The Cagon Mines
by The Chronicler
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Chapter 7
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The Captain of the Guard stepped into the office house at the top of the mine shaft. "What's up, boss?" he wondered when he saw the mayor crouched before the safe, emptying its contents out into a briefcase.
Cagon barely glanced up at him. "The law took the town."
"Yea? That bad?" asked the dimwitted guard.
Cagon growled his frustration at the man. Slammed the case close, he stood up with it in hand. "I'm blowing the mine, so, if I were you, I'd start high tailing it out of here." he suggested.
The captain frowned. "blow the mine?" As understanding slowly occurred, his eyes grew wide. "I have men down there!"
Cagon chuckled. "You don't have men down there. You have liabilities. WE have liabilities." he shook his head. "You think any of them will keep their mouths shut if the state troopers get their hands on them?"
The captain was more mean than smart. He ground his teeth together. "This is that smart ass laser geek's fault, ain't it? That pretty boy has been nothin' but trouble." He yanked free the iron baton from his belt and stomped out and toward the mine.
Cagon shook his head at the man's stupidity. "Fine with me. One last loose end."
Before he left the shack he went to a lock box that sat on the floor by the door. Unlocking it, he opened it up to reveal a lever hooked up to two large tanks: one with a pink liquid, the other with blue. Pulling the lever, the liquid poured down a pair of tubes, down into the rock ground below, and even further down into key positions in the mine.
With one more smile, the mayor of cagon hurried out of the shack and on with his escape.
**********
Perfect Tommy leaned out the doorway.
His original intentions were to pester his guards. He wasn't sure what he was going to pester them about, but it didn't matter. He would find something. His only joy over the last couple of days came from bugging all hell out of them, then, with perfect cockiness, remind them that they couldn't hurt him. Though a few had to be restrained by their fellows when reminding them wasn't enough to cut through their thrid-grade, rage blinded, thought handicapped brains.
But, when he looked around, his guards weren't where they were supposed to be. Not that that was a disappointment. But, accordingly to the twist in his gut, it was a matter of concern. Big, mean, highly paid and/or blackmailed into duty prison guards did not just walk away.
Other scientist, engineers, and such, noticing the same oddity that he had, leaned out of their own prison workshops and looked about. Many quickly disappeared back inside, too afraid to disobey, whether there was a guard or not to enforce previous threats.
Perfect Tommy was never known for cation.
He stepped out of his workshop out into the tunnel. He paused, waiting for some hidden guard to jump him... but nothing happened. He glanced at his neighbor who watched him with classic scientist watch-and-observe-before- reacting look.
"Hey, you didn't see where they all went, did you?" Perfect Tommy asked.
"Why?" demanded the little engineer lady from the other side. Her irritating voice had often been heard in P.T.'s workshop as she screeched and badgered her guards. He had gotten the idea that, even in the best of moods, she was not a pleasant woman. Her continual challenge of Tommy indicted such. "You want them back, eh? Well, I don't! Maybe I can get some work done in peace!"
Perfect Tommy sighed. "No guards means, maybe, just maybe, you can go home and work in peace and quiet there." he pointed out.
The neighbor to the other side felt the need to add "And we might get through a day without your annoying screech and hoot." He quickly vanished back into his workshop when the woman turned her smoldering eyes on him.
"Hey!" Perfect Tommy drew attention back to himself. "I'm going to go see if we can get out of here without getting our heads knocked off. Stay here, stay quiet... for once... and I'll be back for you if it's safe."
"And if it isn't, eh?" the woman demanded, though her tone had soften just enough to allow a slight hint of hope.
The Cavalier smiled. "Well, then, I'll be dragged back, kicking and cursing, and we will know what happened to the guards."
The woman glared at him for a moment, then huffed "Crazy cub." She disappeared back into her workshop.
Well, here goes the easiest escape or the easiest way to get one's teeth kicked in. Perfect Tommy, wearily started down the hall.
"Hey, there, cub. Hold on now, eh?"
He glanced back at the woman. "If you just stay here..."
"Hell, I've got too much work to do to go cleaning up after you!" she snapped. She tossed something to him which he caught easy enough. "Sure as hell not gonna let it be said, though, that I let a crazy cub go off into trouble without a touch of my personal expertise."
Perfect Tommy looked down at what he had caught. A rock spike gun. He grinned.
