56. Federal Follies

Chapter 54 - Federal Follies

After the incident in the junkyard, the Boonchuys and the Loyalitat's were relieved that everyone was safe. They were shocked knowing how much had happened to Anne and Darrel the last few months. They were even more shocked knowing that they have special powers that could make them super strong and super fast. They all returned home and made sure they got plenty of rest.

The next day, Darrel woke up from his long rest. He was back in his room feeling rejuvenated but woozy in the head. "Wow, what a night," he said. "You really gave your family quite a shock."

Darrel turns to see Tint looking out the window. "But they said they've never been more proud of you for stepping up," he said. Darrel smiled, "Well I've faced worse." Tint shook his head, "Not the robot, the Boonchuys." Darrel was most confused. "You stepped up and defended Anne against her mother's judgment. You knew that she was growing up, that she wanted to protect her parents from danger. And now, they see the man you wanted to become for yourself."

"Really?" Darrel asked. "See for yourself," said Tint. Just then, Darrel's phone vibrates a text message. The text was from Anne asking him, "Going to the movies, bringing the Plantars, wanna come?" Darrel smiled, "Guess we're relaxing for today. It's time I showed you my favorite place in LA." Tint smiled and the two headed downstairs.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the suburbs of the neighborhood, a strange ice cream truck was parked on the street. But inside the truck was more than just a stash of frozen treats. It was an undercover spy van with two agents occupying the area. One was typing on the computer wearing a headset and a loose tie around his neck. The other agent sitting behind him was bald, wearing glasses, a purple suit with a yellow hibiscus. He also wears purple lipstick to match the suit.

"Do you know why they call me Mr X, Jenny?" He asked his partner. Jenny remains silent in response to his question. "Right you are Jenny," said Mr X. "I deal explicitly with extraterrestrials. And rumor has it that there are a few in the area. Hit it Jenners."

Jenny types on the computer bringing up the file of the Plantars and Tint on screen. "Very good, Jenny. Very nice," said Mr X. "This is why you're the best." Jenny may be silent around his partner, but he has his way of showing appreciation. Mr X notices Jenny blushing to his compliment.

"But, who is this I wonder?" Mr X asked, pointing at Anne's arm and Darrel's hand. The image clearly got a clear shot of the amphibians, but they missed a shot of the humans. "Miss String Bean."

Jenny types in any possible theory that they could be aliens too, but the computer comes up with no identification. Other than likely to be a human companion.

"Sounds like some real eighties movie junk," said Mr X. "Well one thing's for sure, these aliens are being sheltered. And whoever is harboring these monsters will be in big trouble."

Suddenly, a knock on the door was heard. Outside was a kid hoping to get ice cream from their truck. Mr X opens the window door to see the kid. "One popsicle, please," he said. "Sorry little man," said Mr X. "This is the last one." He bites down the last popsicle and shuts the door on the kid.

"Now we've got to get these aliens before someone gets abducted, or worse," said Mr X. Then, his stomach growls claiming a popsicle is not satisfying to him. "Okay, we need some real food," said Mr X. Jenny types in the best local restaurants and finds Thai Go near their location. This made Mr X most pleased, "Jenny, Jenny, Jenny, you've done it again."

At Thai Go, Mr And Mrs Boonchuy were feeling so amped up from last night's encounter with the cloak bot. Sprig, Polly, and Hop pop were helping them prep the restaurant. "Is it just me, or is anyone feeling amped up since we fought the robot?" Mrs Boonchuy asked. "Kicked that robot's butt you mean," replied Mr Boonchuy. "Remember I was all Wa-Pow, and you were all Choo- Choo!"

"Sounds like you got a case of post battle euphoria," said Hop pop. "Nothing like a brush of death to make you feel alive," said Sprig.

Mr and Mrs Boonchuy were so excited to prepare for what comes next they asked about it. "So what's next? I'm ready to fight!" cheered Mrs Boonchuy. "Hopefully nothing," said Anne as she entered the kitchen. "Unless Andrias sends another robot, we're safe for now."

