Phyllis looked around at her surroundings. She felt like she was in some kind of sci-fi horror movie, with all the lights and computer blips inside this machine. She didn't know what was worse. The exterior of the mechanical monster, or the technical interior. She knew the Impossibles wouldn't be able to take out something like this easily. As she stood there, looking around, a door opened and in came the Maniacal Mechanic.
"Hiya, baby," he said. "What do you think of my little invention, hmmm?"
"I think you're some kind of a nut," Phyllis said, glaring at him.
"Yeah, well . . . . . to make it in this world, toots, you gotta be a little nuts. Nobody ever said being an evil genius was easy. And I'm gonna be the richest evil genius in the world!"
"Oh brother."
"Now then, gorgeous, how's about a little smooch, hmmm?"
"Where's a tire iron when I need one?"
The Maniacal Mechanic hadn't heard her. He just stood there, with his eyes closed, and puckering up. Phyllis decided to take advantage of that, and she belted him, right in the kisser.
KAPOW!
"I knew that left hook Fluey taught me would come in handy someday," she said.
"Woweee!" the Maniacal Mechanic shouted. "Now that's what I call a kiss!"
"Glad you enjoyed it," Phyllis said, rolling her eyes. "Now, if it's all the same to you, tell me where the exit is so I can get the heck out of this mechanical monster!"
"Sorry, sweetie. No can do. You and me are going places."
"So I've noticed. You know you won't get away with this. The Impossibles will stop you."
"Hah! That's a laugh! They've failed twice already!"
"Never underestimate the Impossibles fella."
The Maniacal Mechanic just laughed, and went back to the cockpit, leaving Phyllis alone in that big, technical jungle of lights and wires and stuff like that there. She couldn't even get out the door the Mechanic came in. The only way to open it was through a code that had to be punched in on the keypad outside the door. Phyllis tried punching buttons on the walls, just to see if that would do anything.
"Invalid password," a computerized voice said. "Access denied."
"Ooohhh!" Phyllis shouted, frustratedly. Then she sighed. "Guess I'll just have to wait for the boys."
Speaking of the boys, the Impossibles were just coming to their senses, after some major headaches. Big D was just standing there, holding Skittles, who was still shaking over seeing that giant mechanical beast. The pup was also whimpering and whining.
"Ooooh, my aching head!" Fluey groaned.
"Are you boys all right?" Big D asked, scratching Skittles behind the ears to calm the frightened puppy.
"I think so, chief," Multi said, standing up, and taking his dog from his boss. Skittles stopped whining a little. Just being held by her red haired master calmed her down, a little, but she was still worried.
"What are we going to do about the Maniacal Mechanic and his mechanized monster, chief?" Coiley asked.
"I'm not sure about that one," Big D said. "Let's head down to Rogers's office workshop. It may take a mechanic to outwit a mechanic."
"Yeah, man, a whole takes one to know one bit," Fluey said.
Big D and the Impossibles left the office (avoiding the hole left there by the Maniacal Mechanic's beast), and went down to Mike's auto shop, where he was putting together something or another. His TV was turned on to the news.
"Rogers, we have a problem," Big D said.
"You and the entire city, chief!" Mike shouted. "Check it out."
"This is Chuck Hunkley reporting for KPUT-TV," the report said. "Live in downtown Megatropolis, where the Megatropolis Massacre is still going on strong. For those of you just tuning in, a giant, mechanical monster has arrived in the city today, and is running amuck, tearing into banks and jewelry stores and robbing them, and destroying everything in it's path. It has also been seen terrorizing the city's populous, but, thank heavens, no casualties have been reported yet. An attempt was made to stop this mechanical monstrosity by the city's resident superheroes, the Impossibles, but, as you can see from this video tape, they were unable to take it out."
The picture on the TV then shifted to footage of the Impossibles fighting the Maniacal Mechanic's monster, and losing.
"Boy, how embarrassing," Multi groaned.
"We're never gonna live this one down," Fluey said.
"Not unless we stop that thing," Coiley said.
"That's why we're down here, Rogers," Big D said. "We thought maybe you could come up with something that would match the Maniacal Mechanic's creation."
"Oh geesh, chief . . . ." Mike said, rubbing the back if his head. "I don't know . . . . . that thing's pretty intense. I don't know if I've got the right stuff."
"You could take apart the Impossi-Mobile for parts," Fluey said.
"After all the hours I put into that thing?!" Mike shouted. "What are you, some kinda kook?!"
"Just a thought," Fluey shrugged.
"I'm just gonna need some help with it, that's all," Mike said. "I mean, I can only take things apart and put them back together. I don't know anythin' about technical gizmos and stuff like that there."
"Wait a sec, didn't Reggie help build the Impossi-Mobile?" Fluey asked, naming the co-head of the science department, Dr. Reginald Johnson.
