Chapter Fifteen: Rescue
Buttercup gripped onto Mojo's shoulders tightly, she could feel him slipping; she could feel herself slipping. The burning roof was getting closer and closer. She glanced at Mojo who was reaching for something. Why was she still holding onto him? His weight was making it hard for her to focus, to stay airborne. Feeling weak was something she'd just have to get used to, because of him. He wanted to kill her. He wanted to kill her sisters. Too weary to hold on any longer she released her grip on him, but at the same moment he fired his laser at her. She screamed in agony, the heat was intense, but something she knew she could handle if it weren't for antidote X, her weakened state made it unbearable as it encircled her body for a moment. She flew away from him, her vision blurred, her head throbbing with pain. She felt like all her limbs, her muscles, everything had turned to jelly. She found herself falling.
Stay in control, stay in control. She told herself. She could see Mojo Jojo, gathering his bearings after he plummeted to the rooftop. If she was going to die, she was taking him with her. She gathered what little strength she had left and flew into him, and they both fell through the fiery hole in the roof. At the last moment she shoved him aside and pulled back to ease her fall. She landed on a table that collapsed under her weight then everything went black. She no longer had the strength to even open her eyes so she could do nothing but lie in the darkness, surrounded by flames.
For a while she felt hot, she felt throbbing pain everywhere. She strained to find breath as smoke began to fill her lungs. She thought she heard a voice call her name, but it sounded so far away. Then she heard more voices until they faded away into nothingness.
She started to feel numb and light as a feather as the pain slowly began to leave her.
Then she felt nothing.
Nothing at all.
*****
Kevin looked around at the array of people around him. Some of the theatre patrons were injured, some mildly, some severely. Those who were able tended to the injured. Kevin was one of them. He tore off a strip of fabric from his jacket and used it to cover a gash on a little boy's arm. He feebly told the boy's mother that the paramedics should be there in no time, but he was beginning to wonder-- where were they? The police? The firefighters? The paramedics? Why hadn't they arrived? They should have been there by now. They were usually phenomenal with their response time since Mayor Bellum put them under intense training programs a few years ago, shortly before the Powerpuff Girls went part time because of high school.
He wondered about Buttercup, and how she was holding out. He glanced at the sky and saw two figures, then a red light and then the two fall onto the roof. "BC," he whispered. He blindly headed towards the burning building, his pace quickening with every step. He felt a hand grab his shoulder and he tuned around to see Bubbles.
"Thank goodness you're here!" Kevin sighed with relief.
"Buttercup, where is she?" Bubbles asked.
"I think she's on the roof," Kevin said.
"Did you call the police?" Bubbles asked.
"A while ago, before I called you actually," Kevin replied.
"Then where are they?" Bubbles moaned, "Kevin, I'll go help Buttercup, try calling them again." Before Kevin could reply she was gone.
*****
Bubbles flew onto the roof, the mere act of using her superpowers was draining, but she had no choice. She frantically looked around, and looked through the holes in the roof for any sign of her sister. A couple of times Bubbles could feel the roof give way from under her as the flames fought their way through. Finally she saw something through a fair sized hole in the roof, a hand sticking out, propped up by some debris. She flew down and pulled what looked like a broken table off of her.
"Buttercup!" she cried at the sight of her sister's lifeless form. She pulled her body away from some flames that were edging towards her.
Bubbles briefly looked at her surroundings. They were in the projection room. They were surrounded by half melted film. Bubbles was just thankful that Buttercup didn't fall into one of the theatres or there probably would've been no chance for her then. "I got you sis," Bubbles cried, "I'll get you out of here, OK?" Bubbles carefully scooped Buttercup into her arms but before she could fly out the way she came in she was roughly shoved aside. Her grip on Buttercup tightened as she slammed into a door which gave way and she fell into a hallway. At the same moment what was left of the ceiling came crashing down into the projection room and through the floor into one of the theatres.
Bubbles looked over at her rescuer. "Mojo Jojo! It was you! You're the one who caused all this!" she coughed, beginning to feel the effects of the smoke.
