SAMURAI PIZZA CATS A Radiating Experience ---- Part Two Author: G.A. Wildcat Conclusion's coming up, folks. This is as close as I can get without going overboard. The Rad-Cats, after fighting their way through a group of drones and securing the power core, have returned it to the pizza parlor---even though the nuclear silo still has its backup generators online. And now, as quickly as they can, they are making a mad dash back to the silo to continue the fight. Meanwhile, Curtis and the Pizza Cats----or rather, Curtis and the Marx Brothers----have arrived in the silo's main control room. Here, the countdown has reached the thirty minute mark, but Quarter seems to have no intention of shutting it off! ------------------ (Focus immediately on the control room. Quarter and the A.L.D. are standing directly in front of everyone, blocking their path to the main controls.) Quarter: (smug) Oh, I'm very sorry, pizza freaks. I'm afraid you've lost. Polly: (as CM; worried) I'm telling ya, Speedy, thisa no good. What chance do we-a have against this.....animal? Speedy: (as GM) I don't know, but I DO know that his name's not worth ten cents. Quarter: You'll have to do better than that, Speedy.....er, I mean, GROUCHO. Groucho. That your name? Speedy: (as GM) As clear as daylight, Quarter. And also just as foggy. Caner: (taking up the cue) Oh my goodness....(looking at GB)....what have we here? A harpist! Wonderful! GB: (as HM; caws) Caner: (putting his good paw up to his ear) I'm sorry. What was that? You have the brain of a Stegosaurus? Wow! I'm impressed! GB: (as HM; caws angrily and points a clawed finger at him) Caner: (hisses) Watch what you're doing, buddy. It's not polite to point. Flasher: (to Guido) Have I ever mentioned how handsome you look in that armor? Guido: (as ZM) Thank you very much, sir. Still, why can't we just start now? Flasher: What, and spoil it for you? Come on. The day's still young! Blackout: (to Polly) And you, Miss Marx. You may be a good piano player, but you're never going to join the ranks of the world's elite. Polly: (as CM) Yeah? You've never heard me-a play a sonata in A-minor before! Blackout: (smirks) True, but I've heard you play a tune from Chopin in C-major before. For the lack of a better word, it stunk! Polly: (as CM; upset) You weren't even at that-a performance! How was I supposed to know that I was in the middle of Skunk Central? (Off next to Francine, Curtis growls to himself) Curtis: (to Francine) I know what they're doing. They're just stalling for time until it comes time to launch the missile. Franince: (nervous) What's your plan? To wait until the last minute, then defeat them all in a sudden surge of heroics? Curtis: (shakes his head) Not necessary. (notes the timer: 27 minutes) And Quarter's plan is working, too. Francine: Well, Mr. Know-it-All, do you have any plan? (Curtis doesn't answer) Francine: (agitated) Curtis? (waves her hand in front of his face) Curtis, I know you're in there. (Curtis still doesn't answer. His eyes seem to be focusing on nothing. After a moment, they close.) Francine: (angrily) Curtis, this is no time for a nap! (gets no response; she flings up her hands in agitation) Where is decent leadership when you need it? (Scene change to the Rad-Cats, charging madly down a corridor) Teasy: (looks at a watch) Look out, gang! We have to increase our speed if we're going to be able to fight! Daniel: (yells at him) WHAT'S OUR ETA BEFORE THE LAUNCH? Teasy: 26 minutes! The control room is still 5 floors above us! Let's BURN! (As one, the 4 rev up their speed to the maximum without breaking the sound barrier, leaving flames behind them, and reach a set of stairs. They race up the flight of stairs and reach the next floor) Runner: (snarling) Fortunate for us that we found a hallway that wasn't infested with nuclear radiation! Chico: (glancing back at him) You just said a mouthful, brother. Runner: (groans) Great, now YOU'RE starting to act like Teasy. Just what this world needs: another comedian! Teasy: (snaps at him) No more references to me for the time being. We've got a city to save and a world to rescue! Daniel: That gives me a good idea on how to beat Quarter. We could bore him to death with our cliches! (Teasy looks at him warningly, and Daniel abruptly shuts up) (Scene fades to black momentarily, and fades to normal a second later, reappearing on a street in a far-off city. In the background rests the Eiffel Tower, so we have a pretty good idea of where this is taking place. Curtis is talking to what appears to be a black shadow) Curtis: (desperate) Look. I know you probably don't remember me, but keep in mind that I've been there for you ever since I met you. Can't you even consider it that much? Figure: (female voice) Nope. I'm afraid not, kiddo. I don't even know who you are, or even why you're here. If I were you, I'd just go home and play baseball or