Jeff struggled against his restraints as he looked around the warehouse he and Annie were trapped in, trying to learn as much about their location as he could. There was a glass skylight in the middle of the ceiling high above them. And in front of them was a raised platform, which looked to be about ten feet above the ground.

"Struggle all you want Jeff. Those chairs are bolted to the floor and the robes are Eagle Scout level knotted. There's no way you can escape"

Jeff glared at Michelle as she continually cracked her bullwhip. He knew the odds were stacked against them. They were both tied up and weaponless. Right now Miss Statistics and her many cronies were spread out all around them. And soon they would all be joined by the one running it all: The Pusher. He was well aware that their chances of making it out of here alive were stacked against them.

As Jeff heard moaning from infected people outside he looked over at Annie, who was equally struggling to escape. As cheesy and clichéd as it sounded in his head, the thought of anything happening to her by these monsters ripped him up inside. She was wonderful and amazing and better then anyone he knew. "Annie, listen to me. I don't know what's going to happen. And I just want to tell you-."

"Later Jeff."

"Annie, there might not be a later. I have to tell you-."

"Jeff, later."

As Jeff looked into her eyes he realized what she was actually saying. If they said their last words to each other right now they were essentially accepting defeat and giving up hope. By telling him 'later' she was having them both hold onto the hope that they would get out of this alive, even if that hope was just an illusion. Jeff nodded his head in agreement, though he couldn't help mouthing 'I love you' to her. She smiled sadly and mouthed it right back.

Their moment was broken as Michelle snapped her whip at them, missing Annie's face by an inch. "How touching for you both. Though I should remind you, Miss knows it all, that I was the one who was with Jeff first. He only got with you to get over losing me."

"I barely remember our time together Statistics."

Michelle cracked her whip in the air threateningly. "I was there Jeff. I rocked your world."

Jeff chuckled, enjoying that he was able to get under her skin. "I'm pretty sure I would have remembered it if you did."

Just before Michelle could react a loud roar was heard throughout the room. They all turned as El Tigre leaped out of the shadows. As he walked closer Annie tried to control the fear she felt. Before he had been dangerous, but he had at least still been a man. What stood before her was most defiantly not human. Orange and white fur covered his entire body and sharp claws extended from both his fingers and toes. He snarled as he licked his whiskers, revealing a mouthful of long sharp teeth.

He squatted down in front of Annie and ran his fingers over her face, causing her to involuntarily shutter. "Remember me Princess? Maybe not. I've made some improvements since the last time we saw each other. I just want you to know how much I'm looking forward to this. As soon as I heard we were bringing you in I made sure to save my appetite."

Michelle cracked her whip at his feet. "Hey, we wait until Pusher arrives, remember."

El Tigre jumped up and snarled at Miss. Statistics. "I'm not going to eat her now. But I was promised LEFTOVERS!"

"Hey now, that's no way to treat each other. We're about to destroy out enemies. This is a happy time."

They all looked up as The Pusher came into view, walking to the edge of the platform. He was wearing his outfit, a red, white and blue three-piece suit with a blue facemask. Only he would have the audacity to wear the colors of the flag while getting people hooked onto drugs. "Jeff, Annie, so good to see you. It's to bad it had to be under these circumstances, but I'm glad we're all here."

"Rich."

Rich smiled his fake politician's smile as he removed his mask. "Well, you caught me Jeff, so I guess there's no need for masks. Just as well, you're going to be dead in a few minutes anyway so there's no need for me to hide from you anymore." He snapped his fingers. "Miss Statistics men. You're services will no longer be needed tonight. Please leave through the underground tunnel in the other room. And weld it shut so no one else can get in or out that way." Without a word Michelle's men filed out and went into the other room. Michelle looked like she wanted to protest but fell silent as Rich glared down at her.

Rich picked up a hose and turned it on, spraying Annie and Jeff with a clear sticky solution. "Don't worry you two. This is just a very selective adhesive. I wouldn't want you to get messy by having you covered in junk." He wadded up a piece of paper and threw it at Annie, which slid right off her. "See, doesn't stick. Now pharmaceuticals on the other hand." Rich pulled a pill out of his pocket and threw it at Jeff, which stuck to his forehead. "Don't worry, that's just aspirin. What you're about to be covered in however, is not." He pointed upward at the vent above the hero's heads. "Above you is a container holding thousands of sunshine pills. Once you're covered in pills I'm going to let all those people outside who are craving a fix in here. They'll attack you to get to the drugs, tearing you to bits. Elegant isn't it? After months of trying to stop people from getting my drug it will be the very thing that destroys you."

