Riley's Cookies

Synopsis: Inspired by "When Logic Fails" and Koda's love for cookie. Riley bakes cookies. But something is not right- everyone seems to want them and will stop at nothing to get them. Riley goes to ridiculous lengths to protect his cookies. Koda is apparently a cookie ninja. Set right before Ep. 3- "Nightmare in Amber Beach". Warning- Minor OOC for Riley being hyper-vigilant of his cookies.

Note: This story is constantly evolving, even older chapters as it chronicles the events over one day. Subsequent chapters will layer and weave in ala 'Vantage Point'. Suggestions and reviews are greatly appreciated as I have been out of practice for over 8 years. Thanks!

Chapter 1: The A-Bakening

The Dino Bite was finally closed for the evening and the air in the kitchen wafted with the glorious aroma of freshly baked giant chewy chocolate-y chip cookies as Riley stacked them with care on his lime green plate; beaming with a sigh of satisfaction. All the while, he kept cautious watch for the big blue cookie monster himself- Koda. Freezing for a moment, his eyes darted to the kitchen doors. They remained perfectly still. "Thought so" he sighed, releasing a baited breath.

Fortunately, Koda went for a run with Tyler in the park so he was free to bake in peace, but one could never be too careful. Especially when- "NO, KODA!" *THWACK* Riley spun to chastise an upside-down, spatula-faced Koda- only to find a poor, innocent dazed Heckyl stumbling back against the pantry.

"Heckyl! Oh gosh, I'm SO sorry- I- I thought you were Koda!" The stupefied undercover supervillain blinked at the many pretty stars swimming in his vision.

"Mmmmmmmnnnnnno problem, Riley! Glad I could help." slurred Heckyl as he promptly keeled forward into Riley's arms.

With an exasperated sigh, Riley dragged the unconscious Heckyl into an empty booth out in the café. How was he going to explain this? "Hey, Riley- WHOA" called Shelby walking into the café and happening upon the possibly concussed waiter. "What happened to Heckyl?"

"My spatula", Riley replied with an embarrassed wince.

"Really, Riley?" Shelby chastised. "Aren't you being just a LITTLE paranoid about your cookies?"

"No" Riley immediately retorted.

"This isn't the first time you went cuckoo protecting your cookies. What about that time you flour-bombed Tyler?"

"Well… I didn't know it was Tyler! I just suddenly felt muscular arms reaching around me and I panicked!"

"He was giving you a hug! He said you looked like you needed one. Did you see his eyes? He looked just about ready to cry!"

"I'm sorry ok?!"

"Then there's the time you nearly set Ivan on FIRE"

"Well he shouldn't have been wearing-"

"AND the time you sprayed Chase with cream cheese frosting"

"That was-"

"COLORED GREEN, by the way"

"-did NOT know about the food dye-"

"For YOUR cake, no less…"

"Alright, I get-"

"Plus the booby trap that nearly broke Kendall's neck"

"I swear, those runny eggs were SUPPOSED to be in the Teflon skillet, NOT the cast-iron"

"The salad shooter catapult?"

"Uhhhh…"

"I'm STILL picking sunflower seeds and bacon bits out of my hair"

"LOOK!" Riley explodes. "Every time I try to bake, Koda keeps eating my cookies!" he says getting up. "No matter where I go, no matter how well I hide them! I don't know how he DOES it!" He paces while flailing his arms. "It's like- he's part-caveman, part- NINJA or… SOMETHING…" he plops onto a stool. "I just wanted a nice plate of cookies all to myself for ONCE" he mourns turning to Shelby with a pout "Am I such a horrible person?"

Shelby's righteous fury abates just a bit "Well…then why not try- I don't know- actually TELLING Koda?"

"You think I haven't tried? He LIKES it when I try to defend the cookies- He thinks it's a game we're playing! Also, just TRY saying a definitive 'NO' to his giant puppy dog face!" He widens his eyes in perfect emulation: "No…cook-ies?" he sniffles and bats his eyes.

Shelby winces back as if struck "ARG…ok, ok, you can stop with the Bambi eyes! I get your point…" Shelby says as she shudders at the sickening cuteness.

"See? Look, I'd better get the cookies into a Tupperware and get out of here" said Riley bolting to the kitchen.

Heckyl suddenly bolts up from the booth, still dazed "Did someone get the number of that Astro Megaship?"

"Heckyl!" Shelby gasped."That's m'name alright..." giggles a slap-silly Heckyl

"Thank goodness you're alright!" she turns to Riley coming back from the kitchen "…RIGHT, Riley?"

"Uh right!" replies Riley. "Look, I- I'm really REALLY sorry I smacked you in the face, Heckyl. Forgive me…" Riley kneels down to eye level with Heckyl "for a cookie?"

Heckyl shakes off the last of the cobwebs and looks up at the proffered cookie with confused eyes. "You'd share your cookies with me?" He was truly touched. Normally, he would wretch at generosity or… ANY act of goodness really, but somehow this was different. A slow warm smile reaches his deep blue eyes. "Thank you, Riley. I know how much they mean to you."

"My pleasure, Heckyl. It's the least I can do after coldcocking you like that." Shelby stifles a snicker "Phrasing, Riley." Riley simply rolls his eyes.

Heckyl takes a bite of the decadent-looking cookie and his eyes dilate, his veins fill with a rush of endorphins… and other less innocuous neurotransmitters. "Oh…WOW…" he marvels looking back up at Riley. "For a cookie like THIS I'd happily take a STOCK POT to the face," Riley blushes furiously at the compliment as Heckyl savors each chew. "I can see why Koda loves your cookies so much, they're HEAvenly…" Heckyl continues to muse with a faraway expression.

"Are you ok, Heckyl?" asks Riley. "You're looking kinda funny…"

"Nnnnever better!" bursts Heckyl. A beat passes and he still has a quiet, serial killer-esque look while he eyes the open container of cookies. "Sssssurely, I could have… just ONE…more…" he reaches out gingerly, his fingers slightly twiddling.

Shelby grasps Heckyl by the shoulders and looks him in the eyes "Heckyl, are you SURE you're ok? I'm worried about you"

"Of COURSE!" Heckyl cackles, "Like I said-" as he turns to Riley in a deadpan voice as serious as coffin lids slamming shut "-I want those cookies" and he lunges forward. Shelby holds him at bay as Riley scrambles back. "Heckyl, what's gotten into you?!" screams Shelby as she struggles with an ever-squirming Heckyl. "Riley! DO something! I don't weigh that much!"

Riley did the only thing he could do- panic. "HECKYL!" he calls holding up a cookie. Heckyl's eyes shoots up following the dangling treat. "Go get it!" cries Riley as he flings the cookie out of the café. Heckyl scrambles after it out into the mall of the museum. The cookie sails past the fingertips of his outstretched hand and out over the balcony. "NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO-ssshhhhoot!" As if timing for Heckyl couldn't get worse, he immediately clutches his neck at the return of a very familiar burning sensation.

"OW!" cries a voice from below. Heckyl quickly exits scrabbling an excuse "Mmmmmyyyyyy neck'snotfeelingsogood…gotta go! See ya tomorrow!" and he speeds off.

Riley and Shelby, still dumbfounded by the very troubling scene that just played out, looked at one another with horror.

"Oh hey! A cookie!" says the now happy voice below. A shadow of dread over Riley and Shelby grows.

"TYLER?"

Next: Bear Claws of Attraction