The Purifier leapt into the air and caught James around the waist. James rained blows on the featureless silver-green metallic head of the Purifier, but each hit barely made the enemy’s head move. Their flight ended as they smashed through a fence constructed of tightly packed stones. The rocks scattered, raining down around them as James landed and skidded along concrete until he hit stairs.
James kicked the Vax off him before jumping up and growling. Beating on the bastard might be satisfying, but it was accomplishing nothing. He needed to waste the asshole.
The Purifier snarled and his claws reappeared, along with his blades.
“Getting a little frustrated?” James asked. Without him concentrating or asking, his own claws and blades returned. “I’m only holding back because I’m trying not to leave a bunch of craters around here, even if I’m supposed to officially hate the Trojans. Not that I give that much a shit about sports, but it’ll make the next departmental party awkward for my wi…for my fiancée.”
The Vax half-crouched as he crept forward, growling.
James snorted. “You don’t understand a word I’m saying, do you? You’re nothing but a meat puppet letting your symbiont run you. Fuck, killing you is gonna be an act of mercy.”
A quick charge brought the Purifier close to James again. The Vax swiped a blade at him, and James met the attack with his own blade. The Purifier tried to swing his other blade at James’ side, but the Forerunner parried the attack with ease and kicked his opponent back.
They circled each other.
“You’re not used to this, are you?” James asked. “Not used to anyone being able to stand against you. Trust me, fucker, I know the feeling. It’s been a long time, especially since I unlocked my transformations.”
The Purifier stabbed again, and James jerked to the side before thrusting his blade toward his enemy’s chest. It sank into the armor, and the Purifier howled in pain. Its counterattack sliced into James’ shoulder armor but didn’t reach his body.
The men separated, their movements calculated and wary.
Minor damage sustained, Whispy reported. Regeneration in progress, but matrix interference causing efficiency loss.
Vax can’t easily adapt to Vax, huh? Good to know.
Direct contact limitations primarily.
James kept his attention on the Purifier. Blood seeped out of the wound, but tendrils from the armor were already forming to clot and repair the wound. They could hurt each other, and the injury wouldn’t be as easy to shake off.
Shit. Now I regret not bringing a healing potion.
James banged his blades together. “What’s a matter? You were carving through Oricerans like they were nothing, and now you’re acting all worried because one Forerunner got in a good hit? I thought you fuckers were supposed to these big galaxy-spanning bad-asses? Now you’re acting like some scared piece-of-shit bounty punk.”
The Purifier’s armor emitted another high-pitched whine.
Purifier symbiont is again requesting adaptation sharing.
James let out a dark chuckle. Was his opponent holding back because he didn’t want to risk losing out on decades of local adaptations? That was fine. It meant he would lose, because James didn’t give two shits if he blew the Purifier to dust.
“You better start fighting me seriously, fucker, or this is gonna be over real soon. I’m James motherfucking Brownstone, and the only reason you’re still alive is because I’m trying to leave this neighborhood halfway intact.”
The Purifier’s appendages jerked straight up and pulsed with green energy.
James expected an energy blast, but the appendages flashed, and then curled forward again.
Hyperspace transmission detected, Whispy reported.
You telling me this pussy is trying to call for reinforcements?
Yes.
James scoffed.
Let’s finish this asshole before he succeeds.
Miles away in downtown LA, dozens of witches and wizards stood on the top of a high-rise building. The particular location belonged to a bank, but the government-sponsored team had selected it, not out of concern for the owners, but because it was the tallest building with a clear line of sight to the predicted battle zone.
The witches and wizards watched through a scrying window as James traded blows with the Purifier. All were grim-faced, their wands clutched in their hands.
May Wu stepped into a circle, looking at the PDA field commander who had recruited her for this little day mission. “He won’t lose. You don’t understand what a force of nature he is.”
The PDA field commander nodded and raised his wand. “We have our orders. We’re not going to bet everything on James Brownstone without a little insurance. We also have a duty to defend this country, and we can’t let that alien win.” He looked her up and down. “You’ve already agreed to non-disclosure. Maybe you should just come work for the PDA after this is all over? This kind of thing has to be a lot more satisfying than hunting bounties.”
“Not my style. The only magicals I’m used to working with is…were my family.” May narrowed her eyes at the scrying window. “And if I go to work for anyone, it’ll be Brownstone. Keep in mind that even if this works, it’ll still come down to him winning. We’re nothing but the pit crew in this operation.”
“Saving the city and the planet’s more important than glory.” The wizard raised his wand. “Or are you having second thoughts?”
“Having seconds thoughts about only being miles away from a super-powerful alien who can blow up buildings with a single attack?” May let out a bitter laugh. “Second thoughts, and third and fourth ones, but it doesn’t change anything. I’m here, and I’ll do what I need to do.”
“Good.” The wizard turned and shouted, “Let’s get into position. It’s time for the ritual.”
The other witches and wizards began to form a single massive circle, all raising their wands skyward.
“Prepare to initiate the chant in five, four, three, two, one… Zero.”
