Episode 6: It’s a Small World
Part 8
Outside The Enchanted Tiki Room, K heard footsteps from behind and turned to see Nick approach, looking sheepish and apologetic.
“K, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressed, dawg. I’ve been there, too, ya know? And–”
K shook his head and held up his hand to stop him. Something else, something more important, had caught his attention: Jafar, skulking on the far side of a covered path that connected Adventureland to Frontierland. K frowned. What was Jafar doing coming from Frontierland when The Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride was located right there in Adventureland? Looking closer, he realized he recognized the man in the costume. It was the leader of FANS, the one from the file, dressed as Aladdin’s nemesis. How ironic.
K tapped Nick’s shoulder and pointed in the enemy’s direction. “Let’s get to work.”
“Right.”
The two undercover agents headed toward “Jafar.” When he looked up and saw them coming his way, the villain turned and strode off in the opposite direction.
“Damn,” K swore, torn between his sense of duty and the training that had been ingrained in him as a Disney cast member. The number one rule was to stay in character at all times, and that included staying in certain parts of the park. He had to remind himself that Disney no longer employed him; his loyalty lay with HimTak. Besides, he thought with a smirk, sometimes you have to break the rules to catch the bad guy. “C’mon,” he said to Nick, following “Jafar” across the covered path into Frontierland. At least they all happened to be characters from the same movie, so although this wouldn’t be a normal happening at Disney World, it wouldn’t look terribly strange either.
As they passed the Country Bear Jamboree, Nick, fed up with the monkey suit, took off the oversized Abu head and tossed it behind him.
“Nick!” K hissed at him with a well-aimed nudge.
“What?! I can’t exactly breathe in that thing, and if that’s our guy, I need my A-game!”
From up ahead, the suspect must have heard him. He glanced back over his shoulder, and K saw his brown eyes widen as he seemed to recognize Nick. Suddenly, he took off running, and their stealthy pursuit became a full-blown chase.
***
“Jafar” shoved past the crowds of people, pushing children to the ground with no regard. “Hey!” he heard parents shout after him, but he ignored them all.
Stealing another glance at the agents pursuing him, Dr. Rough wanted to explode with rage. More agents of Himitsu Takana. Carter… that was someone he’d expected. But accompanying him… could that really be the legendary Agent K? He couldn’t help but feel smug that he had finally caught the head of HimTak’s attention. He reached for the communicator on his wrist. He knew just the one who could help him take them on.
“Yo, what up, dawg?” He glanced down to see Drums’s face in the small window that had opened in his wrist cuff.
“I have Agent K and Carter on my tail. I’m headed to…” He glanced around for something he could use to delay the other agents and make things more difficult. He smiled when he spotted it around the next bend: “Big Thunder Mountain. I need assistance; send the others, and come to me as soon as possible.”
“Aight, I’m on it.”
Dr. Rough clicked the communicator off as he darted through the crowd, dodging dads with strollers, moms wearing mouse ears, and little girls in princess dresses. He threw the innocent bystanders behind him, knowing that Carter and K would never let civilians come to harm.
“You were taller in the movie!” one kid yelled.
***
Hearing the kid, Nick couldn’t help but laugh as the chase continued. “Looks like he’s heading to Big Thunder Mountain!” he called to K, pointing out their perp, who was already halfway up the hill leading to the mine train roller coaster. With his long, black robes billowing behind him, the man stood out like a sore thumb among the scores of tourists in shorts and light-colored t-shirts.
“C’mon, we’ll corner him in the queue!” K called back, picking up his pace.
But the FANS leader wasn’t about to wait in line. With surprising agility, he hurdled over a wooden fence and started climbing the fake mountain.
A chorus of screams rang out as the roller coaster zoomed by, its carts rattling on the wooden tracks that wrapped around the rock formations.
“Maybe he’ll get hit by a train car,” Nick said hopefully, watching the small man scramble over the craggy terrain. Nevertheless, he drew the gun he’d concealed inside his costume as he and K reached the entrance to the ride queue.
“Not here!” K hissed, grabbing his arm and giving him an incredulous look. “Wait till we’re in a less crowded area.”
“I know that, K. I’m–” Nick stopped when bullets began to whiz by them angrily. “Great — now the groupies are here.”
K shook his head as he threw one of his long legs over the fence. “Focus. Be careful, but remember, we want the leader. Cover me.” He continued over the fence and began the climb up the mountainside. Nick followed him over the fence but ducked behind one of the big rocks at the base of the mountain as more bullets flew his way. He fired back, trying to distract the minions and give K time to put more distance between them. His bullet hit its mark, dropping one of the minions immediately.
The rest of the minions froze when one of their own went down. “He’s got a gun!” one of them shouted.
Another one, who appeared to be the leader, rolled his eyes at his fellow FANS members. “You idiots — we’ve all got guns!”
