Cats

When Cheryl and the Captain returned to the command center, they found May chatting with the staff. She turned her head to the two figures entering and nodded to greet them.

"How was the smoke?" she asked.

"Pushed me one step closer to the grave," the Captain grinned.

"As it does," May smiled.

Was May really involved in the fire? Now that the Captain had mentioned that May and her brother were somehow sketchy, Cheryl couldn't stop thinking about their part in all this. She seemed to participate in the competition fairly, so why would she need to steal the prize? Who is her brother that no one had seen, and what makes the Captain talk about them the way he did?

Cheryl looked around again. The room was being cleaned, yet there were remains of the money burned on the ground. Would they really burn some of the money instead of taking it if the money was their goal?

"It's getting late, kids," the Captain smiled at Cheryl and May. "Get some rest, and we will let you know what we find out tomorrow."

"But—" Cheryl protested. She didn't want to miss out on the investigation.

The Captain raised a hand to gently cut her off. "You need your rest, Cheryl. There's not much more you can do tonight. Fresh eyes and a clear mind will help us all in the morning."

Reluctantly, Cheryl nodded, her mind still racing with unanswered questions. She glanced at May, who was now quietly observing the room, her face unreadable.

As they left the command center, Cheryl couldn't help but steal glances at May. The mystery surrounding her and her unseen brother gnawed at her curiosity. She needed to find out more, but she had to be careful not to tip her hand too soon.

"Let's go check on Vlad and the tigers," Cheryl suggested, trying to sound casual.

May nodded in agreement. "Good idea. They must be getting restless."

They walked through the dimly lit corridors of the ship, the gentle hum of the engines creating a soothing background noise. Cheryl's thoughts were a whirlwind, and she barely noticed the quiet footsteps beside her until May spoke.

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" May's voice was soft, almost contemplative.

"Yeah, it has," Cheryl replied, trying to gauge any hidden meaning in May's words.

May glanced at her, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Anything you'd like to share?"

Cheryl hesitated, then decided to play it safe. "Just thinking about everything that's happened. The fire, the competition, the missing map... It's a lot to process."

May nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Indeed. But sometimes, things aren't as straightforward as they seem."

Cheryl looked at her, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

May shrugged lightly. "Just that there's often more going on beneath the surface. People's motivations, their actions... they can be complex."

Cheryl couldn't shake the feeling that May was hinting at something deeper, but she couldn't press further without revealing her own suspicions. "I guess you're right."

They reached the area where Vlad was keeping an eye on the tigers. He was sitting on a bench, watching the big cats play with a calm expression.

"Hey, Vlad," Cheryl greeted him. "How are our furry friends doing?"

"They're fine," Vlad replied, smiling at the sight of the tigers. "I brought them some water, and they seem content."

May looked at the tigers and then at her watch. "I need to check on my brother," she said suddenly, turning to leave. "I'll catch up with you later."

Cheryl watched her go, her mind racing with questions. What was May hiding? And why did she need to check on her brother now, of all times?

Once May was out of sight, Cheryl turned to Vlad. "Something's not right, Vlad. May's been acting strange, and I can't shake the feeling that she knows more about the fire than she's letting on."

Vlad nodded, his expression serious. "I trust your instincts, Cheryl. But we need to be careful. We don't want to tip her off."

"I know," Cheryl agreed. "We need to find out more about her and her brother. The Captain mentioned that they might be involved in something shady."

"Did he now?" Vlad's interest was piqued. "That makes things even more interesting."

As they discussed their next steps, Cheryl couldn't help but feel a growing sense of urgency. The missing map, the fire, and May's mysterious behavior all pointed to something bigger, something that could have serious consequences for everyone on board.

"We need to find that map," Cheryl said, determination in her voice. "It's the key to unraveling this mystery."

"Hold on, child," Vlad smiled, "let's deal with the cats first."

"Oh... Right." Cheryl was so invested in the fire investigation that she completely forgot they still didn't find the tigers' owner. "Where do we start?"

"Let's start by talking to the crew. Maybe someone saw or heard something that can give us a lead."

With a renewed sense of purpose, Cheryl and Vlad set off to gather more information. They questioned the crew discreetly, piecing together fragments of information that could help them uncover the truth. As the evening wore on, they gathered small pieces of information, but nothing concrete. Cheryl's frustration grew, but she knew they couldn't give up.

"I can't believe there's a passenger with two tigers and no one knows who they belong to," Vlad said, shaking his head.

He couldn't finish the sentence, as Cheryl jumped toward him, pushing him to the side. Just a moment later, two sharp metal objects pierced the wall right behind the place where Vlad had been standing a second ago.

