"I read somewhere that true love comes sailing, no crashing through a
window. You never know, maybe it'll happen to you." Echidna says sitting
down. Suddenly there's a loud crash from behind and a scream. A girl
crashes through the back window, leg first. The sharp glass scrapes her
exposed stomach and her leg is cut very badly. She lands on the floor with
a loud thud. "Ow." That's it. "Ow.just Ow!" She stands up and looks around.
"Hi all!" No one answers her, just stares at her. "Okay, um ow. Bye all!"
She pulls herself down the stairs bleeding and limping. She steps up to the
bartender. "Hi! What's up? Sorry about that, um this should take care of
everything, oh yeah could you throw in a double?" She slaps down three five
hundred-dollar bills on the table. "Thanks!" She finishes her shot and
limps towards the exit. Kou snaps out of his trance and runs down the
stairs. "You really think we're going to let you just walk out of here
after we first see you crash through a window and live, then produce 15
grand to pay for the damage without batting an eyelash?" She looks around
nervously. "Yes! I mean, yes! You don't understand! They're after me! I
have to get out of here!" She fights his hold. "Why? Who's after you?" She
breaks the grip. "I can't tell you that! You really think I will? Why do
you care any ways?" She looks angry. "Excuse me for trying to be a nice
individual." "Try harder." She turns away. "At least tell me your name."
She stops walking, her back still facing him. "Renee. Cherish it forever in
your heart because you'll never see me again, in fact I just might die
tonight." She continues to limp towards the door. "Now I'm definitely not
letting you leave. Besides, look at that leg." She turns around. "Don't
involve yourself." Every time she takes a step, blood gushes from the
slash. "There's a piece of glass lodged in your skin." "Don't take it out."
Ignoring her, he rips out the shard. The blood flows more freely. "I told
you not to! Maybe if you had actually listened to me-" "Trust me. I have a
doctorate." "I don't care." Glass explodes upstairs. "We've got company!"
Echidna shouts. Renee runs upstairs. "Let me handle this! They're after
me!" "No, they're after me! They're Special Forces again, with security
guards!" Dominique screeches. "Like I said, they're after me!" "Mikado's
after you?" "Damn straight! Just let me handle this will you!" Renee yells,
running upstairs.
Fight
"Look girl, and don't you dare say "bye" to this. Why is Mikado after you?" Kou asks her She looks down. "Bye!" "Tell me, before I lose my patience and punch your light out." She sighs deeply. "As that old, anonymous expression goes, better kiss her than kill her. Well, I'm the head's sister. You know the "D" word? I refuse to say his name. Mikado's after me, because I'm the rightful heir. I've been on the run for years, ever since my father died. I own a bar down the street. Well, I- um have to go now. Now you know my story, and that a bunch of bar bouncers can't help me. Ciao." She waves a little and tries to limp out the door. Kou grabs her arm. "You. Are. Not. Going. An.Y.Where." He pronounces each word with a little shake of her shoulders. "Is that clear, excellent fighter, daughter of deceased multi- millionaire?" Her mouth drops open. "Sorry, did I really say what I thought I just said?" She nods. "Whoops. How about the true story?" She looks up. "What are you talking about? I just did." "Now Renee, we all hate Mikado, and we won't blame you if you committed some serious sexual offense or something-" "I didn't! What's the point of jamming this information out of me if you're really not going to believe me?" "Well you can't blame us seeming that Dau- I'm sorry the "D" word is dead! We kind of killed him!" Kou informs her. "Well here's a useful bit of information. You didn't!" She screams. "What? No that's impossible. That explosion was huge, there's no way he could have survived." Echidna argues. "Well, he did! I would know!" "She's right." Volt spoke for the first time. "There's been word on the street that a woman called Reiko Hurst saved him." "See?" Renee says excitedly. "I told you so! Not that it's anything good but-" "Reiko Hurst! You're joking right? You're saying the wrong name right?" Kou blurts out. "Want me to spell it?" "No." He says suddenly. "Yeah, they're leading the whole thing together I think." He continues. "Plus they're romantically involved." Renee adds. "There goes my appetite for like a year." Kou grumbles. "I'm not joking." He laughs nervously. "Well, all we have to do is raid the place, make a scene, get Renee up top and kill Daur-, sorry the "D" word again right?" He summarizes. She smiles broadly. "Basically. Sounds easy right? Something tells me I should say "wrong". But if we're storming the place I want to go to my bar first." She announces. "For what?" Sion asks fearfully after bringing Dominique home. "I'll show you when we get there."
"No!" He slams his fist into the keyboard. The keys mash and break off. "Easy, easy!" Reiko calls from the next room. "What did I do?" "Oh, nothing just I don't know break a three thousand dollar piece of equipment maybe? Kind of strange that I care more than you do." She lectures. "Sometimes I think you're in charge instead of me." She turns around and sits next to him. "Lose that. I saved your life for a reason you know." She says, gently stroking his hair. "Now tell me. What's going on?" He looks directly into her face. "They're coming."
"Okay, we're here!" Renee swings open the double doors. Loud music explodes into the main room. A few customers remain. "Out out, out everybody get out of here! Now!" What few people remain leave. The music is the only noise. Renee sings along as she jumps behind the bar table. "Where do I run? What have I done? I feel so good I feel so numb yeah." She works on something behind the table and eventually pulls up a plank. "Hello Colleen!" She says blowing dust off of a pistol. "Guns?" Volt asks. "There's enough for everyone. Let's go."
"What? Now? Why?" Reiko asks, still remaining somewhat calm. "Yes. They're on their way. All because of-" He trails off. "All because of what?" "Because of that girl Renee, that's what!" "Your sister?" She strokes his face. "In a way. I've been after her for years, but every time she sends back the reinforcements with their heads on a platter. She's just too good." Reiko stands up. "Where are you going?" "I have a plan."
"All I need are my skills. And I saw you fighting back there. You don't either." Kou says, overconfidently. Renee looks at it for a long time, then puts it away. "All right, new plan. "Who put you in charge?" Echidna asks. "One I am future head of Mikado, two because I said so and three it was your idea to follow me, not mine." She maunders. "Fine." Echidna reluctantly agrees. "Good. We'll follow a trail through the woods to get to the crystal dome. I know it from childhood, Echidna if you were going to ask which I know that you were. Then we enter it and reach the secret passage through the prisoner's ward to reach the Alpha chamber, a new construction I read about in the paper. I'll get us there, believe me." "Don't have a choice there. Who cares, you sound pretty sure."
"What kind of plan exactly? Reiko something tells me that this is not a bright idea." "It is, believe me. I can manipulate ones mind so easily, it frightens me." The brunette says matter-of-factly. "What is it?" "I'll use my status, specifically the fact that I am the sister of-" She begins. "Enough. Just go." "Fine. I'll see you then. Bye."
"We're lost aren't we Renee?" Kou asks. She makes some kind of noise of impatience in her throat. "We are not lost! I know this place like the back of my hand whether it's the middle of day or pitch darkness. Besides I'm here for erm, emotional support." She calls from somewhere in front. "Emotional support, eh? Can't tell if that's good or bad." Renee turns around. "I like you. You've got a sense of humor." He looks up. "We'll be good friends." He looks back down. "Ow." "What was that?" "Forget it, we're here!" The top of the dome rises above the trees. Growling surrounds the clearing. "Maybe that's not good." She says, helping to form a tight circle.
Reiko sits at the piano, not playing it, not doing anything. She straightens her hair and dress, giving her head a long shake. Turning to the right, she gazes out the window, now foggy from the frigid cold. She sees nothing until she looks to the far right. "There they are. What took them so long? Why would my darling brother leave me waiting? I've just been dying to see him." She thinks, then laughs eerily.
