This next chapter is very special to me, because Wolf's jailbreak's based on my very first Star Wolf story idea…..
I hope you enjoy as much as I first did. (of course, it's all a lot more epic scene in my head…)
Chapter 3: Lylat's Biggest Breakout
Denique Fatum Penitentiary, 5 ALW
Thomas was still gaping in horror at the sight of the Warden's strangled body at Wolf's feet.
He was trembling all over, his heart racing, his blood running to a chilling halt. It was his first time seeing someone die before his eyes-and he wasn't taking his new experience well at all.
He…..he killed him….
With just his hands? No…..just one hand…..
How strong is he?
He had the nightmarish hunch that he was next.
He'll kill me, too…..no witnesses…..that's what I know about Star Wolf…
Maybe…..I can press the alarm on the button panel….
But I have to be quiet…..
I don't think he remembers that I'm here….
Thomas inched his body straight and slowly reached for the button….
SNAP.
Thomas froze in fear, as the echo of his foot slipping vibrated in the massive, dark cell.
Wolf's head swung around to Thomas's direction, his eye narrowed.
Thomas gasped. "Oh, crap-" He struggled up and dashed his gaze to the set of controls. One of them had to be the alarm switch.
SHE-TATERERER!
Thomas screamed as the yellow-glass shards shattered as Wolf hurled through the window.
Wolf landed with a SLAM! onto the floor, the glass shards caressing off his body. Raising his head, he darted his eye to Thomas.
Thomas skidded back against the floor, fearfully moving away from Wolf. Desperately, he raised his hands to the controls in a feeble attempt to press the controls.
SMACK!
With blazing speed, Wolf grabbed Thomas's arm, knocking him onto his back on the floor. Wolf shoved the boy back and pushed the arm back like a lever until there was a SNERR-APP!
"Argh!" Thomas screamed as the impact of Wolf's muscled grip smashed his arm back, making his forearm jolt with a searing stretch of pain. His brain went numb, and suddenly he became dazed.
"My arm!" He yelled. "You broke my-"
SLEEM!
Wolf dragged Thomas up against the wall by his collar.
Thomas looked down into Wolf's seemingly merciless face. He was trembling under the intense grip.
"What's the year?" Wolf barked in an impatient tone.
"Wh-What?" Thomas squeaked.
"TELL ME NOW!" Wolf snarled. "What is the year? How many years have passed since the Lylat Wars?"
"5 ALW." Thomas whimpered.
Wolf looked away, his face shadowy and distressed, as if he had just realized something horrible.
Thomas waited for a response. "Umm…?"
"Five years," Wolf said quietly. The resentment in his voice was clear. "I've been in prison for five years. So much must've changed by now."
He turned his gaze to Thomas. "What button did you press?"
"N-Nothing. I swear…!"
"Don't lie to me, kid…" Wolf's grip tightened around Thomas's collar.
"Don't kill me! Please!" Thomas begged.
"I won't. But from here on, you do as I say. And if you even think…"He pointed a claw at him. "…of trying to getting back-up to capture me, then you'll end up like your precious Warden. Understood?" He released the young Tomcat.
Thomas nodded fearfully.
Wolf looked up at the vertical tunnel above his cell.
The doors are open…
It's my way out!
I've waited so long for this chance…
To escape…
Meanwhile, Thomas moaned, massaging his broken arm.
Wolf turned to the young cat. "Stop whining over it, kid. You won't die."
"Why the hell did you need to break it?" Thomas cried. He's such a tyrant! I can't believe I felt sorry for him!
"I couldn't risk you making another move at the alarm switch. I've waited five years for the chance to escape-I can't risk anything. Not even your life."
Thomas gulped. I have to be careful….If I do anything suspicious, he's sure to kill me….
Wolf took another look at the tunnel leading to the exit. Wasting no time, he pulled the blaster and ID Holocard from the Warden's body.
He regarded Thomas. "How much do you weigh, kid?"
Thomas looked up. "What?"
Wolf rolled his eyes. "It's a simple question, you idiot. How much do you weigh?"
"Um….I don't know." Thomas shrugged his good arm. "Why?"
Wolf glanced at the vertical tunnel. "You'll see."
Meanwhile, in Central Security Wing (Top of the Security Tower)
The security wing of the entire prison was composed mostly of computer panels and people behind them. There were a total of twenty people on each floor, but on the top floor there were ten surrounding a large computer panel.
"Sir, we're not picking up any contact on the Warden's position."
The Lead Analyst, a stocky brown boar with sawed-tusks, glanced at the Computer Worker (an orange and black speckled gecko). "What do you mean? He hasn't reported back up?"
"No, sir. But we're picking up a movement reading."
"What kind of movement?" The Analyst said sharply.
"Rapid. And moving up the tunnel entrance."
"Switch to the surveillance camera."
The screen fuzzed up until it displayed an infrared scan of the cell. The only readings were some discarded broken chains, and a mangled Boxer carcass in Officer's uniform.
The Computer Worker's eyes widened. "Oh God!"
"HE'S OUT!" The Analyst cursed. "That Star Wolf guy…..he's escaped!"
The Computer Worker tapped the touch-screen keyboard button's frantically. "I'll sound the alarm. He won't get far-"
"No!" The Boar stopped him. "The last thing we need is the entire Corneria Weapons And Tactics Team scouring this place. They'll shut us down for good if they find out anything about the prisoners' conditions."
"What do we do then, sir?"
"He's still moving up the Tunnel. We need to shut the doors. All of them. Block his way out."
The Gecko nodded and returned to his work.
The Boar turned to the scanner. "I wonder how he got the elevator to work. That requires a code…"
The Gecko looked up from his work. "Sir…..the movement detection didn't have an elevator signal turn up on our radar."
"What?" The Boar's jaw dropped. "But-then how the hell is he moving up the tunnel?"
Meanwhile, Back in Wolf's Cell Tunnel….
TAP! TAP! TAP!
The sound of Wolf's feet grazing the surface of the tunnel's wall vibrated the air waves of the cell.
Thomas kept his eyes shut. "This is insane….this is really insane…."
Wolf kept on moving. "Just keep quiet. And don't look down."
The amazing thing was that they were hundreds of feet up the wall of the tunnel above Wolf's cell. Using just his claws and agility skills, Wolf managed to climb up hundreds of feet on the wall, except he was running. It was as if he was on all fours, running like a wild canine up the wall. And every time he lost balance, Wolf would leap on all fours onto the opposite wall of the tunnel, sinking his claws into the balance of his climb.
I've been waiting for this chance for too long…..it's a good thing they kept me fit….otherwise I'd be too out of shape to attempt something like this…
SCRUNCH!
Wolf felt rubble wash over his claws from the rocky wall. Realizing the weakening wall, Wolf stomped both feet on the wall and pounced onto the opposite wall.
CRUNCH! His claws cracked the wall as he continued his rapid climb.
What Thomas couldn't figure out was how Wolf could go this fast….he guessed that his primitive instincts as a Canus lupus must be giving him these kind of reflexes. But he was carrying Thomas….while climbing….
But that's probably why the young cat had his eyes shut. Famous pilot scourge or not, Thomas feared that Wolf was still would lose his grip and they'd both topple off to their deaths.
SCRUNCH!
After the billionth leap (or at least as far as Thomas could count), Wolf crawled up the wall-but then paused, his claws still in the wall.
Thomas opened his eyes. "What is it?"
"Shh! Quiet!" Wolf's ears pricked. His eye followed a slow and somewhat quaky sound…..which was coming from the bottom of the tunnel.
Wolf looked down. What the hell….?
At the bottom of the cell, a sliding vertical door creeped out of the wall….and the one above it….and the next…
Wolf's blood ran cold.
Dammit…..they're closing the doors!
Thomas looked at the opposite wall. "Oh SHIT!"
The door on their level opened out, its steel titanium edge approaching steadily.
Thomas shook on Wolf's back. "Quick! We gotta get to the top! NOW!"
"We won't make it in time," Wolf said in a horribly calm voice.
Thomas gaped. "What you mean we won't make it? Move!"
"Shut up. I need to think." Wolf glanced at the ceiling. Those doors at the top would close up eventually too….
Thomas yelled. "That door's gonna crush us flat! Are you deaf?"
Wolf looked down. Then, with a swift move, he ripped the grappling chord from Thomas's issued military tool belt. He fired it to the bottom, lashing out an object before the door over the cell shut.
ZZZZP!
The chord whipped back, the doors closing behind it….
Come on…. Wolf thought.
Thomas braced to see what object Wolf had pulled from the bottom of the cell.
ZZZZP! The chord finally went back into Wolf's hand like a tape-measure, handing him the large bulky object he had withdrawn from the cell.
It was the Warden's carcass.
Wolf grabbed the body and darted up the wall.
CLANG!
The door behind them closed with a vibrating crash.
Wolf kept running up the wall, somersaulting to the opposite side every time a door closed behind him.
CLANG!
Wolf's foot slid out of the way just as the next door slammed behind him….
CLANG!
Wolf brushed his jagged tail away from the next door's way just in time….
CLANG!
Wolf looked up: Now those doors were closing.
SHIT! Wolf cursed to himself.
The walls were closing up from the bottom as well as the top.
Thomas shut his eyes. "We're gonna die….we are so gonna die…." He whimpered.
"SHUT UP!" Wolf snarled.
He looked up and down…..Now would be his only chance….
Sweat dripped down his brow…..the tension of the situation was bringing his perseverance down….
He was trapped like an cornered beast.
I have to try it…..as insane as it sounds…
CREAK…
The door opposite of them was sliding out.
TRCHH!
Wolf tossed the carcass into the air and slammed his fist upwards into it, purple flames glinting momentarily on his arm.
The body flew up the tunnel, flying upwards from the impact of the punch.
CREAK!
The door was sliding rapidly towards them, preparing to crush their bodies under its massive weight…
Wolf shut his eyes and grinded his teeth….the door was about a foot away….
CLANG!
The door was about an inch away from Wolf's face when he heard a sickening combined sound of a crunch of a body and the clamor of metal.
Thomas popped one eye open. I'm…..I'm alive! We didn't die!
But….how….?
He looked up.
A few levels up, one of the massive horizontal doors had slammed against the wall….. but something was blocking it….
Like a cork stopping the pressure of a bottle, the Warden's helmeted skull was sticking between the massive door and the wall.
"Impossible…" Thomas breathed.
The door riveted, malfunctioning as it vibrated backwards, white electric bolts shooting up and down the metal.
BRZZZZ!
All the doors did the same and eventually burned out. They withdrew back into their slots…..
The biggest door withdrew last, at the top of the tunnel. Slayter's body was released, and fell down the tunnel with an echoing Clump!
The tunnel was empty. And the skylight at the top shown with the moonlight under the night sky….
Wolf breathed out. Finally…..the way out….
