Frankenstein Jr: The Beginning

AUTHOR'S NOTE: All "Frankenstein Jr" characters belong to Hanna-Barbera Productions. All others belong to me. I am not doing this for any money, this is all for fun. Also, The villain in this story is named after a villain from "The Impossibles" which is another Hanna-Barbera Productuion. This is due to lack of a better name.

It was the night of August 30. The place? Civic City. It was midnight. The local office supply store had closed for the night. The city was a small one, and security wasn't usually as tight as it was in a big city such as New York. At any rate, a black car pulled up to the front of office supply store. Three figures walked out of it, and approached the door. One took out a pick and began fiddling with the lock. In a few moments, the door was opened. Another took a pair of pliers and disconnected the wires to the alarm bell. Then the three walked inside and began filling their bags with rubber bands and erasers. Once they cleaned out all the bands and erasers, the crooks ran back to their car and took off. One turned on the car radio and a TV screen popped up from the dashboard.

"Success, professor," he said. "We got the rubber bands and the erasers, just as you wanted."

"Excellent," the brains of the operation, Professor Stretch, said. "Once we get all the rubber in the city, we'll commence with our plan for world domination! And no one will stop me!"

Professor Stretch laughed at his own diabolical scheme. But what was this villain up to? Our story shifts to a house in the suburbs of Civic City, the next day. Living in the house were Professor John Conroy, and his son, John Robert Conroy Jr, but everybody called him Buzz. They had moved to Civic City over the summer, when Professor Conroy was transferred to Civic City University to teach science. Buzz was to start school that day, but he wasn't thrilled about it.

"I know it's not easy being the new kid at school, Buzz," Professor Conroy said. "But you'll just have to make the best of it. Now hurry and finish your breakfast, or you'll miss your bus."

"Aw, gee, Dad," Buzz said. "Do I have to take the bus to school? You know Mom used to take me."

Buzz's mother died not too long ago. This was one of the reasons Professor Conroy took the job at CCU. He wanted to leave everything behind, and start over. Buzz wasn't too thrilled with the prospect. He liked it at his old home, and he didn't want to leave his friends. He had no idea what the kids were going to be like at his new school.

"How long are you going to be working today, Dad?" Buzz asked.

"All day," Professor Conroy replied. "I've got classes starting at eight o' clock, and I teach an evening class, too."

"I don't get why you're teaching science, when you easily have the brains and no-how to be a scientist."

"Well, whatever pays the rent, son. But you won't be alone when you get home from school. I was at the campus before we moved here, and I talked to a young man who's interested in becoming a scientist. He's new to Civic City as well, and he's willing to take on a job here as our housekeeper, and his duties will double as baby-sitter as well."

"But Dad! I'm too old to have a baby-sitter! I can take care of myself."

"I'm sorry, Buzz, but the subject is closed. Now finish your breakfast."

Buzz finished his breakfast. There was no time to argue with his father. Once he was done with his breakfast, he gathered up his books and things, and left the house to go to the bus stop. He knew his way around the school, since he and Professor Conroy had checked it out during their move. He even met his teacher, Mrs. Lee. But he hadn't met one single kid. The bus ride seemed to take forever. Finally, it pulled into the drop off point at Civic City Elementary School.

"Well, here goes nothing," he said. Buzz took a deep breath and walked through the doors of the building.

Kids were filled in the hallways, reuniting with friends whom they hadn't seen all summer. Buzz went directly into his classroom, which was filled with kids. They were all talking at once. Buzz took a seat at an empty desk and just sat there. The bell rang, and Mrs. Lee walked into the room.

"Good morning, class," she said. "I hope you all had a good summer. My name is Mrs. Lee, and I hope by the end of today, I'll know all of yours without messing up too badly. When I call your name please raise your hand and say 'here'."

Mrs. Lee read all the names off her roster, and, as it turned out, all the kids were present and accounted for. She asked them all what they did over the summer. Most of the kids went to summer camp, a lot of them went to visit relatives, or on vacations to places like Disneyland and the Grand Canyon. One girl went on tour with her rock star father. Buzz was impressed. He wished he had a better story to tell than telling the class that he moved to Civic City over the summer and spent the time trying to settle in.

The day went on as most do. The kids were given an overview of the year, and their textbooks. The bell rang, indicating morning recess. All the kids filed out of the classrooms and into the hallways. Buzz stopped at the drinking fountain in order to get a drink. Three of the kids in his class, two girls and a boy, stood behind him.

"Hey, you," one of the girls said. "You can't do that."

"What?" Buzz said.

"That's the sixth grade seal," the other girl said. "They don't like the lower class men standing on it."

"Why not?" Buzz asked again.

"They just don't," the boy said. "It's the way it is in this school."

"Come on, we'd better get out of here," the first girl said. "Those sixth graders might come at any moment."

"Yeah, although I can beat 'em up easy!" the other girl said.

The four kids went out to the playground. The boy managed to get a ball from the ball monitor for them to throw around.

"You're the new kid in our class, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yeah," Buzz said. "Buzz Conroy."

"I'm Kevin Crocodile. That's Lilly Katz, and Rosalyn Matthews. We basically know most of the ropes around this school, since Lilly has an older brother and an older sister who've gone to this school."

"Stick with us, kid," Rosalyn (who was the girl who spent the summer on her father's concert tour) said.

"Okay," Buzz said.

"Rosalyn can beat up all the boys in our grade," Lilly said. "And even some of the boys in the sixth grade. If you get into any trouble, let her know."

"I'll keep that in mind," Buzz said.

It didn't look like the school year would be so bad after all. Especially since he was making friends fast. Professor Conroy, in the meantime, had finished with one class and was now heading over for a lab to do some work on his own. As he was doing that, one of the students walked inside. He was tall, six foot one. He had black hair, and brown eyes. He also wore a green wool hat on his head, and it was fairly warm outside.

"Professor Conroy?" he asked, in a thick, Texas accent.

"Yes," Professor Conroy said. "Mike, right?"

"Yes sir, Mike Wray. Glad I found you. I know we talked over the summer, and you said that I could basically live with you as your housekeeper. I was wonderin' if the offer still applied."

"Of course it still applies. I'm going to need help holding down a full time job and raising my son. My wife died not too long ago, and I really need help with my son."

"I'm willin' to do whatever it takes, sir. How old's your son?"

"Nine. He just started fourth grade today. He won't be too much trouble. Buzz is a good kid."

"Buzz?"

"It's a nickname. His real name's John Robert Jr. My wife started calling him Buzz when he was a baby and the name stuck."

"I see. Well, I just wanted to know when I start."

"Today. I don't live too far from here."

"Okay, thanks. I can find it. It's probably on the bus route."

"You don't have a car?"

"I used to, but I took apart the engine for some parts. I like to take things apart and put them back together in different forms."

"You're a bit of a tinker, aren't you?"

"Yes sir."

"I think you and Buzz will get along fine. He likes to do the same sort of thing. He mostly builds model planes and cars and things like that."

Mike nodded. Professor Conroy gave him the keys to the house, and Mike left to Catch the bus. Luckily, the house was directly on the route. Mike got off, lugging his suitcase and boxes full of god only knows what. He unlocked the front door and walked inside. He put his boxes in the kitchen and began opening them and taking things out. Inside were mostly spare parts he had found from the local junkyard. He had taken apart many an electrical appliance and stored them in cardboard boxes. He took some parts out and began fiddling with them.

BRRIIIIIIING!

The lunch bell had sounded at Civic City Elementary. Buzz and Lilly had brought their lunches from home while Rosalyn and Kevin went into the lunch line.

"What does your mom pack in your lunches?" Lilly asked.

"I don't have a mom anymore," Buzz replied.

