Text Box: Tommyboy's Fan Fiction Buckaroo Banzai

 

                 

Prodigal Son

by Thunder

“Thank you, everyone! Y’all be cool! Good night!” Perfect Tommy spoke for the group, as Buckaroo led the Hong Kong Cavaliers, waving to the packed Madison Square Garden crowd, off the stage.
“ ‘Y’all?’ “ Reno shouted above the thunderous ovation into Tommy’s ear. “You’ve been spending too much time with Rawhide!”
“I said “ ‘You all’,” Tommy replied indifferently. “It was just hard to hear me clearly over all my screaming fans.”
“ ‘Your fans?’ ” New Jersey asked. They had moved farther down the access tunnel, so the crowd noise had dimmed enough for the others to hear the conversation.
“Yeah, Doc. Didn’t you notice the first five rows were the NE chapter of the 'Perfect Tommy Fan Club?' ”
“Uh, no... I was busy playing, had all those spotlights on us. How could you  tell?”
“He’s perfect, remember?” Reno laughed.
Tommy shrugged modestly, “The man’s got a point.”
“Uhh...” was New Jersey’s reply. Reno clapped him on the back and laughed again.
Rawhide had reached World Watch One, the rolling command center for Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers. He always reached it first, and then stood watching the area as the rest of the team boarded the bus.
“Good show tonight, Boss,” he said to Buckaroo as he walked on.
“Yeah.” He paused a moment, looking at his old friend. “You look a little pale. Did you...?” He mimed drinking.
“Not yet, today. I’m trying to see how long I can go without taking it.”
“I’ll tell you how long! 24 hours. Suppose you go to sleep, and then don’t wake up again?” Buckaroo had stepped aside, so that the others could finish boarding. “I lost you once, partner, I don’t want to go through that again!”
“OK, OK... I get your point.”
“When did you last take it?”
“About 11:00 yesterday morning.”
Buckaroo looked at his watch. It was 10:43 at night. “Hmmm... almost 36 hours... Maybe we should  run some tests...” He thought for a moment.
“I’ve got those implant surgeries to do on Monday, Sidney and I are consulting with the President’s medical staff on Tuesday, we go before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday... What’s Thursday?”
“Umm... You and the Professor are supposed to go over the final plans for the new jet car with Seth, but Rafterman’s got some ideas for a new pre-firing combustion chamber...”
“Yeah, he’s working out all right, isn’t he?” Buckaroo smiled at the thought of the new intern.
“He’s a helluva crack-shot, that’s for sure,” Rawhide agreed.
“OK, have the Professor schedule a meeting with Rafterman for Thursday, we’ll run those tests on you then. We’ll push the meeting for the plans to the following Tuesday. Peggy and I are going away for the weekend, so we may not be back in time on Monday.”
“You got it.” They boarded the bus.
“Hi,” Buckaroo greeted his wife Peggy, giving her a quick, but passionate, kiss.
“Hi, yourself.”
Buckaroo turned to New Jersey, who was removing his fur chaps.
“Sidney, would you mind getting some readings from Rawhide... Pulse, respiration, sperm count... The usual stuff.”
New Jersey rose, concerned. “Is he all right?”
“He’s fine, just being stubborn as usual. After you do all that, make sure he takes his ‘insulin’, even if you have to pour it down his throat.”
New Jersey looked nervous. “Pour it down his throat? You wouldn’t have something easier for me to do, like wrestle a constipated alligator?”
Buckaroo laughed, and squeezed New Jersey’s arm. “Thanks, Sidney.”
He got a pat on the shoulder in return. “Sure thing.” New Jersey went in search of Rawhide.
“So what have you been doing while I was on-stage?” Buckaroo asked Peggy.
“Oh, Ed’s been teaching me how to use the on board communications system.” She led him over to where Ed was monitoring the world’s events.
“Ed,” Buckaroo greeted him.
“Chief,” Ed responded, handing him a sheet of paper that had a rundown of what had been going on in the world while he had been on-stage.
“And how did the lesson go?” Buckaroo asked, reading the reports.
“She’s a natural,” Ed responded, eliciting a smile from Peggy, even as an alarm began beeping and flashing on Ed’s console.
“Oh, like that!” Peggy squealed. “That’s a... Don’t tell me...” She began gesturing with her hands, trying to remember. “Wait, I got it! That’s a Blue Blaze Irregular emergency transponder signal!”
“Very good,” Ed replied.
“Now, whose is it?” Buckaroo asked.
“Wait a second.” Peggy leaned over, and tapped out a command on the console. “Oh, darn. I thought I had gotten it.”
“What’s wrong?” Buckaroo asked.
“Well, it says that the code belongs to Thunder...”
"He’d never call... That’s impossible!” Ed remarked.
“Nothing’s impossible,” Buckaroo responded, leaning over. “Yup, it’s Thunder... Coming from Commack, and moving west.” He looked out the window, and hit the intercom switch for the driver. “Forget the George Washington Bridge, head for the 59th street bridge.”
“Gotcha,” came the reply. The bus turned on the next corner.
“It’ll take us forever to go around the long way in World Watch One,” Buckaroo speculated, consulting an on-screen map. The only major thorofare that the double-decker bus could travel on was Sunrise Highway, but with all the traffic lights… The Long Island Expressway was, as always, undergoing construction. “What have we got local?”
Ed tapped out another command, and a list appeared on one of the screens.
“There,” Buckaroo pointed.
“Really?” Peggy asked, surprised at the choice.
“It’ll hold the team and all our gear, plus it’s got a few items that don’t come as standard equipment on those things.”
Buckaroo was about to instruct Ed to call the selected garage, but Ed had already picked up the phone.
“Clearance code is Bravo-Zulu... Confirmed. We’re gonna need the bus. ETA, 10 minutes. Right... All set, Chief,” he finished the call, and turned to Buckaroo.
“Guess I should let everyone else in on what’s happening, huh?” Buckaroo said, and joined the others in the seating area. They were all discussing the concert, but fell silent when they saw the look on Buckaroo’s face.
He filled them in,  shocking them all.
“Tommy, go get Sidney and Rawhide, please.”
“Sure thing,” Tommy bounded up the stairs, and slid open the door to Buckaroo’s and Peggy’s private chamber, which New Jersey had been using to examine Rawhide. Rawhide was just buckling his pants.
“Whoa,” Tommy said. “Glad I didn’t walk in here two minutes ago!”
“So am I,” Rawhide retorted, embarrassed. “What’s up?”
“You’re not gonna believe this. We got an emergency signal from Thunder!”
“Thunder?” New Jersey looked puzzled, removing his latex gloves. “Are we talking about lightning, wind and rain? That kind of thunder?”
“No, we’re talking about steal your best knife, ruin your favorite saddle, and blow up your bus with your record collection on board, that  Thunder,” Rawhide replied bitterly.
“Ah,” New Jersey replied hesitantly, obviously more confused than before.
“Before your time, Doc,” Perfect Tommy said, and looked at Rawhide. “And remember, he apologized for the saddle, he didn’t know your record collection was on the bus, and we’re not sure he stole your knife!”
“Well, I had it before we went into Iraq, and now I don’t.” They made their way down the stairs. “Thunder, huh... I tell you, if it ain’t one thing, it’s another...”
They got back downstairs, with Buckaroo briefing everyone.



“Strike Teams?” Perfect Tommy asked hopefully.
“We don’t even know what we’re up against,” Buckaroo replied. “We’re still getting his transponder, and it’s mobile, but he’s not answering his radio.”
“Well, for Thunder to call us...”
“Just have anyone who’s responding stay on Alert status Tango.”
“OK,” Perfect Tommy moved off to comply, the disappointment obvious in his voice.
World Watch One pulled up to a large storage garage in Astoria, Queens, and the team deployed.
“Sean,” Buckaroo ordered the driver, “you and Ed follow as quick as you can. Ed’s gonna relay anything to us, we’ll do the same.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Sure you don’t want me coming with you?” Peggy stood in the door.
“More than anything,” Buckaroo smiled at her. “But I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe here. If Thunder is in enough trouble to call us...”
“I understand. Tell him I say ‘Hi.’ ”
“Tell him yourself. You’ll be about an hour behind us.” He looked up at Sean. “Get moving.”
“Yes, Sir.” The doors closed, and World Watch One rolled away.
“Dr. Banzai, this is a real honor,” Gus, the night watchman from the garage said, coming over and shaking his hand.
“Thank you... where’s Jake?”
“Mr. Speed said he’d be here in just a few minutes, but said not to wait for him if you couldn’t... He said he’d catch up.”
“Fine. This thing ready to go?”
“Yes, Sir, warmed her up myself.” They walked over to a black painted bus, about half the size of a standard bus. There were two sets of doors on the side, and a set that opened in the rear.
“Pinkie, you drive.” Carruthers nodded, and got behind the wheel. Buckaroo got on board, pleased to find the molded plastic seats had been replaced with upholstered ones. Only three-quarters of the rows were there, however. The remaining area contained storage racks to the left of the rear door, and an aft facing communications console to the right.
Buckaroo walked back, even as the bus rolled out. Reno was sitting in the console seat, already activating it. He took one of the wireless headsets, and slid it over his head.
“Link to World Watch One established. There’s even a terminal we can link to the Institute’s mainframe, if you want.”
“Don’t think we’ll need it yet, but thanks. See if you can raise Jake, will you?”
“Got ‘em,” Reno reported a moment later, handing Buckaroo a headset.
“Jake, where are you?”
“ ‘Bout three miles behind you, about to enter the L.I.E.”
“I have to tell you, I’m impressed with this bus, and I haven’t seen all the features yet!”
“Hope you won’t hafta see ‘em all, Buckaroo! Besides, I didn’t build her, just store her! How’s Penny? I mean Peggy...”
“She’s good, but we’ll all catch up later. Are you carrying?”
“When am I not? Besides, I’m in my pickup truck!”
“Which probably means he’s more armed than all of us combined,” laughed Reno. Buckaroo smiled.
“Good,” Buckaroo finished. “Fall in behind us when you get here.”
A few moments later, a pickup truck pulled up behind them, flashing it’s brights in a prearranged pattern.  Buckaroo waved and went forward again.



