Progress- Final Chapter

[Wixern]

Progress-Chapter 1
Progress- Chapter 2
Progress- Chapter 3
Progress- Chapter 4
Progress- Chapter 5
Progress- Chapter 6
Progress- Chapter 7



Progress

Chapter 8 (Fiinale): The execution of Progress

In a distant part of the Institute, set far away from the normal students, was the Prison Tower. Though it had been abandoned in recent years, Progress had opened it after their crime fighting campaign, and had kept it open ever since. It was a tower which was meant to hold people in, which was quite easily spotted from the outside. It was gray, tall and surrounded by water. It has no cells on the lower floors, since that would mean that the prisoners could escape by jumping. Of course, they still can. They just can’t escape alive. In the top room, reserved for the VIP prisoners, sat Ted.

He didn’t do much more than sit. He’d taken a look at the outside, with its rising sun and beautiful nature greeting him, and had cursed it. He’d been sitting for a while now, thinking about everything which had happened to him in such a short time. He thought he could lead the revolution, to stop the bad guys. He had been convinced that he could do it. And he had been betrayed. Stabbed in the back by those who seemed so eager to help. In his thoughts, they mocked him, laughing at him like he was some sort of fool.
The door creaked, but Ted ignored it. The guards brought him his food at the same time each day, but they left their keys somewhere else. Besides that, they were all armed and quite strong. It would have been impossible to overpower one of them, let alone the legion which would be waiting outside of the cell.

Ted looked at the cell, rather than the guard. It was rather luxurious, containing silk sheets (easily ripped, though, and not made to be tied together), a decent view, a large closet, his own sink and every other luxury anyone might need. It was only after several nudges that Ted looked at the guard.
All guards were, basically, a piece of iron walking around. Their helmets covered their heads completely, their armor was bulky and radiated power and their guns hung tight to them.
‘What do you want from me?’ Ted asked, his voice devoid of any hope or other emotion.
‘Forgiveness.’ The guard replied, taking the helmet off. Long, red hairs flowed from underneath it, revealing the face of Juta.

Ted found himself temporarily silenced by the young girl who was now standing before him. The last time he saw her, she tried to kill him. She asked for forgiveness, but she was still a member of Progress. What would she be doing here?
‘Juta? I can’t believe it. Why would you-?’ Ted began.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t control myself. Progress controlled everything I did, Ted. But I managed to get my mind back, and I realized something. I don’t want you to die.’
‘That’s… nice to hear, Juta. But that still doesn’t explain a lot.’
‘I heard about your trial coming up. The members and jury are all members of Progress. You’d be guilty before you even stepped into that courtroom. I never got to spend a lot of time with you, but the short moments we shared… Are all moments I want to share over and over again. Do you understand, Ted?’
‘Partially. I don’t know how you got past all the guard, though. What did you do? Knock them out? Detonate them?’ Ted asked, getting up to get a better look at Juta.
‘I gave them soup.’ Juta answered.
‘It could be that I’m missing something here. What, exactly, is the power of soup?’
‘I guess that would be the drugs I put in them. They were experimental, but strong. We can get out of here without anyone noticing.’

Ted turned around, looking out of the window again. Though it was facing the way of the forest, even there you could see the sprawls of Axium. There were people down there who knew of nothing. They lived their lives peacefully, without a care in the world. Ted found himself wondering what Hawke would do to the city if he would continue his actions.
‘Running where to?’ Ted asked, not turning around yet.
‘Anywhere. Anywhere without Progress, without Hawke. We can build our lives together and live quietly and peacefully. You and me.’
‘No. We will never be able to live peacefully.’ Ted said, turning around and facing Juta. ‘Not as long as Hawke is here. No matter where we go, Progress will be after us.’
‘But surely we can run somewh-‘
‘No, Juta, we can’t. Because Progress will spread. You heard about the mind control chip, you even experienced it yourself. If Progress can determine what people do, than they will spread and become too large to handle. We would run forever, always running out of places to hide. I don’t want that live, and neither does anyone else.’

