Chapter 15

Endgame

Something was amiss. Dread ran through every fiber of Scar's being, and he perceived the source of his discomfort directly behind him. Hesitantly, he faced the other way. Awaiting him was a girl he never expected to see again, one he cast aside once she no longer had any use to him. She was back now, and with a vengeance. So stunned was he by her presence that he barely managed to block a punch aimed right for his heart. The force from it got him off-balance, giving Chris ample time to snatch something right out of his grasp.

"Gah! My remote!" he howled. Indeed, the device that controlled the bombs he planted around Malibu University now belonged to the one person who would certainly make him pay dearly for his mistake. Acknowledging this as well, Chris slyly smiled as she tossed the remote up and down in her hand.

"Missing something?" she asked mockingly.

"Christine..." Scar spoke every syllable of her name bitterly, so much so that they stung his tongue. "You're certainly a sight for sore eyes. I'm pleased to see you're doing so well however. I was wondering where you got off to after our last encounter."

When Chris didn't answer, he chuckled, recounting something of importance.

"That's right. I wiped your memory clean, didn't I? Do you even know who I am?"

"I...do. It's strange, but just looking at that face of yours is bringing back things."

"...Is that so?"

Observing the scene above him, Dyson Glee held his mouth open in shock. "Is that...Chris?! Even she's apart of this?! Chris! Hey, Chris! What's going on?!"

Being too busy dealing with Scar, Chris didn't hear him.

"Ugh! Notthat girl!" said Mandy in disgust. "I betshe's the reason we're all being held here against our wills like this! I seriously can'tstand her!"

"D-Don't be that way, Mandy," Trent told her.

"That girl just can't keep out of trouble, can she?" said Melody, who found herself unable to stop grinning for whatever reason. "...Go get 'em, kid!"

Even with the remote for Scar's explosives in hand, Chris felt anxious around the man, like he could pop out and take it back from her whenever he felt like it.

"What's the matter, Christine? I'm the one that should be sweating," he stated, picking up on her emotions. "Come now. I trained you to keep your cool during any situation."

"Be quiet! And stop calling me that already! Drop the act! You're finished! Without this thing, there isn't anything you can do! Why don't you just surrender already?!"

"My, my." Scar sighed, resting his head in his palm as if he were merely bored. "You certainly are fired up. I suppose you were always that way though. Yes. It was one of your more endearing traits."

"D-Didn't I tell you to shut up?!"

"And we certainly can't forget that temper of yours. Perhaps you got that from your dear mother."

Chris discovered it difficult to maintain her composure in her former boss' presence. The more Scar moved his lips, the more her limbs quivered in rage.

"I was positive we'd never see one another again," continued Scar. "To think you'd actually have the courage to face me here today after what happened previously, Christine."

"Seriously, just...stop!Stop saying that name!"

"Maybe it's a good thing though. Perhaps you still have some of that ruthlessness and cunning in you I valued so highly. It made you the perfect spy, the perfect..."

"BE QUIET!" Chris screamed at the top of her lungs. Out of breath, she caught a glimpse at all the people below staring at her like she were insane. Even she had no explanationfor her haphazard outburst. "...J-Just...stop..."

"That's good, Christine. Use that anger and hatred you have for me! That is your strength! That is what drove you to come this far, even without your memories!"

"Would you cut the crap?!" Chris, wanting to shield her ears from his words, settled on holding out his remote and dangling her thumb over the switch. "This is the button that disables the bombs, right?!"

"Indeed it is. So, you intend to destroy our ambitions just like that?"

"...Don't rope me in with you, you bastard! We might've done some awful things together, but I'mnothing like you!"

"You're free to lie to yourself as much as you'd like, Christine. Whatever alleviates that guilt of yours."

"It's not a lie! I...I...!"

"You what, Christine? Come now. You know I speak nothing but the truth. You talk as if you were some mere accomplice, yet you went along with everything I asked of you and more. You never so much as voiced a single complaint. In fact, youenjoyed that carnage we created together, didn't you?"

"That isn't true! I never...!"

"You wanted to wipe out WOOHP and peace as much as I did. Yes, when you think about it, Christine, we're merely two side of the same coin. We..."

"Just...s-stop it already! STOP IT!"

Pushed over the deep end, Chris slammed her thumb down on the remote in the hopes it would not only disable the bombs, but also Scar's venom-spewing lips. However, the only thing that seemed to come of her action was Scar laughing like a madman. The sounds of this echoed end-to-end in the otherwise quiet auditorium, leaving those present to watch him with widened, worried eyes.

"...What the hell is so funny?!" asked Chris after a while. "WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY?!"

"...How fortunate for me," he responded, getting the last of his chuckles out. "I apologize. I just never imagined things would go so smoothly."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"I see. So, you never realized it? It seems you were so dead set on coming after me that you never once considered you and your friends were walking into a trap."

"A...trap?"

"What in the world are you talking about, Scar?!" asked Jerry Lewis.

Rather than clarifying, Scar chose to show them. When he reached up to his face, every single person in the gymnasium gasped in unison as he yanked it right off. Hiding behind it were a cavalcade of electronics, wires, and even a small screen in the center.

"H-He was a robot?!" proclaimed Sam.

Alex wrapped her hands around her head and could only muster a, "Whoa..."

"W-Wait a sec! Was he always a robot, or is there another Scar running around?!" pondered Clover.

No one had to wait long for an explanation. The monitor on the robot's head clicked on, and another Scar, one sitting behind a desk and sipping tea, appeared.

"Ah! Hello, Christine! Hmm, I suppose it's hello again, isn't it?" he said cheerily. "How's was my robot double? The likeness was uncanny, wasn't it?"

"...What the hell is this?!" inquired Chris through clenched teeth.

"Hmm? Ah, I suppose you and everyone else there are a bit puzzled, aren't you? It's exactly as I said. I created a robot duplicate of myself to..."

"Forget about that! If this...thing here really isn't you, where are you right now?!"

"Oh, I can assure you I'm close by. In fact, you could almost say I'm...right under your feet."

"S-Stop screwing with me! What happened to those bombs?!"

"'Bombs?' You're telling me you haven't even figured that much out, Christine? I must admit, I'm a tad bit disappointed in you. I know you're brighter than this. Need a hint? ...Judging by that look, I figure I should just tell you. There never were any bombs. I simply came up with that little fib to ensnare you and your little friends within my web. I must say, things really did go better than I ever imagined."

"You're still not making any sense! What are you talking about when you say you trapped us?! We already took care of all your androids! There's no one left to...!"

"I assure you, Christine, those Tabithas weren't the only thing waiting for you outside the walls of that gymnasium. Remember that device you apprehended from my robot double? There might not have been any bombs, but you activating it certainly didsomething. I won't ruin the surprise and allow you to see just what."

Chris really didn't like the sound of that.

"Answer me this, Scar," started Heisenberg all of a sudden. Anger was etched into every wrinkle on his countenance. "Something about this whole thing doesn't make sense! Why didn't my Sonic Jammer work on your robotic duplicate?!"

Scar didn't even trouble himself with looking at Heisenberg while he replied, "Are you speaking of that pathetic device you employed earlier? How amusing. Did you really think something like that would be able to destroy something I myself built? The only reason it worked on those Tabithas is because I let it. There was no doubt in my mind you and the rest of your acquaintances would come marching here fearlessly if you presumed you had an advantage. I knew of your little invention well ahead of time and installed a countermeasure into this unit."

"I-Impossible! Scar, you...!"

"What was that you said about me thinking far outside my station? I think it's clear to see now which one of us was dreaming. You're a loser, Heisenberg, and you always will be. The only use you've ever been is inadvertently helping my plans with that android of yours. Of course, a man of your standing should be quite accustomed to failure. Am I right?"

Heisenberg pined to say something, anything. He balled his fist and found himself unable to find the words to defend his honor, not when Scar managed to make a fool out of him so easily. He lowered his hat across his face, not wanting anyone to bear witness to his shame.

"You done picking on him? Because your fight is withme!" hollered Chris.

"Yes, I really do enjoy that enthusiasm of yours. Unfortunately, I don't have time to play with you. I have a world to change for the better. Farewell, Christine. It was nice seeing you again," Scar said with a friendly wave. "Perhaps I'll fashion a mural in your honor after everything is all said and done as a reward for your efforts."

Without warning, the entire campus of Malibu University began to quake violently. Those inside the auditorium reacted by screaming and running about like headless chickens. "Seriously?! I'm too young and pretty to die!" cried Mandy.

"D-Don't worry, Mandy! I won't let anything happen to you!" said Trent.

Blushing, she answered, "S-Shut up! N-No one asked you to do that!"

Mandy, despite her claim, hunkered close to him.

"An earthquake?!" questioned Britney.

Blaine, hardly able to keep his balance, replied, "I doubt it! This is Scar's handiwork for sure!"

The rumbling ceased to be soon enough. Chris got to her feet and shook her head until she could see straight. The Scar duplicate was walking away from her, so she made haste tocatch up, thinking it was her only lead to the real leader of SOAP. The second she got too close though, it halted in its tracks.

"You certainly are persistent. Still, you won't gain anything from attempting to track me down, Christine," the Scar on the screen began. "Oh, by the way...I would take cover if I were you."

The meaning of his warning only hit Chris when the Scar duplicate began to glow. Her legs then moved on their own, barreling her over to Jerry Lewis.

"Time to go, old man! Gah! Hewould use these chains on you!"

"Forget about me and just get out here, Christine!" Jerry told her. "There's no time left!"

"Just...shut up and let me save you!"

Miraculously, she managed to free him from his restraints in the nick of time. Jerry, nevertheless, wasn't able to enjoy his newfound freedom, not with Chris shoving him off the rafter they stood.

"W-What in the...?!"

"I suggest somebody catch him!" Chris shouted to those beneath her.

"Is she out of her mind?!" said Sam.

"I've wondered that very thing ever since we met," mumbled Britney.

"We can debate her sanity later! Just catch him!" proclaimed Blaine.

"Ugh. I'm so gonna chip a nail," muttered Clover.

"I got 'em! I got 'em!" said Alex.

All of them positioned themselves, and Jerry came tumbling into their arms, knocking them all over and for a loop.

"Jeez, Jer! You totally weigh a ton!" whined Clover.

Jerry didn't bother chewing her out. His heart trying to burst out of his chest from shock troubled him far more.

In the meantime, Chris remained in danger. She backed away from the approaching Scar android, aware every second she wasted drew her closer to death.

"Would you just back off already?! You're almost as persistent as the real Scar!"

Seeing no other alternative, she leaped over the railing, just as the android self destructed in a tremendous explosion. The force from it propelled her sailing body forward.

"Agh! Dammit! Don't tell me I'm gonna die like this?!"

She shut her eyes, yet when she didn't feel herself splatter against the floor, she opened them and held her at Dyson Glee holding her.

"Hey there," he said with a hearty grin. "You're...heavier than you look."

Blood rushed to every vein on Chris' face, and for some reason, she couldn't find the means to muster a reply.

"Uh...um...er..." she stammered instead, growing hotter by the second.

"Chris? You okay?"

"Huh? Er...um...y-yes? I'm...uh...huh..."

She promptly looked away and obscured her beet red features with her hands. Being alone with Dyson Glee was the one thing she feared more than anything in the world. Thankfully, she was spared from having to deal with it any longer when her friends rushed to her side.

"Chris! Are you alright?!" asked Sam.

"That was too close!" said Alex, biting her fingernails. "Don't scare us like that!"

"Yeah! We totally thought you were gonna be a pancake for a sec there!" cried Clover.

The three's fear became heightened once more when Chris merely stared back at them absentmindedly.

Clover tapped her finger on Chris' skull. "Uh...hello! Earth to Chris! Is anyone there?!"

"Are you certain you're alright, Christine?" It was Jerry Lewis wanting to know this time.

"Yeah, I'm...fine," she groggily said. "In fact, I'm more than okay! That fall must have done me some good, because I can remembereverything now!"

Everything was right. From her checkered past, her time working for SOAP, and the events leading up to this point, the haze clouding her mind faded. Whether this was a good thing or not, she wasn't sure.

"That's great, Chris!" exclaimed Sam. "It's about time too!"

"You remember everything? Huh? W-What do you mean by that?" asked Dyson, utterly lost at this point.

Paying his question no mind, Chris marched over to Jerry. She then astonished everyone by grabbing him by his shirt and dragging him forward.

"You..." she started, sounding less than amused. "There's something I need to ask you."

"I see," replied Jerry. He didn't even try to resist.

"What are you doing, Chris?!" asked Sam.

"Yeah, calm down!" yelled Britney.

"Back off!" Chris screeched. "This is between me and him!"

The others reluctantly did as she asked though remained on guard in case things got out of hand like they feared.

"Answer me this, old man. Don't bother trying to lie either. Were you also responsible for what happened to my parents during that mission ten years ago? I know for sure now that Scar was behind most of it, but how do I know you didn't give him a hand? Were you bitter about my parents trying to leave WOOHP? Did you try to rub them out? Better dead than not working for you, right?"

"Stop it already, Chris!" cried Sam. "You know Jerry didn't have anything to do…!"

"I'm not asking you, Sam! Let the old timer speak for himself!"

"...No, Christine. I solemnly swear that I had no part in that unfortunate accident that befell Nathaniel and Diane. If I had known what Scar was planning, I would have stopped him no question. My only regret is I never got the chance to. However, I can understand why you're upset with me. I was the one who sent your parents on that mission without even revealing the whole truth about it. Worse off, I left them alone with Scar in spite of my reservations. Whatever you want to do to me is fine. I won't try to fight back. Just get it over with so the rest of you can go after Scar and put an end to all this once and for all!" said Jerry calmly.

His terms suited Chris just fine. She cocked her fist back, and at the last second, Sam, Alex, and Clover jumped into the fray and readied to stop her by force if they had to. However, Chris lowered her arm just then and then bore all her teeth as she smiled.

