Geronimo Stilton: INTERPOL-The Beginning

The Final Showdown

He was right there, about to pull that trigger made of silver. "Ah, well if it isn't Danial Arif. The boy I wanted to see." The scum turned to Geronimo. "Looks like I was wrong, Stilton," then he turned to us. "Glad that he's alive?" Williams said with a devilish smile.

"Let my brother go, Williams!" Thea ordered.

"Oh, I could." His smile turned into a frown. "But the boy has to surrender to me first!"

"DON'T DO IT, DANNY!" Geronimo advised. Williams gives him another backhand with the Desert Eagle in the forehead with a loud and painful groan.

"GERONIMO!" Thea shouted.

Williams then aims the muzzle on Geronimo's head at point blank. "DROP THE GUN, WILLIAMS!" I yelled as I aimed to his head, taking a small footing forward.

"SURRENDER TO ME AND I WILL LET GO OF YOUR FRIEND!"

"HE SAID DROP IT!" Thea demanded while taking a step forward."

"TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND YOUR BROTHER WILL HAVE A GAPING HOLE THROUGH HIS BRAIN! ONCE MORE, I WANT YOU TO COME WITH ME, DANIAL!"

"NOT A CHANCE!" I replied dissonantly.

"SO BE IT!" He looked back at Geronimo, about to shoot the injured mouse in cold blood.

"NOO!" Thea yelled.

"WAIT!" I stopped him just in time, holding out my left hand as a sign of surrender. "Okay, okay. I give up," I said, setting my carbine rifle on the floor. "Please, just don't hurt him anymore and let him go." I held up both my hands.

Williams pointed the gun at the floor, ready to hand Geronimo to us. He turned to his armed guard behind Geronimo. "Cut his binds."

The masked guard left his L86A1 to sling on his shoulder as he brought out a switchblade out of one of his pouches and crouched behind Geronimo's back, cutting the plastic cuffs that restrained his paws. He rubbed both his wrists in relief while awaiting the guard to cut his legs free.

Geronimo was finally free from his binds, got on his paws, and ran past me towards Thea to hug her.

"I'm so glad to see you again," Thea squeaked into her brother's ear.

"Me too, Thea. I'm so sorry I disregarded you both. I'll never fall for that again," Geronimo replied.

"Are we done with the soap opera?" Williams interrupted the two's tearful reunion. They let go of each other's clutches and turned to Williams. "On to business. I've held my end of the bargain and it's time for you to hold yours."

I started to slowly step forward with my hands up. But before I could even finish my first one, Thea got a hold of my shoulder to stop me. "Don't do it, Danny," she said worriedly.

"I have to. I'm a man of my word," I replied, looking back into her eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Thea loosened her grip and let me march sluggishly towards Williams. "Danny..." she called as her paw slid off my shoulder. I could see with my peripheral vision when I turned, her eyes were flooded with tears and reached her arm for me, but Geronimo held it back. As I took my footsteps to Williams, I heard a tear drop on the carpet with my enhanced hearing, Thea's tear. It hurt me so much when she forcibly had let me go and knowing that I'm leaving her. I was scarred, but I faced my fate with full acceptance.

I was halfway to Williams as he extended his arm to welcome me into his group. "Come on, just a little further," he said. But then, I realized something. It's not over until it's over. You don't just simply surrender when there's still hope. I had to keep fighting until I really have lost the battle.