Ohayo everyone! CJzilla here with another update! In this chapter Zak is forced to realize why Géva is not called a beast for nothing. Enjoy.
As I trample this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... hate... review.
Sangheili Warrior Girl: Thanks for R&Ring! The Beast of Gévaudan is one of if not my favorite cryptid. I'm glad you enjoyed this.
allycat: A Doyle/OC oneshot or story? Probably not but thank you.
Super Poof: Thank you. I never really did like Doyle. Maybe it's his funky hairdo, the fact that Will Friedle does his voice or his totally hilarious name.
Pirates VS Ninjas: Here's an update.
CZG: Here's another update.
crystalshake: Well, you're just going to have to read to find out.
KaliAnn: Thank you. I'll keep my eyes open for your book.
Amaris Solbes de la Vega: Thank you. I just have a hate for misspellings and grammar goofs, that's all. I'm cool.
Chapter 7
Reality of The Beast
Zak fell to the floor of the control room, his ears still ringing from the fireball he used to chase V.V. Argost out of his family's airship. His family gathered around him. It had been a huge, confusing and funky morning. Zak was kidnapped by the Beast of Gévaudan, nearly shot up by his uncle, nearly barbecued by his mother and had defeated Argost… all this before breakfast. But according to the usual happenings around here... it was just another day in the Saturday household.
"Well done, son." Doc congratulated, pack of ice tied to his left arm. "You got rid of Argost and his minion; that deserves an ice cream."
"Icecreamur! Hurnur!" Fisk flexed his bicep muscles, smiling at his best friend. Zak laughed as Drew set her hands on her curvy hips.
"Are you bribing our son to do the right thing?" The woman questioned her husband. Doc quirked a brow.
"It's a congratulatory ice cream! Zak just defeated Argost and that freak he pals around with! Ice cream is the least I can do." The tall black man held his throbbing left arm.
Doyle smiled down at his courageous nephew.
"Way to go mini man." The red head nodded in approval. "You took care of two bad guys while your dad peeled himself off of the wall."
Doc glared at his brother-in-law.
"And while you were busy getting a mouthful of Argost's shoe!" The super-genius shot back, narrowing his silver eye at the younger man. "Tell me, Doyle, did you taste Italian leather because Argost's shoe was crammed so far down your throat, you MUST have had time to savor a taste of it."
The usually mouthy red head balled a fist and lunged at his brother-in-law.
"Oh, and you were just catching your breath on the floor, huh smarty pants?" Doyle fired back. Drew had to jump in between her brother and husband.
"Tough to see me bite the dust when you got a fireball in the face! You still have eyebrows, Doyle?" Doc smirked, making fists with his hands.
"Relax you two!" Drew commanded, pushing on the men's chests. "We were all caught off guard! There's no need to nitpick each other."
"But some more than others. I include you in that, Solomon." Doyle smiled at his bigger brother-in-law. Doc scoffed at the challenge to his authority.
"You gotta be kidding me, Doyle. You were the first one to kiss the mat." The super-genius returned. Zak rolled his eyes as he sat up.
The eleven-year-old gestured for the Fiskerton Phantom to follow him as he got up and made for the door. Boy and cryptid made a quiet getaway, leaving Drew to handle Doc and Doyle.
Minuets later Zak and Fisk came down to a holding cell at the bottom of the zeppelin. Walking into the room, both gorilla-cat and eleven-year-old saw Komodo glaring at the holding cell. At the back of the cell was the Beast of Gévaudan. It's small, pointy ears perked up when it saw the boy through the transparent force-field. Getting to its feet, the beast came to the force-field, tail wagging and panting like an excited puppy. Komodo got to his feet too. The genetically-altered lizard hissed a warning at the Beast of Gévaudan before he turned to Zak and Fisk.
"The force-field's on, Komodo. Besides, Géva's cool; we don't need a guard lizard." The preteen smirked at the territorial komodo dragon. Patting the big lizard on the head, the eleven-year-old walked up to the beast's cell, leaving timid Fisk near the door. "Hey Géva. How's the coach seating working for you?"
The beast wagged its tail and cocked its head a little. Zak wasn't happy about keeping his new friend in a holding cell. His family didn't trust Géva like he did and so it was caged for the entire trip back to the Pacific Coast of the United States.
"I feel awful about keeping Géva down here." The eleven-year-old boy's face fell as he watched the beast look back at him through the transparent force-field. He turned back to Fisk and Komodo. "It saved my life when mom got all fireball happy."
