Chapter 7:

Michael groaned as he awoke. He was sore...but his wounds had healed for the most part. He could walk...and alter somewhat.

He was not the first person awake obviously. He heard Rez and Kim's voice talking from a little ways down the tunnel of the subway. Clark was still snoring in his subway train car.

As he rose from the chair which creaked quite loudly Kim heard him and glanced over. She came running over to him.

"Oh no no no, you need to stay right in that chair or you'll-" cut off by Michael popping all his joints loudly he bent over, then twisted his neck both ways and finally popped his knuckles.

With a sigh of relief he walked over to Kim.

"I'm sorry what were you saying or I'll...spontaneously combust?"

"Let's not get our hopes up." said Kim dryly walking over to the fire Rez had restarted.

"Alright Michael I'm gonna go wake Clark up then we gotta go. According to the drug network this cult meets today at 11:00." said Rez walking into the subway car.

Rez shook Clark awake, the old man slowly opened his eyes and mumbled: "Mmm what time is it?"

"It's 10:30 and the cult meets in thirty minutes." Rez said.

Michael reached over and grabbed a plate, fished for a fork and grabbed whatever was cooking in the pan.

"Pancakes? Seriously? Wow I haven't had those in...I've never had pancakes in the city of rain..." Michael muttered.

"I know so I thought I'd try them, we gotta go find Cane so you'll need extra energy. Especially if he's fiesty."

"What's this we? No! It's to dangerous for you to go." said Michael cutting his pancake with his fork and taking a bite."

"That is pure rubish Michael! It'd be more dangerous for me to stay here and await ambush from Victor's squad than it would be for me to go with a body guard like you."

"That is neither here nor there. Besides, Cane is pure brute. If I have to fight him he could use you as a hostage and as if I didn't already have enough disability Kim."

"That's why I have this." Kim said lifting up her shirt half way to reveal a gun in her pants.

"I stole it from a guard Clark killed and I know how to use it."

"It doesn't matter a user has reflexes you could never defeat with a gun and that's why they're so ineffective."

"I'm going and that's that." Kim said

Michael realized that nothing he could say would convince her otherwise. He merely smirked and said "I suppose I don't have a choice. If you go-"

"Which I am" Kim interrupted.

"…then you listen to ME. When I move you move, when I duck you duck, and when I talk you listen do you understand me?"

"Yes, alright can we go now?"

"Slow down, in this fight, information is the difference in life and death for us. We need to know where he is, if he's still alive. We need to ask Rez real fast. The drug lords of the four sections of the city met and talked. His network will be of great importance to us." Michael finished.

Kim sighed and rolled her eyes, "Fine just hurry up or I go without you."

Michael slapped his forehead. I thought doctors were supposed to be people of patience…wow that's a pretty bad pun… Michael thought to himself sighing at his own lame joke.

Rez approached him and said "Operations begin in a few minutes. The drug lord of section C confirmed that he had seen Cane a few days ago killing a squad of soldiers. It was apparent he was fighting desperately since he doesn't have a psychic weapon he can rely on."

"So he's in section C?"

"Yes, last seen outside of a brothel heading south with two prostitutes."

"You don't say?" said Michael grinning halfway.

Kim obviously overheard his tone of voice and cut in. "So, he was heading to the south end of the C quadrant. What's down that way."

"That is where things get antsy; the information just says that he was going that direction. The thing that is scary is the only major place of abandonment down that way is an old thirty story hospital. It hasn't ever been used or even touched. People seem to think it's…well…bad luck to go to a hospital in this hell-whole."

"Well ok regardless we'll head that way. A hospital would be a good place to hide. Plus it would contain medical equipment that restores every night to exactly the way it was. Not to mention a fully stocked cafeteria. So he might be healing. How long ago-"

Rez interrupted before he could finish "Just yesterday."

Michael's eyes widened "God! They're already in section C just yesterday?! That gives us about a day until they head into this section!"

"Which is why this mission is so desperate Michael! Get going and find him! If you can't bring him to our side leave him be he'll do enough damage if any more to Victor's army whether he's with us or not. We know he hasn't joined up with Victor. Also this Church of Mathis cult group may or may not be a nice ally in silencing Victor." Clark said in his strategic voice.

Geez he's like Alexander the great and Winston Churchill in one freakin body. Rez thought to himself.

Michael walked over and grabbed his trench coat which Kim had quickly sewn back together as well as she could this morning before he awoke.

"Fine, let's go then." Michael said as he walked up Clark's steps and into the rain.

