Chapter Eleven: Heart of Darkness

In the darkest reaches of Dexter's mind…

Freakazoid tried to pick himself up from the floor, but his body felt so heavy. His bones creaked as he rolled onto his side and then his stomach so he could push himself up. The area he found himself in was dimly lit and forced his eyes to squint. How peculiar.

"Curiouser and curiouser"

As he wandered through the growing darkness, hands outreached for anything to give him a clue as to where he was Freakazoid grew concerned. He felt the darkness licking at his heels, trying to grab onto him.

"Dexter!" Freakazoid worriedly called out. "Dexter!" he spun about frantically searching for his companion. "This is no time for hide and seek…please say something. Anything…Marco…"

'Polo'

The low hiss seemed to slither into Freakazoid's ear, startling him. He stumbled about trying to decipher exactly where it had come from, but as it continued the fact became that the voice was emanating from all around. Freakazoid flexed his muscles and tried to be brave, but the coldness of the air made him shiver. This was no happy place.

But Dexter was here too, and likely more frightened than Freakazoid was. He challenged the mysterious observer for answers "Where's Dexter?"

'Not here to protect you'

"Protect me?" he challenged gruffly.

'I can see your confusion' it said eerily. 'Come now, call for him if you like and we shall all have a nice little chat'

"You leave Dexter out of this", Freakazoid swung his fist at the chuckle that sounded like it came from behind him; he spun around a few times as nothing restricted the blow but air. "Ah! So annoying! Who are you anyway?"

'Darkness can be found in the purest of hearts' it said with arrogance. 'I am the darkness which resides within Dexter'

"Nuh-uh", Freakazoid taunted, shaking his head in the darkness. "Dexter is good! The goodest thing ever! As good as puppies and sugar plums and…and…"

'And he is also human' it sneered in its tone. 'Anyone will tell you that within all humans lay the Heart of Darkness'

"Woah there buddy. If you keep this attitude up nobody's going to take you to the prom"

Freakazoid felt something grip him; he broke free and ran. But he couldn't see or hear anything, just the dull chuckle of whatever echoed at his coattails.

"What's your problem!" Freakazoid squeaked as something wound round his ankle and made him fall flat. "Show yourself and fight me!"

He was pulled back, scraped against the floor even as he clawed at the ground. Freakazoid struggled as he was hoisted up by strange hands he couldn't see. The enemy was nearby, Freakazoid could hear him, it breathing.

'You wish to see me parasite?' it chuckled darkly, pulling Freakazoid into a kneeling position. 'I shall oblige'

A small panel on the floor lit up and revealed the darkness in Dexter's heart. It smiled a sharp-toothed Cheshire grin as its long fingered hand reached out and flicked Freakazoid's blue nose. Freakazoid growled and fought to free himself, but the darkness seemed be unbreakable. The dark figure laughed at his futile efforts.

'Fight all you like but your situation will not change' it said. 'You are the manifestation of Dexter's defenses…' the dark entity gestured to itself with exaggerated flair. 'I am his purest desires'

"Desires? You can't be all bad?"

'I wasn't always this way', it alleged in agony. 'Years of torment have made me what I am. On the surface Dexter is trying his best to cope and get by, but in the back of his mind he knows that he will never be happy. It isn't in the cards' it tilted its head in thought, looking into Freakazoid's eyes for something it didn't find, couldn't find. 'Morality kept my wishes at bay. It's not right to punish people he would reason. But you've opened the door Freakazoid. Now I don't have feelings keeping me from doing what I know is right, giving people what they deserve. Giving myself what I deserve'

"I won't let you!" Freakazoid growled with dark circles forming beneath his eyes. "If you try to lay a hand on hi-"

The evil being commanded the darkness to wrap around Freakazoid; it covered his mouth to silence him. Laughing and circling around the immobile alter ego Dexter's desires only grew stronger the more he fought.

'Shhh' holding an elongated finger to its mouth the creature-like entity paused behind Freakazoid to peer over his shoulder. 'You will see in time that things are better my way'

Freakazoid's dark blue eyes narrowed in hatred. This thing, whatever it was wasn't good for Dexter; in fact it was what had been keeping them apart all this time.

