McDougal smiled slightly. "Quite an adrenalin. And here I thought that leg had been taken out," he mumbled to himself as he eyed the bullet holes trailing up Gene's left leg, drenching the entire limb red.
"LIAR!!" Gene screamed, his muscles tense, his fists clenched so tightly blood trailed over his knuckles and fell to the ground from wounds made by his fingernails piercing his flesh. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!"
"Liar?" McDougal repeated coolly, questioningly. "Why would I lie?"
"SHUT UP! I DON'T BUY IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR SHIT!" He took a deep breath, and positioned himself. "I'll kill you, right now! You'll pay for everything! EVERYTHING!!"
He charged, and McDougal braced himself; that kick had hurt, and he had no desire to let his guard down again. Gene launched his fist at McDougal's face, which he caught... Gene expected that, and before McDougal could react, he brought his knee up at full force into his groin. McDougal's eyes stretched and he doubled over, and Gene punched across his face as hard as he could. McDougal stumbled and slammed into the ground, and Gene glared down at him, breathing hard and bleeding badly. His left leg shuddered violently to remind him of the eleven bullets that rested in his flesh, and he shifted his weight to his right, which had only one. His eyes fell out of focus for a moment, but snapped back when McDougal groaned and rose slowly.
"Not bad," he coughed, finally revealing the faintest sign of anger. "And here I thought you didn't have anything left in you."
"I'm a bad person to underestimate," Gene growled, exited from finally getting a sort of rise out of him. He caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye, and he barely moved fast enough to dodge the knife that went for him. It cut him along his side causing a slight yell of pain, but at least it hadn't pierced into his stomach like intended. Gene leapt back and pulled out a knife of his own, and barely had time to raise the blade to block another stab, this one aimed for his head. The sparks lit up in the past-sunset darkness, illuminating Gene's straining face and McDougal's attacking one. He pushed down with all his force, but Gene held on, determined not to give in, even when the tip of the attacking knife pressed against the skin in-between his eyes, drawing the slightest amount of blood.
Eventually both men fell back... but only Gene collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. His desperate heaving could be seen by all even in the dim light, while his opponent stood up straight, taking steady, deep breaths. Gene's painful coughing echoed against the night, and his choking on his blood was loud enough for the others to hear.
Jim sank to his knees. It didn't matter how much Gene hated McDougal... McDougal had energy to spare to keep going, and Gene had nothing left.
McDougal knew it, too. He walked towards Gene, menacing, and almost laughed when Gene tried to rise but sank again, unable to stand. **Interesting,** he thought. **Able to hurt me like that in his condition.**
"It's over. Whatever energy you had before, It's gone now."
Gene started a low growl, then yelled out in anger and frustration. He knew it was hopeless, but he refused to surrender!
"Hah, Gene Starwind doesn't go down that easily!" he hollered with a half-smile, and began to reach for his Castor. He hadn't pulled it out at all during the fight since he knew McDougal would counter it easily, but it didn't matter now.
"Oh no? Well, how about them?" McDougal asked, gesturing to where Jim and the others stood.
Gene blinked. McDougal only did what was in his contracts. Even if he was acting out of something personal for what Gene did to Harry, he would get his revenge merely by sticking to his contract this time. What was he getting at?
Gene shrugged. "They'd kick your ass. Take you any day."
"Oh?" McDougal smiled. "What about Melfina?"
Gene frowned. "What about her?"
The expression on McDougal's face looked amused. "Would she go down easily?"
Gene did not like this. "What the hell are you getting at, McDougal?"
"Not only am I supposed to kill you," McDougal informed him, "But I'm also supposed to completely destroy the Outlaw Star. Melfina... included."
"W... what?!" Gene growled. "I won't let you!"
"You really have no choice. It was a specific request to destroy the Outlaw Star and Melfina before I kill you... in front of your eyes. To quote my employer, 'Make sure he feels as much guilt, pain, and helplessness as possible.' You've got passionate enemies, boy."
Gene frowned. **I thought Harry liked Melfina,** he thought... but smiled confidently after a moment. "It won't be easy. Harry may think he's all man over there, but Suzuka and Aisha have everything under control. They can kill him whenever they want, and then they'll kill you."
