For once it isn't the enemy who's screwed beyond belief! Hopefully this trust bond between sharpteeth will last, because this situation is only getting worse! This took a bit longer than I'd hoped to get up, so enjoy it :P
Chapter 8: Taken Prisoner
"Fireclaw, Chomper's been trying to get a hold of you for a while now. You may want to take this." Allo said over the shooting range intercom.
"Shit, what could it be now?" Fireclaw said in slight annoyance.
Fireclaw and Redclaw walked into the control room. Allo was slightly confused when he saw Redclaw, but didn't say anything.
"Chomper, Fireclaw here. What's wrong, talk to me." Fireclaw said.
"Fire, listen. Something happened last night. Littlefoot, Petrie, Ducky, Cera, Spike, they're all gone." Chomper replied.
"Wait what? You mean the snuck out?"
"No, they were taken. Like, drugged, taken out of their nests. I managed to get a hold of one and-"
"Chomper listen, I'm picking you up now. Load this miscreant onto the aircraft when I get there. We'll see what he knows." Fireclaw interrupted.
"Wait, you're bringing him to Lavadome? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Chomper asked concerned.
Fireclaw looked at Allo. Allo shot him a glance that told him he doesn't want to have to deal with what Fireclaw has in store for the prisoner.
"You know what, leave him. I'll come to you. Keep him alive will you, long enough for me to get through to him?" Fireclaw said.
"Will do. See you then."
"So, I see you've had an eventful time in my absence." Allo said scorningly.
"Look, I understand we have different viewpoints, but I'm Dinosquad Six, not a Dinosaucer. It was my choice to stay back here, and I will assert my authority where I see fit. I warned you about this before Allo. I'm not fighting you on this, nor do I have the desire to." Fireclaw shot back.
"I get it, Fireclaw. What I will not have is blood on my hands because of your endevours!"
"Oh really now? You realise that Ghenghis Rex has been planning shit behind your back during your little peace treaty? Yea, I found out about it Allo. Look Allo, you have to see what he's doing! He just took my friends, and who the hell knows what he could be doing to them! He's been playing with genetics, for hell's sake! He's trying to build a bioweapon! He probably knows about the stone of coldfire by now! Do you have any idea what he could do with that kind of power?" Fireclaw shouted.
"You know what, fine! Have it your way! You go kill your target now, since that's all you've ever known!" Allo shouted back.
Fireclaw looked hurt. He motioned for Redclaw to follow him and turned away.
"You know Allo, I didn't think you were actually capable of losing yourself like that. I see though. Honestly Allo, if killing is all that I've ever known..."
Fireclaw pulled his pistol and put it to Redclaw's head.
"I'd have wasted this shitbag a long time ago. You just remember something, just because I am military-born doesn't mean I am a killer at heart." Fireclaw finished.
He holstered his pistol and walked out with Redclaw behind him. Allo stared blankly at Fireclaw as he left. What had he just done? He may not have liked Fireclaw's background, but he was still his friend. He turned towards the blank livefeed monitor and stared into it.
"Fireclaw- before you leave, did you want to see what Teryx figured out with the Emeralds you found?" Allo said over the intercom with sadness in his voice.
At first there was no responce, but then his communicator came to life.
"Sure. I'd live that very much. I mean it's important for a killer to have his tools, right? I'll be there in a minute." Fireclaw said coldly.
When Fireclaw walked in, Allo handed fireclaw a pair of gauntlets with two halves of the emerald put into the underside of each wrist. Fireclaw fastened them to his arms, then tried what he and Chomper did earlier. He held one arm out straight and focused a powerful shockwave from his claw, sending whatever was not weighted down flying towards the back wall.
"I'm impressed. Hopefully they'll have more use than just slamming things against walls." Fireclaw said.
"We did the best we could with what we had. Teryx managed to figure something out with them, but I'm not sure what she did." Allo replied.
"I'll be glad to experiment with them." Fireclaw said over his shoulder as he walked out the door.
"Fireclaw wait!"
"Yes?"
"You might need this. I thought about what I said earlier, and I'm sorry. I'm just so tired of hearing about death and killing so much." Allo said Apologetically. He handed Fireclaw a small computer chip.
"What's this?" Fireclaw asked.
