Chapter 14
End Game
The Game
by
Motorhead
Time to play the game,
TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!
Ha ha ha,
It's all about the game,
And how you play it,
All about control, and if you can shake it,
It's all about your debt, and if you can pay it,
It's all about pain, and who's gonna take it.
I am the game, you don't wanna play me,
I am control, no way you can shake me,
I am heavy debt, no way you can pay me,
I am the pain, and I know you can't take me,
Look over your shoulder, ready to run,
Like a good little bitch, from a smoking gun,
I am the game, and I make the rules,
So move on out, or you can die like a fool,
Try to figure out what my move is gonna be,
Come on over, sucka,
Why don't you ask me,
Don't you forget there's a price you can pay,
'Cause I am the game, and I want to play,
Time to play the game,
TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!
It's all about the game, and how you play it,
All about control, and if you can shake it,
All about your debt, and if you can pay it,
It's all about pain, and who's gonna make it,
I am the game, you don't wanna play me,
I am control, no way you can shake me,
I am heavy debt, no way you can pay me,
I am the pain, and I know you can't take me.
Kim returned to the mansion only a few minutes after they had left, the other four appearing behind her in intervals, it was Ron that greeted them in the living room when they arrived, he was already dressed in his battle gear,
"How'd it go?" he asked, when he looked at Kim,
"Not too good." Bonnie said, allowing Tim to reunite with his twin,
"What do you mean?" Ron asked,
"They were already gone when we got there." Crystal replied, looking at the floor,
"There's more . . . isn't there?" Ron asked, looking at the five girls with a worried expression on his face,
"Yeah," Marcella supplied, "the place was wired, with all the rocket fuel in the basement, it went up like a volcano."
At the mention of this, the look on Ron's face became scary, making all five girls flinch at it,
"He's dead, he just doesn't know it yet." Ron commented through tightly clenched teeth,
"Master . . . don't lose it," Hope said rather timidly, "if we're going to survive this, we need your head in the game."
"I know, Hope," Ron stated, then, his attention turned to Jim and Tim, "when did the stuff back home take place?"
"About ten minutes ago . . ."Jim began,
"We were getting ready for bed when . . ." Tim added,
"When it all went down." Jim finished,
"Perfect time to strike," Ron stated, his face contorted in thought, then, he looked at Kim, "I'll need you to take your brothers down to the medbay, Tara is waiting down there to check them out, then, I'll need you to get up to The War Room, and prepare for briefing."
Kim nodded, and took her twin brothers to the elevators located in the foyer, once inside, she slid back the hidden panel where the access buttons for the lower levels were located,
"You know, dad's gonna . . ." Jim began,
"Freak when he sees you dressed like that." Tim finished, as the twins were commenting about the outfit that she was wearing, which exposed her legs from the hips, to her lower thighs,
"Not once the sitch has been explained to him." Kim stated, looking at her brothers, a slight smile creasing her face.
A few seconds later, they were in the medbay, where Tara was waiting for them, her white lab coat over top of her battle outfit,
"About time you got down here." she stated when they walked in,
"It's been a long day, Tara, I'm really not in the mood for jokes." Kim stated,
"That bad, huh?" Tara asked,
"Worse." Kim supplied, at that point, she could no longer hold back the tears, she collapsed, crying on the floor of the medical facility,
"What happened?" Tara asked, looking at the twins, who filled her in on what had happened back at the Possible home,
"Kim, at least you and your brothers are still alive, you should be thankful for that." Tara said in a comforting tone, as she attempted to snap Kim out of it,
"But we lost everything, Tara, everything." Kim wailed,
"That's nothing compared to what could've happened if you DIDN'T know what was going on to begin with." Tara explained, her eyes held a knowing look.
"Maybe you're right." Kim replied, as she finally stood up, her eyes holding a reddish tint to them, wether it was from crying, or her anger coming to the surface, no one could tell,
"Kim . . . you and master have dealt with this sort of thing in the past," Tara commented, "So you lost the home you grew up in, that doesn't mean anything, homes can be rebuilt, lives can't."
"You're right, Tara, I'm just being stupid." Kim stated,
"No, you're not, you're acting like someone that has just lost everything . . . but you haven't, you still have all of us." Tara explained,
"Thanks, Tara." Kim said, her voice genuinely appreciative of having her 'sisters' to help her out of a time like this,
"Hey, we're sisters, remember." Tara said, smiling brightly,
"I know." Kim said, a smile starting to break out over her face,
"Now, let's get you two looked over." Tara stated, turning her attention to Jim and Tim.
