Everyone ready?
Lauren: Ready!
Mike: Ready. (Frowns at Davy) Shouldn't you be captured?
Davy: Umm, oops, sorry! *leaves* :P
Peter: (With muffin in his mouth) Reffy!
Micky: *laughs* I'm ready!
*We open in the basement of the Royale Hunter Theater. Davy is bound, gagged, and squirming around on a bed off to the side, while Shelia & Alex put their next set of plans together.*
Shelia: (Smirks at Alex) How did your...fun...with our little Lord of the Manor go? ;)
Alex: *nods* Went very well. I had a lot of fun with him, too. *smirks at Davy, who mumbles through his gag* >:)
Shelia: And my sister....
Alex: Completely muddled. It'll be quite a while before she's thinking straight again.
Shelia: Good. We've got to figure out a way to lower or eliminate those defenses she's built up around her casing and get our hands on her when the others aren't there.
Alex: *nods* Yeah. Too bad it doesn't seem to be all that easy. If we were able to take out the others, then we'd only have to deal with her. Maybe she'd even go willingly.
Shelia: The Guardian Warriors of the Light are like the children she never had. She doesn't want any harm to come to them, especially after what happened to the original Guardians.
Alex: So if we threaten to do something to them, she'll go along with just about anything to keep them safe. ;) >:)
Shelia: (Smiles evily) Exactly. >:)
Alex: How do we go about getting them, then?
(Davy's eyes widen and he squirms, weakly trying to loosen the ropes that bind his wrists and ankles.)
Shelia: (Smiles) We go to them when they least expect it. We've already invaded their neighborhood. We'll trap them in one of their homes. >:)
Alex: *grins* I like that! >:) ;)
(Davy shakes his head, struggling against the ropes that bind him.)
Shelia: You could subdue the Savage and the White Knight. I'll handle the women.
(Davy growls under his gag.)
Alex: *grin widens* Gladly, Milady.
Shelia: We won't do TOO much harm to any of them, just enough to frighten my sister into giving herself up to us. ;) >:)
Alex: Right. Can I make a request, then? I wanna drop in on my double. >:)
Shelia: (Smirks) We could do that. I wouldn't mind a chat with the Mother myself.
(Davy's eyes blaze and he struggles as fiercely as he can.)
Alex: Excellent. *smirks*
Shelia: The only ones I want no harm to come to are the Bard and the Scholar. The Bard will be more useful in one piece...and will probably be easily subdued by simple threats, especially to his soulmate. The Scholar is with child.
(Davy growls and struggles again.)
Alex: *nods* The rest are free game. ;)
Shelia: Quite. ;)
(Davy shakes his head.)
Alex: I'd love to CHAT with the Savage, THANK him for what he's done for me. When do we go?
Shelia: In a little while. I have to refresh my makeup. :p (As she turns her head to look into a compact mirror, we see, under a flaking layer of concealer, nasty gashes that look as if they were created by the nails of a wild animal.)
(Davy smirks at her marred face. ;) )
Alex: That's fine. Something to look forward to. ;) >:)
(Davy glares at them. Shelia sighs and closes the compact.)
Shelia: I have to use the powder room. Would you keep an eye on our little guest while I'm there? Don't enjoy yourself too much. (Grins and runs her fingers across Davy's chest and crotch) I want to have a little fun with him myself later. ;)
(Davy growls and tries to kick at her with his bound ankles.)
Alex: Now, now, that isn't very nice! :P
Shelia: What was that for, little slave? Aren't you comfortable here? (Smirks) I'll just be a minute! (Blows a kiss to both and leaves the room)
(Davy glares at Alex and tries to kick at him, too.)
Alex: Watch it, shorty. *glares, raising a fist* :P
(Davy glares right back and struggles more.)
Alex: Oh, knock it off. *goes over to Davy & presses his fingers to his temples & begins to rub*
(Davy's eyes widen, but they finally become hazy. He slumps on the bed, still glaring but no longer struggling.)
