Chapter 11
Tiger Claw (2006), with no hesitation, wheeled out of the stadium and zipped out to an opening while April and Little Karai ran after him. He saw their car sitting there and had an instant idea to slow them down. He drove his motorcycle right at it and ran over on top of the car, smashing it in progress before making a donut around it before riding off.
"No, damnit!." April saw what he did as soon as she got out. "Now, how are we supposed to catch him?!."
April looked at Little Karai who is doing leg stretches and doing body twisting exercises. "Uh, what are you doing?."
"Getting my body nice and loose." Little Karai spoke before doing quick jumping jacks. "Tell me, April, do NIB agents still jump around rooftops like actual ninjas in the future?."
"Well, yeah, we still do that." April stretched her legs as well with the idea of what her young partner had in mind.
Little Karai smirked after doing her stretching. "Then let's get our Tony the Tiger. I'll lead."
"Lead the way." said April, after some stretching.
Little Karai bolted out with April beside her as the two started sprinting and quickly climbed the nearest building. Once reaching the rooftop it is all feet on deck as the two ran after their target on foot in ninja style. Down below, Tiger Claw (2006) didn't know that those two were on the roofs chasing him as he is currently ordering Gwen to surrender the device. Gwen, however, isn't so easily scared to give whoever what they desire of her to give.
"My patience isn't long, Galactavian. Hand over the Arc Shield." Tiger Claw (2006) demanded.
"Uh, no. That would be a disaster and a major consequence to my new home planet." Gwen protested, whole holding on to Tiger Claw's waist. "Are you seriously willing to have your birth planet to be food for the never-satisfied hungry Boglodites?."
Tiger Claw (2006) looked to the side. "For the amount of money that they are paying me, which is a set for life type of pay then yes."
Back on the rooftops, Little Karai and April had to do some tricks on the roof to avoid being stopped by obstacles in order to stay on Tiger Claw. Little Karai pulled out some throwing stars and threw them at him, only for him to hear them coming and drove to the left. He looks up at them with a growl and instantly pulls his blaster out to start firing right at them.
"Watch out." April says as soon as a blast is aimed at her but she dodges it.
"Right." Little Karai flipped herself forward and back to prevent being shot at and continued running. "He's making a sharp left turn. Jump to the other side of the building."
The two used their ninja-skilled training and jumped over the street of traffic and landed on the roof of the other building. With no seconds to waste they immediately continue running after him. Tiger Claw (2006) started driving through construction sites where they were fixing a few potholes and a big sinkhole and went to do another attempt of getting his target prize.
"You are the last of your race. Do you seriously want it to be labeled as extinct?." He threatened.
Gwen looked at him with a brow raised. "If you do kill me, then you will never know where I have hidden the Arc Shield. Will you be willing to compromise in losing the money that the Boglodites have promised you?."
Tiger Claw (2006) growled in losing his patience. "You are stalling."
Suddenly as he hit a big thump on the road, the box that is chained around Gwen's neck made a sound which made the mutated Tiger's ears perk up. Making sure not to lose control of his motorcycle, he turned around to face her for a second before having his eyes shift down to the medium sized rectangular box. He instantly yanked the box right off Gwen and looked at it with a look of victory.
"Yes, finally." Tiger Claw (2006) spoke proudly. "I no longer need you."
Little Karai looked down at what was happening before an idea hit her head. She turned to face April. "Has my future self ever teached you my rooftop playbook?."
April grinned at that question being asked of her. "You taught me about the good old grab, pass, and shoot."
Little Karai grinned back. "So my non-open future self did something right with you."
And just exactly what the play call is, April jumped towards the high-speed moving motorcycle with good timing when grabbing Gwen and then jumping off with her. Then passing her to Little Karai, who did a rolly polly flip and then opened herself up, took Gwen and dropped down safely. April pulls out her blaster when seeing a parked long truckless gas tank and shoots it when seeing Tiger Claw (2006) driving straight for it. He growled when seeing the blast pass right by him and made contact with the tank as it exploded right at him. Little Karai shields Gwen from any flying burnt metal, as April manages to prevent from getting hit by any fiery debris. With determination she went over to the wreckage to go confirm a burnt body.
April got closer to the wreckage to no see no dead burnt body but instead seeing a destroyed motorcycle of his. She lowered her gun with upsetness. "That would have explained that colorful light show when it made contact. The motorcycle was alien tech."
"Hey, April?!." Little Karai called her. "Did we get him?!."
April shook her head while putting her gun away. "No. We didn't. I wish we did."
"Don't worry about it. We got Gwen safe and sound. Let's regroup. I know a safe place to do so." said Little Karai.
April ran back over to the two and set off to go to the ideal place that Little Karai is taking them. She didn't pay much attention to what was happening in the sky. The sky had a temporary second green energy shift similar to what April had made when traveling back in time. There, in the same building that April once used and stood, was Tiger Claw from her time. He looked around his surroundings and can feel a different setting atmosphere compared to his current time. He took a moment to have a strong whiff of the air and savor its oldie vibes.
Tiger Claw sighed in satisfaction. "Ah, yes. I feel younger and feeling the wind of opportunity already." He looks down at his time travel device to read the date that he desired to be in to confirm to himself that he is indeed back in the summer of 2006.
Somewhere in an abandoned rundown firehouse, Tiger Claw (2006) happily got in through the hole of the roof and went to put on music to help him celebrate on a job well done. Next, he went over to the corner and pulled out a bottle of white wine before opening its cap. He started drinking it down in great happiness before sitting down on the worn out red cushion chair.
"Ah, yes, I am going to live very well off once I get my other half of the money from the Boglodites." Tiger Claw (2006) spoke before sitting the bottle down and pulling out the box he had stolen. "Time to see the Arc Shield with my own eyes."
Putting his paw on the front of the metal box, he used his super strength and crushed the lid before pulling it out. He looked down at what was inside which ended his happy moment. His joy completely died and his mood went sour when seeing that he didn't have the Arc Shield inside, but instead he got a small plastic container containing small game fishing hooks. He picks it up with a growl and gets back to his feet and then throws it forward. However, he didn't expect someone or someone sharing the same looks as him to be catching it with his iron paw.
