Keeping his wings tucked in close Cortes scurried along the corridor, knocking out guards and cameras as he went. He even set off a concussion grenade to cause a diversion, then ran on. Soon he heard voices arguing up ahead. He snuck a little closer. There was a small barred window set into the metal door, he peered in anxiously.
He could see a familiar figure with his back to the door. He appeared to be talking to someone out of sight.
"How about now? Still going to insist on protecting those pathetic rebels?"
"You really are a maniac, you honestly think this batshit insane idea of yours is going to work?! You can try all the damn torture techniques in your demented memory, but i aint gonna tell you!"
"Clipping your wings is just the start, i can think of far more painful ways of getting what i want from you..."
"hmph, what would YOU know?"
Anubis smirked, looking at the micro camera feed on the monitor he held in his hand. It showed exactly who was lurking about outside.
"Well, i know that door is electrified, all i got to do is push a button!" he grinned as he flipped the switch. There was a yelp of pain from outside the door.
"Looks like we have an eavesdropper..." quick as light, the dark angel flung open the door and grabbed the stunned Cortes. Twisting his captives arm behind his back he hauled him into the room.
"seems we still have a rat problem.." Anubis laughed, pulling a serrated knife from his pocket and holding against his prisoners neck.
"ARAN!!" sirus stared "what are you doing here?"
"I don't know how he managed to find us, but you have to admire his determination. Pity he's going to die right here...i said i had measures, maybe seeing your precious little human in pain will change your mind?"
Cortes struggled to get free "don't say anything!" he winced "as if this ass has any right to know-yeaargh!!"
He felt a bone in his arm weaken, then crack painfully. the pain was nearly enough to make him sick. He stumbled and collapsed. --shit, now what..?-- he looked up at the second angel.
"Humans are weak, you break too easy. But still, this should be fun! Getting to break the famous rebel leader, your death will serve as a punishment for defying my plans!"
Cortes tried to get to his feet, but a crushing punch to the ribs knocked the air out of him. He hit the wall and slid into a heap at the bottom.
He heard something flying towards him, and managed to move just barely, so the knife aimed fo his shoulder only just sliced a cut in it.
"You'll haveta do better then that!" Anubis laughed, puling out more weapons. "Its no fun if you just sit there and die..."
"STOP IT!!" sirus yelled at him. "He's got nothing to do with this!"
"Oh but he has. I said i wanted to destroy you, what better way to start then kill the one thing you care about..!"
Sirus tried to tug at the restraints keeping him tied down, but it was no good. He could only watch as his beloved Aran struggled to avoid the barrage he was under.
"Sir! the weapons finished, were ready to test it!" Mac's voice echoed over the intercom. Anubis smirked "looks like you have a temporary reprieve. But i must insist you wait here!"
This said, he flung a final knife at Cortes as the human managed to sit himself up. It punched into the left wing, effectively pinning it to the wall behind him.
He turned to face sirus, who looked ready to kill him, "As for you.. you're going to be the guest of honour at our little test party!"
"you're insane, that thing is too unstable, your plan will blow up in your faces!"
"That'll be for me to decide..." Anubis smirked, advancing on him...
Cortes watched dizzily as his other half was dragged out of the room. He tried to move, but the knife was embedded pretty deep, he couldn't budge it.
"No.." he hiccupped, struggling to control his anger at being once again helpless, why was this happening?
--I'm not letting them do this, but how can i stop them?!--
Sirus stared at the weapon arranged in the largest hangar bay. It was pretty bulky, but size was no guarantee of weight, there was no doubt the pirates new ship could carry its weight with ease.
The main doors opened and a load of pirates entered, pushing something along on a wheeled flatbed transporter. It was the ship Marcus and Cortes had arrived in. A Patroller had come across it and Anubis had deemed it worth blowing up in the test run.
Marcus meanwhile had no idea, he was Sneaking about the complex, having FINALLY gotten free of the evil air vent system. He'd had to start a fair few fights with the guards, but years of experience had taught him to kick ass pretty damn effortlessly.
The hall he was in was deadly silent, and he considered skipping it. It looked like a holding cell block, but all the doors were wide open, so probably no prisoner then. He was about to move on when he heard a muffled cry of pain, and the sound of something dripping to the floor.
