Dredd Gamera: Day Of Reckoning

by Japan Boy

Taking place one year after the 2012 movie 'Dredd', a new threat comes to Mega-City One for the holiday season to spread Christmas chaos & terror. With a team of rookies, Dredd & Anderson combat this horror & get unexpected help from a savior - one who was once believed to be extinct since the Atomic Wars. Kindly review if read.

For writer John Wagner & artist Carlos Ezquerra – creators of the character Judge Dredd – who have given us one

of comics' most brutal futuristic law enforcers since his debut in issue #2 of '2000 AD' in early March of 1977.

For all the talented writers & artists from 2000 AD, Eagle Comics, Daily Star, Metro, DC Comics, & IDW, who have

given us hard-hitting stories of Judge Dredd, including crossover tales with Batman, Mars Attacks!, Predator & Aliens.

For actors Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Armand Assante, Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, & the rest of

their cast & crew in bringing the character & world of Judge Dredd to cinematic life in two movies in 1995 & 2012.

To the loving memory of film producer Masaichi Nagata, who produced most of Gamera's movies from the Showa

series from 1965-1980 (Masaichi Nagata died on October 24th, 1985 at age 79. The cause of his death is unknown).

To the loving memory of actor Arthur Lourant, aka Chico Roland, who played the Ambassador of Wester Island in

1970's 'Gamera vs. Jiger' (Arthur Lourant passed away in Tucson, Arizona on July 20th, 2015 at the age of 86).

To the loving memory of actor Eiji Funakoshi, who played Dr. Hidako in 1965's 'Giant Monster Gamera' & Dr.

Shiga in 1969's 'Gamera vs. Guiron' (Eiji Funakoshi died of a stroke on March 17th, 2007, on his 84th birthday).

DREDD / GAMERA:

DAY OF RECKONING

2015 by Anthony Ogozalek

PROLOGUE

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Early July 2101:

As it basically is in this patch of land located between the southernmost part of Mexico & Cuba, the jungles were lush with all kinds of vegetation both deadly & harmless, their leaves blowing in the wind that was just as hot & humid as the air itself, making it something of a paradise for the wildlife that dwelled in this vast land of greenery.

For the multitude of two dozen men that had to work in this sultry heat, it was anything but paradise: the temps rose to just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, & even their light beige attire & hats did nothing to soothe their perspiration, much less gave them any relief from the sultry temperatures. A metal canteen of purified water seemed to be their only break from the heat, & they'd been warned by their leader to take sips sparingly & not waste any drops when it can be helped.

Same as with any given to them, it was an order the men daren't disobey or ignore.

The leader of this group of strong-bodied males was a young woman aged no more than 21, but has made an even stronger impact than her men had muscles. She stood a firm 5-foot-5, with long jet black hair that was done in an orderly ponytail, & her thin lips were solid blood-red. A pair of mirrored sunglasses hid her equally solid blue eyes, & her outfit was an old school military camouflage fatigue, giving her the appearance of a U.S. Army drill instructor or sergeant. A camouflage hat upon her head completed the look, & she was armed with an old but effective M-16 rifle slung across her shoulder & a Desert Eagle pistol on her belt holster. Standing by her side were two men, one sporting a well-trimmed goatee & short sandy hair while the other was completely bald. They were also in military fatigues, but unlike their leader, they wore shorts instead of pants.

Both men were armed with an Uzi-9 millimeter & a Remington 12-Gauge shotgun.

They are the young woman's personal enforcers & bodyguards, & are willing to do anything she asked/ordered of them unquestioned.

Arriving on the island via speedboat from their main ship, the men have searched it for eight hours straight with no results thus far.

"Jo-Jo!", a voice shouted, catching the woman's attention.

From a thick brush of foliage, a bald African-American man by the name of Tyrone came rushing through the brush & stops when he gets to within ten feet of the woman & keeps his heavy breathing under control.

"I take it you've found what we're looking for?", the woman called Jo-Jo asks.

"Trust me, ma'am…I wouldn't be running all the way back here wasting your time otherwise", Tyrone said in a firm but respectful manner. "Believe me – I know better than that."

Jo-Jo turned to her two bodyguards, both of whom nod in full agreement.

"Yes, I suppose you would", Jo-Jo said with a brief curt smile. "Very well then – take me to where you found my prize."

"This way", Tyrone said, taking lead. Jo-Jo signals the other men in the vicinity to follow the man as her bald bodyguard gets on the radio to those who were not in sight to pass the news & rendezvous with Jo-Jo via tracking on their personal GPS. In no time, the entire crew Jo-Jo had brought to the island regrouped as Tyrone continued leading everyone to where he had discovered the object(s) of Jo-Jo's affection. Using large machetes, they cut & slashed their way through the dense foliage until they stood in an open stretch of rocky surface that led to the mouth of a large cave on the side of a not-so-large mountain. Its opening was 18-20 feet high & 22 feet wide. What lay inside just ten feet are a quartet of large oval-shaped objects that stood twice as tall as any of them did, & had an ivory tone with a patch or two of yellow in their surfaces. Scattered behind them were even more of the objects, but were in nothing but smashed pieces & have long since decayed.

How long they'd been sitting in the cave, no one can say.

It didn't matter to Jo-Jo: she removed her sunglasses & her eyes widened at the marvels before her. Her journey through the Black Atlantic for over a year has led her to several stops, most of which have occurred in the regions of South America & keeping clear of any Mega Cities to avoid detection by authorities & always staying one step ahead.

This makes it her fourth successful trip, even if the payload is smaller than what her previous finds had offered.

But Jo-Jo was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth: she was someone who took whatever she could get no matter what dosage it may be, a trait taught firmly to her by her mother when she was no more than three.

Her smile of bright white teeth was one that'd make the Cheshire Cat very envious, & it was venomous which would've no doubt killed the fairy-tale feline had Jo-Jo bitten it.

"Excellent!", Jo-Jo said, her smile still present. "A quartet of eggs on an equal number of successful scavenger hunts along the Black Atlantic!"

"It's certainly a score, Jo-Jo – no doubt about it", said Bryce, the bodyguard with the goatee. "My only regret is that I wish it was a bigger one like our other hunts for these things had been."

"I have to agree", said the bald bodyguard, who was named Blair. "'The more, the merrier' – that's always been my motto!"

Jo-Jo allowed herself a slight chuckle, amused by her bodyguards' line of thought.

"One can't be too picky in this line of work, boys", she says. "Take what it is you can get your hands on – that's what my mother said to me. Even the smallest of payloads can have the biggest of influences, & these four beauties are going to do just that for our cause once we get back home."

Jo-Jo turns to her bald bodyguard.

"Blair, be a dear & contact the ship", she says. "Tell them that we've struck paydirt & that they're to send in the crew for the extraction & boarding of our precious prizes. Just like before, I want this to go smoothly & by the book."

"Right away, Jo-Jo", Blair responds, getting on his GPS & making his call.

Once the message was received, the extraction crew arrived 30-40 minutes later to where the four eggs awaited them. Bringing along that number of hover platforms the length of a van, the men worked feverishly to place the eggs upon each one of their personal rides before getting strapped in tightly for the trip through the jungle, & then back to the mothership. When one crew made a slip-up that nearly caused the egg to slide off & hit the ground, they'd quickly corrected their error & looked at Jo-Jo, who was quick to announce her displeasure despite the humble apologies made.

"You men are lucky – that slight fuck-up was a little too close for my taste!", she growled icily with a stare just as cold in the high heat. "Listen, & listen good – I've had this planned for over a year now, & it's way too important for it to be halted or compromised by any accidents or errors, no matter how innocent they may seem! From this point on, each one of you is to take utmost care in this operation, and you will do whatever is necessary to prevent any further screw-ups! Anyone who fails to do so gets a bullet in the brain, no questions asked & no exceptions!"

Jo-Jo stared everyone hard in the eyes, & the men feel a deep chill in the sweltering heat of the jungle.

"Do I fucking make myself clear?!", she barked.

A chorus of 'Yes Jo-Jo' & 'Yes ma'am' erupted from the men, a few choking on getting the words out.

Jo-Jo eyed the caravan of her men & the eggs, all of which were safely secure & the men awaiting further orders.

After several tense seconds, she seemed satisfied that she got her point across & that everything was ready to go.

"Very well then", she finally says. "Let's move them out…single file! Follow the damn path & don't stray from it! We're not waiting for anyone; you get lost from this moment on, your ass gets left behind!"

A sharp gesture with her arm, & the men follow Jo-Jo's orders to the letter. Like a human train, they travel the path they made getting to the cave. Their convoy of eggs moved through the terrain smoothly, the hover platforms making the journey as easy as pushing a baby carriage. All they need to do is give it a little push, & it glides easily like a child playing with a toy boat in the bathtub. Steering wasn't a problem either.

Only ten minutes before they reached the riverbank, a man cried out in pain. Tyrone & everyone else turned to see a man drop to the ground as the black man's eyes widened with dread.

"Johnny!", he cried, running over to him to find the man clutching his leg before taking full notice of something slithering away on a multitude of legs. It was a Scolopendra morsitans centipede – one of the deadliest in the Cayman Islands or anywhere in the world. Its segmented body was green & black, with the head a red-orange color. They were fast-moving critters & their poison is toxic even to humans, causing inflammation of exposed skin. Acting fast, Tyrone used his machete to slice the centipede into two parts that squirm violently before both halves become still.

"T-Tyrone? Is that you?", Johnny said feebly, his vision seeing spots as the black man bent to his side.

"Take it easy, man! I've got you!", Tyrone said, not noticing the presence of Blair, Bryce or Jo-Jo until she spoke to him.

"Leave him!", she said firmly.

"What?"

"I said leave him!", she spat through gritted teeth. "He should've been more careful! This dumb shit just paid the price for his incompetence!"

"B-But Jo-Jo…you can't.", Tyrone said, making her arch an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?!", she growled, only seconds away from biting his head off.

"Y-You need him! He's one of us!", Tyrone pleaded.

Jo-Jo looked as if she was considering his point & save Johnny, whose vision was getting blurrier by the minute.

"You know what? You're right…he is one of us", she said at last, giving Tyrone hope. It died when Blair & Bryce raised their Uzis on Jo-Jo's hand signal at the man's head. "So maybe perhaps…you'd like to share his fate!"

Tyrone started shivering in fear as he stood down the Uzi barrels as the rest of the men only watched the events unfold, with no one daring to speak out lest they risk getting shot themselves.

"Well?! We don't have all day!", Jo-Jo spat as Tyrone saw Johnny's pleading eyes while seeing absolutely no trace of sympathy in Blair, Bryce or Jo-Jo.

"N-No, ma'am", Tyrone relented, standing up in defeat as her bodyguards lowered their guns on her order.

"Good!", she said, getting into his face as they eyed each other. "Now…get your fucking ass moving before we leave you behind!"

Nodding in silence, Tyrone averted his gaze & rejoined the other men. Much as he wanted to he dared not look at Johnny: he'd risk getting shot for compassion as much as disobedience. Johnny mumbled & whimpered as Jo-Jo gazed down at the fallen man, her eyes still afire. Like what Tyrone saw in them, she was devoid of any emotions other than hate & rage.

"Let's go, boys!", she ordered Blair & Bryce, who nod & follow Jo-Jo without so much as a backwards glance at Johnny, who was now trying harder than ever to get someone – anyone – to help him before the poison from the deadly centipede courses through his entire body. He may as well spit in the wind, because nobody gave him even a second of his time, no matter how loudly he managed to utter a cry for help, which wasn't much.

Before he knew it, they were gone from sight.

Five minutes later, company came for him but not the kind he hoped: a pair of Cuban crocodiles – specified as Crocodylus rhombifer – made their way towards Johnny, who only now acknowledge their presence as he was barely conscious. His eyes went wide & tried to scream, but all he could manage was a high-pitched squeak as a mouse would make.

It was quickly cut off by the sound of crunching flesh & bone that lasted several minutes.

On the beach:

The platforms that carried the eggs were loaded onto a transport vessel & headed back to the main ship in which Jo-Jo named the Orca, after a very old movie from the late 1970s she happened to come across. She & the remainder of her crew followed the transport ship a good 16 meters behind, giving it plenty of space. The Orca was an incredibly huge vessel, measuring 120 meters from bow to stern & had a width of between 40-50 meters. Its height was that of about 20-30 meters, & it was equipped with powerful thrusters that can propel it quickly enough through the waters in spite of its tremendous size. The bridge was six stories tall, & sported high frequency antennae & powerful lights that shined like the sun when lit. Any weapons aboard this huge aircraft carrier of a ship were well-concealed, & were ready to spring out & fire at a moment's notice.

Jo-Jo spared no expense to have it designed the way she wanted it.

The very thought of it made her smile.

"Blair, contact Riggs & tell him to have our new findings brought safely aboard once they're in range. He knows the drill", she orders.

"Yes ma'am", Blair replied, getting to work immediately.

"Bryce, get in touch with Marcus & tell him to set course for home once our cargo is secured inside the Orca", she says, turning to him. "I don't want us staying here in this area if we can help it."

"Right away, Jo-Jo", Bryce said before carrying out his instructions.

As Blair & Bryce attend to their tasks, Jo-Jo reflects upon the fruits of her success so far; after four retrievals of these exotic eggs, she could hardly believe it went down so conveniently & almost without a single hitch. She could've sworn that she'd run into at least some kind of opposition from any kind of authority, from the newly-formed Coast Guard to the Judges themselves. But it all went down smooth, & without even firing a single shot. It was like the Man Upstairs himself was gracing her with good fortune, deciding to abandon his ethics of benevolence & join his malicious twin from the world below the surface of the Earth.

It was almost too good to be true, & that somewhat bothered Jo-Jo. She learned from experience that something which seemed too easy usually caused a problem later on – an experience she learned with her mother when they both believed they'd escaped justice after a drug deal went bad, one that resulted in the deaths of three of her most trusted companions.

Many don't believe in good luck or fortune, but like anything else, Jo-Jo wasn't that fussy.

She simply took it in stride & went with the flow.

Soon, very soon now…our day of reckoning shall commence!, she thought with a malicious smile.

Her grin lasted until they got to the Orca.

CHAPTER I

Mega City One, 10:30 a.m., December 3rd, five months later:

North America, otherwise known as the United States of America, or the good ol' U.S.A..

Since its discovery by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492, the country has gone through many wars & phases in its centuries-long history: the Revolutionary & Civil Wars, the Declaration of Independence, the forming of the Bill of Rights, the Great Depression, World War I & II, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, & a second economic collapse in 2008.

Through it all, the United States has faced these problems head-on & have come out on top like it does each & every time, proving its invincibility to the nations of the world.

Then in 2068, a man by the name of Robert Linus Booth became President, & that's when the shit really hit the fan.

Serving as Vice President beginning in 2060, he addressed to the public that foreign nations were using America as their main source of sustenance, believing the country will supply them with essentials like food, oil, & other vast resources. Having the people behind him for support, Booth made bold statements with actions to back up his claims by seizing foreign oil reserves, assassinating a dissenting adviser, & also threatened to disband the Judges – instant law enforcers that dispensed immediate justice by becoming judge, jury &, if necessary, executioners – and return the 'trial by jury' method in which the Judges have replaced. In 2070, he started World War III by calculating an all-out nuclear strike that all but wiped out America, transforming it (& the majority of the world) into a vast wasteland. The Judges resumed control of the country, & in 2071 Robert Booth was sentenced by one Judge Solomon & placed in suspended animation for a full century & locked up deep within the bowels of Fort Knox.

Needless to say, Robert Linus Booth became America's final President.

Before the commencing of the Atomic Wars as it came to be called, the people of the country created a number of enormous conurbations known as Mega Cities, with America sporting five total: Mega-City One, Mega-City Two (West Coast), Texas City (Southern United States), Mex-City (formerly Mexico), & Uranium City (Canada), with foreign nations of the world to follow suit.

Mega-City One is on the East Coast, which extends from Boston to Washington, D.C., & is home to a population of 800 million people. Crimes are vast & constantly erupting in every sector at a rate of about 17,000 or more per day. As the city's primary law enforcers, the Judges respond accordingly to each threat in closest proximity. Not every crime gets justified by these enforcers, & there are times when they push the envelope a little too far, but the majority of citizens can agree upon one thing: they are the main line of defense, & are the sole reasons in which prevents the city from plunging into uncontrollable chaos & anarchy.

That's not to say that Mega-City One is without its pleasures for the populace. Many fine pieces of entertainment for both the young & old can be found in just about every sector of the megalopolis even before the Atomic Wars took place, along with some new additions such as the Dream Palace, where people can make their dreams become real; the Mega-City Museum, displaying the megalopolis' history. Alien Zoos put on display some of the most bizarre/unusual space creatures from the Milky Way & beyond – an ever-popular attraction site. Plus, the ever-rising outings of adult burlesque houses raked in both customers & dough 24/7, & while they do cause a couple of problems now & then, it was still within legal rights & satisfying for those who want/need a quick sex fix.

And more often than not, it helped to keep most out of any serious trouble with the Judges.

MC1 also isn't short of celebrating the holidays either, ranging from New Year's to Christmas, with the latter being in full bloom even before Thanksgiving passed – a major occurrence in the pre-Atomic Wars days that lasts even now in the Big Meg.

The Donald Trump National Bank is one of Mega-City One's most popular of all banks, doing a daily business of way over a billion dollars being received & sent from the building's enormous count of databases to the thriving men & women of all ages in order to get by in their best way possible. At this festive time of the year, the bank does its best & highest rate of business out of any period as money is used for gifts, donations, & other activities that usually occur when the Yuletide Season comes around.

What's occurring now is definitely not in a festive or holiday cheer attitude: the Judges have cordoned off the building from all sides, allowing no pedestrians or traffic in the immediate area lest they spend time in the iso-cubes for obstruction. Several Judge cycles were parked out in the streets, with med-wagons for any wounded & meat wagons for the deceased, the latter vehicle of which got its first customer only twenty minutes ago.

Only a dozen blocks away, a pair of Judge cycles raced down the streets at full throttle, weaving left & right of slower vehicles with ease. Pedestrians on foot or even bicycle scramble to part ways as these new arrivals whiz past in almost a blur of black & red. The first Judge was a male with a jawline that looked to be carved from granite, & that one feature told everyone else he was the ultimate law enforcer. Since his rookie year, he has made countless arrests of perps in all kinds of shapes & sizes, from the most troublesome juvies to the most battle-hardened killers & psychos. Time & again, many have tried to waste this superior individual & claim superiority, only to end up either in an iso-cube for a number of years or Resyk for recycling after getting a bullet/flare/bomb or whatever from his Lawgiver. He was intimidating to citizen, criminal & Judge alike everywhere he went in Mega-City One.

He is the ultimate enforcer of the law.

He is Judge Joseph Dredd. And he is the law.

His partner is a female with blonde hair & brown eyes, & about a foot or so shorter in height than Dredd. Unlike the top law enforcer, this one doesn't wear a standard issue helmet, for she was psychic & can read a person's mind with ease. She once stated to Dredd during her rookie year that a helmet would 'interfere with her psychic abilities'.

Dredd half-joked that a bullet would interfere with it more.

But in over a year's time since her debut into the Hall of Justice as a full-fledged Judge, this woman has proved her mantle many times, fighting alongside Dredd & solo, bringing down perp after perp & saving innocent people when she could. With her psychic powers, she can even detect when someone was an innocent pawn & was forced against one's free will to commit atrocities they normally wouldn't.

Because of this, many have been given a second chance at life in the Big Meg without having to spend time in an iso-cube.

She is Judge Cassandra Anderson, & she is no longer a rookie.

Dredd & Anderson arrive at the Donald Trump National Bank in under five minutes & dismount their cycles. A Judge by the name of Brubaker approaches the new arrivals.

"Dredd! Anderson! Glad you both could make it!", Brubaker says.

"We received your call as Anderson & I were handling a pair of perps over on the corner of Spanky & Alfalfa Streets", Dredd says. "It sounded pretty urgent. What's the situation here, Brubaker?"

"The situation is this: a trio of young perps came in this morning at about 10:00 a.m., each of them brandishing guns & two of them weren't shy about using them either. Upon entry, they'd shot & killed two clerks, tossing one of them right outside. The other is still inside, no doubt lying in a puddle of his own blood. They'd warned us that if any Judges tries to enter the building, they'll start shooting hostages in numbers of five or six at a time."

"Sounded like the perps were making a statement by tossing one of the bodies out", Anderson said. "Did they make any demands?"

"That's why you were summoned here, Anderson, or more particularly, Dredd was."

"You mean to say these perps want me to try & bust up their little party inside?", Dredd asks.

"Not exactly, Dredd. The perps asked specifically for you. When we asked them whatever for, their answer was, & I quote, 'Just get his fucking ass here now, before we get bored & start killing hostages'. They punctuated their statement by firing a round which was only an inch away from taking off my toe."

Brubaker pointed to his left foot to indicate where the shot nearly landed.

"That'll certainly add to their sentence – attempted murder of a Judge", Anderson said as both Brubaker & Dredd nod in full agreement.

"Now I see just why you urgently called me here, Brubaker", Dredd said. "How young are these perps that wish to see me?"

"Here's the thing, Dredd: they seem to be only about twelve years of age", Brubaker said. "One of the perps looks to be even younger than his accomplices by a year or two."

"This bank is actually being held up by a bunch of kids?"

"Imagine my surprise. But whether they're angry, confused or just plain scared, they mean business nonetheless."

"Yeah, I see that", Dredd says, turning to the front entrance of the bank. "Keep everyone back & make sure no one tries any sudden moves, Brubaker. Same goes for you too, Anderson. If those punks think they're scared now, just wait until I get done with them."

Brubaker & Anderson hang back as Dredd casually walks toward the entrance while getting on his helmet's loud speaker.

"To the perps within Donald Trump National Bank, this is Judge Dredd. Hold your fire – I'm coming in."

He switched off his loud speaker & opened the front door of the building, Lawgiver in hand. When he walked in, he saw a dead man lying in a puddle of blood as Brubaker feared in the center of the room. To his left were hundreds of people huddled together in fear. Two of the young perps were in the back of the bank, each holding a gun to their hostage of choice – one being an elderly woman, the other a young girl who looked no more than five. In between them & Dredd was the third perp who was ordered to watch over the hostages. Dredd saw that this particular perp looked like he wasn't sure of himself even with his pistol in both hands, & it sagged as if it was too heavy for him to hold up.

Dredd held out his left hand to this perp.

"You want to hand over that heat you're packing, son?", he asked in an almost fatherly manner.

"No he doesn't, Dredd!", the first perp said. "And he won't hand over his piece or say anything to you – if he knows what's good for him! Get the fuck over here, & don't try any tricks! You make even one false move, & grandma & Little Red Riding Hood here get their brains splattered all across the floor!"

"And raise those hands of yours, too!", the second perp said. "You keep them up at all times so we can see them, & don't even think of lowering them to take a shot at any of us because you won't get one!"

Dredd complied, his Lawgiver still in his right hand.

He was ordered to stop when he got within twenty feet of the two perps.

"All right, punks – you all wanted me, so here I am", Dredd says. "Now then…care to tell me what this holdup is all about?"

"Here's what's going to happen, Dredd!", the first perp said. "I suggest you listen to me very carefully – I'm not going to repeat myself! If I do have to, more bodies are going to pile up! Our demand is this: a deposit of 500 million dollars are going to get transferred into each of our accounts by sunset tonight! Once the transfer is complete, we three will be escorted safely to the nearest airport for a safe & unobstructed path to a country of our choosing! Several of the hostages are joining us to guarantee safe passage out of the country! Any attempt to impede our progress, or if you're simply non-compliant by sunset, the hostages are going to be taking a dive – straight down to the bottom of the ocean to Davy Jones' Locker! Are we clear?!"

Dredd took a few moments to absorb the information before answering.

"Let me guess: you boys want me to make the transfer into your accounts", he says. "That's why you wanted me specifically for this little plan of yours."

"That ain't all, Dredd!", said perp number two. "You'll also be accompanying us when we take off! None of the Judges will risk getting you killed any more than they would the hostages! Once they know you're taken captive, we'll be guaranteed a beeline out of this stinking shithole you call a city!"

"I gotta say this, boys – 500 million dollars is a lot of money for even one of you!", Dredd says. "What do you minors plan on doing with all that currency once it gets in your possession?"

"That's none of your fucking business, Dredd!", barked the first perp. "All you need to know is you have a ton of work to do before your deadline is up, so I suggest you get busy!"

Dredd studied the perps in silence for another moment or two.

"You boys have gone & committed multiple crimes, including illicit possession of firearms, first-degree murder, taking hostages, extortion of funds, blackmail, attempting murder of a Judge, & attempting to flee the country", Dredd said. "My advice to you boys is this: cease & desist your illegal activities & immediately surrender yourselves in the next few seconds with your hands raised before it all ricochets back in your face – with dire consequences."

The first two perps share a quick look at each other, their faces in a stunned reaction like Dredd has lost his mind.

"What did you just say to us?", asked the second perp.

"I said…surrender now, & none of this shit you boys are pulling will 'ricochet' back in your face."

At the mention of the word 'ricochet', Dredd's Lawgiver switched its ammo rounds from Standard Execution to Ricochet, the sound of the transfer being drowned out by the lawman's last four words. Giving the trigger two quick squeezes, a pair of bullets get shot from his weapon before they hit & bounce off the ceiling, going right off the walls & floor in rapid succession like they were made of rubber, making a pinging sound with each hit. The perps & even all the hostages watch in stunned silence as the bullets go from one place to another before making their final destination.

In the blink of an eye, the guns of the first two perps get struck by the ricocheting shots with such force that they stung the hands of those holding them & go flying, hitting the floor between the perps & Dredd. A hole in their sides was visible to every eye in the room, all pairs agape in bewilderment.

Knowing he has no chance of winning, the third perp wisely drops his own gun & kicks it over.

With a firearm no longer pressed against their heads, the elderly woman & young girl grab hold of each other & swiftly get away from their one-time captors, moving over to their Judge savior & getting behind him. Dredd lowers his Lawgiver at the now-weaponless perps & switching back to rapid-fire, feeling just as helpless as the hostages were.

"New deal, boys!", Dredd barked. "You three place your hands on top of your heads right now, & you won't get a hole in them!"

Without hesitation, the trio of young perps did as told.

"Don't move!", Dredd ordered before getting on his GPS. "Anderson, you there?"

"Standing by", she replied. "We heard gunfire. Is everything secure in there?"

"Affirmative. Perps are all incapacitated & ready for detainment."

"Copy."

In mere seconds, Anderson, Brubaker & several other Judges enter the bank, Lawgivers drawn. Brubaker & two others get cuffs for the perps as most of the rest escort the citizens out to safety while Anderson strolls up to Dredd.

"I take it the negotiations didn't go for them as well as they had hoped?", Anderson asks.

"I offered them a compromise – an offer they not dare refuse", Dredd says.

"Looks like they accepted it", Anderson said as Dredd grunted in answer before turning to the elderly woman & young girl two of the perps took hostage.

"Mighty fine shooting back there, young man", the woman said with a little smile.

"Thank you, Judge", said the young girl.

"Just doing my job, citizens", Dredd said simply.

Mega-City One's top Judge's face stayed stone-faced like always, but the woman, young girl & Anderson all smiled & flashed their teeth. Dredd may not openly show any affection for his job in the Big Meg (or anything else for that matter), but he'd never deny any of his fellow Judges the privilege, as Anderson is currently showing.

Even though they've worked side-by-side on many occasions, Judges Joseph Dredd & Cassandra Anderson are as different as day is to night. Despite their opposite personalities, they know they can depend on each other with their very lives since Anderson's assessment & first assignment in the field when they responded to the Peach Trees building where drug lord Madeline Madrigal, aka Ma-Ma, was mass-producing Slo-Mo – an inhaler drug that makes time seem to slow down to a crawl, hence its name. Being locked in the building, Dredd & Anderson fought their way through a sea of felons & four rogue Judges on Ma-Ma's payroll – Lex, Alvares, Chan, & Kaplan. Ma-Ma & her clan went so far as to use high-powered Vulcan cannons & mercilessly slaughter innocent men, women & children in order to get rid of the pair. They very nearly succeeded, but because of their equal determination, Dredd & Anderson turned the tables on the Ma-Ma clan & took down their drug empire.

The showdown with the main antagonist was a bit more dramatic: realizing she was done, Ma-Ma wasn't going down without a fight. She rigged herself with a wrist device stating that it registered to her own heartbeat & that if it stops beating, rigged explosives will go off & wipe out the top floors, killing all in the vicinity. Calling her bluff, Dredd shoots her in the side & has her inhale a piece of her Slo-Mo drug before shoving her through a window as she falls to her death, literally giving the bitch a taste of her own poison medicine. As the Slo-Mo coursed through her body, the long fall down felt like forever to Ma-Ma before she hit bottom, her head splattering like an overripe fruit. Once she expired, the signal on her wrist device turned red but no explosion came, probably because it was either too far out of reach or it couldn't penetrate multiple layers of concrete & steel.

Whatever the reason, Judge Dredd's prediction happened to be true.

Once they got to ground level, Anderson turned in her name badge, knowing that she 'automatically failed' in her duties after losing her primary weapon – her Lawgiver – to a thug named Kay, who tried executing Anderson with her own weapon & ended up getting his arm blown off for his troubles, as a Judge's Lawgiver is specifically tuned to the user's handprint/DNA. Any unauthorized user gets a nasty surprise as Kay found out at the cost of his life.

To Anderson's surprise (& joy), Dredd stated that she passed her assessment, & was proud to be receiving her badge as a full-time Judge. She told Dredd that she signed on to make a difference, & she did.

Even if Dredd would never admit it openly, he is proud to have Anderson as his partner.

Anderson always knew it, & she doesn't have to read his mind to notice.

Outside the Donald Trump National Bank:

As the hostages were taken aside & questioned by Judges, the three juvenile perps were cuffed with their hands behind their backs & placed upon the curb of the street as Brubaker, Dredd & Anderson stood over them, keeping a sharp & resentful eye on each. The two perps who had taken the old woman & young girl hostage stared back with equal loathing as the third just kept his gaze to the ground, his face of defeat & sorrow.

"Still can't get over the fact that this whole would-be heist was planned & perpetrated by these three juvies who sit right here in front of us", Brubaker said, shaking his head in disbelief & disgust. "Are things really that bad in the Big Meg that perps are starting their lives of crime once they get out of their damn diapers? What is this town coming to?"

"I wonder", Dredd says.

"Well, this isn't the first time we've handled cases where kids are the perps, Dredd."

"It's not that, Brubaker. Something tells me that this botched heist wasn't planned by them. I also doubt that they took a pleasant stroll & simply walked up to the front door." The lawman bent down & got closer to the perps. "Spill it, punks! Somebody offered you a ride here to carry out your idea of rob-&-run! I want names – and I want them now!"

"And if we refuse to give you those names, Judge?", the first perp said defiantly. "What then?"

"You punks are all looking at a maximum of twenty years or more in the iso-cubes! By the time you get out, your own parents might not even recognize you anymore! Failure to answer my question will result in more years added to your already stiff sentences! Want to take that gamble? Or do you finally want to be good boys & start talking?"

It was then that the third perp lifted his head.

"I'll tell you what you Judges want to know", he said.

"No you won't, Nick!", said perp #1. "Not if you know what's good for you!"

"You know what'll happen if you open your mouth, so you shut the fuck up!", said perp #2.

"That's what you punks need to do right now – shut the fuck up!", Dredd snapped, turning to Nick. "If you got something to say, son…now's the time."

"I'm warning you, Nick – don't say shit!", perp #1 snapped.

"And I'm warning you – zip it!"

Perps 1 & 2 remained silent, but their hateful scowls remained.

"I don't think Nick here has to say anything, Dredd. At least not orally", Anderson said kindly, kneeling to him. "Nick, I'm just going to take a peek inside your head. Don't worry – it's a painless procedure, & it'll all be over before you know it. You ready?"

Seeing the sincerity of Anderson's words & in her voice, Nick nodded.

As the psychic Judge prepared to probe Nick's mind, her chain of thought was interrupted by the screeching tires of a black van peeling out just across the street, knocking into another parked vehicle & almost hitting a pedestrian.

"I think we just got our answer, Anderson!", Dredd said, already running to his cycle as Anderson does the same to hers.

"Brubaker, watch the perps!", she ordered to him as she & Dredd mounted their cycles, did a swift 180 degree turn & raced after the black van, which was about one block away. They catch up to the runaway vehicle in no time & maintain a distance of sixteen feet as Dredd gets on his GPS.

"Control, Judge Anderson & I are following in pursuit of a black van with a possible connection to the Donald Trump National Bank holdup!", he says as he & his partner weave through traffic. "Our current position is Jefferson, on the west side of the Dale Earnhardt expressway! Van is occupied by unknown number of perps!"

"Affirmative", Control replied on Dredd's GPS. "Do you or Anderson require further assistance?"

"No", both Judges responded before cutting connection & pouring on the gas.

The driver kept his eyes on both the road & the pursuing Judges as he steps on the throttle to try his best in eluding the Jays. His two companions – armed with Uzis & shotguns – sit in the back, with one by the door.

"Mikey! Butch! We ain't gonna be losing the Jays following us in this heap of shit!", the driver stated. "We're gonna have to eliminate them instead! Get ready to lay down some cover fire when I give you the signal!"

"Got it, Davey!", said Butch. In his rear-view mirror, Davey saw Dredd & Anderson speeding towards their ride with ease, their high-powered cycles having no trouble closing the gap as Davey predicted.

You race pretty damn good on your cycles, Judges!, thought Davey. Now let's see if you can outrace a hailstorm of hot lead!

"Now!", Davey shouted, & Butch open the van's rear doors before he & Mikey unleash a barrage of bullets at the pursuing Judges. Dredd & Anderson spread apart to avoid getting hit, but several unlucky cars get their hoods peppered & tires screech as they try in vain to steer clear of the carnage. It does no good: more innocent drivers get struck by a hail of deadly fire, & the swerving of cars causes multiple collisions as metal crunch & glass shatter everywhere.

A family of four caught the sights of Mikey, & he wasted no time in using them for target practice: his shotgun blast struck the father of the family in the face, blowing his head off & spraying the inside with the remains. Mikey did the same to the mother & two kids, & their station wagon veered off & crashed into a building, killing a blind man & his seeing-eye dog.

The dog only got one bark out before he was crushed with its owner.

Shocked & in rage by what she saw, Anderson got on her GPS.

"Control, perps have commenced firing upon Judges & have shot numerous civilians in their vehicles, causing a massive pile-up!", she said. "Now they've just taken out an entire family, with a blind man & his dog adding to the list of casualties!"

"Copy that, Anderson! Do what you & Dredd have to in order to get them off the road!"

"That's a rog!"

Hearing their conversation, Dredd drew his Lawgiver as his partner does likewise. Currently equipped with rapid fire rounds, both Judges strafe the back with bullets, but Butch & Mikey started closing the rear doors of their van just before one shot can reach them. Lawgiver bullets bounce off metal, penetrating only the glass windows that the three occupants easily dodge & avoid. Seeing the rapid rounds aren't stopping the perps, Dredd commanded his weapon to switch to armor piercing before driving his cycle over to the van's right side. Aiming at the front, Dredd's single shot hit & punctured the engine, disabling it as the van showed immediate results of losing speed no matter how hard Davey stepped on the gas petal. Realizing the futility of it & seeing Dredd to his right, Davey swerved the van over to him to try & at least knock hon off his ride & kill him. Dredd responded by speeding ahead & avoiding a collision, but the van couldn't: it crashes into a parked car on the side of the road, jarring it & the perps to a violent stop.

The Judges stop their cycles & dismount, Lawgivers drawn & ready to fire.

Dredd opened the driver's side door & roughly yanked the dazed Davey from his seat before throwing him to the asphalt & slapping the cuffs on him. Anderson swung open the rear doors of the van & fired a few rounds, giving the perps all the motivation they need to not do anything stupid.

"Get your asses out of that van – now!", she barked through clenched teeth.

Butch & Mikey did as they were told.

45 minutes later:

Davey, Mikey & Butch were placed into the back of a transport vehicle & brought on over to the Donald Trump National Bank, where Nick & the other two juvie perps were sitting in wait. Brubaker & the other Judges began to ID the adult perps & came to the results in under two minutes: Davey Solomon & his son Sal, Mikey Harris & his son Ed, & Nick's father is named Butch Condor. Each man had a rap sheet longer than a Judge's own arm, up to & including rape, arson, extortion, robbery, & cold-blooded murder.

And now their sons are taking up after them, Dredd thought. Brubaker was right – what is this whole town coming to?

"According to your files, Mr. Solomon, you recently committed a forgery scam in an attempt to fill your rapidly dwindling account", Brubaker states. "When that didn't work out, you goaded your own flesh & blood to go ahead with this armed robbery ploy, with Mr. Harris & Mr. Condor doing the same. We also discovered you went ahead & forged passports for each of you to leave both the city and the country, thinking the law couldn't touch anyof you once you did. In lieu of these charges, you men have also added eluding the law, attempted murder of two Judges, & murder of innocent civilians to your rap sheets. How do you men plead?"

The men look at each other before Mikey speaks up.

"Not guilty, & there's a damn good reason for it!"

Brubaker, Dredd & Anderson look at one another briefly.

"Enlighten us, creep", Dredd says.

"For all your high-tech gadgets & other fancy shit, you fucking Judges can't see what's right in front of you! You need to wake up & smell what you're shoveling: this city's been going to the dogs ever since it was erected after the Atomic Wars had taken place! And you damn Judges don't help matters any either: since the day they dropped the legal system by being granted the power of delivering 'instant justice', you've all been causing more problems than you're able to solve! It's your reckless behavior & attitudes towards the general populace that urge them to commit crimes! If there's anyone who deserves to be placed in iso-cubes for a long stretch, it's you fucking Judges! So the real question should be, how do you people plead?!"

Dredd kneeled down & stared Mikey hard in the face. It made the man squirm.

"The Law is the Law", he said solidly. "Whatever your reasons are for committing crimes in this city, it's still no excuse to make any attempts to go above it like you're the Man Upstairs – if he even exists. You don't get to choose which laws you want to obey, & which ones you choose to ignore. You will abide by them all, or you pay the price."

Mikey gulped hard, being barely able to do so.

"At least you'll be going down same as us, Little Nicky – if we serve hard time, so do you!", Butch told his son. Nick just lowered his head, looking like he was about to cry.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?", Anderson says, kneeling in front of Butch's kid. "We got rudely interrupted before, Nick. But now we can resume where we left off. May I?"

Nick nodded happily.

"Don't you dare...!", Butch started saying.

"Button it, creep!", Dredd growled, giving him a hard kick in the leg & silencing him.

Placing her hand on the side of Nick's head, Anderson concentrated her psychic abilities & delved into the boy's mind. It didn't take long before she started seeing images of Butch slapping Nick as he & his wife argued & their baby daughter screaming madly from the boisterous noise, followed by scenes of Butch grabbing a handgun & shooting his wife in the chest before doing the same to his newborn child, silencing them forever. He then turned the gun upon Nick, blatantly threatening to shoot him dead if he doesn't agree to go along with the heist that Mikey, Davey & their sons have planned.

Having no choice in the matter, Nick nodded his head in a hurry.

Anderson broke the connection to Nick's mind & stood with a stunned facial expression.

"What did you see, Anderson?", Dredd asked.

Only half-hearing her partner, the psychic Judge turned to Butch & pointed an accusing finger at him, her face in a fit of rage.

"You fucking cold-hearted son of a bitch!", she spat. "It's bad enough you forced your son to commit this bank heist against his will, but you shoot & kill your own wife & infant daughter?! How could you?!"

"There's no room for pussies in this society!", Butch countered. "Too bad it's a lesson they'll never get to learn!"

Dredd grabbed Butch by his collar & brought him to eye level.

"And there's even less room for creeps who kill their own flesh & blood, let alone forcing them against their will to perpetrate crimes when they know it's wrong!", Dredd growled in his face. "I know of at least one of you who won't be going to the cubes today! Anderson?"

The psychic Judge nodded & undoes the cuffs on Nick's wrists, freeing him. Anderson helps him up as Nick rubs his wrists to get circulation back into them. The other perps couldn't believe their eyes, & they stare wordlessly at the turn of events.

"I want to apologize for the rough treatment before, Nick", Anderson stated. "I'm sure you understand that it's our policy, & that we were simply following procedure like we've been trained to do."

"Of course I do, Judge Anderson", Nick replied. "I'm just glad that the truth about me could be told before I end up paying for a crime I never had any intention of committing."

"That's why we're planning a PSI Division at the Hall of Justice", Anderson said with a smile. "So far, I'm the only available member, but further down the road…who knows? Nick, I'd like to ask for you to come down to the Hall of Justice with us. I saw in your mind as I probed it that you have no other family aside from that dirtbag…" Anderson jabbed a thumb in Butch's direction. "So we'll work on getting you into a new home while we haul these creeps in."

Nick nodded as Dredd & Brubaker began hauling Mikey & the rest up to their feet for transport. Davey turns to face Anderson as he's being escorted to the wagon.

"Hey blondie, how's a babe like you get to wear a Judge's uniform anyway? You seem much more the type to be giving head rather than ultimatums!", he says to her, getting chuckles from the rest of the perps & causing everyone to halt in their tracks. Dredd was about to step in until Anderson held up a hand to stop him.

She makes her way towards Davey until she gets within an inch from his face.

"I'm sorry…I didn't quite catch that last remark", she stated. "Would you care to repeat it for me, please?"

Davey smiled big.

"Sure thing, baby! I'll bet you could make a ton of cash working that mouth of yours on some nice, big…"

Amusing chuckles from the perps erupted from Davey's attempts at humor. The laughter had died in their throats when Anderson gave Davey a powerful right fist square in his face, knocking him down on his back as blood & one of his teeth went flying from his mouth. Anderson grabbed the sick pervert by his lapels & brought him to eye level.

"You're already serving twenty-plus years for your other crimes, creep!", Anderson spat through clenched teeth. "I guess I'll just have to add another five for attempting to bribe a Judge!"

All the charm Davey had before was gone, & he defiantly spat his blood in her face.

"Fuck you, then!", he barked, earning him a hard kick to the groin as he bucked & groaned in pain.

"That's another five in the cubes! Would you care to keep going?!", she dared. When he said nothing else, she faced the other perps. "How about you creeps?! Want to try & sweet-talk me?!"

Quick shakes of their heads answered her question.

"Okay, now that the show's over, let's get them in the wagon", Brubaker said as Anderson nodded & wiped the blood off her face with a cloth from her belt while he & Dredd threw them in the back of the vehicle like they were all but sacks of sugar. Once they were done, Dredd's GPS came active.

"Dredd, this is Control. Is this a bad time?"

"We're just finishing up here, Control. What is it?", Dredd replied.

"Chief Judge wants to see you & Anderson at your earliest convenience."

"That's a rog. We've got five perps ready for the cubes. Plus, get Child Services down to the Hall – we've got an orphaned boy on our hands."

"Copy that, Dredd. We'll see you & Anderson at the Hall. Control out."

Dredd turned to Anderson, who nods.

"Come on, Nick. You'll be riding with me", she tells him. Nick gave no argument as he rode behind Anderson on her cycle with Dredd & Brubaker following at the rear.

Their next trip was to the Hall of Justice.

CHAPTER II

The Hall of Justice, noon:

One of the tallest buildings in all of Mega-City One, this skyscraper soared above the city streets with an eagle-like insignia that shone day & night in order to remind the populace of who holds the power, as well as give them a big shimmer of hope in an area most deem as a hostile cesspool. Numerous antennae & radar dishes point up & outwards on the building's rooftop that serve their communications & keep an ever-sharp lookout for any & all kinds of illegal flying craft or those who get too close of causing a collision, be they intentional or not. Judges & other essential personnel who devote their lives to justice accompany this structure, their numbers changing like a constant river flow, sometimes unceremoniously & without warning.

It was the price one pays for being a member of this organization, & everybody who either divulges information to personnel to the Judges themselves knows this as well as they do their own names.

Arriving at the Hall, Anderson took Nick over to a secluded room where he waits patiently for someone from Child Services to attend to his needs. The psychic Judge offered him a drink of orange soda with a burger made from synth-meat, which does its best to taste like the real thing when cows & other animals were plentiful before the world went to hell.

Synth-meat or not, it tasted good to Nick, his hunger satisfied until he gets taken care of.

As Nick awaits Child Services, Anderson & Dredd went to the Chief Judge.

Judges Dredd & Anderson caught up with the Chef Judge in a hallway near the top floor of the building. She was a well-built African-American female, with a fuzz crop of short curled hair. Her firm demeanor & personality was one of the primary reasons as to why she's Chief Judge: tough but fair, knows how to handle a situation by deploying snap judgments & respects her fellow Judges, receiving the same treatment in return.

Even Judge Joe Dredd has high admiration for the Chief Judge, even if disagrees with some of her decisions now & then, like when she ordered him to take Anderson on her debut assessment during her rookie year due to her failing her testing at the academy by three points. Because of her psychic ability, her failing of it was overlooked & she hit the streets with the Big Meg's top Judge. Although shaky at first, Anderson more than proved her mantle when both she & Dredd took on the Ma-Ma clan & survived, passing her assessment despite losing her primary weapon.

Sometimes academy tests don't mean shit when one takes down perps in a textbook manner, Dredd thought as he reflected back on that period in time.

"Anderson. Dredd. Glad you two could make it", the Chief Judge said in formal greeting.

"Chief Judge", Anderson said in an equal formal manner.

"I heard about what you two did at the Donald Trump this morning. Good work: not only did you manage to foil what could've been a bloodbath, but you also gave a second chance to an innocent bystander who was forced against his will to perpetrate a heinous crime, thus exonerating him on the spot."

