Dark Retribution

by Sestren NK

Story II of the Dark Nemesis Trilogy. Using mind control to make them fight to the death failed. I survived, but what must be done requires for the manipulation of everyone I know. No one will see it coming. KR.

25. 24: Interrogation

Chapter 24: Interrogation

Warp back to chapter 23 if you haven't read it.

Obvious Metal Gear reference included… again. This chapter will explain everything that happened in this story, and I've checked repeatedly to make sure I didn't skip anything important. Nothing but a one-on-one convo.

---

A week passes.

A lot has gone on since what many called Val's actions the terrorist threat of Bay City. In the media, he was quickly demonized as a terrorist and the worst of all criminals, by politicians, comedians, celebrities, news commentators, radio talk show hosts, from America to international. Judges and juries were quick to give him instant life sentences, especially since his lawyer couldn't deliver a believable story. It was much different than the one Kim and Ron were familiar with. But before being sent to a high security prison, in preparation for such, he was sent to a new prison located on a remote island dead-center in the pacific. If he managed to escape, he would have to swim through thousands of miles to some kind of shore. Its existence was kept from the public, but records would show two previous residents, although they were no longer there.

A dark figure walks through the hallways, being assisted by a guard. The place looks anything but new. The brick walls look old and fragile, probably from over a century ago, allowing for water to leak in through the floors. The lights flicker endlessly, much more than strobe lights at times. Whoever he or she was, they were heading to the only cell in the place. Everything else was a maze.

"We're here, ma'am."

Val's cell: It looks just like everything else in the building, with two wooden benches supported by chains on the sides, a small window and a drainage hole. The prisoner inside was told that he was going to be sent elsewhere in time, but he refused to believe it. With the stench of the drainage hole, he knew death would come for him. He had spent three days there, but even the guards were surprised that he made no attempt to escape, and actually threw out the food the guards served him. It wasn't like it was good food, either – usually road kill or dead animals found outside, and most often, inside. No one knew how, but he managed to sneak in five gallons worth of apple juice. Unfortunately for the guards, they had access to open the cell, but not the proper access to enter.

As the figure waited for the guard to find the keys, they noticed that Val was performing sit-ups as he was hanging from a pipe near the ceiling. He also appeared to be relaxed and calm, but it might have been because he lost track of time. No matter the weather outside, the room was always dark, illuminated by flickering lights from the halls.

"Ryan! You've got a visitor!"

Val only scoffed. "It's finally time, I guess."

The guard looked at the visitor's authorization before he allows her to enter the cell. He leaves. Once the doors closed, Val thought he recognized the figure.

"Well, it looks like you're here. Just finish me off real quick, would you?"

The visitor didn't respond, and this was quick to grab his attention. He couldn't see the details of the visitor, only that they wore a hat and a coat. Once she approached further, the small light in the room revealed her. Val instantly jumped off and got onto his feet.

"Kim?" he asked astounded, only to regain his cool immediately afterward. "Quite a surprise. I suppose you did get the message after all."

She quietly walked toward the bench on the opposite side and took a seat. Compared to the rest of the room, the benches were clean. She removed her hat and loosened her coat. Under it, Val could see a fake FBI badge. Kim had to disguise herself.

"Were you expecting company?" she asked.

They didn't even put him in proper prison garb. Not only did he grow out his hair and shaved, but he was wearing the exact same thing as the final battle; pants and no shirt. Kim was already freezing, but Val didn't appear to be affected by the cold whatsoever.

"Just death's embrace," he calmly answered.

He noticed that Kim was looking at his metal arm, now with a new hand on it.

"Just so you know…" Val noticed. "I made a lot of these just in case."

Kim didn't seem to be paying attention to his words, her mind somewhere else in the room.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Your voice. I've never heard you talk this way. You sound… normal."

Indeed, Val was speaking in his original tone. There was no deepness in it as long before, and there was no intense energy and rage as a few weeks ago. He sounded casual, almost like he was ready to enjoy a pleasant conversation with a friend he hadn't seen in ages. It really wasn't too far from the truth. Since this was the first time Kim visited one of her enemies' prison cells, she wondered how everyone else she put away. It was arguable whether his voice was calm because of the serene feeling of defeat, or for no reason at all.

"Is there something wrong with that? We're all human in here, Kim. I know what appearances I've given off before, but I have more than one side, too."

"Apparently…" Kim mused. "But that's not the only change, other than your facial hair and normal hair."

Kim still couldn't get over the fact that Val's eyes changed from brown to blue. She was used to people's skin colors changing when they became bad, but eyes? Val knew where this was going.

"Contacts. Just so I could be Valia Ryan and not Valve Dive. It was good as a disguise, since it also affected the results of a retinal scan. Thankfully, these things never go to the back of your eyes. Once I got my memory back, they were of no use."

He couldn't tell whether Kim was more freaked out about the technology or that his eyes grew similar in appearance to hers. Just a slight hue change.

Val cracked his neck before he continued. "So… what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Come on, you said it yourself. You said you weren't really behind any of this. I want answers… Please."

Val had a smug look all over his face. "I thought you didn't trust those you fought."

Kim was quick to snap back. "Listen, we haven't been able to find out anything, all right? I want to do this the easy way, but I won't hesitate to do this the hard way."

Val chuckled. "I've been through torture before, and you don't have the heart or equipment to do anything of the sort. But considering everything that's been going on in the last couple of weeks, I'll tell you everything I know. You've earned it."

Kim came here thinking that she had to force the answers out of him, even though she was hardly in the mood to fight him again. Both were still recovering from their injuries from their final duel.

"Uh, okay. Val… I don't want any more of these half-truth, half-lie things. I want the entire truth of everything."

"Very well. But for this, I will require your Kimmunicator. I hope you have it on you."

Kim quickly went skeptical. "I always do, but why?"

"I'll only need it for a few seconds."

Of course, he wouldn't speak otherwise, so Kim tossed it to him. He caught it easily and didn't even assess to it for a second before he found a peculiar port and shoved the device straight into his biomechanical arm. He started twitching violently shortly afterward, letting out a few painful grunts. Kim could see that he was being electrocuted, but it was all over before she could do anything. He was breathing pretty heavily, but was far from unconscious. He quickly tossed the Kimmunicator back to her.

"That'll take care of the nanomachines."

Kim had no idea what just happened. "What did you just do?"

"I electrocuted myself to fry the nanomachines in my bloodstream. That's the reason I said that number codename: 45574. It's a good thing Wade programmed that to obey DVCs, Desperate Vocal Commands. DVCs are designed for emergencies should you catch a disease or any other danger that involves skin or metal penetration. What the command 45574 did was activate a program to completely fry the nanos in my body, and why. Now that that's out of the way, I can tell you everything."

"What are you talking about?"

Val chuckled. "Isn't it obvious? Don't you know why I didn't give you names at the Tower? I was injected with nanomachines as part of this whole operation, and if I said names or blew my cover, we'd all be blown to hell."

"Val, I said I wanted the truth, not a long story."

"You want the truth? Here it is: I was used, Kim. Used against my own will to do any and all of this."

Kim almost fell off the bench she was on. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, no no no nO NO NO! I am so not buying that!"

Considering everything that went on in the Tower, Kim was not so easily convinced.

A sour look quickly filled Val's face. "Girl, shut up, you'll catch the guard's attention and blow your cover."

"Oh, right. Sorry…" she sheepishly apologized. Kim didn't even realize the words that came out of her mouth, and out of embarrassment she quietly cleared her throat. "Used?"

"Completely… Well, no… that's not entirely accurate."

"Before you confuse me, just tell me who did it."

"The Bosses themselves."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Okay, the whole big name thing is fine and all, but I need names."

"Now that these nanos are fried, they have no way of detecting the words that are coming out of my mouth: Senator Kathryn Eleanor Brown and Judge Edward Shea Silvia."

Kim was very well familiar with these names. "No way, that can't…" She groaned. "Why am I not surprised…?"

"So you've heard of their treachery?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way, but Brown's always been known to lead protests against just about everything and Silvia… Well, I don't know about him, but I don't think he's a concern anymore."

Val narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "Why's that?"

"Pacemaker failed on him two days ago. Dead."

Val's eyes widened. "What was your source?"

"Everything. Web sites, every news channel, radio."

Val look relieved. "So he's really dead. Good riddance…"

"The way he talked on TV, I thought he would've died some other way."

