Cosmic Bowl
| Round Robin consisting of bbi’s: Canary, Dragon, Fiero, Secret Squirrel, and Tommy Boy Introduction: As you know, most businesses have a night out with co-workers. The institute is no different. Every two weeks a planned outing is done. This week’s outing is to the local bowling alley for "Cosmic Bowl." For those who hadn't experienced Cosmic Bowl it is like this. The bowling alley lights are turned low, Perfect Tommy's favorite lighting, and the pins are back lit to "glow". Night affect lighting is used on the walls and black light is used throughout the building. And you can not forget about music, "Mr Dee Jay, put the music on Please." And the beer flow is nonstop among friends. So a night out to throw the bowl down an alley to see who can get the most strikes is the goal. At the institute an announcement by Mrs. Johnson comes over the go phones and simultaneously over the outlook system on the computers. "The bus will be leaving in ten minutes for Cosmic Bowl." Hong Kong Cavaliers, residents and interns that want to get away for the evening make their way to the bus, about thirty in all. The bus filled up quickly. A night of Cosmic Bowling was not to be missed. Unfortunately, though, there was a limit and a few unhappy Interns watched as the bus left the Institute grounds, vowing that next time, THEY would be on that bus. Inside the bus, the party was beginning. Pecos and Perfect Tommy were giving New Jersey grief over some gaffe or other. Pinky was reciting some of his trivia to a blond Intern, who was trying not to laugh. Buckaroo watched all this with a smile on his face. Down time was always a good thing. Rawhide drove WW1, he began to get numb looking at the road passing by and sighs....realizing he was visually out of the Fun picture, he yelled back to the group, "Hey..someone start a jingle.. we still have 15 mins' to go... and frankly, I'm bored.' Ignoring Rawhide, Perfect Tommy continued with his friendly assault of words on New Jersey, "... and you lost your CD player and hat at our last night out bowling. I beat your total score by 17 pins bud!" He laughed loudly and waved his left hand to dry the top coat on his nails. He turned them inward to admired his work, "Nice... got to protect my assets." New Jersey smirked, "Tommy, I've been reading up on the finer points of bowling from the professionals... on the internet, I've got the whole thing figured out now... how about we make this go around interesting." He eyed Tommy with a look that was a mixture of determination and pride. "How about I put up my saddle... and you, willing to put up that CD player you got last time and half your disc collection?" Tommy looked shocked, a rarity. He was silent for several awkward moments, then finally managed, "Your talk'n about *my* music bud!" He paused another moment, "Half would be around 400 bud," he shook his head. "that's too much, make me another offer." He looked at his nails again and by the look that came over his face, he must have found a flaw. "Damn!" Pecos, on her way to the front of the bus to relieve Rawhide's boredom, swatted Perfect Tommy genially upside the back of his head, "Losing your nerve, kiddo?" she queried with a knowing smirk. Perfect Tommy, for once at a loss for words, stood up as everyone in earshot burst into laughter as she brushed by him. Rawhide chuckled as she slid in next to him. "Stirring up trouble?" he asked sotto voiced. Pecos just smiled as New Jersey, playing the hand dealt him made a second offer. New Jersey stood as tall as he could in the middle of the bus, trying to tower over Perfect Tommy. One thing that New Jersey was learning with the Cavaliers was to have the courage to stand up for something. “I guess Perfect Tommy doesn’t think he has it in him to beat me tonight. If he did he would have already taken the bet.” he said a bit loudly for all those listening to the conversation. Perfect Tommy looked all around him and knew he had to save face somehow. He had to take the bet now. “Okay, your saddle against me . “ *gulp* “half of my cd collection.” “And?” New Jersey wanted his cd player back. “Please, not the cd player. What would I play the other half of the collection with?” “Ante up bud.” Rawhide made the turn into the parking lot of the bowling alley. He pulled up to the front door. New Jersey picked up his bowling bag and headed out the door. Pecos commented on how tonight was going to be interesting watching these two duke it out on the lanes. The parking lot at the Bowling Alley was mostly empty, as the Institute had rented over half the place. There were a few small cars and some pickup trucks