I can't count how many times I wished I could've seen the moon again….
Down there, in that dark, damp, underground cell….
…without any light….
Wolf slowly clambered out of the tunnel, hauling Thomas on his back.
The hole at the top of the tunnel opened up to the Main Yard.
Clunk!
Carelessly, Wolf dropped Thomas with a clatter. Thomas cringed back, gingerly rubbing his arm. Despite the fact that Wolf had "rescued" him, he still was responsible for his broken arm. That meant he was dangerous….and worse, unpredictable.
Wolf walked forwards and looked at the sky. He breathed in the cold night air, drinking in the moonlight.
Fresh air…..light…..
….freedom….
I've been waiting for that taste for five years…..and now I finally have it…..
I'm free…..no shackles….no boundaries…
Just me….and every danger in the galax.y….
He smiled to himself. What more could a man need?
Thomas watched Wolf's attention drift off. Well…..now that he's here…. He doesn't really need me anymore….
Maybe I'll just…
He rose slowly. Maybe he won't notice if I just….leave….
He turned and tip-toed in the opposite direction-
CLAP. Thomas's heart stop as a strong-clawed, steel-willed hand grasped onto his shoulder.
"Going somewhere?" Wolf hinted dangerously.
"Just let me go!" Thomas pleaded. "Please- just don't hurt me anymore!"
Wolf growled. "I wish you'd finally stop whining about that arm of yours! I walked the entire deserted Fichina Battleground with three of my limbs broken. I think you can handle walking to the elevator with one! So shut up, and take it like a man!"
Thomas gulped.
Damn…. Wolf thought. He reminds me of Fox…
Wolf shook his head. "Now keep quiet… otherwise we'll attract attention. Don't move, speak, breathe, step or even think unless I say. Understand?"
Thomas nodded.
Wolf released him and took another look around.
"Thank you," Thomas managed. "….for saving me, I mean. For not leaving me down there…"
"If you think I saved anything worth mentioning, then you're an even stupider than you look." Wolf cut in with a disapproving tone. "The only reason I didn't leave you to rot with that Warden of yours is because I have other uses for you."
"Uses?" Thomas yelped. "What kind of uses?"
"Whatever I say," Wolf finished. "One way or another, kit, your job at this jail ends tonight."
5 minutes later, up on the Central Security Bridge
The Boar scanned the screen. "No life signs. The cell is completely empty of any life signs."
"That must mean he died on the way up," the Gecko nodded.
"Good. The last thing this place needs is a break-out."
"What about that new kid? The Tomcat?"
"Let's just hope he's still alive. If he's dead, then there's gonna be too much paperwork for this prison to fill out."
"Hey, look at this!"
The Boar turned to see a Dalmatian at the surveillance camera screen.
The screen blared blue, depicting a young Tomcat being strangled by a tall muscular wolf.
The Boar yelled. "It's him! He's out!"
The elevator on their level opened up, and Wolf strolled inside, an arm escorting Thomas by the neck.
"Grab the guns! We need to take him down while he's unarmed!"
Someone pulled some M-16 Army Blaster Rifles from under a table and tossed them to the other eight people.
"Keep your sights on him! Load the Rifles, now!"
Wolf tightened his grip around Thomas's neck. "Drop the guns, you scum. Drop them, or I'll break his neck."
The Gecko loaded his Rifle and aimed at Wolf. "Let the kid go, O'Donnell, or we'll blast your freakin' body back into your cell!"
Wolf gave a cold and merciless stare. "I'll kill him if you don't cooperate…..now DROP THEM!" He snarled furiously.
Thomas gasped under Wolf's clawed grip. "Please! Don't let him kill me! He's already broken my arm!" He lifted his mangled limb.
Just like we rehearsed… Wolf thought.
"It's a trick, boys," The Boar decided, his fingers fidgeting under the trigger of his raised rifle. "He won't do it. He's just using an escape maneuver-"
"You don't think I'll do it?" Wolf hissed daringly. "You don't think I've got the guts to kill this sack of shit?" He tightened his grip.
Thomas gasped under his grip. What the hell is he doing? He's hurting me…
Wolf snarled. "Guess you guys don't know me well enough, then."
He grabbed Thomas's other arm and swung it counter-clockwise.
SNAP!
Thomas screamed in pain as his second mangled arm fell limp to his side.
The Guards gasped and raised their guns.
"I've already broken his arms…" Wolf said. "I can break his neck much more easily…"
"WOLF! What are you doing? This isn't part of the pla-uutghffgh!" Thomas stopped as Wolf heaved his hand over the young cat's mouth.
"Okay! Okay!" The Boar yelled. "Don't kill him! Just take it easy…"
"SHUT UP!" Wolf spat. "Do as I say, or I'll rip his fucking neck apart! I've waited too long for the chance to escape…. I won't deal with incompetence! Now, drop the guns!"
Everyone nodded fearfully, dropping their rifles with a clatter.
Thomas shut his eyes. Oh God….I should've never bartered with him….
He's gonna kill me, now….I was so stupid to believe him….
"Arms in the air!" Wolf barked. "On your knees, and face on the floor!"
Everyone obeyed, arms frozen in the air.
Thomas's muffled pleas echoed from under Wolf's hand.
Wolf hissed in his ear. "Keep quiet."
They moved forward, and Wolf kicked a rifle out of the grip of the Gecko.
Wolf eyed the massive control console. "You!" he aimed a kick at the squatting Boar. "Go to the computer and give me an on-screen visual of a map of this place. Move!"
The Boar whimpered and clambered the buttons on the touch-screen keyboard.
A diagram of the prison appeared on the screen.
Wolf's eyes narrowed. "Which of these buildings contains the Prisoners' Possessions Room?"
"The one on the left of the main gate," the Boar answered. He returned miserably to his position on the floor.
Attempting to take advantage of Wolf's lack of attention, the Gecko reached for the pile of rifles-
WHAM.
Wolf swung a savage kick at the Gecko's chest. The Gecko gasped for air, clutching his stomach.
"KEEP TO THE GROUND!" He roared. "If just one of you tries to attempt treachery, you'll all be drowning in a pool of your own blood."
Everyone cowered before Wolf's twisted, furious expression.
Thomas winced. Damn….he's a savage! He was nothing like this before….
Wolf cranked his grip around Thomas's throat, forcing him to move his head back.
"Listen, kit," Wolf hissed into his ear. "Meet me at the Prisoners' Possession Room in half an hour. And if you're smart, you'll come alone…." Wolf's tone became low and dangerous. "Because if you even bring one squadron of guards, then I'll really kill you. Understand?"
Confused, Thomas nodded.
Wolf grabbed something from Thomas's belt, and pushed him out of his grip.
The moment Thomas was free, the guards grabbed their guns and aimed them for Wolf.
"Hands on your head, Star Wolf!" The Boar yelled. "NOW!"
Wolf hesitated. He took a step back.
Everyone raised their weapons.
"Drop to the ground, or we will shoot!"
Wolf glanced from one guard to another, his eyes darting, as if composing a strategy….
Click. The rifles were loaded. Thomas didn't see where Wolf was going now….
He was surrounded, outnumbered…..where could he go?
Wolf looked long and hard at the guards. Then he looked behind him, at the glass window-pane.
"There's no escape, Star Wolf." The Boar raised his weapon.
Wolf held up a round, podlike object. "Get back. All of you."
The Boar raised his hand. "FIRE!"
Wolf tossed the grenade behind him, drawing something from his belt with his other hand.
BWOOOOM!
Thomas swatted his eyes away, as a shockwave-emitting explosion shattered the glass and sent the desks, computers…..and guards in tumbling direction.
As the smoke cleared, the guards wearily moped around for their rifles.
Thomas blinked. WHAT THE FREAKING HELL?
Is that Wolf guy insane? He just threw a freaking grenade behind him….
There's no way he could've survived that….
The guards got up and looked past the smoke.
The massive window pane had been smashed open from the explosion, leaving a trail of shards in front.
But there was no sign of Wolf.
"What?" The Boar gasped in disbelief. "Where the hell is he?"
Everyone scrambled towards the broken window, the glass shards crunching under their feet.
They all looked out.
Nothing. Just the view of the prison, the cold moonlight streaming out…..Wolf was nowhere to be found.
"Where'd he go? Out the window?"
"He would never survive a fall this high up!"
"Peh, lousy coward. Probably slunk off somewhere-"
SWAP!
A dark shape whooshed over the window, and before anyone could cry out in alarm, the speaker was tumbling out the window and falling, screaming all the way down…..
….his rifle missing from his hands.
Everyone looked outwards.
Thomas couldn't believe it.
Wolf was swinging by one hand off a thick black cord (Thomas looked at his belt: He took my grappling chord!) feet dangling down, hundreds of feet in the air. He had somehow managed to shoot his grapple-gun while falling out the window during the explosion, and lashing the chord-hook on the roof.
As he swung by the window again, he looked directly at them, holding up his new M16 blaster rifle.
"SHOOT HIM DOWN! NOW!" The Boar yelled.
All the guards raised their weapons instantly, firing their guns.
RITTA-RITTA-RITTA-RITTA!
Thomas plugged his ears from the earsplitting crossfire.
The guards were quick-
But Wolf was quicker.
He swooped his legs back, swinging farther and farther back, out of the guards' range. He held up his rifle in his other hand and kept his aim at the guards.
RITTA-RITTA!
The orange shots blasted the window shards and punctured bullet-holes into the toppled-over desks.
Thomas screamed and ducked.
Wolf felt the familiar grip on the handle and trigger…. His beloved marksman days returned to his muscles and instincts. All those battles, Fichina….Zoness….Venom….
It was all coming back to him now.
Hmm…. Wolf though. The nostalgia feels good…. Haven't wielded a rifle in a while, though…
I'm generally more of a pistol person…. He smiled to himself.
Wolf swooped by closer and kept his fire on the guards, as their bodies tumbled out the window.
He kept his finger on the trigger, until-
Click. Click.
In midair, as if that wasn't the biggest problem, Wolf eyed his rifle.
Damn…..out of ammo.
He snarled and sank his teeth into the gun's barrel, splitting it open, exposing the open sizzling plasma-bolt cartridge. He flung it in their direction like a boomerang towards the Boar's face.
SHWOOM!
The blaster exploded the minute it smacked the Boar's face.
As the remaining windows shattered from the explosion's shockwave, Wolf gave a familiar snarl of satisfaction.
"Huah!"
He flipped over and retracted the grappling chord. ZZZP!
Down he plunged, falling completely, a fierce wind that wasn't there before nipping his face, the cold streaks shivering up and down his body, every muscle in his body tingling, his excitement pounding like a non-stop army drum…
I haven't done anything like this in ages…..
Gotta fix that…..gotta get back to being used to being close to the face of death….
