April 13th, 2224
McTregor's Pub on 15th Avenue
Mega City

The drunk reached out to grab his cup, but missed, knocking it down on the table. Luckily, he had already drank it to the last drop by that time, so nothing came flooding out. It only served to befuddle him a moment, then look around the pub. "I need a refill!" he called out. One of the three men shook their head, wondering how anyone could drink so much and still be coherant.

As he swirled around in his seat, he looked at the three men unsteadily, his gaze coming at them them from behind a pair of sunglasses. He then jabbed a finger through the air at the side of his temple. "Right there they put something in me. Like a ... ... " he said, waving his hands in the air as he tried to think of the right word.

"Like a lab rat?" one of the men offered.

"EXACTLY." The drunk pounded his hand on the table again, pointing at the roof. "They think they can do whatever they want, those ... ... " he trailed off again, looking confused.

"Aliens?" offered another man.

"No ... the .. government. Them and their conspiracies," the drunk said, waving his hand in disgust. He sat there silently for a few minutes as the waitress brought over another full glass of beer. He reached out and grabbed it, taking a long drink from it's contents. As he set the drink back on the table, he looked at the three men. "They put a chip in my head... to make me do what they want..." he ranted, looking down at his cup sorrowfully. "Made me a danger to my friends..."

Tilting forward, he sat like that for a moment, then looked back up. "But they didn't care. My ... 'friends'," he said, spitting out the word. "They wouldn't help me remove it, no matter how many times I asked..." He rubbed his hand along the handle of the cup, then brought it up to his lips again, but stopped with a long sigh, plopping it back on the table without drinking. "He could have done something. He's ... like ... a genius guy who can do stuff." He paused and added softly, "He talks down to me. They all do."

"I thought they were your friends," one of them asked.

The drunk lifted his head. "Oh, they are... ... they just don't respect me. I'm dumb. I admit it." He sighed, slouching in the chair. "I can't help it if I don't think ahead like they do."

"Bah, who wants to think ahead?" another of the men quipped up. "Thinking in the moment, that's the ticket."

The drunk sighed. "I wish. Maybe if I were smart, she'd love me still..."

"Who?"

"A girl." The drunk looked at the cop. "I had two girls. ... I lost them both." He brought the drink to his lips, taking a swallow. "I'm such an idiot. I can't even get this chip out of my head ... tried to get to the guy who put it in me... but they can see me coming...they have something in my eye!" he ranted, jabbing his finger at his own eye. "They know I'm coming I think! ... they probably have all sorts of tracers on me..." he repeated, eyeing his own arms.

After a few minutes, the drunk pushed his chair back. "I'm going to the bathroom," he muttered and walked into the back, opening and closing the door to the bathroom. The three men sat there for a few minutes, then looked at each other.

"By God, if that idiot isn't a reploid, I don't know who is," commented one of the men, looking at his two friends carefully. "All we have to do is keep him busy for a little longer and let the cops come pick him up. Then we can get a reward!"

The shorter of the three men shook his head. "What if he's not really drunk? What if it's just an act?"

The first man snorted. "Are you kidding me? That guy had 20 something cups of that beer. Reploid or not, he's piss drunk. All we have to do is keep him busy for a little while longer."

The third man rubbed his hands along the table. "What if he's right and the government did put something in him? Wouldn't they already know that he's here? Why not come sooner?"

The short man shook his head. "You believe that? He's just a crazy reploid. All reploids are crazy. I heard so on the HoloVid."

The third man rolled his eyes. "You believe everything the news feeds you."

"It's why they call it news, you dumbass."

The first man leaned back in his seat. "Jesus, how long does it take to go piss?"

The short man leaned forward. "You think reploids actually piss?"

The first man shook his head. "How the hell do you think they get rid of all that alcohol?"

The door slammed opened and the drunk reploid came stumbling back over, his glasses sliding down and revealing his robotic eyes - the one defining aspect that a person can use to identify reploids. He slowly shoved the glasses back up, looking at the three. The first man smiled kindly at him. "Everything went okay?"

" ... I was going to cut out my eye, when I remembered I needed it..." the drunk reploid sighed sorrowfully. "God, I'm so useless." He let his head fall down on the table with a clunk.

The three men sat there carefully, eyeing the drunken reploid laying there on their table, passed out apparantly. They looked at each other. "Man, we could just capture him ourselves..." the first man said.

The third man shook his head. "This is going to be a bad idea. How do you propose we do that?" He looked at the reploid, laying headfirst on the table with drool coming out of his mouth.

