MA09 Myth Inc in Action Read Free

Chumley sez. “Speaking of the army, Guido, do you think you and Nunzio can manage to sign up for a hitch? Remembering how you stirred things up at the Acme magik factory by getting the workers to unionize, you’re the logical choice for demoralizing the troops, and that’s best done from the inside.”
    “Yea, sure,” I sez with a shrug. “Why not?”
    “Are you okay, Guido?” Tananda asks, peering at me sudden-like. “You and Nunzio have been awfully quiet since we started out on this venture.”
    “We’re all right,” Nunzio puts in quick. “We’re just a little worried about the Boss... like Massha. Joinin’ the army is fine by us, if you think it will help things. Right, Guido?”
    “I said it was okay, didn’t I?” I snaps back at him.
    “So what are you and Chumley going to be doin’ while we’re playing soldier?” Nunzio sez. It is obvious to me that he is out to divert the attention of the meetin’ away from the two of us, but no one else seems to notice... except maybe Big Julie who gives me the hairy eyeball for a minute before turnin’ his attention back to the conversation.
    “We’re going to see what we can do about stirring up the citizens,” Tananda shrugs. “Tax reductions are nice, but there are bound to be some irritating things about life under Hemlock’s new programs. All we have to do is root them out and be sure that folks see them as irritating.”
    “Do you blokes want Gleep, or shall we take him?” Chumley asks.
    “Gleep?” sez the dragon, raisin’ his head again.
    “Aahh... why don’t you and Tananda take him,” Nunzio sez quick-like. “Truth to tell, he made me a little nervous the last time we was workin’ together.”
    “Who? Gleep?” Tananda sez, reaching over to pet the dragon. “There’s nothing to be nervous about with him. He’s just a big sweetie and a snugglebug... aren’t you fellow?”
    “Gleep!” the dragon sez again innocently while leanin’ against Tananda.
    “Good. Then you won’t mind havin’ him with you,” Nunzio smiles. “That’s settled.”
    “I suppose,” Chumley sez absently, studyin’ the dragon as he talks. “Well, I guess we might as well get started. Big Julie, do you mind if we relay messages to each other through you? Otherwise we’re going to have trouble keeping track of things.”
    “No problem,” the retired general shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I figure you’re all going to have enough on your hands, so you shouldn’t be worrying about communications. I’ll be here.”
    After sayin’ our good-byes to the others, Nunzio and I head off to try to find a recruiter for the army.
    For a long time, neither of us sez anything. Finally, Nunzio clears his throat.
    “Well, what do you think?”
    “I think we got big trouble comin’ our way,” I sez, tightlipped, “and I don’t mean with communications or even with Queen Hemlock.”
    “I know what you mean,” Nunzio sighs, not lookin’ around as he trudges along. “You want to talk about it?”
    “Not just yet. I want a little more time to think things through. In the meantime...” I aim a playful punch at him which, bein’ Nunzio, he takes without so much as blinkin’, “...let’s occupy ourselves with somethin’ easy... like disruptin’ an army.”

AH’D LIKE TO welcome you all to this man’s army! The first thing you should know is that we’re on a first name basis here... and my first name is sergeant ... Do I make myself clear?”
    At dis, the individual so addressin’ our group pauses and glares at us. Naturally, there’s no answer, as no one is particularly eager to call attention to themselves under dese circumstantials. It seems, however, dis was not the response the sergeant had in mind.
    “Ah asked you a question!! Do you think Ah’m up here running my mouth ‘cause Ah like the sound of mah own voice?’“
    It is clear that dis is a ploy to induce us new recruits into makin’ a mistake which will further anger the