"So, Darrel and I are taking the Plantars and Tint to their first movie." Ever since Darrel announced that he and Anne started getting closer, Mr and Mrs Boonchuy were happy for their daughter. Especially with the boy that temporarily worked with them to pay off his debt. "Well I'm glad that you and Darrel are together," said Mrs Boonchuy.

"And if anything comes up, we're ready," said Mr Boonchuy. "I even broke out the old pull-up bar." Mr Boonchuy attempts to make one pull up. Only for the pull-up bar to snap in half and fall on his back. "Guys, please," said Anne. "Leave the danger to us okay?"

Then, Darrel enters the restaurant and calls for Anne and the Plantars. "Guys! I'm here!" he called. Mr Boonchuy limps his way to the counter and Mrs Boonchuy follows him. "There he is," groaned Mr Boonchuy. "Can we have a minute?" Mrs Boonchuy asked.

Darrel soon realized he knew where this was going to go. He nodded yes and stood in front of the counter. "Okay," said Darrel. At first he was going to put his arms on the counter, but he wanted to be polite.

"We're just tickled pink about you and Anne," said Mr Boonchuy. "But not too pink," said Mrs Boonchuy. "Time to have a fam to Darrel talk." Darrel stood firm, "I'm listening." "We want Anne to be happy," said Mr Boonchuy. "That's what we all want," said Darrel. "Because if she's not happy," warned Mrs Boonchuy. "It'll be toilet duty for the restaurant the rest of your life."

Darrel backed up a few feet out of fear. "Mom! Please!" said Anne. "It's not a date if our friends are coming with us." "I know, I just want to make sure you all have fun," said Mrs Boonchuy. "If you guys have any problems, just call us," said Mr Boonchuy.

The group exit the restaurant and take their bikes to the movie theater. "And now," said Anne. "Movie time." They make their way to the location Super Cinemas Forty. Inside the movie plex, the amphibians gasp in amazement.

"Hello sensory overload," said Polly. "Woah, what is this, a church?" Hop pop asked. "Pretty much," said Anne. "This place is like a sanctuary to kids and teenagers," said Darrel. "We come here, enjoy the sweet scent of butter popcorn, and watch our movies in peace and quiet. The moment everything goes dark, nothing matters but the screen in front of you."

Anne takes Darrel's hand and says, "And the people you spend your time with." Darrel smiles,until he sees Anne start to frown. "What's wrong, Anne?" "I'm just thinking about my folks," replied Anne. "I don't like the idea of putting those two in harm's way. I know we took down that robot together but they're still just parents. They shop for groceries and coach little league tee ball."

Darrel smiled, "And my little sisters are still into sports and dancing. I don't want them to get hurt, but they'd do anything for me. They wanted to help me, so I'm letting them." He takes out his phone and shows Anne his last text message with his sisters. 'Keep the Boonchuy's company. Try not to break anything.'

Anne smiled, feeling a bit better knowing Darrel's sisters are helping her family. "Well," said Tint. "Luckily today is a stress free day with no danger or conflict." "Then let's go," said Darrel. "The movie's about to start."

Back at Thai Go, Amelia and Jane were in the dining room helping the Boonchuy's like they said they would. Then, the door opens revealing Mr X. Amelia and Jane didn't know what to expect, so they treated him like a regular customer. "Welcome to Thai Go," said Jane. "Dine in or Take out?"

"Why hello there you cute things," said Mr X. "I'll take it from here," said Mrs Boonchuy as she exited the kitchen. Mr X uses his wheelie shoes to approach the counter. The two greet with a little bit of Thai. "I was stationed in Phuket for a bit. We'll take one Pad see ew."

"And while we're at it," Mr X takes out a photo and shows it to Mrs Boonchuy. The photo reveals the Plantars and Tint screaming from the chase. "Have you seen any odd creatures walking around? Probably disguised as humans?"

