And I give you the longest chapter of this story.
Chapter 10: Escape
Queen Yamul stared at the darkness outside the bay windows of her office. During the day the panoramic view was that of the bay and ocean to the north of the castle. However, only the reflection of the brightly lit office filled them now. In the center was the reflection of her sitting in front of her desk, looking back at her with tired, worried eyes.
She had every reason to be worried. She hadn’t heard from Milro or Spigot since they left. It couldn’t have taken them that long to get permission from King. She was afraid something had gone wrong with them.
A pair of electronic chimes came from her desk. Her heart suddenly jumped. A part of her was hoping it was Spigot or her daughter. She turned her chair around and pressed the button. “Come.” She said, hiding her anticipation.
The blue doors slid open. Altezza stepped in. Behind her was Marcy, the head of the castle’s maids. The older beaver-half had a scowl fixed on her face as she stood behind the princess of the Jewelry Kingdom. An aquarian worker with round, wire frame glasses in front of his silver eyes came in behind them. Altezza glanced up only momentarily from her shameful stare at the floor as the doors slid shut behind them.
“Princess Altezza,” Yamul asked, surprised to see her “what are you doing here?”
“She’s been hiding out with the workers in the Cloud Management Room.” The silver-haired maid crossed her arms.
“Why?”
“She wouldn’t say.” Marcy answered for her. “The workers have also said they’re under orders from Chief Spigot not to discuss it either.”
Yamul began to drum her fingers on her desk. She shifted her eyes to the worker. “Engineer,” she said harshly, “what is going on?”
The tan haired engineer gulped dryly. Spigot had given him an order not to tell Yamul about the situation with Milro. However, Yamul was at the top of the chain of command. He had to answer. “Well…” He started.
**********
Outside two beaver workers were staring at the door. Suddenly Yamul’s voice bellowing “WHAT!?” came from the other side.
The two workers flinched. “Uh oh.” The male said to the female. “I think she just found out.”
**********
In Geronita’s brig Milro and the others were talking with the sukusuku who was named Daniel. He had explained what exactly had been going on.
“So there you have it.” Daniel leaned back against the concrete wall.
“That’s terrible.” Nicole said in response. “How could someone do such a thing?”
“Why would the walruses be helping him?” Bonnie asked. “And what’s with the cawcaw and the heli-doll?”
“The walruses have been trying to take control of Snow Mountain up in the northern parts of the Water Drop Kingdom.” Daniel answered. “However, the polar bears and penguins who also live in that region won’t have any of it. So now they’re in league with Geronita. He needs their technical skills and in return will give them control of the mountain when he’s king. From what I know Talia and Copter-bot are mercenaries Geronita hired into his cabal.”
Milro thought this all over. Ever since the Mother Tree had shrunk her she had been learning things about her kingdom she had never even heard of. And so much of it seemed bad. How could she hope to run such a chaotic country? That’s assuming it was still around for her to become queen of.
“I don’t understand how someone could have such a dark heart.” She thought out loud. “Especially after the Black Crystal was defeated.”
“The Black Crystal.” Otto exhaled a laugh. “As much as the Sunny Kingdom insists to the contrary that overgrown chandelier while terrible was not the source of darkness. That’s right here.” He pointed to his heart. “Deep within the heart of everyone is the capacity for both good and evil. All the Black Crystal did was bring the darkness to the surface. However, as long as there are people out there who are willing to seek selfish ambitions at the outrageous expense of others there will always be evil.”
“I don’t think Geronita is so much evil as stark raving mad.” Alex said in response. “I mean, turning the entire planet into a swamp. It has to take more than a few screws loose to come up with that one.”
“Evil or insane he’s a danger to the entire planet.” Bonnie said in response. “But we can’t do anything about it while we’re locked in here.”
Otto’s mind was on something else. He turned to Nicole. “Uh…Nicole-sama, you said something about a Lee before. Who is he?”
“He’s an aquarian we met in the Seed Kingdom.” Alex answered. “She’s taken a liking to him.”
“What?” Otto exclaimed.
