Chapter 17

Iaian and the three swordsmen teamed up with Jaguar. "If anyone is going to stop Hunter it's me!" Jaguar declared. "Besides, I got a trump card."

Iaian was grateful for the help, after all, he was told that he and the swordsmen were to take care of Hunter. The card given to him was written by Alley herself on how to do it. But, he won't go for such a plan.

'Deconstruct your arm, use the slime to restrain Hunter, from there, aim for the head, sever it clean from his shoulders as the others take aim for his heart and liver. If the head shot is not a viable solution, aim for the heart or even a sword through his throat will be enough to kill'

That's what the card said.

Iaian knows Hunter, he has followed him ever since this occurred, and not once has he sensed any sort of malice or murderous aura from him. Whatever is happening to Hunter, is not by his own will.

Jaguar just happened to be in the area as the swordsmen were going after Hunter, when he learned what was happening, he insisted on joining them. "He's my future husband!" he protested when Okama insisted he sit it out. "I am not going to abandon him now!"

Iaian agreed. Since then, they have chased after Hunter who appeared to try and get out of the city. Yet there were helicopters, planes and all sorts of military grade weapons being deployed. "They aren't letting him get out… if anything… they are trying to push him back into the city!" Iaian stated.

Jag sighed. "These guys are really pissing me off!" reaching into his fur vest, Jaguar took out his pendent. "I didn't want to have to use this, but there is no other choice now…"

"Jaguar…" Iaian whispered.

Jaguar's hand clenched on the pendent. "Mind and body, soul and spirit, my guardian beast answer my plea, give me strength, become part of me!"

A surge began to come off of Jaguar. He starting growing bigger, his arms covered in orange fur as his body. He turned into a werecat!

"Whoa…" Okama whispered but had her hand on the hilt of her sword to be safe than sorry.

A low growl came out of Jaguar. "Be at ease, this is a power in my village… why do you think father named us after such powerful beasts?" he asked in a deeper voice. "Now… Hunter…" He began to run on all fours, he caught up to him in no time, and even knocked him out of the air as he tried to run from the military's pursuit!

"Back him up!" Iaian called.

They rushed on to the scene, Hunter and Jag were in an arm lock. Hunter was wild, snarling and even snapping at Jaguar who refused to let him go! Iaian was trying to figure out how to go about doing this. He didn't wish to harm Hunter at all. "You sense it too right? Compared to everything else we have fought, there is no killing aura," he said aloud.

Bushidrill nodded in agreement. "No, but there's such pain emitting off of him. We may have to mercy kill him…"

"That's is NOT an option!" Iaian protested.

"Especially to one of the cute ones," said Okama.

"SWORDSMAN!" Jaguar roared. "HELP ME!"

Iaian nodded. "If you have a direction for us to take, tell us!"

Jaguar was holding his own well enough against Hunter, but also, the son of Garou wasn't using his full strength. Iaian could tell, since he knows how powerful he can be, he was truly trying to keep himself from losing control. Jaguar landed some solid strikes against him, forcing Hunter to stumble back and recover for but a moment.

"We need to wear him down, with me, do not aim to kill, instead, merely aim to make him move and force him to expel this energy."

They agreed. Jaguar stood at the ready, and he was about to go in when…

BAM!

He was startled by the sound, he froze as Hunter smiled for but a moment, but then, fell to the ground.

He didn't move, he wasn't breathing. "No… God no… Please…" Jaguar cried. The power of his pendent wore off as he turned back to normal. But, he rushed desperately to Hunter's side. "Please, please, please…" he begged.

But the hole in the side of his head said otherwise. His breath was gone and his eyes glazed over. "Hunter…" whispered Iaian.

He knew for a moment he felt the killing intent, it never came from Hunter but this was a distance away. It was faint, perhaps that is why he didn't sense it coming. But the deed was done. Just as a strange truck suddenly pulled in.

People in hazmat suits approached. "Step away from the body, it's officially government property!" one man shouted.

Jaguar however glared at him. "You… you… YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS!" He screamed. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM?"

Iaian wanted to hear the answer to that too, but the men in the containment suits didn't have the answer they were looking for. "We didn't make the call, we are just here to clean up afterward," he said. "Now, step away from the body."

Iaian and the swordsmen stood before them, their weapons drawn and they refused to back down. "You are claiming the body of our fallen friend. Chose your next words carefully!" Iaian warned.

"IAIAN!"

He froze to the voice. He turned and saw Atomic Samurai approach, but he looked rather grim. "Let them have it," he said.

"But master!"

"I already dealt with them when I had to subdue Akira. We cannot win this, also their backup is on the way too, stand down…"

He was about to refuse, even Jaguar was getting to the point where he was tempted to try and lift Hunter off the ground and run with him. But he was far too heavy, even if everyone there worked together, he wouldn't be able to come off the ground.

He sighed in defeat, putting his sword away, Iaian turned to Jaguar. "I'm sorry…" he said as gently as he could.

Jag growled lowly as he reluctantly backed off.

Iaian was about to confront his master, when he gave him a 'quite and watch' look. Looking over his shoulder, just out of the corner of his eye. He witnessed Hunter being picked up with great ease by these two men, and put into the back of the truck. When it was locked up, the men were quick to leave.

"I don't understand master, why didn't you fight?!" he demanded. "They are going to break down their bodies… they are going to disrespect the dead!"

Atomic merely nodded. "Since when do two men lift someone like the son of Garou with such ease, that would hinder the five of us combined to do so?" he asked.

Iaian froze. "Are you saying…"

"Something else is going on here. The same truck came by and took Akira after I was about to knock him down. Some sort of sharpshooter was standing by and took him out. Nearly all of Garou's family has been subjugated now…"

He felt his heart break a little. Despite the rough past he had with Garou and some of his children. Iaian had respected them greatly.

"Then what do we do?" demanded Jaguar. "They killed my fiancé… WHAT DO WE DO!"

Atomic shook his head. "I don't know." He said flat out. "All I know is that this isn't right to say the least. I have filled in Zombieman on the matter. Perhaps the only thing we can do is try and save anyone that's left…"

"Who is left Master?"

He paused once more. Just as his communicator went off. "Atomic, Zombieman here… come on back, it's over…"

"Over?" whispered Jag.

His sights turned to the TV, there he saw the take down of Melee Brawler and Garou. Melee was the first to fall, which caused Garou to lose control of himself completely. The abandoned section of City Z is nearly reduced to rubble, yet, they were able to land a strike between Garou's eyes. He dropped instantly as the news stated that there were no vials coming from either one.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the task force led by Mr. Ubet, has subjugated the family of Garou…" came the voice of a distraught reporter.

Iaian turned away bitterly. "All of them… what of Suiryu? Max?!" he demanded.

"Max was taken out shortly after Pig God took out Snek. Suiryu, was found in some abandoned monster nest. They said he fought rather hard against those who were out to kill him… he nearly killed them!"

"Suiryu lost control?" asked Jag. "I can't believe he would…" but then froze. "Atomic… where did they find Suiryu!?" he demanded.

"What's it matter?"

"What matters is, that there might be a least a little bit of Garou's family left to save!"