“Joseph. He needs you.” She handed him a sheet of paper. “Before midnight. Transportation is waiting. Details are listed there.” She motioned to the orders in his hand.
Assault strolled through the private government shuttle, as the time warp craft pulsated and reverberated in preparation for launch.
He passed a porthole. Through it he gazed in wonder at the superstructure of the shuttle's wings and engines. It was the fastest and most comfortable government licensed flight in the galaxy.
He advanced down a row of interior portholes, each containing a transparent sleeping freezer, which could be used on long flights when travelers didn't want to observe the mysterious marvels of space. He stopped at the cabin specifically prepared for his journey. He thought about Elissa and hoped they would get to Celestial in time to save her. He had always envied the Mutant Killer, especially since the Empress had chosen Joseph over him.
As the craft ascended into the moonlit sky, he wondered if Joseph would ever settle down with Elissa or if all Mutant Killers were destined to live lonely lives, continuously battling the Mutant resistance.
On Martinez' own private shuttle, a small well-built time warp speeder, she and Joseph were on a course for Celestial World. They followed the government shuttle for takeoff. Assault had agreed to help in disposing the galaxy of Syn and rescuing Elissa, but only if he didn't have to be in the presence of Martinez. She regretted that Assault hated her, but, at least, he had agreed to come and help Joseph with the rescue.
Looking over at an anxious Joseph, Jenny asked, “How are you doing?”
There was a brief moment, before he replied, “I just can't help but think of what that Mutant could be doing to her. If he hurts her... I'll...”
“You love her very much.” She affirmed what she read in his eyes. “Even though she is not an Earth human.”
“Yes... tremendously.”
“Would you ever want to marry her?”
“I don't know. The only thing that counts right now is her safety. And ridding the galaxy of Syn.”
Syn strolled into a secluded part of the palace, where he held the Empress captive. It was cool and dark there. For a few seconds while his eyes adjusted he could only see faintly. Then, Elissa's face swam into his sight. She wore almost nothing. Michelle had dressed her to please him. Though Elissa wished Joseph would swoop down from the room's fixtures to rescue her, she was forced to protect herself alone.
“Will you drink?” asked the Empress, moving towards a cart laden with bottles.
“No. I didn't come to drink,” he said leering at her.
She tried to smile, but could not. Her people were relying on her to save them.
She sat down on the bed. “Come here,” she said softly. Her plan would only work if he would come closer.
He moved closer and leaned over her. Repulsion erupted inside her. She jabbed him in the groin with her knee, anchored his hair in one hand, and tried to gouge his eyes out with the long, manicured nails of the other.
Racer and Michele rushed into the room.
“Get her off of me!” he yelled, as they pried the Empress’ grip from his face.
Looking at Elissa with hatred in his eyes, he said, “Incarcerate her... until I decide what to do. I will not be made a fool.”
Too late, the Empress laughed to herself as Michele roughly escorted her to a private chamber.
Once inside the room, Michele hissed, “You will soon learn to worship your Emperor.”
Elissa defiantly and proudly sneered at Michele's comment.
Shots erupted below in the streets, stopping Michele from slapping the smirk from Elissa's face. With a feral snarl, Michele made a hasty exit. Elissa ran to the nearest window, hoping it was Joseph, but was crushed instead to see that it was just the Mutant guards battling with her people. Where was her hero?
At a deserted location on the other side of Celestial World, the Mutant Killer's speeder descended to the surface unseen. Programming the cloaking device to camouflage the craft, Martinez and Joseph exited the ship wearing their Mutant Strike armor and gripping their shotguns.
Stepping on to the planet’s surface Joseph said, “I want to tell you that I really appreciate you coming along, Jenny.” There was always the chance that neither one of them would survive. Martinez just smiled and began to walk cautiously towards the city
Close by, Assault's drop-off ship came in low, undetected by any known force on the planet. Before departing the craft, he stocked up on ammo for his usual “toy” - a supersonic, hyper-kinetic, high-speed, wire-guided, armor-piercing combat rifle that used a new experimental, low-altitude, mini-sabot, ultra-velocity, depleted uranium core, jacketed with hyper-alloy coated, explosive-tipped ammo, which could de-bone a Mutant in under three seconds... and anything else for that matter.