Nick couldn’t help but laugh, despite the situation. “And HimTak thinks I’m a spaz.” Hearing the coaster approaching, he sprang up onto the rock he’d been hiding behind. As the coaster rattled over the wooden tracks below, he leaped into one of the carts. To his joy, it was almost empty except for two people too wrapped in each other to notice much else. He sat back, ready to take a breather until he grew close enough to jump off and climb up to K and Dr. Rough. Then he looked behind him and saw that the minions, realizing what he’d done, had jumped in the very next cart.
Gunshots rang out around Nic kas he ducked down, thankful for the protection of the roller coaster. He stayed crouched in the small seat, where they couldn’t get a good shot at him. He took his shots carefully, knowing that while he had many targets, they only had one. In between shots, he flipped open his watch, finally able to admit he needed backup.
“Pearl, you there?”
Pearl’s frustrated face appeared on his tiny screen. “I’m here. Whatcha need, Nick?”
“Send Shazam’s dumb ass up to Big Thunder Mountain. K and I have the FANS leader on the run, and we need backup.”
“On it; I need a break from the asshole.”
He flipped the watch off and, taking a breath, jumped out of the cart and over to the mountain. With the press of a button, a small cord shot from his watch and swung around a ledge, gripping it tightly with the attached grappling hook. He smiled. Maybe it was a good thing the damn watch couldn’t tell time. Nick released the cord after he got a good grip and footing. Then, he began to quickly ascend the mountain to help his mentor.
“Hold on, K, I’m coming.”
***
JC Chasez had never expected to see this day come. He nodded at Pearl, who informed him that Nick Carter was actually requesting backup. He hated the annoying blonds, both Pearl and Nick. Still, he never would deny an opportunity to show up Nick — and he could, by being the one to finally capture Drums.
He headed towards the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on the opposite side of the park, where Pearl had said the showdown was taking place. But as he passed the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, a familiar face in the crowd caught his attention. He paused to do a double-take.
The bright blue Genie costume was missing its head. The man inside it was missing his right eye, which had been replaced with a red, robotic device attached to a metal headband that wrapped around his forehead. Kids scrambled away in fear from him. JC sighed. It was Justin.
Everyone at Himitsu Takana knew the story of Nick and Justin, how their once-tight friendship had soured in ways no one could have expected. Everyone knew the story of Pearl and Justin, too. They had been just as close until she had decided not to operate on him because of the risks and controversy surrounding what she would have had to do. But many forgot about Justin and him. Shazam and Drums had also been quite close friends. In fact, JC was the only one who truly hadn’t betrayed Justin. But in their business, sides were set, lines were drawn, and Drums had crossed to the dark side.
The entire idea of Shazam being the one to bring in Drums suddenly became bittersweet. And that was when Justin happened to turn his head and stare directly at him. However, rather than shoot at the easy target, he went for the quickest escape possible and ran straight into Cinderella’s castle.
As Shazam pursued him through the corridors and stairwells meant for employees, Drums fired his gun aimlessly. Shazam fired none in return. It was pointless, anyway; they would simply bounce off of the metal rails and steps, and he worried innocent civilians would be caught in the crossfire. It made him wonder: why did Drums wait until now when his bullets were more likely to miss? Perhaps the man wasn’t beyond reach after all. Could that be why Drums hadn’t made a true attempt to kill him?
Soon they both reached the roof of Cinderella’s castle. The two circled each other, similar to cats about to fight. Neither spoke a word. Drums’ remaining eye was steely and cold, even compared to the robotic red eye.
“Justin… we can talk about this.”
“Yo, we ain’t gonna rap like dat.”
Shazam sighed. “Justin, you don’t want to kill me. I don’t want to kill you. You don’t have to do this. We’re friends.”
He wasn’t sure what he said that triggered it and had no time to think about it. In a matter of seconds, Drums’ face went from fierce to emotionless, robotic, cold, and deadly. His voice was flat and determined.
“You ain’t nevah had a friend like me.”
***
Pearl had finally finished dismantling the bomb from Space Mountain. The only reason she still carried it with her as she limped through the park in her hellish high heels was so she could take it back to her lab and investigate FANS’ technology.
As she crossed the bridge that took her out of Tomorrowland, Pearl gazed up to see Cinderella’s castle. At least she wouldn’t look out of place wandering around there. She just hoped no one would ask what she was carrying.
Voices shook her away from her thoughts.
“Oh my god, is that a new show?”
“Why does Genie not have his head on?”
“What is with the park today? First Cinderella was giving Princey a BJ, Mickey has been horrific, and now…”
Pearl had reached the park’s central hub, where everyone around her seemed to be staring at the castle, too. Following their line of sight, Pearl looked up and saw “Prince Charming” atop the castle roof.
What is that idiot doing up there? she wondered, squinting. He’s supposed to be going to Big Thunder Mountain! Then she spotted the headless Genie standing a few feet away from Shazam. It was hard to see his face from her vantage point on the ground, but the bright red light beaming out of his eye socket gave him away. “Drums,” she whispered, her stomach lurching. She hesitated, debating over whether she should try to help Shazam take him into custody or run ahead to Frontierland to provide the backup Nick had requested. None of this is in my job description, she thought desperately. I’m a scientist, not a secret agent or a damn Disney princess!
