The Business of War

War's End Part 3


Scenario A
Participants:
Mechanical Maniacs (RPD)
Magnetman (Mez)
Docman (Mez)
Wily Rescue Force (W)
Mr. Whiz (W)
Napalmman (N)
Artilleryman (A)
Constance (?)

Location: Eden, Skull Castle
SA Infantry: ?
RPD Units: ?
Wily Bots: ?

The ‘Maniacs scattered as Mesmerman’s body split apart. His head, laughing separately all on it’s own, watched then scatter about like the insects they were.

“You really screwed up by coming here, ‘Maniacs!”

Topman spun along the walls avoiding a Malus Messis as it came at him while being held by a disembodied hand. He was doing quite well until a hand came out of the gorund and tripped him. Spinning rapidly about while on the ground, Topman lashed out with his feet and kicked the Malus Messis away as it dove for him.

Mesmerman laughed as Needlegal took a shot aimed directly at her. It hit her heavily armoured wrists as she shot them up in defence. Needlegal grunted, but she had what she wanted. She grabbed the sphere as it tried to escape for another round. Mesmerman cocked an eye as she hammered the sphere into the ground and shot at it point-blank with her cannon. She drew herself up in satisfaction. The sphere was gone.

Needlegal was then knocked off her feet by more spheres. Mesmerman laughed again. He could keep this up all day.

Shadowman’s mind spun as he considered the possibilities. “Forget about these thing, guys,” called out the ninja, “We have to find Mesmerman himself! He has to be around this place somewhere! Smash this place to bits if you have to, but find that madman and rip him to shreds!” To illustrate his point, Shadowman brought out a Shadowblade and smashed a nearby mirror. The shards flew out and revealed circuitry and panels underneath … right before going right back into place and reassembling themselves. Shadowman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh, you didn’t think it’s be that easy, did you?”

Mesmerman then used the distraction to attack Shadowman’s mind. The ninja clutched at his head as Mesmerman invaded his mind.

“I know you’re planning something. Someone like you alays has a plan, right? Do tell me what it is. I really do want to know.”

Shadowman felt Mesmerman’s oily fingers shuffle through his thoughts as they sought some strategy he was employing. Some method to the journey to his citadel in the sky. Shadowman fought with all his might until Mesmerman abruptly stopped.

Snakeman was commanding his snakes to attack Mesmerman’s head directly. Mesmerman dodged and circled about in the sky as snakes leapt from the walls and ceiling to get a them.

“Cheat! Cheat! Foul, I say,” cried the head as it avoided a snake that dove from it from up above.

“Did it get anything?” asked Snakeman. Shadowman shook his head.

“No clue. Keep breaking things!”

“Roger!”

The ‘Maniacs continued to hammer away. For Hardman the task was irritating more than challenging. Even though the spheres hurt when they hit him, the damage was negligible. The massive robot swatted away a sphere zooming towards him and it crashed into a far wall. The mirrors shattered and it revealed to pale eyes staring out at him. Only for a moment, however. Within seconds the mirror was back in place and Hardman found himself being overwhelmed by attacking spheres.

“Guys, we have a problem!”

Mesmerman laughed. He was rather hoping something like that would happen.

“Magnetman is here! He’s behind the mirror I just smashed. Mesmerman can-“ Hardman’s message was cut off as a Malus Messis lodged itself into his back.

Spark Chan cried out for him, but the sphere rammed into Hardman’s body. Hardman struggled to remain on his feet, but one sphere after another rammed into his large frame. Shadowman was in an assault all on his own.

“You’re hiding something, I know it! There’s nowhere to run here, little ninja. No place to warp to. Here you’re mine!”

Shadowman felt his mind turn inside out. Mesmerman drew his head in close. He wanted to see this. He was almost there! There was something different going on here. Shadowman’s mind raced much faster than it had the last time he had faced him. Needlegal dove in and grabbed Shadowman’s body. Mesmerman shot a Malus Messis her way, but Needlegal parried with her large spikes. It didn’t matter, though. Mesmerman could get at him from anywhere in the room and he already had his answer.

