Countdown Episode 2: Ranger’s Calling: Part One by Greg Smith All Road Rover Characters, names, and situations (c) WB and rightful owners Vissarion, Petrovski, Slash, Shalimov, Ranger, Scarlet, Pushkin, Cynthia and all other items related to Red Thunder (c) Greg Smith Ranger is a male black lab/German shepherd mix. He lives with a family in a suburb in Northern Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinatti, Ohio. He is very happy with his life, until ... A strange, white van with no windows in the back part has been seen driving around the neighborhood, especially at night. Where it goes in the day, no one knows. On the side of the van is a red shield with a black S in the middle. This symbol is familiar to some people as the Svobodny Laboratories logo. Soon, many dogs in the neighborhood start to disappear and there are reports of strange, flashing lights coming from the nearby woods. Ranger is outside playing with the boy from his human family. The boy throws a ball and Ranger runs to bring it back. The ball goes into the edge of the woods. Ranger sniffs around for the ball but can’t find it, but he does notice a strange flashing light coming from deeper in the woods. He follows and tries to see what it is. Suddenly, a net shoots out from somewhere and ensnares him. A group of thuggish looking men surround the net. Thug 1: Well, this one fills our quota. Now we can take them back to the Svobodny people and get paid. Thug 2: Yeah, let get out of this place before people start to get too suspicious. They take down their beacon and remove the camouflage tarp from the van. They throw Ranger into the back of the van with a bunch of other dogs. The van drives off down the access road. Svobodny Laboratories secret research facility. Aug. 29, 1996. Pushkin and his scientists are busy working when five cano-sapiens walk into the room. One is Buran, wearing a Red Thunder general’s uniform. The other is a scientist. He is a 5’10" boxer called Professor Slash and wears a white lab coat. He has a nasty-looking scar down his cheek and one on his muzzle. The other three are soldiers wearing standard Red Thunder armor and carrying SL-mark 2 lasers. It is a laser rifle, about 3’ long, bronze in coloration. It is equipped with a scope and a smaller targeting laser for accuracy. The Red Thunder insignia is on both sides of the barrel. The soldiers are Rottweilers. Pushkin: Who are you? What is all this about? Buran: Have you forgotten me after all this time? I certainly haven’t forgotten you. I am Buran, the puppy you found in Siberia two years ago. Pushkin: But how did you get like this? Buran: I’m sorry, but that’s classified. Pushkin: Classified by whom? Buran: That is also classified. I am here under the orders of our glorious leader to oversee stage two of your project. Pushkin: Glorious leader? What glorious leader? What are these uniforms you’re wearing? Buran: Allow me to introduce Professor Slash, he will be the new head of the project. Pushkin: But this is my project. Buran: Not any more. I am grateful for what you did for me long ago, but I would advise that you cooperate or I will be forced, regrettably, to take harsher actions against you. Pushkin: You’re not with Svobodny Laboratories! Buran: Oh yes I am. Svobodny Laboratories is merely the legitimate front for an organization called Red Thunder. It is an organization dedicated to world peace through the universal rule of our wise, glorious leader. The research done here will be used to benefit everyone on earth living under corruption. Pushkin: What? Those madmen! They lied to me! They said I was going to find a way to cure viruses. Buran: You have given us the plans for a weapon so powerful, that all will bow before the might of the one who holds it. Now, all that must be done is build this weapon. I trust you haven’t touched any of the devices we sent you? Several machines lined next to a wall are covered in sheets. Pushkin: I haven’t done anything with your diabolical machines. Buran: Good. Soldiers, uncover the units. The soldiers take off the sheets to reveal a whole row of small devices looking like microwaves. Buran: Hand over the smallpox samples you’ve been working with. Pushkin: I’ll die before you have it. The soldiers put their laser rifles to Pushkin’s face. Buran: Don’t make me do this. I’ll never be able to forgive myself. You have to the count of three. One ... Pushkin: I can’t let you have it! The Rottweilers growl Buran: Two ... Pushkin is sweating heavily. Buran: Thr- Pushkin: Okay, okay, They’re located in the freezer safe I put on the second shelf. The entry code is 2254. Buran: Thank you for your cooperation. Now we must ensure that you never tell anyone about this. Pushkin: I promise not to tell. Buran: I’m afraid that won’t be good enough. You’ll have to be held in detention for an indefinite amount of time. I will spare your life because I owe you that much. Professor Slash opens the safe and takes a sealed dish containing the virus and puts it in one of the machine chambers. Slash: The mutators should still be set in accordance with the good doctor’s findings. He closes the door and pushes a button. There is a bright light