Max and 99 walked through the secret door to the Chief's office.
"Good morning Max and 99." the Chief said cheerfully.
"Morning Chief." they each replied in unison. They both sat down in the two chairs in front of the man's desk.
"What's up, Chief?" 99 asked anxiously. It had been about two weeks after their last assignment (the paperwork was long and tedious) and she was tired of being cooped up.
"Well, I have a VERY big case for you this time guys." the Chief stated, "In fact, I hope you're prepared because it's a suicide mission." 99 cringed.
"All right, it's like this." he said, "Now listen carefully. Have you two ever heard of the DOM?"
They both shook their heads no.
"Well they are a branch off of KAOS (--tah! NOT an acronym!). They call themselves the Dictators of Mind." 99 raised an eyebrow.
"You see," the Chief continued, "The DOM has created a mind swapping machine. Their leader, Yandew Mantallow, is threatening to swap minds with the President. Since Mantallow is wanted for many crimes, including treason, if he succeeds the President (in Mantallow's body) would be sentenced to death. With Mantallow in the President's body, who knows what he'd do to America."
"So let me get this straight, Chief." 99 couldn't believe it, "They will be in each other's bodies?"
"Exactly"
"That's amazing..." she stared off into space.
"I don't get one part Chief." Max quizzed.
"What's that Max?" the Chief knew fully what it was. He knew he was getting too old for this. "When I tell Max an assignment, I'll have to learn to not start them with 'Listen carefully' or 'Pay attention'." he thought to himself, then played it back through his mind, "Looks like there's no way out of these." he thought again rather disappointed.
"It's just a little part." Max said again.
"Yes?"
"Not even worth asking really."
"What is it Max!?" the patient man screamed on the top of his lungs. He was definitely too old for this.
"Geez Chief, don't blow a spark plug! I was only going to ask you how Mantallow would get to the President!"
The Chief was flabbergasted. Never had Max asked him a real question after he started an assignment with "Listen carefully."
"UUMmmm...I'm sorry Max. I just thought you were going to say something else."
"Well you should be Chief!"
"Yes, well what about an answer to Max's question Chief?" 99 knew that if Max went any further the Chief's new sports jacket would be covered with ashtray junk. The Chief knew too.
"Thanks 99."
"No problem Chief."
"Hey!" Max said in his nasal tone, "What did she do?"
"She wasn't a pain Max, now let me explain this OK?! It's very simple actually. The mind-swapping machine is very small and can easily be hidden in the palm of someone's hand. All Mantallow has to do is swap minds with one of the President's secret service men. After switching he'd tie him up and kidnap him. He would then have access to the President and swap minds with him when he was on duty. When he's all done, he and one of his cronies would take the President to their hideout and make the security guard and the President switch. This would leave Mantallow in the President's body, the President in Mantallow's body, and one security guard who is confused out of his mind."
"Ah Chief, could you run that by us again." Max spoke for both himself and 99.
"I don't think so."
"Ok, then."
"One thing Chief," motioned 99,"How will we get to Mantallow?"
"This is the worst part of the case." the Chief had a sympathetic look on his face, "Mantallow is a second grade teacher in Los Angeles. He keeps the machine hidden in the basement of the school."
"That's not so bad." 99 said, "It's nice that he teaches in his spare time. We can get covers working at the school."
"I wish it were so simple 99," Chief said. "You see, the best way to get to Mantallow is to treat him to a spoonful of his own medicine." **everybody get your "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go downs" out**
"What do you mean Chief?" 99 asked with a churning feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"You two are going to have to swap minds with two second graders."
"WHAT!!???" they both said together. "But Chief, how did the boys at the lab figure that one out?!"
"Hard work. It's the only way you two. That way, if he discovers you, he won't be able to get to you or harm you." lowering his voice he added, "You guys have to understand."
"Ok, Chief. We'll try." 99 said trying to calm down.
"I think you're nuts Chief!!" shouted Max.
"Max!" 99 said sternly.
"It's an order Max!"
"I didn't say I wasn't going to do it, I just think you're nuts!"
"Max!"
"What?"
"Ughh!!" the young woman rolled her eyes.
"What?!"
"Oh, Max.."
