Chaos Born

53 Minutes And Counting...

COUNTDOWN TIL SELF-DESTRUCT: 53 MINUTES 50 SECONDS

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"Move it or lose it people!" Wave called, clapping her wings as sleep-deprived residents of the town began to emerge like weary animals coming out of hibernation. "Shake a tail or stay and wail. Be ready or be dead-ey!"

"I'm not saying that you aren't doing a wonderful job," Sticks commented dryly as she passed by, "but could you please not do that?"

"Well, I'm not saying that I know you all that well," Wave answered in the same dry tone of voice, "but could you mind your own business?"

Sticks gave a growl and turned with her nose in the air, flicking her tail and going back to continue helping the residents of Christmas Isle evacuate. Feeling proud of herself, Wave carried on strutting up and down the hamlet roads, waking people up with her calling.

"She has a point," Storm suddenly said, appearing beside her as though from thin air. "I think you're making them panic."

"That's the point," Wave replied. "They'll hurry more if they're in a panic. Anyway, that badger girl is supposed to be the doom-merchant around here, screaming about the end of the world. She's just sore that I've taken her job - COME ON PEOPLE, WHILE WE'RE STILL ALIVE! - How many can the Airship take?"

"Dunno," Storm shrugged. "I'll ask Jet..."

"Oh don't bother," Wave sighed, catching the sound of approaching G.U.N. helicopters. "There's room."

Jet, meanwhile, was trying to organise seating on his airship.

"Look on the bright side," he told a terrified family, "your kids will have opportunity to marry someone not related to them on the mainland. Excuse me, that's MY cabin! Please sit in the designated places, THANK you. Sir? Sir! Could you remain seated? It makes my job easier." The hawk huffed loudly. "That's a lot of luggage for just the two of you. Are you... Oh, you have cats. Great. Could I remind the lot of you that young children should be kept with their parents at all times? If not, you can stick them in a spacious suitcase - we're not judgemental."

"Look at you, flat out like a lizard drinking!" Marine laughed, holding a pet carrier for a frail old human woman as she reversed into a seat by the window.

"Was that supposed to mean something?" Jet asked tiredly.

"Nothing offensive, mate," Marine told him, walking over after handing the carrier to the woman, "compared to you, I feel as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike. Hey, Spunk!" Marine suddenly stuck her head through the door and called down to Sticks, "How many left?"

"A little more. There's two other towns over the hill," Sticks answered, showing an old couple of sheep where to go and watching Rouge directing GUN craft in to land.

"Reckon it won't be long til we have everyone," Wave said, zooming up on her extreme gear and leaving Storm behind to keep the people coming. "But you know Batty over there is going to want something done about the lot in the factory."

"The G.U.N. will deal with that, " said Jet, "Just get the other two towns evacuated- MADAME! That's MY cabin!"

A short distance away, the last of the helicopters had landed, three in total. Rouge hoped that was enough.

"Agent Rouge!" Private Rocky Pawlett hopped from the first chopper.

"This hamlet is being evacuated," Rouge jutted a finger over her shoulder at the town in the distance. "But there are two more towns North of here. Focus on them." Other GUN soldiers ran to obey.