FINAL BOSS PART 2

He just stood there, motionless.

Zack looked to his left. He saw Jake staring back at that man with a blue fire in his eyes. His lip was twitching and his hand was shaking. Whether out of fear or preparation for an attack, Zack didn't know.

Next to Jake was Stacya. She was slowly getting up. She also had that fire in her eyes but her's was more intense. More ravenous. Despite just recently recovering from her I'm severe injuries she looked as good as new.

Her claws slowly grew longer as well.

Zack turned to his right and saw Paulina. She was shaking as well. Less frantically than Jake but still shaking nonetheless. Small drops of sweat left her brow and ran across her neck. She had faced thst man before. Although she never told Zack the specifics, judging by her reaction now, he could clearly see why.

She was trying not to flinch. Not to him see or smell her fear.

Sadly Zack could see she only made it painfully obvious.

Then Zack looked at himself. He was shaking as well. Even worse than Paulina and Jake combined. He was scared and couldn't even hide it.

He was breathing heavily. He was sweating buckets and his legs were twitching like a mad man. His fear had gotten the better of him again. He felt like he was going to die. He felt like he needed to run.

Then he felt Paulina grabbing his shoulder.

She was scared as well but at least tried to hide it. What was he doing? His girlfriend was scared and all he could do was shake in fear like a coward?

No.

Not again.

He wiped his forehead and held his legs close. He then held her shoulder and pulled her close to his chest. He wanted to help her. Protect her.

This was it.

His chance to finally overcome his fear. He was scared, yes, but that won't help him now.

Then he felt a sudden pressure. Like the room became more cramped. He turned back to Jake and saw that blue aura surrounding him. Like he was doused with boiling water resulting in a blue vapour radiating from his muscular shaking body. He looked at his eyes and this time, the glowed a shinier lighter blue. He gritted his teeth and even exposed a pulsing glowing blue vein.

What did Mr E do to him?

He laughed.

Like someone hearing a funny joke for the first time, he laughed with his head facing back and his mouth gaping from under his four eyed mask. Revealing the pale white skin if his jaw. Light green tears left his eyes as he kept laughing.

Jake nearly bit his own tongue.

"Why are you laughing?!" Jake shouted at the madman.

He stopped instantly. His mouth disappeared under his mask and he was still again. Zack began shaking again. Although much less than before.

"Relax okay? I'm just surprised at all the tension. I'm not even here for you. I came for some of my mutoxin." He said. Tilting his head to the left like a confused child.

"Mutoxin?" Paulina said under her breath. Mr E still heard her though and sported a slight grin behind his mask.

Jake could sense it.

"Yes. My mutoxin. Made from some of my own blood. I need it back because a little problem has arrived that I have to take care of. Dont worry. It's not you. Well,for now." He said to her. He raised his brow a bit after saying this. Although he knew who she was. He didnt know who she really was.

Until he remembered her scent.

"Ah, yes, I remember you! I didn't recognise you back in my gas chamber room!

You're a member of that Danger Squad right? With Ace and Hawk knight? What's up? I thought Ace killed you all. Guess he sucks at his job since both you and Hawk knight are both still alive." He said with a small chuckle.

Paulina shuddered and looked away. Memories of her first mission came back to her. As well as memories of her first brush with death.

She had to dismiss them. She needed logic, not fear. She needed to think. That's when she remembered something else entirely.

Zack looked at her briefly and knew she something was flooding her mind. He couldn't stand for this..this psychopath to linger in her mind any longer.

"What do you mean a little problem has arrived?" Zack asked. Attempting to change topic.

"Yes, I'd answer your question but that would require me to tell you my plan." He said in a more deeper tone and lowered his head.

There was an odd silence as he contemplated this, or at least looked like he did.

"Y..you're doing it again. Aren't you?" Paulina said, done with her thoughts. Fear and bad memories lingering in her voice.

"You're making a bomb to mutate all of Empire City arent you? Just like last time. You want to destroy the lives of thousands of people and kill even more for your sick game again dont you?!"

He merely stared at her for a moment.

"Answer me you bastard!" She shouted at him, pointing her shaking finger as Zack held her back, sensing the fearful anger radiating from her.