"The old man usually went on the podium to bitch at everything while he was completely intoxicated. On new laws and ideas, you couldn't get him to approve of anything no matter what side you were on. And yet he went easy on those who committed the worst of crimes. Child molester who has eight victims, twenty years; pretty much two years for every victim. Same person comes back and kills a helpless seven year old. So far the paperwork is still being done before the asshole goes back in prison. Well, that's one down. But that still doesn't do anything. Brown's still alive and that's a hell of a lot more important than Silvia being dead."

"Why's that?"

"Because Brown was behind all of this. Silvia's involvement was minimal."

"Why? If that's the truth, then what did she really want out of all of this?"

"Four nuclear warheads, all five Judgments: Harpuia, Fafnir, Leviathan, Eligos, and Lucifer, an army of mass-produced biomechanical artificial humans, and last, but most important, your corpse."

"So I wouldn't interfere…"

"But I couldn't simply kill you. I had to do whatever I had to in order to destroy your reputation among the people and yourself. You couldn't die being the well-revered teen hero you are. I had to do whatever I could to break you down and tear you apart."

"Not buying it. Everything you said at the tower… just those words driving into my mind…"

Val crossed his arms and chuckled. "That was quite a show, wasn't it? I'd hate to break it to you, but that was all part of the act, all from beginning to end. I performed quite well, I must say. I had to convince you and the world that I was the real enemy."

"Or what? If you said any names, tried to tell me that you were being used you'd blow up everyone within a ten mile radius?"

"Eleven point five to be exact."

"Look Val, I don't care wha- What did you just say?"

"Had I blown my cover as an assassin to take you down, if I mentioned any names or actually helped you on this journey, the nanomachines in my blood would have triggered a massive explosion. Not only were explosive devices somehow implanted in them, but they were also able to find a way for it to be amplified by my blood-alcohol level. I would've killed hundreds, thousands even. I didn't want for it to come to that. I hope you're ready for a long one."

"I can stay here as long as I please. I'd rather not because of the scenery."

"I'm assuming I'm the first person you've put away that you've visited? You're so thoughtful."

"Well, yeah."

Val cracked his knuckles and laid comfortably on his bench, legs and arms crossed. "I don't need to tell you what happened with Sensei again. That part was completely true. Same with getting my memory back and everything."

"So everything came back then?"

"Quite, but it took me a while to get over it. I know I didn't say anything at all with you two around in the dome, but it was difficult to comprehend. You think you're an ordinary teenager and yet you gain memories of a previous life. I wasn't sure whether or not I was reincarnated or what, but I had no idea what was going on. Familiar faces that bare no recognition, good and bad, several missing pieces of the puzzle of your life fall right onto your lap, memories of being in battle and war… too many for one to comprehend. Out of confusion, I told you and Ron you were good for each other and allowed you to escape. It was too much to bear that I wanted to escape it. You think you know all about darkness in high school, when it comes to poetry, lyrics, artwork and music, but it was nothing in comparison to my real past."

"You were anything but ordinary, Val. So everything you vented to us in the Tower was true?"

"Half of it."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to know what was false."

She couldn't trust him, but she was willing to listen. Any kind of information would be helpful.

"My ambitions," he quickly answered. "Filtering out the human race by nuclear weapons…? While I have my quirks with the superior race of the world… I couldn't resort to mass murder. Killing thousands would solve nothing at all. It wouldn't change how depressing we're devolving as a species. We're capable of so much… and yet our talents are put to waste… So much for hope in a world like this… Even I'm not stupid enough to think that nuclear weapons was the only way. As an agent I was forced to learn all of the results of nuclear testing and development. I'm not talking about just those videos you watch in physics class, I'm talking about witnessing the result of test sites."

"But you… I'm sorry," Kim quickly caught on. "At first, you really sounded like you were going to do it."

"Again, an act. Using large words and being dramatic can be amusing and fun, but that was not my priority. Just an act."

"I kinda gathered by the way you talked about what everyone else was doing to destroy the world, but never included yourself as a factor. I figured there was no threat, until Wade corrected me about the nukes really missing."

"How's the search progressing?"

"If it was progressing, I wouldn't be here."

"That's not the only reason you're here, is it, Kim?"

A pause.

"I want to know everything but right now I'm concerned about those nukes. No one has been able to find them."

"Incredible. Did they ever check the storage facility they were stolen from?"

"To the point where they got our numbers blocked. They told us they checked the ceiling, underground, every room and every vent numerous times."

Val chuckled. "Did they check the janitor's closet?"

"The what?"

"The janitor's closet."

Kim didn't get it. "Is that some kind of code lingo? I'm not exactly all-knowing in that area."

"No, I mean the actual janitor's closet of the place."

Another pause.

"Are you telling me that there's a janitor's closet in a nuclear weapons storage facility?" Kim asked with total disbelief.

Val laughed at her reaction. "That's what will happen when you hire a designer in France."

"You're serious."

"Very. I infiltrated the building and misplaced all of the nukes intentionally, and all four of them were big enough to fit in that very room."

"No way."

"True story."

Kim groaned. "So they never left the facility in the first place…"

"The only four things that did were dummy warheads."

Kim quickly got up and looked like she was going to have a fit.

"But why on earth would you do something like that?" Kim barked as quietly as she could, then remembered Val said he was used. "Never mind." She sat back down. "Okay, I want to make this clear: There is no nuclear threat at all, right?"

"Honest-to-God Truth? No. Unless someone decides to grab a semi-automatic and unleash hell on those things."

"So you actually set those things to go off?"

"No, but plutonium could leak out if they're penetrated. I was careful in assuring they wouldn't explode, hence not removing the detonation mechanism."

Kim let out a whistle of relief. "Oh, right. Of course. Tells you what I know of nukes."

"I watched enough footage and did my history in high school."

Kim told herself she wasn't going to ask this, but did anyway. "How did you get a higher GPA in high school than I did?"

"Remember when I told you that I myself was a complete innocent in high school?"

"Not by those words, but yeah."

"I didn't have a life then. I had some 'unexplainable' knowledge about biomechanics and the rest of that back then, but I craved and thirsted for knowledge in everything. I know I've said this before, but can you imagine what it's like in high school to possess incredible knowledge of biomechanics, military weapons and techniques, and having no idea where you learned them? Then after you graduate, you suddenly have a huge martial arts arsenal, only remembering some of it before 12. I never even thought about those empty years in-between. Never was interested in extra-curricular activities or sports, since everyone else was a moron."

"Not surprised about thirsting for more information…" Kim mused with disgust.

Val could see the discomfort in her face. "You're talking about your relationship with Ron."

Kim nodded.

Val had something else in mind. "So when you heard that I spied on you and Ron ever since our first fight, it really had an effect on you, didn't it?"

"Well, yeah!" she quietly yelled. "I don't care why you did it, that's just… oh, I just want to go at you again for reminding me of it. You craved the information that much, didn't you?"

"Honestly, no."

"What? Then why did you do it?"

"I didn't."

"That doesn't mean…" Kim realized something. "Wait, what? Tell me again what you mean by 'I didn't'."

"By 'I didn't', I mean that I didn't ever spy on you and Ron in your relationship. While my chrome hand was indeed a spy camera, it couldn't move on its own. The only thing I could spy on was your room."

"You peeping Tom…"

Val rose up and put his hands in front of his face. "Not at all. I only spied on you once or twice. Once when you were on the phone with him, and the second time when you took a nap."

"A nap?"

"It was the time you woke up on the floor with your butt in the air."

Kim covered her face. "Hey, I was in London that night and came home at 11 in the morning!"

"Oh, so that explains it."

"But why?"

"Just to check up and see how my favorite cheerleader heroine was doing. Again, being truthful, I never spied on you when you were changing, when Ron was in your room, or any private moments you might have had to yourself. Just the nap and when Ron was going to take you out somewhere."

"I usually change once I get off the phone with him…"

"Shut it off. I'm not that kind of person. Yes, you're pretty and attractive, one of the prettiest girls I've ever met, but I'm not a pervert."

"So you lied about our private moments being intruded on?"

"Sure did. Again, honest truth. It's nice to see two people together, but even I respect a couple's private moments. I respect privacy as a concept. After all, that's what most of my life has been. I'd be a full blown hypocrite if I didn't. Besides, I have no interest in mushy moments…"

Kim didn't know how to react, but Val could see the joyful spark in her eyes.

"Relieved, Kim?"

"Well, this is an interrogation, so I can't comment."

Val laughed. "Is that what this is? I thought it was a friendly conversation!"

"So again, every moment I knew I had with Ron was private."

