"How do you think my Mom would like this?" asks Alex, as she holds up a cardigan gray sweater.

"I think she'd love it, Alex!" responds Sam.

"I know she needs one, so I hope she'll like it."

"I wish I knew what to get MY Mom or Dad!" exclaims a frustrated Clover. "They are sooooo hard to buy gifts for, at Christmas!"

"You can always get them gift certificates, Clover! That's what I do for my Dad, at House Station. He's always looking for tools or is working on some project at home, so he really appreciates it! I know I'm not good at choosing the tools he wants!" responds Sam.

"Great idea, Sam! My Dad is the same way, but he likes to shop at Highs! Now what about my Mom?" asks Clover.

"Doesn't she like to shop at Emcees, the clothing store? Why not a gift certificate from them?"

"Rad idea! I'm going to do it!"

After doing a bit more shopping, the gals take a latte break at the Mall food court.

"What do we get Jerry?" asks Alex.

"Let's think about that! Right now, I haven't a clue!" responds Sam.

"Nor I!" adds Clover.

The gals continue their latte break, watching the holiday shoppers.

"By the way, gals, are we going to decorate the outside of our villa this year?" asks Alex.

"Good question, Alex! Maybe we should just settle for a tree and inside decorations, seeing this villa is temporary until our parents return from their European vacation," responds Sam.

"You're right, guys! But should we get a live tree or an artificial one?" asks Alex.

"I vote for live!" responds Clover.

"I second!" adds Sam.

"Sounds great! We can borrow some of the ornaments and tinsel from our own homes to decorate it!"

"Great idea, Alex! We've pretty much finished all of our Christmas Shopping here! Let's get our tree!" says Clover. The gals finally decide on a gift for Jerry, and that was the last item purchased at the Mall, before they left to shop for their tree.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, a plan is being executed.

"Ready for the takeover!" says a technician.

"Excellent! Proceed!" says a mystery boss.

As the technician throws a switch, all of the electricity in the Southwestern USA inexplicably ceases. It is restored after about 10 seconds.

"We have achieved control, Saldo."

"Excellent! All the people of the Southwest USA will think of this as a 'temporary' outage! Continue with the remaining power grids!"

"Yes, sir!"

The technicians in the hideaway proceed to take over the entire power grid of the USA in the next week. As far as the power companies know, it was only a temporary brown out, for the 10 seconds needed. That is, until December 21.

On that fateful day, all television and radio satellite transmissions are truncated for a special announcement at 9 PM Eastern Time.

The broadcast starts by showing an executive chair, silhouetted against a gray background. No lighting is being used, so all the viewer sees is a shadow. The 'executive' then begins.

"People of the United States! I am known as Saldo, and I have total control of the power grid of the USA. I demand that all the gold bullion in Fort Knox be loaded onto a barge, the barge anchored at a spot of my designation in the Atlantic Ocean, and that no tracers or tracker vehicles follow it! If my demands are not met I will shut off the power throughout the country until my demands are met!"

People in their homes start to laugh! "It's another 'War of the Worlds' hoax!" they think. They are just about to ignore the transmission, when Saldo continues.

"To prove what I say is true, I will turn off all the electrical power in the USA for the next five minutes!"

And Saldo proceeds to do what he says. All electrical power throughout the USA goes down. Only those businesses with emergency generators still have power. The switchboard of every electrical utility in the USA lights up like a Christmas tree with people reporting power outages! After five minutes, Saldo, turns on the power and continues his telecast.

"This outage was proof that I can do what I say! You have 24 hours to surrender the Fort Knox bullion, or I will turn the power off until my demands are met!"

With that, Saldo signs off.

Needless to say, Jerry immediately WOOHPs the gals from their Christmas tree shopping!

"Whooooaaa!"

"Welcome, ladies! I think you know why you are here?"

"I'm guessing it has to do with this Saldo looney!" remarks Clover, as she picks herself off of the sofa arm, so she can sit more comfortably.

"Right you are, Clover!"

"Jerry," Sam starts as she gets off of her back and sits in the sofa, "was WOOHP able to detect the source of the transmission?"

"Yes and no, Sam! Saldo was able to pirate legitimate broadcast satellites to perform his transmission. So we really don't know where he truly broadcast from."

"So where do we start, Jerry?" asks Alex, as she picks herself off the floor to sit in the sofa.

"You start at Fort Knox! I want you to guard the barge and stow away on it! You'll use your Spies jet to get there and the following gadgets: laser lipsticks; tracker hair barrettes; voice activated cycles for ground transportation; drill-jet-suction combo go-go boots; necklace lights; and x-ray m-ray combo contacts."

"Won't the hair barrettes be detected by Saldo?" asks Sam.

"Only if you activate them, Sam. So don't activate them until you are at Saldo's hideout!"

"Right, Jerry!"

"Come on, gals! To the jet!" remarks Clover.

"Right behind you!" responds Alex.