Chapter 5: Business As Usual?
On Monday, Jerry arrives bright an early for work at WOOHP. Sam, Clover and Alex accompany him. That's a bit unusual! The ladies normally arrive by WOOHPing. The foursome go directly to Jerry's office.
"Good morning, Jerry! Ladies!" says GLADIS, in a chipper tone.
"Good morning, GLADIS!" responds Jerry. "Hi" "'mornin'" "Hey" respond the spies.
"GLADIS, we received a hot tip over the weekend on a planned robbery out of town. The four of us need suitcases – large suitcases, and backpacks for the equipment!"
"I'll get you 4 three-suit suitcases and backpacks from our equipment room, Jerry!" replies GLADIS.
"The girls will also need sleep pens, and gas masks. Oh, and we need the diamond cutting ring and those new light collecting contacts, too!"
"As you wish, Jerry! But what is the mission? You know I am programmed to efficiently select gadgets for…"
"Yes, GLADIS, but we don't have time to explain! Remember, I did the gadget selections before you were programmed!"
"Of course, Jerry!" and GLADIS' lights blink, her conveyor belt whirs, and all of the requested gadgets appear.
"We will also need KIRTT!"
"I'll let the garage know! It should be ready by the time you get there!"
"Thank you, GLADIS! Come, ladies, we have a robbery to stop!" And the spies dutifully follow Jerry on the conveyor belt to the garage.
GLADIS' logic circuits are confused. Why was Jerry so closed mouth about the mission? Sam, Clover and Alex weren't their usual talkable selves, either. Why, even Clover was quiet! Not even a whine or complaint! She'll turn on KIRTT's tracker, as well as those in all of the other equipment, and will focus the brain scanning satellite on the foursome, just in case.
Jerry and the spies arrive in the garage.
"KIRTT!" commands Jerry. The car comes over to the foursome.
"Change into a station wagon!" KIRTT complies. And the foursome load their equipment into their backpacks and load the backpacks and suitcases into KIRTT.
Jerry drives the foursome to the California branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. They get out, and bring their backpacks and suitcases in with them. They want to see Edwin Pecunia, the Director.
Security checks the backpacks and suitcases. "Why the empty suitcases?" asks a guard.
"Well, you know how thieves break into cars if they see any type of luggage! We just don't want to lose these!" replies Jerry. The guard checks with his supervisor, who clears the items.
In the office of Edwin Pecunia, Jerry and the spies outline the threat.
"Yes, Edwin! We've received a hot tip from a reliable source, that thieves are going to try to rob your Central Vault tonight!" says Jerry.
"I'll put the guards on red alert!" replies Edwin.
"But just to make sure that they don't succeed, you can lock us in the vault! We'll take care of them, if they get that far!" says Alex.
"But the vault is airtight!" exclaims Edwin.
"No prob," says Sam, "We have gas masks with enough air to last 8 hours!"
"So there will be no way those thieves can succeed, if we're in the vault waiting for them," says Clover.
"You're right! Very well! Let's lock you four in the vault!"
As the foursome moves toward the vault, Edwin suggests, "You can leave the suitcases in my office. I lock it every night, and no one will steal them."
"If you don't mind, Edwin, we would like to take them with us. They're empty, so they aren't heavy!" replies Jerry.
Edwin thinks to himself: That's odd! But WOOHP helped us break up that Counterfeiting ring a while back, so I trust them.
Soon they are at the vault.
"This vault is time sealed! You can open it, but from the inside only, if you need to! We'll leave the lights on in there for you!" says Edwin.
As the foursome enter the vault, Jerry says, "Please turn off the lights! We don't want to tip the criminals off! We have contacts that will help us see!"
"Very well, Jerry! I don't think the thieves will get past my guards, but if they do, they'll be in for a big surprise!"
Jerry and the spies just smile, as the vault door closes. All four put on their gas masks, and the vigil begins.
It is approximately 1 AM. The guards have been extra vigilant, especially the ones in the Security Camera Room. No unusual activity has been noted. Then, all of the sudden….
"Cal, what's happening in that corridor behind the vault?"
"What do you see, Ned?"
"It looks like the outline of a circle on the wall! I know it wasn't there before!"
"It's probably nothing, but let's send Cindy, Rease, and Vince to check it out!"
"Right!"
Within minutes, the three guards are just rounding the corner of the corridor, when a circular piece of the wall falls into the corridor!
"CODE RED! CODE RED!" shouts Cindy, as the three guards ready their weapons and run toward the hole.
But Jerry and the spies are ready for them! Sam, Alex, and Jerry quickly deploy their sleep pens and score direct hits on the guards exposed hands! Quickly all three guards are fast asleep.
Clover rushes to the next wall, which is just ¾" sheet rock and slices another hole with the diamond cutting ring, while Jerry, Sam and Alex drag the four suitcases through the first, and then the second hole! Good thing those suitcases have wheels!
The original corridor is now teaming with guards, as they rush toward the second hole. In that time, Clover has cut a third, fourth and fifth hole, and the foursome has about a minute head start on the guards!
"KIRTT! Here! Quickly!" commands Jerry. KIRTT comes at breakneck speed.
"Change into a bulletproof limo, and open the back door! Hurry!" KIRTT complies.
By the time the guards make it outside, Jerry and the spies are in KIRTT, and leaving! The guards fire round after round of bullets at KIRTT, but they bounced off harmlessly, as it crashes the front gate.
A visibly shaken guard calls Edwin Pecunia at home to relate what just happened.
Edwin is shocked to disbelief! WOOHP was the thieves!