The Great Tigger Detective part 20 - The Big Ben Chase (Part 2)

Inside the clock tower, Basil awakens and rubs his neck, then stares in shock and amazement at the gears and cogs surrounding him. Creeping up unnoticed behind him was Ratigan, his left fist poised, ready to knock Basil down, while the other hand was clamped over Olivia's mouth. The little girl struggles and finally pulls Ratigan's hand off her.
Olivia: (Screaming) Basil, look out! 
Basil turns in alarm as Ratigan knocks him down. Basil rolls and catches the ends of the rotating gear, trying to pull himself back up as Ratigan prepares to deliver another blow. Olivia bites his hand, making Ratigan scream in pain, giving Basil the opportunity to climb up the gear and seize the professor's cape, and tangle it between two gears.
Ratigan drops Olivia to hold onto his cape to keep from getting strangled, but succeeds in kicking her off the gear. She screams as she falls and lands on a much larger gear, connected to another one that will crush her in a matter of seconds.
Thinking quickly, Basil jumps from the gear and onto a lever, which lifts up a chain towards her. The final keg is approaching Olivia as Basil gets closer. She tries to flatten herself against the gear as Basil reaches his hand up. Basil seizes her arm just as the gears connect, and the two smile at each other as the chain continues to lift them to the top of the tower.
Down below, Ratigan's face was filled with anger. As he watches the pair make their escape, his sanity snaps, and with a burst of strength, he tears his cape in half, freeing himself. Basil and Olivia stop at the hole at the top of the tower, trapped.
Inside, Ratigan was completely consumed by hatred. Gone was the egotistical gentleman; in his place was a terrifyingly dangerous monster. He runs through and around the many gears, his clothes becoming torn and ragged.
Outside, Olivia tugged on Basil's coat and pointing to Dawson and Hiram, who are approaching. Ratigan was getting closer. Basil, realizing him coming, lifts Olivia into his arms, holding her up. Dawson was holds Hiram by his apron as the toymaker was leaning forward as far as he can, trying to reach Olivia.
Basil: Closer, Dawson! Closer!
Ratigan leaps onto the striking hammer, nearly falling, but scrambles up and leaps forward. Basil is still trying to lift Olivia as high as he can, but Olivia and Hiram can't quite make it.
Olivia: (Pained) Daddy, I can't reach! I can't reach!
Basil turns just in time to see Ratigan leap forward to tackle him. He grunts as Ratigan catches him midsection and the two topple downward. Olivia was tossed into the air, and caught by Hiram before she falls. They hug, but down below Ratigan was still holding onto Basil.
He tries to grasp the top of the tower, but between the rain and Ratigan's weight, he can't get a good grip. They separate as they fall down the face of the clock. Midfall, Ratigan grabs Basil again, and they hit the hour hand. Basil was sent flying across and lands, his upper body laying over the edge.
His vision blurred for only a second, he moves back. Ratigan was nowhere in sight as Dawson calls out to him, approaching the edge of the hand. The thunderstorm was meanwhile shown to be very intense.
Dawson: Basil! Over here!
Basil was relieved, but was barely able to take a single step towards his friends when Ratigan attacks him from behind, lifting him up with one arm. Basil manages to wriggle free and runs up towards the edge, but with frightening speed and agility, Ratigan was there, blocking his path.
Ratigan: There's no escape this time, Basil!
Basil slides down the hand of Big Ben and tries to put distance between himself and the raging rat, but he is there once more, blocking him. Ratigan holds out his hand and unsheathes his razor-sharp claws, and hits Basil twice with such force it sends him flying back. His friends are trying to reach him as fast as they can, but Basil can't hold out much longer.
Before he can even stand, Ratigan hits him at the face. Finally, he had drawn blood. Basil stumbled back, his hands covering a gash across his muzzle A hard swipe across the chest knocked him off his feet. Gnashing his teeth, Ratigan swung downward as Basil turned his back on him to try and stand up. The black claws truly met their mark that time, slicing into the flesh of Basil's back and sending pieces of fur and cloth flying. Basil cried out, falling to his knees. The next heavy blow smacked him to the very tip of the hour hand. He scrambled away from the edge and staggered up again, clutching his bleeding arm in pain.
Ratigan was upon him in a moment, still too rage-blind to recognize that Basil was on the verge of collapse. It was too profoundly satisfying to quit now. With yet another brutal smack to the throat, the battered mouse was flung up in the air and over the edge, where he just managed to grab hold. Ratigan snarled with savage frustration. He looked down, surveying the drop. It was a good seventy or eighty meters to the ground. Basil was staring up at him with huge, terrified eyes, his tattered jacket blowing in the gusts. Basil almost let go at the sight. Ratigan's bulging yellow eyes and enormous teeth were just above him. His head appeared small in front of the massive shoulders and shaggy muscled chest. His breath hissed noisily through his teeth as he raised his hand high over his head.
Lightning strikes as Ratigan rears back. Basil braces himself, but Ratigan's blow sends him down.
Dawson and Olivia both try to grab for him, but they missed. They stare in disbelief as their friend plummets to the ground. Ratigan himself almost doesn't believe it, but a cruel smile spreads across his face as he leaps up and laughs maniacally.↲Ratigan: I've won!
However, his victory was cut short...
Basil: On the contrary!
Basil has managed to catch the propellor of the ruined dirigible, as well as something else of value for Ratigan.
Basil: The game's not over yet!
Basil rings Ratigan's bell. Ratigan only has time to check his pocket for his missing bell before 10:00 strikes. The striking hammer falls, and Big Ben sounds off. The vibrations force Ratigan over the edge and he falls.
He makes one final grab at Basil, catching him by his jacket. The ropes snap under the extra weight. Ratigan falls as Basil clings to the propeller, which has snapped free. Olivia, Dawson and Hiram are helpless as both Ratigan and Basil, screaming, disappear below the clouds, but Ratigan was defeated. Then Olivia turns to her father and begins to sob.
A squeaking noise was approaching from below, and she leans back to look down. Basil was slowly making his way back up, pedaling with all his might as the propeller was lifting him higher. He hears his friends cheering and smiles.
Dawson: Ho ho! Hooray!
Olivia: Hooray! It's Basil!
She hugs Dawson as Hiram jumps up and down.
Dawson: Good fellow. Jolly good!
The storm was over as the four friends are finally together and safe.
Category:The Great Mouse Detective fanfictions