Chapter 38: A Tango of Twins and Thunder
In any line of work, death is bound to happen at some. Even something as unassuming as an office job runs the risk of you getting filled with bullets because some angry ex-employee decided you were going to be a tally mark on his rampage of vengeance.
As a police officer, death comes more frequently.
Either criminals die around you, or they come for you.
Or perhaps a citizen gets tired that people in your profession continue to exist after all the corruption has been exposed.
You should at least have the guarantee that you'll feel safe in the company of your co-workers. You'd THINK that they'd all be aligned under the same cause.
But there's always got to be that worm who wiggles in, and brings a whole lotta dirt in with them.
And now, coming off his Holiday Break, walking within these familiar walls, all Mark can see is danger around every corner.
Getting some fresh air, spending time with his daughter, having a relatively happy holiday for once…It didn't banish the echoes of the metal vigilante's master.
"I'm afraid someone among 'Dregs' has infiltrated your police station."
He looked at fellow officers saying 'Hi' to him as an act of putting on a facade. His own expression contorted with paranoia, making them worry for his health.
There was so much fatigue weighing on his mind that it's any wonder he hasn't gotten sick since this whole ridiculous mess began.
He kept being friendly to everyone who showed worry towards him, because that's just the kind of guy he is.
But now he had to think about their every move.
Even the guy who just stood around the food dispenser playing solitaire on his phone could've been an active terrorist.
However, there was one person he refused to put suspicion on. His long and standing brother: Vida.
"He's been there for me and my family all these years. Supported my daughter when I've gotten too deep into my work to see her…"
Flashes of Vida trying to urge him to quit chasing the ghosts of that incident went by in his head, causing him a bit of undue stress.
"He's got a strong heart, and a stronger sense of justice. The evidence just…doesn't add up."
He convinced himself of this fact strongly…but as a police officer, he still had to take any possibility into consideration and ask questions.
Unfortunately, his friend wasn't around tonight. Apparently, he is helping with a prisoner escort upstate.
"He really does get around a lot though…" Mark paused in front of his office and took out his lighter and cigarettes, thinking about what he wanted to do with a hint of dry humor to his inner monologue, "Heh, I bet he'd give me a good lecture if I tried doubting our bond."
The Holiday gave him one benefit going back into work…It let him remember that he's still got connections, and he can't lose them over making the wrong assumptions.
As far as this case went though, he was stuck with no leads.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. had organized a couple meetings to make sure he was doing fine, but the voice on the other line was absent.
He could get it. Holidays are busy. It was just so…frustrating to be left with that revelation and feel like the person who gave it just up and vanished.
However, the moment he prepared to sit at his desk, his patience may finally have paid off.
The special hearing aid he had let out a few clicks, and then that enigmatic voice spoke to him, "Been a while, Mark. Enjoy the Holidays?"
Mark flinched, then turned around and locked the door, before making his way over to the window and tapping the device, "It went about as well as I could've hoped. I'll admit…I missed working with you."
"Yeah, sorry about that. This was a major disgrace on my part."
Mark suspected there was more to their absence than they were letting on, and decided to remain respectful of that, "Y-Yeah, the Holidays can be pretty busy."
"...Anyways. I didn't come back empty handed though. So can you meet us at the usual meeting place to discuss our next move?"
Mark nodded, and his smile was a tense one, as his next move would shunt him right back into the danger zone, "Yeah…I'll be right there."
Perhaps part of the reason he could keep going this long against these dangerous unknowns was because he had such a strong partner.
"Today…I need to contribute something of my own." With that vow sealed in his heart, he drove to the designated spot and went to the rooftop.
There, he found S.A.N.C.T.U.M. pointed at the water, the fog not as heavy as it was during their last excursion.
And just visible enough to be recognized was the cargo platform the Valkyrie ambushed them on. Restocked, pointing at the city, as though inviting them to come challenge them again.
As Mark reached the edge of the building, the machine stepped off and faced him, polite as usual business goes, "Thank you for coming again, Sir Mark."
Mark noticed that there was a slight bit more bulk on his frame, mostly around the arms.
No comment needed, he was clearly armed for a rematch with the Valkyrie.
The voice on the other side then spoke up, "I didn't get as much done as I would've liked, but here's a few things I confirmed…"
"Apparently, the cargo platform had offloaded its cargo at the designated time. 'Dregs' likely hijacked it for their purposes after the fact as part of their plan to bait me. Which likely means the Prime Minister of France isn't involved with them."