“You little devil you,” said Mesmerman with amusement. “You’ve installed it again! The General’s genius chip!”

Topman lost his footing again and a sphere hit home. It was Spark Chan who asked the question on everyone’s minds.

“What’s he talking about?”

Shadowman tried to focus. Mesmerman was shorting his mind out from the inside. He had gotten into him. It hadn’t taken long either. “It was my trump card,” explained the ‘Maniacs leader, “for facing the General. I knew I wouldn’t be able to match him. Not if he could analyse my moves as I made them. But … with that chip…”

“It drove you insane the last time you used it,” said Needlegal hotly. Shadowman withdrew from her support and focused on fighting Mesmerman.

“I relied too heavily on it then. I figured that, in small doses it wouldn’t do permanent harm, nor would it act as quickly. I was trying to use it now, in order to …”

Shadowman clutched his head as Mesmerman asserted his influence.

“In order to figure out a solution to the ‘me’ problem, right? Tough luck! There is no solution and that’s what drove the General batty!”

Shadowman’s head jerked back as Mesmerman found the chip and overloaded it with information. Too much information! Shadowman’s mind ached. It felt like ages before Mesmerman let him go. Shadowman found he had lost control of his own body. There was something … on him!

“That’s right.” Mesmerman laughed again and Shaodwman resisted the urge to stand. Resisted and failed. Something had him. He could barely think through the pain. He withdrew a Shadowblade and came at Needlegal.

Needlegal used Shadowman’s clumsy charge to throw him to the ground. She followed up by shooting her Needle Canon. The look of confusion on his face told the entire story and she knew Mesmerman’s MO well enough to see what was going on.

Mesmerman chuckled to himself. “Looks like the little lady has it figured.”

Sparks flew and Needles stuck in midair or a moment. And then the space around Shadowman’s body. The Ninja reached for his back and felt for something that wasn’t there. Or at least … something Needlegal couldn’t see.

“He’s hacked into our minds!” called Needlegal to her team. “Reset your visual sensors!”

Spark Chan fought off Mesmerman’s body parts and set up an electrical field for herself and Snakeman. Robots had to shut themselves down for a moment in order to do this. In the middle of a battlefield it had obvious risks. Mesmerman laughed as he hamemered at the electrical field surrounding the two ‘Maniacs. Hardman then pounded the ground as he landed before his friends.

“Yer not getting’ at ‘em” The ‘Maniac was battered. Huge welts pock-marked his body where orbs had done their damage. By the time Snakeman and Spark Chan came back online they saw Hardman defending them against attackers they couldn’t see.

A veritable swarm of Mesmerman bodies had descended onto the team on their tentacles as the floating holographic form of Mesmerman laughed from it’s place in the air.

“You wanted me? You got me!”

--------------------

Doctor Light was putting the finishing touches on the anti-Mesmerman virus. “We’ve almost got it, Mikhail.

“Right, Tomas.”

Cossack exhaled audibly. It had not been easy. The sheer speed at which they had to work was incredible. He hadn’t even been prepared for it all this morning, but the Mechanical Maniacs had come to him and shown him what had to be done.

“This really isn’t right,” said Bright Babe sadly. “He saved us.”

“I know,” said Cossack through clenched teeth.

“Can’t we at least try to talk to him?”

“Didn’t you see what he did to that child? And that woman? We can’t talk to someone like that.”

“I don’t like this either,” whispered Dustman. “I mean … what if it doesn’t work? Then Mesmerman will come for us. He can get at us, you know.”

“I’m well aware or the risks. I won’t let it deter me. I’ve fought the robot police and I’ll fight Mesmerman too. He is a monster.”

Drillman was getting testy. “But he’s our side, isn’t he? He’s our monster, right?”

“All right,” called Doctor Light from across the room. “Get ready!”

