Tucker & Dallas vs. Evil (Science!) 4 - Mother!

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Last time on Tucker & Dallas vs. Evil (Science), Tucker and Dallas, now not-at-all subtly targeted by mysterious bureaucracy, had slapped together a plan to rid Strangerville of what ailed it. All they need is at least one person to believe them. Oh, and a lot of slime.
 

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: Spoilers for the Strangerville story! ⚠️

 

The [REDACTED] Lab
1 day to the Event

Dallas/Tucker: …

Tucker: Strange storm. Never seen anything like it.

Dallas: Are you ready, Tuck? We’re ‘bout to uncover some real shit in there.

Tucker: Ready as I’ll ever be. After you, Dallas.

Dallas: (inhale, exhale) Alright. Let’s get in there.

Dallas: …this is where I got knocked out that one night. I guess this is where I was found.

Tucker: But why leave this place otherwise unmanned? I just don’t get it.

Dallas: I’m thinkin’, they make rotations or something. ‘Cause other than the night I was found here, I haven’t encountered another person. But I’m spitballin’, of course.

Tucker: It’s just so strange. What is the point of all of this…?

Tucker/Dallas: Whoa.

Tucker: It’s another lab…but it’s completely ruined! Look at this; it’s so dark. Everything’s displaying error messages.

Dallas: This is the abandoned lab we’re lookin’ for…but what did they do here?

Tucker: And why did they leave it all behind?

Tucker: It couldn’t be anything humane. Look at this shit.

Dallas: Is it…alive?

Tucker: I don’t…know…but something is…here. Something huge.

Dallas: Can you hear it, Tuck?

Tucker: Yeah… (gasp) Dallas—don’t look now, but there’s more of those vines. At the end of the room.

Dallas: Let’s follow. Tuck, what do you hear?

Tucker: Uuuugghh, I sure do. It’s fucking pounding against my skull.

Dallas: You can do it, Tuck, stay with me.

Tucker: Dallas—whatever it is, it’s close. It might be behind that door.

Dallas: Then let’s find it, and kill it.

Tucker: (gulp) Okay.

—Beep…groan—

Tucker: (sharp inhale)

Dallas: (shuddering) Oh, God. Oh, God, oh god.

Tucker/Dallas: …

Dallas: Tuck…you’re seeing this, right?

Tucker: I…I am…

Dallas: What the hell is this?!

Tucker: I don’t kn—know, but it—it’s—calling!

Dallas: Tuck? Tucker?!

Tucker: HKKR—

Dallas: Tucker! Where are you going?!

Tucker: GGRK—I can’t—fight—her—Dallas! HHRK—

Dallas: Her?! What do you mean? What is this thing?

Tucker: M…mother!

Mother Plant: …

Tucker: …

Mother: (hissing roar)

Dallas, aside: Oh no, you don’t! Tucker, I’m comin’!

Tucker, aside: She’s—awoken—!

—Ominous thunder; just-above-audible, low humming—

When Tucker was able to snap out of it, the first thought he had was to return to the highly-defended, implosive compound mixer. Now that he knew how to access it, he was hellbent on accessing that document, tantalisingly titled “antidote”.

Dallas: Jeez, Tuck, I didn’t know you were so good at this.

Tucker: It’s 99% this recipe some dumb-dumb left on this computer. I’m just mixing shit together. (whispers) Thank you, chemistry courses.

Dallas: Oh, man. Tell me when you got it together…!

Tucker: Promise I will, Dallas. Like I did two minutes ago!

Some time later…

Tucker: Okay. I think it’s not…100% ready, but we need to test it. Now. Dallas, take this and throw it in my face.

Dallas: What the hell?

Tucker: We don’t have a lot of other options right now. Do it!

Dallas: Okay…

Tucker: (sputtering) Aw, god! It got in my mouth!

Dallas: Well, is it workin’?

Tucker/Dallas: …

Tucker: Yes…I think so? It’s too soon to tell, but I feel less groggy.

Dallas: Hell, yes, Tucker! Yes! You crazy bastard, you did it! Aw, Tucker, I could kiss you!

Tucker: Not yet, Dallas. Now, we make more of these…and we take this town back.

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At home…

Tucker: You know…I never saw stars like this in San Myshuno. Always too much city light.

Dallas: That’s just someone you’re gonna have to get used to, livin’ out here in desert country.

Tucker: Yeah. Thanks for giving me the opportunity, Dallas.

Dallas: Me? Naw, Tuck. This is all you.

Dallas: You left behind your crazy dad. You turned down some apparent prince. You crossed a border to come here. Everything you did, you did for you.

Tucker: I like to think so. Still…thanks for making it less lonely.

Dallas: Don’t mind.

Tucker: Are you…ever sad about Oriole?

Dallas: Nah. Was only there for a year. Drifters like me never really call a place home for long. (sigh) I’d like to stay in Strangerville for a while, though. Quit runnin’ from everything.

Tucker: Yeah. I know what you mean.

Tucker: If it’s all the same…I’d like…to stay in Strangerville longer, too.

Dallas: (chuckles) Yeah?

Tucker: Yeah. Let’s fix it up first, though. Make it a lot less…hostile.

Dallas: Now that sounds good to me, lil buddy.

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Tucker remembered the Mother’s energy radiating in his mind when he came face to face with it. If he and Dallas wanted any chance at taking that thing down, they needed some help.