"Just doing what we signed up for, ma'am. As I've told Dredd during my assessment last year, I signed on to make a difference in the city. More often than not, innocence of Nick's status gets too much overlooked & they end up paying the price for it when they really shouldn't be. Amid the harsh violence we deal with on a daily basis, there are still decent, law-abiding people here in Mega-City One who simply want to get by. Today, I helped a child do just that."

"And Child Services will help Nick in every way they can once they arrive, I assure you. Again, good work on your part, Anderson. You too, Dredd."

Dredd & Anderson nodded, with the latter adding a little smile.

"You wanted to see us, ma'am?", Dredd asked.

"I did. Please walk with me", she stated, & she leads both Judges follow like the obedient soldiers that they are. Rounding a corner, they see another Judge – a female – with dark blue eyes & jet black hair that came halfway down to her neck. Her lips were a dark pinkish tint, with a firm face similar to Dredd's own. She'd been a street Judge almost as long as Dredd himself, & had worked alongside the man on several occasions.

"I'm sure you two remember this fine young lady, yes?", the Chief Judge asks in an almost innocent manner.

"Judge Barbara Hershey", Dredd & Anderson say in unison. The three ladies smile as Hershey & the psychic give each other a handshake. Hershey would offer Dredd her hand, but she knew him too well that the man doesn't do formal greetings.

It annoyed her when they first met, but Barbara got used to it as time went by.

"Good to see you both again", Hershey said, releasing Anderson's hand. "I hear your arrest status is up to quota, not to mention the list of people you've offered leniency when learning of their unwillingness to participate in a crime. I guess it was a good thing that the academy overlooked your status as a psychic." Barbara turned to the Chief Judge. "You were right, ma'am: she did become a great asset to us."

"I knew I saw potential in her when she first came on board as a rookie a year ago", the Chief Judge said, facing the psychic. "And speaking of rookies…that brings us as to why I've asked you & Dredd here today, Cassandra."

"You want us to take a new recruit out on the streets & test his/her mantle?", asked Cassandra.

"No…I want you, Hershey and Dredd to take out four of them."

Anderson's eyes widened in surprise as Dredd remained still, his features unreadable & stony like always.

"Four rookies?", Dredd asked evenly.

"Correct. Let's go meet them", the Chief Judge says, leading Dredd, Anderson & Hershey to a room – the same room where Cassandra was as a rookie, where she sat behind a large one-way mirror.

This time, the room holds a quartet of new Judges – three women & one male. The male was a tall, bald-headed African-American, with eyes as keen as a hawk's & as hard as granite; the first female was Hispanic, with long curly black hair that measured the length of her hair & brown eyes; the second was Caucasian with blue eyes & a head of long flowing crimson hair in a similar fashion as the fictional character of Frieda from the classic 'Peanuts' comic strip; the third had her head covered in a helmet, who absolutely refuses to remove it. She was slim but well-built, & her mouth looked to be carved from stone like Dredd's own.

She's also the youngest of the four, but she didn't seem to let it bother her.

The Chief Judge stands outside the room with Hershey on her left side, with Dredd & Anderson on her right. The one-way mirror shows the four seasoned Judges the new recruits as each of them awaits her voice to come on via the speaker.

"So, who have we got here?", asked Anderson.

"Judges Anderson & Dredd, say hello to Judges Giant, Sanchez, Karyn & America Beeny", said the Chief Judge.

"What's their status?", Dredd asked.

"All four of them passed their tests over at the academy. Three of them are two months out & have been taken on a successful run over on the far south side of Mega-City One."

"If they've already passed their initiation out on the streets, why are they here in our neck of the woods?"

"It was at the order of their Chief Judge that they be transferred over here. The concept of it was strictly legal & on the level: I couldn't overrule the decision even if I wanted to."

"You want the three of us to take them out on the streets in our jurisdiction to see how well they perform."

"Exactly", the Chief Judge concluded as she got on the speaker to chat with the new recruits inside the solitary space behind the one-way mirror. "Judges Giant, Sanchez, Karyn & Beeny: please rise."

The quartet of rookies did as told.

"Judge Karyn, can you tell me how many stand on the outside of your space?", the Chief's voice asks from the speaker within. Karyn places her hands to the side of her head & focuses her talents. Everyone remained quiet as she makes the calculations with her mind, the process taking close to twelve seconds before she spoke.

"Sir, there are four of you – three females & one male, same as in here", Karyn acknowledges.

"That's correct. Good job, Judge Karyn."

The Chief cuts the line, plunging the room in silence.

"She's psychic", Dredd & Anderson say simultaneously, offering a brief look to each other.

"Indeed", the Chief Judge says, turning to the blonde. "Just like you, Anderson, Karyn is a mutant & gifted with telepathy that can increase our PSI Division Unit that we have planned for our building. As I've mentioned to you once, it's currently in the infancy stage, but should Judge Karyn be fortunate enough to survive in our neck of the woods, I think it's safe to say that we can go ahead & make it official."

I hope she does – it'd be nice to not be the only psychic in this place for a change, Anderson thought, replying with a nod.

"You said three of them are two months out of the academy", Dredd says. "What about the fourth one?"

"Sanchez is only one month out. Although she's a little bit on the rusty side, she's still performed well when she worked the far south of the city", the Chief Judge says. "Judge Hershey, I want for you to take Judges Giant, Karyn & Beeny out on patrol with you for the next week or two." She turns to her other two Judges. "Dredd, Anderson…Judge Sanchez is all yours. The experience riding with you both will be good for her, & it will toughen her up some more…an area she could really use improvement in. Have each of you received a rest in the sleep machines recently?"

Dredd, Anderson & Hershey all answer with a 'yes'.

"Good. You begin immediately."

The Parking Garage:

As one, Dredd, Anderson & Hershey lead the four rookies to where their cycles await.

Hershey halted the group by turning on a dime with a hand raised. Dredd & Anderson stand by her side, facing the rookies.

"Shall I?", Hershey asked Dredd.

"Please be my guest. You'll save me the trouble", he replied.

Judge Hershey briefly smirked before facing Giant & the rest, her demeanor all business.

"All right, people, listen up & listen good!", she began. "Each one of you pay close attention to what I'm about to say, because I won't be repeating myself to any one of you! A rookie Judge on their assessment is more likely than not to get involved in armed combat and/or a brutal shootout with perps! A percentage of 1 in 5 Judges don't make it after the first day, so stay sharp & alert at all times! While in combat, you are authorized to use lethal force & carry out on-the-spot executions of any convicted felons, as well as those who attempt murder of you or your fellow Judges if & when it warrants it! You automatically fail your assessment if you should do any of the following: incorrect sentencing, disobeying a direct order from your assessment officer, or losing your primary weapon or having it taken away from you! Do you each understand these rules & regulations as I've explained them to you?"

Each of the four rookies responded with a more-than-audible 'Yes sir' to Judge Hershey.

"Before we continue, does anyone have any questions?", Anderson asks, eyeing each rookie. When no one spoke after five to ten seconds, she finishes up. "Very well. Sanchez, you're riding with Dredd & myself while the rest of you are with Judge Hershey. Good luck to the four of you, rookies. Your assessment begins as of now."

Judge Hershey takes Giant, Karyn & Beeny over to their cycles as they all hop on. Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez do the same as the former Judge faces the rookie.

"So you're just one month out of the academy, Sanchez?", he asks.

"Yes sir, that I am", she replied as Dredd nodded.

"Good. Chief Judge wants Anderson & I specifically to take you on patrol. Your record shows you as a bit on the flaky side, & she wants us to help you fortify your character into a full-fledge Judge. Will that be a problem for you?"

"Hardly, sir. I've heard about you like just about everyone else has: you don't give an inch or cave in whenever you're on duty no matter what the situation or circumstance, & you've scored the highest arrest record around, far as I can tell. I'll admit – although shamefully – that I have some doubts about my job and myself, but if there's anyone that'll get me to be an honorary Judge & shred them off, it's you. I'll give it to you straight up: I will perform my duties to the fullest extent of my abilities until my assessment is over, but if you feel I've slacked off in any areas at any given time, please let me know & I'll turn in my badge with no questions asked. Do we have a deal on that?"

"We do."

"Now for the big question, Sanchez: why do you wish to become a Judge?", Anderson asked.

"Aside from being able to make a difference when I can?", she began. "Like Giant, Karyn & Beeny, I've heard about the four rogue Judges that were on Ma-Ma's payroll – Lex, Alvarez, Chan & Kaplan. We've also heard that they tried to kill you & Dredd while trapped in Peach Trees, & they very nearly succeeded in doing so. While being a Judge can be stressful at times, it's still no excuse for what they did – betraying not only the badge, but the city itself & the promise to the people. The four of us were all but disgusted by their betrayal, & so was our Chief Judge from our own sector. When he asked us to be transferred over here, we volunteered, & here we are."

"You four should know that it isn't your fault what Alvarez & the others did at Peach Trees. What they did, they did it to themselves. You don't have to feel responsible for it."

"A part of us feels that we are, Anderson. When one puts on the badge of a Judge, it's something not to be taken lightly. Those four rogues took that power they had, & they flaunted it like a child's toy. We're here to help restore the trust in the people we're sworn to serve, & prove that this city – however mischievous it may be – can still be a thing of beauty & wonder. And since this is the month of December, with Christmas & everything, there's no better time to be the best a Judge can be."

Dredd & Anderson stayed silent for about six seconds before the former spoke.

"That is…admirable."

The female Judges share a quick smile.

"Well Sanchez, here's where you get the chance to put your desires to the test & make them real", Anderson said firmly. "A quick piece of advice: there will be times when you feel the walls are closing in on you from all sides, & it'll be up to you to find the quickest way out to get the situation under control & swing it in your direction. Just keep your cool, your wits sharp, & you'll find that there's nothing you can't handle. So…are you ready to hit the streets?"

"Yes I am", was Sanchez's reply.

"Good. Let's ride", was Dredd's.

Without another word, the seven Judges were off.

December 9th, 9:00 a.m.:

Since getting themselves on the road in the Big Meg, Giant, Sanchez, Karyn & Beeny have given everything they got as they went up against a number of crimes committed by numerous perps, including robberies at local jewelers & eateries, charity funds where Santa Clauses at various corners & shopping malls collect for the Salvation Army & other worthy causes, vehicle theft, gangs in bloody rival with one another, domestic violence disturbances, & even a leftover Slo-Mo mini-factory which produces it.

Both factory workers & those who were lucky enough to get their fix thought they could pull the wool over the Judges' eyes & continue Ma-Ma's legacy by keeping it alive.

They thought wrong, & the rookies make damn sure the perps know that, hitting them fast & hard. Even Sanchez gave a good performance as she put down a muscle man who sized her up with his sheer bulk & physique. Some well-placed armor-piercing shells from her Lawgiver cut the thug down like a house of cards. A big nod from Dredd gave her all the indication to see that he fully approved of her duties.

She smiled on the inside, not wanting to get too cocky, for she felt that it might count against her.

Karyn once located a cell where innocent people were being held against their will by a band of slave-traders had attempted to sell them to the highest bidder to a bunch of outlaws from the Cursed Earth. Using her abilities, she got the names of their business associates & called it in to Control who sent out a search party via Hover Wagon.

Anderson was proud of Karyn's performance, stating that she couldn't have done better.

Giant busted up a bar fight using only his daystick & bare hands, beating all would-be conquers before calling in a wagon to round up all the brawlers & even the instigators that egged them on to bring the Judge down. Beeny went through a similar experience in an alleyway where young punks with nothing better to do with their time thought the young cadet was easy pickings, & said she wouldn't last two minutes with the ruffians.

Beeny took then down in brutal hand-to-hand combat, & she did it in less than one minute!

Hershey, Dredd & Anderson also got their fair share of felons & crimes to handle; Anderson had tracked down a well-known serial killer & rapist that had eluded justice for months until she cornered him in an old apartment complex & engaged in a life-or-death struggle before overpowering him by shooting off his two best friends with a few rounds of rapid fire. The killer/rapist cried out in agony at losing his family jewels before having his ass hauled away first for medical treatment before heading for the cubes without the possibility of parole; Judge Hershey had made her presence known to a family of arsonists who thought by blowing up an orphanage, people would be demoralized & have less to no children in a sick attempt to lower Mega-City One's population. When Hershey caught up to them, the brother & sister of this demented family fired powerful rifles at the Judge, who took cover behind a wall & fired back. As the two siblings kept Hershey busy, the mother & father finished planting the explosives & prepared to set them off until Dredd himself showed up & placed two bullets within the heads of Mom & Dad, their brains splattering across the floor.

When brother & sister turned to the sound of gunshots, Hershey took advantage of the distraction & did the same, only blowing their brains out the front of their heads. Once the perps were all dealt with, Dredd put in a call to Control for requesting employees at Resyk to collect & recycle the bodies, followed by bomb experts to remove the detonators safely, which they were.

To Dredd, Anderson & Hershey, it was just another day/week on the job.

For the four rookies, it was an exalting experience, but one that has definitely honed their skills exponentially to make them full-time Judges.

In nearly a week's time, they all did good work, & even Dredd felt proud of their performance.

They just might make it yet, he thought on the subject.

On this cold morning of December, Hershey gets a call on her GPS with her band following close behind.

"Judge Hershey, this is Control. Please acknowledge."

"This is Judge Hershey. Go ahead, Control", she replied.

"We received a call from the George Foreman Gymnasium in Sector 18 about a disturbance there. Are you in the vicinity, Judge Hershey?"

"That's a rog, Control: we're about five minutes away. Is Judge Dredd in close proximity?"

"Affirmative. He says he'll meet you there with Anderson & their rookie."

"Copy that, Control – we're all on our way. Judge Hershey out."

Racing through traffic, they headed for Sector 18.

Judge Hershey & her squadron were greeted by several bodybuilders, who stood right outside the huge dome where people can get a daily dose of exercise, ranging from riding bicycles (both mounted & not) to indoor swimming & weightlifting. Wearing their coats, they stand out in the cold weather awaiting the arrival of the Judges as Hershey & company themselves await the rest of her party.

Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez show up in under a minute later. Parking their cycles & activating their defenses to prevent any hijacking from would-be perps, they climb off & approach their fellow Judges.

"We received the call from Control, same as you", Anderson said. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Anderson, this is Mr. Ramirez – he's the owner of this gymnasium", Hershey says, indicating with her hand a tall muscular man with short blonde hair.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Ramirez", the blonde psychic said, shaking his hand. "You called about a disturbance here. What seemed to be the cause of it?"

"Why don't we head inside the place as I explain it to you along the way?", Ramirez says. "From what caused it, I really believe it best that you all come see for yourselves."

Dredd looked at Hershey, who nods.

"Lead the way, citizen", he said as Ramirez did just that.

"Folks, I know it's cold out, but we need for you all to remain outside until this matter is resolved", Hershey was saying to those that attended the day's activities. "We'll also be needing statements from each & every one of you once we're finished, so please don't go anywhere."

"That won't be a problem, Judge!", said one man. "After what we've seen inside there, you couldn't make us go back in!"

"All right, just sit tight. We'll be back soon as we can", Giant offered as he entered the gymnasium with Ramirez & his fellow Judges.

Like he promised, Ramirez explains the situation as they walked through the halls.

"We were all going about our routine this morning as we jogged laps around the circular track & several others were lifting weights when suddenly the whole floor was shaking – I mean, literally shaking!"

"How bad was it, exactly?", asked Beeny.

"The vibrations were even felt from the upper floors of this place, not to mention the buildings closest to here! That's how bad it was! What's more, when the floor caved in & collapsed…"

"The floor came down?", asked Karyn.

"And how! It started dissolving right in the middle, then expanded & worked its way over towards us! We were barely able to escape the room with our lives! After the shaking stopped, I dared a peek inside, & most of the floor was gone, just…gone! And that's when I saw…it!"

"'It'?", asked Sanchez. "What exactly did you see, Mr. Ramirez?"

"As I've said before, Judge…it's best you people see this for yourselves", Ramirez says, approaching a set of big double doors & halting in front of them. "It's right in here, folks. Please be very careful where you step – of the floor that's still existent, there's no telling just how sturdy it will be. Are you ready?"

The Judges nodded.

"Here we go", Ramirez concluded & swung open the doors. The lights illuminating from above gave a clear view of an enormous hole that opened up in the floor that left only a small walkway 10-12 feet out all around. It squeaked beneath the boots of the Judges, but it still held firm. The law enforcers of Mega-City One, sans Dredd, were awestruck by the sight. The smell from it stung everyone's nostrils soon as they entered, & they did their best to block it out.

Jesus – smells like something died in here!, thought Beeny.

"Now that's a hole!", Giant said.

"Wait until you see what caused it!", Ramirez says, standing at the edge & pointing down into the abyss. Dredd & the rest peered inside the hole to see a disturbing sight the overhead lights shown down on: it was a creature that was about 15-20 feet in height, with a wingspan the length of a city bus. The head was shaped like an arrowhead, & its agape mouth was filled with sharp teeth. A tail the length of its legs stuck out in the rear, & claws that looked to tear even steel adorned its feet & fingers, the latter of which were placed in the center of its wings. Although it was decayed & rotted (giving Beeny her explanation why the stench of death was present), they can still see traces of brown upon its flesh, & some of its skeleton was exposed in places. The mouth hung open, & its eyes were empty except for the crowd of insects that made it their home as they crawled/slithered in & out of the socket & other exposed places.

Judge Sanchez felt her gorge rising, & she turned away from the gruesome sight & fought to keep her breakfast down, not wishing to show weakness to her colleagues/superiors.

"Fuck me", was all Giant could say, as a whisper.

"What the hell is this damned thing?", Sanchez asks once she regained her composure.

"Besides uglier than shit? I was hoping you could tell me!", Ramirez says.

"I'm sorry to say, Mr. Ramirez: we've never seen anything like this!", Judge Hershey said.

"Who knows how long it's been dead for", Karyn wondered aloud.

"And that left me wondering", Dredd says as all eyes turn to him. "If this creature – whatever it is – has been a rotting corpse for a long time, how the hell could it have caused this hole in the floor? Care to fill us in, Mr. Ramirez?"

The owner of the George Foreman Gymnasium was at a loss for words, & he stared dumbfounder as Dredd was now walking towards him.

"Dredd", Anderson said, getting in front of & stopping his advance. "I've already scanned his mind when we got here. However this incident occurred, he's not responsible for it any more than those who were here when it happened. This is as much of a surprise to him as it is to us."

Dredd looked at Anderson straight in the eye, & they were unwavering. Even if she didn't have her psychic talent with her, Dredd knew she was being straight with him.

With a nod, he faced Ramirez.

"My mistake, citizen", he says.

"Not a problem, Judge", Ramirez said before staring down at the creature's corpse. "Jesus Christ, I'd sure hate to have seen this thing when it was alive."

"No chance of that factor becoming a reality", Dredd went on, staring at the corpse himself. "We'll take some tissue samples with us back to the labs to have them analyzed. Who'll volunteer to gather some?"

"I'll go", Beeny said, extracting her boot knife.

"I'll join her", Giant said, doing the same before both rookie Judges use their grappling lines from their belts to descend the pit. Sanchez was secretly relieved she didn't have to go down & perform such a horrid task: just looking at the monster's corpse was stressful enough.

Her private thoughts were interrupted when she saw Dredd standing next to her, & she stood firm in a heartbeat.

"You doing all right, Sanchez?", he asks her.

"Yes sir", she said in her sturdiest voice. "It's just…been an interesting morning for me."

"It certainly has…for all of us. Get ready, rookie. We leave in ten."

"That's a rog", Sanchez concludes as Dredd walks past her. She looks at the creature's corpse, being strangely drawn to it despite the horror of its decayed flesh & exposed skeleton. Judge Hershey was right: nobody in the group has ever witnessed such a phenomenon, & she doubted that anyone else in the whole Justice Department or in all of the Big Meg has either.

You said you would've hated to see something like this creature alive, Mr. Ramirez – that makes two of us!, she thought dreadfully.

She continued staring at the dead monster until Beeny & Giant came back up.

Aboard the Orca, the Black Atlantic, 11:00 a.m.:

The huge seagoing vessel rested out in the ocean middle, staying away from detection & off the radar of any of the Mega-Cities. Crew members were working hard on keeping the ship operative at its peak, carrying essential parts at one place to another, doing repair work wherever needed, scientists checking data on their computers, etc..

But perhaps the most important task within the whole vessel is the constant maintenance of the multitude of eggs found on Jo-Jo's world voyage. Every day, crew members are to watch her prized possessions & check for any sort of problems & to report them to Jo-Jo immediately, no matter how mundane or trivial they might turn out to be. Everyone aboard knew that failure to do so will result in their untimely demise, & in the worst possible way imaginable.

In the months that followed since the discovery of eggs on the Cayman Islands, not one accident occurred to even one of them, sparing the crew a most horrible punishment.

Jo-Jo was in her living quarters, sitting Indian-style on a plush crimson rug & her hands on her legs as she sits in complete silence, her eyes closed. She was attired in a red outfit with matching shoes, & a gold necklace of a skull had hung from her neck. The skull had red rubies embedded in them, giving it an eerie look. Her bodyguards Blair & Bryce stood on each side of her, their arms crossed & remaining as silent as she was.

Her meditation was interrupted by a knock on her door, which slightly echoed the room.

"Enter!", she commanded without rising or turning. The door opened to reveal a man in a blue suit, black tie & shoes with short brown hair. A pair of shades covered his same-colored eyes, & he went by the name of Mason. Blair & Bryce turned to the man as Mason started to speak.

"Jo-Jo, I've just received an update from one of our contacts in Mega-City One", he announced.

"Please continue", Jo-Jo says, her back still turned to him & the door.

"The Judges have found the corpse of the creature at the George Foreman Gymnasium, just as you hoped. They'd taken some samples to bring back to their HQ for further analysis. If you wish, I can have our contacts intercept them & get those samples back before they even get to their front door."

Jo-Jo allows herself a little chuckle of amusement.

"That won't be necessary", she says. "Even if they should by some chance discover what our little 'gift' is, it will still be too late for them to do anything to stop what's coming to Mega-City One. Let them keep their precious samples: there won't be any force on Heaven or Earth that will prevent what will bring Mega-City One to its knees, beginning by tomorrow evening. Thank you for the update, Mason. That will be all for now."

"Very good, ma'am", Mason said, bowing & closing the door behind him. It was then that Jo-Jo stood up & she approaches the mirror to examine herself. Blair & Bryce stay by her the entire way.

"So that's why you wanted the corpse of the creature when we found it – to put a little scare into the Judges!", Blair said. "It certainly makes sense to me now, Jo-Jo! After all…fear is one hell of a motivator!"

Jo-Jo chuckled again, amused.

"You are on the right track about that, Blair", Jo-Jo said, grinning. "I wanted them to find that corpse to 'make them sweat', as they say, like a suspect being interrogated under a single hot light. Let's let that uneasiness spread for a day before we unleash the real nightmare – one that Mega-City One won't be waking up from!"

Jo-Jo's grin grows on her face, followed by Blair & Bryce. Then the latter bodyguard's disappears in a flash as a single thought entered his mind.

"What's wrong?", Blair asked, his & Jo-Jo's smiles also gone.

"There's one thing that's just occurred to me", Bryce says, staring at both people. "The Judges may not be able to fully prevent what's going to hit them tomorrow night, but…what if he does?"

Jo-Jo & Blair give each other a quick look. It was something that almost slipped their minds, & they feel – albeit briefly – that their plan might still be shot, & it wasn't the Judges' ability to halt all their labors the past year.

"Bryce has a good point, Jo-Jo", Blair said. "We have no way of knowing if he perished during the Atomic Wars all those years ago, & we don't have the resources needed to comb the planet looking for him – at least, that is, not in a simultaneous manner. If he is still alive, he could reallyscrew us."

Jo-Jo took what her bodyguards said into consideration, & she nodded grimly.

"You both raise good points, gentlemen", she says. "I must admit that even I've never given the matter that much thought on that one possibility, believing the wars which decimated America & most of the world had all but destroyed him. In any case, we still proceed tomorrow night as planned. We're taking a deadly risk as it is by bringing these eggs to Mega-City One, & there's absolutely no turning back from it. Bryce, get in touch with our other contacts in the city & get an update on their progress. Tell them I want hourly reports from now on until we're ready to go."

"Right away, Jo-Jo", Bryce says, exiting the room.

Jo-Jo looks at Blair as if hoping he has a perfect solution to the one possible obstacle that could ruin everything they'd worked for.

"Let's just hope & pray that he is dead, Jo-Jo. It's all any of us on this ship can ask for right now", was all the advice Blair could offer her.

Jo-Jo didn't know how to respond to that, so she simply nodded.

Hondo City, Japan:

As Mega-City One endorsed the morning sun despite the cold, Japan's Hondo City was embraced in the late evening of a sky with many stars & little clouds. Like the American megalopolis, Hondo City is divided into huge city blocks which crams its population closely, stretching from Hokkaido to Wakayama. It is built over the ruins of Tokyo as Mega-City One is over the likes of New York City, placed side-by-side with traditional wooden houses. A number of islands are home to the rural Japanese lifestyle from the 20th Century. More advanced in technology, their energy needs are fulfilled by orbiting nuclear-powered satellites.

Like other Mega-Cities of the world, Hondo City is run by a Judge System, but with differences: their uniforms are in the style of their country's Rising Sun flag, & no badges with their names are present on their chests. They are only visible through the helmet visors of fellow Judges, giving the Japanese the appearance that their system is one big family/organization instead of individuals. Their uniforms are fixed with bio-circuitry, enabling the Judges there to use a variety of high-tech weaponry, such as laser rifles & shuriken discs. In keeping the tradition of the samurai, they have an arsenal of nunchucks, energy-based sabers & the traditional katana blade.

High-disciplined the Japanese Judges are, they have another difference over their American counterparts: they are permitted to engage in sexual relations, where in America it is forbidden. Plus, the law in Hondo is a lot less harsh & strict, but the Judges are still authorized to use lethal force where it is warranted. Mostly, the crimes perpetrated are by that of the Yakuza – the Japanese mafia that has stretched their influence from one end of Hondo to the other. The city has been dealt with several severe blows by the Yakuza, especially when there was infiltration within the Judges' ranks, creating mistrust amongst each other. Only when their first female Judge came on board – Aiko Inaba – did the tide turn, & the Yakuza hiding amongst the Justice Department were rooted out, tried & exterminated.

One problem Hondo City never had since its construction after the Atomic Wars was a horror & an unusual savior that was made to destroy that horror, both believed to have been annihilated during the wars. No one knows for sure if they have, but they can agree on a simple fact.

The threats of the Yakuza were nothing compared to them.

Buildings in Hondo City were manga-inspired, giving it a more aesthetic appearance & not the squat structs of its American counterpart. The insides were just as stunning: lush, futuristic furniture decorate the interior, including work desks, leisure rooms, bedroom, & other comforts any domicile can ask for.

It was in here that two Japanese ladies were at their desk, their noses in both books & computer screen. The first one was about 25 years of age, with long brown hair that was in a bun. She was attired in a pair of blue jeans & shoes, & a yellow long-sleeve shirt. Her lips were a bright red, & her eyes matched her hair color. The second female was at a young age of 21, & she wore black jeans & shoes, with matching long hair that she let flow to her shoulders. Her eyes were blue, & her lips were a bright pink. The long-sleeve shirt she wore was green, & a necklace hung from her neck. At the end of this piece of jewelry is a black comma-shaped bead.

For most of the day & into the night, these women were laboring in their studies in a continuous, uninterrupted state until they received a knock at their door. The younger female rose from her seat & peered outside the eyehole to see a pair of Judges standing right outside their apartment. One was female with her helmet, while the other exposed his head with brown eyes & hair.

The young lady couldn't believe who was at their domicile.

"Who is it, Naoko?", asked her roommate.

"Come & see for yourself, Toshiko", Naoko said, opening the door to allow the visitors access. Toshiko stopped in her tracks when she saw who it was as Naoko closed the door.

"Chief Judge Ohno!", Toshiko said in surprise.

"Good evening, Toshiko, Naoko", Ohno said, gesturing to his partner. "I'm sure you both remember Judge Aiko Inaba, yes?"

"Yes!", both ladies said in unison & bow to Aiko & her superior, with them returning the gesture.

"So…what can we do for you both at this late hour?", Naoko asked.

"We've got something that seems to be right up your alley", Aiko said. "As soon as we'd heard about this bit of news, we came to see you two straight away."

"Not to be rude, but…is it really that important for you to inform us about it this late?", Toshiko asks. "Naoko & I were just about ready to go to bed after finishing up some last-minute paperwork."

"Our apologies, Toshiko, but no…this cannot wait", Ohno said. "Do you recall when you had once mentioned to us that we were to notify you if we should ever discover a 'special breed' you & Naoko spent years trying to find?"

"Yes, we do!", Naoko says, recalling that very time. "I was sixteen at the time when I first hooked up with Toshiko, but I still remember it like it was only yesterday! We dedicated part of our studies in locating this breed, &…"

Naoko stopped herself in mid-sentence, the realization hitting her and her partner, & both their eyes went wide as they stared at each other with agape mouths.

"You mean to say that you've actually found a living specimen?!", Toshiko asks. "Where exactly was it found?!"

"To answer your first question, yes & no", Aiko said. "A specimen of this creature was found, but it wasn't alive when discovered. It was little more than a rotting corpse, parts of it half-eaten by insects & other parasites."

"To answer your second question, it wasn't found in Hondo City, Japan, or anywhere in the immediate vicinity", Ohno adds. "This specimen was found in the megalopolis of Mega-City One."

Toshiko & Naoko face each other briefly.

"Mega-City One? Then that means it was found in…", Naoko started as Aiko finished for her.

"The east coast of the ruins of America, yes."

The two ladies look at each other again, only now it was one of terror on their faces.

"Now you girls understand as to why we had to see you at our earliest convenience", Ohno said.

"Yes", said Toshiko. "Aiko, Chief Judge Ohno, please give us five-ten minutes to pack a suitcase. Naoko & I are taking a trip to Mega-City One immediately!"

"You're actually heading over there?", Aiko asks.

"Of course we are!", Naoko says. "What did you think we were going to do?"

"Ladies, Mega-City One is a very dangerous place!", Ohno says. "Even the threat of the Yakuza here in Hondo City can't compare to the atrocities that take place there! And the Judges there are even more brutal that the perps they hunt down!"

"Chief Judge Ohno", Toshiko begins. "Just like the Yakuza here, the perps in Mega-City One cannot even begin to compare to the danger this specimen can cause to the general populace if God forbid should there be others – live ones! If that happens to be the case, I doubt they'll know what they'll be dealing with, & they could be overrun by them in no time! And the one force that can possibly stop these things…we don't even know if he's still alive after the wars that gravely damaged the planet! As danger-stricken as Mega-City One is, they don't deserve the fate that could very well be awaiting them! Please understand that!"

Aiko & Chief Judge Ohno stare at the girls & see the desperation on their faces. They knew them both since they first met during an attack at their school, the Kojiro Hongo High School. A bunch of Yakuza held the entire building hostage, planting explosives & threatening to detonate the place & everyone in it if their demand of 500 million yen in unmarked bills wasn't paid in time. Toshiko & Naoko were two of the hostages, & were both chosen to be used as human shields. With Aiko's training & her fellow Judges, they were rescued, the bombs located & defused, & the ones responsible tried, convicted & executed where they stood.

They've formed a bond of friendship on that day, one that lasts even now.

Both law enforcers gave in: the girls have made up their minds, & knew there was no dissuading them.

They nodded in agreement.

"Very well, Toshiko", Ohno said finally. "Aiko & I shall arrange for a flight to take you & Naoko to Mega-City One first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, Chief Judge", Naoko said, turning to her friend & partner. "Let's start packing, Toshiko."

"Yes", she replied, & they went straight away to their rooms to get a suitcase & start filling it with clothing & a few other essentials.

Aiko & Chief Judge Ohno left their apartment to prepare their transportation to America.

Bottom of the South Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles southeast of Argentina:

For some strange reason, the South Atlantic is not as intoxicated as the Northern part of it. Numerous sea life has made this area their home, both predator & prey alike. A good majority of exotic fish & other forms of aquatic life all dwell here in this uncontaminated section of the Atlantic, supplying decent food to the populace of South America & other southern regions.

A small, active underwater volcano rests at the very bottom of this part of the ocean, a glow of orange-red which illuminates the immediate vicinity. Most of the rock formations at this depth were but a grayish-black that hardly even twinkle in this volcanic light, but one was a solid green like algae. Its surface was divided into three ridges that look as if they were carved by hand, becoming an almost smooth surface. The length of this huge undersea boulder measured at a staggering 80 meters from one end to the other, & it had an oval shape to it, resembling very much like an overgrown shell. A piece of its front end was half-buried in the ground beneath it, & a piece of curved claw or tooth stuck up out of the sea bottom beside it on each side.

Searching for food, a lone great white shark swam close to this rock formation, bearing its teeth & ready to bite into the first sign of life it comes across. It was about 45 feet from the rock, when it suddenly did something the great predatory fish never expected of it.

A gigantic eyeball abruptly came to life, frightening the shark as it turned tail & swam away, not wanting to be on the receiving end of becoming prey.

The front end of this giant rock rose several meters from the ocean bottom to reveal a large head, equipped with a mouth of sharp teeth & a pair of tusks that protruded from each side of the lower jaw. As it rose higher from the ocean bottom, a pair of powerful arms with five-fingered hands pushed it up, & it let out a soft growl from its maw.

The rock formation was alive, & is revealed to be the shell of a monstrous turtle.

Long thought to be believed dead during the Atomic Wars, this ancient creature rose from its longtime slumber spot & propels itself forward through the water by built-in jet propulsions at its legs, pushing it at a velocity greater than that of even the fastest submarines of old.

It knew neither the time of day, nor what day it was above the water's surface.

All it did know is that it's awoken to fulfil the mission it was created for many centuries ago.

After decades of inactivity, this monstrous behemoth of a turtle comes alive & sets its course, being guided by its natural instincts.

Its current course takes it north.

Sea creatures in its path gladly clear its way.

CHAPTER III

December 10th, Mega-City One, Hall of Justice, noon:

Once the tissue samples of the deceased bird-like creature were dropped off, rookie Judges Giant & Beeny went back on patrol with Karyn, Sanchez & their assessment officers, going about their daily routines & answering calls as they present themselves if & when they can reach them from their current positions. At 2:00 a.m., they all hit the sleep machines – devices in which enables a Judge to catch a full-night's sleep in a time span of 10-15 minutes before hitting the streets again. Through it all, none of them – rookies or their assessment officers – could get the image of the corpse out of their heads, even when they're in full combat with perps that break the law.

Judge Dredd left the group to head back to the Hall, leaving Anderson & Hershey to continue patrols with the rookies. He headed down to the science lab of the building to find a middle-aged man in a white lab coat with a pair of thin-rounded specs over his tired, exhausted eyes. Rubbing the sleep out of them, he resumed viewing the computer & its contents.

So intent on his findings that he didn't acknowledge Dredd's presence until the lawman spoke while right next to him.

"Any intel yet, Doctor Stein?", the lawman asked, slightly startling him.

"Those tissue samples you brought me the other day – they're the most unique in any kind of organism I've ever come across in all my years, & I mean ever", the scientist says.

"Unique how?"

"For starters, this creature is not an evolutionary product of its own species, because it has no ancestral species to begin with. Like alligators are living ancestors of the dinosaurs, this animal doesn't follow that trend. It's a biological beast, meaning that it was man-made & formed from a period of well over 12,000 years ago, according by what my studies tell me, most likely by an ancient civilization with technology far more advanced than what we currently have right now. I also found something else within its cellular structure – something I find both fascinating & disturbing."

"What would that be?"

"These bat or bird-like creatures are genetically-engineered with both Y & X chromosomes: the Y for males, the X for females. Based on the facts gathered from what I was able to decipher, I've hereby deduced that just one of these creatures is capable of altering its sex from male to female all by itself & laying God-knows how many eggs at a time. By what your people told me of this thing, Dredd, it's a ravenous carnivore, & it would be an utter disaster if there are any of these things alive out there. I'm not going to lie to you, Dredd: I'm very happy you & your people found that thing as a rotting corpse rather than as a live specimen. It makes me shudder to even think of the alternative."

That's similar to what Mr. Ramirez told us about it – and I don't blame him, the lawman thought.

Dredd nodded, fully agreeing.

"Good work, Doctor", he says orally. "See what else if anything you can discover about this thing, & let us know immediately. Every piece of intel on it would be of help."

"You got it, Dredd", Dr. Stein said, getting right back to work as Dredd exits the room in silence.

As Stein's place was in the lab, the street is where Dredd belonged & he wastes no time getting back to his own natural habitat.

8:00 p.m.:

Judges Dredd, Anderson, Hershey & their assigned rookies patrolled the streets on this cold December night that has a bit of a snow flurry which gave the streets a little powder that mixed in with the holiday spirit of decorations that were placed just about everywhere one looked. Even in a cesspool like Mega-City One, the spirit of Christmas thrives & prospers like it always did before the drastic change to the country, or even the world: however Christmas was spent in their respected countries was how it commenced as it did from days gone by.

But even that didn't stop the street scum from causing trouble: in one instance, a woman was walking home with her packages of presents when she & her young daughter were assaulted by a pair of thugs & robbed of their money & gifts before taking off. Calling for help, Sanchez raced to their rescue & confronted the perps with her daystick, making short work of them when they refused to surrender, much less return the woman & child's property. Once the perps had been cuffed & a call to control was put in to haul them away, Sanchez gathered up the gifts & money & returned them herself to the victims, offering them a warm smile as it got returned in kind.

For the rookie & most of her colleagues, it was a good feeling made more so by the Yuletide season.

For Judge Dredd, it was just another day/night on the job.

Their good deed done, the caravan of seasoned veterans & rookies took off to find other causes of disturbance, only now Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez remain on their cycles while Judge Hershey took her squadron over to a hover-wagon & began patrolling the skies as another part of their training. Sanchez was a bit disappointed in her not going on sky patrol, but Anderson assured her that she'll be getting her opportunity soon enough after she's toughened herself up more on the ground.

Announcing that she would make good on that promise, Judges Dredd & Anderson nodded in appreciation.

A small smile of eagerness formed on Sanchez's lips.

The Orca vessel, 8:30 p.m.:

Jo-Jo walked towards the control room with Blair & Bryce by her side as they always are. She was attired this time entirely in black, from her outfit to her jewelry, making her seem like a denizen from Hell itself. From what she's committed herself to doing & what she'd done to accomplish her goal, it wasn't hard for anyone to view her that way.

All she needed was a devil in red in possession of a pitchfork to complete the look.

Ironically, she had plenty of those aboard her vessel, only they were encased in hard-shelled eggs all awaiting for their den mother to release them to roam freely & cause havoc.

She smiled to herself on that very thought, knowing the time was near.

"Bryce, have you made contact with our 'delivery boy' yet?", Jo-Jo asked him. "The time is just about upon us."

"Ye it is, ma'am", he replied. "I've gotten in touch with Al only fifteen minutes ago, & he says all is ready on his end. All he needs now to commence is your signal to begin."

"Perfect. He needs only to wait another half-hour before it's show-time, & once our beauties in Mega-City One are up & running, I want for everyone aboard this ship to…"

The sound of blaring klaxons interrupted Jo-Jo, & she got on her own communicator.

"What is it?! Why the fuck are the alarms going off?! Talk to me – right now!", she almost screamed.

"Ma'am, three of our prisoners have escaped & have taken off in one of our boats!", was the response.

Jo-Jo, Blair & Bryce ran into the main control room, where several monitors were being displayed. The woman in black was interested in only one of them: the one that showed a lone speedboat racing across the Black Atlantic with a man, woman & their child in tattered rags being the occupants. Jo-Jo knew of them: they were the ones in Brazil that attempted to prevent her venturing into their area & put up a decent fight with spears, swords & other deadly weapons. A mowing down of many of their people – including the family's own young son – dissuaded any further resistance, & thus they were taken prisoner to be punished for daring to impede their progress.

Somehow, they overpowered her guard or guards & made it to a boat, no doubt heading for Mega-City One to warn the city & its citizens of what was heading their way, having learned much of their plan in the time they were held captive.

Not if I have anything to say about it!, Jo-Jo thought through clenched teeth.

"How far away are they?!", she growled.

"They're about 90 meters from this ship!", said a tech. "At the speed they're currently traveling, they'll make a clean getaway for sure in about a minute or two!"

"Get the cannon operators on the line & have them blown out of the water – now!", she barked.

It was Blair that handled the chore.

"Sam, are you there?", he said, getting in direct communication.

"I'm here!", came the reply. "I see them, same as you! Don't you worry: they're going to be chum in a moment, so leave it to me!"

Almost five seconds later, the sound of cannon fire erupted on the monitor that showed the escapees. The first blast struck the water only eight feet from their position, followed by a second that landed with a splash that was closer at about four feet, the blast rocking the boat & causing it to violently swerve like an out of control car. A third cannon blast erupted from the ship, & this one was dead-on: the boat exploded into a fiery blast of kindling & flaming pieces of metal, blowing it and the man, woman & child into mini clouds of crimson as body parts flew everywhere.

The thick tension in the room eased as the prisoners became just as Sam said they would.

"Tell Jo-Jo she can relax, Blair! They're feeding the fishes now!", said Sam.

"We saw that, Sam. Good job – we owe you one", Blair finished, severing the connection.

But Jo-Jo would not relax, & her mini tantrum by throwing chairs across the room as techs scrambled to clear the way proved how irritant she was. Even Blair & Bryce gave her room.

"How did this shit manage to happen?!", she raged, almost screaming. "And who's the dumb fuck responsible for their getting away in the first place?!"

As if in answer, a man ran into the control room at the entrance, a cloth pressed against the side of his head with one hand. All eyes turned towards him, & three pairs of those eyes burned into him with glaring hatred & anger. All the tension that dissipated earlier came back with a vengeance, & the injured man cringed in fear.

"Everyone – get back to work!", Jo-Jo said coldly without facing the technicians, her gaze on the man.

In complete silence, they hurriedly did as instructed.

Exiting the room, Blair grabbed the injured man by the lapels of his shirt & slammed him hard against the wall, his breath almost leaving his lungs. The injured man – who went by the name of Ramon – could do nothing but stare back at a face that was currently more beastial than man, & he fought hard to not piss his pants in trepidation.

"Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't tear your fucking head off with my bare hands!", Blair spat.

"As much as I'd hate to deprive you of such a pleasure, Blair…I need to have a few words with this prick", Jo-Jo said in a somewhat motherly fashion. Blair instantly released Ramon from his gorilla-like grip, & the man gasped for air. When Jo-Jo spoke again, her voice hardened & his legs felt like rubber.

"You stupid little shit!", she spat. "Do you have any idea what you nearly caused this operation because of your slight fuck-up?! You were supposed to be on guard while making transfer of our prisoners over to the west wing! If you used just a portion of your tiny bird-brain, they'd be safely locked up instead of having you overpowered & make for one of our boats, trying to reach the goddamned mainland! If it weren't for Sam with the cannon just now…!"

"H-How was I to know the man had something in his shoe?", Ramon said in a feeble attempt to defend & render himself as the victim. "I swear to God, Jo-Jo – I was guaranteed by one of the other sentries on prisoner watch that they'd all been stripped & searched thoroughly when they were brought on board! If you need to find the real culprit in their miraculous escape, you ought to go & question them! I'll bet you'd find him in no time!"

Jo-Jo looked as if she'd consider what Ramon said before she spoke again.

"You know something? You're right – I will speak with the others who are on watch for the prisoners", she said in a calmly manner, making Ramon's nerves settle down – if briefly. When Jo-Jo spoke again, she added more venom in her voice. "But you stillallowed them to escape your grasp, & it came awfully close to botching up everything I've set up for over a year now! And that, my dear Ramon, is something I simply cannot overlook, let alone forgive! You've been with me a very long time, Ramon…" Jo-Jo pulls her Desert Eagle from her belt & aims it at the man. "You know damn well my policy for incompetence in my organization!"

Seeing the gun drawn & aimed at him made Ramon's heart palpitate madly, & his pleas became stronger, if not more frantic.

"N-No! Please Jo-Jo, I beg of you! My wife, my children…", he started crying.

BLAM!

The bullet from Jo-Jo's gun echoed the halls & hits Ramon square in the stomach & the man sank to the floor, clutching his wound with both hands in a vain attempt to staunch the heavy bleeding.

"Will soon be widowed & orphaned", Jo-Jo said, finishing his sentence. "Blair, take this poor schmuck onto the deck & throw him over the side. He can also feed the fishes like our would-be escapees are currently doing."

"Right away, Jo-Jo. Let's go, asshole!", Blair said, grabbing Ramon by the hair in one hand & pulling him across the floor as the wounded man's blood left a crimson trail. In his dying moments of life, Ramon was all but filled with contempt for his former boss & wanted her to know that her time will come when she gets what's coming to her, but his blood started filling his mouth, & all he can manage were gurgling sounds as Blair took him to his watery grave.

"Bryce", Jo-Jo said. "Get Al back on the wire. Tell him to begin immediately – we've waited long enough. As of this moment on, 'Operation: Day of Reckoning' commences."

"Yes ma'am. Al will be very happy to hear it", Bryce says with a grin which Jo-Jo shares with a nod. Getting on his communicator, he relays his boss' orders. "Al? It's Bryce. Good news: we're not waiting until 9:00. We're starting now. You know what you have to do."

He got an instant response.

Mega-City One:

"You bet I do, Bryce!", Al said from within a large storage room, his mouth in a huge grin. "That's just what I've been waiting to hear from Jo-Jo!"

Signing off, Al went over to a quartet of large wooden crates 15 feet tall & seven feet wide that each had a panel at one end. Al – dressed as a night delivery man with a Y-shaped scar on his right cheek – pressed buttons on all four before exiting the room, where a lone security guard & man in black tux caught him.

"Hey there – everything okay?", asked the guard.

