Posted by Short Round from 1Cust153.tnt3.fort-lauderdale.fl.da.uu.net on October 14, 1999 at 12:03:44:
Chapter XVI
Jerico and the gang lay unconscious in the crashed pod! Ulla woke up dizzy. She shook her head which was throbbing with pain! Rubbing her eyes, she focused her view on all the knocked out people with her. She heard the sound of fuel dripping.
ìEveryone!î She yelled on the top of her lungs. ìGet up! Get up! Weíre gonna blow up in here!î
ìHuh?î Jerico weakly grunted as he was waking up from Ulla kicking his seat. ìIím up Iím up!î He exclaimed.
He shook his head. He attempted to get out of his seat which was no use. He tried unbuckling his seat belt which was jammed!
ìOh no, come on! Come on! Please, please!î He yelled as he yanked on it.
ìOh no, this is bad! Very bad!î Ulla nervously exclaimed.
ìHold on, hold on!î Jerico barked. ìWeíll get out of he-ì The pod slightly lurched back as it was slipping out of the hole it created in the cloning machine!
ìWhoa!î Jerico exclaimed as he slipped out of his belt!
ìFinally you got out of there!î Ulla said. ìNow let me out!î
ìAlright, alright, alright!î Jerico defended as he climbed the seats to Ulla.
He yanked three times very hard on it and finally got it out on the fourth try! Ulla got out.
ìWhat are you waiting for?î She asked as she went for the door. ìWe donít have time, this baby could blow any second!î
ìWell Iím not leaving my friends!î Jerico yelled back. Jerico slapped their faces and rocked their seats. ìCome on, wake up-ì Jerico slipped and bumped into Ulla as the pod lurched back again! The rest of the gang woke up grunting.
ìGood, guys come on, his thing is going to blow!î Ulla said.
ìCome on!î Jerico and Ulla help the gang out of their seat belts. From their weight climbing to the door, the whole thing lurched again! They grabbed onto the closest thing next to them. Michaelson flew passed everyone and into the corridor the pod bashed into! He started to roll down the corridor and stopped finally. He got up all dizzy.
ìWhoa!î He exclaimed as he staggered back and forth.
Jericoís legs were sticking out the hole and he dropped down easily and staggered a few feet. He looked up and helped Ulla down and then down came Goodsport tumbling on them.
ìWhoa, watch it!î Jerico exclaimed as he helped Ulla up.
They all got up, and holding Ullaís hand, Jerico ran down the hall with the others as fast as they could as the pod exploded! They tumbled down the hallway at a fast speed! They finally got up. A couple figures dashed down the hall. They were able to make out James and Aragorn.
ìJames!î Ulla yelled as she ran and hugged him.
ìYou missed me for only an hour and knew me for less and are already missing me huh? I guess Iím likeable. Or loveable.î Everyone laughed at Jamesí remark.
ìSo, howíd you make it here?î Michaelson asked.
ìItís a long story.î James replied.
ìThe mysterious attacker?î Ulla asked.
ìDead.î James replied. ìAnd we happened to bump into our old little friend.î
ìWho?î Michaelson asked.
ìSauron.î James replied. ìOh yeah, Aragorn, what ever happened to him? Last time I seen him he made you drop me.î
ìWell we got in a huge fight and a pipe got loose letting out a barrage of steam and then I fell down and followed you.î Aragorn replied.
ìYou fell down?î Ulla asked. ìWhere?î
ìWellÖî James started, feeling that he was cool and crafty. ìAragorn was holding onto my wrist when Sauron comes up and messes him up making him drop me. I start to free fall all the way down to the cloning machine. Then Aragorn did as he kicked the crap out of Sauron.î
Aragorn smirked.
ìYeah, I guess I did.î Aragorn showed off.
They heard footsteps coming their way.
ìWhatís that?î Ulla asked
A figure jumped in front of them wielding a machine gun.
ìOk!î He exclaimed. ìWhich one of you want it first, Phoenix scum?î
ìWhoa, whoa, take it easy!î James replied as him and the rest of the gang held up their hands. ìWe can solve this. Just put the gun away pal!î
ìWeíre not going to solve this you Phoenix scum! This bullet will solve it!î The man aimed his rifle.
ìWell uhÖ how do you know weíre with the Phoenix group?î James nervously asked.
ìWho else would wear that emblem on their jacket?î
The gang looked down at their jackets.
ìOh, I see!î James exclaimed.
ìWell I guess you will get the bullet first, lad!î The man aimed his rifle again.
ìWhat do you want with us?î Ulla yelled. ìWho are you anyway?î
ìIím an ex-Dark World Order pilot! My jet was shot down by a Phoenix helicopter. I was one of the best MiG pilots in my league!î The man looked angrily at them. ìNow they gave me the job of supervising this cloning machine! I am injured, wounded, and I owe it all to the Phoenix group!î
Whoa crap! Could this be one of the guys that our Phoenix Group helicopter shot down before entering Valinor? Goodsport thought.
