The news of Owl's and Stefolous's escape went through the jungle like wild-fire which led to a call for an emergency cabinet meeting because there were fears that a riot would issue from the incident. Tortoise ambled slower than his usual pace on his way to the knoll where the meeting was to take place. He listened carefully to every tree-top announcement and group discussions that he passed. Rat has declared a state of emergency. Security has been breached. Owl is a dangerous fugitive. Stefolous is wanted dead or alive. When he finally reached the foot of the knoll, he found the place jam-packed with animals trying to get the first news on the result of the meeting.
Tortoise ascended up a worn path, found a moist, warm spot at the outer edge of the meeting area and sat down. Vixen settled herself on a dry rock next to him. They acknowledged each others presence with a nod but said nothing.
"Order! Order!" Rat called out.
President Fox stood up and addressed the fifteen member cabinet. "Doubtless you have heard that Owl and a dangerous journalist have escaped our custody. A group of vicious animal had brutally killed and eaten the guards on duty last night. Only their heads were left at the scene of the crime."
A parakeet said, "If the killers were their natural predator, then the law does not allow us to persecute them."
"That is true," Fox said, "but helping the prisoners escape is a crime."
"Prisoners?" Macaque asked from the front row. "I thought that Owl is a witness."
"He was," Rat replied. "But he would not cooperate, so we had to change his status to prisoner. There are more interrogative techniques we are allowed to use that way."
Vixen stood on her haunches and ruffled her fur. She snarled, "Interrogative techniques? Why would we need to interrogate him. He has already shown us the numbers and has offered to help us trace the trail of money."
Mule bayed, "You know nothing. Shut up and sit down."
Vixen hissed, but stopped short of saying what was on her mind when Tortoise scratched her rock.
He whispered, "Don't start a scene now. That is exactly what they want to happen. Don't give them what they want."
The she-devil hunched back down on her seat, though her fur remained standing and her snarl rumbled in her throat.
Mule squared his shoulders as one who had done a good and great deed. Rat looked to Fox who was eyeing the edge of the knoll's crown intently.
Macaque cleared his throat. "Obviously we need to find them, Mr. President. I can muster a dozen troops of monkeys to scour the area."
Rat said, "That will not be necessary, Minister Macaque. I have already sent out two thousand rats to track them down."
Tortoise stretched his neck up and said, "Have we considered the possibility that they were kidnapped?"
Mule commented, "That is impossible."
Tortoise persisted. "We should at least see the crime scene for ourselves first before deciding."
Rat raised his voice. "That request is not practical. The detention cave is an area of high national security and we cannot allow anyone into it, unless there is reason to."
"This is a reason," Macaque insisted.
"No, it is not," Fox interjected before the fuming Rat could answer. "That detention cave was set up to protect the safety of our jungle. Allowing you to look inside will compromise its security. I cannot allow that."
Vixen hissed under her breath, "Small wonder that no detainee has ever returned from there."
The meeting ended with Fox reminding his cabinet members to calm down any riots, dissents or panics within their various constituencies which he expects to occur in relation to the escape.
"Remember," Rat said, "these two are dangerous felons and anyone who sees them must report it immediately."
Tortoise turned back down the path he came. From accountant to witness to prisoner to dangerous felon. Fox and Rat certainly has a gift for turning harmless, shy animals into murderous and dangerous criminals.
Vixen strolled down the knoll with the rest of them, but once she separated from the crowd, she dashed at lightning speed through the foliage and under or over logs, as though to get as far away as possible from the blinding cloud of lies building up behind her.
