Balto: How the Mighty Rise Again(part 4)

"We came because we heard you and Samson were in trouble. Something about getting chased by a bunch of hunters?" Ricardo said, glaring at Samson.

"Uh…sorry boss." Samson said nervously.

The fat cat began laughing. "What do you think I'm gonna do? Whack you? You're too valuable."

There was a scratching at the door.

Fernando got up with a start. "Who the hell is dere?"

"Hang on." Balto padded over to the door. He sniffed.

"It's okay guy's! Just the trio."

He opened the door. Nikki, Kaltag, and Star padded in.

"Youse got company or somethin?" Nikki asked.

After the trio's were introduced they discussed business.

"He's not dead yet?" Ricardo demanded.

"That's right!" Balto snapped back. "I told you, I don't kill! And finding out he's my brother doesn't help!"

Fernando had been standing next to the door the whole time. He told them to be quiet.

"There's somebody out there."

"What the hell do you mean there's someone out there?" Ricardo snapped.

"I mean there are freakin people out there!" Fernando hissed back.

Balto crept over to the window. "Shit!"

"What?" Jenna asked. "Hunters." Balto muttered back.

"How many?" Ricardo asked. "At least ten." Balto replied.

Fernando looked for things to barricade the door. "We got to hold them off."

Balto looked again. "That dog…"

"What? What dog?" Star asked.

"The dog that attacked Jenna."

"Killer! That rat!"

Balto paused. "That's Killer?"

Ricardo nodded. "What do you think they're gonna do?"

The answer to his question came a second later. The door crashed open.

"Run!" Balto shouted.

The cats ran up the stairs. One of the hunter's fired their weapon.

Fernando fell to the ground dead. He had a bullet in his spine.

The group split up. The cat's went one way. The dog's went the other.

Ricardo hid behind a table. He looked up. A bullet slammed into his head. He fell to the ground, his eyes staring blankly into space.

The survivors managed to get outside. The hunters were behind. Balto felt a bullet whiz over his head. He had to get to town. One of the hunters fired. Kaltag was hit in the front leg. He fell to the ground.

Samson stopped. He tried to drag Kaltag with him.

"What the hell are you doing? Go!" Kaltag yelled.

"Not this time!" Samson snapped back. The hunters closed in.

Balto turned. He was a safe distance away. He began to run back to save them, but Jenna grabbed onto his tail. "It's to late Balto."Balto watched as the hunters fired. Samson was hit three times. He lay on the ground dead.

"Hey! Isn't that Kaltag?" One of the hunter's asked.

"Yeah it is. Hold your fire."

Balto turned. Tears were in his eyes.

He saw Rosy's family arrive. The father looked angry.

"What the hell are you doing to my house?" He demanded.

"Sorry sir. There were about fifty wolves in there. We had to shoot them out." One of the hunter's replied."Really? Because I see a wounded dog and a dead tom cat!" Rosy's father snapped back.

Balto watched from a distance. Tears were streaming down his muzzle. "Where do we go?" Nikki asked.

"You and Star go back to town.""What about Kaltag?" Star asked.

"He'll be fine." Balto said reassuringly.

The other two dogs ran back to town. Jenna and Balto stood alone.

"Where will you go?" Jenna asked worriedly.

"I'll stay at the boat." Balto replied shakily.

"I'll walk with you." She said.

Despite everything, Balto cracked a smile. "Thanks Jen."

They arrived at the boat. Neither had spoken on the way there.

Boris was out. He was probably looking after Muk and Luk.

"You want me to stay a while?" Jenna asked.

Balto didn't respond. He was lying under his old blanket, deep in thought.

"Balto, there was nothing you could have done." She said softly.

Balto sniffed. "Samson. He had a family. He had a god damn family, Jen!"

He sighed. "What kind of a world is this where someone is gunned down for trying to help?" He blinked back tears.

He looked in an old mirror. He stared at his reflection.

"Balto, who is this Chiffre you're after?" Jenna asked cautiously.

Balto continued to stare at the reflection of himself. "He's my brother."

Jenna shook her head. "What? But you said…"

"I said they were all killed." Balto interrupted. "That's what I thought. Apparently he was separated from my family before I was born." He paused.