Mrs Boonchuy stares in shock, realizing that the photo is legit. She sweats out a few droplets and says, "Hehehe, What strange shapes they are. Haven't seen them. Who's asking?"

Mr X decides to tell her who he is, "Oh just your friendly neighborhood, federal government." He shows her the federal badge, thus making Amelia And Jane gulp in fear.

"Yes, very nice," said Mrs Boonchuy. "Hooray government." Mr Boonchuy arrives with the food and gives it to Mr X. Just then, Jenny comes in showing Mr X that the string bean has been sighted with the Plantars and Tint.

Mr X pays the Boonchuys and takes the food. "Gotta go. Is your stun gun charged Jenny? Tell me it's charged!" Mr X takes out his stun gun and amps up the juice as they leave the restaurant.

Jane and Amelia stood in shock. "We have to help them!" Amelia shouted. "Get in the car," said Mrs Boonchuy. "I'll explain everything." The four get in Mr Boonchuy's car and make their way to the movie theater.

Amelia tries calling Darrel, while Mrs Boonchuy tries calling Anne. "Any luck?" Jane asked. "No," replied Mrs Boonchuy. "Come on, come on." The two try calling again, but to no avail.

On the other end of the phone line, Darrel and Anne's phones were silent. And of course they would be silent considering that they were watching the movie. The amphibians were gazing at the size of the screen.

Another movie trailer came on and that made Hop pop a little grouchy. "Twenty minutes of trailers? And you call yourselves uncivilized." Sprig leans back deep into his seat, feeling like he's being pushed back by the audio. "Does anyone else feel like this audio video experience is a little overwhelming?" he asked. "Probably," replied Tint. "Entertainment that makes your ears bleed?" Polly asked. "I'm here for it baby!"

"I have to admit," said Anne. "It is pretty difficult to hear anything." Darrel nods in agreement, and shares his popcorn with Anne. The two touched hands and blushed as they pulled away. But as the movie began, the two humans silently held hands and didn't let go.

Meanwhile, on the road, Jane, Amelia, and the Boonchuys were still not getting a response from Anne and Darrel. They continued to follow Mr X's undercover truck. "They're still not answering," said Amelia. "Maybe their movie just started," said Jane.

"Ugh, we're going to lose him in the traffic," said Mr Boonchuy. "That's because you drive like an old man," said Mrs Boonchuy. "Move over!" She takes the wheel and shifts to the curb of the freeway and speeds past the traffic. The girls were cheering in excitement while MR Boonchuy was freaked out.

They pass Mr X's truck and slow down in front of them to buy them some time. Mr X caught wind and thought it was reckless drivers. "Man, this city, I tell ya," he said to himself. He activates a secret button on the steering wheel causing the axles of the truck to reach high up and speed over the Boonchuy's car. The Boonchuy's and Darrel's sisters were most surprised by this shocking development.

After the movie ended, the group walked out. "Well it was no Suspicion Island," said Hop pop. "What did you say?!" Sprig shouted trying to get his hearing back. "I thought the protagonist was pretty fun," said Anne. "Especially her companion," said Darrel. "I liked that she was very flawed and had room to grow," said Anne. "And I liked that her friend allowed her to make her own choices, being aware of the consequences that follow," said Darrel.

The two of them suddenly realize that they're still holding hands, but they smile and don't let go. Anne reaches for her phone, and suddenly sees the texts her mom sent. 'Anne!' 'Secret Gov't Agent' 'Watch out for Ice Cream Truck!'

Just then, Mr X enters the theater, giving off a dramatic yet stylish posture. "Oh crud," said Anne. "You're telling me," said Darrel. "That is not your average ice cream vendor."

"Back inside, gang," said Anne, pushing her friends. "No, not another one," said Sprig. The group enter another movie screening just as Mr X catches a glimpse of them.

