Part 21

Meena looked down the aisle at him, barely noticing anyone else until the short raccoon minister began. "Good evening everyone. We gather here in the eyes of the Almighty God to bear witness to the union of Mr. Alphonso Ramirez and Miss. Meena Patel in holy matrimony. If anyone here can find just cause why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Suddenly, the doors slammed open. "I object!" Everyone turned with alarm. "On account that the bride and her friends are all criminals and under arrest." The little cat announced, a sadistic grin on his face. "For the murder of Buster Moon."

"What!?" Porsha shouted with dismay.

Suki got up and ran to him. "Jerry, what do you think you're doing?"

"Getting justice, Suki! As I promised I would," he laughed.

Rosita shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean? We would never have hurt Buster. Mr. Crystal…"

Jerry held up his hand. "You committed several felonies that night. So because he was killed during the commission of that felony, that makes the entire New Moon Troupe liable for his death." He was practically giddy with laughter at this fact. Meena looked at Alphonso with alarm. "Oh, he didn't know, did he? This is utterly delicious…"

Meena shook her head. "Alphonso, I didn't… I'm…"

He took her hand and squeezed it. "It's okay, Meena. It's going to be okay."

Suki sighed. "Jerry, stop this! You don't know what you're doing!" She pleaded.

He looked at the cops with him. "Let's see, you want groomsman one, groomsman three, bridesmaids one and two, and the maid of honor."

Calloway gave him a calm, antelope-eating grin. "What about me? I was part of it."

Ryan held Johnny's hand. "You can't take him without getting through me."

Jerry just laughed. "And anyone who helps them resist will be arrested too for aiding and abetting."

Meena's grandfather got in the middle of the aisle, his girth blocking the path. "Then you better go ahead and arrest me because you sure as hell aren't touching my grandbaby! And I dare you to try and get past me!"

"Grandpa no, don't." Meena was afraid but she couldn't let her grandfather, her family risk themselves for her. She looked at Alphonso. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She said as the cops took her friends and grabbed her.

He hugged her, trying not to let go. "It's going to be alright. I'll get you out of this."

Marcus growled as they were escorted out of the chapel. He glared at the cat. "What do you want? What's your plan here, you little shitstain?"

Jerry's voice got just loud enough for Marcus to hear. "I want you. Confess to the murder of Mr. Crystal and I'll drop the charges."

Suki rolled her eyes. "Jerry, if you don't drop the charges anyway, you're not going to be laughing much longer." She held Marcus by the arm, whispering.

Jerry looked at the cops. "Oh, arrest- her too, she's an accomplice."

Norman tried to reach his wife but she shook her head. "It'll be alright, Norman. Stay with the kids. It'll be alright." She reassured him. There were too many innocent people to risk any kind of fighting.

Porsha glared at Jerry. "I don't know what you're thinking, Jerry, but you're not going to get away with this!"

All Alphonso could do was watch as his bride and her friends were pulled out of the church. The bull elephant shook his head, trying to process it. He was trembling and trying just to breathe.

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They were all taken to the detention center a few miles away from the church. Rosita looked at the floor. "Is this really happening? Can they really do this?"

Clay nodded quietly. "It's rare but it's the felony-murder rule. It doesn't matter to the law who actually did the deed."

Ash shook her head. "This is… I can't believe this! Meena, are you alright?" They all looked at their friend, still wearing her wedding gown and veil. She had been surprisingly quiet and even calm.

"Yeah. I should be terrified but I'm not, and I don't know why. I just… I just know that we're going to get out of this. I just don't know how but it's okay." What was the feeling stirring inside her?"

Johnny bit his lip. Ryan was willing to be arrested with them but he couldn't let him do that. "How can you be sure? They actually have a case. And Moon isn't here to get us out of this like he did my dad."

She reached into her dress, pulling out the pendant. "Yes, he is. And not just him… I can't explain it but… we're not in this alone."

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Back at the church,

"Daddy, where did Mommy go?" One of the piglets asked their father while the pastor did his best to calm the rest of the church. He didn't know what to say. How could Norman explain that their mother had just been taken to jail?

Ryan pulled out his phone and called their teacher, letting him know what happened. "Klaus is coming. Don't know what he thinks he can do. He's not a lawyer. We have to get Johnny out of there."

Marcus nodded. "All of them. I've been inside. It's no place for any of them. Especially Johnny or Nooshy. Or Suki… I… I'll give Jerry what he wants. I'll confess to Crystal's murder and he'll drop the other charges…"

"No you won't," Alphonso corrected him. "I don't know what happened. I don't care. But you're not giving that bully what he wants. We… we have… have to trust that God knows what he's doing and pray for answers."

"How can you bring up God now!" Ryan's voice echoed. "How can you pray and pull up your precious Bible now!"

"Because it's all I've got! That's all I know to do! And it's all we have right now! That's how! I can either trust in God or I can go insane! Guess which one I pick!" Alphonso shouted back. "Pastor Rick, you should dismiss everyone else. But we will try again as soon as they're free. Can you take my dad back to the nursing home?"

His pastor only gave him a knowing smile. "Alphonso, if you think we're leaving you now, you're sorely mistaken. You are our brother and we are on your side. You know what to do."

His father nodded. "Paul and Silas were falsely imprisoned too." He reminded his son.