'I would use that power properly' smiling wickedly, he painfully gripped Freakazoid's shoulders. 'Freakazoid my little parasite there is malice in you too, somewhere deep deep down I can smell it. Anger and jealousy you see are passionate emotions…prone to impulse' there was a stagnant pause that sent shivers up Freakazoid's spine. 'Dexter is our master but you are my equal. I can sway you, show you that I am right'

Freakazoid shut his eyes. He didn't want to look at it, hear it or believe it. Just as the creature leaned forwards with its jagged mouth open, he heard the tender voice of Dexter calling out to him. A white light shined in the distance. It felt warm and comforting. The darkness receded as the hold on Freakazoid loosened.

'Thissss isn't over parasite'

"Hugbee…" he looked towards the light with a smile. "You came back for me"

"Freakazoid", Dexter gently shook him by the shoulders as he pulled him to his feet. "Wake up…you have to wake up"

"Wake up?" Freakazoid questioned, suddenly feeling strange. "But…woah, Dexy I feel weird…I…"

…

"That was a very detailed hallucination", Freakazoid mumbled as his eyes fluttered open.

"Awake at last my little blue friend", the hazy voice of Armando Gutierrez rung in Freakazoid's ears. "I had begun to wonder if my associate had accidentally killed you"

Freakazoid's head rolled from his shoulder, his chin resting on his collar bone. Half-lit eyes starred through a drug induced white haze at the source of his and Dexter's turmoil. Armando Gutierrez chuckled as he pinched the boy's blue cheek; the sudden sharp pain certainly helped him wake up. The startled teen tried to stand but found that he was cuffed to a chair- a chair made of graphite.

"Nutbunnies"

"Yes, nutbunnies indeed", Gutierrez chuckled. "You should never have revealed your weakness"

"Well I know that now!" the boy quipped matter-of-factly. "I hope you haven't gone blabbering it all over the place"

"I have not", Gutierrez commented with utmost seriousness. "Not that the common man can produce such a material", he paused to make sure the boy caught his proud sneer before continuing. "But enough chitter-chatter, it is time to talk business my friend"

Gutierrez strolled across his office to his desk. With a quick flick of his wrist his chair spun and revealed a hostage; an incapacitated Steff that slumbered blissfully unaware of the evil doings going on about her. Freakazoid eyed her suspiciously, a look Gutierrez quickly caught. He silently turned on a surveillance camera, revealing Deadpan to be on a lower level of the building filing her nails. Freakazoid looked back at Steff and within the safe confines of his head asked Dexter for advice.

But he heard nothing. Dexter was still too deep in their subconscious to be reached. He tried to think harder, but still nothing came to him. He was on his own. His vision refocused as Gutierrez stared him down.

"What do you want ya big weenie", Freakazoid grumbled.

"Weenie?" Gutierrez raged. "How dare you talk to me in such a way!"

"I didn't know weenies had etiquette standards", pursing his lips Freakazoid taunted the man for time, ignoring how red his face was slowly becoming.

"Do not task me boy!"

"How about you untie me and we settle this with words like people who aren't MAD WITH POWER!"

"If I wanted to talk this out I wouldn't have sent the blue boulder head to your highschool", he snapped back. "Talk is cheap, Freakazoid. I want action. I want your power"

"Well you can't have it", Freakazoid snorted. "It's mine and I don't want to share"

Gutierrez leered with malicious eyes. He ran his fingers through Steff's golden hair and stirred the girl in her drug induced slumber; she made a small mewing sound, nearly waking before Gutierrez removed his hand and allowed her to settle back into a deep sleep.

"What a shame", he said feigning idle thought. "Because you see I was hoping to release this lovely creature unharmed…but now, I am not so sure…"

Freakazoid narrowed his eyes. He felt something bubble inside of him; it was hot and impatient and begging to burst. Was that anger he was feeling? Without warning he rocked the chair forwards to get on his feet and charged to his best effort in the direction of Gutierrez.

