Chapter 7

After paying 50 dollars with his credit card, Lauren left the shopping center with his dog and headed for his car. Inside the black bag that he had just bought, monkeyfish and spidercat struggled for air and space. Finally, Lauren slid the bag into the car and let out our mutant friends. Our mutant friends finally had the chance to break free and gasp for breath.

"Sir," asked monkeyfish as he filled his lungs with oxygen. "Why did you save us?"

"Save you," replied Lauren. "I believe that I should ask what you are first! One of you looked like an ordinary cat, and the other looked like a newt! But both of you seem to display sophisticated intelligence."

"Yes," answered spidercat, "our intelligences are beyond human. I have an IQ of 143 and monkeyfish had one around 253. Oh monkeyfish, explain why we are here the first place."

"Be quiet, spidercat," asserted monkeyfish as he introduced himself. "I am monkeyfish and that's spidercat. We are created in lab 191, an underwater lab built near Channel Islands by a human named John Steel. The process of our creation is very complicated, but one thing that I could tell you is that it involved mutation."

Lauren paused for a second and then sputtered.

"So you guys are mutant animals! This is the type of things that you see in science fictions! By the way, did you say that John Steel was your creator?"

"Yes," replied monkeyfish as he sat down comfortably. "Did you know him?"

"No," answered Lauren as he tapped on the steering wheel. "But he was a very famous man. He graduated from Harvard and became a professor in Yale. He taught at MIT for quite some time and he was quite an inventor. He invented stuff like efficient laser, house hold robotic servants, and even launched a spaceship by himself! But 15 years ago he turned to biology and claimed that through mutation, he could make a horse talk…"

"Horseman," interrupted spidercat, "he is a fully grown horse now."

"Any ways," said Lauren as he braked hard at the red light, "People believed him at the time. Dr. John Steel ten opened up a laboratory where people paid to have their pets mutated. But for some reasons, the experiments went terribly wrong. Instead of becoming smarter, the animals became so stupid that they couldn't feed themselves. With so many people suing him, John Steel was badly indebt and MIT refuses to back him up. Then he simply vanished with out a trace."

"He didn't vanish," shouted monkeyfish. "He founded a lab underwater, isolated from the civilized world!"

"Maybe," shrugged Lauren as he parked his car in his garage. "Hey Biscuit, let's go home."

Just as Lauren Major put a leash on Biscuit, monkeyfish asked politely.

"Sir, we have to go back to our shelter now. Thank you for saving our lives. If some other people got hold of us, we would either be dissected for scientific study or being locked up in a zoo. I hope that we keep in touch!"

But Biscuit whined and sniffed loudly.

"You must stay at my house," announced Lauren Major. "If you don't, your friend Biscuit will get away again! I can tell that you three were friends before we've met."

"But sir…"

"Come on, monkeyfish," remarked spidercat. "I think it is a good idea to find our selves a permanent residence."

Monkeyfish had to obey and our mutant friends joined Lauren and Biscuit and as they entered the hallway. Switching on the lights, Lauren Major put away his boots before diving into the refrigerator.

"So," mumbled Lauren. "What do you want? Lemonade or fruit punch?"

"Either one would be fine, sir," answered monkeyfish as he investigated his surroundings, "and water for spidercat."

"Hey monkeyfish, don't call me sir," added Lauren. "Call me Lauren. By the way, Biscuit bring me a banana."

The dog went and returned with a banana in its mouth after sorting through the fruit basket.

"Your dog is very talented, Lauren," remarked monkeyfish. "I remember that we can't find food when we first arrived in L.A. and Biscuit came to our aid. If it wasn't equipped with this talent saved me a banana ten days ago, we would have been goners."

"I've see," replied Lauren, "Biscuit saved your lives! No wonder you guys are friends? But unfortunately, I have to break it to you that bringing banana is the only thing that I've managed to teach it."

Biscuit, who was apparently enraged by the conversation, barked in its defense.

"Okay, Okay," said Lauren in a soothing voice. "But I have a question for you. What do you do for fun?"

"I have many talents," monkeyfish promptly replied. "There are so many of them that it is too much for my own good."

"Don't exaggerate the truth," ejected spidercat.

"Please go on," added Lauren despite the interruption.

"Let's start with mathematics," answered monkeyfish lazily. "I can solve equations faster than you can blink."

"But I don't know any equations! My mathematical skill is so poor that I failed my high school math test! I can't test you on this subject!"

"Why don't we do multiplication problems instead," insisted monkeyfish. "Let's leave the equations aside for a moment. Lauren, take out a calculator and ask me any multiplication questions!"

Picking up and dusting a calculator, Lauren asked with suspicion.

"What is 2712?"

"324."

"Correct," shouted Lauren as he plugged in yet another set of numbers.
"274328?"