Deep within the core of Celestial World, an unknown entity was carefully watching the Mutant Killers. Listening to their words, and reading their every thought. If Syn failed, she would have to take care of the Mutant Killer herself.
Joseph and Martinez covertly advanced closer to the beautiful Celestial Palace, keeping an eye out for any foe who dared to stand in their way. Suddenly, Joseph sensed someone not too far behind.
Looking at Jenny, he pointed toward a small patch of shrubbery. She crouched behind a bush aiming her shotgun in the same direction as Joseph.
Martinez' fingers twined nervously about her rifle, hoping it would stop who or whatever they were about to encounter. Seconds later, Assault strolled around a glistening green orchard, trying to keep a low profile, and gripping his combat rifle.
“Victor,” Joseph whispered as Assault dropped down beside them, keeping a close eye on Jenny.
“Now, I've agreed to help. But if she does anything like she did earlier, it's 'Adios muchachos',” Assault whispered.
“Not to worry,” Joseph reassured him, “However, Jenny only does what I tell her, so be a good boy... and you'll have nothing to worry about. Now, let’s discuss our plan of attack.”
Within a cooled, darkened room on the top floor of the palace, Syn watched with great delight from a huge window as the Empress' people suffered and perished from the destruction caused by his Mutants. Behind him, Michele sprawled on a comfortable white leather couch, while Elissa studied them both from a chair. She had been allowed to change back into her own clothes.
Looking at them, then turning back to look out the window, Syn spoke, “You have a wonderful world, Empress. It's a shame that I have to destroy it to prove a point.”
“And what is that?” she asked coldly.
“I am using you to ambush your boyfriend. Would you know where he is?” He asked, turning his head towards her one more time.
On his way to defeat your hateful ass once again, you bastard - was what she wanted to say. However, she only answered, “Don’t know.”
“Oh, that's interesting,” he said sarcastically. For he knew Joseph was the one to whom she had sent the distress signal. “My sources tell me he has arrived. He has come to rescue his Empress. My point, Elissa, is that no one defies me. No one. Those who do – die.”
Hatred and pain sliced through Joseph. The once beautiful city of crystalline and virgin white was now a horrid mess of muck and coldness, smeared with the innocent blood of the dead Celestials.
“Think. Think. We need a plan,” Joseph spoke out loud to himself.
“I know,” announced Assault. “Why doesn't the mute,” he pointed at Jenny, “use her powers and zap the bad guys to a different dimension. She's so good at it.” He finished wryly.
Joseph spoke in her defense,” Her name is Jenny, not mute. And your plan wouldn't work. We need the exact locations of Syn and his henchmen. She needs their accurate whereabouts to transport them. Besides, I am done with this maniac. He dies today.”
There was a pause before Joseph spoke again, “We have no choice but to storm in and flush Syn and his baddies out.” Jenny sat silent, but nodded her head to show Jos
eph her approval.
“How many are we talking about?” Assault asked.
“For some reason Syn only brought four other Mutants this time.”
“Ok, that makes three of us and five of them. Good for us. Bad for him. Who’d he bring?”
“Rebel, Racer, and Rocket,” Joseph answered.
“No contest, man.”
“And Michele-Marie.”
“Shit. I knew this was too easy. When did he get that bitch on his side?’
“Recently. It seems he caught her red-handed stealing from him. Instead of killing her, he recruited her talents to help eliminate Seth the Sinister.”
“I heard he’d been wacked.” Assault nodded. “Maybe we should leave her to take care of Syn on her own. You know that bitch can’t be trusted for long.”
“I would, but he has Elissa. I hope we are not too late as it is to rescue her. Neither Michele nor Syn have been known to take prisoners.”
“Good point.” First looking at Martinez, then at Joseph, Assault shrugged resignedly, then spoke, “I still believe they’ll be expecting us to just walk right in there.”
