Of Wolves and Devils: A Dark Angel Fanfiction Story
Episode 21:
A week later, up in Logan's apartment...
Max is lying naked in her Jacuzzi: All relaxed, with all the steam and water bubbles from the recently turned off water jets. It's also night out.
From the other side of the apartment, she hears Logan moving the mouse at his main computer.
Max calls out to him, "so... Anything on ZFA, or whatever you're churning over there?"
Logan heavily sighs.
Max inquires, "you ok?"
Logan comes around the Chinese screens, in a black sleeveless workout shirt.
Kind of awkwardly, Logan concludes, "yeah. I think I will. Just... I know how hard it is for you: Beka being in a mental hospital."
A little teary eyed, Max reflects, "yeah. Still... Least she chose for herself: Even though I tried damn hard to talk her out of it...after we were all conscious all over again."
Logan says lightly, "you're right. You are usually: Especially when it comes to your family."
Max faintly smiles, "damn straight I am. Thanks, Logan." He adds, "you're welcome."
Max is drying off and getting into her dark red bathrobes.
Logan starts to make his way to the kitchen area. But, he pauses.
He reasons, "I should start on dinner. But, you should take a look at this. It involves ZFA."
Max just goes, "okay."
As soon as she's fairly dry and in her robes... She goes over to his main computer.
She sits down before it. She plays the Eyes Only footage on the two monitors, with two quickly pressed enter keys over two bright yellow play buttons.
Footage on the main monitor is from a off the record conversation with Beka.
She's in a medical bed, riddled through with holes with her horns.
She's looking a little dazed from the anesthesia taken.
At this point in time, she just recently had a operation to have her head closed for real.
Her head and hair is cleaned up, still kind of damp from the water. But, there's no more cowhide on her head. And, there's only a large dark red soaked cast like bandage over the stitching.
She's surprisingly already calmer looking, considering what she's been through.
There's a very light blue diagonally lined bolted wall behind her, a small gray cart on wheels for a camera mount, and a blacked out back of a figure's head before her.
The Eyes Only agent questions, "where did you find this pager?"
In a kind of thick but cool rounded voice, Beka explains, "off of the ZFA monster I took it from. I hid it down Brazil's borders at a secured safe house of my own. All you got to do is send one of your special ops soldiers to grab it up. And, tell Eyes Only I said kiss the ZFA asses for me."
Beka faintly smiles at the last two parts. Max smirks to herself over it.
While that footage is playing, the left monitor is showing what was recorded off of a ZFA pager.
All other attempts to record cycling images from the pagers has failed, after they were disconnected shortly after the few loosely cobbled together ZFA left were taken in.
The found pager looked beat up. But, it was cycling through last images it got before it gave out.
It comes up to images of power plants across the western world: France, Spain, America... Every country beside the Caribbean and South American countries that's gotten back up since the Pulse.
As Max's smirk quickly fades...it dawns on her.
Glaring at the cycling images... Max mutters under her breath, "damnit!"
Her first instinct is to hurl away the monitor, smashing it. But, she stops herself.
The ZFA is planning a second Pulse. And, the fate of civilization rests on Eyes Only's shoulders.
Another week later...
It's May 31st: The day before the Pulse hit twelve years ago. But, so far, it's been kind of quiet.
Still...it's Seattle. There always seems to be something not so quiet going on.
A fairly recent game in Epic Games's midway parks chain MegaEpic ChargeWay has come out, along with a lot of mixed reactions. It's called Shadow-Cam Recall.
With EA's fall in 2012, Epic Games has taken up most of their games over in Guildford in the UK with a wave of surging popularity: Including their own Gears of War series, and a entire reboot of Mass Effect 3 under Mass Effect 3 Re-Effected just to satisfy outcry for Mass Effect 3.
Players control avatars, with thinly made black and brass cap like implants all over like fighter skaters. They're punching and kicking other players at their sparking off implants to take them out and rack up points, while riding rocket skateboards around a skate rink styled city sprayed all up in graffiti.
It's no wonder the military guys still around are so uneasy with it.
But, for younger guys down the west coast, they've been playing hours into the nights of May.
Before the booths of one of the white lined dark red wavy walls of a MegaEpic ChargeWay...
Sketchy has on blackish gray gauntlets and blue rimmed tinted robot like safety goggles. He's playing against some guys in matching gauntlets and goggles, with t-shirts mostly in black and yellow.
