Chapter 8
"CALVIN!"
Callous tore down the last hallway like a maniac, his face filled with pure, seething hatred. His hair fell down his face, and his eyes flashed with anger.
I'll kill you.... he seethed as he ran down the hall. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. KILL you.
Nothing was going as he had planned. Not only was Calvin on the loose, but Callous had no idea what he could be doing. It didn't matter, however; there was only one thing on Callous' mind, and it was death, Calvin's death, at his hands.
I'll find you. His eyes came upon the open door to the main laboratory. Damn you, kid, you'll regret EVER laying eyes on the tiger!
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"Well...we're really sorry."
Each and every one of Callous' guards were in the dome, surrounding Periwinkle and Hobbes. This time, however, they were not pointing guns at the two, but rather they were shaking their heads in disbelief, and had put their guns away. With them were the four captured agents, bloodied and exhausted, but alive.
"What are we going to do?" The leader of the FBI S.W.A.Ts looked at Periwinkle. "Callous is poised to unleash a new super killer on the president."
"All of this is unreal." Jordan looked at Hobbes. "I mean, we knew about Hobbes, and that's...unreal in itself....but we didn't know about our boss..."
"Don't worry." Periwinkle shook his head. "I had a hunch that Callous painted me as a terrorist agent. At the moment, I'm just happy you came when you did, or I may have been dead."
"Well...." Callous' men looked at each other warily. "You're not going to arrest all of us, are you?"
"I can't save you from every venue of prosecution. You may have to spend time in jail, all of you. But I can assure that, at the least, cooperation will save you a lot of trouble with the federal prosecutors. Though," the agent took a breath. "The people Callous may have holed up with, you're more likely to end up in witness protection; you wouldn't be the first."
"If it helps, we can help get you the information from Callous' hard drives." One of the guards wiped his nose. "We'll probably have to get past his technicians, though."
"Do they know about Callous' operations?"
"Probably had to have. They ran his computers, they checked his files. Get past them, we can get the files. Of course, there're one or two left after the accident this afternoon. One of them is dead from electrocution, and the other was sho-"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*
That was before the explosion.
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".....WOW."
The laboratory was something that Calvin knew he'd never see the likes of again during his life.
This....place... Calvin was practically dumbfounded. I......I....
There were things in it that not even Calvin could imagine, and the hazy lighting made the atmosphere eerie. There were boxes, once filled with chemicals made from some of the most deadly ingredients known to mankind. The flasks were filled with liquids, some that Calvin did not know of; however, he could recognize blood when he saw it, and more than half of the tubes were filled to the brim with them. The sastitubes, each six feet tall, were filled with the decomposed bodies of tigers - tigers the size of Hobbes. The tigers that still had faces had expressions of fright and fear.
Hobbes.... Calvin gulped. Is this what he wants to do with you? I don't want that to happen. I can't let it happen.
He absentmindedly played with a Bunsen burner as he thought of everything that had happened. He left it on, unaware of what he had done, but even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared less.
"I won't let it happen," he said aloud. "I won't let it happen. I'll stop him somehow."
*BAM!!*
"AaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
Calvin just barely got out of the way, first as the bullet ripped through the flasks, then as the chemicals reacted to the flame in the Bunsen burner and rippled across the room in a magnificent line of bright yellow.
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The fire spread all too quickly in the lab through ducts, pipes and the hallways, all made of steel. Within minutes, smoke was coming towards the dome.
"Come on!" Periwinkle quickly snapped up several papers from one of the rooms unaffected as one of the guards shouted at him. "We have to get out! The building is set with explosives."
"Wh-what?!" Periwinkle's head snapped towards the guard. "What do you mean? Why-"
"Callous showed us," the guard shouted back, "His fail-safe in case anything should happen to this factory - if a fire or any natural disaster - or anything for that matter - triggers the fail-safe, the entire building will explode!"
Periwinkle's eyes widened at this. On the other side of the room, Hobbes was carrying a monitor, but had dropped it on his foot when he heard that.
"OW!" He swore. "Argh....ugh...."
"A f-fail-safe?!" Periwinkle glared at the guard. "Does anyone know where it is?!"
"Just Callous, sir!"
"This is great," Periwinkle muttered.
"Sir, we have to get out of here as soon as possible before the fail-safe takes all of us down!"
"Wait!"
Periwinkle felt the guard grab him before he could protest further, and was led out to the hall and back into the dome. By this time, thick black smoke had begun to fill into the room, and everyone who was left was running out, their hands filled with computer modules, papers and folders.
"WAIT!" Periwinkle grabbed the guard's arm. "Calvin."
"What?"
"The boy. We have to save the boy! He's in here somewhere!"
"Wait! Porcelain Tiger!!"