Rich stepped off the platform and landed hard on the ground, with Jeff noticing that he didn't even flinch when he landed. He walked over to them, still smiling his stupid Rich smile. "First off, Annie. I just want to say how much I love your new hair color. You look great as a redhead."

"If I had a razor I'd shave it off right now."

Rich chuckled as Annie glared at him. "That's a bit rude Annie. I was just giving you a complement. Now Jeff, I hate to say it but I can't offer you anything for what is about to happen. I believe a man should face pain fully. But Annie, I have something that I think will help." He grinned as he pulled a prescription drug bottle out of his pocket and shook it in front of her. "I believe you're familiar with Adderall. I figured you'd like some before your life ends. That way you can go out remembering you're no different then those people outside."

Jeff violently thrashed in his chair as Annie looked up at Rich. While there was a time she would have hanged her head in shame at the mention of her past addiction she now held her head up high. "I'm not the one here whose life is ruled by pills. You're the one who's degraded and dead inside. You're more of a monster then those poor souls you're corrupted with your drugs."

The smile left Rich's face as he looked at her. For the first time he didn't look like an impossibly charming individual, but as someone who was truly sick and deranged. "And why should I be the only one? Why should I go around acting like everyone else when inside I feel hollow and empty? She saw to that. Nothing I ever did was good enough for that woman. 'You'll never be as good as your brother. You're nothing compared to him.' I pushed and pushed to be perfect and it was never good enough for that retched woman. She beat and humiliated and belittled me until I felt nothing but rage. No love, no joy, nothing. No matter what I did I could never fill that hollowness inside of me, and could only watch as others lived full complete lives. WELL NO MORE! If I have to be a monster then EVERYNE ELSE WILL JOIN ME!"

Jeff and Annie stared at Rich, shocked into silence at his outburst. Michelle was very unnerved and even Bernard was cowering from him. Rich paced back and forth, clearly lost in his own world. "Greendale is just the beginning. Soon I will flood sunshine in every town in Colorado. Then the entire US, followed by the world. I'm already working on making it completely tasteless and invisible to the eye, so I can use it to spike people's water supply without them knowing. In a few years time everyone on earth will be a mindless rabid monster."

Jeff couldn't help scoffing at Rich. "What are you, a low rent Bond villain? You never tell the heroes your entire plan."

"Well you're about to die in a few moments, so there's no need for me to hold back is there. I mean, look around. No one is rushing in to your rescue."

As he started walking back to the platform Annie felt something brush against her bound wrists and then tug at the ropes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of gray fur, realizing it was Britta's cat Captain Whiskers. She kept her head forward, determined to buy them time. "Wait, Rich. You don't have to do this. We can help you."

"There's no help for me Annie. So don't even try."

"Please. You have options. Therapy, doctors…."

"Hurry Up!" El Tigre roared. "I can't wait much longer!"

Rich marched over and slapped El Tigre in the face. He snapped his teeth as if to bite him but slunk back as Rich glared menacingly at him. "I told you, after they're killed by the addicts you can have whatever is leftover. But DO NOT talk back to me ever!"

As the two men faced off Annie felt the ropes fall from her wrists and ankles, freeing her. She kept her arms behind the chair as Captain Whiskers went over and started chewing through Jeff's ropes. Jeff noticed the cat and kept still as the villains in front of them argued.

"I'm my own man, I don't have to listen to anyone."

"You seem to forget everything I've done for you El Tigre. You might have come up with how to turn people into rapid monsters but I was the one who figured out how to use that knowledge. And in case you forget, it was because of me that you have the power you have now. I'm the one in charge here!"

Just as Jeff's felt his ankles become free Miss. Statistics cracked her whip at his feet. A loud yelp was heard, followed by Captain Whiskers running into the shadows.

"Something's there. We have to-."

Before she could finish she jumped out of the way as a lawn dart narrowly missed hitting her. They looked up to see Britta in the rafters, wearing her red leather Anarchy outfit. "Get away from my cat you bitch." She fired her grappling gun around the rafters and swung to the ground, throwing Jeff his bow staff and Annie a knife and her sia. They jumped from their chairs and grabbed their weapons as Britta landed next to them. "Couldn't handle one situation without my help." She glared at the three villains as she pulled out two handguns. "I've got Statistics." With a yell Britta charged forward and fired at Michelle, who deflected the bullets with the metal gauntlets around her arms. She leapt up and kicked Michelle back, who cracked her whip at Britta, causing her guns to fly through the air. The two women yelled as they continued to fight.