"I was no way involved. Despite my lust for knowledge, I had other things to attend to. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot about you and did my research, but that was done through documented information on you and every ally you've had. Any database that had information on you, those were my only sources. And of course, seeing you both in action, which proved to be quite entertaining."

"You're saying our missions were recorded?"

"Not just by means of text, but audio and video as well. Actually, watching your missions was like watching an animated television show."

"If you want to talk about cartoons, talk to Ron. I don't watch that stuff."

"Not a fan of cartoons, Kim? And I thought you weren't the type of person to be so focused on your image."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything. You don't watch them because you tell yourself you're too old to watch them, they're for kids, or that television with real-life actors is the only way to go. Anyone can say they're too old to watch cartoons or enjoy the things they did as a kid. They're afraid to look that 'weak' in front of others. But it takes a strong person to freely admit such things with no hassle. Come on, Kim, is it really embarrassing for others to know you still sleep with Pandaroo?"

Kim almost fell of the bench. "You did spy on me!"

"Recorded, I swear."

Kim let out a disgruntled moan. "To answer your question, yes. Others laugh."

"And when did the opinion of others matter so much? It's your life. Don't go out of your way to hide it. I'm telling you, your missions were recorded like an animated series, and that's how I got my information on you."

"I'm not sure… you did say you weren't treated to any… overly intimate moments."

"Wild guess. I don't think you're the type to give yourself up so quickly."

"I'm not. I'm still a virgin."

"Good for you. Most people in these stages would give in."

"That's not to say the temptation hasn't come to mind…" Kim whispered.

Val cleared his throat loudly.

Kim blinked. "Wait, why am I telling you this? Never mind."

Val chuckled. "It's not my place to offer an opinion, but I'm sure you'll make the best choice for yourself one way or the other."

Kim couldn't believe what she just heard. "Where did all this respect come from?"

"Oh, it's been there since the first time you defeated me."

"Sure didn't seem like it when you put that sword up to my throat… or was that part of the act?"

"Not quite, but that's different. You can still respect someone even if you want them never to interfere with duty. Well, no…" He trailed off.

"You're not telling me that was faked, too?"

"Not at the time, but now that I think about it… I can't kill a woman."

"Is that so?" Kim skeptically asked.

"Unless she's ready to seriously kill me, no."

"But you're willing to fight one to the point where we almost kill each other…" Kim said as she rubbed her jaw.

Val mimicked the gesture. "I believe in equal opportunity. It's just… hard to say. Look at it one way and its respect, another is a fulfilled fantasy, and the next could be a nostalgic feeling."

"A fantasy? Is that what you called the fight on the Tower?"

"Kim, it wasn't the battle to see who the best fighter was, it was a clash of spirits, one of light, and one of dark. And look who won. Yes, it was a fantasy." Kim shook her head, but Val instantly came back. "Don't give me that look. Every human being on this planet has hidden desires and fantasies they would kill to have fulfilled. Metaphorically speaking, of course. You'd be a fool to deny it for yourself."

"But fighting? That's kind of twisted."

"That's nothing compared to other fantasies people have…"

Kim shook the thoughts out of her mind. "You don't need to go into detail about that. I've had a few too many internet searches go wrong to know what that's about. That's why I have Wade do all the internet stuff for me."

"Poor you. My fantasy was to have a one-on-one hand-to-hand duel with a worthy opponent. I never thought that opponent would be a girl."

"So you really don't have some twisted fascination with me?"

"No. I respect and admire you as a person and a fighter, but that's only as far as it goes."

"I see." Kim chose not to ask the details on this one. The last thing she wanted was more of Val's thoughts about who she was, even if they might have been positive.

Val scoffed. "You honestly thought I was some kind of pervert. Many things change in three months, Kim, but just as many things don't. I don't look at girls at tools and objects. Why do you think I felt the way I did after… Never mind."

"Stonedge…" Kim realized. "So you really thought you loved her?"

Val sighed, hoping to avoid the subject. "At the time. It still astonishes me… how someone can go from intelligent, open, pretty, and kind, to selfish, conniving, and just plain rotten. Even at the funeral she didn't appear to be affected by my faked death."

"You were there?"

"If there's a window, there's a way. But you came here to get answers as to our recent engagement."

"Okay… So how did you get involved in this whole thing? You said the Bosses wanted an arsenal of weapons, my dead body, but why did they use you?"

"Because of the first time we fought, and because I'm the last survivor of teen heroes that officially worked for the US government. Enya and many other teams died, but the Ice Shadows, Team Snyder, Raiden Squad, and Fox Band worked for international governments. It also didn't help that I was much more skilled in every area of expertise than they ever could be."

"But you said you didn't do it on your own free will."

"Well, it first started after Sensei's rejection. Hanging on that bridge, the rest of my memories had come back to me and I knew there was a fight that needed to come to an end. I knew that The Bosses had grown more powerful these last three years, and they needed to be stopped. Thankfully, the place where I lived with all of Enya's belongings remained untouched. She told me in her diary how to take them down, but it wasn't going to be easy at all. I had to use excruciating power just to find them. For that, I had to gain materials found only in one place. Go City. I told myself I was going to find them first, but instead, they… or rather, she, found me."

---

Two and a half months prior.

We find that Val is on the highest floor of some run down apartment complex in an abandoned room. He appears to be meditating, but the session is interrupted as the door knocks loudly.

"Valia Erocus Ryan! We know you're in there! Come out with your hands up!"

The voices weren't those of regular policemen, and they weren't of the poor saps who tried to sell magazines believing it'd help pay for their college education or for some trip around the world. Val's excuse? 'I'm illiterate.' It worked.

"Valia! You have two minutes to respond!"

'How lenient…' he thought to himself.

He was quick to hear the police sirens and the SWAT teams, but he put his ear to the floor, not making a noise.

'90 guards… body-armor, handguns and… AKs… So they're serious.'

Outside the door, five heavily armored SWAT members stand outside, one ready to bust the door open.

"I'll be right out!" a voice from inside called.

A minute passed before anything happened. The guard outside immediately kicked the door open, only to find the door coming back at him, sending splinters and everyone everywhere.

"Knock knock!"

He quickly made his way past several bullets as he raced down the hall, knocking anyone he came across unconscious. He could also hear people inside their apartments freaking out, but not as many as he anticipated. Either no one lived here or were violent on the streets already. Once he had made his way to the open stairway, he leapt from wall to wall; grabbing whichever guard was in his way and threw him at every other guard in his path. He even took one with him. He got a thrill as he kept flying down with the guard screaming.

"See? It's just like a roller coaster."

The guard continued screaming as stairs and other guards flew past him.

Val sighed. "How'd you get this job, anyway?"

The guard just continued to scream. It wasn't long before Val gave up and tossed him into more of his comrades, and they were soon covered in vomit.

"He's outside! Don't let him get away!"

"Copy that, we've got it handled out here."

Outside, Val continued to run in the rain, finding a police car ready to run him down. He actually managed to match the speed of the oncoming vehicle, and the driver inside almost turned at the last minute from fear. Val leapt straight into it, crashing through the windshield with his legs, knocking out the driver, and still had enough momentum to fly out the back window.

"Might want to get those windows chec-"

He froze as he realized there were suddenly tranquilizer darts all over his body, turning him into a porcupine. He tried to pull as many off as he could, but no matter what, the number of darts on his body were not lessened as more found their way onto his body. He refused to give up, but he fainted shortly after.

---

"Tranquilizers?"

"When you have fifty of the world's best snipers at your command, forget it. Slicing bullets apart from one direction is one thing, but unarmed and to have them all over you, good night. I don't know about you, but I know when I'm screwed."

---

Everything was a blur when he woke up, finding himself tightened onto a rock by the thickest of iron chains. Apparently, someone told these guys he could easily break wooden and plastic chairs. He was a bit frustrated, as it wasn't the first time he was tranquilized and captured.

"So, you're awake."

The room was extremely dark, but Valia recognized the voice.

"Brown…"

The woman in front of him continued to walk back and forth with no emotion in her voice. "So it appears you remember me, old friend. I'm flattered."

"Friend? You're anything but."

"That's not very nice, Valve."

"I don't go by that name anymore."

"Oh, that's right; you had a real name… Valia."

"What the hell do you want?"

"I thought we could have a talk."

"You expect me to buy that after you send armed men after me? You usually have people shot to a blood pulp, so you must have something else in mind for me."

"Unfortunately, we need you alive."

"So what do I owe the displeasure of this encounter?"

"I need you to do me a few favors."

"I don't work for you anymore, and I don't need to take orders."

"Oh, is that right?"

