by BEAGLE BOY
* Part 7 *
**********
Upon reaching the location, Bart breathed deeply. "Son," he said to Allen, "I have to go in first. The rest of you can follow, but you and I must stay as far apart as possible."
"But ..." came the protest.
"I didn't want to risk you coming here. But I knew that not a battle to fight. This is. I will not rosk you and me both."
Allen hung his head.
"Son, I know how much you wanted to go in by my side. But we need to stay as far apart as possible. If there is a trap in there, he won't be able to get both of us. Please understand."
As his Grandpa just said, Allen, too, knew this was not a battle to fight. As much he wanted to disagree, he knew Bart was right.
Anthony stepped to the front. "Okay, this is it," he said, getting everybody's attention. "Lucien and Brian, you find the crown jewels. And get them back here SAFELY! Des, you and Michael find Junior and Sasha. James, you're too close, so you stay with us. Is that clear? Lash, keep those knives handy and stay close to Allen. James, you're with Mr. Allen. Candace, you stick with Paul and me. We've got any stragglers that decide to join in. Mark, you keep an eye on Cru. Cru, you have GOT to try to use your limited telepathy you have to knock out Thawn. He's the major threat. I think one blast from you should do the trick. At least it'll buy us some time. After giving Mark that command to stay out of your fight earlier, he will probably recognize the signs from Thawne sooner than anyone else. At that point, either of you take him out. Mr. Allen and James will handle the clone. Allen and Lash will run interference and help out where necessary. Let's go."
Bart took off ahead of the others. He vibrated through the doors a split second before they were blasted off. The rest of the group gasped. Allen began to charge ahead.
Lash caught his collar and warned him to stay put. "Now, more than ever," he whispered, "you have got to keep your cool. It's your job to take out your toughest opponent -- yourself."
Tears began to stream down Allen's face.
"How do you like it so far," announced Thawne. "This will be such a GLORIOUS day! I will FINALLY be rid of the Allen's!"
"Is that what I think it is," whispered Candace.
Squinting at it, Des sighed. "It is. It's a matter/anti-matter mix chamber. If we can't get him out of there..." but the rest of his reply went unsaid, as he and Candace looked at Allen.
"Lucien, Brian," Anthony whispered. "Go. Now, while there's still time. You too, Des, Michael."
"THAWNE" roared Allen. Quick as a thought, he was off. As he neared Thawne, he noticed something block his path, and he was unable to dodge. He bounced off the object, only to realize it was himself. Or rather, his clone.
"Hello, again, 'dear brother,'" it snarled.
"Blast it," hissed Anthony. "Everybody," he shouted, "You have your assignments. Go! James, stick by Mr. Allen! GET HIM OUT OF THERE!"
"Guys," yelled Cru, "we've got company!"
More doors burst open, and more "soldiers" similar to the kind Cru went toe to toe with began charging the group.
Finding a terminal, Desmond tapped in to the main security system.
"Okay," he started. "There is a prisoner being held on C level, 5 floors down."
"Great," shot Lucien. "Now what about the jewels?"
"What is so special about them, anyway," asked Michael.
"You've heard the legend of Excaliber, right," explained Brian. He waited for Michael to nod before continuing. "Well, the crown jewels are like Excaliber. Whoever holds the jewels rules England. Granted, it's all a bit outdated, but still, tradition runs very deep."
"Hard to make out, but it seems like there is a massive security build up in the same section as the prisoners are being held. Makes sense, I guess. Build the security up in one section, so you don't have to duplicate your efforts."
"Lead the way," ordered Brian.
"Not this time," snarled Cru, as one of the behemoths ran up to him. Sparkles flew from his hands, and nearly instantaneously, the creature froze in his tracks. "Ha," grinned Cru. "I KNEW cleaning the lubrication out of those parts would work." Another began rushing towards him. Once again, sparkles shot forth from his finger tips, but this time, to the floor. The floor became clean and polished, and sent the second one
spinning wildly. "Candace," he yelled, just in time for her to move out of the way.
When Candace lept out of the way, she landed her foot on the glass jaw of yet another. "They aren't so tough when you get them on equal footing," she thought. As she came back down, she whirled and swept the floor low and hard with her leg, causing still another to fall. Two more rushed in to take its place. Candace jumped out of the way just in time for the two to crash headlong in to each other. She landed with her back to Anthony.
"Every consider fishnets," Anthony grinned.
"In your dreams," grinned Candace, right back at him.
Anthony used the Lardforce to ground himself against the next couple of blows from the cyborgs descending upon him. Once again, Candace jumped out of the way to continue her battle with these monsters. With each blow, however, Anthony began to get weaker and smaller. He attempted to drain the fat from the creatures attacking them, but no such luck. They appeared to be more machinery than human. With his reserves quickly depleting, he took a deep breath. Yes. There was the answer. Summoning what he had left, he managed one final blast. Luckily, it did knock his attackers out. The lubrication used in their mechanical limbs. It wasn't a pure source, but hopefully, it WOULD be enough to get him through the battle.
