(Note: all Da Loop stock featured in the original adventures is no longer for sale.)
It wasn’t a
good scene in the front window of Da Loop – not only did Gypsy have a gun
pointed at her head and floodwater up to her armpits, but her outfit had
changed since the last photo! (Well, people
always want to buy what’s on the mannequin or, in this case, mannequins…)
Now looking
stunning in 80s black and white, Gypsy recalled her assailant’s
recently-completed phone call. “I’VE GOT
THE REDHEAD” he’d barked into the phone.
“IF THOSE BLUEPRINTS AREN’T DOWN AT DA LOOP IN FIVE MINUTES, SHE’S
HISTORY!” Gypsy couldn’t work out if he meant that he’d shoot her or she’d
drown, so she asked him.
He looked at
her blankly. “Drown, obviously. Otherwise it won’t look like an accident,
will it?”
“I guess
not.”
“I paid off
a mate in Council to direct stormwater into your shop during this storm. (Or
should I say, direct extra stormwater
into your shop, ha ha ha.) Everyone will think you were simply trapped inside a
flooded building!!” He must have seen Gypsy’s doubtful look, as he added “He’s
very reliable, my mate.”
Gypsy
stalled for time while her eyes darted around looking for something… anything…
that could help her. She was in it,
literally, up to her neck, but it was somewhat comforting to know that he didn’t
really want to shoot her. “Ah… so was
that Traeger, er, I mean Andrew, you were talking to? “
“The one and
only,” he snarled.
“Well, you
know we’ve split up. I’ve never seen
your blueprints, and he’s not going to come running here to rescue me and bring
them to you, so why don’t you just let me go and we can save you from totally
ruining your Billabong shirt?”
The man let
out a loud laugh. “I don’t care about
the shirt – I bought it cheap, AT YOUR SHOP HA HA HA!”.
“SPIDER!!!”
Gypsy suddenly shouted while sending a deliberate glance to the ceiling. Billabong Man (who was arachnophobic,
fortunately) lost concentration for a
fraction of a second as he followed her eyes, and so in one swift move Gypsy
grabbed a wooden clog that was floating past (reduced to $14) and dived under
the water. A bullet exploded into the
ceiling, then Billabong Man corrected the angle of the gun and aimed into the
swirling, muddy water. But he could see nothing.
Underwater, Gypsy
clonked the clog hard into the window. Immediately,
water starting pouring through a sizeable hole onto the verandah.
Gypsy knew
she had to move fast or she would become visible to her attacker. She turned and swam around the back of the
gondola while Billabong man spun around and began to search the shop as the
water receded.
He skimmed the front of the shop for a sign of red hair, but saw none. Where the bloody hell is she?? he thought, panicked. She must have swum down to the back room…
He waded off
past the shop counter and Gypsy grabbed her chance – the water had receded
enough such that she could yank open the door under the reduced pressure.
She ran into
the street, ditching her disguise and scanning the street for Billabong Man’s
accomplices who must surely be hiding in wait for Traeger. Will he
really come to save me? she
wondered. In any case, he doesn’t need to put himself in danger now that I’ve
escaped - but I’ve got to warn him!! She made a beeline for the pub, hoping
to use its phone, and screaming for help on the way. (Gypsy’s phone had drowned
in the cute $4 black handbag she’d been wearing.)
But how do you call someone when you
can’t remember phone numbers because they only exist as contacts in your phone?? Will Gypsy be able to drum up enough help in
the next three minutes to intercept the attackers and save Traeger and the
mysterious blueprints??