Coiley, Multi, and the others continued wandering through the jungle, looking for signs of the two missing boys. They weren't going to worry about tracking down Freep at the moment.
"This is like looking for a needle in a haystack," Reggie said, pushing a large palm out of his way.
"We're never going to find them," Phyllis sighed.
"Never say never," Multi said, as he held Skittles's leash. Skittles was sniffing around trying to pick up a scent, but she wasn't having much luck.
"I really don't know how much more of this I can take," Dr. Phelps groaned.
"We'll find them, I'm sure of it," Big D said.
"I really don't know how you do it, Big D," Reggie said. "Nothing phases you, does it?"
"You'd be surprised, Johnson," Big D said.
"I just hope Skittles gets a scent soon," Multi said. The others agreed, because the way it looked now, they weren't going to find the boys any time soon.
Freep had taken Fluey and Jamie to a small shack deep in the jungle. He had them sitting back to back, tied to chairs. Fluey was writhing around, trying to get loose.
"I don't know why you're bothering," Jamie said.
"Jamie, we've got to get out of here or else we're dead!" Fluey shouted.
"I just don't get it. Mr. Freep seemed like such a nice guy. He wanted to help troubled kids. I don't understand why he's doing this."
"I do. The man is a psychopath."
"Oh, he is not!"
"Jamie, how can you defend him like this?!"
"Well . . . . . there's got to be a good explanation for this. I'm sure Mr. Freep won't hurt us."
"Oh for Pete's sake, Jamie!"
"All right, you two, cut out the noise," Freep said, walking over.
"What are you so worried about noise for?" Fluey asked. "You've got us in the middle of nowhere. No one's gonna hear us!"
"Ah ain't takin' chances," Freep said. "And besides which, ah cayunt stand smart aleck teenagers like you."
"What are you gonna do with us?" Jamie asked.
"Ah'm not sure yet," Freep replied. "Ah'll have to think about it a little."
"You . . . . you really wouldn't . . . . . kill us," Jamie asked, nervously. "Would you?"
"Now, now, now, Jamie, whatever gave you a silly idea like that?" Freep asked. "Ah wouldn't do somethin' like that! You know ah wouldn't hurt either of you!"
"Oh brother," Fluey groaned, rolling his eyes. "Don't fall for it, Jamie. He's definitely up to something."
"What makes you say that?" Freep asked.
"Well, if you aren't planning on hurting us, then why'd you even bother to track us down and take us prisoner?" Fluey asked. "If you weren't planning on killing us, why have you got us tied up so we can't escape?"
"You know somethin' Fluid Man?" Freep asked, walking over to a desk. He pulled a briefcase out from underneath it, opened it, and took out a roll of duct tape. He ripped a piece off of it, and pressed it over Fluey's mouth.
"You talk too much," he said. "That should shut you up for awhile."
Fluey glared at Freep, and continued struggling against the ropes holding him to the chair. Freep sighed, and pulled his gun out.
"Ah don't know what ah'm gonna do with you," he said, whacking Fluey in the head with the gun, knocking him unconscious. Freep then turned to Jamie.
"You got anythin' to say?" he asked.
"No, sir," Jamie said, nervously.
"Good. Just keep your mouth shut, and we won't have any problems, now, will we?"
Jamie just nodded. It was about all he could do.
Night fell, and the search parties weren't coming up with anything.
"I'm beginning to wonder if this is a lost cause," Reggie said, taking a couple of flashlights out of his backpack.
"Zip it, Reggie," Dr. Phelps said. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"Phelps, maybe you should head for one of the jets and get back to Megatropolis," Big D suggested. "You look absolutely exhausted."
"No, chief," Dr. Phelps argued. "I'm not stopping until the boys are found. Besides, I'd be too worried about Jamie to get any rest, anyway."
Big D just nodded. He knew how Dr. Phelps felt, but he didn't say anything. Skittles suddenly started sniffing one spot for several moments, and then barked excitedly.
"What's with her?" Dr. Phelps asked.
"I think she's picked up a trail!" Multi shouted.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Coiley asked. "Let's go!"
Skittles barked again, and led the group down a pathway. They felt this was it.
Meanwhile, Freep was pulling things out of his briefcase. Neither of the boys could see what it was he was doing, but Fluey wasn't sure he wanted to know. The whole thing was creeping him out. Since there was no electricity in the shack, Freep was working by the light of a kerosene lamp, which didn't give off much light. Suddenly, the sound of a barking dog was heard outside.
"What in the world . . . ." Freep began, and he looked out the window of his shack. He saw flashlights in the distance.
"Oh horseradish!" he shouted. "Someone's comin'! I'll have to make it look like nobody's t'home."