The first man shrugged, then looked around. "We'll just tie him up. Here, lets carry him outside so we can do it without being seen." As he reached out to grab the reploid's shoulder, it's hand jerked out and gripped his wrist. The grip tightened and the man screamed as he heard bones breaking.

The drunk reploid lifted his head, looking at them. "Who are you?" he asked carefully. The first man whimpered as the reploid held onto his wrist, his face turning a sickly shade of white, while his two friends looked at him, then ran out the door. The reploid let the man go finally and he ran out also, hurrying to escape him.

Rubbing his head, the reploid stood up. "Man ... I can't remember a thing ... Cole, you have got to quit doing this to yourself..." he muttered, throwing down some money and walking out the exit.

As he stepped outside the establishment, Colephantus looked up at the sky with a squint. The sun was beginning to set and soon it would be night, which would allow him to move a little easier. He put a hand to his pounding head, forcing the effects of the alcohol out of his system. One of the perks of being a reploid was that you could just skip the hangover process if you put enough energy into it.

Adjusting his black bomber jacket, he began to walk along the streets of the city, his hands in his trousers. For the last week, he had been all alone as he tried to find a way to remove the chip in his head. The human forces had implanted the chip in his head weeks ago and seemed to have the uncanny ability to track him where ever he went. However, they only attacked when he was around other reploids, so that they could get a nice death count. Having been concerned with getting the chip removed, he had tried to get Slasher to do it, since he was a mechanic of great skill.

It didn't go well.

"I don't have time to go digging around in your brain, Cole," Slasher said as they moved down the streets of the city, attempting to keep out of sight.

"But I'm a danger to you all with this thing in my head. It's necessary to remove it," Cole insisted, coming to a stop. Cheryl and Michiru also came to a complete stop, looking at the two.

"I agree, it's dangerous and needs to be removed, but I don't have the equipment to do it right now, Cole. You have so many scan blocks in your system that if I tried to open you, you could self-destruct and take us all out. In my case, I'd rather we live," Slasher said.

Cole stood there, then sighed. "Then I'll just have to go."

Slasher glanced at his datapad, then at Cole. "You have a mind of your own, do what you want to do," he said finally.

Cole nodded, then turned and walked away, ignoring Michiru as she moved forward to say something. He just shoved his hands into his coat pockets and kept walking.

And here he was, still trying to remove the chip a week later and unable to do so. He didn't know where Slasher was at, but something told him they would do better without him.

As he moved along the streets of Mega City, Cole realized why they all really let him go. They all thought he was stupid - they has always thought it. Slasher was always condenscending toward him and the others always told him that everything he did was all his fault.

And all Cole wanted to do was the right thing. That's why he did everything that he did. Deep down he knew that it wasn't always smart, but it was the only thing he could do. Some people said he had driven the entire Human/Reploid War into fruitation with his actions. And deep down, he sometimes wondered if they were right.

Before the war had begun, a mob of humans had beat two female reploids to the point of death and some dirty cops were covering up for them. Despite lacking proof, Cole had attempted to arrest the two cops, figuring that since he, too, was a police officer, it would work out. He was wrong. Without evidence, the dirty cops resisted and a gunfight broke out. So, Cole did what he thought would be best: he accepted full blame for the cops being shot. However, by doing so, it gave the humans the door they needed to say that reploids were now attacking humans. Cole quit the police force and decided to fight to protect reploids ... and that too went wrong. So far he had been doing nothing but reacting and trying to stay alive. And so far he had left nothing but a trail of mistakes behind him.

But no more. Cole pressed his hand against the side of building, looking across the street at a building that was owned by the military. Inside there was Vice President Mac, the man who put the chip in his head. And tonight ... he was going to make Mac remove the chip.

One way or another.

The Downtown District
Mega City

"I said I let him leave," Slasher repeated. "He's a big boy, Katrina. Cole can take care of himself."

Katrina pointed her finger at Slasher. "He's not alright, Slasher. You said you let him leave a week ago. A lot of things could have happened to him since then."

Slasher patiently set his datapad down on the window sill, walking over to her and putting an arm around on her shoulder. "There's been no mysterious explosions, attacks, riots, acts of murder, or any robberies in the last week. And since these are all signatures of Cole's, I'm pretty sure he's keeping his nose out of trouble."

Katrina shook her head, looking at Slasher, her green eyes losing some of their anger. "But Slasher, if he really is being tracked by the military, then he's in danger. You should have removed the chip for him."

