by Unknown
"ARRRAGH!" You leap on the bed, pinning Vargas's arm just before his hand closes on the .280 Magnum stashed under a pillow.
"Don't hurt me," he whimpers.
"Don't worry," you say, "You're going to jail. not to the hospital."
Turn to page 34.
The phone rings. The agent takes the call. "It's for you," he says a moment later, "but I'll warn you, I'm going to listen in on the other line."
The phone call is from Watkins, who's out on bail. "You've just gotten a big new movie deal," he says, "from France. They're making a new film of the famous classic. Beauty and the Beast. Guess which part they want you for?"
"How much will they pay?" you demand.
"Twenty million francs—that's one hundred and fifty thousand dollars!"
"Sounds good to me," you say, glancing at the FBI agent.
"Sounds good to me too," the FBI man says. "We'll pay your way over there just to get you and Watkins out of the country for a while."
"ARRRAGH," you roar appreciatively. You haven't felt so happy in a long time. With a little luck you're going to enjoy being a monster!
The End
Amanda's father, however, steps forward and holds out his hand. "Charles Vandergraft's the name."
Amazed at how nice he is, you gently shake his hand with your paw.
"You certainly are a monster all right," he says, "but Amanda has convinced me you're a good monster, so I'm willing to have you stay here a while as our guest."
Amanda introduces you to the others. "Hargraves, the butler, will show you to your room," she says. "After you've rested awhile, perhaps you'll join us for lunch."
The room Amanda leads you to is a luxurious suite with velvet curtains, oriental rugs, beautiful paintings on the wall, a TV, VCR, stereo, and a bookcase filled with lots of good books. You can hardly believe your good luck.
Turn to page 58.
You stand erect at the foot of Vargas's bed. your shaggy arms held high, your long, pointed claws extended.
"ARRRAGH!"
The sleeping form rises. The blurry eyes open. Vargas stares at you in terror. He gropes under a pillow for his gun. You bring one great clawed paw down on his arm. Then you roll him on the floor and hurl the bed covers on top of him. While Vargas is still struggling to untangle himself, you toss Meyerstraub's calling card on the bed. Then you back out the door. You want to disappear fast so Vargas won't know whether you were real or just a nightmare.
It's all very easy. Nothing to it. The only trouble is, you back into Vargas's personal bodyguard, one Meyerstraub didn't know about when he arranged to bribe the security men at the front gate. The bodyguard doesn't wait to ask questions. He lets you have it with his .280 Magnum.
The End