Lucas

"It's my work clothes," Dinah says simply, fishing for an explanation that doesn't make her sound ridiculous.

"It's psychological. I feel more comfortable doing missions in the wig."

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Autor mulls this over for a bit, and nods. He's the one who showed up to this wearing a school uniform. "How often do you go on them?"

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"Maybe twice, three times a week," Dinah says. "Depending on what you count as a mission, you could argue that it's nightly."

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"I'd ask what you do on them, but I assume they involve your kickboxing and judo skills?" Autor says, tilting his head. "That will surely prepare you for this, then."

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"Boxing," Dinah corrects. "I've done some kickboxing, but I wouldn't call myself a master at that."

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"Right, sorry. I was thinking of Yugo's recommendation." Autor says, smiling sheepishly. Then, he drops back to walk closer to her, murmuring, "what do you think of this situation here?"

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Whether Dinah has an answer or not, Kumatora has something to say about the situation here.

"This place smells like ass!"

And indeed, the inside of the one-screen theater does stink. Boney sniffs around to investigate.

Meanwhile, the projector plays a sort of slideshow, all of the pictures featuring a group of kids all about Lucas's age traveling to different parts of the world. Sometimes the group is missing a kid or two but there's always one boy in every picture.

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a1enzo

"Phoo! I wish I could have come here as a sprite."

He eyes the screen. "Not really a movie, is it?"

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"Guess not," Duster agrees. "I don't know what it's supposed to mean."

"Me either," Lucas adds. Until, "Wait! Wait, I've seen some of this before."

The young boy steps closer to the screen.

"I wore those clothes for Halloween b'fore. An' these guys're the Runaway Five"

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a1enzo

"Huh."

Come to think of it, that boy's overall appearance is sort of familiar to Enzo, too.

Probably not the best thing to mention right now, though.

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"I think it's suspicious," Dinah says to Autor. But it's an opinion that stretches to the 'movie,' too.

"What is this?"

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"Wish I knew," Lucas says. Beyond coincidence, he hasn't a clue.

Boney barks and paws at a seat, hopping back when something jumps out from underneath. The huge stinkbug hops off around the theater and Boney gives chase.

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a1enzo

At the barking and the abrupt movement, Enzo pulls his stun-rod out of his pocket... but it looks like it's just an insect.

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Autor follows suit, placing his left foot in front of him to support his weight. Relaxing his shoulders, he clenches his fists lightly, near his cheeks.

"I... don't like this place," he murmurs, tucking his chin in.

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a1enzo

"My sister would not run a theatre like this."

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"Boney!"

Dinah calls softly to the dog, and on not getting a response she vaults a couple of seats to cut off him and the insect.

Too much experience in the Justice League has destroyed her ability to think of something that big as just an insect.

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The stinkbug skitters on by, ducking in a nearby speaker. Boney scratches and whines at it, eventually breaking in.

Whatever the bad smell is, breaking the speaker makes it worse.

"Boney, where're you going?" Lucas calls.

But it's too late. Boney bolts in, leaving a hole big enough for a dog but too small for any of the present company.

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a1enzo

"Boney! Spam. What'd he find, a utility tunnel?"

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Duster limps over and carefully takes a knee.

"Looks like he found the sewer," the thief answers, covering his nose as he looks.

"That'd explain the smell," Kumatora complains.

Duster nods, heaving himself up again. "But how do we get to him now? We can't fit in there."

Lucas steps closer to the wall, listening for his dog.

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a1enzo

Enzo examines the hole to see whether it can easily be made bigger.

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"We could blow it open," Autor volunteers, holding his handkerchief to his nose. "But there's no guarantee that the tunnel is any bigger."

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"There's gotta be a way inside, right?" Lucas asks. "I can hear Boney moving inside."

He follows along the wall, Duster and Kumatora coming to follow.

"Let's go out an' look. An' I can keep track a'Boney."

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Autor nods and plans to fall back into formation between Dinah and Enzo. He has a sneaking suspicion he's really not going to enjoy following after the dog.

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