~Epilogue 2 - The O'Reilly Gang and the Nerd Clan~

"So," Dave the Lead Nerd said, not taking his glazed eyes from Dr. Time Space and the Continuums on the TV screen, "do you want to trade something?"

Barry and Kyle tensed up. This was the moment the O'Reilly gang had been working towards for over a week. Dealing with the Nerd clans was tricky. Nerds were ruled by highly complicated rules and customs dating back to the ancient times times of pulp science fiction and radio serials. One false step, such as confusing Doctor Time Space and the Continuums with Tracey, the Werewolf Hunter or voicing a positive opinion about Energy Lass' new costume, and all chances of a deal was off forever.

It had taken Egbert a week of hard work and pulling of a few contacts from detention to get an appointment set up with Dave and his friends, and the gang had spent hours and hours locked up in the lair, memorising anime trivia. Then, they had shown up at Dave's house at the agreed time with the traditional gifts of cola and chips (Salt and Vinegar in honor of Doctor Time Space's British origin) and made it through a discussion of Galaxy Quest and five episodes of Doctor Time Space without any missteps. And now, finally, the critical moment they had been waiting for had come.

"Yipper cards," Egbert smiled. "New, rare, never-played Yipper cards – as many as you like. Show him the merchandise, Kyle."

Kyle nervously pulled a handful of cards out of his pocket and tried to find a free spot on the old table between the worn-out sofa they were sitting in and the television set, but every inch of the table was filled with stuff: soda cans, chips, old pizza trays, role playing character sheets, comics... He quickly laid down the cards on a comic book in front of the Lead Nerd, but in his eagerness managed to overturn a can of Jolt cola, so the sticky black liquid ran out over some of the cards.

"Kyle, you klutz!" Egbert snapped, grabbed a tissue and tried to wipe one of the cards clean. But it was too late. The boys watched in horror as the front of the card peeled off where Egbert rubbed it.

"What the …"

Egbert grabbed another cola-soaked card and rubbed it. Again the front easily peeled off.

"Oooh NO!" he moaned and fell back in the old sofa. "They're fakes!"

"WHAT!" Barry shouted, grabbed the remaining Yipper cards from the table and stared at them in the dim light from the TV screen.

"Fakes?" the Lead Nerd said.

"They're all fakes! That's why Sector M left them in the treehouse. They're worthless."

"Fakes …" Another nerd sitting next to the couch echoed.

"Aww, SPACEPUPPIES!" Barry swore, threw down the cards and hid his face in his hands. "All that trouble - for zilch!"

"Faakes …. Faakes …"

"Umm, guys?" Kyle said squeakily and pointed at the nerds with a trembling finger.

Egbert and Barry looked up. The Lead Nerd and his clan fellows were one after one rising from the sofa and the floor. Their eyes had gone from glazed to opaque and their skin color suddenly seemed even paler and clammier. Slowly, they started shuffling towards Egbert, Barry and Kyle, grasping hands outstretched.

"Faaaakes … faaakes…." they moaned.

"Erm, look guys," Egbert said, as he and the gang got up and slowly backed away from the nerd zombies. "We didn't know they were fakes. We're just as disappointed as you are. Honest. There's no need to …"

"Faaakes … faaaakes …"

"Oh, crudonastick! RUN!"

-THE END-

And here we leave the O'Reilly Gang as they run away from the horde of nerd zombies. They didn't make it big this time either, but don't worry - Eggy will come up with another brilliant plan, and this time nothing can go wrong. For reals ...

It might take a little while, though. I need to work a bit more on my ideas for the next story and I have some other stories that I want to get out as well. But if I can get it to work, the O'reilly Gang will turn up again.

I hope you've enjoyed the story. A big thanks to my faithfull readers and reviewers.

Kids Next Door rules!

Ulathon.