Everyone stood frozen with shock. Brody's nerves were so far on the edge he could've fallen over in a dead faint if someone hiccupped. Caradon wasn't sure what to do.

Is this kid bluffing? He thought. Because if he is I'll shoot the girl right now, but if he's not and I do…then all of that power will be wasted. Then he had an idea

"All right then." The remainder of his gangsta army stared at him as though giving into the ones you were trying to overpower was beyond unacceptable. "I'll let this young lady live, and the rest of your friends, if," He smiled like the devil himself. "You come with me and become the backbone of my group. This way we both gain, I have the power I have long desired and none of your friends gets as much as a bruise. Though the first thing we'll have to do is get your hair cut."

Steve had come out at this point and heard every word of Caradon's speech; he to had water spots on his shirt. His heart fell like a lemming off a cliff. If those were the terms Caradon was going to lay then it would've been better to be dead than have his nephew turned over to a man like that. But Caradon had one last thing to add before he had his manipulative ways satisfied.

"Though it is a shame really, that the greatest source of alchemy power has to be in the form of a disgusting inferior chimera like you."

Annie felt a flicker of fury bubble within her that within seconds became a roaring flame. Everyone felt that way, pushed to the point beyond rage that even when this creep had everything going in his favor he still crossing lines just because he felt like he had the right. Unfortunately for him, he said the wrong thing.

"Let me see." Chanty panted, a small smile trying to show. "An eternity …in Heaven or…a lifetime in hell…without dying?" Pause.

"I choose Heaven."

The entire world lost its sound except for the echo of a gunshot.

"BIG BROTHER!!!!!!" Brody screamed before running to the state alchemists limp form on the ground. Annie was in shock, like most of the spectators. Caradon was to but for a different reason.

I can't accept this. Ed thought, his heart racing. I did not just see my friend die. This is just a nightmare and in a few seconds I'll be so scared I'll wake up and everything will be all right.

"Caradon Corius!" It was Steve. He was holding a handgun and it was pointed at the man he hated. You could see his entire body trembling. No one knew or cared where'd he suddenly have a rope tied to his belt. "You and I are settling this now! No one here should have been involved in least of all him!" He didn't need to turn his head or gesture because it was obvious whom he was talking about.

Caradon grinned in such a way that would've made the devil shiver.

"If I can't have the property that should be mine the loss should be easily made up by killing you. Maybe after you're dead I'll shoot the child too so the three of you can be a happy family again." He mocked. "Drop your weapons boys, this man's mine."

Steve and Caradon went to the backyard, it was agreed this would be done in the old western showdown way. They'd stand with their guns at their sides until someone yelled and then the victor would be decided by fate.

No one of the usual group came, if this was going to take a turn for the worst they didn't want to see it. On the way to the backyard area Steve had no fear of having his back exposed to his enemy, they both knew the unwritten rule that only cowards attack their opponents from behind and they both abided by it.

Caradon noticed on the ground were the same markings in the grass as it was over the trap holes. A patch of trampled grass, a 'path' was in front of him but Steve on purposely avoided it even though it was straight in front of him. Caradon smiled. He was smarter than his pawns and wouldn't be fooled by the same trick. He silently called the bluff and stood right on top of the area of untouched grass, nothing happened so he stayed there. When Steve turned around Caradon would tell he was trying to hide an expression and he knew it was the panic attack because the trap hole idea wouldn't work.

I have the upper hand. The evil man thought. The only thing on my mind is disposing of him and he's distracted with that idiot kid. He's as good as dead.

"Get ready, boss!" It was Ryan. Caradon's hand involuntarily twitched for his gun. "Three! Two! One! GO!!!!"

His gun was in his hand but somehow Steven was faster. But he didn't shoot him. Caradon's gun was knocked out of his hand. It was only a few feet away; he could grab it and retaliate before Steve could shoot again…but that wasn't the way it ended. The barrel of his gun was slipping through something…a net. He was standing over a trap hole, Steve had reversed the bluff and he'd fallen for it.

Cursing under his breath he waited for a gunshot followed by pain…but it didn't come. He looked over at Steve who had been untying the rope from his belt and walking toward him.

He's going to help me? Why didn't that idiot just finish me while he had the chance? He should know darn good and well that I'm not going to show him any kindness in return.

Steven spun the rope around his head a few times like a lasso and tossed it toward Caradon. But there wasn't a loop at the end like you would find in a normal lasso, in fact it wasn't a rope at all…it was a snake. It slithered passed Caradon and wrapped its head around a stick before getting a good grip on it with its mouth. Steve pulled the snake-rope taut and probably was, actually, he was the only person who had ever seen fear in the eyes of the gang leader Caradon Corius. Before he pulled the rope, this is what he said.