“He’s as caring as he is brilliant.” Nicole gushed. “He saved me from falling and then saved an entire valley using his ingenuity.”
“But…I.”
“Come here.” Alex motioned for his colleague to join him in the corner. The two faced away from the girls. “You were the one who dumped her. You didn’t have the patience to deal with her. She found someone who does.”
Otto was about to say something in response but couldn’t find the words.
“It’s not so bad.” Alex said slyly as he elbowed Otto’s side. “He’s got a cute twin sister if you’re into gills and webs.”
“Typical guys.” Bonnie said to herself.
**********
Spigot and the others had made their way to the shore of the lake Terrance told them about. From the brush they surveyed the area. There were two gators standing guard near a small building on the mainland end the bridge. They allowed a jeep to get off the bridge and drive into the forest. There were also two guards on the opposite end. Through the darkness they also saw a gator wade into the lake. No doubt guards were in the water as well.
Franklin whistled in astonishment. “I think we’d have easier time breaking into the kingdom mint.”
The
Hurricane was taxiing on the runway towards a hangar at the end.
“To think some fat, scaly gator butt is sitting in my chair.” Bret growled. “It makes me so angry.”
“They might have done us a favor.” Tammy said in response. “At least we don’t have run all the way back to the landing strip.”
Above them the clouds were building in the night sky. Ophelia and Lee both watched as the towers of water droplets rose into the atmosphere. There was something going on up there. They could just feel it.
Bret paused when he saw them gazing at the sky. “What’s up Wonder Twins?” He asked.
“There’s something wrong.” Lee answered. “There’s upward vertical motion happening here. There shouldn’t be.”
“I think it’s because of the airmasses surrounding us.” Ophelia replied. “It’s in the single digits up around Saginaw City and barely above ten down the Seed Kingdom. Yet it’s in the twenties here. These colder airmasses I believe are forcing the warmer, moister air here upward.”
“I thought you said that doesn’t happen in the Mysterious Planet.” Emily said in response.
“It doesn’t in nature.” Lee replied. “However, no one has been crazy enough to dump silver iodide in the atmosphere for a week before. My guess is the seeding has caused the nocturnal cloud cover to increase holding more heat in. That caused the increase in temperature. But now something else has happened.”
“The real question is what it means.” Bret thought out loud.
“I can’t say for exactly.” Ophelia replied. “We need our instruments.”
“Well they’re just over there, give or take a few gators.” Bret said in response.
“Chief,” Franklin spoke up, “how are we supposed to get over there?”
“I have a plan.” Spigot motioned for them to gather around. “Emily, Frank, and I will hitch a ride on a jeep. The rest of you will swim over to the lake, avoiding any guards underwater.”
“You make it sound so easy.” Bret broke in.
Spigot shot a glare at him before continuing his explanation. “Ophelia, you will meet up with us and we’ll secure the
Hurricane.”
“You got it Chief.” Ophelia gave a nod.
“Tammy, you find where Milro-sama and the others are being held along with the sukusuku and free them.”
“You can count on me.” Tammy replied.
“This is great and all.” Bret rubbed his chin in thought. “However, how are we going to do all this without getting our heads bitten off by the gators?”
“They’ll be distracted.” Spigot answered.
“With what?” Bret asked.
“Live bait.” Spigot said in response.
“Where are you going to get live…” Bret stopped as he noticed everyone was grinning at him and Lee. “Oh no. Oh-ho-ho-ho no. We’re not doing this.”
“All you have to do is piss them off.” Tammy replied. “That shouldn’t be too hard for you.”
“NO!” The two engineers exclaimed. “There’s no way in hell we’re doing it.”
**********
“You’re all kingdom workers right?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah.” Alex answered, returning to his cling on the bars. “We’re from the Windmill Kingdom. Why do you ask?”
Daniel laughed loudly in response. “I’m glad I’m not you then.” He calmed down. “Geronita’s just holding us here so we can’t talk. But he hates kingdom workers trespassing in his territory and not just those of the Water Drop Kingdom. He probably has terrible things planned for you.”
Alex gulped dryly. “Such as?” He whimpered.
