Master of Puppets, I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing
Just call my name cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master!
Just call my name cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master! Puppet Master - Metallica
Bringing up his guns, "Need to end this quickly," thought Jake, "They're under Blood's control. No free will of their own."
Hex bolts from Jinx ended that by hitting his pistols causing them to burst apart into pieces of metal.
Staring at his empty hands, "Oh fuck me," Jake mumbled wide eyed.
A large hand struck the distracted Jake sending forward. Rolling onto his feet, he saw Mammoth, flying right towards me. Rolling away caused Mammoth's fist to slam into the brick wall instead of Jake. Watching him rise with no indication of pain from destroying the wall got interrupted hot lead ripping hard and fast into Jake's back.
With an evil grin on his face, Gizmo continued with the mini guns. Planning to rip the mini guns free from Gizmo then use them on the others, Jake rushed towards him only for the ground to shake as a wall with protruding spikes canceling his plans.
"Damn, Jinx and her Hex bolts," mumbled Jake.
Gripping Jake's entire skull, Mammoth drove his fist along with Jake's skull through the wall of spikes. Shattering the wall on impact, Jake screamed in pain as his healing factor tried to keep up with the damage. At these point, brain damage for Jake might be an improvement.
Once, twice, three times into the ground leaving a small impact crater, Mammoth tossed Jake into the air. Twisting around into a better landing position in midair, Jake saw Jinx flying towards him. With a back flip kick her steel-toed boot slamming into Jake's face sent him spinning while still in midair while her other foot connected with his spine.
Yelling in pain since it felt like his spine was broken only around the joints. Reversing her spin in the air, her foot drove into his stomach then downwards right into Gizmo's energy swords. They pierced through his chest, past his rib bones into both lungs.
Gasping through the pain as the blood enter his lungs was following by his scream of bloody murder when Gizmo pumped electricity through his swords shocking Jake's insides with well over a thousand volts actually its not the voltage, it's the amps that will kill you.
Gizmo pulled with extra force the swords free ripping Jake's flesh even further. Catching Jake's leg, Mammoth sent him through a few more of the spikes, that got missed earlier, shattering them, finally the far wall stopped Jake's momentum.
Painfully rolling onto his side, his healing factor struggled in healing his wounds in fact he coughed up blood. Reaching into his mouth, moving his finger around, he pulled out a pair of broken teeth. What he noticed the most caused his anger to raise.
Stopping his students, "How does it feel now?" taunted Blood, "Mr. Spiegel to beg for your life like so many hunters before you. How does it feel to be on your knees before a greater man?"
Now what caused Jake's anger to raise was the captured Titans' shock, fear, anger. Witnessing how hurt Starfire was to see one of her friends in such pain. The hate in Nightwing's face, and how much he wanted to fight. Cyborg, in pieces, trying to call out to Jinx to get her to stop.
Finally staring at Raven as Blood gloated. Her mixture of emotion. Her tears. Her screams for Jake to run, even though he didn't hear her voice.
Finally resting his eyes on where Cray was hanging, a grin formed on Jake's lips.
"And now, I will give you the pleasure of death, Mr. Spiegel," said Blood raising his hand.
Sweeping it forward signaled the three HIVE students to charge.
A series of gunshots stopped the HIVE students where they stood.
The shots came from a ledge halfway up from where Jake was and where Blood stood. Crouching down, Cray's face and hair covered with his own dried blood. without his shirt which was torn up to all hell to begin with. In his hands gripped a pair of what looked like heavily modified German Walther P38s with long barrels with special slide actions and seemed to glow.
"You know, Blood," remarked Cray, "next time you capture someone, don't leave their tools within reach should they get free," throwing the P38s, "Gunslinger, consider these a loner!"
Landing between the HIVE students and Jake, he made a break for them, even though his body still was not 100 percent. Now he's got a reason to fight.
Mammoth charged forward. with Jinx firing her Hex bolts and Gizmo sending missiles in an attempt to stop Jake. Jake ducked and weaved till he got close enough to Cray's guns. Diving, he slid and grabbed both on the first try, right when Mammoth was right in front of Jake.
Kicking with his feet again Jake started sliding once again. Mammoth tried grabbing for Jake. He was too clumsy and Jake slid under him. Spinning around, Jake shot behind Mammoth's kneecaps. Feeling the weight and the firepower behind these things, Jake figured they were energy based rather then normal guns. And they were being used by a hunter, then that's an extra for Team Jake.