Tiger Claw looked at his 2006 self in utter anger while crushing the box in his metal paw. "Why you stupid, foolish, incompetent waste of space and flesh!." He threw down the crushed box to the floor while still having his eyes on his young self. "If my own existence wasn't at stake or consequence, I will not hesitate to kill you myself."
Tiger Claw (2006) approached his future self in disbelief while watching him circling around him. "Who are you?. Why do you look like me but much older?."
Tiger Claw shook his head in disappointment. "I'm you. From the future."
"The future?." Tiger Claw (2006) was in disbelief. "Why are you here?."
Tiger Claw stopped circling his younger self and looked at him. "Look at you. You're seconds away from failing and never see the light of day for years."
"What do you mean?." Tiger Claw (2006) demanded to know.
"What I mean is that they put us in prison." Tiger Claw softly growled.
"Ha!. Preposterous!. No prison can hold me!. Or us!." Tiger Claw (2006) spoke boldly.
Tiger Claw chuckled. "Oh, they made a prison that can hold us. A prison in space that is made for the deadliest criminals in the whole universe. We spent twenty-two years of our lives there. Want to know who put us there?."
Tiger Claw (2006) swallowed hard. "Who?."
Tiger Claw holds his anger in place when answering. "It was a dirty NIB agent."
"Impossible!." Tiger Claw (2006) spoke in denial. "No, NIB scum can take down Tiger Claw!."
Tiger Claw leaned in closer to his younger self, his eyes burning with intensity. "It's not just any agent. It's Karai, the one you're about to underestimate." He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. "It was her that arrested us. After she did this to us."
He pointed his eye patch where his eyes used to be and then lifted his metal arm to show proof. Tiger Claw (2006), being a denying person, doesn't accept what is told to him. Instead he wants to play the innocent.
"Actually she did that to you!." Tiger Claw (2006) spoke in anger. "It was you that failed the mission and not me!."
"Don't be an idiot!." Tiger Claw yelled. "You're repeating the exact same moment that led me to my demise!."
"No, I'm not!." Tiger Claw (2006) pointed at his future self. "It was you who failed in retrieving the Arc Shield!. It was you that lost your eye and arm along with wasting twenty two years of your life in a cell!. Not me!."
As if on cue the two roared loudly at each other in such utter anger. They growled at one another to see who would give up first. Unfortunately, they were both stubborn as they can get before relaxing and taking a few breaths.
"Tell me, young me. What is your mission?." Tiger Claw asked. Already knowing what he would say
Tiger Claw (2006) spoke with such confidence. "Retrieve the Arc Shield. Kill anyone who is involved or gets in my way."
Tiger Claw rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmmm, that was an excellent plan at first. In my time. Unfortunately, that plan has failed miserably. Now, here is what we need to do."
As he went on in telling his well thought out plan which he has been plotting for exactly twenty-two years, his past self was too distracted at seeing his future self's current appearance. He looked at his eye patch for a good minute. Tiger Claw is noticing that his past self wasn't looking at him directly but is just looking at his missing eye.
"Stop looking at my eye patch!." Tiger Claw yelled.
Tiger Claw (2006) snapped out of his trance. "Alright, sorry." He then looks right at his metal arm in a few seconds.
Tiger Claw growled in anger. "And my arm!."
Tiger Claw (2006) sighed in frustration. "Alright!."
"Now, listen and listen well." Tiger Claw spoke and resumed his plan that will guarantee their successful future.
Little Karai takes April and Gwen to a secure location which is the central park. April was a little relieved that they have the device but still is worried about getting it to work without any issues. Most of how they are going to do it.
"Are you sure that this is a secure location?." April looked at her younger partner.
"Of course." Little Karai spoke before grabbing a seat at a bench. "No one comes here late in the night unless they want to play chess."
Gwen nodded. "Yeah, it is a quiet place to lay low. Especially when you are being hunted down by Tiger Claw the Savage. Karai?. The device?."
Little Karai pulls out the device and hands it to Gwen. Gwen looked at the only thing that is going to save Earth in this timeframe. What she did next had surprised both Little Karai and April when she pulled off her toboggan to reveal her cranium to be shaped as a hollow ball filled with pretty shiny energy. She then closed her eyes and transferred the energy inside her hollow ball shaped head through her skin, and then had it flowing through her hand to the device. The Arc Shield's empty round interior had begun to be filled up with the energy until full as it started to glow like a shining star.
Gwen opens her eyes and smiles at her two new best friends. "The Arc Shield can't help us and the planet with half of its function. Now, it is fully whole."
"Cool." Little Karai takes the device back in her hand. "So, how are we supposed to get it out to the atmosphere?."
"Yeah, I was wondering the exact same thing." April said as she regrets not listening to the full details from Ron.
"Well…" Gwen looked up to the sky. "It is always a great day tomorrow to see the wonders beyond earth."
Confused, April and Little Karai looked up at the sky to comprehend what Gwen had just said. Given great thought on what had been happening during this time, Little Karai's eyes were wide in remberining what tomorrow was back at headquarters. She looked at the two with the answer.
"Tomorrow is the day that NASA is launching their STS-121 to the international space station. Me and everyone else in NIB are going to watch it live on the big screen in HQ." said Little Karai.
"So, that is how you did it." April now understands what she needs to do moving forward.
April, with no hesitation, takes the Arc Shield from Little Karai's hand, and tries to convince her. "Hey, thanks for everything you did for me, Karai. I really appreciate it. Now, you can just go head on back to HQ where it is safe. And take Gwen with you."
Little Karai quickly grabs the device back and has that confused facial expression. "What?. Why?. I can still help you finish our mission."
April tries her hardest to avoid the answer. "Look, Karai, what comes next is that I can jeopardize you in the crossfire."
Little Karai pulls her hand away when seeing April try to get the device from her. She frowned a bit. "No. You're holding out on me for information."
"No, I'm not." April quickly says and didn't expect an argument.
"Yes, you are." Gwen looks at her before putting her toboggan back on her head. "You can't do it, April. Time and Space would not allow you to do it. Karai is the only one to put and activate the Arc Shield. She is the only one that saved Earth this year. Not you."
"And you know what I mean." April looked at her younger partner in frustration. "I'm doing this to protect you, Karai."
"It doesn't look like it." Little Karai puts the device in her pocket. She crosses her arms. "Tell me or I won't give you the Arc Shield."
