Ripster came in from his usual patrol and seated himself at his desk. Graduation seemed like a week ago even though it was just yesterday. As he got settled, his phone rang.
"Hello?", he asked when he picked up.
"Ripster, you there?", Moby asked.
"Moby?", Ripster asked, "What's the call for?"
"Your bro Jab gave me a ring.", Moby answered, "Says he's got something in mind that he wants us all in on. Just don't tell your dad okay?"
"Sure thing.", Ripster said, "See you back at the house."
He hung up and then dialed Jab at his work.
"Ripster, that you?", Jab asked when he picked up.
"What's the big idea of yours bro?", Ripster asked.
"It's Father's Day tomorrow and also Dad's birthday.", Jab explained, "He doesn't know it, but I was thinking we could throw him a surprise party to show we care about what he did for us."
Ripster smiled.
"That's a great idea, but how do we keep Dad distracted?"
"Lena and Bends have that part covered.", Jab answered, "Dr. Malcolm said he'd help too while the rest of us get the home decorated."
Since graduation, the Bolton family had moved to their original home before Paradigm came along and gene-slammed them. Though the lair under the hockey ring had been moved to under the house which took a long time, but was manageable. It was a nice place to live in. Plenty of space, a walk from the beach, and a good lawn. Still, it did his heart good to know that the place he and his brothers had come to know as home had been moved under the old one.
"Ripster?", Jab asked, "You okay over there?"
Ripster snapped out of his daze right then and there.
"Sorry bro, just recalling the move of our lair while the graduation ceremony went on. Thankfully President Horne knows a good team of specialists who know how to keep things under wraps. I'll come help out after work."
"See ya in a while bro.", Jab replied before he hung up.
Ripster hung up the phone and made some calls.
"I'm up for a gig at the old Bolton house.", Rox had answered.
"I'll be there with the whole circus in a few hours.", El Swordo added.
"And I got the power to keep the power on without causing a black out.", Mantaman put in.
Ripster hung up after getting all the answers and that everyone was on board.
/
At the house, the movers were heading out and Dr. Bolton was being handed the keys.
"Thanks for the help gentlemen.", he said proudly.
A mover paused to give Dr. Bolton a wink showing he was a special undercover agent sent by President Horne for the moving project.
"President sends his greetings. And don't worry, this whole operation was carefully monitored and carried out. As far as anyone knows, nothing ever happened and there is nothing under the university hockey building. All the features you installed are there too, but we're proud to keep that a secret as well.", he said giving a salute, "Carry on civilian."
He and the movers left leaving and Dr. Bolton went back inside. The interior designing really moved his heart to see the familiar house he once raised his sons in as well as his late wife though that part he felt a bit haunted, but got over it fast.
"Feels like a lifetime since I last walked these halls.", he thought to himself as he walked to the living room and saw Streex sitting on the sofa.
"Can you believe that we're back here again?", Streex asked, "Almost like reliving the past huh?"
Dr. Bolton smiled and nodded.
"Except the fact that we're now half shark."
"Hey, at least we're together.", Slammu said as he came in from the backyard, "Finished mowing the yard Dad. Even cleared out the debris around the front driveway."
"Well, I'm gonna head up to have a nap.", Dr. Bolton said heading towards the stairs.
Slammu and Streex both saw Jab and Moby starting to descend down the stairs with some party stuff only to pause and back up a bit. Slammu and Streex had to think fast, but what?
"Dad?", Streex said fast.
Dr. Bolton paused.
"Yeah?"
Streex tried hard not to look nervous and Slammu did step in to help.
"We just...wondered if...you could help us...put Mom's necklace where it used to be?"
Dr. Bolton looked their way confused.
"Um..didn't that thing get blown up?"
Jab and Moby managed to get past the trio and got outside before Dr. Bolton heard anything.
"Sorry Dad, guess we forgot.", Streex said looking sheepish.
Dr. Bolton sighed.
"We all forget son."
/
The following day Dr. Bolton had off so he went out to run errands while the sharks and their friends continued setting up the party in the backyard. Rox was setting up the stage for the big musical he was to preform that afternoon. El Swordo had his circus performers help out with the stage to include their acts while Rox and his band played as Ripster helped Jab, Slammu, Mantaman, Streex and Moby decorate.
"I gotta say guys, this is gonna be one heck of a party.", Moby said smiling.
Ripster looked over the place and nodded.
"Yeah, but why do I feel like something is missing?", he said looking curious.
Mantaman then looked around.
"Let's see. Banner, tables, plates, grill and food delivered by Lena and Bends. What else do we-"
Then the whole group looked shocked.
"The cake!", they all screamed.
Jab smacked himself in the head.
"I can't believe this! We forgot Dad's cake!"
"How can we celebrate Dad's birthday without his cake?!", Slammu added.
Ripster looked thoughtful.
"Okay, Dad's errands include checking on the girl's condition which takes about two hours with traffic. We still have time to get things ready. Rox, you and El Swordo can keep practicing your acts. Moby, you and Jab can finish up the decorations. Streex and I will get the cake baked. Slammu, you and Mantaman, you guys keep lookout to make sure Dad doesn't come back soon."
As the other six went off to their posts, El Swordo and Rox went back to their practice runs.
"Gotta say Rox, you sure know your light shows.", El Swordo commented as his assistant and him did the routine they would be doing.
"Thanks El Swordo. Your circus are pretty good yourself."
While they were doing that, in the kitchen, Streex and Ripster were scanning through the cookbooks in the kitchen.
"Where is it? Where is it?", Ripster muttered to himself before turning to Streex, "Any luck finding that recipe?"