The group hid in a row of seats, hoping they didn't get caught. "Guys, there's a secret agent after us," said Anne. "We have to find a way out of this place without him-" Their hiding place gets compromised when they see Mr X sipping his soda.

"Tell me," he said. "Are you folks from the area? Or just visiting?" "Run!" Darrel cried. The group jumped out to make their escape. "Oh, how I love a good chase," said Mr X.

Mr X gives them a chase after leaving the screening. The group tried to hide behind the garbage can, then they took off back into the lobby after Mr X skated away from them.

"I think we lost him," said Hop pop. "Great," said Anne. "But don't stop." "Wait, stop!" Darrel shouted. The group stops to see Jenny checking the humans for any extraterrestrial signs. If they're clear of signs, they're clear to leave. If not, then the entire government would be on top of the new visitors.

"He's blocking the way," said Tint. "We're trapped." Anne's phone goes off, and answers it. "They're watching the exit," she said. "We need to find another way out." "We're coming in to help," said Mr Boonchuy. "No," said Anne, "I don't want you getting in trouble. We can handle it."

Darrel snatches her phone, "Give me that! Jane, Amelia, Boonchuys, when you get to the theater, don't come in. See if you guys can find a way to distract them, or find us another way out. Put me on speaker so my sisters can hear."

"Okay," said Mr Boonchuy. He tries to put the phone on speaker, "Okay, let's see. How do we do this?" As he taps his finger on the phone, a speed dial activates. Darrel hears an elderly woman speaking in Thailand. 'Do you know what time it is?'

"What the-?" Darrel removes the phone from his ear to show Anne the elderly woman. "Oops," said Mr Boonchuy. "I guess I accidentally-" 'Anne? Is that you?' asked the woman. 'I haven't seen you in ages. You look skinny! Have you been eating? Is that a boy? Are you on a date?'

"Hi Grandma," said Anne. "Yeah, I just had a sandwich. Mom, Dad, just stay in the car where it's safe!" "Anne," said Darrel. "They can help us! Just find another way out, and we'll meet you there." "Bye grandma, love you," said Anne as she ended her call.

The four humans enter the parking lot and observe the situation. "How do we get them out?" Mrs Bonochuy asked. "Me and Jane will go around the theater to find another way," said Amelia. "If we find something we'll text you."

Jane and Amelia take their leave to scour the perimeter, then Mr Boonchuy gets an idea. "I have an idea. Not only to get them out, but to deal with these agents too. Quick! To the pet store!" The Boonchuys drive away to go through with Mr Boonchuy's idea.

Back inside the theater, Anne, Darrel, the Plantars, and Tint were coming up with a plan of their own. However, their plan making came to a halt when they spot Mr X entering the lobby, taser in hand.

"Hide!" Anne shouted. The group race off while Mr X watches in thrill. "Well this is getting fun," he said.

The group entered a storage closet, but realized they were cornered. "Oh crud, it's a dead end," said Anne. But there was a poster of a movie called Dead End. "Ah, classic," said Hop pop. "Shh," said Tint. "Hide."

Just then, Mr X comes in and finds a silhouette of Hop pop in front of him. "Now what could this be?" He spins the silhouette around only to reveal it was a cardboard cutout of a character. "Now!" Darrel cried. Tint pushes over a couple of cutouts onto Mr X, and the group make their escape.

But Mr X was able to grab Tint by the leg and bring him into the light. Exposing his disguise in the process. "What even are you?" Mr X asked. "And why are you so slimy?" "It's not slime!" Tint shouted as he tried to muster a simple flame spell from his hands. "It's mucus!"

With little flame he has, he grabs Mr X by the hand and burns it in the process. He tries to blow it out, but Sprig knocks him in the head with a film reel and the group escape the closet.

Mr X leaves the closet and contacts Jenny. "Jenny, you are not going to believe this! They're big beautiful talking frog monsters! Call in the troops."