"I can't!." April spoke with the fear of telling the truth.
"Well, bye-bye." Little Karai turned around and slowly walked away.
April sighed in losing this argument. "In my alternate timeline, Tiger Claw killed you and took the Arc Shield that day."
Little Karai stopped when hearing this and turned to face April. "Come again?."
"Tiger Claw. My Tiger Claw, had traveled back in time and went to the location where you were supposed to deploy the Arc Shield and killed you. You died tomorrow." April confessed.
Little Karai took it all in what was said to her before going up to April and did what came to mind. She kicked her in the womanhood with the tip of her shoe. "That is for lying to me."
April, who is bending down while holding her womanhood with her hands, gasped for air to fight off the pain until letting her hands off of them. "Look, Karai, you're the only friend and only person in the whole world that I know, trust, and have. I can't lose what I have left in my life."
Little Karai turned around and kicked April in the same spot yet again. "And that is for finally telling me the whole truth."
April growled. "I was trying to protect you!. Damn, you hurt my pussy!."
Little Karai walked to the side and crossed her arms and just looked up at the sky in the attempt to calm her temper. Gwen sees that she needs to intervene and ensure that the timeline is corrected. She went over to April, who was sitting on the bench trying to fight the pain, and sat down beside her with a look of sadness.
"April, I know how much Karai means to you. You know her since you joined NIB through her recruitment. But you have to understand. Karai is the only person to save Earth and everyone else in 2006. I see all the possibilities of you trying to do her destiny and failing multiple times. Yes, you can accompany and assist her in ensuring that she deploys the device. But you have to let Karai do this." said Gwen.
April looked at her in sadness and fear. "You see all the possibilities. You see what me and Karai have gone through in our entire lives together as partners. If we do this…is there any possibility in time where I saved Karai from death?."
Gwen looks at her with the understanding of what she wants to know. She knows that she wants the insurance that Karai lives in this scenario if they do this. "Yes. Yes, April, Karai will survive this mission with you involved. But regardless of winning or losing in any timeline in that moment of history, death will always have its moment."
Taken in what Gwen has told her, April had an extreme major decision. If she goes with it then someone is going to die either herself, Karai or Gwen. Or not go and the future will be the same way that she left it when traveling back to the 2000s and Earth will be doomed. April rubbed her temples in stress. She loves Karai like a big sister and would do anything for her and she knows that Karai will do the same for her. It is indeed nighttime and the clock is ticking until showtime. She looks over at Karai, who is still looking at the stars, and makes her decision before getting up to go over to her.
"To be honest. This is the kind of life that I live for." Little Karai looks at April. "Being an NIB field agent does have its pros and cons. We all know that once we leave HQ, there aren't any promises of coming back from missions, unless you have a good trusted partner to help give the odds in their favor."
April puts her hands in her pocket. "True. You and I are the top example of it. Our chances of surviving have always been in our favor."
Little Karai had a small smile formed on her face. "That is great to hear. Are you confident in going through this regardless of the outcome?. I, for one, am looking forward to it."
"As much as I can be." April replied. "But I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Karai. You're family to me. You're all that I have left."
Little Karai turned around to look at April and Gwen with a look of determination. "Then let's go save the future."
Taking the walk to NIB HQ as soon as the sun had risen, the three entered right on in and got right on the elevator where Ron is waiting for them after Karai called him up. They quickly got up on the top level ramp while everyone from NIB agents, Aliens, and Mutants were down in the main lobby watching the live watch of the launch of STS-121 while celebrating the fourth of July.
"Everyone is distracted." Ron leading the way. "You guys have the opportunity to take this transportation and get to Florida."
"I'm so excited for this exact moment to happen." Gwen spoke in excitement as she was walking beside the boy.
Little Karai and April were trailing in the back but kept up while taking a few glances down at the lobby to hope that none of them would bother to look up to find them there. Little Karai had her eyes all focused on Ron as her heart was pounding with utter love and Since April is there she should have asked about her future.
"Hey, April?." Little Karai got her attention.
"What's up?." April responded.
"In the future." Little Karai looked at her with emotional hope. "Me and Ron are...you know."
April knew exactly what Little Karai was hinting at, but she felt the weight of the future on her shoulders and didn't want to say anything that might alter the course of events. "Well, you guys are pretty tight. I wouldn't be surprised if something happened." She tried to keep her voice light, not wanting to reveal any more than necessary.
"So, that means we're married?." Little Karai's face went all excited.
"A wise woman told me this. There are things in the Universe that don't need to come out to light." April spoke in utter seriousness.
Little Karai looked very disappointed while walking. She looked at April and pointed at herself. "I told you that. Didn't I?. Man, I am an ass."
April nodded with a smile. "You did. But let's not dwell on that. We got a job to do."
Ron leads them to a room that April hasn't seen exist before in her time. Inside the room is empty with a technical machine having a long thick human sized red plastic tube. "Here it is. The only thing that can get you anywhere in a flash. The atom particle transporter."
"The atom particle trans what now?." April is all confused.
"Awesome!." Gwen quickly ran towards it and Ron pressed the keypad to unlock the door to get inside.
"Hey, wait, no, no." April wasn't going to step foot into an unknown machine that she never thought existed in NIB. "Hey, Karai, we just need a car and just press the red button. The hyper speed mode can get us to Florida in no time."
"Not happening." Little Karai got into the chamber where the stand pad is with Gwen. "The Kraangs have recalled that part in our cars due to an explosion that had happened in the parking lot a few months ago."
April stared at the unfamiliar contraption, her heart racing at the thought of teleportation. "I've never heard of this before, are you sure it's safe?."
"It's the first time to be tested." Ron spoke while typing the desired coordinates on the computer.
April's eyes widened. "The first time?. As if it hasn't been used before?."
"Give this woman a cookie." Gwen said with enthusiasm. "Ooo, I am so excited for this."
"Ah, man." April looked at Little Karai.
"Don't give me that look, April. We just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best." Little Karai looked at Ron who was getting the door ready to close. "Ain't that right, sushi lover?."
Ron looked back with a grin. "You got that right, Karai. Now, you three are going to have one side effect based on what our tech department informed us."
"What side effect?." April's voice grew concerned.
