Fifty-six
The sounds of a revving engine and the peel of screeching tires caught Kali's attention. She jerked her head around, frantically searching out the back passenger window, in time to see a full-sized 1975 Plymouth Fury bearing down on them. Kali cringed, knowing the car would never stop in time, waiting for the inevitable. She heard the crash just as the van lurched forward, knocking her off the seat and onto the floor.
The three undercover officers scrambled out of the van, as Kali climbed back onto her seat to look out the window. Hunched over the steering wheel, the driver of the Fury appeared to be unconscious.
Kali watched in horror, as Vern Monocello appeared from out of nowhere, pointing a gun at the three officers. "Don't move or I'll shoot," Vern warned, edging closer to the officer in the blue pin-stripped suit. "Okay, C.J., you can come out now," he called.
C.J. lifted his head from the wheel and climbed out of his car.
"See if they have any weapons," Vern said impatiently.
C.J. patted the officers down and collected three holstered guns. He took one gun and tossed the other two in the trunk of his car.
"You guys are undercover cops, aren't you?" Vern asked angrily. "Check for badges," Vern ordered.
C.J. did as he was told. "You're right, Vern. I don't know how you do it, but they're cops."
"Get their handcuffs and handcuff them to each other inside the van. That ought to give us enough time to get out of here," Vern said.
Vern held the gun on the officers while C.J. handcuffed them to the steering wheel.
"I got the keys to the van," C.J. said, waving a set of keys he had fished out from one of the officer's pockets. "You won't be going anywhere for a while," he laughed, as he slipped them into his pant's pocket.
Kali stayed down, hoping Vern and C.J. wouldn't discover her.
"Feel like watching t.v.?"
Vern thought he was hearing voices.
"No, I'm not feeling so good. I have a headache."
"It's no wonder; you're not used to this kind of heat."
"Where are those voices coming from?" Vern asked, climbing into the van, while C.J. finished securing the officers.
Kali ducked down even lower.
"Maybe you'd feel better if you ate an Oreo."
"Are you offering me an Oreo?"
Vern spied the audio equipment the men had been using. "Who are you listening to?" he shouted at the men.
The men remained silent, refusing to talk.
"Yes. I'm being generous with MY Oreos. Remember that!"
"Yes, I'll remember that."
"Is that Wally West?" Vern demanded. He moved closer to the men and pointed. "Talk!" he insisted.
"It sounds like Wally West to me, Vern," C.J. answered.
"Who is he with?" Vern wondered aloud.
"Flash?" C.J. said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Why are the cop's camped out here listening in on Wally?" Vern asked C.J. suspiciously. "You better check on Vince," Vern ordered.
C.J. nodded. "Say, Vern, can I keep the van?" he said, looking it over with relish.
"What?" Vern responded annoyed. "Are you crazy? You can't go anywhere in this van. They would be onto you before you crossed the town-line. What are you thinking?"
"I suppose," C.J. answered disappointedly. "Maybe I'll just pick up one of my own, he said climbing into the back seat. He ran his hands over the fine leather upholstery.
Kali crouched down as low as she could go.
"Hey, what do we have here?" C.J. said leaning over the seat and pulling on Kali's hair.
She was forced up off the floor and into the seat beside C.J..
"Listen, Wally, nothing's happening here. I think I'll go check in at the Watchtower for a while and come back later."
"C.J., I'm going up to West's apartment now before Flash heads out," Vern said rashly. "You go check on Vince."
"What about this one?" C.J. said indicating Kali.
"Leave her to me," Vern said, aiming the loaded gun at Kali's face. "Let's take a nice short walk together, shall we?"
"You want to leave these cops here alone?" C.J. asked uneasily.
"They're not going anywhere, C.J.; you got the keys, they've got no weapons, and they're handcuffed to the car. How much trouble can they get into?" Vern retorted. "Just meet me back here," Vern ordered shoving Kali out of the van.
Kali, forced at gunpoint, lead the way into the apartment house and into the elevator.
Fifty-seven
The officer's in the van watched Vern, C.J. and Kali disappear into the apartment building.
"We have no time to lose," one officer said, shifting positions, "Can either of you reach into my pocket for the keys to these handcuffs?"
"What an idiot!" another officer said, "How could Monocello forget that police officer's carry their own keys to their handcuffs!"
"He's never handcuffed an officer before," another officer reminded him.
"Nah, he's been sniffing too much embalming fluid!" answered the third, laughing.
"Tim, go get our guns out of that trunk; you and I will head up to Wally's apartment. Paul, you stay here and call the station for backup. Keep your ears glued to this equipment and be on the lookout for C.J. and Vince.