something. (The shadow glides away, leaving Curtis with his anger. His voice, seemingly coming out of nowhere, echoes) Curtis: (voice-over) Quarter was the one that did this to me. (Scene change to Tiger Stadium, in Michigan, U.S.A. Curtis is sitting up in the lower deck bleachers, watching the baseball game below him. An empty seat can be seen next to him. The calico glances at a watch) Curtis: (to himself) Top of the sixth inning. She's been gone ever since the start of the 5th inning. It shouldn't take THAT long just to get a couple of hot dogs! (The small comlink that he owns beeps. Curtis picks it up, flicks it on, and answers it) Curtis: G.A. Wildcat here. Who is this? (Blackout's voice can be hard, purring softly all the while) Blackout: If you think that your female friend can wait until the end of a baseball game, you've got to be downright crazy. (The fur on Curtis's tail fluffs up involuntarily, and then he disappears as he jumps to lightspeed.) Curtis: (voiceover) If he hadn't kidnapped her, things wouldn't be like this. Things were going just fine up until she had disappeared. I also wish I had made it back before the seventh inning started. (Scene fades to normal back in the nuclear silo's control center. The A.L.D. and the Pizza Cats are still throwing insults at each other) Curtis: (becoming mad) (Holding his fists at his sides, Curtis begins focusing deeply on his stored energies, vibrating. Francine, looking on, doesn't quite comprehend the situation.) Francine: (sarcastic) Either Curtis has had too much coffee, or this is something I haven't seen--- (With a sudden implosion, the roof of the control room shatters, dumping the snow formerly on top of the roof on everyone and everything. The timer, still visible, flickers to show 22 minutes left as everyone looks in Curtis's direction.) Francine: (VERY nervous) Um, Curtis, what's going on? (Curtis slowly opens his eyes. They don't appear to be the normal shade of brown; instead, they appear to be a bright yellow-orange. At this point, Francine finally understands his emotion: pure, blinding rage.) Curtis: (rumbling; slowly comes out) Nine...... Caner: (sarcastic) Leno has Grant, but we've got a vibrating calico. Blackout: (looks at him; jeers in a Brak-like tone) No more SG:C2C for you, buddy. (Brilliant black flashes tear their lethal way across the gray sky above them, followed seconds later by a series of flashes in all colors of the rainbow. At the palace, these motions don't escape the eyes of a certain loyal canine) Al: (reaches into his pocket for the remote control) It's time. (pushes the button) Violet: (looking at him) Time for what? Al: Time to see whether or not my lieutenant has lived up to his promises. Frieda: (sarcastic) And a big hurrah if THAT happens. Fred: (confused) Fred? Al: Listen, all 3 of you. What happens next could very well determine the course of this city. If Curtis succeeds, then this mission will be completed and the Royal Family will live. However, if he fails, then we won't live to acknowledge those facts. Frieda: All I'M saying is that the kid had better be right. If not, I'll blast his atomized remains to the far side of EUROPE! Al: (bows his head) Whatever you say, Your Highness. Vi: (cheers) You go, mom! (Back in the control room....) Quarter: (looking at his mates) 20 minutes to go, men. Time to destroy these meddling Pizza Cats and show them just what they're dealing with so that we can live to see this city BURNED TO THE GROUND! All A.L.D. members: YEAH! (Francine flicks her head between Quarter and Curtis nervously. Curtis's fur is no longer the calico pattern that it used to be; rather, he now appears to be shown in grayscale. His sword and it's scabbard are both outlined in indigo. The kid's still concentrating, and vibrating faster) Curtis: (strained) .....lives..... (Things suddenly explode in Francine's eyes as Flashdog charges towards her. He raises his right paw, and a brilliant lightning bolt explodes out of it. Terrified, she dodges out of the way, just as the bolt turns the wall she was standing against as cold as ice) Flashdog: (snarls in annoyance) Lady, you have no idea what you're dealing with! (dashes a few steps forward and hurls another bolt) (Francine screams and dodges the blast. Flashdog and Francine repeat this process until Flashdog is a few feet away, and the two start slashing at each other) Quarter: (shouts joyfully) HAMMER TIME!! (Quarter circles the walls as quickly as he can go. Finally, over the course of a split second, he brings his paw down into Speedy's chest armor, not noticing the black fumes floating through the air. He then grabs Polly and knocks their heads together, dropping Speedy and Polly to the floor) Speedy: (normal; amazed) Holy cats.....this guy packs a mean punch! Polly: (normal) What I want to know is what in the name of Little Tokyo's happening to Curtis? (The