Chapter 3.5 - Vengeance

Part 1

David parked his sedan in the driveway of Emma's house. He quickly got out of the car and rushed over to the other side, where Emma was already trying to force her way out.

Emma leaned against the car to try to steady herself through the pain echoing throughout her body.

"C'mon," David said, tapping his shoulder to offer it, "lean on me."

Emma looked at the shoulder, and decided that she was too tired for her pride and discipline to matter at this point. She placed her arm around the back of David's neck and leaned her body against his. David wrapped his arm around her back to hold her steady. Together, they walked towards the front door.

Emma managed to take her keys out and unlock the front door. Together, they managed to get inside.

"Took you long enough, sis!" A voice called out from the living room, and footsteps started coming towards David and Emma.

"What took yo-" A girl, around fourteen years old, came out and saw her sister leaning on David in pain. Panicking, she asked, "Emma! What happened?"

"It's nothing, Serena," Emma said, "Just a little work-related injury."

"Work-related?" Serena asked, as she moved in to help David support Emma as they walked together into the living room, "Were you fighting the Iron Legion? I thought your exosuit wasn't ready yet!"

"It isn't," Emma replied as they carefully helped Emma drop onto the sofa.

"Then you fought them without any protection?!" Serena asked, almost in tears, "Are you going to be alright?!"

"I'll be fine," Emma groaned, "Just bruised and aches. The doctor said that I will be fine in a couple of days."

"You're lucky it wasn't worse," David said, sternly.

"I know, I know," Emma said.

"But, thank you, for coming back to help," David said, offering her a little smile.

Emma smiled back, "Well, for better or worse, we are partners now."

"Yeah," David nodded.

"Thank you for helping me home," Emma said, "I think I'm going to be alright now."

"Okay, get some rest. And don't come in tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Emma said, with a little bit of cheekiness in her tone.



Part 2

David got into his car and drove off.

Partners, Emma had said. That's what they were now.

As David thought about Emma's words, he was reminded about his old partner, the one who had died during an attack by an Iron Soldier.

Emma had joined to avenge her parents. Did David, likewise, join to avenge his partner?

Did David become Justice Knight just for vengeance?

David turned right at an intersection and continued pondering about his reasons for joining the Justice Knight Unit.

Yes, he had been angry that the Iron Legion had killed his partner. And yes, he had been killing Iron Soldiers, and the generals of the Iron Legion.

But that wasn't why he became a Justice Knight, David thought, as he recalled his feelings. He joined to protect the city. To protect people from getting killed like his partner. The only reason why he killed any of the cyborgs was to protect others from getting hurt.

He hadn't joined for vengeance. He had joined to protect the city and its people.



Part 3

Emma felt the water pour over her naked body as she stood in the shower. Her body was aching all over, but the soreness and pain was finally beginning to fade a little.

Emma looked down and saw a few bruises on various parts of the her body. The biggest one was the huge bruise that was sitting in the middle of her chest, where Dr. Chow had kicked her. The doctor at the infirmary had said that she was lucky that nothing got damaged permanently.

Emma gently touched the bruise on the middle of her chest and felt the pain surge through her body. She seethed with anger.

She would kill them all, Emma decided. She would kill all those cyborgs - those abominations - and avenge her father. She would destroy the Iron Legion.

So why? Emma thought. Why did David seem... less than happy when she told him that she was becoming a Justice Knight to take her revenge? Surely, he was as angry as she was. He, of all people, should understand her actions!

It doesn't matter, Emma thought as she got out of the shower. When she finally got her exosuit, she would take her revenge, with or without him.