The Magnificent Cat by Nadia Ramadan (early reader chapter books .TXT) 📕

Mr. Picklock now…alone” Armand said as he shuts the phone

 

“Armand wants to see you now…it sounds urgent” Wade said as he looked at Picklock.

“Aha” Picklock replied “I will be there”

“Everything is going to be fine” Wade added “Armand is just stressful sometimes, but I am sure he is in a good mood, I mean since everyone is getting a raise!”

“I hope so” Picklock said as he walked and took the stairs instead of the elevator.

“Hello Wade” a voice said behind him.

Wade turned and saw Ray coming from outside.

“Hello Ray” Wade said and turned away

“How are you doing today?”

“I am ok” 

Suddenly the elevator door from the secretive room opened and James came out.

“Where the hell did he come from?” Ray shouted  

“From the secretive room I guess” Wade answered as he looked at Ray’s weird behavior.

“What? When? How..?” Ray shouted even louder 

“Relax..!” Wade interrupted “Armand asked to see him, what’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal?” Ray repeated sarcastically “that guy might steal the Magnificent Cat!”

 

James approached them and said “oh well hello Ray, did you say something about me stealing the Ma-?”

“What the hell were you dong up there!” Ray shouted at James 

“There is no point answering you” James said as he lights another cigar

“Why are you smoking those cigars?” Ray asked angrily with rage

“I am glad I saw you both here” James said as he looked at Ray and Wade “I will be going to the secretive room as often as you guys do…from now on…things will be different around here”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Wade asked curiously and angrily

“Well haven’t you heard about the raise Wade?” James replied “well that’s my raise”

“What? What the hell is he saying?” Ray asked angrily as he looked at Wade.

“Don’t ask him” James interrupted “why don’t you ask “the boss” he knows exactly what I am talking about”

“Go to hell James” Ray said angrily “you are just living a fantasy right now”

“I don’t really care what you think Ray” James said as he laughs “now…where is Mr. Picklock? I have to see him”

“Armand asked for him as well” Wade replied “perhaps he is also getting a huge raise like you”

“What? What? What the hell is going on here?” Ray shouted angrily as everyone in the room turned to look at him.

“Where is Mr. Picklock again?” James asked seriously as he looked at Wade

“I said he went to Armand!” 

“I have to go” James said as he heads to the elevator

“No!” Wade shouted “he wanted to talk to Picklock alone”

“I don’t care” James said as continued walking

“Lay off, James!” Wade shouted “give them some privacy”

“Stay away from that office!”  Ray shouted as he looked at James hardly

“Nothing is going to happen…Armand is in a good mood today, he just wanted to talk to Picklock that’s all” Wade said as James was going.

“Good mood?” James repeated with a smile “didn’t you hear him yell just after I left”

“What?” Wade asked “why would you make him angry James? Why do you have to ruin everyone’s happiness?”

“Because he is worthless piece of garbage, that’s why” Ray continued angrily 

“Suck it Ray” James said annoyingly “I need to see Picklock now!” 

“You can’t” Wade shouted “you don’t have the key to both iron doors!”

“Shit” James said lowly to himself as he was going to the elevator.

James turned back to look at Wade and said “give me the key to the office”

“No way I’m giving you anything” Wade answered 

“Give it to me” James shouted “this is important”

“Go to hell, he will never give it to you” Ray said as he approached James 

“I am not talking to you” James said as he looked at Ray and then turned back to Wade and said “I have to go there”

“You are not going anywhere” Wade repeated “Armand wants to see Picklock in private and you have to respect that!”

“Screw you Wade” James answered angrily as he walked away.

 

Both iron doors were already opened when Picklock walked in. It immediately closed as he entered the room.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Armand said just as Picklock entered

“What are you talking about?” Picklock asked nervously 

 “Don’t you mess with me now..!” Armand replied with anger “I am talking about James and you know exactly what I was talking about”

“Well he happened to find out… what can I do?”

“I trusted you!” Armand shouted “I never thought you will be the one to blow this!”

“Well he is going to find out about it anyways!” Picklock replied 

“No..!No..!No..!” Armand continued shouting “this was meant to be a secret! And I was sure you were to keep it that way! I never thought you will blow it Picklock! I thought it will be Bacilli!"
“Well Bacilli started it” Picklock replied “I just finished it for him” 

“Bacilli started it? What do you mean by that?”

“Bacilli was the one who told him” Picklock continued “he told James that the Magnificent Cat belongs to the Scorpions and-” 

“What!” Armand interrupted “I have to see Bacilli right now!”

“He is dead” Picklock said in a low voice “James killed him”

“What!” Armand shouted “did you see how things are getting out of control around here! What the hell is going on?”

“Well James knew that Bacilli killed his father so he killed him, and I assumed that you were next…”

“I swear I will gun that guy down if he wasn’t the Magnificent Cat” Armand said tensely 

“But you can’t!” Picklock shouted “this is because James is a very important around here, and I am happy he knew the truth, and I think it is time you treat him like an important person!”

