Operation: P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F. - Chapter Twenty-Three
Only three chapters left, but boy, the pain never stops!
Sorry it took so long to put this up, people, but you know… the holidays.
For the record, Chapter 23 went up in February of 2005. So yeah… the holidays.
So who's Father's new recruit?
Wouldn't you like to know…
Please no scrolling down until you read the whole thing…
It’s about as big a surprise as “The first non-Scooby-Gang person you meet in a Scooby-Doo cartoon is the villain.”
This one’s called “So Close, Yet So Far”. A better metaphor for Brian Corvello’s career I have not yet seen.
The alarms were still flashing, but the sound was off.
In the prison complex, several hundred operatives brooded.
What sort of world is this where several hundred children can disappear and nobody seems to care?
"I feel so helpless…" said Numbah 42.
Don’t panic.
"That's probably because we ARE," said Numbah 78.
"People, will you stop with the doom and gloom already?" said Numbah 362. "We aren't finished yet. The red alert is still on, so that means that whoever broke past Father's security hasn't been captured yet…"
Or he killed the lot of them and is just being a troll by letting you hold onto false hope.
"How do we know they're even still trying?" said Numbah 34. "Maybe they gave up and hid somewhere…"
Numbah 34 was known for his… unusual reading habits.
"Don't lose hope, troops…" said Numbah 362. "That's an order!"
In Brian’s world, people of power regularly bully their followers into compliance.
She sighed.
"So long as one Kid still remains to fight, there's still hope…"
“Granted, that one kid usually ends up as street pizza, but them’s the breaks.”
SCENE CHANGE to the main characters stepping out of a teleporter - wait, a frigging TELEPORTER? That goes from “two-by-four technology” to “the KND have far surpassed modern tech and are withholding it just to be assholes”!
Numbah Five did a short look-see of the area.
"Clear," she said.
Then she turned and slammed a defibrillator into Numbah Two’s chest.
"How do you manage to put all this together out of jury-rigged junk?" asked Bubbles.
"It's a well-hidden secret," said Numbah Two. "You'll learn it if you ever decide to enlist."
Why not just give her a raspberry while you’re at it, Numbah Two?
"Yeah," said Buttercup, "we were thinking about that, and you know guys…"
“…who know guys who can get us a good deal on a used car?”
Blossom shuts her up, hearing something out of place:
She looked at the floor. White dust was all over it.
Numbah Three ran her finger over it.
“Cocaine. There’s at least thirty grams of blow all over the place!”
"Talcum powder?" she said.
Then a strange laugh was heard in the distance.
"Be on your guard team," whispered Numbah One.
Is that anything like showing them your war face?
"Someone is on this level, and whoever it is isn't friendly…"
"And I have a sneaking suspicion of who," said Blossom as they walked down the hallway.
As they turned the corner, they were shocked to see a message written on the wall in some red paint-like substance.
Crap, it’s PETA.
Powerpuff Girls -
Meet me if you dare in the auditorium down the hall. You might think your puff is pretty tuff, but I'm willing to bet my puff is tuffer.
Not exactly “REDRUM” or “Someone catch me before I kill again I cannot stop myself”, is it?
"If there are two things Numbah Five hates," said Numbah Five, "it's vandals and poor spellers!"
How about people who refer to themselves in the first person?
"Wait a minute," said Numbah Four, going up to the message. "This stuff isn't paint - it's lipstick!"
"How would you know that?" said Numbah Three.
"My great aunt wears this crud!" said Numbah Four. "Along with too much eye shadow, blush, rouge, and other weird stuff that old people put on their face! Ugh, whenever she tries to kiss me it makes me gag!"
I’ve never met an old woman who wears makeup, odd enough. Of course, I live in the Midwest, maybe it’s different wherever the KND call home…
"Mask Scarra," said Blossom, slowly.
"Who?" said all the operatives at once.
