More villainy

[lurkerwithout]

The prisoner laid back on his bunk and stared up at the ceiling. Loud snores from the other three beds showed he was the only one who was having trouble sleeping. The scrawny man tossed about as he tried to find a more comfortable position. Which was made all the more difficult by the tight full leather mask that was secured to his head with three heavy padlocks.

Just a he finally began to drift off, a loud buzzing yanked him back into wakefulness. He sat up on the bunk and looked around the darkened cell. From the dim light provided by the tiny cell window he spotted that the outer wall trembled and shook. Soon his three cell-mates were also awake and all of them waited and watched.

Within minutes dozens of metallic insects had burrowed thru the wall along its edges and it collapsed. The insects then all flew up and merged with a humanoid shape that hovered just outside the cell. As the humanoid floated down, they could see that it was made up of hundreds, if not thousands, of interlocking tiny robot beetles. The composite man stopped just outside and to the side of the gaping hole. It swept out an arm and spoke in a harsh, buzzing voice.

“Go. You are free. Go now.”

The scrawny prisoner's three cell-mates hesitated briefly, then bolted outside. The masked prisoner jumped down to the floor and started to go but halted as a low-pitched buzz whispered to him.

“Paul Burchill. You must wait.”

Burchill turned his head and saw one of the small robots hovered near his head. Up close he could see that they were some kind of shiny silver scarab beetle in shape.

“Others are distraction. Wait.”

As the scarab spoke, two others flew up. Then all three darted to the mask Burchill wore. He jerked back in surprise at first, but settled down as the insects settled on the locks and quickly chewed thru them. As the heavy padlocks fell to the floor the robot beetles flew back to the main body. At the same time Burchill reached up and tore the mask from his head.

With the mask tossed to the floor, Burchill's wild-maned head was exposed. A savage grin shone out from amidst the shaggy blonde beard. The beard then expanded and flowed out, as if to explore the mostly empty cell. As Burchill enjoyed this first taste of freedom, the composite humanoid flew apart and then began to reassemble into a floating platform that moved into the cell near the floor.

“We go now FollicleMan.”

“One moment friend, “ the villain replied as his living beard ripped the bunks from the walls. He twisted and bent the cots as he stepped onto the platform. His powerful hair reshaped the metal and canvas into a crude chair that he placed on the platform as it began to whir up out of the cell and into the night sky. FollicleMan sat down and leaned back and closed his eyes.

“Wake me when we arrive. I plan to enjoy my first comfortable sleep in a while.”

---

Inside the La Boulangerie de Forbidden Occult Delights a half dozen assistant bakers hastened about under the watchful eye of Gaston Jacques Torres, Scarlett Le Chef Pâtissier. The traditional Gallic uniform of a master chef was mixed with a vibrant red cloak and half-robe ensemble. Each of his assitants, all clad in immaculate white uniforms (even the one in ninja pajamas) moved with assured purpose from task to task.

“Matisse, un peu moins de beurre etaun filet de plus quele le melange de noix de muscade.”

“Oui chef!”

“Prechauffer lefour a troiscen cinquante cinq, pas trois cent cinquante Hoshi.”

“Hai chef!”

“Louis me mettre la cartouche de gingembre pour le nouveau golem.”

Around the kitchen everything ground to a sudden, shocked stop.

“Ginger chef? But you said-”

“Oui, oui. Gingembre est trop instable, trop chaotique. Mais cette derniore serade plus inculte dullard SpiffyMan. Ce sera ma premiere occasion de montrer a ses nouveaux amis de mon talent et de genie. Et si je dois les impressionner. Et oui, le gingembre Louis.”

“Oui chef!”