Heidelberg, Germany (Outskirts)

The limo ride was smooth, despite the jagged terrain and the sharp turns the limo kept taking. The stranger was certain the lanky, pimple-faced man had no appreciation for Equinox motors’ fine engineering, as he continued to cower in the middle seat and let out a small whimper occasionally. The stranger said nothing, but puffed on a cigarette while he toyed with the handle of his cane and stared at the man.

After about ten minutes, the limo pulled to a stop, and the door opened, letting in an purple-eyed American man dressed in a garish Hawaiian shirt, phat-pants and running shoes. The piercing through his nose and lip and the purple streak on the left side of his black hair seemed out of place from the menacing air of authority that accompanied him.

"Dr. E, it is indeed a pleasure, as usual," the stranger said, and he bowed slightly.

"Greetings, and who are you today?" Dr. E replied, settling in next to the stranger.

The stranger smiled. "Why, E. Quentin Knox, of course. Should I be anyone else?"

"I suppose not." Dr. E poured a glass of water from the limo’s wetbar. "Shall we begin?"

"Let’s shall." Mr. Knox produced a single handcuff key, showed it to the pimple-faced man (who cringed at the sudden movement) and leaned forward. The man offered his handcuffs and Mr. Knox unlocked both sides, then leaned back while the man composed himself and took the rag out of his mouth. Dr. E handed the man the glass of water and they waited until some semblance of sanity and calm returned to the man’s eyes.

"Mr. Karl Jurgen, you don’t know much about us except that I am Dr. E and he is Mr. Knox. We, however, know a great deal about you. We know that you’re a computer programmer by trade, and a long-term specialist for P.E.R.I.L. by profession. We know that you recently intercepted some strange transmissions and decrypted them on your own time. We know that you then re-encrypted said transmissions with your own key and were planning on giving a hard copy of the transmissions to your superiors. We know that during the drop, you and your handler were attacked, and your handler’s guards were instructed to keep an eye on you as they set up a second drop." Dr. E leaned forward. "Now listen closely, because this is where it gets interesting. We also know that the people you were to rendezvous with today were not from P.E.R.I.L., but from that organization whose transmission you intercepted. We know that they were planning on killing you, Mr. Jurgen, and very slowly at that. What we don’t know, Mr. Jurgen, is what was in that transmission. You, Mr. Jurgen, do know, which means you have a problem. You see, Mr. Jurgen, I make it my business to know things, which means that you are interfering with my business. This would be a problem which requires an immediate solution."

Mr. Knox leaned behind the couch and pulled out an attaché case. After opening it, he unhooked a hidden panel, revealing a computer screen and keyboard. He tapped on the keyboard for about 30 seconds and turned it towards Karl. "This is a copy of your encrypted transmission. Decrypt it, please."

Karl looked from Dr. E to Mr. Knox and back again. "I, um, classified?"

Dr. E shook his head. "That, unfortunately, is not an option for you."

Karl looked at Mr. Knox again, as if he was going to say something, then thought better of it and went to typing. Thirty seconds later, the gibberish on the computer screen suddenly turned meaningful, and he turned the screen to face Mr. Knox. Dr. E leaned in, and their expressions changed from vague interest to rapt fascination in moments.

"Is that what I think it is?" Dr. E asked.

Mr. Knox nodded. "It certainly looks like it, doesn’t it?"

"What do you plan on doing about it?"

"Several things, I think. But first, I’m going to need to borrow a suit from you. Something in silver, perhaps?"

Dr. E stared at Mr. Knox with growing incredulity and shock. "You’re not serious, are you?"

Mr. Knox stared back, a blank look on his face.

"He is so gonna kick your ass," Dr. E said with a grin. "Hell, you’ve got it, just so I can see it happen."

Mr. Knox snapped the attaché case closed, then picked up his cane as if to poke Karl with it. Instead, the cane’s tip flared brightly and shocked Karl into unconsciousness through several thousand volts of electricity.

"Just so you know, I’ve called in Avatar on this mission."

The grin faded abruptly. "Is that a threat?"

"No, a statement of fact. There’s too much at stake to risk leaks, and if anyone can find one and close it, he can."

"It still sounds like a threat…"

"Threat. Warning. Whatever. Just be aware that this info goes no farther than this limo. Not even to your superiors. There are too many leaks right now, even if your organization and mine are the ones with the fewest holes."

"If I’m going to help you out, I’ll need explanations…"

Mr. Knox shrugged. "Tell them it’s for a side project. Tell them you’re helping out a friend. Tell them, you’re a Dai Lo for crying out loud, tell them it’s none of their business!"

Dr. E paused, pointing at Karl. "What about him?"

"This is a lethe cigarette," Mr. Knox said, waiving his cigarette. "By the time it screws with his memory and you finish the brainwashing, I’m certain he remember this as a bad dream. If it makes you feel better, you have a built-in fallback story for who to pin it on in case the conditioning ever cracks."

"Fine, I’ll get you the suit, but you’re going to have to supply the accessories and someone to wear it."

"Done and done," Mr. Knox said, grinning. "What? Did you think I didn’t have a plan?"

Just then, the limo’s phone rang, and Mr. Knox put it on speaker. "Boss, it’s Trinity. You guys have two inbound, on foot."

"On foot? How? Who?"

"You know those Ruskies that Mouthymerc had so much fun pounding on? Well, they’re up and running, and they look pissed."

"What, exactly, do you mean by running?" Dr. E asked.

"I mean on foot, loping, doing upwards of 45 MPH – I paced them for about two miles. Based on their current heading, I’d say they’re headed in your direction."

Mr. Knox rubbed his chin. "Hmm. Oookay. That changes things. Meet us at the liftoff point, Trin, and I’m going to transfer you to our driver so he can get a heads up."

"Will do, boss. By the by, I got the package; you know just what a girl wants."

"’Salright, you know just what a boy needs. Drive safe."

"Peace, out."

Dr. E sighed. "You are just too damn cocky."

"I’m not cocky – I’m that good."