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

The weather was still breezy when it turned from noon to afternoon; Ray crossed the street sharply to get to Patricia on time.

"What's the problem Patricia?" Ray asked just as he entered in the house.

"We have to go right now" Patricia said as she picked up her purse

"Where…?"  

"To pay Ruddick and Alden a visit" 

"Are you joking?" Ray asked as he smiled "I mean you can't be serious"

"Dad, I don’t joke about business!" Patricia said as she walked to the main door "let's go now!"

"Why now!" Ray shouted "I have to go back to Armand, he is expecting me!"

"I think you already told him that this is a family issue" Patricia asked

"Yeah but-" 

"Then I think we should be on our way to Slycity right now!" Patricia demanded

"We better be quick" Ray said angrily.

 

Both Ray and Patricia walked quietly to their car avoiding all suspicions from around the area, Ray knew if Armand found him this time, he will kiss the Magnificent Cat goodbye.

They drove further and further through the highway and took the sharp turn to a much smaller road which will lead directly to Slycity. 

They are now heading closer to Ruddick and Alden's mysterious building, Ray drove the car faster until the building and then parked in right in front of the gigantic gate.

"We are here" Ray said as they both got off the car.

Patricia rang the bell which was answered by Alden.

"Who is it?"

"Open the door!" Patricia replied as the door opened sharply

"Let’s go" Patricia said as she looked at her father.

 

They both took the secret elevator from the back of the building which leads directly to the main office; the door of the main office was already opened when they both walked in.

"Patricia!" Ruddick shouted just as he saw her walked into the room. "What a surprise!"

"Do you like it" Patricia said teasingly as she walked closer to kiss him

"I love surprises" Ruddick replied "especially when it involves you"

"Stop it right now" Ray interrupted "why are we here Patricia?"

"She is here to marry me" Ruddick said as Alden laughed from the back of the room.

"You know I won't marry you until you have the Magnificent Cat" Patricia replied

"Yes I know" Ruddick said angrily "hopefully we will get it soon, isn’t that right Ray?"  

"Not if I continue disappearing randomly" Ray said dryly 

"Very soon than you think…" Patricia interrupted 

"What do you mean?" Alden asked seriously 

"I mean the Magnificent Cat will be ours by the end of this week" Patricia replied

"How is that possible?" Ruddick asked curiously

"Yes Patricia" Ray asked surprisingly "how is that possible?"

"Well besides keeping my eyes on James I am doing a hell a lot of job back in Bevin"

"What job?" Ruddick asked 

"I found out that there is going to be a concert this week" Patricia replied "and I suggest that it’s the best time to seize the Magnificent Cat!"

"No, No, No, Patricia" Ray interrupted "I am working inside with them and I know exactly when, where, and how we can seize the Magnificent Cat!"

"I think Patricia’s idea is amazing" Ruddick said as he looked at Patricia happily

"What?" Ray shouted "you can't be serious?"

"I think it is one of the most brilliant ideas I have ever heard!" Ruddick continued

"Me too" Alden said as he imagined the future 

"Trust me dad," Patricia said as she smiled "when I heard about this concert, I felt the Magnificent Cat, I can smell it, and that’s a good sign"

"Everyone will be busy, entire Bevin will be busy, and we have no interruption" Ruddick said happily as he looked at Alden.

"They would probably be drunk; they can't tell that the Magnificent Cat is missing from the office!" Alden said laughingly.

"Wait, wait" Ray said as he looked at all of them "this concert might distract James or probably some crew, but Armand won’t fall for a silly concert, he would probably still be at the office with his bodyguards or perhaps his armies, we can’t stand a chance!"

"Sure we can" Ruddick replied "we can defeat Armand and his ridicules body guards, once we get rid of the other crews"

"Were you listening to me?" Ray shouted  

"Yes" Alden replied "do you know that we have 500 men downstairs waiting for this war to happen! I gathered them last week, and to defeat Armand's armies will just be a piece of cake to them!"

"You gathered 500 men?" Ray asked surprisingly

"Yes they did, Dad" Patricia said as she rolled her eyes "you seem 10 years behind, we are moving forward now!"

"I think you spend way too much time with Armand" Ruddick said jokingly

"I actually think this is a good idea" Ray said as he smiled

"Finally..!" Patricia shouted "we better get it at that time!"

"It's also a good chance not to hurt Wade, I mean since he is the Magnificent Cat…" Ruddick said "you have to make sure Wade goes to the concert, Ray"

"He will go" Ray said "I promise he will be out of the way"

"We can't lose everything!" Patricia said worryingly "seriously, what are we going to do about Wade?"

"For the mean time" Ruddick started "we just have to try not to hurt him or even touch him, and later on we can figure how to get this curse off!"

"How did he end up being the Magnificent Cat?" Alden asked curiously

"I have no idea" Ray said "but I don’t care, we should focus on getting the Magnificent Cat now, that’s all"

"This is going to be perfect" Alden said "I will make sure the armies are ready"

"I will inform you immediately when the concert takes place" Patricia added

"I know you will" Ruddick said as he looked at her happily "you are the smartest, sexiest looking thief I have ever seen"

"Thank you sweetheart" she replied with a wink

"Don’t spend too much time with James" Ruddick said angrily

"Don’t be jealous" Patricia said laughingly "I am only doing my job"

"I will make sure I put a bullet on his head before this war is over!"