"Oh. Sorry."

Buzz just nodded and started taking everything out of his lunch bag. Lilly opened her pink lunch box and began taking her lunch out.

"Rosalyn doesn't, either," she said.

"I don't what?" Rosalyn asked as she and Kevin sat down with their Styrofoam trays.

"I just said that you don't have a mom, either," Lilly said.

"Oh, yeah, that," Rosalyn said. "What brought that up?"

"I asked Buzz what his mom packs in his lunch, and he said that he didn't have a mom anymore."

"What an upbeat conversation," Kevin said. "Don't pay any attention to them, Buzz."

"It's okay," Buzz said. "I don't mind."

"Besides, I don't have a dad anymore."

"Oh."

The conversation hit a lull. Rosalyn began poking at her lunch just then.

"The menu said hamburgers, but I think it's an old football," she said.

"This is why I bring my lunch," Lilly said. "You never want to buy the school lunches here, Buzz. Trust us."

Buzz just nodded, and went back to his lunch. Once lunch was over, it was time for afternoon recess. The kids were throwing around a ball when a group of sixth graders came over to them and took the ball while it was in midair.

"Hey!" Rosalyn shouted.

"Give that back!" Lilly yelled.

"What are you gonna do about it?" the leader of the boys, Jeff Harding, asked. "You're just a bunch of twerpy fourth graders!"

"We had that ball first!" Kevin shouted.

"You'd better get it back before I get mad!" Rosalyn shouted. "I can take you on!"

"What can you do? You're just a girl," Jeff said. "And all of you are twerps!"

Jeff took the ball and walked off with his friends. A playground monitor was close by, so Rosalyn didn't go after him to pummel him just yet. She was just biding her time.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go find something else to do."

The bell rang shortly and all the kids filed back into the classrooms. Three o' clock came around and the final bell rang. Buzz got onto the bus and headed home. He took out his key and unlocked the front door. He found Mike sitting at the kitchen counter, doing something or another with machine parts.

"Who are you?" Buzz asked.

"Oh, hi," Mike replied. "You gotta be Buzz, right?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Mike. Your dad gave me the keys to the house at the University. I'm basically your new housekeeper."

"I wasn't expecting a young guy."

"You'd be surprised."

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, just tinkerin'. I figure your dad wouldn't like it if I took his appliances apart to build, so I brought my own. Watch yourself, there. I've got a lot of junk in those boxes."

Buzz opened one of the boxes and saw a lot of scrap metal and things inside.

"What is all this?" he asked.

"Spare parts," Mike replied. "I went to the junk yard lookin' for them and I hit the jackpot. I like takin' things apart and puttin' them back together. I've got a friend who works at the toy store in town and he gives me a discount on model cars and plans and junk like that."

"Wow."

"Your dad said you liked buildin' stuff like this, too."

"Yeah, I do. But I never have spare parts handy as often as I'd like."

"Well, feel free to use any of mine. Especially if you need a science project done."

Mike winked, and went back to work on whatever it was he was putting together. Buzz smiled. He knew right away that he was going to like Mike. Professor Conroy came home at about five in the evening. Buzz and Mike were sitting at the kitchen table, eating pizza.

"Ordered pizza I see," Professor Conroy said.

"Yeah," Mike said. "You didn't say anythin' about cookin', so I figured Buzz and I might as well order some pizza."

"That's fine, but in the future, Mike, I expect at least some cooking done in the week."

"Can do, sir."

"So, Buzz, how was school?"

"It was all right, Dad," Buzz replied. "I made some friends right away. I think it'll be all right."

"Well, that's good," Professor Conroy replied. "And how about Mike?"

"I like him," Buzz said. "He's got boxes full of spare parts that are just great for building things!"

"Is that so?"

"Oh yeah," Mike said. "I told him be could take whatever he wanted of mine if ever he wanted to build something'."

Professor Conroy nodded, and pulled a piece of pizza out of the box. He had a lot to do that night, which included planning his lessons for all of his classes. Morning rolled around. Buzz went out to the bus stop for school, and Mike went with him in order to Catch his own bus.

"I'll probably be in town today," he said. "Your dad wanted me to run a couple of errands. You might get home before I do."

"What happens then?"

"Start your homework. That's what your dad told me. He said to make sure you do your homework when you got home from school."

"Okay."

"I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay."

Mike walked off to the other bus stop, just as the school bus came. Buzz climbed on and sat down. A couple of stops later, Kevin climbed on.

"Hi, Buzz!" he called.

"I didn't know you took the bus," Buzz said.

"You were too engrossed with something or another to notice. So what's up?"

"Not much. Dad hired a housekeeper for us, and he's so cool."

"Yeah?"

"He's got boxes and boxes full of spare parts and he just builds like crazy with them! Yesterday, he made a toy helicopter from parts of a blender!"

"Wow!"

"Dad made sure about that. I like building things out of spare parts as well, and Mike's got tons of it. Once, I built a model of the Golden Gate Bridge for a science project. I love science."

"I prefer recess, myself."

Buzz and Kevin laughed and the bus pulled into the school. The two of them met the girls outside the school, and the four of them walked to their classroom. The bell rang and the learning process had begun. All the kids liked Mrs. Lee. They thought she was a great teacher. She really knew how to teach. She wasn't too strict, or too loose. Somewhere in the middle. She didn't take nonsense, though. She assigned the kids ten problems from the math book, and to turn them in when they were finished.

"This is hard," Rosalyn said.

"I think it's kind of easy," Buzz replied. He was already on problem three, while Rosalyn, Lilly, and Kevin were trying to figure out problem one!

After a little while, Buzz turned in the problems. He was the first one to finish. A lot of the kids just looked at him when he was walking back to his desk. The bell rang after math class to indiCate morning recess. Buzz and his friends stopped at the water fountain again.

"How did you do that?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, you were finished with those problems while we were still in the middle of them," Lilly said. "All of us had to turn them in right before the bell rang!"

"What are you, some kind of genius or something?" Rosalyn asked.

"That's what my dad tells me," Buzz said. "I don't mean to do it, I just do it. I've got a pretty high IQ."

"Yeah, it's probably off the charts," Lilly said.

"Hey, twerps!" a voice called out. The four fourth graders turned and saw the gang of sixth graders walking up to them with Jeff in the lead.

"Uh oh," Kevin said.

"What are you twerps doing on the sixth grade seal?" Jeff asked.

"Nothing, Jeff," Rosalyn said. "We're getting off it. Right guys?"

"Yeah!" Lilly shouted, backing up. Rosalyn and Kevin followed. Jeff turned directly to Buzz then.

"Look kid," he said. "You're new here. I'll give you a warning. Your only warning. If you set one foot on the sixth grade seal again, you'll regret it."

"Yes sir," Buzz said.

Jeff and his friends laughed and walked off with his friends. The kids then went out to recess.

"I'd punch him," Rosalyn said. "But there's a rule saying that you can't fight on school grounds."

"Hey Buzz!" another kid called out. Buzz and the others turned around.

"Who's that?" Buzz asked.

"Chris Farmer," Lilly said. "What's up, Chris?"

"I heard you guys talking earlier," Chris said. "Are you really a genius, Buzz?"

"Yeah," Buzz said. "At least that's what my dad's always telling me."

"So you're, like, really, really smart?"

"Uh huh. Why?"

"Nothing. I'll see you later."

Chris ran off to join his friends, Paul Newberryi, Freddy Anders, and Joey Harding, who happened to be Jeff's little brother. After recess, the kids went back into the classrooms. Classes went on as usual, at least until after school. After school, Jeff met up with Buzz at the entrance.

"My brother tells me you're a genius, Conroy," he said.

"Ohh . . . ." Buzz said.