Meanwhile, New Jersey had been trying to pump information from the others.
“So, who’s this Thunder?” he had asked Rawhide.
Rawhide gave him a look that would have scared a rattlesnake. “Trouble, pure and simple.” He then turned away, closing off any possibility for further talk.
“Perfect Tommy?”
“Let me put it to you this way, Doc... He was the only Hong Kong Cavalier, that wasn’t a Hong Kong Cavalier.”
“Oh...” New Jersey didn’t know what to make of that. “Uhh... What instrument does he play?”
“Keyboards, guitar, and the harmonica. That’s his harmonica intro on the third cut of the second album.”
Rawhide turned back towards them, and said with extreme venom, “And  the accordion, Perfect Tommy. Don’t forget the accordion!” Rawhide turned back away.
“What about the accordion?” New Jersey asked, surprised that anyone could hate a musical instrument with such passion, even the accordion.
Perfect Tommy chuckled, “Nothing about the accordion, Doc. Just that Thunder gets real embarrassed for anyone to know that he plays it... Real well, too. So anytime any of us talk about Thunder, Rawhide always makes sure that everyone  knows he plays the accordion.”
“Oh, I... almost see. And this accordion playing got him kicked out of the Cavaliers?”
“He was never  a Cavalier, New Jersey. Don’t ever forget that!” Rawhide got up and moved forward, sitting right behind Pinkie.
“Wow, he really hates him, doesn’t he.”
“Nah, just hates what he did to Buckaroo. And the fact that he did it right under Rawhide’s nose. But don’t worry about him. Buckaroo says that Thunder’s a BBI, Rawhide will always respect that. He’s even saved Thunder’s life a few times. Bitches about it for days afterwards...”
“So what did Thunder do?”
“Let me show you.” Tommy got up, and moved to the back, just as Buckaroo started forward.
“Boss, I’m gonna show the Doc Thunder’s file, OK?
“Sure, and then tell him the rest of it, too,”
“All of it?”
“All of it.”
“OK.”
“Reno, let the Doc at the console. We’ll do communications.”
“Just a second.” Reno reported to Buckaroo that the Thunder’s transponder, had stopped moving, just southeast of  exit 49. “You know how to use this set-up?” he asked New Jersey, even as he rose.
“Yes... Standard type four communications rig, with a computer link as well, right?”
“All yours, New Jersey.”
New Jersey sat down, and with a deftness that belied his outward uncertainty, quickly linked to the Institutes mainframe, accessing the personnel files of the Blue Blaze Irregulars. He scrolled down to the T’s, and clicked on:

THUNDER:

LAST NAME: (UNKNOWN) (USED ‘MC COY’ AT INSTITUTE, KNOWN TO BE FALSE)

FIRST NAME: THOMAS (UNCONFIRMED)

D.O.B. (UNKNOWN-SUSPECTED 33-35, APPEARS 25-30)

HEIGHT: 6’1”     WEIGHT: 220-240

EYES: 2        COLOR: BROWN

HAIR COLOR: BLONDE/BROWN (DEPENDING ON CLIMATE)

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: MOLE, LEFT CHEEK, BACK OF NECK, SMALL SCAR ON RIGHT FOREHEAD, LARGE SCAR ON ABDOMEN, FROM CHEST TO WASTE (NOTE: SCAR IS FOUR INCHES WIDE @ CHEST, TAPERS DOWN TO ONE INCH WIDE AT BOTTOM. SUBJECT DID NOT HAVE SCAR ON ABDOMEN DURING TENURE WITH THE INSTITUTE)

WEAPON(S) OF CHOICE:
TWO (2) MATCHING .44  ‘AUTOMAG’ AUTOMATIC PISTOLS, SHOULDER HOLSTERS
12-GAUGE SAWED-OFF DOUBLE BARRELED SHOTGUN, WORN IN HIP HOLSTER
12-GAUGE PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN W/PISTOL GRIP, WORN ACROSS BACK W/SLING
VARIOUS HOMEMADE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES.


“Whew. Boy likes his toys to make noise, huh?” New Jersey asked.
“Not really, He has pretty sensitive hearing. Wears these earplugs with some kind of ball and hammer arrangement. Anything over 80 decibels causes ‘em to close...”
“Interesting.”
“You want interesting, read on.”
“OK... Let’s see... 15 years ago, accepted to Marine Corps Force Recon program... Specializing in demolition, while picking up a chopper pilot’s license... Left the Corps 11 years ago, applied for internship at the Institute...”
“This is where it gets interesting.”
“It’s been pretty interesting so far...”
“Read on,” Tommy ordered again.
“Made a BBI 10 years ago, then a Hong Kong Cavaliers six months later... Left  the Institute three weeks later?!?”
“Reverted to BBI status... We had recorded the second album the previous week. He asked not to be mentioned on it. Closest thing was Buckaroo talking about “Stormy” relationships on the jacket cover.”
“Wait, wait, wait. The hell with the album. Why did he leave the institute, give up being a Hong Kong Cavaliers?”
“Well, see the part where he left the Marine Corps 11 years ago?”
“Yes.”





“What it doesn’t show was that he hadn’t stopped working for the government.”
“Ouch.” New Jersey suddenly understood Rawhide’s ‘He was never a Cavalier’  remark, and the anger behind it.
Buckaroo had sat down, and entered into a light meditative state. But when he heard Tommy mention Thunder’s government connection, the memories came flooding back to him.

  “Here’s the lyin’ snake now, Boss,” Rawhide said, pushing Thunder in front of him. Buckaroo looked at the bloody face before him, while checking the others. Rawhide had a split lip, Reno’s eye was already swelling, and it was going to be some shiner. Even Perfect Tommy’s hair seemed disheveled.
  “Sit down,” Buckaroo ordered, reaching for his medical kit.
  “I’d prefer to stand, thank you,” Thunder replied.
  “The man said sit down!” Reno shoved Thunder towards a chair.  Thunder collapsed, sweeping Reno’s feet out from under him, and rolled backwards, coming to stand near Buckaroo. Rawhide and Tommy squared off, but Buckaroo clapped a hand on Thunder’s shoulder.
  “That’s enough, all of you!” Buckaroo commanded. Thunder started to turn into Buckaroo, but was shocked to find that he couldn’t move the smaller man. Buckaroo gazed intently into Thunder’s eyes.
  “Let’s talk.” He released his grip, and motioned for Thunder to sit down.  Buckaroo gestured with his head, and the others reluctantly filed out.
  Buckaroo opened his kit, and began treating Thunder’s cuts and abrasions.
  “I guess the first question to ask would be who are you working for?”
  “The National Security Agency.”
  “And they want to know what about me this time?”
  “ ‘This time?’ ”
  “You are the seventeenth person to come to us from one branch of the government or another. More significantly, you are the only one not to have been found out by the third day. I think that’s why Rawhide was a little rough on you.”
  “I think  that was just pay back for his saddle.”
  Buckaroo smiled. “Well, maybe just a little.” He finished working on Thunder, and stepped back around to his desk, sitting.
  “So, what do they want to know about me?”
  Thunder pointed to the proofs Buckaroo had been reviewing for an upcoming issue of his comic magazine.
  “No offense, Dr. Banzai, but your life is pretty much... well, an open book. What the NSA is interested in are the Hong Kong Cavaliers.”
  “I see.” Buckaroo’s outward calm hid his turmoil. He usually didn’t mind the government coming after them, it had become something of a game... But this... Thunder had successfully infiltrated the Institute for almost a year! He was made a Hong Kong Cavalier! They had just recorded a new album!
  “Specifically, they’re interested in one Hong Kong Cavalier,” Thunder continued. He told him.
  “Why?”
  “Virtually nothing is known about him, Sir.”
  “No, I mean why did you agree to do this?”
  Thunder thought for a moment, obviously deciding whether or not to answer the question, and if so, how.
  “... Dr. Banzai, when you became a doctor of medicine, you took an oath. One that I know from personal experience you take extremely seriously...”
  “And...?”
  “When I became a Marine, I also took an oath. I swore to defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It’s an oath I take just as seriously. Your team was painted to me as a possible threat to that constitution. I had to find out. To not do so would have been a gross dereliction of duty, both to the country, and myself.”
  Buckaroo thought for a moment. “Well, that explains a lot.”
  “Sir?”
  “I consider myself a good judge of character. Yet I never suspected you, and I know Rawhide didn’t, either. None of us did. I think what we picked up on was the sincerity of your beliefs.”
  “Hmmm...” Thunder didn’t know how to respond to that.
  “So what happens now?”
  “Well, Sir, my orders were to find out anything that could be construed as detrimental to the safety of the nation.”
  “And what did you find?”
  Thunder smiled for the first time, “Dr. Banzai, you know that there is nothing going on here that is a threat to the USA. Oh, some possible repercussions from that overthruster experiment of yours, but since that wont be for a few years.... Besides, I was sent here to gather facts, not speculations.”
  “Yes, I know there’s nothing detrimental. I just wanted to be sure that  you did...” Buckaroo returned his smile.
  “So now it’s my turn to ask: What happens now?”
  Buckaroo sighed “Well, you’ve broken no laws, and while you did  violate the rules of the institute... You’re free to go...” He took a deep breath. “You’re also free to stay.”
  “Sir?”
  “If you sever your ties with the NSA, I’d like to have you come aboard, for real this time. You’ve got some real potential in the sciences, particularly in electronics - I’d like to develop them.”
  “Dr. Banzai... I’m honored. But I couldn’t stay. There’s no way I could face everyone here.”
  “That’s up to you to decide. But think about it. Even if you do leave, you could always return.”
  “Thank you, Sir. I will think about it.”
  “And as for facing everyone here, I can understand you hesitancy. But the one you will have to really face this with is you. You can run away from us, but never from yourself. Because... No matter where you go, there you are.”
  Thunder looked thoughtful. “That.. That’s very true, Sir. I will consider it. But for now...”
  “I understand.” Buckaroo reached into a desk drawer, pulling out a small satchel. “Here.”
  “Sir?”
  “The instant you leave the NSA, you’re a BBI again. Legally, the NSA says you can’t be both.  But if you do leave, there are some things in there you might be able to use. Call if you need us.”