Thomas, meanwhile, emerged from his upturned-desk sanctuary. He looked at the broken glass, fallen bodies, and steaming bullet-shells littering the floor.
Wait a minute… Thomas thought.
Why would he kill everyone in the room except me….?
Maybe he thinks I'll be useful, somehow….
He remembered what Wolf had whispered to him:
"Meet me at the Prisoners' Possession Room in half an hour. And if you're smart, you'll come alone…."
What does he want me for? He's not gonna kill me, otherwise he would've done it by now….
I guess….
Thomas shuddered. He's too hard to predict….
Wolf continued to fall, still waiting for the opportune moment to swing to another classic escape….
BWOOOM!
Wolf's feet were tucked into a massive shockwave of heat, as one of the windows behind him exploded.
He looked up. What the-?
The glass came down like a downpour of rain, about to sink their shard jaws into Wolf's body-
FWOOOM!
Wolf somersaulted in the air, and pressed his fists together, purple flames rippling over his body and haunches, sizzling the glass as they approached from above.
What the hell was that?
He looked over the battlements secured on the ground, and saw the silver missile-launching contraptions face his direction.
His heart skipped a beat. Oh shit…
BWOOM!
A second missile drove forward, but Wolf was ready. He kicked his feet to the ground, and slung his flaming body upwards, the missile just nicking his feet as it dove under him, shattering some more glass….
Crap….those missile launchers….
Those missiles can track my movement…
Almost like…
Wait a minute…. I heard a rumor when I was being lowered into my cell….
Something about….
Then it hit him.
He extended his largest claw. Shutting his eyes quickly, he pricked his arm.
Slfthh!
The tiny droplet of blood shot upward, as if magnetized by some invisible force.
Wolf speeded downward, and looked up.
He saw the tiniest faint of his scarlet blood, and then-
BWOOOM!
Now miles upward, the glass window shattered and exploded, burning and ripping apart the spot where the blood had once been.
Wolf's eyes widened.
These aren't heat-seeking missiles….
There DNA-Seeking missiles….
Seeking MY DNA! That's why they injected that serum into me every night….
They weren't just keeping me healthy…they were injecting my blood…
To fuel these missiles if I ever escaped…
Wolf looked up, and then down. No matter where he ran (once he had landed), these missiles would be trouble for him….
BWOOOOM!
The next missile had reached him the closest. The walls and windows of the fragmented building were breaking off, sending metal pipes, asteroid-sized rubble rocks, and canvas-sized glass shards down on him.
Damn….I won't be able to repel all that with just my Fire Wolf…
But he had wasted too much time thinking. The first pipe slammed down on his back.
PANG!
"ARGH!" Wolf yelled in pain as the metal rod echoed off of him and ricocheted upwards.
Only having enough time to bite up the pain away, Wolf straightened his posture as two slabs of metal came on him on either side.
Damn it….!
Wolf cursed and swatted the metal slabs off of his path….
SWOOOOOM!
Wolf looked up. His worst fear was confirmed….
A black object was riding towards him-not into the building, like the others, but actually on his tail….trailing his movement….
SHIT! Wolf hissed. Now there's missiles coming from that end, too!
He moved to the side…
…so did the missile.
He sped faster downward….
And so did the missile….
Getting frustrated, Wolf looked around.
I'm falling too fast to stretch the cable, now…..
And at any rate, that missile's still gonna follow me….
Crap….I didn't count on this….
SWOOOM!
Wolf looked up again.
Now, a second missile was riding towards him, following its brother, side to side…
Wolf scowled.
I'm not gonna put up with anymore of this shit.
I'm already falling….two pieces of metal aren't gonna kill me…..
Wolf whirled his body around, so that now he was falling on his back.
He looked up between his feet to observe yet a third missile to join the trail.
But instead of panicking…..Wolf had an idea….
The missiles seemed to be mimicking each other's movements….swerving to the left all at the same time like a group of predatory fish….
Wolf concentrated….past the wind rippling and the missile's low hum…..
The missiles edged closer, now a hundred feet from Wolf….
Wolf stretched out his finger over his belt, hovering….waiting….
The missiles were now fifty feet….there was no way they could miss….
But Wolf…..he kept waiting….waiting until they were forty feet….
Thirty feet…
Twenty feet….
Fifteen…
CLUNK.
Wolf kicked his foot back, and his hand shot instantly to his belt when
FF-ZAAAP!
There was a faint flash of light, that darkened the atmosphere in its gaze, grazing the air with a sleek beam of purple before…
Wolf Flashed his way though the tiniest opening between two of the missiles. In about a quarter of a second, there was a blink, a sound of crackling….
And Wolf already had his blaster out, pointing at the missiles below him…
SHWA-THOOOM!
The green blast hit just one missile, and the whole group exploded at once from the first shockwave.
Wolf flung his arms before his face, his body whistling through the orange smoke.
The guards on the battlements watched, their mouths hanging open.
"WHA-Did you see THAT?"
"Star Wolf….one minute…he was in front of those missiles….and then he was behind them….and he shot them all!"
"Damn….and he did while falling! Who has that kind of precision? I tell ya….that guy definitely was in the Lylat Wars once!"
They were all baffled, terrified, and amazed all at the same time. They had all heard of Inner Power….but in a situation like this? It wasn't possible.
Wolf smiled cunningly and fired his grappling chord at an incoming missile, using it as a pulley to swing off of.
SHWOOM!
The hook exploded with the missile, sending a flame down the rope in Wolf's grip.
Wolf discarded it, his body swooping and twirling forward, all the blood rushing to his head.
CLAMP.
Wolf landed on his feet on the battlement rock-floor.
He looked to the end of the battlement track. The Guards were running towards him
"There he is!"
"Get him! He's unarmed!"
Wolf frowned. What? And that means I'm vulnerable?
The soldiers pulled out their rifles.
Wolf growled and pounced forward. He grabbed the barrels of the blasters and wrenched them clockwise, causing the grip of each soldier to turn clockwise.
"Argh!" Both soldiers cried out in unison, dropping their weapons.
Wolf grabbed the barrel of the rifle with both hands, swing its steel-hard handle at the soldier's face.
WHAM! SMACK! First in the skull and then in the stomach.
Crunch!
Wolf heard the sound of the soldier's nose break. Then he jabbed his fist into the soldier's stomach.
As the soldier fell unconscious, the second charged, fist flying-
Clamp.
Wolf grabbed the fist in mid-air, tightening his steel-willed grip and sinking his claws into to the soldier's hand.
The soldier dropped on his knees, yelling in agony.
Then Wolf flung the soldier into the air by his arm, and then aimed a fast-jolted kick.
KRAMP!
Momentary purple flames surrounded Wolf's foot, as the guard plummeted away like a speeding bullet from the impact of the kick, tumbling over the edge.
Wolf stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles.
Hah….I haven't felt the heat of battle in ages….
Feels good….very good…
"Down there!"
Wolf looked up at the shattered windows of the Main Security Tower to see Guards pouring to the edge, armed with Homing Launchers.
FWISSSHH!
The first rocket came forward, but now, being on stable ground, Wolf was ready.
He kicked his foot back and leapt high in the air, somersaulting perfectly as the rocket blew up the battlement fragment under him.
He landed.
Hey…
The explosion had put a smoking hole of rubble into the ground, providing….
…a way in…
Perfect…
Wolf gave another glance to the highest window of the Security Tower.
I hope that kid doesn't forget to show up….
I'd hate to lose him in the midst of the crossfire…
Snatching a discarded blaster, Wolf took a deep breath and dove down into the tunnel, preparing to confront whatever security dangers lurked throughout the rest of the prison.
Meanwhile, Several Hundred Feet above the "Island"….
The C.W.A.T. (Cornerian Weapons And Tactics Team) Gunship hovered over the massive fortress of a prison. The break-out had led to an alarm, and they had flown all the way from Corneria City to deal with the problem.
"Move! Move!"
"Grab the guns now!"
They were all covered from head-to-toe with electro-magnetic armor, strapped over titanium fiber jumpsuits. On their backs were Grade A Supply backpacks, and strings of grenades around their belts.
The Leader of the C.W.A.T Team, a tall Doberman with a serious voice, approached the holographic display panel in the middle of the ship.
"Listen up, men! Mission briefing."
A bird's-eye view diagram of the prison, along with Wolf's mug shot, with drawn from the Penitentiary Law Enforcement's Inmates' Photographic Records.
"The Alarm blared at 1:50 AM Eastern Time. Suspect name: Wolf O'Donnell. The Escapee is a SuperMax inmate. That means that Suspect is armed and considered dangerous. All C.W.A.T. Units have surrounded the perimeter area with five gun-ships. 211 is in progress on the Jail's Maximum Security Area and Prisoners' Possessions Building. All C.W.A.T Units from the City are en route, so we'll have back up, soon. Now move!"
Each soldier strapped on their helmet and grabbed a SP-89 Sub-Machine gun. They all lined up in front of the slide hatch.
SWPSHHH!
The hatch opened over the night-lit prison, and each C.W.A.T. member leapt out in single file.
Spreading their arms in an eagle-like fashion, they all tapped the side of their helmets.
Pshh!
Yellow-glass visors shifted over their faces as the harsh wind whipped over their faces.
The Krssh! of the Squadron Leader's Helmet Comm. echoed in the air. He tapped it.
"Command, activate Gravity Diffusion Suit Attachments!"
PHWOOM! PHWOOM!
Each C.W.A.T.'s suit glowed under a body-shaped green force-field.
Slowly, as they reached the ground, their fall slowed, weakening the gravity pressure around them.
They hovered about 7 feet above the ground when the Lead C.W.A.T. tapped his Helmet Comm.
"Deactivate G-Diffusion Attachment….Now!"
KSHH! KSSH!
The Green energy fields disappeared, and the C.W.A.T.s rolled onto their feet as soon as they reached the ground.
They all sprinted in military formation, heading for the Main Security Tower.
The C.W.A.T.s reached the top of the building.
SLAM!
The Lead Member strode through the door.
"C.W.A.T.! Search and Destroy Maneuver, now!"
They all charged in, pointing their guns in all directions.
"Damn it…..nothing here but broken glass and rubble…"
They examined the bodies on the floor. "All men here are dead. We must've missed the fight…"
"Sir!" A Mastiff knelt over some of the smoking holes in the ground. "There has been a gunfight of some kind, here. M16 Rifle….must've shattered the glass, too…"
The Leader looked around suspiciously. "Then who sounded the alarm?"
He checked the glitching Computer Terminal. It was frozen on the diagram of the Prisoners' Possession's Building.
"He's headed for the Evidence Room! Take the Squad down to the building. I'll call for back up."
"Yes, sir."
The Leader picked up the computer's central comm. panel. "Attention! Attention all Denique Fatum Penitentiary personnel!" His voice rang across the island from the Intercomm. Loudspeakers. "Wolf O'Donnell has escaped. Repeat, Wolf O'Donnell has escaped!"
