Lila Spencer #13 - The Disney Factor CHAPTER ONE Lila Spencer sat anxiously in the back seat of her parents' Buick Rendezvous while traveling on I-4 east towards Orlando. The teen sleuth was on her way to visit Walt Disney World. Being a Florida resident her entire life, she had been to the Magic Kingdom, and it's various theme attractions, numerous times, but this particular trip had a special significance to it""her fellow snoop and friend, Abbie Dwight, was taking a trip herself via airplane for a weeklong vacation with her older sister, Abby Giles, Abby's charming husband, Aaron, and their two beautiful young daughters, Penny and Helena. It had been nearly one year since she last saw Abbie up at her hometown of Snowden, Pennsylvania, when she helped her to stop the infamous Babydoll Killer, Ben Russell, which resulted in the unfortunate loss of a very special friend. Since then, the two snoops have chatted endlessly on MysterChicks.com, keeping each up to date on what's been going on in the mystery solving business, and other topics such as boyfriends, school, and other various topics teen girls are into. When Abbie confirmed her trip to Florida with Lila, it was an opportunity to see each other again to catch up in person, and not on some computer screen. After talking her parents into going along, since she needed for them to take her there (at sixteen-years of age now, Lila only has her driver learner's permit), her father had made arrangements to stay at a friend's timeshare located just outside of the park, but for only three nights. Her thoughts drifted briefly to her two best friends, which for different reasons couldn't make the trip with her. Tina Palermo had the privilege of traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico, on a weekend trip sponsored by her modeling studio for a weekend photoshoot. Ashley Emerson was visiting with her father, who she doesn't get to see as often since the divorce for some much needed father-daughter time. However, with just Abbie there, and not any of her friends traveling along with her, Lila liked that it was just going to be the two of them anyway. And as a veteran tourist to Disney World, Lila was going to give the first-time visitor a grand tour of the greatest place on Earth. CHAPTER TWO "Would you just relax, sweetheart?" Susan Spencer said to her jittery daughter as the three of them waited just outside the entrance to the Magic Kingdom for the Giles family to arrive. "I'm sorry ... " Lila spoke apologetically, trying to calm her obvious enthusiasm at being so close to seeing Abbie again. Of course, her parents still don't know about the harrowing events of last summer when she masterminded that daring breakout of Jennifer Fowler, and traveled all the way to Pennsylvania to stop a dangerous serial killer. Fortunately everyone involved with the plot kept quiet for fear of getting themselves in deep water with the law. "Lila!!! ... " a high-pitched voice called out in the distance, and the cute auburn-haired girl caught sight of a very familiar face approaching. "Abbie!!! ... " she yelled back just as loud, and ran over to her. The two friends wrapped their arms over the other in a very warm embrace. "Welcome to Florida," Lila then said cheerfully after finally letting Abbie go. "Thanks ... the guy at the airport said that too, but it's much nicer hearing it from you," Abbie said happily, and hugged her friend again. Eyeing Abby and Aaron also approaching, which Abbie left had them behind, they both smiled kindly at seeing Lila again. She went over to them, hugging each of them in turn. "Wow, you girls are getting so big," she then said to little Penny and Helena, who both looked very shy at Lila. "Give them five minutes in the park, and they'll be totally different kids," Abby said very knowingly of her children. Lila's parents quietly approached the little reunion. "I'm Bruce Spencer, Lila's father," he said cordially, shaking the hands of Abby and Aaron. "Oh, would you look at these adorable girls," Susan gushed over the children. Penny still clung to her mother's leg, but little Helena waved back at Susan, feeling somewhat relaxed by the genial woman. "They're so precious," she said to Abby after introducing herself first. "You're seeing them just after they woke up," she said back at her two angels, "but then again, you already know stuff about that," she added to the more experienced mother, who weathered raising three kids herself, and was just down to the last one ... "I feel like I'm a little girl again seeing this place in person," Abby marveled at the famous Cinderella castle in the distance. "This place will do this to you ... I know I never get tired of coming here," Susan added. "Looking at the two of them, you'd think they knew each other their entire lives," she then commented on how Lila and Abbie were conversing with each other so energetically. "Well, Abbie has become such a social butterfly these past couple of years, and Lila seems like a darling herself ... just like her older cousin," Abby replied, careful not to divulge that Lila visited them first""a promise that Abby kept in gratitude for Ben Russell being stopped once and for all. "So, I understand you're a chemist ... " Bruce said to Aaron in trying to make some conversation, as the group began making their way inside the park. CHAPTER THREE Abbie was having the time of her life as she screamed loudly while riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with Lila seated next to her. The two teens were able to roam the park unsupervised for the majority of the day, as parents/guardians (with two small children in tow) would just slow them down. Abbie wanted to see everything Disney World has to offer, and wanted her 'guide' with her every step of the way. "You see it in countless commercials, and even hear about from people you know, but it pales majorly when you experience it yourself!" Abbie exclaimed gleefully, not hiding her enthusiasm in regards to the park. Lila kept smiling for her friend, and was happy herself at being able to share this event with someone who's never been here for a change. "Oooooo ... Pirates of the Caribbean!" Abbie said ecstatically upon seeing the famous attraction nearby. "I loved the movies. Johnny Depp is like one of the hottest actors ever," she added in reference to the star of the renowned film trilogy released recently. "We gotta go there," she continued, pulling Lila along. "Abbie ... you've been non-stop since we've been here," Lila spoke a bit wearily, wanting to take a little rest now. Even though Abbie was only a year younger than her, Lila was beginning to feel like she was the parent, trying to calm her overanxious charge. Sitting down next to her fellow snoop, Abbie looked a bit guilty. "I'm sorry ... I guess I got really carried away." "It's okay. I was the same way when I first came her at age eight, and I was a nightmare to my parents, fearing that I would run off without warning, which I did for a brief time," Lila said fondly of that trip, which got her some major punishment later on. "If I was here at that age, I don't think I could just run off by myself," she noted wearily for that was the age she was when her whole life changed forever at the hands of that madman, John Michael Walton. Putting her hand on Abbie's shoulder, Lila smiled sympathetically at her. Lila's childhood was idyllic in comparison, but she can understand a little at what Abbie went through since she encountered true evil first hand herself. "Okay, let's go on that ride," she then said cheerfully. * * * "Does every attraction have to be so long to get in?" Abbie said in mild frustration while standing among a crowd of people also waiting. "You think this is bad, wait until we get to the more newer rides, like the recently upgraded Space Mountain," Lila said in an effort to reassure the fidgety girl. Exhaling in irritation, Abbie gazed around the surroundings, trying to ease her anxiety. The tropical foliage all around was a far cry from the more rustic look of Snowden, painting an island picturesque scene. Of course, she could do without the steamy hot weather as