"Don't let them escape!" Ozone spat. He raced through the woods in hot pursuit. Fox ran beside him. Being a large crocodile in a forest, Derick had a disadvantage. All the while, their prey ran for their lives. Accustomed to the terrain, Tiberius was breezing through without even trying. Gidget had speed on her side. She was doing alright until she reached a log too high to jump.
"Uh, a little help?!" Gidget barked. She jumped and jumped but she couldn't get over the log. Their pursuers were getting closer and closer too. Doubling back, Tiberius grabbed Gidget. Throwing her onto his back, he ordered, "Hang on!" Making sure to grab the hat again, the griffin dashed away at lightning speed. Determined to not be foiled, Ozone continued chasing them.
"Let's hide over there!" Gidget yipped, pointing. Up ahead appeared to be an abandoned human building with strange objects in a row outside. Reluctantly changing course, Tiberius raced over to the structure and entered through the bigger entrance. Hopping off the griffin's back, Gidget wagged her tail as she remarked, "They won't find us here friend."
"What is this place?" Tiberius muttered, looking around. The building had rows of metal ledges with items stashed on them. It was clearly abandoned and appeared to be suffering from water damage. Sniffing a small river of strange colored liquid coming from the row of objects outside, Gidget answered, "This is, or was, a gas station. It looks like no one has been here for ages." At that moment, they heard scuffling outside. Ozone and his gang had caught up. Crestfallen, Gidget mumbled, "How'd they find us so quickly?"
"Come on Gidget, we need to get out of here," Tiberius hissed quietly. Grabbing the hat, the griffin headed towards the back of the building. Gidget followed close behind. Moments later, they could hear Ozone and his gang at the entrance. His hackles raised, Tiberius rasped, "Gidget, we have to find an exit."
"Hey, check this out! A ex e tea!" Gidget yipped happily. She was seated in front of a strange looking wall that had something plastered above, shining in red human hieroglyphs. Wagging her tail, the fluffy white dog commented, "That's strange, it's spelled just like the word exit-"
"There they are!" Ozone shouted. "Gidget!" Tiberius cried. Grabbing the dog in his taloned forepaws, he crashed through the strange wall under the hieroglyphs, knocking it down. The pair quickly turned and ran alongside the outer wall of the building when Tiberius suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Wait a minute," he said, turning to Gidget, "You can read?!"
"I can read? Yes! I can read!" Gidget exclaimed excitedly. Holding the hat, Tiberius replied, "Then hurry up and read what the hat says!" At that moment, Ozone leaped through a small opening in the wall with a high pitched roar. He was trying to grab them but the mountain lion got stuck on skinny multicolored vines. Not wanting to stick around any longer, Tiberius and Gidget hightailed it out of there.
"And they're gone," Fox muttered, watching through a different hole. Derick was panting heavily, completely out of breath. "Stupid wires! Just you wait, I'll get them!" Ozone spat. The mountain lion forcefully ripped his way out of the wires, making sparks. Noticing one wire falling towards a shiny puddle, the big cat gasped and cried, "Everyone run!" The trio raced out of the gas station and as far away as possible just as the wire hit the liquid.
First there was a fire then there was a massive explosion.
"Daddy, what was that?" Princess asked, seeing the huge fireball in the dark sky. His eyes wide with fear, Leonard stammered, "Nothing sweetheart, just go back to bed, okay? Go to bed sweetie."