A silence enveloped the cell. After a moment of thought, Juta looked Ted in the eyes.
‘So… you’re going to kill Hawke, then.’ Juta said softly.
‘If I have to. I have to stop him. One way or the other.’
‘Very well. I’ll go with you, then.’ Juta said, her voice more firm and resolute now.
Taking a single look at her eyes, Ted nodded. There was something in that young face which showed that, no matter what he would say, she would come along anyway. It would probably be best to let her come with him rather than having her trail behind and getting into trouble.
They ran out of the cell, and down the stairs of the tower. Ending up in a small guard room, Ted helped himself to some weaponry. They were standard issue weapons, but they would work as well as anything else.

Meanwhile, in the supreme courtroom of the Institute, Hawke sat surrounded by his colleagues. Before him stood a screen, depicting black and white images. They showed a man and a woman, making their way out of the Prison Tower. The members of Progress turned to Hawke to see his reaction.
‘I see. So, all goes according to plan, then.’ Hawke said, smiling.
‘Excuse me, sweety?’ Alice said, her eyes opening in surprise.
‘Come now, Alice dear. Did you truly think that I would not have foreseen this? It was only to be expected. The implant chip in little miss Juta was a mere prototype. It would not last that long. I told the guards to expect her and to make sure they would be sleepy. Now, for the next stage. I’m sure that I can rely on you, my colleagues, to know what to do?’
There were several nods and muttered agreements. Only one person spoke clearly.
‘Mister Hawke, Sir? I didn’t get the memo on this…’ Maury said, his voice weakening as he spoke.
‘I see. The plan is to wear them out before they get here. To do this, I am sending you all out. Station yourselves at the places they have to pass. Intercept them. Don’t mind the Rules of Progress. Treat them as outlaws, and do as you please.’
The members nodded and set off, each at their own pace. Alice, however, didn’t leave.
‘I’ll just stay here, won’t I, Hawkey? After all, they are bound to come here sooner or later.’ she said.
‘That’s why I love you, Alice.’ Hawke said, kissing Alice passionately.

Making their way through the Institute, Ted and Juta ran through deserted hallways. Normally, the Institute would be filled with people, but Progress had shut down all activity whilst awaiting the trial. The first place they visited was the weapons research department. The moment they opened the door, a bullet drilled itself into the wall only a few inches away.
Turan stood in the middle of the lab, his white jacket stuffed with all the weaponry he could find. He was holding a pistol and his eyes were burning with focus.
‘Turan! Stop this!’ Ted shouted, tumbling aside for cover, ending behind a rack of weaponry. Juta took a dive into a different direction, ending up behind an overturned table. For several seconds the room was completely silent. Then, Ted peeked out, trying to catch a glimpse of what Turan was doing. He withdrew just in time, though the air smelled like burnt hair.

‘Progress will reward me. I’ll get the recognition I deserve, at last. I’ll kill the outlaws and lead us into a time of prosperity and-GAH.’ Turan fell down, his eyes oddly blank and turned upwards. Behind him stood Juta, her hands covered in blood, releasing the dagger she had stuck into Turan’s back.
‘Why don’t villains ever lead us into a world without ****ty monologues?’ Juta asked, attempting to wipe some of the blood off on her armor.
‘Because that destroys the fun. Much like explaining your plans to captured good guys.’
‘Probably. Anyway, let’s grab some weapons and get to the courtroom.’
Juta equipped herself with a pair of pistols, but also saw something else which had her interest. A large, almost alive, rocket launcher. The huge mechanic thing pulsed with pure blast power. Juta slung it over her back with surprising ease, though that may have been the weapon’s main point as well.
Ted, on the other hand, selected a shotgun and a pair of revolvers. He nodded at Juta and together they moved on, leaving the room with a dead man and a lot of weapons scattered over the floor.

[Wixern]

Hawke watched the screen, where two young people were just leaving the room. Behind him stood Alice, giving him a massage whilst watching over his shoulder. Hawke looked down at a piece of paper before him and scratched something through. He then turned back to the screen, switching its vision to the Human Research Facility…

… Where Ted and Juta had just walked into. They would have to; not only did the room contain a lot of useful stuff, it also harbored one of the few shortcuts in the Institute. Upon entering, they immediately found themselves facing Mr. Howardsen. He was smoking a cigar and holding a shotgun. The overall look was that of a mafia boss who was enjoying his victim’s final moments.

