Chapter Fourteen: Facing Ares
Tom made great time as her drove over the landscape, spotting Chief, Sameer, and Charlie, who pointed for him to keep going. Over the ridge Tom rode at speed, leaving them behind to reach Ludendorff. Beyond was a warehouse with tall wired fence around it, occupied by several soldiers. In the large buildings men worked to build bombs, packing them in wooden boxes that were stacked into great big piles. Planes sat idlily close to a run way, while jeeps, trucks, tanks, and other motor vehicles waited to be used.
Able to keep up and pass Diana, Tom used the car to blow a hole through the wire, allowing Diana to enter next. Setting a weight on the gas, Tom leaped from the car and saw it crash into a line of vehicles, causing several to explode. He landed and saw Diana get down from the hose, her sights locked onto a building that sat up on four support beams. Through the widow they saw him, Ares, posed as Ludendorff.
"Ready to save the, Tom."
"Let's bring peace once and for all." Tom signed.
Inside the building, Ludendorff glanced over a map, marking a spot with red pen, knowing that was his next target. He heard a nose outside, and looked to see a man being pulled over the rail, screaming as he fell several feet bellow. Diana and Tom stood in the doorway, eyeing him up. He smiled to them, showing little fear at the sight of them. With a chuckle, he straightened up. "What a surprise? Too bad I have other matter to attend to." He drew a gun from his side, aiming it at them. There was a loud bang and Diana swept her cuff around to stop the bullet. The shell flew back and hit Ludendorff's hand, forcing him to drop the weapon. He kneed and groaned from the pain in his hand, gazing up to Diana. "What, are you?"
"You will soon find out," retorted Diana, raising, and spinning her blade a few times.
Ludendorff quickly pulled from his pocket the God-pills, breaking the capsule, and sniffing up a cloud that wafted in front of his face. A serge of energy flew through his body, giving him strength he required to face Diana. He yelled and grabbed a metal tank, throwing it at Diana. She knocked it aside, yet gasped as he came at her. Tom rushed forward, throwing a punch to Ludendorff's side, sending him back only a mere inch. Ludendorff got his footing, and moved out of Tom's reach. Trying to strike him, over, and over, Tom punched until his paw went through the wooded siding, becoming stuck in the hole. The man took this time to kick Tom in the gut, sending him rolling to the floor. Tom clenched his side, and peered up to see Ludendorff's fist coming at him. Knocked across the face by a powerful blow, it sent Tom crashing into the floor, where the man went to kick Tom again.
Before he could lay a toe on Tom, a sword blocked Ludendorff, Diana facing him. "No one hurts, Tom!" Lifting the weapon, she sent him back, walking to shield Tom protectively.
Trying to get his breath, Tom saw Ludendorff, and Diana threw punches, Ludendorff slamming Diana to the doorway, spinning her around. She flew and hit the desk, trying to find her footing to fight back. He took a rifle from its shelf, and swung it, Diana stopping it with her arms. With a mighty shove, Ludendorff was sent to the ground. With rage, Ludendorff reached, and picked up the God-killer, coming at Diana.
Tom leaped from behind, and wrapped his legs around the Generals waist, placing his arms around Ludendorff's neck. In a chock hold, Ludendorff growled, lifting the blade back, and knocking Tom directly on the head. The hit forced Tom to loosen his grip, Ludendorff backing up to slam Tom harshly into the wall. The wind knocked form his lungs, Tom was easily removed, slumping to the floor. From his spot, Tom watched as they fought, the pair crashing through the roof, continuing their match overhead. There was a lot of heavy stomping, thuds, and yelling, Tom wiping the blood from his mouth. On shaky legs, he got his sword and shield, rushing out, taking a mighty bound to land on the roof.
Diana held the God-killer, aiming it at Ludendorff. "I am Diana of the Themyscira. Daughter Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. And your wrath upon this world, is over." Tom joined her, and helped distract Ludendorff so Diana could capture him with her golden lasso. Wrapped up, she yanked him upward, lifting him in the air, before pulling down. Tom watched as Ludendorff was slammed down onto the roof with a bang. Diana stood over him, raising the God-kill. "I complete the mission of the Amazons. By ridding this world of you, forever!" She drove the God-killer through Ludendorff's chest, delivering a fatal blow to the God of War.
