Where the hell is Lance!” shouted Mr. Blue, after the granite door inside the tunnel (and outside the lab) had risen, allowing black smoke to pour into the research area.
“He is searching below for Treen Alee, sir”, said an Arast that had dashed in from the tunnel.
“How did she get in here?” he hollered.
“With your helicopter sir. She caused the explosions that have destroyed over fifty Ecnals.”
With the lab growing blacker, Garrison Blue jogged out into the tunnel. In the distance, he could see flipped SUV’s and burned out droids strewn along the road. When an Ecnal tried to pass him, he grabbed his arm. “Give me that!” he said, ripping the gun from the android’s holster. “Sir, I am not authorized to release my weapon.”
“Says who?” he shouted. “Master, Lance.”
“Oh yeah? Well since you don’t know who you work for, you’re fired.” Bap — Bap — Bap — Bap!
Garrison Blue watched the Ecnal drop, then glared at his scattering employees and droids. With his empire falling to pieces, he took the gun and stormed towards the Alees’ holding room.
Stepping through the sliding doors, Garrison Blue scanned the wide eyes of everyone in the room. Ariel and Sheridon were ready to jump him until they noticed the gun trembling in his hand.
“Let’s go Edwin,” snarled Mr. Blue, pointing the gun at him. “Where?” he snapped.
“To the intercom. You’re going bring that daughter of yours out of hiding.”
Edwin glanced at everyone and smiled. “Funny, when we heard the explosions, we figured Treen had killed you already. She must be tired or something.”
He moved closer, then aimed at his head. “You’ll do as I say because I always get what I need. If you would’ve stopped trying to save Grevelton with your bookstore and meddlesome business ideas, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“What about your business ideas?” Sheridon shouted. You messed up a bunch of people with that Leuf drug and you don’t even care?”
Garrison laughed. “No, I don’t care. Whether you like it or not, Grevelton is the home of my drug selling droids — or Awakers as you street bums call them. Soon, I’ll have them in bigger cities — something I can’t accomplish if Mister Do Good here runs them off the street!”
“That’s why you had Mera killed,” said Ariel, to steal the droids and the fuel.
“Yes, I had Mera killed, but he’d be alive today if he would’ve just sold me the invention. Now enough of this — let’s go, Edwin!”
“You might as well shoot me because I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“A bold face in front of the wife. I admire that.”
“You should,” said Elizabeth, “After what you’ve done to your own wife — coward!”
“Very well, Edwin, I’ll just shoot you then drag your wife to the intercom — ”
Suddenly, the doors hissed open. Accompanied by two of the largest Ecnals, Lance and Tsara walked calmly out of the smoky hallway and into the room.
“Move the captives near couch and watch them, Lance ordered the Ecnals. Tsara and I will care of Blue.”
“What is going here?” asked Mr. Blue. Have you found the Alee girl?”
“No, but we will,” said Lance, rubbing his goatee.
“How could you be dumb enough to let her fly the helicopter into the tunnel?” asked Mr. Blue. Ariel and Sheridon high fived to that news, while the Alees and Regina stared wide eyed at each other.
“Garrison, if I were you, I’d shut up,” said Tsara, snatching the gun from him.
“Allow me,” said Lance, who grabbed Mr. Blue by his lapels, lifted him off the floor, then slammed him down on his back. Mr. Blue tried to stand but Lance kicked him back down.
“Wh-what’s the matter with you?” asked Mr. Blue, gasping.
“Little Einstein informed us that you orchestrated the death of our master, and we didn’t believe her. Now that we know the truth, you’re going suffer for it.”
“Sh-she’s lying! She’s trying to disrupt you’re programming — to turn you against me!”
Lance walked right up to him. “You are so stupid. Did you forget that you installed cameras and microphones in these rooms? Tsara and I have been upstairs in the security office listening to every word you said — chump.”
Mr. Blue stood and began to back peddle until he thumped against the bar. Lance stayed put and watched him squirm until the intimidation forced a feeble excuse.
“L – Lance, please — I did this for you! If it weren’t for me, you and Tsara would’ve never made out into the world!”
“Who said we wanted out?” Lance shouted.
“Maybe we were just fine where we were! Master Mera was our best friend and most of all, he stayed away from people like you!”
“Let me finish him,” Tsara shouted.
“You can’t kill me,” If you do, there’s no more Merafuel. You’ll shut down...”
Lance rubbed his goatee. “Tsara, you can rough him up a little; just make sure there’s enough of him left to tell me where his half of the formula is.”
Tsara charged towards him. No one in the room grimaced as she hurled him into wall after wall, with a few slaps in between. When she’d finished, Garrison Blue lay face down behind the bar. “You may want to have a drink while you’re back there,” said
Lance, sitting on a barstool, ”This is going to get worse.”