After a few more hours of travel, the caravan stopped for the night
in southern Nevada. The tents were put up and the performers got
ready for the evening's performance. The Monkees were by now
growing facial hair, so they no longer had to wear fake mustaches.
Peter's blond hair and beard was given another coat of black shoe
polish. Soon enough, it was time for the performance and so the
Gypsy Kings and their unwilling new members went out to do their act.
Saturday came into Friday's office and found his partner looking out
the window, his hands clasped behind his back. From that posture he
knew his friend and partner was deep in thought so he stood at the
door waiting for Friday to turn around. About a minute later,
Friday did so.
"No word from the highway patrol, Sam." Friday said quietly. "It's just like they vanished."
"Or in another state." Saturday replied. "They could be anywhere. Did you talk to the chief about putting this on TV?"
"I did. It was too late for the six o'clock broadcast, but it'll be on the eleven o'clock one."
Saturday nodded and placed a bunch of papers down on Friday's desk.
"It seems Sam is quite the man." Saturday said. "He's got a record as long as your arm, literally."
"I know, I've been going through some of it." Friday said, picking up the top sheet and reading from it. "Sam Black, born in 1910 started out as a side show barker in the `30's and eventually started up his own circus taking on acts that nobody else wanted."
"That way he doesn't have to pay them much." Saturday remarked.
"True." Friday agreed, "Since they're in no position to complain." He went on. "He has several black marks, mostly income-tax evasions, failing to get a permit for his circus, plus various health and safety violations. Plus there seems to be a slight increase in stolen property reports in each city after the circus leaves."
"Now I suppose kidnapping can be added to that list." Saturday added.
"Not necessarily." Friday replied, looking at his partner, "Why kidnap someone when there are always performers looking for work?"
Then he turned thoughtful. "But one time he was arrested was on the charge of hiding a fugitive in his circus."
"Perhaps that's what's happening again." Saturday said after a long minute. "Perhaps a fugitive from the law had something to do with this. A fugitive with some sort of skills to make himself useful to Sam."
Friday rubbed his tired eyes. "I don't know, Sam. But I'm convinced if we find that circus, we find those young men. But from what we've gathered in the papers, they travel all over, never staying in one place."
"I've been able to trace the circus's past route a little." Saturday said. He pulled a map of the Southwestern United States out of his jacket pocket and tacked it onto Friday's bulletin board. Using thumbtacks, he marked the last known route of the circus. When he was done, Southern California and Arizona had several tacks on them.
"Yeah, they sure like to travel." Friday remarked grimly. "There doesn't seem to be any pattern."
"There isn't." Saturday confirmed. "Always on the move, one step ahead of the law."
"If they aren't in California right now," Friday said, "given that they can't travel too fast with their trailers, they could be either in Arizona or Nevada."
"True." Friday said, "I'm going to call the Arizona and Nevada State Police and see if they can help us." He rubbed his eyes again. Saturday put a hand on his partner's shoulder.
"Do that and then let's take a break, Joe." He said, "There's nothing we can do right now except wait."
"I know, Sam." Friday replied, "But I can't help but think about Mrs. Dolenz and her daughters. They are really torn up about Micky and his friends being kidnapped."
"Same with Mrs. Prudy and Mr. Babbit." Saturday said, shaking his head. "It seems those boys are well loved. But we will find them."
Joe Friday nodded his head. "Yes we will, Sam." He said firmly as
he reached for his phone. "Bet on it."
There were tears in Davy's eyes as he put the gag in Mike's mouth
and tied it in place. Mike looked up at him with forgiveness.
Peter was behind Mike, chaining his hands high above his head, while Kiko chained Mike's ankles to a heavy box. Maria came over and shoved Davy away from Mike.
"Quit crying little boy," Maria said with contempt. "You knew the penalty if you and Peter did not come back with something."
Mike was being chained in the same position Micky had been chained in a few days before. When Davy and Peter only brought back some coins, they had been forced to watch Mike be beaten and then had to help chain him up in the back of the trailer.
"But we did bring something back!" Davy retorted.