seen through the window of the chamber. After it is over, slash opens the door and removes the dish. Slash: I give you Countdown, the most powerful biological weapon ever created. Pushkin: Oh God! What have I done?! Buran: I’ll leave you to your lab, professor. Let me know how the tests turn out. Buran looks over the other scientists in the lab as he says this last line, causing them to become very nervous. Buran leaves with Pushkin and one of the soldiers, leaving two in the lab with Slash. Slash takes an empty syringe out of his lab coat pocket. He takes the dish and sticks the syringe in it. He fills the syringe with the green-colored liquid that the virus is suspended in. The hole in the dish seals itself as he pulls out the syringe. All the scientists are lined up at gunpoint by the soldiers. Slash walks up and down the line, passing the syringe over each of them as he speaks. Slash: You are here to work for Red Thunder. If you work well in this facility, then you will live. But if I find you to be inefficient or I believe that you are not putting forth all your effort, then you will help us with the manufacture of this weapon by sacrificing your bodies so that this weapon can be grown. A small demonstration is in order. He grabs one of the scientists and jabs the needle into his arm. He throws the scientist into the nearby containment chamber and slams the door shut. He presses a button on his watch, starting a timer. Through the window, they all watch as red sores and a terrible rash appear all over him. He starts coughing and clutching his throat. He falls over, dead. A green gas cloud emanates from the body and fills the chamber. Slash presses his watch button again, stopping the timer. Slash: All of you should learn from this example. If you perform poorly, this may happen to you. Now get back to work. They all return nervously to their stations. Slash checks his watch and writes on his clipboard. Slash: That was thirty seconds. Death is immediate after a countdown of thirty seconds from full exposure. Red Thunder cano-sapien training base, location unknown, June 11, present, 12:35 PM Ranger has been transdogmafied. He is standing in line with other cano-sapiens, all wearing Red Thunder standard armor. A pit bull drill sergeant is going over them, he has three stripes on his armor to symbolize his rank. Sergeant: Remember soldiers, a capitalist has no respect for his fellow creatures. He will take whatever opportunity he can to exploit them. All lies about justice and freedom are just that, lies. They are propaganda, used to lull the masses into blind submission and discourage them from revolt. But we will not be discouraged, no! We will fight to rid the planet of their putrid stench once and for all. The dreams of Lenin and Stalin shall be fulfilled by Red Thunder! You are the chosen! Go and do your duty. Dismissed! The soldiers leave, some going to the barracks, some going to the training facility, and others going to the common hall. Ranger goes to the common hall. There he meets up with a female Irish setter named Scarlet. The common hall is rather plain. It has several tables where the soldiers can eat, two ping-pong tables, and a vending machine. There is a television screen hanging from the ceiling that shoots out a continuous stream of propaganda and statistics on various pieces of military hardware. The tables, chairs, floor, walls, and ceiling are all metallic gray. Ranger and Scarlet use their ration cards and grab come milk-bones from the vending machine. They go and sit at one of the tables. Scarlet (Irish accent): Ranger, I’ve been wanting to ask you something. Ranger: Ask away. Scarlet: What was your life like before Red Thunder? Ranger thinks for a moment, then responds. Ranger: Well, I can’t remember it all that well. I seem to remember a happy life, though, but it is all a trick because the sergeant and the officers tell me that I was rescued from oppressive slavery. Scarlet: That’s what they told me too, but I’m not so sure. Ranger: Why? Scarlet: I’ve been having dreams for the past few nights. I dream of a big farm in the warm sun where I can run through the fields. There is a kind old man who gives me food and we care about each other very much. Ranger: Ignore it. It’s not real. The enemy must have planted it in your mind before you were brought here so that you would make an incompetent soldier. Scarlet: But why can’t I remember anything from before I came here? Ranger: It’s something called hypnosis that the enemy did to you. I remember one of the officers telling me about it. Scarlet sighs Scarlet: What kind of a life is this? All we do is train, train, train, and for what? Some revolution? Ranger: Red Thunder has given us all a gift that no one else could give us. We owe them for that. We have our powers. You can solve any problem with your great intelligence, and I can jump super high. Scarlet: Well, my great intelligence and intuition tells me that there’s more going on here than meets the eye. Ranger looks around nervously Ranger: Shhh! your voice is carrying. You shouldn’t be talking like that. It’s risky. If they find out, they’ll take you to the manufacture section. Scarlet: And what’s so terrible about that? Ranger: I don’t know, but it must be bad, because that’s where they send all of the ones that don’t measure up and all of the ones that start to talk like you. Scarlet: See, even you’re afraid of them. If they’re our comrades like they say they are, then why should we be afraid of them? Something wrong is going on here and I’m going to get to the bottom of it. Ranger: Don’t do this, Scarlet. You’ve been my best friend ever since I first came here and I don’t want anything to happen to you. Scarlet: Don’t worry about me. I’ll be careful. A poor, impoverished village somewhere in the Sudan, June 12, 1:05 PM There is a blonde, American woman with a microphone, dressed in khaki clothes. The village is made of many small, poor-looking mud huts with thatch roofs. Sand and dirt blow all over the place. There is a disgusting looking ditch of stagnant water cutting through the middle of the village. Cynthia: Hello, I’m Cynthia Daniels for the Svobodny Laboratories Children’s Benevolent Fund. Here in the Sudan, over 90% of the people live in total poverty. Of all those that suffer, it is the children that are hurt the most, like little Omatayo here. Cynthia walks over and holds the hand of a small boy of about 5 or 6. He has very little to wear and is skinny. He looks into the camera with large, tear-filled eyes. It is a very heart-wrenching sight. Cynthia: Omatayo’s family has little to eat because food here is so scarce and very hard to grow. He must bathe in this ditch that the village animals use for drinking water, and waste disposal. Omatayo’s plight is not unlike many other children around the world suffering from the horrors of poverty and deprivation. Only people like you can save those less fortunate. Please, call 1-800-***-**** and pledge your donation to the Children’s Benevolent Fund, so that little Omatayo can be clothed, fed, and educated. For the sake of the children, please call now. Red Thunder cano-sapien training base, location unknown, June 12, 1:06 PM Cynthia and Omatayo are in front of a blue screen. There are several Red Thunder soldiers behind the camera, pointing their SL-Mark 2 lasers at Omatayo, whose eyes are filled with sadness and fear. Ranger is one of them. General Buran is there Buran: Cut! Excellent! An exceptional performance, Cynthia. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Cynthia: I like to hope my performance has been improving. Buran: Oh, it has. You are looking much more caring and genuinely concerned for others. Cynthia: Now, don’t you go and insult me like that! Buran: Sorry, I forgot how sensitive you were about that. Cynthia: Sensitive? I’m not sensitive about anything, except money. Speaking of which, when to I get paid? Omatayo is still trying to hold her hand as she struts around. Cynthia is annoyed and turns around and hits him, knocking him to the floor. Cynthia: Leave me alone, you stupid kid! Buran: Guards, remove the boy to his cell. Two of the soldiers take Omatayo to the detention facility. Ranger is still in the studio. Ranger looks at the small boy as he is being taken off. He then thinks of what Scarlet told him yesterday and it causes a flashback. Ranger remembers his human family in Kentucky and the good times he had with them. He remembers being treated very well. Omatayo reminds him of the little boy he used to play with. He imagines the boy from his human family in the same place as Omatayo and it brings a tear into his eye. He stifles it, fearing punishment if the others discover his true emotion. He remembers being captured and put in the back of the van that drove him off, crowded with other dogs. He remembered the beatings as he was forced into the transdogmafier. Finally, he remembers his transport to this place, wherever it is, and being hypnotized to forget his past and be loyal to Red Thunder. It was as if you had thought one thing about your life and all of a sudden it was replaced by a totally different story. He becomes angry over what was done to him. He looks on as Buran and Cynthia chatter away about their little extortion business and what they are doing now disgusts him. Buran: Don’t worry, Cynthia, you’ll be well paid when we finish shooting the last commercial. Cynthia: And when will that be? Buran: Well, we still have to cover Houndouras, Bosnia, and Nigeria. That’s at least two more weeks of filming and we’re running out of readily available starving children. Cynthia: I signed a four-week contract and next Monday, its over, sorry. Buran: I’m afraid not. You seem to forget who’s holding the guns here (motioning to Ranger and the other soldiers). Cynthia: Well, you have a point there. I’ll stay on the project to its end. You’re very persuasive. I’ve always admired your straightforward negotiation techniques. I’ll be in my dressing room if you need me. She leaves. The base commander (a greyhound) comes in with Col. Shalimov who is wearing a business suit and is talking on a cell phone. Shalimov: What’s that? Oh, very good! Very, very good! Buran: What’s the good news, comrade Colonel? Shalimov: The donations are pouring in because of that last commercial we did with Cynthia. Commander (British-Canadian accent): Should it be enough to fund research for the next generation of plasma weaponry? I want my troops to have the latest equipment. Shalimov: You’ll have to ask Slash about that, but I think so. The Mark-4 project has shown tremendous progress since last month. This latest commercial can do nothing but bolster the donations. Buran: I have been meeting with our glorious leader. He has determined that it is time for the revolution to begin. Commander: But I’m not fully equipped. I need more time to build up and train my force before moving out. Buran: Not you, and not here. At least not yet. Shalimov, you are ordered by our glorious leader to begin an invasion of the Sudan. Shalimov: But that will draw attention to Red Thunder. Buran: Yes, but it will mainly draw attention to the Sudan. That is the objective. Accompany me back to HQ and we will prepare your forces. Shalimov: Yes. Buran: Did I hear you correctly, colonel? Shalimov: I mean, ahem, yes, comrade general, sir! Buran: That’s better, now go and get ready to leave. Shalimov walks off with a slightly annoyed expression on his face. One of Buran’s aides walks in. Aide: Comrade general, sir. Your Shadow transport is ready for departure, sir. Buran: Good, go and tell Shalimov to be ready ASAP. I’ll be there shortly. The aide leaves. Buran gets ready to ask the base commander something when Ranger decides, bravely, to step forward and speak. He is still angry over what he has remembered. Ranger: Sirs, do you mind if I ask you a question? Commander: As you were, soldier! Buran: Who is this upstart? Commander: Just one of my soldiers, sir, no one special. Buran: Are they always this forceful? Commander: We keep them in line. Ranger: Why are we doing this? Commander: Why are we doing what? Ranger: Taking advantage of people’s misfortunes to benefit ourselves. I thought we were supposed to fight corruption, not be a part of it. What you’re doing with that woman and boy is just plain sick! Buran: Soldier, we must do many things we don’t like for the sake of the revolution. Ranger: Like dognapping? Buran and the commander start to look uncomfortable. Buran: We never brought anyone to Red Thunder against their will. We rescued you all from- Ranger: I don’t buy that, I know better now. Buran and the commander pull out there SL-Mark 1 laser pistol sidearms and point them at Ranger’s head. Ranger was not expecting this. Buran: Drop your weapon, now! Ranger drops his SL-Mark 2. Buran: Just how much do you know? Ranger: I know enough now. And what have you done with Scarlet? I haven’t seen her since yesterday. Commander: She is in a safe place where she can help with the efforts of the revolution. You will soon join her, I think. Buran: Take him to the manufacturing section. Make sure we make good use of this one. Commander: Yes, sir. He presses a button on the wall to activate the intercom. Commander: Security, report to studio one and prepare to take a prisoner into custody. Buran: I’ll be leaving for HQ now, I leave this matter to you, Commander. Red Thunder HQ, Vissarion’s command chamber, June 12 Vissarion is watching a news report on his screens. Announcer: And so, the day was saved once again by the heroic Road Rovers. Just hours ago, they halted the plans of these two individuals (picture of Parvo and Groomer) to use an old, abandoned chemical plant as a base from which to create an army of cano-mutants. Although the base was destroyed and thousands of dogs liberated and returned to their original masters, General Parvo and his accomplice, the Groomer, made a narrow escape on this aircraft (picture of the bulldog-ship). Even so, the Rovers consider this a great victory in their struggle against the crazed madman, General Parvo. The screen then shows a video of the rovers in front of the landed Sonic Rover. Hunter: To the power of the pack! The rovers all howl. Vissarion freezes the image on his screen. Vissarion: How is this possible?! I was supposed to be the only one with this technology! Vissarion calls Petrovski and his image appears on the screen. Petrovski: Yes, glorious leader? Vissarion: We have a disturbing situation developing. Petrovski: Yes, these Road Rovers could prove to be a nuisance. Vissarion: I’m also worried about this Parvo. This could really throw a screw in our plans. Petrovski: Shall we proceed as planned, sir? Vissarion: Well, better to have the Rovers’ attention focused on the Sudan than where it should really be. Meanwhile, continue to make preparations for the package to be delivered to its destination. Petrovski: Yes, sir. Road Rover Mission Control, recreation area, June 13, 9:05 AM Hunter and Exile are busy playing a game of pool while Colleen watches. Shag is back in the kitchen, cooking. The eight ball and the four ball are next to each other. Hunter is lining up his shot to sink the four ball. Blitz comes in just as Hunter is about to shoot. Blitz: Ok everybody, look at me. I am so handsome. I am such a big hunk of dog muscle. This disturbs Hunter and his shot is off. It hits the eight ball instead of the four, and the cue ball bounces off into one of the pockets. Exile: Ha! Weird boy made you go scrapeski on