two of them, a bit dazed, look over at Curtis. The feline, originally appearing as grayscale, looks a lot darker than before. He's vibrating so fast that he resembles a blur. Another word escapes his lips as the nearby counter flickers on the 17 minute mark) Curtis: (hisses; strained) ....Power..... (Blackout looks over towards GB, who is also back to normal. The former Ninja Crow has his sword held out in front of him, and he doesn't appear to be in a good mood) Blackout: (chuckling; holds up in open paw) Hey, Ninja Traitor! Taste some Twilight! (A Sphere of Twilight appears in front of him, and he hurls it at full strength straight at GB) GB: (screeches) NOT TODAY! (At the last second, GB slashes sideways with his sword, sending the Sphere spinning back towards Blackout) Blackout: (quietly) Oops.... (As the Sphere approaches him, Blackout brings a fist out in front of him and hammers it into the ground. The Sphere bounces off the floor and into the open sky, where it detonates harmlessly) GB: (smiles) Good Bird: 1, and Blackout: 0! (Blackout, seethingly mad, yells a battle cry and charges towards him, his claws whipping out in front of him) Blackout: (yells) IT'S NOT OVER YET, CROW!!! (Flasher and Caner, meanwhile, look over towards a somewhat confused Guido, and then at each other. They both know what their plan of action is.) Flasher: Care to have the honors? Caner: (allows the time for a sharp grin) First kind word you've ever said. (raises his cane at Guido and shouts) Hammer Missile launch, Commence! (A long, blue missile in the shape of a hammer shoots out of the end and hurtles it's way towards Guido before he or anyone else can react. Polly's cry of desperation is echoed by Speedy and Francine) (The missile explodes. From Caner's point of view, a blue smokescreen shadows everything that can be seen by his eyes alone) Caner: (sounding lethal) Gotcha, you miserable excuse for a samurai. (Seconds later, the smokescreen fades away----and Caner and Flasher are in for a total shock. Right in front of Guido, overwhelmed with the sheer power of the blast, is Teasy Melika----or at least a reasonable facsimile. The purple baseball cap, sunglasses, and purple jacket have been blasted away to show a black T-shirt with the faded words: "Rad-Cats Incorporated." Teasy's right arm is bent to the side, obviously sprained or broken, and his tail hangs limp on the ground. The Rad-Cat is down on one knee; the other one is aching as if it was hit with the force of a piledriver. His breathing sounds labored, his brown stripes are more blue than brown, and he looks like five miles of bad road; but that still doesn't stop Teasy from mumbling a single phrase) Teasy: (strained to the limit; gasps) Pizza....Power....forever! (The other 3 Rad-Cats rush up next to him, as Curtis spots this out of the corner of his eye. A set of crystal-clear flames shoot skyward, forming a massive pillar, as his fury intensifies) Guido: (looks down at Teasy and scowls) I didn't need that, Teasy. Teasy: (looks up at Guido) Here I've...gone and rescued....you from a fate....worse than death! (straining heavily; rises up to his full height) And now you're....telling me....that YOU....DON'T NEED....RESCUED?? Guido: (lifts an eyebrow) I was able to get in blocking position with the Sunspot and my sword, which are fully capable of dealing with that missile. You didn't have to do that, and I'm serious about it. Teasy: (weakly) Now that's....what....I call UNGRATEFUL. (begins to slip down to the ground) (The timer hits 14 minutes. Chico rushes over and supports Teasy with one shoulder, as Daniel's flamethrowers and Runner's grenades keep Flasher and Caner busy. Meanwhile, Quarter is off to one side, looking for more targets to hit and pretending to be a Swat Kat.) Quarter: (talking to himself) Contact....T-Bone, we've got enemy incoming.... (Quarter spots Francine, who is holding her own relatively well against Flashdog) Quarter: Cutter Blades.....(runs at high speed in a zig-zag path)....DEPLOYED! (Quarter suddenly launches his attack. Francine sees him and brings up her nunchuks to counter the attack, but the Husky ducks under the defense, reaches up with his claws, and slashes clean through the armor) (Everyone except Curtis turns their heads as Francine's shrill scream overrides all other sounds of fighting. Flashdog, seeing an opening, grabs Fran's right wrist armor and sends an electrical current through it, rendering her nunchuks hand immobile and dropping her to the ground. Angered, Polly and Speedy manage to pull themselves up) Speedy: (mad) I thought that Guru Lou had put that armor upgrade in ALL the sets! Polly: (growls) His claws and fists may be strong, but I'd like to see how he holds up under a Heart Breaker! Speedy: (shakes his head) Not now. Let's wait until we get REALLY upset. (Over where Francine is....) Flashdog: (laughs) So