Of Wolves and Devils: A Dark Angel Fanfiction Story
Episode 12:
A few days later…
It's a cloudy day over Seattle…and over the best known skating rink around.
It has red and green swirled almost Mayan temple styled graffiti over its many ramps, plenty of trees on one side behind a fence…and a relic of a amusement park.
No one wants to tear the amusement park down, because the cranky old former millionaire who owned the place made his own bed there: In legal papers and all.
Some even try to stunt ride the park's rusty old roller coaster track at night: If they can get past the yellow tape around it without Sector Police catching them.
Right now… The rink is bustling with activity from a lot of guys on bikes.
A lot of them have black and blue jackets on for the weather.
And, among them…Max and Sketchy are taking to the ramps themselves.
Max is in her jet black jacket over her dark blue purplish top with her Ninja painted on it. Sketchy is in his red and white painting like sweatshirt.
With her bike, Max does a high wheelie off a back ramp. And, several feet up, she's going for a 540 backflip. Some wolf whistles and claps are easily heard.
Max comes down on a forward ramp, making it look like anyone can.
Faintly amused, Original Cindy goes, "now that is showing off."
Syl faintly chuckles.
Original Cindy is in black under her black mostly metal studded jacket, with her hair all up in a bun. Syl is in her dark blue army jacket over a dark yellow top.
With his bike, Sketchy does a nose manual touchdown from a 180 tailwind…to high speed off another ramp for a 360 tailwind.
He barely touches down on the next ramp, a little wobbly as he does.
But, he turns it leftward down and circles back around on the pavement to stay on.
Plenty of claps go all around: Present company included.
Sketchy breathes a sigh of relief over the bike.
But, as he looks up, he catches sight of Syl. And, he winks at her.
She smiles at him: Her face a little red. He smiles back.
Then, reality hits. And, he goes to the side to really catch his breath.
Syl is still smiling brightly, "he's good." Original Cindy comments, "Original Cindy is just as surprised as you. But, he sure ain't tripping."
Original Cindy wonders, "so…what's the word on you and Sketchy?"
Syl apologizes awkwardly, "sorry, Original Cindy. I'm not a spiller."
With a slight chuckle, Original Cindy figures, "right. Sketchy would get all emotional." Syl adds, "well…more or less. But, he means well."
Original Cindy remarks, "story of his life for real." They both faintly chuckle.
Original Cindy insists, "but asking serious here. Not even one thing to spill? And, it don't need to be boy related neither."
Syl admits nervously, "well… There is one thing."
With a faint smile, Original Cindy goes, "aiight."
Syl reveals, "even Zack didn't know. But, before he died… I kind of had a crush on him for the longest time."
Original Cindy looks dumbfounded, "you mean that job tripping SOB who almost got Max to go to Canada with him for something he went up and did?"
Syl reflectively voices, "yeah. But, he had his moments too. But… I knew he would never take it well: Me being into him that much. So, I never told him."
Original Cindy says, "hmm. Now that I can believe. But, aren't you all…?"
It suddenly hits Syl, "ohh. Slight laugh. Sorry. I thought Max might've explained it. We may be brothers and sisters. But, we all came from different mothers and donors. It'd be too straight up gross for me if we didn't."
Sounding a little better, Original Cindy figures, "ohh. I hear you now."
Syl solemnly adds, "thanks."
Original Cindy reasons, "no problem. So…does she…?"
Syl answers awkwardly, "umm…yeah. She kind of already suspected though."
Original Cindy comments, "that's my girl, aiight."
After cycling around the bent out park… Max comes to a stop before them.
Max checks, "have either of you seen Logan? He was supposed to be here."
Syl figures, "sorry. Not since yesterday." Original Cindy concludes, "hmm. Either he's spaced, or some SOB got him held up somewhere."
Max adds nervously, "thanks. Later, guys."
She heads off the skating rink on the bike…on the lookout for Logan.
Not long after…
With her cellular phone, Max has called his number twice. But, no answer.
