Chapter 3

AT THE MALL 2 1/2 HOURS LATER

The weather was starting to rain as Jimmy and Carl are annoyed that they both are carrying Cindy's and Libby's stuff. "Women," they both said in an irritated unison. How did I get roped into this? Jimmy thought.

"Hey Neutron, over here!" Cindy signaled us to an open table at the food court. We reluctantly went over. "I'm gonna by you and Carl lunch as a thank you for carrying our stuff."

"Thanks Vortex," Jimmy said tiredly.

"Yeah... thanks..." Carl said matching Jimmy's expression.

After 10 or so minutes of eating, some sort of machine was spying on the gang. It seemed to be targeting Jimmy Neutron. He had that feeling again, Something's about to happen...

"GET DOWN!" Jimmy shouted as he grabbed Cindy and jumped off the booth to dodge the blast that came straight for them.

"Jimmy!?" Cindy was confused.

"Look out!" Carl shouted as he covered Libby under the table. At that same moment, the glass they were near shattered. Thankfully, they were not hurt, but luck didn't last long.

"Cindy, are you-" All of a sudden, a claw from the machine stabbed Jimmy's upper-left arm, causing him to wail in pain for a few seconds.

"JIMMY!" Cindy screamed in fear.

"...Heh...Is that all you got?" Jimmy said with his stength quickly depleting. Jimmy pulled the claw out of his arm and aimed it at the machine, swinging the chord holding the claw. "My turn!" He threw it at the machine, but with no effect. He then used his watch laser on the machine causing it to break into pieces followed by an obligatory explosion. Then dissapointed that there was no enemy in sight. "That was it? Where's any of the villians!?" Then feeling the pain as he put a hand on the wound, "Talk about weak...nngh."

"Jimmy!" Cindy, Libby and Carl rushed to him with worried looks on all their faces. Now, they were all outside in the storm. Cindy looked at his wound that his hand covered, "Are you-"

"I'm fine, Cindy," Jimmy tried to hide his pain, but not for long.

"Okay Jim. Are you gonna let us see it, or are we gonna do this the hard way?" Carl asked.

"Fine..." Jimmy rolled his eyes and showed the wound, which was bleeding a lot.

"Uh, Jim, this is gonna need stitches in the least," Carl explained while examining the wound.

"No way!" Jimmy refused.

"Yo Jimmy, your arm is shakin'," Libby said, slightly worried.

"I...know." was all he could say." Judging by the technology, it looks like Calamitous' work."

Carl then wondered, "Why would Calamitous only send one machine, and nothing else?"

"To let us know he's alive," Jimmy answered. "And my thoughts were right about him being up to no good."

"So that's the feeling you had?" Cindy said slightly angry with her hands on her hips, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Cindy... I'm in no mood" Jimmy said.

Carl then felt the blood in his hands. I thought the bleeding stopped... "CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Carl yelled with danger.

"What's wrong!?" Cindy's worry returned.

"I-I'm fine..." Jimmy said with his eyes barely open.

"Just do it now!" Carl shouted, "He's been poisoned!" Jimmy groaned, then fell to the ground, using his right arm for support. "Jim! Hold on!"

Jimmy's POV

All I could hear now are voice I could still recognize.

"Hello? 9-1-1?"

"Neutron! Talk to me!"

"...Bro?"

I can't breathe...

"What? Jim! Come on fight it!"

"Okay, please hurry."

"Neutron, the ambulance is on its way. Stay with us!"

The voices were starting to become faint. I felt myself weakening by the nano second.

"Please..."

"Can you hear me!?"

"Jimmy?"

"Don't do this."

"C'mon Jim!"

"Jimmy!" I could hear Cindy's crying... then everything goes black.