The gathered circle of magic users began their incantation, concentrating their power. Their wands glowed brightly, and energy crackled in the center of the circle. Everyone poured more energy into the ritual as they kept up their chants. The light grew blinding.
24
A bright light shone in the corner of James’ expanded field of vision, but he ignored it as he slashed furiously at the Purifier. The other Vax’s quick parries left his armor mostly untouched. The Purifier rushed past James and took a quick swing. The blade dug deep into the armor and sliced the Forerunner’s flesh. James hissed in pain and rolled out of the range of the counter-attack.
Moderate damage sustained. Regeneration in progress.
Blood, gouges, and slices now decorated both men’s armor, even as the wound sites slowly knit themselves closed.
James hopped back and growled.
He’s not using those shoulder things at all. Are they vulnerable?
Unknown at this time, Whispy responded. Symbiont dynamic cellular modification means adaptation possible in some cases, but not others. Primary adaptive monoatomic blade system supplemented by spatial energy bleed for enhanced damage, but energy dissipation occurs at all macroscopic distances.
James traded a few more blade strikes with the Purifier.
I don’t get all that, but you’re saying I can cut into him with these blades, but not everything else will work?
Yes, Whispy confirmed.
The Purifier carved into his shoulder and James gritted his teeth, again backing up.
Regeneration in progress. Minimize additional damage.
I’m gonna do that by killing this motherfucker.
The Purifier attempted a leaping stab, but James whipped an arm up and ripped through the enemy’s thigh. The other Vax’s roar was followed by two quick thrusts into James’ chest. Pain suffused his body from the wound, and he stumbled back.
Fuck this, James thought. I’m not gonna win by trading slicing and
dicing.
The Forerunner crouched and jumped backward, his massive leap sending him high into the sky. His enemy jumped forward and stabbed, missing James, and piercing the concrete instead.
James jumped again, brought his arms up, and began charging his arm cannons. Green light began to swirl and move over his blades.
The Purifier brought up his blades, and his shoulder appendages aimed at the airborne James. He fired off several quick blasts of energy. The first few exploded against the Forerunner’s armor, scoring deep holes, but the next few attacks only burned off surface layers.
Adaptation in progress, Whispy declared.
James ignored the pain from his wounds and continued charging, confidence flooding him at the realization that if he kept his distance, he could adapt to his enemy, but that also meant he would need to finish off the bastard before he could evolve to withstand James’ energy attacks. He fell toward the ground, burns over his body and his armor pitted and damaged, still pouring more energy into his building attack.
The Vax continued to pelt him with energy attacks, a few piercing his armor and burning the flesh underneath. Whatever else the Purifier could accomplish, he was capable of a far higher firing rate than his opponent.
James bellowed in rage as he fired his twin beams, and they blew through the Purifier. James tried to sweep to the side, but another attack from his opponent blinded him and he crashed into the ground, cracking the asphalt.
The Purifier stumbled forward, additional tendrils filling in the huge holes in his chest and side. He ceased firing from his arms, which now swung limply at his sides, but his shoulder appendages continued to deliver a steady stream of energy blasts.
The blasts that hit James seared off thin layers of armor, but several shots missed James and exploded against the white walls of the building behind him, leaving stray fires and half-collapsing roofs.
James stood and growled. Anger and frustration leaked into his mind. He pushed his arms together to protect his body. Shot after shot from the enemy landed, each hurting slightly less, but James was still far from his normal adaptation speed. Even if the enemy wouldn’t win with the attacks, the bounty hunter wouldn’t have time to charge his beams again.
The Purifier’s unsteady movements smoothed out and he crept toward James, still firing.
James rushed toward the Vax, his arms still up, little of his armor left. He spread his arms out a few yards away, keeping them at head level. The maneuver opened his still-regenerating chest armor to the energy blasts and his body jerked with each hit, the scent of his burning flesh filling his nostrils.
The Purifier roared and craned his neck as if daring James to cut it off.
The Forerunner closed the last few feet and whipped his blades up, going not for the head but for the shoulder appendages. His first attack hit the base of one of the appendages and sliced halfway through. The Purifier howled and stabbed him, but James cleaved off the appendage with his second swing. He ignored the pain from a second thrust by the Purifier as he performed a second trimming. Both appendages fell to the ground, their twitching finally stopped.
The Purifier smashed a shoulder into James, and the heavy blow staggered Earth’s champion. The roaring Purifier spun and backhanded him, the attack launching James toward a concrete wall.
He smashed through the wall and several interior walls, satisfied with his earlier attack despite his injuries. The Purifier might be able to regenerate the appendages, but he wasn’t demonstrating much faster regeneration than his Forerunner opponent.
James stood and shook his head. The room he had crashed into appeared to be some sort of chemistry lab. In it were two long dark lab benches covered with Bunsen burners and collections of flasks and beakers. His collision had collapsed a table, and shards of glasses mixed with differently colored liquids beneath him, noxious clouds spreading across the floor.
Severe damage detected, Whispy reported. Regeneration in progress. Recommend Forerunner transformation.