ball number eight. I win! Blitz: Hi there, pretty lady doggy. Colleen: Do I know you? Blitz: Of course you do. Its me, Blitz. Colleen: No, that just won’t do. Oh, that’s it. You’re Blimp. Blitz: No, no, no! It’s Blitz, B. L. I. T. Z. Blitz! Colleen: Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell. Blitz slaps his hand on his forehead and rolls his eyes. Shag comes out with a chef’s hat on rolling a tray of food. Shag: Ra ra ra! Hunter: Cool! Shag’s toilet water sausage special! Everyone else: Yea, yahoo! The Master’s voice comes over the intercom. Master: Attention Rovers, report to the briefing room. Everyone goes immediately to the briefing room. In the briefing room, the Master is in front of the big map.The Rovers are all seated at the table. Colleen: We just beat Parvo again and now we’ve got to get back on duty. Oh joy! (sarcastically) Hunter: I know, its a real bummer. We need a break. Master: I’m afraid we don’t have time. Our Rover satellite has detected something disturbing on its last pass over the Great Lakes region. The big map focuses and zooms on North America, then, on the five Great Lakes. There is a flashing red dot on in the western end of Lake Erie. The map zooms on the dot to show a small, unimportant, insignificant looking island with nothing but trees and rocks on the shore. Master: This is Middle Island, Rovers. Several years ago, it was bought by a Russian genetics company called Svobodny Laboratories. On its last pass over the island, our satellite detected unusually high amounts of energy and radiation coming from the island, like the signature of a nuclear powered military installation. Blitz: But Master, look at it. There’s nothing there but trees and rocks and a lot of birds. Master: All things are not what they appear to be at first, Blitz. I thought it was a malfunction at first, but the Space Rover examined the satellite yesterday and they say they can find no damage or malfunction. Exile: Master, did you say this was Russian company that bought islandski? Master: Yes, Svobodny Laboratories. Colleen: Oh, I know them. They’re the ones that sponsor that Children’s Benevolent Fund. Blitz: Yah, and they have the really nice lady in those commercials. Exile: Da, Cynthia helps greatest many poorski kids in all countries. Shag: Ra Hunter: That reminds me. Did we donate enough to the Children’s Benevolent Fund this year? Master: Yes, I made a rather generous pledge. It is our sworn duty to help and protect the innocent. Everyone: Ahhh! How nice! Master: Of course, I doubt that its anything important. It’s suspicious though, and worth checking out. I’ve also been in contact with the inhabitants of some of the nearby islands. They report strange things going on at Middle Island. Hunter: What kind of things? Master: Strange lights, wedge-shaped UFOs that disappear, black unmarked helicopters, and suspicious speedboats manned by strange creatures. Hunter: Area 51 type stuff, cool! Master: Both Canadian and U.S. coast guards have investigated and found nothing. The two governments also deny any activity. Colleen: Oh brother, like we haven’t heard that one before. Master: Go to the area and land at the Bass Islands, just southwest of Middle Island. Once there, ask questions from the locals before proceeding to Middle Island. Search the island for any suspicious activity, then return home. Hunter: Sounds simple enough. Let’s hit the road, Rovers! Skies over Western Lake Erie, June 13, 12:11 PM The Turbojet Rover is approaching the islands. Hunter is flying with Colleen in the copilot’s seat. Blitz, Shag, and Exile are in the back seats with Muzzle. Exile is reading an information pamphlet. Exile: It says that here is where Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British fleet in 1813, giving U.S. control of Greatest Lakes. Colleen: That name sounds familiar. Hunter: I think the U.S. Navy named a class of ships after him. Colleen: Oh, that’s right. Blitz: And she can’t even remember my name! Hunter: Approaching Lake Erie Islands. Colleen: But where are we going to land. Hunter looks at the three large islands out of the windshield and points his finger at them. Hunter: Eaney meany miney mo, catch a- Colleen: Oh, will you just land the plane, luv! Hunter: Okay, here it goes. Hunter flies toward the southernmost island. It has two lobes on the east and west sides. In the small strip between the lobes is a granite structure, 350 ft. tall with a square observation deck on top. Hunter stares at it. Hunter: Wow, look at the cool building! The plane’s nose drops and the building is no longer in view. Hunter: Hey, where’d the building go? Now there’s just trees and houses headed straight for us. Blitz shrieks. Blitz: Ahhhhhhgh! We’re all going to die! Hunter pulls up just in time and they skid along the ground, severely damaging the Turbojet Rover until it finally falls into the lake. Hunter quickly switches to sub mode. Some of the material from the ceiling has fallen over Blitz’s eyes. Blitz: Oh no! Everything’s black. I must be dead. Exile: Cool it, weird boy! Blitz: Exile, I hear you. Tell me how to find the light. Shag pulls the material off of Blitz’s eyes. Blitz: Oh, wow! Guys, you