Hi everyone! Okay, from here on in, were are officially back in the present. If you recall from Chapter 33, everything that was happening from that chapter until now was took place a few days prior.
Response to reviews:
Rosali Leon Huamani: Gracais Rosali! Lo apprecio!
Veganmama: Lol ya making foot forward and two steps back is more accurate at this point. And yes, the story now reverts back to the present.
Cre8ivelybankrupt87: Lol, I guess Gerald is not as dense as I made him out to be. But, is he right?
I think it's pretty safe to say that Helga's logic on Rodrigo's and Rhonda's friendship is more accurate.
I was actually going to do that. But, if I did, then that would mean Rhonda was explicitly engaging in an affair with Helga and I did not want to make Rhonda look like the bad guy. Not to mention that Helga would have killed her if she ever found out. It would have just been a big head within the story, so I just took that out.
Yes, she is. I did not want for it to just be about Helga and Arnold. That's already been done. I also wanted to include another unknown person, so I figured Rhonda was the best choice. Like Helga in the tv series, I consider Rhonda to be one of those characters that has a lot of room to grow, mature and show just how capable she really is. But, because she was a supportive character in the series, she never really got that chance to shine. Actually, a lot of the other characters are in the same hole, especially Phoebe.
Lol, Gerald and Helga? Oh that'll be the day.
Back in the present…
While Helga distracted the four guards and went up the stairs to entice them to follow only her, Rodrigo, Arnold and Gerald quickly made their way back to the elevator, which thankfully was still vacant and hurriedly went inside, pressed the 45 button and eagerly waited as the door began to close and the elevator began to make its ascend.
"We shouldn't have left her there." Rodrigo grudgingly stated.
"I know, but she knows what she is doing." Arnold assured him. "She'll be alright." He continued as he placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comforting.
Rodrigo said nothing back and just sighed, trying to remain hopeful that she would be able to make it out okay. He wasn't really sure what to make of Arnold's optimism about Helga. If he really cared for her as he claimed he does, he should be just as worried as he was, if not more, about her safety. However, instead he remained calm, even optimistic. But, then again, he did knew her more than he did, and so knew more what she was capable of. Whatever the case, Rodrigo hoped Helga would be alright.
Eventually, the elevator made it to the top floor, finally and the three male teens ran out and made their way to Von Scheck's office.
"Curly, we're on the top floor." Rodrigo said to him. "Can you open Von Scheck's office?"
"Sure can." Curly replied. "Open sesame!"
The three male teens heard the door unlock and quickly burst inside the office and closed the door behind them.
"Curly, lock it!" Rodrigo said.
"Done." Curly said.
Rodrigo then quickly rushed to Von Scheck's office computer and then turned it on. At the same time, he inserted the USB device that would help guide the virus towards it. Meanwhile, Arnold was quickly looking at the security cameras that were currently recording, trying to find out where Helga was.
"Gerald, come help me find Helga." Arnold called out to him. "Gerald?" He called out to him again when he didn't answer him.
"Alright, The Black Soxs won last night!" Gerald happily exclaimed as he watched the previous night's game on Von Scheck's private flat screen TV.
"Gerald!" Both Arnold and Rodrigo angrily shouted at him.
"Oh right. Sorry guys, hehehe." Gerald said with a nervous smile as he then turned the TV off and then went to the security cameras to help Arnold.
"Do you see her?" Gerald asked Arnold.
"No." Arnold responded with a now worrying tone.
"Okay, Curly," Rodrigo then said, "Von Scheck's computer is on and I inserted the device. How do I unlock the password?"
"Not to worry." Curly said. "That little device will grant me access to figure it out."
Sure enough, the computer started acting funny with the screen becoming very static. The device scanned through the various words and phrases in an algorithmic fashion that allowed Curly to quickly scan through it. After only about a minute of waiting, Curly managed to find the password, automatically typed it and granted access to Rodrigo and Curly.
"Now all you need to do is turn on the beacon and the virus will start to make its way there." Curly instructed him. "All you need to do is just make sure no one intervenes."
"Got it." Rodrigo said.
Meanwhile…
*ring**ring**ring**ring**ring**ring*
Nick Vermicelli was at home, in his bed, still fast asleep and heavily snoring when his cell began to ring. Although initially not hearing it, he soon very slowly awoke to its consistent and growing annoying ring. He groaned, turned around to face his nightstand and while still half-asleep, tried to grab his phone a few times before finally succeeding, clicked on the receiving button and spoke.
