"So, where were we?" The Wally-World Store Manager asked. He said this with some glee.
He made his way over to the bruised & bleeding Ronald Arnold Gerrimoto Beeslyhuxtoy. Ronnie couldn't do anything due to the fact he was tied to well crafted, yet low in cost Wooden chair. Seated around him were Chad, who appeared to be starring off into space, Jane & Catherine who were facing Ronnie. The trio were also tied to similar chairs.
"Wait!" Catherine yelled out. The Store Manager dressed up in a hooded light blue cape stopped. He turned his metallic masked head toward her.
"Yes?"
"What's your deal?"
"What?" He said confused.
"Why are you beating up Ronnie?"
"Retribution!" He screamed as he shook his gauntleted fist to the ceiling.
Catherine raised one of her eyebrows. "What?"
"Yes. I am enacting my retribution on this vile duo. They hath caused me much consternation."
"You know they do have pills, creams, lubes & other stuff for that. I think your store even sells some of it." Catherine said with a slight laugh.
"Not Constipation, Consternation! I lay awake a night fearful that if I drift off to sleep that these two devil men will haunt me in my dreams, nay my Nightmares! I just knew that if I ever crossed paths with them ever again, they would rue the day they ever came to Ohio!"
"Ohio?"
"Yes." The Store Manager said, he looked to ceiling like he was remembering something. "Lo those many years ago, I was young then. I felt I could take on anything. My employers also felt the same way. They bestowed me with the chance of this or any lifetime: I was to become the Assistant Manager for Ohio's biggest Wally-World location. I excelled at the position & was on my way to becoming Lead Manager but my dreams of that lofty position were dashed among brightly colored Red & Yellow rocks. I had been left in charge of the Store, the Lead Managers were out at a Meeting. Everything was going fine & according to plan until just before noon They enter the store."
He forcefully pointed in Chad & Ronnie's direction. Ronnie gave a small, weak bloody smile. Chad was still staring off into space, it was like had lost all connection to the world at large.
"I had been taught by the finest Managers in Region, I knew all the Company manuals from cover to cover & by heart. I knew all the revisions. He knew all there was to know about dealing with unruly elements. But..." He paused, he was getting choked up.
"They broke me. All my knowledge was for Naught! They went against any sort of logic that been put forth to me in my many afternoon seminars & video presentations! They didn't follow the Walters Paradigm, The Nichols Maneuver or my personal favorite: The Hwang Solution!"
The Store Manager stared to cry. Catherine wondered if it would rust his mask.
"These Devils under the guises of average Buckeyes' went against all this! They wreaked much havoc that day! Oh, it pains my memory to even think about now! As they entered the store, I knew they would. That is why I approached the one I come to know & revile as Ronnie. I told him to stop yon acts of Strangeness for they were scaring many customers. He told he would but he did not! A sort time later, their main onslaught began. The store was under attack all over. Call for Managers came in all at once. The Devils much have split up! Housewares, Apparel, Personal Hygiene, The Toy Department, Footwear, Sports Equipment & much more that I have blocked out of my memory. I almost surprised I haven't blocked out Personal Hygiene." He said with more tears, few shakes of his head no & some shivers of the body.
"Those 4 hours were the worse of my life. I didn't help me any that during that time the Manager came back, the Meeting had ended early. The Store was a Mess, so was I. They were disappointed in me, I was ashamed of myself. I wanted to stick my head in one of the ovens in Housewares & turn on the gas. But, I wouldn't. They knew my track record & thought that possibly Ohio was to big a job for me. That is why I'm here. I started here at our Goth Haven location as a lowly Stock Boy, no one knew of Ohio. I started a new & climbed the ranks. Stock Boy, Lead Stock Boy, Mechanizing Lead, Head Weekend Manager, Assistant Manager & now one of the Store Managers! In my years here, I have built up a loyal following among the employees. They are loyal to me & the cause."
"What is the Cause?"
"Eradication of them!" The Store Manager said pointing forcefully at Chad & Ronnie again. Chad was still staring off into space but Ronnie had past out. He was drooling a bit, it dripped down onto his shirt.
"It will be Five years since we met in June. I had gotten the ok from Corporate to have me & my loyalist to make a pilgrimage to Ohio. I would return to my former store & use it as my home base. We would fan out & search the state for the devils who caused me so much pain! But, now We don't have to. They came to Us!"
