--------------------------

A cloud of dust blew across the ground as the debris settled from the explosion. Eerie silence followed the loud noise.

And thankfully, the government issue Dodge Diplomat stood up to the test of the explosion and debris. Both Bill and Pam had ducked for cover behind the beige car. Bill promptly sat up and looked over the hood of the car, while Pam remained low, but looked up.

"Do you see him?" Pam asked, worry evident on her face.

Bill scanned the area, shaking his head. "Not yet, Counselor. Sheesh, where’d he go to?" He sighed and stood. "I’ll go find him. You stay here, got it? It might not be completely safe yet."

"For once, Bill, yes, I’m staying right here," Pam replied.

Bill went around the car, moving carefully. He really hadn’t expected the entire building to blow, but, thanks to the gas leak caused by a careless thug, it was only a matter of time. He just hoped that Ralph hadn’t been inside the building when it blew.

Bill walked carefully over the rubble and headed around to his right. He figured he’d circle around, as it would be the easiest. He made it part way around when he finally glimpsed the color red. As he made his way over, he could see the blond haired man, sit up, shake his head and then hold it.

"Kid, you okay?" Bill called out.

Ralph winced, Bill’s voice a little too loud, even over the current ringing in his ears from the explosion. "I feel wonderful," he answered, sarcastically. Bill helped him stand and held on as Ralph swayed a bit. "Bill, I just practically had a building land on me. I now know how the wicked witch of the west felt."

"But you gotta admit, kid, you came out better than she did."

Ralph gave him a dull glare. "Great. Bill, listen, my head hurts and I think your back-up is going to be here any minute. So, I just want to go home."

"Fine. Besides, I left the Counselor back by the car," Bill said, and then, after wrapping Ralph's right arm around the back of his neck and holding onto it, began to help Ralph back toward the car.

He noticed how the younger man kept swaying and nearly stumbled a few times. "Kid, you sure you feel all right?" he asked. Ralph nodded, but he stumbled again. Deciding it would be easier on the two of them if Ralph rested, Bill stooped over and lifted the man into a fire man's carry.

Ralph groaned when Bill's shoulder hit his gut as the agent distributed Ralph's weight across both shoulders. "Sorry kid, but you're not doing

either of us any good with your Scarecrow impression."

"Funny, Bill. C’mon on, let's get going," mumbled Ralph. Bill only shook his head and started walking forward again.

As the car came into view, Bill could see Pam move around it and come towards them. "Ralph!" Pam exclaimed, moving toward the two.

Ralph glanced up and gave her a faint grin, but didn't say anything as his eyes closed and his head lowered. Feeling Ralph move slightly, Bill readjusted his grip on the man's arm and leg so Ralph wouldn't try to get off. He didn't want to risk the kid fainting the moment he got down and stood up.

"What happened to him?" Pam asked, glaring at Bill.

"Little building fell on him. Nothing major," he replied, audibly waving it off.

Noticing that Ralph hadn't moved again since they arrived, Pam moved over to Bill's side to Ralph's head and opened one of his eyes to check. "Nothing major!? Ralph is out cold, Bill. We need to get him out of here."

Bill frowned, realizing that when he felt Ralph relax, he must have actually passed out. He steeled his grip on Ralph with one hand and quickly used the other to get the keys to the sedan out of his pocket. "Here, Counselor, take the car and take the kid back to your place. I'll talk to back-up once it gets here."

Pam frowned, but agreed, "Alright. For your sake, though, Ralph better be okay."

They got Ralph into the car and fastened him in, his head lolling to one side, as sirens were faintly heard in the background.

Pam got in behind the wheel and started the car, then pulled out, leaving the rubble, and Bill, behind. Bill moved in the opposite direction to meet with the crew on its way.

Near the center of the rubble, very close to where Bill had found Ralph, dark smoke rose up from the ground, but there was no fire. After a few moments, the smoke dissipated completely.

--------------------------

"Kid? Counselor?" Bill said, coming through the door of the Hinkleys’ house about a half an hour later.

Ralph sat forward on the couch, sliding the ice pack away from the side of his head as Bill rounded the corner. He still wore the suit, but had a blue robe over it. "Pam went to get me some aspirin." He gave a faint grin. "We realized it must’ve been used up the last time you got me in trouble in a scenario."