"Yello-"
"NICK!" Von Scheck furiously screamed at him the second he heard his voice, not bothering to let him finish his sentence and completely startling his subordinate, forcing him to completely wake up as he jumped.
"Y-Y-Yeah boss, I'm here." Nick startlingly said. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing's wrong," Von Scheck then very calmly, almost cheerfully, began to say to him, "I just called to ask you where those pestering teenagers are at this moment?"
"Football head?" Nick asked, now really confused by Von Scheck's quick change in tone. "He should still be at his home, sleeping. That goes for the rest of his friends. My people and I and were surveillancing them just yesterday."
"Oh, is that right?" Von Scheck pleasantly said to him, causing Nick to become a bit uneasy now. "Well then, do you mind then perhaps explaining to me why there are a bunch of teenagers running amok inside MY CORPORATE HEAD OFFICE BUILDING?!" He then just as quickly began to grow extremely angry again and began to roar at Nick. "They found that female teen with the one eyebrow- Helga Pataki here! And if she is here, then Arnold must also be here!"
"W-What? That's not possible." Nick stuttered, completely stunned. "We have been following that football headed kid and his friends for days and we found no suspicious activity. T-T-That can't be them inside the building."
"Believe me Nick," Von Scheck then softly snarled at him, "they are here, inside my building. Which means they slipped right through your imbecilic mind and fingers!"
"M-M-Mr., Von Scheck sir," Nick nervously tried to explain himself, "I'm so sorry sir. I don't know how-"
Von Scheck softly, but extremely angrily snarled at Nick, causing both Nick and Hubert who was right beside and glaring at him, to both gulp in fear. "Wasn't it you Nick and my Head of Security that 'advised' me that you both had everything under control, that that spineless, pestering football headed kid and his friends were, what was that word? Oh yes, 'broken'? Didn't you both tell me to trust you?"
"Y-Yes sir." Nick fearfully responded. "I-I-I'm so sorry sir-"
"Just get over here Nick, on the double!" Von Scheck angrily yelled at him as he then immediately hanged up on him.
Nick wasted no time and immediately got out of bed and got dressed.
Oh man, I am so dead. He thought to himself as he tried to put on his pants.
After hanging up on Nick, Von Scheck then turned his attention to Hubert.
"Where are your firearms?" Von Scheck calmly asked him.
"In the basement, sir. Locked away." Hubert very nervously answered him.
"listen to me very carefully, Hubert." Von Scheck said with a soft, but aggressively impending tone as he leaned closely to Hubert who seemed to be on the verge to having a heart attack. "You are to unlock those firearms and distribute them to all your security personnel." Von Scheck instructed him. "I am also instructing you to recall any security staff who are off-duty, are on vacation or just taking the day off and have them come here immediately."
"Y-Yes sir." Hubert said. "But sir, despite the gravity of the situation, these are just kids. Are the firearms really necessary?"
"They are now." Von Scheck said calmly and he stood straight up, using his physique to impose himself. "These are no longer 'kids'. They are now intruders, even terrorists who are engaging in nothing more than theft and corporate espionage and as CEO, I have every right to protect the property and personal information of this company and all of its employees. Do I make myself clear, Hubert?"
"Crystal, sir." Hubert replied with a nervous salute.
"Good. Now GO!" He demanded and Hubert immediately set off to unlock the firearms in the basement and began to send out instructions to his administrative staff to recall all off-duty security personnel to come to the FTI building.
Meanwhile…
As Helga made her way into this dark, empty space that was no longer a storage room, she completely lost sight of what she needed to do, or what was occurring outside in the hallway. The sirens and commotion outside started to completely faze out of her ears and mind, as if they went silent. All that was now directing her attention was where she was and what this all meant. Helga said nothing other than continue to walk ever deeper into this space, looking around every piece of it, as if each side, every structure had their own story to tell. Each look and each step only took Helga more and more towards the back of her mind, of memories; much cherished but now outdated memories that she on the one hand, stubbornly repressed, wanting to not consciously think of them. But on the other, refused to completely let go.