"89872," answered a steady voice.
"Right," replied Lauren Major. "What are 87987 squared?"

"7741712169."

"One last question, what is 7825829136?"

"2280124088."

"You are amazing," cried Lauren. "You must have been the smartest thing ever created!"

"That's not the only thing that he could do," asserted spidercat, who had just realized what was going on. "Show him some Kungfu!"

Already embarrassed by his show-offs, monkeyfish kept his head and refused spidercat's demand. But he eventually gave in to Lauren's persuasion. In an instant, monkeyfish unsheathed his coconut shell sword and waved it skillfully. He gracefully glided through the air and swiveled his sword like a fan. Dazzled by monkeyfish's martial art abilities, Lauren burst into praises.

"Monkeyfish, I think the name monkeyfish ninja would suit you well."

Monkeyfish complained, but the name stuck. His name was monkeyfish ninja ever since.

While spidercat was pocking fun at monkeyfish's new name, Lauren Major had important jobs to do. He consulted our mutant friends about his new plan.

You guys could sleep on the sofa tonight," said Lauren, "but I am thinking about building a house for you inside the garret. I think I need your help to build it."

"Sure," replied our mutant friends in unison.

When the night fell, our mutant friends fell asleep atop of the sofa. Their best sleep since they arrived at L.A.

Chapter 8

Sure enough, Lauren Major had begun constructing the shack up in the garret. Building a steel frame and covering it with layers of plywood, Lauren was well on his way to finish the exteriors. But when it comes to the interiors, it is up to monkeyfish and spidercat. For five days, our mutant friends toiled along to install paint and mini furnitures. Finally, our mutant friends completed the house in just eight days.

Our mutant friends celebrated the construction in a festive way. Filling their cups with fruit juices and their bowls with pineapples or cat chows, monkeyfish and spidercat invited Lauren and Biscuit to their new home. The four "Inhabitants" thoroughly enjoyed the night with board games and T.V. shows. When it was 12o'clock, however, Lauren finally halted the party.

"Oh, it's twelve," yawned Lauren as he left for his bedroom. "Tomorrow is Monday and I have to get to work tomorrow. Bye."

"It's time," said monkeyfish plainly, "let me shut the lights off and well, see you tomorrow."

The electric light went out, shrouding the shack with darkness. Resting comfortably in their beds, our mutant friends slowly slumbered into the dream world.

Early next morning, spidercat had waked up with a start. Rubbing his eyes with his velvety paws, spidercat realized that it was still seven in the morning. Then he suddenly discovered what roused him. The unmistakable image of Biscuit was licking his whiskers!

"Ah, quit it Biscuit," meowed spidercat as he resisted Biscuit with all of his might.

But Biscuit was too persistent to back away. However, spidercat had a trick up his sleeves. He pointed his tail at the naughty dog and cocooned it in a layer of spider silk.

Spidercat's defense was enough to send any dogs running for cover, but Biscuit seems to be enjoying himself. He stretched and bent the sticky net, molding it into something that resembled play puddie.

"Sorry Biscuit," uttered spidercat lamely as he untangled the web. "I'm just playing with yah."

"Having fun, spidercat," murmured a voice inside the house.

"Of course," replied spidercat, who was at the time tapping Biscuit's nose.

"Is Lauren gone," asked monkeyfish as he exited from the house.

"Yes," answered spidercat, "He is at work already. Didn't you hear that he have to sell ten houses this month or else his superiors would fire him?"

"Poor man," exclaimed monkeyfish. "I wish we could help him with the houses! But we can't! This is just too frustrating! Spidercat, the only way that we could compensate Lauren for his kindness to us is to do some house works. Maybe we could save him some time from cleaning dishes and organizing the house."

"Of course," purred spidercat in compliance. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Our mutant friends hastily skipped the stairs. But to their surprise, the dishes were done and everything else was in an orderly state. Monkeyfish had suddenly noticed a note place on the dinning table.

Monkeyfish and spidercat, it said, I'm sorry that I left so early. I'll be back from work eight tonight.

"Come on," grumbled monkeyfish. "Don't you think that the Remax Agency is pushing a little too hard on him?!"

But spidercat was less emotional about Lauren coming home late. In fact, he was curling on top of the sofa and was watching television.

"I wonder if Modern Marvel is running yet," said spidercat as he pawed the remote control.

However, it was a very different kind of program that caught spidercat's attention. As he switched the television to Fox News 14, a familiar setting appeared on the screen.

"Look, monkeyfish, its Walmart," shouted spidercat excitedly. "It's the one that we went to when we first got to L.A."

Monkeyfish stared at the screen and was able to confirm spidercat. The screen had suddenly zoomed into the pet food section and was followed by a grave narration.

