Chapter 23:

Slade had tracked the Techno vehicle over the rough country roads, through the city's waste strewn outer edges and had at last reached what he believed was Mega's headquarters. The truck had gotten here long before him. Now he sat staring at the gate, trying to determine how to get inside.

The place seemed devoid of life and he wondered if he was crazy, maybe his tracking skills weren't as good as he thought, maybe the truck hadn't come here. Then he heard it, the roar of an engine coming towards him. He crouched low behind the nearby bushes and watched it approach the gates. This was Mega's army, Slade thought to himself. Techno's were piled into the truck. Slade looked closer and saw that this army looked as though they had just been defeated in battle. They looked like weary, injured, beaten men going back to face their commander and tell him of their failure. Mega would not go easy on them, of that Slade was certain.

Crouching low Slade moved from his place in the trees down toward the road. He moved in quickly beside the truck and crouched low to the ground. As the gates opened to allow the Techno's entrance Slade slipped in behind them. Before the truck could empty its contents, Slade found a hiding place close by with a clear view of the headquarters' entrance and settled down to wait for his brother to make an appearance.

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"What do you mean the mission was not completed?" Mega asked through gritted teeth as he glared at his captain.

"Jay's guard sir, and Ebony's militia, they overwhelmed us," the captain explained.

Quietly, Mega closed the distance between them. "Are you telling me that you failed?" Mega asked, his voice slightly raised. "Are you telling me that you let Jay and Ebony's ragged army defeat you?" his voice was becoming louder by the second. "Are you telling me that the Mallrats have won?" he shouted at his captain.

The captain nodded slightly, looking incredibly frightened.

Mega took a steadying breath and began again, in a calm, emotionless voice, "Let me tell you something…The Mallrats have not won yet. We'll keep trying, we'll wear them down. We have better weapons, more technology, we have brains…" he paused and looked down at his captain, "well…most of us," at this obvious slight the Techno captain looked down at the floor in shame.

"But most important of all," Mega continued, "we have Ram."

"What?" Ram exclaimed with a cry of alarm.

Mega turned to face the former Techno leader. It was disgusting, the weakness he could see in him. This was not the same Ram who had enslaved countless children in his quest for a perfect virtual world. This was Ram, the Mallrat. A man who had been contaminated by their ideals, their way of life and their women…this was not the Ram he had known.

"Yes, Ram," Mega said coldly, "I think you will be a useful tool in our little war."

"What makes you think that I would ever help you?" Ram asked contemptuously.

Mega regarded Ram for a moment, thinking to himself that this man could be easily manipulated, bent to his will. He had bested Ram before, he would do so again. Those fools may have failed to bring in Slade, but at least they had delivered the former Techno leader to him. This may have been fortuitous indeed. Slade would have never have helped him and he would have been forced to finish his brother…he would finish Ram too, but he could afford to wait a bit. At least Ram would not try to psychoanalyze him or reform him.

"I seem to remember that you have a rather close relationship with my brother, isn't that right?" Mega asked his captive in a seemingly casual manner. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to Slade, anything fatal."

Ram regarded him with a closed expression. He knew he was being toyed with. He had seen Mega in action before.

When his threat failed to elicit the proper response Mega tried a different tactic. Leaning in closer towards his prey he arched one regal brow, "Such a nice little family life you've been leading down in Liberty. The little girl, Lottie, you love her almost like a daughter don't you? That's so touching; it would be such a shame if she had an accident." Ram's expression faltered, showing a bit of pain and indecision…Mega knew that he had touched a nerve, now it was time to move in for the kill. "And the woman you've been seeing. She's such a lovely thing, what's her name? Oh don't tell me…I know…Ruby…What a life you could have together. Pity she won't live long enough to see you again."

At that remark Ram crumbled. Not Ruby, Mega could do anything to him, threaten anyone, but not Ruby…because Ram knew what Mega was capable of…he would kill without a thought. And he couldn't lose Ruby, not now, not after all he'd done, after how far he had come.

"Alright," Ram said dejectedly, "What do you want? I'll do whatever you want."