In the Maximum Security Cells, all the criminals, thugs, bounty hunters, and assassin's stood up.
"WHOA! Did you hear that?"
"Star Wolf's escaped!"
"The Wolf O'Donnell?"
"Yeah-ha! I knew he'd do it!"
"WHOO! Let's give the gutsy pilot some encouragement, boys!"
All the prisoners let out an erupting cheer of proud applause, clapping their hands and beating against their cages.
"YEAH! GO STAR WOLF!"
"Kick their ass for us, O'Donnell!"
"Go get'em, Wolf!"
Meanwhile, Deep within the Prison….
Wolf, as he darted through tunnel to tunnel, he looked up at the echoes of the faint cheering.
He smiled to himself. Well… at least I haven't been forgotten….
WRRRRRRRRRRR!
The alarm blared above the surface of the fortress, shaking the ceiling.
Wolf looked up.
Damn…looks like I'm in the spotlight now…
Click.
He pulled out his blaster cautiously. He knew whatever amounts of Guards were down here, he'd have to take them out if he ran into them.
And sooner or later, they would be accompanied by some heavily-armed friends.
Wolf held his pistol with both hands, and slipping down the tunnels without making too much noise.
Once he reached the door at the end, and kicked it open.
SLAM!
As the door opened, Wolf dove forward into a quick ground body-roll, catching his feet and raising his weapon.
The Guards in the room looked up.
"What the f-?"
BZAM! BZAM!
Wolf instantly fingered the trigger with marksman speed, and his green shots took out both guards. Their shoulders and stomachs appeared with laser-scorch marks and they writhed and fell back.
Their bodies clunked to ground.
Wolf dashed forward, kicking the first body over. Taking caution, Wolf whipped the spare ammo from the first guard's belt.
"Hey, what was that?"
Wolf's ears perked up as he heard the distant voices down the hallway.
Reloading his blaster, he sprinted into the opposite direction.
Heart racing and feet clamoring, Wolf turned back every minute to see if anyone was following him.
Crap….I'm no good at sneaking around…
This is Leon's kinda thing…
Wolf skidded to a halt as he came to a vent in the wall.
Taking a look from side to side, Wolf kneeled to the vent.
"Where'd those footsteps go?"
"I dunno….this jail's too complicated.."
"Well, he's screwed if he runs into us….why do you think the coward's running off like that? He's afraid…"
Wolf bared his teeth.
The voices down the corridor grew louder.
"Well, he's screwed if he runs into us….why do you think the coward's running off like that? He's afraid…"
Wolf bared his teeth.
Yeah….afraid I'll have to stare at that ugly face of yours…
CLANK.
Wolf stuck his claws into the ringed hinges of the vent and lifted it off the wall.
Crouching on all fours, Wolf crawled down into the vent tunnel.
At the end, he reached his first destination:
Every last red, blue, yellow, and white wire coiled around the Central Power Conduit. Wolf stretched his arm, ignoring the Caution: Hot! Sign.
Breek!
A short electric current shot up Wolf's arm.
Clenching his teeth at the needle-sharp pain traveling up his bones, Wolf snapped the brightest blue wire with his claw.
Wolf then grabbed the single black chord, and wrenched it from its socket.
BZZZZ!
The end of the chord sizzled and sparked with red electricity.
Wolf stuck it at the Central Power Conduit box.
KRHHH!
There was a deafening hum and all the lights in the prison shone brightly and blew out.
Then it all went black.
Every guard, and even various members of the C.W.A.T. Team, felt a vibrant jolt of fear up their spines.
All of them-and Wolf-were alone against each other in a pitch-dark prison of endless tunnels.
On the opposite hall….
"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"
The C.W.A.T.s moved down the hallway like a pack of piranhas, guns up and scopes ready.
"Form up! These tunnels are lengthy…"
They came to a large, bolted door.
The Leader pointed three fingers on the wall.
The others nodded and surrounded the door, mumbling with the wiring something complex and technological.
When they all cleared away, a gel-attached bomb panel was hooked to the door.
The Leader held up his detonator. "Get clear!" Beep.
BLAM!
The door exploded open, its hinges white with rubble and tumbling smoke into the room.
Switching on their scope-lights, the C.W.A.T. burst into the room.
It was just another hallway, except the left wall was lined with windows. Moonlight streamed in, providing some sight for the Sqaudron.
But the only object in the hall….was the body of a Guard, propped up against the wall.
The Leader strode up to the body.
"Whose is this?"
He gave it an experimental kick at it.
PHWOOOOM!
The wall, Guard's body, and C.W.A.T Leader disappeared under the explosion (the Leader hadn't noticed that the body had a grenade in its mouth), and all the soldiers ran for cover.
"Get away!" Everyone stepped back and shielded their eyes.
The smoke grew into an enormous size...one could see a thing…..
The C.W.A.T.s pointed their guns around blindly, trying to catch sight of the other side of the smoldering chink that had blasted open the wall.
A dark shadow loomed to the entrance.
"It's him! Gun him down!"
They all raised their AK's and blasted mercilessly at the black shape behind the wall of smoke.
PRATTA-PRATTA-PRATTA!
The blue shots rained on the shrouded figure, but the laser bolts just bounced off….
They all glanced at each other. There was no way that he was bullet-proof….
Everyone stopped firing peered forward.
The smoke opened up to reveal a tall and menacing figure-holding up the dead body of the C.W.A.T. Leader, blaster bolts dented into his bullet-proof C.W.A.T. vest.
The C.W.A.T.s gaped.
Wolf was using their leader as a human shield…..probably the only use he ever had.
Wolf tossed his human shield away (which had smoking holes in it now…)
"GET HIM!"
Wolf snatched a fallen blaster, wringing the first soldier in reach of his grip by his neck and slammed the blaster barrel into his face.
BLAM!
He tossed the charred-faced soldier away and fired the blaster.
BZAM! BZAM!
He fired so quickly that the C.W.A.T's didn't have time to reload their guns. The first wall of soldiers collapsed to the floor with rapid clunks.
The next group slung their rifles back and pulled out glowing-blue energy batons.
They all expected Wolf to pull out a knife or something.
He's gonna pull out a weapon…. They all thought. This is Star Wolf here…he's probably gonna just stick to using a gun….
But Wolf did something completely unexpected. Something no one had seen him do in years….
Clatter!
Wolf tossed the blaster away. A deep and vibrating growl emitted from his throat, as all C.W.A.T.s watched him draw his right foot back, and raise his arms in his legendary fighting position*.
SHING! SHA-SHING!
The demonic stainless steel-like claws unsheathed, and Wolf bared his teeth.
"Come on, you weaklings. Face me."
Now the soldiers were completely in shock. Wolf had discarded a weapon and instead chose to battle in hand-to-hand combat.
No one had ever seen anything like it.
"C.W.A.T. Team! Forward!"
Wolf snarled. The familiar burning sensation of courage and aggression filled up his body.
The first one aimed an expert swing at Wolf, but Wolf slammed his wrist against the attack to parry it, and jabbed his claws at his stomach.
Another attack came from behind, and Wolf somersaulted upwards and clawed downwards.
SWISH!
The C.W.A.T. clutched his bleeding face and screamed in agony.
SLAM!
Wolf landed on the floor, wrestling the soldier in a rapid swing to ground. The heat of battle was returning to him now…..all the grabbing and punching….wounds and combat….
He was feeling his instincts tingle and his nerves buzz with anticipation again….
He was a fighter again….
CRACK!
The ground shook as his body slammed against the marble floor.
Wolf grabbed the rifle from the bleeding soldier and smashed into the face of another incoming C.W.A.T. Then with a fearsome roar, he leapt into the air, stomping his feet on the soldier's soldier, and slammed the rifle's barrel into his mouth, wrenching the trigger.
PRITTA-PRITTA-PRITTA!
The intense rapid-shots shook his arm muscles, causing him to shake. Wolf leapt of the holey soldier and rolled on the ground.
SLIT!
Wolf spat in pain as he clutched his arm. Crimson dripped down his wrist onto his hand. It felt hot, and somewhat made him dazed.
A soldier had pulled out a razor-edged Tactical Knife.
He made another go at Wolf, bringing the knife down with both hands.
Clamp!
Wolf grabbed the soldier's arms and thrust them back like a lever, causing a snap to echo. The C.W.A.T. soldier screamed and fell back.
Wolf heard the tap-tap of someone running behind him, but he was already ready.
Wolf swung his elbow into the unsuspecting soldier's stomach. The soldier wriggled his baton near Wolf's face till Wolf heard the humming of its energy beam. Wolf swatted his arm away and aimed two rapid but devastating claw-swipes at his cheek. Then he grabbed him by the neck and slammed it against the wall.
CRACK!
The area around the C.W.A.T's head crumbled with dusty granite. Wolf grabbed him by the legs; his arms flanked with a momentary purple flame, and swung him down on to the floor on his back.
SLAM!
The ground shook with dust.
Wolf leapt on him and retracted his claws.
WHAP! SLAM! CRASH!
With his curled and merciless fists, Wolf swung several devastating blows and punches to the soldier's face.
The C.W. came from all sides, surrounding Wolf…
Wolf stood and spun to face his circling opponents.
Watching the whirling faces around him, blood pounding in his head, Wolf flexed his claws.
From every corner, soldiers jabbed at him with their batons.
BZZZ!
WHRRZZZ!'
Wolf dodged them, swinging his body back and forth, left to right, watching his footing.
Krsh!
Wolf's movement shook slightly as he took a burn from one of their electric weapons. He clenched his teeth…..he would not give in….he would NOT give in….
He kicked at one soldier's feet, causing him to lose balance. He snatched the soldier's knife from his belt and brought it down with savage force-
SLRRTHHH!
There was a painful rip and a final scream as Wolf sliced at the soldier's waist, and ran the knife all the way to the left to the soldier's hip.
RRIPPP!
The soldiers gaped stepped back, terrified, as Wolf ripped off the legs and waist of the soldier from his severed-in-half torso, with intense brutal strength.
Wolf threw the legs at them.
WHOOOSH!
The soldiers ducked….
…which was a mistake.
BOOOOOSH!
The belt of grenades on the soldier's legs' belt hit the wall, and caused a massive explosion. The heated cloud of carnage swept over the vibrating floor, ripping the granite walls and burning the metal pipes and wall connections to dust and ash.
Wolf stood up in the cloud of dust, stepping over the C.W.' bodies.
He walked through the smoldering crater of an entrance hole in the wall.
Well….that's one mess taken care of…
They weren't matched to me anyway….in strength, or combat…
He walked to the other hallway.
But it wasn't another corridor. It was a wide open room, about the size of a gymnasium. Grenades, knives, missile launchers, batons, pistols, and blaster rifles lined the wall in racks-this room was clearly the armory.