"It's hard to explain. It was compromised when a small band of mercenaries bound for Reptillon were intercepted as they entered Reptillon's orbital airspace. I took it after it was examined so that I could show you. Hopefully it'll server some purpose to you." Allo explained.
Fireclaw turned to Redclaw and handed him the small computer chip.
"Put this in the side of that small computer on your wrist. This will decrypt it, but you'll need a bigger system in order to view what's on the chip." Allo said.
Fireclaw tucked it away in his vest pocket.
"What do you mean you're tired of hearing about death and destruction?" Fireclaw asked.
"You probably didn't know, but a war is being started on Reptillon. That's why I came back. I wasn't planning to return at all, and was going to leave Lavadome to you. The other Dinosaucers would have gotten the word eventually, but when I found out about the war, I fled. If need be, I'll return to fight, but only if absolutely necessary." Allo said.
Fireclaw felt his heart sink. If there was a war starting on Reptillon, he knew exactly who would have started it. Ghenghis Rex.
"Fireclaw! Where are you? We've got a huge problem here! Shit!" Chomper relayed over the communicator to Fireclaw.
"Chomper? Chomper! Come in! Damnit, the line's dead!"
"Tyrannos." Allo said.
"Allo, I'm not asking for help, because I know your stance, but listen. This is getting out of control. I'm hoping that the time won't come that you yourself have to fight, but if it does, I'll understand." Fireclaw said.
Fireclaw and Redclaw frantically went a found the armory. Once inside, they chose what loadout they supposed would be best.
"Redclaw, check the geo-locator on your arm. Was that com signal moving at all?"
"Uhh, Northwest, barely."
"Alright, they're definetely headed for Tarpit. I think I know what Rex may just end up doing too." Fireclaw said deadfully.
Fireclaw grabbed a plasma rifle and his .44. He loaded his .44 with a special type of round that bursts on impact, maximizing damage.
"Redclaw, you'll want something close range for this. I've got something here you can try out."
Fireclaw tossed Redclaw a large 8-guage shotgun. There has never been a time where this gun had to be used, and Fireclaw called the "Rex Killer" because of it's very violent nature when used up-close.
After loading up with as much ammo as they could get along with a few grenades, they headed out to get even. Fireclaw decided to auto-pilot a smaller cruiser like ship so he didn't wreck a second one. Allo wasn't all too happy hearing about the first one he crashed, so he figured it was for the best. Once on board, Fireclaw targeted Tarpit as the destination, then launched them both out of Lavadome.
"Well, hope you got everything, there's no going back now." Fireclaw said over his shoulder. Redclaw was loading a shotgun clip.
"Just make sure you get us there without any issue. This thing doesn't look like it has any weaponry on board." Redclaw replied.
Fireclaw engaged the auto-pilot and went back to load his weapons as well. Fireclaw's plasma rifle already had a plasma battery in it, a big no-no in the armory. Any loaded weapon could be considered a misfire hazard and needed to remain unloaded at all times. Fireclaw did a quick field sighting of his plasma rifle using a small laser pointer to ensure he wouldn't miss a shot. He loaded his .44, but kept a spare cylinder of normal hollow point rounds just in case.
"Approaching destination, attention, please attend to the controls immediately." The computer voice programmed into the ship alerted.
"Alright, we're not going to need any parachute for this. I'm sure when Rex did all the biologic work he installed some terminology into your head as well, so you should know what I'm talking about when I start talking equipment. Attach a wing-kit from that back wall to your armor and be ready to make a dive." Fireclaw instructed.
Fireclaw put the ship into a hover directly above the only exposed enterance Tarpit has. They would make an entry through the loading docks that cargo ships dock at. Those doors were super easy to break through, as Fireclaw had detonated his way through them before. Fireclaw attached a wing-kit to his armor, then opened the rear drop doors. He then set the target for Lavadome to bring the ship back.
"Alright Redclaw, one I hit this button, the ship's turning around! Jump on my go! One, two, three, go!"
Redclaw dove out of the drop bay, Fireclaw soon following as the ship's doors closed and it set off on it's course. Redclaw was already on the ground before Fireclaw had a chance to assume the landing position. Redclaw grabbed for his daggers and ran the blades through a container he had attached to one of the sheaths.
"What's that for? Making your blades more painful?" Fireclaw asked.
