Ok, guys...ready to solve the mystery of the Plaisir Factories?
Mike: Um, no...
Davy: Yes!
Micky: Not especially.
Peter: We could sure try!
Lauren: *shrugs* Why not?
Emma: You guys are just annoyed that Lady Plaisir's got the hots for 'ya. ;)
Micky: YES!
Mike: (At the same time) YES!!!
Lauren: Now who's the twins? *grins*
Davy: I was about to say the same thing meself, luv. ;)
Emma: (Sighs) Come on (grins), let's go, Monkees! ;)
Micky: Man, I've got a sinking feeling about this...
(The six kids follow Inspector Shrink as he guides them through the factory. It's a big place, with computers, boxes, mechanics, hydrolics, cranes, levers, buttons, bells, whistles, and conveyor belts. Men and women in blue or black jumpsuits with "Plaisir" enbroidered on them bustle back and forth, doing their jobs.)
Davy: (Frowns, quietly) This place gives me the creeps.
Peter: (Gulps) I'm picking up some mega-negative vibes!
Micky: My goosebumps have goosebumps.
Emma: (Shushes them) Guys, quiet! We can't let Inspector Shrink know that we're after more than just a tour.
Davy: (Pulls at Peter's sleeve) Petah, I saw something strange...
Peter: (Frowns as they walk onto a catwalk) What, Davy?
Davy: (He's white as a sheet) I saw someone...dead, 'angin' from a crane!
Peter: (Now he's white, too) Dead? As in, not moving, not alive, dead?
Davy: Is there any othah kind? (Nods - they're falling behind the group) We've gotta catch up with the others and warn them. (As Peter trots off, Davy notices a man leading away a sobbing woman - he runs faster)
Davy: (Pulls at Emma's sleeve - they're only half-listening to Shrink's babble about technology and pleasure) Em! Em!
Emma: (Frowns) What, Davy?
Davy: I saw someone dead, or maybe dyin', and a cryin' woman.
Emma: (Gulps) Are you sure you didn't imagine it?
Davy: I'm pretty sure.
Emma: (Groans quietly) Swell. Come on. (They run over to the others. As Shrink stands on a catwalk and talks about Plaisir Media's contribution to the television industry, Emma and Davy get to the other four)
Davy: Guys!
Emma: Davy's already seen some strange stuff.
Lauren: *eyes widen* What?
Mike: Good, cause listinin' to Shrink's about as much fun as listenin' to Babbitt.
Micky: *shakes himself* Fallin' asleep standin' up over here.
Peter: (Gulps) Davy saw a dead man on a crane!
Davy: And a man leadin' away a cryin' woman.
Mike: Dead?
Micky: *blinks* Tell me you're seeing things, please!
Davy: (Puts out his hands) I'm not sure. Shrink whisked us away before I could check further.
Lauren: And we've only been here a few minutes so far.
Shrink: (Frowns) Are any of you paying attention?
Mike: Will there be a quiz afterwards?
Shrink: Don't be rude, Mr. Nesmith. This is very serious. The Plaisir Media Corporation is one of the single largest owners of entertainment outlets in the world. As musicians, I would think you could all appreciate that.
(Shrink nudges them along. Emma checks over her shoulder to make sure Harry Morris is following them - he's sitting in at a discreet distance in a crane.)
Shrink: Now then, as I was saying, (passes by a long conveyor belt ending with a series of sharp, teeth-like pieces of metal) this is the area where boxes and waste paper is shredded and sent to be made into paper for sheet music and "Plaisir Palace" television guide magazine.
Peter: (Shudders at the teeth) Those things remind me of the monsters we went up against in the fantasy world!
Mike: I feel sorry for the boxes.
Davy: Wouldn't want to end up in the mouth of that thing, that's for sure.
Lauren: You'd get to find out what food feels like when it sees Mick coming.
(That gets light chuckles from everyone except for Shrink, who continues to talk and doesn't appear to have heard the comment.)
*Micky sticks his tongue out at Lauren.*
Davy: (Pulls at Micky's sleeve, since he's closest) Micky, look! (Points at a stack of teetering boxes. Micky and Davy watch in horror as the boxes almost fall on a security guard, who ignores the whole thing.)
