Gypsy and Cambot fled from the doorframe and returned to the couch and the safety of their friends, their family. Cambot hovered behind Mike's shoulder and continued to record the dangerous events, while Gypsy curled up on the floor next to the couch and nuzzled her nose against Joel's shoulder. Weakly Joel's trembling hand reached out and rested on Gypsy's nose, his pale eyes slowly opening. He pulled her closer and he whispered something that only she could hear.

Pearl was glaring angrily at her prey as they froze in place in the lavish yet gloomy chamber of the castle. She brandished her two weapons, the bullwhip and the cactus with great malevolent joy. Pearl focused her attention on first Brain Guy who shuddered at her glare and averted his eyes. Then she turned to BoBo who flinched and covered his head with his hands. Finally Pearl lingered her attention on Dr. Forrester; her own son.

"Clayton." She acknowledged coldly.

"Mother." He returned the same cold greeting to his emotionally distant mother.

"I see you're still alive. Somehow."

"Likewise."

She glanced beyond her son and focused on Mike. "What's 'Smellson' doing here?"

Dr. Forrester casually glanced over his shoulder at his temporary ally. "Rescuing Joel."

"And what're you doing here?"

"This is where I live now. Also, I'm helping Nelson."

"WHAT?! Why Clayton? WHY?!" Her eyes widened with confusion and anger. "How could do such a thing? How could you willingly and knowingly partner up with such idiots? How could you betray me?"

"Quite easily as it turns out."

Tom and Crow chuckled a little. "Ooohhh!"

"Ha ha!"

Pearl approached the couch, Brain Guy and BoBo backed away from her but Dr. Forrester didn't budge. "Clayton, my dear sweet Clayton, tell me what's wrong. Tell mama what's bothering you." She dropped her weapons and cradled his head, pressing it against her chest.

"Well, right now the only bothering me is you."

"Ooooohhh!" Tom echoed.

"Burn!" Crow remarked evilly. "Good one Dr. F!"

Mike looked at the bots and motioned with his hands for them to quiet down. "Uh, Pearl?" He tried to sound polite and unfrightened.

"What now? What is it Mike? Can't you see I'm busy?" She caressed Dr. Forrester's hair in an exaggerated manner.

"We would like to leave now, so could you show us the door, please? We'll be on our way."

"Yeah, sure." She let go of Dr. Forrester's head. "Go down the hall and... Wait! Nice try Mike, 'son of Nel'. You're not going anywhere!"

Joel suddenly opened his eyes and yelled out. "Gypsy! Now!"

"Incoming!" Gypsy dove to the floor and grabbed ahold of the bullwhip and pushed away the cactus before Pearl could reclaim her odd, discarded weapons. Gypsy gave the whip to Mike and resumed her defensive place between Pearl and her family.

Mike stood up slowly and stretched the whip in his hands and grinned at Pearl. "Give me one good reason to not go 'Devo' on your sadistic butt!"

Pearl raised her hands as if surrendering, Bobo did as well. Brain Guy whispered to BoBo to put his hands down and to finally take off that stupid nurse's cap. BoBo listened to Brain Guy and sheepishly pulled the cap from his head.

Thinking quickly Pearl gave Mike the only reason should could come up with. "Because I'm a woman? And only jerks or rich guys who can buy their way out of trouble hit women. You're not rich, so does that make you a jerk?"

Joel, still unable to move much but now fully conscious looked at Mike with mercy in his eyes. Mike looked at the worn, bloodstained whip in his hand and decided that he wouldn't use it on Pearl after all.

Pearl read his body language perfectly and couldn't stop herself from mocking him. "Aw, Mikey has a soft spot for Pearly!"

"It's not so much a soft spot for you as it's my own humanity reminding me that I'm a better person than you will ever be." He handed the whip to Joel who took it and held it tightly in his hands against his bandaged chest.

Pearl put her hands back down and crossed her arms defiantly. "Nice speech Nelson, get that from a fortune cookie?"

"Nah, I got that from my own personal life experiences. Pretty cool, huh?"

Dr. Forrester rose from the couch and approached his mother. "Now, mother, my dear, sweet mother, what are we going to do with you?"

"'We' Clayton? What are you, two bleeding doofuses and some tinker toys going to do to me? You always were good for a laugh!"

"You've forgotten two members of my little team."

"Pardon?"

Brain Guy shook his head and he telekinetically created some strong chains that were immediately wrapped around Pearl's body.