won’t believe the crazy dream I just had. Colleen: I believe your landings are improving a bit, Huntie. Hunter: Thanks. Colleen: We didn’t end up upside-down this time. Hunter: Rovers, we have a mission to accomplish. Let’s hit the road! Hunter surfaces the Turbojet Rover. Colleen looks at a display panel. Colleen: Blimey, that landing really knocked out a lot. Looks like we’re stuck in sub mode until we can get it repaired. Hunter: Bummer. Hunter takes the Turbojet Rover around to the harbor of Put-in-Bay, the island’s town, and docks it there. The Rovers disembark after unloading the Hydro Rover and the Hover Rover. They walk along the waterfront, which is overlooked by nineteenth century cannons that serve a mere decorative purpose, along with display artillery pieces from both World Wars. Everywhere, there are gift shops and tourists clicking away with cameras and posing in front of the cannons. The sky is dominated by the granite tower. It is mayfly season, so there are millions of mayflies flying around and more dead ones lying all over the place. Colleen: Ugh! What are these things? Exile: The only thing I’ve seen worski are the summer Siberian mosquito swarms. Hunter: Let’s hope these things don’t bite. Hunter stops a tourist with camera and sunglasses. Hunter: Excuse me, but can you tell me anything about Middle Island. Tourist: Wow! The Road Rovers! Here, let me have your autograph. He snaps a polaroid of Hunter and takes out a pen. Hunter: Well, we’re kind of busy right now and- Tourist: Oh, please, please, please. Colleen: Come on Huntie, it’ll just take a second. Hunter: Oh, all right. Hunter doesn’t use the pen, but instead sticks his paw into a nearby mud puddle and stamps it on the photo. The Rovers move on. Tourist: I can’t believe I got an autographed photo of one of the Road Rovers. Wow! I’ve got to tell Shannah, I’ve got to tell Lee, I’ve got to tell ... Blitz looks back over his shoulder at the tourist. Blitz: Man, what a weirdo. Exile (whispering to Shag): I know of weirder o. Shag: Ra ra. Hunter: I don’t think these tourists are going to be much help. We need to find a real local. Colleen: That’ll be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack, luv. They’re all tourists. Shag: Ra, rara ra. Hunter: Good thinking, Shag. Blitz: What did he say? Hunter: Shag says we should try someone working at one of the shops. Shag: Ra. The Rovers try to find the most obscure shop they can. Finally, they come across a building on one of the back streets that is labelled: Ecological Museum of the Lake Erie Islands. It appears to have had very few visitors. Hunter: This place looks promising. The rovers enter the building. It is full of various fish tanks, preserved plant and insect specimens, and even a preserved representative of the local heron species. Blitz stares at the heron, whose glass eyeballs seem to stare back down its long, sharp beak. Blitz: Oooh! These kind of things always disturb me. Exile: This from someone who enjoys biting rear endskis. Colleen feels something crawling in her hair. Colleen: Blinkey! Stop messing with my hair, now. Blitz: But I’m not touching you. Colleen: I mean it, or I’ll use my Tom Cruise move on you again! Blitz: But It’s not me, I swear it. Colleen: Alrighty then. Tom Cruise! Colleen spins around and kicks but her feet hit nothing. Colleen: What? Blitz: I told you, It’s not me. Colleen: Well, if its not you, then it must be ... She reaches around and feels in her hair. She pulls out two mayflies and looks at them. She drops them in disgust. Colleen: Ewww, blimey! These buggers are everywhere! Shag: Ra ra ra. Hunter: That’s right Shag, total gross-out. Professor Atwater would love this place. Rawlings: Is anything the matter? The rovers turn to see an older man. He is obviously the owner/curater/caretaker of the museum. Hunter: Just these bug things. Rawlings: Ah yes, the mayflies. They’re usually pretty bad this time of year. They can find their way into almost anything you know. Colleen: Yeah, I know. Rawlings: Don’t worry though, they’re harmless. You must be the Road Rovers. Hunter: How do you know who we are? Rawlings: I’ve seen you on the news. You’re always fighting that Parvo character with the metal arm and head. Hunter: You forgot to mention his ugly moustache. Blitz: And his creepy, lady sidekick Rawlings: Yes, those too. My name is John Rawlings, by the way. Hunter: We’d like to ask you about Middle Island. Rawlings: What could you possibly want from there? Hunter: We think that someone might be doing something suspicious there and we’ve come to check it out. Rawlings: Well, ever since that big Lab company bought the island at auction, there have been things going on over there that are just plain bizzare. Hunter: Such as? Rawlings: Well, the first thing that happened was that a friend of mine saw a big black thing appear right above the island. There were strange blue and red lights coming from the place all that night. He went over there the next morning and couldn’t find anything. Next there came the black helicopters and speedboats that people saw at night. That was when a lot of dogs started to disappear. Then there were reports