Alex: Much better. >:)
*We fade out on the Theater's basement & into the Cave. Several shadows appear at the entrance.*
(Ursula is still dark as the group enters. She slowly and hazily brightens as they get closer to her.)
Mike: Hello? Ursula? (Taps her) You all right, darlin'?
Ursula: (Annoyed) Don't do that. :p
Micky: Oh, man, Urse! What happened? :P
Ursula: My sister was here.
Valerie: Shelia?
Ursula: I have no other sisters. :p
Micky: *makes a face* ...And anyone else?
Ursula: I...I...I can't remember...there was someone there...
Emma: Who, Ursula? It's really important!
Daphne: They have Davy! :(
Ursula: Huntress, I know. I just can't remember who was with her!
Lauren: Try, Urse, please!
Mike: Did he look like Micky, Urse?
Ursula: I...it's so hazy...
*Micky frowns.*
Peter: (Puts his hand on Ursula and frowns) Oh, god, Urse, you're so confused. Your aura is shakier than a top about to fall down! :p
Lauren: Oh, man! :P
Ursula: He...they...hurt Davy...scarred him and told him he was little more than a charity case and unworthy of Daphne's love.
Micky: What? :-O
Daphne: (Eyes widen) He's NOT unworthy of me! I love him! He's the funniest, sweetest, smartest guy I've ever known!
Mike: Musta read his soul.
Daphne: Which explains the burning I felt this morning. :p
Lauren: And everything else you felt, too. :P
Emma: Mike and I don't mind having him. He isn't home half the time, anyway. He's either with Daphne or hanging out with Micky or at the stables or rehersing.
Daphne: (Clentches her fists) Oooh, if they've hurt him more than a few cuts and bruises, I'll....
Valerie: I doubt he is, Daph. For one thing, you would have felt it.
Mike: And they won't hurt him too badly. He's bait for the rest of us. :p
Micky: No kidding. :P
Ursula: (Softly) No, you're ALL bait. For me.
Mike: What do you mean?
Ursula: Julia knows how much all of you mean to me. If she has you...
Daphne: We won't LET her get all of us!
Micky: Damn right! X-(
Lauren: Yeah!
Ursula: It's just (sob) I lost your ancestors. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too. :(( :(
Peter: (Hugs Ursula) It'll be ok, Urse. We all take care of each other. :)
Mike: We ain't our ancestors, Ursula. We'll be all right.
Micky: We've made it out of tough scrapes before, we can do it again!
Ursula: But I'm afraid...if she tries again...
Mike: This might not be a bad time to set up that security system we mentioned a while back, Mick.
Micky: *nods* Yeah, definitely.
Valerie: I could contact my father and see if we could find a less elaborate version of his security system for all three of the houses. No guards and dogs, of course, but something would be better than nothing, especially if there are two devils after us now.
Mike: We've got families to protect, too. (Rubs Emma's stomach)
Peter: Maybe we could ask Mr. Bennett if he saw anything on the street. His house was one of the ones that was hit.
Valerie: We've still got to talk to Mendrek, too.
Emma: It would be nice to know how Shelia found Mendrek...and warn him in case she tries anything on him and his daughter. :p
Lauren: Right. :P
Micky: *makes a face* I hope Mr. Bennett isn't one for throwing things at people. :P
Peter: He wouldn't do that!
Valerie: He might even had gotten a good look at Shelia with him.
Micky: As long as he doesn't point at me while backing away. :P
Peter: He's a nice guy. He's helped us before!
Daphne: That's true.
Valerie: I seem to remember him being a big help when Zero and Shelia trapped all of us in the Montgomery House. :p
Micky: *nods* Yeah. It's just that the rest of the neighborhood has me worried. :P
Mike: We could blue-light right to his house.
Peter: (Nods) He knows about our powers!
Emma: (Makes a face) It would save wear-and-tear on us, too.