She impatiently stands around in the elevator as it shoots up to Logan's apartment.
She comes out of the elevator…to find it all in shambles. No lights on.
The desk has fallen, over some smashed computers.
The phone receiver cord is torn in half. A black camera stand has been thrown into a smashed Chinese screen. Yellow tape is everywhere. And, some Chinese screens are all torn up…over a lot of splintered wrecked furniture and torn up papers.
Max gasps, "oh god."
She looks about to cry. But, she holds back the urge to as she walks in.
She spots a torn up photo: Right where the phone receiver cord is torn in half.
She bends down to pocket the pieces.
But, then…she hears a low growl.
She looks up to see a dog's face looking at her: All in black sable.
Max tries to talk down, "I don't want to hurt you. But, if you don't back off…"
Then…a thick but calm sounding voice assures her, "down, girl. She's ok."
The dog whines a little and lays down: In the dark corner before the refrigerator.
In black and white… Max thinks back to a certain freckled face among her brothers and sisters: Back when they were all in mostly white beds at Manticore.
Very much stunned… Max asks, "Zane?"
Seconds later… Someone turns on a light.
And, standing in the kitchen…is a kind of familiar freckled face with black medium hair. He wears a greasy gray T-shirt under a thin sleek brown jacket.
Kind of relieved…Max realizes with a faint smile, "Zane."
She pulls him into a tight hug. He hugs her back.
They soon pull apart though.
A little nervous, Zane says, "Max. You don't know how glad I am to see you."
Max faintly figures, "no. But, I'm beginning to."
Zane faintly sighs. He explains, "it was like this when we both got here. Sydney's out there looking for Mister Eyes Only. I kind of had a run in with her, and she said to tell you. She also said I could stay back. Help make sure no one else can come up."
Max comments, "well, I'm impressed. Really. So…this is your dog?"
Zane faintly smiles, "yeah. She is. Her name's Shane."
He bends down to give Shane a good scratch on the back.
She pants and wags her tail happily at that.
In black and white… Max is thinking back to when her brothers and sisters and her were coming down a corridor: Where the Nomlies were kept.
Lydecker ordered, "get moving, soldiers. No one told you to stop."
As they were marching out though… There was some low growling in the corner.
For, from this dark corner…were two mostly dark looking German Shepherds.
And, back the way they came, there was another corner just like it.
Presently…
Max admits uneasily, "you know…if it wasn't for those days back at Manticore… I wouldn't still be nervous. It's not her."
Zane is already looking up at her.
Calmly certain, he concludes, "then you're a lot alike."
Max faintly smiles at that, "thanks." Zane adds, "sure."
With a hand on her hip… Max focuses back on other things, "there's just one thing that I still don't get about this whole thing."
Standing back up… Zane wonders, "what?"
Max snarkily remarks, "how come I had to nose around to get a in to this party?"
Zane admits, "well…because of more than one thing." Max figures, "okay."
Zane relays more of the message, "Sydney thinks some guys called the ZFA could have tapped into the phone lines. She's arranged for a complete reworking of the phones and phone lines connected to Eyes Only: Even her own."
Max goes over to look out the window: One of the few things that wasn't smashed or broken. And, she sees the storm clouds slowly moving on.
She pieces together, "so I've got the last one. And, she couldn't just call. I understand. But…something tells me this is more than just visiting."
Zane faintly sighs. He thinks out loud, "no. I kind of hoped I could get Eyes Only's help on it too. But…it's about Bane."
Max turns around in mixed relief. She says, "you know where he is?"
Zane nervously clarifies, "I'm not sure what's happened to him. But, getting back into Belarus just to find out won't be easy. It may already be too late. But, he's our brother. And, dead or alive…we should at least try to find him."
Max solemnly agrees, "right. You'll fill me in on the way?"
She's already heading back to the elevator.
A little confused, Zane figures, "sure. But, just how are…?"
Max opens the elevator door. And, she then turns back to him.