Gizmo appeared above Jake bringing down his energy swords. Rolling out of the way just a second to late as one of the swords cut through his right arm almost clean off. Crying out in pain, he gripped his right arm. Gizmo spun his mini guns again, ready to use them.
Appearing in front of Jake, Cray held a piece of metal. Lifting it up, he brought it back down with a bit of force. Like Nightwing's collapsible staff, the piece of metal extended into a spear. Swinging it around with a practiced ease, he brought the tip down in front of him. Without a word, he shot forward plunging the spear into the mini gun on the right side. It spun around, slicing through the second gun while Cray kept moving. Within five seconds, the machine Gizmo was strapped into was broken into pieces on the ground.
Jake tossed one gun over to Cray which he caught with ease. Aiming at Gizmo, a single gunshot knocked Gizmo out. Placing the spear on his shoulder, and with his gun in his hand, he looked over his shoulder at Jake with an evil grin on his face.
"Been waiting for some payback."
A scream alerted them to Jinx's location. She was charging up a large blast. Jake stared at Cray while Cray stared at Jake. They raised their guns and pulled the triggers. Both energy bullets hit Jinx's stomach at the same time knocking her out.
Jake's healing factor gave him the strength to stand. Walking over to Cray, Jake returned him his gun.
"Thanks for the help."
He shrugged.
Clapping above them, "I am most please with your performance," Blood said, "You always were one of my best students, Cray."
"Fuck you old man, cause now its time for your beat down," replied Cray.
Collapsing his spear, he placed it behind his back then aimed his guns on Blood.
Blood's eyes quickly flashed. causing the remains of the Cybots to reassemble and aimed their sonic cannons on the two hunters.
"Think you can get the Titan's free," Jake asked Cray.
"Yea, but what about those things," he replied.
"I've been aching to use these," Jake said snapping his lower arms out, and snitk went his claws, "Leave these fuckers to me," staring between his claws.
Nodding, Cray moved off to free the others.
Roaring with his pent up anger, the hate against Blood for hurting those he care about especially, Jake rushed forward with a new speed, cutting and slashing through the Cybots like paper. Getting hit by sonic cannons and metal fists, Jake hit back just little harder. Not even Blood rebuilding them with his power could stop Jake at this point. His inner beast took over. In his eyes, a blanket of blood covered world and everything had to die.
Seeing how pointless it was to use these worthless creations against Jake, Blood allowed their numbers ran out quickly.
He wasn't in control, the rage wanted more blood. Real blood.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder on instinct, he grabbed it then forced the person onto the ground. Pinning down his opponent, he brought his claws back . Ready to kill, until he saw who was pinned beneath him. It was Raven looking at him with fear in her eyes.
The shock caused his rage to cease as if nothing happened. Removing himself off her, he sheathed his claws almost killing the girl that meant more in the world then anything else. Jake shot Anger, guess that doesn't count.
"Pity, I would have enjoyed watching you spill her blood," caused Jake to stare at Blood, who was floating down towards them then landed softly with his face fully smiling.
Full of anger. Unable tot say anything. Angry with himself. How could he let himself put Raven in danger? She's a Titan. A grown woman knew what she was getting herself. He knew he was a threat to everyone he protected when using his claws, and releasing his rage. He couldn't even look at Blood, his mind screaming at himself for what he had done. Jake, shut up.
"I don't blame you, Jake," he heard from her lips then missed, "She's lying."
Looking over his shoulder at Raven, he saw her eyes no longer afraid. They showed something else.
Approaching Jake, "I know you would never hurt me," hello, he shot Anger, "and I know of the beast you keep within," getting close to Jake.
Jake wanted to add distance, get away before he risked hurting her. Too late, he already hurt her just doesn't realize it.
Catching his lips with her lips, a moment that felt thousand years had pass.
Pulling back, "I will never be afraid of you, Jake. Don't blame yourself for what you cannot control. I love you."
Staring at her for a moment, she wasn't afraid of him or the monster he was.
"How romantic, expressing your love before your death," said Blood smiling that shouted insanity.
Moving up, "You're the one who's going to die, Blood," stated Cray bringing his guns bear on the human demon.
Moving beside Cray, Jake was going see this through. See the woman he loved live.
Unsheathing his claws, pressing his back against Cray's back, "And we're the ones who will bring you down, old man."
