The Falcon had old every one a lot about his childhood and his up bringing, which had included a lot of tragedies by the time he was 21. First the loss of his parents who had been murdered.He wished that he had known them better.
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| A Family Funeral, without any real Family |
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| The Funeral of Radley's Parents. |
and now the loss of two close friends also to murder. He had had every thing he ever wanted growing up, but what he wanted more.... he longed was a real family with real friends. His parents loved him, every one told him that many times, but their careers and work had taken them away for weeks at a time . The Family Butler and Wife loved him, but they had now retired and moved away, and now his friends Penny and Parker were now gone too. He was alone with nothing but money and his best pal Reggie. He had everything but nothing. He had no purpose.
The Falcon continued with his story. I felt guilty as Penny and Parker had been killed on a visit to see me. They had died as someone wanted to steal my car. ... The Car I had insisted they brought. The thought of me having to say goodbye two others who had been murdered was a hard fact to bear.
I returned to Crowne Tower, Thomas the night porter was there to greet me.
" I hear there is going to be a big storm tonight Mr Crowne " Said Thomas " They say it will be very bad." he continue. And with that the biggest clap of thunder was heard. I told him that he might as well shut up the Tower and go home. Thomas lived on site, as this allowed him easy access to the Big City Hospital where his wife was being treated for a long illness. Thomas had originally been a member of staff at the mansion, one of the gardening staff, and his wife Mary worked along side Penny in the Kitchen. . Once his wife became ill he wanted to take time off to care for her. This I had allowed and he found that he could balance working as a care taker of Crowne Tower for me, and visiting his wife in hospital.. The Hospital was on the same Block as Crown Tower, so it's location was ideal
Thomas was a kind soul and would always offer to walk Reggie when I was unable due to other commitments.
I told Thomas that I was not going out after all. He nodded and walked over to the main doors and locked them. "Good Night Sir," he said as I entered my private elevator.
I went up to my Penthouse. I was about to pour myself a drink and watch the spectacular lighting show that was now building up around the city, when I remembered some thing. All my parents cars had been fitted with tracking sensors, just in case they were stolen of a kidnap attempt was ever made. on the family. The cars in my garage had the same tracker, and if I could provide a frequency the Police could trace my stolen car. I picked up the phone to ring the Mansion, to ask the Staff to get me the information I needed about the tracker. But the phone was dead. The storm must have taken out the all the phone lines in Big City.
So I thought of about the cars in the garage under the Tower. I was sure I could find the information myself. I was about to enter my private elevator that went down to the basement , Reggie had been watching me from his dog basket, and scampered into the lift and joined me. I thought he would be safer down in the basement with me than on the roof with all the noise and flashing from the Thunder and Lightning.
I had two cars at the Tower, a Jaguar and Mom's Little Tank. Opening the Jags Trunk I found where the tracker was. I had found it when Parker and I had been doing one of our maintenance jobs a few months before. I removed it and found its registration number, with this I could find what frequency it used. Then all the lights went out. It must have been the Storm. The emergency back up power came on. That was good but not good. The back up generator only ran the lights in the basement, and the Tower. They did not provide power to the Elevators . So I was stuck in the Garage. The Phone in the garage was not working either, so I could not even call the Police to give them the information about the tracker. I was trapped. I looked at the tracker, maybe I could find the frequency myself, then drive over to the police Station with the information and possible location of the Rolls Royce.
It took me about half an hour, using some of the tools and technology I had in my basement lab. I had even adapted a scanner to use with it. I could not get a signal outside the Garage as I assumed the walls where too thick. But it worked as it picked up the tracker I had worked on and the one in Mom's Little Tank.
I got into the Jag, and pushed the button that opened the outer garage door. These too not working, they could not have been connected to the emergency power. I got out of the car and tried to open them manually. They were stuck. I had released all of the safety locks. But the doors would not budge. I put the car jack under the lip of the garage door and started to pump the handle. The door raised about few inches. But no more. Looking through the gap I had made I could see that something was laying against the doors preventing them from opening. I really was trapped.
I heard a pinging noise, it was the scanner I had built. It was now getting a signal from outside. I looked at it, it registered a signal at the Tower, a larger one at the Mansion. This was due to the large number of cars there. And there was one signal coming from a location down by the docks. That was were the Rolls Royce was. That was where the killer or killers hopefully were. I had all the information, but had no way of telling anyone. Then the Rolls Royce's signal started to move. It now showed it on the quay side. Then it was in the water. But I knew it could not be in the water, it must have been on the water, it must now be onboard a ship.
I knew that no ship would be foolish enough to set sail in such a storm, but once the weather became more calmer, the ship would set sail, and I could loose any chance of catching the Killer.
I knew I had to act now, and fast. I looked at the cars. I would use one or both to smash through the doors. This would for sure total them, but this was murder, and the cars could be replaced with money. Parker & Penny could not. I knew if I was going to do this I needed protection if I was going to drive either of the cars into the doors. Then I remembered the prototype Police Uniform. It was basically light weight Armour. It should protect me. Hopefully it would protect me.
Running into an adjoining room, I pulled the Uniform out of the cabinet I kept it in. Quickly I stripped out of my Tux I put the Armour on.
It fitted very well. It should as it had been made for me to wear and hopefully find fault in its design. It was Blue, as I had found that this colour was a good match for the Big City PD current uniforms. Early in the development process it was found that any colour needed to be added to the process when the thick webbing was made, as after it was it was completely dirt resistant, so who no longer able to take any Dye.
In the Bottom of the cabinet I had a large box, this again full of prototype equipment that I had designed to go along with the Uniform. Searching through the box I found the stun gun I had perfected. It was a little like a Taser. Non Lethal, but it packed a punch. Then I spotted what I was looking for. One of my early trials with the material that was called I had named Field Force was a Racing Drivers style Balaclava. This could be worn under the Police Officers Riot Helmet, however the Colour process had not been perfected at this point and it had been rejected as too light grey.