Here hurried towards the sound, and got a shock.
"Hey-captain!" he took in the scene, cotes looked half past dead, but what was more painful was what he was doing. Using his pen knife, he was attempting to lever the knife pinning oen wing to the wall out with the pocket blade. Blood splashed to the cell floor and Cortes had to bite back another wave of agony as he persisted.
"Hey- whoa STOP!" Marcus ran over and pulled his hand away what're you doing?! You'll make it worse!!"
Cortes shook his head weakly "I've got to, get it out...before that freak kills sirus!" he began tugging at the knife again you can either help me or leave now!"
"Whoa, cool your jets, you really think I'm gonna let a maniac kill an innocent guy? But the way your going, you'll be out cold from blood loss..lemme help.."
Taking off his jacket he pressed this to the edges of the wound, to keep pressure on it, while slowly inching the blade out. As soon as it was free, he tore some strips from the jackets lining and wrapped them tightly around the wing. Keeping him still, he sought out more bandage supplies from the rooms nearby, and soon he'd wrapped the wound up pretty thickly, hopefully with enough pressure to stop the blood flow.
You stay here, ill go see if i cant sabotage the test run!" he stopped as Cortes forced himself to his feet.
The captain glared fiercely at him "like..hell, I'm gonna sit back like an idiot! I never let that happen during the rebellion, and the hell I'm gonna start now!!"
Marcus blinked, then laughed "Geez, no wonder old man Ames gave you the job! you got more guts then i first thought.." his tone was impressed, he had to admit Cortes had surprised him with his strength and determination this whole mission...
"He's back at puerto angel too.." Cortes said softly as he staggered out the door, his broken right arm cradled in the left. "He came back after we beat the sphere..."
"Hang a sec..." Marcus made him hold still while he made a make-shift sling for his arm."itll slow ya down otherwise." he looked for something to pin it closed with..damn, no pins..
Then he had an idea. Attached to his uniform was a badge he'd carved into the symbol of the rebellion. He'd made when he'd first joined it, in the historical records about the first rebellion, it was regarded as a piece of history. He smiled, and unclipped it, ordering the other to stand still as he used to hold the sling closed.
"There!" he said at last "perfect.."
Cortes craned his neck to see what he'd used and stared in astonishment "uh, but isnt this..."
"Its the one i made when i led the rebellion...seems appropriate it be given to my replacement after all!"
He patted the captains shoulder, and indicated the door. "now lets move fly-boy!"
Cortes shook his head "you're as bad as Mahad with the birdie jokes!"
"No need to get in a 'flap'!" Marcus snickered.
"Can it!" Cortes snapped back, but they were laughing, each having a genuine respect for the other.
As they navigated their way to the test area, they noticed there were barely any guards. Everyone was obviously gathered together for the test run.
"Getting there's one thing, but how do we cause a big enough diversion?"
Cortes thought about it..then had an idea. He ducked into a medical room, and after knocking the guard out before he could even speak, began raiding the room. Marcus watched in befuddlement as Cortes set about doing..well he wasn't sure.
After a minute or two Cortes turned and showed him what he'd been doing. He'd retrieved a bottle of medicinal alcohol, and made a Molotov cocktail of it. Not just that, but he'd taped rifle ammo all round the edges using double side med tape.
"Light it an' throw it, and ya get a massive radius for destruction. Use this as a distraction, along with a few flash bombs, and we may buy enough to time to sabotage the weapon!"
"Where do you learn this stuff?!" Marcus asked, stunned by the stuff this guy seemed to know.
Cortes shrugged "don't know, just made it up.."
"Lets give it a go, c'mon!" together they ran out and headed for the text bay.
The resulting explosion blasted the craft to a zillion pieces, the explosion shaking the whole ground. Debris was scattered in a pretty wide radius.
"Good a damn good range.." Mac grinned "wreckage didn't even come near us.."
"Of course, i modified the designs to make sure this worked." Anubis boasted smugly "Its perfect.."
Sirus stared in fear at this weapon. One hit to puerto angel and the place'd be a goner. --there's got to be another way out..--
On the maintenance balcony above them, two figures were crouched, watching. Cortes motioned Marcus to move closer to where the weapon was, while he moved the other way. He was planning on drawing attention to himself, so Marcus could diddle with the weapon.