"Ghenghis Rex had assumed that I'd be able to make an assasination attempt, so he had Plesio formulate a very potent neurotoxin. Even so much as a prick will fry your nervous system." Redclaw replied.
"Alright, hope you're quick with those, I'm about to open the door." Fireclaw said.
Fireclaw took a grenade off of his tactical vest and pushed a red button, revealing spikes that can stick the grenade to walls. He pulled the pin, then rammed it into the door. The grenade ripped a large hole in the weak aluminum door, surprising two guards who were on the other end of the room posted at the doors to the warehouse. They had no time to react as Redclaw expertly threw both daggers at once, stabbing them both. Fireclaw aimed his plasma rifle around the room as they both advanced quickly through, wasting no time. Redclaw ripped his daggers out of the guards' bodies and put his back against the wall to the right of the warehouse door. Fireclaw backed against the other side and nodded three times as a ready signal. On the third nod, he kicked the door in, walked in and started shooting. Lasers were flying from the fossilizers the guards had, but were no match for the plasma that Fireclaw had. Redclaw blew a massive hole in one guard coming up to hit Fireclaw with the shotgun. Redclaw stumbled from the kick of the shotgun against his shoulder. Once all guards were dead, Fireclaw and Redclaw kicked in another door. This one was a small office, probably for analyzing things considering all of the scientific equipment lining the walls and countertops.
"They sure don't have a lot of protection stationed right now." Fireclaw said.
"Rex must be expecting us, he wouldn't send someone out for Chomer and not expect us coming." Redclaw replied.
"Damn, we've got company. Look alive!"
Fireclaw rolled into the hallway and shot a guard in the chest with his .44 magnum. He turned and blew one's head clean off as the guard went to take aim at him. Redclaw stepped out and advanced down the hallway, Fireclaw watching his back.
Meanwhile, Ghenghis Rex was watching the whole thing from his control room. A visibly pleased Quackpot dragged an unconsious Chomper in by his shoulders, grunting every few steps.
"This ough'ta show him, right Rex? He'll get his beloved friend back if he can get through you!" Quackpot said between his annoying cackling.
"If Fireclaw and that traitor of mine can get past the juggernaut guards, then yes, he can have him, that is if he can make it in time." Ghenghis Rex replied, smiling through a dark expression.
Ankylo came through the same door in a near sprint.
"We have the other small ones you requested, bossasaur!" Ankylo said.
"Very good. I want you to welcome them to their new humble homes. Make sure you show them how nice we really are." Ghenghis Rex said coldly.
Ankylo ran back out, Quackpot following behind. Ghenghis Rex turned back to his control panel to see Fireclaw staring straight at the camera. Fireclaw flipped him off, then shot the camera with his magnum. Rex continued to smile deviously.
Fireclaw kicked another door in, this time to be greeted by Brachio nearly punching his face in. Fireclaw grabbed his arm and flipped him over. He put his .44 in Brachio's face and kicked him hard in the side.
"Did you really think I was that easy? An adrenaline filled me is not a fun me!" Fireclaw said before pulling him up and using him as a meat shield. Fireclaw guided Brachio down the hallway by a revolver barrel, deterring any further attacks. Redclaw saw what Fireclaw was doing and stayed closer to make sure noone got around Fireclaw and Brachio.
"Where's the control room?" Fireclaw demanded.
"Why should I tell you?" Brachio replied in a cocky tone. Fireclaw whipped in in the side of the head with his magnum.
"If you don't tell me I'll waste your ass right here and leave you like the other sad assholes who thought they were better than me, so open that little pleaser of yours and tell me where the control room is before I make you a stain!" Fireclaw yelled.
"Alright, alright, it's down the hall, just look for the door that say's control room on it!" Brachio replied.
"Good boy. Don't think you're getting off this easily, though. What if you're lying?" Fireclaw teased.
Fireclaw continued down the hall with Brachio on the business end of his gun. Brachio lead them down a dead-end corridor that had two doors on each side. Redclaw stayed in the intersection of the two hallways to watch for any guards, but stayed out of sight in case Brachio tried to run. Two guards rounded each corner, only to be quickly stopped by Redclaw's Bird hunter.
The first door read "Cold storage". Fireclaw began to think that Brachio was setting him up and let him walk a little ahead. Sights aimed at Brachio's back so he didn't kill him, Fireclaw lead him to the second door.