He was about to thank the woman when she got in the last words. "Now, don't go shooting yourself in the foot with that thing, eh?" She turned back to her workshop mumbling to herself "How the hell am I supposed to get any work done with jackass thugs and crazy cubs interrupting my peace every other eye blink, eh?!"
Perfect Tommy chuckled. Bad attitude, yes, but he liked her.
**********
Down in the deepest tunnel of the Cagon mine Reno Nevada wiped the back of his hand across his sweat dripping brow. "Damn, it's hot down here." he mumbled.
Moses laughed, a big deep sound that vibrated through the tunnels, attracting a few glances from his team. The big man rested a heavy hand on the Cavalier's shoulder. "This is nothing, friend." he assured. "You aughta try the swamps in ol' Louisiana. heat might not bake you, but the added mugginess will boil you alive." He grinned, his white teeth striking against his black face. "Just the way the gators like you."
Reno smiled back. "That where you from?" he asked, for no more reason than being bored with talking about rocks.
Moses laughed again. "Oh, no, not me. Never been there. Big, educated black dude like me down south? You think Cagon is a mean man, you should try a hand full of rednecks hiding under their mama's white sheets!"
"I'll take your word for it." Reno turned back to his work, chipping away at a rather large boulder that stood between the miners and a silver strike.
"Hey! Moses! Take a look see at this." called one of the other miners who crouched at the opening of the tunnel. "There aren't any guards. They're leaving."
The group began to mumbled, a mixture of excitement and concern.
Moses stepped passed his fellow workers to a point he could get a good look out.
All along the planked platforms, groups of prisoners were being abandoned by their guards, who, wide eyed and nervous looking, turned and took off as if running for their lives.
"This is not good." Moses growled. "This is not good at all."
"But, Moses, they're leaving!" protested the others. "We're free!"
"They aren't leaving." the big man corrected. He glanced at Reno who had stepped up beside him. "They're escaping."
**********
Perfect Tommy stopped and listened.
A gurgling sound, a bubbling, a little slurping...
"What the hell is that?" the Cavalier wondered. He glanced around quickly for the source.
There was a lock box set in the wall of the tunnel.
Perfect Tommy ran his hand over the lock. It would be easy enough to pick... if he had the time. Right now he needed to find a way up and out. When everyone was safe and sound, then he could come back and let his curiosity get him into trouble.
He took one last, almost longing look at the box, than moved on.
**********
The State Troopers quickly jumped from their cars and spread out to capture the fleeing guards.
When the Blue Blazes started to follow suit, Rawhide called them back with one of his famous and very loud whistles. "Keep it together, folks. Leave them to the troopers. We have our own to look to."
As if his words weren't enough, Buckaroo Banzai already disappearing down one of the three mine elevators was. There boss was once again heading off into danger without waiting for any of his protection.
They quickly followed after.
Dr Buckaroo Banzai stepped off the elevator cautiously, watchful for any bad guy left. He wasn't sure how many guards there were or if they knew what was going on at the town.
The elevator went only three levels down. There were probably ladders and shafts that lead the way to the lower levels. The third level was all plank platforms that ran along the mine wall which, every once in a while opened into a tunnel. Buckets, hanging from beams top side, waited here to be filled. This was where the silver and excess gravel was brought to be taken topside.
At first he saw no one. Only abandoned mining equipment and deciplin tools (such as whips and batons). But, then, peeking around corners, were the prisoners. Their eyes, bright against soot and grim covered faces, were wide with fear and wonder and confusion.
Buckaroo held his hands up. "It's alright. We're here to close down the mine. You're all free now." he called out to them.
"Like hell!" was suddenly growled from behind.
Before he could turn, a guard leaped from behind the elevator and tackled Buckaroo, slamming him to the plank platform. He knelt on Buckaroo's back, and ripped at the doctor's shoulder holster, trying to free his gun.
Buckaroo, arms stretched out before him, grabbed a discarded baton. With a sudden twist that dislodged his attacker, he rolled over onto his back, swinging back with the baton.
The guard took the blow in the shoulder. With a grunt, he stumbled away, slamming into the fragile rail of the platform. "Son of a... " he started, turning quickly around to face the intruder.
But Buckaroo didn't waste any time. He rolled back on his shoulders, then back, leaping to his feet, baton still securely in hand.
