Only revised this once so there's bound to be some mistakes. Despite 
that please enjoy

Avenging
Act III, All You Need is Hate
Chapter 3


Any and all C+C appreciated. You can contact me at:
[sommert@connecttime.net]

All the previous chapters and my other works are stored at:

Larry F's new address at:
http://www.florestica.com/dbsommer/index.htm

At fanfiction.net:
http://www.fanfiction.net/

And newer works at Mediaminer
www.mediminer.org

Standard disclaimer: I don�t own any of the Marvel characters or other 
characters from the numerous animes which are within.

Here�s a great reference guide for many character and objects in the 
Marvel Universe.

[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/index.htm]

[Last Chapter: The Ouran High School Animal Rights and Host Club tried 
to hold Furinkan hostage, but a plainclothes Ranma, Nabiki, and Jessie 
Gurtland stopped the group. Also Soun had a failed talk with his 
daughters in regard to marrying Ranma, and weird happenings at a 
pharmaceutical company hover over everything.

[Writer�s forward: These events take place a couple of weeks after the 
last chapter]

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Megumi Ayukawa listened carefully to her drunken �boyfriend� Ichiro 
Nikaido. She felt a touch guilty about lying to the research scientist 
who worked for the same company she did, as well as pretending to be his 
girlfriend, but it couldn�t be helped. She had only taken the job at 
Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals because the ALF wanted insiders to let them 
know what was really going on in regards to their animal testing, as 
well as getting the layout of the facility if a raid became necessary.

Megumi had gleaned a great deal of information from her co-workers over 
the course of her employment, but Ichiro was a gold mine of information. 
Normally he was close-mouthed, but get a few drinks in him and he 
started to ramble like no one�s business. And once she had won his 
confidence nothing was held back. She probably knew more about him than 
he did. She felt sorry for leading him on and implying she was nearing 
the next stage of their relationship, but there was no way she was 
sleeping with him even in her role as a mole. She was a loyal member, 
but even a cause had limits. She would continue to milk him for every 
bit of inside information she could, and once he ran out, or pressed her 
to hard, she�d come up with some reason to break up with him. She�d make 
it his fault, of course. Like all men, he�d slight her somehow and she�d 
use that as the convenient excuse. Nerds or studs, men were still men 
and cut from the same cloth.

Lately, though, she�d had some problems with her job. Not the one with 
the company, but rather with the ALF. She didn�t care one bit for the 
recent change in tactics her organization had been employing. Now that 
the Man Beast was calling the shots, they had become positively 
militant, going far beyond the rescues they had performed in the past. 
They weren�t simply freeing animals from laboratories or food factories 
called farms, they were putting the torch to the buildings as well. It 
didn�t stop there. There were frequent beatings of the people at the 
facilities, beatings that put them in hospitals. And that was only the 
tip of the iceberg. There were even rumors circulating that a group of 
super-powered beings, operating under Man Beast�s orders, had tried to 
hold a school hostage until animal protection laws were passed. While 
Megumi was all for freeing animals from their bondage, and ending the 
barbaric tradition of eating their flesh, this new wave of violence left 
a bad taste in her mouth. A number of her friends in the ALF had already 
left the organization, and more were seriously considering it. She found 
herself having a crisis of faith with the group she had joined so 
eagerly back in college.

But now something Ichiro had said made her blood boil, eradicating the 
doubt she had for her organization. Apparently not only was the company 
secretly experimenting with bio-weapons (something nearly as deplorable 
as slaughtering animals), but they were in the middle of conducting 
animal experiments with the weapons and having �amazing results� in the 
trials. She shuddered to think of how many animals were being 
slaughtered by the hour in the blood soaked labs of the company.

