Next chapter will be from Zak's POV. Enjoy!
Drew growled under her breath as several scientists emerged from the corners of the room. Dr Beeman, Dr Bara, Talu Mizuki and Miranda herself were all there, weapons drawn and fighting stances taken.
"Doc, Drew, quite a surprise seeing you here hmm?" Beeman mused, "And without the boy…have you come to discuss terms?"
"Be quiet Arthur," Drew snapped, unsheathing her fire sword, "now tell me where they took my son!"
The scientists looked confused "I'm not too sure who 'they' are so if you'd care to clarify…"
"Epsilon and his people kidnapped him! Don't even try and tell us that you weren't involved with it!"
"We can tell you that it was in our best interest to notify Epsilon about our situation, but he had no intent on telling us his plans on the neutralisation of Kur-," Mizuki started but was cut off by a fuming Doc.
"You are all so insolent! You are all aware of the cover ups Epsilon has used in the past to hide the activities of the Grey men! My son is in all too real danger! You are all wrong as always!" Doc bellowed.
"Wrong? We are doing what is best for the human race Dr Saturday," Mizuki replied.
"Okay then, what about the time you tried to take Fiskerton away when he attacked Dr Cheecho? Did you believe us then? Were you right then?"
"That was different Doc, that was a small threat to a few scientists, not large numbers of the population," Miranda cut in.
"You wanted to cryogenically freeze my son. I hate it but in truth it is humane. Epsilon's people have all sorts of horrors inside their facilities, they just sweep it under the rug so nobody knows otherwise! Some of you have known Zak before he could walk! Doesn't that count for anything?!" Drew cried in frustration, deliberately catching Miranda's eye with the last sentence.
"We are not involved with any of Epsilon's business in this matter. We have no knowledge on where he could be holding Kur…" Beeman started.
"His name is Zak…" Drew growled, anger flaring in her eyes.
"Even if you didn't know of Epsilon's business, why did you expect a fight from us?" Doc added.
"We thought you were bringing the boy, handing yourselves in after realising that there is no logic in running from us-." Beeman started but his sentence was cut in half when he gave a surprised shriek.
"I've had just about enough of this!" A fireball erupted from Drew's sword and sped towards him. He leapt out of the way quick enough to avoid it, landing in a heap on the floor.
"Right then," he said, adjusting his glasses and taking a ray gun out of his pocket, "all business." This was all that the other scientists needed to switch to attack mode. On Miranda's command, Deadbolt fired at an overhead light, shattering it and dimming some of the light in the room. Doc pulled Drew into him, sheltering her from any rogue shards of glass. Talu Mizuki's tiger dived at them with a roar only to be tackled aside by Fiskerton. In fury, the Hibagon slammed his fist into the floor, causing a shockwave that knocked Doc and Drew off their feet.
"This is still a multi-million-dollar establishment! Be careful what you hit them with!" Miranda shouted angrily, pulling out her portal gun. She shot a portal that opened behind Doc and Drew. Komodo jumped through the portal and ended up behind Miranda and gave her a harsh slap with his tail so that she fell forward, taking Beeman with her. In response Deadbolt grabbed the lizard by his tail and began to swing him round, increasing speed until he let go of Komodo altogether. The lizard sailed through the air and hit one of the windows, sliding down it and grunting in pain. Drew charged up to the robot which was now charging them and jammed her fire sword into its neck, causing sparks and its head to pop off and shoot through the air towards Dr Bara who ducked before it hit the wall and exploded.
"Heh, guess he needs another upgrade."
Doc charged at Mizuki and punched him with force glove. The giant ape man quickly recovered and knocked Doc away with one swipe of his huge arm. Dr Bara seconded the move by spraying a wave of neuro paralyser gas towards him. Doc backed away with Drew and Fisk behind him along with Komodo who had regained his senses from the impact of being thrown. Drew and Doc covered their mouths and noses as the wave of purple smoke passed over them. Doc once again lit up his glove and blocked an energy wave from Beeman's blaster.
"Surrender to our terms Saturdays! There is no point in resisting!"
"Like we'd ever let you take our son away from us!" Drew roared, sending another fireball towards the scientists. Miranda counteracted it with her ray and it exploded elsewhere, slightly rocking the outside of the building. "We came here to negotiate with you but violence is obviously your only fall back!"
Doc deflected another blast from Beeman and sent a warning punch to Dr Bara. "Drew! We need to get out of here, they aren't going to be any help to us!"
