Tough Crowd
Tempest grinned.
"Oh, my audience just got bigger," he said. "All these vacuums will get to see you fall."
Five rainbows formed a protective line with Twilight in the back.
"You won't hurt her!" Mint shrieked.
Ivan wheeled up to Tempest. "I'll make sure of it."
"Oh, Maia, why don't you tell him what almost happened?" Tempest said.
"She told us already," Papaya said.
Tempest stroked his chin. "Hmm. So, they know you nearly made a deal with us. And that nearly cost a vacuum his life."
Twilight's eyes widened.
"It was a simple mistake!" She shrieked. Her gaze darted to Ivan. Would he still love her?
"Simple mistake, huh?" Tempest said. "Hiring a known assassin team to kill another Hoover Innovation is no mistake."
"I had nowhere else to turn!" Twilight said.
The villains laughed.
Forrest and Eileen were the only ones who did not enter. The two of them crowded around the laptop. Another live action segment of the Chocolate Malts had ended and the cartoon portion began again.
Asa Wescott watched as his lover, La Santa bruja, hid behind a group of other similarly dressed men and women.
"Don't hurt her!" he said, waving a revolver.
Dr. Kliever, a short, bald scientist, turned to face the gunman. "You don't know what she did."
His henchmen laughed.
"Tell me!" Asa shouted.
La Santa Bruja, a willowy woman with long raven hair and brown eyes, peered out from the crowd. "I made a deal with Dr. Kliever. He had the antidote."
Asa's eyes widened.
The action continued. "So, how does the story end?" Eileen asked.
"Well, our hero beats up the bad guys and forgives his love," Forrest said. He smirked. "I'm familiar with the plot."