"Cause if it's true, I want you to do something for me."

"Okay."

"My homework. If you don't do my homework, you'll be eating knuckle sandwiches everyday for lunch!"

Buzz gulped and nodded. Jeff gave Buzz his books and then walked off. Buzz went to his bus, but stopped when he saw Mike hanging out by the bike rack.

"Hey, Buzz!" he called.

"Mike, what are you doing here?" Buzz asked.

"I figured we'd walk around town a little. Introduce you to my friend, Jerry. He's the guy who gives me model cars and stuff half price."

"What about my homework?"

"You can do it when we get home. This won't take too long."

"Okay."

Mike and Buzz walked to downtown Civic City. They came across the toy store where Mike's friend worked. The two of them walked inside and began looking around.

"Hey, Jer," Mike said to the young man behind the counter. "There's someone here I want you to meet. Buzz, this is my pal, Jerry Capuano. Jerry, this is Buzz Conroy."

"Hi," Buzz said.

"Hey," Jerry replied.

"Buzz is really into the same sorta stuff I am," Mike said. "You know, takin' things apart and rebuildin' them?"

"Is that a fact?" Jerry asked. "Well, you guys go ahead and look around. We didn't get too much stuff in the model kits, though, Mike."

"That's okay, I've got enough spare parts as it is," Mike replied. "We can't stay long, though. Buzz has got homework, and I've got dinner to cook."

"I think this is actually the first time in my entire life that I have seen a male housekeeper," Jerry said.

"Very funny."

After awhile, Mike and Buzz left the store and headed back home. Buzz sat down at the kitchen table and immediately began working on his homework while Mike began pulling things out of cupboards and drawers in order to get dinner started. Buzz got through his homework quickly and then began to work on Jeff's. Mike walked over to see what he was doing.

"Beginnin' algebra?" he asked. "Ain't that a little much for fourth graders? I didn't learn algebra until sixth grade."

"This is a sixth grader's homework," Buzz said. "One threatened to beat me up if I didn't do his homework."

"Uh oh, I've been there. In elementary school, you fall into a certain Category. You're either a bully, a sidekick the brain, or one of the other poor victims of the bully. Looks to me as though you're the brain."

"What were you?"

"I was the bully's sidekick, actually. You know you gotta stand up for yourself."

"I know, but I don't want to be eating knuckle sandwiches every day for lunch."

"Yeah, and you don't want to be doin' this guy's homework forever, either. You think about it, Buzz. You'll see that I have a point."

Buzz shrugged and went back to Jeff's homework. Things were pretty much uneventful after that. The next morning, Buzz was off to school. Before he walked into the classroom, none other than Jeff Harding grabbed him by the back of the shirt collar and pulled him over.

"Okay, Conroy, have you got my homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, I got it," Buzz said, taking Jeff's homework out of his backpack. "It's all there."

"I assume it's all correct. Because if it isn't . . . . ."

"It's perfect."

"Good. Now while I'm at it, give me your lunch money or I'll rearrange your face!"

Buzz gulped and took his lunch money out of his pocket. He handed it to Jeff, and then ran for his classroom.

"Pleasure doin' business with ya, Conroy!" Jeff shouted, and he and his buddies laughed and went to their classrooms.

"You shouldn't let Jeff Harding push you around," Lilly said.

"Want me to deck him for you after school?" Rosalyn asked.

"No, that's okay," Buzz said. "What's extra homework and a couple of dollars?"

Rosalyn and Lilly looked at each other, and then sat down at their desks. Mike, in the meantime, was over at the toy store again that day, looking over some wind up toys that were in what Jerry's boss called "The Bargain Bin."

"The mechanics in these things are great," Mike said, looking them over. "I think I might be able to use these."

"You're the first," Jerry replied. "Nobody's interested in wind up toys anymore. They go for interactive computerized junk now."

"Yeah, I can use the spare parts from those, too."

"I'll tell you what, I'll give you the whole wind up batch for ten bucks."

"Deal."

Mike shelled out two fives from his pocket and gave them to Jerry. Mike took the box and started to leave.

"Hey, Mike," Jerry said. "Did you hear about the office supply store over on Eighth Street?"

"What about it?" Mike asked.

"Somebody robbed it the other night."

"You're kiddin'! How much did they get away with?"

"Nothing. They didn't steal any money. They just took rubber bands and erasers."

"Huh, that's strange."

"Yeah, and you know this is the second robbery that's taken place in Civic City?"

"Second? What was the first?"
"Some nut knocked over this store that specialized in bath towels and the like. The place sold rubber ducks, and the crooks got away with all of 'em."

"Rubber ducks, rubber bands, and erasers. I see a pattern already, but I don't get it. Who'd want to steal rubber ducks, rubber bands, and erasers?"

"Some nut, that's all I can tell you."

"Well, I'll see you later, Jer. I've got places to go, people to meet, kids to protect from school bullies."

"Yeah, sure."

Mike left with his box of wind up toys. Jerry went back to reading the paper. The door opened shortly afterwards.

"Excuse me," a voice said. "This is a stick up."

"Huh?" Jerry asked looking up.

In a split second, a man in black fired a strange looking gun, and a stream of pink goo shot out of it, hitting Jerry smack in the chest. The force blew him to the wall and plastered him there.

"Hey, what the heck is this stuff?!" he shouted.

"Quick drying liquid rubber," the guy with the gun said. "Courtesy of Professor Stretch, the criminal genius!"

"Huh?!" Jerry shouted.

By that time, the crooks began going up and down the aisles of the store, grabbing everything that was made of rubber off the shelves. One of Professor Stretch's cronies was digging out small rubber balls from a bin, and began bouncing them up and down on the floor.

"Hey, these things are great!" he said.

"Wha?" one of the other henchmen asked.

"We're here to clean out the store, not to play!" the third shouted. "Put that in the bag and let's get going!"

"Okay, okay."

The henchman stashed the ball in the bag, and then the three of them retreated out to the waiting car. Professor Stretch happened to be the one driving, and he took off at a fast pace.

"Well, boys?" he asked.

"We got a good haul, boss," one of the henchmen said. All of them pulled off their black ski masks to reveal their identities. They were named Mickey, Reggie, and Jack.

"We almost didn't get out of there," Reggie said. "Jack wanted to play with the loot."

"Well," Jack said.

"That's your problem, Jack," Mickey said. "You're too soft."

"I am not too soft!" Jack shouted. "I just don't think it's a good idea to knock over a toy store in broad daylight!"

"You know the Civic City police can't do anything anyway," Professor Stretch said. "By the time that kid gets around to calling the police, we'll be safe in our hideout, thanks to my quick drying liquid rubber pistols."

The group laughed and sped off. Back at Civic City Elementary School, Buzz was walking down the hall, when Jeff approached him again.

"Hiya, Conroy," he said. "Ready to get my homework?"

"You know, you can't make me do your homework," Buzz said. "Do it yourself!"

"Shouldn't have said that, Conroy. Okay, guys, let's go."

Jeff's buddies grabbed Buzz by the arm and then dragged him into the nearest boy's room. A bunch of fourth graders gathered around the door and waited in anticipation.

"Uh oh," Kevin said.

"He's gonna get the Swirly for sure!" Lilly shouted.

"Nah, they're gonna beat him up," Rosalyn said.

Within seconds, a flush was heard, and Jeff and his buddies emerged from the men's room, laughing like loons. Buzz came out a few minutes later, soaked.

"Hmm," Rosalyn said. "You were right. It was a Swirly."

"You okay, Buzz?" Lilly asked.

"Yeah," Buzz said. "He just made me do his homework again."

That was all there was to that. Buzz went home and found Mike taking apart a wind up mouse, fishing for spare parts.

