1. What just happened Susan and Mary were shocked when Johnny suddenly came storming into the lab and started snatching things off the shelves without saying anything. He'd never been this rude about the lab in the 13 years he'd been alive.
"Johnny what do you think your-" Mary began.
"Not now!" he interrupted, as he began tinkering with the things he had snagged: a genetic analyzer, a satelite link up, and a data reader.
Susan bridled at this. "Just who's lab do you think this is-"
"SHUT UP! I need to concentrate!" Johnny snapped at her, as he continued to assemble his components.
As Susan started to bridle, Dukey spoke up. "Susan, please. This is serious." Dukey sat there holding four sample bags. He looked at Susan and Mary, his eyes quietly pleading.
As Susan started to snap, Mary put her hand out. "Nothing he's got there is dangerous, Susan. Let's see what he's trying to do."
Susan crossed her arms with a "Hmmf!"
Finally, Johnny finished his tinkering. "There. Time to test it." He held out his hand to Dukey. Dukey handed him the first sample bag and a cell phone. Inside the sample bag...
"Is that Mom's hairbrush?" Mary asked surprised.
Johnny nodded, pulled a hair off the brush and dropping it in one end of the device. It made noise for a while, then the screen popped up with an image of downtown Porkbelly with a blinking light. Johnny dialed the phone.
"Mom, it's Johnny? Where are you right now? ...You sure you're not at the coffee shop at Main and Third? ...Please Mom, this is important, where are you really? ...THanks Mom. No, it's okay you're not at work. Everyone needs a break now and then. Love you, bye." He hung up. "One test down, success."
Dukey handed him the next bag. He dropped one of his Dad's socks into the slot. After a few blinking moments, a new image popped up. He dialed the phone.
"Hello, Big Hardware? I'd like to speak to Hugh Test, he's a customer and he should be in the hardware department, aisle 17b. Thanks...Hello, Dad? It's Johnny. Were you where I told them you'd be? ...Yeah, don't worry, I'm not spying on you. I just had to test something. ...Yeah, I'm inventing now. ...Thanks Dad. I love you, bye." He hung up. "Two down. Success."
The next sample bag contained some hairs. He dropped them in. When it brought up an image, he dialed the phone.
"Hi, Mister Teacher Man? It's Johnny. You know how you said three data points were neccessary to confirm a line of data? ...Well, I've made something I'm testing, and I need to confirm viability. Can you tell me your exact location right now? ...No, I'm not joking. Please, this is the most important thing I've ever asked you. ...No, I can't explain just now, but please! ...Thank you, sir. It works perfectly. I'll tell you all about it at school on Monday." He hung up the phone. "Three tests complete. It works. Moment of truth." He opened the last sample bag.
"Isn't that Sissy's hair brush?" Mary asked interested.
"I haven't seen her in a few days," Susan pipped up.
"She's been missing a week...and her Mom doesn't know or care where she is," Johnny said with a snarl. Pulling off a hair, he dropped it in. Staring at the result, he said, "What is she doing there..." Suddenly leaping to his feet he grabbed a Bling-Bling Blaster and raced to the lab garage. "I'm taking the Earth Digger!" Dukey chased after him.
"Johnny wait! That blaster's-"
The vehicle revved to life and shot into the earth.
"-not fully charged," Mary finished.
Susan walked over to the device and looked at the readout. "This is some kind of genetic scanner! Using the satelite link up, it can tell you where someone is anywhere on Earth as long as you have a genetic sample! How did JOHNNY figure out how to assemble this? ...And why didn't we come up with it?"
Mary looked at the image. "I think the more important question is why does it read Sissy as being with the Mole People. Why would she be hanging out with Zizrar?"
Hours later, it was past dinner, after dark. Johnny still wasn't back. Hugh and Lila were frentic with worry, especially when they found out that Susan and Mary hadn't experimented on Johnny today. Suddenly, there was a shaking, and the Earth Digger popped out of the ground next to the house. They rushed outside in time to see Johnny climb up the ramp to the upstairs bathroom window, carrying something. They rushed back inside, and Johnny stepped out of the bathroom, and they heard the shower running.
He handed a bundle to Susan. "Burn these," he said coldly. He turned to Mary. "I need to borrow some of your clothes."
"Johnny!" Hugh was freaking. "Where have you been? Do you know how late it is? What do you have to-"
"NOT NOW, Dad!" Johnny snapped. He rubbed his chest, and three bloody gashes were visible through his shirt. Mary took Johnny to her room to get what he needed. Turning back, he siad, "Dukey, guard!" Dukey stood in front of the bthroom door and faced the others, snarling.
Hugh and Lila followed Susan to the lab. She examined the bundle. "These things reek!" It turned out to be femenine clothing, coated in human bio-waste of various sorts - urine, dung, vomit, and blood. Genetic testing showed it was all Sissy's. "Why are Sissy's clothes in such terrible condition?" Susan asked. The clothes turned out to be her shirt, bra, and panties.