"Your countless sins negate your entry into Heaven…and Satan doesn't want any competition in hell."

Caradon couldn't even utter a sound of surprise when the net was let loose and he fell into a pit of sharpened wooden steaks.

The remaining goonies were so astonished at what they had just seen they didn't know what to do. After what seemed like an eternity of watching they realized the saying of, 'the main function of the brain is to tell the feet when to run' proved to be true, because that was the message everyone's brain was sending to their feet.

After a while Steve let go of the rope and just stared at the hole for a while.

I may have done a great thing. He thought. I have killed one of the most dangerous men in the country…too bad it only stops him from doing anymore harm. This deed cannot bring back the lives that he took.

With a heart heavier than a two-ton anchor Steve went to the front yard, eyes to the ground the entire time as to not see what he knew was there.

Annie was crying in Clen's arms and any feeling of jealously on his part had long since dissolved, too bad it was too late. Luke and Lucus couldn't think of anything to say to ease the pain any. Cold hard Reality rarely hit them but when it did, it hit hard. Al didn't know what to say, Ed couldn't say anything, it felt as though a lead weight were tied to his speech. Ren had gone inside in an emotional attack of despair and embraced Dixie, whispering to her what had happened. Instantly the little fox girl burst into tiny sobs that escalated to flowing tears. She pushed away from her brother and ran outside crying. Brody hadn't moved from Chanty's side with, his brother's head still cradled tightly in his arms. Dixie for the most part threw herself on The Dawn's chest, clutching his soaked shirt and crying.

"Channicweer, you pwomised to make the dinoswar smwall enough for me to pway with!"

Despite the seriousness of the situation Ren felt his heart leap. This was the first time in over a month that he'd heard his sister speak.

"It won't help, Dixie." Mark tried to pull her away, his lip twitching from trying not to cry.

"He pwomised!"

"I…know."

Everybody froze. Their expressions were as if they'd just been smacked in the face with a……..well, I was about to say dead chicken but that wouldn't really be appropriate would it? Brody was making a noise like laughter with your mouth closed. Slowly between giggles or whatever that noise was he loosened his grip on Chanticleer's head. Exhausted blue eyes slowly tried to open from a face that was trying hard not to smile.

"Wha-How?"

"But you-We saw."

"H-h-how!"

"We heard the gunshot!!!!" Ed exploded making everyone else jump.

"Remember…when I told you I…could manipulate sound?"

Ed was only one of the few that felt like he'd defeat the purpose and kill him anyway. The twins didn't, they'd have a lifetime of pranks to pull in order to get even so they helped Chanticleer stand.

"That was good acting but if you do anything like that again-"

"I'll hold you down and Luke will kill you."

"No, you'll hold him and I'll kill him."

"Neither of you will kill him because I will."

Annie marched over to him her eyes red and a little puffy. For a second she seemed like the happiest person there and you could picture her embracing Chanticleer, and him returning the embrace and sparks flying with loves first kiss. But, too bad that's not what happened. Reality told it this way, she approached him looking the happiest person there and when she was arms length from him….

SMACK!

Right across the face.

"Oh by golly look at that."

"Gosh that got red fast."

"Perfect shape of a handprint too." Lucus touched the back of his hand to The Dawn's face. He made no reaction to this whatsoever because now it was his turn to be the one in shock. "Wow, that's heating up like a marshmallow over a fire!"

"Hey let me feel." Pause. "Whoa, I can feel it tingling."

Chibi me – You'd better duck and run for cover because you probably made a bunch of readers mad.

Me – Why?

Chibi me – You made everyone think Chanticleer was dead!

Me – I had every right as an author to do that! (ducks from flinging object) Ok maybe you're right.

Chibi me – I'm right? I'm RIGHT! (sheds silent tears of happiness)

Me – Before anything else gets chucked at me I'll get on with the preview. Chanty is now like the ultimate source of alchemy power and knowledge, Caradon is dead and Steve can live with his family now and forever more and they all live happily ever after the end.

Chibi me – THAT'S NOT HOW IT ENDS AND YOU KNOW IT!!!!

Me – Yeah I know (ducks again) Geesh! Why are these people so violent? In celebration of the capture and death of one of the country's biggest threats Chanty, Mark and the twins put on this kind of a concert at Central!

Chibi me – We get to rock the house?

Me – No, they do and we get to watch.

EmptyHeart – Hey, remember that spoiler you gave me? You promised remember?

Me – Yeah I remember, go ahead. (this preview is a little long aint it?)

EmptyHeart – (Smacks Chanty…..hard) YOU HAD THAT COMING!

Me – Well, that just about sums it up don't it? (turns to Chanty who's rubbing the side of his face) There's an ice pack in the freezer.

Chanty – thanks.