A/N: This next chapter involves more of DM's mean side; and some damage at
HQ. Don't worry though, bear in mind what I said before - this fic does not
ruin DM's reputation. I would never dream of hurting one of my favourite
heroes of all time - I'm not like that, and never will be. So don't worry -
be happy! :) (Whoever sang that, please don't sue me).
Anyhow, as soon as 'Airplane' is over, I'll start working on this chapter! ;)
*
Chapter 3
Kim woke up the next morning in her own bed. She yawned, stretched, and then sat up to see Penfold curled up on the couch at the other end of the room, cuddling his teddy bear.
Kim gave a small smile and got out of bed quietly. She tiptoed across the room, opened the door, and slipped out.
In the corridor, Kim jumped as she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see Danger Mouse coming her way, a large sports-bag strapped over his shoulder. When he saw Kim there, he quickened his pace and walked past her as though she didn't exist. He was heading for the lounge, so Kim followed him.
In the lounge itself, Kim watched, confused, as DM sat on the lift seat and put the bag next to him. He was up to something, there was no doubt about that.
"DM", said Kim, coming into view before he could vanish with the lift. "What are you doing?"
DM jumped and turned to glare at her. "What are YOU doing, sneaking up on me like that?"
He hadn't changed since last night, Kim realised, upset.
"Wondering what you're up to", she growled, gritting her teeth.
"Something that's MY business", DM snarled back. Then before Kim could say anything more, he activated the switch that was under the seat and the lift disappeared down into the garage.
Kim sighed and rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes. This was awful - the person who she had admired and liked for two months was now turning against her.
"Are you alright?" asked a voice. Kim opened her eyes, startled, but it was only Penfold. He was standing there in his pyjamas, biting his nails.
"I saw the way he acted", he said quietly.
Kim didn't reply, but smiled sadly.
They stood in silence for a moment, each pondering the same question:
What had happened to Danger Mouse?
*
Ninety minutes later, the Mark III landed in the middle of the road in the countryside. There was no traffic coming, so Danger Mouse switched on the radio.
"This is Danger Mouse, identification code number 4. Requesting permission to enter".
"Permission accepted", came the reply. "One moment, please".
Less than two seconds later, a small hatchway opened in the road and DM drove in, going downwards. He came into a large lit carpark, with other vehicles scattered around in various parking places.
DM parked his car near the lifts that took you down to headquarters. Each was guarded by a member of security. DM got out with the sports-bag, walked over to the lift being guarded by a burly middle-aged badger and showed his ID.
The guards knew DM well. He had come and gone to HQ a thousand times, as he did happen to be the world's greatest secret agent, there was really no need to check his ID card.
"Go on through, DM", smiled the guard, looking down at him as he passed. He looked curiously at the bag. DM never had anything with him when he came to HQ, let alone in a sports-bag.
"Something for Colonel K", said DM, catching his gaze as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for Level 6.
The guard wondered if he should stop him, but it was too late anyway. The doors had already closed.
The guard frowned worriedly, but then looked around as another agent entered the carpark.
"Agent 57", he smiled as the large hare dressed in a one-piece red jumpsuit with brown clogs on his feet bounded out of his car.
"Morning, Sam", said the hare cheerfully.
"Good morning to you too. Nice look", said the guard, eyeing the Agent's disguise up and down.
"Thanks. I see Danger Mouse is here", said the Master of Disguise as he handed over his ID. "His Mark III's parked over there".
"Yes, he just came through", replied Sam, checking over the ID and handing it back. "He was carrying something in a bag".
"Really? He never has to bring anything to HQ", frowned Agent 57, as he leaned against the wall and waited for the lift to return.
"That's what I thought", answered Sam. "DM said that it was just something for Colonel K".
"Hm". 57 turned to see the lift reappearing. "I might talk to him if I see him".
"Do you think it has anything to do with - well, YOU know - ?" Sam muttered as the lift doors opened.
Agent 57 turned back to him sharply.
"Sam, that was a long time ago. Let the boy have some privacy".
"But it's nearly Halloween", protested Sam. "And you know what that means".
"Yes, I do", frowned 57, as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for Level 3. "And it must be a dreadful time for DM around this date. So let's help out by not talking about it behind his back, alright?"