She couldn’t tell what Shazam and Drums were doing on the roof. They didn’t appear to be fighting, just… talking? But suddenly, she saw Drums put both hands on Shazam’s shoulders. Before she had time to react, Drums shoved him backward. A chorus of screams rang out from the crowd as “Prince Charming” tumbled over the balcony and fell from one of the towers, his body hitting spires and bouncing off turrets as he plummeted head over heels toward the ground.
The people around her backed away in panic, but Pearl remained rooted in her spot. With a sickening thud, Shazam crashed onto the hard pavement only a few feet away from her. Blood splattered like rain as his skull exploded on impact. Feeling warm, sticky droplets strike her face, she looked down and saw dark red spots dotting her pale blue dress.
She stared in horror, unsure of how to react. This was worse than anything she had seen, including Phoenix Suicide and the aliens. Her mind just couldn’t process that Justin had just thrown his former friend, JC, to his death right before her eyes. She looked up and saw Drums disappear into one of the castle doors, but she was still frozen, unable to give chase.
Slowly, she approached Shazam’s still body as blood pooled around his head and seeped into his dark, matted hair. His eyes were open, staring into eternity. Cautiously, she took in several calming breaths.
“Pull it together, Kitana,” she commanded herself. Still, her hands shook as she pulled her phone out of her dress again to call Brian. “Rok, this is Pearl. I need you and Emerald to go after K and Nick. They’re on Big Thunder Mountain. I’m at Cinderella’s castle, and I…” She choked on the words. “I have a man down.”
***
Drums watched through one of the windows of the large castle. No one came inside; too many were focused on the commotion just beyond the castle steps. The crowd around JC was massive, and it kept him from rushing off like he had planned. It forced him to only gaze upon the damage he had done. The mangled metal around his head forced him to watch from a distance, and a pang of guilt forced him to remain frozen by the window. Tossed aside. HimTak had tossed him aside, forced him to become this mechanical monster, but… JC had never done that. JC had only offered him friendship at his lowest. And he pushed it aside, shattering it into a million pieces as it splattered on the ground with JC’s body. His bottom lip trembled. Unable to turn away, he gazed into the blissful glow of the sun. Did a mere machine deserve forgiveness? Or had he simultaneously shattered that hope and his humanity on the pavement beneath the castle?
He would never utter the words aloud or give them any thought after today; he would rationalize it later. Not that he could ever get such a thing. Forgiveness was forever out of his grasp. Because he was dead.
Because Joshua Scott Chasez was dead.
It had been a horrific scene, one that was guaranteed to scar the children at the park, promising future trips to therapists throughout their lives. But Drums didn’t care about that. He only cared that JC had died by his hands. There was no blood upon them, but he could swear he felt it dripping from his shaking fingers. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t expected it to be so messy as he watched the man fall to his demise. JC was merely human, after all. His head had been so fragile, had crushed so easily. It had hit the pavement and splattered upon it like a dropped watermelon. A short puff of laughter escaped Drums’ lips at the mundane analogy. It was better to compare it to something so ordinary and simple, better to think of it all as just ruined fruit. He’d much rather think of that than the fact that he’d killed a man… a man he’d once called friend.
JC, Josh, Shazam. He was dead, but he hadn’t done to him what the others had. There’d been no stabbing betrayal between them. But he had fought alongside the traitors Drums loathed, and that had been enough to set his tragic fate. He’d deserved what he’d gotten. The bitterness that raged within seemed to simmer slightly with just one HimTak agent death. Such a thing proved to him that he was on the right path.
Though he had to wonder, why hadn’t JC tried to kill him? He’d had an open shot. Why hadn’t he taken it? Why had he tried to talk him down? Had he really been blind to the fact that Justin was luring him to a more painful death? Nick had done the same at Global Idol, tried to rationalize with him. He wasn’t Justin anymore. Not the one they’d known. Couldn’t they see that?
Justin was dead. Nick had killed him. Red had presided over the death. Pearl had refused to resurrect him. K had buried him. Now, only Drums remained. And Drums cared nothing for those connected to Justin.
Though, if that were true, would he be doing more than watching Pearl’s shocked, pained, and horrified face as she scrambled to move the body away from the crowds? He caught pieces of words, claims of it being practice for a show, that it wasn’t a real body. He also caught the slight fear within her tone.
Pearl. He could kill her. It would be all too easy. She obviously thought he had left already; otherwise, she wouldn’t leave herself vulnerable to such an open shot. A ripe killing. But he knew then why he was only watching. She deserved more. A well-aimed shot to the head was far too casual for the likes of her. Yes, she had earned worse, far worse. As had the others who had stabbed him in the eye.
Like K and Nick. The ones whom Dr. Rough battled at that moment. Dr. Rough, his savior, needed him right now. He couldn’t waste any more time now that the chaos had finally begun to die down.
As Pearl slowly slipped away from his view, he made his way down through the employee stairwells and into the crowd, hurrying swiftly to his new destination.
Big Thunder Mountain.
***