"Man, I really figured it'd be easy. You know, I was envisioning you as a punching bag and everything, but I guess I really can't hit someone who looks so pathetic in the end," she said to Jerry. "Alright, old man. I'll believe you. It might've taken me some time, but I can finally see the sincerity in your eyes. I'm er...sorry I've been trying to kill you all these years."

She bowed rigidly, really trying to drive her apology home.

"Not a...problem."

Jerry was amazed beyond belief. He could hardly fathom it was even Christine speaking to him. Sam and the others clapped in approval at Chris' decision, making her grumble.

"Alright, who are you people? And I mean really?" asked Dyson. He was speaking to Chris in particular, who turned the other way. "Clearly, you're wrapped up in something, something big. Chances are it has something to do with that Scar guy."

"...Do yourself a favor, Dyson and just drop it. You...really wouldn't want to know who I really am..." said Chris somberly.

"I...see. Well, I'm not going to force you or your friends to say anything you don't want to. At the very least, let me help you guys! I'm tired of standing around and being a helpless victim! If that Scar guy really is up to something bad, I wanna be there to help take him down!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we can't do that. Even if we did take you along, you wouldn't last a second against Scar and his allies," Jerry explained bluntly.

"Come on! I know I can't fight like you all can, but there's gotta besomething I cando!"

Sam put her hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, Dyson. I know you really wanna help out, but Jerry's right. Just leave this to us. You've had a rough day as it is from the looks of it."

"Yeah! We'll make sure to kick Scar's butt on your behalf as well as for everyone else here!" said Clover. She flashed him a thumbs up that cheered him up slightly.

"Someone should be here to keep an eye on all these people to make sure they don't do something crazy! Who better than the captain of the Mali-U Track Team?" suggested Alex.

Dyson took a good look at all the rough, worn-out faces in the crowd. Most seemed ready to fall apart at any second, and despite Scar being gone, no one was taking the chance to escape out of fear he would return.

"You're right," Dyson replied, nodding. "Heh. I know when I'm beat. Fine. I'll stay here. Before you guys go off though to save the world, let me give you what I'm pretty sure is some valuable information about Scar."

With everyone's curiosity peaked, they listened carefully as Dyson told them what he and the others witnessed when they ventured down to Heisenberg's lab.

"Hmph. So you're telling me Scar was even using my old laboratory as he pleased?" said Heisenberg, thoroughly disgusted. "Does that man have no honor?! He does nothing but leech off the accomplishments of others!"

"...Tell me about it," mumbled Chris irritably.

"If Dyson is telling the truth, what does this mean?" pondered Sam.

"It means Scar has created a very dangerous weapon, and there's no telling what he plans to use it for," answered Jerry. "Knowing him, it's likely nothing good."

Chris was noticeably bothered by Dyson's tale. "A-A giant missile...? Can't be..."

"What's the matter, Chris? You seem like you got something on your mind," said Britney.

"N-No. It's...nothing. D-Don't mind me..."

Britney dropped the matter, remaining suspicious all the same.

"Do we even know where Scar is?" said Alex.

Sam nodded. "Remember when he said he was close by, under our feet even?"

"Huh? Don't you think he was just messing with us? You know how that jerk is!" said Clover.

"True, but think harder. What did Dyson just get through telling us?"

Dyson snapped his fingers. "Of course! He must've been inside that underground lab!"

"Looks like we have the same line of thinking then," said Chris. "It's the most logical explanation. He would've easily been able to keep track of our movements being so close-by. He could also build that weapon of his in secret."

"That would also explain why Scar was so keen on making sure no one saw what he was doing down there! That's why he was so eager to get rid of Dyson and the others! If they told anyone what they saw, that would put a huge damper in his plans!" stated Sam.

"Let's go then! If we know that much, we might be able to catch him before he tries to escape!" said Blaine.

"I just love a man of action!" said Clover, squealing over Blaine yet again.

"Er...thanks?"

"Spies, Blaine is correct! We really should be going! The fate of the world could be at stake!" exclaimed Jerry. "No, it is at stake! Scar won't just stop with destroying WOOHP and causing havoc here!"

Determined to put an end to Scar's evil machinations, the WOOHP agents plus Chris got a move on. Chris however paused when she noticed Heisenberg wasn't tagging along.

"Leave me be, Christine. Leave me to my thoughts," he told her.

"What's your problem, old man? You aren't coming?" Chris put her hands on her hips and frowned. "I figured you'd be more gung ho than all of us to get revenge on Scar."

"You would think so, yes. Nevertheless, I've come to the conclusion there's nothing more I can do. I cannot hope to fight that man and come out victorious."

"Eh? What's gotten into you?! Stop being such a coward! Are you really going to let things end here?!"

"Hmph. I know when I'm beaten, Christine. No amount of pep talk is going to change my mind. I regrettably lack that youthful vigor you and your friends possess."

Chris couldn't believe it. Here she was trying to cheer up a man who had tried to kill her on a number of occasions, and he hardly paid her any mind. She would've chewed him out good for this if she weren't more interested in him reaching into his pocket and pulling out a red Sonic Jammer.

"Take it," he said as he practically shoved it toward her.

"What's it for? Won't these things be useless against Scar?"

"You'll find this one is a bit...different from the others. I can't say for sure if it will work or not, but I'm afraid it's all I can offer your cause at this point."

"I see. What are you going to do now then?"

"I will remain here until the fighting is over. If you and your friends wish to take me back to jail, so be it. I no longer have any ambitions for world domination and the like. Seeing Scar's vileness in person has made me realize going down that path is a mistake."

His eyes shot over to all the destroyed Tabithas in the background.

"You...okay?" Chris asked him.

"Yes. I...strangely feel the need to grieve for my creations all of a sudden. It's unusual indeed. I didn't build them. I had no part in their birth, yet I feel I must mourn their deaths nonetheless. Regardless of their origins, we have a special connection. Anyway, I believe you have a job to do, Christine. Don't let an old fool like me hold you up. Go."

Chris shrugged. "You really are pitiful, old timer. Whatever. Thanks for the gift, I guess. Just...take it easy, alright? You scare me when you act this way, all normal."

"Haha. Yes, I suppose I am behaving quite unlike myself. Here we are, bitter enemies, yet we're acting so cordial."

"I guess the circumstances are just weird like that."

"So they are."

Hearing footsteps behind her, Chris swung around to see Dyson once more.

"Chris," he called out to her.

"W-What do you want?" she inquired, not daring to lock eyes with him.

He took a deep breath before saying, "Er...I know you said I wouldn't want to know the 'real you', but I've been thinking about it and...I really would like to hear your story after you get back from this whole saving the world thing."

Blushing profusely, Chris awkwardly shuffled in place. "S-Suit yourself. Just...don't be mad when I tell you something you don't want to hear. Anyway, I...really need to get going."

"Right. Of course. Just promise me you'll come back, alright? Even though I can't come along, I'll be with you in spirit!"

Chris said something that might have been a response, yet her words were nothing more than an inaudible rustle. Adding to her discomposure was Dyson abruptly embracing her as hard as he could. Her heart began to race, and she couldn't speak, feeling a lump in her throat.

"If it's alright with you, I'd really like to take you out when you get back," Dyson whispered.

"Huh?! W-What?! Eh?!"

Chris, steaming like a kettle, shoved Dyson off of her and ran out of the gym like her life depended on it. This reaction wasn't exactly what Dyson expected.

"Heh. Maybe I came on a bit too strong there..."

#

Chris couldn't think straight. In fact, the only thing on her mind was Dyson, Dyson and his strong arms wrapped around her. Even as she dashed down a passageway to catch up to her friends, the moment remained stuck in her head like glue.

"There you are! What took you so long?" asked Sam.

"...Shut up," was Chris' stern reply. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Uh...o-okay?"

"What's her problem?" wondered Clover.

"Yeah, she looks redder than usual," added Alex.

Overhearing this, Chris leered back at the two and shrieked, "SHUT UP!"

They both gulped and dropped the subject for their own wellbeing. Chris, now left alone again, went back to her scrambled thoughts.

Just what was Dyson trying to say back there?! W-Was he actually asking me out?! Like...on a date?! No, no, no! I-I'm not ready for something like that again! W-What if I say something stupid if we do go out?! That would be the worst! He'd totally think I was some sort of moron!

"Um...is everything okay over there, Chris?" asked Britney. "You keep pulling at your hair, and you look like you just heard the world was about to end! Well, I guess it might if we don't do something, but..."

"Huh? What? Oh. Y-Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Chris hurriedly got herself together. "W-Where's Heisenberg's lab?! Aren't we there yet?!"

She quickly realized how stupid her own query was. She knew well enough where Heisenberg's secret laboratory was located, having been dragged there by the man himself. Sam, Alex, and Clover were aware of this also, so the strange glances they gave Chris weren't so strange to her after all.

"S-Shut up! Let's just keep going!" she barked.

"What in the world is that?!" declared Jerry.

"Oh, just a regular afternoon for grumpy, old Chris," joked Alex.

"...And you wonder why I'm always in a bad mood," growled Chris.

"No, I'm not talking about that!" Jerry clarified ahead of pointing at something. "I'm referring tothat!"

It didn't take long for the others to spot the thing that had him so rattled. What could be best described as a blue energy net encompassed Malibu University. Everyone darted outside to get a closer inspection of it.

"What?! It's around the entire school! Where did it come from though?!" cried Sam. She then gasped in realization. "Ah! I get it now!This is what Scar meant when he said we'd have more than Tabitha to worry about if we tried to escape this place!"

"But whatis that thing?!" asked Alex.

"It looks like some sort of electrified, energy barrier. Judging from its appearance, I wouldn't suggest getting anywhere close to it," responded Jerry.

"An energy barrier? When the heck did Scar have time to set this up?!" said Britney.

"Uh...I think I might have an idea," said Blaine. "You think those bombs Scar was trying so hard to scare us with has something to do with this?"

"Tsk! Therewere no bombs! Scar was just...!" Chris' sentence trailed off when something clicked in her mind. "No! That stupid remote...!"

Scar mentioned that while his claim of planting bombs was nothing more than a lie, he also stated Chris activating the device that was supposed to disable them did do something. What that something was remained a mystery to her until now.

"That bastard!That's the reason he made us go all the way to the gym! He was hoping we would be stupid enough to trap ourselves in this school!"

"Oh! I get it! That remote...that's what activated this energy net!" said Sam. "No wonder Scar didn't seem to mind it when you stole that thing from him, Chris! Hewanted you to press it!"

"Clever. I'll give Scar that much. Something about this doesn't add up however. If that was really Scar's plan, he likely trapped himself in this school along with us," said Jerry.

"Hmph. If he's still here, that is," said Chris. "Come on! Let's check out that lab just to be sure!"

#

Chris and company entered Heisenberg's old classroom and then rode the secret elevator to his underground laboratory. After arriving inside of it, they scoured the area for anything of importance. They could tell from the general state of things that someone had been there recently. The lab was devoid of life and activity at the moment though.

"Dammit! He's gone!" Chris stated. "But how?!was How did he get out without any of us noticing?!"

She knew there was a chance he could still be there, waiting for the opportunity to strike at his unsuspecting foes. She highly doubted it however.

"No sign of that weapon Dyson was talking about either," said Sam.

"Guess Scar must've taken it with him," remarked Britney.

"But where? The way Dyson explained it, that missile washuge! No way he could haul it off easily!" stated Clover.

Alex added, "Well, maybe those Tabithas helped him out! You know how super strong they are!"

"Maybe. Let's search around some more. There might be a clue or something we missed," said Blaine. "Man, this is the part I always hated about field work! I enjoy beating up baddies way more!"

The one area they hadn't checked yet was the wide open area around the corner. Chris knew of it because of her last visit to Heisenberg's lab. She opted to examine it on her lonesome, sneaking off while the others weren't paying attention.

"Just what do we have here?"

Skid marks, massive ones at that, stood in the middle of the floor. They led to a metal gate at the far end of the room, an exit big enough for a specific type of vehicle.

"Dammit! An airplanewas here!" she exclaimed, perturbed. "That means...Scar...!"

The others caught up to her and came to the same conclusion she did soon after.

"You think that doorway still works?" asked Sam.

"Only one way to find out. Samantha, try to find a lever or switch to activate it," answered Jerry.

She nodded and went on her way, stumbling upon the switch in question in due time. A flip of it caused the expansive door to open. Light from the outside world penetrated the lab.

"Looks like that energy net is here too," said Blaine. "Even this exit is blocked off?"

"Huh? That doesn't make any sense! How did Scar get out of here then?!" Britney exclaimed.

"I don't know, but he definitely escaped this way! He had to!" yelled Chris. "Remember that rumbling from earlier?!"

"Yeah! That sort ofdid feel like a plane taking off now that I think about it!" said Sam.

"And that would explain where Scar and that missile got off too!" chimed Clover.

"Eh? Where the heck did he get a plane from?! Dyson didn't say anything about that!" voiced Alex.

"It's likely he was hiding it somewhere until he was ready to depart from here," replied Jerry. "However, what I'm more concerned about is the missile he has on board with him."

"That piece of...! When I get my hands on him...!"

"Try to restrain yourself, Christine. I understand how you feel, but we need to think calmly from here on out. A plane and a missile certainly can't be a good thing, especially when we're talking about them in the same breath as Scar. It's likely he plans to bomb something. He's tried a stunt like that ten years ago."

"Y-You mean with that incident with Chris' parents, right?! We need to track him down ASAP then!" declared Sam.

"Yeah, but how?! We don't have a plane! Even if we did, we still don't have a way past Scar's barrier!" said Britney. "We need to get that down before we do anything!"

"Look, the barrier outside has to be powered bysomething! If we really were the ones that turned it on, then we can turn it off! There has to be a way! We can worry about finding a ride out of here later!" cried Blaine.

"Chris, do you still have that remote?!" asked Sam.

Chris shook her head. "N-No. I misplaced while I was trying not to be blown to bits earlier. Why?"

"I was thinking we could've used it to turn off that energy net, but..."

