Thru New Eyes
Chapter 13
The Race against Midnight
"Owen, have you been able to find Chance yet?" Mike called out when he spotted Owen down the street.
"No, nothing." Owen replied as he went behind another set of buildings.
"How the heck can this kid dodge not only us but half the police force?" Mike said, expatriated. "And what could trigger him to do that? One minute he's shaking like a leaf, the next he bolts right out of his dad's arms and down an alley."
Meanwhile Siron was busy trying to round up as many experiments as he could, telling them what had happened. He didn't need to show them the viewer, he had already gained a reputation as trustworthy among the experiments, and many of them went to find others. He was currently on top of a building using his vision to find experiments, when one appeared right behind him. A small bat-like experiment with an extremely worried expression.
"Have you seen Victoria?" it asked. (Siron can understand any experiment, no matter how it communicates).
"Are you her friend?" Siron replied with a twinge of sorrow.
"She's my best friend. Did something happen to her?"
"Yes. Something bad. Have you heard of Lilith?"
Snooty didn't have to hear anything else. "Where is Victoria? Where did that monster take my friend?"
"Calm down, I need your help. We need to gather every experiment we possibly can. Jumba says it may be the only chance we have to stop her."
Snooty managed to pull himself together. "Where should I send them?"
"To where Gantu's old ship used to be. Please get as many you can."
Snooty gave him a determined expression. "I will. I know how powerful she is, I was there before." He then took to the air. "You can count on me!"
Siron didn't realize that someone had been watching him, and had taken off running after Snooty.
"I have to keep up with that bat creature, he might lead me to that ship and Victoria. I gotta help somehow."
"Did you really have to go and try and cut a hole in the hull of my ship?" Lilith said as she stepped closer. Her face took a seductive look on it. "You look really good Bugee-boo, I like the human upgrade."
Chris immediately turned back into Stitch, complete with all of all his appendages. "I guess you had Victoria recognize me."
"Well, I have been away for a while, and a lot of new people have entered your life, and lots of things have happened. I just needed some help catching up." Lilith then looked over at her thrall. "And sweet Victoria was kind enough to volunteer."
"More like you took control of her. You can't do anything without manipulating others." Stitch said as he readied himself for a fight.
"Oh really?" Lilith said as she took experiment form. "I've never needed anyone's help to put you in your place."
"Bring it on you witch." Stitch said as he lunged forward.
Lilith quickly took wing. "Don't worry, I will."
The two started to go at it fiercely, quarter neither asked nor given. Lilith tried to keep Stitch at bay by keeping on the wing and taking shot after shot, but Stitch leapt on the ship and started to quickly scale it, all the while bobbing and weaving. One of the blasts connected with the hole he had started making, and it opened, leading into the ship. Stitch quickly ducked inside, he knew to win he had to take away Lilith's aerial advantage.
"Damn you." Lilith said as she landed. She turned to Victoria. "Go inside and guard the door to the prisoners. Don't let him get thru to free Lilo."
"Yes Master." Victoria replied as she took off for the front entrance.
"He wants to play hardball does he?" Lilith said as she blasted the hole large enough for her wings. "I love that game."
"So let me get this straight." Jason said as he leaned against the wall. "You weren't originally an alien, but you fell in love with one. Then his ex-girlfriend got mad at you and used her power to make you evil. Meanwhile Chris's creator had made something to turn you into an alien like Chris, excuse me, Stitch. And in your evil state, you used it and went on a psychotic rampage, nearly killing not only Myrtle but your own family and the guy you were in love with in the first place. And the stuff made you immune to the pink creature's power, so you couldn't be made normal again. Except you became normal again after he kissed you."
"You don't believe me, do you?" Lilo said with her head hung low.
"Are you kidding? After all this I'll believe anything!" Jason replied as he pulled at his chain. "But why is the evil you here now?"
"That's what I'd like to know. And what does she have against me? You were the one I picked on." Myrtle said demandingly.
"It because that thing has Lilo's memories. Remember when it called her a lesser half? I think it thinks it is her, and that Lilo's just a part of her." Richie replied as he tried to figure out how this strange lock worked.
"I'd like to know how she got memories in the first place, and her patron. Who ever it is must be crazier than she is." Lilo said as she banged on the glass.
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Richie said he turned his head toward the wall.
Even thought Stitch had taken away one of Lilith's main advantages, she was still proving to be a difficult opponent. Every time it looked like he'd land a good blow, one of her wings would block it or she'd dodge out of the way. Stitch was getting angry and frustrated, no matter how much he tried to keep his cool. And her taunting wasn't helping matters much.
"Ah, did you get soft on me Stitch?" Lilith said as she deflected yet another attack "Did that upgrade make you forget how to fight like an experiment? Or did it teach you slack off like a human?"
"I'll show you fighting like an experiment!" He cried as he leapt over head into an air vent.
"Running away Bugee-boo? That's not like you at all." Lilith said as she scanned around with her super hearing. Suddenly she heard a piercing sound that caused her to cover her ears. "What is that horrible sound?"