of strange creatures roaming about in the night. Hunter: Little gray men with big black eyes? Rawlings: No Blitz: And I was looking forward to biting some little, gray alien tooshies. They look so smooshy and they’re just the right size. Exile: Don’t be a weird boy. Rawlings: They were big, hairy things, but that’s all I can tell you. Its always dark, and no one has gotten close enough to see anything else, and I don’t want to get closer, I can tell you that. Hunter: You actually saw them? Rawlings: No, but friends of mine did. Hunter: What do you think is going on. Rawlings: Well I don’t know, but some folks say that the island is haunted. Hunter: Ghosts with black helicopters and speedboats? Rawlings: You never know what form the undead may take. Hunter: Well, uh, no. I suppose not. Do you have any physical evidence I could see. Rawlings: Well, I have these pictures. He gives the pictures to Hunter. They are taken from boats off the shore of Middle Island. One blurry picture shows a strange, brown, furry, bipedal creature as it is walking away into the woods. Another blurry one, obviously a night shot, shows three strange, glowing lights arranged in a triangle. They appear to be at the corners of some large, triangular aircraft. The Rovers thank Rawlings for his help and leave the museum. Exile: Oh boiski! This is some weird stuff. Blitz: This is the kind of stuff that people fake all the time. I say we just go home. Hunter: The Master told us to investigate Middle Island, so that’s what we’re going to do. Blitz: Why should we follow what you say? Hunter: Because I’m the leader. Blitz: But why are you always the leader instead of me? Hunter: Because, not only am I super fast, but I’m also super loyal, super friendly, super- Blitz: Yah, yah, sorry I asked. Put-in-Bay, Ohio, United States, June 13, 1:36 PM The Rovers have gone to where the Hover Rover and Hydro Rover are docked. Hunter: Ok. Exile, Shag, Blitz, Muzzle, take the hover rover. Colleen, we’ll take the Hydro Rover. They board their vehicles and head toward Middle Island, a few miles to the northeast. They land on a shore covered with rocks and zebra mussel shells. There are thick trees ahead of them. Hunter: Welcome to Middle Island, Rovers. The southernmost point of land in Canada. Red Thunder cano-sapien training facility, Middle Island, Ontario, Canada, June 13, 1:52 PM. The greyhound base commander is in his control room. There are techs of both human and cano-sapien species at various control stations. Tech: Sir, we have an intrusion in surface sector 2. Commander. Probably just another futile probe by the local authorities. Tech: I don’t think so sir. Commander: On screen. The main viewscreen in front of the commander’s chair shows a camera view of the Road Rovers disembarking. Commander: That’s the Road Rovers! There the troublemakers that HQ has been warning us about. Tech: Shall I respond, sir. Commander: They’re good so they’ll probably find us anyway. Yes, prepare a welcoming party for our guests. Tech: Yes, sir. The tech presses a few buttons and talks into his headset. Tech: Command to Unit 1, suit up and prepare for perimeter defence. Units 4 and 7, get ready to support unit 1 and stand by for further orders. Back on the surface. The Rovers are cutting through the heavy brush. Blitz: Ach! I can’t stand all these sticky bushes and the bugs are horrible. Exile: Stop whining! Blitz: Hey, I’ll whine whenever I want, Ice Cube! Exile: I should deep freeze you solidovich for that! Hunter: All right, calm down you two. Colleen: Just what are we looking for anyway, Huntie? Hunter: Not sure. Exile, why don’t you use your super vision and see what you can find. Exile: I see the trees, the thorns, the bugs, the thorns, the bugs, the trees, the thorns, the bugs ... nothing else Hunter: Are you sure? Exile: Yes. Blitz: See, I told you. Nothing here. We should just go back. Hunter: No Blitz, we still need to- ... Wait a minute. Did you guys just hear a twig snap? Blitz: Uhh, guys, I don’t like this, maybe we should leave. Hunter: We’re not going anywhere until we get to the bottom of this, Blitz. Just then, three. Red Thunder soldiers in spirit suits decloak. They raise their arms and fire from their built-in laser guns. Blitz shrieks and the Rovers scatter for cover. Shag is cowering in the underbrush and Blitz is hiding in his fur. Shag whimpers. Exile is behind a tree. Hunter and Colleen are on the ground in the underbrush, watching as the soldiers fire and come forward. Colleen: They totally caught us off guard. Good thing these blokes can’t hit a bus in front of their faces. Hunter: Cool special effects though. Hunter notices a vine in the soldiers’ path. He crawls to the vine and pulls it taut. They all trip and their helmets fall off, showing them to be dogs. Colleen throws a gas bone into the group, causing them to cough.They each pull out a capsule and swallow it before the gas can take its full effect. All the rovers come out of hiding to investigate the fallen troopers. Colleen feels for a pulse. Colleen: They’re dead. They must’ve poisoned themselves. Looks like Parvo is getting a little more brutal than before. Hunter: I don’t think these