Chapter 12: One Last Stand Part 1
"Are you sure you are up for this so soon?" Raphael asked. A more detailed version of Panda Bubba's plan had been mapped out now and everything was intricately timed and was to be precisely executed. But in order to take out the Sin of Lust's entire palace they would need a very powerful bomb so they came to the only person around with that kind of knowledge; Jack Spicer. If anyone could build a bomb like that it was him. "If you need more time to recover from your injuries we have plenty of time."
"Jack, listen to him." Nina pleaded. "You're still weak. Stay here and rest for a while longer."
Jack just shook his head and took the golden Tiger Claws from Raphael. "I'm gunna need all the time I can get to build a bomb that powerful… especially with just one arm. I figure that if I start now I can make one powerful enough to take out half of Beijing and still have time left over."
Nina sighed and shook her head. "Fine, but you're not going alone." she said sternly.
"I'll be fine, Nina." Jack assured her. "I'm just going to one of my backup workshops." Nina raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I have two other places that I build robots at other than my house. They're in the basements of old vacation homes that my family never uses anymore."
"She is right, Spicer." Raphael broke in. "It is not just for your safety, but because we can not afford any of us being alone at any time. I've taken the liberty of assigning two others to go along with you and Nina. They will be there strictly as body guards and are not to interfere with your work."
Jack sighed. "Fine. But who are they?"
Raphael motioned for them to come forward. From the trees behind him Katnappe and Tubbimura stepped forward. "You've got to be kidding me." Jack groaned. "C'mon, Katnappe and I are never going to get along and I can deal with Tubbimura, but he just cut off my arm two days ago so I'm not too fond of him right now."
"So deal with it." Raphael snapped. "You are a soldier now and you have accepted your mission. That means when you get orders you don't complain, you take them with a smile on your ugly mug. Got that?"
Jack saluted him. "Sir, yes, sir!" He then reached into his pocked and pulled out a pea-green coffee mug with a yellow smiley face on it. "Smile on my ugly mug, sir!"
"I would give you a week in solitary for that if you weren't so important to this mission." Raphael growled. "Now get out of my sight!"
Jack just rolled his eyes, turned around, and started walking away. "All right, let's get going, maggots… you're coming too, Nina." Nina just giggled while Katnappe and Tubbimura scowled as they followed Jack into the woods.
"You seem like you're in a good mood for once." Nina said happily. "What's the occasion?"
"I'm not sure." Jack said. "Maybe I'm starting to get over loosing my arm… or maybe there was something funky in that stew Vlad made… either way I'm ready to build me a bomb right after we're done with my other project."
"What other project?" Nina questioned.
Jack just chuckled before gripping the Golden Tiger Claws and slashing them through the air. A portal opened and Katnappe and Tubbimura jumped through. Nina gave him another questioning look before jumping through herself, quickly followed by Jack.
The four found themselves in a room very similar to Jack's old lab, only with junk sitting around and thus more room to move around. "Where are we?" Tubbimura asked.
"We, my overweight ninja slash butcher wannabe friend, are in my families vacation home in Sicily." Jack explained. "Make yourselves at home. There should be some old magazines around here somewhere and there's a freezer full of ice cream and popsicle's on the other side of the room… or at least it was full of that stuff the last time I was here." There was no argument from Tubbimura or Katnappe. Tubbimura headed fro the freezer immediately and Katnappe sat down on a dusty recliner for a nap. Jack then went and started searching through his old projects, looking for something specific. Occasionally Nina had to help him move the heavier stuff like oversized robot arms or completed robots that just didn't work. Soon enough Jack found what he was looking for though. It was a midget sized robot version of himself that was still steel colored because hadn't been painted to look like him yet. "There you are."
"Why's it so small?" Nina asked.
"I was five when I made this." Jack explained. "Now let's see… I'll need to make some adjustments to the design, but I think it'll work. All I'll need to do it lengthen it a little."
"What're you talking about?" Nina asked.
"Nina, I need to build a bomb. But even with your help I'll never be able to do that as I am." He picked a large wrench off the table and started disassembling the robots right arm. "I need two arms to do this… and what better way to get that other arm back than with what I'm best with?… robotics."
THREE MONTHS LATER
Jessie rolled to a stop next to the other four Black Viper bikes. Mala Mala Jong and Cyclops looked over to her for a second to see who had arrived but paid no attention to her as she made her way over the ruble of the temple and into the Vault. At the bottom she knocked on the wall twice and waited a few seconds for it to fall back, allowing her to enter. She made her way though the grassy plains and into the woods where, just as she'd expected, she found the others waiting for her around the fire. She also noticed a pile of various weapons (swords, guns, Shen Gong Wu, etc.) sitting under a tree. "I ride off to Shenyang months ago and these are all the weapons you can get?" Jessie questioned. "You all 're lazier than a barn owl in the middle o' the day."
