Zack and Jake didn't chase their clone down.
They did, for a while. He jumped through small cracks and crevices for a while, then he stopped in a small white room. Smaller than the ones before.
This was it.
He was now facing them head on.
Not only that but he grew to his normal size.
Zack stared at Jake, then Mr E and then Jake again. We're they really going to fight him? Zack knew they could only get the advantage thanks to a surprise attack. He knew in a head on collision with just him and Jake, they're chances were slim.
But did Jake know this too?
H..hey Jake? Maybe we should wait for Paulina and Stacya. I don't think the two of us can handle thi.."
Easy Zack. Don't worry about it. He cloned himself remember? That means he's much weaker than before. Don't you remember he said he needed to consume himself t9 regain his strength. All he did was make himself much easier to beat now."
Jake gave Zack a reassuring smile. The type he'd usually give whenever Zack had an interview for a promotion. Zack soon felt a fire burning in his chest.
Y..yeah you're right! We can do this. We can.."
Suddenly, Jake dissapeared right before his eyes. Zack turned to his left and saw Mr E was so far from them now.
He was right in front of him.
He turned to hisright and saw Jake at the other end of the room. Smashed so hard against the advantagem wall that not only was there a large unmissable wound on his stomach, but several cracks all over the wall itself.
H..how?" Zack asked, barely able to hide his terror.
Mr E laughed.
And laughed.
And laughed.
Zack could only look at him, his head facing the ground. He wanted to kneel. Beg for forgiveness. Buy enough time for the others to show up and help them.
But deep down, he knew he ciukdnt. He knew he was fucked.
Mr E turned dead silent and looked Zack in the eye with his four eyed mask.
You really are a couple of idiots aren't you?"
What.."
Before Zack could finish he received a devastating blow to the chest, pr at least to his arm, which he rsised and expanded enough to block the attck.
Breaking it and sending him flying in the process.
That clone I made was merely a decoy. I knew with the four of you I wouldn't win so I made him to get the other two out of there."
Zack, now barely recovering from the hit while holding his broken arm, saw Mr E walk toward him.
Slowly...
Mocking him in a way.
You don't have to do this. Why are you o obsessed with this evolution nonsense? Did you lose something or someone? Are you trying to accomplish their dying wish? Are you avenging them? Is this some final act of retribution? Are you..."
"Shut up."
Mr E punched him square in the chin, cutting him off beofre he could disgust him even more. Now feeling too much pain to get up, all Zack could do was watch Mr E prepare another attack.
The Atlantean had claws capable of slowing down my healing and your cybernetic girlfriend had so many unpredictable weapons I couldn't take that chance. It's a very good thing she couldn't catch up to me. Otherwise her attacks would've done actual damage!"
Zack tried to get up. To fight back. All he did was stumble and receive a kick to the chest.
Breaking multiple ribs.
You really thought you killed me? What a joke! What a fucking joke! Then you had the audacity to feel remorse about it? Even lose your shit over it! And worse you made me watch that shit?!" Mr E said, giving a barely recovering Zack another kick.
This time he tried to block it with his right arm, expanding it to maximise his defense.
It broke even worse than the first.
People like you are what I'm trying to get rid of. Even at the expense of my life. Even me, a psychopathic monster obsessed with human evolution in your eyes, still deserves life? Grow up!"
Mr E turned his arms into those of a gorilla. He then smacked Zack so hard it sent hin crashing toward the wall even harder than Jake. However he didn't lose consciousness. He coughed up a ton of blood and was barely awake.. but he was still conscious.
This isn't about heroism or righteousness or good or evil or none of that! This isn't about human nature or beliefs or ideals or any of that! To them I'm a psychopath freak who wants to genocide a shit ton of people. To you I'm a soul in need of redemption. But what am I really? It's simple! I'm surprised you don't even know it!"
Mr E then unleashed a flurry of powerful blows onto Zack's frail body with his gorilla arms. All Zack could do was try his best to stay alive.
He was fighting a losing battle.
I am the meteor that killed the dinosaurs! The starvation that killed the neanderthals! I am natural selection the force that causes advancement. The test of survival! I am evolution! And my bomb will bring a new age! A better age! I may not live to see it, but neither will you or your useless idles!"
