Chapter 4: Mogwai

Earlier that morning

Kate had spent the night on their navy blue couch, clutching the phone in her hands. She had no idea how she made it to the sofa. She vaguely remembered sitting at the kitchen table with the phone while sipping on her third cup of coffee that evening but that was the last thought she had. She stirred a bit and felt something furry and thought it was either Snowy or Knight and took a second to realize it was Gizmo. Of course it was Gizmo who gently poked her when she fell asleep at the kitchen table and she had picked him up before making their way to the couch.

"Oh, Giz," She brushed her fingers against the top of his head before she had looked at her watch. It was only a few minutes after seven. She still had at least six hours before she could file a police report. She had to check the machine to see if anyone had called since she collapsed.

"Mama!" Sarah came bouncing out of her room. "You not in bed."

"I know sweetie." She reached out to hug her daughter and watched as Gizmo woke up. "Did you go potty?"

"I go potty now." Sarah said before she skipped along the way to her room.

"Come on, Giz. We have to see if there were messages." She carried her furry companion to the answering machine and closed her eyes when she saw there were no new messages.

"No Billy?" Gizmo asked as his ears sagged.

"I'm sorry," Kate choked out before she forced herself to keep from crying. "We are trying everything."

"Mommy?" A half sleepy Benny stumbled out of his room. "Did Daddy return?"

The question broke the levee and Kate fell to her knees as tears cascaded down her face. She felt Benny grab onto her and they continued to cry together, careful to not allow a single tear to touch Gizmo. They didn't stop crying even when Sarah hugged them and they could feel their cats rubbing up against their legs and only stopped at the sound of the doorbell.

"Benny could you put Gizmo in his closet?" She handed the mogwai over to her son before she headed to the front door and opened it, hoping to find her husband standing before her or a neighbor or a friend with news. Instead she was greeted by her in-laws and the Futtermans.

"Hello, Kate," Rand greeted with a somber look.

"Oh Sweetie," Lynn pulled Kate into an embrace and the two held onto each other as they continued to cry while they were joined by Sheila Futterman.

"We thought we should come down here," Murray explained as he and Rand brought in the small amount of luggage. "We want to help as much as we can. You have a handful with finding Billy, and taking care of the kids and the cats, and Gizmo."

"Grandma, Grandpa!" Benny and Sarah shouted as they ran up to them. "Uncle Murray, Aunt Sheila."

Kate rubbed her eyes. She had her good cry and now it is time to get down to work. She was going to drive to each place where her husband was yesterday and she had family in town to listen by the phone.

"Mama I'm hungry," Sarah said as she rubbed her toy across her nose.

"Right I promised pancakes for today."

"I'll make them," Lynn said and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should rest up a bit."

"I'll help," Sheila said and followed Lynn into the kitchen.

"I'm going to try to shower and change," Kate said. She had slept in the same clothes she wore to work yesterday and her shoulder length hair was a mess. She had a lot of work ahead of her.

June 27 2:00 pm

Now that his stomach was full Billy had time to think and had time to walk around or pace around and think. There wasn't really much to do in that cell, just eat and sleep and after he investigated the far end of the cell that was screened off by a curtain they could use the bathroom in those buckets. There was some pictures that were drawn with markers and crayons that were put up in the cell but he couldn't find any paper or anything to draw with. He did notice a stack of copy paper on the desk in front of the cage along with some art supplies and a few magazines though.

"I don't know how we are going to get out," Gerald said. He was better after he had eaten but he was still looking at his body. "I wonder how much I'm going to shed."

"Mogwai don't shed," Darwin told him. "Maybe mogmen don't shed."

"Fleas?"

"No fleas," Darwin confirmed.

"How long have you been here, Darwin?" Billy asked. He could learn a little more about the former mogwai. He still needed to come up with a plan. How was he going to open their cell?

"Two days," Darwin answered.

"Have they ever opened the door to the bars?" Billy asked as he tapped on the metal bars.

"Yes to clean bathroom," the former mogwai nodded.

"Do they use a key?"

"No press buttons and a card"

"Are you going to figure out the code?" Gerald asked as he slid off his cot. "How are you going to reach the buttons?"

"That is what I am going to have to figure out," Billy said as he rubbed his fuzzy chin. Maybe he could rig something with the art supplies, but then how was he going to get a card?