"Oh, I see. If it switched it on, it probably would've shut it off too!" said Clover.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter now. We'll have to go to Plan B!"

"That always works out well..." mumbled Alex sarcastically.

"Spies! Split up and turn over this place again! If there's a switch or device to deactivate that barrier, it won't hide from us! Move it!" Jerry ordered.

Everyone got the message loud and clear, setting off to begin their search. Chris, lagging behind, sensed her frustration mounting.

"...It's my fault my parents died ten years ago. They're gone because I was weak! Things should be different now though! I'm far stronger, but...dammit!"

Scar being allowed to scurry off like a filthy rat didn't seem to fair to her. Then again, nothing about her situation ever seemed fair to her.

#

Enjoying a leisurely fishing trip elsewhere was the President of the United States. For the first time in a long time, he got the opportunity to escape his work. He could think of no better way to spend his vacation time than living it up in the great outdoors.

"Ah! Smell that fresh air!" he joyously proclaimed. The wooden boat he sat in bobbed back and forth along the calm riverbed as he cast his fishing line into the clear waters. "Alright! I'm hoping for a big catch today!"

It was no secret between he and his peers that his fishing skills left a lot to be desired. Often heckled and laughed at, the grandest thing he could recall hauling in was a person's old gym shorts. As embarrassing as that was on its own, it also happened to come about while on a fishing trip with the Prime Minister of Great Britain of all individuals.

"Today's going to be different!" he said to himself. He sure hoped so anyway.

"Good luck, sir," said a Secret Service agent on the opposite side of the boat. He frequently accompanied the President on these sorts of misadventures, but it was this particular assignment he absolutely loathed. It was a total bore, but he was at least grateful it let him catch up on some much needed sleep. With that in mind, he slipped on a pair of sunglasses and said, "I'll be over here if you need me, sir."

The President nodded. Suddenly, he felt a tug against his fishing line.

"W-Wait a minute! I got something!" he shouted, fired up. He promised to catch whatever he had this time without fail. "Whoa nelly! It must be a big one from the way it's fighting back! Oh, wait until everyone sees this!"

Expecting a mighty trout or even a majestic bass, the President was naturally dismayed when all he managed to reel in was a brown boot covered in seaweed.

"It was a good effort, sir," his bodyguard said while trying not to snicker. "Er...I'm sure you'll catch something a bit more...appetizing next time out."

The President merely frowned.

The Secret Service agent, placing his finger up to a headset in his ear, began receiving a message directly from the White House. As he listened to it, his expression became grim, and the color of his features changed to a sickly pale.

"What's wrong?" the President inquired.

The agent composed himself enough to respond, "W-We're getting reports there's a...situation occurring around the globe at the moment, something that requires your immediate attention. Mister President."

"...W-What do you mean?"

"There's a...call on your private video feed, sir," the agent continued. "It's not an official communication. Someone's hacked the line."

The President wavered in taking a computer tablet from the agent and switching it on. Though he did know who he was about to speak to, he got the feeling they couldn't be anyone with good intentions if they went so far as to hack into his personal line like this.

"Good afternoon, Mister President," said the leader of SOAP, Scar. He waved good afternoon and crossed his legs as he sat down in a revolving chair. "How is your fishing trip going? I hope you've caught a big one. Anyway, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Isn't technology fascinating nowadays? We can speak face to face like this without me even needing to be in the same room as you!"

"Who are you?! How did you access this channel?!"

"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Scar, Mister President. I am the head of a group by the name of Spies Organized Against Peace."

The President flinched. "Y-Yes, I've heard of it before. ...Now I'm really interested in knowing what this call is about."

"I'm flattered you know the name. Very soon, everyone else in the world will too. That's what I'm hoping for anyway."

"What exactly are you referring to? I'm sure you must have wanted to speak with me for a reason other than casual chatter."

"Of course. Of course. You must be a very busy man, Mister President. I'm certain you just want me to get straight to the point. You're likely aware of the fact by now, but even as we speak, chaos is spreading throughout the world."

"And this is your doing, correct?"

Scar smirked devilishly. "You catch on quick. Mister President. I suppose that's why you're the leader of the free world. Listen closely though since this is the important part. Within a mere matter of hours, SOAP should have the entire globe under its control. My loyal operatives are making sure of that in spite of the world's armies making a pitiful, defensive stand."

"You can't be serious! Do you really think that's likely?!" The President snapped. "I don't know what you're up to, but we'll fight this! Nations around the world will fight this! Your plans are bound to fail! Don't forget about WOOHP as well! They'll stop you for sure!"

"...You think so?" Scar sat forward and rested his chin atop his hands. "Mister President, the World Organization of Human Protection is no more. I've made quite sure of that. If you were expecting them to aid you in this crisis, I'm afraid I must inform you and the rest of the world are on you're on your own."

Sufficiently alarmed, the President had a difficult time digesting this development. If WOOHP really was no more, it meant Scar and SOAP as a whole were a legitimate threat.

"Just in case anyone else is interested in stopping me, I have a deterrent." Scar sat back again, pleased by the pallid expression on the President's face. It was precisely what he had been hoping for. "This is the real reason I am disturbing your fishing trip, Mister President."

The President replied, "...And what do you mean by that?"

"I am currently on board a plane that is traveling above the skies of the northeastern United States. Accompanying me on this vessel is a nuclear warhead that I plan to unleash on the the capital. Your home is also there, correct? Of course, I'm incredibly willing to stay my attack if further efforts to resist my global takeover are halted. You have the power to make your country and others around the world cease and desist, Mister President. I suggest you use that power post haste."

"...Y-You're bluffing! You have to be!"

Scar eyed a bead of sweat roll down the President's scalp. "Perhaps I am. Think about this carefully though. If I'm not, you risk the destruction of thousands, if not millions, of people. Do you really want that sort of blood on your hands? I merely need another hour to commit this act, Mister President. Your time is running short. Please, make a decision."

The President didn't want to admit it, but his hand were tied. He couldn't risk innocent lives ignoring the threats of a madman. Still, he felt simply waving the white flag wasn't an option either.

"What is it you want exactly, Scar?! You must have a reason for doing this!"

"You are correct again, Mister President. My objective is rather simple actually." Pausing, Scar nodded at his own talk. "I wish to cleanse this world of peace."

"...Come again?"

"You heard me. I find peacefulness...utterly abhorrent. Peace stagnates the progress of man and makes our kind weak. If history has proven anything, it's that we humans are at our best during times of turmoil and strife. Look at how easily I was able to rid myself of WOOHP! Look at how easy it has been for my armies to assault the nations of the world one by one! The reason for this is because all of you were weak, weak because of peace! Well, I say no more. Under my rule, there will be no peace. There will be constant wars, constant struggles. I'll do whatever I must to ensure mankind treks down a brighter path. If I must sacrifice some lives in the process, so be it."

"Y-You're insane!" The President was no longer nervous. No, rage replaced the fear in his heart, rage at a man who's reasoning he couldn't fathom. He didn't dare try to comprehend it. "I'm not standing by and allowing you to get away with this! Nuclear warhead or not, myself and the rest of this proud nation are going to stand against you!"

"Hmph. I care not if you or anyone else understands my ambitions. If you're truly intent on stopping me though, we have nothing else to discuss. I believe I have your answer on whether you're willing to surrender or not. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have nuclear missile to unleash on your 'proud' country. At my current pace, I should make it to the capital in an hour. Tata, Mister President. Hmm, I suppose no one will be calling you that after SOAP is in control of the world!"

"W-Wait just one moment, Scar!"

The President was too late. Scar's cackling image vanished from the screen, and the President angrily tossed the tablet into the water. With sixty minutes and counting left on the clock, he still had time to stop SOAP and their machinations. Despite this, a part of him questioned if it was already too late.

"Mister President...?" said the Secret Service agent.

"...Find that plane!" the President announced. "I don't care what you have to do, but I want that madman and his plane blown out of the sky before they can cause any harm!"

"Of course, sir! We'll scramble some jets immediately!"

"Good. Good. We'll show this Scar he can't just do as he pleases, nuke or not!"

The President's thinking then shifted to Jerry Lewis and WOOHP.

This is the wrong time for them to be missing in action! Jerry, where are you?!

#

"This is getting us nowhere!" said Chris. She punched an adjacent wall, hankering to pound her skull into it next. "We've checkedeverywhere, but we still can't find anything!"

The others broke off their search for a way to shut down the barrier around Malibu University while Chris continue to vent her disappointment.

"Scar's probably laughing at us right now because he knows there's not a damn thing we can do to stop him!"

"C-Calm down, Chris!" said Sam. "It's okay!"

"It isnot okay! How the hell could you say any of this is okay?! I've got a right to get as upset as I want! Don't you get it?! We're powerless like this! We can't do anything!"

"T-That isn't true!" said Clover, trying to douse the fire that was Chris' ire. "We can't give up! We just have to find another way to shut down that barrier!"

"Yeah! This isn't the time for us to freak out!" added Alex.

"Shut up! Just shut the hell up, both of you!" Chris' outburst made Clover and Alex speechless. "You don't have any right to get on my case like this! None of you do! You guys can't possibly understand how I'm feeling right now! You can't possibly understand Scar like I do! Do you all still want me to calm down after he blows half of the country off the face of the Earth?!"

"That's enough, Christine! You're acting childish!" Jerry shouted.

One of Chris' eyelids jerked. "What was that?!"

"You heard me, young lady! All of us are well aware of what will happen if we don't stop Scar! You whining about it like a child isn't going to change anything however! Have you stopped for a moment and realized this is exactly how he wants you to act?!"

"He's right! You gotta keep a cool head!" said Blaine.

Tired of hearing all of this, Chris screamed at the top of her lungs, not caring if she threw out her voice in the process. It resounded throughout the massive laboratory and beyond.

"This...isn't fair!" Tears streamed down her face, whereas the strength from her legs faded. She collapsed to her knees and started to pound the floor in anger with her fists. "I can't take this anymore! I don't know what to do! I'm sick of this, sick of everything! This isn't fair at all! We're the good guys, right?! W-Why are losing then?!"

No one was sure what to do, glancing at one another for a solution. Whatever the case, they couldn't let this go on, but no one moved, content to watch Chris bawl her eyes out.

Then, Britney suddenly charged forward, stopping in front of Chris without speaking. Leering up at her, Chris' eyes enlarged when Britney slapped her across the face.

"Oh my..." said Jerry. It was obvious the others were just as stunned as him from the way their jaws hung open.

"W-What the hell wasthat for?!" Chris, holding her scarlet cheek, demanded to know.

With an iron-like demeanor, Britney replied, "Get a hold of yourself! Jerry's right, and you know it! Panicking like this isn't going to save anyone! Maybe you do have a right to complain! After all, Scar's taken much more from you than he has any of us, but that's no excuse to completely lose it like this! You were the one earlier that promised you wouldn't give up no matter how bleak things seemed! You were the one earlier who said you would keep fighting as long as you drew breath! What happened to all that?! What is just talk, a bunch of hot air?! You're stronger than this, Chris! I've only known you for a little while, but I can tell that much! You can't let a jerk like Scar beat you without him even throwing a single punch! Get up! We've got a mission to accomplish, and we can't do it without you!"

Silence came in the wake of Britney's tirade. Whether her words got through to Chris or not, no one could tell. The only thing Chris really did in response was wipe her face clean and sniffle.

"Shut up..." she then stated. Everyone else held their breaths. "Tsk. Where do you get off talking me like you're my mother? I...suppose you had a point with all that though. There's no way I can just give up here! You're just lucky I don't punch you in the mouth for slapping me."

"Heh. You needed a bit of tough love!" said a winking Britney.

Her remark actually made Chris laugh.

"Wow, that just totally gave me a chill!" said Alex. "I forgot Chris could do that!"

Chris got to her feet and told Britney, "Thank you. I really did need that."

Britney's and the other's reassuring grins were a stark reminder for Chris on what she was so perilously fighting for.

This isn't the time for me to be shriveling into a ball like a helpless child! That little girl from ten years is gone now! This time, things are different! I have to protect everyone!

"Glad you're feeling better, Chris," said Sam.

"Yeah! You're totally no fun when you're all weepy like that!" Clover joked.

"We need our grumpy old Chris if we're gonna kick Scar's butt!" added Alex.

Chris' entire face glowed a radiant red. "W-Whatever! Y-You girls are too much..."

"Hey, she's actually blushing!" said Britney playfully. "Aw!"

"Whoa! Looks like she isn't as mean as he looks!" added Blaine for good measure.

Having enough of her feathers being ruffled, Chris yelled, "K-Knock it off already! Can we just get back to finding a way to shut down that barrier?!"

Her so-called friends got the rest of their giggles outs ahead of nodding. Seeing the lot of them had plenty of energy left pleased Jerry, although he wished they would use it on something more constructive.

"It's clear Scar has hidden the power source for that energy net very well. We need to put our heads together if we want any hope of finding it," he said.

"If it's not down here, it's likely somewhere else on campus," said Chris. "Probably somewhere we'd never expect."

The news made Clover moan. "It'll take us forever to find it then! Mali-U ishuge!"

"She's right. It's likely Scar will finish whatever he's doing before we find anything," said Sam.

"Ugh! This totally sucks!" cried Alex. As she pouted and took a step back, she tripped on something. "Huh?! What the...?!"

Everyone cringed as crashed on the ground, but more importantly, they noticed an object of interest where she sat.

"A trap door!" exclaimed Sam.

"Hey, what kinda jerk would just leave one of those lying around?!" asked Alex, rubbing her aching behind.

Chris slapped herself on the head. "How in the hell did we miss something like that?"

Jerry took the liberty of opening the newfound entryway, revealing a staircase that led into total darkness. Faint buzzing could be heard from the bottom.

"Man, it's pretty dark, huh? We might end up breaking our necks trying to go down there!" chimed Blaine. His words did little to ease the nervousness that was spreading among his comrades, and they glowered at him. "Er...I-I'm sure we'll be fine though if we wanna investigate!"