"Yes sir", Al said in a casual voice. "Just placing a couple of last-minute items in the storage room for tonight's Christmas Spectacular Show. I can only hope that I'm not too late getting them in."

"You mean those props & costumes for the show's finale?", asked the man in black.

"They're the ones."

The man sighed in relief.

"Thank God", he said. "They're the main showstopper, & it's become quite a tradition every holiday season. I'd hate to think of where we'd be without it, you know?"

"I know what you mean", Al said. "Well, with my job done…I bid you both a good night."

Al turned to walk away in a casual manner until the man in black halts his progress.

"One more thing", he says, walking towards him. Al fought to keep his itchy trigger finger from getting too much of one, but was ready to draw the handgun hidden beneath his shirt & shoot his way out if he had to.

"Here – a little extra something to show our appreciation", he says as Al turned around slowly. He relaxed when he saw the man handing him several dollars. With a grateful smile, Al accepted his gift & pocketed his earnings.

"Now that's a Christmas present!", Al said, shaking both their hands. "So long, gentlemen! Enjoy the rest of the show!"

"Thanks to you, we certainly can!", said the man in black as Al walks off. He turns to the security guard. "Let me say, Sampson – we've got ourselves a Yuletide extravaganza like no other! This year's show is really going to knock them all dead on their feet!"

You can definitely say that again, fella – with an emphasis on the 'dead' part!, Al thought as a wicked grin grew from his mouth.

8:45 p.m.:

The Bing Crosby Auditorium – located on the corner of Rosemary Clooney & Vera Ellen Streets – is one of the largest domes & best areas for entertainment, ranging from sporting events to staged plays for each & every holiday of the year. The Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day & Easter shows are always a crowd-pleaser to kids & adults alike, but it's the Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas shows that become the city's main attractions & the most popular. Halloween became second in popularity only to the Yuletide season, & every year the auditorium comes up with a new way to put fun fright into the people with puppetry, animatronics, & many other gimmicks for the holiday of All Hallow's Eve.

But it's the Christmas holiday that reigns as #1 in all of the Big Meg, & this year was no exception: a plethora of holiday decorations clutter up both the exterior & interior of the dome, & in the main staging area located near the center lays a Christmas show currently in progress filled with singing, dancing, & a magic trick here & there. This year, its audience is strictly kids from 3 to 10, with the only adults present being the teachers from various schools playing Santa Claus & his elves. It didn't mean the parents or anyone else couldn't see the show: they will be able to view the show at a time of their convenience as it becomes recorded by mini cams placed inside & made available to all, including the parents as they were presented with a room at the Danny Kaye Twin Hotels placed right across the street from the auditorium. A chain of holiday classic songs from pre-Atomic Wars days were sung by the cast, ranging from 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' to the ever-popular children's favorite 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'. Displays of said reindeer, snowmen, & a beautiful Christmas tree with numerous ornaments & lights that blinked & flashed in an array of colors added to the festivities of the holiday, with the children applauding & getting a very good idea of what life was like at Christmastime before the bombs fell. Several children held large 20-inch helium-filled balloons of red, green & white from one of the female elves who were handing them out.

The cast finish singing a title song called 'Jolly Ol' St. Nicholas' as the children clap their hands & cheer. When Santa raised his hands for silence, the audience ceased clapping as one of his elves – a female – addressed the crowd.

"And now, dear children, Santa is going to need a volunteer from the audience for his next little performance!", she says with a flashy grin. "So…who wants to be a good boy or girl & help out Saint Nicholas in this next act? C'mon now, don't be shy! Anyone?"

The children look at each other all around to see who was brave enough to get on stage. A full eight seconds go by before a young girl no more than six with light tan hair & holding a red balloon comes into view as the kids & stage performers clap. She stops in front of Santa as he gets to one knee.

"Hello, & Merry Christmas to you, little one!", he says cheerfully. "And what's your name, my dear?"

"It's Melanie", she said gingerly & with a smile. "Pleased to meet you, Santa."

"Pleased to meet you, Melanie! I'll bet you've been a very good girl this year in Mega-City One, am I right?"

"Yes, Santa", she replied, getting claps from the audience & stage members.

"I can tell you are, Melanie…yes indeed! I'll bet you want to see me do a special kind of magic trick just for you! What do you say?"

Melanie nodded.

Santa placed his hands an inch on each side of Melanie's head & wiggled his fingers as he moved them up & down a few times before crossing them over his chest & finally placing them, stretched out, in front of Melanie. Within each of his hands he reveals a pair of necklaces with a green & red heart-shaped diamond. Melanie & the other children watch in awe as they seemingly appear out of thin air & hands them both over to Melanie, which she gracefully accepts & the kids clap their hands for a trick well executed. Melanie rejoins the audience, presenting the necklace with the green pendant to her friend – a girl with a green balloon that has auburn hair, & is the same age as Melanie. Both girls place their newly-received gifts around their necks.

The children give another round of applause.

Backstage:

Four men were on their way towards the rear of the studio for two reasons: one, they need to prepare themselves for the evening's grand finale, & two, one of their friends went back to make sure everything was present for the grand presentation of this year's Christmas show, from the largest costume to the smallest button on them.

The only problem with that is…he never returned back to report his confirmation.

With security guard Sampson as one of these men, leading the caravan, they get to the bottom of his too long of an absence.

"You're right, Jerry", he said. "He should've reported back to us by now. It's not like Kevin to be late with doing a simple job."

"You don't think he's gotten a relapse & gone back to drinking on the job again, do you?", asked another man. "The man's been clean & sober for five years now."

"He'd better not, Hanson!", said a third man. "He knows what's in store for him if he's caught getting back on the sauce! Not only will he get the can, the boss might even go so far as to throw his ass out into the Cursed Earth! I wouldn't want to be in his shoes if that's the case!"

"I doubt he'd get that harsh a penalty, Vinny", said Sampson. "He'll probably just get the boot & be stuck back on welfare like so many others are in this city. Although I can't understand as to why he'd ruin his chance at a cushy job that pays him well above most others the Big Meg has to offer, especially since he's doing so damn good at it."

"If he is drinking again, Sampson, I'll talk to him", Jerry adds. "I am the one that got him this job, & I'd hate to see it all go down the drain over a simple relapse."

Sampson thought about it, & nodded.

"The feeling's mutual, Jerry", he says. "Just make sure the boss doesn't catch either one of you. I honestly don't think he'd show the same leniency towards Kevin on the subject, & you might also be taking the fall with him in a misunderstanding that may never be…"

Sampson stopped in mid-sentence when he spots something on the floor, the other three guys following suit. Just underneath the door was a puddle that spread over six feet out. Sampson went over & bent to dip his finger in & taste it with his tongue. Jerry asked if it was alcohol, but the guard shook his head.

"It's water", he says, rising.

"Water?", asked Hanson. "Do you think the overhead pipes that activate the sprinklers malfunctioned or sprung a leak somehow? It can't be a fire: we'd have heard the alarms blaring all over the place if it were."

"Let's go in & see for sure", Sampson suggested. "If it is a simple leak, we'll just go & inform maintenance right away & let them deal with it."

The three men nodded his suggestion, & the guard opened the door. Even more water was lying around, & it got a good number of items soggy to the core: costumes, props, & even several photos on both the floor & walls. A mess of four wooden crates were cracked & broken into pieces, looking as if something crashed into them with great force.

Jesus Christ – the boss is gonna have all our heads for this!, Sampson thought, imagining the consequences for allowing a clustered mess to occur.

The mess in the room made the men blind & deaf temporarily to the noise being committed near the back end, & it sounded like sickly crunching of something edible. This noise was being occurred from a cluster of four large objects with a brown surface that resembled tough leather. The men could swore that they even saw these objects moving, even if just by a tiny bit.

"Hey Kevin…Kevin, is that you?", Sampson called out, his voice rising above the crunching sound. As one, the large brown objects each turned towards Sampson & the men, & they froze when they saw that these things actually sported necks & arrowhead-shaped heads, complete with sinister eyes & mouths full of sharp teeth. They also sported a pair of large wings that were folded in like bats, & their legs contained feet with sharp claws that look to tear through steel & concrete with ease.

But the men didn't acknowledge any of this: they were still fixed on the eyes & teeth of the creatures like they'd been hypnotized, unable to look away even when one of the creatures struck its head like a cobra & closed its toothy maw around Sampson's own. The result was an audible crunch before the thing retracted its head in the blink of an eye.

Only when it did were the men able to snap out of their brief trance. Their gaze turns toward Sampson as he gets down on his knees & collapses, his neck spurting fresh blood where his head once was. Eyes go agape as what was left of Sampson hits the floor in a wet thud, his blood splashing onto the terrified faces of Hanson, Jerry & Vinny.

Slowly but surely, the rest turned towards the terrors sharing the room with them.

A maw of sharp teeth & tongue was the last thing they each saw before their worlds became dark after hearing a wet, sickening crunch that they heard for a split-second.

None of them had time to scream.

The auditorium:

Santa held up his hands to indicate silence from the audience as he once again spoke to all the children.

"And now, kids, as we get closer to the grand finale of tonight's show, I'd just like to say a few words to each & every one of you: life here in Mega-City One can be tough, there's no question about it as many people can testify! But it's still no reason as to why you need to fall into the despair it brings, & end up living a life of crime as you grow up to be fine men & women! Mega-City One is a thing of beauty, & you can make it one yourselves, if you simply follow the rules & help to assist your fellow citizens in any & every way you can, from the folks on the streets to your very own parents & families! Remember: not only is Santa Claus watching you, but the Judges!"

Santa gives the children a wink, & they all begin to laugh aloud at St. Nicholas' little joke, along with the jolly old fat man & his elves.

When the laughter subsides, Santa addressed the crowd of youngsters.

"For this next act, we're going to need not one, not two, but several members from the audience to come up & help to participate in the next series of magic tricks we have planned especially for you! So…who'd like to join me & my elves & become our assistants as we present to you with…"

The sound of hard banging paired with the room vibrating from the impact caused Santa, his elves & the children to silence as the pounding commenced repeatedly, becoming more frantic by each attempt. The auditorium shook with every strike, & more than a few of the kids started becoming scared. Santa & his elves gathered round, their nerves also becoming uneasy from this abrupt development.

"What the hell is this?!", Santa asked his elves, keeping his voice down.

"Beats me!", one male elf said. "I wasn't notified of any reconstruction of the dome – especially not while we're in the middle of a performance!"

"I don't think this is reconstruction!", a female elf whispered, her fear evident in her tone.

At the edge of the stage, the wall was spider-webbing from where the impacts took place, & dust & small rocks were spraying everywhere until larger pieces came crashing down & reveals a hole that was 20 feet high, 12 feet wide. What came out through this newly-formed hole was something out of the children's worst nightmares: one of four total brown-skinned creatures with large folded wings emerged from the new opening in the wall & eyed all the people that lay within. Santa, his elves & all the children opened their eyes to their widest at the ghastly horrors which appeared, & each of the latter in the audience became so numb with shock that their hands slacked, releasing their balloons to rise on up to the ceiling. The monsters ignored the floating rubber bulbs on strings & paid attention to those with flesh, their sights first setting on Santa & his elves.

When the creatures lunged for them, every child in the audience screamed at the top of their lungs.

Santa & his elves screamed themselves…once.

One sector away:

Sanchez stayed towards the rear of Dredd & Anderson on her cycle as they race through the city streets, waiting for the next inevitable call to come forth on their GPS modules. The young rookie's scored pretty good along with her other rookie Judges Giant, Karyn & Beeny, the latter three who were now still airborne in a hover wagon with Hershey, being a part of the city's eyes in the sky. A huge part of her wanted to be up there, patrolling & seeing/experiencing things that being on a cycle never could, but Sanchez has to put her pride & personal feelings of disappointment aside & concentrate on the job at hand. She was assigned to patrol the streets with her two assessment officers, & that's what she'll do.

But a tiny part of her never stopped hoping.

One day I'll earn my right to patrol in a hover wagon, Sanchez thought.

Her thoughts were derailed when her GPS chimed in, along with Dredd & Anderson's. The blonde psychic was the one that answered the call.

"This is Anderson. Go ahead, Control."

"There's been a call put in about a disturbance over at the Bing Crosby Auditorium in Sector 24", Control said.

"Did they say what the disturbance was?"

"Negative, Judge Anderson. The one who made the call was hysterical, saying only that it was horrible beyond belief, & to send help before everyone in the building dies."

Anderson & Dredd share a quick look before the latter finishes the call himself.

"Understood, Control. We're only one sector away & are heading there now. Dredd out."

Both Judges quickly turn to Sanchez, who nods as she too heard the conversation. Putting on a burst of speed, the three Judges speed past cars & take sharp turns at corners until they reach it only six to seven minutes later. Pulling up, they park their rides & activate their built-in defense mechanisms as they step off. The area was a whole smorgasbord of activity, with reporters on the scene trying to get the story from the approaching Judges, having heard the same kind of disturbance call they did. Civilians who were watching from afar out of simple curiosity were all kept at bay by other Judges on the scene.

The reporters were also held back by the Judges, but that didn't stop them from trying to reach Dredd, Anderson or Sanchez for comment. One of the Judges present was a man named Breen, & he was accompanied by a female who was still dressed in her elf costume for tonight's performance. Her face was stained with tears, & she looked to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"What have we got tonight, Breen?", asked Anderson.

"This elf dame's been telling us very little, Anderson", Breen said. "She simply came running out of the place, screaming like a banshee & shouting out 'they're gonna kill us all', 'someone please stop them', shit like that. I have to say: in all my years on this job, I've never seen anyone freaked out as much as she is. Whatever it is she saw inside the place, it's got her spooked real bad."

That's when the elf mumbled something under her breath.

"What did you say, hon?", Sanchez asked.

"Children…save them…quickly", the female elf pleaded, pointing towards the dome's main entrance.

She started sobbing again, placing her head in her hands.

"You were right, Breen – something's certainly spooked her bad", Anderson said.

"Let's go see why. Keep this area secure, Breen", Dredd says, readying his Lawgiver & signaling his partners to accompany him inside. Anderson & Sanchez nodded, copying Dredd & following him within the complex. Once they enter, they can hear the sound of children crying even from a distance. The noise began low, & it rose in volume the closer they got to the doors which gained access to the dome's main arena. Even without using her psychic powers, the blonde Judge can tell that the kids are frightened by some bogeyman. When they got to the doors, Dredd & his partners also heard wet crunching sounds amid the children's cries. Lawgivers ready, Dredd opened one of the doors & took a peek inside, with Anderson & Sanchez doing the same.

Anderson & Sanchez's eyes went wide, & the latter Judge covered her mouth to keep from screaming as Dredd gritted his teeth. What was displayed before them was a horror show beyond belief: four bat-like monsters in brown were literally devouring Santa & his elves, tearing off limbs & eating them right before the horrified children's eyes. A pool of fresh blood was spilled upon the floor as elf after elf gets eaten by the ravenous creatures, with one of them now feeding on Santa's entrails as it gobbled up his intestines, kidneys & other organs like a full-course banquet. Sounds of limbs & other parts of the human anatomy being consumed by the monsters echoed within the space, & even the sound of children crying in terror – some screaming hysterically – couldn't drown them out. A few brave boys & girls tried making a break for it towards the doors, going silently as possible, but one of the creatures caught them in their sights & screeched at them, forcing them back to the others like cattle lead to the slaughterhouse.

Unless Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez do something to prevent the children from being next on the monsters' menu, that notion will come true in the most horrific sense of poetic justice.

Getting her wits together, Sanchez took aim with her Lawgiver at the nearest creature.

"Sanchez, no!", Anderson growled, keeping her voice down as she grabbed the rookie by her gun arm & pulled her away from the door which Dredd closed quickly but quietly.

"Anderson, what are you doing?!", Sanchez said in surprise, being careful not to be too loud. "Those kids'll be dead if we don't do something!"

"We can't just go shooting at those things! Think first!"

"Anderson's right, Sanchez!", Dredd adds. "We don't know what the hell we're dealing with, & we have no idea how tough their flesh is to our rounds! And using Hi-Ex is definitely out of the question: in such a confined space, the blasts from those rounds will cause shrapnel to spread out & cause even more casualties! Even the blasts themselves will be fatal!"

Sanchez's mind processes the information in seconds, & she simmered down exponentially.

"We'll end up killing the kids faster than they will!", she said, realizing the situation as Dredd & Anderson nod.

"That's why we stopped you from firing your weapon before", Anderson said less sternly.

"Jesus fucking Christ, what did I almost do back there?!", Sanchez cursed herself.

"Don't worry, Sanchez", Dredd said. "We're going to rescue the children & get them out of here safely."

"But how can we do that if we can't shoot at those creatures?"

"Simple – we give them something tougher to chew on."

"Like what?"

"Me."

Sanchez saw where this was going, & she wasn't too crazy about his idea.

"Dredd – you're not seriously thinking about going inside with those things, are you?!", she asks, stunned.

"I'm more than thinking about it, Sanchez – it's what's going to happen!", Dredd says simply. "Get ready to get those kids out of the auditorium when I give you both the signal!"

Sanchez turned to Anderson, both her look & nodding of her head telling her that there wasn't a better idea for a rescue, & that there was not much time to come up with another before the monsters began making tidbits of the kids.

I surely have no better rescue plan in mind!, Sanchez thought.

"Then please be very careful going in there, Dredd – those things are dangerous!", Sanchez warned.

"So am I", Dredd replied, using his free hand to order her & Anderson back far away from the doors. With his other hand on his Lawgiver, Dredd opened the door & stepped inside. The stench of death hit him like a tidal wave, & he did his best to block it from his nostrils. The children were still crying in hysteria, but seeing a Judge in their midst gave them some courage as a few rose from their seats until Dredd used his free hand to tell them to stay put, followed by a reassurance that everything will be all right.

Scared but loyal to the Judge, the kids did as instructed.

The creature gouging itself on Santa's entrails caught sight of the approaching lawman, & it turned its head to him as Dredd checked his Lawgiver for the correct rounds to use. It was currently on rapid fire.

"Stun – full charge", he said to his weapon. The firearm obediently switched to the desired rounds in the blink of an eye, & Dredd raised his weapon at the creature's face, squeezing the trigger. A pair of mini bolas shot forth & head straight for the mouth of the monster as it tries to eat what's heading his way. Upon contact, the thing gets a powerful electrical jolt that stuns its whole body as its muscles lock up before it collapses onto the floor & getting the attention of its brethren. Ignoring their meals of humans, they look up in silence & stare at the newcomer in a Judge's uniform.

Even the children stopped crying as Dredd spoke.

"So I have your attention now, monsters?! Good!", he says in his toughest & most demanding voice. "Instead of nibbling on little tidbits, how about gnawing down on something that'll really make you singfor your supper?! That's right, motherfuckers! Come on & take me! Do it – if you bastards think you're all tough enough!"

Dredd's rigorous tone made the monsters forget about the children, & they took it as something of a challenge. It already put one of its party out of commission, & it seems equally determined to do the same to the rest of the flock.

The challenge has been accepted, & the three remaining bat-like creatures respond with a screech that could no doubt shatter glass.

Good – they've taken the bait!, Dredd thought, turning tail & running towards the door with the creatures taking flight in hot pursuit. Mega-City One's top lawman came flying through the door & headed for the auditorium's other entrance, one made of glass doors.

"Get the kids!", Dredd shouted at the same time three of the winged creatures literally burst through the wall & shattering pieces of it everywhere before doing the same with the entrance Dredd just made it out of, smashing glass as shards of it flew everywhere. Anderson & Sanchez went into the hole & urged the kids to follow them outside & away from the carnage they were forced to endure & the unconscious creature Dredd knocked out. As one, the children raced like a living tide, screaming to get anywhere but the dome.

Once outside, Dredd dived for cover just as the three winged horrors smashed through the glass & took to the skies above. One of the beasts dived for the group of reporters, Judges & civilians as they scrambled to get out of its path. The female elf that escaped screamed hysterically at the sight of the monster & she ran from Judge Breen's care, who tried in vain to get her back & barely missed grabbing her arm. He watched in horror as the thing swooped down & literally cut her in half, taking her entire upper part in its clawed feet while her legs took a couple steps on their own before falling like lumbered trees, squirting blood the whole time. It was ironic: the female escaped the carnage from in the auditorium, only to buy it from outside the place.

Tossing the dead female up, the winged beast did a loop-de-loop & grabbed her upper half in its mouth & began consuming its new meal.

Dredd aimed his Lawgiver – still on stun rounds – at the flying monster before him in an attempt to bring it down as he did its cousin. It wasn't as easy as last time: the things were now wise enough to avoid the bolas that were being shot at them, & they dodge each projectile that came near. Dredd threw himself to one side to escape a snatch attempt by the thing's clawed feet & got back to his feet, selecting a new type of ammo.

"Incendiary", he commanded, loading his weapon with shots that set ablaze whatever they touch. Dredd fired a round at the next approaching terror, hitting only its left leg as it was set afire & the flames scorched its flesh. A shrill of pain echoed the sky as the thing flew off in search of easier prey.

You're not going anywhere, fella!, Dredd thought, getting on his GPS.

"Judge Hershey, are you there? Come in!"

"Hershey here! Go ahead, Dredd!", was her response.

"I got a trio of winged hostiles, non-human in origin over in the vicinity of the Bing Crosby Auditorium here in Sector 24! Creatures have savagely killed several civilians & three of four are now airborne in the skies! I've already stunned one within the complex, & gave another a barbequed leg! I need for you & your team to head over & bring down whichever ones you get in your sights!"

"That's a rog, we're on our way! Hershey out!"

Judge Dredd was so focused on making the call to Judge Hershey that he never saw or sensed one of the winged creatures swooping in from behind & snatching him in its clawed feet before rising up into the night sky. The thing let out a screech in triumph.

It caught me unawares while I made the call to Hershey without making a sound!, Dredd thought. Damn things are smarter than I give them credit for!

Dredd saw himself being carried through the air by the horror that had every intention of doing to him what it had to the adults inside the auditorium. Mega-City One's top lawman had other plans: spotting the Danny Kaye Twin Hotels they're now flying towards, Dredd readied his Lawgiver & waited until the correct & precise moment to act on & escape his ravenous foe.

Thirteen seconds later, his window of opportunity came.

"Sorry, friend – here's where I get off! Rapid fire!", he said, his weapon switching to desired rounds & shooting a volley of bullets at the thing's underbelly. The monster screeched in pain, & although it didn't bring the creature down, it was still enough for it to let its intended victim go as Dredd went into free-fall. The roof of the east hotel came into view, & Dredd was barely able to grasp the building's edge & keep himself from going the rest of the way down.

He took a quick look below.

It was a long way down!

The Orville & Wilbur Wright Aviation Terminal:

Naoko & Toshiko gather their luggage from the baggage claim shortly after they touched down before heading over to the concession stand to get some food & sitting down to enjoy their meals of synth-meat hot dogs, artificial fries & ketchup, complete with a flavored drink. Even though they prefer the taste of foods in their native land half a world away, they both admit that it wasn't half-bad.

They shared a brief smile at the thought as they chowed down.

As they ate, a newscast came upon jumbo screens everywhere inside the terminal & began its announcement from a male member in the newsroom.

"We interrupt our regularly-scheduled programming to bring you this special news update!", it started. "What started out as a fun-filled evening over at the Bing Crosby Auditorium became a real-life house of horrors as several winged creatures appeared seemingly out of nowhere & began killing the entertainers in this night's performance. We now display some of the footage caught by our news crews who are now at the scene. Be warned – some of these images are disturbing."

The screens displayed video footage of said winged creatures breaking through the glass doors of the auditorium & taking to the skies, swooping down & claiming several lives including a survivor from inside the dome before being ripped in half & eaten while in mid-air. People gathered around closer to the screens when they had caught sight of the winged creatures that have now made themselves known, cringing in fear & disgust as the female elf & other unlucky citizens become prey to the airborne horrors. One of the Judges himself gets caught in the clawed feet of the beasts & goes for a flight.

For the citizens of Mega-City One, it was a new experience in all of the city's history.

But for Naoko & Toshiko, it was as familiar as their own names.

"Naoko, what we feared this whole entire time has finally come true!", Toshiko said in her mother tongue.

"I'm afraid so, Toshiko!", Naoko also said in Japanese. "For many years believing them to be extinct after the Atomic Wars, they've only laid dormant until tonight: the American megalopolis known as Mega-City One has been invaded by the Gyaos!"

"And unless he's currently on his way over – if he's even alive after all this time – it'll be up to the Judges to stop this terror before it spirals out of control!"

"But Toshiko…what if he really is dead after all, & the Judges aren't able to stop the Gyaos? What then?"

Toshiko had no answer to give Naoko.

Sector 24:

With the help of other Judges, Anderson & Sanchez guided the children over to the Danny Kaye Twin Hotels where their parents were anxiously waiting for them, becoming relieved & scared at the same time. The did so with the utmost caution, not wanting the kids to be on the Gyaos' menu as they flew above the skies, attacking citizens at a random pattern. When they saw their chance, the female Judges got the children across the street & into the hotels safe & sound. A glint of movement caught their eyes as they see one of the Gyaos with a Judge clutched in its clawed feet.

Anderson used her psychic abilities to see if it was who she thought it was.

A man filled with controlled rage – it is!

"Dredd!", she said in despair.

She & Sanchez watch as their partner fired rapid rounds at the thing's underside before falling towards the east building's roof & catching the edge just in time.

The ladies rush over to the east hotel's lobby & straight for the elevators. Using an override code, the elevator is now under their control when the light indicating a Judge's badge shone on the mini screen.

Both ladies hope he'll still be in one piece by the time they get there.

Hold on, Dredd – we're coming!, Anderson thought as she pushed the button.

The elevator zoomed up like a rocket.

The east hotel roof:

Dredd struggled to get himself over the edge & onto the roof before the Gyaos that snatched him decides to come back & finish him off: he sensed that these creatures are the ones that carry a grudge, & will do anything to settle the score with their adversary.

It's probably the one & only thing Dredd has in common with them.

He managed to get his right leg over the edge in order to haul himself over when he spots the thing heading straight for him…fast!

"Shit!", he snapped, throwing himself onto the roof & getting himself out of range from the Gyaos' toothy maw, which was only a split-second away from closing them around Dredd's legs & tearing them off. Getting to his feet, the Big Meg's top lawman aims his Lawgiver & switches his ammo to armor-piercing rounds. Now that his enemy is up & above the city streets, he can cut loose & not be endangering any civilians to take the creature down. He lets a volley of rounds in a steady stream at the approaching Gyaos as it dives in, getting several in the chest & screeching in pain. Hurt as much as they did, the armor-piercing shells still didn't stop the creature, & it continued its advance towards Dredd, intent on making him its next meal.

Even a few more into its side isn't enough to bring it down.

The damned thing just won't die!, Dredd thought, seeing the thing still flying despite the pinkish blood that was dripping from the wounds received. He was about to launch another barrage of bullets when the thing landed upon the roof, only thirty feet away from where Dredd stood. The two combatants remained in place & stared in something of a Mexican Standoff, each one daring the other to make the first move.

Eighteen seconds later, Judges Anderson & Sanchez appear on the roof, but halt by a hand signal from Dredd.

Both ladies stay where they are as the Gyaos take a peek at the newcomers before returning its gaze on Dredd, its hatred for the lawman growing with every passing moment. Neither Anderson nor Sanchez dared to attack, as ordered by Dredd, & not wanting to make the tense situation worse than it already is & get him killed.

Dredd tilted his head slightly to one side.

"I take it that a negotiation is out of the question for you?", he asks the Gyaos staring back at him. The creature opens its toothy maw & lets out a screech before the inside of it lights up a bright yellow, emitting a high-pitched sound which stung their ears. Anderson used her power to read the mind of the beast amid & ignoring the pain.

What she discovered disturbed her.

"Dredd, get down!", she shouted, dropping herself & Sanchez to the ground just as the Gyaos spat a yellow beam from its mouth at headed straight for Dredd & the ladies. Fortunately, Dredd sensed the danger & dived for cover same as the girls while rolling over to one side. The Gyaos' beam cleanly sliced the entranceway Anderson & Sanchez came from, the top half of it gone.

"That's what I thought! Hi-Ex!", Dredd says, his Lawgiver switching to the detonating rounds & firing a shot. It raced across the air, aimed directly at the Gyaos' head & exploding in a shower of ichor. Drops of brown flesh & pink blood splatter the three Judges as the now-headless body of the Gyaos fell on the roof, its stump still spewing its vital fluids all over.

Anderson & Sanchez get to their feet & walk towards Dredd, who does the same.

"You okay, Dredd?", the psychic asked.

"Peachy", he replied, making Anderson smirk slightly.

"What the fuck are we dealing with here, Dredd?!", Sanchez asked. "And how the hell are these things able to even get inside Mega-City One without being seen?!"

"Those are very good questions, Sanchez, & I'd like to get them answered as badly as you do. Right now, we still have two more winged hostiles flying about that need to be incapacitated", Dredd says, getting on his GPS. "Judge Hershey, are you there?"

"Copy that, Dredd!"

"Two of the four winged hostiles are down for the count – one heavily stunned, another terminated. We need you & another armed hover wagon to handle those still accounted for. Take them out first chance you get."

"That's a rog! We're in pursuit of one now! Hershey out!"

The communication was cut off.

"So…what do we do in the meantime?", Sanchez asked.

"You & Anderson got the children to safety, rookie?", Dredd asked.

"Yes we did, but…"

"Let's just sit back & enjoy the show a while", Anderson said, cutting her off as Dredd grunted in agreement.

With nothing else to say, Sanchez did as suggested.

In the skies:

With rookies Giant & America Beeny piloting, Judge Hershey stood behind both with Karyn beside her. They'd raced to the area where Dredd made his earlier report from, & they caught sight of one of the Gyaos in the area, with its left leg still on fire even though most of the flames have distinguished. Its presence stood out like a beacon in the night.

"There – that's got to be Dredd's handiwork!", Karyn said, pointing towards their quarry.

"No question about it, Karyn!", Hershey said. "All right! Giant, Beeny – get some lights shown on that thing & let's see how it reacts!"

"Roger!", both rookies said as the former flicks a switch to beam a pair of lights & capture the Gyaos with the burning leg into a singular circle of light. The creature screeched its disapproval, not enjoying having the spotlight upon it & flies away faster to elude its pursuers.

The hover wagon stays right on its tail despite its attempt to flee.

"Judge Hershey, I can get the thing in my sights & have it shot down at but a whim on your word, ma'am!", Beeny suggests.

"Not just yet, rookie!", Hershey said. "At this height & due to its size, taking it down now would cause injuries & even death to God-knows how many civilians beneath us, especially if we miss it! Let's try to lure it out of the city first – either by the west wall into the Cursed Earth or the east out into the Black Atlantic! Then we'll take it down!"

"Copy that, ma'am!"

"Then we're in luck, Judge Hershey!", Giant said. "From the looks of things, it seems like this bastard is heading right towards the east wall & heading for the ocean!"

"Let's use the lights to try & guide it there!", Hershey said.

"Roger that!"

The escaping Gyaos flew closer towards the east wall & zigzagged in its flight to lose the lights shining upon it, but the hover wagon gave it no chance of ditching its sights upon it. The Gyaos' one hopeful break is to lure it out into the open waters & deal with it then, without any further interference from any other flying metal vehicles that would impede its attack & chow down on the tasty humans inside their flying machine.

Finally, after four minutes flying through the city, the Gyaos was over & past the east wall.

"Opportunity has just knocked, Beeny!", Hershey says. "We're now in the clear, so take that creature out & let it drown beneath the waves!"

"Just the order I waited for, ma'am!", Beeny said, setting up the wagon's defenses. From behind her, Karyn was receiving some kind of vibes from her psychic ability, & she honed in on its source. It took her a minute to decipher on what it was that grabbed her attention, & it hit her almost like a slap in the face.

"Oh my god", she said in a soft whisper.

It didn't stop Judge Hershey from hearing her.

"What is it, Karyn?", she asked, turning to her.

"Judge Hershey, I've just felt the presence of an underwater object heading this way towards our position!", she said. "It's something big!"

"A submarine?", asked Giant. Karyn shook her head.

"No – it's something animalistic!", the psychic said.

"Probably just a whale – nothing to worry about!", said Beeny, concerned only with bringing the Gyaos down. She gets the wagon's armaments up & running, & her finger gets set on the trigger. Aiming the crosshairs upon the Gyaos' back, she readies herself to pour hot lead into the creature when she notices something in the water that made her pause: below them & only 30 meters from the fleeing Gyaos, a portion of the ocean churns white that measured at a circumference of 50 meters before it shoots skywards & startling both prey & pursuer. What emerged from this spray was something that's even bigger than the Gyaos itself: it was a gigantic green-colored turtle, with large tusks growing out from its lower jaw. The Gyaos, caught totally off-guard by the new monster's appearance, screeched as this turtle gave it a hard backhanded slap with its left that sent it soaring through the air towards the east wall. Unable to correct itself in time, the Gyaos slammed into the wall headfirst, its upper part splattering its remains all over & creating a big dent in the wall. What was left of it fell into the water & sank like a stone.

The turtle monster gave out a blaring roar that was heard even from within the hover wagon, as Hershey & her crew stared dumbfounded at this huge creature that took out the Gyaos with ease & was now heading for the east wall itself, ignoring the hover wagon & its crew, much to their relief.

"Jesus Christ!", was all Giant could think of to say.

The turtle's roar became heard from even where Judges Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez were standing at.

"You heard that – didn't you?", Sanchez asked Anderson, who nodded.

"I think all of Mega-City One heard that!", she replied.

Dredd got back on his GPS.

"Judge Hershey, that noise came from behind the east wall at your position!", he said. "What the hell was that?!"

Snapping out of her trance, Hershey replied back from the hover wagon.

"Don't worry, Dredd – you're about to see what made that sound real soon! It's about to enter the city over at Sector 27!"

"Can't you & your team stop it from entering the city?", Dredd says over Barbara's GPS.

"With what we currently have on board, not a chance! Radio whatever Judges are in the area, & tell them to get all civilians in that area cleared before it manages to…"

It was too late: in speeds that belied its great size, the giant turtle monster reached the wall at the spot it smashed the Gyaos into & pounded the wall with its fists, knocking a large portion of it down in debris as unsuspecting Judges & civilians scramble to clear the way as the new monster makes landfall & starts marching its way into the city. The beast unleashes another boisterous roar that reaches further sections into the area, giving people more motivation to flee from their homes & businesses in a panicked rush to escape this new menace to Mega-City One.

Its roar was even heard at the Orville & Wilbur Wright Aviation Terminal, where live news footage of the turtle monster's sudden appearance in the city was displayed on the vid screens. Every pair of eyes were glued to these brand new images, & causes of concern erupted the place as the beast makes its way deeper into the megalopolis.

Naoko & Toshiko also view these broadcasts, & their hearts filled with both dread & relief.

"That's…", Toshiko began saying in her tongue.

"Gamera!", Naoko finished for her.

For many years since the Atomic Wars had come to an end, the world thought of him no more, same as with the Gyaos. But tonight, he has reappeared in all his splendid glory.

The turtle monster known as Gamera still lives!

And he has just arrived in Mega-City One!

Sector 28:

Gamera allowed the people at his feet to make haste & clear the area before he went on his way, bringing down any structures in his path & reducing them to rubble. Those who were far from Gamera's immediate position had been given a good, early warning & were evacuating before the monster got near their homes & businesses. The streets were jammed to the hilt because of Gamera's presence, & the people had no choice but to abandon their vehicles & make it on foot, lest they get flatten by the creature's feet.

Fortunately, those in Gamera's path were vacant as they got crushed like aluminum cans.

Unfortunately, several citizens were too stuck on a nearby bridge to leave either by car or on foot, as both ends were too cluttered by cars that crashed upon seeing the appearance of Gamera crashing through the east wall. To make matters worse, the third Gyaos that escaped from the Bing Crosby Auditorium was on its way over & sees a banquet for itself. Screeching in anticipation, the winged horror swoops down & heads directly for the people with no way out or off the bridge, & they cringe & scream in terror as families & friends clutch one another, wanting their last moments to be that of good times rather than the terrible fate awaiting them. The hover wagon in pursuit can do nothing to prevent a surefire bloodbath, for fear of hitting the people should it fire its built-in guns.

All the pilots & passengers can do is watch & bear witness to a slaughter.

The Gyaos emits a high-pitched sound before unleashing its yellow sonic beam that makes its way towards the helpless crowd.

Not even Judge Hershey in her vehicle is able to stop the killing that's about to commence; their hover wagon is much too far away to be of any assistance, & Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez are just as helpless.

In a move that belies his great size, Gamera places his left hand directly in the path of the Gyaos' sonic beam & actually deflects the projectile & sending its trajectory skywards. The monster turtle cried in pain as the yellow beam had caused a cut in his hand, & lime green blood spurted out from the wound. People on the bridge stared up & they all wondered as to why they weren't dead yet when they witness Gamera blocking Gyaos' beam & saving their lives in the process. As unbelievable as it seemed, nobody could deny the fact that they'd been spared a grisly demise, or that their savior isn't one of the Judges of Mega-City One, but that of a giant turtle which stood a whopping 80 meters tall.

Realizing it wasn't going to get any food due to Gamera's interference, the Gyaos ceased its beam & flew past its foe into the city. The winged terror unleashed its beam again to an area Gamera can't protect: a building that wasn't fully evacuated yet, the Carole Lombard apartment complex. The beam struck near the base of the building & cut it as if it were nothing but soft putty or even cheese. It toppled down in a heap of debris, taking down surrounding structures & killing those in the vicinity. An explosion caused fiery holocausts, burning even more bodies & damaging vehicles, other buildings & causing panic amongst the populace. The Gyaos continued its rampage for several moments more before it got stopped by Gamera, who unleashes a ball of fire from his maw that gets launched like a missile & heading straight for an unaware flying creature.

Getting too caught up in its spree of destruction, the Gyaos doesn't acknowledge the oncoming projectile until at the very last moment when it was practically upon it. Having time for only a screech as it looked up, the Gyaos was all but consumed by Gamera's fireball & exploded in pieces. Ironically, the very place it had caused death & destruction at became the creature's own funeral pyre.

Gamera was pleased that another of his longtime enemies is obliterated, yet he senses there was still one more nearby, his extra sensory perception kicking in. Stepping past the people he saved on the bridge, Gamera continued on his way towards Sector 24, where the Bing Crosby Auditorium lay. By now, the people in between Gamera & his prey have taken shelter away from the danger except for those still in the Danny Kaye Twin Hotels, the place packed mostly with parents reunited with their children after the horrible ordeal inside the dome & almost getting eaten alive.

Now they may be getting buried alive by a giant turtle.

Within the dome, the Gyaos in which Dredd stunned was regaining consciousness & opened its eyes to see the area it awoke in was empty & devoid of live food, sans for the bodies it & its brethren were chowing down on. As with Gamera, this Gyaos was equipped with a sixth sense that warns it of approaching danger. Shrugging off the effects of the electrical voltage that struck it from the human in dark blue & red, the fourth & final Gyaos rose from the floor & screeched as it pointed its head skywards before shooting its sonic beam at the curved ceiling, popping several balloons the kids let go that floated to the top.

On the roof of the east Danny Kaye Twin Hotels building, Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez watched as Gamera was plowing through several evacuated buildings & stores in his path towards the auditorium. The turtle monster let out a roar that echoed the nighttime sky as civilians & Judges watch Gamera go by from the ground, astonished by the huge size of the shell-backed creature.

Even from where the three aforementioned Judges stood at, Gamera was a sight to behold.

"Is this thing heading straight for the dome?", asked Sanchez.

"It looks that way, Sanchez", Dredd says.

"We have to do something to stop it then – before it levels the place!"

"What do you suggest we do, rookie? Take it down with Hi-Ex rounds? Incendiary, perhaps? You saw what it's capable of."

Sanchez did indeed see what Gamera was capable of, & it silenced her in an eye wink: there was no protocol on how to deal with a giant turtle monster 80 meters tall.

Whatever this was, it was never covered in the job description of becoming a Judge in Mega-City One.

Sanchez felt defeated as Dredd was, & that's something the man doesn't handle too easily.

"The birds…", Anderson said in a soft whisper.

Like Hershey with Karyn, Dredd caught her words.

"What did you say, Anderson?", he asks, turning to her.

Before the psychic could answer, a yellow beam of yellow energy burst through & a piece of the dome's ceiling came crashing down from within. The Gyaos that Dredd knocked out burst forth from the roof just as Gamera placed his right foot through the side of the auditorium & reached out with his hands to grab the escaping winged terror.

It missed snatching it by a fraction of an inch, & it was already in the skies over the Big Meg & heading west.

Roaring in anger, Gamera stepped away from the damaged dome & begin contracting his limbs within his shell. At that same moment, jet propulsions from where his arms & legs were propel & lift him up from the ground, rising up like an overgrown blimp or hot-air balloon. Dredd, Anderson & Sanchez shield their eyes as Gamera's jets shine up the evening sky, burning brighter than any lights man-made. Even where Judge Hershey & her crew reentered Mega-City One, Gamera's light show was illuminating, & the creature started spinning very rapidly like an overgrown toy top as his jets make him into something like a shooting star. Sounding like thousands of chirping insects or birds, Gamera sped off west in pursuit of the escaping Gyaos, their paths taking both creatures over the wall & into the Cursed Earth beyond it.

Once they were gone from Hershey's sights, she got on her GPS.

"Dredd, this is Hershey. Are you & your team okay over there?"

"We're all good here, Hershey. I only wish that we had an explanation for the shit that just went down over our heads", was Dredd's reply. "Any clues?"

"Sorry, Dredd – we're as much in the dark about all this as you are. Maybe we can get some kind of answers over at the Hall."

"We'll all meet up there later – we're staying at our position to check on any more casualties that might've been caused by these giants. We could sure use your assistance, & every other Judge available."

"That's a rog. We'll see you soon in Sector 24. Hershey out", she concluded before cutting the connection. "You heard the man – take us straight over to him, Giant", Hershey finished as the black man nodded.

He headed straight for the Big Meg's top lawman.

The entire trip was in complete, utter silence.

CHAPTER IV

The Hall of Justice, December 11th, 9:00 a.m.:

Last night was eventful for all available Judges involved: the recovering of civilians living & dead, the reorder of the chaos caused by looters who thought they could take advantage of the confusion which resulted in many going to the cubes, the treatment of survivors who received any cuts/bruises during the skirmish of the monsters, etc. Those who perished in the Carole Lombard apartment complex & the surrounding area will all be honored in a memorial at a later date as construction crews labored to dig out any people who may have been lucky enough to live through such a disaster, & are trapped within in need of a rescue.

For most, it looked hopeless, but no one was giving up.

Judges Dredd, Anderson, Hershey, their assigned rookies & every Judge that has worked him/herself through the night spent a good fifteen minutes in the sleep machines at a ghastly 6:00 a.m. to catch a good full night's nap before emerging refreshed & ready to carry out their assignments. A call from the Chief Judge for Dredd & everyone to offer a recap in full detail about the events that took place the other night, from the ghastly horror show in the Bing Crosby Auditorium to the giant turtle's spectacular departure & the cleanup afterwards.

It took nearly three hours to make full reports, & they feel like they could use another good fifteen minutes in the sleep machines, if not longer.

Judge Dredd was checking the rounds of his Lawgiver with Anderson doing the same, needing to replenish their ammo after the previous night's encounter with the Gyaos.

"How's the shoulders this morning?", Anderson asked him.

"Still a pinch sore", Dredd replied. "Spent a little bit of time in the speed-heal before catching some z's." He just notices one member missing from his little party. "Where's Sanchez? She ought to be checking her ammo, same as us."

"After this morning's briefing, she immediately went over to see the shrink."

"Shrink? Whatever the hell for?"

Anderson took a deep breath & exhaled it before answering.

"This whole thing's gotten her very riled up & then some, Dredd", she says.

"How could it? She's been doing pretty fine against the perps she'd faced so far. What makes last night's events any different?"

"That's just it, Dredd", Anderson said, facing him directly. "Normal perps – human perps – she can handle! Hell, she practically eats punks like those for fucking breakfast, & almost as good as you! But dealing with things like giant ravenous birds with no feathers & mouths full of sharp teeth that eat people alive, & a goddamn turtle that's 80 meters tall & can spit balls of fucking fire from its mouth? That's what's got her riled up, mister – she's not used to seeing that kind of shit roaming around our city!"

Dredd took a moment or two to ingest it all before responding.

"None of us are, Anderson. Far as I can tell, this is the very first time in all of Mega-City One's history in which we've ever encountered anything of this magnitude." He paused for a moment before continuing. "But that's the job, Anderson: whatever comes our way – be it perps that commit petty pickpocketing crimes, rioters, arsonists, terrorists, or two species of giant monsters – we deal with & we move on. Sanchez has been holding up thus far with potential at a reasonable height on the success ladder, & it'd be a damn shame if she started losing it now. When the time comes, I honestly do hope she'll be in for the long haul."

Dredd & Anderson stood & stared at each other for several seconds when Judge Hershey arrived. Both Judges face Barbara upon her arrival despite her attempt at stealth.

"Everything okay in here?", Hershey asks.

"We're good", Dredd says simply. "Do you need something?"

"The Chief Judge needs to see us straight away."

"Does it involve those creatures & what occurred last night?", Anderson asked.

"It does. She's gotten in a pair of experts on them both, & that's the reason for this morning's second meeting."

Dredd & Anderson spare a look at each other.

"We're on our way", the former said.

Nodding, Hershey exited the room, with Dredd & Anderson following a minute or two later.

9:15:

Dredd & Anderson enter the main meeting room, complete with a large screen monitor displayed at the back wall of the podium. They come to a full house, sporting of seasoned Judges Hershey, Breen, Brubaker, Benson, & others who have spent years on the streets. Rookie Judges Beeny, Karyn, Giant & Sanchez were also present near the first row, & the Chief Judge stood at the center of the podium, complete with microphone. Everyone was sitting & waiting patiently for their commander to begin as Dredd & Anderson finds two empty chairs on the side & take them.

