The next afternoon, Coiley, Multi, Skittles, and FG were cruising the streets, on their way to their next gig. They had announced FG would be substituting for "Franky" (the boys often used their real names while on tour) until further notice the night before, but they didn't say why. Several teenage girls were in an uproar because they now had only two boys to drool over, instead of three. Other teenage girls were excited at the prospect of a female member of the band, even if she was only temporary. The guys in the audience immediately began drooling over FG. With the exception of those few teenage girls, the new line up looked like it would be a hit. But that didn't make the trio feel any better about the circumstances.
"I'm glad you're able to pinch hit for us, FG," Coiley said.
"In more ways than one, I'll bet," Multi said, slyly. He knew Coiley had a huge crush on FG.
"It's no problem, Coiley," FG said. "I've always wanted to be part of the team. But Big D never thinks of sending me out with you guys. Usually, I'd just fill in for the three of you when you couldn't transform by yourselves. But I don't think we should dwell in that now."
"Right," Coiley said. "We've got more important things to do. We have to track down Fluey."
"I really hope he's all right," FG said. "I can't believe he's Big Tony Manikatti's grandson!"
"Neither could we, when we found out," Coiley said. "That's why we think Manikatti's goons might have kidnapped Fluey. They might be holding him responsible for the accident that killed Manikatti."
"That's a possibility," Multi said. "But there was no proof he was kidnapped. I mean, why would they take Fluey's stuff along with them? Especially his wrist communicator."
"Maybe to throw you off," FG said.
"That's an idea," Coiley said. "I never thought of that."
Suddenly, Skittles began barking, and she did her pointer thing (POING!)
"Look!" FG shouted, pointing in the direction Skittles was pointing.
"A brand new black Cadillac," Coiley said. "Sitting right outside the bank."
"And aren't members of the Syndicate known for new, black Caddies?" Multi asked. Coiley and FG nodded, and quickly, they changed into their super identities. Once they were converted, Coiley turned on the TV screen in the Impossi-Mobile.
"Impossibles calling Big D," he said. "Reporting suspected Syndicate sighting. There's a black Caddy sitting outside the Last National Bank."
"I'll send back up," Big D said. "Check it out, and be extremely cautious."
"Check, chief," Coiley said, and he ended the transmission.
"Rally ho! And away we go!" the trio shouted.
Inside the bank, Nicky, Johnny, and Gino were standing there, holding machine guns. Fluey was with them, looking things over. He lowered the sunglasses he was wearing slightly, and then pushed them back in place.
"Okay," he said to the terrified tellers. "This is what we're gonna do here. You guys are gonna give us all the money you've got in here."
"And what if we don't?" the bank president asked.
"Show 'em, Johnny," Fluey said.
Johnny then aimed his gun at the ceiling and began firing rapidly, shooting out some of the lights. Everyone inside the bank started panicking.
"Don't just stand there!" the bank president shouted. "Start giving them the money!"
And with that, the tellers began putting all the money they could into bags while Nicky, Johnny, and Gino collected them.
"Come on, come on, speed it up," Fluey said. "We don't have all day!"
Suddenly the door was flung open, as a streak of lightning hit it, and then zoomed into the bank, screeching to a halt. Everyone turned to look, and there were the Impossibles standing there.
"It's them, all right," Coiley said, recognizing Nicky from the gang's first encounter with Manikatti's hoods. Due to the dark glasses Fluey was wearing, our heroes didn't recognize him.
"What in the world is this?!" Nicky shouted.
"Rally ho!" Multi shouted, duplicating himself and surrounding the hoods. "Give up, you thieves! I've got you surrounded!"
"Oh yeah?" Fluey said. "Take this!"
Fluey grabbed Gino's machine gun, and began firing rapidly at Multi's duplicates.
"Heh, heh," Fluey laughed, smugly. "That takes care of that."
"Sorry," Multi said. "You got 'em all except the original!"
"Why you . . . . ." Fluey said, raising the gun. "I oughta make Swiss cheese outta you!"
"Look out, Multi!" Coiley shouted, and he sprang forward, his fist outstretched. "Rally ho!"
Coiley's fist connected directly with Fluey's face. POW! Fluey stumbled backwards, and was knocked off his feet.
"Oooh!" he groaned. "Okay, that does it! Get 'em, guys!"
"Time for a wipe out!" FG shouted, as she converted to liquid. "Rally ho!"
FG turned herself into a miniature tidal wave, and hit Nicky, Gino, and Johnny, as they ran toward her, wiping the three of them out.
"Brother, are you guys idiots!" Fluey groaned. He picked up the machine gun again. "If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself."
Just then, a streak of lightning slammed into his stomach, and knocked him off his feet, and his sunglasses flew off his face. He skidded across the floor, and saw a puppy in a super suit sitting on his stomach, wagging her tail. She began licking his face, barking happily.
"Oh yuck!" Fluey shouted. "Geez! Get this mutt off of me!"
"Holy hi fi's!" Coiley shouted. "Fluey! Boy, are we glad to see you!"
"Eh?" Fluey asked, giving Coiley a weird look, all the while trying to get Impossi-Pup off of him. "What did you just call me?!"
"Huh?" Coiley asked, a little confused.
"Hey, Fluey, what's the matter?" Multi asked.
"I don't know what you morons are talking about," Fluey said, glaring at the redheaded Impossible. "Call this fleabag off before I fill her full of lead!"
