Part 3



	It had been a long day of interviews and last minute details; 

and the last thing Peter wanted was a knock at the door.  He 

groaned and headed for the locked entry, determined to send 

whoever it was away.

	The knock came again.  From behind him.

	Peter slowly turned and looked at the closed window 

curtains.

	A third knock.

	Peter cautiously tiptoed across the room and moved the 

curtains slightly.

	A muffled figure waved and pointed at the balcony door.

	" It's unlocked," Peter said.  After all, who locks a balcony 

door when you're on the tenth floor?

	The figure opened the door and stepped inside, removing 

the floppy hat and fake beard.

	" Eric?  I went to your funeral."

	Eric Carr grinned.  " Nice wasn't it?  The bureau did a great 

job."

	Peter shook his head.  " I'm not dropping out of the band 

again to save the world."

	" I'm not asking you to," Eric assured him.  " We want you 

to stay with them this time.

	" Then why did you sneak in my room?" Peter demanded.

	" E.V.I.L. is on the move again."

	Peter groaned.  " I thought you took care of that in the 80s."

	" The Earthshakingly Villainous Influence League has a 

new leader," Eric said ominously.  " And we believe KISS is again 

a target."

	" You guys told me the same thing back when we recorded 

LOVE GUN," Peter said.

	" You saw the proof back then," Eric reminded.  " How the 

others were being manipulated.  The Mafioso genetic trait all we 

Italians possess is what protected you from the mind-warping 

effects of their hidden projectors.  But that was why Paul and Gene 

tried to block you from writing any songs, because what they were 

recording was pure E.V.I.L."

	Peter sighed.  " I knew something was affecting them.  

Gene started talking about giving all his money away to charity 

and Paul was buying PLAYGIRL.  It was scary.  I knew I had to 

do something when Paul started researching sex change 

operations."

	" We appreciated the sacrifice you made so I could join the 

band without anyone suspecting my true mission," Eric said.  " We 

had to find a way to get the Radiant Argon Device on stage with 

them during the performances since E.V.I.L. was using the sound 

equipment to send subliminal messages not only to the band but 

also the fans.  The second bass drum was the perfect place to put 

it."

	" I know I saw a difference once you started playing with 

them," Peter agreed.

	" It was R.A.D., " Eric assured him.

	" I don't know if I want mixed up in any of your stuff 

again," Peter said uneasily.  " It almost got me killed last time."

	Eric gave him a sympathetic look.  " Remember, I was one 

of your rescuers in '82 when they had you in their Guarded Retreat 

for Innocents Programming."

	" I really hated being in E.V.I.L.'s G.R.I.P. and I never did 

understand why they cut my hair short," Peter admitted.

	" Long hair helps block their propaganda rays," Eric 

explained.  " That's why the bureau created the Big Hair Band 

craze in the 80's, to block E.V.I.L.; and why everyone knew not to 

trust anyone with short hair."

	" It took years for the suppressor to wear off," Peter 

complained.  " And when it did my hair grew back blonde."

	Eric shrugged.  " That's not unexpected.  You were 

fortunate that the chemicals didn't do their usual brain cell 

bleaching or you'd have had a drop in your I.Q. too."

	Peter shuddered.  " But despite all we did E.V.I.L. still got 

a second hold on the band."

	Eric nodded.  " None of us suspected, but Vinnie was a 

totally E.V.I.L. man.  He was a terrible musician and songwriter, 

an even worse singer; but the subliminal vibrations created by his 

equipment masked all that.  I was lucky to spot what he was doing 

in time and foil their little scheme."

	" But how'd they get Vinnie in the band?"

	Eric's face was coldly serious.  " They got in Ace's pants."

	" They what?"

	" The You-Too-Can-Have-Telepathic-Communication-

With-Aliens underwear Ace bought was actually an E.V.I.L. head 

scrambling device," Eric explained.  " We did not realize this until 

years later when one of our operatives bought a pair in a yard sale.  

There is no telling how many people had their crotch corrupted by 

E.V.I.L.  But that bit of information led us straight to the American 

Panaramic Company."

	Peter remembered the now defunct company, although few 

ever referred to it by its full name.  " So A Pan-C was orchestrating 

all E.V.I.L.?"

	Eric nodded.

	" But Pan-C got cut off years ago," Peter pointed out, 

confused.

	" We got A Pan-C," Eric agreed.  " Just like we got their 

predecessor, Two-Lips, the cosmetics giant.  But a new E.V.I.L. 

leader has sprouted up.  They call him Buttercup."

	" What's he planning?"

	" We don't know," Eric admitted.  " We had an undercover 

agent at the one meeting we knew about between the E.V.I.L. 

Buttercup and several of his field operatives.  Unfortunately he 

died before he could tell us very much."

	Peter groaned.  " What happened?  E.V.I.L.?"

	" No, he died from the hazardous conditions he had to 

operate under."  Eric explained, " The meeting was in a nudist 

colony.  We thought our man was just suffering from sunburn but 

it was terminal embarrassment.  We had him disguised but not 

even the best disguise can compensate for some things.  You just 

have to have the right equipment for a job like that."

	" Was he able to tell you anything before he died?"

	Eric shook his head.  " Very little.  He was stammering 

uncontrollably when we found him.  His last words were 

something about girls talking about KISS.  That's why we believe 

you guys are a target again."

	" So what is it you want me to do?"

	" Peter, we need you to watch for anything unusual.  

They'll try to turn the music into something E.V.I.L.  For the sake 

of the world, and especially for rock and roll, you have to help us 

fight E.V.I.L."

	Peter nodded.  " I'll do it.  How do I contact you?"

	" I'll be around," Eric promised.  " I'll be in disguise so 

you won't recognize me.  I'll contact you though."

	" What about if I have information you need to know?" 

Peter asked.

	" If you need me to contact you, leave off your earring."

	Peter nodded.

	" I have to go."  Eric walked out onto the balcony.

	" I thought you were dead," Peter said with a scowl.

	" Certain people did not like what happened to A Pan-C.  I 

knew they were trying to kill me when my hair started falling out.  

So we faked my death before it became real."

	" I'm glad you're okay," Peter said.  " But Gene will 

probably want the money back for his portion of the flowers."

        " We can't let anyone else know I'm alive or here.  There's 

no telling who might be E.V.I.L."  Eric shook hands.  " Take care 

of yourself.  It'll be great working with you again."

        " It'll at least be interesting," Peter said with a smile.

        Eric vaulted over the railing and disappeared.

        Peter turned to go back in but stopped when he saw the 

jetpack sitting against the wall.  He picked it up and walked to the 

railing.  " You forgot something!"

        " It's okay," Eric assured him from below.  " I landed in the 

dumpster."

        " Here's your stuff."  Peter dropped it over the railing.

        Thud!  " YEOW-ouch!"

        " Sorry about that."  Peter went back in his room.