Watching everyone getting settled down, the Chief Judge nodded & began her presentation as the mike came to life amplifying her voice.

"Good morning again, Judges. Our last meeting at 6 gave us a recap of what occurred in our fair city the previous night, most of which was mind-boggling beyond anything we've ever experienced in all of its history. Many, if not all of you are probably wondering: what the hell were those creatures that trashed our town, & where in the world did they even come from?"

A chorus of murmurs came from most, & they went on before the Chief Judge raised her hand for silence.

"Fortunately for us, we're about to get some light shone on this situation", she went on. "I've spoken with a pair of experts on the subject the other night, & they've arrived only fifteen minutes ago to share their information with us."

The Chief Judge nodded to Breen, who sat closest the door near the left of the podium, rose up & walked to it. Opening it up, he spoke to their waiting guests.

"Come on in, girls", Breen said as he got back to his seat as a pair of young Japanese ladies entered the room & approached the podium. Another wave of murmurs erupted from most of the Judges, & Dredd craned his neck to get a better view of the two foreigners: one was taller than the other, with brown hair done in a stylish braid in the back. The other had long black hair she just let hang down. Both wore thick long-sleeve sweaters & pants, with sneakers on their feet. A bandage was wrapped around the left hand of the younger girl.

When the Chief Judge spoke again, the room quieted down once more.

"My fellow Judges, may I present to you ornithologist Toshiko Nagamine & her assistant Naoko Kusanagi, from Japan's Hondo City."

The Chief Judge surrendered the podium to the Japanese ladies, who bowed in the traditional fashion of their home country. The Chief Judge, Karyn & Anderson couldn't help but form a smile from their mouths.

"Judges of Mega-City One", Toshiko started in perfect English. "I am Toshiko, & Naoko & I have traveled half a world to present & inform you of a horror this planet which has once been believed to be extinct. Needless to say, you've already encountered this deadly species of winged creatures the previous night, but you undoubtedly do not know the full story of their origins, let alone that of the giant turtle that attacked & destroyed two of them."

"You mean to say that there's a connection between the savage bird-like creatures and that turtle beast?", Judge Hershey asks.

"Hai, Judge Hershey, & that brings us as to why we're here today. For starters, those bird-like creatures are not really birds at all: they are made by an ancient race from over 12,000 years ago, most likely by the lost continent known as Atlantis."

"The very same fabled city that supposedly sank beneath the Atlantic Ocean?", asked Karyn.

"Again, hai. Only, it was no fabled story you may have heard about during your school years: it was as real as any one of our Mega-Cities, & that was where both the Gyaos & Gamera were created."

"Gyaos?", said Giant.

"Gamera?", said Beeny.

Toshiko nodded.

"The Gyaos were created by Atlantis' advanced biology & technology, designed to be living weapons for the city in its defenses. But instead of becoming their greatest achievement, they had turned out to be their greatest mistake: the Gyaos went rogue &attacked the very people that created them. With their civilization in grave peril, they hurried to create a force to combat their cataclysmic error – Gamera – and eradicate them before they became destroyed. Sadly, it was exactly how they would end up: Gamera was successful in wiping out the existing Gyaos that attacked their home, but his intervention came too late to save the people that made them both. Because of the ancient civilization's demise, no food was left for the Gyaos, & they secretly laid eggs & went into a state of hibernation, waiting for the right kind of environment to reawaken. Before the ancient people perished, they had left an atoll that told of their history with both creatures. When it was discovered by a group of reef specialists, they found the atoll & translated it. The translation was as follows: 'The Last Hope, Gamera. We bestow it in the Cradle of Time. May it awaken with the Shadow of Evil, Gyaos'."

"So, if the vicious winged creature that can shoot yellow beams from its mouth is named Gyaos, then the giant turtle that can spit fire & soar through the air spinning like a flying saucer must be Gamera", said Sanchez.

Both Japanese ladies nodded.

"Before last night here in Mega-City One, have either of these creatures appeared anywhere else in the world previously?", asked Giant.

"They have", Toshiko resumed. "Their first appearance was in the year of 1995, when a transport ship named the Kairyu-Maru came across a drifting reef that headed for Japan. Meanwhile, ornithologist Mayumi Nagamine – my great-grandmother – visited Himegami Island in the Goto archipelago in search of a rare species of bird. She was the very first person to actually see the Gyaos & lived to tell about it; soon she was ordered by the Japanese government to devise a plan to capture the creatures as a preservation of a species facing extinction. Obviously, they were not aware of their Atlantean origins, & they commenced with a scheme to lure them into a place called Fukuoka Dome. That was when Gamera made his debut: smashing his way through the city, he reached the dome to destroy the captured Gyaos but they escaped, with Gamera in pursuit."

It was here that Naoko took over, also in flawless English.

"As Toshiko explained to you before, the origins of Gyaos & Gamera were discovered by Mayumi, navigational officer Yoshinari Yonemori, Marine investigator Naoya Kusanagi & his daughter Asagi – the latter two as being my great-great-grandfather & great-grandmother. They tried to talk sense into those who wished to preserve the Gyaos & conceive Gamera as a threat, when they should've been doing the opposite: helping Gamera to destroy the Gyaos. Only when a last-surviving Gyaos reached to a height of 85 meters tall & a wingspan of 185 meters & attacked Tokyo did they finally wise up, & launched an all-out attack upon the creature. It proved to be futile: Gyaos evaded every attack & managed to make a nest on one of Japan's one-time national landmarks – Tokyo Tower. Shortly after, Gamera emerged & destroyed this nest before engaging Gyaos in a vicious fight that caused great damage to Tokyo. Finally, Gamera was able to overpower Gyaos in the end & take him out, but despite the victory, it was feared that Gyaos' eggs could be found anywhere on the Earth."

"Like recently", the Chief Judge says, getting nods from all.

"Ladies, was the reappearance of Gyaos the only time in which Gamera made one himself, or has he shown up at other times?", asked Brubaker.

"Gamera has, Judge Brubaker", Toshiko said. "He has appeared to not only battle more of his longtime enemy Gyaos, but of other creatures as well – from both Earth & beyond the stars. Naoko & I have brought with us old-time footage of Gamera's past battles. If we could have the monitor on & the lights dimmed…"

"Of course", Anderson says, getting up to do as Toshiko requested before sitting back down again. The monitor lit up & became the only illumination in the room. Old newsreels of Gamera in action came up on screen, the quality of it in very good condition despite the years that have passed by.

With the ladies offering information along the way, the Judges sat & viewed the films.

One of Gamera's first enemies post-Gyaos was that from the stars: a swarm of 3-meter-tall insect-like creatures which were named Legion, taken from a page in the Bible. They first attacked the city of Sapporo, planting some sort of pod in the middle. Gamera arrived to detonate & destroy the pod that would've otherwise wiped out Sapporo, but was under siege by the Legion creatures that covered him like attacking bees before the Queen Legion – a 140-meter-tall & 160-meter-long monstrosity – erupted from the ground & fled, with Gamera in pursuit. Their next meeting was at the outskirts of Sendai, where Gamera & the Queen Legion engaged in a bloody confrontation that delayed the turtle long enough for its pod to launch its seed. Even though Gamera toppled the pod downwards, it still detonated with the same force of an atomic bomb & wiped out Sendai, allegedly killing Gamera. But the chelonian champion survived, & he made his final battle with Legion on the outskirts of Tokyo, fighting its winged swarm (with the help of dedicated humans), Legion's central horn that can open up & fire a deadly beam of a powerful electro-magnetic force, followed by a multitude of crimson whip-like lasers – both of which can punch through even Gamera's sturdy shell. Legion was finally fallen when Gamera summoned a great amount of Mana from the Earth & used it to project a beam that shot forth from his own chest directly at Legion, wiping her out & turning her to ashes.

The next footage revealed the return of the Gyaos, along with a new & most unusual adversary.

A few years later, the Gyaos made a comeback due to Gamera's use of the Earth's Mana to defeat Legion. The danger was added when a pair of women arrived via spaceship from the planet Terra, which was an extinct world with Barbella & Florbella as the only survivors. They claim to form a unity between them & Earth, sharing their technology which was more advanced & even used some of it to help eradicate a good number of the Gyaos with the help of their powerful lasers & their monstrous 'pet' they named Guiron – a quadrupedal creature that measured 85 meters in length & possessing a most unusual weapon: its head is shaped like that of an enormous knife that can slice through anything, including the Gyaos. More footage shows Guiron jumping up & slicing several enemy birds with his knife-like head & is also capable of shooting shuriken-like projectiles from circular ports on either side of his massive head. Gamera even joined in, assisting Guiron in eventually defeating the Gyaos cluster in an alliance & the people of Earth – impressed by Guiron's performance & Barbella & Florbella's promise – accepted them as citizens of the planet & became something of celebrities.

It later turned out to be a ruse: Barbella & Florbella were actually cannibals, & planned to do all but eat brains raw & gain the knowledge of the people of Earth, using their own weaponry & ways of life against them. They went & set Guiron loose upon the populace of Fukuoka, stating that the city will be destroyed & its people killed if Earth didn't surrender. Gamera came to intercept Guiron, but the four-legged terror – with a mouth of sharp teeth & a pair of tusks from its lower jaw – fought back & struck the chelonian champion with his knife-like head which can penetrate even his shell, & received four shuriken in his chest before Guiron rammed his head full throttle, the impact causing both creatures to fall into the ocean before only Guiron resurfaced.

With Gamera seemingly dead from such a terrible wound, the people of Earth surrendered indefinitely.

The alien women's triumph was not to last: Gamera miraculously survived his wounds from Guiron & rose again from the water to confront the knife-headed monstrosity. Even with his acrobatic movements & ninja-like agility aiding him, Guiron was no match for Gamera's quick-thinking, having learned from previous mistakes. The fight was savage & blood-spilling, & Gamera grabbed Guiron from behind with his arms, using only his leg jets for propulsion. Rising high into the air, he does a swift U-turn & plummets to earth, letting Guiron go as he gets impaled upside down into the ground, his legs flailing helplessly. In a last-ditch effort, Guiron shot forth his shuriken to impale his enemy again, but Gamera simply dodged them with ease & even deflected one with his shell before spitting a pair of fireballs: one struck Guiron's ports where his shuriken were, badly burning his face. The second was aimed for his midsection, blowing him literally in half. The monster's last few seconds allowed him a low grunt before his eyes shut for good.

Barbella & Florbella weren't so fortunate either: with their guardian beast defeated, they each snatched a child as a hostage & demanded safe passage off Earth with the children as their insurance. Amazingly, it was the kids that freed themselves: biting the alien girls in the arm, they forced their captors to release them as they dived for cover before the local police shot & killed both. Lying on the floor, they briefly glowed before vanishing in front of a stunned populace.

Next piece of footage to come up on the monitor was that of another four-legged beast: a light tan dinosaur-like creature 80 meters long, sporting five horns on its face. This monster was named Jiger, & was first discovered on the area called Wester Island where a team of archaeologists were removing a stone statue for display over at an Expo site in Japan. Shortly after bringing it back to the mainland, Jiger attacked & damaged much of Kagoshima, unleashing her horrid microwave-like ray that can dissolve human flesh in seconds, leaving nothing but a bare skeleton. Jiger also had the ability to shoot solid saliva spears from two of her horns – weapons that made short work of Gamera during their first encounter on Wester Island. As the giant turtle arrived in Kagoshima, he gave Jiger a fierce fight & avoided her spears but was soon attacked by two new weapons the dinosaurian creature possessed: suction from her feet that can draw objects towards her, & a stinger on the end of her tail that she stuck Gamera with between his head & neck. The giant turtle became weak & fell face-first into the water on a bank, his flesh turning a sickly white. It was discovered that Jiger had impregnated Gamera with her offspring, & a surprising team of two young boys in one of the Expo site mini-subs took it upon themselves to enter Gamera, find Jiger's offspring & kill it using sonic waves from one of the transceivers they brought with them, revealing Jiger's weakness.

Two operations were underway: the first was to keep Jiger at bay with loud speakers, while the other was to awaken Gamera now that Jiger's unborn child was dead. Using the power of Kagoshima to jumpstart his heart, they successfully awoke the giant turtle just as Jiger herself did the same, the power surge shorting out the speakers. Gamera & Jiger fought fiercely a third time, going all-out with fireballs, saliva spears, suction, microwave ray & even a second attempt at sticking Gamera with her needle again. A blast from Gamera's fire put an end to that notion, & Jiger was left with a piece of her tail burned off. Jiger's final ability was that of jet-like gills that enable her to move through the water at great speed & even make her jump at extreme heights.

Gamera's defeat of Jiger was something of dramatic & unexpected: the statue the archaeologists removed from Wester Island was learned that it'd been used to keep Jiger held down, acting like a whistle that left her weak whenever air was blown into it. Using his instincts, Gamera retrieved said statue & sped towards Jiger head-on in her desperate attempt to get the thing back. She got it back, all right: colliding in mid-air, Gamera & Jiger plummeted to earth as the former rose in triumph as Jiger lay dead at his feet, the statue buried deep in her skull.

With Jiger beaten, Gamera grabber her corpse & flew her back to Wester Island.

In the next piece of footage, it showed a 100-meter long lizard-like monster with dark brown flesh, alligator-like jaws, long pointed horn on its nose & twin rows of shorter curved spines down its back that become singular on its tail. This creature, Toshiko informed the Judges, was named Barugon, his point of origin being at the 'Rainbow Valley' of New Guinea. A trio of treasure hunters entered the forbidden area & found a large opal, believing it to be a gem worth thousands of yen. Unknowingly, it was in reality an egg that soon hatched when exposed to a bit of radiation from an infrared ray one of the explorers used to treat his foot fungus. Escaping its prison, Barugon made his way towards the city of Kobe, causing mass destruction before making his way to Osaka. The Japanese SDF tried halting the monster's rampage, but was soon overcome by Barugon's freezing mist which he can shoot from his long tongue with a club at the end. Even a long-range missile attack was no match in bringing him down, as the monster used a 'Rainbow Ray' he can emit from the spines on his back & destroyed the missiles before that can fire.

Barugon's Rainbow Ray attracted Gamera due to the heat it emits, & the two monsters fought a brief but fierce battle as Gamera tried barbequing his enemy with fireballs but missing his quarry each time. Barugon counterstruck with his freeze mist, engulfing Gamera & weakening him exponentially. Being susceptible to cold, Gamera was turned over on his shell by Barugon & left for dead. It was up to the Japanese SDF to try & defeat the monster with the help of a native girl from New Guinea (Karen) along with a man from Osaka (Keisuke) who had helped remove Barugon's egg from his home, only to get betrayed by one of his partners & almost losing his life. They first used a diamond to lure Barugon over to a large body of water, one of the creature's main Achilles Heel. On their first attempt it was only partly successful, but on their second one – having the diamond exposed to an infrared light like Barugon's egg had been – it was working like a charm & had almost been accomplished until a greedy man by the name of Onodera – the same one who left Keisuke on New Guinea – grabbed the diamond & fled in a boat, only to be eaten alive as Barugon snatched up him & the diamond, swallowing them both. Their next attempt was to turn Barugon's own Rainbow Ray against him by turning a satellite dish into a giant mirror & have him die by his own weapon. Provoking him to attack with his Rainbow Ray, Barugon launched his weapon at an attacking volley of unmanned artillery, destroying them & hitting the dish itself. As hoped, the rainbow was deflected back at Barugon & burned him on the side. The attack was a success, but it still wasn't enough to bring him down permanently. When Keisuke urges another attack, Karen knew it was futile: having grown up with the animals on New Guinea, she knew that once an animal has been injured by its own mistake, it will never repeat it.

All hope seemed lost until Gamera got thawed out by Barugon's rainbow & returned to face the monster again. Barugon tried freezing the chelonian champ like he did last time, but Gamera dodges the mist & slams into the lizard-like beast on the side where his injury was, causing great pain. Getting from behind, Gamera grabbed his enemy's tail & spat fireballs on Barugon's back, scorching it badly. Managing to get free, the lizard-beast launched his tongue like a battering ram & struck Gamera in the chest, causing him to tumble over & land on his shell. Tucking his limbs in, he took to the air as Barugon reached up on his hind legs & nab him, only to get slammed in the chest & soared through the air, destroying a bridge. Realizing he was no match for Gamera in his weakened condition, Barugon attempted to flee, but Gamera was in hot pursuit & grabbed his foe firmly by the neck with his teeth before dragging him down into Lake Biwa & dissolving once he hits bottom. On the surface, the water churned & Barugon's rainbow came up briefly before ceasing altogether.

Moments later, only Gamera resurfaced & sped off into the night.

Filled with remorse from the death & destruction his greed caused Japan, Keisuke was welcomed by Karen, who offered him the chance to head back to New Guinea with her for good.

It was an offer he gladly & happily accepted.

The final piece of old footage Toshiko & Naoko shared with the Judges was that of a double threat from space: an alien race called the Virians along with a creature called Zigra arrive to Earth in spaceships that resembles a circle of yellow balls with black stripes all connected & flies spinning, with the other looking something like an alien fish. The Virians capture Gamera in a catch ray of some kind, forming a dome that holds him temporarily as both races study his strengths & weaknesses, along with memories of his past. Learning Gamera has a connection with a human female named Asagi Kusanagi, the Virians capture her & force Gamera to obey them, lest they forfeit Asagi's life & kill her. Having no choice but to do as they command, Gamera allowed himself to be made a slave of the Virians & Zigra. They order him to attack various places in Japan, including the Kurobe Dam & the country's capital of Tokyo. Asagi, as Naoko explains, managed to get herself loose by reverse-engineering the catch ray that brought her up after learning on how it worked & escaped the Virians' clutches. When they ordered Gamera to kill Asagi, he did the exact opposite & attacked them instead of his true target & freed himself from their control before destroying both their ships. In a last-ditch effort, the Virians – squid-like people in human disguise – stripped themselves of their disguises & combined into one huge 96-meter-tall creature named Viras, who possessed a small bird-like beak, sinister yellow eyes & a trio of strange projections atop his head which can close to become a pointed spear. Attacked by both Viras & Zigra's ship, Gamera seemed outmatched even as the monster emerged from the latter's ship & balloons to a whopping 80 meters in length & resembling a futuristic shark with a pointed head & large fore-fins, red eyes & fins on his back that can cut through even Gamera's flesh. The space monster duo drag Gamera into the water, where a ferocious fight between the three took place, with Viras using his tentacles like giant snakes that constrict Gamera's limbs tightly as Zigra thrashed with his front fins & even struck with his long pointed beak, drawing blood. Gamera managed to get Viras off him by swinging the alien squid like a baseball bat into Zigra & sending them into a tumble. The giant turtle spat a trio of rapid fireballs at the space fiends, but they dove quickly beneath the water's surface in spite of their huge size. When Zigra had reemerged, he zapped Gamera with his yellow paralyzing ray from the red jewel above his beak, freezing all of the cellular activity in Gamera's body & sending him to the bottom of the ocean.

Having disposed of Earth's protector, Zigra & Viras then attacked the city of Nagoya in a hail of destruction, the JSDF being all but powerless to stop even one of the monsters. Their terrible reign continued until Gamera – having been revived by a hail of torpedoes from several submarines – burst forth from the ocean & attacked Zigra first, having disposed the shark-like creature of his paralyzing ray by throwing sharp debris at the crimson jewel & rendering it inert. Being no match for Gamera on land, Zigra dove into the water with Gamera following immediately. Underwater cams from nearby subs caught the action as Zigra swam like a swift devil all around Gamera & managing several cuts on his limbs & chest, the water bleeding streams of lime green. It hardly slowed the turtle down: using his leg jets, Gamera grabbed Zigra by the tail & threw him out of the drink & onto the concrete where he was mostly helpless. Zigra rose to his fin feet in time to see Gamera do a 180 degree turn & launch a pair of fireballs at the alien shark, both making contact with & frying Zigra to a crisp, an echoing screech being the alien fish's epitaph.

With one alien menace down, Gamera turned upon Viras & grabbed two of his tentacles as he lashed out like a pair of snakes, snatching one in his mouth. The giant turtle flew across the land, getting Viras away from Nagoya & the populace & taking their fight someplace more open. Approaching a large rock mass, Viras bent down & struck it with his pointed head, the sudden stop throwing Gamera off-guard & onto his back by the forward momentum. Viras got to his feet & stood upright, bending down low before shooting himself up like a rocket & landing point-first in Gamera's stomach, going halfway in. The chelonian champ cried out in pain & surprise by this sudden & unexpected move, but he refused to yield: using his jet propulsions, Gamera took off in the air with Viras still impaled in his stomach. Once he lifted off the ground, Gamera righted himself & rose higher & higher into the sky, the air getting thinner & the temp dropping the closer he gets to the stratosphere. It was a similar maneuver the giant turtle performed with Gyaos during their first encounter, but unlike the ravenous winged horror, Viras cannot cope with the drop in temperature & in no time his body froze up & became stiff before dropping from a death-defying height & plunging into the ocean, killed by both his weakened condition & the impact of hitting the water from such a height.

As this footage ended, Toshiko asked for the lights to be turned on again, which the Chief Judge took care of as they illuminated the room once more & the monitor went black.

The occupants in the room remained silent for several moments, allowing the scenes of monster mayhem sink in.

Naoko broke the tense silence by asking what they all thought of the footage they'd just seen.

"Honestly, girls…I'm not sure what to think!", said the Chief Judge. "In all my years as a Judge, I've thought I'd seen it all, but this takes crazy & bizarre to a whole new level!"

"Do you ladies have any more footage featuring Gamera to show us?", asked Brubaker.

"No, I'm afraid not", said Naoko. "What you just saw was all that was captured & recorded of Gamera before the wars took place, Judge Brubaker."

"How come we've never seen or heard of anything like this in our databases?", asked Breen.

"Most of the records were lost during the wars", Toshiko says. "Our country kept these locked safely in a secured vault many levels down just in case we were under attack again like in August of 1945, when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki during World War II. After the wars, we held the only existing footage of Gamera & his battles of the creatures you viewed anywhere in the world."

"Now we see just why you girls traveled halfway around the planet to deliver us this information", said Judge Hershey. "Even though our own Dr. Stein had discovered some of the Gyaos' origins from the corpse that we found, we still didn't get the full story…until you ladies filled in those blanks for us."

"Toshiko & I have been trying to find any solid leads of the Gyaos ever since her great-grandmother's notes & findings have been handed down to us in her family tree", Naoko says. "We did so as to keep close watch on them in case they ever did reappear to wreak havoc upon the world."

"Same as with Gamera himself?", asked Beeny.

"Correct. Like most everyone else, we feared him dead during the wars. I must confess that I'm happy to see that was not the case."

"You have faith in Gamera, we take it?", asked Karyn.

"Again, I confess that we do. He's practically the only thing between the world & its utter destruction, & will do anything to protect it at all costs. Toshiko & I may not know the full extent of his power, but we do know this: we both trust Gamera to do the right thing, to do what he must."

The room stayed silent for a couple seconds when Breen spoke.

"At least we can all let Gamera take care of that escaping Gyaos that flew the coop beyond the west wall into the Cursed Earth. Once he destroys that thing, it'll be game over. Then we can once again concentrate on dealing with human-sized problems."

"Maybe not just yet", Dredd brings up, all eyes turning to him. "I have a gut-wrenching feeling we'll be dealing with the Gyaos – and Gamera – again in the very near future."

"What makes you say that, Dredd?", Sanchez wondered. "You yourself blew the damn head off one of them, & Gamera took care of the other two, with the fourth escaped creature you stunned having the turtle on his tail even as we speak. I don't have any doubts that he'll get him too."

"It's not that I'm worried about, Sanchez. Let's think about this for a moment, people: the other day, we find a rotting corpse of one of the Gyaos underneath the George Foreman Gymnasium, then we have a quartet of them inside the Bing Crosby Auditorium feasting on holiday performers & almost little children, & they did so without being seen. Had it not been for one of those people escaping & making the call to Control, we might've missed then until after they killed & ate everybody inside before breaking out & doing the same to the city itself, even with Gamera's intervention. Can anyone care to guess what I'm thinking of this scenario?"

Silence engulfed the room for five seconds before Beeny spoke.

"Sir, I believe I know: that Gyaos corpse we found was deliberately planted there for us to find, as something of a scare tactic. The Gyaos that appeared in the auditorium got there the same way by person or persons unknown right under all our noses. Bottom line is this: somebody's sending us a message to us and to Mega-City One."

Dredd nodded, with the Chief Judge doing the same before it caught on to the rest in the room.

"Correct, rookie", he said. "This isn't over, people. Not by a long shot: we need to get some answers before this goes beyond our power to contain, let alone stop. The bad news is, the message these sick perps wanted to send us had come across quite clearly, as if displayed on a bulletin board or neon sign. The good news is, we've got us a lead: some of us spoke with the manager of the Bing Crosby Auditorium, & he informed us of a man with a Y-shaped scar who had made a delivery backstage before taking off & in quite a hurry, from what we were told. Since the attack, we've had Judges searching high & low in the city, with citizens keeping a sharp lookout. So far…nothing."

"Until now, that is!", said a new voice as a pair of new Judges – a female whose badge read Sola & an African-American male whose name read Tulk – entered the room, with all eyes turning from Dredd to them.

"You found him, Tulk?", Dredd asked.

"Only thirty minutes ago", Tulk replied. "Perp tried making a flight to take him out of the city, but was spotted by several civilians. Sola & I were in the vicinity to take him down, but not before he killed two men & injured Sola in the shoulder. We have him down in interrogation now."

"You okay, Sola?", asked the Chief Judge.

"The round he put in me went straight through, but thankfully it's still nothing too serious. I'll live, ma'am", Sola replied.

The Chief Judge nodded.

"Glad to hear it", she said. "Head down to Medical & get some rest in the speed-heal to have yourself patched up. Good work, you two."

Sola & Tulk nodded their appreciation before heading out, the former going directly to where she'd been ordered to.

"I'll head over to interrogation & speak with our suspect", Dredd said.

"Shall I come along just in case he's not very talkative?", Anderson asked.

"Appreciate the offer, Anderson. But I think I'll instead take Karyn & Sanchez with me on this little journey."

Anderson looked at aforementioned rookies, both of whom were surprised by Dredd's suggestion.

"Teaching them how to do an interrogation?", the blonde psychic asked.

"Of sorts. Think of it as part of their training. Ladies…shall we?", Dredd says as both rookie females rise from their seats & follow Dredd outside, heading for interrogation. The room was like any other in police rooms from their golden days: a one-way mirror, steel table that was bolted to the floor & chairs for perp & officer to sit in, & a metal ring which was molded into the table for handcuffs to be placed at. Al was the room's current occupant, his head down in his arms. He didn't look up from the table, even when Judges Dredd, Sanchez & Karyn opened the door & entered.

"Get up, scumbag!", Dredd growled, kicking the table & getting a loud echo, coupled with the movement which violently aroused Al from his little slumber. The look on his face remained neutral & unreadable, as if being arrested is of no big concern or consequence.

"So it is you, after all!", Dredd continued.

"A Merry Christmas to you too, Dredd", Al said with a nasty smile. Dredd ignored the sarcasm.

"You know this piece of shit, Dredd?", Sanchez asked.

"You don't forget a face like his", Dredd explained. "Al 'Scarface' Harold, wanted for multiple crimes, including extortion, kidnapping, running drugs & illegal firearms, destruction of public property, murder of innocent civilians & attempted murder of a Judge. He's a goddamn freelancer, willing to do any kind of job for even the most despicable & heartless of scumbags – as long as he's paid highly enough. I understand you also did errands for Ma-Ma & tried to continue her drug empire before getting shut down. For a good long time, you've given us the slip & eluded capture – until today, that is."

"So you're the one that planted those Gyaos creatures inside the Bing Crosby Auditorium!", Sanchez says, the rage in her voice clearly visible. She leaned on the table to get closer to Al, her teeth gritting. "You had those things kill innocent people who only wanted to put on a show for the children at Christmastime! How could you?!"

"Just following my orders, baby", Al said in his sick attempt to charm the young rookie Judge. "I was asked to make a simple delivery to a certain place & time. Period. I don't ask what it is, & I don't ask why. As long as you got the money for me, I do what needs doing, & I do it quickly & efficiently. Besides…how was I to know that I'd be on board to deliver a bunch of giant, man-eating creatures with wings?"

Al smiled as Sanchez & Dredd gave each other a look before the former became sterner.

"First of all, creep…don't call me 'baby'!", she snapped. "Try fraternizing with me again, & you can go say goodbye to your two best friends 'down below', if you catch my drift! Secondly, we think you did know what you were delivering to the auditorium last night, and we believe you know just who your employer is, not to mention where he or she is laying at! More importantly, I think you're going to tell us where your current boss is hiding…aren't you?!"

Al sat in his seat, his lips pressed together & saying nothing.

Sanchez took a deep breath & exhaled it calmly.

"Listen, Mr. Harold", she says in a more controlled tone. "You're already serving an extremely long sentence to your equally long list of felonies. Failure to answer our questions will only result in adding to it. Now then, we can do this easy or hard. Meaning, you can either talk to me…or you can talk to him."

Sanchez jerked a thumb towards Dredd on her last statement.

It was then that Al spoke.

"I've only this to say to you both, along with the redhead: suck my big, fat, hairy dick, bitches!"

"Wrong answer!", Dredd growled, reaching out & grabbing Al by the lapels of his shirt & putting him directly in his face. "You better start talking, creep – now!"

"And what if I don't, Dredd?", Al dared. "You think you can beat it out of me? Good luck with that! It'd be all but a futile attempt: even if I did tell you, it'll be too late! There's no way you'd be able to stop what awaits this city!"

"We'll find a way!"

"Again…good luck with that!"

Al's defiant grin made Dredd pull his right fist back to deliver a possible knockout blow.

"Dredd, wait!", Karyn said, stopping him from sending his fist home. "There is a way to get the info we need from him! Why do you think you brought me along with you to this interrogation?"

So fixated on pulping Al's face in was Dredd that he nearly forgot why he did; he brought Karyn & Sanchez on how to interrogate a suspect, & the latter rookie Judge played it to the hilt while he almost went berserk & would've no doubt ended up killing Al before the information they need could be extracted.

Realizing his error in time, Dredd let Al go to plop back in his chair.

"Thank you for reminding me, Karyn", he says, giving her the floor. "He's all yours."

Karyn stood in front of Al, her hands to the side of her head. It perplexed Al at first until he realized what she is, & that's when he started getting antsy.

Holy shit! She's a fucking mutant!, he thought with dread, & Al attempted to bang his head against the side of the table & kill himself before she can read him.

"Oh no you don't!", Dredd said, catching him in the nick of time before Al can perform his kamikaze act & held his head firmly in his hands. "Go ahead, Karyn."

The redhead psychic resumed her abilities without delay: she delved into his mind to see all sorts of images that flashed by, from a young woman to where he delivered the Gyaos eggs. The process took several moments to a minute or two before removing her hands away from her head, but for Al, it felt like forever.

"What did you see, Karyn?", asked Sanchez.

"It's just as you suspected, Sanchez – he did know what he was delivering to the Bing Crosby Auditorium!", the crimson-haired psychic said.

"Anything else?", Dredd asked, releasing Al's head.

"I also saw him with a young woman who went by the name of Jo-Jo, who ordered him to make it. They were on a large ship in the Black Atlantic, & he arrived here by hover wagon that's parked in Sector 36 at an abandoned lot – the same one he tried to escape in. But here's the real doozy: he's spoken with other associates of Jo-Jo's about an even larger cluster of eggs not only on that very ship, but right here in Mega-City One's Under-city! I don't know how they managed to do it from right under our noses, but they've been planning this for over a year! If what Al says is true, we could all be looking at dozens, maybe even hundreds of Gyaos loose in Mega-City One, & I don't think that it'd be an exaggeration for me to say that it could very well be happening any day now or maybe even tonight!"

"Holy shit!", Sanchez says, her eyes wide as she faced Dredd. "If those eggs hatch & the Gyaos get loose, Mega-City One will be like an all-you-can-eat buffet to them! Even Gamera might not be able to destroy them all!"

"Then we shouldn't waste any more time", Dredd says. "Sanchez, watch him until we get back. We need to fill the Chief Judge in on the situation & prepare ourselves for the coming storm – and of this Jo-Jo masterminding it all."

Dredd & Karyn were gone & closed the door by the time the former Judge finished speaking, leaving Sanchez alone with Al. She watched him like a hawk.

The Chief Judge, her fellow soldiers at the briefing, & Toshiko & Naoko heard the predicament that was before them in every detail that Karyn was able to extract from Al's twisted mind. Gasps & faces of shock wore every face in the room, & more than a few became a bit weak in the knees at the very thought of dozens of flesh-eating winged monsters roaming about Mega-City One, devouring everything in their sights. The mentioning of the aforementioned name Jo-Jo brought them over to the records department where a Judge by the name of Gates was working to conjure up the information regarding that very person.

Gates was stunned by the mentioning of Jo-Jo, & Dredd even sensed there was something vaguely familiar about the name. Gates begins to explain why, giving an answer on both counts.

"It's like this: surely you've heard the expression of the apple never falling very far from the tree, correct?"

"More or less", Dredd says as several others nodded.

"Well, never has that been truer than with Jo-Jo: her full name is Josephine Jonas, & she's the adopted daughter of none other than Madeline Madrigal, aka Ma-Ma. Madeline had found her on the streets one day during her time as a pimp & took her under her wing. Having been busted on numerous occasions due to her being a heavy drug addict, Maddie was deemed unfit to care for Josephine properly by Child Care Services & they took little Josephine away from her adopted mother, despite Maddie's attempts to prove otherwise. Being apart from the only parent she ever knew & had, Josephine became more & more distant from the other children until she had actually killed one of them, earning herself a trip to Juvie Center. When she was 21, they finally deemed her fit to reenter society, but when she learned of her mother's death over at Peach Trees last year, she collected all her earnings & purchased a ship along with a hired crew & traveled the open ocean. Up until now, nobody's ever heard from or seen her."

"It doesn't take a psychic to know just what she was doing with that ship & her crew!", said Giant.

"Preparing for Armageddon on Mega-City One!", said Beeny. "We need to hit them hard on two fronts: at Jo-Jo's ship & the Under-city itself before even one of those eggs can hatch!"

"Karyn & I are already planning to hit Jo-Jo's ship", Dredd says. "Our suspect Al Harold will be accompanying us in his hover wagon as we infiltrate it & get inside. In the meantime, Judge Hershey should take rookies Beeny, Giant & Sanchez into the Under-city & take care of the Gyaos eggs lying underneath with armed backup. There's no telling as to how many eggs you'll actually find down there, so take whoever & whatever's at your disposal."

"Hold on, Dredd", said the Chief Judge. "I'm not crazy at all about the idea of just you & Karyn infiltrating Jo-Jo's ship to destroy it from within all by yourselves. It's suicide to try, even for someone as tough & resourceful as you. You'll need to take an army if you have any chance of sinking Jo-Jo's stronghold out at sea."

"Doing so can compromise the mission, Chief Judge. We wouldn't get within 100 yards or more if we went in as an armada. By with only Karyn & I going in, we score a better chance at success. It's a risk, yes, but it's one we have to take if Mega-City One is to have a future."

"Not to judge Karyn too soon, but…do you think she's even up for such a perilous task?"

"Chief Judge", Karyn said, getting in front of her. "Rookie or not, I know I can do this. I also know that we don't have a lot of options at the moment. Every second we waste here will be in favor of the Gyaos &…"

"All right, Karyn, I see your point. I also see that you & Dredd are right: time is something that's not on our side, & it'll be up to us to mobilize, find those eggs & destroy every last one of them."

"Chief Judge?", Toshiko says, getting her attention. "I've no doubt that your Judges will do whatever's necessary in this dangerous task of bringing the Gyaos down, but we still believe we'll need Gamera's help."

"Gamera's already chasing that escaped Gyaos out into the Cursed Earth, Miss Nagamine. We don't even know where they are right now."

"I can try & contact him, Chief Judge", Naoko said, with all eyes turning to her.

"Contact him?"

"Hai…with this" Naoko pulls out her necklace with a comma-shaped bead attached to it. "This bauble is what my great-grandmother used to telepathically communicate with Gamera when he first fought the Gyaos in their final conflict in Tokyo. Asagi used it to give Gamera guidance during their battle, & it's helped him triumph over even the most vicious of threats our planet's ever faced through the years. It did come with a little bit of a price, however: while she could share a link with the creature, she receives the same wounds Gamera does in battle." Naoko held her left hand up & removed the bandage wrapped around it to reveal a cut. "Do you recall the time when Gamera saved those people on the bridge when one of the Gyaos struck with its sonic beam?"

It didn't take long for them to put two & two together, & Giant was the first to announce it.

"You commanded Gamera to put himself in harm's way to help them!", he said, remembering the act of bravery the chelonian champion did.

"I wouldn't exactly say 'commanded', but you do get the idea", Naoko says. "After being dormant for so many years, the amulet came to life & enabled me to offer my advice to Gamera. When I saw one of the Gyaos preparing to kill those people onto the bridge, I sent a message to Gamera & told him of the danger, & he did the rest."

"How close to Gamera do you need to be in order to share this link you have with him?", Beeny asks.

"I've never been able to decipher the exact range, but I'd say mostly in the general vicinity. When Gamera first showed up in the city, Toshiko & I were at the Orville & Wilbur Wright Aviation Terminal, which wasn't too far away. That's when we first established our link."

"So what you're trying to say is that, if you're somehow able to extend the range of your link with Gamera…", Hershey started saying.

"Hai. With the help of Judge Anderson, I may be able to do just that – wherever he may be."

"It's certainly worth a try, Naoko", Anderson said, facing the Chief Judge. "Ma'am, for the sake of Mega-City One & all its people, along with possibly the whole world itself…please let us try."

Chief Judge's answer was immediate with a nod of confidence.

Anderson & the two Japanese ladies smiled.

"This way, Naoko", the blonde psychic said, guiding her to another room with Toshiko following them.

The Chief Judge faced the rest of her troops.

"Judge Hershey, take your squadron of Judges down at ground level & await for me there", she says.

"Yes ma'am", Hershey replied, signaling her troops to accompany her.

"Dredd", Chief Judge went on. "You & Karyn will take your suspect Al Harold in that hover wagon & get inside Jo-Jo's ship. Do whatever it takes to bring it down, & make absolutely sure than not even one of those Gyaos eggs gets off that tub. Stay alert & fully cautious at all times: there's no telling what you'll run into on that vessel. And also tell Sanchez that I want her to accompany Judge Hershey & her egg-hunting party in the Under-city below."

"Understood, ma'am", Dredd says, turning to Karyn as she nods before they exit the room. Both Judges reenter the interrogation room where Sanchez watched over Al.

"Any trouble while we were gone, Sanchez?", Dredd asked.

"Nothing", she replied. "I guess he is smart enough not to push his luck."

"Let's see how long he can stay that smart. But first…", Karyn says, facing her rookie partner. "Sanchez, Chief Judge has put together a squadron to find the Gyaos eggs beneath the city. She wants you to be a part of it."

"Me? What about you two?"

"The Chief Judge has ordered Dredd & I to take our suspect over to Jo-Jo's ship & bring it down – by whatever means necessary. In the meantime, she wants you on the squadron Judge Hershey's organizing right now. You don't want to be late, Sanchez, so you ought to get moving."

A nod later, & the young rookie was on her way, but gets stopped when Karyn places her hand on her shoulder.

"Before you go, Sanchez, a piece of advice", she began. "I know this isn't our usual case & all, facing a horde of giant monsters, & truth be told, it's got even me & the others riled. But try to remember as to why we've signed up & became Judges in the first place. Most of all, remember the promise we all made."

They locked eyes for a few moments before Sanchez nodded.

"You're right, Karyn. Good luck to you both", Sanchez says, making for the door.

"And to you", Dredd & Karyn said in unison before Sanchez was out of the room & the door closed. Al let out a little huff.

"At least you both have the decency of saying your goodbyes", he teased. "You do know that you all aren't going to be seeing each other again, right?"

Al grinned wickedly until it was wiped off by a violent kick to his chair by Dredd.

"Shut up!", he barked, getting in his face. "Here's the deal, asshole: you get us aboard Jo-Jo's ship & guide us to where the eggs are stashed, & you'll only receive life imprisonment in the iso-cubes without the possibility of parole! Refusal to comply will only result in your punishment to be even harsher!"

"Huh! What could be any harsher than life imprisonment in the damn cubes?", Al asks. "At least I'll be far away from you two!"

Dredd was about to speak when Karyn offered a suggestion of her own.

"What could be worse, you ask? Let's see: how about if we feed you to the Gyaos once those bastards hatch? I'm betting they'd just love to feed on your entrails like they will everyone else, should they get loose in Mega-City One! I believe there's a whole shitload of their eggs lying in the bowels of the city, & we might not be able to get all of them in our little raid below!"

Karyn's stare was as hard as Dredd's, & she can see Al starting to sweat from more than just the overhead light.

"Y-You're bluffing me!", he stammered. "It's bullshit, I tell you! You wouldn't dare!"

"We wouldn't, huh?! Would you care to put money on that wager?!", Dredd dared.

Their stone-like stares making him more nervous by the second, & Al finally caved in.

The Orca, the Black Atlantic, 3:00 p.m.:

Jo-Jo was walking down the corridor of the ship that leads to the cargo bay of the vessel. She was attired in a jet black outfit that was almost skin-tight, her hair in a ponytail & eyes hidden behind mirrored shades. Blair was on her left & Bryce on her right, their guns hung at their hips & ready to be brought up at a moment's notice like they'd done countless times before.

For most of the trip, they walked in silence until Jo-Jo breaks it.

"Anything on that last Gyaos that escaped from the dome yet, Blair?", she asked.

"Not a peep, Jo-Jo", he replied. "Once it went over & past the west wall with Gamera in pursuit, we tracked them for a good five to ten minutes before they both vanished from our radar. We've not been able to pick up either, as they flew too fast & are must be way out into the Cursed Earth to get any bearings on their positions. I am a bit worried, I have to admit: if Gamera does destroy that escaped Gyaos & heads back to the city or here, he might cause a serious crimp in your plan, Jo-Jo."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Blair", she says with a smile. "Our eggs in the city will all hatch & start feeding on the unsuspecting populace in such great numbers that not even Gamera can destroy them all. Let that overgrown turtle find & kill the one that escaped the dome the other night. The Gyaos are something like the fabled Hydra: cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Bryce, any word yet on Al 'Scarface' Harold since your last contact with him?"

"Not a peep, Jo-Jo, & I've been trying to reach him for hours now", he said. "Being out of touch for this long, he either had to lay low with the Judges on his tail, was gotten killed by them, or worse yet…"

"He'd been captured by the Judges. Try not to worry about that either, Bryce: we're just moments away from the moment we've all been waiting for anyhow. Even if Al has been caught by the Judges & was forced to spill his guts to them, they'd be too late to stop us."

They stop briefly at a door that leads to the cargo bay which was guarded by two armed soldiers, both of whom salute Jo-Jo upon her arrival as she returns the gesture. Ordering her men to open the door, they step inside a huge area which was illuminated by lights overhead & reveal a cluster of Gyaos eggs that all but filled the entire floor below.

Seeing this many eggs that will hatch man-eating monsters with wings made Blair & Bryce whistle, both clearly impressed by the sight despite the area being quite cold. Jo-Jo couldn't help but flash her teeth in a bright smile.

"Fuck me! I never realized we collected this many eggs during our scavenger hunt!", Blair says. "We really have made such a hugescore, didn't we?"

"That we did, boys!", Jo-Jo says with pride. "Along with the Gyaos, I also have another special surprise awaiting Mega-City One! That, too, will be unleashed upon the city very shortly as our moment of truth comes ever closer once we present the Big Meg's day of reckoning like no other!"

A beeping on Bryce's communicator comes to life as said man picks it up & activates it.

"Al? Al, is that you finally?", he says into it.

"Yeah Bryce – it's me", he says, his voice loud enough for Blair & Jo-Jo to hear.

"Well, thank God! Where the hell have you been the last several hours?"

"Sorry about being incommunicado for so long, but I had to stay off the line as I got a tail by the Judges. I just couldn't risk them picking my signal up & spying on us, you know? Luckily, I had the chance to give them the slip & make it back to my ride."

"You're heading back here now?"

"That's right, Bryce. I'm only about an hour's away from reaching the ship, & I'm going full throttle to get there. Is everything set for the big moment? Because it sure is in the city, & once those eggs start hatching, I want to be a safe distance away when all hell breaks loose – not to mention that the Judges have a warrant out for me."

Bryce turned to Jo-Jo for approval, & she nodded.

"That's affirmative, Al", Bryce replied. "We'll see you shortly."

He cut the connection before Jo-Jo signaled him & Blair out of the room with her.

The hover wagon:

Al severed the connection as Bryce did on his end. He put his communicator down nice & easy as he felt the end of Dredd's Lawgiver pressed against the back of his head, who sat from behind as Karyn sat in the seat next to him.

Her Lawgiver was also aimed at him.

"Very good, Al", Dredd said evenly. "Now you understand the situation – we live, you live. Anything more or less on your part, or you try any tricks, it gets you a bullet to the brain. Now then – keep those hands on the wheel so we can see them!"

"And if at any time we don't see both hands, you know what's going to happen!", Karyn added.

Al gave her a quick hard look before turning back to the ocean.

"You know you're going to meet heavily armed resistance once you get there, right?", Al says.

"Let us worry about that", said Dredd. "You just shut the hell up & keep flying!"

The rest of the flight across the water was in eerie silence.

CHAPTER V

The Hall of Justice:

As ordered, Judge Hershey gathered up rookies Beeny, Giant & Sanchez, with seasoned veterans Tulk, Brubaker, Breen, & several others. They were joined by others dressed in armor similar to their own, but in a brown/coffee shade & their names stenciled directly in the center of their chest plates. The leader of this particular group – a young & slim but tough African-American woman – stood next to Hershey as the Chief Judge begins to address the crowd. Each person was fully armed to the teeth with firearms, grenades, & other armament.