"Can’t help that, kid. Anyway, those garbanzos got caught and hauled off to be questioned."

"That’s good."

As Bill continued to talk about the men they’d just apprehended, Ralph noticed just the faintest of black smoke suddenly appear behind Bill. It grew longer, until it reached the floor, standing just shorter than Bill. Ralph’s eyes widened at the sight.

Bill paused, finally realizing Ralph wasn’t paying attention. "Kid? What’s wrong?" He gave a slight grin. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Ralph pointed in Bill’s direction. "Behind you!"

Bill turned... then turned back to Ralph. "I don’t see anything, Ralph. Is this a game, or did you get hit harder in the head than we thought?"

Ralph blinked. He could still see the smoke plain as day. "Don’t you see that black smoke?"

Bill continued to grin. "Okay, kid. You need to get some rest." He pushed Ralph back to lean against the back of the couch. "You got hit in the head and you’re seeing things. Just stay put. You said the Counselor should be back soon with something to make your head feel better."

Ralph made a face at the patronizing tone in Bill’s voice. Then he sighed, realizing Bill had to be right. "Okay. That’s got to be it." He glanced over again and the smoke was gone.

Pam came in, a small brown paper bag in hand. She gave Bill a forced smile. "Why, Bill, what brings you here?"

Bill let out an aggravated sound. "Alright, I get it. I need to go, anyway. Got some paperwork to fill out on those goons." He stopped next to Pam. "Keep an eye on the kid, Counselor. I think he’s seeing things because of the knock on the head." With that, he left.

Pam sat down next to him. "Ralph, what did he mean by that?"

"Well," Ralph began, looking across the living room again. The smoke was back. "Uhh... do you see anything odd in here?"

Pam glanced around the room, then turned back to him. "No, I don’t. Do you?"

Ralph stared at the smoke. The cloud looked like it was beginning to take shape, which was starting to look like a human form. He couldn’t stop his eyes from widening, though he didn’t tell Pam to look. Instead, she noticed the change of his facial expression and looked where she thought he was looking, then turned back, frowning.

"Ralph, I think Bill’s right. You may even have a concussion for all we know. Maybe you should see a doctor..."

At the mention of a doctor, the smoke form vanished. He turned to face Pam. "Yeah, maybe I should..."

"Then you’d better change, hon, and I’ll think up an explanation to give to the doctor."

"Right," Ralph agreed, then got up and headed for the bedroom.

--------------------------

That afternoon, Ralph was given a clean bill of health from the doctor. There was no concussion, just a small bump on the head.

Ralph remained quiet on the way back home. If he didn’t have a concussion, then why was he seeing things that neither Bill nor Pam could see... and that’s when it hit him. It had to be caused by the suit.

They got back to the house and went inside, Ralph headed for the bedroom.

"Ralph, maybe you should lay down for a little while. Since you don’t have a concussion, a nap might do you some good," Pam called out to him.

Ralph came out a few moments later back in the suit.

Pam folded her arms. "Ralph, what are you doing?"

"Pamela, I think the suit has something to do with what I’ve been seeing," he said.

"That’s possible. But, Ralph, I still think you should lay down and try to get a nap. Besides, I need to get caught up on some work. They were expecting me back at the office almost thirty minutes ago."

Ralph nodded. "You go, Pam, I’ll be fine."

"Are you sure, Ralph?"

"Positive." He nodded, then gave her a kiss. He smiled, pulling away. "Go on. I think I’ll watch a little tv first, then get some rest."

"Okay, hon."

As soon as Pam left, Ralph spun around and looked at the same spot where he saw the smoke earlier. He stared, but it didn’t return. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking. He went over to the couch and sat, after turning the tv on.

As he watched, Ralph began to nod off. As he was fading, the black smoke reappeared, once again taking form. Ralph fell asleep just before a woman with short, red hair and dark clothes walked over to him.

--------------------------

It was sometime later when Ralph woke up. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Odd, he thought, if it’s night time, that explains the darkness, but not why the tv is off... He sat up and looked around.

Ralph sucked in a breath. His eyes finally able to see through the darkness, he found that he was in a very plain room, containing just the cot he woke up on.

