Chapter 15 – Longer isn't always better

"OK, a map. Where is a map? Mapedy map?" Mike mumbled to himself while searching on one of the computers where they might have gone.

We others were looking what the guards had with them.

"So, you said you knew the collars from another version of Zootopia?" Nick asked.

"Well, yeah. There were some early sketches where the predators in Zootopia had to wear shock collars, because the prey feared they would go savage rage. Bad thing about that is that that it also applied a shock when the wearer felt any other emotion. Sooo..." I stopped unsure how to continue.

"That sounds like it sucks." Nick answered for me.

"Hard. But as that is something that more fits a 18 rated sci-fi dystopia then a family movie, they changed it."

"Oliver." Judy interrupted us.

"Why did you make that shocked face when Bellweather snapped and had her little rant about her mother?"

"Because it reminded my of another story." I sighed. "In that a crazy science corporation want to transfer the mind of mammal into a computer and because they owner of the company just died they take his secretary for that. Long story short, she gets gets crazy, wants to kill everybody with deadly poison gas and gets stopped by one of the test subjects from one of the other projects."

She stared at me with wide eyes. "Oh."

But before I could add anything Mike interrupted me.

"I've got it. Let's go!"

"OK, the main hall seems to be right over here." Mike answered as we went down one of the countless hallways. A countless stream of mindless goons steadily coming our way, which wasn't a real problem as Mike shot everyone of them at first sight.

"How many does she have of them?" Nick asked.

"Well, if she is behind all those missing persons, about 70." Judy answered his question.

We finally entered the big room, that Mike described as the main hall.

"That's more than 70." I said.

It was sort of a gigantic ware house, full of mammals in tanks.

"They're frozen." Judy got to one of the tanks and wiped the misty glass front.

A hyena was in there. In fact we saw predators of all species were in the tanks when we went further into the building.

"How did she get so many without us knowing?" Judy asked.

"Probably shady 'businessmen', gangs and people without family." Nick answered "People where nobody really asks when they go missing. Trust me I speak from experience."

Behind the 'warehouse', was what looked like a factory, where some of her 'workers' were making the collars. Part of the ware hose also was reserved for the finished collars.

"That looks like that is enough for the whole of Zootopia. Prey and Predator." Judy exclaimed.

"That is probably the plan." I added.

"Hands up where I can see them." we were interrupted. It was Bellweather with another 4 guards. All with snipers aiming at us. She was wearing a small gun herself.

"So that is the gist of the matter. Another visitor." She pointed at Mike as a Human. "Won't help you now. Aim to shoot them." She commanded to the guards.

The 4 guards took a stance, ready to shoot.

"You don't want to know, then? Why you got him and the rabbit on your search." Mike suddenly said, which made Bellweather make a surprised face.

"That was random. You're bluffing." She tried to shrug it of.

"No it wasn't. That 'rabbit thing' was a crossbred. Prey and predator combined and for us Humans."

He sighed.

"Well, our ancestors used to be prey and we switched half way through evolution. So you got exactly what you wanted, two prey species making the predators competition."

She was standing there with a face of unbelief.

"But… but … but."

"Next time be a little more precise with your wishes. They could become true."

Mike looked on his wristwatch.

"When she shoots count to five." he whispered to me before continuing to speak loudly.

"And then you hit the jackpot, somebody from a world and species that actually still eats all the other mammals, because the others are all savages. Guess I'm lucky I wear clothes made from cotton and not actual wool." Bellweather's head was read from anger at Mikes mockery.

"And guess what last Christmas we had Lamb and was that fucking delicious."

BANG

Bellweather stood there with her gun pointing to Mike, who just slumped motionless to the ground. A clear wound on his forehead, where the bullet had entered his skull, was to be seen.

'Five.'

Bellweather vented her anger by screaming her lungs out with insults.

'Four.'

I ignored her and concentrated, trying to grasp what just happened.

'Three.'

Nick and Judy stood there motionless, as surprised as I was. Their expressions were a mix out of horror and confusion.

'Two.'

Bellweather ordered her goons to take aim once more.

'One.'

Mike's eyes snapped open and he gasped for air. The practically deadly wound still on his head.

