Tales of the Red Panda: Pyramid of Peril (17 page)

As with any long trip, the final moments were the worst. The airport was a circus of customs officials trying to look like they were not playing favo
urites with the richest man in the city, whom they had no intention of challenging in the least. There were piles of baggage and the domestic dramas of the household staff and everyone was tired, cramped and trying very hard not to appear irritable. Fenwick Industries had obligingly sent over at least six nearly identical bright young men in nearly identical brown suits, each with a stack of nearly identical papers for August Fenwick to sign, and a deep desire to explain to him what they were, even though he was rather obviously not listening.

Kit wandered away and found a newspaper stand
manned by a bored-looking kid. The newsie’s eyes opened wide as she approached, and if he swallowed hard and tried to look more presentable as he sold her a
Daily Chronicle
, Kit Baxter didn’t notice. Like most editions of the
Chronicle
, the banner headline was about as subtle as a truck full of piranhas, and she broke into a wide, toothy grin as she read it. She walked back through the Arrivals area with her nose buried in the story, prepared to force her way through the crowds of people surrounding Fenwick. Instead, they parted before her like the Red Sea as she approached, and she knew darn well that he was laying out a little hypnotic welcome mat for her, giving the masses the sudden mental compulsion to be standing somewhere else.

“Got you a paper, Boss,” she said, thrusting the
Chronicle
into his hands.

“Thank you, Kit,” he said as if deeply bored by the whole thing
, “that’s thoughtful of you.”

His languid air did not change, but she could see his eyes and they danced like fire as they read the headline:
Another Rhyme Crime! Poet’s Crime Spree Reaches Fifth Day!

“Y
ou know what, Kit?” he asked fecklessly. “I’m a little bored. Are you a little bored?”

“Yes
, Boss,” she said.

“You left the car here, didn’t you?”
he asked. The bright young men could see what was coming and looked apoplectic at the prospect.

“Yes
, Boss,” she smiled sweetly.

“Perhaps a bracing drive with the top down, what do you say?”
he asked.

“I don’t think the top comes down on the limousine, Boss,” she said. “Should we go switch cars or something?
”

He nodded as if this were a grand and jolly lark. “Yes, why don’t we do that right now?” He turned and saw clearly that all of the luggage that contained hidden panels and crime-fighting equipment had already been cleared by customs and would not be inspected further. “Weston, you’re all right here, aren’t you?”
he asked, without waiting for a reply.

It was all the pair of them could do not to bolt for the car at a full run, and Kit Baxter bounced a little as she opened th
e exit door for him, leaving a stupefied crowd standing on the platform.

“No place like home, is there?”
he said quietly as he passed her.

“Yes
, Boss,” she beamed.

And as the great black car tore out of the parking lot, it
was just possible that a passer-by might have heard a peal of laughter ringing out, just for a fleeting moment. It was a joyous call that those who thought themselves above the law knew to be a challenge, a threat, a battle-cry.

It was the laugh of the Red Panda!

-THE
END-

More Thrilling Adventures of the Red Panda

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Tales of the Red Panda
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Tales of the Red Panda: The Android Assassins

Winner of the 2011 Pulp Ark Award for Best Novel (Gregg Taylor) and Best Cover Art (Thomas Perkins)!

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The
Decoder Ring Theatre
Podcast

Home of “The Red Panda Adventures” Radio Show

All-new, full-cast adventure and mystery audio drama stories in the style of the classic broadcasts of Radio’s Golden Age! New episodes twice monthly with an extensive back catalogue, all available for Free Download! Visit
www.decoderringtheatre.com
today
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Red Panda: Mask of the Red Panda

Graphic Novel Adventure

Mask of the Red Panda
is a three-part, pulse-pounding piece of pulp perfection written by Gregg Taylor, with art by Dean Kotz and starring the Terrific Twosome of Toronto as you’ve never seen them before! Available digitally from Monkeybrain Comics through
comiXology.com
, wi
th a color trade paperback edition from IDW Publishing due in early 2014!

Red Panda: Night of the Red Panda

All-New Monthly Comics

The Red Panda and the Flying Squirrel return in early 2014 with all-new comic book exploits from the team of
Gregg Taylor and Dean Kotz! Subscribe for digital monthly releases through
comiXology.com
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