Disclaimer:
Here's the part that we all hate to do but have to in order to avoid getting sued or plagiarized, you'll quickly learn that I LOATH typing these disclaimers. Darkwing Duck (created by Disney) is where I got the characters of Darkwing, Gosalyn, Honker, Launchpad, The Fearsome Five, etc. Those characters are owned by Disney, the rest (ex: The Feminine Five, Trisha, Brimstone, Mr. Whimsel, etc.) are owned by me. I don't give permission to use my characters unless the person contacts me first and asks nicely, is that so much to ask? Lol, oh well, enjoy the story fellow Darkwing fans! ^_^Fearsome Five Meet the Feminine Five!!!!!
Part One: And So It Begins…
In a dark secluded warehouse district near the bad side of town in St. Canard there was a single building that had once been used for a government business. The building had been abandoned when the business had relocated to another part of town; now the building sat among the warehouses unused until another secret organization had mysteriously moved in and taken it over. The authorities weren't aware that the building had any occupants at all, but that was all going to change very soon!
"Ms. Chandell," said a dark man at the desk of an office on the top story of the building as he held down the call button.
"Yes Mr. Brimstone," the secretary, Ms. Chandell's voice answered.
"I think it's time that we set our little plan into action," Mr. Brimstone continued in a professional tone of voice, "Bring me Mr. Whimsel."
"Yes, right away Mr. Brimstone," Ms. Chandell replied as she prepared to page Mr. Whimsel from her desk outside Mr. Brimstone's office.
Mr. Brimstone was the head of the secret, black hearted organization. He reclined back in his black leather chair as he waited for Mr. Whimsel while he faced the large window behind his desk that had an excellent view of St. Canard. 'Somewhere out there,' he thought, 'are the unknowing and probably unwilling subjects for the experiment that was going to put his secret criminal organization over the top!' He was determined to top FOWL (the fiendish organization for world larceny) in conquering and dominating the world. This experiment would give a selected few individuals the abilities needed to do so, starting with the city of St. Canard! All that was left was to round up the subjects, make the necessary gene transferals (when the genes were obtained), and finally to convince the subjects to work for him. That was Mr. Whimsel was for.
"Sir," Ms. Chandelle's voice came from the doorway, "Mr. Whimsel is here to see you sir."
"Send him in Ms. Chandelle," Mr. Brimstone instructed in a very business-like tone.
"You wanted to see me sir, um, Mr. Brimstone?" Mr. Whimsel said as he warily entered the office; Ms. Chandelle closed the door as she left.
Mr. Brimstone stood up and walked over to the large window he'd been facing. He turned and his black eyes stared at Mr. Whimsel. Mr. Brimstone had a devilish air about him and he wore a dark black business suit. He was a gray feathered goose of average height and was about forty-five years of age although he was still as dark, ruthless, sinister, and commanding as ever. Mr. Whimsel on the other hand was an obedient yet competent lackey. He was rather new to the organization but he was well trained with military, fighting, and business abilities. Mr. Whimsel was a tall duck that was well built yet very business-like, he was comparatively thin though which gave him an advantage when opponents underestimated him. He was about twenty-nine and extremely loyal, he had recently been a hit man for a local gang until the cops had raided their hideout and imprisoned most of the members while he was away tying up some 'loose ends'. Now he worked for Mr. Brimstone, but even he cowered before the old goose especially when he was in one of his extremely bad moods. Mr. Brimstone was in a comparatively good mood today.
"Ah yes Mr. Whimsel," Mr. Brimstone began, "take as many of my men as you need and get me those genes for the experiment."
"Today sir?" Mr. Whimsel asked with slight interest and confusion, "but sir the uh, unsuspecting donors are all in the maximum security supervillain prison, how are we going to obtain the genes without anyone noticing?"
"Our boys in the lab have done an excellent job of preparing a mechanism that can be launched from a special gun like a bullet," Mr. Brimstone began explaining, "this mechanism is so tiny that it is virtually unnoticeable to any security camera; it will be dismissed as nothing more than an insect, a mosquito. It will attach itself to our 'donors' long enough to draw us out a sample of their DNA and then it will return to us so that we can use the collected DNA for the gene transferal."
"Very clever, but sir," Mr. Whimsel inquired, "what about the uh, 'donors', won't they realize what's happening?"
"Not at all Mr. Whimsel," Mr. Brimstone explained, "the mechanism's prick is no more painful than a mosquito bite and it will obtain the DNA too quickly for the 'donors' to stop it."
"Incredible sir," Mr. Whimsel remarked.
"Yes Mr. Whimsel, and your next step is to invite our test subjects to a meeting in the conference room of our fine facility here," Mr. Brimstone said as he glanced towards his lackey.
"Our conference room sir?" Mr. Whimsel asked with a sly grin on his face.
"Yes Mr. Whimsel," Mr. Brimstone responded as he too began to grin wickedly, "I've already paid off their bosses to send them each here for company reasons, all we have to do is send their bosses word when we want them to come."
"But sir," Mr. Whimsel objected, "one of the subjects is in Hollywood, does this mean that they've…"
"Yes Mr. Whimsel they've excepted the job offer that we have instructed our good friend at the water sanitation department to offer them, they'll be in St. Canard by this time tomorrow!" Mr. Brimstone answered.
"Then everything is working out according to plan sir?" Mr. Whimsel concluded.
"Yes Mr. Whimsel everything!" Mr. Brimstone replied pleased, "When our subjects are all in the meeting room my men will be ready, then we will take them to our secret laboratory and begin the gene transferal. Now take my men and load the silver vans, and don't return without those genes."
"Yes sir, Mr. Brimstone," Mr. Whimsel replied as he left the office and carried out the orders.
Mr. Brimstone watched from the window as the vans pulled away from the building and headed for the maximum security supervillain prison.
Then Mr. Brimstone repeated to himself smiling diabolically, "Everything is going according to plan, my plans!"
******
At the maximum security supervillain prison the Fearsome Five were each imprisoned in separate cells with guards constantly on duty. It was almost dawn so the guards on duty prepared to change shifts with the approaching guards. The Liquidator was in an airtight, virtually waterproof, glass cell. Megavolt had been drained of his power and was kept in another cell with several thick metal bars and stone walls. QuackerJack was in a padded cell with thick metal bars on the door and had been stripped of his dangerous toys. Bushroot had been placed in a cell with a single glass window that was barely big enough to allow him a few rays of sunlight, the rest of the cell was similar to Megavolt's cell. At the end of the small hall was their leader, Negaduck's cell, Negaduck's cell was made of extremely thick well-enforced metal bars and steel walls. Each cell had a small bunk, a wooden chair, toilet, and grimy sink. Bushroot and QuackerJack had cells on the left side of the hall and Megavolt and The Liquidator's jail cells were located on the right side of the hall.
"C'mon Fred let's end our shift early and go by the doughnut shop for breakfast," the first guard said to the other, "after all these guys aren't going nowhere!" he laughed.
"Okay Maury," the other guard replied as he followed the first down the hall and out the door.
Now the villains had a chance to talk without having the guards hear their conversation.
"Aw this is no fun," QuackerJack whined, "the only time that the guards let us out of these cells is to work or go to the prison's slopeteria!"
"What I wouldn't give for a good recharging!" Megavolt complained.
'Tell me about it," Bushroot continued, "I need some serious sunlight and fast!"
"Talk about your dehydration!" The Liquidator said drearily.
"Will you weenies cut it out already?!" Negaduck yelled from his cell, "We're bustin' outta here now that those guards are gone."
"But how?" QuackerJack asked.
"Simple," Negaduck explained, "there's a plug-in over on the wall next to QuackerJack's cell, Megavolt hand me your power cord and I'll sling the plug into the socket."
"What good will that do boss?" Bushroot asked.
"You knobs!" Negaduck hissed, "When Megavolt is recharged he can use the heat from his energy to melt the metal bars and go over to the control panel switches that open and close our cells!"
"Here you go boss!" Megavolt said as he eagerly handed Negaduck his power cord, their cells were close enough together in the right corner of the hall.
"Here goes nothing!" Negaduck stated as the plug went into the socket.
Megavolt was fully recharged by the time the next shift of guards were approaching the hall. He quickly grabbed the thick metal bars and they slowly melted away in his grasp. Dashing over to the control switches he began opening the cells. The guards heard the alarm that sounded just as Megavolt finished opening the last cell which held Negaduck. When the guards rushed into the hallway with their guns drawn Megavolt electrocuted them and The Liquidator threw them in Bushroot's old cell. Megavolt closed the cell door and they rushed off down the hall and climbed out a window at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the hallway's entrance.
"Man does it feel good to be outta that cell!" The Liquidator exclaimed joyously.
"Did ya see the way I barbecued those guards?" Megavolt crowed, "I tell ya it's good to be shooting sparks again!"
"Ah and I'd almost forgotten what the sunlight was like!" Bushroot added as he stretched out his vine-like arms.
The Fearsome Five had made their way down the steep ledge and were walking over to a pile of brush next to the shore; since the maximum security supervillain prison was located on a small island not far from St. Canard.
"Well here it is boys!" Negaduck said as he removed the brush to reveal the hidden boat he had placed there for a get away before they were caught. The boat was black, red, and yellow; it had a fierce looking duck face on the bow.
The silver vans had been parked near the ledge and a few of the snipers hid in the underbrush near the shore to get a good shot at the villains.
Mr. Whimsel was in radio contact with these men and ready to give them the command to fire the mechanisms which would collect samples of the genes that belonged to each member of the Fearsome Five. The men had arrived just as the alarm had went off in the prison. The men had then watched as the Fearsome Five began climbing down the steep ledge. Several snipers skidded quickly down the ledge on opposite sides of the island and then snuck secretly into the nearby underbrush. Each sniper now had his special gun aimed at their assigned target, one sniper per villain. The mechanisms and guns had been color coded so that the gene samples could be quickly identified to the villain that they had been taken from.
