There they are!  Lower left!  Cute little guys, about to emerge from an “abandoned” prairie dog burrow, abandoned because they ate all the prairie dogs!!  Looking to wreak more havoc on the landscape!

And what on earth is Mark hanging onto in the second panel?  That is the funniest looking steering wheel I have ever seen!  And all the shading drawn in around him?  Are we looking at Mark through Baldy’s eyes?  Does he have glaucoma?  I still don’t understand what Baldy’s strategy is here… there are probably 50  other ways to secure a getaway car that don’t involve brandishing a handgun and bringing other people into the situation, let alone Mark Trail…

I thought for sure yesterday that Mark was trying to remind the counter agent that he wasn’t fit to rent anything…  based on his dubious record of returning items unscathed…  But here we find him behind the wheel of a lovely blue SUV, apparently being paid for by one Leslie Joyce.  Who is what? A benefactor? An investor? A Sugar-Mommy?

But Mark, you are breaking with tradition!  Bad guys always call good guys by their surname- “Mr. Bond” or “Mr. Powers.”  “Nice try?”  How about, “Yea, right!”  Baldy probably has so many aliases he could tell you his name and it wouldn’t really be helpful!  And for love of Mike, that’s not a girl!  That’s a woman!  And doesn’t the kidnapper usually call the shots as far as where they go?  Are they going to drive to the Res and then what? Get introduced to Johnny Lone-Elk?

As Mark approaches the Rental Car Counter (which looks more like a makeshift lemonade stand…) we see the agent all hunched over with (as it turns out) her back to the world…  Maybe she just finished a sneeze, or is sneaking a drink of something…

Gertz!  Ha!  I see what you did there Mr. Allen!  But wait there’s more!  The line that Mark dreamt up that will keep him from being able to rent a car at all…  He’s invoking the “Water-World” defense- one more thing in life that caused great tumult but was clearly not his fault… recall Cherry reminding Mark of the last time that he and Johnny Lone-Elk got together… And Leslie Joyce!  We met her a loooong time ago when we were fighting Terrorism, World Domination and Radiated Sharks with Mississippi Ken!  And even though she provided the protective suit, she reminded Mark of something, something that happened that required Mark to have “some nerve” to call her…  Yup, I’m seeing a large bulletin board with pins and yarn connecting all these people and events!

With Mark stroking his whiskerless chin he is rapidly giving himself away!  The fact that he is thinking, thinking of a way out of this!  One that will out Ol’ Baldy and not get him and “The Girl” shot…

So it appears that he can’t walk and think at the same time, which is making everyone impatient.  “Give me a Minute- I’m working on it?”  That’s the best you got, Trail?! But with the knowing and cunning look, Mark clearly has something up his sleeve.  Why not a good old fashioned haymaker?  A roundhouse to Baldy’s jaw?  He’d never see it coming!  C’mon Mark, Just like in the old days…

Guy has gun, other guy doesn’t have gun.  Guy with gun makes guy without gun drive.  Gun stays trained on guy driving.  Let’s think about what happens to both guys if guy with gun shoots guy driving.  Both guys die.  Or at least get maimed…  And as we recall from her single verbal offering, the “girl” doesn’t read, or at least attaches very little value to those who write, so very little lost there if Baldy shoots her…

As has also been pointed out, cars are about the only form of rental in which Mark hasn’t been blacklisted…  so this is kind of funny.  He’ll end up doing something to hurt the car, and well, more paperwork.  But is he traveling on his own or on the Magazine’s dime?  I think we all know the answer to that one…

I mean, seriously.  Mark has to wonder why this is “normal” for him- no matter where he goes, he runs into trouble, or trouble seems to find him… Of course without trouble, the strip would become an impossible snooze… But lately the trouble is always directed at him… not around him… Cases in Point:  Rod Bassey wasn’t out to hurt Mark, just win fishing tournaments by cheating; Big Mike didn’t want to hurt Mark, he just ran a rigged hunting and expedition operation, and so on…

Yet here we are, again, with Mark’s life being threatened.  And he’s asking himself to THINK… Well, he’s not doing a very good job of that, as witnessed by this last week’s worth of installments.  And given the amount of traveling Mark does, wouldn’t he just be able to go out and pick his car, like in those commercials?  Why is he stopping at the desk?  His Name should already be on the board and the car waiting for him!  Maybe they don’t offer that service at the Rapid City Airport?  So many questions!