But that's not what made Wolf stop in his tracks.
Oh….shit…
There were C.W.A.T.s… Dozens of them….all lined up, their eyes fixed on Wolf…weapons raised….
Wolf froze.
There are too many…way too many….
Five, six…..I can take by myself….
But this…..His fists clenched. There has to be about forty soldiers in here….
….all with guns…
The C.W.A.T Leader pointed his finger at him.
"Get him! He's got nowhere to run now."
There were rapid clicks of C.W.A.T.s cocking their blasters.
Then there was silence….
The only noise was the heavy breathing….and the intense pounding of blood in Wolf's head.
He was trapped.
"HUAAAHHHH!"
Like a pack of ravenous animals, the C.W.A.T.s charged forward, weapons ablaze.
Wolf bared his teeth and snatched two Tactical Knives off the ground, and whirled them into his hands.
He ran forward. But he felt the pounding of the stampeding soldiers approaching….
Don't show nervousness….don't lose focus….
Don't lose…
His eyes narrowed.
Wait…
I don't have to lose fear…
I'm not afraid of this crap!
He swung the knives forward and sprinted faster.
BRITTA-BRITTA-BRITTA!
The blue rapid shots flurried, but Wolf, taking advantage of the large unoccupied space around him, stepped out of their way-
FSSHH!
-and appeared a foot out of their range, a purple beam splitting the air behind him.
He ripped through the crowd, spreading his arms forward and gashing in both directions with his knives.
Two soldiers came….one got cut…..
Then three….none got cut…
Then five….only Wolf got cut….
They surrounded him and kept coming…it was like being lost in a crowd…
Wolf slashed and hacked madly around him, kicking, punching, yelling….but they just kept coming….
Fewer soldiers fell….the cuts on Wolf's back multiplied….
Damn…
Damn….
Damn….
DAMN!
Wolf snarled, not in anger, but in frustration.
WHRSSHH!
Something heavy and snakelike coiled around Wolf's feet. He fell over and lost balance, landing roughly on his back.
He struggled a view of his feet. Someone had blasted a whip-chord around his feet.
"HE'S DOWN!"
Wolf glanced up. Shit…
SHING! SHING!
The C.W.A.T.s drew their knives and charged forward like a ravenous onslaught of predators.
Wolf tried to struggle to his feet, but one burly C.W.A.T. had already pinned him down. He jabbed at him with his knife….
Wolf hacked upwards with his knives, but the pack of people on him grew larger…and larger….
The poking knives came down on him like rain..…he was struggling to keep up with attacks but he was pinned down…
He grunted and struggeled….but too many people were on him….
SLNTHH!
Wolf yelled in pain, as he felt the cold, splitting surface of knife into his shoulder. He felt the point graze into his flesh, stinging the hollow vibration down his body…
Wolf felt the crowd on top of him grow bigger….he sliced upwards with his two knives, catching some cut C.W.A.T.s off guard….
He tried to raise himself up, but the force was too strong….
His eyes glinted….
No….
The blood rushed to his head….this ground began to shake….
NOTHING's too strong for me….
FWOOOOOOM!
Wolf spread his arms back, kicking against the floor, the intense heat and air vibration sending a phantomlike purple fiery shockwave in all directions, slamming the C.W.A.T.s in all directions, causing them to fly off like scattered leaves caught in a harsh wind….
Wolf stood, panting, the smoke caressing off, the ash falling like wayward rain, some with tiny purple sparks attached.
He ripped the knife out of his shoulder and dropped his two into the pile.
Around him, the bodies had spread around the floor, some still burning. Blackened holes had burnt into the floor, some with flickering flames.
Wolf panted. He looked around and froze.
One lone C.W.A.T. stood in the doorway, his eyes huge, and mouth wide open. Apparently he just arrived.
Wolf stood up slowly and cautiously.
The C.W.A.T. looked at the colossal layout of dead soldiers….and then at Wolf.
Clatter!
The C.W.A.T. dropped his gun and rushed in the opposite direction.
Wolf glared his eyes. Where does he think he's going?
Definitely not to alert reinforcements….
Wolf stood and bounded after the C.W.A.T.
Despite his heavy armor, the soldier was fast. He kept darting his head back to see if Wolf was following him. His eyes widened in terror every time he saw Wolf and kept going faster.
Wolf jumped forward, pressing his muscles in his feet, and pounced on the unsuspecting C.W.A.T.
"Huah!"
The C.W.A.T. screamed as they both tumbled down the hall, and-
SMASH!
Wolf shielded his face as they both shattered through a large glass window at the end of the hall, bringing his hot and sweaty body to the cold and refreshing open air of the prison's surface.
Wolf skidded to a halt, and grabbed the soldier by his collar.
The C.W.A.T. whimpered under his brutal grip. "I surrender! Don't kill me!"
Wolf pulled out his stolen knife and held it up.
"Let me go…PLEASE! Have mercy…I beg you…"
"Why?" Wolf said harshly. "So you can point a gun at me when my back is turned?"
WHISH!
A searchlight blinded Wolf. He swatted a hand over his good eye, and peered through.
Some C.W.A.T.s on the opposite balcony, had their guns fixed on Wolf.
"Star Wolf got him! He got the Cadet!"
"Good God! He's gonna murder him!"
A sudden grip of cold and fearful realization came over Wolf.
Murder?
He'd heard that word before….
That accusation….
On his sentence, on Macbeth, years ago….during his trial after his first battle with Fox….
All those false accusations of me….
….have they….become true?
Have I become what they all thought I am?
His heart beat faster. The horrible possibility dawned on him…
James said….on the night of my imprisonment….
That I was no longer human….
Maybe…he was…
Wolf shut his eyes. No….I'm not…..I AM human….
I'm better than this….
I KNOW I am….
The C.W.A.T.s held up their guns. "You! Star Wolf! Murderer! Release that soldier, now!"
Wolf looked down at the soldier in his grip, who cowered at the sight of him.
"DROP HIM! OR WE'LL SHOOT!"
Wolf looked away.
I'm not a murderer….
I've been called one, sure, but…
….no….
What about when...
On Kew….
No…
A sharp pang of emotional strife gripped Wolf's heart.
That wasn't my fault…
I…I was forced to do it….
I…I'm not…
"DROP HIM!"
Wolf looked up at the C.W.A.T.s. And then at the one in his hand…
"C.W.A.T.s! Open Fire!"
SHING!
Wolf threw the knife at the search light, shattering the glass and momentarily turning out the light.
He retreated back through the broken window into the prison.
The C.W.A.T. whimpered. He held his hands up in front of his face, sobbing in fear.
Wolf looked at the terrified soldier, with regarding eyes.
PUNCH!
The C.W.A.T. fell unconscious to the floor, unscathed by Wolf's blow.
Wolf set him down, and stood. The C.W.A.T. would survive, of course…..
With a last gaze of remorse, Wolf turned and walked down the corridor quietly.
I'm not a murderer….
If any victim wants mercy….
I won't kill him…
I'm not a cold-blooded savage….
I'm not like Andross….or Dark Wolf…..
Battle shouldn't always end in death….
But…
I can't expect all my enemies to be as merciful….
No one after me will hesitate to kill me…..
Especially Fox….
And there's no way I'll be merciful to him….
Prisoner's Possessions Quarters, some hours later….
Meanwhile, Thomas fidgeted in his seat outside the door to the Prisoner's Possessions Room.
Wolf was on his way….
…and Thomas could feel it….
Well….here I am…
Waiting outside a room…in a prison…
….waiting for Lylat's most notorious pilot to come and meet me….
…How the hell am I gonna explain this story to my parents?
They sure as hell won't believe me….
But Thomas was more concerned on getting out of this place alive. He was still clutching his broken arm. Obviously, despite the fact that he wasn't on Wolf's hit list (yet), he still didn't trust him.
I wonder where he is anyway….
It's been more than half an hour…
BOOSH!
The door to the building blasted off its hinges, causing flames and smoke to fume through the entrance.
Thomas yelled in surprise and jumped out of his seat.
BZAM! BZAM!
Green shots flashed through the smoke.
Thomas shut his eyes and clutched his ears.
Oh no….not more shooting….
I just wanna go hoooooome…. He whined in his head.
WHOOSH!
Wolf leapt out of the smoke, landing swiftly on his feet. He aimed his blaster and shot more laser-bolts into the cloud of smoke in the entrance.
BZAM!
Clump!
A soldier's body fell to the floor. The dust cleared, and all was silent again.
Thomas panted and unplugged his ears.
Wolf slung his blaster back into his belt and eyed Thomas. "So you came."
Thomas yelped. "What do you mean? Of course I came! You didn't think that I'd be running around with the C.W.A.T. Team when you'd be blasting this place to bits, would you? No thanks, Mr. O'Donnell, but I do enjoy living, thank you very much!"
Wolf rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the Possession Room door. "Quit assin' around, will you? If you couldn't handle one break-out, the you shouldn't have applied for a job at a prison."
"Hey, no one told me you'd be the one breaking out, otherwise I'd-"
"Shh!" Wolf hisses. "I need to think."
He examined the door handle and looked inquisitive.
"Looks like your real job, has arrived, kid."
"What do you mean?"
Wolf turned to the young cat. "The reason I kept you alive…and brought you down here, was because I knew that the security for this room would be tight."
Thomas cocked his head. "So…what do you need me for?"
"This door requires a thumb print pass-key. Scan your thumb on the touch-screen."
Thomas glanced at the security scanner nervously. "Will it recognize me?"
Wolf folded his arms. "Well, you're a new employee around here, so you should be granted access."
Thomas half-heartedly inserted his thumb on the blue pad. It lit up for a second, and there was a Fshhh! sound of the steel door swinging open.
Wolf walked into the room, his eyes wide.
It was like staring into a massive and dimly-lit library, except on each shelf, instead of books, was a glass drawer with various items inside. Each drawer had a small black screen-lock on it, with a 4-digit number on it.
Thomas gaped. "All of this….is the possessions of each inmate?"
Wolf didn't answer. He walked to end of the third row of shelves, his eyes darting each drawer.
He stopped until he came in front of a glass drawer labeled #651157.
My Prisoner number…
Wolf smashed his hand through the lock and emptied the drawer's contents into his hands.
Thomas peered forward, interested despite himself.
There were three objects in Wolf's hand.
The first was a pile of trinkets: badges, medals, ribbons, ranking tabs, a bunch of military stuff. Wolf pocketed them into his pocket.
Thomas didn't know how that collection of badges got into Wolf's possession, or why they were important, but he guessed that he must have attained them over the course of battles long forgotten…
The second object caught Thomas's attention: It was a black, dusty eye-patch, made out of faded leather, its strap undone.
That's it…. Thomas gaped in amazement. That's Star Wolf's legendary eye-patch….
I had no idea it was still around….
