Battle Royale Pt. 2

"Where are we going?" 004 followed 003 as Phantom led them through secret passageways.

"Ship." Phantom rasped as an answer. "Hurry."

"Here comes trouble."

-Sorry, can't hold 'em all.- Renegade coughed, and 007 felt kinda sorry for the girl on his back. -Girl nothing, I'm twenty-five, plus however long I was frozen. And don't feel sorry for me, I did this to myself, 007.- Renegade's eyes closed. -Turn left.-

"005, it's been an honor fighting with you." 008 was trying to lend a shoulder to stop the wall, but that wasn't saying much.

"We're not defeated yet." 005 focused on stopping the wall. A noise sounded behind them and the stationary wall sprouted spikes.

"Are those nesscecary?"

"Oh, merde." Jean Paul skidded to a stop, 002 and 006 running right into him. Several suits of armor guarded the hallway. "Robots." The suits suddenly moved, blocking the hall. Red robotic eyes shone where human eyes should have been.

"What's so bad about that?"

"I don't do well against groups, or fighting with a group- I do better with one on one." He glanced at his hands. "And I'm almost out of acid, it takes a while for my level to go up after I use some."

"Well, we still have to try." 002 scowled.

"No!" 003 skidded to a stop, "008 and 005 are in trouble! Just down this hall!" She pointed to a hall with a dead end.

"Then . . . I help." Phantom briefly sped up, and kicked a hole straight through the wall. 005 enlarged it, and the two dove out of it.

"Who's he?"

"He's on our side. This is Phantom." Phantom took a step back. Hiding more in the shadows.

"We must hurry." He seemed to space out for a minute. "You have a choice . . . Get the ship, or help your other two companions shut down the mansion."

"Did Renegade tell you that?" 004 looked at Phantom.

"Yes . . . She and the shape-shifter are heading towards the hangar." Phantom's voice grew a bit stronger, but it still rasped.

"Then we help 002 and 006."

"As you wish . . ." Phantom began to move once more. "Follow me. Passageways are not trapped."

-007, can't you fly?-

"What?" 007 dodged a small lunging gargoyle.

-Pegasus, actor man, Pegasus.-

"You'd be in the way of the wings!"

-Think, Don't talk, you'll attract them.-

Why didn't you bloody tell me before!

-Oh, hush, I'm allowed to make mistakes, especially after near death, sorry.- The last part was refering to her throwing up blood and hacking.

Are you alright?

-I'm dying, 007. I don't have much time left . . .-

How are you so calm?

-Truth can't hurt you, it only makes you stronger, even if you don't want it.- She opened her eyes. -Help me finish this, 007.-

"Jean Paul, look out!" 002 was about to accelerate and grab him, when a black blur did it. An Axe hit the wall where he had been a moment before.

"Phantom!" Jean Paul found himself supporting the caped cyborg. "You can't go that fast!" The 00 cyborgs were temporarily ignoring the two as they turned the robots into scrap metal.

"Renegade's dying, Acid . . . I . . . can't let her die for nothing." Phantom rasped. "I can feel her . . . slipping away . . ."

"I feel it too . . ." Jean Paul sighed. When they had first met after gaining their powers, Star had created a mind link between the three of them. Renegade had added Phantom to the link, because he was her partner. The link was fading, just as its creator was. Stay with us, Star. Just a little longer.

"Where do we go, Jean Paul?" 002 looked at the two, "Hey are you alright?" Jean Paul looked pale, and Phantom was leaning heavily on him.

"Straight down this hall . . . Just be careful, the statues have weapons." Jean Paul frowned as Phantom straightened. "You don't have to keep fighting-" The caped cyborg shook his head, and Jean Paul sighed, dropping the arguement. "Let's go." He lead the way, aware of the fact that not only was Renegade fading, but so was Phantom.

After all, Renegade had given him the power to function again, and fixed the worst damage. And if the link was anything to go by, anything that she actively held was going to die with her.

Renegade collapsed to the ground as she and 007 made it to the center of the maze. Weakly she forced the elevator to come up in the center of the gazebo, and had to let 007 drag her into it.

"Hang on okay? We can get you fixed up in no time."

-I don't have time 007.- Renegade closed her eyes. -I passed the point of no return a while ago.- 007 picked her up as the elevator opened. A hallway, and a door. -Better hurry.- She went silent.

"Hang on, You can't die yet!" No answer, but her eyes opened a bit. She's too weak to even talk mind to mind?!

Renegade silently began to check which abilities she really needed to keep open, and who she needed to let go out of the three remaining minds connected to her. She could still feel 007, and was surprised at the worry for her well being. But she let it go as she released a mind.

"No!" Jean Paul felt the release, just as screams started.

