Time Out For Dr. Dred II
Jess found herself almost creeping around the mint.
No one could see her but, at the same time, she didn't want to bet that she couldn't be heard either. She was looking around the place. After all, it was an old building that dated all the way back to the 1700s. It wasn't very often you got to look around the place. And she was sort of enjoying moving about in this Circe dress.
It was very…swishy.
Jess smiled as she saw a guard making his rounds. Suddenly, though, Jess warm vibration on her wrist. Her grandmother had pointed her to an ornately carved golden cuff and told her to wear it. A sudden feeling came over her to use a reflective barrier. Jess's knees bent and she threw up her hands. The magic came out of her easily.
The guard stopped moving.
'What the…?' Jess lowered her arms and walked over to him. She clicked in front of his face for a moment.
He didn't react.
Flattening her hand, the magic swirled around Jess's fingers and she took a scan of him.
Time had been stopped.
Blinking in confusion, Jess ran over to the nearest window. It didn't open so she had to angle herself to see above the building. Sure, enough, there it was. She'd only seen it a few times but she could easily recognise the blimp that indicated that madman's presence. That was why her grandmother wanted her here!
Footsteps made her spin around, but she breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw who it was.
'Hi, we're the Drak Pack. My name's Frankie.' Frankie…Frank…
Jess supposed that bit of clever wordplay would be based on the fact that Frank's friends always called him "Frank". So calling him Frankie in monster form would probably throw people off. It wasn't particularly dumb – especially if he'd been called Frankie more commonly as a young child.
Frankie turned from the guard he'd been speaking to and faced the other two as they approached. 'Boy, Drak. He's not very friendly.'
'Of course not, Frankie,' Vince – Drak – said as he passed by. 'He's highly trained. Won't let anything distract him from his duty.'
'Or maybe, he got zapped by the Time-Stopper!' Howard – Howler – suggested, following after.
'Hm,' Drak mused. 'That was my second reason.'
Jess blinked and followed the boys. Did she just seriously hear that?
'So, uh, where is Dr. Dred?' How…ler asked.
'Well, he can't be far away.' V-Drak stopped. 'You and Frankie take the back entrance, Howler. I'll take the front.'
For a second, Jess tossed up her options. She could follow Frank…ie and…and Howler, or she could follow V-Drak. The latter seemed a better option. So, while Frankie and Howler headed off around the back end of the building, Drak turned and walked in the front doors. Jess checked her magic was still in place.
And she followed him.
:[
'The mint?' Pryce asked. 'You mean to tell me they intend to steal the mint?'
'Seems a bit lame for monsters, doesn't it?' his man on the other end remarked. 'I mean, what use could monsters have with money?'
'And that…Drak Pack…?'
'We haven't seen them, but we're keeping an eye out.'
'If any of them try to escape, you know what to do.'
'Yes, sir.'
:[
Frankie and Howler crept through the building.
'Why do I always have to go first?' Frankie asked.
'Shh!' Howler whispered. 'I'm making sure nobody sneaks up behind you.'
'B-but…what if somebody sneaks up in front of me?' Frankie suddenly stopped as he noticed what was on the floor.
'Wait!' Howler leaned over. 'What's that?'
'It's a trail of money!'
'And I bet it will lead us right to Dred!'
The two of them hurried after the trail.
:[
Jess followed as Drak crept through the building. He muttered to himself, 'I gotta be quiet.'
Jess smirked slightly. I would think that would be easy for a vampire.
But then he stepped on a loose floorboard. 'Oops!' He glanced around. 'Gotta watch that. Don't want to alert Dred.' His face, much paler than Jess was used to seeing, lit up. 'The best way not to make footsteps,' he grabbed his cape swept it over his body, transforming into a bat, 'is not to use feet.'
Huh, Jess mused as she followed Drak in his bat form, I wonder if all vampires to that when they transform. It could be why the movies have that dramatic cloak-holding thing. A bit of fact leaking over into fiction. Something about it didn't add up though. But then how did vampires transform before capes were a thing?
'Aha!' Drak suddenly declared. 'A trail of money. I'll bet it leads me right to Dr. Dred!' He picked up speed and flew after the trail. 'A paper chase, huh? All right, Dred. The game is afoot!'
Jess stopped and looked at the money. There was something…unnatural about it. It looked more like it'd been laid down entirely on purpose. Like…it'd been laid down…entirely on purpose. Oh. It had. And it was super obvious. Yet, Drak didn't seem to notice. Jess pulled a face and ran after him. She rounded the corner just as Drak collided with Frankie and Howler.
In the Vault.
Don't tell me they all fell for it!
The walking Mummy slammed the door shut before they could realise their mistake. And the mutant fly locked it. Jess slapped herself in the forehead. Oh, my God! Boys are so stupid! How the devil did these three keep winning if they went and did silly things like this? Was Dred just stupider than them? It seemed to be the only thing that made sense.
Jess settled back against the wall as she tried to think what to do.
But she felt her cuff vibrate against her wrist again.
She felt a strange sense that she didn't need to do anything.
:[
'When I say I am going to steal the mint,' Dr. Dred declared, 'I mean "steal the mint"!' He pushed a lever. 'Oh, I'm so diabolical. I love it!'
The hook lowered from the Dredgible.
It hooked into the building.
:[
'Sir! He's stealing the entire building!'
'What the…'
It was true. A hook had been attached to the building and the foundations were being cut out with some kind of laser.
The field leader shook his head in disbelief. 'This one's mad as a hatter!'
'What do we do, sir?'
'Engage, soldier. Remember your duty.'
Several rocket launchers were lifted and aimed.