Wolf turned away from Thomas, ripped off the bandage that had served as a temporary cover during his imprisonment, and strapped on his eye-patch.
But the last object was the most interesting:
It was a long steel blade-like object, at least eighteen inches, glinting with a wicked shimmer. It had the finesse of a finely-sharpened long dagger. Its "handle" was wrapped in a black leather binding. The blade itself was curved and jagged in a terrifying way….just like a claw.
Wolf ran his finger down the Claw's edge. Still sharp…
He tossed it from one hand to the other, feeling its familiar weight. He gave it a testing whirl, and then a mighty swing and cut.
He stared into the Claw's steel reflection.
He remembered the first day he won the Claw…..that day on Cerenia eight years ago….
It was once the Claw of many claws of a mighty mutated T-Rex….and Wolf had slayed it, keeping a Claw for himself as a spoil of battle…
Thomas cocked his head. "You came all this way….for that?"
Wolf sheathed the Claw into his belt. "This Claw is my most prized weapon, kid….it takes years to master its use on the battlefield….just like you'd use a long dagger, this is a dangerous tool, because you don't rely on the protection of the blade's length, like that of a sword….it's the hardest weapon to use, and in my hands...the deadliest. It's the only weapon I own that I'm complete with….it's a part of me."
Thomas nodded, noting that Wolf was saying something rather fine.
Wolf turned to the shelves, peering at the other drawers.
Thomas shifted his feet nervously. "Well….I got you in here….what'll you do to me now?"
SHATTER!
Wolf broke open a nearby drawer, withdrawing a long syringe with a long needle attached.
Thomas trembled. "W-What are you gonna do with that?"
Wolf didn't answer. He walked forward and held the syringe up.
Thomas held up his hands. "Wait, don't-!"
Slthh!
Thomas felt a sharp pang of needle-sharp pain in his already numb broken arm. But then it was replaced by a warm sensation, a slow vibration, like a wisp of heated smoke was traveling up his arms….
And then his arm went limp.
Wolf stood. "This is Papetonian Mending Serum. It mends bones by using a precious mineral that's only found in the Papetoon Plains. Very rare….very expensive."
Thomas examined his limp arm. It didn't hurt anymore, but he still couldn't move it. "So how long does it take to mend the broken bones?"
"Roughly about fifteen hours….but don't lose any blood between now and then, otherwise the effects will reverse, and every bone in your body will be broken," Wolf added as-a-matter-of-factly.
Thomas looked at his arm. "And….you gave it to me?"
Wolf scowled. "Don't get all sentimental, kit. Remember, you helped me out, and now I helped you. We're even now, so don't get in my way, otherwise it's gonna be your skull that'll be broken."
Thomas nodded nervously. "I believe you."
Wolf got up and browsed the other shelves. The biggest one caught his eye…
What's this?
He peered forward to find that it was another locked drawer, but its contents were blocked from view by a black screen. Wolf tapped the screen to life and read the caption:
TOP SECRET PROPERTY.
Wolf raised his eyebrows. He pressed the button on the side, and a holo-log recording came up.
The hologram portrayed an elderly Basset Hound, decorated with military medals and a general's cap.
General Pepper.
"To whom this may concern," The holographic Pepper said. "This vault contains a Cornerian Military Property object. It contains the Cyberscope, a cutting-edge piece of technology developed by The Cornerian Research And Development Department with assistance from Lylat Space Dynamics. Beltino claimed that this scope is meant for attaching to a sniper rifle, providing extreme-accuracy and marksmanship placed over the human eye. It can also analyze vehicles, see through human skin to analyze anatomy, and the ability to scan and process information on any ship, pilot, planet or weapon in the Lylat System. Accuracy proves that it is more capable of pure sight than the human eye. Unfortunately, due to lack of technological expenditure, the Cyberscope's lens were never built, neither was the rifle to attach it with. So it rests here under Maximum Security, until further modifications can be made."
Wolf switched the log off and opened the drawer.
The Cyberscope was about the size of a small Refelctor. It was long and rectangular, made of steel and fused with a technological-metal alloy. It had a row of sleek, unnoticeable buttons on its side, giving it a mechanical look.
Wolf had never seen anything like it before.
What is this thing?
He turned it over in his hands. Sure enough, just like the hologram had described, there was a large gap in the center because of the lack of lens.
Wow…
I wonder…
Can it really scan ships and all that….
It's incredible…
But if I take it…
I can modify it…..make it so that it can do so much more…..
Wolf's eyes gleamed. Then he blinked.
Nah….I bet Leon would probably like it, though…
He had another gaze at it, and pocketed it.
Thomas raised his head. "So what will you do now? Get off the island? You've got the chance, now."
Wolf closed his eyes, and then opened them.
"No. Escaping's the easy part."
Thomas nodded. "Oh, yeah. You've got the entire C.W.A.T. Team after you, but it's the easy bit." Tch….yeah right….
"First…..I still have to bring this place to justice."
Thomas cocked his head. "What's your idea of justice?"
Wolf smiled cunningly. "You'll see. But kit….do yourself a favor."
Thomas looked up. "What?"
"Get off this island, soon. If you want to live, that is."
Thomas shuddered. "Yeah….I'll do that."
Wolf got up and headed for the door.
"Hey…."
Wolf turned skeptically. "What?" he barked impatiently.
Thomas held out his hand. "Thank you. For my arm….and everything else." He smiled hopefully.
Wolf eyed Thomas's hand coldly. He's pushing his luck…
CLAMP!
Wolf grabbed Thomas's arm.
Thomas backed up in alarm.
Wolf made a quick move downwards, and then released Thomas.
Wolf held up the young cat's wallet. "A minimum wage for my tolerance."
Thomas scowled. "Hey! I thought you said we were even!"
Wolf sighed and pulled out a bill from the wallet. "Fine. This should pay for a shuttle back to Corneria City."
Thomas reached for the dollar.
Wolf drew it back quickly, watching the young cat's hand respond quickly. He looked at him thoughtfully.
"Hmm….those are good reflexes, kid. Pilot reflexes….you ever considered becoming one?"
Thomas's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? Uh….no."
Wolf dropped the dollar at his feet. "You make a good one." Wolf nodded approvingly and sprinted out the door drawing his blaster.
Thomas remained rooted at the spot, stunned…
Did he….just…tell me I'd make a good pilot?
Wolf O'Donnell?
He looked at his mending arm.
Maybe…
He isn't such a cold-blooded killer after all….
Later, in the Bottom-most level of the prison…..
SLAM!
The C.W.A.T. Team burst through the door.
Some lucky soldier had managed to cut Wolf, so now, he left a reliable blood trail for the C.W.A.T.s to follow.
Now they just had to see where the trail had led them.
They all looked through the creaking tunnel.
It was a gaping hole in the center of the earth, with broken shackles, a shattered yellow-glass observation window, and a rotting corpse of a Boxer.
"This is his cell!" The Leader barked in frustration. "Why the hell did he lead us back here?"
"He didn't." One scowled. "It was a trick. He wanted us to come here. But….why?"
"He can't run forever. Wherever he is, he's probably on his way to the Docking Bay to pick up a shuttle. That's his only way out of here. And we've got that spot heavily guarded."
Suddenly, there was a low vibration from the ceiling, as everyone turned to the loud-speaker intercomm.s that lined the walls….all over the jail.
A deep and cunningly calm voice echoed through the comm. all over the jail-grounds.
"Guards…..C.W.A.T.s…..prisoners…..listen carefully. This is Wolf O'Donnell."
A cheer erupted from the locked up criminals in the Maximum Security Area.
Everyone, even the C.W.A.T.s, gaped.
"How did he-?"
Wolf continued. "Now listen, because I won't repeat this, and lack of attention only means that your death will come quicker."
Everyone fell silent, terrorized by Wolf's words.
"This island, suspended thousands of feet above the ocean, is supported by an anti-gravity device with enough power to fuse 15000 G-Diffusers on an Orion -Class Cornerian Assault Carrier ship. The problem is, it's about as weak and fragile as the Star Fox Team. One explosion could toss its balance into havoc, causing the entire island to explode and sending it to the bottom of Corneria Sea. I've placed fifteen, very dangerous, very operational detonators into the core of the island's system ground-scanners. Once they set off, this island will fall a burnt crisp, and everyone on it."
Everyone-in cages, in Guard Quarters, in C.W.A.T. gunships-panicked.
"However…."
Then there was silence.
"…I've programmed the detonators to strike in exactly one hour. But I don't intend to stick around. I never do. That's why, to make sure I'm not the only one being hunted on this island, I'm giving every able prisoner a chance to escape. The Shuttles are docked in the Eastern Dock Bay. You'd better hurry and fly off if you want to escape once you're loose. It's my last gift to all fellow criminals."
The Criminals in Max Security let out a wild cheer.
"YES! He's gonna bust us out!"
"Haha, that smart-ass. I knew he'd pull out something like this from up his sleeve!"
"Yep, that's Star Wolf for ya!"
After the cheering cleared, the deep voice continued.
"Oh….and for the C.W.A.T. Team…..try not to unarm the detonators. Once they're set, all disarming attempts will trigger the explosions instantly. And if you think you can even succeed in catching me…..let me warn you…..you will die. Every…last…one of you who pursues me. Well, with that, I'm going to set off the Unlocking Program for the cages now. So far all those criminals who get out successfully…" There was a malicious laugh. "…play nice while you're out of bars."
WHRRR!
Once the alarm had sounded up, all of the pod-like cages opened up in a unison CLANG!
Then all hell broke loose.
There was a mad rush as the criminals, innocents, thieves and cut-throats scrambled one on top of the other, scrambling like crazy on top of each other to make it out the doors.
The limited number of guards and C.W.A.T.s were helpless under the thousands of prisoners that rushed out.
The more hard-core inmates made a dash to the Armory and picked up some arsenal before heading out to the ships. With unleashed criminals armed to the teeth with grenades, rocket-launchers, AK-47's and knives, it was crime central.
Meanwhile, the C.W.A.T.s down grabbed their weapons and sprang out of the tunnel.
"We've got his location! The comm. controls are in the Top Floor of the Security Wing! He's in the main Tower!"
"Let's move!"
"Wait."
The Leader hesitated, looking at the speaker. "What?"
"No." The speaker shook his head.
The Leader gaped in disbelief. "No? No what?"
"We're not going after him. He's set a bomb. And we won't be around to witness it." The other soldiers nodded in agreement.
The Leader's face twisted in rage. "…You cowards. You really believe he'd blow up the island with him still on it? He's using an empty threat!"
The Opposer shook his head. "But what if he isn't lying?"
The Leader stamped his foot. "You retards! It's a simple mission! We go to where he is, storm the building, and kill him."
"It's Star Wolf. With him, it's never that simple."
