Larry and the exhibits ran as fast as they could through the doors of the British Museum and into the London night. They ignored the funny looks they were given by the people around them, focusing only on the knight that rode through the forum and out of sight.
The night guard was the first to move forward, but was forced to draw back from the two lion statues that growled at him. Sacagawea and Teddy held back, along with Attila and Ahk. In Larry's pocket, Jed and Octavius watched the beasts- Jed with curiosity, Octavius rather concerned.
"Turn on yer ligh', boy!" Jed yelled up at the night guard. "These cats wanna play!"
Octavius gave his friend a sideways glance, trying to figure out why he was so excited by the savage beasts approaching them.
Jed's good-humour was short lived. Larry lifted his hand to draw his flashlight, not noticing the fact that he bumped his pocket. The jolt caused Jed, who was already leaning out of the night guard's pocket to better see the lions, to fall forward toward the ground. Octavius gave a sharp yell and grabbed onto his leg, just managing to catch him before he fell.
Jed gave a rather indignant cry and wriggled in his grasp. "Don' le' go!"
"I could hold you better if you remained still!" Octavius snapped at him.
Keeping his grip tight, the Roman began to drag his friend to safety. But fate had other plans.
Larry had successfully distracted the lions and was now running. The movement was enough to cause Octavius to fall forward along with Jed. Thinking fast, Octavius held tighter to Jed and with his spare hand grabbed the side of Larry's uniform pants. It was enough to slow their descent, but not enough to save them.
The two miniature leaders rolled along the ground for a moment, having fallen for the third time that night. Octavius threw his arms out to the sides to stop his rolling, Jed crashing into him with an audible "oomph!" Lifting his head, Octavius spotted Larry and the other exhibits running farther away. His heart skipped a beat as he realized the danger he and Jed were in.
"Jedediah,"
"Wergh…" Jed groaned, shaking his head. "Ow…"
Octavius stood and attempted to drag his cowboy friend to his feet. "Hurry. We must go."
At first, Jed was not certain why the Roman was acting so odd. They had fallen, yes, but only a short distance. Neither of them had been hurt, and their friends were only right over...oh.
"Ockie…" Jed gulped, watching Larry's back disappear out of their sight.
"I know, Jed, I know," Octavius sounded as if he might scream by this turn of events. "Hurry- we have to follow them before we lose sight."
Jed nodded and climbed to his feet. He made to step forward, but was grabbed and pulled back by Octavius as a giant foot came down where he had been standing. He was aware now of the people walking around the forum, their loud voices booming as they spoke to each other about the odd spectacle they had seen earlier.
Octavius pulled Jed along to a curb, where they huddled down in the hopes of avoiding detection. Giants- more so their feet- were very dangerous to them. They had almost been crushed before- they still remembered the giant that almost stepped on them at the Smithsonian. If it had not been for Jed's quick thinking and swift sword movement, they would have been killed.
But now only Octavius had a sword- and it would not be very useful- especially since these giants were much more modern, and the soles of their shoes, much thicker.
"N-Now what?" Jed's voice held a tremble, and it occurred to Octavius that this was the first he had truly seen his friend so frightened.
He tried to think about what to do next. Based on what he had seen from Larry's watch, there were only about two and a half hours left until morning. If they were not back with the others before then, they would perish in this strange city, miles from home.
Octavius tried to imagine a hope that, perhaps, Larry would realize they were gone and circle back to find them. But, he remembered, they were too focused in retrieving the Tablet. And who could blame them? It was the right thing to do.
If he was on his own, he would have tried to find them again- but he felt that his loss would not have been too painful, and in fact would have been most honourable, had that been the case.
But it was not simply his own life that hung in the balance. It was Jed's, too.
Octavius' eyes scanned the forum, landing on what appeared to be a map of the city hung on the window of a restaurant.
Instinct kicking in, he grabbed Jed's wrist and ran, pulling him along until the cowboy realized the plan, and ran on his own.
The pair charged across the sidewalk, dodging giant feet until they reached the window. They paused below it, staring up in an attempt to see the various markings.
"Curse it," Octavius muttered, clenching his fists. He took a fee steps back, out of instinct, gazing up at the sprawling map. "I can not make out a thing."
