Chapter Thirty
To the Rescue
"Twenty minutes until noon," said Rancis. "Then we make our move."
He, Wynchel, Duncan, Sour Bill, Otis and Floyd, and the other racers were all gathered inside the cavernous interior of Diet Cola Mountain. With most of SANG's attention focused on the castle at the moment, they had seized their chance to congregate there. The chance always remained that they would be discovered, hence why a number of the fans were posted as guards near the secret entrance, in case they had to make a hasty retreat across the half-completed track within and through the other exit.
Assuming they don't block that one off either, Rancis thought to himself. He drew the communication device from his pocket.
"This is our means of coordination with the others," he said. "We can't lose it or the game's up. Now, do you all know what to do?"
Everyone present nodded.
"Good. Any questions?"
Candlehead raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"What if they take the electric thingy with them when they run out into Game Central Station?"
"From what we've seen of Ainsworth, I don't think he's going to let anyone else take it. And he's not leaving here unless he absolutely has to."
"We did get the weapons, didn't we?" Taffyta asked. Otis floated towards a brown sack.
"Floyd and I have been stockpiling whatever we could steal. I thought we went through this already."
"Right, right, of course," said Taffyta. "It's just…what if this doesn't work?"
"Then we're all dead, kid," said Floyd. "Kaput."
"Right, then," said Rancis. "Arm yourselves. We move out in fifteen minutes."
"I'm not against torturing them," said Portia, gazing across the drawbridge from outside the gates. "If you really, honestly think there might be more to their plan, I'll try it. But I don't think they're smart enough to utilize anything sophisticated like a robot squadron in such an intricate way."
"Don't expect me to believe your stupid propaganda," said Mr. Ainsworth. "These characters are dangerous. Did you see all that technology we found in Dr. Despair's lair? Anyone who can make that is a threat to you."
"And he's dead," said Portia. "He was the exception to the rule. I'd hoped these other three might have shown his smarts, provided we could get them onto our side, but it seems they're neither intelligent nor sensible. No, there's nothing more we can do with them except kill them."
"Then you're a fool," said Mr. Ainsworth, "which is why I've bugged the garage. I'm going to check the recordings and if-"
A loud bang echoed through the wire that led to Game Central Station, drowning out the rest of his words. The communicator on Portia's wrist beeped wildly. She switched it on.
"Yes?" she said.
"Madame President," said the voice of Bruce, "you'd better get out here. Something strange is going on. The power strip is acting weirdly. We can't touch the walls without some sort of shock."
"What? Alright, I'm coming. Get everyone we can spare into Game Central Station, and do it fast."
"Are you sure that's smart?" Mr. Ainsworth asked as Portia switched her communicator off. "What if they try something while most of the guards are in the power strip?"
"Then if they want us, they can come to us outside their games," said Portia. "Outside, where they can't regenerate."
"And if they won't come out?"
"Why, then we'll know that none of these characters are redeemable, and we'll have to move up the date of this arcade's Armageddon."
Inside the garage, the four captives heard muffled noises coming from the direction of Game Central Station.
"What's that?" Vanellope asked.
"That'd be our acquaintance," said Calhoun. "Stand by for the help."
"If they get past me," said Mr. Ainsworth, entering the garage.
Vanellope paled and shrank back against the wall.
"A mutual acquaintance, eh?" said Mr. Ainsworth. "Thank the developers for wiretapping. Who is it- no, I can guess already." He patted his satchel. "Time to shut down Old Surge again- this time, for good!"
A laser blast whizzed past him.
"What in-?" He turned to see Otis and Floyd, each holding a laser rifle.
"Payback time, sucker!" said Floyd.
"So you say," said Ainsworth, drawing his pistols. "I don't take too kindly to folks who steal weapons, as you seem to have done."
Then there came the sound of an engine. The garage wall was smashed open, and a large van came careening in, smashing the controls to the energy shield. As it deactivated, Duncan leaned out of the van's passenger window. "You're under arrest," he shouted, waving a truncheon.
