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

not looking for this sort of talent!"

"What do you mean" Lisa asked as she sat closer to him "I want to work with you, in this way we can see each other more often"

"I think you should follow your dreams, Lisa" Wade said seriously "I will make sure I see you all the time, don’t worry about that, but I really want you to go to the Fantastica stage!"

"What will happen if I leave Bevin?" Lisa said sadly "I won't be able to see you again?"

"Of course not" Wade replied sharply as he looked at her "I will never do that"

"But you can't come with me?" Lisa continued "you can't leave your job"

"I will find a way" Wade said nicely "I promise, you have my word"

"Alright, I will have to focus on the concert and do well"

"Yes, you should focus on the concert, what song are you singing again?"

"My mother's song" Lisa replied "I told you, as a matter of fact I think you should come to my place right now!"

"Right now…?" Wade asked 

"Yes!" Lisa shouted happily "I will sing it for you! Yes that will be the best rehearsal!"

"Are you sure?" Wade asked 

"Yes, get up!" Lisa said as she held his hand and pulled him from the couch 

"Where do you live?" Wade asked as he got up

"Right above the pastry bar…!" Lisa replied "now let's go for a ride in your porch!"

 

 

James walked to the ugly verandah and sat on a small stool; he looked around the place and remembered everything that has ever happened to him. As he looked around he can somewhat see Mr. Bacilli mumbling and complaining as usual, while Picklock sat next to him and advising him about the right things to do in this building and in life.

"You miss him do you?" Nick asked just as he approached James 

"What?" James said as he looked at Nick

"You miss Mr. Picklock" Nick repeated 

"Of course I do" James replied "this is wrong!"

"Well he is still here in Bevin!" Nick added 

"He will leave at the end of this week" James continued "he will go to his small village to his family”

"That’s very sad" Nick said as he looked around "it's not easy to find a job these days, or let's just say he will never earn such money again.

"I think I should pay him a visit now" James said as he stood up

"Alright" Nick said and walked away.

James stepped out of the verandah and was heading to the street.

"James!" a voice shouted just as he was ready to leave

James turned and saw Armand standing in front of the building.

"We need to talk" Armand said as he looked at James 

James stared at the sky angrily and then said "about what?"

"Everything" Armand continued "and you know exactly what I am talking about"

"I have to see Mr. Picklock now" James replied

"That can wait, but right now I need you at my office"

"Your office…" James said as he laughs "you are right about your office, but as for what is in it… that’s not yours at all"

"Will you shush?" Armand shouted "I am going up, I insist you follow me"

"I am right behind you" James said annoyingly

 

They both walked into the building straight to the elevator, and before they know it, they are already in the secretive room.

James walked in after Armand and stared directly at the Magnificent Cat.

"James you have to listen to me carefully" Armand said just to take James's attention from the Magnificent Cat.

"What is it" James asked as he turned away from the Magnificent Cat

"Well, I still think you need protection" Armand said 

James looked at him and laughed annoyingly "you really love the Magnificent Cat do you?"

"Of course I do" Armand shouted angrily but yet shamefully "and I cannot lose it because of your silly actions!" 

"You will never lose it!" James said angrily "it's not even yours in the first place!"

"It’s mine now…!" Armand shouted "it was mine 15 years ago and it is still mine!"

"Is that what my grandfather decided?" James asked seriously 

"I don’t care about what he decided; I was the one who took care of it! And I am still doing so, and that is why I said you need protection!"

"That's true" James said annoyingly "all what you care about is the Magnificent Cat, that’s all, you won’t care if something tragically happened to the Magnificent Cat and I die! No, for that you don’t care…"

"I am taking very good care of the Magnificent Cat!" Armand shouted "unlike you, it is more possible that you will be the one to kill the Magnificent Cat than the Magnificent Cat kills you!"

"We can't be sure" James said as he walked closer to Armand.

Suddenly the secretive door opened and Ray walked in. 

"What is going on?" Ray asked as he looked at both Armand and James.

"Nothing" James said sharply as he moved away from Armand "I was just leaving"

"Haven’t I told you never to enter into this room again?!" Ray shouted

"No you haven’t" James said as he smiled "or maybe I just don’t give a shit!"

"Just get out" Ray said as he took off his coat and sat on the chair

"You can't get rid of me this easy, Ray" James said as he opened the iron door.

Ray looked at him angrily with rage.

"Oh, I almost forgot" James said as he turned to Armand "I want salmon for dinner tonight, I am fed up of those hamburgers you gave us…just get me some salmon…, if you don’t have some, a crab will be fine as well"

Ray looked at James as he leave the secretive room and turned back to Armand

"What the hell was that?!" Ray asked angrily "when are you going to kick him out of here!"

"Very soon" Armand said as he looked at Ray "very soon"

"The sooner the better" Ray said seriously "I really can't take this anymore!"

 

Wade parked the car right in front of the Pastry bar, walked out and opened the door for Lisa.