The Leader swelled in fury. "So that's it, then? Fine. The cowards who believe in this bull-crap can go snivel to the shuttles. But that means their losing their positions in the C.W.A.T. Team. All who stay, follow me."
There was a long and awkward silence.
First, three soldiers stepped aside.
Then five…
Then six…
Then half of the squad….
Only eighteen remained.
The other half marched out, dropping their weapons on the way.
The Leader scowled. "Let those cowards go. They'll be wanting jump into Venom's deepest pit when they see my (I mean, our) names on the front page of Corneria's News Broadcast after we hunt down Star Wolf!"
Unfortunately, not all of the remaining troops shared his enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, up on in the Security Tower (55 minutes to explosion)
Wolf watched the gunships and shuttles and waves of criminals emerge all over the Main Yard.
He folded his arms.
Looks like chaos CAN be created with a single threat…
I can't remain here for long though….
I don't want to be part of this island when it blows up…
…I'm glad I planned all this before I broke out….
…I decided, a long time ago, that if I ever escaped from this place, it wouldn't be here if I ever came back….
This jail reeks of death and unfairness….and if I ever get got…which isn't likely….I'll never have to come back to this place….
I said I'd bring this place to justice….
MY kind of justice…
BEEP! BEEP!
Wolf eyed the bird's eye radar.
On the blue screen, the footage depicted C.W.A.T.s storming up the main stair-well….
SHING! Wolf drew his Claw.
Looks like the lambs have turned up for the slaughter…
Wolf looked up and saw that another group had set up on the roof, leveling down the building with grappling chords.
They were all armed with missile-launchers.
Getting creative…aren't they?
On the roof, the C.W.A.T.s latched their cable-hooks onto the roof, and attached the other ends to their harnesses.
"All troops! Drop Formation Delta!"
WHZZZZ!
They slid down the building, dangling swiftly by their chords.
Wolf waited for them to come….
But something else arrived.
Something….a lot worse….
PATTA-PATTA-PATTA!
The whirling of engines echoed down the chain of glass windows to Wolf's floor.
His eyes widened.
Fuck.
He turned around, Claw raised.
A light shone from the headlights of the Gun-ship. Its helicopter-like blades rotated.
PRITTA! PRITTA!
Laser-bolts from their machine turrets struck the windows and shattered them open.
Staring boldly into the Gunship's gaze, Wolf raised his weapon defiantly, without the slightest hint of fear in his eyes.
A loud voice echoed from the megaphone comm. attached to the Gunship.
"ATTENTION, STAR WOLF! LOWER YOUR WEAPON, OR WE WILL ENGAGE!"
Wolf said nothing, glaring his eyes.
"LOWER IT!"
Wolf didn't move.
Pfthh. Machines….weaponry….
They're all the same to me…
Expensive tools wielded by weaklings….
"PILOT 1 ENGAGING TARGET! MISSILES LOCKED!"
"Huah!" Extending his swift repulse down to the muscles in his fixed stance all the way up to his arms, Wolf threw his Claw at the Gunship cockpit-window.
FWOOOM!
The missiles zoomed out of their compartments towards Wolf.
Whoosh-THWANG!
The Claw spun on its edge like a devil-sharp boomerang.
SMASH!
Its razor point hacked through the glass and impaled itself into the pilot's neck.
Wolf leapt out of the missiles' way, their explosive points just , missing his tail by centimeters.
BWOOM!
The floor below him ripped open in a infernal explosion, ripping out to massive sheets of metal, each the size of a living room wall.
"Ga-chh-huarg-!" The pilot in the gunship regurgitated blood, and then lurched forward.
WHIIISH!
The unmanned gunship lurched forward, to Wolf's direction.
Thinking quickly, Wolf grasped the two massive sheets of metal with his claws, wrenching them into the air.
"Hmm….argh…." Wolf grunted in effort as he lifted the two slabs of metal into the air.
"Huah!"
Wolf Flashed into the air and sprang a purple fiery kick at both of them with each of his foot in a triple-spin aerial kick.
CROOOOM!
The two massive slabs of metal spun into the gunship's directions, at a forced speedy rate-
CLANG!
CLANG!
The two metal slabs sunk/crashed into the gunship, slicing their way into its structure sending it flying in the opposite direction.
Wolf darted into the air in a swooping jump, landing with both feet onto the ship's window.
SMASH!
He plunged his hand into the window, retrieved his Claw from the pilot's body, and then clamped his hand against the window.
WHOOSH!
Using his palm to push his weight back, Wolf plummeted backwards in a reverse somersault, landing swiftly on his feet back in the broken observatory window.
The gunship tumbled backwards out of sight, explosions appearing on it like scorches.
Wolf panted, struggling for breath.
Hah…. He panted. That actually…took some effort….
I can't keep doing everything in style if I wanna remain in one piece…
BAM!
The door swung open.
Wolf darted his head around to see C.W.A.T.s, all of their guns on him.
"HE'S IN HERE! WE GOT'EM!"
The Leader smirked. "Down to your knees, Star Wolf."
Wolf's eyes fled to the clock.
39 minutes to explosion….
"Hands on your head! NOW!"
To everyone's surprise, Wolf bent down on his knee.
The C.W.A.T. Leader smiled hatefully. "Looks like you're out of the game, O'Donnell."
Wolf smiled, playing along. "No. The game's over for you. All of you."
"Ha! It is, now? Okay….does that make us the losers of your little game, then?"
A fierce glint flickered in Wolf's single purple eye. "Oh no…..you're just the toys in this game, scum. And play each and every one of you….like a deck of cards."
The smile disappeared of the Leader's face. "Kill him!"
Wolf swept his arm to the computer console and slammed his fist on a button.
An out-of-place and artificial female voice echoed from the computer.
"DNA-Seeking Missiles: ARMED."
SHRA-BOOOM!
The entire building shook as a massive shockwave blasted through the building, shattering half of the building's windows. The explosion echoed off of the entire island, causing every witness, criminal and guard alike to look up. The C.W.A.T.s in the building lost balance as the building swerved back and forth like a vertical turbulent airplane. Wolf, completely on balance, looked up. The spark of the explosion had sent a light that could be seen even from the distant view of Corneria City. It made the tension in the air swerve in a gravity-defying level, causing the water below the island to ripple into massive waves.
The plot behind this explosion was that Wolf (who had purposely led a false blood cell back to his cell in order to rally the entire C.W.A.T. Team to one position) had intentionally cut himself, and paint a thick crimson stripe around a a group of windows on the exterior of the building. After rearming the missiles, Wolf knew that they were attracted to the tiniest portion of his DNA. So painting a blood-stripe around the building was pretty much like setting of heat-seeking missiles near a forest fire.
The impact of a hundred missiles fired at one spot caused the entire building to lurch. The base was completely blown apart, being held up by a weakening group of pipes and wall fragment.
In short….Wolf had drawn the entire C.W.A.T. Team to one building….only to send that building to a falling and crushing doom.
All of the soldiers screamed and fell over, as the wall sank into gravity's mouth and the building began to swerve.
Wolf dug his claws into a steel pillar, keeping his balance despite the chaos.
Good….
Now all I need to do is to…
Wolf turned to the window. But what he saw made him stop in the middle of his plan….
Wait….WHAT?
The shuttles were flying in the opposite direction-apparently, all the criminals had made it to the docks….and were heading in the complete opposite direction Wolf had expected them to go….
Shit….they're heading in Corneria City's direction….
I won't be able to hitch a ride without communicating through a comm….
…and they're too far out of reach…
Clutching the pillar, falling at blazing speed in a falling building, with only twenty minutes to the explosion….
Wolf was trapped.
No….No I'm not…..
If those shuttles are heading in the other direction….
...then so am I….
Wolf, realizing that what he was about to attempt was incredibly risky….and that he would be trailing the surface of certain death doing so….
….grinded his teeth, and took a deep breath and made a jump.
Wolf leapt upwards at the windows (which now served as a ceiling now that the building was going from vertical to horizontal) and aimed a swift and desperate punch at the glass.
SHAR-RER!
The shards blasted out into the cold air. The wind was rushing wildly and the atmosphere was getting clogged up…..the building was falling faster.
"Hey!" A pilot in a nearby C.W.A.T. gunship zoomed near Wolf's position. "O'Donnell's out!"
Wolf leapt through the hole in the window, diving upwards, his fur tingling under the ripping tide of winds that were gripping his state of gravity…
He took a deep breath and sprinted up against the building's surface. Every muscle in his body faced forward. He was telling himself not to look down, not to lose concentration….
"Command! Are you seeing this?"
"Copy that….he's running on the surface of a falling building! There's no way he'll make it!"
Wolf trudged up the building, which was now completely horizontal and now serving as a massive glass floor under Wolf's feet, and kept blazing towards the top of the building at the end of the trail.
This is insane….
This will never work….
His heart was thumping wildly…..every instinct was panicking and discouraging him, but he ignored them….
He abandoned the fear and doubt, grasping the unsureness, the doubt that he would make it….
I can make it….
I WILL make it….
PRATTA! PRATTA!
Wolf spun his head around. Oh, WHAT NOW? I'm already jogging on a falling building….
The gunship was pursuing him, pelting the window-floor with laser-tinted blasts from its machine turrets. Soon the trail of bullets would reach Wolf….
Wolf sped faster, his feet slipping but fragilely retaining balance over the glass surface...
He was too high up….he wouldn't be able to make it….
And then Wolf spotted it:
A shuttle, not a C.W.A.T. one, but a jail one, probably stolen…..hovering a hundred feet above the building's falling tip….
It's my only escape….
A sudden thrill gripped Wolf's bones, anticipation bubbling inside him. Half-unsure and half-fearless, he kept going.
ZOOOOOM!
The gunship whirled over to the building's ending edge, its nose towards Wolf, hovering, its rocket-compartments ready….
Wolf smiled to himself.
Perfect.
Panting, making up his mind, his reflexes readying for this next never-before attempted cheat against death, Wolf headed to the edge…
FWOOOOM!
A rocket ejected from the nearest compartment, jutting towards Wolf….
Wolf jumped upwards and Flashed out of its way-
BLAMMM!
The misdirected missile shredded through wrecking building glass, tearing the structure apart with a single deadly explosion, ripping open the building from under Wolf's feet, causing it to burn and collapse from right under his feet.
Wolf kicked his feet against the ground…
SHWEEEEM!
A purple streak of light sliced through the oxygen field as Wolf leapt up into the air….
FWOOOM!
The explosion sent a shockwave across the air, is impact catapulting Wolf's jump to hundreds of feet in the air….
Wolf was really high now….higher than any of the buildings….and falling….
The pilot….the guards….the criminals in their shuttles….everyone watched as Wolf's dark shape leapt in front of the moon…
Wolf was falling….
And then he looked down.
The gunship's roof stared back up at him.
I have to do it…now….
Otherwise….one wrong move could break every bone in my body….