She insists, "trust me. I know where a ramjet likely still is. Sydney often leaves it in the hangar to make it easy on herself. But, she won't mind if I steal it: Not for this."
Zane checks nervously, "you sure? I wouldn't want to get in trouble with…"
Max kind of explains, "kind of a long story. But, this bitch is in good with Eyes Only. Now, you coming so we can bail a brother out or what?"
Zane faintly chuckles. He comments, "sure. You never change, do you?"
He and Shane start to get on the elevator. Max reactively stands to his other side.
Max points out, "well…not exactly. Only for some important things."
The elevator door closes behind them, as the elevator starts going down.
A few hours later, up in northern Europe…
The clouds are plentiful and swirled with smog.
But, down on Belarus… It seems far from hellish.
Natural gas and hydroelectric wall like power plants of simple white stand parallel to towering churches of mostly white, gold, and pale orange. Colorful contemporary styled houses, farmland, hotel suites, and castles of all shapes and sizes are every which way. No apartments for miles.
Most people have yellow to orange cybernetic arms or legs: Equipped with guns, grappling hooks, missile launchers...even very dark purple EMP guns as big as pistols.
Some just have government black cellular phones with very limited internet range.
Cars of gray, red, and not much in between speed along the open roads.
With so many complaints of them, sidewalks have just been taken out altogether.
Races have become very popular in recent years: Just behind ice hockey.
The annual grand prize is millions of dollars, and a lifetime supply of food goes to second and third. That is, if anyone else lives to drive across the finish line.
Underground trams with mostly red green lined sides have replaced all public transportation. All the airports are officially non-existent: Except for gray Russian private jets, which come and go through little secret airports.
Although… Most of the people either look very shaky or very confident: In their religious styled dresses, or their torn casual attire of black, red, or white.
Not long before a Pulse hit most of Europe, the government had been completely reformed for the better to much relief of the people. But, then the cries for change started to fade. And, it soon hit this wasn't what they wanted after all.
Most everything has become all too legal: Even murder and brothels.
Contacting any country not allied with Belarus though is punishable by death.
But…that's not even the worse part.
The Belarusian Army in army green is very intimidating: With scanner equipped sunglasses with microchips, and nuclear warhead remotes in their red cybernetic arms.
They may look military. But, they're really bodyguards for crime bosses…or are themselves crime bosses. Whatever they want, they get.
They have become the new police, in a land shaken to the very core.
Past some violent brawls in broad daylight… Past the muffled screams of women and men being dragged off by big guys with cybernetic arms… There's a rich field of grass past a orange farmhouse: With some dark green bushy trees all cluttered together.
Running between the trees is Shane, tail wagging like crazy. And, high up in one of the trees is Max and Zane: With Max now in her black catsuit.
With her cat like eyes…Max is looking out to the center of town for plenty a town.
Max remarks, "you know, this would make for a nice clubhouse."
Zane slightly chuckles, "yeah. Except that's not here. We're just here for recon."
Without turning around, Max nervously adds, "right." Zane inquires, "you ok?"
Max turns back to him. She kind of insists, "it's no one really. Just…thinking."
With consideration in his voice, Zane checks, "want to talk about it?"
Max points out, "not really. But…there might not be a better time anyway."
Zane just calmly says, "ok."
Max reflects openly, "after we kicked Manticore's asses for real… Logan checked us out for implants and genetic defects. Tinga's DNA sample helped with that. Turns out it's all good. That is…except for me having the only now dead implant from Manticore, and mild cases of human-animal DNA degeneration."
A little shaken, Zane realizes, "you mean life expectancy."
Max gets teary eyed. She sadly explains, "none of us know for sure how long we got. Logan's guess though is thirty to forty years. I try not to think on it. But… Sniffle. It still kind of hurts. Not knowing when my seizures go lethal one hundred percent."
Still calm sounding as ever, Zane says, "I'm sorry."
Max wipes away a tear.
She figures, "it's ok. I've made it this far. We all have. I just hope Bane has."