Suddenly, the woman pulls out a shotgun. "Tell me where the diary is."

"Diary? That's a girl's thing, isn't it?"

"Sapphire gave you everything, including her diary. I want to know where it is."

"After I read everything, I burned it for this very reason."

The armed Senator just grunted, but was far from over. "I heard that you lost your hand in a previous engagement."

"I had a little too much fun with swords. I've been trying to get back into that."

Val watches carefully as the armed woman releases his left arm from behind him, but it's completely numb. He can't move it. Brown takes a careful look at where his hand used to be, replaced by broken mechanics.

"That's a shame. Maybe I won't have a use for you after all."

Val smiles. "Oh please, I know where this is going."

"Valia, you're needed by your country, your people."

"You've fed me that bullshit ever since Enya was alive. I know you, Brown, y-"

"You will address me by 'Senator'!" the woman snapped.

"Oh, what's wrong? Having an ego fit? I suppose you have some emotion in you after all."

She points the gun to his head, but Val doesn't look scared at all.

"You can't kill me, not if you went through so much trouble just to get me here. Don't you listen to the news? I'm already dead."

The silhouette lowers the weapon. "You know full well that that was my own doing. You almost had me there until I learned the truth."

"Truth? That's a funny word coming from you. Just say that you need me, and not my country. You don't represent what this country truly stands for at all, and this is only the request of a single senator, not the entire government."

It was clear Brown was ignoring him. "So who is to blame for that?" referring to the mechanics.

"Like I said, I was playing with swords."

"You lie."

"Join the club. Oh, wait, that won't be necessary."

Brown snarls. "You're just like your partner, you know that?"

"She was my mentor, taught me everything, but you set us up just so one of us could die."

"How can you say that? She was a traitor to this country."

"She was loyal to her country until the end, but she would rather die than to become loyal to you."

"You do know she lied about me. She hated what I had, and she felt like she knew too much. But you… you have grown far more superior than she has, in terms of knowledge, experience, everything."

"As far as I'm concerned, you have nothing."

"You don't know me!"

"HAH! Is that the only excuse you can come up with? Come on, only high school students who can't defend their thoughts or beliefs use that excuse!"

"Someone defeated you. I want to know who."

"What's wrong, too lazy to google it?"

"You really are like your partner."

"Only this time, you won't find a way to kill me. You can't kill someone if you're already dead. On the other hand…"

The Senator let out an impressed laugh. "You think you can kill me?" She grabs Val's right arm and slams a syringe in it. He yelps at first, but he realizes that his right arm is also completely numb and can't move it.

Brown lets out a malicious chuckle. "Try anything funny, and you'll suffer a slow and painful death, unlike your partner, unfortunately."

Val just grunts. "More nanomachines?"

"You're a ticking time bomb now. Spill any information to anyone and you'll be destroyed from the inside out. Are you ready to tell me who defeated you?"

"Honestly, I've had a craving for reciting the entire English dictionary."

"Who did it?"

Valia whistles, and Brown doesn't hesitate to aim her gun and fire it.

---

Val waved his biomechanical arm around. "I don't care what anyone says about tranquilizers. Two blasts from a shotgun was enough to blow my entire arm off, and the pain itself was too unbearable. It took all the will power in me to stay conscious."

---

He almost goes into shock as he sees the nerves from his shoulders. Brown merely wipes the blood from her glasses as Val sulks from the pain.

"You just did… the dumbest thing… of your life… you bitch…"

Brown kicks Val straight in the face, knocking him down. "You tell yourself that. You'd better give me a name." The senator points the shotgun at Val's crotch. She cocks the gun one more time.

"Fine! You win! It's Kim Possible!"

Brown drops the weapon. "That cheerleader? Unbelievable…"

---

"So you really were afraid of death…" Kim observed. "Or your manhood… uh…"

"I wasn't ready to go yet. Not until I either fulfilled my duty or spread the word about people like her…"

---

Val continues to breathe, trying to accept that his left arm is no more.

"So, unless you want me to blow off what makes a man, you'd better cooperate."

Val just looks away. "Name your… demands."

"Seeing as you once defeated her, I want you to find her and kill her."

"'Once defeated her'…? I thought you had no idea who did this to me!"

"I lied."

Val would be fuming at the mouth, but he coughed blood instead.

---

"What kind of world is this?"

"The real one, Kim."

---

Brown went on. "Find her and kill her. But it will not be in the standard issue. First, you will completely destroy her mentally and emotionally. Unlike you, she hasn't been trained to be a soldier in combat, nor her partner. She cannot know that you are involved until you are ready to finish the job, what your intentions truly are until then, and you are not to leave clues that lead up to this. You are to be an unknown, provoking her to the point where she wants blood on her hands. She cannot die with the fame and trust that people know her by."

"Why? What does… she have to do with… you?"

"To initiate Operation STW (Save the World), I don't need any interference from her. You've knocked her out a few times, and I need for you to do it again, but she must never wake up. That's all."

"That's not just it… is it?"

"No. While you're doing this, I will need you to retrieve our nuclear weapons from France."

"The ones you… gave to them… as a gift for putting… your oldest son into college… there?"

"The very same. They can't properly dispose of them, so I'll gladly use them. You are familiar with the Judgment project, right?"

"You're… kidding."

"All five have been completed. I need you to retrieve them. I don't care how. It's your problem, not mine. Next, I need you to recover what remains of the Pseudo-Human Research and Development production line. I need for them to be mass-produced."

'She doesn't know…' Val thought. "You've lost contact… with the original team?"

"They've gone underground, but most have been relieved of their duties, permanently."

Val grunted hearing this. "So destroy Possible… through her weaknesses, and… recover the five Judgments, the Bio-Mechs, and nukes?"

"Yes."

"You're going to start… World War III, aren't you?"

"That's an ignorant viewpoint. I'm just going to do what's best for the planet. If you have any objections, my shotgun is still aimed at your reproductive organs. Will you accept?"

Val groans. "I will…"

Brown goes around to meet face-to-face with Val, grabbing his neck and putting him back upward.

"It appears after your leave you still obey your superiors. I'm glad you didn't turn out like Fayce."

"Don't you mention her name, you-"

Brown finishes the conversation by slamming the butt of the gun into Val's neck. Everything goes into darkness, but a few footsteps can be heard.

"Clean up the blood. If he bleeds to death, that's his problem, but he'll find a way… Put him back where we found him."

"Ma'am, a lot of people have called the police about the commotion."

"I will tell them personally that we've decided to listen to their demands and have started construction. They'll buy it."

"Are you sure?"

"Have your men seal up the bullets. That's all you'll need to do."

"What about those on the streets?"

"Another gang battle."

---

Kim didn't know whether to feel disturbed by the story or the fact that Val was chuckling.

"Kim, don't you see? She didn't force me to do her bidding… she gave me an opportunity."

"An opportunity?" she hollered as she got onto her feet. "Is that what you called this entire thing?"

Val gave her a disappointed look. "If you take one step further, I am seriously going to slap some sense into you. Don't think that I'm telling you this because you want to know it. I'm telling you because I want to. I can sit here for weeks and not move or say a word, so don't jump to conclusions! Now sit down and shut up."

Kim did as she was told with a few twitches from her fists and eyes. She still wasn't believing everything he said.

Val continued. "Now that I knew what she wanted to do, and now that I knew where she was… This is the beautiful thing: She actually told me where and when to get the materials and where to deliver them. She told me where to get the nukes, how to sabotage the judgments, but I had to look for the bio-mechs on my own. She wanted me to deliver her an army of the worst weapons."

"You were going to fight her with them?"

"No. Nanos were programmed to blow me away if I tried, but that gave me a much better idea. I wasn't going to deliver her the goods. She was quite satisfied when the French declared their nukes were missing and others reported their Judgments were stolen. Meanwhile, I had other plans for the bio-mechs. Oh no, she wasn't going to have the satisfaction of seeing them being brought to her."

It hit Kim. "You were going to have them destroyed and screw her over on this, weren't you?"

Val cackled. "What, did you honestly think I'd willingly do what that old bag told me?"

"Maybe."

Val groaned. "Listen, Kim. My real motive in all of this was to screw Brown over. In order what needed to be done, it required for the manipulation of everyone I knew. You couldn't know, Brown couldn't know, no one could. And no one saw it coming. I wasn't interested in killing you or Ron. Oh sure, it seemed like it quite often, but that was part of the act. I carefully planned everything out so you all thought you were in grave danger, but I all planned it out so that none of you would die. It was all about Brown. You were just along for the ride. But… when I realized I could fight you until we were both exhausted… I couldn't resist to take that chance. Even though I became a pawn, this one chose to be a player."