"Yes it was me. I caused the fire, I did this to your sister, I'm the one responsible for the antidote X," Mojo confessed, coughing. He was a pathetic sight. Some of his fur had burned off, he was covered in blood and his right arm hung awkwardly at his side, his leg was clearly broken, "I am sorry Bubbles, dear, sweet Bubbles. I never meant for it to go this far, I only wanted to scare you. But please, I need your help. I need you to help me get out of here!"
"Why should I help you?"
"I swear, I will turn myself in. I don't want to die!" he pleaded.
Bubbles coughed, the smoke was starting to get to her. "Thanks to you I hardly have the strength to help myself out, let alone Buttercup, why on earth would I help you when you're the one who did this!"
"I'm sorry, but it's too late for your sister, I mean, look at her, but it's not too late for me," Mojo Jojo begged, it was evident in his voice that he too was starting to succumb to the smoke. Bubbles looked at Buttercup sadly, cradling her in her arms, there was no sign of life in her. "Bubbles, I always liked you best. You were always the one to show me some mercy. Please, I regret what I did, I am sorry, but I can't get out of here on my own!"
"Why should I believe you?" Bubbles asked angrily, "You've never been honest, you've promised to reform before and every time we did give you a chance, it was a lie. Help yourself out."
"Very well then," Mojo frowned; there was an evil glint in his eye as he grabbed his laser which he had put in his pocket just before Buttercup crashed into him. He increased the setting and fired. Bubbles screamed, falling on her back, letting go of Buttercup.
Bubbles looked around there was no sign of a way out anymore. She struggled to get to her feet with no avail, she could still feel the effects of Mojo's laser. Bubbles couldn't move, her entire body was tingling. She felt tears stream down her cheeks, "I'm sorry I failed you Buttercup." She fired her heat rays at the ceiling just above Mojo and part of it came crashing down on top of him, but he escaped getting completely buried, just barely. With that Bubbles closed her eyes, waiting for Death to claim them.
*****
"I don't know what you're talking about sir, your call was answered and the officer who came said that the Powerpuff Girls have it all under control," the 9-1-1 dispatch said.
"The Powerpuff girls are the ones who are in danger right now!" Kevin hissed, he had lost his patience. The dispatcher was obviously new and her inexperience was beginning to irk him. But what really had him mad was the fact that he had tried to call several times and was unable to get through. The dispatch explained that they had some technical problems which were now fixed, "I thought you people knew by now that the Powerpuff Girls are powerless now!"
"Don't be silly, they're invincible, I even saw them in action myself," the dispatcher replied.
"Yeah, probably before they were exposed to antidote X which is the only chemical they're susceptible to!" Kevin snapped.
"Please sir, calm down, the officer that responded to your last call is a very respectable officer. I'm not doubting what you just said about the Powerpuff Girls, although I do find it hard to believe. Please hold on while I check this out OK?" she said calmly.
"Why don't you send people first and then find out what happened!" Kevin suggested in a less than polite manner.
"Oh dear," she whispered in a small voice, with the kind of tone one gets when they know they're in big trouble.
"What?" Kevin snapped.
"I'm sending word out now. They'll be there right away," she said quickly.
"What is going on?"
"I goofed up," she confessed, losing the dispatcher voice and sounding sincerely sorry, "I shouldn't say this, but I don't know what happened, but the officer who claimed to have responded to your initial call is well, he's on vacation in Hawaii. I didn't know this, I just found out now."
"I don't believe this!"
"I am so sorry sir, but I promise you this time help is on the way for sure," she replied.
"There better be!" Kevin said, his tone of voice softened, sounding more forgiving but he was still clearly angry. He sighed with relief when he spotted Blossom and Greg.
"Where?" Blossom whispered. Kevin pointed in the direction Bubbles and Buttercup were.
"Be careful!" Greg called after her as she flew off.
Kevin hung up the phone, "Thank goodness you're here. The police are obviously inept tonight."
"Where are they?"
"Apparently some dumb-ass posed as a cop and told the dispatch that everything was fine so they didn't get the message. Instead they were informed that the Powerpuff Girls had it under control! You'd think they'd have seen the smoke!" Kevin muttered.
"I think I understand now why Blossom sometimes complains about everyone taking them for granted sometimes," Greg frowned.
*****
Bubbles was beginning to succumb to the smoke and the throbbing pain that circuited throughout her body but before it could happen, she felt cool, refreshing water hit her face. Bubbles opened her eyes and to her relief she saw Blossom fighting the flames with her ice breath.
