/
Suddenly, the door to Ms. Tutweiller's dressing room opened, revealing London Tipton. She was wearing what appeared to be a schoolgirl uniform and a utility belt. To hide her identity, she had on a bald cap. London took out a spray can out from her belt, and used it to extinguish a small path in the fire.
"Quick!" London tossed a ninja star at the rope, slicing it in half, "Come on, Mrs. T, you can make it."
Ms. Tutweiller hastily walked through the non-flaming patch of the ground, and to the exit. Once she was safe, London took out a Kel-Tec .32 auto pistol, and fired a shot right next to the ceiling fan. The bullet burst a water pipe, putting out the fire.
/
The Black Shade arrived soon, along with Inspector Cody and Chick Magnet.
"Ms. Tutweiller, it's important you tell us everything you know about the thief," Inspector Cody said
"Well, she was about my height," Ms. Tutweiller began, "She spoke with a slight German accent, and even though she was wearing a mask, I could see she was blonde…"
"Hold on, what kind of mask was it?" The Black Shade asked
"Um…it was sort of like The Devil."
"The Devil-Woman!"
"You know her?" Ms. Tutweiller asked
"I can't believe she got away…"
"I'm sorry, I should have tried harder to stop her," London admitted
"It's OK, you did the best you could. Who are you, by the way?"
The Black Shade pretended he couldn't recognize the girl he'd practically raised from birth.
"I…haven't picked a name yet," London replied
"Hurm…" The Black Shade thought, "What should we call her?"
"Smart Girl would suit her," Ms. Tutweiller suggested, "You look like you have a large brain."
"I could go for that," London said
Ms. Tutweiller yawned.
"I'd like to get back to my cabin," she said, "Shade, could you walk me…?"
"Help!" came a yell
/
The four crime fighters and Ms. Tutweiller ran to the yell. To their surprise, Rat-Man was attempting to restrain Devil-Woman.
"Could someone do something about her?" Rat-Man grunted, "I can't hit a girl!"
Smart Girl and Ms. Tutweiller strode forward, and gave The Devil Woman a powerful punch each. She fell to the ground. The Black Shade wasted no time in tearing off her mask.
"Janine Snauf, the ship's public relations advisor," Ms. Tutweiller announced
"Wait a minute…" The Black Shade looked closer, "Inspector Cody, give me a Sharpie."
The Black Shade placed a big dot on a small nick on Snauf's face, one that looked like a mole.
"Ilsa!" The Black Shade growled
"Her?" Smart Girl, Chick Magnet, and Inspector Cody asked
"Who?" Ms. Tutweiller and Rat-Man asked
"She tried to fire Mr. Moesby, back in Boston," Chick Magnet explained
"And she tried to shut down The Tipton," Inspector Cody added
"And she wouldn't let…London date her step-son," Smart Girl said
"And I would have gotten away with it, if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" Ilsa groaned, attempting to get up
Chick Magnet restrained her with a magnetic blast to her necklace.
"I'll get Kirby," Inspector Cody said quickly
/
Ilsa was arrested, thrown in the brig, and Interpol was called. She would be tried for her crimes; Ilsa would get her just desserts yet.
"Well then," The Black Shade said, "I guess that's it. We've done our job."
"The job of a crusader of justice is never over," Chick Magnet reminded, "We'll be docked her for another two days; lots of crime-bashing to do."
"And next week we'll be in Mexico," Smart Girl added, "I've always wanted to bust drug traffickers."
"Then Honduras," Rat-Man noted, "We can help with the relief effort."
"While we're between countries, we could make webcasts," Inspector Cody theorized, "Tell people who we are."
"I wouldn't want them thinking we're like that crazy bat-guy in Gotham City," Rat-Man said
They ignored Rat-Man's pop culture reference.
"You guys will need a name," Ms. Tutweiller said, "Something that tells people who you are."
"How about the Teen Titans?" Inspector Cody suggested
"That's taken," Rat-Man said
"Oh yeah, that's right. How about 'Underground Justice'?"
"Taken."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, they're the version of the Legion of Doom from the Mirror Universe."
"I thought Mirror Universe was Star Trek."
"Well you can still say…"
"How about The Ocean Force Five?" Ms. Tutweiller interrupted, "There are five of you, you're a force, and you travel the ocean."
No complaints.
"That's pretty good, Ms. T.," Smart Girl said
"Thanks. I thought of it in the shower this morning. Now, don't you kids have homework?"
"Crime fighters don't have homework," Rat-Man said
"Then they don't get to be on the team," The Black Shade growled
"Oh man…"
/
The next day, Moesby went to see Ms. Tutweiller sing 'Diamonds are Forever' at the Starlight Lounge. This time, she used fake diamonds. Zack went with him, as Moesby's guest. The two of them now had a more mutual friendship; almost like father and son.
/
London and Rat-Man were doing some training in the ship's gym. Smart Girl had taken a liking to him; Woody was more pleasant after the brick to his head.
"OK, Ms. Tipton, I should warn you I've got a powerful left hook," Woody said, speaking in his smooth baritone voice, "Although I have complete faith in your abilities, I still feel I should still warn you."
"Thank you, Woody."
Woody attempted to hit London, and she blocked it, as usual.
"Say, after this, can I buy you a smoothie?" Woody asked
"I'd like that."
/
Inspector Cody walked along the sky deck with Bailey that night.
"I can't believe you quit the Junior Police Force," Bailey admitted, "It's so…rebellious."
"Look babe," Cody took out a candy cigarette, "I couldn't work within the system. They were too easy on criminals."
"Wow…" Bailey was in awe
"Plus they stopped offering it as an extracurricular activity…" Cody mumbled
/
Somewhere out there, in the streets of Atlantic City, one of the gangsters from Irving's store was trying the same dirty trick in a small casino.
"Sir, I can't pay you fifty percent of my profits," the manager attempted, "The least I can give you is…"
The gangster held up a baseball bat threateningly.
"The least you'll do is fifty percent, unless you want me to smash up the place."
"Excuse me, I'd like ten dollars in chips," someone said
The gangster groaned.
"Can't you see we're in the middle of something?" he growled, "Listen you…"
He turned around, and gasped, seeing The Black Shade behind him. The gangster got lost in the sheer blackness of The Black Shade.
"You dropped this," The Black Shade said, holding up the gangster's gun, "Here, let me return it. Into your head!"
The Black Shade smacked the gangster's cranium, downing him.
"Thank you!" the casino manager said, "If there's anything I can do…"
"Like I said, ten dollars in chips…"
/
/
/
The End. For now.