Mark makes it back to the safe side of the lake and meets back up with Buzz (who has decided that he's going to go with this new white-haired look). It is then that he learns that Senator Wallace isn't the only one who's buying meat from the Parkers, though he seems to buy the most and even happens to own the camp. (I hope it isn't an election year. Something like that might really hurt your chances. Or maybe not. People are weird sometimes.) I guess it's a good thing then, that Mark made friends with those beavers. All he has to do is give the word and they'll knock out the dam and flood the Parker camp (and if the Parkers happen to vanish because maybe a dangerous animal or two got a little panicky and feared for their lives, well, no one is going to say anything, right?). Hey Mark, you know who should know about this? Senator Hatcher and your buddy, Tim.
Returning back to the city in their canoe (and apparently deciding to take another shot at Devil's Pass), Mark and Buzz chat about this, that, and the other, but mostly not about the poor poached animals. Oh my, looks like Buzz is more than a little smitten with Jan, Ben's daughter, and since he doesn't want to upset his future girlfriend, he's also beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, there's a way that everyone can live in peace and harmony in the Paradise Lake area. Mark, tired of hearing Buzz moon over Jan, and getting pretty darn antsy to leave this area and get back to the tranquility of Lost Forest, agrees that maybe there is a way (just so long as they don't run into those rocks).
Back in the city, Mark and Buzz meet back up with Tim (at least, I think it's Tim), who seems to have aged in the time it took to go explore the Parker camp. (Gee Mark, maybe you should leave. Everyone seems to be aging a lot faster than normal. Kind of reminds me of that Star Trek episode.) They tell him everything they've found out, and have even enlisted the help of a friendly white rabbit, who gives a little more information about the Parkers and Senator Wallace. Still, Tim isn't about to just go pointing fingers without proof, so I hope you remembered to get that film developed, Mark.
Ah, local government. I sure wouldn't have wanted to miss this. I know that Mark wouldn't have either. That's why Tim dragged both him and Buzz to the council meeting. (After all, if you're going to be making accusations, you should at least bring the guy who saw everything, shouldn't you?) As Tim hammers out the details (details that we are already well aware of, thank you very much), The Jack Elrod Ball protects a duck flying over the Paradise Lake area from hunters and laughing dogs. (Of course, if those hunters are anything like me, they'll have to basically hit that duck from point blank range and then try to shoot the darn dog when it laughs because the game said that you still missed.)
Tim continues to drone on and on and on about things that we already know. Outside, a pigeon perches on a branch, contemplating how it could get into a magic act even though it isn't a dove. Oh wait! Just a minute folks. Things might have just gotten a little more interesting. Senator Wallace has just entered the building and he doesn't appear to be any too happy about what he's just heard. (I half expect him to call Tim out with something to the tune of "Them's fightin' words!" or maybe something about how he's an old man and most people hate him, but he doesn't like them either so it all evens out and that he doesn't really care so long as they keep eating at his restaurant.)
Senator Wallace, thinking that he can just push Tim around, starts to get in the younger man's face, demanding to know what's so bad about owning a fishing camp. Clark Kent (or maybe an old silent film actor) watches nearby, ready to spring into action should Tim require his help in fending off the older man. Tim, however, wasn't just appointed to his position yesterday and throws some of the information he learned from Mark and Buzz back at the Senator, who suddenly thinks that it's getting rather hot in the chamber.
Seeing the Senator begin to stammer and deny that he knew anything about this whole poaching thing (election in November, election in November), Mark decides that now is the time to bring more evidence against him. Sure, Senator, you didn't know anything about this poaching operation. I'm sure that meat just fell from the sky. Well sir, I can tell you that it didn't. I can also tell you that good old wholesome family fun is more important than wild game meat in a fancy schmancy restaurant. Besides, you had to know that there was something up. After all, it was your plane. (Oops. That's why you should deal with shady people of questionable character for every step of the acquisition process. I would have thought that you'd have known that by now.)
