[FFML] [FIC][BGC] Frozen Butterfly Arc 2 Chapter 7.1 Final Draft

[skychan]

Hello,

Thank you for the help the list has given on previous chapters and
here's the final draft I have before putting the final version at
http://www.fanfiction.net/~skywiseskychan.  Any comments and critisism
are highly valued and I appreciate them all.

Kelly,
Skywise,skychan


Frozen Butterfly 2 a story of Bubblegum Crisis

Chapter 7.1 – Whiteout

My arm was too hot, and my back was too cold.  I felt the aching pain
of my abdominal injury but strangely it was the feel of something soft
gently brushing along the fingers of one hand that absorbed my
attention.  Waking up after a traumatic injury in bed curled up with a
girl is a surreal experience.

My first thought was that I was dreaming, but the warning and status
messages that began to clamor for my attention proved that wasn't the
case quickly enough.  Without moving I tried to figure out just how I
had gotten into this situation when a more pressing concern arose.
How I could keep from sneezing due to the full head of red hair my
nose was buried in.

The first question is simple enough, apparently even 'asleep' my
subconscious is programed to cuddle, the second took a bit more
effort, I squirmed a bit as I worked out how to override the natural
reaction to a ticklish nose.

Nene let out a little gasp, and I could feel her grow tense in my
arms.  Yes I was behind her one arm under the other wrapped around her
waist with my knees pulled up to spoon the young AD Policewoman.  The
fingers slowly tracing the contours of my hand fled as Nene quickly
squirmed free of my embrace a touch of embarrassment in her voice.
"Kari, you're awake!"

It was difficult to tell if she was more upset or embarrassed but as
she moved I could see we weren't alone on the futon.  Just beyond her
the reason my back was cold became obvious.  Irene was hogging the
sheets, curled with the majority of the covers and groaning softly at
the sudden movement and noise before she buried her head further away
from the light streaming through the windows.

I started to sit up as well, stomach muscles clenching before a sharp
pain in my gut convinced me that wasn't a good idea.  Flopping back
onto the futon and staring up at the ceiling I turned my head slightly
to catch Nene's eye.  "What are you doing here, and, why are you in my
nightshirt?"

It seemed a slightly safer question than what are you doing in my bed.
 It was kind of cute to see her cheeks reddening to match her hair but
she managed to change the emotion into a huff of annoyance, or at
least disguise it so before responding with a question of her own.
"You really don't remember?"

While I shook my head slightly Irene gave a muffled protesting moan
from the bundle of fabric before Nene spoke up again.  "Well, I guess
you were pretty out of it.  After we got you in the car you just
passed out, and then when we got here we woke you up, or thought we
had.  Did you know you sleep walk?"

"Anyway after we got you upstairs and cleaned up we put you to bed.
By the then it was really late, and we were both tired so, we just
kind of raided your closet and stayed."  She looked over at Irene's
pile of blankets for a moment before leaning down to whisper, "I
didn't think it was a good idea to leave either of you alone."

I nodded up at her and otherwise lay still.  Even though I had the
energy I couldn't muster the will to get myself up this morning.
Abandoning me to the mercies of the sun Nene slipped off to the small
kitchen area of the apartment.  She made several disapproving noises
as she searched my rather bare cupboards, given my own minimal needs,
for anything to eat and didn't have much luck.

"Grapefruit, Spinach, Water and… is this machine oil in your
refrigerator?" Nene's voice called out incredulously.  "If this diet
is what it takes to look that good I don't think I want to."

"There's ice cream in the freezer."  I shot back a little defensively.
 I don't know why just… I guess it's never pleasant to feel like a
freak no matter how small the degree.  Running fingers over my
nightshirt and the pressure bandage beneath it I nervously called up
an internal diagnostic.  Fluidics systems at 86%, Ocular systems at
81.2%, Damage to abdominal cavity and associated musculature 10.2% all
damage has been contained, time to repair 123:12:00 at current rate.
Unit function limited by 14.3% within operational limitations, 5.6%
exceeding operational limitations.

