Chapter Two
The events of the previous night had taken its toll on the inhabitants of the museum. Losing Six-shooter had been devastating enough, but to know that Abomination had become flesh and blood had made it all that worse.
Jake and Tabitha had went into town, accompanied by the puppets in the car while Jake grabbed a few "Supplies" from a "Friend." Later, she would discover some of these supplies included high grade plastic explosive and what appeared to be a battery of some type.
"I'm making modifications to one of dad's old playtoys for you in case you need a weapon to use against the Totems or those Wheeler things." He had said when they arrived back at the museum and he headed for their room.
Throughout the next day, Jake, Tabitha and the remaining puppets; Blade, Decapitron, Mrs. Leech, Jester, Tunneler and Trickster all remained within sight of each other at all times. The only upside to the previous day was Jake's new ability He could now communicate with his parents, though even that joy was marred by the possibility it was an illusion created by the demon lord Sutaketh.
Taking the chance it wasn't, Jake had been talking with his father in regards to the newest armored puppet, Hunter.
"The craftsmanship and details on this one are exceptional." Said his father who stood on the same table where Hunter's prone body lay.
Looking down at each joint, each piece of armor on the puppet, Rick gave his approval with a smile and nod.
"I'm very impressed and proud." He said to his son who grinned back.
"I'm glad at least I've done one thing right." Jake said, sitting back in his chair.
Shaking his head, Rick replied, "I keep telling you, that there was nothing more any of us could have done to prevent Six being taken."
Nodding, Jake said, "I know, but now he not only has Andre and Elsa, but Six as well. Why is he interested in the puppets as well?"
Tabitha interrupted from where she was laying on the bed. She had been resting quietly but defiantly not sleeping. Blade was near her on the bed, almost close enough to cuddle but not quite, "Probably because he knows how much they mean to us."
Mrs. Leech, who was seated next to Jake's bed on the couch nodded, "Son, he is going to use everything he can to get you. We believe, that is to say, Andre and us, that he wants you because he believes you are the one who will defeat him according to ancient scrolls. So, he's going to use every torture, every dream, everything in his power to get you."
Jake was now on a diet of No-Doz, Red Bull and caffeine pills to avoid sleeping. The nightmares had become so vivid and real, he was now avoiding them at all costs. Unfortunately, it was taking its toll on his body. He was tired all the time, with dark circles under his eyes and had even stopped eating. His parents and Tabitha had to beg him to eat and to take the occasional nap, even if it was for a few minutes at a time but he refused. Allowing instead for Tabitha to sleep when she could and even that was rare. She had been having dreams too but thankfully they seemed very different from Jake's, still disturbing but nowhere near as violent.
The last time he had attempted a nap, he had awoken with a start, but not because of a nightmare.
"It was Pinhead." He said, explaining the dream to everyone, "He had never left here, but rather said that his soul remained because he wasn't finished here. He wants to help. He was inside of Hunter's body."
"Son, Pinhead was killed in the battle with Krauss and his puppets. We haven't heard anything from him in such a long time, why would he suddenly appear now?" asked his mother.
Jake shrugged, "I don't know. All I know is that he said the time would come when he would need my help and when it did, I need only call him."
Rick still shook his head, "I just don't know. Like Tabby said, it is possible that dream came from Sutaketh as well. Perhaps he intends to place one of his own demons inside Hunter."
That was a possibility, Jake thought, but something inside of him believed that the contact with Pinhead had been genuine. It was as if Jake had felt Pinhead's soul.
Three days passed without incident. Then, the morning of the fourth day, the group was seated in the lobby, Jake still staring at the "Museum closed" sign that hung on the door. Jester sat in his lap "Ooohing" softly at his master's obvious sorrow.
"Sorry we're losing business." Jake said to his father, who now wore the Electro-head, just to stay on the safe side.
Mrs. Leech shook her small head, "The business isn't our priority right now. You and Tabitha are." She explained, "Besides, we've got enough in the savings account to take care of any losses."
There was a slight commotion on the floor as Trickster came running out of the shadows, closely followed by Blade.
"Now what did you do?" Asked Tabitha to the small Trickster. He looked up at her laughing "He he he" as he ran past.
Blade stopped momentarily, at her feet, and turned to show the group his back.
A white paper was taped to it reading, "Kick me."
Shaking her head, she reached down and removed it as Blade turned and was about to leave chasing after Trickster, when several things happened at once.
From the balcony, there was a burst of flame as a group of two Totems appeared.
From the doorway, another burst of flame, followed by two more Totems.
