Hell on Earth

Chapter Forty Four - Operation Child Endangerment

After Dustin had removed himself from the vent, the four went out to the counter. Erica was still there waiting for her ice-cream.

"Finally," she said. Her arms were crossed. "What does it take to get good service around here?"

"Erica, what would you say if we gave you this order for free for a little chat?" Cynthia asked her.

"I would say give me a USS Butterscotch and you got yourself a deal," Erica said.

"Make her the sundae, Steve," Robin said. "Let's go. We're going to sit down and have a little chat."

Everyone sat at a booth. Erica had an entire side to herself. Once Steve brought out the ice-cream, they started to explain the plan. They went through the entire plan before Erica said a single word.

"Yeah, I don't know," she told them.

"You don't know if you can fit?" Steve asked.

"Oh, I can fit," Erica said. "I just don't know if I want to."

"Are you claustrophobic?" Robin asked.

Erica looked at them like they were idiots, "I don't have phobias."

"Of course you don't," Cynthia smiled at her. "That's why we're asking you."

"What's the problem?" Steve asked.

"The problem is, I still haven't heard what's in this for Erica," she held out her bowl. "More fudge, please." Steve put more fudge in her sundae. After Erica was satisfied with the sundae, she said, "Go on."

"All right," Robin laid out the route Erica was going to take on the blue print. "You see this? This is the route you're gonna take."

Dustin explained the plan again, "Then we just wait till the last delivery goes out tonight. Then you knock out the grate, jump down, open the door."

"Then you find out what's in those boxes?" Steve said.

"And boom, you're an American hero," Cynthia said.

"Exactly," Steve nodded.

Erica didn't look convinced, "Mm-hmm. And you say this guard is armed."

"Yes, but he won't be there," Dustin said.

"And booby traps?" Erica asked.

"Booby traps?" Steve furrowed his brows.

"Lasers, spikes in the wall?" Erica continued.

They just all looked at each other confused. No one had any idea what she was talking about.

Erica still didn't stop, "You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment."

"We'll be in radio contact with you the whole time," Dustin tried to save the conversation.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Erica stopped him. "Child endangerment.

"Erica?" Robin got the girl's attention. "Hi. We think these Russians want to do harm to our country. Great harm. Don't you love your country?"

Erica couldn't help but smile, "You can't spell "America" without "Erica.""

"Which is why you're the perfect person to help us," Cynthia tried to get in the girls' good graces.

"Oddly, that's, uh, totally true," Robin was holding on to anything. "So, so, don't do this for us. Do it for your country. Do it for your fellow man. Do this for America, Erica."

"Ooh!" she said. "I just got the chills." Everyone looked at Erica with wide eyes. They couldn't believe that they had actually gotten her to agree to this. "Oh, yeah, from this float, not your speech." And she crushed their dreams instantly. "Know what I love most about this country? Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is?"