Drak, Frankie, and Howler were having a bite to eat at the local diner after seeing a movie when a young woman walked in and sat down at one end of the counter. The waitress served her a soda and a piece of pie.
The boys watched from across the room as the girl showed a photograph to the waitress and several of the customers. Most of them shook their heads and shrugged. A couple of them gave her strange looks and walked away, quickly.
Meanwhile, Frankie was enjoying a particularly messy sloppy joe sandwich and wasn't having much luck getting it to his mouth without spilling some on his shirt. He took a huge bite and spilled yet another glob down his front. Having exhausted his and Drak's napkins, he quickly grabbed Howler's and wiped up the mess.
"Hey!" Howler yelled.
Frankie looked at Howler and asked, "Oh, were you going to use it?"
Howler got up to go get more napkins.
"Use a spoon," he suggested as he walked away from the table.
He got to the counter and asked the waitress for more napkins. The girl turned and saw him.
"Excuse me," she said, "could you help me?"
"I could try," Howler answered. "What do you need?"
"I'm looking for someone," she explained. "My father, actually. Here's his picture. Have you seen him?"
Howler took the picture from the girl. His eyes opened wide as he looked at it. It was a picture of Dr. Dred.
"THIS is your father?" He asked.
"Yes," she answered, "do you know him?"
"Well..." he started.
"People who know him usually get that look on their face,"she interrupted.
"Um...let me talk to my friends over there a minute," he stammered as he handed the picture back to the girl.
"Okay," she said and watched him hurry back to the table where Drak and Frankie sat.
"Did you get the napkins?" Frankie asked.
"Forget the napkins," Howler said. "You'll never guess who that is over there."
"Why don't you tell us then?" Drak quipped.
"Dr. Dred's daughter!" Howler exclaimed.
"What??" Drak and Frankie said together.
"Yeah. She said she's looking for him," Howler said.
"I didn't know Dr.Dred had a daughter," Frankie said.
"I didn't know he was married," Drak said.
"I didn't know any woman would want to marry him," Howler said, "much less..."
"Okay, okay! That's enough of that!" Drak scolded. "Let's go find out what she wants."
The three of them walked over to the girl just as she was finishing her pie and soda.
"Hi," Drak said, "I'm Drak and these are my friends Frankie and Howler. I hear you need some help."
"Yes, please," she said. "My name is Catherine Dred and I'm looking for my father."
"Catherine?" Drak asked.
"Call me Kittie," she smiled. "Everyone does."
"Okay, Kittie," Drak said. "You say you're looking for your father?"
"Yes. Here's his picture," she answered and handed Drak the picture. "His name is Virgil Dred. Do you know where he is?"
"Virgil??" Drak asked.
Frankie and Howler repeated the name and snickered.
"What is it with you and names?" Kittie asked.
"Oh, nothing," Drak answered. "Why are you looking for him? Are you some long-lost daughter looking for her roots?"
"No," Kittie answered, "He's just hard to find sometimes. Doyou know where he is?"
"Let me talk with my friends a minute," Drak said.
"Okay," Kittie said.
The boys walked away to talk and Kittie said to herself, "They know him."
The Drak Pack huddled and Drak asked, "Well, what do you think? Should we help her?"
"She doesn't seem like Dr. Dred," Frankie observed. "She's too polite."
"Well, that could be an act," Drak said. "To tell you the truth, guys, I'm a little curious. I mean, where's she been? Why is she back?"
"Let's do it then," Howler said.
They all agreed to help her find Dr. Dred.
They were walking back to her as she was paying her bill.
"Kittie, I think we can help you," Drak said. "You see, we're friends of your father's and..."
"Friends?" Kittie interrupted. "He has friends?"
"Well, more like aquaintences actually," Drak admitted. "Anyway, we know where to find him."
"Great!" Kittie exclaimed.
"Would you like a lift?" Drak asked. "It's rather difficult to get there."
"Sure, thanks," she answered.
