Chapter 17: Regroup

Kate glanced over to Murray who still swearing and at Lynn who was assisting him with his wounded shoulder. She looked up at the gremlins holding the plank and then at Captain Patch who still had his sword pointed towards them.

"If I walk the plank will you let the others go?" Kate asked. The others could escape and maybe find Clamp and come back in time. She would find another way to stall them.

"No, all walk," Captain Patch said and shook his head.

"Can't we join your crew instead?" Kate asked. "I mean there others who might want to take over and then there is the giant sea serpent." She thought of the cobra like gremlin. "We can all help you fight it."

"Sea serpent?" Patch asked as he lowered his blade.

"Large snake like creature," Kate said. She was buying time for Clamp and Forster to arrive and they did say they were going to be bringing weapons from the back of Forster's car. Just have to wait a little bit longer.

"Snake, snake," several of the little monsters chimed in and instead of their usual mannerisms they actually expressed fear.

"Your crew is also afraid of that monster if we all work together we can take it down."

"Nah," Patch said and shook his head. "Walk plank." Damn it, he was being stubborn.

A small clanging sound was heard and Kate spun around two see a couple fallen gremlins and the lid to a pot that had fallen to the ground right next to them.

Several more pot lids flew through the air like Frisbees and took out a few more gremlins.

Kate didn't know where they had come from but she was thankful for both the distraction and the possible use for a weapon. She picked up one lid that was closest to her and struck it down as hard as she could on the head of the nearest gremlin that had a sword. She picked up the fallen blade and held up the lid as shield.

"Bangarang!" A shriek from another gremlin was heard.

"Peter?" Patch asked and looked up as a brown gremlin with large eyes swung in from some kind of rope and struck the pirate wannabe in the chest, knocking him down.

The brown gremlin stood back up. He had taken Patch's sword and pointed it at him.

"Let go," the new gremlin said. His jaw was set in a frown and his ears were folded in.

"Brody?" Patch asked. "Join crew?"

"No, cause he is with us," the voice almost sounded human as a teal creature in human clothes came racing down the steps while swinging a baseball bat around, knocking gremlins over. It was larger than a gremlin and shorter than a human. He had a pair of large ears and dark red hair. He had human hands ending in for fingers and gremlin like claws and large four toed gremlin like feet.

"Back," another new voice was heard as a female version of the first creature came into the fray while striking the gremlins with a frying pan. She had a hot pink dress and long brown curls on her head. She had less spikes on her face.

"What are they?" Lynn asked as she used two lids at once and slammed them cymbal style on a gremlin's head.

"I don't know," Kate said as she used her blade to stab a few of the other gremlins to death. "I think they might be on our side."

A tiny spherical projectile flew through the air and struck another gremlin in between the eyes. It was followed by a second and a third. Kate turned towards the direction of where they were coming from and saw a third of the strange new creatures. Like the other male he wore a t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were made for children. He also had a baseball cap on and a back pack. There was also something familiar about him. The wavy light brown hair was styled different and his face had the same spiky growths on his face, but he still looked a little like Gerald Hopkins.

"Gerald?" Kate asked as she continued to stare at him. Could that really be him?

"Kate?" Gerald looked up at her. His voice was the same as Gerald's if a bit raspier. "Nice to see you but maybe we talk after we take on these idiots."

"Don't have to mention that twice," Murray said as he used the sword in his hands to decapitate a gremlin.

Kate looked for more gremlins to kill and continued to battle against them. Several of them had turned tail and ran off and a few were actually putting up a fight. She knocked the blade out of another gremlin and was ready to fight another, only realizing she was face to face with the ship and the two battling gremlins on board.

"No Razor," Patch said. He had somehow got another sword. "No Razor. My crew."

They were hissing and snarling at each other and saying some strange words that Kate could not understand.

"Gene friend, Gizmo friend," the brown gremlin said as he got the better half of Patch and pinned the other sword down. "Darwin friend, Penny friend, Gerald friend."

"Patch friend?" The teal gremlin asked in a hopeful tone.

"No," the brown one growled. "Patch, Caca." He balled up his hand into a fist and knocked out the other gremlin. He pulled out one of the other sword's and shoved it into the chest of the Captain Patch.

"All right, Brody," Gerald said as he clapped his hands together and approached them. "Good one, buddy."

"That one is with you?" Kate asked as the brown gremlin climbed down.

"We are together," the teal human-gremlin creature said as he lowered his bat. "They run like cowards." Sure enough once Patch was killed the other gremlins turned and ran off.

"Don't be afraid of us goblins," Gerald said. "Darwin and Penny and our rogue gremlin pal, Brody and I have a friend of yours here." He turned around; exposing the backpack he was carrying. The top opened a familiar furry head popped out.

"Kate," Gizmo said in delight.

"Gizmo, you're all right," Kate gasped as she picked him up. "I was so worried for you and I thought the worst had happened."

"Told you he would be fine," Murray said. He had dropped the weapons he was carrying and was nursing his shoulder. "Damn I hate those guys, no offense to you guys that helped."

