Chapter Five
Bill, Ralph, and Pam made their way down the hall to the room with no problems and entered the room, finding it empty. A lone gun shot caused Ralph and Pam to move behind some crates, while Bill retalliated with a shot of his own before joining them behind the crates, but that was about ten minutes earlier.
Now, gun shots rang out, flying all across the main room.
A half a dozen men, situated behind crates, fired off round after round.
Unfortunately, Bill, Ralph, and Pam were the ones being shot at. Every few moments, Bill would turn around and fire off a shot around the crates they were stuck behind. Meanwhile, Ralph kept holding a finger under his nose.
He turned back to the other two and glared at Ralph. "Would you like to do something here, Ralph? We're sittin' ducks like this!"
Ralph took a quick glance around the side of one of the crates, then turned back. "I know, I know... it's just his goons out there, though."
"Right, they're the ones with the guns. He's probably half way 'cross LA by now," Bill said.
Ralph shook his head. "No, something doesn't feel right. He's still here--"
Bill grinned. "And if you can grab him, we could use him to make those goons quit shooting at us."
"Wait a minute, Bill--" Ralph began.
"You got the jammies. Just go invisible and go find him. Simple," Bill said. "Just like the way we originally planned."
"Bill, I don't think that's such a good idea anymore," Pam said, still holding Ralph's clothes.
"I don't, either," Ralph chimed in.
Bill opened his gun to reveal that he had no bullets left. "Is this reason enough, kid? And my snub-nosed is out, too."
Ralph sighed. "Alright. I'll do it, but I won't like it." He closed his eyes, bowing his head, and blinked invisible.
Bill gave a slight start. "Geez..." He felt a hand touch his shoulder, and turned to glance around the crate. "Even when I know he's gonna do that, it still gives me the creeps!"
"Bill, this is crazy," Pam said.
"Do you have a better idea, Counselor? Besides, they ain't shooting at the moment. Ralph should have no problem--" Bill was suddenly cut off by more gun fire.
Bullets ricocheted off the floor, walls, crates... and one in mid-air. All went silent as a soft thud resounded through the room.
The men looked on, eyes wide. Methier stepped out from behind them. He spoke briefly and waved the men out of the room, closing the door after them.
Hearing the door slam, Bill turned to look around the crate again. From his vantage point, he first looked up to where the men had been. They were now gone, so Bill stood.
"Wouldja look-it that? The kid scared them alright," Bill commented, shaking his head.
"What's going on?" Pam asked, as she stood.
They both saw Ralph sitting on the floor near the middle of the room, completely visible, and holding the far side of his head to where they were. He coughed a few times.
"Must've tripped," Bill said, moving towards the blond haired man, Pam following him. "Okay, Ralph, up and at 'em. You scared off the baddies."
Ralph turned his head slightly to glare at Bill, wincing in doing so.
"What--?" Pam began to ask as she and Bill stopped by Ralph. He pulled his right hand away from where he held it to his temple. His hand came away red.
"Whoa, uh, Ralph...?" Bill began.
"Oh, great," Ralph groaned. He made a move to get up and got half way up before he stopped cold. "Bill?"
"Yeah, kid? What's wrong, Ralph?"
Ralph blinked a couple times. "I think you better catch me..." With that, he pitched forward, but Bill caught him, one arm across his chest and immediately moved the other across Ralph's back, clasping his hands together for a strong hold.
"Geez! Some magic jammies! No protection from a little cut on the head!" Bill complained, tugging on the younger man, readjusting his hold on him.
Pam moved to take a better look at Ralph's wound, shifting his clothes to one arm, and glanced up at Bill. "This isn't just a little cut. I think he got grazed by one of the bullets."
Bill hefted the younger man again. "And he would have to pass out, too. I wish he knew just how heavy he really is."
Pam shrugged. "I'd offer to help, but I do know how heavy he is. I'd have to be wearing the suit to give you a hand."
As soon as the words left Pam's mouth, the suit began to glow.
Bill made a face, practically moving Ralph as far away from himself as he could, while still holding onto him. "Oh no... now what's it doin'? I hate this spooky stuff!"
The suit flashed a bright red, causing Bill and Pam to close their eyes against the offending light. Once it faded, they both slowly opened their eyes.
Bill started, seeing that Ralph was no longer in his arms, but instead had Ralph's clothes. "Where...?"
"Um, Bill, I think we have a problem..." Pam said.
Bill glanced up at her and his eyes widened.
Pam now wore the magic jammies and held Ralph with one arm under his shoulders, the other under his knees. He was left only in his shorts and the bandage still wrapped around his knee.
"Yeah, Counselor, I'd say we do..."
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Bill paced back and forth in the Hinkley living room, box of Milkbones under one arm and holding a bowl of something, which he dipped the biscuits into with the other hand.
Pam still wore the suit, though now she had a robe over it. She watched Bill make one more lap before turning her gaze to Ralph.
Ralph was still a little pale, in addition to still having the cold and bum knee. He was also a little embarrassed for what happened with the jammies, to boot. He was now back in his regular street clothes and had his knee more heavily bandaged.
"Okay, so the jammies got a mind of their own now," Bill stated. "Ralph gets buzzed, the Counselor says something about wearing the jammies, and, before we know it, the kid's impersonating a flasher and the Counselor's got the jammies. Oh, yeah, that makes a whole load of sense." He stopped and sat on the coffee table across from the others. "Does anyone have something of an explanation for what happened?"
Ralph cleared his throat, but still spoke with a nasal voice. "I know how the suit reacts normally, but it's probably reacting to my cold." He paused, fending off a sneeze. "Because a couple months ago, when I hit the train, that was worse than getting grazed by a bullet." He pointed to his bandaged temple. "There was no protection here. I got lucky with this."
Bill made an annoyed sound. "Just because you're sick, that's it?" As if to answer, Ralph sneezed. Bill rolled his eyes. "Kid, it was a rhetorical question."
"That does make sense, though," Pam said. "If the suit was made specifically for Ralph, then why was it so easy for me to get it? Unless the suit knew something was wrong--"
Ralph suddenly interrupted with a sneeze.
"Kid, wouldja stop spreading the germs, here! Geez!" Bill complained.
Ralph grabbed a tissue. "Sorry."
Pam continued. "Unless the suit knew something was wrong, as in the injuries Ralph's sustained and/or becoming sicker. That is something we haven't dealt with while having the suit. What happens with the suit when Ralph gets sick or injured to the point where he can't wear it? I'd say we're finding out right now."
"Well, the jammies picked one heckuva time to go crazy when we're so close to nailing this drug ring we've been chasing the last coupla days," Bill said.
Pam sighed. "In the mean time, since this is the first time that I'm actually wearing the suit, could I get some practice with it?"
Ralph checked his watch. "Still got a few hours of daylight left. We could make it out to the desert with plenty of time."
Bill stood. "Okay, kids, lets get going so we can let Ralph get warmed up some more, get the Counselor more personally acquainted with the jammies, and work out a new scenario to get Methier."
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