The Great Osmosis hastily departed the scene. As he ran, he stripped away his general’s uniform revealing, beneath, the attire of a humble telephone engineer.
Waiting on the street corner was the phone company van he’d parked earlier – his Plan B. Soon he’d be away from there. And with nothing to link him to that morning’s events, his plans could be renewed with greater vigour than ever.
Out of breath, he reached the van, took an engineer’s cap from his chest pocket and placed it on his Helm of Mystery. Composing himself, he checked his reflection in the wing mirror. Perfect. Hello. I’m Bob, Bob the telephone engineer. Something wrong with your phone, Luvvie? I’m the man for you. And, for the final touch, he pressed a Zebedee moustache onto his mighty helm. In all the world was there a greater master of disguise?
He thought not.
Opening the van door, Osmosis climbed in. He slammed the door shut, fastened his seat belt, started the engine and prepared to depart. ‘Going somewhere, human?’
Osmosis froze.
A giant ant was in the passenger seat.