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Chapter X: Bearer of Bad News

Rhiannon stood on the rooftop of the West California Island Bank building, one of the tallest skyscrapers on the island and one of the few that was closest to the Twin Bridges. The devastation in front of her was enormous. Grizzly and his sons were merciless in their transformations, shoving their massive fists into cars, dragging people out and then leaving them to change while they moved on. It did not help that the two new Gene Stealers who had been designated 'Gummy Bear' and 'Honey Bear' were rampaging wantonly. They were not allies but in their primal state they might as well have been. Thick ropes of honey covered the western side of the South Bridge, preventing escape back to the Island. Cubes of gelatinous candy the size of trucks blocked escape on the North Bridge and anyone who so much as got close to Gummy Bear would be trapped in blobs of gelatine, slowly transforming within the mass before they burst out in their new ursine form.

On the ground, the Alliance and Arsenal fought a war on two fronts; desperately trying to evacuate the remaining civilians while defending themselves from the Gene Stealers. The North Bridge began to groan ominously. Red eyes bolting left and right, seeing what no other could see, from her distance, Rhiannon watched Ben fighting alone against Grizzly's sons and Honey Bear. David had been by his side but when news of Caleb's plight hit his ears, he bolted. The damage caused by their super-level powers began to take its toll on the bridge.

"Ben," she said. "The bridge is going to give way in ten minutes. You need to get out of there."

"No way!" came Ben's shout from her earpiece. "I can beat these punks! I am not going to go down to a guy who shoots honey from his paws!"

It was hard to believe that honey could be so deadly. While it was not a direct transformation vector, once Honey Bear had someone trapped in what could only be likened to his 'sticky web', he or any of those transformed could just advance upon them and change them. It amazed her that in contrast, Gummy Bear's gelatine could just change someone if they were encased.

"Madman, Mary," Rhiannon began, "focus all of your attention on Gummy Bear. He and Honey Bear are brothers. If he's in danger, Honey Bear will be distracted enough for Ben to do some damage."

"That is a bad idea."

Rhiannon turned in place. The presence of her 'brother' was hard to miss but he that 'aura' of his was hard to recognise now that he had taken her portfolio as well. It felt more powerful but at the same time stricter like the air around her was stale and slowly suffocating her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Arcturus stepped up to the edge of the rooftop, watching the battle with his own magical vision. "I cannot say. I can't tell what their abilities are. I can only look far enough into the future to make guesses. The destruction and death caused will be catastrophic."

Rhiannon pressed a finger against her throat. "Mary, Madman, don't go for Gummy Bear just -"

There was a tremendous roar from the South Bridge, loud enough for her to hear from her distance. An enormous, gelatinous mass rose up near the West California side of the structure, big enough to tower over the suspension towers. Its green, opaque form took on the shape of a muscular, well-endowed bear, a snarl marring its features. The creature seized one of the towers, breaking it off from the rest of the bridge and causing the wires that helped to hold the bridge together to snap and come crashing into the ocean.

"Attack of the macro gummy bear," Rhiannon sighed. "That's just fantastic..."

"I told you."

She gave Arcturus are piercing stare. "You could have told me earlier."

The Hound of Death turned to her, blue eyes half-lidded in expectation. "I didn't have to at all. This visit is merely a courtesy."

"A courtesy?" she replied incredulously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I am very busy governing Death and Destruction, Rhia. I just wanted to come here and comfort you in this hour, the hour of your failure."

That hurt a lot. She closed her paws into fists, recalling how Arcturus was always rather blunt and a stickler for the rules. "I have not failed."

"Lars McLeod has just been infected by an Original strain." Arcturus nodded past her. "Had your eyes been turned towards the direction that David Hale is heading, you would have seen that Caleb encountered Leonard who betrayed both him and Gabriel, infecting himself and Lars with the Original strain. And you are well aware of the effects of the Original Strain on a super."

Rhiannon's eyes widened. "Their regeneration goes out of control... They become little more than beasts... And only Dragon Knight was somehow able to bring them back to sanity..." She fixed Arcturus with a pleading stare. "You've got to find Dragon Knight! You found him before!"

"Only because I traced the path of destruction and death that he would have caused had I not stopped him," answered the demigod. "He is keeping his head low. I cannot find him. Nor do I know how he 'cured' Zachariah."

"That's not good enough!" Rhiannon shouted. "You've got to do something for Lars! Perhaps you could use your powers to destroy the virus in his body!"

"My sight is blocked. He is now effectively a Gene Stealer. His future is invisible to me. As is Caleb's. You should know this."

The way he spoke so matter-of-factly, with little emotion like he didn't care infuriated her. Deep down, she knew that he cared. There was one particular person that he had grown fond of. No doubt the true reason he was here was to watch that very same person as he fought on the field.

"Rhia! I need some guidance here!" Ben shouted in her ear. "What the fuck is that green thing!?"

"Oh... and Bren sort of just died," Madman said. "Getting crushed by a massive gelatinous foot is just as deadly as getting crushed by a normal foot."

"Lance! Cory! Watch out!" came Mary's shout.

On the South Bridge, Gummy Bear threw the enormous shard of the suspension tower he had been holding. The concrete and metal spire flew across the bridge, coming to crash down with an enormous boom against the lines of cars arrayed across it. The impact shattered years of work to connect the Island with the Californian mainland in one, devastating blow. Cars, concrete and whatever poor soul was left on that section of the bridge fell in slow motion down into the ocean. A huge geyser of white, frothy waters erupted from the sea the moment the tower plunged into the deep, blue waters, visible from where Rhiannon stood without the need of her magical vision.

"Why are you really here, Arty?" she asked, tearing her gaze from the battle. "To gloat? To tell me that Shin-Lazar has decided to pull me from this operation because of this 'failure'?"

"No." His features were as expressionless as ever. "As I said. I am here to provide comfort. This setback is not the end. You should not give up."

His words were hollow and provided little comfort. She could detect the sincerity in them but the delivery was certainly lacking.

"This isn't a failure," she answered. "You never believed in mortals or their ability to pull themselves together when they are down. You've always governed the finality of death and that's how your perspective has been skewed. When you saw a preventable death, you interfered without ever once giving mortals a chance to defend themselves."

"If they were capable of defending themselves, I wouldn't need to interfere."

"For you, death is the ultimate fate," she countered. "No coming back. But for me?" She hiked a thumb at her chest. "I've caused and watched vast swathes of destruction all over the world and beyond. I've seen people run out of food, lose all their limbs and get trapped in impossible odds only to beat the fate that we see for them and change the course of their destiny. Destruction does not mean death." She gazed at the bridges. The giant, green monster gave another roar and started moving towards the North Bridge. "They haven't failed. Not yet."

"As you say."

When she glanced back at Arcturus, he was gone though his voice still lingered.

"I will be at your beck and call should you require comfort."

"Comfort from the Hound of Death?" snorted Rhiannon. "I'd rather have assistance from the Reaper."

******

"I told you to take care of my son!"

Arguing... Loud arguing. Every bone in his body hurt. Every muscle felt tired and weary, even his heart. Blurred figures danced in front of his vision. The roar of a vehicle could be heard somewhere above the angry shouts and heated accusations. There was a light, a bright light, above him. It cast everything into a silhouette.

"I didn't know Lenny would do this!"

That was Gabe... Gabe... the source of all this mess. The Original to be blamed for the bear strain. He sacrificed countless lives for his sons. In some way, those people Caleb had killed in the bowling alley were his kills too.

"So you were planning on skipping town!? Just like that? Leave after all you've done!?"

"My sons are my world and I didn't want to do anything to put their lives in jeopardy again!"

"Well good job on that. Now they're officially enemies of the state! They destroyed one of the fucking bridges and killed who knows how many people!"

The bridges...

Izzy and Migs...

Caleb tried to move but that one movement caused immense pain in his neck and chest. A loud groan escaped his muzzle, the pain pushing his eyes wide open.

"Caleb!" came the unified cry of his father and Gabe. Both men came into his vision, one hovering over him on his right and the other on his left. Both looked extremely worried though his father was barely holding back his anger.

"How are you doing, son?" David asked, clutching Caleb's right paw. "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere..." he murmured softly. He became partially aware that he was on some sort of bed, one that stank of constant masturbation. Looking past the two faces in front of him, he a life-sized figurine from some fantasy series. Elliot's room. "Where...?"

"Back in the Facility," David responded, gently patting his paw. "We brought you here after what happened at the restaurant."

The restaurant... Lars...

"Lars -"

"Contained." David regarded him with worry. "I'm sorry, Caleb, but right now... he's inconsolable. You know what you were like when you first changed."

All the pain in his body was not enough to stop him from trying to get up. "I have to go see him..."

Gabe pressed a paw against his chest and pushed him back down. That one gesture reminded him of his broken ribs. "You're in no condition to get up. You need to rest."

David shoved the panda from over Caleb. "Don't tell my son what to do!"

"I'm just offering some helpful advice," countered Gabe angrily.

"Well keep it to yourself, traitor!"

"Look, if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't even be alive! His boyfriend would've raped him until he split in two!"

The last few moments of consciousness were still a blur to Caleb but he did remember someone knocking Lars away and holding him tightly. "That was you?" he asked.

Gabe gave him a solemn nod. "I was on my way back to the restaurant to restock the supplies. I saw what was happening and wanted to help but..." Gabe shook his head. "I thought you had it under control until Lenny changed himself and Lars. I subdued Lars and then used your phone to call your dad. We brought you here and bandaged you up. Your friend Bren says the nanobots we injected you with will still take a few hours to fix you up."

Caleb glanced at his chest. Thick bandages were wrapped around his torso to keep his ribs from falling out of place as they were rapidly healed by the nanobots. It was nowhere near as fast as superhero regeneration but it was still faster than if he were to just wait it out.

"What... What happened?" he murmured softly.

David was giving Gabe a death stare, forcing the panda to confess all his crimes, both direct and indirect.

Gabe took a deep breath. Caleb mentally counted up to ten and on the last number, Gabe let out his held breath. "Three years ago, after my sons fell into a coma, Shark Tamer approached me with an offer. I was to work for the Gene Stealers, a group of people who were striving for 'genetic perfection'. I didn't really care about that. They offered me a way to bring my sons back. I refused. For one year, I refused. Then, as I was giving up open that Migs or Izzy would ever wake up again, Shark Tamer gave me the offer again. I took it in desperation. They turned me into... into this."

Gabe gestured at his body.

"You weren't always a panda?" Caleb croaked.

"I was human."

"But... shouldn't your sons remember...?"