Later on, in The War Room:
Ron was going over the battle plan to everyone in the room,
"We go in through the manhole located near the main entrance of the cemetery, and work our way to the central area of the catacombs, hopefully, we can come up with some answers." Ron stated,
"Either that, or we end up dead." Shego supplied dully,
"Hardly, Shego," Ron stated smiling, "I have no intentions of dying tonight."
"Easy for you to say . . . you're immortal." Bonnie stated,
"I'm not the only one in this room." Ron stated, a knowing smile coming over his face,
"What do you mean by that?" Crystal asked,
"Did you ladies forget what you are?" Ron stated,
"We're half vampire, so what?" Hope asked,
"And that half is enough to make you immortal." Ron replied,
"What about me, and Yori?" Shego asked,
"When I bonded with you all, it slowed your aging down, like me, you won't age past twenty-five." Ron stated,
"That means that I've already stopped aging." Shego stated, smiling widely,
"How so?" Kim asked,
"I'm already twenty-five." Shego replied, smiling even wider,
"I have seven more years before I stop, then." Yori stated, smiling, knowing that she and Ron were at the same age, right down to the minute,
"Now, back to the business at hand." Ron stated,
"Okay . . . first question, how are we going to get there?" Shego asked,
"Easy enough to answer," Ron replied, "there's thirteen motorcycles out in the garage, just waiting to be used."
"Chances are, Dracula is going to have his minions watching the cemetery for us, what happens if we get there, and we run into that?" Crystal asked,
"Something I already factored in," Ron stated," I had the motorcycles modified, they're actually two-wheeled weapons platforms, each one carrying concealable .50 caliber machine guns."
"Nice." Hope replied, to the nod of the other girls in the room,
"Any pre-fight orders?" Kim asked,
"We take the Possible's out of there, alive, if conceivable, the others, take them out . . . believe me, you'll be doing them a favor." Ron stated,
"What about fang boy?" Marcella asked,
"Leave him to me, I'll deal with him myself." Ron stated, his eyes flashing a bright blue-white, before returning to their normal color.
Later that night, around midnight:
Two minions were walking around the front entrance of Middleton Park Cemetery . . . their orders, to kill anything that seems out of the ordinary, so far, nothing but a few squirrels, out looking for a late night meal,
"What did we get stuck out here for again?" One of them said to his partner,
"You heard the master . . . he's expecting an attack tonight, so, we got to be on our toes for anything." the other replied,
"So, who do you think would be com . . . " he began, he was unable to finish, as a bluish colored boomerang found his forehead, and cleaved it open.
At that moment, it was as though the gates of hell opened up, and swallowed the cemetery whole, as thirteen motorcycles appeared out of nowhere, and jumped the small guard rail near the entrance,
"TAKE NO PRISONERS!" Ron screamed, as he summoned The Lotus Blade back into his hand, jumped off his custom 2005 Harley V-Rod, and began running after the first minion he saw.
The girls quickly followed suit, jumping off their motorcycles, and drawing their weapons as they did so.
It wasn't quite the fight that Kim, or any of the others had anticipated, as the resistance was rather light,
"This is just too weird." Kim stated, as she expertly removed the head of the minion closest to her by using her own brute strength to separate it from its owner's body,
"Something's not right, there should be more." Crystal echoed, now pushing her right fist through her opponent, and ripping his heart out of his body, it was at this time that Dracula's trap was sprung, before anyone could move, Kim was grabbed from behind by a pair of hands, and pulled through a small portal,
"KIM!" Shego shouted loudly, reaching out for her 'sister,' she was able to wrap her hand around the pretty redhead's leg, but the grip of the person dragging her through the portal was too strong, and only seconds after getting a good hold, Kim's leg was wrenched from her grasp.
