29 - I'll Protect You
Mana jumped down from the chopper, gracefully landing on her feet. With her royal blue long barreled pistols in her hands, she rushed to the front door. Before she arrived, the scanners in the chopper didn't detect anyone in the house except for four people. It also only detects people who are alive, meaning, someone lost their life not too long ago. She only hoped it wasn't any of her comrades. The sounds of the chopper eventually echoed away, meaning it left the premises.
She stepped in front of the pearl white double doors and shoved her foot into them, kicking them open. She sprinted in, but once she did, she had to back away and step to the side immediately to dodge the upcoming attack that unintentionally came her way. She leaned back so far and moved away so quickly, she almost fell backwards so she wouldn't get hit by the exorbitant chair that smashed against one of the front doors. She looked back in front of her, much to her relief, to see Yami and Atem fighting to the death. They were okay, that was good.
...Wait, they're fighting-Why the hell are they fighting!?
She smelled something stinky and metallic. She looked down to the floor to see a dead Anzu across the room. The furniture in the house was toppled everywhere. The white carpet was horribly stained with nothing but blood. As for the fight that was happening, it was pretty insane. But seriously entertaining. She almost wished she could sit down while eating popcorn with some cola. Atem's swords were near Anzu's body, left alone. Mana guessed they wanted to duke it out with fists. But duke out what? The hell were they fighting over? They had someone to kill, damn it! So with a deep breath, she screamed.
"What the fuck are you two doing!?"
Hearing the sound of her voice, especially cursing, made both men turn around in surprise and stop what they were doing. Seeing her, Atem's eyes widened.
"Mana, you can't be here right now-Ngh!" He was cut off by trying to block Yami's punch.
"What is even happening right now!?" She yelled again.
As Yami's punches were being thrown, Atem pushed away his fists just as quick as they were coming. With a counter, he shoved his own fist into his stomach, making him get pushed back a little. Yami shut one eye tightly in pain, but he pushed through it and swung his leg towards the Egyptian. He held one arm up to block it, while trying to answer Mana's question.
"Yami's being brain washed by that old bastard upstairs! Find something to break it!"
"B-Break what?!"
"Think. Something is being triggered in Yami's brain. Like back in the old facility, something might be sending off wave lengths to his brain. Find whatever that is and destroy-Argh..." He grumbled as he held Yami's fists in his own hands and tried pushing against him. "Destroy it!"
"I-I'll try!" She replied worriedly.
Yami chuckled darkly, making Atem grit his teeth. "Silly girl, there is no device like that here!" He then kicked Atem in the stomach for payback with that last punch and backed away quickly. The Egyptian made a small cough, but he was far from done. Yami continued with his words. "The only thing controlling me are the words my master said to me. Words that not even he can undo."
"Wait a minute..." Mana held a large sense of fear in her voice, it was slightly shaking. "You know you're being controlled?"
"An obedient willing tool knows when it is needed, and when it needs to be used." His words were very robotic.
"Oh my God." Mana whispered breathlessly. Atem stepped to her side, his eyes never leaving Yami.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Atem, he's severely hypnotized. The type where it can't be undone even with a key word to break it."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" He whipped his head at Mana with an obvious aggravated expression. "How the hell do we fix that?"
Yami shrugged. "You don't."
Ignoring his words, Mana presumed her explanation. "Oh I wouldn't say that." She said with an undaunted tone. "That doesn't mean we can't break you out of this." She gave her attention back to Atem. "There are cases where the only way to break this hypnotism, is to use electric therapy. And that's precisely how Gozaburo turned him this way."
"And that's gonna be the same way we'll get you out, pretty boy." The Egyptian male threatened with the crack of his knuckles.
Yami narrowed his soulless, constantly changing eyes at them, preparing to fight once again. Mana held up her guns, and aimed at Yami. Her eyes didn't leave her target, but she didn't intend to shoot. "Tell me what you need me to do." She gently commanded.
"Find whatever can give electrical charges. Even if its some broken wire, he can take it."
"Well, I don't know about that, but I'll find something."
Atem nodded. "Go."
Without another word, she slowly stepped back before turning and bolting to the stairs.
"Yami, do not let that girl go. Kill her, would you?"