"Can you make me an umbrella?" Kim asked.

"No, it'll stand out too much and if we have to run it'll cause more of a scene and slow us down." Michael said.

Rez saw some old magazines on the ground scattered and dirty. He put them together in a pile and altered them into a poncho. He handed it to Kim.

"Can you make it purple?" she asked winking.

Rez laughed for a couple seconds and ended it with a loud deep "NO!"

She made a pouty face and ran and caught up with Michael. Closer to the top he got down flat to the steps and motioned for Kim to do the same.

He looked into the rainy street and saw no one but a dead drunkard they had heard the night before outside. He was stabbed through the neck.

Kim grimace at the sight of him and Michael shushed her as he leapt into the air and did a front flip landing and ran to the alley between two buildings.

Putting his hands flat on each wall he altered a simple pulley system with a large basket built into the wall. He motioned Kim over and she followed.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"What did you think we'd travel on the streets? Too dangerous, that's why Clark and Rez are taking underground railway and sewer system to go find this cult." Michael told her.

She climbed in and he began pulling the basket up to the top of the building where he altered a ladder in the wall to the remainder of the roof. She climbed on and went to the top of the roof, he followed right under her.

"You really do have a nice butt." He said slapping her in the butt. Kim merely smirked down at him and said "Just a shame there's no swimming pools here in the city of rain. I miss my bikini years."

Michael merely looked away for a second and mouthed "WOW!"

They got to the top and Michael looked at Kim as he pulled out two pole vault sticks from the roof.

"What do you expect me to do with that?" she asked pointing at it.

He tossed one with her. "Well you said you did field and track in high school and I don't have the strength to both fight Cane and transmute a bridge from roof to roof.

"Wait…no-no-no-no." Kim said shaking her head.

"Better get a move on if you intend to come. If you don't the basket is still up here if you intend to go back."

"Weasel you had this planned from the start…" Kim muttered rushing towards the roof edge and poking the pole into the edge corner and bending it as she tried as hard as she could not to scream. She flew across and landed gracefully and turned back to Michael putting her hands on her hips and bending forward blowing him a kiss as if you taunt him. "Come on." He body language said.

Michael ran forward imitating her movement and he landed on his feet falling forward on his hands.

"Not so easy huh?" she said hands still on her hips.

"Yeah well I'm injured remember?"

"Mmmhmmm injured…don't bend your neck so far to look at my butt then." She said.

Clark and Rez were walking through the sewer which of course was nothing but underground tunnels full of nothing. This was just one more fascinating thing about the city of rain. When you flushed your urine down the toilet it simply disappeared. No knew where it went.

Rez and Clark walked in silence as they came to a dead end.

"This is it on the other side of this wall is the cult meeting which should start in exactly two minutes. They have a special synchronization with their watches. You won't guess what it cost to get one watch." Rez said scratching his head.

"Now get quiet I'm gonna very carefully alter a slit in the wall so we can listen in." Clark said. He ran his hand along the wall for a second and then two sets of eyeholes appeared. Rez approached his and looked in.

Clark carefully pulled out sets of headphones as well. He made a small opening and slid a small unnoticeable microphone through. Rez flashed a "A Ok" sign and put his on.

Turning the dial to listen more closely, Rez looked forward and saw what looked like a bunch of members of the Ku Klux Klan. "Oh my…" Clark muttered staring at the crowd estimating at Fifty people.

"God welcomes you brethren! Now we meet once again in secret because the Anti-Christ Victor has taken over two sections of the city and it working on the third. Soon we will need to start our guerilla operations! God wills it!

He has sent me to you people to round up those who's souls will be saved in the new coming of Jesus Christ! Now we differ from those other fools that call themselves Christians! You see those fools think that Jesus is just gonna pop up one day out of the blue trumpets blowing!

What sorry fools they are and they'll realize that when they are burning in Hell! I'm here to tell you that Jesus is here, he is among us! HE IS WITH US PHYSICALLY AT THIS MOMENT!"

The man speaking pointed at a man behind him sitting on a bench who's cloak and and hood were red and the rest of the cloaks were black.

"This, fellow brothers and sisters is Jesus Christ reincarnated into the flesh once more! He has come and shown himself to his disciples! We follow him and give him everything! This very morning we have a stunning offering!"

He walked over to a big thing under a tarp and yanked it off. Inside was a naked and bruised nine year old boy. It was obvious his legs were broken and he was tied down blood all over him. His tears and muffled screams were too much Clark stood up ready to charge through and kill.