Not long after… She sees Bane's face: On a cellular phone's screen, from a casually walking guy with short brown hair in a torn up red sweater like T-shirt.
He has blond mullet hair, a thin sleek dark yellow jacket, a shiny orange and red striped cybernetic arm, and a sharp glare in his eyes: On a orange poster like banner in small dark purple letters, with Russian, German, and English translations.
A little nervous, Zane wonders, "what?" Max is quick to answer, "got something."
Zane faintly pushes, "ok. What?"
Like it's obvious, Max explains, "off of a phone. He's alive. And, I know where."
Zane faintly smiles, "sure. That's good. But…how can you be so sure?"
Max pinpoints, "it's one of Belarus's national bulletins. He's in the Slash and Sickle tournament. It's going down in Vitebsk. 1900 hours." Zane comments, "not bad."
Looking down… Max figures solemnly, "yeah. I just hope it's enough."
She's holding a taped back together photo as she says it.
It's a photo…of the photo of the ZFA's message in motor oil blood.
On the back is a message in pencil in small writing. It says:
Messed up my own place so you find this. Held in same city. Hurry.
-Love, Logan
In black and white… Max is thinking back to what Logan said on Christmas Eve.
Max had solemnly said, "Canada was protected from the Pulse though, and free for all and crap. It's going to be ok. And, not just for Toni."
A little more than a little shaken… Logan admitted, "I hope you're right."
Presently, after the day gives way to night…
Max and Zane are going down a alley between some dark brown bricked houses.
Shane is silently lying back behind a trash can or two: Keeping watch.
1900 hours is drawing near. And, as it does, Max is thinking to herself:
Sometimes, I look down at all the people. But, more and more… I can't help but think we might have all deserved better.
After the Pulse hit… We were lucky with commerce, while Europe, Australia, and Canada have gone through a hell of a lot worse. Just how broken is the world really?
Although… Faint chuckle.
Seems Bane made some of this broken world work to keep himself alive.
For months, Zane and Bane have been getting close to finding out who set it off.
Then Bane was caught in action, and Zane came to me to help get him out of there.
Me, of all people.
This is more than a X-5 reunion or a rescue.
This is what we're going to find out. And, I'm not sure I'm ready to.
They pass two teenage guys in pulled up white hoodies. One has dark brown medium hair. The other has messy black medium hair. They're making out against a wall: Ready with knives in case someone tries to cut in.
Then… They come across a bright neon blue lined greenhouse store like front: With the Russian words СЕРП И ПОРЕЗАТЬ over the gold studded black metal door.
Max reasons, "so this is it." Zane confirms, "yeah. must be."
He starts sniffing around.
Max doesn't even question it. She just wonders, "what is it?"
Zane reports, "I'm smelling some high concentrations of warm metal and sweat."
Now looking ghostly pale… Max mutters, "oh, god."
A little nervous, Zane questions, "what's wrong?"
Deadly certain, Max suggests, "the ZFA have liquid metal running through them. And, unless you know of any one else who does…" Zane realizes, "damn."
Max solemnly deduces, "yep. We're right at their door, and we can't even call to let them know. For all we know…it might be all up to us."
Around this time, in the Grodno Oblast region…
Most everyone's window shutters are closed. But, they're sleeping fairly well.
But, behind the cobblestone walls of a crudely made castle… That's another story.
Its boxcar styled red towers has ten holding cells, and open archways all around.
They're being heavily guarded by the Belarusian Army.
Every one is full of heavily bruised prisoners in torn up clothes…lined up for the daily capital punishment: All paid for from gangs or army members that want them dead.
The punishment is being dropped into a chasm of lava that goes deep under ground…where the natural gas that's left of their corpses goes back up a special venting system to resupply the country's fuel. The Belarusian Army calls it brilliant.
Not very far away, in a silvery watchtower… There's Logan in a metal chair, in a light blue long sleeved shirt. The pale lit lights are a pain to look at for too long.