"These are nice doggies right?" Renee asks backing off slowly. "Sorry Renee. These are not your average house pet." Kou says. "Huh? No more growling?" The dogs had all but disappeared. "What's going on?" Echidna asks. "No clue. Wait, who the hell is that?" Renee says, gesturing to the dome. Clearly shown against the glass was the figure of a woman with long silky black hair. She raises an alabaster hand and gestures from her position to come nearer. "I know who she is." Kou mutters.
Reiko beckons from the piano floor. She had already called off the cyber dogs.for a reason. She melts her usual hard look into helplessness, making her look sorrowful. Then she turns around and back again, as if someone had just entered the room. She gives one last pleading look and limps down the stairs laughing maliciously.
"Tell me! I ain't playing no games." Renee curses. "She looks like she needs our help. Come on." Kou responds immediately. Renee shrugs. "Where else can we turn?" The girl just turns around quickly, then looks back around. "We're going now." Kou runs for the entrance.
Reiko laughs crazily again and picks up her cell phone. "Hello?" He answers. "They're in the bag. I haven't even seen them yet and they think I'm innocent." She says, still laughing insanely. "You? Innocent? You are good." He says, obviously impressed. "Thanks but I must bid you farewell now. They're here." Reiko responds, twirling her mahogany hair. "Good luck." She hangs up. A door opens. Reiko quickly walks upstairs and pretends to sob.
Eerie silence greets them. "Where is she?" Sion asks. Loud sobs come from upstairs. "Hello? Santa?" Renee calls nervously, only to get elbowed in the gut by Kou. She coughs. More sobs are the response. They are cut off immediately. A beautiful woman begins to limp down the stairs. She can't be more than twenty-five. She stumbles and falls. "Reiko?" Kou asks softly. Slowly she raises her head. Tears are in her eyes. "Is that really you? You look so different. What happened? I missed you so much." She says, sorrow ebbing in her deep voice. "Long story. What happened to you?" She shakes her head. "What am I saying!?" She coughs. "Get out now! He is coming!" She coughs again and staggers over to a table for support. "I'm not leaving you here." Kou says defiantly. "You must! They will do something terrible if I am not here! Please, it is either you or myself. Now go. The Alpha Chamber can be reached by an underground passage to the sharp left of the dome. Leave me. I shall be fine. Time runs short, please hurry." She turns her back to them and gestures they leave.
"He is such a sap." Reiko says wiping the chemical out of her eyes. "Careful. That stuff is expensive. Where did you send them?" He warns. "Did you not hear the com? I said sharp left of the dome." She says coldly. "I'll send reinforcements there. Good job Reiko." She wipes more of the chemical off of her cheeks. "I'm going there as well." He gives up. "Be careful. Bye." Hanging up the phone, she laughs, melts into her tiger form and walks stealthily out the door.
"We are such saps!" Renee screams. "What?" Kou asks. "Look at the fucking reinforcements!" She shrieks, waving at the numerous special forces. "That girl is such a- " She begins angrily. "Reiko had nothing to do with this." Kou cuts her off. "Yeah right! Sorry to bust your bubble but don't you think it's kind of coincidental that the place is itching with SFs right after she tells us to come here?" Renee asks. "Yes, actually I do. Obviously the place is going to be heavily guarded." She sighs and shakes her head. "Whatever. That leopard staring at me is really starting to freak me out." She says, backing off. "It's not just a leopard. It's a bionoid, humans who can turn into animals. If we defeat it, we might see who it is." Kou informs her. "That just tops off my day." Renee says, rubbings her fists.
"I'm way more than a bionoid! I'm an exotic feline thank you very much! Now you pay!" All this rage comes out as a tail twitch and a low growl. Reiko stalks them silently. She curves her tail, then leaps on Renee. She dodges the heavy blow, retaliating only with a small leg movement. "Smooth. That was just nice. Not!" She growls. "I'll take you down one at a time."
"We can't win this!" Renee yells. A SF holds her back. "Least I can't any ways!" The leopard steps on a switch. Gas rises from the floor. It is sleeping gas, and everyone blacks out. ***
Renee
"Ow." She jumps up from the floor. An invisible weight presses on her head. "Augh!" Her leg still bleeds. "Don't panic. Do not panic. Come on girl, you've been in tighter squeezes than this before!" A door opens. A loud crash sounds down the hall. Dauragon steps in the room. "Start panicking!" "H-hi bro? What's up?"
Kou
"Renee?" She sounds frightened beyond all reason. "H-hi, bro! What's up?" She says nervously. "Good girl. Keep talking. Don't let him turn around until I can get us out of here." She smiles very slightly. She saw him obviously. "Let's hope that you got the message."
Renee
"Pretty fucking reckless but hey, it is a plan. Mindless chatter and flirtation is the key. Quick! Think of something dumb to fill the uneasy silence." "Hi, just hi! Wow, you look pretty good, that's an amazing build you've accomplished over the years. Pretty sexy, I bet the girls never leave you alone right? Right. Hey, you're doing a pretty good job heading the cooperation. That was a really good plan for trying to dominate the world, pity it didn't work but it was a good idea." He looks slightly to the right. She grabs both of his shoulders and pulls him closer to her. "Whoa, you're really strong, I missed you, hey when did you last see me? Five years, ten years? Whatever it doesn't matter now. You're here, with me, heh, isn't that great? Yeah, how should we celebrate? Let us figure this out shall we? Oooh this'll be fun! We could throw a party or something. Right? Good. This is just bliss isn't it! You look really good. You're the best leader the world has ever seen." "Licking a bad CEO's boots can be so tiring. Hurry the hell up!" He looks to the left. "This will hurt. This will hurt bad." She kisses him on the lips. He pulls away. "Oooh, nice. I just want to say that I-" "Have a death wish?" He finishes for her. "Yeah, I thought you'd um, um, um, um like that, familiarize right? Well back to the subject." She says quickly. "What subject? The subject that changes every four seconds? Speaking of which, that's how long you have to live." He tells her, annoyed. "Four, three, two, one.Goodnight!" Renee chirps. Kou knocks him unconscious. "Thanks." She says happily. "No problem. But hey, what did you mean by familiarize?" She turns away from an oil painting. "One, it's not what you think. Two, maybe I'll tell you, with time if you know what I mean." She says slowly. "Rule no.1. Save girls' lives to score." He mutters. "What was that?" "Oh, nothing." He says innocently. "I can read minds. Kidding, kidding!" He laughs. "Right, right sure. Let's go, before Mr. Ego over there wakes up." He says, gesturing to Dauragon. "Okay. Hey what the hell is up with the sensors? They should be on by now." Renee says, looking over her shoulder. "I took care of that." He says casually. "Oh. What else?" He turns around. "Don't worry about anything. Allow me to escort you out of here." He says, extending his hand. "Out? You're the ones who dragged yourselves here. You can go home, I don't want to endanger you. Technically, you kidnapped me; because you came with me. I can kill him, all by my itty-bitty little self. In fact I'll do it right now." Renee says in an all-too-happy tone of voice. "Don't sink down to his level." He warns. "Believe me, I'd have to go a lot farther than killing him to do that. Remember what I said, I'll tell you if I decide to." She turns and enters the cell. "Where is he? He's gone! How-" She screams. "Renee?" The only thing he sees is a sliding floor panel.
Renee
A long scrape traces up her hand, over her wrist and penetrates her shoulder. "Ow.easy.easy.watch the tattoo." She mutters, talking through her unconsciousness. "Wake up!" Someone yells in her ear. Her eyes snap open, she notices the blood running down her arm. "What happened?" She asks groggily. "Orders of Master. Now tell me girl, do you surrender your heir?" Reiko snaps. "No, never! You really think that I would?" Renee says with defiance. "Didn't think you'd go down that easily." Reiko shoves her into a room, locks it and walks away. Renee watches fearfully at a thermometer. The temperature drops slowly below -8..