Micky: That would be greatly appreciated. :)
Mike: Ok. Let's get goin'. Hopefully, Shelia and her pal haven't done any more damage.
Ursula: Good luck, my warriors!
Mike: Thanks, Urse.
Micky: Thank you!
Daphne: (Sighs; more to herself) Oh, Davy, I hope you're ok...
*Everyone closes their eyes or concentrates. They disappear in blue & dark blue lights and reappear at the back of Mr. Bennett's house.*
Micky: Okay, someone go ahead of me. :P
Peter: I'll go. (He knocks on the door. Mr. Bennett sticks his head out)
Bennett: Oh, hello, Peter! Today isn't one of our teaching days, is it?
Peter: (Shakes his head) We just need to ask a few questions. Can we come in?
Bennett: Of course. You know you're always welcome here, all of you.
Peter: (Nods at Micky) Can Micky come, too? You won't throw fruit at him or anything, will you?
*Micky gives a nervous smile.*
Bennett: (Shakes his head) Of course, he can come. (Grins) The only fruit I have anyway are some rather ripe bananas that have more bruises on them than a pugilist after the ninth round in the championship bout. ;)
Peter: (Grins at the group) See? He's ok! :)
Micky: Thanks, Mr. Bennett! #:-S
*The group follows Bennett into the house & gather in the living room.*
Bennett: (Sits in his large, Victorian-style chair as the others settle in chairs or on the couch; Peter and Valerie end up on the piano bench) Ok, kids, we need to talk. What happened last night? I saw what looked like the young woman who was the niece of the Devil and supposedly dead. And the man with her, the one who demolished the street, was an exact duplicate of Micky.
Peter: Mr. Bennett, he WAS Micky's duplicate.
Micky: And the niece didn't die, she just kinda disappeared for a while.
Daphne: We think he's a clone...and he has Davy! :(
Mr. Bennett: Whoa, one at a time! First of all, it's obvious from the chaos last night that the niece did survive. No mere vandals could committed such crimes in detail...and every last person hit was someone who knows all of you. The Parkers had their ornamental bushes uprooted and their daughter's play equipment chopped into splinters. The McNultys' house was covered with toilet paper. Marge Purdy's dog Duke was completely shaved.
Lauren: Oh, man... :P
Mike: Bastard hit us, too. We got TPed, and the MonkeeMobile was wrecked.
(Emma puts a hand on Mike's to calm him. He smiles wearily and squeezes her hand.)
Micky: And just about everyone thought it was me. Most of them still do. :P
Valerie: The Montgomery House was wrapped with silly string...inside AND out. The instruments are a mess. The piano will take weeks to fix, and Peter's guitars and banjo are total losses. :p
(Peter looks like he may cry. :( :(( )
Mike: (Growls) I bet the asshole did it so it just looked like random vandalism. Most everyone around here knows Micky likes to play pranks.
Peter: But he's never gone this far before!
Mike: No, Shelia just wants it to LOOK like he did.
Bennett: Not her.
Emma: Why not? :p
Bennett: That woman had some...interest...in you boys. Unhealthy interest, if I'm recalling things correctly. :p
Mike: (Mutters) You might say that... :p X(
Micky: Very unhealthy. :P
Bennett: So, why the petty childishness? This doesn't seem like the act of a sophisticated woman who wants to bed four young men.
Emma: (Thoughtful) No. It's the act of the clone of a young man known for playing harmless pranks...an EVIL clone.
Bennett: (Shakes his head) Now you're getting into Ray Bradbury territory. :p
Micky: But it's true. :P
Mike: Shelia worked with a scientist who was tryin' to split personalities. She must have elaborated on his formula.
Bennett: Only, instead of merely splitting his personality...
Valerie: She created an entirely new person from the old one.