"Immediate urge to go pee." said Ron, closing and locking the door. Then he went over to the computer and had his finger on the enter button. "The beam will break you down into atoms and shoot you out to the desired spot on the location that I set up."
"Wait, what?." April looked at him in horror. "Is that a joke?."
Ron chuckled. "No, but you'll get used to it. Just make sure to go to the bathroom before you do what you got to do in Florida." He winked at them, noticing their nerves.
"Let it fire, Ron." Little Karai gives him the all clear.
With a nod, Ron pushed the button, and the chamber hummed to life. The red light grew brighter until it was almost blinding. April felt a strange sensation, like the very fabric of her being was being pulled apart and reassembled. Despite her fear, she couldn't help but feel a little thrill at the idea of traveling across the country in an instant. The three were turned into atom particles and got zapped out of the tube and out of the building in a flash of moving energy. They could see everything passing them by in such high top extreme speed until everything slowed down and saw tropical trees. They landed on the target landing zone and got their atoms connecting back to make them whole.
"Wow." April touched herself to see everything was there and intact. "That is some serious transportation."
Little Karai nodded in agreement, taking in the surroundings of the dense, tropical landscape that was nowhere near New York City. "This is definitely Florida."
Gwen, who is holding her womanhood, spoke while trying to hold it in. "Ok, so where is the nearest bush?. I gotta drain the water hose."
April and Little Karai can feel their bladder calling as well. They quickly found a big bush and unleashed their urine in such deep relief. Next, they quickly headed to the launch area which happens to be in Cape Canaveral as the three were officially on the property of NASA. They managed to see a few guards in guard and weren't detected which is a good thing on their part. Little Karai sees the opportunity to pull out her standard neuralyzer before opening its bottom before pulling out four double-A Duracell batteries to April's major confusion.
"Wait, NIB 2006's neuralyzer runs on Duracell like a remote control to a tv?." She asked.
"We have been using this since 1965." Little Karai proudly says while putting the batteries inside before screwing the cap back.
"Unbelievable." April watched her mess with the device's setting.
"It's going to take four minutes until it gets fully charged to use." Little Karai spoke.
"Girl, put that old technology back in your pocket." April pulls out her own memory wiper. "Mines don't need batteries or manual settings. We call this in the future the instant neuralyzer."
"I advise you two not to use any neuralyzer." Gwen spoke up in seriousness and saw their confusion.
"Why not?." Little Karai looked at her with curiosity.
"In this moment of this historic time we have to tell the truth in order to succeed in our mission." Gwen explained.
"Tell the truth?." April raised her brow. "Uh, I never told the truth when it comes down to human wise civilians, since I joined NIB."
"Well, it's time to break that rule." Gwen looked at them with a stern look. "The future of Earth is at stake here. We can't risk any anomalies that could lead to failure."
April sighed in defeat. "Fine." She puts her neuralyzer away. "Follow me."
The trio went right over to the guards who were alerted and watched them. April puts on a confident smile when approaching them. Little Karai and Gwen smiled as well and just let April do the talking.
"Evening, gentlemen." April looks at them with her charming smile in place. "It's a great day to celebrate independence day, am I right?."
The guards looked at her with suspicion. "You three are not authorized to be here. Who are you?."
"Well, we...me and this little Japanese girl right here, are agents for a super superior secret organization that monitors mutants and aliens activity. Something that yourselves, the three branches of government, and all governments in the world don't know we exist." April spoke before taking a moment to catch her breath before continuing. "You see we have this little device that is given to us by Gwen over here."
"Hi!." Gwen waved at them. "It's nice to meet you!."
"Yes, and this little device is going to shield our planet from an invasion from an aggressive group of aliens called the Boglodites. Now, you guys will have to let us in and let this little girl put the device on the STS-121 shuttle to prevent the invasion. So...can we go in?." said April.
The guards looked at each other before looking back at the three of them. "You got any ID's that says you're with NASA or the government?."
"You're not comprehending." Little Karai spoke up. "We're above and beyond the government. We're not part of any government list."
The guards looked at each other for a brief second before making a response decision. That decision is having the three get pinned into the ground with their arms behind their back, along with taking gears from April and Little Karai.
"Well…that went well." Little Karai spoke while having her other cheek kissing the ground.
April, who was trying not to let the brutality get the better of her, spoke. "Gwen, are you absolutely sure that this is the only way?. Because telling the honest truth sucks ass."
"Trust me it works." said Gwen, acting all calm.
One of the guards headed over to the booth and phoned in to his superior officer. "Sir, I swear to you, I've never seen anything like this. These things looked like top secret weapons that are ahead of our time."
The guard nodded when hearing orders on the phone. "Sir, right away, Sir." He hung up and looked at his troops. "He wants to see them."
Without any hesitation they took them to the other side of the area on foot which is where their higher-up is currently. Little Karai, April and Gwen stood beside each other as they saw a man in his uniform with no cap on, showing his bald spot, walking up to them in anger.
"How dare you spoil a special day in American history. This is the day that the whole world is seeing in honor of our independence, our founding four fathers, to God Almighty, and my only first born!." the man spoke in such upsetness.
The three didn't dare say a single word at that moment despite the little time they have on their side. They watched the head guard present their things in the camouflage bag as the man grabbed it by the handles and looked at the devices inside in disbelief and unsure.
"Like I told you, Senior Master Sergeant, these are something that none of us have ever seen in the day of our lives." The guard told him.
"And you're not wrong." The man held onto the bag with one hand and looked at the three in all seriousness. "Alright. You three have one chance. You hear me?. One chance to tell me who and what you are doing here, and do not lie to me!."
Little Karai stood silent in wondering about who was going to say something. She looked at April who stood with no emotion before she looked at her for a few seconds and then back to face the sergeant.
"I did my fair share in telling the truth today." April responded and gave Little Karai a hint.
Little Karai let out a short exhale before walking up to the man and spoke truthfully to a bystander for the first time in her career as an NIB agent. "Sir, we're an extremely classified secret organization that monitors both mutants and aliens activity. We're the ones that are not on your government list or been told on record. This woman right here is my partner from the future who traveled to our time to assist me in putting a special device to put on top of your ship. Our plan is to have that device to go off in space and protect our planet from an incoming invasion that none of us can not stop with just manpower and weapons alone. You are standing in our way of protecting not only our planet but also our future. The ball is in your court, Senior Master Sergeant."
