The Mask Maker

The Escape

"That's too much trouble. I'm just here to keep you two in place and we're waiting here until Interpol comes to pick you both up."

It was Nanu, the Kahuna of Ula'Ula. Morai's mask didn't have to tell her that.

Oh, good, it hasn't been taken off, Morai thought. 

Her head had gotten better, but the pain was still uncomfortable. She looked around and realized that they were all in what she remembered as Hapu's house. It was the only private place nearby to get out of the heat, she supposed. 

A knock sounded at the door. She had been laid on a couch that looked like it had been around for generations, and Archer was sitting in a chair that looked the same way, hands cuffed behind his back. Hers were cuffed in front of her. Nanu was looking out of the window through the blinds, his Persian facing the two criminals with a look that dared either of them to move. Hapu wasn't anywhere in sight. 

Morai sat up and looked toward Archer, who seemed strangely indifferent to the situation. He glanced at her, and pointed up with one of his hands. That didn't help whatsoever because his hands could barely move. He could be pointing at anything at all. Morai shrugged. He widened his eyes, raised his eyebrows, tilted his head, and pointed again as discreetly as possible.  She still had no idea. He rolled his eyes and finally mouthed what he was trying to convey. 

"The right side of your mask. The button on the band. Hold it." 

She had never noticed a button, but she put her chin in her hands and rested her elbows on her legs, trying to look as natural as possible (which she wasn't achieving). She felt along the band on her head with her finger until she found a small, almost unnoticeable indentation of a button. She pressed it and held it, with no idea of what was about to happen. She waited, and soon words started to appear in her mask's display.

Hey, Half and Half! I just came up with that name. Like it? Anyway, it looks like you're in a bit of a pickle, but don't fret just yet. Normally when you call, someone could just talk to you, but Nanu's fur-ball will hear it and then he will, so we'll play it safe and have my words transcribed unless it becomes an emergency. I can see through your mask eyes, but don't worry, I can't look inward to you. We've been watching ever since Archer alerted us before you got arrested so I'll fill you in. 

Nanu had noticed that she'd woken up, but he just now decided to turn around.

"Oh great, you're awake," he said. "So, have you always been a part of Team Rocket or did Giovanni bring you in and make you an offer you couldn't refuse, if you know what I mean?" 

Morai stayed silent. She just wanted to get back to Proton so he could catch her up on what was going on. 

"Alright then. I'll leave it to Interpol to find out. It won't be much longer now until it's all over for you, anyway. As soon as they have you, they're going to find out who you really are and you're done."

Don't worry about that. Officer Nanu didn't do his job thoroughly, you'll find. Just about everything's been taken off you, but you still have one mask left. Use it wisely and you'll be out of there. If you're wondering why you still have your mask on, it looks like the hacks at Interpol are waiting out on taking it off for some reason, possibly because they want to do it publicly. Because you know, justice and all that. Anyhow, your remaining mask is hidden for sticky situations just like this. It's on the inside of your vest, close to your heart. That's about as far as I can go to help you. We can't put a team on the ground to get you guys out of there because Interpol will arrive any minute, then we'll all be in trouble.