Jed's gaze landed on the side wall of the window. It was made of decorative stone- like most fancy eateries- and had plenty of finger and toe holds.
"Wait 'ere."
Octavius made to protest, but relented when he realized what his friend's plan was. It did not ease his worry, though, and he stood below him, ready to catch him if he should fall.
Jed shimmied his way to the top, stopping when he reached the middle of the map. He leaned out, not noticing Octavius wince as he watched him sway precariously.
The cowboy's eyes trailed along the map, following what looked like the bus route. Larry and the others had been pursuing the Knight in the direction of the theater. Larry had mentioned something about taking a bus. If they could reach the final stop on the route, then perhaps they could catch their friends before they were lost.
With enough information, Jed began his descent. He focused, one hand, one foot, making his way back down.
Then, he slipped. Jed yelped as his hands scrambled for purchase, the stone slicing open his hand. He lost his footing, and began to fall- only to catch himself about a foot from the ground.
"Jed!"
Octavius' heart skipped a beat as he watched his friend dangle above him.
Jed took a deep breath. He steeled himself, slowly making his way back down. When he was an inch from the ground, he let himself jump, Octavius catching and steadying him.
"What did you see?" Octavius asked, pulling his friend into the shadows and away from the eyes of the giants.
Jed panted as he caught his breath, leaning on his knees. He looked up at the Roman. "Gigantor's headin' ta the theater on Main," He drawled. "There's a bus route we can follow ta get there."
"Did Larry not say they would be catching this...bus?"
Jed nodded. "We can head 'em off at the last stop. But we gotta hurry."
Octavius nodded, tightening the straps of his helmet. "Let us go. We must hurry."
The two traced along the edges of the shops and the restaurants, staying close to the shadows. Neither of them liked being out in the open the way that they were. At any moment, a giant could look down and notice them. If they did, well…
Octavius, for one, did not like to think about that. Larry had told them that, if they were ever caught, they would likely never be seen again. They would be taken, and likely put through some sort of horrible experiment.
Even if they avoided the detection of the giants, their lives were still at risk- and not just from the rising sun.
As if adding emphasis to these thoughts, a dog began to bark from their left. A car raced past their position, showering them with a cloud of acidic smog. A runner dropped her giant foot only a foot away from them. A giant dropped a cigarette bud, the sparks licking at their heels.
They reached the first curb, turning around it, only to find their way trapped by the giants. There were at least twenty of them, standing before a glass window full of those odd flashing box thingys Larry called "televisions". The screens showed images of a knight galloping through the streets on the back of a horse, and snapshots of a group of people dressed in "historically authentic" costumes.
It was difficult to hear what was being discussed, as the booming voices collided with each other against the tiny ears of the men below, but Octavius had a good idea of what had gotten their attention.
"They are on to the others," Octavius muttered, frowning to himself. Please be careful, Larry.
"There's too many damned giants walkin' around," Jed hissed, slinking along the edge of the building and away from the giants. "We ain' gonna get through 'ere. We gotta take a shortcut."
Octavius lifted his head sharply, gazing at his friend. "Through where? Jedediah, we must not deviate from the path. This is the quickest route."
"Wait." Jed imagined the map he had seen, picturing where they were at that moment and where they wanted to be. He turned abruptly, staring down a dark, rather ripe-smelling alley. "This way."
Octavius cringed. While he had no aversion to wading through piles of trash down a dark and potentially dangerous alley, he did have a strong aversion to deviating from the chosen path. If Jed was wrong, and this alley took them the wrong way, then they would surely miss the others and be lost.
"Jed...I do not know if this is the best idea-"
"We ain' got a choice, Ockie!" Jed hissed. He glanced over the Roman's shoulder, noticing one of the giants drop their keys and bend to pick them up.
Without giving his friend another word, he grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the alley. They stuck close to the shadows, picking their way around the discarded trash. Peels, wrappers, and what appeared to be old clothes littered the ground ahead of them. The air was choked with the scent of cramped humanity, and what smelled nauseatingly like a rotting skunk.
Jed balanced his way across a stick, conveniently lying over a puddle of water that was a rather questionable color. He glanced over his shoulder, relieved to see Octavius keeping pace with him. Cutting through the alley had not been his first choice- he had wanted to stick to the original pah just as much as his friend. But, he had learned over the years, sometimes plans changed. And sometimes, inconvenient as it was, the chosen path had to be left for a while.