"Hi, Buzz," he said. "How was . . . . . oohhh, never mind."

"I told Jeff I wasn't going to do his homework anymore," Buzz said. "Like you said."

"And he gave you a Swirly, huh?"

"How'd you know?"

"One, you're soakin' wet, and it's not rainin'. Two, it's happened to the best of us. Don't sweat it, Buzz. Bullies are just a part of life."

Buzz sighed and got started on his (and Jeff's) homework. Mike continued to take apart the toys. As the two of them worked, the doorbell rang. Mike put down his screwdriver and mouse and got up to answer it. Jerry was standing there, covered in what looked like bubblegum.

"Jerry, what the heck happened to you?!" Mike asked. "You look like you blew the world's biggest bubblegum bubble and it popped right in your face!"

"I wish!" Jerry shouted. "The store's just been robbed!"

"What?! When?!"

"A couple of hours ago. I would've been here to tell you sooner, but the police wanted to grill me."

"What are you covered in?"

"Quick drying liquid rubber. The crooks had a gun that shot the stuff out. I was plastered to the wall, and the cops had to scrape me off with clay knives!"

"Sheesh."

"The crooks got away with every rubber ball in the store, as well as a few other items that are made out of rubber."

"I still don't get it. Why are they stealin' rubber and not cash?"

"I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to know!"

Buzz was listening in on the conversation. He had heard about the other two robberies, but he felt there was nothing he could do to change all that. A few days went by. Nobody heard about any more robberies. Mike gradually added to his collection of spare parts, and began working them together, making a very large and elaborate remote control model plane, that actually flew (normally it would have just crashed). Buzz kept getting picked on by the bullies. Jeff had thrown him into the dumpster behind the school as well as repeatedly stole his lunch money, forced him to do homework, and among other things, given him Swirlys every chance he could.

"Bullies always pick on the smart kids," Rosalyn said. "It's no big deal, Buzz, just a fact of life. Pretty soon some other brainy kid'll come in and Jeff will move to him."

Buzz didn't acknowledge her. He just walked to class. Mrs. Lee announced an upcoming science fair. A lot of kids groaned.

"I encourage all of you to enter something in this year's science fair," she said. "You're not required to, but whoever enters a project in the science fair will receive extra credit."

The bell rang, and school was out for the day. Buzz ran all the way to the bus in order to avoid Jeff. Then he ran all the way home. Mike was boxing some of his spare parts.

"Hey Buzz," he said. "What's happenin'?"

"I need to build something for the science fair," Buzz said. "You got the wiring for a volcano?"

"Yeah, I do. Hang on a sec."

Mike dug through a couple of boxes, and gave Buzz some wires and other things. Buzz then ran into the kitchen and started to get to work.

"You're an achiever, I'll give you that," he said, as the doorbell rang. "Don't get up. I'll get it."

Mike opened the door, and there was Jerry again.

"I hope you weren't fired for what happened," Mike said.

"I wasn't," Jerry said. "The boss just gave me some time off. I get about a week off."

"Good."

"So what's going on around here?"

"Not much. Buzz is buildin' a volcano for science class or something'. Wanna watch?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Hey, Buzz! You mind if Jerry and I watch?"

"No, go ahead," Buzz said.

Mike and Jerry walked into the kitchen and sat down at the counter. Buzz was working pretty fast on that volcano. He even cooked up some make-shift lava (oatmeal) for it. He was finished with it within an hour.
"Looks good, Buzz," Mike said. "How about givin' us a test eruption?"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Buzz said. "I give you, Mount Conroy!"

Buzz hooked up his wires and then pushed a button. The volcano blew, and oatmeal flew everywhere, making one huge mess.

"A little too much lava," Buzz said.

"A little too much juice!" Jerry shouted.

"And not enough brown sugar, either," Mike replied, licking the oatmeal off his fingers.

"You might want to adjust that, Buzz," Jerry said.

"Yeah, and both of us might want to clean up before Professor Conroy gets home," Mike said. "Come on, Buzz."

Mike and Buzz got to work cleaning up the mess. Jerry helped. Professor Conroy arrived home just as he finished.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing, Dad," Buzz said. "I was working on a volcano for the school's science fair, and it had a little too much juice in it."

"But we cleaned it up," Mike said.

Professor Conroy nodded. Buzz kept working on his volcano, but somehow, wasn't satisfied with the results. One try, the lava came out too slow, then too fast, and then it didn't come out at all.

"Buzz, give it up," Mike said. "I mean, everybody does volcanos for science projects. You ought to do something' different. I've got enough spare parts here for a robot."

"A robot?" Buzz asked, intrigued.

"Uh huh. You can use whatever parts you need."

"I think I will build a robot. Thanks, Mike."

"No sweat."

Mike left. Buzz got to work digging through Mike's boxes in order to get the spare parts. But he wasn't planning on any small robot. He wanted something big. Something that would win first prize, and maybe help his battle with the bullies.

"This is going to be the biggest science fair project ever!" he shouted.

Buzz took one of Mike's boxes into the basement and began to work. He spent a good solid two hours on it, and returned to the kitchen for more spare parts.

"Done yet?" Mike asked.

"Nope," Buzz said. "I just need more parts."

"That must be some robot."
"You haven't seen anything yet!"

Buzz picked up another one of Mike's boxes and raced downstairs. Mike shrugged. Buzz spent nearly the entire night on his creation. Once he was finished with it, he managed to move it into the garage. The next morning, Mike and Professor Conroy were in the kitchen, going over the plan for the day. Buzz joined them, with what looked like a plastic ring and a small screwdriver.

"How long did you spend on your science project?" Professor Conroy asked.

"Almost the entire night," Buzz said. "But I got it done."

"Is that your project?"

"No. This ring is going to activate my project. Mike suggested I build a robot, so I did."

"A robot. Interesting."

"Well, I had the spare parts for it," Mike said, with a shrug.

"You guys want to see it?" Buzz asked.

"Yeah, sure," Mike said.

"I kind of like to see this science project of yours," Professor Conroy said.

"This oughta be cute."

Buzz led his dad and Mike into the garage. The minute they saw the robot, both of them nearly had dual heart attacks! They screamed and ran back into the house.

"Did you see the size of that thing?!" Professor Conroy asked.

"It had to be thirty feet high!" Mike yelled. "I thought it was gonna be a little robot!"

"I'm surprised he got it to fit inside the garage!"

The two of them walked back out to the garage and stared at Buzz's creation. Indeed, his science project was a thirty foot robot!

"Where did you get all the parts?" Professor Conroy asked.

"From Mike," Buzz said.

"Are there any parts left?" Mike asked.

"No, but you said . . . ." Buzz started.

"Yeah, okay, I know what I said," Mike replied. "Does he have a name?"

"Yep," Buzz said. "I call him Frankenstein Jr."

"Good name for him," Professor Conroy said. "Does he work?"

"Yep," Buzz said. "I rigged up this ring to activate him. Watch this."

Buzz aimed his ring at the small satellite on his robot's head. Frankenstein Jr. came to life and looked down.

"Hello, Buzz," he said. Mike and Professor Conroy backed up a little, nervously.

"Frankie, these are my dad, Professor Conroy, and Mike," Buzz said.

"Uhhh, hi," Mike said, nervously.

"Hello, Mike," Frankenstein Jr. said. "Hello, Professor."

"How does he do that?" Professor Conroy asked.

"He's got a brain," Buzz said. "Frankie is fully interactive."

"Where'd you get a brain for him?" Mike asked.

"Dad's computer," Buzz replied.

"You took apart my computer?" Professor Conroy asked.

"I needed the parts," Buzz said. "I'd better get to school. Let's go Frankie."

