THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE #14: RESTRAINING RENEGADES.

Within a few minutes, the Marauders had been restrained with zip-ties. Nickelby administered anaesthetics to the injured gang-members, placing them all into the recovery position. 

Having more or less shrugged off TWO flexible-baton rounds at close range, the largest Marauder was given a double dosage of sedative to keep him under. 

Although Drake was less than thrilled with Nickelby using live ammunition on the would-be car theif, at least the butler had opted for a wound rather than a kill shot.

“My goodness, there’s nothing like a little skirmish to aid your digestion, eh?” he asked Nickelby.

“Quite right, sir,” said Nickelby.

“Nickelby, call the police and send for an ambulance would you? Some of these men will require medical attention.”
“At once, sir.”
“Oh, and if anyone gives you any trouble, give ‘em a pop with this,” Drake added, handing the reloaded Winchester back to his butler.

“Gladly, sir,” said Nickelby, readying a round, just in case.

Whistling cheerfully, Drake headed back inside The Bottled Oyster...

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- 13: Butler’s Bravado.

[And now Gentle Readers, there will be a slight diversion in the narrative as we shift our focus to a more ancillary character.]

Meanwhile, Drake Mandible’s faithful dogsbody, Nickelby, sat in the Bentley, monitoring the remote feed of the hidden security cameras that his employer had installed the last time they had visited The Bottled Oyster. 

As the butler watched the fight, he heard a noise coming from the rear of the car. Checking his side-view mirror, he saw a figure crouched by the back wheel, working it furiously with a tyre-iron. As this car was their way back to the airport, Nickelby decided to take matters into his own hands.

“Good evening to you sir,” he said, stepping out of the driver’s seat. The man-presumably a member of the Marauders delegated lookout duty- started, clearly expecting the expensive car to be unoccupied. He quickly recovered and brandished his weapon.

“I’d strongly advise against pursuing that course of action, sir,” said Nickelby.
“Oh really?” said the Marauder, mimicking the butler. “What are you going to do? Challenge me to fisticuffs, Queensbury rules?”

The Marauder stepped forward, swinging the tyre-iron, menacingly. Nickelby simply gave his wrist a quick flick and leveled a derringer, concealed within his sleeve at the aggressor.

“Not quite,” replied the butler and pulled the trigger, shooting the Marauder in the knee.

The Minutiae of Mandible, #8: "Brother, where art th---HEY GET OUTTA MY ROOM!"

In Episode 8, we meet Drake's older brother: Jake Mandible. The older/younger brother relationship is a dynamic I'm familiar with. Sure, you bug the ju-ju bees out of each other, but in the long run, you're glad to be related to them.

I think Jake has the potential to become one of the best supporting characters in "The Adventures of Drake Mandible" and I'm looking forward to having them work together more in the future...

The Minutiae of Mandible, #7: "Excuse me while I contradict myself..."

Yes, I realize that I said Drake ALWAYS comes out on top, and yet here we are; Chapter 7 and Drake is stumped.
WELL IT'S MY STORY AND I CAN HAVE AS MANY INCONSISTENCIES AS I LIKE SO NYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Actually, Drake's interactions and investigation of this mysterious woman will become a recurring theme for the duration of the series. My "Bad Wolf/Torchwood/Harold Saxon/etc" for my fellow Whovians.

So who exactly is this woman? An arch-nemesis? A potential love-interest? Drake's long lost twin sister separated at birth? A figment of our hero's imagination?
Well, these are all valid theories, but you're all just going to have to wait and see.

I will say this though, blonde assassin will be back again to make things difficult for our hero...

The Minutiae of Mandible, #6: "^%*$&!"

Look, I don't really have a huge problem with swears. I will admit that I have used coarse language myself from time to time (sorry dad :S ) but I try to limit it in my writing. It CAN serve a purpose, when used in the right context, but I don't feel that it's needed in order for something to be entertaining.

This isn't me trying to be "holier-than-thou" or anything, I just wanted to give Drake a more old-school feel, you know, back in the days where cussing was amusingly represented by a series of symbols. Therefore "my goodness," and "drat" are about the extent of Drake's oath repertoire.

I also find the idea of a grown man in this day and age using anachronistic terms to express his annoyance/elation to be hilarious...

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE: "Oh Reilly?"

One of the purposes of this project is to allow myself to let my imagination run amok without having to worry about trivialities such as physics and budgetary restrictions. This is MY reality so we play be MY rules.

That being said, I do like a few aspects of my stories to have a basis in real life. The main example of this is the technical specifications of firearms.

Gun Specs fascinate me, and I try to include them wherever I can. I can't just say "Drake pulled out a gun," for me it has to be a "Colt 1911 Standard Handgun," or a "SAR 80 Assault Rifle."
I actually have an app on my iPod specifically for having a list of guns at hand while writing.

