Chapter 9

"Just how are we gonna get him though here?" Lin said, holding the giant Tag's hand.

Escaping from the National Guard was easy enough, but trying to get the massive clone through the penthouse's small entrance was something else. The Boss, smiling, unlimbered an RPG. She shook her head.

"Seriously?"

"If you got a better idea, then I'd love to here it," he said, readying the missile.

"This is a bad idea."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Gat said.

"Thought you were on my side!" The Boss cried.

Gat shrugged. "I am, but think of how many times we had to do the same damn thing whenever we had to get Oleg through? And not to mention-" He cocked his head in Quilanna's direction.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" she cried out.

"Well, you did nearly kill Zhen and killed most of the Gangstas in Space cast. You got any idea how much we could have lost just cause' he gave you a hard time? It's a miracle the fucker lived."

"Well, this is something," Aisha thought out loud. "Guess all those years without me made you soft."

Before Gat could answer, a loud explosion rang through the night. Everyone turned to see the Syndicate Tower in flames and bombardment.

"Well, that's fucking convenient," Gat said.

Jenny stared out the window, watching tiny cars moving about in the streets down below, lights flashing throughout the large, absurd billboards, and the Syndicate Tower up in flames. That last sight caused Jenny to exclaim, "What the fuck!"

"Don't fucking curse," Shaundi berated.

"Nice comeback, hypocrite. Just get over here and see what's up."

Shaundi looked out to see attack choppers and VTOLs firing at the Syndicate Tower. There were also waves of STAG troops and several multi colored combatants.

"Well?" Jenny asked. "Aren't we gonna do something?" She turned to find Shaundi heading towards the pilot's cabin. "Well?!"

"Well what?"

"Are we gonna do something?"

Shaundi smiled in response, closing the door behind her. A few moments later, the plane lurched forward, knocking her to the floor. Jenny recomposed herself, and ran up to the front of the aircraft to see the pilot knocked out cold, and Shaundi taking the controls.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Jenny asked.

"You're acting as if you wouldn't be doing the same thing," Shaundi replied.

Jenny blushed. "Well…"

"I think you should let me focus on flying this thing. Just get the others to find some parachutes."

"Parachutes? You got something in mind?"

"I'm working on it."

The Boss smashed the accelerator with his foot, making the Criminal move as fast as its engine could let it. Five-0s and Peacemakers from the rear-view mirror, already coming after him. It was probably because he was driving like a madman, hitting passing vehicles and random pedestrians. The cops were getting closer, he notice. Just as he was about to pull out his GDHC, the cops suddenly blew apart in a fiery blaze, flipping over several times before coming to rest. He turned to Carlos.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" the Boss asked.

"I've always been this good," the younger saint answered. "You just never noticed."

"So what's the plan?" Lin asked.

"We kill everyone who's blowing up our city?" Quilanna asked.

"What great idea!" Kinzie said. "Why didn't we think if that sooner?"

"Well, I don't see you coming up with anything, nerd!"

Just before Kinzie could respond, the Criminal flipped over. It skid uncontrollably until it struck a light pole. Smoke began to drift from the damaged vehicle.

"Everyone alright?" the Boss asked.

"Just fucking wonderful," Lin said, already dusting herself. "Just what the fuck did we run over?"

The Boss glanced at the large object obstructing the road. It was a Brute, dead and covered in bullet holes. But what was unusual about this particular specimen was the presence of grafted metal components. The Boss walked over to the cadaver, and laid a hand on one such part.

"Just fucking great," he said.

"What?" Lin asked.

"As if brutes weren't bad enough, now they're augmenting them!"

"Translation, please."

"Cyborgs," Kinzie answered.

"Just fucking great," Lin moaned. "Cyborgs, lasers, giant clone freaks." Lin turned to Tag and shrugged. "No offense." The large clone mumbled in response.

"Giant robots," Gat said.

"What?"

"Giant robots that shoot stealth nukes."

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"

"We had a giant nuclear robot till Pierce fucked it up," the Boss said, with a hint of annoyance. "Damn it Pierce, did you know how much that thing cost?"

"It ain't my fault it's defective. I didn't know!"

"13 million. 13 fucking million dollars for some defective robot, the nukes cost more. This is why we can't have nice things, Pierce, because you always break them!"

"Why'd you buy nukes?" Lin asked.

The Boss shrugged. "Just because. Besides, I've handled nuclear shit before. Remember Mareo?"

Gat chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. Bitch must have been screaming."

"Who the fuck is Mareo?" Lin asked.

"I'm Mareo."

For a split second, the Boss felt a chill go down his spine. Everyone turned to see a large, shirtless man come out of the shadows. He wore tribal tattoos on the entirety of his chest and half of his face. The other half was covered in scars in a similar tribal pattern, with the absence of black and red ink. Mareo was nearly the same as he was years ago, but his right arm was replaced with a large prosthetic that ended with talons.

"Oh, shit," the Boss said, raising his rifle.

"This is a fucking horrible idea," Jenny said. "You realize you're repeating 9/11, right?"

"But I'm not aiming for the tower," Shaundi said, strapping the parachute on. "and those people down below have to die."

They were in the rear hold, along with the rest of the Saints. Shaundi had set the plane on a collision course for the surrounding area of the Syndicate Tower. Now the Saints had to parachute from the plane, drop down below, and kill the attackers.

As Mikaela fastened the parachute's buckles, Viola laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Remember what I said about becoming a leader? Maybe you should by placating them."

"Just how am I supposed to do that?" Mikaela asked.

"Look." Viola gestured toward Callie, who was struggling with her D4TH. "That thing isn't going to do her any good when we land. She'll be killed in seconds. Why not give her yours?"

"What? No way! It's a Special Edition model. Not for-"

Viola grabbed the SMG, which she noticed was gold plated and studded with large and rather expensive gems. She looked from Mikaela to the SMG, then to Mikaela again. "Really?"

"It's a birthday present," was the response. "And ten million."

Viola laid a hand on her forehead and sighed. "Just give her the damn thing."

"But-"

Viola shoved the SMG on her. "Power struggle."