Micky: And tried to make me forget everything that happened. *shakes his head* I only remember a little bit. I don't even actually remember the clone. *makes a face* I DO remember how she shaped his soul, though. :P
Bennett: If she has the power to create the clone's body, it goes without saying that she'd be able to create his personality as well. :p
Valerie: Unfortunatly.
Micky: It wasn't pretty. :-&
Bennett: (Raises his eyebrows) I'll take your word for it. :p Do any of you know where she or this clone is now...and how you're going to explain all of this to the police?
Lauren: We could tell the Sarge that Shelia threatened Mick in some way and he HAD to do all of that stuff.
Emma: (Grins) Given how Nielson feels about Shelia, I think he'll buy that. ;)
Mike: If it'll get her behind bars, he'll buy ANYTHING. ;)
Micky: As for where they're hiding, it's an old movie theater. Not a clue which one. :P
Bennett: I'm afraid that doesn't narrow it down, especially in southern California.
Valerie: Maybe we could check out all of the movie theaters built before World War II that were bought within the last six months or so.
Bennett: I still have friends who work at the theaters. I could ask them if any of the older "palaces" have been purchased recently.
Emma: That's not all. We think Mendrek the Magician and his daughter may be inadvertantly involved.
Bennett: Mendrek...(frowns)...oh, I've seen his act several times. Not a bad old-time illusionist, if you like that sort of thing.
Mike: Unfortunatly, we ain't his favorite people. He has this idea that we stole a gig from him, even though we all lost it in the end. :p
Peter: The manager liked us and hired us, but fired him. He thought it was because no one wants to see illusionists anymore. Everyone wants to see rock. (Frowns) The circus people said that, too. They all thought the discoteques were taking their audience.
Bennett: I've heard the same complaints in radio. Ten years ago, the kind of music you boys play would never have recieved the air time it gets now...and twenty years ago, they would have been playing Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.
Emma: So much has changed in the last thirty or forty years, I think a lot of people are still trying to catch up.
Mike: Mendrek and the circus people among them.
Micky: And some don't adjust very well. :P
Daphne: Or at all. The movie studios had to sell off most of their backlots and let their contract players go. :p
Emma: Magazines have been starting to go for niche markets...and most of the "pulps" are long gone.
Daphne: And need we discuss the change in clothes?
Bennett: (Chuckles) Actually, clothing styles haven't changed as much as you think, young lady. Some of the dresses I see young ladies wearing nowadays could have been worn by Louise during the earliest days of our courtship. Short skirts were considered just as scandalous then as they are now. ;)
Mike: We've got to some how convince Mendrek that we're not his enemy, Shelia is.
Peter: How? He doesn't like that we represent rock and TV and all of the new stuff that's taking audiences away from his magic. :p :(
Valerie: Maybe if he saw Shelia at work...
Lauren: That's not a bad idea.
Micky: How do we get him to see it, though?
Mike: Maybe we could do somethin' in front of Shelia. Get her steamed and make her perform her little "tricks" on us.
Micky: That won't be tough to pull off. :P ;)
Bennett: As I recall, her temper was not the sort that's easily curbed. :p
Mike: Tell me about it. :p
Valerie: We've just got to get to Mendrek and Shelia when they're together.
Mike: Um, does anyone know where Mendrek is now?
Bennett: (Gets up and comes back with a newspaper) I don't, but the Malibu Beach Register does. (Circles one particular ad and hands Micky the paper) Seems Mendrek has himself a job at the Pacifica Club, near the Theater District.
Peter: (Thoughtful) The theater district...
Micky: *eyebrows raise* I wonder...
Valerie: I'll bet Shelia got him that gig. :p
Lauren: More than likely. :P
Mike: It's just a matter of catching both of them off-guard.
Emma: Not an easy thing to do to the Devil. :p
Micky: No kidding. :P
Bennett: Especially one who seems, pardon the expression, hell-bent on making all of you her captives.
Lauren: And that's putting it mildly.