Slasher removed his arm from around her and walked forward several paces. "With everything that's been going on, I didn't have the time to remove the chip for him. I had to keep these reploids one step ahead of the human's military forces, plus Death Star has been making a hobby out of attacking the humans' supply bases all around the planet. I've had to keep track of Wiendigo and Gra--"

Katrina put up a hand. "Despite all that, you could have removed the chip for him, Slasher."

Slasher let out a tiny sigh, like a parent would with a child who doesn't understand something. "The chip is protected and inside Cole's head. If you try to remove it, you could possibly kill him - and if it has a safety feature, it could blow him up and you with him. At the time, and without the proper equipment on hand, it was too risky for me to do it for him. And since he insisted on running off all on his own, there's really nothing I can do about it now."

"So how do we find him?" Katrina asked, moving over to the window, looking out at the setting sun. "I'm worried about him."

"He's not exactly the stealthiest person out there, Kat. Cole is about as sneaky as a blind man walking into a room wearing bells," Slasher said.

Katrina looked at Slasher. "Don't be so mean."

Slasher shrugged. "It's true." He walked over beside her. "I know you're worried about him, Kat, but right now, he needs to be alone. Besides, it would be dangerous for you to be around him, especially with the humans tracking him."

"You seemed to think it was okay for him to stay in your group. I even heard you had Michiru with you for a while," Katrina pointed out.

"I sent that 16 year old catgon packing back to her father to deal with," Slasher said, crossing his arms. "This isn't the type of fight for her."

Katrina turned away from Slasher and began to walk toward the exit. "I have to find him, Slasher. I can't just let him be out there alone." And with that, Katrina stepped out of the building.

Slasher crossed his arms. "I swear, if she's in love with a complete moron like that..."

Mega City Hospital

Wind sat there in a wheelchair, his hands resting on the arm rests of the chair. Standing behind him, a hand on Wind's shoulder, was his wife, Ariel. She looked at the x-rays with a solomn expression, but it was obvious that she deep down she was upset about what had happened. As far as Wind was concerned, he hid his anger behind a layer of apparant lack of interest.

"So what you're saying is that he damaged and burnt my spinal cord, is that it?" Wind asked in a bored manner, obviously stating the obvious they all three knew.

"Yes," the doctor said, reaching up and removing his glasses. He brought up his white lab coat, wiping the glasses as he seemed to think about how to approach the matter. "It's a miracle that you're even alive right now, sir. It was ten to one odds that you would even wake from the coma."

"Don't tell me the odds," Wind responded more out of habit than anything else. He tapped his chin. "Let me save some time. What you're trying to tell us is that you don't think I'll ever walk again."

The doctor looked up at him, then slid his glasses back on. "Quite frankly, it's a miracle that you even got mobility back in your upper body. Your body heals incredibly well, but the damage done was so specific, so well applied..."

"Yes. The person who did it was an expert surgeon," Wind replied dryly, thinking back to his fight with his reploid duplicate earlier last month.

The two of them stood facing off in the rain. Pulling out his sabre, Wind aimed it at Death Star. "You know, the fact I hold this sabre is proof I'm the real DS. Only myself and those I program into it can wield it," he told him.

Wind slashed at Death Star, who ducked and retreated back, weaponless. Stepping forward, he swung again, cutting DS across the chest, then he swung downward, too slow to hit his reploid counterpart as he rolled past him. Turning around, the two stood there.

Death Star smiled coldly. "You know... you're right. Whoever holds the sabre might be 'the real deal'," he agreed. He held out his hand and suddenly the sabre teleported over to his hand. He activated the blade and looked at the shocked Wind. Then, without a moment's hesitation, he moved forward and drove the blade straight through Wind's chest. "Death Star is dead. Long live Death Star."

With that, Wind fell backwards into a puddle, his blood mixing with the rain water as it washed over him.

"If his body heals that well, then why don't you think he can repair his spinal cord?" Ariel asked the doctor, snapping Wind out of his brooding. He glanced over at his beautiful wife, who was remaining eerily calm. But he knew, underneath her exterior, was a person who wanted one chance to find Death Star and repay the favor.

The doctor hesitated. "You see, I just don't think it can be done. There's always the chance for miracles, but I think you should both prepare yourself for the reality that you may never walk again, Mr. Wind."

