The Evil Men Do.. - Part 2

(the second half of The Evil Men Do.. Crisis and the part where things really start to heat-up (as if the first half wasn't explosive enough) )

Chapter 1
The scene begins where it ended before, with Redwood facing off against a silver mannequin with a long-barrelled gun: the mannequin responding in turn by extending its arms, which morph into silver replicas of the long-barrelled gun:

"..you are under arrest: you have 10 seconds to comply before execution-mode is activated.. 10.. 9.. 8.." the figure drones in a mechanical voice..

Redwood simply stands in place, with his gun still tightly clenched in his hand.

"wait!" General Dean calls out, holding his hand out as he steps forward, the machine standing motionless as it seems to comply - the General looks to Redwood and lowers his hand as he speaks "..alright son, let me tell you something.. right here, right now.. I never wanted this to happen.. I loved SIM like she was my own daughter.. heck, she was my daughter.. I made her.. the V-Net.. it was all part of my dream - to keep the world safe..".

"That's where my friend comes in. He can save her; he has everything that it takes." Redwood responds.

"..wrong.." General Dean says, staring at Redwood with grim determination "..you think your special, don't you? people like you always do.. superhumans.. running wild.. making the laws as they see fit.. not caring who gets hurt in the process.. SIM was meant to monitor people like you - instead she's went and joined them.."

General Dean breathes deeply as he seems to recollect his thoughts, "..I served my country for years, son.. I always though of myself as a patriot.. but if this is what we've become.. well.. I'm done.. which is why I ask you now - which side are you on?".

Redwood is silent for a moment, before he speaks. "I am on the side of justice." Redwood said. "There is no difference between humans and superhumans- people are just people."

General Dean turns away from Redwood, "..have it your way: Cyclone, deal with him..".

The mannequin steps forward and charges at Redwood with remarkable speed: "execution-mode activated".

Redwood fires his gun at the mannequin before disappearing in a blur, reappearing a distance behind it.

The mannequin falls down on the ground instantly, a large "wound" formed where the gun had hit its mark - revealing wires and the occassional spark of electricity.

In another blur of speed, Redwood leaps into the air, grabs onto the mannequin's neck, and fires three bullets into it's upper back before leaping off.

The mannequin shudders before falling down once again, riddled in "wounds" - the General's super-weapon seeming to be much more of a push-over than expected.. in fact it soon becomes completely lifeless.

"...I need to keep these guys busy..." Redwood thought, "So Thirteen can get into the V-Net safely. But if they all are going to be this easy..."

Suddenly the mannequin rises to its feet, the "wounds" proceeding to close as wires and inner-working rapidly reform before the outer-layer proceeds to seal shut: "..cease all hostile activities, you are under arrest..".

Redwood sighs. "Of course it has to regenerate... and I actually though for a moment that this would be easy..."

The mannequin positions itself, morphing its arms into guns once more as it begins a familar sentence: "..you have 10 seconds to comply before execution-mode is activated.. 10.. 9.. 8..".

++++++++++++++++++++

Meanwhile in the V-Net the dark-furred SIM grins as she watches more prisoners being transported into cells, observing the events of the outside world through a floating screen:

"isn't that just sweet, your boyfriend is going to try and save you - while your own daddy is going to throw you away like trash.." she notes to the other SIM.

"..he's not my boyfriend - our species are entirely incompatible.. though there is something you should know: he's not going to stop.. none of them will.. as long as their is still life left in them humanity will never surrender.." the other SIM says.

"so, what's your excuse?" the dark-furred SIM taunts.

"..good question.." the other SIM growls and before the dark-furred SIM can quite react the other SIM breaks her chain and delivers an unexpected punch right at the dark-furred SIM's face which topples her straight off the throne.

Thirteen materializes in the room. "Whoa, SIM," he says, cracking his knuckles. "Leave some of her for me to pummel on, will ya'?"

The uniformed mouse-guards swarm the area and begin attacking Thirteen en mass as the two SIMs suddenly clash, despite their mechanical nature the fight is quite basic and animalistic - the two wrestling and clawing at one another, baring fangs.

Thirteen battles the guards with graceful and lightning-fast acrobatics, leaping though the air and delivering precise punches and kicks.

"..I've..had..enough..of..YOU!" SIM growls, her eyes glowing brightly as she overpowers the dark-furred SIM, forming a swirling vortex that proceeds to suck the darker SIM inside and closes behind itself..

SIM proceeds to collapse onto her knees as the prison backdrop shatters like glass, the uniformed mouse-guards evaporating as if made of fine sand - the area once again returning to a sea of binary.

"SIM!" Thriteen calls out, starting over towards her.

SIM shakes her head a little, rubbing it for good measure as he clears her thoughts: "..I'm okay.. I'm okay.. I just.. don't normally use that much power.. it's a strain on the resources..".

"Ah..." Thirteen says, looking over to the spot where the Dark SIM disappeared into the vortex. "...is she gone for good?"

SIM nods a little "..I..I think so.." - her ears suddenly perk straight up as she gets to her feet - "..oh my gosh! Redwood! I have to help him!"

