The Ultimate

The Kid

*Angel*

After single-handedly saving Jeff from a bullet to the head, taking out another half of the remaining suits, forcing them to surrender, barreling back down the hall to return to my mission, finding Mandy and finding out she was in a dream coma, here I was standing with the evil Mastermind who made it all happen. And to me, he didn't look so evil, clinging to the hand of a young girl who looked at him with such admiration you hated to hate the guy.

After Kevin told Neko that Mandy had chosen him, and that she was fighting her way through the dream to him, he pulled Mandy closer and, with a smile on his face, he brushed past Kevin and out the door, leaving me with the Evil Mastermind.

The little girl reached up and tugged on his shirt sleeve. "Daddy what are we going to do now? What if I hurt you or mommy again?"

I thought I could see a tear building up in his eyes. He wiped it away and looked at me. "I assume you'll be going where the ultimate is going? "

I nodded, perfectly confused by the fact that such an apparently evil guy was not only a father, but a loving one.

"This is Junie." His voice catches as he looks down at her. "Please take her with you and keep her safe. I- I don't want her to hurt herself anymore." He must have seen the bewildered look in my eye because then he says, "Please. She's like Mandy. She's speacial and needs someone to teach her how to be herself. That's why-" he can barely bring himself to say what he wants to.

And then he tells me the whole story.

"It started out with just cleaning up the world of the black cats. They were wrecking havoc on the world and using innocent women to expand their population. People were dying by the thousands because of them. Then we found Neko who refused to become a black cat or even put into the same category as them. He swore he was as human as they come. I felt for him... He was beautiful."

I see him squeeze his daughters hand. "Then we realized that Mandy was the Ultimate. The daughter of my ex-coworkers who experimented on their own babies. And it became more of a revenge plan...and then a plan to help my daughter as her ...powers became more apparent and randomized. I was so hurt by Blue that I wanted to hurt her that much more. And I used Junie as a front for what I was doing. But I realize now that it should have been only for Junie all along. Maybe then.... Maybe then today wouldn't have had to happen."

My heart hurt a little for him. But not enough. "That doesn't make what you did right." I hiss.

"I know." He hangs his head. "I know. But please, she's just a child. Don't take my actions out on her."

"Daddy, I don't want to leave you."

"What am I going to do with a child." I scoff. But in my heart I already knew I would take her if it meant she wouldn't have to live in constant fear of herself and maybe eventually, her father.

"Teach her. Love her. Let her become who she is meant to be. Even if that means I can't see her again."

I nod, only slightly, and in his eyes appear hope.

"I love you, Junie." He says, bending down to kiss her forehead.

"Daddy I don't want to."

"You need to Junie."

She nods saddly and reaches for my hand. Tentatively,I take it and then marvel at the sight of me holding the hand of a child.

"We're leaving now." I say to Kevin and he steps aside.

"I know it doesn't make up for anything, but I'm sorry." I try to ignore his words but they settle in my mind like a paperweight.

I walk with little Junie down the silent hall, I notice she looks back only once before tightening her hand around mine. A brave child.

Suddenly, I remember what she had said "what if I hurt you or mommy again?" I resist the urge to shudder. Was I holding the hand of a monster? Was this part of another evil plan? Had I fallen right into it? Should I just kill her now? In my head I see her small body broken on the floor, eyes still open as the life drained from her.

"I like your ears." Her small voice travels up to my fluffy white ears protruding from my skull.

I relax, if only a little bit. "Thank you."

"I'd like to, one day, not be so scared of what I can do."

I let out a small laugh, images of her dying vanishing from my thoughts. "You and me both, kid. You and me both."