Hello again! Here we are at the next episode…

Last time on Care Bears Z, our heroes entered the many conflicts surrounding both their human and guardian lives. With No Heart plotting in the shadows, will the Care Bear Family ever regain its members without causing suspicion? Find out in Care Bears Z Episode 08: Deception and Villainous Uprising!

~Z~

"Hey, Terrence, you sure you're alright, dude?" Benjamin asked. "You're spacing out again."

It was the last period of the day, the one class Terrence had with remarkably all his friends. Benjamin, Preston, Brandon, Chris, Lisa, as well as several others sat around the English classroom, waiting for the bell to ring.

"Hm? Oh, sorry," Terrence yawned. "I was just thinking about this weekend. Dad, Wendy, and I are planning on visiting mom…"

"Well, make sure you get some rest, first," Ben stated. "Before you end up like poor Brian."

Both boys looked to the back of the classroom. Sitting at the farthest desk was Brian Facey; a boy no-one really saw much of. He was currently in his most common state: asleep. It was a marvel how the boy managed to get passing grades in every class when he was hardly ever awake. At the moment, he was snoozing happily while Preston fought back snickers as he lowered a worksheet in front of his face. The sleeping boy wrinkled his nose as Preston nudged him repeatedly. Brian finally awoke with a slight jolt. Preston laughed, but the blue-haired boy simply yawned and put his head back down.

"Poor guy…" Ben shook his head. "So naïve to the atrocities of this world…I can only hope that Preston doesn't pull another 2010 April Fool's."

Terrence's face turned serious.

"We don't talk about that."

"Sorry," Ben raised his hands in surrender.

Terrence shook his head and looked around the room. He caught the eye of Lisa, who smiled and waved his way. He waved back, but quickly lowered his hand when Lisa's friends, Charity, Precious, and Fiona, started giggling and talking in hushed voices about something. He blushed and looked back to Ben, who was shaking his head slowly.

"You, sir, are hopeless."

"Oh, come on," Terrence leaned back in his seat. "This is a new thing for me."

"Ah, the glories of young love!" Preston leaned over onto the desk. "So new! So fresh! Wait…what are we talking about?"

"…Preston," Ben blinked at the grinning teen. "You are so random."

~Z~

Lisa sat stiffly in the back of her family's Ford Fusion. She kept her eyes straight ahead, trying not to look into the mirror, where her father's eyes glanced up every few seconds. This proved very difficult, so instead she turned her head to the window and looked at the quickly passing scenery. She kept her face expressionless, though inside she was becoming a nervous wreck.

The past few days had gone by without much excitement. With the weekend now here, and Lisa's parents had decided it was the perfect time to let the police team interrogate her. She was still working out a plan in her mind; what would she do if Mr. Danek wasn't the one who questioned her? What if it was some tough detective who played the bad cop role too well? She would have to play her cards carefully enough with Mr. Danek…

"Answer all of their questions, Lisa," her father's voice derailed her train of thought. She glanced up and nodded absently. "Don't be afraid to tell them everything; the police want to help you."

"I know, Dad," she said softly. Oh, how she wished she could have talked to True Heart and Noble Heart before this. Surely Tiara, with her knowledge of the law, could give her tips on how to slide through the questioning. Being a lawyer, she probably knew all the ways to pick apart a testimony. Not that it was a bad thing…Lisa sighed and touched her hand to her pocket, where her pen was snug against her hip.

They pulled into Carenburg's only police station with hardly a sound. The parking lot was only half full, and not many people were beyond the building's glass double doors. Lisa felt a blast of cool air hit her as she pushed open the door. She looked around the room, taking in the sight of everyone present. She felt her father's hand on her shoulder. He gently guided her over to the main desk. A sharply dressed woman sat there, looking over some papers.

"Name?" she asked with barely a glance upward. Lisa hesitated before opening her mouth, allowing her father to answer for her.

"Lisa Clarke, here for, um…interrogation." his voice seemed off; emotion was hidden behind it, but Lisa couldn't quite tell what it was.

"Ah, yes," the woman sniffed. "You're in that room there, dear. Officer Danek will be with you in a minute."

Lisa's heart turned cartwheels against her ribs. Relief flooded through her, but she tried not to smile. She nodded to the secretary and to her parents, who followed her until she crossed through the door. The inside of the room was painted a deep shade of blue. Its furniture looked nothing like the stereotypical interrogation rooms one sees on TV; apparently Mr. Danek had customized his. The table was a nice off-white color, the chairs were large and cushioned, and a vase of blue forget-me-nots sat on the table next to a large novel and a desk lamp. Lisa sat down in one of the chairs, and then gave a half-smile out the window to her mother and father. They both waved tensely.

The door opened, and in strode Arthur Danek.

He was a tall, lean man, with short bluish hair and a just-so amount of stubble. He wore a rather old-fashioned black business suit that had the power to look both office worker and policeman-worthy. The familiarity of his brown eyes sent a little of Lisa's worry away. He flashed a small smile at Lisa and sat in the other chair across from her.

