Saints Row 3 Lovers
Episode 9: A Tower Defense Segment
...
I demand to know who is calling!
Oh, hahah, it's Isabella… I'm here for Shaundi, all right?
Ah, you work for her! I have information that may interest you!
No, I rather not… Put her on the phone please?
Listen! I'm trusting you because of your affiliation with my goddess! The information affects you all! The ones known as STAG were planning to raid this very penthouse! With my liberation into the arms of my…
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH MY PHONE!?
Shaundi, my beloved, I am-
*Sounds of thumping and grunts of pain in the background…*
I…
Sorry about that Boss… I turned my back for one damn minute and he swipes my phone!
He isn't dead, right?
No, not yet… As soon as this is over, I'll get to working my ass off for you to pay me back because of this stupid asshole!
I regret doing this to you but you were the only one available…
Yeah well shit out of luck with that one… Still, he wasn't lying though… STAG's on their way here, Pierce and Oleg are out picking stuff to set up an ambush!
Thanks, and Shaundi, do me a favor, yeah?
What?
Have my daughter monitor him…
Who?
The panda girl from the Genki Show…
Molly?
Yeah…
Ok… Well, whenever you're done with everything out there, I'll be here, waiting… as usual…
Where was the Boss located after capturing Josh from STAG? Well, to everyone's surprise, the strip club. She returned back to make sure everything wasn't destroyed, and everyone else turned out fine. During the mission when STAG arrived into the city of Stillport, Isabella was in distraught. Granted it did not look like much from her face appearances, but the body language and the rescuing she did was clearly speaking volumes. Another one was when the Boss stole a STAG VTOL from one of STAG's bases in Sunset Park, while buying time to destroy their equipment to draw attention; Isabella flew over to several homes by blending in as one of STAG's soldiers, in order to save more lives from the chaotic destruction that unleashed into Stillport.
It was a tough fight for her, quite literally, battling and risk losing the citizens of Stillport was dedication at best. Emotionally, it made her feel worse, having to do all the saving, knowing that the Saints are always protecting the Boss, also protecting the image that is the Saints' legacy. Hypothetically having the heavy weights on the Boss's shoulders was crumbling to a point where it was like an anvil crushing her on top of weights; damn near impossible to withstand.
Regarding that, three hours afterwards, Isabella pushed her troubled mind aside, and got back to work; by work, meaning she visits everyone to ease her racing anxiety and worries.
What was happening with Kinzie? Well, she took care of Shin's wounds from his stealth going poorly against STAG for setting up an ambush. Shin kept trying to stop Kinzie from being stitched up, because mostly Kinzie wasn't really good at that whole healing process interaction, but her stubbornness was nothing to be expected from.
Shin: [grunts in pain]
Kinzie: I almost got it! Stop being a baby!
Shin: Ugh!
Kinzie: You're only hurting yourself…
Shin: My back, please… Stop…
Then she remembers that his back with the scratches and deep cuts. That's what made her stop, completely froze up. Shin got up, taking the gauze rolls, and med kit gently from Kinzie, reassuring her that everything is okay. Kinzie doesn't believe it, but remain silent throughout. Matt's brother commanded Kinzie for help in his genuine voice, not to sound so demanding. She followed suit, and gave him everything he needed: Bandages, gauzes, cob balls, needle and thread, lastly, alcohol. So far and so forth, it was done. The grunting man tired himself out, and stood up from the table.
Shin: I appreciate you for trying to help, Kinzie, and you did a fantastic job, but there were spots for you to avoid. It's ok to fail twice or more, but it was more than that.
Kinzie: …Why are you always so nice?
Shin: Pardon?
Kinzie: Not one time you're pissed! I just don't get it! You're always nice and I'm…
Shin: You are passionate and caring.
Kinzie: [scoff] I don't understand you at all…
Shin: [grunt] There are things you don't need to understand about me. Just know that you have someone to rely on.
He grunted again as his hand rested on Kinzie's shoulder, which made her heart skip a beat. Remaining silent, she hid her smile from him and sighed softly.
Kinzie: Stop trying to get yourself killed because of me, ok? That's all I'm asking… I know how to take care of myself…
Shin: I know you can, but I can't help if I see one bad radiating aura that I react to it like a scared little boy who is worried for you.
Kinzie's eyes shot up in surprise. It was no denying that this is Matt Miller's brother, so nice and so sweet, a worrisome person who cannot help but take action if something awry awaits in the shadows.
Shin puts his hand down to grab his cyan leather jacket, putting it on his left shoulder, and walks to the garage door.
