Chapter 5: Amnesio Strikes Again!
Mike looked up and saw Moxies Micromage & Vector-Girl calendar.
"Holy crap!" Mike said. "There's a bodybuilding contest less than a week away! I have to start training!"
Mike took off his Micromage uniform and stripped down to the swimming trunks he wore beneath his costume. "Moxie, whaddaya think? Is my bodyfat down to contest levels?"
"Sure, Mike! I think you'll win your pro card this time, for sure! You were prepping for another contest before you got frozen, anyway, remember?"
Mike realized this was true. There had been another contest he was less than a month away from when he got frozen. Still, in spite of this, it would be a real challenge to get in shape in less than a week.
Mike's approach was to spend a lot of time in the gym. Moxie coached him as he did bench presses, and used the weight machines to work on his chest and shoulders. Every day in the gym, Mike hit a different body part. One day he hit arms, the next he worked his legs. Mike engaged in workouts that would fell a horse!
Moxie was also in charge of his nutrition, making sure he got a lot of protein with minimal carbohydrates. The day of the contest, Mike was in the best shape of his life. He was ripped and shredded, and he was down to less than five percent bodyfat.
"Being in hibernation must've given you some kind of advantage, Mike!" Moxie said as they drove to the contest. "I've never seen you look this good!"
They pulled into the parking lot, and a valet took the Micromobile after Mike handed him the keys. Moxie and Mike strolled across the parking lot. "I'm hungry!" Moxie said. "I forgot to eat lunch. I guess I'll go get a protein bar while you're getting yourself psyched up for the contest."
Mike and Moxie parted after they entered the building; Mike went to the locker room, and Moxie went to the tables where products were being sold. She grabbed a strawberry protein bar and asked, "How much?"
The attendant said: "These are complimentary, young lady! Go ahead and take one!"
Moxie took two. While walking around eating her first protein bar, she spotted a teenage girl who might be one of Amnesio's assistants, here to case the contest. She had medium length light brown hair, and she appeared to be skinny, but it was difficult to tell, because she was wearing a trenchcoat. It was hard to recognize her, because she was also wearing sunglasses.
Since Moxie was wearing her costume, she had the built-in transceiver she could use to communicate with Mike. She raised her forearm to chin level discreetly, and with the index finger of her other hand, activated the two-way radio. "Micromage! This is Vector-Girl, come in! Do you copy?"
Mike, meanwhile, was getting out of his Micromage costume, and when he saw the green light that indicated Moxie was trying to communicate with him, he flicked the button and said: "This is Mike! What's up, Moxie?
"There's some creepy chick who looks like she might be one of Amnesio's assistants! I'm not sure though, because she isnt wearing one of those goofy domino masks!
"Well," Mike replied, "keep an eye on her, and let me know if you find out for sure that she works for Amnesio! In the mean time, stay close to her, keep an eye on her, and whatever you do, if a mind control device is used, pretend like you're affected by it just like all the adults!"
"Got it, Mike!" Moxie replied, "over and out!"
Mike put his Micromage costume in his locker. He was dressed in his posing trunks, and began to apply the oil bodybuilders use when they're on stage. Meanwhile, Moxie was keeping an eye on the suspicious girl. When she took a seat, Moxie sat down close to her. Not right next to her, but a couple of chairs down from her.
About fifteen minutes later, the show was ready to begin. The bodybuilders filed out onto the stage, and Moxie waved to Mike. The suspicious young woman pulled out a cell-phone, and started dialing a number. Moxie leaned close so she could hear the conversation.
"Yes, Amnesio!" the woman said clearly. "The transponder is placed in the rafters, just as you ordered! You can begin the mind control session now, because the contest is underway!"
Moxie lifted her eyes, and saw a strange device in the rafters above the stage. It was a transponder, capable of relaying Amnesio's mind controlling alpha waves. They would affect all of the adults in the room, but not Moxie or any of the other children who had been brought here by their parents. Moxie was counting on the fact that Amnesio still seemed to be unaware that his mind control technology didn't work on kids.
Soon, after the device warmed up, Amnesio's voice could be heard throughout the large room: "This is Amnesio, master of mind control! I am now in charge of your minds! You will do exactly as I command! First, those of you who have checkbooks with you, write out a check for half your savings, and make it out to me! My assistant, June, will walk around with a large purse, and you can drop the check inside!"
Moxie watched as the contest went on as if nothing unusual was going on, and saw June walking around collecting checks from people. June was wearing earmuffs to block out the mind controlling alpha waves. The announcer could be heard at a different volume than Amnesio's voice, and he pointed out the strong-points and flaws of each competitor.
Moxie looked over at the judges. They were making notes as if this contest was going along as planned. Moxie tried hard to look mesmerized, just like everyone else. As the contest progressed, Junes purse became so full she had to push down on the pile of checks inside. If she got the checks to Amnesio within the next couple of hours, he would still have time to deposit them before the banks closed for the day.