That was Gozaburo on his ear piece. The pale teen's eyes shrunk, trembling as he heard his master's words. His head and his arms hung low, as if he had be deactivated. His body stood completely still, he wasn't even breathing. "I am nothing. Nothing but a tool. Your words are absolute to me."
"Excellent."
Yami steadily turned in Mana's direction, and began to walk her way. He heard Atem in the back of his mind yell his name for him to stop, and to come back to fight him. But, he didn't listen. That wasn't the voice he needed to listen to. That wasn't anything that was motivating him to live. His reason for living was to be a tool, a tool to be used how ever his master wanted. He did know this girl meant something to his lover, but he had to kill her. He couldn't have anything get in the way of his master's plans. So he kept walking, and walking until he eventually was right behind her upstairs. Huh, how did he get here so fast?
When she turned around, her face was horror-stricken. He reached one arm out...
"...I said..." A growling voice, with the deepest and scariest tone he's ever heard. "Get the fuck away from her!"
How did Atem suddenly get in front of him? Yami's now bright red eyes looked up in confusion. Atem was in front of him, in the air, with his feet heading straight for his face. Mana ducked and got onto the floor to roll away. Yami felt his own neck crack when his feet planted on his forehead. His head painfully turned to the side, making him lose balance and fall down the steps. He toppled down, like a broken rag doll. The Egyptians were quick, and headed separate ways. Mana continued to run through the upstairs hallway to the attic, while Atem rushed back down the steps to get back to his enemy.
Seeing Yami's body lifeless on the floor like this, made him wanna puke. But, he knew he didn't kill him.
And then, Yami slowly got back up and held up his hands to his face. He gripped it, and violently twisted it back to the way it was. The sound of his bones cracking into place, gave Atem chills. Now back on his feet, Yami got back into a fighting position. He said nothing, only awaiting for Atem's next move. The tanner male just looked doubtful, but of what? The other took note of that.
With a silent sigh, he also got into position.
After maybe a minute, Yami took off towards him. Atem readied himself for the attack, his body becoming tense. But suddenly, he felt almost all the fight in him disappear. Because when his lover got in front of him, his eyes were ungodly. It wasn't black, it wasn't purple, it wasn't red. It was white. Straight, white. There was no iris, there was no pupil, there was nothing there. It was as if his eyes were rolled back. The veins in his eyes were visible, pulsating out of them! His face-no, nothing looked human!
Because of this, he hesitated in trying to dodge or block his attack. He was so busy staring at his horrifying face, he didn't see the sucker punch coming. The force of the punch was so strong, it knocked him down to the floor, hard. His instincts came back, demanding for him to get back up and fight. Atem got on his hands and knees, and pushed himself back up. He blocked the next punches, and even the kicks. As he went on the defense, he desperately asked himself how in the world he was going to beat a mind controlled Yami. His attacks were not faked, and they were not holding anything back. Yami wasn't hesitating, nor thinking. It wasn't like the mindless zombies, because Yami's brain was still very much operative and intact.
What in the world could he use to beat him? He couldn't use a weapon, because something told Atem he wouldn't get anywhere with one. Hell, he might even break his swords if he fought with them. Besides, even if he did use them, he didn't want to inflict any lethal attacks on him. He needed to use something physical, but what? Something that no one has seen. Something he never taught or showed Yami. Something that he was sure Gozaburo didn't teach.
...A light bulb went off in his head. He knew exactly what to use. He was a bit rusty in skills with it, but it was all he had.
Just as Yami was about to attack again, Atem was faster. He swung his arm back with the other in front of him, and dived his fist down into Yami. This knocked him back, and blood dripped out of his nose. He didn't let the pain stop him however, and he kept going. Yami tried to swing again, but his arm was quickly caught into Atem's hands. He was then swung circularly at high speed. He was lifting his body up with this very hold, before being tossed far away. Yami was once again knocked down onto the floor. Slowly, he got up again. He quickly analyzed his posture, and saw that he seemed different. His technique wasn't the same. It wasn't the normal hand-to-hand combat they were taught.
What the hell was this!? And why couldn't his brain register or code what this was!?
Getting frustrated, Yami charged towards Atem with a kick, but his leg was caught again in his hands. Once more, he was lifted up effortlessly, and was swung down into the floor. Then, he was held up again, before being thrown into the carpet one last time. Like a toddler trying to break a doll. Of course, Yami persistently got back up. But this time, he wasn't okay. He was starting to feel that pain, and he was getting dizzy.