The man took in what she just said to him for just a brief moment before responding by grabbing her by the shoulder and then turning her around, and then pushing her towards one of the troopers. "Take these three to our holding cells at once."
The troops quickly grabbed the three and went to go do just.
"You can kiss Earth's future goodbye, Gwen." April spoke with zero humor or sarcasm as this was being for real.
Gwen broke free from her hold and rushed over to Senior Master Sergeant. "Sir, if I may."
Without letting him respond she grabbed his arm and showed the original timeline of the future as his eyes started to glow to everyone's confusion. Gwen smiled in showing him what he is going to benefit from it if they let them do this before letting his arm go. The man broke out of his trance and looked at Gwen with understanding and then back at April and Little Karai but more at April.
"Guard, let them go. I'll handle them personally." He told them.
"What?. But sir…" He was stopped mid way.
"You and the others return back to your post. That's an order." He told him.
"Yes, sir." He saluted him and ordered his men to let them go before getting back to their post.
The Sergeant saluted back before watching them leave. He looked at the three and handed the bag over. "Get your things and follow me. I'll take you to the launch station."
"Great." Little Karai grabbed her gun, the device and her flasher before joining him.
"Hey, what did you show him?." April asked before going over to get her stuff.
"I just showed him what he needs to see is all." Gwen answered back.
April put her devices back in their proper place on her and went to follow them before looking back at Gwen who just stood there. "Come on, Gwen, let's go."
"No." Gwen shook her head while still having her smile.
"What?." April raised her brow. "Come on, girl, we have to go."
"No, April, only you and Karai have to do this as a duo. That is the only way to re-correct the future. We will meet again in the future one day, April. Promise." said Gwen before motioning her hand for her to go.
April nodded. "Okay."
Gwen watches her follow Little Karai and the Sergeant into a clear tunnel where he opens the door before closing it back. Her smile then dropped in utter sadness. "The last part of this timeline in completing this mission and resetting everything, is something that even I can not bear to watch."
In the tunnel in speed walking motion before reaching the metal open hole elevator, the Sergeant opens it and lets them in while instructing them. The roaring engines of the ship hummed loudly.
"The elevator will take you directly to the top of the ship itself. Once you put the device on the ship, quickly get on the zipline that will take you right back where we met. Get to that zipline as quickly as possible, because once that ship takes off you'll be on death row." He explained.
"Right." Little Karai nodded. "Thanks for helping us."
"No." He shook head. "Thank you, for all that you girls do and everyone in your organization. You guys are the real and true heroes of the world."
"Hey, what did Gwen show you back there?." April asked as this was very interesting and wanted to know.
He looked at April with a proud facial expression. "She showed me how outstanding you two really are in protecting our world keeping all of us safe from danger both on and off from earth."
Before April could respond the man went up and pulled her into a warm loving hug before kissing her on the forehead. He let her go and saw the confusion on her face which was understandable.
"Uh, why did you do that?." April asked while strangely not feeling uncomfortable.
"It's my personal way to say goodbye to you. And don't forget one thing, kid." He spoke.
"Which is?." April waited.
"Don't ever forget that your old man loves you very much." He spoke before pressing the button to send the elevator up.
April took in on what just happened to her before shaking it off. "Odd."
"Tell me about it." said Little Karai, before taking the relaxing moment of riding the elevator.
"Just wanted to let you know, Karai, once this is finally over, you won't be seeing me again in the next few years. I'll be returning home after this." said April.
Little Karai looked at April with a warm smile. "I'm seriously looking forward to seeing you again, April. You are a way better partner and cool friend. Fist pump?."
April can not help but to smile and then fist pump her. She can't help but chuckle. "Man, I swear after all this short number of days, I have yet to learn what has changed you."
"Like I told you, April. Didn't happen." Little Karai looked forward with her smile still on her face. "I'm making sure that I stay the way that I currently am. Have a safe trip back to the future, partner."
April smiled before giving a nod. "Thanks."
Just when the two were saying their temporary farewells to one another they heard a loud thud which made them pull out their blasters. Having a good idea that they aren't alone up there. How right they were, as the back of the elevator was ripped out and April got roughly pulled out. She looked to see it was none other than Tiger Claw himself. Her Tiger Claw from her timeline.
"April!." Little Karai looked down worried.
"Karai, go!. I'll be fine, complete the mission!." April yelled back when the elevator went up.
"You are a clever woman. You earn my respect." Tiger Claw spoke before seeing her quickly crawl over to grab her blaster. He quickly went over there and smashed the gun with foot. "Naughty, Naughty."
April looked at Tiger Claw and responded. "For someone who broke out of prison, I would have thought the first thing you would do is go to the spa and get your feet done, because you got some sharp and dirty toenails."
"Smartass." Tiger Claw growled when picking her up with one hand and tossed her to the side and up against sturdy forged poles. "One down, and one to kill."
Little Karai exited out of the elevator with a blaster in hand ready to shoot what jumps out. Carefully being focused and keeping an eye out for her Tiger Claw while making her way to her destination. With alertness, Little Karai quickly ducked from having her head taken by a sharp paw as soon she heard a tiger growl. She quickly got to her feet and let out a few shots at her moving target, but didn't get him quickly enough when he climbed up and just shot at the air.
"Here, kitty, kitty." Little Karai called out when resuming to walk forward while circulating around herself in the process. "Where are you?."
"Here!." Tiger Claw (2006) jumped out from hiding and attacked Karai.
Little Karai tried to shoot but got her gun knocked out of her hands. Tiger Claw of her time jumped in for the kill, if it wasn't for Little Karai's smart thinking in pulling out his mini katana and stabbed his left eye.
"Ah!." Tiger Claw (2006) roared in pain before getting kicked in his right knee.
"Like to have that back, thank you, it's my favorite weapon." Little Karai grabbed the handle of the kanata before doing a slice motion with it and then pulled it right out of head. Resulted in having his eyeball yanked out from his socket and currently on her blade. "Oooo, have fun reading with only one eye, tiger man."