Just before he could land another blow however, Mr E heard a voice.
"Sounds to me like a load of bullshit."
He turned to see Jake, standing upright, his hand holding his stomach. He was sweating, panting and bleeding from the mouth. He looked like he could collapse at any moment but he didn't. Instead he faced Mr E head on.
And why are you still here? I assumed you were unconscious, or at least faking death so you could escape once I left."
Jake smirked. It was barely held together but it was a smirk nonetheless.
Becuase I'm kinda curious about that bomb of yours."
Mr E chuckled.
Are you seriously thinking I'd compromise the safety of my greatest achievement and the only hope for our evolution as a species becuase you're feeling kinda curious?"
Nah. Not really. But it couldn't hurt to ask." Jake said. Still smirking.
Mr E stared at Jake for a brief moment. Was he being serious? Did he have some trick up hos sleeve? Was he buying time. No need to find out. He could kill them bot in less than 30 seconds and be done with it.
But why didnt he?
Then something else caught his eye. He could feel a presence. Two in fact. A muman and... something else. Something he had not felt before.
It was definitely the Atalantean and the cyborg. Could he take them down on his own? Probably?
No... Mr E didn't deal with uncertainties. He dealt with absolutes. He wouldn't enter a fight unless he was 100% sure of victory. This fight wasn't it.
He turned back to Jake, staring into his nonchalant eyes for a brief moment.
There was no fear I'm them. No hatred. Nothing. Like a lazy drunk staring into the nothingness. The farthest thing from a threat
Was this bait? To lure him in? Some kind of plan. Despite all his best efforts to hide it, he knew deep down, Jake was just as curious to see the bomb as he was curious to find out why.
Mr E grabbed Jake and encased him in some kind of viscous material. Then suddenly the case aling with Mr E began to ripple and dissolve, sinking deep into the spaces in the advantegem floor.
And just like that, they dissapeared...
Zack lay there. His entire body covered in bruises and scars. His left arm arm shattered and the right facing the wrong way.
He wanted to get up. Find Jake and save him from whatever fate Mr E put him through.
Sadly he could barely open his eyes let alone stay conscious.
Suddenly he heard a large boom from across the room. He could barely see due to his bruises but he could make out two smudges coming from the smoke of what seems to be the aftermath of an explosion.
"Paulina?" He whispered, coughing some blood in the process. He tried to open his eyes. To see who was in front of him. It was still no use though.
The figured got closer, he could hear a voice.
"Zack?"
Zack couldnt make out the voice, but it was deep and gruff so clearly not Paulina. He tried to squint his eyes and gey a good look. He was somewhat successful.
However what he saw left him dazed and confused. It was Captain Rocket. Well, him in his younger days. From what he could remember from his lessons on his history all those years ago, this was his in his teens. His name then was Kal Jordan. He had many names but he could tell it was his favorite.
Since it was that time he jad any semblence pf a normal life.
He reached out to carry Zack on his shoulders. Grunting and panting just like Rocket would.
Due to his injuries he was numb to the feeling bit appreciated it nonetheless. He didn't understand how a young version of Captain Rocket was here, his nind was too tired to question it.
Although it was slightly different, Zack still felt it was him inside.
Why was a younger Captain Rocket here? Wasn't he dead? Why dies he even exist?
He couldn't answer any of these questions as he fell unconscious right when he thought of the lmao crossed his mind.
What are you doing? Leave him." Austin said to the clone called Kal.
The clone looked at him for a few seconds and raised his brow. Austin stook a step forward bit Kal took one back. He reached out to the clone but he moved even farther.
Austin sighed and smirked at the stubborn boy.
Fine. You can carry him. But don't let him get in our way. We only have one more clone of that bastard left. Your senses said he wass here. They were supposed to be accurate. Why isn't he here?"
Kal still looked at Austin with his eyebrow raised. Austin was starting to grit his teeth but stopped when he switched the clone turn around, with Zack in tow, and punch through the advantagem wall behind them.
He then jumped into the hole he created, quickly vanishing from Austin's sight. After scratching his head at this boy's strange antics, he sighed, and followed him.
"Just like the original." Austin said with a smirk as he caught up to the clone.
To be continued...