After paying their admission, the four of them went through the gate and looked at the sign showing the times for the various performances. The main acts in the big top hadn't started yet so they decided to see some of the side shows. Looking down the list, Micky quickly spotted something.
"Hey look at this!" He said, pointing. "It says, `The Gypsy Kings, authentic gypsy music and dancing'."
"No thanks, we've had enough of gypsies." Mike replied, thinking about the time they were kidnapped by gypsies and forced to steal for them.
"But look at the act coming on after them." Peter said
excitedly, "Bobo the talking dog!" He looked at his watch. "It
should be starting real soon! Come on!" He started to run towards
the stage. The others just shook their heads and followed Peter.
Up on the side stage, The `Gypsy Kings', in reality Marco, Rocco,
Zeppo and Kiko, were just finishing up their last number. In front
of them, Tanya was doing her famous scarf dance, swirling about the
stage throwing her scarves in the air and catching them. The song
ended, and the five of them took a bow to great applause. After
picking up the few coins thrown their way, they ran off the stage
and through the curtain connecting to the performers' area. Tanya
was the last one off and she happened to glance behind her before
she went through the curtain. What she saw made her jaw drop; it
was those four cursed Monkees walking into the audience area!
Realizing that she couldn't be seen by them, Tanya dove through the curtain and ran over to her cousins.
"Listen, my cousins, I have discovered something terrible!" She said.
"What is it?" Zeppo asked, concerned.
"Those four Monkee musicians are here! They are in the audience outside!"
Marco quickly got up and pulled out his switchblade. "I will kill them!" He roared.
"NO, Marco!" Kiko quickly said, putting a hand on his arm. "There would be too many witnesses."
"I'll go tell Mama." Rocco said and ran off to where his mother had her fortune-telling tent.
"Did they see you, Tanya?" Zeppo asked.
"No, I don't think so." She replied. "If they had come a few minutes earlier, though..." Tanya trailed off as her Aunt Maria came running over.
"What is this Rocco is telling me?" Maria asked, smiling. "Our Monkee Pigeons are back?"
"Yes, Aunt Maria." Tanya replied. "They are in the audience."
Maria walked over to the edge of the curtain and pulled a small section of it back, just enough to see but not be seen. After several seconds, Maria spotted the Monkees sitting on some folding chairs in the middle of the audience. She let the curtain fall back and looked over at her sons and niece. An evil smile came across her face.
"So, the Monkees are here to see the circus." She chuckled, "How little do they know they will soon become a part of it."
"What do you want us to do, Mama?" Marco said slowly.
Maria looked at Tanya. "A good part of this will be up to you, dear
girl, since they would recognize us. But this is how we will get
our claws on those meddling Monkees."
After watching the talking-dog act (to Peter's disappointment, all
Bobo could say was `ruff'), the Monkees disagreed on what to do
next. All four of them wanted to see something different. So they
decided to split up and meet back at the front gate at seven. Still
watching at the curtain, Maria and the other gypsies saw the four
split up.
"Very good, Monkee Pigeons!" Maria said with a nasty laugh. "You just made our job easier!" She looked over at Tanya. "Good luck, my dear." Maria said, kissing Tanya on the cheek.
Tanya by now had shed her Gypsy clothes and was wearing a black mini- skirt and a yellow and white peasant top. She smiled at her aunt and went through the opening in the tent to lure the first of her victims into danger.