I must admit that it was a lot of fun writing the death trap in chapters six and seven. I didn't want it to be too outlandish, though most of the really good ones are. The death trap turned out to be simple and very effective, grounded in the reality of a plausible fire prevention device of the future. Also, now our villain has a name. The Spectre was chosen because. as you readers will learn, it's very apt for the villain. It seemed like a lot of the Republic's masked villains have colorful names like The Crimson Ghost.
The booby trapped safe was one element I was itching to use. I remember watching a number of serials employing this particular device, such as The Adventures of Captain Marvel. Though things like electrified safes are no match for someone like Captain Marvel, many of the more mortal heroes, including Rick Daring, seem doomed to die a grisly death via the tricked out safe.
Hopefully, my serial's been keeping everyone on edge, awaiting next week's chapter. Chapter Eight is filled with action: a last minute rescue, a car chase, and a fist fight before a nail-biting end. Now, that's a serial!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Rick Daring and The Brilliant 5 – Chapter Eight: Death From Above
DARING– Sets a trap of his own in an attempt to get closer to capturing the allusive menace known as the Spectre.
DEKKER – Turns the table on Daring and switches on the booby trap just as Daring reaches into the safe.
Sitting on hood of her car, Sara watched the cabin with a pair of binoculars from the darkness of the forest. Moments earlier, she watched a pair of men enter the cabin. They had gone for Daring’s bait, and any minute, the trap would be sprung. But minutes dragged by, and Sara started to worry.
Climbing off her car, she tossed the binoculars into the passenger’s seat. She made her way down the sloping hill and soon found herself at the cabin. She glanced into one of the windows and immediately went into action. The large henchman was on the ground, slowly recovering from the safe’s electric booby trap, while the other thug’s hand wrapped around the handle to the booby trap’s power switch.
Sara kicked open the door, grabbing the nearest thing she could find, that being a cup. She tossed it towards the safe. Daring withdrew his hand as the cup whizzed by, shattering on the back of the safe. Daring’s quick reflexes saved him from the full blunt of the electric blast. Still dazed, Daring felt himself get knocked to the ground by a recovering Ox. Dekker turned off the booby trap and rushed over to snatch the plans from the safe.
They jumped out of the window, while Sara helped Daring up.
“Sara?” he asked. “When?”
“You didn’t think we’d let you come up here by yourself did you?” she replied.
They went to the window, but threw themselves to the ground as they heard gunfire as the villains drove off. After a moment of silence, they quietly moved outside. They could still make out the car driving off in the distance. They turned to find that the crooks had shot out the tires in Daring’s roadster.
“Mine’s just up the way,” stated Sara, as she led them up to her car. They climbed into her sleek car, and soon, the engine hummed to life. The headlights burned into the darkness of night. The car skidded down the hill and pulled onto the nearby road. Sara gunned it as the forest around them became a blur as the car picked up speed.
They caught up with the crooks on the winding roads through the mountains. There was not much traffic on the isolated roads, giving Sara more room to maneuver. She tried to pass the crooks, but they swerved, blocking her way. She tried going around the outside. This time, they let her pull beside them, only for them to ram into her. As the crooks bashed themselves into Sara’s car, her car was being knocked against the railing. As the crooks’ car lurched sideways, making way for their next assault, Sara suddenly hit the brakes. Sara’s car slipped back behind their opponent, and the crooks’ momentum carried them across the road and crashed into the railing.
Sara turned to overtake them, but the crooks swerved and hit them, sending Sara’s car into a spin. Sara spun the wheel, trying to regain control of the vehicle. Hitting the brakes, she stopped the car from going over the edge. By the time Daring and Sara got their bearing, the two henchmen had disappeared into the night.
They returned to the secret installation and met up with Dr Sergoff along with Junior and Old Timer who had been watching over Dr Edwards. Daring related their misfortunes.