And, standing before him is a viciously grinning man. His name is Jones Banner.
He's got medium red hair with yellow highlights, gray metal banded gloves, and a metal band around his head with a yellowish cybernetic eye on it.
Logan tensely says, "I'm not going to ask again. Where is she?"
In a mechanical creepy voice… Jones Banner mutters through clenched teeth, "you know…we really hate westerners. You have no idea how much."
Logan challenges coolly, "then why don't you just kill me then?"
Jones Banner reasons coldly, "cause whenever we attempt to kill your X-5 girlfriend or you… Eyes Only makes it bēngdǎo. But, now you're going to see your dear aunt: As we discussed. And, as long as you do what we say…we will show her mercy."
In memory flashes, of a call from a few days ago…
Logan was in his apartment: At his desk, and on the phone.
Fairly shaken, Logan said, "hey. About damn time you called. Where is she?!"
On the phone, Jones Banner answered, "you will see her soon. Just come with us quietly in two days, and you will. If anyone interferes, we kill them. Get it?"
Very grimly, Logan concluded, "yeah. All too well." He was then bluffing, "ok. But, only if I mess up my apartment. Cause if not, I'm sure my people will be onto you."
Jones Banner pressed, "fine. But, we're checking the apartment before we go. No wánshǒuwàn. Or, your X-5 girlfriend is going to have a very painful night."
He then hung up on him.
Logan grunted furiously to himself as he slammed down the receiver.
Presently…
Jones Banner goes and turns on a mostly silvery red lined flatscreen monitor.
And, as the picture comes into focus… It shows the teary eyed face of Toni Cale.
She has medium dark brown hair with some loose strands over her face.
She's in a holding cell: Shivering and watery eyed in a torn up thick brown coat.
But, even so… She keeps muttering under her breath, "Logan is coming. And, you're all going to regret it."
Logan looks horrified, "oh god. What the hell are you starving her for?!"
Jones Banner concludes harshly, "she's a westerner. But, unlike the others… We're willing to let her go. But, only if you take her place."
Logan grimly realizes, "that's why you kept her alive this long: So I can give myself up willingly to die."
Jones Banner faintly laughs, "now you get it."
While this is going down…
The dimly lit arena is mostly rustic green and lined in yellow. Black cameras stand ready. Trench made sides are left and right, where two rows of dark red benches sit.
Bane is sitting on one, while three Belarusian Army officers stand by on guard.
There's a long black haired woman in a mainly red cheongsam dress by the name of Cai. She is sitting very closely next to him: With a golden island and wind swirls patterned on it. But, he can just hear those faint mechanical whirls coming from her.
She also happens to be the president of Belarus.
With a hand feeling up on his… Cai whispers, "it's time."
In a strong but careful sounding voice, Bane figures, "figures. How many more fights does it take to become fully cybernetic?"
Cai recollects, "if you stay in the mǎshàngbǐwǔ? Two." Bane firmly nods, "right."
As he starts to enter the match though… Max and Zane come in down the stairs.
Max calls out, "you can take off the Halloween mask now, Bane. We're here."
Bane slowly turns around: On the edge of the arena.
With a faint smile to himself, he realizes, "Max. Zane."
Kind of sarcastic, Zane comments, "yeah. Good to see you too."
With a kind of amused smirk, Cai puts together, "oh. So you're acquainted."
Bane mutters, "I also quit. I was buying time and letting off heat: Nothing more."
In a more mechanical voice… A teary eyed Cai creepily sighs, "that's so sad. I thought you might've been on the winning side…and mine. I'll miss our nights together."
Max remarks, "one…ugh! Two, the night is still good to kick your cybernetic ass."
Zane faintly chuckles at the second part.
Cai says determinedly, "no matter. My night may be jiǎndiào. But, with your deaths, the ZFA will be winning very wěi." Max mutters back, "not on our watch."
In a sudden rush of fear… Zane tells her, "get over the side: Now."
Looking confused, Max says, "what?" Zane insists, "just do it!"