The guard growled, his fists doubling up. He was a good fifty pounds heavier than the wiry intruder, his shoulders were broader, his arms powerful. He was confident that this little man was no match.
But, he didn't want to waste time fighting. He wanted to get out, and that meant he needed to kill him quick.
Buckaroo stood light on his feet, silently waiting for the next move. He knew Rawhide was only a few minutes behind him... might even be already down in one of the other elevators on the other side of the pit.
With a curse, the guard charged forward, swinging his huge fists.
Buckaroo ducked under the left, grabbed the right, and yanked it passed him. Stepping out of the way, he let the guard's own momentum sending him stumbling passed to slam, face first, into the rock wall.
Again, the guard grunted. Wiping a bloody nose on the back of his sleeve, he slowly turned to glare at Banzai. But, instead of raging, he grinned. Behind Buckaroo was a very fragile rail and a very, very long fall. All he had to do was make contact, and the only sign left of the intruder would be a splat at the rocky bottom of the mine pit.
Again the guard charged, but just before he was within reach, he dropped to the floor, moving to wrap his arms around Buckaroo's legs.
Buckaroo leaped back to avoid the grasping arms, but one foot was caught and yanked up. He felt himself loosing his balance and stumbling back. Instinctively, he reached out to steady himself, but there was nothing to grab. So, he kicked his other foot out from under him.
Instead of his victim, who's foot he now held as he rose up to his full higth, stumbling back and over the rail, he fell straight down. Startled, the guard was jerked forward, nearly tripping on the intruder.
Buckaroo kicked up as he rolled back, catching the man in the gut, lifting him up and over the top of him. He completed the backward somersault, throwing both the guard and himself through the rail and over the edge.
"Buckaroo!" Banzai heard as he started to fall. Frantically he grabbed the edge of the platform, saving himself from the fall.
But the heavy guard still had a stubborn, not to mention desperate, hold on his foot.
Buckaroo cried out as he felt his leg pop at the knee and ankle. "Rawhide!" he yelled.
As always, Rawhide answered him at once. Dropping to his stomach at the edge of the platform, the cowboy reached down and grabbed his friend by the back of his shirt. "Damn it, Buckaroo. An' you want to know where Perfect Tommy gets it from?" he growled.
Hanging on for his life, Buckaroo Banzai grinned up at him.
"'elp! 'elp!" screamed the guard who had managed to wrap nearly completely around his victim's leg. "Don't let me fall! Oh, please, don't let me fall! 'elp!"
Hotrod looked over Rawhide's back. "Hey, boss, you've got carry-on luggage." he announced.
Buckaroo grunted, wondering if his leg was going to be torn right off. "I'll introduce you later. Pull us up!"
With the help of two more BB, the two men were pulled up to safety. As soon as they were up, the guard leaped to his feet and made a run for the elevator... only to run straight into Panther's gun.
The guard threw his hands in the air. "We gotta get out of here!" he yelled at his captors. "This whole place is gonna go up!"
"Go up?" Buckaroo looked up from where he was sitting on the platform, rubbing his sore knee.
"Go up!" the guard continued. "The Captain came through, tellin' us all to get out. Mayor Cagon was blowin' up the mine. Gettin' rid of the evidence."
"Well, crap." Knuckles growled. She looked around at the miners slowly coming out of hiding. "There are a lot of people here, Buckaroo."
"Then get them moving out." Buckaroo ordered. He let Rawhide pull him to his feet. "Everyone, work in pairs, use your go-phones to find the tracker."
"They won't work to well under all this rock, so don't get too far from each other." Rawhide added.
"And move fast! Find our people and get everyone out!" Buckaroo grabbed Knuckles' arm. "Stay here. Get people up and out in the elevators. Don't let them panic. And make sure the bad guys get nabbed." His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked her over. She wasn't looking quite right, he thought. But now wasn't the time to think about it.
"Move it, people!" Rawhide gave the last order, sending the BBs off and running.
**********
The shovel slammed into the rock just above his head, showering sparks down on him.
Perfect Tommy scrambled on all four to get out of reach.
The guard captain roared, swinging the shovel up and around over his head.
The Cavalier rose up, turned to face his attacker, and held up his hands. "Hey! remember: don't hurt the brains! Need the laser geek alive! Remember?" Now he was slightly sorry he'd given the man and his men such a hard time.... slightly, anyway. nearly losing one's head could make a man reconsider things... particularly those things that encouraged the taking off of said head.