“I was so sure that they’d go after me,” stated Edwards, mopping his brow. “It’s a shame that got another part of our secret plans.”
“Yes,” replied Dr. Sergoff. “My part, that is.”
“It seems like you’re the last one,” said Junior.
“That doesn’t comfort me very much,” replied Edwards with a sigh.
“It’s a little disheartening that we keep getting trounced by these addle-brained buffoons,” remarked Junior.
“That’s because they’re just hired thugs. This Spectre fellow, whomever he is, is the brains behind the operation, and it’s he who wants these plans,” spoke Daring.
“But what does he need them for? What are the plans even for?” asked Junior.
“It’s unfortunate that we can’t answer that question, young man,” said Sergoff.
“Dem rattlesnakes always seem to be one step ahead of us,” muttered Old Timer.
“How about we change that?” asked Sara as she entered the room. She showed everyone a blurry picture of a license plate.
“What’s this?” asked Junior.
“Having similar episodes in the past,” explained Sara. “I took the liberty of rigging my car with surveillance equipment to capture license plates of pursuing vehicles.” She passed around the photo. “While there’s no clean shot of the plates, I’ve run what I could make out through the system. The closest match is a car that was recently stolen. It more than likely came from Mike’s Auto Shop, run by a Thaddeus Carter. Thaddeus had ties with several chop shops and could be supplying the Spectre’s gang with cars and other equipment.”
“Good work, Sara,” said Daring as he stood up. “We’ll check out the lead,” he continued as Old Timer and Junior started to get up. “While Old Timer and Junior stay here and guard the scientists.”
“Aw, phooey,” muttered Old Timer as he plopped back in his seat.
Meanwhile, in the remains of a laboratory used as the Spectre’s hidden base of operations, Ox and Dekker were surprised to find their master waiting for them when they arrived. It was the first time they had ever met face to face.
“Here’s the next piece of the plans,” said Dekker as he handed over the piece of paper.
“Excellent,” hissed the Spectre. “But I am disappointed in you, Ox. Yet again we would have failed if it had not been for Dekker’s quick thinking.”
“How was I supposed to know it was booby trapped?” asked Ox.
“Enough of your excuses,” shouted the Spectre. “You will not fail me another time. Prepare to die.”
“I ain’t going down without a fight,” said Ox. He charged at the Spectre. He swung his mighty fist at the Spectre. The second it impacted on the Spectre, there was a flash of light, a whisp of smoke, and Ox was gone.
“Please remember, Dekker, that I have a personal ion shield. Anyone who touches it will be disintegrated, and only I will know when it is on and off.”
“Yes, sir,” was all that Dekker could manage. He had felt the immense heat from across the room.
A buzzing sound came from one of the screens. The Spectre flipped on the monitor. They watched the video from a hidden camera within Mike’s Auto Shop.
“So, they were able to trace your car back to good old Thaddeus,” pondered the Spectre. “Quickly, Dekker, get over there and kill them before Thaddeus tells them anything of importance.” He paused. “While you’re there, eliminate Thaddeus. He’s nothing more than a liability now.”
Ten minutes later, Dekker was kicking in the door to the auto shop. He, along with Watkins and Davis, entered the store and found Daring and Sara grilling Thaddeus in the garage.
“Spill it,” demanded Daring. “Who is the Spectre?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” shouted Thaddeus. “But I know where they hang out. It’s –“
A shot rang out and silenced Thaddeus forever. Daring and Sara turned to see the three thugs come out from behind the car lift.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” remarked Daring as they approached.
“Any last words?” asked Dekker. Before Daring could reply, Sara kicked the gun out of Dekker’s hand, and Daring pushed Dekker into his men before they could react. A quick punch from Daring laid out Watkins. Sara tripped Davis, hitting him in the back of the neck as he fell.