Light filled the room, burning Billy's eyes and nearly blinding him. He covered them with an arm before he dove to the floor to seek out a dark sanctuary. He could not remember the last time he was in a place that was so bright.

"Jesus," Gerald cried out. "Turn it down."

"No bright light," Darwin cried out.

The light went out and only the night lights plugged into the room along with the soft glow of the desk lamp was there.

"Thank you for holding Razor for me, Tim," the older man from before said as he entered the room carrying what appeared to be a mogwai with brown, black and white fur. "I see you have the same reaction to bright light as the mogwai.

"Well it was sudden," Gerald said once he had lowered his arm. "If you gave us time for our pupils to contract."

"No it didn't feel like that," Billy said as the realization hit him. He, Gerald, and Darwin had the same weakness as mogwai and that meant they would have a similar reaction to sunlight and water.

"Mogmen," the mogwai in the scientist's arms spoke. There was something familiar to him and maybe it was the white spiky fringe on the top of its head or maybe it was the way he was staring down at them. It sent a chill down Billy's spine.

"You have become familiar with Darwin and you already knew Schrodinger. I am Doctor James Friedrich and this is Razor." He gently rubbed the top of the head of the mogwai and Razor closed his eyes and purred.

"William Peltzer," Billy snarled out his name. His eyes never left Razor and as soon as he said his name they eyes of the mogwai widened as if he recognized Billy. "I'm the head of city planning for the Clamp Corporation."

"Does that mean you help design our quaint little community?" Friedrich asked in a condescending way while he raised his bushy brows. "What does that make you, a glorified architect?"

"It means he gets to draw and design buildings," Gerald said in a pleased tone. "He gets to draw and do art for a living. Way to go, Peltzer."

"Billy," Razor growled out his name and his eyes and mouth were set in a menacing scowl.

"He knows me," Billy said. "Why do you know me?" His question threw the mogwai off, mostly because he asked it in the mogwai tongue.

"How do you know our words?" Razor asked.

"Interesting on how you can communicate. Is that a side effect of your mutation?" Friedrich's thin lips pulled up into a grin and he sounded giddy. "Or maybe it is because you and Razor share a bond, you both have something in common and that is blood. It's his blood that is coursing through your veins. You two are almost like brothers now, but I wonder how did you find your way down here?"

"I heard whistling of a mogwai song," Billy answered. "I had to find your mogwai, your Razor because there are three rules-"

"No sunlight or water, no after midnight feeding," Doctor Friedrich finished. "I believe we have things under control, Pavlov."

"What?" Billy asked and could hear Gerald mutter the name under his breath in confusion.

"That is your new name, Pavlov. You were lured by whistling and I feel that name fits."

"My name is William Peltzer."

"That is a human name and you are no longer human."

"You old bastard."

"Now, now Pavlov, it is best not to use such language." He waved his finger. " I'm going to take Razor back and then we will run tests on you and Schrodinger."

"His name is Gerald Hopkins."

"Tests?" Gerald gulped.

"Don't worry there, Schrodinger. I just want to measure your weight and height and blood pressure. I will be back in a few minutes."

"Bye Pavlov," Razor said as he waved his arm.

"Razor don't like you," Darwin said once they were gone. "You speak mogwai. How can you speak mogwai?"

"I have been learning it for the past eight years," Billy answered. "And I know he doesn't like me." He stared at his hands again. "But I knew he was familiar and he knew me and I don't think it is because Friedrich used his DNA to mutate me." He was so much like Stripe was when he was a mogwai and that caused another shiver to wash down his back.

"I wonder if that mogwai has a mouth on him," Gerald said. He had a smirk on his face. "Caused you to develop a sailor mouth."

"I swore before," Billy said and cast the other former human a side glance. What did Gerald think he was? Some sort of choir boy?

"Not the Billy Peltzer I knew from Kingston Falls," Gerald said with a grin. He was no longer scared or losing his mind like he was a few minutes before. He did seem somewhat calmer and maybe just talking with him is what he needs.

"You are not the Gerald Hopkins I know. You used to scoff at my drawings and now you are proud that I am doing art professionally?"