The room was not completely empty. It acted more like the building's electrical room, with two giant electric wheels turning right next to each other. Helga watched with some interest on those two giant wheels turning, as if she was trying to not go any further, not wanting to metaphorically and literally take another step into that room as she fully well knew where it would take her. Yet tried as she might, it didn't do her any good. Rather, the wheels only made the situation worse for her, as if they were saying to her that she had now come full circle in her journey and she had to see it to the end. There was nowhere else to go but forward.
Reluctantly, she then turn to her right, where she saw a phone. Approaching it, she glanced at the phone a bit, as if the device was 'visually' telling her what happened some years ago and was 'urging' her to touch it, like Sleeping Beauty being urged to touch the tip of the spinning wheel. The only difference was that instead of putting her to sleep, something inside her would awaken. No longer having a sense of control over her own mind and body, she reached out and gently touched it...
Flashback…
A nine year old Arnold frantically rushed into the same electrical room in order to avoid the guards that were chasing him, closing the door behind him. Even though the guards were oblivious to where he went and ran past the room, Arnold continued to run, trying to find someplace to hide as he breathed heavily. He immediately saw another door at the far end and quickly ran towards it.
*ring**ring**ring**ring*
Arnold immediately stopped and gasped when he heard the phone that he was just about to pass ring. Thinking that it couldn't be coincidental, he grabbed the receiver and put it on his ear.
Helga as Deep Voice: Don't go out in the hall yet. It's swarming with guards.
Arnold: Wait! How do you know I am here. Where are you?
Helga as Deep Voice: Don't worry about me. The point is that you got the evidence you need to save the neighbourhood. Now, we've got to get you safely out of the building. If you are caught now, all is lost.
While listening to Deep Voice, Arnold looked around to see where he could possibly be. He then turned a corner and saw that just outside onto a balcony was someone there. Realizing that that someone was most likely Deep Voice, he tried to distract him.
Arnold: Uh Deep Voice? Tell me how I can get out of here.
He then dropped the receiver and began to walk towards the mysterious person.
Helga as Deep Voice: Okay Arnold, listen. You've got to wait until the guards...
End of flashback...back in the present…
After making a small gasp, Helga immediately let go of the receiver, feeling a bit dazed by just how vividly she remembered from that time. Then, she turned to the same corner that led to the balcony and looked at the empty causeway, with the big fan still moving on the left side and saw the door. But instead of moving toward the balcony, she remained still, not daring to move an inch.
I...don't want to to do this. Helga thought to herself with growing uneasiness and anxiety. But...I can't help it…
The sheer memory of it all brought Helga a painful feeling of loss and sadness. With each passing memory she could feel her heart being ripped out from her chest as they served nothing but reminders of what she once had, of the person whom she still loved and who once loved her. And yet, those negative feelings were simultaneously accompanied by a warm, loving, sensation. Even a feeling of...hope was felt, that assurance of what once was, could maybe, just maybe be felt again...
Back in Von Scheck's office…
"Rhonda, how are you guys holding up?" Rodrigo asked through his earpiece.
"We're holding our own." Rhonda responded. "A few guards passed by, but no one tried to get in."
"If anybody tried to, just hide and let them pretend the room is empty." Rodrigo suggested.
"Well, duh." Rhonda retorted. "Did you guys make it to Von Scheck's office?"
"We did. The virus still needs to make it its way here, but it shouldn't take too long." Rodrigo answered. "By the way, have you seen Helga? Is she there with you?"
"No. Wasn't she with Gerald?" Rhonda confusingly asked.
"She was. I'm with Arnold and Gerald now. We all met up and she took off in order to distract the guards that were chasing us." Rodrigo explained with a worried tone. "We don't know where she is now."
"She is probably hiding." Rhonda said to him. "I'm sure she'll turn up soon. We'll let you know if she comes here."
"Thanks." Rodrigo said as he then changed frequency. "Any luck yet, Curly?"
"Not yet." Curly answered. "But, I should be hitting Von Scheck's computer soon."
Rodrigo then went to where Arnold and Gerald were.
"Any sign of her?" He asked them.
"No. She hasn't shown up on any of these cameras." Arnold replied, now getting increasingly worried.
"Babe, any luck on getting a hold of Helga?" Gerald asked.