Britney laughed halfheartedly. "Um...it really is creepy-looking down there, isn't it? Sam, uh...why don't you check it out first?!"

Sam almost bit her tongue. "H-Huh?! W-Why me?! Clover, you do it!"

"Excuse me?! I'm so not going down there alone! Alex, y-you're pretty brave!"

"M-Me?!" Alex moved her arms about frenziedly. "N-No way! There could be ghosts or something down there! Make Chris do it!"

All eyes shifted to Chris. She murmured something about their incompetence as she made her way over to the staircase. Sensing no danger, her foot touched the first step and her other the second. She made it halfway down, with everything going well until she heard a loud creek at the bottom. She froze and let out a yelp that was uncharacteristic of her.

"M-Maybe we should all go down as a group..." she suggested in a trembling voice.

"T-That sounds like a good idea," said Jerry. A drop of sweat ran down the back of his head. It made little sense to him that six, highly trained spies were apparently afraid of the dark.

#

Chris and company made sure to huddle close together while they progressed down the stairway. Reaching the bottom, a faint, blue light awaited them, its glow letting them see two feet in front of them. It also gave them a glimpse at strange machinery in the back of the room, the source of the illumination.

"Bingo!" said Chris. Exhilaration coated her declaration. "That's gotta be it!"

"If that's the case, let's find the off switch!" said Sam.

"I'll go check for one!"

Alex raced off, yet when she neared the machine, she ran into something unseen. Electricity was sent coursing through her, and subsequently, her smoking body tipped over.

"Alex!" screamed the others, hurrying toward her blackened form.

"Ugh...I-I don't wanna ride that ride anymore, Mommy..." she uttered.

"What the hell just happened?!" asked a bewildered Chris.

Britney poked her finger out and hastily shot it back when it was zapped by the same force that nearly fried Alex to a crisp. "Looks like there's some sort of barrier right here! It might be the same kind as the one outside!"

"That's not good if it's true! We're back at square one then!" said Blaine.

"Although this does prove we're in the right place," said Jerry. "It's clear Scar doesn't want anyone touching his precious equipment."

"Someone coulda told me that before..." muttered a frowning Alex.

Sam stroked her chin. "So, we have to find a way to destroy this machine without coming in contact with that barrier. Any ideas?"

One came to Chris immediately. She retrieved the Sonic Jammer Heisenberg gave her earlier. She then made her way to the barrier, activating the device and placing it down carefully.

"Alright, Heisenberg, this better work. Otherwise, I'm coming back to kick your ass."

Her comrades weren't sure what she was up to, nor did they get a chance to ask. The Sonic Jammer started to beep, making Chris stare at it funnily, before it then exploded.

"What the...?!"

The intensity of the blast threw her and the others back while also raining down debris. Things settled down eventually, and coughing could be heard from the dissipating smoke.

"Son on a...!" Chris pushed a slab of concrete off of her and crawled her way out of some rubble. "W-What the hell was that all about?! Heisenberg...!"

Though the good doctor did mention that particular Sonic Jammer was different from the others, he neglected to tell her it also had the capacity to blow its user to bits. A snarling Chris made a vow to definitely pay Heisenberg a visit for this.

"Alright, next time you wanna try a stunt like that, Chris, warn us!" cried Clover.

"What, me being electrocuted wasn't enough for you?!" yelled Alex.

Sam, wiping herself off, said, "Well, us nearly dying aside, that certainly did the trick..."

Everyone surveyed the damage. The machinery had been without a doubt decimated.

"Yeah! We did it!" Britney was elated by this development, despite the blood trickling down her forehead. "Does that mean that energy net outside is history?"

"Only one way to find out!" said Blaine.

"A little help here, Spies?" Try as he might, Jerry couldn't remove a pile of heavy rocks that rested on top of him. Fortunately, the others came to his aid. "My word, that was something! Is everyone alright?"

Britney wrapped a bandage around cranium. "Everything's fine over here!"

Chris hacked up some smoke. "No complaints here either."

"Then let's check upstairs to see if that barrier really is out of our hair," said Jerry.

#

They confirmed Scar's energy net was no more upon their return to the main portion of the laboratory. However, that wasn't the only interesting thing they stumbled on.

"That...wasn't here when we first left, right?" asked Chris, staring blankly at the bright, pink jet sitting in the middle of the room.

"I think we'd all remember seeing something like that!" shouted Sam.

"Especially when it's so tacky!" said Clover.

"You know anything about this, Jerry?" asked Alex.

He stuttered at first, then retorting, "T-This is a surprise to me as well, girls! All the planes I had at my disposal were destroyed by Scar!"

Britney gagged. "Whatever the case, that plane certainly is gaudy!"

"Gaudy is it? You shouldn't speak so poorly of the chariot that's going to get you and your friends out of here, my lovely!"

Chris froze on the spot. "T-That voice..."

"Yeah, I recognize it too," said Clover with a sigh. "Kyla Sacks!"

As if being introduced on a talk show, Kyla popped out from behind the plane, waving and blowing kisses at those present.

"Well, she certainly knows how to make an entrance," chimed Sam.

"How are we doing today, my lovelies?" Kyla said, clearly in a good mood.

"Hey, what areyou doing here?!" asked Alex.

"Hmm? Did I not just explain how I'm here to get you all out of this awful place? Ugh! Heisenberg never mentioned how dreadful the interior was! It looks like a dungeon in here!"

"That isn't what she's asking!" shouted an agitated Chris. "You say you're here to help us, but why in the world would you want to do that?! I highly doubt you're doing this out of the kindness of your heart, lady!"

Kyla inhaled dramatically. "I'm honestly hurt by your words! Sure, we've had our differences in the past, not to mention you guys threw me in a dirty, old jail cell! Plus, you ruined my plans to get revenge on all those horrible, beautiful girls at the Miss Mali-U pageant! Not to mention...!"

"You're seriously not helping your case!" said Britney.

"Er...b-but I'm willing to put all that aside for the time being in order to save the day! Besides, that Heisenberg practically begged me to do this! I really can't stand dealing with pushy, old men like that, so here I am!"

"It appears we have our ride, Spies!" said Jerry with a smile.

"Finally! Someone whoisn't complaining about my generosity!"

"It's more that I really don't want to be see in such an ugly plane," Chris murmured.

Kyla clapped her hands. "Let's go! Let's go! We don't want to be late for our date with destiny, do we? Besides, it took me all day just to get into this stupid school because of that barrier! We really should get a move on if we want to catch Scar!"

"At least she seems excited about all this," said Sam.

"You think this is a trap?" asked Alex.

"It's so gotta be!" added Clover. "Remember what she did to my face?! Thatproves she's totally evil!"

Kyla's temperament soured. "You know, I can hear you brats!"

"We don't have much of a choice if we wanna follow Scar. I say we trust her," said Britney.

"I shouldn't even letyou on after you completely disrespected my fabulous plane earlier, you whiny brat!"

"...You're right, Clover. Sheis totally evil!"

"A-Alright, alright! Enough already! Let's just go!" Blaine pleaded.

Clover and Britney shot Kyla a rather nasty glance prior to boarding her plane with the others. Miffed by this, she then perceived one passenger who hadn't gotten on yet.

"What's the problem?" she asked Chris, who crossed her arms rebelliously. "Still don't trust me? Or perhaps you have a fear of flying?"

"Something like that. The last time I was on a plane...things didn't end so well."

"Is that so? I never imagined someone like you would be afraid of such a thing!"

"We all have our demons to deal with. ...I still need to ask you something, Kyla."

Kyla smirked. "You still want to know why I'm helping you all, right?"

"...I don't get it. What's in it for you? I don't care what Heisenberg told you; there's no way his words alone were enough to spur you into assisting your enemies. Maybe you think WOOHP will release you if you do your part in saving the world?"

"My, you can be rather nasty when you want to be! It's a shame. You have such a pretty face that it always breaks my heart to see you frowning so much."

On cue, Chris scowled even harder, inducing a sigh out of Kyla.

"If you really want to know why I'm helping you out like this on spur of the moment, it's because I'm not an idiot. I might be what you consider a bad apple, but even I realize how awful things will be if Scar gets his way. I guess Heisenberg must have come to the same conclusion."

"...I see. I suppose I'm just going to have to believe you for the time being. Thank you."

Kyla's cleaned out her ears. "Wow. Never thought I'd hear that coming from you!"

"I've got one more question for you before we go."

"And you're so talkative today! You know, you aren't as bratty as I thought!"

Chris sulked. "...I'm going to hit you if you keep this up."

Not hearing this, Kyla went on with, "Lemme guess...you wanna ask where I got this awesome plane from, don't you? Don't worry! I didn't steal it or anything! Being an ex-supermodel has its perks! I bought this baby with cold, hard cash!"

"Actually, I was just curious why you decided to paint it such a hideous color."

Again, Kyla's attitude worsened. "...Just get inside already."

#

Everyone strapped themselves in for what would most certainly be a bumpy ride. Kyla helmed the controls and initiated the lengthy sequence of getting the plane up and running.

"Alright, you guys! Buckle up tight! If you have any food or drinks, please refrain from spilling them because I just got new leather for the seats, and I don't want any of you kids ruining it!"

"Hey! Where are the peanuts?!" said Blaine.

"And the in-flight movie?!" added Britney.

"This is the worst flightever!" chimed Clover

"...I see you brats have jokes," growled Kyla as she listened to them chortle like kids in a candy store. "...Am I seriously leaving the fate of the world in the hands of a bunch of teenagers?"

"Please proceed, Miss Sacks. Time is of the essence," Jerry reminded her

"That's what I'mtrying to do, but these brats...!"

"While I sympathize with you, we really have to find Scar! You must hurry!"

"Jeez! Okay! I heard you the first time! Are all old guys pushy like this?!"

Chris sealed the entrance behind her and took the co-pilot's seat.

"...Just what do you think you're doing?" asked Kyla, furrowing her eyelids.

"Exactly what you think," Chris answered. "I don't trust you flying this thing by yourself."

"Is that so? I'll have you know you're in perfectly good hands!"

"...Do you even know how to fly a plane?"

"I-I got it here okay, didn't I?!"

Her claim did nothing to make Chris feel at ease.

"Do you have any idea where Scar is right now, Miss Sacks?" asked Jerry.

"Not a clue. Guess we could just fly around the area and see if we can spot him."

"That'll take up too much time!" said Sam.

"Well, do you have a better idea?!"

"...I know where Scar is," said Chris without delay. "He's...likely heading toward Washington D.C. If we move quickly enough, we should be able to catch up to him."

"...How come you sound so sure about that?" Sam inquired with an air of skepticism.

"...It's not important. Let's just go."

"What do you mean?! Is there something you're not telling us, Chris?!"

"I said let's just drop it! You wanna stop Scar or not?!"

Sam turned to Kyla, declaring, "Turn off the plane! We aren't leaving until Chris tells us the truth!"

"Seriously?!" Kyla sensed a headache coming on. "This thing is such a pain to get going though..."

An intense stare down between Sam and Chris followed, and both looked moments away from swooping on the other.

"Chris, if there's something you're neglecting to tell us..." started Jerry.

"I already told you idiots that I have nothing to say!"

At this point, no one was buying anything that came out of her mouth. Chris, picking up on her their hostility, rolled her eyes.

"...Christine, it's going to be very difficult for us to trust in you if you persist on being dishonest like this. Anything you keep to yourself merely helps Scar further his goals."

Her stubbornness aside, Chris acknowledged the validity in Jerry's speech. That's why she decided, against her better judgment, to reveal to the truth to her comrades.

"...Fine. Whatever. You guys win. This has been eating at me anyway, so here goes! I know where Scar is going because everything that's happened thus far, we planned together. Yes, we've been plotting on how best SOAP could take over the world for as long as I can remember. The situation at Malibu University and the Tabithas seem like a new addition to the plan, but otherwise, everything Scar has done is the same as what we eventually decided on. We thought that if we took out the capital using a nuclear warhead, it would show the world how much of a threat SOAP was. It would deter anyone else from trying to fight against us out of fear we would strike at them next. That's...about everything. There's a chance Scar might've changed things up or added something else to the plan, but if he did, I wouldn't know. Honest."

Her tale generated quietude within the plane, a reaction she foresaw. It was precisely the reason she wanted to remain hushed on the matter. She could solely imagine what everyone wanted to do to her now.

"...I guess it makes sense now!" Clover said thereafter. "That's totally why you've been so crazy about trying to stop Scar!"

"How come you didn't just tell us this before?" asked Alex.

"Like I said, it's been eating at me, but...I already felt guilty over all the damage Scar has caused. I didn't want to add more fuel to the fire by making you guys suspect me of still working for him. Besides, I didn't notice what he was up to until it was too late. After hearing about that missile and him escaping in an airplane though, it then hit me. ...I'm beginning to think the reason Scar erased my memories was so I wouldn't be able to tell anyone about all this."

"I...see," said Sam with a nod.

"There it is then. Happy?"

"Very much so, yes," said Jerry.

The cheery manner in which he spoke threw Chris for a loop. "W-What? W-Why? The only reason I even know all this is because I worked for SOAP! Don't you care that I did horrible things?! Aren't you bothered the reason Scar was able to get this far is because of me?! And would you stop smiling like that already?!"

"While there may be some truth in your words, it's also because of your jaded past that we have a realistic chance at stopping Scar. That man was overconfident when he told you of his plans and left you alive. Thanks to this, we have the opportunity to use his hubris against him. You may have been misled all these years, but accepting your mistakes and owning up to them, Christine, takes real courage. Your parents would be proud of you trying to make things right, so you shouldn't despair either."

Chris, becoming a bit misty-eyed, quickly looked the other way. "W-What in the world are you going on about, old man? Tch. You must be getting senile or something."

"Hey, are you crying over there?" asked Kyla.

"S-Shut up! Start the plane already! We have a maniac to stop, remember?!"

"Heh!Now you're talking!"

The pink plane's engine roared to life. As it did so, Chris made a solemn promise to close the book between she and Scar once and for all

I'm taking that bastard down, even if it's the last thing I do!