Periwinkle's eye just barely caught the long, sleek, orange silhouette charging into the thick smoke and approaching fire. His back was arched, his fur was up, fluffed up alongside the adrenaline rush that was accompanying it. The agent only saw the back of his body, so he wasn't sure if Hobbes' mouth was open; on the other hand, no fire could roar such a sound that suddenly echoed through the chamber as, finally, Hobbes disappeared into the flame.
"HOBBES!"
"SIR!" Periwinkle was prevented from following by two guards, who proceeded to lead him, almost drag him, away. "We've got to get out NOW!"
Periwinkle could barely believe his eyes. He struggled and pleaded with the guards, but to no avail. They led him out through the main doorway, out into the night. By this time, half of the building was already engulfed.
"CALVIN! HOBBES!! HOOOBBES!!!!!!"
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"...Uuuugh...."
Calvin took several gasps of breath as he recollected himself. He was covered in soot, and the air all around him was becoming smokier by the minute.
Have to....get up..... Calvin clung onto the leg of the table. Have to...run...
He stood up, facing the golden gun just as it aimed at his head. Fear gripped the boy's heart as it never had before. As quickly as he could, he scuttled backwards and turned to run, only to find himself staring at a wall.
Oh no.... Calvin turned his head back at the gun. And I took my cape off! Without my Stupendous Man cape, I'm powerless to escape!
The cape which Calvin had put faith in the plan - the plan for Periwinkle and Hobbes to placate the guards and get the S.W.A.T. members back while Stupendous Man distracted Callous - was crumpled in the deputy director's hands.
"You thought this could save you?" With a flick of his hand, he threw the cape into the fire. "Kids. You don't know how the world works. Your little dreams can't save you from reality."
He took several steps closer. His hair was crumpled up and full of ash; his skin was covered in sweat, and likewise his shirt and pants were drenched with it. His eyes were filled with adult scorn.
"You think I am a terrible person, for what you concieve me capable of doing to you and your....friend." Callous' voice was low, yet it was almost mocking. "But the truth is, I am trying to help Porcelain Tiger...and you. Enemies. You'll make enemies you never dreamed of if you persist in resisting me, if you ever managed to escape."
The sweat began to pour off of Calvin as he stared at the gun. He couldn't believe he had been stupid enough to throw the gun out without even thinking of who would pick it up. Not only that, but he was very certain that Callous had a few more bullets in the chamber.
"You know the Islamic fundamentalists? The ones who wrecked the World Trade Centers." Callous glared. "They, they want Porcelain Tiger. Do you know what they'll do? They'll have him attack this country, your neighborhoods, your friends. And there are African businessmen who invested in Porcelain Tiger, who would use him to destroy their own people, and who would kill your parents with no qualms. Japanese mafia who would gas your school. Even other Americans, because I have friends who'd love nothing more than to see the old system gone and they'll stop at nothing. Do you want that on your head?"
The flames roard around them. Flasks combusted, sending glass flying everywhere in the laboratory.
"Give him to me, Calvin." Callous pointed the gun at the boy, "and I'll spare your life."
Calvin stared at Callous, unable to believe what the man was saying. His mouth moved, though at furst nothing came out.
"Just give him to me. I don't like killing children. I have three of my own; I happen to like children immensely.
"Wh....wha?!" Finally, Calvin squeaked. "If you loved children so much, then why would you want to blow up a little girl in Russia and kids in the White House and stuff?! You think thats any better?!?
"That doesn't matter at the moment." All around them, the flames that were engulfing the building roared. "What matters is that you, as an American citizen, stole, hid and corrupted a government created project, as well as uncovering information about it illegally, and that is a felony punishable with life in prison.
"I'm SIX!" Calvin screeched. "Like they're gonna say that I honestly KNEW better!
"I DON'T CARE HOW OLD YOU ARE!" Callous screamed, shaking violently. "Your tiger was created by me and is mine on the grounds that I am a part of the government that ordered his creation to begin with! Give him to me NOW!
For a moment, Calvin looked back and forth, his whole body sweating profusely from the heat of the fire. He almost whimpered; he was, for the first time in his life, duly and truly frightened out of his wits. He didn't know what to do, and he knew it wasn't a dream he could just wake up from, nor was it an adventure that could be broken off by his teacher or a parental figure. He really wished his mom was here, or his dad, but he knew he was all by himself, and Hobbes was nowhere to be seen.
He could be dead Calvin could not bear the thought. He could have been caught in the computer and blown into a million pieces or caught by the bad guysÉ..what do I do
"I am getting impatient!" The chinking sound of the chamber being loaded with a bullet brought Calvin back to reality. "And don't think I can't cover this up, Calvin. I covered up BAD for the span of my career, and this fire only serves to erase all of the remaining evidence. You may be like Godzilla in Tokyo on your turf, but you're on my ground now. So just give Porcelain Tiger back to me, and we can make it look like one big misunderstanding. You have the choice, kid."
Normally, Calvin would have given up, and live and let live; this was not normal, and Calvin knew this. And he knew also that Hobbes was not what this man said he was, nor could he ever be that monster.