Almost without warning SIM proceeds to extend one of her hands, palm facing outward - her palm glows for a few moments as a screen appears in front of her: hundreds of code racing along as she targets a few lines, scrambling it with a thought..

++++++++++++++++++++

Meanwhile in the real world the mannequin suddenly shudders and sparks midway through its battle with Redwood "..error.. system anomaly.. shutdown.. activated.." the machine droned before collapsing abruptly onto the ground.

Redwood simpy looks over the machine as it collapses, not quite understanding what had just happened.

Suddenly a little *beeping* sound seems to come from Redwood's pocket; he looked bewilldered for a moment as he lifted a cell-phone to his ear- awkwardly saying "one moment, please" to General Dean as he pressed the "Talk" command on the touchscreen

SIM's voice suddenly comes out of the cell-phone, "..don't wory.. I have this covered.. let me speak with da.. I mean General Dean.. I can explain everything..".

Meanwhile General Dean's face begins to turn bright red as he clenches his fists, looking about ready to pull a gun out any moment - only to freeze as a familar figure quite literally lands heavily on the ground: dropping from the sky and causing the General (and most likely Redwood) to stumble back due to the resulting shockwave.

"..oh I do so admire a man in uniform" the figure grinned madly, grabbing General Dean by the shirt and lifting him up.

Chapter 2
"Whoa! Sorry SIM, there's a huge, fat guy here who just dropped in..." Redwood said into the phone. He lifted a gun. "Hey, big guy! Put the General down!"

"..what?!" SIM squeaks, probably hurting Redwood's eardrums in the process "..oh my gosh! Thirteen! we've got to get down there! listen, Redwood.. whatever you do don't fi -!" her voice crackles away as static suddenly fills the air.

The figure spins round to Redwood, still grinning widely - a very singed and tattered blonde wig sliding down his head as he continues to hold the General up: "..I'll have you know that this is actually muscle, earned from a thousand battles.."

"..what is this!? put me down darn it!" General Dean yelled, kicking out.

''"Can't fight him..." ''Redwood thinks to himself, remembering his encounter with the figure earlier. "Guess I need to resort to... other measures..."

Redwood walks forward and looks the figure over analytically. "Hm... Warmonger, was it? No... you see, muscle doesn't build up around the belly like that... That's fat, it is definitely fat."

Warmonger's grin fades and he drops the General to the ground - looking to Redwood for a few moments "..careful now, little man.. you don't want to go and ruin my appetite now, do you?" he warns with an ominous tone in his voice.

Undeterred, Redwood continues to speak. "...your appetite? What could you possibly be eating that would make you so... plump?"

Warmonger clenches his fists then looks to the General "..I want you to shutdown the V-Net and order your men to imprison every filthy little superhuman in this city - along with any so-called citizen that dares to so much as question our actions.."

General Dean frowns, confused yet obviously angry "..what!? who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around!? I'm in charge of this operation!".

"..really? we'll just see about that -" Warmonger growled, once again reaching over to the General and snatching his com-link - speaking into it he suddenly mimicks the General's voice almost perfectly:

"..hello? this is General Earl Dean - I want full martial law of the city and an immediate shutdown of the V-Net, you hear me?"

"..sir?" a clearly confused voice speaks out.

"do it, soldier" Warmonger says, General Dean just looking at Redwood in a mixture of shock and fear.

"No!" Redwood shouts, dashing forward at super speed in an attempt to snatch the com-link from Warmonger's hand.

Warmonger attempts to backhand Redwood as he comes near, "..not bad for a fat guy, eh?" he says - then stops when the sound of a trigger being pulled back causes his gaze to turn back to General Dean.

General Dean stands in place, trembling a little as he holds a small pistol out towards Warmonger: "..you're going to drag us into a Third World War.. I.. I can't let you..".

"..having second thoughts, are we? perhaps you should of thought on that before you started running wild.. making laws as you saw fit.. not caring who got hurt in the process.." Warmonger replied, his words cutting into Dean like knives as the General struggled to keep his aim straight.

Redwood attempts to use this distraction to kick the com-link out of Warmonger's hand

"..what did you expect to happen? huh? did you think you were something special? some kind of hero? time to wake up and look around you - General! this is *my* world now.. thanks to men like you.." Warmonger continues, only to be interrupted as Redwood sure enough kicks the com-link out of his hand.

As this occurs the mannequin suddenly sparks back to life as a familar voice echoes from the machine "..Redwood? ..are you alright?".

(note: Thirteen is likely to return at this point as well)

"So far so good, SIM" Redwood says as he catches the com-link before it hits the ground. "Except that the fat guy here ordered a shut down of the V-Net and ordered the city to be placed under martial law... using the General's voice."

"HE DID WHAT?!" Thirteen exclaimed, leaping from a rooftop and landing on the pavement next to Redwood.

Warmonger just laughed "..you're a funny man.." he says to Redwood "..which is why you'll be the first I see hung from a lamp-post in the ensuing riots that are to come from this gross violation of human rights.. oh yes.. I smell rebellion in the air.. the angry cries of an oppressed people.. rising up against the unlawful ISDF and their tinpot dictator.." he looks to General Dean, a grin forming "..then again, General.. what other outcome did you really expect?".