Marco shoved Davy to the floor. "Watch your mouth, pipsqueak!" He shouted.
"You bring me back spare change!" Maria shouted at Davy and Peter, "I told you we wanted wallets, jewelry and watches!" She exhaled sharply. "You four are useless! I will be so glad to sell you to the highest bidder at the clan meet tomorrow night! At least we'll get some money from that!"
"Are you really going to sell us?" Peter asked fearfully.
"Of course!" Maria replied with an evil laugh. "I know a gypsy farmer who need laborers to grow his `medicinal herbs' and another who has a gold mine which unfortunately caves in from time to time." Kiko and Marco chuckled at that. Maria looked at her sons.
"You two make sure he is chained tightly and do the same with them."
"Yes, Mama." Kiko replied as Maria left the back room.
Marco and Kiko checked the chains around Mike's wrists and satisfied
he was secured, shoved Peter and Davy out of the room and shut out
the light, leaving Mike to spend a sleepless night in total
darkness. The two gypsies chained then chained Peter and Davy next
to Micky and went to sleep themselves. The three Monkees got little
sleep as they cried and prayed for rescue.
As the sun was starting to come up over the mountains, the caravan
came awake and made preparations to leave. Zeppo kicked the three
Monkees awake and after unchaining them, ordered Peter and Davy to
free Mike. They did so as quickly as possible, walked him back into
the living room and gently place him on the floor.
Micky was then freed and ordered to make breakfast. As he walked away, Davy and Peter bent down to Mike.
"We're so sorry, Mike." Davy whispered.
"Don't be." Mike breathed, "Don't help them ever, ok?"
"But Mike.." Peter said.
"Don't co-operate with them." Mike interrupted, "No matter what."
Not long afterwards, the trailers were hitched up and the caravan moved on. They turned onto a desert highway heading north and slowly made their way up through Nevada.
Surprisingly, Micky had been allowed to make some breakfast for himself and his friends.
Maria explained why when they had come back into the living room and sat down again on the floor.
"I don't want you boys looking too hungry when we go to the gypsy meet tonight." She said, "I want you to look your best so we can get a good price for you."
"Please Maria." Micky begged, "You and your sons were given light sentences at a minimum security prison despite what you did to us. Can't you show us some mercy?"
The gypsies chuckled at Micky's remark. "Despite what I said the first time we met, Gypsies are a vengeful people. You hurt us and we hurt you back much harder. The reason we got off easy is that the judge had a little gypsy blood in him."
"And it was a first offense for us." Rocco added with a smirk.
"First offense we were caught at you mean, Rocco." Zeppo said to his brother and the gypsies burst out laughing at that.
"Tell me, my Monkee Pigeons," Maria said when they were done laughing, "What else might you be good at? If you can do more than play music, we might get a better price for you." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "And perhaps you could be sold to a nice master."
The Monkees looked at each other. None of them had any special talents except for playing music and singing. Then Micky cleared his throat.
"I can fix cars a little," He said, "And Peter can really cook."
"I can?" Peter asked, then Mike nudged Peter's knee with his own. "Yeah I can, Maria."
Tanya looked at him skeptically. "What can you make?"
"Um…Cream of Root Beer Soup." Peter replied.
The gypsies looked at each other.
"And what is that?" Rocco demanded.
"It's a old Tork family recipe." Davy replied quickly, "Been in his family for ages."
"It's also quite good." Mike said.
Peter had no idea what his friends were talking about. They usually hated his cooking, especially his Cream of Root Beer Soup! Still, he went along with them; he didn't mind lying to the gypsies at all after what they had done to him and his friends.
"Yes it is!" Peter said proudly, "Let me make some for supper tonight, before you take us to that gypsy meet, please?"
"Let us taste it one last time before you sell us." Micky said, looking sad.
Maria shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?" She asked, "What harm can it do?" Then she gave her captives a nasty look. "But it better be good!" She snarled.
"Oh, it will, it will!" Mike promised.
Just then the caravan pulled to the side of the road and slowly came to a halt...