"Oh really?" He asked, amused, and he rose his arm to address a watch, pushing a button. At that instant, screams invaded Gene's mind.
"W... what?!" he shouted, panicked, and looked over to see Aisha, Suzuka, and Jim all fall to the ground, groaning in pain, slipping into unconsciousness.
"Jim! Aisha! Suzuka! You bastard, what did you do to them!?" He hollered, pulling out his Castor. But as soon as he had it in his hands ready to fire, McDougal grabbed his wrist and held firmly onto it. Gene thought his hand was going to snap off.
"Electric shock. I don't need to explain how I went about it to a boy who's already dead, though. Don't worry, they're no concern of mine any more. The job is to kill you, your ship, and the android. Harry! Come over here, and bring Melfina." And with that, he pulled the Castor out of Gene's hand, flung it aside far out of his reach, and adjusted his hold to directly between Gene's wrist and elbow. His face stone, he shoved him down towards the ground with his full strength, while pulling the limb towards him at an angle. Gene screamed as the bone snapped, his entire arm surging with unbelievable pain. McDougal expressionlessly shoved him down onto his back against the bloodstained grass, leaving him to find out for himself how to deal with this new source of pain among many.
Harry came with Melfina, who looked on the verge of bursting into tears at the sight of everyone collapsing... and the sight of Gene, who looked like he should have died of blood loss alone a long time ago. She struggled in Harry's arms, yelling and kicking and screaming the whole way, but he held tightly onto her.
"No! Let go of me! Gene!" she screamed.
"Shut up, Melfina! I told you to forget about him! Look, he's as good as dead!" Harry hissed. Once they were next to McDougal, Harry smiled pure satisfaction from seeing Gene glare at him with such contempt.
"Well, Gene Starwind, looks like I win! You'll be dead, and Melfina will belong to me forever!" Harry grinned, holding her close against him, Melfina pushing away while groaning desperate objections and Gene's name.
Gene studied him, when realization struck him. "Aw, geez, McDougal, you're a bastard. And I thought you cared about your brother."
"Well, he wouldn't have come if I told him," McDougal stated, sounding legitimately regretful. "Harry, give the girl to me."
"Why?" He growled. "I want you to kill him, now! Prove to her that he's weak, and that only I can..."
"Harry, you moron," Gene groaned. "He's gonna kill her."
"What? ...Kill her?" He repeated, incredulous. "Like I'll believe you."
"Ask your brother here."
Harry became worried. "Hey, he's bluffing, right? You said we were gonna kill Starwind! And we're about to, right!? And I can have Melfina!"
He turned to his younger brother sadly. "No, Harry."
He froze at his brother's words.
"We also have to destroy the Outlaw Star, and Melfina. Our employer wants them all gone. I thought we could lie and you could keep Melfina, but she's got a tracer in her. There would be no way to hide her."
Harry was shocked. His eyes widened and his whole body fell into a state of disbelief.
Melfina took this to her advantage, and with all her power she jammed her elbow into Harry's stomach. With him doubled over, she then used all her strength to pull away from him.
"Melfina!" Harry yelled, grabbing for her as she escaped, but she slipped out of his grasp and ran what seemed to be forever. He was so close... she had to get to him... time froze as she fled towards his crippled figure.
"Gene...!"
She collapsed alongside him and held his body in her arms, not caring about the McDougal brothers, not caring about anything. She had to support him, get him off that arm, or he'd pass out from the pain. Gene winced while she lifted him, and not opening his eyes, begged her to leave.
"Mel... you get out of here, now! They'll kill you..." his voice cut off as a sudden wave of pain flowed through his body, making him shudder. This made her hold him even closer.
"No, I'm not leaving you! I'll never leave you, Gene!"
His eyes snapped open, and he stared at her. Melfina's shimmering black hair rustled slightly in a soft wind, and her light skin looked even paler in the moonlight. Her face was contorted in fear, her brown eyes boring into his own, filled with tears and something else...
She flung her arms around his shoulders in an embrace, silently crying. And Gene Starwind's eyes widened as he listened to her plea softly into his ear, her soft lips brushing lightly against his coarse scars.