As usual, the Chief Judge spoke with a full, no-nonsense tone.

"Ladies & gentlemen, today this city faces a crisis like it's never faced before: somewhere buried deep within the ruins of the old city, there lays a cluster of God-knows how many eggs belonging to the creatures known as the Gyaos! Each & every one of you has been fully informed of their aggressive & relentless behavior! They are 100% lethal, as they've already claimed a number of innocent lives as evidenced by the incident over at the Bing Crosby Auditorium the previous night! Your task is to locate these eggs & wipe them out before even one of them can escape & get to the surface, thereby feeding on the populace & laying even more eggs! This woman beside me is Packer – she's the leader of the Verminators team! She & her squadron will be assisting you in finding these eggs, thanks to the help of our boys & girls over at the Tech Division! Packer?"

The woman takes the stage.

"Each one of you – my people & you Judges – has been given a special tracker that will enable us to locate the Gyaos anywhere they hide, be it as an egg or if it's hatched! These trackers have been tuned in to their DNA, so they'll be no place beneath in the Under-City they can hide where we can't find them! To anyone who locates any eggs or the creatures themselves, give us a signal & we'll be right over for assistance! When you do see them, do not hesitate to kill them, because they'll do the same to you if given even the slightest chance of doing so! Be sharp, be alert, watch out for yourselves & your teammates, & we'll pull through! Are there any questions?"

Not one person – be it Verminator or Judge – came forward with any.

"Then time to move out, people!", the Chief Judge said. "Time is of the essence! Good luck to you all!"

Packer & Judge Hershey gestured with their arms to signal everyone to follow, & they were off heading for their vehicles that will take them into the Under-city.

The Chief Judge headed back inside, wishing all the best in silent prayer.

Above ground level:

Judge Cassandra Anderson took Naoko & Toshiko over to the room where both she & the four new recruits were first initiated in. The only furniture in the room are two chairs for each one to sit in. Toshiko was on the outside looking in, having been asked to do so as any kind of distraction could ruin the entire process of reaching out to find Gamera & put them back to square one – an obstacle they could not afford.

Being the understanding soul that she is, Toshiko nodded as Anderson replied with a friendly 'domo arigato'.

The ladies shared a grin from the psychic's remark.

Once they went inside & shut the door, Anderson & Naoko were all business: the latter sat in the first chair as the psychic Judge sat behind her & placed her hands to the side of her head, her touch as gingerly as a mother's.

"We're set, Naoko", said Anderson. "Are you ready to go, sweetie?"

"Hai", the young Japanese girl replied, clutching her comma-shaped bead in her hands.

"Good girl. I'm now attempting to go inside your head, so just sit still, relax, & listen to the sound of my voice. I want you to let me in, & let's see if we can amplify the amulet's power & locate Gamera. Here we go…"

Anderson's psychic ability reaches within Naoko's sub-consciousness, & she was bathed in elegance & beauty like she's never witnessed before: scenes of grass-covered landscapes, Hondo City at night, temples in classic Japanese legend, girls in bright-colored kimono robes waving their fans like professional geishas, practicing with wooden katana swords, drinking tea & enjoying meals with chopsticks, & other customs Japan has not changed even after the Atomic Wars decimated much of the planet.

The psychic Judge also witnessed the dark side of the Land of the Rising Sun: the Yakuza attacks, her day at school when they took her & Toshiko hostage before getting rescued by the Judges there, & so forth. Anderson pushed it all away to delve further into the depths of her mind to find the source of her amulet's power, i.e. the piece of her brain that enables her to connect with it & read Gamera's mind. Anderson searches high & low for this hidden talent of Naoko's, & before too long, she finally sees a golden glowing light shaped like a miniature sun that dictates the amulet is hot & active.

This is it!, she thought, wasting no time going forward & tapping into its energies.

Once she makes contact, Anderson puts her abilities into high gear, with Naoko doing the same.

It starts to stretch like a rubber band.

The Cursed Earth:

Gamera recovered from his crash landing after going into freefall – one caused by the Gyaos that had escaped the Bing Crosby Auditorium in which Judge Dredd stunned before regaining consciousness. The chelonian champion rose up out of his bed of rocks & stumbled away from the mountainside, regaining his senses as the images of his pursuit came back while he took a tour on foot the land which was once a picture of beauty.

Now it has become nothing but an irradiated wasteland, a scene that stayed the same wherever Gamera looked: charred/scorched ground, with little to no trees anywhere, & no signs of life from humans or anything else. It was a lot different from the world he remembered even as he fought several creatures in his past life, with large cities & vehicles built by the humans to go about their daily businesses in, areas of greenery with lush forests & rivers, & even a luscious waterfall or two that became huge tourist attractions.

All of that was gone in this burned-out husk of a continent.

If the ancient Atlanteans that created Gamera gave him emotions, the giant turtle would be feeling pity.

But he wasn't made for such a mundane task: he was made to eradicate the first mistake ancient Atlantis created & put an end to them, wherever they turn up.

Gamera walked this cursed land as he recapped events that led him to awaken in a bed of rocks.

The Cursed Earth, hours earlier:

The nighttime skies up above were shining with twinkling stars as Gamera kept on the escaping Gyaos' tail like a bloodhound on the trail of an escaping criminal. Gamera switched to firing his leg jets, pulling out his arms & head as he spat a volley of fireballs from his mouth at the Gyaos, only to have the winged horror dodge & avoid each one. The wads of flames struck earth in plumes of fire & dirt into the air, acting briefly like geysers. Gamera launched several more to literally put the heat on his prey, but ending up with the same result as before. Realizing the Gyaos wasn't going to elude his giant pursuer, it did a 180 degree turn in a speed that belied its size & headed directly for Gamera in a deadly game of chicken. The giant turtle spat another fireball at his oncoming enemy, but goes past its underbelly as Gyaos rose like a kite on a string before launching its sonic beam at Gamera from overhead. The weapon struck the big turtle on his armored head, doing no damage but blinding him temporarily.

It was all the distraction Gyaos needed: the Shadow of Evil violently kicked the Last Hope square in the face with its feet, sending Gamera into a tumble towards the ground with no way to stop himself. All he can do is brace for impact, & the giant turtle crashes on his side, creating a large crevice in the dirt. The Gyaos kept up its assault, hitting its foe in the shell & doing no damage. Gamera got back on his feet & faced the winged creature, roaring in anger at his failure to bring it down mixed in with his hatred for the thing & all its kind. Gyaos swooped by Gamera as the turtle swiped his hand to grab & crush the beast in his bare hands like one would do to an egg. The Gyaos went by Gamera many times, & with each attempt the giant turtle misses grabbing the thing, despite his own great speed.

Gamera then realized the Gyaos was merely toying with him, & he ended the silly charade by spitting a barrage of fireballs at Gyaos in a continuous loop with no end, giving the winged creature no time to catch its breath. More than once, a fireball came close to actually making contact with it, causing it to feel the scorching heat & screech in a bit of pain & annoyance. Gyaos put distance between itself & Gamera, becoming too far away for the giant turtle to get a direct bead on it. Doing another swift 180 turn, Gyaos heads back towards its enemy & fires its sonic beam, but this time it wasn't aimed for Gamera.

It was aimed upon the mountain the turtle stood at the base of.

Blast after blast struck the mountain, causing it to rain rocks down upon Gamera in great torrents just like an avalanche not made of snow or water. Gamera blasted whatever rocks came his way, but they only caused more to tumble as they hit the mountainside in greater force & made the avalanche heavier until they all come crashing down upon the chelonian champion, burying him everywhere including his head.

Because his vision was impaired by the rocks, Gamera could not see in which direction the Gyaos went.

His world went dark afterwards.

The Cursed Earth, now:

Gamera couldn't tell how it had been since being buried in the avalanche & waking up again, having lost both his quarry & valuable time. In his travels across the landscape, the giant turtle sees the first thing that looked like a city but on a much smaller scale than the great megalopolis he encountered previously. It was lined up with wooden houses on either side of a large dirt road, with tiny figures moving about. Gamera surmised they were humans – the first ones he's encountered out in this godforsaken land of the country called America.

The town was quite far away that the humans living in it don't even acknowledge his presence.

Or maybe they were used to seeing giant monsters in their neck of the woods.

Suddenly, Gamera's sixth sense kicked in, telling him of a nearby presence very close to his current location. He sensed it was nearby the little town these humans called home, & believed it was the Gyaos returning to make a meal of those which dwelled there. But this was different from the Gyaos: it was more of a burrower than a flyer, as Gamera feels its presence from below rather than up high. The ground shook where the town resided at, & even Gamera could feel the vibrations where he stood. The people of this literal ghost town began pouring out of their homes & businesses, wondering what's causing the disturbance to their peaceful reservation. At 120 yards out, the ground erupted in a plume of dirt & revealed a nightmare: emerging from this freshly-made hole was a two-legged dinosaur-like monster that was Gamera's height, with a pair of long powerful forearms & sharp claws on each hand. Its head sported frill-like fins on both sides, & along its back & tail were spikes that flailed like flaps of skin that blew in the wind. Claws adorned its four-toed feet, & the mouth was filled with sharp teeth that looked to tear through anything.

The terrified townspeople quivered at the sight of this Tyrannosaurus-like monster, with one young boy giving it a name.

"Zedus!", he said a little above a whisper, recalling an ancient legend told to him by his parents.

Zedus let out a blaring growl of a roar that sent the people in a panic as the boy's mother came to him & tried pulling him away to safety, but Zedus was much faster than his size would allow. With several steps, he closed the gap between his hole & the town & began destroying the wooden structures that were like flimsy doll houses, collapsing under his weight. When he spotted the humans fleeing in terror, Zedus bent down with ease & started gobbling them up like a chicken would do with seeds and/or corn. Sickening crunches filled the air as blood & human remains stained Zedus' lips before gouging on more, presenting the same gut-wrenching results. While most people tried fleeing, others started fighting: grabbing whatever firearms & ammunition they had, these brave souls aimed their weapons at Zedus & fired, their bullets hitting their marks every time. Bullets from powerful rifles, handguns & even shotguns zipped by in the air & struck the dinosaur monster's greyish flesh, peppering it in the chest & on the sides. These, however, only made Zedus very angry, & he struck back with a vengeance by snatching the men up in his toothy maw, weapons & all.

They had only a second or so to scream before they became silent – forever.

After disposing of most of the men, Zedus turned his attention back to the fleeing people until a brand new sound erupted that caught the attention of both the people and Zedus. All turned to see Gamera rocketing on down from the valley via jet propulsions & plowing straight into Zedus with tremendous force that sent both combatants sprawling at a distance of 200 meters away from the town. Zedus got back on his feet as Gamera did the same, changing his jets back into legs & turning to face Zedus, with the dinosaur monster doing likewise with hatred in his reptilian eyes.

Both monsters roared blaringly, & the sounds echoed the immediate vicinity.

Zedus charged Gamera with intent on tearing him apart & eating his flesh.

The greatest battle the inhabitants of the Cursed Earth would ever lay eyes upon was about to begin.

The Orca, the Black Atlantic:

Al 'Scarface' Harold landed the hover wagon on top of the Orca's deck, having radioed in saying that he's just arrived. After a few moments, the spot on the deck began sinking inside the boat, swallowing up the wagon & its three passengers within. The top closes by a hidden panel underneath, briefly plunging the vehicle into darkness until lights on the side illuminate the vertical tunnel. Judges Dredd & Karyn keep their Lawgivers trained on Al as they descend into the ship's interior, giving him a final warning as they were now seconds away from hitting bottom.

"Remember, scumbag: anything that happens to either of us, also happens to you!", Karyn says. "Understand?"

"Yes, Judge!", Al replied with a hard stare & a low growl.

"Be sure that you do remember it, asshole!", Dredd warned sternly. "I'll have you know, it took all my strength to resist the urge of pulling this trigger after what you set up to happen at the auditorium! Don't give either one of us an excuse to do it for real!"

The descending platform came to a halt with a little jarring, indicating they've reached their destination. Dredd & Karyn rose from their seats, all the while keeping their weapons on Al as he gets up nice & easy. He heads over to the side door & opens it up, jumping off into an empty area with Dredd & Karyn right behind, the latter Judge mentioning a presence on the other side. A shove from the back told Al to head over towards the door & open it up. True enough, a lone figure with a pistol in hand stood at one side, & was no more than about 22 years of age.

He turned to see Al sticking his head out.

"Al?", the young man says. "Welcome back. Bryce told me you'd be arriving."

"You got his message then? Good", Al replied. "Say Junior, could you step inside for a minute? I'm afraid I need your help with something."

"Sure."

Al stepped back to allow the young man to enter.

"Heard you had a run-in with the Judges, but gave them the slip", he started saying. "Nice going there, partner. If you ask me, those dumb pricks couldn't find their asses with both hands in their back pockets…"

Junior's statement got violently cut short when Dredd delivered a rock-hard fist into the guy's face, knocking out a molar & sending him flat-out on the steel floor, unconscious as a thin river of blood drips from his mouth where his tooth got knocked out.

"We can't, huh?", Dredd asked the unconscious man.

Al's face was one of shock, & he faced the Judges.

"Jesus Christ, was that really necessary?", he asked.

"Yes!", Dredd said simply.

"Would you rather it have been you?!", Karyn snapped. "Don't forget: Dredd wanted to shoot you after what you did in the Big Meg!"

"Damn straight! Get moving, creep – or I'll rectify that!"

Caught in a corner again, Al moved out of the room & into the hallway, with Dredd & Karyn right behind.

Five minutes later:

Al led the two Judges down the ship in a long hallway with numerous doors on each side, their Lawgivers trained on him at all times. In all that time, their aim never wavered even when they kept a sharp eye out for any sentries on duty, always making sure to stay out of their sights as they keep Al in their own. Each time they believe to hear guards, Dredd presses his weapon against Al's head, indicating him not to make any sudden noises to alert any of them of their presence/location, lest he gets a bullet.

So far, Al 'Scarface' Harold is fully compliant.

Next up, they get to the end of the corridor & spot a door which leads into another section of the gargantuan ship. On their trip down, Karyn never once sensed with her psychic abilities of another presence their entire trip. It was easy & smooth sailing from when they left the dock.

It's almost too easy!, Dredd thought, pondering the subject.

"Just a moment!", he said, making Al pause & faces him. "Aside from the creep back at the dock, we haven't seen or heard any guards in the place! This sure as hell ain't no ghost ship! Where's Jo-Jo & her crew?! Start talking!"

As if in response, a pair of glass panels erupted from the floor & traps Dredd & Karyn within. Thick clouds of vapor begin filling the cramped space, with Dredd & Karyn banging on the glass furiously. The former Judge aims his Lawgiver at Al, but the man issued a warning before he can fire one shot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Dredd!", he says with a malicious grin. "That glass is reinforced plasteel! It's all but bulletproof to almost all kinds of firepower: your rounds will only ricochet back, & you might end up shooting yourself and/or your partner within! Even your armor-piercing rounds won't do anything, & I really don't think you'd want to try the hi-ex rounds either – unless you want to end up decorating the place with your bloody remains!"

Al laughed maniacally as Dredd & Karyn kept banging the glass, hoping for a weak spot but it stayed as strong as Al boasted. Their attempts became feeble & less active as the gas within the glass chamber made them very tired & groggy, their visions becoming more blurred & fuzzy by the second. Finally, unable to keep themselves awake, the two Judges succumb to the gas, & they collapsed to the floor.

Neither could hear Al getting on his communicator.

Unknown time passes:

The fog Dredd & Karyn's heads were filled with became lifted, & their eye sights a bit fuzzy still but cleared up before long. When they could see perfectly again, they found themselves in a room that was empty everywhere except for a trio of thugs: one was very big & muscular with only a scruff of hair upon his nearly-bald head, being a full foot taller than Dredd himself. The other two were regulars, being Dredd's height & wearing high-class tuxedos, shoes & a pair of dark shades. Both seemed out of place with the muscle man, let alone with the ship itself. Dredd tried to move, but found he couldn't: he was chained to a chair, his arms & legs bounded tight. He looked to Karyn to find her in the same fix, her weapon, gloves & belt removed. He felt his hands bare, assuming they'd done the same with him.

At least these creeps kept my helmet on!, Dredd thought, giving himself some comfort.

"Dredd?", Karyn says, seeing herself bound to the chair as Dredd is.

"Still present & accounted for", he replied.

"Not for long", said Muscles as he & his partners walked over. The suit twins started with a hard karate chop to Karyn's midsection, causing her to bend over & cough. They followed it up by delivering a hard chop to her back that made the psychic cry out.

"Leave her alone, you bastards!", Dredd barked, only to get a hard fist to the face – a blow he felt even with his helmet on. He spit up blood from his mouth, feeling the ache.

"Shut the fuck up, Dredd!", Muscles spat. "You ain't giving the orders here! On this ship, there's only one person who does!"

The sound of the door opening caused everyone – captives & torturers – to look towards the four new arrivals of Blair, Bryce, Al, & the woman Dredd & Karyn came to put an end to.

"Jo-Jo!", Dredd growled through gritted, bloody teeth.

"In the flesh", she said proudly, wearing a grin like she was a model. It vanished as she eyed Muscles & the suit twins, her look one of fire burning. "You're right, Bruno – I give the fucking orders here on this tub! And I sure as hell didn't give you or Timmy & Tammy there any to go & start beating on our two guests without my consent! So…what do you three pricks have to say for yourselves?!"

Bruno, Timmy & Tammy bowed their heads in shame. When next the former spoke, his voice went an octave lower & sounded like a child who was caught doing something wrong.

"Sorry, Jo-Jo. I only thought that…"

"Thought? You actually…thought?!", she said with venom, interrupting him. "My dear Bruno, that's a nasty little habit I think you & the twins better break, & fast! I hired you three because you're paid to hurt people! And you boys will hurt who I want, & when I want them hurt, not before! If I want others besides myself to do thinking, that's what we got the fucking scientists & tech wizards on board for! Listen closely, you three shitheads, because I won't tell you again: if any of you disobeys an order from me or does something without my permission, I'll feed your worthless asses to the fishes like I did poor Ramon! Is that clear, gentlemen?!"

"Yes ma'am", Bruno, Timmy & Tammy said in low but obedient voices.

"Good! Now give us some space!"

The trio back away at once, giving Jo-Jo & her other three subordinates elbow room.

"You see, Dredd?", Jo-Jo says, facing him. "On this particular boat, I'm the law! And once I get finished with Mega-City One, that law will be strictly enforced from one end of the city to the other! Anyone who disobeys it, & he or she won't be seen ever again!"

"There's only one law in Mega-City One, Jo-Jo…and that's me!", Dredd said defiantly. Al laughed at the man's attempt to intimidate.

"Says the man who's chained up like some dumb animal & can't move!", he scoffs.

"I should've put your fucking ass down 'like some dumb animal' when I had the chance, Al Harold! If only we had our Lawgivers right now, we'd…"

"Looking for these?", Blair said as he & Bryce presented said weapons from behind their backs & held them out like they were crowns. "I gotta say – you Judges carry some of the coolest toys around! I can't help but feel jealous!"

"Look, asshole, if you're going to kill us, then do it already!", Karyn spat. "But I promise you: neither Dredd nor myself will give you motherfuckers & bitches the pleasure of hearing us begging for our lives first!"

The quartet gives each other a look before allowing themselves a laugh.

"Nice try, red, but not all of us aboard this ship are complete idiots!", Al says. "We know these guns are booby-trapped, & will self-destruct if anyone other than the designed handler pulls the trigger, thus getting his/her arm blown off like one poor schmuck we knew of! No – Jo-Jo wants them getting a modification first before we start firing these fancy beauties! Then you'll know how it feels being on the receiving end of one of your own weapons!"

"Bryce, how long can our tech boys modify those guns to work only in my grip?", Jo-Jo asked.

"I'd say in a matter of a couple hours, maximum", he replied, his boss smiling upon hearing the answer.

"Excellent. Take both of them over to the lab, & have our tech boys get to work on them right away. After that, kindly meet us over at my personal quarters. There's some things of great interest I wish to show our two guests."

"At once, Jo-Jo", Bryce finishes, taking both Lawgivers & exiting the room. When he was gone, Jo-Jo turned to Bruno & the suit twins.

"Here's your chance to redeem yourselves, boys!", she snapped. "Unchain them from the chairs & slap the cuffs on them with their hands behind their backs! Watch them closely – the first slip-up you make, & you get a bullet!"

Bruno, Timmy & Tammy produce keys as they approach the captive Judges & release them of their chains, only to get cuffed from behind. In the whole time, none of them made any errors that would've otherwise gotten them shot without question. Seeing them perform their duty mildly impressed Jo-Jo. Mildly.

"I guess you're not completely useless after all!", she said with a smirk. "Escort them over to my quarters & keep an eye on them! Let's move, people!"

Dredd & Karyn get taken over to Jo-Jo's personal living quarters, the only place whose room was that of luxury: a red carpet that was soft to the touch, dresser & closet with clothing fit for a lady, large mirror & a bed fit for two in a circular fashion. Hanging on the wall is a large screen that can act as a simple television set or display multitude camera angles with the push of a button. If she wasn't as deranged & psychotic as her mother Ma-Ma, Karyn might actually enjoy the décor of Jo-Jo's private room.

She does have good taste, I'll give her that!, Karyn thought.

Dredd neither said nor thought anything on the subject.

Bryce rejoined Jo-Jo, & the lady began her introduction to her literal captive audience.

"I said before that I had a few things fascinating to show you & your partner, Dredd, & now's the time to present them to you", she began, using the remote to her screen & pressing a button. The picture showed a familiar sight to the Judges, & it made the red-haired psychic's stomach do a knot.

"Gyaos eggs!", she said softly.

"Correct, my dear!", Jo-Jo says proudly. "We've spent over a year traveling the world in our home, the Orca, collecting these little beauties where we could! It was a hard & complicated journey, but the plan is rather simple: since I had my world taken from me when Judge Dredd here dropped my mother from the top of Peach Trees, I think it was only fair to return the favor & destroy his! And that's why you're still alive, Dredd: I want you & red here to have a front-row seat in my private quarters as you two – utterly helpless – watch the Gyaos we've planted beneath Mega-City One destroy it all & make meals out of every man, woman & child that infest it! After they tear it all down & devour each citizen in the city, & you're wallowing in despair knowing that you couldn't prevent any of it, then – and only then – will you be given a most horrible death at my hands, like my mother died at yours!"

"Too bad I couldn't deliver your mother's head to you, if only it didn't splatter all over the pavement!", Dredd says with a snarl. Jo-Jo snarled herself & drew her right fist back to give the lawman a good sock in the jaw, but then she relaxed & unfurled it. She smirked at his attempt to make her get sloppy.

"Nice try, Dredd – you almost had me there", she says, getting nearer to his face. "I'll make sure your death is as slow & painful as possible! As for your crimson-haired partner, I think I'll allow Blair, Bryce & even Al to go & amuse themselves with her body before disposing of it!"

The thought of performing sexual acts to the female Judge put big grins on the aforementioned men's faces. Even Jo-Jo had to do so herself, the image as sweet as nectar.

I'll sooner die than to let them ever handle me like that!, Karyn thought, scowling with extreme hate.

"But…business before pleasure, as they say", she added. "There's one more thing I want you to see before we say 'aloha' for now. This way, please."

Jo-Jo headed over to the far right corner of her room & slid open a secret panel, revealing a red button. Pressing it, a portion of the wall disappears to unveil a hidden room that was kept confidential even from her most trusted men. A sound resembling a soft whistling could be heard, & Jo-Jo flicked a switch to shed light into the room. Allowing the rest inside, both captors & prisoners saw an unbelievable sight: lying in the middle of the room was a creature that was equivalent to that of a large snail or slug the size of a large dog, with a head with black eyes but no mouth & a group of tentacles underneath its body. It looked at the onlookers with a pinch of fear, but upon seeing Jo-Jo it actually wagged its snake-like appendages like a happy canine. Jo-Jo bent down & she actually petted the thing on its head, which only made it even jollier & wag its tentacles more.

"Hello, my dear Irys! Did you miss me?", Jo-Jo cooed the thing, even going so far as giving it a kiss on the side of its face.

"Good God!", Karyn said, making a sour face like she bit into a lemon.

"Disgusting!", was all Dredd could say, gruffly.

Jo-Jo faced Dredd with an equally sour face.

"Irys here is my other instrument for revenge against you, Dredd, & since he can sense your disdain of him, I'd highly advise you to watch your tongue before he stabs you dead right where you stand!", she snaps.

"Then either he, you, or your damn gorillas better do so now…before you regret it later!", Dredd says. Jo-Jo had stared at the man for several seconds as if considering his offer.

"Tempting – very tempting", she says. "But I promised you'd see what will happen to your city, & I'm a person who always keeps her promises! Irys is my secret weapon aside from the Gyaos, & he's full of nothing but hate for the creature called Gamera, as he's been killing his kind for so many years since they created him to wipe out his species, & now he yearns for revenge as much as I do against you, Dredd!"

"This Irys creature is a Gyaos?!", Karyn wondered, finding herself intrigued aside from her being held a captive. "How is that even possible?!"

"Intriguing, is he not? Irys is something of an advanced form of his kin – similar, yet different at the same time! When I first found him deep within the jungles of Africa as we searched for Gyaos eggs, I was already pulled in by his elegance, & something more: it was like Irys was actually speaking to me in my mind, like something of an advanced telepathy in which only the two of us can share! He's showed me images of Gamera destroying his Gyaos kin that he witnessed before the Atomic Wars took place, & his hatred for the giant turtle had known no bounds! What's more, he sensed my equal hatred for Judge Dredd after he killed my mother, & Irys & I share a bond between each other – a symbiosis, if you will! Sharing a common goal, I snuck Irys back on board & kept him hidden from everyone, nursing him in private until the time was right to have him revealed as my ultimate weapon of revenge!" Jo-Jo looked at her two bodyguards & Al with eyes that seemed sympathetic. "My apologies for Irys' secrecy, boys, but I felt that keeping him confidential was essential if our plan to bring Mega-City One to its knees was going to be a smashing success – quite literally!"

The six henchmen couldn't suppress a grin from Jo-Jo's little funny.

"No apologies necessary, Jo-Jo", said Blair. "It was a sound tactic. I would've deployed it had I been the one to find this little cutie."

"Same here. Besides, what friends don't know…", Bryce says before facing Dredd & Karyn. "Enemies don't."

The captive Judges stare hard at the man, saying nothing.

"Jo-Jo…look!", Al said, pointing behind the woman as everyone faced Irys to see the snail creature rise up by his tentacles & started taking on a new & different form. The sound of bones crunching filled the room as Irys began to form a pair of legs to stand on, his feet like three-toed horse hooves. A pair of arms extruded from his sides, & pointed spur-like appendages extended at both ends. Similar spurs protruded out from both his knees. His back was encased in something of a shell, with numerous points that stuck out, the largest ones being behind the shoulders. His head also changed shape like the rest of his body: instead of resembling a snail, it was now pointed & silvery in color, sporting a single yellow glow inside that acted as eyes. Tentacles waved like earthworms or snakes, & they ended in sharp silver tips that seemed capable of piercing through even the hardest metals.

His height grew to three times that of Jo-Jo herself.

Currently, they were caressing Jo-Jo with the same grace as a mother would to her child.

These tentacles were also drawing her to him, & more tentacles were extending from Irys' chest as it opened up, inviting her inside.

"Jo-Jo…", Al started to say as she stopped inches from his chest.

"It's all right, Al – Irys & I are one & the same, remember?", she assured him. "Once we both depart, I want you, Blair & Bryce to be in charge & handle operations here aboard this ship & wait for further instructions. Bruno, you & the twins take our two 'guests' back into my chambers & watch them closely as they bear witness to Mega-City One's destruction. Under no circumstances are you to kill them for any reason – that pleasure I want solely for myself & these three! If they so much as receive a scratch, you'll answer with your lives! Understand?!"

"Yes ma'am", Bruno, Timmy & Tammy say obediently.

"Very good!", Jo-Jo says, her mouth now becoming a wicked grin as she faces Dredd. "See you soon, Dredd!"

Irys encased Jo-Jo with the tentacles from his open chest before slowly but surely bringing her in closer until she was literally swallowed up inside before Irys' chest sealed itself back up. Even though the inside of him was filled with a watery ichor fluid & Jo-Jo was surrounded by it everywhere, she could still breathe normally & stay alive like she was back outside. The scenery was like an alien world, as it flashed with color like that of a long-ago disco party. Jo-Jo felt the bond between her & Irys growing by the second, & she can communicate with him with but a simple thought, just like they did when she first laid eyes upon him, only now it was as strong as before within his pseudopod.

Our assimilation is complete!, Jo-Jo thought. Now the time has come to dish out our revenge! Let's go, Irys!

The mutated form of Gyaos used a tentacle to hit another switch on the wall, opening up above his head to reveal the sky. Freed from his chamber, Irys used four of his tentacles & opened up the tips which protruded skin-like flaps & enabled him the power of flight, rising up into the air like a balloon & getting clear of the ship. Now in the open skies, Irys took off for Mega-City One at speeds that would be impossible for anything man-made to achieve, leaving the Orca far behind.

As Irys headed for the Big Meg, he started growing & got bigger & bigger.

The Cursed Earth:

Gamera's battle with the dinosaur monster Zedus ravaged most of the town as petrified people ran for cover as the behemoths fought tooth & claw that was turning into a literally bloody battle, inducing in both combatants taking hits & bled from various spots. The chelonian champion took several battered hits from Zedus, including a raking of his claws across his chest that bleed in intervals of four cuts inflicted. Bite marks on his arms & even his neck were evident as the fight reached its peak, with Gamera & Zedus letting loose with nothing held back. Gamera launched a volley of fireballs from his mouth at Zedus, but the dinosaur beast was wise to this attack & dodged each one with an incredible speed for an animal his size. He retaliated by swatting his tail in Gamera's face, blinding him temporarily & giving him enough time to perform a powerful drop-kick to his chest & getting his foe onto his back, crushing a couple more of the town's structures flat. Zedus dodged a trio of fireballs from Gamera's maw before launching something from his own: a long, thick pinkish tongue that had reminded Gamera of the creature called Barugon as it shot forth towards him, but unlike the lizard-like monster, this tongue wasn't clubbed but pointed, & it poked & penetrated Gamera in the shoulder, going all the way through & out his shell on the other side. The giant turtle roared in pain & surprise as Zedus retracted his tongue before shooting forth again, this time striking him in the side before getting punctured three more times, each strike as painful & bloody as the last.

His enemy seriously wounded, Zedus decided to finish their struggle by going for the jugular & biting down hard on Gamera's throat. Lime green blood sprayed Zedus' face as Gamera gurgled on his own bodily fluids.

A band of outraged people emerged from the destruction, armed with Molotov Cocktails & powerful shotguns. On their sides were man-made bombs with timers no bigger than a handbag. Lighting up their Molotov Cocktails, they await the word & prepare to throw them when the signal's given.

"Now!", shouted their leader, & the classic weapons that originated in Russia during World War II were thrown as one, landing on both Gamera & Zedus as they exploded upon contact. This was followed up by the blaring firing of their shotguns, the blasts ringing the ears of those that shot them.

"Filthy fucking monsters!", shouted one man blazing away. "You destroy our beloved town & eat our people like we're nothing more than cattle! Now it's YOU who's going to the goddamn slaughterhouse! Blow them to Hades, boys! Send them to the underworld & let the DEVIL give them their goddamn dues!"

Ceasing fire with their guns, they quickly removed their bombs & placed them on steel barrels of gasoline & oil, which they use for cooking, fueling their vehicles & heat on cold nights. Setting the timers, they resumed firing their guns as they back away, hitting Gamera & Zedus with more shotgun buckshot shells before retreating at full speed.

Some weren't fast enough to get away: Zedus struck & gobbled up a handful of the men, their bones crunching like they were potato chips or pretzels. Those that were able to escape Zedus' jaws couldn't do so with the explosion of the barrels that created a deafening blast, followed by a holocaust that consumed the men and monsters, destroying even more of the town & innocent bystanders who couldn't get away in time or returned to see the monsters up close & personal out of simple curiosity.

It cost them their lives, as it often killed the cat.

Although it was fatal, the men's antics were achieved: Zedus & Gamera were consumed by a large fiery grave as it burned the face of the former, causing him to roar in anguish & back away several meters. With the latter, it did the opposite: Gamera was actually getting refreshed by the blaze & absorbing the flames into his body as he stands on his feet again, soaking up every last bit of the fire caused by the exploding barrels & rejuvenating his strength. Gamera let out a roar of satisfaction that was heard for many kilometers around & he stood ready for another round with Zedus, as the dinosaur monster responded with an angry roar to indicate he was more than ready for more brawling.

This time, Zedus was going to make sure it would be their last conflict.

Funny thing is, Gamera had that very same thought.

Zedus shot forth his pointed tongue to impale Gamera again, but the giant turtle was wise to this method of attack & dodged every attempt made, scoring no hits even after seven strikes. On his eighth strike aimed for his midsection, Gamera grabbed the long projectile with his left hand & held it firm, making it impossible for Zedus to retract it back in no matter how hard he tries. The giant turtle spat a fireball at the tongue & blew it off near his enemy's mouth, spewing blood everywhere. Retracting whatever was left of his appendage, Zedus charged Gamera like a bull seeing red to give him more of a fight, becoming more violent as they fought tooth & nail in savage animalistic fury before Gamera grabbed his foe by the throat with one hand in a vice-like grip. He then body-slammed Zedus on his side with all his strength, making the ground tremble from the impact before grabbing his tail & lifted him up over his head, repeating the process a good dozen times. The rumbling of the earth was felt by the surviving townspeople even at a distance of more than 300 meters from the dueling monsters, some even losing their balance as the ground shook.

When Gamera was finished, Zedus' coordination was so scrambled that he was seeing double & even triple every direction he looked. In a last-ditch effort, the dinosaur monster lunged forward at his hated foe to snatch his neck in his jaws again, but it was an act of futility: the giant turtle swung the creature around once before releasing & sending him flying over towards a rocky outcropping with pointed stones sticking up from the dirt. Zedus flew into the tallest one, receiving a deep cut in his chest to stomach before crashing. He was slow & groggy in getting back up, the deep slash spilling blood & a few of his entrails onto the earth. When he turned to face Gamera again, it was what the turtle waited for: unleashing a fireball from his mouth, the flaming projectile soared through the air & struck Zedus in his bleeding, open wound. A pang of agonizing pain hit Zedus from head to toe upon contact before he exploded as body parts flew everywhere, his dying roar echoing the area. Pieces of Zedus landed here & there, with the head of the dinosaur beast landing only 90 feet from the terrified yet fascinated townspeople.

His foe vanquished, Gamera roared in triumph & anger, for his search of the escaped Gyaos has been postponed by Zedus, wasting valuable time. The chelonian champion was about to head off when his head was suddenly attacked by an unknown force, or rather, two of them: one was unfamiliar to the giant turtle, but the other was like seeing an old family member after years of being away, & an image of both in his size appear in Gamera's subconscious mind.

It was that of the human he recalled by the name of Naoko Kusanagi.

Gamera – it's me again, Naoko, she says in his mind. The other presence you currently feel with me is that of Judge Cassandra Anderson: she's assisted me in helping to find you by extending my range. Gamera, you're needed in Mega-City One desperately – a large clutch of Gyaos eggs reside within the Under-city, & unless they're found, many people are going to die!

Anderson took the time to introduce herself to the chelonian champion.

Gamera, this is Judge Cassandra Anderson. I am a good friend of Naoko, & I too are urging you to return to the Big Meg as well: several of my fellow Judges are currently in the Under-city to search & destroy these Gyaos eggs, but we still need your help in case any of them manage to get to the surface. We also fear that the Gyaos that escaped from you the other night will also be returning to ensure the birth of its children. In this manner, you'll be able to get two birds with one stone & wipe them all out simultaneously. Please, Gamera – we have to help each other if we're to win over the Gyaos & defeat them. On behalf of myself, Naoko, my fellow Judges, & every man, woman & child in Mega-City One, we beg you. I beg you.

Although the voice & astral presence of Cassandra Anderson was new to Gamera, he felt a sense of honesty & an even greater plea than that of his bonded companion Naoko. He suspects that this Cassandra Anderson human may've raised a valid point about that escaped Gyaos coming back to where it all started, & Gamera begins to trust this brand new presence that invaded his mind along with Naoko's.

Gamera acknowledges his trust in Anderson with a nod & a roar before using his leg jets to launch himself up & goes in an eastern direction, leaving a heavily-damaged town with many dead. The survivors – including the young boy who called Zedus by name & his mother – watch as their unusual savior takes to the air & disappears in moments.

It will take time for them to reorganize from a disaster like this, but they can be certain of one thing.

They will never have to worry about the monster Zedus again.

The boy & his mother look at & smile at each other.

Elsewhere in the Cursed Earth:

After burying his enemy Gamera, the escaped Gyaos headed northwest & found a village full of people. Upon seeing the winged monstrosity, those with weapons fought a valiant struggle against the monster, but were outmatched & defeated by the creature in every way. People were snatched up from the ground like an eagle or hawk would do with a mouse before consumption, while others were bitten into in mid-air, having heads, whole upper parts & limbs all grabbed & eaten by the creature. Some were even sliced in half by the Gyaos' deadly sonic beam in vain attempts of fleeing the horror that descended on their peaceful home. Every man, woman & child who resided here became prey for the Gyaos, & the thing had a feast like no other – one it was denied of in the area called Mega-City One.

For a few hours, it ate the residents before growing to a staggering 85 meters with a wingspan of 185 – getting five times bigger than its original size.

Raising its head, this fully-grown monstrosity unleashed an ear-shattering roar that echoed the immediate area.

With its newfound size & strength, the Gyaos took to the air & headed east.

The memory of the major megalopolis was still fresh in its mind, & knew it would find even more food there.

An abundance of it!

The Orca, the Black Atlantic:

Once Irys exited the ship & left for Mega-City One with Jo-Jo in the pseudopod section of his chest, Blair, Bryce & Al took charge as per her orders & went to the bridge to fulfil their tasks, getting everyone ready for the big takeover of Mega-City One, once Irys & the Gyaos have razed the majority of it & decrease its vast over-crowded population.

Judges Dredd & Karyn couldn't do a damn thing about it, as they were sitting on Jo-Jo's bed with their hands cuffed from behind, weaponless, & with no way of giving an early warning to the Chef Judge & the rest of the city of what's heading their way. Bruno, Timmy & Tammy were standing guard near the door with their rifles clutched close to their chests & ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. The large monitor enabled the captive Judges to see Mega-City One in its splendor.

They knew it won't last long, & the regret of it was gnawing at them from within.

"What do we do, Dredd?", Karyn whispered. "Mega-City One is about to get a serious case of urban renewal at the cost of hundreds/thousands of lives, & we can't do a damn thing to try & stop it! And once it does get razed to the ground, both our lives are going to be forfeit! We can't just sit here & let it happen – we've got to do something!"

"I feel your pain, Karyn", Dredd whispered back. "But as long as we're devoid of our Lawgivers & cuffed from behind, I regret to say there's nothing we can do at the moment. And as soon as we do try something, they'll shoot us down without a second thought, despite Jo-Jo's strict order of keeping us alive until she returns to this tub."

"Hey!", Bruno shouted from afar, strolling towards them with the twins following. "Just because Jo-Jo's letting your asses live for a fixed time, it doesn't mean you have any permission to talk behind our backs! I'm only saying this once: either of you starts whispering shit again, I'll take the chance of facing Jo-Jo's wrath & put one between your eyes! You want to say something, you best speak up so we can hear you!"

Dredd & Karyn look at each other before facing their captors again.

"Fair enough, creep", said the former. "How about thinking about this: what's Jo-Jo going to do with you three & all the rest of her crew once she's taken over Mega-City One? You think she'll actually share her newfound glory with her foot soldiers? The only thing that has of the highest value to her are the Gyaos & that Irys creature she's bonded with! Far as she's concerned, you're nothing but cannon fodder to her – expendable chess pieces to be discarded once your usefulness is fulfilled! What makes you creeps think you'd be seeing her new utopia?"

Dredd's words must've had some effect on the three guarding them, because they can see Bruno starting to give off sweat from his forehead, & his Adam's Apple was forming a lump in his throat.

"Bruno, don't listen to him!", Timmy said. "You know Jo-Jo's going to give us our own section of the city once it's conquered & made over, like she promised us! You heard her say it yourself – she always keeps her promises! He's just trying to get under your skin – don't let him!"

"Y-Yeah, you're right", Bruno said, fixing the trigger of his gun & aiming it at Dredd's chest.

"Bruno – what the hell are you doing?!", Tammy asked.

"What does it look like?! I'm making sure neither one of these Judge pigs can't mess with our heads again!"

"You heard what Jo-Jo said! She wants them alive for right now! If you deny her the privilege of killing them herself, she'll…"

"I know what she said, okay?!"

"Don't do it, Bruno!", Timmy warns. "You know that Jo-Jo's tolerance for sloppiness is non-existent!"

"They why the fuck is she tolerating in letting this Judge live?! This is fucking Judge Dredd, Mega-City One's most feared lawman: once he's on your ass, you either end up caught & put in the iso-cubes, or in the Resyk as a piece of meat ready to be recycled! Every second he's still breathing air, he becomes a threat to this operation! Madeline Madrigal – Ma-Ma – thought she was unreachable from this son of a bitch, & look what happened to her! No, man – he needs to be put down, & he needs to be put down now! We'll just tell Jo-Jo that they tried to escape, & that we had no choice but to killthem! I'm sure Jo-Jo will understand…right?"

When the twins didn't answer, Bruno asked again with greater force.

"I said…right?!"

Both of them nodded fearfully.

"Good! Now then…on the count of three, we whack them!", Bruno says, aiming his weapon as the twins do the same. Dredd & Karyn stare hard at their captors-turned-killers with full defiance, refusing to give even one of them the satisfaction of cowardice. "One…two…"

The door to the room opens, halting the Judge's executions. Bruno & the twins take a quick look at who would dare to interrupt the death of Mega-City One's top lawman: it was the bald-headed African-American who tried saving his friend back on the Cayman Islands after getting bit by a highly venomous centipede, only to be threatened to get killed himself by bullets if he hadn't left him. He was holding a large tray of food in his right hand with a cloth draped underneath the shiny platter with lid.

"Tyrone!", Bruno said with disdain. "What are you doing in here?! You know this area is off-limits to everyone but to a chosen few, & you're not one of them! Get out!"

"Gee whiz, Bruno – you sure have a way of saying thanks to someone who went through the trouble of preparing a gourmet meal for you & your cohorts!", Tyrone said as the trio walks over & Timmy lifts the lid to reveal a delicious piece of meat that's been basted in lemon & honey, with a serving of green veggies on the side.

Bruno & the twins look at & smell the food, the aroma being too good to resist.

They were already breaking one of Jo-Jo's orders under her nose, so what's to stop them from breaking another?

"Not bad, Tyrone", Bruno says in a gentler voice. "Not bad at all. You went through all this trouble for us, & I'd really hate to see such a fine meal like this go to waste. I'll tell you what: we'll forget that you ever set foot in here on account that you never do so again. This is your one free pass, Tyrone, & I hope you take the warning to heart."

"No problem, Bruno – I don't intend on setting foot inside here ever again", Tyrone said.

Pandemonium broke loose in the next several seconds as three things happened: hidden beneath the cloth, Tyrone held a silencer pistol which he fires through it, hitting Timmy & Tammy square in the chest & killing them instantly before the black man hits Bruno in the face with the tray, getting it smeared with food & blinding him. It gave Tyrone the chance to grab the man's weapon & yank it far away before aiming his own. Bruno, however, was resourceful if not resilient: he grabbed Tyrone's gun arm & rammed him up against the wall, jarring him but didn't let go of his gun.

"Have you lost your goddamned mind, Tyrone?! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!", Bruno spat.

"What I should've done a long time ago!", Tyrone spat back, kicking the man in the groin & following it up with hitting the man in the head with the butt of his gun. He re-aims his weapon, only to have it slapped out of his hand by a powerful fist that stung before Bruno grabbed Tyrone by his shirt & threw him across the room like a child would with a stuffed animal in a bad mood. Despite the plush carpet, Tyrone hit the floor hard on his back, all but getting the wind knocked out of him. Bruno pulled his large hunting knife & held the blade down with intention of gutting the black man from neck to sternum.

So fixated on Tyrone's demise was Bruno that he forgot all about Dredd & Karyn, as the former Judge ran at the man & hit him like a living freight train, knocking him away from his intended victim. Hard as the hit was, Bruno still managed to hold onto his knife & he took swings at Dredd with it, cutting the man in the arm with the tip of the blade. Handcuffed or not, Dredd dodged each parry & swing Bruno made towards him, & the muscle-bound thug was getting more desperate & maniacal by the second with each miss.

It also made him careless: he never thought of paying attention to Tyrone or Karyn as the former rose from the floor & used a handcuff key to undo the psychic's binds before Karyn jumped on Bruno's back & placed her right arm around his neck to deliver a choke hold as Dredd gave several powerful kicks to the man's solar plexus. Again, Bruno shrugged them off & counterattacked: he threw Karyn over his shoulder & rammed her into Dredd, knocking them both against the wall before grabbing Tyrone's silencer & aiming it first at Dredd.

"Time to die, Judges!", Bruno barked as a weapon fired & everything froze for a moment. Karyn checked Dredd quickly for any bullet hole on his person, relieved but puzzled to find none. Neither she nor him saw any shot ring out from Bruno's gun, & Dredd sure as hell wasn't bulletproof. Even Bruno was stumped by the lack of blood on Dredd's chest, since that is where he aimed his gun at, & he did hear his weapon being fired.