Streex put down the book he had and shook his head.
"Five cookbooks, and the recipe isn't in any of them."
Ripster than snapped his fingers s and then went to a drawer in the desk in the living room. He reached in and pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it smiling.
"Found it."
/
While they were doing that, Rox and El Swordo had finished practicing and had come into the house to find an aroma of baking in the air.
"What's cooking?", Rox asked.
"It's Dad's cake.", Jab said as he and Moby started walking through the room with a couple boxes of decorations, "Almost done outside."
"What cake does your dad like?", El Swordo asked wanting to know.
"Angel food with raspberry butter cream.", answered Moby who noticed everyone looking confused, "Jab told me."
El Swordo looked thoughtful.
"You know, my abuela(grandmother)'s butter cream recipe can really bring some style."
Ripster and Streex came out of the kitchen looking pretty overwhelmed.
"Who knew baking a cake would be this hard?", Streex asked wiping his forehead.
Ripster noticed El Swordo and Rox inside and listened as the two offered some help.
"Sure.", Ripster said smiling, "Rox, mind giving Jab and Moby a hand?"
"On it.", Rox said giving a thumbs up and heading outside.
El Swordo followed Ripster and Streex into the kitchen and clearly saw that the cake batter was a work in progress. He got out a couple large mixing bowls and started mixing up the butter cream which got Ripster and Streex's attention.
"What's that El Swordo?", Ripster asked.
"Butter cream.", El Swordo answered, "It's my abuela's recipe and I think it'll add a bit of flair."
Streex nodded.
"Yeah, I can work on some of the outer decorations while the cake is baking."
Ripster managed to get the cake batter into the pan and into the oven before helping Streex and El Swordo with the designing for the outside of the cake. After a half hour, the timer dinged and Ripster took the cake out and set it on the tabletop before his communicator rang.
"Guys, Dr. Bolton his heading home.", Dr. Malcolm reported, "Finished up the girl's exam a bit ago. He'll be there shortly."
"Thanks for the head's up.", Ripster said, "We just need a little more time. Luckily Slammu and Mantaman can help distract Dad for a while."
Streex got out a fan to help the cake cool off while El Swordo had finished the butter cream which Ripster then tasted.
"Whoa, that's tasty El Swordo. Your grandmother sure knows her sweets."
El Swordo blushed.
"Thanks. She used to ice my own birthday cakes and the other kids whenever someone asked her to."
/
Outside, Dr. Bolton puled up in his car only for Slammu and Mantaman to come over to met hi mas he got out.
"Oh hey Bolton.", Mantaman said pleasantly, "How was the exam?"
"The girls are stabilizing more and more every day.", Dr. Bolton answered before pausing to sniff the air, "And who's using the kitchen?"
Slammu and Mantaman both looked alarmed for a second before slapping on straight faces.
"We...were just wondering if we could cook lunch for you Dad.", Slammu said quickly.
Dr. Bolton looked a little confused, but then smiled.
"That's very considerate son, but right now I gotta get to my room to find that stack of envelopes that were sent this morning."
He went to the door just as Ripster and Streex saw from the kitchen window and gave a thumbs up.
"Oh Bolton, we thought we'd go through it for you while you were gone.", Mantaman put in as he and Slammu came up to Dr. Bolton opening the door, "And we got a little something for you in the backyard?"
Dr. Bolton looked confused again as Slammu got out a blindfold.
"It's a surprise.", Slammu said trying not to look nervous.
Dr. Bolton shrugged and let his son blindfold him as Mantaman took his briefcase and started leading him through the house.
"Keep that cloth on Dad. No peeking.", Slammu told him.
"I'm not.", Dr. Bolton answered.
Slammu and Mantaman led Dr. Bolton into the middle of the yard where the party had been set up. Lena and Bends then came over and removed it just in time for the rest of the sharks and all their friends jump out.
"Surprise! Happy birthday Dr. Bolton!"
Dr. Bolton's eyes went wide and his smile was bright right away.
"Why boys, I...don't know what to say.", he said as he got a little teary eyed.
"And it's just getting better.", Ripster said pointing to the stage, "Hit it Rox!"
Rox went all out as his band and him rocked with the lights and smoke effects while El Swordo's entire circus preformed all around the whole area. In all the time, Dr. Bolton was smiling clearly impressed with what his sons had done for him.
"Don't forget this!", Jab said bringing out Dr. Bolton's birthday cake and earning his Dad's attention.
Dr. Bolton of course got the first slice and the moment he bit it, he was showing content.
"How did you all know?", he asked admiring the grilled burgers and hot dogs that had been cooked earlier.
"We had our sources.", Lena said.
At that moment, Dr. Malcolm came on to the scene with the girls each in a wheelchair following.
"Hey, mind if we join in?", Dr. Malcolm asked.
"Not at all.", Dr. Bolton said happily, "Let's dig in."
Nobody had to be told twice. In no time at all, the whole area was filled with chat, laughs and great times as the afternoon wore on. By the time things started wearing down, it was close to sunset, but Dr. Bolton insisted on getting a new family photo though this one would include Moby, Rox, El Swordo, Mantaman, Bends, Lena, Dr. Malcolm and the girls too. And the cameraman(who had shown up unexpectedly and unknowingly) had set up the whole thing and everyone was in position.
"Smile.", the camera man said.
They did and soon, a new family portrait was hanging above the fireplace in the living room as the cameraman left through a rift that appeared before him and his appearance melted away to reveal that he was Theo.
"So long sharks.", he said giving a salute, "Here's looking at you."
And the moment he entered, both him and the rift vanished leaving nothing behind.