What?! An update for a story that was updated less than five months ago? IS THIS REAL LIFE?! XD
I kid, I kid. I just really wanted to wrap up the masquerade scenario so I decide to update this again. This will be the last chapter in the masquerade arc!
I hope I made the right decision! :D
Disclaimer: Oh would you please just go live in NOONECARESVILLE and leave us all alone? Ok thanks bye!
Enjoy! I hope ^_^
11:01 pm - WOOHP Headquarters, Tim Scam's Office
Standing there staring at Tim and his creation, it was almost impossible for her to keep herself from collapsing both mentally and physically. Letting out an inaudible sigh she sealed her emerald eyes in pure agony. He had done it, hadn't he? He had gone and recreated one of his most deadly creations without even remembering it. She knew what this meant right?
Instantly she felt herself become overcome with several emotions; shock overlapped with disappointment, horror layered with distress. But the strongest one was fear. Fear of what he'd just unintentionally proven to her, what he'd reminded her…
The Tim Scam that was one of the world's most deadliest minds and biggest threats, the man that had made multiple attempts at destroying WOOHP, their lives, and that too without any remorse was still in there somewhere, locked inside the man she had come to accept as an ally and a friend … even if he didn't remember that. He was still that man … even if he didn't know it.
Watching Sam as she stood there scarcely breathing with her face as pale as snow, Tim smiled assuming that she was stunned by what he had just shown her: his invention. Smiling wider he knew he didn't blame her for not knowing how to react because when he had figured this out he had been in awe as well for at least a couple of days not believing that he had managed to pull off what was next to the impossible.
"This substance is capable of absorbing the DNA of any living being that it comes into contact with…" he explained, not noticing how Sam really didn't seem to be listening as she remained locked in her petrified state.
"He's still Tim Scam …"Sam told herself feeling her heart dropping down to her feet inside her as her head spun inside itself and she felt as if she was being drowned and suffocated at the same time by none other than a certain brown-haired, tall, muscular male with beautiful sea green eyes.
"It can then create exact replicas of the organism with superior fighting capabilities and the ability to morph weapons-"
"He's still Scam…" she thought remembering his evil smirk instead of his kind smile, his hatred of her, her friends, and Jerry instead of the loyalty he had shown in the last many months.
"The replicas can also multiply with ease and as such are fighting machines, a dispensable army that can be used to combat any foe-"
"He's still…"she gulped down a very dry throat as something clicked into place inside her head that she had almost forgotten as if she, not he was the one suffering from amnesia all this time. And she solemnly admitted it to herself, admitted the truth. The truth that could not be denied.
"He's still my enemy."
"So do you see how this can help us?" Tim asked and Sam finally heard his voice speaking to her. Turning to look at him she nodded quietly still at a loss for words before softly croaking out something so that he would not have to explain "Scamlar" to her again.
"Fighting machines that we can use to increase our numbers and stop the LAMOS… Unstoppable fighting machines-"
"Not completely unstoppable though," Scam suddenly said, cutting her off before adding, "Remember to keep them away from salt."
The moment he said that he froze in place and asked himself where that had come from, all the while failing to notice how Sam's jaw had dropped open while she stared at him with nothing but sheer and utter panic on her face.
"…Call it an inventor's hunch…" he said a moment later, not being able to come up with any other logical reason why he had said what he had said seconds earlier, "But I just have a feeling that salt would be a problem so you would not want to get it anywhere near say… Jerry's fish tank for example."
The lump in her throat now felt more like a rock that she had swallowed and was unable to digest as she stood slack in her place listening to what he'd just said.
"Oh my … Oh my God!"She thought, fast becoming even more of a nervous wreck. It wasn't a hunch or a lucky guess. He knew. Oh god he knew. Somewhere in his mind he was still aware of the one flaw in his creation despite not being supposed to be able to. Somewhere he knew the details of his inventions still. The good, the bad, and what needed to be fixed.
He still knew.
He … remembered.
That thought settling in Sam suddenly found herself not wanting to be near him as her feet moved all on their own and took a step backwards to be away from him, not feeling so safe around him anymore.
It pained her when she remembered how just moments before she had felt so secure, so calm, so protected in his arms and she couldn't help but feel guilt because she knew he was just trying to help here and that this plan of his would help stop the LAMOS but …
Deep down she almost, almost wished he had not told her of this invention. She knew it was wrong, she knew she should be happy that they finally had something to stop Terrence and rescue WOOHP but in all of this she had seen something she had not wanted to see. Ever.
She had seen a hint, a strong hint of the old Tim Scam just now and it terrified her. It paralyzed her and choked her with despair now more than ever because Tim wasn't just a man she was putting up with for Jerry's sake now. No he so much more. Her partner, her friend, her-
Biting her cheek she shook her head for a second and cleared it of everything except for saving her friends. She forced herself to only think of that despite the turmoil that was raging inside her over the forbidden fruit that that Tim Scam was now and since she'd first come to learn of his existence. Forbidden fruit in its truest sense.
Forbidden.
And as such he could not even be her friend … let alone anything else. Anything else. EVER.
"But how can…" she gulped softly looking at him with worried eyes. "How can I know this is safe to use? That the clones won't turn on me?" she picked her words carefully as she remembered how volatile this exact creation had been in the past, attacking everyone except for its creator.
She watched him smile at her again with that painfully charming smile and she bit her cheek hard enough to draw blood to stop her heart from fluttering in reaction as it had so many countless times in the last few months. In a way that it had never been okay for it to. At seeing an enemy smile.
He told her that the substance was encoded not to attack any WOOHP agent and then asked her if she really thought that she could ever build anything that would ever hurt her.
Sam just kept staring at him having no idea what to say to that because he had hurt her just now. In an entirely different way but he had still caused her pain. He had still broken her heart … once again.
"What … what do you mean?" she said sticking to the discussion about the gadget for the sake of her own sanity. "What if something goes wrong and the morphs get out of control and we can't stop them?"
"Even if the clones somehow get out of control they can be stopped with this," Tim explained pointing to his gadget watch which he still wore. "I'll release a shockwave with a frequency designed for only the gadget to react to and it will reduce them back into their original, harmless, slime state. It's perfectly safe, trust me."