As the final seconds go off on the round... Sketchy's implant covered avatar is kicked off his rocket skateboard: Snapping in half before a implant covered avatar's foot.
Their scores go up: With Sketchy at 50, a guy called Danny at 30, and the guy that kicked through Sketchy's rocket skateboard at 58 called Egon.
With a white lined light green plaid long sleeve buttoned shirt over white... Sketchy voices kind of awkwardly, "well, my finest hours on the midway freeway are up. But, good upside for you man."
Egon says, "are you kidding? Some of those moves were freaking fresh."
Sketchy bumps fists with both guys.
Sounding a little better, he adds, "thanks, guys."
Sketchy then notices Syl: Standing not far off, in her dark blue army jacket over her top with the rolling in thunderstorm on it.
Sketchy figures, "I got to go. But, I'll be up for another round later. Same time next week?"
Danny casually says, "yeah. That sounds like a plan, Sketch. Later."
Sketchy acknowledges with a faint smile, "later."
He takes off his goggles and gauntlets, dropping them back in a metal crate on his way out.
Sketchy greets her, "hey."
Syl says, "hey, Sketch. Are we good to go?" Sketchy assures, "with you? Always."
They're walking out closely together to the bike rack out there, faintly smiling to each other with Syl's face a little red. The sun is setting over the street they're on.
With a hand over his... Syl adds, "thanks." Kind of awkwardly, she's quick to wonder, "so...how are your more normal guy friends doing?"
Sketchy answers lightly, "oh, they're ok. I just got my ass kicked by Egon. But, I'm ok."
Syl faintly grins, "good. Because I wouldn't want to go without you." Sketchy figures, "and I don't either. We really are soulmates."
With a awkward smile, Syl admits, "ohh. Thanks, Sketchy. I always feel good with you."
Their hands part so they can start off. But, Syl gives him a quick kiss on the lips before they do.
She's quick to point out to him, "but, there'll be time for the bedroom later. We got to go."
Sketchy concludes, "sounds good."
Soon, they're unlocking the chains around their bikes and getting on: Taking off down the street.
Around then...
Max and Logan are under the white bedsheets of Logan's bed, making out "very closely". Logan's glasses are kind of buried under clothes to the side.
There's lit candles starting to melt.
Whirls from Logan's exoskeleton only get Max feeling him up all the more. Max's deep groans of pleasure get Logan feeling her up through her hair and down her neck.
Then though... Logan's computer box beeps loudly in the other room.
They both pause, looking right at each other awkwardly.
Max realizes, "oh."
They say at the same time, "I should get clothes. We should..." They both awkwardly chuckle.
Logan says, "I'll start blowing out candles. When we're back, we'll light them. No hold ups to ruin your mood." Max brightly says, "sounds good."
Logan smiles back as he goes further back to grab some underwear.
Not long after... They're both dressed: With Max speeding down the road on her motorcycle, and Logan in back and wearing a helmet over his glasses.
Logan is in a sepia colored long sleeved shirt. Max is in her mostly blue army jacket with the two brownish tan stripes down it, over a very dark blue T-shirt with sticker like light blue diamonds around curved claw styled dark red letters over a blocky yellow center to say "Rockin' with My Inner Bitch".
And as they're speeding down the road... Max is thinking to herself:
Original Cindy and Tara are celebrating their engagement, and most of us have got a invite in. Even Original Cindy is cool with it, cause Tara is ok with turning it into one of these open marriage things for scratching a itch...which is apparently a thing.
I mean, don't get me wrong. The mirth is all good.
Only, the only guy not invited is Devrom. And, I know why that is.
Original Cindy thinks he's "a science fiction tripping whack she don't know what to think on."
Can't really say I blame her. I sure as hell might have been at first.
And, if Original Cindy can't picture hanging with him, what does that mean for trying to bring him in to hang with us for real? Not a chance.
Still... Deep sigh.
I've been killing myself over the ZFA and still being a lemon over the whole broken world thing before all of this. It'd be sure as hell nice to get out and get together with my friends for a party.
Only...can I really? Even with what I've been kicking myself over for well over six months?
Thirty five minutes later...
Past the back of the Grillway Altair, past most of the dim orb lights... There's two private rooms.
Inside one... Two large glass red screen window like tables are before a swirl of blackness, stars, and diner counter styled silver rimming bent around it all like Saturn's rings engulfing space.