  “Well, he’s gone,” Reno said, watching the gates close behind the departing figure.
  “And good riddance,” Rawhide spat. “Boss, I’m really sorry.”
  “Forget it, pal,” Buckaroo said, looking towards where Thunder had ridden off. “He fooled all of us... Even himself.”
  “Huh?” Perfect Tommy had asked, and then added, “Hey, so what happens now...? Do we have to re-record the album?”
  “No, he gave us the go ahead to use his stuff. Doesn’t even want any credit.”
  “Mighty big of him,” Rawhide said sardonically.
  “Let it go, Rawhide,” Buckaroo said, knowing it was futile. “He was doing what he felt he had to do. And I think as he came to know us, I think he  wanted to be found out.”
  They walked back into the main building, no one talking. Mrs. Johnson was waiting by the door.
  “I take it he’s gone?” she asked.
  “Yes,” Buckaroo replied, waiting to see if Rawhide was going to add anything. He didn’t.
  “Thunder asked me to give you this, after he was gone.” She handed Buckaroo a large manila envelope. “He asked that you open it when you’re alone, but said he’d understand if you didn’t wait.”
  Buckaroo took the envelope back to his office, and opened it. A folded letter, an obviously used note pad, three computer disks, and a few micro-cassette tapes spilled out. Buckaroo unfolded the letter, and read the short note inside.

Dear Dr. Banzai,

  Here is all the information that I’ve gathered while at the institute. These are the only existing copies of everything.
  I’m going to resign the NSA today, and then do a little traveling, think things through. I can’t return to the institute, as much as I’d like to. Perhaps after some time...
  Anyway, thank you for the wonderful opportunities afforded me there. I’m sorry I let you all down. I hope I can make amends some day.

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, please give my best to Peggy. And when you are ready,  Good luck on the dimensional crossover!

Thunder

Thunder never called for help. But he did show up when called, if possible. And always in unlikely places. Arizona, during the Grand Canyon/frozen yogurt crisis. Seattle, to help stop a World Crime League plot, leading Team Banzai to needing a new World Watch One. And Iraq, of all places, sporting an unexplained and extremely nasty abdominal wound that he was holding together with duct tape. He would be carrying the record of that one around for the rest of his life....





Buckaroo was shaken from his revere by Pinkie announcing “Exit 49 coming up! Signal’s about two miles south southeast of the exit.” Everyone was silent for a few moments, lost in thought.
“Any idea what we’re looking for?” New Jersey asked, moving forward as they approached the area the signal was coming from.
“Probably something like that,” Rawhide said, pointing to where the night sky suddenly lit up. A moment later, a booming report rolled across the bus.
“Ah,  the delicate sound of Thunder,” Perfect Tommy quipped.
“What the...” Pinkie began as they passed a grove of trees, allowing them to see the scene they had been called to.
They came upon a field that showed signs of a recent harvest. Forty yards in was a  modified Mack truck, the area where the fifth wheel normally sat had been encased. The truck was severely damaged on the right side, obviously from the dozen or so men still firing upon it.
A lone figure leaned against the left side of the truck, and a flare of light briefly illuminated him. He suddenly flung something over the truck, and an explosion rocked the area a moment later.
“Deployment pattern Cierra,” Buckaroo ordered, as they lined up near the doors. “Perfect Tommy, make your way to Thunder and find out what’s going on.”
“You got it.”
“Sidney, he’s never seen you before, make sure you stay clear of him.”
“No problem,” New Jersey replied vehemently, watching Thunder cut loose with his twin hand cannons.
“Incoming!” Pinkie yelled. Before anyone could react, a ball of greenish energy slammed the bus.
“What the hell are they using?” Reno demanded.
“Some kind of phased energy weapon, I think,” Buckaroo replied, helping New Jersey up. “Pinkie, you OK?”
“I think I should be dead, but yeah...”
“Remind me to thank ArcLight. The refractory coating seems to have worked fine.”
“Maybe so, but they got the radiator,” Pinkie pointed out the windshield, to where steam was rising from the front.
“Looks like we walk from here,” Perfect Tommy said, pulling the charging handle back on his machine gun.
“Then, let’s do it!” Buckaroo ordered, and they piled out of the bus.
Perfect Tommy and Reno laid down serious covering fire, while the others dispersed. When they had reached their initial positions, the others took over, allowing Reno to start to move around the others, and Perfect Tommy to make his way to the truck. Tommy followed behind Jake’s pickup truck, using it for additional cover.
“Hey, Thunder,” Perfect Tommy said casually, as if they had only been separated for a few hours.
Thunder was not to be out-cooled. “Hey, P.T. Nice cover of GQ last month.”
“Thanks. So, what you been up to?”
Thunder lit another explosive, and checking the position of the Hong Kong Cavaliers, hurled it towards a van some of the enemy was using for cover. The van rocked skyward.
“Oh, a little of this, a little of that...”
“And tonight’s brouhaha falls under which?”
“Oh, definitely this...”
Perfect Tommy spun around, and emptied his clip at the men Thunder had scattered from the explosion. He dropped back against the truck, slamming home a fresh magazine.
“So, you want to tell me what’s happening here?”
Thunder ejected a clip from one gun, pulling a fresh clip from a hip pocket, and laid it on the fender of his truck, methodically emptying the other magnum.
“Been tracking what I thought was a mid-eastern terrorist cell from Morocco to here. We all arrived at JFK airport this afternoon. They were supposed to meet up with some people here. Got a friend who works at JFK, managed to sneak me in to take a look at what these guys had shipped in with them. Thought they were going to be some weapons of some type... And they were, but nothing like I’ve ever seen before. Very advanced, but weird.” He threw another explosive.
The Hong Kong Cavaliers had drawn some of the enemy fire, allowing Thunder time to talk.
“They also were picking up a crate from a chemical plant out west. Stuff is stored in vials. With a shipping label for Quantico.” He pushed Perfect Tommy back under cover, as another greenish ball of energy slammed the truck.
“Anyway, I had my truck delivered to JFK. Was gonna break out Cassandra and follow them...”
“You still got Cassie?” Perfect Tommy interrupted.
Thunder pointed to the enshrouded back of the truck. “And Jezebel too. But we digress.”
“Sorry.”
“They made me, and split. But my friend tagged their van,” Thunder pointed to the smoking ruin, “with a tracer. So I tracked ‘em to Riverhead. They hooked up with a small group, and exchanged crates. I followed these guys. Looks like they might have been getting off at exit 53, but I think they spotted me again. So they set up this ambush. I hit the emergency beacon, and we’ve been having a running gun battle for four exits on the LIE. Some of them are using energy weapons... If I didn’t have ArcLight’s refractory coating on this baby’s titanium hull...”
“I know, saved us too! So who are they?”
“You’re gonna love this... One of these nut jobs leaps  onto the passenger side of my truck. I’ve got the window open, so I can shoot. I’m driving with my left hand, so I go to draw my right gun with my right hand,  my arm’s folded and my elbow’s raised above my head, and he spits at me!”
The hackles on Perfect Tommy’s neck suddenly rose.               “ ‘Spits’? ”
“Hit me right in the holster, slammed me into the door. Think he may have cracked a rib. Jerk then climbs in, thinking to take control. So I pulled a knife, and killed him.”
“And did anything strange happen then?” Tommy asked, already knowing the answer. “Some kind of transformation?”
“Oh, yeah.” Thunder opened the driver’s side door, and the body of a Red Lectroid tumbled out. There was a blade still imbedded in him
“Look familiar?”
“Sure does... That’s Rawhide’s knife.”