Sam dwelt on his last few words, the irony of them not being lost on her. Trust me, he'd said and she almost wanted to open her mouth and ask him to solve the mystery for her of how she was supposed to do that. Trust him after what had just taken place here?
But her mouth said nothing as she bit her tongue and simply nodded towards him letting him believe that she did trust him wholeheartedly. After all … what else could she do anyway? What else could she do besides play make believe? Like she had been doing all this time?
Despite her struggling to focus on her friends and WOOHP as she should be right now, all she could focus on was Tim and how brittle it was this … relationship of theirs which hung by the fragile thread of his lost memory. Him being her friend and spy partner - it was all an illusion wasn't it?
He was only this way because he didn't know the truth. Because he was unaware of reality. If he knew would he have done any of what he'd done for her and WOOHP in these last many months? No. He would not have. Never.
And every time he did something to show his real self to her, everything good that he had done in his amnesic state faded away into nothingness. Blurred away into what their relationship really, truly was if she was to be honest. One hundred percent honest.
…. A lie.
But her private depressed thoughts came to a quick halt when she heard him say that he was saying now.
"I'll be with you anyway when we face the LAMOS so even if for some unseen reason, the morphs turn on us I will be there to stop th-"
"No!" Sam cut him off sharply, her heart catapulting inside her with renewed panic. She could not let him face the LAMOS. They could not be allowed to see him or a morph that resembled him or they would figure it all out and tell him that which he had forgotten. She had to stop him from remembering the trust at any cost! As long as she could delay it anyway … the unavoidable.
Seeing the lost expression on his face at her outburst Sam calmed herself down to not give herself away before she explained quietly. "It doesn't matter which one of us combats the LAMOS or which of us the clones are made of. We are both trained spies and one hundred copies of me could get the job done just as well as a hundred of you."
Seeing understanding dawn on his face Sam smiled before adding. "Besides, I need you to stay back in case something goes wrong and I need back up."
Tim hesitated for a moment but realized he had to agree with this plan. If he didn't then Sam would feel like he didn't trust her to handle things on her own or that he thought himself superior to her, both of which could not be further from the truth.
"Alright…" he said and Sam discretely let out a breath of relief as he handed her an Ultra Sensitive Hearing Microphone Earring Communicator from his desk and put one on himself so that he could communicate with her once she left the office. "But let me know the second you get control of the situation so that I can come in and revert the morphs back into their original form okay?"
Sam nodded her head and almost moved to go knowing there was no time to lose when she stopped in her tracks noting the second "Scam" who was still standing there. And she knew it had to go. Thinking fast she turned back to Scam with a nervous look on her face.
"Hey," she said pointing to the clone Scam. "Wanna demonstrate how you can turn that back into what it started as? Just so I know it's totally reversible before I use it," she explained and he smiled at how careful she was. How she liked so much to be one hundred percent sure of things, to leave no room for error. How meticulous she was.
And because he was just like her in that department as well, of course he had tested it. But just to soothe her worries he would show her.
Pressing some buttons on his watch, he raised his arm and pointed it towards his replica releasing the shockwave. Soft, blue light beams shot out and washed over the clone's body up and down for a few seconds before its form began to waver and melt. And not more than a few seconds later in place of the human form that had been there an eye blink ago, was now nothing but a puddle of silver grey gloop on the tiled floor.
"Perfect," Sam whispered, thankful that he had done that both for the fact that his clone was no longer there to be running around WOOHP and possibly being spotted by the LAMOS members and because now she truly knew that the gadget was safe to use.
She clutched the jar tight in her hand, while in the back of her mind reflecting on the odd irony of this turn of events. What had once been a weapon against WOOHP and used in an attempt for its downfall was now its only hope of a rescue. Life was truly strange.
Turning to leave Sam nearly had her foot out the door when she felt Tim's hand on her shoulder from behind. Pausing in her place for a moment she bit her lip, fearing that he had changed his mind and was going to come with her anyway despite her having asked him not to. Or that he had remembered something from his past and was going to attack her just like he really should be doing right now; helping his acquaintances destroy WOOHP.
But she was left stunned and comforted when he turned her around simply to push a prototype female WOOHP uniform into her arms.
Glancing down at the bodysuit he had handed her and then looking back at the thoughtful expression on his face, Sam couldn't help but feel her heart soften a little bit towards him again despite trying not to.
He cared so much about her right now. About her wants and needs and her comforts. They were in the middle of a battle right now but he hadn't been able to just stand by let her walk out there dressed in just her undergarments and his suit jacket. Just like a kind, considerate, good person would. Just like this Tim would bother to and that Tim wouldn't care at all about. And she found herself asking him something that she didn't really mean to ask, saying the words before she could stop her tongue from moving.
"Can I … ask you something?"
"What?" He replied instantly wondering if she had something else she wanted to know about the gadget he had created before she used it.
Taking in a deep breath Sam pointed to the Scamlar and asked, "What need would you have for something like this?"
Scam said nothing, staring at her with confused eyes as her question had caught him off guard. "What … what you mean?" he asked.
"I mean what good is it for? Why would you invent something like this?" she elaborated and he nodded his head finally understanding what she was meaning to ask him.
She wanted to know why he had come up with this invention of all things. She wanted to know his thought process behind it. Why he thought it would be helpful.
"For situations just like this one. For times when we don't have enough agents to face a threat or don't want to endanger agents' lives," he replied remembering that this was exactly the kind of scenario he had been aiming to make this for.
"In the business that we're in, things like this happen often and unfortunately they sometimes lead to mass casualties or damages that can be avoided entirely if we sent something disposable to battle instead of our own, irreplaceable friends and allies. I made this … to save more lives."
"Such noble intentions…"Sam thought as she reflected on his response to her, feeling the memory of the old Tim Scam that she had recalled earlier starting to fade away rapidly again.
"But they could also be used to build an army…" she whispered, scared to go on any further but finding her words coming out anyway. "To … to- "
"Take over the world?" he chuckled cutting her off and Sam became flustered at the ease with which he had said that, fearing the worst once more but stopped with his next words.
"I guess. But I have no intent to do so."
Blinking her eyes once, Sam let out a small, quiet, defeated sigh as her worries settled down a bit.
