Chapter 16: Pirate Trouble

Chuck froze in place as he stared at the large mutant while the monster grinned. In its arms was a dead teal gremlin. It hissed at him once before it placed the dead gremlin in its mouth head first and widened its jaw before it slowly swallowed it whole. Not only was this a creature a thing of nightmares but it was also eating its own kind.

"Shit," Chuck swore under breath as he backed up as fast as he could. Once he had reached the others he looked over his head. "Where is the back door for employees?"

"Over there," Valerie said as she pointed to the room in question. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Big giant snake gremlin." He continued to back up while he held out his arms. He glanced once again over his shoulders and could see Valerie clutching a trembling Gene closer to her chest. "Big cobra gremlin monster."

"Oh dear," Helix said as he removed his glasses. "I fear I won't be able to reason with it."

"It did eat another regular gremlin just now," Chuck gulped as the snake monster slithered towards them. "And I think that was only the appetizer."

"Security is equipped with flashlights?" Helix asked in a hopeful tone. He was right and Chuck nearly forgot about light.

"Yes," Chuck pulled out his flashlight and shone it in the face of the monster and smiled when the creature hissed and recoiled. "Valerie take Gene and Helix and get out of here. I'll hold it off."

"I can't just leave you," Valerie said.

"Once I know you're gone I will back up and follow." He didn't look back at them and only kept his eyes on the monster that seemed to be growing more agitated by the second.

Blam! Blam! Blam! Gunshots echoed through the store and the top half of the monster's head was blown off. The mutant fell over revealing two more bloodied holes in its back, and two men wielding shot guns.

"Great shooting, Frank," one of the armed humans had said once the smoke had cleared.

"I believe you also managed to score a hit, sir," the other man said. He was dressed in a black suit and had dark hair. The other man was far more recognizable as he had appeared in the news at least a hundred times and was there to cut the ribbon for the mall except instead of wearing a three piece suit he wore a button down red and black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jeans.

"Mr. Clamp?" Chuck asked as he lowered his flashlight. Of all the people he expected to come to his rescue the industrious media mogul was the last person that came to mind. "I uh…uh well for starters thank you."

"No need for thanks, kid," Clamp said as he stared at the dead creature. "I protect all my employees." He looked up and squinted at him. "And you do work for me?"

"I work for mall security and it is your mall," Chuck answered and looked of his shoulder. "It's safe. Mr. Clamp is here."

"Mr. Clamp I am grateful," Valerie said as she emerged with Gene in her arms.

"I also like to express my gratitude," Helix said as he stepped out from behind Valerie only to step backwards when the man in black aimed his shotgun at him.

"This one is okay," Chuck said and raised his arms. "He can be reasoned with."

"I understand your reservations," Helix said. "Especially after encountering one such as this." He gestured to the dead monster. "He consumed a serum containing some DNA of the Elapidae Naja the Indian Cobra. His new physical form had also affected his cerebral state as well. Indian Cobras have and will eat other types of snakes."

"Great another one that talks," the man in black said.

"Another genius type," Clamp said as he shifted his head. "Fred interviewed one just like you."

"How is Fred?" Helix seemed to brighten at the name. "Is he still dressed like a vampire? Is he still hosting a horror show?"

"He's a regular anchorman now," Clamp said and looked up at Chuck and Valerie. "How is he still alive? I thought he died when Bill fried them eight years ago."

"He told me he remembered dying," Valerie said. "And they reincarnate. I didn't believe in reincarnation. I used to not believe in a lot of things and I am being proven wrong multiple times today."

"Mr. Clamp not that I don't appreciate the rescue," Chuck spoke up. " And you sir." He looked at the other man. "I wish I knew who you are."

"Frank Forster," the man answered.

"I…uh I mean we are both grateful," Chuck continued. He still realized his flashlight was one and turned it off. He didn't want to waste any batteries. "I am just wondering why you are here?"

"That would make the two of us," Helix said.

"Three," Gene squeaked.

"Another mogwai?" Forster asked and stared at Gene. "I thought Peltzer kept his pet dry."

"He's a clone," Valerie explained. "The original DNA most likely came from this Gizmo."

"That Splice of Life lab," Clamp said as he raised a finger and shook his head. "What is one thing I keep on saying, Frank?"

"They were a bad idea?" Forster answered.

"Exactly. That place was creating all kinds of freaks." Clamp frowned and pointed at Valerie. "And you are just the same. That genetics company on the eight floor was a bad idea. I should of cleared them all out and loan out office spaces, well except for pharmacy and clinic and x-ray place and the blood work labs…and what else is there?"

"Research," Valerie answered in an annoyed tone. "Leukemia research, a pharmaceutical company the hangar prosthetic clinic and molecular gastronomy."

"That's the food lab, sir," Forster explained.

"Wasn't that the place that made that delicious cake out of vegetables?" Clamp asked before he pointed up and grinned. "I loved that cake. They can also stay."