He heard a beep from his ear piece. "Yami, you're failing me. Neutralize Cereza this instant, and get that damn girl."
"Forgive me master, but I-" Yami tried to speak, but was cut off.
"Do not disobey me! You do what I say now, or so help me, I will make your life a thousand times more hellish than it was ten years ago. I'll make you just as cold as your mother, and I'll shove even more needles into your body."
The irises of his eyes slowly appeared, but they were fearful. Atem could hear that loudmouthed piece of shit. "Yami, don't listen to him!"
"I-I have to-" Yami protested.
"No you fucking don't! He's never done anything for you! He used you, he made you his pawn in his own little sick game! He put you through all this shit just to turn you back into the sad child you were all those years go. Are you gonna let him do that? Are you going to let him hurt you again?!" His voice slightly calmed. "And, you're really willing to hurt me? All for the sake of following his orders?"
Hearing these words, Yami's eyes flashed several colors at once. He slowly shook his head. "N-No...No I-" His expression became scared.
"DO WHAT I SAY!"
Yami trembled in response. "N-No please, I-I can't-" Tears formed in his eyes, and they rapidly fell from his face. And not only tears, but blood. "Stop saying these things to me!" He held up his hands to his head and gripped his own hair.
"Yami!" Atem called out.
He could hear Gozaburo slam his hands down onto the desk in the ear piece. "Yami, you better do as I tell you-"
"Listen to me, Yami!"
"STOP!" He screamed. His voice cracked pathetically, and he fell down to his knees. "D-Don't...Stop..."
"I see...You don't want to be in my control. But Yami, you do remember what happens if you don't listen, right?"
"H-Huh?" He blinked.
"I'll have to be...very tender with you. I'll have to be gentle, I'll have to be loving with you as punishment. And you don't want that, do you?"
"NO!" Yami hollered. His eyes were crystal clear purple now. Tears of salty water and blood fell all over the carpet. "Not that! Anything but that, don't-!"
...
Then do what I say.
...
Gozaburo didn't even have to tell him what to do after he said those three forbidden words.
"N-No." In just three little words, he reduced this powerful soldier, into a crying helpless, sniffling baby. "D-Don't do that. If you...Want to do that to me..." He then screamed to the Gods above. "I'd rather you kill me instead!" He cried. "KILL ME INSTEAD!"
"..." Atem, had no words for what was happening.
This, obviously wasn't acting. This wasn't his robotic-experiment way of talking, this was the real Yami. The little boy in him crying out for help. Yes, Atem was raped. But, what in God's name did that man do to turn him into this, to make him say these awful things? Never has he seen Yami cry like this. He's never even seen him this emotional, this broken down. Hell, he's never even been this broken before. Of course, there was no competition to 'who had the worst life'. But honestly, despite Atem and Yugi's pasts, Yami may have had it the worst.
Yami was hugging himself, his eyes shut with tears still falling out of his eyes.
"A-Atem..." He called. The Egyptian just stood there, saying nothing. His face showed all the emotions he held for the man in front of him. Guilt, sorrow, pity, helplessness, it was all there. He swallowed hard, before listening to what Yami had to say. But what he said next, was the most heart breaking thing he ever heard him say to him. He looked at the tanner teen, his lip quivering as his body shook, with his saliva and blood coming out of his mouth. His eyes so watery and red from crying so hard, his face, just so pitiful. "Kill me. Please."
Yugi politely held his rod in his hands below his chest. Several men in black with machine guns were aimed at him. A smile crept upon his face, and it widened eerily. "You know," He began, starting to twirl the rod in his hand. "I may not be whatever the hell Yami is," He said without a stutter. "But trust me. I'm one thousand times more durable than he could ever be. No matter how many times he was experimented on. So," Yugi opened his sweet compassionate eyes and gazed upon his enemies. "You're gonna need more than a few dozen guns to kill me."
His words didn't seem to reach out to anyone. They still were aiming at him, ready to shoot. To this, Yugi made a look of surprise and tilted his head. "Oh? You still feel lucky?" He giggled delightedly. "That's fine with me! Because I wanna have fun too."
He held up his weapon and pointed it to his opponents. "Come on." He said, with one hand holding his back pocket.
