The midday sun scorched the asphalt of a

The midday sun scorched the asphalt of a highway stretching through the desert. Rita found a nice big rock and dropped in on the accelerator and put the convertible in drive.

All Rita was trying to do was give poor Lt. Dan a chance to drive again,to let him feel the desert wind through his hair. She forgot all about how since he had no legs, he couldn't

sand board the dunes. Lt. Dan had dreamed of becoming a professional ice skater before the war. Rita did not know of his dreams and her trip to the desert just made the situation

perfect for shenanigans, desert shenanigans. Her time spent as a meter maid had hardened her heart. Remorse was no longer an emotion she felt. Rita saw that Lt. Dan was riding

a wheelchair, and she saw her moment to strike. With a mighty kick, she broke Lt. Dan's fingers, disabling him from moving without great pain or a slight slope.

Out like pizza crust on the kitchen table. She added tomato sauce and then a few dollops of mozzarella. Then came the anchovies. The pizza was baked and served at 7pm. Tuck's uncle

had been tossed on top as an afterthought, since anchovies alone might not bring out the full flavor of the cheese. So there was lots of pizza for all, including Det. Manatee, who

managed to hide the fact that he was a spy from Italy, kidnapping pizza chefs from around the world. Manatee was a self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur, despite being ageusiac.

Which is just as well because international pizza chefs start to reek after a few days locked in a closet. Manatee found them before the worst could happen, whatever that was.