"What the...? BRAIN GUY!"

Brain Guy jumped back at her tone but he didn't lose focus on his work.

Dr. Forrester leaned over to the shaken alien. "Perhaps a muzzle as well."

"Excellent suggestion." With a simple nod of his head a muzzle appeared over Pearl's mouth, finally silencing the angry dictator.

Dr. Forrester laughed maniacally. "I must admit, it gives me great joy to see you like this mother. It also gives me great joy to NOT hear you!" He turned and looked at both Joel and Mike. "Now, Joel, Mike, robots, I believe you wished to leave this barren, yet cozy little abode of ours." He motioned for BoBo and Brain Guy to escort their 'guests' to the exit.

Mike offered his hand to Joel who took it and weakly tried to pull himself upright while Mike tried to do the same. Gypsy pressed her nose against Joel's back and shoulders and helped to push him up. Once Joel was sitting upright he struggled to pull his red shirt back on. Crow reached over the back of the couch and helped Joel out and took the dropped whip for himself.

Slowly Joel managed to get back up on his feet, despite his injuries and blood loss he somehow found the strength to keep moving on. Mike wrapped one of Joel's arms around his shoulders and the two men slowly walked toward the doorway, past Pearl and made their way for the dark hall. Gypsy, Cambot, Crow and Tom all followed their human companions closely.

BoBo and Brain Guy did as they were instructed and followed the eclectic family down the hall to ensure they found their way out.

"Wait." Joel suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Dr. Forrester, what are you going to do to Pearl?"

"It's no concern of yours Joel. She'll get what she deserves."

"According to who?"

Mike gave Joel a strange look. "Joel, what are you doing? We need to get out here, YOU need to get out of here. Don't ask questions, just move!"

Joel took in a deep pained breath. "Pearl is evil and needs to be punished for her crimes against humanity, all of humanity. Don't let your personal feelings bias her fate."

Dr. Forrester was stunned at this plea for mercy. "You, Joel, of all people should want to see her beaten to a pulp, hung up by her fingernails or tied to a wall with some God-awful 'Bieber' hit playing non-stop! What's with this thing, this emotion... What's it called again... Compassion! That's it! What's with the compassion?"

"Compassion is a strength, and right now I need all the strength I can get."

Crow nudged Joel's leg. "Geez Joel, did you join a monastery or something after you returned to Earth?"

Joel shook his head. "Dr. Forrester, I can't in good conscience leave until I know what you're going to do to Pearl."

"Joel..." Tom whispered impatiently. "cool it! We don't need to know and we don't want to know!"

Mike adjusted his posture to keep Joel upright without any weight affecting his freshly patched up incision. "He's right Joel, let's just go and inform 'ConGypsCo.' about this."

Gypsy had been carefully keeping an eye on Pearl and she noticed something was amiss. "Uh, guys... How'd Pearl get the chains off?"

"What?" Mike turned to look back, Joel and the bots following suit.

Pearl dramatically brushed the invisible dust from her arms and shoulders before straightening her green uniform shirt.

This was all BoBo and Brain Guy could brave enough to see. The two cowardly lackey's looked at each other for only a moment before they bolted past Joel, Mike and the bots. The duo disappeared down the hall out of sight. Dr. Forrester merely rolled his eyes at the relentless cowardice of the two pathetic fleeing henchman.

As Pearl pulled the muzzle from her face she waved a single hairpin for all to see. "You men will never learn, will you?"

Gypsy had enough of Pearl and her arrogance. Before anyone else could act or even speak Gypsy challenged Pearl. "Watch it sister! I've learned plenty from dealing with you!"

"Oh yeah? Let's go lilac-lips, come on!" Pearl eagerly taunted Gypsy. "Let's see what you got!"

"Yeah!" Tom, Crow and even Cambot cheered Gypsy on with encouraging words and chirps. "Go get her Gyps', finish her!" Meanwhile Dr. Forrester rubbed at his eyes as a headache began to set in.

"No!" Joel tried to be the voice of reason again, but it didn't seem to have any effect. "No more violence, please!"

Mike spoke up in attempt to stop the seemingly impending brawl. "Uh Gypsy, you don't have any hands! You can't actually fight her! At least, not physically."

Gypsy turned and looked at her friends. "I don't have to touch her." She turned back to face Pearl. "I can stop her with a simple code word."

Pearl didn't like the sound of that. Her confident sneer was replaced with a frown of mounting concern. "Come again?"

...to be continued...