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Description
Chapter Seven: An Unexpected Player

How long had Ned been here?  At least two days.  It seemed somewhat longer than that.  Why hadn’t he escaped yet?
Because he had no idea where he was.
That was a good reason.
“Oh Ned!”
Oh crooked clovers!
“He’s not here!” He lied, knowing that it wouldn’t really work.
“Oh aren’t you just full of random humor?” Guess asked as she pulled him closer to her.  “You are just way to cute!”
He really wished she stopped doing that.  Every time she gave him a hug, Guess would squeeze him close to her chest.  She was doing on purpose, he just knew it.  Still, he found himself not minding as much as he used too.  In fact, he was getting use to her.  Was that a bad thing?  More than likely, yes but as of now he really didn’t seem to care.
“So what are you going to show me today?” He asked.
He never saw the satisfied smile on Guess’ lips.  Her planning was finally starting to work.  Already, she could tell he was becoming more at ease.  It was all too easy.  Now, if the Grinch could keep his wife busying, she would be find.  Still, if he did fail, that wouldn’t be a problem either. She could deal with that pest easily without breaking a sweat.
That girl didn’t deserve Ned anyway.  He was smart, kind, loving and just so perfect.  There wasn’t a single Who is all of Whoville who desereved him.
Including herself.
The guilt was now getting to her: yes, she loved Ned but that didn’t mean she could just keep him here forever.  Well, she could but that wouldn’t make him love her.  If he could see how the two of them were made for each other, then maybe he would understand.
But what about his family?  He loved them more than anything in the world.
I could give him a family too, she thought.  And he would love them just as much.
That’s not the point Guess.  Don’t you get it?  There is no way you can replace his wife.  Yes, you love him but he doesn’t return the affections.  You just can’t except him to forget his family.  You that would be cruel.  If you really love him, you’re going to have to let him go.
But—
Guess, he can’t stay here.  You also have to find Amethyst’s parents.  She needs to be with her family as well.
“Mistress?” Speak of the small, adorable devil.
“What is it?” Guess growled slightly.
“You have a message on your phone.” She whispered meekly.
What?  Someone had called her?  That was impossible.  Her phone line was private.  There was no way anyone could contact her.  The only other Who that had any access to her secret line was the Grinch but she had specifically told him not to contact her.
“Stay here!” She looked at Ned and smiled.  “Don’t you go anywhere handsome.”
Ned made an uncomfortable noise as Guess left the room.   Amethyst waited for Guess to leave the room before she collapsed to the floor and started to cry.
“Hey, hey!” Ned ran to her side.  “Are you alright?”
“I—don’t—want her mad at me!” She whined, tears spilling down her cheeks.  “She can be so scary and---I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Ned collected the little girl in his arms and hugged her close to his chest, letting her wet his vest as she cried.  How could he be so selfish?  Amethyst had no parents, no family, no idea where her home was.  The thought of one of his girls or even JoJo getting lost terrified him.  He could only imagine how her parents felt.
“Its okay sweetie,” Ned whispered. “I’m here.  There’s no need to be scared anymore.  Its alright.”
Amethyst sniffled slightly. Ned sighed: maybe the idea of escape wasn’t as perfect as he thought.

Guess headed upstairs to her room.  Lying on the bed side table was the phone’s receiver.  She picked it, wanting to get this over this.
“Hello?” She answered briskly.
“Hello Miss Guess.  Tell me, how is our loveable mayor doing?”
At this, she nearly dropped the phone.  Someone knew where she was.
“Who is this?” Her voice lowered.  “How did you find out about---“
“Ned?  Oh, I have friends in high places my dear,” The voice chuckled.  “Now listen up and listen good.  You’re going to keep that bumbling moron with you forever!  He’s never getting back to Whoville, got it?”
Something was wrong.  Her fortress was practically invisible.  How could someone have found her so easily?  None of it made any sense to her. But for the first time in a long time, she was actually scared.
“And if I don’t?” She asked coolly.
“Then you’re precious little mansion goes bye-bye.”
Was this a bluff?  No, this was all too real.  This person was just as cunning and creative as she was.  There was no way she could risk her home.  This was all she ahd left.
But you would have Ned.
That doesn’t matter though.  He doesn’t want to be here.  If Ned is going to be with me, I want him to want to stay.
I want him to want me.
Guess sighed against the receiver, “Okay.”
“Good girl,” She could hear the grin in his voice.  “Have a good life.”
And with that, he hung up.