‘So, you youngsters have shown up at last. We knew you’d come past here eventually. That’s why I came prepared. And I…’
Mr. Howardsen stopped, when a sudden shriek from Juta filled the room. She fell to her knees, revealing Maury standing behind her, a dagger in his hand.
‘… Am not the only one.’ he finished, taking a good puff of the cigar again before casting it aside.
Ted had already kicked Maury away before he could do anything else; the little man was now trembling against the wall, his ratty eyes filled with fear. Juta tried to get up, but Maury had hit a rather significant part of the back. Namely, the part that controls most of a human’s actions. Fortunately, he had not severed it. Ted turned angrily to Howardsen.

‘You bastard. All this time you were playing games with me. And even now, in the final fight, you decide to backstab someone. I had always thought you were wiser than this, Howard. That you understood.’ Ted said, circling around the old man.
‘Pathetic little boy.’ Howardsen laughed, stamping out the cigar. ‘You were too easily fooled. A few words, without anything solid to proof it. I felt it hardly challenging. Let me speak to you, Ted, once more, before we fight this out. Did you really think I would stay with Progress if I didn’t believe in its goals? Progress will turn this world into a peaceful place once more. Isn’t that what you want as well, Ted? To see everyone getting along? It’s not too late, Ted. Come back to us. Embrace what we offer, and we shall make the perfect world reality.’

Ted stopped walking, now looking the old man straight in the eyes. He paused a few seconds before answering.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, were you finished already? Is this the part where I switch sides and get executed anyway? Where I blindly trust those who have betrayed me before? I’m sorry, old man, but I’m not a naïve little kid any more. So take your turncoat with you and walk away while the young people envision their dreams the right way.’ Ted spat.
‘I see. In that case… I won’t hold back.’

Ted saw the shot coming long before Howard had even pulled the trigger. He was on the floor and rolling by the time the shot spattered across the walls. Howard pumped the gun again and took aim, walking slowly in the comfortable knowledge that, should Ted come into his sight, he’d be dead in a single shot.
Ted took refuge behind a desk, where he took a look at his weaponry. Unfortunately, none of his guns could compete at a close range. This left only one option; the old, iron sword. He’d never been a fan of sword fighting, because it basically put your life on the edge. Still, he’d have to find a way to get close to Howard without getting blown to pieces.
Howard strafed around the desk, keeping his aim down at the crouching target, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice. Just as he stepped behind the desk, something covered his face and the world turned black. He shot, but Ted had already ran off to a different location.
Finally seeing the opportunity to come closer, Ted placed the blade of his sword against Howard’s throat.
‘What is this device? It darkens everything! I can’t see a bloody thing!’ Howard shouted, his voice muffled by the clothing over his face.
‘It’s called a shirt. Maybe you could have realized the use of such simple things if you weren’t so focused on Progress the whole time.’ Ted answered. He then finished the battle with a short, decisive slice.


Ted ran over to Juta and knelt beside her. She had been watching the fight from a safe distance, having taken refuge behind an improved version of a door (marked Door #44).
‘Are you alright?’ Ted asked, taking a second to realize how cliché this sounded.
‘Yeah… I think so, at least. I can’t move much, though. You’ll have to go on without me.’ Juta answered in cliché-like manner.
‘Very well. I’ll go in there and finish it all off. Don’t you worry about a thing. And, should you start worrying anyway, make sure it’s about me.’
Juta nodded faintly, smiling as much as her lips allowed her to.
Ted got up and took his shirt back. It had some stains on it, but it was still a good shirt, and clothing like that should never be disposed off that easily.

Hawke was still watching the screen, his lips curled in the tiniest of smiles. He was watching Ted, walking into the grand courtroom, alone. He shut down the screen and looked down, seeing Ted walking up to him, his eyes set in a decisive fury.
‘I see, then, that my plan has worked. Again.’ Hawke said coldly, standing up to get a better look at the young man now standing before the court.
‘Not really, Hawke. I slaughtered your minions, and now I’m here for the big catch.’
‘Are you now, Ted? Did you really think I had my members split up for maximum efficiency? Did it ever occur to your tiny brain that I had something else in mind than your death?’
‘The way you were spouting trials and executions on me, I’d have to say Yes.’
Hawke took a few steps down, all the while talking and being followed on foot by Alice.

