The Ultimate Antidote

Written by: Matdeception

Ranma 1/2 Notes: Takes place after Saffron and the failed wedding.

X-Men Evolution: Shortly after Wanda showed up, who showed up far earlier in the series in this 'verse. Day of Reckoning is still far off.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights of Ranma 1/2, nor X-men evolution. I write this piece of fan fiction to pay homage to the original creators, and nothing more. Nor would I ever seek to monetary gain through said intellectual property.

Chapter 5: The bill is passed; Hot death visits Nerima.

With a simple click, the lights flared to life, blinding any who had become accustomed to the darkness prior to the lights coming on. That only applied to one person, and he ignored it.

Karika Musashi, Commander of Agency Nero, Japan's first, last and currently only line of offense against the growing mutant menace, walked into the large sterilized research lab. Stepping over various cables littering the floor running from one diagnostics machine to another, Musashi wondered what part they played in the overall design and development of mutant countermeasures. He pushed that away as he realized it wasn't important, not like the towering behemoths of iron and steel pressed against the wall, held in place by magnetic locks. The lifeless yellow optical sensors staring blankly outward, he grinned knowing just how these particular weapons were meant to defend the pure from the unclean.

Personal Armored Sentinels, or PAS as the upper brass called them, were similar to the secret Sentinel program of America, but with many key differences. The laser turrets had been removed from its torst, retrofitted with a pilots seat and controls, thus making the automated machines piloted weapons, while similar to the designs stolen from abroad, sported some new intimidating firepower. Combined with the units high combat capabilities, lethal energy rounds from its arms, mutant identification sensors, Bakali to seal mutants in stasis, missile turrets, and last but not least the Wave Disruptor; a theoretical system designed to emit varying waves of electromagnetic interference proven to disrupt mutations, all together combining into a formidable weapon. One thing Japan realized, or Takahashi really, was that leaving the fighting to mere machines just wasn't satisfactory. They had to be there, see with their own eyes as the mutants were brought to heel. Leave it to machines, and you never knew if the job ever truly got done.

"Such wonderful instruments of death." Musashi chuckled, watching the silent killers with no small amount of respect and anticipation.

"Must you slobber over them, Sashi?"

Musashi bristled angrily, "Galloway."

Galloway was a mystery to him. Incredibly intelligent, with numerous degrees in fields Musashi hadn't even realized existed. He, along with Doctor Hiami, had virtually constructed each and every device that mimicked mutant mutations. It was a wonder Takahashi even let the foreigner do as much as he did.

"Is there an actual purpose for your visit?" the short slim scientist asked, busily typing away at his keyboard.

"I came down to inform you Hiami is..."

"Gone, fired, terminated." Galloway snorted, "Sashi, my assistants will be arriving soon, I'd be pleased if you wouldn't bother us with such trivial concerns."

"Wha, how?"

"Mr. Hiami came by and raided our experimental drug supply." the doctor commented, idly pointing to a medicine cabinet. The cabinet was trashed, hand prints smeared with blood marking the door, the floor littered with bottles, their contents spread everywhere.

Musashi frowned, "And you didn't stop him?"

Galloway blinked, "I didn't realize my contract included security."

"Idiot! What if he stole an Omega protocol?"

Galloway stopped what he was doing, "Oh dear." he shrugged, "I knew we were missing something dreadful. Oh well."

"Wha! You?" Musashi turned red, hands twitching sporadically.

"But, since the Omega protocol is kept in the vault, the likely hood of that is nil." the man finished with a smile. "A sample of the X factor was taken, however."

"X factor?"

"An experimental drug designed in Essex's report." Galloway shrugged, "It's designed for use by our field officers, imitating the healing factor of a mutant known as Wolverine. It's not nearly as potent as the true mutation, but it will eventually get the job done."

Musashi growled, "Why wasn't I notified of this?" At least he knew why the doctor took it, what with his bullet wound.

"Of the X factor theft? Or of the X factor itself?"

Musashi bristled. The man was just trying to get a rise out of him! "Both!"