The response of a vast number of readers, most likely. Mask Scara (Brian once again got the name wrong) is a very minor PPG villain, seen in the sixth season episode “A Made Up Story” - an episode so forgotten that the PPG Wiki doesn’t have a summary for it. I couldn’t even find a picture of her via GIS.
This is the sort of character Brian pulls out at the climatic point. And yet Sedusa - a recurring villain with deep ties to the Powerpuff Girls - was a throwaway near the beginning.
"Did you say mascara?" asked Numbah Three.
"No, Mask Scarra," said Blossom.
"Who's that?" asked Numbah One.
See previous comment. Normally I skip over the villain recap, but since nobody has probably ever heard of her before, it might be prudent to let Brian explain.
"That's who's waiting for us," she said. "An enemy of ours with a thing for an abundance of make-up… We forgot to mention her…"
"Ugh!" said Numbah One. "Make-up! The Kids Next Door have always held that gunk to be one of the major vices of adult women. They're too vain to be satisfied with their natural looks, so they cover their faces with horrid chemicals!"
…or they use it to hide actual blemishes and scars so that they can at least pass for normal. Good God, Brian turns the KND into a bunch of pricks at every chance he gets, doesn’t he?
Honestly, this just gets funnier the more you think about it. Who’d have thought the KND had strong, hostile opinions on make-up?
"Well," said Blossom, "no one exemplified that part of your gripe with adults more than Mask Scarra. She used to be a make-up mogul who marketed a fashion called the 'Trashy Look'."
"Say what?" said Numbah Five.
"She got the idea that women would enjoy making themselves look like tramps on purpose," said Buttercup. "And the worst part is, the fad took root, and she made millions off of it."
She wouldn’t be too wrong in the real world, either. Look up “ganguro” one of these days - the “Trashy Look” is still popular in Japan.
"But you know how it is with fads," said Bubbles. "They rarely last long. The Trashy Look went passé, and her empire went down the tubes. And years later, she came back for revenge, taking out her aggression on Townsville."
"Yeah?" said Numbah Four, raising his jalapeño gun. "Well let's take her! How tough can one cosmetician be?"
Numbah Four would not know that word.
There’s only one way forward, and that’s through Mask Scara’s territory, so on they go:
They entered a large auditorium, the size of a small stadium. This was where important speeches were delivered.
Oh, really? I thought it was where the fish lived.
The cackling laughter echoed thought the hall.
"Where are you, Mask Scarra?" shouted Blossom.
Drinking with Carmen Sandiego, maybe?
A fiendish figure flew over their heads and alighted on the highest seats.
"You kids have had a hard day," she laughed. "You look down in the face… you could use a lift…"
The Girls squirmed. Facelift. They didn't know what was worse about this nut, the fighting or the jokes.
With Brian, they’re equally awful.
"Working for Father now?" snarled Buttercup. "What on earth for?"
"Isn't it obvious?" said Mask Scarra. "Once naughty kids like you are out of the way, I'll be free to bring back the perfect look in make-up! Adults won't have to worry about the opinions of brats like you any more, and finally, there'll be a golden age in cosmetics!"
Umm, Mask? If the real world is any sign, you probably made most of your money off of the ten-to-sixteen market. Beating down children would just cut into your sales base.
"Hold on?" said Numbah Five. "Are you saying that it's the fault of kids that your fashion empire went under? If it looked anything like YOU, I'll bet the adults just got sick of it on their own!"
"Numbah Five is right," said Numbah One. "Father is messing with your mind, Mask Scarra."
"Yeah!" said Numbah Two, in disgust. "The last time I saw someone who looked like you was at last year's Halloween party, when some girl came as a vampire clown!"
I’d say something, but I have not found a single picture of Mask Scara, so I can’t say whether or not she looks like that.
"Vampire clown?" shouted Mask Scarra.
A huge powder brush appeared in her hand.
"I'll show you…"
"Beans!" said Blossom, as the three Girls flew towards her.
Again we see that in Brian’s world, everyone talks like it’s 1940.
Cue the obligatory makeup-product-based fight scene. Probably the only interesting part is how it comes to a close:
"Numbah Five thinks this is too much!" said Numbah Five.