"Finally," smiled Allen. "We see what happens when an irresistable force comes in contact with an immovable object." Or was it Allen?
"You have no idea what I can do," warned the other.
"On the contrary. I know everything you can do. And more. So much more."
The two licked the blood from his lips. A coldness overtook one set of eyes. This would be the final battle for one of them. If not both. A flurry of fists rained in the immediate area. It was impossible to tell how many of them hit their intended mark. It was an almost invisible fight as the two began to vibrate, even faster. They began to move closer to one of the walls. The wall proved no barrier. They were moving so fast, and vibrating at such a high frequency that they slipped right through it.
Whirling, Mark used his attacker's own weight and speed against him. The marble column began to shudder at the impact. In the same motion, he managed to grab another, and toss him over the shoulder, to join the marble column. He inched his way closer and closer to his target. As soon as Cru got close enough to begin the initial attack, Thawne was going down. But with every step, he encountered more of these ... "things."
"It's locked," grumbled Michael. "Anybody got the combination?"
"Yeah," frowned Des. Commanding the magnetic fields at his command, the computerized lock shorted out. "Knock, knock."
The doors slid open. There was Sasha, and Junior. Junior in a cage, and Sasha strapped to a table. Junior was wailing. Sasha appeared to be alive, but definately not awake. But what was troubling was the lack of guards.
"Stop," warned Michael. Surveying the situation, he found what he was looking for. Electronic eyes. All around the two prisoners. And even more in the back of the room. Unfortunately, there were no less than a dozen in front of the door. There was no way in. "Lucien, see what you can do with these things with your sparkles."
Lucien eased up next to the doorway. Lowering his head, he began to concentrate. Slowly, the air around him began to shimmer, then sparkle. That was when they all heard the click. Lucien stopped immediately. A light began blinking under the cage holding Junior and under the table where Sasha was strapped.
"Brian, it's up to you."
Brian slid up next to the door, where Lucien had been. He concentrated. His breathing increased. Now, there were two of him on the other side of the door. Luckily, his father being Carggite enabled him to split in three.
"Can you find some sort of access panel," asked Michael.
"Yeah," replied Brian number three. "I found one."
"Don't move," ordered Michael. We don't know where the rest of the eyes are."
"Where is it," asked Des.
"About 4 meters to your left. The wall is about half a meter thick," said Brian number three."
"Do you really think you can pull this off," asked Brian number one.
"The eyes are encased and sealed away so even your magnetic powers are unable to affect them. We know very little about the terminal set-up in this nightmare. Be careful," ordered Michael.
Des walked to the where the terminal was. He struggled to manipulate the data going in the system, and even struggled reading the data as it came through. It would have been so much easier if he could see it with his eyes instead of relying solely on the magnetic waves emitted from the other side of the wall. Frustration set in. Is that it? Give it 5 seconds for the built in delay. Three. Two. One.
"YEAH," the rest of them cheared. The laser eyes were finally down. All four of them rushed in. Des wiped the sweat from his brow. Brian re-integrated, and walked over to Junior's cage. With the security gone, there was not danger. The red light had stopped blinking. He eased the wailing Junior out. Michael unstrapped Sasha.
"Look," grinned Lucien.
"Oh no. I know that look," moaned Brian. "Let's leave, Lucien. NOW!"
"The jewels," he squeeled. "They're here!"
Michael carried Sasha back out in the corridor. "C'mon, Sash. Wake up!"
Sasha began stirring.
"Sasha," whined Junior.
"Easy on the noise, Junior," pleaded Sasha, as he struggled to prop himself on his elbows.
"Des is bringing Lucien out," sighed Brian.
"Look at them. Isn't it marvelous?"
"Lucien, we have got to ... oh ..... my ..... gosh!"
"What is it," asked Lucien, cradeling the crown jewels with a death grip. His eyes followed Des' and rested upon a truly magical sight. "It was thought to be only legend."
"Is that truly what I think it is?"
Lucien could only nod. Such a magnificient thing.
"I've GOT to try," said Des, running over.
"Honey, of you can pull Excaliber out of there, I'll just ... HA! I knew you couldn't!" It was almost a gloat. "Let ME show you how it's supposed to be done."
Lucien joined Des, and Des stepped aside. Lucien placed both hands on Excaliber, and firmly began to pull up. Much to his surprise, and Des', it began to move. Smooth as silk against silk.
"I did it," exclaimed Lucien. "I did it!!"
Alarms began to blare, and Des looked up. There was a white cloud descending.
"C'mon, Queen of England. That's halon gas." With that, Des grabbed Lucien by the collar and drug him out of the room, both holding their breath. They made it to the door as it was closing, not a second to spare.
Paul grabbed another metal rod and called forth his magnetic powers to send it straight through another creature. They were finally getting the upper hand. The rate those ... things were coming in had dropped off tremendously. He looked down, and saw Mark in place. So was Cru. This was the moment they had all been waiting for. Behind Candace, another creature began to rise. She laid it low with one mighty kick.