the humidity climbed to the top of the dew point chart. Lila didn't seem to mind it as much due to her conditioning of the environment. Abbie would bet anything that Lila would freak out at one the more famous snowstorms she experiences back home. To each their own ... Over in the distance, Abbie caught sight of a man walking by right outside the attraction. She didn't pay it so much until he got closer to her viewpoint, and her blue eyes began to widen ever so slightly as if he looked familiar to her. Realizing that it was billion-to-one shot that she would know somebody in this huge theme park, on the other end of the eastern seaboard no less, Abbie scoffed at the notion that she knew him. However, as he passed right by her at the closest distance to her, Abbie couldn't shake the strange feeling that she met him before. It was at that moment when it hit her. How could she forget that face, smiling all smug at her when she was tied to a tree, along with her friend, Serenity, as he carried out his sadistic plan to burn the two of them alive. "Oh my god ... " she said faintly in shock, which Lila didn't seem to hear. "It's ... Lars Beckert." CHAPTER FOUR Everyone assembled together at one of the numerous eateries located on Main Street USA for a quick lunch break. Lila had taken notice of Abbie's sudden mood shift lately, as if all the excitement had been drained out of her. At first she took it as Abbie calming herself more like she said earlier, but her blank expression held a different theory. Even Abby noticed it, and her younger sister just dismissed it off casually. Sitting across from her Snowden friend at a small table for two, Lila narrowed her blue eyes on her, which Abbie took notice. "You've been eerily quiet as of late, like something spooked you all of a sudden," Lila pried, not knowing how true her statement was. "I-I'm sorry ... I guess all this heat has tired me out now," Abbie said a bit defensively in response. "I don't buy that for one second, Abbie Faith ... " Lila said sternly now, sounding more like one of her sisters whenever they suspected that she was hiding something. In the times they corresponded on MysteryChicks, plus the her trip up to Snowden, gave Lila a good insight at what made Abbie tick, which she found out was actually not too far off from herself. Realizing that whatever she says to the contrary won't skirt the issue at all, Abbie sighed softly. "You're becoming more like Trish, you know that," she said smartly to her Floridian friend in reference to her more renowned older sister snoop. Lila grinned back at seeing the old Abbie she knew again. "What happened today, and don't tell me again it's the heat. Whatever you say, you know that you have my confidence that I won't blab it to Abby." Abbie looked a bit ashamed at acting the way she did in front of Lila since she knew that she could trust her. "Okay, here it goes ... " Abbie spoke more quietly now as the two girls edged a little closer to each other without looking too conspicuous in front of the others seated close by. "Back at the Pirates ride, I saw a man in the crowd walking, and it was that same man that tried to kidnap Alexandra Blessington during her shoot on Bettina Bright." Lila recalled that event from one of Abbie's numerous cases she was involved in. "You mean it was ... Lars Beckert?" she said equally hushed, remembering that name from her keen memory she possessed. The thought of that vicious man here in the Magic Kingdom sent a slight shiver down her spine. "Are you completely sure that it was him?" she pressed, thinking also that it was such a wild coincidence. "Hey, you're not the only one with a sharp memory," Abbie shot back curtly. Lila then gave her a sympathetic look for doubting her. Lila also recalled hearing about Lars from the two times her fellow detective cousin, Katie, ran into him as well, with both encounters almost resulting in her untimely demise. "Maybe he's just taking a vacation, this place is for people of all ages you know," she said, trying to defuse this alarming chain of events. Abbie gave her fellow snoop a really sarcastic expression on her round face. "You honestly believe that a total scumbag like Lars Beckert would want to spend a little R-and-R in a place like this?" Lila grinned sheepishly knowing that Abbie was absolutely correct. "Yeah, a villain's idea of a vacation is one of the country-club type prisons where celebrity felons go to," she added humorously, causing a chuckle from the both of them. Abbie's mood then turned serious again, which made Lila uneasy once more. "You can bet that whatever reason he's here, it's not a good one at all." Lila silently agreed with her, wondering if there was anything that the two of them can do to find out what that 'no-good' was ... CHAPTER FIVE Lila made the smart suggestion for them to split up in an effort to find Lars, that is if he was still in the park, which Abbie had a hunch that he was. Abbie gave a good description of what Lars looks like, and what he was wearing since the teen sleuth had never laid eyes upon the infamous villain. The two snoops would keep in contact with each other via their cell phones, hoping that they'll get lucky. Just over an hour into the search, Lila was beginning to think that they weren't going to find him. With the immense crowd of people around, it was hard enough just to stay focus with trying to locate one man. Exhausted from walking around in the hot sun, Lila needed to take a break in the shade for a moment, and spotted an empty bench under a small tree. Heading over there quickly before someone else takes it, Lila sat down with a slight sigh of relief. Even though she's lived in the Sunshine State her entire life, the hot summers still get to her, mostly due to her rather pale complexion. It was times like this that she envied Tina, as the Cuban girl was bred for the heat. Thinking of her modeling friend out west in the desert climate of New Mexico, she bet the heat was much more intense over there. After taking a good sip from her water bottle, Lila pressed the cool plastic container against her cheek, which felt refreshing. She took a moment to look through the multitude of visitors walking by, but still no sign of their target. Lila thought about calling Abbie during her break to how she was doing, probably sitting in the shade herself ... "Excuse, me ... " a voice unexpectedly spoke up, rattling the teen girl from her thoughts. Lila looked up and saw a tall thin man standing before her. "Is this seat taken?" he asked politely, noting the empty end of the two-seater bench she sat on. "Ah, no ... it's free," she said quickly to him. "Thanks," he replied back simply, and took a seat right next to her. "Still can't get used to this hot Florida weather," he then said while still looking at the crowd of people passing by. "I know what you mean, I lived here ... " Lila began to say back, but stopped suddenly as she turned to face him, and quickly realized that the man sitting right next to her was in fact Lars Beckert! Abbie's excellent description of him was spot on right down to the rather tacky-looking Hawaiian shirt he wore. Trying her best not to come across as conspicuous, Lila averted her attention on him, and looked the other way. She couldn't believe her incredible luck as it seems that he came to her. With her pulse rising, Lila tried her best to calm her nerves. What's the reason to be so nervous, he has no idea who I am ... she thought reassuringly. However, the thought of what he did to not only Abbie and Serenity, but to Katie as well, made it difficult for her to stay calm. After a few tense minutes, Lars suddenly got up. "Thanks again for the seat ... " he said to her as he started to walk off. Lila was taken aback at how polite he seemed to be, not the kind of scumbags that she had encountered before. No, this man was intelligent, and that made her feel even more uneasy, knowing how lethal he can be, which confirmed Katie's account of him. After giving him a small head start, Lila too rose from her seat, and began following, not taking her eyes off of him for a moment as he could give her the slip