"Has the Rev been here yet?" So were the first hushed words spoken by the man who had just entered the Hospital in New Rydynn. He carried a more functional than fetish Syrynykk spear and the blade gleamed in the light of the lobby. It stood taller than he did and the mirrored shades that were perched atop his nose and reflected Asche's image back to her could only mean one person. Justice.
The medic looked up to him from her seated position. "Who?" Anyone with any sense was suspicious of Justice's presence. And with spear in hand, this was no exception to the rule. She regarded him closely, her features remaining carefully neutral. He was not alone this time. Grendel, the mechanical contraption was his companion and stood just inside of the doors, clearly noticeable. Of course, it was difficult to miss Grendel.
"The Reverend Locutus Brannon. Fang-Face."
A flash of distaste swept over Asche's face and evaporated as quickly as it had materialized. "Who? That big guy who files his teeth? Yeah, now I know."
Ever in that quiet tone that he owned, Justice replied. "I have a surprise for him." The spear stood more rigid as his grip around it tightened.
"Not in here you don't", came the flat response. Ice blue eyes flickered towards the spear and then back to the shaded eyes of the man.
The smile was cracked only in his tone, and it bordered on condescension. "Of course not. Outside … by the bays. It won't take long. Nothing will be damaged."
By the bays. That brought a flare of anger from her and it steeled her tone. "Not by the bays either." She scoffed at his proclamation of no damage. "And so you say."
Terra Skye, who had forthwith remained quiet by Asche's side took this moment to pipe up. "Maybe he won't show."
The face registered no emotion, though the smirk was betrayed in his tone. "He will," replied Justice smugly. "He thinks he is getting you."
Asche swiveled in the chair to face Terra directly. "Of course he will. Anything to make this place a battleground." She wasn't sure if she meant Locutus or Justice by that statement. It could be safely said that no one else was sure either. "Not enough of one out there, you know?"
Terra nodded at the truth of that statement and returned to her quiet position. The air was tilted more to the uncomfortable side of nature. Justice again addressed Asche, plain in his speech as always. "I've never asked you to like me, Mira. Just understand that I do what I have to in order to protect those I care about."
Her eyes narrowed on Justice once more. She had a hard time believing that the man cared about anyone other than himself. His agenda was obscure at best and well hidden, as deftly as the glasses shielded his eyes from view. "Don't ever call me Mira. You got it?" She swung the chair back away from Justice, her back to him and stared blankly at one of Elliot's speakers.
He gave a singular nod. "As you wish."
A chime sounded and the sing-song voice of the ever present Elliot series supercomputer sounded into the lobby. "The ends justify the means. A familiar credo often exemplified in what data I have on the activities of the Cult of the Demon." Elliot always did have a sense of timing on when to interject germane bits of information.
Bliss Lovejoy, who had been overhearing this entire exchange blinked up towards the sound of the computer's voice. "Does it really Elliot? Or is that just another excuse for doing as you please to get what you want?"
Justice looked up to the ceiling, as did most people when addressing Elliot. It was an unnecessary posture for Elliot could be addressed from any position. "Damnit, I have to do this," he said with a voice that was altered enough to sound frightfully close to Garth's. "It is the only way to keep Terra safe." It took him a moment before he realized that he was justifying himself to a computer and her promptly shut up. He gave a long stare to the spear and murmured words known only to himself. On an abrupt turn of his heel, he faced Grendel. "Let's go outside. He should be here before long." He waved the mech forward and strode towards the ambulance bays. Bliss had been given a nod as he departed. He wished her presence, and soon. Grendel followed him with a whir of servos and the heavy thud of tread.
Terra was innately concerned for Justice, both for his promise that he had made, and for the reasons that he truly did this. These were, for the time being, pushed aside, as she and Asche engaged Elliot in a conversation regarding Demmian rurkks, those annoying beetle type creatures that had a fondness for electrical wiring.
Outside, in the bay, man and machine stood side by side and waited. "This is it, Gren. The end." Justice stood against the outer wall, bathed in the concealing blanket of darkness.
"It is about time", responded the machine.
Seconds passed as hours, minutes like days, or so it seemed before Bliss had joined them in the bays. "Gren, Shades. What's going on?"
Justice did not move, and his voice was further lost in the expanse of the covered driveways. "Rev. You know the plan."
Bliss exhaled a slow breath. "Yup."
The mech nodded as well as a mech could. "Ready for it."
And so, the time for the battle had arrived. It was something that was long in coming, and long overdue by most estimates. The Reverend Brannon had caused considerable mayhem in his wake. There was not one soul in the Hospital that he had not marred, and by some counts, not one in the city. An evil man, and a hated one, Locutus evoked a primal response in people. He did not need to open his mouth or utter a word, his mere presence was enough to garner him disgust and fear. No one had yet to go up against him directly. The day of reckoning had come. Justice took a sudden step backwards, into a traditional battle stance. "You guys back up."