Freep closed the curtains on all the windows, and turned down the light on the lamp, just enough so he could still see what he was doing, and so that nobody could see there was a light on inside. And to make sure whoever was coming didn't know anyone was inside, he ripped off a piece of duct tape, and pressed it over Jamie's mouth.
"Now you two don't make one move or one sound," he warned. "Or else."
Jamie gulped. Fluey just glared at Freep. The barking became louder as whoever was coming got closer. Fluey immediately recognized it as Skittles.
"I think Skittles is onto something," he heard Coiley say outside.
"How accurate is her nose?" Dr. Phelps asked.
"Pretty accurate," Multi said. "Whenever she tracks something, she usually finds it."
"Look over here," Phyllis said, pointing her flashlight towards the shack. "Maybe there's someone inside that's seen Fluey and Jamie."
Phyllis ran to the shack and knocked on the door. Inside, Freep didn't move. He didn't say anything, either. He hoped these people would go away and soon. Phyllis knocked again, louder this time. Still no answer.
"Doesn't look like anyone's home," Coiley said.
"Maybe we'd better keep moving," Phyllis said. The others agreed.
The group began to leave, though Skittles began barking, and pulling against her leash, towards the shack.
"Come on, girl, there's nothing there," Multi said. Skittles began whining as Multi managed to pull her away from the shack. Since nobody there spoke dog, they didn't know what she was saying.
Once the group was gone, Freep turned up the light a bit, and walked toward the boys with a large syringe filled with a weird purple liquid.
"Now then, ah hope we don't have any more inter-rup-shee-uns," he said. He pushed the pump on the syringe, and the liquid inside it pumped out of the needle.
Fluey could feel his heart beating in his throat as Freep came toward him with the syringe, smiling sinisterly. He could only guess what was in that thing. It was probably Freep's poison. He was going to inject it into the two boys. Fluey had to act fast. He and Jamie were tied too tightly to break loose, and there was no way Fluey could remove the tape from his mouth. Fluey thought about his options when he noticed the kerosene lamp on the table behind Freep. It was a risky idea, but he just had to get Big D's and the others attention, and he knew this would do it. He was glad that Freep only tied his ankles together, and didn't restrain his legs to the chair. He maneuvered a bit, and managed to get his legs off the floor, enough to give Freep a good, hard kick in his stomach.
"Hmmpphh!" he grunted as his feet connected with Freep's belly.
"Ooof!" Freep yelled, stumbling backwards. As he fell, he knocked into the table, which knocked the kerosene lamp to the floor. It broke, and kerosene spilt all over the floor, and was ignited by the flame from the lamp.
"Uh oh," Freep said. "Now you've done it, you stupid kid! You just cooked your own goose! Ah'm gettin' outta here!"
And with that, Freep ran out of the shack as fast as he could, leaving Fluey and Jamie alone, and unable to escape.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Fluey thought, nervously as the fire spread rapidly. He really wished he had his powers about now. Then he'd be able to make short work of this fire. He could only hope Coiley, Multi, and the others would notice it and soon!
Lady Luck was smiling on the boys, fortunately. Coiley, Multi, and the others weren't that far away when Freep knocked into the table. Skittles began barking hysterically.
"Do you smell something?" Reggie asked, sniffing the air. "It smells kinda smells like . . . . ."
"Holy smoke!" Multi shouted, glancing towards the shack. "Smoke!"
"Looks like a fire," Coiley said. "Let's go!"
The group ran back to the shack, and into Freep on the way.
"Why don't y'all watch where ah'm goin'?!" Freep yelled.
"JimBob Freep," Big D said, standing up. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Ho boy," Freep groaned.
"Okay, Freep, we want answers and we want them fast," Coiley said. "Where are Fluey and Jamie?"
"Ah don't have the slightest idea what y'all are talkin' about," Freep said. Skittles suddenly began growling at him. Multi took off her leash.
"Stay, Skittles," he commanded. Skittles stayed by her master, obediently, but she still growled at Freep. Multi knew she wouldn't do anything unless he told her to.
"We'll ask you again, Freep," Big D said. "Where are the two boys?"
"Now why would ah know?" Freep asked. "Ah haven't seen anybody 'round here."
"Okay," Multi said, and turned to his pup. "Skittles, sic him!"
Skittles growled, and jumped toward Freep. Freep began running around in a panic.
"Nyah-hah!" he shouted, running around in a circle with Skittles nipping at his heels. "All right! All right! You win! They're in the shack! Just call this monster dog off!"
"Okay Skittles, come here, girl!" Multi called.
"Did he just say the shack?" Coiley said.