"What's that?"

"Nightmare, Renegade released Nightmare!" Jean Paul glanced at Phantom. "Where is she?"

"Nightmare . . . was . . ." Phantom started to gasp, as if chocking, falling to his knees.

"Phantom!" Jean Paul grabbed his friend. "C'mon, you've got to stay with us . . ." Jean Pasul turned his attention back to the 00 cyborgs. "You've got to shut down the mansion, I have to take care of Phantom. Nightmare's powers are out of her control, but she’ll respond to you, 003, it’s Natalie." Jean Paul held Phantom as he continued to have the fit. "I'll catch up, I promise. Please, stop this!"

"We'll be back for you." They took off running.

"Trust yourselves!" Jean Paul shouted at their backs, before turning to Phantom. "Hang on, It's your throat again, isn't it?" I can fix that.

They all entered a ballroom, 003 trying without success to find her former friend.

“The guy sure didn’t skimp on decorating the place . . .” The murals on the wall were decorated with scenes of fire and dancing figures . . . some looked manical.

“The screams came from here, but I don’t see anything . . .” 003 glanced around. “004!!” The arsenal cyborg had disappeared.

“He was right here!” 002 reached out, trying to find his friend.

“006, 008!” 005 looked around the other two had disappeared as well.

“What’s going on?” 003 panicked, unable to get a hint of her friends. 002 glanced around, a memory being tickled . . .

“It’s Nightmare, she’s an illusionist!”

“Well done, 002 . . . Now suffer!” The fires became real, and the dancers came out of the paintings. Among them seemed to be the missing Cyborgs, including a bloody and battered 009.

“It’s a trick, none of this is real!” 002 shouted, to his shock 005 disapeared, and then moments later, after something banged his injured arm, he blinked and the dancers were gone. 005 turned out to be holding his arm tight, and just looked at him apologetically, before turning his attention to the others.

They were all standing still, eyes screwed tight. 003 was crying.

“She still has them.” 005 pointed over to a dishelved red head in a dark green and black dress. She was leaning against another macabre statue, and seemed to be breathing heavily. “You must stop this, we are not your enemies.”

“That’s what they all say . . . they want to hurt me, break me . . . I won’t let them, I see their fears, I’ll hurt them first!” 004 crumpled to the ground behind them, and 002 had to ignore the whimpers coming from 008.

“Please stop hurting them!”

:This isn’t working, 005.:

:Then let’s try to reach the others . . .:

:I’ll help.: 001’s voice reached them. :Sorry, I had to convince someone to live . . .:

:It’s fine, just help us now. Let’s get 003 first, Ace said she’d be able to help.: 002 wanted this entire ordeal over and done with.

:003, can you hear us?:

“Make it stop!” 003 shouted, trying to stay away from the dancers. “Someone, help me!”

003! It sounded like 005 and 002 . . . was that 001, as well? Focus on us, it’ll be alright! The floor started to pitch, and 003 hesitated for a moment trying to stop from spinning. Then she threw herself into the connection to her friends.

It was one moment of fear and doubt, before the dancers disappeared and 005 caught her from falling.

“003 . . . you need to talk to her . . . calm her down.” 005 directed her gaze to Nightmare. For a moment, she felt scared, then slowly she recognized the person . . .

Natalie had always been a beautiful girl, red hair, freckles, and fun . . . she occasionally had a temper, but she always apologized. The young woman across from them had red hair, and Natalie’s face . . . but her eyes were haunted, scared, and confused.

“Hurry 003, the others aren’t doing so well . . .” 002 watched as 004 struggled to breathe . . . “If you can’t talk her down, we have to get the others out.”

“Get them out now . . . I’ll do alright on my own.” 003 stepped away from 005, absently handing her blaster over to 002. “Back me up when you get them out.”

“Right.”

“Stay away from me.” Nightmare hissed as 003 walked over to her.

“No, Natalie. I’m not going to leave you behind again.” Nightmare started a little. “Don’t you recognize me? I’m Francoise, Francoise Arnoul.” Nightmare drew back. “You’re name is Natalie . . . You’re my best friend, you like ice cream and crepes, your first boyfriend was Pierre, you never did find out his last name, and it was in preschool.” 003 kept speaking, reminding her of everything that they had done together. Gradually, Nightmare seemed to focus on 003.

“C’mon, snap out of it.” 002 muttered under his breath. :001?:

:I’m working on it, both 004 and 008 are in it pretty deep. Try 006 first.: The baby sounded distracted.

:What’s wrong?:

:Nothing you need to worry about yet.:

:Right . . . 006!:

“My restaurant!!” The short cyborg jumped then glanced around. “Oh, an illusion . . .”