"I don’t think you’re in Kansas anymore, Ralph," he tried joking to himself. He ran a hand through his hair and stood. Squinting, he thought he could make out a door frame just to his left and moved toward it. He felt for the doorknob and turned, then gave it a tug. The wooden door creaked open and a faint light fell over him from the hall outside.

Ralph stepped out into the hallway, closing the door after him. He couldn’t figure out what was going on, though he wondered what role the suit was playing in this and how much was just his head injury. He continued down the hall. He could hear a faint sound, but couldn’t make out what it was.

The hallway was dark and, even with the faint light, it was foreboding. There were many doors lining the walls and all were closed. The odd thing was that the hallway didn’t seem to end. Ralph kept walking, but didn’t seem to be nearing the end.

Ralph looked down at the floor, remembering a fun house he’d been suckered into once where one of the hallways had a conveyor belt for a floor. The floor was plain wood, just like everything else.

Something very strange is going on... Ralph thought.

A woman’s laugh cut through the quiet of the hall, stopping Ralph in his trek. He turned around and around again, looking for where the sound came from. He found he was still alone in the hall and couldn’t see anyone or anything down either end of the hall.

"If this is the suit’s idea of a nightmare, it isn’t funny..." Ralph muttered. He slowly began walking again. After a few steps, he heard a creak and froze. There was another creak, then what sounded like gears turning.

Before Ralph knew what happened, the floor dropped out from under him and he began sliding down a corkscrew tunnel. He tried in vain to stop himself from sliding, but there were no grips to be found on the tunnel slide. He also realized he was screaming the entire way, his voice sounding foreign to him in the small, enclosed area.

After what seemed like several miles, Ralph finally reached an opening at the bottom, where his feet struck, causing him to turn over and tumble several revolutions before coming to a stop face-down. He groaned and lifted his head. He pushed up on his arms slightly to get a better look around. Again, the room was wooden, though the decor reminded Ralph of a king’s throne room.

"What the hell...?"

"Precisely, my dear."

Ralph quickly turned over to look behind him, the direction the voice came from. He was somewhat surprised to actually find a black velvet throne which was occupied by a woman in a black dress with short red hair and dark make-up.

"Please stand." The woman lifted her right hand and as she did, Ralph stood.

Ralph looked down at himself, then back at the woman. "How did you do that?"

"It is my power," the woman answered. "I wanted you to stand, and stand is what you did."

"But I didn’t want to!" Ralph blurted out.

"You amuse me," the woman commented, but did not smile and actually did not look amused at all. "You also interest me... Ralph Hinkley."

Ralph’s eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"I know many things."

"Okay... then how did I get here?"

"I brought you here."

Ralph ran a hand through his hair again. "Where is here, anyway?"

"My dear, you already know. You said so upon entering this room."

It didn’t take long for Ralph to get the answer. His mouth dropped open and he looked like he’d been punched in the stomach. He closed his mouth and swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry suddenly. "I’m... I’m in Hell?" His fists clenched. "I’m dead?!"

Now, the woman smiled. "No, my dear, you are not dead. Far from it, as a matter of fact."

Ralph shook his head. "I don’t believe any of this!" He paused and gave a nervous chuckle. "I’ll bet you’re the devil, right?"

"Desdemona, at your service. Though most call me Mona."

He blinked. Either this woman was a complete nut or... Ralph could feel the blood drain from his face. How did he get into this predicament? "Listen, Mona, you’ve already practically scared me to death and your... house... is alot of fun, but... why am I here?"

"As I said, you interest me."

Ralph ran a hand over his face this time. "I interest you? What, exactly, do you mean by that?"

Mona looked him directly in the eyes. "What do you think I mean by that?"

Suddenly, Ralph felt light-headed. Any minute, he’d wake up from this nightmare, still on the couch in his living room. Pam would be home and he could go to bed with her and...

A sudden force drove Ralph down onto his knees. He watched Mona stand from her throne. She started toward him and didn’t stop until she was right in front of him.

Mona bent down and cupped his chin. "Very interesting, indeed."

Ralph couldn’t speak. He couldn’t make his mouth work. About a million thoughts ran through his head, most were fearful. He was scared and the way she seemed to look through his eyes didn’t help one bit.