and a couple of vans around the edges of the lot. As everyone filed out of the bus, in high good spirits, Rawhide handed each one a team sheet. Teams would be picked once inside. There was a lot of good natured betcha's going on, fueled no doubt, by New Jersey and Perfect Tommy. Buckaroo and Reno were the last ones out of the bus. Before locking the bus, Buckaroo glanced around the lot. "What's u, Boss?" Reno asked. "Don't know. Maybe I need the downtime, too. Just a feeling..." Buckaroo shook himself, patted Reno and Rawhide on the shoulders, smiled and went inside. Reno, concerned about his long time comrade's mental state, "Please Buckaroo, relax a little, for the team if not for yourself. You can't be a good leader with the world's problems always on your shoulders... I'm buying the beer tonight, what's your pick?" Buckaroo, for a moment focusing on the outing and the possibility of letting himself relax, "I'm in the mood for something dark and frosty, how about a porter or stout Reno." "Sounds great!" Reno almost shouts as he puts his arm around Buckaroo's shoulders and they stride through the darkened building. Meanwhile, everyone else has managed to find their lane assignments and have slipped into their bowling shoes. Perfect Tommy eye's the lane, the pins at the end and removes his custom ball from it's leather carrying case. Under his breath he mutters to the ball and to himself, "A lot's riding on these next few games... don't loose your cool..." Reno returns with three larger pitchers of dark beer and is followed by a teenager with a stack of plastic glasses in both hands. The pitchers and glasses are placed safely down and Reno hands the boy a bill, "Thanks pal." Perfect Tommy shouts out, "Anyone up for a few balls to warm-up?!" Rawhide replies,' Sure...I'll go.' He walks over, ball in hand, and looks at the pins. They're all fluorescent yellow, illuminated from behind by Nuclear iridescent green. Barely audible to his friends, he mutters to himself, 'Perfect-Tommys' brilliant idea, - more like a desecration of a humble 'lil Bowling Alley to me.' Pecos is opposite of him, on the other lane, appling chaulk powder on her hands. Overhearing the tall man, she quips,"I rather LIKE it, Rawhide, I think it looks awesome!'. He shakes his head, squints and begins hurling the ball down the violet glowing alley. Behind the bowlers' seat, elevated up on the floor from them, New jersey is turning his head, sideways, up & down, and vigorously shaking his arms. Reno, tipping his Beer at the Doctor, asks',Just what the heck are you doing, Bud?' Not missing a beat, he answers, 'I'm performing mental calisthenics;you know, loosening up, so I can perform at my best.' "Looks more like epilepsy to me!'..Undaunted, Jersey continues exercising,breathing heavilly. "Non-believer'...puf puf Perfect-Tommy is watching Rawhide from the chairs. He hears a loud 'pop' Turning around, the Hong Kong Cavalier sees the source of the noise. A twenty-something girl with a floral skirt,denim jacket, Moussed up hair, and big ear-rings. Callously smiling, the girl starts pulling gum from her teeth, and asks, ' Hello Tommy! Remember me?'.....then finishing with another ..-'POP'- Pecos and Big Norse look the girl up and down. Pecos murmurs to Big Norse, “another one of Perfect Tommy’s long lost girlfriends?” “They turn up about every three months,” Big Norse answered “Perfect Tommy doesn’t look like a happy camper.” The dolled up Valley girl kept her eye on Perfect Tommy. He stood up and walked over to her. “Zowie,” he smiled at her, with that apology glance to it. The girls snickered. “We had a date,” she sounded put off. “You’d rather bowl than have a date with Zowie?” she asked, again *POP* of the gum and pulling it out, twittling it around her finger. “I want to see him get out of this one.” Big Norse commented to Pecos. Rawhide returns from the deck, “Hey Tommy. You’re up.” New Jersey is done making in mental and physical warm up. He goes to his assigned lane where Buckaroo and Reno are waiting for him. He picks up his ball and gets on deck. With a mental one - two - three he gives his release. STRIKE. Hi fives from Buckaroo and Reno upon his return to the seats. Perfect Tommy watches New Jersey’s ball, his jaw hanging opening. He looks from New Jersey to Zowie. Perfect Tommy mutters to himself, “You ever had one of those nights?” Pecos and Big Norse grin at each other, all the while watching Perfect Tommy and Zowie. "Oh yeah," chuckles Big Norse, "this is going to be good." The phone rings at the rental desk. A small, thin-face, faintly oriental looking man answers, looking warningly