Alphonso grew quiet as he lowered his head. Prayer was all he had. "And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed inside that prison. Singing hymns to God the prisoners listened. Little did they know what would come next…" He stood up. "The earth began to quake, and the foundation of that jail began to shake. The door flung open. The chains of all the prisoners came loose." He walked towards the doors as he sang. In the moment, he had wanted to give way to panic and uncertainty, but his new friends needed someone to have hope and courage in their moment of uncertainty.

Tyler took his hand, singing with him. "So don't tell me what praise cannot do. The sound of our faith makes the mountains move."

"And I won't wait until the morning. I will worship you right now!" Alphonso declared as he led the way out. The rest of the church followed, singing along, to the confusion of the others.

Ryan looked at the guys who only shrugged. "I guess we follow them?" He didn't know what these Bible thumpers thought they could do. Klaus would even be more helpful. But they were already on their way out, clearly believing they could do something.

So all they could do was follow along. The congregation filled the streets in a strange parade of song.

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In the prison, the New Moon troupe held each other, trying to comfort each other and stay calm. Meena looked up. "Do you hear that?" She asked.

They all got quiet, trying to listen to the night air. Rosita shook her head. "No, I don't hear anything."

Johnny nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Meena, I don't hear anything either."

She smiled. "It's Alphonso…. In your midnight

When the thoughts are building up just like a prison

Don't forget your song, the Father's listening

To еvery melody and evеry word." She had never heard this song but the words and melody just came to her heart.

Ash looked out the window and her mouth fell. "Um, guys, you should see this…" She drew their attention to the odd procession making its way down Main Street, with Alphonso in the lead.

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Outside the prison, the congregation stopped. Jerry came outside. "What do you think you are doing?" He demanded.

"I'm here to get my bride out," Alphonso told him. "I know you think you're getting justice but I implore you to search your soul. You know this is wrong. Let them go!"

Jerry glared at him. "Search my soul? What? Who do you think you are? What do you think you can do?"

Porsha folded her hands together, begging. "Jerry, please. Drop the charges, let them go. They're my friends. Daddy wouldn't want this now!"

The cat glared up at her. "Shut up! You don't know what 'Daddy' would want! You selfish, spoiled, entitled princess! And there's nothing any of you can do about it!"

Alphonso looked at the prison. He could see Meena looking out at him. He could hear her singing. "So don't tell me what praise cannot do. The sound of our faith makes the mountains move."

"Let's build a home with our praise," his voice mingled with hers. "For nothing can hold back the Father's Grace." Dozens of hands reached up to the heavens, as they all sang together, like a choir. The foundation beneath the prison began to shake and tremble.

Inside the cell, Clay got his guitar, providing accompaniment to the song. "This is the breakthrough. What if God is doing something brand new? There are other people coming with you. And freedom is the door we're walking through." As if on cue, the outside wall of their cell cracked, making a large opening.

Meena ran out through the opening and into Alphonso's waiting arms. He held her to him. Her mother, grandfather and grandmother hugged them both in a group hug. Even Mr. Ramirez did his best to join in. Rosita flew to her husband and children. Ryan didn't wait for Johnny, he ran forward and jumped into the gorilla's arms and kissed him deeply. He wasn't sure what just happened but he would take it.

The cat hissed in anger. "Well, rearrest them! They're escaping."

Porsha smacked him. "Stop it, Jerry." She looked at the cops. "This is all a misunderstanding. They did not break into the theater. They had permission because I gave it to them. Daddy always gave me what I wanted and I thought if I gave permission it would be enough for him. They didn't commit any crimes that night."

Ash found Lance standing with his kids. "You came too? I'm surprised."

The male porcupine hugged her without waiting for permission. "Of course I came. I never stopped caring about you. I never stopped loving you." He admitted. "I understand if you don't feel the same way but I had to tell you."

Raquelle and Little Lance clapped quietly to themselves, stepping away a little to let them talk.

Jerry growled as he realized the cops were not going to rearrest the escaping prisoners. Suki just gave him a cocky grin. "I told you, Jerry, this wasn't going to go well for you. There's just not enough evidence that a crime was committed."

He looked around. He couldn't let it go. He couldn't just let them go. He had to do something. A shadow settled over him and he looked up at the large gorilla. Fear filled his chest. What would this beast do to him?

"Raoul," Suki asked the bodyguard who had finally made it. "Take Jerry back to his house. Make sure he stays there. Get help, Jerry. You have no case. Let it go."

"No!" He screamed and before Raoul could grab him, he dashed forward, grabbing Raquelle, and gripping her by the collar, the little girl screaming for her father.

Lance watched with terror as the crazed tom cat took his daughter. "Raquelle!"

Suki reached out to the cat. "Jerry, what are you doing? Let that little girl go."

"Stop! Don't come near me, or I'll break her neck right here. I'm getting justice one way or another!" He shouted, tearing away with the little girl.

"What! Where's he taking her? I have to save my daughter!" Lance pleaded. "I have to save my baby!"

Suki shook her head, astounded by Jerry's desperate behavior. "There's only one place. Where it all started."

AN: So looks like the gang is being forced back to the theater. Will they be able to save Raquelle? What will this mean for the rest of the cast? And will Meena and Alphonso ever get to get married? Keep reading to find out. Please review. I love concrit. Sorry I could not resist the fun of a miracle.