Tiny and the rest of the kids were hauled up to a roof. Their hands and legs were tied.

“Where the hell are you taking us?” Tiny shouted at one of the big dudes that were dragging them up the roof. Tiny noticed they were dressed in police uniforms but the way they were being handled made Tiny think that the people in front of them were anything but officers.

Tiny and the other kids were stripped of all the equipment and clothes they were given, left only in their underwear. The bitter cold dug through their skin as they were thrown into a circle. Tiny and the rest of kids huddled together for warmth as panicked mutterings spread through the group.

The six police officers formed a circle around them.

“What’s going on?”

“Are we under arrest?”

“It was the Cat! The Cat made me do it!”

“Shut up,” screamed one of the police officers. “Stop talking.”

That didn’t help with anything. In fact, that made things worse.

It went on like that until a familiar voice broke through the unease.

“These officers are with me children,” said the Cat, pushing in between the police officers. “Worry not.”

“Tell them to let us go,” chattered one of the kids. “I’m freezing.”

“Yeah,” said another. “We need clothes.”

The Cat raised his hands which made everyone quiet. “Worry not. All your problems will be dealt with soon.”

“What are we doing up here?”

The Cat pulled his gloves up and straightened his hat. “The mission I gave you with the egg was a test of two things. It was a test of your ability and a test of trust. If you children couldn’t trust each other, how could I trust you? Holly and Felicity passed this test with flying colours but I can’t say the same about you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Give me another one and I’ll pass it.”

“I just want to home.”

“Children, please,” the Cat said. “Simmer down.”

The Cat cleared his throat. “Now, while some of you displayed great potential and the rest floundered like fish out of water, you still managed to get yourself caught by the police and unfortunately a job as delicate and secretive as this means you can’t afford to get caught by the police. Luckily my men were also there and managed to claim you before things got out of hand.”

“I need to go pee.”

“Please let me go.”

“I’m sorry.”

“My mum and dad…”

“Unluckily,” the Cat said. “Due to the confidential nature of this mission, you will have to be executed.”

Crying and panic.

“I’m sorry,” the Cat said. “But this is how it has to go.”

Tiny in a fit of rage got up.

“You fucking snake,” Tiny growled. “I’m going to get you… I swear…”

Tiny couldn’t finish his sentence as bullet struck his head. Tiny collapsed on the ground, landing amidst the shaking bodies of the children. Smoke swirled out of the silencer barrel of a police officer’s gun.

The children cried and wailed.

The Cat sighed. “Its unfortunate things have to come to this,” the Cat shrugged. “But what are you going to do?”

The Cat turned to the officer. “Make sure you dispose of the bodies and burn the equipment. I don’t want anything getting back to me.”

The officer nodded. He took out his gun and started firing, the screams of children being cut short by the apathetic fire of silenced barrels.