Chapter 2: A morning like any other.

(< and > denote thoughts instead of dialog)

Elizabeth walks into her kitchen in a bathrobe.  She looks terrible.  She looks like she hasn't slept
a wink.  She fills the coffee pot from the sink and starts the pot brewing.

Beth: <That blasted General Catton!!!>

She looks out the back window toward the building where the three other Rescue Teamers live.
Thought the outside looks neat and tidy she can still tell that inside is the disordered pigsty that
inevitably results from having three bachelors under the same roof.

Beth: <Stayed up until four in the morning with those other two making all that noise.>

She opens up the cupboard and takes down a ten pound sack of flower and a large mixing bowl.

Beth: <All night that big barrel laugh of his every time they killed a monster on that stupid game.>

She hears music being turned on and being played much too loudly in the other building.

Beth: <Up early as usual aren't we guys?>

She puts the flower, six cups of water and an entire carton of eggs in the bowl with a sour look on
her face.

Beth: <I swear that stereo, the big screen with the six video game systems going and the smaller
television all on at the same time.  I just don't believe that they actually pay attention to all of
them.>

Placing the bowl on her electric mixer, she starts the pancake batter to mixing.

Beth: <And every morning they come in here and eat like it was their last meal.>

She takes four very large skillets down off the pan rack and flips on the television.

TV: (showing Guru Lou) "As we can see this warm front here is moving in on this blue line that's
a cold front and should be giving Little Tokyo some rain during the next few days."

Beth: <They eat more than any men I've ever seen.>

TV: (still Lou) "If we take a look at the satellite photo we can see that hurricane Bob is bearing
down on the eastern seaboard of the United States."

Beth: <The Chinese take out boy comes to our door and wakes me up just so I can send him back
there, I swear I could just scream.>

TV: (Lou) " . . .so this is the Weather Guru signing off.  Back to you Earl."

Beth: <God I hate that line!>

TV: (Earl) "Thanks Lou.  In other news . . ."

Beth: <I have to get up every morning and cook for four (she reflects for a moment)  Though, at
least they appreciate it.>

She remembers all the compliments she gets on her cooking from the General.

Beth: (smiling to herself) <They do give the food more credit than it probably deserves>

TV: (Earl) " . . . was exiled by Princess Violet today after breaking . . ."

Beth: <Spritz does have very good table manners, he always says please and thank you and offers
to getup and get something for me if I ask for it.>

TV: (Earl) " . . . eror Fred was given a clean bill of health and the beloved monarch has returned
home to the palace.  When asked for comments he responded with a hearty "Fa-r . . ."

Beth: (blushing slightly) <And that Bat Cat is almost as big a flirt as that Guido character from
across town.>

She reaches over and picks the coffee pot up off the machine where it has just finished brewing.

TV: (Earl) " . . . ow listed in stable condition at Little Tokyo Memorial Hospital, the two cats
found with severe bodily injuries in the street near the First Little Tokyo Bank have been
identified as two local pizza shop workers, Francine Manx and Guido Anchovy."

The glass coffee pot shatters on the kitchen floor.

Catton: (faintly heard from the other building) "What did he say?!!"

TV: (Lou) "What did you say?!!"

Elizabeth begins running up the stairs.

Beth: "MEOWZMA!!!"

Polly: "SPEEDY!!!"

Polly bursts out of the kitchen of the Pizza Parlor and bumps into Speedy on the way toward the
stairs up to the living quarters.

Speedy: "Polly, I don't think Francine and Guido came home last night.  Their rooms don't look
slept in and. . ."

Before he can finish Polly grabs Speedy and begins to drag him into the kitchen.

Polly: (hysterical) "On the TV!  On the TV!"

Speedy gets pushed head first through the door and into the kitchen.

Speedy: (confused) "Polly, what's going . . ."

TV (Earl): "Mr. Anchovy and Miss Manx have not yet regained consciousness, but doctors are
certain that they will pull through."

Speedy's jaw drops to the floor, Polly stands by the door in a slight bit of shock.  The phone rings
and snaps her out of it.

Polly (picks up the receiver on the verge of tears) "Hello."

Good Bird (GB): "Polly, turn on your TV"

Polly: (slightly closer to tears) "We did.  We heard."

GB: "Carla and I will be over in five minutes." (Hangs up)

Polly: (hangs up the phone with a shaking hand) "Speedy!"

Speedy: (shocked) "Polly, Francine and Guido are in the hos . . ."

Polly grabs a hold of him and begins sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder.

TV: " . . . cats were found and the ambulance was called by Mr. Lewis Cattol and Mr. Bob
White, both of whom have only recently moved to Little Tokyo from the provinces.  No eye
witnesses have stepped forw . . ."

Speedy holds the crying Polly and both sink down against the wall.

Speedy: (trying to remain calm) "They'll be OK Polly.  They'll be OK."

TV: " the two men were taken into custody for questioning after the two victims were
hospitalized.  The authorities currently have no leads as to the identity or motive of their attacker.
(Places the paper aside and is handed another paper from off screen) I have just been informed
that there has been an explosion downtown.  The site of the explosion was a popular tea house in
the business district.  No cause has yet been established."

Cruel switched off the television.

Cruel: "Seems we've made headlines."

Three: (tossing him a newspaper) "Front page."

Four: "Not a bad night's work if I do say s . ."

The Master entered the room and all fell silent.  His eyes were still closed from the meditations he
had been doing in the adjacent room.

Master: (after a pause) "The two they said found them.  Are they the same."

Cruel touched his swollen cheek.  He had been forbidden to heal it.

Cruel: (apprehensively) "I do not think so.  They seem to small of stature.  And from what we
observed of them at the hospital and police station, they do not appear to have the kind of skill
that we saw during the attack.  They seem to be cowardly persons of no consequence."

The master looked at each of them without opening his eyes.  And then turned to return to his
meditations on the other room.

Three: "Master?"

The Master stopped and turned back toward the speaker.

Three: "Master, should we plan another attack for tonight, perhaps some of those on the Rescue
Team."

Master: (after a pause) "No.  We are within their minds.  They fear us.  We will allow the injured
ones to heal, and we will allow for our memory to fade in their minds until they no longer
remember us and forget their fear.  Then, we will remind them and they will fear anew."

Four: "That could take a very long time Master."

Master: "We know how to wait."

The Master once again turned to resume his meditations.

Four: "Father, wha . . ."

The fourth speaker was blown backward thirty feet and struck the stone wall at the far end of the
room.  Her feet were hanging two feet off the ground, and she did not fall.  The Third Speaker
started forward momentarily, but stayed himself.

Master: "There are times when I am your father, and there are times when I am your master."

The Fourth speaker fell to the ground gasping for air.  After she regained her composure she
stood up.

Four: (totally unshaken) "Master, what shall we do about those who attacked us."

Master: (pauses in thought) "Their skills that you describe are impressive.  We must know more
of them."

He turns to the group, still with his eyes closed.

Master: "Find them."

All: "Yes Master."

The four left on their appointed mission.  The Master turned and reentered the adjacent room.  He
continued his meditations, eyes closed.