"Alright", said Sam, watching as the doors closed and the lift slowly started to descend downwards.
Well, I guess 57's right, thought the badger to himself, It WAS a long time ago. There's no sense living in the past. Oh, well - back to work.
*
The lift stopped at Level 6 and DM stepped out. A few people stopped in their tracks and smiled at him. DM ignored them and started winding his way through the people travelling back and forth right down to the end of the corridor. Here, there were double doors leading through to the stairs outside. DM quickly entered the code to open them and slipped through.
The stairs, leading right up from Level 1, wound round and round in a square all the way down until they reached the lowest level, Level 12. It had to be air-conditioned that far down, because it was deep in the earth.
DM looked up and down the stairway to check that no-one was coming, and then quickly knelt down and unzipped the sports-bag.
There was a sound of footsteps. DM quickly zipped up the bag again and stood. If anyone found him with these items...
The footsteps continued - but DM realised now that they were below him, and going downwards. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the bag.
*
A short while later, DM went along to Colonel K's office. Once there, he knocked on the door.
"Come in", said the gruff voice inside. DM opened the door and stepped into the big office.
The guinea-pig everyone knew as Colonel K was reaching inside a drawe for some papers. Looking up, he smiled as he saw DM and shut the draw.
"DM!" he greeted, standing up and waddling over to Danger Mouse. "How are you, old boy? I wasn't expecting to see you today".
"Oh, I'm just dropping by", DM said in a far too cheerful voice. The Colonel was oblivious to this as he put an arm around DM's shoulders and led him to a chair at the desk.
"Sit down, DM", he offered, going round to the other side of the desk. "I'll get Miss Boathook to bring us some tea".
"Uh, no thankyou, Colonel", said DM quickly. He sneaked a look at his watch.
"Oh, alright", said the Colonel. "Anyway", he added, "What can I do for you?"
"Um, well sir - " DM paused. What could he say?
"Yes?" prompted the Colonel.
"Uh - well - "
BANG!
"What the - ?" Colonel K stood up and walked as fast as he could to the door. "What in blazes was that?"
Voices and pounding feet could be heard. DM joined Colonel K at the door and peeked over his shoulder.
The corridor outside was bedlam. Agents and trainees were all running towards the end of the hall to where the stairs were.
"What's happened?" The Colonel came out into the hallway. "What's going on?"
One of the trainees stopped in his tracks.
"It sounded like a small explosion, Sir", he said rather nervously.
"Oh, drat", frowned the Colonel. "Come on, DM", he added to him, "Let's go and see what happened. Lead the way", he added to the trainee, and he followed him down the hall and towards the mass of animals gathered at the end.
DM bit his lip, and then slammed the door closed. He had to work fast.
He walked over to behind the desk and opened one of the drawes. He immediately started to fumble through it. Pencils...pens...stapler...hole- puncher...
DM slammed the drawe shut and tried to open the next one. It was locked.
DM frowned. He needed the key - but where was it?
Then, he spotted a cabinet of keys on the wall. Running over, he opened it and started sifting through the keys, finally finding a single small key - the one he wanted.
DM tookn the key, ran back to the desk, and unlocked the drawe. This one contained books and papers - maybe he would find what he wanted in here.
"I want the blueprints on the headquarters' weapons", Crumhorn had said.
Nodding to himself, DM started to sift through until at the back he found some neat blueprints in plastic wallets. He reached in to get them out - and stopped.
Was he doing the right thing? If these blueprints got into the wrong hands...
DM shook himself and got the prints out, laying them flat on the desk. Yes - they were the ones that Crumhorn was looking for.
DM quickly folded them up, and then stopped again.
This felt - wrong. Could he take the prints - AND get away with it?
No, said one voice in his mind, I can't.
Yes, said another, I can.
Can't...can...Danger Mouse was confused. Crumhorn wanted these blueprints - but if DM gave them to him, did that make him a friend - or an enemy?
*
Crumhorn glared at the small remote device in his hands. It was a seperate part of his mind-control ray, and had another small green screen like a calculator that would state 'Positive' or 'Negative' to show if DM was carrying out his orders. Below, there was just a single red button which Crumhorn would leave alone if DM was carrying out his orders.