"I've been trying, but she hasn't responded." Phoebe replied back. "Where ever she is, it must be disrupting our communication connection. I don't think she can even here me."
"Nothing on Phoebe's end either." Gerald said to both male teens.
Rodrigo and Arnold then felt silent and just frowned while staring at the various camera footages. Gerald, upon seeing their worried faces,
"Guys, I'm sure she is okay." Gerald tried to comfort them.
"How do you know?" Rodrigo asked.
"Well, if what Arnold said was true and that if Von Scheck had captured one of us and used that as leverage; the fact that he hadn't yet tried to contact us means that they do not yet have her." Gerald explained.
"I guess..." Arnold said, not completely convinced by that logic.
Then, Rodrigo banged his palms on the table and began to walk away.
"I'm going to go and find her." He said as he began to march towards the elevator.
"Wait!" Arnold said and quickly rushed towards him and grabbed his shoulder. "Let me go and find her. I know how to make my way around this place better than you can. Besides, you need to stay here and coordinate with Curly on retrieving any incriminating evidence from that computer."
"Arnold, didn't you just hear me just now?" Gerald said.
"I did, but it won't matter to Von Scheck now." Arnold said. "Whether if it's me, Rodrigo or anyone else, he can use any one of us as leverage. And besides, so long as I'm here, I'm nothing more than a possible magnet for them to concentrate all of their efforts here. But if I'm out there, I'm hoping to find Helga and distract them long enough for Curly to get access to Von Scheck's computer."
"Arnold no! That's suicide!" Gerald fiercely protested. "Von Scheck will kill you."
"He's right." Rodrigo agreed. "It's too risky for you to go out there."
"Better me than anyone else." Arnold countered. "I can't allow anyone to risk themselves for me. Besides, what good am I to just stay here? Helga maybe in danger and it's only a matter of time before Von Scheck realizes we are here. It's me he wants. So, let's use that against him and distract him from you guys."
Gerald and Rodrigo said nothing and just stared at Arnold with unconvincing eyes.
"Look," Arnold continued, "I won't be alone. Remember that we now has full control over the building's security system and the elevators. Von Scheck is blind at the moment. I can make my way around the building without getting caught, find Helga and bring her back here underneath their noises. We don't have a choice guys! If he catches all of us here, the whole mission is as good as dead."
Rodrigo then changed the contact frequency and through his earpiece, spoke to Phoebe.
"Phoebe, any word from Nadine or Harold yet?" He asked.
"I already informed them to initiate Plan B, but it'll take them some time for them to get there." Phoebe responded.
Rodrigo said nothing and just groaned in frustration, but it was hard for him to think under the constant noise the sirens were still making. However, Rodrigo knew that Arnold had a point. Who knows how long it will take for Curly to get access to the computer and Von Scheck's other various devices before they can get what they need.
"Gerald? Any other better ideas?" Rodrigo asked.
Gerald shook his head.
"Honestly...no." He said. "As much as I hate to admit it, Arnold's right. We need to buy Curly some time."
Rodrigo just sighed, but then looked straight into Arnold's eyes.
"Find Helga first and get her back here safely." He firmly instructed him.
"I will." Arnold said. "You have my promise on that."
"And," Rodrigo continued, "be careful."
Arnold nodded and then began to make his way out of the office until Gerald spoke to him.
"Arnold, wait!" Gerald to him. "Listen uummm..." He tried to talk but was at a loss of words on what to really say.
"Everything will be okay, Gerald." Arnold tried to comfort him as he then extended his hand. "I'll be back soon."
Gerald saw it and with a small smile, did their personal handshake with their thumbs as assurance.
"I'll see you soon." Gerald said to him while still smiling.
Arnold smiled back and then headed off towards the elevator.
"Curly, unlock the office door." Arnold instructed him.
"Unlocking now." Curly said, allowing Arnold to run out.
"Close them." Arnold instructed and then headed towards the elevator. "Lorenzo, I'm going to need your help. I need to find Helga, but I'll need you to be my eyes again and make sure I don't come across any guards."
"Got it, Arn." Lorenzo complied.
Arnold then reached the elevators and then pressed a button, allowing the door to close and starting its descent.
Meanwhile, at the Head Security room...
Rhonda, Peapod Kid, Stinky and Sid nervously hid away as guards and employees ran in various directions out in the hallway. All employees had been instructed to leave the building immediately, while the guards continued to look for the intruders.