"… I guess you don't," she breathed out, speaking more to herself than to him as she felt her apprehension towards him disappearing again. Because it wasn't fair. Because he wasn't that guy anymore. Not while he was stuck like this anyway and really … who knew if he would ever go back to truly being that man who scared her.
Realizing what she was thinking now despite the events of the night, Sam mentally scolded herself, asking if she was really thinking like this again. But she knew the answer to that was yes, yes she was. It would be nice if he could always stay this way. She knew it wasn't likely at all, that the odds were stacked up high against it … but it would be nice if it could somehow happen anyway. That way maybe she could finally, finally-
Intercepting her train of thought before she had it, she berated herself again but could not deny that just an hour ago she had almost kissed the man nor that … she still wanted to. She found herself sighing again mournfully. If only there was some way to divide the two "Tim Scams" that she had come to know. If only she could somehow physically and mentally split the two of them, the evil and the good half into two separate men then maybe she could at long last-
Yanking herself out of her inappropriate thoughts Sam shook her head knowing full well that she was not thinking straight. Trying to get her brain back on the right track, she repeated to herself over and over that he wasn't real.
This perfect man that was standing before her right now, the one that was her comrade and not her adversary, the one that she wanted to kiss - did not exist. He was just a false image, a mirage. And she had to remember that no matter how impossibly difficult he sometimes made it.
Sighing to herself she quickly pulled on the uniform and stepped outside not once looking back at Tim Scam, not even for one fleeting second. She didn't want to look at him and accidentally catch sight of his handsome face or that captivating smile or breathtaking eyes that always seemed to make her forget everything she urgently needed to not forget.
"He's an enemy. He's your enemy," she kept reminding herself as she went off to battle the LAMOS and free her friends. And perhaps fighting them she thought as her left eye just so happened to move on its own at the last second and take a small peek at him from its peripheral, standing there behind her right as the door closed and separated him from her with a soft click … would calm down her urges.
It was best to just get to that.
11:29 pm - WOOHP Headquarters, Ballroom
"Last chance and I mean it this time!" Terrence screamed right into Jerry's sweaty, pale and bruised face where Terrence had by now aimed many punches in his frustration and rage in the last hour and a half that he had been questioning him. "Tell me right now or I swear…" he hissed, glaring down at his sibling who was huddled onto the floor while he was being pinned by two masked LAMOS cronies so he could not even attempt to fight back even if he somehow still had the energy left to try and defend himself.
"I swear I will kill you!" Terrence growled looking at Jerry with hate-tinted, malice-darkened eyes. But Jerry only lifted his head and gave his agents who were looking at him with horrified, worried eyes a reassuring look that he would not be broken in this way before looking right back at Terrence and giving him the same response he had been giving all this time.
Once again he said nothing and shook his head "no" firmly letting him know that no matter what he did to him, no matter how much he beat and tortured him, he would never reveal any information about Samantha and Tim Scam to him. He would not get a word out of him about their whereabouts, not while he had a single breath left in his lungs.
Seeing fury mount on Terrence's already rage purple face, he just smiled, silently telling him to do his worst because he honestly didn't care. He didn't care if he tormented him further, cursed him, kept beating him up, or even killed him. He didn't care.
If this was how he was meant to go; protecting one of his favourite agents and a boy that was like his son, fulfilling a promise he had made so long ago to two of the most important people who had ever been part of his life - then so be it. It was the most noble death he could imagine and he would happily die like this.
But before Terrence could aim another fist at him or launch another kick, the sound of fast approaching footsteps from outside the ballroom doors caught everyone's attention. Snapping his head towards the door Terrence listened intently. It sounded like the sound of heels walking hastily.
"The redhead…" he said out loud, grinning to himself at the knowledge that at least one of the people he had been hunting for was finally surrendering.
Hearing Terrence's words Jerry's eyes widened in disbelief. She wasn't going to do this right? Sam wasn't going to give herself up to try and save them was she? She couldn't do that!
Panicked, his eyes flew to Clover and Alex and by the horrified looks on their faces he could tell they fearing the same thing.
Their hearts racing in their chests, Alex and Clover looked at each other as they became gripped with concern. Was Sam seriously going to just hand herself over? For the chance that it might help them? There was no way that Terrence was going to set them free. No way in hell. Or did she plan to die by their side because she had accepted that this was WOOHP's end? And that was why she was giving herself up?
But she couldn't do that! No it was in her best interests to get as far away from the LAMOS as she could so at least one of them might survive. They knew if the situation was altered and Sam was free then she'd want them to do the same. But they also knew they would never just leave her to die just like they were certain Sam would never just turn and walk away from them even if it meant her own death. No she'd rescue them or die trying. And right now it looked like she was about to die trying because rescuing them was impossible.
Wanting not to accept that they tried to tell themselves that maybe she had found another way. Sam, she was always the brains in their trio. Perhaps she had come up with some kind of plan. But as much as they wanted to believe that they knew it was unlikely. Sam was alone. With no gadgets and no help. What could she do in this situation? Nothing. Nothing. Unless….
Another thought came to them as they stood there in silence. Was Sam going to try to bargain with the madman that Terrence was? Was she going to give him what he wanted? Make that trade? Was she going to give him … Tim Scam?
As much logical sense as it made, they still felt Sam would not do that. She was specifically assigned to protect him from Terence and the LAMOS, how could she then just hand him over to them?
But what if she had no choice like she didn't right now? They know how much she loved and cared for them. They were like her sisters, Jerry like her grandfather, and WOOHP her family. Would she honour her mission to protect Tim Scam over all of their lives? And if she did make that exchange and Terrence accepted it, what would be the consequences later?
Catastrophic to say the least. Tim Scam, once reminded of his memories by his former team would surely be turned back into what he used to be. In fact he would likely become even more ruthless in his pursuit to destroy WOOHP once he was told of how (as they were sure he would see it) WOOHP had used him for its own benefit while he was vulnerable. Did they want that?
It didn't take long for them to realize that no, that was the last thing they wanted but … what other option was there? Solemnly they came to the conclusion that this was the end. Either for WOOHP or for Tim Scam being WOOHP's ally. One of them was going to end tonight. And they found they really did not want to know which.