Wolf tilted his body back, so that his feet were dipping downwards….
He clenched his fists, closed his eyes…..and said two words he hadn't spoken in five years….
"FIIIIRE-"
The gunship's roof was inches from his feet…
Wolf's single purple eye shot open, glinting fearlessly downwards.
"-WOOOOOOOOLF!"
With the oxygen whirling around him like a slow-winded hurricane, Wolf's muscles and feet extinguished the air outside with tantalizing purple flames, engulfing the air around him.
Like a living bolt of lightning, Wolf slammed into the gunship's roof, purple fire funneling into the iron hull like a flaming drill.
CRE-KASH!
A shockwave of purple flames sliced through the ship in a single flash, crunching the top of the ship like a crumpled tin can, shattering the windows and crunching the engine into exploding.
Wolf stomped his foot on the ship hull and launched himself into the air, as if using the massive crumpled and battered gunship as a mid-air 500-feet high stepping stone.
Wolf saw the previous shuttle from before heading towards him….
He held out his Claw….
CRASH!
The entire shuttle shook as Wolf slammed into it, sinking his Claw into its hull to break his crash.
The shuttle's sliding hatch opened up.
Whoosh!
Wolf leapt inside rolling onto the ground, and flipping back onto his feet, panting.
The escapees inside gaped at him.
Wolf looked at his comm. watch. Oh shit…
"DRIVE! NOW!" Wolf yelled.
The driver didn't need a second warning. He wrenched back the boosting lever in the cockpit.
FWIIIISHHH!
The shuttle boosted through the night, the island prison of Denique Fatum getting more and more distant….
Wolf turned to the driver. "Faster! We have to get away as far as possible!"
They were edging the arch-like Cornerian Rocks when they turned around.
The blistered and burnt island was silent, before a small orange light streaked through the tallest fallen tower, and-
SRA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The island's structure split open, the inside bursting like the inside of a volcano, the building and scraps crumbling like crumpled burnt paper. Specks fell into the sea, consisting mostly of massive building fragments and charred debris falling with large splashes.
The scorched island, no longer supported by its engine, fell with a echoing splash into the dark ocean, sending a minor wave of tension through the water clashing against the City's beach.
Thomas, safely watching from a C.W.A.T. Escape Shuttle (driven by the smarter C.W.A.T.s who gave up the crazy hunt when they had the chance), glanced at the shuttles which were heading towards the City.
Wow….
He really did it….he sunk that place….
Well, God knows I'm not gonna miss that evil place….
He wondered which of those shuttles was carrying Wolf. I guess even a notorious criminal legend can have a better sense of justice than the Cornerians do….
Thomas Gingerbeck was never going to forget this night. He knew, that when he would be an old ginger cat, he'd tell his grandkittens the story of how he met Wolf O'Donnell, and rode on one of his most famous escapades.
But I have to convince my parents that it really happened first…
Thomas grumbled, rubbing his healed arm.
Guess this means I got to find another job…
…maybe I should take his advice and become a pilot….
Meanwhile, on Wolf's shuttle….
Wolf panted as he watched the remainder of the island sink.
There…..it's done…
I'll never have to go back to that horrible place….
I'm free…
Wolf looked at the other passengers in the shuttle.
The other escapees looked at Wolf with nods of approval and smiles.
"Good to have you on board, O'Donnell."
"Yeah, way to show'em, Wolf!"
Wolf nodded with a modest half-smile. "All in a day's work, boys."
One looked concernedly at Wolf's bleeding arm.
"Hey….you're arm…you need some help with that?"
Wolf clutched his arm to stop the bleeding. "Nah, I'll take care of it. Just a scratch…I've had worse." He pointed to his left eye. "I just need a med-kit."
He was handed one, and Wolf stepped over to the back of the ship to the restroom, shutting the door behind him.
Twenty minutes later…..
Wolf stood in the tight squeeze of a bathroom, in the dark.
After the rush of the escape had worn off, Wolf had finally reached one of the most terrifying revelations in his life…one that had haunted him for the entire five years of his life in prison.
I know I got into a crash on Venom….
And…..the explosion….combined with a vat of Venomian Toxins….
It did things….to my face…..
Alone in the dark, he was trembling….
Wolf was afraid….it had been five years since he had seen his own face…..and that was back when he was nineteen….
I went under surgery….
They didn't tell me anything about the results….
His heart beat went quicker. The fear of not knowing….that was the true fear….
I….I probably look different now….
Not just because I'm older…
But because….my face changed under the surgery…
What if….what if I'm hideous underneath….?
No…..surgery results couldn't have been that bad….
But….I still…..could've changed…for good….
To not to be recognizable….
…not by Leon…
…not by Katt….
…not by anybody….
Wolf touched his face in the dark. Maybe he wasn't ready….
He stared at the bathroom mirror. It was too dark to see his reflection…
He was building up all his courage to turn on the light…..to reveal his new face….
But he was scared.
Wolf shook his head.
Look at me….I've faced so much….
Andross….Dark Wolf….
…and I'm scared of this?
…
But…
I guess…it's only natural to be afraid….
I can't show it…..that would mean showing weakness….
And I'm not weak.
Wolf cleared his throat, determined.
I'm NOT afraid….
Who cares what I look like? Not me….
He raised his hand for the light switch.
Then he hesitated.
He looked down.
I don't know anymore….
I don't have the guts to do it….I'm too self-conscious….and I know it…
…What if….that Wolf I was…is gone….?
What if….the face that saw Krystal…the face everyone was afraid of….
….disappeared?
What if I changed into something worse?
Wolf clenched his fists.
I have to face it sooner or later….
I'm still Wolf O'Donnell…no matter what face I've got…
Gathering up his bravery, Wolf took a deep breath…..and switched the light on.
SWIP! The switch's click echoed in the small bathroom.
As soon as he heard it, Wolf shut his eyes.
But he already caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
Wolf opened his eye slowly….his reflection came into focus….
Wow…..so that's me….
It was like looking at a future version of himself…
His looks weren't damaged, for one thing. The changed traits were barely noticeable. That at least, relieved Wolf.
But…he had changed. Not for worse. But still…
The face he saw in the mirror was an older Wolf O'Donnell. A face tinged with grey and white sleek fur. That's what he noticed first, that his fur was sleeker. His face was muscular in a relaxed kind of way. Whenever he frowned, he looked less lost. Whenever he smiled, it looked less cheeky, and more warm. Whenever he was angry, his cold stare mended perfectly with his striking purple eye.
The scar under his right eye, that James had given him so many years ago, was gone. He now had the pure black-lined lupus eye markings, giving him an intimidating but defiant look. His cheek-fur was more chipped and to the point, jagged, like his tail.
Wolf looked older, not in age, but in battle-hardened experience. A reassuring, fearless, bold and cooler look. His face wasn't drawn in outdoorsy good looks, like Fox McCloud.
His face shown in a permanent scar of emotion. A look that was carved with depth, character…as if staring into the face, you'd see that the owner was already seeing right through you, analyzing how to take you down. It was drawn with a dawned look of deep intentness. His face was covered in a shadow of gray fur, and it was pressed with his emotion and defiance, pushing out his looks in a new blend of natural but dark handsomeness.
Wolf was even more relieved, because being leader-like and enforcing had been hard with his previous punkish and defiant teenaged face. This new look made him look commanding and intimidating. It had a aura that put all things in front to waste, a face that would answer to no one. All would answer to him…
He touched his face, looking hard at this new and revolutionized expression.
I can't believe that's me….
It's like….I'm not looking at Wolf O'Donnell…
I'm looking at myself for once….the person underneath….
He looked down.
Hmm….I wonder…
He unzipped his jacket and looked at his bare chest in the mirror.
Damn….I'm out of shape…
Typically, any person would have said that Wolf's build would be similar to an average athlete. But that wasn't good enough for him…
I know, since I'm a Wolf…that I can get much stronger than this….
This is a waste of potential…
But he figured he'd have to worry about that later. He had more pressing matters…
Like his chin. The muzzle fur was staring to get unkept, like a five-o-clock shadow.
Wolf picked up a razor from the med-kit, and put on some cream.
After shaving, Wolf also got a good look at his hair.
Ugh…
The white stripe of head-fur that lined the front of his face had become messy…and shaggy.
Well….I don't want to attract attention….
And I especially don't want to look unkept….
….otherwise, I'll look like a hobo…or a child-molester…
And that's not a good way to forget about jail…
Taking the pair of scissors, Wolf cut off some of the sticking-out mats of fur.
Snip! Snip!
White fur fell to the looked into the mirror.
His self-done haircut was somewhat unprofessional, and looked spiky and Mohawk-like in some spots.
But it would have to do.
Wolf cleaned his wounds, strapped on some bandages, and washed his face.
Taking another last look at his new reflection, Wolf shut off the light.
This new face will have to take some time to get used to….
He stepped out of the room feeling better than he'd been in months.
The criminals were talking amongst themselves when Wolf arrived. When they saw him, their faces became serious and they snapped to attention.
The tallest, a Doberman, nodded in his direction. "Look, uh….Star Wolf-We've been talking and, uh….no disrespect or nothin', but uh…we feel…"
A retriever got up from his seat. "The authorities are looking for us. I think they know you're on our shuttle. It'd be best to-"
"You want me to leave so you won't get attention. I see," Wolf said coldly.
Criminal scum….I should've known better…
"Fine. I'll get a parachute from the cargo hold."
The others looked at each other. "Parachute?"
"You want to look less conspicuous, right? Then this shuttle can't land." He snatched a parachute harness from the pile of metal crates.
Wolf stepped over to the hatch, and looked down at the brightly-lit view of Corneria City. He'd probably find some transport there…
"Hey, O'Donnell."
Wolf turned impatiently. "What?"
The Doberman rubbed his head uncomfortably. "We….we don't mean to kick you out like this. I mean, you did bust us out. We're not trying to be ungrateful."
Wolf nodded. "I understand. But don't worry…I probably would've done the same for you.""
The Dog cocked his head. "You would?"
Wolf thought about it. "Well, actually, I probably would've dumped your bodies into the sea to avoid detection or witnesses. But I didn't bust you gentlemen out to kill you. I don't have the energy."
He turned his back to the nervous-looking criminals and looked down at the City in the distance.
"Now if you excuse me, I'm late for my own party."
Wolf leapt out-onto the future.
New dangers….a new Lylat System…
Things had definitely changed while he was gone. And now, he had to be ready for them.
And he knew where to start….
End of Chapter
Phew…lengthy chapter….
By the way…that whole deal with the Cyber-Scope? If you're wondering what that was about, you should probably take a look at Wolf's current eye-patch (see a resemblance? Hee-hee…)
The next chapter won't be as long, I promise. But I can tell you this: the epicness has even started yet.
Until next chapter, Turdlefans!