Mark nodded, "I get it, it would be easy for the Prime Minister to use our assault on the platform as a way to up security and…with any ties to 'Dregs', set up people who could offload the supply crate we're after safe and sound."
The voice responded very positively, "Very good."
Mark felt like he was a student being praised just now for learning the lesson right, "I-I just wanted to show you that I can still contribute to this case. Because lately…I've been feeling like I've done nothing."
"You're doing plenty, Mark. Rest assured." Was not the praise he expected to get in return. Were the Holidays really that good to them?
"Unfortunately, this means I wasn't able to use this lead to oust the identity of the Valkyrie."
"...What about fighting them?" Mark then wondered.
"..."
When the voice went silent, Mark had this to say, "You had them on the ropes until their power suddenly skyrocketed at the last minute."
"I wracked my brain around that dastardly trick but couldn't come up with any concrete answers, only theories!" There was some frustration vented off from that remark that clearly had been built up over the break.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. responded with kindness, "Master, do not worry. Now that we know that the trick IS there, we simply have to defeat the Valkyrie before they can overpower us."
Mark also remarked, "Or, secure the supply crate."
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. gestured at him with his face creating a smile, "See? That's not a bad plan of attack."
"...It's not. But don't worry, we're not going in with just a hope and a prayer. I don't believe in that kind of battle. I DO have a plan. And if I'm right, then we're shutting down the Valkyrie tonight."
Mark was curious enough to bravely ask, "Mind letting me in on the plan this time?"
"You'll know what to do once I give the order." The voice firmly remarked, a disappointment to be sure, but one Mark sadly had grown accustomed to.
"...Alright." He sighed.
"Now, before we head out, did you find any leads on 'Dregs' presence in your police station?"
Mark glared at them as he replied, "Yeah, about that. You're going to need to give me some time to sort all that out."
"We might not have time, depending on how this goes."
Mark snapped a little, "These are people I've worked with for years! So excuse me if I have to work through my own biases a bit, ok?!"
"...!" The voice recoiled with a surprised grunt, "...Ghhh. Fine. As long as you're still after the truth."
Mark curled his bottom lip, reminded that his partner was a bit…cold at times.
"...Then, are we going after the Valkyrie now?" He asked.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M was made to face the cargo platform, his master remarking, "This is as open of an invitation as any."
"...Let's go."
Mark was carried off to the platform, with conditions better suited for his survival tonight.
After dropping him off at the helipad, Lunalei had his creation detach a small watch from his arm.
"This has thermal tracking on it. It'll help you avoid the freezer crates and thus speed up the hunt for the box."
Mark put the watch on and nodded, silently and cautiously heading into the thick of things with one hand in his gun pocket.
"...I wish we could've given him something to combat the Valkyrie." S.A.N.C.T.U.M remarked.
"I didn't have the resources, sadly. But it's fine. I feel very confident that my theory is correct."
"I want to believe so as well." S.A.N.C.T.U.M's serene agreement was what she needed to face their enemy confidently.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M crossed his arms and raised their head towards the crane.
"I know you're here, Valkyrie! Show yourself!"
And in turn, the Valkyrie shouted from up high, "It's not kind to keep a lady waiting for their dance!"
She was standing on the edge of the crane, lithe blade already drawn, and their stance immaculate and heavenly.
With a quick descent they landed a few feet from her enemy and brandished her blade like a fencer's rapier.
Their posture suggested that their personality was tame, indicating this was the "first" Valkyrie they had fought.
"You're easy to predict." They boasted.
"Heh, same goes for you," Lunalei uttered with a greater backing of confidence, "But here's the thing…"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M locked down into Swordmaster Mode and Lunalei spoke with scorn, "I'm the one who will be one step ahead this time."
It was painfully clear that the Valkyrie's gaze shifted with intrigue, "What's different this time?"
"You'll see. Now watch closely, or you'll blink and miss your chance!"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M made the first attack with a basic cross slash using both blades.
The Valkyrie used the curve of her blade to dance around it and get behind the machine, "So then…I suppose class is in session!"
She went for a stab towards his back thrusters but he boosted forward to put distance between them, followed by a quick pivot to face their enemy.
The Valkyrie charged up their bow to hit him with a large arrow, tipping them off the edge of the helipad.
"Take the fall." Lunalei remarked, and her creation complied.