“He’ll probably steep you in broth and make a hearty stew from you.” Daniel replied too calmly.
“Oh no-ho-ho-ho!” Alex cried as he slid down the bars.
“Keep it down.” Another sukusuku whispered harshly. “You’ll wake the guard.”
“Of course that’s after he’s skinned you alive and uses your pelt to line a hood.” Daniel casually rubbed his nails against his vest. “Like I said, I’m glad I’m not you.”
“NO!” Alex screamed. He then darted up to Bonnie and grabbed her ears. “Help me Bonnie.” He sobbed. “I don’t wanna line a hood.”
Bonnie slapped him hard in the muzzle to make him let go. “Get a hold of yourself Al!” She snapped. “Though it would be a first.”
“There’s got to be a way out of here.” Alex looked around him. He noticed a vent in the ceiling near the cell door. He flew up and grabbed the bars. After planting his feet on the ceiling he began yanking at it.
“I already tried that.” Bonnie yelled at him. “It’s welded to the duct.”
“So there’s no way out?” Alex asked.
“You think we’d still be here if there was?” Bonnie answered with a question.
“Then we’re doo-hoo-hoo-hoomed!” Alex sobbed as he sank to the floor.
Nicole looked at the vent Alex was pulling on. She then looked out of their cell. The duct was exposed in the hall with an identical duct on the other side. The two came together over where the guard was before going through the wall. The guard was asleep in his chair with a mucus bubble inflating and deflating from his nostril and his rifle cradled in his arms. She looked up above the keys at another vent.
She suddenly got an idea. She reached under her bonnet and pulled out a hairpin. “Yeah.” She whispered to herself.
“I like a cliché as much as the next guy.” Alex said. “But you’ll need something more substantial than a hairpin to pick that clunker.” He motioned with his eyes to the large lock on their door.
“It’s not for that lock.” Nicole bent the hairpin straight and slid the zigzagged end in the lock on the cage. “Sophie-sama and the others are small enough to slip into the duct. Then if we had some kind of line.”
“Like this?” Alex pulled a fishing reel from his side pocket.
“Why are you carrying a fishing reel?” Bonnie asked.
“In case I want to go fishing of course.” Alex answered.
“I don’t know whether to slap you because you’re an idiot or kiss you because you’re a genius.” Bonnie said in response.
“I prefer the latter.” Alex replied. “You’ve already slapped me.”
“You can get the line on the keys and we’ll pull it back in here.” Nicole explained. “Then we can free ourselves and the others and escape.”
“Then how do we get off the island?” Otto asked.
“I say we steal the Nyamul’s balloon.” Alex answered.
With a click the door of the cage opened. Milro and the others stepped onto Bonnie’s hands and Alex handed Auler the hook end of the line. Bonnie then floated up to the vent. Auler pulled himself in first and helped Sophie and Milro in.
“Good luck you three.” Bonnie said as they disappeared into the vent.
***********
“Heave-ho let’s go!” Spigot called out as Bret, Tammy, Ophelia and Lee lugged a large hollow log onto the road leading to the lake. “That jeep we saw could come back at any minute.”
“Log in the road.” Bret huffed as they dropped his end of the heavy log on the ground. “You can’t get anymore cliché.”
“Hey, whatever works.” Ophelia said as she wiped the dirt off her hands.
Lee heard the sound of a vehicle coming down the road. “They’re coming.”
Everyone dove into the bushes as the glare of headlights crept across the road. The jeep Spigot mentioned drove slowly up to the log. It came to a stop and the two gators sitting in it got out.
As they picked up the log and moved it out of the road, Spigot, Emily and Franklin dashed under the jeep and grabbed onto the undercarriage. The two reptiles lumbered back to their jeep and jumped in. They drove off, not aware they had picked up a few new passengers.
The others poked their heads out from the bush. After the red glow of the taillights had disappeared around a corner they dashed across the road back to the shore. After making sure it was clear they got ready to dive in.
“Age before beauty.” Bret said to Tammy, sweeping his arm out towards the lake.
“I’ll take cuts anyway.” Tammy said as she waded out into the lake.
