— I can't believe it... they stole my dog! — shouted the villain, kicking a trash can and dropping a sushi tray to the ground with its label still attached: "Sushi Ninja Delivery: Because even villains deserve quality."
On the screen in front of him, the security footage clearly showed Alex, Marta, Carlos... and Max, trotting triumphantly as they escaped through a ventilation duct. One of the henchmen, standing next to him, swallowed hard and took a step back.
— Sir... maybe it was just luck...
— Luck!? — The villain turned with theatrical fury, throwing his cape back —. That dog is the key piece of my master plan!!
— Master plan? — asked another henchman, scratching his head —. I thought you just wanted to teach him to dance for the talent show...
— Ignorant! That was the backup plan!
The villain — whose full name was Dr. Moco Supremo (stage name, not legal) — had been perfecting his canine mind control technology for years. According to his theories, dogs were the true owners of human loyalty, and if he could control dogs... he could control the world. Or at least win the intergalactic talent contest organized by the Society of Eccentric Villains.
— Prepare everything — he said, clenching his fist —. It's time for the canine revenge. And this time... we won't fail.
Meanwhile, in Carlos's grandmother's basement — the unofficial headquarters of the team — the atmosphere was more relaxed. Max was sleeping on a bone-patterned mat, snoring as if nothing had happened. Marta was petting his head with a smile, while Carlos checked some screens filled with binary code and diagrams.
Alex, however, had another priority.
— Where's the cake? You promised cake when we rescued Max!
— It's in the fridge — said Carlos's grandmother from upstairs, with a firm voice —. But first, everyone wash your hands! — Do you think the Avengers have these rules? — grumbled Alex, as Marta dragged him towards the sink. Minutes later, amidst pieces of cake and fizzy drinks, the three friends and the dog shared laughter and anecdotes from the mission. But the calm didn't last long. Carlos blinked in front of his screen. — Eh... guys. We have a problem. — Another one? — asked Marta. — Dr. Supreme Snot just published a video. He opened the stream. The screen filled with the image of the villain, standing in front of a banner that said "REVENGE: PART 2 (This time for real)". With an evil laugh, he raised his arms. — They think they won! They think they can humiliate me, steal my dog... I mean, MY EXPERIMENT... and get away with it! Well, no, little saboteurs! This time, my revenge will be viral! — Viral? — asked Marta. — Literally viral — replied Carlos —. He's planning to hack all the video channels to broadcast a hypnotic signal that will make dogs rebel against their owners... starting with obedience contests. Alex dropped his fork. — That's diabolical! What if they start telling us to sit down? Max perked up an ear from his nap. Carlos typed quickly. — If my calculations are correct, he has a hidden server somewhere in the city... something that can emit a high-frequency signal over a range of five kilometers. — And how do we stop that? — We have to find the source... and destroy it. But he will do it tonight...
— How do you know? Carlos turned the screen and showed a video where the villain, unintentionally, revealed a calendar with a mark on the day: "TODAY: CANINE INVASION / Pizza Night."
— Well, at least he has priorities — murmured Marta.
— And a terrible taste in toppings — added Alex.
Hours later, the team was moving in a modified electric golf cart, courtesy of Carlos's uncle, who worked at a golf club and sometimes forgot to close the garage.
— According to my calculations — said Carlos while checking his pocket GPS —, the source of the signal is in... the abandoned amusement park!
— Seriously? Why is it always the abandoned amusement park? — said Marta.
— It's classic — replied Alex. — It has everything a villain needs: rusty structures, flickering lights, and roller coasters that creak at night.
Max let out a bark that sounded like approval.
The place was a horror movie spectacle. Dust-covered carousels, petrified cotton candies, and a Ferris wheel that slowly turned by itself, even though no one had touched it in years.
Carlos pointed to a booth with a sign that said "Tech Prizes 10 tickets per attempt."
— The signal comes from there. It has to be a facade.
— Do we break in? — asked Marta, pulling out her water gun loaded with vinegar (an idea from Carlos in case they faced robots).
— No — said Alex, adjusting his cap —. We go in like winning kids.
— What?
Ten minutes later, the three were walking towards the booth wearing t-shirts with Max's face printed on them, balloons in hand, and a mountain of fake tickets.
— We won all the prizes! — shouted Alex, smiling falsely.
The booth employee — clearly a henchman disguised with a clown hat — frowned.
— And your parents? — In the car. They told us that if they didn't give us the prize, they would come to talk to the manager — said Marta, with a smile so fake it would melt ice cream.
The henchman hesitated... and let them pass.
Inside the booth, a trapdoor in the floor led them to a hidden laboratory filled with screens, satellite dishes, and a machine that was clearly emitting a wave signal.
— There it is — said Carlos —. If I destroy the core, I stop the transmission.
— Perfect! — said Alex, just as an alarm began to sound.
— NOT SO FAST! — shouted Dr. Supreme Snot, appearing on a giant screen —. THIS IS MY GRAND FINALE!!
— What if we turn off the TV? — asked Marta.
Carlos crouched down, took out his electric screwdriver, and got to work.
Meanwhile, the room began to fill with dog robots, barking in electronic tones.
— Seriously? Robots again!? — exclaimed Alex, grabbing a control bar and starting to defend himself.
Marta activated her vinegar gun. Carlos cut wires. Max, for his part, jumped on a robot and ripped off its antenna.
And at the climax of the battle, Carlos shouted:
— ALMOST...!
Alex lunged at the machine and hit it with a plastic chair.
Everything stopped. The lights flickered. The system collapsed.
The screen showed the villain... completely frozen with a slice of pizza halfway to his mouth.
— ...It can't be... again... And it went out.
Outside, the team celebrated with ice creams that were still mysteriously sold in a machine that survived everything.
— Another victory? — asked Marta.
— For now — said Carlos.
Alex looked at Max, who was eating his own vanilla ice cream.
— What will you do now, buddy?
Max lay on his back, happy.
Carlos raised his tablet, which showed another emergency broadcast.
— Eh... guys. It seems there is another villain... this time with telepathic parrots.
— WHAT?! — everyone shouted.
Max barked. And without wasting time, the team returned to the golf cart, ready for a new mission.