"Read it!" Fireclaw demanded.
Brachio hesitated. Fireclaw only grew more suspicious.
"Well, what's holding you up? Read the damn door!" Fireclaw demanded again. He noticed a change in expression in Brachio's face.
Suddenly Brachio tail-whipped Fireclaw, ramming him hard into a wall. Bracho tried to get his gun, but was thrown against the ceiling by a kinetic blast from Fireclaw's emerald gauntlets. As Brachio tried to get back up, Fireclaw grabbed his head and smashed his face against the floor repeatedly.
"You stupid little bastard! Typical Tyranno you are, and now that you're no use to me, you'll be as good as a shield in case any of your other lovers want to join in on the fun!" Fireclaw growled as he bashed Brachio's head off of the hard metal floor.
Fireclaw gave Brachio's head one last bash, then forced him up to a standing position. Brachio was very dazed and dizzy from the massive concussion he'd just recieved, so making him walk was no trouble at all. Redclaw was greeted by a very bloody Brachio, and Fireclaw making use of the free cover he had.
"Let's go, get behind me if you need cover."
Ghenghis Rex pulled a small black case out of a hidden cabinet inside a computer console. He took out an electropulse rifle, which isn't lethal but enough to take someone down with one hit and cause violent spasms. Ghenghis Rex loaded a full clip of six pulse cores, small energy cells containing a fifty thousand volt charge. The rifle will amplify this charge as it leaves the barrel. Rex sat waiting at the only door into the control room and took aim. He knew where Fireclaw was by listening to the audio feed of the cameras. One monitor was connected to each camera in the facility. Five were in the hallways, and one for each of the three labs, and one for the prison, four for the main hangar, and four in the warehouse where Fireclaw and Redclaw came in. All Rex had to do was listen to which monitor was recieving audio, which wasn't difficult at all for him. Rex could hear gunshots and screams of his guards being killed by a hail of bullets, plasma and shotgun pellets.
Fireclaw finally reached the correct door after Brachio lead them down every pointless hallway he could before being knocked unconsious by Fireclaw's pistol and left in another part Tarpit. He nodded to Redclaw, then stood in front of the control room door.
"Think it's a good idea to storm this? Rex is going to know what's up for sure since he's got cameras." Redclaw said.
"Well, we don't have much of a choice, kicking the door, blowing it open, we gotta go in regardless. We'll go on three." Fireclaw replied.
Ghenghis Rex heard the countdown from the other side of the door and tightened his grip on the rifle's handle, eagerly awaiting Fireclaw to kick the door.
On three, Fireclaw kicked in the door. The sliding door came easily off the tracks and landed on the floor. Fireclaw had no time to react as Rex pulled the trigger, sending a high-voltage pulse wave in Fireclaw's direction, electrocuting him horribly. The electrical current was so strong it jumped to Redclaw, incapacitating him as well. Fireclaw convulsed on the floor before beginning to fade in and out of consiousness. He could feel Ghenghis Rex grab the back of his armor and drag him into the control room, yet he wasn't able to wake himself enough to see Chomper laying next to him, also unconsious. Redclaw was laid on the other side of Fireclaw by Ankylo, who happened to be around the corner as they were zapped.
"What do we do with them now, bossasaur?" Ankylo asked.
"Put them in with the others. This will serve as a grand reunion before we ship them off to somewhere where they could be put to good use and out of our hands for good!" Rex ordered.
Fireclaw didn't come to for another couple hours. His nerves were on fire, and he was growing more and more angry by how he was taken down without a fight. He couldn't do anything powerful because he left his sword at Lavadome, which was a smart move on his part considering the situation he's in now.
"Fireclaw? Where are we?" Cera asked.
"Cera? What are you doing here? Littlefoot, Petrie, Ducky, Spike, Chomper, Redclaw? What the hell? What's going on?" Fireclaw asked.
"I was asking you the same thing. We were at our nests waiting for the grown-ups and then we wake up here. Those other sharpteeth dragged you, Chomper and... Who's that?"
Cera looked at Redclaw. He was still unconsious.
"I thought you already saw him, that's Redclaw." Fireclaw said.
"Yea, but I didn't realize he suddenly turned good. Yea, actually I DO find that hard to believe. Why does he just stop trying to kill everyone all of a sudden?"
