Jasvinder Krishnan

A tense silence falls as Don and Wu regard Jackson who stands defiantly against them, using his body to shield Sammie from Don's guns. Thomas and I watch the proceedings enraptured, hoping for the best but fully expecting the worst. Sammie grabs at Jackson and tries to push him aside, but he resists her attempts, staying rooted to the spot, glaring in challenge at Don.

"You serious?" Don snickers, "Hey Wu, this loser is actually serious."

Jackson's face flushes at this insult but his resolve does not waver. He comfortingly takes the semi-conscious Sammie in his arms begins guiding her movements, steadily edging away from the scene as Don converses with Wu. But Don easily notices Jackson's attempt at escaping and brings the barrel of his pistol up threateningly.

"Did we say you could move?" Don asks rhetorically, "Actually, scratch that. I'm going to go over your dead body like you just said. Don't say I'm not obliging."

Jackson squeezes his eyes shut as both he and Sammie cling to each other tightly, waiting for the hammer to fall. Thomas sobs by my side and buries his head against my shoulder. I feel the warm, wet tears soaking my shirt, a stark contrast to the cold sweat drenching my entire body. There's a cry of rage from the assassin which is quickly cut off by Wu raising the makeshift flail and vigorously flogging the mystery pilot.

"Wait." Wu's indifferent voice rings out from his bulwark's speakers, "Those two can make themselves useful in return for their lives."

"Hear that?" Don taunts, "Guess its gonna be your lucky day." He proceeds to pistol whip Jackson right across the face, sending the beast man toppling to the ground and drawing blood. Sammie struggles to her feet and attempts to wrestle with Don, but there's no contest. Without her bulwark, Sammie's strength is nothing before what Don can exert. An armored mitt is clamped on to her shoulder and Don forces Sammie to her knees using brute force alone. Don's then places his bulwark's foot at the back of Sammie's head and begins to slowly push her face into the soft mud.

"Where is Jasvinder?" Wu demands flatly, "Give Jasvinder up to us and we may see some value in the pair of you."

"You heard the man." Don grunts, lifting his bulwark's foot from Sammie's head, letting Sammie lift her face out from the mud with a gasp. Jackson tries to embrace Sammie again but the barrel of one of Don's guns is pushed squarely against his forehead. Don shoves hard with the pistol, sending Jackson sprawling backwards.

"Out with it." Don snaps, "While we still have the patience to play this game with you."

"You think this is a ga -" the assassin protests, but his shout is again cut short by Wu giving him another dose of the whip.

Jackson swallows hard at the sight of the Stormer's armor being rent apart by Wu's metal chains. The beast man's face takes on a conflicted expression as the wolf ears quiver in agitation. Jackson's mouth opens a barest inch before Sammie begins shaking her mud covered face frantically. Her boyfriend gets the hint and his mouth slams shut almost immediately.

"Why are you protecting Jasvinder?" Wu asks conversationally, "Its not as if you owe him anything."

"Valkyries aren't betrayers." Sammie grits out from between her swollen lips, "We're better than people like you."

"You do know that this village burns because Jasvinder is hiding here right?" Wu presses on, "By protecting him, you have a hand in the deaths of everyone."

"Bullshit!" Sammie roars angrily, "Don't feed me that crap! It was you two that killed those villagers! No one forced you into doing it. Stop making excuses for yourselves!"

"Oh, Sammie .." I murmur from my hiding spot, shame nearly overwhelming me. Thomas clutches my hand with desperate strength, trembling with fear.

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"Don." Wu shrugs, "Break the Valkyrie. Break her until her boyfriend talks."

Don lifts his machine's foot and slams it down hard against one of Sammie's legs. There's an earsplitting scream from the Valkyrie as the bone is ground into paste.

"No! Stop!" Jackson shouts but Don simply lifts the armored foot again and flattens Sammie's remaining leg. Sammie howls until her voice cracks and she falls unconscious from the pain.

"Stop! Why you doing this?" Jackson sobs.

"You know why." Don sneers, "Next stomp is going to be straight into her spine. Hope you like caring for a paralyzed cripple for the rest of her life."

