Tag Archives: pulp fiction

Flash Gordon: The Lost Adventure

2 Jul

July 2, 20113

01_raymond_flashgordon_heritagecover_1972

CHAPTER FOUR

The Story So Far:

Marooned on the planet Mongo, heroic human Flash Gordon has become the leader of the freedom-loving resistance forces. Along with the brilliant Professor Zarkov and the lovely Dale Arden, Flash has united the warring peoples of Mongo and forced evil despot Ming the Merciless into retreat.

Meanwhile, Prince Barin has brought Flash some troubling news…

———————-

“Barin!” Flash exclaimed. “Do you know what this says?”

Prince Barin shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “Why yes Flash. It says that Ming is reassembling his forces. I fear his threat may not yet have been vanquished.”

Flash looked to his trusted friend. “Barin, have your people been able to find any trace, any clue of his whereabouts? “ Flash leaned eagerly across the council table. Barin consulted with an aide.

“It seems that some of Prince Vultan’s hawk-men have heard rumors that Ming has established a new palace in the northern section of Arboria.”

“Arboria!” Flash leapt to his feet. “I have to go and see for myself!”

“But Flash, you’d have to cross mighty swamps filled with savage lizard-men!” Barin put a hand of caution on his friend’s shoulder. “And Ming may still be protected by the ferocious lion-folk.”

“I’ll have to take that chance. If Ming is allowed to establish a new palace, who knows what evil he may unleash on Mongo!”

“Then go my ally, go with my prayers.”

———————-

Word of Flash’s mission to Ming’s Palace spread throughout the Court of Mongo. Dale Arden rushed to Flash’s side, but she could not persuade him to stay. Doctor Zarkov tried to reason with Flash, but the blonde hero would not be swayed.

“I must go. Another Palace of Ming would signal the end of freedom on Mongo. The alliance is still new and fragile; Ming could break it all to pieces. I must find Ming’s Palace!”

———————-

Within hours Flash had left the safety of the Capital City and was cautiously making his way towards Ming’s Palace. In the swamps of the lizard-men he proceeded slowly, and only during the day, for the lizard-men prowled at night. During the night, Flash sought safety in the high trees, but he was often challenged and forced to destroy the snake-like creatures that dwelled there.

Days later, Flash emerged from the swamps and under cover of darkness avoided the lion-men patrols and entered Northern Arboria. Darkening his hair, Flash donned a disguise and blended in with the local population, listening for clues to the location of Ming’s Palace. After days of listening at doorways and peering through windows, Flash Gordon finally discovered the location of his goal: Ming’s Palace.

Wasting no time, Flash rushed there and, in awe, stood before his destination.

                       mings place

Clearly, someone had screwed up.

Flash had the beef and broccoli combination plate with wonton soup before hoping a cab back to Prince Barin’s kingdom.

 

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An Evening for Trench Coat and Tuxedo. A Hollywood Russell Case File

27 Jun

June 27, 2012

It was not his finest moment.

Hollywood Russell had been hired by a tired-looking housewife to trail her husband. She was sure he was cheating on her. Judging from her baggy eyes and stained housedress Hollywood inwardly cheered the husband on. He didn’t like divorce cases, as this one would surely be, but they were the bread and butter of private detectives. For every interesting case that you hear about in the papers there was a month’s worth of trailing cheating husbands or convincing deadbeats to pay off their gambling debts. But the money was good, if not great, and the detective was once again behind on his rent, and everything else, so he took the case. He took a large retainer and told the woman he’d get back to her in a week or so even though he knew he’d have the case wrapped up by that evening or the next. The money was good, after all.

It was raining that night. Hollywood was standing on the street corner outside the Pierre Hotel. There are two essential items in every P.I.’s wardrobe; a trench coat and a tuxedo, and Hollywood was wearing them both. The night before he had followed the husband to the hotel and waited outside for three hours until the man left and Hollywood followed him home. It was ridiculously easy. The husband had made no attempt to hide where he was going. He was either confident or stupid, in Hollywood’s estimation. But tonight, after a short wait, Hollywood planned to enter the hotel and spend some time in the lounge, drinking expensive bourbon on his client’s expense account and keeping an eye on the elevators to see who his target was meeting.

He walked through the lobby and checked his coat, making a mental note to put the tip on his expense report. Hollywood entered the lounge and took a seat at the bar. He’d have preferred a booth but the bar had a better view of the hotel elevators. Another thing it had was a view of the bartender. It was the husband.

After a few minutes of chit chat and a few more shots thrown back, Hollywood had the whole story. There was no other woman, no habit to feed, gambling debts to pay off before a few fingers got broken. Just a man who loved his wife and was working some short shifts to earn some extra money so he could surprise his wife with a down payment on a house.

Hollywood waited a week for appearances sake and called the wife into his office. His bill was padded outrageously but the woman paid it without a glance. All she wanted to know was if her husband was cheating on her. Hollywood happily informed her that her husband was loyal and faithful.

“Damn,” the woman said, and walked out the door without another word.

Three days later the papers said that she killed her husband with three bullets to the back of the head.

Hollywood’s rent was already paid for the next month.

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