Just as they had that thought, the doors burst open and in walked Sam leaving everyone gasping in panic. Before anyone could say or do anything to convince her to leave Terrence had screamed at his men to seize her and immediately two of the guards jumped and grabbed Sam.
Pinning her arms behind her back they held her into place as Terrence walked over to her with a smug grin on his face.
"So nice of you to finally join the party Samantha," he sneered, looking upon her with amused eyes as she stood there finally under lockdown like the rest of WOOHP's pesky agents. He would finally be able to dispose of all of them at once just as he'd always dreamt of doing.
Turning to look back at Jerry who looked just about ready to pass out from terror now that he had Sam in his grasp as well as the rest of his precious agents, Terrence's grin only widened. "Well that's one down…" he jeered relishing all the fear, all the dread, all the heartbreak on his hated brother's face before he asked the question he had been asking him all night. But this time … he knew he'd get an answer.
"Now, where is Tim Scam?"
Hearing more footsteps nearing the room from the outside Terrence's face became further pleased. "Ah, here he comes," he said, clear joy in his voice as he turned to face the entrance and set eyes on the man he had been searching for, for many months now with the bliss of the knowledge that Jerry and WOOHP could not hide him from him any longer.
Listening to the footsteps getting louder and louder, Jerry's eyes landed smack dab on Sam as he looked at her with shocked hopelessness. No … it couldn't be. Sam hadn't done it had she? She hadn't decided to just give Tim away to his crazy brother? After all their effort to stop that from happening? She wasn't going to just throw all of that away, all of everything that had been since that accident in just one moment. No she couldn't do that!
He kept staring at her with broken-hearted eyes wanting her to give him some indication that, that was not what she had decided to do.
But despite the fact that he and the rest of the WOOHP agents all had their eyes attached to her for some kind of response, Sam just stood there quietly saying nothing. In fact her face was completely empty of emotion. And it was when they noticed that they began to completely fear that she had given up entirely and everything was truly over for real.
"What the- What the hell?!"
Terrence's loud and confused sounding voice left them to take their eyes off Sam to look at what had him so fluttered when everything was going according to his diabolical plan. And when they saw it, what he was looking at with his jaw on the floor and his eyes bulging out of his sockets from shock as if they would just pop right out - they too were left speechless in alarm.
The person who had entered the ballroom this time wasn't Tim Scam as they had expected. Instead it was Sam … Again.
Not understanding how that could be, all the eyes in the room flew to where they had just seen Sam being held by two guards. She was still there. But she was also in the doorway. At the same time. How could that be?
Glancing at the two "Sams" in bewilderment Terrence tried to wrap his head around what was happening. There were two Samanthas standing there. This had to be some kind of illusion! A gadget of his irritating brother's that she had snuck into the masquerade on a hunch that she may need it. It had to be a hologram! Yes that's what it must be! She was just trying to throw him off by doing this. Well it wasn't going to work.
"Seize her!" Terrence shouted directing a finger at the second Sam and two more of his men ran over to grab her. Holding his breath Terrence waited for her form to turn static and slip through their fingers the moment they touched her, just as a hologram should.
But it didn't. The moment one of the guards reached out to tackle her, she sent a strong kick towards him that left him flying through the air. In a flash she turned to her left and sent another kick towards the second guard and soon he too had landed a few feet away in a crumpled pile moaning in pain.
And while Terrence was trying to get a handle on his shock over that the first "Sam" also managed to free herself from her captors and sent them flying through the air with her own attacks until they landed on top the other guards in a small pile of twisted bodies.
Feeling his breath get stuck in his lungs as he nearly gagged on his own shock Terrence could only stare at the two redheads standing there before him. They weren't holograms were they? Hearing the excited murmurs of the WOOHP agents at what was happening here Terrence became terrified. This could not be happening. He could not lose after he had come this far. He couldn't.
But as he was trying to compose himself to face whatever mind trick Samantha Simpson was pulling to try and rescue her friends, the situation only spiralled more and more out of control as another "Samantha" entered the room. And then another, and another, and another.
Five, ten, thirty, fifty more Sams, so many that he could no longer keep track all advancing towards him, his guards and the rest of the LAMOS at a murderous rate.
For a long moment Terrence just stood there sputtering and sweating, in utter disbelief at how she was pulling this off. But he snapped out of his dumfounded state when he noticed how quickly his army was becoming outnumbered.
Finally locating his missing voice Terrence snapped his head towards his guards and the rest of the LAMOS members who were just standing there with their mouths open while they were being closed in by the army of Samanthas.
"You idiots!" he snarled snapping them out of their daze as the finally saw how livid he was and paid attention to him instead of their own rising panic. "Do something!" he growled pointing at the Samantha clones that were already starting to completely fill the room while his useless helpers stood there and did nothing to stop them.
"Seize her! Seize them! Now!" he yelled right before he was knocked off his feet by one of the Sams who had punched him square in the face. Watching their leader fall the LAMOS finally moved to counter attack but their attempts were in vain.
The more "Sams" they managed to grab hold of, the more came in through the door. When they tried to shoot at them, their bullets just passed through as if they were not made of flesh and bone but an entirely different substance and wherever the bullets landed another Samantha would form on the spot. And when they did manage to break through any of Samantha's replicas, somehow a second version of themselves would form that instead of fighting on their side, fought against them as part of the Samantha army.
Despite all their efforts they soon found themselves drowning in the chaos and screaming out in frustration as more and more of them were captured or replicated with doubles in their own flesh who only helped to pummel them and their army shrank rapidly until only a few were still left standing free.
"How is this happening?!"
"Somebody stop this!"
"What's going on here?!"
The sounds of panicked LAMOS filled the ballroom as the clones continued to pounce and cut them down. In between all the pandemonium no one noticed one of the Samanthas creep over to where the WOOHP agents stood tied up but no longer under watch as all the guards were too busy fighting.
Under the cover of the morphs which were handling the LAMOS and their lackeys with ease , Sam swiftly began to release the WOOHP agents from their bondage so that they could join in the fight.
She went over to Jerry first and helped him off the floor, asking him if he was okay. When he nodded that he was and moved to fight she ran next to her friends and hastily opened up Clover and Alex's hands and when they realized what was happening they looked at her with nothing but relief and joy on their faces.
