THE GREAT SHOWDOWN

The sixth story in the Balto series by silver_balto™

I can’t believe that I made it number six! I’m so happy! This is a milestone for me. Hopefully I will be able to continue this series into the future, and there will be no shortage of adventure for Balto and Brent MacWolf to endure.

Nome, Alaska, June 24, 1952,

‘’Get a Life tile.’’ Brent read as his small game piece landed on a Life tile square. Balto handed Brent a tile and did his turn. Suddenly, a knock came on the door. Ginger got up and replied, ‘’I’ll get it.’’

Ginger stood up and opened the door. Standing in the doorway was a malamute in a brown overcoat and a large hat. He handed Ginger some flowers and replied, ‘’flowers for Mrs. Ginger MacWolf.’’

Ginger accepted the flowers and answered, ‘’well, thank you, but I’m not married yet.’’

Suddenly, a strange gas shot from the fake flowers, knocking Ginger out. The malamute grabbed her and threw Ginger’s limp body over his shoulder. Taking off his hat, the malamute turned out to be none other than Inferno. He grinned evilly and remarked, ‘’nor will you ever be.’’

Brent looked at his watch and yelled, ‘’Ginger? Who is it?’’

No answer came. Brent got to his feet and walked to the door. No one was there. Now he was getting concerned. He turned to Balto and Rail Wolf, who had joined him in the doorway. Brent cupped his paws around his mouth and yelled, ‘’Ginger! Ginger! Where are you?’’

Ginger couldn’t have answered that question even if she was conscious. Ginger slowly opened her eyes and found that she was shackled to a large metal table. Both her paws and hind paws were secured tightly to the cold metal, and three figures stood in the shadows of the spotlight that shone on Ginger.

‘’Ahh Ginger, glad to see that you are awake.’’ The largest figure replied. Ginger growled and exclaimed, ‘’release me or else I’ll…’’

The figure to the left of the one, who had just spoken stepped forward and shot his paw into the light, forcefully closed Ginger’s mouth. He snickered and said, ‘’or you’ll do what? You are not in a position to back up your feeble threats.’’

Ginger spat at the figure, striking him in the right in the eye. Wiping the shot from his eye, the figure growled and was about to attack, when the larger figure shouted, ‘’stop you fool. We need her!’’

‘’For what?’’ Ginger questioned. The figure laughed and said, ‘’you’ll see in a few seconds. Steele, Inferno, get to work!’’

‘’Brent will rescue me and kick your furry…’’

Ginger was stopped by a huge electric surge that leap through her body. This surge made her black out. The large figure grinned and muttered, ‘’insolent child. I want Brent to try and rescue her. But by the time he figures out what has happened, she’ll be under my control.’’

Back in Nome, Brent was pacing nervously. Rail Wolf sighed and remarked, ‘’Brent, stop pacing. You’re making me nervous.’’

Brent snapped his head towards Rail Wolf and answered, ‘’shut up for a second. Now isn’t the time for this kind of humour. Ginger isn’t the one to run off like she did. Maybe she found someone new.’’

Balto got up and replied, ‘’Brent, don’t think like that! We can find her, trust me!’’

Brent smiled and said, ‘’I always have, and I haven’t died yet.’’

‘’Yeah you have.’’ Rail Wolf noted.

‘’That was my own choice.’’ Brent retorted. Balto then found a paw print in the snow. Sniffing it, he growled.

‘’I think I know who took Ginger.’’ He said.

Brent saw the print and asked, ‘’who?’’

‘’Inferno. That’s who.’’ Balto answered. Rail Wolf gave them a confused look.

‘’Who?’’ he questioned. Brent clutched his fist as he spoke.

‘’Inferno was the leader of the defending Iditarod Championship team. We beat him in the 1948 race, and he was sent off to a dog asylum. He must be out for revenge. What a dirty trick to pull! When I get my hands on that crooked malamute, he’ll pay dearly!’’

‘’Maybe we should follow them. That malamute must be working for someone. He couldn’t have broken out of the asylum alone. He was way too crazy to do so.’’ Balto suggested. Brent and Rail Wolf nodded and followed Balto as they did their tracking.

