The Wicked Queen Esmerelda

The Wicked Queen Esmerelda is the forty eighth chapter in the Wombles Eight.

Bungo was talking through his new control panel for running comms with Mr Class. He was impressed. It enabled him not just to keep in touch with the team and watch them but also to watch anywhere that has a security feed online. Right now he was watching Iron Womble waiting for Rhonda at the Sirens Club. Wellington had tracked her there from Salisbury and was being careful not to get in a fight with a giant plant. Especially with backup from Bungo, Shansi and PMW.

Earlier Wellington had seen Harley Quinn race off in a big red hotrod and Poison Ivy riding off with Sweetpea (although he didn’t know the plant’s name himself). Now Rhonda was the only one left and much easier to pick off. With the darkness of the night Rhonda had decided to leave with the money she was paid for the job at Wimbledon Common.

She rode out on a black motorbike with dimmed lights. Wellington was waiting. Rhonda saw him but too late. Wellington swooped in and grabbed her, quickly flying high to stop her escape. He flew her back to Grand Steed Manor where Charlie and Mike were waiting. “A new prisoner I see” said Gambit. “A very familiar one” added Charlie.

Rhonda was marched down to the dungeons. Gambit selected a particularly nasty looking cell with several torture devices. Charlie roughly shoved Rhonda in and slammed the door shut behind them. As Gambit locked it Charlie was then busy strapping Rhonda to the rack. “We’re ready darling” Charlie said with a smile. “Then let us begin” Gambit replied turning a handle to stretch Rhonda’s limbs until she screamed.

“I’m sorry but we can’t understand you when you shout” Charlie said in a condescending tone. “But if you could tell us about your failed attempt to rob the Ministry of Technology that we understand.” Gambit added. “Failed? I didn’t fail!” screamed Rhonda. Gambit turned the handle and stretched her further. Rhonda was desperate now. “I succeeded! Katy can see and hear everything you try to stop her!”.

“You bugged the MoT?” asked Charlie. “Yeeeessssss!” screamed Rhonda as Gambit wound up the pressure on her arms and legs. “Where is the bug exactly?” Charlie asked calmly. “In the security panel for the Womble Existence Jewel! Stoooopppppp streeeetttccchiiing” screamed Rhonda. The stretching did stop but not because Gambit was feeling nice. It was because all her limbs had been ripped off.

“Is she?” asked Charlie. “Dead? Oh yes. She doesn’t seem to have enough blood for some reason.” Gambit replied. “Oh well, she was only to going to prison.” Charlie said chirpily. They both left to go back to Wellington who had now been joined by Alderney.

They were all being watched by Esmerelda Summers at the moment that Penny Stewart informed her that Bond and Batman had escaped. Esmerelda erupted fearfully. Penny and Aaron cowered as far away as possible, which wasn’t far enough, when Aaron told her that most of her slaves were dead or missing. It got even worse when a guard told Esmerelda that the breach technology had been melted somehow.

The guard was killed instantly by a flying stiletto knife. Esmerelda spoke menacingly to Penny and Aaron. “Find me a replacement for Batman! Or you will both be next to die. It will be slow, agonisingly slow, and extremely painful! Do you understand me?”  Penny and Aaron fled away immediately to obey their orders.

Over the Atlantic in New York Aquasam had finally found Ginny again. He found her in the zoo talking to the snakes. At least he thought she was. It was all rather strange and he couldn’t understand a word. Al appeared next to him. “Al! Do I need your help!”  “Do you ever!” replied Al.  “Ziggy says that she can speak a language called Parseltongue.”

Ginny said something to a big python she had released and the python shook it’s head. Ginny shrugged then waved at the snake. Aquasam was surprised to see the snake wave back. “Are you talking to that snake?” he asked. “Obviously! You again? Can you please leave me alone!” snapped back Ginny. “No I can’t” replied Aquasam. “Why?” asked Ginny. “Yes why? What do I need to do?” Aquasam asked nobody. The nobody replied. “It’s like this Sam” but Al never got to finish his sentence.

Tara got a phone call at Venus’s old flat. “I’m sorry to disturb you but do you have a Dr Martin King?” asked an unknown caller. “And why do you want to know that?” replied Tara with deep suspicion. “We have a terrible case to deal with here at Great Ormond Street. It is something that needs the skill level of Dr King. A man could die otherwise.”  The caller sounded very urgent. “And you called me here how? This number is private!” Tara replied sharply.

“I can’t tell you that I’m afraid. It’s on a need to know basis. I can tell you it is on the authority of her Majesty’s government.” The caller was sounding both genuine and desperate. “You are?” asked Tara. “Dr Sarah Svengali. You can check me out if you want but please be quick!” replied Dr Svengali. Gordon checked the credentials on the web and gave Tara the thumbs up.

There was a knock on the door. The knock woke up Dr King who was looking healthy and alive now. “What? Where?” he asked. Gordon answered the door. An Asian looking woman in a white coat was there. “Dr Svengali I presume” said Tara. “Indeed Mrs Keel. And now may I take Dr King with me?” asked Dr Svengali. “You may not!” said Katy who had only been observing so far. “He has only just recovered from death, so yes that is a very big no!” added Tara. “But” continued Tara “I can help you.”

To Dr Svengali’s incredible surprise Tara flew them to the hospital. “My god! You’re, you’re an angel!” stammered the doctor. “Sort of” replied Tara who amazed the doctor even more as she healed everybody she saw as if, which it was, by magic. They reached a bare room with a body that looked more like a piece of meat than a man. “This is the case you needed help with?” asked Tara. “Yes Mrs Keel” replied the shocked Dr Svengali. “His name?” asked Tara. “Bruce Wayne” replied the doctor. “Bruce Wayne is back to full health!” Tara said loudly.

Dr Svengali looked agog at Bruce getting up from the slab he was on. “I believe I have one of you to thank.” Bruce said extending a hand. “That would be me” said Tara shaking his hand. “Now I have something rather important to do” Tara continued. “What is more important than saving the lives of those in hospital?” asked the doctor. “Saving the entire world.” Tara replied as she quickly returned to the flat.

Esmerelda laughed as she watched Tara and Bruce from her screen. “Save the world? From me? I don’t think so Tara! And as for you Mr Wayne! You have a job to finish!”  Esmerelda was cackling hard and had to stop so she could call Penny and Aaron. “Mr Wayne is back to full strength and leaving hospital in Great Ormond Street at this moment. Go and get him for me or you will die exquisite deaths!”  The call was cut off but she needed no reply. Penny and Aaron knew there was only one option.

When the pair reached the hospital they posed as ambulance crew and waited by the exit. Bruce however had already left courtesy of Superman and was at the Batcave where nobody could spy on them. But somebody had seen them. A somebody who was able to work out where they were going.