"ENOUGH," announced Thawne. "Now you will see what happens when I demand JUSTICE!!" His hand slipped inside his coat pocket and produced a small box. "Now, grandson, you die!" Thawne's finger pressed the button, and to Bart's horror, matter and anti-matter began to mix in the chamber. Everyone gasped. James jumped back. He began screaming at the chamber as Bart disappeared in the energy.
There was a rumble against the back wall where Mark was waiting. Cru concentrated. Harder and harder. There it goes. That has to be it. But he heard Thawne still continue to laugh that maniacal laugh. Cru was giving it all he had. Mark began to feel a tingling in the back of his head. He struck Thawne with such force his laughter stopped as soon as he connected.
The wall then exploded. Out came the blur that had to be Allen and ... Allen. Almost instantly, the blur became two distinct figures, both panting, holding their sides. Gasping, one managed to lift his left hand, with his pinky and ring finger extended. That was the signal Lash had been waiting for. His arm went back and the knife slid in place. In one fluid movement, it was released, and straight on target. The one that gave the signal ducked and rolled, the other began laughing. As he laughed, he began vibrating his hand, and the knife started passing through it. It was either now or never. Allen reached up and slammed a fist in the side of the imposter just as the knife was halfway through his hand. The results were hidious. The knife was lodged in the hand of the other Allen. He screamed in pain. Allen managed to land an uppercut, and finished knocking out the doppleganger.
"Grandpa," he said with a start. He spun around to see the mix chamber operating. James was plaing with the controls.
Brian, Michael, Des, Lucien, Sasha, and Junior entered in the room to see the mess.
Sasha saw Thawne begin to rise and was over him in an instant, pounding him for all Sasha was worth, letting loose with a string of words that would impress even a sailor.
"NOW," screamed James. "I've triggered it, and we've got less than a minute!"
The team began to evacuate, except for Sasha, Cru, and Allen. Allen grabbed his nemisis, and looked at Cru. Cru was running for Sasha and pulled him off Thawne. They rushed out the door, but Allen glanced back, to see Thawne engulfed in a purple/black glow before he disappeared.
The others had made it as far as they could. The ground started to heave and move. A fissure appeared, leaving Cru, Sasha and Allen on the wrong side. Looking around, Lash saw a tree limb. He flung his whip over the limb and sent the the whip to the other side. Sasha was first to cross. Then Cru. As Cru sent the whip back for Allen, the limb began to crack. Allen grabbed it and held on to it for dear life. Des, Paul and Brian were busy working on a shield to protect them from the impending blast. Allen started to swing across. Anthony used the Lardforce to ground himself. Lash grabbed Anthony, and Mark grabbed Lash. That was going to be close. The limb broke. Allen was too far away from the other side. Immediately, Mark triplicated, and caught Allen's arm. Somehow, Mark managed to re-integrate his three bodies without ever letting go of Allen or Lash. Everyone left outside hurried behind the shield that was in place just as Thawne's palace was obliterated.
"Cru," panted Candace. "You okay?"
Cru nodded. Then he felt his left ear. Blood.
Candace scrambled over to check him out. Must have been one of those goons that slipped by and got a good lick on Cru. He was bleeding, but she managed to slow it down. Unfortunately, it looked like he would have a scar above his left ear.
"If that's the price I pay for winning a battle like this, I'd say we got off easy," offered Cru.
"Tell me about it," came a horse reply behind the group.
"GRANDPA!"
"I had him merge with some tachyons that were present with the mixing of the matter and anti-matter," grinned James. "It was the only solution either of us could think of."
"Allen," started Bart. But tears began to flow.
"It's okay, Grandpa. I know. And I understand. You can have it. I'd rather have you anyway."
"James, is Junior okay," asked Anthony.
"Yeah," smilled James. "Gim Allon is just fine. Just like his dad."
===========================================
"The end," sighed RJ, with a satisfied smile.
"But Mr. Brande, what happened to Allen. What did his Grandpa take from him?" asked a little boy.
RJ looked at him and answered in a soft voice, "His speed. It was the only way for Bart to ever merge with the tachyons. So Allen, aka Beagle Boy, lost most of his super speed. But not all of it. And it would come back in bursts. It just wasn't consistent. However, Allen was still the best cook the Legion of Message Board Posters ever had."
"Wow," exclaimed one of the youngsters sitting around him. "That was a great story!"
"Well, I think your parents are here to pick you up. Run along now. Don't keep them waiting," he told them, ushering them to their parents, who seemed just as mesmorized as the kids.
"Gee," he heard one girl say, as she left with her parents. "Those sounded like wonderful people."
RJ sighed again. Slowly, his right hand pulled out two tattered pieces of cloth. In a rare moment, he allowed himself to reflect in public. A tear ran down his cheek and splattered on the two pieces of cloth. Unconsciously, his left hand raised to finger an almost invisible scar above his left ear as he looked at the sketchpad and beagle patches.
"By damn, they were the best," he whispered. "By damn, the best."