"Renee! Can you hear me?" Kou yells. No response. Just as he was going to turn away, a long scream pierces the dead silence. "What was that? I could have sworn that I just heard her scream my name." "Help me! Please!" She sobs. "That's it, I'm coming!" Without thinking, he jumps down the chute.
Reiko lets out another bone-chilling scream. "Help me! Please!" She sobs loudly. "Ha ha ha." She laughs maliciously and sits down, awaiting her brother. She looks through the glass window at Renee. She is curled up in a ball with her arms around herself. Her breath hangs out in vapor. Footsteps sound in the hall.
"So cold. So cold. Why won't it stop? If I live through this I'm never wearing a miniskirt again." She raises her eyes. Directly in front of her is a mirrored door, locked. She looks at her pathetic form, hunched over, wearing only a small skirt and a halter top, exposing her stomach. Her hair hangs loosely over her shoulders, she can see her own breath. "Don't go to sleep. It may seem easy right now but you'll never wake up. Kou will come for me, I know it. He will, right? He'll save me? Please, you're my only hope. She sits up straight, letting her arms droop to her sides. She shivers visibly now.
"Reiko?" The young woman slowly raises he head. Black patches are visible under her eyes. She hugs her knees. "Why.have.you.come? I told you to-" He cuts her off. "We were captured. Have you seen Renee? She's a little shorter than I am really long black hair- "Reiko points to a door bound in transparent glass Sitting in a corner is Renee, staring straight ahead. He tries to open the door. "Reiko, do you have the key?" She doesn't respond. "Reiko?" Her shoulders are shaking. "It's all your fault." She repeats, her voice poisoned with venomous rage. "What?" He asks, bemused. She still has her head in between her knees. "It's all your fault. Why? Why did you leave? You had such a bright future practically laid out in front of you. You don't even care what happened after you left, do you?" She says in a faltering voice. "Reiko, Renee is dying!" He insists, confused by his sister's behavior. "I KNOW!" She screams. "I put her there!" Then she finally looks up. Her face looks fierce, her eyes glimmering with tears and hate. "You don't care, but you still need to know. Mother is dead. Suicide, all because of you! All she would talk about after you left was that one day you'd return. And one day after I tried to tell her the truth about what you really were she-she" Her voice trailed off. "We put her on some powerful antidepressants, she took an overdose. Then the name was placed on my shoulders. At first I decided that I would die alone and never marry, but then I decided that I would find and kill you first." She spits, hyperventilating. "Reiko-" He says in disbelief. "Do not speak! And by the way, I take it as an insult that you had the nerve to give me this." She rips the locket off from around her neck and throws it across the room. "Reiko, calm down." He tries, knowing already that she won't listen to him. "No! I've been looking for you for years. Finally! Now I'll give you a choice, seeming that I did love you once. You can either freeze to death or let me kill you." She offers, lifting a steel-bladed knife. "I don't want to do this Reiko." He says slowly, raising his fists. Fight Reiko coughs her own blood. "No! I will not allow this to happen! I must restore the name!" She buckles and collapses. "Sorry, sis. I really didn't want to do that. I guess all I can say is Rest in Peace." He picks up the key that was around the broken locket chain and opens the door that Renee was being held in. A thermometer in the freezing torture room read -20degrees. Renee is conscious but barely. Her skin, thoroughly exposed is tinted a Very light blue. Her hair feels stiff, and her breath hangs out in the rigid air. "Renee? Answer me, please." He covers her with himself. Her entire body is cold as ice. She doesn't respond. Her eyes are glassy, fixed on everything and nothing. "I'll get you out of here Renee." He picks her up and carries her out of the room. "I'm right here." Someone says very softly. "Did you just say something Renee?" The freezing girl still does not respond. He places her on the floor. "Turn.around." The voice whispers. He does so. Amazingly, Reiko pulls herself to her feet. "I can't rest in peace unless I drag you down with me!" She screams insanely. Fight "Ugh." The knife is inches from him. He picks it up and lodges it in a water pipe. Instantly its contents spray out, beginning to flood the room. "Now's our cue to leave." He picks Renee up and turns around only once to say three words. "I'm sorry, Reiko." He runs out the door and once again places Renee on the ground. She shows no sign of thawing out. Reiko coughs from behind the door. He shoves a chair underneath the knob. "Bye, sis. Wish it didn't have to end this way."
"What's wrong with the monitor?" The screen to the torture chamber is completely blanked out. The picture flickers once then remains to a fuzzy screen. Reiko floats under water blood flowing from her cuticles. Then he sees the claw marks on the door. She apparently tried to rip it down. "Reiko." He hits a button, the water begins to drain. She lies lifeless on the floor. "Oh no.What happened to you?"
"Renee? Can you say something to me? Please?" Kou asks. Her eyes are glossy and fixed straight up, rarely moving or blinking. "Renee? Can you see me? Can you hear me?" He persists. She makes no response. The only thing she does is raise her left hand slightly, then let it drop back down. Frozen. "Cold." She says softly. "What was that?" He asks. "Cold." She utters from frozen lips. "Can't blame you there. Come on, let's get the hell out of here before you freeze to death"
"Reiko.I'm so sorry." He pushes wet hair off of her face. She lies on her back, her eyes now blank, glossy and without vision. Clutched in her fist, tightly in between two fingers is a long chain. Gently he pries it out and opens the locket at the end of it. It is a picture of her brother and herself. "So this is what happened to you.I was wrong to leave you alone, this is all my fault"
"Renee, open your eyes. We're almost there, you have to hold on." She lifts her eyes open slowly, as if doing so causes a tremendous effort. She says something he can't understand then rests her head back on his shoulder. He carries her over to the exit door, then hits the button. Once they are on the elevator, she does something strange. The first two words were soft and not audible, but she screamed "now". "What?" She brings her knees to her face and wraps her arms around herself shivering, saying no more. Then the lights on the elevator black out, and the wire pulls tight.
Dauragon looks at Reiko's body once more, then continues with the commands. He smiles to himself as the fifth floor elevator comes crashing down, it will strike the second floor elevator momentarily. "I'll do what it takes to avenge you Reiko." He says to the corpse. The silent response is a drop of cold water rolling off of her dead face.
"What just happened? Renee how did you know that something like this would- " She remains still. Obviously the time in the freeze chamber adversely affected her psychologically. "Wait here. Don't move. If anyone's going to die, it's going to be me." He punches open the hatch and opens the door. The wire is stretched to the point of near snapping.
Watching the elevator monitor, he notices Renee sitting in a corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes are open and stare at air in front of her. "Like you'll really survive." He scoffs. He pulls himself back into the elevator and puts a hand on Renee's shoulder. Still so cold, practically frozen. "Look, this is what we have to do. I'm going to cut the wire, and the elevator is going to crash. But if we're on the roof, it will support the fall. So just hold on to something up there, all right?" She nods slightly. "Good. It's good to know that you understand me at least." He picks her up and pushes her through the roof. "Are you ready?" She nods again. "Good. Hold on."
"Is he insane? Putting my stepsister in danger like this!" He slams his hand onto the
keyboard and laughs. "I'll handle this."
