Chapter 24 - Ja Garu Deva Om

Fiona Apple's "Across the Universe" begins to play in the truck, a few miles down the road. It's MUSE playing it, AT DJ Seering, who talks to MUSE, bitching him out, "The irony of playing this song at this moment, turn it OFF!", Seering is not amused & even bangs around on the inside. Yelling at MUSE to stop playing it. MUSE turns up the volume, just to fuck with his mind further, neither of them knowing what is about to happen as they turn the next corner.

AI scanners pick up on MUSE as it rolls past an unmentioned, recently placed scanner. A church/military checkpoint had been established. The car in front of him is waved through. The 7 foot tall guardian in armour, steps aside as the car drives by, stepping back into the road again as it passes.

As he rolls down the window, to talk to the soldier, "Ja Garu Deva Om" blasts from the truck.

"Turn that off, Sir," Requests the soldier "then give me your MultiPASS rfid card."

He turns the volume knob counter clockwise & to his dismay, "NOTHINGS GOING TO CHANGE MY WORLD...." blasts louder than before.

"Please get out of the car sir...."

Next thing he knows, he's hit with the butt of the checkpoint soldier's gun. Dazed, feeling confusion go through him again, he's pulled from the vehicle. Laying on the ground, he watches, as they scan MUSE, again. "Sir, right there, Sir. There are no nanites present in him or the truck, but the truck is giving off a signal that falls in the AI scan ranges. I think he might be trying to smuggle some sort of, LUCIIfourian soul, Sir.

"We have confirmation, Father Jensen." Stepping up to MUSE, the Paladin puts it's fists through the hood & rips the engine block from the truck. Tossing the hood & engine aside, he jumps up & folds his fingers together in what looked like a midair prayer. Smashing down on the cab. The soldiers turn to have the glass spray their backs. Shards scrape through Seerings hair as the sound of all 4 of MUSE's tires pop at once. Swinging & smashing up the green & orange vehicle, the paladin inadvertently tosses Seering his staff. It slides right between his kneeling legs.

Finally, the Paladin breaks through to the computer core that stores the algorithms & music, & databases that made MUSE a unique being. Father Jensen's fist, gripping around it, & crushing it, ending the spark of life, that once was a creative partner to DJ Seering.

Watching the destruction of the truck was fun for the soldiers. Seering could see it in their eyes, as they turned, too late to do anything about it. Just then, the soldiers began to convulse from the taser like shock to the back of their necks.

As he turns to see the other soldiers coming around MUSE's wreckage. A golden lariat, lassos over the head & down the body of the other 2 soldiers, tripping them both into the paved road, scraping up their chin guards. As they roll over, squirming, Chadash, holding the other side of the rope, splits both soldier's wrists. Dart Guns go sailing into the air, as she hogties the soldiers together.

The metal armored father sees what's happening & launches towards Chadash.

Seering, leaping into action, tackles Chadash away from being crushed. They tumble to the side of the road. As the paladin flies above & past the hog tied soldiers, who duck their heads into the ground, he banks hard, coming around at Seering.

Banking around in the suit slowed the paladin, giving Seering just enough time to reverse the polarity on his staff. He starts running from Chadash to the checkpoint. Father Jensen, flying at Seering, knows he can beat this punk to the checkpoint & pops out razors on his armor. Smiling, he dives at Seering.

Stopping just in time, DJ Seering syncs a dance step into his turn towards the paladin. He swings his staff like a bat & upon connection, lets a tiny EMP burst out. Everything within 10 feet of the tip of his staff ceased all electrical current. Fortunately, Chadash was over 25 feet away.

Not so lucky, was Father Jensen. Now, suffocating in his armor, he pulls the manual release lever. The suit of armor opens up just wide enough for him to climb out. Seering, not taking any chances, kicks the priest into unconsciousness.

Chadash pulled him off the bloody red, & orange colored priest frock. As they begin walking away, she says "Please, don't fight me this time? I need you to come to London with me." she pleads with him. "Ok... I don't think I'm going to be able to play my tour even if I wanted to now. Muse is gone. My art is stolen from me. He wasn't just an instrument either, he was the rest of the band.... He was my friend. When we were stopped, it was because he was trying to be my friend. He was telling me to stay with you.... " He looked in her eyes. "He knew...." Seeing swallowed. "He knew I loved you & I wasn't being honest with myself about it." Chadash kisses him deeply. One of the soldiers moans from a few feet away as she hugs him. When they let go of their embrace, they take each other's hand. "Let's go see my sister." she says. "I didn't know you had a sister." Smiling she replies, "It's alright, neither did I." Together, they walk through the checkpoint, into the sunset.

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