much for her using that Ion attack of hers. Quarter: (chuckles, then snarls) Game's not over yet. Choose a new target, Flashdog. Flashdog: (looking over the contestants) I think I'll give Blackout some help against Good Bird. That crow's putting up more of a fight than I expected. Quarter: (claps a paw on his shoulder) Good. You do that. (Flashdog steps over behind GB, whose Ninja Crow training is starting to overcome Blackout's dull reflexes) Flashdog: (tauntingly) Hey, feather duster! Fight someone who'll give you a REAL challenge! GB: (turns around) Huh? Flashdog: (raising his fist) Good night, GRACIE!!! (begins his attack) (Right before his fist makes contact, a pair of explosions from a Star of Ginzu and a Heart Bomb throw his attack off. It misses by a full inch and sends him spinning. GB, taking advantage of the distraction, shoves Blackout to the floor.) Speedy: ***raspberry*** Polly: (slaps Speedy on his shoulder and laughs) Hey, Flashmutt! Pick on someone your OWN size! (Flashdog hears the comment, and starts flinging lightning bolts their way. Panicking, the two of them begin dodging the best they can. Quarter, meanwhile, begins his attack against GB.) (Across the city, at an airport, Aldonza Karate is informing the people at one of the gates of the bad news) Aldonza: (angrily) Considering the delays that the airplanes always go through, the incompetence of some of the air traffic controllers, the slowness of some unnamed citizens, and the nuclear missile that'll launch in....(checks her watch)...just under 11 minutes, there is really no way you can escape the city and avoid a Banzai-class nuclear warhead, which is rumored to destroy everything in a 20-mile radius. (A burly figure, resembling a ferret, walks toward her) Man: Just what do you mean? Aldonza: Simply put, permission to leave denied on account of pain of explosion. Woman: (upset) What do you mean, "pain of explosion"? I'll do whatever it takes to leave. You can even strap me to an airplane engine, because at this point, I really don't care! Aldonza: (annoyed) Get it through your head, lady. Unless my commander destroys that nuke, there is no way you're going to survive. Even if the plane leaves right now, it couldn't escape the radius of the blast. (Aldonza looks at the group of people. None of them seem too happy) Aldonza: Oh, sure, I could try to carry a few of you to safety. However, the number safe from the attack wouldn't reach any higher than about 20 of you before I myself would get torn to pieces by an explosion. Even those that are safe would get effected by radiation and lead a shortened life. Security guard: (from his post nearby) So, what do we do? Sit and wait? Aldonza: (folds her arms) Yes. We don't have any other choice. (sarcastic) Unless, of course, you prefer that I stand in front of you and take the brunt of the blast. Guard: (shakes his head and chuckles) You're one tough sister, you know that? Aldonza: (startled) Wha.....Donnie! I didn't know you got a job....here...(voice trails off as she remembers the looming threat)....I wish I could've known sooner, though. Guard: If we survive, I'll tell about it to you. Aldonza: (walks over to him and hugs him) Don't bother with LATER, Donnie. Go ahead and tell me NOW. Man: (stepping forward) Aw, how sweet. Nothing better than a family reunion. (raises his fist and reveals a small pistol) Now, give me your money. Aldonza and Donnie: (faces the man) GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD, IDIOT! (At that instant, both pairs of eyes glow green, and twin sets of laser beams lance out and strike the man's pistol, melting it) Man: (hastily) I was....only kidding... Aldonza: To quote Han Solo, "What good is a reward if you're not around to use it?" Besides, in about 9 minutes, it's not really going to matter. Now, scram or be charged with "contempt of Super-Cat"! (The ferret runs off, and Donnie rolls his eyes) Donnie: (to himself) Jerk. (Cut back to the fight. Chico is standing guard over a drastically weak Teasy, while Daniel and Runner are still engaged with Flasher and Caner in battle. Speedy, Guido, and Polly are fighting against Blackout and Flashdog. Everyone has suffered some degree of battle damage. GB is lying on the ground a short distance away, with Quarter standing over him. In a moment of indecision, he pulls out his disintegration gun, and points it at a control panel) Quarter: (screams) HALT! CEASE! DESIST! (All action stops, and all eyes are on him. Quarter's whiskers twitch, and his group takes that as a signal to join him. As they regroup and face them, Speedy realizes what he plans to do) Speedy: (yells at Quarter) WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS FOR?! Quarter: (grins) To prove the ultimate victory belongs to us in the fight of dogs against cats. To prove the success of evil against good. (grin becomes wider, and he snickers) To