Putting a firm arm around Renees frozen shoulders, the other grasping a roof rail firmly, Kou reaches up and hacks at the wire with Reiko's knife. The tension causes the knife to fly into a wall, but at least the wire breaks loose, and the elevator crashes below. The whole landing is crushed, but both live. "Are you all right?" He asks, not voicing the fact that there was a bruise now beginning to spread over his arm. She nods. "Good. Very good. It's wonderful to see that you all lived." Comes a voice from the shadows. To their astonishment, Reiko steps out from behind a downed crane. The same obsidian patches are beneath her gray eyes. She shakes her head quickly, it is almost impossible to determine whether she did it or it was just an illusion she moved so fast. "Reiko? I thought I-" Kou asks, confused. "You thought wrong. Yes you did kill her, but technology merged her memory, voice, strength, and speed, doubled it and placed it in robot form. So I'm going to be forced to say hello again and introduce myself, because you're really technically not looking at Reiko. So hi. I'm Robo- Reiko. Unfortunately, I am being controlled from a base, and am sent here to destroy you. This is what Reiko would have wanted right?" She concludes her speech with this and lets out a long mechanical laugh. "Get back Renee." Kou says, gently pushing her backwards. Fight "Augh!" Robo-Reiko screams mechanically. Sparks fly from a slash on her stomach. "No, master I can't get up! My functions are far too damaged to continue with the termination-" She goes limp. Her face slides down, and a patch on her chest swings open. Inside is a computer. Commands type by themselves underneath the old ones:
MISSION I NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS STATUS: FAILED
MISSION II NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS WITH DOUBLE STRENGTH AND SPEED. STATUS: REPROGRAMMING...
"Reprogramming." The robot says. He attempts to knock her head off, but a powerful electric barrier encircles it. "Electronic Defense Barrier has been turned on, status is up and running. Reprogramming is complete." Robo- Reiko says. The barrier shrinks back into the microchip, her face slides back together, the computer closes back up. She does another impossibly fast headshake, looks up and smiles. "Let's party." Fight "Wow, that pierced some nerves. Please, no more new missions." Kou says sarcastically, dusting his hands off. She collapses and comes apart as before, but starts to speak, this time in a completely different voice. "I underestimated you. That was not my point of any mercy. You give me but no choice but to personally make sure that you do not leave this place alive!" The robot buckles and falls. The computer opens again.
MISSION II NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS USING DOUBLE STRENGTH AND SPEED STATUS: REPROGRAMMED, FAILED, DESTROYED
MISSION III NUMBER: NO RESPONSE OBJECTIVES: (no new missions can be carried out due to termination of robot) STATUS: I'm coming
"Huh? Who's coming? What is going on?" The robot moves its hand. "My-m- master iss c-coming. B-brace yours-selves. H-he w-won't be as mer-merciful as m-me." It utters in the same mechanical voice, sparks shoot from its mouth, smoke arises from it and it lies lifeless. "No." Renee chokes out with frozen lips. "What? What's wrong Renee?" She doesn't respond, just shrinks backwards shaking her head. He touches her shoulder, but she slips even farther backwards, raising a shaking, pale hand to point. He turns around. Dauragon stands near Robo-Reikos pathetic corpse. "Why so afraid sister?" He asks mockingly. Renee sinks to her knees near a dark shadow. "I don't know what you did to her, but I'm sure it wasn't good, so now you are going to die, and I'm going to make sure that you'll stay dead." Kou says icily. "Why protect her? All she is, is a schizophrenic excuse for a Mikado." Dauragon responds cruelly. "And I'm sure you're the reason that she's like that. Bring it on." Fight "You're reason for motivation is her?" Renee looks up, but does not speak. "Why? I have been meaning to kill her for years, she is such a threat existing." Now she stands up and limps foreword a few steps. Not saying anything, still silent she raises her fists. "Amusing Renee. It will be good to finally dispose of you. Allow me to finish the job Reiko started." Renee falters slightly but does not back down. Fight
"Did this become easier, or is it just me?" Renee bends down and gingerly touches his wrist. To be doubly sure, she rips a knife from Robo-Reikos belt and sticks it in his neck. She rises without comment, then brings a hand to her mouth. "What is it?" She crosses the room and gently touches the mark on his arm. Her fingers are still ice cold. "That's nothing Renee. It's just a scratch. What about you, are you all right?" She nods and looks at him quizzically. "I'm fine. We can go home now." She steps back. "What?" Tears glimmer in her eyes. A-am h-home." She utter with lips made of ice. "Not now. Renee, come with me. You can deal with this later, do you understand that you need medical attention?" After a moment she takes his hand and allows him to lead her down the stairs. A voice behind them makes Renee stop walking and turn around. To their amazement, Robo-Reiko stands up, still smoking and near destroyed with inner mechanics exposed thoroughly. Her lower jaw had fallen off, but she begins to talk. "The Rocket Tower will Self-Destruct in five minutes. The Self-Destruct system has been activated. All personnel in the Rocket Tower, evacuate immediately." She repeated herself. "Come on, Renee! He takes her hand and runs down the stairs. "Two minutes, forty nine seconds, thirteen milliseconds." The robot recites. The bottom step collapses. "One minute, thirty seconds, seven milliseconds." The exit door is already open. On instinct, Kou shoves Renee in first then runs after her. The top of the tower catches fire and the pillar collapses. He pushes her foreword they land on the ground. Both watch the sector burn. "It's over Renee." He says, stroking her hair.
EPILOUGE
"Goodnight Renee." He kisses her lightly on the cheek and gently strokes her face. "I wish you would speak again." Instead of her normal reaction, staring at him for a moment then turning around to mount the staircase, she takes a step foreword and throws her arms around his neck. "Easy." She looks up. For a moment he thought he saw great longing in her deep eyes. The illusion flickered back into her normal sorrowful, fearful expression. She didn't let go. "What is it?" Slowly she looks up. "T-thank you." She says timidly. "What?" "Thank you." She repeats without hesitation. "Huh? Oh. You're welcome, no problem. Hey, what's this?" He reaches to the back of her neck. Wrapped several times around is a silver chain, ebbing so deeply into her skin, blood spots are appearing on her pale neck. Tracing the chain, attached to the end is an oval locket, or at least appears to be, although there was something wrong with its position. The piece was visible through her skin. "Can I take this off?" She nods. He has to dig into her skin to tear out the chain. "This will hurt." He rips the entire chain off her neck from above. As soon as the necklace is off the blood flows more freely. She breaks his grasp and brings her hands up to her neck, coughing. Her voice sounded clearer. She coughs hard again, and retches what appears to be oil and blood mixed together into her hand. While she redeems herself, Kou examines the choker. The chain was really a wire. The locket was a Silence chip. A temporary suppresser to one's voice. Renee looks up with bloodshot eyes. "Ahem." He holds up the mini computer. "Thank you! I tried to tell you but-" "It's no big deal. Why didn't you write it down? You had me worried, I thought you were mentally unstable or something." Renee frowned, but was unable not to smile. "Let's see what would I have written? Dear Kou, there is a suppresser jammed in my throat and you'll have to dig into my skin to rip it out so I will talk again. If I were you then I'd really think that I was psycho." "How would you know? I don't even think you're phobic." Renee smiles. "Thanks again." She steps over and kisses him on the cheek. "Oh the hell with it!" She kisses him on the lips. Surprisingly enough he breaks it. "Are you insane, I'll kill you!" Renee giggles. "I don't think so, nope, not if you're keeping me warm." She purrs. "But still you'll-" He is silenced by her diving on him and kissing him heavily on the mouth. Instead of pulling away this time, he holds her back and allows her to push him backward onto the couch. They kiss and pull off each other's clothes, barely making it up the stairs. Kou notices Renee is wearing a black velvet thong, and looks at her oddly. She shrugs. "You've been looking forward to this for awhile, haven't you?" He asks. "Mm." She responds, kissing her way down his chest. "I think we should wait." Renee looks up. "If that's the way you feel, fine." She says, but with no bitterness, lying down on the bed. He does as well, and slips an arm around her shoulders. She burrows closer to him, happy she is this near, and closes her eyes on his chest feeling warm and protected in his embrace. "Renee?" He suddenly asks. She opens her eyes. "Mm?" She responds, snuggling even closer to him. "You know how in the building, you'd tell me what you meant if you decided to? Have you decided?" Renee sits up and leans forward, showing him her back. There is a long scar there, starting at her right shoulder blade and stopping just above her lower back. Gingerly he traces the mark with his fingers. She cringes as if stung. "Guess who?" She breathes. "The bastard." Kou grumbles. "Guess what else? I'm not a virgin but I've never had a boyfriend, well next to you." She says. The news sinks in slowly. "Son of a bitch!" He nearly screams. Renee trembles under the unexpected reaction. Kou pulls her into his arms and strokes her long hair. Touched by his tenderness she simply lies slack against him, allowing his touch as he gently strokes her hair, neck and shoulders. "I love you." She murmurs before falling asleep. He kisses her brow and gently places her down on the bed. "I love you too." He says, watching her sleep for awhile before nodding off himself.