The firefight ended, with three of the enemy escaping. Reno, Jake Speed and Pinkie were going around, checking to see if there were any survivors. The others gathered around the remains of Thunder’s truck.
“Thunder,” Buckaroo said, “I’d like you to meet Dr. Sidney Zwibel.”
  “The guys call me New Jersey,” he offered his hand.
“I know. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Hey, Rawhide, I’m sorry. You were right, he did have your knife.” Perfect Tommy offered it to Rawhide.
“Sorry, Rawhide,” Thunder added sheepishly. “After we got separated in Iraq....”
“You coulda returned it.”
“Well, you were dead.”
“I got better!”
“Sorry.”
“Could everyone please stop apologizing and focus on what’s happening here?”  Buckaroo asked.
Everyone looked at Buckaroo. “Sorry.”
“OK, we got a dead Lectroid...” Before Buckaroo finished, Reno yelled over to them.
“Got another one here!”
“OK, two dead Lectroids, working with a bunch of humans... Why?”
“Well, from what I can tell,” Rawhide offered, “It’s not Xan Hanoi’s bunch. Even though he’s dead, we still ain’t cleaned out all of his nests. But these boys ain’t got mutilated ears, and Xan was real particular about that. So who are they?”
“Pinkie radioed the license plates of the three cars Thunder wrecked to Ed in World Watch One, we should have an answer soon.” Perfect Tommy looked at his watch. “Heck, World Watch One will be here in a few minutes.”
Pinkie and Jake returned. There were no survivors, and Reno was now searching the bodies and wrecks for any clues.
“Thunder.”
“Jake. How’s the business?”
“Good, but I still...” he stopped, seeing the look on Buckaroo’s face. “Tell you later.”
“Now people, let’s try to figure out what’s going on here.” As Buckaroo began, Thunder made his way towards the rear of the truck.
“Speak loudly please. I’m gonna get ready.” He opened a panel on the side, and began flipping switches.
“OK, We have Lectroids working with humans, just like with Xan Hanoi. The question is: How long have they been working together?”
“I think the question should be: What were they working on?” New Jersey offered.
“That’s another good question. Unfortunately, all of our questions lead to more questions. What about Rawhide’s theory? We never got to check that out.”
“What theory is that?” Jake asked. Everyone turned to Rawhide.
“When we originally broke into Yoyodyne’s database, we got the list of all the Lectroids ‘employed’ there. No ‘employee’ turned up after Buckaroo vaporized the mothership, so we just assumed they were all destroyed. But how do we know that all the Lectroids were working at Yoyodyne?”
“Damn,” Jake hissed. “That’s a pretty scary theory.”
“Think about it.” Buckaroo took over. “The Lectroids were stuck here on Earth. The only way back, and to free their trapped brethren, was to use the materials available to them here, to build the equipment they needed. So they started up Yoyodyne to give them access to the latest equipment. By using their advanced sciences, they were able to stay in the forefront. The contracts they got from the government led them to get a facility to build their ship. Most people aren’t aware of this, not even in the government, but a lot of our stealth technology is pure Lectroid... You need a hand, Thunder?”
“This hinge is melted,” Thunder said, wedging a bar between two pieces of metal. “If I can just...” As he said that, he managed to pry the two apart. The shroud rose up, flipping around the back and unfolding to create a ramp, allowing him to be able to drive off the two vehicles that had be in the shroud, Cassandra and Jezebel.
Cassandra was a candy apple blue 64 and a half Mustang convertible. Jezebel was a 53 Indian motorcycle. Both had been lovingly restored and beyond, and both glistened in even the dull moonlight. There was a moment of silent respect, broken only by New Jersey’s breathless “Wow.”
“Well, they both seem OK,” Thunder replied, relieved. He began taking various pieces of equipment from storage compartments, and started loading them in Cassandra.
“As I was saying,” Buckaroo returned to the business at hand. “They needed most  of their people at Yoyodyne. But did they need all? If we were stuck on another planet, and had to hide, wouldn’t we try to infiltrate their government, try to influence events to better our chances to get home?” Everyone remained quiet, while letting that chilling thought sink home. Finally, Perfect Tommy spoke.
“Well, that would explain the Carter administration.”
“Here’s another thought.” Rawhide took over again. “Worfin sends out the ‘come home’ signal, thinking Buckaroo is bringing his overthruster. But events happened so quick, we busted into the place, so they had to split before anyone else could get back there, stranding the others on earth.”
“Would Worfin just abandon his people?” Jake asked.
“Remember what he did to John Bigbootie.” Perfect Tommy offered.
“Big-boo-TAY” Buckaroo corrected automatically.
“Oh, right.”
“Worfin was concerned with one thing,” Buckaroo added. “Getting back to Planet Ten, real soon, and taking it over again. He’d kill anyone who got in his way, and if he had to strand some loyal followers, well, tough.”
“So we definitely still got some Reds still running around.” Perfect Tommy said. “And let’s not forget,  Xan’s boys let the rest of the Reds out of the Eighth dimension. We don’t know that we got all of them, either!”
“Question is, how do we find them?”
“This might help,” Reno said, coming over. He had several wallets, some papers, and a cell phone. He handed Buckaroo one wallet. “This was on the dead Lectroid over there.”
“John Tatertots,” Buckaroo read the identification inside, “Bureau of Environmental Science. Terrific.”
“Really?” Thunder jumped down from the truck. “The one I aced was John Hopskipanajump, with the Surgeon General’s office.”
“And the connection would be...?” Reno asked.
“We’re talking Lectroids, here... Could be anything.” Rawhide kicked a clump of dirt in frustration.
“Wish we knew what was in those vials,” Buckaroo added.
“I wanted to know myself,” Thunder said, reaching in to a pocket on his combat vest. “That’s why I took one.”
Buckaroo smiled. “You still have that portable lab on board?”
“I did, but it was on the right side. It’s slag.”





“Perfect Tommy, take Sidney over to the Hygenics lab over in Plainview. They run three shifts there, and the owner’s a BBI. If they don’t let you in, call me.”
“How we gonna get there? The bus is toast.”
“Take Jezebel,” Thunder offered. “Helmets are in the footlocker to the left.”
“Cool,” Perfect Tommy replied, taking the keys from Thunder. He jumped up on the truck, and leaping onto the bike and starting it, eased past Cassandra.
“Hop on, Doc,” he said, handing a helmet to New Jersey. “Anybody know how to get there?”
“One exit back west on the LIE,” Jake offered. “Make a left, when you get past the residential area, it’s the third or forth building on the right.  Five, ten minutes.”
“Cool,” Perfect Tommy said again, and sped away.
Before anyone could talk again, World Watch One came into view.
Rawhide brought up his radio. “Area’s secure, bring it in.”
“Roger.”
World Watch One rolled to the edge of the field. The doors opened, and Sean came out, carrying an M-16, to provide any covering fire, if necessary.
“Does the phrase “area’s secure” mean anything to you?” Rawhide called over, more exasperated than angry.
“Sorry Rawhide,” Sean said sheepishly, securing the weapon. Peggy came running out, followed by Ed.
“Thunder!” She yelled, coming over and giving him a quick hug. She then fell into her husband’s arm. “So, how long are you around for?”
Thunder had never known “Penny”, Xan Hanoi’s brainwashed ‘twin sister’. He had left before any of that. But Peggy had always been nice to him, even after they had found out the truth about him. He was more worried about her reaction than he had been about the others, even Buckaroo’s. But she had been very understanding, and Thunder suspected that it had been her influence that had lead Buckaroo to allowing him to continue as a BBI.
Her supposed death had effected him greatly. It was the only time he had contacted the institute since being found out. He offered to drop everything, and assist hunting down Xan Hanoi with the team. Buckaroo, the pain in his heart obvious even over the phone, thanked him, but replied that they didn’t even know where to start looking for Xan Hanoi. He would call if needed.
Thunder had been on the southern tip of the African continent when Team Banzai had finally ended Xan Hanoi’s rein of terror, and had not been able to join the party. But he was delighted to find that Peggy was indeed alive.
“Don’t know... This isn’t exactly a social call.” He smiled at her, glad to see her whole and hearty.
“Well, after this is done, you’re going to have to stick around and tell me what you’ve been doing.”
“Won’t that be swell,” Rawhide muttered, climbing onto the bus.
“Don’t mind him...” Peggy started.
“Honey, Thunder’s right. This isn’t a social call...” Buckaroo jerked his thumb towards the bus, and everyone climbed aboard.
“Can I drive?” Thunder asked innocently.
“No!” everyone answered emphatically. Thunder chuckled.
During the Seattle mission, Thunder had taken the original World Watch One bus, plastic sheeting, duct tape and fifteen large propane tanks. He then converted it all into a fuel-air explosive, drove it off a bridge into a barge Xan Hanoi’s crew were about to use to generate a massive electromagnetic pulse that would have plunged the Pacific Northwest into a blackout unequaled in history. Using re-breather gear taken from World Watch One, Thunder, who had dove into the icy waters from the plummeting bus, had had to swim underwater for almost ten minutes before he was able to surface safely.




“Ed, get the institute on the go-phone,” Buckaroo ordered. More advanced than cellular communications, the go-phones provided two way visual scrambled communications, virtually untappable.
“Mrs. Johnson!” Thunder said happily, when the monitor sprang to life. “Still never getting any sleep, huh?”
“Thunder?” Her shock was about to give way to a million questions, but Buckaroo cut her off.
“Sorry Mrs. Johnson, no time for auld lang syne. I need the Professor, pronto.”
“Bucka...” Professor Hikita’s greeting was cut off by his yawn, he had obviously been woken up by the call.
“Sorry to wake you Hikita-san, but we’ve got Lectroid trouble. We’re going to need a new batch of the detection gas.”
“We still have the capsules.”
“Oh, right, I had forgotten about those. Get me someone who can bring them here. Make sure they’re armed for bear. Have them take the hopper to Republic airfield. We’ll meet them there.”
“Right away Buckaroo. Do you want the overthruster, too?”
“No, I think this time, the farther away we keep it, the better. But I want the institute on full alert.”
“As you wish, Buckaroo. Good luck, my friend.”
“To us all, old friend. Let me have Mrs. Johnson again.”  The screen went blank for an instant, and Mrs. Johnson reappeared.
“Mrs. Johnson, we’ll need a wrecker for a big rig, and please call Rooster, and tell him we’ve got Situation Plaid, here. Someone will have the report to him by morning.” Rooster was the unofficial Justice Department liaison to the institute, and would handle contact with the local law enforcement officials.
“Well, there’s not much more we can do ‘til we hear from the Doc,” Rawhide said. “Unless someone has an idea on how to track these varmints.”
“I don’t think we’ll have to track them. They’ll tell us exactly where they are, when we’re ready.” Buckaroo rose out of his seat, and said to the driver, “Republic airport.” World Watch One moved out, with Jake Speed following in his pickup truck. A moment later, Pinkie Carruthers fired up Cassandra, and fell in behind them.




Perfect Tommy watched New Jersey labor, amazed for the hundredth time the transformation that came over him when he was working.  The awkwardness was replaced by a quiet confidence. Tommy wondered if New Jersey was aware of this, and if so, how far he had come. It had originally been with just medicine, but as he came more into his own as a Hong Kong Cavalier, it expanded into whatever task he embraced.
As he watched New Jersey, he noticed a small cryogenics unit out of calibration nearby. He reached over and corrected the abboration.
“Hmmm,” New Jersey said.
“Something, Doc?” Perfect Tommy asked.
“Well, the start of something, anyway... Part of the compound is a synthetic variant of the gas Lectroids give off naturally, to make us see what they want.”
“That can’t be good.”
“No, it can’t. And it’s a variant. So that part alone wont have the same effect... But it will effect the same centers of the brain.”
“Why would they need that? They can already make us see them as human.”
“Right. So what would they need...” New Jersey started, then stopped. A horrified look appeared on his face. “We need to call Buckaroo.”
“Hold off a sec. You’re done analyzing it?”
“Don’t need to. I already figured it out.”
“You sure?”
“Not one hundred percent, but enough to scare me silly.”
“What is it?”
“All right. You have the natural ability to make someone see what you want them to see. Why would you need a synthetic version? You don’t. But alter it a little…” He began frantically scribbling notes, looking at the breakdown of the compound.
“What is it, Doc?”
“Where did Thunder say this was bound for?”
“Quantico.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a Marine Corps base in Virginia. ‘Crossroads of the Marine Corps’, I think they call it.”
“Oh my God... Anthrax!”
“Anthrax? You talking about the trains with the red, white & blue stripes on them?”
“You’re thinking of Amtrak. Everyone in the military is being vaccinated against Anthrax. And this vial is set up for use in an injection gun.”
“Doc, you’ve really lost me.”
“This compound works in conjecture with the gas the Lectroids give off. It won’t affect you unless you see a Lectroid. But instead of making you see what they want, it’ll make you do  what they want!”
“And they’re giving this to everyone in the military?!? We’ve got to call Buckaroo!”
“Good idea.”



