Not So Loud!

"Sober up boneheads! We've got company!" Doc shouts over the clash of Nordic dirge versus Turkey in the Straw.

The two fall silent as Doc points out the second ship and the man in black standing between the two.

Doc calls Dr. Ritenrong again. "Steve, the men in black are here. Can we call the cops on them? You know, maybe tell them they're smuggling drugs and they have fake IDs? "

"Good God, no. Who are they going to believe, the guys with the fake Government IDs or the guys with the fake civilian IDs? At least their fake IDs give them permits to carry guns. You guys are fucked if you get searched, and you will because the cops will do a weapons scan before they even show up. Besides, anti-drug laws were abolished when drugs like SoberAll and ToxiCleanse were invented."

"So what can we do?"

"If you can't sneak past them you'll just have to beat the shit out of them. Move quickly, they're probably scanning for you now. This channel is encrypted, but we can't use it too much or they'll catch on. Don't call back until you're clear." Steve hangs up.

Doc takes a moment to retrieve the assault rifle from his satchel and assemble it. He plays with the computer to try to get a tactical view of the situation, but this van's navigator is just not designed for that kind of task.

"Okay, boys. We've got to be quiet. There might be more of them, and they're probably better armed than last time. We're going to sneak onto the Python."

Doc readies his new weapon. It's all charged up and ready to do some damage. Mark pulls out the ION pistol, and Thunderhorse clutches his new axe. Doc slowly slides open the door and steps out.

Thunderhorse is not used to moving slow, especially when he's been drinking. He trips and stumbles out of the van, rather loudly, pushing Mark out in the process.

"Hey! Watch it!" Mark practically yells and pushes back. Thunderhorse falls on top of Doc, nearly pushing him to the ground, shattering any illusion Doc had about being quiet about this.

Doc clenches his teeth and readies his weapon. Amazingly, the MIB has not moved a bit. Their loud clambering out of van has not attracted his attention.

Doc tries to keep low and slow as they make their way towards the Python. The two wastrels behind him are pushing each other and arguing in a loud whisper. Doc turns around, angry and forgetting himself. "Would you two knock it the fuck off?" He almost shouts.

He stops again, remembering, and waits for the MiB to come running towards them. Nothing. He's not moving. They continue forward. They're halfway there.

"Stop pushing me, you big dummy!" Mark says aloud.

"Shut Up!" Doc accidentally yells. DAMNIT! He thinks. Amazingly, the man in black is still not moving. He must think they're just some family with two rowdy kids walking to their car.

Finally, they reach the Python. Doc opens the side hatch and they all hop in as quickly as they can. Only then does the Man in Black notice them. He comes running around the side of the ship, but not in time to reach the hatch before Doc closes it. He's shouting and yelling outside, inaudibly.

While Doc starts firing up the engines, the hatch of the other ship opens. Another MiB steps out, pistol in hand. He grabs a radio device from his pocket and starts shouting into it. He opens fire at the cockpit with his pistol.

A burst of blue light splats and crackles loudly against the cockpit window right next to Doc's head, then another. Doc has to take a moment, a mere instant, to check if he's still alive. No worries, he's okay. Mercifully, the engines are at last fully charged and Doc lifts off.

The two men in black shout into their radios again, then get in their own ship. Doc punches the accelerator hard. The Exkorean ship is quickly in the air and giving chase.