Just then, a guard approached the doors and tried to open it, causing the teens inside to make small gasps.
"What the-?" The guard said as he continued to pull the doors open, but to no avail. "Who the locked the doors?" He asked himself.
He then tried to use his swipe card to open the door, but only for the red light to turn on, signaling that lock did not register his card.
"Ugh!" The guard groaned in frustrated as he tried to once again pull the door open, this time more forcefully.
The teens inside could do nothing but just anxiously hide away, not making any sound or any movements.
Eventually, the guard gave up and stopped trying to open the door.
"Hey Jeff." The guard then said through his small walkie-talkie. "The doors of the security room are locked. I can't open them. Can you come here and unlock them?"
*static**static* Was all the guard could hear.
"Jeff? Can you hear me?" The guard asked again, but again nothing other than static was heard.
"Stupid equipment." The guard irritatingly grunted and then began to walk away from the door as he went to try and find him.
After a while, the teens realized that the guard must have left. Very slowly, Rhonda lifted her head to take a peek at the door. Once the coast the clear, she changed the frequency on her earpiece.
"Curly, you need to hurry up with that virus!" Rhonda frantically said to him. "The guards are trying to get inside."
"I'm hurrying up as fast as I can." Curly responded. "But, it'll take some time. You guys will need to hold them off for a bit."
"Ugh!" Rhonda let out a frustrated grunt and just rubbed her forehead.
"What's wrong?" Sid asked.
"Curly says we need to hold the guards off in order to give him more time to find Von Scheck's computer." She explained.
"For how long?" Sid asked.
"I don't know." She groaned. "Just long enough."
Rhonda then went silent and looked around to see what they can use.
"We can use the desks and chairs here to barricade ourselves. That would buy us some time." She said to them.
"Will that be enough?" Peapod Kid asked.
"I don't know." Rhonda responded with a discouraged tone. "Probably not."
Sid said nothing and just looked onto the ground, thinking what else they could do to hold the guards off. They needed something additional, some sort of distraction that would prevent the guards from even attempting to get inside.
"I know what needs to be done." Sid then said with a serious face.
Before Rhonda could say anything, Sid went up to her, grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "tell everyone I died a hero."
"What?" Rhonda confusingly said, but Sid was already making his way up back to the ventilation system.
"Sid, where are you going?" Stinky asked.
"If the guards come back, I'll distract them and get them to chase me, away from here." Sid quickly explained as he attempted to get back inside the ventilation system.
"Whoa Sid, that's too dangerous!" Peapod Kid said.
"No choice at this point." Sid said as he got in. "Just barricade the doors with anything you can grab a hold off. Good luck guys." As he then disappeared into the system.
"Wait, Sid!" Rhonda yelled at him.
"Sid, hold up!" Peapod Kid also tried to get his attention, but it was too late. Sid was already making his way back towards the office room from where they first got inside.
"Golly, he sure is one brave kid." Stinky remarked.
Everyone, as shocked and worried as they were, realized that Sid maybe right. They'll need to do whatever it takes to make sure the guard do not get inside the room. Rhonda just sighed before she then spoke,
"Okay guys. You heard Sid." She said to Stinky and Peapod Kid. "Let's grab anything that we can barricade those doors with."
Stinky and Peapod Kid complied and with Rhonda, immediately began to grab any chair, furniture, box, even a metal rod that they found to seal those doors tight.
"Park, are you there?" Sid called through his earpiece as he continued to make his way through the ventilation system.
"Still here." Park responded.
"Listen, I'm leaving the security room and heading back to the office room. I'm going to distract any guards that may come back to try and get in. I'll be hiding, so I'll need you to let me know when the guards come back so I can distract them."
There was a bit of silence on the other end, but eventually, Park spoke.
"Copy that, Sid." Park replied, albeit reluctantly.
Satisfied with his answer, Sid continued to make his way through the system and back to office room.
Man, I hope this works. He thought to himself.
Meanwhile, down in the basement of the building...
Hubert unlocked the metal cabinet that contained the firearms and immediately began to distribute among among his men. Some got shotguns, while other got sidearms. Hubert however, remained very uneasy about all of this. Despite breaking the law, he knew the kids were not posing a direct threat to the employees' lives and thus, still did not seem it necessary to have firearms. However, he nevertheless followed orders, but he also instructed his men to use them if their own lives are in danger.
