Good afternoon. It is Thursday once again and I Gigi the parti poodle am here to introduce chapter twenty of my story Power Grid Failure. As my novelist mentioned I only have a few more chapters left, and my tale will be complete. Like most writers who are facing the end of a story I have been pondering my next literary work. I spend long hours in front of the window on my pillow staring at pedestrians passing by, barking ferociously at them, and mulling over my creative ideas trying to decide on how I will craft my fifth story. I have a couple of characters in mind and a basic concept of how it will go. I am excited to venture out on my new journey, telling perhaps a darker tale than what I have penned before. Until then I will focus on finishing this one with a flourish and keeping the Maltese contained until the Easter Bunny arrives. He is so fond of those See’s little white chocolate easter bunnies. Provided he’s expecting those in his basket and not the wild ones that hop around here, we should be fine. Last year was a disaster. And with that thought, here is chapter twenty of my story Power Grid Failure. Cheers!

Power Grid Failure

by

Gigi the parti poodle

Chapter Twenty

Adams takes the stairwell to the skybridge. As he opens the door and heads towards the bridge’s entrance, he hears someone coming. He ducks behind a desk and sees Dragontail moving across the bridge making his way back from the Mesachie Building. Dragontail steps up to the door, uses a keycard, and unlocks it.

Adams finds this odd as the Redoubt building is in lockdown. He mulls it over and figures Dragontail and Unicorn must be selectively choosing where to channel the power. This means Adam’s card might work to access the bridge. Dragontail continues along and Adams scurries over to the door to the bridge and holds his keycard up to the pad. Nothing. He tries again. Nothing. Unicorn must have only given Dragontail and himself access. He runs back over to the desk he was hiding behind, takes out his phone and texts Reynolds:  Can’t get across bridge. Unicorn’s using an alternate power source.

Reynolds, who is still sitting in Tiffany’s office area where Craggy is lip syncing sees the text. He ponders for a moment and then texts back: Go to the janitor’s closet. I’ll give you an override code to get in.

Okay.

Adams figures the janitor closet is in the same place on this floor as it is on his own and he’s right. After he gets there, he texts Reynolds again. What’s the code?

847965

Adam’s punches the numbers into the pad on the door. The door clicks open. Now what?

How well does Unicorn know you?

Not very well.

Good. Change into the janitor’s uniform.

Adam’s examines the janitor’s jumpsuit. It looks too big. Then what?

Call Unicorn and tell him your Thad.

Who’s Thad?

The janitor on that floor. Tell him your locked in.

He’s not going to care.

He’ll care if your Thad.

A better plan would be getting our hands on Dragontail’s keycard and weapon.

How, hotshot?

Adams exits the janitor’s closet and quickly sneaks after Dragontail. He catches up to him, hides behind a wall and watches Dragontail use the keycard to open the elevator doors and board. When the doors close, Adams texts, Tag-team him. I abort the mission and head after him while you head towards him. He has power to the elevator too and he just got on.

Interesting idea. Doubt we could hold him off, but we could try to sandwich him.

Problem is it leaves Tiffany and Crystal with Unicorn longer.

You can’t cross the skybridge without his keycard anyway.

I’ll go after Dragontail now.

I’ll cut him off at the pass.

Adams hurries towards the stairwell while back in Tiffany’s glassed in area Craggy finishes one more run through of “That’s alright” to a round of applause.

“You see,” Martin says. “Communication through lip sync. That’s how the Marines do it. The few, the proud the lip syncers.”

“I have to say,” Remmel says. “That’s the most impressed I’ve ever been with Craggy.”

Craggy beams.

“I need to get my pills from the janitor’s closet,” Reynolds says.

“What pills?” Remmel demands.

“Diet pills.”

“Diet pills? You’re as skinny as a rod.”

“Because they work. And they’re a prescription. Doctor’s orders.”

“Craggy, go with him.”

“It would only take me a minute…”

I don’t care if it would take you a nanosecond. I’m tired of keeping track of who’s coming and who’s going out of this room.”

Craggy who’s itching to tackle another song reluctantly sticks an unlit cigarette in his mouth, eyes Reynolds and points to the door.

