They were halfway up the side of the mountain when Steve spotted the staircase. "Don't you guys think it would have been a lot easier if we'd gone up that way?"

"It would have been easier," Ninja Frank conceded. "But also a lot less stealthy. We want to sneak our way in, not announce our presence loudly."

"Like, say, for instance blowing up a giant robot bear?" Vladimir said.

"There's a chance that went unnoticed," Marvin said. "I agree we need surprise on our side. There's not too much more mountain to go. Let's dig deep and do this. Disruptors!"

Then Meth Girl fell.

She hit the bottom with a loud thunk.

"Oh no! We lost Meth Girl," Marvin shouted.

"I'm all right," she called from the base of the mountain. "When I smoke meth, not only do I get super tracking powers, I also can't feel any pain." She stood up and dusted herself off.

"Whoa, gnarly!" Marvin shouted. "Your arm's all at a weird angle!"

"It looks like your shoulder came out of the socket," Vladimir called down.

"It did? I hate when that happens. Hang on." Meth Girl whacked her shoulder against the side of the mountain and it popped back into place. "There we go. All better. I'll be back with you guys in a minute." She grabbed the rope and began pulling herself up.

It took them another hour, but they finally reached the top of the mountain without any other major injuries. Steve had a black eye from when Marvin accidentally dislodged a rock and it hit him in the face and Ninja Frank broke a fingernail, but overall they were in good condition.

"Alright guys!" Marvin shouted. "We made it! Sure, the stairs would have been a lot faster and less physically grueling, but by taking the long, hard way, we've maintained the element of surprise. It's an advantage well earned, my friends. Dr. Magnus has no clue what's in store for him shortly."

He took a step forward and triggered some sort of alarm. Sirens started blaring and red lights flashed all around them. A large net suddenly snapped up from the ground and they found themselves ensnared in it. Nobody managed to escape its grasp.

"So much for the element of surprise," Vladimir said. "If only we'd had some boots of Elvenkind. In D&D they allow you to walk across any surface without making a sound. If we all had a pair of those we could have walked up the stairs and no one would have been the wiser."

"It's a little late for that now, Vladimir," Marvin said. "Next time make sure you pack your Keebler Elf shoes before we leave on the mission. Now does anyone have any ideas about how to get out of this net?"

"Maybe I can cut through it with my katana sword," Ninja Frank said.

He unsheathed it and promptly stabbed Steve in the shoulder.

"Ow! What the hell, man?"

"Oops," Ninja Frank said. "If only I could get a better angle. It's kind of cramped with all of us in this net."

"Maybe the stoner kid and I can burn it with our lighters," Meth Girl suggested.

"What if the net catches fire and we all burn up inside it?" Vladimir asked.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Marvin said. "Meth Girl. Steve. Get to igniting."

"Please do not damage my net," a voice with a vaguely Eastern European accent said from below. "My great grandmother Vonda knitted it for me when I was a toddler. It has great sentimental value to me."

"Dr. Magnus?" Marvin said. "Is that you? All I can see is Vladimir's hefty ass, which is shoved in my face right now."

"Yes. I am Dr. Magnus. It is good to see you again, Mister M-Dawg."

"Aw, you remembered to call me M-Dawg. I don't care what they say about you, Doc. You're okay in my book."

"I believe I originated the name M-Dawg," Vladimir said.

"Shut up, dude. Not everything's about you all the time."

"Just saying credit should go where credit is due."

"Okay, okay! That one was all you, bro. Now would you let me talk to the doctor already? Jeez. Hey Doc! It's M-Dawg! How did you know it was me anyway?"

"I have been watching you through my security cameras since your little boat anchored off of my island. You have destroyed some very expensive robots that I designed and built myself. I have to tell you I do not appreciate that. The mimes were meant for the entertainment of the children as I fattened them up. The bear as well. It was capable of performing any dance known to humankind, a feat of engineering of which I was particularly proud.  You also killed Pierre.  A Grand Mime Master who I had flown in from Paris at great personal expense to ensure my mime robots were up to snuff."

"Sorry about that, dude. We thought they were, like, guards or something."

"I do not know how you found your way to my island. I designed it to be completely undetectable by satellite, radar, and even telepathy. Yet here you are. And you have not even brought any delicious children with you as I requested. Such a pity. I suppose I shall have no choice but to launch my super nuke."

"Wait, don't do that, bro. If you really want some kids I can probably find you an orphanage full of a bunch of them nobody wants anyway. I'm sure we can work something out if you let us out of this net. Say, how were you planning on getting those kids delivered anyhow if you weren't handing out the whereabouts of your island?"

"Do you think I only own one island? What kind of commoner do you take me for? This island is my lair. I have a separate island for deliveries. I have a third island, as well, to house my collection of American Girl dolls."

"Oh, that's cool. I want to own an island someday. How much do islands cost anyway? I bet they're not cheap. You must be super rich, dude. Say, you think you could spot me a couple hundred bucks? I'm kind of between jobs at the moment, and I guess I don't get a salary as a junior probationary member of the League of Scrupulousness."

"My patience for this inane babble is growing thin," Dr. Magnus said. "If you are not here to fulfill my demands, then I must assume you intend to hinder me. I am afraid I have no choice but to drop you and your friends into a vat of boiling acid."

"That does not sound like the fun kind of acid," Marvin said.

"I assure you, it is not. Now let us retire to my laboratory where I shall melt the flesh off of your bones." Dr. Magnus hit a button on a remote control and a pair of drones scooped up the net and began flying with it back towards a large cement structure a few hundred yards away.

A huge door in the side of it slid open and allowed them into a giant open warehouse that was filled with tables covered with various science experiments and high-tech gadgets. There was a raised platform in the middle of the room filled with control panels and computer screens. A large, high-backed chair sat in the middle of the panels and Dr. Magnus took a seat there. He pushed a button on one of the panels and a trap door opened in a section of the warehouse floor. The drones maneuvered the net so it was hovering over the opening and Marvin could see a pool of toxic green liquid underneath them.

"It has been a pleasure conversing with you again, Mister M-Dawg, and I do appreciate your assistance in escaping that horrid prison. But now it is time for you to go away."

"What the hell, man?" Marvin said. "I thought you were cool. I take back what I said before about you being okay in my book. You are now solidly listed as not okay."

"I am sure I shall lose sleep at night over that," Dr. Magnus said.

"You'd better hope I don't find a way out of this," Marvin said. "I promise I'll inflict pain on you like you've never imagined."

"Fool!" Dr. Magnus shouted as he leaped up from his chair and grabbed a long jagged knife from a nearby table. "Do you think I am afraid of pain? I welcome it with open arms! My entire existence is pain!" He stuck out his long reptile-like tongue and slowly ran the knife across it, creating a large red gash on it as he made a cut. He spat out blood and smiled, exposing his sharp brown teeth.

"That was messed up, dude," Marvin said.

"Yes. And now I shall mess you up. Good bye, Mister M-Dawg." He pushed a button and the net suddenly released, sending the Disruptors tumbling towards the vat of acid below.