"NO!" Shego screamed even louder, finally getting Ron's attention,
"Shego, what's going on ?" Ron asked, for answer, Shego pointed to the ground, to Kim's abandoned weapons, suddenly, Ron's ears turned bright red, resembling curls of raw beef,
"Now he's gone too far." Ron commented, his voice was calm, but it held an icy edge to it that made Shego shudder violently,
"What do you plan to do?" Shego asked, all too aware of the answer,
"I'm going down there, find Kim, free her, and her parents, and put that rat sucking son-of-a-bitch in a serious hurt locker." Ron stated, his body beginning to show his anger, as a pale blue aura began to light up around him, sparks of electricity shooting from his fingertips,
"We're going with you, master." Crystal responded,
"Not needed, Crystal, this is personal now, he's messed with one of my ladies, now, he's gotta pay the piper." Ron replied,
"Master, we are your guardians, it is our duty to go with you." Marcella stated, reminding Ron of the prophecy,
"I already lost one of you, I don't want to lose another." Ron stated,
"If we die in battle next to you, then we die with honor, master, that is our duty, and nothing in the world can change that." Jessica stated, in her usual warrior manner,
"Okay . . . fine," Ron finally relented, looking back at the eleven remaining girls, he then added very quickly, "don't believe anything you see down there, he'll do anything to throw you off your game, don't allow him to get into your head."
"We understand." Shego replied, with a quick nod, and a smile.
Later on, in the catacombs:
Ron, and his warrior guardians were winding their way through the maze of catacombs, looking for even the faintest sign of Kim, when Ron's wrist Kimmunicator went off,
"Talk to me, Wade." Ron asked, looking at the tech man of the group with a major frown on his face,
"Ron, if you, and the rest of the girls are at the cemetery, what is Kim doing on top of Mt. Middleton?" Wade asked,
"Say again?" Ron asked,
"The microchips that Brick and I installed into your battle gear, I picked up Kim's life signs, at the top of Mt. Middleton, it's almost like she shadow ported there, but her vitals show no signs of it, heart rate, and breathing are still normal." Wade replied, his look, one of complete puzzlement,
"That's weird?" Crystal stated,
"You're telling me, usually, when you shadow port, your vitals drop dramatically." Wade stated, his face still in a puzzled expression,
"Maybe I can help you out on this one, buddy, she was tandem ported there." Ron stated,
"That would explain the sudden surge of dark energy I registered there just before I saw Kim reappear at Mt. Middleton." Ron stated,
"Give us the coordinates, Wade, time to pay our little friend a visit." Ron commanded, looking at Wade with a hard look in his eyes,
"Coordinates are point Delta Tango eight one niner, better step on it, if Dracula starts the ritual, we're all screwed." Wade stated, his voice becoming excited,
"We're on it, Wade, we'll call back when this is over . . . Ron out." Ron replied, shutting off the wrist Kimmunicator,
"What's the next move?" Crystal asked,
"Time to pay a visit to Mt. Middleton." Ron stated, and in a flash of blue-white light, he was gone, shortly followed by another flash of blue white light, and nine beautiful women disappearing into the shadows.
At the entrance to a cave on the side of Mt. Middleton:
Ron was standing near the entrance of a huge cave, peering in, he could feel the dark energy emitting from inside, as he walked in, he was hit with a chill breeze that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up,
'Jackpot . . . now, where are you?' Ron asked himself, looking around in the pitch blackness of the cave, he suddenly switched gears, knowing that his power was harder to pick up from the standpoint of a dark creature, he decided to use his night vision.
Within a few seconds, his eyes began glowing a dull blue, and his vision became clearer,
'Now this is the only way to go.' Ron stated to himself, that's when he saw it, an elaborate alter in front of what appeared to be the gold coffin that started this whole mess, Ron waited for the right time to strike, it would need to be when Kim is placed on the alter, before the ritual is begun, Ron could not allow Dracula to even begin the first words of the incantation, if he did, than all hope was lost.
'Come on, death breath, bring her into the room, I'm getting tired of waiting already.' Ron commented to himself, Ron quickly looked to his right, and saw Kim's parents being led out of a side door, both seemed to be in a trance like state, as though hypnotized by something,
'Great, they're enthralled, that's the last thing I need.' Ron stated to himself, finally, his wish was answered, and Kim was led into the room, kicking, and screaming, pleading with her parents to get her loose,
"Mom . . . dad . . . it's me, Kim, please, help me out here." Kim begged her parents, then, suddenly, Ron heard Kim's thoughts clearly in his head,
"Master, I need help, please, come, and get me out of here." Kim's pleading voice rang into his head,
"Don't worry, KP, I'm already here." Ron replied telepathically,
"Thank God above, master, I'm scared." came Kim's voice in his head,
"Just listen to me, and you'll be fine, whatever you do, DO NOT allow him to start the incantation, find a way to keep him quiet long enough for me to come into play." Ron responded,
"I'll try." Kim replied, her telepathic voice seemed strained, as though she had been fighting non stop for the last twenty hours, she sounded very tired, as though she was going to be unable to stave off the attack that was about to assault her mind.