He crept as far as he could, pulled a lighter he'd found in the med room from his pocket, and lit the fuse. He leaned back and flung the thing as close to the assembled pirates as he could without killing anyone. The explosion that followed blew a sizeable crater in the floor, and knocked everyone on their asses. He stood up, balancing on the railings.
"What the hell?!" Anubis growled, squinting throw the flash bomb smoke. He seen someone standing on the railings above them.
"You, how the hell did you get free?!"
Cortes laughed "guess I'm not so 'pathetic' after all, mm?"
Sirus punched the guard that had been holding him into oblivion, and grabbed the weapon from him. Everyone was still staggering about trying to recover.
As soon as the bomb went off Marcus leapt down, landing behind the weapons control box. He punched the guy operating it out, then set about screwing every single setting up. Someone seen him and fired but by the time the blasts hit he was long gone from trajectory. He ducked behind the weapon, and set about using Cortes pen knife to unscrew the connection cables, switching them around would cause the thing to overload and self-destruct.
Sirus spotted him, and knew he had to get focus away from the man. He began firing at the pirate trying to shoot Marcus. This caused the whole lot of them to pay attention.
Anubis glared at Cortes "ill just have to kill you this time you bastard!" he snarled, pulling a long-bladed sword from where it had been propped up against the wall.
But sirus was having none of that. Knocking another pirate out, he ran at Anubis and threw his full weight against him. It was enough to knock him off balance, the sword dropping from his hand.
"If anyone's gonna die, it'll be you!" sirus glared, aiming the gun at him. "your demented ideas are over!"
"Compared to me you're nothing! give it up!" his twin laughed manically. "like you're going to stop me!"
Cortes could only watch as the two went against each other again...
"Shouldn't let your guard down!" a voiced announced, and a bolt arrow shot just past Cortes' face, scratching a deep graze along his cheek. He turned, looking at Mac once again.
"I still aint finished with YOU freak show!" the pirate leader smirked "i still owe you a good clobbering!"
The next arrow missed him by a mile as Cortes jumped down and swung at the pirate. This time he was going to beat the hell outta this guy, and aim that gun where the sun doesn't shine!
Marcus looked up at the fighting. That freaky evil angel was getting a beating from his enraged twin, and Cortes was mid-way to beating Mac senseless.
--There, got it!-- he finished the twiddling and looked around for a weapon. So far he'd been relying to hand to hand combat to stop anyone interfering with his plan, but now he decided a gun might just help..
So the next pirate that tried to shoot him at close range not only got a knockout, but had the weapon pilfered by the target. He took aim and took as many non-fatal shots at the pirates as he could. More and more were pouring in, no doubt attracted by the noise. He ducked behind the control panel, peering out behind it and taking pot shots as more crowded in.
Up on the balcony Mac was having to reassess what he thought of Cortes, The guy was surprisingly strong, and he seemed to be moving faster then before, despite the state he was in.
"nngh, I'm not letting you get away! he yelled, firing multiple shots at the rebel leader. Cortes jumped up freeing his arm from its sling and grabbed a dangling cable, Ignoring the pain and using that as leverage he aimed a stun grenade right for the others face. he closed his eyes as it hit home, and heard the enraged scream, of pain as his target was blinded by the detonation.
Opening his eyes he jumped down and delivered a final kick to the chest, sending his opponent skidding along the walkway, out for the count.
Finished, he jumped down from the railing, looking around for sirus. He and Anubis were still fighting head-on. He looked desperately for a way to help. and seen Marcus under heavy fire from the rest of the crew. He threw more grenades from a running start, and launched into the crowd once they went off. The fact this worked with his eyes closed, was remarkable. Soon as it was safe he opened them again, and got a gun to the face. He swung his uninjured wing and clocked them upside the ehad, droppign them to the floor.
"Cortes!" he heard, Marcus yelling "we need to make this thing explode, its been re-wired!"
"Get moving then, ill deal with this lot!!" Cortes yelled back shooting another one. He reached into his pocket and flung a shock grenade at the oncoming crew. This was enough to knock the lot of them back. He motioned for Marcus to get started, and pulled a second bottle of alcohol from his pocket. Tearing off a strip of his battered uniform he made another cocktail. He flung this with his good arm, settling the injured one back into its sling afterwards.
