Chapter 21: The Clone War

The city and its surrounding area was in complete chaos as the Zer0 clones began to attack anything that moved, including its allied Maliwan forces. The hospital room where Z-12 was no different as Commander Lilith had a pistol aimed at Z-12's head while Angel looked like she was about to turn her into a Siren popsicle. Nickoli and Lynn stood on both sides of Lilith, doing their best to try and deescalate the situation. "If he was going to turn against us, he already would have." Nickoli urged. Lynn added "He's on our side Lil, he isn't going to fight us."

Lilith maintained her iron grip on the pistol and responded "But I'm not going to take any chances with this clone going rogue." She showed no signs of letting up, so Angel took action and threw her hands up. She concentrated her anger on the gun, freezing it into a useless block of cold metal. Lilith immediately turned towards Angel and snarled "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Angel stepped up to Lilith, snarling back "Protecting my brother, you bitch."

"There is an army of him out there attacking us, and you want to protect the one that's made its deepest way into our ranks?"

Angel was about to respond when Brick came over Lilith's ECHO, shouting "Lil! The clones are tearing through Maliwan!" Lilith disregarded Angel for a second, giving Maya a chance to calm her daughter down, and answered her ECHO "What are you talking about?"

"The clones are attacking anything that's moving! I'm pulling the troops back across the bridge!"

"Alright. Bunker down in the city and prepare for attack."

"You got it."

Lilith hung up her ECHO and updated "The clones are currently attacking the Maliwan forces. Our troops have been pulled back for safety but if it comes to worst case scenario then we'll have to blow the bridge." Lilith was about to say something else when her ECHO started going off again, the Commander appearing increasingly annoyed with the day so far. She picked her ECHO up again and questioned "Who is it?" Everyone knew the boisterous voice that blasted out of the ECHO Lilith now held at arm's length; Mister Torgue High Five Flexington. Mr. Torgue bellowed "HIGH THERE LILITH! IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE HAVING SOME MOTHER F**KING TROUBLE! AND BEING THE BADASS MOTHER F**KER I AM, I'VE DECIDED TO COME HELP!"

Lilith continued holding her ECHO as far away as possible and questioned "How exactly are you going to help Torgue?"

"BY DOING SOMETHING MOTHER F**KING BADASS LIKE THIS!"

The sound of explosions in the distance nearly shook the city into the sea as it went on for nearly a minute. Mordecai came over the ECHO and questioned "Um, why did the entire battlefield just become a crater? Who the hell authorized an ordinance drop?" Brick came back over and laughed "That was badass! I love it!" Lilith looked out the window and saw the massive smoke cloud from Mr. Torgue's ordinance drop and sigh "Torgue, you crazy mother fucker." Torgue came over the ECHO and air guitared "MEDELYMEDELYMEDELEYWOOOWOOOWOWOW! MOTHER F**KING MASSIVE ROLLING THUNDER! THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO PREPARE! TORGUE OUT!"

Zer0 chuckled "Good old Torgue." Everyone took a moment to take a breath from all of the excitement, but it was short lived when Mordecai came over the ECHO and updated "Uh, Lil, we got problems."

"What kind of problems?"

"Those clones are getting up. Looks like they used the Maliwan forces as shields against the blast, and they're heading towards the city."

"Fuck. Do what you need to do. Give Brick as much time and leeway as you can."

"You got it."

Lilith hung up her ECHO and Maya urged "We have to get down there to help! We can't just leave our friends and soldiers down there on their own." Zer0 sat down, setting his helmet on the stand next to Z-12's bed, and exclaimed "I'm not going out there." Lilith questioned with an irritated tone "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going out there to kill my own blood."

"I'm sorry but you aren't getting a choice in this. You're going."

Zer0 looked at her, blue eyes giving a near freezing look as he repeated "I'm not going." Lilith and Zer0 started arguing, nearly a screaming match when Deadpool took Zer0's seat, sighing "Look at those two go. Just like an old married couple, and they aren't even dating." Z-12 looked around the room, seeing all the turmoil that the clones, his brothers were causing. Z-12 lowered his head, thinking about what could possibly be done next when an idea suddenly struck him. Z-12 grabbed Zer0's helmet from the stand and Deadpool's teleporter, teleporting out of the bed and into the hallway.

