Chapter by gpshaw

Erik

19 hours later…

The announcement woke me up from my sleep. We had arrived in Gloucester. The bus stop wasn't far from the Crow's Nest so we walked. The smell of salt was heavy in the air. The Crows Nest was still pretty active when we went in the music was loud and we opened the heavy wooden door and saw Fred's uncle standing behind the bar.

"Fred" he smiled "Glad to see you, sorry but I have to run, your rooms are 101-109, your two friends are already here, you can do anything you want to them as long as you pay for it, other than that there's no real rules, but I warn you those lights overhead shake so… anyway, I need to get home see you guys later" He walked out the door I noticed he was missing and entire arm. I had no shoes and I pitied myself…

We each walked into our respective rooms. The rooms were bare necessity one double bed, a TV, a bathroom and a kitchenette, and that was about it. The first thing we did was get together in the bar, the background noise would cut down on eavesdroppers.

"Ok" I said "We've got to check the ships that may be used, now I counted four in the harbour that's enough for us to split into teams of two. I want you to check each ship for possible escape routes, and most of all for placed they could be hiding stuff, is that clear" I asked.

"Since when are we taking orders from you?" Robert asked.

"Ian do you have a better idea?"

"Robert just listen to the guy for Christ's sake" Ian said rubbing his temples "Spying's his area, and he knows what he's doing"

"Thanks" I said "Ok now we need to remain unseen but not in morphs, use darkness to hide. Now if someone's on board try and listen in on the conversation; see what you can find. Any questions?" No hands went up "Ok then, Ian and Amanda, you check the first boat on the pier it's called the Hanna Bowden, Robert and Becky you two check the Lisa Fetner, Jade and I will check the Neptune, Fred and Karen will check the Ellen Moore, we leave in five minute intervals, ok so Ian and Amanda you go ahead"

Five minutes later I walked out with Jade, we got to the pier and saw the Neptune docked. We each climbed on board. I didn't notice anyone yet. I took a flashlight from my knapsack and gave another to Jade. We looked around the outside of the ship. Most of it was fishing stuff, gaffs (large hooks), net, and glow sticks.

I saw the entrance to the cabins and opened the door. I turned on the light and was shocked. Instead of pictures of women and fish the walls were covered with charts of scientific data. Lying on a night stand I found a journal. I opened it. There was only one page. It was a list of inventory but only one caught my attention.

Virus Vial- ice box below decks.

"It says here that the virus is stored in an ice box. If I remember correctly they should be somewhere at the bottom of the ship. It's where they store fish in order to keep them fresh. We need to get down there if we can get a copy of the virus then maybe we can get Ian to make a cure" I said.

"Ok lead the way then… shit!" Jade hissed.

"What?" I asked.

"Look" I looked outside.

"Shit!" I said. Outside there were two people in a lab coat one had a gun. I heard their voices.

"Why do we have to leave now?"

"Because a ship full of scientific equipment and weapons leaving in the middle of the day would attract attention and we don't want attention" Outside there were four more guards and… ten Hork-Bajir? In public. I saw more Hork-Bajir come from the other side.

"In morph now!"

Jade became a white tigress, I closed my eyes. A mane burst from my head. My face blew outward. My eyes became a lions and I could see plain as day. As I finished my changes I counted the Hork-Bajir there were at least 20, and there also at least ten men with guns. This was going to be tough. I turned off the light with my paw.

(Guys we need to move NOW get to the Neptune on the double they are leaving I repeat they are leaving get over here NOW we are cornered)

"Hey, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Thought I heard thought speak"

"You're losing your mind, just get the vial below decks and hurry!" Then I noticed that the door to below decks was the cabin we were in. The door opened…

---------------------------x-------------------

Fred

My name is Fred. We were checking one of the ships and were almost positive it wasn't the right one. Our suspicions were confirmed when Erik called for help. Karen was in her Jaguar morph in an instant and was running full tilt to the boat. Becky was already on her way too in her salt water morph. She would have an advantage, I thought.