Kinzie: [turns around]
Shin: I'll contact any info on the Deckers… For now, goodbye… Kinzie Kensington…
As he reaches the garage door, he pushed the button on his right side of the wall, and walked out, leaving Kinzie to clean up the mess of STAG and pools of blood.
~XXX~
Shaundi, I…
Not Shaundi.
Oleg? Why are you on Shaundi's phone?
I think you owe Shaundi flowers.
Sure, but what's it about?
She is having a tough time watching over Mr. Birk, I'm surprised she has not killed him yet. Did damage but nothing too violent.
Put her on the phone…
This is for you.
What?
Hey umm, I wanted to make sure you're ok…
Does it sound like I'm fucking ok?
Listen, um, I will get you some flowers, and I promise you that I'll make it up to you somehow… Don't take your frustrations out on me-
Boss, I don't care, all right? I really don't… You always make the right decisions, no matter how painful it is for you to make… But this fucking prick is like a cockroach, he doesn't know when to quit!
Oh… Ok…
Just hurry on back to the penthouse before I lose my patience and kill him… Here!
Thanks for the heads up Oleg, but I was calling about STAG…
STAG believes the Saints are located here. They attend to attack us in order to retrieve Mr. Birk.
Then I say we give them a big welcome!
We were thinking the same thing.
At the penthouse, the elevator dinged showing Bella walking out to witness Molly eye watching Josh on the couch, Shaundi on the couch as well, but away from him as humanly possible, and lastly, Pierce and Oleg playing chess. Her eyes were opened slightly as she made her way to the couch, sitting between Josh and Shaundi.
Molly: I never properly introduced myself to you, [lend her hand out] Molly Lycian!
Bella: [looks at her] I've seen you before… Hi Molly… [handshakes her]
Molly: What brings you here?
Josh: Hey! Would you mind? You've interrupted my thoughts for sitting next to the love of my life-
Bella: Josh, hi! I love watching your show…
Josh: Oh, you mean Nyte Blayde?
Bella: [giggle] I can't wait for the next season…
Josh: Heh, well, you know… It is on a delay because of STAG, but it'll happen sooner or later!
Bella paid her attention on the battle of Pierce and Oleg in chess, until she realized Molly was still waiting on her question. She felt bad for leaving her unanswered.
Bella: [turn to Molly] You said wha?
Molly: [giggle] Don't worry about it…
Bella: No, I'm sorry, Josh distracted me, what did you say? Can you repeat it? Please?
Molly: [blushing] Ok, ok Christ you don't got to be so damn cute about it! Uh, I said what brings you here?
Bella: [looks at the chessboard] I miss Isabella, and I wanna know her other Saints… I met Kinzie, but now I wanna know the others… I get that she's busy a lot, and I thought she'd be here, but after hearing it from Shaundi, she rarely comes here…
Molly: Once you get to know her personal life, you know why she's always busy with everything on her plate, I mean, she's a very caring woman, and sympathetic…
Shaundi: [looks at her] …
Molly: Not a whole lot of times you're gonna have her to yourself because Mom's out doing so many things that no one can account for! It's part of her life, hell, I still try to get her to make me help her, but she refuses to participate…
Bella: How so?
Molly: Dunno! Could be my mental health? My emotional state? How easily tired I can be? She's stubborn and she knows that!
Shaundi: She is… No matter how you put it, the Boss refuses anyone to help out her problems… It's a way of saying her problems is her own and nobody can help out… It's a form of personal responsibility, as in something to correct in her life… Sure, she'll call out to anyone on her mission to seek assistance, but her real life problems, that stays out of it… I get it, I was there in Stillwater, I helped her push further, but I'm not enough to go through that level of pain, you see…
Molly: [smiling] Thank you for clearing that up for me!
Shaundi: Mmhm…
Bella: [fidgets her hands] I see…
Molly: But don't feel too bad, Mom will open up eventually! And look on the bright side, you're her girlfriend, so in conclusion, it almost takes a little bit less effort to get her to open up!
This has pretty much sums up Bella's satisfaction with that level of detail, although, how much can Bella do to get Isabella to drop her walls? It's like a brick wall, but that brick wall has a reinforced concrete built-in wall. Hard to penetrate to get a dent.
Bella: Yeah, um, we'll see…
Now, with that settled, Bella focused her attention onto the chess game. As she watch with the full intent on who is declared the winner, she still ponders whether to help Isabella's life struggles or the talk of the century, meaning by getting her to open up some deep, emotional, scarred wounds.
~XXX~
Another two hours has passed, and it was time for the Boss to head on back to her penthouse. She was gathering everything for STAG all within her duffel bags, and putting them in the backseat of her car. As she got in the front seat, driving to Sunset Park from Ashwood, Isabella called Shaundi.
