Part 402: Final Conflict

Ortega stayed at the edge of the building. He let the ocean breeze blow in from the peer. His over coat flapped in the cold window. The Jaeger Unit was relishing in his memories. He remember being born in a little villa just south of Madrid. He remembered being brought to America by his father; a GI stationed in Spain. He remembered volunteering for the program. He remember going through such pain and he remembered . . . .being born again.

The tied up woman behind him struggled under her bonds. She couldn’t see anything because of the burlap bag over her head. She wondered what was going to happen to her; she was scared for her life. She tried to run but she couldn’t get far away. She felt the heavy footfalls of a set of combat boots as Ortega approached her. The dangerous man knelt downward and placed his hand on the back of her neck. “It’s not much longer now,” he whispered, “ She’ll be coming. And tonight, it ends . . .one way or another.”

The captured woman mumbled under her bagged head. Ortega whispered closely in her closed ear. “I know how you’d very much like to say your last words now but I don’t think you’ll be able to talk your way out of this.” He whispered.

The woman jerked and screamed through her gag. Ortega stood up and couldn’t help but laugh. When he turned around, his thoughts were then interrupted by a scream; a scream of rage. He looked up and saw Jenny baring down on him. He figured she would climb up the ladder to get to the roof of this building; he didn’t know she’d be smart enough to go to the other building and leap over. Ortega managed to block her blow with his sword. Jenny twirled around in one fluid motion and slammed her nunchucks into the side of his face.

Ortega stepped back a few steps and then laughed; leaning over and spit out a bit of blood. Jenny held her nunchucks in his direction, breathing through gritted teeth. “Not bad, baby,” he smiled back at her.

“I’m gonna kill you,” Jenny whispered.

“I don’t think so. But if anybody deserves the chance it would be you . . . Orphan.”

Jenny’s brain shot fire through her eyes. The vile man who had taken her mother away from him three days ago, had the gall to call her an “orphan”. Jenny then charged him and swirled her nunchucks around at him. This time, Ortega was fast enough to dodge them. He jolted from left to right and Jenny couldn’t hit him. Then in one fluid motion, the Jaeger Unit twirled around and slammed his foot into her stomach. Jenny flew back about six feet, landed on the ground and slid toward an adjacent wall.

She grunted but stood up from the pain. Ortega smiled at her, happy she wasn’t giving up. Jenny walked a few feet, coughed up blood and kept walking. Then she paused when she saw that Ortega had a prisoner. The bound and covered woman was still struggling. Jenny looked to the maniac and slowly walked toward the woman. Ortega didn’t stop her; in fact, he motioned for her to help herself. Jenny quickly jogged toward the woman and pulled off the bag over her head. The police detective was shocked that it was Penelope Widmore. “As you can see, she never made it to the Bahamas.” He grinned.

“She’s got nothing to do with this, Ortega!” Jenny screamed back.

“On the contrary, she has everything to do with it,” the Spaniard coughed, “I loved her. She could have ran away with me but she always did what Daddy wanted it. I could have been her eternal love; never getting old. But no . . she discarded me like trash.”

Ortega then ran toward them both. Jenny shoved her out of the way and threw the nunchucks directly at him. They bounced off his nose; causing blood to shoot through both nostrils. He made a swing for Jenny but she quickly kneeled down; dodging it. She then brought her fist upward, striking him in the jaw. Ortega then grabbed her arm and flung her away like a rag doll. Jenny slid on the ground again, sliding toward the edge but managed to stop her flow. “STOP . . .hitting me . . in the face!” Ortega demanded.

The Jaeger Unit then kicked her nunchucks away, making them fly off the edge of the building. Jenny stared in horror as she saw them bounce off a dumpster and land on the ground. She turned and looked at Ortega who was bending over and opening some sort of stream lined foot locker. He then picked up two samurai swords. Jenny held her chest as she stood up, looking at him. Ortega calmly walked over and stood a good ten feet from her. He then flung one of the swords at her, and she caught it by the hilt with ease. She stared at the weapon, feeling how magnificent it felt. “Oh, come now, Jenny,” Ortega grinned through blood soaked teeth, ‘This is how you prefer it, don’t you? As it was meant to be . . . .warrior to warrior.”

Jenny held up her sword in attack position. Ortega twirled his sword and got ready to attack her. Penelope was screaming through her gag for Jenny to run, that she had no chance of beating him. The police officer wasn’t planning on beating him. If she managed to deliver a killing blow and it cost her her life, she was willing to accept that. Jenny screamed as she ran toward him. Ortega jolted and their swords began a dance of metal and sparks.

Jenny blocked him blow for blow and Ortega kept swiping at her; attempting to cut her head off. The blonde twirled in the air, striking his leg. The Spaniard screamed as blood squirted from one his arteries. He then leaped up on one leg and brought the sword down upon her. Jenny managed to block it but the blow gave too much weight; slamming her sword into her collarbone. Jenny back rolled out of there, feeling the bruise began to swell up.