#

"This is everything I could have dreamed of and more. Yes, I must admit that I've outdone myself."

A nuclear warhead of unmeasurable destruction sat in a pitch black room alongside its creator. Scar stroked it proudly, practically itching to unleash it upon the world. Having yet to reach his destination however, fate dictated he wait a bit longer.

"The years of gathering resources and biding my time have proved fruitful. Soon, I will be able to steer the human race back toward its natural course."

"How come you always talk to yourself like that, boss?"

Scar, miffed at being interrupted, shifted to the Tabitha standing in the doorway. "...A mere machine couldn't possibly hope to understand me or my ambitions."

"Ha! I can barely even understand a thing you're saying half the time!"

Shaking his head, Scar walked past her and had a seat at the front of his plane. The view from the large window, a blue and cloud-filled sky, was breathtaking. He intended to enjoy it to the fullest, hence the reason he whipped out some champagne and a glass.

"Oh! Oh! Could I have some?! Pretty please!" Tabitha said, bouncing around.

"...You do realize you're an android, correct?"

"Huh? What's that got to do with anything?"

"...Strange. I don't recall creating you and your fellow siblings with such...questionable intelligence. It must be a bug left over from Heisenberg's design." Scar didn't dwell on the matter and poured himself some liquor. "Have there been any problems with SOAP's global take over?"

"Nope! Everything's a-OK! Most of the armies around the world are only putting up lame resistance to your attacks now!" Tabitha happily said. She then pumped her fist, adding, "We are so kicking butt out there!"

Scar took a swig of his drink. "That is music to my ears."

"Say, how are you drinking that with that metal mouth of yours?"

"...Why is it you ask so many questions?"

"Hey! You can't answer my question with a question!"

"...Right." Scar opted to change the subject. "I'm quite shocked at how helpless the nations of the world are in trying to resist me. Perhaps they relied on WOOHP more than they realized. This is exactly the weakness I'm attempting to correct. We must bring the hammer down now. It is SOAP's time to reign supreme. We will build a better world, a stronger world. I've waited long and hard for this day, but finally, it's here."

"Huh? You say something? I think I had to reboot there for a sec!" said Tabitha.

Scar bitterly polished off his drink. "...Why am I even wasting my breath on the likes of you?"

Just then, red lights began to flash throughout the jet, followed closely by the blaring of an alarm.

"Thank God..." said an exasperated Scar, glad to have something to distract him from Tabitha. "Hmm. What could that be though?"

"Ah! Ah! Oh God, what's happening?!" said Tabitha, thoroughly freaked out.

"Looks like we have guests. Interesting."

Scar confirmed this by checking the radar. Outside, a platoon of United States Air Force jets raced to catch up to him. Despite there being more of them than he could count on his fingers, Scar smiled.

"It seems the President isn't willing to comply with my demands after all. A pity."

"Whoa! What are you gonna do, boss?!" asked Tabitha.

"Simple. We exterminate some vermin."

"Oh! Gotcha! Want me to go out there and beat 'em silly?!"

"No need. Just sit back and watch me go to work."

The jets started to shoot at his aircraft, yet their bullets bounced right off a blue barrier.

"You're seriously underestimating me if you think something like that would work," said Scar confidently. "How about this?"

With the press of a button, Scar launched a missile whose speed caught a number of the fighter jets off guard, destroying them. The rest managed to veer aside in time to regroup.

"Yeah! Fireworks!" exclaimed Tabitha, her eyes lighting up.

"There's plenty more where that came from," Scar assured her. He touched another switch on the plane's dashboard, this time unleashing an innumerable amount of smaller missiles upon his foes. Though they tried evasive actions, the projectiles finished off the rest of the US fighters in seconds. In the wake of their eradication, Scar furnished himself another drink to celebrate. "That was a waste of ammunition."

"Wow! That was awesome, boss!" yelled Tabitha. "You got 'em good!"

Scar readily agreed. "I trust that display of power will be enough to dissuade the President from trying another stunt like that."

"Cool! Can I have some champagne now?! Pretty please!"

"...I'm tempted to just give you some in the hopes you'll be short circuited."

In spite of him expecting no further disruptions, the alert signaling a nearby object went off again.

"Just one plane?" he said, staring at the radar.

"Huh? Are those guys back for more or something?" asked Tabitha. "They sure are persistent!"

"...Something tells me that isn't the case."

His intuition ended up being spot on when Kyla Sacks' pink luxury liner came up behind his own airplane.

"T-There!" said Chris excitedly while pointing. "There's Scar! Come on! Punch it! We can't let him get away!"

"Okay! Okay! I get the message! You don't have to scream my ear off!" complained Kyla.

"Looks like you were right predicting where Scar would be, Chris!" said Sam, flashing a grin.

"Since we found him, let's hurry before it's too late!" said Clover.

Alex added, "We can't screw up now after going through all that crap back at Mali-U!"

"Agreed! Come on, lady! Move this hunk of junk!" cried Chris.

"Would you chatterboxes just shut up already?!" Kyla howled. "I already said I get it! I'm going as fast as I can! This isn't a fighter jet though! None of you brats are even chipping in on gas money, so I don't wanna hear anymore about me going slow!"

Everyone screamed when Scar proceeded to fire at them.

"D-Dodge! DODGE!" shouted Britney.

"I'm aware! Leave it to me!" replied Kyla. "Ugh! The premiums on this thing are going to skyrocket!"

Her plane jerked around the sky, avoiding the bullets racing at it somehow.

"Hmph. It appears they're quite good," said Scar. "Can this handle this though?"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" said Kyla in response to the hundreds of missiles flying straight toward her craft. "Everyone better have their seat belts on!"

"Doesn't this thing have any weapons?!" asked Chris.

"Are you serious?! I told you, this isn't a fighter jet! I got this thing so I could take peaceful voyages on my time off, not to hunt down homicidal maniacs!"

"Dammit! Just dodge those missiles then! We can't die here!"

"T-There's no way I can avoid so many of them!"

"Uh...g-gimme a sec!" Chris channeled her thoughts. "Okay! Don't worry about dodging them all! Just get closer!"

"Closer?! Are you crazy?! That plane is armed to the teeth!"

"I don't care! Ihave to get on it, so get me close enough to it!"

"Tsk! That's easy for you to say!Your expensive plane isn't the one about to take a pounding!"

"Please, just do as Chris says!" said Sam. "We don't have time to debate!"

"Agh! Fine! You brats owe me one though!" Kyla breathed deeply and steered her machine straight into the heart of danger. "Come on, girl! Hang in there!"

"The plane's a girl?"

"Not now, Alex!" said Clover.

As expected, Scar's missiles began colliding with Kyla's plane, puncturing holes everywhere. Thick, black smoke emitted from them, yet miraculously, the plane held up, closing the distance between it and Scar.

"Aw man! We're really cutting it close now!" said Blaine.

"This is so stupid!" mumbled a sweating Kyla. "I think one of those things hit the engine! If you're going to do something, you better do it soon because I can't stay in the air!"

"That's fine," replied Chris. She headed for the door, saying, "You did well, Kyla Sacks. You weren't as useless as I figured you'd be."

"W-Where in the world do you think you're going?! And what do you mean 'useless?!'"

"I told you, I need to get on that plane! Thanks for the ride!"

The instant Chris jarred the plane's entryway wide-open, torrential air swept past her. Ignoring it, she jumped out.

"Y-You crazy idiot! Haven't you ever heard of depressurization?!" cried Kyla.

Chris free-fell ahead of landing right on top of Scar's vessel. She almost lost her grip, but employed her fingernails to latch onto the metallic surface. Fighting against strong winds to maintain her balance, she crawled her way toward a hatch, twisting its lever open. She then leaped inside the opening, fully aware there was no going back now.

"That was close," she said, catching her breath. Her heart was racing, and it wasn't solely the cause of her prior stunt. "T-Thank goodness I'm a spy. Then again, even with my training, I should never try something stupid like that again."

Three more people entered the confined space, startling her.

"Huh? W-Where did you guys come from?" she said to Sam, Alex, and Clover.

"Ugh! That wind totally ruined my hair!" screamed Clover as she tried to fix it.

"Tell me about it," muttered Alex, doing the same.

"Next time you do something like that, Chris...you know what? Scratch that!Never do something like that again! You nearly gave us all heart attacks!" said Sam.

"Heh. I was actually just thinking the same thing. By the way, you girls still haven't explained what you're doing here."

"We couldn't let you do this alone, Chris!" exclaimed Clover.

"Yeah! We got this far together, so let's finish this together!" said Alex.

Chris smiled. "I see. Well, suit yourselves then. What happened to the others though?"

"Kyla should be making an emergency landing in the ocean right about now," explained Sam. "The others just didn't have time to jump out like we all did, so I guess it's just going to be the four of us from here on out!"

Chris nodded, feeling that deep down inside, she preferred it this way.

"Say, where are we right now?" asked Alex.

"I dunno, but can we go pretty soon? I can barely move my arm in here!" said Clover.

"Agh!" said Chris, hitting her head on the ceiling. "Yeah, I hear you."

"This might be the service area of the plane. Assuming Scar is at the head of this thing, we should get out of here and make our way there!" said Sam. Her friends had no complaints with her plan of action.

Chris exhaled deeply. "I guess this really is it then. Either we stop Scar, or he stops us."

"N-No pressure though!" Alex nervously retorted.

"Some gadgets would bereally nice right now!" said Clover wearily. She then gulped when her friends glared at her. "I-I get that we don't have any! I was just thinking out loud! Jeez! I totally never said I didn't mind doing things the old-fashioned way!"

"Well, let's not stand around talking about doing something. Let's go!" said Chris.

"Yeah! Alright, girls! It's spy time!" proclaimed Sam.

"...Must you say that every time?"

Blushing, Sam answered, "Well...yeah! It's kinda my thing!"

Chris shrugged. "...Spy time it is then."

The four hyped themselves up, yet it came to an abrupt halt when the flooring underneath them began to creak.

"That...can't be good," said Alex.

"Don't say that! I'm sure it's...uh...nothing!" said Sam timidly.

"Couldn't you at least sound a little more convincing?" said Chris.

The metallic floor squeaked again and then broke apart thanks to the weight pressed against it. Shrieking, the four spies tumbled until crashing onto the hallway below.

"A-Are we alive?" asked an unmoving Clover.

"I don't know. It hurts everywhere, so I must be at least," Chris responded.

Sam, rubbing her skull, stood. "C-Come on, girls! We can't throw in the towel already!"

"Uh...even if there's a bunch of those freaky Tabithas everywhere?" asked Alex.

"Huh? What are you...?"

Sam gagged on her own spit when she caught wind of what her friend spoke of. Scar's killer androids filled both ends of the corridor.

"Dammit! We don't have time for this!" whispered Chris.

"I know, I know, but they aren't just going to stand aside for us!" said Sam.

"We gotta take 'em down then!" Alex declared.

"Haven't I broken enough nails fighting these things?!" cried Clover.

The four readied to brawl but became puzzled when the Tabithas failed to move a muscle.

"...Okay then," said Chris. "What's going on?"

Sam carefully walked over to one and knocked on its forehead. "No response. It's like they're not activated or something!"

"Works for me! Let's just get outta here while we have the chance!" said Clover.

"Yeah! These things creep me out anyway!" said a shivering Alex.

The four proceeded to tiptoe their way past the inactive androids.

"And just where do you think you troublemakers are going?" said a voice over an intercom just then.

"Huh?! W-Who was that?! A-A ghost?!" Alex said, hiding behind Chris.

Sam frowned. "Doubt it. I think this person is very much alive!"

"Don't tell me it's...!" Clover began.

"Scar...!" snarled Chris. "Where are you?! Come out and show your face, you coward!"

"I believe I'll have to decline your offer, Christine. It would be rude of me though if I didn't have someone there to welcome you."

"Yeah, I don't like the sound of that at all..." said Sam.

Sensing trouble, the four gradually turned the other way. While they did, the slumbering Tabithas came to life one by one.

Chris shouted, "Dammit! Saw that one coming!"

"This is the wrong time for you to be prophetic, Chris!" replied Sam.

The girls backed into one another, grimacing at the sheer number of enemies coming at them. The giggling Tabithas didn't get the chance to attack them though. A weird energy cage materialized around Chris and the others just then.

"What the...?! T-This is the same kind of barrier that was around Mali-U!" said Chris.

"Which means we can't even touch it!" added Sam. "Ugh! This isn't good!"

"Tell me about it! How in the world did we get caught so fast?!" asked Clover.

"This has gotta be like a new record for us," Alex stated dryly.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Alex. We need to do something!" Sam barked.

Chris smacked her lips as purple smoke spewed up from vents on the flooring. "...We might be too late, ladies."

"...Oh, this looks bad," murmured Sam.

"You and your bad feelings, Sammy!" yelled Clover. "I swear, you're as bad as Chris!"

"H-Huh? S-Speaking of bad feelings, I'm...feeling a little dizzy all of a sudden..." stuttered Alex, fluttering around.

Chris, doing the same, replied, "Y-Yeah. I think this is...sleeping...gas..."

Unable to stand any longer, Clover fell over. "T-Totally...not...cool..."

The effects of the gas knocked the four out straightway while the Tabithas swarmed over to their still bodies.

#

"Huh? What's...going on? Where...is this?"

Chris could think of no better way to describe her surroundings other than to call it an expansive void of nothingness. Other than the color white, she was its sole inhabitant. Naturally confused, she wandered around in search of another person or at the very least, something to tell her where she was.

"How did I even get here? I...don't understand."

The sides of her head began to throb with anguish. She recoiled, being able to tell it was more than a simple migraine. There was something of the utmost importance she was moments ago doing, yet whatever it pertained to was lost on her now. Her only goal now was escaping from wherever she was presently.

"Wait, who...?"

She had to squint, but she was positive another person stood in the distance, someone who wasn't there mere seconds ago. When she called out to them, she got no response. This forced her to cautiously make her way over to them. Mere inches away, she tapped on their shoulder. The individual, startled, promptly did an about-face in response.