Huh. Because I’m doing what you want, you’re willing to go 100%? James asked.
Increased symbiont-host integration makes additional transformations viable, Whispy responded.
Fine, let’s do it.
Insufficient power for Forerunner transformation. Seek out additional power sources.
Thanks, asshole, James replied.
He gritted his teeth at the pain. It’d been a long time since he’d had this kind of trouble fighting anyone, but he was keeping the damage far more under control than it had been before his arrival.
The Purifier raised his arms, energy charging across his blades.
Can we withstand that attack? James asked.
Unknown, Whispy responded.
James ran for a window as the Purifier launched an explosive energy blast. The attack hit one of the lab benches, and the entire room exploded. Secondary explosions from gas lines followed, and the chain reaction incinerated the entire side of the building. James flew through the air, injured, but his symbiont protected him from the bulk of the thermal and concussive damage.
Burning debris rained down around James after he crashed face-first into a tennis court, the poor court taking the worst of it. Flames licked the sky from the damaged building behind him, the inferno threatening to consume the whole thing. It had escaped the Purifier’s initial rampage, only to suffer these mortal wounds.
A dark shadow covered James, and he raised his head. The Purifier was dropping straight toward him, blades pointed down.
Shit. Is that what it looks like when I do shit like that? It’s pretty fucking awesome.
James rolled out of the way with a grunt and the Purifier’s blades sank deep into the ground.
It’s now or never.
James growled and speared the Purifier’s chest with one blade. The off-balance Vax could do little as the silver-green arm blade cut through his armor and chest and burst out through the back. James’ free blade came for the Purifier’s head next with a fierce series of stabs.
Blow after blow ripped through the armor and dug into the Purifier’s head. Each time James pulled back, more blood coated his weapon. He roared now and continued his attack, speeding up with each blow.
Kill the enemy, Whispy chanted. Kill the enemy.
“Is that all you’ve got, you sonofabitch?” James yelled. “You can’t do shit without weird-ass bullshit hanging off your shoulders?”
The Purifier jerked with each blow and tried to pull himself off James’ first blade, but the bounty hunter growled and shoved it back in.
“You come down to Oriceran and kill a bunch of people, then dare to come to my fucking town and start blowing shit up. I don’t even care that it’s USC, motherfucker. That’s my wife’s thing, but I owe you assholes for killing my parents.” James continued using the Purifier’s head as a pincushion. “Now fucking die already, so I can go back to planning my motherfucking restaurant! I want to cook barbeque, not fight a bunch of fucking assholes from outer damned space.”
The Purifier’s blades retracted and he desperately clawed at James’ arm, gouging into the armor and ripping chunks from the flesh below.
“Die, motherfucker. Die!”
Blood coated James upper chest and helmet, and there were more holes than armor or flesh remaining in the Purifier’s head.
James yanked his blade out of the chest and swung it toward the Purifier’s neck. The first hit cut into the armor, and the second made it to the skin. The third made it into the muscle, and the fourth and final hit removed the head entirely. He threw his head back and let out a roar of triumph.
The Purifier’s body twitched for a moment, then stood, without the head. Tendrils shot from the neck and formed the base of a new head.
“For fuck’s sake,” James yelled.
How is this fucker still moving?
Symbiont backup neural interface likely active, Whispy reported.
I can take his fucking head off, and he can keep going?
Yes.
Fundamental matrix compatibility more important than maintenance of existing biological neural network.
James grunted.
Does that shit work for me?
Host-symbiont neural link interface different. Estimate high probability of symbiont cascade failure with loss of primary matrix neural network.
James snorted.
So if I die, you die? At least it means we both have a reason to give a shit in a fight.
The headless Purifier stumbled toward James. The armor covering the missing body part melted into a writhing mass of tendrils that scurried toward the main body, leaving a scarlet-skinned, yellow-eyed decapitated head on the ground.
Do I just keep beating this fucker down, chopping him up until there aren’t any pieces left? James asked.
Severe damage has likely created hostile override potential, Whispy explained. Active symbiont-to-symbiont disruption through close body contact and forced adaptation capture. Warning, risk of counter-override.
James stomped to the body and sliced off an arm. He hissed, each blow sending impact shocks to his own wounds. His regeneration continued, and the worst burns and cuts were at least sealed, but a lot of tissue damage remained.
Fuck it. We can do this shit. You’re not some dumb-ass symbiont. You’ve had all these years on Earth to learn how to adapt and overcome. Let’s override the fucker.
James retracted his blades and grabbed the headless Purifier in a bear hug.
Initiating override, Whispy reported.
Hundreds of tiny tendrils shot from James’ armor and stabbed into the Purifier. A green glow surrounded them both.
Yesssss, Whispy hissed. Override in progress.
The Purifier jerked in James’ grasp, the armor melting away and flowing into Whispy’s tendrils as if the symbiont were drinking in the other.
Enhanced regeneration engaged.
The slow pace of James’ regeneration ended, with many deep wounds filling in seconds. His armor closed, only a few hints of scorching left.
The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone Omnibus 3 Page 115
