Searching for the right warehouse was much harder than they thought. The downtown area where Yakko claims to have been taken had quite a few. More so than on the map, which turned out to be outdated. There were at least twenty. It didn't seem possible. How could there be so many warehouses?
They were undaunted, however. The Warners enlisted the help of the other Animaniacs brave enough to defy the authorities. They split into four groups and spread across town. The instructions were simple. They were simply to look for a warehouse that matched Yakko's description, or any that looked suspicious. They were not to make a move.
Looking at all the warehouses took a much longer time than they had anticipated. About an hour passed before the twentieth warehouse was checked.
Yakko, using a walkie talkie, listened to the descriptions provided by the other Animaniacs. To his dismay and his siblings' disappointment, not one of them matched what he said. To make matters worse, in all the warehouses Yakko, Wakko, and Dot checked, not one of them looked familiar to Yakko. There was one that looked a little familiar, but the details were all wrong.
Frustrated and back to square one, the Animaniacs regrouped in an alleyway. They used the trash cans as seats. The alleyway rarely had any visitors, so they could talk in private here, they believed.
"I don't believe it. We checked all the warehouses and not one of them was it." Yakko muttered in disbelief. All that time and effort, wasted.
"Maybe it wasn't a warehouse." Slappy suggested as she filed her nails. "We'll have to start thinking outside the box if we're gunna find dis guy."
The other Animaniacs nodded in agreement. She had a good point. Yakko may have been wrong about it being a warehouse. It had to be some place else.
"But what other building would be large enough?" Wakko inquired, holding his hands out in confusion.
"Based on Yakko's description, I know of nothing else that would fit." Dot said.
Yakko tapped a finger against his lips. Something was missing. There had to be another building type he wasn't thinking of. Something large, something that would hold a lot of stuff...
"What about a bank?" He said out of the blue. The others stared at him, blinking. "No, seriously, think about it. The man took me to some place that was sound proof. A place where no one could get into and was secure. A bank is large enough to hold all that equipment he had."
Brain was the first one to reply.
"That doesn't seem entirely plausible. There aren't any abandoned banks in the downtown area and of the banks there, they are being used. Someone would have noticed."
Yakko began to protest. "You don't believe me? Come on, it should be so obvious! The space! The security! The..." He stopped when Dot and Wakko put their hands on his shoulders.
"Let it go, Yakko." Dot said quietly. "Brain is...right. I don't think it was a bank."
"But..." Yakko couldn't argue with them. "Fine. I...I am going for a walk." He looked at his siblings. "You two stay here. I'm just going to get myself a drink. I will be back soon."
Wakko's eyes grew big. "You're going off by yourself? But..."
"Wakko, I'm just walking across the street to grab a soda." Yakko pointed at a store and had a slightly amused smile on his face. "It's not like I'm walking halfway across town."
With that, Yakko left his siblings with the other Animaniacs. He crossed the street and pushed open the door. The store's bell could be heard all the way across the street.
As they waited for him to come back, two people dressed in blue came up to them. They fought back a groan. It was the city police, the same ones trying to find Yakko's attacker. In an attempt to cover up what they were doing, they began to play some random game with each other. No rules, just a random playtime.
The officers stopped three feet away from the group. Their eyebrows were furrowed as they watched the toons toss a ball back and forth. With night sticks out and slamming them against the palm of their hands, they called out to the toons.
"What are you doing here?" One officer said.
"Are you the vigilantes we were warned about?" The other said.
Dot narrowed her eyes, pointed a finger up, and opened her mouth to speak. But the words that came out weren't hers; Slappy spoke for her.
"Scuse me, gents. I think you've made a mistake." Slappy said as she walked up to the officers. "We are forming a baseball team."
One officer raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't look like baseball to me."
"It's a new technique. It's called becomin' one with da ball." Slappy slid her purse down her arms and gripped onto its handles. "Now I suggest ya get movin' before you accidentally become part of our target. My wrists ain't what dey used to be."
The officers weren't sure if they wanted to believe them. They stared at the gray squirrel. She looked so sincere. There was no indication she was lying. Then again, this was Slappy the Squirrel. She was notorious for her lies to lure her enemies into a false sense of security.
The officers decided to ask one of the other toons. They looked down Dr. Scratchensniff. He looked like a man of honesty.
"You, is what the squirrel's saying true?" An officer said, pointing a night stick at him.
Scratchensniff held out his hands to show he was harmless. "Why y-yez... She iz telling zee truth."
"Why didn't you go to a baseball field?" The second officer inquired, raising an eyebrow."
"V-Vell I..."
"Do we need a reason?" Brain said calmly as he strode over to the officers. "We're using an empty alleyway to practice. You can't say we are disturbing the public. We are following the law. And before you lecture me, yes I read this city's laws, and I seem to recall a rule that police officers aren't allowed to point their nighty night sticks at unarmed citizens."
The officers cleared their throats nervously as they put away their night sticks.
"Okay, well, I guess that's okay then. Sorry to have bothered you." The officers left.
Dot glared at them as they walked away, before turning her attention to the store. Yakko still hadn't returned. What was taking so long?
Deciding not to sit around and wait, Dot walked towards the store.