Davy: That could 'ave killed the bloke, and 'e didn't even notice it!
Micky: *grounds out* That's insane!
Davy: We've got to catch up with the others again. This place is a bloomin' nuthouse! (As he and Micky run to catch up to the group, Davy sees a man fill a glass with a reddish-orange liquid. The security guard looms over him, and he hastily drinks it.)
Davy: (Catches up with the others) Mike, Petah, girls, you won't believe what we found!
Lauren: Now what?
Mike: (Frowns) Not more might-be-dead people, I hope.
Micky: Almost!
Davy: A stack of boxes fell over and almost murdered a security guard...but the weird thing is, the poor buggar didn't even notice!
Mike: (Frowns) What?
Micky: Just kept on walking.
Emma: (Worried) Oh, man...
Davy: And I saw a bloke drinkin' this reddish-orange fluid. No, it wasn't blood, it were too orangy and bright to be blood, but it weren't tomato juice, eithah.
Micky: Even I'm not that desperate.
Peter: (He looks like he's going to faint) Oh, god....
Lauren: That's it. This place is officially terrifying now.
Mike: David Jones, you have lead us to the House of Horrors. How does it feel?
Davy: I feel like a bloomin' fool. This is total insanity, and probably way ovah our 'eads. The minute we get out of here, we go straight to that place Stanton mentioned.
Mike: And call the nearest cops.
Lauren: And the farthest cops.
Peter: And the in-between cops.
Micky: Maybe the SWAT team, too.
Davy: And the bloody Royal Army!
Shrink: (Frowns) Are you all with me, or are you going to stand around gawking all day? (The kids catch up with him. Peter sees a large, black-haired, well-dressed man with a toothpaste smile leaning against a corner, smoking a cigarette. The man is giving him majorly nasty vibes, and he runs to tell the others.)
Peter: (Tugs on Mike's sleeve) Hey, Michael, I saw this guy standing in the corner, wearing a suit and a big smile. I didn't like the way he looked at me.
Mike: (Turns to the corner Peter indicates - it's empty now) Pete, stop jumping at every shadow in the factory. I know you're scared, and I don't blame you, but we need more concrete evidence than smoke in a dark corner.
Peter: But Michael... (Mike pulls him along to the rest of the group)
(Shrink leads them downstairs, to the emptiest part of the factory. Not a soul besides the six kids, Shrink, and the ever-present-but-discreet Morris can be seen. They pass by a room with several women working on TV tube wires. Davy sees the head of one fall off - she's clearly a dummy. The other women don't pay any attention.)
Davy: (As Shrink leads them farther and farther down and it gets colder) Hey, gang! I just saw...
Mike: (Pulls Davy into the group) Dave, come on!
Shrink: These are our freezers, where we keep electrical parts, film stock, and other items that are possibly combustible.
Mike: Then we shouldn't be bringing Micky here. He'll find a way to make it all combust. ;)
Micky: *quirks an eyebrow at Mike* I wouldn't do that. Well, not all at the same time.
Shrink: (Opens a door to a room as a man comes up to him and whispers something in his ear) I've been called away on...pressing matters. Perhaps you'd all like to wait in here until I return? It will only be a minute.
Mike: What if we don't want to?
Shrink: I understand your concern, Mr. Nesmith, but rest assured, I won't be long, and we will resume our tour when I return.
Davy: (As they're herded into the room) I don't like the looks of this one bit...
Lauren: Awfully dark in here.
(Shrink slams the door shut as the last member of the group - Mike - enters. There's the sound of a lock clicking.)
Micky: What the...
Mike: HEY! (Bangs on the door) HEY! Let us out!
Peter: (Grabs Mike's sleeve) Michael, we're locked in!
Davy: I think 'e's onto us, gang.
Emma: There's got to be a way out of here! (Frowns) You know, it just occured to me that this room, while very cold, is totally empty.
Lauren: And very black.
Mike: Film stock, my ass. I'll bet they're keepin' people in here, not electronics.
*Micky's trying every possible method to get the door to open, including running into it.*
(Peter is feeling along the wall, trying to find another way of escape. His hand finally connects with a lever.)