Frankie and Howler showed Kittie to to the Drakster as Drak paid their bill and left a tip for the waitress. Drak glanced at the plate Kittie left and noticed that she left a tip as well. He also noticed that the tip was exactly 15% of her bill.
"Dr. Dred never leaves tips," He thought to himself as he left the diner.
Drak got to the Drakster and got in the driver's seat. Frankie was in the front and Howler was in the back with Kittie.
"What did you guys say this thing was again?" Kittie asked.
"The Drakster," Frankie answered.
"Drak invented it," Howler added.
"Neat," Kittie said and settled back as Drak started the engine.
Drak wasn't paying attention to what the others were saying. He too started to wonder if she was who she said she was.
They rode down the road for a while in silence.
Howler kept looking at Kittie. It was dark out, but he could see her pretty well whenever they passed a street lamp.
He started to wonder too. She was too pretty to be Dr. Dred's daughter he thought. She had a nice smile, fair skin,bright green eyes, and soft medium-brown hair that came down to her shoulders.
Kittie looked at Howler and caught him staring. He quickly turned his head and faced forward.
"What?" she asked.
Howler thought a moment and answered, "You must look like your mother's side of the family."
Kittie giggled. "Thanks," she said blushing a little.
Howler didn't know what to think of her reaction so he kept quiet and faced forward again.
They traveled on until they got to the wharf.
"What are we doing here?" Kittie asked. "Is he in an old warehouse?"
"No. He's somewhere out there," Drak answered and pointed to the water.
"What?" Kittie asked, puzzled.
"He has a mobile man-made island that he stays on most of the time," Drak explained. "We need to take to the air to find it."
Drak turned the dial on the dashboard to "air". The Drakster sprouted wings, and jets underneath roared as it rose off the ground.
"Is this thing safe?" Kittie asked shrinking back into her seat a little.
"Perfectly," Drak answered and the Drakster blasted forward out towards the water and gained altitude.
Kittie wondered what she had gotten herself into.
Drak flicked a switch and a search light beamed beneath the airborne Drakster.
"Tell me if you see anything, Frankie," Drak said.
Frankie gave Drak a salute and looked out the window for anything suspicious.
Drak flew along the waterway for about 15 minutes.
"That looks like it down there," Frankie finally said.
"I think you're right," Drak said. "Prepare for descent."
"Descent?" Kittie asked. She felt sort of queasy. "Into water?"
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," Drak reassured her and started circling lower and lower until they just about reached the surface of the water. He then switched the dial to "water" and the Drakster sloped downward and dived under the water briefly. It bobbed back up to the top and floated on the surface as Drak steered it over to a portion of the island that they could climb up on. Drak flicked another switch and claws popped out of compartments on either sideof the Drakster and latched on to the island holding it firmly in place.
"Here we are," Drak said and raised the top of the Drakster.
"That was wierd," Kittie said.
They all got out and found a narrow footpath around the island.
Kittie led the way on the path. The boys followed at a short distance behind discussing the things they had noticed.
"I really don't know, you guys," Drak said, shaking his head.
Kittie found what seemed like a door. She knocked loudly and waited.
"I guess we'll find out in a minute wether or not she is though," Drak added.
"Why would anybody lie about something like that?" Frankie asked. "Still you wouldn't think a kid of Dr. Dred's would be that polite."
"Or pretty," Howler said.
"Or would leave a 15% Tip at a restaurant," Drak added.
The metal door slowly creaked open. Toad was on the other side.
"Who is i..." he started, then he saw who it was. A look of sheer panic came over his face as he stammered, "Ka...Ka...Ka...Ka..."
Drak Pack watched as Kittie's demeanor suddenly changed and she glared at Toad.
"Out of my way, frog-boy," she growled and pushed him aside as she went through the door.
"She's a Dred," the boys agreed aloud.
Through the still open door, Kittie could be heard screaming, "DADDY!!" at the top of her lungs.
"She sounds mad," Frankie observed.
"Shall we go in and find out why?" Drak asked.
