CHAPTER 13
The Lab Gang all stood cringing, cowered and slowly back away as Darla had entered the room. Just seeing this woman brought fear to the gang. And it also didn't help that Darla wasn't exactly the beauty queen type, even though she believes she was. But her presence and behavior was in some ways just as well as Sherman, seeing innocent people with disabilities as abominations and freaks.
"If it isn't my favorite Lab Gang! How are you all since the last I saw you?" Darla strolled over to the gang, examining each one.
"Geez Bloat, already have a migraine" Darla snickered looking at Bloat holding his head "Bubbles and Gurgle, still a crazed bubble lover and germophobic I see" she haughty laughed and eyed the two shivering in their place. Darla moved over to Jacques "I see you're still here Frenchy, you're just like a shrimp, so small and insignificant" she walked passed him, Jacque glared at the woman and swore in French under his breath.
Darla moved her way until she caught sigh of Deb "Why are you Deb, or is it Flo? I can't tell" she laughed and walked away. Deb shook in fear and held her mirror close her her.
"Knock it off Darla!" Gil warned standing his ground, Darla turned and had a seductive smile on her face. Making her way over to the man. "Gil, I'm just being friendly is all. I'm not doing anything wrong, especially to you" Darla flirted with him, raising her finger to seductivily stroke the side of Gil's face.
Darla looked over and found Peach as she muttered to herself of finding her happy place. "And if it isn't the star in Gil's life Peach, personally I don't see what makes you 'shine' in his life" Darla pointed out, frowning at the pink haired woman. Peach didn't utter a word but felt that jab hurt her in some ways. Gil moved and stood in front of Peach as if protecting her.
Darla eyed them for a bit before turning around "So, I heard you all had a little kid in your group again. Seems like he was a replacement for that brat, Chuckles was it you call that kid?" Darla said, trying to start a spark. Gil just glared at the woman as she continued "Not that it matters, after I fix this new kid's hand, he won't be useful to you freaks. So in a way, I'm doing you all a favor" Darla turned back at them.
"Well, there's my niece!" "Uncle Philip!" Darla and Sherman greeted eachother with a hug "Hope these lot weren't troubling you dear?" "No, I was just being...'friendly' is all, come in and say hello" Darla eyed the Lab Gang with a menacingly smirk. "That's my girl! So you'll like your next patient for today's operation. He's a cutie with red hair" "Oh Uncle Philip, you always know what kind of patients I prefer!" Sherman and Darla decided to leave the Lab Gang.
The uncle and niece walked out of the room and went to get all prepped up. Once they were changed into their propriate scrubs for operating, they came to gather the rest of the team up.
"Okay men, listen to Darla and do what she says!" Sherman ordered his man "So, I hear this little boy has a misshaped hand. After when I'm done with the kid, he'll be good as new, or be next to toss to the black market!" Darla and the men laughed. Sherman chuckled, feeling proud of his niece before turning to Dr. Hunter "We're all set, Dr. Hunter why don't you go get our guest of honor!" "Yes sir..." Dr. Hunter sighed and began to fetch the patient.
Dr. Hunter looked back at his boss and other men, before shifting his eyes to the window where he knew the Lab Gang were probably watching. With every step he took, he began to rethink of his actions and choices that lead him to this. Illegally Operating innocent people with flaws and disabilities, even selling their parts or the person to the black market.
He knew deep down what he was doing was wrong, and he couldn't bare any minute of it anymore. Dr. Hunter was once a great doctor with a great job working for the government until Sherman offered him the job that said to help people. Now realizing this wasn't helping people at all, it was something twisted and cruel on many levels. He always wondered what if he didn't take the offer, but it was too late to turn back and continued going down this path he had created himself.
Now here he was, helping to operate on an innocent life, and a child no less.
But by the time he got to Nemo, his train of thought came to a halt, he stopped in his place and gasped.
He saw Nemo strapped down on the medical bed, but his eyes were closed and was all still and limped and looked like he wasn't breathing. It was there Dr. Hunter deduced that the kid must've died from fright of this place and his little heart must've gave up on the kid. Suffering from what might've been a heart attack.
Dr. Hunter looked at the little boy, feeling more sorry this happened to such an innocent kid "Poor little fella..."
The Lab Gang turned their attention to Nemo and all gasped "He's dead..." Bloat choked up, tears forming in his eyes. "Sharkbait!" Gil cried out.
Gil couldn't move, he couldn't breath, he kept staring at the little boy's dead body. After everything he did, after always there to look out for the kid, he felt like he failed the kid yet again. He promised to get him out of this hellish nightmare and back to his dad, now it was too late.
