14.  Captured

At 99's warning his reflexes kicked in.  He whirled around and fired automatically.  There was a loud cry of pain as the man dropped his gun and was thrown back against the railing.  He fell to his knees his face contorted in agony as he clutched his left shoulder.

"Mark!"  Max cried as he realized what he'd done.  Max ran over to him and kneeled down.  "I'm really sorry about that."  Mark only groaned in reply.  This was more pain than when he spilled that acid in chemistry class.  It was hard to comprehend that an object as small as a bullet could cause such agonizing pain.  Max looked down at Mark's shoulder.  There was a crimson spot growing rapidly larger on his sweater-vest and in the center was a hole in the fabric just below his collarbone and Max was sure it went a lot deeper than that.

He was about to look for something to stop the bleeding when he heard someone yell from his right.  He turned to see two burly men and a beautiful blonde woman coming toward them.  Max pulled his revolver out again but the two brutes were upon him before he even had a chance to aim.  Max held his own pretty well at first but Mark knew he couldn't do it for long if he didn't have help.  With great pain and effort he grabbed the rail and pulled himself to his feet.  He was about to jump in and help Max's cause when the world started spinning.  His vision was blurred and his eyes refused to focus on any one thing.  Finally giving in to his body's orders he slumped back down to the floor.  Mark just sat and watched helplessly as the two Arnold Schwarzenegger-like thugs overcame Max.

In no time they found themselves being tied up along with 99 and the Chief.  Mark was now in a daze, not quite in tune with his surroundings.  As one of the men were tying them up Max was still resisting.

"You shouldn't bother to tie me up."  He was saying.  "I can get out of anything.  After all I'm known as the worlds greatest spy.  Would you believe it?  The greatest." 

Cache raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.  "I find that extremely hard to believe."

The Chief rolled his eyes.  He knew what was coming next.

"The second greatest?"  Max tried.

"I don't think so."

"How 'bout a high-ranking boy scout?"

Even in the extreme pain he was in Mark couldn't help but to roll his eyes.  He couldn't believe how much this sounded like something out of a Mel Brooks movie. 

Max continued his argument and Cache seemed to be enjoying it.  "Well, we still win.  Because good is better than evil!"

"And why is that Mr. Smart."  She said in a cocky tone.

"Because it's nicer."  And he gave his 'so there' nod.  

About that time Murphy popped his head in the door.  He would have come earlier but he'd got his toenails stuck in the grating.  Cache noticed him and motioned him inside.  He looked at Mark, unsure of what to do.  Mark forced himself to give Murphy the keep-your-mouth-shut-and-do-what-she-tells-you gesture before he completely blacked out.  "Good.  We've got another guard already."  It was lucky that Murphy's fur was long enough to hide his collar or it would have given him away as the enemy.  Then she turned to the cat who had been sitting on the counter the whole time not quite sure what to do since she could not understand what was being said.  "You," Cache pointed at the cat then Murphy. "And you.  Watch them."  She turned to the guards.  "If they try to escape the animals alarms will go off."  They began walking out the door.

"Wait!"  Max called.  "What about Mark?"

"What about him?"  She asked coldly.

"He needs a doctor.  You can't just leave him here."

"I'll have you know, Mr. Smart, that I can do whatever I want."  And with that she left, the two brutes following behind her.

Ninety-nine was still in shock.  "I can't believe you're alive!"  He was glad to see her too but right now he was more worried about Mark who was limp in his chair, his bonds the only thing keeping him from falling over onto the floor.  Max noticed nervously that the red spot on his shirt was growing larger.