“What are you talking about?” snarled Spynosaur, circling Ego and the malevolent masterminds of P.O.I.S.O.N. “I may be mind-blowingly impressive, but I’m no weapon. You’ve lost whatever’s left of your mind, Ego.”
From the doorway, Amber watched her dad growling impatiently, and heard the CLIK-CLAK of his toe claws as he loomed over his nemesis.
“Then lock me up, Spynosaur!” said Ego. “I surrender!”
“Surrender?” shrieked Fandango Scaramoosh, glancing incredulously at the members of P.O.I.S.O.N. “Scandalous! A villain never surrenders!”
“They’re going to throw away the key on you, Ego,” said Spynosaur, squaring up to him. “I’ll make sure you never—”
“Ego says stop right there,” Ego interrupted.
Spynosaur froze.
“Ego says … stand on one leg!” added Ego.
Spynosaur duly lifted a clawed foot off the floor.
He stood there, a strangled snarl emanating from his throat. It was as if his body suddenly wouldn’t do as it was told. Or rather, his body would only do as it was told by Ergo Ego.
“Dad…?” whispered Amber.
“Ego says, tell me that I am the greatest criminal mastermind ever,” Ego said.
Spynosaur seemed to tremble, his eyes wide with rage. Then, through a mouthful of sharp, gritted teeth, he said:
“You … are the greatest … criminal mastermind … ever.”
“Yes, I am, you stupid head!” shrieked Ego with glee.
“Dad, no…!” Amber gasped.
“I gotta be seein’ things here!” said Gums Gambino, inspecting the frozen Spynosaur. “How comes this mook is doin’ whatever you tells him?”
“Because if Ergo Ego says, Spynosaur obeys!” cackled Ego. “You see, when I mined Agent Gambit’s mind, I installed a failsafe – a way to control that mind using only my voice. When I realized his brain box had been used to create Spynosaur, I knew then that I could make Department 6’s greatest spy into my greatest weapon!”
Amber clamped both her hands over her mouth. Her dad was right – all this time Ego had been one step ahead of them … but in a way they couldn’t have imagined. She looked back down the corridor. She knew her dad would tell her to go for help if he could. But how could she leave him here, with them? What if she never saw him again?
“Distinguished villains, Spynosaur is the key to your domination of the world! He will crush your enemies … tear Department 6 apart from the inside – even tie your shoelaces if I command it! No one will be left to stop you,” said Ego. “Or should I say, us?”
The members of P.O.I.S.O.N. looked at each other … then at the screens … then at Spynosaur.
“Congratulations on your conscription to our criminal collective!” declared Shady Lady.
“You’re a made man, Ego!” boomed Gums Gambino with glee.
“Welcome to P.O.I.S.O.N.!” added Fandango Scaramoosh. “But wait … beating up our evil henchmen is one thing, but if Spynosaur is to be a true weapon, he will need to obey even the most diabolical command.”
“Aha! You want proof that I can force Spynosaur to act like a villain!” said Ego. “Well since you ask, I have just the thing…”
Amber suddenly realized Ergo Ego was staring right at her.
She turned and ran.
“Ego says, bring back that girl,” ordered Ego.
Spynosaur snarled and drew his grapple gun. With a FOOOOoooooooSH! he launched the grappling hook through the tiny gap in the doorway. It speared Amber’s spy-suit at the shoulder and retracted, dragging her back up the corridor and through the doorway. Before she knew it, Amber found herself in the middle of the room, being glared at by four criminal masterminds … and her own father.
“What have you done to my dad, you baldy stinker?” Amber snarled, struggling to detach herself from the grappling hook.
“Well, you are no more charming than the last time we met,” said Ego. “Members of P.O.I.S.O.N., here is the final proof of my pudding – Spynosaur’s own sidekick, who, by the way, is also his daughter!”
“Dad…?” Amber said, looking up at her father. He stared back, helpless to do anything but obey his new master.
“There’s a good little slave,” Ego sneered, patting Spynosaur on the shoulder. “But wait, you haven’t touched the nibbles – Ego says you must be hungry.”
growled Spynosaur.
“I thought so… So eat her,” said Ergo Ego. “Ego says, eat your daughter!”