A/N: After a bout of Writer's Block, weird technical problems and multiple accidental deletions (-_- I'm a dunce) I finally finished this long awaited chapter! Enjoy the conclusion to this story... Hopefully it isn't crappy =_=
Skipper had braced himself for his inevitable end. He shut his eyes tight. He had clenched his fists so tightly the knuckles were white and he held his breath, knowing that he didn't need it where he was going. He honestly didn't care where he went, as long as he knew his friends were safe.
The sound of the gun going off still rang in the air seconds, minutes, maybe even hours after Skipper heard it. When he realized he was out of breath, Skipper opened his eyes slowly, observing the scene in front of him.
"... The heck?" Skipper went wide-eyed as he saw Blowhole laying in a puddle of blood. Skipper couldn't tell where he had been shot but he knew that Blowhole wouldn't have shot himself. The leader slowly turned around. "Hans?" The Dane stood proudly, gun in hand, despite the black and blue bruise on his face.
"Yes, Skipper?" The Dane smirked at him.
"Why'd you do it?" The leader stared holes into the man.
"What? Oh, save you?" The soldier rolled his eyes. "I did it because... Well, everyone needs a little bit of Skipper in their lives, don't you think?" The leader scrunched his face in confusion. Everything was silent while Skipper read into what the Dane said.
"Um... Well..." The leader and the Dane locked eyes for a moment. "Where's my team?" Skipper bellowed, changing the subject.
"They're in a secret room located the basement," Hans still had a smile on his face as he watched Skipper hurry out of the room hastily. He looked back at Blowhole, crumpled and suffering on the ground. "Sorry to mess up your plans, companion. I couldn't help myself," The Dane pulled up a chair and sat in it, resting his feet on Blowhole's body.
_\\\\/_
Skipper ran through the lair hallways, avoiding the red minions patrolling even though he knew they wouldn't attack without instruction. It just felt right to do it. He sneaked in the corners and in shadows until he reached the winding staircase to the basement. He looked down them confidently before walking down the steps. He would get his team back. Even after the mistake he had made, he knew they'd accept him back.
When the leader got to the bottom of the steps, he got alert as soon as he saw the other slew of villians standing there. He had no weapons on him; he'd have to use brute force.
"Why, hello Skipper. Glad you can join the party," Savio didn't do his usual evil smirk, probably because his face was bruised up more than Hans.
"Stop with the sly banter, Savio. I'm here for my friends,"
"Didn't Blowhole say not to let his friends go unless he was dead?" Clemson asked Savio.
"Yes, Clemson. That's what-"
"Blowhole's shot and laying in a puddle of his own blood. He's not giving instructions anymore," The villian fell silent and stared at Skipper.
"You know, we're not going to hand over your weak friends right? That'll be just too easy," The Red Squirrel cackled.
"Okay. I guess I'm going to have to use brute force," Skipper put up his fists, readying himself for a fight where he was obviously outnumbered.
_\\\\/_
Kowalski calmed down his hyperventilation when his head started to pulse painfully. He looked around at all his battered friends and sighed.
"There's no use to stay here. We must prevail and get out," He stood up straighter and calmly looked for a way out. He came across that ladder in the corner of the room and looked up.
"K'walski! It's a hatch," Private said, adjusting Rico's arm around his shoulder.
"Yup," Rico spoke rather weakly. Kowalski looked at his teammates then back at the Madagascans and Marlene.
"You four should go first. I'll have to figure out how to get Rico up these steps," Julien posed regally and moved through the group to get to the ladder.
"Good you are to be saying that, Koko because I was just to be suggesting that I go first to the freedom," He leaned coolly on one of the ladders rungs.
"Yes, Julien, because you ARE king," Kowalski smirked
"Yes and you are to be protecting me. It is your job," Julien climbed up the ladder with the skill of a tree monkey and reached the metal hatch. He tried pushing the door but it didn't budge. "Why... won't... you... open!" He gave a large heave and the hatch opened with a scream. "That's strange,"
_\\\\/_
"Give it up, Skipper," Savio grinned at the commando as the three villians crowded around him.
"Yeah. You have no backup now, soldier," Clemson sneered at Skipper and he sneered back.
"Are we gonna jibber jabber or are we going to fight?" Skipper put up his fists.
"Have it your way," The Red Squirrel bounded towards the soldier but he jumped out of the way.
"Is that all you've got?" Skipper spoke too soon and was knocked off his feet by Clemson. The red haired man tried pinning him down but got a face full of shoe instead.
"Oh God! My nose!" Clemson rolled himself into a ball, cradling his nose. Skipper looked at him disgusted as he got back to his feet.
"Toughen up a bit," He turned his attention back to the other two men. Red Squirrel started throwing punch after punch at Skipper. He was dodging them at first but after one punch landed hard on his jaw, the soviet started assaulting his face with punch after painful punch.
"Is that all you got?" The Red Squirrel said mockingly as he kept punching Skipper's body. Skipper's eyes shot at him angrily and he kicked the soviet's torso. The Red Squirrel shot across the room and he slammed into a wall. The commanding officer walked over to him and lifted him by the neck. He watched as the Red Squirrel struggled for breath. He gasped and choked and Skipper watched coldly. He finally let go when his face started to turn a slight shade of blue. When he hit the floor, he gulped in all the lost air and started scrambling to his feet.