"Genetic research is an important science," Valerie said with a scowl. "Police officers use it in their forensics, my one colleague is creating a system to help people learn about their ancestors, another is working on making better vegetables that grow in different environments to help hungry people in impoverished lands. I and doctor Lei are working with the team on the seventh floor. Genetic research can possibly find a way to cure cancer and we might someday find a cure for aids."

"Beautiful and well spoken," Helix told her.

"Those are all good and helpful," Clamp said. "Don't get me wrong, but you also have mad scientists playing around with snake cells and end up kidnapping my head of city planning and development and another man, and end up mutating them into gremlin human hybrids."

"First of all she and I'm guessing most of her colleagues had no idea their boss was a psychopath or any of this was going on," Chuck said. "And secondly they like to be called goblins." He shrugged. "It was a term we agreed on."

"Can you turn them back?" Clamp asked.

"I'm not sure," Valerie said. "But with the help of the others I am certain we will find a way."

"Once this is done you and the other non mad doctors are going to find a cure," Clamp ordered and pointed at Chuck. "Do you know where Bill is?"

"In the arcade," Chuck answered.

"He's playing video games at a time like this?" Forster asked as he raised his brows.

"He's a little self-conscious about his appearance." Chuck explained. "He was worried he might scare people even further and asked me to get everyone outside and into safety before we think of a plan."

"Hmm good point," Clamp said as he brought his hand to his mouth. "If I was mutated into being a green creature I'd have low esteem about my appearance as well. Guess we'll locate him later." He pointed at Forster. "Need to communicate with the others."

"Here you are, sir." Forster handed Clamp a small black and sleek walkie-talkie.

"Ah thanks," Clamp said. "I'm the only one with a mobile and you can't get any decent reception inside this place." He brought the radio to his ear. "This is team Clamp calling team Kingston Falls, do you read?"

"We hear you," a voice was heard on the other end. "We are in front of a pirate ship."

"Pirate ship?" Clamp repeated in confusion and looked at Chuck.

"There is a play area in front of Macy's," Chuck explained. "Fake pirate ship with a lot of slides and it is all covered in this glossy foam material. The whole area has a nautical ocean theme."

"Oh that pirate ship. Team Kingston Falls this is Team Clamp. Bill is at the arcade. We are all going to meet together at the arcade, over."

The other end was silent except for some silent except for some static and few peals of laughter and grunts from gremlins in the background. "Do you read?"

"We're surrounded," the voice said on the other end. "And I don't think-" Scratching, clicking and static followed.

"No more talky talk." The raspy voice of a gremlin was heard before the line went dead.

"Hello?" Clamp asked.

"Sir, they are going to need our help," Forster said as he accepted the radio back.

"I'll show you where they are," Chuck said. "They are going to need all of our help." He looked over at Valerie. "Are you ready?"

"I am," Valerie said as she and Gene nodded at the same time.

Helix shook his head. "I'll stay behind." He held up one of the flasks he had on his desk. "I feel I would be no use to you all in a fight and I need to finish my work."

"All alone?" Valerie asked. "You are not safe."

"I'll be able to manage," Helix said as he placed his glasses back on. "You can come back here after you rescue those people."

"We have to go," Chuck said as he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out. "Follow me." He hoped he would get to the others in time.

It was a disappointing sight to behold for Doctor Friedrich. He had managed to allude the crowds and authority figures before he slipped back into the building and went straight down towards his private lab. He had to gather what he could before he risked being caught, but oh the mess. First he came across Hector's corpse and then Tim's and he could not find any trace of the mogmen or what they had transformed into.

Going back up was a slight problem. While the elevator did allow him to go down to the basement level it had stalled on him when he wanted to go back up. He was going to have to use his personal stairs and that was going to be a long and exhausting climb, but he was in good shape and a little exercise will do him well. He will find Razor and his escaped experiments.

"Damn it," He grunted as he leaned against the railing and looked below him at the flights he had already ascended and then up at the steps he had yet to climb. "I need to get in shape."

He never intended for the mogwai to transform. The creatures they turn into were unstable and could not be controlled. He wanted to know who had let them out of their cage. He did know he wanted all of his mogmen to go through their metamorphosis. He had the clock set back a few hours while they were preoccupied and Penny never knew about the third rule.

He paused when he came across a door and wondered why this was here when the other landings had none save for the basement level and eighth floor. There was the other primary stairs that had doors on all the floors but nobody knew about this one except for him. He even had the only key.

"Sixth floor," he said as he stepped out. He looked around at the dark and empty level before he made his way to main stairs, took a deep breath and started to head back down, only pausing every two flights to catch his breath.

He needed a break and stepped out on the second floor for radiology and mammography and noticed the entrance to the mall. Did Razor leave through there? He had to find him.

There was the sound of laughter when he stepped out and he looked into the nearest store, a store that sold Clamp memorabilia and at several creatures in brown, two shades of green, and teal.

"Razor?" Friedrich asked as he stared into the shop.

The creatures stopped laughing and ran towards him.

Friedrich cursed as he turned to run only to find his path blocked by more creatures. He turned around and there were several more. He was surrounded.

