Chapter fifteen – Breaking Down

Cortex's impatience grew stronger each day he did not receive a report that the bandicoot abominations were dead. He was staring blankly out the view screen. He tapped a code on the console, and waited for the magnified panorama of N. Sanity Island to reveal itself upon the screen. He clasped his hands behind his back and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"N. Gin?" He called into the darkness.

A moment of silence, and N. Gin answered. "Yes doctor?"

"Contact Tina at once."

"Yes doctor, right away."

Cortex listened to the shuffling feet of N. Gin as the cyborg scurried away. He waited for only a moment, and soon he could hear Tina's raspy and yet perceptibly female voice filter through the speakers.

"You called?"

Cortex tried not to grow angrier at Tina's flip response. He took a breath. "How long are you intending to take in destroying Crunch Bandicoot?"

"He is resisting well on his own. However, I have been watching him. He is balancing on a razor edge now."

"Then you must push him over."

"How?"

"The serum infecting his mind flares up in passionate behavior. That bandicoot has a tendency to anger very quickly, and if you curdle enough fury inside him he will surely be unable to withstand the effects. We need to quicken the process. Is that in anyway unclear?"

"I understand, and it will be done. What's more, there is a new bandicoot residing with the others?"

"A forth?"

"Yes, a woman. I have not seen her closely as of yet. Do you wish me to target her as well?"

Cortex considered. "I want anyone associated with Crash Bandicoot dead. Kill her along with the others. Wait," Cortex paused for a moment, and then smiled. "On second thought, I wish you to kill Crunch, that meddlesome younger sister and the woman but bring Crash to me. I have a debt to repay, and after all my attempts I would wish to see him die."

"Yes, doctor. I will not fail."

"You had better not, Tina. Now go."

The transmission was cut, and Cortex leaned back on his heels. Things were turning out marvelously. Once Crash Bandicoot was out of his way for good, he could focus all of his attention on his new plan. Unfortunately, his intentions for world domination would have to be put on hold until he ridded himself of every pest he made the mistake of creating. After all, once Crash Bandicoot was dead, another could easily take his place. Cortex could not allow that. As Cortex continued to organize his devious thoughts, he saw a blinking light flash upon the control panel. It was an incoming transmission. Cortex sighed and pressed the activation with an extended finger. Instantly, the disheveled, raging face of Pinstripe Potoroo filled the screen. Cortex glanced coolly at his enraged minion.

"This interruption had better warrant some importance Pinstripe, I am very busy."

"This is important doc. You told me not to leave the city without contacting you, so I am. I have to make a stop at N. Sanity Island."

"What's happened to your face?" Cortex asked flatly.

Pinstripe's dark brows pressed together in fury. "I have a runaway hooker on my hands, that's all. She jumped me from behind and then took off. She ripped off one of my boats and she's on that island."

"How can you be so certain?"

Pinstripe hesitated for a moment. "I sent some of my guys to bring her back."

Cortex's voice remained cool and even. "Without permission? You do realize, Pinstripe, that I am in the middle of a delicate undertaking of destroying Crash Bandicoot for good. I warned you not to intrude there under ANY circumstances."

Pinstripe was afraid of him, all his minions were, but he also had an arrogant edge about him. He did not back down.

"I want that bitch back, doc."

"And you will get her back. The situation is being handled. Now, tell me who this woman is?"

"You know her. She's that bandicoot's old girlfriend."

Cortex raised an eyebrow. "Tawna?"

"Yeah." Pinstripe's lip curled into a wicked snarl.

Some new ideas began to flash through Cortex's mind. How wonderful. Crash Bandicoot reunited with his old flame, only to have her murdered in front of his very eyes. Of course, Pinstripe didn't need to know this.

"Alright Pinstripe, we will compromise. Neither you nor your men will set foot on that island, and when the bandicoots are dead I will send back your prized dancer."

Cortex could tell Pinstripe did not like this idea, however, he knew he would not receive a better offer.

"Okay doc, we've got a deal."

"Good, now, return to construction. I want that city up and running immediately."

"Going as fast as we can doc. But we'll try and speed it up for yah."