Negaduck started the boat's engine and the rest of the Fearsome Five boarded.
"Look out St. Canard we're back---!" The Liquidator said as he looked toward the city that was a few miles off in the distance.
"Now!" Mr. Whimsel commanded the sniper with the blue coded gun.
The sniper fired at The Liquidator and it was a direct hit!
"Got'em sir!" the sniper reported to Mr. Whimsel through his speaker.
"Ow!" The Liquidator said as he swatted at the back of his neck. But it was too late, the blue coded mechanism was already flying back to the blue coded gun.
The sniper took the mechanism out of the gun's compartment as soon as it arrived.
"Have you got the gene sample?" Mr. Whimsel asked impatiently.
"Yes sir Mr. Whimsel it's right here," the sniper confirmed as he held the blue coded mechanism up to the morning sunlight.
"Excellent," Mr. Whimsel remarked as he check The Liquidator's name off the list on his clipboard.
"What are you whining about?" QuackerJack asked as he glanced at The Liquidator.
"I'm not sure," The Liquidator replied as he rubbed the back of his neck, "but I think something just bit me."
"Now!" Mr. Whimsel ordered the next sniper who had the purple coded gun and mechanism. The sniper fired and the mechanism struck QuackerJack in the back of his neck too.
"Hey! What the…" QuackerJack began as he slapped the back of his neck.
"Now what?" Megavolt asked turning to QuackerJack as he was bringing up the anchor.
The sniper unloaded the purple coded mechanism from his gun's compartment.
"Have you got the gene sample?" Mr. Whimsel inquired.
"Affirmative," the sniper responded. Mr. Whimsel grinned and marked QuackerJack's name off the list on his clipboard.
"Something must have bitten me too!" QuackerJack replied to Megavolt.
"Now!" Mr. Whimsel ordered the sniper with the yellow coded gun and mechanism. The sniper fired and the mechanism struck the back of Megavolt's neck as well.
"Ow!" Megavolt yelled as he slapped his neck, "Hey Negaduck can we get a move on there's mosquitoes around here?"
"Did you get the gene sample?" Mr. Whimsel asked.
"Right here sir," the sniper answered as he took the yellow coded mechanism out of the gun's compartment. Mr. Whimsel proceeded to check Megavolt's name off the list.
"Now!" Mr. Whimsel shouted to the sniper with the green coded gun and mechanism. The sniper fired and the mechanism struck Bushroot in the back of his neck just as planned.
"Yow!" Bushroot screamed as he jumped up and swatted at the air behind his neck. "Those bugs are getting bigger!" he complained.
"What a bunch of weenies!" Negaduck said as he began steering the boat towards St. Canard.
"Get him! Now!" Mr. Whimsel commanded the sniper with the red coded gun and mechanism as he checked Bushroot's name off the list after the sniper reported that the gene sample was secure. The sniper took aim at Negaduck and fired, the mechanism nailed Negaduck right in the back of his neck.
"Ow! Stupid bugs," Negaduck grumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well," Mr. Whimsel asked the sniper.
"Got it Mr. Whimsel sir!" the sniper replied as he unloaded the red coded mechanism.
"Then everyone into the vans and we'll report back to base," Mr. Whimsel instructed as he checked Negaduck's name which was the final name, off his list.
In the distance the boat's engine roared as the Fearsome Five headed off towards St. Canard.
The silver vans drove past puzzled guards and onto a large metal ship that was docked on the other side of the island. Then they too headed for St. Canard.
******
"Mr. Brimstone," Ms. Chandelle's voice said from the call box on Mr. Brimstone's desk.
"Yes Ms. Chandelle?" Mr. Brimstone replied.
"Mr. Whimsel called and he said that he had collected the gene samples and is on his way over right now," Ms. Chandelle answered.
"Excellent, Ms. Chandelle are the letters to our subjects' bosses typed and ready to be sent yet?" Mr. Brimstone inquired.
"Yes sir," Ms. Chandelle answered.
"Very well then Ms. Chandelle you may send them out now for immediate delivery." Mr. Brimstone instructed.
"Yes sir Mr. Brimstone," Ms. Chandelle replied.
Mr. Brimstone turned around in his chair and faced the large window behind his desk again then said to himself, "Yes, I think it's time that we invited our test subjects over and got on with this experiment."
On Mr. Brimstone's desk were five photos of young women. Each woman knew the other from school and were well experienced college graduates. Each woman was in her early twenties but most importantly, each woman had many particular traits in common with a member of the Fearsome Five!
******
In Hollywood at a star apartment building near the studios, one of the biggest Hollywood stars packed her bags as her sleazy agent protested and begged her to stay.
"Aquatica, baby, sweetheart," her agent graveled, "why on earth do you want to give up all of this fame and fortune just so you can go off to some place called St. Canard and work as a bottled water inspector?"
"Look Marky," Aquatica said to her agent, "water sanitation may not seem like much to you but what can I say, I like water."
"Oh great," her agent began, "so you're giving up Hollywood---the town where dreams come true---just so you can be some H2O specialist?"
"I guess fame isn't for everyone," Aquatica replied. "Besides Marky, this used to be town of fulfilled dreams, now it's just one of heartbreak and broken promises. If they want talent then let them find some other girl dunce to play the part."
"Aquatica what about being true to all your loyal fans out there?" Marky Deal asked.
"What about being true to myself?" Aquatica countered.
Aquatica was a tall, beautiful, light tan dog with long dark brown hair that she often kept in a high ponytail with a pearl scrunchie to keep it in place. She was also very thin and could sing like an angel. She had a passion for water and loved to swim and play the keyboard. All in all Aquatica was a signer, dancer, actress, swimmer, advertiser, ice skater, and expert fighter. She used mostly all her talents in becoming one of the biggest Hollywood stars ever! Her favorite dress to perform in was a long dark blue sequined gown that had a long right sleeve that hung down below her arm. The left side was sleeveless and the left side of her dress trailed to the floor while her dress's right side ended at her hip. She was wearing this dress now along with her matching high heels. She was in her early twenties.
Her agent Marky Deal was short and fat. He was a beaver about forty-three years old and had a bald spot atop his head. He wore little black rimmed glasses and was almost always smoking a cigar; even though Aquatica often scolded him about it. He wore a tan pair of pants, dark brown loafers, a short black neck tie, and a white short-sleeved shirt with pockets full of pens and phone numbers. He was a very loud mouthed sleazy agent who always wanted his ten percent cut from his clients even though he couldn't get them good parts very often. He was either in a foul business mood or a sneakily happy one most of the time. Aquatica knew how to handle him though and used her knowledge about what a pushover he could be to manipulate and intimidate him since she was determined not to get pushed around by anyone. Aquatica had started out as his secretary and went from filing and answering phones to filling small parts and eventually worked her way into stardom.
"Look Marky I didn't graduate from a top university mastering in water physics just so I'd never put my abilities to work!" Aquatica persisted as she continued to pack her final suitcase. Suddenly there was a knock at her door. "Oh good," she said stressed and tired, "the movers are here."
"Ah c'mon Aquatica," her agent desperately tried to convince her, "there's nothing for you out there. I mean what if you don't like it out there in St. Canard either, then what?"
"Look Marky, it's a chance that I'm willing to take," Aquatica said trying to make him understand, "I'll always have Hollywood but I've gotta believe that there's something better out there."
"Like what?" Marky asked, "Love, a family, friends?"
"Exactly," Aquatica replied, "If I ever want to achieve those things then I have to start looking for them."
"Why can't you do that here?" Marky asked.
"It's nothing personal but I have and there's nothing here for me," Aquatica replied desperately as the movers moved her vanity out of the room. A picture that had been next to the mirror of the vanity fell off onto the floor.
As Aquatica reached down and picked the picture up Marky asked her, "Oh yeah, well what's out there for ya in St. Canard, I mean besides a lousy water job?"
Aquatica looked at the picture and smiled as a thousand fond memories flooded back to her. "Friends," she answered as she gazed at the picture. In the picture five girls stood together laughing and smiling at the camera. Aquatica was one of the girls and she remembered the picture had been taken during the summer of their high school graduation. In the picture were her four best friends, a black haired mouse called Boltz, a red haired duck named Magnolia, a raven haired duck named Crimnella, and a blonde named Trivia. Trivia had been the ultimate class clown, Magnolia was a real plant lover, Boltz was crazy for electricity, and Crimnella was sort of their leader due to her overall 'toughness'. All of them were working in St. Canard now at various jobs; they'd all gone their separate ways after graduation, even their universities were different. Magnolia had attended the same university as her close friend Trisha and they had even gotten jobs together the last Aquatica had heard. It had been hard for the five to separate and Aquatica missed all of her friends. Since they all grew up in a place a good ways from St. Canard Aquatica thought about how ironic it was that they would all be living there together; she'd even try to drop them a line if she could find out where each of them lived in the city.
"All done ma'am," the mover replied as Aquatica snapped herself back into the present.
"Oh, uh, yes, thank you." she said as she paid them and put the picture on top of the folded clothes in her suitcase and closed the lid.
"Need me to carry that luggage for you miss?" one of the movers asked.
"I'm fine," Aquatica almost snapped, she hated it when men characterized women as weak and dependent.
As she started out the door her agent called rushing up behind her, "Aquatica please, this town will be dead without you!"
"This town died long before I decided to leave," Aquatica called out over her shoulder as she made her way down the four flights of stairs, "Let someone else come along and livin' it up!"
Aquatica called herself a taxi and told the driver to follow the moving vans to the airport. She put her suitcase in the trunk and got in the backseat. "Please Aquatica stay!" her agent cried as she shut the door and rolled up the window.
"Sorry Marky but like I said I quit!" Aquatica shouted and then noticed that Marky was clinging to the taxi's hood.