As for me I went into my favourite morph. I lost weight fast. My entire body caved in the pain was literally blinding. My arms and legs retracted into my body. My face fused together. My eyes shrank and I was blind in the darkness but then my tongue and pits came in. Pits allowed a snake to see heat.

I saw the world in an infrared glow. My fangs and poison sacs came in. Soon I was fully spitting cobra. I flew to the boat. I saw at least 20 Hork-Bajir going into the boat. It must have been dark enough to hide them.

Karen had already joined the fight full-force she was clawing wildly at one Hork-Bajir and had already broke the neck of another.

I entered the fight almost unnoticed then bit four Hork-Bajir. Each one, being highly allergic to cobra venom fell over and died.

(Here lizard, lizard, lizard) I said chomping down on another Hork-Bajir. A gunshot missed me. I spit my venom into the eyes of the offending human. He screamed in pain. I saw Erik's lion morph tearing at a few Hork-Bajir. Robert and Becky joined the fray full-force. Becky took out two Hork-Bajir at once with her jaws. The gun shot was at an angle so it bounced off her scales. The man who fired the shot was now legally blind.

Jade's tigress form was dealing out its own damage, but a lucky slash took out her left eye.

(Ahh!)

(Jade!) Robert and Amanda cried in unison.

"Roooaaaaarrr!!!" Erik's lion morph pounced on the offending Hork-Bajir.

(Ok enough of the killing spree!) Ian said (Where's the scientist?)

(I think he's below decks) Erik said, taking a head off a Hork-Bajir (Jade, Fred and I will go and get the bastard you guys stay up here and sweep up the leftovers)

(Bullshit Bishop!) Robert snapped, and I resisted the urge to bite the prick right then (I'm going with you, there's no way I'm playing cleanup, and plus if you think I'm leaving you alone with Jade…) he was fighting tow Hork-Bajir as he said this.

(There's more guys up here than down there, and…) Robert jumped and slapped Erik with his paw, he didn't use his claws though.

(Listen you, you may have forgotten about trying to make me your Kamikaze warrior but I haven't and if you think you're doing the same to Jade… hey what the fuck are you doing Fred… Ahh! I can't see!) I had fired a shot of venom in his eyes.

(We'll be going now) I said And I slid through the door to the cabins.

(Fred!) Erik yelled. Following me (I can't… we'll talk about this later let's just go!)

(What did he do to Robert that little n…) Amanda began but I interrupted my voice was not my own it was the voice I had the night I almost killed the man who had called my little sister the N word.

(Watch your mouth Blondie or I swear I'll…)

(FRED!!) Erik yelled (Now is not the time lets go) I followed, grateful to get away from what might have been a bad situation. Jade was already waiting for us. We ran down the stairs that led to below decks. When we reached the storage room I saw the many compartments that would be filled with ice had this been a real sword expedition. Then my infrared vision spotted two warm bodies near a mass of cold.

"Is the vial in there?" One man said.

"Yes it is but remember the scientist said not to let it heat up do you think it will be safe? I… oh fuck Andalites. Shoot em!"

I blinded the man who gave the order and Jade had clawed out the neck of the other man that was standing there. We all demorphed, and started searching through the ice. I didn't see anything.

"Come on where are you…" I murmured then I noticed something one of the men had an unpinned grenade, and as luck would have it a spasm made him let go of the handle.

"Oh…"

"Get down!" Erik yelled and jumped on the grenade. The explosion shot him upwards and I could see that most of his belly had been blown away. Jade screamed. When he landed I ran over and checked his pulse even though I knew… I felt a pulse. I tapped his shoulder.

"Erik, buddy can you hear me?" Erik moaned. I turned to Jade "Keep him awake and try to get him to morph off the wound. I'll be back I saw a medical kit in the cabin it may have something to make him wake up enough to morph fast" Jade looked shocked.

"How can I keep him…"

"Just talk to him Jade, please, I'll be right back" I ran up the stairs fighting back tears. I was not going to let my best friend die…