Dekker picked up a stool and threw it at them. Daring barely dodged it, but Sara was not so lucky. She collapsed to the ground, out cold. The two men struggle, exchanging blows. They fell onto a table, crushing it. Dekker kicked Daring off of him. He ran for the door, but Daring tackled him. Daring grabbed at Dekker, but Dekker pushed him off again.
Daring stumbled to the ground, rolling with the punch. He found himself under the car lift. Dekker ran over and pulled a lever, sending the suspended car down on top of Daring.
Click Here to Go To The Next Chapter
Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
DEKKER – Turns the table on Daring and switches on the booby trap just as Daring reaches into the safe.
Sitting on hood of her car, Sara watched the cabin with a pair of binoculars from the darkness of the forest. Moments earlier, she watched a pair of men enter the cabin. They had gone for Daring’s bait, and any minute, the trap would be sprung. But minutes dragged by, and Sara started to worry.
Climbing off her car, she tossed the binoculars into the passenger’s seat. She made her way down the sloping hill and soon found herself at the cabin. She glanced into one of the windows and immediately went into action. The large henchman was on the ground, slowly recovering from the safe’s electric booby trap, while the other thug’s hand wrapped around the handle to the booby trap’s power switch.
Sara kicked open the door, grabbing the nearest thing she could find, that being a cup. She tossed it towards the safe. Daring withdrew his hand as the cup whizzed by, shattering on the back of the safe. Daring’s quick reflexes saved him from the full blunt of the electric blast. Still dazed, Daring felt himself get knocked to the ground by a recovering Ox. Dekker turned off the booby trap and rushed over to snatch the plans from the safe.
They jumped out of the window, while Sara helped Daring up.
“Sara?” he asked. “When?”
“You didn’t think we’d let you come up here by yourself did you?” she replied.
They went to the window, but threw themselves to the ground as they heard gunfire as the villains drove off. After a moment of silence, they quietly moved outside. They could still make out the car driving off in the distance. They turned to find that the crooks had shot out the tires in Daring’s roadster.
“Mine’s just up the way,” stated Sara, as she led them up to her car. They climbed into her sleek car, and soon, the engine hummed to life. The headlights burned into the darkness of night. The car skidded down the hill and pulled onto the nearby road. Sara gunned it as the forest around them became a blur as the car picked up speed.
They caught up with the crooks on the winding roads through the mountains. There was not much traffic on the isolated roads, giving Sara more room to maneuver. She tried to pass the crooks, but they swerved, blocking her way. She tried going around the outside. This time, they let her pull beside them, only for them to ram into her. As the crooks bashed themselves into Sara’s car, her car was being knocked against the railing. As the crooks’ car lurched sideways, making way for their next assault, Sara suddenly hit the brakes. Sara’s car slipped back behind their opponent, and the crooks’ momentum carried them across the road and crashed into the railing.
Sara turned to overtake them, but the crooks swerved and hit them, sending Sara’s car into a spin. Sara spun the wheel, trying to regain control of the vehicle. Hitting the brakes, she stopped the car from going over the edge. By the time Daring and Sara got their bearing, the two henchmen had disappeared into the night.
They returned to the secret installation and met up with Dr Sergoff along with Junior and Old Timer who had been watching over Dr Edwards. Daring related their misfortunes.
“I was so sure that they’d go after me,” stated Edwards, mopping his brow. “It’s a shame that got another part of our secret plans.”
“Yes,” replied Dr. Sergoff. “My part, that is.”
“It seems like you’re the last one,” said Junior.
“That doesn’t comfort me very much,” replied Edwards with a sigh.
“It’s a little disheartening that we keep getting trounced by these addle-brained buffoons,” remarked Junior.
“That’s because they’re just hired thugs. This Spectre fellow, whomever he is, is the brains behind the operation, and it’s he who wants these plans,” spoke Daring.
“But what does he need them for? What are the plans even for?” asked Junior.
“It’s unfortunate that we can’t answer that question, young man,” said Sergoff.