The tables have been pushed together for the occasion.
Sitting together are Tara and Original Cindy themselves, Max and Logan, Anin, Syl and Sketchy... Even Kendra and her boyfriend Walter.
Anin is in a light blue dress. Original Cindy is in a cleavage showing dark blue top under a grayish brown open sweater. She's also got a kind of thin silvery jagged necklace that Tara picked out for her instead of a engagement ring: Because Original Cindy can be just that picky.
Tara has her Sector cop uniform vest and helmet under her chair. She's in a silvery lighter looking dress with flame like splotches, and in her black high heels.
Walter is in his light blue jeans, a very dark blue buttoned overshirt, and a sleeveless gray undershirt. He has his Sector cop uniform vest and helmet over the corner of his chair.
Next to him is Kendra, with a arm loosely around his, her gold looking locket styled necklace around her neck, and a black top with WARRANT across in silvery letters over a black and white photo of a certain band member named Jani by a piano. Her mostly dark purple overcoat is over her chair.
Sketchy, Syl, and Logan have been talking plenty about businesses around town before the food got here. Max has chimed in a little. But, she's been mostly thinking to herself.
Original Cindy has been quick to wonder what's up. But, Max insisted it's just been a long day.
Logan has been avoiding looking at Walter much. After all, Eyes Only or no Eyes Only, he hasn't been super eager to hang out with him after the whole squatter deal went down south real quick.
Walter and Kendra are still sharing real life stories of Sector cops on the job, sports players, and local cashiers just looking for a pay day. And, a faintly smiling Anin keeps asking about them.
Max is a little weirded out by that. But, she's become so used to hanging with Kendra when she's with Walter that she's become good at not letting it get to her much.
By now... Most of the buffalo burgers and beer are already down to crumbs and empty glasses.
Max though got two mostly plain chicken sandwiches in barbecue sauce and a half finished tall glass of milk. She and Sketchy have already had three rounds of beer, while Syl finished all the beer she's going to have and has been looking slightly amused by how quickly they've been drinking.
Some ultraviolet hints of cleaned up spilled food from the floor and the little ants at the corner make Syl a little nervous. She's instinctively tempted to eat the bugs. But, she doesn't.
Walter and Kendra have been having a lot of fries. Anin has been having a salad with croutons a little at a time. And, Original Cindy's got a mostly finished apple martini.
Max suddenly gets up, having already wiped up.
She adds quickly, "I'll be back. I'm going to use the ladies."
Logan figures, "it's ok. We're all going to wash up anyway." Max faintly smiles back, "yeah."
She leaves through a black door to go down the kind of small black hall. Sketchy and Syl soon follow to wash up, having just about finished up otherwise.
Walter suddenly wonders, "so...you and Max...?" Warily, Original Cindy goes, "yeah?"
Kind of absentmindedly, Walter reasons, "well... You look to call her Boo or Sugar a lot. I was wondering if you ever "do it" with her."
Logan starts to get up with a glare, looking about ready to punch him out.
Anin gets up to face him.
She whispers harshly, "Logan! He's not coming after anyone. Sit down. Please."
Embarrassed sounding, Logan says lowly, "sorry."
He sits back down. That calmed down just about everybody's nerves.
A little amused and not all at once, Original Cindy remarks, "well... Least you didn't ask Original Cindy if she was knocking boots with another brother. We're not like that. I just got my own original flavor for talking about things." Walter awkwardly says, "oh. My mistake."
Original Cindy insists, "it's aiight. It's all good."
Walter adds, "thank you. Still...it's not the first time I got some pearls from a scuba diver "where the sun don't go". And, she had a sister."
Original Cindy and Kendra get a chuckle out of that. Logan, Anin, and Tara very uneasily laugh.
Not so long after...
Max is doing some push ups by the back way, with black gloves and her jet black jacket on.
It's raining hard.
She breathes heavily against the railing. She sniffles a little.
Max is thinking to herself:
There was this little game we used to play, when we were down and it was raining.
Kendra would ask me to score something. I'd ask her to score something.
I'd usually get the better thing cause I'm a genetically engineered pickpocket.
Faint laugh. Still... She was cool with it cause we always scored good.
Then, Original Cindy and I opened up more for real. And, she became my homegirl.
Our game kind of stopped being a thing. Life goes on.
It wouldn't take much for her to get it. I knew what would be coming.
