Chapter II.
When molly woke up, she was still in the bag, the air smothering and hot. The teen started to struggle, then relaxed when she realized that she was now securely trussed up. She paused, listening intently. She heard the low roar of an airplane engine and the slight motions told her she was in an aircraft-- inflight. She waited, every sense alert for any sign they'd landed at their destination.
The signs came quicker than she thought-- after a few hours, the plan slapped down for a bumpy, and bad, water landing. The sound of a hatch opening was joined with the echoes of some large cave. Molly heard men shouting and waves slapping on the shore, both amplified into a chorus of echoes. She felt herself being lifted, and moved, and then she was put down.
"Ah, good, good, my brainless Minions, I shall not beat you. Much." Don Karnage said, happily rubbing his hands. "Soon my master plan shall be complete!" Dumptruck opened the bundle, and Molly erupted from it like well… a very angry bear. Unlike her mother, she didn't bother with demands or loud shouts. An elbow took Dumptruck in the belly, doubling him over as Molly shot towards one of the tunnel entrances in the main hanger/harbor for the Iron Vulture.
"Stop her!" Karnage screamed, "Stop her now!" Mad Dog charged into the gap, and Molly, an evil, EVIL expression on her face, kicked him between the legs so hard that he actually flew up into the air, falling behind some bales of loot to where his groans came. The other pirates, seeing the horrible fate that had befallen the first two, backed off into a wide circle, Molly glaring at them all impartially. Karnage sighed, and motioned two aside.
"Ah, well, I must always be doing mywork besides myself, yes/no." He said, his sword out and pointing at the teen. Molly, eyes fixed on the razor sharp blade, backed up slightly, then blinked as Don slid another blade, twin to his, to her.
"Now, if you wish to beat me, you must fight me-- and if you win, I, Don Karnage, will mercilessly let you go!" Molly picked it up and swallowed. She'd never held a sword before, or a knife for anything other than making dinner. Still… without saying anything else, she charged, swinging her sword wildly. Karnage laughed, dodging backwards, until he slipped behind her and swung the sword down, the flat of the blade hitting her behind with a meaty THWAK!.
"Eep!" Molly said, leaping up, before she turned around and charged him again.
"You do not lack for enthusiasm." Don Karnage said, again getting behind her and this time deftly slicing one of her ear ribbons off, so it fell to the floor. Molly snarled and charged again, and this time, Karnage, tiring of his game, did something complex with his sword, and Molly's flew up and out of her hand, hitting the ground somewhere behind her. She was so angry she almost kept charging, but the light prick of the tip of Karnage's sword at her throat stopped her. Molly was suddenly aware that he could kill her if he wanted to.
"So… you have enthusiasm, but not training." Karnage said, letting the sword drop. "I have training…but no enthusiasm to waste it on my brainless minions!" He kicked Dumptruck. "And of course." He continued, slyly looking at her, "The people at your school do not wish to give you any training…yes/no."
"How-- how did you know that?"
"I keep my ears out… and I hear the most interesting things…" Don Karnage positively purred. "You know… I hear that sewing is so interesting… all those needles and threads…" Molly bit her lip at the unexpected sense of shame that came over her.
"I know about that." Molly said, forcing the tremor from her voice. "and what does it have to do with you kidnapping me!"
"Oh…nothing…. Nothing at all, unless…" Don shrugged, "But no, you would not be interested. Dumptruck!" A groaning voice answered him.
"Yes Capn'."
"Take the little girl back to her city, she is not interested."
"Interested, Interested in What?" Molly said. Glaring at Dumptruck, "Touch me and you lose that arm."
"In becoming my new plundering protégé, of course." Karnage said.
"I…you…a pirate?" Molly stuttered, taken completely off guard. Another individual, a pencil necked doctor type, had walked up next to Karnage and was looking at her intently. Molly folded her arms across her chest (disappointing some of the pirates), and continued. "This is a joke, right?"
"Of course not! I, Don Karnage would never be playing with anyone except someone I wanted to trick." He continued, "I need a heir! Someone to teach, to train, to lead in sacking Cape Suzzette!" Molly blinked. The school, in flames. All those little jerks who wanted to make her life into something they wanted, on their knees, pleading for mercy. Molly smiled, unconsciously licking her lips at the image that was conjured. Then, reluctantly, she shook her head and turned to Karnage, trying to put more force in her voice than she felt.