at the employee standing behind the counter. After a few moments of conversation which, when asked later the employee could not quite catch or understand, the thin-faced man hung up the phone and motioned to two other 'obsevers'. They immediately left the building. Zowie looks at Perfect Tommy with the glare of a bird of pry about to swoop down on a rodent, "You had no intentions of keeping your promises..." she hesitates, "... did you?" Her left hand reaches inside a vintage Partridge Family lunch box. Pecos and Big Norse exchange glances. "Baby, you know I'm a busy dude, I was going to call... but the guys were..." he mentally searches for a line that will get him out of the acquired situation and manipulate the young girl to have sex with him later, "...we were on a very secret mission...", he grins. Zowie is visibly shaken and a tear rolls down her rosy cheek, "Tommy?" Her left hand comes out of the lunch box with something small and metallic, she points at Perfect Tommy, -'POP'- -'POP'- -'POP'--'POP'- Someone shouts, "GUN!" Perfect-Tommy grimaces, feeling his chest with his hands, expecting the worst . . .several seconds later his thought processes relaxed, "Hey....no blood! cool !!" Opening his eyes and he sees the dreaded object. A cap gun. Big Norse breathes a sigh of relief. "Ever get that feeling of dejah vu?" asks Pecos. They both shake their heads in bewilderment. Zowie very accusingly, continues, "Yoo were suppose ta like, also autograph muh ceiling an everything, instead you totally stiffed me!" Her 'weapon' was resting on the tip of his nose. Perfect-Tommy’s eyes narrow, "You just scared the crap outta me!!" Zowie replies by sticking her tongue out. "...nnyahhh....poor baby..!!" "and just WHEN I did I ever promise you an autograph?" Her eyes rolled up in astonishment, which drew attention to the glitter eye shadow. "Like, you don't recall the EarthDay Blowout at San Dimas?....It was BAAAD-ASS, furr shurr! -'POP'-.........this time it was the chewing gum. Perfect-Tommy put a hand to his chin,"..Hmmm..." "OH Pul-eeeeeze, now you’’re just full-on disavowing me! HOW RETARDED!! You were signing comicbooks, T-shirts, then you and I hit it off afterwards. ...annnd just before you took off with your Cavaliers, we set this Date." He began shaking his head sarcastic fashion, "OH, really?..I did?" "Well....Yaaaaah!!!" He snapped his fingers, "I remember that Gig ...it was in March. It was a long Tour, many cities." 'Yeaah, I bet yoo just GET AROUND, don't cha Party-boy?" she began laughing sarcastically. "Give me a break Zowie!...As you can see, I'm in the middle of an important Bowling Game." " A minute ago it was an important MISSION....You think I'm such a chickee-broad don't cha?" He stood up, putting his hands in his pockets in a defeated stance. The Hong Kong Cavalier knew right then and there, he was 'caught with his pants down'... "It's Majorly Repo time mister!' 'Huh?' 'Collection day, -DUH...I soooooo want that 'autograph'-TOMMY !! He corrected her, "thats Perfect-Tommy" "Yoo weren't Puuurfect THAT Night!!" PECOS overhearing, turned around, hands on her hips, "Oh- TOMMY!! How could you?!!" He saw her smile. Moaning pathetically, he replied, "Hey - its not what you think.." "..AS IF..", blurted Zowie, avoiding looking directly at Pecos. -'POP'-, the grrl was standing up close, apparently still 'sugar-free' armed. 'Obsession' and Gum odors competing with one another. He noticed what was obviously, colored contact lenses. What a space case I'm playing with, he thought. "O.K.......there were many fans, maybe I did say that....and I forgot......it happens....I'm sorry!!........so your point is?" "Yoo OWE me bigtime !!.." Spotting the plush leather Bowling bag on the table, the grrl quickly snapped it up in a single swipe, bracelets clinking. "Ha Ha..Ha....I got 'collateral' now Honey, so you must totally show face if you want your Knarly bag back!" Perfect-Tommys’’ eyes widened, "Hey- give me that!!" But Zowie was already skipping away, in child fashion-yelling, '1988 Primasosa Ave...Be there!!.. wah-hooooo!! I way scored !!' ....then she was out of the Cosmic Bowling Alley. It was so quick and professional, like she had done this before, the young man thought to himself...Turning back to his friends, he shouted, "Wheres' Pinky! our Security Guard, I got a bone to pick with him!" Jersey, working on a score card with Rawhide, yells over. "You gonna play or what?....You can't wimp out on me now!" Perfect-Tommy grumbles to himself, "I'll take care of her later.... right now, I have to focus on winning my CDs' back." Perfect Tommy looked longingly after his