They both tumble over the side…just as a hypersonic blast collapses in the trench.
Cai looks furious…as she's left buried under a good few feet of rock.
Her stunned identical twin Kai is standing on the stairs in: With her pulsing orange cybernetic palm giving off some smoke from the hypersonic blast it just fired.
She calls out nervously, "sorry, Cai!"
A little shaken, Max inquires, "how did you…?" A little nervously, Zane explains, "not exactly all of it. I just heard Shane's barking, and assumed the worst."
Max faintly nods, "well, thanks." Zane adds, "sure."
They both soon get to their feet.
Bane faintly sighs, "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"
Without a second thought, Max just figures, "nope."
Meanwhile…
Sydney's ramjet comes over at Mach 3: High over the castle prison.
Samantha is piloting: With help from velcro purple gloves, and her black rimmed sunglasses with the cycling red light. She's in her black vest and a blackish gray T-shirt.
Recently, Sebastian has found and reconfirmed monthly shipments of liquid metal going to Northern Europe. And, Belarus happened to be the second country on the list.
Kind of nervous and shaken all at once… Samantha reports, "we're here."
From the back of the ramjet… Sydney firmly says, "ok. Let's go."
Not long after… Sydney and a team of Eyes Only agents are coming down on mechanically lowering cable lines: Straight for the tower, coming up closer and closer.
Sydney is in her jet black biker jacket over white.
The others are in black catsuits. But, they all got black rubber gloves to grip with.
One has curly long bright red dyed hair and thin silvery hoop earrings. Her name is Amber. Another has medium brown hair and a marble white dove tattoo on the back of her left hand. Her name is Grace.
The third is very built and has medium frontless brown hair. His name is Leith.
Over the turbulence in the wind, Sydney calls out, "now!"
All of them drop tumble down through the open archways up top.
The cable lines start pulling up quick, as they all get out black EMP crossbows.
But, as they start to get on their feet… They soon realize this level has no cells.
Leith mutters, "damnit." Sydney mutters, "yeah. I know."
Amber faintly chuckles, "who cares? Let's just take them."
With backhand holds on their EMP crossbows… Leith, Grace, and Sydney drop fall: Even as a barrage of lasers go firing from the Belarusian Army's cybernetic arms.
Some of them automatically gun for the ramjet. But, it closes its sliding metal trapdoor and takes off before they can get a good hit on it.
Sydney, Leith, and Grace release their grip: Firing EMPs into the second level.
They take out twelve Belarusian Army officers before they can aim. The cells on this level get their electronic locks fried: Along with the lights…and every other cell.
Eight prisoners don't think twice of running the hell out. Some even rip off cybernetic arms in the dark to fire lasers to clear the way in the midst of the screaming.
But…Sydney, Leith, and Grace end up almost falling to their deaths.
They're holding onto the edge with their left or right, while their other hands are still holding their EMP crossbows. Amber though…is still up there.
She roll tumble kicks into two Belarusian Army officers while charging up her EMP crossbow. They go flying to their deaths: Screaming all the way down.
Amber then slams her heel into another screaming officer's foot…just before tumble flip kicking into his chest. A trail of dark red liquid goes flying off.
With a smirk, Amber calls out hotly, "come on! Is that the best you got?"
As she's about to fire though… Several officers fire lasers into her.
She screams…as she burns up.
Her EMP crossbow overloads: Becoming one big fireball drawn from electric sparks coming from the cybernetic arms left on the officers left up top. They all burn up.
After a round of exhaustive grunts, Sydney, Grace, and Leith pull themselves up.
With a faint sigh of relief, Grace voices uneasily, "good plan. But, how about we don't do that…again?" Sydney reasons, "sure. But… What's wrong?"
With teary eyed realization, Grace asks, "where's Amber? And, where's…?"
They both turn to the nearby stairs. And, there now…is a Belarusian army officer that has just claw swung his way down one of the archways.