"Okay, Skittles, here, girl!" Multi called. Impossi-Pup then ran to him, wondering what in the world was up with Fluey. Multi, Coiley, and FG were wondering the same thing.
"Something's not right here," Multi said. "Come on, Fluey, stop playing around."
"Who's playing around?" Fluey asked, picking up the machine gun, and aiming it right at Multi. "And quit calling me Fluey! My name's Tony!"
"Tony?!" Coiley and Multi screamed in perfect unison.
"But . . . . but you hate being called Tony!" Coiley shouted. "You said anyone who calls you that has a death wish."
"Yeah?" Fluey asked, turning his aim from Multi to Coiley. "Well, you sure sound like you gotta death wish, Fatso!"
"Whoa boy . . . ." Coiley said, nervously.
Just then, a group of SSHQ agents burst into the bank.
"Freeze!" one shouted, holding up a gun. "You're all under arrest!"
"The cops!" Gino shouted.
"Let's scram!" Fluey said. "Grab what you can and let's bolt!"
Nicky, Gino, and Johnny gathered up some of the bags of money, and raced out. Some of the SSHQ agents chased after them, firing. Fluey stopped, turned, and fired his machine gun. It was obvious he didn't know how to use that thing, because bullets were erratically flying everywhere.
"Duck and cover!" FG shouted, converted into liquid and shooting into the bank's sprinkler system.
Coiley, Multi, and Impossi-Pup quickly ducked behind a desk, while other customers began diving to the floor. The tellers ducked down behind the windows. The SSHQ agents also ducked behind whatever they could. The scene didn't end until one of the SSHQ agents was hit in the shoulder with one of those flying bullets.
"AAGGGHH!" he screamed. "They got me!"
"Let's get outta here!" Fluey shouted, tossing the machine gun aside, and practically diving into the Caddy with the three mobsters. They took off like a shot down the street. Multi and Coiley tried to go after them, but it was too late.
"Well, we'll never catch them now," Coiley said.
"What was that all about, anyway?" Multi asked.
"I don't know. It was really weird. He acted like he didn't even know us! You think maybe they could have brainwashed him?"
"I don' know, Coiley."
The two Impossibles went back to the bank to assess the situation. One of the agents was using a walkie-talkie to dispatch an ambulance for the agent that had been shot.
"How is he?" Coiley asked.
"We won't know how much damage until we get him to the hospital," another agent said. "Gunshot wounds to the shoulder can be pretty tricky. Incidentally, the twerp that was firing the machine gun . . . . looked a lot like Agent Fluid."
"Yeah, we know," Multi said.
"What'd he do?" the agent asked. "Turn Benedict Arnold on us? Why's he running around with Manikatti's hoods, acting like a gangster?"
"We don't know," Coiley shrugged.
"Big D won't like it," the agent said.
"That's for sure," Multi replied.
And with that, Coiley, Multi, FG, and Impossi-Pup left the bank and went to the Impossi-Mobile to call in. They figured another agent had already informed the chief what had happened. And Multi was right. Big D was not happy.
"I already got a call from Agent Graham," Big D said. "What I want to know is why Fluid is pulling a Benedict Arnold on us."
"We don't know, chief," Coiley said. "He might have been brainwashed. He acted like he didn't even know us."
"Or he could be pretending to be on their side," Multi said. "To try to get the goods on them. He might have had to pretend he didn't know us so he wouldn't give himself away."
"That's a possibility," FG said. "He could have convinced the hoods he was on their side so they wouldn't kill him."
"I don't think that's a possibility," Big D said. "Even if he was pretending to be on their side, he wouldn't have fired that machine gun and risk harming innocent bystanders. I want you three to look into this, but be extremely careful."
"Right, chief!" the trio shouted, saluting. Impossi-Pup barked, and saluted herself. Then they turned into the Impossi-Jet, and flew off.
Meanwhile, back at the seedy hotel, Gino and Johnny were counting up the loot. Nicky was sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on a table, and smoking a cigar. Fluey was pacing back and forth, looking mad as a hornet.
"All in all, we got about fifty grand," Johnny said. "Not bad for a beginner."
"Shut up, Malone!" Fluey shouted. "It's not good enough."
"What's your problem, anyway, kid?" Nicky asked. "Fifty grand ain't nothin' to sneeze at."
"It's chicken feed," Fluey said. "Tell me this, Calamari. How big a gangster was Big Tony?"
"Public enemy number one," Nicky said.
"And would he settle for a mere fifty grand?"
"Well, no, but . . . . ."
"My point exactly. If Big Tony wouldn't settle for fifty grand, what makes you idiots think I'm gonna settle for that?!"
"Keep in mind, kid, you're just a beginner."
"So what?! I'm a Manikatti, and I'm not gonna stand for this!"
"Looks like Little Tony's got some big ideas," Johnny said with a smirk. Fluey walked over to him, and whapped him upside the head as hard as he could.
"Watch who you're callin' little, Malone!" Fluey shouted. "I'm callin' the shots here! I'm the brains of this outfit! I'm the boss! And don't you lunkheads forget it, either! Now come on!"
"Where are we going?" Gino asked.
"We are gonna show this town that Tony Manikatti runs the show," Fluey said. "By the time we're through, we'll rule the entire world of organized crime!"
And with that statement, Fluey began laughing maniacally, just like any evil villain bent on domination.