No matter what reservations she might have with the path the ALF had 
taken, that was unforgivable. She was contacting her superiors now and 
alerting them to this danger so they could take action against these 
evil people and show them what it meant to butcher the innocent.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Man Beast strode through the halls of the ALF�s latest temporary secret 
headquarters. The old building was a bit run down with numerous 
problems, but it meant nothing to him. Man Beast was never one for gaudy 
trappings. Mansion or slum, it meant nothing to him. What he cared about 
was achieving his goals. Everything else was useless window dressing.

And that was why he had become frustrated of late. Few of his goals had 
been achieved thus far. While it was true chaos was being seeded through 
society, it was not having the effect he desired. Having his minions 
going around burning down buildings was fine, but it lacked the scale he 
desired. Oh, they were gathering a good bit of media attention now, 
publicizing their cause. No doubt the chaos he was fermenting would grow 
over the ensuing months, but it felt too much like he was trying to 
bring down an elephant by giving it paper cuts.

What Man Beast really wanted to further his agenda were super-powered 
beings to rally to his cause. They would cause true destruction mere 
normal humans could never hope to match. But his few his SPB resources 
were pitiful, and the capture of the Ouran group, incompetent though 
they were, dwindled their ranks to almost nothing. While Man Beast had 
located a number of appropriate incarcerated individuals who would 
bolster the ranks of his Ani-Men, securing them would be a bit of an 
undertaking as well, and there was always a chance they would refuse him 
even after he freed them. Still, it was probably the best plan to use, 
even if he had to divert far too many resources than he cared for. Short 
term pain for long term gain was a good motto, but it was better if 
someone else was enjoying the pain while he focused on the gain.

Man Beast was considering the best way to go about it when Shinjiro 
approached him. Animal senses far more acute than any human�s, Man Beast 
could see the worry in his step, the concern in his scent. It wasn�t 
panic, but it was something hat had upset him.

That would be easy enough to deal with. Once Shinjiro arrived at his 
side, Man Beast spoke in a soft, yet powerful voice that hinted at 
nothing but control, �Yes, Shinjiro, my friend?�

Shinjiro bowed deeply. �I have troublesome news, Sir.�

While a part of Man Beast was eager to kill the messenger, the higher 
functions of his evolved brain enlightened him of the foolishness of the 
action. Never in history had killing the messenger ever brought anything 
other than disaster on those who used it. Now, if Shinjiro proved to be 
the cause of the problem, he�d be lying in a pool of his own blood 
within seconds. �Do go on.�

�I�m afraid our new militant stance has met with a great deal of 
criticism.� While Shinjiro�s voice was firm, indicating he had no 
problems with their actions, the same was not true of what he was reporting.

�Whenever there is change, there are those who would criticize it, even 
if it is change for the better,� Man Beast said wistfully.

�Er, yes. Well, it�s not just criticism. While I wholeheartedly approve 
of our new methods, many among our ranks have rejected it.�

This was becoming tiresome. �I have been to the meetings where those 
concerns were voiced,� Man Beast said. And he had refrained from killing 
those that dare spoke against him. Barely at times, but he had. Small 
term pain for long term gain.

Shinjiro shifted nervously from foot to foot. �Yes, well, I think we 
underestimated just how unpopular the policy is. I added up the numbers, 
and nearly forty percent of the membership has quite outright, while 
another twenty to twenty five percent seem like they might quit as well.�

�Bah,� Man Beast snarled. �Those are the lowest form of human. They talk 
a good game, but when push comes to shove, they run off with their tails 
between their legs, of they had the decency to have tails. At least our 
enemies are open in their resolution for killing my kind, I have a 
certain degree of respect for their honesty, but to have these 
weak-willed fools claim they believe in our cause, but are unwilling to 
risk anything to achieve it, makes me want to� retch.� What he had 
wanted to say was personally rip out their throats with his teeth, but 
some restraint had to be maintained. And maybe he could indulge himself 
from time to time by killing one that was particularly bothersome.