Ophelia and Lee followed along with Bret. As he took one last breath Bret disappeared with the others under the murky surface.
Unlike the reservoir, the lake was murky with a sandy bottom. The water felt slimy as it passed through Lee and Ophelia’s gills. Fortunately all four of them had nictitating membranes to protect their eyes from whatever was in the water.
The lake was choked with water plants that combined with the darkness to make almost impossible to see. Bret pushed away a clump of weeds when he felt his arm being grabbed and he was yanked down. He was pulled underneath a capsized boat sitting on the sandy bottom.
In the dimness he saw that it was Ophelia who had his arm in her webbed grip. He was about to ask what she was doing when he remembered he was holding his breath. Ophelia pointed out a hole in the hull where Bret could barely make out the form of a gator swimming past.
After it had left Lee and Ophelia crept gingerly out of their hiding place. After looking around and surveying the area with their other senses they gave Bret and Tammy the all clear. They swam out and the four resumed their approach to the island.
**********
The jeep came to a stop at the gate protecting the mainland end of the bridge. One of the guards lifted the gate and the jeep drove onto the bridge. Spigot and the others looked out from under the jeep at the lake.
The jeep jumped as it hit a pothole. Emily lost her grip on the undercarriage with one hand. Franklin grabbed her hand and helped her reach up to the handhold.
“Thanks.” She whispered.
**********
Lee and Ophelia slipped through a corrugated pipe sticking out of the side of the island. Bret followed them in. The three stopped when they heard flailing. They looked back to see Tammy was stuck in the pipe.
Lee and Bret each grabbed one of her arms and starting pulling.
“Suck it in Tammy.” Lee strained as he gave her another yank.
Tammy shot him a dirty look. She began to budge and after another yank flew out of the pipe taking Lee and Bret with her. Ophelia screwed her eyes shut as the three crashed into a wall.
She slowly opened one eye. Tammy had landed on top of Lee and Bret, flattening them against the stone. She pulled herself off and the two slid down the wall stunned. After taking a couple moments to collect themselves, the engineers headed for the water’s surface.
As they broke the water’s surface they found themselves under the tarmac. Near them was a ladder leading to a manhole. Tammy swam over to the ladder and began to climb and the others followed suit.
As Tammy reached the top she raised the cover just enough to peer out. Gators were everywhere. However, there was a line of barrels in front of a building nearby. As a gator walked past she lifted the cover off and dashed behind the barrels as did the others.
The gator guard stopped and looked around. They ducked under the barrels as his flashlight scanned the vicinity. Satisfied that no one was there, the gator continued on his patrol.
**********
Milro and the others walked through the duct. At their size it was as big as a hall as their footsteps echoed off its sheet metal walls. Auler carried the hook as the line slowly unwound off the reel back in the cell. Sophie giggled to herself.
“What?” Milro asked.
“It’s actually not so bad being this small.” She answered. “We could reach all those little spaces our bothers and sisters find when we play hide-and-seek.”
“Hopefully we won’t have to get use to it.” Auler replied. “Once we escape we can go to the Seed Kingdom and explain what’s happening. Hopefully the Mother Tree will agree to return us to our normal sizes.”
Milro and Sophie still had their lanterns to light their way. They rounded the corner as they entered the duct running the length of the brig. Sophie stopped when she thought she heard something. She lifted up her lantern in the direction away from the guard but it didn’t illuminate very far.
“Come on Sophie.” Auler called out to her.
“I’m coming Big Brother.” She answered as she started backing up to follow them.
She turned around in time to walk into a spider’s web. She quickly found herself entangled. “Help.”
Auler and Milro turned around to see her helplessly entangled in the webbing. “I’m stuck.” The princess of the Windmill Kingdom said sheepishly.
Milro and Auler took her by the arms and tried to pull her out. “I don’t like this.” Milro said as she pulled. “Where there’s a spider’s web, there’s a spider.”
“Don’t worry.” Auler replied. “We’re still too big for a spider to bother us.”