"It is not easy to obtain weaponry in these hard times." Panda Bubba explained.
"So are they in or what, Sis?" Clay asked.
Jessie nodded. "The Shenyang outpost'll be more 'an happy to storm Lust's palace in Beijing with us. What about the others?"
"According to your fellow Black Vipers all of our other choices are in as well." Vlad explained. "Tianjin, Jinan, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan and Huhehaote are all ready to strike whenever we give the signal.
"Are we sure we don't need Changchun or Zhengzhou?" Guan questioned.
"The six closest surrounding cities to Beijing will be enough." Panda Bubba broke in. "And with the army we have already it will be suspicious enough when we all move on Beijing at the same time… and I want as few casualties as possible, other than the obvious target."
"So when do we move then?" Kimiko asked.
"When Spicer gives us the signal." Raphael answered.
"And until then?" Omi asked.
"We wait." Panda Bubba said simply. "All of you that are going, rest well and train hard, for we could move at any moment... The Sin of Lust's judgment day comes soon."
With that everyone scattered. The Black Vipers and Jessie left to work on their bikes, wanting them to be in top shape for the upcoming battle. Vlad, Raphael, Panda Bubba and his two lackeys went off to get in some last minute training. Guan and Hamster left to meditate and get some rest. Jet and Jess just walked over to the pile of weapons and Jet started sifting through it. Everyone else remained by the fire.
"So do any of you guys actually think this is gunna work?" Jermaine asked.
"It's the best chance we've got." Rai said. "And even if it doesn't kill Wuya, which I doubt it will, at least it'll show the Sins that we're not giving up without a fight."
"Yeah, but you're forgetting one thing." Saya pointed out. "Whether this kills her or not, this will give the Sins justification to hunt us all down relentlessly… and personally. I mean, I realize that most of us are already wanted criminals, but if we go ahead with this who knows how the Sins, especially Lust, will react."
"It sounds like you are having second thoughts, Saya." Omi said.
"Yeah, baby, ya don' sound like yerself." Clay added.
"Oh trust me, I'm not backing out." Saya insisted. "All I'm saying is that we all know how resourceful the Sins are. If they really want to there's no way to stop them from finding us." Nobody argued.
"Speaking of finding us, I wonder how Rush is doing." Kimiko said. "It's been over six months since we last saw him."
"We don't have to worry about him." Elena said. "Knowing him he's probably out there fighting with a different resistance outpost. It's only a matter of time before we run into him again." Despite sounding confident Elena's reassuring words didn't even fool herself. Every one of them had heard what the Sins did to the people on their most wanted list. They were all lucky that they'd lasted this long in the same place. But Rush had been out there for months on his own as far as they knew. As far as most of them were concerned he was as good as dead until they had undeniable proof that he was alive… they even planned on giving him a grave when all of this was over, if he hadn't shown up again by then that is.
"So, Rai, have you gotten any more memories back recently?" Julia asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Not really." Rai admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I get flashes here and there but it's never enough to piece anything together… um… Oh, but I do remember the last thing I watched on TV was a woman's beach volleyball tournament."
"Should'a seen that comin'." Clay chuckled.
Kim just rolled her eyes. "As much as I'm not proud of what he's remembering, I have to say he is doing a lot better than before. Isn't that right, honey?"
"Who are you?" Rai laughed. Kim elbowed him in the ribs playfully.
Not far away Jet was busy looking through the pile of weapons, taking particular interest in the guns. He never really had been one for close combat. Jess meanwhile just stood behind him casting a look of shame upon him. She detested fighting, back in Rome she often refused to eat anything that Jet had killed himself, but she knew she couldn't do anything to stop him from going to battle with the others. It wasn't in her brother to stay behind while others took action.
Jet picked up and hand gun and examined it quickly before turning on the safety and loading it with a clip of bullets. He tucked it into a large pocket on his pant leg before continuing his search for weaponry. "Are you sure you want to do this, Jet?" Jess finally asked.
Jet sighed and turned to his sister, actually taking off his sunglasses and revealing his eyes, one being emerald green while the other was ocean blue, for the first time in quite a while. "Jess, I know you don't have it in you to fight, and I know you don't want to see anything happen to me, but I'm not going to sit here while a war for the freedom of the entire planet is being fought."
"But you could die, Jet!" Jess snapped. "You could die... and you're the only family I've got…"
"Jess…"
"Jet, please. Recklessly throwing yourself into a fight that doesn't involve you is completely…"
"Doesn't involve me?" Jet snapped. "Jess, other than you there aren't a lot of things I'm willing to fight for… but this time we're all in danger. All six billion of us. If I can do anything to make sure that this world remains ours until it ends the way… well, the way God intended it to end then I will."
