Once again, Adriana looked down at the restraints that bound her arms to the chair, and once again she couldn’t think of a way to free herself. She turned her head toward Archie. He sat dejected and listless, his chin resting on his chest, staring at the floor.
“Hey, mister mopey pants,” Adriana hissed at him, hoping not to be heard by Lazarus, “wake up. Maybe someone’s here to save us.”
“Wish I could do something to save us,” he murmured.
“Well, why isn’t there something you can do? Can’t you think of something? You’re an ancient vampire, too. Come up with a plan, man.”
“I’m hungry,” Martin said.
Adriana glared at him. “You’re always hungry,” she said. “You know, this isn’t the time to be thinking of yourself. You should be helping your pops think of a way to get us out of this.”
“Why are you whispering?” Martin asked. “You sound so angry. Are you upset about something?”
Eyes wide with disbelief, Adriana said, “Upset? Of course I’m upset. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but a big, fat evil, vampire has imprisoned us in his laboratory and is using us as guinea pigs. At least, he’s using you. He hasn’t done anything to me yet. Anyway, I’m whispering because I don’t want Lazarus to hear us.”
Martin nodded his head. “That’s smart.”
Archie lifted his head and spoke. “You know, not only do we need to escape, but we need to figure out how to stop that army of vampires Laz has ordered to go on a rampage.”
“Can’t you send them a message, old man?” Adriana said. “Send your thoughts out to call off the operation. You’re his brother, maybe they’ll think it’s him giving the order. Try to sound bossy, mentally speaking.”
“I’m not sure it’s that simple,” Archie said.
“Not sure what’s that simple?” Augusta had come in through another entrance at the far end of the lab. “Why are we all whispering?”
“We’re trying to figure out a way to stop the vampire legions around the world from spreading horror and whatnot,” Martin said.
Adriana looked at him as she would a dog that had just left her a “gift” on the carpet. “Way to go. You know she’s in cahoots with Lazarus,right?”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Augusta said. “Laz talks as if he’s in charge of everything, but the reality is that he put me in command of his legions. In fact, I’m already in charge of much of what goes on in his company. Anyway, my word is final, and I’ve ordered the blood sucking hordes of the world to stand down.”
Archie perked up when he heart that. “Why did you do that?”
“I have my reasons.” She walked over to the floored door. Surveying the damage, she immediately thought that Molly had escaped. “I see we’ve had some excitement.”
“Yeah, it got our attention,” Adriana said. “Your boyfriend went off to find out who did that.”
“He’s not really my boyfriend,” Augusta said. “It’s more of a working relationship.”
“That’s not the impression I get,” Archie said, sounding a little hurt.
“Oh, Arch, don’t be such a baby.” Augusta worried that Molly was going to try to kill Lazarus, but only end up getting hurt herself. Hurt, or something much worse. “I should probably find out what’s going on.”
“Hey, Miss Augusta,” Adriana said, “you seem like a nice lady and all, how about getting us out of these restraints?”
Augusta stood and looked at the three lab rats, pondering the ramifications of setting them free. “Here’s the deal,” she finally told them, “I have a plan. For it to work, you guys need to stay here and keep quiet. I’m going to loosen these restraints so you can get out if you need to, but I really need you stay here in your seats. If Laz comes back, pretend you're still bound to the chairs.”
“Augusta, tell us what the hell is going on,” Archie demanded.
“What’s going on,” Augusta replied, “is that I’m trying to keep you safe while I take care of my business. When the time comes for you to know what’s what, or if I need your help, which I just might, then I’ll clue you in. So sit tight. Hopefully everything will work out.”
“I don’t know why,” Adriana said, “but I trust you. Sort of.”
“Good enough for me,” Augusta replied.
“I’m still hungry,” Martin said.
Behind the tables covered in test tubes and machinery, up against a wall, was a cabinet covered in decals that read, “Warning! Radioactive material! Keep out!” Opening it, Augusta revealed shelves that were empty save for a loaf of bread and a jar of chunky peanut butter. Scooping a large blob of peanut butter out of the jar with her fingers, Augusta walked over to Martin, told him to open wide (which he did) and filled his mouth with peanut butter.