"Hold it a minute, Buzz," Mike said. "How are you gonna get that on the bus?"

"I'm not," Buzz said. "Frankie and I are flying to school."

"Flying?" Mike and Professor Conroy asked in unison.

Buzz climbed onto Frankenstein Jr.'s shoulder and pushed a button. The giant robot flew out the door and into the air.

"How in the world . . . . ." Professor Conroy said.

"He must've used the engine from my model plane," Mike said. "That's some robot!"

"What do you say you and I check out this science fair?"

"I'm with you, Professor. This I gotta see!"

"I'd like to see how he's going to get that robot inside the gym."

Mike nodded, and he and Professor Conroy left to check out the science fair. The gymnasium was full of kids and parents with science projects. There were about five kids who had entered volcanos. Kevin's project was about electricity, Rosalyn made a model of the solar system, and Lilly had a marigold experiment she was trying out. Buzz was standing at his spot, and appeared to have nothing.

"Hey, Buzz, didn't you do a project?" Rosalyn asked.

"I did," Buzz said. "But I couldn't fit it in here."

"What did you do?" Jeff asked, walking over. "Solve the toxic waste problem?"

"Nope. You'll see it in a few minutes or so."

The judges came around the tables, looking at projects, that sort of thing. When they approached Buzz, he made a big production out of his project.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said. "I would like to bring you out to the playground. My project is too big to fit inside the gym."

"Answers your question of how it was gonna fit in here, Professor," Mike whispered.

The entire gym walked out to the playground. Right there on the black top was something covered in a tarp. Something gigantic. All the kids stared at it, wondering what in the world it was.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Buzz said. "Allow me to present Frankenstein Jr.!"

Buzz removed the tarp and revealed his robot. All the kids were awe stricken.

"Oooooohhhhh," they said.

"Cool!" Rosalyn shouted.

"Wow!" Lilly yelled.

"Does it work?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, sure it does," Buzz said. "Watch this. You're on, Frankie!"

Buzz aimed his ring at Frankenstein Jr.'s satellite. He came to life and looked down at Buzz and all the kids.

"Hello, Buzz," he said.

"He's fully interactive," Buzz replied. "He's got a computer brain, and can do a lot of stuff."

"Oh yeah?" Jeff asked. "Like what, Conroy?"

"Well, he can fly," Buzz said. "Do your stuff, Frankie! Alakazoom!"

"Alakazoom?" Mike asked. "Buzz, what in the world does that mean?!"

"That's what activates him," Buzz explained. "It's like a password."

With that, Frankie flew into the air and began flying around. All the kids were impressed. Buzz also showed Frankie's gizmos, such as laser beams, heat rays, things like that.

"Frankenstein Jr. is designed to be a police robot," Buzz explained. "But I'm not sure if he's ready to actually fight crime."

"Very impressive, Buzz," the principal said. "This robot is quite remarkable. I hear by award first prize in this year's science fair to Buzz Conroy and Frankenstein Jr.!"

People began to applaud and cheer for Buzz and Frankie. The robot was a big hit.

"Where are we going to keep a robot this size?" Professor Conroy asked.

"We may have to get a bigger house," Mike replied, staring up at Frankie.

"I can whip something up, Dad," Buzz said. "We can keep him in the backyard."

"Whatever you say, son," Professor Conroy said. "I just can't get over the fact that you had enough spare parts to make a thirty foot robot!"

"Whoa," Mike said. "I just hope it's a good idea havin' this thing hang around. I know quite a few people who'd want to use a robot like this for evil, I tell you."

"You read too many comic books, Mike," Buzz said.

Mike shrugged, but it was true. When he wasn't fiddling with spare parts or studying, or whatever else, he was reading comic books. The kids immediately ran to Buzz to ask questions about Frankie. They wanted to know everything about him.

"Is he really fully interactive?" Lilly asked.

"He sure is," Buzz said. "Watch this. Frankie, meet my best friends, Lilly, Kevin, and Rosalyn."

"Hi there, kids," Frankie said.

"Can you get him to fly?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, that'd be cool!" Rosalyn shouted.

"Sure," Buzz said, climbing up on Frankie's shoulder. "Let's go, Frankie!"

Frankie took to the air and zoomed off. Everybody watched in amazement. The large robot began flying around Civic City. As they were flying, they heard an alarm go off somewhere.

"What's that?" Buzz asked.

"Let's check it out, Buzz," Frankie said, and flew off.

The alarm happened to be at a nearby auto shop. Reggie, Jack, and Mickey were loading tires into their car.

"We should've taken care of the alarm," Jack said. "I still don't like the thought of robbing places in broad daylight."

"You know nobody can stop is with our quick drying liquid rubber guns," Mickey said.

"Yeah, you're nothing but a worrywart, Jack!" Reggie shouted. "There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Oh no?" Jack asked. "Then what's that?"

Reggie and Mickey looked to where Jack was pointing, and saw Frankenstein Jr. standing there.

"Whoa!" Mickey and Reggie shouted.

"Let's get outta here!" Reggie yelled.

The three made a run for it, but Frankie stepped in front of them.

"Going somewhere, gentlemen?" he asked.

"Yeah, we were just leaving!" Mickey yelled.

"Gangway!" Reggie shouted.

"What about the tires?" Jack asked.

"Worry about them later!" Mickey yelled. "Let's split before we're squished!"

The three of them screamed and ran off. By that time, the Civic City police department arrived on the scene.

"What in the world . . . ." one officer said when she saw Frankie.

"What's going on here?" another officer said.

"My robot stopped a robbery, officer," Buzz said. "But the crooks got away."

"Your robot probably scared them off," the first officer said. "Young man, this is a very impressive robot! Did you build him?"

"Yes, ma'am. Out of spare parts."

"Well, with him around, I don't think those crooks will come back!"

The officers laughed, and Buzz activated Frankie to take off and head home. Story of the attempted robbery made the headlines. Professor Stretch wasn't very amused.

"I oughta have your heads!" he yelled. "I can't believe you let a mere robot scare you!"

"He was a thirty foot robot," Reggie said.

"Yeah, he could've crushed us to pieces!" Jack shouted.

"Details, details!" Professor Stretch shouted. "I needed those tires for my plan. You're just going to have to go back and get them."

"But that robot may still be hanging around," Mickey said. "How are we going to get the tires from the autoshop without him knowing it?"

"You aren't. I want you to find out where this robot is, and rewire him. He'll swipe the tires for us, and any other rubber left in the city."

"Won't that be kind of risky?" Jack asked.

"Either you're in or you're out, Jack," Professor Stretch said. "If you're in, it's all well and good for you now, isn't it?"

"Well . . ." Jack thought.

"But if you're out, well, let's just not think about that," Professor Stretch said. With that, he pulled out a gun and twirled it around his finger. Jack gulped. The other two seemed unphased.

"I'm in," Mickey said.

"I'm in," Reggie said.

"Yeah, okay, I'm in, too," Jack said.

"Good," Professor Stretch said. "Now get outta here and rewire that robot!"

Reggie, Mickey, and Jack hightailed it out of the room as fast as they could. Then they went out to their car.

"Hey . . . ." Jack said. "How are we gonna find that robot? He could be anywhere."

"Read the paper, stupid!" Reggie shouted, throwing the newspaper at his cohort. "It says it right there!"

"Well, you don't have to get nasty," Jack said, opening the paper. "Let's see . . . . . it says here that the robot was built by John Robert Conroy Jr, otherwise known as Buzz . . . . . fourth grade, Civic City elementary."

"All we gotta do is find out where this Conroy kid lives," Mickey said. "And we'll have it made in the shade."

"You guys sure about this?" Jack asked.