"No deal. Take me home!" She said. Karnage looked at her, and motioned to the man, who tossed a bag at her. Molly tried to bat it away, but was enveloped in a white powder. As she inhaled some of it, her coughing gave way as an odd floating sensation came over her. Karnage smiled, but his voice seemed distant. She wasn't going unconscious, more like she was becoming…detached. Molly vaguely thought she should do something, but it didn't seem important, somehow. Karnage and the man approached her. Karnage smiled.
"You see, my golden Amazon, your voice said it all-- I will just help you to make the…proper decision." He motioned to the smaller man, who took Molly by the arm. Her face vague, Molly went along with him without any protest.
***
"Baloo!" The sound of Rebecca brought Baloo right up and out of a nice, deep sleep, involving a dream with Katy Dodd, Louie's double stacker peppermint fizzie and him winning the Miss Mango contest.
"Beck-ouch!" Baloo said as the hammock spun and fell over, dumping him onto the deck. "What is it? All the shipments are done for today." That was true-- the two contract pilots had gone home, their aircraft bobbing next to the old, but still fastest, Sea Duck.
"Have you seen Molly today?" Becky asked, and Baloo abruptly noted that she didn't look angry-- she looked more than a little worried, her hands twisting together. The gray bear lumbered to his feet and looked at her.
"No, not at all, Beckers-- what's wrong."
"Molly was upset today-- they didn't let her take any of the classes she wanted or play softball." Baloo focused on the tragedy.
"Not play softball? Now why not!?" Becky sighed and looked up at Baloo, glaring.
"Because my daughter is very pretty-- the kind of pretty that causes autowrecks when she breathes deeply!" Baloo blinked. He hadn't noticed-- pigtails was always gonna be six in his book. "and that's not the most important thing! They didn't let her take the classes because they want her to go through home economics and make someone a nice mother and wife!" She gave a vicious kick at the ground. Baloo frowned at that.
"Pigtails can do more than that, Beckers… she's maybe the best mechanic I know except for Wildcat, and Buzz thinks she could be as good as he is." He paused, "Ah, hopefully she'll be a little safer then he is." Becky glared up at him and Baloo abruptly realized how distraught she was.
"Well, she's not going to get the chance now, is she." She said, "Oh Baloo, I should have gone with her-- she was so upset… you know how she is about wanting to win, and to have won, and then have it taken away, she worked so hard to qualify for those classes." Baloo saw that Rebecca was on the verge of tears.
"Now hold up, Bosslady-- lets find Molly first." He looked up at the sound of another plane. "Here's Kit, so lets wait one for him to land."
Kits aircraft touched down. The younger bear had done something of a favor for Shere Khan several years ago, and the Thunderbird was the result-- jet engines with propellers that could fold out for the maximum low speed thrust, or feather and fold into streamlined nacelles when speed was needed made it both fast and powerful-- even Baloo had to admit that it was a handsome plane. Wildcat adored it-- like any well made piece of machinery.
Kit leaped out, and headed for the two others. He'd matured and filled out well, from the lithe bearcub to a tall, rangy adult. His face was still as open and full of life as it had been, and the scar across his left cheek lent character rather than marring his looks. Baloo still shuddered every time he saw that scar. Just a little lower…
"Hi Papa Bear, Ms. Cunningham." He said. "What's going on?"
"Becker's is looking for Molly, Kit." Baloo said, and both filled him in on the events of the day.
"Those close minded-." Kit said and cut himself off. Becky was here, so he'd have to wait until he and Baloo were alone to give a full description. "Ms. Cunningham, so what? She can make her money flying-- she's a great pilot, and she knows-"
"That's not the point!" Becky said, stamping her foot. "Molly wanted to go to college and get a degree in engineering-- she wanted to work on the rocket projects…they have no right to deny that to her. She did everything-- if she was a boy they'd be falling all over themselves to get her in the classes." She hissed in anger.
"But that's not the problem-- I haven't seen her and she's always good about letting me know where she is…" Becky said, "I thought she might have come down here to see Baloo and Wildcat, but…"
Abruptly, a car zoomed up by them, and turned, a package being thrown at their feet. As the car zoomed off in a cloud of dust, a coughing Kit picked up the package, which turned out to be a letter wrapped around a brick. He blinked, and pulled out a single ribbon.
"This is Molly's" Kit said. He looked to the note and started reading.
"To the annoying type Bosslady, the Fat Gray Bear, and My former Plundering Protégé, I have the female type Bear. Do not look for her, or it will not go well. Wait, and I will tell you what you must do to get her back. Felicitations and plunderings, Don Karnage. " Kit let the note fall from his hands as he looked at the other two, their horror struck eyes meeting.