She lifted her S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. and leapt at Mask Scarra, whacking her in the face.
Mask Scarra staggered back, and seemed stunned for a minute.
"Hey, not the face!" she said.
My brain’s self-defense mechanisms just cued up Arthur from “The Tick” yelling that.
An idea came to Numbah Five.
She lifted her weapon and smacked her foe in the kisser again!
Mask Scarra yelped, and lurched backwards.
"Guys!" said Numbah Five. "Her face is her weak spot! It's where her strength comes from!"
…which is like saying “If you cut off their heads, they’re powerless!” or “We only have one weakness: bullets”. Most people will react badly to getting hit in the face.
Blossom turned to the action.
"Makes sense to me, Girls!" she said. "We've got to give them a free shot!"
The Powerpuff Girls flew down to Mask Scarra and grabbed her arms pinning them to her side!
That sounds like the arms were pinning the Powerpuff Girls to Mask Scara’s sides. Brian and Keiran Halycon have the same problems with commas, though thankfully that’s their only common ground.
"Let GO you brats!" she yelled, starting to squirm.
Her strength was incredible!
"Guys, now!" shouted Bubbles. "We can't hold her forever!"
Numbahs One, Two, Three, and Four aimed their weapons directly at their foe's face and fired! Mask Scarra screamed, and toppled over.
Bits of her head were all over the walls.
They looked down at her. Mascara and rouge was smeared and running, and she was out cold.
"Phew," said Numbah Three. "Numbah Five, if I ever start wearing that much make-up, shoot me!"
"Tell ya what," said Numbah Five. "Let's make a pact…"
Wow! In two sentences, Brian managed to make Three and Five both out of character!
Lotus (who ended up glued to the wall during the fight) asks for help, and we SCENE CHANGE:
"And another one bites the dust," said Father, who had been watching.
Cue the walking bassline.
"Father, the Twins are on line twelve," said the Delightful Children.
"What do they want?" said Father, hitting a button on his chair.
“Donations for UNICEF, according to the Caller ID.”
A boy's voice came from the speaker.
"Good news Father," it said. "We have found…"
"…a solution to your problem," said a girl's voice.
Oh, this is going to get very old very fast…
The Interesting Twins lightly detail their plan, are given a warning not to fail, and sign out:
"Do you really think that they can stop the team?" said the Delightful Children.
"Frankly… no," said Father. "But maybe they can least slow them down for our more competent warriors to set their traps…
"Besides, they are family…"
There are exactly three battles after this. What “more competent warriors”?
SCENE CHANGE to the heroes getting off an elevator on Level 35:
They found themselves on a very clean level, with marble pillars in splendidly decorated halls.
"The museum level," said Numbah One, as they started through it. "I'm surprised Father hasn't trashed this place."
"Where to now?" said Blossom.
"I think we can get to an elevator by going though the Hall of Heroes," said Numbah Two. "I always like going through there…"
I hope Woden the Mighty cuts out your pancreases.
They cautiously went down the hallway and ended up at a large set of double doors. Written on the doors was a large sign etched in gold:
In these hallowed halls
The images of the greatest heroes
Of the Kids Next Door
Are preserved in stone
For all time
They opened the door, and entered a large museum. On dozens of pedestals along the walls of the large room were marble statues of boys and girls in KND attire, with various expressions on their faces; some fierce and determined, some peaceful and meditative, others somewhat shy and quiet. Engraved plaques were at their feet.
…okay, what? I refuse to buy that preadolescent children are anywhere near being good enough at art to do perfect MARBLE STATUES! There are “dozens” of statues in here, which means the KND has consistently recruited artistic prodigies since the beginning of its operation! NOT buying it!
"Isn't it wonderful?" said Numbah One.
No.
"What is this place?" said Bubbles.
"The Hall of Heroes," said Numbah Five. "KND operatives who have gone way beyond the call of duty eventually have their images cast in stone and put here. Although these guys have long since been decommissioned, this museum assures that they'll never be forgotten…"
So everyone’s allowed to remember their achievements except the heroes who performed them. THAT’S not cruel at all!
