Chapter Four: The Firefly and the Baroness
Disclaimer: Same as before.
Kokua Town Shopping Plaza
June 8, 2003,1307
Kokaua Town, HI
United States
"Henry, hurry up," Lindsay chided as Henry was talking to the irate toy store manager, "He's getting away. And you know he's crazy and could hurt somebody."
"Right," Henry replied, before turning to the irate toy store manager, "Listen, our legal department will be in touch."
"We'll handle this," Cobra Bubbles said, "Go chase down Gnomekop."
"You seemed awfully quick to get them out of here," Chuckles said.
"That was mostly to prevent Jumba from causing any more damage in here," Cobra replied.
"And cause more chaos elsewhere," Chuckles pointed out.
"Good point," Cobra replied, before turning to the toy store manager, "Yes, I'll vouch for the legal department of Mr. Tresckow' agency."
After a few more minutes of searching Henry exclaimed, "How bloody far can one action figure go?"
"Evidently Gnomekop's a free runner…" Lindsay replied as they watched Gnomekop running along the railing before jumping into the air, doing a somersault and then landing on his feet on a scaffolding where some remodeling was taking place. Then after jumping onto the shoulders of a surprised workman and leaping into the ceiling, through the open air conditioner duct.
"Oh bollocks…" Henry grumbled.
"Let me climb up there after him," Lilo said.
"Absolutely not," Lindsay snapped, grabbing a hold of Lilo's arm before she could follow Gnomekop up the scaffolding.
"But you guys can't fit in the AC duct," Lilo snapped, tugging at Lindsay's arm.
"However Stitch can," Henry replied.
"Jaba gaba..." Stitch said, and nodded.
"Be careful," Lilo warned as Stitch climbed into the AC duct.
"Now what of Turbo Troll? We still need to sort him out." Henry began.
"I can track him on scanner," Jumba said, holding up his device.
"Right, Pleakley, you and Jumba sort out Turbo Troll. We'll hunt down Gnomekop," Henry began.
If I had any doubt that he served in the Rhodesian Army they'd be gone by now, after seeing how he just took charge like that. Lindsay thought to herself.
"Ok, I get the concept of splitting up. Just why did you send Jumba and Pleakley by themselves after Turbo Troll?" Lindsay replied once Jumba and Pleakley were out of earshot.
"I might not have thought that one through entirely," Henry replied.
"Let's see, an alien inventor with a penchant for creating destructive machinery and a one eyed and very pliable 'expert' on planet Earth chasing down Jumba's invention all by themselves. That's a recipe for disaster if I ever saw one," Lindsay admonished.
"I do think it's a simple enough task that…" Henry began.
BOOM!
"You were saying?" Lindsay began.
"Wanker," Henry groaned.
It was around then that Henry's cell phone rang and he picked it up, "Tresckow..."
"Right, Jumba I'll put you two on speaker...hang on," Henry replied.
"I didn't do it! I didn't do it!" Jumba shouted.
"Yeah, for once there's an explosion around here that Jumba didn't cause," Pleakley added.
"What exploded?" Lindsay asked.
"The shopping center sign," Jumba replied.
"Ok, I admit it's a bit of an ugly monstrosity, but who blew it up..." Henry began before saying, "It's got to be that Firefly bloke."
"Alright, but why would he do that? Firefly tends to pride himself on sabotaging big and important targets, a garish neon colored sign isn't his style..." Lindsay began.
"Unless he was covering for something else," Henry concluded.
"Yes, but what?" Lindsay asked.
"If we answer that we've got it cracked," Henry replied.
Stitch followed Gnomekop at a distance through the air conditioner ducts, trying to stay out of sight as he stalked his quarry. But he and Gnomekop weren't alone lurking up in the air conditioner ducts.
Following the maintenance crawl space in the ceiling was none other than the COBRA saboteur, Firefly.
His face was concealed by the gray and black patterned balaclava, and a similar gray and black camouflage pair of pants and long sleeved shirt completed the look. He heard the sound of movement inside the light metal duct and knew that his quarry was near.
He had set up the net at the mouth of the air conditioner vent, because he knew that it was the only way out of the ducts unless his quarry wanted to circle back around.
Not likely he'll do that. Firefly thought to himself. He knows Cobra Bubbles and his group are after him, and likely have picked up his trail.
Patience. Firefly thought, as he heard the rattling of the AC vent being opened by Gnomekop.
And as Gnomekop shimmied down the duct he found himself entangled in a net. Firefly grabbed the net, being quick to divest the gnome of his belt blaster. It was as he did so that he thought he heard something scurrying through the AC vents, but currently he had a struggling gnome to contend with at the moment.
Kokua Town Shopping Plaza
June 8, 2003,1350
Kokaua Town, HI
United States
"For once there was an explosion around here that Jumba wasn't responsible for," Cobra Bubbles began, "But knowing who was behind it makes me almost wish Jumba did cause it."
"Right," Henry said, "Firefly's around here and that can only mean one thing, he's after someone or something."