Mona moved her hand from his chin and brushed her thumb against one cheek. Ralph closed his eyes, finally, finding it was the only thing he could seemingly do at the moment. He felt her hand run through his curls, then down the side of his neck, over his shoulder and down his left arm to the elbow where it stopped.

Out of fear, Ralph’s breathing hitched. What’s going on!? he screamed in thought. He felt her hand leave his elbow and trail across his chest, then back again, where it stopped right over his heart.

Ralph’s eyes snapped open and he gave Mona a shove, knocking her down. He looked down and found a small, black spot on the tunic of the suit, right over his heart.

Mona sat up, a slight, proud smirk crossing her deep red lips. She said nothing, stood and turned, headed back to her throne. She took up her seat once more. She raised her right hand, making Ralph stand. She lowered the same hand, pausing a moment, before snapping the fingers on her left hand. Two large men appeared, one on each side of the throne, both dressed completely in black.

"Take him to the room," she said.

The men nodded and went to Ralph, who stood unable to move. He could do nothing as he watched one put his arms under his own and clasp his hands over the front of his chest and the other pick up his feet. The men carried Ralph to the door, which opened on its own. They walked silently down the hallway. Ralph could do nothing but look at the dreary hallway.

They reached a closed door, which the man who held Ralph’s feet opened and they carried him inside.

This room was a bit brighter than the hall, but still not fully lit up. The two men set Ralph down on a bed dressed with a black sheet set. The men left, closing the door after them. Once gone, Ralph was able to move again. Still lying on the bed, he lifted his head and looked around the room. It looked like a normal bedroom, but the implications of his situation caused him to drop his head back down onto the mattress and stare up at the ceiling... and found himself looking back down at him, thanks to a mirror on the ceiling.

Ralph made a choked sound. "This can’t be happening!" He closed his eyes and hoped when he opened them again, he’d be home again.

--------------------------

Pam returned home from the law firm that evening to find Ralph sprawled out on the couch. She gave a small smile and went to turn the tv off. She turned and went over to him. She lightly brushed a few curls from his forehead, and her smile fell. His skin felt cool, a little too cool.

Pam knelt down next to him and pressed her palm to his forehead. She gasped at the chill. She then pressed the back of her hand to his right cheek and felt the same coolness. She gave him a once over and noticed a mark on the tunic of the suit. Pam leaned over him a little, finding the mark was a small black spot, right over his heart. She touched the spot lightly and found that it was warm. She moved her hand to the other side of his chest, which felt cool.

Pam got up quickly, went for the phone, and dialed a familiar number. "Bill Maxwell, please. It’s an emergency."

--------------------------

Ralph opened his eyes and found his reflection still looking down at him. There was something strange, though. He couldn’t quite figure out what the feeling was, but he tentatively moved his right arm and put his hand over his heart. A jolt of warmth washed over him and was quickly followed by coolness, making him shiver.

He got up and decided to look around the room. He found the bureau covered with necessities intended for men, cologne and such. He pulled a drawer out and found pants. Another held shirts. He bypassed the bottom one, opting to try the other door in the room.

Ralph sighed when he realized he’d just found the bathroom. He turned away and looked over the bedroom again. He was about to go over to the closet when a knock came at the door. He turned to stare at it, but didn’t move nor did he respond to the knock. He watched as the knob turned and the door opened.

Mona stood in the doorway. "I hope you had a chance to rest. You may need it."

Ralph blinked, shaking himself. "Listen, devil lady, I’ve had just about enough of this game." He walked over to her, finding that she was the same height. "Whatever twisted game you have in mind for me--"

Mona interrupted by running her thumb over Ralph’s throat. His mouth moved a few more times, but no sound came out. He tried speaking again and still found no voice.

He mouthed, What did you do?

"I took your voice away. Seems I always have to do that to your kind," she responded.

Ralph’s eyes widened. Again, he opened his mouth and found no voice. A furious look crossed his face and he swung a fist, aiming for Mona’s jaw. Even though his aim was perfect, his fist missed her jaw and he spun around, allowing her to wrap her arms around his arms and chest, then clasping her hands over his chest.

Mona tilted her head, so her mouth was directly next to his right ear. "Naughty. It would seem you need a little discipline."