The Valkyrie then plunged headlong after them with a stab as strong as lightning.
"Now, Pursuit Mode!" Lunalei's command saw S.A.N.C.T.U.M transforming and using their stronger thrusters to tackle the Valkyrie half a mile into the sky.
He then bounced around, smashing her with deadly punches across her armor until getting above them and with one max thrust punch, smashing them through the trails of energy that indicated their movements.
The Valkyrie's impact split the helipad down the middle, and S.A.N.C.T.U.M dove in for a second punch.
The Valkyrie blocked with their sword, thickened with lightning, "N-Not bad. But you should have kept me in the air."
"And risk you calling upon storm clouds? No way in hell!" Lunalei had her creation apply more pressure until the whole platform started to creak.
"Keep her down, S.A.N.C.T.U.M!" She said solely to her machine.
The Valkyrie grunted, but did so with a feeling of delight in their heart, "You're trying to remove my advantages. Clever. But you don't have the will to make sacrifices!"
She pulled one arm away and shot a bolt arrow at the crates, just barely passing the lip of the crater. And her arm suffered pressure damage from it until she brought the other back.
"Heh…" If Lunalei could smirk right now, it'd be massive.
"Back off!" S.A.N.C.T.U.M pulled away tightly and then returned to his basic state, unfurling a pair of sensors on his arms.
The ambiguity of the devices stopped Valkyrie's attack for a few moments.
"I'm picking up electric activity from the crate…Magnetic field presence forming slowly."
"I knew it." Lunalei boasted openly to her enemy.
"Knew what?" They responded in kind.
"You can't use straight up magnetism. You're using electric field manipulation to generate a magnetic field around other objects."
"..." The Valkyrie could only be silent, for she knew as well as Lunalei did what this implication led to next.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M reverted back to Swordmaster Mode to clash against their enemy's attack, engaging in a dance of lightning fast cuts around the remains of the helipad until breaking off on top of the crates.
Lunalei then felt like a total fool for not considering this possibility sooner, "It's not a split personality we're dealing with…the Valkyrie are Valkyries!"
And then with her opponent on the backfoot from her trick unraveled, Lunalei shouted, "There's another person here! Find them, now!"
And Mark, hidden away within the crates, registered this information and used his new watch post-haste to try and hunt for a body heat signature.
Meanwhile, the Valkyrie tackled S.A.N.C.T.U.M off his perch and slashed a wave of lightning to pin them further.
Following up by firing a few bolts into the crates to drag them on top of the machine in a disorganized heap.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M quickly shifted into Pursuit Mode to repel the crates faster than they could be pulled back on him, then charged the Valkyrie to punch him off her hold.
She landed and rolled out of the way of his quick punches until she found her footing and lunged at him rapidly, landing the one hit necessary to slow her foe down.
But S.A.N.C.T.U.M simply grabbed her arm in both hands and spun and smashed her into the crate.
"Like I said," Lunalei spoke firmly, before having S.A.N.C.T.U.M pin his foot against her chest and applying the pressure of the booster at max force to shatter her chest plate, "I'm the one in control this time."
Meanwhile, Mark shifted focus between his watch and his surroundings, waiting for even the slightest ping of a heat signature to come up.
The absurdity of his partner's revelation only made sense to him after a little thought, "If the Valkyrie can manipulate electric fields, then they were doing that to keep their partner hidden!"
Even if they had figured out this trick, there was still a lot about the Valkyrie's power they didn't know about.
He suddenly felt a click on the watch pointing him towards the backside of the platform. And the moment he turned his head he was surprised to find the crane swinging at him.
And with there being little room to dodge, he had to bank it all on jumping onto it and holding on for dear life.
He got winded from the hit, but held enough consciousness to grab onto the wire and hold on.
He was brought up in line with the machine's cockpit, where the rider activated the wipers to reveal themselves.
They were a red haired woman in what appeared to be a teaching outfit, and a coat on top of it.
From that description alone, Mark shivered with surprise, "Y-You're that…substitute teacher."
And surprise turned to fear as the woman confirmed his suspicions by waving at him with peppy energy.
"Hey, I'm gonna need you to stay out of my way, ok? No offense to you, Mark." She said.
"T-They were in contact with Violet…!" He thought that school could be the one other place she would be safe. But now…'Dregs' had changed the game.
Off to the side, S.A.N.C.T.U.M continued to have the Valkyrie pinned down in his basic state, with Lunalei remarking, "Once my partner apprehends yours, we're going to finally get down to business regarding your organization and that supply crate."