rapidly departing bowling bag and began gingerly testing the balls in the ball return. Choosing one he swung it a couple of times getting the feel of its weight and balance. "Basic black" he muttered, "how charming." He stepped up to the lane and struck an elegant pose as he prepared to make his approach. Just as he began to move Pinky rudely interrupted him, shouting across the bowling alley "Hey Tommy, your girlfriend's leaving!" Perfect Tommy froze mid-stride and made a disgusted sound "She's not my . . ." he broke off with a distinct look of distaste then finished, "Later dude," as the gathered crowd chuckled. Once again he prepared to throw his ball and was interrupted by Pinky again "Oh yeah, it's not in my contract to fend off your little friends." He pushed his hat further back on his head and looked thoughtful for a moment, "well, it wouldn't be if I had a contract that is." Tommy's shoulders slumped "Are you done yet?" "Guess so." Perfect Tommy quickly made his approach and released his ball before anyone else could attempt to break his concentration. The ball glided elegantly down the lane, a perfect example of a strike in progress, hit the first pin, and bounced backwards! Not a pin dropped and a stunned silence fell on the occupants as the ball rolled lazily back to rest against Tommy’s shoes. Even to a group of people who ‘expects the unexpected’ as a matter or course this was a little beyond the norm. All hell broke loose . . . Two things happened at once: the place went totally dark and a large *B-O-O-M* was heard towards the front of the building. Everyone ducked into the areas in the seats at each landing. Rawhide and Reno set position next to Buckaroo, a long practiced procedure of operation. Perfect Tommy hit the ground and started wiggling his way to Pinky so they could go off the investigate what happened up front in the building. Rawhide and Reno pulled out their small arms that they carried full time to protect Buckaroo. As most of the crew that was with them had arms. They all heard silence around them ‘cept for their own breath being taken. Waiting what seemed eternity but turned out to be five minutes. Perfect Tommy returned to make the fatal announcement. “Someone nuked our bus.” “Someone wants to play a game other than bowling it seems.” Buckaroo announced to the crowd. Over the PA system with an Asian twinge, “How right you are Buckaroo Banzai.” Klinks could be heard through out the building. “All the exits have been secured.” Buckaroo reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. Shining it around him, he took note of the fact that all the 'observers' from just a short time ago were nowhere to be seen. Every person he saw was one of his own. Rawhide was whispering for him to douse the light, he didn't like it when Buckaroo made himself a target. "We need some answers, Rawhide, not darkness." Buckaroo whispered back. "It doesn't matter if I'm seen or not. We're locked in. Now, it's a waiting game." Reno spoke, softly, "We can't just sit here, can we? We'd be sitting targets." "Where are we going to go?" Buckaroo asked. Raising his voice so everyone could hear him, "I think we've got enough flashlights on hand. Whose turn is it?" In the darkness Pinky is heard, "Is that smoke I smell... au, does anyone else smell smoke, like oily smoke?" Perfect Tommy flat on the floor mutters, "I smell smoke as well... shi..." he almost completes the word. Two flash light beams cut the blackness to reveal a smoky interior of the bowling ally. In the distance a gun shot rings out, the flash light beams disappear. Buckaroo, "What's going on, anyone have a guess?" Reno ponders the situation, "The smoke seems to be artificially based, like that from a smoke machine..., " he considers the possibilities, "if it gets thick enough we will not be able to see even with the lights on or with our flash lights." Several moments pass and then the sound of a canister skips past the team's position. FLASH "BOOM" The team is deafened and blinded. Gun fire erupts from a single position in the back of the building. Buckaroo voice shouts, "TAKE COVER!" They all find a spot for themselves. Rawhide notices the smoke has a touch of kerosene to it. "I think its being generated from our own concert gear!! World Crime League agents must have scoped this bowling alley out while we were playing!", he shouts. The Doctor snaps his fingers; (an idea pops this time; -not the gum.) "Our Go-phones! we'll all split up into teams of 2 and use our go-phones to make up for the darkness!" "Good idea Cheif, Rawhide answers. "You and I will pair up...start paging the others and