"It wasn't finished." he shrugged, "While its effects as are we intended, the side effect makes the drug useless in the actual field. It induces a deep slumber within seconds of ingestion. I'm sure you can understand the impracticality of taking these during the heat of battle." he waved the man off, "As I said, I'm not a member of security. Now, if you please Sashi, I'm very busy."

Growling, the man snapped around and walked away.

Ranma didn't know if he even wanted to understand all the crap he just heard. X factor? Xavier? Mutants with the dream of leading humans into a new age, heck, even mutants wanting to take over the world? Why the hell did he have to deal with this crap? Why couldn't he just be left the hell alone to live his damn life? It's not like his mutation was dangerous, he didn't even give a damn about stupid politics. If they wanted to take over the world, let em try.

"Ranma." Mystique, having long sense resumed her Nodoka persona, placed a hand gently over his, "Dear, I know this is going too fast to understand. Things rarely make sense like that. Just please, trust me. Everything's going to be fine."

"Fine?" he blinked, "Fine!" he scowled, "This is crazy! Ever since I found out you were a mutant, everything's gone to hell! Everyone's pissed off, an you go off an get shot by the same bastards you're workin for. Found out their watchin to recruit me, then those dorks show up from America or wherever tryin to recruit me, heck, even Kuno's tryin to recruit me over this shit! You ask me to trust you after all the damn lies?" he ripped his hand away bitterly.

He was more angry at himself then her. Just the sight of his mother lying in her bed, bleeding like she was, had set him over the edge. He was no better then a cold bloodied killer at that point. It was crazy luck that dick could regenerate like he could. He held no illusions, the guy would have died without a super-regeneration mutation like he had. All that, the rage, the fact he was willing to kill at the drop of a hat was what hurt him deep down. The rage, everything, it only showed him that even some one who claims to 'Protect the weak' could just as easily kill an innocent.

Nodoka sighed, shaking her head sadly, "Dear. I know you're upset. I know you're scared. We'll get through."

"Shut up!"

She winced, "Dear I..."

"No!" he rolled back, jumping to his feet, "I don't want to hear it anymore! As far as I care, this isn't my problem!"

There were perhaps few things that could seriously piss Nodoka off. When things weren't going her way, she got pissed. When people refused to face the truth, she got pissed. When her own son refused the truth, she got furious. Faster then he had ever seen the woman move she was up in his face, and while he saw the blow coming he just stared dumbly as the woman slapped him.

"You think this is about you?" she scowled, "You're nothing compared to the big picture! A tick, a pathetic bug they could squash in a moments notice!" she grabbed him by the shirt, getting directly in his face, "You can't run from yourself. Can't blame everyone else for your own damn problems! Once that bill is passed, no one's going to care if you helped them before. No one's going to care if you saved their life. You'll be targeted before the ink dries! You will be taken, at best they'd kill you, but I know Musashi. I know Takahashi. They'll use you, make you kill each and everyone with the mutant gene before making you take your own damn life! Is that what you want?"

"Let me go." his whispered, shaking terribly as his mother held him.

Growling, fist quivering, her knuckles turning white. Why? Why did he refuse to face the truth! He was a mutant! He wasn't going to be safe anywhere. He may be able to fake being normal, but sooner or later, everyone would find out and that would be the end of him. Why couldn't he see that? She released him, pushing him back angrily, "Let you go? Dear boy, haven't you realized?" she chuckled, nastily, "You're my son. I'll never let you go."

"Mom?" Ranma shuddered, his ire near its breaking point. "Kiss my ass."

"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma." Nabiki sighed, her frustration for the pigtailed jock was at an all time high. He had become reclusive and depressed: almost as if everyone had turned against him, and he couldn't deal with it in his usual manner. Which wasn't true, but it was the reason, she knew, for his recent problems with Akane and for his inaction with Kuno. Which just begged the question of why. What did Akane and Kuno have to do with his bad mood?

No, that wasn't the right direction. The boy had started acting this way when he returned from the hospital, so that was where it all likely started up. She wasn't use to the jock of all people confusing her like this, and found to her endless frustration, she just could figure out what the hell was going on.