“That ought to keep you busy for a while,” she said, wiping her fingers on his shirt.
“Hey, mister mopey pants,” Adriana hissed at him, hoping not to be heard by Lazarus, “wake up. Maybe someone’s here to save us.”
“Wish I could do something to save us,” he murmured.
“Well, why isn’t there something you can do? Can’t you think of something? You’re an ancient vampire, too. Come up with a plan, man.”
“I’m hungry,” Martin said.
Adriana glared at him. “You’re always hungry,” she said. “You know, this isn’t the time to be thinking of yourself. You should be helping your pops think of a way to get us out of this.”
“Why are you whispering?” Martin asked. “You sound so angry. Are you upset about something?”
Eyes wide with disbelief, Adriana said, “Upset? Of course I’m upset. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but a big, fat evil, vampire has imprisoned us in his laboratory and is using us as guinea pigs. At least, he’s using you. He hasn’t done anything to me yet. Anyway, I’m whispering because I don’t want Lazarus to hear us.”
Martin nodded his head. “That’s smart.”
Archie lifted his head and spoke. “You know, not only do we need to escape, but we need to figure out how to stop that army of vampires Laz has ordered to go on a rampage.”
“Can’t you send them a message, old man?” Adriana said. “Send your thoughts out to call off the operation. You’re his brother, maybe they’ll think it’s him giving the order. Try to sound bossy, mentally speaking.”
“I’m not sure it’s that simple,” Archie said.
“Not sure what’s that simple?” Augusta had come in through another entrance at the far end of the lab. “Why are we all whispering?”
“We’re trying to figure out a way to stop the vampire legions around the world from spreading horror and whatnot,” Martin said.
Adriana looked at him as she would a dog that had just left her a “gift” on the carpet. “Way to go. You know she’s in cahoots with Lazarus,right?”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Augusta said. “Laz talks as if he’s in charge of everything, but the reality is that he put me in command of his legions. In fact, I’m already in charge of much of what goes on in his company. Anyway, my word is final, and I’ve ordered the blood sucking hordes of the world to stand down.”
Archie perked up when he heart that. “Why did you do that?”
“I have my reasons.” She walked over to the floored door. Surveying the damage, she immediately thought that Molly had escaped. “I see we’ve had some excitement.”
“Yeah, it got our attention,” Adriana said. “Your boyfriend went off to find out who did that.”
“He’s not really my boyfriend,” Augusta said. “It’s more of a working relationship.”
“That’s not the impression I get,” Archie said, sounding a little hurt.
“Oh, Arch, don’t be such a baby.” Augusta worried that Molly was going to try to kill Lazarus, but only end up getting hurt herself. Hurt, or something much worse. “I should probably find out what’s going on.”
“Hey, Miss Augusta,” Adriana said, “you seem like a nice lady and all, how about getting us out of these restraints?”
Augusta stood and looked at the three lab rats, pondering the ramifications of setting them free. “Here’s the deal,” she finally told them, “I have a plan. For it to work, you guys need to stay here and keep quiet. I’m going to loosen these restraints so you can get out if you need to, but I really need you stay here in your seats. If Laz comes back, pretend you're still bound to the chairs.”
“Augusta, tell us what the hell is going on,” Archie demanded.
“What’s going on,” Augusta replied, “is that I’m trying to keep you safe while I take care of my business. When the time comes for you to know what’s what, or if I need your help, which I just might, then I’ll clue you in. So sit tight. Hopefully everything will work out.”
“I don’t know why,” Adriana said, “but I trust you. Sort of.”
“Good enough for me,” Augusta replied.
“I’m still hungry,” Martin said.
Behind the tables covered in test tubes and machinery, up against a wall, was a cabinet covered in decals that read, “Warning! Radioactive material! Keep out!” Opening it, Augusta revealed shelves that were empty save for a loaf of bread and a jar of chunky peanut butter. Scooping a large blob of peanut butter out of the jar with her fingers, Augusta walked over to Martin, told him to open wide (which he did) and filled his mouth with peanut butter.
“That ought to keep you busy for a while,” she said, wiping her fingers on his shirt.
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