Chapter 4

The Infiltration Continues

All three agents are currently in position. Nic is following Herbert while simultaneously keeping a look out for the real Klutzy with knockout gas at the ready in case the worst-case scenario happens. Tech Boy and Tech Girl are currently working on the drill with Bowser Jr. doing their best to suppress their shared urge to kick him and beat him into submission for being an absolute jerk. Back in the Shadow Energy Core Jeremiah is pinned down by the humanoid shadow who has her hand on his neck.

Location: Shadow Energy Core

Jeremiah finally got a good look at Linda with her long black hair, slightly pale skin that looks rather delicate, and her jade eyes. She wasn't wearing anything but that was because her transformation ripped off her clothes. Clothes suddenly appeared on her in a wave of black mist revealing an oddly loose green garment on her with a white skirt. She reiterated, "Like I said I always hated that form. Ever since I turned into that…thing…my life has been nothing been terrible!"

Tears welled in her eyes and she starts crying. "You have no idea what's it like being trapped in the Nightmare Realm with no chance of escape. For a year, I thought you were going to come rescue me, but you never came. It was your fault I was trapped in there in the first place and you never came to help me. You just abandoned me there."

Jeremiah looks away out of guilt when he notices another shadow. One he was all too familiar with, "You!" His eyes started glowing blue. He grabs Linda's arm and his hands caught on fire burning her. The pain caused her to let go and he threw her to the ground beside him. Quickly standing up with a newfound surge of energy, he charges toward the other shadow punching the border with his hands still alight at incredible speed only for the shadow to disappear before he could land the hit, the impact echoing all across the dark void of the core.

"Where are you?" cries out Jeremiah in anger his voice echoing with power.

Location: Head Spikey's former office

Tech Boy just put down some parts and he inquires, "So what is…Master…Darkness planning to do with this drill anyway?"

Bowser Jr. replies rudely, "None of your business!"

Tech Boy was moments away from getting out his blaster and shooting Bowser Jr. who knows where before Tech Girl intervened calmly and smoothly, "But it is our business. You see, we're currently helping on this device and without prior knowledge of what it should do how will we know how to build, maintain, and operate it?"

Tech Boy was simply dumbfounded by how well she kept her cool while Bowser Jr. began pondering it. After a brief moment he responds, "Alright, I'll give you one chance to prove yourselves. If you can build and install a magnetic retrieval unit on this device, I'll let you in on the plan."

"Deal," replies Tech Girl before she got to work.

Electricity crackles in her eyes as the drill as several spare parts start flying in the air towards the drill. Tech Boy, regaining his composure, joins in, the crackling electricity appearing in his eyes. A panel opened itself up on the opposite end of the drill and new wires started installing themselves while several parts put themselves together to form a claw similar to that of a skill crane machine except much thicker with a lot better chance to get your prize and a hinge for it to attach it with, along with a cable to suspend it up and down. It attaches itself to where the panel was opened and then proceeded to install parts for a rotation mechanism in the drill controls themselves allowing them to switch between the two sides in addition to adding new controls for the new appendage. Little magnets flew over to the claw and attached themselves to the fingers of it. They also made the little ramp leading up to the control panel retractable to make the rotation of it easier.

Once they were finished, Tech Girl proudly promotes, "One magnetic retrieval unit as requested. This new appendage will allow you to retrieve anything imaginable underground whether it be lost treasure or lost artifacts. The claw can drop down to around 5000 ft. using the cable attached to it. Its shape and range of movement will allow you to grip even non-metal objects you find however the magnets attached to it will greatly aid the retrieval of metal ore and objects."

"And what happens if it can't grip the object?" asks Bowser Jr. not expecting a worthwhile answer.

"Press the conversion button and find out," replies a smug Tech Girl.

After a moment of looking at the modified controls he found the conversion button and pressed it. The claws began arched up until all the fingers became flat. Panels came out of them connecting them all in order to form a flat disc.

"Well, it's still on the wrong side," says Bowser Jr. running out of ways to mock them.

"Try the rotation feature," chimes in Tech Boy amused by his suffering.

Bowser Jr. found the rotation feature and activated it. The ramp retracts and the machine rotates 180 degrees putting the claw right where the drill used to sit. The ramp detracted right before Bowser Jr. rotated it back to its previous position and got off the platform attached to it.

"Now the only thing you need for it is an electromagnetic generator in order to increase the magnetic output in its current state," finishes Tech Girl.

He begrudgingly admits, "Well, I'm impressed. Go get me a generator and install it and afterwards I'll clue you in on what's going on."

Tech Boy responded before Tech Girl, "Sure, but we don't know where you're currently storing your generators. It might be easier for you to get it for us and we'll handle the installation afterwards."

Bowser Jr. thinks it over for a moment before responding, "Very well, but you two are coming with me. You can do all the heavy lifting for me."

TB made a face of utter shock at that remark. Tech Girl was thinking, "Figures."

Location: Near the turn in the hallway to the Courtyard

Nic is currently following Herbert, an anthropomorphic polar bear, as they turned towards the Courtyard, Nic catches a glimpse of Tiffany near Head Spikey's office. The door to the office opens as Nic thinks, "Tiffany, I'm going to rescue you." As Bowser Jr., Tech Boy, and Tech Girl walk out of the office, Tiffany turns around to face the fork in the hall but saw nothing. Walking towards the corner, she turns her head in the direction Nic just went, looking down the hallway noticing the door to the Courtyard closing with Herbert's shape behind it. She's a little bit suspicious and decides to follow up on her gut instinct. Entering the Courtyard, she sees Herbert and Nic in his crab costume working on some strange humongous machine along with several other workers. Right away, Tiffany notices the discrepancy with Klutzy's size, shakes her head in disbelief at how nobody else has saw through this disguise, and starts heading over there.

"Click click click clickety clickety click?" asks Nic in crab.

"What do you mean you've forgotten-" responds Herbert before Tiffany interrupted him, "Herbert!"

Herbert turns around and replies surprised, "Tiffany, what can I do for you?"

Tiffany responds coldly, "I need to talk to Klutzy. I have reason to believe that he is a spy."

Nic quickly wipes his mind of all unnecessary thought so it's nothing more than a blank slate as he has done countless times before to prevent Tiffany from ruining her surprises. Having a psychic girlfriend must be pretty tough. Tiffany takes a closer look at him taking into account the terrible state of the costume while Herbert is complaining stating that her statement is preposterous. She zeroes in on his real face which has begun to sweat from nervousness. She instantly recognizes it. Nic instantly recognized her face of recognition and deploys his knockout gas. He barely manages to gets a gas mask on before breathing it in as it spreads across the entire room knocking everyone out.

He radios in, "This is Agent Nic. My cover has been blown. I managed to knock out everyone in the courtyard. I need a prison transport ship for Tiffany and Herbert immediately."

"Very well, we shall send a capture unit immediately. Have the prisoners prepped for transport and meet the capture unit in the Ship Bay. Standby for now. Over," responds Head Spikey.

Nic was getting ready to grab Herbert and Tiffany as a shadow towered behind him. Darkness grabs him.