"Sammie!" they whispered in astonishment. It was her! Somehow she had found a way to free them! But how? Sensing their confusion Sam quickly explained to them as simply as she could.
"Scamlar," she said and watched both her friends' eyes widen in response as they now instantly remembered Scam's invention, the one with the deadly metallic clones that he had almost used to take WOOHP down, in the exact same way that the clones of their best friend were right now taking the LAMOS down.
But they didn't waste time in trying to figure out how Sam had gotten her hands on it or if Scam had somehow recreated it to help them despite having amnesia because right now his creation had given them an advantage over the LAMOS, a way out of this nightmare. And they had to seize it.
Not a second after that realization sank in Clover, Alex, Blaine, Darren helped Sam with freeing the rest of the agents and joined in to help finish off the LAMOS.
11:57 pm - WOOHP Headquarters, Tim Scam's Office
Pacing back and forth in his office, Scam kept one hand on his Ultra Sensitive Hearing Microphone Earring Communicator as he waited to hear something, anything from his spy partner. His nervousness was mounting as she had been gone a while.
Had his invention failed her? Had she become captured somehow? Worried out of his mind he was just about to go find her and do whatever he could to help when the lights in his office suddenly turned on.
Blinking his eyes, his heartbeat began to race in his chest as hope began to fill him. Had she done it? Was WOOHP free?
Not hearing anything from Samantha still and needing to know, Tim raised his hand and pushed a few buttons on his watch as he attempted to pick up G.L.A.D.I.S. the way Sam had earlier to see what was going on in the ballroom.
This time he was able to pick up both audio and video as the screen flashed with a direct feed of the room. He could see the WOOHP agents Jerry, Darren, Alex, Clover, and the others standing free while the LAMOS were huddled into a corner as they were being restrained.
And in the middle of it all he could see Samantha standing there with a look of victory and relief all over her exhausted features.
His lips upturned into a smile as he closed his eyes and let the same feelings wash over him finally letting all the stress, all the dismay, all the fear of the last long hours leave him.
"She did it…" he whispered to himself, unable to stop smiling for even one second as everything caught up to him. Sam had succeeded. Despite all the odds against them, together they had found a way to stop the LAMOS and save their friends.
It was over. It was all over.
12:00 am - WOOHP Headquarters, Ballroom
Inside the ballroom now in handcuffs Terrence, Helga Von Guggen, Myrna Beesebottom, and Boogie Gus just sat there on the floor with bewildered, lost looks on their faces unable to process just how the tables had turned so quickly on them. One moment ago they were right where they wanted to be, WOOHP was at their feet, all was under control and then as quick as a heartbeat it had all been taken away. So suddenly, so unbelievably suddenly. It didn't make any sense. None at all.
In contrast to the angry and thwarted LAMOS members, the mood of the agents was of pure happiness. Relieved agents were rejoicing, hugging each other out of elation and making sure everyone was okay. They were so caught up in doing so that no one saw the man that entered the ballroom amidst all the celebrations.
Except for one person.
Terrence who had been trying his hardest to look away from scene of his defeat in order to calm down and just so happened to be looking at the door absentmindedly, immediately noticed the man who had arrived. For a moment he sat there blinking rapidly, wondering if he was imagining things, knowing he had been waiting so long to see him again that he might be.
But when his image just continued to grow clearer and clearer as he pushed through the crowd he realized he that he was really here. Tim Scam in the flesh. Right in front of his eyes after long last.
But he wasn't even looking at him or the rest of the LAMOS. No, instead he had all his attention, all his focus on one person.
Samantha Simpson.
With narrowed eyes of disbelief Terrence watched him walk right over to where she stood surrounded by the circle of her friends. But instead of looking infuriated or at all like he was going to attack her as he should be seeing she had just defeated his allies, Scam was … he was smiling.
There was a smile on his face. And not just a smile but something more as he looked at her, his enemy.
And immediately his mind flashed back to the last WOOHP picnic that he had attended under disguise in an effort try and gather some intel that he could use to destroy the agency. A picnic that had taken place at the point where Tim Scam had been missing from the LAMOS for just a few months. And where he had thought he had seen Scam only to convince himself that he had only been seeing things…
"Oh I'm sorry!" Terrence heard the person who had nearly knocked him over say quickly as he helped put him back on his feet before he ran off following after the redheaded spy again.
Pale now, Terrence watched the 6 foot tall, brown-haired,young, muscular man walk away as his eyes became wide with shock and confusion. Had that man who had just bumped into him really been...
"Tim...Scam?" he croaked out in horror as he simply stopped breathing in complete and utter disbelief.What on earth was going on?
He stood frozen in place, his mouth hanging open as he remained shocked over what he had just seen. "Scam…" Terrance mumbled out weakly. Was it really him who had just bumped into him? Biting his lip, Terrance thought over the possibility as he blinked a few times as if to slow his frantic mind down.
And after a few moments, he slowly shook his head. "No…it can't be him…" he whispered to himself, taking in a deep breath as he tried to reason through this. It didn't make sense, right? "Why would he be-"
Terrance paused for a moment and whipped around in the direction the man had gone off in and craned his head around to see him again, to get a better look at his face. But he was gone.
Bowing his head, Terrance sighed. "What the hell?" he growled in frustration. For a moment, and a long one at that, he could have sworn that that had been Tim Scam who had collided into him.
But now as he thought about it…he knew it couldn't be him at all. Tim Scam, had it been him, would never have said to sorry, nor gone along without seeing right through his disguise. But the biggest evidence that that man could not be Scam was obvious.
Tim Scam would not have rushed off after that spy Samantha Simpson, his enemy, without a weapon in hand. And this man had seemed to rush after her in an almost lovesick way- so obviously he could never be Scam.
Sighing again, Terrance nodded his head as the truth set in. "He must have been a new boyfriend of that brat's," he muttered before letting it go and continuing doing what he had been doing before being interrupted.
It hadn't been some random man who bore a resemblance to him? It had actually been him he had seen that day?! It was him who was standing here right now on WOOHP's side instead of the LAMOS'? He felt his breaths come and go faster and his rage boil like a volcano in his veins as he thought about it and how much sense it made.