so quickly. Reaching for her phone in her waist bag, Lila punched in Abbie's number. "Abbie ... I found him," she said in a controlled voice. "We're at Fantasyland at the moment ... " she then said with her location. "How am I supposed to stall him until you get here?" she spoke a bit irately at her friend's obvious suggestion. "Wait ... he's turning suddenly!" Lila explained, witnessing Lars ducking out from the crowd. "I'll call you back when I find out where he's going ... " she finally said, and hung up the call. Picking her pace up a bit, Lila went in the direction that Lars disappeared off to ... CHAPTER SIX Still following the known criminal at a safe distance, Lila wondered fearfully where he was going as the trail he was leading her was definitely not for tourists. It figured that there were no security personnel, or park employees, around at the moment, which meant that she would need to remain hidden and let this scumbag do whatever he pleased. She saw him stop at a small shed-like structure with a door present. Crouching down behind some foliage for cover, Lila observed as Lars pulled out some kind of card from the black leather bag he carried over his shoulder. Her blue eyes widen in shock as Lars then opened the door with it! Oh my gosh ... he's breaking into Disneyworld! she thought in disbelief at Lars' ease in gaining access to what was assumed to be a highly secured establishment. After taking a quick glance around, Lars then ducked inside. Lila noticed the door closing on a hydraulic piston, and the teen sleuth made a mad dash for it being that she was still close enough. She reached the door and placed her arm over it, preventing it from shutting closed. Just then, her phone rang, and she retrieved it swiftly with her free hand. "Abbie ... he's broken into the park complex!" she said still in disbelief at how Lars managed that feat. "Are you in Fantasyland yet?" she asked, hopeful that Abbie was. "Good ... look for a chained-off lane with a 'Do Not Enter' yellow sign on it, and go through there without being spotted if you can. I'm down the pathway, you can't miss me," she then hung up the phone and waited for help to arrive. * * * Lars made his way carefully down the stairs until he reached the lower level. He was pleased that no one was around, guessing that no one would be able to gain access without his trusty security badge he received as part of his mission to infiltrate the world's most secure theme park. Stopping for a moment, Lars took off that ridiculous shirt he wore, and underneath was a light gray short-sleeved uniform shirt he sported bearing the Disney emblem and name tag, which read the name "Smith". Placing the festive shirt in his bag, Lars then made his way down the long hallway ahead of him ... * * * It wasn't too long afterwards that Lila saw the perky brunette approaching, she still stood in front of the partially opened door. Running to her after seeing Lila, Abbie stopped right at the door. "Well, what are you waiting for, let's go after him," Abbie said earnestly in stopping her nemesis this time. "I don't know about this ... " Lila said hesitantly as she still held the door open. "We don't know what's down there. I think we should contact the park security and report it." Abbie grumbled in mild irritation at Lila's seemingly cowardice of the situation. "And tell them what? ... Lars could be in disguise as an employee by now, which could make it harder for the staff to find him let alone stop him. We need to do this, the two of us," Abbie implored her nervous friend. Still looking perplexed on what do to, Lila recalled hearing from Katie about how good of an impersonator Mr. Beckert was, and what Abbie said made the best sense at foiling whatever he was up to. Suddenly, she looked past Abbie towards the trail leading here. Abbie quickly noticed Lila's attention away from her, and turned her head at what she was staring at""a security guard slowly approaching in the distance. "Abbie, did you lock the chain link back when you passed through it?" Lila asked her, already knowing her answer. "One slight oversight," the Snowdenite confessed ashamedly. With no time to spare in chit-chatting, Abbie opened the door fully, and pushed Lila through inside with her following right behind, closing the door right before the guard saw what had occurred. CHAPTER SEVEN Reaching the bottom of stairway, Lila stopped to face Abbie with an annoyed scowl on her cute face. "Are you completely nuts bringing us down here?" she said vocal enough to make her point, but still in a hushed tone. "And what ... wait for that guard to see you holding open the door to a secure facility. He'd have us locked up in the park jail faster than the rollercoaster on Thunder Mountain," Abbie defended her actions adamantly in an equally hushed voice. "Well, thanks to you, we're sure to end up in jail on more serious charges now," Lila complained like Ashley would in a similar situation. "What's done is done," Abbie replied simply. "And where is your sense of adventure anyway?" she asked, wanting to see the Lila she knew before, not this paranoid girl standing in front of her. "I'd have more enthusiasm if Tina was with me instead." Lila tensed up at hearing what Abbie said, but her steely gaze softened up as she began to grin a little. "I guess that I've been acting like a first-class twit," she confessed mildly. "It's okay ... I'm a bit uneasy myself. Who am I kidding, I'm a nervous wreck just being in here," Abbie admitted openly. "But Lars is down here somewhere, and we need to find him and stop him." "Do you have a plan at accomplishing that?" Lila asked hopefully, glad to have someone else with the answers for a change. "No, I'm just making this up as I go ... " Abbie stated, and began to walk slowly down the long hallway. "Of course," Lila uttered sarcastically to herself as she began to follow her snoop friend to whatever lies ahead ... * * * Walking passed the first line of security, Lars smiled ever so slightly that his badge remained working. He did give credit to the Disney corporation for the high level of security in place, fortified enough, but not completely impenetrable. Stopping for a moment, Lars needed to get his bearings on where to go next""the underground complex was a veritable maze of corridors that would put the Pentagon's own subterranean compound a run for its money, of course that little break-in was another story. After checking with his small Blackberry, Lars proceeded along ... * * * "I wonder ... if Lars somehow got hold of a security card, we'll get stopped right at the first checkpoint, and then it's goodbye stopping him," Lila said making a very good point in Abbie's so-called plan. "You don't think I already know that?" she asked snooty to her slightly older snoop friend. "We got in this far, so moving around here undetected might not be as difficult ... " she spoke while looking around, and then stopped her gaze towards a vent high up on the wall""the air conditioning ducts! * * * Stopping at the end of the corridor, Lars was greeted by a monorail track just like the one above for tourists. He waited patiently for the next train to arrive. Yep, definitely much better than the Pentagon ... * * * "Did you gain any more weight since last time we met?" Lila complained while giving Abbie a much-needed boost. "I guess eating enough of those delicious cinnamon buns does put a few extra pounds on," Abbie replied while climbing through the now open vent. The young karate student barely fit inside the narrow gap. Turning around inside the confined space, she lowered her hand towards a waiting Lila. Taking a good jump by springing her sneakered foot (glad she wore her Skechers) against the concrete wall, Lila grasped Abbie's hand, and the younger snoop pulled with all her strength as Lila used the rubber soles of her sneakers for traction to climb up. "Who's the one that's gained some weight? ... " Abbie said as she struggled pulling up Lila. Lila felt a bit upset at Abbie's inquiry, knowing full that she'd been snacking a little too much. After all, chocolate is a girl's second best friend. Finally reaching the