[_____V_____]

(Continued...)


Sector C:

Despare and Paul came down through the river, totally drenched and their HPs soaked. Paul was the first to hit the shore, and he pulled Despare back with him. Both of them fell on the sandy banks and took deep breaths, fighting back the burning pain on their bodies. Just then, they heard a loud war cry in the distance. Despare was too tired to look. Paul lifted his head.

PAPILLON NOIR was racing in their direction, machete lifted high above her head!!

Paul was extremely alarmed. He tried to get up but slid on the wet sands and fell back. Despare tried to grab him but slipped himself, just as Noir closed in on them. Despare tried to lunge back into the river, but Noir was already onto him.

THWACKKK!

A huge red belt of angry, crimson blood swelled across Despare's back and he groaned as he fell face-first into the water. Paul lunged at Noir and pulled her legs towards him, and Noir fell down. Enraged, she turned around in blind fury and swung her machete in a quick gleam of bright steel.

THWACKKK!

Paul fell back with a loud cry, a large cut vomiting blood across his chest. Noir dropped her machete and kicked Paul hard once, sending Paul flying off-balance back into the river. Paul let his body go limp as he felt weakly for his HPs, the waters slowly pulling him towards Despare's body floating in the distance towards destination unknown.



SECTOR B:

MILKTOASTE looked on with a savage gleam of murderous malice in his eyes. Despare's limp body had slowly drifted in and hit some rocks near the bank, and Despare groaned. He had 1 HP left somewhere in his pockets, and was in trouble. Paul was floating towards him in the distance, himself bleeding. Milktoaste didnt notice Paul in the beginning - it was Despare he wanted.

Milktoaste stood up, and walked towards the sandy bank with large strides. Soon, his shadow fell across Despare.

Despare opened one painful eye and squinted at Milktoaste. Milktoaste grinned back at him, eyes enlarged and full of bitter hate. He then surveyed Despare's body, full of cuts, bruises, older wounds healed up, bullet injuries. Despare looked like an old mattress, drilled with holes and cuts everywhere.

"Frankenstein never won any contests, dude," Milktoaste said, slowly and smugly."He only had scars to show for his efforts in the end. Like you!"

Paul had spotted Milktoaste in the distance, towering over Despare. He yelled with a hand extended forward in futility.

Milktoaste had lifted his machete high, and it came hurtling down in a mighty blow.

THRACKKK!!!

The machete ripped through Despare's already opened-up chest, ripping the flesh and cutting through the ribs, possibly puncturing at least one or possibly both of Despare's lungs (and maybe his heart). Despare coughed out blood once, and his head fell back, hands reaching towards his chest. Milktoaste stood back and let Paul drift towards him, and Paul quickly pulled Despare's final HP out to patch him. But it was too late. Despare's eyes were closed, as his body hit a series of death throes.

"Nooooooooooo!" Paul's eyes welled up, as Despare's head and whole body went limp.


DESPARE IS DEAD!!!!!


Paul let out a loud yell and turned towards Milktoaste in fury, forgetting his own pain. "If there is justice in this world, you will get whats coming to you too!" Paul roared. Milktoaste merely smiled, and lifted his machete again.

THWACKKK!

The blow stunned Paul more than he felt the injury. The blade cut deep across his belly and almost opened his guts out, sending him doubled over. He moaned loudly as he reached for his HPs. Milktoaste dropped his machete with a grin on his face, but Paul's spoken words apparently had an immediate effect.

For a trio of red dots had zoomed in on Milktoaste from behind.

THRACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

The plasma beam came hurtling down from the trees, and hit Milktoaste squarely on his left thigh, as he had taken a step forward just then. He was spinned around and went down to the ground, letting out a huge cry. The Predator's eyes glowed once, then disappeared. It swung across the trees and moved out of sight, as Paul snuck a glance at Milktoaste reaching for something.

Fighting back the severe jolts of spasms racking his body, Paul smiled widely, then his smile froze on his face.

Milktoaste got up, and rubbed his leg once. Paul's mouth opened, and stayed agape. Milktoaste looked at Paul's expression and grinned with a wink. Then he slowly put the shining, titanium-covered PREDATOR SHIELD down, and stashed it behind his back again.


(To Be Continued...)