"Yeah. You got me. I guess I really am a one trick pony. However, thats only one part of my plan. You see my bomb won't just mutate the city, no, that would just be mindless chaos. That was the me of the past. I want something more."

"More?""

Evolution for mankind."

"And how are you going to achieve that by killing millions?!" Zack shouted, in spite of his fear. Now realising the gravity of the situation.

"You're right. It won't achieve much other than raising my body count. Thats why I'm introducing a new airborne disease into the world. A disease that'll turn all the natural born mumans into mindless beasts."

Zack took a step back. This time, he held Paulina more than she held him. He knew what it was like to be a monster and now this man..no.. creature..was forcing it on everyone else?

"Why?!" Zack shouted again, burning rage surging across his entire body like a chemical stimulant.

"Why would you do this?! This is madness! This is chaos! Why what you gain from any of this?!"

"Simple. As I said before, the evolution of man. I would create a new species. A superior species. One that'll eradicate mankind's inferior form and rule this world as the apex predator. Can't you see this is what mother earth needs?! Can't you see..."

"Why are you even talking to this fool?" Stacya interrupted. Standing upright and licking her pale grey lips, she raised her right hand, revealing her elongated claws and raging muscles.

She didnt want talk.

She wanted his blood on those lips.

"Oh.. you're right. It's a waist of time talking right now." Mr E stated, shrugging her off.

"I've got bigger fish to fry. I instructed Ace to kill Hawk knight but he decided to blow himself up along with one third of my Animal farm. Now I have an angry bird roaming my farm presumably to kill me since I killed his mentor."

Stacya flinched.

"Now I need to find all my monsters and take back my Mutoxin so I can return to my normal strength. Turns out stretching your blood thing really makes you weak huh?" He mused as he explained.

"I was looking for one called Maximum but it appears he escaped his cage since I can't smell him anymore. Luckily that Snake fellow seems to be nearby so I can just suck the mutoxin out of him. Now if you excuse me, I have somewhere else to be." He explained as he walked right by the group so quickly they didn't notice.

In just a fraction of a second, he was behind them, nonchalantly beginning his search for his quarry.

However, he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

A heavy one.

"So do you think you can just pass by us like nothing?" Jake asked, holding him still with one hand. His aura was a deep blue smoke now. His eyes where steaming with rage now too.

He remained quiet all this time. Not anymore.

"I'm sorry. Who are you again?"

Not even one second passed when he saw the fist flying at him, radiating an even more intense blue aura.

He still caught it though. Like a butterfly in a net.

Mr E and Jake locked looks as they stood perfectly still. His fist in Mr E's hand, Jake struggled to break free. What was going on? Didn't he beat him last time?

"Just because you managed to best one of my clones doesn't mean you and I are relative my friend.

Jake struggled even more to no avail. He was stuck in the palm of this monster's hand.

"Jake right? I remember you from that Black reactor robbery. Assumed you were a new Danger Squad member since you came from Hawk knight's bird plane. Thsts why I went after your girlfriend. Wanted to get to you. Guess I was wrong. You're nowhere near those guys. Speaking of which..."

He turned towards Paulina, smiling under his mask again.

Hey! Aren't you a Danger Squadder? You guys are supposed to be wicked powerful. Look at Hawk knight! He's the whole reason I'm even here. Or is it that Ace fucked up your mind rather than killed you?"

Jake aimed a blue energy focused punch at him again. This time actually connecting and sending a shockwave of pressurised air around the white corridor.

"Hey! Pay attention! You're dealing with me here!" Jake stated, ignoring the trio behind him.

"Jake! Get away from him!" Zack ordered.

"No Zack! You stay away! This is my fight!" Jake ordered back, radiating a confident aura around him.

Stacya tried to move, but Zack held her back."If Jake wanted to fight, let him fight."he thought.

Stacya knew what he meant without even hearing any words. Although it was something she was familiar with thanks to her Atlantean culture, it wasn't something she agreed with. She still stayed back regardless.

Little did Jake know his attack didn't even tilt Mr E's head.