Man Beast continued. �Perhaps it is for the best. This way we can winnow 
out the pathetic from the strong. We do not need these weak-willed fools 
amongst our ranks. It is far better this cancer is removed from the 
movement altogether, lest they being it down with their simpering and 
unwillingness to put their lives on the line like true believers, such 
as yourself.� And moderate elements would only weaken them. Ideally he 
would prefer to use them as sacrificial pieces, but if they took 
themselves off the board, so be it.

�Yes, sir,� Shinjiro preened with fanatical devotion, indicating which 
side of the fence he was solidly on. �There�s one other thing you might 
be interested in. It�s from one of our moles and just came in.� He 
handed a manila folder.

Man Beast opened the folder up and read the contents. A smile crossed 
his snout, a toothy thing that disrupted even Shinjiro�s delight. Man 
Beast took no note he read the words and the implications they presented.

He looked over at Shinjiro. �Round up our elite troops. I will be 
leading this operation personally. This travesty must not come to pass. 
Those animals must be rescued before disaster strikes.�

�Yes, sir!� Shinjiro turned on his heel and ran off at top speed.

Xxxxxxxxx

�Damned bitch, always one upping me. Well, not this time. I�ll show her 
what a real anchorman can do by getting the scoop,� Toji Yamamoto 
grumbled to himself as the news van he was in drove at a reckless speed 
toward the coastline.

The cameraman in the back with him said, �Um, sir, isn�t it dangerous to 
approach an area with an unknown situation like this?�

Toji turned on him in fury. �That bitch Akemi is always getting the 
scoop with her �super hero exclusives.� Well, I�m getting one up on her. 
You watch, not only will I prove I�m the number one newsman in all of 
Japan, but that she�s so inferior, she�ll be busted back down to cub 
reporter.� That would teach the frigid bitch to mind her place. And to 
refuse to sleep with him.

�But the owner himself assigned you to cover the conference that Mr. 
Comrade guy�s holding. They say he�s going to announce his plans to 
launch a satellite system that will revolutionize communication.�

�It�ll put everyone to sleep! This is a sexy story. �Insect Invasion 
Sweeps Japan! Newsman Toji Yamamoto First on the Scene to Break the 
Story. Then Wins Pulitzer Prize!� Now that�s a headline!� He thanked god 
for the source in the JSDF that had tipped him off to the bizarre 
phenomenon and where it was projected to make landfall.

The cameraman gave up and accepted his superior�s decision. He checked 
over his equipment as they continued racing at top speed.

It only took them another five minutes before arriving at the seashore. 
Even from the beach a vast cloud of some type of insect that was massed 
only a few miles off shore was clearly visible. And getting closer. The 
van pulled up to a place on the beach as Toji and the cameraman got out 
of the vehicle. The cameraman raced to get his equipment in place while 
Toji combed his hair. They were supposed to meet the make-up people at 
the conference, but sometimes one had to improvise.

Within minutes everything was set up. As they went to a live feed, Toji 
gave his most winning smile for the camera and began.

�Ladies and gentlemen. I, Toji Yamamoto, bring you live, firsthand 
coverage of a mysterious swarm of insects that are heading for Japan. 
What is their purpose? What could be driving them to our fair island 
nation? Is it punishment from the gods, sending a horde of locust to 
consume our foods? Have we overindulged in picnics, as some have 
theorized? Or is it a natural phenomenon that happens only once in a 
century? Is it� bees?�

Toji looked curiously as several bees began buzzing around his head. He 
swung his hand at them, trying to swat them from the sky. Their aim 
proved truer than his as he found himself the recipient of a sting.

He recoiled in pain and shouted, �Ah! Killer bees! It�s killer bees! 
We�re all going to die!� He shouted like a shrill little girl at the top 
of his lungs as he ran into the van and shut the door behind him, 
locking it.

The cameraman, camera still rolling, began pounding on the door. �Hey, 
Man, let me in! There�re bees all over the place.�

�No!� Toji cried hysterically, his terrified face clearly seen behind 
the glass.