The two accessories did as instructed and the trio watched as the arrogant stride of the one brought him into view. He gave a glance towards the motley crew. "Why was I summoned here?" Even as the intended target spoke, he was being silently scanned for weapons by Grendel. He was not there for firepower, but for the surveillance capabilities he afforded.
"You know", came the whispered answer.
"I've got two weapons on him", stated Grendel. "One's in a boot. The other is in a shoulder harness."
The spear was leveled at Locutus' chest. "You knew the rules."
Locutus gave a sly grin, the glint of those filed teeth catching a ray of light. "With you gun happy fools, I have to protect myself. Not that I wouldn't like the good doctor Skye to nurse me back to health." The hidden meanings in that statement rolled off his tongue like a polluting oilslick.
"She'll never have to see you again after tonight, Rev", snarled Justice.
Undaunted by this show of weakness, this anger and protectiveness that was shown towards Terra, the Reverend continued. "Maybe she won't have to see you after tonight. Boy, you should never be too self-assured. That's when you lose." The lightening quick lunge left a slash mark along Justice's cheek and Locutus had backed off again, just as quickly.
In the essence of calm, Justice removed his glasses and handed them to Bliss. Bright violet eyes regarded the Reverend, incandescent of their own accord in the night. "You terrorize me no more, Locutus." A hand raised to brush the blood from his cheek. "Nice. But not enough."
A deep growl resonated from within the toothed-one's chest. Those eyes … those eyes like none other in their luminance were not things that one could forget easily. And the Reverend had a long memory. "Who are you?"
"You know who I am. SSS 3459. Garth Lowinn. Justice. Son of Derrell.. Vengeance. Death." It was for the last two stated reasons that Terra had so feared this encounter. She feared that she would not have Garth back as he was, that he was too far gone, too lost within this incarnation. He believed it as fully as those he wished to buy into the illusion as well.
A smirk scratched over Locutus' features. "I see. You have risen." A momentary glower took the place of the smirk. "Garth … Justice … we can be a team. No damn Freemen or Church could stop us."
"Your goals are not mine, Locutus." Garth laughed sharply at the absurdity of this thought.
"How do you know?" countered the Reverend. "Are you so much different?" It would seem that the good man of the cloth was not so blinded by the virtue of justice delivered in it's purest state. He shook his head. "You are no different than me, Garth. I drink blood to live. I adapted. What is your excuse for lusting death?"
"I don't lust death", came the feeble attempt at justification. "I do what must be done."
"So do I, Garth. Garth, you are a fool. All will use you if they can. At least I admit it."
Anger was getting the better of him as he lashed out, the conflict between Garth and Justice in the same body becoming more and more evident. "You desire nothing but to rule in your own way. Without concern for the wants and needs of those beneath you. You'll never use me!"
"No, I don't, Garth", answered Locutus. "Rule is the last thing on my mind. You lust it … crave it. You just aren't man enough to admit it. You think you are right in your crusade?" He gave an evil laugh, that rumbled from deep within his chest. "Save yourself, Garth, and the woman you profess to love. If you even can."
The man of duality had reached his limit. He would justify nothing to this wanton murderer and purveyor of terror. They were nothing alike, no matter the logical connections that could be made. He served no higher purpose, this walking nightmare of the Church. A snarl erupted from Justice's lips and he lunged forward. The spear slid neatly into Locutus' chest and fully through his body. "Shut up!" It was impressive to watch a man so overcome by his emotions and his passions that he seemed to act on something greater than instinct. It was these actions that thrust the spear through the Reverend's heart, despite the armor he wore. Justice twisted the spear brutally and shredded the cardiac muscle further. "This is your end! Your reign of terror stops now!"
The eyes of the dying man widened in disbelief as the spear ripped through him. The searing pain that danced it's way across his heart was indescribable and words failed him as a dark liquid bubbled around the wound. His lips parted to release an otherworldly wail as he faltered, a staggering step taken backwards. The gleam in his eyes, once so confident had started to fade. A hand reached out as he fell upon the cold floor of the bays and found no parcel. A final word fell from his lips, and it was the name of his killer. It was the last thing he uttered as the damage incurred was finally too much for his body to bear. Locutus lay dead on the concrete of the bays. He had closed his eyes with his parting breath, and an almost peaceful look had taken residence upon his face.
Justice took a step away from the body and sat down on the ground. "Punishment is served. Served swiftly and without mercy. Bastard." A truism for both men. They were both slain in their own way … at least one had their release.