Little Karai removed the unfunctional eyeball off her blade by using a pillar before putting her weapon back. Tiger Claw (2006) roared before climbing down to give her a guess to where he would turn up next. As for future Tiger Claw, he had his blaster at the ready and ready to kill this year's Karai and succeed his mission and get his revenge at the same time. April manages to follow where he went while grabbing a loose pipe that she could find. She took a swing on his back which didn't stun him. Tiger Claw looked back at April and whacked her away hard like an irritating fly or wasp. April quickly tried her hardest to grab onto something as she was seconds away from completely falling down to her death.
"Think, April, think." April tells herself this when making her way back up and goes chasing after him.
Thinking very hard on what would get Tiger Claw's full attention and distracted long enough for Karai to put the device on the shuttle. Then it hit her like a ton of freshly made heavy-duty bricks. The one thing that Tiger Claw hates in the whole world and that is his nickname.
"Hey, Tiger Claw The Savage, we're not done scraping!." April called to him. "Come on, Tiger Claw The Savage, don't know me."
Tiger Claw hears her calling his name with the irritating titled name that everyone gives him. He knows exactly what she is trying to do at this very moment but is trying so hard to be willing to ignore her, and stay focused in helping his past self in ending Karai's life but April isn't letting out.
"Hey, Tiger Claw The Savage?. Oh, Savage?. Savage?. Oh, Tiger Claw The Savage?." April made herself sound very annoying and saw that it was working when hearing a heavy angered growled.
Tiger Claw turned right around to face April screamed. "It's just Tiger Claw!."
Tiger Claw took the moment to grab April by her neck before slamming her up against the metal wall. April feels the rough grip that he is putting on her but is willing to do whatever it takes to save the future.
"You wasted your prison escape. You could have gone anywhere. Lay low, get missing, or even start out having a straight arrow. But no, you and all the other convicts or bad guys that I fought over the years as an agent of NIB, you guys always wanted either revenge or wanting to pick up on where you left off. Don't you comprehend or understand?. You're going to lose." said April, in all seriousness in the whole universe.
Tiger Claw chuckled in response. "Like I said before with everyone that I come across when they do something like that." He got closer to her face. "Let's agree to disagree."
He threw her away at a few feet before refocusing back to his mission. April slowly stood up halfway as she is no match against a once human now mutated tiger, and she no longer has a blaster to shoot him dead. She would dare throw her ninja skills on him but that won't do any good based on where they are standing. She looked down at her digital watch to see what time it is until relaxation has hit.
"Time." April thinks to herself. "That's it. That's how I beat him."
Making sure that her plan is carefully taught out perfectly with no issues as this is indeed the only chance and only opportunity for her to do this. With confidence with the side of determination, April got back to her feet after setting the ideal dial on her time travel device. Tiger Claw sees Little Karai working on climbing the long metal pipe roof where she threw the device on top by accident, after his past self had scared her to prevent getting closer to the shuttle. He grinned proudly when seeing he had an excellent clear shot to murder her. He pointed his blaster at her and is seconds from pulling the trigger until he once again hears April's irritating mouth.
"Hey, Tiger Claw The Savage!." April got his attention. "If you're going to murder my best friend, then please why stop with just her?."
Tiger Claw, having no idea that he is being suckered into her plan, gave it a good thought. "You know what?. You're absolutely right."
He turned to face his blaster at April who she motioned him to do it before running towards him. Tiger Claw started firing his blast right at the body of April and shot her at her most vulnerable spots.
"One…" April sucked her teeth when a blast made contact to her left side of her stomach. She temporarily stopped when being hit in the kneecap. "Two…" Another one hits her right in the abdomen. "Three…"
Despite the unbearable pain and oozing of her blood, April finally reached Tiger Claw and tackled him right off the platform and the two fell down facing their assumed doom. April looks down to see the device's percentage had finally reached one hundred and green, she then pressed the screen and their surroundings morphed through time to Tiger Claw's realization of what was going on. In an instant, the two started right back over with April only remembering what just happened since she is the user of her time device. She got back to her feet and smirked at the reset.
"Hey, Tiger Claw The Savage!?." April replayed the moment as Tiger Claw started shooting.
Tiger Claw looked in utter shock when seeing her dodge every blast he fired as if she knew exactly where he was aiming at. April chuckled when backflipping and did a quick spin before halfway tackled him but stopped midway. Tiger Claw pushed her off of him before looking at her and realized she did something to guess where he was shooting.
"This…This…This…" Tiger Claw looked at her in disbelief. "This can not be right."
April crocked her head to the side before mocking him. "Let's agree to disagree." She instantly uppercut him right off the platform as he fell his way to the solid concrete ground looking at her.
Tiger Claw's mind can't not process what just actually happened at that very moment. His efforts and plan of sweet revenge is all hitting to the ground with him in it. "This can not be right!."
April watching him disappear as soon he fell through the thick clouds of engine smoke with a loud tiger roar. She then turns her attention to see Little Karai inches away from getting the device but then this timeline's Tiger Claw grabs it.
"Got it!." Tiger Claw (2006) grinned in victory and took this moment to be a fool. "You see?. I am way better than my future self. I succeeded where he failed."
Little Karai instantly fired her blaster after ignoring him, as the blast busted the pipe and sprouted out a cold mist. The cold mist is absolute sub zero as it made contact with Tiger Claw's arm and frozen it solid. Then without taking any chances, Little Karai fired another shot aiming at his frozen arm which shattered with Tiger Claw (2006) falling off and making contact with a few structures until he was nowhere in sight. April jumps in utter joy as she sees not only that Karai lived but also the fate of Earth is saved.
"That's my girl!." April clapped like she was at the Super Bowl cheering for her team. "That's my partner!."
Little Karai didn't hear April's support due the loud engine roar of the ship as she quickly stuck the device on top before turning around to make a break for it, right as soon as she heard the intercom sounding off the countdown. April too hurried herself out of the area as she remembered the zipline spot. Jumped off from where she was with a backflip, April rushed her way to that area while Little Karai was already there and took hold of the bars and zipped her way out. The same Senior Master Sergeant was waiting patiently until he saw her zipping her way towards him before rushing over to her.
"Where's your partner from the future?." He asked her when the two started running for safer distance.
"She went back to her own time." Little Karai answered while running.
