Book 4: Chapter 34: Higher-Ups
Bob
July 2334
Three Lagoons
My manny’s AMI alerted me to a non-routine condition, and I quickly entered the android. A lot of banging and dragging seemed to indicate that my captors were un-barricading the door to my room. I waited patiently and was finally rewarded with a view of the pointy end of several short swords.
“Greetings. Why, yes, I will have the pie,” I said with a smile.
No one appeared to have had enough coffee, because there was a distinct lack of humor in their responses. One of them blinked a few times, and Frieda waved “get up” with her sword.
As I exited my room, I came face-to-face with Popeye. He glared at me, but was as silent as the rest. I didn’t see any casts or cartoon X-shaped Band-Aids anywhere, so I guess I hadn’t hurt him too badly. Probably just a few bruises and a fractured ego.
There was a surprise waiting for me—a new, much heftier set of manacles, of the metal variety. And a cop. Or at least someone dressed as a cop. It occurred to me that if we were going for a walk, there would have to be an explanation for one of us being in chains.
Finally, Frieda broke the silence. “If you step out of line, we’ll kill you, and to hell with any information you might have.”