"I.'m stretched pretty thin right now man. My clones are all over the plase gathering my Mutoxin while I'm lagging behind. I don't have time for games."

He quickly grabbed Jake by his chest. Jake tried to break free but the futility was obvious from the get go. Mr E then threw him away like a bag of trash, sending him crashing right into the advantagem wall and drawing blood from his forehead and nose.

His aura began to recede as he slid down the wall and screamed in pain. His screams did nothing to stop Mr E from grabbing him by his blond hair and pulling him close enough to feel his slowing breaths.

I've drained about half of my mutoxin into my monsters. I've made more than twenty clones of myself spread throughout the base reclaiming it. I've stretched myself ridiculously thin and yet I'm still manhandling you. I'm not a weaker clone. We are not in the same league. I've beaten Captain Rocket. I've fought the Super Society. You are a summer ant to me. You will die."

All Jake did was spit in his face.

Mr E formed a crab claw with his free hand and raised it high above Jake's head. Jake closed his eyes and smiled at him.

Just as he was about to slash through him, Mr E felt a set of claws clamp down on his masked face and pierce through them.

Mr E tried to turn his head but couldn't see his attacker. He did see a flash of grey skin before being thrown across the corridor at lighting speed.

Stacya?" Jake exclaimed.

What I've done goes against my very nature, my culture. Hell, it is considered taboo to interfere in a declared one on one fight. I still do not care. I will not stand back as my friend dies." She explained to him and reached out her grey hand. He grabbed it and raised himself up, groaning all the way.

No it's fine. I would've done the same. You're even better than me. I wouldn't have listened for even a second." Jake assured her with a smile, causing her to chuckle.

Zack and Paulina ran to the two and Zakc tried to help Jake up. Paulina remained silent.

Way to make me look like an asshole for letting you fight man." Zack mused as his lips quivered slightly.

Relax man. At least thanks to you, I now know the distance between me and him. And he's also a clone. That means if he fuses with all the mutoxin stuff, we won't even hope to fight him. " Jake explained.

Then we cannot allow him to regain his lost power. He managed to kill Captian Rocket. We cannot let him go now."

Jake and Zack nodded but Paulina remained silent and slightly lifeless. Jake noticed this and was confused a bit.

Wh..what is she doing? I figured her for the logical type so I was a bit surprised she decided to sit back and watch me get my ass kicked." Jake asked Zack, pointing to her.

I'm thinking. I may have found a way for us to not only survive this, but win" Paulina answered before Zack could respond.

The three now faced her waiting for her godsend solution.

Meanwhile Mr E slowly got up and began healing his injured face.

We need to surround him and take him out together. No individual fighting. It's obvious we can't let him leave and regain his power. He also said Hawk knight is roaming this place so he'd probably encounter a few clones and take them out. The best we can do is take out a few as well. Starting with this one." Paulsina explained a bit quietly.

So what's the plan?" Zack asked her. A flicker of hope in his green eyes.

They came close together and began muttering their strategy under their breath.

Mr E was still recovering from that attack. It seems the grey woman grabbed him by the face with her claws and sent him flying. He didn't figure her for the strong type. Even stronger than Jake surprisingly.

He didn't have any time for this however. He needed to get that mutoxin before...

Wait...

He smelled something. Felt something. His fellow clones.

They were dying.

Hawk knight had began hunting them.

One by one he could feel their life force dissappear in seconds he needed to act fast. He needed to escape this group of fools and get that mutoxin.

He needed to activate his bomb.

However, just when he turned around to run, he felt a powerful surge of bloodlust behind him.

A blond muscular white man radiating a vapour-like blue aura.

A skinny black man shaking slightly but still radiating an aura of danger.

A white haired, grey skinned muscular woman rubbing her claws and licking her lip,exposing her whitr dagger-like teeth. She radiated most of that bloodlust.

A tall nerdy looking girl with a brown ponytail stretching her limbs. Her eyes also glowed and radiated something else. Some kind of emotionless blackness that terrified him most of all.

Where was that shaking fear?

Wasn't she terrified and stammering before?

Or was she?

As Mr E took a few steps back, he quickly realised...

He needed to get the fuck out of here.

To be continued...