Bushroot regarded her with an uneasy, awkward smile. "You okay?"

"I've been worse," she said, sighing.

"Why'd you have to go and run off like that?" Asked Megavolt.

"Because -- well, just because I needed to be alone. You guys made me feel trapped." She glanced between the two supervillains crowding her against a towering display of unsold Rescue Ranger merchandise. "Kinda like right now, in fact."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to take you out for a nice afternoon," Bushroot explained.

"Bushroot --" She corrected herself. "Reggie, I know. It's just that some people," she made a pointed look toward Megavolt, "won't take a hint and leave us alone."

"Oh!" Megavolt said, finally catching on. Or at least, he feigned like he did.

Tegwen's heart sank. While she had no interest in the rodent, she did count him among her short list of friends. And she also knew leaving things as they were would make it complicated come the next Fearsome Five meeting. If she was lucky and he didn't kick her out of his hideout, where he'd been gracious enough to let her stay. "Come on," she said as confidently as she could, grabbing both of their right hands. "The sooner we all find a way out, the sooner we can actually work through this mess, okay?"

She glanced around the store. It, like the rest of the mall, was a madhouse. And seeing as how she had been discovered, there was really no reason to remain in that location. Searching for a safe place within the mall during the Christmas shopping season was a daunting task; one Tegwen realized intimidated her more than rescuing Megavolt from his rooftop skirmish with Darkwing Duck.

It took ten minutes and two crowded aisles before Tegwen finally caught sight of the way out. However, there were twenty check stands with lines at least fifteen patrons back between her and her freedom, and pressing ahead would be relatively futile. While looking for another escape route, strains of a nearby conversation reached her ears.

"Do you like my pretty pink dress? We'll be best friends!"

"I t'ink it's talkin' to ya. Seein' as how ya both have de same fashion sense! And to t'ink, 'igh Command seriously wants dese t'ings. Shut it up, willya?"

Tegwen frowned. No. That couldn't be . . . Not here, not now!

"I'd sure like to but I can't! There's no off switch."

She flinched, clenching her eyes shut. Oh hell. Crap. Seriously?!

go back | return to table of contents | continue