The cameraman froze, hoping that if he went motionless, the bees 
wouldn�t attack him. On the upside, his luck held as they didn�t sting 
him, content to treat him like a rock. On the downside, it quickly 
became obvious that the number of bees was steadily increasing. The air 
became thick with the flying insects as the swarm drew closer to shore, 
revealing a miles long cloud of the insects.

Emerging from the front of the cloud was what appeared to be a man. 
Training came to the fore as the cameraman focused on the figure. The 
telescopic lens revealed a being dressed in a billowing purple cape, 
white gloves, and boots. That was all it wore, save for the fact every 
inch of him seemed to be covered in bees.

In a voice that was more of a buzz, the figure shouted in English, 
�Zzzwarm has come to your nation, as the One invited him. But the One 
doezz not control Zzwarm. Zzwarm will kill all of you mammalz and rule 
over the landzz.�

It was at that moment the sky suddenly filled with dark, ominous clouds. 
Lightning began dancing among them as a torrential downpour erupted. The 
drops were so plentiful and thick, and the winds so fierce, that the 
bees found themselves hammered to the ground.

The cameraman breathed a sigh of relief, then heard the sounds of a jet 
engine directly overhead. He turned his camera upward and caught the 
twin sights of Thor and Iron Rose flying past him and directly at the 
figure that called himself Swarm.

�Varlet, thou shall feel the righteous anger of the Goddess of Thunder!� 
Thor promised as she headed directly at him, hammer leading the way.

�Let�s see what a wide-angle repulsor blast does to his insectile 
epidermis.� Iron Rose raised her hands, two cones of repulsors shooting 
out, engulfing Swarm�s entire body. He cried out in pain as bees were 
literally blown away from his frame. His body grew smaller until bones 
could clearly be seen underneath. Bones and nothing else.

�This being is not even truly alive!� Thor declared, aiming right at him.

She impacted with the nearly naked skeleton, shattering it into hundreds 
of pieces. As the shattered bones fell into the ocean, the miles long 
body of insects Swarm had led seemed to lose cohesion, flying mindlessly 
everywhere. Soon all of the insects were hammered from the sky and 
drowned in the ocean, save for a scant few who made it to shore and 
survived.

Thor and Iron Rose landed on the shore. The goddess tapped her hammer on 
the ground, and the clouds disappeared as quickly as they had come.

Iron Rose picked up one of the fallen bees from among the dunes. While 
it was extremely large, it didn�t try to sting her. Instead it wandered 
around her palm, as though drunk. She idly noted others on the sand 
doing the same thing.

�Hmm. While I�m no entomologist, I would surmise that no matter how 
dangerous these things might be, without that Swarm thing controlling 
them, they lack purpose and direction. Hopefully they�ll simply die off, 
or be made extinct by the indigenous insect population.�

Thor nodded. �In any case, there is nothing within our power to go 
beyond what we have already accomplished. The villain is destroyed and 
our country safe.�

It was at that moment both of the Avengers� communicators went off. Thor 
pulled her communi-card out of her belt, while apportion of the armor 
around Iron Rose�s wrist pulled back to reveal an inbuilt device that 
served the same function.

A picture of Captain Japan�s face appeared on the tiny screen. �Hey, 
guys, I�m calling a meeting to talk about some things.�

�I shall be there momentarily, Captain,� Thor said.

Iron Rose responded with, �Is it an urgent matter? There is an important 
meeting my employer needs to attend, and she desires my bodyguard 
services. If you truly need me, of course I shall come flying to your 
side. But if not�?�

�Nah,� Captain Japan assured her. �We�re just going to put our heads 
together and try to figure out what to do about this guy. It ain�t 
nothin� urgent. You go ahead and do whatever your boss wants. If 
anything comes up we�ll let you know.�

Iron Rose nodded in satisfaction. �Very well. I trust your judgment. As 
it is, I must go now.� She shut down her communication device and took 
off while Thor flew off in nearly the opposite direction.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Kodachi Kunou had arrived at Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals early, giving her 
plenty of time to remove her armor and collapse it into the attach� case 
that was nearly as much a part of her as her arm. The final papers had 
been signed earlier that morning and the buyout completed. She was now 
the majority stockholder, and officially in charge. While she had 
allowed her attorneys to deal with the transaction, she wanted to 
personally talk things over with the heads of the departments. The 
company had done well for itself, but she wanted the inside scoop on its 
experimental research. She had always possessed a fascination with 
chemicals, even if her degrees were all in mechanical engineering and 
its related fields. But she had always a dream she had told no one. 
Before she died, she wanted to be known for curing some sort of disease. 
Not at the cost of ruining her company, though. She�d do it responsibly. 
She owed it to the people whom she employed, as well as her shareholders.

Which was why she was having the meeting with the men. She was not about 
to start running around changing the way the company was run, at least 
not without understanding how they were run first, as well as knowing 
the full assets of the company.

Kodachi had already met with the president and most of the board of 
directors. Now it was time to meet personally with the heads of the 
divisions. She was most eager to look into the research division. That 
was why she was in the middle of a conversation with the head, Onimaru, 
and a handful of his department aides. She noted the aides seemed to act 
not just subservient, but almost slavishly toward their head. She didn�t 
care for that sort of attitude. One�s subordinates tended to tell them 
what they wanted to hear rather than the truth. More than one business 
had been ruined by such a mentality, and Kodachi had no desire to fail 
for such mindless reasons. Or fail at all for that matter.

They were nearly finished with the tour when one of the subordinates 
cleared his throat in a meaningful way. It was obviously a prearranged 
reminder of some sort. Kodachi allowed them to play their little game 
without comment. There was no need to show them up. She was above such 
petty power games. Unless they got on her bad side, of course. Then all 
bet were off. They could ask Asuka Saginomiya if they wanted proof.

Onimaru cleared his throat nervously. �Now that I think about it, there 
is something I should mention. It�s something that wasn�t listed in our 
documentation due to its� recent nature. Quite by accident we made a 
remarkable discovery.�

�Oh?� Kodachi said, sincerely interested in why he had felt the need to 
sit on this information until now.

�Yes, one of our researchers was interested in a novel approach to cure 
cancer. He wanted to use a genetically tailored virus that would attack 
any form of cancer. Ideally, children could be inoculated against cancer 
the way they are against polio or tetanus.�

�Fascinating,� Kodachi said. That sounded promising. A cure for cancer 
was exactly what she was looking for. Had they made a breakthrough just 
as she had bought the company? It would be a dream come true. Too good 
to be true, given the track record of her life, she thought as she 
scratched idly at her newly forged micro-thin chestplate that now 
covered her body, including the delicate circuitry that kept the piece 
of shrapnel in her chest away from her heart.

�Yes,� Onimaru said. �However, the research took an unexpected turn.� He 
looked nervously at one of his aides before continuing. �A strain of it 
had an unanticipated side-effect. While the virus does indeed consume 
cancer cells, destroying them as it reproduces, it doesn�t stop there. 
It keeps going, destroying all organic matter, leaving only bones behind 
while using the matter to reproduce itself.�

�That�s some side-effect,� Kodachi said. �Is there any sign that you 
might reign it in to only destroy the cancer, or does it appear 
unsalvageable?�

�At the moment, it appears as though it won�t be useful as a cure for 
cancer. We�ve altered it in many ways, but the results are always the 
same. Though interestingly enough, it only affects humans and simians. 
No other animals. However, that might be a benefit.�

�In what sense?� Kodachi asked.