"Easy! You idiot! Wait a second! That's a crowd of fifty in there an unknown number are users." Rez hissed.

"He's just a kid! He's not even double digits! I'll kill the freaks I'll slaughter them all!" Clark hissed grabbing his wrist to steady himself after his enraged outburst. Even he knew though that the odds were against them.

"I have seen the fools that call themselves users! They are nothing compared to our Jesus! He has a weapon with him that allows to see the moves of his opponents before they even attack! He stood toe to toe with Victor and even Victor could not kill him! He demands obedience! He demands sacrifice! Now brethren we sacrifice this virgin offering to his greatness!"

The leader pulled out a canister and poured the stuff inside all over the kid struggling to move away. The leader was about to strike a match when the so called "Jesus" stopped his hand in mid strike.

"It appears we have visitors." He said.

The red cloaked figure placed his hand on the wall and the wall in front of Rez and Clark fell revealing them. They looked at each other bewildered but ready for a fight.

"Wait! Before you make that next move and draw your weapons let me ask you to consider who it is you attack. The great Jesus is of course merciful if you'll just bow before me." said the man in the red cloak.

"And if we don't then you'll douse the kid in fire?"

"Heh, whether you bow or not the kid dies a glorious sacrifice. What better way to die then as a sacrifice to Jesus Christ? Of course we'll slaughter you like we will everyone else who refuses to bow as well."

"You religious people are all nuts. This is why all religious nations eventually fell. We'll bow to no MAN." Clark said summoning his staff.

"And what is your choice?" asked the cloaked man to Rez.

"The purpose of coming here was simply to find out whether we should join you to fight Victor."

"By all means! You both are users and you could put your talents to use for the Christ!" said the original speaker/leader.

"However, now that we know your morals and conditions we'll take our chances on our own. You cult members can fight him on your own."

"Jesus doesn't bargain…nor does he pardon such offense. Calling us a cult is disrespectful." said the minister speaker.

"Who do you think you are to insult the Christ?!" one member of the crowd shouted.

"Yeah! Christ will smite you like he has so many others!" yet another shouted.

"I see, you gather to this guy cause he's stronger than the rest of you and you think he's gonna make your problems disappear? You fools are weak! Your gathering around a pillar standing in a collapsing building! Victor can break the laws of altering themselves and you think your freakin Jesus incarnate can beat him?" Clark shouted furiously.

"Kill him Jesus!"

"Smite the like the Sodom and Gomorrah they are!"

The kid in the cage however looked at them eyes pleading begging for rescue.

"I'm afraid I'll tolerate no more, and before you launch any flames at me I think you better remember this kid drenched in gasoline." said the Jesus incarnate.

Flames…he knows?! How can he see what I'm about to do? Clark asked himself hysterically.

Rez didn't move a muscle at this point he knew it was imperative that he stand his ground until Clark directed him, after all Clark was the strategist.

"Clark…ok time to put that chess pieces mind of your to work. If he knew you were about to roast him then certainly he is a user of some kind…" Rez whispered to him out of the side of his mouth.

No one moved, time stood still as Rez and Clark stared down this "Christ". The crowd didn't even murmur a single sound. Not even breathing could be heard among the silence.

"Rez…your information was that they had other users within this group right?"

"Yes…about three or four out of fifty. No individual data could be provided."

"If that is the case you listen and listen good because these instructions will be the difference between our lives and us becoming corpses. You watch that crowd for any activity whatsoever and then you silence any movements from any user as fast as you can." Clark said.

"What will you be doing?"

"I'm gonna crucify this so called Christ." Clark said determined as he ran forward down the main aisle of people.

That's a bit sacrilegious… thought Rez to himself dryly.

Shut up! It's time to focus! Your focus means the difference in life and death of this old man and you! Now watch dang it watch them like a vulture!

Clark held his staff close ready to launch a wave of flame at the red cloaked man. The red cloaked man was merely smiling was his left eye glowed…This was peculiar Clark had never seen something like it the way it glowed and focused in on him.

As a river of flame moved forward as fast as lightning the so called 'Christ reincarnate' leapt into the air to avoid it.

"Gotcha." Clark muttered appearing right under where the figure had leapt. He held his cane out wide as a cyclone of fire spun upward engulfing the cloaked man.

"Seeing the future doesn't help you if you can't avoid it." muttered Clark as he walked over to the kid.

Before he could get halfway across the raised area a huge rock fell in his way!

Clark hopped back as the rock expanded and then formed a wall around Clark slowly moving in.