"Busmumbmer." Fisk set his big hands on his hips and shook his furry head. Zak sighed.
"I know no one trusts Géva, Fisk." The boy with the wild white and black hair nodded. "But it's not too unpredictable to hang around in the family room! Géva would make a killeraddition to the family!"
Fisk and Komodo shuddered at the mention of the word "killer".
"Isfissmur." The off-white gorilla-cat tapped his foot. Zak scrunched his nose.
"No way! Géva's done ripping out throats and killing. We made an agreement!" The eleven-year-old turned back to the Beast of Gévaudan. The look on the monstrous dog-like cryptid'sface resembled that of any dog's; sweet and innocent. "Aw! Look! Would that face hurt anything?"
Fisk glanced at Komodo, folding his arms and quirking a fuzzy brow.
"Furmussmurpfft!" The gorilla-cat returned. Zak sighed again.
"I KNOW that it wasted nearly one-hundred and twenty people, but it's got the puppy eyes! Ooo!" The eleven-year-old started making face and doing baby-talk to the monster cryptid.
The genetically-altered komodo dragon and seven-foot-tall gorilla-cat looked between Zak and the beast. They shivered. The Beast of Gévaudan was four-foot-six-inches at the shoulder, nine feet long from snout to tail and had a mouthful of nasty looking teeth. It always carried its head low, like it was always ready to pounce and rip out a larynx while anyone its red and yellow eyes fixed on would nearly wet themselves on the spot. Hardly the credentials for a good house pet.
Komodo growled, marched up to the transparent force-field and gave the beast a loud snarl. The beast merely blinked at the lizard before focusing on Zak again, angering Komodo further.
"We can teach it to play fetch, roll-over and get us soda from the fridge whenever we want!" The eleven-year-old went on, glancing back at Fisk. Then Zak's eyes got wide with excitement. "That's just the tip of the iceberg! There are limitless possibilities with a new dog in the family!"
Fisk rolled his red eyes. He knew that keeping the Beast of Gévaudan was not an option. While Zak insisted that it was harmless, it jumped on Drew and Doc before becoming very territorial over the boy. Besides, Doc and Drew wouldn't stand for it. The Beast of Gévaudan would probably be caged and hid away for the rest of its life.
Just then Zon growled from behind Fisk. The gorilla-cat jumped ten feet in the air before landing on Zak. The eleven-year-old groaned from under his best friend as Fisk held his heart. Zon had something of a smile on her bill as she walked into the room and gave Fisk a little nuzzle to the side of his head. Fiskerton sighed as Zak and Komodo laughed at him.
Later on that day, after traveling from France to the Pacific Coast of the United States of America, the jetlagged Secret Saturday family walked into their peaceful abode. It was evening by the time they got home and the coastal skies were painted with pinks, oranges and yellows. Doyle sighed loudly as he plopped down on one of the family's living room couches.
"That was one of the weirdest missions I have ever been on." The ex-mercenary red head rubbed his aching eyes. "And it's ironic that it was with my family and not with Van Rook."
Drew smiled at her brother as she and Doc walked into the living room.
"Sorry we couldn't provide more weapon fire and a bounty on the Beast of Gévaudan." The sarcastic woman grinned at her brother as she set her hand on her cocked hip. Doyle laughed, leaning his head back on the headrest of the couch.
"I'm still getting used to living with you after all that time I used to spend FIGHTING you guys." The red-headed man returned. Drew glanced at her husband, who had been deep in thought since they landed.
"What's with the face, my love?" The curvy woman walked up to her husband and kissed his cheek. "You've been lost in thought since we landed."
Doc glanced up at his wife and blinked.
"I'm just wondering what V.V. Argost would want with the Beast of Gévaudan. What's a fang-faced menace to society good for to that chalk-faced creep?" The super-genius wondered out loud. "And that's not even mentioning when Zak said the Beast of Gévaudan might have something to do with Kur."
Doyle chuckled and looked up at his brother-in-law/rival.
"Speaking of the little genius, where is Zak?" As if an answer to his question, the adults heard galloping footfalls on the metal floor of the hallway. Looking up they saw the Beast of Gévaudan tear into the room.