I was going to be okay.  Hell, I was even a bit better off than before
the attack.  Now if I could just figure out some way to get injured
like that on a bi-weekly or monthly to get the transfusions…

Nene's voice pulled me out of the idle contemplation of future mayhem.
 "Well, I guess we'll make do.  You better get Irene up; I don't know
if she has to do anything today."  Her voice cut through my
ruminations tickling the back of my mind and I sat up grimacing; my
stomach aching in pain as I forgot to move slowly.

"Yes mother!"  I answered her, my tone conveying my thoughts on the
subject well.  Crawling over to Irene I laughed at the incredible
tangle she had managed to make of the covers.  Reaching out I gently
shook what I thought was a shoulder.  "Hey, Irene, time to get up."

It took a second shake before she reluctantly began disentangling
herself and I doubt she would have if she thought for a moment she
could get away with sleeping in.  But in just a few minutes we were
all up, looking somewhat bedraggled kneeling around the low table in
my entire collection of nightshirts prepared to have breakfast.

"You woke me up for this?" Irene's voice was arch as she looked at the
third of a grapefruit, water, and slice of lettuce in the bowl before
her.  "At least tell me you have sugar I can sprinkle on it…"  I had
to smile at the dismay displayed on her face after she realized that
there really wasn't any to be had.

I'm a bad person and I may be feeling a little under the weather but
somehow watching my friends suffer through what to me was a perfectly
appetizing and filling breakfast perked me right back up.  "Thank you
guys for looking after me."  I gave them each a small smile and bow of
thanks.  Nene blushed and quickly murmured, "It was nothing."

"Oh?" this was possibly better than the grapefruit.  I turned to Irene
hoping she would explain the strange response looking forward to a
juicy story.  Subject behavior indicative of embarrassment 95%, like I
hadn't figured that out for myself.

"It's nothing much," Irene started her tone droll, continuing despite
a maligned "Don't you dare!" from Nene.  "It's just that little
Nene-chan here lost at Jan Ken and that's why you're not all messy
this morning."

A warm little sensation began to crawl up my body as I realized that I
was clean.  Nene had taken the time and embarrassment last night to
wash me off rather than leave me to itching from dried blood all over
my body.  Still, gratitude aside, it was too good an opportunity to
pass up teasing my ma-most dear friend.  "Oh thank you Ne-Chan.  I
know it couldn't have been much fun, having to rub my naked body, all
over, but I'm really very grateful that you did…" Stressing 'all over'
and giving a sensuous little wiggle as I teased her.

Even as Nene turned red as a tomato Irene and I lost the fight to hold
back our laughter.  A moment later Nene joined us.  "Oh, you two are
just so bad!" she exclaimed as the noise level dropped.  "See if I
ever do that again."  Hands slapping over her mouth as what came out
sounded worse than intended before we all broke into laughter a second
time.

Laughing that hard actually hurt and I fell back lying down and
started to beg, "S-stop, making me, laugh, it hurts" Holding my sore
belly and trying to suppress the giggles.

Thankfully this did end the teasing, Nene's expression showing concern
before a glance at her watch had her standing up to glare down at the
pair of us, fists on hips.  The pose somewhat ruined by the fact the
nightshirt she was wearing had a print of an adorable kitten rearing
back trying to look fierce on it.  "It's nothing more than you deserve
for picking on me.  Anyway I have to go to work, will you be okay,
both of you?"

I nodded and glancing over saw Irene agreeing as well.  "We'll be
fine, go on you can visit after work."

With a bob of her head she disappeared into the bathroom to change and
was out about the same time I finished catching my breath.  With a
tossed shirt and a wave Nene slipped on her shoes and was out the door
some of the light and life of the apartment seeming to depart with
her.

