Title: Comeback - the alternative universe ending
Chapter: 3
Author: squeezynz@free.net.nz
Universe: Land of the Giants
Rating: PG, Adventure
Archive: sure, just let me know where please
Feedback: always appreciated
Spoilers: you need to have seen the episode Comeback
Why: because I can..and its damn good fun
Disclaimer: never mine, all IA's and the wonderful actors that continue to inspire me.

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It had taken both parcels of explosive to blow the catch on the closet door. The small room had filled with smoke, making Egor cough and flap his hands in a doomed attempt to clear the air. The second bomb had swung the door wide, clouds billowing out as Egor staggered into the warehouse. Dan and Barry watched from the safety of the corner as the elderly man, after casting a last look at the splintered door, made his way out of the cavernous warehouse, and into the night. As Egor passed Baby's cage, he fished in his pockets and passed a sweet-meat to the ape. Baby had hooted and rattled her cage when the blast took out the lock, but quickly settled when she saw Egor approaching. The gorilla held out a hand to the man and Egor shook it with due solemnity. Then he passed by and disappeared into the dark.

" I hope he comes back," said Barry.

" We'll have to wait and see, he still has to get past Manfred," Dan replied, his expression apprehensive.

" What do we do now Dan ?"

" Find somewhere to spend the night, I guess. Seen anywhere that would do ?"

" What about the dressing room again ?"

" No, they may decide not to use that set and dismantle it, we would be too vulnerable up there, lets take a look around," Dan suggested. The two Little People walked over the wires and cables, trying to pierce the gloom with Dan's torch. They could hear Baby rustling in her cage, muttering and grunting to herself as she settled for the night. They found a corner, filled with boxes of what looked like old costumes. Dan checked them out and found them a box on its side, the flaps open like a barn door, the material inside dry and soft.

" I think this will do for a bed, what do you think Barry ?" asked Dan, a grin plastered on his face.

" Not bad Dan, certainly softer than the floor,"

They climbed onto the mound of material, the fabric sinking as they worked their way to the back of the box. The costumes smelled musty but were otherwise intact. Dan and Barry settled themselves in, finding that once inside, the open flaps gave them a clear view of the camera's and sets, while keeping them totally hidden.

Before long the only sound from the soft snuffles issuing from Baby's cage.

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Egor had left the film set bound for Manfred's trailer, but when he got there it was obvious that the man was out. Peering through the windows proved fruitless as the torn curtains still hid the interior from view. The door was firmly locked, further frustrating him, so he turned and contemplated his options. He was still in his butler costume, complete with makeup, which meant his money was still in the dressing room, along with his clothes. Huffing to himself, Egor made his way back to the building, using the side door to access the make-up room. After changing into his original suit, he checked his change and decided to try the coffee shop two blocks down. They usually stayed open all night and a cup of hot coffee would clear his head. Tilting his hat to a jaunty angle, Egor headed off down the road, keeping half an eye open for any sign of Manfred as he walked.

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The next morning, Dan and Barry were awoken when a set hand shifted one of the boxes hiding their sleeping quarters. The box they were in quaked as the man kicked aside several boxes in an attempt to reach one further back. They could see that the original crew were back on the film set, shifting the camera's and lights to another location, while others hauled tables into a line to hold the next scenes sets.

The Giant rummaging among the boxes found what he was looking for and marched off, carrying a smallish box. This was handed to the Giant called Quigg and they watched as he emptied the contents onto a small side table, picking up pieces and sorting them into piles.

" They look like dolls clothes, " observed Barry, his eyesight sharper than his companions. Dan's forehead creased in thought at Barry's statement.

" Dolls clothes ?....of course, Manfred's decided to give them costumes after all. If we watch where Quigg takes them, we'll know where they're being held."

" Quigg's walking over to that corner, opposite the Gorilla cage, looks like another miniature set, like yesterdays," said Barry.

" Maybe that's another dressing room for them, I wish we knew what Manfred has planned for them," said Dan.

" They took Baby away, maybe they won't be using her afterall ?" said Barry, keeping his eyes on Manfred's assistant. He saw him talking to someone inside the small set after Manfred had left. He assumed it was Steve and the others.

" I wonder what happened to Egor, there's been no sign of him since last night...guess our faith in him was misplaced,"

" You spoke too soon Dan, here's Egor now, and Manfred has an arm round him...Egor must have made up, maybe he'll be able to help us afterall,"

They watched as Manfred laughed at something Egor said. Quigg hovered nervously to one side, waiting for Manfred to give him the lead regarding the treatment of Egor. All appeared to be fine, Egor all smiles and Manfred apparently happy to have the man back. Dan wondered what explanation Egor had given for his escape from the closet. Whatever Egor's excuse, it had obviously worked for Manfred.

