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Chapter 10: All in How You Mix the Two

Hatter was on the opposite side of the small road that led to the Tea Shop.

He turned to his captors, "well, I guess this is hasta la vista."

"Don't count on it." One of the Resistance members replied as they knocked Hatter unconscious again.

Hatter faded back into consciousness on the couch in the office of the Tea Shop.

He looked around. "Was it all a dream?"

"'Fraid not." Mad March replied setting his beer bottle down on the nearest table and walked over to Hatter.

"What the hell happened, Hatter?"

"I honestly couldn't say. I was locking up and I thought I'd heard you come back. I looked around for you, next thing I knew, someone knocked me out cold."

"Resistance men." Mad March muttered.

"Probably," Hatter answered rubbing the back of his head.

Gunshots were suddenly heard and at that same exact moment, Hatter jumped as he realized that the two Resistance men, who he had promised to fight along side with, were now dead.

A few weeks later, Hatter had nearly forgotten about the whole ordeal, as had Mad March.

Mad March and Hatter had had secret tea parties in the back office with some wealthy patrons who changed every party and forgot about the two men shortly after the conclusion of the parties.

"I'm not feelin' this whole chocolate and crème cake bit about the tea parties. Wouldn't it be nice just to settle down with someone already?" Hatter complained shortly after the last party guest had left.

Mad March nearly choked on his beer. "Are you kidding me? I'll never tie myself down! And besides, Queenie would never allow it and things would get messy, and I don't really have the time or energy to waste on such things."

"'Spose you're right." Hatter replied kicking back in his chair staring at the tea in his cup.

Mad March took out a pocket watch, "well, time to load up and move out."

"What-why?" Hatter asked.

"Time to go hunt down some Resistance members and blanket more of Wonderland in the Queen's instant gratification," Mad March explained.

"I-I think I'll just stay here and mind the shop." Hatter replied.

"Don't be so daft," March replied as he tossed a gun at Hatter, "you're coming with."

Hatter and Mad March began scoping the city looking for the Resistance members they were ordered to take out.

Up ahead of them, was a man, about middle-age, peering around the corner. He took off around the corner once he caught sight of Mad March and Hatter.

"Let's go!" Mad March exclaimed as he took of after the refugee, Hatter close behind.

Mad March chased the man into a building. Hatter stopped in the door way. There were at least two dozen people hiding in there.

Mad March cocked his gun, smiling, "now, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way."

One of the younger men leapt out of the crowd toward Mad March, who promptly put the man out of commission.

Some of the people shrieked in horror.

"Why'd you do that?" Hatter cried.

"Mad March turned on Hatter, aiming the gun in his face, "are you going to turn on me to, Hatter? I'm sure the Queen would have volumes to speak about that."

Hatter looked at him with a torn look. "I'm with ya, but-"

"Good, then start firing." Mad March ordered as he took aim at the refugees.

"Wait!" Hatter shouted as Mad March began taking out several of the refugees.

Mad March stopped, a horrifying grimace covering his face.

"We should take them back to the Queen, you know, for questioning." Hatter tried to reason.

Mad March began to walk back over to Hatter and slammed him into a wall holding the gun ever-so-close to his face.

"You would really cheat me out of this satisfaction of finishing our sentence early so we can stop selling that emotion crap we're selling? I won't let you Hatter, so I think it's better if you just sit this one out."

Mad March went to knock Hatter unconscious, but Hatter thought quicker this time and ducked aiming the gun at Mad March.

Mad March began laugh hauntingly, "you were finally back where you belong Hatter, and now you're about to throw all of that away for some ingrates?"

"I won't let you do this March, it's insane and it's not right!"

"We'll see about that Hatter, you know, you and I are the same."

"No, no we're not. I thought we were at first, but not anymore. This isn't how it goes down March; I don't want to kill anyone, least of all you."

Mad March began to laugh again. "Kill me? You couldn't kill me even if you wanted to. I know that you're not going to kill me, and do you know why?"

The gun started to shake in Hatter's hand, "why?"

"Because I know who and what you are."

"Yeah? Who am I?"

As Hatter was distracted by Mad March's question, he wasn't alert enough to notice the undercover suit that came up behind him and chloroformed him.

Hatter tried to struggle against the suit, but Mad March came up to him and punch him in the stomach. Hatter cried in pain, which only caused him to inhale the chloroform more.

The gun fell from his hand and his eyes began to flutter close, as his body slunk to the floor, unconscious.

Mad March finished his decimating the refugees and even destroyed the undercover suit.

He picked up Hatter and slung him over his shoulder as he headed to the roof to catch a scarab that would take him to the Hearts Casino.

"You put up quite a fight back there, Hatter; but Wonderland's no place for heroics, especially not yours."

Hatter's still form lay on the floor of the scarab while Mad March continued his gloat.

"You think that I didn't know what you were up to? Where you've been constantly sneaking off two since that kidnapping incident? You think that I didn't even know who or what my best bud, my partner in crime really was? You're in for a treat, because if the truth doesn't come spilling out here, then Whitey will be carrying the secret to his grave.

And you, my friend, will have to find a better way to hide the truth; because you should've realized by now that there is no way to mix the two. Eventually, it'll all blow up and burn."

Mad March laughed maniacally as the scarab continued its course to the Hearts Casino.

Sorry it was so short!!! I'm in tech week for Macbeth that opens this Friday and I should probably be doing homework right now, but I felt that I shouldn't leave you guys hanging!!

Please Review!!!!