Writer's note: I liked how this chapter fell into place. I wasn't totally sure what was going to happen in it besides the basic 'get from point A to point B'. It worked out pretty well and slightly changed the course of the story! I'm really enjoying writing this fic!
Part 11
"Look! There they are!" Vanellope yelled excitedly, pointing to the back of a group of pirates on the monitor.
"Two tall and two short," Ralph confirmed, the short man of the group sticking particularly close to the taller woman in a skullycap. "Yep, that has to be them."
The team walked onto another monitor screen, showing a better view of the front of their outfits. Vanellope burst into laughter. "That's their disguise! I can't wait to hound T.J. and Felix when they get back!" She squinted one eye and tried her best impression of a pirate, "ARRRG, matey!"
"You're too funny, little bit!" Markowski chuckled, earning a proud smile from Vanellope.
Ralph shook his head at his companions. "What have I gotten myself into?"
They watched the team make their way around the wall of the Fix-It Felix Jr. outlet and after a minute, they didn't reappear. Markowski leaned back in his chair, relaxing. "So far, so good."
Vanellope glitched onto Ralph's shoulder, leaning against her best friend's head. "Can I go explore Dr. Scott's lab?"
"Uh…I don't think-"
"Sure!" Markowski interjected before Ralph could finish.
"Cool!" Vanellope zoomed out the surveillance room, barely paying mind to Ralph's warning to look not touch.
The lab housed a variety of computers, mostly older models. An open cabinet on one side of the small chamber housed medical equipment. Vanellope snatched up a thingamabob that resembled headphones with a round, metal shape at the end. She'd seen it used once by Dr. Mario back at their arcade. She slipped the earbuds into her ears and listened to her chest. She gasped at the sound of a thump thump that filtered thru.
The rest of the equipment she left alone to peruse Dr. Scott's work area. She hopped up on the swivel chair, scanning the desk top. A battered notebook lay open, a pen stuck in the spiral. Vanellope slid the notebook over, skimming the words and finding it to be some sort of journal.
She knew better than to snoop, but reading someone's journal was too tempting to pass up. The date at the top read present. Vanellope began to read, "In less than an hour, a new team will embark on the latest mission." She scrunched her nose at the wording.
She was about to move on to more interesting plunders when certain words caught her attention. Vanellope's mouth gaped open at what she read, realizing that this information would be important for T.J. to know. She ripped out the sheet of paper from the spiral, and folding it, tucked it away in the pocket of her hoodie for safekeeping.
"This better work, Brad."
"As long as we move quickly, it will."
The team discussed strategy during most of the working hours of the arcade. Using feedback from Brad and Pauline, Tamora formulated a plan that would be executed during the later hours of the arcade when the crowd would be sparse but still existent. A cloaking device of Brad's making altered their appearance, hopefully disguising them well enough to not reveal their real identifies.
"I look ridiculous," Felix remarked as they moved through the hidden passageway.
"I'm kinda digging the leather pants," Tamora smirked at him, causing Felix to blush. The cloaking device had disguised them as NPC pirates from a game called Pirate's Revenge. It was a strange sensation to be able to feel their everyday clothes, but also being aware of the stereotypical pirate garb adoring their appearance.
"Now this is ridiculous." Tamora flipped the eyepatch up from over her eye, her bangs tucked away in a skullycap.
"The cloaking devise clothed each of us with the garb it compiled from the scan," Brad explained, adjusting his spectacles to sit better underneath his triangular hat.
Pauline sighed, glancing down at the scoop-necked crimson red bodice that gave a generous view of her bosom. "That explains my get-up."
Brad paused at the keypad, checking if the others were ready. Once they left the safety of the tunnels, they had to be alert and prepared for anything that could happen. Tamora gave the final okay, and they quietly emerged from the hidden door underneath the stairs that led into the Pirate's Revenge cabinet.
They walked casually through the station with Brad leading the way to their destination. The crowd milling about was low, but still enough that they blended in and didn't appear suspicious like they might have if the station had been empty.
Tamora played the part well, striding confidently and scowling disgruntledly at passersby. Felix, on the other hand, was on edge wringing his hands together, still feeling remarkably out of place with his short, leather-clad stature. He'd never worn something so silly in his life.
As they approached Fix-It Felix Jr., the air around the team grew tenser. Rounding the outlet wall, they found two Hero's Duty soldiers posted at the entrance of the game. A report from one of the rebel spies that was still active in gameplay had said there would be guards. Tamora and Brad planned to take them down as quietly as possible, but it was Pauline that had volunteered as a distraction.
"Just because I'm a married woman doesn't mean I still can't flirt with the best of them," she'd remarked sassily while they were planning the mission. Tamora was just happy she didn't have to be the distraction.
"Stop!" one of the soldiers barked as they approached. "State your business."
"We're here to speak with Mr. Fix-It," Brad answered in a deplorable British accent.
The soldier, Private Matten, stepped up to him. Looking Brad up and down, he challenged, "Our superior didn't mention Mr. Fix-It expecting any visitors."
Pauline caught the eye of the other solder, Private Creighton, and smiled coyly up at him. The corner of his tight lip lifted slightly, his gaze wandering to a certain bountiful area on her petite form – definitely detracted as Tamora slowly drew closer.
"He must not have informed your superior-" Brad touched the rim of his spectacles – their sign to take action - and Tamora swung her blaster masked as a pistol, colliding it with Private Creighton's temple.
Private Matten spun around, reaching for the blaster at his hip belt, but collapsed to his knees as Brad sent volts of electricity into the exposed part of his neck.
"Brad, a little help!" Tamora grunted, restraining a struggling Private Creighton around the neck. The doctor rushed over, jabbing the stun gun to Creighton's neck as Tamora released him. He collapsed to the floor as well, leaving both men unconscious.
Tamora found Felix and Pauline watching from a short distance. Confirming that they were unharmed, she swept her gaze around the rest of the area, finding no trace of any witnesses or further obstacles. She nodded to Brad, who did the same, and Tamora flicked her wrist toward the tunnel leading totheir destination.
"Let's move."
Swiftly and carefully, they traveled through the tunnel alongside the railing that ran the tram, a pulsing blue stream on the ceiling lighting the way. Tamora gestured for the team to stay back as she checked the area for any other obstacles that would need taking out. Finding none, she motioned for them to move forward.
Both Felix and Pauline paused as they emerged from the tram tunnel, wearing nearly identical bittersweet expressions. Tamora noticed their faces and knew exactly what was happening. In a way, she felt it too. Her husband's game was her home for 7 years. They'd built a wonderful life under that starry, pixelated sky. But unlike Felix, Tamora could tamp down the sentimental feelings. They had a job to do and lingering over loss wouldn't get it done.
"I understand how both of you are feeling at the moment," she said lowly, keeping the crassness from her voice, "but this is no time for sentiment."
"Sorry, Tammy," Felix murmured.
"We need to-" Brad's sentence was drowned out by a blaring alarm echoing throughout the game. The team spun around to find Gene standing behind them, his hand pressed against a red button on the tunnel wall.