"We're almost there," Jed whispered. "Maybe another foot or two, and we'll be out of here, don't you worr-"
SCREEEEE!The two men froze, Octavius whirling around and drawing his sword in one swift motion. Jed drew his pistols, and the two stood back to back, turning slowly to face whatever foul creature had made that terrible screeching sound.
A shuffle to their left, and they saw what had made the dreaded noise.
"Oh, gods…" Octavius' voice caught in his throat, his eyes landing on the form of a large, beady-eyed rat, nearly six times his size.
"Shit…" Jed muttered, pointing his pistols at the beast.
Around them, several more of the creatures rose from the piles, their eyes flashing, their white teeth glinting in the light of the moon.
"Jed…" Octavius' voice shook, despite his attempts to hide his fear.
"I know, I know," Jed growled, his eyes scanning the piles of trash around them.
Seconds ticked by, and more rats rose to face their prey. Keeping his sword level, Octavius glanced around desperately for a way out. He could see nothing but garbage for what felt like miles.
Then, he saw their chance.
"Jed," He kept his voice low, taking care to watch the rats as they stalked closer. "The bin, to the right-"
"I see it," Jed stole a glance at their escape route- ducking behind a simple garbage can. He slowly lifted his arm, pulling the trigger.
The gunshot was enough to startle the rats, and gave the two miniature men just enough time to run. Octavius pulled ahead, Jed turning every now and then to fire into the swarming wave of rats that pursued them. Octavius turned about to help, but was roughly shoved by his friend, forced behind the bin.
"Move!" Jed screamed, rolling himself and the Roman out of the way as a clawed hand slammed the ground where they had been.
The two pressed themselves against the wall, forced to huddle as close as possible to avoid the vicious claws and teeth.
"Now what?" Octavius shouted over the din of screeching rats.
Jed looked around, desperate for another option. He found that they were less than a foot away from the other end of the alley, where what looked like a baby stroller was rolling to a stop. It was their only chance.
"We gotta make a run for it!" Jed yelled. He noted the look of terror on his friend's face, and offered a grim smile. "You first! Head fer that stroller!"
If Octavius was going to argue, he had no time to make his statement heard. Jed grabbed him, pushing him toward the other side of the bin. He ran, as fast as his legs would take him, hoping, praying Jed was still behind him. As much as he wanted to, he did not dare turn to check, for fear of falling himself.
He was aware of the shadows moving to his left and right, the rats keen on cutting their prey off before they reached the world outside. The stroller was close now, only a couple of inches from him. Giving it one final push, Octavius threw himself at the side, his hands finding purchase on the decorative fabric.
A yell caused him to finally turn to see Jed throw himself at the stroller, one of the rats reaching out with its dirty claws to snatch him in mid-air. Octavius reached out, catching hold of the cowboy's arm. He pulled him up, watching as a female giant made a disgusted sound and kciekd the rat away from the stroller.
Octavius wasted little time as he heaved himself up to the edge of the stroller, finding a pouch-like compartment beneath where the giant baby was seated. He helped Jed up beside him, the two leaping over the edge and landing in a stack of fresh-smelling diapers.
The Roman took a deep breath, lifting his head to look around at his surroundings. He spotted movement- Jed scrabbling for a grip as he pulled himself free of the diapers. Despite the fact that he was panting and out of breath, Jed began to laugh.
"That was a close one." He laughed, shaking his head as if in disbelief of the fact that they had made it.
Octavius, not one to laugh off a problem, stood. He paced to his friend's side, looking him over. He noticed that he was favoring his left leg over his right, and pointed.
"Your leg."
Jed looked down, down aware of the dull throb he felt in his calf. He leaned against the side of the stroller compartment, turning his head to see a aint trickle of blood seep through his torn trousers.
"Whoops."
Octavius shook his head, motioning for the cowboy to sit. He did.
"Give me your bandana."
Jed handed his bandana over, wincing as Octavius tore open the already seam-split trouser leg. Beneath the fabric, coated in blood, was a rather nasty laceration, trailing from the back of his knee to his heel.
"How bad is it?" Jed asked, for a moment rather fearful.