For this little quirk, I have Matthew Reilly to thank/blame. Thank-you sir!

This series ain't exactly educational, but you will learn the names of a lot of guns....

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- #12: Marauder Mangling.

The Adventures of Drake Mandible 
As the thug closed in on Drake, there was a dull crack. Something impacted against the Marauder’s shoulder, sending him spinning to the ground.

Drake stepped further out of the dark, revealing his own weapon: a Winchester Model 1887, lever action, 10 gauge shotgun, which he had modified to shoot non-lethal beanbag rounds. 
Cocking the gun, he dropped another two Marauders before any of them had time to react. Drake fired again, aiming at the leader, who grabbed one of his men by the collar, using him as a human shield.
The hapless Marauder took the round in his chest, cracking a few ribs.

Another got in too close to Drake, receiving the shotgun butt in his mouth and a swift kick to the abdomen for his efforts.

Drake used the last two remaining rounds on a man that was even larger than him and still kept on coming. Drake caught a glimpse of a navy-blue Kevlar vest, before diving out of the way of a meaty fist.

Although he was out of ammo, he wasn’t out of tricks. Drake flicked a switch, activating a single-charge taser attached to the barrel, like a bayonet. Drake barely avoided the second punch, knuckles scraping the side of his face. He stepped around his opponent and pressed the taser to the back of the brute’s neck. 5000 kv and he was down.

Realizing that the man in the dinner-suit had taken down more than half of his men single-handedly, the leader and his still-standing Marauders beat a hasty retreat...

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- #11: Cursory Caution.

Although there were many adjectives one could use to describe the Marauders, imaginative was not one of them. The leader’s attire was hardly original: a tattered black jacket (sans sleeves) adorned with a small chain hanging out of each pocket on either side. A pair of shades rested upon his shaved pate, a sneer was glued to his face and a pry-bar swung lazily from his right hand. Behind him were nearly a dozen similarly attired men who were all sporting various melee weapons. Not exactly the “punk-kids” the local authorities had described them as, but not TOO formidable.

“Alright gentlemen,” called Drake from the shadows. “That’s far enough. Put your weapons down, turn around and go home.”

One Marauder flicked on his torch and pointed it where the voice had come from. Drake squinted as the light on his face, but kept still. He was reminded of how he and Jake used to drive from city to city, busting up various gangs: the West Coast Warriors, the Colchester Cannons and Detroit Bangers United, among others. The Marauders looked disorganized, had no gang colours or any real way of distinguishing them from other groups.

Taking in the man before them, the Marauders laughed at the threat. Drake certainly cut an impressive figure, but he was still only one man, dressed in a dinner suit no less. Perhaps a group of two or three might have had second thoughts about mugging him in a lone alley late at night. But as it was, he was outnumbered ten-to-one, and they were all armed.
The leader gave a nod and one of the gang members rushed at Drake, bike-chain whipping wildly about…

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- #10: Serious Sibling.

Although he could arguably be seen as the slacker of the family, Jake was still a veritable wizard in the kitchen. Naturally, he cooked and Nickelby acted as waiter, while Drake kept Lola and her parents entertained with a concerto or two on his violin (Stradivarius of course!) before Jake served up the entrée: Grilled Marinated Shrimp on a bed of steamed rice and caramelized artichoke, followed by roasted grouper with prosciutto and herbs.

After the main, Jake asked his brother to lend a hand. Although puzzled, Drake agreed and followed him into the kitchen, leaving Nickelby to amuse the guests with his numerous bird impressions.

“Why don’t you get Nickelby to help you?” Drake asked. “I barely know Foie Gras from Steak Tartar, let alone be able cook them.”

This wasn’t strictly true; Drake had a reasonably diverse pallet, yet compared to his brother, he was more akin to a troglodyte.

“Any other time, I’d be glad of your help, but tonight is WAY too special for taking risks, so touching anything in here is a no-no,” explained Jake, grating white chocolate for his gananche , pausing only to deftly rap the knuckles of the inquisitive hand reaching for the saucepan cooling on the bench with a wooden spoon.

“I wanted to talk with you privately. I have a huge favour to ask of you.”
“I’m listening.”

Jake tossed a handful of chopped cinnamon over his shoulder, which rebounded off a hanging pan and landed in a boiling pot on the stove.

“These last couple of weeks, a local gang known as the Marauders have been stirring up trouble on the block. They’ve even threatened to trash the Oyster if I don’t start coughing up protection money as of tonight.”

“What do the police have to say about it?” asked Drake.

“They don’t really care. As far as they’re concerned, the Marauders are just a bunch of punk kids looking for kicks.”

Drake frowned. If that was the attitude of the local law enforcers, he’d have to have a word to the chief of police.

“I wouldn’t mind so much,” continued Jake. “I mean, it’s just money, ya’ know? But I got responsibilities now. What if we have kids?”

“So, am I to presume that you’d like me to…dissuade them?”

