Chapter 20

(Battle of Yuma Flats: Part II)

What happened next was total mayhem. Papa Jupiter lead the charge. The soldiers had very little time to react; as the entire clan descended from the hills above. General Ryan aimed his weapon above Goggle; and managed to shoot down two hill people. Pluto and Hansel hurried over and began to free Goggle. Pluto used his knife to cut the rope binding Goggle. Hansel guided Goggle away from the spot. Goggle then removed his blindfold.

"I knew I could count on you guys." Goggle said.

"You are our kin. We ain't letting no one hurt ya." Hansel said.

"I brought your knife, and gun." Pluto chimed in.

"Thank ya Pluto."

Goggle looked around at the chaos. He saw Ruby and Vanessa were trying to cover each other and stay low to the ground. Father McAdam was also hiding behind some rocks.

"Hansel, I need you to take Father McAdam back to his church. Make sure no one follows ya. Pluto, you 'n' I are gonna get the girls outta here." He then said.

Pluto and Hansel nodded. Hansel began to lead Father McAdam away from the fighting; and Pluto went with Goggle to help the girls. General Ryan saw Goggle had been released; and took a shot. However, the bullet missed Goggle. Goggle turned around and fired at the General.

"Goggle, let's go!" Vanessa shouted.

Goggle caught up to Pluto.


"Pluto. I want ya to take the girls to safety. Stay with them. Keep them safe at any cost. D'ya understand?" Said Goggle.

"Yep. I know what to do." Replied Pluto.

Goggle nodded. He then kissed Vanessa lovingly; and hugged Ruby tightly.

"I have to go. Our family needs me." He then said.

"Please be careful my darling." Vanessa replied.

"I will."

"Goggle, wait." Ruby then said.

"What is it Ruby?" Asked Goggle.

"Hansel 'n' I…well…we couldn't wait for marriage. We've been sleeping together; and well, I'm pregnant." She responded.

Goggle hugged his sister close to him.

"Oh Ruby, I'm so happy for you. You're gonna be a fine mother." He then said.

With that, Goggle left to help his family fight the soldiers. He didn't see where General Ryan was. However, Goggle turned to see Private Missy was leaned up against a rock trying to tend to her injured leg; as well as Crank's busted arm. She looked up at Goggle, with pleading eyes.


"Don't hurt us. Please." She said.

Goggle knelt down; and helped them into a near by army jeep.

"Get outta here. Leave these hills 'n' never come back." He said.

Missy nodded.

"Thank you Goggle." She said.

Goggle nodded. As Missy drove away, Goggle got ready to fight. Goggle fought valiantly; as he rallied his kin against General Ryan's minions. After a long and brutal struggle, the surviving soldiers surrendered.

"What shall we do with 'em Goggle?" Asked Cyst.

"Take them back to the village. We'll clean them up, tend wounds, and give 'em something to eat." Goggle replied.

"And then what?"

"We turn them loose. However, every one of them must swear to never come back here."

"Yessir."

The surviving soldiers were being accounted for; as they were escorted to the test village. As Goggle watched them being lead away; he couldn't help but feel uneasy. He then realized that General Ryan was neither among the dead, nor the captured.

"Cyst, where is General Ryan?" Goggle asked.

"I dunno sir." Cyst replied.

Without another word, Goggle took off towards where he left the girls and Pluto. He had a terrible feeling that the General had gone after them.


"Please go away! Oh God! Somebody help us!" Vanessa screamed.

General Ryan was trying to get a good shot at Ruby and Vanessa. However, Pluto kept obscuring his view. Pluto threw rocks at General Ryan; which made him angry.

"You dumb fucking son of a bitch!" Shouted Ryan.

"First, I'll kill those two sluts! Then, you'll be next!"

"No! Help us!" Ruby cried.

Goggle could hear the terrified screams of his beloved partner, and sister. He also heard the voice of General Ryan. He was in pain; and felt weak from the torture. Goggle ignored his pain though; and continued to hurry towards the voices. Meanwhile, General Ryan had tied up Ruby and Vanessa. He also had Pluto tied up. The girls trembled in fear.

"Please don't kill us! We're pregnant!" Begged Vanessa.

"Hehehe. I know." Replied Ryan.