"Long story, and if he didn't I was going to kill him the next day. Listen, don't freak out or anything, but I need to tell you something. I don't think the grown-ups are going to be the ones who get us out of this out this time. Remember that earthshake that split you off from your father? Well, it's like that, only this time it's a longer distance and it's about to get a hell of a lot more hostile. I just read the orders on the desk that stupid longneck forgot to put away, and we're getting shipped off somewhere, that part I didn't catch. Point is, this is our fight now. If we're going to do this, we're going to have to work together to get through this one!" Fireclaw said in a firm tone.
"Wait, so you mean that we're going to have to fend for ourselves now? Fireclaw it's not that easy for us, we're just kids!" Cera pleaded.
"I understand Cera, and I was hoping this wouldn't come this far. Listen, I won't let anything happen to you, trust me. I'll kill any sonofabitch that tries to do anything to you or the others. I'm not sure it'll be easy though for me either, where we're probably going, they've never seen a real dinosaur. In their world, you don't really exist anymore supposedly." Fireclaw said.
"What kind of friends do you have? They sound like monsters!"
"Yea, their species can be. Well, they don't know you- I'm sorry we exist. They think that we're all dead. They don't even know about the Dinosaucers at all, but I guess all things have to end sometime, don't they?" Fireclaw said.
"Fireclaw what the hell is going on?" Chomper said frantically. He jarred himself awake somehow and was running on pure adrenaline.
"Well, nice of you to not sleep in for once." Fireclaw replied sarcastically.
"Fire this isn't funny! What do you mean that we're being shipped off? Seriosly tell me something here, anything!"
Chomper was beginning to panic. Fireclaw attempted to calm him down, but Chomper was to have none of it.
"Hey, quiet down in there! Don't make me have to get Rex in here!" Brachio yelled.
"Bite me asshole!" Chomper replied angrily. Everyone except Fireclaw stared at him in disbelief that he just said that. Fireclaw laughed.
"Well, I guess you've just sold your innocent vocabulary out haha!" Fireclaw chuckled.
"What? It's a crime to talk how I want to? Do you not realize how screwed we are? Fireclaw WERE ABOUT TO BE SOLD TO HUMANITY YOU SARCASTIC BASTARD!" Chomper yelled.
"Well, no, but I think everyone's pretty much awake now that you've just screamed out whatever was left of that innocent leafeater left in you. And chill about the humanity thing, they're pretty much harmless until the United States Military gets called in."
"Yea, well screw you too then. You mean we're going to be sent where the Secret Scouts live? Do you know what's going to happen?" Chomper said loudly.
"It won't be great, but we'll manage." Fireclaw said casually.
"We're being sent away? I do not like that idea at all." Ducky said.
"It's alright Ducky, Fireclaw, Chomper and- well whoever that is will protect us." Littlefoot reassured her.
Redclaw finally sat up. He had a lump on the back of his head from where he fell and hit it. Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike recoiled in horror.
"Great, out of one hole and into another. Nice work Fireclaw, you sure showed him." Redclaw said with a hint of irritation in his voice.
"How was I supposed to know he had a lightning gun?" Fireclaw replied.
"Redclaw- you look, different!" Littlefoot said.
"Thanks, appreciate that." Redclaw replied.
"What happen to Redclaw? He used to be mean, why he smaller?" Petrie asked.
"Petrie there's honestly no way I could explain it in any way or form that you'd be able to understand." Redclaw replied.
A door opened down the hallway, followed by multiple sets of footsteps. Everyone began to tense up, expecting Brachio to come back, or worse. Suddenly the footsteps stopped. Someone was loading a weapon of some sort. A loud pop filled the room and a small canister flew down the hallway and into the main prison. A gray smoke began to fill the room.
"Damnit! They're gassing us! Everyone, shield your faces, this burns!" Fireclaw yelled.
To Fireclaw's surprise, it didn't burn at all. He began to feel dizzy. The room began to whirl, his eyesight fading. He felt as though he was falling backwards, even after bracing himself against a wall to prevent that. His hearing faded out as well, then nothing. All he could hear was his heartbeat as he felt his way around the prison cell he shared with everyone else. When he could take no more, his knees gave out, and he fell to the ground. Fireclaw got one last look at Chomper, who was already long gone, then everything went dark. He was at the mercy of the Tyrannos, powerless and defenseless.