Steed's Tuned In, Cathy's In a Jam

Steed's Tuned In, Cathy's In a Jam is the second chapter in the Wombles Three.

Ronda woke up a bit confused.  She was tied Steed’s workbench.  When Ronda lifted her head slightly it bashed on something.  “You’re awake!” said Cathy “Lovely!”  “Where am I?” asked Ronda.  “In the shed!” shouted Cathy.  “What do you want?” asked Ronda.  “Information! We want information, information, information!  By hook or by cider we will!” replied Cathy.  “Who are you?” asked Ronda (still a bit concussed).  “I am the new Mrs Steed!” shouted Cathy.  “Who is Mr Steed?” asked Ronda.  “That would be telling!” replied Cathy laughing.

With horror Ronda realised her mouth was under a great vat of Gooseberry cider!  She wriggled but had no chance of escape.  Bungo was there but she didn’t notice.  He noticed a tattoo on Ronda’s neck.  It was an image of a toad!

Back in the house Bungo told the Avengers.  (Steed and Cathy never bothered with tattoo when they were in TODE.)

The rest of the wombles were waiting for Mrs Peel to come into the burrow. Eventually she did, and now she had stopped acting like a dog.  She was about to give orders when Cathy came in.  “What are you doing here you horrible woman?” snapped Mrs Peel.  “I’m second in command, remember?” replied Cathy. “Well you’re not anymore!  You’re fired!  Get out!  Otherwise I will kill you!”  Cathy ran away, and Steed came in.  “Hello John,” said Mrs Peel.  “Why did you call me John?” asked Steed.  “That was only when you were my wife but now Cathy is.”  Mrs Peel was angry.  “Well she won’t be for long!” she snapped.  “Anyway you need to teach the Womblegarten.”  I-want-my-job-back Uncle Bulgaria said, “Can’t Miss Adelaide do that?” “No!” said Mrs Peel.  “She lost her job when everyone thought she was dead!”

Cathy was walking home.  She was as grumpy as Tobermory had been when he became Wombat.  She didn’t kick the wildlife though.  Instead, she kicked the ground and slipped over.  Now she was even more grumpy.  For a moment she saw ESP standing over her, then everything went black.

She woke up tied to a trap in Mrs Peel’s house.  “Cathy!  You’re awake! Lovely!” sneered Mrs Peel.  “Where am I?” asked Cathy.  “In my house” replied Mrs Peel.  “What do you want?” asked Cathy.  “Information!  I want information, information, information!  By hook or by blade I will!” shouted Mrs Peel.  “I’m not asking who you are!  You are a foolish woman who will suffer when I escape!” shouted Cathy back.  “I am the new Mrs Steed” said Mrs Peel.  “No you’re not!  How could you even do that?” said Cathy.  “That would be telling!” said Mrs Peel then she told her.

“I have fake marriage papers and any minute now my wombles will deliver Steed to me!” she said with glee.  Just at that moment Tomsk, Wellington and Tobermory came in with Steed hauled over their shoulders.  “You know Mrs Peel Steed is much heavier than I expected!” said Tomsk.  “Steed?” said Steed “Is he here?  He can help me rescue Cathy then!”.  “Joe?” asked Cathy.  “Yes” said Joe.  “Fools!” said Mrs Peel.  She took out a remote control.  “This controls my magnet” said Mrs Peel.  “It deals with robots, androids and cybernauts.  I’ll show you.” She continued.

As Mrs Peel pressed a red button Joe flew up to the ceiling.  He was stuck fast.  “Now for you Cathy darling!” Mrs Peel sneered more than ever.  “You are tied to a giant spoon.  The spoon will go into the giant jam jar below you in”. She paused to flick a switch. “Five minutes.  Once in the jam jar you will stuck in the awful gooseberry jam that John makes.”  “He is Steed to you!” shouted Cathy.  “Tut tut no good shouting.  The lid will then automatically screw shut and you will be playing gooseberry! After all John and I are married!” purred Mrs Peel.

Mrs Peel left with her wombles and headed back to the burrow.  Cathy could feel the spoon slowly heading down to the jar. She looked up and Joe was unable the move.  “Sorry” he said then changed his mind.  “I can send a message over the radio!” he said.  “Really?” asked Cathy.  “Yes here goes, ej;ljadfjjkljftajlkjafd;ljafj”.  “You sounded like a fax machine.” Said Cathy getting quite close to the jar now.  “Exactly!” said Joe.

Back at Steed’s house he was listening to radio.  His favourite song Kinky Boots was playing then a strange noise like a fax machine started.  Steed fiddled with the frequency.  “What?” he said in surprise.  This message was what he heard.  “Mayday Mayday!  Steed Mrs Peel has stuck me to her ceiling and Cathy is about become a dead gooseberry! Come now and bring Bungo he loves your gooseberry jam!”