19 The Meerkat Show ⑦ The trapped show

After giving the start of the Meerkat Race, the presenter had left the scene, leaving the public facing the big screens that rebroadcasted the race. Because the track was too long to allow spectators to watch the event live, they had instead chosen to place cameras all over the course.

The next event, however, was going to take place under the amazed eyes of the public, and the presenter already smiled in anticipation of attending too. This year's Meerkat Show was a big event... more than just a tournament.

After having walked a few minutes in the long, labyrinthine corridors behind the scenes, the man in his suit arrived at a door with a singular appearance, which denoted with the others. On the plate that was hanging on it was marked : "Director's Office".

After tapping a few knocks, he entered the room.

"Ah, here you are. We were starting to think you've lost yourself in the corridors, Borath." The director was seated at the back of his seat, behind a large black varnished wooden desk.

The meerkat charged with presenting the Meerkat Show bowed respectfully. Its size was impressive, it easily exceeded two meters high. In addition, he was as broad and muscular as the most trained athletes in the competition. An imposing mustache sat between his nose and his mouth, and he smiled warmly at his superior, raising his head.

"I'm sorry, sir. I did not get lost, but I would have had to walk faster. I lost myself in my thoughts about this competition." The presenter explained respectfully.

"It doesn' matter, everything goes as Ornella has planned. I did well to count on her." The director stood up, showing a carnivorous smile that revealed a row of sharp teeth.

Now standing, he even passed Borath, while the meerkat was far from being small. Two meters and a half ? Three meters ? Whenever he saw the director standing, the meerkat could not help but shudder.

He was a man with a gray skin and an impressive build. His white hair was clipped back, and made him look like an Italian mobster. A scar was coming from the corner of his mouth to his eye, which he still fortunately had. He too was in costume, a black one, much more classic than the presenter's, voluntarily flashy and eccentric.

"The human entered the labyrinth, and he fell into the trap that was planned for him. He fell into the underground lagoon, and from there the cameras were no longer able to follow him. But I suppose that Ikka has done her job, and should bring him back in a short time." The presenter recounted the events he and the spectators had been able to witness from the public.

However a female voice rose in the room, not powerful but with enough ease to be respected by the two men.

"Ikka didn't do her job, Mr. Jigô." The other person who shared the room with the director got up, and sat down without any embarrassment on the desk of this one. Ornella also had hers, smaller than that of her superior, on which sat a mirror with gilded and decorated edges.

The director turned his head toward her, giving her a glare that few could have supported. She just lowered her eyes to the ground, and announced the rest of what she had seen.

"Ikka didn't capture the human. She seems to have forgotten what her role was, and decided to help him." Jigô approached furiously before catching the woman's throat and throwing her back against the desk's wood with violence. Borath jumped and stepped back a bit, not really knowing where to turn.

"And to say that you are supposed to see the future... It was you who told us that there would be a human here, and it was with your information that we drew up the trap that was supposed to capture him. You tell me that this idiot squid I hired on your advice, was not able to do what I paid for ? " He grunted threateningly, his face close to Ornella's.

"I... I don't see everything... There are always... Blurred parts..." The fortune teller tried to justify herself by putting her little hands on the forearm of the director, who was still clutching her neck with strength.

He finally released and turned around breathing deeply. Ikka was therefore an incapable person. Ornella was also an incompetent. He had spent a lot of money to modify the Suricate Show according to his wishes, and it was not for the human to escape.

Ornella got up with difficulty, in front of the presenter who still dared not to say anything. Her whole body was covered with white fur, even her face. She had piercing blue eyes and no nose or mouth, but a muzzle similar to that of a wolf. Hairy ears also protruded from her gray hair, which fell down her back.

"I guess because of all that, my hopes of capturing him for the Meerkat Race are now zero." Jigô seemed to have calmed down a little, and the wolf took the opportunity to move away too. She preferred to avoid taking another blow...

"Never mind, I'll make sure Ikka retains the lesson when she comes back empty-handed, then." The director cracked his webbed hands, a severe look on his face. He knew his time was limited, and that he risked losing his target at any moment.

"Borath, make sure you have finished preparations for the next event. I don' want to miss the human. Who knows where he might appear next time ?"

"Yes, it will be done without mistakes." The meerkat bowed again, before opening the door and getting out of the office, sighing with relief. Jigô had a gift for putting pressure on others, it was a certainty. Unfortunately, he could not do much more than obey him for the moment. As long as he was the director, he was just an employee.

The presenter returned to the stage. The Meerkat Race should be over soon, and he had to announce the winners to the public.