Oh boy! Its been a while, but I finally got a chapter posted. Been sick for the week. The last few chapters are going to be a little......well, maybe crazy I guess. There's only a few more left for this story. Got a GREAT ending in mind.
Enjoy and review!
Chapter 21 Undercover
It was mid-day in Terrence's apartment. Randall was still asleep on the couch, Carmyne was in the chair near him, Caylin was near her watching the T.V. with the volume low, and Joy was standing near the window, watching the city. Terrence was busy upstairs. It was about a half an hour since the incident.
"What are we suppose to do now?" Caylin asked with a sigh. "You two should have just let me kill him when he was on stage....." Carmyne growled.
"That wouldn't have solved anything...." Joy said. "I'd say we just let the river take us where it wants" Caylin said, trying to sound intelligent to Carmyne.
"Don't rock the boat gecko" Carmyne said. Caylin turned and held his hand up to object, but Carmyne gave him a small growl, which made him turn around instantly.
".....If only we knew where he was....." Joy thought. "Oh yeah....its that easy..." Caylin said in a sarcastic manor. "Uh huh..." the two replied.
"Its not like we can walk out of here and find out where the guy is...." Caylin said. "Uh huh..." the two said, a little slower. "Its not like we can just find one of his guys and just ask" Caylin said. "Uh huh....." the two said, more slower.
"Heck....not like we could ask those guy's who's boats we blew up right?" Caylin said. "Uh huh......" the two said, seeming at a different pace.
Caylin turned. "....What?....Why are you guy's looking at me like that? Are you trying to imitate Randall or something because your really....really..." Caylin said.
*
A few minutes later, Caylin found himself at the corner of a building near the docks, dressed in his human attire, along with some kind of glasses.
"Why do I have to do this!?" he asked. He had gotten there with a map Terrence had in the living room. They weren't really that far from the docks. "Tssst!....Oh just do it Caylin" Joy's voice said, which originated from a speaker hidden in Caylin's coat. One of Terrence's com head seats, which was actually an ear piece and recorder, which was in Caylin's coat.
"Ok ok ok...." he said, looking over at the docks. "(Now they might not be there....yeah...and then you just kick back and......their there...)" he thought, seeing the boats and two men. He could easily remember the boats, as one had the cockpits glass broke.
"I see the boats but....uh...nobody's there ok can I come back now?" Caylin said quickly. "Forget that! Just go over there and find out where Kroitz is or I'll make you a new face courtesy of me!" Carmyne's voice said. Caylin nearly jumped and quickly started forward. He tried to keep out of sight.
*
"You think he's doing ok?".
"These vision specs of Terrence's are amazing!".
Meanwhile, Joy and Carmyne were watching a screen in front of them showing a shaky image of what Caylin was looking at. Joy had the speaker in her hand. "Through the eyes of a gecko" Carmyne smirked. "Never thought of that" Joy smiled.
"Ow....hey....what's....what's going on?".
The two looked behind them to see Randall, a cover around his body. "Oh Randall!....Sorry if we woke you..." Joy said. "Its ok..." he said with a yawn in between. "What's this?".
"Caylin....volunteered to go out and find where Kroitz is...." Carmyne informed. "You sure he's..." Randall began, stopping with a cough. "He's fine....as for you I think you should get some more rest" Joy said.
"Why?" he smiled.
*
Caylin was currently hiding behind one of the busses near the boats. Two of the men were having conversations. Seems like two of Kroitz's men and a boat repairer.
"Ouch....that's allot of holes in your boat...." the repairer said. "Yeah well....had a run in with a few gators....." one of the men said.
"Hmph" Caylin whispered to himself.
*
"What is it with me an alligators!" Randall nearly yelled, frustrated. "Ow....". He felt his head, feeling a ting. "Come on you...." Joy said, picking him up. "Ok fine I'll get some sleep...." Randall said.
*
The repairer left to check the boats insides. "I swear next time I see a lizard, I'll gut it dry" said one of the men in a cruel voice. "I still wonder who the boss is talking with in his office" said the other one.