Kim didn't respond to this immediately. "Throwing Ron out the window and having Yori save him? So that really had some role in this?"

"He wasn't going to die either way."

"Having Elurt's hands shoot us down?"

"You've survived worse. Didn't expect Yori to be injured but we both managed."

"Having us attack a giant walking tank?"

"Knew you would find a way to destroy it, but what happened to Ron wasn't anticipated."

"The nanomachines or the explosion?"

"The explosion. I thought I was screwed there, but his mystical monkey power not only saved him, but healed him at a fascinating rate. The nanomachines were only a method of aggravation with body control; experimental for many reasons. I also had to check how you were doing – mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I had to provoke you more. The so-called 'disease' in the nanos were never meant to kill him. As I said before it was just a program that said it could destroy him, but I was impressed by the way you all handled it. I never thought such a draining machine existed."

"But the French kiss and grabbing my butt?"

"Ron's done it several times, no?"

Kim took her time with answering. "No, it was actually me."

Val widened his eyes. "Really? Wow, minus ten points for me. You're more perverted than I thought you were."

Kim was quick to hide her face in her hands. "Moving on… You said your motives with the nukes were faked."

"Right."

"Your past with Enya, Elurt, and Sensei?"

"All real."

"The Hind?"

Val snorted. "Like that's the first time you were nearly blown to kingdom come."

"Hmm… I guess it's happened so often I never thought about it that way. But how did you get a Russian helicopter to Bay City?"

"An old gift. Hid it before I got my memory block, found it right where I left it once I got back. That reminds me, I have a question of my own… I noticed Ron had ten missiles on him when you fought me, but you must have shot thirty or so at me. How… I'm not sure I understand it. He didn't happen to have any unusual wear or device on him, did he? It can't be mystical monkey power."

"No, Nev's mission suits were all the same… oh, wait. He did have this bandana with an infinity symbol on it."

"That'll do it, then."

"What?"

Val chuckled as he laid back and got comfortable. "Rumor had it that if you engraved the infinity symbol onto a weapon or wore articles of clothing that had it embedded in it, you would have infinite ammunition for any weapon."

"Are you serious? There has to be more of an explanation to it that that."

"There isn't. Sew it or engrave it and voila, infinite ammo."

Kim had confused written all over her face. "Oooookay… What about the rant with not being qualified for being a hero?"

Val got up and narrowed eyes met narrowed eyes. "Real. You were fighting completely out of rage, and such emotions interfere with any and all thoughts. Sure, the movies tell you that when you're being angry, you open up five cans of whoop-ass, but here in the real world it messes up your mind and you're almost guaranteed to lose in a fight. There are times where your temper can help you to become more powerful, but it can also destroy you just as easily. It almost did since you were quick to lose focus of everything you were and stood for, more bent on revenge than justice. This isn't the Centurion Project, Kim. You can take on the usual variety with anger, but not me."

Kim didn't understand what Val was really after. On one hand he was provoking her to kill him with everything she had, and on the other he was helping her out with hard advice.

Val could see the thoughts just through her eyes. "Like I said, I needed you alive. I couldn't go easy on you at all, but you were going to fail unless you regained your composure. Even you needed to know that."

"…You were giving me hard 'advice'? Why?"

"That's what you do with advice; spread it. It means nothing if you keep it to yourself."

"And you had to do so much to prove it…"

"You can't just tell someone how to win a fight and expect them to believe it. To truly learn anything, the lesson must come hard and with aggression. You won't understand the consequences the work has to offer unless you see it for yourself. Yes, I used Ron as an example when he was thrown from the window and the nanos and the assassination 'attempt'."

Kim saw what Val was getting at. "You were fighting me, but you were helping me? That…"

Val cracked his knuckles. "Doesn't make sense? Kim, in the real world, heroes and villainy aren't just black and white. Everyone exists in a shade of gray. Some villains help heroes and some heroes help villains. They might not agree, but more often than not they're friends or respected rivals fighting on opposite sides. They won't tell the other how to kill them, but they exchange knowledge with each other. Not everyone you think is a villain really is. I've had moments where I killed a person because I was told they were my enemy, but with their dying breath they told me of their past and why they did what they did. It wasn't manipulation, but sometimes you wish you didn't kill them because they fought for something good, too. Well, right now everyone you're fighting is of pure black, and you're pure white. In the real world, there are endless shades of gray in-between."

Kim crossed her arms. "I'm supposed to believe you're one of those shades of gray."

Val lightly shrugged. "That's for you to decide."

"The final fight wasn't part of the act…"

"But staging it to the public was. That way, Brown couldn't cover it up. The cyphers were there so the world could watch, and if anything happened, the public would know. I wanted to see what you were really made of and see how we compared. I was never interested in the result. The fight in the underwater dome was exhilarating, but that was no true battle, considering we were all equipped with weapons, battle suits and the like. I just wanted to experience the fantasy most martial artists dream of: A one-on-one fight with no weapons, just two spirits fighting at each other to their full extent. You delivered."

"Did your soul ever find 'respite' as you put it?" Kim mockingly asked.

"It explains the change in my voice," he smiled.

Kim shook her head. "Weird. But the fight wasn't exactly meant to destroy me, right?"

"Only if you lost."

Kim hoped by coming here she would become less confused, but she found herself much more confused than ever. "So that was it, then? No revenge or anything against me or Ron?"

"Just against Brown and Elurt."

Kim seemed to be troubled.

"What's bothering you?"

"N… nothing. I'm just surprised this isn't revenge against me. Every time I fight someone, the next time I see them, it's always revenge."

Val laid back on the bench again. "Revenge is only about making yourself feel better. While I did feel I helped avenge Enya with Elurt's death, I have nothing to gain out of revenge for fighting you and Ron. I'm hardly ever interested in the outcome, but I wasn't myself back then, so you wouldn't have known. When I lose, I accept my defeats. I'm not a sore loser. If it weren't for Brown taking me as her hostage, I would have left you and Ron alone. I'm not the kind of person who demands a rematch if I lose, but since I was given an opportunity to fight you again, I took it. I only kill when the person needs to die. You don't belong on such a list."

"So Brown was the real enemy in all of this?"

"The one and only. I just had to pretend to take that role to keep myself alive."

Kim went curious. "She wanted you to kill me. Tell me what happened after she captured you."

"Extensive research on you. I would learn more details and demands by her later via e-mail in my nanos. Don't ask. That's when she told me the other objectives to fulfill, she also informed me of the circumstances with what was going on internally. You see, I didn't know exactly what she did to me at first, but later informed me I was a bomb. Had I known sooner, I would've killed the bitch right there and then even if it meant I had to die, too."

"Val… just who exactly is Senator Brown?"

"Brown's the senator of the state of… well, we already know, but she's the first US senator to have 'Ebonics' as her first official language. She joined the government to help the kids in the ghetto and put an end to poverty, gang wars and that like. She had passion for it at first, but not enough to last her for years. Down the road, she would be much more focused on her two sons. She completely abused her power to make sure they got the best of the best, and believe me, they didn't deserve it. They got several girls pregnant, killed half of them and their babies. But her legacy would be broken recently. She bribed the French with nukes to get her eldest son into a college there."

"I figured from the story."

"Well, he's the kind of guy who can easily woo a woman with charm. Say the right thing, pretend to be all-caring, and they're in the same bed the very night. That's another thing that confuses me about women…"

"What? Guys who can charm girls?"

"Those who have those qualities built into them, and those who pretend to have those qualities. Yet, the one who pretends gets the girl, and the one who is actually not faking such behavior, but is no less charming, is completely ignored. Well, that's irrelevant, so going on…"

"Well, even if it's not relevant, I know what you mean," Kim acknowledged.

"… Andrew did this to all sorts of women for points. He got nine women in town, but he made the fatal mistake of not getting to know his mistresses better. The truth was that they were all connected because they worked for the same company. So the women found out, and they were not happy with Andrew one bit. They called themselves 'The Sisterhood'. They tried to shove it aside since they were all good friends, but he grew more abusive to the point where one of the girls got killed. The others weren't too happy about that obviously, so when he was asleep, they put him in a transport crate and took the next flight out. When he woke up, he had been drafted into the Iraq War by them. They even took the time to make sure it appeared like he enrolled on his own will, paperwork and all."

"Even with his mom as the senator, he couldn't get out?"