The man claiming to be Christ reincarnated stood in front of where the rock landed.

"You see what's funny is I saw that future and I now I see…you!" he cried leaping back as a column of flame shot out of the ground.

Clark breathing hard climbed out of a hole in the ground and stood with a puzzled expression.

Not only did he survive my flame column by turning his cloak into a stone cocoon he knew I'd melt the ground under me and come from under him with an attack! He obviously can see somewhat of the future. Clark concluded.

Back on top of a rainy wet rooftop Michael and Kim stood looking down at a squad of soldiers from Victor. "Knew we'd run into them eventually. The good thing is they haven't spotted us yet." said Michael as he kept low.

"No more pole vaulting then?" Kim asked setting the pole down. They'd been at it for a half an hour. "I'm exhausted." Kim said sighing and sitting down.

"I know, that's why I didn't want to bring you with me, I didn't want to be slowed down." replied Michael sitting down next to her.

"Gee you sure know how to flatter a woman. So what now, if we can't go leaping into the air anymore without risk of being spotted what now?"

"I didn't expect them to come so soon…we're what, a half mile from the hospital? I guess we just have to…well. I don't know, we'll just have to wait for them to look in the opposite reaction and jump for it."

"You realize one miscalculation with these jumps and we fall to our deaths right?"

"Don't remind me." Michael said shaking his head.

Michael gave the signal and Kim ran forward leaping to the next rooftop. She landed and rolled to a stop. The squad looked up at the building she was at!" Michael paused for the moment he didn't know what to do. If they came up here Michael and Kim would be spotted and he'd have to fight another user.

My options are limited here…please look the other way." Michael thought staring down at them. The guard did the exact opposite and began barking orders and pointing up at the roof.

Michael mouthed the words "Run" to Kim as she took off for the direction of the hospital. Cain would protect her. Ironically in a previous fight when Kim was present Cain refused to involve her in the fight, he said "She's a female, and in addition my conflict is with you…that's why I'll kill you and leave her." Kim was out of sight when the door to the roof busted open and guns were pointed at Michael.

"Hands up… now! What were you doing watching us from up here?" the guard asked harshly. The other guards were running up the stairs at this point and Michael wanted to wait until they were all together.

As the guards came up they bunched up in the stair well.

"Amateurs…" Michael muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" demanded a guard.

All the guns were currently pointed at Michael. He couldn't make a single move as he held his hands up in the air.

"Get on the ground now!"

"Which one is your user?"

"Now!"

"I'll get down when I know which person is your user." Michael said calmly.

The guards looked at each other nervous- who was this man who could oppose them so easily?

"It's me." Said a tall calm looking man with slicked back black hair.

"Now do as we say and get down."

"Take your monocle off too." one said motioning for it to be laid on the ground.

Michael smiled "So you noticed my monocle huh? It's nice isn't it? I like to think it delivers an explosive fashion statement."

Those were the last words the guards heard as they were all blown to bits with a huge explosion. Several were blown off the roof and those in the center of the explosion were literally…no more.

"Kim would be repulsed." Michael said leaning over breathing hard.

"Geez-I guess I need some proper training before I go using another user's weapon." I-I put too much power in it. This lens really takes it out of you if you don't limit the flow of power coming out. Michael thought.

Not realizing that one escaped Michael was caught off guard as the user that dodged the explosion came down out of the sky.

"I see you're the one who killed Dillon. You should be happy to know that he was my brother."

"I don't care if he was your mother, he got in my way just like your in my way now. Move or I'll kill you."

"I don't take threats lightly from the one who lived through Victor's entourage; however, I will not budge until you've been slaughtered."

"Is your psychic weapon that powerful?"

"Yes and I-"

The man stopped, his eyes went up into his head and then his head fell forward as blood came out of his mouth. A dagger was protruding the spot of the user where the heart would be.

"I see you came to visit us first. It's been a little while…Cain." Michael said.

Cain dropped the now dead body onto the ground as he looked directly into the eyes of Michael.

"Why are you out here? Victor has guards looking high and low for you." Cain said without any emotion at all.

"We're here to ask you to join with us to fight Victor. One way or another we know you're going to fight him. Why not fight him with us?"

"I hate you though, why would I join forces with the man I hate?"

"What about all that the enemy of my enemy is my friend crap?"

"That's different you are also the enemy of my enemy you see. I could just as easily join Victor to kill you."

"Stop talking out your fat end, if you were going to do that you wouldn't have killed a squad of his soldiers."

"What's to stop me from killing YOU right now?"