vent, Lila crawled inside, then placed the cover back on. "Too bad I didn't bring a flashlight," Abbie grumbled at the complete darkness of the shaft ahead of them. "Yeah ... had I'd known that we'd be crawling through an air duct, I would've brought my detective bag with me. I guess I'll remember that for the next theme park trip we got to," Lila said smartly as she was greeted by a mild kick from Abbie in response to that snarky comment. The two snoops started making their way swift enough down the long metal enclosure ... CHAPTER EIGHT Sitting comfortably in the soft leather seat of the underground monorail as it sped along a darkened thruway, Lars kept his mind on the mission at hand for failure was not an option. Taking the opportunity of being alone in the car at the moment, Lars opened his bag and retrieved another one of his disguises ... * * * Crawling through for what seemed like hours, Abbie was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic in the confined space around her. It's not that she wanted desperately to be out of there, but the longer she crept around this endless maze of duct work, the more likely she might go mad. "I think we should take a look out and see where we are," she suggested softly to her partner in crime right behind her. "I thought you'd never ask," Lila announced, glad to be standing back up for a change. Stopping at an air vent, Abbie carefully worked on dislodging it from its frame, and looked out into a darkened space on the other end. Figuring that it was a room, Abbie pulled herself out and lowered herself down. Sensing that the floor was right beneath her feet, she let go and landed firmly on a hard floor. "Okay ... you can come out," she whispered to Lila. Once Lila was back on her feet, a light suddenly flashed on, blinding her for a moment. Adjusting to the bright light, she noticed right away that they were in a storage room as evidenced by all the cardboard boxes neatly stacked up against the walls. "We have no clue where we are, or how close we are to Lars," Lila complained again. Abbie, to her credit, kept her cool in regards to her friend's whining, otherwise she just might give Lila a good swift karate kick to knock some sense into her. Realizing that Lila was correct in her carping, Abbie began looking through some of the boxes. "What're you doing?" Lila asked her Snowden companion in bewilderment. "If Lars can move around here in disguise, why can't we?" Abbie replied, and then had a pleased look on her face at an opened box. "Jackpot!" Lila moved over to Abbie and saw what she was looking at. "You have got to be kidding me ... " * * * Stepping out of the monorail, Lars was now dressed in a white lab coat with glasses on and sported a neatly trimmed moustache. Walking down another corridor, he stopped at a desk with a very cute-looking young woman sitting behind it. She smiled graciously upon seeing him standing before her. "Hello ... may I see your security clearance?" Lars reached into his coat pocket, and handed a plastic card over to her waiting hand. She slid it through a small black box next to her computer terminal. Looking puzzled at what she read on the screen, she ran the card again. "I'm sorry, but it seems that it's not taking this card. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to contact security ... " she said, picking up her phone. "Wait ... " Lars spoke up as he reached into his bag, " ... I think that I gave you the wrong card." He withdrew a small white canister, and quickly pointed to the woman, spraying some kind of mist into her face. * * * "I can barely see through this thing," Lila said as she struggled with the Winnie the Pooh costume she wore. "Here, take my hand then, I can see better ... " Abbie offered while dressed as Piglet. The two beloved characters walked along a hallway hand-in-hand. "We need to find some kind of directory first," Abbie said leading along. As they turned a corner, the costumed duo was suddenly greeted by a security guard making his rounds. Abbie and Lila were instantly startled by the unexpected encounter. "We were looking for you two," the guard said after calming his nerves from being surprised like that. "The rest of them are waiting at the tramway." The girls allowed themselves to be escorted""at least they weren't being taken into custody. Lila was worried by this latest development as it seemed that they were heading back outside to greet the visitors. After a few turns in this concrete maze, they finally stopped and saw a bunch of other Disney characters milling around. "Try not to get lost this time ... " the guard said to the colorful group wearily, and left them. Seeing the fabled characters all assembled, Lila waved gingerly at them, getting an equal response back. * * * It was fortunate that Lars noticed the video surveillance camera overhead was not operative (he was beginning to have some doubts about the fortification of this facility), which prompted him to take such drastic action at subduing that cute woman by rendering her unconscious with his trusty knock-out spray. Lars also came prepared as he restrained her under the desk with plastic zip-ties, binding her wrists to her nyloned ankles in front of her, effectively holding in her a neat ball-tie. The bondage was complete as he gagged her with white surgical tape wrapped tightly around her head, holding the thick wad of cloth lodged in her mouth. Lars smiled briefly at his handiwork as tying up pretty girls was one of the perks of the job. The spray should keep her sleeping for about an hour; he just hoped that nobody would happen upon her, at least until after he completed his task. Taking the card that hung around her neck, Lars slid it through the box, and it gave him access to the secured door up ahead. He felt a bit uneasy as to why his card didn't work like it was supposed to, for his employer assured him that he would have no trouble getting through the checkpoints. Happy with his improvising the situation, Lars went inside theResearch & Development Facility. CHAPTER NINE It was like a scene right out of those Disney movies Lila and Abbie both thought as they walked with the likes of Donald Duck, Goofy, Chip & Dale, and Pluto down a corridor. Ordinarily they would be thrilled, particularly Abbie, to meet even one these famous animated characters at the park, but the present circumstance at hand changed that for a very dangerous criminal lurked these hallways. With the girls trailing last, Abbie quickly grabbed Lila's arm and pulled her quickly in an adjoining corridor just as the group cleared the intersection""they kept on marching, not realizing two of their fellow comrades just ditched them. Walking as quickly away as possible before being missed, the two snoops ducked into a supply closet and closed the door. Taking off the large masks over their heads, their young faces were covered in sweat. "I'll never look at another Disney character again knowing that it's a person drenched in sweat," Lila said, taking a couple deep breaths of air. "They're obviously trained to take the heat inside for hours on end," Abbie added as she too was glad be out of that stifling mask. "You know it probably won't be too long before someone comes looking for us again in these costumes," Lila said. "If you were a scoundrel like Lars, where in this facility would you have any interest in?" Abbie asked her fellow snoop, trying to ascertain where their target would likely be. "Well, for one, I'm too much of a lady to be a scumbag like Lars ... " Lila said defensively, knowing that Abbie was only speaking metaphorically, " ... and being that this place houses guarded secrets among other things, he must be after some kind of trade secret Disney must be keeping here," she stated matter-of-factly. "That's it! ... Lila, you're a genius!" Abbie exclaimed excitedly to her. "That's what they keep telling me," she responded glibly, basking in her brief notoriety. "Now all we have to do is locate where that would be ... " Abbie stated the obvious, but was lost in thought for the moment on how to accomplish that. Noticing something behind Abbie in the dimly lit