Ralph struggled, trying to get out of her grip, but even with the suit, he couldn’t break her hold. His mind was whirling around ideas of what she had in mind.

Mona pressed two fingers to his temple on the right side and rubbed. Ralph’s struggle began to slow and he began to slump. His struggle finally ceased and she let go of him. Ralph fell forward onto his hands and knees, silently gasping for breath.

"You’re doing better already, my dear," Mona said. "Now, I have a little... other business to attend to. While I’m gone, if you behave, I’ll reward you. Perhaps I’ll give you your voice back." She watched as Ralph turned his head to look at her and she smirked. She turned and left the room, shutting the door after her.

Ralph turned his head back toward the floor and gave it a shake, then pulled himself back up on his knees, using the bed for leverage. He noticed how just that little bit of movement seemed to have worn him out. Ralph knew she did something to him when she rubbed his head. Subconsciously, his right hand went to his temple and rubbed at it, as though he had a small itch.

He tried to figure out what else felt different, but he couldn’t gather his thoughts together. Ralph just felt confused.

--------------------------

"I don’t know what to tell you, Counselor," Bill said, checking Ralph’s eyes and finding only the whites. "The kid’s still got a good heartbeat, his breathing’s fine, but he’s out like a light, and feels the temperature of an ice cube in January."

"I think we should take him to the hospital. They’ll know what’s wrong," Pam said.

"Counselor, we were already there and they gave Ralph a clean bill of health. We take him back and they’re gonna wonder what we did to him." Bill shook his head. "No way. We’ll find a heat pack and some blankets and tuck the kid in nicely and wait for him to wake up."

"I don’t like this, Bill."

"Never said I liked this either."

--------------------------

Ralph was finally able to pull himself completely onto the bed. He tugged at the collar of the cape and pulled it off, dropping it on the floor. He caught his reflection in the mirror across the room. He stared at the mirror as he slowly got up and made his way over.

He noticed how his eyes looked different. The bright blue was replaced by a darker shade and now looked dull.

What the...? Ralph gave a silent sigh, remembering he still couldn’t speak. He had to get out of this place... where ever he really was. He turned from the mirror and headed for the door. He tried the knob and found that the door was unlocked. He gave the door a tug and let it creak open, while he retrieved his cape. Tossing the discarded cape over his shoulder, he made his way out of the room.

Ralph looked one way, then the other. The left end of the hallway ended in a corner, taking a right turn. The right end of the hall was a set of stairs. He didn’t remember being carried down any stairs, so he decided to try that direction first. Keeping a tight hold on the railing leading up, he ascended the flight of stairs, stopping occasionally to regain his equilibrium by giving his head a shake.

Ralph was just near the top when he heard a loud clang and the stairs suddenly flattened out, causing him to slide all the way back down. He came to a stop against one wall and looked up. The stairs were back to normal.

"You do not give up easily, do you?"

His head turned to find Mona standing in the doorway across the hall from him. He made a face at her.

"Then I suppose I will just have to try another method."

Ralph’s eyes widened as black smoke began to surround and overcome him. Soon, he was completely enveloped in the smoke. When it cleared, Ralph was gone. In his place, sat a cocker spaniel with curly, blond fur and a black with red trim collar. The dog looked up and tried to whimper, but no sound came.

Mona knelt and picked up the dog, scratching behind its ears. The spaniel looked on, its dark blue eyes watching her. "I am quite sorry, my dear Ralph, but you forced me to do this. I cannot have my guest trying to leave, now can I?" She headed for the stairs, the dog still in her arms.

--------------------------

Pam returned to the living room, the box of Milkbones under her arm and one treat in her hand. She sat in the chair closest to the couch and munched on the treat, deep in thought.

The flush of a toilet resounded from the bathroom. The door opened and Bill came out, then walked toward Pam.

"Counselor, I always knew you had good taste."

"Huh?" Pam glanced up at him, then at the box of dog treats. "Oh, I, uh..." She frowned. "It was strange. I just, all of a sudden, had a craving for these things. And they’re disgusting! I don’t know how you eat these things, Bill!" She shoved the box at him.

Bill accepted the box, but set it on the coffee table. "You’re worried about the kid."