prove the victory of terrorism over the forces of "law and order", as you call it. Guido: (clenches a fist) Those words are pure EVIL, Nickel-head! You know perfectly well what you have in mind: you want to destroy the control panel so there is no chance of us winning! Quarter: (chuckles) Fortunately for us, the silo's MAIN computer has our DNA codes encased inside, so that the nuclear blast won't faze us. You people, however, won't be so fortunate if I press the stud on my disintegration gun. Polly: (whispering to Speedy) Is there ANY way out? Caner: (overhearing the comment) Not a chance in the world. Quarter: (laughs) Let's see how you fare against our brand of firepower. Let's go, boys! (The 5 leap straight up into the air, and a halo of energy forms around them. None of them notice the flickering flashes of light in the air as a dark funnel forms around where Curtis is standing) Daniel: (gasps) This isn't good! (The halo gets brighter as the 7 minute mark hits) Quarter: All.... Flasher: To--- Flashdog: ---get--- Caner: ---her--- Blackout: Now! All: Legion Beam! DESTROY!!! (A brilliant white blast focuses in the center of the circle and lances out at the group below, more than enough to overwhelm them) Daniel: (panicking) DEFINITELY NOT GOOD! Voice: (screams) EMERGENCE!!! (Having forgotten that Curtis was still down there, the Legion have made a fatal error. In the blink of an eye, the dark funnel dissipates, and the Legion Beam curves BACK INTO THE AIR and explodes, raining energy on the surrounding landscape. After the rain stops falling, everyone looks around) Quarter: (confused) WHAT----? Voice: (angrily) Why, hello. Forget about me? (Everyone looks at Curtis. This is no longer the calico cat that everyone had once known. The cat's fur is jet black, and he has a piercing gleam in his yellow eyes. [Let's just say that if looks could kill, he could've destroyed the Titans by himself.] The fur has increased in length by several inches, and the tail has also increased in length slightly, as well. Shape-Shifter AND it's sheath both glow a bright red.) Figure: Hey, guys, it's me! Only....it's NOT me. Runner: (puzzled) What do you mean? Figure: (looks at him) Say hello to WILDCAT! Blackout: (from his position in the air) Oh, crud.... Flasher: (upset) Please tell me I'm seeing things. This can NOT be the one that stopped us in the Juke Box case. Quarter: (snarling at the sight) This creep is even uglier than the one before it! Let's finally see what it's made of! Wildcat: (grins half-heartedly) Bring it on, Hose Brain. Bring it on. Let's see what you've got! Quarter: (barks) I'll take that as an insult! ALL TEAM MEMBERS, FULL POWERS, NOW! (Quarter fires his disintegration beam at full power. At the same time, Flashdog unleashes a fireball; Flasher throws a lightning bolt; Caner lets loose with 2 of his more....unstable...missiles, and Blackout tosses in a Sphere of Twilight. When the dust clears a second later, a black ball of pure energy is seen floating in the air, surrounded by swirling bolts of various types. Quarter smacks a fist into an open palm, and the ball suddenly floats down, homing in on the black figure below.) Wildcat: (snaps) Time for a taste of your own medicene! (Shape-Shifter suddenly glows white, engulfing Wildcat in it's power. When the glow fades, he can be seen wearing what seems to be an enhanced copy of Worc's armor.) Guido: (to Speedy) Wake up GB. He has to see this. (Speedy taps GB a few times. After a second, the crow wakes up) GB: (dazed) Wha....what's going on? Speedy: I think maybe you'd want to stay awake for this coming scene, pal. GB: (getting up) Certainly, Sp----(sees Wildcat and the powerful energy ball)----JALAPENA! Polly: (rubbing her wrist) I know. Kind of insane, don't you think? Daniel: (yowls) INCOMING! (takes cover behind Runner) Wildcat: (to himself) Party time! (The ball of energy impacts the armor. Concentrating as best as he can, Wildcat dumps it all in the Absorber, trying to keep it from cracking. At last, when the ball of energy disappears, Quarter looks down at him in shock) Quarter: (shocked) No....! He couldn't have! Wildcat: (yells) YES, I COULD HAVE, QUARTER. NOW, MEET YOUR MATCH!!! (The black blast pulses out of the Absorber and hits smack-dab behind the formation, exploding instantly. Now, imagine a Tie Fighter exploding. Multiply the diameter by 20, and you get the size of the explosion that sends Quarter and his gang spiraling off towards the city. I'm talking about a BIG explosion. The silo shakes on its foundation, and everyone holds on to something as a shockwave pours through the area. After it dies down...) Wildcat: (looking down as the armor warps back into its normal sword form) Finally. After all this time.... Speedy: (excited) Curtis---um, Wildcat, I mean----we only have 2:44 left! (Outside, at the launch chute, the tip of an orange-colored