"He didn't protest long. The second they put a gun in his hand, he was ready to unleash hell. Let's just say 'tryin' to represent' doesn't work on the battlefield. He was killed in combat by running straight into a missile. If you look at the footage, it's embarrassing as hell. You can't tackle or body-slam one. Idiot. Once the word got to mommy senator, Brown was furious, blaming everyone she could think of. I think she slipped out 'Ronald McDonald' on TV, but I'm sure the media censored that."

"What about her other son?"

"Ferno."

"What? Jen?"

"Marvin went to Bay City as soon as he heard how big it was, and he was ambitious to establish the next major west side gang. Jennifer didn't allow for it, and while she went in soft, he was the one who initiated the gunfight. His so-called peeps ran the second a shot was fired, but I'm guessing you haven't seen how quick she really is."

"I saw her when… well, you were there in stealth camouflage when she put me, Ron and Yori into a bind."

"That was nothing. You haven't truly seen her in a real gunfight, have you?"

"No."

"Well, it's interesting. Usually people study martial arts to defend themselves in hand-to-hand combat or to become powerful fighters. Not her. She practiced multiple techniques strictly for maneuvering purposes. This is where her Ensei-ken came in handy, because the style was developed for speed and grace over anything else. She became incredibly fast in a gunfight, able to dodge bullets and any other incoming projectiles that came her way, simply by shifting her body or performing acrobatic moves. That's why she didn't suffer a mark when you took on the bio-mechs. Unfortunately, she didn't practice hand-to-hand combat as much as she could have with her styles, but she relies on unarmed CQC a lot for that. She's an excellent fighter, but her knowledge of moves and techniques is too limited. Regardless, she easily killed Brown's last son in a gun clash. Brown was furious all over again, especially due to the fact that she is too old to produce any more children. Like you, she wanted me to provoke the girl and to emotionally destroy her. That's where her dad came into the picture."

"So you figure the way to break us is by destroying the people we love."

"The heart is the fastest way."

"But you knew that Ron was in Bay City… But you didn't plan my fight with Ron?"

"Your first real fight of your relationship? No, not at all. Actually, Ferno wasn't on Brown's death wish list until records indicated that her father sent out for Ron. She figured I could kill two birds with one stone."

"But it wasn't you, it was Yori… Tell me something. As 'Dive', you told me that they were involved to get me jealous."

"A lie."

"Still, about Yori… Do you mind changing the subject to her?"

"This is your interview, not mine."

"Oh, right… How exactly was she a part of the 'act'?"

"She wasn't. Part of my research included her, and I was actually astonished to find that she gained a crush on Ron with the exchange deal. But seeing the pictures brought back good memories, so I decided I would pay her a visit. Nothing to do with the operation."

"Just like that?"

"Brown never gave me a time limit, and there were some healing herbs I needed to attend to my wounds, only found near the school. Right after I picked up enough to heal all of my skin-torn scars and injuries, I noticed someone was coming close, and it was her. Imagine what it would be like if Ron hadn't seen you for ten years, how would he react?"

Kim looked away. "I'd rather not answer that."

Val leaned in closer to meet her eyes. "But you know what I mean. Last time you saw a friend, she was just that, but she was now a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, like most beautiful women, underneath the exterior there's something that isn't so beautiful. The problem with training with other ninjas is that you can usually detect each other, and that's what happened. So she found me, barely able to recognize me at all. But when she dug through my mind, she knew it was me and was more than happy to be reunited with an old friend."

"Were you two good friends back then?"

"I was the only guy who spoke to her and treated her like a person, so yes."

"She told us that she predicted her parents' deaths."

"That's exactly why people ignored her; they were freaked out by such fact. But even then I wasn't concerned. She didn't predict death for me, so I was fine with it. But the happy reunion didn't last long. She wanted to know why I had burns and portions of skin ripped off all over my body. Because she could read minds, she found out why. A fight immediately broke out."

"Because you attacked me and Ron before."

"Right. I hope you didn't buy her act of liking you. Oh, she didn't give a damn about you… It was Ron she was concerned about. As a matter of fact, once she went through my mind, she had a sudden dislike for you."

"Because I was dating Ron."

"Right. She fought me out of complete anger and lost. And believe me, ninjas don't take things well when they lose. Yori even asked me to end her life, but I figured she could be of some help. When she dug into my brain further about what was now going on, she found out that I was a ticking time bomb. When she found out why, that I needed you dead, Ron instantly came to mind. She offered her help."

"To kill me?"

"No. She figured out that I was going to screw the Bosses, but if you were involved, she wanted in. She refused to accept the fact that you were dating, so she wanted to see the truth for herself and prove that I was 'misguided' about you both. From there, she would have taken Ron away and live in her own little paradise with him. Happily ever after, she thought. She knew she couldn't do anything the last time because she was still a student at Yamanuchi, but now a graduate, she could live her own life with him. You weren't of any concern."

"So she really changed just like that?"

"Hard to say. I also know you're the spitting image of everything she loathes in a girl, American or not."

"Wait, why?"

"Let me put it this way: She hates the kind of girl who has to look at herself in the mirror everyday and put on makeup; those who concern themselves with their appearance. It's kind of a double standard. She hates guys who are focused with their appearance, but she hates girls who do the same more. Hirotaka wooed her a few times, but he was too 'modern' for her. Since Ron wasn't concerned about his image when he was around her, that's why she thought she was better qualified for him."

"You make it sound like she really wanted me to be removed from the picture."

"That was the point. I would fight you to the death, and she could have Ron whether or not you survived. She told herself it was some kind of deal. I assured her it wasn't, but she must've ignored me. But I knew with her new attitude towards you, none of this was going to work. So I convinced her for this to all go well, I needed to take her back to America and perform a mental operation. She wouldn't remember any of this, but she would be near Ron."

"And she agreed?"

"She agreed. As long as she could see him again, she would. After collecting more herbs, we took a plane from Tokyo. Back in my original lab, she consented to the operation. So, using an electrical discharge provided in earrings, amplified by her metallic hairpiece, add some programming language and she was a drone right out of the oven."

"I don't know how anyone could agree to that."

"If you thought I was obsessed with you, that's nothing compared to her obsession with Ron. I programmed the earrings to erase the part of her memory when she found me, but like you, she wouldn't remember it when the devices were destroyed. That way, she would have no idea why she was sent, and she would figure out the truth for herself."

"Now that you mention that, why did you erase my memory in your old lair? What did you do to me the whole time?"

"Trained you, fed you, let you do your private business when necessary, sleep. The usual. Just because I was holding you hostage didn't mean you had to be trapped in one place. You would have died if I just left you suspended on the ceiling."

"I'm guessing everything I did then; I was still under the mind control."

"Yes, just so you wouldn't escape. I wanted a fight down there, and I wanted Ron to figure things out."

"If that's the real reaosn, you're a weird one, Val."

He crossed his arms behind his head. "I'm complicated compared to your usual variety."

"Anyway, back on Yori… Even as a telepath you were able to erase those thoughts."

"Her telepathy meant nothing until I met up with her after she ran crying. I still couldn't allow her to ruin everything just yet, so I used a sleep needle on her. Even though she knew I had no intention of ever killing you and Ron, or anyone that didn't deserve to die, she still told herself otherwise."

"And you fought her to knock some sense into her."

Val's face went uneasy. "I know people are weak and insecure, but when they start to blame others for their own actions, it really grinds me up."

Kim chose not to discuss the heated argument. "We encountered her after the fight was over. She said you were right, admitted to everything she did wrong, and said she was going to go on a soul search because she really doesn't understand anything about herself or everything else the world offers. She even told Ron that things wouldn't work out between them."

"Good for her," he spoke quietly.

"Next: Elurt."

"The old fool? He wasn't on Brown's demands list. That was a personal motive. Everything I yelled at him about wanting Enya's body as a trophy, the deaths of his seventeen daughters, screwing us over in Iraq… it was true. Like those he worked with, he wanted world domination no less than The Bosses, and he can easily become dimwitted when it comes to that. The story about taking out economic figures and having him replace them? It wouldn't work at all. But he was always yelling at his syntho-drones, as they weren't truly loyal. So, upgrade them, program more insane personalities, and pass them off as human."

"About the drones, or mechs, whatever you call them… Was what you said at the Tower true as well, that you had them fight us only to be destroyed?"

"They were mass produced a long time ago, but the Hephaestus upgrade occurred shortly after the Diablo Incident. There were many reasons I wanted them destroyed. Brown for one, playing God another, but they were also supposed to be sent to fight against our boys in Iraq. Brown's doing. They wouldn't figure it out. But they were outdated and serve us no further use. They were created to mimic humans so we could try to understand them better, but now with all members of the PHRND dead, it was best to put the project to rest. We don't need a world where life can come out of a cereal box."