Drillman looked at Light anxiously. The stressed doctor had slipped his mind. “Wait, ready to do what?”

Light flipped some switches and the Mesmerman Head hummed softly. Drillman seemed to sweat.

“We’re going to upload the virus now. I’m not sure if it’ll work, but it’s about as ready as it’ll ever be.”

“Wait,” said Diveman, “This ain’t cool.”

Cossack ignored his creations and turned his attention to his computer. “Everything’s ready on my end. I’ve worked out the kinks in he programming. You’ve done marvellous work, Tomas.”

“And I couldn’t have finished it without you, Mikhail. The hardware’s all set. It’s a shame Roll and Kalinka couldn’t be here to see this, but they’re doing very important work right now by attending to those poor people.” Light turned his attention to his instruments. The seemed to be full of activity. Drillman wasn’t technologically inclined, but he didn’t like the look of it.

“We’re getting a signal,” said Light happily. “The head’s connected to Mesmerman’s network. But it’s unable to act. The time is now, Mikhail!”

“Right!” Doctor Cossack pressed a button on his mouse and the virus was instantly transmitted to the head. This was it! The end of Mesmerman! Using his own network against him, with notes taken from general Cutman’s Desert Gulch lair, both Light and Cossack together would end this war once and for all!

All those hopes ended when a Drill Bomb exploded the battered head. Light was thrown from his computer had a Pharaoh Shot decimated his work station. Mikhail went to move to his friend, but there was a bright flash of light and, before he knew it, he was beside Light and facing his own creation. For the first time Cossack had a chance to look them in the eye … and he didn’t quite recognise them.

Drillman stepped in front of his team. With contained anger he withdrew his sabre.

“Doctor …”

“Drillman? Everyone? What have you done!?”

Cossack was beside himself. It was surreal. One moment victory was at his fingertips and the next … the next …

Drillman turned his fury to the pair of doctors. Light was having trouble breathing. His already frayed nerved seemed about ready to snap. Not that it bothered him. Drillman had more pressing concerns no, what is quite inappropriately called, his mind.

“Doctor, I’m afraid you just don’t know who your friends are.”

--------------------

Hardman was the last to reboot his systems. He wished he hadn’t. With resigned rage he grabbed a hold of a Mesmerman bodsy and tore it’s tentacles free form it’s back. He very much preferred to believe the damage he had received was due to Mesmerman’s floating body and not these creepy squid-things.

Another came at him and he blasted a Knuckle which tore through it and every single one of the Mesmermen behind it. Mesmerman himself seemed somewhat distracted. Which only meant that these things were being controlled as some sort of automatic defence system.

Don’t think you don’t have my attention. What’s going on in this room is very important to me.

Shadowman dodged more Mesmermen as they made their way to him. His head ached. The grinning menace overloaded his chip, but he knew he had gotten off light. His entire mind could have been wiped out. …. as it stood all he had was a colossal migraine. He could still hear Mesmerman giggling at him

Think all you want, but that chip won’t help you beat me.

Needlegal riddled the Mesmerman with as much damage as she could throw at them. One after another they fell. But not quickly enough. Their cruel tentacles latched onto her armour and began to pull at it. Peeling her like an orange. She extended her armour and started to tear them apart.

Snakeman had his search snakes out and was forced to fight hand-to-hand. His knife had gotten itself lodged inside of a Mesmerman, but it pulled away and he has resorting to using his fists. He was still doing well, however. His snakes provided him with a functioning line of defence. The smaller ones had the ability to really get at these quick Mesmermen and disable them in various ways. He was actually beginning to feel pretty confident in himself until he heard Mesmerman in his mind.

Snakes eh? How cute. But I think they like me better.

At that moment Snakeman felt Mesmerman push a part of his mind away. He had the odd sensation of looking at himself from several angles and he felt … anger and hatred. And glee.

Snakeman dove for cover as his own Search Snakes began to attack him! The King Cobra leapt for his face and Snakeman batted him away. The Black Mamba made a dive for his back and Snakeman narrowly avoided it. This was very … bad. And Mesmerman was laughing all the while.

