The pirates and party guests all ran for cover as Hacksaw threw Karnage through the wall, sending him crashing into the salad bar. Getting to his feet, the captain looked for a weapon of some sorts to defend himself with, but there were none around. The android laughed as he approached Karnage.
"Looks like you are finished," he said, then blasted the captain with a beam of radioactive energy. Don Karnage felt his body weaken, but he forced himself to stay up. "You still have some fight in you, I like that." Hacksaw applauded with a smile.
Then he blasted the captain with another beam of radioactive energy, then another, and another after that one. But no matter how many times he hit the captain, he refused to go down. Now the evil android was really angry. "I should have killed you the day you met your fucking family!" he shouted, then grabbed Karnage by the neck. "Time to die, hero!"
Jasmine watched in horror that her beloved captain was about to die, but then she remembered something. The android had one major weakness. His plutonium heart was his weakness. Jasmine saw a pot of boiling oil used to deep fry fish for her father's party. Without even thinking, the beautiful vixen picked up the pot and tossed it at the android.
Karnage was able to free himself from Hacksaw's grip before the oil made contact with him. At first, the android looked at his fake skin burning off from the oil. "What was that suppose to be?" he asked, clearly not in the least bit amused by Jasmine's feeble attempt to save her boyfriend.
Jasmine smiled when she saw the oil make contact with the plutonium heart. "Boiling oil," she smirked.
Hacksaw looked down to see his plutonium heart suddenly fall from his chest. His eyes widened when he realized that without the plutonium heart, he was doomed. "NO!" he cried before falling down. The android thrashed about on the floor before the last bit of power left his metallic body, then it was over.
Don Karnage looked over at Jasmine and was able to smile. "Good work," he said coughing up some blood. Within the next hour, Karnage once again found himself in the med bay of the Iron Vulture. Stinky Boot was testing his blood for radiation poisoning, but there was no traces found. It was like Karnage had never been hit with radioactive energy.
The ship's medic ran more tests, but nothing turned up. So, Stinky Boot felt it best just to let Karnage rest for awhile. As the captain rested, Rebecca went to Stinky Boot and asked him to run a test on her. Waiting for the results was the worst part and it was only going to get worse. When Stinky Boot came back he looked at the worried expression on Rebecca's face, he wanted nothing more then to tell her that it was alright, but no. He had to tell her.
"You're pregnant alright," he said handing her the test results.
Rebecca felt her soul shatter. It was just like her nightmare. "I don't want this baby," she sobbed. "I want it gone."
Stinky Boot stepped back in shock. Was Rebecca really asking him to terminate the life of an unborn baby? There was no way he wanted that kind of blood on his hands. "I am not doing it," he said, then stormed out of the med bay, leaving Rebecca in a state of depression.
Later that night, Rebecca went and told Baloo about the baby. He didn't take it very well when she told him that she was going to terminate her pregnancy. No matter how much she begged him, Baloo refused to support her. But instead, he pulled Rebecca into a hug and told her that he would rather raise the baby for her then see it killed for being forced on her. At hearing this, Rebecca pulled away from Baloo.
"Then you keep it when it is born, I can't love a rape baby." he shouted, then threw herself on the bed and cried her eyes out.
Well, Baloo wasn't going to let Rebecca suffer alone, so he sat down on the bed next her, gently brushing her arm with his right hand. His kindness seemed to work a little, and Rebecca calm down to the point where she was only letting her tears run her cheeks.
"Baloo?" she asked softly, wiping a stay tear from her eye. "Do...You know…? Love me?"
Baloo smiled and pulled her hand up his face. "I do," he whispered giving her hand a soft kiss.
"Will you stay with me tonight?"
"Yes."
Then she asked. "Make love to me?"
Baloo didn't know why Rebecca would ask him something like that. It wasn't right, because she was going through the emotions of being sexually assaulted. "No," Baloo said, then pulled Rebecca into a hug and held her tight. "No, I won't make love to you, but I will love and protect you," he said reassuring his beautiful Rebecca that nothing was going to hurt her again.
Rebecca smiled brightly. Even though she was hurting, Baloo was there to make the pain better. He was everything she ever wanted in man. Loyal. Strong. Loving. And above all, he respected her very rights as a woman. He had matured quite a lot since he first met her, and on many occasions, had shown he was good enough to be a father figure for Molly and Kit. Maybe, just maybe, Baloo would pop the question and ask her to merry him.
The next morning, the Iron Vulture landed at the island of Dagon. From they landed, Karnage could already see that Shere Khan had a good head start. Calling out the crew, Don Karnage quickly put together a rescue team. There were two sides to his plan. Baloo would pilot the Iron Vulture in the direction of the temple, while the captain would lead his team on the ground. There was no way Shere Khan was reaching the temple with Anna.