"Hey lady!" the taxi driver yelled, "Would you mind getting this nut off my car?"
"Aquatica c'mon be reasonable," Marky whined as Aquatica pried him off the hood and slung him down on the sidewalk. "You can't possibly think that things will be any better in St. Canard!"
"Marky if you really wanna know what I think here it is!" Aquatica replied as she got into the taxi. "My mind is telling me that I should stay but my heart is adventurous and tells me to go to St. Canard."
"Yeah so?" Marky asked as Aquatica prepared to close the door.
"So," she triumphantly continued, "no matter what my mind is set on…it's my heart that does the thinking!" Then she shut the door and the taxi pulled away leaving Marky and Hollywood behind.
"Hey I know you," the taxi driver said as he glanced in his rearview mirror, "You're that famous star Aquatica Tidalwave! So what are ya moving for, ya going home?"
"Nope," Aquatica replied happily, "but I'm going to try to find my own." She held a business note in her hand.
******
"So what's this big assignment that Mr. Bucksworth has for you Magnolia?" asked Magnolia's best friend Trisha. Trisha was an expert botanist like Magnolia and had long black hair tied back like Aquatica's while she wore brown rimmed glasses. Sporting a long white lab coat like Magnolia she was kind of pretty although Magnolia was the most beautiful, intelligent, and adventurous of the two. The two lived together in an apartment downtown, splitting the rent and so forth.
"Look I don't know yet Trisha but I'll tell you when I do," Magnolia answered as they walked to their lab inside the St. Canard Botany Research Center.
Magnolia was a tall, beautiful, intelligent, duck. She had hair as red as a rose and blue eyes that were dark and reminded people of the iris flowers. Aquatica's eyes were also blue but if you stared into them long enough you'd swear you saw ocean waves crashing within. Magnolia had a picture just like the one Aquatica treasured and she kept it on her nightstand next to one of her ferns. Magnolia and her other four friends as well as Trisha had all attended the same highly rated public school that specialized in every form of the arts, so that she too had an excellent singing voice and danced gracefully. She played the tenor saxophone, clarinet, or harp in her spare time when she wasn't tending to her plants. She also had a reputation as a champion ice skater. Often wearing a white lab coat over her favorite dress which was dark green and had bold white stripes down each side (left and right). She also had a pair of boot-like green shoes with matching bold white stripes and pointed tips that she wore with her dress today.
"Oh no," Trisha whispered to Magnolia, "don't look now Mags but here comes trouble."
The boss's nephew was heading towards them, he was a little wimpy dweb with acne, buck teeth, and a weasel-like attitude. He was in his upper twenties and had messy brown hair and wore thick black rimmed glasses. He often flirted with Magnolia even though she hated him, she couldn't be too hostile towards him though since he was the boss's nephew.
"Magnolia Springbloom," he began.
"What is it Weldsworth?" Magnolia asked annoyed by his flirtatious tone.
"My uncle, Mr. Bucksworth, wants to see you in his office right away!" he remarked gloatingly.
"Still his little pet are you?" Trisha said smugly.
"And your superior," Weldsworth reminded her.
"Only in business ranking!" Trisha countered.
"That's the beauty of being his sister's son," Weldsworth said before turning to Magnolia and adding, "So how's about after this little meeting with my uncle is over we go out for dinner?"
"I'd rather gargle with pesticide creep!" Magnolia replied angrily.
"Go on Magnolia," Trisha said referring to the meeting, "maybe if you're lucky Mr. Bucksworth will hand you a pink slip."
"What about leaving you here with geekoid?" Magnolia asked as she gestured towards Weldsworth.
"He won't bother me," Trisha assured her, "I've already got a boyfriend."
"When will Rodney ever marry you?" Magnolia teased, "You've been dating since high school!"
"He's just shy about it," Trisha defended him, "Besides high school wasn't that long ago, we're both still in our early twenties and so are you! So where's your Romeo?"
"I'll find him some day," Magnolia sighed, "that's if they've invented my type of guy yet Trish."
She headed off to Mr. Bucksworth's office and Trisha went to their lab room. Weldsworth walked away angry that Magnolia had spurned him yet again.
Magnolia slowed down and hesitated as she approached Mr. Bucksworth's office. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, she saw men as mainly inferior, flirtatious beings because of the way they tended to irritate her. But Mr. Bucksworth's office was dark and cold like him; Magnolia preferred light and warmth herself. Reluctantly she entered the office.
"Mr. Bucksworth?" she questioned timidly as she lingered in the doorway of the dimly lit office, "I'm here for my assignment sir."
"Ah Magnolia, yes come in." Mr. Bucksworth said from behind his large desk, "I see that promptness wasn't a major priority for you. Why if you weren't such a productive employee I would've let you go a long time ago."
"Sorry sir, but I had to remind your nephew that my business comes before his useless pleasure of flirting with me!" Magnolia replied hotly.
"And excuses too," Mr. Bucksworth stated as he handed Magnolia a green folder.
"More information for me to study about the mutant plant duck Bushroot, sir?" she asked as she flipped through the folder.
"Yes and you'll need to take it with you when you give a presentation at the business meeting that I'm sending you to this Friday." Mr. Bucksworth replied.
"Business meeting sir?" Magnolia repeated.
"Yes you'll be representing us and giving a report about the data that you've gathered on this Bushroot character," her boss continued.
"Uh Mr. Bucksworth," Magnolia inquired, "pardon me for asking but why would the people at this meeting want to know about this Regional Bushroot character?" Then she added, "Besides today is Monday, how can I possibly have an appropriate presentation ready in such a short amount of time?"
"You'll find out why when you arrive," he began explaining, "just have it ready by Friday." Then he handed her a small envelope with her name on it. "This will tell you the address of the building and what room to report to, along with the exact time. See to it that you're there on time."
"Yes sir," Magnolia said as she left.
When she was back with Trisha in their lab she told her about everything.
"Hm, I wonder what the meeting is about?" Trisha puzzled when Magnolia had finished.
"I don't know, but I'll find out Friday," Magnolia answered as she turned the envelope in her hand.
******
Trivia was working on a computer at the end of a row of other computers, each with a fellow employee at it using advanced software to design new toys. She worked at the Forever Kids: Toy Factory in St. Canard. Trivia was staring blankly at the screen, she had much rather been designing one of her own types of toys on paper like she was used to doing. Trivia's screen displayed a toy dragon with a funny face that made cute little roaring sounds and had a little red light bulb coming out of its mouth that lit up to resemble fire. She was disgusted by the lack of realism so she opened a different file that she had been working on secretly. She had designed this dragon to look angry and make fierce noises. Its wings would flap up and down and it would spit out real fire!
"Uh, Trivia you'd better not let the boss catch you working on one of your dangerous toys again," the employee next to her warned.
"My toys aren't dangerous!" Trivia protested. "Kids could learn to play with them properly if they were given a chance."
"Alright then have it your way," the employee answered shaking his head. "But I seriously doubt that you'll have any jokes or tricks to get you out of this one."
"Hmph, don't be so sure about that." Trivia remarked as she closed the file.
Trivia was a toy maker who used computer technology to design and create toys with actual weapons, fire, etc. built in. She played the drums and many other percussion instruments in her spare time. Like her friends she was a great singer and talented dancer. All of her friends (herself included) could ice skate as well, it was among many of the required classes they'd taken in high school. Trivia had long blonde hair that she kept tied back in a low pony tail with a bow. She also wore a hair band and her company uniform, a navy dress coat over the top of her favorite outfit, she had made it to resemble the clothing worn by QuackerJack who had been a toy maker too. Trivia's boss had been instructing her to do research on QuackerJack even though she wasn't told why. Trivia's outfit had a dark navy top, red and orange stripes on her left sleeve, and her right sleeve was orange with big red dots. Each sleeve was long with an extended white cuff. Her collar was similar to her cuffs. She had on a necklace with a long gold chain and a green emerald in an oval gold holder on the end. She always wore this necklace, it had been a gift from her parents with the inscription 'Forever Young' on the back. Her belt was large and yellow, her pants purple with dark blue curved stripes on the bottom of each leg. She was wearing her red shoes with curled tips to complete the ensemble. Her eyes were dark blue too and seemed to spin like yo-yos in mid air.
"Trivia report to my office immediately," said a deep dark voice over the intercom.
Trivia sighed and closed out the file that she'd been staring blankly at. She got up from her station and made her way to the front of the room which was where her boss's office was located. The sign on the front of the tall wooden door said Mr. Colding's Office.
"Yes Mr. Colding?" Trivia asked as she entered the dimly lit and bitterly cold office.
"I have a job for you my dear," Mr. Colding replied in a deep sugar-coated voice.
"A job sir?" Trivia began, "But I still need to add the finishing touches to my dragon."
"Never mind the dragon toy now," Mr. Colding cut in, "just drop that project all together."
"Yes sir," Trivia responded, then added meekly, "Sir I have a different design for the dragon toy, you see it could breathe real fire, flap its wings, roar, and-"
"You know Trivia," Mr. Colding interrupted, "you've got so many unique ideas about how to improve our toy designs by adding weapons and such things that I just know that you'll be interested in this meeting I'm sending you to on Friday."
"Meeting sir?" Trivia asked.
"Yes a business meeting about technology and new toy designs," Mr. Colding responded slyly, "I want you to have a report to present for them about QuackerJack and his style of toys, since they are similar to your own."
"Really sir?!" Trivia asked amazed.
"Why yes," Mr. Colding answered, "if you can convince them that dangerous toys are marketable then you can produce your own line of them!"
"Wow sir!" Trivia gasped, "Of course I'll go Mr. Colding, thank you!"
"Oh and one more thing," Mr. Colding said as he pulled out a small white envelope with Trivia's name on it, "Here's where and when to show up at the meeting, now go and begin preparing your report."