Someone giggles, and Snowball somehow manages to sense an invisible vehicle:
"A cloaking device…" said Numbah Two.
"You are very wise, Kids Next Door…" said a boy's voice.
"…but it takes more than wisdom to move mountains," said a girl's voice.
They’re Asian, you know!
"Wait a minute, those voices sound familiar," said Numbah One, aiming his weapon. "Show yourself!"
"As you desire…" said the boy.
"…Kids Next Door," said the Girl.
The cloaking device was thrown aside, and a vehicle appeared in the center of the room. It looked like the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., only smaller, had tank treads, and was covered with armored plating, colored sparkling gold. A ring of gems surrounded the front.
The operatives were upset now… The Interesting Twins From Beneath The Mountain had stolen their prototype vehicle!
(Kids Next Door M.A.J.E.S.T.Y.: Magnificent Artifact's Jury-rigged Engine Safely Transports Youngsters)
Faaaaaaaaaaabulous!
"Surprised to see us, Kids Next Door?" said the brother.
"Not really," said Numbah One. "We kind of expected you'd be up here… After all, we sent you here."
"WE KNOW!" screamed the sister. "And now we're going to avenge our lost honor by annihilating you!"
Of course it’s a matter of honor. They’re Asian, you know!
The M.A.J.E.S.T.Y. no-sells the first attack:
"Save your energy," said Numbah Two. "The M.A.J.E.S.T.Y. was designed specifically with defense in mind…"
"Yes," said the sister, raising a remote, "but we lured you into the Hall of Heroes to make your fate particularly painful. What can be more agonizing for a member of your group than to be struck down by the famed operatives who you so admire?"
"What is she babbling about?" said Lotus.
If this were a good story, brainwashed adults would step out from behind the statues and attack, and the KND would realize that each one is the operative the statue they hid behind represents. But this isn’t:
"We are surrounded by stone statues of your idols, Kids Next Door," said the brother. "Let me let you in on a secret - Father once tried working on an invention that, if successful, would have turned you to stone. The formula didn't work, but it did do something completely different - it enabled him to control small things made of stone. He thought it worthless - but we don't.
"Choose a target, sister!"
"Hee, hee," she said. "I'm the proverbial kid in the candy store!"
She aimed the remote at a statue of a female operative (Numbah 90) and a violet glow enveloped it. The statue slowly started to move, uprooting itself from its foundation, and leaping down from the pedestal.
How does a formula translate into being something that can be put in a remote? …And how does “petrifying beam” formulas give you “animate objects” rays instead?
The KND are reluctant to harm the statue as it attacks them, but Bubbles does so anyway. The Interesting Twins just animate another one, which is largely immune to attack:
Lotus sheathed her sword and ran up behind the statue.
When I was in martial arts training, she thought, the sensei told me NEVER to do this… But heck with it…
She raised her left fist… she closed her eyes and concentrated…
And then she struck the statue! Cracks broke all over it!
Pussy. Ryoga Hibiki can do that with one finger.
The statue paused. Numbah Four shot it with his jalapeño gun and it fell apart.
"Lotus!" he said. "You can break marble with your bare hand?"
Lotus was clutching her left hand and tears were running down her face.
"Yeah," she whined. "And I really hope that's all I broke!"
Okay, that’s funny, I give Brian that one.
Inside the M.A.J.E.S.T.Y., the Twins chuckled again.
"Sister, how powerful is that device, anyway?" said the boy.
"Let's find out," said the girl.
She cranked the dial to "Max Power" and aimed it at the left side of the room.
And then, ten more of the statues leapt off their pedestals!
I remind you that there are “dozens” of statues in this room. If it can only do ten at a time, their machine is pathetic.
The KND pull in to defend themselves, but Numbah Three has run off:
Where was Numbah Three?
