A flash of bright colors and a sequence of fast-passing scenes - none lasting more than a few seconds, while the rock-beat rhythm of the theme song fills the air.

In sequence: A patriotically garbed group, seven-eight people, battling armored thugs with hints of wolfish features in their helmets. A debonair man with mirrorshades driving a red car down the highway turns off the road in a flurry of dust at high speed. Before the red car an imposing building with the words in an arch above the doorway reading 'Action Institute'. A pair of figures, wielding handguns, dressed in business clothing - a tall Black man with a cigar in his mouth and a svelte, red-headed woman looking down the barrel of her gun at a target. There is a distinct resemblance in this animated character to Gillian Anderson. Another chase scene, where a lone man on a Harley motorcycle is trying to outrace a brightly painted van. A group shot, the debonair man standing in the middle, others flanking him - all dressed in similar uniforms, clearly denoting them as a team. Stars and fireworks go off in the background. The title of the Show is emblazoned above the heads of these characters:

Scene 1:

Major Dick Drives down a residential street, mirrorshades on, the sun bright above as his convertible pulls up to a stop along the sidewalk. He gets out and heads up the walkway to the front door. For once dressed casually, Major Dick is wearing a polo and fitted blue jeans. Before he can reach for the buzzer, the door opens, framing Katriana in a soft light. She smiles and steps outside to join him on the porch.

"Katura will be downstairs in a minute. She's cleaning up her room. She left it a mess this morning and that's against the rules." She pauses and starts to go back inside. "Can I get you a coke, some lemonade?" The woman looks just a little nervous, but not frightened.

Major Dick fusses with his shirt collar. "Please, miss...Katriana, don't trouble yourself. I'm fine." He looks about the exterior of the house. "A nice home you have here."

Katriana runs her hand over the peeling paint on the banister and pillar. "It needs a little work, but Katura and I enjoy the time we spend together fixing it up."

At this, the little girl comes bounding out of the house. She is dressed like a tomboy, down to the baseball cap. "Okay, mommy. I am all done. Can we go now, Major Dick?" She looks brimming over with excitement. "I saw you drive up. Are we really going to go in your car?" She runs out to the sidewalk then, calling behind her "Come on, Mommy!"

Scene Change :

A sequence of travel shots. Three people in the sports car, Katura in the backseat keeps casting glances between her mommy and Major Dick.

Car pulls up to the Action Institute gates, crackling with blue electricity. Major Dick punches in a key pad code and the gates open. The car drives on. The drive to the front of the institute is beautiful and imposing. Pulling up to his parking place, Major Dick opens the door and gets out, Katura scrambling out in her excitement as well, while Katriana take an instant longer.
"Come on, I'll give you the complete tour of my home."

Scene 2:

In the lobby area, Elizabeth Kellerman and an Arabic-looking man in military garb stand in the midst of discussion. They turn to see who enters and Major Dick waves to them with a smile. "Elizabeth, Abul, I want you to meet two friends of mine." He turns to Katriana and Katura. "Elizabeth is a scientist here at the Institute and Abul is our head of Security. He's also a champion swimmer." Major Dick winks. "We've got an Olympic sized pool in the lower levels."

Katura's eyes gleam. "Really? A swimming pool all your own?"

Abul nods as he squats down. "If you want to, sometime I'll give you lessons." His manner is friendly and reassuring. He looks up at Katriana, rising to extend his hand to her. "That is if you mother thinks it's ok." A glance down at Katura, as if sharing a secret, "we could even invite to come play too."

Elizabeth looks on as the Arab and Katriana shake hands. She speaks up then, "Katriana, did Major Dick explain to you what we wanted to do today?" Katriana hesitantly nods her head. Elizabeth runs a hand over Katura's brunette curls, causing the little girl to look up with a smile. "We'll be playing games mostly. A few tests but no needles and nothing that would hurt her in any way." Elizabeth steps back. "You're welcome to join us in the lab if you like."

As Elizabeth speaks, another man appears, walking out of the far corridor. He stops beside the door frame. The man is thin, pale skinned with light blond-hair. He remains at some distance until Major Dick looks over and says very quietly, "Puck. come here. I want you to meet Katura Sophia."

Puck nods and walks over, still silent. The little girl looks up and , ..eyes meet eyes for an instant. Puck smiles then and murmurs. "Yes. I can see, she's a very special child."

Elizabeth looks surprised, but says only, "Puck did you finish with the lab setup?" He nods. "Good then, " She continues, " why don't we head on down..."

"Stop right there." The voice is cold, flat. Everyone looks over, startled, to see Daniel Johnson coming in from the front doors. He points to Puck "You don't belong here. Back off now and we'll keep this from getting messy."

Major Dick frowns and steps between Daniel and Puck, "Daniel explain yourself."