Peter: Hey, guys, I think I found something!
Davy: What is it, Petah? (Peter pulls the lever and opens a door to an equally dark corridor) Come on, guys. Petah found a way out.
Mike: Thank god. (The group follows Peter down the very dark, narrow, dusty corridor)
Peter: (Shivers) This place is scaring the positive vibes out of me! :(
Emma: It goes on forever!
Davy: It's got to lead somewhere!
Lauren: As long as it doesn't lead to another dark room.
(The corridor stops at a dead end.)
Mike: Well, that's the end of that idea.
Micky: Rather fitting, don't you think?
Davy: Much too fitting. :p
Mike: (looks up...and sees light) Hey, guys, I think that's our ticket out of here.
Peter: (Squints) It's a trap door of some kind.
Davy: Well, 'ow are we going to get up to it? This isn't the Castle of the Four Elements, and none of us are demons with big black wings.
Mike: The ceiling isn't that high. I could probably lift everyone up and out of it myself.
Emma: (Grins) Just don't strain yourself, oh fearless leader.
Mike: Wouldn't dream of it, Mama Bear! ;)
Micky: At least let me give Lauren a boost. *grins* ;-)
Emma: (Pulls at the collar of her jumpsuit first and takes the suit off) Let's lose these things. They're heavy, hot, and are a good indication of where we've been.
Davy: Not to mention they make a rotten fashion statement.
(Everyone sheds their jumpsuits. Micky lifts Lauren up, then Mike lifts everyone else, including Micky. The group leans over and finally gets Mike out, without putting a crease in his brown suit. The group is now on the sidewalk right outside of the factory.)
Davy: (Nods at the little, ratty-looking diner across the street) Let's go tell Stanton what we've found out, before anyone else tries to shut us up in cold black rooms. (He marches across the street, and the others follow.)
(A plump, unnaturally-blonde waitress wearing a pink-gingham uniform, a white apron, and far too much make-up wipes the counter of the diner. It's your standard greasy spoon, with a counter filled with pastries and grime, cracked booths, old plastic tablecloths, dusty plastic flowers in plastic vases, old black-and-white photos of the Manchester factories on the walls, and a jukebox playing a jazzy instrumental tune in the background. The place is empty except for the waitress.
Peter: I guess Stanton will show up later. (Davy, Micky, Lauren, and Mike plop down at one of the tables. Emma and Peter drag another table and two more chairs over and join them.)
Waitress: (Pulls out a pen) What'll it be, kids?
Mike: What's edible in this joint?
Waitress: (Crosses her arms) I can recommend the house burgers and the Caesar salad. The burgers come with a side of fries and cole slaw.
Emma: (Looks at the menu) I'll have one of those burgers.
Peter: Chef salad, please.
Mike: Definitely a burger here, extremely well-done.
Lauren: Grilled cheese.
Emma: (Grins) Mike likes shoe leather.
Mike: I do not! I just like my burgers a little crispy, that's all.
Emma: Mike, you need a chain saw to cut into your burgers.
Micky: Hmm. I'll have the burger, medium-well, and an extra side of fries.
Davy: (Glares at Mike and Emma before they start in on each other) I'll just have that Ceasar salad, with the dressing on the side.
Mike: Yeah, he'll throw it at us later. ;)
Lauren: *groans* As soon as I heard the word "salad"...
(The waitress walks off.)
Mike: Is it just me, or does that look like a man under eighty pounds of make-up and a wig? :p
Davy: Not exactly a blushing English rose.
Peter: Not very nice to her customers, either.
Micky: Probably doesn't get much in tips. *grins*
Mike: As soon as Stanton shows up and we eat, we're finding the nearest fuzz, tellin' him what's goin' on, and leavin'. That whole trip was just too freaky.
Peter: (Looks at the others with enormous brown eyes) Guys, I felt so much pain coming out of that factory, it came at me in waves. I thought I'd bust out crying right then and there.
Davy: And what the bloomin 'ell was with that damn black room? Why did 'e stick us there?
Emma: And, more to the point, what's he going to do when he finds us gone?