"That doesn't help one bit!" came Carmyne's angry voice. Caylin turned so his back was against the bus. "I can't hear you screaming in my ear!" Caylin said. "What was that!" Carmyne said. "!....Uh I said I can't believe I'm standing right here" Caylin said, turning back.
"Hey you wanna join the boss for dinner?" one said. "Sure....what was the place?".
Caylin listened carefully.
"Martine's?". Caylin smiled and turned to head off. "No that wasn't it". He grunted and turned back. "Basta Pasta?". Caylin smirked and started back. "No". He rolled his eyes and turned back. "Sea Grill?". Caylin grunted and started back. "Na". He threw his hands up in the air and turned back.
"Mars 2112?". Caylin waited this time. ".....Yeah that's the place!". Caylin smiled, and started back.
*
Meanwhile.....
Kroitz was in a lab. It seemed of a different place than the underground building....
Set in cases were the creatures that had attacked Readagar's. Four of them lay across for him. Sounds of more were heard. Kroitz gave a devious smile as an assistant approached him.
"The hunters are ready sir" he said. "Good....get as many of them as you can, but don't release them until I tell you" Kroitz said. The assistant left, leaving Kroitz.
"(....That creature......it had powerful technology.....maybe I should take him next....)" Kroitz thought. One of the hunters bashed its head against the bars. It seemed hungry....and wanted battle.
"Don't worry....soon you can have all you want" Kroitz said, starring at it. He began to laugh viciously as he walked out.
*
Leia was still in her cell at the time. She had begun walking back and forth for the past couple of minutes. She gave up and sat back on the bed, placing her head on her hands.
(What does he want with me!?.....What about mom and dad?......Or Randall or Cay....or)" she thought.
(ERRK!)
The door opened. But....nobody was there. ".....Randall!" she said cheerfully, standing up. No later had she, Slade appeared beside the door. "What...you honestly thought he would save you?". Kroitz entered, attaching a black glover to his left hand.
"What do you want!?" Leia yelled. "Come come...I'll bet your starving about now...." Kroitz said. Leia just starred daggers at him. " I'm having a little get together...me and the boys are celebrating the soon to be termination of The Secretary of Defense....and the new Secretary...." Kroitz said.
"!! Your killing your own kind!" Leia said. "Its done all the time....but don't worry....I'll make up for it by letting your world become our harvest field....." Kroitz said. "! If you lay one hand on....." Leia started. "Slade.....fetch".
Leia stopped speaking as her attention shifted to Slade. His blood red eyes focused on her. As lightning, he was right in front of her, gripping her right arm with his top left.
"Ah! Eh...Slade!" she said. Nothing. "Come on....your dinner would be getting cold...." Kroitz said, calling out, "Come Slade". Slade responded by moving behind Leia, still gripping her arm behind her back as he pushed her along.
"Slade! Please! Do you remember anything!? Randall!? Randolph!? Rayford and Naomi!?" Leia yelled, trying to snap him out.
He stopped. Leia wasn't sure to look or not. She turned behind her to see him looking down at his left side, blinking once then twice.
"Please Slade....don't listen to him...." Leia said. ".......Its not my decision...." he said. He picked his head up and pushed Leia out.
*
"Lets see......Mars 2112" Terrence said.
The group were in the main room planning what to do. They were all gathered around the table, Randall on the couch.
"Ok....what do we do?" Caylin asked. "Well since its an alien like place.....Leia will be safe" Terrence said. "How so?" Joy asked. "He could just say she's in costume".
"We maybe be able to stop him if we can get in there" Joy said. "Ok.....um...what about Rand?" Caylin said, looking over at Randall.
"Terrence...could you...." Joy said. "Well...ok I'll watch him" Terrence said. "I'll get the suits" Carmyne said, heading up stairs with Caylin.
Joy was about to head up, until. "Uh Joy....". She turned back to Terrence. "Yes?". "Well.....I've known Sean for years and well....I've never seen him more set on anything like he was with saving you" Terrence said. "Oh....What do you mean?" Joy asked.
"Well.....I know he'd want you to be safe so....here...". He dug our his pocket. "A gun?" she asked. In his hand laid a large gun that looked almost pistol like. On the handle of the metal top was the engraving of something, a girl.