Frankie and Howler nodded and they all entered the island.
Toad had run off to hide. He knew exactly why she was there.
Drak, Frankie, and Howler followed at a safe distance as Kittie stormed from room to room screaming, "DADDY!!"
Fly, Mummy Man, and Vampira emerged to see what the commotion was. Kittie being so angry made them nervous and they tried to confront her and calm her down.
"Izz there a problem?" Fly buzzed.
"I'll clip your wings!" Kittie threatened.
Fly quickly got out of her way.
"Where is he?" Kittie demanded.
"He's in his lab," Vampira pleaded, "He doesn't vant to be distorbed."
"I don't care!!" Kittie yelled.
"Excuse me," Drak boldly spoke up.
"What?" Kittie snapped as she spun around to look at him.
The boys jumped back, startled and Drak said, "I think the lab is that way." And he pointed down the corridor.
"Thank you," Kittie grinned and started to walk quickly in that direction.
The boys looked at one another, shocked, yet still curious. They followed after her.
The other O.G.R.E. members looked at them like they were nuts. They stayed a little further behind. Even Mummy Man didn't want to get too close.
Kittie got to the end of the corridor and found a set of double doors marked "Dr. Dred's Lab: KEEP OUT!". They were locked. Kittie kicked them open.
Dr. Dred looked up from his notes, startled. "Kittie, sweetheart!" he said smiling.
She stood in the doorway glaring at him. "Where's the key?"she growled through clenched teeth.
"Key? What key?" Dr. Dred played dumb.
"You know very well what key," Kittie snapped. "Where is it?"
"I honestly don't kn..." he started and suddenly noticed Drak Pack standing behind her. They smiled and waved at Dr. Dred. "What are they doing here?"
"They gave me a ride daddy." Kittie said.
"Did they? Well I must thank you boys for bringing my daughter to me safe and sound. Now, It's very late and I really mustn't keep you out past your bedtimes, so I bid you good night and please come again sometime." Dr. Dred said, trying to get them to leave.
"No! I think they deserve an explaination." she said and turned to the boys. "Would you like to know why I'm here?"
Drak, Frankie, and Howler all nodded.
Dr. Dred sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.
"A few months ago, I enrolled in a very good college. A college I had been wanting to go to for a very long time because it has an excellent science curriculum. The science students each got issued a special card key to the school's private lab. A couple of weeks ago, daddy here came to visit me at the school. A couple of days after he left, Iwas called into the dean's office. It seems that some lab equipment was missing from the lab, and MY key was registered in at some odd hour of the night when I was in the dorm asleep. When the dean asked for the key back it wasn't in my purse. Now I ask you," she turned to her father, "WHERE'S THE KEY?"
"Busted," Howler said quietly.
Dr. Dred lifted his head out of his hands.
"Let me see if I can find it for you," He got up and left the room. "Oh, Toad!"
Kittie started after him. "It figures," she said to Drak Pack as she passed by them.
Drak Pack followed Kittie. The O.G.R.E. members followed them.
They got to a door marked "Toad's Room".
"Toad, are you in there?" Dr. Dred asked through the door.
A muffled voice comming from inside the room said, "No."
Dr. Dred opened the door and looked around. A toddler-sized bed was at one end. There was a dresser, a bedside table with a lamp on it, a small T.V. set on a table, and some shelves covered in comic books and shiny rocks that Toad had collected. No Toad.
"Toad, are you in the closet?" Dr. Dred called again.
Another less muffled voice coming from the closet said, "No."
Dr. Dred opened the closet door. Toad sat beneath several small tweed suits hung on hangers. He looked up at Dr. Dredand swallowed, hard. Dr. Dred glared down at him as he slowly reached in his pocket and pulled out the card key that Kittie had been looking for. Toad held the key out and Dr. Dred snatched it out of his hand.
"I told you to put it back where we got it from!" Dr. Dred snapped breathily, trying in vain not to be heard by everyone else.