projectile can be seen poking out of the opening, unfazed by the shockwave. Back in the control "room", meanwhile....) Wildcat: (spots the counter) Blast it, you're right! Who's here and able to travel? Guido: I'm here. Speedy and Polly are here. GB's here. Chico, Daniel, and Runner are here, and all of the above are fit to run. Chico and the others can go at lightspeed, and the rest of us will turn on the turbo-jets that Lou put in our hovershoes. Polly: (worried) Francine and Teasy aren't going to be able to make it! They're too hurt to even walk out! Teasy: (groans and tries to be humorous) The sacrifice will be worth it if you people make it out by the buzzer. Wildcat: (deciding quickly) Runner, you take Teasy and the Rad-Cats out of here. Guido, Polly, GB, you take Francine and get out. Guido: (upset) But what about---- Wildcat: (yowls) NOW!!! (At this point, the 2 minute warning kicks in. Speedy looks back at the group and nods, giving them his approval. Unsure of what happens next, everyone does as ordered, leaving Wildcat and Speedy alone) Speedy: (sarcastic) What now, Super Genius? Wildcat: (looking at the shattered ceiling) Follow my instructions, and don't ask questions. Speedy: I don't think that'll be a problem, you know.... (Wildcat lays hold of Shape-Shifter, and it swiftly morphs into an exact copy of Speedy's Ginzu sword) Wildcat: (hissing to himself) Only the power that you conducted the Supreme Catatonic with can give us our victory. Use the dark powers of this sword in conjunction with the light powers of YOURS, and the resulting shot will be far greater than anything you've ever dreamed of. Speedy: (takes the sword) Yeah, sure. Just like the Khydarin Crystals. Then what? Wildcat: (tensing himself; indicates a short wall) Aim the shot up and OVER the wall. I'll leap backwards over the wall and slam the blast into the launch tube. It should be enough to destroy the whole missile and take the silo along with it. (Speedy looks like he's about to protest, but he calms down) Speedy: (grimly) Roger that. Time to go out in a blaze of glory, huh? (chuckles) Wildcat: (snickers) As the Klingons would say, "Today's a good day to die". Let's hit it! (0:55) (Wildcat starts peddling backwards towards the wall. In the meantime, Speedy commences with the Cat's Eye Slash sequence. The pink flame flowing into the scabbard and hilt causes the Ginzu sword to come loose, and Speedy lays hold of it and pulls it out) (0:40) (Wildcat nears the wall, leaps backward, and stands on the edge, ignoring the shattered glass beneath his paws. The lethal energy in the carbon-copy of the Ginzu causes electric discharges between the two swords that quiet down in a few seconds) (0:25) (The tip of the missile slowly begins to expand over at the launch tube. Speedy crosses the two swords in front of his face, and a magenta-colored haze of energy begins to materialize. Wildcat tenses his muscles for the special manuever. Speedy then lowers the swords near the ground) (0:10) (Gaining momentum, Speedy throws the swords above his head, and the reddish energy takes the form of the Cat's Eye. A wildcat's scream can be heard in the background as the flashing of Wildcat's eyes correspond with the attack) (0:05) Speedy: (screams) COWABUNGA!!! (flings the swords down and releases the energy) (0:03) (The energy shoots over the wall. Wildcat leaps backward, passes the massive bolt of Ginzu power, gathers all his strength together, brings his right fist on top of his left, and deflects the shot towards the nuclear missile in the launch tube below) (0:01) (The energy bolt strikes the missile. For a split second, it appears as if the nuclear missile has passed through the beam unharmed. Then, quicker than the eye can see, the missile splits in half. For another agonizing second, nothing else happens; and then it abruptly comes apart. Remember the combined attack from the A.L.D. that blasted them towards the city? Multiply that by 4. The ensuing explosion disintegrates the rest of the silo in a massive nuclear chain reaction within seconds. Speedy and Wildcat are nowhere to be seen) (Cut to Mt. Coochie. The Big Cheese has propped himself against the rockside, a safe distance away from the silo.) Seymour: (gasping for breath) This run had better be worth it. I really do hope that Quarter and his goonies don't see me out here, or---- (Something catches his eye, and he looks towards it. There is an astronomical flash of light) Seymour: (mad) They did it again. THEY ACTUALLY DID IT AGAIN! WHY, I'M SO ANGRY THAT I COULD JUST---- (Suddenly he calms down) Seymour: (calmer) ----explode. But then again, I don't think I will. (looks around) Hey, Jerry, where are you? (A silver pod, large enough to fit a full-sized human, floats up to him. A short recording inside the pod plays through) Recording: Please come with me. I've been programmed to transport you