Kim seemed to be in thought. "I wonder… you know, as crazy as Elurt's hands were, I wonder how far we can go with mimicking human behaviors…"

"Not a good idea. When I recovered them, I didn't allow them any free will or thinking. They were only programmed to destroy you. Elurt's hands were an exception, as I needed to pass them off as human. They too had free will removed, only because Elurt's a control freak."

"What if they did have free will?"

"They would revolt against their creators. Same goes for cloning and any other artificial methods of producing life. And even if the mechs made peace, since the bio-mechs are half-human, half-machine, can you imagine what would happen if people chose to reproduce with them, since they actually possess artificial reproductive organs and functions?"

"Okay, never thinking about that again…" Kim spoke with her tongue half out. "I'm guessing what you said about the Forefathers was true as well?"

Val hummed to himself. "Every word. Blood drain, put it into mechs, watch them fail. True."

"You make it look and sound like this was all nothing."

Val shrugged. "No big. But seriously, the more you see the less you're surprised. Besides, when you work with someone like Enya, you tend not to be emotional in deadly situations. It was also the only reason we came out unscathed and alive. It was just those rare moments where she gave rations and food to children, taught them to play sports with a beaten ball, and when she told me she loved me… none of those were expected."

"What was she really like? I mean, as a person, not a soldier."

"She was extremely secretive about who she was, but was not shy toward how much she loved her country and how much she hated Brown and Silvia, even to their faces. She was all business, and never associated with anyone outside her work, not even me. But she vented a lot when I was around, and being the caring guy I was back then, I listened. We discussed politics, war, economics, and all that kind of stuff. It was those rare moments on the field where she showed compassion that surprised me."

"You said you were influenced by her diary."

"The whole 'filter out the humans with the nukes' was her idea. She knew a lot, but there were times where her mind snapped. She would do anything to get Brown and Silvia, even if it meant performing her duties similar to terrorism and betraying the country she loved. She thought that the government was falling apart from the inside, due to finger pointers and specific people in the middle taking advantage of their power."

"I see. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you telling me all of this? I mean… openly?"

"Not what you expected? Well, it's the least I can do after you helped destroy the bio-mechs, the Judgments, beating me and granting me some inner peace, frying the nanos and letting me share such vital information." He let out a huge cough afterward. "You're the most powerful teen hero on the planet right now, Kim. You need to know everything before its too late."

"So what more do I need to do before then?"

"You go home and live your life as you normally would. Go on dates, go back to school, live life the way you want to. I'll finish this myself."

"Run that by me again? Val, I'd hate to break this to you, but I didn't come to get you out of here. Even if all of this wasn't your doing, you still committed a lot of crimes, even from before all of this. Leave it to me. I'll take care of her. You're staying here."

Val scoffed. "You don't have a chance in hell against her."

"You said that I couldn't take her on if I couldn't take you down. And I did."

"Barely. As far as I'm concerned, it was nearly a draw. You'd be able to take her down only if you quickly defeated me without a scratch. Unlike you, I don't have much to lose. I suppose I was wrong about another thing; there's some good that comes when you go public. People know they can rely on you for just about everything. You're a role model, and you give people hope. Most people would wonder endlessly where any kind of light shines in a world gone mad, and there you are. But imagine what will happen to your reputation if word goes out that you attacked a senator? No more hits on your website, people giving you dirty looks, children trashing their posters of the person they once adored and believed in…"

"Even if I show all the evidence of her work?"

"Even so, believe me. This is my fight, not yours."

"But you've given me enough information. A name is all I need. Wade can handle the rest, from records to security."

"If he tries, they'll spike his system permanently, and not all of your equipment is ready yet."

"Another question, why'd you destroy everything we had?"

"Our duel wasn't going to be like the previous one. You like to do things the easy way with your toys. I don't. Besides, I'm sure they were in need of an upgrade."

Kim got up, stretched real quickly and went towards the gate. "I'm going after her whether you like it or not."

Val scoffed. "Stubborn woman… You can do anything, including losing the right to live a normal life. Whether you succeed or fail in stopping her, the outcome is the same. She will ruin your life as she did mine. Your rights as a human being will be stripped, she'll have the world see you as a traitor, and everyone you know and love will be taken away or turn against you. The only way to stop her is to kill her, and you don't have what it takes to take one's life so that others may live! You're no executioner."

Kim sighed, keeping her back facing the prisoner. "Val… I've learned a lot on this last journey. I don't know what's going to happen with my life, but I'll get through it. I don't care if you don't think I'm capable of it. The whole time… ever since Ron was almost taken out by Yori at Bueno Nacho, even I wasn't sure I'd get through all of this. But I persevered. Reality kept betraying me with every step, with Ron's life always on the line. But I fought, and I won, even against you. Even I have my moments of almost giving up, and believe me; I thought Ron's life wasn't worth all this trouble. We've been in danger so many times, saved so many lives, but those behind it and those harmed; they're all people. I've had my share of times where I wanted to quit, just to stay steady with Ron, pursue college and live. Maybe one of these days I will have a family. But saving the world is something I do, because even though it's the safest to stay in the dark, the people need to know that someone's out there looking out for them. I don't fight because of some politician, my own personal gains, or to entertain people, or even get on the news. I'm only here because people fear everything, and they need a bit of hope. Maybe you're right, I might not be the strongest there is, emotionally, but like you said, I'm human, too. I want to be able to love, to cherish and enjoy everything I've got. Even if my life takes a dark turn, I'll always be there for people to count on. If I can suffer everything I did in the last month, then I know I can survive anything else the world has to offer. It doesn't matter when… doesn't matter where. I'll be there for everyone until the very end. The risks are there, I know that, but I'm not going to go down without any kind of fight."

Val appeared to be impressed. "You've finally got it, Kim, the heart and mind of a hero… I might have lost it some time back, but if everything you said was true, you've got what it takes after all. I suppose I was wrong about you, but being proven wrong about some things can be quite satisfying."

"Val, I save the world. If everything you said about Brown was true, she will be stopped."

"Taking out Brown alone won't save the world. Surely she's passed the information onto another colleague of hers, if not everyone in the courts and congress. If you really want to destroy the real problem, you'll wind up destroying almost the entire government from the inside out, and that's something you can't risk, even in your heart."

"I'm no executioner, you're right. But we can prevent even the starting phases."

Val shook his head. "The starting phases are long over. Did you really think the state our country is in now is because people are qualified to form their own opinions? No, half of them don't have what it takes to form an opinion, but follow others. Surely you know that there's a lot of people who want to change the country completely, into the exact opposite of what our founding fathers wished for. It's Brown's influence. She's trying to rewrite everything so that history books seem inaccurate. She wants to take this country into a completely different direction, and since a lot of those congress guys have the same mindset of 'political points over the people'. The objective of the influence is to destroy order, and without order, there is only chaos: The so-called 'True Freedom'. So far the popularity lies in those who are too weak to form their own opinions and instead follow others."

"People can fight back if they know what she's trying to do."

"But they won't. People don't like the fact that they don't have control over every aspect of their life, whether it is for the better or the worse. When given the opportunity for more control, they'll go for it without thought. And if they ever gain full control, they will only desire more. There's no such thing as complete and absolute freedom, Kim. It's anarchy. Freedom isn't free and people die for it everyday. We should just be glad that we have the freedom to live and pursue the things that truly matter. But we cannot live in a world only for ourselves. Everyone else is just as important as you no matter how much money or power you have. But sadly, there are those who want to keep themselves happy, and make everyone else's life miserable. They want to teach the new generation that it's okay not to have boundaries and rules. Such things are what maintains stability. We all have our guilty moments, but we can't have our logic of life to be only to live for yourself, even if it is the last day on earth. To some, that means doing any and everything remotely wrong for their own selfish desires. We live to teach the next generation the difference between what's really right and wrong and to prevent them from repeating our own mistakes. Even if we cannot truly succeed, it's worth living to try. Only then can you die knowing your life had some positive impact no matter how small or how big it is."

Kim didn't have any response for this.

Val went on. "They'll always take advantage of the moment… any moment. I don't know about you, Kim, but when I turned eighteen, I didn't go out to strip bars, legally buy drugs or any of the nonsense most do when they turn eighteen… not that I do drugs anyway. I could do so much, but I chose not to. As for everyone else, all they did was go with the flow…"

"On my eighteenth, Ron and I had to stop a grandma in a tank. After that he took me shopping and we went to a movie."