It's kind of easy for her to get spooked...even though she's a little more "high minded" than me.
She's got dry eye. You'd never know she had episodes unless you can see her vibes straight up.
She's taken medicine off the black market to take the edge off.
It's been in short supply after the Pulse. Hospitals started putting more life threatening cases on the payroll and putting the rest on back burner. That is, until come February.
Suddenly there's enough of that stuff around, which I got to say is nice for girls like Kendra.
She's had nightmares from sparks, a scratch on a arm... And, she really doesn't want to admit it.
I found out later she got addicted to getting tattoos after her books got all burned up in the Pulse. She wanted to tattoo herself all over in covers, just cause she was worried about forgetting her classics.
When we started being roommates, I figured why she kept tossing and turning a lot.
She didn't know I don't sleep. But, I was up. More than long enough really.
After two months with me, she stopping turning as much cause we had one another's backs with self deserving mirth. But, once in a while, she'd still toss and turn.
Still...maybe she won't on this. The last thing I want with her is to make her nightmares worse.
The windowed door opens.
It's Kendra in her overcoat.
Kendra rushes over. She pulls Max close with a sympathetic arm around her shoulder.
She wonders nervously, "are you ok, Max? You seem like you've gone through hell and back."
Kind of sarcastic, Max comments, "I know. Thanks. Here's your purse."
She hands over the purse she took from her from, under some quickly getting soaked paper towels. Kendra grins, realizing it's not soaked as she takes it back under her overcoat.
Kendra concludes, "thanks. I told them I thought I heard a car alarm from Walter's car, and that I was coming out with you to check if that was all it is. In a way, it wasn't really a lie."
Max faintly smiles. She says, "thanks for having my back."
Kendra reflects, "sure. Still...you've never borrowed anything from me like this. Why did you?"
Max heavily sighs, a little teary eyed.
Max admits, "cause I'm not as ok as I'd like. And...I wanted to talk without ruining the party."
Kendra kind of nervously concludes, "Max... Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm glad you came to me. But, are you sure it's not just because you don't want to ruin Original Cindy's party? I mean, you do come to her for help a lot."
Max solemnly figures, "maybe. But, this isn't all to do with Eyes Only. All I'm asking is to help take the edge off."
Kendra faintly chuckles a little, sounding very relieved.
She realizes, "oh. Well, why didn't you just say that? You know I'd be glad to."
Max figures, "sorry. Guess I've gotten kind of used to breaking things down."
Kendra insists assuringly, "it's ok."
She highlights, "well... I still don't know entirely what it is you do. Maybe it is better left like that for me to sleep. But, I know you're fighting for good people around and out. For us. And whatever these ZFA whacks are, I know you'll give them hell. You and Logan."
Max grins. She says, "thanks."
Kendra adds, "no problem. Think we can go back in now?"
Max faintly smiles, "oh yeah. It'll be ok." Kendra concludes, "yeah. I know."
She and Kendra go back in. What Max hasn't caught is Logan glimpsing at her through the door.
A few minutes later...
Original Cindy faintly smiles in Max and Kendra's direction as they come in.
Everybody was back now: All washed up and in better spirits.
There was plenty of cake slices, with chocolate and vanilla with matching frosting.
But, before they could dig in... Original Cindy had something to say.
Original Cindy addresses everybody, "well, now that my homegirl and my sister are back... Original Cindy got something to say. First of all... Thank you for coming out here. Original Cindy is feeling a lot of good vibes here from all of you peeps."
A lot of faint smiles are around the room. Original Cindy and Tara are holding hands from under the table, with Tara faintly smiling her way.
Original Cindy goes on, "you know, when Tara originally proposed... I wasn't even trying to hear that. But then, as I thought it over... Well, she's my warrior princess. How could I really say no with her that easy? Still... If she's not the only girl I'd be knockin' boots with, who am I to judge? It's not like we'd tell the minister though."
Most everybody else faintly chuckles. Anin and Logan just kind of nervously smile.
Original Cindy figures, "and I don't need no fancy gift wrap neither. All I need in life for real are people that feel me and that are there to have my back. Though, dollar dollar to my inner bitch is always good. I welcome all donations: Long as it's not gonna get me in any trouble."
Everybody faintly chuckles: Except Max, who's almost choking from laughing.
Most everybody suddenly looks her way. Logan checks, "you ok?"