"Me and my lance that's what. You can't kill me Cain, you know you can't."

"You're injured still I know that you had to kill another user to get that new weapon of yours. Also you've been using minimal altering. Instead of making bridges to the other buildings you've been using those sticks."

"So what? You're injured as well. The only reason you were able to kill that user was because I distracted him. Face it, us fighting here is pointless. Just come with us and help with the assassination of Victor."

Cain looked up into the sky and seemed to think about it.

Kim showed up and walked behind him putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Cain, Michael doesn't have the ego to say it, but we need your help. We can't beat Victor on our own. Would it not make sense for you to help kill Victor?"

"Keep your mouth shut woman, I need no kind words from you. You can take your hand off me too, and aren't you a little too trusting? I could kill you with you being this close."
"No…you couldn't I've had my finger on the trigger of this gun the entire time, and Michael is three times faster than anyone to protect me." Kim said full of confidence.

The next few moments seemed to last forever as no one in the group knew what to say then without warning many nails as if from nowhere shot out of the ground coming up with enough force to kill anyone they hit.

Cane stood still as the nails flew up past him. Kim wasn't as composed as she leapt back. The nailes flew up and scrapped her legs in several areas. She hit the ground screaming as Michael, who couldn't move without guarantee of death froze as well.

The user they thought to be dead earlier now stood before them.

How? Cain shoved a blade right through the man's heart. I saw it he didn't miss it was right through the center of the heart. Michael couldn't have a done a more accurate job so how is this man still walking? Michael asked himself sweating.

"I see by the looks on your faces you are shocked. I don't blame you. It's not as if I told you any of my secrets. I'm afraid any further battle would be pointless so I'm just going to kill you now since you lack the ability to do so to me. By the way, It is Victor's policy that those who will die shall have the name of their executioner…your executioner is named Chad."

"Well Cain make your choice, are you with him or me?" Michael asked looking at Cain.

"You or Mr. Immortal here, either way is a whole new card game."

"Then shuffle the deck because we're in for a gamble or two." Michael replied smiling.

"You fools, it doesn't matter how many you have two or two million you can't kill me!" Chad yelled

"Well I sure as heck won't give up without trying!" Michael yelled rushing forward and aiming a punch at Chad's face.

"You know you and that metal arm are quite a legend among those who follow Victor. Your known as the one that got away…"

Michael spun still coming forward swinging his metal fist around for a back fist.

Chad ducked and rolled behind Michael drawing a gun. Cain was on it, he had ran forward kicking the gun out of Chad's hand.

Chad swore and dove for the gun but Michael hit the ground making the concrete roof swallow the gun just as Chad got to it.

"That's just fine, just means your deaths will be slower and more painful." said Chad getting up.

Cain ran forward and aiming a kick at Chad's head.

Being extremely agile, Chad did a back flip out of Cain's range and as he landed he came forward catching Cain off balance. He landed a good punch in Cane's gut sending him backward.

Taking the initiative at the moment, Michael ran in a wide arc to the left away from Cain and Chad. He then stopped where he was and placed both hands on the ground. Spikes shot up into the air and came back down towards Cain and Chad.

Seeing the spikes Cain leapt back still clutching his stomach from the last blow. Chad didn't even flinch. The spikes came down stabbing him in many areas. One finally finished him off coming down through his head vertically. It went in good so only the tip of the back side was sticking out.

Chad's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell face forward.

"The idiot wasn't fast enough." said Michael.

"Don't be so sure…" said Cain.

At this point the faded eyes that were Chad's became white again and his head "spit" the spike out. He got up his head wound and other wounds closing. He breathed in a fresh breath of air and smiled at them.

"Well gentlemen how's it feel to have all efforts wasted?"

Cain talked out of the corner of his mouth quietly for Michael and Michael only to hear.

"Listen, let's stab all of his major organs. We'll surround him and do a cement snake kind of thing. You can do that right?"

"Like heck I can. I always was more artistic than you."

"Can it or I'll just kill you both." said Cain not a bit amused.

The two did as planned and made two arcs each in opposite directions while Chad merely stood there as if he already knew their efforts were futile.

Cain and Michael moved as one. They both hit the ground and pressed their hands to it.

As if rehearsed many cement spikes extending like snakes toward Chad. Cain's and Michael's pierced every organ they thought was vital to life. They hit the heart, the kidneys, lungs, stomach, bladder, and liver.

Chad fell over with the snake spikes draining his blood.