inform them." "Right" Buckaroo scrambles, looking for his breifcase. Rawhide is on his phone tapping out instructions. One H.K. cavalier replies. It's Pinky. "Rawhide, I'm next to Perfect Tommy, so I guess Jersey and Reno will be teamthree." "Good-let me page-" Just then Big Norse cuts-in over the air. "Already heard you Rawhide! Pecos and I will be team four." "Lets Rock n' Roll!' interupts an excited Perfect-Tommy. Although caught off-guard and not heavily armed, the Hong Kong .Cavaliers always have some type of fire power on them. Dr. Banzai returns; carrying a portable rifle. Rawhide stares at him. "Whoooh! how did you ever fit THAT in your briefcase?" "....very carefully..." Rawhide laughs. "We'll take the front entrance, have a Team go after the main Breaker of the Bowling Alley so we can pull-the-plug on the concert gear!" "Right" Rawhide starts paging as Dr. Banzai uses his inherited Mongolian instincts to detect Hanoi Xans' agents. Pecos and Big Norse, who had dropped behind a rack of bowling balls when the first shots rang out, responded quickly to Rawhide's page, offering to find the breakers and shut down power to the bowling alley. "So, where do you think the breakers are?" Pecos whispered. Pecos shrugged, "Not sure" she thought for a moment "but Buckaroo and the guys are heading for the front, if they stumble across the breakers. . ." ". . . they'll kill them. Right." finished Big Norse. "The back then?" "Best bet, I reckon." "Door to the back is on the far side of the alley if I remember correctly." "Figures, doesn't it? Never pinned down where you need to go." Big Norse chuckled in response to Pecos' observation as she cautiously peeped over the top of the rack. "Don't see any hostiles, but then again I can't see much with that smoke." "Benefits us as much as them. Plus, we're regulars, bet we know the alley better than they do." "Yep. Morons. You d think they figure out that attacking us in a place that we re familiar with was not a good idea." “Huh. You’d think they’d figure out attacking us was not a good idea, period. “ ” Oh, happy day. “ The two women were silent for a moment as they considered their options. “Got it!” exclaimed Big Norse softly “still got that carry all with your? “ ”Mm hm.” With the understanding of long-time friends and colleagues she began quietly emptying it, pocketing useful items such as spare rounds of ammo and neatly stacking less useful ones to one side. “I could hurt someone with this,” she commented as she hefted a copy’s X s X that she had been reading. “ Somehow I don t think Xan s Bravos are gonna sit still long enough for you to bore them to death.” Pecos set the book down with a chuckle. “I’ ll tell Buckaroo you said that,” he loved it. “Boss isn’t always right. Grab a couple a balls. “ Pecos grabbed a bowling ball and stuffed it into the carryall and slung it over her shoulder, quickly checked her gun and picked up another ball with her free hand, slipping her fingers into the holes. Big Norse armed herself similarly and flashed a quick grin at her partner “Let s go!” While the ladies headed to the back of the bowling alley, Teams of two were fanning out the front of the bowling alley. There were nooks and hiding spaces all over. The concession area with seats and the kitchen, the game room with pin ball machines and pool table, the bathrooms and the separate lounge area. Buckaroo and Rawhide headed for the lounge. There was a door there that might have been missed by their foes, it was the type that was locked from the inside but you could leave by. Slowly easing along the wall they approached the lounge door. They heard a gun shot, sounded like it came from the concession area. Several more rang out. Over the go-phones an announcement from Jake, “We got two opponents down in the kitchen.” Buckaroo and Rawhide entered the lounge. The room was pitch dark, the smoke hadn’t penetrated the room yet. The made a slow movement together towards the back wall. When half way across the room the lights come on. In the room there were.... In the room there were several pieces of equipment. The drill for putting holes into new bowls, polishers, cleaners, and a whole lot of dust. Rawhide noticed the footprints in the dust just before Buckaroo. The were small, almost kid-sized. There were at least 4 different sets of footprints. Using military-style hand signals, Buckaroo and Rawhide separated, ranging to opposite walls and slowly working their way to the back door. The footprints all went one direction, toward the back of the room. There were no footprints going out of the room. Buckaroo and Rawhide reached the door. It