As always the standard disclaimer applies: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. I own only my own characters and this story.
Now here's chapter 62:
62 – ZARKWON DU'S DEFIANCE
There was a stunned pause around the Council table. Then suddenly chairs were pushed back and almost everyone was on their feet. But Zarkwon Du quickly pulled back his coat and showed that he was carrying a blaster.
"Not so fast" he said, "you didn't really think I'd waltz in here unprepared did you? Surely you're not that naive."
"What have you done with Anna Ride?" demanded Mayor King.
"She's safe for now" said Zarkwon Du, smiling again, "of course how long she stays that way depends on you. I wouldn't do that" he continued as Flippy, Splendid, Barry, and Emily all quickly went into battle mode and made as if to attack him. He held up his hand and stopped them.
"Don't do anything stupid like trying to capture me" he said seriously, "I'm in communication with my partner even now. He knows what's going on here. If anything happens to me Dunster has orders to break our hostage in half."
There was an uncomfortable silence. Those who had seen Dunster knew that he was quite capable of doing what Zarkwon Du threatened.
"How do we know he won't harm her even if we do what you want?" asked Dane.
"You'll just have to trust me, won't you?" was the reply, "I suggest you all sit down again. It'll be so much better if we all keep our tempers."
Slowly everyone sat down again. Flippy, Splendid, Barry, and Emily slowly backed off from the Marauder. Barry and Emily sat down but Flippy and Splendid both remained standing. Zarkwon Du motioned for them to sit down as well. There was a long, tense pause before the mayor indicated that Flippy and Splendid should obey. Finally, warily, they sat down. Zarkwon Du relaxed somewhat but he remained on his guard.
"That's better" he said, "so nice to know that one can still count on so-called "civilized" people to behave with restraint."
"What do you want?" asked the Mayor.
"Ah, I have your attention" said Zarkwon Du, "that's good." He seemed in no hurry to tell the Council what he wanted because he made a big show of sitting down in a vacant chair, leaning back in it to make sure it was comfortable, drawing out his blaster so it was visible on his lap, and then putting his feet up on the table and smiling at the shocked looks from some of the Council members.
"You know what I love about the so-called "polite" society?" he said to the Council, "their behavior is so easy to predict. You'll do anything at all just to keep someone from getting hurt."
"Is that so?" said Mayor King coldly, "well perhaps you'll find that some of us are not as polite as you think we are."
"Really? Now that's interesting" said Zarkwon Du, "do you have it in you to be as efficiently ruthless as the situation might require? Would you knowingly sacrifice a life in order to save more lives?"
There was an uneasy silence around the table, as the Council waited to see where this was going.
"You" said Zarkwon Du, pointing at Mayor King, "I hear you're the ruler of this city."
"That depends on who you talk to" said the mayor sarcastically, "but officially you might say that."
"Being a leader, that's hard" said the Marauder with a broad smile, "so many people to worry about; so many decisions to make. And what if you make a wrong one? Who do you blame then?"
"And your point is?" demanded the mayor.
"Do you ever have to choose between two evils?" asked Zarkwon Du, "if you could secure your city from all future harm simply by sending three people to certain death, would you do it? Would the greater good of the many trump the few?"
The mayor was silent. Zarkwon Du pressed his attack.
"I say you can't" he said, "I'm one person, and even with a blaster in my hand you could have me killed almost as soon as I walked in here, but you didn't. And why? Because your friend might come to harm. Put her against one hundred million others. You'll sacrifice all of them for your friend's sake! How predictable. How... civilized!"
"Not so fast" exclaimed Mayor King springing to her feet, "you judge too fast."
"Do I?"
"If I had to choose to send someone to his death for the good of everyone else I wouldn't hesitate if I was convinced that there truly was no other way!" said the Mayor, "but if there is another way, or a hope of another way, then I'd rather find that other way first. But make no mistake, if I'm forced to make such a choice I would do it."
"Would you?" said Zarkwon Du, "we shall see."
"Why are we even discussing this?" growled Flippy, "if you have terms, then name them! If you want to be released then say so."
"It's not so easy as that" muttered Splendid, "he and his partner can't just go back to XL-Jack-3. He'd kill them."
"True" said Zarkwon Du, "unless we have something to give him that would make it worth his while to spare us. And I think we just might."
Zarkwon Du looked around the table at the Council. He fixed a piercing gaze on the mayor who stared defiantly back.
"Madame Mayor, shall we test your resolution?" he said quietly, "let's play a little game and see."
"What sort of game?" said Mayor King warily.
"A little guessing game" said Zarkwon Du, "you try to guess what I want. If you get it right, I'll let you know. But for each wrong guess that you or any of your fellow councillors make, well – " He paused for a moment and smiled nastily.
"Every time you make a wrong guess" he continued smirking broadly, "my partner will remove something from the lovely Mrs. Ride. And I guarantee you that each time it will be something that she'll miss. A lot."
(To Be Continued)
A/N - Heh, Zarkwon Du is evil, isn't he. And now Anna Ride is a classic damsel in distress... or is she? What will happen next? You'll just have to come back when I post the next chapter to find out.