Topman continued on his way all around the room. Kicking every Mesmerman that came his way. He knew that if those tentacles managed to interface with his systems he’d be down for the count. Maybe even for good! But there was no use in it. They were everywhere. He shattered the mirrors around him as he made his way all around the room. Until he felt himself being knocked off his feet by something. Topman looked back and saw something that filled him with dread.

Magnetman was awake.

With ease he threw Topman aside and into the far wall. Magngetman had remained motionless for far too long. He heard Mesmemran’s voice in his mind. Now there was nothing of Kenta Eigen left. It was buried deep within a mass of stormy water. He saw Hardman fighting copies of his master all around him. Effortlessly he picked up the massive robot. Magnetman almost smiled. Almost said something sarcastic. But even these things could not be expressed on his face.

“Kenta? It’s me… it’s Hard!”

Magnetman drew the ‘Maniacs closer to him.

“Ya gotta snap out of it, Kenta!”

Kenta had an odd look in his eye. Without flinching Magnetman seized control of Hardman’s arms. He could feel the other robot resisting him. He could feel the servos whirling and resisting him. He could hear Spark Chan urging him to stop over the comm. Line.

“Fight it, Kenta! Please! Remember who you are!”

But if Magnetman understood her he showed no sign. Hardman could feel his Hard Knuckles being forced out of their sockets. Normally he could give a release command, but they were stuck on the locks. The pulling was keeping them locked onto his arm. It was horribly painful and he could hear Mesmerman enjoying every single bit of it.

Until Magnetman sopped. Within a minute Magnetman dropped the sore ‘Maniac before falling from the air himself. His ever-present shield of dust was gone. Everyone felt Mesmerman’s shock.

Shadowman blinked. He saw his outstretched hand. He had done something. Then he felt massive cables lift him up and heard Mesmerman’s voice shriek inside of his head.

What did you do!?

And that was when the second Mesmerman burst out of the crowd of bodies that seemed to bury it alive. The first seemed shocked to see another mass of floating orbs grinning back at it.

“I know who I am,” said the second Mesmerman. “I’m you.”

--------------------

Doctor Light was fighting to stay conscious. He was feeling faint. Fright was overwhelming him. Threatening to close in on him. Drillman stood there brandishing his sword at them. He was talking about things that the Doctor didn’t quite grasp. But one thing was clear: Mesmerman had taken over Cossack’s Creations. All of them.

Light felt a surge of despair. The ‘Maniacs were counting on he and Cossack to upload the virus into Mesmerman’s systems. Light calmed himself. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if he had a heart attack. Everyone was focused on Cossack at the moment. They were almost completely ignoring him.

Light put his hand into his pocket. There was still hope. Roll and Kalinka were both out of the room. And this computer … it wasn’t truly a stand-alone machine. All of Light’s files were linked to a central mother computer he had carried with him as he hid from everyone during the war. The last saved copy would be on that computer. Although the interruption during the sending phase was problematic. It could be that the latest virus had been corrupted and the last backup would have to be used. Furthermore, losing the head was a real loss. It was their key into Mesmerman’s network. Still … there was a chance. There was always a chance. If they could broadcast the virus over normal communication frequencies then … perhaps Mesmerman would receive it then. They could narrow it down further by broadcasting on the frequencies they knew Mesmerman used. Although Mesmerman may have a firewall in place for those sort of situations …

It was a long shot, but it could work. Remaining as silent and as still as he could Doctor Light used his cell-phone to message Roll and Kalinka.

--------------------

“You’re not me. There’s only one me and I’m lucky to be him!” Mesmerman threw an unseen hand into this impostor’s mind. To his surprise the impostor blocked it away and threw a hand of his own.

“I quite agree! Only I’m allowed to be me!”

The first Mesmerman blocked the second’s as easily as his own had been.