"Yes sir Mr. Colding right away!" Trivia exclaimed happily as she took the envelope and left the office.
When she was back at her station she could barely contain her excitement.
"I've never seen anyone get so excited over a pink slip!" the male employee next to her said mockingly.
"For your information I wasn't fired!" Trivia shot back annoyed.
"Oh, demoted then huh?" the employee grinned at her.
"No Roy, I was promoted!" Trivia said happily.
"What?! I don't believe it!" Roy gasped.
"It's true!" Trivia exclaimed proudly showing him the envelope, "I'm going to represent us and give a presentation on my type of unique toys Friday and the boss said if I convinced the other people at the meeting I'd get my own line of toys!"
"I still can't believe it," Roy said staring at the envelope, "Trivia Toystrum getting promoted before me!"
Roy turned back to his work shaking his head in disbelief. Trivia took out her files on QuackerJack and then turned back to the envelope. Finally, she thought, my toys will get some recognition! She held the envelope up and smiled as she thought about the meeting on Friday. And then she glanced at the picture of her friends on her computer.
******
At the St. Canard Police Station a young duck of medium height with long untamed hair headed angrily towards the chief's office. The duck's name was Crimnella, she was extremely aggressive and very combative. She wore dagger earrings that dangled with bloody tips. Her well filled fingernails were long, sharp, and the same bloody crimson red. Her favorite dress to wear was a short crimson one that shimmered and sparkled in the light. She had high heels that were of a matching appearance and had sharp heel points which she made frequent use of… Crimnella was a dangerous beauty with dark blue eyes that would glimmer as if a blade passed before them and reflected the light. She always wore a small dagger in a brown leather strap near her shoulder on her left arm and another just above her left thigh. She had fallen into this habit from when she had once secretly been a leader of several gangs and crime rings. Crimnella was never caught and her former gang members had known better than to turn her in, her only self-restraining rule was never to kill anyone (not that she wouldn't have if self defense had required it), this small code was proof that Crim still had a few morals about her. She had been called Crimenella back in her old days of larceny because she was such a leader of villainy but since she had gone straight she returned to her birth name Crimnella Bladeswinger and now detested being referred to as Crimenella although some still made the mistake (they were promptly corrected).
Crimnella had a picture in her top desk drawer of her four allies (since she considered friends a waste of time) and herself, she was convinced that she'd never be able to form another gang like that one. Their group had hung out together and terrorized the bullies for fun, in school they were considered to be the mysterious quintet of heroines. Crimnella was basically in charge of the group and stood out as the most mysterious and toughest of them all. Although, like her other four allies she had a soft spot for kids which she blamed on 'Pesky maternal instincts'. Neither she nor her allies had even bother to have boyfriends, not for lack of offers but frankly lack of interests (but let's not forget…things change). They all wanted a guy and family but finding one that was what they were looking for was next to impossible. Crimnella filled her time with her hobbies instead of lovers. One hobby consisted of playing the electric piano-guitar, a loud and expressive way of ventilating her endless supply of anger. Another hobby (her favorite pastime) was studying magic, she didn't know why but it always seemed to intrigue her. But Crimnella's job didn't give her a lot of free time to explore this hobby. Why? Crim was a cop, detective, and police trainer for both rookies and dogs (not much of a difference right?).
Today she sported her police uniform complete with black nightstick (yes they allowed her to carry weapons). Wearing black socks and a navy uniform she proceeded on her infuriated march to her boss's office holding a leash with a German shepherd at the end. She was angry because of the pathetic way the new officers had been doing in training. The dog, Blaze, was the force's best police dog, he'd been helping her train the newbies on how to handle intense situations.
She stormed into the office of the chief and the dog began to growl at the man as he turned towards Crimnella.
"Easy boy," she told the dog as he began to snap at the chief. This officer wasn't actually the chief but the original chief was on vacation so the man filling in, Mr. Grudgeburge, was chief for the time being.
"Did you have to bring that mutt in here Officer Bladeswinger?" Mr. Grudgeburge asked obviously displeased.
"Blaze is one of our top dogs!" Crimnella replied harshly, "He can come with me if he wants, I've even kept him on this stupid leash like you keep hounding me about!"
"Yes, well can I help you officer?" Mr. Grudgeburge sneered.
"Not unless you'll permit me to use my shot gun to put these wannabe cops out of their misery!" she replied angrily.
"Officer Bladeswinger it's like I said before, they're rookies, they'll learn, and it's your job to teach them!" Mr. Grudgeburge responded abruptly.
"Yeah, well as far as I'm concerned they can all go back to preschool and learn common sense!" Crimnella retorted. "I tell em to take out the dummy crook and they read him his right, then cuff him, THEN expect a promotion for a job well done! Gimme a break!"
"Fine, then I guess you'll be happy to know that I'm giving you a new assignment." Mr. Grudgeburge replied.
"Again?!" Crimnella asked in desperate disbelief.
"Yes," Mr. Grudgeburge continued, "it's a follow-up to your previous assignments on the supervillain Negaduck."
"That's another thing," Crimnella interrupted, "why do you keep assigning me to do research on the leader of The Fearsome Five?"
"Well for one thing," Mr. Grudgeburge began explaining, "I'm sending you to an important meeting on the topic this Friday."
"What?!" Crimnella shouted, "I'm going from rookies to blue blooded penny pinchers?!"
"This meeting is essential in determining this city's strongest criminal problems and finding new methods to deal with them." Mr. Grudgeburge said.
"The problem is the underqualified officers!" Crimnella yelled, "So what am I going for?"
"Since all of your research has been on Negaduck you've become an…well, expert on his characteristics and criminal ways," Mr. Grudgeburge then added, "With your knowledge of his villainous antics you'll be able to represent this department and give your expert opinion of him and advise on how to better put him away the next time that he manages to escape from prison which happened yesterday I believe."
"My expert opinion is that the guy's a criminal mastermind with extremely aggressive behavior and a real grudge against this Darkwing Duck guy!" Crimnella answered furiously, "I've never even met this Negaduck guy and you're already telling me that I'm supposed to be some expert on how he thinks?!"
"You two seem to have a lot of things in common such as short fuses and aggressive tendencies." Mr. Grudgeburge said as he glared at the officer.
"Yeah," Crimnella began harshly, then she paused and changed her tone, "well I guess that's true."
"Good, then you'll be at the meeting this Friday and this information will tell you when and where the meeting will take place." the chief explained handing her a small envelope with her name printed on it.
"So I guess that I'll be preparing my report instead of training those hopeless rookies now huh?" she asked as she took the envelope.
"Yes," the chief replied. As Crimnella tugged at the dog's leash and headed for the door Mr. Grudgeburge added, "Oh and officer, this meeting is top secret and extremely important so don't disappoint me."
Crimnella nearly slammed the door when she left angry at his last smug comment, so like a pinheaded male. Then she remembered the small envelope in her hand and walked over to her desk then unleashed the dog.
"Well Blaze," she said as she patted the German Shepard and glanced at the envelope that she'd put on her desk, "looks like I've finally been put on an assignment worth having."
As she stared at the envelope an eerie feeling fell upon her and she felt as if whatever happened as a result of that meeting was going to change her life forever. Next to the envelope was a picture of her four allies and somehow she felt that a change was in store for them too.
******
At the St. Canard Power Company a young mouse woman named Boltz was preparing to go out on another call. She was an electrician so she constantly made house calls to fix faulty wired appliances or bad electrical connections. She had a hobby for inventing new electrical devices but like her hobbies for art, music (electric guitar---of course!), and track running she had very little free time for it. Although she occasionally found the time to do a little computer hacking, another of her specialties. Her actual name was really Boltanya Crosswire but it was a suicidal move to call her by such an aristocratic name (in short, Boltz IS the black sheep of her upper class family). She was tall, thin, and attractive (in her words "Cursed."). Wearing her uniform, a dull tan jumpsuit complete with off-white rubber gloves and black boots, she latched tools to her belt in preparation for another run. Staring at her reflection in the red toolbox before her she pulled her black mid-length hair back high with a light green scrunchie and smiled as her solid gold lightening bolt earrings shimmered in the fluorescent light. Boltz had recently been assigned to do research on the supervillain Megavolt and had designed her favorite outfit to slightly resemble his. The outfit was yellow (a shirt and pants) with a pair of light green gloves and matching boots. She had made a purple strap that would crisscross over her chest and in the middle was a gray cylinder which served as an energy adjuster (the settings would prove useful only it did her no good due to a lack of Megavolt's electrical powers). Another accessory consisted of a purple belt with a large gray plug-in for a buckle and on the left side was a red holder for an orange electro-gun that she'd invented (just like Megavolt's), on the right side a large roll of electrical cord was attached. And to complete the look she'd constructed her own version of Megavolt's oversized red battery. Boltz didn't like the idea of wearing a helmet like he did so she substituted a specially invented set of headphones with antennae that conducted electricity like transistors. And of course, what electrical assemble would be complete without some lime green goggles (in Megavolt's case, light blue)? Boltz often daydreamed about what it must be like to have electrical superpowers. She loved working with and studying electricity although she had to admit, she wasn't really happy with her job; something in her kept saying that she wanted and needed more. She missed her four friends too and hated that they'd failed at keeping in touch as the years had worn on. Boltz always kept their picture in her toolbox and often looked at it with fond memories.
"Ms. Crosswire, Mrs. Anderson called and said that her toaster has short circuited again," a fellow employee told Boltz as he passed by.
"I'm on my way over there right now Eddie," Boltz called out over her shoulder. "I don't know why that woman can't just keep that thing away from her sink!" Boltz mumbled to herself.
Then her boss's secretary came up to her as she headed for the door.
"Ms. Crosswire!" the secretary, named Mrs. Cane, called.
"Yes Mrs. Cane," Boltz said as she turned around, "can we please make this short I'm in a hurry?!"