Rich ran to the platform as Jeff ran after him, leaving Annie and El Tigre. The two of them stared at each other, hatred etched on each of their faces. With a snarl El Tigre leaped in the air, arms extended as he tried to claw Annie. She blocked his arms as he jackrabbit kicked her in the chest, leaving deep claw marks in her outfit. Luckily he only shredded leather and not her skin. Barely having time to catch her breath she dived out of the way as he snapped his head forward to try and bite her. She jumped out of the way as he continually jumped forward, slashing at her before leaping back.

Jeff pulled himself up over the ladder and stood on the platform, seeing Rich standing next to a button mounted to a pole at the edge. "Careful Winger. Just one push and your girlfriend is covered in sunshine pills. You wouldn't want to see her attacked now, would you?"

Jeff pulled a knife out from inside his boot and threw it at Rich, who caught it by the handle. Not even trying to hide his surprise at that he dove out of the way as Rich threw the knife back at him. Jeff got up and ran towards Rich, ready to stab him with the blade on his staff. As he reached him Rich kicked Jeff in the chest, causing him to fly through the air and land heavily on the ground. Wincing in pain he saw one of Britta's guns laying next to him. Jeff grabbed it and fired at Rich, who dodged the bullets with impossible speed. Rich smiled back at Jeff as he heard the click of the empty chamber. "You really think with all my knowledge of drug enhancement I wouldn't have make a few upgrades on myself." In the blink of an eye Rich grabbed Jeff by the throat and lifted him up with only one hand. "This is just a taste of what I can do. I could crush your skull with a finger if I wanted. But I don't want you to have a quick death." He threw Jeff to the ground, cracking his neck menacingly as if to show off. Jeff looked over and saw the hose Rich had used earlier. Jeff grabbed it and sprayed Rich, covering him in the same adhesive. Rich looked back at Jeff in anger. "Big mistake." Before Jeff could move Rich kicked him hard in the ribs before straddling him as he repeatedly punched Jeff in the face and body.

Britta jumped back as Michelle's whip wrapped around her extended arm. As she pulled back Michelle gave it a sharp tug and pulled Britta to the ground. Before she could get up Michelle released the whip from her arm and tightly wrapped it around Britta's neck.

"I guess this is the end of prickly brickly." She said as Britta struggled for air. "You should have known this is how it would end. The outcome is always predictable."

"The thing about anarchy." Britta gasped as she activated a switchblade in her boot and stabbed Michelle in her leg. "IT'S UNPREDICTIBLE!" Michelle cried out as Britta pulled her to the ground and wrapped the bullwhip around her neck.

"Game Over."

As Annie jumped back from El Tigre's attacks she realized what he was doing. He was wearing her out until she was too tired to fight. A classic move predators employed in the wild. She was only doing this for a few minutes and she could already feel fatigue setting in. She was good, but she was still human. El Tigre had the stamina of a wild animal.

She knew she would never win the fight like this. There was only one way she could possibly beat him. Forcing herself to become calm she cleared her mind and stared into his eyes. It was hard to do while continually jumping back but she kept staring at him.

"Stop fighting Bright Eyes. You're going to be my dinner tonight." El Tigre laughed. As she looked into his yellow eyes his smile disappeared. "What are you doing?" He felt unease as he stared into her big doe eyes. Animals instinctively felt challenged when someone looked in their eyes. "Stop that!" He tried to look away, but he felt himself unable to. He snarled and slashed at her but she never blinked or moved her head. As she intensified the stare he suddenly stopped moving and looked back at her blankly.

Not breaking the stare Annie raised her weapons as she slowly walked towards him. This is it, she thought. I'm finally going to kill El Tigre. I'm going to get revenge for what he did to Pierce.

His name ran through her head. Pierce. The man who had thought of her like a daughter. Who had taught her the Hawthorne stare, and all the skills she had that enabled her to seek justice. Not just fighting, but how to be a superhero without losing your soul to the madness. Killing rips you apart, he had told her. When I was younger I killed any foe I fought. And now I'm haunted by those actions forever. Learn from my mistakes Annie. Only take a life when it's absolutely necessary. When it's their life or your own.

But he took your life, she painfully thought. How can I let him live after he took you away from me? From all of us?

'Annie, you're better then this.' She stopped moving as she heard Pierce's voice in her head. 'You're better then him. Don't sink to their level'.

Not blinking despite tears running down her face she swallowed the lump in her throat and dropped her weapons. Still staring at El Tigre she took a few steps back and picked up the robe Captain Whiskers had chewed through. You'll rot in jail, she thought. That's what you deserve, to spend your days alone with no one.

Suddenly a loud crash vibrated all around the warehouse, breaking Annie's concentration on El Tigre. Before she could look into his eyes again he roared and leapt towards her. She didn't even have time to pick up her weapons as he dove towards her throat.