"Dot?" Wakko caught up with his sister. "Where are you going?"
"To join Yakko in the store. I don't care if he wanted us to stay behind. I am going to leave him alone."
Wakko nodded. "Then count me in."
Dot smiled.
Yakko knew he would regret coming into the store alone. He should have brought one of his sibs with him. He shoud not have gone alone.
There was nothing wrong with the store itself. But the security cams put him at unease. They almost seemed to be following him. Watching his every move...well they were security cams. That's what they did. Yakko never let it bother him before. Heck, he'd even make faces at the cameras once in a while in other stores.
So what was so different about this one?
Yakko couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following him close behind. He'd look over his shoulder and nobody would be there. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He felt scared everytime he felt a cold chill run up and down his spine. He felt his fur bristle slightly a few times involuntarily.
All he was doing was coming in to grab a soda. Yet it felt like it was taking a long time just getting there. The store seemed to be getting larger. His mind was playing tricks on him, he knew. He must be scared of that man. Yeah that was it. He was just thinking he was seeing things. He took in a few breaths, telling him everything was going to be all right.
He found his way into the cold area where they kept the drinks. He used his pointer finger to move through the drinks until he found his favorite soda. He rolled the bottle in his hands to check the price tag.
Then he saw something out of the corner of his eyes. He felt a sudden chill freeze him. He turned around and almost screamed at what he saw.
"Y-You..."
The man from before stood behind him. No, rather floated. A gold aura surrounded him and he stared at Yakko with blazing yellow eyes. He pointed a finger at Yakko. Almost instantly, the eldest Warner clutched his chest in pain and felt himself being lifted off the ground.
The man suddenly recoiled when he cried out in pain. Yakko fell to the ground in a loud thud. Shaking his head, he looked over at what made the man stop.
He couldn't believe it. Not only did Pinky hitch a ride on him without him noticing, but he had jumped at the man and sank his teeth into his ankle. No matter how hard the man shook his leg, Pinky refused to let go.
"You leave my friend alone!" Pinky cried as he ran up the man's leg and bit down onto his ear. He drew blood.
"You foul little vermin...Let go!"
Pinky screamed as his body was surrounded in gold and he was thrust across the store. The small white mouse hit an aisle full of cans. The cans covered him up as a little dust was kicked up into the air. Yakko cried in horror as he swore he heard a sickening crack.
The man turned his eyes onto Yakko. "Now where was I...? Oh yes!" He curled his fingers and Yakko let out another scream. With the boy being pulled closer to him, the man said, "You and I have unfinished business to take care of."
Yakko squirmed against his grip. "Wh-Why m-me?"
The man's eyes almost sparkled. "Because, my dear boy, you..."
He was interrupted when the store's doors slammed open. Footsteps could be heard. Wakko and Dot's voices sounded out, causing the man to flinch. He looked down at the tall dog-like boy, who in turn looked at him with an expression of triumpth. The man gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let him get away this time.
As Dot whirled around the corner, her eyes shot open big. "Yakko!"
Wakko stopped close behind her. "What are you doing to our brother?!" He whipped out his mallet, preparing to strike.
The man laughed at the bristling siblings. He pressed the telekinetically subdued Yakko against his body. He used one hand to grab his mouth to silence him. The other, he pointed at the siblings. It was amusing to him how they stood there in defiance even though he clearly had the upper hand.
"Take one step towards me, little furball," The man began to twist Yakko's neck painfully, "And your brother will enter the big sleep."
Wakko and Dot stood there horrified.
Happy that they were keeping put for their brother's sake, the man stroked the top of Yakko's head. Yakko had stopped struggling. He looked very tired. But his eyes still held courage. He glared up at the man, his black eyes almost shining in the already brightly lit building. He opened his mouth and attempted to bite the man.
The man pulled his hand back, laughing coldly. "I see we are going to play that game...then so be it!"
With that, he grabbed Yakko by his neck. He cruelly pressed his fingers into his neck and sent a shockwave of energy through him. Yakko screamed in agony, his eyes bulging from their sockets. He soon fell limp in the man's arms, supported by an arm slung over his stomach.
"Yakko, no!" Dot cried, holding out her arm to him. "Let him go! Please!"
The man looked towards the ceiling thoughtfully. "Hmm let me think about that..no!"
Even though it was not lady-like, Dot dropped down on all fours and jumped at the man. She tried to bite him, but felt herself being caught in the man's telekineses powers. She was dragged towards him and was held a foot in front of him.
"You want to come with your brother?" The man pressed his finger under her chin. "Okay then, join the party!"
Wakko was thrown back by a strong force. His back slammed against the aisle. Boxes of food fell on top of him. He watched in utter horror as a dark cloud swirled around the man and he began to sink into the floor. He ran over, tripping over the boxes in the process.
"No! Yakko! Dot!"
By the time he got there, it was too late. He slammed against the cold floor just as the man disappeared with his siblings. He stood there, trembling in fear at what just happened. Tears streamed down his face.
"No..it's not possible...no..."
Wakko didn't notice the store clerk running over to him to see what had happened. All Wakko's mind was focused on was the loss of his siblings. Ears lowered as far as they could go, he pulled his head back and let out a wail.
"No!"