Jennifer made arrangements with Kat for her escape which would take place at 2am. She would be bringing a fairly large package with her, so a little help would be appreciated. She did not specify what the package would be however. Just before 2am the elevator came to the 20th floor and the doors opened. The two armed guards that Angelica had put in the hall were at the elevator when the doors opened, but it was empty.

“Now why would that happen?” asked the one guard. “Who knows?”, said the other, “Could be some drunk from the bar having fun, or he just got on and off again thinking he was already where he wanted to be.” “Maybe, but I do not like it,” said the first guard. “What are you boys looking at?” said a voice. The two men turned around quickly, but no one was there. “I heard a voice,” said one. “So did I,” said the other. “Naturally you did,” said the voice, “we ghosts do talk you know.

Did they not tell you about the ghost that lives on floor 20?” Then her head appeared and the two men jumped backward. The head looked at them. “What is wrong?” she asked, “Is my hair messy?” “Must have some kind of camera in here,” said one. “Cool,” said the head, “where is it?” She started looking around. The two men started getting closer and that is when Kat showed herself completely and began kicking! The two men were quickly subdued and lay on the floor, both dead.

Then Jennifer came out of the room carrying a blanket with something in it. “Let’s go,” she said. They opened the elevator and pressed the button to go down, but did not get on. Then they ran to the stairs and closed the door just in time, as more guards came out of a room, stopping to look at the elevator. They took the other two elevators, which were on the main floor, being held there by more of the girls. A couple of the guards decided to take the stairs but Kat and Jennifer tripped them, knocking them out as they fell down the stairs.

Kat and Jennifer stopped at floor 15 where they had sent their elevator and it was being held by a couple other girls. Soon they were all back at the other hotel, nice and safe. Jennifer’s bundle in a blanket was the cats which apparently Angelica was going to kill since the gas seemed to turn them into ordinary cats. It was true, the cats just meowed, not understanding what the girls were saying. That really got the girls angry though.

Kat reported the news to Annelie. Snow was right there when Kat told her and Snow was so distraught over this news that she just did not know what to do. She would not play or go outside or eat. Annelie tried to tell her that she might still be able to communicate with all the other cats, since she was a cat too. That did not seem to help though. Storm tried talking to Muffin, but she just meowed to him and purred, but that was all.

“Perhaps when that drug wears off,” said Cynthia, “that is so sad though.” By morning the cats were still cats and Angel was shaking terribly and saying she needed her fix or she would die. Kat called Dr. Kerstina and asked her about it. Then she talked with Annelie to see if she knew of a reputable drug dealer in this city. She did find one so Tracy, Pacca, Aasta and Amber went to visit him. He was already told they would be coming.

Soon the girls were back and Angel was settled down again, though it was totally useless to talk with her. She did tell the girls earlier that she had information about Angelica that they did not know, but she would not tell them since they would not help her get drugs. Kerstina gave them advice on what to do, however, and they do need to be careful with Angel right now. But what information does she have, or was she just fooling them in order to get her drugs?

Meanwhile, Angelica was furious that Jennifer had escaped with the cats. “Who cares?” said Carolyn, “the cats were useless after giving them that drug, and for some reason the drug was not working on Jennifer, so they were better off without them. Plus, Jennifer did not know what they were planning anyway.” “You just do not understand The Investigators,” said Angelica, “there was something different about Jennifer and I wanted to find out what it was. She was like, well, like she wasn’t real, and yet she was.”

“I must admit, she was different,” said Carolyn, “sometimes she was hot, sometimes she was cold as ice. But I still think she would just hinder what we want to do, so we are better off without her.” “Maybe so,” sighed Angelica, “now, today we begin the biggest heist in history.” Mother and daughter smiled at each other. “I just hope Reggie doesn’t mess up his part,” said Carolyn. “If he does, he better not show his face around me again,” said Angelica angrily.

Back to Kat and the girls. Angel was starting to return to normal again, somewhat at least, so Tracy started talking to her about Angelica. “That figures,” said Angel disgustedly, “you only want me to give you information, you don’t really care about me anymore. You hate me, you laugh at me, you make fun of me. There is that dirty drunk, you all say. Bet I know what she does for a living. Well, I don’t care what you think of me or how much you hate me! Yeah, I found out all about you from Steve’s good friend Reggie!

You think you’re all so much better than me because you’re all clean, wear nice clothes, use nice perfume, you’re all so nice and pretty and I’m just a drunken sewer rat! You don’t want me on the team anymore, you don’t even want to be seen with me, so why should I help you?!” Then she proceeded to swear at them for the next 10 minutes before just breaking down and crying uncontrollably. Then Storm went over to her and talked to her, saying that none of that was true, that everyone loved her still and wanted her back.

But no one knew she was alive. Tracy confirmed that too, this was the first they knew she was still alive or they would have taken her back before. “But I was in touch before and Steve said I was not welcome,” she told Tracy through sobs. “Did you see Steve in person?” asked Kat. “No, on the phone,” she said, “he did not want to meet me, he told me to stay away and called me horrible names.” “Someone intercepted that phone call,” said Kat, “Steve would never talk to you like that.”

The phone call took place during our last case and apparently I had sent her money and told her to move here. That was a month ago. “Angelica is behind this,” said Jennifer, “and finding Angel here is no coincidence.” “I agree,” said Kat, “Angel, please believe me, we all love you and want you back with us again.” “Can you help me too?” she asked, “I do not like what I have become, but I need help, please help me?”

“We will gladly help you,” said Tracy smiling. Meowr!=Yep, we cats too! “Reggie is going to start a diversion somewhere,” she said, “shooting at people. Then someone else will set off some explosions in another area. While that is going on Angelica will send others to attack the building where those artefacts are being stored.

So, when they realize the secret is out, they will try to move the artefacts somewhere else.” “I wonder where Reggie will be?” asked Kat. “The most logical place,” said Alizea, “and that is right here, so we cannot get out, and perhaps he can kill some of us too.” The girls quickly closed the drapes so no one could see in. “Danger!” yelled Jennifer…

To Be Continued.

©2024 Steve McLeod.