Her biggest obstacle to solving the mystery was the lack of allies, so to speak. It galled her to no end when everyone seemed to accept Nodoka's story at face value, even when she pointed out obvious half truths in her words. Akane might have believed her at first, but she was in no mood to deal with anything pigtailed related. The girl was just a bundle of nerves; nearly snapping at anyone who even mentioned the guy's name. She knew her sister was hurting through all this, which was just another incentive to find out what was bothering the guy. Solve the problem, and help her sister. It was just that easy. Now if only he'd show up.

"We take you now to Mt. Fuji, where the convention to decide the ultimate fate of the Mutant Screening Bill, proposed by Taisa Takahashi, will be met. Inchinada, how are things on sight?"

Nabiki blanched. And then there were her own problems to deal with. This mutant screening bill was nothing more then a green flag for anti-mutant supporters to go nuts. The fact the contents of said Bill were largely classified provided enough screaming evidence to support her theory; What better way to surprise your enemies, then for them not to know it's coming, and in what form?

"Things have heated up in the last hour or so. Runners have been coming and going with seemingly no pattern to it. Ten minutes ago key speaker Isaruu Daigouji, of the Mutants Rights core formed by the Industrial Giant Syntech, walked out of hearings abruptly. Now, he didn't have any comments for reporters, but with the exit of Japans leading mutant sympathizer, it indicates things are not looking well for the Sympathetic Party. Back to you, Braska."

"Oh my." Kasumi sighed, "It's so sad."

Sighing, Nabiki grabbed her books from the floor. "I'll be in my room."

The phone rang. Musashi sighed, stamping out his cigarette and answering it, "Musashi speaking."

"Deploy." Takahashi's voice immediately identified. So this was it.

"Primary targets?"

"Affirmative. Wait for further instructions. Out." the line went dead.

"Heh." he sighed, "This is it."

Nodoka was in no mood to deal with her son. The mule was truly Genma's child; he inherited all the worse parts. Stubborn, overconfident, and overwhelmingly aggravating when he wanted to be. Things may be going to fast for the boy to keep up, but he had to learn things weren't just going to slowly build up. She supposed she should feel pity for him, but the times were too dire. It was only a matter of time until shit hit the fan, minutes, days, weeks, who knew how much time she had left to convince him he was already involved, and no amount of whining was going to get him out of it.

She startled, torn from her thoughts at the insistent ringing of her phone. Sighing, she picked it up, "Saotome Residence, Nodoka speaking."

"The ink is dry." was the only words spoken before the other line was cut.

She slammed the phone down, "Shit."

"Officer on deck!"

Musashi couldn't contain his zeal, taking long, hurried steps down the ranks of solders to either side. They were all trained killers, the product of a civilization who had finally ultimately condemned mutant kind. The best of the best, gathered in installations like these all over the country. They were to be the figurative hammer, slamming upon the nails that were mutants. Smothering them, bringing true annihilation to the weak bloods.

Oooh! He was so giddy he felt butterflies in his stomach!

"Major Sho!"

A man, roughly 5'7 in height, military cut and an all around hard figure. He was Major Sho, commander of Alpha Squad and charged with the eradication of mutants on the motherland.

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Have your men been briefed on their target?"

"Sir, yes sir! Lieutenant's Nimonia and Ishii have been dispatched, currently in route to Primary targets two, and three. Sir!"

Musashi grunted, "Excellent Major."

"Sir, I have not been informed of my target, sir!"

Musashi smirked, "Saotome, Ranma. Kill the others."

Sho frowned dangerously, "Sir, has target been scanned for the X-gene, sir?"

"Yes he has." Musashi waved him off, "He's clean. A simple acquire and retrieve operation. These orders come from Tasai Takahashi himself, Major."

The soldier nodded, "Sir, I understand, Sir."

"Good."

Sakura Nimonia was a solider first and foremost. Death before dishonor, these were the words she lived by, these were the words she expected everyone, both under her command, and those living the civilian life, to follow. The mutants have been claimed a danger to the Diet, to the very world. To have the chance to cleanse the herd, to cull the weak dishonorable blood from the greater whole was more then her duty, it was her divine honor!

