This is a sequel to "Not Knowing". The team are starting to form relationships while the everyday business of saving the world goes on as usual. Another fine mess !
Super-villains were way easier to deal with. They didn't make you feel guilty.
The other difference of course was that you could always punch a super-villain. He fantasised for a moment about landing a good punch on the Crime Minister's nose. Nobody deserved it more than her after what she had done to the team. Frank mentally shook himself. This was deeply unprofessional of course. But soooooo satisfying ! Frank smiled.
Frank pulled up at the back of the music school, where all the other MI9 vehicles were parked. He showed his pass and was waved through. The loading bay at the back of the building was scorched and full of bullet holes. Frank was taken aback to see the level of violence which had taken place and was even more grateful to get his team back relatively unhurt. Various KORPS agents were still being marched out of the building and loaded into prison vans. There were a lot of prisoners to process.
"Stella !" Frank called out, waving his hand. Stella looked up at him and nodded in response. She looked preoccupied with the task at hand. "It's alright, I'll sort myself out," he reassured her with a smile. This earned him a small smile in return.
"Are they alright ?" asked Stella. "Only, I haven't had time to check, sorry," she said apologetically.
"Tom has minor injuries, but is basically fine. Dan has a mild concussion, but he's been allowed home to rest," Frank told her. "I can't really believe it, looking at the state of this place," he added, looking around at the scene of devastation.
"Oh, well, most of this happened after I had them taken out," Stella told him. "It got pretty hot in here !"
"You alright ?" Frank asked her in concern.
"What ? Oh yes. Quite like old times !" said Stella with a grin. "I'm not sure when we should tell Tom about Moby though," she said, pointing to some machinery against the wall.
Frank looked in dismay at the pile of broken metalwork on the floor. A stray high-heeled shoe lay amongst the pile of scrap. "Oh no ! Was this Moby ?" he asked.
"Yes, most of him, and maybe some of the other ones," said Stella vaguely. "Sorry, but the KORPS agents were firing at him continuously. There wasn't much we could do," she explained. "We'll have it taken back to HQ and you can let Tom have a look at what's left when you think he's ready," she said. Frank huffed. He knew that Tom would be upset, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Then he remembered why he had come and opened his mouth to speak. "Guitar," said Stella. Frank nodded. "Try going up a couple of floors and heading that-a-way," instructed Stella, pointing backwards through the building. Frank gave her a quick peck on the cheek and dashed off before she could object.
It took Frank about 15 minutes to locate the right cupboard. It was now empty. Putting on the light he spotted the hole at the back. It did look a bit small. Maybe he should try getting in through the other half of the building, but he really couldn't be bothered. He'd get through there no problem ! Frank shoved his shoulders into the hole and started forcing his body through. He got most of the way through and could see Dan's guitar case lying on the floor in front of him. A satisfied smile spread across his face when he wedged fast in the hole. Irritated, Frank wriggled from side to side, but this only got him stuck more tightly. This was ridiculous ! Dan really should have made this hole bigger ! It's not like he was fat or anything. Maybe he wasn't quite as svelte as the average 16 year old, but still ! He was well within the MI9 fitness range. Surely he couldn't get stuck ! Frank wriggled and squirmed, but he was not budging. Then the horrible thought hit him. He was going to have to call Stella. Closing his eyes and making a little prayer, Frank tried one more push. Nothing happened. He was totally stuck.
Sighing, Frank managed to pull his phone out of his jacket pocket. "Hi, Stella, erm, bad news I'm afraid," he said. "What ? No, the guitar looks okay, it's the hole... Yes the hole... The hole that Dan drilled through the wall for the team to climb through...What's wrong with it ? It's too small, that's what !...How do I know ? Because I'm stuck in it that's why !...Yes, I have tried. I'm stuck !... It is not funny !... No I do not have a fat arse !" Frank sighed miserably, listening to Stella laughing hysterically over the phone. "Have you finished ?" Frank finally asked. "Well, do you think you could send someone up to help please ?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Thankyou," he said, closing the call. Rubbing his forehead, Frank reached out and managed to pull the guitar case a bit closer. Hm, it did look a little bit scorched. He wondered if MI9 expenses would cover a new guitar. Then he heard muffled voices from the wall behind him followed by guffaws of laughter. He hoped nobody was taking photographs, but that was probably too much to hope for he thought ruefully.