There was a soft sound of something being placed down gently on the metal “floor” of the duct. In the dim light of the lanterns they saw a massive, dark brown spider come up to the web. It took all of Milro’s control to keep from screaming. She instead ducked behind Auler.
“Unless it’s the biggest tarantula in all the Mysterious Planet.” Auler stepped back with her.
The monstrous arachnid approached Sophie. With its long, hairy leg it tapped her shoulder.
“Uh…Big Brother.” Sophie said helplessly.
“Don’t worry Sophie.” Auler drew his sword from its hilt on his belt.
He jumped between the spider and his sister. “Get back.” He shouted as he swung his sword at it.
The tarantula reared up, exposing its sword like fangs that it rubbed together. Auler took a step back at this sight. It lunged at him but missed.
Auler saw that there was an opening in the arachnid’s stance. One stab and he could end it right then and there. However, as he reared up his sword for the final blow he hesitated.
Although it was threatening his sister, it was just trying to get its next meal. He couldn’t bring himself to kill it just because it was hungry. He instead sliced at its front leg.
The spider recoiled and backed away into the darkness. The sound of its steps grew softer as it retreated. Once he was satisfied it was gone Auler sliced down the webbing holding Sophie.
“Are you alright?” He asked as he slid his sword back in its hilt.
Sophie replied with a nod as she picked up her lantern. She tried to pull strands of web off as her brother helped her up.
“Auler…Sophie…” Milro called out to them.
The two royals of the Windmill Kingdom joined her at the edge of a vent. Unfortunately being small enough to climb in meant they could also fall through. The three peered down at the cement floor far below.
“How do we get across?” Milro asked.
Auler took their lanterns and stepped onto the first bar on the vent. He then stepped on the next, using the lanterns to balance himself. He put one foot ahead of the other as he slowly made it to the other side.
“Come on.” He called back to the girls.
Sophie hesitated for a second. She then picked up her skirt and ran across them. Auler caught her as she jumped off the last bar. Milro looked down at the floor below them. She worked up all the courage she could and started jumping from bar to bar. However, she missed one and fell through.
“MILRO!” Auler and Sophie yelled as she fell screaming.
Milro was sure she was going to die. It was only two and half meters but at her size she might as well have fallen off a thirteen story building. She hit and surprisingly lived. Her rump was sore but other than that she was fine. She winced as she rubbed her aching rear and stood up.
The mucus bubble in the gators nostril popped and his eyes opened slightly. Everyone gasped. If he found Milro loose. However, he closed his eyes again and went back to sleep. Everyone sighed in relief.
“Okay.” Alex said in shock. “Why didn’t Milro-sama die?”
“Fluid dynamics.” Otto explained. “Milro-sama is so small and light her fall was cushioned by the pressure of the air under her body.”
“Thank God.” Auler heaved a sigh of relief. “Milro,” he called down to her, “I can use the line to pull you back up.”
Milro dusted herself off and straightened her dress. She looked at the duct. There were at least three more vents to cross. “I should stay down here.” She replied. “I’ll only slow you down.”
“Alright.” Auler shrugged as he and Sophie disappeared into the duct.
Milro suddenly felt a cold breath of wind on the back of her neck and her nostrils were assaulted by the stench of rancid meat. She turned around and found herself face to face with the snapping turtle that was with Geronita.
“He-hello.” She said timidly, taking a step back.
The turtle took a step forward as he licked his chops. Milro knew how Sophie must have felt with the tarantula a couple minutes before. Unfortunately at ten centimeters tall, they were far from the top of the food chain.
“You look hungry.” Milro step another step back. “But I’m not food.”
“What do alligator snapping turtles eat?” Alex asked.
“Just about anything smaller than themselves.” Otto answered.
“Figures.” Alex said in response. “Run for it Milro-sama!”
Milro didn’t need to be told. She turned and ran for it as the turtle took off after her.
“Leave me alone.” She screamed.
She rounded a corner as she came to the wall. The turtle followed her, knocking the chair the guard was sleeping in. The larger reptile fell hard on the floor and his rifle hit the ground butt first. The weapon misfired, shooting a spear right into the duct. Sophie and Auler were taken aback as the spear punctured the duct in front of them.