"Fire!" Someone yelled. At once, dozens of guns went off and shot at Yugi. But he was quicker. He threw something down, then rolled onto the floor. Smoke filled the air, and no one could see a thing. Some coughed as they tried to wave the smoke out of their faces. Someone screamed, and fell down. Then, more. One by one, men dropped like flies. The only thing heard was the sound of footsteps and a small buzzing sound. The leader of the group looked around frantically to see what was happening, as did his surviving allies.
As the smoke started to clear up, Yugi was seen walking away from the broken door to the office. Several bodies were laid down in front of it. At least seven. There were still at least two dozen left. Seeing Yugi, they aimed once more and began to shoot again. Yugi thought fast and sprinted away. As he ran, he ducked and twisted his body so that he dodged any bullets coming his way. Like beelines, the bullets that missed trailed all over the walls and the floors. They followed him until he reached Ishizu's desk. He tossed himself underneath, making the men walk closer to get a better shot.
Suddenly, the desk was toppled down to fall and work as a cover in a battlefield. The monitors, the computers, everything fell off. Wires were torn and disconnected, pencil holders and pens fell as well. He was sure he'd get hell for it, but that didn't matter right now. Yugi closed his eyes and waited for the right moment. It was a large thick desk, covering a small narrow spot against the wall. They had no choice but to push it away to get to him. He heard one of them step in front of it and grasp it. He heard him bark orders for someone to help him get it away.
He saw the man poke his head over the toppled desk. A fatal mistake.
The rod shot up and stabbed his forehead. It shocked his entire body, frying it instantly. The leader of their little group fell to the floor dead once Yugi ripped it out of his skull. He heard a few curses and gasps. He heard faster, heavier footsteps. Someone came over, but this time, they were smart and pointed their barrel over the toppled desk. Thinking fast, Yugi shot his rod up to push the gun's barrel away. Not anticipating he would do this, the gunman lost a bit of his grip of the gun, and it instead shot upwards into the ceiling. However, since it was steel and steel was metal, electricity from the cattle prod rod shot through it, and electrocuted the man on the spot.
He also fell down, making Yugi giggle to himself.
Having enough of this game of cat and mouse, one of the gunmen marched over to the bedroom door in the office. Yugi saw this through the small space of the desk and the wall. His eyes widened in fear when the man tried kicking it down. With a huff, he kicked it but it didn't work. He tried again. And with every single kick, Yugi flinched. Mokuba was in there. He tried one more time, and the hinges to the door fell off. The door fell in, and Yugi's world started to collapse. It was an obvious trap to lure him out, but he had no choice.
He heard Mokuba's scared crying voice. He watched the sack of shit drag the poor thing by the hair and toss him onto the floor. He aimed his gun at him, and reloaded his weapon. "N-No!" The child screamed in terror, and the gunman started to press his finger against the trigger.
"Wait!" Yugi yelled, making everyone stop and look at the desk. "J-Just, wait, please." He pleaded. He crawled out of his spot from the desk, and stood up on his two feet. He then made a nice smile, and turned off his rod. He place it down on the floor slowly, before putting his hands up in surrender, waving the white flag. "I'd rather you torture me, than kill him. So just l-leave him out of this. Do me off, and leave."
Mokuba looked at Yugi, then scrambled to get on his feet. He ran towards him and hugged his legs, sobbing into his pants. He sadly looked down at the child, hoping that nothing would happen to him in the next minute. He looked back at the gunman who dragged Mokuba out. They said nothing back in response, but continued to stare down at them with his weapon ready.
"Come o-on." Yugi tried again. "You're really gonna shoot a little kid?"
Conflicted emotions flashed in his eyes, and they looked down for a second before looking back at them. He saw how frightened Mokuba was, that he was shivering and horrified. But then, he scrunched his face up and grunted. He clicked his gun and pressed his finger fully on the trigger. Yugi's eyes shrunk, and the bullet came directly for Mokuba.
The child suddenly found himself being held into Yugi's chest. He opened his eyes slowly, and looked up to see Yugi smiling down at him. But, blood was coming out of his shirt. He began to panic. "Y-Yugi-" There was a bullet hole right in the center of his abdomen. "Y-Yugi-!" His voice was silenced when he felt something zip right past his head. A little blood trickled down his cheek, as a bruise started to develop. To this, Yugi's smile immediately disappeared. And from this moment, Mokuba then became terrified of not the intruders, but of Yugi.