looked as though they were the only ones in the room. The door looked like it had been wielded shut. No exit that way. Slowly, cautiously, Rawhide and Buckaroo worked their way back to the main part of the Bowling Alley. Rawhide, pointing at the small prints with his handgun, asked his Boss. "Young employees working for the bowling Alley?" Buckaroo shook his head. "Death Dwarfs, seeing the World Crime League is involved." Rawhide pressed the Go-phone,"I'll warn the others.." Outside Pinky and Perfect-Tommy were crouched low, next to the scoreboard. A few gun shots hit the surrounding furniture. "I think I see something...by the pins.." Perfect-Tommy whispered. "I don't see anything!" replied Pinky. "I've got an idea...cover me Pinky!" "Huh?....what are you up to?" But the Hong Kong Cavalier was already up and next to the return section. Picking up the nearest bowling ball, even though it was misty, Perfect-Tommy spotted his objective. He waited until the person had their back turned. He raised the ball and gave it his best hurl. "Now Pinky!" he yelled. Pinky Cruthers started firing, distracting attention from his partner. The person commenced return fire in Pinkeys' direction...sec's later he fell down with a clump, dropping his gun. Perfect-Tommy ran over and snagged the weapon. The Death Dwarf was out-cold. "Strike!!" the young man started waving his arms in a victory gesture. "That one doesn't count !" He looked behind him at the source. It was New Jersey, hands on his hips.. Perfect Tommy shrugs, "I know, I know but if we ever get back to our game..." his sentence is interrupted by rapid gun fire in the not to distant haze, they all drop to the the floor. "Damn!" Pinky shoots into the smoke and the gun fire ceases. The three crab crawl over the short distance and find another short stocky individual seriously wounded. "How many of them are there I wonder?" New Jersey excitedly, "good shoot'n man!" The Cavaliers make their way through the hazy gloom, Perfect Tommy stumbles into something and let's out a yell, "OUCH!" "What is it?" New Jersey asks. "Just stumbling over my own two feet, that's all, never mind" Pinky, just within visual range says, "Will you two stop fooling around, I think I found a door in this wall." They all make their way to Pinky's position and casually open the door. The smoke has not penetrated this small room. "Look, mops and a buffer machine..." New Jersey observes, "... and on the wall over there..." he points with his gun, "... circuit breaker panel!" With a flash light leading, they see no one else guarding the small maintenance room and make their way the short distance the the breakers. Pinky opens the metal panel slowly. "SHI..." he stops himself. "What is it?!" New Jersey inquires. "Look!" Pinky insists. New Jersey and Perfect Tommy look into the half opened breaker panel to see several wires protruding and a small container wrapped with black electrical tape. New Jersey, "Careful, it's a bomb!" Pinky and Perfect Tommy simultaneously look at their comrade and together say, "Dah..." Pinky pauses for a moment with the beam of the flash light in the wires... "It looks like several I've encountered before... just need to clip the red wire first, then the blue... who's got an army knife handy?" New Jersey fishes into a picket and his hand comes out with one, "Here!" "Open it up and hand me the scissors." Pinky says. New Jersey does and hands it to him. Pinky moves the knife into the panel and clips the wires in sequence, "There, we are clear!" He opens the panel completely and looks for open breakers to flip off. Click, click, click... "That should cut the power to the smoke machine... let's radio the team and let them know." Perfect Tommy is on his Go-Phone already informing everyone of the news. He hears back from the others that all of the hostels have been quieted and no more seem to be active. "We seem to have got all of the gunman... no one else has seen or heard any more." He calls on the Go-Phone to Buckaroo, "Boss, if the coast if clear, maybe we can get some doors open and clear this place out of all the smoke?" Buckaroo agrees with, "Still be cautious everyone but make your way to the exits and prop the doors open." He has a thought, "Tommy, can you guys flip in some lights?" Perfect Tommy relays Buckaroo's request to Pinky and he flips half a dozen circuits into the on position. Back over the bowling ally panels of florescent light flicker on. Perfect Tommy elbow New Jersey in the rib, "Looks like we *are* going to get back to our game afterall!" he grins. New Jersey tries to out grin Perfect Tommy but fails, "We get this