"His blood runs through my veins. The blood of a wolf dog. The blood of a freak."

Suddenly Balto smashed his paw into the mirror. It shattered. He looked at his now bloody paws. Jenna gasped.

"Balto…what's happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Balto demanded.

"You…you've changed."

"I have been on the run for a month. I've been shot at. I've seen people die right in front of me. Everyone I ever befriended while on the run is dead."

Suddenly he was shouting. "SO FORGIVE ME IF I'M A LITTLE DIFFERENT!!!"

Jenna backed off. She had never seen Balto this angry.

"Balto, I'm sorry!"

Balto sighed. "No. I'm sorry. You're right. This isn't me."

Tears came to his eyes. "One day the old me will be back. And then we can start a family. The hunters will stop looking for me. We will be together."

Balto turned. He looked at the mirror. There was blood on it. His blood.

"You should go back home. Rosy will be worried."

Jenna nodded. "And you?"

Balto examined his paw. It was bleeding profusely. "I'm going to pay my brother a visit."He turned around. Jenna saw a look in his eyes, she had never seen before.

"You're not going to…""Kill him?" Balto finished. "I can't make any promises."

Jenna gasped. "But…you're not a…killer."

"No I'm not. But sometimes desperate measures are required."

Jenna turned and ran home. Balto watched her go. It was getting dark out. Perfect.

Killer wandered through the streets. He was looking for an old abandoned warehouse. He found it. It looked deserted. He cautiously pushed open the door.

"Hello?""Ah, Mr. Killer. Please close the door."

Killer complied, then padded inside. There was a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. Chiffre was laying on the floor. Wolves patrolled the area.

"Killer, you have made me a very angry hybrid."

Killer swallowed nervously. He was trying to avoid looking at Chiffre's damaged jaw. Chiffre noticed. "What's wrong, Killy? Does my disability frighten you?"

Killer shook his head. "No sir."

"As I was saying, you nearly killed Balto today. I want him alive."Suddenly he grabbed Killer by the throat. "If it happens again, I'll tear your lungs out!"

Killer shook his head. "Sorry Chiffre! Won't happen again!"

Chiffre grinned. "Good boy. I'm sure this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

He suddenly grabbed another wolf by the throat. He squeezed. The wolf gasped for air. Then he slumped to the ground.

"What was that for?" Killer asked cautiously.

Chiffre shrugged. "Need their be a reason for killing?"

Killer grinned. "I like you already."

Chiffre wiped the blood off his paws. "Good. Keep watch. I'll be outside."Killer nodded. Chiffre pushed past him, out the door.

Chiffre sat outside the warehouse. The snow had started to fall. He remembered how he had enjoyed the snow as a pup. He shook the thought off. The past was irrelevant.

He scanned the darkness. He suddenly noticed two yellow eyes staring at him from the gloom.

"What took you so long?" He asked calmly.

A brown and tan flash streaked out of the darkness. Chiffre was hit in the face by a kick.

"Needed to think it over a bit!" Balto snarled.

Chiffre chuckled. "Think what over?"

"Whether to give you a chance, or kill you like the vermin you are."

"Which did you decide?" He said excitedly.

"Guess!" Balto roared and slammed his paw down on Chiffre's face.

At this point Balto waited for the pleas of mercy. He was surprised by the reaction.

Chiffre was sniggering. "You're on your way, brother. You're on your way."

"Shut up!" Balto hit him again. Blood was streaming down Chiffre's muzzle. But he was still sniggering.

"Every hit gets you closer." Chiffre sneered.

Balto paused, breathing heavily. "Closer to what?"

Chiffre continued sniggering. Balto growled, then slammed his paw down on his brothers head. "CLOSER TO WHAT?!!"

"Closer to being a killer. You have a killer's blood in you. It's only a matter of time."

Balto shook his head. "I'm not a killer. I don't care who's blood I have."

He grabbed Chiffre's head and smashed it into the warehouse wall. Chiffre fell to the ground unconscious.

He turned and ran off. He didn't know where he was going. He just needed to get away.

He was padding through a dark alley. Suddenly he felt something hit him hard in the back of the head. The world spun all around him. He lost consciousness.