Well, it looks like Mark might have just solved the problem, for the time being at least. I am, however, a little confused. A canoe trail, huh? How would one go about marking such a trail? I mean, a lake is not a forest. You can't just clear a trail and stick some posts along it. Oh well. I am sort of disappointed that there wasn't more punching, but hey, an ending is an ending (and I really hope that this is an ending. I don't know if I really want to sit through another council meeting.). At least they're going to get Ben involved seeing as how he would be directly affected by any restrictions of planes into and out of the Paradise Lake Area. (Tim, you might as well let Buzz work on this too. He'll probably want to see Jan again and if you don't get him to help now, he'll just start showing up on his own.)
Trying to see if there's any way out of this little murder mysterious party that he's been inexplicably invited to, Tracy actually calls the police station to see if there have been any real crimes committed that need his attention. (He's also heard rumblings about some sort of case involving a mysterious man named Waldo, but no one seems to be willing to discuss it with him.) Unfortunately, he finds out that the chief has also received an invitation to the party and in fact, everyone at the station has received an invitation. Looks like he won't be getting out of it this time, and to make matters worse, it appears that our intrepid detective isn't just invited to attend the party, he's been invited to be one of the players, and this party may not actually be a party. (Yeah, this should turn out well. I hope all of the other actors remember to wear bulletproof vests.)
Deciding that now is as good a time as any to continue perfecting his I'm A Little Teapot pose, Tracy contemplates the invitation and the new revelation that not only is he going to attend, but he's also expected to perform. The plot continues to thicken as we learn that this case is not just any old made up case, but an old mystery of none other than Dick Tracy's. (Seriously, everyone get a bulletproof vest now, and maybe a helmet. Got to protect to old noggin, after all.) It seems that that little bit of information was just a little too much and Dick goes into a rant, flailing his arms about as he tries to explain that he has a job. A job involving crime fighting and murders and robots and mad scientists and all sorts of crazy things. He doesn't want to re-enact that job. He has the memories. (It would be like asking a plumber to be a plumber in a play. It isn't the only thing he does. He has a lot of other interests, too.) I think I can actually hear the wheels turning in Tracy's head as he tries to figure out a way to get out of this. Alas, I don't think he'll be able to dodge this bullet.
Later that night as the Tracy's lie tucked safely in their warm bed, Dick continues to mull over this play thing, though from the look on his face, he might actually be starting to come around to the idea. Sure, he's never acted before. Sure, being in this play thing would interfere with police business. Sure...wait a minute. Interfere with police business? Hmm. Maybe he could get that time off the chief has been promising him after all. (Maybe he could even be paid for it.) As Tracy continues to think, a bird turns into a rock and crashes through his window. (Cale? Is that you? Come on out. I know you're there. I can hear you giggling.)
The rock, apparently triggering the motion sensing lamp the Tracy's had installed (well, that or The Clapper), awakens the sleeping Tess (who gives us an idea of what she'd look like with shorter hair) and seems to have scared the bejeezus out of the Dick, who is now clutching his pillow in fright (or maybe he's trying to pretend to be a asleep so that Tess won't make him get up and check on that noise). Quickly snapping out of it and back into detective mode, Tracy leaps into action, spotting the rock on the floor as he makes his way to the window and immediately begins firing into the darkness. (Don't worry folks, I'm sure he's following some sort of police procedure...maybe.)
Apparently hitting no one, Tracy puts in a call to the station where the chief is working the graveyard shift. He's even taken the time to get dressed before he does it (because I guess the chief can hear pajamas over the phone and he wants to be taken seriously). Hearing about the wayward rock, the chief immediately tells Tracy that he and Tess should get out of there, even though they never did find the person who threw the rock so they can't be sure that someone didn't throw it for the express purpose of luring a certain gumshoe outside where he can be done away with from the shadows. Agreeing to the chief's plan, Tracy lets her know that Tess will be staying with Junior (who is yet another child of the Tracy's, just in case you were wondering), but that he won't be going anywhere because now there's a case to solve and lines to learn and whatnot.
Before he tells Tess that she won't be sleeping in her own bed tonight, he tells her that yes, he has indeed decided to take part in the play. After all, it was his case so if someone is going to do it, it might as well be someone who can do it right. (Oh yeah, and the charity is good because the orphans, or animals, or bugs, or environment, or whatever need help.) Later (or possibly in the Tracy's very own basement crime lab), the note is examined and surprise, surprise, there aren't any prints on it, which means that we're dealing with a guy wearing gloves, a robot, or a ghost. (My money's on the ghost. We've already done the guy and robot angles.) On a semi-related note, the chief is less than impressed that Tracy seems to be taking things so lightly (and she's probably just a little peeved that she didn't get asked to do the play too).
