Sean/North gasped for air, it was enough to cause him to unintentionally drop his weapons. He regretted bringing both rifles. His one shoulder was still too weak to fully lift his arm; Sean knew needed to regain focus. He knew he could not take down Maine, but he did not intend to go out like a little bitch.
He picked up one rifle, with all his strength he rammed Maine with his injured shoulder, and while simultaneously firing his weapon in to Maine's chest; he could hear his opponent's armor crack. It wouldn't be enough to tip the scales, but god damn it was gratifying.
Maine punched Sean in his injured shoulder, but (as a side effect of the boiling water, the wound was completely numb) Sean stood his ground and hit him in the face with the butt of his weapon. He attempted to disarm Maine by using his weapon to dislocate Maine's shoulder.
Maine shoved him off and fired at him, Theta knew to throw up a shield, without being asked. Sean then went in for a sweep kick, knocking Maine to the ground.
Then Maine executed a jump kick to Sean's head. Sean fell to the ground, fully intending to get back up.
"Disengage his helmet," Sigma instructed. Even though Sean would still have Theta (who seemed to be able to function independent of North's control), the loss of his helmet would cause the once great marksman to lose the use of his eyes.
Maine stomped down on Sean's head fracturing the visor, nearly stomping on his face. He kicked it off the fallen agent's head.
Theta attempted to throw up another shield but Maine was too close. Theta couldn't stay focused enough. He tried to protect North's face, but decision would prove to be incorrect.
Maine plunged the blade of his weapon in to North's stomach, cutting deep before disemboweling him. Theta dropped he shield; the battle was lost. Maine then quickly fired a single round to Sean's exposed head, to knock him out, before ripping the AI port from the base of his skull.
Sigma paused for a moment, to decide if he wanted to go after Agent South. "No, it's not necessary we need to reach our next target" Sigma had a clear view of where she was, "her mind will soon break on its own." With that Agent Maine left, allowing South/Sara to come out of hiding.
Sean was actually grateful Maine took Theta, at least the small-innocent AI would not have to watch him die.
When the domed energy shield dissipated Sara ran to his side. She was so thankful he was still alive, allowing her the opportunity to say goodbye.
"Sara, please stay with me." the shot to the head was not at the correct angel to be immediately fatal; he would die by bleeding out, like the cows, pigs and chickens of their childhood farm.
"Close your eyes." she held his hand, trembling as she felt him desperately trying to muster the strength to caress his fingers to her's, "do you remember our tree house the one we built with stolen scrap wood when we were 12. " she laughed through her heartbreak.
"We bulit it about 30 feet off the ground and the only way in was to climb the tree" she was crying so hard she could barely breathe, "it was our special place where nothing could hurt us."
"I can see it." he said in a weak whisper as he felt his organs failing, he moved his hand, touching the exposed organs. He wasn't afraid of dying, but he was afraid of living without Sara- or rather existing without her. Their mother raised them with a belief in God and heaven- at times it was their only source of salvation.
He squeezed her hand as his body went in to shock, his liver, kidneys and intestines shutting down as the blood oozed from the massive wounds. He opened his eyes, big and bright as he could suddenly see the white light.
"You go there, you go and you wait for me." she said in all honesty. She would try to stay alive but she knew she was destined to die young; she just didn't have the courage to embrace it.
"Sara.." he said as she caressed his face, his eyes looking out to a place far beyond."Could you kiss me one last time," without Theta the pain was unbearable he needed to feel her touch.
She kissed his blood covered lips, deep and passionate, in a way only lovers would kiss. She could feel herself taking in the spiritual energy of his breath, as if to keep a part of him inside her. She felt him lift his hand to her face, running his fingers though her hair, caressing the back of her head, holding the kiss, but maybe it was her imagination.
"I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve this." She held him close as he died in her arms, suffering one last seizure with blood oozing from his nose and mouth.
As he lost consciousness she continued to watch the movement of his breath, his chest, his throat all in silence. When she was certain he was gone she kissed his forehead, then went back in to the cave and cried, screaming at the walls until she regained her composure. Washington would be arriving soon, but not soon enough.
Sara had read stories about Siamese twins, where one dies before the other, leaving the surviving twin to live with the body of their dead sibling dangling from their body for hours or even days before help could arrived. They would die of depression, madness or at the very least blood poisoning.
She was not physically attached to him but to live with his corpse drove her to insanity. At first she started to talk to the body. "I won't let them hurt you...I won't let daddy hurt you..." In her mind she was a little girl again. "I need you; I'll always take care of you." Her eyes were dead, like a mental patient. She never moved the body; there was no point, the location was remote enough to avoid detection. She would sleep holding his dead body like a doll.