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True Crimes 21

True Crimes

Kitty: Have you seen Mary? She hasn't come here and it's been hours since her last class today.
Riddick: No, I haven't seen her. Is it really that late already? Maybe she's with Ruby. Have you seen her?
Kitty: No, but she has the afternoon off, so she can be anywhere.
Riddick: I'll go and see if I can find them.

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True Crimes

Riddick: Ruby, have you seen Mary?
Ruby: Yes, we were out together. She said she wanted to go home. I think something that creepy guy said upset her. Or maybe it was the crazy feline.
Riddick: What creepy guy? What feline? What's going on?
Ruby: Well, the creep was some writer interested in Kitty's family. That's what Mary said anyway. And the feline... all I know is that she was very unfriendly.
Riddick: Go and tell Kitty that I went home to check that Mary is all right. And tell Kermit this is an emergency.

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True Crimes

Riddick: Mary? What's wrong?
Mary: Nothing. I'm fine. Just a little tired.
Riddick: Don't lie to me. Tell me, whatever it is. - Ruby told me about that writer and some feline. Care to tell me what it was all about?
Mary: All right. Although I'm a bit confused about it all...

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True Crimes

Riddick: I can understand the writer, but the other one is a mystery to me. Maybe you should talk to Kitty about that. I'm sure she knows more about it. Is it her you're so upset about, that feline?
Mary: No, not really. I can deal with morons. It's that writer. He called Kitty my stepmother.
Riddick: So? Isn't that what she is? I know you're not calling her that, but...
Mary: It's not that.
Riddick: Well, what is it? I thought you like her.
Mary: Of course I like her... but I want my own mother.

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True Crimes

Riddick: I wish there was something I could do to make it better. - Why haven't you talked to me about this? You're always so matter of fact about it all.
Mary: I don't want you to send me away.
Riddick: Where did you get that idea? I would never do that.
Mary: Mother said she always got sent away, because she was so difficult.
Riddick: So you think you can't be sad or show us that you miss her? Mary, you can be yourself. You don't need to act. We all love you. Me, Kitty, Toffee, and I suspect even Anika likes you, although she wouldn't admit it.

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True Crimes

Later that night:
Riddick: I know it wasn't really his fault she got so upset, but still... I hope you have a good plan for that creep, because if you don't, I'm going to go and break his neck.
Kitty: No need for that. I've got it all covered. I will meet Kevin tomorrow for some strategy planning. Grandma knows what's going on and she is not amused, not amused at all. If that writer guy thought my idea was brutal, he's up for a big surprise. Grandma can be brutal too, you know. She wasn't always the grand old lady she's nowadays.
Riddick: Interesting.

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True Crimes

Kitty: Is Mary all right now?
Riddick: I think so. I just can't understand how she could ever think I would send her away.
Kitty: You must remember that her mother told her what you were like then. Or are you saying you were the kind of man who would have never done something like that?
Riddick: Kitty...
Kitty: I know, but it doesn't do any good to deny it. You would have done it. You would have explained it to yourself as doing what's best for her, but you would have done it. Am I right?
Riddick: I guess you may be. - There was another thing Mary told me about...

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True Crimes

Riddick: Do you have any idea what that was about?
Kitty: Possibly. I'll need to ask Mary more about it, but I do have an idea. If I'm right, I don't like it at all. We don't need that in addition to dealing with Tommy.
Riddick: Don't need what?
Kitty: I'll talk to Mary first. No need getting into code red before knowing the facts.

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True Crimes

Next morning:
Kitty: Riddick told me you met a feline yesterday. An unfriendly one.
Mary: Yes, she was acting all funny. She seemed to know a great deal about you.
Kitty: Really? What did she say?
Mary: It was all about how I can never be one of your kind, even though I'm living with a half-breed like you... Sorry, I didn't mean...
Kitty: It's all right. I know perfectly well what people think about me. Did she tell her name? What did she look like?

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True Crimes

Mary: She wasn't at all like you. She had black stripes on the side of her head and her tail had a black tip. She said something about subfamilies, but I didn't understand that.
Kitty: Oh. That's not good. Not good at all. - Try to avoid her, if you can. Her kind are bad news. They are obsessive about keeping outsiders out. Besides, they are violent, I mean really violent. I just don't understand why she did it. Usually they are only concerned about their own subfamily.
Mary: What's that?
Kitty: The big cats.