Von Scheck appeared out of nowhere and without saying anything, grabbed a sidearm, along with a magazine that contained bullets. Hubert saw him, but didn't say anything.
"You are to continue with the evacuation of all employees from the building." The CEO said to his subordinate. "Secure the building and ensure no one leaves."
"Yes, sir." Hubert said to him, but then gathered up the courage to ask him something. "Where will you be going sir?"
"To end this, once and for all." He just said to him with an eerily tone before then walking away to find Arnold Shortman.
Meanwhile...
Arnold continued with his descend back down to the 27th floor in the hopes of retracing Helga's steps.
"Lorenzo, is the coast clear on floor 27?" Arnold asked through his earpiece.
"Yup. You're clear." Lorenzo acknowledged.
The elevator then stopped and the door swung open, allowing Arnold to run out into the hallway as he then began to ran back to the staircase where they last saw her. As Lorenzo said, the hallway was completely empty, making it easier for Arnold to get to that staircase quickly.
"Lorenzo, I'm almost at the south-end staircase. Am I clear?" Arnold asked.
"If you're going up, yes." Lorenzo confirmed. "There are guards at the bottom of the stairs, but they are too far to cause you any trouble."
Good news for him as he quickly arrived at the door, opened it and went into the staircase, going up.
Helga, please be okay. Arnold worryingly thought as he continued to run up the stairs to the next floor up.
Back in Von Scheck's office...
Rodrigo and Gerald waited anxiously as the virus continued to make its way to Von Scheck's computer. To occupy their minds, they continued looking at the various live cameras in the hopes of maybe seeing Helga. At least if they saw her that she was okay, that was one less concern.
"Alrighty! I am there!" Curly then suddenly exclaimed in excitement.
"The virus made it to the computer?" Rodrigo asked.
"You bet ya!" Curly confirmed. "Now the real fun begins!"
Rodrigo then went to the computer and watched as the computer began to act funny, seeing white lines and even hearing a buzzing sound coming from it. The virus rapidly corrupting it, Curly now began to gain control over the CPU, giving him access to all of the computer's files, documents, history, transactions made, frequent word patterns, everything.
A few miles away, inside the yellow van...
"We're in!" Curly exclaimed. "Phoebe, start going through all of computers files, data, transaction history and web searches and begin distributing them between Park and Lorenzo to filter through them." He instructed her.
"Got it." Phoebe acknowledged and began to quickly type faster as she scanned through everything that was coming her away."
Freeing himself from that task, Curly then began to use the computer's internet connection to then search and find any traces of Von Scheck's cell phones and personal laptop that he used for his malicious schemes.
Slowly, the team began to find and compile evidence of Von Scheck's illegal activities, hoping that this time, they can put him away for good.
Meanwhile...
Helga, feeling compelled by the surrounding memories, began to go down the hallway, heading towards the balcony. As she slowly crept towards it, someone called her through her earpiece.
"Helga, are you there? Come in, Helga?!" Phoebe tried to get her attention, but Helga kept on ignoring her, too consumed and focused on what she was doing, what she felt she needed to do. Eventually, she removed her earpiece and put in her pocket.
Helga then took another step closer to the balcony...
Flashback...
Arnold slowly made his way towards where Deep Voice was, on the balcony, while trying not to make any sudden movements in the hopes of catching him by surprise. As he crept closer to the door, Arnold pushed the blinds aside, grabbed the door handle, turned it, then swung the door wide open.
"Deep Voice!" He cried out, just as a flash of thunder and lightening was seen and heard in the background, startling 'him'.
End of Flashback...
Helga pushed those same blinds aside, grabbed the door handle, opened the door and then made her way into the balcony. By now, it was raining, but Helga didn't care as she unfazingly stepped outside, allowing the rain to permeate through and wettened her hair and clothes. As soon as she was outside, a flash of thunder and lightening was seen and heard.
Flashback...
"Don't come another step closer! Pay not attention to that man with the voice box." Deep Voice frantically said to Arnold.
"Who are you?" Arnold asked as he started moving forward towards 'him'.
""Uh, no one in particular." Deep Voice nervously said, as 'he' intentionally tried to cover 'his' face with his hands and moved backwards.