Looking over at me with a searching gaze Irene examined me critically,
"Will you really be alright?  I know you said you'll be fine, but she
stabbed you, and there was all that blood."  I think Irene was paler
than I was as she fell back into her memory of the previous evening.
"How could you say no to the hospital, what if you're not alright?"

It took a moment to decide just how to answer her, how much to tell.
"Well, you heard the paramedics' last night right, about how I've got
cybernetics?"  Seeing her nod I took a breath the familiar physical
sensation useful in steadying myself to go on.

"Well, I don't just have some cybernetics," my voice softening with
each phrase, "I have a lot."  The next time I spoke it was so quiet
she had to lean forward and listen close to hear my words.  "I have
enough that just a fraction more and I'd be a boomeroid.  I was in a
bad accident, and, well, I don't like hospitals, not anymore.  All it
would take is one doctor making one little change and I could lose all
my rights.  Besides, I have ah, diagnostics, can sort of tell how bad
it is, that part of me is mostly fake anyway…"

Her eyes widened then narrowed as she considered my words.  I know she
hadn't guessed the truth or even how extensive I claimed things were,
but I could tell, probability 87%, I had her full sympathy and trust
in that moment.

"That, that’s awful, I'm sorry Kari, I really am.  If there's anything
I can do to help, please let me.  You saved my life."  Words spoken
with a quiet intensity I had to believe, probability 94% subject
feeling devotion and trust.

"Well," okay I probably shouldn't ask; she's emotionally fragile; I
would be taking advantage of her good will.  Indications subject will
not grant request at this time too low to be meaningfully calculated
"Do you have room for one more in your apartment?"  Damn it, I went
and asked anyway, I must be a terrible person.

"Oh, OH, yes, of course I do."  I saw her blink aside a tear and
swallow to keep some strong emotion at bay.  A moment's thought and I
knew why.  Her boyfriend, they were probably just about to move in
together and now I was taking his place.

"Thank you."  I carefully pushed myself back up to a kneeling position
and set my hand atop hers and squeezed it gently.  "That means a lot
to me."  It would also let me keep an eye on her.  Make sure she
really was alright after all the excitement and sadness of the last
few days.  A little cynical I admitted if only to myself but at least
I would be helping pay back my selfishness that way.

The rest of the day fell into place with surprising ease.  A call into
work and I was on short term disability.  Regulations said I would
need a doctor's note to get off, but worrying over that now would just
be borrowing trouble.  We spent most of the afternoon boxing up all my
things.  Not because I had so much, but because neither of us really
wanted to rush it and deal with dark cloud hanging over our heads.

Someone tried to kill Irene, and doubtless they were now after us
both.  A person most likely named Brian J. Mason, Executive level
bastard in the largest most untouchable and powerful corporation to
ever grace the face of this earth.  Going to sleep that evening, in a
new apartment, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling and listening to
Irene's breathing slow I was left with just one thought before I went
to sleep.  We're screwed.

Snapping awake I sat up and looked around.  Not out of confusion, I
knew instantly where I was and what was going on, just because I
remembered my last thoughts before bed.  Thankfully the only movement
in the apartment was from Irene halfheartedly getting up for
breakfast.

Today was Kenshiro's funeral.  The sky was overcast when we arrived,
but thankfully the rain held off during the service.  It was a quiet,
depressed ceremony and went quickly.  I felt out of place wearing a
black dress borrowed from Irene and watching silently as she spoke to
others there, who had known her fiancé.  Friends, relatives,
co-workers and me.

I was unspeakably grateful to get into the car and ride back.  The
rain that began matching my morose mood.  All I could think about was
that it could have been me, or maybe that it had been me years ago.  I
had missed my own funeral and somehow this one felt like a
replacement.

I was grateful when Irene asked to be alone for a while after we got
back.  I could see she needed a good private cry and so silently I
slipped out of the apartment.  I had one last thing I needed to pick
up from my apartment anyway.

The guns.

