The dark hallways of the hideout were quiet. Groomer had gotten all she needed, had been down to the Cloning Machine, and had made herself her own Hunter Clone. She would trick Parvo by attacking him with a copy of his own Hunter Clone! She would destroy his Clone with her own, then destroy HIM! She could feel him now, in this hideout, ready to pounce upon her, ready to attack her and drain the life from her body.
But Groomer was onto him now. She was almost ready.
She glided down the corridors, as slippery as a snake. She held the computer that would summon her Hunter Clone, which she had hidden in a closet. She looked all around. Suddenly she heard it, a faint banging sound and whirled around, was that a movement, near the far door? "Parvo?" She called out, 'I don't want to play anymore. If you're there, come out where I can see you! Let's settle this once and for all!"
The banging grew louder. She held her hands over her ears. "Stop it!" She cried. "Stop making that noise!" She began to run, but the noise was coming from in front of her now. She ran back in the other direction, but she knew it was useless, she couldn't run away from Parvo, he was everywhere, she couldn't escape him, she didn't have a chance.
Suddenly, she realized the sound was getting louder. She froze, listening. She heard a metallic banging, as if her own body was being slammed against the wall. But this noise wasn't an echo, it was real, and it was somewhere nearby. She heard a faint rustle and followed it until she came upon the door to the furnace room. The noise had come from there, she was sure of it. This was where Parvo had hidden his clone, in the most unlikely place, just the place to rush out and get her.
She took a deep breath and touched her computer, now she was ready. She twisted the knob and cursed at the fact that it was locked! But she wouldn't be defeated that easily. She would find something to pick the lock..then she would be ready. A locked door couldn't stop her, nothing could stop her! She backed up into the shadows as she heard it, Storm's annoying accent.
"ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR FINAL SYSTEM'S CHECK. ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR FINAL SYATEMMS CHECK!!"
The dark, creepy hallway echoed with the footsteps of the Rovers. They quickly made their way down the narrow corredor until it split up into two pathways. "Which way now?" Blitz asked, already shaking in his boots.
"I don't know," Colleen replied, wishing she possessed Hunter's keen sense of smell. "Let's spilt up. Exile and Blitz, take the left. Shag, Muzzle, you're with me."
Exile heard this with a bit of dread. After all, he had promised Master he'd watch over Colleen and take over if needed. 'Uh..Colleen..maybe I should come with you. Blitz and Shag can handle the other way."
"I want you to think about that very carefully, Exile," Colleen said. "You REALLY think it's wise to leave them both alone?"
Exile glanced at both Shag and Blitz who were shaking their boots off. He sighed. "Yeah, I should go with Blitz." Colleen nodded and turned away. Sorry, Master, Exile thought.
Colleen, Muzzle, and Shag went into the right tunnel and quickly made their way into the shadowy hallway. Shag immidiately began to wimper. Colleen grabbed his shoulder. 'I KNOW you're scared, Shag, but you MUST be calm." He nodded. They made their way down the hallway quietly, trying to watch in all directions at once. Suddenly Muzzle started to growl, causing Colleen and Shag to turn around. A whole bunch of Cano-Mutants were charging right at them, howling away.
"Shag, get your launcher. Your LAUNCHER," she said slowly, to make sure he got it right. He pulled it out, as usual facing the wrong way. 'Turn it around," Colleen cried. Quickly he turned his whole body around- which was good enough to fire right into the middle of the group, releasing gas tennis balls which quickly knocked out a good deal of the Mutants. Several, though, weren't affected and began to come after them, causing Shag to duck and cover his eyes.
"JENNIFER LOPEZ! MADONNA!" Colleen yelled, quickly delivering kick after punch, knocking down the rest. "Come on, Shag!" she said. Shag jumped up, pushing Muzzle. They went along further down the hall, only to be confronted by hundreds more Cano-Mutants. Shag looked at Colleen, she nodded. "LET'S MUZZLE THEM!" she cried, removing the restraints. Immidiately Muzzle made short work of the Mutants. Colleen looked at the mess. "Blimey!" she said to herself. As Shag was putting the restraints back on Muzzle, Colleen took out her headphones. "Exile, Blitz, come in. Do you read me?"
"Yeah we doski!" Exile said. "Where are you?"
"Hard to say. Looks like some dark tunnels to me. Have you found anything suspicious?"
"Yeah, we have! We're in some sort of control room, but for what, we don't know."
"Exile! Come see," Blitz said, pointing. Exile saw a bunch of monitors set up in different rooms.
"Bulshoi!" Exile cried. He looked at the monitors. "I see you, Comerades! He has got monitors all set up!"
"Can you see Groomer?"
