Combine CommuneCombine Commune logo.“Change”

A voice tells Tambo to wake up. He raises his head asking wha, what. He is still holding onto the scanner from the previous issue. The scanner tells him they're almost to his destination. Looking down, Tambo says this can't be real. The scanner replies it is very true. Tambo asks what about his duties, to which the scanner tells him he had none. Tambo then asks what about his friends. They approach some industrial buildings as the scanner informs Tambo it is incorrect to classify them as his friends, insisting he couldn't even call them associates, but assuming it is positive if they care, they'll be showing up shortly. A note points out this is the first time anyone has seen the outside of the commune. In the commune, Frankson notes they're probably just going to use Tambo's tombstone that he made for himself as a memorial, at least that way they can justify it taking up five feet in the back. Linus thinks for a moment, then asks if they shouldn't hold some kind of ceremony. Frankson retorts hell no, pointing out he made them sit through his own eulogy and at best he gets nothing. Linus points out it would justify a buffet, Frankson relents that he has a point and Linus replies he knows he does, that's why he brought it up. Milly, watching, calls them both idiots and says they should be trying to get out there and find him. She adds that he was taken twenty minutes ago because they refused to get the rescue trampoline out. Linus notes it's very difficult to get it back in the box. Frankson tells Milly they all know there's no way out of the commune. Milly asks then how did Tambo get out. Frankson asks who's Tambo and she groans, to which he notes that it doesn't answer his question at all. Linus relaxes and calls it another case successfully unsolved. Milly holds her head and says it should have been her on that damn thing. Meanwhile, Tambo is sitting on a chair in an unknown building, being watched over by the scanner. He calls the chair pretty comfortable, the scanner replies it wouldn't know. Tambo notes the big, ominous doors in front of him and states there better not be anything big and ominous coming through those doors. The doors start opening and Tambo simply states yep, then no way. An armored personnel carrier approaches him. Tambo notes he hasn't seen an APC in months. Someone walks out of the APC and greets Tambo, then says it's nice to see Skyenett 23 didn't harm him. Tambo calls them Linus and asks when did they get a sex change. It's revealed that it's a female Civil Protection officer talking to him. She introduces herself as Skye and says she's there to show him his new home. He asks new home. Meanwhile, back at the commune, Sergeant Captain Major and Oswald are trying to turn on a computer. The Sergeant tells Oswald to hit Alt F6. Oswald replies nothing as the screen remains black. Sergeant Captain Major declares himself absolutely stumped on why it's not starting and turns to go get Frankson, who seems to know a lot about those computer things, as seen in issue 2, Oblivion. Milly then walks in, calling Major just the person she was coming to see, and says he's going to tell her how to get out of this place. The Sergeant awkwardly replies he can't, too busy helping Oz here get his screen running. He says he guesses she'll have to find someone else and lets out an unconvincing darn. Milly simply tells them to hit the power button. Oswald does so and a Windows Vista logo appears on the screen. Oswald says oh, wow, who would have guessed. Milly starts to tell Sergeant Captain Major to tell her where, but he starts to pretend he's talking on the phone. Milly points out that the line is cut. Sergeant Captain Major says fine, then tells her there is one way to get out. Elsewhere, Tambo is getting a ride on the APC. Skye says she loves that song and starts singing Lady Gaga's Poker Face aloud. After a while, she says they're there. Tambo screams finally in relief. As Skye and Tambo enter, she greets a guard she calls Zane, who's counting 24, 25, 26, 28, 15, 16. He protests Skye made him lose count, then restarts with 35, 36, 39, 15. As they walk further in, Tambo asks what's up with that guy, to which Skye tells him ever since the City 16 incident he just sits there counting all day. She adds that he used to be pretty talkative, to which Tambo says could've fooled him. Skye admits City 16 changed a lot of them. She then takes him into a room and says ta-da, his home away from hell. Tambo exclaims holy hot bikini Breen. The room is unfurnished besides the kitchen but is otherwise impeccable and modern. Skye admits it's a little empty at the moment but they can always go take a look at that tomorrow. She adds and a new suit, calling his a disaster, then starts to leave telling him she'll be upstairs if he needs anything. Tambo simply asks new suit in shock. At the commune, Milly asks if Sergeant Captain Major is kidding and says if that is it, then how come no one has found out yet. Sergeant Captain Major stands next to a poorly hidden exit on a wall. He notes he's guarded it since the day he came there and it'll take them down to an escape route. He mournfully adds that once she rides it, it'll break like his heart. Oswald notes there's one problem there, namely, a floor. Sergeant Captain Major reveals it is sugar floor and the slightest of nudge or lick will shatter it. Oswald wonders how many licks it takes to get to the center of a commune. Sergeant says there's only one way to find out and turns to Milly, telling her he hopes she has her tongue with her. As Zane continues his random count, Tambo approaches him and tells him he's getting a new suit. Zane angrily says he's interrupted his counting and grabs Tambo's neck, forcing a cracking sound. Tambo notes Zane hits like a girl he knows: precise and deadly. End.

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