She was also a strikingly beautiful woman, with raven black hair that shimmered in the high noon sun, bountiful breasts, long legs, and full pouting lips. She had many nicknames among the soldiers in her troupe. White snake, White Widow, White death, and many other variations of White. She prided herself on her purity, both of mind and body. She was a true implement of Kami-sama, and now that the word from on high had been passed down, it was time to descend upon the Lambs.

"Sir!" one of her aids called out. "All troops present and accounted for. Squad Beta, and Theta have encircled the complex, with Zeta squad set up in prime sniping conditions surrounding all ways in, and out of that building."

"And Yoku?"

"He's in the PAS, waiting for deployment."

"Understood. Hold positions until my command."

"Sir yes sir!"

No one paid any mind to the duck with coke bottle size glasses running into the building.

Katshuhito Ishii wasn't recruited for his discipline, for his devotion to the Diet, or any such nonsense. Killing for the benefit of anyone other then himself was a waste of time in his eyes. No, he wasn't recruited for such noble notions as pride and honor, but for his patience. The son of an educator, he had grown up within a strict environment, with parents who demanded complete obedience and tact from their children at all times. Putting up with their abuse for twenty four years had taught him that one, valuable trait. Considering the target, and his habit of vanishing for weeks at a time, Ishii knew only a patient man had a chance of catching the wayward wanderer.

"Hibiki, Ryoga, you have to come home some time."

Silently, she climbed out her window, reached back into her room and bringing out a large back pack stuffed with her belongings.

So, it had finally come to this, had it? She was no fool, it was simply a matter of time until the Bill would be passed, and open hunting season would be called on everyone with the X-gene. It would be better to run now, get as much distance between herself and the government that would betray her before they finally did.

Quickly donning her back, she crawled towards the very edge. Hesitantly, she kneeled down, slowly lowering herself over the side. When she could lower herself no more, she gritted her teeth and let go. Slamming into the ground, she resisted the urge to hiss as her legs flared in pain. She really wish she had her sisters strength of body.

Nabiki quickly tip toed across the yard, lest anyone spotted her in her escape. Once at the back door, she stole a glance back to the house that had been her home all her life. Memorized its faults, its craftsmanship, every little nook and cranny that had been crammed with cheap plaster, a testament to the amount of repairs the old house had gone through of late. She'd miss this place. Miss her family, miss the adventures, miss everything and everyone. She hoped the letter she left would explain things enough so they'd understand her reasoning. It was do or die, now.

"Yoku."

The sharp hiss of his radio sounded, "Yoku, reporting."

"Begin scanning establishment for mutants." Sakura ordered, the large truck behind her shaking suddenly as the large behemoth shifted to do as ordered.

"Affirmative. Scanning now."

The restaurant appeared designed for the low level consumer, with various signs proclaiming specials posted about the windows and busy with the coming and going of patrons, all of which were either ignorant of her troops presents, or just outright ignored it. Not that she cared, to her they were behaving like traditional Japanese citizens, loyal to a fault, untainted by the blood of Caine.

"Scan complete. Negative mutant detection." Yuko's voice came over the radio.

"Understood. Beta, Theta, proceed with capture and retrieval. Keep those gun's safety on, and only shoot if given no other options. These aren't mutants. Zeta, remain in position. Fire on my orders, and my orders alone."

"Sir!"

"QUACK! QUACK!"

"Chow Mein, pick up!" Cologne shouted, ignoring the frantic blabbering duck as she busied herself in the kitchen. "And you, Mr. Part Time, get me some more spice from the pantry!"

"QUACK! QAAAAAAAAAAAAAUCK!" Mousse frantically shouted, hopping from one webbed foot to the other, exclaiming urgency.

Cologne frowned, hopping off the counter next to the duck, "I'm sensing you have something to tell me?"

"QUAAAAACK! QUACK! QUACK!"

"I see.." she sighed, shaking her head sadly, "You know I can't understand a word you're saying."

"...Quack.."

Suddenly the windows exploded inward, men dressed in black and grey camouflage suits flipping in. Surprised, the customers screamed in terror when they brought sub-machine guns out.