I put this on as I would need to protect my face.
I needed a helmet to protect my head. On the wall in the same room I had a few of the relics I had accumulated during my youth. Hats, and things my Father had brought back from business trips. One of these was my first Bicycle, The Falcon. Next to it was a pair of flying googles, and various hats and helmets.
It was filled with all sorts of things. Many of the Toys had been prototypes from companies that my Father had purchased. I got the toys and he got the company. Some of these items were a collectors dream. But to me they were "My Things".
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One of the helmets I had purchased on my trip to California. As Dr Benton had lent me the use of his Motor Cycle on a few occasions. I had bought it and had added a Winged Logo to it. The same Logo that was pained on The Falcon. It would be perfect along with the goggles which had a nose piece for added protection. I put it on
followed by the goggles
All I needed was some Boots and a pair of Gloves, I found a pair of Welders Gloves, very tough and fire proof.
The boots were just a old pair of Hiking boots. These had steel reinforced toe caps, I put it all on. I looked in the mirror.
I looked ridiculous. Reggie looked at me, I could swear he was laughing. I looked like a complete fashion disaster, but if it protected my body so what. It was comfortable, and the combination enabled me to move very well.
Wearing all this gear, completely disguise me. I looked a bit taller, and due to all the padding built inside the Uniform, much more muscular.
"I think it needs a cape" I said to Reggie, but he just turned around and sat down in his dog bed.
"Ok maybe not" I sighed.
I took Reggie and locked in old fall out shelter, He had food water, and a dog basket. Nearly all the rooms had a dog basket, as he was always with me. But smashing through the door would be dangerous and he needed protecting. I told him he was a good dog patted him on his head and locked the door.
I then went over to CCTV camera by the exit door to the garage , after removed my Helmet and Balaclava I turned up the recording microphone I made a short speech saying what I was doing, and if I did not survive Reggie should go to live with the Jarvis' in Florida.
I had realized that the Docks were in the opposite direction to Police HQ. Driving to Big City PD HQ would waste valuable time.. Also with the Storm I would have expected all Police resources to be fully pushed to their limits trying to save lives. Solving a Murder or finding a stolen car was way down the list of important things. I would go to the docks. Even if I could only delay things until the Police arrived would be better than doing nothing. I had found a flare gun in my supplies along with a couple of distress rockets that I had used in a past experiment.
Then I prepared the first part of the plan. I would use the Jag to hopefully smash through the door, and then use Mom's Little Tank to follow through behind.
I threw most of the contents of the box of prototypes into a bag, some of these may be useful and went over to the cars. I added a few other bits I had to hand in the garage just in case. I threw the bag into the trunk of Mom's Little Tank. Then I got into the Jag, I reversed it right to the wall at the rear of the Garage, I wanted it to have the longest run up before impact. The I used the Car Jack to host up the rear wheels off of the ground. I got in and the started the motor. Then I put it into gear. Placed a weight on the gas peddle and stood back. I tied some cord to the steering wheel to keep it running true. The engine roared as the back wheels spun. Then I kicked away the Car jack. The Cars rear tires hit the floor of the garage and off the Jag went like a rocket. It raced towards the Garage door, and went right through it. Bingo it had worked. Looking through the large hole it had made could see that it had dislodged most of the tree that had been blocking the door. The Storm must have brought it down. The Car and was upside down and on fire. Luckily the wind and rain had stopped the flames in their tracks. Poor Emma, I thought. That was Dad's name for his E Type Jag. Her glory days of driving were over, but she did go out in style.
Then I got into Mom's Little Tank. I put on the Helmet, Goggles and Gloves. Started the engine and backed up to where the Jag had been. I took a deep breath and started to rev up the engine.
I Put her in to gear and put my foot down on the gas pedal, but the car did not move, but the tires were burning rubber. I had kept the parking break on on purpose.. Another deep breath, I flicked the Head Lamps on to full beam and then I released the parking Break and off we shot.
Through the hole in the door making it even larger. Once through I hit and travelling over Emma who catapulted us in the air. She had acted like a ramp. We were flying, over the road, over the wall of the Park opposite and then crash we hit the grass lawn on the other side. I pushed down on the breaks and we skidded and finally came to a halt with the aid of some bushes.
I held my breath. I was alive. The car was in one piece. I got out to survey the damage. The car was almost completely undamaged. Okay it had a lot of dents and missing pieces, the windshield was cracked, but still had all of its wheels. Only one of the head lamps was unbroken, but with all the flashing from the electrical storm it would not be a problem. The engine sounded fine. I laughed out loud. Then punching the air and looking up into the Black Stormy skies I shouted .... " Parker you were right, She is Bomb proof " Another loud Clap of Thunder brought me to my senses, I got back into the car.
I looked at the Tracker tracer, the Rolls was still in the same position, I put the car in gear and off we shot in the direction of the Docks. Tonight I would either capture a Killer or I would be that stupid Rich Guy who got him self killed.
The Falcon stopped and took a few seconds looking at some of the pictures that Reggie was showing. At some time he must of up loaded all the CCTV camera footage from the Garage.
The room was silent, Phooey started clapping, Space Ghost was smiling, both sets of Twins were giggling... even The Doctor looked pleased. The only person who showed no emotion was Jack. He had heard the story and seen pictures but most of it was a mystery to him.
"Don't, Worry" Said Phooey, "I will explain it all later" he continued patting his friends arm.
" Thank you Penry " he whispered.
Next time the Falcon attacks his Prey,
Until then Enjoy
