Ace stands up with the note left by the CSF. “Doesn’t say much does it”?
Registered Member #552’s keen eyes notice something. “Hey, there’s more on the back”.
“Oh yeah”, says Ace sheepishly, as he turns the note over. “And we have your little boy too”.
“Is that it”? Asks Wednesday.
Ace turns the note over again, just to make sure.
“Yep. That’s it”.
“What sort of villains are these? Don’t even leave a forwarding address to their secret hideout…”, grumbles Wednesday
“Well it makes a change from me being the kidnap victim”, says CJ. “But we can’t leave poor Alex with those goons".
“Agreed”, agrees Midnight Spectre. “But these are probably the most formidable foes we’ve ever faced”.
“I don’t know”, muses Ace. “When Chant went all Narratorish, he was pretty tough”.
“These foes are intelligent"! Responded the adamantium-armoured hero. "They can confuse our minds..."
"We don't them to confuse us", chips in Wednesday
Midnight replies with a stern ":izzatso:".
Wednesday replies with a goofy ":um:".
Midnight continues, "As I was saying, they know when to make strategic withdrawals and they don’t leave forwarding addresses”.
“Did you check the phone book”? Asked Transneapolitan.
Old and new members of the JLR turn to the Ice-creamy hero. ":?!:"
“Wha? It was only a suggestion”.
“So how are we going to track ‘em down”? Asked Fused.
“I’m sure Chessmaster would have an answer”, said Ace.
“But he’s still zoned out”, replied Wednesday.
“Remind me not to play a game of chess with him”, said Registered Member #552. “It’ll take all day”.
“Hybrid, RM”, said Midnight Spectre 2.0
“Yes Midnight”, replied Hybrid and Registered Member #552.
“Use your enhanced senses to see if the CSF left any clues”, ordered the midnight hero.
“Right-O”, replied Registered Member #552, using his enhanced vision and smell to track down clues.
“Okay”, said Hybrid, transforming his eyes into those of an eagle, his nose into a bloodhounds and also developing the radar sense of a bat.
“So what do you want us to do”? Asked Fused.
“Yeah”, agreed Transneapolitan.
“See if you can wake up Chessmaster”, suggested Midnight Spectre 2.0
------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere….
Centurian is strapped to a long table. A fiendish looking contraption is positioned over him. It looks suspiciously like a solar powered laser gun.
Grendel, Wolfman, the Vegi-Beast and Terminatrix stand guard around the chamber, as the other members of the CSF discuss Centurian’s fate.
“I really don’t see the need for all of this ‘technology’”, spat Malfoy. “My magic can take care of the boy”.
“We have been trough this before, Lucius”, replied Professor Morriarty, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “We need your magics to calm Grendel and to ensure the Vegi-Beast’s obedience. I invited Francisco, as I did you, onto this
team as you both possess unique and beneficial skills, as does every other member of the CSF”.
“Don’t worry, Malfoy”, said Francisco Scaramanga, as he finished setting some controls. “The solar gun, will ensure the boy co-operates”.
“Co-operates”? Thought Centurian.
“What do they mean”?“And to make doubly sure, Terminatrix and Wolfman are staying here to ensure he does not escape”, continued Moriarty.
“We should check our lair’s security is in order”, offered Agent Smith. “The JLR may get lucky and find us”.
“I doubt that”, laughed Scaramanga.
“But we shall check our defences, none-the-less. Come let us prepare”, said Professor Morriarty as he leads the CSF from the chamber.
Once they were gone, Centurian looks around the room.
The solar gun stood humming above him. He wondered how the gun was going to ensure his co-operation, probably linked to some motion detector maybe? He’d worry about that later.
Terminatrix stood perfectly still, her unblinking eyes stared right at the boy. Wolfman was crouched onto all fours. He let out a slow growl, when Alex looked his way.
“This isn’t good”, thought Centurian.
“But fortunately, they didn’t notice me slip my dice into my mouth. For all they're posturing about not making cliché mistakes, they sure fell for the oldest trick in the book”.Centurian slowly moves his head to one side, facing away from Terminatrix. The Wolfman growls once more…
“Here goes nothing”, thought Centurian, as he spat his dice from his mouth.
*Pa-tooie*
91
As the mystical mist starts to surround Centurian, Terminatrix and Wolfman spring towards the young hero, as the solar gun powers up, ready to fire…