"You had me at 'get out'," Drew muttered, dodging a kick from Miranda. Fiskerton listened in and grabbed Komodo and then started running for the exit. Doc followed and Drew sent a fire ball hurtling up into the ceiling panels causing debris, smoke and sparks to drop down onto their pursuers, temporarily stopping them.
"Don't let them get away!"
Doc and Drew ran quickly down the stairs taking the cryptids with them. Doc broke down the steel door and they ran out into the storm outside. They looked around and hard the scientists yelling from behind them.
"There!" Drew gestured to two snowmobiles parked near the entrance. Doc climbed onto one with Fisk whilst Drew climbed onto the other with Komodo. Snow flew up into the air and they sped away as the scientists emerged into the snow.
"After them!" Miranda declared. The sound of more engines could be heard and the Saturdays looked back to see Miranda, Beeman and Dr Bara pursuing them on snowmobiles and gaining fast.
"How do we lose them!?" Drew cried as shrapnel from the scientist's blasters began to hit the back of her vehicle.
"Pass me your sword!" Doc instructed.
"What! Why!?"
"Just trust me!"
Drew balanced the vehicle with one hand whilst handing her sword over to Doc who was to the right of her.
"Doc they're catching up, if you're going to do something, you better do it now!"
"Not yet…. Not yet!" They were coming up to an overpass. After passing underneath it, Doc turned and charged up a blast and sent it towards a weak point in the rock. As a result, there was a rumbling and tonnes of snow and rock fell directly in front of the scientists, bringing the to an emergency halt. Drew and Doc however, kept going as fast as the accelerator could take them. When they reached the airship about 5 minutes later, the ski treads were smoking and the engines were nearly out of fuel. They quickly dismounted and lowered the ramp so that they could enter.
"Drew! Activate the thrusters and recalibrate the-."
"We've got a big problem with that honey," Drew cut in.
"What!?"
"The engines, they're clogged with snow from the blizzard. We can use the heaters, but it will take 10 minutes or so for the engines to become operational."
"Can we use Komodo's camouflage field?!"
"It won't hold for that long!"
"Well we have to do something!"
"I know! I know!" Drew panicked, pressing the buttons on the side of her seat frantically. She checked a dial. "Engine power at 20%, give her 2 minutes give or take!"
There was an odd sound from above and suddenly the ship gave a lurch as it was pelted with bullets. A spherical shaped ship could be seen circling around the front of the airship, heading back for another round.
"They've found us!"
"Not yet! Engines at 50%, use komodo's camouflage shield!" Doc quickly hooked the protesting lizard up to the airship mainframe, causing the ship to turn invisible. Unfortunately, the scientists continued to fire at their ship, causing booms and alarms to start wailing.
"Drew!"
"70%!"
"Komodo can't hold on for much longer!"
"90%!"
"Drew!"
"100%!"
Doc almost pulled the controls out of the panel as he pulled the steering back, making the ship launch upwards, beginning a steep vertical climb. The sound of straining mechanics could now be heard amongst the booms and shouts as the ship struggled to get airborne so quickly. As they pulled away into the clouds, Drew turned to Doc.
"Do you think they can see us?"
A loud thump from the back of the ship answered her question.
"I'm gonna try and shake him off, hold on!"
The huge sky vessel banked a hard left through a thick cloud, Drew hoping to lose Beeman's ship. Had Beeman's ship been larger and as a result slower than theirs, they probably would've pulled it off but because this wasn't the case, Beeman and the rest of the scientists had them locked in their sights. There was once again another thump followed by a thin trail of smoke as the alarms wailed from another attack. Suddenly, Doc stood up, undoing his seatbelt and racing out of the cockpit.
"Take the controls Drew!"
"Where are you going!?" She asked.
"The griffin. I'll draw their attention whilst you try and get the airship as far away as possible."
Drew switched over to her husband's seat and a few minutes later the griffin popped up on the video screen whilst the radio crackled to life with his voice.
"Drew, can you hear me!?"
"Loud and clear honey!" There was a loud thump from Doc's end. "Are they chasing you?"
"They should be, I just fired a round of missiles at their ship." Drew watched as the smaller jet circled around the front of the airship and then skimmed over the top of it, Beeman following. "I'm going to pull into a dive to see if I can shake him off!" The griffin disappeared below the clouds back down towards the icy ground below. Drew looked to the video screen to see the plane rise up, presumably before it hit the ground and then loop. Her husband started pressing buttons on the dial, giving the indication that he was now behind Beeman's ship and was firing at it. There was an explosion and Drew could see the smoke passing over the Griffin's cockpit.
"Doc?" she asked.
