by nita dee
disclaimer: the replacements belong to dan santat and walt disney productions.
chapter viii: "the rescue"
behind a british issued "invisa-screen" dick daring and a motorcycle with carter's modulator attacted stood watching as the proceedings of agent k's execution began.
"would you look at that elephant? my gosh, that is the biggest elephant i've ever seen." dick remarked as he watched the costumed elephant and mahout enter the arena to a cheering crowd.
"yes, dick..he's big." carter said, unamused.
"i just don't get it. elephants are usually such nice creatures.
i know..i jumped a dozen of them in africa back in '97 on a motorcycle."
dick said.
"it's like the old song from 'south pacific' goes.."you've got to be carefully taught." the elephant has probably been raised since infancy to kill the people placed before him." carter said.
"did you see who is on the stage? many of k's foes..master pho,
dr. scorpius, tiny evil, clonemaster, frisco disco...quite a few."
dick said.
"they've been promised a party and i guess it's a slow day in the world of evil." carter said.
"look car! there's k." dick said breathlessly.
k had entered the arena surrounded by four guards with their swords drawn to prevent her escape. her hands were bound behind her back and she limped slightly. but she walked with confidence with her head held high and her face was full of pride. k was dirty and her clothing little more than rags but to dick daring she never looked more beautiful.
"do we attack now?" dick asked as he put his hands on the handle bars to reve the machine up.
"no..she's too closely guarded. wait until they get ready to place her onto the pedestal." carter said.
k was escorted to the stage where the villians and raja rameen sat.
the raja got down off his chair and came to k who was motioned to stop.
"good afternood, agent k. i guess you do know our honored guests?"
raja rameen asked the woman.
"thou prepareth a table before mine enemies." k said softly.
"what?" raja rameen asked.
"you wouldn't understand." k said with pity in her voice.
"ah well..." raja rameen said. he motioned for a trumpeter to blow an attention signal. the trumpeter did as commanded and silence overcame the arena.
"katherine mildred quimby daring. special agent k of the british secret service. you have by your own confession admitted to crimes against humanity and have agreed that the best sentence for this crime is a sentence of death. do you have anything to say before the sentence is carried out? any last requests?" the raja said with humor in his voice.
"no." k said and the tone of her voice was cold and hard.
"very well then..guards escort the prisoner to the pedestal." the raja commanded. the raja stepped into the guards and took his place beside k.
"i will walk these last steps with you, agent k." the raja said.
he was rather disappointed that the woman was not in a panic as so
many of his other condemned were at this point in the ceremony.
"it's your party." k said. "please do not have your guards throw me onto the pedestal. i think i can manage to place myself alone."
"as you wish, agent k." the raja said.
"they are nearly to the pedestal, car..do we go now?" dick said, getting anxious to rescue his wife.
"no..she is too closely guarded. if we go now, they will kill you.
no, wait until she is guarded less and then go. i'll tell you when."
carter said. he was also getting anxious.
the guard unit with k and the raja walked to the edge of the straw bed. chakta the elephant was already standing next to the pedestal waiting for his next victim. the guard disbanded and when the head guard went to put k into position the raja waved him away.
"she wishes to do this herself." the raja said to the guard.
with the elegance of a woman stepping out to go to a play, k stepped
upon the straw bed and judged the distance of her body from the pedestal.
then, with the grace of a ballerina, k knelt down on her knees and then
laid her body down, placing her head upon the marble pedestal.
"now, dick!! now!!" carter commanded.
dick reved up the motorcycle and down came the "invisa-screen".
he threw the first hand grenade and yelled to everyone present his
catch phrase.
"look out below!!" dick roared and he gunned his motorcycle in the direction of where k was laying.
"dick!" k said with excitement. she jumped up from her lying position. the head guard went to grab k but she gave him a good swift kick in the stomach with her right foot.
"cheerio! i'm done with this game..my husband has come to take me home!" k said cheerfully. she began running towards the approaching motorcycle.
"would you look at that! k is coming to us." dick said as he threw a smoke grenade.
"she's quite a woman." carter said with pride. maybe dick daring wasn't so bad after all, he thought.
"guards..stop her! she is trying to escape." the raja said.
the guards ran after k but she was much too fast for them. taking a running jump, she jumped onto the motorcycle as it slowed down and into dick's waiting arms.
"hello, richard..what took you so long?" k said with a sexy smile.
"i'm a 'nick of time' kind of guy, katie." dick said with a smile.
"i can't free up your hands at the moment so just lean back into my
belly and i'll have you out of here shortly".
"hello, k.." carter said warmly.
"carter!" k exclaimed with joy. "you made it out of the accident!"
"i did and as we speak british intelligence is working on a new and improved body for me." carter said.
dick threw another smoke grenade at the viewing stage and gunned the motorcycle towards the exit.
"it's a darn good thing these backward b'ajai folks hadn't heard of guns yet. this rescue has been a piece of cake." dick said, enjoying every second of the rescue.
"stop!" the voice of raja rameen cut through the noise the motorcyle was making. "stop unless you want the blood of another innocent child on your hands, agent k."
k and dick looked over at where the voice came from. standing in the exit was the raja with a young girl about riley's age. he had a sword to her throat and she was crying.
"the blaggart!" k said with anger. "dick, we have to stop. i have to go back now."
dick stopped the motorcycle with regret.
"why are you stopping?" carter demanded.
"that man is going to kill that little girl. katie..i'm sorry.
i've failed you. but i can't see a child killed over this." dick
said softly.
"it wouldn't be the first time. yesterday he had a little boy
about todd's age killed in front of me to show me how the elephant
performs executions." k said with deep sorrow in her voice.
the guards surrounded the motorcycle. k turned to dick and gave him a passionate kiss. then, she dismounted from the motorcycle.
the raja let go of the girl who ran off. then, he walked over to k and laughed.
"so you thought you'd get away. haha!" the raja said.
"raja, i know i am not worthy of any last requests as you told me yesterday but if i might have five more minutes with my husband and my friend carter i will put in a good word with the angels on your behalf". k said softly.
"no!" the raja said.
but then, another man behind the raja spoke up. it was his brother senjay who was the prime minister of b'ajai.
"my brother, you shall have your pleasure in watching an innocent
british woman die. i cannot stop that. but after yesterday with the
death of young anwar, my ward, you no longer have my support or respect.
what harm would it do to let the woman say goodbye to her husband and
the electronic thing she considers a friend? i will stay with her and
make certain she does not escape." senjay rameen said.
the raja looked at his brother. he had wronged him in killing the young boy senjay considered to be a son. if allowing k daring five minutes with her husband would begin to make peace, it would be worth it.
"very well..five minutes. not one second more!" the raja said.