"Ever since that night when those gremlins attacked I changed. I spent several months in an institution and regular visits with a therapist after and once I put the monster behind me we talked about me and my goals and you know what I realized. I was a monster or going to be one like Deagle and as we talked I had a epiphany. I didn't want to be that person anymore. I tried to be nicer. I donated more. I volunteered more. I met Jenny and got a job with Prescott Prestige but I was a lot nicer to clients. I have two daughters. I hate the person who I once was and you know it is kind of funny but maybe it was for the best those gremlin things came."

"Gerald I'm glad you tried to become a better person, but I wish that wasn't the way."

"I'm sorry for how I treated you back then. I was a prick and I am sorry for the condescending way I talked to you…and everything," Gerald said and placed a hand on Billy's shoulder. "I'm sorry for the whole Captain Clip On stuff."

"Gerald, you don't have to apologize," Billy said. "But thank you."

"You look like you want to hug," Darwin said. "You should hug."

Billy felt a small laugh escape from him before he felt himself pulled into an embrace by Gerald. Shit, they were both stuck together, both transformed into human-mogwai hybrids, might as well hug since they were dealing with this nightmare together.

"Come on, Darwin," Billy pulled the third mogman into a hug with them. He was going to find a way to get Darwin out of the cell as well and…well he wasn't sure. "Uh Darwin, Gerald and I are going to try to be human again, but uh do you want to be a mogwai again or do you want to stay this way?"

"I think I want to stay," Darwin said with a shrug. "I speak human better now and I have four fingers. I like four fingers."

"No matter what we will find a place for you," Billy promised. He just had to focus on escaping but he still had to worry about Razor and whatever that little mogwai had planned.

That was a large surprise for Razor to hear. He had no problem with Doctor Friedrich using his blood to transform a human. He liked the idea of changing humans. It made them upset and that was amusing. Friedrich was not like other humans and was glad he was chosen to be his mogwai. There was also the fact he had his own private cage and a Gameboy to play with.

What he had a problem with was the fact that his blood was used to transform Billy Peltzer. He still wanted revenge on him, to punish what he had done to his brood, his army years ago. He could remember back when he was Stripe and saw how the movie theater blow up and it was Billy and his woman and Gizmo who were responsible.

Gizmo! He set his teeth on edge thinking about that human loving pure and goody mogwai. Gizmo had killed him back in '84, using sunlight to melt him. He got some revenge on the little furrball when he was Mohawk, oh yes it was fun to burn him with sparks, torture him with the light of a copy machine, painfully place Velcro on him and slowly remove it, but then it was Gizmo that caused his fiery death.

"Group play time," Friedrich said as he placed Razor into the room with the other mogwai. It was an office that was converted into a play room with a padded floor, colorful pictures and plenty of toys. The doorway was cut off by a childproof gate. "Play nice with the others now."

As soon as the human had left the other mogwai took notice. Butterball dropped the rubber ball he was playing with and didn't notice that it rolled over and nearly knocked over Garrison while Chuckles laughed even harder and Patch just shrugged.

"Come here," Razor instructed. "Chuckles you watch over Brody and Gene, make sure they don't listen."

Chuckles responded with a salute and blinked his eyes that always were facing the opposite direction and his tongue was always hanging out. He had golden brown and white fur with black spots on the golden brown part. He also had two dark streaks over his eyes and the shortest ears of the group. He wandered over to where the other two mogwai were and sat down to play with them. The other two mogwai were playing with toy musical instruments and Gene had a toy horn while Brody strummed on a guitar. Chuckles blinked and picked up a drum and began to beat on it while is laughter grew louder and louder. Razor had a feeling he was once Daffy.

Butterball was dancing to the music. He was the tallest and fattest of the batch. He was mostly brown with copper fur on his shoulders and two stripes from his white belly that wrapped around and connected on his back. Light brown fur was on his ankles and the top of his head and he had black fur forming a mask on his face. He had knocked over Garrison once with his dancing. Something about them made Razor feel they were the reincarnations of Lenny and George

Garrison was the shortest, grouchiest and covered in white fur. He also had pink eyes and paler skin.

