CHAPTER NINE: ALLIES COME TOGETHER
"RESTAURANT CLOSED/DRIVE THRU ONLY"
That was what the sign read on the door of the Pizza Cats' Pizzeria. This made a lot of patrons rather grumpy, but in the end most still dealt with the drive through. The restaurant did not have an official window for such things, but Francine had improvised. It was her idea to keep the restaurant open at all, after all. She had a small window in the kitchen opened. It had been painted shut but that did not deter her.
Another problem with the window was that it was very high up for anyone handing food to a customer would have to drop the food into a customer's cart from a ladder on the inside. This would not do, of course, so Francine came up with another idea. She put little parachutes on Styrofoam boxes to drift the food down into the carts or hands below. One may call her a workaholic, which she probably was, but she would not care. She owned the deed to the restaurant, and she would make those pizzas as available to the public as possible, especially with competition right across the street.
However, it must be admitted that there was absolutely no cleaning going on in the orthodox sense of the word, which was the only reason it had ever been closed before. The only mention of cleaning was cleaning up that mess known as "Dr. Purple". Desperate times came for desperate measures. The workers aside from Francine were beaten and bruised, and they needed to recuperate and fast if they wanted to end the new robot invasion. And they also needed as much time as possible to discuss their next move besides, and that's exactly what they were doing.
"Maybe we should have a real drive-through window installed," muttered Francine as she got another order from a customer calling out to her from the ground outside. Then writing it all down and turning down from the ladder to where the others were speaking with Al over the vidphone, she called, "One large New York style pizza with pepperoni, pineapple and a heaping pile of Anaheim sauce!"
"Right on it," Polly groaned.
She hurriedly got the pizza going and popped it in the oven. Then she practically flew back to the vidphone wiping her brow.
"Okay, where were we?" she asked.
"Dr. Purple," said Guido.
On screen, Al Dente nodded. "Yes, I think I may have something that might be interesting to you."
"Really?" said Speedy brightly. "It's about time! This secret is killing me. It's not someone in court that we can't get at again, is it?"
"Well, it can't be the prime minister," said Guido crossing his arms. "That's my brother."
"Besides," said Polly. "You said you saw him." She looked a tad skeptical as she said this.
"I did!" insisted Guido.
"May I speak now before there's another pizza called out?" grumbled Al.
"Yes, tell us already," said Speedy.
"Okay," said Al closing his eyes. "So. I did some background checking of all the people that may want to get revenge on the emperor, and believe me the list is very long, but I managed to dig up thi—"
"Three medium cheese-in-the-crust pizzas!" called Francine from the ladder. "Meat lovers deluxe! And the timer for that New York styled pizza just dinged!"
The cats groaned and nearly dropped to the floor with exasperation.
"Coming!" Speedy called back.
Rushing to the oven, he pulled out the fresh hot one as Polly and Guido swiftly made the next three.
"Francine, can't we close now!" gasped Guido.
"Well, we were closed half day when you guys were at the hospital," said Francine. "If we're closed for too long our money won't hold out."
"Oh, it'll be fine," muttered Speedy.
"You want to lose the electricity in this place and eat nothing but canned anchovies for a month?" asked Francine.
The cats said nothing in response to this, but hurried back to Al as fast as they could.
Al sighed, "Maybe I should just call back after hours."
"No!" gasped Speedy. "Tell us now! The suspense is killing me!"
However it was at this moment there occurred another interruption, yet not in the form of an order for lunch. The flinging open of the backdoor caused the cats to jump and their fur to bristle in surprise.
Were the customers breaking in!?
But as they looked they saw not a customer but Nobu in full gear including armor, sword, shirkens, smoke pellets and all. This surprised the cats greatly. It would have just been the topping on the cake (or the pizza) had it been over three years ago, but as it was, the sight of Nobu, geared up for battle, was a much better sight than an angry customer. Had it been raining outside the scene would have looked the very picture of a dramatic part in a movie, wind whipping around him and all. He slammed the door and looked with much resolve upon the kitchen.
"I've come to help!" he said in a voice just as dramatic as his entrance. "I'm tired of sitting around watching you all get pummeled while I just run a restaurant! I'm going to make up for my past right now and fight beside you like a true ally!"
"Well," said Speedy blinking wide-eyed. "Thanks, Bad Bi … I mean Nobu …" (The crow looked more like a "Bad Bird" than a "Nobu" all in armor like that.) "We're not fighting at the moment, but … come and join us."