smoke cleared out and you are on Mister Perfect!" “Maybe we should open the doors first, people." said Dr. Banzai as he and Rawhide cautiously approached the front doors, careful to stay out of the line of sight of the parking lot. Perfect Tommy and New Jersey exchanged grins as they split up to check the other entrances, guns drawn and ready for trouble. Meanwhile Reno took advantage of the lull in activity to contact Mrs. Johnson to request backup and alternative transportation back to the Institute. He was only able to get her off the phone after assuring her that everyone was well and promising to "tell her everything when he got back." Buckaroo and Rawhide carefully examined the front doors, looking for booby traps and other nasty suprises which may have been left by Xan's men. Pecos and Big Norse had made their way to the back of the bowling alley. With their weapons in hand, bowling balls and guns they didn’t meet an opposition. Though they didn’t find any of Xan’s men, they were able to turn the lanes back on to finish up the games. Pecos found the switches and turned the lanes back on. They heard cheers up front. “Let’s go join the fun up front.” Members of the teams were getting back to the game at hand. New Jersey was preparing to throw his ball down lane 5 while Perfect Tommy at lane 7 was searching out a ball again. “Basic Black.” he muttered. Reno went was at lane 16 waiting for the pins to reset. Reno stood on deck and was ready to address the ball. After releasing the ball, several noticed that the pins at the end of his lane were totally a different color from the rest. Buckaroo looked up to see the first three pins had X-A-N on them. “EVERYBODY DUCK !!!” Buckaroo orders while making a move to get Reno down. The bowl, in strike position, curves into the sweat spot between the 1 and 3 position, hooking in. Buckaroo lept across the lane, body slamming Reno to the floor at the same time the bowling ball hit the first pin. Everyone had taken whatever cover they could find, except New Jersey on lane 5. He was doing the follow through after throwing his ball. When the ball and pin connected, the was no sound, only a blinding light. As the ball continued to the next pin and connected, the pin erupted into a shower of sparks, like a roman candle. What was left of the ball careened into the rest of the pins, sending them every which way. One of which hit the third pin. This one exploded. Loudly and violently. Throwing debris throughout the bowling alley... Dusting of Perfect Tommy rolls to his feet, "With all the fire works you'd think it was someone's birthday for heavens sake... is everyone all right?" The censuses was a subdued affirmative. "Okay everyone, don't throw any more balls if the pins look odd in any way... and keep our eyes out on the balls as well, if anything looks out of the ordinary don't even touch it." Buckaroo commands. New Jersey strides over and points out all the debris, "I don't think anyone is going to be able to bowl until this mess gets cleaned up", he scratches his head under the western hat he calls his, 'good luck charm'. "I recall seeing a few brooms in the equipment or janitors room or what ever it was..." he points, "over there, earlier." Fifteen minutes later and after a little sweat, the team had four lanes next to each other cleared. Buckaroo, "Remember gang, anything funny looking and you back off." Perfect Tommy, who had sat out during the clean-up to dust his clothes with a lint roller he just happened to have, looked up and asked, "So, where are we? With the bet 'Jersey?" New Jersey shot Tommy a frustrated look, "You know as well as anyone... we haven't even gotten in half a game yet, too many interruptions!" He pointed at the electronic over-head score board, "When the power got cut and everything went dark, it erased our scores... I was ahead by 5 pins," he frowned, "...by the way." Tommy checked his nails and nonchalantly replied, "Doesn't much mater now does it... looks like we'll have to start over." Frustrated, New Jersey takes a few steps toward the ball cradle and puts his hands over the air post to dry them, "What ever Tommy, I'll beat you in a fair and square game fresh, if that's what it's going to take. I just hope all the interruptions are finally over!" "GOOD!" shouts Perfect Tommy, "You're on! How about..." he looks at his watch, "Gee it's getting late, one game, winner takes all?!" Under his breath New Jersey chuckles, "One game it is Tommy... flip you for first ball!" He fishes into a pocket and comes out with a silver dollar. He almost gets it flipped into the air before Tommy stops him. "I'll flip