But at the moment, the mini screen was flashing 'Negative' and the mad professer was not pleased.
"Well, that DM is in for a shock", he murmured to himself, as he pressed the small button on the device.
*
Suddenly, DM was put out of his pondering by a current of electricity that sent him, speechless with terror, to the floor. He felt like sharp knives were stabbing him everywhere - it was unbearable, and extremely painful.
Do it, came the angry voice in DM's head. NOW.
The electronic shock calmed down until DM was left, trembling and panting, on the office floor.
Yes, I have to do this. It's right, not wrong. I have to get those prints - and get out of here.
He quickly gathered up the prints, and ran for the door, into the hallway, away from the gathering at the other end. He dashed past some late-comers, and nearly knocked over Agent 57, who was one of the last to arrive.
"DM!" the hare cried, as he steadied himself. "Watch out!"
DM couldn't even apologise - he ran right past him, for the lifts.
"Danger Mouse!" 57 cried after him. "Where are you going?"
There was no reply.
Frowning, Agent 57 made his way to the crowd of agents and trainees gathering by the stairs. He pushed his way to the front - if DM wasn't going to stay to help Colonel K, then he would have to do it.
The doors to the stairs looked to have been blown apart. The metal had been torn at, and a large burnt-out hole had appeared in the left door. Agent 57 squeezed through to find the Colonel and three members of the 'Explosives' department leaning over a mess of wires and metal.
"What's happened, Sir?" he asked the Colonel, who was looking worried.
"Where's DM?" asked Colonel K, looking over at him. "I thought he was staying to help?"
"He ran off", replied 57. "Yes, that's what I thought", he added, seeing the surprised look on Colonel K's face.
"Well, that's not like him at all", frowned Colonel K. "Oh", he added. "Maybe he's just not up to it around this time - after all, it's nearly Halloween, and - "
"Yes, yes", cut in 57 hastily. "And with all due respect sir, DM may not want to remember it. He never quite got over it. Let's try not to talk about it".
"Yes, you're right, of course", frowned Colonel K. "You're a very good friend to that boy".
57 just shrugged, not really knowing what to say.
"By the way, may I say that I like your disguise today", added the Colonel.
"Thanks", replied 57, glad to change the subject.
"Colonel K?" suddenly piped up one of the operatives looking at the tangle of small works. "We think this might be a plastic explosive".
"A plastic explosive!" cried the Colonel. "But how? How did it get there? All explosives are under guard and all agents have to seek special permission before using them".
"Well, it's a good job it was only a plastic", said another one of the operatives. "Otherwise this whole place might have gone up".
Agent 57 wasn't listening. He had turned around and was looking past the crowd, to the direction in which DM had gone.
He had been running away.
But why?
*
DM pulled the Mark III outside the large house that he and Penfold had come to the day before. He jumped out of the car with the blueprints and ran up to the door. He quickly looked around, activated his watch to become his human-size, and then knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately.
"He's up in the basement", said Woodruff, appearing from behind the door. "He's expecting you".
DM nodded, and ran up the stairs. When he reached the top, he saw the attic ladder was down. As he came up into the attic, Crumhorn ran over to greet him.
"Well?" he demanded. "Did you get the prints?'
DM nodded and handed them over. Crumhorn counted them, his big toothy grin widening.
"Yes!" he cried. "With these blueprints, I can recreate the weapons from the agency - only make them bigger, badder, and stronger! Ahahahahahaha!"
A small smirk crossed DM's lips as his new master gave a deep laugh. His one eye gleamed and the smirk became an evil smile as he joined in with Crumhorn's laughter.
After a moment though, the laughter promptly stopped and DM suddenly found Crumhorn's face barely two centimetres away from his own.
"You nearly resisted me today", sneered Crumhorn. Then he raised his hand - and slapped Danger Mouse hard across the face. DM was sent to the floor, a red bruise appearing on his left cheek.
"You had better not do that next time", Crumhorn growled. "Otherwise you'll be burnt to a crisp".
DM didn't say anything, but made for the ladder.