"Gigs up, geek!" the guard growled. "The mine is done for, which means we don't need you alive any more." Down came the shovel.
Perfect Tommy jumped to the side, feeling the make shift weapon brush passed down his arm. Though there was no real damage, there was just enough contact to skin his arm. "Hey!" Tommy turned his arm for a better look. "Damn it, that hurt now!"
"Hold still, and it'll only hurt once!" promised the raging man. Again he swung down with the shovel.
But Perfect Tommy had had enough. If he couldn't talk the man out of killing him, he was going to have to use other tactics to discourage him.
He stepped inside the swing, punching up with his left, catching the guard under and behind the chin. Another swing struck the man across the jaw, his sharp knuckles cutting the Captain's face.
Startled by the quick attack, the guard paused and shook his head. But he wasn't hurt enough to do any reconsidering. With an animalistic scream, his free hand whipped out, slapping Tommy back against the wall. He raised the shovel.
"Stop!" Tommy ordered, raising the spike gun.
The guard paused. Then laughed. "A glorified nail gun? You can't kill me with that!" His swing continued.
P.T. adjusted his aim then fired.
The captain of the guard screamed in pain, dropping the shovel as a rock spike slammed through his wrist.
"I don't need to kill you." Perfect Tommy pointed out.
Big, raging eyes turned up to glare at him. With a growl, he reached behind him.
"Perfect Tommy! Gun!"
The Cavalier rushed forward, jumped into the air, and slammed a kick at the man.
The guard stumbled back, a gun flying free from his hand.
Again Perfect Tommy kicked.
Again the man stumbled back, crashing through the platform rail and over the edge. His scream sounded seemingly forever before it stopped suddenly.
Breathing hard, Perfect Tommy stepped back to lean against the wall.
Buckaroo and Rawhide were suddenly beside him.
"You alright, boy?" Rawhide demanded, looking him up and down.
"No!" the youngest Cavalier snapped. "Do you have any idea how badly I need a shower?!"
Buckaroo's nose wrinkled. "Yes, we have an idea." When the boy turned his glare on him, the doctor smiled.
The bright blue eyes were strong and alert. Perfect Tommy was fine.
"Where's Reno?" Buckaroo wanted to know.
Perfect Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. They take him away during the day. But I gave him the tracker."
Buckaroo nodded to Rawhide who turned to his go-phone. "Perfect Tommy, Mayor Cagon is planning on blowing the mine. Do you have idea how?" Banzai asked.
Tommy started to shake his head, but stopped. His eyes widened slightly. Hurriedly, he pushed away from the wall and ducked down a tunnel.
Buckaroo followed to find his man picking and opening a lock box placed inside the stone wall. Looking over Tommy's shoulder, he saw a pair of clear tubes running through the wall. At that spot, they ran through a high tech looking box where they crossed, then continued on down. Running through one tube was a pink liquid, through the other a blue.
"Oh, damn." Tommy hissed. "Having us use antique tools to pick at the walls, but gets the biggest baddest chemicals to blow the whole damn place up. Asshole!"
"What is it?" Banzai asked.
"That is the biggest, baddest bomb you've ever gonna see. Probably the last." Tommy explained. "One will do a hell of a lot of damage, but not enough to bring down the whole place. So he's probably placed these ports in strategic places through out the mine. When the chemicals reach the end, the computer will send a command back to these ports to mix the chemicals."
"And boom." Buckaroo concluded.
"No." Perfect Tommy corrected. "A lot of big ass booms."
"Can we stop it?"
Tommy looked back at him sharply. "I know chemicals and what goes boom, Buckaroo. I don't know how to disarm a bomb."
Buckaroo grinned. "But you're perfect!" he argued.
His young friend's eyes narrowed. Then they snapped back to the chemicals. "I'm perfect." he agreed. "Not a freakin' god." But he stared at it for a moment, his mind working. His eyes locked on a thick, electric wire running from the port and into the rock, following the tubes. "Command has to get to it somehow through all this rock." He reached in and ripped the wire free.
"Think that's what that did?" Buckaroo wondered.
Perfect Tommy shrugged. "For sure? Don't know what the hell that did. But, what ever it was, it doesn't do it now."
