A Letter From TODE

A Letter From TODE is the third chapter in the Wombles Six.

Emma had to get back to the wombles at Womble HQ.  She arrived to see Bulgaria misbehaving again.  “Bulgaria!  What are you doing?” she asked.  “Preparing my wombles for work” he replied.  “Whose wombles Bulgaria?” asked Emma.  “Your wombles Princess Peel” he said with a sigh thinking how stupid a title she had picked for herself.  “Correct, NOW GET IN LINE BULGARIA!” she shouted.

Minion Bulgaria did as he was told.  “Womble minions!  It’s tidy up time!  Today you are all out except for Shansi and Alderney who will make the tea and bracken buns for wombles and rice pudding, coffee and shocalates for their wonderful Princess!”.  The wombles all trudged off to do their duties.  Princess Peel always knocked them out and put them in the cells if they didn’t.  The wombles hated her but couldn’t find a way to get her out.

Bungo was at New Avengers HQ (formerly New Steed Manor) briefing Mother and Grandma on their mission. “TODE!” said Grandma.  “Rhonda?” asked Mother.  “Correct.  That is our intel from the Royal couple and Princess Peel.”  Mother and Grandma headed in Steed’s super-charged Jaguar (he wanted Mother to use it whilst he couldn’t).

Next he briefed One Ten and One Twelve on their mission.  “The last known location of Mr Teddy Bear was Loch Lomond at SCAR HQ. It’s supposed to be abandoned but expect some traps.  We know what Mr T is capable of.  And by the way we may know his real name.” said Bungo.  “Which is?” asked One Twelve.  “Mr Edward Bruin” replied Bungo.  “Time to go” said One Twelve.  “But not too slow!” added One Ten twirling his pen.  They headed out in the AC that used belong to Dr Keel.

Back at Rider Ranch Steed found the big box from his weird dream.  It was still sealed.  “Oh” he said. Cathy opened it.  It contained two costumes and a bottle of brandy.  There was also a note.  It said this:

*John Steed and Cathy Gale… well Steed now, I heard.  Those are your names, aren’t they?  Well we would like to inform you of our return.  We would also like for you to come back to London and join us.  From LSFS.*

“Long Since Forgotten Steed! We long since forgot him!” said Cathy. Steed was just staring at the note. “Well?” he said.  “Well what?” replied Cathy.  Steed just looked at her.  “Oh no, no way, I know I was looking to rule them at one point, but that’s all over now, and you have to promise me it is for you as well.” She said. Steed replied, “I know you weren’t exactly prepared for this but we are already outlaws.  What harm would it do?”  “We’d be criminals, everyone even the ones who currently still like us, would hate us, we’d feel really guilty, there’d be no one to look after Thomas and Lucy…”  “You didn’t care about that before, and I could see plainly that you didn’t feel guilty.” “You’ve gone mad!  Why are you saying this?”  “I remember that they paid a lot.  Also to send us that note they must know where we are.  They’ll hunt us down if we don’t do what they say.”  “We are already being hunted down.”  “Yes but TODE must have planted some kind of tracking device on us.  We don’t know where it is so we will just have to co-operate.”

Cathy sighed.  “Fine but I still hate it and always will!” Steed tried to hide a smile and they got onto a plane flying back to England just before Thomas came out of the ranch.  “Dada?” he said.

Seven hours later the plane landed in an unidentified location with an old rebuilt dark building. They went in.  There were three men and a woman sitting round a table. “Greetings” said LSFS.  Steed and Cathy sat down.  “Are you sure we can trust them?” asked ESP.  “You certainly can’t!” said Cathy, pulling out a gun.  Gus pulled out a giant dagger and pointed it at her.  “I’m afraid our power is much stronger than yours.” He said.  “So you will have to help us.”  Cathy turned pale, looked around, and fainted.  “Cathy?  Are you ok?” asked Steed.  Cathy soon woke up and said,  “Please! I can’t stay here!”  “I’m afraid you have to” replied SCS.

Suddenly Steed & Cathy woke up back where they were. “That was horrible.” Said Cathy.