The Babysitter - Garycato (Final Space Fanfic)

Chapter 54

"Shoot him"

The voice echoed in Gary's ear comm

"What?" He breathed out quietly, eyes wide

"He's your target- shoot him"

Do you ever wonder... what small action could've changed the outcome to the present?

It was odd...how Gary had never chosen any of this- rather one decision led to another and another until it brought him into this very moment.

Gary went from stealing bread in order to survive to now having to shoot people dead...
Sure- he had done it before to save his own skin but with his mother telling him to pull the trigger on the this man... felt wrong...

Not because it was wrong in general to Gary but because now Gary was seeing him as himself.
A loyal dog that did everything as told to get his payment only to be put down as his reward was within his fingertips.

It felt....wrong...

Just wrong

Because Gary was realizing now that she wasn't keeping her end of the deal.

"Just hold on for a little longer" Avocato sighed as his son's stomach growled yet again, brushing his hand on top of his head.
His son hadn't eaten in a while, none of them have and his on growing worry for Gary wasn't helping him either.

Especially when HE was going with his human.

"Your job is to steal this artifact" Sheryl handed Gary a photograph "you and Mantis will be stealing for me"

"What?" Gary looked up from the picture with slight fear

"Absolutely not!" Avocato barked from within his cell "that bastard tried to kill Gary!" He growled

"Relax lovercat" Sheryl turned around to face Mantis, walking up to him and taking off the cloth that layed ontop of the tray he held "Mantis won't do anything to Gary, ain't that right?" She said in a seductive tone

"Of course- not without your command" Mantis grinned as she tickled his chin

"Eugh-" Gary placed a hand over his mouth, seeming ready to barf any second now.

"Here you go" Sheryl moved out of the way and gestured towards the tray. On it, there was a gun for Gary to use and an ear communicator.
"You have 24 hours, don't be a second late" she winked at Gary before pressing on her watch. With a beep, the countdown began and Sheryl couldn't help but chuckle as Gary rushed foward to grab the gun.

Mantis tensed, ready to attack in case Gary tried anything, though it was clear Gary only wanted to complete the mission given to him in order to save the other two.
Placing the device I his ear and the gun in his belt, Gary turned to Mantis

"Where's your ship?" he asked, wanting to hurry before time was up

"This way" Mantis clenched his jaw, holding back a growl. He didn't want to 'play-nice' with this man, he was his target- not an ally, even so...he led the way.

Before leaving, Gary glanced back at the two, forcing a smile as he saw the worry in both the Ventraxians' faces.

"Gary....don't go" Avocato muttered, it sounded like a mixture of a request and warning that made Gary's insides turn to mush.

"I won't be long" Gary gave an apologetic smile before turning away and rushing after Mantis in order not to waste any more time

"Be careful Gary!" Little Cato managed to shout, voice cracking with worry in the process as he watched the blond disappear down the hall

"Whatever happened to mom?" Came the very faint reply from Gary that blended with the darkness

"Careful....mom" Little Cato muttered to himself with a frown, earning an eyebrow lift from Sheryl.

Entering the ship, Gary sat on the pilot's seat, giving Mantis the paper he had taken from Sheryl

"What are you doing" the other glared at him "that's my-"

"Just set the course Wolverine-wanna-be" Gary said with venom, he didn't like this guy for cutting his back like a meatloaf

Mantis did not know what a "wolverine" was but he took great offence to it anyway, going to the other seat as slowly as he could and setting the course as slow as the sun would rise.

"Just get on with it!" Gary groaned

"I don't think you understand..." Mantis began "you are in my ship and you are my enemy...A prisoner even. Just because you aren't behind bars doesn't mean I'm no longer the one who is in control" Mantis said as he leaned back on his chair, refusing to put in the course

"No- I don't think you understand" he heard the other say before there was the click of a gun. Mantis eyes widened slightly before he turned around to find the other seem like a completely different person, his eyes filled with hate and disgust as he looked at him.

"I know you followed orders for mo- ...Sheryl but that doesn't change the fact that you nearly killed me" he crossed his legs as he kept his gun aimed at the other's head "but that's not what I'm angry about...." he said as his expression relaxed.
At that moment, with his chair higher than Mantis', legs crossed as if needing no self defence, expression as cold as quiet night....Mantis saw Sheryl herself upon that chair.

"You hurt my kid" Gary said "you hurt my Avocato" he added "and I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen again so set the course before I blow your roach brains all over the ship"

Not a word was said as Mantis turned back and set the course. He heard Gary put the gun away and grab the controls before the ship zoomed forth as fast as it could go.

"Well...that was something" Sheryl chuckled, her radio set on her hip. Turns out Gary had left his comm on for everyone to listen- and Sheryl wouldn't lie she found the Genreal's expression quite amusing.

"Wait..." Little Cato turned to his dad whose face was growing red "is Gary my mom or not?"

((HEY GUYS!
Sorry I had half this chapter written but then forgot about it;;
I wanted to write the whole mission in just one chapter but decided to leave it like this for now- hope that's OK!))