The 99 Caverns (book 2)

Goon & Killer

The clanners looked at each other and nodded.

"We can go faster," Yunin reported. "If you two ride the mecha--"

"Killer." Kerien said.

"If you ride the Killer."

Trixie looked at Killer, then Kerien, who was already sitting on the Lion. The Lion glared at Trixie but then nodded her head.

"You're taking this well," Kerien noted as Trixie wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Hey, I'm best friends woth the Pirator."

"Ah, the beast of legend."

"Sure this girl has a few legends of her own." Trixie said as she petted Killer's back.

The mecha purred. And then they were off.

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Trixie's town was a mess, a battlefield, an all out Slug-Out.

Kord ducked behind a pile of crates. "Tad really got a second wind, huh?"

"If this is his second, let's make sure he never gets a third." Eli cried.

Which was harder said than done. Tad was surrounded by a circle of his slinger soldiers. The guy wasn't even shooting anymore, just watching them all with a cocky smile.

The villagers, including Trixie's brothers had evacuated. Chik was the only one not taking cover, moving quickly back and forth across the field, firing off slugs faster then Eli had though possible.

"Any sign of the goon doc?" Eli shouted over the sounds of blaster firing. He was fearful the goon was just waiting to leap on his shoulder and into his head.

"No, but Pronto hear something!" Pronto put his ears to the air and then they all heard it.

The loud, pounding footsteps of a mecha beast on the prowl. But not one that any of them recognized.

"What is--" Kord began.

And that's when Killer jumped from the forest, Slanin and Yunin and their troops on her tail. Trixie jumped off, blasting five of Tad's slingers, opening up a hole.

Eli--as shocked as he was by the shadow clan, Trixie jumping off a lion, and the lion mecha covered in blood--took that hole. As usual, he found himself standing before Tad.

The daddy's boy tsked. "I was hoping for Kerien. New girl seems to be a way bigger challenge."

Eli smirked. "She is. But she doesn't have time for little slingers like you."

Tad scowled. Of course Eli would offend him while empowering his friends. How do you even do that?

"Though I could schedule an appointment if you--"

"Enough!" Tad raised his blaster, Piper staring out at the Shane.

While the main character was duking it out with his wannabe arch-enemy, the others were mowing down Tad's forces.

Trixie and Slanin managed to take out 10 by working together.

"Guys it works pretty well when we all work together, huh?" Kerien questioned.

Slanin glared, Yunin smiled, and Chik clapped her hands.

"I am taking that as a yes."

Tad roared suddenly, but it was a whiny sound.

"And I am taking that as meaning victory,  Kord said as he ambled over to Eli.

Tad was on the ground, his blaster slipped under Eli's foot. His slingers were either out or running away, Kerien already healing their ghouled slugs.

Trixie aimed her blaster at Tad. "What's the plan here Tad? You and the Goon Doc working together? Cause coming to my home wasn't a good way to start you plans for world domination. A little too close to home."

Tad spat, was back away as Kerien made her way over, her skin bathed in glowing red veins, the skin of her face now totally black like rotten wood. Her glare sent a threat that he knew that, while the Shane gang would never keep it, she would;

I will kill you if you don't tell us what we want.

The flopper on her shoulder rubbing his hands together like a supervillain and the bloody mecha lion behind her added to that threat.

He talked--unlike his father, the Emperor, and Kerien, he wasn't indestructible.

"My dad--Dr. Blakk, the Goon Doc, and me are planning on taking over the 99 caverns and the Eastern Caverns."

Pronto snorted. "Nothing new thing. Just a bigger plan for you to eventually fail."

"Yeah," Tad hissed. "But we have someone new helping us. Or should I say ancient."

The Shang gang shared a questioning look but Kerien worked her jaw in rage.

"The Emperor?" She asked.

Tad smiled. "You're not the only immortal in slugterra."

Kerien stepped towards him but Kord held her back.

"Well, we stopped Tad here. The goon doc is..."

"Left in the woods." Trixie said sheepishly. "Probably long gone by now."

"One slug can't take over the whole cavern. He need the Emperor last time." Eli comforted. "And he's still nine levels below."

"But where's Blakk?" Chik had come up now.

They all turned to Tad. Who grinned.

"Can't you call your friends in the Eastern Caverns?"

Kerien punched him in the face.

The Emperor. And the Goon Doc. They'd go after Junjie again, and Lian. And her home and everything she loved would be taken...the fires, barns burning...bodies piling...stainless steel walls...

Kerien felt a grip on her arm pulling her from her memories. She turned to find Trixie, her red hair a beautiful contrast to Kerien's red veins, looking at her.

"We're going there. Now."

"Yeah," Eli agreed. "The townspeople can take care of these guys." He looked back to the shadow clanners.

"We can help out too." Chik said. "And not implement a slug hierarchy."

"We can." Yunin agreed. "Shoving his partner forward. The leader of the shadow clan begrudingly nodded his head.

"We will try."

"Good enough," Kerien pushed through the small crowd. "To the mecha beasts."

As Kerien mounted Killer, the others watched.

"Anyone gonna tell us about Kerien the lion taimer?" Kord finally asked.

Trixie laughed. "I'll tell you on the way."