The three men moved away, disappearing into Manfred's office, leaving the film crew to set up a large, glass sided tank on one of the trestle tables.

" What's in that tank, I wonder....I think we need to get a closer look, come on Barry,"

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Valerie had put her boots back on, the shoes provided with the dress simply too impractical to use. She had wandered around the room, checking out the dressing room furniture, finding that Quigg's assertion that escape was impossible appeared to be quite true. Her casual look out of the windows showed a sheer wall stretching upwards, unbroken for atleast thirty feet. Valerie came back into the bedroom, checked her clothes drying over the back of the chair, and finally sat down on the bed to wait for the men's return. Her patience was rewarded with the door of the bathroom opening and Steve and Mark stepping out, bundles in their hands. Valerie stood up, her mouth open at the picture before her. Steve and Mark, noticing her reaction, stood self-consciously just inside the room as Valerie looked her fill. Folding her arms over her chest, she slowly walked towards the embarrassed men, circling them before coming to stand a little way off, her expressive mouth widening into a grin.

" Very nice...I like it,"

" Val, come on, this get up is ridiculous.." said Steve, dropping the bundle of damp clothes on the floor.

" I feel like an escapee from a swashbuckling movie," grumbled Mark, putting his bundle down on the dressing table.

Valerie controlled her laughter with difficulty.

" Maybe now you know how I feel ?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

The two men were dressed just a Mark described. Steve had on a long sleeved white shirt, with full sleeves, and ruffling down the front. Around his waist he had a wide, leather belt with a metal buckle. Below that he had dark red, close fitting trousers. Mark was similarly dressed in a short sleeved cream shirt, no ruffles, but a light blue sash for a belt, over dark blue, tapered trousers. Both men wore their own boots and their wet hair had been roughly combed back off their freshly shaved faces.

" I think you both look very heroic," said Valerie, barely able to suppress her grin. Both men exchanged a look, reluctant smiles replacing their frowns.

" Where's Fitzhugh ?" Valerie asked, looking towards the still shut bathroom door.

" Oh, if you liked our costumes, you'll love Fitz's," said Steve, cryptically. Mark only shook his head, not trusting himself to make a comment without laughing.

As if on cue, the door of the bathroom swung wide, and Fitzhugh made his entrance. Valerie clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent a fit of the giggles taking over.

If Mark and Steve were the pirates, then Fitzhugh was the pirate King. His white shirt was liberally covered in lace ruffles, including the cuffs. Over this was a generously decorated black waistcoat, joined in the front with a gold chain. A wide crimson sash wound around his middle, and below that were black trousers with gold piping down the side of the leg. He only needed a hat and eye patch and the look would have been complete. Seeing the bemused expression on Valerie's face, Fitzhugh swept her an elaborate bow, one hand on his heart and the other nearly sweeping the ground as he bent over. Mark and Steve regarded the older mans play-acting with amused glances, standing back to allow Valerie to get a closer look as Fitzhugh preened in front of his captive audience.

" Not bad, if I say so myself," murmured Fitzhugh, catching sight of himself in the bedroom mirror.

" Fitz, you've outdone yourself," said Valerie, watching as the flamboyant man tried to see as much of his outfit in the small mirror, as possible.

" You all look very fine...shall we put those fine feathers to good use ?" boomed a voice, making them all swing round in alarm and stare skywards.

Manfred leaned on the edge of the wall, the stub of his cigar between his fingers.

" If you're ready, my little actors, we'll proceed to the first scene,"

" We're not going anywhere if the gorilla is involved," shouted Steve.

" Baby ? she's off having a pedicure...you don't have to worry about her, I have a completely different idea...nothing difficult, very easy in fact," said Manfred, a sly smile creasing his face.

" We don't really have a choice do we," stated Mark angrily.

" None. Shall we go ?" replied Manfred, lowering a small metal cage to the floor and waving them in. The four earthlings entered the cage, grabbing a hold as Manfred lifted them high in the air.

They were carried across the warehouse and placed on another table, outside a glass enclosure. Manfred let them out and waved them through a glass door into the large film set. It was a desert scene, with the floor covered in fine yellow sand, rocks dotted around and a background painted on one wall, depicting more sand dunes. Above them shone a yellow lamp, simulating the sun and making the sand radiate heat back up at them. The ground area was roughly the size of a football field with a large rocky outcrop rising up against the far wall, like a cliff face. The film crew were setting up the camera and microphones, Quigg directing where the light had to shine to reduce the shadows. Mark and Steve looked around trying to see if there was anyway they could get out, other than the door they had come in by. Above them Manfred was giving the crew their final instructions before coming to look over the edge of the high glass wall forming the backdrop.