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Chapter 7
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The Captain of the Guard stepped into the office house at the top of the mine shaft. "What's up, boss?" he wondered when he saw the mayor crouched before the safe, emptying its contents out into a briefcase.
Cagon barely glanced up at him. "The law took the town."
"Yea? That bad?" asked the dimwitted guard.
Cagon growled his frustration at the man. Slammed the case close, he stood up with it in hand. "I'm blowing the mine, so, if I were you, I'd start high tailing it out of here." he suggested.
The captain frowned. "blow the mine?" As understanding slowly occurred, his eyes grew wide. "I have men down there!"
Cagon chuckled. "You don't have men down there. You have liabilities. WE have liabilities." he shook his head. "You think any of them will keep their mouths shut if the state troopers get their hands on them?"
The captain was more mean than smart. He ground his teeth together. "This is that smart ass laser geek's fault, ain't it? That pretty boy has been nothin' but trouble." He yanked free the iron baton from his belt and stomped out and toward the mine.
Cagon shook his head at the man's stupidity. "Fine with me. One last loose end."
Before he left the shack he went to a lock box that sat on the floor by the door. Unlocking it, he opened it up to reveal a lever hooked up to two large tanks: one with a pink liquid, the other with blue. Pulling the lever, the liquid poured down a pair of tubes, down into the rock ground below, and even further down into key positions in the mine.
With one more smile, the mayor of cagon hurried out of the shack and on with his escape.
**********
Perfect Tommy leaned out the doorway.
His original intentions were to pester his guards. He wasn't sure what he was going to pester them about, but it didn't matter. He would find something. His only joy over the last couple of days came from bugging all hell out of them, then, with perfect cockiness, remind them that they couldn't hurt him. Though a few had to be restrained by their fellows when reminding them wasn't enough to cut through their thrid-grade, rage blinded, thought handicapped brains.
But, when he looked around, his guards weren't where they were supposed to be. Not that that was a disappointment. But, accordingly to the twist in his gut, it was a matter of concern. Big, mean, highly paid and/or blackmailed into duty prison guards did not just walk away.
Other scientist, engineers, and such, noticing the same oddity that he had, leaned out of their own prison workshops and looked about. Many quickly disappeared back inside, too afraid to disobey, whether there was a guard or not to enforce previous threats.
Perfect Tommy was never known for cation.
He stepped out of his workshop out into the tunnel. He paused, waiting for some hidden guard to jump him... but nothing happened. He glanced at his neighbor who watched him with classic scientist watch-and-observe-before- reacting look.
"Hey, you didn't see where they all went, did you?" Perfect Tommy asked.
"Why?" demanded the little engineer lady from the other side. Her irritating voice had often been heard in P.T.'s workshop as she screeched and badgered her guards. He had gotten the idea that, even in the best of moods, she was not a pleasant woman. Her continual challenge of Tommy indicted such. "You want them back, eh? Well, I don't! Maybe I can get some work done in peace!"
Perfect Tommy sighed. "No guards means, maybe, just maybe, you can go home and work in peace and quiet there." he pointed out.
The neighbor to the other side felt the need to add "And we might get through a day without your annoying screech and hoot." He quickly vanished back into his workshop when the woman turned her smoldering eyes on him.
"Hey!" Perfect Tommy drew attention back to himself. "I'm going to go see if we can get out of here without getting our heads knocked off. Stay here, stay quiet... for once... and I'll be back for you if it's safe."
"And if it isn't, eh?" the woman demanded, though her tone had soften just enough to allow a slight hint of hope.
The Cavalier smiled. "Well, then, I'll be dragged back, kicking and cursing, and we will know what happened to the guards."
The woman glared at him for a moment, then huffed "Crazy cub." She disappeared back into her workshop.
Well, here goes the easiest escape or the easiest way to get one's teeth kicked in. Perfect Tommy, wearily started down the hall.
"Hey, there, cub. Hold on now, eh?"
He glanced back at the woman. "If you just stay here..."
"Hell, I've got too much work to do to go cleaning up after you!" she snapped. She tossed something to him which he caught easy enough. "Sure as hell not gonna let it be said, though, that I let a crazy cub go off into trouble without a touch of my personal expertise."
Perfect Tommy looked down at what he had caught. A rock spike gun. He grinned.