Suddenly, Goggle tackled General Ryan to the ground. The men fought with each other. Pluto struggled to get out of his bindings. Goggle was currently being beaten by the butt of Ryan's gun. It was a struggle, but Goggle was able to get back up; and turn the tables on the General. While General Ryan was put in a daze by a hard punch in the face by Goggle; Goggle went and untied Pluto.

"Untie the girls." He said.

Pluto nodded and got to work. Goggle turned his attention back to General Ryan. The two men continued to brawl. General Ryan then began to once again beat Goggle mercilessly. He was kicking Goggle hard in the ribs. He made sure to hit the ones that were already broken. He then pulled out his wicked knife; and stabbed Goggle multiple times. General Ryan slashed and stabbed at Goggle's chest, stomach, and back. Goggle was growing weaker and weaker. His vision was blurring; and his breathing was getting more labored. General Ryan then carelessly dropped Goggle to the ground. He once again took aim at Ruby, Vanessa, and Pluto.


Vanessa, Ruby, and Pluto held on to each other. Vanessa and Ruby squeezed their eyes shut. This was it. They were going to die. As the trio braced themselves for their painful death; they herd the sound of the gun's blast. However, the pain never came. Vanessa was confused, as why she herd the gun go off; but feel any pain. She opened her eyes; but what she saw tore her heart in two. Goggle laid on the ground, with a large and terrible gunshot wound on the right side of his chest. She was hit with the realization, that Goggle had taken the shot for them.

"Goggle! Goggle no!" She cried out.

Pluto let loose a howling battle cry; and attacked General Ryan. The General froze in fear. He couldn't react fast enough; as the giant mutant grabbed him, and threw him off the towering cliff to his death. He then turned back to see Vanessa untie Ruby. Ruby had tears in her eyes; as she saw her brother lying wounded. Pluto slowly walked over to his cousin. The giant mutant, lightly shook Goggle.

"Goggle okay!? Goggle speak!? Goggle get up now!?" He said frantically.

Goggle gave a pained, wet cough.

"Ah! P-Pluto?...Ruby?...V-Vanessa?" Said Goggle.

"Are you…all right?"

"We are fine Goggle. Thanks to you." Vanessa replied.

Goggle smiled weakly; and nodded.

"I-I'm hurt pretty bad…ain't I honey?" He then said.


"N-No! You're going to be fine! I just need you to breathe!" Vanessa responded.

Goggle winced, as Pluto picked him up; and applied pressure to the wound.

"Let's go home." Said Ruby.

"Pluto, be careful with Goggle." Vanessa then said.

Pluto nodded. He looked down; and saw Goggle was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Goggle sleepy." He said.

"Keep him awake Pluto. Goggle can't sleep." Vanessa replied.

"V-Vanessa…my heart…General Ryan…shot my heart…I'm gonna die." Goggle then said.

"D-Don't say that! You will be okay! Just stay awake!"

"I'm s-so cold."


Vanessa felt her tears sting at her eyes. She urged everyone to move faster. As they passed the now empty battle ground; they saw an old military ambulance pull up to them. The driver was non other than Private Missy, and Crank was her passenger.

"Need help?" Missy asked.

"Yes. My husband was shot. I'm afraid he's dying." Vanessa explained.

Missy nodded in understanding.

"I'm Missy, and this is Crank. Goggle saved us during the battle. It's only fair we return the favor. Get in." Said Missy.

Ruby, Pluto, and Vanessa nodded. They all got into the ambulance. Pluto gently placed Goggle on the stretcher inside. Missy then hooked Goggle up to a small heart monitor. Keeping pressure on the wound; she told Pluto to drive. Pluto drove the ambulance to the test village.


(Test Village/Yuma Flats)

At Goggle's house, Missy worked hard to save Goggle's life. Luckily, amongst the survivors was a medical officer and a surgeon in his final year of training. They were all working on Goggle's gunshot wound. Goggle screamed from the agony; but swiftly passed out.

"He's in shock! Let's move!" Said the surgeon.

They moved quickly to remove the bullet; and clean the wound. They then patched Goggle up. As Goggle laid on the vintage army cot; Vanessa noticed his breathing was hard and labored.

"Vanessa…I…can't…breathe." Goggle said weakly.

Vanessa looked at Missy; and the others.