Mark, your exits from this situation are endless…  I don’t mean to sound heartless, but you don’t even know the girl.  I mean, she could be in on the whole thing.  Yea, sure Baldy, you’ll shoot the girl, right here is broad daylight, with at least two witnesses (Mark and the Fat-Cat from the other day…)  Just walking away comes to mind…

And what’s that sign in the upper right corner to panel two?  Is there a Duty Free Shop in Rapid City, SD?  A lot of international flights coming and going from this two-terminal setup?

Let’s get to the car rental counter!  Sort of like the Steve Martin character in Planes, Trains & Automobiles, although I doubt there will be any F-bombs hurled at the agent…

Instead, Mark will continue to be compliant with this stranger’s requests?  Why?  Mark!  Just tell this guy to take a hike- I mean, what’s he going to do?  Squint harder at you?  Try to look even more menacing?  Pull out the gun and shoot you? All highly improbable.  But OK, we’ll go along with it, we’ve got nothing better to do…

Geez, lady, whose side are you on, anyway?? Or are you just going along with Baldy so he won’t plug you?  Or perhaps you have already succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome…

But the look on Mark’s face in the second panel!  He’s not used to such negativity!  He’s never had to defend or justify himself to anyone!  That’s what decades of validation and praise will get you… So Mark regains his composure and steels himself against the negative onslaught… but if what you do is what you call “providing for your family” – living rent free in your Father-in-Law’s house- you have a thing or two to learn about “providing…”

As we continue to share pleasantries and CV’s, a large man in a suit appears in the foreground of panel two.  No idea what’s up with that…

Of course you’ve never heard of it, Baldy… clearly your life hasn’t been spent in leisure time activities, communing with Nature… I’d guess you were the product of either the foster system, or an abusive father, or both…  Probably didn’t get to go fishing as a youth, which is what set you on your life of crime.

I can honestly say that I am not referring to James Allen when I ask that question…  And Mark, why are you so willing to give up your identity and your purpose?  To a kidnapping goon?  And Bald-headed Goon, what possible connection is there between a visit to an Indian Reservation and being a writer?  Dear Lord, this is making my head explode!

But let’s consider that this is not the first time that Mark has had to introduce himself… and he’s always happy to do so.  Because it’s always all about him, right?  Shocking that Baldo hasn’t heard of Mark… I mean, who hasn’t?  And I might be mistaken here, but I don’t think Blondie has uttered a single syllable…

I have never owned a handgun, let alone tried to walk around with one jammed into my waistband…  That never looks even remotely comfortable (or feasible in my case…) Not to mention dangerous!  But then the criminal element is given to taking risks, otherwise they wouldn’t be doing the things they are doing!

I say one thing for Baldy, he’s got that “evil squint” thing down…  can he he even see??  And if this isn’t an argument for having security in place upon entering an airport terminal, I don’t know what is!  But it’s still not very obvious what the next move is here… “I want you to rent a car… yea, that’s it… and make it a big one- four doors at least…” I think it’s option 2 from yesterday’s comment (thank you, George)  but with the bad guy telling Mark what to rent.  I guess two charges of kidnapping/ abduction/ unlawful detainer isn’t much worse than one.  Let’s go all in…

Meanwhile Mr. Ponytail is sitting in the plane??

Mark, you have always been a terrible read on people…  it’s obvious that these two don’t belong together, but you are so focused on Johnny Lone-Elk and the BFF survey you can’t see what’s right in front of you!  And of course Mark had to cross paths with this guy and his hostage…  and I guess that Ponytail Man is “getting the plane” while Mr. Clean is doing what now?