Beryl’s fingers on the computer looked like blurs as she typed.  Sally tried to follow the P.I’s fast movements but it made her dizzy.  JoJo, however, had no trouble following.  Being the mother that she was, Sally wasn’t hip on the technology.  Just sit and look pretty, she told herself.
“Lets see here,” Beryl looked at her screen.  “Just as I thought!  Someone hacked into the city’s main telephone system and then created an alternate line where no calls could get out.”
Sally cocked her head and said, “Huh?”
“She figured out how they disconnected us.” JoJo explained.
“Oh.”
“Now if I can just find the source by tracing the line I might be able to find something,” Beryl started typing again.  “If that doesn’t work, I can always interrogate the Grinch.”
“If you do, you won’t hurt him will you?” Sally asked.
Beryl didn’t say anything right away.  JoJo gave her a slight nudge but that didn’t do anything. Then, he poked her hand in the sides which caused her to sigh.
“Depends.”
“Depends?”
“Look Miss Sally,” Beryl stopped her typing and turned around.  “I know that he’s your old boyfriend and all but I don’t know if he’s dangerous.  The way he was acting earlier was completely out of character.  Until I get a full analysis of his blood work done, then brute force might be necessary.”
Okay, Sally really didn’t like that answer but Beryl was right.  Sally knew the Grinch and never once had he ever attacked someone.  Sure, a harmful yet completely amusing prank here and there but never something like tonight.  Has much as he hated the idea, Sally knew that she had to trust Beryl and her instincts.
“Oh, well what do you know?” Beryl smiled to herself.  “Looks like I don’t have to play bad cop after all.  I found the source.”
“That means you have a lead?” JoJo asked.
“Yep!” Beryl grabbed her hat and put it back on.  “I’m off!”
“Wait!” Sally stood up.  “Let me come with you.”
At first, Sally thought that Beryl would say no or maybe even laugh but instead, a small smile appeared on her face.  Nodding in the direction of the hallway, she gave her approval for Sally to tag along.

Description
Chapter Seven: An Unexpected Player

How long had Ned been here?  At least two days.  It seemed somewhat longer than that.  Why hadn’t he escaped yet?
Because he had no idea where he was.
That was a good reason.
“Oh Ned!”
Oh crooked clovers!
“He’s not here!” He lied, knowing that it wouldn’t really work.
“Oh aren’t you just full of random humor?” Guess asked as she pulled him closer to her.  “You are just way to cute!”
He really wished she stopped doing that.  Every time she gave him a hug, Guess would squeeze him close to her chest.  She was doing on purpose, he just knew it.  Still, he found himself not minding as much as he used too.  In fact, he was getting use to her.  Was that a bad thing?  More than likely, yes but as of now he really didn’t seem to care.
“So what are you going to show me today?” He asked.
He never saw the satisfied smile on Guess’ lips.  Her planning was finally starting to work.  Already, she could tell he was becoming more at ease.  It was all too easy.  Now, if the Grinch could keep his wife busying, she would be find.  Still, if he did fail, that wouldn’t be a problem either. She could deal with that pest easily without breaking a sweat.
That girl didn’t deserve Ned anyway.  He was smart, kind, loving and just so perfect.  There wasn’t a single Who is all of Whoville who desereved him.
Including herself.
The guilt was now getting to her: yes, she loved Ned but that didn’t mean she could just keep him here forever.  Well, she could but that wouldn’t make him love her.  If he could see how the two of them were made for each other, then maybe he would understand.
But what about his family?  He loved them more than anything in the world.
I could give him a family too, she thought.  And he would love them just as much.
That’s not the point Guess.  Don’t you get it?  There is no way you can replace his wife.  Yes, you love him but he doesn’t return the affections.  You just can’t except him to forget his family.  You that would be cruel.  If you really love him, you’re going to have to let him go.
But—
Guess, he can’t stay here.  You also have to find Amethyst’s parents.  She needs to be with her family as well.
“Mistress?” Speak of the small, adorable devil.
“What is it?” Guess growled slightly.
“You have a message on your phone.” She whispered meekly.
What?  Someone had called her?  That was impossible.  Her phone line was private.  There was no way anyone could contact her.  The only other Who that had any access to her secret line was the Grinch but she had specifically told him not to contact her.
“Stay here!” She looked at Ned and smiled.  “Don’t you go anywhere handsome.”
Ned made an uncomfortable noise as Guess left the room.   Amethyst waited for Guess to leave the room before she collapsed to the floor and started to cry.
“Hey, hey!” Ned ran to her side.  “Are you alright?”
“I—don’t—want her mad at me!” She whined, tears spilling down her cheeks.  “She can be so scary and---I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Ned collected the little girl in his arms and hugged her close to his chest, letting her wet his vest as she cried.  How could he be so selfish?  Amethyst had no parents, no family, no idea where her home was.  The thought of one of his girls or even JoJo getting lost terrified him.  He could only imagine how her parents felt.
“Its okay sweetie,” Ned whispered. “I’m here.  There’s no need to be scared anymore.  Its alright.”
Amethyst sniffled slightly. Ned sighed: maybe the idea of escape wasn’t as perfect as he thought.