Elizabeth lays a comforting hand on Puck's arm. The man does not seem to notice, but only stares blankly at Daniel. He whispers, "Screaming Rage."

Daniel growls. "He's a member of WOLFE. They could be tracking him even now."

Major Dick corrects his friend. "Daniel, he *was* a WOLFE commando. He's on our side now. He's been with the Action Institute almost a year now."

Elizabeth jumps into the fray and adds her opinion, "Daniel, you're out of line. This isn't our operation here, it's Major Dick's."

The tension builds another ten heartbeats as eyes lock on each other. Katriana wraps her arms about Katura Sophia's shoulders and backs up a step, then two. Daniel sees the motion out of the corner of his eye and growls and instant more, then relaxes. "Dick, if you're wrong about this - believe me, I'll make sure you know it." Daniel storms off into the depth of the Action Institute. Abul looks at Major Dick, then rushes after the angry man.

Scene Change:

Elizabeth, Major Dick, Puck, Katriana and Katura walk down a hall, one side covered with windows to the outdoors. The other side looks in on a huge, brightly colored laboratory. Elizabeth opens the door to gesture the group inside.

Major Dick pauses in the hallway, he looks at Elizabeth and Puck, then at Katura and Katriana. "hmm....Katriana, perhaps you'd like to continue the tour? While they run through things here?"

Katriana looks unsure for a minute, then almost shyly nods. "I think I'd like that." She smiles at Katura, "Do you mind, honey?" The little girl shakes her head and bounds into the lab, chatting with Puck. "My teacher says everyone's special. Do you know her?" The lab door shuts. Through the windows, Elizabeth can be seen guiding the little girl to a large carpeted area overflowing with toys. Major Dick and Katriana head down the long hall.

Scene 3:

Outside the Action Institute, in the woods. A small group is gathered under the camouflage of trees. Beethoven stands, arms folded across his chest, back to the Institute and clearly on guard. One figure holds up a pair of binoculars, they are closed on in the figures of Katura, Elizabeth and Puck as seen through wall-sized windows in Elizabeth's lab. The thin young man lowers his binoculars and looks to the side, tapping something into a laptop computer. He speaks into the microphones headset, "Subject located. Currently two adults and the child in lab. No security in sight." A hand comes to rest on the boy's shoulder.

"Good work, Hacker. Ask Morgan if they are ready to strike. I'm getting anxious to get this going." The voice is that of Gabrielle. She stand tall, her other hand clasped about the green-glowing axe. "Part of me hopes we aren't able to recover her. Then, it's my call." Ominous music underlines the words and fades away, as she smiles, her eyes focused on the distant form of a curly-haired child.

Scene 4:

The Cafeteria. A table on the patio, overlooking the lake. Major Dick and Katriana have empty plates in front of them, but they seem reluctant to leave the view. He grabs a pitcher of soda and refills her glass, spilling a drop on Katriana's hand. Swiftly, Major Dick grabs his napkin and takes her hand in one of his, to wipe the spill away. Katriana's cheeks flush and she looks up, just in time to meet his eyes. They stare for a minute and then he lets go of her hand and murmurs, "Sorry". Katriana simply nods.

Major Dick sits down and fusses with his collar. "It's easy to tell that Katura's your daughter - she's got your hair...your eyes, your mouth." He looks out over the lake. "I was wondering, you are willing to talk about it, where is Katura's father?"

Katriana looks away, her shoulders droop. "I don't know. He..left me before she was born."

Major Dick's jaw tightens and he replies. "I see." He tries to change the subject, "Well.. *you* should have every reason to be proud of her. If, Elizabeth is right - then she'll have a very bright future indeed."

Nodding slowly, Katriana sips from her glass and then asks, "I'm still a bit confused...."

An alarm disrupts the quiet moment. A hulking form comes striding across the patio. It is Beethoven, perhaps the strongest member of the WOLFE commandos. He is dressed in a minimum of armor and his gaze is fixed on Major Dick.

"Katriana, run! get some help. Find Abul or Daniel. Go now!"

She sprints for the door while Major Dick, grimly puts his body between Beethoven and Katriana. The hulking form of the WOLFE Commando casts a long shadow over Major Dick.

Standing in front of the Action Institute are a group of WOLFE Operatives. One, the young man with his laptop computer, standing next to...Darkness. Standing in what is clearly an enhanced version of the standard WOLFE armor - in unrelieved back, vaguely reminiscent of Darth Vader, is the leader. His cape flares out behind, black as his armor. The stylized helmet disguises both face and voice. A red jump-suited figure stands on the other side, flamethrower cannon in his hands. The man laughs wildly, and it cascades through the outdoors - a hyena's laugh.