Shaking his head, Gabe said, "No. The medicine that Shark Tamer gave them made them extremely susceptible to suggestion for the first few hours of them waking. All I did was tell them that I was a panda and they were the children of a panda and a human and they believed it." The father of two chuckled bitterly. "Honestly, I didn't believe Shark Tamer would actually help me or else I would have changed back to human."

"You can change back?" David growled. "Why didn't you? Why stay that way?"

Gabe offered him a sad smile. "Because some juvenile part of me liked being a big, buff panda that also looks damn cuddly in some cases. I liked this new body." He looked down at Caleb apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I knew you were Weapons Master the moment you stepped into my restaurant. I'll be frank and admit that there were many times I wanted to make you a carrier for my virus in the hopes that somehow that'll convince Shark Tamer to speed up his research. But after what you've done for me... I couldn't go through with it."

"Tell me you weren't thinking of infecting my wife, daughter and other sons," David snarled, his hackles rising. "Tell me when we invited you over into our home you didn't do anything to those people I call my family!"

Paws up in surrender, Gabe said, "I swear. I broke off from the Gene Stealers the moment Izzy and Migs woke up. I was planning to adopt Lenny so he wouldn't be left high and dry and leave down, leave West California Island and the Gene Stealers behind."

"Leave me..." Caleb murmured.

Gabe's heart broke and he couldn't muster the strength to admit to the truth. He just nodded.

David's paws were clenched tightly into fists, almost crushing Caleb's. "I should fill your lungs with metal and watch you suffocate right here, right now if I didn't think Caleb's been through enough."

"I deserve that," Gabe admitted with a sad nod. "But hear me out. I didn't know that Lenny would go to such lengths just so that he didn't become some charity case. I honestly love that kid. He's my son too. I just... I just never thought he'd be so selfish." Shaking his head, the chef lifted his gaze firmly at David. "When I quit the Gene Stealers, Shark Tamer gave me two Original Serums, one for each of my sons. I never intended on using them. I wanted to give them to Caleb when I left town. I know he can make a cure from it somehow. It was how... How I was going to say goodbye..."

Gabe let out a ragged sigh. "But it looks like Shark Tamer beat me to the punch. He convinced Lenny who turned my sons into those... things and now all the serums have been used... I... I'm so sorry... I wish there was something I could do..."

Somehow, Caleb managed to prop himself up on the bed. His father was still gripping his paw tightly, afraid to let go. "Maybe we can get some of your blood and Elliot can use it as a cure?"

"We've already tried that," David answered. "The serum has infused with this asshole's DNA. It's impossible to differentiate it from his DNA."

"What about the darts? Is there some left?" Though he felt he already knew the answer.

"No. the restaurant was practically torn apart in the battle. Lars still has power over fire and he nearly burned down the whole block in his rampage. It's taking our most powerful shielding to keep him at bay now." David tore his gaze from Caleb for just a moment to stare concernedly at the one door out of the room. "He's still a super, Caleb. All the cures we've ever developed have just been for normal people. We don't know what effect a cure derived from your blood will do to him. Worse yet, if Zigzag Zapper is to be taken as an example, he has double the regenerative abilities. Any injures to himself drives him wilder and makes him more powerful." His eyes turned back into lasers directed straight at Gabe.

"I did not know!" snarled the panda. "I'm sorry that he's become what he's become. I was trying to protect Caleb!"

"Let's get one thing straight here, you fucking bamboo eater," growled David, jabbing a finger in Gabe's direction. "Caleb is my son_._ Not yours. You did your part. I'm grateful for what you did for him. But as of this point, you come within ten miles of my son and I swear, I will throw you in a fucking metal box and hurl you into the fucking sun!"

Gabe's shoulder sagged and he took a step back. "Okay... I get it. For what it's worth. I am sorry. Really sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. "I just wanted my sons back. I knew I was making a deal with the devil and I was naïve to think that they'd just let me go after the deal was done." He lifted his gaze. His cheeks were already soaked with tears, tears that had only just started again. "Listen, the Gene Stealers wanted me to do only one thing for them; destroy the Reacher Corporation. I don't know why but with all the bad publicity they're getting, I'm guessing they're about to go under. Why they wanted Reacher down, I can't tell you. But that was their target. I was also their first long-term Gene Stealer made active. The guy that's been one the longest apart from the original five." He raised his paws. "They wanted me to test my abilities at infection and bring down Reacher. That's all. Once I had done that, they gave me the medicine needed to wake up my sons."

Chimera was living up to his reputation of leaving his subordinates in the dark. Whatever master plan the leader of the Gene Stealers had, no one was clearly aware of it. Even that little bout between Dragon Knight and Zapper showed that the Gene Stealers were not really unified. They were all bound down... for one reason or another.

"I'll throw myself into whatever judgement or jail you want," Gabe said, lifting his paws up in surrender. "I just ask that you please let me see my sons and keep them safe."

David began growling again. "I asked you the same thing and look what happened to my son!? You're going away, buddy! You'll probably be frozen solid and dissected for what you've done! And your sons will -"

"Dad," Caleb interrupted softly, gripping his father's paw. His eyes lifted to Gabe. "I understand why you did what you did, Gabe. God knows, if any of my family were in danger I'd probably do something just as crazy."

David tugged at his paw a little, telling him to turn his gaze in his direction. "I know you would, Cale, but you'd never -"

"Dad," Caleb said, once again interrupting his father. "If you fell into a coma, I'd probably hunt down Wolf Christ and get him to wake your or I might even go into the goddamn past to do something similarly as crazy. Hell, while I'm at it I might even find out that my_real_ parents are me and some bimbo from the past and that's why I was left on the streets. Stranger things have happened." He smiled faintly. "We live in an age of superheroes. People have the ability to do some crazy shit. But honestly, I think the greatest thing anyone can do..." His eyes turned back to Gabe. "... is forgive someone."

Gabe's eyes widened, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "You mean...?"

It hurt to grin but somehow, Caleb managed it. "Hey, help us subdue your sons and stop Lenny and Grizzly and I'm sure the world can forgive you. I mean look at Madman. He was crazier than you and loved being the bad guy but look what happened to him. Now he's a good guy. A bit of a horny asshole but still a good guy."

"Caleb, you can't be serious!" David shouted. "He's an Original!"

"So he's basically the same as Madman with superpowers," Caleb countered. "Besides, what do you propose we do? You were all buddy-buddy with Gabe yesterday at Crossover. Are you telling me that meant nothing?"

"I didn't know that he was an Original!" David flung a paw in Gabe's direction. "Everything he said-"

"Had nothing to do with him being a Gene Stealer." He replayed the words Gabe had said to David just last night. He had never detected any duplicity in them. "They were the words from one father to another." Caleb grunted as he pulled himself away from his dad and slipped off the bed. His chest hurt like hell but he straightened and turned defiantly towards his dad.

Gabe's words about his father wanting him to stand up for himself, carve his own path, rang in his mind. "Just because Gabe did one thing, dad, it doesn't automatically make everything else he did bad. He pulled me out of my depression when I killed those guys." He prayed his dad wouldn't point out that in some way, Caleb would never have killed those guys if it weren't for Gabe. "He gave me a job when you were practically suffocating me by interfering in every aspect of my life. He ate with us, laughed with us and he even helped feed us. Not everything a villain does is villainous. Just like everything a hero does is always good."

A fourth voice joined theirs. "But when a hero does a bad thing, it's character building. When a bad guy does something good, it's either redeeming or out of character." Ashton stood with his arms folded at the entrance to Elliot's room. "Guys, Rhiannon and the others are back from the battlefield. It's bad."

With some help from his father, Caleb staggered towards the atrium. Last he heard, Gabe's sons were making an appearance and tearing up the Twin Bridges alongside Grizzly. Ashton's announcement didn't give him any confidence. Upon seeing Mary's in Madman's arms and Ben angrily kicking several crates around, he knew it was bad. That Bren was emerging from his chamber in the Facility where he respawned wasn't too disheartening but it still added to the growing pile.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Madman grunted. "Where's your boyfriend?"

A loud roar erupted from the Armoury, the only section of the Facility with any containment fields. Caleb didn't have the strength to reply. Madman had enough tact not to pursue the topic.

"They destroyed the South Bridge," Ben growled. There was blood caked on his arms and legs. It was hard to tell whether or not it was his. "One of those guys turned into a fucking giant gummy bear and tore up the bridge!"

"Gummy bear...?" Caleb echoed.

"I believe it was Ignacio who has the power to produce gelatine out of thin air," answered Rhiannon. She was standing beside Bren with her arms crossed. Her left ear was twitching, listening to some radio feed as she spoke. "Apparently, he can also infuse this same power into himself and transform into a massive, monstrous piece of confectionary. Miguel has the power to create incredibly sticky honey. Both are quite dangerous."

"What happened to Lance and his team?" David asked.

Rhiannon shut her eyes, pressing a finger to her ear. "Clean up. Looks like Grizzly and the others have retreated after the destruction of the bridge. Honey Bear and Gummy Bear went with them. Or perhaps they chased after them. It's hard to tell."

"Don't call them that!" Gabe snapped, his eyes filling with tears. "They're my sons! They aren't some themed supervillains!"

"Sounds like they are to me, gramps," grunted Madman, gently lowering the injured Mary to the ground. "We need to regroup. We can't fight them split up. I don't care why the fuck they're going after the bridges. All I know is I want to kick their ass!"

Caleb glanced around the room, at the injuries his friends had sustained and the freshly spawned Bren. Lars was missing but another roar from the Armoury reminded him where his boyfriend was.

"Rhiannon," David began, "any idea where they're hiding?"

"No," answered the Hound of Destruction. "I don't even know if they'll go after the bridge again. Whether or not they are still driven by primal instincts or not is debatable. Chasing after Grizzly could have been them just hunting down their prey."

"What about the people on the bridge? What about the people they infected?"

"Being rounded up by the Alliance. They can be handled. But the death toll is mounting as we speak. There were still a lot of people on that Bridge when it collapsed."

Gabe clenched his teeth tightly. The big panda fell to his knees, staring up at Rhiannon helplessly. Redemption for his sons seemed impossible now.

"It's not their fault," Caleb said, resting a paw on Gabe's shoulder. "Lenny tricked them. If anyone is to blame, it's Lenny. We need to find him. Stop your sons and bring Grizzly to justice." Lifting his gaze towards the others, he said, "Anyone have any ideas?"

Ben stopped kicking the dented crate long enough to fish his phone from his pants. "I can call the rest of the Alpha Pack. They'll want in one this. That'll even the odds."