The blonde backed up to a pipe sticking out of the building. By the time she looked up, Ortega was baring down on her. She ducked as he sliced at her, taking out the pipe behind her. She managed to slice upward, cutting the fleshy part under his right arm. He screamed in pain and lunged for her. She tried to side step him but he managed to cut her at the base of her neck. She back flipped and got away from him. As Jenny landed, she quickly dabbed the blood on her lower neck. Had she not rolled with the blow, he might have cut her throat. Ortega paused to tie a loose piece of cloth around the bloody wound on his leg. “You’re good, baby,” he laughed, “The best I’ve faced in a long time. I guess my sin was Sloth. I should have expected someone like you to come into my life eventually.”

“Sloth?” Jenny stood up, “You can have that sin . . . .I think I will take WRATH!!!”

Jenny ran toward him and tried to slice his head down the middle but Ortega blocked it. Their swords went through the similar dance they gave each other a few minutes again. The Jaeger Unit then jolted back and blocked forward, allowing him to cut Jenny on the arm. The blonde screamed as she felt the pain surge into her brain, making her collapse and drop her sword. Ortega paced around her a wild animal. Jenny stared up at him in pure hatred. “You’ve done remarkable things. There is no shame in this,” he held up his sword, “But you were fighting a battle . . you had already lost.”

Ortega then jolted as bullets ripped into him. Jenny ducked from the spray of blood. The Jaeger Unit didn’t fall; just stumbled slightly. He then turned around and looked at the person who had interrupted his battle. “JACK!” Jenny screamed, remembering the bandaged Jaeger Unit.

The Jack of All Shades held his gun toward Ortega. The masked man cocked back the weapon and was prepared to pull the trigger again. “You should never had gone near her.” Jack warned him.

“You should have stayed dead.” Ortega hissed with a laugh.

Jack then opened fire but Ortega dodged them. He then flung up his sword, deflecting bullet after bullet. Jack of All Shades then pulled out his own gun and opened fire. Ortega got closer with each step. Then the masked man blinked as he felt the long blade pierce his stomach. Jenny gasped at the sight. Ortega grinned as he held the sword in his fellow Jaeger Unit, as blood started to form up in his bandages around his mouth. “Smile for me now, brother,” Ortega whispered.

Jack then grunted as the Spaniard started to pull the blade out of his stomach. Then much to Ortega’s surprise, Jack then grabbed the blade while it was still in him. Ortega tried to pull it but Jack wouldn’t let go. The bandaged man then pulled out his spare gun and planted a bullet right into Ortega’s chest. He jolted from the blow and fell back, holding his wound. Jack started to stumble forward, as massive amounts of blood started to leak from his wound. “JACK!!” Jenny called to him.

“Jenny . . .” Jack coughed as he collapsed onto his knees, “ I got . . .I got his sword. . .you can beat him . . .”

The blonde was upset that Jack was dying; because he reminded her a lot of Raven. She quickly took the moments he gave her to grab the other sword and rush toward Ortega. He was coughing and trying to get air but it was difficult now that he had a punctured lung. He then screamed as Jenny swiped him across the back. She then flipped the sword and plunged it down; trying to stab him. Ortega was still faster than her; grabbing the blade with his hands. She tried to throw her weight into it, seeing the blood flow from his palms. The Spaniard used her weight shift to his advantage; bringing back abruptly, forcing her to fall forward. Ortega took the moment to slam his elbow into her nose, making blood gush out in a spray on her face as she fell back.

Jenny was dazed. She knew he would be finishing her off and she couldn’t force her brain to get her legs moving. The blonde police officer then coughed and gagged as Ortega grabbed her by the throat. She continued to gag as he held her up, making her feet dangle in the air. Ortega held the blade in his hand and turned it around, preparing to stab her. “I’ll never forget you, Jenny.” He whispered.

Jenny almost felt like crying. She was sad that she was about to die, worrying how her sister will react to losing their mother and her in the same week. However, Jenny also felt relieved that she would be seeing her mother soon; eager to tell her all the things she wanted to tell her. Jenny then strained her eyes as she saw a blue light behind Ortega. She knew she was being strangled and it probably cause her to see things.

However, she realized she wasn’t seeing things when a masked man came out of the blue haze, ran toward Ortega, grabbed him by the arm that he was holding Jenny and then slammed his own forearm into it; breaking it at the elbow. The Spaniard screamed as he let go of Jenny and backed up with is arm, bent inward about 60 degrees the wrong way. Jenny got to her hands and knees, looking up. Ortega thrust the sword in the direction of where the masked man was but he only disappeared in a blue flash. Jenny knew of only one such individual who could do that and her heart began to race. Had Raven come back to her?

Ortega then screamed as the blue flash erupted behind him and grabbed him by the back of the neck. Then the stronger man picked him up by the waist and hoisted him high into the air. “WHO ARE YOU?” Ortega demanded.

