I was huffin' and puffin' by tha time I reached tha clearing where tha concession stand once stood. All tha fighting had really worn me down, then I was sprornting for over an hour.

"Bubsy..." I gasped as I aprorched tha middle of tha clearing. "I need entrance to yer fortress!"

Out of a nearby bush, and intercom rang out Bubs' voice.

"Are you alone?"

I told him that I was. All of a sudden, the ground started ta shake. I looked at tha bush, but it was moving up into tha air! Soon enough, a big ol' tall rectangular box had shot up from underneath the bush, which opened up from tha middle.

It was an elevater! I wobbled towards the elevater, but as I reached it, I heard a shuffling of lorves behind me. I jormped inta tha box and started hitting the down and the close button as hard as I could. As the doors began to close, I caught a glimpse of The Chort, riding atop Jackson into the clearing.

He saw me for an instant before the doors closed. As I began to move down, a horrible clanking sound hit my ears.

Outside, The Chort had jumped off his steed and was tryin' to beat his way through the metal walls. Big dents were showin' up on all sides of tha elevater from within, but it got underground just in time.

When I reached the lower levels, Bubs was waitin' to greet me.

"Coach Z, you old buffoon! How in the world did you manage to get your sassafras self back here in one piece?"

"Well, it's a great story, Bubsy... It all unfolded like a great sports play."

But before I could tell my story, Two familiar faces popped out of the room next to us.

"The Cheat! Strong Sad! You're both alright!" I ran towards the two of them. The Cheat gave a happy "Meh!" as he jumped inta my arms. I ruffled his hair as he told me how Strong Sad had carried him all the way from The Stick to the concession stand.

"Holy crap, Strong Sad! Looks like you saved the day twice!" He had slowly walked over next ta me as The Cheat talked. I let The Cheat down and gave Strong Sad a big hug. "Seriously, Sad Strong, you did a great jeorb."

"Thanks, Coach Z. It feels good to get positive reinforcement now and then. Maybe now people will stop and listen to..." A crash sounded from within Bubs' lair.

"Hold onto that thought, there, Strong Sad. Bubs, that sounded like it came from your back entrance!"

"No way, Coach Z! We're the only ones who know about it! Me, you, The Cheat, That Goblin and the 'gators are the only ones to ever use it!"

"Wait a second... Bubs, The Chort found Jackson! He rode him over here, I saw him before tha elevater went down!"

"Aww, crud! I trained them to always come back to the lair if they got lost outside!"

At that moment, the doors to the next room flew off their handles! Behind them stood The Chort, 3-Wood in his paw. His fur was a mess, all ruffled with bits of branches and leaves.

He had a crazy look in his eye.

"Meh! Meheeeee! Meheena!" I knew for sure that he wasn't going to hold anything back after our last fight. I only hoped that The Cheat could keep up.

I spied The Cheat's monogrammed drorver leanin' against tha wall. I grabbed it and chunked it to The Cheat.

"Heads up, The Cheat!"

It sparkled in tha air as it soared to The Cheat. He leapt up, grabbed the clorb while spinning, and landed with a flourish. He stared across as he moved his free paw towards The Chort. He signaled The Chort with a short gesture that seemed to say, "Bring it on!"

They stood still for another second, then they both started running at each other at full tilt. We knew that this bout would determine the fate of Free Country, U.S.A.