ìWell now you will meet your doom!î The man raised his rifle yet again.
ìWell uh, dude youíre forgetting one thing!î James said.
ìHuh?î The man grunted.
ìWhat the heck is that?î James yelled as he pointed behind the guy.
The man looked quickly and was met with a fist to the jaw as James slugged him! The man staggered back when James ran up to him and grabbed him by the wrists! He threw him up against the wall on one side of the hallway and hit him on the other, then back again! He kneed him in the stomach which left the guy groaning on the floor. They all ran down the corridor! The guy got up staggering with his gun and fired! He hit the hallway wall clumsily! They turned to meet a heavy metal door and a few crates around.
ìI guess this is like a storage room. But without room!î James said.
ìWe have no time!î Ulla yelled. ìHeís coming!î
ìEveryone, back away from the door!î Jerico yelled as he took out a pistol. He shot at the door a few times and it opened. They all looked at Jerico.
ìWell donít just ponder, go in! Iíll hold off our little friend a while!î Jerico commanded.
They all ran in one by on and Jerico stood behind. He was closing the door when a bullet went whizzing passed his head and ricocheting off the door! He ducked behind a few crates by reaction as a few more hit where he was before he moved!
ìWhoa!î He exclaimed.
He peered around the crate to see the psycho aiming! The goon fired and hit a few inches from Jerico.
ìWhy do these shots have to be so close?î Jerico ironically said to himself.
Jerico reloaded and turned around and fired a few shots which got the guy to hide behind a crate for cover. Jerico was in the ready as the goon turned to fire. Jerico shot and missed by inches! He got carried away and fired three more after the guy ducked.
ìAlmost got him!î Jerico hissed to himself.
Both him and the guy came up from behind the crates at the same time and started firing! One of the guys bullets nearly touched Jericoís arm by a hair! He clutched it and fired with the other hand as the man hid back behind the crates! Out of anger, Jerico fired shots at the crates the man was hiding behind which served to no use! The man came up and returned Jericoís fire which made Jerico go down a few inches and back up again, still firing! The battle ensued, very close to a loss! They were both hiding behind crates reloading! The man came up slowly from his crate! On his stomach, Jerico peered from the side of the crate and swiftly slid out! He fired at the man and a bullet caught the guys gun! He ducked behind the crates quickly as the gun flew from where he was! Jerico made the move and ran through the large metal door! The man came out from where he was and grabbed the gun and followed out the door! As he made it in the storage room, Jerico came from beside the door and tackled the goon to the floor! Their guns flew from reach and they wrestled with their lives!
- - -
They were half a mile from the baseÖ
ìI canít go on any longer!î Shorty said.
ìMe neither, but me have to!î Indy replied.
Their feet were killing them, they felt drained, they havenít eaten for days and were totally exhausted!
After more walkng, they reached the demolished base!
ìNo!î Shorty yelled. ìThey destroyed it! Those bastards! They destroyed it!î
They all looked at it, tears forming in their eyes.
ìJamesÖî Brett mumbled under his breath.
ìTheyíre all dead!î Shorty exclaimed.
Indy formed a fist. They all were mad and crying for the sake of their friends. Had they died?
- - -
The goon crawled to his gun! Jerico tackled him down again and now on top of him slugged him a few times! Jerico ran to the gun and the goon tripped him! His hand hit the gun and it rolled down a small exhaust hole! Jerico was getting up when the man kicked him in the side! He kept on kicking and kicking him! He picked up Jericoís gun and aimed it at him.
ìNow, fool, you will die!î He said as he aimed it.
He considered for a few seconds and then raised it in the air. He shot three times before holding Jerico at gunpoint.
ìIf you want your friend alive, surrender yourself!î He yelled.
- - -
Michaelson peered over one of the many crates in the storage room. He seen Jerico and the goon.
I got a plan! He thought. He looked up at the many catwalks and ran to a ladder on the end of the room. He climbed it carefully and quietly. Reaching the catwalk and climbed on it. He was over them and watched them carefully. He slipped and held on tightly as he swung over them! He climbed up and rested a few minutes on the catwalk. He looked around him and noticed a rope for lowering and raising crates. A smirk spread across his face as he positioned himself on the catwalk. He jumped from it and grabbed onto the rope when the goon looked up, taking his distraction off of Jerico. He raised the gun at Michaelson who was swinging to one side of the room! The goon fired and missed. Michaelson pushed off from the wall and headed toward Jerico and the goon! The goon started firing impatiently and missed! Michaelson slammed into the goon also knocking down Jerico! He kicked the man in the face and helped Jerico up.
ìWhoa, thanks for saving me!î Jerico said as he got up.
ìNo time for that now, letís get out of here!î Michaelson said as they ran to the crates!