Quickly, Cologne jumped back to the counter, assessing the situation.

Shampoo was struggling to her feet, looking dazed. Probably caught in the explosion.

Customers were panicking, screaming, and making a chaotic mess out of everything.

Mousse was Quacking up a storm, rolling his eyes at her. Is this what he wanted to warn her about?

"EVERYONE IS UNDER ARREST!"

Cologne raised an eyebrow. She had just been considering who was attacking them. Her thoughts had ranged from Shinobi, to Terrorists, to some poor slob who had gotten food poisoning here last month and wanted revenge. She never really expected the police to be involved in this. "Okay..." Did they really have to blow out her windows?

The drive from Nero had been uneventful, something Sho was insanely glad for. With the Mutant Screening bill passing, he had expected the mutants infesting Japan to run or riot, causing untold damage and who knew how many deaths in the wake of their passing. Mutant Screening. Just a phrase designed to protect the weak minds of the masses. They may as well call it cleansing, because thats what it was. Orders to locate mutants, shoot if they even give the slightest hint of resistance, or deliver them to a 'Containment' camp. Just another word for concentration camp, but only he and the upper brass actually realized that.

His radio hissed. "Bravo company reporting. Primary targets Three present and accounted for. Transferring prisoners to Nero containment station four. Negative Mutant activity. Nimonia out."

Sho smiled. No one had to die so far, good news if he ever heard any. If the other primary targets fell just as easily, then the mutant menace would be dealt with quickly, and efficiently, once they coerced and trained them, anyway.

"Sir, we're coming up to the targets." his driver informed him.

"Pull over here Sergeant." he grunted, pointing to a spot thirty yards from their Target, the Tendo Dojo. Picking up his radio, he ordered, "Snipers, set up a open one hundred meters from target in all directions, two hundred meters separate of each other. Infantry, encircle the compound. Yamazaki..." he blinked, catching sight of a teenage girl in his review mirror, lugging a rather large overstuffed backpack down the street, "... Yamazaki. Begin sweeping the compound and adjacent area's for the mutant gene."

"Affirmative."

As the truck pulled to a stop, Sho shot his driver a serious look, "Have the PAS ready to deploy at a moments notice. This is our number one priority target, lets not get careless."

"Sir!" The driver quickly relayed that order.

"Scanning." came the mechanical reply though his radio.

Ranma frowned, peering over the edge of the roof he was on, "What the heck did the old ghoul do now?" He had arrived just in time to see Cologne, Shampoo, and a struggling duck being carted from the restaurant, a rather large mass of people being loaded into another van, and enough soldiers with uzis to take over the district! What the hell's going on?

When the news vans started pulling up, he decided it was time to make a hasty exit.

-0-0-0-

"Scanning complete. Targets three, five, and six carry dormant X-genes. Targets One, and four not present. Target two scans negative."

Sho cursed. Shit! Their target wasn't even here!

"Permission to breach?"

So their target wasn't there just then, he was willing to bet from the profile on the boy if they caused enough noise he'd come running. He wasn't about to fail his first time out. "Confirmed. Remember, target two from briefing is not a mutant, let's not kill our own kind, gentlemen."

"Sir!"

"Yamazaki, deploy."

"Affirmative." Yamazaki replied, just before a loud humming sound began to generate from the truck, which began to shake and vibrate as it's massive cargo began to come alive. The trucks rear end blew our, metal twisting, screaming it's sorrowful cry as a large black hand broke free from it's confines, followed it's feet breaking through the bottom, destroying the truck's rear axel, before the roof met a similar fate as the giant Black Sentinel with red trimmings stood tall and proud.

People stopped where they were, watching in mute fascinated horror as the thing from what they could only describe as a hellish dream came alive. Each step it took left a deep booted imprint in the street, it's hellish golden eyes glowing with evil intent as it rounded the truck, and began moving towards the Tendo compound.

"The sleeping Giant has awoken." Sho smirked viciously.