Looking up she spotted a small device. "Oh, like that's going to do anything but annoy the heck out of me." She flew up and crushed the device, ceasing the sound. Suddenly the floor panel came up from under her, throwing her to the ground. Stitch shot up from under the floor and went for her throat, only to have it blocked by her wings. However, he was able to tear a gash in Lilith's right wing, but he still wondered how she was able to protect herself even while off guard. It was almost like her wings were acting of their own free will.
The gash in Lilith's wing caused her to become enraged. "You bastard, I'm going to make you pay for that!" She then suddenly discharged all her energy in an attempt to vaporize her opponent. When the force cleared, she saw no trace of Stitch.
"Wasn't exactly how I wanted it to go, but nobody damages my beautiful wings." She said as she got up.
"Oh didn't it?" Stitch said as he slammed into her from above. "Forget about the air vents? Now who's losing their touch?"
The force of the blow knock Lilith on her backside, and not even sentient wings could help her as Stitch pinned her to the ground. I got her! There's no way she can escape now, I'm way stronger than her physically.
He was in for a surprise however, as Lilith's eyes began to glow a smoky black. Suddenly Stitch felt as if his opponent's strength had suddenly multiplied a hundred fold. She threw him off her with a furious scream. She shot to her feet and glared at him with those black orbs.
"You just had to go and make me mad, didn't you?" Her voice sounded deep and frightening, as if she was possessed. "Now you're going to really feel the hurt!"
Meanwhile, the prisoners were getting anxious. They realized that the sounds they heard where coming from above them. The sounds of a raging battle between Lilith and Stitch. And they could only hope that Stitch was winning.
"Oh man, that sounds intense. I hope Chris is okay." Jason said, still not used to calling Stitch by his real name.
"I hope so too. But we gotta believe in him, he's the only chance we have of getting out of here." Lilo said as she tried once more to shatter the container.
"Would not be saying that so soon little girl. There is always being more than one way out of a mess."
Lilo turned around to be greeted by the sight of Jumba as entered the doorway. "Jumba!"
"No time for happy reunions little girl. I need to be finding a way to get you out of this cage." He said as he started looking over it for an opening mechanism.
"Or how about a chain to strap yourself too?"
A shot rang out from the doorway, and Jumba barely reacted in time. There stood Victoria with a blaster in her hand.
"Ah, was right! Evil monster did use other little girl as bait." Jumba said as he took cover behind the container.
"This is no time to be congratulating yourself." Myrtle said.
"Yeah, you might want to focus on how to keep yourself alive." Victoria replied as she started around the container.
Richie couldn't bare the sight of this any longer. "Please Victoria, snap out of it! I know you're stronger than that."
"Shut up you little nerd or I won't wait till midnight to kill you." Victoria replied, turned towards him for a split second.
Jumba took his chance and whipped out the smaller version of the goo blaster and took a shot. It hit Victoria in the arm, catching it and the blaster to the ground. "Perfect shot!"
"Why you, when I get free…" Victoria said as she struggled with her gooped arm.
"Nice distraction Richie." Jason called out in excitement. It looked like things were finally looking up.
Richie hadn't meant it as a distraction, but if it brought them any closer to freedom and rescuing Victoria from Lilith's control, he'd take what he could get.
"Jumba, don't worry about me for the moment, get the others out of the chains so they can get out of here before Victoria breaks free!" Lilo cried out.
Jumba, realizing it might take a few minutes to free Lilo, listened to her and proceeded to unlock everyone's restraints. All the while Victoria was screaming, trying to get Lilith's attention.
"Master, they're escaping!"
Jason, as soon as he was free, ran over to Victoria to restrain her and cover her mouth. In response she tried to punch him with her free hand, but Myrtle quickly grabbed it. She then took out a handkerchief and proceeded to gag her with it.
"That should keep you quiet until we get you back to your senses."
Meanwhile Jumba then proceed to being tampering with the access codes on the control panel. "Am hoping 626 can be buying us enough time."
Answering his question was Stitch being flung thru the door at a high speed and slamming into the wall.
"STITCH!" Lilo screamed as she watched him hit the wall.
"I'm ok, I'm fluffy!" he replied.
"Ok, that will not be enough time." Jumba replied as Stitch started to get up.
Meanwhile everyone heard an explosion and the door slamming shut. There stood Lilith, her wings glowing brightly, and a wicked smile on her face. Although her eyes had returned to normal, they still held no less sadism.
"Well, it looks like our battle was just to distract me while Jumba came to the rescue. Good thing I heard my loyal servant calling me before you gagged her, you would have spoiled all the fun Jumba."
"She's not your servant! You're controlling her against her will!" Richie cried out as he fired the goop blaster Jumba had dropped. Lilith quickly dodged out of the way and shot a blast straight at Richie. He leapt out of the way, but hit the floor with a sickening crack. He screamed in pain as the goop blaster slid on the floor.
"RICHIE!" Myrtle cried as she heard her brother's bone snap.
Meanwhile Stitch made a dive for the blaster, only to be beaten to it by another shot by Lilith, causing the blaster to fall to pieces.