When we packed things up I hid them away in fear that Irene would see.
 But sitting through the funeral, uncomfortably aware of the mass of
humanity around me, I realized how naive I had been.  We were being
hunted.  If anything she should be relieved to have guns available not
frightened of them.

When I got back I decided to reveal their existence to Irene, but
rather than explain I had them before the attack I could just say I
got them afterwards for defense.  Yes, that would work, it would have
to, we needed that protection.  Looking up I cursed, it might already
be too late.

Ahead of me was a wall of orange steel and flashing lights, a crowd
already gathered as heavy construction equipment moved into place
around my old apartment.  So much for the two day notice, if I didn't
miss my guess the building was going down now, or at least within the
hour.

I heard the yelling before I saw her.  A striking brunette with
memorable red hued eyes, she had a voice like a drill instructor; it
was vibrant and cut through the background racket as contemptuously as
her words were dressing down the unfortunate cop in front of her.

To my surprise I recognized the police she was yelling at as well.
Inspector McNichol, with his partner Daily standing just far enough
away to be out of the line of fire.  What on earth was an AD Police
officer doing here; keeping an eye out on construction boomers?  It
was what he said next that made my step falter for a moment and really
caught my attention though.  "What they're doing is legal."

Wait, what?  No it isn't.  I take a step toward the pair when through
a break in the crowd I spot Mason beside one of the wrecking machines
beyond them.  Heart thumping, blood rushing in my ears I turn planning
to run when I hear a voice call my name and a hand lightly lands on my
shoulder.  "Kari? It is you, are you alright, we actually were coming
by to talk with you when we ran into this little situation."

It was Daily, and I let my heart rate slow, my grasp on accelerated
time loosen as the panic began to subside.  Twisting a little so that
even if Mason were to glance my way he wouldn't see anything more than
my back I gave Officer Wong a fair imitation of a smile.

"Yes, well… I'm feeling okay, but what your partner said isn't true.
We never received notice and by contract they're required to give us
two days to leave.  If you check the apartment manager's office the
physical paper work is probably still there or you can collect
electronic copies on file with the city."  Hearing the rumble of
machinery starting up I go on.  "Either way you better hurry or it's
all going to be moot; I won't have a door to knock on."

He took only a moment to look into my eyes before nodding and with a
swift stride turned back to his partner and rescued him from the
brunet's wrath by dragging him along to confront Mason and the
demolition coordinator.  I took the chance to slip into the crowd
becoming part of its anonymity noting a woman slip past the safety
lines to run into the building.

It was a tragedy waiting to happen, thankfully Daily seemed to be as
silver tongued as quick footed and I imagine the idea of waiting one
or two days versus the possibility of a class action lawsuit, possible
manslaughter, and the associated costs of litigation were enough to
convince Mason to halt the vehicles before they did more than rumble
loose a few window panes.  The chance to beat down the proletariat
would have to wait for another day.

It took them A few minutes to get organized but then a loud clear
voice echoed throughout the block with an announcement.  "As of 5:45
pm all residents are hereby given notice to depart the premises or be
evicted.  Demolition will begin in exactly 48 hours.  Anyone still on
the premises at that time will be incarcerated."

The announcement was met with a ragged cheer, rather halfhearted given
that this was only a reprieve instead of a stay of execution.  I
joined in blending with the others as best as I could, eyes following
Mason as he walked off.  Arrogant in his expensive suit a he almost
sauntered to a waiting limousine as if daring anyone to object further
before driving off.

Only once he was gone and the crowd began to break up did I approach
the trio of Daily, Leon, and the angry woman; A woman who was now
bitterly haranguing Inspector McNichol and looked about thirty seconds
from violence.  "Legal my ass, what the hell good are you?  You were
going to let them tear down my home without lifting a finger to stop
it and two seconds with Daily has them backing down?  Some cop you
are, why don't you at least pretend to do your job and get out of
here!"

"Come on, he had all the right paperwork, how was I supposed to know
about the notice time?"  I heard him say in a wheedling tone of voice,
but ignored the rest of his attempt to escape her wrath in favor of
talking to his partner.