Actually, a few minutes after the statue of Numbah 90 came to life, she had snuck to the back of the M.A.J.E.S.T.Y. and climbed to the top. The KND's foremost Master of Diversion knew a better way to defeat the Twins than fighting the statues of her predecessors.
The M.A.J.E.S.T.Y. was a vehicle designed with defense in mind, and defense was something that Numbah Three was always interested in, given her role. She had contributed a lot to the design of this particular device…
And she knew how to breech it.
Of fucking course.
Upon reaching the sealed hatch on top near the rear, she plugged her teddy-bear rifle into a slot (the weapon was out of ammunition anyway), put the weapon on a certain setting and pulled the trigger. As she expected, the hatch was blown open. She was thrown back about five feet and landed on her rump.
That’s about the most random override I’ve seen...
Numbah Three jumps in and swiftly beats down the Interesting Twins, breaking their device.
Outside, the statues stopped moving. The rest of the team turned to the M.A.J.E.S.T.Y.
"Hi guys!" said Numbah Three.
It didn't take them long to tie the two villains up. Numbah Three carefully wrapped a bandage around Lotus's hand. Fortunately, she was right-handed, although it would still make using her sword harder.
Actually, it would make it more or less impossible. Katana are designed as two-handed weapons; while you can use them one-handed, allowing you to use a wakazashi in your off-hand, you have to specially train that way. (I don’t think they specified what sort of sword it was, but come on, she’s a stereotypical samurai, of course it’s a katana.)
"Well Interesting Twins From Beneath The Mountain," said Numbah One, "you defaced half of our most sacred artwork. I assure you, this isn't going to be half as funny as it seemed to be when Numbah 362 puts you to work on the rock pile!"
Waitwaitwait… You didn’t destroy the ten that attacked you. Does just controlling them count as defacement? And even if you count it that way, “half”? So apparently there were only two dozen statues?
"It won't come to that Kids Next Door!" screamed the sister. "Father will destroy you! He won't be defeated! You will all be…"
"Aw, stick a sock in it!" said Numbah Five, stuffing a gag in her mouth.
"Why do they always have to make speeches?" said Buttercup. "It's the same thing every time. The villain strikes, he rants on about what horrible fate awaits us, we defeat him, then he threatens us and rants on again before he's carted off, and the next time we see him the same thing happens again. It's embarrassing! If only once they'd just clam up we'd be happy…"
Please note that Brian’s villains still make speeches in his other stories regardless.
SCENE CHANGE to the group getting off on Level 40, the main armory, because they’re running low on ammo:
The halls in this level weren't decorated much. It was mostly wide-open spaces and catwalks. This wasn't only where small arms were stored, but where they were made.
They entered a large area that looked like a scrap heap. Waste from countless 2x4 construction was tossed here before being thrown out into space via garbage bins. They called this place "The Chute."
Someone like to explain why you have to walk through this to reach the armory?
As they wandered through The Chute, the backs of their necks prickled, as if something was watching them.
"Wait," said Numbah Five. "Something is here that Numbah Five doesn't like."
You’re walking through a garbage dump, is there anything in here that you would like?
Blossom floated upwards and scanned the area with her x-ray vision.
"Hmm…" she said.
"There!" she said, pointing.
She turned again.
"No, there! Wait, no…"
She paused again.
"Someone is in here," she said, "moving in the shadows, trying to blend in. I can barely keep track…"
If they’re moving in the shadows, what good is x-ray vision going to do you?
They all stood with their backs to each other.
"Be prepared for anything guys…"
A tinkling noise sounded towards their right. They all turned towards it…
And then a shape leapt at them from the other side!
Father had finally learned how to weaponize rhombuses.
Numbah Five gets off a lucky shot, and it’s Cree:
"You're getting' sloppy sis," said Numbah Five. "I saw you comin' a mile away… By the way, are you really so much of a coward that you have to sneak up on us every time?"
"I'll show you who's a coward!" said Cree.
COWARD COUNT: 6
"Pardon me," said a voice, as someone tapped on her shoulder. "Take out delivery?"