Boss! Boss you gotta get me out of here!
Why? What's wrong? Are you in danger? Slow down and talk to me!
What? No! This fucking asshole! The longer I stay near him- I swear to god I'm going to fucking kill him! Mark my words!
Oh, right… How's Josh doing?
Josh? You address him on his first name? Not his last name!? You on a first name basis with this asshole now!?
I, uh… Listen, we won't need him after we take down STAG, ok? After that you can feed him to the dogs or whatever the fuck… I'm still doing things out here, and try not to kill him just yet…
I make… no promises…
And Shaundi?
What is it?
I'm really, really sorry…
Hmm, don't worry about it Boss…
As she arrived by entering down into her garage, Isabella almost hung up before she reached out to Shaundi again as she gets out the car, walking slowly to the elevator.
Isabella: I forgot to mention, Shaundi, what's Josh doing now that he's settled with you?
Shaundi: Away from me…
Isabella: As in?
Shaundi: Your daughter's watching him…
Isabella: [chuckle] I'm guessing, heh, he couldn't keep his hands off of you?
Shaundi: I almost killed him… twice…
Isabella: [chuckle]
Shaundi: He proposed to me six times, and I almost choked him to death… Weird thing was he enjoyed it…
Molly: That's what you may call a simp!
Shaundi: A what?
Isabella: That's fine, as long he isn't bothering you… Anything on STAG?
Shaundi: Nothing as of late…
Isabella: And Zoë? Heard anything from her lately? It's been a while…
Shaundi: No, nothing… I'll give her a call and see maybe?
Isabella: No don't! She's on a stealth mission with STAG, I don't want us blowing her cover…
Shaundi: Well, that's something tangible at least… We'll be waiting for you here…
Isabella: Ok I'll see you there…
Meanwhile…
Josh: Put the gun down, I won't run…
Molly: Sorry dude but you're constantly eye-fucking her like a pervert! It's sorta freaky and weird!
Josh: [smiles]
Molly: [wave her hand to his face]
Josh: [blinks slowly]
Molly: It's almost like he's not even paying attention!
Shaundi: Yeah, cause he's too focused on me to care…
Josh: I felt that moment we met... That… connection… [leans in and took deep breath] Forbidden love…
Molly: You're right, we should kill him, he's stupid and redundant!
The Boss came out of the elevator upstairs and walked down the stairs, making her entrance to her crew.
Isabella: Molly, be nice now…
Molly: [startled] Ah! Yes! Sorry!
Isabella: [chuckle] You got the stuff Pierce?
Oleg: [pick up the duffel bag] Allow me friend. [drops it on the chessboard]
Pierce: You did that on purpose…
Oleg: [shrugs]
Isabella: Well, let's go STAG hunting…
Bella was confused about Isabella's entrance there. Not one notion towards her girlfriend, and that something's fishy going on. She didn't pay any mind to it, and reset the chessboard.
Pierce: You drive to get their attention! I'll head off elsewhere!
Isabella: Pff, got a booty call to go to?
Pierce: Gonna pick up a new weapon from STAG… You know how to use a Molotov?
Isabella: What kind of question is that- Pierce it's a fucking bottle…
Pierce: Jesus I was just asking!
As both Pierce and the Boss went off their separate paths, Isabella went to the STAG PR Center to throw a couple of Molotov bottles at the decorative banners. After doing that, she was getting an incoming call from Oleg.
Oleg: All right. Use the traps I left for you to set off the bombs when STAG gets close. I'll keep radioing you in case more are coming.
Isabella: Thanks Oleg, you do that…
Making it back to the penthouse while running and ducking for cover inside. The Saints are already there for the protection of their Boss. She ran up to the elevator, pressing the button on the fifth floor, and finally making it to see a bunch of guns lying around, along with a few rocket launchers.
The north side was the hardest to defend against STAG since there were so many of them coming, all for the sake of getting Josh Birk back. Setting off the bombs that Oleg has left for Isabella to blow up, it bought her enough time to make haste towards the south side, where Viola was tussling with a few STAG soldiers. A couple of Saints along with Isabella killed them quickly as the same bombs from outside were set up as well.
"They're focusing on the south side," shouted Viola. Isabella stood there patiently for the vehicles to come in close, only then to get blown up by the trap. As the vehicles kept rolling in, Viola warned Isabella that snipers are on the buildings, both left and right rooftops. Once she has dealt with them, Isabella told the rest of the Saints to stay near Viola, and goes back to the north side.
The north was freaking crowed of STAG, but with a few rounds of rocket launchers, it was a piece of cake.