"Lucil...the only magnum in my collection.....one shot is enough to knock anyone down" Terrence said. "I....I don't want to....." Joy said. "Please....I don't want to be held responsible if something happens to you....." Terrence said.
"Ok.....I'll take it....but I don't think I'll use it...." she said, taking it. "Ok....its not far from here..." Terrence said, taking a map nearby.
*
"Here it is"
Joy, Carmyne, and Caylin were at the steps leading down the restaurant/club. It was supposeably underground. The steps lead down into a small area lined with glass showcasing Mars related things. In the middle was a metal ship design. The entrance was at the north west area.
"You'll be ok right?" Joy asked, looking at Carmyne. "Yes....." she said. She nodded and they started down. Another set of stairs which led them to the ground floor. Carmyne and Joy continued as Caylin looked at the glass showcases.
"So there aren't real aliens in there right?" Caylin asked. Joy came over and pulled him away. "Oh Cay your so gullible..." Joy said. "Oh....thanks!" Caylin said.
*
As they walked in, they could see a gift shop in the northwest corner. To the right was a worker, checking some book. Joy walked over to her, Caylin and Carmyne followed. The worker noticed them head on. "Hello miss, how many in your party?" she asked. "Uh...hold on a second...." Joy said, pushing Carmyne and Caylin back out of earshot.
"What's wrong?" Carmyne asked. "I forgot money....." Joy said. "Well....guess we head back then..." Caylin said, heading to the door. Carmyne rolled her eyes and went to grab him by his coat, but accidentally grabbed his tail.
Being suspicious as to why they were acting the way they were, the worker peered over, just in time to see Caylin's tail.
"What in the world!?" she said. Carmyne quickly let go as Caylin tried to fix his tail back in the suit. "What the heck!" the worker yelled.
Just at that time, Joy got an idea. She stood back up and turned. "These guys work here...." she said. Carmyne and Caylin gave bewildered looks as the worker looked confused. "What?". "They work here....they got there costumes on early, but dress like this so people won't...you know" Joy said, urging Caylin and Carmyne to play along. Carmyne took her hat and glasses off.
"Uh....." the worker began. Caylin took off his. "Hi heheheh" he said nervously. "Uh well...." she began. "Yes?" Joy asked. "You've got good costumes...." she said, stepping aside. "We've got a large crowd....." she said.
Caylin and Carmyne placed their hats and glasses on and followed Joy through the door. "(Close one....)" Joy thought. "(Almost blew it...)" Carmyne thought. "(Did she have to pull so hard!?)" Caylin thought, rubbing his tail.
*
The three took into a hall behind one of the doors. The halls were coved with a rock like coating. "Feels like Mars...." Joy said. The three followed the left path. The path itself was like a metal catwalk. A couple of slits in the rock formation had fake designs of plants an Mars like terrain.
"Oh boy....". They came out of the hall. Leading straight into the restaurant area. There were two floors filled with chairs and tables/ The left wall had a video screen that showed images of alien-type things. "Got him" Carmyne said... Her eye's were set on the table in front of the video screen. Kroitz was there, Leia beside him, seeming unable to leave. A couple of his men and the girl was there, laughing it up.
"Must have told she worked here or something like we did" Joy thought. "Most likely...." Carmyne said. "Cay....can you be lookout?" Joy asked. "Uh.....well..." he began. "You want the dangerous job?". "........I'll be right here" he said, pointing at the floor. Joy nodded and headed down the walkway with Carmyne.
Of course, Caylin quickly got bored with being lookout. "Its not dangerous but it is boring...." Caylin mumbled. He looked across at the second floor.
"Hmmm...." Caylin said, grinning.
*
Joy and Carmyne sat at a table near Kroitz's, but far enough so they weren't seen.
"Time to see if they're off guard" Joy said, taking out a walkie-talkie from her pocket. Terrence gave her one incase she needed to contact him. "Who are you calling?" Carmyne asked.
"I sneaked one into Cay's coat".
*
"So I tell him that the secret to a girl's heart is dinner and a movie".
Currently, Caylin was mingling with some of the employee's taking a break at one of the tables. The workers around him snickered.
"Tshh...Caylin".