Mike: (Runs his fingers through his hair) There's some serious shit going on at that factory. Lady Plaisir must have bribed half the officials in England to make that place pass any kind of codes.
Davy: Yeah, I'd say a dead man hangin' off of a crane is a majah code violation.
Peter: I saw this man watching me! He had thick black hair and a big smile and wore a really nice suit.
Micky: The leaning tower of boxes...
Davy: And the guard who didn't even see it!
Lauren: I'm just glad we got out of there in one piece.
Emma: We were damn lucky. God only knows what Shrink had in mind for us when he came back from wherever he went.
Davy: If 'e 'ad anything in mind at all. Maybe 'e was just going to leave us there to freeze us to death.
Peter: There was this crying woman, too. A man was leading her out. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but she was really upset.
Emma: (Thoughtfully) I thought I was imagining things at the time, but I could have sworn I saw two factory workers carrying something on a stretcher not long before we passed by the room with the women.
Davy: One of those women weren't real. She were a dummy!
Mike: I knew those old ladies seemed a bit stiff, but that's ridiculous!
Micky: Way too literal, if you ask me.
(The waitress emerges at that moment, carrying a tray filled with plates of greasy food and wilted salads. She throws down each plate before the appropriate kid.)
Waitress: Ok, everybody 'appy? Good. Enjoy. Call me when you want dessert. (Goes back in the kitchen)
Micky: *makes a face* Her tip is hanging in the balance.
Mike: (Frowns at his burger, a blackened hockey puck smaller than the bun it's on, covered with wilted lettuce and nuclear cheese) She calls this a burger? I wouldn't feed this to the ornery old goat on Aunt Kate's farm.
Emma: (Hers is the same, only not blackened) Well, it's not gourmet cooking, that's for sure.
*Micky shrugs and plows into his.*
Davy: (Picks at the wilted romane lettuce in his Caesar salad) Figures. 'E'd probably drink that bloody orange-red liquid at the factory.
Mike: Liquid?
Micky: *still chewing* I'm not that desperate, Dave. *pauses* You gonna eat that?
Davy: (Pushes it aside) I think I've lost me appetite, Micky. You eat it. (Sighs) I saw a man drinkin' this weird orangy-red liquid. It was too thin and too orange to be blood, and too bright to be tomato juice or a Bloody Mary.
Peter: As long as it's not blood. (Bites into his chef's salad)
Lauren: *after investigating her sandwich* This could be edible. *tries it, shrugs*
(Everyone but Davy has more-or-less attempted to plow through their food.)
Emma: (Dumps ketchup on hers) Well, it's food. :)
Mike: I wouldn't be eatin' this if I wasn't hungry. :p
Micky: *indicates Davy's salad* Can someone pass that this way?
Emma: (Pushes the salad to Micky) Here you go, Bottomless Stomach. ;)
Micky: *smiles* Thanks!
Emma: You're welcome, Mickster. ;)
Lauren: At least I know I'll never need a garbage disposal. *grins*
Peter: (Thoughtfully, as he chews his lettuce and the others laugh at Lauren's comment) I wish we could have talked to some of the factory workers. Shrink got us through there awfully fast.
Mike: (He's starting in on his fries) Yeah, he did, Pete. He didn't give us a chance to blow our noses, much less talk to anybody.
Davy: 'E probably just wanted to get us into that bloody black room.
Mike: I'd love to know why.
(Stanton enters at that point. He's agitated, but he perks up a little bit when he finds the kids.)
Stanton: Thank god you're all ok! (Drags a chair up to the kids' table) What a mess! First we lost contact with Harry Morris, then with you kids. We thought we'd lost all of you permanently.
Davy: (Glares) You came pretty damn close to losing all of us!
Peter: (Puts down his fork and whimpers) What happened to Harry Morris?
Stanton: He's gone. We haven't heard hide nor hair from him in over an hour.
Davy: Just like the other men you sent out?
Stanton: (Nods sadly) Yes. (Frowns) What did they do with you kids? The last time we heard from Harry, he said Shrink was taking you all down to the basement and he was going to tail you. We've been trying to get a hold of him ever since and haven't heard a peep.
Mike: Oh, they just stuck us in some black box of a room, that's all. :p
Stanton: Black box?