This created a barrier between the attackers and them, and flaming barrier that would quickly spread. He whipped round, shooting another one as he attempted to sneak up on them. He was kept busy by the attackers, but the rising flames prevent many from getting a clear shot. except one.
Mac pushed himself to his feet, growling in pain. one eyes was totally blind, but the other he could see well enough to figure out what was going on down there. he could feel the heat from the rising fire, and he spotted Cortes taking shots at the few crew that were managing to get past the flames. Picking up his bow gun he squinted, and then changed his aim. The other guy was tinkering with the energy weapons control panel. He had to stop him.
He levelled the weapon and pulled the trigger.
Below, Cortes heard the sound clearly, as if it was the only noise in all the world. He shot one last pirate, then ran for Marcus. he was too late to push the other out of the way...so he had to use the other option. He stopped between the oncoming projectile and Marcus, and lifted his gun. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. He took aim at the pirate above him, and fired every round the weapon had left..
Then pain struck, as the arrow hit him dead on in the chest. The room seemed to melt into a black blur as he felt the thing hit home. Then everything went dead...
Marcus heard shots, then a thunk. He whipped round in time to see Cortes get hit by a bolt arrow, which had been previously intended to hit HIM.
"CAPTAIN!!" he yelled, furiously he looked up at the one that fired it. In time to see him fall from the railings, shot repeatedly by Cortes.
He hit the final key on the panel, then dove across the gap to where Cortes lay. He knelt down by him, looking at the damage. The arrow had hit its target dead on in the chest, right where the heart was. He shook Cortes, but no response. NO way, he couldn't be...?
From the fighting spot amidst the wreckage of the blown up test ship, Anubis caught sight of what had happened. he smirked and sent his twin sprawling.
"Give it up, my men have shot down that little bird of yours! Direct hit!"
These words pushed the already furious sirus over the edge. The mere thought of losing his lover was not acceptable, he would slaughter this guy for even suggesting it...
He grabbed a piece of metal wreckage, and when Anubis swung at him again, he beat the blow back with the pipe, startling his opponent. But he wasn't done there, operating on blind fury he began laying into him, aiming to break every metal bone in the guys body.
Marcus looked over at the energy compressor, hearing a beep that told him it was ready to fire...he quickly picked Cortes up, and ran for it, hiding behind the ruins of the far wall that'd been knocked down by Cortes' explosives.
Sirus heard the high pitched sound as well, and an idea occurred to him. He ducked Anubis' punch as he swung at him, crouched down, and, putting all the strength he had behind it, barrelled into his twin. The other him was sent flying just as intended, he hit the ground right by the weapon. There was a pause, then BOOM. The thing exploded, the cloud of flames engulfing the evil double. Sirus closed his eyes and the agonised screams at last cut off.
The remaining pirates fled, seeing they were beat, Mac was dead, Anubis was incinerated, they were outta there!
As the flames calmed down sirus heard someone shouting at him. He turned, remembering his lover and the other guy...
He ran over, sick with worry. The guy was kneeling by Cortes, who wasn't moving.
--No, i..please don't be dead Aran..- the angel begged mentally as he knelt next to him.
"He..was trying to save me.." Marcus managed at last "i just turned round as...it happened.."
Sirus barely heard him. he brushed a hand along the fresh cut on Aran's cheek. He looked so peaceful, so cute..--what am i supposed to do without you love?-- he thought numbly, the pain unbearable.
His hands clenched tightly, he closed his eyes. This whole mess, that damn Anubis, this was his fault. --He's dead, but i lost the one thing i wanted to protect...my Aran..--
Marcus closed his eyes, feeling sick. He never thought anything like this would happen, Cortes had survive everything he'd been through since he met him, only to lose now..this wasn't real..
Pain, a lot of it. He felt something warm against his face, then a strange sensation. droplets of water hitting his skin. Was it raining? His mind urged him to move, to open his eyes. Despite his body's objections, he forced himself to open his eyes, to move his hand...
Sw00t more chapter, sorry for the delay, but this laptop is a f--k-tart.
Random fact: my parents know diddly about PCs, yet insist on acting like know-it-alls. Its funny listening to them trying to convince me theyre not idiots. XD