“That’s what makes it unexpected,” Joseph grinned.
Joseph and Assault raced up an incline leading to the city, gripping their weapons of mass destruction, as Martinez hid nearby and waited for their signal.
With secret communicators attached to their ears and mouths, the three Mutant Killers could speak freely with each other.
Watching from a nearby hill, Joseph and Assault could see the Mutants Racer and Rebel circling the lower perimeter of the city. Rocket hovered and watched over the alien metropolis in a small helicopter pack he had formed from various matter and materials salvaged from the surrounding area.
“Looks like the evil Mutants have the spot pretty much covered,” said Assault.
“It would be nice to pick off the goon in the air first,” Joseph suggested.
“Consider it done,” Assault replied, heading off with his annihilating machine gripped firmly in hand.
Joseph on the other hand, picked up the scent of a cheap brand of cigars and stealthily advanced his way towards the source of the stench.
“That's a filthy habit you got there. It could kill you.”
In less than a blink of an eye, Racer swung a fast and low sweep to Joseph’s calves, knocking him on his back and almost taking his legs off at the knees.
“Fool... I'm too fast for ya',” the super-fast Mutant hissed to the downed MK.
Meanwhile, Assault had better luck with the Mutant in the skies. He hid, observing Rocket's every move. Then, when the Mutant least expected it, Assault laid off a couple of rounds from his rifle. The barrage of bullets took out Rocket’s helicopter pack.
As Rocket took a rapid crash course, his nearby partner, Rebel was watching and began to run towards his falling partner, anxious to find the individual who dared to attack them. Assault also ran towards the falling Rocket, eager for a fight. However, Rocket, a master builder, quickly constructed a small land rover from the helicopter remains. It hit the ground finished and rolling. Using the vehicle, Rocket sped towards Assault.
Assault dove from Rocket's path, as he fired his rifle. Every round penetrated Rocket's flesh, muscle, and bone. Then, hitting the vehicle's power pack, it erupted into a tiny inferno.
As Assault was being bombarded by fallout from the explosion, Joseph was being punished by his light-speed assailant. After a few accelerated sharp blows to the ribs and abdominal region, Joseph fell gasping for air. He was sure that a couple of his ribs were broken.
“So, Human, had enough? Or shall I give you more?” Racer laughed in a Continental brogue.
His laughter grew louder and louder in Joseph's head as he became enraged with anger. Catching his enemy off guard, Joseph reached for his weapon, and hit Racer in the chest with the butt of his rifle, sending him off his feet and on to his back.
As the Mutant struggled to get to his feet, Joseph mimicked his adversary in the most generic continental accent, “Had enough, Mutant pain, or shall I give you more?”
He raised his weapon and aimed it at Racer's head, gazed into his fear-infested eyes, and fired a single shot. The slug, however, didn't hit the Mutant, but the dirt two inches above his head.
Almost whimpering, Racer asked startled, “Why? Why don't you kill me?”
Although he very much wanted to, Joseph found himself replying, “Because you and what you stand for have brought so much suffering and so much pain to every being in the universe. Killing you would be too easy. You should suffer for your crimes. I've decided to let you live.”
“But,” Joseph went on, “for a price.” He then smiled.
“Anything... I'll give you anything, Human, just spare me. Please.” Like all murderers of innocent victims, when faced with their own suffering or death, the Mutant begged cowardly.
Aiming his weapon a little lower, Joseph fired twice. Blowing both of his enemy’s legs clean off at the knees. Racer screamed bloody murder.
“I'd like to see you make a run for it now, Flash,” Joseph burst into a roar of fiendish laughter.
Racer lifted himself up onto his hands and crawled away, making his escape into the night. As much as Joseph wanted to follow the Mutant and finish him off, he moved closer into the city.
“I got one, Vic. How ya' doing?” Joseph spoke into his communicator.
There was no answer. It wasn't that Assault was trying to be uncivil, but that he had his hands full at the moment with Rebel.