"Positive," Reggie said. "I know a thing or two about mechanics. I can rewire this robot easily."

Jack wasn't so sure this was going to work. He had a feeling they'd be caught. At any rate, they found a phone book and looked up any listing for Conroy. Luckily for them, Professor Conroy was the only Conroy in the book.

"Six fifty-seven Rolling Brook Avenue," Reggie said. "Got it. Let's go!"

"Let's not be too hasty," Jack said. "I mean, what if we're caught? Or what if the robot's not there?"

"Come on!" Mickey shouted, and the three of them were off for Rolling Brook Avenue.

Buzz was out in the backyard, playing around with Frankie. He was supposed to be doing homework. Mike and Jerry were watching the action from a window.

"Man, that is the biggest robot I've ever seen in my life!" Jerry shouted.

"Yeah, I know," Mike said. "It stopped a daylight robbery."

"Yeah, I read about that. Man, I gotta tell you, I've never seen anything like that."

"It won first prize at the science fair. You know, the kids don't pick on Buzz anymore?"

"Well, with that ring of his, he can contact Frankenstein Jr. from anywhere! Those schoolyard bullies don't stand a chance!"

"Yeah. Jerry, listen, I need a favor, man."

"Okay, sure. What?"

"I gotta go pick up some stuff for dinner. Would you mind keepin' an eye on Buzz for me?"

"Oh sure. No problem."

"Thanks. And see if you can get him inside to do his homework."

Jerry nodded, and Mike left. Jerry sighed, and went to the backdoor. He opened it and walked outside.

"Hey, Buzz," he said. "Mike wants you to do your homework."

"Aw, do I have to?" Buzz asked.

"Yeah," Jerry replied. "You have to. You can play around with Frankie when you're done."

"Okay," Buzz said. "See you later, Frankie!"

"Right, Buzz," Frankie said.

Buzz turned off the robot with his radar ring, and he and Jerry walked back into the house. By that time, Reggie, Mickey, and Jack arrived at the house and immediately saw Frankenstein Jr. in the backyard.

"Oh good lord," Jack said.

"This'll be easy to figure out," Reggie said, climbing over the fence. "Especially since he's turned off."

"How do we know he's turned off?" Jack asked.

"He's not moving," Mickey said.

"Big deal, so he's not moving!" Jack shouted. "Neither does a car when it's parked when the engine's running!"

"Just trust me, you moron!" Reggie yelled, and then climbed up onto Frankie. He managed to open the central system.

"Ah ha," he said. "This is so easy. All I gotta do is switch the red wire with the blue wire, and then switch the blue wire with the green wire, then switch the green wire with the yellow wire, then switch the yellow wire with the red wire."

Jack shook his head out to clear his brain. Whatever Reggie had said made absolutely no sense at all. Anyway, Reggie switched all the wires and jumped down from the robot. Then he ran back over to the fence.

"Professor Stretch is going to need something to activate this thing," he said. "According to the newspaper, the Conroy kid uses this ring. What can we use?"

"How about a remote control?" Mickey asked.

"Where are we gonna get one?" Jack asked.

"I got one in the glove compartment," Reggie said. "It should only take me two shakes to rig one up."

The three hoods ran over to the car and pulled out the remote control. Reggie began to fiddle with that remote and then pushed the button.

"Okay, Frankenstein," he said. "You're now taking orders from Professor Stretch. You got that?"

"I take my orders from Professor Stretch," Frankenstein Jr. said.

"Good," Reggie said. "Now fly us back to our hide out."

"Right, boss."

Frankie bent down, in order to get Reggie, Mickey, and Jack climb on.

"Hold on," Mickey said. "We're in for a wild ride!"

Frankie took to the air, while Reggie "drove" him to Professor Stretch's hideout. Of course, they crashed right through the ceiling.

"I wish they'd use the door," Professor Stretch said. Then he turned around and saw the thirty foot robot.

"Hiya, boss!" Reggie called.

"Whoa," Professor Stretch said. "This is the biggest robot I have ever seen in my life!"

"He's all yours," Reggie said, climbing down. Mickey and Jack followed him. "Here's the remote control."

"Excellent," Professor Stretch said. "Heh, heh. Now I can get the rest of the rubber in the city without any mishaps! You heard me, Frankenstein Jr. Go out with the boys and get me all the rubber in the city!"

"Yes, Professor," Frankenstein Jr. said.

Reggie, Jack, and Mickey climbed back onto Frankie and took off. In the meantime, Buzz and Jerry were wandering around the backyard, wondering what in the world could have happened to Frankie.

"Are you sure he was turned off?" Jerry asked.

"I'm positive!" Buzz shouted for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Well, he couldn't have gotten up and walked away if he was turned off."

"Then where is he?"

"Look, Buzz, I don't know. I'm not a mechanic!"

"Hey, guys," Mike said, coming through the back door. "What's goin' on?"

"Somehow or another, Frankenstein Jr. split on us," Jerry said. "We went inside, Buzz did his homework, blah, blah, blah. And when we came back, poof! Gone."

"Was he turned off?"

"Yes," Buzz said. "I deactivated him myself."

"Well, maybe you didn't fully deactivate him," Mike said. "His circuits could've still been turned on, and he might have walked out the gate or something'."

"He wouldn't do that unless I told him to, Mike!" Buzz shouted.

"Then I don't know what could have happened," Mike said, shrugging. "I'm not a magician!"

Just then, the three boys heard a rumbling noise, that seemed to be shaking the ground.

"Strange," Mike said. "Civic City doesn't usually get earthquakes."

"Hey look," Jerry said, running over to the fence. "It's Frankie!"

"Frankie!" Buzz shouted. "Down here!"

Frankie didn't pay any attention. He just continued walking. Buzz raised his radar ring and aimed for Frankie's satellite. Once the beam hit, Frankie stopped in his tracks. Reggie glared and turned the dial on his remote control.

"Come on, Frankie, let's go," he said.

"Hey, check it out," Mike said. "Looks like there's three guys up there on Frankie. You two stay here. I'm gonna go get my binoculars and get a close up look."

Mike ran off. Buzz continued to aim his ring and try to get Frankie's attention, but it wasn't easy.

"I don't know why he's not responding," he said. Mike returned shortly and looked through his binoculars.

"Yep, three guys all right," he said.

"Let me see," Jerry said, taking the binoculars. He looked and then turned to Mike. "Hey, Mike, those are the guys who robbed the toy store."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Looks like one of 'em's using a remote control to control Frankie."

"They probably rewired him to do their dirty work. Hey, Buzz, you think you can re-rewire him?"

"I'd have to get him here first," Buzz said. "And that's going to be easier said than done."

"We'd better go after them," Mike said. "Come on!"

Mike, Jerry, and Buzz ran through the gate and proceeded to follow Frankie. They were wondering what was going to happen. However, they weren't able to keep up.

"He's going to fast," Jerry said.

"We'll never Catch him on foot," Buzz said. "And neither of you have a car."

"No," Mike said. "But I have a motorized skateboard in the garage. Come on!"

Mike, Jerry, and Buzz ran for the garage, and found the skateboard. The three of them climbed on, and were off. They caught up with Frankie down at the warehouse district, in an old rubber ball factory.

"This is the last of the rubber in Civic City, boss," Mickey said, rolling some of the tires over to a large vat.

"Good," Professor Stretch said. "Now to put phase two into operation. Melt it all down."

"Okay, Reg, turn up the juice!" Mickey called.

"You got it!" Reggie shouted, and turned on a burner directly below the vat. A large fire started, which was heating up all the rubber balls, rubber ducks, rubber bands, erasers, rubber toys, and spare tires.

"What are they melting all that rubber down for?" Mike whispered.

"Beats me," Jerry said. "I don't get why they'd want to anyway."