"What the—"

"You thieves! How dare you!" A loud voice filled the corridor.

"Thieves? No, we're—"

"YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST STEAL MY PETS WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES?!"

"No, we're—"

"Yeah, I bet selling them on the Underground Convention Market seemed like such a good idea, huh?"

"Selling? What, no, we—"

"Well, only over my dead body!"

Two more metal objects pierced the air, just a few centimeters away from Vlad and Cheryl's heads.

That was fast! Well, if he's not going to listen... Cheryl smiled. She couldn't see more than a shadow of the person attacking them, but she had already put her hand on the little knife she kept hidden in her pocket.

"Fine, let's talk," she said calmly. "But first, lower your weapons. We're not your enemies."

The shadowy figure paused for a moment, considering her words, but then lunged forward again, sending two more sharp projectiles hurtling toward them.

Cheryl's reflexes kicked in, and she ducked just in time. Vlad, ever the muscle, stepped in front of her, swatting the projectiles away with a quick motion of his arm. His eyes narrowed, scanning the corridor for any sign of the attacker.

"Enough!" Vlad roared, his voice echoing through the narrow hallway. "We don't want to fight you!"

But the attacker was relentless. The shadow moved swiftly, closing the distance between them. As the figure emerged from the darkness, Cheryl caught glimpses of a tall, lean man with wild eyes and a determined expression.

"So you won't listen," Cheryl muttered under her breath.

The man swung a blade toward Vlad, who blocked it with his forearm, grunting from the impact. Cheryl seized the opportunity and dashed to the side, her knife flashing as she aimed for the attacker's arm. She made contact, but the man twisted away, only grazed by the blade.

"Impressive," the attacker snarled, his eyes locking onto Cheryl. "But not good enough."

He lashed out at Cheryl with a quick series of strikes, but she danced around them, her movements fluid and precise. Vlad moved to flank the man, his fists clenched and ready to strike. The attacker seemed to realize he was being outmaneuvered, and he snarled in frustration.

Vlad threw a powerful punch, which the attacker barely dodged. As the man's attention shifted to Vlad, Cheryl saw her chance. She lunged forward, aiming a kick at his legs. The attacker stumbled, and Vlad capitalized on the moment, delivering a heavy blow to his chest.

The man fell back, gasping for air, but quickly regained his footing. He reached into his belt, pulling out a small, metallic object. With a flick of his wrist, it expanded into a chain with wicked-looking blades on each end.

"He's got a new toy," Cheryl muttered, her grip tightening on her knife.

The attacker swung the chain, the blades whistling through the air. Cheryl and Vlad dodged in unison, moving with practiced precision. Vlad grabbed a nearby broomstick, snapping it in half to create a makeshift weapon.

"Cheryl, stay back!" he shouted, deflecting another swing of the chain with his broomstick.

"Not a chance," Cheryl retorted, her eyes focused on the attacker.

They moved in tandem, Vlad using his strength to block and parry the chain while Cheryl darted in and out, looking for openings. The corridor echoed with the clash of metal and the heavy breaths of the combatants.

The attacker swung the chain toward Cheryl, but she anticipated the move, ducking and rolling to the side. She came up behind him, slashing at his back. The man yelped in pain, momentarily losing his balance. Vlad seized the opportunity, lunging forward and tackling the attacker to the ground.

The man's chain clattered to the floor as he struggled beneath Vlad's weight. Cheryl swiftly moved to disarm him, kicking the chain away and pressing her knife to his throat

"Enough!" she hissed. "We're not your enemies. We're trying to find the tigers' owner."

The attacker glared at her, breathing heavily. "You expect me to believe that?"

Vlad tightened his grip on the man's arms. "Believe what you want, but we're telling the truth. We found the tigers and wanted to ensure their safety."

The man's wild eyes darted between Cheryl and Vlad, searching for any sign of deception. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh, the fight draining out of him.

"Wait... aren't you...?" Vlad's eyes widened as recognition dawned on his face. "You're the man who was acting sick on the main deck!"

The attacker hesitated, then muttered, "I'm Abdo. Those tigers are mine."

Vlad released his grip slightly but remained cautious. "Abdo, we're not here to steal your pets. We just want to help."

Abdo eyed them warily, then nodded. "Alright. But this better not be a trick."

"It's not," Cheryl assured him. "Let's get the tigers to safety first. Then we can figure out what's going on."

Vlad helped Abdo to his feet, keeping a firm grip on his arm. Cheryl retrieved the discarded chain, handing it to Aldo. "Just in case anyone actually tries to steal your pets."

Abdo accepted the chain with a wary nod. "Thanks."