Wind sighed, then nodded. "Of course, doctor. Ariel, lets go back to the room. I'm feeling tired." Ariel nodded, reaching out to grab his wheelchair, turning him around and wheeling him out of the room.

As he was rolled down the hallway, Ariel spoke. "You'll get better," she said firmly.

Wind, amused, turned his head around to look at his wife. "Women's intutition?" he asked. "Or do you plan on applying some healing magic of your own?"

Ariel shook her head at him. "Even at a moment like this, you don't let it get you down. That's why I love you."

Wind smiled faintly. "Maybe deep down I know you're right."

A Human Supply Base
Siberia

As he walked along, his boots crunching on the snow, he turned to look at the blue-haired female reploid next to him. Her name was Blue and she was a strong-willed woman who knew what she wanted in life. And that was to have their rightful home - Earth - be theirs again without having to worry about humans killing them. The natural solution was to kill all the humans first.

"Well, Blue, we've almost finished off the remaining supply stations across the planet. After a few more key strikes, the human forces will be entirely dependant on their operation in Mega City to fight this war," he began.

Blue looked at him, her hands shoved into a black trench coat. "I still don't understand why you haven't just hit Mega City yet. It's almost like you want to draw everyone there."

Death Star laughed, glancing at her with his one good eye, having lost his other eye decades ago in battle. "I do."

Blue placed her hands behind her head, glancing at him. "Humor me and tell me why. I'm not in the mood to play guessing games."

"Oh, you take the fun out of it. Mega City is the human's glowing gem on this entire planet. It's the center of all their government, their military, and their activities. Once we cut it off from the rest of the planet, the humans will have to make their last stand there. They will be in one place and they will be desperate. Just like they hunted down and killed reploids, we shall be able to return the favor by hunting them down," Death Star explained.

"Why not just use the Ragnorak on them?" Blue asked, stepping up a landing pad, cupping her hand over her eyes as she looked up at the sky for their shuttle.

"Hm. The Ragnorak will be used when the time is right," Death Star assured her. He then grimaced, reaching into his coat pocket to get a vial. He opened it up and reached in, pulling out a small implant. He threw it back like a one would do a pill, then swallowed. After a moment, his grimace faded.

"You seem to be taking those things more often now," Blue commented, looking worried.

Death Star glanced down at the vial, which was half-full. "No matter. We'll be done with this war before I run out. We can worry about this problem later," he said in a dismissive tone, shoving the vial back into his coat pocket. At that moment, the shuttle came down from the sky and landed a few feet from them.

Blue opened the shuttle door and pulled herself in, holding out her hand to help Death Star get onboard. "You do realize that by getting everyone together at Mega City, you're going to have to fight the humans and Slasher's forces at the same time."

Death Star smiled coldly. "I'm almost counting on it, my dear Blue. In fact, from what I hear, the fake is awake. And I couldn't be rude and not go visit him ... to wish him better." And with that, he reached out and grabbed the shuttle door, slamming it closed.

Wiendigo stood there silently.

"I still say we should hit him right now when he's on one of these little attacks," Gravedigger insisted.

Wiendigo still remained silent.

"We could just slide on over there, take him out, and end this entire thing right now," Gravedigger said, staring straight at Wiendigo now.

Wiendigo finally turned to him. "He's almost done out here. Then he'll be returning to Mega City."

Gravedigger nodded. "Let me guess. We go back first?" he asked.

"We go back first," Wiendigo confirmed.

The McCormick Residence
Outside Mega City

A knock on the front door downstairs disturbed him from rocking Andrea. With a grunt, he gently laid Andrea down in her crib, turning to walk out of the room and down the stairs. As he moved over to the front door, he glanced at Michiru on the couch, looking moody. All she would say was that Slasher didn't let her do something.

Opening the front door, Snipe blinked when he saw his younger sister, Katrina, standing there. "Hi John. May I come in?" she asked politely. He nodded, stepping aside so she could move into the house. He then closed the door after her.

"It's a little late for a social call, Katrina. Besides, the authorities have been looking for you since your connection with Cole became public," Snipe said.

"I know. And I have a very important reason for being here," Katrina assured him, looking back at Snipe with a worried look on her face. She bit her lower lip nervously, a habit she seemed to have developed over the years.

Snipe glanced at Michiru, who was now obviously listening in on them. He sighed, then waved Katrina to his personal study. When they were both in there, he closed the door behind him. "What is it, Kat?"

Katrina rubbed her hands together, then looked at Snipe. "I'm worried Cole is going to do something stupid." She then winced and slapped her forehead. "I didn't mean it like that - that came out all wrong."

