Act 31 - Date: 16 December 1992
Section 4: The Extended N-Team
Part 1: The Ultimate Encounter
First Division - Liquidator's Cloud
Third Chapter
Characters: Mario-Team, N-Team Base, Mason-Team, Brain-Team Base
December 16.
Congregation Hall, Palace of Power, VideoLand.
A "Yes," replied Luigi. "At least it hasn't been very buggy."
Mario said, "You've been really reaching, Luigi. If there wasn't so much to do in the Palace, I'd riot. I would even start cursing."
"Well, don't do that, Mario," said Toad. "That Lieutenant Tragg does enough of it."
"I'll say," said Paul Drake, Perry Mason's private detective. "He does so much cursing that he practically has to damn well put a stick of soap in his mouth afterwards."
"You do it so much yourself," said Jackson, Mason's assistant. He was about as tall as Mason, but thinner, with black hair and glasses and a black suit. "It comes from working with me," said Mason, coming in with Kevin.
"Like hell!" exclaimed Drake. "It comes from working with those seemingly guilty clients of yours! It also comes from working with that darn Tragg."
"Well, if you had not said that," said Tragg, coming in, "I would have been extremely insulted."
"What in the living inferno are you doing here?" Drake asked.
"Oh, just dropping by," said Tragg. "Who's your client this time, Mason? Who did it?"
"What in the. . .?" Mason asked, genuinely stupefied.
"Just a joke," said Tragg, grinning. "I love joking with you, counsellor. You're a damned fine man. I like you."
"Thank you." Tragg settled himself in the cushioned couch in the room. He got out a cigar from a package marked 'NO TOBACCO!' snipped off the end with his pocket knife, put the unclipped end in his mouth, took a lighter, and lit his cigar. Looking at Mason, he began puffing on it.
"It's like this, Mason. Most of the people on Homicide do not like you. They want to think you're on the other side of the law. Anderson, Drumm, Brice, and I know better, though. The four of us know that sometimes you're just on the other side of the tracks. We like you. There are also a few other people on Homicide who do like you, other than us.
"Unlike on Homicide, however, most of the people in Larceny and Vice like you. In fact, without you, Aran could have lost several cases.
"Burger likes you, too. He may not show it, but he does like you. I probably know him a hell of a lot better than you do. He's rough-edged on the outside, but, on the inside, he has a heart of gold. He really likes you, Mason. Without you, he could have been the laughing-stock of all VideoLand sometimes. Sometimes, you embarrass the heck out of him, but you normally make him see the light."
"Thank you, Tragg," said Mason again. "What a day. Shall we go out and have your final driving exam, Kevin?"
"What?" said Kevin. "In this weather?"
Mason said, "Do not worry, Kevin. We'll be all right. My new rain-proof car will keep us dry."
"Well," Kevin said, "let's go, then."
* * *
Ludwig's Doomship, orbiting the Palace of Power.
Above the Palace, Ludwig's Doomship was still cloaked, and they were watching. "Excellent!" said Ludwig. "Open it as soon as they leave, Eggplant Wizard!"
"Aye, Ludwig," said Eggplant Wizard. "But what if they detect us?" Ludwig was suddenly enraged.
"We are under cloak!" said Ludwig. "They cannot possibly track us, you idiot!"
Eggplant Wizard asked, "What if the cloaking device is not functioning properly?"
"That," said Ludwig, "is none of your concern. Just do as I ordered!"
"Yes, sir," said Eggplant Wizard.