Part 6 (by Melissa)



Calen ran furiously around her bedroom trying to pack the last of her 

suitcases before the phone rang again.  She had intended to leave sooner, but 

every time she tried, something would always stand in her way.   She was 

excited that she would finally be meeting her new friends from the Girltalk 

list in New York for the final KISS show, but it was more than that.  She had 

a surprise for the girls, and especially her friend Shannon.  She had it 

arranged that they were all going to be spending the evening with 

Gene....that is, if it all worked out.  Something had been going on with Gene 

for a while now; he just didn't seem like himself.  She found out that the 

E.V.I.L Buttercup had controlled his mind, and although he had been released, 

the last time they talked, he just didn't seem like himself. 



The phone rang....again.  She ignored it, hoping who ever it was would leave 

a message.  They didn't.  Strange...she thought as she put her energy into 

getting her bags to the front door to await the taxi.  RING!   Went the 

phone.  Again, no message.  She checked her Caller ID, and to her dismay she 

found no number, and in fact, no evidence that the phone had even rang to 

begin with.  Though puzzled, she knew she didn't have time for this; she was 

going to be late.   



A knock.  Finally!!  She spat out, exasperated at the lateness of the taxi.   

She went for the door, but was momentarily stopped by the anxiousness of the 

pounding.  Slowly, she turned the knob and peeked through the door to find a 

sight that made her heart stop. 



Like an explosion straight out of Mardi Gras, she was immediately hit in the 

face with what seemed like a bucket full of confetti.  She shielded herself 

and spit the confetti out of her mouth just in time to spot a little green 

man, dressed in an Egyptian kilt and party hat, floating over head, laughing 

hysterically and blowing a little horn. 



"What the hell is going on here?" Calen asked, trying to see through the 

multi-colored parade that fell like snow. 



"Congratulations Ms. McGregor!  You have not just become a Winner in the 

Publisher's clearing house sweepstakes... but you are a winner..." he 

cackled, shoving a party hat on his head and blowing the horn in her face 

with a shrill "TWEEE!" 



"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?" She didn't believe what 

she was seeing. 



"The answer to your first question, Ms. McGregor... and I do love your latest 

show... big fan you know... I'm known to many as the Mischief maker... but to 

my friends and enemies I am BEZ... Egyptian god of Mischief and mayhem.  And 

the Second question is not so easy..."  And here he popped a cake into his 

hand with a fizzling sparkler on it.  "Make a wish..." 



"Make a wish?  I am not BLOWING anything of yours little man!" she answered, 

now getting very irritated at the invasion. 



"Aww you are no fun," he frowned, his ugly face twisting into a mask of 

annoyance.  Suddenly the cake exploded in a shimmer of sparklers, revealing a 

little Demon doll that he held in one hand.  There was something pinned to 

the front of it, and he threw it in front of Calen.  She saw the name 

"Shannon" on the front of the doll.  "You might want to look at that.  In 

case you ever want to see Shannon again..." he cackled as he continued to 

float in the air and blow his party horn.    



Calen waited for the little man to float back before picking up the doll and 

examining it closely, a glimmer of panic and fear now beginning to form in 

her heart. 

                

"What does this mean?  What have you done with Shannon?" 



"That's just the first clue, my dear.  The second is a riddle..." he laughed, 

and then there was another flash.  "The first clue helps the second.  Where 

would you most likely find Shannon?  And the second ties into the first..." 



He held up a KISS solo album, with Gene's demon face on it, and smoke started 

to pour out of the edges of the album.  Smoke filled the whole room.... 



Calen had just about had enough of the little man's shenanigans.  She wanted 

answers, and she wanted them now. 



"Stop this!" she shouted, trying to see through the smoke-filled room.  "Tell 

me what is going on here, I don't have time for riddles and smoke screens, 

now if you don't tell me where Shannon is, I am going to swat you like a 

little fly!"   

               

"You are no fun," came a low grumble.  "Very well I will make it a little 

easier for you...  Look at one of the songs on the album.  It's a place.   

She's there... but if you don't find her in time... you might have a sticky 

situation on your hands..." 