The Valkyrie turned their head slightly and remarked, "That seems to be going well for him."
Lunalei got her sights on Mark being suspended from the crane and started to worry a little.
The Valkyrie then smiled, but it came with a bitter demeanor, "You really did drag a grief stricken father into your fight. Is this what your cause entails?"
Lunalei argued back, "Crime fighting always carries this risk. He knew what he was getting into."
"I sincerely doubt that," The Valkyrie's response was more scathing than any lightning bolt, "You turned his whole world upside down."
"Khhh…!" Lunalei had S.A.N.C.T.U.M apply a little more pressure, with the machine commenting in a mildly awkward manner of fashion, "Please don't push yourself, or you may damage your ribs."
"Hmph…" The Valkyrie pouted, "I bet his daughter would no longer look up to you if she knew this is what you are really like."
"...!" Lunalei shook, but forced herself to brush it off.
Then the Valkyrie spoke up again, pushing the matter slowly, "Here's a bit of advice. If you want to protect those you care about, you need to be as open as possible. Just a little advice…from teacher to teacher."
The shivers worsened, causing the connection between her and S.A.N.C.T.U.M to fray slightly.
The Valkyrie had enough freedom to pull out her bow and fire at the nearby crates, "Echec et mat…my fair lady."
She pulled the crate over to slam S.A.N.C.T.U.M off of her.
After S.A.N.C.T.U.M clamped down he uttered internally, "M-Master…!"
"F-Forget it, S.A.N.C.T.U.M! Focus on her!"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M ignored her shaken heart and grabbed hold of the crate, choosing to flip it into the water while he had a chance.
He then flipped right into Swordmaster Mode and clashed against the Valkyrie's diving assault, sweeping the ground with a multitude of arched lightning slashes that swung around to form a perimeter around their battle.
Their clash continued for a while with the Valkyrie's speed triumphing, marking the machine with a flurry of bright scars within seconds.
The Valkyrie began assaulting her in a more serious tone, "Stop this nonsense! You have already painted a target on your family's back. Now the further you commit to this cause, the more danger you put them in!"
"Oh that's rich!" Lunalei shouted, her confidence filled in with rage, "Like you're any better?!"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M shoved the Valkyrie out of the arena and then followed up with a headsplitter using both blades.
The Valkyrie flipped back and fired at two crates to pin the machine down between them, finding a new vantage point atop some others.
"I only have my sister to worry about! And we fight as one! Against God! Against the world if we must!" The Valkyrie brandished her blade towards the sky.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. propelled forward in Pursuit Mode and punched the Valkyrie clean in the chest, forced to channel some of his master's upsetness at this turn of events.
And for that lack of foresight, the Valkyrie was able to pin them down with a lightning bolt from up high, and immediately hop back onto another crate.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. pulled himself up slowly and turned back to Swordmaster Mode, gripping his swords tightly and brandishing one at their enemy.
"I fight for my family too! For the peace they've earned! A peace YOU are trying to take away with your schemes!"
Lunalei tried to pin all her anger on the source and hoped they'd show even an ounce of regret. But to her frustration, the Valkyrie continued to stand on her moral high ground and proclaim, "All I'm hearing are excuses to justify your cause! Face it! If you really valued your family's peace of mind, you would alert them to our existence the moment you first learned about us!"
"But no, this has become a matter of pride for you. You will accept no victory, unless it's one claimed by your own hand!"
"And maybe I could have accepted that…but when you gamble with the fate of the future and the justice of the world then I cannot turn the other cheek!"
"Enough of this…" Lunalei growled, tightening the grip on S.A.N.C.T.U.M.'s swords until the hands began to warp, causing him to tremble with worry, "I don't give a DAMN about your armchair psychology! You're the VILLAIN of this story! And I'm putting a stop to your evil…NOW!"
The Valkyrie curled her lower lip and sighed, "So be it."
She swung her sword to slash electricity at the machine, who charged forward and cut through it.
The Valkyrie's reflexes let her lock her blade against his and then dance around to the back, where she stabbed him into the platform, then launched a few arrows into the sky, delaying their descent.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. turned to Pursuit Mode to fling the Valkyrie away and then chase after, pummeling her with a rapid-fire series of punches, then reverting to his base state to bring her crashing down with his sheer weight.