An incoming phone call from Pierce…
I'm on my way back! You'll love our new toy!
Until he realizes there's a STAG tank gunning after him. Isabella heads to the elevator and rushes outside. Molly was left in charge for a bit to take out the tank, protecting Pierce and her adoptive mother from being squished and/or blown up.
Pierce on the other hand ran inside quickly to the penthouse to meet up back with Molly, defending the crib.
Pierce: It's a laser targeting system… Who wants to call down an air strike?
Isabella: Ooh! Ooh! I do! Hahah!
Pierce: Fuck right!
As the name suggests, it's a gun when pulling the trigger, a red laser beam onto any location you aim, a single rocket coming from the sky… only to shoot out multiple rockets all at once. Isabella got giddy when she saw it happen, but she practically fist bumped Pierce for bringing her an awesome weapon she'll use for later purposes.
STAG was slowly starting to one-up by sending in multiple tanks and flying VTOLS, all for the sake of getting Josh Birk back. The Saints weren't letting up, so the enemy continued to attack more aggressively… by sending more soldiers to the south side. Isabella abandoned her post to save Viola from being killed, Molly following behind to kill more STAG soldiers.
Oleg: STAG's broken in!
Viola: We can't hold them back!
Isabella: Fuck it! Molly, you're with me!
Molly: Right!
They both headed to the elevator to the final floor and saw several VTOLS outside by the helipad. Noticing that Bella wasn't around, nor was Shaundi and Josh, Isabella already assumed they were out there by the pad. Seeing the man himself, Cyrus Temple, Isabella walked down the stairs calmly and sees Shaundi and the rest to the side.
Cyrus: Surrender kid, we got the perimeter!
Shaundi: Yeah? We got your poster boy!
Isabella: [grabs Josh as a meat shield] I want STAG… out of my city!
Cyrus: Not gonna happen. STAG's mission is to eradicate the gangs in Stillport. But where to focus the firepower is my call. Release Birk and we'll handle the Syndicate for a while, give you guys a little breathing room.
Shaundi: How do you wanna play it?
Isabella: [looks at Shaundi and back at Cyrus]
The decision was troublesome for both sides here, having to choose between keeping Josh into the Saints, or push him over to STAG as they will help benefit the Saints into taking care of the Syndicate; the Syndicate being Viola and Kiki's workplace, let alone Killbane still operating his most chaotic devious plans. Isabella took some time to contemplate this, and remain quiet.
Josh: No longer shall I hide from my one true love and her cause… Allow Shaundi and I to be together, and I swear her enemies… will be my enemies…
Shaundi: Oh, no, no! I don't care anymore, no! Don't even think about keeping this prick around- I will lose my damn mind!
Molly: As much as I hate him with all my heart and soul, it'd be wise to keep him around… He may be useless but more importantly, more people are better than having none! Th-The Saints, I mean, more Saints to have the better…
Cyrus: You have sixty seconds to decide!
It snapped her out of it, and Isabella looked towards Shaundi for any confirmation whether it would be a good choice or not. Although, looking and hearing Molly, she has a point, but what exactly does Josh gain for being trained by the Saints? He's a god damn actor for Christ sake! Unless he can put the extra work in if he was trained by Shaundi, perhaps that'll work? No, Isabella felt dirty doing something like that. Instead, the Boss went out on a limb and pushed Josh over to Shaundi, making it her final decision.
Cyrus: Prepare to open fire on the building!
Shaundi: We got Birk! You gotta jump Boss!
Isabella: Move it people!
Molly, Shaundi, and Josh ran back inside the penthouse to take the elevator down, whilst Isabella jumped off the roof to use a parachute on the way down. Several VTOLS shot a bunch of missiles onto the roof of Isabella Penthouse as Cyrus, in the air, watches the entire showdown.
Kia, do you read me?
Kia was standing on the aircraft carrier of Thermopylae with a couple of her soldiers.
I see congratulations are in order Commander.
Not quite. The Saints are still at large. I'm sending some intel over… I need leverage on the Saints. Bring in the target for questioning.
They're going to run to ground, digging them out won't be easy.
If it were easy, I wouldn't waste your time.
Understood sir. I'll find them.
On Kia's tablet, it showed a picture of Shaundi McTovin, her identity and her personal background information. One of her soldiers was retreating back to the carrier to gear up for the upcoming attack, but one of her soldiers stood still. Kia told that same soldier to report back if they have any contact with the perpetrator. The soldier nodded with a salute, as Kia walked away. Within that helmet, the soldier took it off, revealing it was Zoë flipping her hair.
I must warn the Boss, otherwise my mission would be compromised…
To Be Continued…