"You know what you've got to do next", said Crumhorn, as DM swung himself onto the rungs. "And DON'T STOP. Do you understand?"
"Yes", said DM, in a sneering tone of voice. "I understand - completely".
Anyhow, as soon as 'Airplane' is over, I'll start working on this chapter! ;)
*
Chapter 3
Kim woke up the next morning in her own bed. She yawned, stretched, and then sat up to see Penfold curled up on the couch at the other end of the room, cuddling his teddy bear.
Kim gave a small smile and got out of bed quietly. She tiptoed across the room, opened the door, and slipped out.
In the corridor, Kim jumped as she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see Danger Mouse coming her way, a large sports-bag strapped over his shoulder. When he saw Kim there, he quickened his pace and walked past her as though she didn't exist. He was heading for the lounge, so Kim followed him.
In the lounge itself, Kim watched, confused, as DM sat on the lift seat and put the bag next to him. He was up to something, there was no doubt about that.
"DM", said Kim, coming into view before he could vanish with the lift. "What are you doing?"
DM jumped and turned to glare at her. "What are YOU doing, sneaking up on me like that?"
He hadn't changed since last night, Kim realised, upset.
"Wondering what you're up to", she growled, gritting her teeth.
"Something that's MY business", DM snarled back. Then before Kim could say anything more, he activated the switch that was under the seat and the lift disappeared down into the garage.
Kim sighed and rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes. This was awful - the person who she had admired and liked for two months was now turning against her.
"Are you alright?" asked a voice. Kim opened her eyes, startled, but it was only Penfold. He was standing there in his pyjamas, biting his nails.
"I saw the way he acted", he said quietly.
Kim didn't reply, but smiled sadly.
They stood in silence for a moment, each pondering the same question:
What had happened to Danger Mouse?
*
Ninety minutes later, the Mark III landed in the middle of the road in the countryside. There was no traffic coming, so Danger Mouse switched on the radio.
"This is Danger Mouse, identification code number 4. Requesting permission to enter".
"Permission accepted", came the reply. "One moment, please".
Less than two seconds later, a small hatchway opened in the road and DM drove in, going downwards. He came into a large lit carpark, with other vehicles scattered around in various parking places.
DM parked his car near the lifts that took you down to headquarters. Each was guarded by a member of security. DM got out with the sports-bag, walked over to the lift being guarded by a burly middle-aged badger and showed his ID.
The guards knew DM well. He had come and gone to HQ a thousand times, as he did happen to be the world's greatest secret agent, there was really no need to check his ID card.
"Go on through, DM", smiled the guard, looking down at him as he passed. He looked curiously at the bag. DM never had anything with him when he came to HQ, let alone in a sports-bag.
"Something for Colonel K", said DM, catching his gaze as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for Level 6.
The guard wondered if he should stop him, but it was too late anyway. The doors had already closed.
The guard frowned worriedly, but then looked around as another agent entered the carpark.
"Agent 57", he smiled as the large hare dressed in a one-piece red jumpsuit with brown clogs on his feet bounded out of his car.
"Morning, Sam", said the hare cheerfully.
"Good morning to you too. Nice look", said the guard, eyeing the Agent's disguise up and down.
"Thanks. I see Danger Mouse is here", said the Master of Disguise as he handed over his ID. "His Mark III's parked over there".
"Yes, he just came through", replied Sam, checking over the ID and handing it back. "He was carrying something in a bag".
"Really? He never has to bring anything to HQ", frowned Agent 57, as he leaned against the wall and waited for the lift to return.
"That's what I thought", answered Sam. "DM said that it was just something for Colonel K".
"Hm". 57 turned to see the lift reappearing. "I might talk to him if I see him".
"Do you think it has anything to do with - well, YOU know - ?" Sam muttered as the lift doors opened.
Agent 57 turned back to him sharply.
"Sam, that was a long time ago. Let the boy have some privacy".
"But it's nearly Halloween", protested Sam. "And you know what that means".
"Yes, I do", frowned 57, as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for Level 3. "And it must be a dreadful time for DM around this date. So let's help out by not talking about it behind his back, alright?"
"Alright", said Sam, watching as the doors closed and the lift slowly started to descend downwards.