"Yeah, he developed the conversion mechanisms," Mike said.
"I'll go get him!" Multi shouted, and he raced out of the garage to the stairs, using his duplicates to propel himself to the seventh floor (where the science lab was). Since the monster machine's attack on the building, the elevators were out of service.
"Reggie, we need you down in auto shop," he said once he arrived. "We're trying to build something that will match the Maniacal Mechanic's monster, and Mike needs your help."
"No problem," Reggie said. "Though I wish the elevators were in working order. You know Mike's auto shop is in the sub-basement!"
Multi shrugged, and he and Reggie went down to Mike's workshop.
"What's our first move?" Coiley asked when Multi returned with Reggie.
"Our first move is to get as many parts as we can," Mike said. "I've always wanted to get my mitts on the Devilish Dragster's Super Charged Road Rocket! Ha, ha, ha!"
Even though the Devilish Dragster had been sentenced to a jail cell with his car when he was first arrested (a tank full of gas, and no road ahead), the SSHQ confiscated his vehicle when he was moved from State Prison to Alkaseltzer Penitentiary. His Super Charged Road Rocket (along with the Spinner's helicopter, the Burrower's underground tunneler, the Sinister Speck's car, Fero the Fiendish Fiddler's rocket chariot, and the Scheming Spraysol's jet pack) were transferred to Mike's hangar. The sixsome quickly got to work dismantling the villain vehicles. Skittles helped out by fetching tools and bringing them to whoever needed them (using her super speed, of course). She liked to be involved.
"This is gonna take forever," Mike sighed.
"Maybe we should try to take out the Maniacal Mechanic's robot again," Fluey said. "Or at least distract it from doing any more destruction."
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Coiley said. "That thing's dangerous."
"Well, we can't let it rampage!" Fluey argued.
"We know, Fluey, but that thing could squash us like bugs!" Multi shouted. "We'd wear ourselves out just as that thing would get warmed up!"
"Chief?" Fluey said, hopefully.
"Absolutely not," Big replied, shaking his head. "I can't afford to let the three of you attempt something like that."
"But that thing's gonna destroy the whole city if we at least don't try to . . . . ." Fluey started.
"No."
"But Big D, what about Phyllis? You know that crackpot's holding her captive in that thing!"
"I'm aware of it, but she can handle herself for the time being."
"Besides, Fluey," Coiley said. "You taught Phyllis that left hook, and she knows karate and basic self defense."
"And you know how she gets when someone gets fresh with her," Multi said. "You know how some criminal types are. They go and capture a pretty girl for their own amusement, not necessarily to use her as bait."
"Yeah, and there's no reason why anyone would need her as bait," Mike replied.
"I can think of a pretty darn good reason," Fluey said.
"Just 'cause she's the chief's Gal Friday doesn't mean she's suitable bait for him," Mike said.
"Yeah, but there's another reason why she's perfect bait for the chief," Fluey went on.
"Fluid," Big D said, in a warning tone. "May I speak with you alone?"
"All right," Fluey said, grudgingly. He knew what was coming. He followed his superior out of the workshop. Big D waited until he was sure they were out of earshot from the others.
"I have told you not to let on that Phyllis is my daughter," he said. "Do you know how dangerous that could be?"
"Sorry, chief, it just slipped," Fluey said, shrugging. "I just can't believe you're not gonna let us go and try to rescue her."
"Not until we get something built that will match the Maniacal Mechanic's machine."
"But that could take who knows how long, and by the time we get something build, the entire city could be destroyed! And once he's done with Megatropolis, he could try to conquer the world!"
"I realize the urgency of the situation, Fluid, but it's far too dangerous."
"But chief . . . . . not only is she your daughter, but she's also my aunt! I've lost too many people in my family already, and I can't stand the thought of losing another one!"
"Neither can I, Fluid. You know as well as I do your birth father was my son, and I was practically destroyed when he was killed. I can not allow you to go into a situation like this where you would most likely end up killed yourself."
"But chief . . . . ."
"The answer is no. I suggest you go up to my office until you've had a chance to cool off. You're becoming too emotionally involved."
"But . . . . ."
"And that's an order!"
And with that, Big D went back into the hangar. Fluey felt like punching the wall.
"Too emotionally involved," he grumbled. "I don't care what he says. I'm not gonna let this lug nut get away with kidnapping my aunt! Besides, I can take care of myself!"
And with that, Fluey left the facility. He knew Big D would be furious for disobeying his orders, but he didn't care. He usually didn't disobey his superior, but given the circumstances (and the fact that the boy is about as stubborn as a mule), he felt he had no choice. He converted to liquid and blasted off, following the trail of debris left by the mechanical beast.