"I'll never leave you. Don't make me... I'll stay here with you, all the way to the end. I don't want to stay alive if you die. I don't want to live an instant without you living near me. Don't make me leave you here, Gene. I'll stay with you forever. Forever..."
"M... Mel... I..." Gene stammered. He stared straight ahead of him at the ground, his eyes not focusing. The McDougal brothers were right there, but they made no move... he didn't care why not. They both seemed so far away now...
"Forever..."
She suddenly gasped as McDougal grabbed her from behind, pulling her away from Gene. He snapped back into reality in panic.
"Melfina! Run, please!"
She struggled, but he was too strong. He held her just out of Gene's reach, his outstretched arm just not long enough to grasp Melfina's hand.
"Gene!"
"You see, Harry? She's blindly devoted to Gene," McDougal sighed, pitying his brother. "You've got to get over her. Starwind has to pay, and Melfina must die to make that possible. There is no other way."
Harry was silent.
"McDougal! Let her go! She can find the tracer in the ship, she can get it out! Leave her alone!" Gene hollered, desperate.
He said nothing. Gene changed tactics, and focused his attention on Harry.
"Harry! You actually think you have a right to claim you care about Melfina when you're just going to stand there?! What kind of man are you?!"
Harry hung his head, and said nothing.
Gene snarled. "Coward! You're a fucking coward! A spineless, gutless, self-serving..."
He was interrupted by an abrupt kick to his throat. "Shut up," McDougal growled at his fallen figure. He thought for a moment, watching Gene.
He then flung Melfina onto his sprawled body. She yelled in surprise, and once she found her bearings again she rose to shake Gene's nearly unconscious body.
"Gene! Gene, are you all right?" She yelled in a shrill, panicked tone. He groaned in reply. McDougal turned to face McDougal.
"Harry... you see? It will bring you nothing but pain to love Melfina."
Harry looked up, his face showing that very pain. "But... brother..."
"I'm sorry." He paused. "But Starwind needs to pay."
Harry fell silent again. McDougal frowned.
"You may want to leave. This might be too painful for you to watch."
*********
Uh oh. Things not looking too good for... um... everyone :p. R/R
"LIAR!!" Gene screamed, his muscles tense, his fists clenched so tightly blood trailed over his knuckles and fell to the ground from wounds made by his fingernails piercing his flesh. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!"
"Liar?" McDougal repeated coolly, questioningly. "Why would I lie?"
"SHUT UP! I DON'T BUY IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR SHIT!" He took a deep breath, and positioned himself. "I'll kill you, right now! You'll pay for everything! EVERYTHING!!"
He charged, and McDougal braced himself; that kick had hurt, and he had no desire to let his guard down again. Gene launched his fist at McDougal's face, which he caught... Gene expected that, and before McDougal could react, he brought his knee up at full force into his groin. McDougal's eyes stretched and he doubled over, and Gene punched across his face as hard as he could. McDougal stumbled and slammed into the ground, and Gene glared down at him, breathing hard and bleeding badly. His left leg shuddered violently to remind him of the eleven bullets that rested in his flesh, and he shifted his weight to his right, which had only one. His eyes fell out of focus for a moment, but snapped back when McDougal groaned and rose slowly.
"Not bad," he coughed, finally revealing the faintest sign of anger. "And here I thought you didn't have anything left in you."
"I'm a bad person to underestimate," Gene growled, exited from finally getting a sort of rise out of him. He caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye, and he barely moved fast enough to dodge the knife that went for him. It cut him along his side causing a slight yell of pain, but at least it hadn't pierced into his stomach like intended. Gene leapt back and pulled out a knife of his own, and barely had time to raise the blade to block another stab, this one aimed for his head. The sparks lit up in the past-sunset darkness, illuminating Gene's straining face and McDougal's attacking one. He pushed down with all his force, but Gene held on, determined not to give in, even when the tip of the attacking knife pressed against the skin in-between his eyes, drawing the slightest amount of blood.
Eventually both men fell back... but only Gene collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. His desperate heaving could be seen by all even in the dim light, while his opponent stood up straight, taking steady, deep breaths. Gene's painful coughing echoed against the night, and his choking on his blood was loud enough for the others to hear.