"That ought to fix him." said Cain sighing in relief as he got up. Before Cain could get all the way up the snake spikes he launched turned back towards him! He didn't have time to dodge as six different spike serpents came rushing at him from all directions.

The heads all exploded before they reached Cain causing them all to fall to nothing. Cain looked around and saw Michael breathing hard…very hard. He was wearing that lens monocle thing again.

Chad got up and pulled the remaining spikes out of him.

"You dare to use my brother's weapon in my presence? I think I'll kill you before I do your ugly prison inmate looking friend over there.

As he started for Michael, Cain pulled two daggers out of his pocket and hurled them at Chad. He speedily leapt into the air avoiding them. Michael caught them and tossed them off the roof.

Seeing that Chad was coming for him Michael summoned his lance. He ran at Chad leaping into the air and slicing down. Chad stepped left as Michael didn't even let his lance hit the ground.

Michael pulled it up and aimed for Chad's head.

"Throw it!" Chad laughed manically.

Instead the end shot forward connected with the orange beam. It launched right through Chad's head.

He began to fall backwards but he was already coming back to life.

"Enough of this! If I can't kill you I'll immobilize you!" Michael shouted

He retracted his lance and moved very fast when he hit the ground. Even Chad gasped as Michael suddenly "appeared" in front of him. First he came up and spun fast. The lance glowed orange as he charged it. He cut clean through Chad at the waist.

Before Chad's upper half had hit the ground. Michael sliced down cutting off the left arm, then came up as fast cutting off the right arm.

Finally Michael spun so fast even Cain's eyes lost track of his movement for a second. Starting a quiet growl and doing a crescendo into a scream of rage and hate he cut Chad's head off.

Blood drenched Michael now. A recent splotch from cutting the head off landed over Michael's lips. He spat it to the ground and looked up letting the rain clean his face.

Cain walked over with a look that expressed his shock.

"Why didn't you ever do that when you fought me?"

"Wasn't ever mad enough, you never laid a hand on Kim so I always considered our 'fights' more 'duels to the death'."

Laughing was heard from Chad's head as his body parts all melted into nothingness! Then his neck glowed as bright light glowed and his body grew back out of nothing.

"Aww #." Cain swore and spat.

"# indeed." Agreed Michael as they watched Chad reassemble.

Clark was sweating now…he had been outwitted, something he didn't like to have happen. He was a strategist and now he was being beat at his own element!

"I suppose your about ready to give up? Your generation is spent…you are the last sinful generation before I rapture everyone of your kind to Hell." said the Christ impostor.

"You can try of course, but even a user isn't God here. Victor proved that when he ended in a stalemate with my friend."

Rez was sweating no one from the crowd was doing anything! This meant that they were scared to interfere in a fight that their Jesus was fighting. They feared him so much they didn't want to interfere for fear of death.

Seeing that he was wearing down, Clark stepped back ready to go on the defensive.

"Wearing down? What now are you going sit down and watch Television old man?"

This man was making Clark more angry by the minute and then it hit Clark. This man knew he was tired…exhaustion. He knew he was angry…anger what did the two have in common?

What do Exhaustion and Anger have in common that this man can use them against me? Clark asked himself.

Looking back and forth Rez didn't relax. Forget the crowd! I might need to attack this Jesus incarnate freak. So I've got to keep an eye on both. Focus Rez Focus! Rez thought to himself.

Clark now knew how this man was operating! This is it! Calm down, if he senses excitement he'll know that you've figured it out. Alright, if this man can predict my moves through my emotions then if I remain calm…no he's got the kid he can use as a hostage. I need to keep moving and attacking or he'll know I'm putting together a strategy. That much I can do now. Thought Clark.

Clark aimed his staff upward and launched flames up to the ceiling bringing a good chunk downward towards the Jesus incarnate.

That's the strategy then, I'll get angry and let him read my moves to aim at the pillars and bring the room down. This way he'll think that's what I'm trying to accomplish, which is in fact reality. When the roof caves he'll be distracted getting away so I'll nab the kid and escape with Rez. I can't defeat this man as is. I'll need long term planning but mission accomplished we now know this cult is against us.

Clark now ran at one of the nearby pillars holding the room up shouting loudly. "You are a fake! Your religion is fake! I'll burn you all to ashes."

Rez saw Clark stamp the ground with his right foot three times. Something was about to happen. Knowing that ahead of time they had discussed that if Clark had a plan he'd use this signal so Rez had to best interpret the course of action that was about to happen.

