Chapter 7

"What?" shrieked Dr. Zoltar as he paced around his evil conference room. "What do you mean, they're gone?"

Frau Mala shrank before her brother's withering glare.

"Zee Galaxy Girlbots haf not reported in, Doktor." she repeated, hanging her head. "I kannot kommunikate vit zem. I suspekt zat zey haf been destroyed."

"How could this happen? Imbecile! Don't you have any frickin' brains?" Zoltar raged.

"And you…" he growled, turning to Cronus. "My Number Two… you had the Eagle in your grasp, and you let him get away!"

"I apologize, Doctor." the Colonel excused himself, "But it was Frau Mala's responsibility to see that her Galaxy Girlbots…"

"Silence!" screamed Zoltar. "Someone has to pay for this incredible screwup!"

He swung his angry gaze back and froth between his Number Two and his sister, his hand hovering over the evil red buttons that controlled the chairs in which they sat. His eyes narrowed as he made his evil decision.

Cronus' evil chair flipped backward to deposit the Colonel into a fiery pit below the floor. His screams echoed throughout the evil conference room.

Frau Mala looked up gratefully at her brother as the evil flames surged, then died down.

"Zank you…" she whispered.

"Now…" Zoltar ordered, ignoring his sister's sniveling gratitude, "In order to defeat Groovy Force we must…"

"Help!" The muffled cry interrupted the purple-garbed leader's speech.

"What is that?" hissed Zoltar.

"It's me!" came Cronus' voice. "I'm not dead…"

"Not dead?" screeched Zoltar.

"No… but I'm very badly burned…" moaned Cronus. "Please help…"

Angrily, Zoltar activated his evil communication device.

"Yes, Dr. Zoltar?" came the immediate response.

"The Evil Fiery Pit of Death is malfunctioning!" Zoltar complained.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" asked the evil minion.

"It's Number Two… he's not dead! Just very badly burned."

"We're on it!" promised the minion. The evil communication was closed.

"Now then..." Zoltar sighed. "As I was saying…"

"Ah… you're here! Good!" Cronus' voice came from the pit. "Please help…"

His voice was cut off as a shot rang out.

Zoltar smiled.

"Now, back to my evil plans…"

"You shot me!" the Colonel screamed. "You shot me in the knee! What are you…"

Another shot rang out.

Zoltar and Frau Mala waited breathlessly, but even after a few moments, there was only silence.

"I'm surrounded by frickin' idiots…" Zoltar muttered.

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Mark regained a semblance of consciousness as the bright sunlight in his eyes forced his mind to awaken. Remembering the attack of the night before, and the loss of his cover, he knew he had to contact his teammates.

Still weak and groggy, it took all of his strength to bang his wrist against the floor to force his bracelet to emit a Birdscramble.

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Princess noticed her bracelet lighting up just as she was zipping up her black leather catsuit. It was convenient having civvies that transmuted into three different outfits.

"Jason!" she cried, "It's Dad! He's sending a Birdscramble!"

"Outta sight!" Jason replied. "Can you track it?"

"Yes." confirmed Princess. "It seems to be close by. Follow me!"

They left the Napoleon Suite, only to trace the Birdscramble down the hall… to Frau Mala's room. Fortunately, the guards seemed to have disappeared overnight.

The door was still unlocked from their previous visit the night before.

In a bizarre mirroring of the night before, both the Condor and Swan burst into the room, weapons at the ready.

Their jaws dropped to the floor as they saw Mark, wearing nothing but his Underoos, struggling to sit up amongst the various charred mechanical remains surrounding him.

Jason slowly processed the scene in front of him.

"Speed Racer, huh?" he smirked.

"Shut up, Jason." Mark moaned, holding his head in his hands.

"I guess it's better than Power Rangers…" Princess grinned.

"I'll have you know, your Mum loves Speed Racer…" Mark retorted.

"That would fall into the category of things I really didn't need to know…" muttered Jason.

"I see that you ran into the Galaxy Girlbots." Princess noted. "Good work, Dad."

"Thanks…" groaned Mark. "Now can you help me find my pants?"