Ortega never got his answer. It came in the form of him being brought down abruptly on the man’s leg, breaking his back. The stranger dumped him onto the ground and he began to gasp for air. His heart slowly stopped beating and his eyes fell shut. Jenny looked up toward her savior as he finally approached her. His face was covered in bandages but when his eyes flashed blue, she immediately knew who it was. She reached up and touched his chest, then touched his arms. “Raven?” she gasped, “Is it really you?”

“Yes, Jenny, it’s really me.” He whispered.

She felt her heart sink. Like before, he came into her life when she needed him. “It . .it . .took you five years to rescue me?” she asked, as tears rolled down her face.

“It took you five years to need it.” He smiled under her mask.

Jenny then collapsed into his arms and cried into his chest. Raven held onto her, letting her frustration, her anger and her sadness come out in one burst. The masked warrior was glad he found her when he had too. Jenny cried a little more and then came to her senses. She then turned around and saw Jack of All Shades coughing and bleeding. “Raven, that man’s name is Jack. He’s a Jaeger Unit, like you.” Jenny said, getting up.

“I figured as much,” Raven followed her.

“Jack?” Jenny grunted, kneeling down toward him, “You hang in there. Somebody heard your gunshots. The police are on their way and we’ll call an ambulance.”

“I . ..I don’t think I am . .going to make it, Jenny.” He trembled.

“No, don’t give up, Jack. You Jaeger Unit’s can take-“

Jenny paused when she looked at his wound. The blood colorization was all wrong. It was a soft brown color. Raven dipped his fingers into and rubbed it, looking at the goop. It was a familiar texture because he had already experienced it once in his life. “The poison capsule,” Raven whispered, “That other man ruptured it.”

“Then . . .it’s finished . .” Jack whispered.

“NO!” Jenny said, cradling him in his arms, “Jack . .you . .you got to hold on . . .we’ll find an antidote or . .”

She stopped when she felt Raven gently touch her arm. His sympathedic eyes told her that there was no antidote. Jack looked at Raven with wide eyes. “Your . . .name, Sir?” he asked.

Raven looked at him and whispered his name. “You . ..you are from the Island too, aren’t you?” he coughed.

Raven shook his head in agreement. “Raven . . .do the others . . .do the other Jaeger Units still suffer?” Jack asked.

“No. The kill code was typed into the Watchman mainframe.” Raven then held his hand, “Our brothers and sisters are no longer in pain.”

Jenny could tell that Jack was smiling. The knowledge Raven gave him made him feel like he could die a happy man. The masked vigilante then slowly reached into overcoat pocket and pulled out an object. He held up his trembling hand. “Jenny . . .” he coughed, “Take this . .key . .”

“What is it?” she said, taking it.

“It contains . . .a diary . . .of one of the Dharma Scientists . . . .bus station . . . south of the battery . . . .tell them . .tell the . . .world . . .”

“Jack?” the police officer asked in desperation.

However it was too late. The poison had flooded his system and stopped his heart. Jenny felt so sorry for him, all he wanted was justice for his people. He tried his best to help her but it cost him his life. He hoped that he had found peace.

Jenny let his head rest on the ground and stood up. Raven stared down at her and for the first time in three days, she smiled. She was looking forward to having Raven in her life. Watching movies with him, buying him ice cream and showing him the wonders of the world and how they changed in the last 50 years. But their reunion would have been on hold for a little while longer. The sirens in the background meant someone finally heart the gunfire from Jack’s pistols and called the police. Jenny quickly took Raven’s hand. “Raven, how did you find me?” she asked him.

“I went to your house but you weren’t there. I managed to turn on the answering machine and after looking at my map, I figured the rest.” He confessed.

“Good. In that case, head back to my house and wait for me there.”

“I’m not leaving you.” He answered bluntly.

Jenny smiled at him, loving him every minute he was now with her. “You won’t leave me, Raven. But I don’t think you want to be here for the cops, “ she kissed him on his bandage cheek, “Please . . go.”

Raven understood. He wasn’t sure how the cops would react to his presence either. He calmly turned to leave, then stopped. He looked back at Jenny and then shifted his arm around into his overcoat and calmly handed her the nunchucks back. “You dropped these.” He smiled.

Jenny took them and smiled back. Raven then ran off the edge of the building and quickly faded in a shunting of blue light. Jenny took a deep breath and walked over to Penelope Widmore. The amber haired CEO was wild eyed during the whole ordeal. Jenny slowly removed her gag and helped her up. “You gonna keep your mouth shut about this?” she asked.

“Who would believe me?” she whispered.

“Good answer,” the cop agreed.

Within second, several uniform cops entered the roof top area. Jenny calmly reached behind her, removed her badge and held it up. It had been a long night and she was glad it was over.

She only worried what type of paperwork it would entail.