room, Lila's blue eyes sparkled. "We could try using another disguise ... " she offered. Abbie turned to where Lila was gazing at, and looked appalled. * * * The main room to the research facility was practically empty of personnel, save for a couple technicians working on one of the numerous computers present. Lars walked smoothly like he belonged there, and headed for one of the terminals mounted on a wall. Sitting down on the soft chair, he pulled out another card from his bag, and placed in the slot next to the keyboard""he hoped this one would work. After a few tense moments, the computer granted him access to the mainframe""a slight smirk came over the rogue's face. Typing effortlessly with such precision, Lars knew right where to go within the massive virtual world of the Disney Corporation. He had studied navigating through it for hours during his training time, and now it paid off as he found the file, labeled: TOP SECRET. Punching in the right passcode, Lars was in, and he marveled at what he saw ... * * * "You and your bright ideas ... " Abbie said sulkily, " ... I'd rather stay as Piglet." "Oh, c'mon ... " Lila reasoned, " ... at least these disguises are much more comfortable than those heat traps, and not to mention much cuter-looking," Lila said pleasingly as she and Abbie were donned in uniforms as extras for the Mickey Mouse Club show that performs every two hours. "I think you look adorable ... " Lila added, noting the red & white stop with the famous mouse emblem on the chest, a short pleated black skirt, white ankle socks, and black maryjane-styled slippers. Their ensemble, however, wasn't complete without the famous mouse-ears hat resting on their heads. "I should get a picture of you in this ... I'm sure Jaden would love it," Lila teased, knowing full well how embarrassed Abbie would get if her boyfriend saw her as a mouseketeer, even her friend, Serenity, would get a really good laugh. "You do that, Lila Marie ... and just might show you what a round-house kick feels like," the young karate student threatened lightly, thinking how silly she looked in this get-up. Abbie soon spotted what looked like a directory on a nearby wall, and hustled toward it. "There it is ... the Research & Development Facility," Abbie said, reading the large-sized sign. "It's three levels down," she added as Lila also looked over the sprawling map. "We'll have to take a monorail to get there," Lila spoke, pointing the tramway line to Abbie. "Let's hope that he'll still be in there," Abbie said. "I'd hate to wear this ridiculous outfit for nothing." "Well, if he manages to get away clean, wearing these outfits will be the least of our worries ... " Lila added, and the two cute-looking mouseketeers proceeded down another corridor ... CHAPTER TEN Lars waited patiently for upload to finish on flash drive. If he had known what Disney was developing, he would've asked for more money than the generous amount he was already getting. Once the upload was finally completed, Lars pulled out the compact device, and logged off the terminal he sat at. Now it was time for him to leave. Exiting the research center, Lars passed by that cute receptionist's desk and could her mumbled groans as the effects of the knock-out was spray was beginning to wear off on her. Not missing a beat, he headed for the nearest monorail. * * * "With us being gone this long, you'd think that our adult charges would check in on us by now," Abbie said as she and Lila made their way on the correct level now. "I'm just glad we didn't run into any more guards," Lila said thankfully, taking a note at the apparent lack of security here""perhaps Disney has been scaling down its personnel, just like every other company these days. "You know I was only joking about taking a picture of you," she then said to Abbie, who looked back at the auburn-haired girl with a sympathetic smile on her face. "Well, maybe I'll just show it to Jaden," Abbie replied. "He likes it when I wear very girlie clothes." "I know what you mean ... " Lila added, " ... if Chris had his way for our dates, I'd be wearing high heels all the time. Not that I wouldn't mind that, but I need some comfort occasionally." "How far is to the Research Facility do you think?" Lila then asked, anxious to want to get this caper over with and going back to enjoying their vacation. "It should be right around here ... " Abbie replied, sounding a bit unsure now. Turning a corner, the girls came upon a monorail station in the distance, and standing there waiting for the next one to arrive was tall man dressed in a white lab coat. Abbie stopped for a moment, looking carefully at the individual. "What is it?" Lila asked her cautiously, also seeing the man. Her blue eyes then popped open in shock. "That bag he's carrying, it's just like the one Lars had on him." The monorail had just arrived, and the person stepped inside. Abbie suddenly ran towards it, while Lila was caught off guard by her friend's unexpected move. Following her, Lila tried to catch up to Abbie, but the younger snoop was just too fast for her. Abbie ran right in just as the sliding doors closed smoothly. Lila reached the monorail a few seconds later, but by that time it had already started to accelerate. She banged on the polished white surface of the sleek vehicle in frustration at being separated from her friend. Abbie noticed that Lila didn't make it in with her. She saw that man again, sitting down now at one end of the car. With other passengers also present, Abbie blended in with them as she also took a seat. Gazing at him, she could tell that it was indeed Lars Beckert despite the clever disguise he wore. The sound of her phone suddenly rang, and Abbie quickly retrieved it from her small hand bag. "Lila ... you're right, it is Lars. I'm looking at him right now." After a pause at hearing what she was saying, Abbie replied back, "I'll keep my cell phone on and you can trace me with the GPS tracking. I'll stay on his tail as long as I can." With them not wanting to run into any security, Abbie wished that she would now ... CHAPTER ELEVEN As the monorail arrived at each stop, Lars remained on board as Abbie guessed he was waiting for the last stop. She felt bad leaving Lila behind like that as she could use the extra support in stopping him. Of course, ever since her last run in with that diabolical criminal, Abbie was looking forward to some overdue payback, as she was no longer the helpless little girl he once called her. The darkness of the tunnels soon gave way to bright light as the monorail arrived back on the surface. Looking out the large windows, Abbie saw nothing but trees everywhere""she realized that this particular track they rode on was not for public use, and they were most likely outside the perimeter of the park. She grumbled softly to herself at her disguise she wore for it would now make her look more conspicuous, especially with tailing Lars. Of course, the Piglet costume she picked out wouldn't be any different in the end. The monorail finally came to a stop, and Abbie noticed Lars standing up""this was it. The last remaining passengers exited the vehicle, signaling that this was indeed the final stop. Using the people around for cover, Abbie blended in with them while following the despicable rogue. With her cell phone still on, Abbie was sure that Lila was not far behind. After a short walk, she saw Lars go into a small restroom facility""now she saw her chance at trapping him. Approaching the door to the Men's room, Abbie carefully stepped inside, hoping there were no other males present within. Inside, the restroom was pristinely cleaned and didn't even smell of any foul odors associated with such a place""Abbie was quite impressed. She peered around the small room for any evidence of her target, but did not see him. The door suddenly closed behind her, and Abbie noticed someone standing right next to her. "Don't you know the men's room is no place for silly little girls?" Lars asked mockingly at a startled Abbie, then sprayed something into her face! * * * Lila took the very next monorail, which was a long ten-minute wait. She kept checking