"Mr. Bluffer wants to see you in his office right away," Mrs. Cane replied out of breath.
"Look I'm kinda busy right now can't this wait?" Boltz replied frustrated.
"No, it can't," Mrs. Cane replied as she caught her breath, "follow me."
Boltz reluctantly went with her to Mr. Bluffer's office.
Once Boltz arrived Mrs. Cane introduced her and left. Boltz noticed how dreary and dim his office looked and how chilly it was as she rubbed her arms to keep them warm.
"Uh, Mr. Bluffer you wanted to see me?" she asked as she slowly approached his shadowy desk.
"Ah yes, Ms. Crosswire please sit down," Mr. Bluffer said in a cold yet polite voice as he gestured to a wooden chair in front of his desk while taking the cushioned chair behind it.
"Thank you sir," Boltz said as she sat down, "I was told that this was urgent."
"Indeed," he replied, "I assume that you've received all of the information on the supervillain Megavolt and done the research I've been assigning you?"
"Yes Mr. Bluffer," Boltz nodded, "but I've never been told exactly why I'm doing the research."
"This city needs your help Ms. Crosswire," Mr. Bluffer replied suddenly.
"M-my help sir?" Boltz asked confused.
"Yes Ms. Crosswire, you see we are nearly depleted of environmentally safe power sources here in St. Canard," Mr. Bluffer explained.
"I understand sir but how can I possibly help?" Boltz inquired timidly.
"Not just you but your knowledge of Megavolt and his electrical powers ," Mr. Bluffer answered, "if we could harness that kind of energy safely and efficiently then we could get many of this city's business and home owners back up and running again at half the cost!"
"Really sir?" Boltz was amazed, "But my research hasn't led me to discover a safe way to obtain such electrical energy yet."
"That's why I'm sending you to a special meeting this Friday," Mr. Bluffer continued.
"A meeting?" she inquired.
"Yes my dear, think of this as a sort of conference, you will explain in detail every aspect of your research and findings, the other people at this meeting will then aid you in finding a safe way of obtaining the electrical energy required to get this project off the ground!" Mr. Bluffer announced sounding like a true visionary although it was all just a sham he was using to get Boltz to go to the meeting.
"This is incredible Mr. Bluffer!" Boltz exclaimed excitedly, "I can't wait to go to this meeting!"
"Yes Ms. Crosswire and this envelope contains all the information you'll need to know about this meeting, now go on and prepare your presentation." Mr. Bluffer said as he gave Boltz the small envelope that had her name on the front and then as he pushed her towards the door he added, "and don't worry about your other duties my dear, I'll have someone else cover them, after all this meeting is your main priority now!"
"Thank you sir," Boltz answered as the door closed behind her.
She walked over to her small corner office which was now merely a small desk with a laptop and some files. She slid her toolbox under her desk and began typing her report. She glanced down at the envelope and decided that she'd where her favorite outfit to the meeting along with all its accessories. As she stared more closely at her computer screen she found that for some weird reason she just couldn't get her mind off the envelope.
******
Aquatica arrived at St. Canard and started her new job as a bottled water inspector on Tuesday and had been given more information to research on the supervillain The Liquidator; the business note in her hand on the day she left Hollywood was just the start of her assignment to gather information on him. She had been assigned a lackey so to speak. He was a fellow employee of a slightly lower business ranking than herself. His name was Ervin Fountainway and he was somewhat mockingly tolerable of Aquatica although he had no interests in her beyond friendship, but this of course was mutual so in short they were both 'just friends'. Her boss was cold hearted and businesslike, he had called her to a meeting that she was now on her way to. Wearing her usual dark brown business suit and flat healed shoes she rapidly headed for the office. Fountainway walked up to her as she was on her way to see the boss but she just smiled and picked up her pace.
"You know, your manners could really use some serious improving." Fountainway teased, he was young but still a ways older than Aquatica.
"Sorry Fountainway but I haven't got time to cut you down right now," Aquatica replied without even glancing in his direction.
"So where are you off to in such a hurry? It's Friday morning relax the weekend's coming," Fountainway joked.
"The boss's office," she answered, "he wants to see me about this report I've been making about The Liquidator, he says that the deadline is today."
"So you're done already?" Fountainway asked.
"Yes, now if you'll excuse me I've got work to do," Aquatica said as she went inside the boss's office, his name was Mr. Ransom.
"Mr. Ransom it's me Aquatica, I'm here with my completed report, should I present it to you now?" Aquatica inquired.
"No Ms. Tidalwave," her boss replied, "you'll be presenting it in exactly one hour I believe, at a special business meeting downtown."
"Sir, I don't understand," Aquatica replied in clear shock and confusion.
"You're probably wondering why you've been assigned this report at all," Mr. Ransom said.
"I am curious Mr. Ransom," Aquatica admitted.
"We're trying to determine whether certain water chemicals that are leaking into the Audubon Bay could produce the same effect on people that the contaminated water that Bud Flood fell into had on him." Mr. Ransom explained in a serious tone.
"The water that transformed him into The Liquidator sir?" Aquatica gasped.
"Yes, you see instead of creating a widespread panic we--the people of the meeting I mean--will use the information from your report to help find a quick yet safe solution," her boss lied, "Now this envelope holds all the information you'll need to know about this meeting."
"Thank you sir," Aquatica took the envelope that had her name on the front. She looked rather suspiciously at it.
"Run along now," Mr. Ransom motioned her towards the door, "you don't want to be late!"
"Yes sir," Aquatica agreed as she left.
Calling herself a cab she decided to go home and change into her favorite dress (the one she wore when she left Hollywood) for the meeting.
She opened the envelope in her hand and read it. It was rather simple and said:
To: Ms. Aquatica Tidalwave
Your presence has been requested in attending our business meeting this Friday at 10:45 a.m. precisely. Please be prompt and bring your presentation to:
5160 Outlet Avenue
(in the old warehouse district,
The business building)
Please report to our meeting room
Room 207 (our secretary will escort
You there) and wait for any absent
Members to arrive.
From: The Special Brimstone Project
******
"Mr. Brimstone," Mrs. Chandelle said as she poked her head into his office, "the first of the subjects is here."
"Have you shown her into our special meeting room yet?" Mr. Brimstone asked looking up from his work.
"Yes sir, she's waiting in there now, her name is Magnolia Springbloom," Mrs. Chandelle responded.
"Excellent, are my men ready?" he inquired.
"Yes sir, everything's all set, we're just waiting for the other four women to arrive." Mrs. Chandelle answered.
"Very good," Mr. Brimstone said as he clicked on a special button that allowed him to look inside the meeting room from a hidden camera, "you're dismissed."
As Mrs. Chandelle left Mr. Brimstone grinned wickedly as he watched the young duck look around the room, totally unaware of what was about to befall her and her other four friends when they arrived.
******
Magnolia had been led into an elevator and taken to the sixth floor by a secretary who met her outside when she arrived. The secretary had presented herself as Mrs. Chandelle and escorted her to the meeting room (Room 207). Magnolia had been informed that she was the first to arrive and could wait inside for the other members.
Now alone in the room she looked around. The room was very elegant and businesslike. There was a long cherry wooden table in the center and the walls and floor were all made of the same cherry wood. The long meeting table sat upon a rectangular forest green rug. Several pictures and company portraits lined the walls as well. One portrait had a huge golden plate beneath it which identified the man as Mr. Brimstone--the leader of the organization. There was a large, long window at the other end of the meeting table that took up most of the wall. The room was lit by the morning sunlight that shown through the window and by the tall gold and forest green lamps that sat on small end tables located in each of the room's four corners. She didn't see a clock so she glanced down at her watch, the time was 10:50 a.m., she began wondering where everyone else was.
Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and to Magnolia's surprise Trivia Toystrum, her high school friend came in through the door!
Trivia looked up and caught sight of Magnolia and after a brief pause she called out, "Magnolia! I don't believe it! It's you, it's really you!"
"Trivia what are you doing here? I thought you were in the toy business?" Magnolia replied happy to see her friend again.
"That's why I'm here! I'm doing a presentation so that I can get my own line of toys!" Trivia cried ecstatically.
"No way!" Magnolia gasped, "I'm here to give a presentation on my research of a mutant plant duck named Regional Bushroot!"
"Huh?" Trivia cocked an eyebrow, "But that secretary said that this is the room where the meeting's in. I'm supposed to be here at a quarter til eleven."
"That's when my presentation is," Magnolia informed her, "but so far it's just me and you."
Just as the two of them were trying to figure things out the door opened again and Boltz Crosswire, a friend of theirs from high school entered the room.
"Boltz!" Trivia called out, "Man this is getting weird!"
"Hi you guys," Boltz answered startled
"It's nice to see you again Boltz," Magnolia smiled.
"Yeah, nice to see you girls too," Boltz responded confused, "Hey am I in the right room, I mean I know I'm late but I just changed into this outfit and the meeting started at 10:45?"
"Hey what's with the battery?" Trivia asked pointing to Boltz's back.
"Oh it's for my presentation," Boltz answered grinning, "sort of a visual aid."
"You're here to give a presentation too?" Magnolia was getting concerned.
"Yeah, we're trying to harness power in safe and efficient ways so that we can cut costs for customers." Boltz responded. "Uh, is that why you're here?"
"Nope," Trivia replied.
Magnolia and Trivia explained their stories to Boltz and the three of them still couldn't make any sense out of the situation.
As they were talking the door swung open and another of the five high school friends entered. It was Aquatica Tidalwave!
"I don't believe it!" Magnolia said as Aquatica noticed her three friends.
"You too!" Trivia called out in disbelief, "So the plot thickens…"
"What are you girls doing here?" Aquatica asked, obviously glad to see them again.
"We could ask you the same question," Boltz spoke up.
"Hey I'm here because of my new job," Aquatica answered, "my boss sent me down here to give a-"
"Let me guess," Trivia interrupted, "a presentation!"