Catching her breath... Max insists, "yeah guys. I'm fine. How about we eat? Or, do I have to pay up for your inner bitch then?"
Most everybody looks amused with a faint smile. Sketchy adds lightly, "ouch."
Original Cindy faintly rolls her eyes.
Looking amused herself, she goes, "no. It's aiight, boo. Let's eat. But, if you want to pay up anyway..." Max lightly remarks, "I'll know where to send the cash."
Most everybody start grabbing fresh forks and eating their cake.
Tara brings Original Cindy's hand up to kiss it.
Original Cindy wonders, "I take it that was aiight?"
With a smile, Tara assures her, "I thought you might not have gotten all of this. But, damn: You sure as hell did better than I can here. Let's eat." Original Cindy smiles beamingly, "read my mind."
Several minutes later...
A brief glance of Logan's half eaten vanilla cake slice is seen as Logan closes the door behind him. He's out in the hall on his cellular phone.
Logan asks, "yeah? Are you sure this can't...?" In a low tone, he goes wide eyed, "what?!"
He kind of nervously says, "no. I understand this can't wait. Be careful. Yeah. I'll tell her. Just do what you can. We'll do what we can. Thanks, Sydney."
Logan sighs heavily.
He turns to go back in. But, Max is already standing there.
Having picked up some of the call with acute hearing... Max is quick to ask, "what happened?"
Logan reveals grimly, "the cells for the ZFA guys we took in... They've all been hit. Our airstrip was also hit. James Cabot's military unit is moving in on what's left of the airstrip. Preliminary evacuations are going out. Hundreds of guards are dead. And, that's if we're getting out of this easy."
Getting wide eyed, Max solemnly says, "oh god. How?" Logan explains, "Sydney still doesn't know how they got through the VPN intranets to lock on. But, from what she could find from hacking into the backup files, it looks like it was smart missiles. Probably ZFA helicopters twenty miles out."
Max points out, "wait. The pagers. Must be masked OTH-Radar signal relays or something."
Teary eyed, Logan realizes, "the pager Beka got. It was being held at the airstrip. Damn!"
He almost pounds the wall. But, Max gets in his way. And, that gets him to stop himself.
Almost glaringly, Max concludes, "yeah. We got to go." Logan adds, "yeah."
They go back in to break up the party a little early, with Logan closing the door behind them.
Around then, from Post-Pulse Europe to Post-Pulse America...
Prisons and warehouses are burning. Hundreds of corpses of prison rioters and guards line the forest and wasteland outbacks, still dripping dark red liquid.
Sixty cheering prisoners are following a slightly bruised Machettel out of a German warehouse safe house, carrying a lot of smoking rifles.
Hundreds more are making a break for it around the broken down homes, streets, and forests.
Near and far Germany... Many patrols are getting shot dead by freed prisoners...before green to reddish gray tanks crash through the streets in seconds and the patrols dive for cover.
They shoot off shells, wiping out most of the prisoners with craters echoing of their screams.
In the US, from Washington to New York... Sector police are getting everybody to storm shelters and emergency shelters. Most all the local businesses and a good number of the corporations in the east coast are offering their buildings as emergency shelters and military blockades: Even Normal's.
All the while, he's calling out, "come on. Come on. Inside! Bip bip bip!"
Most people are confused and nervous. But, after the waves of immigration and violence after the Pulse, there's not much left to be panicked over over a evacuation.
Walter and Kendra are soon returning home a few towns over so Walter can check with Sector Police there about his orders in case he's needed. And, with the evacuations and all, he kind of is.
James Cabot's troop and several Eyes Only agents are moving out for the burning remains of the Eyes Only airstrip, with James Cabot ready with a EMP crossbow.
But, when they get there... They grimly lower their weapons.
The two ZFA helicopters over Washington are too far away now.
Over Europe... ZFA helicopters are here, armed with their heavy duty smart missiles and rounds.
With gray to green... From Romanian to Louisianan army recruits... A ramjet is leading the France-UK allied fighter jets. Sydney's piloting, while Samantha and Duncan are in back.
Fifty ZFA members are parachuting down: Firing mini-missiles and blade launchers up at the incoming fighter jets from their liquid metal coated arms.
Sydney's ramjet shoots down most of the missiles, doing circles around them and drawing their fire. But, thirty fighter jets go down in flames for the European coastlines.
Teary eyed, Sydney glares out at all the helicopters.