But the crates came flying from different directions, building up enough damage to knock him off. But Lunalei refused to hit the ground, and used Pursuit Mode to launch the last crate at the Valkyrie.
She cleanly cut it in half and infused them with electricity, allowing her to create a dangerous wave of shrapnel to bemuse him.
While taking the brunt of the damage, S.A.N.C.T.U.M focused on de-escalating his creator's lethal state of mind, "Master, if I may, I feel we should prioritize rescuing Sir Mark."
Lunalei pivoted attention away from the fight to see him still hanging on comfortably, "He can handle himself just fine. Focus on our foe!"
"You're letting her words invade your mind."
"S.A.N.C.T.U.M. if you don't focus and finish this fight, you don't understand what the consequences will be!"
"...I don't. In fact, despite you being my creator, sometimes it feels I don't understand parts of you at all. But I do know this much for certain. Whatever flaws you may have, it doesn't change your heart. You are someone kind, who is fighting for something greater."
Lunalei's chest quivered and she let out a gasp.
"If it's difficult to put your trust in others, then know that you can always put your trust in me."
"S.A.N.C.T.U.M…I…"
"Say nothing. I am merely performing my function." His serenity in the face of the onslaught of shrapnel tearing his metal flesh to ribbons was a welcome sight.
Lunalei took a deep, mental breath and then fully synchronized back up with her creation, telling him in more certain terms, "Alright. Let's stop fooling around then. S.A.N.C.T.U.M, Pursuit Mode!"
He transformed and then immediately rocketed forward. But the Valkyrie had become privy to his tricks and dodged out of the way in the nick of time.
However, the machine's flexible joints let him to twist his leg in such a way that he could propel right back and smash his elbow into the Valkyrie's gut, exhausting all her wind.
And at that exact moment, electricity started to sputter out of her body, "T-Talk about inconvenient timing…!"
She tried to back away and channel some of this excess into her blade, only for S.A.N.C.T.U.M. to respond in kind with both of his blades drawn.
A clash seemed inevitable, the victory all but determined.
But then a warning siren blared in S.A.N.C.T.U.M.'s system and caused him to hold back just as he was about to run into the path of a sharp, bony projectile.
Lunalei immediately had him turn in the direction it was fired, but saw that there was no one else on the platform.
Instead…a pale white figure stood atop the water.
Watching. Lurking. As motionless as a statue, as ill-mannered in shape as a demon.
Its full form could not be comprehended through this veil of fog. But it was like a nightmare that had escaped the boundaries of the mind.
And before Lunalei could question this beast's appearance, the Valkyrie displayed an upfront declaration of annoyance, "You've got to be kidding me…!"
Not fear, not rage, for her this was an unexpected inconvenience.
She turned to S.A.N.C.T.U.M., but addressed Lunalei directly, "This is what I was referring to…You grabbed Diablo's attention. Now…you're HIS prey."
She drew her sword and the electricity continued to worsen around her body, "And he likely hasn't taken kindly to me trying to flush you out myself."
As dreadful as such a comment sounded on paper, Lunalei also felt a twinge of relief, because that would imply that neither Valkyrie had mentioned her identity to the rest of 'Dregs'.
The Valkyrie gripped her sword tighter and then shouted, "This fight is mine, Diablo! Back off…NOW!"
Instead, another arrow of bone was flung faster than any of the two's attacks could ever hope to be, slicing through the crane cable holding Mark in place.
"No!" Lunalei immediately moved S.A.N.C.T.U.M. to intercept Mark, forced to slow down lest they break his body.
The Valkyrie clicked her tongue and muttered, "Fine, I guess I'll take what I can get."
Her honor permanently stained, the Valkyrie flew at the crane's cockpit and opened the door, shouting, "Clara! Take my hand, and finish this fight!"
The other girl smiled and gladly held it, "You got it, Claire!"
As S.A.N.C.T.U.M. put Mark down safely, he remarked in kind, "T-Thanks…"
"Sorry I didn't come sooner." Lunalei remarked.
Further conversation would have to wait. A burst of electricity rocked the cargo platform, and S.A.N.C.T.U.M. turned to see the Valkyrie floating out from the front of the crane, now charged up with extra juice and their armor restored.
Mark grit his teeth and shivered, the violent storm within this person making them feel like a force of nature that was a step away from discarding their humanity.