Surprise had taken everyone, freezing them in place except for Lynn, who saw him grab the helmet and teleporter. She shot into the hallway as Z-12 took off, Lynn hoping that she could stop Z-12 from doing anything stupid. Z-12 sprinted and used Deadpool's teleporter to take him to Zer0's home, hoping to find some weapons he could use. Luckily, he found the family gun locker unlocked and open since the war snuck up on them, so locking seemed like one of the last things to think about. He found two purple rarity Vladof pistols with enough ammo for the both of them.

Unfortunately, Lynn had probably predicted where he was going and ran in, seeing him arm himself to the teeth. She stood in the door way and urged "Don't do this Z." He ignored her as he started to load the pistols.

"Think about what you're doing. You're going to get yourself killed."

Z-12 still ignored her.

"Z, you still have a family that loves you and friends that care about you. Don't throw everything away."

Z-12 finished arming himself and slipped the helmet over his head, pushing past her without a word and headed towards the battlefield. Knowing why he was born, why he was made, was tearing him apart on the inside… and he was going to solve this issue once and for all.

O00000O00000O

Angel sat in the hallway while the adults argued about what they were going to do next. Patrick, Justin and Nickoli went to find something to eat while Angel sat and thought about everything that had happened. She had no idea how long she was sitting there, but it must've been a while since Nickoli held a sandwich in front of her. "You need to eat something, you haven't eaten all day." Nickoli stated as Angel took the sandwich and sat next to her. Angel unwrapped the ham sandwich and took a bite as Nickoli put a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.

Angel took a bite of her sandwich, happy to finally have something in her stomach. Nickoli kept his hand on her shoulder as he ate his own sandwich, staying completely silent to leave Angel to her thoughts. It was a silent few minutes before Angel muttered "Thanks." Nickoli finished his sandwich and replied "Anytime." There was a silence between the two of them, a sort of uncomfortable silence since neither of them knew what they were to each other.

Angel decided to risk it and wrapped her arms around Nickoli's neck, burying her face into his shoulder. Nickoli responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her as close as he could. Angel finally exclaimed "You know, I can never fully trust you since you went back on your promise." Nickoli took a deep breath and sighed "I know."

"But I want to thank you… for everything else."

Nickoli smiled as he started to stroke the back of her head, replying "I love you Angel." Angel lifted her head from his shoulder, revealing her wide smile as she said "I love you too Nickoli." Angel closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss when Lilith nearly screamed "What the hell is going on out there?!" The two looked back into the room to see all of the adults gathered by the window and Lilith with her ECHO in her hand. The two ran in and squeezed past the adults to see more explosions going off in the distance and Lilith questioning "Talk to me Brick! What's going on out there?"

Brick replied "I have no idea Lilith! Someone shot past us and just started tearing through the clones. I thought it was Pool since he's teleporting everywhere." Deadpool laughed and answered "Please, things would go to hell in a handbasket much quicker if I was out there." Angel saw the battle going on and muttered "Z-12."

"You think so? Damn, you sure he's a complete clone of you, Z? I mean, he's clearly a badass like me, so maybe he's a clone of me!"

Lilith groaned "And that's what we need. More Deadpools." Angel slipped out of the room and started heading for the exit when Nickoli caught up with her. "Where are you going?" Nickoli questioned as he caught her in the lobby. Angel spun and answered "To help Z-12. I know that's him out there and I have to help him."

"Angel, Z-12 is in over his head. You could get killed trying to help him!"

"I have to try! It's what family does."

Nickoli held his hands by his head with a frustrated look, then he took a deep breath to calm himself down. He exclaimed calmly "Then I'm coming with you."

"No. I have to do this by myself. I can handle this."

Nickoli dropped his hands and groaned "Alright, just stay safe." Angel quickly moved up to him and pecked his lips, replying "I always do." Before Nickoli could say anything, she darted out of the hospital towards the battlefield to try and save her brother. She made it to the frontline at the end of the bridge, easily running past the soldiers since they weren't paying attention to what was behind them. Angel was in a dead sprint as she hit the charred ruins of the battlefield, Maliwan soldier remains and drone scrap metal littered the field, but was stood out was the bright red of blood from the clones. Angel slowly moved through the field of ruin until she saw the only living thing in the entire area, her brother.

He was kneeling on the ground, their father's helmet sitting next to him as he looked down at his hands that were soaked in the blood of their brothers. Angel started walking towards him when he clenched his hands and barked "Stay away from me Angel! Just… stay away…" Angel stopped, but showed no signs of leaving as she questioned "Z, do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I *sniff* I know what I did Angel… and there's only one thing left to do."