Snipe leaned back against the door, crossing his arms. "No, that actually came out pretty accurate."

Shaking her head, Katrina looked at him. "Cole has had something implanted in his head. From what I could get from Slasher, it allows the military to flip a switch and change his personality. They managed to steal the device that did it from Vice President Mac, but making another one would be very simple."

Snipe nodded. "Okay, I'm following you so far..."

"Cole left to find a way to remove the chip from his head, since Slasher didn't have the equipment available. I'm afraid, John, I'm so very afraid he's going to get himself hurt trying to get it out," Katrina said to him.

"Or that he might get the chip activated, turn evil, and slaughter all of his with a smile in his heart, right?" Snipe asked.

"Yes, that too..." Katrina admitted, looking at the floor. "Which is why I need your help."

"Wait, my help? You mean you didn't come here just to tell me your plan, get my blessings, then leave?" Snipe demanded.

"You trained Cole, Snipe. If something happens to him, I think you might be the only one that could subdue him without hurting him," Katrina said.

"I don't think you quite get the training part, Kat. You see, I taught Cole how to punch and kick and maim. If I got into a wrestling match with him, it would involve punching and kicking and maiming on my part," Snipe said.

"I have no one else to turn to, John. Slasher's busy and mom and dad have their own problems. Maybe Cole won't need our help at all," Katrina began.

"Then again, I think he will," Snipe cut in.

"Yes, but maybe he will. I just want to find him and help him before it's too late. I want to try to get him to Slasher, then deliver Slasher the materials he'll need. If I help Slasher, I think we can remove the chip," Katrina told him.

"An interesting plan - a scientist and a mechanic trying to remove an evil chip. And I'll be around as a bodyguard..." Snipe said. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm trying to get out of the superhero business, Kat. I just want to raise my little girl now. And that means I stay alive, not going out and getting myself killed."

Katrina flinched, but steadied her resolve. "Snipe, he might need you. You don't have to do anything like get involved in the war. All you have to do is help me get him out of trouble, then deliver him to Slasher."

Snipe sighed. "I guess I owe the idiot something, since I taught him and all that. Fine. Go out to my car. I'll grab my coat."

"Thanks, John!" Katrina said, running over and hugging him.

"Yeah yeah. You'd think you weren't a capable young woman yourself," Snipe muttered, pulling back and watching her go. He then opened the door to his study, snatched his hand out, and grabbed Michiru. "And I have a young spy on my hands."

Michiru looked up at him. "I want to help, too..."

"Right. You want to help me hunt down a possible reploid killer. No thanks, kid, you stay here and protect your mothers," Snipe said, referring to Hotaru and Emily. He was one of the few men who had to marry both women just to get a semi-normal household.

Michiru frowned. "But wouldn't you do something ... if you didn't have any obligations?" she asked.

Snipe hesitated. "Yes, I would. But only if I could protect my identity since in a war like this, bringing the enemy to dad's doorsteps is a bad thing," he said. He then grabbed his coat, slid it on, and walked to the door. He paused, glancing at Michiru. "I'm sure you can be inventive in helping people. It's not always about fighting legions of enemies."

"But you did it, Dad."

"Yes, and your father is a stupid man who doesn't know when he's too old for this kind of shit," Snipe corrected.

Mac's Military Building
Mega City

Carefully grabbing the side of the building, Cole tried to pull himself up the side of it, but just slid down the side. Sighing ruefully, he abandoned the plan and moved to where he thought the front door was, knocking. It turned out to be brick.

Finally giving up the bandana plan, Cole ripped it off his face, looking at the building. The only way he knew how to do something like this was to go right through the front door. Running up to the doors, he kicked them in, sending them splintering from the wall and flying through the doorway onto the floor. Sitting at a desk was a startled looking secretary, who immediately screamed in fright.

"Look, it's not what you think," Cole assured her, but the woman continued to scream. "Oh, just forget it." He walked past her, heading for a door. Opening it, he saw ten military men heading down a hallway towards him. Slamming it shut, he glanced at the screaming women. "Don't suppose you'd tell me where the stairs are at?" he asked. She just kept screaming, proving that women don't need oxygen to function.

Moving past the secretary's desk, he looked around for another exit, but saw there was none but the one door way. Leaping over onto the secretary's desk, he aimed his mini-guns at the doorway and the second it began to open, he opened fire at the door, blowing it right off the hinges. This caused the soldiers on the other side to stop, refusing to step out into the room and put themselves in the line of fire.