“Dem rattlesnakes always seem to be one step ahead of us,” muttered Old Timer.
“How about we change that?” asked Sara as she entered the room. She showed everyone a blurry picture of a license plate.
“What’s this?” asked Junior.
“Having similar episodes in the past,” explained Sara. “I took the liberty of rigging my car with surveillance equipment to capture license plates of pursuing vehicles.” She passed around the photo. “While there’s no clean shot of the plates, I’ve run what I could make out through the system. The closest match is a car that was recently stolen. It more than likely came from Mike’s Auto Shop, run by a Thaddeus Carter. Thaddeus had ties with several chop shops and could be supplying the Spectre’s gang with cars and other equipment.”
“Good work, Sara,” said Daring as he stood up. “We’ll check out the lead,” he continued as Old Timer and Junior started to get up. “While Old Timer and Junior stay here and guard the scientists.”
“Aw, phooey,” muttered Old Timer as he plopped back in his seat.
Meanwhile, in the remains of a laboratory used as the Spectre’s hidden base of operations, Ox and Dekker were surprised to find their master waiting for them when they arrived. It was the first time they had ever met face to face.
“Here’s the next piece of the plans,” said Dekker as he handed over the piece of paper.
“Excellent,” hissed the Spectre. “But I am disappointed in you, Ox. Yet again we would have failed if it had not been for Dekker’s quick thinking.”
“How was I supposed to know it was booby trapped?” asked Ox.
“Enough of your excuses,” shouted the Spectre. “You will not fail me another time. Prepare to die.”
“I ain’t going down without a fight,” said Ox. He charged at the Spectre. He swung his mighty fist at the Spectre. The second it impacted on the Spectre, there was a flash of light, a whisp of smoke, and Ox was gone.
“Please remember, Dekker, that I have a personal ion shield. Anyone who touches it will be disintegrated, and only I will know when it is on and off.”
“Yes, sir,” was all that Dekker could manage. He had felt the immense heat from across the room.
A buzzing sound came from one of the screens. The Spectre flipped on the monitor. They watched the video from a hidden camera within Mike’s Auto Shop.
“So, they were able to trace your car back to good old Thaddeus,” pondered the Spectre. “Quickly, Dekker, get over there and kill them before Thaddeus tells them anything of importance.” He paused. “While you’re there, eliminate Thaddeus. He’s nothing more than a liability now.”
Ten minutes later, Dekker was kicking in the door to the auto shop. He, along with Watkins and Davis, entered the store and found Daring and Sara grilling Thaddeus in the garage.
“Spill it,” demanded Daring. “Who is the Spectre?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” shouted Thaddeus. “But I know where they hang out. It’s –“
A shot rang out and silenced Thaddeus forever. Daring and Sara turned to see the three thugs come out from behind the car lift.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” remarked Daring as they approached.
“Any last words?” asked Dekker. Before Daring could reply, Sara kicked the gun out of Dekker’s hand, and Daring pushed Dekker into his men before they could react. A quick punch from Daring laid out Watkins. Sara tripped Davis, hitting him in the back of the neck as he fell.
Dekker picked up a stool and threw it at them. Daring barely dodged it, but Sara was not so lucky. She collapsed to the ground, out cold. The two men struggle, exchanging blows. They fell onto a table, crushing it. Dekker kicked Daring off of him. He ran for the door, but Daring tackled him. Daring grabbed at Dekker, but Dekker pushed him off again.
Daring stumbled to the ground, rolling with the punch. He found himself under the car lift. Dekker ran over and pulled a lever, sending the suspended car down on top of Daring.
Click Here to Go To The Next Chapter
Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Save Spider-Girl!
I'd like to think that I'm in the know when it comes to comics, but only recently have I learned that Spider-Girl is due to be cancelled with issue 30. Now, cancellation's not a new thing for Spider-Girl and her fans, but I'm surprised the new series is in danger so soon. It was only a month ago that the newly re-launched "Amazing Spider-Girl" celebrated their 25th issue.
