Waking Up

Dolores sat in the closet, glad to be home.

"Wow, was there a line at the repair shop or what?" A hair dryer asked.

"Drake?" Dolores asked. Drake pushed the door open.

"It's so good to have you back," Drake said. "That old canister vac was lazy." Drake pointed his cord at a sleeping vacuum.

"Wait, what?" the canister vacuum asked. "Does this mean I'm fired?" She curled up.

Callie was sent back to Master's sister-in-law's house. Dolores wheeled to the living room.

"Vivian, any news?" Dolores asked.

Vivian, a large wall-mounted TV, opened her eyes. "Dolores? You're back?"

Dolores nodded.

"Well, a rash of Kirby murders has been stopped," Vivian replied. "Some say a vacuum wielding an umbrella beat the villains back."

Dolores paused. "Others?" She remembered what Drake said about the line at the repair shop. And seeing another Kirby vacuum laid on the repair table... a G6.

Levi sat in front of Plasma. The evening news was on.

"Hector the Collector has not been caught, but his reign of terror against vacuums has ended," the reporter said.

Levi narrowed his eyes. "It'll be a little predictable if I went after my own kind..." He glanced at Debbie, who was taking a nap. "I'll let Debbie know if I have any more ideas."