A Rescue of Sorts

Court strained against his restraints. It was a futile effort, but he felt that he should at least put up a token resistance. The two orderlies in the ambulance ignored him as they read newspapers and what looked like a betting slip for horse and dog races.

He couldn't believe that there were no electronics in this ambulance. He didn't even know that ambulances could move without them. Even the radio was a simple CB mocked up to look like a modern radio. The whole thing had to be decades old at least. He couldn't even get a signal on the radio, it was that old.

"I still don't get why we can't use our phones on this job," one of the orderlies said to the other.

"The boss said that it would be bad, and you don't want to piss off the boss, right?" The other orderly that Court had pegged as Knack in his brain said in a calm tone that gave Court goosebumps. "We just bring the kid to the spot and pass him along. Then we get paid and can go hit the track, okay?"

"Sure, sure," the other orderly said eagerly. He looked at Court. "Shouldn't the kid be drugged or something?"

"Nah…that'd muck up the results, the boss said," Knack replied. He rustled the newspaper he picked up. "This one looks good. NeedToRun, a longshot at fifteen-to-one. I'm thinking he's bound to win."

Court did his best to huddle away from Knack. He knew that form of passiveness far too well. Knack would do just fine as a creche guard. The other one just seemed needy for lack of a better reference. He followed everything Knack said like an attention hungry puppy.

Court was distracted at the thought of a puppy. Lucy had said that she wanted a hyena just like her mom. How exactly would one go about getting a hyena? Who knew how her mom had gotten a hyena. Lucy's parents were nuts, certifiably nuts.

Court wondered if he could coordinate with Don and 'liberate' a cub or pup or whatever you called it from a zoo. Lucy would be over the moon. She kept bemoaning the fact that she didn't have anyone to get rid of her enemies, whoever those unfortunate souls may be.

His thoughts were disrupted as the ambulance skidded to a stop. He looked at Knack and his lackey who were slowly standing up. Knack had pulled a familiar looking gun from his pocket. Court knew that it wasn't going to be shooting bullets when Knack used it.

He quickly shut his eyes when he noticed Knack turning his attention to him. Court was fast losing hope that things were going to turn around any time soon. If Lucy and the rest of his friends were going to make a move, they would have gotten him before it reached this point.

There was a distinct, meaty thump from the side of the ambulance.

"Looks like someone's looking for trouble," Knack said, kicking open the back of the ambulance.

Court craned his head up to watch them leap out the back of the ambulance. He thought it was a particularly stupid move. Just because he had that gun didn't make Knack Superman.

Court let his head fall back on the mostly flat pillow. He'd give anything to see San pop through that door right now with that stupid little smile. Then he'd tear him a new one for believing that girl. He knew how desperate San was to keep what little humanity he believed he had, but to just trust random people who claimed to know other random people?

He stared at the ceiling of the fake ambulance. They hadn't put much effort into the unseen inside of it. The fancy equipment had all been a one-shot hologram that had fizzled the moment the doors closed. He could still hear that mournful hiss in his mind.

Court sighed as another thump sounded, this one accompanied with a grunt. He hesitantly reached out, encountering an ATM just within reach. The information it gave him was patchy at best and nearly incomprehensible. Court silently promised himself that he would work more on his abilities so he wouldn't be left in such a bind again.

"Looks like you're outta luck, kid," Knack said, stumbling to the open ambulance doors. There was a thin stream of blood pouring from a cut on his forehead. "They just cut and ran. Stupid kids," he muttered, mopping at his forehead with his sleeve.

Court levered his head up just enough to see the cut. He silently blinked before lowering his head back to the stretcher.

"So, you have the keys to the cuffs, right?" Court finally asked.

"So, you do talk. Yeah, and I'm giving them to the guys we're passing you off to," Knack said. He barked a laugh. "This was an interesting job."

Court silently counted in his head as Knack clambered back aboard. He'd just got to thirty when Knack collapsed to the floor.

"You look like you got kidnapped by bad guys," a peppy voice said.

"Hello, Rena," Court greeted. He glanced down at the unconscious Knack. "Still using that poison stuff?"

"Of course, of course," Rena said, her smile growing wider as she approached. She knelt down next to Knack and started going through his pockets. "It would be such a waste if I didn't, right?"

Court laughed, shaking his head. He always thought that if he hadn't been chasing after Lucy, he might have started chasing after Rena. The two had never been friends in the traditional sense, but they were the only two who could stand each other's company for longer than a few hours.

Of course, the other reason he'd never bothered about Rena was…

"This was work, you know. Do you know how much I hate actual work?" came that lazy voice he knew all too well.

"Liar. You love work," Court replied.

Jebediah climbed into the ambulance and examined the stretcher with critical eyes. For once, his haystack of wayward dirty blonde hair was combed into a neat, trendy hairstyle. He was also wearing a hipster's outfit of pants, white shirt and hi-tops. It was topped off by a swinging overcoat and a satchel slung crosswise over his torso.

Court could hear the welcome thrum of electronics from the satchel. He frowned in puzzlement.

"Oh, that? Had it shielded. Couldn't have you giving things away, right?" Jebediah said. He pulled out a bowie knife and started slicing the restraints. "You find that cuff key, babe?"

"Right here, babe!" Rena said, standing.

A few seconds more and Court was standing unsteadily on his feet.

"Thanks for the rescue, but why?" Court asked.

"They're hunting us, Court." Jebediah said. Beside him, Rena nodded like a sad little pixie. "It's not just you. It's everyone."

"They got Morris and Paul," Rena said. "We were going to have lunch, but we stopped because Jeb needed a new soldering iron." She cut a fulminating look at Jeb. "A soldering iron," she repeated.

"Do we still have to keep talking about the soldering iron?" Jebediah asked.

"Do you see a Louis bag on my arm? Do you see Wayne Corp's latest earbuds in my ear?" Rena asked.

"Condolences," Court said, slowly easing away. He grinned at Jebediah's outraged look. "Your girl, your issue," he immediately followed up with.

"I will get you that stupid bag and those stupid ear things," Jebediah said. "I'm sorry that we were busy running for our lives instead of going shopping."

"As long as you're promising that I'm still getting my bag," Rena huffed. She turned and hopped out of the ambulance. "Well, come on! The jammers aren't going to last forever."

"At least she wants a bag. Mine wants a hyena puppy…or cub… or whatever you call them," Court said, following Rena.

"Wait! Where would you even get something like that?" Jebediah asked. He nudged Knack with a toe before a slow, wicked smile bloomed. "The perfect specimen for that thing I did," he muttered, pulling a syringe from his satchel.

He jammed the needle into Knack's arm and injected the serum within. Then he carefully wiped the needle clean before detaching it and tucking it into Knack's shirt pocket.

"Jeb!" Rena called.

"Coming!" Jebediah called back. He took a quick step back as Knack started melting. "Hmm…still not there yet. I think I need to examine that Clayface specimen again."

He turned and exited the ambulance, muttering under his breath.