"Huh?".
"Pick up the speaker in your pocket Cay"
"......My coat's talking to me....boy...things are strange already..." he said.
"Pick up the speaker in your pocket gecko!".
Quickly, Caylin turned away and pulled the talkie out of his pocket. ".....Hello?". "Ugh....Caylin....do you see Kroitz?".
"Huh?.....Oh yeah! He's uh....ordering something...." Caylin said.
*
Carmyne looked back, lowering her glasses. Her eye's focused on Kroitz, seeming to be enjoying himself.
"So what's your plan?" Carmyne asked, turning back. Joy looked around the place to find anything that she could work with. Her eyes stopped at the waiter taking Kroitz's orders. ".....You just stay right here" she said, getting up.
She slowly headed forward. the waiter stopped taking orders and headed to the back wall, then turning right through a door. Joy followed. She then passed their table, right beside Leia. Kroitz didn't seem to notice, but Leia gave a slight look. For a split second, the person seemed familiar to her. Joy refrained from saying anything, passing by and through the door.
*
"Great....." Carmyne said sarcastically. A family consisting of two parents and two kids came over to the table beside her. "(I really don't like kids)" she thought to herself. She looked over at the young boy, who seemed very interested in her.
"What are you looking at!?" she said. The boy quickly looked away, altering the father. "Hey...." he said, looking at Carmyne. "What do you want?" she said. "He was only looking" he explained. "Maybe he should spend time looking at a mirror" Carmyne mumbled.
*
(WHAM!)
Back at the door, Joy emerged, wearing the waiter's suit. "Well....that was easy" she said. She had plates in her hands, but wasn't worried about them. "(Ok.....)". She moved back over to Kroitz's table, stopping right behind Kroitz, who had a firm grip on Leia with his right arm. She began placing the plates in the middle of the table. As soon as one of her hands were free, she stuck it in her pocket, gripping the handle of the magnum.
She placed the second plate down, and in the bend, slowly pulled the gun out. When she rose back up, she stuck it right in Kroitz's back.
"Gotcha" she whispered.
Kroitz immediately recognized the voice, but remained calm. Leia turned back to see who it was, she could tell now.
"Joy!" she said happily. "Hmph.....good form I admit...." Kroitz said. "Quiet!......You ok Leia?" Joy asked. "Uh huh..." Leia responded. The others at the table finally noticed what was going on, but didn't say anything.
"Let go of Leia....or else" Joy said. Kroitz smirked. "Have you ever held a gun?" he asked. "Don't answer that...." Leia said. ".....No...". "Ever killed a man?". "Really don't answer that....". "No...".
*
As this was going on, Carmyne and the man were arguing, as he heard what she had said. "I don't need this!" Carmyne ended, turning. "Hey buddy! If you..." he started, grabbing her hat.
*
"Com on.....I'd like to see you pull it" Kroitz taunted. "Just let Leia go...." Joy said.
*
"You work here or something?" the man asked. Carmyne's fronds were already showing, now that her hat was off. She snatched it back as soon as he asked. "Yeah! And if you don't mind, I have something important to do and I don't need idiots like you in my way!" she said, heading back. "Oh you....." he started, grabbing her fronds.
"OW!"
"!Oh my god their real!"
"Its a....a....!"
*
"Come on.....pull it..." Kroitz continued. "For all you've done.....f....fine!" Joy said. He finger shook as she began to pull the trigger.
"Monster!!!"
Screams started. Everyone but Kroitz turned to where the sound came from. Kroitz quickly used his leg to trip Joy, causing her to fall back onto the floor, the bullet flying up and hitting the ceiling, this caused more uproars from the crowd. Everyone got out of their seats and started for the exit.
Seeing her had the upper hand, Kroitz took Leia and started forward. Two of his me broke out machine guns, which were cleverly hidden in empty instrument cases below their feet. They kept their guns on Carmyne and Joy as Kroitz passed casually with Leia. "Nice try....." he said to Carmyne.
He casually followed the screaming crowd. Carmyne stood still as the two men cocked their guns. "Ha ha! shredded lizard on the menu!".
*
Meanwhile.....back at Terrence's.
"Where is everyone?"
