Tomlin caught up with Carling. "Where are Riggs and Barnes?" She asked.
"They were captured." He replied tightly.
"Shouldn't we try to save them?" She asked turning to face back towards the compound. "We should do something." Her green eyes filled with worry.
Tomlin shook his head sadly, "The helicopters are here. It's too late for them. We have to accept the cost of protecting the world."
"God help them." Carling whispered as she turned away.
Rick and Walter stood as close as Rick dared get to the electromagnetic wall. "This is what happens," Abernathy said wiping the blood off of his gauntlet. "When you mess with me."
Rick looked at the ceiling where the field was generated. Walter followed his gaze. He lifted his gun and shot at it. The bullet ricocheted off with a ping and flew into the floor by his feet.
"A good try, but a poor one." Abernathy laughed.
Abernathy came close and stuck his hand through the almost invisible field. Rick pulled back out of reach. He wanted to get out of this alive, and an EMP field was about the quickest way for him to fail at that goal.
Walter stood his ground and punched Abernathy before dashing backwards. The man laughed. "Cheap, but a good shot." Walter aimed his gun at him.
"You stay back or I will kill you." Walter demanded.
Rick didn't think the threat was going to give any reaction. "My dear FBI agent, you don't think I come to a fight unprepared?" Abernathy chuckled. "At this point you're just amusing. I may keep you alive no matter what just to make me laugh every now and again."
"I'll committ suicide before I give you ant satisfaction for what you've done." Walter growled.
"We'll choose death over a life of captivity." Rick murmured. "It is nobler to die for our friends than let our fear of you control us."
"Do you fear me?" Abernathy asked with a smile.
"No, but I fear what will happen if you take over the world." Rick replied quietly. "You're a threat I plan to stop, wether I survive the process or not."
"That's how it is Abernathy." Walter said firmly. "Our only offer."
Abernathy dove through the field slamming his clawed gauntlet into Walter's right leg. Walter screamed in pain. The two slid against the wall. Rick rushed Abernathy wrenching him from the agent.
Walter grabbed his bloodied leg trying to get control of the bleeding. Abernathy sent Rick backwards with a kick. "You honestly believe that you two can make it out of here alive?"
"That's what we aim to do." Rick replied pulling out his guns. He fired several consecutive shots. To Rick's annoyance the bullets were deflected by something under Abernathy's clothes. He guarded his face with the bloodied metal glove.
Abernathy began to move forward. Rick back stepped. He activated the laser in his finger and made a slash in the hopes of cutting Abernathy's gauntlet arm and all off. The beam sliced into the man's flesh just above the rim of the steel plating.
Abernathy grunted as Rick kept up the beam. The scent of burning flesh choked the air as an acrid smoke rose up from whatever bullet proof material burned away as well. After a few moments Abernathy's hand hung limply held on by just a small portion of muscle. Rick made a final swipe and the arm fell to the ground with a clatter.
Rick was both disgusted with himself and appalled by the little effect this attack had. Surely the man was in a great deal of pain. Of course the ehat of the lazer cauterized the wound and stopped any bloodloss, but for Abernathy to just stand there unflinching made a shiver run down Rick's spine.
Abernathy put a hand on the now stump laughing. "A well played attack. You've at least succeeded in rendering me less dangerous."
He charged Rick who tried putting a few bullets in the man, but the guns were empty. He dropped them and met the terrorist with both hands. The force pushed them both backwards. Abernathy tactfully turned so that Rick was pointed for the field. Abernathy was strong even with only one hand and the two were well matched against each other. A shoving match wasn't much of a fight, but it was all Rick could do for the moment. He had to focus on holding his enemy back. He knew that if he lost focus now it would be a disaster.
He shoved back relying on all his strength. But he didn't have much left. The laser used a lot of energy to run and had drained him considerably. He needed time to collect his thoughts and think of a new attack. He had to figure out some way of immobilizing the bigger man.
Walter watched the two men struggle as he bandaged up his ravaged leg. From the looks of the damage he was pretty sure they'd be chopping it off. For one thing he couldn't feel it bellow the top most gash in his thigh. Walter's hands shook as he tied shreds of his suit jacket into tight knots. It was too late to be concerned about the damage cutting off circulation might cause.
"You can stop him Rick!" Walter yelled. He picked up his gun and checked it. Just two shots left. He took aim wincing at the pain from adjusting his body to get a clear shot. He fired into Abernathy's leg. The murderer gasped and turned his head towards the injured man. Walter's gun lowered considerably. His fight was leaving him with every second and the look in the terrorist's eyes was so evil it frightened the grown FBI agent.
"You'll have to do better." Abernathy announced. Blood trickled down the side of his calf, but he wasn't in pain or losing strength. He was like the god dam Energizer Bunny.
Rick heaved against the madman hoping the bullet would give him some leverage. Abernathy was ready and even though he wrestled with only one arm he ducked under Rick's lunge and drove into Rick's abdomen. As the wind was knocked out of him he lost his balance.
The two were now inches from the electromagnetic pulse wall. Rick could feel some of his circuits reacting to the energy as certain feelings flashed on and off. The HUD wavered. Abernathy put a foot on Rick's and used his hand to push the cyborg's head towards the energy.
Rick squirmed and fought to keep from touching the wall. He couldn't get the weapons system to operate properly. His head inched closer the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end from the energy. Abernathy smiled, "As soon as I get you through that field I win."
Rick's neck and back popped sickeningly as his spinal cord was stretched. He hoped none of the necessary connections to his nervous system came loose. His neck felt like it was going to give any second now. His jaw ached as his teeth were crushed against each other. His eyes were rolling to the back of his head. He could just see Abernathy's face.
"You're history Inspector Gadget." Abernathy growled. "Once I prove that you're precious creators work is weak they won't ever deal with cybernetics again and there won't be anyone to stop me in my plans for world domination."
"No." Rick gasped. He tried to activate anything. The fedora was lying on the floor a few feet away. He could just vaguely get a connection. He focused his thoughts on the helicopter. If he could activate that then maybe he had a chance.
The hat shook as it opened up and the mechanism began to expand. Walter scooted back as he tried to keep from passing out. Abernathy didn't notice anything until Rick grunted one word. "Contact!" He managed while kicking at Abernathy's injured leg.
The propeller began to spin and the engine started up. Abernathy frowned and looked back in surprise. The hat rose up haphazardly and made an upward climb it came within inches of the two combatants. Abernathy ducked and Rick punched him in the neck. His enemy lost his grip on him and Rick flung Abernathy forward ducking to the ground as the hat flew over and into the field.
He turned to watch it fall to the ground sparking and useless.
Abernathy came up holding his severed arm. He swung it into Rick's face. He felt his skin tear open and blood dripped down. It caught in his left eye and stung, but he could still see. He activated the machine gun and raised his arm to take the shot, Abernathy swung the arm again into the barrel which snapped.
Rick felt something akin to pain in his arm as sparks shot out of the sawed off barrel. The useless gun tried to disassemble itself and it slowly vanished back into his arm painfully. The effort left him unable to move for a few short seconds. He knew he was getting his ass kicked, but he wasn't ready to give up.
Abernathy had turned and was swiping the metal claws into Walter's mauled leg again. Walter had saved his final bullet and put it into Abernathy's cheek as he yelled in torture once more.