To all my readers: I made a typo in Chapter 4. I have re-posted the chapter with its corrections. The very last sentence now reads "About two and a half weeks from now he would start the final steps of part one." This is because I said Hăkon was getting out in three weeks in chapter 3. I just had a brain fart and forgot that's what I had said. Sorry for any confusion.

Chapter 5

Stephanie continued to have nightmares and both she and Sportacus were near the end of their ropes. The Mayor had informed them that Hăkon would be getting out in a few days. Sportacus had seen the look on his wife's face when they had gotten the news and decided to try to get her mind off of it.

Amanda and Trixie had taken over when Sportacus had gone to save someone. The two girls could tell that Stephanie was a mess. She hadn't been sleeping and no matter what they did Stephanie didn't seem to perk up. Trixie kept her busy as Amanda pulled Sportacus aside.

"We have to do something. I can't take watching her unravel like this." She told the above average hero.

"You think I'm taking it? She hasn't been sleeping. She cries all the time. Nothing I do seems to make a difference. Whether I'm a hero or not, I should be able to help her. I'm her husband!" Sportacus snapped. Amanda let his outburst slide.

"I'm sorry." He immediately apologized. "I haven't been sleeping either. I just feel so helpless. All I want is to have my bright cheerful Stephanie back again." Sportacus seemed close to breaking down. The past two and a half weeks had been killing all of them.

Robbie had gone out the night before and dug the hole. After putting a sign up to avoid anyone falling in the hole before it was time, he had gone home. Everything was going according to plan. He tested out the apparatus he had built to check it for only the thousandth time. It had to work. If his contraption failed, there would be no turning back.

Finally the day had arrived. The sun shone and it was warm day. Hăkon walked out of the prison towards Robbie's lair. A huge smile crossed his face as he saw his new friend standing outside the lair waiting for him.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"As I'll ever be. Come lets go." Robbie responded. The two villains went to the spot. It was time to create some havoc.

Robbie removed the sign from in front of the hole. Then carefully he crawled into it. Hăkon hid in a nearby tree. Now it was time to set everything in motion.

Sportacus' crystal sounded. He said his famous line, "Someone's in trouble." And shot off in the direction of Robbie and Hăkon. Little did he know what he was going to encounter.

"Help! Help!" Robbie cried. He could hear footsteps racing toward him. Then Sportacus' face peered over the side of the hole.

"Robbie? You want help?" He seemed confused.

"Yes! I'm so glad to see you." Robbie said feigning innocence. Sportacus reached down and helped the villain out of the hole. Once Robbie was out, he pressed a button on part of the contraption he built. A plume of smoke went up in Sportacus' face. The above-average hero choked and slumped to the ground.

"I don't envy the headache you're going to have later." Robbie chuckled as he hit Sportacus over the head. The hero lie still and Robbie noticed the ring on his finger. He removed the ring and pocketed it. Then he whistled to Hăkon. Quickly the other villain came over. The two threw the unconscious man down into the hole that Robbie had dug.

"We'll come back for him later when the sun goes down. How long will that be?" Hăkon asked.

"A few hours from now. The gas should keep him out that long, plus the conk on the noggin I gave him should take care of everything." Robbie assured the other villain. Then they grabbed the fake hole cover and put it over the opening of the real hole. Placing the caution sign back in front of it they headed back to Robbie's lair.

To Be Continued…