"None taken," Penny said with a shrug.

"Where did they get those swords?" Murray grumbled.

"There's a shop upstairs," Gerald explained. "Also a sporting goods store and a kitchen supply shop as well." He held up his golf club. "Even like this I can still swing em."

"Gerald," Kate said as she stared down into his red eyes. The last time she had seen him she had to look up at him and hated that cocky smirk of his and now all she could feel is gratitude and sympathy. "Thank you for helping us."

"Your welcome and I want to apologize for the way I acted back in Kingston Falls. I was a jerk and a grade A asshole and I hate the person I was. I should of backed off the first time you made it clear you had no interest in me."

"I…well I accept your apology." She was not expecting him to say that.

"Now he chooses to apologize?" Murray asked and was met with scowl from Lynn.

"Mr. Futterman I also apologize for the condescending way I spoke with you," Gerald said and ignored the way the older human just waved it away with a 'feh'. "Mrs. Lynn Peltzer I want to apologize to you for the way I scoffed at your husband and I never complimented you on your culinary skills. You made this meatloaf for Billy to bring to our little potluck once and it was the best meatloaf I had ever tasted. I-I still haven't come across one that is just as delicious."

"I really appreciate that," Lynn said with a smile. "Maybe when this is all over I can cook one for you and your friends here."

"Gerald, we are going to help you," Kate said as she took his hand into hers. She stared at the four human like green fingers ending in claws. "All of you. We are going take care of you."

"Thanks." He smiled and it was a little discerning seeing those sharp teeth in his mouth but she had to get over it. "I have to tell you Darwin and Penny are not like Billy and me. Darwin started out as a regular mogwai and Penny came from Billy."

"What do you mean came from Billy?" Kate asked as she turned to look at the female, what did Gerald call themselves? Did he say goblins? Her eyes widened when she realized what he meant. "Billy got wet and she is the result?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Murray said as he held up his hands. "Are you saying that Billy and the rest of you can also spawn off more like the gremlins?"

"We are part gremlin," Darwin answered.

"We have to really get soaked and it's still just one at a time," Gerald explained. "A little splash in the face won't trigger it and light also bothers us."

"Gerald, do you know where Billy is?" Lynn asked.

"He went with Chuck and Gene who is also a mogwai and I'm not sure since I got handcuffed to a chair." He pointed at Gizmo. "This little guy came out the vent and helped me." He gave the mogwai an affectionate scratch around the ears.

"We have to find daddy," Penny said. "We have to help the old man. He is hurt." She pointed at Murray's shoulder.

"I aint that old," Murray grumbled.

Steps echoed along the mall and that meant shoes and that meant humans. More people were approaching and Kate had hoped that it was this Chuck with Billy, but instead it was Clamp, Forster and a man and woman she had never seen before.

"Doesn't seem like much of a carnage," Forster said as they came closer. "Only four creatures in sight and they are not threating anyone."

"Frank, that man is hurt," Clamp said as he pointed at Murray. "He needs your assistance"

"On it," Frank said as he pulled out a small black rectangular box with a red cross on it. "Not sure if it will be any help. Let me see, Mr. Futterman."

"It's just a scratch," Murray said as he lifted up his hand. He pulled down his shirt to allow Forster to examine and winced a little. "See not bad."

"Looks more like a gash," Forster said as opened up the kit. "It might need some stitches." He pulled out a bottle and dripped some of the contents on Murry's wound. He ignored the flinches and the swears before he covered it in a wad of cotton and sealed it in with medical tape. "I'm not sure if you can continue."

"Nuts to that," Murray said. "We just found Hopkins here and he brought help against the gremlins of the Caribbean."

"Gerald?" the young security guard grinned when he saw them. "I've been trying to find you."

"I was in the office, Chuck" Gerald explained. "Your boss decided to handcuff me to a chair because of what I am."

"What?" the other woman and Chuck asked at the same time.

"Stewart did that?" Chuck added and shook his head. "I know he has a hard head, but damn."

Gerald tapped him in the hand. "I'm sorry you and Laura have to work for that guy and I try not to use this word often but he is a shmuck. He used offensive words for those with physical and mental disabilities."

"You poor man," the fourth member of Clamp's group said as her hands flew to her mouth. "I am so sorry. If I knew what he was doing I would of…would of broken his nose with my fist, right before I called the cops and I knows the others would of done the same."

"This is Chuck," Gerald said as he pointed at the young security guard. "Not sure who she is but you seem nice."

"Valerie," the woman answered as she shook Gerald's hand.

"Nice to know your name," Gerald answered before he turned to Clamp. "Gerald Hopkins is the name and I used to work for Prescott Prestige as financial investigator until well you can see." He pointed at his body.

"Daniel Clamp and I am going to do everything I can to help you." Clamp shook his hand. "I'm also going to have Forster give this Stewart a review."

"Where's daddy?" Penny asked.