David held up his paws. "Maybe not such a good idea. Remember, the Alliance is on this operation too and we don't want either side to start going at one another's throats after this is done."

"What choice do we have!? Those guys wiped the floor with us! If we don't get any more backup, West Cali will be have both bridges down and suddenly it'll be harder to smuggle drugs into the island!"

David's fury mounted again. "What!? That's why you're doing this? So your drug smuggling operation isn't hampered!?"

Bren stepped in between the two, holding up his paws. "Look, we all have our reasons but the fact remains that we need to come up with a plan to subdue these guys. Clearly, the fact that they're attacking a heavily populated area and can infect people wantonly is something we need to consider. So I would suggest we think about this tactically and -"

"Screw your tactics!" Madman growled. "I want to hunt those bastards down and tear off one of that fucking gummy bear's arms and eat it in front of him!"

Gabe charged at Madman, his super speed kicking in. His fist collided with Madman's jaw. The huge hyena only fell back a single step. "That's my son!"

"You mean the same sons that you drove to being crazy fucking thrill seekers, sent them into a coma and now they're supervillains because of the stupid shit you did to get them back?"

"Don't you fucking dare!"

Mary, weakened as she was, stepped in between them. "Calm down! This isn't helping!"

"Isn't it?" growled Madman, looming over them both menacingly, his lips peeled back in a snarl. "He's still their old man, right? I say we string him up, use him as bait and get those two bastards to surrender or I'll rip this Chinese giant raccoon's head off!"

"I'm Mexican!"

The atrium quickly devolved into a mess of arguments. Caleb's ears began to hurt. More insults were being thrown around than actual solutions. As metal spikes began rising behind his father and blood began thrashing around Ben, he pulled away from what would quickly become a melee. He followed the roars into the Armoury, wincing as every bang and crash echoed down the hallway of past weapons he had created.

The clean and tidy hallway was like the long, dramatic walk towards some dangerous meeting. It was dark with only the light from the small chambers where his sorted weapons stood and the centre pieces where his persistent weapons were kept illuminating his path. The eerie, blue containment fields remained still save for one near the end of the hall which constantly rippled and shook from impact. The roars and sounds of destruction grew louder with each pained step he took. Breathing became harder as he drew closer to Lars. Part of him didn't want to see his boyfriend... not as he was.

At the same time, he couldn't leave Lars like that.

Elliot was surprisingly sitting in front of the containment field, tapping away at his laptop. The shakes and shuddering of the containment field did little to faze him even as it made Caleb jump. Every time a big, black arm slammed against the barrier of blue, his heart broke a little more. Sometimes, red flames with flash across the shield but it would vanish a second later.

"Hey..." he greeted.

"Muscles," Elliot grunted, not even looking up.

"I'm surprised you didn't go to the atrium..." Caleb moved behind the orca. In front of him an enormous twelve-foot bear - possibly taller - stood hunched in the chamber beyond. Every muscle in his body was grotesquely sized. Each arm reminded Caleb of a girder, thick, hard as iron and capable of crushing a man with ease. Lars couldn't even move from where he sat at the centre of the room. His entire girth took up the entire back of the room. Though still well proportioned, his size kept him from truly being mobile.

It hurt seeming him like that.

For a second, he thought he saw a glimmer of recognition in the Doberman-turned-bear's eyes. Then Lars lashed out with his huge paws big enough to wrap around Caleb's chest with ease. The dagger-sized claws raked against the shield.

"I knew what was going to happen out there," Elliot murmured. "They're just a group of people held together by a single purpose but little else." He lifted his gaze briefly at Caleb, peering at him through his thick glasses. "Maybe also their relationships with you."

"Me?" he asked, surprised.

"Think about it. We're meant to be an 'Outsider' group but about half of our team aren't even Outsiders. Of us, only me, you and Mary are Outsiders. We've got a werewolf supervillain, a former Gene Stealer that hasn't come into his superpowers yet and your dad, an established superhero. Oh and we've got Bren who is basically just a clone of all the best spies in the world and Hotrod here..." He nodded at Lars. In response, Lars roared. A burst of flame erupted form his muzzle and covered their entire field of vision. Caleb flinched.

"Don't worry. The containment field is strong enough to keep us safe."

"Shouldn't you have planted anti-super field generators in there or something?" Caleb asked.

Elliot shook his head sadly. "We have. It does nothing." The orca looked up from his laptop, sighing miserably while staring up at Lars whose massive, twenty-four inch cock was dripping cum all over the floor. "The Original Serum did something to him. More than just turn him into a super. It stacked on his established baseline superpowers and enhanced his existing superpowers. Believe it or not, the generators are on but they're not strong enough to suspend all of his powers."

Caleb's jaw dropped in shock. "Really? Shit... You mean he's like a super-super?"

"That's one way of putting it," grunted Elliot. "Explains how someone like ZigZag Zapper was able to knock down several members of the Elemental Alliance and destroy entire city streets. If your boyfriend ever gets sane again, he'll be supremely strong." The orca gave him a sad smile. "Better watch out in bed."

"Yeah..." He glanced down at Elliot. "Any hope of a cure?"

The orca returned to his computer. "Like the other times you've changed, the serum has bonded with his DNA. I've got samples of what his DNA looked like before but I don't know what kind of damage I'll cause if I try to manually rewrite it. Plus with his super-super regeneration, any changes I make will just be undone a second later. I've run simulations." He gestured at his screen. "Then there's the whole thing about his regeneration overcompensating for the damage done. If I try, he's going to burst out of that field and we'll have a bigger problem on our hands."

"Is there anything we can do?" Caleb said, almost pleading. "Anything at all?"

"Sit here and hope that since he's technically an Original now, he'll be able to control himself and change back." Elliot responded. "In theory, we could've done the same with you but your body naturally adapted, your powers kicking in and fixing you while making you better at the same time." He shrugged helplessly. "I suppose you could try using your powers on Lars but I'm afraid you might end up turning him into an inanimate weapon of mass destruction instead of helping him." He gave Caleb a wry smile. "Or maybe a dildo so at least he'll be in you."

"Not funny," Caleb growled.

"Sorry." Elliot turned back towards his screen. "If only I knew how the Original Serum was created... Or even just had a drop of it. Maybe I'd have a lead. But... I've got nothing here. As far as I can tell, this level of genetics is far beyond modern knowledge. Even beyond the technology used during the Gene Wars. Back then, people just changed their species. This actually grants superpowers and even enhances them! I don't know where to start and I'm a super genius!"

Seeing Elliot frustrated was somewhat... comforting. He knew the portly orca was doing his best and all he could do was trust their resident wiz kid to come up with a solution. He sat down beside the orca, watching with a broken heart as Lars raged in the cell in front of him. Strangely, the situation made him laugh a little.

"You know... It's kind of ironic. Not too long ago, Lars was exactly in this same position." He nodded towards the cell. "I was in there, a horny, raving hyena spouting awful puns and he was out here, where I am now."

"I remember," Elliot chuckled. "You were doing your brother."

"Yeah," he snickered. "Somehow, you managed to make a cure for me. The needle wouldn't go into my arms so we had to stick it up my ass."

"I'll admit to having some sick satisfaction in seeing to you lift your tail for me," Elliot said with a smirk. "And I'm not gay. I just like the thought that you, a big, muscly, brick-headed jock would actually offer your ass to me."

"Don't get used to it," Caleb countered with a mocking sneer.

"I lucked out with that cure, you know," Elliot said at length. "I really didn't do anything. Your blood did everything."

Giving Elliot a light nudge with his elbow, he said, "You made it into the cure that was distributed all over the Island and the globe. I'm glad for that. The alternative was that you pumped all my blood out to make the cure."

"God knows your brain gets little enough oxygen as is."

He found himself chuckling softly even though the taunt was at his expense. Lars had stopped raging for a moment but he was staring at them hungry, big, black eyes staring at them both, darting between them with anger. Bursts of flames were shooting out of his nostrils.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," Caleb said, patting Elliot's shoulder. It took a lot of effort to get up. His chest was feeling much better but he was still far from a fully recovery. "And hey, after this is all over, we can start calling him 'Smokey the Bear'."

Lars let out another roar, belching flames at them.

"I think he heard you," Elliot snickered. "Maybe there's still enough blood going to his brain instead of his cock to have some semblance of sanity." He turned back to his screen, a gentle smile on his lips. "You know, there are days that I sometimes wish I could be out there fighting alongside you, flexing my muscles and beating the bad guys with more than just my smarts. I mean, what kind of lame-ass superpower is 'super intelligence'?" He shook his head. "Then, I'm reminded of the fact that that can happen to me." He gestured at Lars. "And it's times like this that I realise that you never really appreciate what you have until you've lost it. I don't want to lose my intelligence. It's what makes me who I am. I'm fine in my room, surrounded by my videogames, action figures and my porn."

A ragged breath escaped Caleb. "Yeah... I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I wish I was stronger... If I was a super, maybe I could've stopped Lenny from infecting Lars. But then, like you said, I could go all primal like Lars or Zapper and... " He let out a deep breath and quickly got to his feet. "You'll figure this out."

"Thanks. Where are you going?"

Caleb's brow furrowed, his eyes blazing with determination. "You take care of Lars in here. I'm going to take care of Grizzly and Lenny out there."

He turned and marched out of the Armoury, each step building his determination and strength. Though his chest still hurt form where Lars had struck him, it was healing and the pain was starting to dull. Shouts and some crashing from the atrium grew louder and louder, making him think of Elliot's words. They were a group held together barely by the barest of strings. There were bonds of friendship and affection as well as a common enemy but rivalries and predispositions got in the way.

Mary and Rhiannon hated one another.

Bren and David were constantly at odds for the direction of the team.

Madman was a horny bastard and Ben was a supervillain.

Lars was a superhero who had his future to fret over while Caleb was stuck in the middle of it all with no direction of his own.

These thoughts were cemented when he stepped into the atrium which had devolved into a melee. David's powers dominated the area but Madman's raw strength and Ben's devious mind kept shattering the walls of metal that he erected. Mary and Rhiannon were pulling at one another's hair on the floor while Gabe and Bren were probably the most civilised as they yelled at one another on the corner. Poor Ashton stood at the far end of the atrium, next to the door to the training room.

Caleb took a deep breath.

One... two... three... four... five...

"Fuck it..." he growled. He put two fingers to his lips and blew, letting out a shrill whistle. Everyone in the atrium froze and turned towards him. "Okay, from now on, we're doing what I want to do!" he shouted, fangs bared and hackles raised.

"Who died and made you king?" Madman snapped back.