"Ah, don't make me laugh," said Mr. Ainsworth. Nevertheless, he was visibly nervous. Vanellope in particular noticed this. As the van rolled to a stop, she crept forward cautiously. A kart was off against one side of the wall, and Mr. Ainsworth's back was to it.
She made it to the kart just as Mr. Ainsworth noticed that his captives were moving away from the space where they had been confined.
"Get away from that kart!" he cried.
"Not likely," said Vanellope, leaping into the driver's seat. She turned it on and revved the engine.
"Well, little lady," said Mr. Ainsworth. "I do believe your ending is going to be spectacular."
"So is yours," said a voice behind him. He turned to see Ralph, his fists raised threateningly. Not far behind Ralph stood Duncan, with a chainsaw in his hand and several fragments of pipe on the ground beside him.
"Funny what you don't notice when you're focused on other things," said Mr. Ainsworth, backing towards the wall.
"Goodbye, Ainsworth," said Ralph.
"Goodbye indeed," said Mr. Ainsworth. Without warning, he darted to one side and made a dash for the van, dodging the blow from Ralph's fist.
"Stop him!" Floyd roared. Wynchel, who had exited the van as well, aimed a blow with his truncheon at the fleeing mercenary. Mr. Ainsworth shoved him aside and leaped through the opening in the wall.
"Great, how do we catch him now?" Duncan asked.
Vanellope was already barreling towards the smashed wall in her kart.
"Wait, get back here!" Ralph called. She paid him no heed as she drove past the van and out onto the plains of Sugar Rush.
"Wynchel, Duncan, to the van," said Otis. "The rest of you, follow me to the upstairs. The racers should be in the castle by now."
"Who's got the communicator?" Calhoun asked.
"Rancis," said Floyd. "The other attacks should have started by now, so if we can force them towards Game Central Station…"
He paused. "Where's Doctor Despair? I thought he was in on this?"
"Dead."
"Good riddance, then," said Floyd.
"I wouldn't put it that way," said Calhoun. "Not after how he died."
"Really? What do you mean?"
The police van started to roll backwards out of the opening.
"I'll explain later," said Calhoun. "If there is a later. Ralph, Felix?"
There was no answer.
"Where are they?"
As the police van began to turn, Calhoun, Otis, and Floyd saw Ralph and Felix clinging to its side.
"What are you doing?" Calhoun cried. "Get back here!"
"We're going after Ainsworth!" Ralph called back.
"Stay cool, ma'am, we know what we're doing!" Felix added as the van sped away.
"Oh, great," said Calhoun. "Which way to the racers?"
The sounds of fighting reached their ears from above. Moments later, several aliens were blasted backwards through one of the doors, their lifeless bodies crashing to a halt against a stack of boxes. Rancis emerged after them, a laser rifle in his hands.
"That way," said Calhoun.
"Oh, Sergeant," said Rancis, noticing Calhoun.
"Mr. President?"
"The fans and the Oreos have most of the guards pinned down in the hallways above. Where's Ainsworth?"
"Who knows?" said Floyd. "Last we saw, he had Ralph, Felix, Wynchel, Duncan, and Vanellope on his trail."
"That way," said Calhoun, directing Rancis's attention towards the gaping hole in the wall.
"Oh."
"Have you reached any of the other games?" Calhoun asked.
"A few," said Rancis. "The attacks seem to be going well so far."
"Where are the other racers?"
"Headed for the main garage to get their karts."
"And Sour Bill?"
A muffled roar could be heard, as though a door were being blasted open elsewhere in the castle's lower levels.
"Helping them get the karts," said Rancis, grinning.
"Right then, you boys go to the battle," said Calhoun.
"What about you?" Rancis asked.
"If my husband's going after that sorry excuse for a cowboy, I'd better join him."
"Then take this," said Otis, tossing his laser rifle towards her.
"Thank you," said Calhoun. She offered a brief salute, which Rancis returned. And then she turned and headed straight for the opening in the wall.
We can't let him get to Game Central Station with that pulse emitter. Now, if I can just find him…