"Speaking of theatrics, tell me something. How were they able to cover up the Hind and the fight?"

"They tried, but everyone saw through. All sides, not just one like you've been saying. There's been a lot of talk about political corruption and conspiracies, since all of Bay City's authorities said they couldn't interfere under orders."

"Good, because that was my exact intention. I used everything Brown wanted me to use, but against her. This wasn't going to be a cover-up story; I was willing to expose everything to the public. That's why I attacked you in the Hind, because I knew the explosion would catch the public eye. I knew we'd all survive. While I didn't intend Elurt to attack me in the Harpuia, the people below were bound to see that as well, especially since Jennifer drove it around town and scared the hell out of rioters and looters. Even the sounds of assault rifles and explosions throughout your ascension caught the people's attention, more so when I filled the place with poison gas, and the fact that Brown had rescinded the orders of any authorities to take action. If people actually put their petty political differences aside, they would actually see that there's a much greater crisis in play. But you can only do so much to expose the truth… and people are never satisfied with it, no matter what it is."

"So you did all that for the attention?"

"Brown couldn't yank an excuse out of her ass and cover that up."

"Gun cameras?"

"Deactivated them when Yori intercepted Ron. No one else was coming to the top other than you and your team."

"What about those commandos? We already figured out they weren't GJ."

"Right. Brown wanted her own group of commandos. Of course, if they messed anything up or blew their cover, GJ would take the fall. That's why they wear similar garb, to confuse people. You see, when I told you that we had an hour to fight, we had an hour to fight until they'd be on their way. I never called for them, but the 'detonator' was just a timer on my watch."

"So they weren't working for you?"

"No, but I anticipated their behavior though. Even if I revealed myself and made this all public with my cyphers, Brown would think I was this close to finishing you off, and nothing would charm her more than to see her puppet destroy the world famous teen on worldwide television. Unless, of course, her name was mentioned. The commandos were there only to carry out the loser. The problem was, in her eyes, you were supposed to lose, not me. Instead of people losing the hope they always had in you, they cheered for you even more. That was another thorn in Brown's plan. She ordered them to kill all of us in a desperate measure without thinking, a completely idiotic move on her part, but it wouldn't matter if we died. But Yori saved us. If we had all been whacked, everybody would want to know why it happened. From people who still have The Oregon Trail on their computer to the next generation gearheads, they would find the truth and it would lead to her. She probably didn't know what caused the disarmament of her men, but realized it would be best to let the local authorities handle it, knowing I'd be taken here, and she'd finish me off herself, then go after you. Looks like you beat her to me."

"And what if I had lost the fight?"

"I didn't consider it at the time, actually. But they'd probably take you away, and when you'd wake up you'd be tied to a chair, limbs numb and with a shotgun in your face. But since you would have lost, the people's trust in you would have diminished. You would just suddenly disappear from existence. Since you would be eliminated, that would give her a better opportunity to turn this country into her own little world for her own selfish ambitions. And by the time anyone from your fans to your family found out what happened to you, it'd be too late. Unless someone kills Brown, every day we risk witnessing the end."

"I'm not going to kill her. There's got to be another way."

"Kim, there's never one way to do something, and you can't always pick the right way every time, either. Why do you think communist leaders still exist? Because we want them to? We can't get close! Even if we tried, there'd be a whole lot of crap on the media pointing fingers at the wrong person about it. Even if you could send her to jail, which is less likely than a hot and pure girl in a chat room who likes cars and video games that aren't Final Fantasy and can actually pronounce Japanese words correctly without looking like a wannabe, there's no lawyer in the world that would fight her. Even you know that some people must die, but if you don't have it in you to kill them, I understand."

Speaking with Val, she became aware of Brown's influence over the people, now that she thought about the people she saved and those who interviewed her. It wouldn't be easy at all.

"Val, even if this is your fight, I won't let you out of here."

"It's not the first time I've been sealed in a prisoner cell," he calmly replied, "I was going to wait until Brown got here with executioners and take her to hell with me, but seeing that you arrived first, I have other ambitions for life…"

"You seem pretty sure you can escape from here, and you're going to continue the fight even then."

"After I do what needs to be done with Brown, I'll live my own life. Like Yori, I too have wanted to travel the world."

Kim didn't know how to respond to this. She could hear how honest he was in this new unfamiliar tone, but at the same time, she wouldn't let him free. He was a prisoner and still did crimes separate from those he was accused with. No one was able to determine who was responsible in the deaths of the Forefathers, and there wasn't enough evidence that Val himself killed Elurt, since there were no remains.

"Well, if you choose to just leave me here for Brown to pick me off, that's fine…"

"She's not going to get here. I'll do whatever it takes before then… Now that I think about it, I've still got my stealth suit… she won't know it's me."

"Please. With your build and those green eyes, she'll know. It's safe to say she's done her research on you, too. Right now she's probably handling paperwork just to cover her involvement as always. It explains the delay in getting here."

"So if you go in after her?"

"Knowing her, she probably thinks she can take me on."

"And you're going to kill her."

"Unless I can think of another way to rid her from anything she's already involved in…" He paused in thought. "I've already got an idea."

Flickering lights then became the only noise in the area.

"So, is that everything you wanted to know, Kim?"

"That's what I can think of. Yori, Jen, Ron… Elurt, you… Actually, there's something I've been wondering for some time."

"What's that?"

"You're an expert on biomechanical studies, right?"

"One of so few these days, I guess you could say."

"Nev… would you happen to know who saved him?"

"Me."

Kim didn't appear amused. "So I thought…"

"I was visiting Lowerton at the time because Michelle was supposed to attend the regionals there…"

"November of 2003? You were there?"

"Sort of. Michelle never arrived, so I left to get a bite to eat. I usually took my mechanical equipment with me everywhere I went. When I got bored I would usually try to make weapons or gadgets. Similar to yours, actually. Apparently, the first thing I saw outside was a guy knocked out and sliced apart by some girl in a fake ninja tunic. She stole half of his heart and nearly sliced off all his limbs, leaving him for dead and ran off. It was Nev, and it was a brutal sight. He somehow survived, but unless someone took immediate action, he wouldn't make it. So with the limited hardware I had, and with the knowledge of the human body, I reconstructed what I could. Once I got his blood flowing through wires and his heart working, I had to knock out power in the area to revive him."

"So that explains the blackout during Upperton's cheer off."

"I stopped the bleeding and was able to give him back body functions stolen, but the ambulance came and took him away afterwards. Honestly, I'm extremely surprised he's still alive. It was no coincidence that we met online, but… I should've known…"

"Should've known what? That you placed a hard burden on him?"

"He has the spirit and will to live, that's another reason I saved him. But… one of the reasons I kept him alive was… When I saw that girl of his escape, I had the power to do something, and I couldn't allow her the satisfaction of killing him at all. I thought heartbreak only belonged to the unfortunate, and a few months later, it would happen to me, too. You can see how we both turned out when you met both of us… the different sides to the same coin."

"I noticed. But… I think he still considers you as a friend in some way. I don't think he knows it was you."

"When I stole his battle suit, I did leave some extra equipment for him to use, but I'm not sure if he ever made use of it. Unfortunately, he never noticed the exchange."

"Why couldn't you make a battle suit of your own?"

"I have no experience with cybertronics, only biomechanics. Big difference."

"Yeah… but… would it hurt to help him? I'm not sure how long he'll last."

"Maybe some day I'll give him a visit and try. He doesn't have the confidence to do it himself, and I can see why. If I survive all of this, we'll see."

"If you can, please."

Val only gave her a warm smile. "I guess I still serve some purpose…"

Kim turned around and tightened the belt of her coat. She had no idea how the prisoner could withstand the cold.

"Oh, one more thing."

Val tossed some kind of paper straight at her, and she caught it with two fingers, not even looking back. It was folded, and when she opened it up…

"Tickets to a karaoke club?"

Val grunted. "Oh, Kim, the least you can do is pronounce is correctly. It's pronounced ca-rah-o-kay, not cair-ree-oh-kie."

Kim silently acknowledged. "But why?"

She didn't notice a small portion of the cell bars were cut green.

"This prison won't hold me forever, Kim. It also didn't work for the previous residents. Look, whether or not you agree with any of what I've said… Everything I told you was the truth… We'll meet again… I'm sure of it… Take care of yourself until then…"

Kim quickly turned around, but Val was nowhere in the cell. He was gone.