Things were quickly spiraling out of control for her, Nodoka realized as she hastened her journey to the Tendos. With the bill signed, it was only a matter of time until they showed up and attacked. Being in bed with the Agency had given her much information concerning attack scenarios once the bloody thing had started. The Tendos, or more importantly, her son had been targeted for retrieval and reeducation. They had planned to turn him into the perfect killing machine, along with other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew, as the top brass called them. She couldn't allow that to happen, not now. If her son hadn't become a mutant, she might of been able to live with the knowledge that he would be turned to hunt her, and her kind down till his death. But he was a mutant, which only guaranteed him death, swiftly, and as painful as possible.

In such a hurry, she failed to watch exactly where she was going. When she rounded the corner leading to the Tendo Dojo, she ran face first into Nabiki, the sudden jolt surprising her, both women falling to the ground in a heap.

"Ow!"

"Nabiki!"

Nabiki winced. She had been hoping to make a clean getaway, but it seemed at least one person had managed to spot her. And it was Nodoka of all people. Perfect, "Ah... sorry Auntie." she pulled herself up, leaning over to help the older woman, "Guess I wasn't watching where I was..."

The sound of metal ripping, twisting, and being torn apart ended her sentence right then and there. She turned and looked back towards her home and watched, horrified, as a metal monster tore through free of a truck and began to rise.

Nodoka cursed, "Shit! Too late!"

Had Nabiki been in her right state of mind, she would have been shocked to hear the woman sound off like that, but she wasn't in her right state of mind. Panic, fear, anxiety, all of which descended upon her as she watched one of the weapons designed to personally kill off her, and other mutants like her. "I... I've got to run!" she jerked her hands away from Nodoka.

As Nabiki reached for her pack, Nodoka grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her against the wall, hard, "Nabiki!" she hissed, dangerously, "Have you seen Ranma? He wasn't at your house, was he?"

"Ranma?" Nabiki blinked, then scowled as she tried to break Nodoka's hold, "Who gives a shit about Ranma? Let me go damn it, before it notices me!"

Blinking, Nodoka turned towards the Sentinel, then towards Nabiki. Of course... "You're a mutant, aren't you."

"YES!" Nabiki screamed, desperately trying to get away. Who knew a woman like Nodoka could be so damn strong?

Nodoka shuddered, pulling Nabiki back some, before slamming her up against the wall again, "Dear god! Do you have any idea what this means? They... they're dead... they're all going to be killed!" If Nabiki was a mutant, that meant Akane and Kasumi had the gene as well. She knew the Sentinels, knew enough about them to know they could detect a dormant gene as well as an active one. Which meant...

"Who? Who's dead?"

Nodoka's grip weakened, "Ever... everyone..."

A brief, but bright flash of light shined from the Tendo Compound blinding them both momentarily as the metal robot fired some kind of weapon into the courtyard

It was too late... too late. She couldn't save them. There was nothing she could do... Looking towards Nabiki, who had grown silent and watched in morbid fascination, Nodoka's resolve firmed. She couldn't save the others, but... maybe, just maybe she could save her. "Nabiki!" she hissed. The girl remained unresponsive, so Nodoka slapped her, "Nabiki!"

"Wha?" she looked up at the older woman, undisguised fear raging through her eyes, her body shuddering as she held in the sudden overpowering horror and fear at what was happening.

"Listen to me. And listen close. Grab your bag, and run. Run, don't stop until you reach my house." she looked back down the street, scowling, "When I find Ranma, we'll find a way to get out of this. I promise."

"Wha... bu.." Nabiki's words fell silent as the woman holding her melted away, her form shifting to that of a man wearing a military battle dress uniform.

"Now go!" the man hissed, pushing her away as he ran down the street.

Shocked, Nabiki stumbled backwards, pack firmly in hand.

... Nodoka was a mutant?

A few minutes Earlier

Genma blinked, head snapping up and to the right as the sickening sound of metal being twisted and broken reached his ears. Senses coming to full alert in an instant, he managed to catch a glint from the sun. "What the..."

"Something's wrong." Soun frowned.

"No, really?" Genma bit off sarcastically, walking away from their Shogi game into the yard, where he jumped up and landed on the wall.