her phone to ensure that Abbie's connection was still there, and it was. She didn't particularly like the idea of the two of them""teenage girls, no less""taking on an accomplished mercenary such as Lars. Lila heard the stories Katie told her on how dangerous Lars was, and if she found him to be threatening, then that was good enough for her. As much as Lila liked Abbie, her gung-ho attitude she displays sometimes can be risky. Lila knows that Abbie can take of herself, especially for someone her age, but when she drags other people into perilous situations who aren't as skilled in the martial arts as she is, then it becomes a hazard, and in this case a hazard for Lila. She just prayed that Abbie maintains her distance until she arrives. Getting off at the last stop, Lila tried to pinpoint where Abbie's location was with her phone, and then proceeded in that direction. Her course led her to a restroom, which she found odd at first, but then realized that Abbie had to go. The presence of this place gave Lila the urge to relieve herself, as she hadn't since this morning. Entering the Ladies' room, Lila was shocked at seeing Abbie sprawled on the tiled floor unconscious! Her instinct told her to run, but she noticed Lars blocking the way out. "Well, well ... another silly little girl to greet us," Lars said scornfully. "We've been waiting for you ... " he held up Abbie's phone with one hand, and a small white can in the other. Before Lila had a chance to scream, a powerful mist overcame her, and a few seconds later, she felt incredibly weak and then blacked out ... CHAPTER TWELVE Lila began to slowly stir from a deep sleep. Her head felt woozy from whatever chemical Lars sprayed in her face. She went to stretch out as she awoke, but felt herself confined. Her blue eyes fully opened, and she was immediately gripped with panic as she discovered that her wrists and ankles were fastened together securely with plastic zip ties. She also felt her mouth was stuffed with a large wad of cloth inside, and was held in place by several strands of tape wrapped around her head. Despite the fact that the zip ties gave no slack whatsoever, Lila tried to struggle to break free anyway. Lila then took note of her surroundings ... she was still outside in a wooded area, and could hear what sounded like a rollercoaster close by. She guessed that they were back in Frontierland, and that noise was the Thunder Mountain rollercoaster. She noticed there was no sign of Abbie anywhere, and that frightened the junior snoop to no end. Trying to get on her feet, Lila found standing up to be a problem as her bound ankles were crossed over each other. "Hhhhhhhffffff ... EEEEEEEEEE!!!" she started crying out through her effective gag as her only option left of getting freed. "Ah ... one of my favorite sounds to my ears," Lars gloated sinisterly as he suddenly appeared before a terrified Lila. She quieted down upon seeing him face-to-face, again. "You're that girl that I sat next to earlier," he said, recognizing her now. "Is there now a detective division among the Mouseketeers, policing the park for upstanding people like myself?" he noted at her uniform she still wore. Lila glared wickedly at him as her fear had now given way to contempt for this animal of a person. "I like to know the people I come into contact with ... makes it more personal, don't you think?" Lars held Lila's small handbag, and produced her student I.D. card. "Lila Spencer ... " he read from it, then looked lost in thought. "You wouldn't by any chance be related to a Katie Spencer, would you?" he asked the costumed cutie as thoughts of his last encounter with that pesky girl resurfaced again. Maybe when he's back in the Northeast on a job, he'll have to a pay a little visit to her, one that would be their last for sure ... Lila nodded timidly to his question, now knowing how her cousin felt when she was in his clutches. Lars smirked back at her with a nod to his head. "It figures ... I guess I can't escape the draw of foolish girl detectives no matter where I go," he sighed insincerely. "I'm sure you're wondering where your little friend is, aren't you?" Lars then asked teasingly, which caused his prey to nod back in earnest. "Here ... allow me," he bent down and easily picked up the petite girl, placing her on his broad shoulder. Lila groaned and grunted at being hauled around by this maniac. "Now, now ... be a good little girl, or I might 'accidentally' drop you on one these rocks below," he threatened ever so lightly, which quieted down the distraught teen. A couple of minutes later, Lila looked absolutely appalled at what she saw before her ... Abbie tied to the tracks of the rollercoaster like in those cheesy serials from yesterdays' past. The two snoops locked eyes with each other conveying silent thoughts of despair at one another. After placing Lila back on the ground, Lars proceeded to his other distressed captive. "I do remember you, Abbie Dwight ... " he sneered at her. "I must say you've grown into an agile young lady since last we met." Not being able to talk back with the gag she had on, Abbie just kept giving Lars her patented harsh look, which did little to rattle the loathsome villain. "This particular track you're lashed to is a new addition to the ride that I happened to find out while poking around the Disney server," Lars proclaimed. "And according to my findings ... in about fifteen minutes or so, it should be operational for use," Lars checked his wristwatch for the current time. "That gives you just enough time to make whatever peace you need to do before your life comes to a smashing end," he chuckled lightly. Lila wailed behind her gag at what Lars just said, not wanting anything bad happen to poor Abbie. "And as for you, my dear ... " he turned his attention back to Lila, " ... you will be my little insurance policy while I make my getaway in case I happen to run into what a poor excuse of a police force they have here." Lila was hauled back on his shoulder, and Lars started walking off, leaving Abbie alone to her cruel fate ... CHAPTER THIRTEEN In all the perilous times Abbie Dwight had faced in her young life, this particular one would classify as probably the most dire. She struggled with all her youthful might to break free of the strong tape holding her to the tracks, but they would not give as Lars made certain that she would not escape from his trap again. Abbie wished that she never laid eyes on Lars, and drag Lila on her quest at settling a score with him, as it seemed inevitable that she was done for, and so was her friend. Abbie also suspected that the people on the rollercoaster that will strike her would most likely be at risk as well as the impact could cause a derailment, causing mass casualties. Thoughts of her loved ones entered her mind, and one in particular she would most likely miss the most was her beloved Jaden. She imagined in her mind Jaden suddenly appearing and rescuing her before the runaway train would tear her lithe body apart. In the midst of her despair, Abbie thought she heard Jaden's voice speaking to her, but then she snapped out of her little trance ... and still heard voices nearby. "There's no one around here," the sound of a young man spoke in the distance. "Well someone at the ride thought they saw a man walking around," another man replied back. "HHHHHHHHHFFFFFFFF!!!" Abbie screamed out as loud as she could through her muzzle, hoping those two men would hear her and free her in time, which she wasn't sure exactly how long that was now. "Did you hear that?" one of them said in reference to Abbie's muffled cry. "HAAAAAAA ... EEEEEEEE!!!" she wailed out again to them. The sounds of running were then heard as Abbie saw two uniformed men appear, and their faces looked absolutely stunned at the sight of a teenage girl bound to the tracks. Rushing over to her one of the men grabbed his pocket radio and spoke into it urgently, "Charlie ... don't start the car on the new track, there's some blockage on it!" Abbie heard the muffled-sounding voice speak on the other end of the radio, and the man's face looked pale as white, as Abbie suspected