"You're going for the pillars. You aim to bring the room down and in the confusion get away. Clark if this Jesus incarnate can see the future don't you think he'll realize your strategy?"

The Jesus incarnate leapt around trying to avoid the flame. His eye was acting up. "He's angry so why can't I see what he's going to do next? This eye always reads the emotion and then shows me what comes next! Why?! Why isn't it showing me anymore?!" the incarnate hissed under his breath.

The only possibility is he's faking…it's fake anger to make me fall for it. This means he has figured my emotion ability out, but he still doesn't know that I know he's faking. If he's randomly shooting then- The incarnate's thoughts were interrupted by a large part of the roof falling in and smashing three of his followers. The other scattered for the exit.

"Save us Jesus!"

"Jesus! Please bring my daughter back to life!" an old woman pleaded on her knees.

"My people! Flee, our next meeting will continue as planned! I myself will stay behind and kill these demons. For now flee before they feast upon your souls!" the Jesus incarnate yelled still avoiding Clark's flame.

Clark had taken out all the pillars now except one. He turned his attention to it, the damage was done. This room was already collapsing. The center remaining pillar was only buying time before the room collapsed.

All that remained now were Rez, Clark, the boy, and the Jesus incarnate.

"So you made my people flee huh? You think I'm weaker without them?"

"No, you told them to flee remember? And now I'm going to kill you!" shouted Clark with as much fake anger as he could muster. The Jesus incarnate smiled.

Your plan was to bring the room down and end in a stalemate the entire time. Well fine, take your stalemate we'll meet again, but you see I'm not going away without a price thought the Jesus incarnate.

Clark mustered what strength he had left to make a giant fireball at the last column knowing that it would bring the remainder of the room down. He started to move towards the original entrance where Rez stood.

"Rez alter the ground and save the kid!" he shouted.

Before Rez could so so the Jesus incarnate snatched the kid and hurled him in the way of the fireball.

"NO!" Clark shouted but Rez held him back.

"He's soaked in Gas! Even if you got to him the fire would roast him!"

Clark watched the Jesus figure disappear as the fireball hit the kid and roasted him alive and continued on destroying the column.

Tears fell from Clark's eyes as he watched the screaming kid roll on the floor crying with his mask his still on. The kid was burning as the rubble buried him alive.

"Why…what did he do to anyone? You know what Rez…he won. That Jesus incarnate defeated me and burned the kid. The one thing I set out to do and he stopped me."

Rez hearing this and seeing tears from Clark's eyes walked over and stood at Clark's level. He raised his hand and slapped Clark across the face. A loud CAP Was heard down the hallway.

"Listen and listen well Clark. Our mission was to spy on the cult, did we do that? The answer is yes. Our mission was to determine if we could ally ourselves with them, did we do that? Again the answer is yes. So you tell me what part of our plan included saving that child? No part, what would you have done? Would you take him back with us? Raise him like an adoptive father?"

"I could have…I could have-" another slap stopped his sentence.

"Clark wake up! This is war, there are casualties! People die and that's just the way things are! If/when I die it'll be a casualty! That kid, it doesn't matter how old he was or how he died. He died and that's the end of his story. He'd have been dead weight anyway. He can't fight, he had no skills for our disposal. Why do you think we keep Kim around? She's a doctor, she can heal us that's the only reason. Michael knows this too so don't get worked up over one stupid waste of time!"

"He was a human being and we could have saved him! It was our obligation-" this time Rez full on delivered a punch to Clark's face full of tears.

Clark collapsed and fell down against the wall of the sewer.

"Listen to me! He was trash! God forsaken trash! He was only good to be killed and he would have slowed us down ending in our demise as well! It's basic strategy numero uno! Keep your emotions out of strategy, forget obligations! Your job as strategist is to keep US alive. Not every little orphan that has a tear jerking story."

This time Clark rose slowly and wiped the tears from his eyes as a new killing expression set about his face. "Rez, my strategy now calls for me to kill that man. I'll crucify him if it's the last thing I do." And with that they set off back for the headquarters.

Michael hit the ground and slid over to almost the edge of the building. Cain had been stabbed twice in his left leg so any amazing jumps or leaps were out for him.

Chad had regenerated beyond all their attempts to kill him and Michael and Cain had no ideas left as they faced him.

"You know what I'm going to do now? Since you stole someone near to me I'm going do the same to you…only your going to get a special treat. You can watch as I slowly torture your woman here." said Chad.

With Cane on the ground struggling to pull the two knives out of his leg Michael ran over to get in front of Kim.