"No more games, Deep Voice!" Arnold sternly said to him as he continued walking ever closer to him. "I'm not doing anything until I know who you are!"
By now Deep Voice had almost reached the balcony fence-wall, but 'he' then accidentally stumbled on the wooden leg stock that held 'him' up, causing it to break. With a grunt, which sounded like a female's voice, Deep Voice then fell right to the ground, revealing to Arnold just who Deep Voice actually was...
End of Flashback...
Helga, now starting to get wet, looked around the balcony and the surrounding area and then turned to her left where she saw, to her surprise, the broken wooden leg stock that she had used several years ago. They were still there!
Flashback...
"Helga?!" Arnold cried out in utter shock. "You? You're Deep Voice?"
"Hehe, looks like it." Helga said as she used the voice distorter device one last time.
"But, I don't get it." Arnold confusingly said. "How come you couldn't just tell me what you knew? Why'd you have to make up all this crazy secret identity?"
"No reason." Helga replied with a nervous smile.
"But, Helga," Arnold insisted, "you just risked everything to help me save the neighbourhood."
"So? What's your point?" Helga asked with a frowned as she finally got up from the ground.
"That's a pretty amazing thing to do for someone you claim to hate." Arnold replied.
"Yeah, well I'm a pretty amazing person, football head." Helga bluntly remarked.
That response was still insufficient for Arnold. It still didn't make any sense to him why Helga would take such a risk to help him, knowing that it was coming at her and her family's expense.
"But I thought you were on your dad's side." Arnold quickly continued to probe. "I thought you were going to get rich off the whole deal."
"Money isn't everything." Helga just said.
"Helga, why'd you do it?" He finally asked her.
End of Flashback...
Even while it was still dripping down, Helga still made no attempt to go back inside. With her hair and clothes becoming increasingly wet, she continued to stand there, reliving the memory of such a momentous event. She could instantly feel what she went through when Arnold discovered her, feeling cornered, scared, vulnerable, yet somehow...safe. All the love, the passion, the desire that she had for him was now all coming back to bear. Helga had tried for many months to push them aside and too some extent, she succeeded. But, now with the burning memory of her first confession slowly coming to bear, Helga could not help but feel that same intense love for him returning with full force. As she continued to relive them, she then gently touched the balcony fence wall and while feeling its rough texture, began to smile...
Back at the Head Security room...
"There! That outta do it." Stinky said, as he placed the last stake of chair on top of the barricade, right in front of the door.
"Sshh! Someone's coming." Peapod Kid whispered to everyone, signaling that they needed to hide.
Everyone then went to the other side of the room, sat down, covered their heads and attempted to make sure none of them made a sound.
Rhonda, Stinky and Peapod Kid waited with growing fear as the footsteps grew louder and louder, closer and closer. But, it wasn't just the footsteps of one person. There were many. The same guard came back, along with two more guards.
"So, you said that the door wouldn't unlock?" One of them asked as they reached the door.
"Yeah. I tried using my key card, but it kept giving me a red light." The first guard said. "What the-? Why's all the furniture blocking the door?"
"It wasn't there before?" One of them asked.
"No, it wasn't!" The first guard responded. "Someone's inside. It must be those stupid kids. We need to get inside!"
"Alright. Let me put in the secret password. It should do it." The other guard said as he punched in the secret code.
After punching it in, the guard then pressed 'enter' and waited for the green light to light up. Only instead, the red light again light up. The guard, surprised, then attempted to open the door, but it still remained locked.
"You gotta be joking." The first guard irritatingly said.
"I don't get it." The other guard said, looking confused. "I punched in the code. It should have worked."
"The stupid thing is busted." The third guard said. "I've had the same problem before."
"Or...those kids somehow locked themselves." The second guard insinuated.
The other two guards looked each other with a surprising look. The possibility of someone breaking into and commandeering the entire security system was already bad enough, but the possibility of them hacking into the system was just too...inconceivable. But then again, with everything happening, it just could be possible.
Not wanting to get blamed for allowing a bunch of teenager to get inside the security room, the guards then attempted to aggressively try and break into the room. They started to pound on the door or just to break the lock on the door with their hands.
