Introducing the Mystery

Thursday, 3 pm. School is over, and Easter awaits. The Toy Corner, Boulder City’s premier toy store, is located in a square now filled with expectant children and adults. Outside the Toy Corner stand a few big cardboard figures representing the good Machines leader, Ekvius Optimus, and its evil counterpart, Megaton Prime. A line has already formed, full of kids eager to get their hands on their favorite Convoy or Deceiver. The entrance is encircled by a band that will perform at 4:00 pm, after a planned statement from Eric Loudon, corporate representative of the toy franchise.

The square is practically vibrating as everyone waits for the official ceremony to commence.

Janet asks for permission to stash the toy her crush requested. Actually offering to pay for it herself if her boss won't just let her

Burt is with his normal group of wrestling buddies -- approximately the same crew he was with at lunch. They're trying to look cool, leaning against a fence which delineates a small, public garden. Their eyes are shooting darts at a group of swimmers several yards distant.

Front of the line, VIP, center of attention... normally, Julie would be eating this up, but it's a strange juxtaposition being in that situation for this particular reason. As a result, she's not quite certain what it is she should be doing. Occasionally, a parent or a kid will say something to her about how lucky she is to have gotten a VIP pass, and she answers politely, if not with a whole lot of extra enthusiasm.

She checks her Swatch watch and sighs. Another hour to go...

Finally, she turns to Ambrose. "I bet you're pretty excited, huh? Being first in line?"

The owners of the Toy Corner, and Janet's bosses, are Anne and Henry Lewis, a couple in their 50s. They've been running the shop as long as anyone (at least the Kids) can remember. It's a small operation - aside from themselves, they employ three high school students (including Janet) on a rotating schedule to run the cash register in the evenings and on weekends.

Anne practically shrieks with laughter as Janet asks if she can stash the toy away, even when she offers to buy it. "You want me to let you get your hands on Ekvius Optimus ahead of time? Oh, no, no, no, dearie, that's the most popular one, I simply don't think we can allow for that. Here," she says, reaching to a shelf and pulling a cardboard-and-plastic box down. "If you want to buy one ahead of time, you can have this one."

The toy she holds out is Micronus, a white microwave with rotating plate and lockable door - obviously much smaller than an actual microwave.

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Burt is doing his best to look cool as a cucumber, shooting icy glances towards the swimmers, perhaps hoping they look towards him to see him looking at them. Suddenly, his reverie is interrupted by a wet, slobbery finger stuck in his ear.

"Wet willie! Baaahahahahaha!" Jerry erupts with laughter next to Burt and extracts his finger. "I, like, totally got you, man!" He turns and high fives the wrestler on the other side of him, just as Burt turns back to see the swimmers, not just finally paying him and his crew attention, but pointing, laughing, and snickering to each other.

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Ambrose can barely speak in his excitement as he clutches his VIP pass. Julie looks through the display window of the Toy Corner to see her older sister in some sort of exchange with Anne Lewis, just as she hears the voice of her English teacher, Mrs. Bannister, from behind her. "Julie!" she says, smiling and offering you a handshake.

Burt pulls back a fist, ready to sock Jerry square in the face. "Asshole," he says coldly then he uses his t-shirt to dry out his ear. "You're a real dick, Jerry, you know that?" He looks around to see if anyone else witnessed the embarrassment besides the swimmers. Well, they were bad enough. He grumbles some other stuff, really playing up his anger. He hates it when Jerry pulls this sort of stuff.

"Woah, chill out, dude!" Jerry looks surprised and puts his hands up in front of himself, as if to say "Back off". Burt sees Jerry's eyes widen as he looks in the direction of the swimmers.

"Aw, crap... looks like we've got company..." he says, and Burt turns to see the gaggle of swimmers sauntering over to them, smirking and looking mean, led by none other than Clarke Ritter. He stops a few feet away from the wrestlers and crosses his arms, with his posse backing him up.

"Well, well, well. Schmidt and Caldwell. What's up, nerds? Pretty excited for this whole shebang, huh?"

Julie is getting antsy for something to happen just as Mrs. Bannister suddenly appears behind her. The voice startles her, and she gives a little jump before turning around. When she sees who it is, there is a flash of nervous excitement that floods her face before she's able to stomp it back down under control. "Oh! Um... hi, Mrs. Bannister!" she says, trying to affect a cool, collected tone, but the faint breathlessness in her voice gives it away.

"I... um... didn't know you were a toy collector?" she says, then makes a wincing smile, disappointed in her choice of conversation openers but unwilling to stick her foot farther into her mouth.

You can take it oitnofnmy pay then. I have to have it.

(here we go)

Burt steps forward, he's not intimidated by these wannabe athletes (his impression of swimmers) and says, "Why don't you go back and play with your Water Wings, Flipper."

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Burt takes a step forward towards the taller boy, "I don't think you want to push it -- you'd be like a fish out of water. You've seen what they look like, flopping around all over the place. That's what you'd look like: a big fish."

Julie blushes just the tiniest bit when Mrs. Bannister laughs. She laughs too, though a little bit weakly. "Oh. Sure. That makes sense."

She looks Mrs. Bannister over, trying to not look like she's looking the teacher over, you know. It is weird, meeting a hero -- even a minor one -- completely out of context and finding out that she's, like, normal.

She has a nephew! And she wears normal clothes! What do you even talk about?

Panic starts to set in, when she realizes that Mrs. Bannister's said something else and is looking at her curiously, waiting for an answer.

Oh my god... what did she say? Julie, you total dweeb...

"Oh, the, uh, event. No," she answers. "It's usually so quiet around here. This is, like, huge. If you like robot toys, I suppose." Julie glances at her cousin, who's stepped up to the window and has his hands cupped around his face to see inside better. "But seeing everyone excited like this is kinda neat."

Janet runs a hand through her hair, trying to look heart broken. You dont understand. No one ever does...It's for my friend's kid brother. Hes sick..
can't make it....and his brother is on the swim team
They have a meet today. I'm just trying to help keep a sick old happy. Wouldn't you want to do that too?

"Do you smell that, Jerry?" Burt takes a big whiff, "Smells like someone didn't take the garbage out." He looks meaningfully at Clarke. "Do you need time to put your flippers on, Flipper? I can wait."

Burt has extended his arms from his side, palms up. He moves one foot back, off-setting his feet, ready to grab, pivot and throw the swimmer if he makes a move toward him.