Hacker smiles and looks up from his computer screen. "That's it. The internal security grid is down, Morgan."

The figure in black nods, silently. He makes a hand gesture. Hacker punches a few more keys. "They should be coming out the front here in 15 seconds. Beethoven is battling Major Dick and the target has been left in Lab A. along with the two civilians." He speaks into the microphone again, "Gabrielle, you're clear to go."

The doors of the Action Institute open and out pours Screaming Rage with a group of men and women dressed in action squad uniforms, - most are armed.

Scene 5:

Elizabeth's Lab. - Gabrielle swings her axe at the glass windows and they shatter. She steps inside, framed by the jagged edges of glass. Her eyes scan the lab, to find Puck, grabbing Katura and pulling her behind him. Elizabeth dives toward her desk, rifling through the top drawer and she grabs her gun.

Gabrielle ignores the woman, focusing on Puck and the little girl. "Get out of my way, 'friend' and for old times sake I'll let you live, but the girl is mine."

A gun shot rings out as Elizabeth clips Gabrielle's axe wielding arm. She lets loose a howl of pain and spins about, finding a new target for her anger. Elizabeth eyes her coolly down the sight of her gun. With unexpected swiftness, Gabrielle leaps across the space between them, knocking the gun out of Elizabeth's hand, just as the second shot hits her side. She swats Elizabeth into the lab wall. There is a loud thud and Elizabeth slides down, unmoving.

Smiling, her eyes glinting with rage, Gabrielle hefts the axe in her off-hand, once again stalking Katura and Puck. "Come on, Puck. You know I am going to take her, the Alpha's ordered it. For the sake of our friendship, don't make me kill you to do it." She knocks over the lab table to make a straight line between her and the pale haired man.

"Gabi, please just go. Go before they get here."

Shaking her head, Gabrielle replies, "They've got their hands full at the front. You aren't going to have any back up."

"Don't speak so soon. I'm considered to be quite good!" Abul shouts as he tackles Gabrielle from behind. A shot of the background shows that he seems to have climbed in through the window, following Gabrielle.

The two start to fight. It is violent and bloody. While Abul and Gabrielle trade blow for blow, Puck leads Katura to Elizabeth, grabbing her arm and trying to drag the woman with them. Gabrielle notices and tosses a chair and some equipment between them and the door, trying to block their exit. Abul slices her across the stomach, tackles Gabrielle again and the two fallout the broken window into the grass, still fighting.

Scene 6:

Puck pulls Elizabeth and Katura into the hallway. There are sounds of fighting from all sides. Katriana comes stumbling into sight. "Katura!" She calls out, running to her daughter.

Katriana scoops the girl up into her arms as Puck makes a decision. "They are after her. Their Alpha must know that she's special. He hefts Elizabeth's limp body into his arms. "Come on, the elevator's this way. You'll be safe in the War Room." Katriana follows Puck, holding Katura very tightly and flinching at the occasionally loud booms. "I'm going to leave you there so I can go help. You'll be okay, " Puck looks over his shoulder, flashing a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't want to answer to the Major if either of you got hurt."

Katriana's eyes widen and she rushes forward, down the hall. "He's in the cafeteria, fighting one of those people we saw before, the WOLFE people."

Puck nods. "The big guy right," He pauses, eyes glancing at Katriana, then nods to himself, "Yep. Beethoven. That one's getting pretty over-confident."

They stop at the elevator door. "Here you go." The doors open. "When you get to the bottom, tell the elevator to shutdown, Command Glenn - Beta 7 7 4. Got that?"

Katriana repeats, "Command Glenn - Beta 7 7 4." She steps into the car, her face once of undisguised fear and the doors shut.

Puck looks toward the direction of the cafeteria and then towards the lobby. He breaks out into a trot for the front door.

Scene 7:

The fight is ongoing in the front of the Institute, the Action squad has some wounded men, while the opponents appear to be unharmed. Cars, and the exterior of the building appear to be burning down. Screaming Rage is advancing directly towards Morgan, the Lord of Darkness, Puck comes barreling out of the building. He scans the area with this eyes and in the distance there is a silvery flash of light, a reflection off something metallic.

Hidden in shadows, a solitary man is taking aim at Screaming Rage, the sightlines are over Daniel's heart. The finger presses lightly on the trigger, then eases off - not firing. The figure starts to aim his gun to the ground and then there is a crackle and the sound of static in his headphones. The gun lifts up again, squarely taking aim at Daniel yet again.

Puck cries out a warning. "Daniel, DOWN! Now!"

Reflexively, the former marine drops. He looks up and Morgan is.....gone. Vanished. The snipers bullet races in a line over Daniel's head, to hit the side of a near by car.