END
Fight
"Look girl, and don't you dare say "bye" to this. Why is Mikado after you?" Kou asks her She looks down. "Bye!" "Tell me, before I lose my patience and punch your light out." She sighs deeply. "As that old, anonymous expression goes, better kiss her than kill her. Well, I'm the head's sister. You know the "D" word? I refuse to say his name. Mikado's after me, because I'm the rightful heir. I've been on the run for years, ever since my father died. I own a bar down the street. Well, I- um have to go now. Now you know my story, and that a bunch of bar bouncers can't help me. Ciao." She waves a little and tries to limp out the door. Kou grabs her arm. "You. Are. Not. Going. An.Y.Where." He pronounces each word with a little shake of her shoulders. "Is that clear, excellent fighter, daughter of deceased multi- millionaire?" Her mouth drops open. "Sorry, did I really say what I thought I just said?" She nods. "Whoops. How about the true story?" She looks up. "What are you talking about? I just did." "Now Renee, we all hate Mikado, and we won't blame you if you committed some serious sexual offense or something-" "I didn't! What's the point of jamming this information out of me if you're really not going to believe me?" "Well you can't blame us seeming that Dau- I'm sorry the "D" word is dead! We kind of killed him!" Kou informs her. "Well here's a useful bit of information. You didn't!" She screams. "What? No that's impossible. That explosion was huge, there's no way he could have survived." Echidna argues. "Well, he did! I would know!" "She's right." Volt spoke for the first time. "There's been word on the street that a woman called Reiko Hurst saved him." "See?" Renee says excitedly. "I told you so! Not that it's anything good but-" "Reiko Hurst! You're joking right? You're saying the wrong name right?" Kou blurts out. "Want me to spell it?" "No." He says suddenly. "Yeah, they're leading the whole thing together I think." He continues. "Plus they're romantically involved." Renee adds. "There goes my appetite for like a year." Kou grumbles. "I'm not joking." He laughs nervously. "Well, all we have to do is raid the place, make a scene, get Renee up top and kill Daur-, sorry the "D" word again right?" He summarizes. She smiles broadly. "Basically. Sounds easy right? Something tells me I should say "wrong". But if we're storming the place I want to go to my bar first." She announces. "For what?" Sion asks fearfully after bringing Dominique home. "I'll show you when we get there."
"No!" He slams his fist into the keyboard. The keys mash and break off. "Easy, easy!" Reiko calls from the next room. "What did I do?" "Oh, nothing just I don't know break a three thousand dollar piece of equipment maybe? Kind of strange that I care more than you do." She lectures. "Sometimes I think you're in charge instead of me." She turns around and sits next to him. "Lose that. I saved your life for a reason you know." She says, gently stroking his hair. "Now tell me. What's going on?" He looks directly into her face. "They're coming."
"Okay, we're here!" Renee swings open the double doors. Loud music explodes into the main room. A few customers remain. "Out out, out everybody get out of here! Now!" What few people remain leave. The music is the only noise. Renee sings along as she jumps behind the bar table. "Where do I run? What have I done? I feel so good I feel so numb yeah." She works on something behind the table and eventually pulls up a plank. "Hello Colleen!" She says blowing dust off of a pistol. "Guns?" Volt asks. "There's enough for everyone. Let's go."
"What? Now? Why?" Reiko asks, still remaining somewhat calm. "Yes. They're on their way. All because of-" He trails off. "All because of what?" "Because of that girl Renee, that's what!" "Your sister?" She strokes his face. "In a way. I've been after her for years, but every time she sends back the reinforcements with their heads on a platter. She's just too good." Reiko stands up. "Where are you going?" "I have a plan."
"All I need are my skills. And I saw you fighting back there. You don't either." Kou says, overconfidently. Renee looks at it for a long time, then puts it away. "All right, new plan. "Who put you in charge?" Echidna asks. "One I am future head of Mikado, two because I said so and three it was your idea to follow me, not mine." She maunders. "Fine." Echidna reluctantly agrees. "Good. We'll follow a trail through the woods to get to the crystal dome. I know it from childhood, Echidna if you were going to ask which I know that you were. Then we enter it and reach the secret passage through the prisoner's ward to reach the Alpha chamber, a new construction I read about in the paper. I'll get us there, believe me." "Don't have a choice there. Who cares, you sound pretty sure."
"What kind of plan exactly? Reiko something tells me that this is not a bright idea." "It is, believe me. I can manipulate ones mind so easily, it frightens me." The brunette says matter-of-factly. "What is it?" "I'll use my status, specifically the fact that I am the sister of-" She begins. "Enough. Just go." "Fine. I'll see you then. Bye."
"We're lost aren't we Renee?" Kou asks. She makes some kind of noise of impatience in her throat. "We are not lost! I know this place like the back of my hand whether it's the middle of day or pitch darkness. Besides I'm here for erm, emotional support." She calls from somewhere in front. "Emotional support, eh? Can't tell if that's good or bad." Renee turns around. "I like you. You've got a sense of humor." He looks up. "We'll be good friends." He looks back down. "Ow." "What was that?" "Forget it, we're here!" The top of the dome rises above the trees. Growling surrounds the clearing. "Maybe that's not good." She says, helping to form a tight circle.
Reiko sits at the piano, not playing it, not doing anything. She straightens her hair and dress, giving her head a long shake. Turning to the right, she gazes out the window, now foggy from the frigid cold. She sees nothing until she looks to the far right. "There they are. What took them so long? Why would my darling brother leave me waiting? I've just been dying to see him." She thinks, then laughs eerily.
"These are nice doggies right?" Renee asks backing off slowly. "Sorry Renee. These are not your average house pet." Kou says. "Huh? No more growling?" The dogs had all but disappeared. "What's going on?" Echidna asks. "No clue. Wait, who the hell is that?" Renee says, gesturing to the dome. Clearly shown against the glass was the figure of a woman with long silky black hair. She raises an alabaster hand and gestures from her position to come nearer. "I know who she is." Kou mutters.
Reiko beckons from the piano floor. She had already called off the cyber dogs.for a reason. She melts her usual hard look into helplessness, making her look sorrowful. Then she turns around and back again, as if someone had just entered the room. She gives one last pleading look and limps down the stairs laughing maliciously.
"Tell me! I ain't playing no games." Renee curses. "She looks like she needs our help. Come on." Kou responds immediately. Renee shrugs. "Where else can we turn?" The girl just turns around quickly, then looks back around. "We're going now." Kou runs for the entrance.