Then, in the center of the room, a Wheeler appeared, immediately racing toward Tabitha. Laughing insanely, the sounds frightened her so much almost freezing her to the spot with fear.
It took only a moment before everyone in the room took action.
Jake, being the closest to Tabitha, quickly removed the fireplace poker he, himself, had taken to carrying around. Holding it in front of him, he whispered, "Get it out."
She blinked a moment before nodding, removing her own weapon; it was a small pistol, an old weapon of Rick's, though Jake had done some modifications on it. She held it at the ready.
As the Wheeler charged, it swung one of it's spiked wheels at Jake's head who barely ducked in time, his lack of sleep taking a toll. As the Wheeler passed Jake slammed the side of the poker's metal rod into the chest of the creature. At the same time, Tabitha pulled the trigger on the gun and a laser shot out from the end, striking the Wheeler in the chest. The beam made a clean hole through the chest of the Wheeler as it screamed out in horrible pain.
Taking this moment of opportunity, Jake ran and leapt up, attempting to drive the sharp end of the poker through the creature's back. A heavy wheel caught him mid-air as he was sent sprawled onto the floor.
Taking aim, Tabitha shot out again, this time, striking the left wheelhand of the Wheeler as it struck, causing the Wheeler to stop its advancement on Jake and turn back toward Tabitha.
"No you don't!" Jake yelled out, removing a small object from his pocket and racing toward the back of the Wheeler.
As he approached, the Wheeler turned to face him, only to see a small spiked ball, hurled out of Jake's right hand. The small orb struck the Wheeler in the neck as a red light in the center of it began to blink.
Moving quickly, Jake continued his run, grabbing Tabitha and pulling her over the couch.
Looking down, the Wheeler was only able to look halfway down when the small ball exploded, sending its head tumbling across the floor like a bloody bowling ball as the body collapsed onto the floor.
At the same time Jake and Tabitha had been dealing with the Wheeler, the two Totems on the balcony had dropped down and had been engaged by Blade and Decapitron.
One bolt of energy flew from the top of Decapitron's head, narrowly missing the first Totem which growled and came rushing toward him. One slice of the Totem's claw caused Decapitron to back up a few feet, the tear cutting across his chest and ripping open the leather jacket he wore.
Blade had slashed out at the second Totem's chest, hissing madly.
The two began to circle one another, lashing out with a claw or a knife. Finally, the Totem gained the advantage with its longer arm, slashing across Blade's chest, ripping the trench coat as Blade hissed in anger.
Lunging forward as the creature's hand moved past his coat, his knife buried itself in the Totem's chest as he brought his hook hand around, embedding it in the Totem's back, trying to pry the creature apart.
Another claw came down across Blade's back as the back of the coat got ripped up as the small puppet continued to work his hands to pry the creature apart.
With one mighty tear, the creature's body was ripped in half as it fell onto the floor, covering Blade in its blood.
A muffled explosion made Blade turn in time to see the second Totem's head fall to the ground in a bloody pulp, Decapitron standing over it.
By the door, Jester and Trickster had moved to quickly take on the first Totem there. As the creature advanced on them, Trickster pulled out both of his tiny guns, gunslinger style, spinning each one in his hands before aiming them and firing. Both needletips shot out from each gun and each one found their mark, burying themselves in the Totem's eyes.
A loud screech was heard as the creature clawed at its eyes, trying to get the needles out as Jester moved to slice out with his scepter at the Totem's knees, slicing through them as the creature fell forward onto the ground. Moving quickly, Jester leapt out of the way of Tunneler who came charging, his drill head spinning rapidly as he struck the top of the Totem's head, buzzing down into its skull. The creature shuddered for a moment before it was still.
The second Totem, taking advantage of the puppet's attention on its brother, moved quickly for the one puppet hidden in the shadows, Mrs. Leech.
Drawing out a tiny dagger, she waved it in front of her to keep the creature at bay, but as it slashed out with its claws, it knocked the weapon from her grasp as it wrapped its arms around her. Struggling to get free, she was pulled toward the center of the lobby as the creature let out a howl, causing the others to look toward them as they vanished in a burst of flame.
Decapitron came racing out toward the spot where they had been and dropped down to his knees and pounded the floor, causing the ash that remained there to scatter about.
Jake was soon by his father's side as the tears fell onto the ground beside him. Tabitha stood by Jake's side, her own tears running down her cheek. Blade moved beside her and stood by her side, gently rubbing the round part of his hook in comfort against her leg. Jester, Tunneler and Trickster all moved to close the circle around Decapitron who was shaking his head.