“The deuce you say!” Buckaroo said grimly, when he heard the news. “Good work, Sidney. How long before you actually have proof?”
“Well, since I know what I’m looking for, and I’ve just pulled our original notes off the internet, shouldn’t be more than another hour or so...”
“Good. Keep at it. I know that you’re right, but if we’re to convince the President on this, we’ll need the proof. Have Hikita-san work from the institute on it too, see if there’s an antidote, or if the gas we have will cut through it.”
“Yes, yes. Good idea. Perfect Tommy’s on line with him right now.”
“Good. Have him work on it... Soon as you get the proof, send it to him, and meet us at Republic airport.”
“OK, New Jersey, over and out.” The go-phone went dark.
“Think the Doc’s ever gonna learn he don’t hafta say that?” Rawhide asked, shaking his head.
“I doubt it,” Reno said.
“Here’s the airport,” Sean announced.  World Watch One swung off Route 110, through the main gates of Republic Airport.
“Hopper’s ten minutes out,” Ed reported, hanging up the phone. “Tower’s gonna send it to the north lot for parking. They say we can wait there.”
“Good, tell Sean.”
“OK... Oh,” Ed added, handing Buckaroo a sheet of paper, “here’s the printout from the Motor Vehicle Department on the vehicles you wrecked back there.”
“OK, here’s Tatertot’s car, and we got the wallet on this guy... Here’s a conspicuous absentee... One of the one’s who got away is named John Steamedvalise, with Ohio license plates. Reno?”
“Running it now.” Reno was doing a ‘who’s who’ search on the internet. “Only one listed is President of Yoyodrug Pharmaceuticals, Cleveland.”
“Gee, you think?” Thunder asked.
“I’d say the odds were pretty good,” Buckaroo replied. “I think after we’re done here, we’re going to have to make a concerted effort to weed these creeps out, once and for all.”
“All right,” Reno said. “A hunting trip.” Before anyone could comment, one of the phones rang. Ed grabbed it.
“Right... OK... Great. Thank you very much.” He hung up, and looked up at Buckaroo. “Hopper’s on final now, be here in five minutes.”
“Reno, let’s go meet it.” Buckaroo and Reno exited. Peggy had moved to the seats in the rear, and Ed was busy working on the computer. Thunder and Rawhide stood there in awkward silence.
“So,” Thunder said a moment later. “How are you feeling?”
“I take my juice every day, so I’m feeling OK.”
“Can I ask what it’s like?”
“No,” Rawhide walked past Thunder, to make his way back.
“Rawhide!” He turned back towards Thunder. “Let me ask you this then. How do you feel about America?”
“What?”
“How do you feel about America?”
“What kind of damn-fool question is that?”
“Seems pretty straight forward to me.”
“Y’know, we have done so much for this country...”
“I know,” Thunder cut him off. “But how do you  feel about it?”
“I love it. If you knew half of what you pretended to know...”
“I do know. My point is this. How many times have you and Team Banzai intervened against a threat to America?”
“Huh... More times than I care to think about.”
“Exactly. When the NSA recruited me, you guys didn’t have your Saturday morning cartoon yet, the first album had come out two weeks before, and I didn’t read comic books.
“So look at it from my point of view. A paramilitary force, filled with people of unknown origin sprung up in New Jersey. The NSA needed someone to check it out. They needed someone who could infiltrate, shoot, and play at least one musical instrument. My reenlistment was due, so the timing was perfect... Tell me what you would have done.”
“That’s not the point. Anyone with half a brain coulda seen what we were doing...”
“I did. That’s  why I gave Buckaroo all the data I collected, and resigned from the NSA. Now, tell me what you  would have done.”
Rawhide stood mute.
“Fine,” Thunder said, and spun around, exiting the bus.
“You know, he did have some valid points,” Peggy said, coming forward again.
“Oh, he was right,” Rawhide said. “I just hate that he’s right!”
Peggy gave him a quick hug. “So, you think maybe you can forgive him?”
“I dunno. I’m pretty stubborn.”
“I’ll say. But I would’ve figured that you of all people would be willing to do so.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because of the stuff he gave to Buckaroo.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Buckaroo never told you what was in that?”
“Oh, he tried a couple of times, but I wouldn’t listen.”
“That figures... Thunder was sent to investigate the institute, but he was there to gather data on one particular Hong Kong Cavaliers... Seems they didn’t have any information on the famous Dr. Banzai’s most trusted friend....” She watched Rawhide’s face. “They knew they couldn’t influence Buckaroo directly, but maybe if the could put the screws to his friend...”
“Aw, hell...”
“Yup. Half of what he gave Buckaroo was about you. More than half. He even found out your real name. I didn’t even know it.”
“Hell, again! Kid’s better ‘n I thought.”
“So maybe...?”
“Maybe.” Rawhide looked towards where Thunder had exited.






Thunder leaned up against World Watch One, watching the hopper taxi towards Buckaroo and Reno. It was a strange looking little craft. Thunder had seen the specifications for it on the Institute’s web site, but this was the first time he had actually seen one.
Not much larger than a minivan, the hopper could hold four people, or the rear seats could be removed to carry cargo. It’s low delta wings curved upward at the tips. With a top speed of about 500 miles per hour, it only had a range of about 600 miles. Its jet exhaust could be partially vented out the bottom, giving it VSTOL (Very Short Take-OFF & Landing) capabilities, allowing it access to the smaller airports, such as Republic, or where there was no airport at all.
It wheeled to a stop, and the front canopy popped open.
“Rafterman!” Buckaroo smiled upon seeing the young intern emerge from the co-pilot’s seat.
“Dr. Banzai!” Buckaroo pointed at him. “Sorry, I meant Buckaroo.” Despite having fought side by side with Buckaroo in Team Banzai’s heaviest firefight to date, Rafterman still felt a little in awe every time he was in Buckaroo’s presence. Buckaroo was trying to get him to feel more at ease, insisting that the intern call him by first name. He had been instrumental in helping defuse the bomb that Xan Hanoi had planted in Peggy. Rafterman had more than earned the right to call him ‘Buckaroo’.
“So how did you pull this duty?”
“Just lucky. I ran into the Professor as he was coming out of the lab. He asked me to bring you this stuff.” Rafterman used his thumb to point to the box in the rear. The rear canopy opened, and Rafterman grabbed it, and re-secured the canopy.
“How is she handling?” Buckaroo asked the pilot.
“Like a dream. We really should get these scattered all over.”
“Give me a report, I’ll see to it. Get refueled, and wait for my signal.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“So how was the ride?” Reno asked.
“Well, I could have done without the aerobatics over the Great South Bay, but other than that...” Rafterman smiled uneasily, holding his stomach.
“Oh, you know how Maverick gets,” Reno replied. “At least he didn’t buzz the tower this time.”
“He wanted to, but I pointed out time is of the essence.” Rafterman then indicated the imposing figure leaning against World Watch One. “Who’s that?”
“A BBI named Thunder.”
“That’s Thunder?” Rafterman asked in surprise.
“Why, what do you know?” Reno eyed him warily.
“Just what everyone else does. Did he really...?” A look from Buckaroo stopped the thought in mid-question.
They walked in silence back to the bus. Buckaroo introduced Rafterman to Thunder, and they re-boarded the bus.
“What?” Thunder looked askance at Rawhide, who was staring at him.
“Nothing.” They stared for a moment, and looked away. Thunder was puzzled at the strange little smile Peggy favored him with.
“OK, gang. We’re almost ready. Reno, get on the marconi, and call in everyone who’s on the Tango Alert standby. Have them meet here. Rafterman, get the box open, and ready to distribute to everyone who gets here. Two each, if there’s enough.”
“Right, Dr… Uh… Buckaroo.”
“What’s in there?” Jake asked.
“The first time we ran across Lectroids, you know how the Blacks ionized Buckaroo with a formula for seeing through their ‘personal camouflage.’ We didn’t have much time, so we had to use somewhat bulky vest tanks to carry the gas. Professor Hikita improved on that. Now we have these little capsules that look and work exactly like the little ammonia capsules they use to revive unconscious people. Break it open, breath it in, and you can see Lectroids for what they really are for about forty-five minutes.”
“How come you didn’t use this with the final showdown against the world crime league?” Thunder asked
“We did,” Reno responded. “We just left it out of the comic book. It’s an important tactical advantage.”
“Ah.... Y’know, you might want to come up with a better after-action report system...”
“The less we keep of some records, the better,” Reno laughed.
“Well, there is that...”
A short while later, assorted vehicles had been arriving at the airport, and gathering near the bus. The BBIs who had responded to the original alert were arriving. Rafterman went out, and began coordinating them into ad-hoc strike teams. Perfect Tommy would be proud. He also began issuing the capsules.
Buckaroo looked out at the assemblage of troops. He turned towards the others in the bus.
“I think it’s time we asked the Lectroids where they are,” he announced.
“You said before that they’d tell us where they were when we were ready,” Jake said. “How is that gonna happen?”