She soon lands the ramjet in Machettel's path.
Machettel charges for a unflinching Sydney in the cockpit.
She's slashing through the glass with her katanas...only for Samantha to shoot her in the head with her gray pistol from behind the shattering glass. Machettel falls over dead.
In a panic, the rioters with her run in the other direction.
Military troops land fighter jets on the ground across Western Europe. Some remain in the air, firing down several ZFA helicopters in a blaze of flames while most of them suddenly begin to fall back.
Troops come out, most all armed with rifles. Their leaders and lieutenants have EMP crossbows and black rubber gloves: Courtesy of Eyes Only over months of making close to two hundred of them.
The fifty ZFA members come charging for them, covering the escape of the other rioters. But, they're soon falling back themselves when they realize troops have EMPs.
They mostly change back to mini-missile launchers...burning up screaming troops ten by ten by the second as flashes of trails of dark red liquid fly up.
Many troop leaders and lieutenants war cry as they release their grips on their EMP crossbows.
Some miss as they fire. But, EMPS hit ten ZFA members: Overloading them in fiery explosions of flying liquid metal, motor oil, and dark red liquid soaked parts.
Kind of nervously, Duncan checks, "so what's the plan, Syd?"
With very mixed relief, Sydney concludes, "well... maybe we should go back to the base in Southern California. See if we can find out anything about what else they could be looking to do."
With mixed unease, Samantha suggests, "okay. Give me your EMP gun and leave me. I'll go."
Duncan faintly smiles.
Sydney figures, "okay. But, be careful. We lost you before to one Committee. I don't want something like it to happen again."
With a faint smile, Samantha mostly assures, "it won't. Ask me again when I'm out."
A little amused, Sydney says, "all right. Maybe. But, how about fixing that windshield before we blast off?"
Duncan volunteers, "I'll take care of it, Syd." Sydney adds, "okay. But, we should hurry Dunc."
As he's looking further back... Duncan adds, "right. I know."
Over Japan... Some smart missiles are going for the nuclear power plants. Not much anyone is out on the pink and blue bubblegum pop and rock metal like billboards lined streets at near dawn.
But then, one by one...waves of water hit the smart missiles back: Just when they explode.
Guys in ZFA helicopters overhead think it's just the beginning of nuclear fallout and leave.
Exhausted... A self reconstituting Charim pulls herself onto the edge of a ribbed dark gray nuclear power plant, nearly out of breath and taking in deep breaths.
And, for the first time in a long time...she smiles brightly. Not even a little uneasy.
In Mexico... Incendio, Raul, and Jace are standing ground on one of the cobblestone path bridges, firing all they got at several ZFA members with mini-missile launchers.
Some of them stumble. Jace backhand punches two off the bridge to their quick deaths.
Raul and Incendio shoot down two more...only for them to stand right back up with bullet ridden rubber skin and upward punch them back in dazes.
On the Australian mainland... Ben Rembern and Jeff Shadnex are standing alone back to back in the center of a winding dirt road, firing silvery rimmed dark gray grenade launchers into incoming smart missiles and ZFA helicopters while breaking a lot of sweat and struggling to stand their ground.
Around the chilly shores of Iceland and Greenland... Phil and several Greenlandic hunters from the Înungniaĸ Nakuarssûvoĸ are out in Savfiugagssaĸ Pitsortuvoĸ exoskeletons, firing fishing nets and slamming down their crane arms to take out some ZFA allied criminals in mostly jet black scuba gear.
Even a few watery spirits have come to help, splashing into them to drive the divers back.
They were carrying waterproof very dark red green lined backpacks with explosives to plant in the ice for the ZFA to easily target the towns in Iceland and Greenland later. But, they seem far from successful: Much to Phil and the Înungniaĸ Nakuarssûvoĸ's relief.
In Canada... Caitlin Fairchild, having grown giant sized with her superpower, is pummeling back a army of unleashed mind controlled Neurom-Cam17 victims: Awkwardly calling out sorry a lot.
Her superpowered friends Grunge, Roxy, Burnout, Rainmaker, and Trauma Queen have gone ahead to go after the Walker Brothers in their own studio: The guys with mind control powers who were paid handsomely by the ZFA to pull off this massive stunt.
Cai herself is heading up one of the skyscrappers, looking to carve out some electronic backdoors and hypersonic blasting any military guys unfortunate enough to be in her way.