As Tracy continues to put off telling Tess that she's going to be staying at Junior's, the two talk about the play. Apparently, it will be held at the science museum. (Gee, this sort of reminds me of an old Batman episode I just saw. Do you think the Penguin is involved in this too?) Tess couldn't be happier that Dick is going to be getting out of the house and doing something cultural. In fact, she seems to be so happy that she's trying to raise the roof, which as you all know is quite a feat when you have been afflicted with T-Rex Arms. (Yes folks, I do have the sad duty to inform you that her recovery was only temporary and that she has indeed suffered a relapse. Perhaps this is the charity Dick was talking about.) Meanwhile, across town at the museum, which apparently doubles as a theater, a shadowy director has her assistant, Lime Light, hand out scripts. (Let the puns begin.)
Finally, several hours and costume changes later, Tess and Tracy show up at Junior's apartment. (I guess dark hair is not hereditary in the Tracy family.) Tess safely left with their loving son, Tracy returns home to see if any more rocks have come flying through the window. He also takes another look at the note and decides that it might not be such a bad thing after all. It is here that I respectfully disagree. Yes, Dick, it might be a note wishing you nothing but good luck. However, it was attached to a rock and said rock was thrown through your window. Taking that into account, I have to read that note with a more sinister tone, where it means that there's no assassination technique too good for you, so watch your back or your neck or your head or your heart or your kneecaps or whatever. That's how I read it, but sometimes I misinterpret these things.
Meanwhile, back at the science museum, we find out that the author of the play is the mysterious Johnny Nothing and that the director is named Anja (which, we can only hope, is just the first part of a deliciously punny name). Oh Johnny Nothing, I can't wait to see what you bring to the table. (I only hope that you don't live up to your name.) But answer me this, my friend, why the science museum? (And are you related to the Question?)
On the run from the nefarious Parker brothers and their monopoly on illegal hunting in the Paradise Lake area (yes, I went there), Mark seeks refuge in the forest. Not knowing what has happened to Buzz, Mark can only hope that the ranger has made his way to some meeting place that they agreed on but neglected to tell us about. Buzz, also being an intrepid outdoorsman, is true to his word and is waiting as Mark, thanks to The Jack Elrod Ball, enters the clearing where they had decided to meet. One can only wonder what other hardships and terrors Buzz has had to face as his once blonde hair is now white as snow and he now also sort of looks like Ben (or Hannibal Smith). Unfortunately, that information may never be known, but at least the evidence of the Parker's depravities is safely stowed away in Mark's camera (unless he got it wet, or fell on it, or accidentally deleted the pictures as he ran). Now it's only a matter of getting them to the proper authorities.
Buzz, deciding to head back to town to turn in the evidence against the Parkers, leaves Mark, who has decided to stay and learn a little more about what the Parkers are up to. He is also apparently bringing his camera along, which makes me wonder if Buzz actually has the pictures. Oh well. If the authorities don't take care of the Parkers, Mark surely will (possibly with the help of that squirrel in panel two). Of course, he has also decided to take quite a risk by climbing a tree to get a better view of the Parker camp. Um, Mark, don't you remember what happened the last time you climbed a tree? I know I would, but I am not you, and don't get shot at that often (okay, not at all). Oh well, I'm sure you know what you're doing.
Mark, still being pursued by the Parkers, makes his way to the lake and his canoe. Leaping into the vessel, he begins to paddle for his life, hoping to reach the other side of the lake before Joe and/or Moe sees him. (If it were me, I would have probably just kept to the forest, skirting the lake as I made my way to safety, seeing as how going out onto the lake would put me right out in the open and in a rather vulnerable position, but as I have said many times before, I am not an intrepid woodsman, so I don't have much experience in this sort of thing.)