"Huh?! D-Don't scare me like that, Chris! You always did like sneaking up on me!"

"That's funny. Sam said the same thing earlier when I...w-wait! M-Mother?!"

Chris was now the one astonished. The woman beaming before her was without a doubt her mother, yet this fact made little sense. Her mother was dead. Nevertheless, she just knew her eyes weren't deceiving her.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Chris? Do I have a zit on my face or something?!" Diane asked. She panicked, touching her face in search of a blemish. "Y-You think I'd be old enough not to get those anymore."

"'A zit?' N-No...t-that's not it..."

"Ah! I bet you're amazed to see me, aren't you? Heh. I guess that's not too surprising!"

Diane fashioned a 'V' using her fingers, and Chris mutely gazed at her.

S-She has to be Mother! No one else would act like such an idiot at her age...

"...You're thinking poorly of your dear mother, aren't you?! I can tell, young lady!"

Chris covered her mouth. "N-No, ma'am! I-I apologize! B-But, can you tell me what you're doing here?! Where am I?! I...don't understand!

"Well...uh...hmm. It's kind of hard to explain! I didn't come alone though!"

Chris understood the significance of her claim when someone else put their hand on her shoulder. None other than her father, Nathanial, smiled down on her. Although there were thousands of things she wanted to say to him, nothing left her open mouth.

"You hanging in there alright, kiddo?" said Nathanial. He roughly rubbed her head, ruining her hair. He would often tease her like this back in the day as well. It got on her nerves back then, but now, she didn't even think to complain. "Man, you've gotten tall! You still can't hold a candle to your old man though! Huh! That's weird! You're so quiet now too! Back in the day, we couldn't get you to shut up even if we tried!"

"F-Father?"

"Hmm? You want to know if it's really me, right? Well, just take a good look! There isn't another man more handsome in the world, right?"

As Nathanial laughed, the doubt in Chris' mind and heart vanished. Without any doubt, the two with her were her beloved parents. A storm of feelings overwhelmed her, and losing her effort to fight them back, tears began to roll down her face.

"Well, she still does that it seems," joked Diane. "I'm glad though our daughter has grown up to be a fine woman."

"Yeah, she's a real looker alright! Just like her mother here!" said Nathanial light-heartedly. "I bet all the boys chase after her!"

"I...still don't understand!" Chris loudly said. "Whatis this?! H-How could you two possibly be here?! Am I hallucinating?! Am I dead?! I-I must be!"

"Don't worry about the details, Chris. We just wanted to come and tell you not to give up! We're both cheering for you to take down Scar!"

"'Scar...?'" repeated Chris slowly. Her eyes then lit up. "T-That's right! Scar! I have to stop him! I have to get back to that plane! Sam and the others, they...!"

"Easy there!" said Nathanial, pulling her back. "You've still got plenty of time to save the day, kiddo!"

"Just promise us you'll be careful, alright? Scar...he...well..." Diane's sentence went off course.

"I know," Chris stated. "I...know. I know better than anyone. I'll be careful. Mother. Father. I'm...sorry."

"Hmm? Why are you apologizing?"

"Yeah! You've got nothing to be sorry for!" added Nathanial.

"H-Huh?! But...I let Scar trick me all these years! After what he did to you two, I...!"

Diane pressed her finger against Chris' lips. "That's enough! What's done is done!"

"That's right! You can't dwell on the past, Chris! It won't change anything!"

"B-But Father, I...!"

"No buts! Do you really think you can stop Scar with all that regret weighing you down?! It doesn't matter what he did to us! All that matters now is putting an end to his plans before somebody else gets hurt! Do you think you're up for it, kiddo?"

Chris mulled the matter over. "...Y-Yes, but...I apologize."

"Huh? Didn't we just tell you to stop saying that?!" said Diane.

"No, it's...about something else. You see, I've been kicking myself in the face ever since I learned the truth about what happened to you two. Deep down inside, I blamed myself for your deaths. I regretted not being strong enough at the time to prevent them. The two of you are right though. Beating myself up isn't going to solve a damn thing! I promise you, I will stop Scar! I will end things once and for all!"

"She's a good listener now too!" said Diane, surprised. "You really have grown up, haven't you, Chris?"

Scarlet-faced, Chris replied, "I-I suppose so..."

"Looks like we're just about out of time," said Nathanial.

"Huh? W-What are you talking about?" asked Chris. She then gasped as her mother and father started to fade away.

"Already huh? It's a shame, but I'm just grateful we got to meet our little girl again!" said Diane tearfully.

"Yeah! It looks like she doesn't need us as much as we figured!" said Nathanial with another mighty chuckle. "She's really all grown up now!"

"W-Where are you two going?! W-Wait! You can't go again! Wait a moment!" cried Chris. She tried grabbing them, but her hand merely passed through.

"Heh. Sorry, kiddo! We'd stay if we could, but..." Nathanial shook his head. "Don't fret over us anymore! Just try to hang in there, alright?"

"That's right! You can do it, Chris! You're our little girl! Heh, I guess you aren't so little anymore! No matter what happens, never give up!" added Diane.

"I-I...won't let you two down!" Chris shouted. "I'll make you proud!"

"Like we were even worried about something like that!" said a winking Nathanial. "You're our kid! Our blood runs through your veins! Because of that, we have the utmost faith in you!"

"Don't worry though, Chris! Even if we're not here with you anymore, we'll always be watching over you!" said Diane. "You're a good girl, okay! Don't worry about stuff so much! You have your whole life ahead of you after all this!"

"A-Alright, Mother. Father. I understand..."

Chris wiped her face clean as her parents waved her a final goodbye.

#

Gradually opening her heavy eyelids, Chris came to her senses.

"H-Huh?! What the...?! Where am I now?!"

Glowing chains bound her arms and legs. On further inspection, she noted them tied behind a tall, metal post.. Sam, Alex, and Clover were nearby and in the same predicament.

"This is...the front of Scar's plane!" she muttered. She guessed the roar of the airplane's engine was what stirred her from her sleep. "...I get it. The place with my parents...that was just a dream. Logically speaking, that makes sense. Still, it felt so real..."

"You're finally awake, Christine."

Chris, gasping, had to hastily get herself together at hearing the all too familiar voice of Scar. The man in question smirked underneath his mask while he stepped over to her.

D-Dammit! I can't defend myself like this! I'm screwed if he...!

"You did always have a tendency to sleep in. This whole thing is quite nostalgic," Scar continued. Though bracing for the worst, Chris calmed some when Scar simply circled around her. "What's the matter, Christine? Afraid I'm going to bite? Don't worry. I have no plans to hurt you, not yet anyway. I suppose you always had a sort of...cautious air about you whenever I was around, even before you knew the truth."

"Can you blame me?! Even just looking at you right now is making my skin crawl, bastard!"

"...I'm honestly shocked to hear such language from you, Christine. Especially after I've treated you like a loving parent all these years..."

"Get real, you freak!" Chris roared. "My real parents aregone! In case you've forgotten, that's all thanks toyou! You really must be going insane if you're seriously putting yourself on their level!"

"Hmph. You're correct on that point. I have long since surpassed Nathanial and Diane. There's a reason I'm standing here before you, unlike them."

"Tsk! I'm going to...!"

The image of her parents momentarily blinked into her mind, and she recalled their words of always being with her.

That's right. He's doing this on purpose. He's trying to get me rattled up so I don't think straight. He might know me well, but I'm not letting him get his way this time!

"Is something the matter, Christine?"

"...No." Chris' worked her frown into a smirk. "Nothing at all. I was just thinking of the expression you'll make once I take you down and end all this."

"...I don't recall you having a sense of humor like that. I suppose you've changed some after all, Christine."

"Do me a favor and stop calling me that, alright?"

"And what would you prefer me to call you then?"

"...The girl who's going to deflate that swollen head of yours!"

Scar wasn't so laid-back anymore. "...Yes, that sense of humor of yours is definitely new. I can't say I like it very much."

Their ongoing conversation roused Sam, Clover, and Alex out of their slumber.

"Man, that was a good nap!" said Alex, yawning voraciously.

"I'm...uh...glad you enjoyed it, Alex, but I'm thinking it may have come at the wrong time!" said Sam, taking instant heed of their predicament.

Clover, fighting against her bindings, declared, "Hey, let us go, you creep! What gives?!"

"You're wasting your energy trying to break those restraints, WOOHP spy," said Scar. "They're made of..."

"You don't have to bother explaining," said Chris. "He's right though. I've seen him use these chains before. We're not getting free with brute force alone."

"What are we gonna do then?!" cried Alex.

"Instead of uselessly struggling any further, the four of you should just sit back and enjoy the view." Scar gestured toward the front window and fashioned himself another drink. "It's quite lovely, isn't it?"

"Q-Quit messing around! What do you intend to do with us?!" asked Sam.

"...I need to commend you four for getting this far. I never imagined you would even be able to escape Malibu University. As a reward, I'll allow you girls to be first hand witnesses to my rise to power."

"Ugh! You really are a psycho!" Clover asserted. "You can't just go around blowing up whole cities!"

"I can...and I will. In case you've forgotten, there's no one left to oppose me. None of you need to worry though. I'll dispose of you bothersome flies as soon as I'm finished wiping Washington D.C. off the map."

Alongside a confident snicker, he went back to drinking, leaving the four behind him in a state of dread.

"This is really,really bad, girls! We have to do something and fast!" whispered Sam.

"I know, I know! Just...let me think for a second!" retorted Chris.

"Well, whatever it is, you better think fast!" said Alex.

"T-That's it!" Chris quietly proclaimed.

"W-Whoa. I didn't think she'd come up with somethingthat fast!"

"Girls! I need you to keep him talking for a minute! I don't care what you say, just make sure he isn't paying any attention to me!"

"Huh? What for?" asked Clover.

"I don't know either, but we'll have to go with whatever she's planning for now! We don't have any more time to waste!" said Sam. As Alex and Clover agreed, she faced Scar. "S-Say, Scar! What are you planning to do after you destroy the capital?! Even if you manage to succeed, I doubt you'll scare as many people as you think you will! The world will still fight back against you and SOAP!"

"Yeah! The only reason you're even winning in the first place iis because you caught everyone off guard!" said Clover. "The second they get a chance to regroup, you are so going down!"

"You do realize someone's just gonna nuke you back eventually if you decide to go crazy with the nuclear warheads, right?!" asked Alex. "You're just causing chaos for no reason!"

"'Chaos?' Is that what you think this is? Ladies, my actions are solely for the betterment of mankind. The reason for the advancement of the human race thus far is because it has followed its primal instincts. War. Strife. Constant struggles. Adversity. Discrimination. And most importantly, hatred. It is because of these thing we are now the dominant species on this planet. It is because we fight amongst one another and weed out the weak that we reign supreme. That is Darwinism at its finest. Unfortunately, the world at large has mostly gotten away from that. It's become weak and feeble. Progress has stagnated as such. Most of the issue stems from the efforts of Jerry Lewis and WOOHP. They've been rounding up criminals left and right, indiscriminately locking away those the world needs most! That foolish man and his organization...they've been a major thorn in my side for a very long time. Everything's different now. Yes, WOOHP is no more. From the ashes of it will come a better world, one painstakingly created by yours truly. I'm surprised I haven't received more praise for my self-sacrificing efforts. Rather, the majority of fools out there choose to fight against me. They choose to fight against destiny. It's rather pathetic, don't you think? Then again, I believe you girls would know first hand how simpleminded it is."

"...Y-You really believe all that, don't you?!" said Sam in total disbelief. Although she wasn't aware, her forehead was drenched in a cold perspiration, a by-product of beholding Scar's madness. "Y-You seriously believe you're doing the right thing here, Scar!"

"He reallyis a psycho if he thinks people are gonna thank him for blowing up half the country!" Clover hollered.

"Uh...c-can't we just turn this plane around and talk about this? I mean, there's totally still time for you to stop all this!" pleaded Alex.

Hearing this prompted Scar to explode into a tirade of laughter. The scene, while disturbing, came as no surprise to his prisoners. It just made them wonder why they were even attempting to reason with such a lunatic.

"You justhad to get him started, Alex..." said a groaning Clover.

"Ah, I remember being so naive when I was around your age, ladies," said Scar, gaining control of himself. "Did you think you would simpy waltz in here and ask me to stop, then I'd do it? That's just the kind of foolishness Jerry Lewis instills into the minds of his agents. Trying to play the hero is a complete waste of time. I learned that the hard way during my employment at WOOHP years ago. There's little point in putting your life on the line for others when your efforts aren't even recognized in the end. Even if you four managed to stop me, no one out there would ever know. You would remain nameless and faceless in the eyes of the masses. That's why I don't understand why you all persist on making fools of yourselves by trying to oppose me."

"...Pardon my language in advance, but...what thehell are you talking about?!" Sam seriously wondered. Scar wasn't the only one astounded by her speech, with her friends all gasping in unison. "Y-You thinkthat's the reason we're spies?! You thinkthat's the reason we work for WOOHP?! You thinkthat's the reason we came here today to try to put an end to your crazy plans?! You reallyare nuts then, completely out of your mind even! We don't do any of this for the recognition! We do this to protect innocent people from villains likeyou!"

"Yeah! While itis nice to hear Jerry tell us we did a good job after a mission, we so don't care if we don't end end up on a magazine cover or on the news for our good deeds!" said Clover. "That's 'cause we know that if we fail, lots of people are gonna pay the price!"

"If all you care about is being patted on the back and not actually helping anyone, it's no wonder Jerry kicked your butt outta WOOHP!" added Alex finally.

Chris glanced up from her work to see nothing but bitterness plastered on Scar's features. He would oftentimes appear this way back in the day whenever they discussed WOOHP. All the talk of praise and recognition confirmed Chris' belief that Scar, despite what most would think, greatly worried what others thought of him.

Everything this man does, he does for a reaction. The fact Jerry Lewis never gave him the praise he thought he earned is stilling eating at him. I never imagined him to be so childish, but...