After all Scam had seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth and had not been found despite all his efforts. And he had come to believe that that was because Jerry had been holding him somewhere in a cell even if no cell had been able to hold Tim back before. Somewhere out of sight so that he could not help him destroy WOOHP. That was the reason he had hatched this plot to come to WOOHP, hold them hostage and force them to return Scam to his side.
Never once, never once had he thought that Tim Scam had disappeared with intent. That he was doing this of his own will. Wait … was he doing this of his own volition? Had he turned on him and the LAMOS? For real?!
For the first time Terrence suddenly realized that the answer to that was staring him right in the face. His defeat just now … those clones. They were made of "Scamlar" weren't they? The substance Tim had created some time ago in order to destroy WOOHP in one of his most dastardly plans. A substance with the ability to absorb the DNA of any living being that it came into contact with and then create exact replicas of it with superior fighting capabilities. One of the best displays of his intelligence and destructive ability, another reason why he had recruited him to fight against Jerry and the spies.
"And he used it against me. Against ME. His boss … his leader!"Terrence thought, quickly becoming enraged. But still he could not bring himself to believe the treachery. How could he do this to him? To the LAMOS? Why would he do this? Why?! This could only mean…. His nostrils flared as his eyes flashed red with hatred, malice, and betrayal. I could only mean that -
"So I take it that … it worked?" Tim said finally getting Sam's attention on himself.
Turning to face him, Sam stiffened for a moment realizing she had completely forgotten about telling him their plan had worked having gotten too caught up in the happiness of seeing her friends being alive to remember to do so. Which was probably why he had walked in here by himself to check.
Nodding her head quickly Sam thought of what to say to get rid of him as fast as she could before Terrence or any of the LAMOS saw him.
"It worked perfectly," she smiled back at him. Tim … thank you so much-"
"YOU!'
Suddenly Sam was cut off mid sentence as Terrence's angry roar boomed across the ballroom and soon all the chatter, all the merriment, everything came to halt as everyone turned and looked into the angry old man's direction including Tim Scam.
Having heard Terrence's scream as well, Sam's heart sank as she noticed how his eyes were fixed permanently onto Tim. Onto him and no one else.
"Oh God …"she thought, turning deathly pale. He had seen him. Despite all her attempts at stopping it … Terrence had seen Tim. Now what was she doing to do?! Looking at her friends she noticed Clover and Alex, staring back at her with the same horror she could feel hammering through her right now. Now what?
Mentally kicking herself for messing this up, Sam just stared at the man who still at her side but no longer looking at her anymore. Tim's gaze was locked onto Terrence and seeing that Sam's worries only flared. Did he remember something? Trying to read his thoughts, Sam kept staring at him, almost reaching out and touching him to try and pull his attention from Terrence but she never got the chance as Tim took a step away from her and one closer to his former ally.
Looking back at Jerry's brother, Tim was not shocked to see how livid he was. After all his master plan to destroy WOOHP had just been busted in epic fashion. But … Why did it look like all his rage was focused on him?
Looking at the rest of the LAMOS he noted how they were all giving him the same look. A look of pure anger and hatred. But there was something else there too. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on as he took in all the venom on the four faces glaring back at him.
And he wondered to himself if they had somehow figured out that it had been him that had created the invention that had put an end to their hopes and dreams?
"That's probably it,"Tim told himself not being able to think of any other reason for them to focus on him. Content with the explanation he rolled his eyes and smirked, preparing himself for the barrage of angry insults that by the looks on their faces were going to thrown at him at any second now only to be completely caught off guard at Terrence's next words.
"YOU TRAITOR!" he spat out, shooting embers at him from his angry brown eyes as if trying to burn him alive right then and there.
Completely and totally lost now, Scam just stared back at Terrence in confusion. He had expected him to call him a lot of things at being responsible for thwarting him and his team but traitor? Why would he call him that?
"…Traitor?" he repeated never once noticing how terrified everyone excluding the LAMOS looked at this precise moment as they witnessed this confrontation unfold. The very same confrontation they had been preventing for months now and hoping would never happen. But it was happening right now. And no one knew what to do to stop it.
Angrier than he had ever been in his life Terrence just looked back at Tim Scam with undisguised loathing in his eyes.
"Look at him standing there acting all clueless!"he thought wanting to launch himself at him and strangle him, exactly what he would be doing if he wasn't in cuffs right now. He couldn't stand all the naivety on his face as he looked back at him with his big , innocent-looking, sea green eyes, as if he really didn't know why he was being attacked right now.
Well he wasn't going to get away with this! He was nothing but a backstabber and he would pay for turning on him!
"HOW DARE YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME?!" Terrence howled, no longer being able to hold back his level of hurt and fury any longer. "I was there for you when WOOHP and your precious Jerry made you feel worthless and THIS is how you repay me?! After everything I did for you, you think you can just - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Suddenly Terrence's angry words were blended into a scream of pure agony as a glass bottle of champagne smashed against his head. A mixture of blood and glass shards rained down to the floor as Terrence was knocked out cold.
Gasps rang out across the ballroom as everyone's eyes fixed onto the person who was holding the broken half of the glass bottle Terrence had been struck by, none other than his own brother Jerry Lewis.
Standing there breathing deeply and sweating hard Jerry could hardly believe he had just done that. Sensing all the sets of eyes glued to him he did his best to collect himself. Standing up straight he took a deep breath, holding it into his lungs before letting it go and letting out a dry chuckle. "I always wanted to do that."
Not one person in the room said a word as they all just kept looking at Jerry, at their boss after what he had done. With their mouths wide open, Clover, Alex, and Sam could only exchange glances with each other as they silently thought about the same thing. The same thing that every agent in this room was thinking in this moment.
Jerry, their kind, benevolent leader had just attacked his own brother. They knew he had done it in total desperation. Done it to prevent him from saying anything more. That he had done it to protect Tim Scam from his lost memories. But…
He had just assaulted his own flesh and blood to protect Scam. He had chosen to hurt his own sibling for him. And at that point if there had been any lingering doubt whatsoever, it was now crystal clear to them that there wasn't anything that Jerry would not do if it came down to it … for Tim Scam. Nothing at all.