"Not yet. I don't think these monitors cover EVERY room. But I DO see Parvo, he's talking to a bunch of men in a conference room, but I can't tell what about."
"Keep an eye on him, and look out for Groomer, too. We'll keep looking down here." They continued to travel down the hallway when they stopped in their tracks as a familiar somewhat country accent came over some loudspeakers on the celing.
"ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR A FINAL SYSTEMS CHECK! ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR A FINAL SYSTEMS CHECK!"
"Storm!" Colleen said to herself, recognizing the voice. At the same time she heard a loud, tramping sound echo through the empty hallway, as if an entire army was heading her way.
"I am not seeing this,' Exile said to himself as his eyes were glued to one of the monitors. "Uh, Comrade Colleen, you and Shag might want to look out!"
Colleen and Shag backed up against the wall as the rumbling sound got nearer and nearer. To their unbelieving eyes thousands and thousands of people came marching down the hall. Some of the people were strangely familiar to them. Shag whined when he saw his own master there, but he didn't even turn around. Colleen even caught a glimpse of the Prime Minister and his wife in the group, but how could they even be there, after having talked to her in England only about two hours ago? Suspicious, Colleen began to quietly follow them and beckoned to Shag to join her.
Storm's voice once again rose over the speaker. "ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR FINAL SYSTEMS CHECK! ALL CLONES PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR FINAL SYSTEMS CHECK!"
"Clones?" the words echoed in Colleen's mind. "CLONES!" She allowed herself to smile, her hunch was right! Parvo WAS making clones! She pulled Shag behind a post as they watched the Clones march through the hall. "Look, mate, you wait right here, I'll follow those clones. Exile, Blitz," she said over her headphones, "Meet Shag down here. I'm gonna go investigate. I'll call ya when I need backup."
"Okie Dokie, but be careful," Exile warned.
Colleen nodded and made her way down the hallway. She stopped and crutched behind a post as the big, full hallway gradually became more and more narrow and the clones began to march one by one down it and into a large room. They formed one big line marching like a group of ants.
Thinking quickly, Colleen went to the back of the line and marched with them, pretending to be a clone as well. They all came to a huge room that was completely empty except for a huge window almost at the top of the celing that had Storm's face peering out of it.
"Ten hut!" he cried, causing the clones, and Colleen to halt. "About face!" he ordered, making the clones, and Colleen, turn around. The door to one side opened and Parvo came marching out, pleased. " Attention! So, general," Storm said. "How are our friends?"
"Comfortable," he said wickedly. "But still a bit doubtful."
"Well, they'll change their minds once they see what we got cooked up right here."
"Yes," he agreed, slowly going to each one, staring them in the face, looking them over carefully. "Yes indeed, and once we finish looking them over, I'm sure there's no doubt they will..." Just then Parvo's voice faded away as he came to a stop in front of Colleen. He stared at her with at first surprise, then curiosity, then a bit of anger.
He looked into her face, then touched her hair a bit. She had to fight the urge to bat his filthy hand away. Parvo glared at Storm. "Storm? About the English Collie?"
"Yeah, General?"
"Why are there two?"
"What do you mean, General?"
"I already told you I made one. So, why did you make another?"
"I didn't make another, General! The one you made is the only one!"
"I don't think this is the one I made!"
Storm grabbed a microphone. "Clone 3-1512125513, step forward!" Immidiately there was a rustle in the crowd, and out stepped a being that greatly resembled Colleen in every shape and form. It turned to face her and Colleen gasped, she was staring into her own face! Parvo quickly grabbed the real Colleen and pulled her out to face the Clone.
"Why are there two?" He asked again.
Storm looked at both of them carefully. 'Oh, shiiiiiiiiiitaki mushrooms. General, I think it's...BECAUSE THAT ONE'S THE REAL ONE!!" Colleen immidiately shook off Parvo's hands.
"Good guess!" Colleen cried angrily. 'All right, Parvo, the game's over."
"I think not," Parvo said, trading a look with Storm. Storm spoke into his mike again.
"Clone 3-1512125513, sick her! All others, RETREAT!"
Quickly, the other Clones, Storm, and Parvo disappeared into the next room. Colleen tried to follow them, but she was blocked...by herself.
"Going somewhere?" The Clone spoke..in Colleen's voice. This was enough to shock her for a second before she regained control and went into a fighting stance.
Colleen gasped as she stared into light blue eyes- her own eyes! But something was wrong-something was different. THESE eyes were like hers from the OUTSIDE, but on the INSIDE it was completely different. They were cold, distant, unfeeling, emotionless. The very same kind of eyes Hunter had always had in her dreams! As she looked, the eyes of her Clone began to glow- an eery, creepy. yellowish glow. Slowly she approached Colleen. Colleen backed up and assumed a fighting position, the Clone did the same.