April was halfway out from the blast range before jumping off to land on a bunch of bushes. The countdown reached one and the roaring of the boosters hit maximum as April ducked from getting her eardrums from getting destroyed or anything else, while Little Karai and the Sergeant dropped down and stayed there until it was safe. Tiger Claw on the other hand wasn't fortunate due to him being extremely close to the ship's rocket and got swallowed in flames before becoming ashes. April got up to see the ship fly out with a big relief. Little Karai and the Sergeant looked up at the sky as well in astonishment.
"Beautiful!." Little Karai responded with enthusiasm.
The Sergeant shook his head in agreement. "You can say that again, little girl. Man, you have got to love aerospace science and technology."
The ship exited itself out of the earth's layered atmosphere and headed it's way to its destination, while the Arc Shield flew off and exploded to unleash its energy and shield the whole planet. They did it. They saved the future and saved the world once again. April looked and heard at a good distance where Karai and the man took the moment to still look at the sky.
"You know…if you want to stay having this type of special excitement and endless adventures…" Little Karai looked at him with a warm smile. "Then I know a secret organization that is always looking for new agents with such skills like yourself, if you get what I mean. What's your first name anyway?."
"It is Kirby." Kirby responded before shaking his head. "And unfortunately, I must decline your offer. It is not in the cards for me."
Little Karai nodded. "Understandable."
April exhaled in relief while still having her smile in place. "Well, Karai, see you in 2028."
As April was slowly making her way out while figuring out which type of transportation she should use to return to New York, suddenly something unexpected happened at that very moment. The same door that they used for the tunnel entrance to get to the platform, Tiger Claw (2006) busted through in utter anger as he pointed his blaster right at Little Karai. Kirby saw this coming as soon as he saw the door busted open.
"Look out!." Kirby pushes her out of the way and takes multiple shots to his chest and falls dead.
Little Karai instantly pulled out her blaster and pointed out her gun in seriousness. "Don't move."
"Go ahead, little girl." Tiger Claw (2006) threw his empty gun to the ground while having foamed salvia running down his mouth. "Arrest me. Let's repeat history."
Little Karai remembers back what April told her if she came across her Tiger Claw and given what has happened in the future, she wasn't going to make the same mistake her future self have made with this criminal.
"No." Little Karai shook her head. "I'm not arresting you this time. It's shoot to kill this time."
Tiger Claw (2006) let out a loud roar and charged right at her but didn't get the opportunity to make contact with her. In an instant, Little Karai fires her gun and watches the blast make contact with Tiger Claw, and sees him being reduced to bits and pieces of blast residue and his own fur. He is completely dead. It was all finally over at the cost of tragic death. Little Karai rushes over and bent down to Kirby who lay dead with his blood oozing out of his own chest. April looked on in utter disbelief as it was so fast that she didn't respond quickly.
"Regardless of winning or losing in any timeline in that moment of history, death will always have its moment." April spoke to herself when remembering what Gwen told her yesterday night.
But the biggest thing that April wants to know the moment she arrived in 2006, is what Renet meant by her being actually there when it all happened. She has yet gotten that answer throughout this whole entire time. So she thought. When Karai was taking the moment of silence for Kirby, his Jeep's passenger door opened up before out came a little girl in a yellow skirt.
"Daddy?. Daddy?." came the voice of the ginger haired girl.
Little Karai closed her eyes in emotional pain as she knows who that girl is calling to. Managing to stand up, she went over to that little girl and prevented her from walking even further upon seeing her dead father. "Hi, you. What's up?."
"Oh, hi. I'm looking for my Daddy." She tilted her head. "Have you seen him?."
April watches Little Karai having issues lying for the first time ever as she didn't say a word or dare move from her spot to assist her for some bizarre reason. Something within her felt like it all tingly as if she was connected to this. But she can't. Or is she?.
"Hey, uh, let's start over." Little Karai touched her chest. "I'm Karai. And you are?."
The ginger haired girl smiled back and answered. "I'm April. April O'Neil."
Little Karai and April were both utterly shocked from what that girl just said about what her name is. April gasped in utter disbelief and in utter shock beyond comprehension. That little girl was her!. April's mind started to slowly come together on the realization of everything.
"If…If that little girl is me. Then…that man, Kirby…is…is…" April's eyes slowly start to water and her chest feeling all shattering. "My father."
Little Karai never expected to encounter April again as a kid herself in this situation of all things. She slowly managed to continue with the conversation. "Hey, uh, what's that in your hand?."
Little April snapped out from the question being asked before happily showing her what is in her hand. "It is a pocket watch!. My Daddy gave it to me. He said it once belonged to my great great grandfather who fought in something called WW2, whatever that is. It's neat, right?."
"Yeah…" Little Karai nodded when looking at the watch. "It sure is."
April pulls out her pocket watch from her pocket as she can't believe that this is her past self meeting Karai for the very first time ever to her new knowledge. Little April's smile slowly drops when thinking about her father.
"Where is my Daddy?." Little April asked Karai again.
Little Karai, feeling extremely regret and guilt ridden, decided what then and there on what she should do in honor of Kirby and ensuring that this April will be an NIB agent in future. "Well, April, your daddy is going away for a good long while, and he instructed me to watch over his favorite little girl."
April felt the cry choke in her throat when seeing the full white lie that Little Karai is giving to her past self. She kept crying to herself and didn't make any sudden noise in order to prevent from being detected.
"So…we're like sisters?." Little April spoke with little warm excitement.
"Why, yes, it is just like that." Little Karai, having a really hard time to keep from breaking down in tears, answered.
"But…" Little April sadly spoke. "When will my Daddy be coming back to me?."
Little Karai put her head down before looking to the side away from see Little April and not seeing April from the future as her facial expression has completely changed. There. Right there is what April sees. The same serious unemotional look that she always sees from her Karai. She just never thought that she herself would be the big cause of it all.
Little Karai turned back to face Little April while pulling out her shades to put on. "April?. The only simple answer that you needed to know is from here. Please, look right into this red part."
Little April did what was instructed to her as Little Karai pushes the button of her neuralyzer and the red light flashes right into the girl's eyes, removing the memory of what has happened in order to make a full clean start. April allowed her tears to fall down her face as she knows that this must be done for her own future sake.
Little Karai put away her neuralyzer and shades before looking at Little April with a serious face, and giving her a very serious straight to the point answer. "April, you're Daddy is our planet's biggest hero."
"My Daddy is our planet's biggest hero?." Little April asked.
