July 3rd, 2097

4:50 AM

The gang stood around for a few moments, looking at the unmoving android. They looked for any part of Rikimaru that could be left. Danze saw his hand in the distance, smoking and burnt to a crisp. He fell to his knees, with the information that his leader died. He didn’t cry. He just stared at the hand. Jockey walked to him. “Danze…”

“He was the only man who allowed me to lead.”

Jockey sat with him, he turned to face his gang, giving a gesture to stay back. He returned his focus to his best friend. “Yeah. I loved him, man. Riki was really the only guy I could listen to. You know how I was.”

Danze cracked a weak smile. “Yeah. It was worse when you were sober.”

The pair shared a weak bit of laughter.

“Hey,” Jockey said. “You know I love you, right?”

Danze nodded. “In a gay way?”

“Maybe.” He chuckled as he rested his head on the android’s shoulder. “A part of me wishes that I could convince you not to fight Kaos.”

“A part of me wishes that I can go back to getting high on the couch with you. But I think we’re past that.”

Jockey looked at Danze and went in for a tight hug. “Don’t fucking die. I’m serious.”

Danze hugged back and hummed. “I won’t die on you again. I promise.”

Meanwhile…

Manius was holding his broken nose and stared at the wreckage, looking down in disappointment. “Things will never be the same will they?”

EX had recovered from his near-death experience, but his voice was still raspy, resting with Saturn. “Nah.”

“I had so many things to tell Grim. I liked him, you know.” Manius said. “I wanted him to be with me…But he always wanted a good time. But he always treated me better than everyone else. I felt so important. He would hold me and pet me, talking to me about his day and his mom. He would rant to me and me only. And now…” Manius couldn’t continue, breaking down into tears. EX and Saturn got up and went over to him, hugging him as he regained his composure. “I told him I hated killing. And he killed for me, every time. Why did they take him? I’m useless compared to him!”

Saturn held his head, shushing him.

The gang walked into the empty lobby, with EX holding the bags of explosives for the destruction of the tower. Danze walked up to the elevator, pressing the button to call it. “I’m going up there alone.”

Saturn protested. “Are you insane?! We got our ass kicked and you wanna head up there alone?!”

Danze nodded. “Plant the bombs, make a five-minute timer.”

Jockey gritted his teeth in frustration. “Don't. Fucking. Die.”

Danze flashed a smile and got inside the elevator pressed the button, heading up to the top floor. As he got higher, he heard the hint of music. He looked up and focused.

Lamb spoke up. “That’s…Nocturnes, Op. 9, No. 2 in E-Flat Major.”

Danze scoffed. “I understood none of that shit. That’s the bitch’s last song anyways.”

As the classical music plays, he stepped out and walked into the dark office. Kaos was still facing the windows, drinking the last few drops of booze. In her cup. She was watching the brawl, staring at the speck of her employee, and the man who killed her was in the same room. She took a gaze at the rising sun, getting ready to make an appearance soon. She turned and faced Danze. “You made a mistake coming alone.”

Danze pulled a pistol from his side and aimed it at Kaos. “And you made a mistake being unarmed.”

She laughed as she remained in her seat, slumping back. “Unarmed?” She reached under her desk. She pulled out a katana. The hilt was all black, with golden engraved lettering marking around it. She stood and walked to the front of her desk. She slowly unsheathed it, revealing the blade had no modifications, and it was practically spotless. “This hasn’t seen blood since the mid-2000s. Passed down from chairman to chairman. And I plan on taking your life with this.”

Danze started to circle the battlefield, with Kaos doing the same, keeping her blade at her side. After the music ended, He fired his first three shots, with Kaos deflecting all of them. She charged Danze, swiping at him to cut the android. He dodged, weaving from side to side, ducking each attempt to kill him. Kaos went for an overhead strike, and Danze caught it. With one hand, aiming at her with the other hand. She was able to push the gun away in time making him miss as he shot twice. She took advantage and was able to free her arm from Danze’s grasp and slice his midsection diagonally. He bled as he stepped back, holding his stomach. Like a hunter, she pounced at the opportunity by going for another overhead blow. Danze was quick, however, putting up the boot to kick her in the chest, sending her back a few feet. Kaos landed flat on her back, losing her breath for a second. She was immobile, attempting to breathe. Danze smirked as he aimed and pulled the trigger.

Click.

“Fucks sake!” He unloaded the empty clip to try and reload, but it was too late. Kaos drove the sword up Danze’s gut, causing a great guttural scream that filled the room. Kaos had an evil smirk as he saw the android drop the gun and fall to his knees while holding the hilt of the blade to prevent her from going further. He was fading, fast.

Suddenly, he heard Lamb speak.

What, is that how you wanna die?

Get the fuck up, Danze.

You’re not me. You’re not a Lamb to slaughter. You’re the leader.

The Shapard.

With blood in his mouth, he pushed Kaos away and pulled the blade out, throwing it to the side.

At the same time, the bombs went off. Shaking the foundation of the building.

Kaos recovered as she felt her tower move. Her chest was on fire, and she could hardly breathe. She removed her vest and jacket, revealing her tattoos of the lily and dragon. “We’re ending this?”

Dance looked at his mid-section. He was caked in blood and losing it fast. “Yeah.”

They charged for combat again, both punching each other at the same time. They stumbled as the tower shook again. But they contented to attack each other. Danze took a shot to the face and returned it with a hook to the jaw, Kaos quickly went for a clench and put the knees to Danze’s face, making him fall. The building shook violently, and finally crumbled, tumbling backward. Kaos looked at Danze, accepting her fate. In a sudden change of heart, as the building collapsed in on itself, Danze ran over to hold Kaos, shielding her from the rubble and gravity.

***

Searching through the rubble was a difficult task, but eventually, the Lost Ones found the pair, barely alive and covered in soot and blood, but still alive. Kaos was forcing extra air in as she recovered, relaxing next to a broken pillar. Danze was getting praise from his gang, but he was too much in pain to listen. Danze finally was able to speak. “Hey, guys…Leave me alone with her for a moment.”

The group obliged, leaving the android and the human alone. Kaos spoke up first. “Why?”

“I wasn’t gonna let the rubble kill you. I wanted to kill you and destroy the tower. Not let the tower kill you.”

Kaos laughed weakly. “At that moment, I’ve known true defeat. Dying. It felt…Weird.”

“Weird how?”

“I mean usually I freak out when I lose.” Kaos looked out at the sunrise, a single tear fell down her eye. “When I stared death in the face…I realized I can’t win when I face him. So…Really everyone loses.”

Danze smirked. “It took you falling multiple stories to realize that?”

“I have a bit of an ego.”

“I know, Kaos.”

Kaos and Danze were finally able to move. She limped over to her girlfriend, holding her face for a moment. “M00N…?”

M00N jerked a bit. “B…Boss…”

She cracked a smile. “We’ll get you fixed up.”

“I love you, Kaos…”

“I love you too, Stasia. Let’s go.” She picked up her lover and turned to the Lost Ones. “We have unfinished business I assume?”

Danze nodded. “Next time we meet. You’ll lose. By my hands and my hands alone.”

“Deal.” Kaos turned and walked down the street, leaving the gang behind.

Jockey scoffed. “Can we get high now?”

EX laughed. “Sounds like a plan to me.”