Dark Kat returns and directly enters the MBI, taking but a simple envelope with mysterious contents from the MBI evidence locker. Ringo and Jase pursue and discover what Dark Kat’s been up to the last six months since having stolen the MASA fusion reactor while Tessie Reed questions the agent who filed the envelope: McGrath.
Tessie_Reed> ::so lets seee! issaaaa walking into the bureau! took some more personal time to get her programming straight and is back!::
<Jason_Korat> ((<Tessie> ::nothing a little anti-spyware couldn’t cure::))
<Shade_Ringo> ::so after taking a much needed day off after battling the uber huge ProtSwytch, is back to work, wondering if Marko is as well::
<Tessie_Reed> ((LOL!))
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol!))
<Jason_Korat> ::is done reorganizing his new office. Hahaha!::
<Shade_Ringo> ((<Tess> ::has been going to AAA meetings – Anti-Adware Anonymous:: I’ve been virus free now for 2 weeks. <AAA’ers> ::clapclap::))
<Jason_Korat> (DEAD!!!))
<Tessie_Reed> (::DEEEEEAD!::))
<Shade_Ringo> ::walks up from his desk, headed for the new and improved office o’ Korat::
<You are now known as Drill_Vehicle.
<Jason_Korat> ((<Drill Vehicle> ::oh look! A new office! DRILL!::))
<Tessie_Reed> ::will go to her desk to see the pile of stuff and sighs:: <I should have kept up with my work>
<Jason_Korat> :sighs softly, looking at the new office:: <It’ll be messy in two days…>
<Drill_Vehicle> :: erupts from the floor, cutting off Ringo before he can reach the office ::
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol!! <Jason> Finally got all these new mirror windows installed so I can look at my pretty self all da- ::DRILLED!::))
<Tessie_Reed> <Joe>::it better not be! I gotta share that office!::
<Drill_Vehicle> ((<Jase> Or two seconds… ))
<Shade_Ringo> Gyah! O_O ::backs up before he’s drilled in two:: What in paw’s name!?
<Jason_Korat> For the love… ::runs out there:::
<Drill_Vehicle> :: about the size of a minivan, the drill hits part of the ceiling before it levels out and partially collapses a wall. Should look familiar to Ringo as he escaped in one several months back ::
<Tessie_Reed> ::blinks at the noise and hurries on down towards where Ringo is:: What is going on?
<Jason_Korat> WHat the…?!
<Shade_Ringo> ::eyes widen, still backing up as the drill is fully revealed:: Ah kats.. this has gotta’ be deja vu.
<Drill_Vehicle> :: a side door swings open, and several Creeplings zoom out, one buzzing past Shade and heading down the halls ::
<Tessie_Reed> Whoa! :;ducking and frowns.:: creeplings! :;forming an energy ball and throwing at one to try and stop it!::
<Jason_Korat> You’ve gotta be kidding… ::whips out his gun::
<Shade_Ringo> Whoa! ::ducks that low-flyin’ Creep, head turning:: Hey! ::then looks back towards the open door, drawing weapon::
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings> :: several zapped and careen, knocking things over, though a few make it around the corner, heading downstairs toward the evidence locker ::
<Tessie_Reed> ::will follow after those creeplings!::
<Jason_Korat> ::chases after them::
<Shade_Ringo> ::checks the drill-mobile for any other occupants, gun-first::
<Drill_Vehicle> :: once the two arrive downstairs, can see that the door to the evidence room has been broken into, and hans slightly open ::
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings? ^
<Tessie_Reed> ::will hurry to said door! opening the door and creeping down the stairs::
<Jason_Korat> ((BRB!))
<Drill_Vehicle> <Dark Kat> :: reaches out from the darkness of the interior of the vehicle and grabs around the gun encompassing Shade’s fist :: Such hubris. :: proceeds to crush his hand mildly and will pull/shove him over the MBI front desk ::
<Tessie_Reed> ::sneaking into the evidence room with the creeplings:: Hey! YOu should not be in here!
<Shade_Ringo> Urk! ::grimacing at hand and gun being crushed, not even having time to snarl at DK before he’s flopped over the front desk:: erg…
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings> :: ransacking the room, tossing things aside, until one seems to find what it’s looking for, grabbing a plain looking manilla envelope ::
<Tessie_Reed> I said stop! ::holding up another ball of energy::
<Shade_Ringo> ::picks himself up, knocking over some papers and pens in the process, clutching his throbbing right hand:: Dark Kat, you hot-air balloon, what do you think you’re doin’ here?