The sudden movement from Mike let Bellweather look as shocked as Judy, Nick and myself.

Mike looked on his watch again.

"Finally."

The green lights on the collars turned of and Mike drew his phaser and shot Bellweather.

We were outside, again. Bellweather, who was still unconscious, was just about to be put in the back of a police cruiser.

Mike and I were a little bit to the side sitting behind Judy's and Nick's cruiser, so all the police officers wouldn't see him.

There wasn't a word spoken since he shot Bellweather.

We were just sitting there in silence and he held some paper towels, he got out of his backpack, to his head.

"Some context would be nice." I finally broke the silence after several minutes.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"I want the big 'How the fuck?' for later and first go with 'Why?"

"When I searched for a map I also found the remote access program for the collars, but that took some time because of an equally long password as the door. And I needed to stop Bellweather shooting you guys, before the collars were open."

"OK, that explains the 'Why?', but now for the elephant in the room."

"Uhhh, wait a second."

He out the paper towel down and pulled something out if the wound.

"Au, au, au, au." he continued saying while he did that.

He puled the bullet out of his skull and held it up between two fingers.

"Not bad for such a small pistol." he commented.

"Mike, the 'How the fuck?'."

"Uh, yeah, right. It's because of my first time travelling to another world. Which was, like your first time, not totally by choice. There was a complication with the transport, because it was against my will and long story short because of that I can't die."

"And now you travel other worlds, because you don't know what to do with yourself."

Suddenly his usual stile faded and he looked more ... hurt? Like he's been in agony for a long time.

"No, it's not like that." He said quietly. "See, I am trying to find my home, because in my home world I can die and I want to. I want to have a normal life with a family, seeing your kids grow and then go when it's time. And not to lose everyone, friends and family, one after the other. That's why I am travelling."

Silence. I sat there not knowing what I should say to this and what do you say to something like this anyways?

I just kept quiet, stood up and hugged him. Simply because I didn't know what to say in that situation or I was simply to staggered to say something.

He wasn't expecting this though, considering he was a little bit surprised himself. I'm also pretty sure I saw a tear on his cheek.

"Ehem..." came from the side.

Nick and Judy were standing there.

"I was expecting a lot of things, but not this." she pointed at us.

I hastately let go of Mike.

"Don't worry fluffbut, after such a story a hug is more than adequate."

"You heard us?" I asked.

"Yeah, we were eavesdropping a bit." Judy said. "But actually we wanted to tell you that we are done and driving back home."

On that queue Mike also got up.

"Yeah, right. I also should get going."

"Hey." Nick tried to get Mike's attention. "Thanks for helping us and good luck with your search."

"Thanks, Nick. And good luck keeping Zootopia together."

Nick made a suspicious face.

"Anything we should know about?"

"Nah, there is no 'Zootpia 2' yet. But if there is a company named 'Black Mesa' or anything similar, don't give them the portal machine. That just ends badly."

"Well look out for that." Judy answered. "And thanks, as well, for saving my dad."

"Nothing to thank there just did my thing. Anyway, I should get going, before the other over there see me like this."

"Will we see you back sometime?" I asked him.

"Maybe, I mean I just can't die. I can't predict the future. But I really need to go now. It was a pleasure to meet and help you. And Oliver, I hope you get settled in your new life."

"Well I've got these two to help me."

He chuckled while he held the little travel device in one hand and pushed the button.

A short blue light and he was gone.


And finished. Sorry for the long long delay for this last chapter. I probably rewrote it ten times and I'm still not 100% happy with it (especially with the good bye scene). But I decided to finally ring this to an end. Now all there is left is an Epilogue, but that is pretty much done.

I've hoped you like the main part of the story, despite the fact I'm a total noob to writing.

Also some of the last references:

Yes, the origin story of the Bellweather sisters is Portal. Though in this version Part 2 never happened and Bellweather took over Aperture after Chell destroyed Glados/Caroline in Part 1. (Also notice the new Name 'Focus Laboratories' also comes out of photography, like aperture.)

Otherwise Mikes immortality is inspired by Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who/Torchwood. Though the reason he got it is a different one.