Looking at the list, Lila spoke up. "I think the better question is...where are her pants?"
Back at the bathroom, Johnny had deposited the clothes inside, and Johnny was sitting outsife next to Dukey. Mary stood nearby, just out of sight, listening.
"Johnny, are you sure you know what you're doing right now?"
"She needs me Dukey. I'm going to be there for her."
"No arguements there, but there are other ways you could handle this."
"WHen Sissy's ready to tell people about it, she will. In the mean time, I'm going to help her, whatever it takes."
"It's just...you're burning your bridges with your family, here. What if they can't accept your decisions here? What will you do then?"
"I'm still packed from when I thought we'd have to hunt for her."
Dead silence.
"You'd really-"
"If they make me choose between here or her...I'm going to help her. I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, my decision was made when I went after her."
Silence.
"What about you Dukey? If it comes down to it-"
"I'm still packed, too, you know. I'm with you all the way."
"...Dukey..."
"Hey, unconditional love and undying loyalty are the definition of a dog, and when all is said and done, I'm YOUR dog. You didn't even have to ask."
"...Thanks buddy."
Mary backed away, lost in thought.
Later, Johnny came down the stairs, supporting Sissy on his arm. She looked pale and weak, and Mary's clothes were to big on her, making her look underweight. Johnny led her to the table, and got some food from the fridge.
"It's just Dad's leftover meatloaf, but it's edible, and you could use some food-" Sissy grabbed it frrom him and started to wolf it down, ignoring the taste. After she finished her third helping, he spoke. "You seem half-starved."
She stopped, and spoke quietly. "I couldn't get away...I tried to escape...but they wouldn't let me die that way..." A choked sob escaped her, and she started to shudder. Johnny pulled her into his arms and just held her. The Test Family were all nearby, and watched in silent wonder. After a while, Sissy started to calm down, and she stifled a yawn. Johnny picked her up.
"I can walk," she complained.
"You nearly fell down the stairs. You can walk back down tommorrow morning."
Sissy was quiet, then asked, "Where-"
"You can take my bed. I'll get an air matress or something."
Sissy shuddered a bit. "You'll...you'll stay with me?"
He smiled at her. "Of course."
He carried her into his room, followed by Dukey. He closed and locked the door.
Staring up at the room, the rest of the Test's were silent. Hugh finally voiced the question on all their minds.
"What just happened?"
"Johnny what do you think your-" Mary began.
"Not now!" he interrupted, as he began tinkering with the things he had snagged: a genetic analyzer, a satelite link up, and a data reader.
Susan bridled at this. "Just who's lab do you think this is-"
"SHUT UP! I need to concentrate!" Johnny snapped at her, as he continued to assemble his components.
As Susan started to bridle, Dukey spoke up. "Susan, please. This is serious." Dukey sat there holding four sample bags. He looked at Susan and Mary, his eyes quietly pleading.
As Susan started to snap, Mary put her hand out. "Nothing he's got there is dangerous, Susan. Let's see what he's trying to do."
Susan crossed her arms with a "Hmmf!"
Finally, Johnny finished his tinkering. "There. Time to test it." He held out his hand to Dukey. Dukey handed him the first sample bag and a cell phone. Inside the sample bag...
"Is that Mom's hairbrush?" Mary asked surprised.
Johnny nodded, pulled a hair off the brush and dropping it in one end of the device. It made noise for a while, then the screen popped up with an image of downtown Porkbelly with a blinking light. Johnny dialed the phone.
"Mom, it's Johnny? Where are you right now? ...You sure you're not at the coffee shop at Main and Third? ...Please Mom, this is important, where are you really? ...THanks Mom. No, it's okay you're not at work. Everyone needs a break now and then. Love you, bye." He hung up. "One test down, success."
Dukey handed him the next bag. He dropped one of his Dad's socks into the slot. After a few blinking moments, a new image popped up. He dialed the phone.
"Hello, Big Hardware? I'd like to speak to Hugh Test, he's a customer and he should be in the hardware department, aisle 17b. Thanks...Hello, Dad? It's Johnny. Were you where I told them you'd be? ...Yeah, don't worry, I'm not spying on you. I just had to test something. ...Yeah, I'm inventing now. ...Thanks Dad. I love you, bye." He hung up. "Two down. Success."
The next sample bag contained some hairs. He dropped them in. When it brought up an image, he dialed the phone.
"Hi, Mister Teacher Man? It's Johnny. You know how you said three data points were neccessary to confirm a line of data? ...Well, I've made something I'm testing, and I need to confirm viability. Can you tell me your exact location right now? ...No, I'm not joking. Please, this is the most important thing I've ever asked you. ...No, I can't explain just now, but please! ...Thank you, sir. It works perfectly. I'll tell you all about it at school on Monday." He hung up the phone. "Three tests complete. It works. Moment of truth." He opened the last sample bag.