Reiko laughs crazily again and picks up her cell phone. "Hello?" He answers. "They're in the bag. I haven't even seen them yet and they think I'm innocent." She says, still laughing insanely. "You? Innocent? You are good." He says, obviously impressed. "Thanks but I must bid you farewell now. They're here." Reiko responds, twirling her mahogany hair. "Good luck." She hangs up. A door opens. Reiko quickly walks upstairs and pretends to sob.
Eerie silence greets them. "Where is she?" Sion asks. Loud sobs come from upstairs. "Hello? Santa?" Renee calls nervously, only to get elbowed in the gut by Kou. She coughs. More sobs are the response. They are cut off immediately. A beautiful woman begins to limp down the stairs. She can't be more than twenty-five. She stumbles and falls. "Reiko?" Kou asks softly. Slowly she raises her head. Tears are in her eyes. "Is that really you? You look so different. What happened? I missed you so much." She says, sorrow ebbing in her deep voice. "Long story. What happened to you?" She shakes her head. "What am I saying!?" She coughs. "Get out now! He is coming!" She coughs again and staggers over to a table for support. "I'm not leaving you here." Kou says defiantly. "You must! They will do something terrible if I am not here! Please, it is either you or myself. Now go. The Alpha Chamber can be reached by an underground passage to the sharp left of the dome. Leave me. I shall be fine. Time runs short, please hurry." She turns her back to them and gestures they leave.
"He is such a sap." Reiko says wiping the chemical out of her eyes. "Careful. That stuff is expensive. Where did you send them?" He warns. "Did you not hear the com? I said sharp left of the dome." She says coldly. "I'll send reinforcements there. Good job Reiko." She wipes more of the chemical off of her cheeks. "I'm going there as well." He gives up. "Be careful. Bye." Hanging up the phone, she laughs, melts into her tiger form and walks stealthily out the door.
"We are such saps!" Renee screams. "What?" Kou asks. "Look at the fucking reinforcements!" She shrieks, waving at the numerous special forces. "That girl is such a- " She begins angrily. "Reiko had nothing to do with this." Kou cuts her off. "Yeah right! Sorry to bust your bubble but don't you think it's kind of coincidental that the place is itching with SFs right after she tells us to come here?" Renee asks. "Yes, actually I do. Obviously the place is going to be heavily guarded." She sighs and shakes her head. "Whatever. That leopard staring at me is really starting to freak me out." She says, backing off. "It's not just a leopard. It's a bionoid, humans who can turn into animals. If we defeat it, we might see who it is." Kou informs her. "That just tops off my day." Renee says, rubbings her fists.
"I'm way more than a bionoid! I'm an exotic feline thank you very much! Now you pay!" All this rage comes out as a tail twitch and a low growl. Reiko stalks them silently. She curves her tail, then leaps on Renee. She dodges the heavy blow, retaliating only with a small leg movement. "Smooth. That was just nice. Not!" She growls. "I'll take you down one at a time."
"We can't win this!" Renee yells. A SF holds her back. "Least I can't any ways!" The leopard steps on a switch. Gas rises from the floor. It is sleeping gas, and everyone blacks out. ***
Renee
"Ow." She jumps up from the floor. An invisible weight presses on her head. "Augh!" Her leg still bleeds. "Don't panic. Do not panic. Come on girl, you've been in tighter squeezes than this before!" A door opens. A loud crash sounds down the hall. Dauragon steps in the room. "Start panicking!" "H-hi bro? What's up?"
Kou
"Renee?" She sounds frightened beyond all reason. "H-hi, bro! What's up?" She says nervously. "Good girl. Keep talking. Don't let him turn around until I can get us out of here." She smiles very slightly. She saw him obviously. "Let's hope that you got the message."
Renee
"Pretty fucking reckless but hey, it is a plan. Mindless chatter and flirtation is the key. Quick! Think of something dumb to fill the uneasy silence." "Hi, just hi! Wow, you look pretty good, that's an amazing build you've accomplished over the years. Pretty sexy, I bet the girls never leave you alone right? Right. Hey, you're doing a pretty good job heading the cooperation. That was a really good plan for trying to dominate the world, pity it didn't work but it was a good idea." He looks slightly to the right. She grabs both of his shoulders and pulls him closer to her. "Whoa, you're really strong, I missed you, hey when did you last see me? Five years, ten years? Whatever it doesn't matter now. You're here, with me, heh, isn't that great? Yeah, how should we celebrate? Let us figure this out shall we? Oooh this'll be fun! We could throw a party or something. Right? Good. This is just bliss isn't it! You look really good. You're the best leader the world has ever seen." "Licking a bad CEO's boots can be so tiring. Hurry the hell up!" He looks to the left. "This will hurt. This will hurt bad." She kisses him on the lips. He pulls away. "Oooh, nice. I just want to say that I-" "Have a death wish?" He finishes for her. "Yeah, I thought you'd um, um, um, um like that, familiarize right? Well back to the subject." She says quickly. "What subject? The subject that changes every four seconds? Speaking of which, that's how long you have to live." He tells her, annoyed. "Four, three, two, one.Goodnight!" Renee chirps. Kou knocks him unconscious. "Thanks." She says happily. "No problem. But hey, what did you mean by familiarize?" She turns away from an oil painting. "One, it's not what you think. Two, maybe I'll tell you, with time if you know what I mean." She says slowly. "Rule no.1. Save girls' lives to score." He mutters. "What was that?" "Oh, nothing." He says innocently. "I can read minds. Kidding, kidding!" He laughs. "Right, right sure. Let's go, before Mr. Ego over there wakes up." He says, gesturing to Dauragon. "Okay. Hey what the hell is up with the sensors? They should be on by now." Renee says, looking over her shoulder. "I took care of that." He says casually. "Oh. What else?" He turns around. "Don't worry about anything. Allow me to escort you out of here." He says, extending his hand. "Out? You're the ones who dragged yourselves here. You can go home, I don't want to endanger you. Technically, you kidnapped me; because you came with me. I can kill him, all by my itty-bitty little self. In fact I'll do it right now." Renee says in an all-too-happy tone of voice. "Don't sink down to his level." He warns. "Believe me, I'd have to go a lot farther than killing him to do that. Remember what I said, I'll tell you if I decide to." She turns and enters the cell. "Where is he? He's gone! How-" She screams. "Renee?" The only thing he sees is a sliding floor panel.
Renee
A long scrape traces up her hand, over her wrist and penetrates her shoulder. "Ow.easy.easy.watch the tattoo." She mutters, talking through her unconsciousness. "Wake up!" Someone yells in her ear. Her eyes snap open, she notices the blood running down her arm. "What happened?" She asks groggily. "Orders of Master. Now tell me girl, do you surrender your heir?" Reiko snaps. "No, never! You really think that I would?" Renee says with defiance. "Didn't think you'd go down that easily." Reiko shoves her into a room, locks it and walks away. Renee watches fearfully at a thermometer. The temperature drops slowly below -8..
"Renee! Can you hear me?" Kou yells. No response. Just as he was going to turn away, a long scream pierces the dead silence. "What was that? I could have sworn that I just heard her scream my name." "Help me! Please!" She sobs. "That's it, I'm coming!" Without thinking, he jumps down the chute.
Reiko lets out another bone-chilling scream. "Help me! Please!" She sobs loudly. "Ha ha ha." She laughs maliciously and sits down, awaiting her brother. She looks through the glass window at Renee. She is curled up in a ball with her arms around herself. Her breath hangs out in vapor. Footsteps sound in the hall.
"So cold. So cold. Why won't it stop? If I live through this I'm never wearing a miniskirt again." She raises her eyes. Directly in front of her is a mirrored door, locked. She looks at her pathetic form, hunched over, wearing only a small skirt and a halter top, exposing her stomach. Her hair hangs loosely over her shoulders, she can see her own breath. "Don't go to sleep. It may seem easy right now but you'll never wake up. Kou will come for me, I know it. He will, right? He'll save me? Please, you're my only hope. She sits up straight, letting her arms droop to her sides. She shivers visibly now.