Jim sank to his knees. It didn't matter how much Gene hated McDougal... McDougal had energy to spare to keep going, and Gene had nothing left.
McDougal knew it, too. He walked towards Gene, menacing, and almost laughed when Gene tried to rise but sank again, unable to stand. **Interesting,** he thought. **Able to hurt me like that in his condition.**
"It's over. Whatever energy you had before, It's gone now."
Gene started a low growl, then yelled out in anger and frustration. He knew it was hopeless, but he refused to surrender!
"Hah, Gene Starwind doesn't go down that easily!" he hollered with a half-smile, and began to reach for his Castor. He hadn't pulled it out at all during the fight since he knew McDougal would counter it easily, but it didn't matter now.
"Oh no? Well, how about them?" McDougal asked, gesturing to where Jim and the others stood.
Gene blinked. McDougal only did what was in his contracts. Even if he was acting out of something personal for what Gene did to Harry, he would get his revenge merely by sticking to his contract this time. What was he getting at?
Gene shrugged. "They'd kick your ass. Take you any day."
"Oh?" McDougal smiled. "What about Melfina?"
Gene frowned. "What about her?"
The expression on McDougal's face looked amused. "Would she go down easily?"
Gene did not like this. "What the hell are you getting at, McDougal?"
"Not only am I supposed to kill you," McDougal informed him, "But I'm also supposed to completely destroy the Outlaw Star. Melfina... included."
"W... what?!" Gene growled. "I won't let you!"
"You really have no choice. It was a specific request to destroy the Outlaw Star and Melfina before I kill you... in front of your eyes. To quote my employer, 'Make sure he feels as much guilt, pain, and helplessness as possible.' You've got passionate enemies, boy."
Gene frowned. **I thought Harry liked Melfina,** he thought... but smiled confidently after a moment. "It won't be easy. Harry may think he's all man over there, but Suzuka and Aisha have everything under control. They can kill him whenever they want, and then they'll kill you."
"Oh really?" He asked, amused, and he rose his arm to address a watch, pushing a button. At that instant, screams invaded Gene's mind.
"W... what?!" he shouted, panicked, and looked over to see Aisha, Suzuka, and Jim all fall to the ground, groaning in pain, slipping into unconsciousness.
"Jim! Aisha! Suzuka! You bastard, what did you do to them!?" He hollered, pulling out his Castor. But as soon as he had it in his hands ready to fire, McDougal grabbed his wrist and held firmly onto it. Gene thought his hand was going to snap off.
"Electric shock. I don't need to explain how I went about it to a boy who's already dead, though. Don't worry, they're no concern of mine any more. The job is to kill you, your ship, and the android. Harry! Come over here, and bring Melfina." And with that, he pulled the Castor out of Gene's hand, flung it aside far out of his reach, and adjusted his hold to directly between Gene's wrist and elbow. His face stone, he shoved him down towards the ground with his full strength, while pulling the limb towards him at an angle. Gene screamed as the bone snapped, his entire arm surging with unbelievable pain. McDougal expressionlessly shoved him down onto his back against the bloodstained grass, leaving him to find out for himself how to deal with this new source of pain among many.
Harry came with Melfina, who looked on the verge of bursting into tears at the sight of everyone collapsing... and the sight of Gene, who looked like he should have died of blood loss alone a long time ago. She struggled in Harry's arms, yelling and kicking and screaming the whole way, but he held tightly onto her.
"No! Let go of me! Gene!" she screamed.
"Shut up, Melfina! I told you to forget about him! Look, he's as good as dead!" Harry hissed. Once they were next to McDougal, Harry smiled pure satisfaction from seeing Gene glare at him with such contempt.
"Well, Gene Starwind, looks like I win! You'll be dead, and Melfina will belong to me forever!" Harry grinned, holding her close against him, Melfina pushing away while groaning desperate objections and Gene's name.
Gene studied him, when realization struck him. "Aw, geez, McDougal, you're a bastard. And I thought you cared about your brother."
"Well, he wouldn't have come if I told him," McDougal stated, sounding legitimately regretful. "Harry, give the girl to me."