"Thank you" Lisa said happily as she walked out the car "that was a nice ride"

"It sure was" Wade said as he looked at her 

"Ok let's go in" 

"So you live on top of the Pastry bar?" Wade said as they both climbed the stairs 

"Yes my friend Jessica got this room for me" Lisa replied "it is great to have a house right above your work"

"That's true" Wade said as he laughs 

Lisa pulled out the key and opened the door.

The apartment was small and it only contains 2 rooms, it was originally built for a storage room where all the Bar's drink could be kept. Wade stood at the door and took a look around.

"Don’t even compare it to yours" Lisa said as she laughed "come in!"

"Nice place you got here" Wade said as he walked in "don’t get me wrong"

"You are just being sweet that’s all" Lisa said as she sat down on the sofa.

Wade walked and sat right next to her.

"I wish I could freeze this moment and time" Wade said as he looked at her romantically "I wished I could also freeze the time when we were at the miraculous railroad" 

"Me too" Lisa said as she looked back at him "I don’t feel like practicing anymore, I just want to be with you"

Lisa moved more closely to Wade and they both cuddled.

"I don’t want to go to the Fantastica stage" Lisa said sadly

"You have to go, I mean you will go"

"I am still thinking about your building" Lisa said as she smiled "I mean maybe you should talk to your boss, because I am talented"

"No, Lisa" Wade said nicely "forget about the building"

"But you have good payment" 

"Trust me" Wade continued "you will be better off at the Fantastica stage"

"That would have been my mother's dream" Lisa said sadly "I really missed her"

Wade looked at her awkwardly and turned away.

"She wanted me to be a stage singer, she was such a sweet lady" Lisa continued "my father murdered her for nothing"

Wade suddenly let go of her and stood up from the sofa angrily.

"What is it?" Lisa asked "are you ok?"

"I can't take this anymore!" Wade shouted

"What's wrong?" Lisa repeated as she stood up from her seat.

"I don’t know how to explain this" Wade said "oh my God!"

"What...?" Lisa shouted as she looked at him walking around nervously

"Why… Watson? Why?" Wade said lowly as he continued to walk around

"What are you talking about?" Lisa asked again "do you know my father?"

"I can't lie to you anymore" Wade said finally "I just can't…I love you too much Lisa, I can't do this"

"It's ok Wade" Lisa said as she walked closer to him "tell me what is wrong?"

"It’s the business!" Wade shouted "we are not talented people or any of that crap!"

"It's ok, its ok" Lisa said calmly to him "just calm down, it’s ok, I mean whatever you are, whether you are drug dealers or…, I promise I won’t tell anyone"

"No" Wade said as he looked at her "we are not drugs dealers"

"Ok then what-" Lisa started to ask "what is the problem?" 

"Your father did not kill your mother, Lisa" Wade said as he looked at her sadly

"What are you saying? What are you talking about?"

"He did not kill your mother" Wade continued "we did"

"What the hell are you saying?" Lisa said as she stepped away from him "you know my father?"

"Yes" Wade answered "Mr. Watson used to work for us"

"What?" 

"He never mentioned anything about you" Wade continued "I guess it was for your own protection, but he used to work for us perfectly until he-…"

Lisa looked at Wade in shock, she cannot believe her ears.

"He decided to report us" Wade continued "and that is why my boss made this decision"

"What decision!" 

"My boss sent someone to kill your mother, so that we can frame your father"

"You are lying!" Lisa shouted "I was there at the hearing! I heard him confess to killing my mother!"

"That’s because we used the Magnificent Cat on him!" Wade shouted

"What?" Lisa asked "I don’t understand… Magnificent What…?"

"We used the Magnificent Cat on him" Wade repeated "he was not saying what he was saying; my boss was saying everything he was saying!"

"Shut up Wade!" Lisa shouted "I don’t know what the hell you are talking about and its making me angry!"

"You have to listen to me!" Wade continued "it’s the truth…all what he said was not his words! The Magnificent Cat is a device that is used to make someone control another against their will! And that’s our job! We hire the Magnificent Cat to people that wants to control other people! That’s exactly what we do, it’s illegal and we can all be sent to prison for life!"

"I am not listening to this crap!" Lisa shouted "I know what I heard and you can't be serious! My father confessed to me and to the judge about killing my mother… it was him and it was his damn voice! Don’t you dare tell me it was someone else talking in him! Who do you think I am to believe such non-sense?!"

"I am not joking, Lisa" Wade shouted "it wasn't him! He did not kill your mother"

"Shut up" Lisa shouted "he said I have to kill her for she was-" 

"Annoying as hell" Wade interrupted as Lisa looked at him with shock.

"What?" Lisa said as she stepped even further away from him.

"She was annoying as hell, I just found out she cheated on me and I have no idea what to do, I shouldn’t have killed her but I had no choice! I can't overcome my anger! It was out bursting deep inside me, but on a second thought I think she deserves to die!" Wade said as he looked at Lisa.

"How did you know he said that?" Lisa said as tears filled her eyes "how the hell did you know!"

"Because it was my boss's words, not your dad's, he can't help it but watch himself say those things…that’s the Magnificent Cat…that’s what