Balto: How the Mighty Rise Again( part 8)
Balto signaled the other dogs. They gathered around the dock entrance. Suddenly they charged. They began silently dispatching the wolves.
Balto breathed one last breath. Then he jumped on the first barrel.
"Do you think we should cut off one of your paws and give it to Balto?"
Jenna backed off. "No…"
"Because I really think we should." Chiffre said. He laughed maniacally.
"Maybe if we do Balto will finally kill me!" He said enthusiastically.
"Hopefully." Jenna muttered.
"You shouldn't insult me." Chiffre replied. "Now off with the paw."
Balto climbed the ladder onto the boat. He jumped to the next. There was the window. He smashed through it. There was Chiffre. He was about to bite off Jenna's paw. "Let her go!" Balto snarled.
"Ah you made it, I'm so thrilled!" Chiffre said sarcastically.
"Chiffre we can talk…"
"No! We can't talk, brother!" Chiffre snarled back. He grabbed Jenna by the bandana. "Now we can talk. When the odds are in my favor."
He put his paw on Jenna's neck. "She dies. Or I die."
Balto paused. "What?"
"She dies. Or I die."
At that moment the door slammed open. Wolves pounded into the room. The squad of dogs had been captured.
"I will order them to kill all your friends. And I will kill your dream girl."
"What do I have to do." Balto asked.
"Let me die." Chiffre answered.
Suddenly there were footsteps in the distance. Balto's ears perked up. He turned to the wolves.
"The hunters are here. I suggest you release my friends and leave while you can."
The wolves looked at each other. Then they nodded. "Very well wolf dog."
The wolves released the dogs. Then they ran out into the night. Balto turned back to his brother. "What do you mean let you die?"
"Didn't you ever wonder how you kept managing to find me? How you always managed to get the upper hand? I wanted you to kill me!"
"W…what?"
"What are you freakin deaf? I-want-you-to-kill-me!"
"Why?" Balto asked.
Chiffre sighed. "Do you know what it's like when your very existence is illegal? When everyone wants to put a bullet in you?""You made that happen to me!" Balto snapped. Chiffre's grip tightened on Jenna's throat.
"So I could show you what it was like. And so I could provoke you into killing me. The life of a killer is very lonely."
"No one ever told you to be a killer."
Chiffre chuckled. "Of course you would say that. Balto the hero of Nome! The doer of good. The hero dog. Chiffre the killer. The killer of all killers."
He shook his head. "But underneath all our shining armor we're just a couple of freaks trying to make our way in the world. Half breeds."
"We don't have to be freaks! We can prove them wrong!" Balto said."You already have. You brought back the medicine. You have so many reasons to live. I have none. I have one ear and a shattered jaw to show for all my years of killing. Give me one reason to live!"Balto thought it over. "Okay."
Chiffre paused. "What?"
"Okay. If you want to kill yourself go right on ahead. Just give Jenna back before you go."
Chiffre smiled. "You kill me."
Balto shook his head. "I'm not gonna help you kill yourself."Chiffre sighed. "Where are the hunters?"
"They'll be here any second now." Balto replied calmly. He gestured to Jenna. "Please let her go. She has nothing to do with this. Please."
Chiffre hesitated, then let go of Jenna's neck. "Tonight I burn in hell."
With that, Chiffre turned and ran out the door.
"Wait here." Balto commanded before running out after him.
Chiffre padded off the dock. He looked out to the distance. The hunters, led by Kaltag, were running to the marina. The wolves were gone. Chiffre sensed his brother approach. He turned to him, smiling.
"Thank you brother. Maybe…you are the stronger of us."
With that he turned and began running towards the hunters. Balto watched sadly. Chiffre began barking angrily. The hunters saw him. They raised their rifles. Balto closed his eyes.
They fired.