"Nothing that can not heal," Octavius reassured. He began to wrap the wound, taking great care to tie the knot over the artery. "When we get home, it will need to be washed clean. These rats are dirty creatures- I do not want you to fall ill with an infection. Am I understood?"
Jed smirked, giving a mock Roman salute. "Yes, sir."
Octavius ignored the slight, turning to face the opening of the compartment. The stroller had begun moving again, the giant mother pushing her baby along.
"Where're we headed?" Jed asked quietly, pulling himself to his feet. The throb in his leg hurt, but was bearable.
A meek grin formed on the Roman's face. "Exactly where we want to go."
Jed gave a relieved sigh, letting himself sit again. He slumped against the diapers, his head falling back in exhaustion. "How long would yah say 'till we get there?"
"Based on the speed of this giant...I would say, roughly five minutes."
"Perfect." Jed mumbled, letting his eyes droop. "We can take a breather. I'm jus' 'bout done."
"That sounds like a good idea- I will join you."
Octavius sat himself down beside his friend, positioning himself so that he could see out of the compartment, watching for their stop.
"Will you be able to walk?"
Jed kicked his leg and nodded. "I'd say so. I ain' as easily beaten as I look."
"I never said you were," Octavius countered.
They sat in silence for a while, both reflecting on their escape. Finally, Jed spoke.
"Thanks."
"Hm?" Octavius glanced up at his friend, his weary eyes only half open.
"Thanks," Jed repeated. "Fer gettin' me up here. Thought he'd had me, the bastard."
Octavius smiled, nodding his head once. "If anyone is to be thanked, it is you," He admitted. "It was your plan."
"It was a damn good plan, too." Jed chuckled, shaking his head. "That's more exercise than I normally get in a year. We should git' chased by rats more of'en."
Octavius shook his head with a laugh. "Not anytime soon, mind you. I never wish to see another one of those rats again."
After another minute of travel, the stroller stopped at a crosswalk.
Octavius, mindful of the hard ground below him, lowered himself down. He lifted his hands, catching Jed as he somewhat awkwardly managed to half fall, half slide over the edge.
"Can you walk?" Octavius asked, helping him to his feet.
Jed nodded, taking one step after another, then turning to grin at his friend. "Just fine."
Octavius glanced down the street, his eyes landing on their final destination. His heart soared with hope as he the blue and white sign, proclaiming the existence of the bus stop.
"There it is!" He pointed it out, his grin echoing on the cowboy's face.
Jed opened his mouth to speak, to give some sort of smart remark, when the sound of an engine swooshing past them made him freeze.
All the joy and hope Octavius had felt in his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach as he watched the bus pull past them, coming to a stop at the signpost. Giants began to leave the doors- one group, Larry and the others.
There was no time to speak. The two exchanged a look, then burst into a desperate run, chasing after their giant friends as they began to run toward the theater.
"Larry!" Octavius' voice pitched as far as it could, but was nothing but silence.
"Gigantor!" Jed's was no louder.
Another sound met Octavius' ears. He turned briefly to see a flash of black- a car of some sort- whooshing past them. It sent forth a spray of water, larger than himself by many times, rushing in his direction. Before he could react, the wave slammed into him, the spray feeling like a train as it slammed into him. He was pushed across the sidewalk, sent into the abyss of a nearby storm drain.
"OCTAVIUS!" Jed's scream peeled through the night as he watched his friend tumble out of sight and into the drain.
Before he could react, another wave came at him. He tried to brace himself against it, but the force was too great. He was thrown into the storm drain, falling in after the Roman.
Submerged in the water, Jed burst to the surface, his mouth agape as he fought to stay afloat.
"Octavius!" His shout was drowned out by the sounds of falling water, creating currents which whipped him around.
He called out again, his legs kicking desperately, arms swinging against the flow of water. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of red disappear beneath the murky water. Octavius' cape.
Jed took a deep breath and dove head first back into the watery fray. He forced his eyes open, ignoring the sting of the oily water. Beneath him, cape snagged on what looked like a plastic fork, was Octavius.
In the few seconds Jed spared to look, he saw everything in the most vivid of detail.
The Roman's cape was tangled in the prongs of the fork, anchoring him to the bottom. His armour did not help him, either. His body was turned by the current, revealing his closed eyes, mouth open just enough to show that he was taking in water.