Yet she laughed like she was having a fun time, "Alright, Metal Justice Man! This isn't going to be like last time! Only one of us gets to escape this ship! So don't think you can run away!"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. stood his ground, and Lunalei decreed, "Wasn't planning on it."
Mark hid behind him and cried out, "What is your plan?!"
"Leave that to us. You need to focus on arresting the Valkyrie's twin. She's currently depowered."
"...I-I don't know how important this is going to be, but…The Valkyrie's identity. They're a substitute who was teaching my daughter's class recently."
Lunalei flinched and then grumbled slowly, "...So that's how they pieced it together."
"Huh?" Mark uttered.
"Nothing. Now stay back, be careful, and let me work." S.A.N.C.T.U.M. then went into Swordmaster Mode and faced down the warrior's storm.
Claire started to climb down the crane and faced her sister with a whisper of, "Be careful with what you say, we don't need to feed Diablo any information."
"Haaa, he really needs to get his lips off the boss' ass. And where was this big brother bullshit when Hamazaki died, huh?"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M brandished his sword and the Valkyrie smirked.
"Just worry about yourself, Claire. I got this!"
With incredible strength and speed, the Valkyrie slammed into S.A.N.C.T.U.M, and he had to compress every booster into his elbows and knees just to hold his ground.
Lunalei quickly reviewed the facts to her creation, "The Valkyrie can only seem to contain the power of electricity for a short period of time before needing to pass it off to her twin. But every time they pass it off, it makes them stronger."
"Which means our plan of attack…?"
"Is to NOT attack. And outlast the time period. Then we strike when they're overloading. We can't win in a close quarters fight otherwise."
"Roger."
Lunalei then had all the boosters compress into a single point to get a split second opening of escape against their foe.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M then shifted into Pursuit Mode and dove into the plethora of crates at their disposal.
To fight them on better terms, the Valkyrie would be forced to slow down and fire arrows into the crates that don't contain the supplies they were after.
But as the scenery was rearranged into a storm of flying crates and deadly shrapnel, Lunalei targeted a specific crate and had S.A.N.C.T.U.M give it a nudge back.
He then rapidly shifted the force of his boosters to blow away the incoming crates, and bore the brunt of the shrapnel storm.
Then, at the very last moment, he dodged away from the Valkyrie's heaven cleaving slash and launched himself straight down into the crate they pushed back.
This caused it to slam into the Valkyrie's back and catch them unaware enough to throw them far away from the platform.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M then landed on the busted helipad, drew his swords, and overclocked his voltage sensors.
The Valkyrie led their charge with a herculean thunderclap, sending a volley of lightning lances as the opening act.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M needed both blades to put in their best work to cut through every lance. Failure was not in the calculations.
Every split lance drowned his audio receptors in the roar of thunder, and in time overworked his voltage sensors.
The Valkyrie's charge thus came as a last minute surprise, forcing Lunalri to relent and employ the same measure with the boosters as before to match their raw strength.
As the Valkyrie kept them locked down, she clicked her tongue a few times between whispering, "Lunalei…Lunalei…Ooooh, NOW I get it."
"You were the solo act who got in our way on the East Coast!"
Lunalei tensed up and had S.A.N.C.T.U.M, in turn, dare the odds to break through the Valkyrie's strength and cut her across the shoulders. But the armor didn't even scratch.
Pursuit Mode was activated and they barely made their escape, continuing to countdown the seconds as they daringly dodged around the platform.
Meanwhile, Claire watched on from the bottom of the crane, as Mark cautiously approached from behind with his gun raised.
"You…you're under arrest." He remarked, his confidence loose thanks in part to the uncertainty of his daughter's safety.
Claire closed her eyes and turned around, "I wish we could've met under better circumstances, Mark."
"What are you planning with my daughter?!" He needed to vent out immediately.
Claire shook her head and smiled, "Nothing. She's been labeled a non-issue."
"Then why were you at her school?" Mark said, furthering his doubt in her intent.
"It was a happy coincidence and nothing more," Claire spoke with utter sincerity, then took off her glasses to look at him with her lovely eyes, "You really are lucky to have such a wonderful daughter, Mark."
Mark's finger trembled on the trigger, so he lowered his gun and muttered in a choked up voice, "Y-Yeah…I know."
Claire then asked, "Stop this investigation. Is the truth really worth what you're losing to get it?"
"...I can't say for certain. But I owe it to my wife and kid…and any other families out there that my tragedy isn't repeated."
Claire crossed her arms and gave him a stern talking to, "You owe it to her to be there and support her."