Emma: (Sighs and looks at her stomach) I'm worried, too. I'm overdue, and Shelia's....had...me before. She wants my child something terrible. I don't know why. The nightmares I had a few months ago... (shudders and leans into Mike, who puts his arm around her shoulders and holds her close to him)
Bennett: She likely wants the child as her own. It is, after all, an innocent.
Daphne: (Gasps) Oh boy. I feel funny...light-headed...
Bennett: (Frowns) Are you all right, young lady?
Lauren: Uh oh. :P
Valerie: We'd better go.
Peter: Thanks for your help, Mr. Bennett!
Micky: And if you could put in any good words for me with the rest of the street, it'd be greatly appreicated. ;)
Bennett: Anytime, Peter. (Grins at Micky) How about a deal, son? If I put in a good word for you on the street, you tell that Shelia woman's she's going to get the bill for those broken windows as soon as you know which movie theater she's holed up in. ;)
Micky: *grins* You've got it, Mr. Bennett! ;)
Mike: (Grins) I think that would be better revenge on her than any physical damage. ;)
Peter: Less violent, too. :D
Valerie: Why don't we go to one of the homes and figure out what to do from there?
Mike: Maybe we could play some music or somethin'. (Shrugs) Always helps me think.
Micky: How about the Rainbow Room? ;)
Peter: Good idea! The Rainbow Room always cheers me up! :D
(Daphne just sighs sadly and holds her head.)
Valerie: We'll find Davy, Daphne!
Lauren: You bet we will!
Daphne: I hope he's ok. I really...I like him a lot. :(
Bennett: (Narrows his eyes) Don't tell me. She's captured the English boy.
Peter: How'd you guess?
Bennett: The last time he fell into her hands, Daphne complained of headaches and light-headedness.
Daphne: I'm so worried. Shelia has this thing about torturing her captives. :(
Valerie: We'll get him back.
Peter: You bet! :D
Micky: Of course!
Mike: We'd better get along, before something ELSE happens.
Lauren: Yeah.
Peter: (Takes Mr. Bennett in a big hug) Thanks, Mr. Bennett!
Bennett: You're welcome. (Smiles) I think I'll call the police and tell them I know a bit more about what happened last night. ;)
Emma: Ok, guys, come on. (Makes a strange face)
Mike: You ok, honey?
Emma: (Nods) Yeah, I'm fine. Baby just kicked me really hard. :p
Mike: She's gettin' revved up, too. After all, she'll be a Guardian someday. ;)
Emma: (Sighs) Yeah...
Daphne: Let's get out of here! The faster we get home, the faster we can make plans to save Davy!
Micky: Right!
(Bennett leads the group to his back porch.)
Bennett: Good luck, kids.
Peter: We'll be ok, Mr. Bennett, don't worry!
Mike: Thanks again, Mr. Bennett.
Bennett: Any time.
Micky: *half grin* Especially for believing in me. ;)
Lauren: And not throwing anything at him. ;)
Bennett: I have nothing within grabbing distance to throw, and I'm too old to make much of a dent, anyway. ;) (Grins) Go kick a devil's rear for this old man, kids...and this entire neighborhood. :D ;)
Mike: (Turns to Micky and Lauren) Since it's your home, why don't you two take us there? ;)
Micky: *nods* Gladly! Everyone aboard the Micky-Express! *crows* :D
Lauren: Oh, brother. ;)
*Micky concentrates & a blue light surrounds the group. They disappear as we fade out & fade in on the foyer of Lauren & Micky's house. The group reappears.*
Micky: *grins* I love doing that. ;) :D
Peter: It's fun to travel on the Micky-Express! :D
Mike: (Nods at the Rainbow Room) Come on, gang. We need to make plans.
Daphne: I want Davy back! I know that witch is doing something to him! :p
*The group enters the Rainbow Room, Micky leading. He stops abruptly, eyes wide. Shelia & Alex stand in the middle of the room.*
Micky: *gulps* Oh, crap.