He was about to thank the woman when she got in the last words. "Now, don't go shooting yourself in the foot with that thing, eh?" She turned back to her workshop mumbling to herself "How the hell am I supposed to get any work done with jackass thugs and crazy cubs interrupting my peace every other eye blink, eh?!"
Perfect Tommy chuckled. Bad attitude, yes, but he liked her.
**********
Down in the deepest tunnel of the Cagon mine Reno Nevada wiped the back of his hand across his sweat dripping brow. "Damn, it's hot down here." he mumbled.
Moses laughed, a big deep sound that vibrated through the tunnels, attracting a few glances from his team. The big man rested a heavy hand on the Cavalier's shoulder. "This is nothing, friend." he assured. "You aughta try the swamps in ol' Louisiana. heat might not bake you, but the added mugginess will boil you alive." He grinned, his white teeth striking against his black face. "Just the way the gators like you."
Reno smiled back. "That where you from?" he asked, for no more reason than being bored with talking about rocks.
Moses laughed again. "Oh, no, not me. Never been there. Big, educated black dude like me down south? You think Cagon is a mean man, you should try a hand full of rednecks hiding under their mama's white sheets!"
"I'll take your word for it." Reno turned back to his work, chipping away at a rather large boulder that stood between the miners and a silver strike.
"Hey! Moses! Take a look see at this." called one of the other miners who crouched at the opening of the tunnel. "There aren't any guards. They're leaving."
The group began to mumbled, a mixture of excitement and concern.
Moses stepped passed his fellow workers to a point he could get a good look out.
All along the planked platforms, groups of prisoners were being abandoned by their guards, who, wide eyed and nervous looking, turned and took off as if running for their lives.
"This is not good." Moses growled. "This is not good at all."
"But, Moses, they're leaving!" protested the others. "We're free!"
"They aren't leaving." the big man corrected. He glanced at Reno who had stepped up beside him. "They're escaping."
**********
Perfect Tommy stopped and listened.
A gurgling sound, a bubbling, a little slurping...
"What the hell is that?" the Cavalier wondered. He glanced around quickly for the source.
There was a lock box set in the wall of the tunnel.
Perfect Tommy ran his hand over the lock. It would be easy enough to pick... if he had the time. Right now he needed to find a way up and out. When everyone was safe and sound, then he could come back and let his curiosity get him into trouble.
He took one last, almost longing look at the box, than moved on.
**********
The State Troopers quickly jumped from their cars and spread out to capture the fleeing guards.
When the Blue Blazes started to follow suit, Rawhide called them back with one of his famous and very loud whistles. "Keep it together, folks. Leave them to the troopers. We have our own to look to."
As if his words weren't enough, Buckaroo Banzai already disappearing down one of the three mine elevators was. There boss was once again heading off into danger without waiting for any of his protection.
They quickly followed after.
Dr Buckaroo Banzai stepped off the elevator cautiously, watchful for any bad guy left. He wasn't sure how many guards there were or if they knew what was going on at the town.
The elevator went only three levels down. There were probably ladders and shafts that lead the way to the lower levels. The third level was all plank platforms that ran along the mine wall which, every once in a while opened into a tunnel. Buckets, hanging from beams top side, waited here to be filled. This was where the silver and excess gravel was brought to be taken topside.
At first he saw no one. Only abandoned mining equipment and deciplin tools (such as whips and batons). But, then, peeking around corners, were the prisoners. Their eyes, bright against soot and grim covered faces, were wide with fear and wonder and confusion.
Buckaroo held his hands up. "It's alright. We're here to close down the mine. You're all free now." he called out to them.
"Like hell!" was suddenly growled from behind.
Before he could turn, a guard leaped from behind the elevator and tackled Buckaroo, slamming him to the plank platform. He knelt on Buckaroo's back, and ripped at the doctor's shoulder holster, trying to free his gun.
Buckaroo, arms stretched out before him, grabbed a discarded baton. With a sudden twist that dislodged his attacker, he rolled over onto his back, swinging back with the baton.
The guard took the blow in the shoulder. With a grunt, he stumbled away, slamming into the fragile rail of the platform. "Son of a... " he started, turning quickly around to face the intruder.
But Buckaroo didn't waste any time. He rolled back on his shoulders, then back, leaping to his feet, baton still securely in hand.
