Rio: Reign of Terror

The Invitation

"This isn't right." Blu perched next to Jasmine in the cage, shaking his head in confusion. "This whole trip doesn't add up. First that parakeet at the airport, then this parrot. Not to mention that our home has vanished."

"I'm not even from here, and this place scares the life out of me," Jasmine answered.

"It scares us all, I believe." Bia pointed at Linda.

She was standing just in front of the door, angry and confused all at once. Looking up at the thirty floor tower, Linda had thoughts racing around her mind, jumbled up and not making a lick of sense. What kind of monster would decimate a peaceful, local town such as Moose Lake just to expand his business empire?

"I must get to the bottom of this," Linda raged. "But the question is, HOW?"

"Don't ask me," Tulio replied.

---------------

The monstrous CEO looked down out of his window at the street below, staring at the couple below him. He smoked one of those expensive cigars, a kind that was inaccessible by ordinary people. As he breathed out a puff of smoke, he pressed a button on the phone. "Martha, come up here please." This is outrageous, these people thinking they can just march in and demand answers. Katsu thought. They need to be taught their boundaries.

A knock on the door was heard before a submissive young lady entered the room. "Yes, sir. You wanted to see me?"

Katsu spun around in his massive desk chair to look at her. Leaning on the desk, he asked, "Who is that couple standing outside?"

"No idea, sir."

"Well," he said before turning to look out the window again, "I guess we'll find out. Extend an invitation to them for dinner. Keep my name out of it. If I find out I've been made known to them, you'll be standing out there on the sidewalk with them." He shot a backwards sneer.

"Yes, sir."

As he stared out at Linda and Tulio, Katsu whispered to himself, "Let the fun begin," and chuckled.