"Thank you Inspector Wong.  I'm already moved out, but I know my
neighbors still have a lot to do.  Would you like to come inside?  I
can't offer you much other than a place out of the wind and a floor to
sit on but at least it would be private."

"That might be for the best, to save my partner if nothing else."  He
laughed, it was a nice laugh, easy to join in with, comfortable.  Too
bad he was so gay.  I trailed after him as he collected or should I
say rescued his partner from the still belligerent woman who only
stopped her diatribe after looking me over to offer me a fairly gruff
"Thanks, I heard what you did, good job."

"Ah, your welcome, I live here too."  An answer that left a slightly
confused expression on both our faces, mine mirroring hers a moment
after it formed.  Clearly I was missing something but I hadn't a clue
what it could be.

"What?"  She answered her tone now confused before a wide almost smug
smile crossed her lips.  It looked good on her and I know almost
instantly it isn't directed at me, there's too much glee in her
expression.  "So I have you to thank for this as well?  Looks to me
like we should stop wasting our taxes on the police entirely, can't
stop boomers or creeps as well as you can."

By now I was completely lost and my expression must have shown it as
she took pity on me.  "A friend told me what you did the other night.
You're exactly how she described you, tiny, cute as a doll, with light
green eyes and even lighter white-blond hair."

"Wait, how do you know it was me?"  I protested trying to hide the
nervous tension suddenly singing in my veins.

"Well I'm pretty familiar with a homemade bandage job myself" she said
gesturing towards my stomach, "and girls with your hair color aren't
exactly common, but Leon admitted the reason he was here was to talk
to a witness from the other night.  Seeing you with his better half
was the clincher.  I'm Priss, nice to meet you."

Taking the boldly offered hand I shook it rather timidly.  "I, I'm
Kari, it's nice to meet you Priss-san."  My eyes widening as I made
the connections, "Oh my god, you’re the singer, the one from Hot Legs
with the absolutely HUGE hair!"  That reaction brought a deep rolling
laugh from her and a blush at my effrontery to me.  "Sorry, you just
look better without the wig, and it took a minute to recognize you."

"Guilty as charged." She answered, then after a moment passed without
anyone speaking went on "Thanks again, but I better see what I can do
about my stuff, just don't let those two push you around.  We need
more people like you in this town."  And with that sterling
recommendation Priss the replicant, er of the Replicants walked out of
my life as swiftly as she had entered it leaving me to the mercies of
the AD Police.

This follow-up interview wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Still I was nervous sitting on the floor with two armed members of the
AD Police.  Despite hearing my own pulse in the empty apartment it
felt like they could see truth.  They'll see through you any moment a
voice inside was screaming or trying to scream but between how much
attention Leon was paying to my breasts, and how little Daily gave
them I was able to silence those fears and answer their questions.

Keeping my story consistent with my answers from the other night was
easy.  Being able to recall the previous conversations exactly kept me
from making any contradictory statements.  I was also careful not to
repeat myself too closely either.  It might be paranoid but too good a
memory, answers that were too consistent might just as easily end up
raising suspicions as an inconsistent response would.

It felt strange piling illegal handguns into a backpack minutes after
the cops had left.  The back of my neck itched as I half expected them
to return at any moment and catch me in the act.  Foolishness really,
it only took thirty seconds to pull them out from beneath the sink,
and another minute to pack them away after making sure they weren't
loaded.  Even so I waited another five tense minutes before setting
foot outside my apartment.  Just in case.

There wasn't any sign of them, just a frenetic energy as the entire
complex crawled with people moving, preparing to move, and shouting
back and forth about how they couldn't possibly move in time.

Letting out the breath I had been holding I started down the stairs,
carefully winding my way between people boxes and running children.
For the first time in the last hour I was able to really think and as
I did I realized something strange.  Priss knew who I was.