Little Karai nodded. "Yes, he is. Come." She stood up. "Let's go and grab ourselves some shaved ice. You like Pelican's Snoballs?."
"Oooo, yes, I love them!." Little April responded before letting Little Karai take her hand.
"Great. Let's go." Little Karai leads the way and far away from her future friend's dead father and goes to find themselves a Pelican shop.
April watches them walk away while her tears still fall on, finally learning the truth as to why Karai is the way she was. Not out of emotionlessness or being a straight bitch, but out of guilt and pain that she has to carry throughout her whole life. She continues watching them for a short period before leaving. Little April broke free from Little Karai's hand when seeing a nice pretty seashell and wanted to check it out.
"O'Neil." Little Karai called her back without looking back before feeling the girl's hand back into hers.
"Sorry, friend." Little April responded.
In a blink of an eye and going through the whole time traveling process, April snapped back to herself as she slowly started to let herself settle as she looks around on what is around and in front of her, and sees New York the way that she has left it before traveling back to 2006. She is finally back home in 2028. And based upon the sun's horizon it is in fact morning time. With that in mind, April carefully made her way off the tip of the building and made her way to the specific diner to where she sees and expects to find. There, at the counter booth surprisingly singing Empire State of Mind with such emotion and body movement, Karai nodded her head and was really enjoying the music to April's surprise and delight as she never saw this side of her at all.
"These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York." Karai sang like a soul sister and even followed the final piano note.
April sat down beside her while examining her. She couldn't believe she was seeing Karai actually smiling for once and it felt great. "Good Morning."
Karai looked to see April and quickly stopped smiling and resumed her seriousness. "You're late."
"Really?. Um…sorry…I…lost track of time. Literally." April responded before grabbing her mug of coffee.
"That's no excuse for our line of work, O'Neil, now drink up and eat your pie." Karai grabs her cup. "We have a full day ahead of us."
"Right, Right." April set her mug down and wanted to be confirmed if everything was back to the way it was or better. "Let's recap. Did you stop the Boglodite Invasion?."
"Uh, yes, I did." Karai looks at April with a brow raised. "I put up the Arc Shield and prevent those bastards from touching Earth."
"Good, and did you kill Tiger Claw?." April pushed further.
"Yes, silly, I killed Tiger Claw The Savage back in 2006. Great time to live and be alive." Karai responded before cutting a piece of her lemon pie before putting it in her mouth. "Anything else that you want to ask me as if I am in a game show."
April swallowed her piece of strawberry pie. "Yes, I have more. We went to Yang Yang's restaurant last night and he is alive, yes?."
"Last time I checked, yes. His noodles are ass." Karai spoke before sipping her coffee.
"And we talked over the phone last night, right?." April happily asked after hearing everything was back to normal and then some.
"Why, yes, we did talk over the phone but it was cut short, due to you being rude and hanging up on me." Karai looked at her partner.
"Yeah, I know, and I am very sorry for doing that." April pulls out her pocket watch and sets it on the table for them to both see. "You said you wanted to talk about the most painful thing that scares you the most in life. Well, I am here to tell you that the most painful thing that scared us had happened a really long time ago, and I for one am glad that we were able to shield each other from the pain that scares us."
Karai's signature emotionless face dropped to sadness as she realized that April remembers that day in 2006 on the 4th of July, let alone realized that this is the same April that went back in time to prevent her own death and the fall of earth. April smiled warmly.
"And I just wanted to tell you, Karai, that I thank you for what you do for me throughout my whole life. My Dad is grateful for what you did for me. You being my personal guardian that lurks in the shadows." said April.
"It has been my utmost honor, April." Karai looks at April with a warm smile on her face. "Welcome, back to our time, buddy. Took you long enough."
April chuckled before putting her pocket watch back into her pocket. "Well, since, now that I know just about everything back in 2006. I should know everything that has happened after I traveled back."
"Oh, doubt it, bestie." Karai, who had a full smile as she got up to exit out of the diner with April following.
"I can guess how you and Ron have been hooking up when you two got older." April teased with a toothy grin.
Karai couldn't help but smile even bigger with blush. "Me and Ron know better in expressing our love for each other and follow the rules of NIB. Besides, we gave each other our virginity in the back of the car when we turned twelve years old."
"Oooo, you hound dog!." April excitedly spoke.
While the two exit out of the diner fully, Gwen, who hasn't aged at all, was sitting on the other side with her fish sandwich in front of her and watching the moment that had happened before looking back at the fourth wall audience.
Gwen, who is smiling big, spoke. "This moment in time is one of the greatest moments in time." Then her smile slowly drops. "Unless, this is the scenario where Karai didn't leave the bill payment and tip. Thus, this is the moment of time when this massive meteorite comes heading to collide with earth and not only destroy the planet and kill us all, but the impact vibration itself will spread and destroy the entire solar system as well."
When seeing this in that time scenario, Gwen looks up at the ceiling to where she sees her genetic powers showing the meteorite heading towards earth to her scare. That is until Karai came back with a hundred dollar bill and set it down on the side of the booth she was in. She looked at Gwen and shrugged and smiled.
"Oops, forgot to pay and leave a tip." Karai waved at her. "See you later, Gwen."
Gwen nodded. "You too, Karai."
As soon as Karai happily exits, Gwen looks back at the coming meteorite and sees it make contact with a satellite, and sees it get destroyed to her major relief as she lets out her holded breath.
Gwen looks back at the audience in the fourth wall with a look of happiness. "Damn, that was a close one."
THE END
(AN): And finally we are officially done!. Man, I can't believe that it took me six years to finally finish this story!. Wow, time can surely fly when you least expect it. Thank you, guys for your continuing support for this story. I truly appreciate it. Now, I know some of you are waiting for me to take my hand on my own version of Men In Black International. Unfortunately, guys, I have not seen or plan on watching it, due to being a real fan and wanting to see Agent K and Agent J back in the main plot. The studio should seriously hurry up in doing one last Men In Black movie while we still have Tommy Lee Jones and make the movie be the passing of the torch movie.
Now, I will be doing my version of Men In Black the series eventually and I will be having a lot of fun with it, since that is going to be full of creativity on my own with the assistance of each episode of the series. I am looking forward to seeing you guys later when I post it.