The guard growled, his fists doubling up. He was a good fifty pounds heavier than the wiry intruder, his shoulders were broader, his arms powerful. He was confident that this little man was no match.
But, he didn't want to waste time fighting. He wanted to get out, and that meant he needed to kill him quick.
Buckaroo stood light on his feet, silently waiting for the next move. He knew Rawhide was only a few minutes behind him... might even be already down in one of the other elevators on the other side of the pit.
With a curse, the guard charged forward, swinging his huge fists.
Buckaroo ducked under the left, grabbed the right, and yanked it passed him. Stepping out of the way, he let the guard's own momentum sending him stumbling passed to slam, face first, into the rock wall.
Again, the guard grunted. Wiping a bloody nose on the back of his sleeve, he slowly turned to glare at Banzai. But, instead of raging, he grinned. Behind Buckaroo was a very fragile rail and a very, very long fall. All he had to do was make contact, and the only sign left of the intruder would be a splat at the rocky bottom of the mine pit.
Again the guard charged, but just before he was within reach, he dropped to the floor, moving to wrap his arms around Buckaroo's legs.
Buckaroo leaped back to avoid the grasping arms, but one foot was caught and yanked up. He felt himself loosing his balance and stumbling back. Instinctively, he reached out to steady himself, but there was nothing to grab. So, he kicked his other foot out from under him.
Instead of his victim, who's foot he now held as he rose up to his full higth, stumbling back and over the rail, he fell straight down. Startled, the guard was jerked forward, nearly tripping on the intruder.
Buckaroo kicked up as he rolled back, catching the man in the gut, lifting him up and over the top of him. He completed the backward somersault, throwing both the guard and himself through the rail and over the edge.
"Buckaroo!" Banzai heard as he started to fall. Frantically he grabbed the edge of the platform, saving himself from the fall.
But the heavy guard still had a stubborn, not to mention desperate, hold on his foot.
Buckaroo cried out as he felt his leg pop at the knee and ankle. "Rawhide!" he yelled.
As always, Rawhide answered him at once. Dropping to his stomach at the edge of the platform, the cowboy reached down and grabbed his friend by the back of his shirt. "Damn it, Buckaroo. An' you want to know where Perfect Tommy gets it from?" he growled.
Hanging on for his life, Buckaroo Banzai grinned up at him.
"'elp! 'elp!" screamed the guard who had managed to wrap nearly completely around his victim's leg. "Don't let me fall! Oh, please, don't let me fall! 'elp!"
Hotrod looked over Rawhide's back. "Hey, boss, you've got carry-on luggage." he announced.
Buckaroo grunted, wondering if his leg was going to be torn right off. "I'll introduce you later. Pull us up!"
With the help of two more BB, the two men were pulled up to safety. As soon as they were up, the guard leaped to his feet and made a run for the elevator... only to run straight into Panther's gun.
The guard threw his hands in the air. "We gotta get out of here!" he yelled at his captors. "This whole place is gonna go up!"
"Go up?" Buckaroo looked up from where he was sitting on the platform, rubbing his sore knee.
"Go up!" the guard continued. "The Captain came through, tellin' us all to get out. Mayor Cagon was blowin' up the mine. Gettin' rid of the evidence."
"Well, crap." Knuckles growled. She looked around at the miners slowly coming out of hiding. "There are a lot of people here, Buckaroo."
"Then get them moving out." Buckaroo ordered. He let Rawhide pull him to his feet. "Everyone, work in pairs, use your go-phones to find the tracker."
"They won't work to well under all this rock, so don't get too far from each other." Rawhide added.
"And move fast! Find our people and get everyone out!" Buckaroo grabbed Knuckles' arm. "Stay here. Get people up and out in the elevators. Don't let them panic. And make sure the bad guys get nabbed." His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked her over. She wasn't looking quite right, he thought. But now wasn't the time to think about it.
"Move it, people!" Rawhide gave the last order, sending the BBs off and running.
**********
The shovel slammed into the rock just above his head, showering sparks down on him.
Perfect Tommy scrambled on all four to get out of reach.
The guard captain roared, swinging the shovel up and around over his head.
The Cavalier rose up, turned to face his attacker, and held up his hands. "Hey! remember: don't hurt the brains! Need the laser geek alive! Remember?" Now he was slightly sorry he'd given the man and his men such a hard time.... slightly, anyway. nearly losing one's head could make a man reconsider things... particularly those things that encouraged the taking off of said head.