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings> :: two of them zoom at Tessie, while the one with the envelope goes a different way ::
<Tessie_Reed> ack! ::ducks! trying to throw that energy ball at them!::
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings> :: are knocked out of the air, but the one with the envelope makes it back upstairs ::
<Drill_Vehicle> <Dark Kat> Whatever I please. :: as the Creepling and deposits the envelope in his awaiting hand :: Consider yourself fortunate I’m not here to take more. :: gets back inside the vehicle, the door closing as he does ::
<Jason_Korat> ((Back!))
<Jason_Korat> ::fires at the creeplings::
<Shade_Ringo> ::eyes narrow as the Creepling returns with said envelope. has no idea what it is, but grabs a stapler and lobs it at the two right as the door shuts::
<Drill_Vehicle> :: the drill starts up again as it gets in gear and drills back down into the ground, going through Jase’s newly organized office in the process ::
<Jason_Korat> ::of course!::
<Jason_Korat> Crud…! What did they take?!
<Shade_Ringo> ((<Jase> Next time I’m switching my office’s nameplate with Joe’s.))
<Tessie_Reed> ((WB!))
<Drill_Vehicle> ((wb))
<Shade_Ringo> ::hurries over to demolished office/hole, looking down into it:: I dunno’! It was somethin’ in a manilla envelope! Is Tess okaY?
<Tessie_Reed> ::running back up the stairs into the main area in time to see the drill leaving:: some folder! ::frowning, going to the hole it left::
<Jason_Korat> ((Thankies!))
<Jason_Korat> She’s fine, thankfully.
<Shade_Ringo> Where are the other two? ::to Tess, meaning Creeps::
<Drill_Vehicle> <Creeplings> :: have gone to a farm outside the city where they’ll get to run and play with other Creeplings ::
<Tessie_Reed> I have eliminated them. ::ha ha!::
<Jason_Korat> ((::mun now dies, having an image of meadow prancing creeplings::))
<Shade_Ringo> ((XD!! <Creeplings> ::run their own ad on TV, with Sarah McCloughan music in bg, asking for donations to help creeplings be rehabilitated and nurtured for the price of only three corn cobs a day::))
<Drill_Vehicle> ((::dies::))
<Jason_Korat> ((::DEAD!!::))
<Shade_Ringo> ::nods, looking back at hole. shaking out his right hand, the throbbing going down:: That was the same underground vehicle Dark Kat was using when he was kidnapping all those world leaders. We gotta’ follow it.
<Tessie_Reed> ((::Diiiies!::))
<Jason_Korat> ::looks to Tessie:: Can you take us there?
<Drill_Vehicle> <Interference> :: trailing the vehicle, seems to be preventing any electronic tracking ::
<Tessie_Reed> ::trying to see if she can and frowns, shaking head:: It is preventing me from tracking it. All we have is this hole to where it went.
<Shade_Ringo> Well, I’m up for a spelunking trip. ::rolling up sleeves:: We got any rope?
<Drill_Vehicle> ((<Jase> What did he take? <Ringo> Who cares. He wrecked your office. ))
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol! <Jase> You seem to care more than I do.. <Ringo> I just wanna’ spelunk.))
<Jason_Korat> ::sighs, rolls up his own sleeves and goes to the supply room::
<Jason_Korat> ((DEAD!)!)
<Tessie_Reed> ((::DIIIIES!::))
<Tessie_Reed> ::looking down the hole then at them:: you really mean to follow him? It could go for miles and miles.
<Shade_Ringo> ::grabbing up a radio from the front desk, turning it on:: Then that should give you plenty of time to figure out just what it is he just stole from us.
<Tessie_Reed> me? ::sighs:: I will have to download all of our updated inventory. I have not been here in a while to do such.
<Jason_Korat> We have no choice. ::comes back with rope and flashlights::
<Drill_Vehicle> ((<Shade> It’d take you like 2 seconds to do that))
<Shade_Ringo> Aw, it’ll be a cinch for ya’. ::takes one of those flashlights, and points it down the hole:: We’ll keep in radio contact. ::waves the radio he took:: Let us know whatcha’ find out.
<Tessie_Reed> :;will start getting into the internet system there and downloading an updated evidence inventory file so she can find out what was stolen. blinks at them:: You do not wish me to come with you?
<Shade_Ringo> ((<Tess> Actually, 1.754- <Shade> It was an estimate!))
<Tessie_Reed> ((LOL!))
<You are now known as Inventory.