General Dean just looks increasingly weak as he shakes visibly, dropping the pistol as he falls to his knees - the look of utter loss in his eyes.

Before either Thirteen or Redwood could quite figure out what happened the mannequin launched itself with great force at Warmonger, lifting his sizable mass off the ground as it soared across the street: "MONSTER!".

"SIM?!" Thirteen yelled out, bewildered, giving chase.

the mannequin pounds on Warmonger with great force, so much that the ground caves into a crater - the mannequin continuing to beat down on Warmonger's form, Warmonger barely able to react before he seems to be beaten so badly he apparently passes out.

"SIM! You said we can't fight him! WE CAN'T FIGHT HIM! IT WON'T WORK!" Thirteen protests.

the mannequin turns to Thirteen, "..I don't care.. I.. I.." SIM's voice trembles a little, despite the mechanical drone of the machine she currently inhabits "..I was so happy, Thirteen.. and he took it from me.. everything.. why?" the mannequin turns to Warmonger and pounds at him again "..WHY!?".

Then a large fist smashes straight through the mannequin - sparks flying across the area as Warmonger's eyes suddenly burst open, turning into pure voids of glowing white light.

"No... SIM! Goddammit..." Thirteen exclaims, stepping back cautiously. For the first time, fear grips his nerves- how could he, created to be the ultimate human weapon, defeat a monstrosity that fed on violence, now empowered to even greater heights?

Meanwhile, a fair distance away, General Dean remained on his knees - trembling.. yet as he witnesses the fight nearby he looks to Redwood with determination in his eyes: "..give me that com-link".

Redwood tosses General Dean the com-link.

General Dean takes the com-link and speaks directly into it "..listen soldiers, this is General Dean - the *real* General Dean.. you've all been played for fools.. I know you don't understand.. I know this is crazy but if you care about anything I'm begging you now.. stop.. I can't make you stop but know this.. if you do this this whole city is going to go to Hell.. the world is going to burn.. Sam.. I know you said never to use your name in front of the others but I need you.. I need you to get that cyro-unit down here.. please.. I know I've screwed up.. I know you guys hate me.. goddamn.. I hate myself.. but.. please.. listen to me..".

General Dean holds onto the com-link and slowly falls back onto his knees, head bowed down as he just holds it in his hands.. waiting.

At the same time Warmonger emerges from the crater, a hulking monstrosity of a man who looks like a primitive parody of the worst of humanity - a feral grin spread from ear to ear as he looks to Thirteen:

"..she's cute, isn't she? too bad - in my world we don't need some stupid piece of software to keep men safe.. in my world men defend themselves.. if they can't defend themselves they aren't even worth living..".

"That's a stupid idea of a world!" Thirteen yells. "If all people ever did was fight, the world itself would cease to exist!"

Warmonger grins and shakes his head "..silly boy, that's what the stars are for! a few thousands years ago I was like you.. thinking that I had to stay on this miserable little rock.. why do you think it took so long for men to get their hands on the "good stuff"? you know.. the missiles and the nukes.. I had to keep limits on them.. until they started going into space.. then I realized, when humans were all gone I'd still have plenty of other worlds to feast on..".

General Dean continues to look down at the ground when a shadow overhead alerts him of an approaching helicopter, his expression is one of surprise but also relief as a voice comes in through the com-link:

"..I don't know what you're playing at, sir - but we've got your back.. all units are pulling out.. cyro-unit is ready for deployment.." a pause comes before the voices finishes "..ready when you are, General..".

"You are disgusting." Thirteen snarled.

Warmonger laughs, his body shaking visibly in the process "..and you are any better, Thirteen? do you think that stupid little piece of software is your friend? you've already forgotten haven't you? what you are.. what you are soon to become.." Warmonger's grin widens "..my.. you don't even know who you are, do you?".

General Dean looks to Redwood and speaks:

"..you need to get that boy out of there, now.." - he then reaches over to the com-link "..good work soldiers, now I want that cyro-unit deployed over section A minus.. no questions asked.. do it now!".

"affirmitive sir"

General Dean's eyes narrow as he once again looks to Redwood:

"..you've got five minutes..".

Redwood, not knowing what the heck a cyro-unit was, darted over to where Thirteen and Warmonger were standing.

"Thirteen..." Redwood said, not even bothering to look at him nor Warmonger directly, "Why are you wasting your precious time talking to this useless lump of flesh?"

"Redwood... don't make him mad..." Thirteen muttered.

Warmonger looks over to Redwood and smirks "..because he and I aren't really that different.. we are both.. warriors.. at heart.." he says, his eyes sparking maliciously - he obviously knows something.

However their is soon a distraction as a helicopter flies overhead, below it is what looks to be a large bomb - General Dean watches the group and mutters to himself: "..get out of there, damnit.."

"sir, Cyro-Unit is in position.. request permission to launch.."

General Dean clenches his fists, as if holding back "..negative.. we wait.." he finally replies.