The Impossibles flew the Impossi-Jet through the woods, looking high and low. Fluey was using a pair of binoculars to scout around, and he was getting more and more frustrated by the second.
"I hope we find those witches soon," Multi said.
"You hope we find them soon!" Fluey shouted, giving Multi a dirty look. "This is taking forever! Why can't we find them?!"
"I'm trying the scanner, Fluey, but nothing's coming up," Coiley said.
"Errrrggghhhh!" Fluey let out what sounded like a mix between a groan and a scream. Then he tossed the binoculars against the car seat, nearly hitting Skittles with them, inadvertently, of course.
"Yipe!" Skittles yelped, and then whimpered, trying to hide behind Multi.
"Fluey, we know this is bugging you, but at least try to control yourself a little," Multi said, picking up his frightened puppy. "You're starting to scare Skittles."
"Not to mention the two of us," Coiley muttered under his breath. Neither he, nor Multi, had ever seen Fluey so ticked off before.
"Sorry," Fluey said, not sounding all that apologetic. "I'm just really not in a good mood here. When I get through with that witch, all that's gonna be left are those hairpins of hers!"
Multi and Coiley sighed, and continued looking around. It was about all they could do.
Meanwhile, Witch Hazel was standing in front of a cauldron, stirring something in it, and Danalleah was sitting, watching her, not really interested.
"Now then," Witch Hazel said. "If we mix a cup of arsenic, a spider, some glue, a lizard's gizzard, an eel's heel, or two . . . . what do we have?"
"A mess," Danalleah said.
"No, no, no!" Witch Hazel shouted. "Will you get your head out of the clouds and back down to earth?!"
"Sorry," Danalleah said. Then she sighed. Cronella groaned.
"I know what you're thinking, and you can just forget it!" she shouted. "You might as well get used to the idea of becoming a wicked witch!"
"Yes, Mother," Danalleah said, distantly. Cronella and Witch Hazel glanced at each other.
"I just know she's thinking about that literal stagnant drip," Cronella grumbled. "We've got to get her mind off him."
"And I think I have just the thing," Witch Hazel said. "Those boys will show up sooner or later, I'm sure."
"They always do. Those Impossibles are just plain impossible!"
"Yes. So here's what we'll do."
Witch Hazel whispered her plan to Cronella, and the two witches cackled like crazy.
A few hours later, Coiley landed the Impossi-Jet in the woods, and switched to Impossi-Mobile. Fluey converted to liquid, and shot out of the car.
"Where are you going?" Multi asked.
"I'm on a mission here!" Fluey shouted. "I'm not giving up until I find Danalleah!"
"You've got to admit, he's dedicated," Coiley commented. Skittles barked in agreement.
"We'd better get going after him before we lose him," Multi said. Coiley agreed, and started the car.
In the meantime, Fluey had just arrived at Witch Hazel's. He figured it had to be her place, since it was a big, dark, run down, scary looking place. He converted into liquid again, and slipped in underneath the door. The coast looked to be clear, so he converted back into solid again, and looked around, but was immediately whacked over the head with a broom.
"Ouch!" he shouted. "Hey, what the . . . ."
Before he could continue, he was whacked in the head a second time. He regained his composure quickly and looked up, only to see Danalleah glaring at him, and holding a broom. Needless to say, he was a little surprised.
"Danalleah?" he asked.
"Take that!" Danalleah yelled, hitting him for a third time.
"Hey, whoa, wait, Danalleah! It's me!" Fluey yelled.
"I know it's you," Danalleah said, and she hit him again.
"Then why are you hitting me with that broom?"
"Because you're nothing but a goody two shoes and you sent my mother to jail, you rat!"
"I had to, it's part of my job description. And don't forget, your mother had you deported to Transylvania."
"Don't you dare talk about my mother that way! I never want to see you again, ever! Get out of my sight, you freak!"
"Freak?!"
Danalleah began swatting Fluey with the broom, one whack right after the other. Fluey converted to liquid, and shot out underneath the door as fast as he could. He just couldn't believe what happened. He stood there on the porch for several minutes, and then the door opened. Danalleah came out, and whacked him once more.