“Ed, you ready?” Buckaroo asked, before answering Jake. Ed nodded. Buckaroo looked at Jake. “I figured I’d call them.”
“Oh, you have their number?”
“I don’t know it, but I do have their number.” He produced the cell phone taken off the dead Lectroid from the battle in the field. “Remember what Thunder said? The ambush was set up enroute. And since this was the only cell phone our playmates had...” He hit ‘send’ on the phone, and it automatically dialed the last number called.
“Tatertots?” A voice on the other end asked.
“No, I want a pizza. Extra cheese, extra pepperoni...”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Franklin. 12 Dover drive. I want a pizza. Extra cheese, extra pepperoni...”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look, it’s real simple. You’re a pizza parlor, and I want to order a pizza. Extra cheese, extra pepperoni...”
“Look here Monkey-boy!”
“Hey. Don’t give me any static, just give me a pizza. Extra cheese, extra pepperoni...” Ed suddenly turned from his equipment, and gave Buckaroo a thumbs up sign.
“I am not a pizzeria!” The voice on the other end was extremely agitated.
“This isn’t Little Italy Pizza?”
“No!”
“Sorry.” Buckaroo reached for the ‘end’ button.
“Stupid Monkey-Bo...” The phone went dead.
“That was fast,” Buckaroo complimented Ed.
“The other end was a cell phone, too. Right in Commack. They’re a lot easier to trace.” He punched up a street map on an overhead monitor, and overlaid the signal on it. “Right there, and stationary.” The map zoomed in to the signal, and a cartoon image of the address came up.
“Corner of Moreland Road, and Austin Boulevard. Was a manufacturing plant until four years ago, when the bureau of Environmental Sciences shut it down. Seems the ground had toxic waste in it.”
“Tatertots, I’ll bet.”
“Since when are tatertots toxic?” Peggy asked. She hadn’t heard the name of the Lectroid.
“Well, Rawhide’s hash browns are pretty lethal,” Reno joked. A withering look from Rawhide and a quick explanation from Buckaroo ended that line of humor.
Ed continued, “60,000 square feet, a three story shell...”
“Damn, that’s big,” Reno exclaimed. “They could be doing anything there.”
“And you can pretty much guarantee that they are,” Buckaroo added. “Rawhide, get everyone on the bus. We’re going visiting.”
“Right, Buckaroo.” Rawhide went to the main door. “Saddle up, people! The clock’s ticking!” Everybody scrambled towards the bus. “Stay on the first floor. No one is to go up to operations. If there aren’t enough seats, there’s plenty of handrails...”
Perfect Tommy and New Jersey took this moment to arrive. New Jersey got into line to board behind the others, but Perfect Tommy grabbed him and dragged him to the front.
“ ‘Scuse us folks, we gotta be where the action is,” Perfect Tommy said, making his way onto World Watch One.
“That should be your motto,” an attractive redhead said appreciatively to him.
“Thanks, pretty lady. It is now.” New Jersey nudged him. “We’ll talk later,” Tommy smiled at her, and ran upstairs.
“Sidney, how did it go?” Buckaroo asked when he saw them.
“Good. The Professor is sure he can modify the recognition gas into a cure for the injections, so anyone who got the Anthrax vaccination will be OK. And the gas as is will give some protection. You’ll want to do what they tell you, but common sense should get you through.”
“Well, let’s hope they didn’t tag Perfect Tommy then,” Reno laughed.
“Nice, Reno,” Perfect Tommy shot back.
“Well, that’ll be enough to convince the government then,” Buckaroo said. “But that won’t help us tonight. They have to know we’re onto them, their ambush team hasn’t been heard from. Let’s move... Where’s Thunder?”
“He went downstairs a few minutes ago, said not to leave till he got back.”
“Someone want to go see what he’s up to?”
“I’ll go.” Rawhide went back downstairs. “Anyone seen Thunder?” he asked the crowd seated.
“He’s out by that awesome mustang,” Rafterman pointed out the window.

“What are you doing?” Rawhide asked Thunder, who was bent over into the open trunk of his car.
“Getting some fresh ammo.” Thunder stood up, and began distributing clips for his handguns onto his vest, belt, and hip pockets of his pants.
“Well, we’re ready to roll, if you are.”
Thunder reached into his car, grabbing a large satchel. “I am now.” He hit a button on his key chain remote, and as they walked to back to World Watch One, the mustang’s trunk closed, the top rose out of it’s well, and the alarm armed.
“What’s in the satchel?” Rawhide asked.
“Some surprises for our friends, if need be.”
“Good, you had me worried.”
“How’s that?” Thunder asked. They had reached World Watch One.
Rawhide grabbed the handle to pull himself into the bus.
“I was afraid it might be your damn accordion.”




“This is too creepy.” Perfect Tommy said, fifteen minutes later. World Watch One was parked a block from the Lectroid base, and everyone had moved behind the buildings on Austin Blvd., pleased to discover that they were heavily wooded. The strike teams had traveled through this, and were spread out behind the building, hidden in the brush.
“You’re telling me,” Reno agreed. “Buckaroo, I don’t think we can pull this off.”
“I think they’re right, Boss.” Rawhide added.
“Yes, yes,” New Jersey added. “Let’s get out of here.”
Buckaroo looked around at his friends, and at the darkened and seemingly abandoned building. There was fencing all around, but years of neglect had left wide gaps in it.  He looked at some of the assembled BBIs, and could see looks ranging from apprehension to outright terror. He shared these feelings, actually marveling at how scared he was. He took a deep breath, and quickly performed a calming technique. It help, but not nearly as much as his years of study and training should have.
“Something’s wrong,” he announced, and then noticed Thunder. He was twitching. They locked eyes.
“There’s something in the air,” Thunder agreed. “It’s almost like a palatable energy...”
Buckaroo smiled. “That’s it. Everyone fall back.” The signal was passed along, and it was hard to tell if everyone responded so quickly because of their training, or just because they were glad to get away.
They stopped a few buildings down, still in the woods. Everyone was relieved, and the feeling of dread had passed. Buckaroo had his go phone out, although he wasn’t bothering with the visual.
“Ed, are they’re any radio signals coming from there?”
“Stand by...” there was a pause of about a minute. “Buckaroo yes, but it’s weird. It’s very low powered, wouldn’t reach very far. I’m only getting it because I’ve got the dish aimed right at the building. It’s also just a carrier signal. There’s no message in it...”
Peggy interrupted Ed. “Buckaroo, I’m suddenly very scared. Please don’t do this. Come back.”
“I hate to say this, Chief, but I agree. Something’s wrong.”
“Ed, do you have that signal on speaker?”
“Yes... Why?”
“Turn it off.” Buckaroo waited a moment. “Feel better, you two?”
“Why yes, Buckaroo,” Peggy replied, confused. Thunder let out a breathless chuckle, nodding his head. Buckaroo smiled grimly in agreement.
“What is it?” Ed asked.
“Fill you in later.” Buckaroo shut off the go-phone.
“Damn effective security,” Thunder said.
“What is it?” Rawhide asked, agitated.
Buckaroo signaled for everyone to gather around. “Listen up, people. What we just experienced is a broadcasted sub-sonic carrier wave. They use them to drive away rodents. It usually doesn’t effect humans, but they must be using a particularly nasty frequency. They probably use it to keep people away. That’s how they’re able to use the building quietly. That was why were experiencing fear to that degree.
“Don’t get me wrong, only a fool wouldn’t be afraid going into what we are about to. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but rather not letting fear from stopping you from doing what you have to do.
“If we go back there, we’ll be subjected to it again. Knowing what we now know should help. But if you can’t work past what we just experienced, then don’t come back there with us. We all would understand. And it would be better if you didn’t. For the safety of us all, please don’t come.”
“Let me just go and change my underwear,” Rafterman quipped, “and I’ll be ready.” The laughter helped ease everyone’s tension. He looked around. “I think we’re all with you, Buckaroo.”
Buckaroo waited until he was sure the emotion wouldn’t be in his voice. “Thank you. Now, let’s try this again.”
The group moved back down the woods, and once more deployed behind the building.
“Gee, it’s not so bad, once you know it’s here,” New Jersey said, beads of perspiration popping up on his forehead.
“Yeah,” Reno agreed, gulping.
“You ready?” Rawhide asked Thunder.
“As I’ll ever be...” The two of them were going to reconnoiter the property. Rawhide was going to take the west side, while Thunder was going to explore the south. The north and east side were open to the two streets the building sat on.
“Go!” Rawhide hissed, and hunched over, stepped out of the brush.
He took two steps, and his head disappeared off his body.
“Gaaaa!” New Jersey yelped. He had been watching Rawhide.
Rawhide suddenly fell backwards, knocking Thunder over. With his head back on his body, Rawhide brought his rifle up, snapping it back and forth, searching for a target.
“What the hell?” There was nothing visible.
“What are you doing?” Thunder gasped from under Rawhide.
“You didn’t see that?”
“See what?”
Rawhide looked at his friends. “The whole damn place just lit up like a stadium! There were people and Lectroids all walking around outside!”
“No it didn’t,” Perfect Tommy said.
“But your head vanished for a second,” New Jersey said. Everyone looked at him. “I swear, it did!”