Suddenly the smoke dissipated with a wind, and Calen saw shapes through the 

smoke that cleared.  A figure in gleaming metal armor, like an Egyptian Ibis 

raised her hands to dispel the smoke. Seeing her, Bez suddenly panicked.  In 

a commanding voice she said, "Be gone, foul plague upon mankind..." 



"Ok, now I have seen everything..." said Calen in disgust.  She knew that 

this must have something to do with the E.V.I.L. Buttercup, but how were 

these strange people tied into all of it?   



Bez panicked, as purple energy snared him from the gauntlet of the ibis.   



"Don't worry, Calen.  I'm here to help you," the ibis armored figure said.   



Bez struggled to get free, gibbering, "You won't get her in time this way!   

You have to play the game... or it's daisies for Shannon!!!" 



In a puff of green smoke he vanished, from the spell of the newcomer.   

Sighing she crossed arms in front of her chest and a purple blaze of energy 

revealed a transformed figure.  Wearing a KISS army jacket and Psycho Circus 

T shirt, the exotic woman stood before Calen.  Dark caramel skin and hennaed 

nails had an Egyptian motif, as did her dark eye lined onyx eyes and red 

lips.  "Sorry to scare you, Ms. McGregor.  I'm here to help you... I'm only 

sorry this annoying little gremlin got here before me..." 



"So from the way you were acting, I get the impression you know that little 

toad?" Calen asked, but she wasn't too sure if she wanted to know the answer. 

                

"Yes... unfortunately.  You know whenever your computer doesn't work right, 

or you lose a sock from a pair... or any other mischief that you call 

Murphy's Law?  Well, that's Bez... he's the king of the gremlins... I'm 

Mennehotep, by the way.  I know Paul... from the last tour... we got to know 

each other... ahem... pretty well..." 



"I should have known you immediately from the way Paul talks about you.  Its 

nice to finally meet you face to face, but I am curious why you are here?  Do 

you know that my friend Shannon is in trouble?"* 



"Yes I do.  Paul called me when he had that obnoxious twerp shower him with a 

bucket of rose petals... scorched when he was taking his bath.  And Bez said 

he knew something about where Shannon was gone... and since he's from 

Egyptian mythology, he called me up to help.  I am an Egyptian 

alchemist/sorceress.. so I thought I'd track him down... and he led me here.   

I think he's working for someone else though... just what would he want with 

Shannon... I don't know... but I think he has everything to do with her 

being in trouble..." 



"He said something about a riddle....I don't know, this is all so strange.   

See, not that long ago, Gene was put under a mind control spell by the 

E.V.I.L Buttercup.  He seems to be free now, but i was worried that it might 

be happening again.  Shannon told me she was going to seek Gene out and check 

on him.  I tried to talk her out of it, but she was just too determined.  She 

has no idea I know Gene; it was going to be a surprise for her and the other 

girls on the list.  If she has gotten in trouble trying to help Gene, I will 

never forgive myself."   Calen dropped her head, afraid of what the E.V.I.L. 

Buttercup might do to her friend. 



"Oh Isis, that is a problem.  But don't you worry.  I'll help you find her... 

I promise.  Gene made some moves on me too, but Paul er... well I'll tell you 

later.  Anyway... is this a clue I see here?" Menne asked, picking up the 

solo album of Gene on the floor.  She saw a piece of paper slip out of it and 

fall to the floor.  "What's this?" she asked, holding it up. 



"He also said something about a place....it was indicated by a song on Gene's 

solo album." Calen pointed to a particular song on the scorched record. 



"Hmm... the songs on the back..." she said, and opened the piece of paper.   

In bold KISS style letters it said, "Helooo baby..." 



"Wait... what one of Gene's songs has anything to deal with a place?" Menne 

asked, showing the paper to Calen. 



"Well, I know the songs quite well, and in the song 'Living In Sin', Gene 

mentions Holiday Inn.  But, that's crazy, you know how many Holiday Inns 

there are?  We'll never be able to find the right one!" 



"Wait... I can track traces of Bez' magic with a spell..." Menne said.  "If 

you will trust me to help you find him, I'll trace which Holiday Inn!!" 



"You can do that?  Oh, wait....Paul told me you had special gifts.  Please, 

help me find Shannon!" Calen pleaded in desperation. 