Micky: Such a lovely waiting room. *makes a face*
Peter: Shrink said it was a storage room for film stock and electronics that could catch on fire, but there was nothing in it but us and darkness. (Shivers)
Stanton: Did you find out anything else?
Davy: Yes, we did! We found out that place is a bloomin' lunatic asylum! :p
Emma: I thought I saw a man on a stretcher.
Lauren: How many near accidents did we see?
Davy: Mick and I saw the man who was almost crushed by boxes and didn't seem to realize 'e'd just escaped death...
Peter: And there was the dead man on the crane...
Micky: The orange red liquid...
Mike: Davy said something about a dummy...
Peter: Oh, and the crying woman and the man, and the man in the nice suit who kept looking at us!
Mike: Not to mention the whole thing with the box.
Stanton: (Leans back) This confirms some of the things we've suspected for years about the Plaisir factories.
Davy: That it violates every known code regulation in England...and maybe a few of the unknown ones?
Stanton: There's that, yes, but we know there's something more sinister going on under the surface. Three factory workers have been reported missing in the past two weeks, all of them men.
Peter: (Gulps and pales) I think we saw one of the missing men today on that stretcher...(trembles)
Emma: God, I hope not. :p
Mike: I'll bet that guy on the crane will be reported missing in less than 24 hours.
Micky: Make it less than twelve, and I'll make that bet.
Mike: Ten bucks says you're on. ;)
Micky: You got a deal.
Emma: (Sighs) Oh, please. We're discussing life and death situations, and you two are making bets! :p
Micky: Well...
Mike: Easy ten bucks. ;)
Micky: Yeah, for me! ;-)
Mike: Dream on. ;)
Micky: You're the one who's dreamin'!
Stanton: (Before it goes any further) You kids had better run along to Sebastian's manor house. He'd have my head if he knew anything happened to you in there. We'll find Harry Morris, now that we have an inkling of what's going on in there. (Shakes the kids' hands) Good job, gang. And don't you worry. We'll do our best to get to the bottom of this and keep all of you safe and sound.
(The waitress comes out with her pad.)
Waitress: Ok, kids, who's up for dessert?
Stanton: (Shakes his head) Not me, ma'am. I was just leaving. (To the kids) I'll meet you across the street when you're done.
Davy: (Makes a face) I don't think I'll be eatin' for a while, after the factory.
Peter: (Shakes his head) I'm stuffed.
Micky: Well, let's see...
Emma: (Nods and finishes her last fry) Me, too.
Mike: I could barely get through the burger and fries.
Lauren: *shakes her head* No more for me.
Mike: (Points at Micky) He'll have one of every dessert you have, and he'll have it to go.
Micky: How'd you know, Mike?
Mike: I'm well-versed with your bottomless stomach by now, Mick. ;)
Emma: Aren't we all? ;)
*Micky grins.*
(The waitress comes out with a hot fudge sundae, slices of chocolate cake, pound cake, a slice of cheesecake, and two pastries.)
Micky: Now this is what I call dessert!
Waitress: (Dumps it all in two bags and hand it to Micky) Enjoy, skinny. (Grins slightly) Might fatten you up a bit. (Puts the check down on the table and walks back over to the counter)
Emma: Check the hot fudge sundae for arms and legs. ;)
Micky: Was that a shot at me? *eyes the sundae*
Mike: Micky, if she was any more obvious, she would have fired a gun. ;)
(Mike goes over to pay the check)
Peter: (Groans) Please, let's not bring guns into this. That's the one thing we haven't run into yet!
Micky: In this story...
Davy: (Looks over his shoulder - Stanton stands by the MonkeeMobile, worried) We'd better get goin'. I want to be very far away from this factory and this whole mess when Shrink figures out we're not still in the box.
Lauren: Right behind ya, Dave.
(Mike joins them, Davy fishes a few shillings out of his pocket for a tip, and the entire group cautiously peeks out of the door.)
Davy: (Nods) No one 'ere but us Monkees. (They hurry across the street to the MonkeeMobile and Stanton.)