"Ok. That's nice." Catherine said trying to not anger the crazy man anymore. "But why are you just abusing Ronnie & not Chad?"
"The red haired one caused me the most pain so I started with him. His companion cause me some pain & will be dealt later."
"How long have to had them here?"
The Store Manager looked at the clock on the wall. "Three Hours. I would be on to his friend by now but I still have my Managerial duties to attend to."
Just then over a loud speaker came an announcement "Store Manager to Bulk Consumables. Store Manager to Bulk Consumables."
He groaned. Then began to take off his Cape, Mask & Gauntlets. Under all that was a middle aged man with balding hair & a sad looking face. He brushed down the remaining hair on his head, straightened out his clothes & then proceeded to leave the room.
After Catherine had heard the door swing open & close, she looked over at Jane. Jane caught her glance & said "What?"
Jane began look around.
"Nothing."
"Then stopped looking at me. It's creeping me out."
Catherine does.
A few minute later, Jane asked "Do you think Chad is dead?"
"What?"
"I've been here for awhile & he hasn't moved."
"Well, that's Chad. I've found that due to something in his past, he developed some weird defense mechanism that puts him into a catatonic state. I almost feel he's in that state for most of the time & only comes out rarely. I think this extreme form of it came about from when Ronnie was getting the stuff punched out of him. He may come out of it if we can reach him."
"How?"
"I know a way that might break Chad out of his state. Want to hear it?"
"Ok."
Catherine turned toward Chad & started to say louder then normal "Hey Chad! Yoohoo! Earth to Chad, come in Commander Chad! I have an important Message for Chadwick L. Swiss!"
There was some slight movement in Chad. He was still staring off into space.
"Ok. Good, We have movement." Catherine said to herself. She cleared her throat & yelled "BOOBS!"
Chad's eyes regained light. He looked in Catherine & Jane's direction with a smile & a giggle.
"Welcome back." Catherine said with a smile.
Jane turned Catherine & asked "And how do you know this?"
"I've noticed that when certain words have come up in conversation, Chad every time smiles & give a bit of a laugh to them. They for some reason are programed in him to give this reaction. I needed the one that seems to give the biggest reaction, Boobs is one of those words."
Jane didn't quite know how to respond to that.
"So, Jane. If I scoot my chair over to you.." Catherine said & paused as she began to scoot her chair over in Jane's direction. "..could you reach into my pants pocket?"
"And do what?"
"Trust me. Just reach in."
Catherine leaned herself & her chair over so it was be easy for Jane to reach her tied up hand in to the pocket.
"It should be the long rectangular object." Catherine said.
Jane felt around a bit.
"You find it?"
"Yes!" Jane said as she pulled it out.
Catherine tipped back over, the chair & her wobbled a few time side to side. Then stopped, she was set right again. Jane peered over her shoulder, the object in her hand seemed to be some type of circuit from a computer.
"What am I do with this?" Jane asked.
"Just wait. There are two buttons, one on either of the longer sides. You feel them?"
"yes."
"Press them both at the same time."
With a quick snikt, a couple inches long blade juts out from the high tech looking casing.
"Now, Jane. Cut yourself free & the rest of us." Catherine said with a smile.
After Jane had gotten herself Catherine & Chad untied, she set about untying Ronnie. He was still past out. She untied him but before he fell off the chair & on to the floor, Jane grabbed him. During this, Ronnie woke up.
"Hi." Jane said as tried to stand up with the added weight of Ronnie. He smiled.
Once up, Jane asked "Catherine, how did you get this in here?"
Jane retracted the blade & handed back to Catherine. She took it & placed it back into her pocket.
"Well, these people must not know much about kidnapping people since they didn't search me or..." Catherine said, checked the various pockets of her bag "..take my bag. I know they took Little Cat & Chad's Accordion. I saw them being sold."
"Those Jerks." Ronnie mumbled rather loudly.
"So, the question now is how do we get out of here?" Jane said.
"Yes. That's Sixty Million Dollar Question." Catherine said, tapping her index finger against her chin. She was looking towards the ceiling like she was hatching a plan.
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TO BE CONTINUED!
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