Doris crouched down and moved slowly forward in the darkened hallway, working her way towards the locked door half way down. She could hear voices in the distance, moving away from her, the guards had just done their sweep of this floor and were heading back for another round of coffee and donuts she presumed.
She managed to get to the door and pull out her lock picking kit, quietly working the simple lock until she heard the familiar click of the mechanism release and she twisted the door handle open. Then she pushed the door open slowly, trying to avoid any squeaks the hinges might have made. Once inside she closed the door just as slowly until she was sure she was in the clear.
The room was like many of Dex Lab’s offices, plain, antiseptic and depressing in a clinical way. A few desks were scattered about and filing cabinets lined the walls. The cabinets were what she was after this night and she quickly moved over, checking the numbers that labeled them against the list she had in her phone.
Finding one she was looking for, she pulled out her trusty lock pick once more and made quick work of the cheap lock. Sliding the drawer open, she flicked through the files until she found the one she wanted and tugged it from the drawer.
It was too late when she realized the folder was attached to something and a puff of gas burst forth in to her face. Taking a step back, she coughed and gasped as she tried to wave it away from her face as her head began to spin.
She managed to turn around and steady herself against one of the desks just as the door opened and a man in a gas mask walked in. It was the last thing she saw before the gas completed it’s task and she slumped down over the desk, a final thought running through her mind… “Damn it, SolarMan’s going to have to rescue me again!”“
Doris felt the effects of the gas start to wear off and she struggled against the rope that she could feel around her wrists and ankles. It was a few more moments before she realized it was across her chest and neck as well.
Eventually she managed to get herself half upright and look up to see the smirking face of Dex hovering over her.
“Mmmfffmm!” she cried out through the gag that was tied tightly around her head.
“Ah Doris Dane, intrepid reporter… and apparently burglar as well! Who knew? Oh wait.. I guess I knew since it was me that sent you those phony file numbers.” he said with a chuckle at the end.
She squinted her eyes at him and shot daggers as best she could.
“Oh Doris, don’t look that way at me. After all we had something special together once, didn’t we?”
“Mmmmfff!”
“Well that was long ago, but I do miss it some days, perhaps we will have it again.” he said as someone walked up behind in in the shadows.
He step in to the light and Doris’ eyes widened as she recognized Dr. Mezmo.
“I see you know the good doctor, that will make things easer.” Dex said as Dr. Mezmo pulled a small device from his pocket and pointed it at Doris.
She tried to shut her eyes, but it was too late, the coloured lights danced across her pupils and she couldn’t look away.
Doris felt her mind slipping away until her slack face stared blankly in to the light.