"..." How could Mark ever properly excuse himself for failing that simple duty?
And Claire twisted that point home further, her voice dipping into melancholy, "Some children aren't even lucky enough to know their parents faces…"
Mark bit his lip and muttered, "Why…why are you with 'Dregs'?"
Claire answered with a bitter smile, "Every struggle has a story. Ours brought us together."
She then glared at him and stated firmly, "You won't shoot me. Which means you won't stop me."
Mark, shaking but resolute, held his gun up and whispered, "I have to try."
Claire closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then without warning sprinted straight at him.
Mark removed the safety but before even thinking of pulling the trigger, he bit his teeth and tucked the gun away back into his pocket.
She tried to go for the gun but he grabbed hold of her wrist and got behind her, locking both arms into place.
Her strength was still that of a regular human without the Valkyrie's powers.
But her mind worked fast, and she seemed to retain some level of nimbleness in her reflexes. She used both to briefly run up the side of the crane and then kick back, toppling Mark onto the ground.
And then she freed herself and turned to get her knees on his gut and try to dig out the gun.
Mark threw a left hook at her face but then she retaliated by punching him in the chest.
Her fingers gripped the edge of his pocket and he rolled on top of it, managing to knock her off.
The two then stood up, but she got the jump on him by throwing her glasses at his face and then tackling him into the corner of the crane.
The sharp pain flaring in his back gave her ample opportunity to dig for the gun. Through the pain, Mark grabbed hold of her wrist and tried to force it free from his pocket, "Y-You don't have to do this!"
Claire no longer had words to speak, her determined expression carried her actions forward.
Mark grit his teeth again and headbutted her, and during her recoil she tugged the gun halfway out of his pocket.
She wiped the blood from her nose onto her sleeve and then tackled him again, hoping further pain would force his surrender.
Instead, he threw himself onto the ground and let her trip over his shoulders, where he quickly rose up and tackled her in the chest, dragging her ahead to throw and then pin her onto the ground.
When Julius sent him these techniques to work around a problematic criminal, he never thought they'd work. But he practiced them anyway, just for this occasion.
After getting Claire onto the ground he reached for his other pocket and pulled out handcuffs.
And while he did he looked up and saw a white figure…standing there on the water…
His heart rate quickened and he intersped visions of fire with the visage of this white monster.
"N-No…!"
Claire then slammed her fist into his pancreases and hit him with an incredibly sharp bolt of pain.
Then she used both hands to shove him onto his back, and rose to snatch his cuffs out of the air. Before he hit the ground, she was already cuffing both his hands together with lightning quick reflexes.
And then his impact with the ground dislodged his gun from his pocket for her to snatch up.
After checking that the bullet was loaded in, she held it in both hands and pointed it at his chest, using the rest of her body to prevent him from moving.
Sweat trickled down his body and he panted with desperation, the consequences of his failures…nay, his attempt to try and do something right, staring down him from that loaded steel barrel of death.
She held the gun with confidence and glared at him until the fear paralyzed him, "Stay. Still. This will be over soon."
Meanwhile, S.A.N.C.T.U.M. continued to narrowly weave between the heaven splitting slashes of his foe, who was venting a little frustration at this stubborn turn of events.
"Hold still, won't you?!"
The battle had escalated to the point that both sides had exhausted all the crates on the cargo platform save for one, which clearly indicated that was the one they needed to open.
But this meant that only perfect dodges would save S.A.N.C.T.U.M. for the remainder of the time.
After failing to hit him with a visceral slice that would've easily cleaved through multiple buildings, the Valkyrie growled and then pulled back.
"Fine! Then I guess I'll have to go for old reliable!"
She flew up higher and raised her hands towards the storm clouds being summoned by her presence.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. froze in mid-air and gasped, "She's preparing her strongest attack!"
"Hold out, S.A.N.C.T.U.M. this is our-" Lunalei's cone of vision happened to include the crane area, and with a quick turn her confidence shriveled as she saw Mark being held at gunpoint by the other twin, "-c-chance…?"
"Sir Mark…!"
The Valkyrie was calling worth the lance that would end this battle in one-shot, but as she did her body started to crackle and tremble with excess electricity.
"J-Just a little longer…!" She grit her teeth.
Mark's eyes were pale and he could only wonder why his death was taking so long.
And, though not an overtly religious man, he feared the possibility that maybe all his services would amount to was an eternity raking coals in Hell. Because he failed to protect the one thing most important to him…his family.
