Chapter 4: Preparation
"Location: Amity Park, The World Of Nickelodeon, July 11th 2109"
"Alright, let's try this again." Calamitous said.
He and Crocker charged at the prison gates, carrying the Box Ghost as a battering ram. There was a loud crash as all three slammed into the gate, but nothing happened.
"Well, that didn't work. What now?" Plankton asked, standing well back with his arms crossed.
The prisoners had escaped their cells (the power had gone out not long after Walker left because, as it turned out, energy walls didn't work without power), but had so far failed to get out of the prison itself. The walls were too high to climb, and the floor was concrete so they couldn't dig their way out. They were stuck, and there was a very real fear that they wouldn't be out by the time the Nightmare King arrived.
"Okay, I think I heard the lock break. We just need one more charge. What do you say?" Crocker asked.
"I am the Box Ghost! No door can resist my cardboard wrath!" the Box Ghost replied.
The Syndicate collectively facepalmed.
"I'll take that as a yes. Okay... three... two... one..." Calamitous started to say.
The gate suddenly burst open. A row of eight foot tall ghosts marched in through the gates, aiming massive guns at the prisoners. Each of the ghosts wore grey steel helmets, gas masks, and long trenchcoats. Their eyes glowed red, and steam seemed to seep out of the edges of their masks. Their weapons were a rusty red, with massive barrels that glowed bright yellow. Behind them, wispy blob-like shadows soared through the gates, flying around the prisoners as they backed into the courtyard. To the left and right, the walls burst open, and more soldiers and shadows emerged from the holes. In seconds, the prisoners were trapped between them and the wall of a blockhouse behind them.
"Well, it's open." Plankton said, nervously.
"Convicts!" a voice shouted.
A ghostly figure walked through the soldiers in front of them, coming to a stop in front of the prisoners. He wore a very large bicorn hat and a blue-and-white eighteenth century uniform. He calmly put one hand behind his back and tucked the other in the coat of his jacket. Calamitous shook his head.
"Are you kidding? The Nightmare King is..." Calamitous started to ask.
"Non! I am not the Nightmare King, merely a lieutenant." the man replied. He began to pace in front of the prisoners and introduced "My name is Napoleon Bonaparte. You may have heard of me. I am a general and recruiter for the Nightmare King's armies.".
"Napoleon?" Penelope Spectra, who was towards the front of the crowd, asked in shock.
"C-Can I have your autograph?" Plankton asked.
Napoleon stopped and turned to look the prisoners in the eye.
"I am here to offer you a choice. Join our grand army and stand side by side with your ghost brethren, or suffer the consequences." Napoleon said.
"What consequences? How do you plan to destroy my boxy..." the Box Ghost started to ask.
"Who are you?" Napoleon asked.
"I am the Box Ghost!" the Box Ghost replied, raising a fist.
Napoleon nodded.
"Kill him." Napoleon ordered.
The ghost soldiers aimed their weapons. The Box Ghost threw his hands in the air.
"I-I was only kidding! It-it was a joke!" the Box Ghost shouted.
Napoleon rolled his eyes and raised an arm. The soldiers lowered their guns.
"So, do we have an accord?" Napoleon asked.
"W-Well yeah. Bu-But we're not actually ghosts." Crocker replied.
Napoleon nodded.
"Don't worry. You will be." Napoleon said.
He pointed to the prisoners. The shadows soared at them and began to circle around them. They were slow at first, but then grew faster and faster until they were a blur ringing around them.
"Soldiers, what does the Nightmare King demand of you?" Napoleon asked.
"Fealty." Calamitous replied, his eyes suddenly turning red.
"Uh, Finbarr? What are you..." Plankton started to ask.
He shuddered as his eye changed color.
"Loyalty." Plankton said.
"Obedience." Crocker said, his eyes changing color behind his glasses.
"Talent." the Box Ghost said.
"Ruthlessness." Spectra said, smirking as her eyes changed.
Napoleon nodded.
"Very good." Napoleon said. He then turned to his men and ordered "Gentlemen, sound off!".
The soldiers launched into a marching chant.
We are soldiers of the Nightmare King, we march in rank and file.
We have no shred of mercy to the foe whom we revile.
We fall upon the enemy like waves upon the sand.
We are the grim destroyer that descends upon their land.
The fire rolls beside us as we beat the Devil's drum.
The hellish sound before which none can help but to succumb.
We are the violent avatar for all your greatest fears.
We are the Nightmare King's Army, and we care not for your tears.
"Location: New York City, New York, July 11th 2109"
"We care not for your tears. Geez, they could use a PR department." Gizmo said after reading from a file. He sighed, threw the file away, and muttered "Well, this was a waste of time.".
The Man in the Black Suit's throne room was still mostly intact, although bits had been stripped away by the CIA for 'testing'. What remained were a few notes regarding the Nightmare King's forces, but nothing on his plans or goals.
"What do we do? We might be able to get back to Washington before..." Monty started to ask.
"Out of the question, Monty. This is the largest city in the country. We don't leave until the Nightmare King does." Gizmo replied.
He began to pace back and forth by the window.
"Colonel Charbonneau sent us here for a reason. It can't just have been to dig for intelligence. There's got to be something..." Gizmo started to say.
"Maybe he wants us to find allies." Monty suggested.
"And where, pray tell, are we going to find them? We're in a city of eight million! Where..." Gizmo started to ask.
He trailed off as Monty pulled out a photo and handed it to him. The photo showed a modern-looking tower with a single letter A on the top.
"You've got to be kidding me." Gizmo said.
"Location: Richmond, Virginia, July 11th 2109"
Vanellope walked into the castle's dining room, looking at Candi, who was sitting at the dining room table.
"Hey, Candi. You want to go to New York in the Marvel Realm of the Dream World?" Vanellope asked.
"No." Candi replied.
"Too bad." Vanellope said.
Vanellope threw a newspaper onto the table. The other Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, Damon, and Crepe had also been sitting in the dining room eating lunch. Candi grabbed the newspaper and dragged it over.
"Humanoid robot sighted over the Dream World version of New York City. Stark questioned. How does this concern us?" Candi asked.
"Look at the picture." Vanellope replied, pointing at a photograph beneath the headline.
Everyone leaned over it.
"Is that Jeremy?" Minty asked.
Vanellope nodded.
"Yep. And I want you to go find her." Vanellope replied.
"Pass." Candi said.
"We'll do it. We might need his help fighting the Nightmare King." Minty said, putting a hand over Candi's mouth.
"Might? Guys, we need everyone we can get. Swizzle might not take the Nightmare King seriously, but I do." Vanellope said.
"How exactly are we getting to the Dream World New York?" Candi asked.
"I'll put it into your portal keys. Finish lunch and then meet me out front." Vanellope replied.
"Location: New York City, New York, July 11th 2109"
Charbonneau and Millard sat in a helicopter, looking at their watches.
"Twenty minutes, sir." Millard stated.
"Here we go." Charbonneau whispered.