"Jesus Fucking Wolf Christ," he growled back. "Listen up! I suck at speeches so I'm only going to say this once! I don't give a fuck about whether or not you're a supervillain" - he stared directly at Ben - "a superhero" - his eyes pierced David's stance, making his father stagger - "a former Gene Stealer or a current one." He pointedly stared at Madman and then Gabe. "We're all part of Arsenal now. Leave whoever you were at the fucking door or shut that same fucking door behind you and leave!"

The wide eyed stares he got were a little unnerving. Though he really didn't feel any anger, the rant sparked the fuel and started a raging inferno.

"We're Arsenal," he growled, storming through the atrium, pacing like a predator. "We're not just Outsiders. We're not just supers. We're not just heroes and or villains. We are West California Island. We represent every aspect of it. We're its people. We'll argue, we'll fight and we might even threaten global thermonuclear warfare if we got pissed off enough but through it all, we're going to protect our goddamn home!"

David began to lower his fists. The spikes and panels of metal that had sprung up began to shrink into the walls and floor, disappearing from view. Madman put down Ben and the tendrils of blood that were thrashing behind Ben slipped back into his blood-red fur. Mary got off Rhiannon. The Hound of Destruction got up and dusted herself off dramatically. Bren and Gabe turned away from one another to stare at Caleb.

"Right now, we've got a few crazies out there threatening our home," Caleb said, still snarling but with a slightly softer voice. "We've got family out there who are lost, scared and in need of help. We are not going to leave them out there. So this is what we're going to do."

He pointed at Ben. "Blood Wolf, I want you to call the Pack. We need their powers. Dad, I don't want to hear it!" David shut his muzzle immediately. "If Gummy Bear is going to go macro on us, we need Raging Hound to go macro too to counter him. Grizzly has become adept at creating super-level Gen3s as well and the more supers we have on hand, the less damage they'll cause." His eyes snapped towards Madman who went rigid upon his withering gaze. "Madman, go with Mary to the remaining bridge. I want you to get everyone off that bridge before Grizzly comes back."

He turned to Rhiannon. "Rhia, use your powers to discover where the remaining survivors are from the destroyed bridge. Get them out of there safe and sound. Take Bren with you." Then he turned to his David. "Dad, go to the Alliance. Gummy Bear and Honey Bear are not to be killed. We just want them captured."

Lastly, he turned to Gabe. "Gabe, you and me are going downtown."

"Where are we going?" the panda asked warily.

Caleb retrieved his phone and quickly dialled a number. "To make an announcement."

******

"My name is Gabriel Ramos. I am a victim of the Gene Stealers. My sons are Gummy Bear and Honey Bear. They were tricked into attacking the bridges, lured there by the betrayal of someone I considered a friend."

Gabe's voice bellowed across the entire city, his face plastered on all the screens and dozens of emergency hovercars and helicopters hovering overhead from local news stations and police cars displaying his message from holographic projectors.

"When a person is first infected by a Gene Stealer, they go wild, primal. My sons are victims. Please don't blame them for what they have done. On their behalf, I apologise for them." Gabe sobbed, placing a paw against his head and brushing his hair back. "I've not always been the best father. I've held onto them so tightly that they wanted nothing more than to push away. I've given them too much freedom that they had little guidance. I've made mistakes. But I just want my sons to come home..."

Beside him, Weapons Master stood, gently placing a paw on Gabe's shoulder.

"Miguel, Ignacio, if you can hear us," said the wolf, "please come home. We know what you've done wasn't your fault. We can work this out. There are others that can sympathise with what happened. There are dozens of people who changed just like you and who couldn't control themselves after they changed. Please come back before anyone else gets hurt. Your dad misses you and doesn't want to lose you for a second time. We're at the WCIN broadcast centre."

Lenny grunted, his fangs gnashed together in anger and pain. "Nooo..." he growled. "No... What is he... doing...!? Argh!" Unbearable pain rocketed up from his arm at the sight of his first injection. Though his body was that of a powerfully built bear, every fibre of his body felt like it was on fire. His arm constantly pulsated painfully like there was something growing in his very muscles and just bursting to get out. "What... What is happening to me!?"

"Oh... did I forget to mention?"

He spun around, his fangs bared. Though his eight foot body was still hunched in agony, he was still much taller than Shark Tamer. He felt he could crush the puny man between his enormous paws. They alleyway beside his apartment was completely abandoned so no one saw the shimmering blue portal behind him or the ominous Dragon Knight that loomed beneath the Gene Stealer geneticist.

"The Original Serum was originally made for Outsiders," Shark Tamer said through a devilish grin. "As I said, it only had the power to grant you baseline superpowers, the infection vector and the alternate form."

"You said I could get superpowers if I was emotionally charged!" Lenny roared, his rage building and building. As the fury built, his arm pulsated and twisted in agony.

"You could," responded Shark Tamer. "We've given you the foundations of a super. Theoretically speaking, it is entirely possible for you to develop superpowers on your own. But I _may_have failed to mention that every other experiment we've performed by applying the Original Serum to someone without a power has always resulted in the person becoming little more than a fleshy blob, barely sentient and in constant pain."

"What!?" Lenny lunged for the scientist but his legs suddenly gave out beneath him. He felt to his paws and knees. A glance over his shoulder and he watched in horror as the grotesque pulsating began rolling up his calves. It was like watching something bubble and boil beneath his skin!

"Oh yes," chuckled the Gene Stealer. "I believe it has something to do with the compatibility of Chimera's abilities with others. You see, while we like to believe that the only difference between a normal person and an Outsider is the presence of powers, in truth there is some genetic variance between them as there is some genetic variance between normal people and supers."

Shark Tamer began to pace, waving his hands extravagantly. "Outsiders and supers already have the capacity to grow into their powers from the onset. They have the genetic predisposition for it." Lifting a finned hand up towards the sun, the geneticist seemed to marvel at his own fingers. "They can grow, rapidly evolve into new powers and capabilities while other normal people are stuck with their genetics from the onset." He lowered his hand and grinned at Lenny. "That is how those fools in the government can detect supers or Outsiders. Each subject is naturally unique. This is because their genes have been developed and grown to accommodate their powers. For instance, Feral Steel's muscles are naturally harder and almost mirrors metal itself. He probably will age at a slower rate than everyone else. He might even never age at all. His son, Feral Fang, has fur that is almost like metal and can shift forms. Perhaps as time goes by, he can alter these transformations. These are all genetic mutations.

"Even Outsiders! In fact, Blade Babe's brain has mutated to develop a special lobe to allow for her psychic powers. It would not surprise me if she became omniscient at one point. Weapons Master's entire genetic structure is entirely adaptive and possesses this otherworldly quality that somehow allows him to reforge matter. Perhaps he is extra dimensional in nature. Who knows? For him, he probably will never stop growing more and more powerful as time goes by."

Shark Tamer turned completely towards Lenny, sweeping his hands towards the suffering bear. "But you! You are just a normal person. You do not have this genetic nature. Your genes are static." He loomed over Lenny. Though they were about the same height even with Lenny on his paws and knees, Shark Tamer still loomed over him. "When we infect others through our vectors, our abilities change their genes to mirror ours. We give them that ability to grow into powers. It was only recently that we have deciphered a method to accelerate this process with heightened emotions and grant people these superpowers from the onset. But we have not changed the Original Serum. Indeed, what you took would have made you just like Gabriel had you been an Outsider. Considering that you're not..."

"Y - Y - You lied to me!" Lenny snarled. The pain rolled up his chest and he fell flat on his face. The undulating of his flesh pushed him off the ground, forcing him to roll onto his back. It was like a beast was trying to escape from his chest cavity and it hurt like hell.

"Oh no. I told you the truth. My plan was for you to use the serums on Flare Blue and Weapons Master. Flare Blue to cripple Arsenal as there is no possible way they could ever stabilise that super and the resulting fallout would cause tension between them and the Elemental Alliance. Weapons Master so that he can create the cure to wipe the Ursa strain from ever being a threat to us. But now that you've infected _yourself_instead..."

Shark Tamer chuckled and leaned down towards Lenny, his teeth flashing. "I have the rare opportunity to test out an experimental formula." He lifted a vial of strange, bluish liquid in his hands, wiggling in front of Lenny's face. "So far, we've been able to grant the form and baseline powers to our... volunteers. We have never been able to grant specific powers. This should give you some form of power. What it is, I don't know. What it'll do to you, to your psyche, I don't know. It's purely experimental. Though I suggest if you don't want to turn into an infectious blob constantly writhing in agony and barely sentient, you take it."

The Gene Stealer bent down and deposited the vial right in front of Lenny.

"I'll just leave it right here for you to take." Shark Tamer glanced upwards as a police hovercar zoomed by, belting out Gabe's message. "If you want to stand on your own two feet, make your mark on the world, I suggest you do it soon. It looks like Miguel and Ignacio are on the move." He turned towards Dragon Knight.

"Their plan worked," the reptile answered darkly. "Feral as they may be, those two have come to the WCIN broadcast centre, devouring everything in their path. Shall I recall Grizzly?"

Shark Tamer nodded. "Yes. We already have the father and two sons. We may not have an Original but those three are more enough." He grinned broadly. "Let's not get involved in family disputes."

******

"Weapons Master!"

Hank came charging through the door. Gabe's message was playing on a loop throughout the city while he sat next to the real panda in the 'green room' of the West California Island News broadcast centre. It was thanks to the fox and his connections with GUYS that they had managed to hijack the emergency frequency and plaster Gabe's face all over the island. It was all for the singular purpose of bringing Migs and Izzy towards the tower. All civilians had been evacuated from the area, giving them plenty of room for the battle that they knew was coming.

"We just got word," Hank said between heavy pants. "Gummy Bear and Honey Bear are tearing up the streets on their way here. They're eating everything in sight!"

"Don't call them that!" growled Gabe. "They aren't supervillains!"

Hank lifted his paws in surrender. "Erm... Sorry."

Gabe clutched his head in his paws and began sobbing again.

"Okay," Caleb said, patting the panda's broad shoulders. "Thanks Hank. You better clear out. It's going to get messy out here."

The fox grinned at him though it was a shaky one barely held up by courage. "And miss front row seats to the epic showdown between Arsenal and... erm..." His grin faltered.

"Suit yourself," Caleb answered with a smile. "Just stay safe." He picked up the shield of Branding Iron, still in his lupine form and started heading for the door. "Gabe, are you coming?"

The panda straightened and took a deep breath. After ten seconds, he let out his breath and nodded. "Yeah... I need to talk to my sons."