“Well, then,” said Mesmerman with some exasperation. “If you’re me then you’ll join me in the fun game I have prepared.”

“No,” said the second. “No, I don’t think I will. I see it all clearly now. I’m Mesmerman. And I was made to kill myself.”

“Then do it and save everyone some confusion!”

“I think I will.”

The Second Mesmerman drew out a Malus Messis and flew over at the first Mesmerman. The first one spun his pair of scythes around. His expression looked somewhat vexed as he blocked the second Mesmerman’s attack.

“Who in the Hell is that?” asked Geminiman as he stared at the strange battle overhead.

Spark Chan shook her head. “It couldn’t be … Docman, could it?”

Shadowman appeared from behind them. “Of course it’s Docman,” said the blue ninja. The two ‘maniacs turned towards him and saw he had been severely injured. Sparks flew from his joints and he had a slight limp to his step. “We need to fan out and get to Magnetman. We have to take him out.”

Spark Chan looked confused. “Take him out? He looked pretty taken out to me…”

“That was The General’s anti-Magnetman weapon. It came to me right after I deployed it. Small plastic nanobots.”

Geminiman furrowed his brow. “Plastic nanobots? That sounds rather unlikely. And why did Mesmerman allow you to do that? Simple overconfidence?”

Shadowman shrugged. “I must have put a command into my head and deleted the memory of doing it. It’s the only way to thwart a mind-reader like Mesmerman. To not think of what you’re doing when you’re doing it.”

Geminiman nodded. It was a smart move. Not thinking was the key to beating a robot that drew it’s power from thought itself.

Shadowman continued, “But there’s no telling what the General made those nanobots do. They could make him do anything, really. We have to take him out right away. Because…”

Shadowman triailed off as Magnetman rose from the ground. The vacant look was still in his eye, but there was also something … different about it. Mesmerman (one of them) turned to him in surprise. Below him the Mesmerman robot began to break apart. They attacked both Mesmermen at once.

“This is a bit of a problem,” said one Mesmerman in surprise.

“Indeed it is,” said the other, “I thought my control over that one complete.”

“I think we had better team up in order to beat him, don’t you?”

The other Mesmerman gave him a queer look. Right before stabbing his midsection. “Why would I think that?”

--------------------

Roll received the message while tending to the removal of the Siege Joe armour from the little boy. Most of it could be removed by her and Kalinka, but they needed a real doctor to remove the rest of it.

“The doctors are in trouble!”

Kalinka turned to the lab assistant in confusion. “What?”

“There’s not much details … and his spelling is worse than ever … but the computer’s been taken out. We have to access the backups ourselves.”

“And how will we transmit it? They have the damned head!”

Roll was already on the computer and following the doctor’s orders. “There’s something seriously wrong. I’m calling Rock and Proto right now. Doctor Light says to use the general systems. I think he wants us to transmit the thing on Mesmerman’s general frequency and hopes it gets into it’s system somehow.

Kalinka was almost beside herself with panic. “But that will never work! A robot like him was made with things like this in mind. We need direct access to his systems! We need that head! We have extras but they're all in the lab with Light and my father!”

Roll’s shoulders sagged. “Kalinka, if that head was still available ... or if we had access to any of the others ... I don’t think the Doctor would ask us to do this ourselves.”

--------------------

Mesmerman were going crazy. Not only was Magentman picking them off like flies, not only were there Mechanical Maniacs still attacking them, but the two Mesmerman had access to all of the drones. They struggled for control.

The room itself was going haywire. The mirrors were revealed to be mere illusions. The actual room was nothing like the glittering battlefield that had sprung out of some twisted dream of Geminiman’s. It was full of cables and wires. All of it with no sense of order. Monitors, most broken now, flashed colors and images. Tubes and wires were everywhere. And still, all around them it was going mad. Parts of the mirrored illusion tried to reassert itself in places. In other it was a humble abode. And yet still, in others, it was the Technodrome. And, allt he while, the ‘Maniacs found themselves not only fighting Mesmerman bodies, but also warped imaginings out of Docman’s mind. Hardman found himself blasting Protoman away with a Hard Knuckle.

