Chapter 8: Hysteria!

Alex sends a piercing glare towards T-Bone and myself, emitting a powerful roar that makes us both cover our ears. He steps forward, just as we instinctively pull our feet back. Beside me, T-Bone's hand tugs my sleeve, and I turn my worried eyes to his.

A forced calm settling within his voice, my partner jerks his thumb over his shoulder, "We either run or fight; you up for either option?"

"Of course." I'm lying through my teeth, but nevertheless, I send a suggestive nod towards the monster, "You up for the fight?"

The burly tom places a hand to his wrist, pulling the glovatrix accompanying it tighter against his skin, "Let's rock n' roll!" And with that, followed by a pre-victorious flash of his pearly whites, he pounces at the awaiting monster.

I soon follow, an equally wide grin across my face despite the numbing pain knocking on my ribs. The rush of being back in action- of being alive- overtakes the angst in my body as I shove the discomfort into the back of my mind where it belongs, and deliver a swift kick to Alex's head.

It mentally stings to do such a thing to a fallen comrade, it really does.

He howls in disapproval, flinging a tentacle in my direction as I surprisingly land on my feet without issue. I close my eyes, bringing my arms up in defense as I await the powerful blow, yet I feel no contact. Daring to peek behind my dark lids, I see T-Bone perched upon his "shoulders", delivering furious blows to the creature's skull. "Razor!" He looks up, spotting my amazed eyes, "Don't just stand there, gawking; go find Emily!"

Right, right! I shake from my amazement, and give a grateful nod towards my friend before sprinting down the hall. I owe him for a Hell of a lot more than he realizes, and once we're back at the salvage yard, I'll think of some way to compensate for his sacrifices. For now, I focus on my sister's screams ebbing their way through the darkness and into my ears.

I've never heard anything worse in my entire life, nor have I ever felt so driven. I thought that Viper had pushed me over my proverbial edge when he conducted his brash experiments on me, the unwilling test subject… How wrong I was. The moment he touched Emily, he sealed his fate.

I soon realize that I've been running on auto-pilot, because when I snap from my pondering, I realize that the screams are almost so loud, they physically hurt. I force myself to stop, creeping towards the edge of the wall on my left as I peer around its corner. There is a dim light that floods only a section of the conjoined hall, pouring from the same room that I had been in only days earlier. I gulp, forcing myself to conceal part of my anger for the sake of logic- the last thing T-Bone needs is to save two Clawsons tonight.

So, I clench my fists together and withhold the desire to rush in and beat Viper to a bloody pulp. It's the least I can do for both Emily and Chance. I creep into the left wing until my body is only millimeters away from touching light, and observe the room tactfully. Strategies buzz through my open mind like angry hornets when I see Emily, clinging to the table by the same harnesses that had once held me back. Viper is on the other side of the room by his beakers, no doubt creating poisons similar to what's been eating away at me, but my eyes turn back to my sister when I see her contort to her best ability as she cries out, "You won't get away with this, you… You!-"

Viper turns so fast, it's startling. Yellow, glowing eyes bend to comprehend the anger behind them, and he walks towards her shackles, fist ablaze, "Will you shut up? Sssstupid girl! You are getting a luxxxxurious treatment that's only worthy of my dearesssst creations, yet you're shallow enough to not recognize it?" He stops above her , and brings his fist down next to her face with a thud, "You are just like your brother, unthankful brat!"

Screw strategy. My temper boils over its limit, and I lose myself, unleashing a barrage of cement slugs into Dr. Viper- despite being a simple compound, it can pack quite a nice wallop when it cracks against a villain's skull. I choke back an angry slur of curses despite my deepest desire to throw them at the hybrid psycho, and take charge into the room, "Hold it right there, Dr. Viper!"

The slugs knock Viper off his feet, and it's clear that he's dazed from the attack. He shakes his head, orbs of cement flying from his motion before growling, "You! Have you not learned your lessssson, Jacob?"

Involuntarily, I stiffen, but I fail to let it show in my features- my brows furrow further, "You don't have the right to call me by that name. Now, I suggest you let my sister go, before I tear you to shreds."

"Doessss it look like I'm scared?" Indeed, he looked less than amused, but my promise is a sincere one. He hisses my way, then sweeps his large tail against the back of my legs. I fall with a "Oomph!", and roll away in time to miss another pounding from said appendage.

"Enough of thisss!" Viper bellows, slithering to his feet as his eyes meet mine. He points a claw to me, "This ends now!"

I couldn't agree more; I fall into a fighting stance and ignore the ebbing pain, "Alright, but it's your fate we're sealing tonight."