Guess headed upstairs to her room.  Lying on the bed side table was the phone’s receiver.  She picked it, wanting to get this over this.
“Hello?” She answered briskly.
“Hello Miss Guess.  Tell me, how is our loveable mayor doing?”
At this, she nearly dropped the phone.  Someone knew where she was.
“Who is this?” Her voice lowered.  “How did you find out about---“
“Ned?  Oh, I have friends in high places my dear,” The voice chuckled.  “Now listen up and listen good.  You’re going to keep that bumbling moron with you forever!  He’s never getting back to Whoville, got it?”
Something was wrong.  Her fortress was practically invisible.  How could someone have found her so easily?  None of it made any sense to her. But for the first time in a long time, she was actually scared.
“And if I don’t?” She asked coolly.
“Then you’re precious little mansion goes bye-bye.”
Was this a bluff?  No, this was all too real.  This person was just as cunning and creative as she was.  There was no way she could risk her home.  This was all she ahd left.
But you would have Ned.
That doesn’t matter though.  He doesn’t want to be here.  If Ned is going to be with me, I want him to want to stay.
I want him to want me.
Guess sighed against the receiver, “Okay.”
“Good girl,” She could hear the grin in his voice.  “Have a good life.”
And with that, he hung up.

Beryl’s fingers on the computer looked like blurs as she typed.  Sally tried to follow the P.I’s fast movements but it made her dizzy.  JoJo, however, had no trouble following.  Being the mother that she was, Sally wasn’t hip on the technology.  Just sit and look pretty, she told herself.
“Lets see here,” Beryl looked at her screen.  “Just as I thought!  Someone hacked into the city’s main telephone system and then created an alternate line where no calls could get out.”
Sally cocked her head and said, “Huh?”
“She figured out how they disconnected us.” JoJo explained.
“Oh.”
“Now if I can just find the source by tracing the line I might be able to find something,” Beryl started typing again.  “If that doesn’t work, I can always interrogate the Grinch.”
“If you do, you won’t hurt him will you?” Sally asked.
Beryl didn’t say anything right away.  JoJo gave her a slight nudge but that didn’t do anything. Then, he poked her hand in the sides which caused her to sigh.
“Depends.”
“Depends?”
“Look Miss Sally,” Beryl stopped her typing and turned around.  “I know that he’s your old boyfriend and all but I don’t know if he’s dangerous.  The way he was acting earlier was completely out of character.  Until I get a full analysis of his blood work done, then brute force might be necessary.”
Okay, Sally really didn’t like that answer but Beryl was right.  Sally knew the Grinch and never once had he ever attacked someone.  Sure, a harmful yet completely amusing prank here and there but never something like tonight.  Has much as he hated the idea, Sally knew that she had to trust Beryl and her instincts.
“Oh, well what do you know?” Beryl smiled to herself.  “Looks like I don’t have to play bad cop after all.  I found the source.”
“That means you have a lead?” JoJo asked.
“Yep!” Beryl grabbed her hat and put it back on.  “I’m off!”
“Wait!” Sally stood up.  “Let me come with you.”
At first, Sally thought that Beryl would say no or maybe even laugh but instead, a small smile appeared on her face.  Nodding in the direction of the hallway, she gave her approval for Sally to tag along.