what he was told. "We have two minutes to free her!" he yelled out to his partner, and withdrew out a pocket knife. "The train has already started its run!" The two Disney employees made a mad rush at trying to cut Abbie loose of the mounds of tape on her. In the distance, Abbie could hear the sound of the coaster roaring with the screams of its ecstatic passengers accompanying it""that sound had become a whole new meaning to Abbie as it was now the sound of her impending demise. The young men worked feverishly at releasing Abbie as she could see the strains on their faces. The sound of the coaster grew ever so louder as it inexorably approached her. From her vantage point, Abbie could see it in the distance rising up and then dipping down just as fast. "How're you doing?" one of them asked hurriedly to the other. "I just got about it off ... " the one with the knife responded as he was still focused on his task. The coaster was now louder than ever as Abbie guessed she had only seconds left. Seeing it advance from around a bend, she closed her eyes shut tight and waited for it to happen. Only she felt being pulled from the side and off the track just as the deafening sound of the speeding coaster roared right above her, and then faded away just as quickly. The young snoop opened her eyes slowly, and saw that she was laying on top of one the men, who looked as though he was going to pass out. Abbie smiled at him weakly, still in a bit of shock at almost being killed. * * * After being fully free of tape that bound her, Abbie told the two still shell-shocked young men what had occurred. She gave them a good description of Lars, and that he had a teenage girl hostage with him, at least she still hoped that Lila was with him alive. "Get a hold of security and tell them to lock the entire park down now ... we have a potential Amber alert. That's right you heard me, a damn Amber alert!" he yelled into his radio, trying to calm his voice. "Well, whoever this guy is, he's not going anywhere now," he then said to his friend after shutting off his radio. "Where'd that girl go?" the other man suddenly asked, and his partner also noticed that Abbie had vanished from them. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Lars walked purposely through the crowded theme park toward the nearest exit, this time dressed as a janitor pulling one of the cleaning carts along with a certain meddling snoop stashed inside. Lila's muffled cries grew no attention from the multitude of people walking by. He guessed that the other nosy snoop girl was disposed of by now, another silly little girl to cross his path. Seeing the main entrance within eyesight, Lars stopped for a moment as he noticed a swarm of security guards standing around preventing any people from passing through. He predicted that this would happen, but had planned to be out of there ahead of the lockdown. Thinking for a moment on what to do next, Lars recalled seeing an air vehicle off to one end of the park during his trek, and an idea came over the crafty villain ... * * * Abbie walked feverishly around the park, looking for any sign of Lars. With dragging Lila around as his captive, Abbie guessed that he would hide her in something, so that's what she concentrated her focus on""a man with a container large enough to hold a young person inside. During her frantic search, she also saw no sign of Abby & Aaron, or Lila's parents. They had no idea what kind of trouble their charges were in, and didn't wish to explain that to them before she found Lila safe and sound. "Look, mommy ... a Mouseketeer!" a voice suddenly yelled out, and Abbie whipped her head around, seeing a little girl pointing at her with a look of awe on her cute face. She gave the adorable child a quick smile back before heading off on her search. Knowing that Lars would not be permitted to just walk out of here due to the lockdown that was thankfully initiated, Abbie had to think of how he would make his escape, for she knew that he would find a way to accomplish that. In the distance, over some trees, she saw a large blimp-like vehicle stationary, and proceeded over there on a hunch ... * * * As hot as it was walking around the park, the temperature inside the cramped space Lila was stuffed in was at least twenty degrees hotter that the teen sleuth was sweating bullets. At one point Lila thought she was going to pass out from extreme heat, but thankfully, the door finally opened, and a wash of cool refreshing air came over her all at once. Now lying on a metal flooring after being removed from her little sauna of a prison, Lila looked around her new surroundings, and was completely baffled at where she was. Looking up, she could see Lars sitting up ahead of her, then the sound of an engine began to rumble around her. Getting her strength back, Lila tried yet again to free herself of her bonds ... * * * Approaching cautiously to the Disney Airship, as the sign at the gate read, Abbie saw no one around, which she found to be a little strange, and suspicious ... Entering the slightly opened gate, she stepped inside the perimeter, and gasped at seeing a pair of legs lying on the ground near some crates. Rushing over to the inert man she now saw, Abbie bent over and checked his pulse. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she discovered that he was still alive, just unconscious. Looking back at the parked airship, Abbie narrowed her gaze, knowing what was now going on in there ... * * * Lila looked positively frightful as she suddenly felt the sensation of being lifted up in the air. With her bonds still not giving, she remained on the floor, helpless to stop her captor from escaping. "Beckert, you are a clever one ... " he congratulated to himself quietly as he successfully cleared the hanger, and began to move forward. He had flown small planes and even a helicopter, so the controls of the airship were really no different to navigate. "Comfortable back there? ... " he snickered lightly to his passenger while still looking out through the large window in front of him. After hearing some grunting sounds, he smiled gladly. "I suppose since I plan on disposing of you like your friend, that you should know why I came here in the first place since you already know that I'm not on holiday." Another soft grunt was then heard as Lars took that as a yes. "I was hired by a very wealthy business tycoon in Dubai. He was privy to some confidential information that the Disney Corporation was developing some kind of revolutionary technology in their Research Lab. What I have here ... " he held up a small flash drive in his hand for Lila to see, " ... are the top secret plans to a new type of anti-gravity unit that can used to make anything essentially fly off the ground. The amount that this information is worth is in the millions, perhaps billions, and I intend to get a cut of that." Lila couldn't believe what she has heard as it sounded something right out of those science fiction movies, but with modern technology progressing as it was, the thought of flying cars, for example, wasn't too far fetched to believe. Still feeling the ascent, Lila figured chillingly that Lars intends to throw her overboard to her death. Thoughts of Abbie then entered her anguished mind, and she shed some tears for her knowing that she was already dead. She hoped that somehow Lars would not get away with this, and that he will pay dearly for what he had done. Accepting her fate now, Lila just laid prone, waiting for her end to arrive. Just then, a soft noise was heard from behind her, and she twisted her head back towards it. Her blue eyes popped open in utter shock as she saw a person crouching low ... ... Abbie Dwight! CHAPTER FIFTEEN Moving ever so carefully towards a stunned Lila, while keeping one eye on Lars piloting the airship, Abbie reached her friend and removed the gag from her mouth. Lila wanted to say something about how Abbie managed to escape that foolproof death trap, but knew she better to stay quiet for both of their sakes as they weren't out of danger just yet. Not having the means to cut the zip ties binding Lila, Abbie went about