He couldn't figure it out until he felt a puncture in the back of his head, & he reached back to where it occurred.

When he brought his hand back to his face, Bruno was horrified to see blood & brain matter staining his fingers – his own!

Suddenly his mouth filled with blood, & the back of his head where he'd been hit started squirting bone, blood & brain matter before Bruno fell to the floor with a wet thump. Dredd & Karyn looked to see Tyrone holding up a spare silencer pistol he had hidden behind his back to take out Bruno just in time.

"Nice save", Dredd says to Tyrone, who walks over & uses his key to undo Dredd's cuffs once Karyn helped get him to his feet. "Not to sound ungrateful, but…aren't you one of Jo-Jo's people?"

"Not anymore", Tyrone said firmly. "Believe it or not, I want the same thing you both do – to stop this shit from escalating any further than it has!"

"Why didn't you try to do it sooner?"

"Because he couldn't", said Karyn as both men turned to her.

"Care to explain yourself, rookie?"

"It goes like this: when Tyrone attacked the others, I scanned his mind & saw that he only joined Jo-Jo's crew – believing it was a safari expedition – in order to raise money to help support his wife & child, both of whom were struggling to get by in the Big Meg with barely enough to live on. The threat of foreclosure on their living space forced Tyrone to sign up with Jo-Jo, only to discover what she was really planning, & Tyrone was powerless to prevent any of it. He's also filled with a spot of rage along with his guilt: his longtime friend Johnny was bitten by a highly venomous centipede when they collected Gyaos eggs on the Cayman Islands, & Jo-Jo forced Tyrone to leave him there to die. He's been yearning to make things right, Dredd – and now, I think we helped give him that chance."

"Your young partner speaks the truth, Judge Dredd", Tyrone said. "For all this time, I had neither the strength nor the courage to try & put a halt to this fucked up scheme Jo-Jo cooked up, let alone oppose any of this. But now that you're here, the odds have just turned in both my favor and yours!"

"You got something in mind, Tyrone?", Dredd asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. If I can get my hands on a certain chemical Jo-Jo's scientists have concocted, I can set this whole place on fire & blow this ship up to shit before any of those extra Gyaos eggs ever leaves here. No doubt it's located at where your own custom-made guns have been taken at, & you both are going to need those if you have any chance of getting off this boat."

Dredd faces Karyn, who nods in agreement.

"Again, he tells the truth", she says. "As I scanned his mind, I also saw a layout of the ship in which Tyrone had all but memorized right down to the smallest rat-hole via blueprints."

"Blueprints?", Dredd wondered.

"They were my only chance of knowing where everything's at", Tyrone said. "Using any of the computers to get the layout was much too risky: they can be traced, unlike blueprints you can hold in your hands. I made sure I didn't get caught when I 'borrowed' them from the cargo hold, & I made sure I did it privately without raising any suspicions. It turns out my risky gamble had paid off."

Dredd nodded; although he knew Tyrone was an accessory to committing grand homicide of a sort, he also sees he wishes to atone for his past felonies, & by the information he'd just given both him & Karyn, Dredd finds he can give the man the benefit of the doubt.

Aside from that, they didn't have much time to debate on the subject.

"I suppose it did, at that", Dredd says. "All right, Tyrone: let's go get our Lawgivers back while you pick up that chemical you mentioned, & hope they're both in the same place. Since she memorized the layout like you have, Karyn will take lead, with me guarding the rear. You stay in between us; anyone who tries to shoot at us, we'll be your shields & take the brunt of it. Ready?"

"Try & stop me", Tyrone replied.

With a nod, the trio left the safety of Jo-Jo's quarters.

The main technician room, ten minutes later:

With Karyn leading, the trio of two Judges & a former accomplice of Jo-Jo make it to their destination, aiming Tyrone's silencers & held them out while the black man himself took Bruno's armaments. He was asked to use his gun only as a last resort if there was no other option: using silencers in case they ran into trouble was the best play, wanting to make as little noise as possible.

Once they get their Lawgivers back, they can make all the noise they want, & part of the plan was that they will have to.

Making it to their destination without a hitch, Karyn & Dredd took positions as Tyrone hung back & kept an eye out for any unsuspecting personnel that might accidentally stumble by. Nodding to Karyn, she & Dredd open the door to the room & find six scientists working at their tables with two guards placed there for protection. They did poorly at their jobs, having been shot & killed the moment the Judges entered the room, with Tyrone quickly closing the door.

"All right, everyone – get 'em up!", Karyn ordered as she & Dredd turned their guns on the brainiacs of the ship with Tyrone joining in.

"You heard her – do it!", Dredd barked, & everybody who was still alive did as instructed. "Now then – unless you eggheads wish to end up just like your guards, no one better make any sudden moves!"

Dredd scanned their tables searching for their Lawgivers & founding them almost instantly, signaling Karyn over as Tyrone kept them covered.

"Talk to me, pencil-neck!", Dredd barked, grabbing a man's shirt & pulling him close to his face. "Did you or your boys do anything to these weapons once you got them?! Well?!"

"N-No, sir!", he stammered. "We simply did a quick scan of them before putting them aside in order to ponder on how to deactivate the trigger mechanisms without them going off if we tampered with them! That's all, I swear!"

"Karyn?"

The crimson-haired psychic searched the man's mind, & even did the rest with everyone else in the room.

"He's telling the truth, Dredd", she says. "Neither he nor any of these people got around to disarming our custom weapons."

"Lucky them!", he said, shoving the man away & taking one of the Lawgivers. "You know proper procedure on recognizing one's own weapon should it be taken from them, rookie?"

"Yes sir, I do: check DNA readout on the trigger & handle mechanism to see which Lawgiver belongs to what Judge. The self-destruct mechanism from any unauthorized user will also commence on us, should the wrong handler fire the wrong weapon."

"Correct", Dredd praised, doing so with his weapon. He & Karyn were in luck: the Lawgivers they grabbed were exactly the ones that were tuned in to their own DNA. Seeing their belts hanging by the wall with their gloves close by, both Judges re-arm as Tyrone searched for the prize he hoped to see. By the cabinet of gadgets a few feet from where Dredd & Karyn's gloves & belt hung, Tyrone also saw his luck in good fortune: a trio of capsules connected to a metal bottom that possessed some sort of connector on a short elbow that bent 90 degrees.

"Perfect!", Tyrone said mostly to himself, taking his prize & placing it in his pocket.

"You got what you hoped to find in here, Tyrone?", Karyn asked.

"You better believe it, Judge!", he replied. "With what I just pocketed, this tub won't be floating much longer!"

"Tyrone, what is the meaning of committing this…treason?!", one man said. "Consolidating with these Judges, pulling weapons on your people, planning to sabotage the ship…Jo-Jo will skin you alive & eat your remains once she hears about this!"

The black man grabbed the guy from the scruff of his neck & placed the nozzle of his weapon to his head.

"First of all, this place & its crew stopped being 'my people' once I found out what the plan was!", Tyrone spat. "Secondly, that fucking cunt Jo-Jo won't ever get the chance of laying her slutty hands on me – ever! Now shut your fucking mouth before you eat a goddamn bullet!"

Tyrone shoved the man away as the two Judges checked their ammunition & reloaded where needed. When they were finished, they aimed their freshly-retrieved weapons at the lab rats in the room, each one trembling nervously.

"You know what needs to be done next, right?", Dredd asked Karyn.

"Yes sir, I do", she said, giving her Lawgiver her next command. "Stun."

Her weapon switched to the desired rounds at the sound of her voice, & Karyn began firing stun rounds at the lab rats as Dredd did the same. Each took out three as they collapsed to the floor after receiving an electrical jolt that went & locked up their muscles, making them weak as putty & their minds going blank.

"Nice going – that will prevent these eggheads from warning Bryce & the others to our roaming about", Tyrone said, retrieving his silencers. "But it won't last: sooner or later, they're bound to know something's wrong & send out a squadron after us."

"All the more reason for us to put your plan in motion, then", Dredd says.

"You mean – for me to put into action, i.e., by my lonesome."

"Tyrone, you can't!", Karyn says. "Jo-Jo's people will kill you once they get their hands on you!"

"Karyn's right, Tyrone", Dredd adds. "If your plan is to achieve any success, we need to do this together. Listen to me: whatever you believe your past crimes to be, you've more than atoned for them. Don't go on this suicide run if you really don't have to."

"But that's just it, Dredd – I do have to", Tyrone said in defense. "Besides, I was all but dead when Johnny died back on the Cayman Islands months ago. What I did back in Jo-Jo's private quarters only cemented my fate. You can't come with me, & I can't go back to Mega-City One with you. I must stay & do what I plan on, & you both need to get back to the Big Meg & stop Jo-Jo however way you can. You know I'm right."

Karyn was about to speak up, but Dredd beat her to the punch & spoke first.

"It's his choice, Karyn – not ours", he says. "You're right, Tyrone – we need to hit them on two fronts: one here on the ship, the other in Mega-City One. Let's get back to the hover wagon, Karyn: who knows how much longer we'll have before they decide to cut us off once we get discovered."

"Actually, there's something better – and faster – than the hover wagon Al brought you here in", Tyrone said. "I saw a hidden hangar in the blueprints that belonged to Jo-Jo herself in case she ever needed to…"

"I remember seeing it too!", Karyn cut in. "Jo-Jo had it designed to be accessed right from her private chambers if anything happened to this ship & causes it to go under! It's located within the same hidden room she kept her Irys pet in! If we can get back to it…"

"Then we'll be home-free", Dredd concludes. "Tyrone, how long will it take for you to get to where you need in order to set up your plan?"

"Getting to the main engine room that powers this entire tub, I'd say about ten minutes, barring any interference from Jo-Jo's goons", he explains. "It'll take me another minute or two to set up my little toy before the big explosion. My advice to you – don't be on this boat by then. Once I set it up, there ain't no stopping it."

"It's going to be close", Karyn says.

"We'll make it", Dredd said confidently, placing a hand on her back for reassurance. Taking it as some comfort, she nodded.

"One more thing", Tyrone says, reaching into his pocket & taking out a photo, handing it to Karyn. It was one of a young woman & her daughter. "My wife & daughter, Whitney & Bobbi. Please make sure they get this, & tell them I love them & always will. Can I count on you for that?"

Karyn locked eyes with Tyrone for a few seconds before answering.

"Leave it to us", she says, placing the photo in her pocket & raising her Lawgiver.

"Count on it. Good luck, Tyrone", Dredd says, doing the same.

"You too", Tyrone said, raising his silencers & heading for the door. As he opened it up, he was greeted with an empty corridor for about eight more seconds before a horde of Jo-Jo's hired guns began firing at him & his two Judge cohorts, with the latter two returning fire.

"Go! Get to that ship!", Tyrone shouted as he ran in the opposite direction of the shooters, laying down some cover fire as he took off. Dredd & Karyn exploded with rapid-fire rounds from their Lawgivers, quickly mowing down perps left & right. When they all hit the floor as bullet-riddled corpses, Dredd & Karyn made their way back towards Jo-Jo's private chambers, taking out any loose stragglers that thought they could impede their progress. More & more of Jo-Jo's hired guns fell to the merciless onslaught of the two Judges, bringing them down about as fast as they appear & dwindling in their ranks. They got fewer & fewer in numbers the closer they get to Jo-Jo's private quarters, with only a goon or two springing up every now & then.

Each of these also got taken down by well-placed rounds.

They approach the T-shaped corridor that will take them straight to Jo-Jo's quarters: just make a right turn in the middle, & they'll be home free.

Apparently, Jo-Jo's men dispatched by Bryce himself already knew that: as Dredd rounded the corner, both he & Karyn were met with a greeting of over two dozen heavily-armed killers that fired upon seeing the uniform of a Judge. He barely avoids getting hit in the face & dives for cover, taking Karyn with him. Bullets speed past the Judges & bounce off the wall on their left. Sixteen seconds later, men from both ends emerge & ready their weapons to take the escapees down in a perfect ambush.

"Incendiary!", Dredd & Karyn say, switching their Lawgivers to the rounds that set aflame anything it touches, & waste no time deploying their first shots. Men hit the floor screaming as hot flames scorch their bodies from head to toe & turn them into smoking, charred flesh & bones. Dodging overhead bullets, the Judges make short work of those closing in from both sides & barbeque the opposition until the final few fall victim to the flame rounds.

Now all that was left were the perps that kept spraying hot lead in their direction.

"Damn it, Dredd – we need to get in that room!", Karyn said.

"We will!", he replied. "You know which rounds will get us clear passage in there, right?"

"Yes I do – Hi-Ex!", she said, changing to the Lawgiver's deadliest ammo as Dredd does the same. As soon as the hail of bullets becomes a temporary break, Dredd & Karyn use it to fire each a shot of high-explosive rounds into the corridor. The result was a pair of powerful blasts that blew men & machine into bloodied pieces as the passage gets littered with arms, legs, heads, torsos & inner organs which decorated the walls, ceiling & floor. Re-arming some, both Judges head down the corridor, taking out surviving perps with missing limbs & spilling entrails with rapid-fire rounds.

Getting past the bodies of Bruno & the twins in Jo-Jo's quarters, Dredd & Karyn reenter the private room they'd been shown by the woman herself earlier. Remembering what she'd seen from the blueprints in Tyrone's mind, Karyn heads over to the far end of the wall to find another panel with a green button. Pressing it, another secret entranceway which looks to go down about 70 feet, getting lit up like a runway.

Dredd nodded his approval & they run down the strip to the end until they came into an enormous room which was a hidden hangar equipped with a large Y-shaped aircraft of some kind with a single engine in the rear. The plane seemed to be about 2-3 times longer than a hover wagon, with a wingspan of twenty feet from tip to tip. A landing gear with wheels held it up by the nose & center of the wings. The open glass cockpit looked to be able to hold a pair of personnel, & on the side of the craft was a carefully-painted decoration of Ma-Ma's face with words saying 'Ma-Ma Lives!' next to it in black letters.

Jo-Jo wants her mother's legacy to live beyond the grave. Typical, Dredd thought.

"Wow – nice ride", was all Karyn can say at the moment.

"Let's find out how nice. Get on board", Dredd says, heading for the cockpit by a ladder on the side. Dredd went in first & made himself comfortable in the pilot's seat, with Karyn sitting behind as both strap themselves in. Dredd recalled his teachings at the academy on the cockpits of old-fashioned jets similar to the one he now sits within. He finds the controls very much like he remembered them in his schooling, & presses a button to close the canopy as the ladder on the side retracts all by itself in unison. Once it's shut tight, a patch of the wall slides open to reveal the waters of the Black Atlantic Ocean directly ahead with lights leading the way.

"I'll give this to Jo-Jo – she certainly comes prepared for every contingency!", Karyn says, being the second time she actually praised the crazy bitch & the first doing it orally.

"Too bad she never considered the idea that her enemies might be using it instead of her", Dredd said, pressing another button as the craft lifted seven feet from the ground & hovered while the landing gear retracted.

"Then again, who'd expected her to leave this place inside the body of a giant creature?"

"Waste not, want not. You ready to go, rookie?"

"Let's blow this shit stand!"

"Hold on tight – it's going to be a bumpy ride!", Dredd announced, pulling the throttle backwards as the craft thrusted onward.

That's when the room they were in abruptly exploded.

The main engine room:

Bodies were left lying everywhere in the path that Tyrone took to get to his destination, each one being struck by a bullet they hardly heard coming. The good news is that he'd run into only a minimum of armed personnel on his way down, the vast majority dealing with Judges Dredd & Karyn as they represented the bigger threats. The bad news is that he knew it'd be only a matter of time before they turned their attention towards him, urging Tyrone to work faster.

Another piece of luck seemed to favor him: he completed his task of hooking up the device with three capsules, & was now finishing up by placing the final countdown on the miniature dial on the bottom, setting it for a minimum of only one minute.

Sorry, Dredd – you only get this long to get you & your partner off this death trap, Tyrone thought grimly. Like Karyn said before, this is going to be close – real close!

Since planning to hit Jo-Jo where it really hurts, Tyrone has had good fortune & luck aiding him, & it's worked out rather good considering the circumstances.

Now, however, it plain ran out as a bullet from an unseen assassin struck him in the back, going through & out of his chest only an inch above his heart. Tyrone let out a cry of pain before collapsing to the floor & disappearing behind a row of huge steel pipes. The shooter & two other accomplices started running towards their quarry, speaking with an irate voice.

Even wounded, Tyrone recognized it as Bryce's.

"You filthy fucking traitor, Tyrone!", he spat. "What the hell were you thinking – aiding & abetting two Judges to ruin Jo-Jo's master plan that she'd worked so hard for over a year on?! Is it because of what happened to Johnny on the Cayman Islands?! Is that why you've decided to betray Jo-Jo & the rest of us – because of a puny pathetic weakling like him?! Like everyone else, Johnny knew the risks of this whole operation, Tyrone: he also knew that he'd buy it if he weren't careful! You jeopardized this entire mission due to a sentimental whim, nigger, & now you're going to pay for it like anyone else who dares to defy our employer!"

"And once we do you in, we're going to pay your wife & child a visit!", Blair said as they slowed to a crawl. "We're going to make sure they suffer unimaginably right before we reunite them with you, Tyrone! Remember – you brought this shit upon them, not us!"

"Wait! You fellas hear that?", Al says, listening to something Tyrone was making audible. At first it was a bit of a laugh before it turned to what sounded like…singing.

Their guns ready, Bryce, Blair & Al stroll slowly & carefully to where Tyrone fell from his wound & find him on his back on the floor, singing an old-time hymn made famous by none other than Elvis Aaron Presley.

Oh well, I'm tired & so weary

But I must go alone

Till the Lord comes & calls

Calls me away, oh yes

By the time Tyrone sung his fourth verse of the song, Bryce & the other two men notice the capsules embedded in the pipe which feeds the ship's fuel & energy. They also see what's in those capsules: a highly flammable compound that can race through & contaminate whatever liquid it touches, thereby igniting it with deadly results. The counter on the device reaches zero, & the capsules empty into the pipes that carry the fuel for the ship, causing their hearts to race as they rush to prevent a major disaster.

They fail: like a newborn sun, the engine room went up in a bright yellow blast, roasting the flesh off the bones of Tyrone, Bryce, Blair & Al before their skeletons shatter like cheap vases. Everywhere across the ship, areas & crew members were getting blasted to fiery ash as the Orca was being destroyed from within by one of its own, & even the Gyaos eggs themselves weren't safe from the fiery holocaust as they get roasted alive & blown apart by the intense heat of the ignited fuel that spread across the entire vessel, with no area or living being becoming untouched. The blasts had all but torn the boat apart, & the destruction raged all over like a demon from the deepest pits of Hell, briefly lighting up the Black Atlantic like an undersea volcano erupting from beneath.

Dredd & Karyn managed to escape the exploding vessel just in the nick of time as the former Judge put the full throttle on Jo-Jo's borrowed craft, exiting through the ship's opening before being engulfed in flames that surely would have roasted them along with everything & everyone else aboard the Orca, with Jo-Jo's personal craft being no safety or protection from it.

The flames reached as far as the canopy for a very short period before dissipating as Dredd & Karyn flew past the immediate danger of blowing up in mid-air.

In no time, they were far & away from the Orca, which still exploded in various spots before breaking in half & starting to sink beneath the waves.

"He did it!", Karyn said softly. "He actually did it!"

"Indeed, Karyn", Dredd said. "Tyrone's antics have helped to give Mega-City One a fighting chance, & he shall be commended for it. Now it's up to us to finish the job he started."

"Then don't spare the afterburners, Dredd – we've got a city to save!"

"That we do."

Jo-Jo's borrowed craft raced across the waters of the Black Atlantic, creating a brief crevice in the drink as the jet sped for Dredd & Karyn's next destination.

Mega-City One.

CHAPTER VI

Mega-City One, 6:00 p.m.:

With Jo-Jo acting something like his heart & second brain, Irys flew straight to the Big Meg like a literal Bat out of Hell, destroying the first set of buildings & killing hundreds of people when he struck with the pointed ends of his multitude of tentacles that opened up to shoot sonic beams that reigned death & destruction everywhere they landed. Civilians & Judges were all but wiped out as Irys blasted every which way, vaporizing them where they stood or just simply crush them underfoot & with falling debris. The Chief Judge received assistance from General Floyd Gilmore of a specially-formed Marines force – something of a throwback from the pre-Atomic Wars days – to deal with threats of this magnitude. Specially-designed crafts took to the skies over the Big Meg, armed with powerful missiles that were both explosive & full metal, the latter of which were capable of piercing through thick layers of concrete with ease. The armada of crafts flew at & attacked Irys, striking him with these projectiles & their highly-powerful Vulcan cannons – the same kind Ma-Ma had in possession of during her time in Peach Trees & nearly killed Judges Dredd & Anderson – which struck Irys all over, causing massive bleeding in various spots on his person.

Powerful as these missiles & rounds were, they still could not bring down the multi-tentacle monster, & Irys was now showing them the futility of their antics: using two of his appendages, he struck a volley of crafts with the beams that protruded from the opened points, blowing them out of the sky with no chance for the pilots to eject to safety. A good number were taken out by these deadly blasts, but Irys was also dropping them literally like flies by lashing out & striking them physically for a more 'hands-on' approach. Each hit was precise & on target, leaving wrecks of metal & body parts that were trapped within.

Their numbers dwindled exponentially, & now it was left to only a mere handful of General Gilmore's best men to take down the 99-meter-tall monstrosity that all but dwarfed Mega-City One.

The Under-city:

Even under thick levels of concrete & steel, Judge Hershey, her squadron, & Packer & her Verminator team can all hear the sounds of buildings getting pummeled, aircraft being destroyed, & people screaming in terror, along with feeling the vibrations. Since taking off for the Under-city that's been built over by the Big Meg, the squadron of Judges & Verminators have traveled the many ruins of the old city in search of the Gyaos eggs that Karyn foresaw within the sick mind of Al 'Scarface' Harold when she & Dredd had him in interrogation. So far, their travels were taking them all in the right direction once their scanners were activated despite being on the move for more than an hour.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that since they're beneath the city, they won't be able to send or receive any radio signals due to the thick layers overhead. Until they exit, both teams will be on their own with no reinforcements to assist them.

If any of them exit.

In their transport, Beeny was at the wheel as Giant rides shotgun, checking the gauge for the location of the eggs which have been placed literally under everyone's noses. What Giant saw in the readings gave the man reason to give it mentioning to his assessment officer.

"Judge Hershey, scanners are picking up a solid trace of Gyaos eggs directly ahead of us, the distance being only 200 meters from our current position just beyond that fallen building", he reports.

Hershey looked out of the window of their all-terrain vehicle to see an old decaying building laying on its side, no doubt fell over from its own decay & unable to support itself any longer. She reflected on her studies back at the academy about how Mega-City One built it over the old ruins, & how it was the only wise decision to make as a clean-up of it all would've busted bank accounts several times over, with probably no end in sight.

It was one of two places for a retired Judge to make his/her last years, the other being a vigilante out in the ruins of the Cursed Earth.

This place is a blessing and a curse!, Hershey thought before getting back on course.

"Excellent, Giant", she said. "Beeny, get in touch with Packer & tell her to get her troops deployed & ready to start shooting at the mere sight of a Gyaos egg. That's exactly what we're going to be doing ourselves: I don't want to give those winged bastards even the smallest chance of making a crack in their shells. You see an egg, you take it down & you take it down hard! Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am!", the squad of Judges shouted in response – except for one.

Sanchez kept her gaze up front, staring at the ruined landscape like she was hypnotized by it.

"Sanchez?", Hershey says, breaking her out of her trance.

"Yes?", she replied, locking eyes with her assessment officer.

"You've been awfully quiet since we left the Hall. Is there something that you wish to get off your chest? Now's the only time you'll get to do so, rookie."

"Just thinking about Dredd & Karyn is all, ma'am. A part of me wished I could've accompanied them to Jo-Jo's ship. Were it not for the Chief Judge's order of joining up with your squadron, I definitely would have."

Judge Hershey couldn't blame the young rookie: since siding with Dredd, Sanchez has been almost like a wall in dealing with the city's perps, taking down whatever human filth came her way. But since the Gyaos made themselves known thanks to Ma-Ma's demented little girl, there'd been moments where she'd froze in combat & had nearly made the mistake of firing at the creatures in a roomful of children that would've been their next meals had Dredd, Anderson & herself not been there at the Bing Crosby Auditorium. Sanchez was definitely nervous about this current crisis, Judge Hershey can tell: until now, Mega-City One has never dealt with the likes of giant monsters that had been created over a period of 12,000 years ago – one that ended up their biggest mistake, the other to destroy that mistake – and have now resurfaced after the wars, with a new threat that was making mince-meat out of the city above, & undoubtedly of those sent in to stop it.

And telling her that Judge Dredd's been in worse scrapes wouldn't have helped: Dredd hasn't been in a worse scrape than this, as he's never dealt with giant monsters in his long career before this current crisis. Even with his skill & unshakable determination/devotion to justice, this may be too much for even him to handle, especially with a young rookie fresh out of the academy by his side.

Then again, so is Beeny, Giant & Sanchez themselves, & yet they're dealing with the problem like it's any other day on the job.

She is nervous & scared about this whole thing, Hershey thought of Sanchez. Now I see just why the Chief Judge wanted her in on this – to toughen her up even more than battling street scum probably never could.

Judge Hershey would've no doubt have given the order to Sanchez herself, were she the Chief Judge.

"Dredd's more resourceful than you might imagine, Sanchez", she says in her most honest voice. "That's why the Chief Judge allowed him & Karyn to go alone & infiltrate Jo-Jo's ship while we handle this problem. All I need to know is that you're up to the task. Are you in?"

Sanchez gave her answer in the firmest of voices she could muster.

"Yes ma'am."

Hershey nodded.

"Glad to hear it", she said. "We'll be in the thick of it soon, Sanchez, so your chance to really show what you're made of is just around the bend."

"Judge Hershey, Packer has received the message & announced back that her team has picked up the same signal we did", Beeny said.

"This is it, then", Giant added.

"Correct, Giant. Let's pour on the speed, Beeny: I'm getting an itchy trigger-finger & want to start blasting away eggs, & so do Packer's team."

"That's a rog", Beeny replied, putting more gas to their vehicle as they race across the rugged terrain as Packer's transport follows suit. With Hershey's vehicle being in the lead, she takes Packer & company over to the building that blocks their view of the Gyaos eggs their scanners picked up. Making a sharp left turn, they travel to where the building had a roof before making twin right turns to take them back on track. At thirty-six yards ahead of them, there was a big crevice that stretched out for about 120 meters of what they can tell from their point of view. The crevice was about a good 20 feet wide & 10 feet deep, once they got close enough to the edge to measure.

Everybody, including Hershey, froze when they saw what lay within this crevice.

Dozens of Gyaos eggs…possibly a few hundred.

"Fuckin' A!", Giant said, unable to fathom what he was witnessing with the rest of his team. "Jo-Jo really went all-out on this! How in the hell did these eggs even get into the city, let alone in this godforsaken place?! And why have we not even known about this until now?!"

"I don't think the 'hows' & 'whys' are of any concern right now, Giant", Hershey said, readying her Lawgiver. "I said we're here to start blasting Gyaos eggs the moment we saw them, so let's get out there & do just that!"

Exiting the vehicle, the other Judges – rookies & seasoned veterans – grab their Lawgivers & ammunition belts before joining Hershey as they meet up with Packer & her team of Verminators. Several of the soldiers were aiming their weapons & ready to go, but Hershey put up a hand & stopped them as Packer did the same.

"Listen up!", Hershey addressed both groups. "I know you're anxious to get blasting, & so am I, but before we go in, I want to lay out a few ground rules! One, we don't waste ammo for any reason: you see an egg, you shoot that & only that! Two, you stay in constant communications with your fellow Judges and Verminators at all times! Three, & most important of all, you don't go too far from either team! Stay close & in plain sight so that you can be seen! If you spot anything out of the ordinary – and I mean anything – you call out immediately! Is that understood, people?!"

A chorus of 'Yes ma'am' erupted from the Judges & Verminators.

"Then let's go & save our precious city, boys & girls!", Packer said. "Nothing that looks either like an egg or a 15-20 meter creature with wings leaves the Under-city alive, so aim your weapons & start blasting!"

It was the order they've all been waiting to hear: within seconds, the Judges & the Verminators began blasting at every egg in the crevice with rounds of hi-ex, incendiary, rapid-fire, grenades, & even quick-freeze that made the eggs as brittle dried-out clay before falling to pieces from extreme cold, killing the embryos inside. Some Verminator agents even used rounds that produced a lava-like substance that melts any living thing it touches, including the eggs a vermin lays. Gyaos egg after Gyaos egg falls under the burning liquid, leaving nothing to indicate they were ever there as even the shells were vaporized. The barrage of assault on this deadly nest commenced for over an hour, spreading out to get the task done quicker but remembering Hershey's order of staying in sight of each other.

In all this time, none of them have encountered any living Gyaos, let alone come across hatched eggs.

Another two minutes, a Verminator by the name of Wilson, discovers some of the latter.

"Judge Hershey, Miss Packer, this is Wilson!", he says in his communicator. "You said to call out if we should spot anything out of the ordinary? Well, I have good reason to, as I've found a little bit of a problem: from what I can see at my position, a total of six eggs have been hatched!"

Wilson's report was heard by everyone, & the blasting of eggs briefly ceased.

Everyone fought their racing heartbeats upon hearing the man's report, the danger level being raised higher.

"Did you just say…six of them, Wilson?", Packer asks.

"That's a definite affirmative, ma'am!", he replied, the fear evident in his voice. "We are not alone down here!"

"Shit!", Packer said under her breath.

"All right, a little change in the plan!", Hershey said, getting everyone's attention. "Packer, I'm going to need for you to have two people keeping an eye out for those hatched Gyaos! They're to shoot on sight as soon as the winged bastards dare to show their ugly heads anywhere! Brubaker & Breen, I want both of you doing the same! The rest of you…commence with your blasting of those eggs!"

"Roger that!", both assigned Judges respond as they resume with their orders. Packer ordered Wilson & Millar to be on Gyaos lookout while the rest of the Verminators went on with blasting egg after egg. The line comes down to an area where they get surrounded by old decaying buildings on both sides, making it perfect hiding places for something of the Gyaos' size. Wilson, Millar, Brubaker & Breen all knew this, & their senses were on highest alert for any sign of a fanged mouth or piece of a wing sticking out.

For over three minutes, there was no sound or sight from the hatched Gyaos, sans the destruction of their eggs.

From one of the buildings, a beam of yellow light flashed for a second or two as it interrupts the assault. Hershey, Packer & the rest look to see where the light emerged from, & Wilson stood still like a statue, his face in a state of awe & wonder. Packer called for his name but got no response, even when she tried again. Time seemed to stand as still as he did when they all saw Wilson split apart from his head to his groin area, his cauterized halves falling away & hitting the ground. From behind Brubaker, one of the Gyaos burst through an old building & closed its toothy maw around the unsuspecting Judge's upper part, biting into him & savagely removing his head, chest & left arm as blood spew from the torn would before collapsing in a bleeding mass of flesh.

The other Gyaos then smashed their way out of their hiding places, catching the Verminators and Judges by total surprise.

It's a goddamned ambush – they've been waiting for us!, Hershey thought with dread.

This thought in process was rushing in her mind as the Gyaos screeched & attacked.

Mega-City One, topside:

For all their skills, the last of General Gilmore's pilots were no match for Irys' speed & stamina, having been no more than bothersome insects compared to his might & blasts away/swats them like they were bugs before he resumes reigning destruction upon the Big Meg., wasting many lives as buildings trample underneath his relentless attack. Due to sharing a symbiosis, Jo-Jo can see & hear everything Irys does, & she grinned her widest.

Now this is just what it feels like to be God Almighty!, she thought with joy, savoring the moment & allowing to be drunk by the power she's in possession of: the ability to bring down buildings & kill any number of people with ease with little to no opposition.

If Gamera is still alive, I'll really display what I can do as I use him as a primary example of how invincible that I am!, Jo-Jo said to herself. Her train of thought was interrupted by another missile hit that struck her in Irys' back, & he turned to face the new threat to his 99-meter-tall person. It was a lone hovercraft that was Y-shaped, armed with a missile rack on each wing coupled with a pair of high-powered Vulcan cannons – similar in performance but on a much smaller scale. This flying vehicle had a photo of Ma-Ma on the side, & it hovered at a distance of 140 meters from the spot where Irys stood.

Jo-Jo's eyes widened when she saw the craft through Irys' own…because it was familiar to her.

That's my craft! Who would dare…?, she thought. As if in answer to her silent question, the craft's loud speakers came to life & a deep voice of authority erupted that became heard for miles around.

Like the craft itself, this voice was well-known to Jo-Jo & the rest of Mega-City One.

It belonged to Judge Dredd.

"You recognize this craft, Jo-Jo? I'll bet you do – it used to belong to you at one time! Now it's the property of justice, & that's precisely what I intend to deliver to those that dare to bring chaos & anarchy to my city! Your Orca is now at the bottom of the Black Atlantic sharing space in Davy Jones' Locker, along with all your precious Gyaos eggs you had on board! And now it's going to be your turn! You can combine yourself with whatever creature you want, Jo-Jo, but it still won't be enough to help you! This is Mega-City One – you're in my backyard now! And here in the Big Meg, there is only one law – me! I am the law! I. Am. The law!"

Let's see just who'll be ending up with that very title after tonight!, Jo-Jo thought, gritting her teeth in frustration & fury at the Big Meg's top lawman. Irys aimed two of his tentacles at Jo-Jo's craft & opened his points to fire a pair of beams at his host's former vehicle.

"Hold tight, Karyn!", Dredd barked at the same time he weaved the craft out of the projectile's paths & barely avoiding double trouble & a fiery death. The beams followed them in the sky, shooting upwards & keeping the deadly projectiles away from buildings & people. Try as he might, Irys could not get a lock on Jo-Jo's craft & soon ceased his beams before taking to the air himself after his quarry.

"Oh shit!", Karyn said, seeing the image on the rear-view cam.

"I see him too, Karyn!", Dredd replied. "Let's see if we can take this fight elsewhere – away from Mega-City One!"

"Over the Cursed Earth?"

"Exactly what I was thinking myself!"

"Then punch it, Dredd!"

With a nod, Dredd put on the speed as Irys followed Jo-Jo's craft west, heading for the wall with said place just over its borders. Irys tried again in firing his beams to bring the ship down, but was no more successful than before. In desperation, he lashed out with two of his tentacles in order to strike the two Judges inside & destroy them, missing the law enforcers by a few inches.

Although he missed, Irys achieved in keeping the craft within city limits by lashing out at them in a continuous fashion to prevent them from leaving the city boundaries & keeping the carnage & mayhem within.

Nice try, Dredd, but we're staying in this particular ring until only one of us is left standing – and that's going to be me, & me alone!, Jo-Jo thought from her pseudopod within Irys, who makes sure Dredd doesn't leave the Big Meg: she wants to raze as much of it as she can with his help, & she's going to do everything she can to deliver that promise.

Dredd barely dodges a tentacle that came closest to making actual contact with the ship, & he & Karyn even felt the turbulence it caused as Dredd fought to keep control. For the next thirty seconds, Irys didn't make any further attempts to lash out, but instead traveled up to the cockpit as his monstrous pointed face came into view of both Judges on the left side. Irys looked inside as Karyn's eyes widened at the huge size of the creature while Dredd gritted his teeth as he aimed the Vulcan cannons over to him.

If he & Karyn were going down, they were going to do so fighting.

Cannons aimed, Dredd prepared to fire when the sky started lighting up, followed by a high-pitched sound that was reminiscent of insects multiplied by thousands. Yellow-orange light filled up the cockpit as Gamera twirled in his flying saucer form& struck Irys in the side once Dredd put the ship in a bit of a dive, doing so once he heard the giant turtle's approach & stay clear of the mid-air collision that was felt even within the cockpit. Gamera's saucer shape was forcing Irys to get grounded to continue their fight on that level, but Irys wasn't going down easy: he lashed out with a trio of tentacles that slashed Gamera across his unprotected chest, causing lime green blood to spray which stained Jo-Jo's craft & getting some on the windshield.

Fortunately, it wasn't nearly enough to deter Dredd's view.

Unfortunately, back at the Hall of Justice, the wound was also felt by Naoko, receiving the same cut across her own chest as it bled, staining her shirt. Naoko grunted in pain as Anderson used her power to keep Naoko focused as she gritted her teeth to ignore the agony she's enduring. From outside the room, the Chief Judge & Toshiko watched as Naoko bled, with Anderson also struggling to keep her partner conscious.

It was more than the Chief Judge could take, & she started making her way towards the room.

"No, Chief Judge, don't!", Toshiko said, getting in front of her & impeding her progress. "You can't interrupt the process now!"

"Toshiko, your young friend is getting killed in there!", said the Chief Judge. "Are we just going to simply sit by & watch her get butchered?!"

"Disrupting them now will cause Naoko even more harm than what she's going through at the moment! Your PSI Judge Anderson is possibly the only thing that's making the pain bearable to her! If you barge in there, you'll sever their link…"

"And quite possible ending up killing Naoko", the Chief Judge said mostly to herself.

"Not only that, but Miss Anderson could also suffer traumatic effects from a sudden cut in their connection", said Toshiko. "Listen: no matter what pain either or both of them endure, you must let it run its course. Even if this is the first time Naoko's had connection made with Gamera, she can do this. Remember: she's the great-granddaughter of one Asagi Kusanagi, who had a strong bond with Gamera back in her day. Naoko carries that same gift within herself, & is more than capable of handling the responsibility as Asagi did. She can do this, Chief Judge. Please – I beg of you."

The Chief Judge looked at Anderson & Naoko in the room: both ladies were fighting to keep themselves steady amid the pain they're receiving. Unlike them, the Chief Judge didn't know how to handle things that were out of the ordinary, such as ESP to giant rampaging monsters that can share something of a link with certain humans.

It's one of the reasons as to why she leaves that sort of thing who knows how to deal with it, which is why PSI Judge Cassandra Anderson tackles this phenomenon as they occur.

With no other option offered to her, the Chief Judge nods.

"Very well then, Toshiko", she says. "It's their game, so it's their rules. I only hope that I don't regret it in the long run."

"Domo arigato, Chief Judge", said Toshiko as they turn back to Anderson & Naoko.

Toshiko's assistant & friend fought to stay conscious as Anderson fought to ease her torment & keep her mind from frying from the attempt.

Naoko, are you okay sweetie?, Anderson called to her telepathically.

Hai, Judge Anderson, Naoko replied back. Even though it hurts, I know I can do this! Gamera's going to need my help if he's to triumph over the Gyaos and this new creature called Irys, which also has itself a human link!

Another symbiosis between human & monster?, Anderson asked.

Hai, it's one that's full of rage, hate & a burning desire for vengeance!, Naoko says. For both Judge Dredd and Gamera! I fear this presence is that of your quarry Jo-Jo…the one masterminding this whole fiasco!

Shit – that's what I was afraid of, Naoko!, Anderson said. Dredd & Gamera are going to need both our help if one and/or the other is to conquer this threat! Are you ready to go for the long haul, Naoko?

Hai, Judge Cassandra Anderson!, Naoko replied. No matter how much it hurts, I'm in!

Glad to hear it!, Anderson finishes. Just remember: when you take pain, I'll take half of it so as to keep your level to a more tolerable level! Don't fret – I can take a lot more than you can!

Understood!, Naoko finished before resuming their guidance to Gamera.

Mega-City One:

Gamera brought Irys down to ground level at the area where the latter monster already causedmass destruction so as to keep the death toll at a minimum. Despite Irys' savage lashing out at Gamera, the giant turtle succeeded in his goal & slammed Irys to the ground with a thud before landing himself, but doing so on his own two feet. Both Irys & Jo-Jo were shaken up by the impact, & do their best to shrug it off before Gamera can do serious harm.

So, Gamera wants to keep this battle between us, does he?, Jo-Jo thought. Fine by me, as the feeling is more than mutual! The rest of Mega-City One can wait until after I claim Gamera's head & put it on public display!

The chelonian champion prepared to launch a fireball aimed directly at Irys.

At the last second, Irys slapped Gamera hard in the face with a pair of tentacles & throw his aim off-course as his shot went skywards & straight towards Jo-Jo's ship. Dredd uttered a curse before diving to the left & avoid the wild ball of fire that soared through the skies over Mega-City One like a runaway comet. The ball hit the east wall at the top, blasting only a small portion as civilians scramble for cover.

Miraculously, no one was hit or crushed by falling debris.

Before Gamera can launch another fireball, Irys wrapped his tentacles around the giant turtle's neck & arms before throwing him across the ground, smashing a multitude of now-evacuated buildings while still firmly grasping his appendages. Gamera tried breaking free, but the snake-like tentacles of Irys made it impossible, & the latter creature used a free one to fire a sonic beam at the turtle, scorching his flesh at his chest & head. A deep cut appeared below the neck & bled, but the armored head of Gamera spared him serious injury. Irys kept the barrage up until a volley of missiles from Jo-Jo's craft struck the beast in the side of his head, diverting his attention to the flying craft & sparing a second tentacle to use against the attacking vehicle. Dredd uses all his skills to dodge the blasts as Irys fired furiously at Mega-City One's top lawman & his young female PSI rookie. Karyn held on for dear life as Dredd launched another barrage of missiles at his foe, most of which struck home.

At that moment when Irys was distracted by both firing at the flying craft and the missile barrage, Gamera used it to spit a pair of fireballs in rapid succession at the firing tentacles. These were hit dead-on & exploded, leaving only a pair of short stubs before Gamera took hold of those around his arms & yanked Irys into a row of buildings, turning them into rubble & causing the Gyaos mutation to let loose his quarry. His hands still grabbing Irys' appendages, the big turtle swung his enemy again & crashes him into another row of empty buildings that have been cleared out once the destruction began. Gamera's relentless assault on Irys lasted until he was struck by a yellow sonic beam in the arm, one that was not by Irys' tentacles.

This beam came from the Gyaos that Gamera pursued out into the Cursed Earth before losing it, only now it was at 85 meters in height & having a 185-meter wingspan. Its screech echoed Mega-City One, & was heard by both Dredd & Karyn from within the cockpit of Jo-Jo's personal craft.

"Dammit – Gamera didn't get that last Gyaos, & now look at it!", said Karyn.

"I guess it'll be up to us to remedy that problem", Dredd says.

"How can we do that? It's grown, Dredd – it'll take more than what we've currently got on board this thing to bring it down!"

"We'll just have to improvise somehow."

"You have an idea about that?"

"We'll think of a plan. Right now, let's continue to give Gamera aerial support", Dredd concluded, racing off to Gamera's aide & launching missiles over at Gyaos, who fires his sonic beam at the giant turtle. Gamera took notice of the approaching Gyaos & his weapon, turning his back to the oncoming beast while dragging Irys across the pavement. Gyaos' beam was deflected by the turtle's shell & did no damage, with the winged nightmare ceasing his weapon & flew past his enemy as Gamera spat a trio of fireballs in his direction. Almost like having eyes in the back of his head, Gyaos saw the oncoming projectiles & banked over to one side as the fireballs passed by one by one. These flaming balls passed over the east wall into the Black Atlantic & into the water, creating boiling plumes that steamed.

Gamera's fireballs may have missed their intended target, but Dredd's missiles did not: as Gyaos turned for another assault, they hit the winged horror in the side with powerful explosions. This was immediately followed up by a barrage of powerful high-speed rounds from the craft's Vulcan cannons that struck flesh & caused Gyaos to bleed & cry out. Jo-Jo's ship flew by the creature as Gyaos went in hot pursuit, wanting it to suffer by his hand.

It's just what Dredd wanted.

Okay, Gamera – we've got Gyaos off your back & onto ours!, Dredd thought, steering to dodge a beam from the Shadow of Evil. We hope you can soon return the favor!

Gyaos screeched in anger & put on speed.

Dredd did the same with Jo-Jo's craft as Karyn held on & prayed for a miracle.

Irys' tentacles thrashed more wildly than before in desperation of getting Gamera to release him, who ignores the many buffets & cuts they make on his person. The giant turtle then picked up the Gyaos mutant & body-slammed him hard to the ground, shaking the city like an earthquake was hitting it, a metaphor that wasn't too far from the truth. The chelonian champion did this ten times before finally releasing Irys, who was groggy from both inside and out: Jo-Jo is linked to Irys body & soul, so anything he feels, she does as well, & she was on the verge of passing out.

But she refused to submit: her shared hatred for Judge Dredd and Gamera gave her & Irys renowned strength, & as Gamera turned his around to deliver the final knockout punch, Irys rose up & struck quickly with his arm spurs like a pair of living daggers that he drew into the turtle's sides. Gamera cried out in pain & surprise as the spurs penetrated his flesh & came out the back of his shell, the wounds spurting lime green blood at both ends. He tried prying them loose, but the combination of the pain & loss of bodily fluids was making Gamera weaker by the second, feeling like his very energy was being sapped from his body & into Irys himself.

It was: upon contact with his spurs, Irys was draining Gamera's strength & adding it to him. Jo-Jo herself was also feeling the surge of energy, & she was rejuvenated by more than just her hatred for the turtle monster & Dredd – this was like finding the Holy Grail for her, & its power was making her more complete with every bit of stamina Irys was taking from Gamera.

I've never realized just how powerful Gamera was until now!, Jo-Jo thought with a grin. It's making my bond with Irys even stronger than before! Go, Irys – drain Gamera until he has nothing left to offer us! Then sever his head from his body – I want to keep it as a trophy!

Complying, Irys saps the giant turtle's strength.

Gamera's vision was becoming blurry & dark.

The Under-city:

The carefully-orchestrated team of Judges & Verminators became chaos.