Now I know she explained how she knew, but that means she has to know
Nene, or Irene.  Only it can't be Irene because she's been with me
constantly since the attack.  When would she have had the time for a
phone call much less a meeting?  For that matter when would Nene have
had the time?

It's been barely a day and a half since the attack.  Nene worked
yesterday, and this morning until a few hours ago she had been at the
funeral with Irene and me.  Add that it's more than obvious that Priss
doesn't like the police how would they even have gotten to know each
other or close enough to share that kind of thing on such short
notice.

For that matter shouldn't I have heard about her before now if Nene
was a friend?  I mean, we even went to listen to her sing; I would
have expected Ne-chan to brag about knowing the artist that if nothing
else.  Something didn't add up and I couldn't for the life of me
figure out what it was.  I would just have to ask Nene about it the
next time I saw the little redheaded sneak.  Thinking of her brought a
fond smile to my lips.

The trip back to Irene, well our apartment was painless if just a
touch nerve wracking.  As a rule I don't like to break the law, and
there isn't much about carrying a backpack full of unregistered
firearms that doesn't break it somehow.  I found myself acutely aware
of every cop and camera I passed along the way.

That nervousness was only made worse by the subway ride.  It was
getting toward noon and as usual that meant more people crushed into
less space.  Having to fight the rising needs of my own body, while
standing amid the crush of humanity made me feel like a long tailed
cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  The slightest miststep could
lead to disaster.  What if someone bumped my bag and felt the guns,
would they recognize the shape?  Could they hear the rattle of metal
on metal?  What if a police dog smelled the guncotton!

So it was slightly panicked, eyes wide and pulse rapid that I stumbled
out of the tube station and gasped in large cleansing breaths of fresh
air once finally released from the subterranean purgatory.  The guilt
over having lied to Irene earlier had been building the entire time
and unfortunately I couldn't escape it quite so easily.  Slipping
inside I stumbled to a halt looking up into Irene's concerned and
slightly tear streaked face.  "Kari, where have you been, I was
getting worried with you injured like that…"

I couldn't hide it, nervously shifting the backpack from one shoulder
around into my arms and just sort of blurted out, "Getting these…"
Her eyes going wide as I unzipped the bag, revealing the plethora of
handguns and only a quick shift of balance keeping one from sliding
free and falling to the floor.

Standing there, feeling like a child before the principle I struggled
to explain.  "They're guns," duh, "for protection… I, we've been
attacked once, but we got lucky.  I wanted something to protect you,
and me in case it happened again."

Lips pressed tightly together I looked up at her imploringly, rather
like a puppy hoping for approval.  "Is, is that alright?  I know
they're illegal but, Mason tried to kill you!"  I cringed slightly as
she stepped forward, subject's emotions too volatile to anticipate
reaction.  Then taking the backpack from me she carefully set it aside
and gave me a powerful hug.

Her body heaving as she cried fresh tears, sobs in time with the
throbbing of my healing abdomen but I didn't care.  That pain was
easily blocked, she wasn't doing any real harm, and I was too relieved
that she wasn't upset to have cared even if she was.

My arms reached back around her returning the embrace and we stood
like that, not speaking for five minutes twelve seconds before she
broke the embrace.  Wiping the tears from a face now settling into a
determined gaze she looked to me.  "Can you show me how they work?"

I had to almost laugh at myself.  I barely knew enough to fire them
much less teach someone else.  Certainly I didn't know enough to
maintain them for any real length of time, and with her request for
training I realized that I really didn't know the second thing about
firearms.

Still I would do my best.  Thankfully they were all identical, Flint
apparently bought in bulk or had a preference for his favorite
handgun.  "Well, they aren't that hard to use, this lever releases the
magazine and secures it.  This is the safety, and before you fire you
have to pull back the slide to get the first bullet into the chamber.
These are all automatics so once you do that you just pull the trigger
until it stops making loud noises."  We shared a slight smile at that.

