Chapter 10

Burgabiter lent forward, ready to throw the master switch. The twist of his wrist was never made, he was thrown sideways away from the switch by the arrival of a bullish Brighton. Alphonso struggled against his assailant, while trying to regain his breath - which had been unceremoniously blasted from him. A trio of naked women arrived to witness the flailing Burgabiter's momentous endeavour; to throw off a livid Hove.

Try as he might he could not overcome the other mans athletic ability, then he spied a brass rod if he could just reach it...

"Jane, pass me the rod, help me to dislodge this lout." Alphonso screamed.

Jane hesitated, her face a mask of confusion, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Now girl, your master commands it!" Alphonso barked, angrily, "Before this dolt chokes the life from me."

Jane moved with surprising speed, she retrieved the rod and placed it in an outstretched hand. The fingers closed around it thankfully. The rod crashed into a skull with a resounding thud.

Alphonso rolled to one side, and the figure beneath him stood. Hove gazed at Jane open-mouthed. "Thank you, most helpful..."

"I had to, there is something wrong. And he is the cause of it." Jane pointed a dispassionate finger at the slumped professor.

"You are correct, will you attend to the others while I check on Ned?"

Jane nodded, and returned to the others who cowered in fear having seen their master felled.

Hove ran over to Ned and proceeded to rouse him, by delivering stinging slaps to his face. On the third slap Ned grumbled, lifted his head, and from his seated position gazed into Hove's midriff. "Good lord Brighton! Put it away... What a sight for a chap to awaken to."

Brighton glanced down, his right hand cupped his 'crown jewels' and returned them to the inside of his britches. "Sorry Holmes, I forgot I was in a state of dis-array."

"Apology accepted, if you can just assist me in getting out of this damnable chair..."

Holmes stood staring down at Burgabiter, contempt distorting his normally handsome face. He swung his head and steadied his gaze on Brighton. "My thanks to you Hove, I doubt if this blighter had pleasant plans for my mind. Thanks to your action I am still whole."

"A pleasure Holmes, what do you intend to do with this madman?"

"Hand him over to the authorities. But first we must return these ladies to their virtuous selves. It is our duty before god!"

"Well said Ned. I can not agree more, none should have to suffer the ignominies these poor ladies have."

"I think it should be a simple task to connect the correct jar and reverse the electrical flow. This will return the unaltered brain patterns back to our mis-guided girl's."

"Capital, if you say so Holmes."

"Which of you is Jane?" Asked Holmes.

Jane stepped forward.

"This is the girl that saved us Holmes, she handed me the weapon which felled the villain." Hove explained.

"Impressive, even controlled by the nefarious Professor her basic humanity surfaced. Madam I am in your debt."

"I feel that I am more in yours Mr Holmes." She replied smiling.

"Please take a seat in the chair, I will make this as painless as I can. Hove go back and see if you can retrieve the ladies clothes. I anticipate their nakedness will cause them some embarrassment, once they are returned to their natural state."

Hove nodded, and walked past the huddled forms of Constance and Daphne. He smiled down at them kindly. "You will soon be restored ladies, fear not."