008 came out of it much the same, though he did reach out and grab 002’s wounded arm.

“What the # is that for?” 002 glared at him.

“Making sure you’re real.” 008 smiled as 002 grit his teeth.

“004 is struggling to breathe, we need to get him out, now.”As they strained, nothing happened. From behind them, they heard Nightmare give a strangled cry, and then 004’s eyes opened again.

“Bout time. You were under for a while.” 002 helped him up.

“Not, my fault . . .” 004 shuddered a moment.

“Natalie!” Glancing over at the two girls, 003 was cradling a sobbing Nightmare.

“Please, don’t go away . . . I’ll be good, just please, don’t let the nightmares come back!”

“I’d hoped you’d be farther, by now.” Jean Paul had Phantom leaning against him. “Dreamer, stop crying, we need your help.”

“Ace?” She blinked, still clinging to 003. “So, you weren’t a dream . . .” She blinked. “It wasn’t a dream . . . Oh, God . . .” She buried her face into 003’s shoulder. “I don’t want to go . . .”

“Not a luxury right now, Dreamer. You either come with us or get stuck in the nightmare again.” Phantom raised his head, as Jean Paul spoke, exposing the gold mask.

“What about Star?”

“She’s coming too. One way or another.” He tightened his jaw. “We need to shut the Mansion down. And get Tudor.”

“But, he’s gone.” She glanced up. “He left, when Nocturna was killed. I don’t know where he went, but he’s gone.”

“ . . . Then we have to get to the hangar, now.” He jerked when 008 took Phantom’s weight. “Thanks . . .” He broke through one of the murals, and opened a hidden latch. “Let’s go, this leads straight to the hangar.”

They all entered the hangar, But drew up short as they saw 007 carrying Renegade.

“Oh, no . . . Star!” Natalie raced forward. “What happened to her?”

“The cyborg, Death . . .” 007 glanced at 003. “Think the Doctor can fix her?”

“Maybe . . . I can get her stable once we’re on board.” Something slammed into the door beind them, it buckled, but held.

“Death . . .” It was a purely robotic, static voice, and it came from Phantom. “He’s here . . .”

“Let’s go then.” 002 lead the way into the dolphin. “Everything’s been repaired?”

“Yes.” 007 and 003 took Renegade to the infirmary.

“Hello old girl, remember us?” 008 began flipping switches.

“Well, this certainly been a trip, met old and new friends.” 006 barely glanced at 007 as he rejoined them.

“What’s the rush?”

“Tudor might’ve flipped the self destruct on the mansion. That’s what.” Jean Paul was on automatic.

“Oh, this day gets better and better . . .”

“Dolphin, go!” They got out of the hangar just as Death destroyed the door. Seeing his quarry gone, out of his reach, caused him to howl in rage, moments before the foundation of the mansion erupted into a fireball.

“Cloaks in place?”

“Sixty percent and holding . . . Thankfully, Gilmore chose a house near the coast.” As they gently set down, Jean Paul moved back from the station he had been working. Natalie was holding onto Phantom.

“How’s he holding up?”

“Not good . . . He’s having trouble breathing, I think.” 005 picked the injured cyborg up. 002 went out to tell Gilmore the news, while the others went down to check on Renegade. 005 set Phantom down on one of the berths.

“How’s she holding up?”

“Better, looks like she’s managed to heal herself from the worse damage.” 003 sighed. “I’m surprised she’s still conscious.”

“She can’t sleep.” Jean Paul absently spoke up. “They made her that way, something about her powers nessceitated her always being awake. Even when they put her into suspended animation, she was still aware of everything that happened. Natalie’s the opposite, she has trouble staying awake for long periods of time.” Natalie was nodding off as he commented.

“Probably because their powers stem from different parts of their minds, Renegades from her conscious mind, and Nightmare from her unconscious mind.” Dr. Gilmore entered. “I imagine they were supposed to work together?”

“Oui . . . ‘Dreamstar’ was the combined codename for them.” Jean Paul nodded.

-Don’t bother fixing me right now, just help Phantom.- Renegade spoke up. –He’s probably got less time than I do.-

“Well, let me see-“ As Dr. Gilmore removed the mask and hat, he gasped.

“009?!”

“I thought 009 was Death?”

“One of Black Ghosts plans was to have a copy of 009, with the correct memories and everything, take out the real 009 and destroy the team. Hades got a hold of the copy and the original 009, both of whom were badly burned. He’s just the copy.” Jean Paul looked over at 003. “That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

“Well, I’ll see what I can do . . . for both of them.”

Anyway, one more chapter, and it’s the epilogue. May be a sequel/prequel in the future, it’ll be called Renegade, and have the backstory of the lovely OC . . .

After so long, the story is finally almost over.