"See anything?"

"No, there isn't..." Genma's words were cut off as a blob of green goo rocketed from his side, slamming into him, before carrying him back down to the ground and solidifying

"SAOTOME!" Soun raced towards his friend. The goo began to harden quickly, far too quickly for either of the men to do anything about it. When a large shadow appeared overhead, Soun gulped, nervously turning around to face a metal monster, it's arm extended downward, hand no more then a foot from his face. "Uh..." When a small hole opened at the base of it's palm and began to glow dangerously, he knew there would be no escape.

Genma watched, horrified as a bright pink beam of light tore from the monsters palm, engulfing his friend in a deadly conflagration of hot death. Soun, from his waist and up, was vaporized, his useless legs falling to the ground, twitching.

The cold metal monster spoke, "Target six, neutralized. Target Two, incapacitated."

"GO GO GO GO GO!" Men, dressed in the military uniform of his country, began pouring into the Tendo compound, all armed with sub machine guns and grenades strapped to their chests. "Fine targets three and five! PURGE THE MUTANT GENE!"

Genma, unable to move do to the gel, only managed a glimpse of a Japanese military office from the side of his eye giving the orders. He dimly heard the words he spoke, and rage began to build up in his chest, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

The mechanical beast above him shifted its gaze from the house, to Genma, lying helplessly in Bakali, trapped within the stasis goo. It made no other motions.

Ranma gave the man a weird look. It was strange to find anyone on the roof tops aside from him and the others. The man was lying down, a large rather deadly looking rifle held snug against his shoulder, his attention completely focused on the task at hand. What was he looking at. Following his gaze, Ranma blinked. A huge robot lookin head was sticken up, about a hundred meters away. Weird. "Hey man..."

Kaito blinked, slowly turning towards whoever the hell had managed to sneak up on him, "Uh..."

"What's going on?" The kid motioned towards what he had been aiming at, "We being invaded?"

"Kid." Kaito snorted, turning back, "This area's quarantined, get out of here before you get hurt."

Ranma frowned, glancing back to the metal behemoth. Just what the hell was going on... and hey, wait a minute... wasn't that... the TENDO'S YARD?"

"She's not in the living room!" she heard some one shout.

Kasumi whimpered, hiding in the kitchen behind the counters, her mothers steel cutting knife held shakily in her grips.

She had been cleaning the kitchen when everything started, looking up just in time to watch her fathers death at the hand of a giant metal monster. Fear gripped her heart, and she sought a place to hide.

"Upstairs! GO GO GO GO!" The harsh sound of boots slamming on the stairs, followed by the sound of doors being broken in, filled her with panic. She was so scared... so scared! She didn't want to die! She didn't want to...

"So this is where you were hiding."

Kasumi cried, looking up into the cold eyes of who she knew would be her killer. The man lifted his sub machine gun, pointing it directly in her face. "Good night." and fired. The woman jerked back and fell, blood splattering the cupboards and floor. The Soldier clicked his radio, "Target five has been neutralized."

"HYAAA!" Akane slammed her fist down, decimating the stone cinder blocks like nothing. When that idiot got back, she was going to give him a peace of her mind! Couldn't that jerk see he was hurting her? Why couldn't he just apologize? Every time she saw him, the pain he caused her when she thought he was dead would flare up, hurting her even more. Damn, she really needed to find that jerk and make him apologize.

A loud swish followed by a flash of light caught her attention. She barely heard some one yell, "Leave them alone!"

"What the heck?" Akane blinked. That was Uncle Saotome! What the heck was going on? Inching towards the door, she carefully pressed her ear up to the hard surface.

"GO GO GO GO GO!"

"Find targets three and five! PURGE THE MUTANT GENE!"

"What the.." she mouthed, glancing at the door in confusion. Just what the heck was going on?

"Sir! Target Five has been neutralized!"

"Hah! Bring her body out here."