Angel watched as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small silver cylinder with a red top; a detonator. That's when Angel noticed that Z-12's jacket had two bricks of C4 attached to it, probably from a demolition team from Maliwan's ruins. Angel felt ice cold fear, fear that chilled her to the bone as she begged "Oh god… don't do this Z. Please, please don't do this. I can't lose you." She could see Z-12 shaking as tears fell from his face "Don't you get it Angel? I'm expendable… I'M AN EXPENDABLE PIECE OF SHIT!"

Angel moved quickly, sliding to her knees right in front of him as she responded "Not to me. Not to our family and not to our friends. Don't do this to us, to yourself. Don't add to the pain our family has already had to deal with."

"I don't have a family, Angel. I'm not your brother… I don't belong here anymore."

Angel could see that she wasn't getting through to him, so she reached out and wrapped her hand around the detonator and froze it to inoperability. Then, before Z-12 could pull anything else, she struck him in the side of the neck, knocking him unconscious. He fell forward and Angel pulled him into her shoulder, whimpering "I'm taking you home, brother. Even if you think you don't belong there." Angel then shouldered her unconscious brother, grabbed their father's helmet and started heading back to the city.

O00000O00000O

Angel finally returned with Z-12 and put him right back in the hospital bed where he was nearly an hour earlier. She returned Zer0's helmet and Uncle Wade's teleportation device, Deadpool grumbling "This is the thanks I get for helping out a friend." Angel chuckled "No, it's what happens when you help out family."

"True. You're alright kiddo. Until next time."

Deadpool gave a two fingered salute before teleporting out the window he had previously broken and probably crashing on the ground. Zer0 set the helmet aside and growled "This ends now." Lilith turned to Zer0 and questioned "Oh, now you want to fight."

"Yes, because they've taken this too far. I'm done playing Maliwan's game, now they'll play by our rules. One final strike, end all of this madness."

"Alright, I'll rally the troops and get the kids somewhere they won't interfere."

"No, they've proven they won't sit on the sidelines. I say they come with us and help stop this madness."

Lilith bit her lip as she thought about it, finally agreeing "Alright. No point in arguing. I'll get everyone together to let you update everyone." Lilith turned and left, clearly unhappy that the situation hadn't ended the way she had predicted. Zer0 took a seat to Z-12's left with Maya by Zer0's side and Angel on the opposite of Z-12. Z-12 slowly regained consciousness, finding that he was tied to the bed, probably so he couldn't pull another stunt like he had earlier. Zer0 slid up to him and sighed "Son."

Z-12 immediately responded "I'm not your son, Zer0."

"Son or not, you're still my blood, and I will protect you no matter what."

Z-12 remained silent, Maya taking over and exclaiming "Sweetie, I'm sorry for what you saw, but you have to understand… we care about you. Here's a question for you; do you think you're tough?" Z-12 rolled his head towards her and answered "I try my best, Maya."

"Well, from what I've seen in my life, tough people are always mad and strong. But in my opinion, people who admit they're sad are a lot tougher. It's okay to feel this way, but please, let it out for us. That's what family is for."

Z-12 rolled his head back up and stared at the ceiling as tears began to pour out of his eyes. Angel put a hand on his forearm, assuring "We love you, bro." Z-12 blurted as the flood of tears still poured from his face "You're the only family I have left. I love you guys!" Angel and Maya undid the straps on Z-12, the crying clone throwing his arms around them and pulling them close as he continued to cry. After Z-12 finished pouring his heart out, Zero updated Z-12 on what the next move was.

Angel questioned "Are you sure about this Dad? I mean, after our last few runs…" Zer0 smiled and assured "No matter what the plan is, I'm sure you kids would have your own plan to join in. But I have something for the both of you." Zer0 digistructed two helmets into his hands, Disharm0ny and Gh0st, and exclaimed "These are for you. I figure if you two want to act like assassins, might as well wear the appropriate gear for it." The two took their helmets, Angel taking Disharm0ny and Z-12 taking Gh0st, as Zer0 exclaimed "Now, let's get everyone ready for this one last mission."

A/N: There's another chapter down! What will Zer0's final assault plan be? Stay tuned and find out! Special thanks to Dr. Archangel and cmech for writing the skeleton while I just fill in the blanks. You two rock.

-Chief