CHAPTER 8. LONG LIVE THE KING.

Simba didn't sleep that night. He could not draw his thoughts away from the previous day, and it would stay fresh in his mind until the next morning. He walked downstairs slowly and in silence. He ate his breakfast in the same silent state before his mother interrupted him. "Your Uncle Scar called, he said he wanted to talk to you." Sarabi told him "Okay." Simba continued eating. Sarabi sat down next to him. "Hey, it's okay. Look we all make mistakes once in a while, yesterday was a good example." Sarabi nuzzled her son. "And why do we fall?" She asked. "So we can get back up." Simba answered. "That's right. Now call your uncle back, he sounded like he really wants to talk to you." Sarabi said. Simba sighed and picked up the home phone, he dialed in Scar's phone number. Scar picked up immediately. "Hello, Scar speaking." "Hey Uncle Scar it's me. You called me earlier?" Simba said. "Oh, yes. I have surprise for you. I hope it might cheer you up from yesterday." Simba gasped at the response. "You know about that?" he asked embarrassed. "Yes, it was all over the news and tabloids." Simba put his head in his hands. Now everyone knew. "Well anyway, meet me at the train station in an hour, I'll be waiting for you there." Simba thought for a moment then agreed. "Good lad, see you in an hour." Scar hung up. Simba exhaled and put his shoes on.

Meanwhile, 20 feet underground at the Prideland City Center's Maintenance Level.

"He took the bait, now is everything ready?" Scar asked Banzai as he worked. "Uh, yep. 10 kilograms of C4 ready to blow." Banzai reported as he strapped the last explosive to the City Center's gas pipes. Scar pulled Banzai close. "Don't fuck up this time. Our whole plan depends on you getting this right, and don't blow it until you get my signal. Are we clear?" Scar sneered. "Clear." Shenzi, Banzai and Ed all replied together, even though Scar was only talking to Banzai because he was in charge of the bomb. "Good, now I've got business to take care of." Scar picked up his keys and left the building.

At the train station on the freeway, 40 minutes later.

"Behave yourself for your uncle." Sarabi said to Simba through the window of her car. "I will Mom," Simba said before kissing her on the cheek. Simba then walked towards the train station. It was deserted like the freeway, mainly due it being a public holiday. The public transport was shut down and the freeway was closed; unless there was an emergency. Simba sat on a bench and waited for a few minutes before Scar's distinctive red and black muscle car pulled into the parking lot. Scar jogged up to Simba enthusiastically. "Hey, glad you could make it. Now like I said on the phone I have a marvelous surprise for you. Come with me." Scar lead him downstairs and onto the freeway. "Are you sure it's safe here?" Simba asked as he walked across the road. "Yes I'm sure, it's closed today remember?" Scar responded. Simba nodded. Scar pointed to a pillar; "Sit here. Now I'm going to go get your father." Scar turned towards the stairs. "Wait Dad's coming too?" Scar nodded with a smile. "And that reminds me..." Scar reached into his jacket and produced a 9mm pistol. "Take this." Simba shook his head. "No, if my Dad sees me with that, he'll kill me. Especially after last night." Scar raised an eyebrow. "Well you'll need it for the surprise." Scar leant close to him. "You might just be learning how to shoot." Simba's eyes opened wide. "And you're going to have to work on your little skills after last night." Scar smiled and turned towards the stairs again. "Stay here, I'm going to go get your Dad." Scar said. Simba sat down and leant against the pillar holding up the bridge that crossed the freeway.

"Hey Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?" Scar didn't turn around this time but he stopped walking. "Simba it's to die for." he said then continued walking, he went up the stairs and out of Simba's sight. He pulled out his iPhone and opened a new message; its recipient Shenzi. Now. He typed in and sent the message.

A few blocks down from the Prideland City Center, On the sidewalk

Shenzi felt her mobile phone buzz in her pocket. She reached in and pulled out the primitive looking Nokia. She read the message and looked up at Banzai who was looking at her. She gave him a thumbs up. Banzai nodded and reached into his pocket to reveal the detonator. He squeezed the red button on the side.

Within seconds the entire city center exploded into a ball of fire, followed by the chain reaction of explosions that was caused by flames reaching the other gas pipes. Debris and flames were thrown everywhere, and the road next to the center started to collapse in on itself. Chaos soon followed. People who had survived the blast ran away from the scene screaming, getting into their cars and getting the hell out of the city. Ambulances and police cars arrived, rounding up the wounded and sealing off the dangerous area. A policeman with a megaphone yelled out to bystanders who were too scared to move or just ridiculously brave. "EVERYONE PLEASE EVACUATE THE CITY, THE FREEWAY HAS NOW BEEN OPENED. PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY, GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" People complied and jumped into their vehicles, and sped off to the freeway in an unorganized fashion. Cars horns honked and tooted and there was the occasional impact with other vehicles. The majority of the cars had the same destination: the freeway.