Oh, Mark, this guy doesn’t really care how you are doing…  that was offered to get your attention, and no more.  Can’t you see that he is up to no good?  And could he possibly have a gun pointed at Blondie?  Well, we are on the street-side of the security system.  That wouldn’t be terribly conspicuous, would it?  But if the “plan” is to find a new rendezvous point, I can’t imagine how this is going help with that…

I flew a lot in my younger days- as a passenger, and that plane landing is a Boeing 7-2-7.  I’d know it anywhere by the high tail fin/stabilizer and the third engine mounted below it.  I asked a commercial pilot one time which plane he liked to fly the most, and he said, hands down, the 727.  He mentioned that it was the last plane in the air that a pilot actually got to fly.   That, and the need for an actual third crew member- a navigator- doomed that plane’s existence and you never see them anymore, except in Mark Trail.  Or with our sitting President, back in his hay-day…

And who exactly is the gentleman at the counter in the background engaging with security?  By the hunch in his back he looks like he’s up to no good!  Couldn’t be our bad guy, involved in some feint, some attempt to “hide in plain (or plane (ha!)) sight,” could it?

Sioux Falls on the eastern edge, Rapid City on the western…  I was thrown for a moment by the mountain range in the background of panel two, but reminded myself where we are.  But wait… isn’t Mark Trail going to the airport too?  Probably flying into Rapid City Regional airport (RAP) through Minneapolis (MSP) from Atlanta (ATL) close to Lost Forest, which is near Sandy Springs, GA.  Although the Rapid City skyline, in reality, is not quite as majestic as what is being drawn here…

Judging by its size and scope, something tells me that the Rapid City Regional Airport does not use the latest in Facial Recognition software or anti-terrorism measures…  So as dawn breaks on our bad guys, and points are made using “stick-up fingers” for emphasis, we are left to wonder where this is all going…

Facial Recognition Software!  But what about your mask, your face, Ponytail Guy??  I guess you kept yours on during the caper?  And what about your detainee there?  I guess it doesn’t matter that she can make both of you now??

I am trying to re-create the scene in my mind… Billy gets shot, and somehow baldy disarms the shooter so that he can kick the crap out of him?  What, no punching?  Just kicking?  I suppose we’ll have to assume that Billy is dead.  Just one of the many nameless rabble of bad guys that move through the world.  No matter though, he was probably destined to go back to jail anyway and cost us all money…

But how awesome is it, for now, to have two bad guys, one bald the other with ponytail, right out of Mark Trail Central Casting…  Remember the time in the Great Dismal?  The Bad Guy with Pony Tail who got himself blown up?? And that the BGwPT was bald and Ponytailed?  Ha!

So confused… like I woke up in a strange land where even the English language makes no sense…

You get the plane? Find a place we can hook up??  A Rendezvous location that can accommodate a four-seater?  What?  Huh?

Guessing that the hairless one is the “professional” get-away driver, and he’s clearly not finished with this particular get-away…  How does one advertise if this is one’s chosen profession?  Maybe Craig’s List?  I’m guessing he’s self employed and doesn’t have a great Dental plan.

And it appears that they are adding kidnapping to their rap sheet.  Usually it’s Rusty who is bound and gagged, but this time it’s someone new… For now we’ll call her Blondie, while I continue to struggle categorizing these entries…

I’ll borrow from a comment made recently regarding how many random inputs are being offered up to the readers of this strip.  Now we have a couple of nogoodnicks transferring loot into a minivan in a seedy, tenderloin-like district of Rapid City, SD.  We are being asked to track on fractals… with seemingly no hope of tying off any of these threads, too many now to even name.

And who in the Hell is “Billy?” Was he left for dead, is he able to talk and give up the caper, of which these two are so proud?  What exactly is Mark Trail going to walk into this time??  And how cute is it that the featured species is mommy and daddy rat and their brood?