Randall was already awake, looking at Terrence, who was looking out the window. "Getting Kroitz...." he responded.
"What?!" Randall said, leaning up. "Ergh!". He then stopped, feeling a sharp pain in his back. "If you wanna hurt yourself more, do that....if not....stay there" Terrence informed.
"But....". "No way....".
Feeling defeated, he eased back down. His eyes then shifted to the door and something lying on Terrence's desk.
"Besides.....Joy told me to look after you...." Terrence said. "Heh....you know.....as how Sean acted when Joy was kidnapped....I started to think that...." he began, turning.
"!....There going to kill me...." he said.
The door was open, Randall was gone, and Terrence's Tracker was missing from the desk.
*
At that very moment.....
"Ha ha! Shredded Lizard on the menu!".
Joy closed her eyes as Carmyne looked down in defeat. "Ow....Hey....is anybody still down there?". On the second floor, Caylin's head poked up from the rail.
"Another one!" the one who focused on Carmyne switched his attention to Caylin. "Yikes!". He ducked as a rail of bullets fired over his hair. This was just what Carmyne needed. She picked up one of the chairs and smashed it right in the back of the one firing at Caylin. He cried in pain as he hit the floor. The other one noticed and turned. Carmyne then flipped over the first one and gave the second lackey a hit in the chest with her two back feet. When she landed, she flipped around and smacked him in the face with her tail.
He fell with a thud, and recived a punch in the face from her as well. This finally knocked him out. Joy rose up as Carmyne looked over. "You ok?" she asked. "Yeah..." Joy responded. "You get Caylin while I find Kroitz!" Carmyne said.
The two started to the exit. Carmyne went out as Joy headed to the second floor. "Caylin!". She looked over the second floor and spotted the monster hiding underneath one of the tables. She kneeled down and grabbed his arm.
"AH!" he jumped up, which wasn't very far because he hit his head on the table's underside. "OW!". "Come on Caylin! Its me....". Once he got a clear view of who it was, she helped him out onto his feet. "Heh heh...this wasn't my fault I swear" Caylin said. "I know I know.....Carmyne's waiting outside...." Joy informed.
With that, Caylin started to the exit, wanting to get out. Joy followed, but stopped. Caylin didn't notice this, he kept running.
Joy heard something behind her. She turned and her eye's went down to the second floor. One of Kroitz's men was just twitching. To her, it seemed that wasn't what she had heard. Dismissing it, she turned back. "(Wasn't there another....)" she started in thought.
(CLICK!)
She stopped right in her tracks. The hollow darkness of a machine gun's end was starring at her. She looked up at the face of who it was. The first of the lackey's that Carmyne knocked out. "Your gonna pay for that!" he said, cocking the gun.
Joy closed her eyes, hearing the laugh of the creep in front of her. "(Guess this is it!)" she thought.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
(SLUCK!)
"ARGH!"
Joy opened her eyes slightly, wondering why he hadn't fired. "Oh my god....". Right in his chest was the end of a sharp thin blade. It retracted back into him and the lackey fell to the floor with a great thud. Joy starred at him for a moment......he was dead. He eyes shot up straight at who had saved her. It seemed like a man, dress entirely in black and gray, wearing a cloth mask covering his facial features.
For some reason, she recognized the gray zipped shirt he wore. "Is that...." she whispered. He used his free left hand to take the mask off.
"How much trouble have you guys gotten into now?". "Sean?!".
She threw her arms around him, thankful that he had come. "Eh...". "I knew you were ok!". "Uh...it um...still hurts you know...." he said. "Oh"
Joy backed off, turning halfway. "Oh sorry....". "Its ok..." he said, placing his sword in the scabbard. "Uh...thanks" Joy said. "Don't mention it...." Sean said. For a moment, the two didn't know what to say at the time.
"But....how did you..." Joy started. "I'll explain things later.....first we need to stop Kroitz" Sean said. "Oh...uh....right...." Joy said, walking beside him. Sean shook his head with a smile, running out alongside with Joy.......
Long I know, but the next chapter won't be as long. I've realized nothing much has been told about Readagar, so the next chapter will involve him mostly, along with some of his past.