Mario's hover craft zoomed onward, following the tracks made by 78's vehicle. Oh, dude Dwight... Where the hell are you? He looked to Yuki; she looked calm but just as worried. he reached out and grasped her hand firmly. "I hope he is okay..." he whispered.
"I do, too," Yuki responded just as quietly. Neither of them wanted to spark a conversation with Lawrence.
Their leader was already on edge when he saw the bodies. Dwight missing didn't help much... Especially after Molly broke Dwight's heart. Dwight was kinda unstable.
"Do you think he is dead now?" Yuki asked.
Mario shook his head, "No. I know the kid. He is right as rain. He is resourceful. He will survive." I hope... Damn Molly.. Why did you have to leave?
But Molly didn't answer him.
"You realize that I am giving you the chance of a lifetime, right" 78 asked.
Dwight could barely make out the intimidating figure before him in the fuzzy and dim green light. "I don't even know what you are talking about, Dark Soldier."
78 laughed. "I've been keeping tabs on you all. I know how you all work; what makes you all… tick."
Dwight shivered at the laugh. He remembered all the stories about 78 from Mario. 78 was not all brawn... but mostly brawn. And that is what mattered. He had been the heavy weapons expert and from the looks of the soldier, he had the bulk to support such artillery. But there was something off about 78's offer. It just seemed too simple. "There has to be a catch." Dwight said as he silently shifted to his left. He had noticed a sharpened stone jutting out of the sand when he was thrown into the tent earlier in the night. If I could just cut my bonds... he thought.
78 laughed again. "There is no catch, funny guy!" He bellowed. "I could have killed you back there, but I know you. I know you very well, Dwight,"
"Right, creeper status much?" Dwight began rubbing his binds against the sharp rock. All he had to do was keep 78 talking and he would be free. No doubt the rock would be able to stab through the Dark Soldier armor, if not, then at least surprise the enemy.
"I could have killed you!" 78 exploded.
Dwight's mind went back a moment to when his recon team had been surprised by 78's relentless one-man attack. Though vastly outnumbered, 78's training and element of surprise worked to his advantage very well. He had slaughtered all but Dwight with various guns.
The experienced soldier had started off with pistol then he had moved on to the high-powered rifle slung on his back. But not before he had pistol-wipped three rebels into bloody pulps. Dwight shivered at the memory. "True..."
"Look, I know what he did to you..."
"Who is 'he?'" Dwight asked, still rubbing the binds.
"Who have we been talking about? Mario! I need your help to kill Mario! He needs to be killed! Besides, you remember what happened to Molly."
-flashback-
"Mario! Dwight! Help" Molly was screaming.
Mario just stood.
-end flashback-
78 took a few short steps to Dwight. "She was right there, and he just just watched."
-flashback-
"Please! Somebody, help me!" Molly cried out.
Mario grabbed a staff and reached out for her, but a laser bored a hole through Molly's plam.
-end flashback-
Molly's scream at her ruined hand rang in Dwight's ears anew. He shook his head vigorously. "Stop it..."
78 started so circle Dwight slowly. "He deserted her!"
-flashback-
"I'll be back!" Mario called out to the wounded girl.
Molly just screamed more. "For Fate's sake! Make the pain stop!"
A bullet struck Dwight's shoulder. Pain
-end flashback-
"And then..." 78 leaned into Dwight's ear, "he deserted you..."
-flashback-
"Dwight!" Mario shook the younger boy, "Dwight! You have to stay here with Molly!"
Dwight slapped Mario aside, "No! We can save her from the vortex!"
"Not alone! No we can't!" Mario shook his head, "I'll be right back; I promise!"
-end flashback-
"He said he was gonna come back." Dwight spoke quietly, more to himself.
-flashback-
Mario shook his head, "I'll be right back; I promise!"
-end flashback-
"He promis-"
"He lied!" 78 interrupted harshly. "He lied. He lies! He always lies!"
-flashback-
"I promise"
-end flashback-
"That is how he survives everything! He goes for what he wants and leaves others with the bad end of the stick!"
Dwight was free of his bonds and exploded forward into 78's chest, knocking his captor back. "Not true! He promised!"