"Good morning, Miss Clarke," he said in his smooth voice. "A nice Saturday it is so far; how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Danek," she said, immediately relaxing. "How are you?"

"Just fine, just fine. Now Lisa," he propped his arms up on the table with his elbows. "This won't take too long. The questions I have for you are about Tuesday night and Tuesday night only, alright?"

"Okay…" Lisa shifted in her chair, suddenly feeling the weight of the man's gaze on her. That was the thing about both Mr. Danek and his son, who was in Lisa's school and grade: they could read people. Once they got a good look at whoever was having trouble, their perceptive minds could pick apart nearly everything that person said. Lisa supposed it came with being part of the police's investigative branch, and being related to one.

"First off, what exactly were you doing before the incident?" Lisa swallowed nervously despite the easiness of the question.

"I was in my backyard, practicing my lines for our school play…Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare." she couldn't help but add that in. Mr. Danek nodded.

"Can you tell me, in as much detail as you can, what happened from six thirty to ten thirty-five that night?"

"Well…" Lisa took a deep breath. She fixed her posture and tried to look the man in the face, appearing confident. "That night, as I was practicing, some…thing crashed into the maple tree. I don't remember what it was, exactly…" she paused.

"What did it look like?" Mr. Danek asked. Lisa bit her lip.

"It was big and yellow," she said. "I don't know what it was." The look on the officer's face made her nervous. "…then this guy just rushed at me. He had brown hair and these beady eyes…" she gripped her chair as she described Beastly as best she could. "He wore old-fashioned clothes, like an old uniform or something…and he grabbed me and started dragging me away…" Lisa sniffed, trying to decide whether or not she should play it up. She decided it was worth it. "He was really strong…I was so scared…" she forced moisture into her eyes. She could practically feel her parents' gazes as they wondered just what their daughter was saying.

"Can you go on?" Mr. Danek asked gently. Lisa sniffed and nodded.

"I don't know where we went…he pushed me into a c-car, to the floor, and I couldn't look through the windows from there…" Lisa stuttered. In her mind she was laughing. Being an actress had its perks!

"And then?" Mr. Danek's intrigue showed on his face. Lisa fought back the smile of triumph.

"We were driving for an hour at least. The next thing I know, we're at this shady looking place…and there were these other people; a girl, and this guy who kept wearing a…a mask," Lisa put a hand to her forehead. "It's all so foggy…I can't really recall much of what went on…but I know that some other people came in. There was a man, a-and a woman. They were fighting at one point. It was scary…" she sniffled again. If Mr. Danek was anything else like his son Lloyd, he would have a strong sense of chivalry and a very tuggable heartstring.

"The masked man t-tried to hit me with something, but he missed," she continued. "But it startled me so much; I passed out…" she folded her arms in the most innocent fashion she could muster. "When I woke up, I was being carried by someone…I panicked, but they just put me down and ran off. They were wearing strange clothes; they looked sort of high-end, like the stuff you see at rich parties…" Lisa sighed, her voice cracking a bit. "And then I realized I was in front of my house. I ran in and…that's what happened."

"…What do you mean when you say you panicked?" Mr. Danek sat back in his chair. Lisa gave him s slight shrug.

"I…panicked. I started flailing and struggling; I thought whoever had me was, you know, against me. But he just put me down and-

"He?"

"Y-Yes," she stammered. "The way he was carrying me, I could tell it was a guy. He wasn't that tall from what I saw, and he was kind of thin. I never saw his face."

Mr. Danek was silent for a while. Lisa's heart was beating in her throat. Was her story strong enough? It had been enough to fool her parents, but could it possibly slide by one of Carenburg's most successful detectives?

"…and you're absolutely sure you don't remember anything else?" he asked, studying her fiercely. Lisa fought down the urge to turn away. She nodded quickly.

"I told you everything I could, Mr. Danek," she said. "I really don't remember anything else. I'm sorry I can't be of much help…" she lowered her head, sticking her lip out just so.

"…I'll admit that while your story was vague, it did help a bit," he sighed. "You do seem very rattled; perhaps we should stop for now."

"I promise, Mr. Danek, if I think of anything else, I'll let you know," Lisa said. The man nodded before getting up out of his chair.

"I suppose that's it, then," he stretched. "Take care, dear."

"Goodbye," she said softly. Arthur watched as she left the room and walked into the waiting arms of her parents. The man slid his hands into his pockets.

"What are you up to, Lisa?" he asked this more to himself. "I know you're hiding something from me…"

~Z~

"Are you okay, Terrence?" Mr. Lawson asked his son. Terrence was gripping Wendy's hand a little too tightly, and the girl was trying to worm her way out.

"Don't worry, Terrence," she said happily as she pulled her hand away. "I'm sure Mom is just fine; I'll bet she's just sitting up waiting for us!"