"I will.  Are you afraid of heights or flying?  This will be easier... if we 

fly..." she said.   



"Well, I fly just about everywhere for a living, but it is usually inside an 

airplane....." She replied, nervously. 



"Well I can carry you, flying in my armor.  If that's all right... we can 

best search from the air..." Menne suggested.  "Surely Paul told you how I 

carried him off to a rendezvous after a KISS concert in Scranton... well 

never mind that... anyway... if you don't mind... I'll transform first..." 



"Please, go right ahead.....I am not stopping you." Calen said with a smile.   

She was now very curious to see what this woman had up her sleeves. 



Menne raised her arms to the ceiling, and suddenly chanted, "With the Wisdom 

of Thoth!" Instantly purple lightening surged over her, calling the magical 

armor into place again.  She walked to the door, and gesturted to Calen.   

"C'mere, and let's go... just hold onto me, and we'll get going!" 



"Ok, as long as you promise not to drop me..." 



Calen hung onto Menne's waist as they flew over the city.  Menne's amulet 

glowed brightly as she homed in on his magic.  "There," she said, pointing to 

a Holiday Inn below.  "He's there... I know it... but we gotta sneak up on 

him..." 



"All right, lets go, I am ready to squash that little toad like a grape!" 

Calen answered, holding tightly to Menne and praying she wouldn't get 

airsick. 



They swooped down gently, and landed behind the holiday inn.  Menne led her 

to the front of the room where she thought Bez was.  Handing something to 

Calen she said, "Throw this when I open the door.  That will surprise the 

hell out of him!!!" 



Calen took it and held it tight, more than willing to do anything to throw 

that little dwarf off his feet.  "I'm ready when you are." 



Menne knocked on the door, and held her breath.  Meanwhile inside, Bez 

cackled as he floated over a king sized bed.  Shannon glared at him with a 

look that would kill, her expression muffled behind a pink silk ribbon over 

her mouth.  Shackled to the bed with handcuffs and red silk ropes, she 

struggled against her bonds with no effect.  Bez cackled over her.  "Oh no, 

my pretty.  I'll bet they can't find you... I was paid a lot to gift wrap 

you, you know..." 



"MRRGGHGH!" Shannon growled through her ribbon. Just then there was a knock 

at the door, and the words, "Room service!" 



Bez went to answer it, drifting over to the door and unaware of the danger 

behind it... 



Calen waited patiently for one small crack in the door for her to spring into 

action.  As the door slowly opened, Calen saw the silly little dwarf and 

immediately threw the object in her hand, watching it explode in his face, 

and throw him back with a large THUD! 



Menne immediately threw a spell that encased Bez in a cascade of sand, as she 

moved toward Shannon on the bed.  However Shannon's panicked look made Menne 

hesitate with untying her.  It all seemed too easy.  She pulled at the gag 

instead, untying the pink ribbon from Shannon's mouth, while Calen rushed to 

her side. 



"Its all right Shannon, it's me Calen.  Don't be afraid, we are here to help 

you!" Calen said, responding to her friend's look of panic at the sight of 

the Menne's awesome form standing in front of her. 



"Be careful!" Shannon managed to say when she regained her composure.  "That 

little twerp was paid by Buttercup to kidnap me!" 



"What?" Menne asked, backing away.  "I wonder if there is some trap if we 

free her... better let me handle this..." 



"Let me untie Shannon first..." Calen answered, moving over to her to remove 

the ties from her arms and legs while Menne kept a close look out for 

anything suspicious. 



Menne noticed something lying on the bed, and slowly picked it up.  It looked 

sinister, so she waved a hand over it to check for residual traces of Bez' 

magic.  It was an ordinary party horn... 



"Now that Shannon is free, what do we do?" Calen asked, her senses now on 

full alert. 



"I think we should examine this," Menne said.  She showed Shannon the party 

horn, and turned it over.  On the back it said, "EVIL industries INC." 



"Wasn't Bez holding this when he first came to see you?" Menne asked Calen. 



"Yes, he was." she answered.  "I don't know about the two of you, but I think 

we should head for New York, I have a feeling that we might find more answers 

there.....