He's got burned off rubber skin over his face and arms. Liquid metal and dark red liquid is gradually dripping off from the hints of surgically broken bones and electro-servo motors. But, the metal vibro-claws in his cybernetic hands have come out.
In a mechanical creepy voice… The ZFA cyborg mutters, "are you ready to die?"
Sydney pulls back on her EMP crossbow to fire. But…the ZFA cyborg is faster.
He backhand punches Grace away, knocking her violently into a arch.
He tears right through the EMP crossbow: His claws faintly drawing out dark red liquid before Sydney's terrified face.
But, in the last second… Leith angrily tackles him against the floor.
Sydney gasps with much needed relief…as she checks if she's even still breathing.
Faint dark red liquid is around her neck. But, it's only a flesh wound.
But, by then… The ZFA cyborg is standing over Leith's dead body.
In the dark… A teary eyed Sydney sees hints of a splatter of dark red liquid.
She also sees the cyborg coming right for Grace…as she's just getting up.
Sydney cries out, "no!"
She picks up a nearly full discharged electromagnetic rod from the floor…and slams it right into the screaming ZFA cyborg's face.
With its motors exposed there… All it takes is one spark to blow it up to hell.
Sydney ducks…as brief flashes of splattering motor oil and dark red liquid go by.
Teary eyed, Grace gasps, "oh god."
Sydney very uneasily says, "I know. As soon as we find Toni, we're getting out."
She starts her way down the steps. But…she pauses briefly to look back to Grace.
Grace solemnly nods, "ok. Just…give me a minute." Sydney concludes, "sure."
Meanwhile, back before the arena…
The song Ne Ver Ne Boysia Ne Prosi by t.A.T.u begins to play overhead.
Bane's would be opponent is walking towards them. She goes by Machettel.
She has long dark blond hair, red machete wrist blades, and a dark green bodysuit.
Having overheard some things… Machettel eerily smirks, "good. If I go kill you especially…then the ZFA will have to have a place for me."
Max comments lowly, "your mistake."
Kai fires several hypersonic blasts at Bane and Zane…as she's whirling for them.
Bane fires up the flamethrower in his cybernetic arm into a good chunk of ceiling.
A lot of debris falls in the way of the blasts: Shattering into dust clouds.
Kai is coughing up dust. And much to her frustration, she can't see a thing.
One of the blasts though makes a huge dust cloud out of the center of the arena.
Bane is left clutching his side from the fallout: As dark red liquid is dripping down it.
Machettel jump spin charges for Max.
Max high jump kicks off of the side of one of her wrist blades: Snapping it off.
It deflects off of the other. But, Max catches it as she tumble lands on the ground.
With a angry cry, Machettel charges again: Now on her feet as well.
Max deflects some swings of the wrist blade: Just before spin kicking her out cold.
She goes crash landing into a sparking off camera.
Up the stairs… The door gets shot open.
And, behind it is a somewhat exhausted Syl: Ready with a rifle.
In the dust… She calls out, "Bane?! Zane?!"
Zane answers, "we're here. But, giving us more cover would be good."
Him and Bane run out of what's left of the door.
Syl faintly nods, "right. You coming, Max?"
In the dust though… Max notices something in the corner of her eye.
It's a dark red screened black pager: Full of cycling through visual memory data.
Max figures, "almost home."
Max walks over to the pager in the bleacher wreckage.
She faintly smiles to herself, "looks like a neural network of some kind. Shame if anything were to happen to it."
She stabs the pager with her knife: Letting it spark off into flames.
Around this time, before a certain cell…
Still shivering and on her knees… Toni Cale looks up, "who…are you?"
Trying to look calm… Sydney explains simply, "I'm a friend of Logan. We're going to get you out now. Get you some good food and water. Ok?"
As Sydney helps her up… Toni Cale faintly nods. She whispers, "thank you."
Sydney faintly smiles, "you can thank me when we're out. Come on."
Around this time, in the watchtower…
Jones Banner practically shouts, "what?!"