"I can't take this anymore." Thomas whispers as he shudders convulsively in my arms.

"I know. We have to go." I assure him and begin looking for an escape route.

"In there!" Jackson cries out between tears, pointing to the house, "Jasvinder hiding in there!"

I bunch my fists up in frustration. If only Jackson had held out a bit longer, Thomas and I would be in the clear. But its too late now. Don is already heading in our direction, leaving Sammie and Jackson forgotten in the background.

"Stay here." I urge Thomas and focus on my deployment ring. There's a flash of dull fire as my bulwark is summoned into existence, but none of the damage had been restored, no thanks to Iros. Gripping my broken sword tightly, I set my machine to hover mode and burst out through the front door of the house, looking to intercept Don before he realizes that Thomas is still with me. The jets of my bulwark send me flying forward towards the village square and Don comes to a stop, pointing his guns at me. I can't hope to fight off Don and Wu together, not in my current state. But I have a crucial advantage over them.

A hostage that I can ransom.

I dismiss the bulwark's helmet and as it disappears in motes of light, I raise the broken blade of my sword straight to my throat, daring Don to approach.

"Making it convenient for us." Wu idly comments, "Very thoughtful, Jasvinder. Though you could have showed up earlier and saved us some trouble."

"Let me and my friends go." I demand, "Or Sheryl dies here with me."

"Liar." Wu snorts dismissively, "Sheryl would evacuate your body before it died."

There's a tense moment where I expect Sheryl to start with the ranting and cursing in my head, but there's nothing coming from her end. Its as if she's waiting for her moment, the right opportunity to pounce. I tighten my mental grip on her heavy, oily presence, and proceed to make my play.

"I've poisoned Sheryl with my improved serum!" I shout to Don and Wu, "She'll be too weak to make her escape. And you think I'd allow her to do anything when I'm the one in control?"

Wu looks at Don, who slowly begins to lower his guns. From the corner of my eye, I can see Wu preparing to swing his flail at me so I press the broken sword to my neck so tightly that the skin breaks and a trickle of blood stains the blade. Wu immediately relaxes his stance and goes back to staring at me from behind his helmet.

"Come on! Get going!" I yell at Jackson who tries to move Sammie's body. He begins to lift Sammie up but she moans in pain as her ruined legs drag across the ground. Thomas rushes out from the house and begins to help Jackson move the injured woman as gently as possible. Little by little, they manage to cradle Sammie's body in their arms and begin walking towards me.

There's a loud booming noise as Wu cracks his flail against the ground, drawing my attention. Satisfied that my eyes are on him, Wu addresses me.

"This isn't over." Wu remarks as he swings the chains about, "We'll keep coming after you."

"You're welcome to try." I rebut, "My life is my own now, Wu. Neither you nor the Management have any further claim over it."

"Ingrate." Wu snarls as his swings of the chain pick up speed, "We spared your life and gave you power, and this is how you repay us?"

I quickly put myself between Wu and my friends carrying the unconscious Sammie, my eyes locked on to the spinning chain, fearful that Wu would suddenly lash out against them.

"We're done." I say, "Whether you like it or not."

"Oh, I agree." Wu nods, "Don, you may begin."

Metal fingers suddenly close in on my arm and squeeze tightly, denting my bulwark's armor and forcing me to drop the broken sword. My vision spins as I am roughly lifted up and thrown hard on to the ground.

"Forgotten how fast we can move?" Don mocks as he looms over me, "I just needed you to be distracted for a second to close the distance."

Don kicks me hard in my ribs and I feel something inside break. Sheryl begins laughing uproariously in the back of my head, blocking out almost everything else other than the pain as Don begins pounding my bulwark mercilessly with his feet.

"I need to soften you up first," Don explains as his fist crashes into my face, "Its all your fault you see. There's no other way for Sheryl to regain control of the body."

"You'll have to be patient, Jasvinder." Wu helpfully informs, "The process might take some time."

I squirm on the ground in pain, sparks flying from my damaged bulwark. Don pulls me up and begins pummeling my torso with punches, sending me flying like a rag doll.

"But don't worry Jasvinder." Don's voice drips with smugness, "We've got all night to see this through."

"All night."