He merely gripped the young woman's hair and squeezed till she made a sound. It was quiet, barely audible, but Freakazoid heard it. He tried his best to stop, ending up toppling over himself and crashing into the mahogany desk. A porcelain figure fell off the edge and shattered.

"Be careful my blue friend", Gutierrez darkly whispered. "I am a strong believer in that old saying an eye for an eye so if you break my things", he paused to secure his hold on Steff. "I break your things"

Gutierrez pulled Steff in closer, watching Freakazoid stare on helplessly as he loosely laid his hand around her slender throat. This boy would know to fear him. And for what the action was worth Freakazoid was afraid; he flopped about on the floor fighting his bonds. With all his strength he couldn't break the cuffs or the chair. All that came to him in his moment of weakness was a question.

Where was Dexter?

…

A gentle breeze wafted the scent of spring grass into the air. Dexter opened his eyes and sat up; this was a place he had gone to many times as a child back before computers had been available for the average folk. Harry Connick Park had been cleaner back in the day, safer as there had been less super villain based crime in the city. How strange Dexter thought as he stood and observed the serine scene before him.

"Freakazoid?" Dexter spoke expecting his companion to have fallen somewhere nearby, but his blue alter ego was nowhere to be seen at the moment. "He's not here. Hm", walking to the edge of the hill Dexter peered over the edge and saw that the drop appeared to be that of a mountainside and not the rolling hill of a park. "Where am I?"

'You're in the deepest reaches of our subconscious Dexter'

Dexter turned defensively, out of instinct towards the sudden guest. He beheld himself, only the expression on his doppelganger's face was strange. The copy waited for Dexter with wide eyes and an impressionistic smile to make the next move. Dexter didn't know what to do so he looked around for Freakazoid.

'He is not here. Not anymore' the figure said with a twisted smile. 'Remember Dexter, you sent him away to go after the girl'

"Who are you?" Dexter questioned, keeping his distance between the unusual visitor and himself.

'I am the culmination of what you are ashamed of Dexter Douglas' it said with eyes that bore into his own like hot daggers. 'The part of you that has been hidden away for so very long'

Dexter couldn't help but glance around him, at the grass, the sun and the large tree which provided the shade in which his doppelganger stood under. Why would the darkest part of his sub consciousness bring him here, more importantly though Dexter wondered why and how it was speaking to him?

'I have manifested because you need to hear what I have to say'

"What?" the boy questioned, allowing the figure to take a step forward. "I just got over all that stuff with Freak and now this? I have enough things going on in my head thank you very much"

Before he realized it, Dexter's Id was besides him, circling him, touching his hair with the tips of his fingers. It taunted him to turn and unnerve himself with gleeful chuckles and mocking looks. Dexter opened his mouth to snap but it wrapped its hands around his face and smothered him.

'You can resist me Dexter Douglas, because this is your body' it hissed. 'But it is not his body'

Twisting his head Dexter broke free and bit the hands that struggled to contain him. The doppelganger backed away with a Cheshire grin.

"Shut up", Dexter ordered. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you! Freakazoid is in my consciousness fighting bad guys and I'm down here dreaming that I'm arguing with…whatever you are", he pointed and the copy backed away. "I need to wake up. If you must be here then wake me up"

A crooked sharp-toothed grin spread across its face; it strode forwards like a cat hunting a fly and brought its finger to Dexter's head, between his eyes like a gun. Dexter's eyes opened wide and he froze, confused and concerned.

'bang'

…

Freakazoid's face pressed against the floor as he glared with a pouty face at the lack of options. After listening to Gutierrez's laughter for what felt like an eternity Freakazoid heard the meek gasp of something familiar. It was Dexter's voice.

'My head!' Dexter shouted. 'He shot me in the head!'

"Who shot you in the head?" Freakazoid questioned loudly.

"Ahahaha- what was that?" Gutierrez questioned.

"How rude", Freakazoid scolded. "Private conversation over here. Stop eavesdropping"

'I didn't think I'd wake up like that to this!' Dexter panted nervously 'Okay we need a plan, a way of escape. Um…I can slip out of the cuffs!'

"Wow! That's why you're the best Dex!"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Freak in!"

