Chapter Eleven
Gale's Offer
Vanellope leaped out of Ralph's arms, laughing with delight. "You're alive!" she cried happily. "You guys are alive. Oh, this is just so great!" She back flipped into the air, only to crash right into Gale. The internet character steadied himself against the wall and looked down at the racer sprawled at his feet.
"Oh, my manners!" Vanellope cried, leaping to her feet. "Ralph, Sarge, this is Gale. He's been helping us get back to that big room. Except we haven't found it yet. But we don't need to since we've found you guys, and-"
Gene cut her off with a raised hand. "Don't talk their ears off," he said.
"Sorry," said Vanellope.
"Will you look at that?" Calhoun remarked. "Vanellope's listening to you. What happened to you two?"
"Plenty," said Gene. "But meantime, if you'd like to introduce yourselves-" He gestured towards Gale.
"No need," said Gale. "I've looked these two up on the web as well. Sergeant Calhoun and Wreck-It Ralph, I believe."
Ralph looked Gale up and down. "So your name's Gale, huh?" he said. "What are you, a clown or something?"
"A harlequin friend, a harlequin," Gale replied. "Or at least, my developers liked the costume of that old stock character."
"And you've been helping our friends here?"
"Indeed I have," said Gale. "They wanted a way back to that one room by the portal. Though apparently, it was you and the sergeant that they wanted to find."
"Decent of you," said Ralph. "Not much I can do for you before you go, other than to say thank you." He extended his hand.
"Now just a moment," said Gale. "You don't imagine I'm going to leave you four here alone. None of you have ever been on the internet, have you? You've never left Litwak's before now."
"How do you know where we're from?" Ralph asked, lowering his hand.
"Vanellope told him," said Gene.
"Perhaps it was a bit rash of her, seeing as she didn't know me," said Gale. "But I assure you, I'm not going to hurt any of you. In fact, I'd like to help you."
"We don't need your help," said Ralph. "Besides, even if we did, we wouldn't want to bother you."
"Hold on, Ralph," said Calhoun. "He might be onto something." She turned to Gale. "It's true we've never been to the internet before," she told him. "But we aren't leaving yet. Not before we find our friend -and my husband- Fix-It Felix Jr."
Briefly, she explained what had happened to Felix.
"We don't know where to even begin looking for him, though," said Gene.
"Actually, I think we do," said Calhoun. "At least, Ralph and I do. We found his handwriting on the wall back down where we came from, with the words 'Wayback Machine'."
"Wayback Machine?" said Vanellope. "What's that?"
"Let me guess," said Gene, looking at Gale. "You know what it is."
"Of course," said Gale. "Every internet character does. It's a transportation device; a portal to the older parts of the web that it would otherwise take days for the likes of us to reach."
"If you could point us in the right direction, we'd be much obliged," said Gene.
"I'll do better than that," said Gale. "I'll take you there myself."
"You don't have to do that-" Ralph began, but Gale held up a finger to silence him.
"No!" he said sharply. "There are countless dangers here for the unwary. SANG is gone, but they were hardly the only threat."
"Like those iron wolves?" Vanellope asked.
"You ran into them?" said Gale.
"That's how we got separated," said Vanellope.
"I thought you said it was a force field."
"That too."
"You know these creatures?" Calhoun asked.
"I've tangled with them before," said Gale. "I don't think they like me much- not after I burnt their old leader into a crisp."
"I guess they don't like me either now," said Ralph. "I smashed two of them to pieces."
Gale blinked. "No," he said. "I don't think they like you much at all."
"So why'd they lock Sergeant Calhoun and I behind a force field instead of finishing us off?"
"They did that?" Gale frowned. "That's weird. I'd have thought they would have gone for your throat. Unless…"
He turned abruptly towards a side passage. "Come on," he said. "Follow me, this way."
"What is it?" Calhoun asked, as she, Ralph, Gene, and Vanellope followed Gale. "What do you fear?"
"There was a blinking red light on the back of one of them, wasn't there?"
"Yes there was," Calhoun replied. "Any clue what it means?"
"There are at least three possible meanings I'm aware of," said Gale. "The most common one is 'not yet'. If I'm right…they'll be back with reinforcements. You'll need to find your friend and get off of the web as fast as possible."
"What about you?" Vanellope asked.
"I'll be fine," said Gale, stopping at a bend in the passage. "It's you four I'm worried about. I need to guide you all safely to and from the Wayback Machine…if you'll have my help?"
"You seem like you know your way about this place," said Calhoun. "I'll take you up on your offer. I believe I speak for the rest of us also?" She glanced at Ralph, Vanellope, and Gene each in turn.
"I suppose," said Ralph.
"Yeah," said Vanellope.
Gene gave a curt, affirmative nod.
"Then that's settled," said Calhoun. "You can be our guide." Her eyes narrowed. "But no funny business- if you take my meaning."
"I do," said Gale. "And I say again that I truly want to help you."
"Good to hear," said Calhoun. "Now, if you'll lead the way, we'll follow."
"Excellent!" said Gale. "Helping the fair damsel find the gentleman in distress- how interesting this will be."
"Who're you calling 'damsel'?" Calhoun asked in a stern voice.
"Oh right, er…the fair sergeant," said Gale. "My apologies."
"I can go with that," said Calhoun.
"The compliment or the apology?"
"The apology, dunderhead," said Calhoun. "I haven't got time for flattery."
"Very well," said Gale. "Follow me."
"Have I mentioned he's a little odd?" Gene whispered to Calhoun as they continued walking.
"We all have our quirks, Gene," Calhoun replied. "Just as long as he doesn't play us false, I can put up with him."