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True Crimes

Mary: I'm still not getting it. What was her problem? What's it got to do with her what we do or how we live?
Kitty: I'll try to explain. - Our kind are intolerant and the big cats are the most intolerant of us. They don't even socialize with anyone else than other felines. Other pure-bred felines, I should say.
Mary: That sounds a bit stupid. They're control freaks. Where's the fun in that?
Kitty: It's not supposed to be fun. It's serious business for them. And bad news for us.

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Mary: Maybe we should introduce her to Zeke.
Kitty: Hehe, that's an idea. I'll keep that in mind.
Mary: Shouldn't you be getting to work already?
Kitty: No, Kevin is coming to see me. We are going to discuss the situation and what needs to be done.
Mary: So your grandma is paying for him?
Kitty: Yes. I knew she would. She doesn't tolerate fools who think they can dig into our past, or present for that matter.

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True Crimes

Kitty: Kevin, I want you to dig up everything you can find about Tommy. Everyone has secrets and I want to know his.
Kevin: That's exactly what Anika said. She told me to do what it takes to stop him.
Kitty: Is there any way to stop Tommy on purely legal grounds?
Kevin: Probably not, but we can at least buy time.
Kitty: Good. You do that and I'll concentrate on getting him to change his mind.
Kevin: Just try to be a little more subtle than with the last one. Please.

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Kitty: Then there's another thing. Could you have someone take a look at what the big cats are doing? One of them was harassing Mary and I'm a bit worried.
Kevin: Sure. It should be fairly easy and I can hide the expenses on the bill for this Tommy thing. Anika won't notice it.
Kitty: You really are devious. I'd be grateful if you could do that. Besides, it goes under the same damage control. If they are after us, it could get ugly. We need to know what's going on.
Kevin: I agree. Are you sure you don't want to tell Anika?
Kitty: Quite sure. We'll tell her only if it becomes absolutely necessary.

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True Crimes

Late that night:
Kitty: Riddick, I think we have a problem. In addition to Tommy, I mean.
Riddick: What sort of a problem?
Kitty: That feline...

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True Crimes

Riddick: Like it wasn't enough that your kind do not accept arrangements like ours. Now we have some seriously deranged fanatics to worry about.
Kitty: I'm mostly worried about Mary. You and I can deal with it, but she isn't ready for that sort of thing.
Riddick: Zeke told me to teach her to choose her weapons better. He was referring to the frying pan incident. I think he had a point. - How do you feel about firearms?
Kitty: I find them distasteful, but sometimes necessary. Why do you ask?
Riddick: Come upstairs and I'll show you.

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Riddick: The reason I asked is this.
Kitty: How long has this been here?
Riddick: Since Mary moved in. I couldn't leave it in her room.
Kitty: So, what are you thinking?
Riddick: That this is here and ready to be used, if necessary. It's a bit big for you, though. Maybe we should get something smaller...

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Kitty: Not for me. But you could get one and teach Mary to use it. Just make sure she understands the consequences and doesn't shoot until all other options have been exhausted.
Riddick: All right. I am a bit worried about giving her a gun, but the alternative is even worse.
Kitty: Of course you could tell her to take Toby with her when going out, but I'm not sure she'd be able to control him.
Riddick: No, she wouldn't. Toby would be protecting her a bit too effectively, I'm afraid.

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True Crimes

Next day:
Riddick: Why didn't you want us to go and get all this before?
Mary: I couldn't go there. Everything there reminds me of her. But I wanted to get these.
Riddick: I remember this. A friend of your mother's wanted to photograph me for some exhibition and... well, your mother could be very persuasive. I got this photo after the exhibition was over. I wonder why she kept it.
Mary: It was the only photograph of you she kept. She didn't want to see it, but she said I had the right to know what you look like.

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True Crimes

Mary: I used to look at that photo before going to sleep and wonder where you were and what you were doing. Whether you were even alive anymore.
Riddick: I wish I would have known about you. I suppose I wouldn't have been much of a father, but still...
Mary: I always wanted a family. All the other kids had parents and grandparents. Do you have any idea what it's like to be told to write an essay about your family when all you can write about is your mother?
Riddick: Yes, I have. Except that I didn't even have a mother.
Mary: I'm sorry. I forgot.

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