"I can imagine you doing that" Patricia said with a half smile.

"Alright let's go back now" Ray said to Patricia

"Wait a second" Ruddick called out "I have $7,000,000" at my desk, I want you to pretend that there is a new customer willing to hire the Magnificent Cat for that amount"

"Who is the customer?" Ray asked

The main door opened and a tall man walked in. 

"I want you to meet Mr. Herbert" Ruddick said "or at least call him Mr. Herbert, because this is his fake name"

"I will stop by your office with the $7,000,000, and pretend to be a good customer" the tall man said to Ray

"Alright" Ray said as he laughs "that’s sound like a lavish idea"

"I need that money back though" Ruddick said "I am just doing this because I know we will be getting the Magnificent Cat soon, but make sure Armand doesn’t touch this money!"

"What Ruddick is trying to say is that you are just borrowing the money, and of course use it to gain Armand's trust, that’s all" Alden added

"Yes I got it" Ray replied "I think we should go back to Bevin now"

"Don’t act suspicious" Alden warned them as they leave.

"Sure, and I will be seeing you soon" Ray said to the tall man as he closed the door.

 

 

Lisa and Wade stopped to look at the lake, it is the only lake in Bevin, it is very small but yet peaceful, and it was a perfect place to relax. They both stood there and stared at it.

"Do you have dreams?" Lisa asked as she looked at Wade

"I do" Wade said still starring at the lake "I always wanted love and peace" 

"That’s a strange dream for someone your age" Lisa said laughingly 

"Why not…?" Wade said as he looked at her and laughed "I think it’s fair, and also I think I pretty much have everything else"

"You have everything, but love and peace? I don’t understand…"

"I want to go home" Wade said suddenly

Lisa looked at him strangely and said "am I bothering you?" 

"No" Wade replied as he laughs "not at all! I want you to come with me to my apartment"

"Oh…" Lisa said as she smiled "you are inviting me over to your place?"

"Yes" Wade replied "it’s a bit far from here, so I guess we should take the car.

Lisa turned and saw a lavish sports car parked right beside the lake.

"Is that your car?" 

"Yes, it is" 

"Oh my God" Lisa shouted with excitement as she entered the car "this is amazing!" 

"Let's get going shall we?" 

They drove off for only few blocks away and parked the car in front of a local building. 

"We are here already?" Lisa asked as she looked at the building

"Yes" Wade replied "the second floor is my apartment" 

"Your house is in Bevin!" Lisa said laughingly "We should have walked"

"Well didn't you have a great ride in my car?" Wade asked with a smile

"For that I can't argue" Lisa said as she smiled back.

 

They both walked into a local building, the building was quite old and there were cracks on the wall.

"This place is quite similar to my apartment" Lisa said as she looked around "you must have spent much money on the car than your apartment"

"My car was a gift from my boss" Wade replied "I didn’t buy it"

"My goodness, your boss is amazing!"

"He sure is" Wade said as he searched for his keys in his pocket.

"This is the apartment?" Lisa asked as she looked at the door

"That’s my door" Wade said as he pulled out the key and opened the door.

 

From the moment Wade opened the door, Lisa cannot believe her eyes, it was a complete reverse of what she saw outside, the apartment was exquisite, way too glamorous than any other apartments ever seen.

Lisa walked in with her eyes opened and she looked around, there were classical pictures on the wall with golden frames, chandeliers that can costs a fortune and that was just the entrance. 

"Come in" Wade called her as he walked into the living room.

"Seriously, Wade" Lisa started as she looked at him "what do you do?"

"I am a…" Wade said as he walked to the drinks bar "do you want anything to drink?"

Lisa walked into the living room and saw luxury, everything was golden, from the entrance to the living room, and the couch was very classical with lavish décor.

"What is this?" Lisa said as she continued to look around "seriously?"

"Lisa, you are embarrassing me" Wade said as he laughed "please have a drink"

"Thank you" Lisa said as she took a glass from him.

"That’s a red wine from 1903" Wade said as he sat on one of the exquisite chair.

"Are you kidding? 1903?" Lisa said surprisingly "and you still come and drink at the pastry bar?"

"Well, its sociable, and also I came to see you; I mean most of the time"

"That’s so sweet" Lisa said as they looked at each other.

"Please have a seat, do you want anything?"

"Yes" Lisa said sarcastically "I would like some caviar in a golden plate"

"Alright" Wade replied "just give me a second"

"No, I was just joking!"

"What?" Wade asked 

"You mean you have that right now?" 

"I eat that on regular basis" Wade replied "I don’t understand?"

"Oh my God…" Lisa said "what do you do again?"

"I told you" Wade said uncomfortably 

"No you didn’t" Lisa said smilingly “you keep avoiding the question” 

"Well I am a designer…and my salary is pretty much big"

"I can tell!" Lisa said as she laughs "I heard that your building gathered a bunch of talented people in order to serve the people of Bevin, is that true?"

"Yes" Wade said as he turned away "that’s exactly what we do"

"That’s very interesting" Lisa said with a smile "maybe I should forget about the Fantastica stage after all, and work at your place! That’s true! I can sing at your work place!"

"No, no, no" Wade said sharply "we are