"I hit one of his engines, but he's still flying!" Doc responded. "wait…. what?"
"What is it!?"
"The back of his ship, it's … opening up. I … Oh no." Drew gasped as she began to her clatters and clanks as what seemed like hundreds of small capsules came into contact with the griffin. To Drew it sounded like hailstones dropping on a metal roof and then to her horror, followed by a bang, a bleeping noise and the sound of fracturing glass.
"Doc! Are you alright? Doc can you hear me?!"
"He's shattered my windshield! If I go any higher or faster the air pressure will make it fall to pieces."
"Hang on, I'm coming down to get you."
There was more beeping and another loud boom on Doc's end. "I've lost engine one!"
The airship emerged from the clouds and Drew saw the smoking jet flying towards her. Another missile from Beeman's ship exploded between the two Saturday aircraft, forcing them to swerve away from each other.
Drew growled. "This is getting really annoying now!" The UFO shaped ship turned around and headed straight for the battered griffin once again, this time the mini gun on the front raised and poised to strike. Drew tried to warn him but couldn't get her words out, her lips quivering. Suddenly, a shower of blasts began to rain down on the enemy's plane like lightning bolts. The ship jolted violently, its occupants just as confused as she was. This distraction enabled Doc to safely get the griffin into the belly of the airship. He came rushing in not a minute later, adrenaline and concern in his expression. Drew took it as a ticket to make a break for it, while Beeman recovered from the blast.
"Nice hit there by the way, I forgot about your piloting skills," Doc smiled. Drew seemed confused.
"You mean that wasn't you who fired those blasts?" Drew inquired. The husband and wife looked at each other.
"No," Doc said, puzzled. "But he's still chasing us." Doc's point was proven when Beeman's ship accelerated, doing a full circle so that it ended up speeding towards them. Before the larger ship had time to duck to the side, Beeman began firing a stream of bullets across the front of the ship. As he got closer, Drew and Doc got out of their seats and laid down onto the floor (Doc shielding Drew) to prevent from being hit by any bullets, glass or debris. When the other ship got to about 200m away, Doc and Drew were afraid that the ship itself might come crashing through the windows at them. As both their hearts sank in fear and dread, an object, larger than the ones thrown before, hit the ship and then exploded on contact, then seeming to spill something that seemed like acid all over it. The 'UFO' was sent spiralling beneath the clouds and quite frankly, neither Drew or Doc currently cared if it had crashed and burst into flames. As they got to their feet and having a moment of paralysis, both of their minds jumped into action, inspecting the damage around them. Drew hurried over to one of the undamaged control panels at the back of the room.
"Damage report at 40%," Drew called. Doc rubbed his face with a sigh.
"At least it isn't critical," he muttered. Another alarm suddenly started up and Doc struggled to keep focus. "Please tell me that isn't the engines!"
"No," Drew said sternly, "It's a perimeter sensor, there's someone, or something on the top of the ship."
"Or whatever fired those shots at the scientists," Doc added.
"Wait, it's the emergency hatch now."
"I suppose we should go and meet our intruder," Doc suggested, pulling on his battle glove, "or at least make sure that it's friendly."
Drew smiled slightly at his remark but then became on edge when they entered the hangar where the still smoking griffin was. They stood still and listened for a moment, waiting for any noise from outside. There was then the sound of voices, too distant or low to be deciphered, but easily identifiable as speech.
"We've got a scientist," Doc growled, raising his fists.
"No, no, wait a minute," Drew put a hand on his arm, "listen." The sound of familiar squawking could be heard. "That sounds like Zon." Doc immediately rushed over to the controls and pressed the dial to open the door. The great metal sheet groaned as it slowly opened and as it did, a green she-cryptid flew inside. Drew and Doc stared in disbelief as the dinosaur-cryptid landed on a metal handrail and began inspecting its wing.
"Zon!?" The cryptid let out a happy caw as Drew ruffled her mane, "what are you doing here?!" Soon after she asked this, there was the familiar loud sound of jetpack engines and Drew's eyes widened as two men landed in the hangar. The smaller one stepped forward and Drew approached out of both relief and instinct. She stopped just short of him and looked up slightly, putting her hands on her hips.
"Where have you been Doyle?" she scolded accusingly, "I've been calling you for weeks!"
"Look, I've been busy okay? Argost has been criss-crossing the globe like mad lately, I haven't had time to call you guys an explain the situation," Doyle apologised, giving his sister an equally unimpressed look. "Where's Miniman at?" DOC put a hand on her shoulder as she sighed with the depressing tone that she had worn since that morning. His question sent her into a drift of thoughts for a moment, before she was disturbed by a cough. At that moment, Drew realised who had arrived with Doyle and who was currently standing behind them. Her expression turned from distant to defensive.