trying to get this airship down instead. Looking around her, she spotted a flare gun case and opened it. Grabbing the compact pistol, she proceeded very quietly towards a still unsuspecting Lars Beckert. "Put this airship down right now," Abbie spoke very clearly and calmly at Lars. Turning his head slowly behind him, he looked a little startled at seeing Abbie standing right there very much alive. "How is it that you silly girls manage to escape all the time?" he asked wearily as this wasn't the first time his ingenious death traps have been thwarted. "Cut the crap, Beckert ... and put this blimp down now, or I swear I'll shoot," Abbie spoke with dead seriousness that even rattled Lila a bit as she laid there watching the scene play out. Lars then smirked at Abbie with a devilish grin on his face as he tried to psyche out his opponent. "You won't shoot me ... " he said with smooth confidence in his voice as he called her bluff. "Oh yeah ... just watch me," Abbie said plainly, and pulled the trigger, releasing a brightly-lit ball of fire right at him! Lars ducked just as the flare passed right by him, and it smashed into the controls of the airship, causing it to catch on fire! Alarms began to buzz loudly from the speakers overhead, and the airship started to tilt to one side. Abbie stumbled from the unexpected shift, and Lars dove right for her. The flare gun had another charge in it, and Lars smacked the gun out of her hand before she could fire off another shot at him. The airship began to plummet a little as result of the controls destroyed. Lila tried to hold herself steady in her bound state, but the teen girl began sliding down away from Abbie & Lars, and right for the side door. Smashing into it, the door broke free from its lock and opened. Lila screamed wildly as she tried with all her might not to be ejected out to ground far below. Abbie heard Lila's frantic cries from over the siren, and she turned to see what was happening to her. Lars used that distraction, and punched Abbie hard across the face, knocking her down. Stunned by the harsh blow, Abbie swung her legs, and tripped up the villain, knocking him down also. With Lars incapacitated for the moment, Abbie rushed over to Lila and saw her using her body to keep her inside the airship. Reaching her, Abbie pulled Lila away from the door and placed her in the rear section of the compartment, and out of harm's way. Looking eternally grateful for saving her, Lila suddenly screamed out to Abbie, "Behind you!" Turning round, Abbie just caught Lars punching her against her cheek. As Abbie was dazed Lars proceeded by kicking her in the stomach, sending the snoop against the rear wall. She moaned in pain as she slid down to the floor next to Lila. "Now to finish you both off for good," Lars said and grabbed a limp Abbie by the throat with both hands and started to squeeze with a cruel look on his face. "I am going to choke the life out of you" Her brown eyes suddenly lit up, and her feet kicked out and caught Lars right between his legs, making him yelp in pain. Abbie then hurled her head forward, head butting the villain with a painful WHAP! Lars was stunned by the sudden blow and staggered back, holding his face in pain. It was at that moment that Abbie suddenly sprung on Lars delivery a high kick to his chin. Without missing a beat, she landed several quick jabs to his abdomen, sending Lars to the floor in obvious pain. All the while this was happening, Lila sat there stunned at Abbie's incredible skill at fighting, for she never actually saw her in action before. She hoped that Lars would not get up from that ferocious assault on him. The airbus then shifted to other side, sending everyone inside flying to the opposite end, then it began to descend even more so. Lars had hit his head against a wall from the fierce tumble, and the villain was knocked out cold. After getting up to her feet next to Lars' inert form, Abbie saw a sign on a wall that read: Parachutes. Grabbing one from a compartment, she quickly placed it on her back, and buckled all the straps securely. "We're getting out of here!" she yelled out to Lila as she went over and hauled the imprisoned girl up. "Abbie ... have you ever skydived before?" Lila asked her with alarm in her shaky voice. "No ... but I know someone who did once, and said that it was a piece of cake," she replied back as she half-carried Lila over to the still open door. Standing right over it, Lila looked absolutely frightful at how high they still were despite the drop in altitude. "I haven't told you this before, but I'm deathly afraid of heights!" she yelled out in panic as strong winds whipped her long hair in her face. "Don't worry ... I've got a really good hold on you," Abbie reassured her. "Now on the count of three ... One ... Two ... " Without warning, Lars grabbed Abbie from behind just as she was about to utter 'three'. Being jerked back, Abbie lost her grip on Lila, and the bound girl fell out of the airship, screaming loudly as she plummeted to the ground far below. "You're not getting away from me that easy," Lars hissed angrily into her ear as his normally cool demeanor was now replaced by blind rage. Without a second more to loose, Abbie jammed her foot hard against Lars' shin, and she jabbed her elbow into his gut forcefully. Released of his hold on her now, Abbie dove right out of the airship. Seeing Lila below her, Abbie faced downward and sped towards her by creating less air resistance. Several tense seconds later, she grabbed hold of Lila tightly, and pulled the ripcord of the parachute, releasing it out fully. The two girls sailed slowly the rest of the way down, landing somewhat softly on a grassy field just outside of the park. Lila kept sobbing from the whole ordeal as Abbie quietly comforted her. Looking up in the clear blue sky, Abbie saw the airship continue to sail away leaving a smoky trail behind, but then spotted a parachute open right below it. She scowled knowing that Lars survived the inevitable crash. Lila managed to see that too, and sniffed her tears back. "He still won with that top secret info he stole," she said dejectedly, despite the fact that she was very grateful to still be alive. "What, you mean this ... " Abbie reached into her sock and pulled a small flash drive. Lila looked elated at seeing Lars' prize right in front of her. "I took it from his pocket after I kicked his ass," she said smugly. "I also heard what he said to you about what he took." Lila smiled happily at Abbie, knowing that they ended up defeating Lars after all ... CHAPTER SIXTEEN The authorities soon picked up the girls after trailing the runaway airship. There was no sign of Lars Beckert anywhere despite the best efforts of sniffing him out among the acres of swamplands in the region. The stolen plans of the anti-gravity unit were returned safely, and Lila and Abbie were honored as heroes for their bravery. Their adult guardians were not too surprised to hear of had occurred as they took it as another one of their neverending escapades""they were just happy that Lila and Abbie were not harmed, or worse. After being checked out and released with minor injuries at the park infirmary, Lila and Abbie were invited to participate in the famous Light Show Parade being held that evening as gratitude, plus a multitude of free gifts and exclusive VIP passes to all of the parks. * * * Dressed in fresh Mouseketeer uniforms with their names sewn on the sweater tops, Lila and Abbie stood on one of the moving floats at the parade, waving happily to the crowd of onlookers cheering back at them. "So, does this mean that you'll be keeping your uniform?" Lila asked her fellow Mouseketeer. "I have to admit it does look cute on me, and Jaden will want to see me in it," Abbie replied merrily, still basking in the whole experience of the parade. "I just wanted to say thank you again for saving my life, you really are a great friend," Lila said such sincerity in her voice that Abbie shed a tear. "I guess we're sort of even now," the Snowdenite replied, and the two friends hugged each other warmly, drawing even more cheers from the people below.