"Why?" He growled. "I want you to kill him, now! Prove to her that he's weak, and that only I can..."
"Harry, you moron," Gene groaned. "He's gonna kill her."
"What? ...Kill her?" He repeated, incredulous. "Like I'll believe you."
"Ask your brother here."
Harry became worried. "Hey, he's bluffing, right? You said we were gonna kill Starwind! And we're about to, right!? And I can have Melfina!"
He turned to his younger brother sadly. "No, Harry."
He froze at his brother's words.
"We also have to destroy the Outlaw Star, and Melfina. Our employer wants them all gone. I thought we could lie and you could keep Melfina, but she's got a tracer in her. There would be no way to hide her."
Harry was shocked. His eyes widened and his whole body fell into a state of disbelief.
Melfina took this to her advantage, and with all her power she jammed her elbow into Harry's stomach. With him doubled over, she then used all her strength to pull away from him.
"Melfina!" Harry yelled, grabbing for her as she escaped, but she slipped out of his grasp and ran what seemed to be forever. He was so close... she had to get to him... time froze as she fled towards his crippled figure.
"Gene...!"
She collapsed alongside him and held his body in her arms, not caring about the McDougal brothers, not caring about anything. She had to support him, get him off that arm, or he'd pass out from the pain. Gene winced while she lifted him, and not opening his eyes, begged her to leave.
"Mel... you get out of here, now! They'll kill you..." his voice cut off as a sudden wave of pain flowed through his body, making him shudder. This made her hold him even closer.
"No, I'm not leaving you! I'll never leave you, Gene!"
His eyes snapped open, and he stared at her. Melfina's shimmering black hair rustled slightly in a soft wind, and her light skin looked even paler in the moonlight. Her face was contorted in fear, her brown eyes boring into his own, filled with tears and something else...
She flung her arms around his shoulders in an embrace, silently crying. And Gene Starwind's eyes widened as he listened to her plea softly into his ear, her soft lips brushing lightly against his coarse scars.
"I'll never leave you. Don't make me... I'll stay here with you, all the way to the end. I don't want to stay alive if you die. I don't want to live an instant without you living near me. Don't make me leave you here, Gene. I'll stay with you forever. Forever..."
"M... Mel... I..." Gene stammered. He stared straight ahead of him at the ground, his eyes not focusing. The McDougal brothers were right there, but they made no move... he didn't care why not. They both seemed so far away now...
"Forever..."
She suddenly gasped as McDougal grabbed her from behind, pulling her away from Gene. He snapped back into reality in panic.
"Melfina! Run, please!"
She struggled, but he was too strong. He held her just out of Gene's reach, his outstretched arm just not long enough to grasp Melfina's hand.
"Gene!"
"You see, Harry? She's blindly devoted to Gene," McDougal sighed, pitying his brother. "You've got to get over her. Starwind has to pay, and Melfina must die to make that possible. There is no other way."
Harry was silent.
"McDougal! Let her go! She can find the tracer in the ship, she can get it out! Leave her alone!" Gene hollered, desperate.
He said nothing. Gene changed tactics, and focused his attention on Harry.
"Harry! You actually think you have a right to claim you care about Melfina when you're just going to stand there?! What kind of man are you?!"
Harry hung his head, and said nothing.
Gene snarled. "Coward! You're a fucking coward! A spineless, gutless, self-serving..."
He was interrupted by an abrupt kick to his throat. "Shut up," McDougal growled at his fallen figure. He thought for a moment, watching Gene.
He then flung Melfina onto his sprawled body. She yelled in surprise, and once she found her bearings again she rose to shake Gene's nearly unconscious body.
"Gene! Gene, are you all right?" She yelled in a shrill, panicked tone. He groaned in reply. McDougal turned to face McDougal.
"Harry... you see? It will bring you nothing but pain to love Melfina."
Harry looked up, his face showing that very pain. "But... brother..."
"I'm sorry." He paused. "But Starwind needs to pay."
Harry fell silent again. McDougal frowned.
"You may want to leave. This might be too painful for you to watch."
*********
Uh oh. Things not looking too good for... um... everyone :p. R/R