Tom held his breath, wanting to make sure Ares was truly dead before he celebrated. When the man's breathing stopped, Tom figured they accomplished their mission, going to pat Diana's arm proudly. After a moment of silence, Diana stood back from the body, and sighed a breath of relief. They shared a smile, seeing the sword sticking out of his chest, blood running down off the roof.
"We did it, Tom, we killed Ares." Diana picked Tom up and embraced him, Tom shedding a few tears of joy. "Mankind is now free from his control."
"Now there will be peace forever!" Tom added.
"Let us see the fruit of our success."
By the rail, Diana stood, Tom leaning on it, expecting the same reaction they gat back in the village. Though when he looked down at the warehouse, the men didn't stop their work, continuing on as though nothing happened. Tom was dumbfounded, unable to believe they pressed on, like ants to an anthill. Men were moving cargo, loading bombs into a large airplane.
"Why-why haven't they stopped, Diana?"
"I don't know, Tom."
Tom glanced from the men to Diana, who was just as confused as he was. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Steve's voice. "Diana!" Diana, and Tom dropped down, landing on the wrap around porch. Steve saw them, sensing something was wrong. "Diana, what's wrong?" He went to her side, while Tom walked off in a daze.
Letting his sword scrap on the floor, he dropped it, along with his shield. There was a loud clanging sound, Tom's feet shuffling against the wood. He slumped and sat, looking hopelessly down at the soldiers. Jerry appeared, looking Tom over with worry. "Tom, you, okay?"
"We-we killed him, Jerry, we took out Ares."
"That's good, right?" Jerry asked, sitting in front of Tom, reaching his tiny paw out to rub Tom's larger one. "You accomplished your mission."
"Then why haven't they stopped?" Tom asked with glassy eyes. "They're finally free from Ares' control, yet they keep working, keeping doing doing Ares' evil work."
"Tom, mankind, they're not that simple. It's more complicated than that." Jerry signed. "Not one God forced them to fight. They're doing it by choice. For their own personal reasons. For food, money, support, and aid for their families. That's what ever war is about, power."
"How many have there been?"
"Too many to count. And I'm sure they'll be more after this." Jerry gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, Tom, I know how badly you wanted to win this war."
"After everything I was taught. All I learned was wrong. I don't know what to believe in anymore." Tom rubbed his face in frustration.
"You don't think that I don't wish I could blame one man, take all my anger out on him for what the humans have done. For the longest time, I want others to hurt the way I hurt, to suffer, and feel agonizing pain beyond words. But I can't hold onto the bitterness, and rage. I see now that's not a life I want to live. You helped me, Tom, see that there is good in this world. That there is something worth fighting for." Jerry felt Tom pull his paw away. "Don't give up, don't be like me."
Shaking his head, Tom's ears went flat. "Hippolyta was right. The world, humans. They don't deserve us."
"Tom, it's not about deserve, it's about what you believe in. We're all to blame, I think."
"Diana, and I aren't."
Jerry frowned. "If you really, truly believe this war should stop. Help me, help us stop it."
"No, Jer, I'm done. Diana, and I have reached the end of journey."
"Tom, please, I lov-"
"No, Jerry, just leave me alone." Tom got to his feet.
Jerry gave a small huff. "I knew you were selfish, but I never took you to be a quitter too."
"Don't you lecture me, mouse. You're happy, this was what you wanted, right? For me to be as broken as you, to hate humans as much as you do!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, I hope you're happy, cause now mankind kill will one another, just like you wanted."
"I never wanted the world to end." Jerry threw his paws up in defeat. "You know what, screw you, Tom."
"Yeah, screw you too, Jerry."
"Have fun being a miserable schumck."
"I will."
Tom saw Jerry go to Steve, the man climbing down the ladder. Fuming with hurt and confusion, Tom then felt anger toward himself. His temper always got the better of him, and he said, and did things he wished he could take back.
(Take A Look At Us Now (Lyle's Reprise) from Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile)
Tom:
"I thought we would make the perfect pair,
Take a look at us now,
Thought there was a spotlight we could share,
Take a look at us now,
Take a look at us now."