"Bad Toad?" Toad asked.
"Yes, bad Toad," Dr. Dred said and turned around. "There you go Kittie dear. Now you can get back to that school of yours. Good-bye."
"No I can't!" she snapped. "I was expelled!"
"Expelled?"
"Yes, expelled, Dad. What did you expect?"
Dr. Dred thought a moment and reasoned, "Well, we'll just have to find you another school."
Kittie gasped. "You're not trying to get rid of me again are you?"
Dr. Dred stammered,"We...I...n...I..."
"It's not going to be that easy this time," she said, "I'm moving in here."
"But...you love school!" he pleaded.
"No one's going to accept me. I'm the daughter of a maniac!"she screamed. "Now, which room can I have?"
Kittie exited Toad's room and went down the hall looking into rooms to see if any were empty.
Dr. Dred started after her. Then he noticed Drak Pack standing outside the door. They grinned and waved at him again. They were really enjoying themselves.
"Are you still here?" Dr. Dred asked, annoyed.
Kittie stopped her quest for a room and asked, "What is it with you and those guys, dad?"
Dr. Dred turned to his daughter.
"I'm glad you finally asked," he said. "Allow me to introduce you to our arch-enemies, Drak Pack!"
Kittie looked at Drak, Frankie, and Howler. They all nodded. Then she looked at her father. "Why?"
"Because they're no-good goody-two-shoes who like to waste their time trying to foil my plans for ultimate world domination," he explained.
"You always had such a way with words, father," she quipped. "They really don't look all that threatening to me."
"Oh no?" he asked, "Why don't you boys do that THING you always do?"
"Be glad to," Drak complied.
The team who had been in human form up until then turned to face each-other, high-fived, and shouted, "Drak Pack, Wakko!"
In an instant they were in monster form. They turned to face Kittie and struck a dramatic pose.
Kittie's jaw dropped. She looked at each one in turn, amazed at the change she had just witnessed.
Kittie's gaze then fixed on Drak. She stared a moment and said, "Wait a minute. I know who you are! You're the one onthe pinup poster in Vampira's room!"
Everyone slowly turned to look at Vampira. Her face actually seemed to blush through the pastiness of her skin. Without a word, she turned and darted into a room down the hall and locked the door.
They turned back and looked at Kittie. She smiled and stifled a laugh.
"Would you please leave?" Dr. Dred pleaded to Drak Pack.
"Very well," Drak said, "but we'll be keeping an eye on you and your daughter."
Drak Pack turned and walked down the hall as Dr. Dred collapsed against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. As they disappeared around the corner, Frankie and Howler yelled, "Good-bye, Virgil!" and snickered to themselves.
Dr. Dred moaned.
As Drak Pack walked through the hallways they could hear Kittie still loudly scolding her father and demanding that all the lab equipment be returned to the school, imediately.
Drak Pack got back to the Drakster and got in. Drak closed the top. They sat there for a moment, looked at each-other and burst out laughing. They laughed all the way home.
The next night, Drak, Frankie, and Howler settled down in their living room to watch their favorite sitcom. Drak aimed the remote and turned on the T.V.
The opening title of the show flashed on the screen, then, the reception seemed to go out.
"Oh no!" the boys said together as the reception cleared to reveal Dr. Dred on the screen.
"Citizens of the world. It is I, Dr. Dred," he spoke. "You all know of me and my gang of evil monsters, O.G.R.E. I am here now to introduce you to a new member. My daughter, Catherine."
An unenthusiastic looking Kittie was quite obviously shoved from off screen to right beside her father. He phisically turned her to face the camera and put his arm around her shoulders.
Big D had just risen from his coffin and came into the house to see what the boys were up to.
"Big D, look," Howler said. "That's the girl we met last night."
"Shhh!" Drak and Frankie hushed him.
Big D stood behind the couch and watched along with the boys.
"My daughter has something to say to you wretched peasants," Dr. Dred said and stepped off camera, leaving Kittie alone on the screen.
