A trail of aching derrières- next time they'll be more thoughtful

[gone_byebye]

The door opens onto an expanse of asphalt, steel, and glass. Nearby a sign reads:

WELCOME TO WHITE FLINT MALL
BEST PRICES IN THE DC AREA

4708 BETHESDA AVENUE
CHEVY CHASE, MD

It's a big parking lot, with the mall itself only visible off in the distance. Ray gives it the squint-eye before turning to the others. "Okay, people," he says. "This is it. Johnny says it's underground. Egon's best estimates indicate three miles down. Are we good?"

Comments

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

The Alien-Kitsune laughs.

"They generally have it comin'," he says.

Now the Alien is wearing a traditional, English, fox-hunting coat. "The game's afoot! Release the hounds!"

With that, he goes flying down the hall after the rest of the team.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"I think it's more bowling than hunting. They all look like heavily armored pins to me," joked Danny.

[gone_byebye]

An auburn-haired woman who looked as if she would've been Dana Scully had the gods been a little nicer to her poked her head out one of the doors. She caught one glimpse of the monstrosities and retreated, but a reasonably good ear could hear her yelling into the telephone, "Sir? SIR! WE HAVE COMPANY!" Down the hall a sallow-skinned man with curly grey hair and thick round glasses also peered into the hallway, but he screamed like a Malfoy and fell over in a dead faint.

And down a little bit further than that...

"What the hell is going on here?" shouted a voice familiar to anyone who ever watched Ivan Reitman's 1984 opus.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

Foxtrot pauses in his headlong pursuit. And raises one claw to where ears would be on a humanoid individual.

"Hark! I do believe I hear the belligerent bellow of a certain dickless wonder!"

Both sets of chitinous jaws grinned viciously. "Shall we go say hi?"

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Can a punch in the face mean 'hi'?" Danny asked hopefully.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

"That's more of a 'how ya' doin'?'" FX laughs. "I'd say a kick to the 'nads would be more along the lines of a 'hi'."

A pimplely, programmer type has the poor fortune to stumble into the hall just in time to hear him say that last bit. One thing he did not need to see or hear was two, terrifying creatures discussing genital trauma as a universal greeting. He pales. When the pair turns to look at him, he squeals, covers his groin and flees in the other direction.

[gone_byebye]

The squealing is grounds for a door to swing open. "Some of us are in CONFERENCE, people-"

If you thought Walter Peck was pale-skinned naturally, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

"Oh fuck," he mutters at the sight.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

There's always a brief pause after a statement like that is uttered.

Danny let it pass, then staring at Peck, with perfect timing, he did the hiss.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

Foxtrot mentally cheers the kid and crouches down tensing for a spring as his jaws open and do the acid-drooling bit again.

A familiar voice seems to whisper in Peck's ear.

"I told you my associates were quite capable of exacting justice all on their own."

If he looks left, there will be a hand-tall Mr. Morden perched on his shoulder.

[gone_byebye]

Peck's eyeballs slide all the way over to the left as far as they can manage before he has to turn his head.

Then- because he is sensible, at least in matters pertaining to his own continued survival- he doesn't even waste his time with shrieking. He just turns and bolts.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Take the illusion off--I've got something scarier," Danny said to FX, starting their merry chase. As soon as the illusion was off, Danny disappeared through the floor.

...And reappeared right in front of Peck.

Then he multiplied, only...it didn't come out so good.



One the heads leaned forward, inches away from Peck's face.

"Boo."

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

FX, for his part, shifts form to a fox the size of a shetland pony for his pursuit.

But he skids to a stop when Danny pulls that little stunt.

"Ewwwww!"

[gone_byebye]

o___O

Wow.

His brain done broke.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

All of the faces smirked and there was a shploooort as the myriad of body parts retracted into one Danny again.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

Peck's brain had better put itself back together quickly. Behind him, a bark of laughter slides into a deep, gloating growl.

[gone_byebye]

Peck's brain? Totally bye-bye.

Peck's spinal column? Still functional, and tripping all the 'flight' options under 'fight or flight' reflexes. Mind you, it'd jump out and flee under its own power if it could, but c'mon. It's a spinal column. Not gonna happen.

Translation: See Peck. See Peck Run. Run, Peck, Run.

It's Not Going To Help You Anyway.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

No It Isn't!

Foxtrot chases after Peck as the former EPA agent darts around Danny and plunges down the hall.

Perhaps another change of costume is in order...

***

Second-level Tech Peirson knew something was up. He didn't know what and he hadn't asked. Mainly because, in Foliage Census, asking snoopy questions about what's going on outside your department isn't exactly good for your career...or your continued freedom.

But something was up and he was getting a sneaking suspicion that it was major. Having cartoon characters show up at your coffee break to critique the brew will do that to you.

The sound of running footsteps outside his office drew his attention to the door. He managed to catch a glimpse of a red-headed man running hell-bent-for-leather.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE

You see weird things in FC...but a Sherman Tank with an overgrown fox riding in the turret dressed as General Patton certainly takes the cake.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Even stranger was that he was being followed by asuperhero.

...One that didn't look like a ghost.

In fact, he looked like he was in his rightful place fighting right alongside Patton and his tank.

Weeeird.

[gone_byebye]

It is a fact of life that people watch you with the most interest when you least want to be watched. Peck has long been aware of this. Oh, yes. He knows.

Maybe they won't be able to follow him if he gets a really good head of steam going. And he knows where he can accomplish that- the maintenance corridors. He rips open the first maintenance door he comes to and charges down the empty spaces towards the closet he knows is waiting for him.

[wyrd-fox.livejournal.com]

That might work...if he was dealing with ordinary pursuers. Foxtrot is a superb tracker and has Peck's scent strong in his nose. And both he and Danny have a little advantage when it comes to walls.

"Oi! He's boltin for cover!" FX shouts, shifting from a tank-driving fox to a monitor lizard-riding samauri.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Danny beeped his communicator.

"Incoming! The chicken is coming home to roost--I repeat, the chicken is coming home to roost. So fire up the grill, guys."

He beeped it off.

Then he beeped it back on again.

"Hey, how come we didn't get Starfleet comm badges? That would've made this even cooler."