[_____V_____]

Inside a nearby office, Sheriff Tic addresses his deputies.


Tic: This is the fourth disappearance this month! Last night, Hellfire1 was out for a midnight stroll and never got back home...

Deputy FerretChucker: What about my ferrets? They have been disappearing all over the place!

Deputy Marya Zaleska: Shut it, kid. This is serious.

Deputy Fortunato: I really think we should take a closer look at that mansion up north. It had been abandoned for a long time, but lately I see some signs of life around it.

Tic (curiously): Such as?

Fortunato: Wolves and such. They usually dont frequent an area unless there is something to eat.

FerretChucker (in a low voice): Nobody takes my ferrets seriously...

Tic (impatiently): Not one more word about ferrets! Cant you realise how serious this situation is, young man? If one more person disappears, the Mayor has declared that he will have our badges.

Fortunato: I had made a round of that place a week back. At first I thought someone was looking at me through one of the windows, but when I looked back no-one was there. The place sure is creepy...especially at night, with the jungle and wolves around.

Marya Zaleska: It would be better to go prepared.

Tic: Alright. Get all the stuff we need. We leave rightaway.

Marya Zaleska: Do we take the car, or our horses?

Tic: Horses. I dont want to get stuck in that place at night with the car broken down.

FerretChucker (to himself): My ferrets wo-

Fortunato (pointing at FerretChucker): Can I put a bullet in his head first, Sheriff?


All three glare at FerretChucker, who looks downwards, grumbling. They then walk out of the office into the nearby shed and take out their horses. Fortunato follows them into it, with a green bag.


FerretChucker: A ferret would move much faster than a horse.

Marya Zaleska (angrily): And...your point is?

FerretChucker (stammering hurriedly): N-n-nothing.

Tic: Looks like a storm is headed our way. It might rain soon.

Fortunato: Lets hope we get back by then. (loads his shotgun)


The small group rides out into the path leading northwards and cross a sign which says "Synthelvania - 85M."




Rolling back into the present in the mansion, ___V___ and Disease try the door which has been shut in front of them...which doesnt budge despite their best efforts.


___V___: UNGHHHHH!!! Damn thing is shut tight. I ll go around and look for the other entrance. You keep trying this door. If it doesnt open soon, ram into it.

Disease: Okay.


___V___ runs out of the room and looks left and right, then decides something and disappears on the corridor to the right. He fails to notice the red figure crawling down from the ceiling in the room he just left, and the door closes shut.

Disease keeps trying the door and suddenly, the red figure jumps on him from behind. Severely startled, Disease whirls around and comes face to face with...ZERO! He tries to keep his face away from his snappy jaws, but by then Zero has grabbed him with his pointed paws, and bites his ear clean off. Disease yells and tries to pull him away with an iron grasp, and Zero comes loose...not before he has left bite marks on Disease's face and arms. Disease covers his ear with one hand to stop the bleeding, and by then Zero disappears into a dark corner of the room.


Disease (groaning in pain in-between deep breaths): Damn you, redheaded primate! You are so going down for this!!


The door behind Disease gently opens, and he fails to see an arm extended towards his head...holding a huge wrench.


TTTHHWWUUUUMMMMMPPPPPP!!!


He is hit on the head hard and crumples on the floor. Austin walks over and smiles at him. Disease lifts his head with a superhuman effort and looks at Austin with blurry vision.


Austin (grinning sarcastically): Ah, the new boy. Ears are too long and I miss the determination. But not too shabby. Not too shabby at all.

Disease (before passing out): So you fell in a tank of acid...got your skin bleached..............and decided to.........become a villain. Couldn't you.............get a job as........a rodeo clown-nnn...?


Disease becomes unconscious, and Austin's smile widens. He grabs ahold of Disease's leg and pulls him into the room, as Zero chomps on Disease's ear and looks on.