Chapter 13: A Cry for Help
Location: Wreckage of the Cocoon
Urbania Main Road
"Tick tock, people," Tim-Tom teasingly said, his knife dangerously poking Pierce in the neck. "Or else you're all gonna die at the hands of the Guild Wasps in a matter of seconds." Kevin snickered a few feet away, kicking into the side of the downed Monarch. Sweat dripped from Jack's forehead, his eyes shifting around as he had his options in front of him. Two lives hang in the balance, both could be of potential use, but who deserved it the most? Pierce was able to put bygones aside for that incident regarding Shaundi and the Fiends, even allowing them to infiltrate the Flying Cocoon with their own equipment, and they definitely could use some manner of leverage with the Fiends… But who knows what the Monarch could offer? He was in possession of a Moonlight Butterfly, one of the Lordran Artifacts, he could have extensive knowledge of secrets hidden throughout the Tournament area. Plus, there was that friend of Travis' who served under the Monarch, Henchman 21, he could have been a valuable asset. Furrowing his brow, Jack finally resigned, and decided on what he believed to be the right choice.
"Let Pierce go." Jack said, pointing at the Saint Lieutenant. "He helped us out, so we're going to repay the favor." Pierce breathed a sigh of relief as Tim-Tom pulled his knife away. The Pupa Twin harshly shoved the Saint away, sending him stumbling towards the Heart of Steel, while Travis and Eddie moved to help him up.
(Rick: Unbelievable, folks! Heart of Steel has opted to save Pierce Washington from being murdered at the hands of the Pupae Twins and leaving the Monarch behind to die!)
(Slick: Good for them, I say. The Monarch's a whiny little bitch who just gets on my nerves. Plus, he's going to receive HELL from the Upper Council for smuggling in a Moonlight Butterfly.)
(Rick: I'd hate to be him when that happens.)
(Slick: Amen to that, brother.)
"Alright, time to honor our end of the bargain…" Tim-Tom said with a sneer. He turned towards Kevin and gave him a nod, the other dwarf gave a wicked cackle as he plunged his knife right through the back of the Monarch's neck. The super-villain gasped as blood spurted from his mouth, looking with hateful eyes at his would-be saviors, before they finally rolled into the back of his head. Kevin yanked his knife out, wiping the blood off on his suit and walked over to his partner in murder. "And advance in this Tournament." The two dwarves flung their knives at Jack, but the Overlord quickly intercepted and blocked the weapons with his armor. The two reeled back in surprise, while the Heart of Steel's faces turned from shock to malice.
(Slick: EXAGERATED GASP!)
"I knew you Halflings wouldn't honor our deal." The Overlord boomed, hefting his bloodied mace. "So I suppose we don't have to honor ours." He raised his gauntlet, forming a burning ball of fire between his fingers. But before he could cast his spell, a javelin flew out of the air, piercing the rubble between the Pupae Twins, who had braced themselves for the attack and saw nothing. Jack noticed that a little red stick was tied to the end of the javelin rod, and a lit fuse was extending from it. Two and two went together… And the dynamite javelin exploded, taking the Twins with them in a ball of fire. Before anyone could question what just happened, the roar of engines overtook the area, and the familiar call of battle from a certain group of madmen rang out. The Heart of Steel turned around and saw Saint trucks carrying Saints, Fiends, and Minions, all working in tandem to take down the rest of the Monarch's surviving Henchmen. And at the helm of it all was none other than Mitch the Match, brandishing a pair of spiked landmines in each hand and riding on the hood of a damaged purple SUV.
"YEEEEHOOOO!" Mitch exclaimed. "Here's a little going away present for ya orange-winged Cazadore rip-offs!" He tossed the landmines like discuses, each one striking a Henchman in the chest and exploding upon impact. He jumped off the SUV, plucking a grenade from his bandolier, and jammed it in the mouth of a panicking Henchman. The Fiend leader kicked his foe away, allowing him to explode in a crowd of his allies, before yanking another and tossing them into more Henchmen. All without harming their comrades in arms and taking out almost all the enemy. Jack and Eddie were impressed. Say what you will about his intelligence and sanity, Mitch knows his explosives.
(Rick: Okay, on a scale of One to Torgue, how amazing is that demolitions nut.)
(Slick: Scale of One to Torgue, eh? I vote MICHAEL BAY! *explosions sound in background*)
(Rick: I didn't know we had a SFX button that played that.)
(Slick: Oh… SFX button… Yeah, that's what I pushed.)
(Rick: That was a remote detonator, wasn't it?)
(Slick: YOU ASK TO MUCH!)
Once the last of the Henchmen were mopped up, the Saints began loading up while gathering their fallen, while the Heart of Steel was left to their own devices. Travis began rummaging through the wreckage, searching for any semblance of Henchman 21's body, but turned up empty. The Overlord was busy managing his Minions, instructing them on the usage of firearms given to them by the Gun Runners (namely that you don't point the slim end of the gun towards your eyeball), Eddie simply tuned his guitar, while Jack helped Pierce onto a helicopter.