Being a faithful reader of "Amazing Spider-Girl," it saddens me that this series is on Marvel's chopping block. DeFalco and Frenz bring back the classic days of Lee and Romita every month, with solid writing and stylish art. More importantly, Spider-Girl is one of the rarest of rarities: a positive female lead in a comic book.
So, spread the word, and if you're not buying this book yet, do so before it's too late!
Being a faithful reader of "Amazing Spider-Girl," it saddens me that this series is on Marvel's chopping block. DeFalco and Frenz bring back the classic days of Lee and Romita every month, with solid writing and stylish art. More importantly, Spider-Girl is one of the rarest of rarities: a positive female lead in a comic book.
So, spread the word, and if you're not buying this book yet, do so before it's too late!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Rick Daring and The Brilliant 5 – Chapter Seven: The Secret Safe
THE SPECTRE– Announces his plans of world domination after murdering Dr. Scott with a fiendish death trap.
DARING – And Sara are trapped inside the same death trap, slowly suffocating to death.
Sara, Daring, and Dr. Edwards are laid quietly on the floor; their breathing uneven and raspy. It would only be a few more minutes before the last of the oxygen would be sucked out of the room.
Meanwhile, Junior and Old Timer were walking down the hallway towards the room. They were arguing as usual.
“I can’t believe the doctor gave you a clean bill of health,” stated Junior. “Doesn’t he know about your condition?”
“My condition, eh?” retorted Old Timer. “My only problem is you flapping your gums all the time.” They stopped in front of the door, where Dr. Sergoff was desperately pounding on the sealed door.
“What’s the matter?” asked Old Timer. “Fergit yer key or something?”
“The receptionist told us you were all down here. Did the meeting start without us?”
“You must help me!” cried Dr. Sergoff. “They killed Dr. Scott, and now the room’s sealed off. I’m afraid my colleague and your friends are already die!”
“Not on our watch,” replied Junior, examining the metal door. As standard issue for all of the Brilliant 5, Old Timer and Junior both had a small tab of plastique tucked away in a secret compartment on their belts. The small explosives had little destructive power except to break down a wall or tear a door off its hinges.
After a few tense seconds of preparations, Old Timer and Junior pulled Sergoff around the corner. Fingers in their ears, they detonated the explosives, and the door collapsed with a loud roar. Junior and Old Timer rushed into the room, and admist the smoke, they found their partners and dragged them out of the death trap.
Dr. Edwards was the first to stir. “What happened?” He asked. Sergoff filled him in as Junior helped up a slightly shaken Sara.
Daring slowly opened his eyes and said, “Am I glad that you two showed up late!”
Later, they all gathered after the three of them had time to recover from their near-death experience. They quietly mulled over the grim fact that the Spectre had again left victorious in this current battle of wits.
“The Spectre, huh?” mused Old Timer. “So, that’s what’s he calling himself?”
“Did you happen to recognize the voice?” asked Daring.
“No,” replied Edwards hastily.
“And you don’t know who could be targeting you?” asked Sara.
“There’s any number of countries interested in our research,” replied Sergoff.
“So, we’re back to square one, huh?” asked Junior.
“Not necessarily,” stated Daring. “Though the Spectre does seem to be able move uninhibited to and from this secure location , despite our improvements to the security.”
“What are you thinking, Richard?” asked Sara.
“My thinking is that maybe we can get the Spectre to come to us…” With that, Daring laid out his plan.
In the middle of the night, a car pulled up onto a secluded road. It pulled off of the road and came to a stop. Two men climbed out into the darkness of night. They made their way to a small opening in the shrubbery. One of them produced a pair of binoculars and peered through them. After a moment, he passed them to his taller partner.