He felt his hands shaking and felt his knees started to give in and fell to the ground. He let out a sob before turning into Peach to cry into her embrace.
"Anytime now Hunter, while we're still young!" Dr. Hunter whipped his head to hear Sherman calling him. "But sir, don't you think you outta-" "Don't have time, we're operating on this kid now! Bring him here!" Dr. Hunter sighed and grabbed the bed to start wheeling it away.
Peach held onto Gil trying to sooth him in anyway she can as he cried in her arms, refusing to leave her or even look anymore. Peach peeked to see Nemo and gasped "Gil look!" she turned the man to have a look.
Gil did and was shocked and surprised to see this. Nemo gave a small smile, opening one eye and wink before going back in the previous pose.
He wasn't dead, he was still alive!
He was just pretending!
"He's still alive!"
The Lab Gang heard Gil and rushed to the window trying to see, watching as the young boy was being wheeled away. "I don't understand? Why is he playing dead?" Bloat was just as surprised as the rest of them. The rest of the gang was curious too, what was Nemo thinking by playing dead?
That's when it hit Gil, he remembered his first attempted to escape. "Of course!"
"What Gil?" Peach and the rest turned to him "Don't you all see? He's playing dead to fool them, so they could wheel him down to the morgue" Gil put the pieces together and continued "The morgue is down near the basement exit! He'll get himself outta here!" Gil overjoyingly exclaimed.
The Lab Gang all cheered at this "What a smart kid!" Gurgle cheered before he and Bloat shared a hug.
Gil smiled but soon noticed something off. He watched Dr. Hunter wheel the bed, but he didn't make a turn, he kept going down the hall.
"Oh no! No! No! No! He didn't make a turn! They're still gonna operate on him!" Gil yelled "Nemo! No!" Bubbles cried out. The Lab Gang began to bang on the glass and shouted.
Meanwhile as this was happening, Nigel, Marlin and Dory had just arrived. Nigel quickly snuck the two in as well as himself. Nigel looked to see no one was guarding, which he found odd. But that didn't matter, what mattered was to reunite the father and son.
"Their room is this way!" Nigel pointed, Marlin and Dory hot on the trail.
Nigel ran to the door and tried to punch in the code, but found he couldn't get in. Nigel growled knowing Sherman changed the code.
So instead he lead Marlin and Dory to the window, he banged on in. Over the other side the Lab Gang were shocked to see Nigel along with two strangers. "Hey guys! I found Nemo's dad!" Nigel shouted at the window. Gil looked at the man before and knew instantly "He is Nemo's dad!"
Marlin banged on the window next "Nemo! Nemo! Where's Nemo? Where is he!?" he yelled to the window.
The Lab Gang began to respond by banging the glass back "Doctors! Doctors!" "Nemo's being taken to the operating room!" Gill shouted out. "Doctors? What Doctors?! Operating what?!" Marlin heard them, but couldn't quite understand.
Nigel heard them and looked shocked "Oh no! They're about to operate on your boy!" Nigel yelled. Marlin heard this and was stunned. These strange people were about to operate on his boy for no reason what so ever.
No! He will not allow it!
"Nigel come on! We gotta stop them!" Marlin told the pilot before turning to the operating room. "Whoa mate, you crazy!? That's the operating room, I can't go in there! And I'm already number 1 on Sherman's don't mess with list!" Nigel tried to stop the man to think about this. However Marlin was done thinking and knew the one thing he knew "Oh yes you can get in there! Come on! Charge!" Marlin grabbed Nigel and Dory's hand as they ran towards the room.
Sherman, Darla and the rest gathered around the boy, all had their gloves on and tools in hand. They were ready to start operating, when suddenly they heard the doors being kicked open.
They turned to see Nigel as well as a red haired man and blue haired woman standing by the doors. "Where...is...my son!" Marlin yelled out with fire in his eyes.
Hearing that voice, Sherman looked up and took a good look at the man before him "Well I'll be...if it isn't that wuss from the Air museum! Didn't think you make it this far" Sherman was indeed surprised, but Marlin did something that shocked everyone in the room. Marlin with rage ran to Sherman and punched the man square in the eye.
Seeing this action that no sooner a fight broke out.
Nigel and Dory helping Marlin in anyway they can of fighting the doctors. Darla was just surprised and terrified as she helped her uncle up. However she began to panic thinking these people with Nigel were cops and that they managed to finally locate and track her uncle and were about to arrest him.