With Gabe by his side, Caleb stepped out into the streets. His phone was to his ear as he called the rest of his team. If his time helping Ralph on the defensive end in football taught him anything, positioning of his team was critical. Ben and David would arrive the fastest followed by Mary and Madman. The rest of the Alpha Pack would probably be joining in shortly in between the two teams. They needed to show their power to the two bears but without frightening them. Bren would probably be the last to arrive.

The crashing and banging from one direction down the street. There were no screams of panic or sirens. The entire block had been cleared out just for this purpose. Crystal bulls began springing up around him, six in total each with their own enormous axes at the ready. Gabe watched the crystals materialise, eyes wide in awe.

"You know, if we were ever really to go up against another in the field of battle, I doubt I could stand up against you."

"What are your powers anyway?" Caleb asked.

Gabe reached out towards one of the minotaurs. The moment his fingers touched the bluish crystal surface, a sound like ice cracking filled the air. The opaque, blue colouration faded to a clear almost diamond-like quality. Caleb always though the crystal minotaurs were hollow and when they shattered, that seemed almost the case. Now, his one crystal guard looked solid like it was carved out of pure, organic diamond.

"I can enhance the qualities of something I touch," Gabe replied, regarding his own paw. "Most of the time, I just used it to enhance the quality of my food, you know? I mean, how do you think I got my tacos to be so great?"

"I always thought that was just cooking talent."

The panda shrugged. "Maybe a little bit but it's my powers that made it truly extraordinary." A sigh escaped him as he clenched his paw into a fist and turned towards the sounds of destruction down the street. "I guess we all just use our powers the best way we can. I'm sure there are Outsiders or supers out there that don't know they're special and what comes naturally to them might just be something extraordinary to the rest of us. Some of us use it to help others like you. Others just try to make their ordinary lives better."

A loud bang caused Caleb to turn back towards the street. He could see to figures marching towards them. Occasionally one of the figures would break away and start munching on a nearby car. Somewhere above, a lone helicopter carrying a cargo crate flew by. No other aerial vehicles were allowed, not even news copters. "Then there are those that use their powers to make other people's lives worse."

A paw fell on his arm. "Migs and Izzy aren't those kinds of people," Gabe pleaded.

"I know." Caleb tightened his paw around Branding Iron's sword. "We just need to capture them."

"Do you have a plan?"

Caleb gave him a faint smile and shook his head. "Not really... Grizzly once mentioned that the more they ate, the more they came to their senses. If we just keep feeding them..."

BANG!

Both of them turned towards the approaching Migs and Izzy.

On the left was the broader Honey Bear which Caleb guessed was Migs. The broader stature, slightly shorter than the other and the large muscular build just screamed Migs. Short, golden fur clung to the approaching ursine's broad, ten foot form. Drops of golden honey fell to the ground from the tips of his paws. Similar to that, his fully erect fourteen inch cock was dripping thick wads of precum falling between his legs. Large balls coconut sized balls dangling between his ripped thighs. His black eyes were filled with the same hunger his brother shared.

Unlike Honey Bear, Gummy Bear appeared to be like a stereotypical muscle bear. He had a thick gut that pushed his thick abdominals to their limits. The belly protruded a little further away from his body than his pecs which were big, firm and sat comfortably on his broad chest, big, pink nipples standing out against his deep, dark fur with a strange tinge of green to them. His arms were big and strong just like his brother's but his legs were bigger, thicker, to support his larger weight. Just like his brother, Izzy stood with a thick sixteen inch cock that spearheaded his advance.

The focus of both bears was momentarily broken as Migs seized the door of a nearby car and tore it straight off its hinges. He split it right down the middle and handed one half to Izzy. Both began munching on it, their powerful jaws slicing through the metal while their eyes continued to stare at the two standing opposed to them.

"At least they remembered how to share..." Gabe murmured.

Caleb fought off the temptation to put up his shield. "Talk to them. They came here because of you."

Gabe nodded and stepped forward ahead of the small army of crystal bulls and Caleb. "Migs, Izzy. It's me. Your dad." He spread his arms wide like he was welcoming them into a hug. "I know you're still in there. Please, you've got to stop this. Fight off the instincts. Fight off the hunger!" He put a paw to his chest. "I know the feeling! Trust me. I know. It was hard but you're stronger than I'll ever be."

Tears were forming in his eyes as he shook his head. "You've always been stronger than me... I left home to find success here. I never had the courage to do the things you two did. The riskiest thing I've ever done is take Shark Tamer up on his offer. Even when I moved here, I already had connections and it was a safe venture. You two..." Gabe shook his head. "You remember that time you both went scuba diving on the beach deep enough so you could see the underside of the Island?" Gabe laughed at the memory. "I was _so_scared that you wouldn't come back up that I had called the national guard... Then there was the time you skydived over the Island! I kept telling you about the possibility you'd get impaled on one of the skyscrapers!"

Gabe lowered his arms as the two bears approached, slowing their advance. Caleb could see that Honey and Gummy were both snarling. There was little else to their eyes than pure hunger. He was growing increasingly worried.

"Caleb." He tried not to avert his gaze as Rhiannon stood beside him. No doubt no one else could see her. "Bren and I are on standby. Your dad and Ben have arrived. The Alpha Pack is watching the situation closely. Madman and Mary are a little caught up."

Caleb nodded shortly.

"I know I've never gotten the chance to tell you this," Gabe said just as the two bears were just a few feet from him. "But I've always been proud of you boys. I was worried but I've always been proud. I love you two. Nothing will change that."

Migs hovered over his father. His lips slowly began to relax, that snarl fading from his face. Gabe was smiling, no sense of fear in his eyes or his stance. Slowly, Migs bent down... and sniffed his father. Suddenly, Honey Bear's eyes went wide and that snarl came back. He pulled back, his fist rising and a tremendous roar erupting from his muzzle. Gabe's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped in horror.

"Gabe!" Caleb cried.

Migs' fist came crashing down. A wall of metal abruptly rose up between them. The huge paw caused a sizeable dent in the metal frame, only stopping within an inch of Gabe's nose. Feral Steel was suddenly beside Gabe, seizing his shoulder.

"Come on! Let's get you out of here before -"

The ground shook as another tremendous roar rocked the streets. The sun was blocked when a gargantuan, gelatinous monster rose from behind David's small barrier. Like watching a balloon being inflated, Izzy's form dissolved into a pure, green gelatine that grew and grew and grew until it towered over them all. More than ten storeys tall, the monstrous confectionary stayed true to his shape, possessing strong, firm pecs and vascular arms. Even his cock remained permanently erect, dripping thick wads of white gel onto the ground.

There was a matching roar from behind Caleb. Raging Hound, the massive macro werewolf of the Alpha Pack surged forward, stampeding across the street and crushing dozens of cars underfoot. He had a fist raised. For a second, Gummy Bear was stunned at seeing another giant. When Raging Hound's fist collided with him, though, he grinned. The werewolf's fist slipped right into Gummy Bear's chest, losing all momentum. Hound tried to pull his paw back but found it stuck.

"Kids are never going to look a gummy bears the same again," Caleb grunted, swinging his sword forward. "Charge!"

His crystal bulls charged forward as David pulled Gabe away. An explosion honey erupted from behind David's barrier, splashing in all directions. David ducked behind the bulls who immediately lifted their axes to shield the wolf and panda from the shower. Suddenly stuck together, the bulls became useless. Caleb swiped his sword through the air, dismissing the crystal constructs. They crumbled into a fine dust.

"Don't summon more just yet," Rhiannon advised. "Remember, you've got a limit. Don't just keep sending them to their deaths. Think tactically about this. You're a centurion here. You're the leader of a platoon. Their commander. Imagine these are the lives of real people. You do not just want to send them to their deaths."

Caleb nodded, remembering the pain he suffered when Funny Bone became overused. He quickly gauged the situation. Gummy Bear and Raging Hound clashed high above them, breaking the nearby buildings in their titanic battle. Honey Bear tore right through David's metal barrier, munching through it while staring hungrily at Caleb.

"Wait..." Rhiannon said suddenly, lifting her gaze. "What the...?"

"What? What's wrong?" Caleb demanded.

"There's another bear... He's attacking the Pack... Caught them off guard." She glanced back at Caleb. "I need to go."

Caleb nodded, wondering if Grizzly had made a reappearance. But fighting the entire Alpha Pack would've been a death sentence even if they had been caught off guard. He didn't need to worry too much. His eyes were focused on Honey Bear as he advanced, each angry stomp creating cracks in the ground.

With a sweep of his sword, another six crystal guards sprang up to flank him. David and Gabe stopped their flight behind him, David letting Gabe go as they both watched Honey Bear's cautious approach. Caleb's crystal guards marched in front of them all, forming a wall of bodies.

"Why did he suddenly attack?" Gabe begged. "I thought... I thought..."

"It might've been Grizzly," Caleb responded. "Rhiannon just said that another bear is attacking he Alpha Pack. I wouldn't be worried but that might've been what ticked him off. He must've caught their scent."

A blast of honey hit the wall of crystal bulls, binding them together. Caleb was just about to dismiss them when Gummy Bear's left foot crashed into a building to their right. The impact scattered dust and debris in all directions, spraying over the stuck bulls. Caleb narrowed his gaze through the mire, observing how the honey eagerly collected the dust to its surface. Above him, Raging Hound gave out a titanic roar. Thousands windows shattered with the boom of his voice, sending shards of glass raining down onto the streets. Caleb's eyes focused on the shards of glass that stuck into Gummy Bear's form, sinking into the mass and staying there.

More glass forms shattered as Honey Bear smashed through the small wall of crystal bulls. Though none of the honey stuck to his fur, it formed a sticky mass at his feet. Even the broken glass stuck together. Crystal arms and remnants of the minotaurs remained while those still standing could not move without altering the movements of fallen.

Caleb swung the crystal blade of _Branding Iron_through the air. More of his crystal bulls came springing out all around him, a whole twenty of them.

"Weapons Master! Pace yourself!" David warned. "You'll overuse Branding Iron at this rate!"

"What?" Gabe asked.

As David explained the mechanics of Caleb's powers, Weapons Master continued to summon more and more of his army of crystal guards. They advanced as a single unit, an army closing in on Honey Bear. Fear flashed in front of Migs' eyes, the first emotion he had that wasn't hunger or anger. He backed away a few steps. He regained his composure quickly and flung his paws forward. Jets of sticky honey blasted out of the tips of his fingers, miring the masses of minotaurs.

But they moved as a single unit.

No one impeded the other as they marched forward towards Migs.