Fear gripped at her heart. Purge? Kill? Terminated? Against her better judgement, she carefully, ever so carefully slid the Dojo door open just a peak. At first she couldn't see much of anything, but as she moved around and repositioned herself, she caught sight of Uncle Saotome encased in some type of green goo on the far side of the yard. There was a lump of something near him, but she couldn't make it out from where she was. Two soldiers appeared, carrying a body by its shoulders and feet. Confused, she leaned against the door some more, trying to get a better look. Wait... isn't that Kasumi's dress?

"Here's number five." one of the men in black grunted, the two soldiers dumping Kasumi on the ground.

"KASUMI! YOU BASTARDS! I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD!" Genma cried, eyes unable to break away from the sight of Kasumi, dead, her face nothing more then a tortured mess of broken bones, blood, and torn meat.

"Ka... Ka... Kasumi!" Fear gripped her heart, in surprise she fell back, eyes open wide in horrified realization at what was going on. "Dead... dead..."

The door to the dojo slammed open, the same men in black who had tossed Kasumi like a piece of meat staring at her, guns slowly rising.

"Here's number three." the raised their guns and opened fire.

As the sound of automatic gunfire reached his ears, Ranma launched into action, grabbing the soldier by the shirt and pulling him up viciously. Caught by surprise, Kaito didn't even so much as react as the boy decked him.

Dropping the soldiers unconscious body, the jock took off at high speeds for the Dojo. "I'm coming guys! I'm coming!"

Fuel by rage at the sight of her murdered sister, Akane found herself immersed in her element. As the men pressed the trigger, she was already moving, faster then she ever moved before as she flowed into her attacks. Ducking low, she slammed a fist into the first mans unguarded stomach, following with a lightning fast jump kick to the other mans head. The sickening sound of his neck snapping was ignored. They had attacked first, they had killed her sister, and if the sickening realization she was feeling was true, her father too. She would have vengeance.

Even the sight of the huge mechanical monster didn't phase her. Too enraptured by the rage, the burning desire for revenge, Akane pushed into the yard.

Sho's eyebrow rose, "All personal, fire at will!" Barking his order, Sho had unintentionally made himself Akane's focus of rage. This was the man! This was the bastard who killed her sister! He would pay, by all might God, HE WOULD PAY!

Flowing forward, unmindful of the bullets singing through the air, missing here by only scant millimeters, she came upon the first set of Soldiers seeking to bar her path forward. Slapping the first mans gun to the side, unintentionally mowing down a group of three men running out of the house to join the fight, she followed through with an upwards palm thrust to the mans face, placed carefully just below the bridge of his nose.

A loud snap echoed in her ears as she finished her strike. Nose broken, cartilage shoved straight up into the man's brain, she knew he was no longer a threat. Pushing him to the side, she was forced to leap left, and then roll back to the right as automatic gunfire trailed her every move. Coming to her feet by the second soldier seeking to impede her progress, she once again leapt into the air, delivering a brutal spin kick to the soldiers face, dropping him like a sack of bricks.

Six down, more to come. Seeing her path towards Sho clear, she took off at a dead run. This bastard would pay! Pay for everything! Pay for hurting her family!

Sho had seen some strange things in his life, but the image of a little girl brutally beating and killing his men wasn't something he ever envisioned. And now that girl was charging him. Yamazaki didn't have a prayer of stopping the girl either, the PAS only now slowly moving to intercept.

Akane screamed in rage as she neared her target, form cocooned in a strange blue light as she neared him.

In lightning fast motions, Sho pulled his personal sidearm free, aimed directly at the girl charging him and fired repeatedly. The girl staggered, taking bullet after bullet until she finally fell, her forward motion causing her to slide a good ten feet before coming to a stop. Sho didn't take a chance, lining his shot and pulling the trigger several more times as he unloaded the clip into the girl.

Click, click the gun went as he ran out of bullets. Shot pressed his radio, barking "Target three, neutralized!"

To be Continued (You bet your ass it will)

AN: Revised bit here. I actually had more trouble editing this then I thought I would. I knew when I began this particular chapter would give me problems as, while I do not like Akane, killing her, Kasumi, and Soun was a bit tougher then I expected. Which is weird, when I originally wrote this I didn't really give a spit except for Kasumi. Guess my cold black heart is thawing some-what.