All right, let's see how this next chapter turns out! Anyway, enjoy!
Approximately a few minutes or so later, Penelope was seen tied up on the edge of a building on a flagpole as the Hooded Claw was overseeing the sight with a smile, just as the Bully Brothers were setting up a large magnifying glass. Penelope, looking quite annoyed with this, looked over and asked, "So, how do you plan on trying to kill me this time, you foul fiend?"
"Well, I'm certainly glad you asked that, my dear." The Hooded Claw smiled as he crossed his arms. "You no doubt noticed that you're tied to a flagpole, dangling at the very top of the building."
"I am quite aware of where I am, thank you." Penelope frowned.
"Well, then you noticed, to your right, the magnifying glass in the sky that's aimed directly at the rope holding you." The Hooded Claw grinned. "But before I get ahead of myself, let me explain today's weather, provided by my lovely Bully Brother meteorologist! Take it away, Tank."
Tank grinned as he pulled out a script from his hat and looked into it. "Thank you, Claw! Well, the weather today is all sunny all day! A perfect time to go to the beach or to have a picnic! Or, in the case of one Hooded Claw, commit murder! And now, back to you."
"Thank you, Tank Bully." The Hooded Claw grinned as he turned towards the annoyed Penelope. "As you've probably already summarized in your head, because of the weather and the way the magnifying glass is pointing, at approximately twelve o'clock noon, the sun will be coming over and you know how if the sun shines through a magnifying glass, something burns? Well, add that to the rope, and in a few minutes, you'll be a Pitstop pancake!"
"You fiend of fiends! Is there no end to your callous crimes?" Penelope glared at her.
"Sure there will. Once you die, I'll stop with the perils." The Hooded Claw grinned as he started to back off, looking at his watch. "Well, I suppose I better go down there and give a watch."
Penelope groaned as she shakes her head. "You know, Hanna-Barbera Town has a LOT of people that'll notice my peril and save me from a disaster."
"Believe me, I've noticed. But they treat you being captured like it's nothing. And besides, this is the only time I can capture you whilst all the other heroes are out doing their own thing... saving the world, solving crimes, et cetera, et cetera. Well, ta-ta for life, Pitstop!" The Hooded Claw grinned as he started to skip off, Penelope glaring at the disappearing body as she crossed her arms.
"Well, this already puts a damper on my day." Penelope sighed as she looked around at the city. "At least the view is nice. I just hope the Ant Hill Mob comes soon..."
"Don't worry, Penelope, for at this very moment, help is on the way!"
Meanwhile, in another part of the town, driving along in a hurry were seven concerned mobsters as they were looking around everywhere for Penelope. One of the mobsters started giggling as he said, "We'll never find Penelope at this rate!"
"Oh yes, we will!" The head mobster, Clyde, frowned as he looked towards his fellow mobsters. "We'll find and save Penelope, or we're not the Ant Hill Mob! Pockets, take out your phone again."
"Right!" Pockets said as he dug around and pulled out the cell phone that the message was sent to, handing it to Clyde.
Clyde sighed as he took the phone and looked at the message. "There's one good thing about Penelope giving us these cell phones. They are quite helpful."
"Yeah, but not at all convenient." Zippy said pretty fast, frowning. "How do I dive into a cell phone that has no phone line?"
"Yeah, give me a candlestick phone any day." Dum Dum agreed.
"Quiet." Clyde said as he started to type on the phone. "Still looking for you. Where are you right now?" Clyde nodded as he sent the message.
At around that time, Penelope heard her phone buzzing as she looked down at her pockets. She groaned as she tried to reach for her phone, but sighed. "Say, Crane? Tank? Could one of you boys come over here and help me with my phone?"
"Oh, sure thing!" Crane called out as he got up on the roof and carefully walked over towards the flagpole, pulling up on the rope as he untied the rope loosely to let Penelope's hand free. Penelope grinned as she grabbed her phone from her pocket and looked at the message.
"Why, a message from the Ant Hill Mob! Wondering where I am." Penelope said as she turned to Crane in question.
"Oh, that's easy. We're at the top of the Takamoto building, and you're tied to a flagpole." Tank called out as Penelope typed the message.
Crane nodded as he said, "You're going to drop at noon, and-"
"HEY!" The Hooded Claw's voice called out from the bottom of the building as Crane and Tank stiffened up. The two looked down nervously to see from the bottom of the building, the Hooded Claw was holding a megaphone and shouting in it, "Stop trying to help the hostage! Put her back where you found her! And for goodness sakes, take her phone away! I do not want her calling for help!"
The Hooded Claw put the megaphone aside as he shook his head. "I swear, modern technology just ruins everything good these days..."
From up above, the two grinned nervously as Penelope sent the message. "Uh, sorry, Penelope. We need to confiscate your phone."
"That's quite all right, boys. I already sent enough." Penelope grinned as she handed the phone over to Crane before he pocketed it and tied her hand back to the rope before gently lowering her down.
"Meanwhile, back with Pandora, she just can't stand her new taxi driver as he seems to have made a quick pit stop."
Indeed, Pandora was quite annoyed that at this very moment, her taxi driver had stopped in the middle of the field as she kept hearing a sheep crying, "It's the wolf, it's the wolf!" before a pounding sound was heard. Pandora rolled her eyes as she saw Mildew walking back, his nose bent a bit as he walked back inside. "I certainly hope this doesn't add to the money."
"I assure you, it does not." Mildew frowned. "Now, shall we get going to the Pitstop house?"
"Please." Pandora frowned as Mildew continued driving the taxi. As the drive continued, Pandora raised an eyebrow. "You know, you sound a lot like my si- Penelope's known enemy, the Hooded Claw."
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Mildew frowned. "A lot of people sound like the Hooded Claw... like Uncle Arthur on Bewitched! Or Templeton on Charlotte's Web. Or that guy on Hollywood Squares."
"Okay, okay, geez, I don't need a history lesson. I just... wanted to make conversation, that's all." Pandora frowned as she crossed her arms.
"Well, you don't have to be so savage." Mildew rolled his eyes as Pandora looked out the window, then did a double take.
"Hold it! Stop here!" Pandora gasped as she noticed something up in the sky.
"Wh-what's the matter?" Mildew asked as he stopped his taxi.
"Could Pandora have noticed something peculiar in this town? Does it involve, perhaps, her sister in a time of peril? You'll have to wait until next chapter to find out!"
And that is it for this chapter! How did you guys like it? Yeah, I had a fun time looking up the Hooded Claw's voice actor and referencing the other things he was most famous for, other than the Hooded Claw and Mildew, of course! But next chapter is going to be quite interesting, so as the narrator says, stay tuned! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!