The giant saucer crashed into a vast farm field, tearing up the ground with a mighty roar. Flames erupted all over the saucer. Inside the cockpit, among the ruined controls, was the Emergency Safety System, which was luckily still intact when the saucer crashed.
Its on-board sensors detected something wrong and activated the emergency foam, spraying it all over the cockpit. The foam acted very similar to an airbag in that it provided cushion against the initial impact. In other words, it saved Johnny Highpitch’s life.
Johnny woke up among the foam; everywhere sirens blaring. His body was sore, but he would live. He limped his way through the wrecked hallways, until he came upon a groggy Teresa. Old Timer was safely strapped to his bed, but still unconscious. Johnny helped Teresa untie him, and they both carried the body out of the saucer.
There, in the mud, they saw large footprints, leading into the forest nearby. Ox had made his getaway. They laid Old Timer down as emergency vehicles appeared over the horizon.
“Daring’s not going to be happy,” said Johnny. “I wrecked his favorite saucer.”
Meanwhile, Daring and Junior were making their way back to the Institute in his roadster. Pulling up in a free parking space, Daring noticed a sleek, white car that wasn’t there when he had left. Daring knew who it belonged to and was curious as to why she was here.
Approaching the Institute’s sitting room, Daring heard Marissa’s melodious laugh. Daring entered to find Marissa entertaining Sara, the Woman in White. She stood beside a large fireplace, while Marissa sat in a nearby armchair. Sara wore her long, dark hair back in a bun, while stray strands danced before her eyes. A dark navy shirt peeked out of her white jacket and pants.
Her green eyes sparkled as she spotted Daring entering the ornate room. “We were just taking about you, Richard,” she said, using Daring’s full first name. “I was just telling dear Marissa about our misadventure in Tibet with the Yeti and that strange Doctor fellow.”
“Keeping out trouble lately, Sara?” asked Daring.
“That’s my line,” she replied. “Clearly, from what I’ve been hearing, you should be kept on a shorter leash. Imagine my surprise hearing that none other than Richard Darington and his Brilliant 5 was called in to investigate one of the most secure compounds on the planet. I have no idea what you turned up, but it wasn’t long before they contacted my people and asked to use our sample of Compound X, while ‘regular security measures’ were being examined.”
“Compound X? You brought it with you?” asked Daring.
“Yes, yes,” she said impatiently. “Where are your manners, Richard? Aren’t you even going to introduce me?”
“Of course,” said Daring. “Marissa, Junior. This is Sara, a top-rate negotiator I’ve worked with a number of times.”
“Pleasure to meet you both,” she said as she shook their hands. She gave Daring a smile.
“What?” he asked.
“I only count two,” she said. “Where are the other three?”
“They had to make a trip to the moon. They should be back any time now.”
“More Compound X?” she asked. “This gets more interesting every minute. By any chance, do you know what they need the Compound X for?”
“It’s the fuel that runs their secret project, whatever that is,” remarked Daring. “Where is your Compound X, Sara?”
“It’s in the other room. I’ll just pop over and get it, shall I?” She left Daring, Junior, and Marissa. In the next room, she went over to the desk where the polished metal briefcase lay. Her fingers had just wrapped themselves around the case’s plastic handle when she felt the familiar sensation of a gun being poked into her back.
“Don’t say anything or I’ll shoot,” said Dekker from behind her. She glanced to her left, noticing the ajar door leading to the balcony. “Open the case and give me the Compound X.”
“You’re a very well-informed man,” said Sara as the briefcase scanned her fingerprints. “How did you happen to know I was here?”
“We got people staked out all over, watching Daring’s every move,” said Dekker as the briefcase snapped open. “And we figured them lab guys need more of that Compound X stuff, and here you come with a big suitcase.”
“Very clever,” she said, pulling a canister out of a foam brace. “Did you think of that yourself or did you have help?”
“Naturally, our…” Dekker caught himself before he completed the sentence.
“So, you are working for someone. I’ll be sure to pass that on to Richard when I see him next,” she said. “By the way, put the gun down.”
“What?”
“Put down the gun, or I’ll smash this into the ground, and they’ll be picking up little pieces of ourselves for the next three weeks.” Dekker stared her in the eyes, trying to read her gambit. He slowly compiled, not because of her threat but because of Davis silently sneaking up behind her.
Davis slugged her in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, snatching the canister as she tumbled to the ground. They scurried to the door to balcony in order to make their getaway.
Moments later, Daring came into the room. “Sara!” he shouted when he saw the prone body on the floor. He rushed to her, checking her vitals. Noticing the empty briefcase, it didn’t take long for Daring to put two and two together. He ran to the open balcony doors and leapt off the balcony.
He landed on top of Davis. A quick punch and Davis was out like a light. Turning, he saw Dekker climbing into a car. He crossed the yard and climbed over the fence, just as the car started to drive away. Without thinking, Daring leapt up the back of a nearby parked car and jumped onto the top of the fleeing car’s roof.
His landing made a significant THUD, which alerted Dekker. Soon, he and Watkins started to ventilate the ceiling with their automatics. Feeling the bullets whiz by, Daring pushed himself forward off the roof and onto the hood of the car. He quickly perched himself onto the car’s front bumper, pressing his body against the car’s front grill.
With Daring hiding in the front of the car, Dekker and his men were finding it hard to get a bead on Daring. Dekker saw a nearby fuel tanker, and he told the driver to head right for it. One by one, Dekker and his men jumped from the car.
Daring looked over his shoulder just in time to see where the out of control car was heading. The car ran into the tanker, causing a large fireball. Fire everywhere, there was no way anyone could have survived.
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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
1 comment:
I like the addition of Sara as the female lead. Nice to see a familiar face. I like how this event gives her a reason to join the case.
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