Honey Bear's eyes widened and he fired his golden goo at the ground. The first row of crystal guards were instantly stuck to the asphalt beneath. But the second row just moved around them and continued their organised march. Migs took another step back but then found a crystal arm wrap around his chest. The bulls he had thought he had brushed past were suddenly pulling him down to the ground. Though they were restrained, it didn't matter, they were still warriors to the end.

Migs let out a pained and panicked cry.

His brother, Gummy Bear heard his shout and glanced down briefly. Seeing his brother quickly becoming overwhelmed, Gummy Bear pushed Raging Hound away, sending the werewolf a few gargantuan steps back. Izzy reached down with one jet-sized, gelatinous paw. He smashed the minotaurs advancing upon Migs. The amount of damage he could do to their crystal shape was minimal especially when, on Caleb's command, they all dove straight into his arm. Suddenly weighed down by the dozens of constructs within his arm, Izzy straightened and could only raise his opaque green arm, staring in horror as the minotaurs swam through his limb towards his shoulder.

"Now!" Caleb shouted.

All the bulls suddenly swung their axes, slicing through Izzy's arm from the inside. They tore right through his 'flesh', severing the limb from the shoulder down. Gummy Bear let out a roar and clutched his lost limb, taking a staggering step back.

Seeing his opportunity, Raging Hound stormed back down the street, leaping clear over Caleb, Gabe and David. His enormous body collided with the stunned Gummy Bear. The two went down at the intersection a short distance away, the werewolf on top and tearing at Gummy Bear with his claws.

Caleb hoped the damage was not permanent.

A cry from nearby brought him back towards Migs who broke free of his captors, golden honey scattered all around him mixed with the remnants of Caleb's minotaurs.

"D... D... Dad...?" growled Honey Bear. The moment or recognition vanished and he let out another thunderous roar.

Caleb swung Branding Iron.

Pain erupted from his wrists, the same jabbing, blinding pain he had experienced with Funny Bone. He staggered, falling to his knees and dropping _Branding Iron's_sword. Both shield and sword began to emit the same eerie, blue glow, sprouting feathers while burning Caleb's very flesh with its touch. His first instinct was to drop the shield too. Suddenly Honey Bear was above him and it was all he could to grit his fangs in pain and bring up that very same shield.

BANG! BANG!

Migs' enormous fists came down on the shield like hammers. Caleb's arm quickly grew numb with the pain.

"Get off my son!"

David collided with Honey Bear, the two tumbling to the ground, grappling in close combat. Though he was smaller, David was more experienced in combat and he quickly sent Honey Bear onto to his back.

Caleb grunted and seized Branding Iron's shield. He had just unlatched it when Gabe's black paw resting on his. The panda, looking so serene and apologetic at the same time, place his other paw on the glowing Branding Iron. The pain instantly faded and the glow ebbed. Five seconds later, Branding Iron no longer burned like it was laced with acid. Even the sword ceased to glow. Caleb tenderly picked it up, eyes on Gabe in awe.

"You know, after this I think I'd like you to join Arsenal."

Gabe's eyes softened. "Really?"

"It'd be the safest place for you and your sons." He grunted as he staggered to his feet. As he rose, crystal minotaurs rose with him. "You'd be an incredible asset to the team. Only way you're ever going to be free of the Gene Stealers is to defeat them once and for all. And hey, how often can you say that you have two guys who can turn jelly and honey into weapons."

The smile on Gabe's face was genuine, the same smile he wore Migs and Izzy first woke up. "Thank you, Caleb." He threw his arms around Caleb, hugging him tightly. "Your father was right. Miracles do happen around you."

"Nooooooooo!"

They both peeled away from another just as something big and black came crashing down towards them. Caleb shoved Gabe away and rolled backwards.

CRASH!

Dust and debris sprayed into his eyes. He grimaced and quickly brought his shield up, trying to make out the figure slowly rising from the cloud of dust. Whoever it was, he was big. Bigger than any of the other bears he had seen yet.

"Lars...?" he whispered.

As the dust cleared, the big, black bear that he was not the former Doberman that he recognised. There was not adorable and manly crest of thick, brown chest fur. This guy was just jet black, black as the night. As the bear rose up to his full twelve feet in height, his muscles bunching even as most of them relaxed, Caleb noticed something... strange about him. He could actually see the pulsations in his veins. Large muscle groups visible twitched like they were hit by some constant, extreme spasms.

Somehow... he just knew...

"Lenny...?"

"Kodiak," growled the bear, fangs flashing in a sinister grin. "My name is Kodiak now." He took a step towards Caleb, the ground shaking beneath his feet. "Like the new me, Hale?"

Caleb had to retreat a step. Even as his crystal centurions moved to protect him, he felt like the biblical David against the monolithic Goliath. Though he knew how that story ended. "What happened to you?"

Lenny - no, Kodiak - let out a bitter laugh. "Turns out, Original Serums don't work on ordinary people. Apparently, supers and Outsiders have it in their genes to grow into their powers. The Generations get their powers because on some level, they have their DNA recalibrated to be almost the same as the Original they are modelled of. Just enough to give them the capacity to develop superpowers but not enough to make them complete... What did he call them...?" Lenny clicked his fingers dramatically. Ever movement seemed to cause him pain, his muscles twitching like there were dozens of tiny worms wiggling in his muscle fibres. "... Thralls. That's right. Genetically similar but mentally different. But when used on a normal person without powers...?"

Kodiak let out a bitter laugh and spread his arms. "I don't get powers and the baseline superpowers aren't compatible with my body!" He looked mad as he gave Caleb a grin. The lower half of his face said that he was loving the power while the upper half knew what he was doing was crazy but he couldn't stop himself. "My body is tearing itself apart!"

"We can help you," Caleb said, lowered his shield slightly. "Just... Don't do anything rash."

"You can't help me," answered the monstrous bear. "No one can. And I certainly won't be your charity case again!" His paws closed into fists, claws capable of tearing Caleb in two flashing briefly. "I won't be looked on with pity by the world! I won't be a victim!"

"You won't be. You just -"

"Shark Tamer gave me an experimental 'cure'," snarled Kodiak. "I stupidly took it." He lifted a fist, his paw shaking madly. "I got superpowers now but that only made it worse. I can feel the power building in me. Constantly building!" He closed his eyes. "If I don't use my powers... Every part of me hurts! I... I just got to punch something!"

He spun, bringing his fist crashing against one of the crystal constructs. The bull immediately shattered against the enormous weight of his blow. A roar escaped his lips.

"Everyone!"

All eyes turned down the street. Rhiannon stood at the other end of the street. Behind her was the Alpha Pack. All of them looked terrible. Some were walking strangely like their legs limbs had been broken. Samson was carrying his wife in his arm and she looked like she was slumbering softly. In Rhiannon's arm's was Bren and he too looked strangely asleep.

"He has the power to put anything he punches to sleep!" Rhiannon shouted. "One hit on a limb and it'll go numb! First hit on your head -"

"And you get drowsy," shouted Samson. He looked like he was difficulty concentrating. The titanic werewolf, his black fur striped with grey like a tiger was having difficulty standing up. The leader of the Alpha Pack fell on his knees. Ben was beside his father, keeping him up straight and keeping his slumbering mother in Samson's arms.

"Second strike and you to sleep," added Rhiannon. She dropped Bren on the ground rather roughly. "Third strike..."

Caleb's eyes darted straight back to Kodiak. That grin was plastered once more on Lenny's face; the look of one in agonising pain but enjoyed the rush of power that pain gave. He wasn't sure if Lenny was just driven mad by the pain or he was just lashing out.

Kodiak took a lumbering step forward and Caleb retreated a step.

"Lenny -"

"It's Kodiak!"shouted the bear. "And don't try to talk me out of this, Hale."

"You've made a mistake, I get it!" Caleb exclaimed, holding up his paws. "But we shouldn't let regret rule our lives! You can't let your anger at yourself push you down a path. It'll just lead to more mistakes!"

"You think I regret this?" laughed Lenny, holding up his paws. His fingers began to jerk uncontrollably. "Okay, it's got its downsides. But do you know what I am?" His grin obtained a greater confidence than his stance belied. "I am a Generation 4, Hale! I'm the first ever artificially created Original! From a normal human being! No superpowers! Not even an Outsider!" He pressed a paw against his chest, wincing as the contact seemed to cause his massive pectorals to ripple. "I've got my flaws but now I'm valuable to the Gene Stealers! This is the path I chose! I'm not reliant on them! They're reliant on me! For once, someone is counting on me!"

Gabe's broad form suddenly appeared in front of Caleb, holding his arms out to his sides. It wasn't an invitation for a hug; it was a defensive position stopping Kodiak from passing. "I always counted on you. Without you, my restaurant would have sunk after a few months. I couldn't cook and serve at the same time. You kept me sane. You were my son, Lenny."

Kodiak's grin turned immediately into a feral snarl. "Then you should've done a better job raising me."

His fist came swinging in from the left. Gabe lifted his arm to defend. When the blow hit, there was enough force send Gabe's feet sinking into the asphalt beneath him. The panda remained standing, a testament to his incredible strength. But the moment Lenny pulled his arm away, Gabe's arm went limp. The panda stared at his limp limb in horror.

Kodiak grinned and lifted his other fist -

"No!"

Honey splattered all over the big, black bear's lifted arm. From some distance away, Honey Bear, pinned down by several bands of metal across his chest and arms, was reaching towards Kodiak, honey forming a link between his fingertips and Kodiak's arm.

"You should've stayed down!" Kodiak roared.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Metal panels suddenly erupted from the ground and clamped together around Kodiak's arms, pinning them in place. Another panel snapped around Kodiak's neck, weighing him down and forcing him to lurch forward.

"And you should_never_ have messed with my son or his boyfriend!" David shouted. "Gummy! Do it!"

Just behind David, Izzy - back to normal size - swung his big paws at Kodiak. A cube of jiggling, green gelatine sprang up from the ground and encased Kodiak from the neck down. Kodiak roared in frustration as he suddenly found himself trapped.

Seeing his sons once more sane, Gabe let out a joyful laugh and hurried towards them, clutching his limp arm. David graciously released Honey Bear who sprang to his feet and was the first to fully embrace his father. Gummy Bear joined in. It was strange seeing the two sons actually be bigger than Gabe but the tears of pride and joy streaming down Gabe's cheeks put all size differences as secondary.

"Dad... I'm so sorry," Migs said. "We just wanted to help..."

"That bastard lied to us," growled Izzy, eyes staring daggers at the furious Lenny.

Gabe opened his eyes, looking over his shoulder at Lenny who continued to rage where he stood. "He was just trying to forge his own path in a cruel world that kept taunting him with what others had and he didn't." He slowly pulled away from his sons and turned towards Kodiak. For the first time, the trio actually looked like a family. "Lenny -"

"Kodiak! I'm Kodiak!"