Everyone gasped and jumped back as the monster dog-like cryptid ran around the room, taking in the smells and sights from the huge bay windows. Just then Zak, Fisk and Komodo came running in after the beast. The eleven-year-old was laughing at the Beast of Gévaudan as Fisk was slightly cowering at the large dog/wolf-like cryptid stalking around the room. Komodo was fit to be tied; he was barely starting to let Zon settle into the family and there's no way he'd let another "dog" kick him out of his little niche. The territorial genetically-altered komodo dragon growled and ran after the beast, intent on making known who was the boss around here.
"Zak!" Drew and Doc were clinging to each other as they watched the huge cryptid run around the room with Komodo right on its heals. "Zak! Get this thing outta here!"
Doyle was on top of the couch as he watched the playful beast run around the room.
"Aw! Géva's just excited! It's been cooped up in that holding cell for hours! I'm just letting it run around for a while!" Zak smiled as he ran alongside the Beast of Gévaudan.
"Zak! The Beast of Gévaudan is a MAN-EATER! How many times do we have to tell you?!" Doc barked at his son as he held Drew close to him. "It'd rather eat you than play fetch!"
The preteen was on his back getting licks to his face from the monster dog-like cryptid.
"No way! Géva's not like that anymore! We made an agreement." Zak repeated, pushing the beast off of him and getting to his feet. His parents, uncle and cryptid "brothers" knew better.
"NO Zak!" Doc stated, letting go of Drew at seeing Zak keeping the beast still. "I don't care how much this creature seems tame, it's a dangerous animal!"
The eleven-year-old frowned.
"I know you guys don't trust Géva, but we share a bond now! Géva's through with killing; it promised." Zak insisted.
"No more of this, young man!" Drew narrowed her eyes at her son. "You are to take that beast and-!"
"Give it a tour of the house? Sweet! Thanks mom!" Zak knew what his mother was going to say so he cut her off. Quickly hopping on Géva's back, he held to the beast's reddish fur. "C'mon Géva! Let's check out the house!"
Without room for a objection, Zak gave the Beast of Gévaudan a kick to its sides. The monster wolf/dog-like cryptid bolted out the door, with the boy on its back.
"No! I want you to put the beast back in its holding cell! ZAK!" Drew called after her son, but there was nothing she could do to stop her nutty boy from having fun with his new "friend". She sighed and looked to Fisk and Komodo. "Just make sure Zak doesn't get eaten. If anything goes wrong, hit the alarm."
"Zazubar." Fisk saluted and ran after his best friend and scary Gévaudan Beast. You didn't have to ask Komodo, he was too territorial for his own good.
By the time Fisk and Komodo caught up with Zak and the Beast of Gévaudan, they were down in Drew's cryptid garden. The eleven-year-old was laughing, watching Géva run around the colorful grounds, sniffing and dodging some of the more dangerous plants. The gorilla-cat and genetically-altered komodo dragon stood by their human "brother's" side and watched the once blood-thirsty dog-like cryptid act like a normal dog.
"It's SO cool! It's like… SUPER pooch!" Zak smiled. He looked up at Fisk and the gorilla-cat gave his friend a funny look.
Then they saw Géva run to a tree and pee. Zak laughed a little as Fisk flinched. Komodo was horrified. The komodo dragon roared in rage and gave chase to the Beast of Gévaudan for peeing on his territory. Seeing the angry komodo dragon charging, Géva reared playfully and started to run. Fisk and Zak guffawed at seeing Komodo so seething angry but unable to catch Géva because it was faster.
After Komodo's pursuit had left the lizard breathless, the cranky lizard returned to Zak's and Fisk's side as they sat in the grass. They watched Géva run around without getting tired. Zak leaned on Fisk as the gorilla-cat chewed on a blade of grass, lanky arms behind his head. Komodo's eyes never left the dog-like cryptid and his forked tongue flicked in and out once in a while just to show how peeved he was.
"It's gonna be so sweet with Géva on the team now!" The eleven-year-old smiled. "Géva's fast, has an excellent sense of smell and those big teeth! Let Argost and Van Rook cower before the Saturdays now!"
Fisk sighed and shook his head as Zak swiped the air with his fists.
"Koppamur Gévamurmur. No yunumur." The gorilla-cat mumbled frankly. Zak sat up and shot Fisk a glare.
"Of course we're going to keep it!" The preteen frowned. "How many times do I have to tell you guys that Géva's good now?"
Komodo looked at the boy and growled his thoughts.