Ignoring the awed looks on his agents faces Jerry only looked at the one man he was most concerned about. And the moment he saw his face, how disturbed it was and how he was standing there completely quiet, he began to fear that the damage had been done and that Terrence may have recalled something to his memory by his words and actions just now.
Not wanting to believe that, more scared than anything to lose Tim now, Jerry thought of something, anything to fix this. Maybe if he came up with a distraction? If he changed the subject maybe Tim would not dwell on what his lunatic brother had said and would just think it all the ramblings of an incensed villain who had just been talking crazy after being stopped yet again.
He could only hope.
Looking to two of his agents who were part of the security team Jerry gestured to Terrence as he lay there still bleeding on the ballroom floor. "Escort him to his isolation cell and get him a medic."
Turning to the LAMOS next who were now completely silent and also gawking at him Jerry spoke again. "And move them to their cells as well. Now," he said firmly and the agents he'd spoken to quickly moved to do as he'd said. Two of them picked up Terrence and carried him out while the LAMOS were escorted down to the prison with haste.
Once Terrence and the LAMOS had been removed from room Jerry finally turned and addressed the rest of his agents. "Well … that was an eventful conclusion to the masquerade," he sighed, offering them a small smile. "But I sincerely hope it didn't put a damper on the whole thing for you all." Smiling wider he went on. "We may have to have another one at some point to make up for -"
"Why did Terrence call me a traitor?"
Tim Scam's voice forced Jerry into silence as he sealed his eyes in agony. He purposely delayed in looking up at Tim, afraid at what was going to happen next. Tim wasn't about to let this go was he? He should have known better. A man as alert as him would never just let something like this slide. He would want answers. Answers that he didn't want to give him.
Finally looking at him, Jerry could see how serious he looked. He was frowning and looking around at everyone just waiting for someone to fill him on as to why Terrence had said to him the things that he had. Things that didn't make sense.
" … Jerry?"
And when he heard Tim say his name specifically Jerry gulped dryly knowing it was him he was wanting to hear an explanation from. And he honestly didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say?
Feeling Tim's expectant gaze boring into him Jerry scrambled to think of some lie, anything to throw him off the truth when suddenly a lone voice spoke, cutting through the heavy silence.
"He wasn't calling you a traitor Tim…" a male voice said from behind him leaving Scam and everyone else turn around and face the voice. Agent Myers. A senior agent who worked with training new agents.
Sighing, Myers nodded his head as he looked Tim in the eye and said firmly, "He was talking to me."
Hearing the words agent Myers had just said Jerry could only stare at him in awe, seeing what he was doing here and not even being able to come up with the words to convey how thankful he was for this, for his choosing to deflect the situation by taking the blame on himself. But would Tim buy it?
Confused Tim just stared at the agent talking to him. While he had been standing behind him when Terrence had called him a traitor, he couldn't understand why Terrence would have said that to agent Myers either. To a fellow WOOHP officer. There had to be some explanation.
"Why would he call you a traitor?" he asked, voicing his thoughts.
Myers paused for a moment, choosing his words with extreme care. "I was overlooked by Jerry for a promotion that I felt entitled to," he lied. "I felt ignored and succumbed to my disappointment by taking a wrong turn and deciding to join Terrence to get back at Jerry. But I soon came back to my senses and realized what I was doing was wrong. So I went to Jerry and admitted everything I'd done. I told him I was sorry and he welcomed me back and gave me another chance."
Shocked with Myers admission and even more so with Jerry's generosity, Tim turned to look at Jerry who he had always thought was someone who gave out strict punishment and never second chances after being betrayed.
"You forgave him after he betrayed you?" he asked and Jerry smiled softly in response.
"Yes I did."
Seeing the amazed look on Tim's face Jerry explained himself.
"WOOHP is like a big family to me and you are all like my children..." he started but as he said that, everyone knew he was talking just to Tim Scam who they knew he had said and proven, today most of all that he was like a son to him. Though exactly why … most of them still did not know.
"Parents forgive their children no matter what," he said simply leaving Tim to let out a small sound of disbelief.
"Even at the chance that they might let them down again?" he said still not being able to grasp how Jerry could just let agent Myers back of the hook so easily after what he'd done. He never recalled Jerry being so … generous in such matters before. Then again Jerry had been remarkably kind ever since he had opened his eyes in his hospital room after his accident.
Oddly enough, he thought puzzled, it was almost as if that accident of his had changed Jerry as a person. Ridiculous he knew because there was no reason for it to have had any effect on his boss (it wasn't like it had even been a lethal accident which may have jolted Jerry to the fact that he could have lost one of his agents or anything) but sometimes that was just how it seemed.
"Even then…" Jerry replied and looked at Tim for a moment longer with soft, affectionate eyes. Looking at him the same way a father would look at this son before he stopped himself knowing he didn't want to give Tim any other reason to think differently about what had occurred here than what agent Myers had just said. It was just safer that way.
"But that's enough of that!" he said desperately wanting to change the subject. "We have lots of food left over and I'm starving as I'm sure all of us are. How about we eat and end the evening as it began? On a high?"
Hearing their stomachs rumbling the agents agreed and quickly moved to do just that while Jerry left to go check on Terrence.
Seeing Tim just standing there still all quiet and looking deep in thought, Sam went over to him. "Thank you by the way," she said and he pulled out of his daze and met eyes with her.
"For…" she trailed off glancing around at all their friends who were by now stuffing their faces with food and recovering from the events of the night. She smiled shrugging her shoulders. "You know."
He smiled back at her and the moment she saw his smile, as warm as the sun on the first day of spring after a cold, dark winter, Sam felt nothing but peace fill her heart. That smile, it was still there on his face. Everything was still … okay.
"Don't thank me." he said, giving her a wink. "That's what partners are for."
Sam nodded her head and smiled harder at his words but in the back of her mind she remembered what she had realized earlier. Despite Tim shockingly appearing to still be on their side regardless of the fiasco that had just unfolded … this was still temporary. It wasn't real. And whatever it was that was blocking out his memories so well … it wasn't going to last forever.