Well, I guess 57's right, thought the badger to himself, It WAS a long time ago. There's no sense living in the past. Oh, well - back to work.
*
The lift stopped at Level 6 and DM stepped out. A few people stopped in their tracks and smiled at him. DM ignored them and started winding his way through the people travelling back and forth right down to the end of the corridor. Here, there were double doors leading through to the stairs outside. DM quickly entered the code to open them and slipped through.
The stairs, leading right up from Level 1, wound round and round in a square all the way down until they reached the lowest level, Level 12. It had to be air-conditioned that far down, because it was deep in the earth.
DM looked up and down the stairway to check that no-one was coming, and then quickly knelt down and unzipped the sports-bag.
There was a sound of footsteps. DM quickly zipped up the bag again and stood. If anyone found him with these items...
The footsteps continued - but DM realised now that they were below him, and going downwards. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the bag.
*
A short while later, DM went along to Colonel K's office. Once there, he knocked on the door.
"Come in", said the gruff voice inside. DM opened the door and stepped into the big office.
The guinea-pig everyone knew as Colonel K was reaching inside a drawe for some papers. Looking up, he smiled as he saw DM and shut the draw.
"DM!" he greeted, standing up and waddling over to Danger Mouse. "How are you, old boy? I wasn't expecting to see you today".
"Oh, I'm just dropping by", DM said in a far too cheerful voice. The Colonel was oblivious to this as he put an arm around DM's shoulders and led him to a chair at the desk.
"Sit down, DM", he offered, going round to the other side of the desk. "I'll get Miss Boathook to bring us some tea".
"Uh, no thankyou, Colonel", said DM quickly. He sneaked a look at his watch.
"Oh, alright", said the Colonel. "Anyway", he added, "What can I do for you?"
"Um, well sir - " DM paused. What could he say?
"Yes?" prompted the Colonel.
"Uh - well - "
BANG!
"What the - ?" Colonel K stood up and walked as fast as he could to the door. "What in blazes was that?"
Voices and pounding feet could be heard. DM joined Colonel K at the door and peeked over his shoulder.
The corridor outside was bedlam. Agents and trainees were all running towards the end of the hall to where the stairs were.
"What's happened?" The Colonel came out into the hallway. "What's going on?"
One of the trainees stopped in his tracks.
"It sounded like a small explosion, Sir", he said rather nervously.
"Oh, drat", frowned the Colonel. "Come on, DM", he added to him, "Let's go and see what happened. Lead the way", he added to the trainee, and he followed him down the hall and towards the mass of animals gathered at the end.
DM bit his lip, and then slammed the door closed. He had to work fast.
He walked over to behind the desk and opened one of the drawes. He immediately started to fumble through it. Pencils...pens...stapler...hole- puncher...
DM slammed the drawe shut and tried to open the next one. It was locked.
DM frowned. He needed the key - but where was it?
Then, he spotted a cabinet of keys on the wall. Running over, he opened it and started sifting through the keys, finally finding a single small key - the one he wanted.
DM tookn the key, ran back to the desk, and unlocked the drawe. This one contained books and papers - maybe he would find what he wanted in here.
"I want the blueprints on the headquarters' weapons", Crumhorn had said.
Nodding to himself, DM started to sift through until at the back he found some neat blueprints in plastic wallets. He reached in to get them out - and stopped.
Was he doing the right thing? If these blueprints got into the wrong hands...
DM shook himself and got the prints out, laying them flat on the desk. Yes - they were the ones that Crumhorn was looking for.
DM quickly folded them up, and then stopped again.
This felt - wrong. Could he take the prints - AND get away with it?
No, said one voice in his mind, I can't.
Yes, said another, I can.
Can't...can...Danger Mouse was confused. Crumhorn wanted these blueprints - but if DM gave them to him, did that make him a friend - or an enemy?
*
Crumhorn glared at the small remote device in his hands. It was a seperate part of his mind-control ray, and had another small green screen like a calculator that would state 'Positive' or 'Negative' to show if DM was carrying out his orders. Below, there was just a single red button which Crumhorn would leave alone if DM was carrying out his orders.
But at the moment, the mini screen was flashing 'Negative' and the mad professer was not pleased.