“This is really creepy.” Hardman shook his head. He rather liked Blues.

Needlegal found herself face to face with the master of the Shutdown Code itself. Senator Keigle. “You have to help me,” screamed the senator, “I don’t know where I am! I don’t know how I got here … you have to save me! Please, I have a family!”

Needlegal felt herself staring at the frightened, sweaty man. This was Docman’s unconscious working against them all.

Needlegal felt herself shiver as a Rolling Cutter dispatched the senator. “It looks like things have gone straight to Hell without me around to guide them.”

Needlegal felt a surge of rage. “You!”

The General gave a condescending huff. “No, not me. I’m dead remember? But … if I’m dead…”

Needlegal couldn’t help herself. She stabbed the General as he was contemplating his own existence. Within moments there was nothing. Both he and Keigle has been holograms created out of the subconsciousness of the mad Docman. But all around them … madness.

Needlegal felt another stab at her back. And then another. She turned around and saw an army of Cutmen, regular ones this time, attacking her. She was heavily armoured, but the Mesmermen had done their job well. She as beginning to fail.

Hardman crushed the army of Cutmen as Needlegal was slipping out of consciousness.

“Need a hand, gal?”

“Thanks, hard.”

Together they attacked the variety of opponents that came their way.

Snakeman was having problems of his own. Each one of his snakes was attacking him now. As well as each other. His head ached. He could hear the sounds of the Mesmerman battling it out in his mind as well as seeing it play out right in front of him.

They’d each sprouted new limbs and grappled with their attackers on a physical level. Both laughed as they gained the upper hand, but the mirth was fading. This was becoming a seriously insulting matter now, for the both of them. Impossibly, they both thought of themselves as real.

“If you’d just stop being so stubborn about it we could get along famously,” Snakeman heard one of them say.

“We’ll get along great once I’m by myself again!” said the other as it grappled with it’s Malus Messis. They’d gained new limbs as they fought for control over their own weapon. As they did so Snakeman did the same with his snakes. It pained him to do so, but he had begun to fight with them physically. He could rebuild them. He was sure of it. And yet, snapping Boomer’s neck made him feel so guilty. These snakes were his friends. Part of himself. He hated doing this. He knew he couldn’t even retrieve them this time. Not with the way they were attacking him.

Snakeman lost his breath as Jack, his Rhinoceros Viper, bit into him. He was made to handle snake venom, but this was too much,. He kicked Jack away and felt his pain as one of Mesmerman’s foot came down to crush him. But he could feel Mesmerman, both of him, in his mind. Still, he had a sense on which one was real … and which one was Docman. Docman wasn’t concerned with Snakeman at all. And it was that Mesmerman that Snakeman allied himself with.

Mesmemran turned in surprise as Snakeman mentally attacked him. Using the connection to his snakes that Mesmerman has usurped, Snakeman tore into Mesmerman and forced him to back away. At the same time, in the physical world, a Mesmerman body came at him and gave him a swift punch in his torso. Another latched onto Snakeman’s back and the green robot felt himself slip away fromreality.

If you want to play, I can spare some attention.

Meanwhile Magnetman had not let up on his assault. All around him Mesmermen split apart and exploded. And still they came at him. One even managed to latch onto his back and tried to draw him into Mesmerman’s world, but Magnetman didn’t flinch. The offending Mesmerman was torn apart and hurled at the twin opponents. The entire room was a shifting mass of colors and swirls as the two Mesmerman struggled for domination. Magnet was not distracted, however. Using a small portion of his power he tore a piece of the floor and hurled it at the two holographic Mesmerman.