Tom went to Diana, seeing Steve, and the gang go ahead with their mission. With gas masks to cover their faces, they snuck into the warehouse. Diana gasped suddenly, Tom turning to seeing some within the building, appearing like a ghost out of no where. It was Sir Patrick, the man looking out the broken window at them. "You're both right Diana. They don't deserve you. They only deserve our destruction."
"Sir Patrick?" Diana asked in confusion.
"No, you know me by another name."
"You're, you're him." Tom signed. "Ares? This is a joke right, I mean, he can't be the God of war. He's just some old geezer. I pictured you to be taller."
"I'm not who you two thought I was."
Diana held her blade ready, walking slowly over to the doorway. Tom held his fist up, crossing from the opposite side, thinking he'd blocked off any ways for Ares to escape. The two shared a quick glance and moved at the same pace, coming closer to their target. "I am not your enemy Diana, Tom. I'm the only one who truly understand you both. Who truly knows them the way you do now. They have always been, and always will be, weak, cruel, selfish, and capable of the greatest horrors." Patrick was no longer standing there, standing outside the window, peering in at them with a smile. "All I ever wanted was for the Gods to see how evil my fathers creation was. But they refused, so I destroyed them."
Diana drew the God-killer back, and drove it forward. Patrick lifted his hand, where the God-killer dissolved, and disintegrated into Ares' opened palm. Tom gasped, and stared at Diana, who held the handle, the only part to remain of the great weapon. "Oh crap! Without the God-killer, we have nothing."
"My dear children. That's not the God-killer. You, and Tom are." Patrick lifted his hand, and blowing the ashes away. Diana and Tom looked at each other, then to Ares. With a smile, Ares went on. "Only a God can kill another God. Zeus left two children with the Queen of the Amazons, as a weapon to use against me."
"No, you're a liar." Diana pulled the lasso, wrapping it around him. "I compel you to tell the truth."
"I am the truth. I am the God of war, Ares."
Tom's jaw dropped, seeing as the lasso glowed. Setting his paw to the table, Tom then looked at the map, seeing a line went right o London. His eyes glanced from the map, to Ares. "I am not the God of war, I am the God of truth. Mankind stole this world from us. I was the only one wise enough to see it, was left to weak to stop them. All these years, I struggled alone, whispering into their ears. Ideas, inspiration for formulas, weapons. But I don't make mankind use them. They start these wars on their own. When you two first arrived, I was going to crush you. But I knew you two might see what the other could not. I hoped that you two would join me, and with out powers combined. We could finally end all the pain, the suffering, destruction they bring."
Ares changed the background, to a beautiful place. A land without men, and their troubles. It was green, and beautiful, reminding Tom of their island home. "Home." Tom thought, smiling to himself.
"I'll tell you something about your friend, the mouse. The laboratory he was breed, born into, experimented on, was set a blaze by the hands of the men. They felt the animals were too smart for their own good, and needed to be put down." Ares let Tom get flash of what kind of life Jerry had. Tom heard animals cry out in agony, and felt as though something stabbed at him all over, causing great pain his body. Dropping to his knees, Tom saw men lighting the place up, making it look like an accident. He covered his paws to his eyes, couldn't get the visions out of his head. Ares chuckled and watched as tears streamed down Tom's face. "I know, it upsetting to see mankind at its cruelest. Now you see, man care nothing for anything. They're kill their own world, and have no one to blame but themselves."
Seeing Tom in physical pain, Diana rushed to his side. "Tom?" He gave her a nod, holding tightly to her. "What do you want?" Diana glared up at Ares.
"We could return this world to the paradise it was before them, forever." Ares smiled, holding his hand out to her. "All you have to do is take my hand, join me."
While Ares was sweet talking the pair, Jerry, and Steve caught sight of Maru, giving orders to the people who'd pilot the great aircraft. Sameer was walking when a man handed him a bomb, yelling for him to load it into the hanger. Doing as he was talk, Sameer walked into the bottom part of the plane, climbing up into the hanger. Inside, he removed his mask, to get a better look of the place. To his horror, he saw a time bomb attached to the side. With a gasp, he put his mask back on, and left to warn the others.