Terrence looked down at his sister, whose innocent face filled him with apprehension. He couldn't bear the thought of her ever finding out just how sick their mother was, or even worse, what had happened just at the beginning of the week. Mrs. Lawson, along with many other patients, had been moved to another hospital not too far from the first one. Terrence's mind kept going back to that night, and he swallowed the lump in his throat when he thought about how his mother had looked. He knew it was for the best that little Wendy didn't need to know what had happened at the hospital. Their father had simply told her that Mrs. Lawson had moved due to the need of different equipment.

The elevator stopped, and its doors opened, letting him and his family out. The Lawsons walked down the halls until they reached room 3-11. Mr. Lawson went in first, wearing as big a smile as he could muster. Wendy came in next, followed by Terrence.

"Hi, mommy," Wendy leaned over the bed's rail, turning down her enthusiasm so as to not disturb anyone else on the floor, especially the nurses just a couple feet from the door. "How are you?"

"Oh, my baby," Erica Lawson hugged her daughter close. She was thin and small, and she seemed almost buried beneath her covers. "I'm feeling so good with you here."

"That's good to hear, sweetie." Mr. Lawson sat next to his wife. Terrence found a seat in the last available chair.

"Hey, mom," he said softly. Mrs. Lawson smiled at him. Despite her fragile features, her eyes shone with delight.

"Oh, Terrence," she said. "It's so good to see you. How has school been?"

"Alright," he said, forcing emotion down. "We're h-having another service learning project. We're going to have a drive for a homeless shelter…"

"How wonderful," the woman said. "You and your friends really think up great ideas." she turned to Wendy and Mr. Lawson. "Now what about you two? I want to hear details."

The next couple hours passed with much conversation about the week's events…well, most of them. Terrence didn't talk about anything Care Bear related, and no-one brought up the incident at the hospital. It wasn't until about three or four hours had passed that they had to part ways; Mrs. Lawson had to get ready for another treatment. Terrence was the last to get up and leave.

"Terrence," his mother called. "Before you go, I have something to tell you."

"What's that?" he sat back down on the bed. Mrs. Lawson grasped his hand. A sudden wave of worry and sadness rushed through Terrence, and he fought back a gasp. His mother's hand, so warm and once so smooth, now felt so fragile it might shatter with one wrong move.

"On the night of that attack," she started. Terrence's heart dropped to the floor. "I…saw something. I heard something. I suppose it could have been a dream, but…I heard your voice, Terrence."

"Y-you did?" he gasped. Mrs. Lawson nodded.

"I don't know what you were saying, but it filled me with warmth. I felt safer when I heard it. I doubt it was really anything special, but…Terrence, I'm so proud of you. Keep doing what you're doing, alright?"

"R-right." Terrence could hardly see through the tears invading his eyes. His mother pulled him into a hug.

"I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, mom."

"Terrence, dad says it's time to go!" Wendy popped her head through the door. Terrence got up and walked to her. "Bye, mama!"

"Goodbye, sweethearts!" the woman called as a nurse came into the room.

Terrence was silent on the drive back. He refused to let the tears fall until he was in his room. He lay on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He stared at the tummy symbol on his pen, and then hugged it to his chest.

~Z~

"Is it time now, Uncle?" Shrieky glared into her magic mirror. "Can I go now?"

"Yes, yes you may, Shrieky," No Heart said. "Make sure you do this right."

"Don't worry, that idiot isn't coming along to botch it this time," she scowled at the ceiling, where Beastly was off doing something or another. "I won't fail, No Heart."

"You'd better not," the wizard's eyes flashed brightly for a moment. He pointed one spindly finger toward the door. "Now, go!"

Meanwhile, Arnold Jossburg was grumbling to himself as he marched up to his front door.

"Darn manager…how can he let this go so easily? Hart doesn't even have a solid excuse! Not to mention I get all his work to do…bah!" the man scowled as he dropped his keys. He stooped to pick them up. "Darn night…so dark you can't see a thing! Anywho…I'm tired of being his shadow! When am I going to get my promotion? When is he going to get demoted? What does he have that I haven't got!?""

"It seems like you have a problem," a voice said. Jossburg whipped around at the sound. He squinted in the darkness, seeing nothing but a figure leaning against a tree.

"Who's there? Who are you?" he demanded. "This is private property; get out of here!"

"Hmm, you are mean," the voice continued. Its owner stalked her way across the lawn Jossburg merely scowled. "Uncle was right about you."

"A punk kid, eh? Go home!" he took a step toward her. The girl merely smirked and raised an antique-looking mirror towards him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Taking you away."

"Wha-!" before the man could react, a beam of light flashed from the mirror and hit him square in the chest. He gasped, stumbling backward. His body pulsed with light before flickering away. Shrieky smiled devilishly before doing the same, leaving the night in silence.

~Z~

Well, that escalated quickly. I hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks again, and I'll see you next week!

~Smiley :)