"Oh, did I order something?" said Cree, looking around.
"Yeah, a knuckle sandwich!" said Buttercup, punching her.
“Damn it, I wanted rye!”
Cue yet another dry, uninteresting fight scene. Cree manages to neutralize most of the group, but…
"Guess that's all of them," said Cree.
"Not quite," said a voice.
Cree turned to see Lotus, holding her sword in her unbandaged hand.
Cree smiled. She drew her spear again, and her helmet folded off her face.
Sure, give someone who has a Mary Sue’s combat skills the chance to blind and mutilate you.
"You know, Lotus," she said. "I always hoped it would come to this. I never liked you… you and your special privileged status that Numbah 101 gave you as a going away gift…"
"Gift?" said Lotus. "I earned this status, Cree, something that an ungrateful brat like you could never have done."
You use your “gift” to threaten and push around any KND members you don’t like, Lotus. That’s not exactly being grateful.
"Well," said Cree, "Let's see if you truly deserve it!"
She leapt at Lotus, and a clash of weapons ensued. Lotus tried her best to fend her off with one hand, but the sword she was using was balanced for two hands. Cree cackled as Lotus slowly started to stagger backwards.
With one mighty blow, Lotus's weapon flew from her hand.
Like I said, you can’t wield a katana one-handed. For once it’s not just a matter of how KND members apparently are required to grease their hands before battle. You’d think Lotus would carry weapons you can use one-handed in case of such a situation if she’s truly so well-trained.
Cree cackled. She swiped with her staff and the cloth over Lotus's right shin tore.
She swiped again and her left sleeve tore.
She swiped again, and ripped her shirt off below the chest.
This is getting disturbingly erotic.
Cree gleefully grabbed Lotus by the shoulder and forced her down. She flicked a tab on her palm, and a long knife snapped out of her gauntlet wrist.
"That's it, Lotus," she gloated. "On your knees!
My brain is going down exactly the wrong avenues for this sort of story.
Any last words?"
"No…" said Numbah Five, as everyone looked on in fear.
"Yeah," said Lotus. "I'd just like to say…"
She paused… Cree looked at her.
"HAPPY THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY!" she shouted.
Even worse last words than “Go to your room”.
Cree drew back.
"NO!" she shouted.
Smoke started to rise from her armor, and then, with several small explosions, the armor fell apart! Cree fell down, wearing only a sweatsuit!
How do you fit body-conforming armor over a sweatsuit?
"Where did you learn the command word for the Battle Ready Armor's kill switch?" gasped Cree.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" said Lotus. "Of guys? Lunch time!"
First of all, Lotus isn’t above torture to accomplish her goals, so it wouldn’t be hard for her to get the info. And secondly, “f” and “h” aren’t close enough on the keyboard for me to chalk that screwup up to not looking closely enough.
Cree is further demeaned, humiliated, and put out of character. In the name of dignity I won’t cover how Brian mistreats her. Instead, let’s just jump to this:
"Good going, team," said Numbah One. "Now let's get to the armory."
"Just out of curiosity, Lotus," said Numbah Four, "how DID you learn that password?"
"Father didn't invent that armor," said Lotus, retrieving her sword. "And he insisted on a kill-switch in case Cree ever betrayed him. The inventor was glad to tell me the command word after some… persuasion. And you'll note that it's something that NO Kids Next Door operative would ever say!"
"Indeed," said Numbah One.
In case you thought I was being too hard on Lotus when I accused her of torture…
I know that becoming an adult is considered nightmarish and horrible in this story (even KND canon eventually backs off on its “childhood is the only good point in your life” stance), but isn’t the thirteenth birthday considered more bittersweet than “so horrible that we cannot speak of it”?
SCENE CHANGE:
At the command center, the Delightful Children sighed.
"Cree has been defeated, Father," they said.
"I knew I shouldn't have given her a second chance," grumbled Father.
He paused.
"It's all up to my new apprentice… but if this plan fails as well, you kids know what to do…"
"We doubt it will fail, Father," they said. "The agent you got sounded very sincere."