"No you too, Komodo!" Zak growled. "Géva's SO cool! How can you guys not like it?"
"Maneatermur." Fisk returned as he closed his red eyes. The preteen got to his feet and glared at his "brothers".
"You guys are so-! …So not cool!" He threw his hands in the air. "Géva's different now!"
Fisk opened his eyes and stood. Putting his hand on Zak's shoulder, the gorilla-cat tried his best to get across his concern to the boy.
"Munburmnur. Wamurnurbemur." Fisk explained. The preteen's eyes fell to the ground, knowing his best friend to be right.
"It's a guardian but that is a good point Fisk." Zak looked to Géva who was digging a hole in the grass. "Would it harm any of us to keep its secret safe?"
Fisk nodded and watched Géva stick its head in the hole it was digging. A second later, it pulled out a huge bone and began chewing on it. Again Komodo was on his feet. That was HIS bone! With another roar of anger, the genetically-altered komodo dragon went running at the beast. But this time Géva stood its ground. Its mouth left the bone and its lips curled up over its teeth as Komodo neared. The two cryptids growled at each other. Komodo wouldn't stand for it and jumped on the beast. Both went tumbling into the grass.
Immediately Zak and Fisk ran to break up the fight.
"HEY! Break it up you two!" Zak barked at the two cryptids. Then he saw that Komodo had Géva by the foot while Géva had Komodo by his tail. "Stop! Right now!"
Reaching out with his cryptid powers, he ordered both beast and lizard to release each other. With their eyes glowing with yellow energy, Géva and Komodo let go of each other. As soon as they were apart, Zak picked up the bone and held it in front of both of them.
"Neither of you get this!" He shook it at the lizard and dog-like cryptid. Komodo went silent but Géva growled at the boy.
Everyone jumped back as the Beast of Gévaudan's ears laid flat on its head, glaring at Zak.
"Stop it Géva! This isn't yours in the first place!" The eleven-year-old frowned at the cryptid. But Géva continued to growl at him.
Finally the beast lunged at Zak, aimed at the bone in his hand. The preteen dropped the bone as he jumped back. Komodo latched onto Géva's hind leg as Fisk grabbed Zak and bolted up the nearest tree. Again Komodo and Géva were fighting. Zak gasped at seeing one of his "brothers" and the beast fight.
The eleven-year-old closed his eyes and focused his cryptid powers on the Beast of Gévaudan. By using his powers, he calmed Géva enough to freeze it. Komodo growled and circled the frozen cryptid.
"I-… I can't hold it like this for long!" The preteen voiced as Fisk lowered him to the grass. As if he could read the boy's mind, the gorilla-cat ran over to the door to the garden and punched the alarm.
As the alarm wailed, Zak now knew that his family was right about Géva. It was nothing short of an unpredictable cryptid.
Minuets later Zak watched as his father and uncle led a muzzled Géva into it holding cell by energy nooses around her neck. Releasing the Beast of Gévaudan into the small room, Doc hit the force field and locked the dog-like cryptid away. Géva growled at the men and pawed at its muzzle. Over the noise the beast was making, Doyle and Doc hung up their energy nooses and walked out of the room. Zak stood by the door as it zipped shut and he couldn't see Géva anymore.
"I'm sorry, son." Doc voiced, putting his hand on Zak's shoulder. The preteen looked up with hurt and confused eyes. "But the Beast of Gévaudan is a wild animal. If we do not find out what it has in common with Kur before morning, it will have to be destroyed."
Zak sighed again, dropping his eyes from his father's.
"I don't get it. Géva was so well behaved. What happened?" The boy questioned. No one really knew why she went crazy.
"Forget about that beastie, short-stuff." Doyle gave a smirk. "It's not like you don't have three other super-cool cryptids to hand around with."
The preteen nodded glumly before walking off to the family room. Doyle and Doc glanced at each other before walking off after the boy.
The three boys walked into the living room to see Drew putting some bandages over Komodo's scrapes he got from fighting with Géva. The woman shot her boy an I-told-you-so glare before she saw how depressed he was.
"Sweetie." She got to her feet and walked over to her son. "Don't look so down. None of us could have known that the beast would have turned on you like that."
Okay; THAT was a lie. Drew had told her boy over and over that the Beast of Gévaudan was a highly dangerous animal. If he would have only listened to his parents in the first place, none of this wouldn't have happened. Zak hugged his mother and sighed in her arms, knowing that she was trying to fudge over his goof.