“The boss was right on the money as usual,” said Dekker as Ox observed the cabin in the distance. “After that scare with the death trap, them big wigs escort themselves off to their remote houses, in hopes that we’d never find them.”
“But how come our master always know these things?” asked Ox, handing Dekker back his binoculars.
“I dunno,” admitted Dekker. “But he’s the brains. We just do what we’re told.” With that, the two men started to make their way towards the cabin with a small light in the window.
As they approached the cabin, they noticed one car parked towards the back of the cabin, but no other signs of life. They quietly re-checked the perimeter before peering into the window. Through the window, they saw a spacious room, lit by a large fireplace. There was a single chair facing the fireplace; its back was to the door. A nearby table held the remnants of dinner.
Dekker reached out and tested the doorknob. The door was unlocked. The two men snuck into the cabin as quietly as they could muster.
“Don’t make yourself at home,” said an authoritative voice from the chair. “You wouldn’t be staying long.” The two men of crime had expected to face an elderly scientist. Instead, they had fallen into a trap set by the scourge of the underworld, Rick Daring!
Daring rose from the chair, a gun in his hand. “I don’t have much practice with one of these, but at this range, I don’t think I’ll miss,” said Daring.
Dekker and Ox started to raise their hands until Dekker lashed out, sending a lamp into Daring’s hand. The two thugs dove at Daring as the gun slipped from his hand. Daring’s fist impacted on Dekker’s chin, but Ox just grabbed Daring and threw him across the room. Daring barely had a second to roll out of the way of the flying chair tossed his way.
Daring was about strike back when the gun in Dekker’s hand made him stop in his place.
“Don’t try nothing funny,” said Dekker. “Now, where is it? The plans?”
Daring held up his hands and nodded towards the wall. Keeping their distance, Dekker and Ox watched as Daring pushed aside a painting and pressed a hidden button. This revealed a small opening in the wall, with a piece of paper lying in it.
Without saying anything, Ox moved towards the opening. When he reached inside, two things happened simultaneously. A large electrical current jumped through Ox body, rendering the large man unconscious while blinding Dekker. Daring knocked the gun from Dekker’s hand and socked the thug to the ground.
Daring went over to the wall and opened another secret panel. This one contained the switch for the booby trap within the secret safe. Turning it off, Daring felt confident as he went to retrieve the secret plans.
But Dekker was not unconscious as Daring thought. The criminal dived for the security switch just as Daring reached inside the safe. There was a crackle of electricity and the sound of a body falling to the ground.
Click Here to Go To The Next Chapter
Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
DARING – And Sara are trapped inside the same death trap, slowly suffocating to death.
Sara, Daring, and Dr. Edwards are laid quietly on the floor; their breathing uneven and raspy. It would only be a few more minutes before the last of the oxygen would be sucked out of the room.
Meanwhile, Junior and Old Timer were walking down the hallway towards the room. They were arguing as usual.
“I can’t believe the doctor gave you a clean bill of health,” stated Junior. “Doesn’t he know about your condition?”
“My condition, eh?” retorted Old Timer. “My only problem is you flapping your gums all the time.” They stopped in front of the door, where Dr. Sergoff was desperately pounding on the sealed door.
“What’s the matter?” asked Old Timer. “Fergit yer key or something?”
“The receptionist told us you were all down here. Did the meeting start without us?”
“You must help me!” cried Dr. Sergoff. “They killed Dr. Scott, and now the room’s sealed off. I’m afraid my colleague and your friends are already die!”
“Not on our watch,” replied Junior, examining the metal door. As standard issue for all of the Brilliant 5, Old Timer and Junior both had a small tab of plastique tucked away in a secret compartment on their belts. The small explosives had little destructive power except to break down a wall or tear a door off its hinges.
After a few tense seconds of preparations, Old Timer and Junior pulled Sergoff around the corner. Fingers in their ears, they detonated the explosives, and the door collapsed with a loud roar. Junior and Old Timer rushed into the room, and admist the smoke, they found their partners and dragged them out of the death trap.