Claire started to hover her finger over the trigger, only for a bone arrow to slice through her left arm.
"Ghhh…!" She turned her head back and shouted, "What the hell are you doing, Diablo?! Back. OFF!"
The cries of her sister caused Clara to turn her attention away from her enemy for a moment, and interpret that she was in danger from the police officer due to the thunder making her words unclear.
Suddenly, Lunalei was witnessing the Valkyrie turning her attention away and pointing her spear at the crane.
"She's going to transfer her powers to her twin again!" Lunalei proclaimed.
"If she does that, then there's no way we can win this fight, and Mark will be fried! Master, I need to strike her now…!"
Time slowed down, as so many variables confounded Lunalei's mind.
The Valkyrie pulled back her spear ready to let it fly. Her twin pointed her gun back at Mark, appearing ready to fire.
But all of this confusion could be cut down by focusing on one single solution…
"...No, this is what we want." She was calm, certain.
She made S.A.N.C.T.U.M. fully face the twin, and readied a lock-on to her bio signature.
"Master…?" For the first time, this machine experienced genuine uncertainty.
"Activating Kill Mode."
S.A.N.C.T.U.M.'s lights briefly shut down, his body darkening as the nanofibers across his system tightened and vibrated at such intensity that when the lights turned back on they were burning hot.
As the spear of lightning went flying to empower its target, so too did the machine to end it.
Claire only had a moment to look out the corner of her eye, but she understood.
And she cried.
"...I'm sorry, Cl-"
The machine punched her through the chest like she was made of paper and pinned her to the crane, punching through just as easily.
The spear pierced the ground beside them, frying the cargo platform's engines and setting off a chain of explosions.
As the sounds of fire roared around her fading life, Claire threw out one last defiant grin and murmured, "So this…is your…justice…"
"The future…is in your hands? What a…"
The machine pulled its arm up to split through her neck and head, the rain of blood that followed splattering onto Mark's body as he lifted himself up, never to forget this sight for as long as he lived.
The caring metal soul, damned to rust with the blood of a taken life.
"Target eliminated."
In the blink of an eye, S.A.N.C.T.U.M. reverted to his natural state and shook.
"Good job, S.A.N.C.T.U.M." Lunalei said.
"I-I…" S.A.N.C.T.U.M. stared at the thick blood on his hand and shivered.
Mark stood up and shouted at the top of his lungs, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"
Lunalei was stunned and shouted back, "If I didn't intervene you would've been killed! How could you let a normal person get the jump on you anyways?!"
"I-I…" Mark was too emotionally compromised to think of a good response.
"Khh…" Lunalei scoffed, and then looked up, watching as the now depowered Valkyrie fell from the sky and crashed atop the cargo platform, no doubt breaking a few bones.
But right now, all that mattered was securing the crate.
"S.A.N.C.T.U.M., focus! We need to get the cargo before the platform capsizes!"
"R-Right…"
The machine flew over to the crate, as Mark was forced to endure the mangled visage of Claire's corpse slumped against the crane.
"C-Claire…? Claire this isn't funny…! Wake up, Claire!" Her twin shouted across the sky, making Mark grab his arm tightly and wince.
The moment S.A.N.C.T.U.M. landed by the crate and grabbed it, a spear of bone pierced through it, and four hooks grew around the tip to tighten the connection.
The crate was then wrenched out to sea and into the white monster's possession. They paused, making eye contact through the deepening fog.
And both it and Lunalei understood at that moment…that they were destined enemies.
The monster turned and started to escape with the cargo, but S.A.N.C.T.U.M. was made to fire off a miniscule tracker onto it at the last second.
"MURDERER!" Clara screamed behind them, "You killed my sister…! Killed her…! You're a MONSTER!"
The rage filled ramblings of this grieving survivor struck a chord in Lunalei's chest, but these villains had made their choice…and she made hers.
"...Let's go, S.A.N.C.T.U.M."
She commanded her hesitating machine to fly back and grab hold of Mark, dragging him away from the sinking ship.
And all he could do to cope with these horrific events, was to sympathize with his fallen enemy, "...She didn't have to die."
"..." Lunalei did what she believed was right.
This was justice.
This was what it would take to keep her family safe.
This was her duty, her responsibility.
She will sleep comfortably tonight with no regrets…
…For now.
Next Time: We Are Still Friends