Jed thrust himself deeper into the water, reaching out to grab hold of his drowning friend's cape. He pulled, as hard as he could, but the cape would not break free. His lungs screamed at him, begging him to take in air- but he knew that if he left Octavius now, he would lose him beneath the debris and he would be gone.
He tried again, this time wrenching the cape off of his neck and away from his body. Jed took ahold of him, pulling him beneath the arms, until they breached the surface.
"Oc-" Jed and his limp friend were swept down another pipe, cutting him off before he could speak.
He clung to the Roman, pulling him as close to the surface as he could. Breaking the surface, he gasped for air, pushing his friend's still body out of the water as far as it would go. Another dip, and they were plummeting again. Jed held on to his friend with one arm, using his other to grope for something- anything- that they could hold on to.
Jed's hand closed on the edge of something smooth and paper-like. He did not bother trying to figure out exactly what it was that had saved them- he just climbed.
He pulled himself onto the floating piece of trash, dragging the Roman's sodden body from the churning waters. The water continued to chop around them as he pulled his friend into the center of the makeshift raft.
"Octavius!" Jed howled, shaking him. "Octavius!"
Jed's voice was drowned out as another short fall knocked them into the side. He managed to glimpse the path of the water ahead, his heart dropping into his stomach.
Ahead of them, so close he could hear the sickening gurgling, was the final fall.
There was no time to react, little time to think. Jed took hold of Octavius- was he even alive?- and shoved him to the back of the makeshift boat. He gripped the sides, leaning back in An attempt to keep his friend restrained between the side of the raft and his own body.
For half a second, the raft seemed to hover over the drop. It tipped forward, diving down into the murky depths of the sewer. The raft was jostled, nearly throwing off the tiny cowboy. In response, he pushed himself and the little Roman lower against the raft, clinging to the sides.
The frigid water shocked him, like a burst of ld flame. Water splashed into the raft as they went under. With one hand, he gripped the raft- with the other, his friend.
As he waited for the raft to resurface, at the mercy of the currents, his vision began to go dark.
This was the end, then. Drowning in the depths of a sewer in another country, miles from home. Larry would not know what happened- none of them would. chilled ice against his face, soaking his already cold body. The water was too dark to see, but he could feel everything. His lungs screaming, eyes burning- his friend's limp body slipping from his hands. He reached out, grabbing the lip of his armour as the raft shot to the surface.
That was the last thing he remembered.
A few moments later, and he opened his eyes.
The first thing his body did was retch and cough up the water he had inhaled only moments earlier. He groaned, wincing as he turned onto his back. Above him was the sky- it was still dark, the billions of stars flickering down at him, as if to applaud him for surviving his ordeal. He could feel the makeshift raft beneath him- looking closely, he found that it was a black and white checkered food tray- and it floated gently down what he could only assume was a small channel of some sort.
His mind still fogged from the dunking, Jed shook his head, grunting as he pushed himself up. The faint sound of traffic alerted him to the fact that they were still near the road, and, if luck was still on their side, near the theater.
Answering his prayers, his eyes spotted the towering roof of the British theater, directly across the street from them.
And there, leaving the double doors, their faces etched in defeat, came Larry and the others.
Jed's heart soared, and a smile lit up his tired face.
They were gonna make it. He and Octavius were going to make it home after all.
Then, it hit him.
Octavius.
Jed looked around, his heart beginning to beat faster as fear consumed him. He had forgotten about Octavius!
His eyes landed on the still, sodden form of the Roman general, lying crumpled against the side of the raft.
"OCTAVIUS!"
Jed stood on shaking legs, falling before he could reach his silent friend. It was difficult for him to balance as the raft shifted left and right, nearly throwing him overboard.
"Octavius!"
He fell down beside him, grabbing him by the shoulders. He rolled him over, revealing his pale face.
"Come on, Ockie, wake up!"
Pressing his fingers against the Roman's neck, but could not manage to find a pulse. A quick look at his still chest revealed that he was not breathing, either.
"Octavius, no!"
Jed set himself to immediate chest compressions, trying desperately to resuscitate him; all the while, his fear slowly growing as the seconds ticked past.
"Breath, damn it!"