The Chief touched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
********* ********* *********
"Good morning Max and 99." the Chief said cheerfully.
"Morning Chief." they each replied in unison. They both sat down in the two chairs in front of the man's desk.
"What's up, Chief?" 99 asked anxiously. It had been about two weeks after their last assignment (the paperwork was long and tedious) and she was tired of being cooped up.
"Well, I have a VERY big case for you this time guys." the Chief stated, "In fact, I hope you're prepared because it's a suicide mission." 99 cringed.
"All right, it's like this." he said, "Now listen carefully. Have you two ever heard of the DOM?"
They both shook their heads no.
"Well they are a branch off of KAOS (--tah! NOT an acronym!). They call themselves the Dictators of Mind." 99 raised an eyebrow.
"You see," the Chief continued, "The DOM has created a mind swapping machine. Their leader, Yandew Mantallow, is threatening to swap minds with the President. Since Mantallow is wanted for many crimes, including treason, if he succeeds the President (in Mantallow's body) would be sentenced to death. With Mantallow in the President's body, who knows what he'd do to America."
"So let me get this straight, Chief." 99 couldn't believe it, "They will be in each other's bodies?"
"Exactly"
"That's amazing..." she stared off into space.
"I don't get one part Chief." Max quizzed.
"What's that Max?" the Chief knew fully what it was. He knew he was getting too old for this. "When I tell Max an assignment, I'll have to learn to not start them with 'Listen carefully' or 'Pay attention'." he thought to himself, then played it back through his mind, "Looks like there's no way out of these." he thought again rather disappointed.
"It's just a little part." Max said again.
"Yes?"
"Not even worth asking really."
"What is it Max!?" the patient man screamed on the top of his lungs. He was definitely too old for this.
"Geez Chief, don't blow a spark plug! I was only going to ask you how Mantallow would get to the President!"
The Chief was flabbergasted. Never had Max asked him a real question after he started an assignment with "Listen carefully."
"UUMmmm...I'm sorry Max. I just thought you were going to say something else."
"Well you should be Chief!"
"Yes, well what about an answer to Max's question Chief?" 99 knew that if Max went any further the Chief's new sports jacket would be covered with ashtray junk. The Chief knew too.
"Thanks 99."
"No problem Chief."
"Hey!" Max said in his nasal tone, "What did she do?"
"She wasn't a pain Max, now let me explain this OK?! It's very simple actually. The mind-swapping machine is very small and can easily be hidden in the palm of someone's hand. All Mantallow has to do is swap minds with one of the President's secret service men. After switching he'd tie him up and kidnap him. He would then have access to the President and swap minds with him when he was on duty. When he's all done, he and one of his cronies would take the President to their hideout and make the security guard and the President switch. This would leave Mantallow in the President's body, the President in Mantallow's body, and one security guard who is confused out of his mind."
"Ah Chief, could you run that by us again." Max spoke for both himself and 99.
"I don't think so."
"Ok, then."
"One thing Chief," motioned 99,"How will we get to Mantallow?"
"This is the worst part of the case." the Chief had a sympathetic look on his face, "Mantallow is a second grade teacher in Los Angeles. He keeps the machine hidden in the basement of the school."
"That's not so bad." 99 said, "It's nice that he teaches in his spare time. We can get covers working at the school."
"I wish it were so simple 99," Chief said. "You see, the best way to get to Mantallow is to treat him to a spoonful of his own medicine." **everybody get your "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go downs" out**
"What do you mean Chief?" 99 asked with a churning feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"You two are going to have to swap minds with two second graders."
"WHAT!!???" they both said together. "But Chief, how did the boys at the lab figure that one out?!"
"Hard work. It's the only way you two. That way, if he discovers you, he won't be able to get to you or harm you." lowering his voice he added, "You guys have to understand."
"Ok, Chief. We'll try." 99 said trying to calm down.
"I think you're nuts Chief!!" shouted Max.
"Max!" 99 said sternly.
"It's an order Max!"
"I didn't say I wasn't going to do it, I just think you're nuts!"
"Max!"
"What?"
"Ughh!!" the young woman rolled her eyes.
"What?!"
"Oh, Max.."
The Chief touched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
********* ********* *********