" I bet you wonder how this all fits into the story, well I'm going to tell you," he started.

" Oh goody, I can't wait," muttered Valerie.

" In this scene the sinister butler, played by my good friend Egor, has arranged for you to be sent away, you've decided to thwart his plans by escaping into Sir Jonathans special garden. With me so far ?"

" Yes, but what do you want us to do ?" asked Steve, the heat from the lamp making him sweat, the bright light making them all squint.

" Just start walking from this side and make your way over to the rocks at the far end....as simple as that," said Manfred.

" What's the catch ?" asked Mark, not believing a word.

" No catch....just walk on over to those rocks," Manfred replied.

" I guess we can do that, when do we start ?" said Steve, exchanging a nob with Mark and Fitzhugh.

" When I say action.....so take your places....and.....action," Manfred chopped his hand, moving back out of frame to view the proceedings.

Steve shrugged in reply to Valerie's questioning look and started to walk across the sand, his boots hissing as they sank into the gritty surface. Steve was in front, followed by Fitzhugh, casting looks upwards every now and then, as well as behind them.

" Stop looking so nervous Fitzhugh, its just a walk in a sandpit," said Steve, glancing sideways at the jumpy older man.

" I'm just checking Steve, I don't really trust Manfred, it's all too simple," said Fitzhugh, wiping a trickle of sweat off his forehead.

" Well keep your eyes open Fitz...I don't trust him either," said Steve quietly.

Behind them, Mark and Valerie kept pace, their boots sinking into the soft surface, Valerie glad she'd made the decision to shorten the skirt. Even so, she could feel a damp patch forming where the sweat was trickling down her back, making her hair stick to her shoulders. She stumbled, missing her footing and Mark shot out a hand to steady her.

" You okay ?"

" Yeah, just not used to tramping through sand dunes...should have worn my bikini...get a great tan with this sun lamp,"

A gap was forming between them and the two men in front.

" Let's catch up to Steve and Fitzhugh, I don't want to get separated," said Mark.

They picked up the pace, just as Valerie saw something move, the sand heaving up and subsiding again.

" Mark, did you see that ?" asked Valerie, stopping to stare at the patch of sand.

" See what ?" said Mark, turning his head to try and see anything moving. He saw a shape out of the corner of his eye and swung round to see it better. Behind him Valerie cried out, seeing the sand heave up again, this time closer to where they were standing.

" Steve !!" Valerie shouted, starting to turn and run towards where Steve and Fitzhugh had stopped at her cry. Her feet caught in the soft sand and she fell, Mark catching her up before she hit the ground. Behind them the ground heaved more violently and a reptilian shape started to emerge.

" Are you getting this ?" hissed Manfred, shooting a quick glance at the cameraman. He nodded and Manfred turned back to the action, a wide grin on his face.

Down below the drama was being played out. Steve had come to stand next to Mark, Valerie behind them, and Fitzhugh cowering behind her. In front of them rose the scaly body of a slow worm. The blind lizard waved its head around, trying to locate it's prey, its blue tongue slipping out to test the air. It's head reached twenty feet above them, waving hypnotically back and forth as it scented the air.

" Everyone keep as still as possible," whispered Steve, at the same time trying to weigh up their limited options. Behind him, Fitzhugh had had enough and broke away, running awkwardly towards the rock face at the far end of the set. The lizard instantly noted the vibrations of the panicked mans feet and started to dig below the surface again, its body disappearing from view in a few seconds. Steve let out a long breath and turned to shout at the retreating Fitzhugh.

" Run Fitz...its you only chance,"

The older man picked up the pace, his legs pumping as he raced over the sand, the ground behind him heaving as the lizard followed his erratic path. It had become a race between the man and the reptile, no-one taking odds on the outcome. Manfred grinned down at the spectacle below, his fist thumping the edge of the glass, in time with Fitzhugh legs. It seemed an unequal contest, but Fitzhugh somehow managed to reach the rocky cliff and scrambled up it as fast as he could, finding finger and toe holds in the rough surface. The lizard rose up out of the sand and again tried to locate the prey, its tongue coming close to where Fitzhugh cowered on a ledge, above the questing head.

Back on the sand Steve, Mark and Valerie watched the race, desperately hoping Fitzhugh would make it, but also realising that once he was safe, they would become the lizards next victims. Valerie was shaking so badly her teeth began to chatter. Mark took her cold hand in his and tried to instil some warmth back into it as well as calm her nerves. Steve was scanning their surroundings, trying to think of some way for them to reach the cliff without alerting the lizard. He saw some rocks, the size of baseballs, close to where they were standing.

" Mark, how far can you throw ?"

" Pretty far, why ?"

" We need to get that lizard as far from us as possible, so we can make a run for the cliff, agreed ?"