"Reiko?" The young woman slowly raises he head. Black patches are visible under her eyes. She hugs her knees. "Why.have.you.come? I told you to-" He cuts her off. "We were captured. Have you seen Renee? She's a little shorter than I am really long black hair- "Reiko points to a door bound in transparent glass Sitting in a corner is Renee, staring straight ahead. He tries to open the door. "Reiko, do you have the key?" She doesn't respond. "Reiko?" Her shoulders are shaking. "It's all your fault." She repeats, her voice poisoned with venomous rage. "What?" He asks, bemused. She still has her head in between her knees. "It's all your fault. Why? Why did you leave? You had such a bright future practically laid out in front of you. You don't even care what happened after you left, do you?" She says in a faltering voice. "Reiko, Renee is dying!" He insists, confused by his sister's behavior. "I KNOW!" She screams. "I put her there!" Then she finally looks up. Her face looks fierce, her eyes glimmering with tears and hate. "You don't care, but you still need to know. Mother is dead. Suicide, all because of you! All she would talk about after you left was that one day you'd return. And one day after I tried to tell her the truth about what you really were she-she" Her voice trailed off. "We put her on some powerful antidepressants, she took an overdose. Then the name was placed on my shoulders. At first I decided that I would die alone and never marry, but then I decided that I would find and kill you first." She spits, hyperventilating. "Reiko-" He says in disbelief. "Do not speak! And by the way, I take it as an insult that you had the nerve to give me this." She rips the locket off from around her neck and throws it across the room. "Reiko, calm down." He tries, knowing already that she won't listen to him. "No! I've been looking for you for years. Finally! Now I'll give you a choice, seeming that I did love you once. You can either freeze to death or let me kill you." She offers, lifting a steel-bladed knife. "I don't want to do this Reiko." He says slowly, raising his fists. Fight Reiko coughs her own blood. "No! I will not allow this to happen! I must restore the name!" She buckles and collapses. "Sorry, sis. I really didn't want to do that. I guess all I can say is Rest in Peace." He picks up the key that was around the broken locket chain and opens the door that Renee was being held in. A thermometer in the freezing torture room read -20degrees. Renee is conscious but barely. Her skin, thoroughly exposed is tinted a Very light blue. Her hair feels stiff, and her breath hangs out in the rigid air. "Renee? Answer me, please." He covers her with himself. Her entire body is cold as ice. She doesn't respond. Her eyes are glassy, fixed on everything and nothing. "I'll get you out of here Renee." He picks her up and carries her out of the room. "I'm right here." Someone says very softly. "Did you just say something Renee?" The freezing girl still does not respond. He places her on the floor. "Turn.around." The voice whispers. He does so. Amazingly, Reiko pulls herself to her feet. "I can't rest in peace unless I drag you down with me!" She screams insanely. Fight "Ugh." The knife is inches from him. He picks it up and lodges it in a water pipe. Instantly its contents spray out, beginning to flood the room. "Now's our cue to leave." He picks Renee up and turns around only once to say three words. "I'm sorry, Reiko." He runs out the door and once again places Renee on the ground. She shows no sign of thawing out. Reiko coughs from behind the door. He shoves a chair underneath the knob. "Bye, sis. Wish it didn't have to end this way."
"What's wrong with the monitor?" The screen to the torture chamber is completely blanked out. The picture flickers once then remains to a fuzzy screen. Reiko floats under water blood flowing from her cuticles. Then he sees the claw marks on the door. She apparently tried to rip it down. "Reiko." He hits a button, the water begins to drain. She lies lifeless on the floor. "Oh no.What happened to you?"
"Renee? Can you say something to me? Please?" Kou asks. Her eyes are glossy and fixed straight up, rarely moving or blinking. "Renee? Can you see me? Can you hear me?" He persists. She makes no response. The only thing she does is raise her left hand slightly, then let it drop back down. Frozen. "Cold." She says softly. "What was that?" He asks. "Cold." She utters from frozen lips. "Can't blame you there. Come on, let's get the hell out of here before you freeze to death"
"Reiko.I'm so sorry." He pushes wet hair off of her face. She lies on her back, her eyes now blank, glossy and without vision. Clutched in her fist, tightly in between two fingers is a long chain. Gently he pries it out and opens the locket at the end of it. It is a picture of her brother and herself. "So this is what happened to you.I was wrong to leave you alone, this is all my fault"
"Renee, open your eyes. We're almost there, you have to hold on." She lifts her eyes open slowly, as if doing so causes a tremendous effort. She says something he can't understand then rests her head back on his shoulder. He carries her over to the exit door, then hits the button. Once they are on the elevator, she does something strange. The first two words were soft and not audible, but she screamed "now". "What?" She brings her knees to her face and wraps her arms around herself shivering, saying no more. Then the lights on the elevator black out, and the wire pulls tight.
Dauragon looks at Reiko's body once more, then continues with the commands. He smiles to himself as the fifth floor elevator comes crashing down, it will strike the second floor elevator momentarily. "I'll do what it takes to avenge you Reiko." He says to the corpse. The silent response is a drop of cold water rolling off of her dead face.
"What just happened? Renee how did you know that something like this would- " She remains still. Obviously the time in the freeze chamber adversely affected her psychologically. "Wait here. Don't move. If anyone's going to die, it's going to be me." He punches open the hatch and opens the door. The wire is stretched to the point of near snapping.
Watching the elevator monitor, he notices Renee sitting in a corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes are open and stare at air in front of her. "Like you'll really survive." He scoffs. He pulls himself back into the elevator and puts a hand on Renee's shoulder. Still so cold, practically frozen. "Look, this is what we have to do. I'm going to cut the wire, and the elevator is going to crash. But if we're on the roof, it will support the fall. So just hold on to something up there, all right?" She nods slightly. "Good. It's good to know that you understand me at least." He picks her up and pushes her through the roof. "Are you ready?" She nods again. "Good. Hold on."
"Is he insane? Putting my stepsister in danger like this!" He slams his hand onto the
keyboard and laughs. "I'll handle this."
Putting a firm arm around Renees frozen shoulders, the other grasping a roof rail firmly, Kou reaches up and hacks at the wire with Reiko's knife. The tension causes the knife to fly into a wall, but at least the wire breaks loose, and the elevator crashes below. The whole landing is crushed, but both live. "Are you all right?" He asks, not voicing the fact that there was a bruise now beginning to spread over his arm. She nods. "Good. Very good. It's wonderful to see that you all lived." Comes a voice from the shadows. To their astonishment, Reiko steps out from behind a downed crane. The same obsidian patches are beneath her gray eyes. She shakes her head quickly, it is almost impossible to determine whether she did it or it was just an illusion she moved so fast. "Reiko? I thought I-" Kou asks, confused. "You thought wrong. Yes you did kill her, but technology merged her memory, voice, strength, and speed, doubled it and placed it in robot form. So I'm going to be forced to say hello again and introduce myself, because you're really technically not looking at Reiko. So hi. I'm Robo- Reiko. Unfortunately, I am being controlled from a base, and am sent here to destroy you. This is what Reiko would have wanted right?" She concludes her speech with this and lets out a long mechanical laugh. "Get back Renee." Kou says, gently pushing her backwards. Fight "Augh!" Robo-Reiko screams mechanically. Sparks fly from a slash on her stomach. "No, master I can't get up! My functions are far too damaged to continue with the termination-" She goes limp. Her face slides down, and a patch on her chest swings open. Inside is a computer. Commands type by themselves underneath the old ones:
MISSION I NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS STATUS: FAILED
MISSION II NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS WITH DOUBLE STRENGTH AND SPEED. STATUS: REPROGRAMMING...