<Inventory> :: comes up and is easy to determine what’s missing as the new digital filing system has been properly implemented. Though the item in particular has no description, only a reference number and the agent who filed it ::
<Jason_Korat> ::looks to shade:: We can use the backup.
<Tessie_Reed> ::pausing:: wait…oh dear…oh dear…I have a reference number and the agent who filed the inventory but no description.
<Shade_Ringo> ::smirks, getting on his knees and lowering himself into the hole:: I forget that she doesn’t need to be in front of a computer to multi-task.
<Jason_Korat> Meaning? ::to Tessie, as he goes after Shade::
<Tessie_Reed> Meaning I do not know what it is they stole.
<Tessie_Reed> ::mentally checking to see who filed it::
<Jason_Korat> Great. ::motions;; C’mon.
<You are now known as McGrath.
<McGrath> :: is listed as the one who did ::
<Tessie_Reed> ::will follow!:: McGrath filed the information. Would you like me to contact him and see what it was?
<Jason_Korat> Do it.
<Shade_Ringo> ::if the hole isn’t completely vertical, clambors down the cement and pipes until he reaches dirt, then slips and slides down quite a ways::
<Tessie_Reed> ::nods, grabbing her radio and calls for him!::
<Jason_Korat> ::looks around, shines a flashlight once he lands next to Shade::
<McGrath> :: does answer. Roster still lists him as being in the hospital ::
<McGrath> :: doesn’t^ ::
<Tessie_Reed> Is mcGrath still on leave?
<Jason_Korat> Crud… that’s right. He’s still in the hospital. Can you go find him?
<Tessie_Reed> ::nods:: Of course. I will radio you the information. ::stepping away from the hole and going over to an outlet to zappy in and head to the hospital!::
<Shade_Ringo> ::coughing some at the dust and dirt loosened:: Urgh, forgot to bring an oxygen tank. I can smell the diesel that thing was fuelin’ on.
<Tessie_Reed> ::once there will zappy out around back of the hospital and walks around to the main entrance! going inside to the front desk:: I need the room number for Jason McGrath, please.
<McGrath> <Tunnel> :: continues for quite a ways, occasionally revealing a cross-section view of various underground things of MKC ::
<McGrath> <Nurse> Visiting hours are almost over, just so you know :: looks at a clipboard :: He’s in room 222.
<Jason_Korat> ::coughs a bit:: Well, we can follow the smell.
<Tessie_Reed> I am on official MBI business. ::showing her badge:: Thank you. ::will head upstairs to that room!::
<Shade_Ringo> I feel like Toucan Sam. ::as they pass damaged pipes, cables, and the like:: I can’t believe he’d still be using that same underground base. Maybe he’s just hollowed out another piece of underground real estate.
<Jason_Korat> Milk and cereal, cereal and milk, cereal and milk… ::singing::
<Tessie_Reed> ::finds McG’s room and knocks lightly on the door as she comes in:: McGrath?
<Shade_Ringo> ::grins, as the singing echoes down the tunnel. continues on, making sure to keep the flashlight aimed at the ground for any sudden drops::
<McGrath> ((<Jase> Ding-a-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling! <Shade> No… <Jase> Boo-ba-doo-ba-doop! <Shade> Don’t start that <Jase> Banana phone! ))
<Tessie_Reed> ((::DIIIIES!::))
<Jason_Korat> ((::DEAD!!!))
<Jason_Korat> ;:has his flashlight aimed at the walls::
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol!! <Shade> ::starts running down the tunnel::))
<Shade_Ringo> ((<McGrath> ::throws pudding cup at door:: I won’t see anyone until this *tapioca* threat is neutralized!))
<Tessie_Reed> (::DIIIES!::))
<Jason_Korat> ((DEAD!!))
<Jason_Korat> (<Jason> Saludos, Amigos! A fond greeting to yoouuuu… <Shade> ::shoves his flashlight up his nose:;))
<Tessie_Reed> ((::Snorks::))
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol!!))
<McGrath> <Tunnel> :: eventually exits out the side of a steep cliff with the Megakat River down far below. <Eagle> :: screeches in the distance ::
<McGrath> What do you want? :: in a hospital bed with his leg propped up with a cast on it, his arm also in one ::
<Shade_Ringo> ::eyes squint at the sudden light at the end of the tunnel:: Here we go. ::gets to the edge and looks out::
<Jason_Korat> Oooooookay… not the first place I’d think of going to…
<Tessie_Reed> Some help. ::walking in, looking him over:: I can help you heal as well if you desire it.
<Shade_Ringo> ((<McGrath> All I want… is cable.))