"Yeah, how'd you know?" she nodded.
"Oh, female intuition," Trivia replied.
"Uh huh, well anyway it's because some possibly mutating chemicals have been leaking into Audubon Bay," she explained.
"So there really is something in the water?!" Trivia teased.
"I don't get it," Magnolia announced, "Why would all of our bosses send us to a bogus meeting to give presentations?"
"Huh?" Aquatica gasped.
So once again Magnolia, Trivia, and Boltz filled in their friend.
"It's like someone is trying to get all of our old high school group together or something," Aquatica speculated when they had finished explaining.
"This had better not be someone's crazy idea for some kind of reunion joke!" Boltz growled angrily.
"Nah, they'd have to have all five of us for that," Trivia insisted.
"Hey do you hear that?" Magnolia asked suddenly.
"It sounds like fast steps coming this way," Aquatica whispered.
"Oh no, not again!" Trivia exclaimed.
The door opened once more and this time their high school leader stepped in. It was Crimnella and she was wearing her signature crimson dress.
The girls all stood in shock and disbelief. There wasn't a one among them who dared to speak, although they were all on good terms with Crimnella each one was afraid of her and knew about her short fuse.
"What the heck are you four doing here?!" she asked as the door slammed shut behind her.
Still there was silence.
"Well?!" Crimnella asked in a demanding tone.
The girls just glanced at each other.
Crimnella's sight was caught by Aquatica who was wearing the sequined blue gown, "I thought you were in Hollywood?" she observed.
"I-I was," Aquatica stammered, "I-I got a new job as a bottled water inspector her in St. Canard."
"Yeah well I'm here to give a presentation on a group of supervillains called The Fearsome Five and mostly their leader, Negaduck." Crimnella replied, "What are you girls here for?"
"Our bosses sent us to give presentations," Magnolia answered cautiously, chill bumps covered her legs causing her to tug her green dress down towards her knees and wind the lab coat around her trembling figure. Something wasn't right about this little coincidence.
"What?" Crimnella demanded.
They all explained their stories and once they'd finished Crimnella glanced warily around the room.
"Why would they need all of us to come here if this was just some kind of reunion joke?" she asked suspiciously, "A boardroom in St. Canard ain't exactly ideal for a reunion between girls who went to a high school hundreds of miles away from here."
"No clue boss," Trivia shrugged, "but what else could this be?"
"A trap." Crimnella stated facetiously.
"A trap?!!" the four other girls echoed.
"But boss that doesn't explain why our bosses would all send us here," Magnolia persisted rationally.
"Unless our bosses are all in on whatever this is." Crimnella pointed out.
"Yeah but-" Aquatica began and then stopped short when she saw Crimnella hold up her hand suddenly.
Aquatica and the others stopped and listened. At first all they could hear was a soft creaking sound. But the door wasn't moving at all. Then they heard the sound grow louder as if something heavy were being slid across the floor. They all glanced in the direction of the wall on the left side of the door, and as they did they saw a secret large panel slide open. Men rushed out in silver and black uniforms that had on metal armor and helmets. Each of the men were fully armed. One man threw a canister of knockout gas into the center of the room.
"Everyone down!" Crimnella called out to the four girls as she drew a gun from behind her back. Suddenly one of the men came up from behind her and managed to knock the revolver to the floor. She flipped him over onto another man as the knockout gas began to dissolve.
"We're outnumbered what'll we do?!" Aquatica cried out as she fought off the men.
"Head for the window!" Crimnella yelled back.
"What window?" Trivia's voice called.
Crimnella looked towards the wall where the window had been but there was now a solid wall of metal that surrounded all the walls.
"We can't keep this up much longer!" Magnolia screamed as more and more armed men crowded into the room.
"Man am I ever sorry that I wore my favorite outfit today!" Trivia laughed as she punched out two men advancing towards her.
"Let go of me!" Boltz hissed as four of the armed goons pinned her to the floor.
"I'm coming Boltz!" Aquatica yelled kicking the weapon out of the hands of the man in front of her and tossing him aside.
"Look out Aquatica!" Magnolia warned as two more men tackled her friend from each side.
Aquatica tried to free herself but it was no use.
"They've got Boltz and Aquatica!" Magnolia called out as she continued fighting.
"I could use a little help over here myself!" Trivia cried, she was obviously surrounded by the armed men.
One of the men grabbed a lamp off the end table and bashed it against the toymaker's back.
"Aaahhh!!" Trivia screamed as she fell to the floor in pain while several of the armed men piled on top of her to keep her from getting back to her feet.
"Well Trivia's down now!" Crimnella informed Magnolia as she sliced a man across the face with her nails.
Magnolia was extremely outnumbered herself and suddenly felt a sharp kick in her lower back that sent her to the floor. But she managed to jump back up to her feet in time to punch the jerk out. Then one of the men grabbed her left arm while another seized her right one. She was forced to the floor as two more men grabbed her ankles and firmly pressed them to the floor. A gun barrel was jammed forcefully into her throat. Magnolia laid her head back desperately and gave up, there was no way she could win against these odds.
Crimnella glanced over her shoulder quickly and saw that Magnolia had been defeated. Although any hope of escape was impossible Crimnella always like to tempt fate and go up against things with impossible odds, so she kept fighting. A different weapon caught her eye as she slugged one of the men out of her way. This weapon she realized was a tranquilizer gun and she had a pretty good idea about what it was for. Whoever had laid this trap for the girls clearly wanted them alive, or else the armed guards most certainly would've killed them by now. She snatched another armed man who was twice her size off his feet and tossed him into one of the end tables.
"If you ever want to see your little friends alive again then I suggest you surrender now Miss," one of the guards near Magnolia said as he pushed the gun forward into Magnolia's throat. Magnolia winced in pain.
"Don't do it Crimnella!" Boltz shouted, "If they're intent on killing us they'll just do it anyway!"
As Crimnella's attention was directed towards her friends one of the men slammed the butt of his gun against the back of her head. Crimnella fell forward trying to remain conscious.
"I can't let my guard down for a minute around you boys can I?" she spat as she jumped back up and grabbed the collar of the idiot who'd struck her. She nearly gagged him to death before she kicked him in the rib cage and threw him against one of the metal escape proof walls.
As she tossed him two other men seized her arms when she let go and he was banged up against the wall and knocked out cold. Two more shoved her backward and she too was pinned to the floor although the men found it exceedingly difficult to restrain the semi-conscious aggressive young woman.
The guard with the tranquilizer gun stepped forward and raised the gun at Trivia who was still struggling despite the sharp pain in her back. He fired and a dart hit her directly in the front of her neck. Trivia ceased struggling and began to drift in and out of consciousness.
"You can drug us all you want but when it's over you're still gonna be dead meat!" Crimnella threatened as she spit in the face of one of the men holding her down. He wiped his face but continued to hold his grip firmly.
Next the man took aim and fired at Aquatica, the dart hit her in the same place and produced the same effect. Boltz was tranquilized next and then Magnolia. Finally the gun was aimed at Crimnella.
"What the heck do you guys want with us?!" she demanded in a low angry voice.
"You'll see," the man replied as he fired his gun, Crimnella was down for the count.
The men proceeded to drag each of the girls into the opening in the wall. The last thing that the half conscious females saw was a shiny metal room with four large glass cylinders in the center and high-tech machinery all around, then as they blacked out there was darkness but none of them could've guessed what the next light would bring.
******
When they awoke nothing had changed, they were in the surroundings of the metal room but instead of looking at the glass cylinders each of them (except for Crimnella who was in the next room) was in one!
There were several guards in scientists in the room. The four women exchanged looks. The cylinders were located in a straight row with Magnolia in the first, Trivia in the second, Boltz in the third, and finally Aquatica in the fourth. Suddenly they heard footsteps approaching and a tall, old, gray goose entered the room.
"Mr. Brimstone I presume," Magnolia inquired haughtily recognizing him from his portrait in the meeting room.
"You're correct my dear," Mr. Brimstone answered, "I'm the founder and leader of this fine organization."
"I wouldn't call this dump that," Aquatica replied angrily.
"Oh now don't be cross my dear I've merely brought the five of you here to make you a very generous offer," Mr. Brimstone calmly explained.
"And I suppose that's why we're in these glass cages?!" Boltz yelled.
"They're more like containment cells so that you'll hear me out," he said.
"Hey you said there were five of us!" Trivia noticed after a quick scan of the room, "where's Crimnella?!"
"Oh she's in the next room down the hall," Brimstone assured her.
"Why isn't she here with the rest of us?" Magnolia demanded.
"She's going to be your little ring leader so to speak," Mr. Brimstone stated mockingly, "her role in this will be special so we're keeping her isolated for now, but don't worry, you'll see her soon enough."
"He puts the toughest one in a different room because he doesn't want us to escape!" Aquatica exclaimed.
"Ladies please," he spoke up, "it's time we began the experiment."
"What experiment?" Trivia asked.
"I'll bet you named it the Brimstone Project," Boltz remarked sarcastically.
"Exactly," Brimstone continued, "and now that all of our volunteers are present we can begin."
"Excuse me, volunteers?" Aquatica interrupted.
"Yes and now gentlemen," Brimstone said as he turned toward the scientists and guards, "let us begin the gene transferals. You may start with this one," he ordered as he pointed at Magnolia, "and then proceed down the row, then you may move on to Ms. Bladeswinger."
Mr. Brimstone left the room and the guards advanced towards Magnolia's cell. She backed up as much as she could, a scientist near a large machine with several buttons and switches pressed one of the buttons and the glass part of the cell slowly began to rise until Magnolia leapt off the metal platform.
"Don't let them take you alive Mags!" Boltz screamed.
Magnolia made a dash for the door but more guards charged in and apprehended her. In under five minutes she was captured again and dragged struggling into the metal hallway and into the next room to the right (the room where Crimnella was supposedly being kept).