"I can't thank you enough for saving my ass back there," Pierce said, treating one of his cuts from the battle. "I'll be sure to put in a good word for you with the Boss, plus I'll make it so you can get safe access around parts of our turf without getting harassed by our boys." Jack gave a short chuckle, patting Pierce on the shoulder.
"No problem." Jack said. "You scratched our backs, so we returned the favor. Take it easy, and watch out for the other guys out there." His eye glinted for a moment. "Hate to see you get killed by some amateur agent out there." Pierce gave a nod, climbing into the helicopter as it took off, while the other Saints left the area, leaving the Heart of Steel and their army behind.
"So how did you guys get here?" Travis asked, addressing the elephant in the room. "And how did you evade the Guild Wasps the Pupae Twats talked about?" Mitch tilted his head to the side, his blast helmet nearly sliding off.
"What Guild Wasps?" Mitch asked. "The only guys here were the Saints and the Cocoon, no Guild Wasps." Travis silently fumed at the aspect of those two little shits pulling them for fools while Mitch continued. "Anyway, Gnarl got a call from you guys asking for backup, and Murphy suggested we go along as backup. We arrived and saw the Cocoon go down, so we talked with a few of the Saints and teamed up, and then I got to make MY BEAUTIFUL EXPLOSIONS!" He cackled madly. "I HAVEN'T HAD A DAY LIKE THIS IN AGES! IT WAS WONDERFUL!" While Mitch rambled to himself about explosions, Travis tapped Jack on the shoulder, a worried look on his face.
"I was looking through the rubble and couldn't find 21 anywhere," Travis said, a nervous glint in his eyes. "Same goes with the Monarch's wife. I think they might have jumped ship."
"Ah, there's nothing to worry about," Eddie reassured. "Without the Cocoon and the entire Henchmen force, 21 and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch don't have a chance at winning the Tournament." Travis still looked a bit nervous, but the others dismissed it.
"Now that we've got the Monarch taken care of," Jack said. "Let's head back to the Lookout Watch, Cinder might have info on our next target." He walked over to the still rambling Mitch and gently conked him on the head. "Call your troops, we're heading back." Mitch did as such, while the Overlord did the same with his Minions, and the Heart of Steel began marching down the Main Road back to the Watch. Travis spared one last glance at the wreckage of the Cocoon and the smoldering remains of the Moonlight Butterfly, damaged beyond repair and dead as a doornail, with its prized horn lying on the ground a few feet away. Travis wondered what became of his friend, but knew there was indeed a possibility of seeing 21 again. As Travis turned around and followed after his fellows in arms, nobody noticed as someone emerged from the shadows and snatched the Butterfly's horn, whisking it away to who knows where and vanishing once more.
Location: Urbania Lookout Watch
"Hey, we're back!" Travis said, entering the command center alongside his allies. "We got the Monarch issue taken care of, and we're up and ready to go!" Inside the room, Agent Cinder was hunched over the table, with Sylvia and Mr. Murphy flanking him, listening to a radio broadcast. Gnarl sat idly by, talking with Giblet about forging new armor, while Magnus tried his hardest not to look the recently arrived Mitch for fear of him eating his face.
"Good to hear," Cinder offhandedly said. "Now shut up, I'm listening to this S.O.S." Jack quirked his eyebrow, joining the three at the table. Cinder turned up the volume on their radio, a crackling sound followed by a slightly distorted voice.
(Slick: Someone listening to a radio show that isn't hosted by us?!)
(Rick: How scandalous.)
(Slick: PREPARE THE WITCH FOR BURNING!)
(Rick: H-hey! Put that torch down!)
"… Kidnapped…" Said the voice on the radio, a faintly smug sounding man on the other side. "Being held… Ultor Tower… glowing sword... small security force… Immediately…" Jack pushed Cinder aside and began fiddling with the radio, finally tuning it to listenable sound. "I'll put this on repeat. This is Dane Vogul, Ultor CEO and Tournament Sponsor." Everyone turned their heads towards the broadcast. "I have been kidnapped by a bunch of lunatics and am being held atop Ultor Tower by some chick with a glowing sword while a small security force guards me. Send help immediately, I'll pay handsomely! I'll put this on repeat." Jack shut off the radio while Cinder let off an exasperated sigh.
"Of course Vogul the Mogul is here…" Cinder complained, sitting down on a chair.
"Dane Vogul… Isn't he supposed to be dead?" Eddie asked. "Or is he one of those cases?"
"Yep, he's a Gem Body." Cinder admitted. "Corporate dirtbag managed to somehow get himself a second life with aid from the Saints and get his soul shoved in a self-sustaining Black Soul Gem and a faux body." He gave a sarcastic laugh. "Now he's flesh and blood again… Just my luck…"
"Before I ask how a jerk like him managed to become a Gem Body," Jack said. "I'd like to know why you have such a low opinion of Vogul. Ultor does happen to manufacture a great deal of heavy arms for the IDA." Cinder fell from his seat, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips.