Gabe shook his head sadly. "Lenny, you're angry at everyone else because they have what you don't. You hate Caleb for having a loving family, for accepting him for who he is. You hate me for doing this to the city." He waved his paw around at the destruction round him. "And you hate your parents for kicking you out for being who you are." Gabe levelled a gaze at the raging bear. "But you know what? You've never taken the blame for your own actions. Why blame Caleb for putting all the hard work into making his parents proud? Why blame him for fighting for the island? Why are you blaming me for trying to save my sons when I was going to go to all lengths to provide you with the same comfort and love that I gave them? Did you even talk to your parents about what you wanted to do before you just dropped it on them? Have you even talked to them since then?"

Gabe shook his head. "A great guy once told me... 'We live in an age of superheroes. People have the ability to do some crazy shit. But honestly, I think the greatest thing anyone can do is forgive someone.'" Gabe dropped his gaze. "But I don't think anyone can forgive you when you can't even see your own mistakes or forgive yourself."

He turned away from Lenny. "Goodbye."

Lenny's eyes flared up in anger. "NO! Don't you turn your back away from me! I said don't you fucking turn away from me!"

The gelatine containing his body suddenly began to shake violently. Before Caleb could give a shout of warning, Lenny's right arm broke free of both David and Izzy's bonds, tearing through the metal and gelatine in a shower of silvery shards and green goo. He pulled his left arm out a second later. He brought both arms crashing downwards, tearing through his gooey prison. With a roar, he closed the distance between himself and Gabe. The panda barely got to turn around before Lenny's titanic fist came crashing around and striking his jaw. Gabe went down like a heavy sack of potatoes.

"Dad!" Migs cried.

Being so close, he didn't get the second he needed to turn back and defend himself from Lenny. The angry Kodiak's fist slammed against Migs' chest and his entire body went limp. A cube of green jelly encased Lenny's paws but the big bear just charged straight at Izzy and kicked the smaller bear's knees. Izzy fell forward, legs unable to support his weight. David surged forward but before he even got to fly a yard, Kodiak was driving his fist into his spine.

Caleb watched his dad topple to the ground, eyes wide in horror as his entire body became unresponsive. He met Lenny's eyes as Kodiak advanced. The Pack let out ferocious roars and those still capable of fighting charged, unleashing their powers. Caleb hurriedly reached for his phone.

"Elliot! Do it!"

"Are you sure...?"

"Trust me!"

Even with the numbers of the Pack, just a slight touch from Lenny sent anyone who tried to grapple with him falling to the ground as their body parts fell asleep, the uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles making them wince. Even the indomitable Samson fell to his knees in front of Kodiak. The big bear snarled at the leader of the Pack before sending him to the ground with a backhanded blow. Samson was asleep before he hit the ground.

"Every time I use my powers, the pain goes away," growled Kodiak, stomping forward through the bodies of the Alpha Pack. "If the Gene Stealers won't help me, then I'll just keep charging through the whole goddamn world if I have to until someone stops me!" He lifted a finger, pointing his dagger-like claws at Caleb. "And I'll start with you, Hale!"

Caleb narrowed his eyes and brought up his shield. "Better think again, Lenny. There's someone else that wants a piece of you."

"Oh yeah?" answered Kodiak cockily. "Who?"

"My boyfriend."

For a second, Kodiak's brow furrowed in confusion. "You're -"

Somewhere above, the cargo crate carried by the lone helicopter sprang open. A pair of black eyes eagerly saw freedom and rushed out to the fresh air. Even though he was about a mile or two above the ground, the feral, superpowered bear didn't care. It was sweet freedom. In anger, the very same bear flung his fists around and launched a torrent of flame straight at the remotely controlled helicopter that had kept him from sleep and had carted him around like an animal. The vehicle exploded, catching the attention of the audience below him.

Lars McLeod let out a ferocious roar, his entire body suddenly being encased in blistering flames. Like a massive, furry meteorite, he came crashing down onto the battlefield. Kodiak let out a horrified cry and -

BOOOOM!

Lars landed, sending a burst of flame and debris everywhere. Lenny was knocked off his feet. Caleb's crystal guards had positioned themselves in front of all Arsenal's prone allies, defending them from the assault. Caleb lowered his shield slowly and took a deep breath.

"Come on, Lars..."

What hope he had of his boyfriend gaining some sense was quickly extinguished when a tremendous roar filled the streets. The _enormous_form of the Doberman-turned-bear came charging through the temporary smokescreen. He collided with the slightly bigger Lenny, the two of them crashing through the asphalt, tearing up the road. Lars brutally lifted his paws, encasing them in flames and bringing them crashing down upon Lenny's face. In desperation, Lenny countered with his own blows. For a moment, Lars' arms went limp but then the out of control supernatural regeneration kicked in, causing the muscles to bulge and reawaken.

"How did you know...?" Elliot asked.

"I didn't," Caleb replied with a relieved grin. "I just didn't want Lars too far away."

In the face of Lars mounting strength and his powers practically helpless, Kodiak could only throw his paws up in surrender. Lars showed no mercy. Flames blasted out of between the bear's open muzzle, coating Kodiak brutally. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air. If that wasn't enough, Lars had to be almost a tonne in weight and he was sitting on Kodiak's chest, crushing the air out of him.

Caleb was tempted to just leave him there, let Lenny feel the weight of his crimes. There was some delicious irony in the beast that Kodiak had created being the very thing that killed him. For what he did to Lars, he deserved every punch, every burning breath and every ounce of weight that crushed the life out of his body like a half-empty toothpaste tube.

But Caleb took a deep breath and counted to ten. He made every count as long as possible. But when he reached ten, his crystal bulls seized Lars' arms and pulled the gargantuan bear off Kodiak. Lars smashed through them in his primal rage but it was enough to bring the bears attention towards Caleb.

"That's enough!" shouted the wolf, staring pleadingly at his boyfriend's eyes. "Lars... it's me. Please." Every muscle in his body warned him to lift his sword and shield but he refused. He was not going to lift his weapons against Lars. "I know you're in there. Please, Lars. Fight it! I know what you want! I know the need is strong but you're stronger!"

The deafening roar that answered him brought little hope.

Realising he had to subdue his boyfriend, Caleb lifted his shield and sword. "I love you too, bud," he whispered.

Seeing him armed, Lars charged, swinging his flaming fists wildly. Caleb swung around, sword outstretched. Pure crystal launched out of the ground like water, curling around him in a broad ring and quickly solidifying like ice. The crystal sculpture was easily shattered by Lars as the gargantuan fourteen foot bear charged through it, arms flailing. Large shards of crystal flung through the air as Lars' basketball sized paws can rushing towards Caleb's exposed back. Those very same shards suddenly charged direction in mid-air and shot straight towards Lars like pelting rain made of a daggers. Lars was momentarily blinded by the shower, giving Caleb the opportunity to bolt a good few yards away.

He spun back around and thrust his shield forward. Crystal erupted from the walls of the nearby buildings, coming to join directly in the middle into a single wall. With his thrust, that same wall surged forward, cringing against, concrete, asphalt and glass. The force of the advancing wall tore lampposts off their hinges and carried cars off the sidewalk. Lars, still stunned, was suddenly pushed back by the wall.

BOOM!

The crystal wall shattered, a sphere of flames at the epicentre of its breach. Caleb growled and thrust his shield forward again, another crystal wall appearing. As it began to advance, he thrust _Branding Iron's_blade into the ground. Blades of crystal nearly as tall and wide as he was shot upwards from the ground, chasing the wall and leaving spires of crystal where they passed.

BOOM!

Lars burst through the crystal wall easily but as he crossed it, the spires of crystal erupted from beneath him. The bear roared as he was carried seven feet into the air, the crystal blades spearing his flesh. The wounds instantly healed, his muscles bunching and growing even bigger, _crushing_translucent blue rocks with their growth alone.

"You can't just keep hurting him!" Rhiannon shouted. "You need to subdue him!"

Branding Iron began to grow hot in his grip. Somehow, he knew he was reaching the weapon's limit.

"Rhia! I need Funny Bone!"

The Hound of Destruction waved her paws through the air, weaving a spell. Branding Iron disappeared in a flurry of white lights around him, replaced by Funny Bone's strong armguards and billowing, spotted cape. The crystal spire began to crack under Lars' raging and weight. Caleb reached deep into himself and Funny Bone, triggering his change from wolf to hyena. Lars flung his head back. Blistering, red flames burst from his body, shooting in all directions and filling the air.

A massive, bone-white club cleaved through the flames, slamming into the heated ground. Spires of bone shot up from the ground, rising to an intimidating thirty feet high. They formed a solid ring around Lars, containing the flames he produced. The ring of bones closed behind Caleb, not standing to his full height as a hyena. Locked away from the sight of anyone else, Lars burst from his crystal restraint, baring his fangs with flames licking out from between them.

"CALEB!"

For a second, he thought some part of Lars was shining through the savagery of the bear. Perhaps there was but Caleb couldn't risk it. His dad and friends were prone and in the firing line of his savage boyfriend. He couldn't let them fall prey to Lars no matter how much he cared for the Doberman. He let out a brief hyena laugh at the thought that how he felt must mirror how Gabe felt when Shark Tamer gave him that first offer.

"I'm sorry bud," he murmured softly. Then he straightened, took a deep breath... and returned his own challenging roar.

Lars replied with a blinding charge. His incredible mass made him slow. Super or not, his titanic fifteen foot height made it impossible to move at the blinding speed he was used to. Though every step shook the very ground beneath Caleb's feet, Lars' movements were slow and cumbersome. Caleb was suddenly faster than his boyfriend and with the added strength of his hyena shape, he ducked between Lars' legs, slamming his massive bone club against his boyfriend's kneecaps. He winced while Lars roared at the sound of bone smashing and it wasn't the club either.

True to Rhiannon's lessons, Caleb maintained his momentum. He leapt up onto Lars' back and brought his club down onto Lars' head over and over and over again, hoping the next blow would be the one to knock out the bear. It only made Lars madder. Though on his knees, Lars still managed to seized Caleb by the scruff and hurl him towards the wall.

BAM!

Caleb burst right through the bone wall, Lars' enhanced strength plus the solidarity of his barrier hitting him like he had been hit by a speeding passenger plane. He didn't even feel it when he hit the ground, there was already too much pain.

"Caleb!"

He was sure that was his father but his ears rang too much from the impact. Through his blurred vision, he rolled onto his belly, trying to push himself back to his feet. The brown of his fur began to fade back into his usual black and white colouration. He became vaguely aware that Funny Bone was hanging limply on his shoulders. The left arm guards were gone.