But, by the time she gets to the top... Krit and Zane are already jump tumbling down from some France-UK allied fighter jets to face her off.
And, with earplugs and their rifles loaded, they're not making it easy.
They fire a round of bullets at her. She reactively deflects them with her cybernetic arms.
But then, Zane dive kicks her from below...sending Cai violently crashing through several floors.
Her arms pulse and spark like crazy as she doubles over. Zane and Krit are running after her.
But, even with most all her cybernetics pulsing... She runs for the Canadian air courier plane she came in on not far from there and takes off all too easy: Leaving very frustrated Zane and Krit behind.
Down in the southern states of Post-Pulse America... Tank fortified police cars fitted with EMP gun turrets from cybernetics from the Far East black market are driving down the streets: With convention cults as the new authorities thanks to more than just popularity among the common people, and all the old government officials shot dead or tortured before Eyes Only could do a thing about it.
Many heavily bruised Belarusians with cybernetic arms and legs are hitting the streets tonight, because the ZFA offered them to be free from the Belarusian prisons "as a kind gesture of shìhǎo" for coming here in their place. They're nervously firing EMP guns and missile launchers at every Post-NeuronCam-17 police officer they can, hoping not to die.
But, ten by ten, they're burning and screaming in the dark: On both sides of the law.
Up in the Midwest... More ZFA allied criminals and heavily bruised Belarusians in mostly jet black scuba gear are swim charging for the underground cities.
The very nervous Belarusians are blasting off the shelter doors's locks with lasers in cybernetic arms so they and the others in their regime can come up for air.
Behind the mechanically opening concrete doors... Soldiers with plenty of grenades and sheriffs with shotguns are standing ready: Led by Devrom and a few former convention cult members.
Even Logan was really unsure about Devrom's newfound reserve team. But, over the past month, he's been training them with the not-so-official Eyes Only handbook. Now they got their chance.
Shots go off. Many ZFA allied forces and soldiers go down, with brief splatters of dark red.
With a uneasy but firm look on his face...Devrom back punches into a cybernetic arm, making it go off target and hitting a few Belarusians in their cybernetic arms.
They double over, screaming and clutching their flaming arms.
Devrom then side kicks the Belarusian in front of him, making him stumble back.
The Neurom-Cam17 agents are spin kicking and jump punching down many ZFA allied troops.
One of the Belarusians angrily shoots down one of the Neurom-Cam 17 recruits, making her double over as she's clutching her dark red liquid dripping side. But, even then, she grab hurls her into the cave wall: Knocking her out as she lands violently on the floor.
Around this time, up in Logan's apartment...
Max and Logan have gone up. Original Cindy, Tara, Syl, and Sketchy are downstairs in the lobby of Logan's apartment building, nervously waiting for them to come back down.
Max is on the bed, putting on her signature catsuit. Logan is opening a metal box by the couch.
Logan says, "so, about how you've been acting..."
Max uneasily comments, "that obvious?" Logan hints, "only to me and Kendra."
Max gets up from the bed, standing there.
Nervously, Max thinks out loud, "faint laugh. Don't laugh. But, more and more...with all the good we've gone and done for the downtrodden... I keep thinking maybe there is a beating heart in there. And, I still don't know if I'm ready. Okay. More like fifty percent of a heart. But...yeah."
Logan brightly smiles, "well...I'm surprised. I mean, I kind of always knew it was more like that. But, I know it's not a easy thing for you to admit."
Blushing a little, Max goes, "thanks. So...what have you got for me? Jewelry, or...?"
She comes out to see Logan: With steampunk styled gray exoskeleton arms strapped on with black straps.
Looking stunned, Max says, "wow. Did you build this all yourself?"
Logan admits, "not entirely. Courtesy of Sebastian. He got most of the parts."
With a faint smile, Max compliments, "well, I'm still impressed."
With some mixed feelings, Logan concludes, "thanks. But...I kind of wish we didn't have to use it. Sydney is out of town. We made this in case things got serious enough. I sure think it has."
Max starts to reason, "fair...point."
From the corner of her cat like eyes...she sees a incoming smart missile.
Logan asks uncertainly, "Max?"
Max tells him, "Logan...we got to blaze. All of us."
She's already pocketed some backup discs in plastic cases of the informant net on the desk, which she briefly flashes in front of him. Logan solemnly nods, faintly assured.
Max and Logan start to run like hell...as the whole apartment goes up in flames.