Razor scowled at Gene. That one was like Gizmo. He even looked like Gizmo save for the fact there was a black ring around his white spot and there was black fur outlining the white parts. He had the stench of purity on him and Razor couldn't wait to go into his cocoon and emerge so he could "play" with Gene. He wouldn't kill him not like he planned to kill Gizmo first. As for Brody he had no idea why the brown and ginger mogwai with folded in ears would choose to play with the goody-goody.

"Did you see the new mutant"? Butterball asked. He had retrieved his ball and bounced it.

"I did and you are not going to believe it, but it is the Peltzer man."

"He is here?" Patch asked. His fur was various shades of brown except for the white on his ankles and his white head, neck and upper shoulders. He had a marking over his left eye that was all black with a black stripe connecting it to a small spot on the back of his head. He was holding a small toy pirate ship. There were two things that mogwai liked, one was to draw and the other thing was an insane obsession with pirates. He pretended to sword fight, draw up treasure maps and build pirate sets with Legos.

"Yes and he is part mogwai now, but he has my blood. I can't believe Doctor Friedrich would befoul my blood.

"Is he a Hei'an Lingxiu like you?" Garrison asked using the specific name of the type of mogwai that Razor was, a dark leader.

"Yes that is also what annoys me. I don't know if he can lead our kind or just mutants like him."

"Don't despair he is still furry and in a cage," Garrison said with a grin. "He is an easy target for when we become stronger."

When will that be? Patch asked.

Soon, but not tonight, Razor instructed. They have cleaned out the large refrigerator last night. Everything has been thrown and barely any scraps, tomorrow there will be a delivery of a sandwich platter and other goodies and I heard they are going to order some cheesecake."

"Cheesecake?" Butterball gasped in delight and licked his lips.

"We just have to wait. I have everything planned out and I also have my home made tool to use to unlock our cages. We will have our fun soon." and Billy Peltzer will be in a world full of hurt.

They were still talking when it was time for their examinations and Billy felt himself yanked out by Hector the hulk and handed over to Tim who just carried him around like a sack of potatoes, and he didn't like the way the string bean of a human was touching him.

Billy was going to make sure those jerks were going to feel pain. He had managed to plant his foot into the stomach of Tim not once but twice as the lab assistant man handled him. They had to use a muscle relaxant in both his arms and he couldn't even move them and they said they would have used them in his legs but they need him to stand for the scale.

"Three feet and a half inches" Tim said as studied the results. "And thirty five pounds. Think of all that weight you lost."

"Lose this," Billy said with another kick and cringed when felt the needled enter his leg.

"I warned you, Pavlov."

"Let me go," Billy snarled.

"So you can limp back to your cage?" Tim asked before he strapped him down to the chair. "I think you might be a little too agitated to measure your heart rate but there is this."

Billy cringed when another needle was inserted into him and he watched as blood was drawn.

"Now for the last." He grabbed another small vial and reached into Billy's underwear.

Oh hell no. Billy leaned forward and bit the assistant hard on the wrist.

"Damn it, you little shit." Tim nearly dropped the bottle.

"Try that again. I dare you."

"I think that is enough testing for now." Tim picked him up and carried him back to the cell where he practically threw Billy inside. "No fun stuff, boys, thanks to Pavlov here." He slammed the cage shut before he stormed off.

"What you do?" Darwin asked as he helped Billy to his cot.

"I bit him," Billy seethed and then grinned. "I kinda enjoyed that."

"I wish I did that," Gerald said softly from the cot next to his. He was curled up in a fetal position and he had his ears lowered. "They did things to me and not just weigh and measure."

"They were about to violate me," Billy said and realized what happened. "What did they do?"

"They wanted my stuff, so that old guy reached down…and..and…"

"What?"

"Shoved his finger up my anus. They had to get to my prostate so they could harvest," Gerald closed his eyes. "Harvest my stuff. They took my semen."

"Those sons of a bitches," Billy growled. He wanted to punish them severely and there was one sure way but they had to become stronger. "Tonight we will hide food and tonight we will wait until twelve in the morning and—"

"Eat after midnight?" Darwin asked. "No we don't do that."

"Want revenge," Billy hissed. "I want to get them for what they did to us. I want to-"

"Be human?" Gerald asked as he sat up. "Right now you are scaring me."

Billy blinked a few times. "Oh my god, what am I thinking?" How long was he going to last until he succumbed to his dark desires?