"Reprogramming." The robot says. He attempts to knock her head off, but a powerful electric barrier encircles it. "Electronic Defense Barrier has been turned on, status is up and running. Reprogramming is complete." Robo- Reiko says. The barrier shrinks back into the microchip, her face slides back together, the computer closes back up. She does another impossibly fast headshake, looks up and smiles. "Let's party." Fight "Wow, that pierced some nerves. Please, no more new missions." Kou says sarcastically, dusting his hands off. She collapses and comes apart as before, but starts to speak, this time in a completely different voice. "I underestimated you. That was not my point of any mercy. You give me but no choice but to personally make sure that you do not leave this place alive!" The robot buckles and falls. The computer opens again.
MISSION II NUMBER: ROBO-REIKO 247 OBJECTIVES: TERMINATE INTRUDERS USING DOUBLE STRENGTH AND SPEED STATUS: REPROGRAMMED, FAILED, DESTROYED
MISSION III NUMBER: NO RESPONSE OBJECTIVES: (no new missions can be carried out due to termination of robot) STATUS: I'm coming
"Huh? Who's coming? What is going on?" The robot moves its hand. "My-m- master iss c-coming. B-brace yours-selves. H-he w-won't be as mer-merciful as m-me." It utters in the same mechanical voice, sparks shoot from its mouth, smoke arises from it and it lies lifeless. "No." Renee chokes out with frozen lips. "What? What's wrong Renee?" She doesn't respond, just shrinks backwards shaking her head. He touches her shoulder, but she slips even farther backwards, raising a shaking, pale hand to point. He turns around. Dauragon stands near Robo-Reikos pathetic corpse. "Why so afraid sister?" He asks mockingly. Renee sinks to her knees near a dark shadow. "I don't know what you did to her, but I'm sure it wasn't good, so now you are going to die, and I'm going to make sure that you'll stay dead." Kou says icily. "Why protect her? All she is, is a schizophrenic excuse for a Mikado." Dauragon responds cruelly. "And I'm sure you're the reason that she's like that. Bring it on." Fight "You're reason for motivation is her?" Renee looks up, but does not speak. "Why? I have been meaning to kill her for years, she is such a threat existing." Now she stands up and limps foreword a few steps. Not saying anything, still silent she raises her fists. "Amusing Renee. It will be good to finally dispose of you. Allow me to finish the job Reiko started." Renee falters slightly but does not back down. Fight
"Did this become easier, or is it just me?" Renee bends down and gingerly touches his wrist. To be doubly sure, she rips a knife from Robo-Reikos belt and sticks it in his neck. She rises without comment, then brings a hand to her mouth. "What is it?" She crosses the room and gently touches the mark on his arm. Her fingers are still ice cold. "That's nothing Renee. It's just a scratch. What about you, are you all right?" She nods and looks at him quizzically. "I'm fine. We can go home now." She steps back. "What?" Tears glimmer in her eyes. A-am h-home." She utter with lips made of ice. "Not now. Renee, come with me. You can deal with this later, do you understand that you need medical attention?" After a moment she takes his hand and allows him to lead her down the stairs. A voice behind them makes Renee stop walking and turn around. To their amazement, Robo-Reiko stands up, still smoking and near destroyed with inner mechanics exposed thoroughly. Her lower jaw had fallen off, but she begins to talk. "The Rocket Tower will Self-Destruct in five minutes. The Self-Destruct system has been activated. All personnel in the Rocket Tower, evacuate immediately." She repeated herself. "Come on, Renee! He takes her hand and runs down the stairs. "Two minutes, forty nine seconds, thirteen milliseconds." The robot recites. The bottom step collapses. "One minute, thirty seconds, seven milliseconds." The exit door is already open. On instinct, Kou shoves Renee in first then runs after her. The top of the tower catches fire and the pillar collapses. He pushes her foreword they land on the ground. Both watch the sector burn. "It's over Renee." He says, stroking her hair.
EPILOUGE
"Goodnight Renee." He kisses her lightly on the cheek and gently strokes her face. "I wish you would speak again." Instead of her normal reaction, staring at him for a moment then turning around to mount the staircase, she takes a step foreword and throws her arms around his neck. "Easy." She looks up. For a moment he thought he saw great longing in her deep eyes. The illusion flickered back into her normal sorrowful, fearful expression. She didn't let go. "What is it?" Slowly she looks up. "T-thank you." She says timidly. "What?" "Thank you." She repeats without hesitation. "Huh? Oh. You're welcome, no problem. Hey, what's this?" He reaches to the back of her neck. Wrapped several times around is a silver chain, ebbing so deeply into her skin, blood spots are appearing on her pale neck. Tracing the chain, attached to the end is an oval locket, or at least appears to be, although there was something wrong with its position. The piece was visible through her skin. "Can I take this off?" She nods. He has to dig into her skin to tear out the chain. "This will hurt." He rips the entire chain off her neck from above. As soon as the necklace is off the blood flows more freely. She breaks his grasp and brings her hands up to her neck, coughing. Her voice sounded clearer. She coughs hard again, and retches what appears to be oil and blood mixed together into her hand. While she redeems herself, Kou examines the choker. The chain was really a wire. The locket was a Silence chip. A temporary suppresser to one's voice. Renee looks up with bloodshot eyes. "Ahem." He holds up the mini computer. "Thank you! I tried to tell you but-" "It's no big deal. Why didn't you write it down? You had me worried, I thought you were mentally unstable or something." Renee frowned, but was unable not to smile. "Let's see what would I have written? Dear Kou, there is a suppresser jammed in my throat and you'll have to dig into my skin to rip it out so I will talk again. If I were you then I'd really think that I was psycho." "How would you know? I don't even think you're phobic." Renee smiles. "Thanks again." She steps over and kisses him on the cheek. "Oh the hell with it!" She kisses him on the lips. Surprisingly enough he breaks it. "Are you insane, I'll kill you!" Renee giggles. "I don't think so, nope, not if you're keeping me warm." She purrs. "But still you'll-" He is silenced by her diving on him and kissing him heavily on the mouth. Instead of pulling away this time, he holds her back and allows her to push him backward onto the couch. They kiss and pull off each other's clothes, barely making it up the stairs. Kou notices Renee is wearing a black velvet thong, and looks at her oddly. She shrugs. "You've been looking forward to this for awhile, haven't you?" He asks. "Mm." She responds, kissing her way down his chest. "I think we should wait." Renee looks up. "If that's the way you feel, fine." She says, but with no bitterness, lying down on the bed. He does as well, and slips an arm around her shoulders. She burrows closer to him, happy she is this near, and closes her eyes on his chest feeling warm and protected in his embrace. "Renee?" He suddenly asks. She opens her eyes. "Mm?" She responds, snuggling even closer to him. "You know how in the building, you'd tell me what you meant if you decided to? Have you decided?" Renee sits up and leans forward, showing him her back. There is a long scar there, starting at her right shoulder blade and stopping just above her lower back. Gingerly he traces the mark with his fingers. She cringes as if stung. "Guess who?" She breathes. "The bastard." Kou grumbles. "Guess what else? I'm not a virgin but I've never had a boyfriend, well next to you." She says. The news sinks in slowly. "Son of a bitch!" He nearly screams. Renee trembles under the unexpected reaction. Kou pulls her into his arms and strokes her long hair. Touched by his tenderness she simply lies slack against him, allowing his touch as he gently strokes her hair, neck and shoulders. "I love you." She murmurs before falling asleep. He kisses her brow and gently places her down on the bed. "I love you too." He says, watching her sleep for awhile before nodding off himself.
END