Six of the hatched Gyaos hid among the old buildings, lying in wait to ambush their would-be assassins & strike with timed precision. Already they've killed Verminator Wilson by literally slicing him in half down the middle, while another bit off a good chunk of Judge Brubaker's upper half. Upon seeing two of their members getting butchered, the Verminators & Judges quickly fired back with high-powered bullets, flamethrowers, explosives, cold grenades & every other piece of weaponry in their arsenal. But in their panicked state of seeing their teammates butchered, most of them were firing wildly, presumably the Verminators, as their shots were mainly hitting the old buildings as debris fell down like snow from the mountains. Packer & Judge Hershey tried bringing some order to the chaos, but they were too loud & disorderly to listen.

It was an act that would cost them: one of the Gyaos fired its sonic beam at one of the Verminators – a man by the name of Marinello – was struck dead center in the chest as the beam went straight through & hit his flamethrower's fuel tank from behind. Igniting its contents, a powerful & deafening explosion occurred in the blink of an eye, killing the majority of Verminators that were in close proximity of Marinello to pieces, with others running around like living torches as the flames scorched their bodies & screaming in agony. Ignoring the fires engulfing their bodies, the Gyaos ganged up & started devouring those who were yelling & running about before getting abruptly cut off by the action of snapping jaws & crunching bones/flesh. Those spared the flames & tried to get away to reorganize all shared the same fate, their cries replaced by screeching & stripping flesh.

Sanchez, Giant, Beeny, Breen, Hershey, Packer & the other Judge survivors saw what happened to their trained squadron being taken down like rank amateurs & becoming a dinner feast to ravenous winged horrors as body parts were stripped & eaten whole.

"Fuck!", Packer shouted at the top of her lungs, seeing her entire squad dead in scant seconds.

"Goddamned things set a trap for us!", Beeny said. "They're smarter than they look!"

"Not smart enough to avoid our own ambush!", Hershey said. "Quick – while they're all huddled together! Take them down!"

"But…what if somebody's still alive?", Sanchez asks. "We need to help them!"

"Wake up, you stupid bitch!", shouted Packer. "There's nobody from my team that's 'still alive'! Now shut the fuck up & start shooting!"

As one, Packer, Hershey & the other Judges aimed their Lawgivers & fired all sorts of ammunition at the half-dozen Gyaos that were now feeding on dead Verminators: hi-ex, incendiary, & armor-piercing being the most effective as three of them get taken down like the vermin they are. The other three hid behind their fallen brethren, using them as living shields & retreat before too long, getting out of range of the volley of Lawgiver rounds.

Using the old buildings as cover, the Gyaos were gone from sight in seconds.

"Dammit!", Packer spat, turning to Sanchez & approaching her. "What is your fucking problem, rookie?! I lost my entire team to those goddamned things, & if you hadn't been sentimental about who lived through that shit, then we would've gotten them all just now! You got anything to say for yourself, bitch?!"

It was then that Sanchez scowled & became hard.

"Yes, I do!", she said in her defense. "What if there was somebody that was still alive after that blast?! Unlike you, lady, I give a shit about my team members, & I sure as hell don't treat them like goddamned fucking chess pieces to be discarded once they've outlived their usefulness! You know who does?! The scum of this city – that's who! Are you willing to lower yourself to their level to get a job done?! If that's the case, then maybe you're in the wrong line of work!"

"How dare you speak to me like that, you…!", Packer growled as she reached out to grab Sanchez.

"That's enough!", Giant said, getting in between them & scowling at Packer. "Lady, if you want to make this as a problem, then why don't you try doing so with me?!"

"You better stand down & remember your place, rookie!"

It was then that Hershey grabbed Packer & placed the muzzle of her Lawgiver to her chin.

"And you better remember yours, Packer!", Hershey barked. "First off, Sanchez was right to express concern for your fellow Verminators, even if it was out of place for it! Second, you don't ever speak to my people like that – rookie or not! And third, if you ever do speak to any of my people like that again, I'll save the Gyaos the trouble & kill you myself! We clear?!"

"Yes ma'am", Packer said, humbled & defeated as Hershey removed her weapon from her chin.

"There's nothing wrong with showing concern for your teammates, Packer", Beeny said in a modest tone. "It's what separates us from the scum that prey on this city, & it doesn't make us weak either. On the contrary, it makes us stronger & more united & effective as a fighting force."

Packer took in a breath & exhaled.

"You're right…Beeny, was it?", Packer asked as said Judge nodded. "Maybe I did overstep my bounds just now, & my humble apologies for it, but…" It was then that Packer showed her true feelings, & placed her hands to the side of her head. "I'm scared, people. I've never been so scared until now. In all of my years in dealing with infestations in Mega-City One, my people & I never came across these Gyaos before, & I lost my team to them – some of the best folks I ever worked with. And now…they're gone."

Packer was on the verge of crying when Hershey placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort, her face no longer that of anger.

The Verminator leader took it as a sign of forgiveness.

Sanchez then took the stand as she gave her some advice.

"Packer, I received some good tips as I began my assessment from two good people", she began. "There will be times when you feel the walls are closing in all around you, but you mustn't give in to the claustrophobia or despair: keep your head clear to look for a way out, your wits sharp, & you'll find there's nothing you can't handle. This isn't your typical infestation or ourregular beat, but Beeny, Karyn, Giant & I recall why we four signed to become Judges in the first place."

"And the reason is…?", Packer pressed.

"To fulfil a promise we all made."

Packer looked at the other two rookies, Breen, Hershey & the other Judges nodded in unison to Sanchez's claims, giving her reassurance in herself & the mission she came down to do. A feeling of dread & trepidation still existed in her, but Packer found new strength thanks to these people & fought it down.

She walked up to Sanchez until she was a foot away.

"No hard feelings, Sanchez?", Packer asks, extending her hand.

"No, ma'am", the young rookie says, taking her hand & shaking it. Both ladies smile as do the rest, seeing their brief feud come to a happy closure. A trio of moaning came from across the crevice, & everyone turn to see two men & a woman in Verminator outfits & gear rising up from the ground to a horror show that was laid before them.

"Jesus Christ!", said a man – Orson – as he & two others by the names of Maier & Fisk witness the decimation of what was once their beloved team, along with three bodies of the Gyaos they managed to take down.

"You were right, Sanchez – there were survivors!", Packer said to her before she rose her voice & called their names. "Orson! Maier! Fisk!"

"Captain?", said Maier. "What the fuck happened to our team?!"

"You don't remember?", asked Hershey.

"I remember the Gyaos busting through the old buildings & killing Wilson before doing so to one of your people, Judge Hershey, & then it was Marinello that exploded after one of the Gyaos struck his fuel tank, & then…", Fisk was explaining before the rest of the scenario came back to her, & she was standing over the bodies of her teammates, both burned & devoured by what they came down to find & destroy.

"Now I remember it too!", said Orson, his voice filled with rage. "Those fucking Gyaos are going to pay for this shit, if it's the last thing I ever do!"

"Orson!", Packer said, calming him down. "I understand how you feel, believe me! I want them dead as much as you or the Judges do! But first, we need to find them!"

"How many have escaped, ma'am?", asked Maier.

"Three."

"They could've made a hole & be up on the surface by now!", Fisk said.

"No, I don't think they've done that", said Sanchez as all eyes turn to her. "We've been hurting & decimating their unborn brethren, & according to Toshiko & Naoko's research on the Gyaos, they're very vengeful in nature. They will want to try & finish us off before they make their way topside. We can use that to our advantage."

"You want to set a trap for them, just like they'd done with us", said Orson, seeing where she was going.

"Of sorts. And that means wiping out the rest of their eggs in order to draw them back here to us!"

The Verminators check their ammunition, with the Judges doing the same.

"We'll have to be conservative on our firepower, Sanchez", Beeny said. "We've burned through a shitload of our ammunition, & we're down to our reserves in this fight. If we're going to bring down the Gyaos and their eggs, we'll have to be a little more creative about it. Got any ideas?"

Sanchez looked around the area to see what would help them defeat the Gyaos, all the while sparing ammunition for only the most critical of times. She spotted a worn-out building that was standing right at the very end of the crevice in which the Gyaos eggs were laid in, & calculated in her mind that the building was about the same height as the eggs were placed inside the crevice, if not several meters taller.

"As a matter of fact…I do!", she says, pointing to said building. "We can plant explosives at the base of that building & cause it to fall like a timbering tree onto the rest of the eggs, hereby crushing them instantly & saving our ammo for when we really need it!"

The others looked to where Sanchez points towards, & her idea became something of an idealist strategy within everyone as they favor it.

"Holy shit – I think you got something there, Sanchez!", said Giant. "And we did remember to bring explosives in case we had to clear away a portion of a building or even bring down one! This really could work! Judge Hershey?"

The experienced officer nodded, being in full sync with Sanchez's idea.

"It's perfect!", she says. "Everyone, get your explosives out & plant them on that building's base! Keep a sharp eye out for the Gyaos, should they come back before we're ready to deploy with the plan! Breen, Rodman, you're both on lookout for them: hand over your detonators & be our eyes!"

"Copy that, ma'am!", Rodman said as he & Breen follow her orders & give their bombs over to fellow Judges, & aim their Lawgivers up in search for any winged horrors that might come too early before everything's ready. The rest rush over to the targeted building & place small but highly powerful detonators along the base in intervals of two rows, each being nine feet apart horizontally & six feet vertically. The bombs were placed only at the very front, not wishing to cause it to fall in a vertical manner but like a tree that's been chopped down, as Sanchez suggested. The process took everyone about four to five minutes, & they back away to a far distance as Maier prepares the detonator to set them off once they take cover.

In all that time, none of the three surviving Gyaos were seen or heard anywhere.

Nobody could tell if they found that comforting or disconcerting.

But no one believed they scared them off. Not a chance in Hell.

I know you ugly bastards are still out there somewhere – but where?!, Packer thought, the suspense killing her & everyone else from within.

When Hershey saw that everyone – Verminator & Judge – were far & away from the building & the bombs that are to detonate it, she gives Packer the signal to commence. She nods & proceeds with the plan.

We're all set – good, Packer thought before speaking orally. "Maier, let the bombing commence."

Five seconds later, there was no blast, much less the sound of a button clicking.

"Maier, what the hell are you waiting for?! Hit the damn sw-", Packer said as she & the rest turned around, each of them wondering why Maier hasn't commenced with his task. What they saw chilled their blood, & they all froze in place to a horrible sight: Maier was impaled by a large foot claw from one of the Gyaos, who snuck around in complete stealth & silently rammed its claw into Maier's back as the tip stuck out of his chest, spewing blood from his wound & mouth. The Gyaos them fired its yellow sonic bean straight down at the detonator, frying & deactivating it before biting Maier's head off & chewing it like a piece of soft taffy candy.

It was then that everyone snapped out of their trance & began shooting at the Gyaos, with the Judges switching to armor-piercing rounds. Bullets that can punch their way through solid concrete quickly made Swiss cheese out of the creature, with some shots going through its armored head as brains & blood exited wounds inflicted upon both sides before the thing collapsed as a bleeding corpse with a thud.

A pair of screeching from above caught their attention, & Hershey & Packer's people saw the other two Gyaos coming straight at them with intent to kill & eat for appetizers before they go to the main course – Mega-City One.

"Run!", Hershey yelled out, & everyone in uniform took off & jumped into the crevice to escape the Gyaos' beam that will slice through them with ease. Packer, Hershey, & most of the others were fortunate enough to be spared a serious decapitation.

Most.

Orson, Fisk & Rodman weren't so lucky: they were sliced right across the waist just above their pelvis, & Packer & company saw a quick glimpse of their sheared upper halves fall down before the Gyaos snatch them in mid-air with their clawed feet & fly off.

One moment, their halves were there.

The next, they were gone. Just like that, as if by magic.

Only Rodman's body fell down into the crevice with everyone else, & the sight gave them a sickening dread of seeing a seasoned veteran get literally cut down in his prime.

Especially Breen, who've he'd been friends with ever since joining the Judges.

Hershey & company watch as the Gyaos fly down to the end of the crevice & drop their new meals on the ground as they land themselves four seconds later & begin eating their new catch.

Their being at where the bombs are planted was no coincidence to any of them.

"Shit!", Giant snapped. "They caught us with our pants down again, & now they're going to safely guard those bombs to make sure we can't set them off before what remains of their eggs hatch & start feeding upon the city – both here and topside! I hate to admit it, folks, but these fucking things aren't stupid!"

"Correct, Giant!", Hershey said. "We can't afford to underestimate these creatures any longer, people! We may have misjudged them as foolhardy, but they've shown a degree of intelligence that's equivalent to any predatory beast known to man! We get as sloppy as them from this point on, we're dead meat along with all of Mega-City One! But we still have an advantage on our side: they're as guilty of underestimating us as we are of them! We're going to set those bombs off, but we're going to have to do so at closer distance than originally planned!"

"How are we going to do that, ma'am?", Beeny asked.

"The majority of us will remain in this area & distract the Gyaos, while one or two head down there & shoot the bombs with their weapon! It's dangerous, I know, but considering the fix we're in, there's no other alternative left to try! Who'll volunteer?"

"Count me in, Judge Hershey!", Breen said, speaking out the second Hershey asked. "Give me a long enough distraction, & I'll get close enough to blast those bombs & bring that building down over their fuck-ugly heads!"

"I'll go too, Judge Hershey!", Packer said, getting to Breen's side. "Breen needs backup on this operation, & I'll be glad to give it to him! Besides…he owes it to his fellow Judges who have fallen to these creatures, & I owe it to all my fellow Verminators that fell prey to them! Let's give our fallen brothers & sisters the justice they deserve!"

Breen nodded at the logic in Packer's words.

"Can't argue with that, Judge Hershey!", he said as she nods.

"No, we can't", Hershey says. "All right: we'll provide you with cover fire as you make your way down! Let's get moving: those Gyaos will turn their attention to us once they finish devouring what remained of our friends! Go!"

With a nod, Breen & Packer made their way up the side as the former used himself like a stepladder & enabled Packer to climb up him before lending a hand once she was out of the crevice & helped to haul him up before making their way towards the rigged building where the Gyaos now gorge themselves with Orson & Fisk's remains, ignoring the other humans. For now.

Hershey & the rest use this time to get themselves out, using the same tactic Breen & Packer used. Hershey was the last to be hauled up, & by then, the Gyaos have completed the top halves of Orson & Fisk.

Turning to the humans climbing out of the crevice, the winged horrors screech as their mouths glowed yellow.

Oh shit!, Hershey thought fearfully, just getting herself topside.

"Move!", she shouted as the Gyaos fired their sonic beams, barely missing Hershey as she raced towards the old buildings for cover, her crew doing the same. Their Lawgivers being switched to incendiary rounds, the Judges aimed & fire once the barrage of beams ceases. The rounds soar across the air & get detonated halfway by the Gyaos' beams, creating fireballs that seem to suspend in mid-air & making a sort of Fourth of July in the Under-city.

But their goal wasn't to torch them – it was to distract, like they discussed.

Making their way down with speed & stealth, Breen & Packer reached the end of the road & stayed hidden in the confines of a small building only twenty stories high. The Gyaos were throwing everything they had at Hershey & her Judges, keeping them pinned where they'd taken cover in. Breen & Packer shared a look with each other.

"Ready?", Breen asked.

"Let's do what we came down here for!", Packer answered.

Breen nodded with a grin, with Packer giving one of her own.

As one, they came out of hiding with their weapons poised & ready to shoot.

The only problem to that is, the Gyaos saw both soldiers & turned their attention to them: one went after Packer with its mouth open, ready to bite her head off. The Verminator leader ducked in time to avoid a bloody decapitation, but lost her weapon in the scuffle. Breen dived to avoid getting snatched by the other Gyaos' foot before returning fire with rapid-fire rounds. They only so much as grazed the creature, & now Breen was running to give himself time to re-arm with a different type of ammo that will be even more effective against the things, having temporarily run out of his armor-piercing bullets & cursing himself for not taking the time to reload those before reaching his destination.

But he did have plenty of other rounds to use, & Breen wastes no time in deploying them.

"Incendiary!", he said, the Lawgiver switching to the high-intensity flame rounds. He launches a trio of shots that sets anything ablaze once it touches its target. Two of Breen's shots miss the oncoming Gyaos, hitting only the burned-out buildings of the area. His third shot, however, struck the winged horror in the chest & turned it partly into a horrid Phoenix of sorts as its middle burned & causes it to screech in agony & rage.

But it still wasn't enough to stop it, & Breen switched his weapon to hi-ex rounds & blow it apart where it flew.

Just as he aimed his weapon, he was struck by a passing foot, & Breen & his Lawgiver went flying out in front of the building he & his people planted the bombs at. Breen saw his weapon fifteen feet away, & he scrambled to retrieve it, lest he end up as dinner for the Gyaos before they turn their attention to Hershey & the rest.

Not on my watch, they're not!, Breen thought, grabbing his Lawgiver & aiming it at the Gyaos that struck him.

The winged horrors were fast, if not vicious: once Breen got his weapon back, the creature landed in front of him & bit down hard on his left arm, causing him to cry out. Packer aimed her own weapon to give Breen a helping hand, but she too was hit & knocked to the ground in front of the bombs. Unlike the blonde-haired Judge, she still held her weapon & aimed it straight for the creature that has him in its mouth, being careful not to hit him.

A flapping of wings from above caused Packer to look up as a sonic beam rained down, striking her weapon & slicing it in half like it was made of cheese instead of hard metal. A split-second later, the Gyaos literally put its foot down, placing Packer underneath it & holding her in place. Hershey & the other Judges can only watch in horror as Breen gets lifted by only his arm, while Packer in under the tender mercies of the second creature, screeching in anger & triumph at its fallen prey.

Sorry, asshole – I'm not going to be on your dinner menu tonight!, Packer thought, reaching for her spare piece which was holstered on the side. Pulling it out, she aims it at the Gyaos' ugly face. Breen does the same, aiming his own weapon at the monster's head with his right arm.

Despite his predicament, Breen grins like he's won all the money in the world.

"You motherfuckers think you've got us, don't you?! Well…think again!", he says, aiming his Lawgiver at one of the bombs at the building's base as Packer does the same, like she was reading his mind. The Verminator leader then turned to the group which was far away from their position, but Sanchez can feel like she's staring straight at her, & at some strange sense, she can somehow see Packer offering the young rookie a smile & a wink, telling her 'keep up the good work, rookie – you're going to become one of the best this city has ever had'.

"We know we ain't getting out of here alive, creature – but neither do you, or your goddamned 'children'!", said Packer. "You ready, Breen?"

"You bet, baby! Let's do this!", he replied, his grin still plastered on his face as he starts singing a Christmas tune before firing his Lawgiver. "'Joy to the world…!'"

In perfect unison, Packer & Breen fire their weapons at a bomb, hitting them dead-on. The bombs they used are motion-sensitive once they've been primed, & are triggered by even the slightest jolt. Each one sends a signal to all the others, should it get disturbed; if one goes off, they all go off.

And that's exactly what they planned on: as one, the bombs go off, creating a powerful explosion that blows up Packer, Breen and both Gyaos to pieces as human & monster remains go flying, the bombs being more powerful that even the Verminators or Judges imagined. The building's base became like cardboard, & in no time the entire decayed structure bent slightly before starting to fall in the manner they hoped it would.

The only problem now is that the building is also wide enough to crash onto the ledge that Judge Hershey & her surviving squadron, & they'll be just as crushed underneath its weight as the Gyaos eggs.

"Move it!", Hershey shouted, giving everyone the motivation needed to start pumping their legs hard & run in the opposite direction the building was collapsing down on, creating a thick cloud of dust as it breaks apart, filling the crevice with debris & crushing every egg that resides within as rubble came down like an avalanche of snow.

The cloud of dust the falling/dissolving building created covered up Judge Hershey & the others before long, & soon they were running blind as dust entered their lungs, causing coughing & their visions becoming obscured even by those that wore helmets. Hershey kept them in line by ordering them to keep running, shouting over the sound of debris come crashing down.

Before anyone knew it, the reign & sounds of rubble ceased, plunging the Under-city into a world of silence which was eerie as it was common. Hershey, Sanchez, Beeny, Giant & the other survivors emerged from out of the dissipating cloud, their uniforms all covered in dust from head to toe, & they brush off enough with their hands to look a little more presentable.

"We all accounted for?", Hershey asked, getting a 'yes ma'am' from those still among the living.

"Breen…Packer…", Sanchez said softly, looking back to where the building once stood before it all came down.

"Gave their lives to the city, so that it may continue to thrive", Giant said in an equally soft tone, patting her on the back. "I know their sacrifice will be commended, & that they'll be remembered for it."

"Because of them, we can call this mission a success", Beeny adds in.

She & Giant offered Sanchez a little smile of reassurance, & she gave them indifferent.

It vanished when Sanchez realized that there was still more.

"Dredd!", she says, getting everyone's attention & reminding the rest that the danger to Mega-City One was all but still present, even though the eggs were wiped out.

"Let's get topside, people – move it!", Hershey commanded, & they all made for their vehicle as Hershey got behind the wheel. Racing through the Under-city, they all said a silent prayer that Judge Dredd & Karyn were doing as well as they did, & that they're even back in the city above.

Be safe, Dredd – you and Karyn, wherever you are!, Hershey thought as she drove faster.

Their work was still not done.

CHAPTER VII

Mega-City One, topside:

Gamera's muscles felt like meat being left in the soup for too long as Irys drained almost every iota of the giant turtle's strength, leaving him helpless as a baby. He'd sag right down to the ground because of it, were it not for Irys' arm spurs holding him up like a puppet on a string. Inside Irys' pseudopod, Jo-Jo was filled with delight & great force as she feels her strength increase exponentially along with her bonded creature companion.

What power Gamera had in his possession!, she thought. It's no wonder he's been able to triumph over his hated enemies the Gyaos up until now! But now, it all belongs to me & Irys, & with it, taking Mega-City One will be child's play, along with the rest of the world soon to follow!

She grinned even wider.

From Jo-Jo's craft, Dredd & Karyn watch Gamera become weaker with every passing moment as they dodge attacks by the last-surviving Gyaos that's now five times bigger than he was at the Bing Crosby Auditorium the other night, keeping one step ahead of his deadly sonic beam, albeit barely.

"We've got to do something, Dredd!", Karyn said. "Every second we waste on avoiding Gyaos, Irys becomes stronger while Gamera becomes the opposite!"

"I'm open to any suggestion, Karyn!", Dredd replied, dodging another blast of Gyaos' beam. "If you've got one or two, now's not the time to be shy about it!"

A million thoughts raced through the psychic's mind in three seconds before coming up with a possible solution.

"I've got it!", she announced. "You recall how the Japanese SDF tried to destroy the monster Barugon with his own rainbow ray?"

"I do – although we don't have a large mirror to deflect Gyaos' beam back at & destroy him!", Dredd says.

"I wasn't thinking of sending it back at him! I'm merely suggesting using it in a way that'll raise the odds in our favor by sending it where it needs to go!"

Dredd put two & two together even before Karyn finished speaking.

"We can use his beam to sever the connection between Gamera & Irys!", he said. "Good thinking, Karyn! Get on the Vulcan cannons & redirect them towards the rear!"

Dredd switched control of the cannons to Karyn, whose back seat had a panel & mini sticks that set themselves in front of & giving her full control. She made full use of her own rear-view cameras as she aimed the cannons at the flying monster's head in the rear, lining her sights up before firing.

Her aim was dead-on.

You want to feast on something, Gyaos? Chew on hot lead a while, fucker!, Karyn thought, pressing the triggers on both her sticks as the cannons spit hundreds of hot rounds at the monster's face & body, creating numerous bleeding holes as Gyaos screeches from all the scorching metal piercing his flesh. The barrage continued until Karyn saw the beast light up the inside of his maw, indicating that he was ready to fire his primary weapon.

By this time, Dredd was more than in range of where Irys & Gamera stood.

"Get ready!", Karyn warned.

"I see him!", Dredd replied, seeing in his own rear-view monitor. When next he spoke, his voice was almost a whisper. "Come on, now – be a good boy & shoot!"

Four seconds later, he got his wish: Gyaos launched his sonic beam at Jo-Jo's craft as Dredd pulled away at the last moment, diving out of its path as it raced towards Irys, striking him on the side of his face & scorching with as the flesh gets cut & bleeds. This unexpected turn of events causes Irys to withdraw his spurs from Gamera's sides, both of his punctured wounds bleeding before the multi-tentacle creature buffeted the giant turtle in the head with enough force to send him flying across the city & landing on his back, cruising along the pavement & destroying many buildings in the way, some of which weren't even evacuated fully yet. Debris came crashing down around Gamera & a handful of people who couldn't escape the carnage before getting crushed by falling rubble.

Because of the energy drained from him, Gamera could no more have saved them any more than he can help himself.

All he can do is watch Gyaos & Irys destroy the Big Meg, with the former spitting his sonic beam as a lone craft does its level best to bring it down with whatever missiles & Vulcan cannon rounds it has possession of. Irys stood in his place & aimed two of his tentacles at the flying craft, but instead of sonic beams they now fired balls of fire that raced through the air & came close to barbequing Dredd & Karyn the first time while dodging the second flame ball.

"Shit!", Karyn spat, grabbing her seat as Dredd maneuvered to keep him & his partner alive.

"Looks like Irys absorbed much more than just Gamera's strength!", he says.

Inside her pseudopod, Jo-Jo was just as amazed by this new technique as the Judges were.

So…Irys can also absorb an enemy's abilities along with their strength!, she thought, her grin widening. That's most excellent – I can use this to wipe out the city & burn it down if I desire! Above all else, Gamera will be killed by his own weapon!

Seeing Gamera lying on his back meters away, Irys started making his way towards the downed turtle, smashing any buildings in his way.

For all his fancy flying, Dredd couldn't dodge Gyaos' blasts forever, & this most recent strike from the Shadow of Evil ended his good fortune by hitting a wing & shearing off the tip, causing the craft to shutter & shake as it began descending with smoke pouring out of the damaged area.

"Brace yourself, Karyn – this is going to get rough!", Dredd warned as he & the redhead watch the street rush up to greet them. Like Dredd predicted, the landing was rugged & the impact rattled their bones once they hit ground. A plethora of cars & other vehicles were flattened by the downed craft's weight, & more than a few structures suffered a bit of damage as the wings raked across buildings, smashing windows & scaring the handful of people who have taken shelter within to retreat to safer areas – if such a thing even exists.

Jo-Jo's craft skids down a full city block-&-a-half before coming to a full stop.

"You okay, Karyn?", Dredd asked, undoing his seat belt.

"A little shaken up, but nothing I can't cope with", she replied, doing the same.

The sound of Gyaos' screech from afar & getting louder made their hearts race.

"Gyaos may soon rectify that! Move!", Dredd ordered, opening the canopy as he & Karyn swiftly climb out just before Gyaos unleashes his sonic beam to destroy more buildings & cover the streets with debris & bodies, crushing the craft they'd just exited as it gets flattened by a large piece of building like a tin soda can. Gyaos swoops past the two Judges & several people now scrambling for cover, fighting to stay afoot from the wind gust Gyaos made upon his passing that caught some unlucky civilians & slammed them into buildings, debris & vehicles which were caught in the draft & flattening them like they were nothing more than roaches.

Karyn closed her eyes & turned away from the scenes of death, & she could feel their death throes in her mind, albeit briefly.

"I'm sorry, Karyn. There wasn't anything we could've done", Dredd says, offering her some comfort after seeing her in distress. The redhead nodded, knowing he meant well.

The moment was disrupted when Gyaos landed on the ground, his feet being placed only three meters away from where Dredd & Karyn were at. Both Judges stare up at the staggering 85-meter-tall creature as Gyaos searched the area for those devils of humans that dared to fire on him with hot stinging pieces of metal that tore his face in shreds. The Judges can see that flaps of flesh were dangling from Gyaos' face where the Vulcan rounds hit, & more than a few had fallen from his face & hit the street in wet chunks.

The fucking thing really wants us – wants us bad!, Dredd thought, gripping his Lawgiver tightly.

A scraping of metal & rock pointed Dredd, Karyn & Gyaos towards an elderly man trapped in the rubble as he gets free before running away as fast as his age will let him, wanting to get away from the huge monstrosity before him. He gets to about eighteen feet before Gyaos bent down like a snake & bit down on the man, who screamed at the top of his lungs as Gyaos lifted his head & tossed the man in the air before biting down on him again, this time silencing him for good. Sounds of crunching bones can be heard even from Dredd & Karyn's point of view, & a bloody arm fell & hit the street with a wet thud – all that remained of grandpa.

Karyn placed a hand over her mouth to keep from throwing up and/or screaming in terror.

Dredd gritted his teeth & began raising his Lawgiver, but Karyn grabbed his arm & fiercely shook her head.

He can clearly see she was scared – even more so than the civilians themselves are.

"Karyn", Dredd said in no more than a whisper, gently removing her hand. "I know you're scared. Truth be told, so am I – and that's saying a lot. But no matter what the crime or catastrophe that hits Mega-City One should be, we're still Judges, & we uphold the law & put a stop to it. Sanchez told Anderson & myself that you four rookies made a promise to yourselves, & that you'll do whatever it took to fulfil that vow. Will you go back on your word – or go for the gold?"

Dredd's words struck a chord with Karyn, & she strengthened up that very instant.

"I'll die first before I ever break that vow!", she said, her voice in a whisper but a hard one. She raised her own Lawgiver. "We may not make it through this alive…but neither does that filthy abomination! If we go down, then we make sure he goes down with us! I don't give a shit how big he is!"

Dredd nodded.

"Good girl, Karyn – that's the kind of commitment we like to see in our Judges", he said, bringing his weapon up to his face. "Hi-Ex."

His Lawgiver switched to the desired rounds.

"Hi-Ex", Karyn repeated, her own Lawgiver doing the same.

Both Judges get ready to aim their weapons at Gyaos' presumed only weak spot – his eyes – as the creature was still searching for the two law enforcers that gave him such trouble, just as vowing to devour them whole as Dredd & Karyn are in putting him down like an overgrown mad dog. So far, the two Judges were well-concealed behind a wall of debris & out of sight, but once he gets to their level, it's all or nothing: Dredd & Karyn will do what they can to make sure that Gyaos' next visit down is his last.

Catching a scent from his nostrils, Gyaos begins lowering his head.

Several blocks away:

Irys cleared away the last few buildings that stood in the way of him & his quarry Gamera, who was still lying on his shell in a bed of debris & rubble like something of a blanket. The puncture wounds on his sides were visible, & they still bled the giant turtle's bodily fluids that seeped through the rubble & dripped onto the street. Gamera looked up to see the approaching Irys, but could do nothing to halt or even slow down his progress: the damage he's received made him weak as a baby.

He might as well be lying in an oversized cradle & fitted with a diaper.

Seeing him in such a weak & helpless condition, Jo-Jo almost felt sorry for the turtle.

Almost.

Perfect – we have Gamera right where we want him!, Jo-Jo thought from her pseudopod. Now, Irys – let's KILL HIM!

In flawless sync, Irys raised all of his tentacles & aimed each one at Gamera, the ends opening & lighting up like multiple supernovas all igniting at once. As one, these heated tentacle ends launched their fireball barrage at Gamera, striking & hitting him dead-on. Massive explosions occurred as the area erupted in a fiery holocaust that made Gamera cry out in agony, turning his bed of rest into a flaming cauldron. Two more powerful blasts erupted as two oil tankers blew up, adding even more fire to the flames. Irys commenced with the attack, not giving Gamera even the slightest hint of a breather: neither he nor Jo-Jo will stop until they see the chelonian champion a burning husk of a corpse.

A minute of fire & death ensures before it all comes to a stop, along with Gamera's cries.

Through Irys' eyes, Jo-Jo can see the fiery destruction & carnage she helped to create.

She embraced in its elegance, watching the city of her hated enemy burn like so much kindling.

Knowing that innocent people were dead & dying beneath the flames only added to her sick pleasure.

Gamera's charred body was an extra added addition.

I'll give it a couple minutes before attempting to retrieve Gamera's corpse before I claim his head!, thought Jo-Jo. Then, it'll be time for Judge Dredd to meet a similar fate as I…what?

Like a living tornado, the flames in the area start swirling & rising skywards to about 160 meters high before it all came down to a particular spot, being sucked in like a large vacuum was inhaling it. What emerged in the center of this unusual & bizarre phenomenon was a sight that stunned Jo-Jo & everyone watching on monitors everywhere: the form of Gamera was standing firmly on his own two feet, absorbing all the flames into his body like he was a wingless Phoenix, reborn & ready to take flight.

Gamera let out a roar that echoed throughout Mega-City One, bringing a sense of hope to a megalopolis on the brink of doom.

It was something of a strange hope, but it was hope nonetheless, & the people took it in stride.

It even hit the souls of Dredd & Karyn, the latter Judge wearing a smile as they turn to the sound.

"Never thought I'd hear that sound again!", she said with glee.

Dredd nodded in agreement, admitting to himself that he as well was glad to be hearing Gamera alive & well again.

The Gyaos, on the other hand, was displeased to be hearing the noise of his hated enemy, & he looked up just as Dredd & Karyn were ready to blow his eyes out with their Lawgivers & spared a serious gouging. He looked up to find Gamera standing tall & facing Irys, the latter creature's tentacles wriggling in the air like large snakes.

Letting out a blaring noise of his own, Gyaos forgot about the two Judges & concentrated solely on his longtime foe, taking to the air like a giant bat & heading straight for him.

Both Judges faced each other.

"If only Jo-Jo's craft was still operational, we could go up & assist Gamera again", Karyn said.

"I think Gamera's got this one, Karyn", Dredd says. "Let's just sit tight & let him do what he was made for."

"Let's go get ourselves a better view", Karyn suggested as Dredd nodded before doing so, getting on his GPS.

Irys stood & watched an image he shouldn't be seeing, & his sentiments were shared by Jo-Jo.

Impossible! He should be nothing except a charred skeleton by now!, she thought. No matter – we fucked his ass up once, we can do it again! Onward, Irys – let's put Gamera down for the count, & we'll make sure he stays that way!

Irys complied by lashing out with two of his tentacles, while firing balls of fire from two more. Gamera took to the air via jet propulsion just as Gyaos screeched & took flight after him. Irys missed on both counts, striking only an empty space as the fireballs struck only deserted buildings, blasting the tops to rubble. He watched as Gyaos followed Gamera high up into the air before getting airborne himself, his tentacles extending flaps of skin from the tips & rising upwards like a demon from Hell. He started after Gamera & Gyaos, who were many miles up into the sky, traveling too fast to be tracked by even the most sophisticated & advanced technology. From behind, Gyaos fired his sonic beam at Gamera, which does nothing but get deflected off his shell. Behind them both, Irys gains speed & soon catches up with Gyaos, daring not to lash out with his tentacles for fear of hitting his brethren rather than his intended target.

Both creatures will simply bide their time for the perfect opportunity to strike in unison.

In that time, however, Gamera has reached the stratosphere & has gone beyond into the outer regions of space as his enemies achieve the same status. Cutting off his leg jets, Gamera plummets like a lead weight & slams first into Gyaos, followed by Irys as they all go into free-fall & reenter the Earth's atmosphere. Gamera bit Gyaos in the neck to hold him firmly as all three monsters felt the friction heat of reentry: Gamera felt it refreshing, but Gyaos screeched in protest & Irys was doing no better, his tentacles flailing in pain & show signs of scorching from the heat. From within her pseudopod, Jo-Jo can also feel the intense heat from reentering the planet's atmosphere, & she was getting close to passing out from the pain.

After what seemed like an eternity, the reentry anguish was gone as suddenly as it began.

Curse you, Gamera!, Jo-Jo thought, fighting to stay conscious. For that, I'll make sure you suffer immeasurably, just as I will Judge Dredd!

The monster trio was still in free-fall as Gyaos fired his sonic beam to pry Gamera loose from his unbreakable bite. His efforts were ineffective, due to him not getting a solid bead on his enemy & can't even reach him. About the only thing Gyaos is able to hit were several of Irys' tentacles that happened to be in the way, being sliced clean off as they bled like water hoses. Jo-Jo felt the pain of it & hers began anew, her thoughts becoming more vague & foggy the more anguish she feels.

When they all fast approach Mega-City One at an altitude of 350 meters, Gamera finally breaks his solid hold on Gyaos' neck & reactivated his jet propulsions, pulling away from the crowd. Unable to halt their descend, both Gyaos & Irys crash into the city not far from where they took off at, leveling a pair of deserted buildings to rubble & causing a sizable crater in the street. Amazingly, Gyaos' fall was cushioned by Irys, & the Shadow of Evil got airborne again in a fit of rage, wanting to skewer the giant turtle with his own deadly jaws. Gamera turned 180 degrees & headed straight for his ancient foe in a fierce game of chicken. The chelonian champion spat four fireballs at his fast-approaching foe, but each one was dodged with ease, never hitting their target. The abandoned buildings far east were the only casualties in the barrage.

Gyaos retaliated with his sonic beam & struck Gamera in his armored head & shell, causing no damage. Gyaos used this as his chance to strike at his enemy, just like he once did to him out in the Cursed Earth.

But if there's one thing to know about Gamera, it's that the giant turtle learns from his past mistakes: as Gyaos got within range, he kicked at Gamera's head, only to have them caught in the turtle's hands. Holding onto them like a security blanket, Gamera now heads straight for Irys, who was now back on his feet after taking the fall's full brunt.

Seeing Gamera returning while holding Gyaos by the legs, Irys aimed his last few tentacles at the approaching turtle, lighting up his ends & preparing to blast away his hated enemy in mid-flight. Gyaos fired his sonic beam at the rear of his foe, but could not hit anything vital except his shell that deflects the projectile. Irys launched his fireball barrage at Gamera when he was 240 meters away, & they raced towards him like angry comets. At the last second, the giant turtle placed Gyaos directly in front of their path before taking to a higher altitude. Unable to stop himself or the balls of fire, Gyaos was struck in the back & got blasted to bits in a fiery holocaust, his flaming pieces spreading in all directions as he lets out a final screech that was his epitaph.

The last of Mega-City One's infestation of the Shadow of Evil, Gyaos, was no more.

Realizing what she'd just done to Irys' own brethren, Jo-Jo's anger reached the boiling point & is shared with her bonded creature. Now was the time to pull out all the stops, & Irys started shooting a volley of fireballs from whatever was left of his tentacles, firing frantically at their hated enemy. Gamera dodges & dives each ball of flame & attacks with his own, spitting several at Irys & blasting off all but one of his tentacles. Jo-Jo felt the pain from deep within her pseudopod, & it nearly caused her to black out as she grit her teeth in agony & hate.

You think you're hot shit, Gamera?!, Jo-Jo thought angrily, her temper close to blowing over like a volcano. Just wait until I drain you dry again with our spurs, & this time, we'll get every single drop!

Of course, in order for Irys to drain Gamera, he'd have to be in close contact.

Fortunately, the giant turtle landed on his feet 30 meters away & was quickly closing the gap. Extending his deadly spurs, Irys jabs at Gamera but was dodged by the chelonian champion in a speed that belied his great size. Irys attempted several more tries to impale the turtle monster, each one of them avoided. Even swings to try & decapitate him ended in failure, & Irys' swings/jabs got more desperate & savage. He finally tries a double-whammy & strikes with both in unison, but Gamera snatched his wrists & kept the spurs from his face, the points only less than two meters away. Irys' final tentacle rose & aimed at Gamera's face, ready to finish the job in case the spurs fail. Lighting the tip, it shoots a fireball to scorch the giant turtle but Gamera places Irys' hands in its path. The terrible heat struck both ends & blew them apart, leaving bleeding stumps in their wake.

Jo-Jo screamed inside her pseudopod even surrounded by a viscous fluid, & when she looked at her own hands, she saw them & her fingers broken & bent in unnatural positions, like somebody of great strength crushed them in his own bare hands.

Now striking out of blind rage & pain, Irys lashed with his last tentacle at Gamera, only to have it grabbed by the giant turtle & rammed deep into his chest between it & his neck. Jo-Jo felt like her air passage has been cut off, & she's having difficulty in getting oxygen to her lungs despite the life-giving fluid she's surrounded by. She can only watch as Gamera now takes Irys & slams him into several deserted buildings, reducing them to rubble in seconds.

Without any weapons on his part to defend himself or fight back, Irys was at Gamera's total mercies, & the giant turtle relentlessly buffeted his foe without letting up for a full three minutes. In one ramming, Irys got several pieces of debris jammed in his stomach & midsection, one of them being a long piece of metal that made its way into & through Jo-Jo's own that went through to the other side. The viscous fluid that supported her with oxygen was now stained with her blood, & she even coughed up some from her mouth.

In their new ride, a hover wagon piloted by the Chief Judge herself, Dredd & Karyn watched the battle come to a close as Irys leans against a building for support like he's had his entire body filled with alcohol & cannot stand on his own power, with Gamera standing perfectly firm on his own two feet.

If not for the destruction & death Jo-Jo caused whether inside Irys or not, they'd probably feel sorry for her.

But all they do feel is rage, hate, resentment, & an overwhelming desire to see justice get done.

"Seems like this fight is all but finished!", Karyn said.

"Not just yet", Dredd says, grabbing the hover wagon's loud speaker mike.

"What are you going to do?", the Chief Judge asked.

"What comes with the job."

Turning the loud speaker on, Judge Dredd's voice gets amplified for Gamera, Irys & everyone else to hear.

"Josephine Jonas, aka Jo-Jo, adopted daughter of Madeline Madrigal, aka Ma-Ma, your list of crimes includes the following: possession & smuggling of illegal substances, supplying firearms to known felons, destruction of public property on a grand scale, inducing the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of innocent men, women & children, attempting murder of Judges & other civic personnel, kidnapping…do you have anything to say in your defense to the list of felonies as I've presented them to you?"

Even though severely wounded within her pseudopod inside Irys, Jo-Jo could hear every word Judge Dredd just announced. The problem is, her vocal chords (& lungs) were too full of fluid, & she was still coughing up blood in her bed of liquid, turning it a sickly red.

Fuck you, Dredd! Fuck you, Gamera, & this entire goddamn cesspool of a city you live in!, was all Jo-Jo could muster in her weakened condition.

With no oral answer coming from the convicted, Dredd gives his final one.

"The defense plea is duly noted. Give our regards to Ma-Ma…in Hell! Gamera…care to do the honors?"

As if in answer, the chelonian champion lets out a growl before lighting up the inside of his mouth to unleash a fireball that strikes Irys dead center in the chest & causes a powerful explosion that all but destroys both the creature & Jo-Jo inside, shredding their bodies in a fiery pulp & pieces get blasted everywhere of both human criminal mastermind & hideous giant monster in appearance & behavior. Chunks of monster flesh strike the city streets, crushing cars & does some damage to nearby buildings, but the majority of people have been cleared from the danger area, resulting in few to no casualties. All that remained of Irys were his legs that tumble over like trees, hitting the street with a thud.

Seeing his enemies as no more of a threat, Gamera raises his head & lets out a roar that can be heard for several sectors around.

He suddenly senses a presence from behind him, & Gamera turns around to spot a hovering vehicle at a distance of 280 meters away. The giant turtle started making his way towards the hover wagon & was starting to make the Chief Judge nervous. She began to depart when Dredd placed a hand on her arm, suggesting it was all right.

"Dredd, what are you…?", the Chief started to say.

"It's okay, Chief Judge", Dredd assured her. "Like Karyn, Anderson & our two Japanese guests, I trust Gamera. You should too."

Nervous as she was, the Chief Judge trusts Dredd's instincts & even that of Karyn, rookie or not. She kept the hover wagon where it was as Gamera stopped at a distance of 100 meters exactly, staring at it. From within, he can feel the presence of one like the human called Cassandra Anderson, being a mind-reader like the blonde & able to read his own. Like with Anderson, Gamera found a good amount of compassion yet a fierce sense of duty in the crimson-haired human, sharing certain traits with her. He can also somehow feel the presence of Judge Dredd in the hover wagon – an individual who's tough, cunning, & willing to do whatever it took to get a job done.

Like Dredd himself, Gamera felt a kinship with this hard-as-nails human & gave a nod of his head in a salute of sorts. Dredd responded with one of his own, while Karyn offered a smile.

The Chief Judge couldn't help but offer one herself.

With a final roar, Gamera tucked his head & limbs inside his shell & began rising up from the ground like a large balloon, getting to 140 meters high before starting to spin rapidly. Converting from turtle to something like that of a comet or flying saucer, Gamera started making his way east towards the wall that will take him to the Black Atlantic & into the open waters. Citizens of the Big Meg take a peek from their homes, businesses & rubble to catch a glimpse of Mega-City One's unusual savior as he soars over the skies, disappearing from sight once he reaches the east wall & is gone in a flash.

The sound of his departure faded in no time.

"I have to say", the Chief Judge says. "He is quite the fascinating creature, this Gamera. The ancient Atlanteans which created him had done so rather well."

"The created him to be 'The Last Hope' against their first cataclysmic error", Dredd adds. "They named Gamera as correctly as they made him. We might've lost Mega-City One this day, were it not for him."

"I don't know about that", said Karyn as Dredd & the Chief Judge turn to her. "Had those other eggs hatched & unleashed all those Gyaos, even Gamera wouldn't have been able to defeat them all. He had invaluable assistance from us on this day, & I do believe he knows it."

Dredd stared at her for close to twenty seconds before he spoke.

"Judge Hershey & her squadron must've been successful in their Under-city mission if that's true, Karyn."

"We'll know for certain once they get back to the Hall", said the Chief Judge. "Strap in, you two – we're going home ourselves."

"Ma'am", said Dredd as he does just that in the front passenger seat, with Karyn doing so in the rear.

Once they were secure, the hover wagon made its journey back to the Hall of Justice.

In the room where Anderson & Naoko sat in, both ladies look at each other with faces that spelled triumph. Both were completely healed from their severe wounds received during Gamera's battle with Gyaos & Irys, occurring when the chelonian champion soaked in the flames from Irys' attempts to roast him alive.