Ron waited silently for his target to appear, and a few seconds after Kim was led into the room, Dracula followed, dressed in some kind of ceremonial robes, mostly black, but adorned with Satanic symbols,
'Oh, this is just sick, and wrong.' Ron stated, as he watched Dracula move toward Mrs. Possible, and cut off her clothing, that was it for Ron, he could take no more of the defiling of the family he knew, and loved like his own, he drew both of the mystic swords that were always in his possession, and swung at an outcropping of rocks near him,
"Knock, knock." Ron stated, in an almost lazy manner,
"YOU!" Dracula bellowed, seeing Ron standing near the entrance,
"Yes, me, got a problem with it?" Ron asked, his voice becoming icy, and cold, it was enough to make Kim shiver where she lay, nearly rooted to the spot in fear, she had only felt like this once before, when Drakken, who had been turned, had attempted to drain her of her very life force,
"You are so incorrigible, where did you learn that from, boy?" Dracula asked,
"Years of practice." Ron replied, now dropping into a battle stance,
"You want to fight . . . you are so impudent . . . Do you really think you can defeat me?" Dracula asked,
"Bring it, and find out." Ron replied, still ready to strike,
"First thing's first, minions, attack." Dracula called out rather lazily, both of the elder Possible's began running toward Ron, looking severely shocked, he shook his head, and said, in a very sorrowful tone,
"Dr.'s P. . . . Forgive me for what I'm about to do." he whispered, seconds later, Ron shot a huge pulse blast at both of the Possible parents, sending them sprawling backwards, into the stone wall of the cave, the resulting crash caused a cave-in, meaning that the entrance was sealed from normal means of entrance, and exit, everyone inside was effectively trapped,
"Only one way out, death breath, and that's through me." Ron stated, smiling,
"Very well, let's see who you fair against the twin demon swords." Dracula calmly stated, drawing a pair of black bastard swords, and charging at Ron, who parried nicely, and came across with a slicing motion across the undead Prince of Darkness' back,
"Nice try, Drackie-boy, but not good enough to even put a dent in me." Ron smirked,
"We'll see, boy, your end is near." Dracula stated, now standing up, he had yet to be touched in combat, yet an eighteen year old boy was kicking his ass, this was definitely a new experience for him,
"Something new, huh?" Ron asked, looking at the questioning look on Dracula's face, as he pulled a hand covered in his own blood to his face, "Never been hit in a fight before, huh? Well . . .GET USED TO IT!" Ron bellowed, as he started his own charge, again, he was able to cut Dracula open, across the chest this time, but Dracula got in a blow of his own,
"I should ask you the same question?" Dracula challenged, as he smiled, showing off his fangs, Ron looked down at his chest, and saw the wound across his chest, he concentrated his power to heal, but something was wrong, the wound wasn't healing,
"Nice one." Ron stated, smiling awkwardly,
"The demon swords prevent you from healing, Stoppable, so, why don't you give it up, life will be so much easier on you if you joined me." Dracula stated, still smiling,
"Hardly, you already know the answer to that, bloodsucker." Ron seethed, there was no way he was going to let this undead nightmare win this fight,
"So be it, to the death, and for what, a bunch of human lives, you are so far above them, you should rule over them, like the God you are." Dracula stated, attempting to entice Ron into joining him,
"That's what makes you and me different, you think you're untouchable, I know better, and therein lies your weakness." Ron stated,
"I AM untouchable, boy, no one, human, or otherwise, can defeat me." Dracula roared,
"Looks like you're developing a selective memory in your old age, stupid." Ron stated, causing Dracula to become enraged, and charge at his foe with everything he had, soon, the swords were flashing brightly, as they collided with each other in the air, the sparks they were shooting off were amazing, and they lit the cave up with eerie red, green, and blue flashes as they met time, and time again, neither one getting the upper hand, until Dracula snuck in under Ron's guard, and drove both swords into his stomach.
Ron screamed out in pain, never letting go of his prized swords, as his body was pulled from the ground,
"You've lost, boy, now, tonight, the Mystic Warrior of Light will be no more." Dracula stated on a cackle of mad laughter, followed by loud hissing,
"Think . . . again." Ron grunted, as he raised his swords, without warning, he suddenly struck, separating Dracula's head from his body.
The surprised look on Dracula's face was quickly replaced with unrelenting fear, as he felt the Lotus, and Orchid Blades sink into the flesh of his neck, after that, nothing more, as his body exploded into ash.