Fifty-eight
"Knock on the door," Vern ordered. "And don't get any ideas; I've got this gun pointed right in the middle of your back. One false move and you're dead. Got it, sister?"
Kali nodded. "What are you going to do?" Kali asked, trying to stall.
"Just do as you're told," Vern said calmly, not falling for it. "As long as you do what you're told, no one will get hurt. I just want to have a little talk with Sir Speedy," Vern said sarcastically.
"You're never going to get away with this," she warned.
"I already have," Vern sneered. "Knock." he instructed.
With the gun prodding her, she had no choice but to do as she was told. She could only hope for Flash's quick speed to save the day.
"Knock." Vern repeated.
Kali tapped lightly on the door.
"Again. Louder this time."
Kali knocked more forcefully. She nervously stole a glance behind her at Vern's sardonic sneer.
"Coming," Wally called from inside the apartment.
"Kali?" Wally asked confusedly, as he opened the door.
In one quick move, Vern shoved Kali into Wally, knocking them both to the floor, took aim at Flash, and pulled the trigger.
Flash, caught completely off-guard, took the hit and collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain.
"Hold it right there, Monocello," a deep voice ordered confidently. "Drop the gun, and put your hands on your head. You're under arrest."
All eyes turned to the undercover officer pointing a gun at Monocello's back.
Monocello shot a quick glance behind him. Looking up the business end of the revolver, Vern dropped the gun and did as instructed.
"It doesn't matter what you do, officer, I'll be out again in 24 hours," Vern hissed.
"Don't count on it, Monocello. We know all about your so-called connections. You might say you've been 'disconnected'," the officer chuckled, slapping a set of handcuffs on Vern's wrists.
Vern glared at the officer, as he was lead out of the apartment and down to the waiting police cars.
Fifty-nine
C.J. and Vince stared into the video monitor watching the officers take Vern away in handcuffs.
"What do we do now?" C.J. said nervously. "This place is crawling with cops and we're hiding in a room jam-packed with boxes, millions of dollars worth of dope!"
"We've got to get out of here without being detected," Vince said tensely. "Maybe we can disguise ourselves…"
Vince began tearing down the barricade blocking Kali's bedroom. "Help me!" he shouted.
C.J. and Vince tore apart the barricade and had the door cleared in no time. Vince raced to Kali's closet and began rummaging through her clothes.
"Vince, I don't think there's anything in there that will fit either of us," C.J. commented.
"Don't just stand there, look through the bureau drawers! There HAS to be SOMETHING!" Vince yelled frantically.
"I think I'd rather take my chances hiding in a cardboard box," C.J. answered sharply.
"C.J.!" Vince shouted.
"Okay, Okay! I'll look already!"
Sixty
With the apartment now vacant, Kali and Wally kneel beside Flash.
"He's bleeding…," Kali said, running to the kitchen to grab something to help stop the bleeding. She returns and presses the cloth to Flash's bloody abdomen. "Wally, what is going on here with you and Flash? I don't understand," she said, looking confused.
Wally tears the listening device off his body, "I can't explain this right now," he groans, "We've got to get him out of here," he insisted.
Wally leaned forward and with Kali's help, lifted Flash off the floor. They both grabbed an arm and helped Flash out the apartment and into the parking lot.
Two police officers run up to Flash, Wally, and Kali.
"Bring him right over here, we'll call an ambulance," one officer said.
"No, no, that's okay. He'll be okay, we've got it covered," Wally explained politely.
Just then, news reporter Ron Bevins and his cameraman arrive to the apartment parking lot. They leapt out of their van and rushed over to Flash, Wally, and Kali.
"This is news reporter Ron Bevins from W3DTV here reporting live at Speedway Circle Garden apartments. Our very own super-hero Flash is here, would you care to say a few words to our viewers?" Ron asked, thrusting the microphone into Flash's face.
"I'm afraid he's a little busy right now, Ron!" Wally said sarcastically, pushing Ron aside hurrying towards his car with Flash and Kali in tow. They hurriedly climbed into Wally's car and sped off.
Ron turned around looking for someone else to address. He spotted two oddly dressed women in bulky housecoats and furry slippers exiting the apartment. They both bore bath towels wrapped tightly around their heads and had an obscene amount of make-up on their faces.
"Follow me!" he said to the cameraman, as Ron raced up to the two women. "This is news reporter Ron Bevins from W3DTV here; can you tell our viewers what's been going on here?"
The two flustered women looked at the camera, then at each other and made a mad dash across the street. As they got halfway across the road, one of the women, tripped and knocked the other down. The bath towels slipped off their heads.
Two police officers, who had been watching, recognized the two 'women' as C.J. and Vince and took off after them on foot.