3. Choose the games

Susan and Mary came back with the inventory of missing equipment: the Johnny Tracker, the Combat Princess dress, and one Bling Bling blaster. "Pretty sparse equipment for any kind of mission, really," Susan said, confused.

"I wonder why Johnny swiped that stuff?" Mary asked.

"What makes you think Johnathon did it?" Eugene spoke up, curious.

"Well, other than those of us here, he's the only one who knows where that stuff is kept," Susan spoke up, glowering.

"And other than the two of us, he's the only one who knows the access codes," Mary added. "Not that we told him, but he's always been able to crack our security somehow."

"What about Sissy?" Jillian spoke up. "Would she know?"

Mary got quiet. "She has been in the lab with Johnny a lot, lately. It's conceivable. Why?"

"Because she's not here."

Susan looked at Mary. "The missing equipment WOULD be the sort of thing one would grab in a rush for what might turn into a rescue mission..."

Dukey wandered the city, not really looking around or thinking about anything. Johnny had forgotten his birthday, that was certain. He'd seen Sissy go tearing off an a skateboard, which meant she was probably chasing after Johnny. Of all days, he chooses THIS ONE to start dating her!

Not that Johnny would call it that. He would probably say they were just hanging out - or no, that he was trying to beat her at something again. Well either way, it's not like that would coincide with remembering his best friend's BIRTHDAY!

Well, it kinda sorta figured. If Johnny was noticing girls - and Sissy in particular - he'd have less time for Dukey. Or at least, it might seem that way.

Dukey suddenly grinned. While he'd be happy if Johnny was ready to go steady with Sissy...the things he could get Johnny to do for forgetting his birthday...Dukey suddenly let out a passable maniacal laugh.

Turning, he romped back towards home. While he would be terribly upset if it were the case...it always paid to look on the bright side.

Then again...maybe he was planning something again this year, like that super bath from last year. Dukey still couldn't figure out how Johnny's mind worked.

Sissy approached the building the Johnny Tracker indicated as Johnny's location. She saw several guards surrounding the place, but was confused when most of them looked like toys, cats, or snowmen. Shrugging, she primed the Bling Bling blaster and took several rapid fire shots. With the guards down, she made her way towards the doors, ready to bust in.

"Johnny, I hope you're okay. This is starting to look less and less like part of your plan to celebrate Dukey's birthday..."

Johnny panted heavily, dabbing at the numerous scratchmarks and cold spots over his body. Beekeeper wasn't much better. After dealing with the robot cats, the evil snowmen came rapidly without giving time for a breather. Some quick thinking on Johnny's part had enabled them both to survive, having cobbled some useful weapons from what was left of the robot cats. Beekeeper had a working flamethrower, and Johnny had a self-reloading, pump action shotgun he was holding in the hand of the broken arm, pumping with his good one.

"Well," Johnny said, breathing heavily, "that's three of the five."

"And I would BEE number four were I BEEing evil," Beekeeper piped up.

"Why do you keep emphasizing BEE like that all the time, anyway?"

"It's...kinda my thing. My callsign, if you will. If I didn't, then I wouldn't BEE the Beekeeper."

"Oh, gotcha. Well, let's see what's left, then."

The door slid open, and they prepared themselves.