Kittie looked at her father off-screen then turned back to face the camera. She sighed and looked down slightly. She seemed to be reading cue-cards.
"Citizens of the world..." she looked off-camera," That's a bit redundant, isn't it?"
You could hear Dr. Dred whispering off-camera, "Just read!"
Kittie started again. "Citizens of the world. I am the daughter of your future leader. I assure you that my father is ruthlessly unstoppable..." she paused and looked off-camera, "Ruthlessly unstoppable?"
"Read!" Dr. Dred snapped in a whisper.
She looked back and continued, "...Ruthlessly unstoppable and will stop at nothing...well, duh!"
"Stop critiquing! Just read!" Dr. Dred snapped again.
She continued again, "...stop at nothing to get what he wants which is world domination."
Dr. Dred jumped back out in front of the camera and took over. "That's right! World domination! And no one can stop me..."
"We seem to have established that you are unstoppable," she quipped.
He ignored her and continued, "...Not even that pathetic Drip Pack!"
"His name's Drak, Dad."
"Ooooh...blast it! Let's just start over!" he exploded.
"Dad, it's live," Kittie reminded him.
"Ooooh...cut,Mummy! Cut!" he said to Mummy man and made slashing motions across his throat.
Mummy Man, who was obviously running the camera, didn't cut like Dr. Dred wanted and he and Kittie were still on the screen.
Dr. Dred turned Kittie to face him.
"Kittie, dear," he said with his hands on her shoulders, "You know this is very impotant to daddy."
"Yes, I..."
"Then please try and cooperate," he interrupted. "Now we're going to try this again. This time, I want you to try to look a little more evil. What happened to the hat and cape I gave you?"
"I'm not wearing the hat and cape, dad."
"Why not?"
"Because they look stupid."
"Stupid? They're my evil trademark!"
"Do you want me to grow a mustache too?"
"Very funny!"
"A little dose of realism, dad. You're never going to take over the world."
"Yes I am!"
"Particularly in that getup."
"You have no ambition!"
"It looks rediculous!"
"You owe me!"
"Owe you? For what?"
"I've done everything for you!"
"You dumped me in some ignorant boarding school for criminal's children!"
"Ignorant? That's my Alma Matter!"
"It's no challenge whatsoever!"
"Wait a minute!"
"I honestly don't know how they expect any of the graduates to do anything..."
"You passed evil speech class!"
"...as complex as taking over the world!"
"How did you pass evil speech class?"
"I had a much better writer!"
"I don't want to hear any more critiquing of my evil speech!"
"Good! Look, I haven't had dinner yet. So I'm going to go get something to eat and I'm..."
Kittie turned slightly and noticed the light on the camera that tells you it's running.
"Dad," She said giggling a little, "We're still on the air!"
Dr. Dred turned quickly and saw the light. He screamed and ran at the camera. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! Turn it off! Turn it..."
The screen went fuzzy and then cleared to reveal a news anchorman who had been waiting to report on the newest threat from Dr. Dred. He had apparently been watching the whole thing because he was laughing hysterically."
Drak Turned the T.V. off. He was laughing too. So were Frankie, Howler, and even Big D.
"Now that's funny!" Drak chuckled.
"It's certainly better than that awvul sitcom you boys normally vatch,"Big D said.
Howler had fallen out of his chair and was pounding his fist on the floor.
"They should make more of those!" he suggested giggling. "Think of the ratings!"
"I'd tune in!" Frankie added. He was doubled over on the couch braying like a mule.
"She...e...she even corrected my name!" Drak observed and laughed again.
"Maybe..." Howler choked, "Maybe we should ask her to join Drak Pack!"
With that Drak, Frankie, and Howler burst into hysterical laughter. Frankie doubled completely over and fell on the floor next to Howler.
Big D was thinking the very same thing. Only a little more seriously. He didn't tell the boys though. They had a lot to learn as well as Kittie.
"All in good time," he thought to himself as he left the the boys to regain their composure.