Chapter 1: A Cry for Help

Everything's been peaceful in the Shane hideout after the occurring events in the last few weeks. Robberies and illegal slug trade has been at an all time low after establishing who is the new Shane in the ninety-nine caverns; the Hooligang haven't terrorized the caverns for months after what happen in Quiet Lawn cavern, and the rest of the minor criminals are in Stalagmite seventeen. Since the train incident with Twist, Blakk has went incognito to avoid anything to do with the Shane gang. The whole place has been quiet for the entire gang, but then again, it's always calm before a storm.

In the Shane hideout, all things around them are silent. The only sounds to be heard are the clinking of a mouse, the clanking of tools, and a molenoid rummaging through the fridge.

"Guys, I'm bored!" Eli exclaimed from the couch. "Nothing has happened for the past two weeks and it's driving me insane. I need something to get my adrenaline pumping."

"Pff! Nonsense! Pronto says that having no bad guys causing any trouble is a good thing," he said, closing the fridge after scouring through it. "Besides it's a relief to finally have a break after all, no Dr. Blakk around means no ghouls being shot at us."

Kord looks away from his mecha in dismay. "Where's the fun in that? All I've been doing was diagnosing the mechas for these two weeks, and I can tell you that our mechas are in top shape. I have to agree with Eli, we need to get out of the hideout."

Pronto eyed at the cave troll in discontent. "You are crazy Mr. Cave troll. Getting shot at is not the way to have fun," he stated.

Grinning, Eli turns away from Pronto. "I don't know Pronto. We would think you would be up for the action; however, if you don't really care about your reputation then I guess we could just hang around." He casually looked at his nails knowing the molenoid's reaction.

With his face covered in shock, Pronto jumps onto a chair. "Look here, Eli Shane. The great Pronto never backs away from fame and glory. We are going out to do heroic work whether you like it or not!" he exclaims.

All the while Pronto was ranting, the computer beeps multiple times.

"Uh, guys," said Trixie. "I just got a hit." She clicks on the alert and examines the information on the screen in front of her. "Blakk's goons are blocking the entrance to Herringbone cavern! Reports are coming in that there's a fire fight going on, and casualties are on the high!" she shouted.

Everyone instantly got up from their spots and looked towards their leader for confirmation. Eli scanned the clubhouse for all of his crew members on the ready. "Good work, Trixie," he said. "Now, who wants to come with me and mess with Blakk?"

A few miles away from Herringbone.

"Eli, are you sure about this?"

Eli glanced over at Trixie with a grin on his face."Absolutely Trix. This plan will go off without a hitch. Trust me on this one."

"I don't know about this," Kord said, sounding uncertain. "Something about this set up is just not right."

"Relax Kord, nothing's going to happen." Eli grabbed his bag and reached into it in order to pull out a map of the cavern. "You guys just need to intercept the slingers at the entrance while I climb up the cavern wall and sneak up behind them. Easy peasy."

"If you say so dude," said Kord.

Eli nods at Kord in understanding. "Alright guys you know what to do. We'll meet up in ten. If anything goes wrong, shoot your phosphoro slug and get the heck out of here. Clear?"

"Clear!" they shouted.

"Let's get to it gang."

They jumped onto their mechas and split up. Trixie, Kord, and Pronto heading up to the road while Eli takes the ground route. The ground route is the quickest way into Herringbone cavern; however, the route Eli is taking is the most dangerous way to his destination. Seeing the magma pool ahead, Eli dismounts his mecha and continues on foot. He starts scaling the rock wall and pulls himself up. Bit by bit he gets closer to his goal. The climb was long but well worth the trip. As he pulled himself onto the ground, Eli spots the henchmen blocking the entrance and his team dueling against the blockade. All that was left was for him to make his appearance. Eli heads towards them, unaware of the presence behind him.

"Hello, Shane."

Before he could turn around, a cloth covered his face. A pungent smell filling his senses.

'Shit'

At the entrance.

"Where the hell is Eli!" Trixie loaded up her blaster and shot the closest target. "He should be here by now."

"I don't know, Trix!" Kord ducked down from an oncoming rammstone. "There's too many! We need to fall back!"

"What about Eli?" Trixie shouted.

"Don't worry! Pronto knows he'll get out as soon as he see the signal!" He loads up one of his flatulorhinkus slugs and takes aim. "Eat my stank!"

Trixie sighed and loaded up her blaster with a phosphoro. "If you guys say so."

Twist gazed down at the unconscious teen in his arms. Pleased with how well the chloroform has worked. He headed to his mecha with the Shane in tow. His head turns towards the blockade. So far, everything has been holding up against the Shane gang. That was when a flash of light came into view. Not knowing what the light meant, he loaded Eli onto his mecha and headed towards the nearest Slugterrian Express station. As long as he gets to his destination, Twist will have no worries about the Shane gang catching up to him.

On the Slugterrian Express

Eli stirred in his sleep and slowly began gaining consciousness. The first thing he noticed was the cramp in his arms. When he tried to move around his body, Eli found that he couldn't move his arms or legs. Out of shock, his eyes snapped open and swirled his head around in panic. Looking at himself, he found that his arms and legs were chained up to a pole. Hands tugged hard at the binds that were keeping him at bay. Sheer panic filled his entire being. 'What happened?! Where am I?!' His mind raced with questions. Memories of what happened flashed before his eyes. Realizing the danger, he calmed himself and tried to assess the problem.

Scanning the environment around him, he found that his current whereabouts were in a train car. 'Probably one of Blakk's personal train cars.' Unlike the other train cars, this one has no windows or skylights on any of the walls. The room had heavy duty security doors that could only be opened with a key card and a pass code. 'No doubt the code is encrypted and has to match the key card. I would have a snowball's chance in hell to get out that way.' Lab equipment littered the space in front of him on the counter tops: beakers, scalpels, monitors, and other strange objects. 'I just hope I'm not the next science project done in here. My inwards would prefer to stay where they are." Before Eli could look around more so, the door opened up and revealed his captor.

"Twist!"

"Finally awake Shane?" Twist said as he walked up to the bound Eli. "Here I thought that you would be out for at least another hour."

Pulling at the chains, Eli glares at Twist. "Why am I here Twist? Where are you taking me?"

Twist walks over to the counter top and observes one of the liquid filled beakers. "If you must know, we're heading to Blakk's citadel, and as for what'll happen to you I'll leave that to your imagination."

Not wanting to press any further, Eli kept silent throughout the rest of the ride with one question lingering his mind. 'What will happen to me?"