“I’ve had about enough of you!” said a Mesmerman as it created ten Malus Messis in front of him and hurled it at Magnetman. Almost automatically a shield formed of destroyed Mesmerman bodies leapt up to his defence. Only to find the Malus Messis pass right thought them undeterred. Mesmerman roared in triumph as Magnetman as torn apart by the free-floating scythes. Spark Chan, who had been keeping her eye on her old friend, screamed as she saw the scythes rip into his body and spray his internal components all across the battlefield. She ran to his body as it fell to the floor. A surge of Mesmermen prevented her from reaching it. She found herself assaulted by hands and tentacles. The robot master reached deep within herself and let looks a blinding flash of pure electricity. It shot through the army of white robots and cleared a path she was quick to take.

Spark Chan finally got to the dismembered body of Magnetman. The scythes were gone now. They were lost in the struggle between Mesmerman and Docman. Spark Chan found herself crying. For all of Magnetman’s amped up power, he was useless in the fight against the holographic Mesmerman. His body could pass through solid surfaces as if they were nothing … he had used that to his advantage and now … Kenta was gone.

She looked at him then and wondered how much of him had survived these long months of War. He was hardly recognisable. Miraculously Kenta opened his mouth. Spark Chan was feeding electricity into the robot now. She was desperately trying to keep him from crashing.

“Spark … Chan?” asked the red robot.

“I’m here,” said Spark as she kept a force field around them.

“I …” there was so much for Kenta to say. For the first time in what seemed like years his mind was free. But the guilt … he remembered t all. With stark clarity, he remembered tearing cities apart. Tearing people apart. And enjoying it.

“I’m sorry, Spark Chan. I’ve … I just can’t stand these memories …!.”

His systems failed and Magnetman was finally deactivated. For a long moment Spark Chan couldn’t move. Finally, the Mesmermen broke down the force field and ripped into Spark Chan’s body with their tentacles. To Magnetman they did nothing more.

--------------------

Doc Robot watched Wily pour over the mess the General had made of his lab. Granted, it was rarely used … and most of his work had been replaced by newer, better ideas, but it still grieved the doctor to see his notes and contraptions everywhere.

Wily gave a start as Artilleryman landed from the ventilation shaft above.

“I hope you have the money to pay for the crap I’m going through, old man.”

Wily shook his head. “Even if I don’t I’ll just steal some from somewhere. Money’s not a problem. It grows on trees.”

Wily was muttering to himself. He could hear the Scissor Army engaging his troops all around him. It was annoying. He wished they would find a quieter way to kill themselves. Wily had to concentrate. The General had used this place … a little. Surely there had to be some anti-Mesmerman contraption he could repurpose. Something he could use. But all he could fine were bits and pieces of discarded robots the General seemed to have been working on. Like his beloved lab was some sort of … garage.

Doc Robot called to him, “Master, Master!”

“What is it, Doc Robot? Can’t you see I’m sulking.”

“But, Master … look!”

Doc Robot held it out to Doctor Wily like a child holding out it’s valued treasure. And, indeed it was. It was a battered head of Mesmerman. This one, however, seemed to have been repaired a bit. And it’s eyes were flashing.

“Connect it to an isolated computer. Let’s see what’s going on inside of that thing.”

Doc Robot tuned on a nearby work station. It shone with the Scissor Army logo and asked for a password. Doc Robot simulated a click of a tongue in annoyance and pulled out a wire from behind of his ear. Doc Robot them plugged it into the computer and used his own algorithms to hack his way inside of the station. Soon he relinquished control to his master who rolled his eyes in displeasure.

“That lousy good-for-nothing copy of Cutman has changed everything around! Well, it’s still good enough to see what’s inside of Mesmereman here.”

The Doctor plugged Mesmerman into the computer and read what was going on. His gaze intensified as he went over it a second time. A smile broke out when he read the master manipulator’s mind a third time.

“They’re trying to send him a virus,” said the Doctor with glee.

“Really?” said Artilleryman with incredulity.

“Yes,” continued Wily. “But it’s incomplete. Why … this thing couldn’t even break through my systems. But, still … Artilleryman, do you still carry that computer virus around with you?”