Around then Stitch jumped down from a nearby air conditioner vent, landing amidst Lilo, Henry, Chuckles, Lindsay, and Cobra Bubbles.
Stitch began waving his arms around, frantically shouting, "Nala! Gnomekop…"
"What's he saying?" Lindsay crouched down as she asked Lilo.
"He's saying that some bad guy grabbed Gnomekop," Lilo said.
Stitch covered his mouth and forehead with his hands, leaving only his eyes showing.
"Firefly sighted," Henry replied, "Right, he's gotten a hold of Gnomekop, so our best bet is getting a hold of Turbo Troll."
"Let's hope Jumba and Pleakley can pull it off," Lindsay commented as she stood up.
"Wait," Cobra replied, "You sent Pleakley and Jumba after Turbo Troll?"
"Well it seemed like a good idea at the time," Henry countered.
"We'd better see if we can't prevent anything else from exploding," Chuckles chimed in.
BOOM!
"We're too late for that," Cobra quipped.
As the group began to run out to the parking lot where the explosion had come from Lindsay quickly scooped Lilo up off the ground, carrying the little girl in her arms as best she could.
The group stopped in the parking lot where the Kokua Town Shopping Plaza sign lay in pieces in the parking lot. And a late model silver Mercedes Benz sedan was currently on fire.
"Uh oh," Lilo said.
"No one appears to be hurt, thank God," Henry began.
Lilo tugged on Lindsay's collar, "Different uh oh."
"Ok, what uh oh?" Lindsay asked as she turned to the little girl. She's surprisingly calm for the fact that a sign and a car have exploded within the last hour.
Lilo pointed to a red haired woman in her late thirties striding purposefully towards them with an angry expression on her face. Beside her was the toy store manager who was angrily pointing at their group.
"That's Mrs. Edmonds. She owns this shopping plaza and that's her car on fire," Lilo answered in a matter of fact tone.
"Right, I'll handle this piece," Henry said as he headed over to intercept Mrs. Edmonds.
"Great," Lindsay groaned, "What more could go wrong?"
FWOOM!
"Success! Success!" Jumba's excited shout echoed from the far side of the parking lot.
"JUMBA, WATCH OUT BEHIND YOU WHEN YOU FIRE A ROCKET LAUNCHER!" Pleakley's shrill wail followed.
"You had to ask?" Lilo replied, "Looks like Henry's got his hands full with Mrs. Edmonds."
"I'd better help him." Chuckles said, "Lindsay, go with Cobra and get the rest of these folks home. I have a feeling Firefly's gonna pay a visit sooner or later."
Lindsay headed with Lilo and Stitch over to the car Cobra and Chuckles had taken to the mall. I just hope that lunatic Jumba caught Turbo Troll without causing any more damage.
Cobra Safehouse
June 8, 2003,1437
Kokaua Town, HI
United States
"Troll armies are amassing! Gnomekop must be liberated!" Gnomekop bellowed as he struggled against the ropes binding his hands and feet.
"What is he talking about?" The Baroness said as she raised an eyebrow behind the glasses she wore.
"Does it matter?" Firefly said as he started to open up a suitcase and removed a false bottom. He started to rig several straps and chains inside it, the better to hold Gnomekop in place.
"Time for you to take a trip," Firefly said as he headed over to the kitchen table where Gnomekop sat.
"Gnomekop escaped the Four Eyed Giant's forces." Gnomekop glowered as Firefly approached.
"Four Eyed Giant?" The Baroness replied.
Gnomekop fixed his glare on the dark haired woman in the black catsuit with the glasses and then declared, "And he will escape you as well."
"Four Eyed Giant, huh? Wonder if he means those aliens Stryver was talking about back at the Embassy," The Baroness asked.
"Does it matter?" Firefly said, eyes glaring as he carried Gnomekop towards the suitcase.
"Why send just one robot when we can grab more technology?" The Baroness replied.
"Hmm..." Firefly thought as he stopped in his tracks.
"ENEMY MINE!" Gnomekop shouted as he noticed a half page advertisement showing a photo of Turbo Troll, mentioning that particular toy being on sale at the Kokua Town Shopping Center.
The Baroness glanced down at the newspaper advertisment showing a picture of Turbo Troll. Now I think we have found the best way to convince Gnomekop to work with us...
"Gnomekop, we've just received word that Turbo Troll has claimed the Four Eyed Giant's fortress as his own," The Baroness said.
"I WILL HAVE HIS HEAD!" Gnomekop bellowed.
"That's the spirit," The Baroness said, "Now are you willing to work with us?"
"Yes," Gnomekop replied, "Gnomekop is willing to work with your organization...whatever it is."
"COBRA, we work for COBRA," Baroness said.
Firefly set Gnomekop on the table, cutting his bonds and handing back his power belt. "I believe you'll need this."
"Now, would you be willing to guide us to the Four Eyed Giant's fortress?" The Baroness asked.
"Certainly..." Gnomekop began.
To Be Continued...