Chapter 2
The Missing Nuggets
Elliot furiously slammed his hands on the desk. "I don't understand why you won't give me the chicken nuggets that I ordered!"
The owner of the restaurant, Malcolm Buttrugger, stood on the opposite side of the boardroom, scratching his bald head. He returned Elliot's glare with his one good eye. "I already told you, we don't have any chicken nuggets. They've gone missing."
Elliot was taken aback. "What? Impossible!" He slowly started to become visibly more irritable. "If I don't get my daily dose of chicken nuggets, I'm gonna throw a fit!"
Malcolm raised his hand, gesturing at Elliot to relax. "Now just calm down, alright? We already have someone looking into the situation." In a bit of a mood swing, he turned around to face the wall behind him, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm going to look away now. I feel so ashamed." He let out a few sobs. "I let the chicken nuggets disappear! It's so horrible! I can't even—"
Elliot broke him out of his despair with an offer to help. "Maybe I can look around for the chicken nuggets, and then we'll be good. Then your business can continue."
Malcolm stood there and pondered this idea. It was so simple. Why didn't he think of it before? He had exhausted every other method except for that. But if Mr. Swann was willing to search the facility, those nuggets were as good as found, and his business would be back on track again.
"You know what?" Buttrugger said. "That's not a bad idea." He turned back to face Elliot again. "I think I'll take you up on that offer. If you can find the chicken nuggets and help my business, you will be rewarded greatly."
Elliot waved in dismissal to the last thing Malcolm said. "No reward is necessary. All I want is my chicken nuggets. Because I get very grumpy if I haven't had my nuggets." He scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "I think I might be addicted or something."
Malcolm almost chuckled. "Oh, that's fine. I mean, it's the only food we ever have." He stepped away from the table. "Anyway, I'll go get you guys the access codes to all the rooms and you can begin your search."
Elliot looked at his friend Jack and uttered one small phrase.
"Butt itch."
Jack was dumbfounded. That just came out of nowhere. Was he declaring that his butt had an itch? If so, he was perfectly capable of scratching it himself. Or maybe he said it as some secret code. Although Jack was very good at paying close attention to whatever Elliot said. He definitely would have remembered if he had initiated some new secret code system between them.
Nah, it was most likely just random.