Not knowing his new nemesis had the ability to cause severe damage to any living tissue he touched, Assault got a little too close to Rebel, allowing him the opportunity to grab hold of him. Assault dropped to the ground in a terrifying sweat, slowly searching for a breath, as he lay immobilized, and almost unconscious. Rebel smirked as he was about to finish him, reaching for Assault’s heart, when he heard Joseph approaching and dashed for cover.
Joseph, becoming impatient with his friend, ran in search for him. Seconds later, Joseph spotted Assault and, cautiously and quietly, advanced towards him.
Gripping his rifle, he prepared for the unforeseen. But there was no one, only his old friend. If there was anyone there, they were secretly watching somewhere hidden in the night, or had escaped seconds before.
After making sure the zone was secured, Joseph called for Martinez and then slowly knelt down beside Assault.
“What happened, Vic?” Joseph asked concerned.
There was no answer as Assault stayed on the ground, rolled into a fetal position, shivering and sweating profusely.
“I saw that you got the one in the sky. What's wrong?” He grabbed Assault by his shoulders and shook him roughly. “Speak to me!”
Slowly opening his eyes, Assault saw a battered and bruised Joseph. “Man, you look how I feel,” he rasped.
Joseph asked again, “What happened?”
“I don't know. One second this guy lays his hand on me, and the next I'm on the ground. I feel like I’ve been electrocuted.” Assault tried to explain. “Man, I hate Mutants.”
Martinez walked out from the shadows and knelt down beside Assault. She looked into his face and shook her head. She shrugged then carefully placed a hand on his chest and smiled. He felt warm sensation wash over his body. His pain was gone. Aggressively he pushed her hand away and jumped to his feet.
“Don’t know what you just did to me, Mutant, but I … I suddenly feel better.” He smiled.
“Good. Because this is far from being over.” said Joseph.
“Wait,” Assault said as he pressed his communicator firmly against his ear. “I'm receiving a message from my dropship’s mainframe. CIMA's coming...”
“Good. We can use the help.”
“They are not coming to help us, man. They are here to take over the rescue. They have been ordered to arrest you if you try to interfere.”
“Elissa called me for help. They could get Elissa and her people killed,” said Joseph.
“Syn wants me and he is using Elissa as ransom. If he cannot get to me, he will have no use for her and he will kill her for sure.”
“What makes you think she is still alive?”
“Just believe me when I tell you that I know she is.” He looked at Jenny.
“Okay, I believe you.” Assault turned to look at Jenny also.
“Either way, I am settling this fight with Syn. He stops messing with Celestial as of today.”
“I’m with you, man.”
“How long till they arrive?”
“ETA fifty-two minutes.”
Just outside the east entrance to the palace, Martinez looked at Joseph through the dimness of the night. “Be careful, Joseph.”
“What?”
“There's something else on this planet,” she went on. “Something evil. It’s not Syn or his Headhunters. It isn't human, and it isn’t Mutant. I can feel a kinship to it. It’s going to try and use me to get to you.” She looked at Joseph. “I'm scared.”
Nothing frightened his Mutant partner... not even the deadliest creatures that dwelled within the hellish dimensions of her powers. He knew whatever it was had to be formidable. He hugged her tight.
The city was dark and smelled of rotting flesh. Hundreds of Celestials laid dead. Their bodies stiff or decaying on the streets of the once beautiful city. Assault cautiously made his way around the dead bodies. Their eyes stared at him in terror, hatred, or disbelief.
Assault turned and entered a small complex on the south entrance to the palace, when he heard a woman's cry for help. However, he did not find a damsel in distress...
She was all curves. Her oval shaped eyes, the bones of her face, the contour of her brow. Her skin was an exquisite light creaminess and her enormous, light-green eyes with long heavy lashes shadowed her lovely face. Her mouth was rich without being blatant, sweet without being weak. Her jet-black curls gracefully brushed her bare shoulders, as her tight black dress hugged her body. A translucent lavender brassiere peeped out from a slit extending from her collar to midway down her chest. She gave him a sexy stare, and then teased him by glancing at the floor demurely.
Joseph and the Mutant Killers Page 3