Back at the train station on the freeway

Simba paced back and forth on the freeway, waiting for his uncle to return. He looked at the weapon Scar had trusted him with. Poor shooting skills huh? Simba flicked the safety switch off and pointed at a tree next to the road. He lined up the sights and fired. BANG! The shot sailed wide of its target and Simba frowned. He aimed again and prepared for the shot. BANG! The sound echoed around the freeway, the shot had just skimmed the tree. Not good enough. Simba thought and aimed a third time. BANG! This time the shot hit the tree square in the trunk. Bark and wood flew everywhere. Simba smiled as the sound continued to echo. Then suddenly the ground started to tremble. Simba looked down and saw the pebbles on the road start to shake. He turned around to see hundreds of cars start to appear over the rise in the road. Simba gasped.

He tried to move but couldn't. The cars raced closer and closer to him. I've got to move now or I'm finished. Simba thought and his energy started returning to him, it was almost too late. The mass of cars were only one hundred yards away now, and closing fast. He turned and started to run towards the pillar, he leapt on to it and climbed just as cars started speeding past. He felt the cars whizz past behind him. He edged higher. Scar watched from above as Simba grasped onto the pillar for his life. He picked up his iPhone and dialed Mufasa's number. While he waited for the king to answer he breathed in and out several times so he would sound desperate when he spoke. "Hello?" Mufasa seemed to be casually enjoying the holiday. "Mufasa, it's Scar. There was bomb in the city and it caused a traffic rush, Simba's down there!" Mufasa had heard enough. He hung up and reached into his office drawer, he pulled out the keys to his faster car: an Aston Martin DBS. He figured he'd need the extra speed. He raced downstairs and gunned the car towards the freeway train station.

As soon as the car came to a stop Mufasa was out the door and sprinting towards the station. Scar rushed out towards him. "Where is he?' Mufasa asked. "Down there!" Scar yelled out above the noise of the cars as he pointed at the pillar Simba was pinned against. Simba could feel himself slipping, and once he fell onto the road; it was game over. Mufasa leapt down onto the road, dodging and weaving through cars. He stopped in between gaps and cut through traffic skillfully. His razor sharp reflexes allowed him to time his moves perfectly; one wrong move and he would be hit by a speeding car. "Dad over here!" Simba called over the roaring of the cars. His hands were sliding down the pillar now, and he was going to fall. His hands finally slipped off and he fell down towards the road. So this is how I die. Simba thought as he prepared himself to be hit by a car, but instead of feeling the cold metal smash into him he felt his fathers warm arms catch him.

Mufasa waited for the slightest gap in the traffic before rushing through. He charged through the opening but was collected by the wing mirror of a 4WD driving past and the impact sent him spinning. He dropped Simba on the road. He saw a semi-trailer truck headed straight for them; he jumped on top of Simba forcing him flat to the ground. The truck drove over them leaving the two unscathed. He then pulled Simba to his feet and they continued running towards the stairs. Mufasa reached the stairs, picked up Simba and threw him over the railing. He went to climb over also but was lightly hit again by another car, Simba looked over the edge, eyes darting from side to side trying find where his father was in the chaos, he had disappeared from the earth. Mufasa suddenly jumped out of the traffic rush and started to climb an emergency ladder, Simba noticed a great bloody patch on his shirt. Simba rushed up the stairs so he could reach his father and help him. Mufasa steadily climbed the weak ladder, edging closer and closer to safety, he was almost at the edge when an out of control Volvo struck the ladder, causing it to be ripped from the pillar it was riveted to. Mufasa could feel the ladder falling from underneath him so he quickly let go of it and grabbed onto the edge of the bridge. He dangled there helpless.

Scar appeared above him, standing on the edge of the bridge, looking down at his brother. "Scar, brother...HELP ME!" Mufasa cried as held on for his life. Simba's view was blocked by pillar, all he could see was his father dangling there, and he couldn't see who was on the bridge. Scar knelt down close to Mufasa and grabbed his wrist with one hand, the other hand slipped inside his jacket to pull out his Desert Eagle pistol. He then pulled Mufasa close. "Long live the king..." He whispered. Mufasa's eyes opened wide with terror when Scar pointed the weapon at him.

Cla-Chik...BANG!

Simba saw his father plummet to his death, "NOOOOOO!" he screamed out.