Neither can remember the last time they've felt as refreshed & so full of energy as they do now.

"You did it, Naoko!", Anderson said.

"No, we did it…together!", Naoko said. "Domo arigato, Judge Cassandra Anderson!"

"Do itashimashite, Naoko!", the blonde-haired psychic said in her tongue, grinning & giving her a hug.

Toshiko watched the tender moment from outside the room, & she grinned herself.

A most happy ending to what could've been a most horrible nightmare, Toshiko thought in her tongue.

She couldn't phrase it more correctly.

EPILOGUE

December 24th, 10:00 a.m.:

The next two weeks began the cleanup.

Construction crews were on hand to clear away rubble & paramedics/coroner personnel took out both survivors for medical treatment & recycling over at Resyk. This went for both civilians caught in the monster melee between Gamera, Gyaos & Irys, along with Judges & Verminator troops that perished helping to save the city from becoming a gigantic gourmet for the aforementioned Gyaos. The majority of these were buried beneath the building that both Judge Breen & Verminator leader Packer set off in order to bury & crush the eggs placed by Jo-Jo's people.

Finding the need to dig their bodies out unnecessary, a Christmas ribbon & artificial wreath was thrown upon the rubble in memory of those that lost their lives to protect the Big Meg against a threat they've never faced before in the city's history & triumphing over impossible odds. A memorial service was held in the Under-city, with Judge Hershey doing the honors of delivering a mournful speech that left many with aching hearts over the loss of their comrades, be it Verminator or Judge.

Like always, Judge Dredd was solid as stone, but he does commemorate by saying that those fallen will always be remembered for their services & bold sacrifices.

Straight & to the point with hardly any emotion, but it was welcomed regardless.

Judge Karyn took the photo of Tyrone's wife & daughter Whitney & Bobbi, & tracked them down into one of the sleaziest parts of Mega-City One, so riddled with crime that most Judges wouldn't stay for long.

Dredd wasn't 'most Judges', & he accompanied Karyn to keep her safe from any scum who thought of getting a little too friendly with the red-haired rookie. Once Whitney & Bobbi were found, Karyn explained Tyrone's story in all its details right up to the time of his death, not forgetting to say that Tyrone loved them both.

The news made Whitney & Bobbi weep, & Karyn gave them comfort for as long as they needed it.

Once their tears were spent, she explained that one the back of the photo Tyrone gave her was an account number – a piece of info Tyrone shared with Karyn before they parted ways on Jo-Jo's ship – which held Tyrone's earnings he made during his voyage. The account held a few million, which was more than enough for them to move out & begin at a safer location, with a better job to keep earning a decent salary.

It brought some solace & comfort to a mother & daughter that lost their husband/daddy.

Dredd added to the solace in his own way by saying that he died a hero & saved Mega-City One from becoming a horror show unequaled in its history, & that he was to be commended by the Justice Department for it.

Whitney & Bobbi thanked them both for their sympathy & consolation gifts.

Now, at the Hall of Justice, the Chief Judge called for a press conference which had hundreds gather to hear her speech over the horrors the Big Meg lived through. Anyone who was anyone was there, including Naoko & Toshiko, both Japanese ladies having remained to lend their own assistance during the city's crisis & cleanup.

Like Tyrone, they were to be commended.

Facing a huge crowd, the Chief Judge put the finishing touches on her hour-long speech.

As always, it was very inspirational.

"…And as we mourn our dead & pick ourselves up from the rubble in the aftermath of this horrible tragedy, we look forward to tomorrow with renewed hope & determination. For those without homes or businesses, shelter & food shall be provided for you by both the Emergency Shelter Facilities located throughout the city & by all those who have agreed to take in the ones less fortunate in Good Samaritan fashion, especially during this holiday season, where the spirit & good will of man is at its strongest. On behalf of myself & the entire Justice Department, our hearts go out to all those who have lost family & friends that perished during the attacks from the Gyaos & the creature called Irys. This is the very first time our fair city has ever encounter a catastrophe such as the one we've endured only two weeks ago which resulted in mass destruction & loss of life, but as terrible as this incident was, I believe we can all agree on the one fact that this could've been so muchworse. Our city has endured poverty, corruption, chaos, terrorist activity & the like, & we've always been able to rise above it all. We've done it before, & we'll definitely do so again: Mega-City One, for all its less-than-stellar reputation, still has good people dwelling within its walls & boundaries, & it is because of that very reason which gives us motivation & strength to help our fellow city and its citizens from falling into total anarchy. To every man, woman & child who suffered through this horror during the holidays, we thank you with all our hearts for staying strong & believing in us to bring the terror of the Gyaos to an end. It's because of you why we, the Judges of Mega-City One, remain an unconquerable force that keep us united with a meaningful purpose in life. For that, we cannot thank you enough. God bless you all, & Merry Christmas!"

A huge round of applause erupted as the Chef Judge smiled proudly before stepping down as the crowd of both reporters & onlookers start to disperse shortly after. The Judges themselves do the same, returning to duty as the Chief Judge, Dredd, Anderson, Hershey, Sanchez, Giant, Karyn & Beeny gather round with Toshiko & Naoko joining in.

"Toshiko Nagamine, Naoko Kusanagi, on behalf of the entire Justice Department, we owe you two a great debt of gratitude that can probably never be repaid", Barbara Hershey said, shaking their hands. "Were it not for your info about the Gyaos as well as Gamera…"

"Think nothing of it, Judge Hershey", Toshiko said. "The Gyaos are a threat to anywhere in the world, not just to Hondo or Mega-City One, & we simply felt compelled to keep you well-informed of the creatures & the danger they possessed. It's what we would've done anyplace else that were in danger of them. Thankfully, we arrived in time to fill you in before it got out of control."

"And that Gamera arrived when he did", Naoko added. "Only with the combined talents of him and you Judges were we able to stop the Gyaos & Irys from turning Mega-City One – followed by the world – into one of destruction & death on an immeasurable scale. We're equally pleased that Josephine Jonas – aka Jo-Jo – was brought to an end before her reign of terror went beyond your city walls. If you really think about it, sometimes it's hard to tell just who the real monsters are."

"Monsters come in all shapes & sizes, Miss Kusanagi", said Dredd. "It's our job to deal with & go put an end to them, no matter what kind of form they take. That's what we did…& what we'll do again, wherever they arise."

Naoko & Toshiko give each other a look & a bit of a grin before they approach him.

"We have known of you for such a time over in Hondo City, Judge Dredd", said Toshiko. "Although our own Chief Judge Ohno is somewhat…skeptical of your methods & that of your fellow Judges, he still cannot deny your bold determination & tenacity when it comes to dealing with the criminals of this city & the crimes they commit. In that aspect, especially in how you dealt with Ma-Ma & her clan only last year, he greatly admires you."

"My reputation precedes me, then", Dredd says, getting nods from the two Japanese ladies. "Please give Ohno-san our regards when you girls get back to Hondo City. Also, tell him that if he should ever have need of our services for any reason as you both did for us…"

"We shall definitely inform him", Naoko said. "And we will come to your aide again, if you need it in the near future at our earliest convenience. Domo arigato, Judge Dredd."

Naoko & Toshiko bow to the lawman in the traditional Japanese greeting, with Dredd doing the same in return.

They then face Judge Barbara Hershey & the Chief Judge, & they repeat the process.

"Our gratitude to you & your fellow Judges for helping Gamera end the Gyaos' reign of terror in Mega-City One", said Naoko. "Neither was able to accomplish this without the other. Toshiko & I offer our condolences to those who lost their lives defending this great city."

"Domo arigato, ladies", said the Chief Judge. "Like Tyrone with helping Dredd & Karyn take down Jo-Jo's ship, those that died will be commended & honored like all who fight for this city. At least we can all take great comfort in knowing that their sacrifices were not in vain, & that justice has been served. Speaking of which…"

The Chief Judge signals Hershey, Anderson & Dredd, & they stand in a row in front of the four rookies.

"People, we know it's been three weeks since your assessment started, but with the crisis of the Gyaos & all, we needed every available hand to stop it ASAP. Therefore, it's time for your actions to be judged by your assessment officers to see if you've passed…or failed. Dredd…you first."

Beeny, Karyn, Giant & Sanchez stand like statues & face their officers like obedient soldiers, their posture in a slight waver & eager for the results.

"Karyn…is a pass", Dredd announced, getting grins from both psychics & nods from Hershey & the Chief Judge.

"Hershey…your judgement on the others?", the Chief Judge resumed.

"They're a pass, ma'am…all three of them", Hershey announced.

Big grins from the three rookies flash on their faces, relieved that they've accomplished what they set out to do, & it was shared by everyone involved, up to & including Toshiko & Naoko. Despite the lack of smile from Dredd's mouth, he was no less pleased with their performance, & he nods with proudness in his soul knowing the rookies did an exceptional job above & beyond the call of duty.

Especially Sanchez, he thought. She faced her fears & came through coming out on top. She's got the makings of a fine Judge.

"Giant", Dredd says, stepping in front of the young African-American man. "I knew of someone with your name. Was he your father?"

"Yes sir, he was", the man replied. "John 'Giant' Clay, killed during the Atomic Wars while rescuing civilians. I was no more than a baby when it happened, & spent my whole life training for this very moment to honor his memory. It pleases me to see that all my endeavors have paid off."

"He was one of my tutors & mentors – taught me everything he knew on being a fine Judge. Now I get to return the favor in doing so with his son. Glad to have you aboard."

"Thank you, sir."

"So ma'am", Anderson said to the Chief Judge. "Do you believe that planned PSI Division could finally bear real fruit?"

"With how you and Karyn performed, I see no reason as to why it shouldn't", the Chief Judge says, smiling.

Anderson & Karyn gave each other a congratulatory pat on the back.

"Beeny, Sanchez", Hershey says. "Good work back there…both of you. I believe you're going to make for fine Judges."

"Thank you, ma'am", Beeny said.

"You…you mean that, Judge Hershey?", Sanchez asks.

"I certainly do", she replied, inciting a smile from her lips.

The Chief Judge faces the two Japanese ladies.

"There's still one thing that bothers me, ladies", she says. "Although Gamera & us have wiped out all the Gyaos here in Mega-City One, I fear that there may still be others somewhere out in the world. Their eggs have survived the Atomic Wars, & because of that there's always a chance we've not seen the last of them. We should be prepared for a new appearance by these creatures, even if the possibility should be unlikely."

"We shall inform the other Mega-Cities of the world about the Gyaos & make preparations in case you're right, Chief Judge", said Toshiko. "We'll leave the data of them & Gamera in your capable hands, knowing you'll do right by the information given to you."

"Leave that to us, Toshiko. And I assure you: not one spec of this data will fall into the wrong hands for them to exploit in any fashion."

"Again…domo arigato, Chief Judge", Naoko said as she & her partner bow in greeting as the Chief Judge does the same, making herself & the ladies smile.

"Girls, wait…come back!", said a new voice as everyone looked to find two young girls – one with light tan hair, another with auburn hair – approach the Judges with a pair of women, presumably their mothers, rush up to take them back.

Both wore a heart-shaped necklace – one red, the other green.

"Melanie! Stephanie! You two should know better than to bother the Judges unless it's for reporting a crime!", said one of the women, grabbing the arm of one child.

"That's right!", said the other, doing the same. "They might send you to the Juvie Center for wasting their time!"

"It's all right, ladies", Dredd says, walking to the young girls & kneeling down to face them. "I believe these young ones have something to say, correct?"

The women release their arms as Melanie spoke.

"Yes we do, Judge. We never got the chance to say 'thank you' for saving our lives at the auditorium when those monsters wanted to eat us, so we wanted to do so now."

"We even have a little present to give you & your two partners in gratitude for it", said Stephanie, reaching into her pocket & taking out a trio of candy canes. "Merry Christmas, Judges."

"Right back at you, girls", Dredd says, taking the candy canes. "Remember: stay in school & obey the law. Santa Claus isn't the only one watching you kids."

"Yes sir!", Melanie & Stephanie say in unison with smiles, offering a salute before being kindly escorted away by their parents, who in turn nod their own holiday greetings to the ones that saved their children from a horrible fate only two weeks ago.

As Dredd rose back up, Anderson & Sanchez joined him.

"You were right the other day, Anderson: there are still law-abiding & decent citizens in Mega-City One", Dredd tells the blonde-haired psychic. "It's up to us to make sure they can sleep peacefully at night & get through their day."

"It's what we put on the badge for, Dredd", said Sanchez as Dredd nodded.

The Big Meg's top lawman hands over the candy canes to the female Judges.

"You ladies deserve these more than me", he says as Anderson takes them off his hands & offers two to Sanchez, who gracefully accepts with a grin. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Dredd!", Anderson & Sanchez, enjoying a candy cane each as the latter puts her other one in her pocket for later.

"You ready to hit the streets?"

"Let's ride. I'll lead this time", said Sanchez as they make their way towards their cycles & board them.

They speed off into the morning sun.

'America is an irradiated wasteland. Within it lies a city. Outside the boundary walls, a desert. A Cursed Earth. Inside the walls, a cursed city, stretching from Boston to Washington, D.C.. An unbroken concrete landscape. 800 million people living in the ruin of the old world & the Mega Structures of the new one. Mega Blocks. Mega Highways. Mega-City One. Convulsing. Choking. Breaking under its own weight. Citizens in fear of the street. The gun. The gang. Only one thing fighting for order in the chaos: the men & women of the Hall of Justice. Juries. Executioners. Judges. As one, they fight to keep the cauldron from boiling over. Elsewhere in the world, a danger exists that was once thought to be extinct. Living bio-weapons. Deadly. Ravenous. Able to breed & multiply at a moment's notice. An accident of advanced sciences from centuries past. A Shadow of Evil, capable of plunging the world into anarchy & death if left unchecked. Fortunately for Mega-City One & the world, there exists a powerful force to combat this evil & others just like it. This kind of justice also has a name: A savior. A chelonian champion. A Last Hope. Gamera.'

Somewhere in the world, Gamera's blaring roar can be heard for miles around.

(This story is also dedicated to the loving memory of the more than 100 people killed in the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, France. Our hearts, thoughts & prayers go out to all the surviving families & friends of every victim, & remember: we will NOT give in to these terrorist cowards, & we will NOT live our lives in fear of them. God Bless you all…thank you!)

MEMORIALS:

Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, Officer from Fox Lake, Illinois Shot & Killed on Duty (age not provided)

C.O. Brocato, Longtime NFL Scout for Houston Oilers & Tennessee Titans, 85 (1930-2015)

Dean Jones, Starred in Disney Classics 'That Darn Cat!' & 'The Love Bug', 84 (1931-2015)

Carter Lay, Philanthropist & Grandson of Famed Potato Chip Maker Herman Lay, 44 (1971-2015)

Adrian Cadbury, Corporate Governance Pioneer & Former Chairman of Cadbury Schweppes, 86 (1929-2015)

Leon Gorman, Longtime Chief & Grandson of L.L. Bean Incorporated, 80 (1934-2015)

Chandra Bahadur Dangi, Hailed as the World's Shortest Man, 75 (1939-2015)

Martin Milner, Actor Best Known for 'Route 66' & 'Adam-12' TV Series, 83 (1931-2015)

Jean Darling, Actress of 'Our Gang' Series from 1927-1929, 93 (1922-2015)

Ben Kurobi, Japanese-American World War II Hero, 98 (1917-2015)

Judy Carne, English Actress Best Known as the 'Sock It To Me' Girl in TV's 'Laugh-In', 76 (1939-2015)

Helen Burns Jackson, Mother of Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson, 92 (1923-2015)

Joaquin Andujar, Star Pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1980s, 62 (1952-2015)

Tyler Sash, Former NFL Safety won Super Bowl with New York Giants in 2011 Season, 27 (1988-2015)

Don Griffin, Guitarist for the Miracles & Anita Baker, 60 (1955-2015)

Kool DJ AJ Scratch, Pioneering Hip-Hop Disc Jockey (age not provided)

Keith Miller, Corporal in the United States Marines, 22 (1993-2015)

Willian Grier, Co-Author of Groundbreaking 1968 Book 'Black Rage', 89 (1926-2015)

Dennis Greene, Founding Member of Retro-Rock/Doo-Wop Group Sha Na Na, 66 (1949-2015)

Dickie Moore, Former Child Star Best Known for his Appearances in the 'Our Gang' Comedies, 89 (1925-2015)

Kerry Simon, Former Champion on Food Network's 'Iron Chef America', 60 (1955-2015)

Merv Adelson, Producer of Film & Television whose Lorimar C. Made 'The Waltons' & 'Dallas', 85 (1929-2015)

Moses Malone, Three-Time NBA MVP & Pro Basketball Hall of Famer, 60 (1955-2015)

Einar Ingman, Korean War Veteran who Earned Medal of Honor, 85 (1929-2015)

Ethan Schmidt, History Professor at Texas' Delta State University (age not provided)

Gary Richrath, Longtime Guitarist & Songwriter for REO Speedwagon, 65 (1949-2015)

William Becker, Theater Critic & Financier who Transformed Janus Films, 88 (1927-2015)

Martin 'Kiddie' Kearns, Longtime Drummer for Bolt Thrower Band, 38 (1977-2015)

Carey Gabay, Aide to Governor Cuomo, 43 (1972-2015)

Gabrielle Burton, Feminist Novelist & Screenwriter, 76 (1939-2015)

Frank D. Gilroy, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright, 89 (1925-2015)

Fred DeLuca, Co-Founder of Subway Food Chain, 67 (1947-2015)

Max Beauvoir, Biochemist who Saved Haiti by Becoming its Chief Voodoo Priest, 79 (1936-2015)

Milo Hamilton, Hall of Fame Broadcaster who Called Hank Aaron's Historic 715th Home Run in 1974, 88 (1927-2015)

Joe Morrone, Hall of Fame Soccer Coach who led Connecticut's Team to 1981 National Title, 79 (1935-2015)

Richard Donahue, Presidential Aide who Became Nike President in 1990s, 88 (1927-2015)

Donald Mulvaney, Eclectic Musician who Played for Tony Bennett, Orchestra Luna & Others, 63 (1952-2015)

Norman Farberow, Suicide Prevention Pioneer, 97 (1918-2015)

Thomas Van Wagner, World War II Veteran who Later Helped Alcoholics, 90 (1924-2015)

Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Son of Dubai's Ruler, 33 (1981-2015)

Jackie Collins, Bestselling British American Romance Novelist, 77 (1937-2015)

Alan Purwin, Helicopter Pilot who Performed Stunts in Motion Pictures, 54 (1961-2015)

Todd Ewen, Former NHL Player for the San Jose Sharks, 49 (1966-2015)

Carmen Balcells, Literary Agent in Spanish Literature, 85 (1930-2015)

C.K. Williams, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet, 78 (1936-2015)

Jim Santini, Former Nevada U.S. Representative, 78 (1937-2015)

Willie Mae Seaton, Founder of Legendary New Orleans Restaurant Willie Mae's Scotch House, 99 (1916-2015)

Peggy 'Lady Bo' Malone, the 'Mother of Rock' & Longtime Member of Bo Diddley's Band, 75 (1940-2015)

Jack Larson, Actor Best Known as Jimmy Olsen on TV's 'Adventures of Superman', 87 (1928-2015)

Daniel Thompson, Inventor of Popular Bagel-Making Machine, 94 (1921-2015)

Ben Cauley, Member of Bar-Kays Group & Sole Survivor of 1967 Plane Crash, 67 (1947-2015)

Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame Baseball Legend, 90 (1925-2015)

Edwige Belmore, Legendary Punk Icon of Parisian Nightlife, 58 (1957-2015)

Juan Manuel Gomez Fernandez, Father-In-Law of Actress Ali Landry (age not provided)

Juan Manuel Gomez Monteverde, Brother-In-Law of Actress Ali Landry (age not provided)

Nick Louvel, Filmmaker who Helmed 2005's 'Domino One' with Natalie Portman, 34 (1981-2015)

Ali Salem, Famed Egyptian Satirist, 79 (1936-2015)

Richard G. Scott, Top Mormon Leader, 86 (1928-2015)

Hunter Montgomery, Youngest Son of Country Singer Eddie Montgomery, 19 (1996-2015)

Elizabeth Fink, Lawyer for Inmates in 1971 Attica Prison Riot, 70 (1945-2015)

Arthur Z. Kamin, Longtime Newspaperman & Journalist, 84 (1931-2015)

Jeremy Tarcher, New Age Publisher, 83 (1932-2015)

Everett Parker, Fought Racism on Mississippi's WLBT-TV Station, 102 (1913-2015)

Richard Rainwater, Investor & Philanthropist, 71 (1944-2015)

Sheri Goldhirsch, Nurtured Playwrights, 55 (1960-2015)

Carole Little, Noted Fashion Designer, 80 (1934-2015)

Ignacio Zoco, Former Real Madrid Defensive Midfielder, 76 (1939-2015)

Robert Simon Jr., Created Planned Community in Reston, Virginia, 101 (1914-2015)

Erik Roner, Extreme Sports Athlete & MTV Star, 39 (1976-2015)

John McNeill, Pillar of Gay Theology, 90 (1925-2015)

Walter Dale Miller, Former Governor of South Dakota, 89 (1925-2015)

Catherine Coulson, Actress Best Known as the Log Lady on TV's 'Twin Peaks', 71 (1943-2015)

Frankie Ford, Singer Best Known for 1959 Hit 'Sea Cruise', 76 (1939-2015)

Phil Woods, Jazz Saxophonist who Toured/Recorded with Quincy Jones, Billy Joel & Others, 83 (1931-2015)

Cathriona White, Ex-Girlfriend of Actor/Comedian Jim Carrey, 30

Brian Friel, Tony Award-Winning Irish Playwright, 86 (1929-2015)

Don Edwards, Former United States Representative of California, 100 (1915-2015)

Denis Healey, Former British Treasury Chief & World War II Veteran, 98 (1917-2015)

Wilton Felder, Founding Member of the Crusaders Band, 75 (1940-2015)

John Guillermin, Director of 'The Towering Inferno' & 1976's 'King Kong', 89 (1925-2015)

Henning Mankell, Swedish Writer of Crime Fiction, 67 (1948-2015)

Al Abrams, First Press Officer of Motown Records, 74 (1941-2015)

J. Whyatt Mondesire, Former Philadelphia NAACP President, 65 (1949-2015)

Neal Walk, NBA Played who Rebounded Coast to Coast, 67 (1948-2015)

Kevin Corcoran, Actor Best Known as the Youngest Son in Disney Classic 'Old Yeller', 66 (1949-2015)

Harry Gallatin, Hall of Fame Basketball Player & Seven-Time All-Star Forward, 88 (1927-2015)

Elizabeth Ramsey, Actress, Singer & Comedienne, 83 (1931-2015)

Chantal Akerman, Belgian Avant-Garde Filmmaker, 65 (1950-2015)

Grace Lee Boggs, Acclaimed Writer & Civil Rights Activist, 100 (1915-2015)

Paul Prudhomme, Celebrity Chef of K-Paul's Fame in New Orleans, 75 (1940-2015)

Lindy Infante, Former NFL Coach for Green Bay, Indianapolis & Jacksonville, 75 (1940-2015)

Billy Joe Royal, Singer Best Known for 1960s Hit 'Down in the Boondocks', 73 (1942-2015)

Gail Zappa, Widow of Music Legend Frank Zappa, 70 (1945-2015)

Shane McFarlane, Radio Host of Perth, WA's MIX 94.5 Station, 53 (1962-2015)

Rich Davis, Inventor of KC Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce, 89 (1926-2015)

Koopsta Knicca, Rapper & Former Member of Three 6 Mafia Group, 40 (1975-2015)

Jerry Parr, Secret Service Agent Credited for Saving President Reagan's Life, 85 (1930-2015)

Dave Meyers, UCLA Basketball Star who Also Played for Milwaukee Bucks, 62 (1953-2015)

Dean Chance, Cy Young-Winning Pitcher who Palled Around with Frank Sinatra, 74 (1941-2015)

Geoffrey Howe, Former British Treasury Chief, 88 (1926-2015)

Larry Rosen, Influential Jazz Producer who Co-Founded GRP Records, 75 (1940-2015)

Carey Lander, Keyboardist for the Scottish Indie Pop Band Camera Obscura, 33 (1982-2015)

Gertrude Woodard Taylor, Mother of Grammy-Winning Singer-Songwriter James Taylor, 92 (1922-2015)

Steve Mackay, Sax Player for the Stooges, 66 (1949-2015)

Ed O'Brien, Longtime News Anchor for WRGB TV Station, 59 (1956-2015)

Sybil Bailey Stockdale, Navy Wife who Fought for POWs in Vietnam, 90 (1924-2015)

Sam Adams, Former New England Patriots Offensive Lineman, 67 (1948-2015)

Jamie Zimmerman, Physician & Reporter for ABC News, 31 (1984-2015)

Ken Taylor, Canadian Envoy who Hid Americans During 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis, 81 (1934-2015)

Sue Lloyd-Roberts, BBC Journalist, 64 (1950-2015)

Joan Leslie, Actress Best Known for 'Sergeant York' & 'Yankee Doodle Dandy', 90 (1925-2015)

Mathieu Kerekou, Former President of Benin, 82 (1933-2015)

Mikhail Burtsev, Russian Gold Medal-Winning Olympic Fencer in 1976 & 1980, 59 (1956-2015)

Richard Walters, Leader Behind Aid-In-Dying Law, 90 (1925-2015)

George Mueller, NASA Engineer who Helped in Historic 1969 Moon Landing, 97 (1918-2015)

Macel Falwell, Widow of the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., 82 (1933-2015)

Howard Kendall, English Football Manager of Championship Everton Teams, 69 (1946-2015)

Pat Woodell, Actress Best Known for 1960s Sitcom 'Petticoat Junction', 71 (1944-2015)

Bruce Hyde, Actor Best Known as Lt. Kevin Riley in Original 'Star Trek' TV Series, 74 (1941-2015)

Cory Wells, Founding Member & Vocalist of 1970s Band Three Dog Night, 74 (1941-2015)

Gamal el-Ghitani, Famed Egyptian Novelist & Journalist, 70 (1945-2015)

Robert M. White, Meteorologist who Served Under Five U.S. Presidents, 92 (1923-2015)

John Irwin, Longtime Advocate for Irish-American Affairs, 84 (1931-2015)

Skip Yowell, Co-Founder of JanSport Backpack Company, 69 (1946-2015)

E. Virgil Conway, Former Chairman of the MTA, 85 (1930-2015)

Eugene Higgins, Ad Executive for Newsday & World War II Veteran, 94 (1924-2015)

Mark Murphy, Grammy Award-Winning Legendary Jazz Vocalist, 83 (1932-2015)

Michael Stevens, Oscar-Winning Filmmaker, 48 (1966-2015)

Marty Ingels, Actor, Talent Agent, Comedian & Husband to Actress Shirley Jones, 79 (1936-2015)

Dr. Arnold Klein, Dermatologist to the Stars, Including Michael Jackson, 70 (1945-2015)

Thomas Stemberg, Founder of Office Supply Superstore Staples, 66 (1949-2015)

Maureen O'Hara, Iconic Film Actress of 'Miracle On 34th Street', 'The Quiet Man' & Others, 95 (1920-2015)

Jake Bailey, Makeup Artist for Celebrities Including Katy Perry & Mariah Carey, 37 (1978-2015)

John Jennings, Music Producer who Helped Launch Mary Chapin Carpenter's Career, 61 (1953-2015)

Flip Saunders, Head Coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, 60 (1955-2015)

Dick Maugg, Actor Best Known for his Role in 1980s Bartles & Jaymes Wine Coolers Ads, 83 (1931-2015)

Jerome Kass, Wrote Screenplay for 'Queen of the Stardust Ballroom', 78 (1937-2015)

Ed Walker, One-Half of Washington's 'Joy Boys' Comedy Team DJs, 83 (1932-2015)

Ralph Richeson, Actor who Played Richardson in HBO Series 'Deadwood', 63 (1952-2015)

Scott Marshall, Season Four Winner of Spike TV's 'Ink Master' Show, 41 (1974-2015)

Sam Sarpong, Supermodel & Former Host of MTV's 'Yo Momma' Show, 40 (1975-2015)

Diane Charlemagne, Legendary Vocalist who Sang on Goldie's Hit 'Inner City Life', 51 (1964-2015)

Peter Dougherty, Co-Creator of 'Yo! MTV Raps' Program, 59 (1955-2015)

James Reynolds, Father of Actor Ryan Reynolds, 74 (1941-2015)

Robert Weis, Supermarket Magnate, 96 (1919-2015)

Fred Sands, Real Estate Magnate & Icon, 77 (1938-2015)

Juanita Moore, Daughter of Civil Rights Martyrs Harry & Harriette Moore, 85 (1930-2015)

Mel Daniels, Hall of Fame Basketball Player for Indiana Pacers, 71 (1944-2015)

Al Molinaro, Actor Best Known as Diner Owner Al Delvecchio on TV's 'Happy Days', 96 (1919-2015)

Luther Burden, Former Basketball Guard for New York Knicks, 62 (

Walter Graf, Cardiologist who Helped Develop Modern-Day Paramedic Emergency System, 98 (1917-2015)

Alvin Bronstein, Civil Rights Lawyer, 87 (1928-2015)

Fred Dalton Thompson, Actor & Former U.S. Senator, 73 (1942-2015)

Guenter Schabowski, Politician who Hastened Collapse of Berlin Wall in 1989, 86 (1929-2015)

Gregg Palmer, Actor who Appeared in Films & Many TV Westerns, 88 (1927-2015)

Thomas Blatt, Survivor of Nazi Death Camp of Sobibor in 1943, 88 (1927-2015)

Colin Welland, Academy Award-Winning English Screenwriter of 'Chariots of Fire', 81 (1934-2015)

Gus Savage, Former Congressman of Chicago, 90 (1925-2015)

Mike Hammond, Co-Founded Computer Maker Gateway, 53 (1961-2015)

Charles Herbert, Former Child Actor with Roles in 1958's 'The Fly' & 1960's '13 Ghosts', 66 (1948-2015)

Adriana Campos, Popular Colombian Telenovela Actress, 36 (1979-2015)

Carlos Rincon, Husband of Actress Adriana Campos (age not provided)

Matsuki Miyu, Japanese Voice Actress of Anime & Video Games, 38 (1977-2015)

Vera B. Williams, Noted Children's Author, 88 (1927-2015)

Howard Coble, Longest-Serving GOP U.S. House Member in North Carolina, 84 (1931-2015)

Johnny Fratto, Frequent Guest on Howard Stern's Radio Program, 61 (1954-2015)

Mark Dondero, World War II Veteran, 89 (1926-2015)

Melissa Mathison, Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter of 1982's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial', 65 (1950-2015)

George Barris, Creator of Television's Original Batmobile in 1966, 89 (1925-2015)

Yitzhak Navon, Israel's Fifth President, 94 (1921-2015)

Marci Simms, Lieutenant in NYPD & 9/11 Responder, 51 (1964-2015)

Dorothy Coble Helms, Wife of the Late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, 96 (1919-2015)

Ernst Fuchs, Austrian Artist Best Known for his Vivid Paintings, 85 (1930-2015)

Mike Davies, Tennis Player who Increased its Popularity, 79 (1936-2015)

Gunnar Hansen, Actor Best Known for Playing Iconic Horror Movie Villain Leatherface, 68 (1947-2015)

Brandon Carlisle, Drummer for Punk Band Teenage Bottlerocket, 37 (1978-2015)

George Franklin Henry, Brooklyn Tuskegee Airman who Joined FDNY after World War II, 95 (1920-2015)

Charlie Dick, Widow of Country Music Legend Patsy Cline, 81 (1934-2015)

Fred McNeill, Former NFL Linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, 63 (1952-2015)

Leo P. Kadanoff, Theoretical Physicist, 78 (1937-2015)

Daniel Fleetwood, Die-Hard 'Star Wars' Fan Diagnosed with Cancer, 32 (1983-2015)

Helmut Schmidt, Former Chancellor of Germany, 96 (1918-2015)

Tommy Hanson, Former MLB Pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, 29 (1986-2015)

Allen Toussaint, Songwriter, Producer, Pianist & Performer, 77 (1938-2015)

Andy White, Drummer who Played on the Beatles' 1st Single 'Love Me Do', 85 (1930-2015)

Phil Taylor, Former Drummer for British Heavy Metal Band Motorhead, 61 (1954-2015)

Nathaniel Marston, Actor & Former Star of Soap Opera 'One Life To Live', 40 (1975-2015)

Arthur Cave, Son of Legendary Rocker Nick Cave, 15 (2000-2015)

Carol Doda, Iconic Stripper from San Francisco who Popularized Topless Entertainment, 78 (1937-2015)

Delores Rhoads, Mother of Legendary Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Randy Rhoads, 95 (1920-2015)

Betsy Drake, Actress & Third Wife of Actor Cary Grant, 92 (1923-2015)

Pat Fallon, Co-Founder of Minneapolis Ad Agency, 70 (1945-2015)

Bruce Dayton, Former Exec of Target & Father of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, 97 (1917-2015)

Jack Yufe, One Half of Jew-Nazi Brothers Separated During World War II, 82 (1933-2015)

Jacqueline A. Berrien, Civil Rights Lawyer & Executive at NAACP, 53 (1961-2015)

Warren Mitchell, English Actor Best Known as Alf Garnett in 'Till Death Us Do Part', 89 (1926-2015)

Nick Bockwinkel, Legendary WWE Hall of Famer, 80 (1934-2015)

Vincent 'Don Vito' Margera, 'Jackass' Star & Uncle of Bam Margera, 59 (1956-2015)

Moira Orfei, the Queen of Italian Circus, 83 (1931-2015)

Saeed Jaffrey, Acclaimed Indian Actor Known for 'Gandhi' & Others, 86 (1929-2015)

P.F. Sloan, Songwriter who Wrote Hits Like 'Eve of Destruction', 70 (1945-2015)

Betty Ann Grove, Actress, Singer & Dancer on Broadway & TV, 86 (1929-2015)

Dora Doll, German-Born French Film & TV Actress, 93 (1922-2015)

Jonah Lomu, Legendary New Zealand Rugby Player, 40 (1975-2015)

Robert Craft, Wrote Books on Composer Igor Stravinsky, 92 (1923-2015)

George Genovese, Former Baseball Scout, Manager & Shortstop, 93 (1922-2015)

Michael Gross, Creator of Iconic 'Ghostbusters' Logo, 70 (1945-2015)

Hank Williams, Black Tech Executive & Diversity Advocate, 50 (1965-2015)

Bert Olmstead, Hall of Fame NHL Hockey Player, 89 (1926-2015)

Milton Crenchaw, One of the Last Original Tuskegee Airmen Instructors, 96 (1919-2015)

Norm Ellenberger, Basketball Coach from New Mexico, 83 (1932-2015)

Nicoletta Machiavelli, Italian Film Actress, 71 (1944-2015)

Aaron Shikler, Painted Portraits of President John F. Kennedy, 93 (1922-2015)

Mal Whitfield, Tuskegee Airman who Won Three Olympic Gold Medals, 91 (1924-2015)

Ramona Jones, Fiddler on TV's Hee-Haw' & Widow of Program's Grandpa Jones, 91 (1924-2015)

Bernard Spitz, Civil Engineer, 82 (1933-2015)

John Zuccotti, Developer & Former Deputy Mayor of NYC, 78 (1937-2015)

Kim Young-sam, Former President of South Korea, 87 (1927-2015)

Cynthia Payne, British Madam & Brothel Keeper, 82 (1932-2015)

Derrick Gilbert, Writer & Performer, 45 (1970-2015)

Bob Foster, Former Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion, 76 (1938-2015)

Douglass North, Nobel Prize-Winning Economist, 95 (1920-2015)

Stephen Birmingham, Author of Non-Fiction Books, 86 (1929-2015)

Allan Wallach, Longtime Theater Critic for Newsday, 88 (1927-2015)

David Canary, Actor Best Known for TV's 'Bonanza' & 'All My Children', 77 (1938-2015)

John A, Knauss, Noted Meteorologist & Oceanographer, 90 (1925-2015)

Cynthia Robinson, Co-Founding Member of Sly & the Family Stone, 69 (1946-2015)

Guy V. Lewis, Influential Basketball Coach, 92 (1922-2015)

Setsuko Hara, Noted Japanese Actress, 95 (1920-2015)

Ken Johnson, Only Pitcher to Lose Nine-Inning No-Hitter, 82 (1933-2015)

James C. McKay, Independent Counsel During the Ronald Reagan Era, 98 (1917-2015)

Merton Roland Nachman, Prominent Montgomery Lawyer, 91 (1924-2015)

Olene Walker, Only Female Governor of Utah, 85 (1930-2015)

Maurice Strong, First Chief of UN Environment Program, 86 (1929-2015)

Richard Russell, Politician & Publisher of Dow Theory Letters, 91 (1924-2015)

Robert Shushan, Pioneer in Helping the Disabled, 86 (1929-2015)

Luc Bondy, Director of Opera, Theater & Film, 67 (1948-2015)

Eldar Ryazanov, Russian Filmmaker, 88 (1927-2015)

Greg Fisk, Mayor of Juneau, Alaska, 70 (1945-2015)

Joshua Shintani, Actor Best Remembered for 2001 Comedy 'Shallow Hal', 32 (-2015)

Shigeru Mizuki, Japanese Manga Master, 93 (1922-2015)

John Ciarcia, Actor Best Known for Playing Toughies Including HBO's 'The Sopranos', 75 (1940-2015)

Chuck Williams, Founder of High-End Home Goods Empire Williams-Sonoma, 100 (1915-2015)

Sandy Berger, Former National Security Adviser, 70 (1945-2015)

Phila Hach, Culinary Pioneer & Early Television Cook, 89 (1926-2015)

William McIlvanney, Scottish Novelist, 79 (1936-2015)

Joseph F. Engelberger, Pioneer in Robotics, 90 (1925-2015)

Scott Weiland, Frontman of Grunge Band Stone Temple Pilots, 48 (1967-2015)

Chris Carney, MTV Reality Star & Musician, 35 (1980-2015)

Robert Loggia, Oscar-Nominated Actor, 85 (1930-2015)

Tibor Rubin, Holocaust Survivor & Medal of Honor Recipient, 86 (1929-2015)

Timothy Seldes, Literary Editor-Agent, 88 (1927-2015)

Jim Loscutoff, Boston Celtics Legend, 85 (1930-2015)

Holly Woodlawn, Cult Transgender Hollywood Actress, 69 (1946-2015)

Martin E. Brooks, Actor Best Known Dr. Rudy Wells in 'The Six Million Dollar Man', 90 (1925-2015)

Robert Urban, Father of Country Music Star Keith Urban (age not provided)

Shirley Stelfox, Actress Best Known as Edna Birch in British Soap Opera 'Emmerdale', 74 (1941-2015)

Marque Lynche, 'American Idol' Alum & Former 'Mickey Mouse Club' Star, 34 (1981-2015)

Sid Phillips, World War II Veteran, 91 (1924-2015)

George T. Sakato, World War II Veteran & Medal of Honor Winner, 94 (1921-2015)

Nicholas Smith, Actor Best Known for British TV Sitcom 'Are You Being Served?', 81 (1934-2015)

John Trudell, Poet, Singer & Activist for American Indian Rights, 69 (1946-2015)

Doug Tompkins, Co-Founder of the North Face & Esprit Clothing Companies, 72 (1943-2015)

Steve Shagan, Novelist, Producer & Screenwriter of 1973 Film 'Save the Tiger', 88 (1927-2015)

Dolph Schayes, NBA Hall of Famer, 87 (1927-2015)

Michael Cavallari, Brother of Reality TV Star Kristin Cavallari, 30 (1985-2015)

Bonnie Lou, Country Singer & Pioneering Crossover Rock Artist, 91 (1924-2015)

John Williams, Popular & Beloved Player for NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, 53 (1962-2015)

Henry Rowan, Philanthropist & Engineer, 92 (1923-2015)

Will MacMillan, Actor Known for 1973's 'The Crazies' & TV's 'General Hospital', 71 (1944-2015)

Nikolay Belyaev, Last Surviving Soviet WWII Hero to Storm the Reichstag, 93 (1922-2015)

Akiyuki Nosaka, Famed Japanese Novelist, Singer, Lyricist & Actor, 85 (1930-2015)

Deborah Visser, Community Planning Adviser, 66 (1949-2015)

Mariuccia Mandelli, Italian Fashion Designer, 90 (1925-2015)

Kenneth Carr, Chairman of the NRC & Retired Navy Vice Admiral, 90 (1925-2015)

Amir D. Aczel, Mathematician & Bestselling Author, 65 (1950-2015)

Marjorie Lord, Actress Best Known for TV Sitcom 'Make Room for Daddy', 97 (1918-2015)

Rose Siggins, Actress Best Known for FX's 'American Horror Story: Freak Show', 43 (1972-2015)

John Dineen, Fiance of 'Downtown Abbey' Star Michelle Dockery, 34 (1981-2015)

Mattiwilda Dobbs, Pioneering African-American Soprano, 90 (1925-2015)

Phil Pepe, Longtime Baseball Journalist, 80 (1935-2015)

Hallock W. Culver, World War II Veteran whose Rescue Inspired 1953 Film 'Island in the Sky', 93 (1921-2015)

Lillian Vernon, Founder of Mail-Order Catalog Business, 88 (1927-2015)

John 'Bill' Hosie, Army Air Corps Veteran & Physics Teacher, 91 (1924-2015)

LaBreeska Hemphill, Gospel Singer & Co-Founder of Family Group the Hemphills, 75 (1940-2015)

John Joseph Dee, Navy Veteran, NYPD Officer & High School, Football Coach, 73 (1942-2015)

Doug Willis, Correspondent for the Associated Press, 77 (1938-2015)

Terry Backer, Longtime Stratford Lawmaker, 61 (1954-2015)

Ales Vesely, Czech Artist Known for his Monumental Sculptures, 80 (1935-2015)

Kurt Masur, NY Philharmonic Conductor & East German Activist, 88 (1927-2015)

Ozell Sutton, Civil Rights Activist who Marched Alongside Martin Luther King Jr., 90 (1925-2015)

Walter Leonard, Affirmative Action Pioneer, 86 (1929-2015)

Jeremy Carter, Grandson of Former President Jimmy Carter, 28 (1987-2015)

Patricia Elliot, Tony Award-Winning Actress & Television Soap Star, 77 (1938-2015)

Angela McEwan, Character Actress in 2013's 'Nebraska', 81 (1934-2015)

Brooke McCarter, Model & Actor who Starred in 1987's 'The Lost Boys', 52 (1963-2015)

Harold Anderson, Former Omaha World-Herald Publisher, 92 (1923-2015)

Dickie Moore, NHL Hall of Famer, 83 (1931-2015)

Peggy Say, Voice for Hostages in Lebanon, 74 (1941-2015)

Charles Hoppe, Former President of LIRR, 80 (1935-2015)

Robert Hayling, Civil Rights Activist, 86 (1929-2015)

Kei Taniguchi, Noted Japanese Mountaineer, 43 (1972-2015)

George Clayton Johnson, Legendary Author of Science-Fiction, 86 (1929-2015)

William Guest, Member of R&B Group Gladys Knight & the Pips, 74 (1941-2015)

Haskell Wexler, Oscar-Winning Cinematographer & Documentary Filmmaker, 93 (1922-2015)

Dave Henderson, Former Major League Outfielder, 57 (1958-2015)

Stevie Wright, Australian Rock Legend & Lead Singer of the Easybeats, 68 (1947-2015)

Emanuel Yarbrough, UFC 3 Competitor, 51 (1964-2015)

Ellsworth Kelly, Prominent Painter Known for Brightly Colored Abstract Art, 92 (1923-2015)

Joe Strauss, Sports Columnist, 54 (1961-2015)

Ian Fraser 'Lemmy' Kilmister, Frontman for Heavy Metal Band Motorhead, 70 (1945-2015)

Jim O'Toole, Star Pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, 78 (1937-2015)

Meadowlark Lemon, Longtime Harlem Globetrotter Known for Half-Court Hook Shots, 83 (1932-2015)

Elaine Riley, Actress in 1940s & 1950s Movies & TV Westerns, 98 (1917-2015)

Ian Murdock, Founder of Debian Linux Operating System, 42 (1973-2015)

Guru Josh, Rave Icon who Had Big Hit in 1989 with 'Infinity', 51 (1964-2015)

Frank Malzone, Boston Red Sox All-Star, 85 (1930-2015)

John Bradbury, Drummer for Music Band the Specials, 62 (1953-2015)

Kim Yang Gon, North Korean Official, 73 (1942-2015)

Doug Atkins, Football Hall of Famer, 85 (1930-2015)

James McCready, Controversial Cop in 1988 Tankleff Case, 68 (1947-2015)

Doris C. Halaby, Mother of Queen Noor of Jordan, 97 (1918-2015)

Ruby Cavanaugh, Inspiration for Ruby's Diners Restaurant Chain, 93 (1922-2015)

Robert O. Blake, Former U.S. Ambassador, 94 (1921-2015)

Stein Eriksen, Gold Medalist Olympic Skier, 88 (1927-2015)

Jason Wingreen, Actor & Voice of Boba Fett in 1980's 'The Empire Strikes Back', 95 (1920-2015)

Riley Martin, Radio Host & Regular Guest on 'The Howard Stern Show', 69 (1946-2015)

Billie Allen, One of 1st African-Americans to Appear in TV Ads, 90 (1925-2015)

Wayne Rogers, Actor Best Known as Trapper John McIntyre on TV's 'M.A.S.H.', 82 (1933-2015)

Howard Davis Jr., Gold Medal-Winning Olympic Boxer from Long Island, 59 (1956-2015)

Patricia Monahan, Personal Assistant to Dynamite Entertainment's President, 63 (1952-2015)

Natalie Cole, Grammy-Winning Singer & Daughter of Legendary Artist Nat King Cole, 65 (1950-2015)