"Doyle. What is HE doing HERE," She said surprisingly calm for someone who had seen their hated ex in their house/airship.
Doyle muttered something inaudible under his breath and looked back at Van Rook with an annoyed groan. The older mercenary was grinning sheepishly at Drew's near tangible desire to beat him up.
"Business," Doyle growled "he's on my payroll." Doc looked astonished.
"What!? Doyle, you hate him as much as we do. what on earth possessed you to do something so-," Doc began before Doyle cut him off.
"Relax professor, its only because he's now a washed up man since his last apprentice stole his business," Doyle added quite casually, smirking as he heard a Russian curse from Leonidas.
"Abbey?" Drew asked, now seeming calmer, if not a little amused by the situation, but sad at the same time. "Poor Miranda. I wonder if she knows…"
"You're pitying the people who just tried to shoot you out of the sky?" Doyle asked.
"About that… thanks for showing up and saving us from that," Drew said, thanking him.
"Yeah, about that… why were they chasing you?" Doyle asked. Drew rubbed her arm nervously and Doc put a hand on her shoulder.
"What?" Doyle asked, having picked up on this tension.
Drew looked at him sincerely and answered, "this really isn't the place to talk about it."
"I agree. We need to land the ship as soon as possible and then we can explain why we have been trying to get hold of you so desperately," Doc told him before leaving the room, waving everyone to come with him. Drew stopped in the doorway and let everyone past but blocked Van Rook from entering.
"Drew," he said quite emotionlessly yet standing tall as if trying to stay fierce and intimidating.
"If you even think this means that we trust you…then you are very wrong," she started, not a bit fazed by his display. "Doyle may trust you but I certainly don't. The second you make one wrong move, it'll be a 6 to 1 fight and I already know who will lose. I'm not letting you out of my sight Van Rook. Don't make me regret letting you on this ship any more than I already am."
With that cold reply, she left to join the others, leaving Van Rook slightly stunned. He grunted in annoyance and then followed after her.
"What!" Doyle almost leapt out of his seat, eyes ablaze and expression twitching. "Those uniformed psychos kidnapped him!"
"I'm afraid so," Drew whispered hoarsely, playing with her fingers in her lap.
"So it is true," Van Rook cut in, "the boy really is Kur." The Russian earnt offended glares from Drew, Doc, Fisk and Doyle, a tail slap from Komodo and an ear-splitting shriek in the ear from Zon. He scowled and carried on regardless, "I assume that is why the scientists have abandoned you. No surprise there. If Miranda is anything like her witch of a sister!" He spat. Doc and Drew looked at each other whilst Doyle just rolled his eyes.
"If it were the scientists who captured him, it would be much easier to pursue," Drew started "but Epsilon's people are experts in hiding and cover ups. They could have an off-radar base anywhere in the world where they're keeping Zak."
"Exactly what I was thinking. I do have some associates who specialise in the field of undercover tracking. Of course this would be for the right p- ouch!" Van Rook's sentence was cut short by Doyle's elbow in his ribs. Thankfully before he could speak the words that the redhead was dreading hearing.
"As painful as it is. There is absolutely nothing we can do at this current time…" Doc inhaled painfully.
"Nothing we can do!? Doc, do you realise what Epsilon might have his people do to him?" Drew asked seriously.
"I am fully aware of that," Doc said softly.
"Yet you won't help our son!?" Drew said louder.
"I never said that. What is mean is, the secret scientists may still be following us, the airship is barely flyable and needs to stop for repairs and lastly-."
"It sounds to me like you're making excuses!"
Doc grabbed her wrist in an attempt to calm her but was stopped as she slapped his hand away. "Drew please! You have to listen to me!"
"No Doc! Zak might die in there! There's no way I'm letting you stop me from-."
"If you face the agents alone, you might get seriously hurt too."
Drew stopped for a moment and seemed to recoil. She shook Doc off and sighed. "I need to go for a lie down." The others watched, stunned as she left slowly, scuffing her feet as she walked.
"I'll go after her," Doc grumbled, following after her, leaving the mercenaries and cryptids in awkward silence. An awkward silence that was broken by a yawn from Van Rook.
"What are you so happy about?" Doyle wanted to shout. Van Rook put his hands behind his head and stretched.
"She'll get over it. She always has been stubborn and impulsive," He said in response. Doyle looked disgusted.
"You should really see a therapist about your obsession with my sister."