"But maybe for now…"she thought as she heard Tim asking her if they should get some food before it was all gone. Just like a partner, a friend would ask after a long, hard day. "I can forget all that."
Nodding she took his arm and walked in step with him to the banquet table.
"Just for this moment."
His eyes on Sam as he walked with her, Tim's mind wandered to what he had planned to do tonight before this night took such a catastrophic turn. "Tell her how I feel about her…"he sighed knowing how badly he wanted to tell her and how close he had come to it. His mind flickered back to the kiss they had almost shared and he felt even more let down at how it had ended.
Should he tell her now? He thought long and hard for a moment but then decided against it. They were all worn out and tired from the battle and he could see how Sam kept looking at her friends over and over and he knew it was because she had still not caught up to the fact that everything it was okay.
He had to let her be for now. Regardless of what he wanted, he had to put her needs first. The moment was gone. That perfect moment where it would have been right for him to do this. But he felt he was going to get another one soon, the right one. He could feel it. It was coming.
Smiling, he consoled himself as he glanced again at the redhead that he could never take his eyes off of for even one fleeting second. The one that had fully captured his heart.
She was worth the wait anyway.
1:04 am - WOOHP Headquarters, Prison Sector
Having come to, Terrence sat up groggily in his cell. Everything was blurry and fuzzy to him still but he remembered one thing vividly. Tim Scam and his betrayal.
"How could you do this Tim?" He muttered to himself, sheer distress in his tone. "How could you?"
"You know it was only a matter of time… Terrence."
Hearing a voice that he did not want to hear disturbing him, Terrence whipped his head up and saw Jerry standing just outside his cell. The man he hated even more now. He didn't say anything, too agitated to speak and just shot him a death glare hoping he would leave him alone.
Watching Terrence as he glared away, Jerry knew he would be lying if he said that this didn't feel good. To finally say to him the one thing he had been dreaming of saying for so long.
"You won't turn him against me again."
"Again?!" Terrence snapped, finally breaking his silence because this nonsense his brother was sprouting over a decided issue once again was too much to sit and listen to in silence. "I never turned him against you, it was his choice!"
"Yes with you breathing down his neck and influencing him!" Jerry retaliated but Terrence shook his head vehemently.
"It was HIS choice and you know it," he spat dismissively.
Accepting that Terrence was never going to see eye to eye with him on this Jerry decided not to argue. There was no point anyway.
Crossing his arms over his chest Jerry gave Terrence a small smirk. "So was his decision to come back to WOOHP."
The moment he said that Terrence looked as if he had been slapped in the face. Ignoring his brother rubbing that into his face, that Tim had apparently ditched him to return to Jerry, Terrence shook his head again looking suspicious. "It doesn't make sense! Why would he do this?!"
"Because…" Jerry said, using the story that agent Myers had come up with as he answered him. "He realized what he was doing was wrong. He came to me and asked for a second chance and I gave it to him."
"HE asked YOU to come back to WOOHP?!" Terrence almost choked on his laughter. Did his moronic brother really expect him to buy that bullshit? That Tim Scam would kick his pride aside just to ask Jerry for a second chance? Admit that he was wrong when he really wasn't and what had happened was not entirely his fault? No. No way. Something wasn't right here. Jerry was hiding something from him. He could feel it.
"So he just begged you for your apology? Even though we both know what made him hate your guts was hardly his fault?" Terrence said and Jerry could hear all the doubt, all the cynicism in his voice. And he knew he would not accept defeat so easily.
"He didn't beg me for anything," Jerry whispered, altering his words to make the story more feasible. "We got to talking just like old times … and we both realized the error in our ways. I offered him a second chance and he took it."
Terrence's face fell a bit at this new bit of information. That was certainly more plausible. If Jerry had admitted his guilt and tried to make amends then maybe Tim Scam would have forgiven him. But still … it couldn't be. He refused to believe it!
"Why now?!" he asked, now grasping at straws as his panic over this decision of Tim's being actually real began to truly frighten him. "Why would he do this now when It's been years since he was last on your side?!"
"Because that's where he belongs!" Jerry retorted. "Regardless of how long it took, this was inevitable. This is his place no matter how much you wish that wasn't true!"
Watching Terrence's face pucker up in rage at that Jerry gave him a stern look. "I trust…" he stated calmly. "That you will accept what is with grace instead of try to meddle again."
Terrence's loud snort at that revealed that that was hardly what he was about to do. "You've gone senile brother…" he taunted. "Do you really think I'm going to leave him alone? That your little golden boy is going to get away with doing this to me? That any of you are!?
"And what do you think you are you going to do to Tim?" Jerry said thinking fast as he met Terrence's dark stare with challenging eyes. "Try to kill him?" he guessed, shaking his head at how stupid of an idea that would be. "You know that he'll kill you before you lay a finger on him."
Watching his brother's jaw twitch at that Jerry knew that Terrence knew he wasn't bluffing. He knew Tim well enough to know dangerous he could be and he knew that if he did this right then Terrence would never be able to get up the nerve to go after him again…If he just did this part right.
"You can't force him to join you and your band of misfits. You said it yourself," he said, using his words against him. "That Tim joining hands with you was his choice. Well… him leaving is his choice as well. You need to accept that," Jerry said as he regarded his seething brother with pointed eyes.
"It's over Terrence…" he announced decisively as he turned to leave the prison but not before giving his brother one last, warning look from over his shoulder.
"It's over..."
Or is it? :P Mwhahahaha xD
Anyway!
I can't tell you guys HOW happy I am to be finished with the masquerade arc because the next part of the story it the one I have been WAITING to write since the beginning.
The next chapter will be called: Happy Birthday Samantha and things are going to get well … heated to say the least.
Please, please, please leave me a review if you read this! Your comments honestly push me to keep writing even if I am a slowpoke sometimes. (I'm so sorry about that btw *sobs*)
I'd love to hear your reactions to everything that happened!
Did you expect things to go as they did? Do you think Scam really was unaffected by everything Terrence said to him? Are Terrence and the LAMOS really going to leave Scam alone after his "betrayal" ? What about Sam and the things she came to terms with? How is that going to affect Scam and her relationship?
Let me know your thoughts and theories! :D
More updates and stories to come!
Till next time! Mwah!
- Cresenta