‘Of course you would think that. I did, in fact, have them split up for different reasons. Had I all sent them at once, it would have been a mess. You might have been able to defeat them all, though chances would be slim. Instead, I decided to gradually weaken you. First, Turan. He died, but he was nothing but a pawn on my chess board. Then, Maury, who has apparently fled the crime scene. He was nothing more than a Tower: capable of moving only in straight lines. Then, Mr. Howardsen, my little knight. Together with the Tower, they backstabbed your queen and led the king into a nice little checkmate with me, the King, and my Queen, Alice.’ Hawke explained, his final step landing him straight before Ted.

‘So… you killed them off to become the ruler of everything. And to cripple me in the process, which seems to have worked. Good job.’ Ted applauded silently, the sound echoing through the empty court like a church bell.
‘However, I beg to differ with you on the checkmate part.’
‘You say?’ Hawke asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.
‘I know you, Hawke. If you want to be a ruler, you can do it alone. Alice here is just a little tool, isn’t she? To use when you want or need her, and to dispose when you’re done with her.’
At this point, Alice wrapped herself around Hawke and spoke, her voice sharp like a knife.
‘You silly boy. You don’t understand the chemistry of love. How could you know what Hawkey and I feel for each other?’ she said, looking at Hawke’s eyes. They, however, betrayed him.

Hawke shook off Alice and pushed her away.
‘Actually, Ted is right for a change. I do not need you now. I admit that I, too, felt the need for physical pleasure as well as emotional satisfaction. However, with my new legion of members, I can easily replace you. Which means that you, my dumb little girl, are no longer required.’
Alice stood with her mouth opened in shock and surprise. Before she came to grasp with reality, however, Hawke had pushed a button and the floor beneath Alice opened up, revealing a lot of darkness underneath it. Alice quickly grabbed Hawke’s ankle, but ended up swinging above the dark abyss anyway.
‘No! My love, you’re not really going to do this, are you? Think of all the times we shared, of all the-‘ Alice said, her voice now meek and panicky.
‘Silence, woman. I care not for you, nor anyone else. I will not listen to your pathetic attempts to summon my sympathy. Instead, I shall only bid you adieu.’

And with that, Hawke shook Alice of his boot. She fell, silently, tears streaming down her face before the floor closed up again, leaving Ted and Hawke as the only two people in the courtroom.
‘Well then, Ted. It seems that our friendship is over.’ Hawke stated formally.
‘Well, gee. That’s a surprise. I wished we could be friend like we used to be. Hanging around, doing fun stuff and dreaming of fame and glory.’
‘I stopped dreaming, Ted. I have turned my dreams into reality. The days you speak of never did anything more than form the stepping stones for me to get where I am now.’
‘Stepping stones? Would these stones be carved from the bones of those you crushed beneath your heel? Or are they made from lies and deceit?’
‘You, above everyone else, should know where these stones are made of, Ted. They are carved from good intentions. Peace. Hope. Love. Serenity. Truth. Everything a human needs, but can never truly achieve.’ Hawke turned around and took a few steps away from Ted. He looked up at the statue of Dumen Tyr, adorning the central court.

[Wixern]

'I never believed it was possible to improve this world,’ Hawke said, not taking his eyes away from the statue, ‘But the teachings of Dumen Tyr told me I was wrong. Through Progress, we could achieve anything. I learned everything about Progress, and what it meant to the people. From then on, I realized I had to become the Leader of Progress, and lead this world into an era of peace and prosperity. I only wanted to do good, Ted. Do you not understand?’ Hawke said, turning around only to face the barrel of Ted’s gun.

‘I have the same ideals, Hawke. The same intentions. I, however, believe that humans should work to achieve these goals themselves. They shouldn’t be forced to live under someone’s rule. Dumen Tyr had some good ideas, but he pushed them too far. As you are doing now, as well. However, I am going to end this before it’s too late.’ Ted said, cocking his gun.

‘Oh, but you don’t understand. It is already too late. Kill me, if you wish. Progress will continue with me. I will never stray from the spirit of Progress. I shall inspire those who believe in Progress, and I shall arise once again. Progress needs a leader, in spirit or body. And I will be that leader. I have already begun brainwashing this Institute. It is a matter of time before my new servants reach the government, and brainwash them as well. After that, Progress will continue to expand. And it does not matter if I’m here or not. You cannot stop Progress.’