“Yes please. I’d take care of it myself, but I promised Lola that I wouldn’t fight anymore. She gets worried.”

Drake suddenly motioned for silence. He thought that he’d heard a trash can being knocked over outside in the alleyway.
“They’re here,” he whispered. “Nickelby and I will take care of them. You should shut all the blinds, turn the lights down, play some Bach and proceed as planned.”

“What about my proposal man?”
“You’re a Mandible. You’ll be just fine,” Drake assured him with a lopsided grin. “Hopefully I’ll be back by then.”

He turned to leave, but his brother stopped him.

“One more thing, these guys aren’t any tougher than anyone we’ve stopped in the past, but there are a lot of them. Be careful.”
Drake nodded and walked back into the dining area.

Starting from “Albatross,” Nickelby had only gotten to “Ivory-Beaked Woodpecker” on his list of bird impressions, when his employer emerged from the kitchen and told him that they had to run a quick errand for Jake. Issuing an apology, Drake dragged the bewildered butler out to the parked Bentley.

“Master Drake, might I enquire as to the reason why we had to leave dinner early?”
“Because, Nickelby” said Drake, popping the boot, “We are on clean-up duty…”

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE: #9: Brother Bother.

After a five hour flight, Nickelby expertly set Drake’s Cessna 680 Sovereign down safely at a small airport owned by one of Drake’s friends. From there, they drove to Jake’s restaurant, The Bottled Oyster. His brother greeted
him at the door.

Drake and Jake Mandible could not have looked more different. Unlike his tall, tanned, muscular brother, Jake was a good foot shorter, had fairer skin and while by no means scrawny, he was of a more slender build. With his sandy-blond hair and clear blue eyes, Jake looked like typical Californian Soul Surfer, with a laid-back personality to match. It was this phlegmatic demeanour that sometimes irritated Drake.

As a rule, Mandibles were known for being strong-willed, competitive overachievers. Jake however, had been content to settle down and open his restaurant, losing the drive that had motivated his younger brother to do everything he could to escape the shadow Jake had automatically cast by being the eldest.

“Bro, I am STOKED you could make it!”
“Hello Jake,” said the younger Mandible as his brother hugged him.
“And Nickelby, it’s good to see you again!”
“An absolute pleasure as always, Master Jake,” replied the butler, almost knocked off his feet by Jake’s enthusiastic hug.

“Come on in!”

CHARACTER BIO: JAKE MANDIBLE

While much more laid-back than his younger brother, Jake's skill-set is no less impressive: an extraordinary cook, an expert surfer and a formidable close quarters combatant, specializing in knives.

Proprietor and head chef at The Bottled Oyster, the elder Mandible is looking to settle down with his fiancee Lola.

The Minutiae of Mandible #4: ""

"So Nate," asked no-one in particular, "Why did you decide there would be 52 installments?"
Well I'm glad you asked. (No I didn't) Whatever.

Aside from being both an EVEN number and the number of weeks in a year, "52" is also a series from DC comics which I quite enjoyed. It's also exactly ten numbers away from the "Answer to life the universe and everything."

Episode 4 is really where we first get a glimpse of Drake's personality in terms of his morals and his perceptions of right and wrong.
Drake is NOT a killer.
Sure, he'll beat the tar out of someone, but he won't kill.

This is also where things start to pick up. From here, I'll be steadily ramping up the action.

Fasten your seat-belts ladles and Jelly-Spoons and keep your appendages within the car at all times...

THE ADVENTURES OF DRAKE MANDIBLE- #8: Curt Conversation.

Muttering absently to himself, Drake picked up the phone.
“Please make it quick, I've got work to do.”
“What, no hello?” asked his brother.
“Fine,” Drake sighed, “Hello Jake. Now what do you want?”
“Can’t a dude just call his little brother?”
“So you don’t want anything?”
“Well, I didn't say that.”

Drake groaned inwardly. They had this conversation EVERY time.
“Look, Lola and I were wondering if you’d come to dinner tonight.”
“Lola?”
“My girlfriend, remember?”
“Oh. Yes.”
“Lola and her parents are coming around to the restaurant tonight; I’ve got the place reserved especially for us. Then I’m going to pop the question.”

Drake felt a grin forming.

“I see. What do you want me there for?”
“Support mostly,” said Jake. “In case she says no. Look, I know we don’t have much to do with each-other lately, but it would mean a lot to me if you were there.”

Drake took a minute to think about it. He was reluctant to make such a long trip just for dinner, but there was something in his older sibling’s tone of voice that told him that he should accept.

“Alright, I’ll be there. But I’m bringing the butler.”
“Most excellent! Thanks so much bro!”

Hanging up the phone, Drake called for Nickelby.
“Yes sir?”
“Fire up the jet Nickelby, we’re going to Jake’s for dinner.”
“Right away, sir!” said the butler.