"I'm sorry. I thought I was right but…" He trailed off as he left her arms. The boy walked over to Komodo and saw the bandages over his neck and front legs. "Sorry to you too, Komodo. I shouldn't have trusted Géva."
The spunky genetically-altered komodo dragon merely flicked his tongue smugly. Zak grinned a little and stroked his head. Fisk was hanging out on the couch, silently watching over his best friend. A guilty, depressed feeling circled the room. Doc finally got fed up with it.
"What about that ice cream, Zak? I've been hording a few gallons in the upstairs fridge." The tall man smiled as he threw his thumb over his shoulder at the elevator. Zak turned to his father and shook his head.
Fisk made a face, jumped off of the couch, grabbed the boy like a football and walked up to Doc.
"Icecreamur!" The seven-foot-tall gorilla-cat gave a thumbs up. Zak started to laugh as he, Fisk, Doc and Doyle made their way to the elevator.
Komodo shook Drew away from him as he waddled after the rest of the guys.
"Komodo! I'm not done with your bandages!" Drew shook her bandage at the big lizard. Komodo just turned up his nose at the last bandage and ran out the door.
Drew shook her head and stood. Boys.
Hours later, the Saturday house was silent. Everyone was asleep in their beds, tired from a tough but odd day. As everyone slept, there was no one to notice that the power of the security system suddenly hiccupped and shut down. Outside, at the roadway entrance to the Saturday fortress, three figures stood by the gate. A man folded shut his laptop, successfully hacking into the security system of the complex.
"We're in." Came a thick Russian accent as he gave a thumbs up to the two other men standing in the shadows.
"You and your super brain never cease to amaze me, Van Rook." An eerie, ghostly voice came from the midnight shadows before a pale face and crooked smile was seen. V.V. Argost and Munya stepped closer to Van Rook as he tucked his laptop back into his backpack.
"And that's why you should add another zero to my paycheck, Argost." The Russian mercenary remarked gruffly. "Between compensation for my injuries and the extra I charge for hacking, you're going to be a poor man."
Argost chuckled slightly.
"Mere pocket change once I get my hands on the Kur Stone and the secret that la bête du Gévaudan possesses." The villain returned. From under his helmet/mask, Van Rook rolled his eyes.
"Shall we commence with your crazy plan now, Argost?" The mercenary reminded. The chalk-faced man narrowed his dark eyes at Van Rook.
"But of course." Argost walked to the tall gate and shot Van Rook one last glare. "Be sure you complete your half of the scheme when the signal is given. My power and your paycheck rely on how well you execute your half of the plan, Van Rook."
With that threat the man did a eight foot leap from a standing position. Munya followed his boss and as soon as they were gone, Van Rook frowned.
"Like always… freak." The mercenary grumbled. When Argost divulged the part of his masterminded scheme that involved attacking the Saturdays on their home turf, Van Rook was shocked.
It was suicide.
Van Rook ran his hand along his mask/helmet. He had to get a new one since the Beast of Gévaudan ruined his old one. The merc's injuries throbbed. His scalp and some of his right ear was cut up but the worst part about his injuries was coming back to consciousness knowing that Munya had given him all the surgically precise stitches. That was a surprise and Van Rook HATED surprises.
V.V. Argost and Munya crept through the Saturday household. Everything was dead still; nothing moving or making a sound. Luckily for the two villains their prize was not near the portion of the house that held the sleeping cryptids and people. It was in another part of the fortress.
The door to the holding cells opened. Géva heard the footsteps through the hall and was all ready on its feet. As soon as the two intruders came into its view, the beast started to growl, the hair rising on its neck.
Argost soaked in the fearsome sight.
"Look at it, Munya. It's beautiful." The villain awed as he studied the Beast of Gévaudan. Munya looked at the creature with a slight hateful scowl on his straight face; he hadn't forgotten that it had bitten off one of his spider legs.
Argost neared the beast's holding pen and it began to growl louder and louder.
"I feel touched at such a warm welcome, you magnificent cryptid." He cooed at the Gévaudan Beast. "And you… shall help me take over the world."
The pasty-faced villain turned and walked to the doorway, his eyes resting on the big red button on the wall marked "alarm".
"You know what they say, Munya: make the rabbit squeal and the foxes come running." Argost said before bringing his hand to the alarm button and pressing it.
R&R! LIVE LONG ROCK!
