#28 TROUBLESOME TOXIN!

Drake caught a glimpse of the retreating spy as everything began to blur and despite his efforts to break his fall, his limbs wouldn’t cooperate. He hit the floor hard. 

Obviously the darts had contained some form of muscle relaxant and considering her hasty retreat, the darts were intended to kill rather than merely incapacitate him.

He was beginning to lose all feeling in his body, and it was becoming difficult to breathe. Struggle as he might, he just couldn’t get his arms or legs to work.

Footsteps approached, and he felt Nickelby grab under his arms and start to drag him down the hall.

“P…po’sn…” mumbled Drake, his tongue swollen, his breathing laboured.

“Yes, I thought as much, sir,” replied the butler, bundling his employer into the small elevator and punching the bottom floor button. “But don’t you worry; I’ll get you to the labs.”

He had *maybe* a few minutes to save his employer.

If they were lucky…

# 29: CLOSE CALL.

A minute later, Drake was laid out on the bench of the laboratory. By now, he could barely move a muscle.

“Master Drake,” said Nickelby, standing over his employer, “Can you hear me?”

For a few tense seconds there was nothing. Then with a herculean effort, Drake managed to blink three times, indicating that he could. 

“Alright, that’s something at least.”

Working quickly, Nickelby took a blood sample and placed it on the tray of the lab computer. After a few precious seconds, a match had been found in the extensive toxicology database.
“It is Curare sir,” said Nickelby. “Just hold on a couple more minutes.”

The butler disappeared and came back moments later with another syringe.
“I’m injecting an Acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitor into your bloodstream.”

After a few minutes, Drake’s breathing became less shallow and some feeling was beginning to return to his extremities.
Once again, the ever-faithful Nickelby had come through just in time.

That evening, Drake had almost fully recuperated.
Grateful to Nickelby, Drake wanted to grant his butler long-service leave, but Nickelby would have none of it. After a great deal of cajoling and haggling, Drake finally convinced his valet to take a five day break in the Bahamas, on the proviso that once he returned, the subject would never be broached again…

#30: Firefight Friday

For the most part, 'Day One Without Butler' went smoother than expected. Taking the Bentley into town, Drake decided to drop by the bank before getting groceries.

He didn't actually have an account, keeping his funds in his own private, underground vault, but he had a friend who worked there.

"Oscar Roscoe you handsome rogue, how are you?"
"Drake Mandible, you charismatic devil! Fancy seeing you here! I've got no complaints whatsoever!"
"Excellent!" said Drake, reaching under the glass to shake his friends extended hand. "How are Belinda and the children?"

"Oh they're fine, I just wish had more time to spend with them."

Before Drake could reply, there was an Incredible smashing sound as an armored jeep barreled though the front entrance of the bank, skidding to a stop just in front of Drake.
Four men in ski masks jumped out, aiming sub-machine guns at everyone.

Most of the tellers had already raised the steel partitions at their stations, but Oscar kept his down. The other workers would be protected, but the patrons had no such luxury, and if the robbers didn't get cooperation from someone, they were likely to start shooting civilians. They were so fast, the two middle-aged guards weren't even able to draw their pistols.

Drake stood unmoving, hands behind his head like everyone else, until one of the robbers got too close.
He moved like lightning, grabbing the barrel with one hand and pushing it downwards then elbowed the crook in the sternum followed by a swift back-fist to the face.

Before the robber even hit the floor, his gun was in Drake's hands. A quick burst sent another scrambling for cover, before his friends recovered enough to turn their guns on the man who could potentially ruin their plans.

Mandible's reflexes, however, were split seconds faster and a well placed bullet lodged itself in each of their weapons, jamming them.

"I think that'll do boys," Drake said to the robbers. "We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt now, would we?" He turned to his friend at the desk. "Oscar, if you could come and relieve these gentlemen of their weapons, that would be magnificent. I trust no one else is hurt?"
Everyone nodded that they were shaken, but otherwise fine.

As the last few stragglers filed into the back room, Drake heard the sound of air brakes squeal to a stop.

Turning, he saw an eighteen wheeler parked in front of the hole in the wall, and judging from the grins on the faces of the robbers, reinforcements had arrived....