The turtle was gaining on Milro. She turned around again back towards the table. She could feel the turtle’s breath on her neck. She had survived her fall only to be eaten.
The turtle opened his maw, ready to devour her. He then stopped when a spear impacted the cement floor in front of them. Milro took shelter under the table.
She leaned against the leg and tried to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding so hard it seemed ready to leap out of her chest. She peered out from around the leg at the two reptiles.
The gator had his rifle trained on the turtle. The turtle retracted his limbs and head as the gator loomed over him.
“Damn turtle.” The gator growled. “If you weren’t Lord Geronita-sama’s pet I’d turn you into soup.”
He kicked the turtle and it slid like a curling stone down the hall and through a dog door in the main door. The gator lumbered back to his table and picked up his chair before slamming it back down upright and jumping onto it. He put up his legs and went back to sleep. Milro heaved a sigh of relief as she leaned back against the table leg.
**********
Lee, Ophelia, Tammy, and Bret looked around them from their hiding place. The tarmac was crawling with gators. There was still no sign of the jeep at first but the screeching of brakes signaled a jeep stopping.
A jeep had pulled up to the side of the building. Peering from behind the barrels Ophelia saw Spigot and the others still clinging to the undercarriage.
“That’s my cue.” Ophelia dashed to another hiding place closer to them.
“I should get going as well.” Tammy got up and left. She then turned to Bret and Lee. “Don’t forget your job.”
“We don’t need to be reminded.” Bret grumbled.
Ophelia peered out at the jeep. The gators were standing next to it and conversing with one another. She grabbed a rock and threw it against a wall. The gators grabbed their rifles and walked towards the sound.
She motioned to Spigot and the others. The three dropped to the ground and ran behind the barrels with her.
“I guess we might as well go.” Lee said, counting the gators in his mind. A grave expression formed on his face as their chances of survival seemed bleak at best.
“No we don’t.” Bret leaned back and crossed one leg over the other.
“We’re supposed make a distraction for the others.” Lee said in response.
“That could mean many things.” Bret replied. “It doesn’t mean we necessarily have to go out and make them chase us.”
“I get it.” Lee ducked back behind the barrels. “We’ll wait here until they’re ready.”
Bret peered out from behind the barrels. The
Hurricane had been taxied into the hangar at the end of the runway and turned to face down the landing strip. Geronita was walking around it with a couple gators a well as Waltu and Copter-bot with him. Geronita knocked on the craft with his fist.
“Where did you find this?” Geronita asked as he examined it.
“It was parked on a landing strip on the township border.” One of the gators answered.
“This is the craft Princess Milro was on.” Copter-bot added.
“So Yamul’s flunkies are in my swamp ey?” Geronita rubbed his chin as his lips cracked into a devious grin. “No doubt they’re here to rescue their princess.”
“Should I have my men start scouring the swamp?” One of the gators asked.
“Why waste the energy?” Geronita said in response. “We’ll wait for them to come to us. Have the soldiers solidify the perimeter.”
“It will be done at once.” The gator saluted and marched off.
“You’re too late for that you fly eating slob.” Bret chuckled softly.
“What should we do about this?” Waltu inquired about the
Hurricane.
“I guess I could use it as my flagship.” Geronita thought out loud. “However, this paintjob has to go.” He turned to a gator in grey coveralls. “I prefer a lovely shade of green.”
“GREEN!?” Bret yelled upon hearing Geronita. “Not on my airship!” He hopped over the barrels and started running for the hangar.
“Wait Bret.” Lee called after him. “What happened to hiding out?”
He didn’t get a response. With an exasperated sigh he ran after him.
Bret yelled as he ran at full speed for the hangar. The gator was attaching a hose to the paint machine. As he prepared to spray the
Hurricane’s hull Bret tackled him to the ground. The two quickly got back on their feet.
“I’m not letting you paint over this you dirty reptile.” Bret threw all of his strength into a right punch in the gator’s sternum. After an awkward second he pulled his hand away and tried to shake out the throbbing sensation that shot through his entire arm.