"Yes…" said Father, evilly.
In case you didn’t realize who it was now, think carefully about which characters Brian hates.
SCENE CHANGE back to the heroes:
At the armory, the team loaded up on fresh weaponry. They had no idea how many more of Father's goons they were going to run into. They were hurt enough already, but luckily, the weapons they found were powerful.
Because Father has the brains of a Chihuahua and didn’t dispose of the powerful weapons.
Blossom hears someone crying, and they open a nearby closet:
They slowly opened the door. A very scared girl raised a mustard gun at them and screamed.
"What?" said Numbah One. "Numbah 86?"
"Oh, Nigel!" she said. "They didn't catch you guys! It's been horrible!"
"How did you escape?" asked Numbah Two.
"Barely," sobbed Numbah 86. "When Father came with his army, we didn't stand a chance! Ah fled and hid while they took over the base… and freed their prisoners. Later, ah tried to reach the prison complex where the operatives were being held, but Father has the way booby-trapped! Ah nearly got captured myself!
"So ah've been here for over a day, just waiting for them to find me!"
She sounds more like Lizzie than herself. As we’ll soon see, she’s intentionally not acting like herself, but come on, Brian… she’s a better actor than that.
"Numbah 86, do you know any other way of getting to the prison complex?" said Numbah One.
"We could…" said Numbah 86. "We could take Numbah 362's private elevator… My authority and yours could open it…"
"Lead us to it," said Numbah One.
What sort of private elevator is it if two relatively mid-ranked KND members can access it?
SCENE CHANGE to the elevator, as One and 86 open it with their voice commands. When they get out:
It looked like a large, empty chamber, with tiled walls and ceilings. The team walked into the center of it.
"Hey," said Numbah Five. "This isn't the prison complex."
Then they noticed that Numbah 86 was ten feet behind them.
"It isn't the prison complex, but it's a prison complex," she said silently.
“Quietly” is acceptable; “silently” is just plain silly. The heroes can hear this - she was not silent.
She took a remote out of her pocket.
"Namely, yours."
She hit the button, and a cylinder of energy surrounded the team!
The energy trimmed their toenails quite nicely.
They were aghast. The three girls pounded their fists on the walls of the forcefield, but it was too strong.
"What on earth…" said Numbah One.
"Ya might as well give up," said Numbah 86, "that forcefield it too strong."
Oh, goody, now she’s an islander!
"Indeed," said a sinister voice.
A door opened, and the shadowy form of Father walked out. He glided up to Numbah 86.
"Well done Fanny," he said, "my new apprentice."
"Thank ye," said Numbah 86.
"WHAT?" shouted Numbah Four. "TRAITOR! Traitor, traitor, traitor, traitor, traitor, traitor, TRAITOR!"
First of all, 86 is Scottish, not Olde English. Secondly, Numbah Four would be a little more creative in his anger than just yelling one word over and over.
If it came as any surprise to you that 86 was the traitor, you haven’t read this fic closely enough.
"Numbah Four, you are so hilarious when you go berserk," laughed Numbah 86.
"I should have guessed," said Numbah Two.
"And ya fell for it hook line and sinker," said Numbah 86.
"And now it's time to part," said Father.
He handed a large object to Numbah 86. It was a huge weapon.
"Destroy them, 86," he said. "Prove to me how loyal you are, and you'll get what you desire…"
Numbah 86 slowly aimed the huge rifle at them…
If how this cliffhanger resolves is any sort of surprise to you, then you haven’t read Brian Corvello closely enough. Remember… Brian does terrible things to characters he hates, but he refuses to let anyone make full heel or face turns.
And so we leave on a cliffhanger, with our team of heroes totally pinned down.
Numbah 86 has seemingly betrayed the team, and they have nowhere to run. What will be the outcome of this case of operative turned bad?
Don't dare miss the next chapter, coming soon…
There’s one word in this post-chapter blurb that gives the entire game away. Try to find it!