Buckaroo smiled his knowing smile. “They’re good. Real good.” He stepped forward, and reached out his hand. When it got to the point Rawhide had, it disappeared too. “Hmmm.” He stuck his face forward, until it vanished.  He now appeared to have half a head. He waved the Cavilers forward. His inner circle and Thunder duplicated this feat.
“Wow,” New Jersey whispered.
“Nice camouflage,” Perfect Tommy agreed.
“They are masters of that...” Reno added.
Once passed some indefinable line, what really was going on became visible. The huge parking lot was well lit, with trucks parked along the west wall of the building. People were scurrying about, loading crates onto the trucks.
“Why are they doing that by hand?” Reno whispered.
“This camo field probably can’t mask sound,” Buckaroo responded. “Using fork lifts and loading tracks would make too much noise. Even though the industrial park is empty, there’s still probably security patrols, and the police must pass by all the time.”
“So what do we do?” New Jersey asked. “There’s no way we can sneak up on them.”
“We just need a diversion,” Thunder smiled, and motioned for everyone to fall back. He went over to where he had stashed his satchel, and slipped it over his shoulder. “Just wait for my signal.”
“What’ll that be?” New Jersey asked.
“Something will blow up...” The rest of the Cavilers replied.
“Before that happens, though, let’s get things ready,” Buckaroo smiled. Buckaroo pointed to two strike team leaders, and signaled for them to come over.
“Take your team to the outside edge of these woods and watch the east side of the building,” he ordered the first. “What’s that building there?” he indicated the next structure over.
“InVision...” Perfect Tommy replied, consulting a list.
“Where have I heard that?” Buckaroo asked.
“The internet company,” a young man, one of the local BBIs, replied. “Biggest on Long Island... Fastest growing hi-tech company in the region... Complete end-to-end e-business solutions. Site design, Web hosting, Data base integration, firewalls, Proxy servers, access from simple dial-up to DSL & T-1... What?” he noticed everyone staring at him.
“Computer major, right?” Reno asked with a laugh.
“Yeeeeaaaah... Oh, it’s not about that now.. Sorry.”
“That’s all right,” Buckaroo said. “That explains where I heard of them. They’re the company that we’re thinking of having mirror our intranet.”
“Maybe that’s why the Lectroids set up shop next door...” Rawhide speculated.
“Probably,” Buckaroo agreed. “They can’t get past our security, so...
“They couldn’t get past InVision’s either!”  The young computer major looked on in scorn. “They have the best Internet security in the north-east. They’ll.. “ he drifted off sheepishly, as everyone turned to stare at him again. “Sorry…”
“Anyway,” Buckaroo continued, not quite suppressing a smile. “the whole point is that their parking lot is lower then this one. There’s a slope between the two properties.” He pointed to the second team leader. “Make your way down there, and see if you can position yourselves across the street. That way, you can watch the south side. Anything comes out that way, blast it.”
“Yes, sir.” The two teams went off to get into place. Buckaroo gave them five minutes.
“OK, Thunder, whenever you’re ready.”
Thunder slid an ear piece radio on. “See you soon!” He made his way down the slope between InVision and the Lectroid nest. As he approached the Austin Blvd. entrance to InVision’s parking lot, he poked his head up, and saw that he was near the ‘front’ of the other building. (The front of the building is actually on Moreland, but the part Thunder was looking at was closest to Austin.) He crawled past the Lectroid camouflage shield, pleased to see that the area he was in was not lit. Also, the feelings of dread had vanished. He sighed a deep breath of relief.
He opened his satchel, and remove three packages the size of ring boxes. He slid a switch on each box to the one, two, three positions, respectively, and activated each one.
He threw the first towards the gate that opened onto Austin, and flung the second under the southernmost truck. He was about to hurl the third, when someone caught his attention.
“I’ll be a sonovabitch...,” he hissed.
Ten years of anguish and self-recriminations slammed home.
Older, heavier and balder, but obviously still the same man, Thomas Mugnoe, the man who had recruited him for the NSA, stood directing two humans and a Lectroid about which truck to load a crate into.
Things just got personal.




Thunder pulled himself out of his angered reflection. There would be time for vengeance later. First there was a job to do. (Although Thunder was able to admit to himself how much sweeter the job just got.) He took out a remote from a side pocket on his satchel, flipped the protective cover off, activated it, and stabbed the ‘1’ button.
The gates rocked from the explosion, the right one twisting off it’s hinges and sliding out onto Austin Blvd.
Thunder had been staring directly at Mugnoe when it blew, but he could still see everyone running about. Some ran into the building, others ran out. Now sitting on the ground, his elbows on his knees, he smiled as he brought up the remote again, waited until a large group raced near the truck, and pressed ‘2’.
The explosion ripped the chaise apart, and crates tumbled out of the now twisted truck. The fuel tank had split open, and the diesel fuel now caught afire, the flames adding to the confusion. Thunder’s smile grew wider. He took no pleasure in killing, but this...
Another Lectroid raced out of the building, holding a tubular device. He held to his eye, and sweeping it from Austin Blvd. north, suddenly came to rest on Thunder.
“There!” The angered alien could be heard above the din, pointing right at him. Mugnoe took the scope from the Lectroid, and looked through it. Thunder waved cheerfully at him. Mugnoe dropped the tube, shock and fear on his face.
Others reacted better. Lectroids and humans began drawing weapons.
“Whoops!” Thunder said, and rolled backwards, laying flat on the ground. He drew his two handguns, and began firing.
“No response! No response!” he ordered into the radio. He had started this alone, and hoped that the three escapees from tonight’s earlier battle hadn’t had a chance to report, slim as that hope might be. Maybe they would think he was still operating alone.
He was dropping someone with each shot, but people were pouring out of the building faster than he could shoot and reload. And they were starting to get closer. Still firing one handed, he reached into the satchel, and pulled out a few more boxes. Activating them, he scattered them around where he was sitting, switched the third box he’d never thrown back to ‘1’, and hastily retreated.
Once outside the camouflage field, Thunder was at a distinct disadvantage. He ducked around the front of InVision’s building, but anyone could walk in the other building’s lot near the gates, and see him, without fear of being seen.
He waited there for a moment, and hoping people (Mugnoe specifically) were near the packages he left, hit the ‘1’ button again.
Since he hadn’t switched any of the channels, they all exploded. Thunder was rewarded with the sounds of screaming people (and a few Lectroids, he hoped). He emptied both pistols at no one in particular. To him, it seemed as if he was firing into an empty lot. Then he beat a hasty retreat.




Team Banzai had not been idle. When the first explosion occurred, they moved into position, lining up along the north wall, which had no doors, nor windows below thirty feet.
Reno poked his head around the corner, observing the situation, and held one hand back, fingers extended and spread, indicating that there was an entrance to the building a mere five feet away, farthest from the action.
Buckaroo nodded, looked at Rawhide, held up his pointer and pinkie fingers, and wriggled them. Rawhide gave Buckaroo a thumbs up, and signaled to one of the strike team leaders.
Reno crawled to the doorway, and looked in. He looked back, and motioned towards the far side, and waved everyone on. Since he had signaled that everyone inside was moving towards the now multiple explosions, everyone began to move in.
Rawhide’s team took up positions around the various crates, to provide covering fire to Buckaroo’s team, as it began filtering into the building. It proved unnecessary, as all attention was on Thunder. Rawhide brought up an infrared scope, and spotted Thunder roughly the same time the Lectroid had.
“What’s he doing?” Rawhide hissed, as the enemy opened fire. Rawhide brought his own weapon to bear, and was about to provide covering fire for Thunder, when he got the “No response” call from him. Made sense, from a tactical point of view, but it left Thunder very vulnerable.
“Perfect Tommy,” he whispered on the Caviler’s private channel, “get back out here.”
Tommy appeared a moment later, and serpentined over to Rawhide’s position.
“Take charge out here, stay outta trouble unless all these yahoos go after the Boss inside.”
“Where you going?”
“After Thunder. Damn fool’s gonna try and take ‘em on alone.”
“And you’re gonna go help. What does that make you?”
Rawhide smiled. “A bigger damn fool.” He made sure everyone was still dealing with Thunder’s pyrotechnics, and made his way to the edge of the lot, dropping down the slope, out of sight.




“Oh, my,” New Jersey said, when they got a look around. The place was a shambles, with crates of all sizes seemingly scattered without rhyme or reason, and what looked like some thermo-pods could be seen near the east wall. “I think we’ve been here before.”
“Yeah, does kind of remind you of Yoyodyne, doesn’t it?” Reno agreed.
“They’re still messy, that’s for sure,” Pinkie added. He pulled his hand off a bar he had used to steady himself, looking at the gunk clinging to it. “Yuck!”
"Careful," Buckaroo warned. "There are people, probably some Lectroids, on the catwalks above us."
New Jersey looked up, but the few lights that were on were below the catwalks, effectively rendering them invisible. "I can't see anyone..."
"Neither can I," Buckaroo smiled grimly. "But they're there..."
Rafterman brought up his rifle, looking through his infrared scope. "Yup... Four... Six... Nine... Uh, oh..."
"There! Down There!" The Lectroid Rafterman had in his sights had just discovered Team Banzai's presence in the warehouse. "Banzai's here with..." His warning died on his lips, as he died from Rafterman's shot piercing his scull. The body tumbled from the catwalk.
"Never could abide tattletales..." Rafterman muttered, readying himself for the firefight about to erupt. He sighted another target on the catwalk, and caressed the trigger...

"Damn." Perfect Tommy listened to the claxon that suddenly drown out the rest of the turmoil. Everyone who was running about outside suddenly turned back towards the building, preparing to help those inside.
"They don't know we're out here," the attractive redhead from before hissed at Perfect Tommy.
"Let's change that... Chaparral Group, make some noise!"  Perfect Tommy led the attack, and the bad guys degenerated into further chaos, not knowing what to make of this attack from a new front.

“We’ve got to get someone over there!” Reno yelled, even as he dove out of the way of one of the balls of energy.  He was referring to the east wall, where some Lectroids had scrambled to get some of the crates with the “Anthrax vaccinations” loaded aboard one of the thermo-pods. The pod was starting to rise off the floor and from above, the vectoring tri-laser beams of an eighth-dimensional barrier piercing overthruster could be seen focusing on the wall beyond. If the pod was allowed to cross over to the eighth dimension, it could reappear anywhere, and all this would have been for naught.
Unfortunately, Team Banzai was effectively pinned down from above. On the catwalk was a Lectroid firing an energy cannon, protected by a clear shield. Whatever it was made of, even a well-timed hand grenade thrown by Reno, did nothing more than mar the surface. There was a mere 1” slot above and below the protruding barrel that even the crack shots could not get in. The barrel itself was solid, conducting the destructive energy along the outside of the shaft.
“Any idea how?” Rafterman yelled back.
“I’ve got it,” Buckaroo announced calmly, suddenly ducking out from behind his cover. He rolled, picking up one of the myriad pieces of debris from the floor, and stood upright, ignoring the hail of bullets and energy flying about him.
What he had picked up was a triangular piece of sheet metal, 18” to a side. Smiling with grim determination, he watched as the Lectroid swung the barrel around to bear on him. His wrist suddenly snapped forward, and the triangle spun through the air.
It sailed upward, shifting its axis from vertical to horizontal. It reached its apogee above the catwalk, seemingly suspended for a moment, and suddenly dove. It slipped between the gap in the shield, imbedding in the face of the Lectroid. Everyone, both good and evil, who had seen Buckaroo’s actions, paused a moment to watch the mortally wounded Lectroid slam backwards into the rear of the shield, and slide down, dead.
“That… is impossible,” one of the BBIs whispered in the unnaturally quite moment that followed.
“No, that is Buckaroo Banzai,” Rafterman said with a knowing wonderment. He pulled a grenade from his belt, tossing it at a still stunned group of the enemy. The firefight resumed, with Team Banzai pressing their advantage.
“We’re not gonna make it!” Reno shouted, watching the thermo-pod move into position to penetrate the wall. The nearest team member was still over 50 yards away, with enemy agents and hundreds of crates still in the way. The pod suddenly shot towards the wall.
The second before the pod would have penetrated, the wall and ceiling above exploded inward in a deafening explosion. The falling debris destroyed the thermo-pod, and a fire quickly began to spread. The other thermo-pods, crates and a good number of the enemy were quickly consumed by the fire.
“Fall back! Fall back!” Buckaroo yelled, even as he raced away from the deadly conflagration.
Reno had covered his retreat, and when Buckaroo dropped next to him asked, “What the hell just happened? Did someone call in an air strike?”
“I don’t know, pal,” Buckaroo answered, using the moment to reload. “Whatever it was, this place is going to burn quickly. Have everyone evacuate.”
Reno gave the order, and amid explosions and gunfire, Team Banzai retreated back towards the exit.