"I haven't really used these before so I don't know if the slide locks
back or not, but hey, at least we have two each and if we haven’t
stopped whatever is trying to kill us with sixty four bullets I don't
know that reloading to try again is going to matter.  Just, don't try
to be a gangster and fire both at once.  In fact use both hands even
firing just one.  That fancy stuff is just for movies, or maybe
professionals.  We're neither."  I warned her my voice getting more
serious.

She nodded and we spent a few more minutes going over them, making
sure they were all loaded, ready, and that we were at least somewhat
familiar with the weight.  Hiding two in the bedroom off the side of
her flat, one in a drawer near the front door and the last one in the
living room beside her couch we were about as ready for a siege as we
were likely to get.

Those grim reminders hidden away we settled down to watch TV.  I was a
little surprised at her choice as I hardly thought that Harem Anime
would be her thing, but who knew.  At least it made her smile a bit.
Before I really realized what was happening though we weren't two
people sitting on a sofa watching TV together though.

We were to people together watching TV while sitting on the sofa.  It
was just so natural to respond to her need for touch, for the
reassurance physical intimacy brings.  By the time I realized she was
slipping into my lap and the arm I had around her shoulders wasn't
just companionable my conscious mind didn't know what to do.  My
instincts screamed to pull her closer, turn away from the TV and kiss
her senseless.

My conscience on the other hand was a confused mess.  I didn't feel
that way about her, and it would be a betrayal, using her
vulnerability and need against her wouldn't it?  Thankfully while I
was still caught between intellect and instinct Irene settled down,
content to sit nestled in my lap, my arm around her holding her close.
  My heart raced, not because I needed increased circulation to
function, but because of where my instincts had been prepared to go.

Things might have gotten awkward had I been capable of tensing up at
unwanted contact.  But the truth is, for a 33-S there is no such thing
as an unwelcome touch.  As she leaned back I wanted her there, I was
comfortable with it, and even after I made a very definite decision
not to seduce her, or allow her to seduce me for that matter, the only
change for me was a slight shift in how my body drove me to respond.

>From potential lover to nurturer in six seconds, what a relief, I
don't know what Nene would have done if I admitted to having seduced
our grieving friend.  At least this way I would still be able to look
her in the eye the next time we met.

I was still sitting on the couch cradling Irene close and basically
ignoring the hijinks on the television and the ache of my stomach when
the front door blew off its hinges.

Irene and I stared as a female shape charged into the room behind the
broken remnants of the front door.  Spilling from the couch I felt the
world dim and slow as I reached for accelerated time.  The sound of
Irene's high pitched yell dropping the slower the world around me
seemed to move.

Unfortunately the boomer while appearing slow was already halfway to
us and we were cut off from the bedroom.  Worse Irene was between me
and the edge of the sofa where the last gun was hidden.

Somehow I managed to reach my feet while imposing myself between the
charging boomer and its real target.  As I dropped into a slight
crouch I recognized it, the same assassin that had come for us before
the blade like nails already extended.  Phone still in my pocket I
sent a desperate cry for help.

Galatea: Nene, HELP! The boomer is back and attacking Irene's apartment.

Message sent I felt certain despair.  Even if she was at work and
could dispatch the AD Police instantly whatever was going to happen
here would be long since done by the time they arrived.  Worse the
boomer slowed its charge, and despite the lovely plate glass window's
overlooking a healthy drop it wasn't going to fall for the same trick
twice.  Why hadn't I ever learned kung fu, or at least downloaded the
moves from one of the 3d fighting games.  Anything would be better
than this.

Jackie Chan, or at least the ghost of his memory came to my aid.  I
swept up one of the pillows from the couch moving just barely ahead of
the hateful female before me.  Stepping into her charge I twisted the
cloth and padding in line with the first blow, its claws entangled
were easy enough to sidestep.

Its other hand unfortunately caught me high on the thigh with a
cutting ripping blow, and I could feel the muscles part, a sharp spike
of pain quickly reduced to a dull background throb, mobility impaired
by 14%.  Damn, I could see each blow coming I just wasn't good enough,
or fast enough to know what to do about them.