BANG!

Annie closed her eyes as she waited for her throat to be ripped out. But it never came. As she opened her eyes she saw El Tigre laying at her feet, blood pouring from the bullet wound in his chest. She looked at him as Britta walked forward and shot him once more for good measure.

"Lets see you get up from that you bastard."

"Britta, thank you. You saved-."

Both woman flinched as another banging crash was heard, following by moaning. They looked over and saw the medal door to the warehouse bent with one of the hinges broken. They then heard a yell from the platform. Jeff was barely hanging on as Rich mercilessly beat him.

"Annie, go! I'll find a way out." Britta said as she fired her grappling gun into the rafters. She gave it a tug as she swung from it, searching for a way out of the warehouse.

Rich grinned as he punched Jeff once more in the face. Jeff's head hung limply to the side as he struggled to remain conscious. "Face it Winger. I'm better then you in every way. You can't beat me." He raised his arm back as he prepared to deliver the killing blow. "At least take comfort that the last moments of your life were spend fighAWAWAWAW!"

Jeff looked through his blood covered face to see the tip of a sai sticking out of Rich's thigh. As it was pulled out he dropped to his knees, revealing Annie standing behind him. She raised her weapons as Rich turned around.

"Get away from him!"

As she brought her weapons forward Rich pulled out a gun and shot Annie.

"ANNIE!" Jeff screamed as she fell back. Ignoring all the pain his body felt Jeff was up in a flash. As Rich prepared to shoot her again Jeff tackled him, causing his gun to fall off the platform. Jeff punched him in the face repeatedly, adrenalin loaded through his system as he beat the psychotic drug dealer. Jeff dragged Rich to his feet and punched him as hard as he could, send him stepping back to the platform's edge. As Rich fell back his arms flung out trying to grab onto something. His hand hit the button on the pole as he fell off the platform. A shower of pills rained down as Rich fell to the concrete floor.

The moaning and banging from outside increased tenfold, but Jeff ignored it all as he knelt next to Annie. "Annie. Annie, don't you leave me. Annie!" Jeff felt the bullet hole in her costume; trying to see how badly she was hurt. As he felt around his fingers brushed against medal. Baffled he pulls his fingers back and saw he was holding a bullet, which had been stuck in her costume. As he looked at it Annie gasped as her eyes opened.

"Annie, you're-." Jeff hugged Annie tightly. "Why didn't you say your costume is bullet proof?"

"It's not."

Jeff looked down at her wound as he gently felt it. While she was bleeding, there wasn't nearly as much blood as he expected. Just then Annie sat up and grabbed Jeff as her lips smashed against his. He grabbed the back of her head as he kissed her back. At that moment the world seemed to dissolve away, where nothing mattered except the fiery passion that rose throughout the two of them.

"You Guys!"

They broke away from their kiss and looked up, seeing Britta above them. She looked down from the hole in the skylight. She grinned before dropping her grappling gun down to them. "Come on, you have to get out of there. Those addicts are going to break in any minute."

"Come on Bright Eyes, climb on." Annie wrapped her arms around the back of Jeff's neck and got on him piggyback style.

"I'm just doing this because I'm injured, not because I'm young or anything." Jeff chuckled as he fired the gun outside the skylight. Checking that the cable was secure he strapped the gun to his belt.

"Help!"

The two heroes looked down at the warehouse floor. Rich was lying on the ground next to one of the chairs, with one of his legs bend over the chair at an impossible angle. He was completely covered in sunshine pills and a piece of leg bone was sticking out where his leg hit the chair. "Help me! I can't move and they'll be in here any minute! I'm going to die! You have to save me! You're heroes! You don't kill people!"

Annie shook her head as Jeff looked at him scornfully. "We're not killing you Rich. You brought this on yourself. We're just not saving you." Without another word Jeff gave the cable a tug and they flew up to the skylight just as the warehouse door burst open.

They tried to ignore the screams from inside as Jeff handed the gun over to Britta. As she fired it over to the roof of a lower building across the street they saw Michelle, tied and gagged. Britta secured the cable, making a zip line out of it. She grabbed Michelle and hooked her bound arms through the cable. "I probably should have killed you. But I'm taking a page out of another crime fighter's playbook. The police can sort you out." She gave her a hard push and sent her flying over to the next building.

Once Michelle was over Britta sailed across the street without a word. "Annie, you go first." She looked at Jeff for a moment before grabbing the cable and sailing over. Jeff glanced down into the street as police cars made their way to the warehouse. Grabbing the cable he slid over to the next building himself.

This chapter took a very long time to write. But it was a joy every step of the way.