"What's wrong with Goggle!? Why can't he breathe!?" She said frantically.

Missy placed a hand on Vanessa's shoulder.

"Vanessa, we have done all we could. However, Goggle is very weak. He might still die. The bullet just missed his heart and lung; but he has lost a lot of blood. All we can do is wait." She explained.

Vanessa began to cry softly. She couldn't loose Goggle. Not now. Not while they had a baby, with another on the way. Later that day, the surviving soldiers were released from the village. They all promised to never return to Sector 16. The entire Army Base was then shut down by the government within hours.


(Goggle's House)

Goggle had been brought from the cot; to his bed. Vanessa pressed a wet cloth against his head. Goggle had a cold sweat; and was even weaker than before.

"V-Vanessa…I'm not gonna make it." Goggle said.

Vanessa kissed Goggle. She caressed the side of his face lovingly.

"You'll be alright my love. Just think about the wonderful little family we will have. There'll be you, me, Apollo; and our son or daughter." Vanessa replied.

Goggle coughed; and winced in pain. It hurt him to breathe. He could feel his body slowly shutting down. He took Vanessa's hand and kissed it.

"Please…get Ruby…Mama…'n' Papa." Goggle then said.

Vanessa tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat. She pulled out the walkie talkie; and called for them. By the time they got there, Goggle's breathing was shallow, hard, and agonized. Goggle then started fading in and out; and he knew his time had come.


"Vanessa…stay near me…I'm going." He said.

"No. No, Goggle. You'll be okay. I'm here." She replied.

Ruby and Big Mama did their best to keep Goggle comfortable. Goggle smiled at them.

"I love ya Mama…and you too Ruby."

Ruby kissed her brother's forehead; and Big Mama gently hugged him.

"I love you too; my baby boy." Big Mama replied.

"Goggle, please don't go. Stay with me. You're my brother." Ruby then said.

"I'm sorry Ruby…I can't stay…My time has come."

Papa Jupiter then approached his son. Goggle looked at his father apologetically.


"Papa…I'm sorry." He then said.

Papa Jupiter shook his head.

"Don't be son. I should be sorry. I put too much pressure on ya. I tried to make you something you ain't. Turns out, giving up on trying to make you a killer was the best decision I made." Jupiter responded.

Goggle then looked back at Vanessa lovingly. He smiled weakly; as he placed his hand over her stomach.

"Y'all take care…of my boy or girl now…ya here?" He said.

Vanessa nodded. Goggle then pulled her close to him. Ignoring his pain, Goggle sat up and kissed Vanessa passionately one last time. When he did this, his heart began to fall. Goggle could no longer find the strength or energy to breathe. Taking one final gulp of air, Goggle raised a shaking hand to touch her face. His fingers combed through her hair. His blue eye were full of weariness and death.


"Goodbye my darlin' Vanessa…I love ya." He said.

"No! Oh no! Goggle don't leave me! Please don't die!" Vanessa cried.

With his last breath, Goggle closed his beautiful blue eyes; and died in Vanessa's arms. Vanessa cradled him to her as she wept. It was impossible! This was all a nightmare! Goggle could not - was not dead!

"Goggle!? Please wake up Goggle! You can't be dead!" She then cried out.

Papa Jupiter sighed; and placed a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Vanessa. Vanessa, he's dead. He's dead honey." Papa Jupiter said softly.

"No! No, he's not dead! My Goggle's not dead!" Vanessa replied.

"Vanessa. Face the truth. Goggle is dead." Ruby responded.

Ruby then bursted into tears. She already missed her brother terribly. Vanessa gently laid Goggle back on the bed. Ruby immediately took hold of Goggle's still hand and kissed it. She then held the hand against her face; as she sobbed. Big Mama kissed her son's forehead tenderly once more.

"My son! My son is dead! He's dead!" She wailed.

Jupiter looked at the floor; so no one would see the tears running down his face. His grief swiftly turned into rage. He grabbed his pick axe; and headed outside. He needed to go to the dumping grounds; and take out his emotions on the abandoned cars. Back inside the house, Big Mama and the girls were already preparing to wash Goggle's body; and get it ready for burial.


Is it really over? Is Goggle really dead? Stay tuned for the grand finale! Reviews are love!