"Ah did," Freep said, looking smug. "And as y'all can plainly see, the place is up in flames!"
"Oh no!" Phyllis shouted.
"If ever there was a time to need Fluey's powers, this would be it!" Coiley shouted. "Let's go, Multi!"
"Rally ho!" the two Impossibles yelled, and ran for the shack, but they stopped suddenly, and went back.
"What's wrong?" Reggie asked.
"We'll never make it," Multi said. "The smoke's too thick."
"We can't stand here and do nothing!" Phyllis yelled.
"I've called for back up," Big D said. "And who knows how long it's going to take them."
"I'm going in," Dr. Phelps said, putting a surgical mask over his face, followed by a pair of goggles. Then he grabbed his medical bag, and went in.
"Dr. Phelps, are you nuts?!" Reggie shouted.
But Dr. Phelps wasn't listening. He ran into the shack.
"Jamie! Fluey!" he called. "Are you boys in here?!"
Dr. Phelps heard a mix of coughing, and muffled screaming nearby, and ran to the source of it. He found the boys quickly, and pulled a scalpel out of his bag.
"Hold on, boys," he said. "I'll have you out of here in no time!"
Dr. Phelps quickly cut the ropes. Fluey immediately pulled the tape off his mouth, and began untying his ankles.
"Thanks, Dad," Jamie said, once he pulled the tape off.
"Come on!" Fluey shouted. "We gotta get out of here!"
"Right behind you!" Jamie shouted.
"Follow me, boys, and stay low!" Dr. Phelps said, and he led the boys out of the shack.
"There they are!" Coiley shouted. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah," Fluey said, coughing a little. "A little smoke in the lungs, but other than that, fine. Listen, fellas, we'd better do the quick change bit before this fire spreads any farther!"
"Good idea!" Multi shouted.
And in a flash of psychedelic colors, the singing Impossibles became the superhero Impossibles. Fluey quickly converted to liquid and shot skyward.
"Rally ho-ho!" he shouted, transforming once again, into a storm cloud directly over the fire, and put it out by raining on it. Once it was out, he came back down and morphed to solid once more.
"Good work, Fluey," Multi said.
"Hey, fellas!" Reggie called. "Freep's getting away!"
"So long, suckers!" Freep yelled, running away. "You'll never catch me!"
"He runs pretty fast for a big, fat tub of lard," Phyllis commented.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of him," Multi said.
"Rally ho!" the trio shouted, and took off after the fleeing fat man. They managed to catch up to him after awhile. Multi duplicated and surrounded him.
"Rally ho!" he shouted. "Give up while you still can, Freep! I've got you surrounded!"
"Be careful, Multi!" Fluey called, streaming forward. "He's armed!"
"Thanks for remindin' me," Freep said, taking out his gun. He began firing, destroying all the duplicates. "And ah intend on gettin' the original, too!"
"Oh no you don't!" Coiley shouted, springing forward, fist first. "Rally ho!"
Coiley gave Freep a good, hard, punch right in the gut. Freep doubled over, and Fluey took advantage of this.
"Rally ho-ho!" he shouted, going into a full conversion. He splashed right into Freep. Then he went back, converted to solid, went into a partial conversion, and charged Freep as fast as he could, with his arm outstretched, and fist tightly clenched. He gave Freep a good sock in the nose, causing the fat man to stumble backwards, and land directly into a mud puddle, and was stuck.
"You give up?" Fluey asked, converting to solid and standing on Freep's stomach.
"Yeah," Freep said, breathlessly. "Ah give up. Ah'll go quietly. Hoo boy."
That was all there was to that. Pretty soon, the SSHQ had Freep handcuffed, and ready to transport to jail.
"You just wait," Freep said, glaring at Fluey. "Ah'm gonna get me a good lawyer! Ah'm gonna get out of jail! And when ah do, you're gonna be one sorry kid, Fluid Man! Ah'll getcha. Mark mah words, ah'll getcha!"
"Yeah, right," Fluey said, sarcastically. "Once Jamie and I testify against you in court, they'll lock you up and throw away the key!"
Freep growled as a couple of SSHQ agents escorted him aboard a helicopter and took off.
"Looks like another case closed," Coiley said. "What do you think, Jamie?"
"I think I screwed up big time," Jamie said. "Fluey was right. If it weren't for me falling for Freep's false promises . . . . ."
"Don't beat yourself up over it, Jamie," Dr. Phelps said. "Freep was tricky."
"Yeah," Jamie said. "I'm also really sorry for what I put you through, Dad. And you want to know something?"
"What's that, Jaim?" Dr. Phelps asked.
"After all this, I am never complaining about how boring my life is again!"
THE END