A powerful fist seized his scruff and lifted him into the air. Desperation took over. He pulled free of Funny Bone and toppled to the ground. Lars loomed over him, throwing aside the weapon. The big bear reached down for him, big paw coming down to crush Caleb in his massive grip.

"Caleb!" Rhiannon cried.

Suddenly, Caleb felt the straps and weight of _Crude Claw_around his wrists. He flung his clawed paws forward, black, sticky oil lashing out from the ground and splashing all over Lars' eyes. His boyfriend flung back, clawing at his eyes to get the sticky mess off. It was only three seconds of distraction but by that time, Caleb managed to put a good few yards distance between himself and Lars. The moment their gazes met, Caleb instinctively flung his paws forward. Oil sprang up from the ground around him, lashing out in the shape of enormous, black tentacles. They smacked against Lars. It only gave the bear about a second to shrug off the damage and advance slowly.

Caleb retreated two steps for every one that Lars made.

SMACK!

"Come on, Lars!" he pleaded. "Snap out of it!"

SMACK!

"I'm your boyfriend!"

SMACK! SMACK!

Even two tentacles striking at once only made the bear angrier.

"What about New York!?" he bellowed, thrashing madly, the tentacles slapping against Lars. "What about Christmas and New Years!?" Two tentacles wrapped around Lars' legs, trying to pull him off balance. The super just stomped on them both, splashing oil on his fur. "What about kissing just as the ball drops!? What about our first time!?"

Lars' eyes blazed.

Caleb pulled his paws back for another strike... then he realised he had just made a terrible mistake.

Lars was now covered in oil.

Flammable oil.

The bear pulled his muzzle open, the starting of fire burning deep in his throat.

"No... Lars! Don't!"

Lars pulled his head back, eyes filled with nothing but primal fury.

Images of the bear burning like those bears had burned at the onset of the Ursa Strain, their bodies writhing in agony as their flesh melded together painfully... It was probably the only way he could subdue Lars. But then there were those bears that he had killed at the bowling alley... Those dead, cold, accusing eyes... all of them asking a single question...

Why?

Whump!

Lars suddenly froze. Caleb shut his eyes tightly, pressing his cheek against his boyfriend's oil-soaked fur, his fur growing slick with the black liquid. He could feel the flames burning deep within Lars' chest, just read to burst out and engulf them both.

"I'm not going to let you go," he pleaded through grit fangs. "I'm never going to let you go! You said I raise you up! I don't care if I'm a pile of ash, burning in hell or a dead in the ground, I'm not going to give up on you! I'm not going to stop trying to make you better! Whatever it takes!"

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.

His ear was pressed right up against Lars thick chest. The bear's heavy breathing was broken by the constant licking of flames deep within him. Somewhere through it all, he could just barely make out his boyfriend's thunderous heartbeat.

Thump-thump-ka-thump-thump-ka-thump.

A rapid beating, the drums of war and the march of an army of berserkers. Amidst the storm, Caleb stood, holding onto that one faint hope that somewhere in that rage and somewhere in the primal instincts, his Lars stood.

Thump-thump-thump-thump...

Lars' heartbeat... it suddenly stopped...

Was that the beast calming at long last...?

Slowly, Caleb peeled his eyes open... just as an ethereal white feather danced in front of his eyes. Puzzlement crossed his features as another feather followed it... followed by a third and fourth. His eyes were drawn to the source of the feathers... Lars.

"No... No! No! No! Not like this!" he pleaded, pulling away from Lars.

The bear's entire body was encased in brilliant blue light. Feathers were sprouting from him, the gargantuan ursine form shrinking like every feather that sprouted from him ate away at his mass. He was unmoving, frozen like a statue with his arms stretched out wide like he was being crucified.

"NO!" Caleb cried, launching himself at his rapidly vanishing boyfriend. The moment his paws touched Lars, they sizzled like he was touching burning metal. It was at that moment that he realised he was no longer wearing Crude Claw.

He staggered back, clutching his sizzling palms. All he could do was watch helplessly as little by little, the towering bear that his boyfriend had become faded. Around him, the members of the Alpha Pack slowly began to recover from Lenny's assault, clutching one another with pity in their eyes. Gabe, in the arms of his son shed tears for Caleb. David clutched his heart, remembering the pain of losing his own first love all too well.

"Lars..." Caleb whispered between sobs. He ducked his head, the weight of his crime too heavy for him to keep his head up. "I'm so sorry..."

There was so much he wanted to do together... They had just_made it official and suddenly... _this. It felt like fate was toying with him. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. More than anything, he wanted to _kill_Lenny for bringing this on. That rage bubbled up over the rest of his emotions and with shaking paws, he slowly opened his eyes...

... and found a paw on his shoulder.

"Caleb...?"

Caleb immediately straightened, eyes wide in shock.

There was suddenly a flurry of feathers sprouting from the paw on his shoulder. They peeled away from the tips of the broad fingers like some divine wind was blowing the top layer of sand from a surface. Short, dark brown fur was unveiled attached to strong paws built and trained for catching a football. Broad forearms covered by the black metal plates of arm guards attached to clawed gloves coated in thick, coarse, black fur were revealed next. Biceps and triceps that had hundreds of perfect passes in their history were rid of the same, blue glow. Caleb followed the quickly retreating border of the glow, staring through the flurry of white feathers as they crawled up those arms and onto the broad, heroic shoulders coated in the snarling, bear-head shaped shoulder pads. He had to wipe the tears from his eyes quickly for he didn't want to waste a second of the miracle.

A familiar neck, long, narrow muzzle spotted with a light brown lower jaw and those cute little, brown spots that were like eyebrows brought met the sun's kiss. Soft, brown eyes full of clarity and surprise met his own startled blue eyes. A metal helmet complete with two horns curling downwards blocked Caleb's view of what had to be an illusion.

To make sure, he reached up and removed the helmet.

"Lars...?" he croaked.

The Doberman gave him a shaky smile. "Hi."

Caleb couldn't believe his eyes. Or his touch. Even his sense of taste was put into doubt but the more he pressed his lips against Lars, his tongue confirming what he was quickly confirming to be truth, he began to believe.

He pulled away, unable to keep himself from grinning and even laughing a little through his tears of joy.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Lars laughed softly, his own tears soaking his cheeks.

"Pinch me, I'm dreaming."

The Doberman gave him a puzzled look, flicking one ear downwards. "What?"

"Forget it!" Caleb cried in, throwing his arms once again around his boyfriend. "You're back! You're back!" He pressed his lips against Lars' once more, jumping in place and practically humping the Doberman.

A deep, warning growl made him pull away and he broke the kiss without unwrapping his arms. Lars' brow was furrowed in concentration. For a second, his fur looked a little shaggier than usual and his shoulders inflated with more mass. Lars held up a finger as he grunted and pushed the change back.

The Doberman shook his head. "Wow... Sorry... I... I almost lost it there. I guess I sort of start to change when I'm horny..."

"I can live with that!" Caleb laughed. He nuzzled Lars affectionately. "Fuck... I thought I was going to lose you..."

Lars' strong arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly. "Yeah... I'm sorry I made you worry."

Suddenly, Lars' grip around Caleb tightened and he suddenly moved Caleb to the side. A shadow loomed over them both, blotting out the sun. Caleb only had the time to look up to find the twitching, unstable form of Lenny looming over them both, fist raised.

Lenny's eyes were filled with jealousy, anger and frustration. He was blinded by the pain in his body and of the weight of his mistakes. As his fist came down, Caleb couldn't help but feel pity for the guy.

WHAM!

Lars took the full blow to the chest, sending him crashing to the ground and gasping for breath, his entire body paralysed from Lenny's blow. Caleb screamed out his boyfriend's name before pain erupted from his back. His legs collapsed out from beneath him and he fell to the ground, prone and helpless. He spun on the ground, holding up an arm in self-defence.

Kodiak pulled his fist back.

Then, a black and white form moved between them.

Gabe staggered, the blow to the head causing his legs to shake.

"Get out of my way!" Lenny roared, lifting his fist against. It came back down, slamming into Gabe's cheek. The panda fell to his knees, his eyes already drooping. Through sheer force of will, Gabe lifted his gaze and smiled benignly at Lenny.

"I forgive you."

There was confusion in Kodiak's eyes. That quickly faded as he brought his fist crashing down again.

Thump.

Gabe caught the blow in both paws, his eyes shut. Strangely, the throbbing and grotesque undulations in Lenny's body began to ease. It took Caleb a second to realise what Gabe was doing. By then, Kodiak - in his blind rage - was lifting his other fist.

Gabe met Caleb's gaze, his smile one of farewell.

"Thank you."

WHAM!

******

Gabriel Ramos - AKA Ursa of the Gene Stealers - toppled to the ground, his entire body limp save for the gentle smile on his lips. With his eyes shut, he just looked like he was sleeping. He was still breathing.

"DAD!"

A torrent of honey shot straight at Kodiak, knocking him to the ground. Before the rogue bear could rise, enormous pillars of metal came plummeting from the air and pinning_his arms and legs. Caleb could hear bone and flesh _crunch with the blow. Kodiak let out one last roar of agony before Samson Connors, in his full werewolf form loomed over him, cracking his knuckles ominously.

Caleb didn't watch the alpha werewolf deliver the knockout punch.

His eyes were on Gabe.

Migs and Izzy fell in beside their father, Izzy cradling his father's head gently on his lap.

"Dad! Come on, dad! Wake up! It's over! You've got to wake up!"

Migs held his father's big paw. "Please, dad? You did so much to wake us up! It's our turn! Please!"

Caleb felt more than saw Rhiannon. She hovered beside him as David gently helped him to his feet.

"He's... He's not waking up, is he?" Caleb asked.

Rhiannon dropped her gaze. "The first strike is drowsiness. Second strike... sleep. Third..."

"Coma..."

Caleb shut his eyes, holding onto his father for support. With his other paw, he held onto Lars. The three of them could only stand by and watch as Izzy begged for his father to wake. The Alpha Pack gathered, bowing their heads solemnly. Ben lifted his muzzle into the air, letting out a mournful howl. Even supervillains recognised great sacrifice. He was joined by the rest of the Pack.

Caleb shut his eyes, tears soaking his fur. He tipped his head back and let out his own howl, the chorus of their cries forming a haunting requiem that carried down the empty street. Along with their sorrowful notes was the heartbreaking chorus of Miguel and Ignacio Ramos.

"Dad! Please wake up. Dad!"