In a flash draw, Hawke had drawn his own handgun and pointed it straight at Ted’s heart. They now stood, locked in a mortal stand-off, each waiting for the other to make the first move.
‘It looks like we’ve got ourselves a Mexican standoff here. And I’m not about to run.’ Hawke said, exerting more pressure on the trigger.
Ted remembered the regeneration chip implanted in Hawke. If he would shoot, then he would be shot in return, and Hawke would be on his feet sooner or later. Therefore, he went for the disarming moves.

Ted lowered his right arm, immediately using the left to deflect Hawke’s arm. The shot which issued from Hawke’s gun ricocheted off the walls, filling the courtroom with the echoes of the gunshot. Hawke countered by grabbing Ted’s wrist and twisting, causing Ted to sink to his knees in agony.
‘You are too weak, Ted. Both in mind and in body. Eliminating you will be one step further towards Progress. I bid you adieu.’
Hawke raised his gun to Ted’s forehead, but before he could shoot, Ted twisted and swung his leg around, tackling Hawke and causing him to lose his grip. Ted rolled backwards and shot his gun several times. Hawke responded by unsheathing his sword in a flash, deflecting two bullets and cutting through the third one with ease. He then turned and ran, followed by several more of Ted’s shots, which trailed behind him.

Hawke ran to the walls of the courtroom, and climbed upwards. Once he was at the top, he knelt down, treating the wall as though it was nothing more than the floor turned vertical. He shot at Ted, his bullets raining down like a hailstorm. Ted rolled aside, but couldn’t avoid being hit by one of the stray bullets. It went through his left shoulder, bringing with it a pain unlike anything he’d ever felt before.
Ted ran, all the while firing at Hawke, who was running along the walls with the greatest of ease, spinning around bullets and returning fire. He even managed to reload without ever coming down. Ted felt like he was trying to squat the world’s tiniest mosquito with the world’s tiniest frying pan.

Ted found some cover behind the jury benches, where he reloaded his gun and rethought his tactics. However, he couldn’t think a lot, because a strange wooshing noise behind him caused him to dive away. A split second later, Hawke broke through the wooden bench, surrounded by splinters and dust. He’d taken a dive from the wall and had used the acceleration to break through the wood protecting Ted.
Hawke immediately drew his sword and started slashing. Short, powerful strokes followed one another with amazing speed, forcing Ted backwards, all the while dancing like a ballerina to avoid the sword’s edge. Eventually, Hawke worked Ted against a wall, and slashed horizontally. Ted ducked just in time, feeling the shift of air just above his head. He used the only opening he saw and jumped forward, taking Hawke down with him.

They rolled on the floor together, Hawke losing his sword in the turmoil. They ended up a few inches away from each other, and both got up surprisingly fast. Ted slung the shotgun from his back and fired it. Unfortunately, he had forgotten the recoil of the thing, and was thrown back to the floor. Some of the shotgun’s shrapnel hit Hawke in the back, but he was busy with other plans. He ran up the walls and, at the end, made a backflip, causing him to float directly above Ted. Hawke drew his guns and aimed for the final shot.

Ted looked up, seeing the shadow floating above him. He could not dodge, even if he had wanted to. His body had taken too much of a pounding to work appropriately. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable end.
And just as he did so, an explosion rocked the courtroom. The vibration caused Hawke to lose his target and his delicate balance, and he came down like a sack of coconuts. Ted opened his eyes, only to see that a large part of the upper wall had been blasted away. He got up, every muscle in his body protesting against the decision, and looked around.

In the doorway, several feet away, stood Juta, holding the rocket launcher she had earlier acquired. She smiled, faintly, before collapsing. Ted walked over to her, but soon found his way blocked by Hawke, who was bruised and scratched. He looked angry, though it was hard to tell from his expression, which was static as ever.
‘So, this is the sidekick you brought along? Persevering, isn’t she? I guess, then, that you will wish to save her? Or would you rather finish your fight with me?’ Hawke asked, grabbing Ted by his neck and holding him into the air like a ragdoll.
‘Well, what will it be? Me, or her? CHOOSE!’ Hawke sneered, looking Ted in the eyes.
‘You know as well as I do… Hawke, that I cannot choose. Therefore, I shall simply have to do both!’