First, they needed to refine that bootstrap antidote Tucker hastily slapped together.

Tucker: Seriously, I cannot believe they just left the recipe or whatever here. Sounds like bad villainy 101 to me.

Dallas: I ain’t complainin’ much.

They headed upstairs, to put some distance between Tucker's brain and the Mother's constant, pulsing call.

Dallas: Alright, Tuck, are you ready?

Tucker: (groans) Yeah, I guess. This is already getting old.

Dallas: Just make sure your eyes are closed.

Tucker: (sputtering) Aw, god!

Dallas: Did that help? Can you still hear her?

Tucker: …no. Not even if I tried. And I know she’s right below us, too.

Dallas: Tucker Thursday, you and me have got a got-damn cure on our hands!

Strangerville Plaza
24 April 2131 - the day of the Event

Tucker, aside: Then let’s get out there and fix this town.

Civilian woman: (belaboured breathing)

Dallas: Hey! You! Hear talk about a Mother in these parts?

Civilian woman: HHGK—M—Moth—er…?

Dallas: Thought as much. Think fast!

Civilian woman: (sputtering) HRRK—(coughing) Ugh! Augh! …Huh? What did you…just do?

Dallas: Do you still hear her? Can you still hear the Mother Plant?

Civilian woman: I…can’t! (soft gasp) You…freed me!

Dallas: Weren’t nothin’. Now come on. Come with me if you wanna ensure your freedom from her!

Dallas had a bone to pick with the Powers That Be that let this happen. He headed right to the quivering, drooling mouth of the beast.

Mayor Ted Roswell’s house.

Dallas: Howdy, Mayor Roswell. Good to see you in such health.

Ted: Sure, sure. How could I help you, Mr. Dinh?

Dallas: For starters, you can start walking out to my truck, and then you can tell me all about your involvement in that laboratory in crater. Otherwise I’m gonna sell the ledgers on your unapproved spending on Project Brood to the state, and I know that would just kill ya.

Ted: (sharp inhale) What the hell do you know, you upstart, good for nothin’—

Dallas: Walk and talk, Roswell.

The [REDACTED] Lab…

Civlian woman, aside: This…this is insane. What’s going on down here?

Tucker: Way more than you know, lady.

Ted: …(sigh) God in Heaven, if I’d known what they were going to do was so unnatural…

Dallas: Don’t flatter yourself, Roswell. You’re a self-serving crook like all other politicians. Talkin’ bout “if I’d known” (spits).

Ted: I thought what happened out in Oriole was an unrelated incident. I don’t control no military.

Tucker: With all due respect, Mr. Roswell…you spend 80% of your time walking around town muttering nonsense. You definitely knew.

Ted: (shudders) This ain’t right.

Civilian woman: It’s...really behind there?

Tucker: Yeah, sure is. But if we’re successful, we’re not only saving ourselves—

Dallas: We’re saving the whole town.

Ted: (groans) This is too much.

Dallas: Okay, y’all. Get ready….

Ted/Civilian woman: (gasp)

Dallas: Hey! You! You sack of grass!

Mother Plant: (low groan)

Dallas: This is for all the shit you’ve caused! This is for Oriole and Strangerville, bitch!

Mother Plant: (hissing scream)

Dallas: Go back to hell!

Ted: Goddamn it…to think it’d all lead up to this.

Possessed minions: (groaning, choking sounds)

Ted: Go on, get! Get outta here with y’all!

Civilian woman: Get the hell off me!

Dallas, aside: Fight ‘em off! She’s getting weaker, and that makes them weak too!

Civilian woman: (grunts)

Tucker: Shit…!

Mother Plant: (pained, distorted scream)

Dallas: Aaaagh—shit! I’m outta juice!

Tucker: Dallas?! Dallas! What’s wrong?

Dallas, aside: I’m out of juice, Tuck!

Tucker: Shit! Dallas….

A month ago…

Jimmy James: So you’re leaving.

Tucker, aside: Yep. Have a good rest of your life, old man.

Jimmy James: (scoff) You can keep your damn words, Tucker. They don’t mean shit. Not to me or to anyone else. You’re nothing in this world. Not without me. Change your last name whenever you scrape up enough money doing whatever the hell it is you will. You’re not a Thursday anymore.

Tucker: Y’know, James…that might’ve hurt me in the past. But now, you’re just a sad, old man with no love and nobody to keep you and hold you in your dark moments. And that really is the worst thing about it all.

Jimmy James: (grunt)

Tucker: So bye. Enjoy your empty life in your empty apartment. And when I make something of myself, it’s because I’m Tucker, goddammit, and not because I was your son.

Tucker: (growl) Come on, you son of a bitch! Time to die!

Possessed minions: (pained groaning)

Mother Plant: (pained, screeching scream)

Possessed minions: (loud, shuddering groans)

Dallas: Whoa! Tuck?!

Mother Plant: (long, withering hissing scream)

Dallas: Tucker! You saved me! Hell, you saved us all!

Tucker, exhausted: Aw, come off it.

Dallas: You crazy bastard, you did it!! Ah, man, Tucker, I could kiss you right now.

Tucker: Don’t make a promise you don’t intend to keep, Dallas.

Dallas: (chuckles) You underestimate me. I…am a man of my word.

Tucker/Dallas: …

Tucker: (gasp) … (giggles) Can we…do that again, a bunch?

Dallas, smirking: Can do, lil buddy.