The sky over Battery City grew dark and clouded; thunder rumbling in the distance, although no one around would be able to hear it. The only thing anyone would be able to hear was zaps of ray guns as the bloodbath continued.

The Draculoids were pulling ahead. More killjoy bodies littered the ground, and it was beginning to get hard to move at all without standing on one of your deceased friends.

Crimson was beginning to get worried. She hadn't seen Flame in a while, and was starting to fear the worst. What if her best friend had been killed? Anything was possible now, with killjoys dying like flies in the summertime all around them.

Ghoul had somehow managed to keep his daughter safe inside his jacket. She looked terrified, her small eyes wide and brimmed with tears, and her tiny hands clenched into fists. But there was nothing he could do. Either they won this, and the child would be safe, or they lost, but Ghoul didn't even want to think about that outcome.

It seemed like the fighting would never end. For every Draculoid that fell down, another took its place. And the number of killjoys was deteriorating.

Kobra staggered through the throng of Drac and killjoy bodies, battling as he went. He was on the lookout for Flame.

Then, through the ash, he spotted a flash of white that was different from the Drac's uniforms. He rushed over, and looked at the sight.

He wanted to gag, to throw up. Ladyboy's face was completely ruined, a large, bloody ray wound between her open, lifeless eyes. Kobra bent down beside the corpse. Just as the first raindrops began to fall over Battery City, the Kobra Kid closed the eyes of the dead killjoy.

A shadow fell over Ladyboy's departed form. Turning around, Kobra could see that a figure was hovering over him, its hair short and severely cut.

"Flame?" Kobra stared up at his friend. Then he tensed as she raised her ray gun up so he was staring down the barrel of the gun.

"Flame, what's going on?" he said cautiously, slowly standing up, "What are you doing?"

"Kobra, I'm here to help you," but Flame did not lower her gun, but continued to point it straight between his eyes.

Kobra tried to speak, but all he could do was open and close his mouth noiselessly.

"We're on the wrong side, Kobra," Flame spoke softly, "Join with BL/ind, join with me, and the future will be better than it ever was,"

Kobra shook his head, unbelieving. His eyes were wide, hazel portals.

"Who are you?" he whispered,

"I'm still me, Kobra. But I'm now thinking of the greater good of the world,"

"You're not Flame," Kobra continued to shake his head, "You're not the girl who rescued us, who was so determined to find Party Poison. You're not that girl. I don't know who you are,"

Flame's jaw clenched.

"Join with me, Kobra!" she said loudly, her eyes almost pleading, "Please! For me!"

The Kobra Kid looked at the girl who once inspired him, who kept him going through the long months of desert and rocks and cans of baked beans. But that girl was dead now.

"I would never join with BL/ind," Kobra stood firm, "Kill me if you have to, but I'd rather die who I am, than turn into something I'm not,"

Flame's face contorted with anger and sadness. She lowered the ray gun, and Kobra thought he was about to be spared, but then there was a loud zap, and unbelievable pain in his left leg. He fell to the floor, a blood-curdling shriek emitting from his lips. Once on the ground, Flame shot him in the leg again and again and again, until all that was left of his legs was bloody and charred bone.

The Kobra Kid screamed at the burning pain, his breath raspy and short. He clutched at the burnt remains.

Synthetic Flame turned away, tears escaping from her eyes, and fled, leaving Kobra screaming beside the dead body of Ladyboy Diamond.