/
/
The next week was filled with news of The Black Shade. Not only had he prevented two more robberies, but he had also outed a band of travelling criminals, plus he had saved the life of a woman who almost fell overboard. Even the kids were talking about The Black Shade.
"I hear he's an escaped experiment," Zack said, "A living being made of black smoke."
"That's ridiculous," Bailey said, "Everyone knows that he's really a man who gained superpowers after beating the dark lord in a fiddle-playing competition."
"I hear he's just a normal guy who confuses people using dark clothing and fast reflexes," London said
Everyone stared at her. Cody buried his face in his palm.
"You're lucky you were born into money," Bailey noted
"If you listen very carefully, you can hear her IQ dropping," Zack muttered
"So how about that football game?" Woody asked, "My arm's feeling a lot better now."
/
Zack, Cody, and Kirby stood huddled up at the far end of the Sky Deck. Bailey, London, and Woody were huddled at another.
"OK, guys, this is your standard Statue of Liberty play," Zack explained, "Cody, you intercept Woody, and I'll throw the ball to Kirby."
"What ball?" Cody asked, "You're holding a rock!"
"Mr. Moesby confiscated my football!" Zack protested
"In his defense, it is a regulation rock," Kirby reminded
Zack and Cody exchanged looks; it was a look that said "don't ask".
"Look, if it will make you feel better…" Zack reached for a paper bag, and dropped the rock in it, "There. Safe as a house."
Cody sighed. He knew he wasn't going to win the argument any time soon.
"OK. Hut!"
/
Cody ran over to Woody, but just as Zack was going to throw the 'ball', Bailey and London surrounded Kirby.
"Throw it to me!" Cody yelled
Zack hurled the rock in Cody's direction, but his aiming was off; the rock flew right at Woody, bouncing off his head, and smashing through a porthole. Woody fell to the ground.
"Oh my gosh, are you alright?" Cody asked
"Uh…" Woody groaned
At once, Zack, Cody, Bailey, London, and Kirby crowded around Woody. Everyone called out his name, asking if he was OK, but Woody couldn't understand them.
"Woody!" Zack groaned, "OK, Rat-Man!"
Rat-man…Woody thought, of course, that's right, I'm Rat-Man, here to free this floating metropolis from the wrath of criminals. He pulled himself up.
"Buddy, are you OK?" Zack asked
"Fine, good citizen," Woody spoke in a smoother, baritone voice, "And how are you this fine day?"
/
SS Tipton, night-time…
/
Rat-Man stood on top of the Sky-Deck, next to the searchlight that was beaming out the shape of a rat's face into the sky. He was standing there in his rat mask, a grey suit, red cape, and a yellow belt containing his crime fighting gadgets. His face was covered by his rat-shaped cowl, on his chest was the rat-symbol, identical to the one that was on the searchlight.
"Hello, Rat-Man," came a voice
Rat-Man turned around, seeing a man in a trench coat and fedora hat. It was Inspector Cody of the SS Tipton Junior Police Department. He had joined after he heard Bailey liked crime fighters. Kirby stood behind him.
"Inspector, Detective," Rat-Man nodded, "Why did you turn on the rat signal?"
"I thought you turned it on?" Cody asked, chewing a candy cigarette (it matched his film-noir look)
"I don't have time to argue," Rat-Man said, "I need to know what crimes are a-brewing in our fair city."
"We're on a boat," Cody reminded
"So, you're one of them!" Rat-Man exclaimed, "I'm onto you! You crooked cops won't run Gotham forever!"
"Gotham?"
Rat-Man threw his Rat-A-Rang at the higher tower, and swung away.
/
The Malenfant brothers were on break from their private school; they were nice kids, but got into a lot of trouble because of their curiosity. At that moment they were playing around with the wires of the ship's navigation, unintentionally steering the ship into an iceberg. The Black Shade had noticed this, and was on his way to stop them. Unfortunately, by the time he was there, the kids were gone, and he had almost no idea how to fix the system.
"OK…emergency stop," The Black Shade searched for it, "Uh huh. I just need to cut that wire…but I need something sharp…"
The Black Shade searched himself; he couldn't find anything sharp enough to cut the thick wire.
"Allow me…" came a voice
Rat-Man slid past The Black Shade, and slipped a pair of metal teeth into his mouth. He bit the emergency stop release-wire, just in time. The ship slowed to a halt a few meters short of the iceberg.
"Good work kid," The Black Shade said, "It's Rat-Man, isn't it?"
"Yes sir," Rat-Man shook his hand, "I hope to be seeing a lot of you around here."
/
Later, Rat-Man returned to his Rat-Cave; it was a dark room, filled with memorabilia from his crime fighting. There was the Anterian hypnosis coin, the jaws of the sea monster that had attacked the ship, and even wheel of the lab rat that had inspired his creation. There was also the Rat-Computer, and the collection of Rat-weapons.
"Yet another innocent passenger protected," Rat-Man paced around, "But how can I continue…"
There was a knock at the door.
"Woody? Why did you lock this door?" Cody asked
"Sorry!" Woody yelled, "Be out in a minute!"
/
Mr. Moesby stood in his room, going over his coat with a lint roller. It would seem like a preppy thing to do, but it actually helped him blend in with the darkness.
"The Black Shade, protector of society," Moesby muttered, "Continuing his sea-bound quest to rid the world of the criminal element…"
There was a knock at the door. Quickly, Moesby hid his coat in his closet, behind a false wall panel. He then opened the door, revealing Ms. Tutweiller.
"Hello, Marion," she said, quietly, "Can I come in?"
"Of course, Emma," Mr. Moesby spoke in his urbane vernacular, "Can I get you a coffee?"
"No thanks," Ms. Tutweiller said, "I can't stay too long. I just wanted to tell you that I can't make our date tonight. I've got a lot of papers to grade."
"Oh," Mr. Moesby nodded, "OK. I'll cancel our reservation at the Starlight Club."
"Why don't you go without me?" Ms. Tutweiller suggested, "I hear they've got a new singer performing tonight, she's really good."
"OK," Moesby nodded, "I could go, have some Marion-time."
"Super."
/
London and Bailey were in the ship's gym, doing some training. They both stood on blue fighting mats in white robes, sparring with each other. Bailey was teaching London some new moves.
"What's this called again?" London asked
"Farm Fu," Bailey said, "It's a kind of martial art invented in Kettle Corn. Come on, try and attack me."
London tried to grab Bailey with the standard Muay Tipton attack her parents had developed; it failed, and London was pinned down on the ground by Bailey.
"OK, your attack is good," Bailey said, "But too aggressive. You need to slow down, notice what's going on around you."
London nodded. She could be a pretty good student if she wanted to.
/