Serialization of "Quedly Dake and His Quest to Conquer the Globe" — Chapter 21 of 25
From Book 3 of the “Taterskin & The Eco Defenders” Trilogy
After exiting Dake’s soon-to-be-former office, Albert turned around and called out, “Last one out, turn the lights off.” That was me. I was the last one out, keeping an eye on Rovette and our pups as they exited the room in front of me. So I turned out the lights, with my nose. It’s funny the things some people think of to do, or have done, when you would think their minds would be on other, more important, things.
We crammed into the elevator, and somebody made a comment about being squeezed in there like sardines. Ooga noted that we probably exceeded the weight limit posted on the inside of the elevator.
“It’ll be okay,” Yukyuk said. She didn’t really know whether it would be okay or not, but was impatient to get back up to the roof, and was willing to chance it not being okay. She was tired of being cooped up first in Dake’s office and now in a cramped elevator.
None of us said anything, either in agreement or disagreement with Yukyuk; Albert finally shrugged and pushed the button that would lift us to the roof of the U.N. building.
We ascended smoothly for a few seconds, with nobody saying a word, but just staring silently at the floor, as people (and animals) are wont to do while riding in elevators. But then the silence was broken.
“Stop tickling me!” Alexis said. This annoyed demand was aimed at one of the three men currently lodging under her left wing. A muffled and shrill complaint was heard emanating from beneath her wing. Tubthumper, having the best hearing of all of us (maybe it’s the big flappy ears of hers that gives her this superpower) told us what was being said.
“Reid says that he can’t move his leg, where he was stung by Rinky’s venomous spur. He’s afraid he’s been paralyzed and is saying something about ‘Workman’s Comp,’ whatever that is. And that it still hurts ‘like the Dickens’,” Tubthumper informed us.
It was among the best of times for us, but apparently the worst of times for Reid.
“Tell him the paralysis will gradually subside, and the pain eventually, too,” Rinky said, not overly concerned about Reid’s discomfort.
As Alexis was relaying this intelligence to the long-suffering Reid, we reached the roof.
We were greeted by Terri, who had been impatiently waiting, intermittently looking out at the skyline and trying to nap with one eye closed.
Albert decompressed “The Four Bigs” to 1/8th their natural size, the largest he could make them and still be able to fit in the Androcles. He then plucked the three captives from beneath the African Parrot’s left wing and set them down in the corner of the roof furthest from the stairway leading down to the top floor.
“All aboard the Androcles,” Albert called out, and we Eco Defenders climbed into the aircraft. He then decompressed Bumney and Reid back to their natural size, and instructed them to wait until we were out of sight to leave the roof.
“We will be watching you, or more specifically, Terri Wingfinger, that Pterodactyl over there, will be watching you,” Albert warned them.
They hadn’t noticed the prehistoric creature until then. “Egads! What an ugly bird!” Dake spluttered.
One flap of her giant wings, and Terri alighted heavily directly in front of the former Dictator. “I’m not a Bird, I’m a flying Lizard, you blind-as-a-bat numb-skull!” she said. “And you obviously need to make an appointment with an optometrist, as I am the beauty of the skies, the most fashionable and elegant—”
“That’s enough, friend Terri,” Drako said. “Dake is not worth wasting your breath on.”
“Terri will be watching you,” Albert reiterated, “and if you make for the exit while you’re still in sight, she will fly down here and deal with you” (which was a euphemism on Albert’s part).
Bumney and Reid could imagine what being ‘dealt with’ by the Pterodactyl would mean, so they quietly nodded their heads, indicating they understood and would comply with the directive to remain in view until we were well away.
“What about me?” Dake asked, still in his ‘economy-sized’ state. “Aren’t you going to decompress me?”
The previous chapter can be found here.
The next chapter can be found here.
Book 1 of Taterskin & The Eco Defenders, “Wonders Never Cease,” can be found here.
Book 2 of Taterskin & The Eco Defenders, “Tell It To Future Generations,” can be found here.
Book 3 of Taterskin & The Eco Defenders, “Quedly Dake and His Quest to Conquer the Globe,” can be found here.