"Isn't that Sissy's hair brush?" Mary asked interested.
"I haven't seen her in a few days," Susan pipped up.
"She's been missing a week...and her Mom doesn't know or care where she is," Johnny said with a snarl. Pulling off a hair, he dropped it in. Staring at the result, he said, "What is she doing there..." Suddenly leaping to his feet he grabbed a Bling-Bling Blaster and raced to the lab garage. "I'm taking the Earth Digger!" Dukey chased after him.
"Johnny wait! That blaster's-"
The vehicle revved to life and shot into the earth.
"-not fully charged," Mary finished.
Susan walked over to the device and looked at the readout. "This is some kind of genetic scanner! Using the satelite link up, it can tell you where someone is anywhere on Earth as long as you have a genetic sample! How did JOHNNY figure out how to assemble this? ...And why didn't we come up with it?"
Mary looked at the image. "I think the more important question is why does it read Sissy as being with the Mole People. Why would she be hanging out with Zizrar?"
Hours later, it was past dinner, after dark. Johnny still wasn't back. Hugh and Lila were frentic with worry, especially when they found out that Susan and Mary hadn't experimented on Johnny today. Suddenly, there was a shaking, and the Earth Digger popped out of the ground next to the house. They rushed outside in time to see Johnny climb up the ramp to the upstairs bathroom window, carrying something. They rushed back inside, and Johnny stepped out of the bathroom, and they heard the shower running.
He handed a bundle to Susan. "Burn these," he said coldly. He turned to Mary. "I need to borrow some of your clothes."
"Johnny!" Hugh was freaking. "Where have you been? Do you know how late it is? What do you have to-"
"NOT NOW, Dad!" Johnny snapped. He rubbed his chest, and three bloody gashes were visible through his shirt. Mary took Johnny to her room to get what he needed. Turning back, he siad, "Dukey, guard!" Dukey stood in front of the bthroom door and faced the others, snarling.
Hugh and Lila followed Susan to the lab. She examined the bundle. "These things reek!" It turned out to be femenine clothing, coated in human bio-waste of various sorts - urine, dung, vomit, and blood. Genetic testing showed it was all Sissy's. "Why are Sissy's clothes in such terrible condition?" Susan asked. The clothes turned out to be her shirt, bra, and panties.
Looking at the list, Lila spoke up. "I think the better question is...where are her pants?"
Back at the bathroom, Johnny had deposited the clothes inside, and Johnny was sitting outsife next to Dukey. Mary stood nearby, just out of sight, listening.
"Johnny, are you sure you know what you're doing right now?"
"She needs me Dukey. I'm going to be there for her."
"No arguements there, but there are other ways you could handle this."
"WHen Sissy's ready to tell people about it, she will. In the mean time, I'm going to help her, whatever it takes."
"It's just...you're burning your bridges with your family, here. What if they can't accept your decisions here? What will you do then?"
"I'm still packed from when I thought we'd have to hunt for her."
Dead silence.
"You'd really-"
"If they make me choose between here or her...I'm going to help her. I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, my decision was made when I went after her."
Silence.
"What about you Dukey? If it comes down to it-"
"I'm still packed, too, you know. I'm with you all the way."
"...Dukey..."
"Hey, unconditional love and undying loyalty are the definition of a dog, and when all is said and done, I'm YOUR dog. You didn't even have to ask."
"...Thanks buddy."
Mary backed away, lost in thought.
Later, Johnny came down the stairs, supporting Sissy on his arm. She looked pale and weak, and Mary's clothes were to big on her, making her look underweight. Johnny led her to the table, and got some food from the fridge.
"It's just Dad's leftover meatloaf, but it's edible, and you could use some food-" Sissy grabbed it frrom him and started to wolf it down, ignoring the taste. After she finished her third helping, he spoke. "You seem half-starved."
She stopped, and spoke quietly. "I couldn't get away...I tried to escape...but they wouldn't let me die that way..." A choked sob escaped her, and she started to shudder. Johnny pulled her into his arms and just held her. The Test Family were all nearby, and watched in silent wonder. After a while, Sissy started to calm down, and she stifled a yawn. Johnny picked her up.
"I can walk," she complained.
"You nearly fell down the stairs. You can walk back down tommorrow morning."
Sissy was quiet, then asked, "Where-"
"You can take my bed. I'll get an air matress or something."
Sissy shuddered a bit. "You'll...you'll stay with me?"
He smiled at her. "Of course."
He carried her into his room, followed by Dukey. He closed and locked the door.
Staring up at the room, the rest of the Test's were silent. Hugh finally voiced the question on all their minds.
"What just happened?"