Wolvie's Girlfriend was the first to greet Z-Mage and Demonicuss as they exited the Fortress of Solitude. "Hey!" she called out from the van. "Are you guys all right? Where's the two magic monsters?"

"It's okay," Demonicuss called back, waving to the van. "OzBat has them trapped inside!"

"OzBat??" Golden Lion looked puzzled. "The guy who can't find his way out of his own cape??"

"Yeah, him," Z-Mage answered. "What was that about his cape?"

"Never mind," Golden Lion replied. "How did he trap them?"

"He's using Barry Manilow hits to brainwash them into forgetting they ever came here! Wasn't that a nifty idea?"

Everyone in the van gasped.

After holding their breath for a few seconds they exhaled again, relieved that the influence of the hypnotic suggestions were gone from Slick and Aussie Boy Peter.

"Well, that clears that up!" Aussie Boy Peter announced. "So can we start using that word again?"

"Why would you want to?" asked Wolvie's Girlfriend.

"To annoy the heck out of everybody!"

"Shut up," Expletive Deleted replied.

"Pika - chu!" replied a yellow rat in the back of the van. Suddenly everyone's hair was standing on end.

Everyone turned toward Pikachu. "Where did YOU come from?" Papergirl asked. She gestured to Z-Mage. "Is he one of yours?"

Pikachu stuck out his tongue and made a rude noise directed towards Z-Mage and Demonicuss.

"Nope," Z-Mage answered.

"Let's keep him," Golden Lion suggested. "We can use him to guard howyadoin and keep him in line. If he tries anything, Pikachu can shock him."

"Good thinking," Papergirl answered. "But will he work for us?"

"Who knows?" Golden Lion said. "But it's worth a shot. Hey guys, get in the van. We have a lot to tell you about the guys behind all this."

"Hey!" Z-Mage said. "What about Beldar?"

"Beldar?" Demonicuss blinked. "What about him?"

"He was in there! Didn't you see him?"

"No! Where?"

"Never mind, he's probably gone by now," howyadoin interrupted.

"You shut up," Expletive Deleted silenced him.

"He's probably right," Z-Mage admitted. "Let's just go."

"Where are we going?" Greg Hatcher asked. "After all, I'm the one driving here!"

"Who's got the cell phone?" asked Golden Lion. "That's our best lead on the villains so far."

"Don't you have it?" asked Slick, who up until now had been lost in thought trying to remember who brainwashed him.

"Oh, yeah," Golden Lion answered, removing it from his utility belt. "But how can we track the caller without DeMonStar's help?"

"Give it to me," Slick said. "I have an idea..."

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