Like a fish gasping on the ground, the Roman suddenly gasped out, the air immediately hitting the water in his lungs and making him cough.
Jed gently, but hurriedly, turned him on his side, holding his trembling body steady as he exhumed what must have been half the water. He patted his back, slowly helping him into a sitting position.
"Easy, Ockie….that's it, yer good, pardner."
Octavius coughed, sputtering for words as his senses returned to him.
"...Jed?..." The Roman's voice shook, his body shivering with cold, eyes wide with fear.
Jed breathed a sigh of relief, leaning to take his shaking friend in a comforting hug.
"I'm here, 'Tavius. 'S all right."
"What…" Octavius paused, looking around.
"Ain't got time, Ockie." Jed dragged him to his feet, putting an arm over his shoulder. "Gigantor's there- we gotta catch 'm for he gets gone."
Octavius nodded. He understood the severity of the situation.
Across from them, Larry had seated himself on the edge of the fountain wall- a fountain?- surrounded by the exhibits. They were close- only three feet away from the two, who floated in the center of the fountain.
"How are we going to reach him?" Octavius asked quietly.
Jed considered their options, touching the water with his hand. "Can't be that deep...we'll have ta swim for it."
Octavius' eyes widened. As brave as he was, he had to admit that he was frightened of the prospect of diving back into the watery depths.
Jed noticed this. He put a hand on his shoulder, offering him a weary smile. "It's alright, Ockie. I'll be by yer side the whole time. I've got yah, brother."
Octavius gave a grim nod, and braced himself to jump, Jed at his side.
"I can't believe I let this happen," Larry's head drooped over his folded hands, his eyes closed as he bashed himself for his mistake.
"It wasn't your fault, Lawrence," Teddy sat down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't have known, couldn't have noticed."
"None of us could have," Sacagawea added, gently rubbing his back.
"Megooga," Attila said under his breath, as if in agreement.
"Larry," Ahkmenrah sat down on Larry's other side, his own hands folded. "None of us could have guessed this would happen. But please, do not fear- they are Jed and Octavius, after all. They will find their way back to us- you know it. We must remain hopeful."
"I want to, Ahk," Larry sighed, rubbing his eyes. "But what if they…?"
"Wait." Sacagawea lifted her hand, signaling for her friends to silence themselves.
Everyone looked at her as she lifted her head, listening intently. It was difficult to hear over the sounds of the vehicles and the people, but through it all, her tuned ears picked up the sound of splashing in the fountain behind them.
She looked over Larry's shoulders, a smile etching its way across her face.
"Look!"
Larry turned where he sat. In the darkness, it was difficult for him to make out the shape of whatever the Native girl had saw. But, when he looked closer, he saw the light glint off what looked like metal, and heard two faint voices cry out-
"Gigantor!"
"Larry!"
Larry dipped his hands into the water, scooping the two out.
"Jed! Octavius!"
The two grinned up at him, albeit through pants and gasps. They collapsed into his hands, both soaked and exhausted.
Larry, too perplexed to think, hit them with a spew of questions.
"Where were you guys? What happened? How did you find us?"
Jed lifted his head, giving him a glare. "Damn...Gigantor...let a man recover first…"
Larry sheepishly winced. "Sorry."
After a moment, Jed rolled himself onto his back. Larry noted the way he avoided putting weight on his leg, and made a note to ask him about it. It seemed fine- Octavius did not look too worried. If he was not worried, there was nothing to be concerned about.
"We fell outta yer pocket," Jed finally spoke up, pushing himself into a sitting position. "Ockie 'n I couldn' catch ya in time. So we tried 'ta follow yah. We got attacked by some rats, and a wave pushed us int'a the storm drain-"
"The storm drain?" The shock in the giant night guard's voice was not lost on Jed, who nodded slowly.
"But we made it out," Octavius said quietly, offering his friend a smile. "And we are safe now, back with you."
Still rather lost, Larry opened his mouth to question them further- there were so many things he wanted to ask them- but, before he could, Attila shouted something in his native tongue and pointed at the fleeing back of a medieval knight.
"There he is!" Teddy shouted.
With a swift hand, Jed and Octavius found themselves thrust back inside the Hun's hat. This time, they made sure to hold on tight as the chase resumed.