Knocking the cushion covered fist wide I managed a respectable punch
to its sternum, driving the assassin back a pair of steps.
Unfortunately that was all I managed before I had to pull back to
avoid its next attack.

It was strange, arching my spine as I fell backwards I knew landing on
the ground would be a death sentence, but my new body could do things
I could only imagine before my death… which in this case was a very
good thing because I had the time to imagine a lot.  A backwards
cartwheel and landing on my feet, even with an unsteady leg made me
feel bad ass.

The boomer tearing the pillow to fluttering strips of shredded cloth
started the process of spoiling that thought.  Seeing it advance
through the stuffing and ignore the rapid blast of gunfire from Irene
buried it.

I was too far away and knew already I would be too late.  Irene
kneeling at the end of the sofa was pulling the trigger as fast as she
could, gun held in two hands some of the shots even hit the target for
all the good they did.

As the boomer struck she managed to get the gun up just in time to
blunt the strike, but it still bowled her over sending her into the
wall, three vicious white lines cut through the side of her head and
ear.  I could watch in slow motion as the blood pooling out of them my
feet beating slowly as I charged.

I caught it still recovering, shoulder down and square in the middle
of its chest, my hands pushing it's wrists out wide as I drove it into
the flat screen against the wall.  With a jolt of electricity and a
soft popping sound like packing bubbles bursting the circuit breaker
for the apartment blew plunging us into darkness.

For just a moment the beast lay motionless beneath me.  But before I
could celebrate I felt it tense and begin to overpower my hold.
Leverage gives a profound advantage, but in this situation what I
really needed was strength and weight.  The struggle seeming to last
forever it forced its arms up from the floor, its eyes glowing in the
dark reminding me of nothing else so much as a terminator.

The implacable strength continued to force my arms upward.  I couldn't
stop it.  I could only slow it down and a cruel twist overcame the
boomer's features as it recognized that.  If I let go it would kill me
before I could escape, if I didn't let go it would kill me as soon as
those wicked claws were in reach.

One had moving toward my face, the other chose a closer target, its
claws grasping as it forced them to slowly pierce my shirt, bandaging,
and finally plunging into my still damaged abdomen.

A soft whimper escaped my lips as it sat up, forcing me back and inch
after inch of razor sharp claw slipped deeper in my flesh.  Drawing
away from its other hand I felt the claws slip down one side of my
face, cutting deeply, a deadly caress moving closer to my throat.

And then it was there, blades sliding agonizingly slowly through my
carotid artery in a short lived spray of blood.

Falling out of accelerated time was like coming down from some kind of
exquisite high.  Everything just short flashes as it shoved me off, my
body falling limp to lie on the floor in a growing pool of blood while
emergency systems desperately shut down my fluidics, trying to
preserve as much as they could.  Major motor control lost I looked up
helplessly as the boomer leaned down to finish the job.

With the sound of screaming metal and shattering glass it was gone.  A
dizzying burst of light blinded me further for a moment before I saw
two sleek metallic forms loom above.  The first stalking past me like
some kind of lethal hunter the other paused its featureless mask
regarding me as a second somehow more final shriek of metal echoed
through the apartment.

"Oh god, Kari?"  The voice was masked, distorted as it echoed into the
suddenly very quiet apartment but as I lay there bleeding and dying
before the Pink Knight Saber I could only think of one thing to say.

"Sorry Ne-chan, I didn't want to lie."

She dropped to her knees beside me as my vision went white once more,
senses overloading before they failed, non-vital systems shutting down
as my body tried to save itself but I knew it was already too late.
Even if the damage wasn't fatal, Nene was a Knight Saber, and from the
strength of those electromagnetic scans she had to know the truth,
that I was a boomer.

My vision went dark, the world went silent, and I could feel the cold
seeping into my limbs.

End Arc 2