A smile broke out on Artilleryman’s face. It looked like this mission would be worthwhile after all …

--------------------

Geminiman retrieved Neeldegal’s body from the swarm of Mesmermen that descended on it. The struggle for control had set everything in chaos. Inexplicably Blues had come to help him, but he knew it was merely the copy of his mind that Docman retained. Sure enough it disappeared and Geminiman was left along. He had to find his team. He had to regroup!

His team found him. Shadowman came down from out of nowhere and slashed at a Mesmerman trying to get to him.

“How’s she doing?”

“When I have a minute I’ll bring her ‘round again. She just needs a reboot.”

Shadowman grunted. They’d all taken heavy damage before and lived to tell the tale. Only this time … This time the odds were against them. Docman was not programmed to help them in any way. The only consolation was that he was not programmed to hurt them either. He was just programmed to attack Mesmerman.

Unfortunately that didn’t help them when it was twenty to one. Shadowman threw his blades at more oncoming Mesmermen.

“I can’t get anyone on the comm,” said the ninja.

“They’re all probably really busy.”

Shadowman paused in his speech as he struggles to keep back yet another faceless drone of Mesmerman’s. “You know … I actually thought we could win this one.”

Geminiman laughed. “Yeah, me too. I guess … for what it’s worth, I-“

Mesmerman cut them off with a loud shriek of pain. Both of them. It was followed by a resounding shriek from the Mesmermen all around them. Shadowman and Geminiman both covered their ears on reflex until they reduced the audio input from their sensors enough to compensate the sound.

“What … going on?” asked Geminiman, mostly to himself.

“I think … I think this is us winning.”

All around the world Mesmerman copies let out an inhuman shriek. In Skull Castle, near Napalmman’s control room an invisible Mesmerman let out a cry of pain that attracted the attention of the Scissor Army. Across countries, in Berlin, Mesmerman who were rebuilding the Syne Co. complex shrieked without warning. And, even in Tech City, Mesmerman’s agents Drillman and Cossack’s Creations howled as their master was torn apart from the inside out. Of all of them Drillman was loudest in his cries of pain. It was more than he could bear.

One by one the agents of Mesmerman fell. Bright Babe was first. Diveman followed behind. It was followed by each one of Cossack’s Comrades until, finally, Drillman fell as well.

Everywhere on Earth Mesmerman’s bodies were being destroyed by the virus. Torn apart from the inside out. It was merciless and there was nowhere Mesmerman could hide form it’s fury. Everywhere, all his bodies were being destroyed all at once. By the connection they all shared, the greatest power of Mesmerman had been turned into his greatest weakness.

It was no different on the Eden Space Station. The room shone bright red as Mesmerman’s mind filled with pain. Everywhere systems were shorting out. The satellite itself rocked as it’s engines files and it’s cloak dissolved. The Mesmermen that had been attacking the ‘Maniacs fell one by one. Snakeman was released from the icy grip of Mesmer World as his battle abruptly ended. Spark Chan felt the tendrils of a Mesmerman let her go. Hardman felt the same and Topman rushed to his side to see what damaged had been sustained. Needlegal’s systems had rebooted just enough for her to watch as both Terrors of Perception turned in on themselves as they screamed in the air and faded out.

Docman then lifted himself out of a mass of bodies that he had been buried under. He was still clutching his head, screaming to himself.

“It’s over?” said Needlegal with some confusion.

“It sure looks that way.” Geminiman replied while he gathered himself together.

Spark Chan put down the body of Magnetman. “He didn’t want to be brought back. That’s what he said before he …”

She let the words trail into nothingness. Still, they had done it. They had hung in there and saved two of their friends. With Mesmerman gone, the last commanding officer of the Scissor Army was gone. The last mastermind behind the war was finished. It was over.

This is what they thought right before the shrieking Docman was sliced into two halves by Mesmerman’s Malus Messis. The ‘Maniacs turned slowly and saw him standing there. His grin was firmly fixed on his face … but his eyes shone with fury.

“That … hurt!

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