Forced Alliance

Chapter 12

A/N 3rd in #THSC and 4th in #TheHenryStickminCollection AND 1K READS?!
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TYSM EVERYONE

Also, shoutout to @ElephantInDaRoom4892 for some help with this chapter

Warnings:
Say goodbye to two ships and say hello to angst
Gun warning

Tell the General: 3

Go look for Charles: 0

Look for clues: 1

Do nothing: 0

Henry's POV

I kneeled down next to the headphones, taking a closer look I knew they were Charles' headphones
     "When I find out who did this they will regret touching him" I growled softly to myself.

After I let my anger die down a bit, I stood up and made my way down the corridor to where I remembered the General's office was. I knocked on the door but didn't wait for permission to enter, I slammed open the door
     "Something has happened to Charles!" I practically yelled, my voice full of worry and anger
     "What?!" Galeforce yelped, clearly woken u from his half-asleep state among the piles of paperwork surrounding him
     "I know you said don't leave my room but I left it and as I went down the corridor, I found Charles' headphones on the floor, he never takes them off" I talk so fast that the General almost doesn't comprehend what I say, once he did though he stood up with his hands planted firmly onto the table
     "Head to the helicopter, we're going for a trip" Galeforce gave a look so harsh that I almost gulped when I saw him, he looked really mad.

We ran out, General with a gun in his hand, all the way to the helicopter (and the sky proved it was approaching dawn soon)
     "Any ideas for a location?" he asked
     "The airship and the jungle base are destroyed so they either went to their ocean base or desert base, most likely desert seeing not many can swim" I inform
     "Are you going to go ahead, stick with me, or wanna bring up the back?" the General asked me.

Go ahead

Stick with the General

Bring up the rear

A/N 2/3 of these choices will lead to death, choose wisely

Charles' POV

     "Hey, pilot guy, wake up" a voice woke me up from my sleep
     "Wh- what's going on?" I yawned
     "We're busting out of here," an energetic Rupert called out from somewhere in the room making me realised we were actually untied.

I stood up, trying not to trip over my own feet from the darkness encasing the room
     "Wait, who else is here? I swear that wasn't your voice before Rupert" I called out after finding the floor
     "That would be me, pretty sure you will recognise me once we leave the room" the other voice murmured, clearly questioning their actions.

I nod my head, not like you could see the nod anyways, and slowly made my way across the room towards the faint outline of the door from the light outside. When the door opened, I was almost blinded by how bright it was, but I didn't have to blink for long to know I wasn't seeing things when I saw who saved us. It was Burt, the current right-hand man of Sven, out of everyone I did not expect him.

     "Before you ask, I feel like Sv- um, Chief's been taking this too far, I don't think you actually want to know what he truly had planned for you guys but let's just say it wasn't pretty" Burt explained
     "Can we just get out of here please" Rupert spoke, sounding almost desperate
     "Just follow me" Burt motioned down the hallway "But be careful, it's lunch so everyone is in the cafeteria but it's meant to be over soon, I didn't come at night 'cause there will still be many people about" Burt explained quietly as we walked down the hallway.

The longer we walked, the more Burt seemed to zone out
     "Are you alright? You seem distracted" I whispered
     "Wha-? Oh, I'm fine, just thinking" he responded, going back to focusing on the hallway.

After about 5 minutes, we finally saw what seemed to be the back door, and was surprisingly unguarded
     "You should hurry now, it's only a matter of time until-" Burt was cut off by a voice behind us
     "Until what? That I notice you've disappeared? That the room we were keeping the prisoners was unlocked? That the one time everyone gathers you didn't even come for your coffee?" the voice belonged to none other than Sven himself, the look on his face was a mix between disappointment, anger, devastation and betrayal. A few other toppats stood behind him, drawing guns that were pointed right at our heads while Sven seemed more hesitant to draw his.

     "Quickly head out the door, Sven won't risk shooting me, for now anyway" Burt quickly muttered to us 
     "But-" I was cut off by the head of communications
     "Just go!" he snapped to me so hesitantly I ran out the door with Rupert practically dragging me along
     "Hold your fire!" the voice of Sven called out proving what Burt said was true.

     "I can't believe Burt just did that for us" I breathed to Rupert
     "Neither can I but we can't stop, not until we get out of here" he responded, racing out from the small porch onto the sand that surrounded the building.

     "Put your hands up where I can see them, I won't hesitate to shoot unlike the chief" a voice called out, drawing our attention to the person standing about 10 metres in front of us in a black top hat (I had no idea how we didn't notice them)
     "What's with people and trying to shoot us today" I mutter under my breath, attempting to put my hands up but my comrade stopped me
     "Shoot me, I dare you" Rupert sneered, but the moment he locked eyes with the toppat, he practically lost any confidence he had left "Wait... Dave?" he gasped, recognising the person who was in front of us
     "Long time no see Rup" Dave spoke in a monotone voice, not even attempting to lower his gun.

     "It's funny, I was gone for more than a year and nobody ever came while you were gone for a day and everyone panics over your disappearance" Rupert flinched slightly by Dave's tone, it seemed to have a hint of anger and betray in his voice
     "I- I tried looking for you Dave, I've told you this already, but I had no idea where to begin, you could have been anywhere" Rupert's voice sounded like he was trying to hold back on tears, he seemed to regret everything, but his words went through one ear and out the other
     "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Charles, you're reasonable, come back inside with Rupert and no harm will come to you both or I will shoot you both where you stand" Dave threatened, shooting the ground right in front of us before reloading his gun.

I gulped and looked to Rupert who had the same look as me on his face, we didn't want to do this but we may have no choice. I took a deep breath and locked eyes with my comrade who gave a firm nod before looking back at Dave
     "I'll keep to my word before, shoot me, I dare you, I will never give in. But one thing before you shoot, this isn't you Dave, you're one of the kindest, purest people that I know, the Toppat's have corrupted your mind while you were captured. Please, Dave, come back to us." Rupert pleaded
     "I would, but it's your fault I was never freed in the first place" Dave growled before pulling the trigger "Goodbye, Rupert Price. Goodbye, Charles Calvin."

BANG

A/N Sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger

1305 words