The Bad Guys in Blood Moon

The Restaurant

“Chico, are you sure this is the right place?" Piranha asked Wolf as they parked in front of a restaurant.

“Yep, this spot matches Webs's coordinates," he replied.

“So, where's the Flock?" Webs wondered.

“I, uh... I don't know," Wolf admitted.

“Let me get this straight," Snake said. “We drove all the way across the country just to get lost in the middle of its biggest city?!"

“Well, at least we parked in front of a barbeque place," Shark pointed out, trying to stay optimistic.

“Well, we do have to eat," Wolf replied as he and the others got out of the car and headed inside.

“Why start now?" Snake asked sarcastically.

“Snake!" Gabi softly scolded.

“Make way! Coming through!" a Lynx server said as he passed the Bad Guys, carrying heavy trays of soup and kimchi.

“Hey, that waiter's a cat!" Piranha realized.

“So, what?" Shark asked. “I don't see a problem as long as he doesn't cough hairballs in my food."

“Right this way, friends," an otter hostess said, guiding them to a table and handing them menus. “Your server should be here shortly."

“So, what do we do after we've had lunch?" Snake asked skeptically.

“We, um..." Wolf stammered for a moment before saying, “I am... open to suggestions."

“Wait, you don't have a plan?" Snake asked in concern. Wolf just looked away nervously.

Slamming his fist down onto the table, Piranha recommended, “I say we search the city for anyone else wearing that badge and make 'em talk!"

“Mm-hmm. And what about the cyanide pill?" Webs asked in disapproval.

“I forgot about that," he admitted. “We could, uh... We could tape their mouth shut."

“Then, how would they talk?" Shark wondered.

“Yeah, forget that part," Piranha said. “Ooh! I know! We could trick the jerk into telling us!"

“Uh, trick 'em?" Snake questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Why not? I tricked a blind girl into dating me."

Gabi, meanwhile, was more focused on the menu. “Does this place serve anything that isn't extra spicy?"

“Well, this is a Korean restaurant," Webs pointed out. “But come on. Let's go ask the chef."

“Why did you guys break up again?" Shark asked Piranha.

“Cruel irony," he said. “She was looking for something different."

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As Webs and Gabi headed inside the kitchen, they couldn't help but overhear what the cooks were talking about.

“I'm sorry, sir," a young crane apologized to the chef, who was a white-chested bear.

“You all know the rules!" the chef shouted. “All leftovers go down the red chute! Otherwise, Mother Minerva will feed us to the Hatchling!"

The two ladies' eyes widened in horror. The entire restaurant was part of the Flock!

“Yes, chef!" the all-animal cooks replied.

“We need to tell the guys," Webs whispered to Gabi, and they were about to head out before some of the cooks stood in front of the door.

“Anything you two ladies needed?" an osprey asked them.

“Uh..." Gabi stuttered as they backed away from them. “No hablo Ingles?"

Before they knew it, both Webs and Gabi were held by their shirt collars and carried to the red chute.

“Chef, shouldn't we report this to Mother Minerva?" a toad wondered as she opened the lid.

“We'll report it, alright," he said, “... once we take out the trash!"

“Can't we talk this over?" Gabi suggested, right before the two of them were dropped and fell down the chute. As they were falling, Webs pulled out her phone and called Wolf.

“Webs, where the heck are you?!"

“Ice skating in Rockefeller," she replied sarcastically. “Get out of that restaurant! Everyone there is a member of the Flock!"

“Really?!"

“Yes!" she screamed. “Now, get out of there before they kill you guys!"

“Tell Piranha I love him!" Gabi added right before Webs hung up. “What do we do now?!"

“We, uh... We, uh..." Webs tried to figure this out and noticed a loose bolt sticking out near the bottom of the chute. “I got it! Gabi, give me your scarf!"

Without question, Gabi quickly handed Webs her fuchsia lyocell scarf and, out of pure dumb luck, the pair managed to catch the loose bolt with it before they could fall into the abyss below.

“That was incredible, Webs!" Gabi admitted as they both held on. “Except for the fact that we're stuck down here."

“Well, at least we're not dead yet," Webs pointed out. Suddenly, the two of them heard a loud groan from beneath them. They looked down to find the most horrific creature they had ever seen.

“¡Dios mio!" Gabi muttered. “What is that?!"

It was bigger than a killer whale, had the eyes of a cat, the tail of a snake, the front paws of a wolf, the talons of a lizard, the wings and face of an owl, the mouth of a nightjar, and see-through skin on the chest and belly. The girls had never seen anything like it!

“I don't know, but I don't want to stick around and find out," Webs crawled up the scarf and back onto the edge of the pipe. Just before Gabi could follow, however, the fabric began to rip!

“Can't I catch a break?!" Gabi groaned before the scarf gave and she fell towards the beast, screaming.

“Gabi!" Webs shouted as the monster opened its mouth wide and snapped it shut. Unfortunately, Webs couldn't tell if it ate Gabi or not. “Gabi! If you're still alive, I'm gonna get help!"

As Webs crawled up the pipe, Gabi hung off the side of the creature's mouth, her scarf caught in its teeth, and gently slid down to the ground. Gabi looked through its skin and noticed the heart beating irregularly.

“You're dying," she muttered, feeling sorry for this... this... thing.

Suddenly, a bright light shone on the angelfish and the creature looked down and noticed her. Just before he could eat her, however, they both heard a loud shriek, and as Gabi covered her ears, the beast backed away from her and went to rest. A giant metal claw, much like the ones in machines, was lowered down and grabbed Gabi by her large head. While being pulled up, she heard a smooth, somehow familiar laugh.

“Well, well, well," the feminine voice said. “Never thought I'd see your cute face again."

Once Gabi was up and out of the pit, the claw dropped her and she found herself in a room with the Flock's symbol painted on the walls. Perched upon a wooden pedestal that had “Mother Minerva" engraved on it was a beautiful Eurasian eagle-owl with eyes as red as blood, wearing a white and pink cloak. Gabi's jaw dropped at the sight of her.

“Mi-Na?!"

So, the plot thickens...