"Hmph. I find that entire mentality laughable!" said Scar harshly. "That's the same nonsense Nathanial and Diane would go on endlessly about! Do you see now why this world must change?! I must stamp out foolishness such as that for the sake of mankind! We have no future with weaklings like you in charge of things!"

"Dammit! Just...shut the hell up already!" Chris suddenly shouted. "You talk as if you're some kind of god! No one asked for your help, and no one's going to grieve after we take you down!"

She lunged at Scar in the wake of her declaration, nearly slicing him in two with her long dagger. He sidestepped it at the last instance, yet he was more concerned with something else.

"How did you break free from your restraints?! You...!"

"I guess Jerry was right when he said there were some advantages to working with a creep like you. Scar, I've seen you use those little chains about a hundred times. I forgot what idiotic name you gave them, but I've had to use them myself on a couple missions for SOAP. Therefore, I know exactly how to escape from them if need be. I also know you have a habit of not doing body searches. I'm guessing that's the reason I still have my knife. You used to have me do them on all our prisoners in your stead. Guess old habits die hard, eh?"

"...I see. It seems you knew more about me than I thought. That's right, Christine. You've always been my one error, the one hitch in the plan. Rather than erasing your memory, I should have erased your entire existence from this world. No, I should have taken care of you when I found you in that field of flames ten years ago. I was too soft. I took pity on you. Allow me to correct that mistake right now!"

He went on the offensive this time. Chris tried avoiding his blows, yet her body felt sluggish. She noticed it earlier, but didn't think anything of it.

That...sleeping gas! It must not have left my system yet entirely...!

"What's the matter, Christine? I taught you better than this!" Scar voiced as he slugged her on the chin. However, she managed to slash him on the arm while tumbling backward. He watched crimson blood drip from the shallow wound, becoming incensed the more it pooled on the floor. "...That's Nathanial's dagger, isn't it? I see. That's how you cut yourself free. How humorous. It seems your wretched parents are getting in my way, even beyond the grave."

"Uh...did anyone else notice she forgot to cut us free too?!" said a squirming Sam.

"Yeah, what's the big idea, Chris?!" complained Clover.

"Seriously! My arms and legs are really starting to chafe!" said Alex, her eyes stained with tears.

"Just give me a sec over here! Let me take care of him first!" said Chris.

"You're going to take care of me, Christine?" Scar, grabbing a towel, wiped his arm clean. "I believe you've forgotten who you're dealing with here. So what you managed to free yourself? You still can't beat me. Do you remember the last time you decided to foolishly challenge me? Recall that I know all of your moves because I'm the one that taught them to you. You can't..."

"Quiet!" Chris said at the top of her lungs. "I've had enough of you! So what you know all my moves?! I'm still going to find a way to stop you! I promised my parents that much!"

"Your parents? Is that so? If you truly care for them so much, perhaps it's time I finally sent you to them, Christine!"

When he casually tapped a button on the control panel behind him, Tabitha after Tabitha poured out of the front door, the ceiling, and basically every other opening in sight. Giggling, they horded close to a dumbfounded Chris.

"Oh, you'vegot to be kidding me! Can't you have the decency to fight me fairly, Scar?!"

"Haha! 'Fairly?' Have you already forgotten the most important element of espionage, Christine? There is no such thing as fair play!"

"This is bad, girls!" said Sam. "They're going to tear her apart at this rate!"

"I am so tired of those stupid robots!" said Alex. "How many did Scar build anyway?!"

"Come on, Chris! Kick their butts! Don't let 'em get you!" exclaimed Clover.

Chris, holding her dagger close to her, appreciated the kind words, but felt she would need more than encouragement to get through this.

Let's see. In terms of the number of enemies, there's about...uh...on second thought, I'd rather not count.

She began leaping around, dodging attacks and also slashing at anything that so much as moved. Limbs went flying everywhere, and a Tabitha's head even rolled across the ground.

"Hey, that was totally rude, you know!" it uttered.

Chris soon found herself out of breath, but unfortunately, not out of enemies. Her efforts solely proved to slightly thin the number of androids after her.

"Tsk! This is impossible! There's gotta be some other way to get rid of them!"

"What's the matter, Christine? I thought you had more stamina than this!" said Scar.

Drowning his taunts out, she went back on the defensive, unsure of how long she could keep up the effort.

"Well, this totally stinks!" said Alex, wry-faced. "Chris is gonna get killed and we can't do anything about it!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" So desperate was she to escape that Clover started biting at her restraints. "Ugh! Just what are these stupid things made of?!"

"Hey, where did all those Tabithas come from?" Sam pondered.

"Eh? Who even cares about that?! Maybe Scar turned them on or something!"

"...'Turned them on?'" Clover statement caused a light to switch on in Sam's head. "T-That's it! You're a genius, Clover!"

Clover grinned. "Heh. I so already knew that, but it's nice to hear anyway!"

"Chris! Listen! There's something important I have to tell you!"

"A little busy here!" Chris replied, pushing a pair of Tabithas back.

"No, you seriously have to listen! Remember those Tabithas from earlier and how we thought they were shut down?! Well, I'm think it's because they were! If they really have to be activated, then you should be able to turn them off just as easily! Hit that button Scar did a minute ago!"

Chris spotted what Sam referred to. "I see! Thanks!"

She leaped her way over all the Tabithas, getting mere inches away from the switch enough to slam her fist down on it. Scar formed a brick wall between the two at the last second before kicking her a good distance back.

"My apologizes, Christine, but I can't allow you to shut off my precious machines so easily. I must again praise you and your friends. You all figured out my little secret effortlessly. You see, these androids, as handy as they are, tend to run out of power very rapidly, a flaw in Heisenberg's original designs that I haven't had a chance to correct. Therefore, it's far easier for me to shut them down until I need them to conserve their energy reserves. It also helps that they can't talk when they're not activated."

"Maybe you should bring some spare batteries the next time you go out!" Chris declared as she broke her fall. She then tossed her dagger at Scar, yet it whizzed past him harmlessly.

"And maybe you should work on your aim."

"Hmph. Who said I was aiming foryou?"

Punctured right through the activation button for Scar's mechanical menaces was Chris' knife. In response, the Tabithas all powered down and dropped dead where they stood.

"Thank goodness," said a very relieved Chris. "Hearing that annoying voice of theirs was seriously beginning to piss me off."

Scar, on the other hand, wasn't as enthralled. "...You are seriously beginning to try my patience, Christine!"

"Heh. What's the matter? Upset you can't hide behind your robots anymore?"

"You think you've won just because of that? How foolish! I will not be backed into a corner so easily!" Scar hovered his finger above a different button, heightening Chris' guard. "Allow me to remind you who's in control here! Do you see your friends there behind you? With the mere press of a button, I can send them plummeting from this airplane! It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what will happen after that!"

Trying to remain calm, Chris answered, "Y-Yeah right! You're full of crap!"

"Oh, I assure you my threat is the real thing. The metal posts those three are tied to are rigged to drop straight out of this plane if I press this button. Do you get it now? I suggest you give it up already with this whole hero thing unless you wish to say goodbye to your companions."

Chris, leering back at her friends, froze up. She wasn't sure what to do.

"D-Don't worry about us, Chris! Just stop Scar!" said Sam.

"Yeah! E-Even though I'm afraid of heights and...uh...dying, you can't back down!" said Alex.

"What are you waiting for?! Take him down already!" added Clover.

Chewing the subject over carefully, Chris ascertained the logical choice would be to heed their advice. Sacrificing thousands of lives for just three would be quite foolish. Nevertheless, she continued to waver.

W-What am I thinking?! They're right! I have to finish this! If I don't...! But, I can't...I-I mean...there's no way I can...!

"So, what will it be, Christine?" Scar asked, snapping her out of her deep thinking.

"...F-Fine. I...surrender," she said in almost a whisper. "D-Don't hurt them..."

"NO!" Sam, Alex, and Clover cried.

"What the heck is she doing?!" asked Clover, horrified.

"S-She's that worried about us?" said a genuinely surprised Alex.

"C-Chris..." was the only thing Sam could get out.

"That's a good girl," said Scar. "You've grown soft though. The Christine of the past would have made the alternate decision in a heartbeat."

Biting her bottom lip, Chris replied, "...That's exactly why I'm glad I've changed! I didn't have friends before! I didn't have anyone I really cared about! It's different now! It's different when there are people you're willing to lay your life on the line for! T-That's why I'm asking you not to lay a finger on them! If you have to hurt someone, hurt me!"

"...To think I'd hear such foolish words coming from you. It really gets on my nerves."

Scar struck Chris upside the mouth with the back of his hand, flooring her. Despite her friends screaming for her to stand and fight, she remained where she was, rubbing her reddened face. She understood she couldn't dare make a move without endangering their lives.

S-Sorry, girls. I...just can't. I can't risk losing you...

Scar crouched down to her, saying, "Having friends has weakened you, Christine. Can't you see that? You don't remotely resemble the ruthless and efficient spy that worked for me all these years."

"...Go to hell! I...!" Chris' lost her train of thought when she spotted something of significant interest outside.

"What's the matter, Christine? Cat got your tongue? Or have you finally realized trying to oppose me is pointless?"

Her calm expression made him dubious this was the case.

"...Perhaps you have a point, Scar," she said informally. "Perhaps Iam making the wrong decision here."

"...Is that so?" he retorted, his voice painted with skepticism.

"That's right. That's why you might as well go ahead and press that button. Go on."

"...What is this? You were so eager to save your friends moments before."

"Yeah, whatis she doing?!" blurted Sam.

"Uh...hello! What are you saying, Chris?!" Clover honestly wished to know. "I mean, Iknow we were just saying that's what should happen, but that so doesn't mean we want you to off us while sounding like you don't care!"

"D-Don't tell me she's gone back to being totally evil again...?" mumbled Alex.

Moving her sights their way, Chris gazed in a manner suggesting they needed to simply have faith in her for the time being.

"A-Alright, Chris. I don't know what you have up your sleeve this time, but...we'll trust you. You've more than earned it," said Sam.

"I just hope we don't end up as pancakes on the ground!" groaned Clover.

"Well, this is quite the development." It was one Scar was clearly pleased with as he stood. "Still, your abrupt change in demeanor leaves me troubled."

"What's the matter? You're going to destroy them, right? Go right on ahead. That is, assuming your threat earlier wasn't all talk!"

"...Provocation won't work on me, Christine. I..."

"Stop screwing around already! If you won't press it, Iwill! Those girls over there have been getting on my nerves, so you getting rid of them would be doing both youand me a favor!"

"I see." Scar's grin grew wider and more sadistic while Chris spoke. "Nowthat's the spy I know. You've finally come to your senses by the looks of it."

"That's right. You were correct. Trying to play the hero is a total waste of time."

Satisfied by her cold-hearted response, Scar granted her wish by hitting the button that would seal her friend's doom. Their shrill cries echoed as the poles they were tied to quickly fell down holes that spawned in the floor. The sight of this made Chris flinch, unbeknown to Scar.

"Good riddance," he said, chuckling. "Those girls were major thorns in my side. I couldn't have gotten rid of them without you, Christine."

"Glad to help. Like I said, them being out of the picture is good for me as well. You see, I won't have to worry about them being harmed because of me now."

"Hmm? Are you feeling alright, Christine? Do you even notice what you're saying? Those friends of yours are finished. The fall will end their lives for sure."

"You sure about that? Look carefully," said Chris, pointing a finger toward the window behind him. Scar did exactly that, his eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets at what he saw. A pink plane in the distance steadily rose to meet his own vessel.

"Impossible! That plane from before? But how?!"

#

"T-That Chris brat is more trouble than she's worth!" grumbled ex-supermodel Kyla Sacks. Her ire stemmed from Chris delivering her three surprise packages in the form of Sam, Alex, and Clover. "Why does she insist on making things difficult for me?!"

"A-At least she didn't tell a crazy guy to dropyou out of a freaking plane!" Sam stated. Her hair mirrored her composure in that both were a complete mess thanks in no small part to the fall. "I don't know who's crazier: her or Scar!"

"I-I think my life totally flashed before my eyes!" a traumatized Clover said.

"Um...a-are you okay, Alex?" Britney asked her friend as she untied her. Alex didn't respond, being far too preoccupied hyperventilating. "Uh...I-I'll just leave you alone for the time being!"

Blaine whistled, leering up at newly created holes in the roof of Kyla's plane. "That was really something! Chris must've come up with her plan the second she saw us!"

"Ngh! All she did was damage my precious jet some more!" Kyla bellowed. "She could at least help me pay for all the repairs after this! I mean, we just barely got the engines working again!"

"I'm just glad we made it back in time," said Jerry. "Are you girls okay?"

Sam, now free thanks to her boss, stretched her aching arms. "Y-Yeah, thanks to Chris. We gotta go back though! We need to help her!"

"That dirty liar! She totally ditched us!" said Clover, fuming in anger.

"Y-Yeah, but she did it to save us!" replied Alex. Feeling something creep up her throat, she then shot her hand over her mouth. "Ugh! I-I think I'm gonna throw up! Could we never do something like that again?!"

"We didn't ask to be saved, Alex! We said we would stop Scar together, so Chris can't get rid of us that easily! We can't let her fight alone!" shouted Sam. Inspiration ignited inside the others, with Sam's firm resolve being the catalyst.

"Okay, sounds good! Let'sall go this time!" Britney said.

"Yeah! No way Scar can stop all of us!" added a confidently beaming Blane.

"He's not gonna know what hit him!" chimed Clover.

"Sounds like a plan!" said Jerry. He then added, "Miss Sacks, get us closer to Scar's plane!"

"Yeah, as much as I'd like to do that, we have a problem!" Frustration blanketed every inch of Kyla's expression while she fought a losing battle with the controls. "The main engine is acting up again! I can't get us higher! I can barely even move this thing! We need to get out of here before we either crash, or Scar tries shooting us down!"

"Huh?! But we can't just leave Chris behind!" said Sam.