"Well, that takes care of that distraction." Then she pressed a button on the wall.
"SHIELD ACTIVATED" came a mechanical voice.
"Now nobodies getting out. And as for you, you little red-headed twit, your struggling will make your death at Victoria's hands all the sweeter. So please, keep it up."
Stitch's eyes went wide. He knew Lilith was sadistic, but this had crossed the line! But he wasn't the only one to react.
"You little monster!" Jumba screamed. "I helped make you, and I will help take you apart!" He charged at Lilith in a rage. That monster had destroyed her last bond! But he was stopped short when Lilith flew in the air and dropkicked him. He flew backwards into the wall, while Lilith just laughed.
"Really old man, did you think you even had a chance? And you may have had a hand in making the original me, but I have another to thank for my new lease on life. But enough about that, I just had a wonderful idea." Her smiled when from malicious to completely sadistic. "Speaking of making me, you hid my most important abilities from me Jumba, but my patron brought them to my attention. And now I'll think I'll use one of them."
She turned to Stitch with horrible glee. What nightmare could she be planning to unleash?
Meanwhile, outside hundreds of experiments had gathered near the ship, only to watch in dismay as the shield came crashing down.
"What are we going to do now?" one experiment cried.
"Where did that shield come from?" another shouted.
Meanwhile Bonnie was trying to keep everyone from going into a complete panic, but Snooty had already flown ahead and was madly bashing at the shield, trying desperately to get in.
"Calm down everybody. There's got to be some way around this thing." Bonnie yelled, trying to keep everything in order. "We gotta stay calm till Siron gets here. He ought to be able to figure something out."
"Why don't we just try bashing the shield in like Snooty's doing?" Kixx asked. Several voices in the crowd were indicating that they agreed with him.
"Because that's an advanced Giga Class starship shield." Siron said as he ran up to the front of the group. "I've never heard of one on a ship so small, but physical blows would be like trying to punch thru a planet on sheer force. Not even Richter can do that without help from the plates' tectonics."
"Then what do you suggest?" Clip asked. She was scared for Lilo and the others, and she felt helpless. Many others felt the same.
Siron sighed heavily. "I don't know. It would take a massive charge of energy at one point to part the shield for even a moment, or a disrupter of massive size and strength." He looked over every experiment present. "And none of us has that kind of power."
"Then what do we do, we can't just leave them alone in there! She could have killed them by now!" Heat said as he looked at Siron. Many others did too, and questions started flying from all over.
Siron collapsed to his knees. He hadn't gotten all the experiments in time, and now there was no telling what would happen. "I've failed. Jumba trusted me and I failed."
Jesse then spoke up. "But what about that little human boy?"
This got Siron's attention. "What human boy?"
"A little human boy. A lot smaller than Lilo or Stitch." James added as he stepped up next to his sister. "Blonde kid with a funny hat. He ran into the ship right before the shield closed."
"Chance…" Siron suddenly felt complete despair. Chance must have gone to try and save his babysitter, Victoria. But he was a defenseless child, what could he possible do to help? Now he was trapped under that shield too. Trapped with a monster.
Siron began to feel himself overcome. Something was happening, and several of the experiments began to back away.
Siron felt himself burning both inside and out, a feeling that crawled from his hands and forehead over the rest of his form. He let out a scream to the heavens.
"I WILL NOT LET HIM BE HURT!"
Meanwhile, Stitch began to back away from Lilith, fearing what could make her so happy. "What are you going to do?"
"Something I've wanted to do for a long time." She locked her gaze on Stitch. He looked like was he was struggling against something, but he gave out. His face became blank as he rose from the ground.
"Oh no." Lilo gasped from her cell. She turned to see Victoria finally free herself from the goop, the same malicious look on her face. "How are you doing this? You shouldn't be able to control them both!"
Lilith smiled like a Cheshire cat. "Smart Lilo. But you still don't realize do you? I'm an improved version of you, and I've actually practiced. Let me show you what else I am capable of."
Meanwhile, Jason was freaking out. "Oh man, she's got control of Stitch, what are we gonna do now?"
Lilith turned to face him and the others, as her eyes became smoky black. "Simple, you'll wait your turns to die." She held out her hand and black tentacles wrapped around Jason, Myrtle, Richie, and Jumba. She laughed as they fell to the ground struggling.
"What…how did you do that?" Lilo said as she backed away in fear.
"Simple. My patron didn't just awaken me, it became a part of me." Lilith took pleasure in the confusion and fear in Lilo's eyes. She then walked over to the control panel. After hitting a set of keys, the chamber containing Lilo opened.
"I'm giving you a five second head start to charge Lilo, and then I'm sending Stitch to kill you."
"No, you…you can't." Lilo replied as she backed away in fear.
"Four seconds."
Lilo started to charge as if her life depended on it. And it did.
A mere second later, Lilith went back on her word. "Alright Stitch. Kill her, and make it as slow and painful as possible."
"With pleasure." He replied as he charged Lilo.
End Chapter 13
Next Chapter
To Find Hope