�We thought, given your interest in the weapons industry, that you might 
be interested in using it as a potential bio-weapon. We�d have to make 
it less communicable, of course, and it�s much too virulent in its 
current form, which is why we buried it in our most secure labs, but 
we�re certain that given enough time we can produce a weapon viable strain.�

Oh, that was what this was all about. How disappointing. �No, I have no 
interest in biological weapons. You can halt research on it now. If you 
can�t tailor it to only destroy cancer, abandon it.� She intensely 
disliked bio-weapon technology of any kind. She preferred precision 
weapon systems that went were you wanted them to go, killed only as many 
as you wanted to, and stopped then and there. Biological weapons were 
too indiscriminate, and too difficult to control. One mutant strain of 
that virus and humanity could be wiped out.

Just as Kodachi had finished giving her instruction there was an 
explosion several floors below them. All but Kodachi were nearly knocked 
off their feet, and even she nearly fell over.

�What was that?� Kodachi asked.

Onimaru looked panicked. �I�m not sure. There aren�t any labs below us. 
I can�t figure out what it is.� He looked like he wanted to bolt.

That was a bad sign. Kodachi turned to the men and said, �You should 
seek safety. I have to alert my bodyguard.� Kodachi ran off, attach� 
case with her armor in hand. It appeared it was time for Iron Rose to 
earn her pay.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Man Beast allowed himself to be surrounded by his Ani Men and Overrrider 
as a sort of honor guard as he walked through the headquarters of 
Kobiyashi pharmaceuticals, ruler of all he surveyed. So far the securing 
of the building had gone on without a hitch. The operation had been 
fairly simple. Three dozen of his elite, and most reliable, ALF 
troopers, armed with AIM weaponry, had pulled up in a trio of vans and 
stormed the building, stunning the handful of security guards that had 
been too startled to put up any resistance. Man Beast and his small 
group of SPBs followed more leisurely behind, as a reserve if necessary. 
But it hadn�t been. His men had secured the first floor and were already 
storming the other floors. Soon the building would be completely under 
his control.

Making sure none of the rank and file were within earshot, Man Beast 
turned to Overrider. �Once we get to their primary computer banks, I 
want you to locate the primary objective and all the material on it.�

Overrider nodded her acceptance.

�Why don�t I tag along and make sure the babe isn�t interrupted?� Tabur, 
the Cat Man, offered, a lascivious gleam in his feline eyes.

�You�ll stay with us, or I�ll make it so you don�t every worry about 
women again,� Man Beast warned.

�Of course,� Tabur said smoothly.

Just as the cat man moved back into position with his group of fellow 
Wundagorians, the floor erupted underneath them, scattering them in all 
directions.

As the group recovered, they saw a figure in black and grey armor in 
their midst, having shot up through the floor.

Iron Rose said, �Gentle� animals, I�m feel I must warn you that my 
employer is most vexed. She completed the sale of this company just 
today and now you�ve gone and attacked it. While the damage is covered 
by insurance, the premiums are simply going to go through the roof. So 
be a good barnyard menagerie and give up before I am forced to become 
violent with you.�

Man Beast said to Overrider. �Go to the computers and complete your 
mission.� To the rest of his Ani Men he bellowed, �Kill her!�

Frog Man attacked first, literally leaping into action. He aimed his 
feet so they were pointed right at Iron Rose�s head.

Behind her faceplate, Iron Rose rolled her eyes. A Leap Frog wannabe? 
What is it about that villain that made other want to emulate him? He 
was a complete loser, low even on Daredevil�s rogue�s gallery of villains.

The iron-clad Avenger was content to allow him to bounce off her, 
probably hurting himself in the process. Then she would launch her 
counterattack.

But Iron Rose discovered that the best laid of plans did not always work 
out the way one counted, especially when one thought her foes were 
simply costumed individuals rather than genuine animal men.

Frog Man�s legs were far more powerful than any human�s. When he 
impacted with Iron Rose�s head, he hit with incredible force, making her 
head ring and sending her pinwheeling backward. She was so off-balance 
that she fell prey to the surprisingly nimble Ape Man, who punched her 
hard in the chestplate. The powerhouse of the team didn�t simply knock 
her backward, he sent her flying like a missile through the air.

