to be convincing." he said gravely.

Mungojerrie nodded.

"I'm not sure where they are now. Probably right outside the alley."

Mungojerrie paused a moment. The coldness that Misto had found so terrifying earlier, now returned to his face.

"That's enough talk," he said firmly. "I've explained what's happening. Now, we've got to go."

The little tuxedo felt his muscles tense when the striped tom took him by the arm and pulled him to his feet. But he allowed himself to be led toward the street. He couldn't stop this from happening; resisting would only waste his strength.
Mungojerrie's guess as to the location of Macavity's henchmen proved to be correct. As the two jellicles neared the street, three black scruffy cats rose out of their hiding places and stood before them as if daring them to pass. They raised their eyebrows at the little tuxedo and exchanged amused glances at his appearance. Mistoffelees clenched his teeth. He knew what they were thinking.
The same thing everyone thought when they saw him.
How could a little runt like that possibly be a powerful magician?
Misto took a deep breath. He was determined to appear indifferent to their presence. He allowed Mungojerrie to lead him past the fierce, black toms.
He ignored the way they scoffed at him as they went by.
He ignored the sneering looks they gave him and the noises they made.
Then one of them, a tom with a large scar on his face, stepped forward and swiped the magician across the back of his neck. Mistoffelees gasped in surprise and pain. When Mungojerrie realized what happened, he angrily turned to the scarred henchman, balled up his fist and hit him in the face as hard as he could.

"You stay away from him!" he hissed.

Another henchman, this one with fiery red eyes, grabbed the tuxedo by the throat and pushed him against the alley wall.

"This thing?" he demanded. "Are you defending him, Mungojerrie? Are you defending this little pipsqueak?"

He smiled (if it could be called a smile) taking sick pleasure in watching the magical cat gasp and choke for breath.
Mungojerrie narrowed his eyes.

"Let him go," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Red Eye glared at him. After several seconds, he released the magician and advanced on Mungojerrie. But the latter was not easily intimidated by the antics of his ex-comrade. The staring match between them seemed to last forever. It was finally ended when the henchman got bored. He lifted a long finger and pointed to his eye, then to Mungojerrie as a warning that they were watching him. Then he turned and left the alley. His two comrades followed.
When they were out of sight, Mungojerrie turned to the tuxedo who was leaning against the wall for support, still fighting to regain his breath.

"You okay?" he asked. "Lemme see."

Mistoffelees closed his eyes and allowed the striped tom to examine the cuts on his neck.

"They look deep," he muttered. "Do they hurt?"

The magician nodded.

"Just a little taste of what I have to look forward to," he said weakly.

Mungojerrie nodded.

"Probably"

He took the magical cat firmly by the arm and they started out into the street.