"Stay down!" Skipper yelled as he stomped on his back. He lifted his foot slowly off the man and waited to see if he would get up again. When he didn't, he placed both feet on the ground and breathed slowly. He wiped his mouth and nose of the dripping blood and looked at the smirking Savio. "Why aren't you doing anything?" Savio smiled widely and flicked his wrists, almost magically getting a knife in each hand. Skipper didn't have time to react before Savio threw the first blade and it barely missed his head.
"I thought you'd like the best for last," Savio laughed evilly and threw the next blade. Skipper backflipped out of the way just in time. This was the cycle for the next couple of thrown knives. Savio threw a knife, Skipper dodged. It slowly started eating at Savio's patience.
"That's enough!" Savio pulled out 8 knives and flung them towards Skipper. The soldier was able to dodge a couple of them, but 3 pierced his arms and both his legs. Skipper instantly fell and screamed in pain. Biting his lip, he tried to stand again, but another knife came flying and pierced his stomach. Skipper gasped and spit out the blood filling into his mouth.
"Savio..." The tall, lanky man grinned at the skewered man on the floor in a puddle of blood.
"I know Skipper, I really have bad aim. Maybe if I move up, I'll finally get you in the heart. Sounds good?" Skipper shook his head but Savio still walked slowly up to the fallen soldier. "Goodbye Skipper," Savio was aiming his last knife when he felt the floor under him move. "What the... Oh, yeah," Savio stomped onto the ground and it stopped moving. "Okay..." He reaimed the knife but before he could throw it, the floor crashed up and Savio shot to the floor with a scream. Skipper let out his breath and closed his eyes.
_\\\\/_
"Skipper?" King Julien climbed all the way out and peaked his head back into the hatch. "It's Skipper! Come quickly! He is hurt!" The group below stared wide-eyed at the opened hatch.
"Oh my gosh! Skipper!" Marlene raced up the ladder and through the hatch door. "Kowalski, he's really hurt, but he's alive," She said down to him. The scientist looked up at her and smiled a little.
"At least he's alive," Marlene nodded and smiled back at him.
"I'll see what I can do until you get up here,"
"Alright," Kowalski looked back at the rest of the group and motioned for Maurice and Mort to climb up. After he watched and made sure the two of them got out safely, he looked worriedly at Rico.
"K'walski, how are we going to get Rico up the ladder?" Private frowned and looked at Rico.
"I have no-" Rico cut Kowalski short by letting go of Private's shoulder and limping painfully up the ladder. His face said it all.
"Tada..." Rico said tiredly when he made it to the top. "Now helb Skibba,"
_\\\\/_
The whole group stood around Skipper as they climbed out one by one. They were only waiting for Private and Kowalski.
"You did good Ringtail..." Skipper muttered.
"I know I did, Skipper. I was knocking that bad guy right off his socks... Where is he, anyway?" Julien wandered away from Skipper and found Savio laying on the floor, knife stuck through his head. "Um... He is being dead now..."
"Good!" Skipper chuckled before cringing. "Rico... I need your help,"
"Wha is it?"
"I need you to pull out these knives for me..." Rico nodded and cringed as he pulled out the knife from Skipper's stomach. Skipper hissed in pain and opened his eyes. "Now do the rest,"
By the time Rico had pulled out the rest of them, Private and Kowalski had both made it up and out the hatch door.
"Kowalski... Analysis," Skipper said tiredly.
"Well, you're losing a lot of blood and these wounds will definitely leave a scar... And let's not think of the internal bleeding. I call for stitches and a blood transfusion. What is your blood type?" Skipper stood silent for a minute. "Skipper?"
"I don't need an analysis about me..." Skipper wheezed out a heavy breath and heaved in another one. "I know I'm in bad shape. I want to know about you guys," The whole group stared at Skipper's form, his heavy breathing and deep puncture wounds, with amazement.
"Marlene, Julien, Maurice and Mort are fine. Rico has a puncture in his leg and me and Private have mild concussions," Skipper took a deep breath.
"We should get you guys to the hospital then," He managed a strained smile.
"Okay. I have a plan to get us to the hospital quickly..." As Kowalski spoke of his complicated plan of transporter and hot wiring cars, someone walked into the basement, and to the spectators' surprise, went straight to Skipper and picked up his injured body.
"Hans... Put me down," Skipper looked straight at the Dane's bruised face, his expression not matching his tired voice.
"Yeah, Hans, do not make us force you!" Kowalski stopped his plan ranting and looked at Hans menacingly.
"Don't be so upright, Kowalski. I'm just helping my best frienemy," He walked quickly out of everyone's sight and out the basement doors.
"How'd you know..?" Skipper asked as Hans walked down the main hallway carrying him. He could here his comrades behind them.
"There is surveillance, Skipper," Hans smiled down at the man. "I will take you to one of Blowhole's vans. After that, I'll leave you and your little friends to your own devices," The two fell silent for a while. But the silence was enough conversation for the two of them.
"Okay Hans, put me down now," Skipper said when they reached the van. Hans sighed, opened the back seat door and placed Skipper inside. The team went inside shortly after. Kowalski and Rico both gave the Dane a particularly nasty look before going inside the van.
"So long Skipper. I know we'll meet again real soon," He waved at the backseat, wide smile on his face, before slamming the door shut. He watched as the van started up and drove away. When it had finally faded into the horizon, he turned to go back into the building. "Real soon,"
THE END
A/N: Booyah! Finally! Finally finished! I hope you all enjoyed this fanfic! I'd like to thank all my reviewers who kept me dedicated to this story from start to finish. And I'd like to thank... Everybody else! :D Have a good day everyone!