Ted wrested himself from Hawke’s grip, kicking him in the chest, causing him to grasp for breath. Ted ran over to Hawke’s sword, rolled, and grabbed it. He ran at Hawke, who was now taking aim, his eyes the only thing visible over the metal of his gun. Ted deflected the shots, tumbling forward and stopping the bullets with a flick of his sword. He rushed at Hawke, not caring for his safety, or his goals. Right now, all that mattered was his target, and it was standing right before him.
Hawke took a few steps backwards, hesitantly trying to bring down the berserk maniac now rushing at him. Eventually, he could no longer shoot, and threw the gun aside. He took a fighting stance and waited for Ted to strike.
Ted raised the sword above his head and brought it down, and time seemed to slow down for a while. Hawke raised his hands and caught the blade, sparks shooting from the clash between his gloves and the metal of his own blade.

Ted pushed on, attempting to break Hawke’s defense. He looked Hawke straight in the eyes and spoke, his voice determined and strong.
‘Your reign is over. I bid you Adieu, Hawke.’
Ted withdrew the sword, causing Hawke to step back, and gave him the final opening he needed. Ted turned the sword around, and rammed the hilt into Hawke’s stomach. He collapsed, and Ted spun around him, slashing his back along the way. He ended up behind Hawke, where he kicked him down and brought the sword down, as hard as he could. Hawke gave a barely audible gasp, and finally collapsed. To ascertain the fact, Ted brought his gun to Hawke’s head. Hawke spoke his final words, barely more than a whisper.
“I wish… for people to continue my research... I want people to continue Progress…”
And with a final bang, Hawke closed his eyes for good.

[Wixern]

Ted fell to his knees, burying his head in his hands. He was tired, beat, and bloody. It was after several minutes that he took his head away from his hands, as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around into the big, trusting eyes of Juta. Feeling that no words could describe his feelings, he embraced her, holding her for what seemed to be an eternity. After several more minutes, Juta uttered the first few words.
‘It’s over. It’s all over… at last.’
Ted tried to agree, but he couldn’t find the voice to do so.

It was only after another thirty minutes that Ted suddenly remembered something. He spoke, his voice hoarse and filled with fear.
‘The brain control devices! We haven’t shut them down! What do we-?’
‘Shh. It’s okay, love. I’ve got it covered.’ Juta cut him off, showing Ted a small, black device. It was filled with lights and switches.
‘I got it from Hawke, just now. I think it controls all of the helmets.’
‘So, how do we turn them off?’
‘Seems easy enough, doesn’t it?’
Juta threw the device up, and two shots resounded throughout the room. The device got shattered to pieces, breaking the mental control. Juta and Ted lowered their guns, and enjoined in embrace once again.

Epilogue

Several years later

The Institute was covered in a layer of snow, and the halls were filled with singing students. Looking from Tyr’s Tower, the view of the city was spectacular. Ted stood in the Tower, holding Juta close to him. He looked back into the room, which was now filled with party decorations and holiday cheers. The large statue of Dumen Tyr had been pulled down, after some debate, and had been replaced with a statue of the city seal.

‘No more Progress, huh?’ Ted said, looking at the room and smiling.
‘And just as well. Sometimes, we can best keep our ambitions small. Just like us.’ Juta said, rubbing her slightly swollen stomach and placing her head on Ted’s shoulders.

Together, they watched as the snowflakes came down, watching the scene with joy in their hearts. They kissed, as night fell in, ending another chapter in their lives.

___________________________________

Thank you for reading (if you did), and I hope that I will never decide to write another 8-chapter story of this kind again.
I might upload the word document later, but I'll have to get some sleep first.

[Sarcor]

Wow. Kool, now it looks like some kind of short novel.
Awesome.


Post Script: Why wouldn't you want to do this kind of story again? is it too long? =\?

[Wixern]

I'm not going to write anything this long again because it requires me to think of consistency, storyline development, character traits and general time spend on writing each chapter.

On a side note, I already have another story in the works which will be a lot less serious and a lot more comedic.

Thanks for the reply, and for reading.

[Sarcor]

Woo. Wixern is Back.
-.^
=D

[FroggerProLar]

The Wall Of Text It Burns