In a flash Freakazoid changed back into Dexter and easily pulled his hands through the cuffs. In a rare moment of agility Dexter sprung to his feet and swung with all his might. Just as his fist was about to make contact he summoned his alter ego's return.

"Freak out!"

Gutierrez went flying into the back wall of his office. In the same motion Freakazoid hoisted Steff into his arms and ran as fast as he could to the nearest exit. Gutierrez raged as Freakazoid ducked into the hallway with the unconscious girl in tow. A gentle sound, like the soft mew of a kitten alerted Freakazoid; Steff was starting to wake up. She opened her eyes and as they focused realized that she was no longer dreaming, but awake and on top of that somewhere very unfamiliar.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked, her manicured nails digging into the red fabric of Freakazoid's costume. "Where am I?"

"Rescuing you and Apex Industries tower", Freakazoid flatly answered as he moved into a sliding kick to take out some incoming guards. "You can thank me later. Maybe with another kiss?"

He wiggled his eyebrows playfully and she blushed.

Bullets hit the wall a few feet from the two teen's heads. Dodging the next few shots while juggling Steff who had become so terrified, she was as stiff as petrified wood Freakazoid made his way down the hall to the stairs. He had to find a way out, but how was he to do that with his lovely lady friend in constant peril?

'Steff's a tough girl Freakazoid' Dexter reminded him. 'She'll get over it once she adjusts. Just keep her safe. Please, don't let anything happen to her'

"Sure thing lil buddy", Freakazoid smirked as he took a sharp turn.

"Freakazoid, why am I here?" Steff squeaked as they ducked into the west wing stair case.

"I'm sorry Steff", Freakazoid replied sweetly as he spoke for himself and Dexter. "We never wanted you to get involved. But I promise that I'll get you home safe and sound"

A few bullets force Freakazoid to a screeching halt a few flights down. He presses his back to the wall for cover as more than two dozen heavily armed guards surrounded him. Steff meekly tightened her hold around his neck, her gentle whimper breaking his blue heart.

'They're aiming for her' Dexter hastily pointed out.

Freakazoid gently lowered Steff to the ground; she crouched low to the floor and got behind him. He smirked as a few of the guards tried to rush him. His fist sent the first to reach him toppling back into the stragglers and a low kick followed by a quick swing knocked the next into the nearby wall. Steff winced as the cracked drywall released fragments into the air by her; she didn't want to be in the middle of a fight, a hindrance to her hero.

'There's too many to fight hand to hand' Dexter instructed. 'Time for a combo special'

His alter ego obeyed and threw a lightning bolt in the direction of the next group of guards as they fired at him; the men fell to the floor immobile and smelling like bacon. He charged with unusual focus as Dexter called out the commands he loyally followed. Steff watched the blue teen in awe as the guards that had outnumbered him lay unconscious in the stairwell.

"That was quite a jolt, Freak" she commented with a chuckle and gladly accepted his hand as he offered it to her. "So shall we continue down the stairs?"

Freakazoid motioned to pick her up but Steff refused, instead running past him to the stairs. He followed after her with a smitten expression. They descended a few more flights and heard nothing of more guards or security. Steff had begun to grow short of breath as she tried her best to keep up with him. Lucky for her Dexter noticed.

'Freakazoid Steff is getting tired'

"Oh, um…" the blue teen turned to his companion and smiled, offering her a ride on his back. "How about a lift?"

"I'm heavier than I look", she commented bashfully.

"I insist", he smiled and hoisted her up onto his back; Freakazoid carried Steff like a backpack till they were only ten floors from the bottom. "Almost there"

"Freak…um, don't you think it's weird", she began meekly. "…that we haven't run into anymore guards?"

'I was thinking the same thing' Dexter commented on the side. 'Keep on your toes Freakazoid'

But the teen found himself unable to concentrate on Dexter with the warm body pressed against his back and the slender arms wrapped tenderly around his neck for support. Her gentle breathes were unintentionally hitting his ear and Freakazoid could only think of all the things he should not be thinking about at the moment. Dexter did his best to keep his alter ego focused, but what did the trick was a tranquilizer. It struck him in the shoulder.

Freakazoid remembered that he was in actual danger.

