By BOOGER

PART FIFTEEN

Farquar raced down the corridor pressing his machine gun tightly to the scientist's ribs, who ran slightly ahead of him. Good, thought Farquar, the power's still on, at least. He pushed the scientist through the door to the tv studio, letting the door hang open behind him.

Farquar; "Now, turn on the equipment, and adjust it for maximum effect!"

Scientist; "No! I flat out refuse! The effect will harm too many people!"

Farquar; "I didn't say to broadcast the subliminal signal, did I?"

Scientist; "No, but..."

Farquar; "I'm going to buy us some time!"

Scientist; "YOU, you mean!"

Farquar; "Do it! Or I drill you!"

The scientist muttered while Farquar kept the gun trained on him, and stepped out in front of the camera.

Farquar; "Turn on broadcast, and narrow the beam for local coverage!"

scientist; (Twiddling knobs...) "There, it's done, you're on..."

Farquar stared menacingly into the camera and spoke; "United Nations forces, attention! Attention! If you are receiving this, then i am here to warn you to withdraw immediately! This base is eqipped with a device that will render ALL RADIO, TELEVISUAL, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS INOPERATIVE FOREVER! If you don't believe me, and enter this base, I will be forced to turn on the device! You won't be able to deactivate it, as it is hidden in a very clever place!"

Scientist; "Farquar, what are you talking about? That wasn't Plan B!"

Farquar; "Shut up, you!" (Turns back to camera.) "Now, I have views of all approaches to the base on my monitors here. I also have sonar readings for your submarines, so, unless I see movement away from this place within half an hour, I will turn on the Doomsday device!"

Just outside the door, Rex crept up and peered in, carefully.

Farquar; "As a small demonstration, I will increase power to the device, and the minimal emissions from it will blank out your military communications in the area. I will leave it on for five minutes, starting now..."

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Bond moved as fast as he could down the corridor, still smarting from his wound, but ready as ever to fight. He had been speaking into his wristwatch, which served as a radio link to the command ship far above.

Bond; (into wristwatch) "I'm nearly there...the c.e.o. has been apprehended, and I'm about to enter the broadcast studio...I..." With that, the link was cut off, as Farquar applied power to the device he controlled from the tv studio.

Rex turned and saw Bond approaching. There was only one thing to do, he thought. Suddenly, he ran forward and leapt at Farquar, sinking his fangs deep into Farquar's neck.

Farquar; "REXKKSS...auggllllbllubbb!!!"

Bond ran in, to see Farquar slump to the floor under Rex, blood gushing from his neck. The

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Booger! What's the matter with you!!! That's too violent! I said I wanted a NICE story!!!

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Ha! Ha! You should talk, Dave! Art ritual murder indeed! Any way it am a story, you can't see blood!

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Oh, get on with it. I'm getting tired of waiting for you to finish! I have other responsibilities, ya know!

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Hey, Slinky getting mad at me. Me no feed him today. Him come bite me pretty soon! O.k., me finish. Me try...

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Bond reversed the dial on the machine that farquar was standing in front of. He glanced back and heard a sickening gurgle as Farquar tried to speak. The scientist walked over after shutting down his end of the process.

Scientist; "He would have had me turn on the subliminal devices and turn all Internet users brains to mush. There was no Doomsday device, just a set of jamming frequencies, so far as I know."

Rex ran out the door and back up the corridor, Farquar's blood still dripping from his jaws.

Bond; "Open a channel to our forces on the surface, and tell them to come in...we..."

scientist; "Mr. Bond?"

Bond; "I'd better get back to the sub pen, I think Rex is going for the c.e.o.!"

Bond rushed out. The scientist went back to the control panel, but didn't notice Farquar reaching up to his control panel, his finger poised over a red button marked, "Self-Destruct."

Continue to Part 16...