Blossom knelt next to Bubbles and Buttercup, "Are you OK?" she asked. "Can you move?"
Bubbles, with Blossom's help struggled to get up. Blossom blew out more flames with her ice breath, but it was significantly weaker than before. Blossom swayed slightly, as she blew on more flames, "You help Buttercup, I'll get Mojo Jojo." Blossom instructed as she looked at him with contempt. He appeared unconscious as he lay on his side, surrounded by fallen embers. Blossom turned back to Bubbles, "You think you're strong enough to manage that?'
"I think so," Bubbles nodded.
Blossom cleared a path back to the hole in the ceiling with her ice breath. She ignored the pain and dizziness it caused her. Blossom was disheartened by the quality of her special power. Her ice breath almost instantly turned to water as she blew at the flames. She couldn't blame it on the heat, because not even a week ago her ice breath was powerful enough to freeze fire as it burned, now she could hardly contain a patch of flames.
Blossom roughly grabbed Mojo's good arm and Bubbles carefully embraced Buttercup as they flew through the hole in the ceiling to safety.
They landed apart from the rest of the crowd, exhausted. Bubbles let go of Buttercup and collapsed on the moist grass coughing as fresh air filled her lungs. Greg and Kevin quickly joined them. Blossom threw Mojo's limp body aside and fell into Greg and the two locked in an embrace as Blossom gave in to exhaustion. Even though she was not involved in the fight, using her powers was far more draining than she thought it would be.
Kevin scooped Buttercup into his arms, shocked by the sight of her and her sisters. He finally heard the sound of sirens, which was music to his ears. He gently wiped away some of the blood off her face. She looked so pale and lifeless. "It's OK, you're safe now," he whispered as a tear began to fall down his cheek, he checked her pulse; he couldn't find one, "Wake up, please? It's over, everything's going to be all right now, help is coming. Please BC, come back to me," he whispered softy, "I don't want to lose you. I need you, I love you I…" he stopped and looked as the theatres finally collapsed, crashing to the ground. He used that moment of distraction and gave her a gentle kiss.
Buttercup groaned and for a brief moment her eyes fluttered open, Kevin pulled back and put his hand on her cheek. She wheezed once and closed her eyes again, drifting back into darkness.
*****
Mojo opened his eye slightly, pretending to be unconscious. He slowly and carefully dragged himself away from them; they were too distracted to notice him. He edged towards the side driveway out of sight then a black limo pulled up next to him. The chauffer climbed out and opened the door.
"You failed," the passenger said from inside. He took a puff of smoke from his cigarette and blew it in Mojo's face.
"I am sorry," Mojo replied.
"Just be glad I helped you, even though you deliberately disobeyed me to seek out your own personal vendetta," the man shook his head, "Well, get in."
Mojo Jojo pulled himself wearily into the car with the chauffeur's help and closed the door and sighed, "Thank you."
"Don't thank me just yet. This may cost you your position with Project X if I have anything to say about it," he took another drag, and looked Mojo over, "You're getting blood all over the seat, you'd better pay for that." he frowned, as they drove away.
A/N Yayness! I love all the reviews! You are all wonderful! Thank you so much!
Kathryn: Mojo does have an uncanny knack for having plans that backfire. Thank you so much for reviewing!
Hairy Gregory: Human/Monkey pancakes…eeeeewwww!!! I hope they don't add that to the menu at IHOP.
PinkPuff514: Your patience is greatly appreciated. I hope you liked this chapter.
Bella: Ah grammar, I hardly knew ye. Seriously though, my mother's an English teacher, I had no choice but to learn how to utilize proper grammar.
Pilfered Sympathy: LOL! :P
Dooly: Oh! I get it now, OK, thanks for the clarification there and yes, Kevin was desperate. I'm glad you like Mojo's evilness. Well, this isn't going to end for a while, but I hope it will continue to hold your interest.
akurei-gaki: Sorry 'bout the cliffies! I am a bit evil that way. I like a good cliffhanger myself, keeps me wanting more.
Cruel Kindness: I'll get back to that when the time is right, don't worry. I hope you like this! Don't die of suspense now, that wouldn't be good.