Stanton: Climb in, kids. I'll be following you. Keep your distance, but don't look like you're keeping your distance. Just be casual, like you're normal kids coming back from lunch at a diner.
Peter: Aren't we doing that?
(The kids cautiously climb into the MonkeeMobile, Mike pulling Peter into the back with him and Emma. Davy gets into the driver's seat with Micky next to him and Lauren behind them. Davy revvs up the motor and pulls out of the parking lot)
Mike: (Looks behind him) I think we're ok, guys. The only person I see is Stanton.
Lauren: *glances over her shoulder* Good.
Emma: (Sighs) I don't trust Stanton. These guys don't know what the hell they're doing. They've already lost men.
Mike: I don't trust him either, Em, so we've got to be extra careful tonight.
Micky: Gee, there don't seem to be very many people we can trust. *looks in the rearview mirror at the others*
Davy: Well, there's Grandfathah.
Peter: And Lady Carlisle seemed nice.
Lauren: We could count them all by using both hands.
Mike: We've still got to be careful. This reminds me of the Dragonman thing...and remember what happened with that.
Micky: *frowns* Don't remind me, Mike.
Peter: Will we get to take out the bad guys with a gong again?
Davy: Somehow, Petah, I have the feeling it's going to be a lot more complicated than that this time. :p
Peter: We'll need a bigger gong, then. :D
Lauren: Huge.
Mike: This isn't like all our other stories. We kept running into people we could trust - Mary Louise, the Warrioresses and the fantasy creatures, the townspeople. It's just the six of us and two elderly people this time.
Emma: (Sighs) Us against a whole media empire.
Micky: Not very good odds.
Mike: There's something bothering me about this. We got out of that a bit too easily.
Lauren: Don't say that!
Peter: She's right. Mike, every time you say that, we get into trouble! :(
Emma: They'll probably come after us.
Mike: I still don't like it. Plaisir wanted us at that factory for a reason. Why the hell would a multi-millionairess invite six kids she barely knows to a factory plagued with major problems?
Emma: She was drooling over four of them.
Micky: Still think I'm gonna be sick from the way she was actin' over us.
Davy: I can't figure out what she wants with Micky and Mike. No offense, guys, I love you like you're me brothers, but why single you out? She barely paid attention to Petah and me latah.
Peter: Maybe she wants them to write a song for her.
Micky: Too handsome for our own good?
Lauren: Oh so humble, there, Mick.
Mike: That's us, the good-lookin' ones. (Flexes one jacket-clad arm.) We just can't keep the chicks off of us. ;)
Emma: (Rolls her eyes) Modest-But-Towering Texan, my foot. ;)
Peter: She wasn't too happy when Mike told her he didn't like her lines.
Mike: Yeah, well, her pick-up lines are lousier than Davy's.
Davy: 'EY!
Micky: And I saw her glaring at Lauren, too.
Emma: I do believe the lady is jealous. She wants Mick, pure and simple. I think you intrigue her because you turned her down...and I'll bet she's not used to that.
Micky: Well, she oughta get used to it!
Davy: (As he turns into Sebastian's estate) She don't strike me as the type who appreciates competition, mate.
Emma: (Sighs) I'll give her credit for good taste in men, but guys, I doubt she gives up easily.
Lauren: And I'm gonna agree with that, big time.
Peter: The first part or the last part? ;)
Lauren: *grins* Both.
(Davy pulls the car out in front of the estate. Pearly sits on the porch, painting a rocking chair.)
Pearly: Oh, hi, guys! (Puts the paintbrush back in the can and hurries over to the kids) So, 'ow was the factory trip?
Mike: It was interestin', Pearly.
Emma: You could say that...
Pearly: Did you see any accidents? Heard on the news today that a wee blighter is missin' from that factory! That's the fourth factory worker to vanish in two weeks! They're gettin' scared over there! Shrink's thinkin' o' callin' in the fuzz!
Peter: (Smiles) Oh, good, the cops will be able to help.
Davy: (Whispers as they get out of the car) 'Ate to burst your bubble, Petah, but Shrink's probably going to bribe the cops to look the other way.
Peter: The other way from what?
Mike: (Shakes his head as the group troops inside) Never mind, Pete. 8-|