"Yeah," said Guido. "We could use the help."
Polly nodded and smiled.
"And could you please bring a straw for the soda?" asked Francine from the ladder before Polly could speak. "I'm out up here. There's a box of them by the door where you are."
Nobu sighed. "Right," he muttered, and picking out a straw from the box so-marked he brought it to Francine.
"Thank you, Mr. Bird," she said cheerfully. "We sure miss you working here."
"No problem," he said, and turning toward the other cats who were looking at each other rather strangely, he cleared his throat and stood amidst them to see the screen of the vid-phone.
"Alright," said Al. "Now, as I was saying …" His eyes shifted to make certain there were not going to be any more interruptions for the moment. Satisfied he nodded, and continued. "I believe that Guido saw correctly when he says he saw that Dr. Purple was a hawk when he escaped out the last robot with his pod."
"You did?" asked Nobu turning to Guido.
"Yes," said Guido. "I saw him come out during that fireworks display. He was definitely a hawk or an eagle or something like that."
"And there was a hawk," said Al holding up a file of papers, "who worked for the emperor in the early years of his reign, and his description might just be what we're looking for. In fact, I remember him just a little even though I was just a pup then. He was a scientist funded by the palace and was named Pr. Plum."
"Like in Clue?" asked Speedy laughing. "That's funny."
"Well, that fits with 'Purple'," said Polly. "Anything else about him?"
"Yes, he was the one responsible for connecting all the vid-phones in the city properly," said Al, "and a few other nice inventions, some of which are related to your cannon and a few other things we use around here."
"Then why would he want revenge?" asked Guido. "He was probably pretty upscale?"
"Did the emperor not pay him enough or something?" asked Speedy.
"One extra large pizza with cucumber, onions and extra tomatoes!" called Francine.
"Oh …" grumbled Polly.
But they quickly fixed up the new pizza.
"What happened to him?" asked Nobu then of Al.
"Well," said the dog as the cats quickly returned, "like a lot of creative people he certainly had a mind of his own, and some of what he wanted to create wasn't liked by the emperor — this was before he was uh …"
"The way he is?" asked Speedy.
"Ehem!" interrupted Al in full propriety; he was the emperor's guard dog after all and could speak against him. Holding up a piece of paper over his face and reading its contents he went on, "Pr. Plum wanted to advance cyborg technology in a way that the emperor had no desire to fund, nor did any of the immediate court except for one member: the old prime minister who was the father of the Big Cheese, I'll have you know."
"So it wasn't a good thing then?" said Speedy.
Al shook his head. "And because Plum would not heed the word of the emperor and was taking the Big Cheese's father's funds (though it was not discovered until after Seymore took his position that anyone found out where the funding had come from). He was first banished from court and fined after some imprisonment. Then, after escaping prison there was some fear for the emperor's life. He was then banished from the country, and that was the last that was ever seen of him."
"Well, that sounds like as good a proof that that's our guy as we're gunna get!" declared Speedy.
"But how are we gunna find him now?" asked Nobu.
"Right," said Polly. "That still doesn't help us now."
"Well, we know he's a hawk," said Guido. "And he's smart."
"And full of himself," muttered Speedy.
"And he's gotta be kinda old now too," said Polly.
Speedy turned to Nobu. "Any suggestions."
"Uh! I just got here," said Nobu. "I don't know!"
With a sage sort of expression Guido turned away and tapped his chin. "If I didn't know any better," he murmured. "I'd say that Al's description sounds an awful lot like that old bird that fixed our toaster."
Eyes popping wide and a gasp escaping his mouth, Speedy could feel the light bulb blinking on suddenly in his head.
"That's it!" he said pounding his fist. "Dr. Purple! Pr. Plum! The Plum Good Fix! It's perfect!"
"What are you talking about?" demanded Nobu, his feathers ruffling.
"Haven't you seen the add in the newspaper?" asked Guido lightly.
"Oh, that add!" said Al. "I thought about getting my old classic radio fixed, but when I saw the prices I didn't think it was worth it."
Speedy squinted. "You noticed the prices?"
"Yes," said Al. "They were right on the door. Caveat emptor, after all, but I know what you mean. It seems like a good lead. Go and check that place out!"
Polly leapt forward. "Well, what are waiting for?! Let's go!"
"Wasabi plastered meat lovers' supreme in five smalls!" rang the clear voice of Francine.
"Oh!" Polly growled.
"I'll go!" exclaimed Speedy.