The wheels in Reynold’s head turn. He studies his companion as the two exit the glassed-in area. Craggy is a six foot plus strong bulky guy. By comparison Reynolds is five eleven and slim. Not to mention not packing a No Fun Stun Gun. This, of course, puts him at a disadvantage. Adams and Dragontail are progressing this way fast and now instead of he and Adams outmanning Dragontail, Dragontail and Craggy outpower them.

Reynolds heads towards the janitor’s closet with one eye on the stairwell. He could make a break for it but Craggy would reach out and grab him by the neck ala the sheepdog thwarting the coyote in the Warner Bros. cartoons. He recalls a time in prison when a counterfeiter faked a seizure during exercise time. The counterfeiter had gotten into a kafuffle with a money launderer who’d threatened to give him what for. The incident bought the counterfeiter enough time for the money launderer to cool his jets. Reynolds wasn’t sure the same trick would work on Craggy, but it was worth a try.

He unlocks the door of the closet and grabs his backpack. He unzips one of the pockets, reaches inside…and starts twitching.

Within seconds Reynolds drops to the floor convulsing. Craggy watches him not knowing what action to take. He lights his cigarette, ponders for a moment then runs back to Remmel. Reynolds hops to his feet and heads for the elevator. Sure enough, he hears the car coming down. The door to the stairwell bursts open and Adams rushes out.

Reynolds mouths, “He’s coming down,” as he points to the elevator.

Adams rushes over and gets on the opposite side of the doors as Reynolds. Just as he does Remmel comes out of the glass doors on route to the janitor closet. Adams and Reynolds hold their breath. The elevator dings and the doors open. Dragontail starts to disembark. Remmel comes rushing around the corner. Adams and Reynolds push Dragontail back into the elevator. Remmel sees them.

Adams pounds on the elevator button. “I can’t close the doors!”

Dragontail struggles with Reynolds. He punches him in the nose. “Get off me!” Dragontail yells.

Adams tries the button once again.

“Keycard!” Reynolds shouts. Remmel marches towards the elevator. Reynolds grabs Dragontail’s keycard. “Adams!” He juts the card towards Adams. Dragontail slaps it out of his hand. The card skitters over the carpet of the elevator and bounces on the door track. Remmel dives towards the elevator. Adams lunges and snatches the card mid bounce and holds it up on the elevator pad. The light turns green, he pushes the close door button. Remmel reaches the elevator just as the doors shut and the car heads up.  

MY BOOKS

You can check out my books Chicane and all five installments of the Musicology book series Musicology: Volume One, Baby!, Musicology: Volume Two, Kid!, Musicology: Volume Three, Twist!, Musicology: Volume Four, Sweetie! and Musicology: The Epiquad on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback editions. You can also check out Musicology’s web site at www.musicologyrocks.com and vote for who you think will win Musicology!

STREAM OF THE WEEK: RRR (2022)-NETFLIX

Bold, ambitious, and completely insane, this is a film like no other you will see this year. Clocking in at three hours and seven minutes long this story has no dull moments. It is what, I think, superhero movies attempt to be and fail. This is thanks to its strong script and well-crafted characters not to mention its extraordinary sets, gorgeous costumes, meticulous direction and editing and passionate performances.

This is the story of two Hindi men, one a soldier and one a tribal man set against the backdrop of colonial India. The soldier, Rama Raju (Ram Charan), is the best and most tenacious fighter the British have ever seen. Yet, they refuse to promote him. Then along comes an opportunity. A young tribal girl has been taken by the British governor’s wife. A tribal man from the same tribe named Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) is hunting her down to bring her back to her family. Rama Raju is told Bheem is like a tiger driven to complete his goal and will let nothing stand in his way until he brings the girl home. Rama Rajo takes on the job of finding Bheem and thwarting his plan. But along the way, the two meet under extreme and unusual circumstances in which together they work to save a boy’s life. Each admiring the other’s skills the two become best friends neither one realizing they have conflicting missions.   

The movie won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu” which was the only category it received a nod for. But it was clear from watching the Oscars the Academy knew it should have been nominated it in other categories as well such as Costume Design, Art Direction, Director, Editing, Special Effects and Best Foreign Film.