"And who did he save instead?" 78 shot back quickly.
-flashback-
Dwight stumbled out of the cave. There was a person coming forward, he was carrying another person; female. Even though he remembered what he had just witnessed, a part of him hoped it was Molly. It wasn't.
Mario came into focus carrying Yuki. "I'm sorry, Dwight..."
-end flashback-
"Yuki..."
"That's right. Mario appeared on the scene and stole her from you... And then he dropped her. Then when Yuki was back, he had no more need for Molly and if he didn't want her, no one could have her... Dwight. Everyone blamed you for her death."
-flashback-
Lawrence looked sadly at Molly's mangled body and broke down.
Dwight was crying biter tears and looked at Mario.
Mario shook his head, his eyes bloodshot from crying. "Why couldn't you have just followed what I had said?"
-end flashback-
"They all blamed you Dwight, but you only did what you felt necessary. Mario left and what happened to Molly?"
-flashback-
Molly smiled her beautiful smile. And then collapsed.
"Mo-Molly?" Dwight tentatively called to his love. But she didn't stir.
Molly was dead.
-end flashback-
Dwight stumbled back and then fell to a kneeling position, staring into space. "Molly's dead..." His voice trailed off but his mouth didn't stop moving to the sentence.
"That's right, Dwight." 78 agreed solemnly, "And whose fault is that?"
"Mario." Dwight looked down and realized that he had etched Mario and Molly's name into the sand with his figure subconsciously. In a simple rage, Dwight grabbed the sharp rock and stabbed it through the names. "Mario must die."
78 grinned.
Tim watched as bounty hunters and mercs filled the conference room. The suggestion was an easy one, getting a bounty hunter crazy or desperate enough to do the job was easier than previously thought... The hard part was finding one that could actually deliver. That was why the tests were going to take place to see which of the hunters would be at least adequate to do the job. Oh, how Tim wished he could watch A. J. run the diagnostics and tests on the bounty hunters, but his reason for being here had nothing to do with finding the hunter who would 'off' the man responsible for capturing and antagonizing his best friend. No, his mission was to report to Shade for a very important briefing before starting his training to become a great Dark Soldier.
"Shouldn't be too hard," Tim reasoned, "After all, I was in their program before..." He turned from the conference room and walked to the dark room where he had 'first' encountered Shade.
"Tim!" Chester called out to him.
"Hey, bud. What's up?" Tim turned. "I'm almost late for a meeting."
"Check this out! Proof that there is an alternate reality like you said!" Chester held up an ordinary-looking baseball bat.
"Chester," Tim wasn't the least bit impressed, "That is just a simple baseball bat... Besides how long have my memories been revealed?"
"But look!" The blond young man's thumb was on a golden embossed circle with the phrase 'Bucky McBadbat Special' engraved in the gold.
Tim looked frightened. "Where the hell did you get that?"
"Haven't you heard? Small wormholes have been opening up all over the world! They are relatively unnoticed by the mass population, of course, and are too small for people to travel through, but... This bat fell from one this morning!" Chester was so excited. "My last name is on this bat... Tim, was my father a famous pro baseball player in the other reality?"
Tim gulped, "Um..." The truth was his dad was famous. Famous for being a failure. "Yeah, something like that..."
"Sweet!" Chester held the bat up in triumph. "McBadbat's rule! This is my new lucky token!"
Great. Tim thought... I really wouldn't use that as a lucky charm. But he just couldn't bring himself to tell Chester. "Look, dude, I have to go. I'll catch you later though,yeah?"
"Of course not!" Chester replied like a child that had just eaten three bags of candy and then drank two mugs of coffee. "I'm playin' ball tonight!"
All the better. Tim thought. There was no doubt in his mind that he would not be bag that night anyway. With that thought, Tim made his way into the dark room.
The dark room had definitely changed over the years. When he was a kid, the room's equivalent was known as the 'Briefing Room,' but every since the aux-order had come in and they had gone even deeper into hiding, there was no way the monitors from the Briefing Room could have been saved or salvaged. Thus all orders from Shade had come over a small 21-inch screen. Tim sat in the chair facing the screen and waited patiently. Nothing.