the coin 'Jersey, you call it." New Jersey hands over the coin and Perfect Tommy looks it over, "Where'd you get this?" "It's a family piece, my great grandfather's." "I thought your hat was your lucky piece. You've never mentioned this coin." "It never came up... are you going to flip or talk all evening?" PING the coin rang out as it flips straight up into the air. "Tails" New Jersey calls. Perfect Tommy catches the coin and reveals it, "Darn, tails it is." Several chuckles are heard from the peanut gallery. "Let's play!" Tommy nods as he hands back the coin. The first ball of New Jersey's is a strike. Perfect Tommy's first ball is also a strike. Everyone claps and cheers for both of them. Everyone starts their own games too. Rawhide was scribbling on paper, tallying everyones' scores. He was the unofficial referee being the computers were down. The games were over and everyone was tired and slieghtly teetered from drinking. Reno pointed his Beer, "So,....who won?" -URP- Pecos, her chin leaning on his shoulder also quipped,"Yea, tell us...we're mystified !" Jersey stood tall, "Well, its no mystery to ME, who the Best was." Perfect-Tommy shoots him an annoyed look. He lost count during the game. Rawhide kept scribbling numbers down. Buckaroo Banzai walking over,comments, "I just squared with Management to Bill the Institute for damages...so we're free men now." "Sounds good", answers Pinky. "I finished checking the grounds, there aren't anymore traps." Banzai continues. "Guess Hanoi Xan just wanted to prove, he could mess with us anytime he felt up to it." Pinky nods in agreement. "What should we do with these 3 Death Dwarves, Boss?". They were bound and gagged with a note duct-taped; large BB symbols inscribed. "Leave them for the Police or the World Crime League, whichever shows up first." "Right." Big Norse and Pecos start packing up their gear. Dr.Zweibel peers over Rawhides' shoulder,"So how many points did I win by?" Rawhide flashing the score sheet, big grin on his face, answers, " It’s a TIE!" Perfect-Tommy & Jersey both look at each other, their jaws hanging open. "No way!" Perfect-Tommy states. "Yes, way!", see, you got 10 pins here, a strike here, then Jersey picked up a spare here....." He rambles on for another minute before Buckaroo starts laughing. "You mean, we're all going to have to suffer through another month of their bickering until the next Cosmic Bowling?" "-fraid, so Cheif." The Hong Kong Cavaliers board the bus, except for Pinky Cruthers and Perfect-Tommy.World Watch One pulls away, while a lone white & black checkered Volkswagon Thing, heads in the opposite direction. A tired Pinky at the wheel. "So where is this...place, you just HAVE to be at?" "1987 Primasosa.....its not far." "Better NOT be! cause I'm beat!...all I want to do is go home and get some shut-eye." "Yea, yea......keep driving." Perfect-Tommy ignores him while studying the roadmap. Fifteen minutes later, Pinky spots a sign,"Hey, is this..." Perfect-Tommy cuts him off midsentance..."Yepp.." "Pull up to the curb." Pinky pulls over and kills the engine. It's silent and dark outside. "Now what? he asks. Perfect-Tommy chucks the road map at him. It lands on his face. Cruthers a bit miffed, pulls it off and tosses it in back. "Give me five minutes, and then we can go back to the Institute." "O.K......5 minutes Tommy." The young man walks up the marble sidewalk. He presses an illuminated button. Two gongs later,a wide-eyed excited Zowie opens the door. She’s wearing a childrens' 'Strawberry shortcake' night gown which barely conceals her adult frame. "Sooo!! 'Party-boy' decided to keep his promise after all, eh? TuBULar!!" Perfect-Tommy chides, "yea.....yea......that and I want my BAG back." She motions him inside.He grudegly steps in. The girl points to the right.."Your Fav bag is like, in my bedroom, heres a marker." "Huh?" "to Autograph my ceiling with! DUHH!" "oh......that..." Perfect-Tommy takes the marker and climbs on Zowies' bed to get a closer look at the ceiling. He stands up, narrowing his eyes in dissappointment.. "Just how the heck do you expect me to sign this!! Its Stucco!" Zowie, sporting a big grin, locks the door and latches the deadbolt behind her, and dryly answers. ".........you can't......... " Epilogue: Ten minutes later Pinky starts to wonder... he mutters under his breath, "I should have known better..." he shakes his head. Fifteen minutes after Perfect Tommy entered the home he exits, climbs into the car and says, "Sorry bud... you know how it is... women!" They drive off into the night. |
@ 2005 Tommy Boy fan fiction * design and content by Paula C. *