Chapter 12 - The Challenge is Made

Brick woke up with a start. His entire body ached and he could taste dried blood in his mouth. He slowly sat up. "Ow!" He grabbed his right side as the pain there shot through him.

It was now daylight, and he saw Blossom, Buttercup, and Butch also waking from their dazes.

"Uh, my head." Buttercup said.

"Yeah, me too. Headache like you wouldn't believe." Blossom stated.

Butch rubbed his eyes, then the back of his neck. "Trust me, I'd believe it. What happened.?"

Brick spit on the dusty floor. "Told you that milk was no good." He rubbed his side trying to get the pain to ease.

"How do you know?" Buttercup snapped. She leaned her aching head in her hands.

"'Cause I didn't drink it and I'm the only one they shot instead." Brick explained.

"Huh?" the others gasped together. Brick lifted his shirt. His right side was swollen and horribly bruised. "Some kind of knock-out dart." he stated.

Blossom crawled over to him. She put her hand on his side and felt it was warm to her touch. She gave a little push and Brick jumped back.

"Ow! Quit it!" he yelled. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his side.

Buttercup slowly stood up to look out the room's single barred window. "Where are we?" she wondered.

"Santa Cruz," they heard from behind them. "Santa Cruz de la Sierra. You are in one of the Jesuit missions, Santa Ana, to be precise."

They turned towards the voice and saw a tall, thin, fairly ominous looking man standing at the bars that crossed the door.

"How'd we get here?" Butch demanded.

The man rubbed his chin in mock thought. "Ah,...by truck. 610 kilometers. Quite a naptime for you four, eh?" He chuckled. Then he pointed at Brick. "What's'a matter with you?"

"Nothing," Blossom spoke up. "We're all fine." She looked at Brick who was still doubled over in pain.

"The Colonel will be here shortly." the man told them. "You wait here."

Butch stood up, an angry look crossing his face. "What's to keep us from busting out of here and kicking your butt?" he asked.

The man seemed unaffected by Butch's words. He pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette, tapped it on the back of his hand, lit it and inhaled deeply. He blew the smoke out in a long puff. He looked at Brick and said, "I think HE will slow you down considerably." He grinned. "The Colonel has something I'm sure you kiddies will want. Just be patient." He turned and walked away.

"This stinks!" Buttercup complained. "C'mon, let's bust out anyway."

"No, Buttercup, that guy's right." Blossom replied. "Brick's hurt pretty bad and we can't leave without him."

"No, I'll make it," Brick stated, "I don't need to be babied." .

Blossom gave him a sideways look. "Yeah, sure."

"So, what now? We just sit here? No way," Buttercup said. "We can break right through this! Look," she picked at the wall. "Nothin' but cement. We bust the wall down, then come back for Brick, simple enough."

"You will find it very difficult to break that wall down, my dear." The man with the cigar was standing in the doorway. "It has recently been reinforced with a special new metal framing. Try, if you like." He stood nonchalantly looking at them.

Buttercup became enraged. She flew at the bars in the doorway like a green lightning bolt. She slammed into the bars, but they didn't move. She backed away, stunned, then again tried to break through them. She attempted to bend the bars. Then she tried to pull them from their mounts, but to no avail.

Butch reached up and grabbed her by the waistband of her shorts and dragged her down. "Give it a rest, will ya?" he instructed her. She floated into the corner and leaned against the wall, arms crossed in front of her in anger.

Blossom sat blinking in amazement. "What kind of metal is THAT?" she asked. She had never seen a set of bars that Buttercup couldn't find a way through.

The man lit a cigar and stood looking at them, a smug look of satisfaction on his face. "I am Colonel Cunada, head of the military of this country. I am pleased to finally meet you four face to face. I have heard quite a lot about you. I see by your display, miss, that what I have heard is indeed true."

Blossom glared at the Colonel. "Heard from who?" she demanded.

Colonel Cunada chuckled. "Why, from your monkey friend, of course."

"MOJO JOJO?!" they said together. Blossom stood up and approached the barred doorway. "So, you're in with him, too, huh? Where's our sister and brother? What's Mojo up to?" she demanded.

Colonel Cunada shook his head slowly. "No, no, I am not 'in with him', as you put it. I am actually working against his people. For the ones who deliver you to him will be awarded the secrets of his astounding new metal." He grandly indicated the bars in the doorway. "I intend to be the recipient of his technological wisdom, not those godless mercenaries working with him."

"So, tell us where he is and we'll bring him to you." Butch offered.

The Colonel shook his head. "No, I don't think so. You see, so far, you four have eluded my men too many times. Now, we will control your fate so you can lead us to Mojo. I think you will want this eventually..." he reached into his jacket and produced the next letter. "...but first you will earn it. Then you will share the information it contains with me. No more disappearing into the crowds. I intend to keep a tight rein on you from now on."

"Why don't you just read it for yourself?" Buttercup snapped.

"Now, that wouldn't be very fair, would it?" the Colonel taunted her.

"So how do we earn it?" Brick asked.

The Colonel paced back and forth across the doorway. "You will earn it by competing for it. This is a game, so let's truly make it an interesting one."

"You just name the game, Colonel," Blossom said, an angry expression on her face. "We'll beat you at any game you wanna play."

The Colonel stopped and puffed on his cigar. "Very well, then, a game. Two hours from now, it will begin. Oh, and there will be none of that flying from the four of you. Just to keep it fair." He walked away, chuckling to himself.

Butch turned to the others. "What happens if we lose?"

"The four of you die." the Colonel replied from down the hall. "Your Mojo did not say you had to be living upon delivery." They heard a large metal door open and slam shut.