"It's probably part of some sinister plan," Buzz replied.

"Yeah, but what?" Mike asked.

"I'm still trying to figure that out."

Jack climbed up a set of stairs, and using the world's largest wooden spoon began stirring around the rubber. Then he poured a bucket full of red paint into the vat.

"How long do you think it'll take for all this rubber to melt?" Mickey asked.

"Probably a couple hours," Jack replied.

"We'll wait," Professor Stretch asked. "There's no point in rushing genius at work. Ha, ha, ha!"

"This guy's one sandwich shy of a picnic," Jerry whispered.

"One nut short of a squirrel banquet, I'd say," Mike replied. "He's completely loon crazy!"

"There's only one thing to do, guys," Buzz said. "I'll have to activate Frankenstein Jr. with my radar ring."

"You think that'll work?" Jerry asked.

"It couldn't hurt," Mike said, shrugging.

"I'm not exactly sure what it's going to do," Buzz said. "But it'll be better than nothing. I just hope it works."

Buzz raised his hand, and aimed his ring at Frankie's satellite. The beam bounced off the ceiling, and right at the cooking vat. Jack saw it, and lost his balance, nearly falling into the mix!

"Hey, watch it!" he shouted.

"What the?" Professor Stretch asked.

"Wha?" Mickey and Reggie asked in unison.

"Two can play at this game," Professor Stretch said, and held out a mirror. The beam hit the mirror and hit the group of boxes Buzz, Mike, and Jerry were hiding behind. The boxes started falling.

"Uh oh," Buzz said. "That didn't work as well as I hoped."

"Let's get out of here!" Jerry shouted.

"Quick, before they crash!" Mike yelled.

The boys moved as quickly as possible, but they ended up right out in the open. Professor Stretch stood there and glared at all three of them.

"Ah ha!" he shouted. "Spies, huh? Well, I'll teach you a thing or two. Reggie! Throw me the remote!"

"Gotcha," Reggie said, and tossed the professor the remote control. Professor Stretch began turning the dial on it.

"Okay, Frankenstein, get them!" he shouted.

"Run!" Mike yelled.

The boys started to make a hasty retreat. Frankenstein Jr. growled and went after them, though. He bent down and managed to grab Buzz in one hand, and Jerry in the other. Mike jumped on his skateboard, turned it on, and zoomed away.

"Go, Mike! Go!" Jerry shouted.

"Hurry!" Buzz yelled.

"He's getting away!" Professor Stretch shouted. "Stop him!"

Frankie growled again and burst through the roof, looking for Mike, but he got away. Frankie came back and shrugged.

"He got away, boss," he said.

"Oh you stupid, stupid robot!" Professor Stretch shouted, and he kicked Frankie in the foot. Big mistake. Frankie was mostly metal, and it hurt.

"Yeeeeooouuuuuch!" Professor Stretch shouted. He grabbed his foot and began jumping up and down. "Yeow! Ooh! Eee! Ahh! Oooh, that hurt!"

Buzz and Jerry started laughing at the sight, but Professor Stretch glared up at them.

"You think that's funny, huh?" he asked. "Well, you two won't be laughing for long! Mickey, Reggie, you take care of these two."

"Gotcha, boss," Reggie said.

"Will do," Mickey replied.

Jerry and Buzz looked at each other. Next thing they knew, they were tied back to back to chairs, struggling to break loose.

"Don't worry, Jerry," Buzz said. "I still have my radar ring. I can activate Frankenstein Jr. with it."

"Oh thanks for reminding me," Professor Stretch said. He walked over and yanked Buzz's ring off his hand. "You won't be calling your big friend with this any longer. In fact, no one will."

"What do you mean by that?" Jerry asked.

"Just by this," Professor Stretch replied. He pulled a small box out of a drawer. "I wired ol' Frankie to this little box here. Contained in it is a nice little explosive device. When I push the button, Frankie will go boom."

"You wouldn't!" Jerry shouted.

Professor Stretch snickered, and pushed the button. A loud ticking was heard for ten seconds, and then . . . . . .

KA-BLAM!

Frankenstein Jr. had been blown to bits. Pieces of metal and wiring flew everywhere.

"Frankie!" Buzz shouted.

"Oh no!" Jerry yelled.

"Bye-bye, Frankenstein Jr.," Professor Stretch said. "Ha, ha! Mickey! Reggie! Clean this mess up and take it over to the scrap heap!"

"You got it, Professor," Mickey said, as he and Reggie gathered the pieces and threw them into a giant trash barrel.

"Now all that's left is to take care of you two," Professor Stretch said, throwing Buzz's radar ring into the barrel. Mickey and Reggie left with it.

"What are you gonna do to them, boss?" Jack asked.

"Pour the mixture into the mold, Jack," Professor Stretch said. "I'll tell you when the time comes."

Jack shrugged and poured the liquid rubber into a mold that Professor Stretch had designed. And it was nearly as big as Frankenstein Jr.! At any rate, Mickey and Reggie had returned from the scrap heap, just leaving the barrel there.

"So much for Civic City's robot hero," Mickey said.

"He wasn't much anyway," Reggie replied. "He was too easy to rewire!"

Mickey and Reggie laughed and walked off. However, they had an eavesdropper in the near vicinity. Mike was hiding behind the building, on his motorized skateboard. Once Mickey and Reggie were out of sight, Mike pushed the start button with his foot, and rode over to the barrel. He fished out Buzz's radar ring and put it on his own finger.

"Hang in there, Frankie," he said. "I'll have you back to your old self in no time!"

Mike wheeled the barrel back to Professor Conroy's backyard, where he kept his tools. He began to work as fast as he could. As he was working on putting Frankie back together, Professor Stretch's mold was ready. Mickey and Reggie pushed it open, and inside was the world's largest rubber ball.

"What in the world is that thing?!" Jerry shouted.

"The world's largest rubber ball," Professor Stretch said. "Remote controlled, of course."

"What are you gonna use it for?" Jack asked.

"I'm going to flatten Civic City with it, what else?" Professor Stretch laughed. "And after I flatten Civic City, I'll flatten the world!"

"No doubt about it," Jerry said. "This guy is nuts."

"You said it," Buzz replied.

"Of course, I plan to test it on our two guests," Professor Stretch continued. "Hand me my remote control."

Reggie handed Professor Stretch the remote. The professor pushed a couple of buttons on it, and then moved the joystick around. The ball began bouncing up and down, and then bounced right for Buzz and Jerry. They would be flatter than pancakes any minute. Jack began biting his nails. Finally, he took action. He jumped down from his station, landed on Professor Stretch, grabbed the remote, and moved the joystick. The ball bounced back to the mold and stopped.

"Whew!" Jack shouted. "That was close!"

"What do you think you're doing?!" Professor Stretch shouted.

"I can't you flatten the city," Jack replied. "It's just not right."

"Neither was stealing all that rubber," Mickey pointed out. "I knew he was too soft."

"Looks like Jack's decided to go straight," Reggie said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Can't have that, can we?" Professor Stretch said. "I warned you, Jack. I warned you if you were out, there'd be consequences."

Jack gulped. He had a feeling he knew what Professor Stretch had in mind. He found himself tied up with Buzz and Jerry, and Professor Stretch bouncing his ball around. Within a few minutes, it would crush Jack, Jerry, and Buzz into pancakes. Luckily, help was on it's way. Mike managed to piece Frankenstein Jr. together.

"That's the last piece," he said, welding it into place. "That should do it. Now to activate him. Look alive, Frankie!"

Mike aimed Buzz's radar ring at Frankie's satellite. The large robot opened his eyes, raised his arms, and banged his fists together. A bolt of lightning emerged from them. Then he looked down to see who activated him.