With that, all the WOLFE Commandos start to withdraw. Hacker smiles brightly, even as the Wolfe van backs up, his face is seen in the passenger side of the front seat. He hits a key and the security grid comes back up around the perimeter, crackling with electricity just like it's supposed to, separating WOLFE and the men on foot in front of their home.

Scene 8:

The Cafeteria is a disaster area. Clearly Major Dick and Beethoven have been going full out at each other, yet Beethoven hasn't been able to get past his opponent. Both men are scratched, bruised and bloody. Beethoven heaves a table at Major Dick, who tries to duck, but gets side-swiped. Then the alarm stops. These is a high pitched static squeal and the sound of gibberish as a panel shot reveals a miniature earphone in Beethoven's ear. "Been fun, Major. Be killing you next time." Beethoven hoists a pair of chairs as delaying tactics, jumps from the patio and runs for the forest. Major Dick staggers to the railings edge, an arm wrapped about his ribs and he turns, limping back into the building.

Scene 9:

In the lobby of the Institute. - Katura Sophia is hovering over Major Dick while the medic bandages his torso. Katriana is beside Abul as they take help a groggy Elizabeth. The little girl pipes up. "You should come stay at our house while your hurted, Major Dick. My mommy makes the best soup and she lets me have ice cream and stuff when I'm sick and have to stay home. She could take care of you too."

Katriana looks over at her daughter, a brilliant red color to her face, "Katura, honey, why don't you come over and let the doctor do his job." Katura walks over and with a smile, hugs her mother's side and looks up at her, smiling brightly. "Will we get to come back and swim in the pool tomorrow, Mommy?"

Katriana looks over her daughter's head at Major Dick and replies softly. "Maybe not tomorrow, but we'll see about another visit, okay Honey?"

The shot changes to another corner of lobby, where Screaming Rage is reviewing footage from the external security cameras. "Morgan." His hand touches the video screen, and his voice remains falt, detached. "Hacker. Hyena. Beethoven. Gabrielle." He turns his head and looks at Puck, seated beside him. "We should be flattered. They are starting to send the first rank of soldiers directly after us. Some of them anyhow. I wonder who the sniper was however. That's not the the usual pattern for any of the WOLFE commandos we have on file." He looks at Puck and asks quietly, "Unless you know who was at the end of that gun?"

Puck looks at Daniel and shakes his head. "No. No one I knew when I ran with them. But someone who is fixated in you. Strongly. I felt it." Puck turns his head away, to glance over at Katura Sophia as she chats with her mother.

The little girl is watching all the hustle and bustle of the Action Institute staff with wide-eyed wonder. She tilts her head up and tugs on her mother's arm. "When I grow up, can I be a member of the Action Squad too, Mommy?"

Major Dick limps over and looks at Katriana, "If I may?" The woman nods, and he kneels down, bandaged now and all cleaned-up. "Katura, you can start 'helping' the squad now if you want too. When you grow up, your are going to be a very special person. An important person and that is why you and your mommy are in danger now. We can help, but you have to trust us." He smiles then and winks, "Of course..you can help by making sure Abul doesn't forget how to swim - he needs constant practice and one of our rules is you never go swimming without a buddy. So, when your mommy lets you come visit, you can be his partner. Are you will to take this important assignment?"

Katura nods and stands straightens up very stiffly, to give Major Dick a salute, "yes, Major Dick. I'll make sure Abul doesn't forget how to swim."

Major Dick stands. "Come on now. Enough excitement for today. We have to clean up around here, and it's getting late. Katriana, let me take ya'll home."

CLOSING CREDITS

Tag Segment - A real life human sits on the corner of a desk, in a room remarkably like the office of Glenn Larrett in the cartoons.

"Well - today Screaming Rage learned an important lesson - "Learn to work together, and put aside your differences if you are going to be a team." Glenn smiles, "If Daniel had made Puck go away, he would have been hit by that sniper in the fight. Just because you don't like someone, doesn't mean they can't be useful. Remember that, Action Cadets."

The man stands up and looks straight into the camera. "However, the Action Squad still doesn't know what they were looking for. boy they could sure use help. Do you want to help the Action Squad?" He smiles. "Major Dick is always looking for young boys and girls to help us foil the evil plans of WOLFE. Write down this address today and mail us $3.00 to join the team. You'll get an Action Institute Identification badge, updates on Major Dick toys, along with special gift certificates and copies of the Action Squad Magazine. Then, watch each episode to learn how you can help Major Dick and the Team! This week we need to figure out what the WOLFE commandos wanted from the museum. If you have an idea, write it down and mail it to the Action Squad, c/o Central City Animation, 00000 Blanche Way, Central City, TX 77777-7777 (OOC: kl.barnes@mail.utexas.edu)
Don't wait--Major Dick and the Action Squad need your help today!

End Program.