{C-4-C}

You open the hatchway to the cat chamber, and exit out into the basement corridor. Neko-chan makes his way to the wall opposite the escalator leading up out of the basement.

“I’ve seen him do this a number of times,” Neko-chan tells you. He explains that you need to kick certain bricks in a particular order to release the lock on the secret door. It takes you a couple of times yet you are ultimately successful in using the code with your foot.

The two of you creep down the secret staircase into a cold dimly lit chamber. Strange objects resembling medieval alchemist’s devices rest on a table against a wall carved with what look like Mayan glyphs. Another table like a heavy stone altar stands against a wall painted with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the back wall is carved with images of human-animal hybrid beings with multiple arms.

As you step in, you pause a moment as your foot nearly steps on an elaborately inlaid design on the floor like a magic circle.

“What is this place?” you wonder out loud. Neko-chan pads quietly around the magic circle.

“It’s like a wizard’s conjuring room,” Neko-chan says. “Quick, hide!” he says when he hears the secret door opening again.

You both hide under a table and silently observe the pet shop owner. He is carrying a box with holes in it. He places the box on the table above you and opens it.

You can’t see the animal but you can hear when the pet shop owner places it on the table. You want to ask Neko-chan what to do, but you don’t want to reveal your hiding place.

You hear the latches clasp around the animal and the pet shop owner bangs some metal instrument a few times. He begins to chant an incantation. You look over at Neko-chan.

“Should we stop this?” you whisper.

“I think we should wait,” he says.

“And then do what?” you ask. “What if the animal needs our help?”

“We are here to get information, remember?” Neko-chan tells you./

You whisper:

“I can’t take this any longer! I’m stopping this now!” {C-5-A}

“You’re right. This is important information, even if we can’t see what’s happening.” {C-5-B}