"Yeah! At least let the three of us out of here!" said Clover.

"We'll go back and help her ourselves!" added Alex.

"Is anyone even listening to me?!" Kyla drove her cranium into her radar. "Ican't go back there, even if I wanted to, which I don't by the way! Unless you people want to die right here and now, we're getting out of here! That brat up there is just gonna have to look after herself for the time being!"

"...That's exactly what I'm worried about," Sam woefully whispered.

#

"...They're gone already..." said Scar. He observed the pink plane vanish as suddenly as it arrived, trembling in anger all the while. "No matter. I'll hunt them down soon enough. Still, I'm rather impressed, Christine. All that was a facade to get me to release your friends unharmed. Haha. I can hardly believe you."

Chris smirked defiantly, glad to see her plan succeed without a hitch.

"If you were truly smart though..." continued Scar. "...you would have forgotten about them and escaped on your own. You'll have to deal with me alone now."

"...Fine. That's what I wanted anyway," Chris told him.

"...Just listen to yourself. You know, that overconfidence of yours is dangerous."

"Tsk! Like you're one to talk!"

"...We'll soon be at the capital. Once there, I'll be able to unleash my nuclear missile on the unsuspecting population. If you intend to stop me, I suggest you do it soon, Christine."

Chris felt he needn't say more. She tried assaulting him from the rear, but he predicted her movements enough to dodge and then retaliate with a kick to her gut. Blood spewed from her mouth, and the strength in her lower body dissipated. Dropping to her knees, she lacked the power necessary to stop Scar from driving his leg into her side. The blow sent her skidding across the ground. Afterward, pure, unadulterated pain shot through her entire being. It made her legitimately wonder if every single bone in her body was broken.

"So, that's all you can manage to handle, Christine? Yes, that seems about right. You never could best me in hand-to-hand combat. You would tell me to go easy on you during our sparring even," said Scar.

Chris thought it bizarre he chose now to recount the past. "Y-You...!"

An opportunistic Scar grabbed Chris' dagger out of the plane's dashboard. Then, like a serpent slithering in on its prey, he neared his former operative. Still reeling from his previous attack, Chris could do nothing to protect herself. Scar drove his foot into her chest, inducing another cry of anguish out of his victim. With light glinting off the blade, he followed this up by pointing her sharp knife dangerously close to her throat.

"This is it, Christine," he said. "This is where your life ends. Don't you find it ironic you'll die thanks to something that belonged to your father? Do you remember when I gave this to you? It was your tenth birthday. You kept begging me for something, so I settled on an old keepsake from your father that I happened to have in my possession. I never imagined you would attempt to turn it on me."

Chris, glaring intently, remained tight-lipped. Scar presumed this a sign of her admitting defeat until he stared into her shaking eyes. Something about them rattled him to the core, causing him to falter. She was silently daring him to make a move.

"S-Stop it!" he said in a heightened tone. "Stop it with those eyes of yours!"

When she refused, his exasperation threatened to boil over. "Those eyes! Thoseeyes...! They're...just like Diane's, the woman who dared scar my face! Turn those accursed eyes away from me, Christine! If you do not, I'll dispose of you like I did her!"

His warning only served to make her glower even harder. Scar couldn't take it any longer. He thrust the knife with every ounce of hatred he possessed. At the last moment, Chris rolled aside and sprang to her feet. A fight for control of the dagger broke out after she pounced on him. Neither could gain a solid advantage, instead crashing straight into the plane's control panel. Sparks of electricity, alongside black smoke, rose out of the damaged mechanism at the same time an alarm sounded.

"What? W-What's going on?!" asked Chris.

Scar used the distraction to push her off of him ahead of scrambling over to the controls. He frantically hit buttons and pushed levers to no avail.

"Dammit! I've lost complete control!" he cried. "We'll crash at this rate!"

Chris, picking up her misplaced dagger, made Scar jump when she tapped it against a wall. "Hahaha! This is great! Serves you right, you bastard! And we were almost to the capital too! Too bad, Scar! You lose!"

A crazed look warped Scar's features. "Y-You...! All of this isyour fault! How could you do this to me?!I took you in when you had nowhere else to go or anyone to turn to!I was the one who fed you and put clothes on your back when no one else could!I was the one that gave your life purpose by training you to be a spy for SOAP! After everything I've done for you, youdare repay me for my good deeds inthis manner?!"

"Y-You son of a...! The only reason I was in that situation to begin with was because ofyou!You killed my parents!You tricked me all these years and let me believe WOOHP was responsible for that just so you could use me to further your deranged goals! Consider all of this karma for all the injustices you've served me these past ten years! You'refinished, Scar!"

The plane, unable to stay afloat, began a nosedive toward the Earth. It would only be a matter of time before impact, something its two remaining occupants took heed of.

"...I'm finished you say? Even if I can't hit Washington D.C., this plane still has an explosive aboard, Christine! We're over a densely populated area! What do you think will happen once this vessel finally crashes?! In the end, you and your little friends will have savedno one, girl! Hahaha! That's right! Your efforts will have done nothing but ensure you die along with thousands of others!"

Chris, seeing the truth in his otherwise demented rant, shoved him aside to get to the dashboard. The main controls were indeed shot, but she concluded she could still do enough to prevent Scar's grisly prediction from happening.

"It's pointless, Christine! You're wasting your time! Do you really think you can stop this plane from crashing?!"

"No, but if it must crash, I'd rather it crash somewhere it won't hurt anyone! The Atlantic Ocean is nearby! If I can just divert the plane there...!"

"Wait a moment! You...actually intend to ditch this thing in the ocean, don't you?!"

Hard at work, Chris gave him no response.

"Hahaha! You really are foolish, aren't you, girl?! Just like those idiotic parents of yours! You realize you'll perish along with this plane, correct?! There isn't enough time for you to escapeand accomplish your mission! I thought I informed you playing the hero isn't worth it!"

"I don't consider myself a damn hero or whatever! It doesn't matter to me if no one ever knows what I did! All I care about is making sure you hurt as few people as possible! Now then, if you aren't going to do anything productive, stay outta my way!"

Scar stumbled backward, becoming even more mad. "T-This...this is just like ten years ago! Here I am, watching another simpleton throw their life away for the sake of others! I've had more than enough of this sort of nonsense!"

The color red, the shade of his intense fury, clouded Scar's vision as he charged at Chris in order to destroy her once and for all. Literally sensing his hatred crawling on the back of her neck, Chris swung around in a timely manner, avoiding his attack.

"I thought I told you to stop screwing around!" she hollered, nearly breaking his jaw with a right hook. She then unloaded a number of blows into him, treating him like a punching bag, ahead of ending her flurry with a stiff roundhouse kick. Battered and bloody, Scar crumpled over just seconds before Chris jumped on top of him. His eyelids enlarged when she then aimed her father's dagger at his neck. "Well, well, well! Isn't this familiar?! Looks like our roles have been reversed this time around, Scar!"

"Indeed they have," he piercingly replied. "It seems you've finally bested me. C-Congratulations..."

"I don't need to hear that from you!"

"Hmph. What are you going to do now, Christine? Kill me? Cut me down like some helpless animal? Do it then. Do it and get it over with!"

Chris intended to, but her arm wouldn't stop trembling for some reason. In the meantime, Scar's jet continued to plummet further and further.

"Why are you hesitating, Christine? Perhaps you're the one who can do nothing more than talk big. You can't do it, can you? Of course you can't. It's because you're weak, just like your parents were! They couldn't kill me either! Neither could Jerry Lewis! All of you are exactly the same!"

"Just...shut up already! I'll...I...I'm going to...!"

"No, you won't. You won't do a damn thing! If you can't even kill the man who ended the lives of your parents, whatcan you do, Christine?! Save the world?! Ha! What a joke!"

"SHUT UP! I'LL SHUT YOU UP ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

Scar observed her miss him on purpose, she instead stabbing the space beside him. Moments of total silence followed.

"...You're not even worth it." Chris picked herself up and focused those eyes he reviled so much on him. "Move again, and I really will kill you!"

She trekked back over to the plane's control panel, noting time fought against her.

Of course, the one thing I didn't learn during my time with SOAP was how to crash a plane effectively. Wait, why in the world would they teach me something like that in the first place?! Well, looks like I'm just gonna have to make this work somehow!

Her confident musing didn't reflect her true feelings. The slightest hint of doubt crept up on her, and although she knew how to operate a plane well enough, all her knowledge on the subject gradually went out the window as her unease increased.

D-Dammit! Can I really do this?! If I screw up...! I really wish I knew what my parents would do in this situation!

Taking a deep breath, she made herself relax.

It's not a matter if I can! I have to! If I don't...!

Her intuition abruptly kicked in, and she tried moving aside from some unseen attack. She was too late though. Her assailant managed to slice her across her left shoulder and down.

"...O-Of course. You..." she stammered. As she watched her own blood drip from her father's dagger, a puddle of it from her injury grew underneath her. "You sure are persistent. Don't you know I can't stand boys like that?"

"Hmph. Is that so? That's unfortunate, Christine. I intend to do far more than break your heart! You should have finished me off when you had the chance!" howled Scar.

"Ha! It doesn't matter! We're both going to die at this rate!"

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I have no plans of perishing here with you! With WOOHP now out of the picture, I'm free to do as I please! Failing here today means nothing! I can regroup within a mere matter of days and be on the attack once more!"

"Y-You won't get that far! N-Not if...I have anything to say about it!"

"Perhaps you should worry about yourself. After all, you'll be gone from this world soon enough!"

Chris, wobbling all over the place, garnered he was onto something.

Ugh! I-I'm losing...too much blood! If this keeps up, I really will be in trouble!

"Now then, what's say you and I bury this decade long grudge of ours!" she heard Scar declare. Her vision doubled, but she could still faintly make him out heading toward her.

"Sounds good to me! That's exactly why I came here today!" she replied, backing away. She could hardly stand, let alone fight. She craved for some distance so she could plan her next course of action. "You know, Ireally can't stand you, Scar!"

"Haha! I'm pleased to hear that, Christine! The feeling is quite mutual, you know! You and your damnable family have caused me more than enough suffering! How do you think I felt all these years having to put up with you, having to resist the urge to end your life simply because you resemble your mother?! Ridding myself of you will snuff out the last reminder of my worthless past! My soul will know peace at last, Christine!"

"D-Dammit, you really have lost your mind, haven't you?!"

Even in the face of her desperate plight, Chris desired to fight on until the bitter end. Though she guessed she might have looked like a fool, she held her shaking arms up anyway to defend herself. Everything around her spun because of her dizziness, but she readied for battle anyway.

"T-That's right! Get...over here!" she shouted at Scar. "Let's go down together, Scar!"

"Yes, even now, I can't get enough of that fire burning inside you!" he exclaimed back.

She continued to waver like a flag in the wind until finally, she couldn't ignore what her body said any longer. Gravity swept her off her feet, and incidentally, she hit a random button on the plane's control panel on her way down.

"It appears you weren't able to become a hero in the end!" Scar taunted as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow. "This isgoodbye, Christine!"

Chris, wide-eyed, held her breath when Scar ceased moving. Her knife, so close that she could smell the blood and steel, nearly pierced her right between the eyes. However, Scar never got the chance to drive it that extra inch forward. A crevice opened up directly beneath him all of a sudden, and in an instant, he was gone. Being barely conscious at this point, Chris would have assumed his disappearance a delusion on her part if it weren't for her hearing his fading, bloodcurdling scream

"...H-He...fell..." she said tonelessly. She blinked rapidly, adding, "He fell straight down..."

The reality of what transpired hit her only after she allowed herself to sit in total silence for a minute or two. Subsequently, for reasons even beyond her, she cried and laughed, both simultaneously and uncontrollably.

"T-That's it then! He's...he's gone! He'sgone! Hahahaha! I never thought things would end likethat!"

She couldn't stop herself, giggling so hard that she got stitches in her already stinging sides. If it wasn't for the alarm in the room growing louder and scaring the daylight out of her, she wasn't sure she would have ever gotten a hold of herself.

"O-Okay, Christine. You still have a job to do." She forced herself to stand, dismissing the fact her legs felt like gelatin. "I-I can't see straight anymore. Ugh. I really am going to die, aren't I? Tsk. I always imagined that if I did go out, it would be on some kind of mission for SOAP. ...It seems like just yesterday I was working for Scar and going on about my business without a care in the world. I never imagined things could change so quickly. I...don't regret what's happened though. I'm...glad I got a chance to meet Sam, Alex, and Clover. I'm glad I got a chance to live a normal life for short time too, even if everything and everyone at Malibu University did drive me insane. If I didn't, I would've never known so many good people out there exist. It's because of them that I can do this without any regrets! With that in mind...!"

Using what little strength she had left, she jerked back hard on a lever. The plane responded by pointing upward, giving her enough time to steer it away from civilization and toward clear, blue waters. Once over the Atlantic, her weakened body could take no more. She slouched down against a wall and closed her weary eyelids.

"...T-There we go. Heh. Somehow I've...d-done it. Besides a bunch of fish, maybe an unlucky fisherman, and myself of course, Scar's nuke shouldn't hurt anyone. That's...good, isn't it? I'm sure that old fool Jerry Lewis would say so. He...owes me big time for this. Sam, Alex, and...Clover do too. They...better buy me whatever I want from The Groove after this! Heh."

She could sense Scar's jet once more barreling downward.

"...Who am I kidding? ...I'm finished. Whatever. I guess none of that stuff matters anymore. At least I'm going down in a blaze of glory. Mother. Father. W-Wait for me. I'll be with you soon enough..."

Her slowly head drooped. Before she realized it, she passed out. As her silver hair fell down and shrouded her features, a satisfied smile could clearly be made out on her face.

END

Author's Note: So, this is the end. I just want to thank everyone that read and reviewed this story. There's no way I would've gotten this far or even been able to finish this thing without all of your support, comments, and criticisms. Needless to say, I've really appreciated everything. It's been a fun, albeit stressful ride, but I'm glad it was one I managed to finish.