XVII
Operation Innings Nine
Scene: Atlas lands back at the hide out where Vivian is waiting and pacing.
Vivian: Atlas! We saw the news
how did you get away?
Atlas: I did what father taught me. No thanks to that Astro and his ditsy sister.
Scene: Atlas walks into a room where Skunk and Hamegg stand over a table.
Skunk: I knew youd bust out. Just in time too. We have the heist to end all heists.
Scene: Skunk smacks a print on the table.
Skunk: Tonights the 5th game of the Eastern Division series between the Metro City Thunders and the Stellar City Monarchs. Now ask me kid? What does the First National Reserve Bank got in common with baseball?
Atlas: Like I care?
Skunk: Good answer. However, theyll both be home runs. While youve been keeping the cops attention in jail? Diesel and Moose were busy putting a bomb underneath the home run fountain at Thunder Park. A very big bomb.
Hamegg: Actually just a small diversion. And while the citys dealing with that little problem? Youll be busting the First National open like a soup can.
Skunk: 500 million smacks kid. Enough money to plate you in pure gold and more than enough to help us bankroll a little revolution. Heck by the time were done? Youll have Metro City bowing to your every whim. How does that sound?
Atlas: I like it.
Hamegg: Of course
and first things first
you need to get Astro here. Weve got a nice little surprise for him.
XVIII
Teachable moment
Scene: Atlas is on his way to lure Astro into a trap. As hes flying through the air over the city, a column of black smoke draws his attention.
Atlas: Huh? Wonder what going on over there?
Scene: Atlas flies to a roof top and looks over at a building on fire across the street. Hes drawn to the fire fighters working to get inside. After a little time he moves to get on with the plan when an explosion blows a window apart and sends a firefighter tumbling down the ladder injured. The apartment where the fire is happening is a blowtorch of flames.
Atlas is wavering between not caring and looking at whats happening when the screams of a robot and a child reach his ears. He jumps off the roof, rockets across the street and smashes through the wall and into the flaming apartment
Atlas: Where are you?! Say something!
Robot: Here!
Scene: Atlas finds the robot trapped under fallen debris and starts trying to dig her out.
Robot: Forget me! Save Miss Hanna I beg you!
Atlas: You first!
Scene: The little girl is screaming.
Atlas: Robots are more important.
Robot: Shes only a child
.please
.
Scene: The fire is getting worse. Atlas gnashes his teeth and plunges through the burning apartment looking for the little girl. He finds her huddling in a closet
Atlas: Are you nuts?! You cant stay here!
Scene: Atlas wraps the little girl in a blanket and rockets out of the apartment. He drops her into the arms of a fireman and flies back into the apartment to dig the robot out. He frees her and drops her to the firemen on the street.
Fireman: Thanks.
Atlas: Hmph
seems it takes a robot to clean up the mess humans make.
Scene: Atlas hears a man talking to a reporter and gets irate. He stomps over and snatches the man by his shirt
Atlas: You
were smoking and fell asleep? I otta boot you to the moon you stupid idiot! What were you thinking?! No wonder we robots should rule over you humans! How could you do such a stupid thing!
Scene: Atlas rockets off.
Atlas: Skunks right. Its time to make things the way they should be around here.
Act IXX
Kidnapped
Scene: Cora and the other kids are in a Ginza looking around when Atlas drops into the store through the skylight and snatches Cora by her arm.
Atlas: I need to borrow you for a moment. Hope you dont mind.
Cora: Let me go you creep!
Scene: Atlas and Cora rocket out of the store. Meanwhile, Astro and Uran are in the living room of Doctor Tenmas house while Tenma, Towashi, Elifun and the Mayor of Metro City are hashing it out in another room.
Astro: Wow
you really whipped things up. Why did you let Atlas go?
Uran: I thought it was the right thing to do. You dont want them to destroy him do you?
Astro: No
but now that hes loose, who knows what might happen.
Scene: Astros cell phone beeps.
Astro: Hi Cora!
Cora: Astro! Dont come, its a trap!
Atlas: She spoiled my cool line but you get the message dont you?
Astro: Atlas
let her go.
Atlas: Are you kidding? How about you come to the old abandoned car factory and get her?
Scene: Astro clicks off the phone
Astro: Do me a favor Uran? Dont tell Dad or the Inspector, Im gonna handle this alone.
Scene: Astro flies off towards the factory.
XX
Dilema
Scene: Astro lands on the factory roof and looks through a skylight. He sees Cora tied to a chair alone in the center of the factory.
Astro: Skunk should really stop using these dumb movie ideas.
Scene: Astro flies around the building and enters through a ground floor window. He surprises Diesel and ties him up, upside down to an overhead rafter. He walks on to surprise Moose, tapping him on the shoulder and tying him to a wall with a piece of water pipe. Water showers over him.
Astro: (Pat pat) Chill out ok?
Scene: Astro looks ahead to the wide open factory space. He sees Cora struggling in the chair trying to talk to him through the tape over her mouth.
Astro: ATLAS?! IM HERE NOW COME OUT!
Scene: No Atlas. In fact
no one else. Astro walks out of hiding, ready for a fight.
Astro: YOU WANT A FIGHT ATLAS?! SHOW YOURSELF!
Scene: Astro keeps on walking till he reaches Cora.
Astro: You know it would be stupid for me to get this far.
Scene: Astro pulls the tape off Coras mouth.
Astro: You ok?
Cora: Dont touch me!
Astro: Huh?
Scene: As Astro touches Coras ropes, he gets a huge jolt of power and is thrown across the floor to a sliding landing under Skunks foot. Atlas stands next to him.
Skunk: Didnt I say patience is our best weapon?