"Get out!" she yelled. "Never darken my doorstep again! Freak!"
Immediately, Fluey backed off without saying a word. He didn't know what to think. Danalleah's words were still echoing in his mind.
Freak
By that time, Multi and Coiley arrived on the scene. They look one look at the house, and then they saw Fluey, who looked like he was in a state of shock.
"Fluey is this it?" Multi asked.
"What's the matter?" Coiley asked. "What happened?"
"Are you guys ready for this?" Fluey asked. "I go in there, and she starts hitting me with a broom!"
"Maybe she thought you were someone else," Coiley said.
"No, she knew it was me," Fluey said. "It was really weird. She got mad about us sending her mother to jail. Then she said she never wanted to see me again, and she called me a freak!"
"Eesh," Coiley said.
"You're right, that is weird," Multi said. "I thought she liked you."
"So did I," Fluey said. "I've heard of girls having mood swings, but that was ridiculous! I mean, she said in her letters that she really wanted to come back and . . . ."
"What letters?" Coiley asked.
"Oops," Fluey said.
"You two were writing letters to each other?" Multi asked. "You know you weren't allowed to have contact with Danalleah until they got this thing settled!"
"Yeah, I know, I know," Fluey said. "But I just couldn't stand it. I had to do something. Multi, you would've done the same!"
"No, I wouldn't," Multi said.
"We can understand why you did it, Fluey," Coiley said. "But we're just a little surprised. You know Big D's gonna be pretty angry if he finds out about this."
"Come on, fellas, please don't tell Big D about it!" Fluey shouted. "Who knows what he'll do! Danalleah and I will both be in trouble, and they'll send her back to Transylvania for good, I know it!"
"All right," Multi said. "We'll keep this a secret. But you'd better not try anything this sneaky and underhanded again, Fluey."
"Yeah, we know you've completely flipped out for Danalleah," Coiley said. "But seriously, you've got to get it together."
"Right," Fluey said. "And I just know those two crazy old crones cast a spell or something on Danalleah. I'm going back there, and I'm trying it again."
"We'll go with you," Multi said.
"Yeah, this I've got to see to believe," Coiley said.
And with that, the Impossibles went back up to the house, and knocked on the door. Danalleah answered it, and glared at the three of them.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "And I see you've brought the Freak Squad with you. Back for another round?"
"Danalleah, listen to me," Fluey said, grabbing the teenage witch by her shoulders for a moment. "They've got you under some kind of spell. I know they do! You can't mean what you're saying!"
"I can, and I do!" Danalleah shouted, wrenching herself out of Fluey's grip. "You're nothing but a freak of nature! What did I ever see in you?! No girl would ever like you! You're stupid, ugly, untalented, useless, hopeless, and worthless!"
And with that, Danalleah slammed the door right then and there. All three Impossibles were completely speechless. Fluey was crushed. He just sighed, and walked over to the Impossi-Mobile. Multi and Coiley followed. Skittles whimpered, and rested her head on Fluey's leg. Fluey just aimlessly scratched her behind her ears. If he thought his heart had been broken before, when Danalleah was deported to Transylvania, it was nothing compared to now! His heart was more than broken. It was practically shattered, as if it were a window someone threw a brick at.
"Neil Sedaka was right," Coiley said. "Breaking up is hard to do!"
"I have a bad feeling he's going to take this harder than he took it when Danalleah was deported," Multi said.
"Right. Why don't we take a break from the case for the time being? I'll report to Big D."
"Good idea."
Immediately, Coiley called Big D over the communicator in the car. He didn't tell him all that had happened moments before. All he said was that they had a slight setback in locating Cronella, and they needed some time before they went back and tried again. Big D agreed to let them have a break.
"I can take you off the case," he said. "I had a feeling I shouldn't have gotten the three of you involved in apprehending Cronella Critch after she escaped. I figured Fluid would be too emotionally involved."
"It isn't that, chief," Coiley said. "Well . . . . okay, it is . . . . sorta . . . . but after what just happened . . . . which I'd rather not go into while Fluey's in earshot . . . ."