"Yes, very much."

"Me, too, Counselor." Bill picked up the box again, offering her a biscuit. She took one and both started munching.

--------------------------

The room held many wire cages full of different animals. The spaniel sat on the floor, a leash attached to his collar, holding him to the wall. He looked around, taking note of all the animals, wondering how many of them weren’t really animals, just like him...

Mona came back into the room, having left for a few minutes for "preparation," or so she said. She walked over, the spaniel watching her with a fixed gaze. She gave a slight grin. "Anxious, my dear?"

The dog gave his head a shake, then stuck his tongue out.

"Naughty boy." Mona tugged on the leash. "Come along, I wish to show you something." She tugged on the leash again, pulling the spaniel along with her.

They left the room with the animals and crossed the hall to another room, which was completely bare. Mona detached the leash and pushed the dog into the room and closed the door quickly, locking it.

Inside the room, the spaniel looked around, finding just how empty the room was. He sat down near the middle of the room and, after a few moments, a black cloud of smoke enveloped him again. When it dissipated, Ralph was back to normal. He looked himself over and smiled. Unfortunately, when he tried to cheer himself, he found his voice was still gone. He made a face and stood up. Folding his arms, he looked around the room again. He couldn’t find where the door was anymore.

Ralph moved to one wall and ran his hands over it. The entire thing was flush. He couldn’t even find a crack, let alone a doorway. He turned away from the wall and paused. He could swear he felt the room get colder. He looked toward the ceiling, but didn’t find any vents, then he looked down and found the floor was completely metal. Curious, Ralph bent down and placed a hand flat on the floor and pulled it away quickly, clenching it. The floor was getting colder and, in turn, made the whole room grow colder. He wrapped his arms over his chest, trying to keep warm. He was really wishing that the suit worked in this place.

Ralph began pacing, doing his best to keep warm. His teeth were beginning to chatter and he could see his breath when he breathed out. After several laps around the room, he began to slow, the cold really getting to him, but he knew he had to keep going...

--------------------------

Pam opened her eyes, waking from a restless sleep, still sitting in the chair. It was fairly dark in the living room, the only light coming from the small lamp next to the couch. Rubbing at her eyes and squinting from the offending light, she heard an odd sound. She looked toward the couch, where she thought the sound was coming from, and she could’ve sworn Ralph’s teeth were chattering.

Pam got up and moved over to him and found she was right. She quickly grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over him, tucking in both sides. She noticed the chattering stopped and sighed.

A sudden snore made her jump. Pam spun on her heels and glared at the still sleeping Bill, who’d taken up residence on the floor at the other end of the couch, his feet propped up on the seat of the other chair. She didn’t question the strange position and decided to just feel better that she atleast seemed to have warmed up Ralph a little bit.

--------------------------

Ralph had stopped pacing, suddenly feeling warmer. He gave a silent sigh of relief and decided to check out one of the other walls. Again, he ran his hands over it and couldn’t find any cracks. He was really becoming annoyed by the whole situation he was in. He backed away from the wall... and felt the chill dissipate. Matter of fact, it felt kind of like the heat had been turned on. He waved a hand, trying to get some cooler air on his face, but it wasn’t working very well. He dragged the back of one hand over his forehead and found it covered in sweat already.

--------------------------

Pam readjusted Ralph’s pillow, trying to make him as comfortable as she could. The back of one hand brushed his skin and she gasped at the warmth. Now he felt like he had a fever! She quickly pulled the afghan off of him and tossed it over the back of the couch again. Pam noticed beads of sweat forming on Ralph’s forehead. She quickly stepped over the still sleeping Bill, headed for the kitchen. She returned moments later with ice cubes wrapped in a wash cloth, tied with a small piece of string. Pam placed the makeshift cool pack on Ralph’s forehead.

She sighed, dropping back down in her chair. What is going on?! she asked herself.

--------------------------

Sweltering, Ralph had removed the tunic of the suit--which, unfortunately, allowed him to see that the black mark had not only been on the tunic, but was on his skin, also--and was currently seated on the floor, against a wall, using the cape to fan himself. There had to be something he could do...