belonged to Parvo. Colleen: And why not? Hunter: Look at this symbol. He points to the Red Thunder shield on their suits. Exile: Bolshoi! It has Hammer and Sickle! Hunter: When we get back, we have to ask the Master to ask the Russian government if they know anything about all this. Exile: Surely you don’t think Mother Russia did this. Hunter: No, and, uh, don’t call me Shirley. Exile: Sorry, comrade. Hunter: I don’t think Russia can make cano-mutants anyway. Colleen: Huntie. Hunter: Yes, Colleen. Colleen: I don’t think these are cano-mutants. Hunter: And why do you say that? Just then, a ball of fire lands in the middle of the brush, starting a fire which begins to spread. Colleen (Pointing to a nearby tree): Well, for one reason ... There is a Red Thunder cano-sapien in the tree. He is unarmed but has stretched his arm out toward the Rovers. The fireball obviously came from him. Exile: Mother Russia! That was a super power! Hunter: Cano-sapiens? I would not have predicted this. Bummer! The soldier shoots a few more fireballs as the Rovers dodge them. They start more brush fires. Blitz runs up to the tree and uses his claws to chop it down. The soldier is surprised to find his tree falling down. When it does, he tries to get up and run, but Blitz catches up with him and bites his tooshie. Soldier: Ahhhgh! Colleen: Well I guess he’s out of commission. Blitz: Yah, are you impressed? Colleen: Not particularly. What’s your name again? Blitz: Forget I even said anything (annoyed). Colleen: With pleasure. Exile notices some of the brushes moving like they’re being walked through but nobody is there. Exile: Comrade Hunter, Look over there. Hunter takes out his tennis ball launcher and fires an explosive tennis ball at the movement. It explodes, killing the cloaked troops. They’re suits rematerialize due to system failure. Exile: Those big doggy bad guys have really high technologski! Blitz runs head on into one soldier who points an SL-Mark 2 at his head. Soldier: Nowhere to run, Capitalist dog! Blitz: Waahhh! Please don’t kill me! The soldier pulls the trigger but he has clumsily forgotten to turn the safety off. Soldier: Hey, what’s wrong with this thing!? Blitz uses his claws and slices the weapon into several pieces while it is still in the soldier’s hands. Blitz: Let the biting begin! Soldier: First we’ll see what my comrades have to say about that. A whole squad of eight soldiers comes over the small ridge behind the other soldiers. Blitz shrieks and starts running as they chase him, firing their laser rifles. Exile sees this and freezes the ground in front of them. Blitz and the soldiers slip on the ice. Exile freezes the soldiers solid. Exile: That should hold them for longest time. Blitz: You clumsy dog you, you made me slip on the ice. Exile: I just saved your life, weird boy. Blitz: Oh yah? I could have taken those girly mutts. I was just about to bite each and every one of their tooshies. Exile: Your obsession disturbs me greatski. The brush fires have seemed to get out of control. The Rovers retreat to the shore where the Hydro and Hover Rovers are. A human Red Thunder soldier starts sneaking up behind Colleen with a knife. She pretends not to notice he gets really close. Then she reaches over her shoulder, grabs him by the arm and flings him forward, over her head. Colleen: O.J. Simpson! The soldier gets up and starts to run. He runs through a colony of nesting cormorants, scaring them all into flight. Hunter runs ahead of him really fast and grabs him from the front. Hunter: Don’t you know better than to disturb sensitive bird colonies? You need to be more environmentally conscious! Let’s start with a lesson on the water cycle. Hunter throws the soldier into a pool of water which is full of dead mayflies, then grabs him and pulls him back out, gives him a couple good punches, and pulls the helmet off his head. Hunter: And now, we’ll learn how to recycle. Hunter takes the helmet and knocks the soldier out cold with it. He falls back into the pool of dead mayflies. Hunter: Any questions, class? The rest of the Rovers walk up from behind. Colleen: I must say I admire your teaching methods, luv. Hunter: Thanks. Shag: Ra ra rara ra. Hunter: Right, we need to contact somone to put out this fire. Hunter runs back to the Hover Rover and uses the comlink to contact the Canadian Coast Guard. They send a plane and several helicopters that put out the fires. But all the fire and water has interfered with something at the center of the Island. A large structure with a door, which appeared to be a large boulder, is fading in and out of visibility with strange electrical noises. It has a small unit on it for hand or paw prints. The Rovers go to the door and make sure to bring Muzzle. Hunter puts his paw on the device. Computer Voice (Russian): Access denied. Exile: Bolshoi! How we get through door? Hunter notices the bodies of one of the troops in the spirit suits nearby. Hunter: I have an idea. He drags the body over, pulls one of the gloves off and uses the paw on the door device. Computer Voice (Russian): Access granted. The door opens, revealing an elevator. Hunter: All right Rovers, Let’s roll! To be continued.