The Chinese screens tear apart. The computer explodes into flying sparking off pieces.
Fire alarms blare. Burning up wooden floors are coming down in smoke.
Tara calls out, "go!" Original Cindy comments, "don't have to tell Original Cindy twice."
Both of them and Sketchy run out of the building with the crowd of panicking people.
Syl stands there, trying to tell if anyone's attacking. But, the crowd makes it hard for her.
She's unintentionally knocked back a little in the midst of the smoke.
Suddenly teary eyed, Sketchy pauses in his run. He calls out to her, "Syl?!"
Coughing only a little... Syl calls back, "don't worry, Sketch. With Max and Logan scouting the perimeter ahead, I'll be all right. Go!"
Sketchy faintly nods uneasily. But, he runs to catch up with Original Cindy and Tara.
Not long after, halfway up...
Max and Logan are running down the emergency stairs. The door is burning down behind them.
Then... A eerily familiar face and two ZFA members show up. One called Scalpel has curly platinum blond hair and dried dark red liquid tipped vibro-scalpels for fingernails. The ZFA member called PennyBlade has curly blond hair and two completely dark brown penny blades in her hands.
Jean Stim realizes, "Max." Max realizes glaringly, "cyber-bitch."
Jean Stim mutters icily, "the CSIS killed my family just to try to arrest me. Now I'm taking it out on your godforsaken bodies: In blood!"
Logan and Max faintly smirk each other's way. They put their arms up, ready to fight.
Max shoots back, "bite me."
Jean Stim unexpectedly punches down at the stairs, making a hole in concrete.
Logan reactively gets in front of Max, slamming his exoskeleton arm into Jean Stim.
She stumbles back. And, Max swings off of Logan to violently kick her down the stairs.
She groans violently against the wall. But, she pulls herself out: Her back heavily bruised.
Logan pulls out his gun, shooting away the pennyblade PennyBlade throws.
She charges at him with her other blade. But, he shields himself with his cut in exoskeleton arm.
Now on her feet... Max hurl slams a glaring Scalpel into the railing.
But, even with her dazed state...she violently slashes into Max's side.
Max falls back a little. She's coughing violently as she clutches her dark red liquid dripping side. Her vision is blurring fast.
Teary eyed, Logan cries out, "Max!"
In that moment... PennyBlade stabs him in the side: Slashing his exoskeleton's other arm off.
Logan goes down...coughing violently and clutching his dark red liquid dripping side.
The last things he sees is Syl shooting down Jean Stim and flashes of dark red liquid flying from her head, viciously grinning Scalpel coming for Max...and the blunt side of a pennyblade taking him out.
In her head, in blurry afterimages...
She sees herself in a hospital bed: In a Manticore cell, in a light blue hospital gown with a creepily smiling Madame X standing over her terrified expression.
Max and Logan in bed, Original Cindy's party, the deadly fight on the stairs... Everything of the recent weeks blurs past in rippling heart beats.
Relentlessly, Madame X pushes, "you think you can escape who you really are? Listen to that. That's strong, isn't it? That is the heart of a soldier. A messiah. A martyr."
Max keeps crying out, "turn it off!"
She keeps struggling to break free and choke her. But, the thundering heart beats instinctively make her crouch back and forth: Struggling against her seizures.
Madame X's ghost pushes on, "he was quite a man, your boyfriend Logan. He must've loved you very much...to sacrifice his heart to someone who didn't have one."
Tears fall more and more from Max's eyes. She shouts, "no. No! ! !"
Presently, in the real world...
Max comes to: Covered up in a pale green hospital gown, lying on a black cushioned operating table. A red lined heart monitor is up, and hospital tubes reeking of liquid metal are in her.
Dark red lighting aches: Reminding her too much of a certain VR nightmare of hers.
Teary eyed, Max angrily mutters, "Cai. What is this? What the hell are you doing to me?!"
Standing over her is Cai, eerily smirking.
She turns to a approaching figure, "your time has come. Tonight is our night."
Max looks wide eyed. She's instinctively shaking all over.
For standing there by Cai...is a coldly smiling John McGinnis: With a pulsing red cybernetic scanner equipped eye over the left side of his head, and gray brown gloves reeking of liquid metal.
With hints of sick satisfaction, John McGinnis says, "a eye for a eye. Now I'll make you pay for turning Lydecker away from what was right and taking my eye."