to safety. Seymour: (deciding quickly) Well, it's better than whatever Quarter has in store. (As he climbs into the pod, a pair of rocket thrusters kick in on one side of the pod, and it tears away around the mountain) Seymour: (holding on) Whaaaa! (pounds the pod) HEY, YOU STUPID MACHINE, SLOW DOWN! (The machine does so, thankfully, once it reaches the far side of the mountain) Seymour: (smiles) That's the first time that anything's ever listened to my commands willingly! Hey, Jerry, where are you? You've got to see this! Mechanized voice: Jerry Atrick isn't here right now. Please leave a message at the sound of the CLANG! (A metallic fist grasps the pod, with the Big Cheese still inside, with a metallic CLANG. Protesting, he looks around----and stares straight into the face of the Ninja Crowbot) Seymour: (angry) Max, what are you doing?! Put me down this instant! CM: (chuckling) Oh, I don't think so, Seymour. I think we have you right where we want you! And we're not letting you go until you pay us every red cent of what you owe us! Seymour: (searching in his komono for a moment, pulling out a wallet) Well, I can give you $50 now, but---- CM: (laughs) That won't be enough! We've set up an appointment to see Curtis immediately when he returns, so keep quiet and we MIGHT just let you go to Prisoner Island unharmed! After all, Curtis is honest, and YOU'RE not, so let's let it be! (Seymour flails his arms wildly, trying to escape. Finally, he just lets his arms drop, and he gives up) Seymour: Not exactly the way I wanted to end it, but I don't suppose I have much choice. CM: (chuckles) For once, you're actually correct! (The Ninja Crowbot sets into gear and moves towards the outskirts of the city) (Cut to Lucille's home. She is sitting in an easy chair next to a fireplace, wearing a sweater and reading a magazine. Faintly, we hear a yell) Lucille: (looks up) Huh? What was that? (The yelling increases in intensity; and suddenly, the 5 respective members of the Animal Legion of Doom come crashing through the roof, landing on the floor no more than 1 meter away from Lucille. All the bad guys look blasted, burned, and injured from the magnitude of their gigantic black bomb, but this is still not stopping them) Lucille: Well, it was awfully nice of you to drop in, but could you knock next time? Quarter: (snarls; picks himself up) We'll deal with you later, lady. The rest of you, follow me! (Quarter kicks open the door, and his group starts running at full steam towards the Palace) Lucille: (closing the door) Speedy and the others must've managed to win. I wonder what's on "49ers and K-9ers today"? (A blasted A.L.D. dashes towards the Palace as fast as they can run) Quarter: (panting) Come on, you guys! If we can get to the Palace, we still have a chance of getting rid of the monarchy! Blackout: (wheezing for air) Think we can run a little bit slower? My heart's killing me! Flasher: (panting) It's your OWN fault you ate that chicken pot pie before the attack, not ours. Quarter: (barks) Heads up, Legion. Palace at 12:00! Voice: And an ambush, NOW!!! (Like the furry black tornado he is, Ambush Cat dives out of hiding and tackles Quarter headfirst. The two tussle for a moment before the Black Maine Coon leaps off of Quarter and lands on all four feet in front of the Palace, growling) Caner: (hisses) Get out of our way, Super-Cat! There's no way that you can stop what must happen by yourself! Ambush Cat: (chuckling) Maybe not by myself, but the Super-Cats CAN! (calls out) TIME TO ROLL, GUYS! (Two dozen Super-Cats, who include Aldonza, Donnie, Carlos Cosmos, Flatts, and Salty, appear out of the surrounding buildings and take up positions around them, much to Quarter's chagrin) Ambush Cat: (winks, his tail waving) Now, just what was that you were saying about "what must take place"? Say it louder, so that the rest of us can hear you. Quarter: (driving a fist through the wall of the building next to him repeatedly) Blast it, blast it, blast it....we were so CLOSE! We CAN'T have failed! We just can't lose! WE CAN'T! All Super-Cats: Oh, YES YOU CAN! (The 25 Super-Cats [total] dive and tackle the respective Legion members, 5 to a Legionaire, starting a catfight that ends with the good side victorious) (Right outside of the city, the Rad-Cats and the Pizza Cats are trudging to a stop, all of them thoroughly exhausted from the attack. Everyone looks back at where the nuclear silo used to be. They see nothing but smoke and flames) Daniel: Did they make it out? I didn't have time to check back due to the size of that light. Guido: (shakes his head) I can't tell. After a laser show like that, who CAN tell? Chico: (looks at the Rad-Cats, and then at the conscious Pizza Cats) All I can say is that....