Stella decided that she had to see Frank's predicament for herself. Strictly speaking she should have delegated the task to someone else because she was supposed to be in charge of the operation at the KORPS base. Instead she was now standing in an empty cupboard with another MI9 agent weeping with laughter at the sight of Frank's backside just sticking out of a ridiculously small hole in the wall and his legs lying on the floor. What had he been thinking ? The teenagers had struggled to fit through that hole. There was no way on earth that any adult, however skinny was going to make it.
Stella wiped her eyes and tried to gather her composure. "Ahem ! Right, Frank can you hear me ?" she called out. There was no answer.
"I don't think he can hear you. There's no air gap for the sound to get through," said the other agent.
For some reason this sent Stella into hysterics again. She tried to calm herself down. She was making as much of an exhibition of herself as Frank. "Okay, erm, I know, I'll phone him," she said, pulling out her mobile. "Frank ? Er yeah, we're here. I guess you can't hear us," she said. "Right, that's what we thought. Do you want us to push ?" she asked. "Okay, hang on," she said, putting the phone down. "Hm how are we going to do this ?" she asked the other agent.
The agent shrugged and said, "I'll go left and you go right ?" he suggested. They both leaned forward with their hands suspended over Frank's backside and stopped before looking at one another in embarrassment. "After three ?" asked the agent, clearly not wanting to do this any more than Stella. She nodded. "One, two, three and..." they both shoved hard on Frank's bottom. There was a sound of muffled shouting through the wall. "I don't think he liked that," commented the agent. "How about we pull ?" he asked. They each grabbed a leg and heaved. Again there was no movement.
Stella stared at Frank. "What are we going to do ?" she whispered.
"Well, there's one thing," said the agent warily. Stella looked at him in surprise. "Erm, we could take his trousers off. That might give us a bit more room," suggested the agent.
Stella picked up her phone. "Frank, we've got an idea. You might not like it though. Yes. How about we take your trousers off ?" she asked. There was silence on the phone for a few seconds. "Alternatives ? Yes, well you could stay there for a couple of days until you've slimmed down a bit," she said grimly. There was a longer silence, before Frank spoke again. Stella put down the phone. "Let's do it," she said.
Stella and the other agent grabbed Frank's trousers and pulled. Some of the material budged and they managed to pull the belt buckle down enough to undo the belt. At last the trousers came free and they both fell back on the floor. Frank's trousers now dangled round his ankles.
"Nice Calvins," said the agent, clearly trying not to laugh out loud at the sight of Frank's underpants.
Suppressing another fit of giggles, Stella picked up her phone again. "Okay, does that give you any wriggle room ?" she asked. Frank's legs started to kick about. "Yes ? Okay, we'll pull," she said.
Stella and the agent grabbed a leg each again and pulled as hard as they could. Frank's body lurched partly out of the hole, but his shirt and jacket didn't make it. Stella grabbed her phone. "Frank, you'll have to take off your jacket and maybe your shirt," she said. "They're getting you stuck now." She watched as Frank's bare body squirmed and wriggled. She guessed he was trying to get out of his jacket on the other side of the wall. Then she watched as he started to inch his way backwards towards them.
"Oh, thank God !" said Frank, as he stood up again. "I thought I was going to be stuck in there for days !" he complained. He turned round to face Stella and the other agent. They looked like two people trying desperately not to laugh. He looked down at himself. He was naked apart from his underpants, socks and shoes. His trousers lay on the floor round his ankles. His body was covered in concrete dust and he guessed his hair probably was too. Frank sighed. He was never going to live this down. "I'll grab my clothes and get dressed," he said miserably.
"Would you like me to go round the other side and pick up the guitar ?" asked the agent sympathetically.
"Yes please," sighed Frank.
Once the agent had left the cupboard, Stella folded her arms and watched Frank fishing through the hole in the wall for the rest of his clothes. "It's a good job you've got a nice arse," said Stella finally. This made Frank bang his head on the roof of the hole in shock. By the time he had pulled himself out again, Stella had gone.