Dr. Hunter didn't want to get into the fight, nor did he want anything happen to the boy, he knew what he had to do. He still held onto the bed and he began to wheel him out safely. Until a doctor was pushed into him knocking him over.
Marlin soon caught a familiar flash of reddish orange hair, looking up and gasped.
He saw Nemo on the medical bed, but his eyes were shut, he was not moving, was not breathing, he looked like he was...
Marlin stood stunned to see this, he was too late!
Marlin stood in silent shock, everything around him fell deaf to him, as the only sound he heard was his own slow heart beat breaking "Nemo..."
Dory ran to Marlin's side until she too saw what stunned her partner "Oh my goodness..." she gasped, covering her mouth at the sight.
"Gotcha!" Sherman pounced on Marlin, both were struggling as they were fighting with all their might. But Marlin after what he just seen, didn't have the strength to fight and was weakening down. The other doctors yelled to their boss to finish him.
Dory and Nigel grabbed Marlin before Sherman could finish him "Come on mate, we gotta move!" Nigel pulled Marlin. "No wait! Nemo!" Marlin tried to struggle out of their grip "Nemo!" he kept calling out.
"Daddy...?" Nemo opened his eyes when he heard that familiar voice.
"Just you wait Pelican, I'll get you for this!" Sherman yelled out shaking his fist, watching the 3 intruders escaping towards the exit.
Nemo looking around wondering what was going on. He knew that a fight broke out between the doctors and some strangers, he'd guess that Nigel was one of them. But he knew that somehow one of the strangers sounded very familiar to him.
He looked around the room some more but he stopped a familiar man running away and ran to the exit "Daddy!" he cried out, knowing that man that was here was his dad. He tried to save him.
"Oh so you're awake all this time!" Nemo froze when he heard a voice. Nemo looked up to see Darla standing over him. Seeing this woman above him brought the same fear to the boy when he first heard about her. Nemo was still strapped in the bed but tried to huddle himself to make him feel small. He began to whimper and cry "Please! Please! Don't operate on me!" he sobbed.
Darla grabbed onto the boy's shoulder with a painful tight grip and began to shake him roughly "Why is it that every time I operate on a kid, they turn into cry babies! We're just trying to get rid of your disgusting flaws!" Darla yelled at the boy, continuing to shake him. Nemo crying as Darla continued to roughly shake him.
The Lab Gang was seeing this through their tv device "Oh no!" "We gotta do something!?" Deb and Bloat cried out "But what!? We're trapped in here!" Gurgle cried, running around all panic in circles. Just then they heard the window being smashed. All looked up and were stunned to see Gil had smashed the window with the chair. "Come on! Sharkbait needs us!" Gil yelled out.
The rest of the Lab Gang gathered their courage and followed Gil's lead. All battle crying as they ran to the operating room.
"Now be a good little boy, so I can cut off that hand!" Darla raised a sharp scalpel, Nemo shut his eyes. "Leave him alone!" Gil screamed and ran to cover the young boy, but in the process of getting stabbed. "Gil!" Nemo cried, seeing the man using his body to shield him, only to get a stab wound near his back shoulder.
Nemo looked to see the Lab Gang were fighting back the doctors, fighting in their own ways in style, and they seemed to be winning. "Crikey! All you animals have gone mad!" Sherman yelled, surprised to see the Lab Gang escape and attacking his man. Suddenly Sherman was hit in the head with a tray, turned out it was Dr. Hunter that hit him, he smirked as he watched Sherman fall to the ground.
One of the doctors saw what Dr. Hunter had done "Are you insane!?" "No! I just had enough! When he comes to, I'm telling him I quit!" Dr. Hunter stated "Then you can join these freaks!" the doctor yelled and pounced onto the man.
All around it was one brutal fight in the operating room.
Peach looked up and gasped, she ran to Gil's side and saw his wound. She was almost of the verge of tears but finally let out a sob, the rest of the Lab Gang had heard her cry and stopped as they saw Gil. All were shocked to see this happened to their fearless leader. Peach continued to cry until a hand wiped her tear away "Come on Peach, don't cry on me now" "Gil!" everyone cried.
Nemo smiled as Gil smiled back "You don't think I'd give up that easily without a fight?" Gil asked the boy as he began to untie the straps with Peach helping him.
Darla growled "I don't care if you're handsome or not, I want that boy!" she was about to attack again until she was punched and thrown to the ground by Gil. Seeing what Gil had done shocked the gang but suddenly gave a cheer.
"And I don't care if you're a girl, but I will never let you shake and kill another kid again!" Gil glared down and warned her "Come on Kid!" Gil picked up Nemo in his arms and ran.
