𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 》 HOGARTH HUGHES

The Start of A Giant Goose Chase

Once the Army was gone, Dean gave Giant the signal that meant all clear. ''Okay, you can move now,'' he said. Relieved, Giant immediately moved, his shoulders relaxing as he slouched, letting out a breath. ''Nice job!''

Outside, the two kids already had their helmets on. Hogarth was digging through his backpack, searching desperately for something. ''Where is it! I know I packed it!'' That's right, Hogarth Hughes; the guy that brings toy guns when the Army is checking that he doesn't own anything that could attack them.

Frustrated, he tossed his bag to the side, hopping off of the car he and (Name) was stood on. ''You guys start without me, I'm gonna check if I left the extra blaster in Dean's 'office'!'' Hogarth hollered over his shoulder as he ran away from them.

''All right,'' (Name) said, smirking as she did so, ''Guess I'm on my own until he gets back.'' She lowered her goggles that made her eyes look huge and her face funny before climbing on top of the car. ''Thruster to base, I'm going in.''

She looked around at all the scrap, pretending it had all been initialled and destroyed by someone - Giant to be specific. ''Only one creature could create so much destruction. The hideous, people-eating, killing machine: Atomo!''

She swivelled suddenly, aiming her gun at Giant's head. But he didn't react.

''Atomo!'' She tried again. ''Atomoooo?''

Giant sighed, his hands on his face and his elbows on his knees as he sat on a pile of cars. Slowly, he turned his head to (Name) before shaking it. ''No Atomo.'' He spotted something and pulled up the letter 'S' from the old scrap sign that once read 'Seafood'. He finds a way to attach it to his chest before turning to look back at the girl. ''I, Superman.''

(Name) smiled. ''Okay, Superman... Take this!'' She points the gun at him once again. Giant's eyes begin to turn red, but (Name) doesn't notice, she's too bust hitting her gun, trying to get it to work again. ''Stupid toy.''

Giant fires a beam, but luckily, (Name) dodges without knowing as she jumped off the car and sat down to try fix her gun. Dean, who had looked up to check on the two, sees what's going on. Giant's lazer-beam stops and he looks around confused.

(Name) fixes her toy gun and got back on top of the car. She furrows her eyebrows at his expression and cocks her head to the side. He looks scared. ''Hey, what's wrong?'' She asked, but she got no reply.

(Name) assumes he's only acting, so she goes back to what she was doing. ''As I was saying,'' she starts off unsure but her confidence in Giant quickly grows. ''Take this!'' She re-aims the toy gun. Giant's eyes unwillingly turn red and this time, (Name) notices. Slowly, she lowers the toy, her head tilted once again.

Hogarth waltzes out of Dean's office with a second gun. He freezes upon seeing his red eyes. His eyes trail from Giant's eyes to where he's looking. Straight at (Name).

He gasped as he began to run forward. Giant fires at her. (Name) doesn't have time to react as Dean made it there on time and dives, grabbing her and falling to safety.

(Name) moves to sit up as Dean looks over the car they landed behind. He rubs her head. ''Ow.''

She looked up in time to see Hogarth skid on his knees, coming to a stop in front of her where he quickly cupped her face and moved it about as he inspected her for any injuries.

''What happened?'' (Name) asked, grabbing his hands and moving them away from her face in order to stop his worrying. She gave an unsure, half-smile.

''Shh, stay down and follow me,'' Dean said, crawling on the floor as he tries to lead the kids away from the danger. But Giant picks up the car in front of them, looking down in confusion.

Hogarth practically dives in front of (Name), hi arms spread out as if he was protecting her. Dean does the same for both of them, waving his hands frantically.

''Get back! I said! Get! Back! I mean it!'' Dean yelled as loud as he could.

Giant drops the car to the side, his expession sad, lost and scared. He didn't know what was going on. Seeing this, (Name) places a hand on Hogarth's shoulder, but when he doesn't lower his stance, she moves to whisper into his ear. ''Hogarth, he doesn't remember what happened. He didn't mean to. It was an accident.''

Hogarth nodded, glad that his friend was still there as he lowered his hands.

''Why?'' Giant asks. Hogarth ran in front of Dean in order to try diffuse the situation.

''It was an accident, he's out friend.''

Dean quickly grabbed Hogarth, pulling him behind him defensively. ''He's a piece of hardware, Hogarth. Why do you think the Army was here? He's a weapon! A big gun that walks!''

''I'm not a gun.'' You could hear Giant's artificial heart shatter.

''Yeah! What's that, huh!'' Dean yelled, snapping back to Giant as he gestured frantically at a burning hole in the side of a school bus. ''You almost did that to (Name)!''

Hogarth grabbed (Name)'s hand nervously. Her thumb ran across his knuckles and he relaxed slightly.

Giant began to shake his head as he took a few steps backwards. ''No.'' He turned around and began running away.

''Come back!'' (Name) yelled instantly, her hand leaving Hogarth's as she pushed past Dean and began to run after him.

''(Name). Hey, stop!'' Dean yelled.

Hogarth looked back at the destroyed school bus, feeling lost.  He knows Giant would never hurt him or (Name). But he was still scared. He looked back in the direction Giant had just ran in, (Name) desperately running after him.

''Giant!'' Hogarth tossed the gun away, ''Giant come back!''