"Well, that DM is in for a shock", he murmured to himself, as he pressed the small button on the device.
*
Suddenly, DM was put out of his pondering by a current of electricity that sent him, speechless with terror, to the floor. He felt like sharp knives were stabbing him everywhere - it was unbearable, and extremely painful.
Do it, came the angry voice in DM's head. NOW.
The electronic shock calmed down until DM was left, trembling and panting, on the office floor.
Yes, I have to do this. It's right, not wrong. I have to get those prints - and get out of here.
He quickly gathered up the prints, and ran for the door, into the hallway, away from the gathering at the other end. He dashed past some late-comers, and nearly knocked over Agent 57, who was one of the last to arrive.
"DM!" the hare cried, as he steadied himself. "Watch out!"
DM couldn't even apologise - he ran right past him, for the lifts.
"Danger Mouse!" 57 cried after him. "Where are you going?"
There was no reply.
Frowning, Agent 57 made his way to the crowd of agents and trainees gathering by the stairs. He pushed his way to the front - if DM wasn't going to stay to help Colonel K, then he would have to do it.
The doors to the stairs looked to have been blown apart. The metal had been torn at, and a large burnt-out hole had appeared in the left door. Agent 57 squeezed through to find the Colonel and three members of the 'Explosives' department leaning over a mess of wires and metal.
"What's happened, Sir?" he asked the Colonel, who was looking worried.
"Where's DM?" asked Colonel K, looking over at him. "I thought he was staying to help?"
"He ran off", replied 57. "Yes, that's what I thought", he added, seeing the surprised look on Colonel K's face.
"Well, that's not like him at all", frowned Colonel K. "Oh", he added. "Maybe he's just not up to it around this time - after all, it's nearly Halloween, and - "
"Yes, yes", cut in 57 hastily. "And with all due respect sir, DM may not want to remember it. He never quite got over it. Let's try not to talk about it".
"Yes, you're right, of course", frowned Colonel K. "You're a very good friend to that boy".
57 just shrugged, not really knowing what to say.
"By the way, may I say that I like your disguise today", added the Colonel.
"Thanks", replied 57, glad to change the subject.
"Colonel K?" suddenly piped up one of the operatives looking at the tangle of small works. "We think this might be a plastic explosive".
"A plastic explosive!" cried the Colonel. "But how? How did it get there? All explosives are under guard and all agents have to seek special permission before using them".
"Well, it's a good job it was only a plastic", said another one of the operatives. "Otherwise this whole place might have gone up".
Agent 57 wasn't listening. He had turned around and was looking past the crowd, to the direction in which DM had gone.
He had been running away.
But why?
*
DM pulled the Mark III outside the large house that he and Penfold had come to the day before. He jumped out of the car with the blueprints and ran up to the door. He quickly looked around, activated his watch to become his human-size, and then knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately.
"He's up in the basement", said Woodruff, appearing from behind the door. "He's expecting you".
DM nodded, and ran up the stairs. When he reached the top, he saw the attic ladder was down. As he came up into the attic, Crumhorn ran over to greet him.
"Well?" he demanded. "Did you get the prints?'
DM nodded and handed them over. Crumhorn counted them, his big toothy grin widening.
"Yes!" he cried. "With these blueprints, I can recreate the weapons from the agency - only make them bigger, badder, and stronger! Ahahahahahaha!"
A small smirk crossed DM's lips as his new master gave a deep laugh. His one eye gleamed and the smirk became an evil smile as he joined in with Crumhorn's laughter.
After a moment though, the laughter promptly stopped and DM suddenly found Crumhorn's face barely two centimetres away from his own.
"You nearly resisted me today", sneered Crumhorn. Then he raised his hand - and slapped Danger Mouse hard across the face. DM was sent to the floor, a red bruise appearing on his left cheek.
"You had better not do that next time", Crumhorn growled. "Otherwise you'll be burnt to a crisp".
DM didn't say anything, but made for the ladder.
"You know what you've got to do next", said Crumhorn, as DM swung himself onto the rungs. "And DON'T STOP. Do you understand?"
"Yes", said DM, in a sneering tone of voice. "I understand - completely".