"Gigs up, geek!" the guard growled. "The mine is done for, which means we don't need you alive any more." Down came the shovel.
Perfect Tommy jumped to the side, feeling the make shift weapon brush passed down his arm. Though there was no real damage, there was just enough contact to skin his arm. "Hey!" Tommy turned his arm for a better look. "Damn it, that hurt now!"
"Hold still, and it'll only hurt once!" promised the raging man. Again he swung down with the shovel.
But Perfect Tommy had had enough. If he couldn't talk the man out of killing him, he was going to have to use other tactics to discourage him.
He stepped inside the swing, punching up with his left, catching the guard under and behind the chin. Another swing struck the man across the jaw, his sharp knuckles cutting the Captain's face.
Startled by the quick attack, the guard paused and shook his head. But he wasn't hurt enough to do any reconsidering. With an animalistic scream, his free hand whipped out, slapping Tommy back against the wall. He raised the shovel.
"Stop!" Tommy ordered, raising the spike gun.
The guard paused. Then laughed. "A glorified nail gun? You can't kill me with that!" His swing continued.
P.T. adjusted his aim then fired.
The captain of the guard screamed in pain, dropping the shovel as a rock spike slammed through his wrist.
"I don't need to kill you." Perfect Tommy pointed out.
Big, raging eyes turned up to glare at him. With a growl, he reached behind him.
"Perfect Tommy! Gun!"
The Cavalier rushed forward, jumped into the air, and slammed a kick at the man.
The guard stumbled back, a gun flying free from his hand.
Again Perfect Tommy kicked.
Again the man stumbled back, crashing through the platform rail and over the edge. His scream sounded seemingly forever before it stopped suddenly.
Breathing hard, Perfect Tommy stepped back to lean against the wall.
Buckaroo and Rawhide were suddenly beside him.
"You alright, boy?" Rawhide demanded, looking him up and down.
"No!" the youngest Cavalier snapped. "Do you have any idea how badly I need a shower?!"
Buckaroo's nose wrinkled. "Yes, we have an idea." When the boy turned his glare on him, the doctor smiled.
The bright blue eyes were strong and alert. Perfect Tommy was fine.
"Where's Reno?" Buckaroo wanted to know.
Perfect Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. They take him away during the day. But I gave him the tracker."
Buckaroo nodded to Rawhide who turned to his go-phone. "Perfect Tommy, Mayor Cagon is planning on blowing the mine. Do you have idea how?" Banzai asked.
Tommy started to shake his head, but stopped. His eyes widened slightly. Hurriedly, he pushed away from the wall and ducked down a tunnel.
Buckaroo followed to find his man picking and opening a lock box placed inside the stone wall. Looking over Tommy's shoulder, he saw a pair of clear tubes running through the wall. At that spot, they ran through a high tech looking box where they crossed, then continued on down. Running through one tube was a pink liquid, through the other a blue.
"Oh, damn." Tommy hissed. "Having us use antique tools to pick at the walls, but gets the biggest baddest chemicals to blow the whole damn place up. Asshole!"
"What is it?" Banzai asked.
"That is the biggest, baddest bomb you've ever gonna see. Probably the last." Tommy explained. "One will do a hell of a lot of damage, but not enough to bring down the whole place. So he's probably placed these ports in strategic places through out the mine. When the chemicals reach the end, the computer will send a command back to these ports to mix the chemicals."
"And boom." Buckaroo concluded.
"No." Perfect Tommy corrected. "A lot of big ass booms."
"Can we stop it?"
Tommy looked back at him sharply. "I know chemicals and what goes boom, Buckaroo. I don't know how to disarm a bomb."
Buckaroo grinned. "But you're perfect!" he argued.
His young friend's eyes narrowed. Then they snapped back to the chemicals. "I'm perfect." he agreed. "Not a freakin' god." But he stared at it for a moment, his mind working. His eyes locked on a thick, electric wire running from the port and into the rock, following the tubes. "Command has to get to it somehow through all this rock." He reached in and ripped the wire free.
"Think that's what that did?" Buckaroo wondered.
Perfect Tommy shrugged. "For sure? Don't know what the hell that did. But, what ever it was, it doesn't do it now."