*BANG**BANG*THUD*BANG**THUD*
Rhonda, Peapod Kid and Stinky could hear with growing anxiety and fear as the guards pounded and hit the door with their hands and feet. Yet, no one dared to peek out or try to do anything else. Consumed with fear, all three teens just continued to hide, closed their eyes, while crouching on the floor and grinded their teeth. Each noise and each banging sound only increased the fear that if they continued, they will eventually break inside.
"Curly, are you done yet?!" Rhonda softly, but very sternly said to him through her earpiece, the pounding sounds overwhelming her voice. "The guards came back are and are trying to get inside. What's taking you so long?!"
"Are you kidding me. We only just started." Curly responded, much to Rhonda's dismay.
"'Only just started?!'"Rhonda frustratingly exclaimed. "Oh, you must be joking!"
"Nope." Curly merely replied. "You need to stall them."
"And how do you expect us to do that?!" Rhonda angrily retorted as the guards created another loud banging sound.
"Sid said he will distract them and buy everyone some time." Curly responded. "Just hang in there."
While the guards continued to bang on the door, Sid had just emerged from the ventilation system and into the office room.
"Sid, the guards came back and are trying to get into the security room." Park said through his earpiece.
"I know. I can hear them banging on the door." Sid said. "How many are there and is the hallway clear?"
"There are three of them and yes, it's clear." Park said.
Sid then quietly walked towards the door and opened it, went outside and leaned against the wall as he slowly made his way to the corner that led to the where Head security room door was. Sid could see through the reflection mirror that was screwed on the corner the guards trying to get inside the room. But, because they were so focused on that, they didn't see Sid getting every closer.
Sid tried to gather up all of his courage as he continued to get closer to them. Despite his heart beating fast and heavy, he softly exhaled and gulped, but pressed on. Eventually, he made it to the corner.
"Grrr! Stupid door!" Sid heard one of the guards angrily yell as he kicked it.
Quietly, he took out a slingshot that he brought with him, took out a few small, but hard objects, readied it, and then after taking another deep breath, quickly leaped around the corner, aimed his slingshot at one of the guards who were still oblivious to his presence and fired.
"OW!" One of the guards shouted in pain when he felt something hard hit his head, so much so that he moved away and rubbed his head.
When the other two guards looked towards their left, they were immediately met with a hail of rocks, erasers an other objects.
"What the hell?!" One of them exclaimed at he tried to cover his face with his hands.
"UGGH!" The third guard grunted when he immediately felt something hit his groin, causing him to go down on his knees in pain, only for something else to hit him right in the forehead, causing him to go down backwards.
Rhonda, Stinky and Peapod Kid heard the commotion outside but made no attempt to move. They could only hope Sid got their attention and would get them to go away.
Sid shot his last shot and then started taunting the guards.
"Nahahahahahahaha!" He said to them while sticking his tongue out.
*Bllurrrrupppp* He then blew a raspberry, turned around, unbuckled his pants and pulled them down, showing them his butt cheeks.
"You stupid kid!" One of the guards angrily shouted at him. "You're going to regret this!"
The other two guards agreed and quickly began to get up and start running after Sid. Sid quickly pulled his pants up and while trying to zip and buckle them again, began to ran away and headed straight to the staircase.
"Park, I got their attention! They are chasing me." Sid frantically said through his earpiece. "I'm heading towards the staircase on the building's left side. Please tell me I'm clear."
"You are, Sid." Park said. "Just climb down and I'll guide you."
Sid continued to run as fast as he could. He burst through the door that led to the staircase and following Park's advice, started heading down, with the three, angry guard on his heels.
Once the guards left and things started to quiet down, Rhonda, Stinky and Peapod Kid slowly emerged from their hiding spot. Only just peeking out to make sure the coast was clear, they slowly emerged and rallied.
"Wow..." Peapod Kid with an amazed looked. "Sid is really brave."
"Yeah. I hope he'll be okay." Stinky said.
Rhonda just nodded in agreement, also looking clearly worried for him. However, she soon replaced her worried looked with a stern, determined look.
"Let's make this count." She said to them. "Prepare yourselves to fight when they come back for round three."
"You think they will come back?" Stinky asked.
"Yes." Rhonda confidently responded. "We need to hold this room in order to give Curly and Phoebe time to get what they need. Until then, we are to stay here and defend this place."