<Tessie_Reed> ((::Snorks::))
<Jason_Korat> ((<McGrath> I need to know what John said to Marsha!))
<Shade_Ringo> ((lol!! <McGrath> I just know the fate of their relationship rests on little Benny’s DNA test.))
<Tessie_Reed> ((::Rolling!::))
<McGrath> I’ll be fine.
<Jason_Korat> ((::DEADDEAD!!!::))
<Tessie_Reed> very well. ::pulls up a seat:: McGrath..the MBI was just broken into by Dark Kat. He stole some evidence you logged in but did not put a description on and we need to know what it was. IT was ina manilla folder.
<Shade_Ringo> ::readjusts shades more over his eyes, looking out at the landscape, particularly the river below:: I.. don’t think we brought enough rope.
<Jason_Korat> We’re gonna have to find another way down.
<McGrath> :: frowns :: They’re coordinates.
<Shade_Ringo> Any suggestions?
<Tessie_Reed> To what?
<McGrath> :: sighs :: Lunar coordinates.
<Jason_Korat> ::looking around: There’s a pathway over there…
<Tessie_Reed> Excuse me? Like..moon coordinates? To what exactly? There is nothing up there.
<McGrath> <Pathway> :: leads down toward along the river, and to an open area. Surroundings are pretty much the desert outskirts ::
<McGrath> There… might be…
<Shade_Ringo> ::peers around to where Jase is looking. expression turns skeptical:: I don’t know if it’s so much a pathway as much as erosion… but..
<Jason_Korat> You see any other way down?
<Tessie_Reed> What is up there? We need to know what we are about to get ourselves into. Jason and Shade are tracking him now.
<Shade_Ringo> ::sighs:: Nope. Nothing survivable, at least.
<Jason_Korat> Then c’mon.
<McGrath> <Empty Area> :: abruptly is no longer empty as what appears to be some kind of cloaking field dissolves, revealing a decent sized complex that looks like a shipyard with one particular craft about the size of a C-17 in typical Dark Kat color scheme prepped to take off ::
<McGrath> The NSA maintained a deep-space monitoring system. Last year it detected a Latifron spacecraft’s signature. Previous intel indicated it was their lead warship, containing their most powerful weapons. It crashed on the moon, likely the only survivor of the fleet the SWAT Kats intercepted. There’s likely no survivors, but the ordnance of the vessel is likely still intact.
<Shade_Ringo> ::following Jase onto the narrow pathway, then double-takes at the sudden appearance of the base:: ..Bingo. ::takes radio, speaking into it:: Hey Reed, this is Ringo. We’ve found Dark Kat HQ.
<Jason_Korat> Hard to miss, as usual.
<Tessie_Reed> ::stands: that is what he is after then. the weapons.
<McGrath> <Base> :: a klaxon sounds as the craft tilts upward and coolant gases leak out :: <Rocket Thrusters> :: can be felt rumbling to life as the craft prepares to take off ::
<Tessie_Reed> :will grab her radio and radio back to Shade and Jason::
<Shade_Ringo> ::hurrying down now, nearly to the bottom as the aircraft rumbles to life:: Any sign of the big purple cheese?
<Jason_Korat> No, which is just scary.
<McGrath> <Spacecraft> :: starts to take of, sending out a plume of rapidly expanding deadly rocket exhaust downward toward the rushing onlookers ::
<Jason_Korat> How do you miss anything thatb ig?
<Tessie_Reed> Korat, ringo..please come in.
<Shade_Ringo> ::can’t hear the radio over the ignition of the rocket:: Korat! We gotta’ take some cover! ::shouting over the rockets, starting towards one of the buildings::
<Tessie_Reed> ::Frowning:: they are not responding. ::looking to McGrath:: Thank you for your help. And get well soon. Or whatever it is I am supposed to say.
<Jason_Korat> ::drags him to a trench::
<Shade_Ringo> ((<McGrath> Are you sure you can’t stay a little longer? I’ve got this terrible itch right on the tip of my big toe, and can’t- <Tess> ::zaps out::))
<McGrath> <Exhaust> :: will pass harmlessly by once they take cover ::
<Tessie_Reed> ((::Diiiies!::))
<Shade_Ringo> ::dragged into de trench. rolls and comes to a stop at the bottom, lying face up, seeing the exhaust passing over head::
<Jason_Korat> ((::dies!::))
<Jason_Korat> What is that nutjob doing now?
<McGrath> That sounds about right.
<Tessie_Reed> ::will head back to the bureau then!::
<Shade_Ringo> I dunno’, but that crate looked big enough to house a big payload, wherever it’s goin’.