After many minutes of waiting, Tim wanted to scream. Shade had ordered him to be in the room strictly at 8. It was pushing 8:20 and Shade's transmission had not come in yet.
"Seriously, Shade?" Tim was really contemplating on leaving when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Don't get up, Timothy." Shade's calm voice came through clear. Too clear to be any transmission from any electronic device. That only meant one thing.
"Shade?" Tim spun around quickly and before him was the enigmatic leader of the Resistance. "What in blazes?"
"Please, Timothy."
Tim frowned. There was no way in hell that this could actually be the one that had actually led the Resistance for so long from behind a television screen for half of eternity before him. "You are a lot shorter than I had thought you'd be."
Shade just shrugged. "This mission, Timothy, verges on suicidal. Only one operative has actually survived being undercover, and that was with the older, less strict system of rule."
Tim frowned, "Thanks for the personal appearance and worry, Shade." He said feeling a very odd feeling of resentment, "But save it."
"I understand, Timothy." Shade reached up to remove the hood that had for so long hid his face and pulled it down revealing to Tim a face that he had forgotten.
"Dark Laser!" Tim inched back.
"No, Timothy." Shade, in Dark Laser's armor and helmet, removed the grotesque headpiece.
"Dad?"
"Hello, son."
-two days later-
"Daddy!" Tammy and Tommy squealed simultaneously as they rushed their adoptive father.
"He-hey!" He lifted up both kids in his strong arms.
"Welcome home, hero." Kristen kissed her husband's cheek, to the disgust of her children. "How was the business trip?"
Tim looked into her eyes. He was not allowed to tell even her about his undercover mission. All she knew was that he had been assigned a secret mission, but she knew no details. But that was not the bit of information on his mind as he looked into her pure blue eyes. "Work was fine, Sweetie." He replied.
Kristen frowned but decided not to push his buttons just yet.
Tommy wiggled from his father's arms and tugged at his father's coat. "Daddy, tell us about Auntie Tootie!"
Tim smiled. Tootie was stuck in the castle, but every month he stole away the Princess of the world from her stronghold and took her out for dinner. Of course Kristen didn't like the idea of her husband taking the beautiful sister of their sworn enemy on dates every-so-often, but she had to admit that if it wasn't for Toria, she probably wouldn't have been rescued.
"Please, not tonight, honey?" Kristen sweetly coaxed.
Tim looked at her, "Why not? You know the children love stories of their aunt." Tim did not want his children to know anything about the Resistance. He wanted to them to stay as innocent as possible in this world. But he couldn't deny them knowledge of the girl who had always believed in him openly in his alternate memory. To keep Toria in their lives, Tim affectionately told the children about 'Aunt Tootie'; a beautiful and strong young woman who knew what she wanted and persevered until she achieved her goal. He used her pet name to keep her true identity hidden from them.
Tim set Tammy down and began to tell them about their 'Aunt' and when he was tasked with keeping her entertained. Kristen just shook her head and moved to the bedroom.
The formidable figure of Shade passed in front of Jax. In the pit of his stomach he felt fear. He was sure that many of the Resistance did also. He had heard rumors that Shade had never been seen in public before. Things really are winding down for the Resistance... I hope when it all comes down to it, I will be right in siding with the this Resistance. Jax stole glances tothe left and the right. The number of bounty hunters had dropped fast from 200 plus to just six. That had to count for something.
"...and there will be a substantial reward for taking out Dangar Dinkleberg." Shade's cape flowed like a black river as he turned and faced them, his helmet with down-turned mouth grate grimaced at the six bounty hunters. "You are free to use any methods necessary to take him down. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you have proof to bring us." His voice was placid and even. It was the exact opposite of what was expected to emanate from the grotesque headpiece.
Jax looked down the line of hunters when Shade finished. There were two hunters that were obviously twins; both the same height and dressed in some sort of ninja assassin outfit. Another had the appearance of a cyborg. Jax was sure he was one of Victoria's failed cyborg experiments. The last hunter was fearsome in his spiky armor. The head piece seemed to be like some sort of globe, but hanging from its top were a lot of teeth, no doubt from past kills.
"I'm in the big league now." Jax whispered to himself. He was just glad that the helmet he wore disguised his face and his uncertainty.