No, Hobbes was the First Tiger and El Presidente of G.R.O.S.S. He was the first thing Calvin saw when he came home from school, and the last thing Calvin saw when Calvin went to bed. He was the brilliant mathematician who did Calvin's homework as well as the brilliant artist who drew tigers eating people heads. He was the one who would watch cartoons on Saturday mornings and play Calvinball at night with Calvin. He was the big sleeping lump on the rug who liked to pounce on Calvin whenever he had the chance to do so. He was the sick afferent who liked Susie Derkins, while at the same time planning snowball attacks and ransom notes against the girl.
Last, and most importantly, Hobbes was Calvin's friend. Friends didn't sell each other out, and when they were together friends definitely didn't lose to stupid chowderheads who had slick hair and really killed people.
"ÉNo.
Calvin's answer came out so bluntly that it surprised even Calvin. It certainly surprised Callous, whose eyes widened substantially.
"WhÉ..what?!
"É.ItÉ.itÉ..doesn't matter who created Hobbes!" Calvin, his usual obnoxious self finally coming back, stuck his tongue out at the older man. "It only matters who owns him. And since I've been owning him, he's mine. Hahah! Don'cha hate technicalities?
Callous' face instantly darkened at Calvin's standoffish reply. Without another word, he raised his gun and pulled the trigger.
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The sound of the gun firing was loud, and it echoed in the ruined, blazing chambers of the building. The sound echoed outside into the open air, out where, all around the burning building, agents and guards alike could hear.
"Oh my God!" In the back of the crowd, Agent Periwinkle's hand went to his mouth as he and a small group of men rushed into the building. "Calvin! Hobbes!
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The moment he finished his insult, Calvin had shut his eyes tightly. Even though he was just a little kid, he was jaded enough to know that Callous was an uptight jerk, one who wouldn't think shooting and killing a kid was too low. He was worse than Ms. Wormwood.
And, in a sick way, he truly wondered how bad bullets really hurt when they made contact with the flesh. If it was as bad as it looked in the movies, then, he began to figure, he'd probably flop a bit as blood began to gush out the gaping hole, and he'd make a high-pitched sound of dramatic, wounded anguish as he fell. Then, when he landed, he'd probably make a gross moaning sound, and his body would go splat! like a fly, all spread out as his guts drained from his body.
"I will be avengedÉÉyou will notÉÉ.getÉÉawayÉÉ.noÉ. Calvin gave a grunt. Those are REALLY corny last wordsÉÉÉHow about "I may die, but you'll get the chair!"É..Naah, that sounds stupid tooÉ.waitwould he get the chair for killing meÉ.?
So engrossed was the boy in his fantasy of death that it took him several minutes to realize that the bullet never even touched him. When he realized this, he slowly opened his eyes and nearly gasped.
"ÉÉ.You
Calvin could hear the shock in Callous' voice, even though he couldn't see him; all he saw was orange and black stripes, hovering mere millimeters from his nose. Because he was so close, Calvin's eyes began to cross in order to focus.
"You know, Calvin," Hobbes' voice came out very angry as he threw the bullet to the floor. "I couldn't have said what you said better myself.
Calvin's eyes widened at the tone of his friend's voice. Normally, he'd return Hobbes' quips with whining; again, this was not normal. On top of that, he never saw the tiger genuinely angry before about anything or anyone, not even him. Upon hearing his voice and seeing the almost violent heaving of his body, however, Calvin started to slowly back off.
"ÉÉOhÉ..boy-
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!!!!!
Hobbes wasted no time on his vengeance. He leaped up so fast, so quick, that his tail lashed out and smacked Calvin in the face. With a shout, Calvin staggered back and fell on his butt.
"OW!" Calvin rubbed his nose. "YouÉ..youÉ.
He stopped. He could see Hobbes up in the air, his mouth in an enraged snarl, his claws out, his entire body in position for a pounce unlike any Calvin saw. The roar was still on Hobbes' tongue; the flames of the fires in the building were no match for the tiger-like fury in his eyes. Below him in the second before impact was Callous - pale, eyes bugged out, shocked. Frightened of what was about to happen to him.
Calvin had a very good idea of what Hobbes was going to do as well, and he had the best solution to help him. He promptly covered his eyes and hoped for the best as his friend pounced onto the deputy with a definitive slam.
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It all happened fast.
Periwinkle watched it all unfold. It happened so quickly, he did not realize until an hour later what had happened.
Fire. Flames. Heat. Hell. Runnung through the wall. Screaming.
"CALVIN! HOBBES!"
Busting down the door. Cursing at the heat. Running in. Flying glass, and scalding heat.
"HERE! IN HERE!!!"
Screaming. Roaring. Another scream. Calvin. Hobbes. Callous.
"AAAAAAUGH!! GET HIM OFF! GET HIM OFF!!!!!!!"
Dragging. Growling. Screaming. Running. Soot. Fire.
Run. Run.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
Tuna.