" Yeah,"

" So, lets use those rocks to make like someone crossing the sand,"

" Right,"

Mark started to gather the rocks, Valerie using her full skirt as a basket, Steve moving carefully over to the next patch, when they had picked up everything within reach. They had collected a sizeable pile when the sand started to heave up, getting nearer to where they stood.

" Now, start throwing, follow my lead Mark," instructed Steve, throwing the first rock as far as he could. Mark followed suit, pitching his rock a little ahead of Steve's so it was like someone walking over the sand. The response from the lizard was immediate, the sand heaving and turning towards the line of rocks. Steve and Mark continued to throw them as the sand shifted ever closer to the fake line, the lizard hooked by the distraction.

" Valerie start moving towards the cliff, slowly and lightly," said Steve, the girl nodded and started to step across the sand, her feet hardly denting the gritty ground. Mark and Steve kept up the rocks until they ran out, then they turned as one and started to follow Valerie's faint tracks, keeping their footsteps as light as possible. The lizard reached the line of rocks and rose out of the sand, its tongue testing the air and its head swinging as it sought it's prey. Eventually it realised that there was movement elsewhere and it dove once more under the surface. By then, the three people were much closer to where Fitzhugh watched from the ledge, frozen in fear for his friends lives. Steve saw the lizard disappear under the sand and yelled to Mark and Valerie.

" Times run out....we need to run....NOW !"

Valerie let go a sobbing breath and tried to pick up her pace, but her feet sank into a soft patch and she almost fell. Mark and Steve grabbed an arm each and between them, half dragged, half carried Valerie along. Behind them the lizards track started to get closer, the sand shifting as it moved below the ground. The two men pounded towards the rocks, Valerie gamely keeping up, helped by their grip on her arms, their hearts pounding in time with their feet. They reached the rocks a fraction before the lizard, its round, scaly body rearing up as they scrambled to get a purchase on the slippery rocks. Valerie screamed as the reptiles tongues brushed against her leg, spurring her to heave herself onto the ledge where Fitzhugh cowered in abject terror. Mark and Steve were close behind, giving Valerie a boost, then pulling themselves onto the ledge. Behind them the lizard weaved backwards and forwards, the crunch of its scales on the sand making a hissing noise.

Steve looked along the ledge, trying to find anything with which to defend themselves and instead, spotted a narrow opening in the cliff face. Mark saw it at about the same time, and stood up, grabbing Valerie and pulling her towards the gap. Steve shoved Fitzhugh to his feet and pushed him towards the opening. Behind them the head of the lizard reaching the ledge, its tongue snaking out.

Mark helped Valerie to squeeze into the gap, looking back to see Steve and Fitzhugh nearly on his heels. Valerie found the narrow fissure quickly opened into a broad passageway, her breathing was still ragged, her chest heaving as she tried to suck oxygen into her panic filled body. Mark's frame blocked the light for a second and she felt a scream rising in her throat, then he was through and coming to stand by her. Valerie just let go a strangled sob and clutched at Marks shirt, shaking like a leaf. Steve shoved Fitzhugh through the gap, pushing hard to get him in, then, with the lizard right behind him Steve shot inside.

Almost immediately a piece of the wall behind them pulled away, letting in a shaft of light. Manfred's voice could be heard, echoing in the long passage.

" Wonderful, oh simply wonderful, my brilliant Little People...you can come out now, you're quite safe...just follow the passageway to the end,"

" I can't take much more of this, my heart won't take it," panted Fitzhugh, sinking to the dirt floor, clutching his lace ruffled shirt front.

" Are you okay now ?" Mark asked Valerie, gently untangling her rigid fingers from his shirt sleeve. Valerie just nodded, not trusting her voice. Steve had his breath back and started walking towards the back of the tunnel, peering outside.

" We can't stay here, we'd better do as he says, maybe once we get in touch with Dan, we can figure a way out of this mess," said Mark, looking back at the narrow fissure, the lizard still visible outside.

" Well we'd better figure something soon, at Manfred's rate, we'll be dead before the day's out," said Valerie, still panting.

" We need to contact Egor somehow, see if he's got any ideas...in the meantime, lets blow this place,"

" I'm with you Steve," said Fitzhugh, pushing past Mark to join Steve at the end of the passage.

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Dan and Barry, watching from a the safety of a platform on a metal tripod, saw most of what went on in the glass cage, without the benefit of sound due to the distance, but for Dan, the visuals were quite enough. Sliding down the rope, to join Barry on the floor, he tried out several distraction scenario's in his head, trying to come up with a way to free his friends. His preoccupation was such that he didn't see the shadow that loomed over them. Barry did and grabbed Dans arm to get his attention, just as a giant hand reached down and plucked them both from the floor.

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