Ron stumbled to the coffin that was the regeneration station for Dracula's power, he pulled the swords roughly from his abdomen, and began swinging his swords at the coffin frantically, denting, and dinging it up, finally, Ron stepped back a few feet, and tossed a monestrous pulse blast at it, blowing it apart within seconds, he then walked up to Kim, and freed her arms, and legs from the alter,
"Sorry I took so long." Ron stated, smiling weakly at Kim,
"You didn't take long, master, you were right on time, as always." Kim replied, as she took Ron into her arms, and began to cry, that's when a loud rumbling caught their ears, at the same time, Kim's parents reappeared from where they had fallen, both grabbing onto their heads, completely oblivious of the imminent danger they were in
"Oh, shit . . . CAVE IN!" Ron shouted, grabbing onto a very naked Mrs. Possible, while Kim grabbed onto her father, they both ported out of the cave with no time to spare, as the entire ceiling came crashing down, sealing it off completely,
"Tara, look them over, I want to know how bad they are, and what needs to be done to get them back around." Ron stated,
"On it, master." Tara stated, separating herself from the crowd, and rushing up to Kim's parents, pulling off her medpack as she went,
"Shego, status report." Ron commented, looking at the raven haired beauty, who smiled,
"All present, and accounted for, master." Shego replied, a smile on her face,
"Works for me, Marcella . . . what's the status of the bikes?" Ron asked,
"Well, Brick went out with the trailer, and picked them up at the cemetery, some of the bikes got some minor paint scrapes on them, but nothing that can't be repaired." Marcella replied,
"Okay, Crystal, get hold of base, tell them . . . mission accomplished." Ron ordered, looking at the beautiful African-American near the back of the group,
"On it, master." Crystal replied, bringing her right arm up to her face, where she quickly ran her finger over some buttons in rapid succession, after a few seconds of excited chatter, she turned, and looked at Ron,
"Message received, they'll have the medbay standing by to receive any injured." Crystal stated,
"Coolio." Ron replied, finding a seat on a small rock outcropping, and looking at Kim's parents,
"Well, I suppose explanations are in order." Ron stated, looking at one, then the other,
"Oh, yeah." Mrs. Possible replied, now holding a bathrobe closed around her naked form,
"For starters, how did we get here?" Mr. Possible asked,
"Why am I naked?" Mrs. Possible asked,
"And why is my daughter, along with all of these girls, calling you master?" Mr. Possible asked,
"Well, I'll try to answer as best as I can." Ron stated, and he began to explain what had happened in the days leading up to where they were now, how Kim had been turned into a vampire, how Ron bonded with the girls, how, because of his bond with them, he was able to halt the spread of vampirism in their bodies, how Dracula had taken them from their home, attempted to rape Mrs. Possible, the fight that ensued, and the final death of Count Vlad Dracula,
"And that's pretty much it." Ron finished, somewhat lamely,
"Are you sure this isn't one of your stories, Ron?" Mrs. Possible asked,
"I wish, I really do." Ron replied, before the pain set in, the wounds he had received from the fight had begun to bleed anew, the red liquid running down his body in rivers,
"Oh, man, I feel tired." Ron commented, rather weakly, as his body hit the ground,
"MASTER!" the girls all shouted in unison, rushing up to Ron's side,
In next to no time, Mrs. Possible was next to Ron, looking the young man over,
"Oh, God, this man's bleeding to death, we need to get him to a hospital, now." Mrs. Possible stated, her command presence in medicine coming into play,
"We can't lose him now, not after all of this, we just can't." Kim stated, her voice cracking slightly,
"No, it's just too much, please, do something for him." Shego pleaded, looking at Kim's mother, her eyes starting to well up with unshed tears,
"I'll do what I can, he's not dying on me." Mrs. Possible stated, in a very strong, and confident voice,
"I got a medical evac on the way, Mrs. Possible, they're going to take us straight to the mansion." Tara stated, as she came to Ron's side to help out in any way she could,
"I just got off with Wade, he's got the mansion on high alert, they'll be ready for him when we arrive." came Hope's voice from the back of the crowd,
"I can't believe that we went through all we did, just to lose our master now." Kim stated, still looking at Ron's face, which had turned pale from loss of blood, none of the girls wanted to see their fallen master this way, but yet, somewhere, in the backs of their minds, they felt, as long as he still had a heartbeat of any kind, than there was still that chance that he would make it.