Back with Ginger, the operation had finally been completed. The metal shackles released their grip and Ginger slipped off the table. She had a different look in her eyes. A look of evil. The large figure smiled.

‘’Finally, phase one is complete. Now to give it a test. Ginger, I command you to program my computer.’’

Originally, Ginger wouldn’t have been able to even get her head around a single bit of a computer. But now, she nodded and answered unemotionally, ‘’yes sir.’’

Ginger walked over to the computer in question and started typing like a maniac. As the figure watched, Ginger programmed the computer and made it better than it was; all in about five minutes. Ginger turned and walked back to her previous position. The figure got up and walked into the light. He was a large grey timber wolf, with dark yellow eyes. He wore an old railway bandanna around his neck and had graph marks on his face from what seemed to be a serious burn. He spoke in a vengeful tone.

‘’You are my newest accomplice. You will do whatever I ask you. Failure to comply with this one request will result in quick and painless death. Now, your mission is to track down and give my message to Balto. Your ex-boyfriend Brent MacWolf is a minor annoyance. I will leave him to Inferno. He will accompany you. Do not attack neither Brent nor Balto! Now go, and do not fail!’’ he ordered. Ginger nodded without hesitation.

‘’Yes sir. I will comply.’’ She then left. The wolf smiled with satisfaction.

‘’Brent and Balto will not be able to do anything to stop me. Once my plan comes into action, they will be powerless!’’

Brent sat down on an icy log, resting his sore hind paws. Balto and Rail Wolf also sat down. They had been walking for hours, and there was still no end to the tracks. Suddenly, Brent saw a figure walking out of the forest. Upon further examination, he was shocked to see that it was Ginger walking with Inferno. Brent was on his feet and charging at the malamute within seconds. Ginger saw this and jumped in front of Inferno. Brent stopped in front of her and replied, ‘’Ginger, what are you doing? It’s me, your boyfriend! It’s Brent!’’

Ginger showed no remorse as she shoved Brent onto the ground and walked up to Balto. Handing him a note, she walked away, with Inferno following. Brent was flabbergasted. His own girlfriend had shoved him onto the ground. It wasn’t like a playful shove though; it was a forceful one. Balto read the note and exclaimed, ‘’that son of a…’’

Brent grabbed the note and read it aloud.

DEAR BALTO,

I HOPE YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS LETTER. YOU SEE, I HAVE TAKEN GINGER HOSTAGE AS SHE IS NOW MY OWN PERSONAL SLAVE, AS YOU SAW JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO. THE ONLY WAY TO FREE HER FROM MY CONTROL IS TO ENTER AND WIN IN A WRESTLING TOURNAMENT AGAINST MY TEAM OF EXPERT ATHLETES. I WISH YOU LUCK, BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THAT YOU WILL HAVE.

I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

AMTRAK

Rail Wolf almost went into shock when he heard the name.

‘’Amtrak? Why now? Why now?’’ he asked out loud. Balto gave his friend a confused look and questioned, ‘’you know this madman?’’

Rail Wolf nodded.

‘’He and I went to the same railroad college. I passed the RDE, or Railway Determination Exam, with 99.5%, .5% higher than Amtrak did. He was sent to a diesel line, while I got to drive Hartwell II on the Alaskan line. Later on, I found out that a train that went down his line had derailed, and it had about ten tank cars filled with an explosive mixture of hydrogen and methane gas. His train slammed right into it, which made the entire jumble burst into an explosion. After that, I hadn’t heard anything from him.’’ He explained. Brent held his chin.

‘’But why use Ginger to get revenge on you?’’ he asked. Rail Wolf shook his head solemnly.

‘’Amtrak was always a lazy wolf. If he couldn’t do it himself, he’d get someone to do it for him. This time is no exception.’’

Balto held his chin.

‘’So, this Amtrak guy is using someone else to do his dirty work huh? Typical villain persona. Use those weaker than yourself and let them get in trouble. I guess the only way to save Ginger is to enter this tournament. There’s just one small problem.’’

‘’What’re you talking about,’’ Brent questioned, ‘’what small problem?’’

‘’I don’t know what this wrestling