After an hour of walking, the pirates came to a large crack in the earth. Stinky Boot looked down into the dark abyss. "Quite a drop," he said stepping away from the edge.
"We have to cross it," Karnage said.
The crew began to grumble among each other. Each one of them had an idea on how to cross.
Ugly Mug suggested they catapult themselves over the abyss using palm tress. Sticky Boot thought poll vaulting across the gap, but he quickly changed his mind when One-Eyed Linda said…
"Why not just cross the bridge?" she asked the crew. They all turned to their left and saw a rope bride that looked really worn down, but they had no choice. It was the quickest way for them to get across and save Anna.
Five by Five, the pirates slowly made their way across the bridge. When it was time for Ugly Mug, Stinky Boot, Peg Leg Meg, Don Karnage and Jasmine to cross, they all proceeded with caution. For every step they took, the bridge would creak, and the boards would look like they were going to snap. Jasmine suddenly stopped when she felt part of the plank board bend under her weight. Don Karnage held her tightly.
"Don't worry," he said patting her on the shoulder. "I won't let you fall."
Jasmine felt a since of relief at her boyfriend's words.
"He's right," Stinky Boot said from behind the couple. He took hold of the two ropes used for guard rails. "I was on bridge like this once, it was steady as a rock. See?" the pirate medic said as he began to rock the bridge.
The others held on for dear life as they begged Stinky Boot to stop, but it was to late. Ugly Mug lost his grip and went flying over the side. Don Karnage and the others watched sadly as their friend neared the bottom of the gap, but no one was going to die in this part of the story, they would just wish they were dead.
By the time night set in, Ugly Mug was found with a broken leg, dislocated shoulder, three major slashes on his back, and a really big bump on the head. On did he wish he was dead. Ugly Mug looked at Stinky Boot with rage filled eyes.
The pirate medic looked back at his captain for some kind of support, but Karnage had the same angry look in his eyes. And it wasn't just him, everyone was angry with what Stinky Boot had done on the bridge.
"Sorry?" Stinky Boot asked his ship mates.
Ugly Mug spit some blood out into a cup. "Apology not accepted," he grumbled.
Karnage turned to Jasmine. "If there two start fighting, we are never going to get off this island alive," he told her. Jasmine nodded. The captain knew he had to settle this before it was to late. "My fellow pirates," he said addressing his crew, who all turned their gaze to him. "Look, we all are mad at Stinky Boot for putting us in danger, but we must learn to forgive, otherwise, we will surely loose our chance at reclaiming the greatest treasure of all..."
The pirates all looked at him.
"My daughter Anna," Karnage finished.
"Donovan is right. Anna is worth more then all the gold one can steal." Jasmine standing up, before taking her place next to Karnage. The lovely vixen turned to Stinky Boot. "Stinky Boot meant no harm. I say we forgive him."
The pirates nodded, agreeing with Jasmine. Even Ugly Mug seemed to take her words to heart, but he dared not say it.
Now as the pirates prepared for the long journey ahead, Shere Khan and his followers were also setting up camp. The evil business tiger sat by the fire, keeping a close eye on Anna, who he had chained to a nearby tree. The little vixen pulled at her chains, causing Khan to smirk in amusement at her attempts of escape.
"Sit down and relax, Anna," he said smiling at her. "We need you well rest for the offering tomorrow."
Anna's eyes filled with tears. She was afraid. "When my daddy comes for me, he is going to kill you," she said, spitting on his nice suit again.
"Brat!" Shere Khan roared jumping to his feet. Anna was now horrified that Shere Khan was going to hurt her, and she was right. He took hold of her arm and forced her hand into the fire. Anna started screaming, but her cries fell on deaf ears, none of Khan's people dared to stop the abuse when he was this angry.
A whole minute passed before pulled Anna's arm away from the fire. She was wailing loudly. "When the times comes, I shall enjoy killing you." he said with a dark twisted smile.
Anna looked up at him. "Fuck you!" she shouted, getting slap to the face from Khan.
"Kids," Khan sighed. "I so hate them." Looking back at Anna, the evil business tiger retired to his tent for a good night sleep.
Anna looked at her burned arm which was still extremely in pain. "Daddy," she spoke. Concentrating her mind on one whom she knew who loved her and might come and rescue her. Anna spoke and called out to her father again, "Daddy, hear me." Pitifully she cried out again. "Daddy."
Back at Karnage's camp, Jasmine was offering the crew food. When she came to Karnage she asked him if he wanted something to eat.
But Karnage seemed to be in a daze. He didn't acknowledge Jasmine's question, but stared straight ahead of him as if transfixed. Then, out of his dreamlike trance, he spoke. "Anna," he said, as if responding to something he heard.
"What?" Jasmine asked.
"We need to call the Iron Vulture to come and pick us up," he said urgently. "I now know where the temple is and when there going to get there. It's the only way to save Anna."