"Good to see you, Mike," he said. "But where's Buzz?"

"In big trouble," Mike said. "We've got to get to the warehouse district and fast!"

"I'll have us there in no time! Climb on!"

Frankenstein Jr. lowered his hand. Mike climbed on, and let Frankie put him on his shoulder. Then the two of them took off.

"Alakazoom!" Mike shouted.

Professor Stretch, in the meantime, was basically torturing his three captives. He would bring the ball up, and have it come crashing down, but stopping it before it could hit. He did that over and over again, driving them completely crazy.

"Why doesn't he just kill us and get it over with?!" Jerry shouted.

"This is Professor Stretch's idea of fun," Jack replied.

"Some fun," Buzz said. "Most villains leave their victims waiting in anticipation."

"I guess the professor's one of those villains," Jerry said.

"Okay, I'm through playing," Professor Stretch said. "It's squashin' time!"

Buzz, Jack, and Jerry tensed up then. They squeezed their eyes shut and waited for the ball to come crashing down on them. Just as it was about to it, it stopped.

"Huh?" Jack asked.

"What's going on?" Jerry asked.

"Nothing could stop a heavy ball like that, except . . . ." Buzz said. All three of them looked up, and there was Frankenstein Jr. holding onto the ball.

"Hello, Buzz," he said.

"Frankie!" Buzz shouted. "Boy, am I glad to see you! But how did you get back together?"

"I rebuilt him," Mike said, sliding down. He began to untie Buzz, Jerry, and Jack. "You're lucky I know a thing or two about that, Buzz."

"Boy, am I ever glad you do!" Buzz shouted, taking his radar ring from Mike. Professor Stretch wasn't amused.

"All right, that does it," he said. "Time to unleash the heavy artillery."

Professor Stretch moved the joystick, and it slammed into Frankie, causing the large robot to crash through the wall. The jarring seemed to deactivate his mainspring. He was out for the count.

"Oh no!" Buzz shouted. "Frankie's down and out!"

"And we'll be the same way if we don't bolt!" Jack shouted.

The boys ran, except Mike. He was ready to take on Professor Stretch no matter what he tried.

"You did this!" Professor Stretch shouted. "You put him together again. Well, I'll show the two of you!"

Professor Stretch then pulled a switch. A large magnet activated then. It managed to hook Frankie, and Mike's watch. The two of them flew into the air and hit the magnet. Then Professor Stretch pulled another switch, and Frankie and Mike were taken out to a compacter, filled with trash. Professor Stretch deactivated the magnet, and Mike and Frankie fell, stuck in the garbage.

"Oh great," Mike groaned. "I can barely move!"

"Good," Professor Stretch said. He pulled another switch and the compacter walls began closing in.

"Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed. "You'll never get out of there now! Mickey! Reggie! Come along! It's time to put our plan into action! Today, Civic City, tomorrow, the world! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Mickey and Reggie walked off, laughing about it themselves. Mike struggled to get loose, but it wasn't doing any good.

"Oh man," Jerry said. "They're pancakes for sure, now!"

"What can we do?" Jack asked.

"There's only one thing," Buzz said. "I'll have to reactivate Frankie with a ricochet shot."

"Do it," Jerry and Jack said in unison.

Buzz aimed his ring, and fired off the beam. It hit Frankie's satellite and he was activate. He raised his hands and blocked off the walls. They stopped closing in. Mike breathed of relief.

"There's a load off my mind," he said.

"Thanks, Buzz!" Frankie said, pulling Mike out of the garbage.

"Come on, Frankie!" Buzz shouted. "We've got to stop Professor Stretch!"

"Right, Buzz!" Frankie said, pulling Buzz onto his shoulder.

"You two go call the police," Mike said.

"Right!" Jerry shouted.

"Check!" Jack called, and the two of them ran off.

"Alakazoom!" both Mike and Buzz shouted, and zoomed into the air.

People in Civic City were panicking then. The ball bounced all over the place, running things over, crushing everything in sight. At least the buildings. Nobody had gotten in it's way yet, but pretty soon they would.

"What can we do?" Mike asked. "I don't know how to stop a rubber ball!"

"We've got to stop the impact somehow," Buzz said. "Frankie! Use your heat ray!"

"Okay, Buzz!" Frankie said, and activated his heat ray. It was a direct hit at the rubber ball.

"Hey boss?" Mickey said. "Ohh, I hate to tell you this, but . . . ."

"But what?" Professor Stretch asked.

"Frankenstein Jr. got away."

"WHAT?!"
"Yeah, and he's melting the ball."

"I'll show him!"

Professor Stretch moved the joystick forward, and bowled over a couple of buildings. The ball hit Frankie in the chest again, but this time, he was ready for it. He caught the ball and threw it into the air. He bounced it on the ground, and then scooped up Professor Stretch, Reggie, and Mickey.

"Now that's what I call a good game of jacks!" Mike laughed.

"Now to get rid of the ball," Buzz said.

"Don't worry, Buzz," Frankie said. "I know just what to do with it."

Buzz took the ball in one hand, and threw it into the air. Thanks to the force of his throw, he had sent it into orbit! The people on the street cheered. The police arrived on the scene to take Professor Stretch and his men to jail.

"I can't believe it," Professor Stretch groused. "My fool proof plan was foiled. By a stupid little kid!"

The police officer slammed the door shut and drove off. The papers began getting pictures right and left. The story made the front pages of every newspaper around the world. Calls were coming in right at left at the Conroy house.

"How does it feel to have a famous son, Professor?" Mike asked.

"Overwhelming," Professor Conroy said. "I have to tell you, Mike, the response has been like this since Frankenstein Jr. stopped Professor Stretch."

The phone rang then. Mike picked it up.

"Hello, Conroy residence," he said. "Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah, he's here. Hey Professor, it's for you."

"Thanks, Mike," Professor Conroy said. "Hello? Oh, Dean Maxwell, how are you? You saw the paper this morning? Yes, yes I know. I've been getting calls about it all morning. Uh huh? You spoke to the governor? He wants me to become a government scientist? Well, I don't know . . . ."

"Dad, that's a great honor!" Buzz shouted.

"Yeah, man," Mike said. "Accept it, accept it!"

"You'll be a world famous scientist!" Buzz said.

"Well, I'm outvoted," Professor Conroy said. "I accept the offer, as long as I can work from home. Okay, then. Thanks."

Professor Conroy hung up the phone and turned to Mike and Buzz.

"The government is offering me my own lab," he said. "But don't worry, Buzz. We won't have to move again. And since I'll be working from home, we'll have more time to spend together."

"That's great, Dad!" Buzz shouted. "But what about Mike?"

"Mike . . . . oh, I almost forgot," Professor Conroy said. "Listen, uh, Mike . . . ."

"Listen, Buzz, don't worry about me," Mike said. "I've lived on my own for some time now. I can do it again."

"I know," Buzz said. "But I'll just miss you, that's all."

"Miss me nothin', Buzz. You've got Frankenstein Jr. now. You won't even know I'm gone."

"But you helped build Frankie. I never could have done it without you."

"You never could have done it without my spare parts, Buzz."

"Yeah. But you gave me the idea."

Mike smiled. He turned to Buzz and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Look, it's not like you and I won't see each other again," he said. "I'm gonna room with Jerry for a bit, and I'll come visit. And I expect you and Frankie to visit me, as well."

"You can count on it," Buzz said.

"What do you say you and I take Frankie for a spin? You know, let everybody see him in action?"

"You bet! Come on!"

Mike and Buzz left the house, and activated Frankenstein Jr. The two of them then climbed up on his shoulders and took off.

"Alakazoom!" they shouted as they flew off.

The End