Author's note: Oh, so-familiar disclaimer- most characters are Capcom's, the rest mine. Also, Hostage Situation # 2 isn't the real title, in part to keep you in the dark about how the situation plays out. Well, here goes...

Megaman Legends: The Lariozan Connection
Chapter Ten: Suspended Aggression

"Eeek! What have I done to you to deserve this?" Roll slobbered tearfully at the face that was looking at her, a blond face with expressions of both jubilance and anger.

"Remember Nino Island, 2 years ago?" Glyde rasped. "If not, I certainly do. You were the one who set up that soud cannon and botched my plans to control your island. And it was you who brought your auburn friend into the scene in the first place!" (For those whose minds are cruel, Roll was spared "it", sorry.) Two slaps stung her cheeks, and afterwards was drugged by a sleeping serum.

"You," Glyde commanded one of the two rebels holding her, "tie her up and take her to the Mitra. I'll follow behind. En pronto!"

"Si, SeƱor Glyde," the two obliged as they bound the poor hostage up.

"MR. BURNLEY! ROLL! WHERE ARE YOU?" was the first thing Megaman blurted out when he exited Zona 25. He was extremely worried about the situation a while back, as it appeared Roll was abducted. As expected, the area was plastered with bomb craters, some of which were deep enough to be used as foxholes. The van was riddled with bullets, but mercifully 75% intact. Burnley looked like he was waking up from a savage beating as he staggered to him.

"MEGAMAN! TRY TO CROUCH DOWN!" the journalist shouted to him. A bullet whizzed by.

"Where's Tacio and Esteban?" asked Megaman as he approached the bomb crater nearest them, with some soldiers who were trying to fight off the rebels in the other side.

"Tacio's fine, but Esteban was hit by shrapnel. He's at the field hospital waiting for complete recuperation. FIRE IN THE HOLE!" As he said this, a rocket landed on the area. The two escaped; the squad didn't.

"Oh, sweet Lord," Burnley muttered to himself as he went back and saw the corpses. After getting a submachine gun and a pith helmet, he went on further, "Megaman, check where that RPG came from. It certainly wasn't a grenade launched from a typical grenade launcher. I'll ask those retreating soldiers over there what they are running from-it might be our lucky break." The conversation was brief, but forthcoming as he made his way to talk with a tired corporal.

"They've tried to fight off a sort of tank, but to no avail. That must be where the grenade came from-"

KABOOM!

"JESUS CHRIST!" Burnley ended his explanation as another RPG whizzed by. For suddenly on the horizon, a mammoth tank-like machine that immediately apppeared, both protagonists' mouths gaping before Megaman spotted the G monogram on the front-Glyde's machine had certainly frightened them off, he thought. The machine ran on treads, had three tank turrets, each having three long-range howitzers, and on the aft was what seems like a control tower. On the sides were grenade launchers, and on the central turret, missile launchers, as well as some machine guns on the front, sides and below the tower's windows.

"My, God, that leviathan is one whole piece of artillery," was the only thing Burnley could say.

A deep but girlish voice (note to readers: I doubt this character's "allegiance", if you know what I mean) rang out. "So, Megaman," Glyde said over the microphone, "long time no see."

"And I'd prefer it that way, Glyde!" he said out loud. "What on earth have you done to my sister?"

"Easy now, boy," he replied, the sly, manipulative negotiator that he was. "Roll Caskett is still alive, more or less intact. As a matter of fact, let me show you how she's doing." At this, a crane stuck out from behind, with the tied-up 15 year-old blonde dangling from the rope. The rope was connected to her bonds, and she was right in front of the machine gun. She was obviously frightened, having regained consciousness.

"You see, my friend," Glyde continued, "I opine that you would do anything to save her. Now be a good boy, give up that key, the refractor, and the whole caboodle, and everything will be fine. If not," he said as the crane lifted Roll out of range and the machine gun fired a few rounds, "we have a problem." The crane promptly returned her back again.

"What am I gonna do?" he thought to himself. "If I don't givethe key, Roll will die; if I do, that would be a stepping stone for them to take the island. Oh, Lord!"

"I'm waiting," announced Glyde.

Suddenly, a grenade from their left exploded, sending the crew of the Mitra into a frenzy, firing wildly. Thankfully, the gun nearest Roll wasn't one of them.

"Megaman, that thing can't run over craters, and it's a huge probability that if we land the damn contraption on one of them," Burnley said while they were returning fire, "I can try to disable those guns over there while you try to rescue Roll. Don't worry, I have undergone basic and intermediate military training."

"OK, Mr Burnley. But first, I'll try to have that contraption chase me to that crater near the burnt-out tank,while you have to disable the machine gun nearest Roll. If you're lucky, you can even save her."

"Got that, young man. Let's go kick some commie derrieres!" Burnley exclaimed, then saying to himself, "Oh boy, ALPRA's never gonna forgive me for this."

First, Megaman fired some missiles into the turrets-one of them was disabled. Burnley then lobbed a grenade he picked up, damaging the left treads, but the Mitra still ran on. And finally, the vehicle was led to the crater, as planned, being stuck for a short time before it got out again.

"Don't worry, there's another one ahead," Megaman said.

"And don't worry too It's been slowed down! You can just climb on the platform to snatch her!" came the reply.

Taking on cue, Megaman fell down, crouching low to the side of the Mitra whose guns were disabled, while Burnley ran to the other crater and took pot-shots at the rope above Roll, severing it.

Roll promptly fell down onto the platform, rearfirst, and was then snatched by Megaman, who knocked out the machine gun. He then fired on the remaining two turrets, and had disabled the right as well before the central turret's launchers, the grenade launchers and a strange gun turret above the control tower.

"Got you where I expected Megaman," Glyde said, exhausted but still cocky. "Now this will be easy, for me, for that incident back there at Nino. Ultra Glyde Death Ray!"

Megaman couldn't find anything to do but just fire his Buster gun at the cannon aimed at them. A glitch followed.

"B-b-boss! There's a reverse energy source that blocked our ray!" squawked one Birdbot. "I-i-it's aiming at us backwards!"

Megaman picked up Roll and jumped off.

"WHAT! DO SOMETHING!" was all the gangster could say before his contraption blew up. The powerful machine was now a smoldering heap of metal, with Glyde's escape ship whizzing out before being struck with an unlaunched grenade and exploding. It's passenger got out weary and humiliated.

"AAAAAGH! DAMN THAT MEGAMAN IT HAPPENED AGAIN!" was all he managed to say as a Drache landed close by to pick him up.

"Soldados, avante! (Soldiers, advance!)" cried the Major, who was near the scene as Lariozan troops hurled themselves against the rebels. Chaos ensued as rebels either fled or surrendered to the advancing battalion, reinforced by a newly-arrived unit from San Gabriel, as well as a squadron of ships and planes that attacked the rebel air forces. Then, jubilation, as the final unit surrendered to the soldiers.

"Well," Roll managed to say as she got up unbound from the ropes, "all's well that ends well."

"Thank God I've a portable videocam here," Burnley remarked as he picked up a small gadget from his pocket. "Let's get filming!"

One key down, four to go. Chapter Eleven: War Plan, coming soon.

P.S. What do you think? R&R and send suggestions at ceig13@yahoo.com.