Her flight was abruptly stopped as Cat Man snagged her out of mid-air 
with his feline reflexes and used his super strength to add to her 
momentum as he swung her into the floor, shattering it.

Slowly Iron Rose rose to her feet arms held out to fire her repuslors. 
She wasn�t so much aiming at anything as much as she wanted to get a 
second to recover her wind, and hoped by firing randomly she could buy 
herself a few moments to reorient herself.

She wasn�t given a chance as she found herself grabbed under the arms 
and lifted up into the air before she could fire. She looked and saw two 
people with wings, one similar to a bird while the other resembled an 
insect woman, were carrying her in mid-air. Before she had a chance to 
shrug them off they made sudden twists in flight that could only be 
accomplished by someone who was born to soar. Iron Rose was once again 
sent flying, hitting a wall hard. It was thick metal, denting but not 
breaking as she bounced off it and to the ground.

The quartet of blows had knocked Iron Rose silly for a moment, but she 
had been in difficult combat before, though perhaps not against such a 
diversity of foes. Still her armor was state of the art, and built to 
take even the inhuman punishment that had been administered to her. Her 
foes also made the mistake of backing off for a moment to enjoy their 
handiwork, relaxing as they obviously felt they had the upper hand.

Now that she had gained a precious moment to recover her wits. Iron Rose 
rose up from her fallen position, ready to retaliate.

�She�s a tough one,� Bird Man said.

�I�ll take care of her,� Dragonfly�s pale, pupiless eyes widened, taking 
on a yellow gleam. �Look into my ey��

Her request ended as a repulsor blast knocked her out of the air, along 
with Bird Man.

The remainder of the group took on a more serious air. �Crap, she�s 
still kicking,� Cat Man swore.

�I�ll show her what kicking is all about.� Once again Frog Man launched 
himself feet first at Iron Rose.

She was prepared this time, side-stepping the mid-air flight and 
snagging him by the front of his yellow uniform.

Frog Man looked into the facemask of Iron Rose. He saw her narrowed eyes 
behind the slits. �Aw, crap.�

Iron Rose threw Frog Man like a fastball at Cat Man. Tabur tried diving 
out of the way, and managed to avoid the worst of the blow, but enough 
of Croaker bounced off him to send him to the ground.

Ape Man started to move forward. �Gort will kill-�

Man Beast placed a restraining hand on Ape Man�s shoulder. �I shall take 
care of this personally.�

For a moment a war waged across Ape Man�s features, but seeing the look 
on his leader�s face made even him cringe and back off. The remainder of 
the stunned Ani Men also backed away, allowing their leader to spearhead 
the second wave of attacks.

Iron Rose sensed the seriousness of the situation, but was confident in 
her ability to handle the newcomer, who appeared to be some type of wolf 
man. By now she had come to the realization that these were real 
humanoid animals, not merely people in costumes. Still, how powerful 
could a wolf man be compared to power armor loaded to the brim with the 
most advanced technological weapons?

He stopped several feet in front of her.

�And your name is Wolf Guy? Flea Bag? Doggie Bomb?� Iron Rose asked.

He stared at her emotionlessly. �Man Beast.�

�Well, Man Beast. What is it you can do? Piddle on my leg to make me rust?�

�Oh, I think I can come up with something.�

And Man Beast smiled.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A ring of police cars had just started to form outside the building when 
Iron Rose�s limp form shot through a wall and outside the building. Her 
trajectory continued unimpeded as she struck a building across the 
street and shattered a number of walls there before ending up in the 
middle of it. She didn�t emerge from the wreckage.

The policemen stared at the holes in the two buildings.

One officer looked at another. �I think we�d better wait for backup.�

His partner nodded his head.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

[End Chapter]

Sorry for the short nature of this chapter, but this felt like a good 
place to end it, and something bad happened which brought me down, which 
is currently killing my mood to write more until the matter can be taken 
care of. Depending on how large the next one is, I might just merge it 
with this one. Anyway, thanks for reading.







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