"Well, my job description with the IDA is corporate infiltration," Cinder explained. "And Ultor was one of my jobs… I may or may not have been involved in his death at the hands of the Saints." He folded his arms across his orange suited chest, pouting slightly. "He was a shit boss anyway…"
"And he's being held captive in his own tower," Travis mused. "Just ripe for the picking for a Sponsorship." Suddenly, Cinder's eyes lit up like golden bars. "But if you don't like the guy, I guess we can leave him for the other fighters to pick up." He started walking towards the door, motioning for the others to follow. "C'mon guys, we can go and find the next group to take down if he get scouting." Just as Travis moved to open the door, Cinder immediately stood in his way, a huge smile plastered on his face.
"Gentlemen, I have just thought up a brilliant plan of action to undertake." Cinder said. "You are to take your vehicles and travel to the Munitions Marketing District of Urbania, storm Ultor Tower, take out any opposition within and secure Dane Vogul so I can instigate a Sponsorship Deal with him." Those in the room blinked at Cinder's sudden 180 turn, while Travis sported a smug look on his face.
"I dunno, what do we get for it?" Travis asked, folding his arms.
"Ultor is a huge corporation," Cinder explained, rubbing his hands together. "One that has succeeded in opening branches beyond its universe of origin. They stockpile armor, weapons, high-tech vehicles, and Special Ops soldiers by the pound! We get ahold of them, we'll have a special operations group and all their tools for our army!" He snickered to himself. "Plus, the price in stock alone is enough to make heads spin." He dashed over to a nearby computer and began typing away. "I'll upload the location of Ultor Tower to your ECHOs, get to rescuing him while I talk with my informants about finding our next primary target." A blip on their devices signaled the new objective, and the four men of Heart of Steel were now set on their newest mission. While Travis, Jack, and the Overlord piled into the elevator, Eddie walked over to a rather perturbed looking Mr. Murphy.
"Hey, why's Cinder all hopped up on getting another Sponsor?" Eddie asked. "All it really does is make things easier for us, doesn't it?"
"Tch… Sponsorship Deals aren't just bonuses in a game, Mr. Riggs." The Gun Runner said with a scoff. "When a group signs a contract with a Sponsor in the Tournament, they actually make a business deal that goes on outside of the Tournament as well. When the Gun Runners partnered up with you, Cinder wrote up a contract that sold half our assets to him without even realizing it. We haven't been this short on Caps since someone broke into our headquarters in New Vegas and sold our secrets to the Crimson Caravans." Murphy continued to mumble to himself, cursing the orange clothed man, while Eddie joined the others in the elevator. Before the doors could close, however, Magnus got in the way and kept it open.
"Wait guys!" Magnus exclaimed. "Since your rides were caught in the Cocoon when it went down, they're going to be out of commission until I get them fixed!" Travis, Jack, and Eddie groaned, while the Overlord once again seemed indifferent. "Don't worry, Ultor Tower ain't too far from here, so you can make do on foot. Good luck!" The door slid shut, and the four men of action were off to rescue a business mogul from an unknown enemy. Oh joy.
Author and Editor's Note: MERRY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! HAH HAH HAH HA! (Happy, you git. It's "Happy" New Year.) Another year has come and gone, full of various events large and small for everyone! We'd like to take a moment and thank each and every one of you for supporting this story with all your reviews! It makes us extremely happy to know how many of you enjoy the work we put forward… Really is a great motivator… (Don't get sappy now, you over-emotional sack. We've still have the actual story stuff to cover.)Right, now onto business. In regards to the vote regarding who to spare. The majority voted Pierce, and have succeeded in making a long term investment! Good work, but who knows what secrets you missed with letting the Monarch die… Eh, whatever happens happened, but now we have a new mission: Rescue Dane Vogul (of the Saints Row franchise by Volition). Tune in next time and find out what the heck is happening at Ultor Tower, and be prepared for another exciting battle in the next chapter of IDA Ultimate Tournament!
~IDA Officials, Head Writer Mask and Chief Editor Jasper T. Critic
For those of you curious about that 'Gem Body' statement, allow us to explain. The IDA hires those both good and bad into their ranks, but sometimes those we would deem necessary to aid in us already are bound to the mortal coil. So, using Tamrielic Black Soul Gems, a great deal of unstable necromancy, and copious amount of voodoo, the IDA has developed the Gem Bodies, people whose souls have been taken into special Black Soul Gems and have been granted life through artificial bodies to be granted an extension of life. They are slightly more durable than they were before dying once, but are still mortal. Those of you who wonder why certain fighters appearing (who are confirmed to be dead) are here, they are simply Gem Bodies.
~IDA Official, Creative Lead Red Rider