With a faint smirk, Logan remarks, "well then, I guess you don't have the best security in the world after all."
Jones Banner mutters coldly, "no matter. We're flexible."
He lifts a fairly spooked Logan up by his collar: Even with his struggling.
Then, though… Jones Banner interestingly starts getting a massive headache.
He reactively clutches his head: Letting Logan go.
Logan runs like hell: Before Jones Banner can get a grip long enough to charge.
He goes straight for the ladder. But, Logan is already a good distance away.
Jones Banner mutters to himself, "damnit."
Back before the arena…
Kai is also left clutching her head: Leaving a opening Syl is all too happy to hit.
She fires into Kai's head. And, amazingly…it works.
Without reflex… Kai falls over dead: In a splatter of motor oil and dark red liquid.
As she passes Syl… Max faintly chuckles, "nice."
With a faint smile, Syl adds, "thanks."
They both head out, as the dust finally settles.
But…what Max didn't notice are two hands coming out of the wreckage.
A now no longer dazed Cai pulls herself out: Not knowing what she'll soon find out from looking through Kai's pager.
Not long after…
Syl, Zane, Bane, and Max are making it down the alley.
But… Bane suddenly stops: Down a alley two blocks off.
Syl catches up to him. And, Zane and Max aren't far behind.
Syl questions worriedly, "what's wrong?"
Still clutching his side… Bane grimly realizes, "I…can't go on. Violent cough!"
Dark red liquid is briefly seen seeping through his jacket, as he lies against a wall.
His cat like vision is fading out fast.
Zane and Max rush over.
Syl looks teary eyed: Not sure what else to say.
And, as they're all bending down before Bane… A teary eyed Zane and a teary eyed Max mostly feel the same way.
Bane mumbles, "take care of each other while…violent cough…I'm gone."
Zane faintly assures, "it's ok. We always have." Max solemnly says, "always."
Bane tries to finish, "but… I have to tell you. Before… Violent cough!"
Max urges, "ok. Tell us."
Bane reveals, "the ZFA…responsible…violent cough…for the Pulse."
His eyes then fade of color…as he slumps over dead.
Zane closes his eyes.
And, as much as it kills him to have to do it… He gets Bane's body over his shoulders so they can bury him back home.
Very nervously, Zane points out, "we should go." Max and Syl silently agree.
They follow him out without another word…on to brighter and darker days ahead.
A few weeks later, in a park in Seattle…
It's the middle of the night. Most of the gray park benches are empty.
And, on one of them…is Max sitting next to Zane: With Shane lying in her lap.
She's very content and quiet as Max keeps gently petting her: Occasionally rubbing against her hand and lightly mouthing on her fingers.
In her jet black jacket, Max faintly says, "I have to admit. This has been nice."
In his thin sleek brown jacket, Zane faintly smiles back, "sure."
Max inquires, "so, how do I get her off?"
Zane lightly comments, "what? Too much togetherness for you?"
Max admits, "it's not like that. This bitch is just not always in the mood for it."
Zane suggests, "well… You can just lift her up then. It's what I do."
Max faintly reflects, "if only if it were that easy to save the less fortunate."
Zane figures solemnly, "like Bane?"
Max somberly adds, "yeah. But, cash goes around. So do we in a broken world."
She then starts to lift Shane: Which she finds to be harder than it looks.
She barely manages to put her back down on the ground with her strength: Before she kind of collapses back down against the bench.
As she's stopping to catch her breath… Max remarks, "you were saying?"
Zane faintly chuckles, "ok. Fair enough." Max figures, "damn straight it is."
Zane highlights, "but we can always be strong by trying: In here or out here."
With a faint smile, Max concludes, "you're sure as hell stronger than you appear."
Zane faintly acknowledges, "thanks."
Max reasons, "sure. Now…I'm just hoping we can be strong enough for the war."
Zane concludes fairly confidently, "we got through one war. We just have to try."
Sounding somewhat more assured now… Max solemnly nods, "ok."