The pirate ship play area was a familiar sight to Kate as she, Lynn and Murray walked towards it. She had taken both Benny and Sarah to it several times before. Most of the gremlins had either gathered somewhere else because there were only thirty of them running around. They heard a few shouts from above and they looked up to see the remote control planes flying out of the toy store and small explosions from Discovery and she was certain she heard gremlins singing "Hi-Ho" In the Disney store.

It was no surprise there would be several gremlins in the children's play area. The padded floor was painted blue and there was a large blue wave that was used as a slide with a tunnel underneath. There was an undersea grotto with foam coral, barnacles and sponges that also had a tunnel and slide. There various sea creatures for the kids to climb on like a dolphin, a crab and an octopus, starfish and seashells for the children to jump on and the biggest was the pirate ship with three different sliding areas and a tunnel underneath to crawl through

"A lot of them are gathered around on that ship," Murray said as he pointed to a large group of gremlins as they were singing and dancing on the fake ship, several were even dressed like pirates.

"It's fun for them," Kate explained. "They like to have fun."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure they thought they were having fun in my plow," Murray grumbled and shook his head. He looked back at them and frowned. "I swear they are all looking at us."

Kate looked back at the gremlins and sure enough they had stopped singing and were staring at them and all were grinning.

"This is Team Clamp calling Team Kingston Falls, do you read?" Clamps voice was heard over the radio. He picked a fine time to call them.

"We hear you," Lynn answered. "We are in front of a pirate ship."

"Invaders," one gremlin called out. He was teal in color with a dark spot over his left eye and he wore a large pirate hat with a feather and a pirate coat. "Capture them."

The gremlins squealed, grunted and hissed as they exited the boat, either by the slides or by jumping off as they ran towards Kate and the others.

"Run," Murray cried as they turned to run from the gremlins.

Kate ran several yards when something tackled into her leg and sent her sprawling to the ground. She looked up to several gremlins, some wearing bandanas and or vests and eye patches looking down on her. She could hear Murray crying out in pain. She glanced over to see he had a few gremlins on his back.

"Team Kingston Falls this is Team Clamp. Bill is at the arcade. We are all going to meet together at the arcade, over."

Lynn had the radio in her hands as several gremlins surrounded her.

"We're surrounded," Lynn managed to answer. "And I don't think-" A gremlin swiped it from her hands.

"No talky talk," it growled into radio before it tossed it over the shoulder.

Kate gritted her teeth as she stood back up. It looked like they were going to have to fight their way out. She had both a stun gun and pepper spray in her purse…and her purse was now in the hands of the enemy and she was feeling something sharp poke at her back side.

"Move," the gremlin said as it poked at her with a sword. "Parley."

"Parlay?" Kate asked. "You want to gamble?"

"No, parley, parley." He stabbed at her end again causing her to nearly jump and cover her backside with her hands.

"I think he means parley with an e," Murray said. He had his hands raised. "They want us to talk to their captain."

"Parley, parley," the gremlins repeated.

"What do they want?" Lynn asked as she walked along with them. Her hands were also raised.

"We're about to find out," Kate said in a nervous tone as they entered the play area and stood in front of the fake ship. The teal gremlin with the spot was staring down at them. "Hello?"

"Avast," the gremlin said and pointed at itself. "Captain Patch." He gestured to the other gremlins. "My crew." He pointed at Kate. "Landlubbers."

"Okay Captain Patch," Lynn said. "You just want to play pirate and we can also play pirate too. Do you want to find some buried treasure?"

"Treasure?" A few gremlins repeated and grinned. "Treasure, treasure."

"Hmmm," Captain Patch placed a claw under his chin. "Where treasure? There be map?"

"Yes there is a map," Kate said as she thought of what could pass for treasure in the mall. "There are several located in this sea. They are shiny and on pillars like one yonder." She pointed at the nearest directory. "You will find the treasure, but not x marks the spot. They will be found under Jewelry Stores."

"Jewelry stores?" A few gremlins repeated and ran over to the directory. After a few minutes of studying it they whooped. "Found treasure!"

"My treasure," Captain Patch said as he rubbed his hands together.

"Would you like us to go get it for you?" Lynn asked.

"Uh-uh," Patch said and shook his head. "My treasure." He meant he wanted to find the treasure himself. He pointed at them. "Walk the plank."

"Walk the plank," the others repeated over and over.

"Walk the plank?" Murray asked as he looked at Kate in confusion. "What the heck is he talking about? Does he mean he wants us to get on his boat and walk of the side or try to use one of those slides?"

"Plank," Patch said as he pointed up at the second level. Several members of his crew had taken what looked like a long board and slid it out under the railing guard creating a plank that was several feet above their heads.

"He wants us to get up there," Murray said. "He can forget it." He reached for the teal gremlin and picked him up. "We played pirate with you and now we—ah!" He screamed as Patch swung down his sword. "That aint a toy." He dropped the gremlin and his hand went to the cut in his shoulder.

Patch growled as he stood back up. He brushed imaginary dirt of his coat and replaced the hat on his head before he raised they blade and sneered at them.

"Walk, the plank."