“They’re trying to make it back inside!” Perfect Tommy was coordinating Chaparral group’s efforts with the teams stationed across the street. When the explosion had occurred, power to the camouflage field had failed, and those outside had been able to join the fight. The team on Austin blvd. had been able to set up a crossfire that effectively trapped the enemy. Neither team had seen the explosion that destroyed the far wall, but both had felt it.
The retreating villains suddenly drew up short, as Reno’s team poured out of the building. They were now effectively surrounded by Team Banzai.
“Fun’s over,” Perfect Tommy called out. “Lay down your weapons, and lie down flat on the ground.”  The humans in the group quickly complied. Six Lectroids remained standing. “I ain’t playing games, boys. Get down, or we’ll put you down.”
One of the Lectroids howled, and they all charged forward. They began to spit.
“Careful!” Perfect Tommy drew his sidearm, and fired. They had to be cautious, as Reno’s team was beyond the Lectroids. Others followed suit, and began dropping the advancing Lectroids. The redhead next to him suddenly yelped, and hurtled backwards.
“Bastards!” Perfect Tommy screamed, emptying his pistol into the remaining few. When all were dead, he rushed over to her.  A Lectroid spider was sticking out of her shoulder. He pulled it out of her, and crushed it on the ground.
She lay trembling, tears streaming down her face.  “Oh, Tommy, I’m so sorry.”
Perfect Tommy cradled her, and smiled. “Don’t be.”
“But now we’ll never get to be together.”
“Why not?”
“I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
Perfect Tommy chuckled. “Yes, but only for a little while. Buckaroo will fix you up.”
“Can I have a kiss anyway?” He bent over and kissed her tenderly.
“Wow,” she breathed one last time. “That was worth dying for.”
“Medic!” Perfect Tommy called. When they came over and put her on a stretcher, he ordered, “Be careful. We got a date later.” He walked over to where Buckaroo, Reno and Rafterman were standing. Rafterman was talking into his go-phone.
“Fire department’s on their way, but I think it’ll be too late.”
“Good riddance,” Reno spat. “So what the hell caused that explosion?”
“That would be me,” Maverick replied. He leg was obviously hurt, and someone was helping him hobble over.
“I took off again from Republic when the fight broke out. Figured I could help in some way. When you guys were yelling over the radio about that thermo-pod, and not having a way to stop it, I put the hopper in a steep dive, and bailed out. Not soon enough, apparently though. Think my leg is broken. I need a cocktail.”
“OK,” Rafterman said, “We’ll have to put cruise missiles on those things.”
“Then that won’t make my mission impossible!”
“Why, are you just in it for the legend?”
“Well, it’s a risky business…”
“Where’s Rawhide and Thunder?” Buckaroo suddenly asked Perfect Tommy.
“Damn, I knew there was something I forgot!”





“That’s far enough,” Mugnoe’s voice called out from behind Thunder. “Put your hands where I can see them.”  He finished stepping around the side of the building they were at, a few doors down from InVision. They were thirty feet apart.
Thunder raised his hands. All of his weapons were holstered. He turned towards Mugnoe.
“Glad you’re here,” Thunder smiled.
“You wont be in a moment,” Mugnoe replied, sighting down the barrel of his pistol.
“Before you do that, can you answer a question?”
“You’re going to ask ‘Why?’ aren’t you?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“The answer simply is power. The Lectroids used their contacts in the government to see that I got promotions faster than I would have on my own…”
“Actually,” Thunder interrupted, “promotions that you never would have gotten on your own."
“If you say so. Either way, I played your patriotism like a violin. We would use you to find out what we couldn’t on our own about Team Banzai, and when Banzai finished work on his overthruster…” He waved his pistol about. “Worfin would have taken over planet ten, and would have used the eighth dimension to keep us in power here on Earth.”
“And that’s why you never would have gotten promoted… If you’re stupid enough to believe Worfin wasn’t playing you like a violin, you are too stupid to get promoted.”
“Actually, I never dealt with Worfin. I always dealt with Bigbootie…”
“Big-boo-TAY,” Thunder corrected him.
“Whatever. But we’ll never know, now, whether they would have kept their end of the bargain, will we? Banzai and his crew saw to that. We’ll just have to settle for taking over Earth.”
“I’m afraid not.” Thunder tapped his ear radio. “It’s over. You lost.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to settle for your death.” He sighted along the barrel again.
Thunder smiled, and shook his head. “Sorry, can’t have that either.”
“You may have eluded the Lectroids looking for you, but if you think I’ll miss at this range…”
“I didn’t elude them. Rawhide led them away. I arranged this little tête-à-tête to confirm why you were working with the Lectroids and to offer you a deal: Help us weed out the Lectroids that are still around.”
“Sorry, I’m going to need them. “
“They’re finished. We know how to see them, and will find them out. Last chance. Will you help?”
“Or what?”
“Well, unfortunately, you really aren’t leaving me with a choice. You either help, or you die.”
“I’m the one with the gun, remember?”
Thunder, his hands still raised, pointed towards Mugnoe’s feet. “Yes, but you’re also the one standing over the bomb.” Mugnoe looked down to see one of Thunder’s ring box sized explosives between his feet. “All I’m standing over is the detonator.” Mugnoe saw in the dim light that Thunder’s left foot was leaning on a remote. “Told you I arranged this.”
“Damn you!” Mugnoe snapped his arm forward to fire, but Thunder brought his foot down.
Thunder was still brushing pieces of Mugnoe off of himself when he heard a voice behind him hiss, “Nicely done, Monkey-boy. Saved us the trouble of getting rid of him.” Thunder turned and faced the Lectroid standing just on the edge of the shadow of the building. “He had outlived his usefulness, anyway. Now all that remains is to dispose of you, and I’ll disappear, until my brethren and I come up with a new way to take over this miserable planet.” He gestured towards the small crater that had been Mugnoe. “That was set up well for a Monkey-boy, but you should always cover your back.”
“Well, for someone like you, sure. Doesn’t apply to me.”
“What does that mean?”
“A very fundamental rule. One I forgot for a while. One I almost threw away ten years ago…”
“What are you blathering about?”
“Simple. I’m a BBI.”
“And that means what?”
“When you’re a BBI, your back’s already covered.”
  The Lectroid’s eyes widened, and he prepared to spin around. Instead, he rose up on his feet, arching his back, and suddenly fell over dead. Rawhide stepped out of the shadows, the knife in his hand glistening with Lectroid blood. He knelt down, wiping it on the body.
“He didn’t need to watch his back,” he reiterated to the corpse. “Team Banzai takes care of it’s own.”
Thunder smiled at Rawhide. “Guess I got that back to you just in time, eh?”
Rawhide didn’t smile in return. Instead, he brought his hand up and snapped it, hurling the knife at Thunder.
It imbedded in the ground between Thunder’s feet.
“Why don’t you keep it. I’ve got others.”
They started to walk back towards the front of the building, to go and join the others.
Thunder smiled. “‘Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’”
“Don’t push it.”



It was two weeks later, and The Hong Kong Cavaliers were gathered outside the institute. Thunder’s newly repaired truck was warming up.
Thunder went around to each of them, saying goodbye. Perfect Tommy was standing there with Joan, the revived redhead.
“Take good care of him, will you?” Thunder said to her, while shaking Perfect Tommy’s hand.
“Oh, she is,” Perfect Tommy smiled, as she blushed.
“Where’s Rawhide?” Peggy asked, looking around. “I thought you two patched things up.”
“So did I,” Thunder answered, equally puzzled.
“He’ll be along in a minute,” Buckaroo answered. “We go back into the studio on the fifteenth of next month,” he reminded Thunder. “You’ll be back before then, right?”
Thunder waved the paper he was holding. “Going down to Washington to check out all these Johns working there. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of weeks. I’ll be back.”
Rawhide walked out of the institute, carrying a duffel bag, and a small briefcase. Without a word to anyone, he walked over to Thunder’s truck, and threw the bag into one of the storage compartments. He opened the small briefcase, showing Buckaroo that he was carrying a large supply of his “insulin.”  Buckaroo smiled and nodded, and Rawhide closed the briefcase. He opened the passenger door on the truck, and tossed the briefcase on the passenger seat.
“Uh, what are you doing?” Thunder asked.
“Watching your back. You seem to need it.” He turned back to Buckaroo. “You sure you’re OK with this, Boss?”
“Hey, things are always happening around here, but it’s not like we’re going to get into trouble every week…”
“Not until mid-season, at the earliest,” Perfect Tommy added.
“OK, we’ll keep you posted.” He turned towards Thunder. “Ready to saddle up?”
“Anytime you are. Would you mind driving? I’m so happy, I think I’ll break out my accordion!”
“I warned you, I got other knives.” The two finished saying their good-byes to everyone, and boarded the truck.
“Thunder!” Dr. Banzai called over the engine noise.
“Yes, Buckaroo?”
“Just one thing, before you leave.”
“What’s that?”
Buckaroo smiled.
“Welcome home.”

 

 

@ 2005 Tommy Boy fan fiction * design and content by Paula C. *