Dr. Edwards was the first to stir. “What happened?” He asked. Sergoff filled him in as Junior helped up a slightly shaken Sara.
Daring slowly opened his eyes and said, “Am I glad that you two showed up late!”
Later, they all gathered after the three of them had time to recover from their near-death experience. They quietly mulled over the grim fact that the Spectre had again left victorious in this current battle of wits.
“The Spectre, huh?” mused Old Timer. “So, that’s what’s he calling himself?”
“Did you happen to recognize the voice?” asked Daring.
“No,” replied Edwards hastily.
“And you don’t know who could be targeting you?” asked Sara.
“There’s any number of countries interested in our research,” replied Sergoff.
“So, we’re back to square one, huh?” asked Junior.
“Not necessarily,” stated Daring. “Though the Spectre does seem to be able move uninhibited to and from this secure location , despite our improvements to the security.”
“What are you thinking, Richard?” asked Sara.
“My thinking is that maybe we can get the Spectre to come to us…” With that, Daring laid out his plan.
In the middle of the night, a car pulled up onto a secluded road. It pulled off of the road and came to a stop. Two men climbed out into the darkness of night. They made their way to a small opening in the shrubbery. One of them produced a pair of binoculars and peered through them. After a moment, he passed them to his taller partner.
“The boss was right on the money as usual,” said Dekker as Ox observed the cabin in the distance. “After that scare with the death trap, them big wigs escort themselves off to their remote houses, in hopes that we’d never find them.”
“But how come our master always know these things?” asked Ox, handing Dekker back his binoculars.
“I dunno,” admitted Dekker. “But he’s the brains. We just do what we’re told.” With that, the two men started to make their way towards the cabin with a small light in the window.
As they approached the cabin, they noticed one car parked towards the back of the cabin, but no other signs of life. They quietly re-checked the perimeter before peering into the window. Through the window, they saw a spacious room, lit by a large fireplace. There was a single chair facing the fireplace; its back was to the door. A nearby table held the remnants of dinner.
Dekker reached out and tested the doorknob. The door was unlocked. The two men snuck into the cabin as quietly as they could muster.
“Don’t make yourself at home,” said an authoritative voice from the chair. “You wouldn’t be staying long.” The two men of crime had expected to face an elderly scientist. Instead, they had fallen into a trap set by the scourge of the underworld, Rick Daring!
Daring rose from the chair, a gun in his hand. “I don’t have much practice with one of these, but at this range, I don’t think I’ll miss,” said Daring.
Dekker and Ox started to raise their hands until Dekker lashed out, sending a lamp into Daring’s hand. The two thugs dove at Daring as the gun slipped from his hand. Daring’s fist impacted on Dekker’s chin, but Ox just grabbed Daring and threw him across the room. Daring barely had a second to roll out of the way of the flying chair tossed his way.
Daring was about strike back when the gun in Dekker’s hand made him stop in his place.
“Don’t try nothing funny,” said Dekker. “Now, where is it? The plans?”
Daring held up his hands and nodded towards the wall. Keeping their distance, Dekker and Ox watched as Daring pushed aside a painting and pressed a hidden button. This revealed a small opening in the wall, with a piece of paper lying in it.
Without saying anything, Ox moved towards the opening. When he reached inside, two things happened simultaneously. A large electrical current jumped through Ox body, rendering the large man unconscious while blinding Dekker. Daring knocked the gun from Dekker’s hand and socked the thug to the ground.
Daring went over to the wall and opened another secret panel. This one contained the switch for the booby trap within the secret safe. Turning it off, Daring felt confident as he went to retrieve the secret plans.
But Dekker was not unconscious as Daring thought. The criminal dived for the security switch just as Daring reached inside the safe. There was a crackle of electricity and the sound of a body falling to the ground.
Click Here to Go To The Next Chapter
Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
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