Shade turned back to the bounty hunters after what seemed like eternity and handed them each the information required for them to finish the task. "Now, go."
The bounty hunters turned and left in an orderly fashion.
"What's happening?" Dwight looked about scared.
"Aww don't tell me you have second thoughts, Dwight." 78 spun a few dials and fluids began pumping into and out of Dwight.
Dwight screamed. He was very ure now that he had just betrayed what he had spent his entire life fighting against. But it doesn't matter, because it is what needs to be done. Over and over in his mind's eye, he saw her die. His ears rang not just because of the needles pricking him and the fluids pumping in and out, but because he heard her scream. "I'm doing this for you molly." he whispered in agony. Mario must die. Mario must die. Mario must die... And he repeated that mantra over and over throughout the experiment until he blacked out.
As soon as he stepped outside, all hell broke loose. The spiky armored bounty hunter rolled to the side and Jax wisely and quietly followed. One of the twins stepped on a circular object... and exploded. Holy crap! Jax raised his pistol of fired at the remaining twin who had began shooting in his direction. his second bullet struck the ninja twin in the knee, knocking him to the ground. "Phew."
The sound of a motor revving snapped Jax out of his shock: the spiky hunter was leaving on a motor bike. "He tried to kill us all! Anything goes, I suppose..." Jax activated his hover coupe and took off in hot pursuit of the spiky hunter. The cyborg was no doubt following him. His suspicions were affirmed when a red-hot beam flew passed him and struck the spiky hunter's ride.
"Augh!"The spiky hunter crashed off the road, but was otherwise unharmed.
No doubt he will be getting back into this game very soon... Jax pushed the hunter out of his mind and focused on the cyborg hunter still shooting his way.
Tommy was smiling, "Daddy, thanks for the story!"
Tammy was equally pleased with the latest tale about Aunt Tootie. "Daddy, is Aunt Tootie really nice?"
Tim smirked, "Of course she is nice, why would you ask such a thing? She has a kind heart and an equally nice face."
Kristen stepped out of the kitchen and shook her head. "You 'Aunt Tootie' is no such thing."
"Kristen," Tim warned, "You know just as well as I do that Aunt Tootie is a kind person and she loves us. She got this home for us!"
Kristen scrunched up her face,, "Kids, all you need to know is that Aunt Tootie that your father tells you about doesn't really exist. She isn't that nice."
"Don't listen to her, kids." Tim stepped between his wife and his children,
"'Aunt Tootie' is a coward-"
"Kristen..."
"...a weak woman. Self-absorbed."
"Kids, your mother has had a long day,"
"She is a bit-"
"Trixie!" He turned to Kristen, "You need to lie down. Isn't that right, Trixie?"
Kristen tried to hold back the smile that always came after hearing her childhood nickname, but it came through anyway. She hugged her husband and whispered in her ear, "I just hate Victoria so much..."
Tim patted her back with reassurance and looked passed her to his briefcase. "I know... But soon, things will change. I guarantee it."
Tommy and Tammy looked at each other, confused, then looked out the wall-sized window at the Castle in the distance. They were blissfully unaware that they were looking at the home of their precious yet controversial 'Aunt Totie.' Yet they weren't feeling blissful at all...
A/N: A new chapter in less than a week? O...M...G... hahahaha Well, this one just came to me and I just couldn't let it go! It is a powerful one for me. I almost cried when describing Molly's death... And I am serious. It has been just over two years since I have started this story and I am feeling sad that it is coming ot a close, but know that all EPICs have to end sometime or else they run the risk of becoming too... ordinary. Well I really hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please please PLEASE read AND review lol.
Recap:
1. Mario and posse still searchin for Dwight
2. Dwight hates Mario with passion
3. Molly is... dead... :( (Mario's fault?)
4. Shade is Tim's father?
5. ESB Bounty hunter scene!
6. Bounty Hunter war for the bounty starts
7. Tim has started to train to be a Dark Soldier elite
8. WORMHOLES!
9. Tim and trixie are definitely not on the same page about Tootie
10. umm... Chapter 14 next! lol there are officially (as official as I can get) 23 chapters total... So that means 10 more chapters.