The group hid in one of the stalls in the bathrooms, trying to hide from plain sight. Darrel's phone vibrates and he answers, revealing it to be Jane. "Darrel, I think we've found another way to get you out of here."

"Great Jane, what is it?" Darrel asked. "There's a ventilation shaft that goes from the bathrooms to the dumpster outside. Can you get there?" "Funny enough, we're hiding in one right now," said Darrel. "Great," said Jane. "Do you see a vent above you guys?" Darrel looks up and sees one above him. "Yes, we'll meet you there," said Darrel.

Then, Anne's phone rings, and she answers her father. "Okay, so your mother and I have a plan to get you out," said Mr Boonchuy. "Darrel's sisters might have found an escape route already. This is a really good plan." "Don't worry," said Darrel. "We've found our escape route, we'll climb up without them catching us, while you go in with your plan." An innocent bystander hears the whole thing and feels awkward, "Man, this city I tell you."

However, as they prepare their plan, the entire police squad enters the parking lot. FBI troops come rushing in with dog catcher equipment and nets. Jane and Amelia come back to give the Boonchuys the news. "They're in the bathroom," said Amelia. "Are you all ready?" Mrs Boonchuy asked. "Born ready," replied Mr Boonchuy. They get out their tools and put their plan in place.

The FBI and Jenny enter the theater and find Mr X waiting in front of the women's restroom. "They're in there," said Mr X. "Come on, everyone. Showtime!" The squad breaks down the door and MR X says, "Let's grab ourselves some frog aliens."

The FBI squad breaks down every stall only for the power to go off. Every member was confused until Mr X pulled out a flashlight. He shines on the open stall revealing two frogs and a tadpole on top of the toilet seat.

The FBI Squad was laughing at Mr X's reveal, leaving him upset and embarrassed. "Looks like our little friends are smarter than I thought," he said. "We're going to have fun with this one Jenny, and we'll have the last laugh!"

Back outside the theater, the group escapes from the ventilation shaft guided by Jane. "That plan was amazing," said Darrel. "Dad, Mom, how did you do that?" Anne asked. "Well, parents have a special set of skills," replied Mrs Boonchuy.

"While Darrel's sisters were finding another way out of the movie theater," said Mr Boonchuy. "Anne's mother bought us some time." "At the same time," said Mrs Boonchuy. "Your father got the frogs at the pet store down the street. And remember when we tried to fix the electricity?" "Yeah," replied Anne. "Wasn't that a disaster?" "Yep," said Mr Boonchuy. "We knew exactly what not to do."

The group was astounded by their plan and how well it was pulled off. "You guys seriously did all of that?" Anne asked. "I can't believe it." "I can," replied Darrel. "Because I wanted to trust them the way they trust me."

"I'm sorry I misjudged you guys," said Anne. "It's okay sweetie," said Mr Boonchuy. "We forgive you," said Mrs Boonhcuy. "And besides we knew you were in good hands. Darrel's a great boyfriend. He stood by your side especially when things got rough." "We can't thank you enough for being there for our daughter," said Mr Boonchuy.

Darrel smiled with glee as he held Anne's hand, making the two teens blush. "Wait a minute," said Anne. "How did Jane and Amelia know which bathroom we were in?" "Because we play communications using that vent," said Amelia. "We knew it would lead straight to the girls bathroom." "Wait," said Darrel. "THAT WAS THE GIRL'S BATHROOM!?"

"Plus, we may have known from the tracking device we put on Hop pop when he was sleeping," said Mr Boonchuy. Hop pop removes his shirt and reveals the tracking device taped on his chest. "I was wondering what that was," he said. "WHAT?!" Anne shouted. Polly quickly removes the tracker causing Hop pop to scream from the stinging sensation of tape quickly removed from his chest.

I can't wait for Amphibia and the Owl House to come back next month. I hope you guys are catching wind of what my message is. Let's find out what we've got so far.

THE TALE OF _ _ _. By the end of the season, we'll get to see what's next.