After sending her husband off to what she thought was work, Bella Goth receives a phone call.
"Hello, Mrs. Goth? This is the dean of the Academy for Financially Gifted Children. If it's not inconvenient for you, I was hoping we could have a meeting this morning in my office. It's about your daughter Cassandra."
With his usual henchman Gargoyle incapacitated, Satan finds he now has to rely on Father O'Sim to do his leg work. With the kids away at school, the Dark Master pays a visit to the orphanage.
"My master," the priest simpered, "what is thy biding?""I sent Gargoyle over to investigate the new inhabitants on Sim Lane but he totally botched the job."
O'Sim sniffed in disdain. "The incompetent fool.""Watch your forked tongue," Satan snarled. "I'm not totally convinced that he was in control of himself. I have suspicions that whoever - or whatever that has moved into the house on Sim Lane has powers beyond this mortal realm. Gargoyle may have been bewitched. For the moment I've turned him into a toad."
"Excellent move, my master."Normally Satan liked to be praised, but sometimes this Father O'Sim got on his last nerve. "I must know what the situation is inside that house. You, my obediant lapdog, shall go over there and investigate."
"At once, my liege!" Then, after a moment of thought he sheepishly asked, "Do you think it could be dangerous?""Yes."
"Oh, uh, just asking."Satan started o leave when he remembered another important piece of business he and the priest were involved in. "How are the sacrifices," he asked.
"The children are doing very well. Their hearts are pure and their souls are innocent. All will be perfect for the ceremony.""Good, good. Make sure their grades are kept up. The mayor passed a new law forcing underperforming students to be transferred out to the military academy. I don't want my handpicked sacrifices taken away because of bureaucracy."
"I'm glad you could make it, Mrs. Goth."
"You said this was about Cassandra. I hope there's not a problem.""I'm afraid there is. I don't know if you're aware of it but Cassandra's grades have been slipping. She was once one of our star pupils, yet now she seems easily distracted. She doesn't turn her work in on time or gives excuses as to why she hasn't done her assignments. "
"I had no idea.""Most disturbing of all is the drawings she does in art class."
"What about them," Bella asked."The subject of her drawings always seems to be set in a grave yard. Does this mean anything to you?"
It did but Bella was reluctant to admit it to someone outside of the family.The dean continued. "Normally I wouldn't say anything about this to you considering your family's past generosity to our school. However, due to the new law concerning education and grade levels, we're forced to report all our students' grades to the mayor's office. I'm afraid that if Cassandra's marks don't improve drastically, and soon, she'll be automatically shipped off to military school."
Bella gasped. "Military school!"The dean held her hands open in a gesture of helplessness. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do to prevent this. It's all up to Cassandra now. Cassandra and her close-knit, loving, supportive family."
After being annoyed by that nosey newspaper reporter, Skip Scoop, Mortimer cruises over to his other favorite bar. But as usual, just as he's getting comfortable he's interrupted. This time by a rather surprising person."Good afternoon, Mortimer. Mind if I join you?"
"Ishii Tang! What are you doing here? I didn't this was your kind of place.""It's not, believe me. I wouldn't be here at all except I've been looking for you."
This made Mortimer curious. Why would the chairman of Tang Unlimited, rival of Goth Enterprises, be looking for him?"Me? What do you want with me?"
"I have a proposition to make you.""A business proposition," Mortimer asked jauntily.
"A little business, and who knows, perhaps some pleasure along the way," she purred."You look like a woman who's already had her pleasure for the day," Mortimer observed. He meant it as a sting but Ishii wasn't bothered in the slightest. In fact she laughed.
"The day's not over yet. Come with me back to my penthouse and I'll show you my -- art collection. It's world famous.""Yes, I've heard your 'collection' has been around the world."
She threw back her head and laughed again. "Oh Mortimer, you're a delight! I like that. My limo is waiting outside.""What makes you think I'll come with you?"
She leaned over closer to him. "Because I've peaked your interest. You want to know what it is I have to say to you."He didn't like to admit it but she was right. He was also worried. Had Ishii heard that he had been relieved of his position?
Ishii was tired of waiting. "Come with me, Mortimer. There's lots of alcohol, free alcohol, at my place."
Bella wasn't sure Cassandra would be able to do such a turnaround so quickly with her grades. She decided it was time to throw her famous name around. After leaving the Academy for Financially Gifted Children, Bella went straight to city hall. It was quite heady, seeing how quickly she was ushered into the mayor's office after she was recognized as Mortimer Goth's wife. The man practically leapt over his desk as he enthusiastically welcomed her in."My dear Mrs. Goth, please do come in. Make yourself comfortable.""Please, call me Bella.""Very well, Bella. Would you like a drink?""No thank you." Her attention was captured by the room.The mayor noticed this as well. "What is it?""I'm sorry. It's just--I didn't realize how much your office resembles the dean's office at my daughter's school until now.""Yes, we share the same interior decorator. I'm sure you didn't come all this way to talk about that. Tell me, what can I do for you today?""It's about the new law that's just been passed concerning children's low grades and being automatically sent to military school.""Ah yes," the mayor smiled. "One of my finest examples of legislature.""I want you to repeal the law."His eyes widened in shock. "You what?!?"Bella calmly repeated herself. "I want you to repeal the law.""But--but-- I just got it through! I can't turn around now and suddenly announce it was a mistake!""Why not?""It would damage my chances of re-election, that's why not."Bella again used the power of her name. "Perhaps you've forgotten who my husband is, Mr. Mayor. Mortimer contributed a great deal of money to your campaign the first time."The mayor's eyes narrowed. He was a man who didn't appreciate threats. "Apparently you're not aware, Bella, that is was your own mother-in-law, Cornelia Goth, who pressured me into making the law in the first place. She thought it would help clean out the riff-raff from SimVille. If I had to choose between making an enemy of you or making an enemy of Cornelia, you're a push-over."Bella started to sweat in desperation. "But it's my daughter! I can't let her be taken away from me! Isn't there anything you can do to help me?"
The mayor stepped closer to Bella. "I might be able to help you with your problem, Bella, for a price." He reached out and cupped her face in his hands.
"W-what do you mean," she nervously asked, although deep down she instinctively knew what he was saying."I mean, -- he drew her face towards his -- "how far are you willing to go for Cassandra's sake?"
Bella's outfit by....
Ishii Tang's suit by....
Satan by....7 Deadly Sims
Priest by....7 Deadly Sims
Filing cabinet by....Odd Sim