The gator grabbed him by his coat. He glared and snarled at the engineer who could only smile sheepishly. “This just isn’t my night.” Bret moaned.
“Bret,” Lee shouted as he piled a second gator guard on top of the paint machine, “watch out!”
He shoved the machine towards them. It slammed into the gator, knocking Bret free. Bret quickly got to his feet as Lee threw him a spear rifle and slung another one over his shoulder.
“Let’s get out of here.” Lee shouted.
As the two ran out of the hangar lighting flashed and thunder rumbled. A hard rain suddenly developed and bombarded the island. Geronita looked up at the clouds. His wide mouth formed a scowl and he grabbed Waltu by his shirt, lifting the diminutive walrus to his eye level.
“What the hell is going on?” He shouted at Waltu. “I want it raining in the Seed Kingdom, not here.”
“I-I don’t know.” Waltu blubbered.
Geronita then caught Bret and Lee out of the corner of his eyes. “What the…what are they doing here?”
“Well, well.” Waltu chuckled as he watched them run by. “You’re not even king yet and you already have your first peasant revolt.”
“Shut up and make yourself useful.” He dropped the pinniped. “Find out what the weather’s doing.” He then tuned to a group of gators. “What are you overgrown hand bags waiting for? An invitation?” He bellowed, pointing at Bret and Lee. “Get those endotherms!”
The gators saluted and gave chase. From their hiding places the others watched.
“I’m surprised.” Emily said. “I thought they would have found a place to hide. They’ve taken this bait role well.”
**********
In the brig Auler was guiding the hook down to the keys. Alex gave them line slowly from the cell. The sound of the rain filled the brig. However, unlike the soft pattering in the Seed Kingdom, it was a loud pounding. The hook came to the level of the keys.
“Alright,” Bonnie said as she watched from the door, “bring it up slowly.”
Alex began slowly winding the line back in. Auler gave the hook enough of a swing to hook the ring holding the keys. The line went taught as the keys were slowly lifted off the hook. The keys swung a little as they ascended towards the vent. Everyone’s hearts quickened as they dangled on the line.
Suddenly lightning flashed vividly outside followed quickly by the sound of thunder cracking through the atmosphere and a deafening rumble that rattled the building. The gator’s eyes suddenly opened to see the keys dangling right in front of him. Everyone gasped. The reptile grabbed the line with his claws and yanked on it. Alex’s reel ripped from his hands and the whipping line knocked Auler and Sophie out of the vent. They fell onto the table below.
Auler pushed himself into a sitting position. He then looked to his sister. “Are you alright?”
She nodded in response. She then looked up and screamed causing him to look up as well. The gator was looming over them with his scaly claw descending towards them.
Auler thought fast. He drew his sword and as the gator was about to grab them and shoved it into his palm. The gator pulled away his hand and snarled in pain. Auler grabbed Sophie’s hand and jumped off the table. Milro ran out from her hiding place with them in their dash back to the cell.
The gator pulled out the tiny sword and grabbed his rifle. He then leapt over them and landed between them and the cell. The impact knocked them off their feet. The gator threw the mangled sword in front of them and brought his rifle to bear.
“Leave them alone.” Nicole cried out.
“Yeah.” Alex added. “Pick on someone your own size.”
“Like you.” The gator growled in response.
“Actually,” Alex pointed behind him, “I was thinking more along the lines of her.”
The gator looked back in time to take a full force right jab from Tammy in the head. Milro and the others ran out of the way as the massive reptile landed hard on the cement.
“Tammy,” Milro exclaimed, “you’re here!”
“Yeah.” Tammy replied.
The gator slowly got on his hands and knees, shaking his head out. “You just made a big mistake Tiny.” He snarled as he stood up, being head and shoulders taller than Tammy. Tammy planted her fists on her hips and glared back at him.
Alex looked from one to the other. “This is gonna get ugly.”
To be continued…
Next time is the climax. Will our heroes and heroines escape Geronita's island and put a stop to his diabolical plans? Or will Geronita succeed in turning the Mysterious Planet into a giant swamp? All will be revealed whenever I get around to posting the next chapter.