(tenses)....is that the situation does not look good for us. The odds of Speedy and Curtis...er, Wildcat, or whatever he's called now....of escaping the explosion are about 14,500 to 1. Not very good odds. (Runner sets Teasy down on the ground next to him. Taking off his jacket, he wraps it around Teasy, who suddenly begins crying) Teasy: (sobbing) Way to go.....Chico. You've just....gone and got....me upset! Daniel: (also crying) Nice job, you spineless bonehead. You didn't have to say that at ALL! Chico: (growls, wiping his eye) All I was saying was that....(gives up)...Okay, I'm SORRY! Happy now? Daniel: (crying) No, not really. After what has just happened, I don't see how anyone in this city could be referred to as happy. (Daniel trudges up to Polly, who has her back turned to all of them) Daniel: (sobs) Mrs. Esther, I'm sorry about what happened to Speedy. I wish there could've been some way for us to help. Polly: (serious) No need to apologize, Daniel. Personally, I don't see why you should be upset. GB: (wipes away his tears) Huh? I don't get it. Guido: (upset) Neither do I, Polly. You seem to be fine, while the rest of us aren't. How do you do it? Polly: It would just seem totally unnatural of Curtis for him to have not planned a legitimate means of escape just in case something went wrong. Besides, Speedy and GB survived the attack on the comet and escaped from the Supreme Catatonic with their lives. Curtis more than likely has that same degree of escape skills. 10 to 1 odds that Curtis and Speedy were able to survive that big blast. GB: I don't know, Polly. It looks kinda hopeless to me...(looks over at Guido, who has Francine strapped to the back of his armor)...I really DO NOT think they managed to live. Teasy: (groans, and sniffs) Ditto. Runner: (wiping his eyes) I'm not going to say a word. To do so would shatter my integrity. (Everyone begins walking away slowly, except for Polly, who remains where she is) Polly: (to herself) Just come on, you two. You haven't let me down once all day. Are you really going to start now? (In response to her question, a roaring noise heard from above echoes through the sky. Polly looks up, but doesn't see anything) Polly: (to herself) I don't know....maybe they HAVE decided to start...they have both had years of experience in dealing with the forces of evil, and even OUR skills have to fade sooner or later.... (The roaring noise suddenly increases in intensity. It continues to do so until a series of irregular impressions form on the ground in front of her, after which it fades out) Polly: (confused) What....? (Everyone else turns to see what is going on. Then out of nowhere, a large craft materializes. The square body is a bit wide, and has a triangular cockpit with a blunt nose attached to it. It has a dorsal wing on its body, and the two side wings are folded up and joined against the dorsal wing. A ramp has extended from below the ship, landing on the ground.) Chico: (disbelieving) I don't....believe it! Teasy: (regaining his personality) Neither do I, but I never heard of a shark from space. Voice: Surprise, guys! (Speedy Cerviche runs down the ramp of the ship and gathers up Polly in a hug. The rest of the group refuses to believe what has just transpired) Runner: (grins) Well, I'll be sat on by a T-Rex. They did it! Daniel: (looks at him) Runner, that's my line. Leave the cliches to me. Guido: Hey, where's Curtis? If you're here, then he's supposed to be here, too! Speedy: (breaks the embrace and looks at the ship) That's strange. He said he'd be coming out. Voice: (from inside the ship) Ok, ok, Speedy, I'm coming. I can only go so fast. (A few seconds later, Curtis [in his normal form] staggers down the ramp. His slowness is not due to any form of injury; rather, it was from his transformation into the original Wildcat, which required an extreme amount of energy to maintain. As quickly as his lack of energy allows, he reaches the fringe of the battle-weary group and allows himself a grin) Curtis: (smiles) The war is over, people. And the forces of good have triumphed once and for all. (Everyone that's conscious lets loose a round of cheering, which suddenly stops when they hear a small beeping noise from Curtis's sword) Curtis: (straining to hold up his sword; he speaks into it) G.A. Wildcat here. Who is this? Voice: Curtis, this is Bruin Fuseball. Ambush Cat and his trappers have captured the Animal Legion of Doom en route to the Palace. Think maybe you'd be able to drop by the Mansion for the closing ceremonies? (Curtis looks at each of the SPC, as well as the Rad-Cats) Curtis: (grinning) Good idea. (Everyone slowly begins to make the trek to the Mansion) ------------------------------ Whew. Finally! We're almost ready to close out, but first.... The ol' abbreviated life story takes effect in the final story of the Covert Operations collection: OWNER OF A LONELY HEART supreme_cat@hotmail.com Feel free to E-mail me on whether or not you liked it. I have a lot of time to spare. G.A. Wildcat