Activating his katars, he jumped forward, slamming them into the wall, letting him hang above the doorway out of sight. By the time the soldiers cautiously began to creep into the room, they didn't think to look up for him. The secretary, however, pointed him out to them, causing their attention to be diverted upward at him.

Deactivating the katars, he fell down on two of the soldiers under him, using his metallic weight to knock them unconscious, then grabbed the remains of the door and swung them outward in a wide arc, slamming it into the jaw of another soldier, sending him crashing to the ground. As the remaining seven soldiers, still in the hallway, began to raise their rifles, he had already begun to twist back around with the door and sent it flying down the hallway like a frisbee. Five of the soldiers ducked down, but two were smacked right in the head by it, being sent to the floor.

Cole began to run down the hallway, preparing to body-slam the other five soldiers. The soldiers, not bothering to stand back up, just opened fire on Cole, hitting him directly in the chest and sending him falling back to the ground. As he lay there, not moving, smoke drifted up from his jacket into the air and his glasses had fallen off his face.

The five soldiers moved forward, nudging Cole with their foot, then bent down, eyeing his white hair and face. "I think this is the reploid called Colephantus," one of the soldiers stated. He began to reach for his radio when Cole sat up, grabbed his head, and slammed it into the wall. The other four soldiers, startled, turned their guns toward Cole, who activated his katar again and slashed outward in an arc, slicing the guns open.

Standing up, Cole spun-kicked one of the soldiers in the head, sending him falling backwards, then punched another in the face. The two remaining soldiers, fumbling for their secondary weapons, were quickly dispatched when their heads were slammed together. Standing over them, Cole gave a triumpant laugh, then glanced up and saw another fifteen soldiers had arrived.

"Oh, give me a break..." he whined, then dashed forward, opened a side door in the hallway, and dived in before they could open fire. He quickly broke the knob, hoping it would slow them down. Then, examining the room, he saw that he was in luck - he had found the stairs. As he began to run up the stairs, the soldiers at the bottom just casually knocked the door open and fired up the stairs at him.

As Cole hurried up the stairs, he stopped at the top floor, kicking opening the door and running inside, only to find himself in another long hallway, with a set of doors at the end. Realizing he had no choice but to press on, Cole ran down the hallway and punched the doors open, finding himself in a fancy office with a window view. And sitting at the desk was none other than Vice President Mac.

"Welcome, Cole. I was expecting you," Mac said casually, a sly grin on his face. Cole's hands clinched into fists as he looked at Mac's face, remembering what he had done to him. "Oh, I see you're still angry about the whole chip thing."

"I want you to remove it, Mac!" Cole demanded. He looked around the office, making sure there was no one hiding in it.

"Don't worry," Mac began, as if reading Cole's mind, "there's no one in here. Even the soldiers chasing you have been called off."

"What? Why?" Cole asked, beginning to get a bad feeling about all of this. He glanced over his shoulder at the hallway which he came down and the doors to the stairs.

"Because, I have this," Mac announced, pulling out a device, much like the one the team had taken from him before. "Don't worry, Cole, once I activate this device, you'll never be turned back to the side of good again. You'll kill all your friends and loved ones for me, then I'll kill you."

"You son of a bi---" Cole began, but grabbed his head in pain when Mac flipped the switch. Falling to his knees, he struggled to fight the programming in his brain, which was busy working to override his personality. "I-I'll...raah...kill you.." he threatened, then fell over.

Mac shook his head. "Really..." he snorted, then smashed the device. "And since the device your friends' took can't switch you back, it looks like you'll be stuck this way."

Cole stood up, his face now sporting a twisted grin. "Oh, I think I'll like being stuck this way. I'll kill them all for thinking I'm just a pathetic joke..."

Mac smiled. "Excellent. See, you're my little pawn after al---"

Cole interrupted. "After I kill you." He activated his katar and slashed Mac in half, cutting right through his flesh, organs, and spinal cord. Mac's surprised face became the last look he would make as his top half slid off the bottom half and hit the ground. Not satisfied, Cole then reared back, whistling a tune as he slashed Mac up into tiny pieces, letting the blood drip off his hands once he was finished.

"That's right.... I'll kill them all...." Cole said cheerfully.

"Oh my God..." came a soft, female voice. Cole turned his head to spot Katrina standing there. "Cole...no..."

Cole's face twisted into a smile. "And I can kill you next."