"Daddy?" Clamp asked and pointed at her. "Where did she come from?"

"Peltzer got wet and she came from him," Gerald explained.

"Bill, is still at the arcade," Clamp answered. "At least that is what Chuck here says."

"Last where I left him," Chuck answered. "Well the last place I saw him was at the WB store but he said he was going to be at the arcade and that was the last time we talked." He held up his radio. "He said he was fine before I encountered Doctor Cordova and Helix."

"Gerald," a second mogwai lifted his head out the backpack that Chuck was wearing.

"Another mogwai," Kate said as he studied him. He looked like Gizmo with a mostly white body wearing a brown vest like patch over his back and chest, and a brown head with a white spot over the right eye and on top of his head, but he also had brown on his ankles along with black and more black fur outlined the brown and the white spot over his eye.

"He's also adorable," Lynn said. "But is he like Gizmo?" The question was answered when Gizmo waved at Gene and spoke few greetings and Gene waved back. "They seem to like each other."

"Gene is a clone of your Gizmo," Cordova explained. "Doctor Friedrich cloned him and he got wet and five more came from him and then Brody came from one of them."

"Valerie," Brody said and waved. "Where Lei? I miss him."

"Brody?" Valerie gasped as she stared at the gremlin. "You also ate with them."

"No," Brody answered and grabbed at air and shoved it into his mouth before he looked like he was trying to spit it out. He grabbed at the air and shoved it back into his mouth then grabbed at his neck and nose, made a few choking sound followed by a swallow.

"He was force fed," Darwin explained. "He didn't want to eat after midnight. They made him eat."

"Oh poor, Brody," Valerie said softly before she pet the gremlin on the head and Brody closed his eyes and leaned in towards her.

"So now there are good ones?" Forster asked, never losing his cold skeptic tone.

"I guess," Clamp said with a shrug. "I mean we got the egghead out in the card shop."

"Egghead?" Several people, including Kate had asked.

"The genius one is back," Clamp said. "And apparently they can reincarnate."

"Stripe, Mohawk, Razor," Gizmo said.

"What about them?" Kate asked as she looked at her little friend. "Are you saying they are all the same? Did Stripe come back as those gremlins?" She waited for Gizmo to nod. "Mohawk became the spider one that Gizmo killed."

"And Razor did not like Gizmo," Gerald explained. "He literally came back with a vengeance."

"Helix doesn't want to seek vengeance," Valerie said. "He is advanced and understanding and he is not like the others." She pointed at Brody. "Brody is also different."

"He has human intelligence but a gremlin body and gremlin instincts," Gerald said. "Brody also has them and he is working on keeping them in check and I, Darwin and Penny also have them. When we were just fighting the others I wanted that fight to last longer because I was enjoying myself. I was getting off on killing them."

"I was feeling the same and I'm all human," Murray told him.

"It's still different," Gerald said and took a deep breath. "Trust me on this and I apologize in advance if I scare you."

"I don't think you could scare a mouse," Murray told him.

"I've seen them when the grem out," Chuck said as he removed his hat. "Trust me when I say he can get a little scary."

"Why are we just standing around here?" Lynn asked. "We have to find Billy."

"And Helix," Valerie added. "We could split up and-"

"No more splitting up," Chuck said and shook his head. "We stay together and we know where everyone is, no more worrying about broken or lost radios or anything like that."

"Besides," Kate said as she held up her head. "We are stronger together. Most of us have experience with gremlins before and those of us who haven't seem to handle it just well." She paused to take in a breath. "Now lets go find my husband."

They had marched on through the damaged mall in smaller groups of conversation but still together. Valerie, Chuck and Darwin were speaking about something and Brody was with them but they were too far in the back for Kate to pay them any attention. Right behind her was Lynn and Penny with Lynn telling the female hybrid stories about Billy. Murray was up ahead with Forster and Clamp talking about of all things the Yankees.

"Worried about him?" Gerald asked as he walked beside her.

"I was worried about both of you when I found out you were missing as well," Kate told him. "I'm sure Billy is fine right now."

"I used to brag about how tough I was and I liked you because you were tough."

"Oh," Kate said as she remembered his old crush on her. "And here I thought you had liked me because of my looks."

"Well you were beauty-" He froze. "Are beautiful you are still beautiful and smart and you are still tough. I mean the way you swung that sword back there, but now these days I don't want to be tough. I want to be good and I know I am still trying to be good and-"

"You are better now that you were then," Kate told him. "Just by talking with you now I can sense that and despite what you have physically become you are still as handsome as ever."

"Wait you used to think I was attractive and still am?" He smiled again. "I wish I were able to reconnect sooner, have a little get together, throw some burgers on the grill, your kids playing tag with my kids, something like that."

"Same," Kate said as they walked past the now empty WB store and into the arcade. There were no sounds of gremlin laughter or cheers, only the bleeping digital sounds of the games was the only noise to fill the area. "Billy?" She ran inside and ran up and down the rows. "Billy?" Her husband was gone.