Amnesio's menacing voice went on: "This command is for the judges! Mike Roman must lose! Forget about him, just focus on the others, Mike Roman is in last place!"
Moxie could understand this. Why would Amnesio want Mike to win? Mike and Moxie had cost him millions of dollars by foiling his scheme to trick a room full of millionaires to deposit money into Amnesio's account. Still, Mike had won every amateur bodybuilding contest he had entered, because he didn't start competing until he was very well developed. There were at least one or two other guys at this contest who could give Mike a run for his money, but it had seemed like a sure win for Mike, before Amnesio's interference.
When June was done collecting the money, she pulled out her cell-phone, and called Amnesio. "Amnesio! The device works just as you planned! The experiment is a success! Now we know it will work during the Teen Preference awards in a few days!"
Moxie waited for June to leave, then for the contest to end. The first, second, and third place winners were announced, and Mike was given honorable mention for fourth place.
She went backstage to talk to Mike. "It looks like Amnesio didn't strike!" said Mike.
"What are you talking about?" Moxie asked.
"He didn't do anything tonight!" said Mike. "It looks like we need to take you in to a repair shop to get your female intuition checked out!"
"Mike," Moxie replied angrily, "he mesmerized all of the adults in the audience! Didn't you see June walking around with a purse collecting checks from everyone? Her purse was so full of checks, she almost couldn't fit it all in there!"
Mike started laughing. "Moxie, don't you think I would be aware if Amnesio used mind control on me?"
"That's just the point!" Moxie countered, "the reason you can't remember is because Amnesio did use mind control on you! There's a transponder in the rafters if you want me to prove it to you! And listen to this!"
The voice of June could be heard informing Amnesio about the Teen Preference awards. "I started recording her the second time she was on the phone! They're planning on using mind control during the Teen Preference awards! It would be too difficult to try to climb up to the rafters to get the mind control device at normal size, but if you shrink, I can launch you up there!
Mike took this seriously. Still in his posing trunks, Mike went back out to the stage and had Moxie point out Amnesio's transponder. What he saw convinced him. "Moxie, don't tell anyone about the transponder. I'm getting into my Micromage uniform so I can shrink!"
Mike greedily munched on a protein bar backstage as he put his Micromage uniform back on. He downed the last of the protein bar, took a swig of water, and activated the costume. Moxie was standing there waiting for him to shrink. Once Mike was an inch tall, Moxie picked him up and carried him out to the stage. "Okay, launch me toward the transponder, and don't miss!"
Moxie pulled her right arm back, and swung it out and let go of Micromage. He went flying through the air, and landed perfectly on top of the transponder. He used his wrist transceiver to communicate with Moxie. Vector-Girl! Bulls eye! I'm right on target!"
"What do you see?" Moxie asked.
"I see the transponder, obviously, and a car battery hooked up to a full-wave rectifier! The transponder is plugged into the rectifier, that's what powered it!"
"Do you think it's booby-trapped?" Moxie asked.
"I don't think so," Mike replied, "but something tells me this technology is way out of my league! I need to take this to a professor I know at Cal Tech University in Pasadena!"
"What kind of a professor is he?" Moxie asked through her wrist-radio.
"He specializes in psionics!" Mike replied. "I'm going to unhook this transponder. Can you catch it?"
"I think so!" Moxie replied, and stood directly underneath Mike. He found a strap that was attached to the rafter. A second strap wrapped around the transponder, car battery, and rectifier. By using the ratchet tool that was connected to the strap that was attached to the rafter, Mike could unhook all three devices.
He took hold of the ratchet tool, and swung it far to the right, then far to the left. Each time he pulled it in one direction, it made a sound that indicated it was loosening. Over and over Mike pulled on the ratchet lever, until the straps were loose. Mike keyed his wrist-radio, and asked, "Vector-Girl, are you ready?"
She said: "Yes!" and Mike dropped the transponder down to her. It didn't take much effort on Mike's part, because the transponder was wider than the rafter, and it was ready to fall by itself. Moxie caught it, and set it on the ground. "Do you think we need that other stuff?" Moxie asked.
"No," Mike replied over his wrist-radio, "the professor will be able to plug it into any A.C. outlet! Now, are you ready to catch me?"
Moxie nodded her head. They didn't need to use their wrist-radios, because they were in visual contact with each other. Below him, Moxie looked to Mike to be a teenage colossus, her hands open and waiting for him. Mike jumped down, and landed in her hands. Moxie set him on the floor and he re-enlarged.
Mike picked up the transponder, and carried it to the Micromobile. Once it was loaded, they were on their way to pay a visit to the professor Mike knew who was an expert in psionics!
To Be Continued
Giantess World