"Two weeks ago," reported the narrator, "Mrs. Sarah Freeleigh, a 54 year old woman, was assaulted in the Pet food section of Walmart supermarket. She was found unconscious by Walmart attendant Jane Peterson, who reported to her nephew Sam Freeleigh. Mrs. Freeleigh was given Medical attention, but the doctors say that she was not physically injured in anyway. The account of attack given by Mrs. Freeleigh was even more puzzling. She believed that she fainted after seeing a white cat with black strips talking English. A psychiatrist was called in to examine…"

"Spidercat, you blew our cover," interrupted monkeyfish in horror.

Spidercat turned around and glanced at monkeyfish. He had never seen his friend so scared. But he quickly turned away when monkeyfish gazed back at him.

"The police were called in to investigate… If you have any information about the… Zap."

The screen shrank away with a zap as monkeyfish shut off the television. Still green from the news, monkeyfish murmured quietly.

"The human race will be after us! We will be dissected and studied! Not every human is like Lauren Major! There are many people who crave for the formula for becoming smarter and stronger… Our doom has arrived…"

Spidercat sank stressfully into the sofa. But there was little that he could do other than waiting for the day to end uneasily.

Chapter 9

When Lauren Major got home from work, our mutant friends kept what they saw on the television a secret. But Lauren was capable of breaking the solemn mood. He joyfully took out his chess board and invited monkeyfish to a game of chess. After monkeyfish made short work of the game, Lauren kept up the party with Battleship, poker and cups of refreshments. It's true that every day is a party for our mutant friends.

Early next day, Lauren went to work as usual. But before he could depart from the Remax home base, his superior gave him a note scornfully.

"Mr. Major," said the man slyly, "I believe that the police want to talk to you."

Lauren obeyed the command without resisting. In fact, he couldn't. Before he could ask his superior about the cause of his arrest, two beefed up policemen escorted him to a police car. With Lauren aboard, the car sped down the highway and towards its destination.

Once they arrived at the police station, the policemen rushed Lauren through the entrance. With in the safety of electric fences and concrete walls, the policemen relaxed their guard and were soon replaced by a lean, brown haired officer.

"So you must be Mr. Major," asked the man politely. "Please sit."

Lauren nodded and sat down awkwardly.

"My name is Kendrick Sena," introduced the officer, "and I have a few questions to ask you. Please cooperate."

"I will," replied Lauren nervously.

"Were you present in the Walmart Super Centre between Elm and Andorra Street on November 11th," asked the officer.

"Yes," answered Lauren.

"Were you present in the pet food section shortly after Mrs. Freeleigh was attacked," added Sena.

"Yes, but…"

"Are you responsible for the attack?"

"No, I…"

"But the evidence is against you, Mr. Major," exclaimed the officer. "According to Walmart attendant Jane Peterson, you are just a shelf away from the site of attack!"

"Officer Sena," shouted Lauren after being interrupted so many times. "I wasn't even aware of her presence when your "attack" occurred. It was Attendant Peterson who found her in the first place!"

"This doesn't clear you from being our suspect," said Kendrick calmly.

"But how is it possible for a short weakling like me do any damage to her," suggested Lauren in desperation.

"This can be done in a variety of ways," said Kendrick, retaining his point of view. "Perhaps Mrs. Freeleigh was attacked with a stun gun and maybe that is the cause why the medical examination reported no physical injury!"

"You can check my record! I've never purchased weapon of any kind!"

"There is a possibility that you got it off of the black market!"

"What will be my motive then," asked Lauren forcefully, "I suppose that she carried nothing of value."

"You are right, nothing is missing from her bag," the officer replied lazily. "But it is possible for a British citizen like you to have a grudge against Americans. It might be racial discrimination that forced you into doing this."

"Non Sense!"

The argument went on for several hours. But in the end, officer Sena had finally released Lauren unwillingly.

"I'd like you back soon so we can conduct deeper investigations," concluded Sena as he ordered Lauren to be sent back to his office.

Despite the troubles, Lauren's day went fairly well. He easily sold two more houses and was on his way of selling his third. But when it was time to go home, he eagerly returned to greet his mutant friends.

"How are you doing, Lauren," asked monkeyfish, giving Lauren a heart warming welcome as he made his entrance.

"Not bad," lied Lauren. "I've sold quite a few houses today."

But nothing could hide from monkeyfish's eyes. He leapt onto Laurens shoulder and requested.

"Lauren, I know you are hiding something. I know that the police called you today."

"How did…"

"It is a part of our speculation," spidercat interfered. "You were the only one present when the Walmart attendant found Mrs. Freeleigh unconscious. But don't worry, we've heard on the news that the police were giving up the search."

Lauren gave a sigh of relief upon hearing the words.

"But we want to make the truth clear to you," muttered monkeyfish.

He then narrated the entire incident to Lauren Major.