"You hurt him." He whispered.
His purple eyes were tiny, bloodshot and twitching erratically.
"You fucking hurt him." He spat out. His body was getting tense, his heart was beating faster. Not because he was bleeding out, no. But because he was truly pissed. The level where no one has gotten him in a long time. The state where no one but his best friend Joey had ever seen. Veins grew on his forehead, throbbing. His teeth was clenched so tightly it looked as if he was going to break a tooth. His forehead was turning red, as if he was some kind of steaming vegetable.
"Yugi?" Mokuba whispered in fear.
"Shoot now!" That same gunman yelled.
"NO!" Mokuba screamed, but it was too late.
He then felt himself fall to the floor. He felt a little weight on top of him, and something holding him tightly. Like a big teddy bear, holding him in it's embrace. To his ears, thousands of gunshots went off at once. He saw nothing but black, he couldn't see a thing. He only felt a warm heartbeat thump against his ears.
"Hold your fire!" He heard one of them say.
Soon, he could see again. He realized his face was being shoved into Yugi's chest and was covered completely by his arms. He was still in his hold, but he was able to look up now. Once he did, he also realized both he and Yugi were covered in blood. Only Yugi was covered in bloody bullet holes.
All over his body.
His voice was caught in his throat. He couldn't speak, and couldn't scream, he could only cry silently as his whole world shattered in front of him. And even still, Yugi was smiling down at him ever so lovingly, as if he was his own little brother. "Ah...You're still okay. N-Not a scratch on you. Well, besides that one. Haha." He joked. All of his clothes were red. Drenched in his own blood. Hell, Mokuba's clothes were almost completely red now. And blood just dripped out of the holes of his body like a faucet. In fact, the only thing that wasn't shot, was his head and his legs. His arms and torso, were practically destroyed. But his back, got the worst of it.
"The fuck!?" The gunman cursed. "How is he still alive!?"
"Moki?" Yugi gently brushed the top of the child's head. "I need you to go back into the bedroom, kay?" He asked nicely.
Mokuba just slowly shook his head. "H-How..." His voice crumbled. "How are you still alive!?" He yelled, sniffing as tears flowed down his face like pure rivers. "Y-You're in so much pain...!" He sobbed harder. "B-Because of me..." He clenched his eyes shut and looked down. He couldn't believe what he was seeing right now. No one should be able to do what Yugi was doing. He shouldn't even be able to hold him.
"Mokuba," He cupped the child's face and held it up. "I would die to protect you a thousand times if I need to. I love you just as much as Seto and Yami do."
"B-But-"
"It doesn't hurt. I'm not trying to be tough. I'm still okay." He rubbed the pad of his thumb across his hurt cheek softly, and kisses his forehead. "Your brothers would be so upset if you got hurt."
"Attention!" The announcer was back? No, that was Ms. Ishtar's voice. Everyone in the room heard some scuffling on the loud speaker before she spoke back up again. "The main threat has been eradicated. The back gates have been cleared. The front gates have been cleared. Any other straggler you see, kill on sight. If there are any other soldiers or veterans available, please report back to the main office on the first floor."
Yugi mentally sighed in relief. That meant things were okay. He bet his paycheck that the only ones left to kill were the ones in his room. So he just had to kill them, and this would all be over, and Mokuba would be safe. "Good." He said. "You'll be okay then, Moki."
"Yugi, no." He said with a shaky voice. "Please." He begged. "Please!"
Yugi just shook his head with a sad smile. "I'm sorry." He pet his head one last time, before taking the child out of his arms. He stood up on his own feet, as if he was never shot. "Go on." He said.
With a sniffle, Mokuba whipped his head away and ran. He didn't look back.
The gunmen just kept staring in awe. How in the world, could a human withstand all those wounds? Bullets were going through him like paper, and yet he was fine. This boy, couldn't have been human. He just couldn't have. They didn't even care about Mokuba getting away. They just needed to kill this abomination. Yugi's smile faded into an angry frown, but his expression looked very unimpressed and unphased. He didn't need his rod. He could kill them no problem with his own bare hands. All twenty six of them.
With a war cry, the gunmen stepped forward.
Mokuba retreated to the bedroom and hid in the closet once more. He held and rocked himself. He cried, listening to the gunshots and screams of men. Not once, did he hear Yugi in pain.