"Then why don't you have some faith and let God fight this battle instead?" Jess pleaded.
"Because if God was going to help us he would've done it by now!" Jet snapped. "Now it has been more than half a year since the Seven Deadly Sins have taken over and so far nothing has been done to them, by mortal or immortal means… and if God's not going to help the world this time then I am." He loaded another hand gun and shoved it into his pocket and then picked up a small gatling gun, tied a strap to it and slung it over his shoulder. He put his sunglasses back on before speaking again. "Look, I might've gone too far there… I know you're a gentle soul, Sis, but you have to understand… I have to do this… and if I do die in battle then I'll ask the big guy why he's putting us through this, ok?" Jess couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto her face. "And I promise that if I die then I'll always be watching over you… just like mom and dad have been doing for all these years."
Jess just smiled as tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Fine… go, but…" she pulled her necklace with the silver cross over her head and shoved it into Jet's hand. "… promise me that you'll come back in one piece." She said.
Jet just gave her his goofy grin before pulling her necklace over his head and pulling his sister into a hug. "I promise, Jess… I'll come back. Now quite crying before I change my mind."
"Shut up." Jess laughed.
"Ah, the intimate moment between siblings. A rare sight in this age." Jet and Jess glanced around to fine the speaker was a young Asian man wearing leather armor with long raven black hair. He was accompanied by an elderly indigenous African man holding a white spear. "Would you two happen to know where a young lady named Saya might be?" Chase asked.
ELSEWHERE
"All right, Kim, what's so important that you had to drag me away from everyone else?" Rai questioned as his girlfriend lead him deeper into the forest.
"Just trust me, you're going to thank me for this… and no, you're not getting lucky either." They continued for a while until Kim finally found the place she was looking for. It was a small clearing in the forest, the trees lining the outside seemed to be arranged in a perfect circle and, unlike every other clearing, the grass was actually pretty short. Up above the full moon could be seen shining above them, almost like it was fixed right there just for them.
"What's going on, Kimiko?" Rai asked with a suspicious grin.
Kim just giggled and pulled him close. "Look Rai, I've been thinking… I know your memories are coming back, but it's just going to slow for me…. You just barely remember how we met or even how we got together… I want you to remember everything… but I know it'll take a while for that to happen... so until it does…" she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small golden chain bracelet with three charms hanging from it. "… You'll just have to share my memories of everything instead."
"I recognize that thing… what's it do?" Rai asked.
"It's a Shen Gong Wu that controls memories; the Memory Charm Bracelet. It can recreate, rearrange, or even just erase memories." Kim explained. "Rai, if you'll let me, I'll plant my memories of us into your mind… that way you'll be able to remember all the time we've shared together… are you up for it?"
Rai just smiled at her and tightened his arms around her slightly before pressing their lips together briefly. "Go for it." he said.
Kim nodded and gave him one last peck on the lip and stepping back, carefully aiming the bracelet at him and whispering its name. The thin golden chain and its three charms glowed brightly and instantly Rai's mind was flooded with images: a hooded figure hitting him with a hammer as Kim watched in horror; Kim sitting next to his bed, watching over him while he was injured; their little trip into the underworld; waking up next to Kim after they'd accidentally fallen asleep together the night before; he, Kim, and Omi sitting in a tree with Clay and Saya sitting closely at its base; the first time they made love and so much more. Rai couldn't believe that he'd completely lost all of this, forgotten all of the good and bad times that he and Kimiko had shared.
As soon as he snapped out of his trance of memories being implanted into his mind. He pulled Kimiko close again and hugged her tightly. "I can never thank you enough…" he whispered into her ear. "I love you… and every moment we've shared together… so much."
Kim just sighed and hugged him back as she started crying tears of joy. "I love you too Rai."
ELSEWHERE
Panda Bubba patiently drummed his fingers against the log he sat on as he waited for Jack Spicer's signal. He didn't know exactly what to expect, but he knew that Jack wasn't subtle enough for him not to notice it. "That idiot had better have that bomb finished." He growled.
Right on cue a portal opened up on the other side of the fire and Katnappe jumped out with the Golden Tiger Claws. "We move now." she said before slashing the claws through the air and jumping through that portal.
"Finally." Panda Bubba growled. He snapped his fingers and his two lackeys approached him from the trees behind him. "Gather everyone. It's time to start a war."
(a/n) a lot more emotional junk happened in this chapter than anything else. I figured that it was about time I gave Rai most of his memory back (sort of) not to mention having Chase and Chief finally join the resistance. then there was that little thing with Jet and Jess... thats just siblings for ya, nuff said... and for the record all of the cities I mentioned with outposts that're attacking Beijing are actual cities in china. chekc google maps for yourself.