When she entered the room she saw several strange metallic devices. It looked very similar to the other room with lots of high-tech machinery and switches next to glowing buttons. The only major difference was that this room looked more like a metal torture chamber or the lab of a mad scientist complete with two metal slabs with leather straps. There was a lot of high-voltage equipment and the center of the metal room was the only well lit place casting dark shadows on the walls. As she looked around while being restrained she noticed another cylinder to her right. This cylinder was different though because it had a huge clear plastic pipe running in it at the top and stood next to a very large metal machine with several pipes alongside it.
"Magnolia is that you?!" Crimnella's voice called out, it was obvious that she too was now wide awake.
Magnolia darted her head around to the wall on her left and saw a glass cylinder just like the other four, with Crimnella inside. Next to the cylinder however was a huge metal table with straps that was bolted to the wall. Not far from that, in fact about four feet directly in front of it, was a ray gun aimed at the table's center.
"Yes Crimnella it's me," Magnolia answered as she continued to look around almost absent mindedly. The whole room was just so---overwhelming.
Suddenly the guards started pushing her towards the left side of the room's back wall. One of the scientists in the room flipped a switch and a few dim lights came on in the back of the room revealing a metal table with iron restraints. This table had a huge ray gun in front of it attached to a very large machine. Magnolia was held down and strapped to the table. As she looked closely at the ray gun in front of her and began to study it she realized that in the slot on the machine directly below it there was a compartment. One of the scientists walked up to it and placed a small vile that was marked with green tape into the compartment and closed the slot. Then the scientist signaled to another who aimed the machine directly at Magnolia. Suddenly the ray fired out a strong beam of green light.
Instantly she felt a sharp pain in the center of her chest, the beam seemed to be piercing through her and whatever was in that beam began seeping into and through her entire body. Magnolia winced and struggled, she was clearly in intense pain, she didn't think that she'd be able to hold out much longer. After about four and half minutes, which seemed like a lifetime to Magnolia, the machine was shut off. She could barely hold her head up as she was unstrapped and all the iron restraints were removed, she couldn't think straight. She could see but she couldn't make sense of what she saw, her ears were ringing too loud to hear any other sound. All of her other senses were too dull for her to notice except for the splitting pain in her chest the rest of her body felt numb. Magnolia finally went unconscious.
"Magnolia! Magnolia! Magnolia wake up!" Crimnella screamed horrified, but it was no use. Mags had been subjected to the strange experiment and as Crimnella watched the scientist pull out the now empty vile she realized that the rest of them were next!
******
Magnolia was dragged into the room where the other girls were and slung into the glass cylinder again.
"We'll be back for you in a minute," one of the guards chuckled as he pointed at Trivia. Trivia stuck out her tongue and the guards walked away. As she turned to look at her unconscious friend in the cell beside her she leapt back and screamed at what she saw!
"Trivia what is it?!" Aquatica asked anxiously.
"I-it's Magnolia…I think." Trivia replied nervously.
"What do you mean you think?" Boltz demanded.
"Well just look at her," Trivia said as she stepped back in her cell so that her friends could get a good look.
They gasped in horror and their gasps awoke Magnolia. Her friends stepped forward in their cells worried about what her reaction would be. Magnolia was sitting down and leaning against her cell, she glanced over at the others and saw their shocked and terrified faces. She gave them a confused look then turned her head and saw her faint reflection in the glass.
Magnolia still had her rosy red hair and her iris blue eyes. She was still wearing her favorite dark green dress with the white stripes and matching boots but her lab coat had been jerked off before she'd been zapped and was now laying at her feet. As she stared closer at her reflection in complete disbelief she saw that her skin and feathers were now green (due to the presence of chlorophyll) and she had two purple pistils, with tips curled inward, on the top of her head, just behind her bangs. Instead of sleeves though she had white flower blossoms including one on each elbow as well. Two more blossoms made up her cuffs. She had also been drug past a flowering magnolia plant in the hallway while she was out which had slipped one of its large red flowers into the hair. Magnolia still looked completely like herself despite these changes, she was still beautiful and vibrant yet…a plant.
"What's happened to me?!" she screamed.
"Isn't it obvious?" Trivia answered, "You've become a mutant plant duck, just like that Bushroot guy you were telling me about!"
"And what's worse," Aquatica added, "we're all next!"
Then the men returned and although Trivia too put up an extreme fight to escape she too was taken down and forced into the next room. When she entered she was dragged to one of the metal tables that was in the center of the back wall. She was strapped to it as a huge ray gun was being lowered from the ceiling and pointed down at her. A vile with purple tape was put into the empty slot of the ray gun and one of the scientists aimed the ray gun at Trivia and put his hand on the triggering mechanism.
"Gee can't you boys think up anything original for once?" came Crimnella's mocking voice.
Trivia glanced over and saw her, "What are these weirdoes up to?"
"You'll see," Crimnella replied just as the scientist fired the gun.
A purple ray shot Trivia in the chest right below her neck, she was finding it difficult to breathe and was being overwhelmed by the intense pain. She couldn't speak as she desperately struggled against the tight leather straps and gasped for air. Suddenly several vents that were around the iron table opened and a pink gas leaked out around her.
"Laughing gas?!" Crimnella said, "You guys have crossed from the fine line of unique into just plain bizaro world!"
The ray shut off and the empty vile was removed. Trivia was surprised as she was unstrapped that despite her overwhelming discomfort she was fighting off the urge to laugh. Finally Trivia nodded out of consciousness and was taken back to her cell in the next room.
The others warily leaned forward in their cells and waited for Trivia to come to. She moaned slightly and slowly opened her eyes.
"Where am I?" she said wearily, then she perked up and turned towards Boltz, "Hey pal, did you get the number of that truck?"
"Leave it to you to make a joke out of something like this," Boltz complained shaking her head.
"Aw lighten up Boltz, at least I'm not green, no offense Mags," Trivia added.
"None taken, Magnolia groaned and then noticed the guards returning, "Uh on Boltz, looks like it's your turn to get deep fried!"
"Not if I've got anything to say about it!" Boltz shouted as the guards surrounded her. But of course all her efforts and writhing were of little use to her when she too was overtaken and forced into the dreaded next room.
"Welcome to my parlor said the spider to the fly," Crimnella quoted solemnly.
"Hiya boss," Boltz said half heartedly.
She was strapped to a metal table that was in the midst of a lot of strange looking, high-voltage, electrical equipment. All of this was at the right side of the back wall and looked similar to Frankenstein's lab. An odd looking high-voltage ray gun was hanging just above her and after a scientist placed a vile with yellow tape on it into the gun's compartment, it was pointed down directly at her.
"Hang on Boltz," Crimnella warned, "this is gonna be bad!"
The scientist near the biggest high-voltage machine slapped a red lever down and the gun fired. Boltz was shocked, literally. Electricity was burning in her chest and surging rapidly through her body. Soon everything went yellow and then a blinding white light was all she could see. Energy continued to charge through her and it was as if the battery on her back was actually being charged in the process. With the fading of the blinding white light her consciousness faded too. She had one moment to look at Crimnella's stunned face before she completely blacked out. The scientist unloaded the empty vile as Boltz was carried back to her cell.
She was out for about ten minutes then her eyelids fluttered slightly and she gradually awakened.
"Boltz, hey Boltz snap out of it," Aquatica was saying.
Boltz sat up and her eyes began to focus on Aquatica's image, when they did she heard Trivia's voice, "Boltz, head towards the light-"
"You wish," Boltz relied to her smart-aleck friend. "What are you guys doin' in Heaven anyway?"
Trivia burst out laughing.
"Was it bad?" Magnolia inquired concerned.
"Oh no, it was a regular walk through the park," Boltz remarked sarcastically then added, "on a rainy day with ravaging wolves and a hidden yet completely operational mine field!"
"Sounds like you had a real blast!" Trivia cackled.
"That's harsh humor even for you Trivia!" Aquatica scolded.
"Hey it's not my fault that this is happening, sheesh, some people just can't take a joke!" Trivia snapped.
"So I'm part plant, Trivia's even more humorously insane than usual, what's the blast done to you?" Magnolia asked Boltz.
"I don't know but all I could feel was pure electricity running through my entire body, you know like getting zapped by lightening or something." Boltz answered trying to recall what she'd been through and put it into words.
"Did you get a good look around the place?" Aquatica asked impatiently.
"Well gee Aquatica," Boltz mocked, "it's pretty hard to watch anything when you're being barbequed!"
"Sorry Ms. Blinded By the Light!" Aquatica countered.
"Yeah Sparky have a cow!" Trivia giggled.
"Don't ever call me Sparky!" Boltz shouted and suddenly a spark of electricity streaked across the space between her antennas.
"Yikes Boltz!" Magnolia exclaimed leaping back in her cell, "That could be a real fire hazard!"
"What are you talking about?" Boltz asked.
"You lit up like a Christmas Tree!" Trivia replied aghast.
"Hey, those guards are coming back!" Magnolia observed as the men walked through the door.
Suddenly Aquatica's face went white and she slumped down huddling into a small ball at the back of her cell. She stared blankly at the men approaching her as her cell slid open.
"Aquatica what are you doing you have to get up and defend yourself?!" Boltz shouted.
"Don't you girls get it?!" Aquatica yelled furiously, "We're trapped here it's all over, they've got us and no matter what we do we're all doomed anyway!"
"You can't give up now Aquatica," Trivia insisted, "No way we're letting you give up without a fight!"
"What's the point?!" Aquatica demanded. "Either way I'm going to get fried to!"
"At least you'll have tried," Magnolia said calmly, "that's better than doing nothing at all."
"Yeah, you're right," Aquatica admitted as she got to her feet, "So who's gonna be the first one to take me on?" she challenged the guards as they started attacking her.