Chad was faster this time and he reached into the ground and barbed wire shot out! Dozens of feet of barbed wire flew at Kim! Michael skidding in front of her with one foot on the ground altered her ground she stood on to move sideways.

He took the barbed wire full on and landed in a tangled mess as Chad made the barbed wire get Michael's limbs in the air so he couldn't touch anything all the wire melding into the ground securing him where he was.

It easily ripped through his coat as Chad made it nice and tight. Michael screamed in pain as barbed wire pulled closer on him. He couldn't move without getting nasty scratches and tearing himself open.

"And now…" said Chad as he easily overpowered Kim and slung her to the ground. She screamed in protest but he altered cement handcuffs that held her hands and legs to the ground.

"Kim!" Michael yelled struggling only to scream in more pain.

"I think I'll start with a nice dagger and slowly cut open your sides." He said taking his dagger and doing just that. He worked slowly up towards her right side.

Kim screamed bloody murder as Michael tearfully cried out to her in pain and sadness.

With one side freshly open and blood leaking Chad moved to the other side and slowly slid the dagger upwards smiling the entire time.

Michael screeched as he struggled amongst the pain to the point he was bleeding terribly from all his cuts. He couldn't move his limbs. Chad on the other hand was moving his limbs slowly up Kim's body as he got closer to her breasts.

"Maybe I'll cut these to pieces as well." Chad said looking in Michael's direction as he positioned the blade above her.

At this Michael struggled more rapidly. His thoughts were united in one thing: the slow and utterly painful death of Chad. With his metal arm he wrapped it around the barbed wire and pulled as hard as he could. Michael's metal arm made sparks as he worked rapidly to get little bits of the barbed wire off.

Michael's flesh arm was free now and he summoned his lance. In one fluid sharp motion he cut himself free spinning and rising up. Blood was dripping from his cuts like crazy but he didn't care.

Chad didn't notice he was up. He started down with the knife for Kim's breasts and an explosion knocked him off of her and the knife over the roof edge.

Michael was fast, beyond fast as his emotions of hate and his mind working for Chad's death united. Michael appeared behind Chad with such speed he couldn't react.

He landed a blow at the base of the neck where it meets the spine and Chad fell over at once. Michael picked Chad up by the neck and choke slammed him to the roof. Michael then gouged Chad's eyes out with his metal fingers. Chad screamed loudly and Michael screamed louder.

"Shut it!"

Michael then jammed his metal hand up into the bottom of Chad's jaw so hard blood shot out and he pulled with all his might until he ripped Chad's lower jaw off! With blood gushing everywhere Chad fell backwards in tears and wailing.

This was wear Michael took his lance and jabbed it strait down into Chad's testicles. Michael stamped his foot and cement handcuffs chained him to the floor so he didn't even had the ability to roll back and forth in pain.

"Please, please! Stop already I'll do anything!"

"What did you do when I asked you to stop torturing Kim?"

"That was different!"

"How so?"

"I let her live!"

"Then that's where we differ." said Michael.

"By the way that sparkling thing back in your throat? I finally figured it out." said Michael as he shoved his metal hand down the man's throat and ripped out with much pain a diamond. It had a heart engraved on it. It was about the size of a fifty cent piece.

"So here was your psychic weapon that allowed you to regenerate. I wondered what that was."

"There take it! Just please spare me!" the man yelled.

At this Michael took his lance and cut the man deeply and in many spots for the next thirty seconds randomly stabbing in areas just to hear the man scream and cry.

Michael cut his arms and legs off so he couldn't alter and then stabbed him for another fifteen seconds. Without his healing ability he'd die within the next five minutes of blood loss.

Sensing it wasn't enough Michael realized Chad's testicles regenerated before he pulled the diamond out so he walked over and stamped his foot on them many times until they were thoroughly non-existent.

Chad was crying and balling and screaming all at once it seemed.

Cain walked over and put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "That's enough, do you think Kim wants to see you enjoy this? Let's just go."

Walking over to her shaking body Michael re-altered his coat and put it on her. He altered bandages and wrapped her up and carried her wedding style.

"It's ok, we're leaving now. He's gone." Michael said whispering to her. She was still whimpering and shaking.

"Cain, if you want to join them fine, but seeing what you just saw I wanted to ask you to join our team. We simply want Victor dead."

Michael turned to leave and Cain walked silently following as if to say "Sure, I'll join." Everyone made their way back…new pains were started and new scars carved. Unfortunately for Michael and the others it would take much more than a few fights and killings to survive the City of Rain.