Armand turned to look at Picklock straight in the eye “how about no!” he shouted angrily “I think this time you blew it Picklock! I think you blew this one big time!”

“Armand…” Picklock said gently “James deserves to know the truth”

“No he doesn’t” Armand said angrily “that was a huge mistake, and I think you should pack up your things and get the hell out of here!”

“What do you mean?” Picklock asked sadly “I don’t have any other job, where am I suppose to go”

“I don’t care” Armand shouted “to your family I guess…tell them you were fired!”

“You can’t do that to me!” Picklock begged

“I trusted you with this secret and you failed me, I want you leave and never to see you again!”

Picklock turned away to leave the office. He opened the first iron door and was about to open the second one.

“Wait!” Armand shouted 

Picklock turned to see what Armand has to say.

“Don’t you dare say anything about our business to the police once you are out of here” Armand said annoyingly “you don’t want to end up like Mr. Watson, do you?”

“No I don’t” Picklock replied angrily

“Yes, I don’t think so either” Armand continued “whatever you wanted to do just remember we have the Magnificent Cat, and we can use it on you! We can turn you into a fool or a criminal…so if I were you I wouldn’t mention any of this to anyone outside, do you understand!”

“I think I am old enough to know about the Magnificent Cat and what it does…I have been working here with you for 15 years now…” Picklock said seriously

“And you just couldn’t keep one secret” Armand said as he turns away “now I want you to leave!”

“I will be gone by noon” Picklock replied as he opened the second iron door “farewell my dear old friend”

 

Chapter 17 - Hasty Valediction

Everyone downstairs got back to their work happily thinking about their raise, but James was just nervous about what is going to happen.

Suddenly everyone saw Picklock coming from upstairs; he was holding his car keys 

James ran straight to him and asked "is everything ok?"

"I will be leaving"

"What?" everyone in the room started to shout and question each other "How? Why?"

"You are not suppose to leave this business once you are in it" Joe said to another employee next to him

"What happened?" James asked lowly to Picklock

"I am fired" Picklock said as he looked at everyone in the room

"What!" Wade shouted "that’s impossible"

"Yes" Picklock repeated "and if I say anything about this business to the police or anyone I will end up like Mr. Watson"

"No freaking way!" James shouted "Armand can't fire you, he has no right!"

"Yes he does" Ray said happily "he is the boss here, and I assume Mr. Picklock should leave the building right away"

"Shut up!" James shouted "shut the hell up before... Picklock you are not going anywhere!"

James stopped talking and was heading to the elevator.

"No James!" Picklock shouted as he grabbed James by the hand "you are not going back up, this is settled, this is done! There is nothing else, I will sure miss you all but I think it’s time I go now"

"Why is this happening" Wade said as he sighs 

"Good bye Picklock" Ray said annoyingly as he opened the door for Picklock to leave.

Picklock walked out of the door quietly as he waved to all the staff in the building.

"Wait a minute" James said as he follows Picklock outside.

"I hope you join him soon" Ray said as he looked at them.

 

"Wait!" James shouted as he follows Picklock.

Picklock turned to look at James and see what he has to say.

"You know that I can fix this, you know that!"

"Not everything can be fixed, James" Picklock said as he looked at James seriously

"You can't leave Picklock" James said sadly "you just can't"

"I have to" Picklock said "you blew this James…I thought I made it clear that it was a top secret"

"But I deserve to know the truth!" James said angrily

"That’s true" Picklock replied "but you should have kept it to yourself, you shouldn’t have let it out easily like that!"

"I…I…" James said "I am just tired of living this way…I want to own the Magnificent Cat… I want to be someone…"

"It's always about you, isn’t it?" Picklock said as he looked at the sky "all what the Scorpions think about was themselves…and that’s why you all end up in trouble"

"You have to understand me Picklock!" James said as he approached "I just…"

"I know, you want to be like Armand and Wade…you want to live in luxury…listen to me James, the Magnificent Cat will only last as long as you shall live. You are the Magnificent Cat! And it will always be running in your blood…nothing can take the Magnificent Cat away from you, that’s what your grandfather said and that’s what he wanted"

"I don’t know what to do anymore" James said as he looked at the ground "I need you Mr. Picklock…I can't stay here all by myself, you were the one who made me go through all this mess and nightmares"

"Don’t say that" Picklock said as he looked at James seriously "you can make it, I am very sorry, but I want you to stay strong, you will find love in this house, there will always be love somewhere, somehow…just be strong and careful, that’s all"

"I will" James replied "I will for you…I am so sorry, I am so sorry... I…oh my-"

"Don’t be" Picklock interrupted "let’s all forget about the past…the past will always be the past…we should only think ahead"

"Thank you for everything" James said as he looked at Picklock