Steff hastily pulled it out of Freak's shoulder and tossed it to the ground. They kept moving, but Freak found he didn't have as much energy as he did a moment ago. He couldn't keep trudging down the stairs so he broke through a door on the eighth floor and ducked into an office room. Steff was eased onto a conference table before Freakazoid collapsed onto the floor.

"Freakazoid", she slid off the table top and kneeled besides him; cradling his blue face in her arms she saw as he looked up at her, something familiar. It was the way they looked when he was tired that reminded her of someone she knew. "Please don't fall asleep. I'm a little…scarred"

'C'mon Freak' Dexter urged. 'You have to fight through it'

"I just need a minute", he told them both. "Just…just a…"

…

Gutierrez weakly climbed out of the rubble and braced himself on the edge of his desk. Even when he was a young lad a punch like that would have knocked him out. He reached over to his surveillance controls. Freakazoid was on the eighth floor and injured. Good, he needed to stall him.

The old man caught his breath as the doors to his office were kicked open. Audrey strolled in with a smug look painted on her pretty face. She taunted Gutierrez with what he had been searching for; the Pinnacle chip. Using her most charming movements Audrey seated herself on his desk, but pulled the chip away when Gutierrez reached for it.

"I have your word correct?"

"My word is my bond", he instructed while gently plucking the chip from her dainty fingers. "I am curious to know how hospitable my old friend was"

"He managed to escape through the blasted computer", she grumbled while cocking her gun. "and left that pretty precious behind"

"I'm sure I instructed you to get rid of him", Gutierrez snapped.

"I didn't know the guy could leap into a computer", she argued. "I had a gun on him"

"Irrelevant", Gutierrez snapped as he installed the chip. "You can go now and finish the job"

Audrey gladly accepted his dismissal. Here she was stuck in a tower with the craziest strongest thing she had ever seen in her life. She just wanted to make it out alive and without being arrested so she could collect the money being wired to her. Meanwhile, Armando Gutierrez chuckled to himself as he typed in the code one key at a time. This is what he had been waiting for; he didn't care if Roddy was still on the loose. Armando knew once he possessed powers he could dispose of the Scotsman.

"And now Freakazoid", he growled in a low tone filled with hate as he plugged a thumb drive into the computer and loaded an override file. "We shall see who is the real weenie around here"

…

Steff did her best to help Freakazoid to his feet, but all that muscle made him so heavy. Dexter wished they could change back, but he knew revealing his identity in the lair of his arch nemesis, especially in front of his high school crush was out of the question; too many cameras and questions if he went with that option. There was little more time to think as out of nowhere the building's power dimmed, flickered and then nearly blew a fuse as it surged.

Steff clung to Freakazoid, ignorant of what all this meant. But, in a rare moment of sanity Freakazoid looked up at the lights and knew. He forced himself to stand, fought against the numb feeling in his legs and just as he got to his full height was knocked off his feet.

Lighting illuminated the small room as Gutierrez exerted his power, laughing as Freakazoid's body remained embedded in the crumbling wall. The weakened youth pulled himself out and stood on staggering legs. His dark blue eyes were focused, pupils dilated. He was ready for a scrap.

'We're still weak from the drugs. Let's take him somewhere where we can even the playing ground' Dexter growled.

"Let's do it!"

Freakazoid used the last of his strength to charge forwards and manifest his energy form, crashing into Gutierrez and knocking back into the one place where he would be able to stop him. Their consciousness travelled through the wires and returned to Gutierrez's computer. Both figures struggled for control, but ended up in the same place.

"Where are we?" Gutierrez questioned with wide eyes.

"Home", Freakazoid smirked as he stood, electricity dimly circling his firm frame. "And now I'm going to teach you what happens when you touch my things"

((Author's Note))

I wasn't sure about the whole inner darkness thing...but they did get completely knocked out so they'd be as far into their own subconscious as possible. And that's how i'm justifying it.

I'm so sorry to inform you guys that the next chapter will be the last one, but I have already outlined a second book to Glitch with two main villains from the show making their appearance as the main antagonists! Yeah!

Okay...time for bed