Yugi tore off heads, ripped off limbs, stomped on bones, ripped out rib cages, and broke jaws. No one could stop him. No one could kill him. No one was able to shoot him again. No one succeeded. They all failed, and everyone died. And after ten minutes, Mokuba heard nothing, but silence. He heard light footsteps come closer to the bedroom doorway. He heard someone enter inside, walking closer to the closet. Mokuba covered his head, holding onto the small taser Yugi gave him in his hand. One last gunman must have found a way past him, and came back to kill him. He was scared. He was so scared. He prayed he wouldn't die. He didn't want to die. He was scared to die. He didn't know what happened when you died. He didn't want to leave Yami and Seto. He didn't want to leave Yugi. Well no more. The person who would find him, would be hit with this taser. He'd try his best to hurt them like how they hurt Yugi.
The closet doors opened. And once they did, Mokuba shoved the taser into the victim who opened them.
He heard a buzz, but he didn't hear the person scream or anything.
"Silly. Electricity doesn't work on me." A familiar voice sadly said. With a tearful face, Mokuba looked up.
"Y-Y..." He couldn't even say his name. He had already began sobbing and wailing all over again. He cried so loud and so hard, it was like a newborn's first tantrum after just being conceived. He was lifted up out of the closet, and into his arms. Yugi, his savior, held him in his arms and cradled him. All the times his brothers weren't there. All those times he needed a woman, a mother, to hold him and console him. All the times he wished he spent more time with someone who was there for him, every step of the way...
He realized, that Yugi was the person now.
"Shh." Yugi soothed. Despite so many wounds, despite being only seconds away from dying, he still stood up on his own two feet like a man, just to hold him. Just to console him. Just to have him in his arms.
But, his heartbeat...It was going so fast. He didn't know much about medical stuff, but he knew it wasn't healthy-
Yugi's eyes suddenly rolled in the back of his head. His strength depleted into nothing, and he dropped Mokuba. The child whimpered from being dropped on the floor, feeling a little dizzy. But realizing the peril of this situation, he instantly got back up. He watched as Yugi wobbled back and forth, before making a strangled sound. He gripped his own hand to his chest, coughing and screaming in agony. He fell to his knees, and fell to the floor.
When Mokuba crawled over to him, he saw he wasn't moving nor breathing. He tried shaking him, he didn't get up. He tried harder this time, begging Yugi to get back up. He got closer and put his ear to his chest, but he didn't hear a heartbeat.
He didn't hear a thing.
"N-No." Mokuba refused. "No!" He didn't accept it. "Wake up! Please!" He refused to accept this. "YUGI!" He screamed.
But the worst part of it all, was that when he looked back at Yugi's now cold face...
...He was smiling.
Who the hell puts an AED in the bathroom? She doubted Seto put one in before Gozaburo invaded the house. Perhaps he put it there once he did. But that's perfect for electrical charges. And she could carry it no problem. She strapped her guns against her thigh underneath her skirt, and lifted the device into her arms. Mana jogged away from the bathroom and got back into the hallway. As she jogged, she slowed to a stop. She heard groaning.
Silently, she stepped and turned the corner of the hall. She gasped when she saw Seto crawling to a wall, and leaning against it. He glanced up, and saw Mana standing not too far away. She dropped the AED and ran towards him. "What the-Seto what happened!?"
"No time." He exhaled. "Chloroform is seeping into the house. Is there a way to keep it from spreading?"
"I-I mean, yeah but-"
"Then just do it. Please." He said before closing his eyes. "I need a minute."
Mana wiggled her nose and sniffed. Her eyes darted directly to the guest room. She knew what she could use to plug the door to keep any gas from seeping out.
Just as she was about to take one step forward, a loud thump made her yelp.
The fight downstairs was just getting worse and worse. She just hoped they would be okay, and that they could hold on until she got back to them with the AED. With a determined huff, she ran to another room.
Seto opened his eyes, filled with sadness for his little brother. He heard everything. All of what he said downstairs. He really, truly failed. He prayed that Mokuba was at least okay in Yugi's care. And he prayed that Atem would beat the sense back into him again.
If only they all knew, that it wasn't that easy.
END - 29
It gets worse.
Yeah. I'm sorry, but it does. Dreadfully so.