"But I thought you were still not feeling well!" said Polly.
"Then I'll go!" Guido announced leaping in front.
"I'm coming too!" agreed Nobu.
Speedy crossed his arms grumpily and slumped against the counter.
"Stupid Dr. Purple," he muttered.
"Come on you guys, he's waiting!" said the anxious Francine.
"We're coming!" called Polly.
"Bye, Al, we'll call ya later!" cried Speedy and flipped off the screen before the dog could so much as say good bye in return.
Unfortunately by the time Guido and Nobu reached the fixit shop it was completely boarded up and abandoned. They scoured the whole place. They even found the back lab, but it was completely empty.
"Well, now we're just where we started," said Nobu. "Except that we did prove he was the guy."
Guido frowned. "Where ever he is now …"
#
It began with the Big Cheese, and nothing with him is savory except perhaps his expensive swiss cheese, which he had stolen from a shop when no one was looking and which had had just eaten most of on a pile of crackers. However with only a little bit left, and the Big Cheese's swiping skills not entirely the best, especially when comparing them to the skills of a ninja, he had to do something. Now with a little bit of leverage and a chance sighting of the Rude Noise going out for lunch themselves, he put his plan into action.
"Hey, fellas," he said all dark and mysteriously from under the shadow of the alleyway in which he hid. A broad traveler's hat hid his already masked face into sheer blackness.
Naturally unimpressed as a seasoned underworld scumbag Max retorted with some annoyance, "What do you want?"
"I need you to build me a robot," said the Big Cheese in the same tone as before.
Max snorted. "We already told Master Jerry. You got nothing to pay us with? We're not interested."
"Yes, I do," said the Big Cheese with a mysterious smile as he rubbed the end of his nose anime smugly and a shiny glint in his eye followed. "Lots of it."
"But Jerry said you were broke," said Cannonball Battery.
"I'm a ninja now," said the Big Cheese holding up a sack of money from beneath his robes. "And I just slipped in and out of the palace last night, and got some of the royal jewels. This is just a sample."
Glittering diamonds, gems, and golden trinkets reflected in the faces of the enticed crows who, as is common about their kinds, were attracted to gleaming things. Max pressed in quite closely, as close as the Big Cheese allowed, and the other three pressed up against their leader's back and shoulders until Max shoved them back.
Now it also must be added that the Big Cheese had not acquired these shinies in the manner in which he led the crows to believe. In reality the old fox had been attempting to assassinate the new prime minster, but got fearful of being caught suddenly when he had barely reached a servants' passage in the back of the grounds that would have led him inside.
Scared, he ran away, but not careful enough. He tripped over a large stone …
#
"AAIIIIIIIIII!" cried the fox grabbing his toes and leaping up and down in utter agony, tears flooding his eyes. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"QUIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" screamed a voice from the palace.
It happened to be the princess. Too sleepy and angry to realize what she did, she actually threw a whole box of royal jewels out the window. The box had been destroyed, but the treasure remained unharmed.
With eyes wide in disbelief; though he had become silent now and wary of the guards, Big Cheese took in the sight of those glittering gems where he sat on the ground still clutching his foot.
Without another thought he grabbed up as much loot as he could just before Al showed up to investigate the disturbance. It was too late to know where the intruder had gone. The Big Cheese was sniggering quietly as he ran through the wood far away from the fox hole he had dug under the wall …
#
"You say there's more?" asked Max then in the present, still unable to hide his interest.
"Oh, yes, loads and loads of it," the Big Cheese easily lied. "If you help me build my robot, I'll give you a share."
"And I thought Jerry was just bluffing about that royal treasure garbage," muttered Max.
"He was!" said the Big Cheese closing his eyes haughtily as he placed the treasure back into his robes. "And he's got nothing to do with this. I despise him."
The birds shrugged.
"Alright, Mr. Cheese," said Max with a grin. "What exactly did you have in mind for this robot of yours?"
"Oh, it's gunna be great!" exclaimed the Big Cheese. "You'll love it!" And he laughed. "Everyone will love it!" And he laughed some more.
"Are you gunna give us that advance now or what?" demanded Mojo Rojo.
The Big Cheese cleared his throat and with a frown he gave the foursome what they desired. "You just better make it good or else. I'm not used to actually paying people for stuff like this."
"Yeah, yeah, just give us the plans and we'll make it," said the leader of the group carelessly. His covetous eyes glowed from the reflection of the treasures in his claws.