His eyes scanned the room again and stopped at one of the corners. He saw a small puddle of water. Ralph got up and went over only to find the puddle had already doubled in size. His eyes widened as more water came into the room, but he had no idea from where, as there were no cracks or holes of any sort anywhere in the room.

The water was pouring into the room now. It was a couple inches deep and still coming. Ralph was really beginning to panic now. He couldn’t help but think how all of this seemed like one big nightmare that he just couldn’t wake up from. Out of desperation, he pinched his arm and would’ve yelped if he had his voice.

Ralph looked down and found the water up to his knees. Frantically, he checked the walls again, looking for anything that might help him get out. The water was gushing in and up to his waist now. Ralph pounded on the walls, any chance of remaining calm now out the proverbial window.

And that’s when Ralph figured out why this was happening. Mona wanted to break him... break his will, his spirit. Even with no voice, he yelled out, NO!

The water finally stopped, just below his lower lip. Ralph had his head tilted back, keeping his mouth and nose above the water. After several moments, he noticed the black smoke again, this time filling the rest of the room. Everything around him was turning black. Eventually, Ralph’s entire vision turned black.

The next thing Ralph knew, he was out of the water, back in the suit’s tunic and cape, but still in the pitch black. He moved to put his arms out and they hit something solid before being fully stretched out. He felt around, finding he was about eight inches from a wall... and he was standing directly against another wall. He reached to his right and hit a wall. He reached to his left and hit another wall.

Ralph pounded his fists against the wall in front of him. He paused, panting, finding it very stuffy in the cramped, small surroundings. Again, he pulled off the cape, then the tunic and began pounding again. After a few shots, he found he’d made some cracks in the wall.

What the...? He looked at his fists, then tried it again. Sure enough, the cracks had gotten larger. His eyes widened, realizing what was happening. A grin spread across his face as he continued banging his fists into the wall.

After much pounding, the wall finally gave way and Ralph tumbled out of the small enclosure, landing face-down on the floor. He shook his head and looked up, finding he was back in the throne room.

Mona stood from her throne, an angry look on her face.

Ralph pushed himself up and stood, picking up the cape and tunic. He made his way toward the devil woman as she took a few steps toward him. The black smoke appeared again, but Ralph was able to blow it away.

"How dare you? Do you not realize what could have been? We could have been a team! I was merely testing you to see if you were suitable--" She got her right hand up half way when Ralph reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Not a chance, lady. Now, give me my damn voice back! He tightened his grip slightly, causing her to wince.

"Fine," Mona agreed through clenched teeth. She reached out with her left hand and ran her thumb over his throat.

"I knew you could be cooperative," Ralph said, smirking, finally having his voice back. "Now, I’m going to suggest that you send me home before I do something to you that would make Jack The Ripper turn his head away."

Mona narrowed her eyes. The black smoke appeared again, surrounding Ralph until it covered him completely.

--------------------------

The sun was just beginning to filter through the windows in the living room when Ralph opened his eyes. He squinted against the light, but quickly realized he was staring up at the ceiling of his living room. He turned his head and found Pam asleep on one of the chairs. Then he caught a slight movement by the other chair and saw Bill’s feet slide off the other chair. Despite the movement, he continued to snore.

Ralph gave a slight grin and turned his gaze back to his wife. "Pam?" He realized his voice was a bit scratchy, cleared his throat and tried again, only able to make his voice a little louder, "Pam?!"

Her eyes opened and she blinked, then it dawned on her. "Ralph!" Pam quickly slid off the chair and knelt next to the couch. "Oh, hon, are you okay? What happened?"

"Well, if we can wake Sleeping Ugly over there, I’ll tell both of you," he replied, smirking just a bit.

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Mona drummed her fingers on the arm of her throne, watching on a monitor, Ralph telling Pam and Bill of his "adventure" and finding that the black spot on the tunic and his chest were gone. All three agreed that what Ralph described was no more than a nightmare brought on from the explosion of the building and him actually being inside when it occurred and ducking away from the fireball that had shot toward him.

"A nightmare? I have driven men and women mad with lesser tortures than Hinkley faced." She gave a slight smirk. "It would seem as though I will just have to try again. He will have a tell tale sign of when I decide to try again. He has so much potential... and that red suit of his. Yes."

The monitor went to black as Mona leaned back. "Yes..."