Stray Bullets 4

Harold blinked rapidly as Zhu pulled away gasping.

The guns were weapons of transformation! The children, appeared unharmed, if profoundly altered and confused. Their eyes were all wide, trying to understand what had happened. The little tortoise and little turtle clothes had been ripped apart.

Harold instantly noted the four fake guards, now mammals. The guns were weapons of transformation, but they themselves hadn't transformed. Each grip was customized. They were each made for the hands of a different reptile.

Hands the villains no longer possessed themselves.

"Ok, kids, Playtime's over... go run back to your folks." The large armored reptile shouted out happily.

The children all moved at different rates. The little green turtle tripped over the destroyed pants about his feet, and fell down crying. The little tortoise waddled with its hands out, trying to walk with a less than supple backbone. Its lowered lips quivered as it searched the room unable to see where it's mother was. The little light green gecko kept glancing back at her tail and then stopped halfway between the Reptile Liberation Army and the other hostages. "M-mmah?" It murmured, turning slowly about. Crazy gecko eyes began spinning about faster and her skin color changing with its distress.

The little green crocodile touched her crocodile snout, and fingered her teeth. She glanced at her new crocodile tail, a long skinny whip of a thing. "I'm a crocodile! I'm a crocodile!" she shouted happily and ran off to bite her father playfully. Her father, who screamed in horror, and slapped her away.

While all the eyes, except for Harold's, were on the strange sight of a fox fending off his daughter's cannibalistic attack, the giant armored terrorist, said, "OK, clear the transport zone."

The newly transformed rabbit stepped forward with only a little uncertainty, as his shoes fell apart. His large white feet, slipped under the crying little turtle, and the flipped him onto his back. The hostages gasped as the rabbit pushed the screaming turtle child across the marble floor, his shell sliding across the floor as smoothly as a hockey puck on ice. Hostages scrambled to get out of its way, including its horrified mother.

The Canine terrorist growled at the Rabbit, who shrugged. "They have to learn."

Harold knew they were going to teleport out. If he could get one of those guns, someone might be able to undo the damage these monsters had done. And what's the worst thing that could happen? He might find himself a Rabbit or a Hog? Harold was pretty certain going from mammal to mammal would be less disorientating then going to from reptile to mammal to another mammal. It was worth the risk; to save these kids... and who knew what had happened to the guards who were supposed to be here today. He owed it to his co-workers to put a monkey-wrench into the plans of these terrorists.

Harold charged and leaped just as the air filled with sparkles. Stegosaurus Rex, who hadn't forgotten the dog who looked like a hero, raised his own weapon instantly in Harold's general direction. There was a flash of light and Harold, along with the five soldiers of the Reptile Liberation Army were gone.

When the light faded, there were four full grown Repts in their underwear struggling on the marble to stand up. Sirens could be heard in the background.

Zhu and several others helped the turtle child back to its feet. Zhu turned back to look at Harold with a sigh of relief. But Harold wasn't there.

"Harold?" she asked and while the bank lobby was full of excited voices, it seemed that silence greeted her. Zhu stood up slowly, looking about, not wanting to believe the transformed armed men had taken her friend and lover. "Harold?"

One of the male tellers, picked up a chair and ran over to the pile of slipping reptiles. He threw the chair on top of the four, who were too sluggish to move out of the way. Realizing that he had the advantage, inn his no-skid shoes, grabbed the chair again and used it to repeatedly smash down on the fallen reptiles. Two other males, grabbed chairs of their own and moved in.

Now she knew Harold wasn't here. He would never have stood for this. Even if these were their kidnappers; which they were very clearly not, he would step in and calm every down.

She felt a warmth deep within her, thinking of his towering strength of character, while a cold chill ate at her heart thinking that it may just have gotten him killed.