Gil and Nemo then heard the gang scream, both looked back to see the doctors came to and grabbed the gang sending them back to a different room to hold them.
Gil and Nemo continued down escaping the halls as an alarm was set off. But that didn't stop them. They both noticed Darla and Sherman chasing after them, they kept running until they bumped into some tanks fill with some toxic gas.
Few of the tanks burst and the toxic gas was released, making the 4 that breath it feel woozy and weak. Sherman and Darla stumbled onto the ground wheezing and coughing. Gil fell to his knees "Don't...breath it...in..Kid!" Gil told him, coughing as well. Nemo buried his face deep in Gil's shirt, trying hard not to breath the stuff in.
Gil was beginning to fad fast, he glanced and looked around the area to see the exit. Until something caught his eyes, it was a laundry shoot.
Gil tried to walk over to the chute with all his strength, stumbling in his steps "Sharkbait...this is where...we part" "But Gil! Come with me! We'll find my dad and we'll get help for the others!" Nemo didn't like the idea of separating from this man he'd grown to love. "No...you gotta get...out of this place! Don't worry about...us" Gil told him, placing the boy in the chute.
Nemo looked up at the weak man, then wrapped his arms around him giving him a hug "You were the best friend here Gil..." Nemo whispered as tears beamed in his eyes.
Gil returned the hug but was weak, he can feel himself giving out any second "You were my best friend too Kid...tell your dad...I said hi!" Gil told him before pushing Nemo down the chute "Go Kid!" he screamed before falling fallen to the ground.
Gil lay there all weak, he was exposed to some poisonous toxic and had a stab wound on his back shoulder. But that didn't matter, Nemo had escape and was finally free. He lay there as if waiting for a different kind of freedom to take him. Just then he felt some pure air flowing into his body.
Gil sat up coughing to see someone was giving him oxygen, he looked up and weakly smiled. He saw Peach along with Dr. Hunter helping him up and giving him some oxygen from an oxygen tank.
Slowly Peach and Dr. Hunter helped Gil back up, having his arms over their shoulders. "Thanks..." Gil turned to Dr. Hunter "Don't mention it Gil" the friendly doctor replied "You know this will cost you your job..." Gil weakly told him, but Dr. Hunter shrugged "Eh, been meaning to deliver my 2 weeks notice" he answered.
They heard groaning as they looked to see Sherman and Darla were coming to, they didn't inhale much of the poisonous toxic.
"Come on, we'll be with the others. Seems like I will join your 'Lab Gang' now" Dr. Hunter chuckled a bit as they began to walk off. Gil smiled at the doctor "We're looking for a new member anyways" Gil joked and chuckled as well. "By the way, that was some hit you delivered to Sherman with the tray" "Well truth be told, I've been dying to hit him recently" Gil and Dr. Hunter both shared a laugh.
Peach however looked concerned "Do you think Nemo will be alright Gil?" "Don't worry Peach, he's safe now" Gil reassured her, turning his head back "Besides...there are other exits out of this hospital building" he added.
Sherman and Darla both just stood back up and realized what happen. The boy had escape and was probably ran off by now. Darla then screamed in frustration and began to stamp her feet like a spoil brat having a tantrum. Sherman just growled and told his niece to shut up. Seeing that Sherman may have been defeated today, but with the boy escaping he will possible inform of the police and the authorities will be back to track him down.
Sherman knew sooner or later he will be caught. He also knew he will never see that boy again, wherever he ran off to he had managed to escape him and will probably never find him again.
Nemo kept falling and sliding down the chute screaming. He cried as he made ever sharp turn, sliding faster downwards as to Nemo it felt like he was on scary slide ride.
"Daddy!" he cried out.
Nemo kept sliding down the chute until he finally landed in some sort of hamper. He shot up gasping and whimpered as he looked around. He felt glad that he escaped, but deep down he felt sorry for Gil and the others that they didn't and hoped they will be okay.
"Okay that's the last batch!" Nemo gasped as he heard voices and dived down into the clothes to hide.
"Strange how this old mental hospital still have all these old clothes and stuff" "Doesn't matter, just as long as they go to a good home" Nemo heard two men talking, suddenly he felt the hamper being lifted up and was through into a truck.
What Nemo didn't know was that these clothes and laundry were going to a rough part of Sydney. The truck was driving to a goodwill store to sell the used clothes.
Nemo continued to hide in the clothes as he felt the truck driving away. Once the truck stops, he will go out and find his dad.
He just hoped his dad was okay after that fight, and hoped he was still looking for him, waiting out there somewhere in Sydney.
To Be Continued...