"Ha, ha, Coiley," Fluey said, sarcastically.
"I understand," Big D said. "But keep in mind, if he gets too emotionally involved in this case . . . . I know how he feels about that daughter of Cronella's."
"You don't know the half of it, chief," Coiley sighed, and then signed off. Once he signed off, he drove into the city, and parked the car outside of a local restaurant, Martha's Diner. Then, the boys changed out of superhero form, and into some street clothes, as opposed to their band outfits. The diner happened to be a known hangout for the teenage crowd, and walking in wearing their band outfits would draw attention to themselves, and Coiley and Multi figured the last thing Fluey needed right now was to be mobbed by screaming teenage girls.
Luckily for them, the diner didn't have too many kids there. The trio walked inside, and up to the counter. An older woman, about forty or so, with frosted blond hair wearing a pink waitress dress and white apron saw them and smiled. Her name was Martha, and she was the one who owned the diner.
"Well, hello, strangers," she said to the boys. "Long time, no see."
"Hi, Mom," Coiley said. This was the main reason he chose to stop at the diner to eat than anywhere else. Even though the place was a teenager hangout, most everyone knew that, as a band, they went by their SSHQ names. Very few people called them by their real names, and Coiley knew his mother would be one of them. It would throw off the fans, he thought. That, and he liked dropping in on his mother every now and again. With the lifestyles the Impossibles led, they very rarely got to see their families.
"So how's it going in the life of three singers and superhero secret agents?" Martha asked.
"We've hit a bit of a road block in our latest, Mrs. C," Multi said. "We just stopped in for a break. And, as we all know, your place has the best food in Megatropolis."
"Yeah right," Martha said, in a teasing sort of way. "I know you boys only come in here because you know I don't charge you. So, what'll it be?"
"You still make that apple pie of yours?" Multi asked.
"Do fish swim?" Martha asked. "And I know how you like it, Mark, with caramel sauce and a la mode. And Calvin, I know what you're thinking of ordering. A banana split with the works."
"Right," Coiley said.
"How does your mom do it?" Multi asked.
"She's got a good memory," Coiley said, shrugging.
"And Franky, let me take a wild guess," Martha went on. "The usual burger, fries, and a cherry Coke, right?"
"No," Fluey said, with a sigh. "Just get me a chocolate milkshake. Make it a double, and triple thick. So thick I have to eat it with a spoon."
"Fluey, you know you hate milkshakes that thick!" Coiley shouted.
"I know," Fluey said. "I want to choke on it."
"Oh Fluey!" Multi groaned, smacking his hand against his forehead.
"I take it we've got a situation here," Martha said.
"Girl trouble," both Coiley and Multi said in unison.
"Enough said," Martha replied, and she went into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Martha returned with the boys' orders. Immediately, Fluey grabbed a straw, and began sucking the milkshake through it, knowing darn well he would probably choke on it if he sucked too hard.
"Okay, Fluey, cut that out," Multi said, taking the glass away from his friend. "We know you're depressed, but that's no reason to try to choke to death on a chocolate milkshake!"
"Besides, it'll make my mom look bad," Coiley replied. "Who wants to go to a restaurant where someone choked to death on the food?"
Fluey said nothing. And he knew he wouldn't get his shake back unless he ate it with a spoon instead of deliberately trying to choke on it. He began thinking about what had happened moments earlier. He had a pretty good feeling Witch Hazel and Cronella had done something to Danalleah. He just couldn't figure out what, or how to reverse whatever spell they put on her.
"That does it!" he yelled suddenly, banging his fist on the counter. "I've had it!"
"What now?" Coiley asked, getting a little frustrated with Fluey.
"I can't sit here and wallow in self pity!" Fluey shouted. "What good is that gonna do? It's time to take action! We've gotta go back to that house, rescue Danalleah, and show those witches what they get for messing with us! You guys with me or not?"
"Let's hit it!" Coiley shouted.
"Next stop, Witch Hazel's," Multi said, and the boys raced out to the Impossi-Mobile. They converted to Impossi-Jet, and into their superhero forms, and took to the air.
"Rally ho!" they shouted, as they flew towards the woods.