Mark gets a fair distance away from the shore before Moe and Joe notice him (or at least they notice someone in a canoe. I doubt they can really see who it is, so it's very possible that he could just be the local Sunday School teacher taking a peaceful row about the lake). Joe (or is it Moe?), decides to take care of Mark once and for all (taking into account that it actually is Mark and not the aforementioned Sunday School teacher who always came to class with some yummy cookies and those juices that came in little barrels for snack time) and shoots at him. Good thing that Mark has the reflexes of a super cat and at the last minute throws his paddle into the air to deflect the bullet. (What? That is what happened, isn't it?) Unfortunately, his last second heroics also appear to have succeeded in tipping the little canoe over. I hope you've been practicing your swimming, Mark.
Joe and Moe follow the example of countless ne'erdowells and just assume that Mark is dead because he fell out of the canoe and they can't see him anymore. (Yeah, tell me how that works out for you guys.) The deed done, the two head back to the camp to revel in their depravity (and probably shoot a cute little bunny rabbit or two which will shortly appear on the menu of Senator Wallace's restaurant). Mark, meanwhile, is still very much alive and hiding behind his canoe, waiting for the right moment to climb back in and continue on his way back to the safe side of the lake. I just hope that Joe or Moe or Ma don't look back out at the lake and see him when he does.
In the grand tradition of other Dick Tracy stories that just seemed to go on forever, so too goes the story of the Maestro, his now deceased son, and the rock band that tore them apart. Phil, still in the depths of despair over the loss of dear Ludwig, heads on over to the only other people who seemed to have known his son: the members of that darn rock band that tore them apart. Oh rock band that never really was (that apparently the audiences loved even though I seem to recall someone saying that they had never really played anywhere), you're going through a rather rough time, aren't you? But wait, what does that shadowy figure (who is probably Phil Harmonic) want? Is Dick Tracy going to have to call in the authorities again, or, tired of this whole thing, will he finally take the law into his own hands?
The shadowy figure, who turned out to be Phil Harmonic, has unexpectedly dropped in on the band formerly known as The Ringtones and now known as the We Will Split Up And Find Other Bands To Play In Because The Guy Who Put Us Together Got Himself Killed (catchy, isn't it?) with a proposition. Yes indeed, it would appear that old Phil there has decided Kid wasn't so bad after all, and neither was his music. (Yes, rock and/or roll is perfectly fine in small doses, so long as it does not interfere with the symphony.) He's even got a plan, too: a memorial concert in honor of his dearly departed son. But wait, who will play the guitar? (Who, indeed.)
Wow, who knew that behind the baton and the bad attitude about rock and roll was a guitar player waiting to break free. Looks like the concert is on and since the Maestro pretty much owns the Symphony Hall, they don't even have to worry about finding a place to play. Meanwhile, back at the Tracy's, Dick has caught wind of the concert and decided that since Tess dragged him to the symphony, the least he can do is drag her to a rock concert. (Good thing they apparently never changed out of their clothes from the Ambassador's party. Odd, though, that they would have the memorial concert before the Kid has been buried and before the news of his death has really spread. Oh wait, this is one of those time leap things, isn't it?)
Wow, Tracy actually looks pretty happy to be at the concert (even with Tess's hair about to poke him in the eye). Maybe he realizes that the case is finally over and he's thinking about all of the things he can do on his day off. Yup, looks like the case is finally over. Sure, the Maestro is wallowing in grief, The Ringtones are pretty much finished, and Tracy has a whole lot of paperwork coming his way, but at least the case has been wrapped up and everyone had a rockin' good time at the concert. (Besides, how soon could another case come up anyway?)
Relaxing back at home, Tracy turns his attention to the future. A future without clowns and casinos and music and weird things that make no sense. (It's a beautiful dream, Dick, really it is. I wonder how long it will be before it's dashed.) But wait, a mysterious letter has arrived at the Tracy's and Dick doesn't look too happy about the contents. So much for the relaxation, huh, Dick?
Oh my. It looks like the Tracys have been invited to a murder mystery party. You know, they probably aren't the best people to invite to one of these things. People tend to actually die around Dick Tracy and you never know when he might just mistake a pretend death or a pretend threat for a real one. (Now would be a good time for whoever sent that to send another one that says, "Sorry about that invitation. I wasn't paying attention to the addresses. You don't have to come, really. You can just stay home. We can do something else together later.") He especially doesn't look too thrilled about the prospect of attending this party (or maybe it's that he hasn't has his coffee yet), but who knows, that could all change when he finds out who sent it. (We can only hope that their name is a pun.)