Cortex clicked another button and ended the transmission. Of course, Pinstripe would most likely be angered that Cortex did not intend to keep his part of the deal. But he couldn't have his most trigger-happy minion on the rampage while his plan was nearly completed. Pinstripe would get over his loss, and move on. Though it was apparent by his possessive rage that the girl meant little to him; it was most likely her betrayal itself that had brought about such anger. There was little to be done about that. Cortex could just imagine the pain his failure would feel once his friends and his former infatuation were obliterated in front of him. Cortex pressed his hands together in delight. Things were turning out very well indeed.

No matter how far Crunch walked, he could not get the bandicoot woman out of his mind. Each time he tried to banish her beautiful face and sparkling blue eyes, they returned more intoxicating and more vibrant. After a while, he simply let them come. He strode through the jungles with a sure step, not stopping for a moment. He needed to continue moving. It was strange. Each time he saw Tawna's face smiling in his mind's eye, the dark storm that raged within him seemed to settle. Her visage to him was like a patch of sunlight in a thunderous sky, not overcoming the ominous instability, yet succeeding in shedding some much needed light.

Crunch involuntarily allowed himself a small consolation, but suddenly the fur on the nape of his neck prickled in an instinctual warning. He could smell a familiar scent in the air. His lips pulled against his sharp canines as he sniffed the air. In his condition, his natural senses were quicker to emerge, and were more sensitive to the smallest of changes. He used this knowledge to keep his opponent off guard. He calculated the movement, and at just the right time he spun and threw his arm, claws extended, toward the creature behind him.

She was too fast, once again. She was startled, but Crunch's attack did not connect. She flipped back and sprung up into a tree, pulling herself above a bough and resting easily upon it. There was far more cat about this creature than human, and her bipedal form added to the intensity of her lazy movements. The Tigress smiled.

"You are getting quicker, my friend. But not quick enough, I'm afraid."

"What do you want now?" Crunch snarled. "Your sudden appearances are irritating."

"Are they?" The Tigress laughed wickedly. "Well, fortunately for you there is no reason I should restrain myself longer. It seems you are holding up far better than I had hoped. It is necessary now to speed up this eventual insanity of yours. And I must admit I do not see any difficulty in doing so."

"What influence could you possibly have over me?" Crunch demanded coolly.

"Not you, that is, not you alone. You are a strong-willed and independent creature, Crunch Bandicoot, had you been on your own this situation would be a problem. However, you are not on your own, are you?"

Crunch felt his heart rate begin to race. He growled low in his throat.

"If you value your life, you will leave now."

The Tigress chuckled again. "Do you consider yourself as protector of those two oblivious creatures you reside with? It would be simple work to dispose of them. I have often considered it. Neither of them have such heightened natural instincts, do they? They would not even have the time gather the breath to scream if I chose to slash their throats. It would be so simple."

Crunch felt his entire body shake with barely restrained fury. The woman was still leaning against the bough in her deceptively careless posture. She was watching him intently, and when she could see that her threats were not creating enough of a reaction, she spoke again.

"Another easy kill would be that female stray you carried home. I wonder what her screams would sound like."

Crunch growled in rage and stepped closer to the tree the Tigress was propped upon. His green eyes were dangerous. The woman continued happily.

"With your mind in such disarray, you will be unable to save them. You will do nothing but watch each of your friends die by my hand. However, I am willing to give you a choice in this matter. Why don't you choose who I kill first? That way, you might summon the strength to make a final, futile defense to save the last of your little group. Hmm? Silence? Then I suppose I shall have to choose, and I think I'll kill the woman first. It will take the least amount of effort, after all. Why shouldn't I begin with the weakest first?"

Crunch had endured the woman's abrasive chattering long enough. His anger ripped through him, and with a roar he slammed his metal fist into the branch of the tree. A crack of bark resounded through the silence, and the Tigress quickly leapt to another branch, laughing wildly.

"You had better continue to control that anger, Bandicoot. Or you might steal away the kill from me."

With those final words, and a last cackling laugh, the Tigress disappeared once more. Crunch, enraged, threw his fists to the ground with a shout of rage. He tried to calm himself, but could not. Every fragment of his being burned in fury. He felt his vision cloud over, and for a moment all he desired was to kill. He pressed his forehead to the cold ground and forced himself to breathe deeply. He needed to calm himself before returning to the house. Yet he could not banish the Tigress's threats from his mind. He rose shakily to his feet, still feeling the hatred boil through his veins unmercifully. He knew it was unwise to return in his condition, but he had to be sure that woman did not carry out her intention. Crunch rushed back to the house, clenching his fists by his sides in effort to control the raging storm.