It took longer for the men to catch her but eventually they did and she was taken to the next room.
"Oh boy not you too Aquatica," Crimnella sighed as Aquatica was forced through the door.
"Afraid so boss," was all she said.
She was taken to the cylinder to the right that Magnolia had noticed earlier. The one with the clear plastic pipe running into the top next to the large machine with the several pipes beside it. Aquatica was placed inside of it and the lid was sealed shut.
"What you boys not gonna restrain her too?" Crimnella asked.
"No need to," one scientist replied.
"Why not?" Crimnella asked suspiciously.
"You'll see," the scientist answered with a grin.
"Oh great we've got a real Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde case here," Crimnella rolled her eyes.
"Turn it on and ready the gun!" one scientist shouted to another.
Aquatica looked and at the front of the cylinder she could see a very large ray gun aimed at her from outside.
"What are you creeps up to?" she demanded in sheer disgust.
"Let's just say that after this you'll never be the same," one of the madmen chuckled before crying out, "Okay boys, let's fill this tank up!"
"Tank!" Aquatica repeated as gallons of water began to pour in from the lid. "So that's what the pipe is for!"
"Bingo," replied the scientist as he prepared to fire the gun. He quickly loaded the vile with the blue tape into the compartment and said, "Okay now is everybody ready? Five…four…three…two…" the he fired the gun as Aquatica became submerged in the water, "one."
The ray's cold blue blast hit her like a tidal wave and it quickly began to burn her chest, and then her whole body.
"Help I'm melting!" Aquatica pleaded as her body liquefied.
She felt the stream of the ray's blast penetrate her body. She felt more like a liquid than a solid. Then it hit her! She was underwater and couldn't breathe! She had taken a breath but the ray's blast had knocked it right out of her! She winced in pain as the water was drained out and the ray gun was switched off, as she was being lifted out of the tank she passed out. The scientist took out the empty vile and Aquatica too was dragged back to her cell. Crimnella watched in despair.
When Aquatica came to she was greeted by the dropped jaws of her friends. She felt strange, not numb, just weird, different somehow.
"What's wrong?" she asked her friends.
"You still look the same, I mean you're recognizable and your body has retained its shape and um…figure." Boltz said staring.
"Yeah so, what's wrong?" Aquatica persisted.
"Gee um, how should I put this Aquatica," Magnolia attempted to reply helplessly.
"Hey Aquatica, looked in a mirror lately?!" Trivia joked.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Take a look," Magnolia sighed.
Aquatica slowly turned and faced the cylinder staring directly at her reflection in the glass. "No!" she screamed. Aquatica was now made up of nothing but one hundred percent water! She still looked and acted like herself except now she was blue! Her skin and hair were light blue as well as her dress. Her shoes were almost dark blue like the puddle beneath her when she stood. Her eyes hadn't changed at all and waves still crashed within them. Aquatica was dripping and literally soaked to the bone. Her nose was dark blue along with the tips of her dangling ears. Even Aquatica's pearls in her hair were semi-streaked with shades of extremely light baby blue.
Aquatica slumped back down in her cell and buried her face in her hands, she didn't cry but would've welcomed any tears that dared to come.
"Just look at what they've done to me" she moaned, "just look at what they've done to us! Now our lives will NEVER be the same," she almost sobbed, "NEVER!"
The others looked around at each other and themselves. They wanted to say something that would ease Aquatica's pain and their own. But for some reason, the words of comfort wouldn't come.
Crimnella stood still imprisoned in her cell in the next room. She overheard some of the scientists talking to a guard.
"Alright we're almost done with them, we've only got one more to go," the guard whispered.
"Yes, we'll begin the final gene transferal shortly," one of the two scientists said firmly.
"Mr. Brimstone should be quite pleased when he comes to check on our progress," the other replied as the guard left.
"Huh, four down, one to go." Crimnella said to herself as she didn't have to be told who the fifth one was, she already new that her number was up.
******
Crimnella surprisingly wasn't nervous after watching her allies withstand the blasts she knew that she could.
The guards approached her and her cell began to open while each guard drew his gun.
"Bring it on," she challenged.
In the end it took thirteen armed guards to bring her down and strap her to the iron table against the wall by her cell. Although Crimnella didn't have a scratch on her the guards certainly did.
A vile with red tape was loaded was loaded into the compartment of the ray gun in front of her.
"You know you boys are dead the instant I get outta here!" she warned.
"Sure thing lady," one of the guards laughed.
The ray gun was fired and its beam of glowing red hit Crimnella in the chest. The beam burned, it was liked she'd stepped in front of a flame thrower. Crimnella gritted her teeth and winced in pain. A blowtorch couldn't have felt worse than this! It was as if fire and rage unbearable stinging and cold were all surging through her body at once. Her temper flared and her expression changed from one of pain to sheer exploding anger. She was swearing right and left between breaths. The blood in her veins seemed to boil and her bangs cast dark shadows over her enraged eyes. The ray shut off and the pain returned to her, she blacked out but her mind was full of terrible thoughts about just how she was going to make this creeps pay.
"Are you finished now?" Mr. Whimsel asked from the hall.
"You may tell Mr. Brimstone that phase two of his project is complete," the head scientist said as he unloaded the empty vile.
When Crimnella awakened she noticed that her outward appearance hadn't been altered but inside she felt bitter, angry, vengeful, and more than anything she hated the men who had done this to her. She was going to make that Brimstone guy pay!
******
Crimnella as wheeled into the room where her allies where. Her cell was detachable and the guards lifted it off its platform and wheeled it between the cells of Trivia and Boltz. Another platform rose from the floor and they attached Crimnella's cell to it. Shortly after that was completed Mr. Brimstone returned.
"Ah ladies, you've been with us only one evening now and just look at the progress we've made," he began.
"Shove it Gramps!" Crimnella yelled, "We're not planning to stick around!"
Mr. Brimstone glanced at Crimnella then continued, "I don't suppose that either of you girls knows about F.O.W.L.?"
"The Fiendish Organization for World Larceny?" Boltz asked.
"How'd you know?" Trivia inquired.
"Ah I do a little computer hacking," Boltz explained, "Plus everyone has their own website nowadays."
"Well my organization is going to blow F.O.W.L. right out of the water!" Mr. Brimstone exclaimed passionately. "Uh, no offense my dear," he said to Aquatica.
"Drop dead," she replied.
"You see you girls have been given the genes of The Fearsome Five because you are the females who are the most like them, you're the strongest, the fastest, the smartest, the most creative, the most inventive, and the best all together warriors there are," Mr. Brimstone explained, "so you can see why you're the most qualified for the job."
"Why women?" Boltz demanded.
"Women are highly underestimated and that's what makes it so sneaky, underhanded, and downright diabolical," Brimstone sinisterly replied. "You're going to be our top agents, our secret weapons so to speak, in taking over St. Canard, then the country, then the world! After all, you're The Feminine Five!"
"Someone's been reading too many comic books," Trivia murmured.
"And what if we refuse to help you slime bags?" Magnolia inquired defiantly.
"Then you can all be done away with, you know…become one of those missing persons cases that never gets solved," Mr. Brimstone answered with a devilish smirk, then he left with Mr. Whimsel.
******
Later that night most of the scientists had left, there were only two there now along with four armed guards. None of them were paying any attention to the girls, so they took this opportunity to talk.
"Well boss," Aquatica began, "now what'll we do?"
"We bust outta here that's what!" Crimnella whispered.
"Outta here?" Magnolia asked, "How?"
"Yeah especially with the geek patrol on duty," Trivia added.
"What's happened to all of ya?" Crimnella demanded, "Ya used to be tough, something like this would've been no problem for us!"
"Yeah but we're not in high school anymore," Boltz reminded her.
"So, what's that got to do with anything?" Trivia inquired.
"If we could've done it before then we can definitely do it now!" Aquatica exclaimed.
"That's the spirit I'd thought ya lost, now gather close in your cells, I've got a plan!" Crimnella said with a smile.
The plan was for Aquatica to use her high pitch singing voice to hit a C above high C which would shatter the glass cells. Boltz would then rush to the controls with Trivia while the others fought off the guards. Then once they'd created chaos with the machinery to keep everyone distracted it would be every girl for herself. Magnolia would head out the air vent, Aquatica would dash out through the hallway, Boltz would speed off down the other direction of the hall, since Trivia was a mistress of disguise she'd swipe a suit from one of the guards and sneak out, and Crimnella would escape through the nearest open window she could find and she added, "Even if I have to open it myself," as she flashed out her long, sharp nails. Crimnella knew the guards would try to recapture them so she intended to have payback time then, when they were on her turf!
Aquatica waited for her signal and then sang her note, as the glass shattered the guards and scientists rushed forward but Crimnella, Aquatica, and Magnolia were more than a match for them. Boltz ran for the machines and equipment while Trivia fought off anybody who tried to stop Boltz from overloading the systems. Soon the red alarms began flashing and their shrill noises echoed through the complex. Over the buzzing of the alarms Crimnella managed to call out to the others that it was time to split up.
"We'll regroup later!" she called.
"Where? When??" Magnolia shouted.
"Don't worry about it!" Crimnella replied, "I'll find you girls, now get going!"
Trivia put on her suit and fled just as Magnolia ripped the grate off the air vent and climbed in. Boltz and Aquatica each dashed for the exits on either end of the hallway. Crimnella fought her way into the meeting room, got out of its window, and scaled her way down the building (Magnolia had already climbed out at the roof and was scaling the opposite side of the building). So each girl fled out into the warm night alone and never knowing when they'd meet again.
________________________________________________________________________
*That's the first part of my first ever (two part) Darkwing Duck fanfiction. Hope everyone enjoyed it (thank you SO MUCH for reading the whole thing, lol, I know it's long). Please review and let me know what you think, no flames, but comments and suggestions are welcome.*