Tawna let her eyes flutter open gently, and heaved a yawn as sleep began to dwindle away. She stretched her arms above her, and then sat up. She was not ashamed to realize that the brooding bandicoot had been present in her dreams throughout the entirety of her rest. Although he was coarse and rather impassive, Tawna could not remove him from her mind. There was something about him she felt some sort of kinship to. It was difficult to explain. It was more of a bond than what she felt with Crash, although she knew the latter would never cease to be her greatest friend. Tawna brushed her fingers through her thick blond hair. Her muscles felt stiff, and so she decided to defy Crunch's advice and go for a short stroll. Surely her frail body could handle that.

Tawna got to her feet and carefully moved toward the door. She nearly fell upon the handle, but after a moment to compose herself she was confident she could make it to the living room without collapsing. She rubbed a sore spot on her face unconsciously. With haste, she dropped her hand. She didn't want to make any movement that awakened memories of that terrible night. She didn't have the strength to think of it. Tawna slowly stepped into the hall, and immediately she heard the voices of Crash and Coco. They were in the living room.

"Crunch has been gone for awhile Crash. Don't you think we should go look for him?"

The younger bandicoot's concern went unanswered. Tawna continued to walk toward the living room, pressing her hand against the wall to keep her balance.

"Crash! Are you sleeping again?"

A smile fluttered to Tawna's lips. From what she remembered all those years ago, Crash lived to nap.

"Not likely with you making all that racket. What did I tell you before? Crunch is a big boy, he can take care of himself."

Tawna entered the open room, taking in the pretty glow of the evening sun through the window. Crash was lying horizontally on the couch, one shoe dangling from his socked foot. His little sister was pacing back and forth, her adorable face deep in thought. It was Crash who noticed Tawna first.

"Hey, she lives. How are you feeling?"

Tawna smiled. "Much better."

Crash nodded with a grin. It was incredible how quickly worries could melt when assaulted with a Crash Bandicoot smile. Yet there was worry Tawna could not dismiss.

"Crunch hasn't come back yet?" She asked quietly.

Crash opened his mouth as though to answer, when suddenly the door was thrown open. Crunch's large frame filled the doorway completely, and he stood there for a few moments with the most unreadable of expressions on his face. Crash shrugged.

"Speak of the devil."

Crunch took a step inside and shut the door behind him. Tawna couldn't place it, but something seemed very strange in Crunch's movements and manner. Of course, she hadn't known him very long, but something in his eyes looked wrong. He didn't make eye contact with anyone. Coco was the first to speak to him.

"Crunch? Where were you?" Coco stepped toward him, her concern vibrant in her young features.

Crunch blatantly ignored the question, brushing past her and making his way toward the hall. Coco was not easily deterred. She reached forward and placed a hand on Crunch's arm.

"Crunch, we were worried about you."

Suddenly, a feral flare sparked in Crunch's gaze. He turned sharply and focused his fury on the small, surprised bandicoot.

"Who asked you to worry about me?" He shouted at her. "Your concern is useless! What can it do? Can it help? No! All it does is irritate. Keep your concern to yourself!"

To Tawna's horror Crunch grasped his non-mechanical hand around Coco's throat and pressed her hard into the wall. Her eyes were wide with astonishment. The scene had unfolded faster then Tawna could even perceive, and adding to her bewilderment, she noticed that Crash had somehow appeared directly at Crunch's side. Crash wore an easy smile on his face, but Tawna could see utter coldness in his eyes.

"Okay, it looks like we're a little on edge here. Let's just all calm down. 'Kay?"

Crash had a hand gripped around Crunch's wrist. Their eyes met, and Tawna felt a shiver dance up her spine. Crash's smile lessened only a fraction, but the warning was clear.

"Let her go Crunch."

Instantly, a different light passed over Crunch's eyes. He looked at Coco, and a small gasp escaped him as quickly released her. Coco didn't say another word. She rubbed her neck and watched Crunch with uncertainty. Crunch lowered his eyes, and then clenched his jaw. He turned with the same intensity when he came in, and he marched past Tawna without looking at her. Tawna followed him with her eyes until he disappeared into his room and slammed the door behind him.