Dead Certain (Emmz, Amag)

A surgical implement much akin to a popsicle stick lifted up the corpse's eyelid. Doctor Caesar studied the underlying eyeball and was satisfied he saw no sign of life. Replacing his tool, the monkey leapt bodily across the furniture chasm and landed upon a sideboard, from which he began to scrub his hands. At length he turned to the room's other living occupant, “I am proud to report the anti-toxin no longer eludes me. Synthesis of a sufficient quantity has already begun. By tomorrow I estimate your Russian trinket will be well enough that I may begin a detailed analysis of its genetic make-up.” Caesar gave a courtesy smile that did not reach his soulless eyes.

Leaning over the body was a physique that could not be described in anatomical terms. The HIVE leader Pix was basically a computer sprite. He did not have to worry about all the perilous balance of body chemistry and maintenance that plagued human society. It appeared he was self-sufficient. “It's been over a week. To be honest I'm a little amazed Killowatt is still alive and kicking.” (;¬_¬)

Caesar lost his smile and resumed his usual neutral countenance, “The late Dr Wu once developed a technique for slowing down a body's metabolism. Your Killowatt is effectively in stasis. The venom's progress has been slowed to a crawl. Assuming there are no unforeseen complications from his unique anatomy, he should make a full recovery. Unlike your friend here.”

Their eyes fell upon the dead body. Quinn's dead body, “Give it time.”

“It has been ten days already. I trust you do not need my expertise to tell you what 'clinically dead' means. Revival as you describe is impossible.”

“She said she's done it before.”

“And yet she gave you no frame of reference. No rate of regeneration. No theory of the ability's mechanism. It is hardily reliable testimony you base your lofty aspirations upon.”

Pix grit his teeth, “I know.” Σ(-᷅_-᷄๑)

“Tell me how long you intend to wait before you finally make a decision. A fortnight? A month? A year?” The monkey tilted his head at this, trying to recapture the gaze of the young man which had begun to drift.

“What do you care?” (¬▂¬)

“I care because, unlike you humans, I see the material value in a cadaver. From studying her blood I made significant scientific discoveries. Formulating an anti-toxin was not easy, for the deceased has a chimeric plasma which at different times mimics that of various toxins – even those not known in nature. Inducing said plasma to imitate the exact poison unleashed upon the Russian was what gave us our anti-toxin and could thus give any anti-toxin. It will revolutionise the poison clinic. I need only access to this bountiful resource you bare some restraining sentimental attachment too.”

Pix took a moment to compose himself. He didn't blame the monkey for his callous nature, as he himself was no stranger to such a thing. He knew he had been putting this decision off, “She said she'd revive.” His voice was weak.

The simian continued his calculating rhetoric, “Pix. I took you as a man of logic. Not emotion. Can you not see that your hopes are irrational? You are waiting on a literal miracle. All reason has been exhausted. We can not keep wasting time on this futile endeavour. The body is dead. I can make best use of the pieces. She is no longer your comrade but has become an object of worth. I will reimburse HIVE handsomely for the loan and am naturally on hand as your ally to accomplish any scientific goals you may have in future. The first of those being to evaluate this Ex-Titan you put into my care.”

Crestfallen, Pix nodded in recognition of good logic, “We'll work something out.” (╥_╥)

“In writing – if you will.”

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Whilst they had put a hefty dent into the Russian's plans at police headquarters, HIVE's operation could be considered a failure; from a personal point of view. Too heavy a price had been paid. They'd carried out three bodies that day. Kristoff, Quinn, and Killowatt. Killowatt was the only one of those still alive – with his well-being rapidly declining. Hugh reasoned that Quinn had managed to poison the Ex-Titan and could think of no other way of preserving their hostage than to put him under the medical care of an ally. That unfortunately meant giving Monkey C access to Quinn for an anti-toxin. Not a popular decision.

On top of this he had taken Zero's advice and not told anyone else in HIVE bar Quinn that his death had been faked. They needed to make Kristoff disappear whilst he infiltrated the Russian ranks. That required believable reactions from his team-mates, since Russian espionage was not just a conspiracy theory these days. There had been a brief funeral which the sprite had taken opportunity to invite Shivering Jemmy to attend. Put an end to her scheme of vengeance before it started. Hugh was nothing if not resourceful.

Doubtless when his deception was discovered it would also not be popular. Which is why he had shared the conversation he'd had with Quinn. That she claimed immortality; that she would rejoin them soon. But his certainty had wavered as the days wore on. And now Pix found himself in Nina's shop explaining to her the third hard decision he'd had to make in as many days. Naturally he touched on the topic delicately.

“So as you can see – if Quinn had only listened to me when I told her not to test the limits of her revival power – then I wouldn't have been forced to leave Monkey C the rights to her body. It was unavoidable. I'll understand if you need to extend your time off.”

Nina just listened to Pix, a stoic look on her face as she stared at him from behind her counter. Silence filled the room for a good five minutes before Nina finally mustered up a reaction "so you're telling me...instead of a funeral, instead of even a f***ing service for her, you're handing her over to Mojo Jojo..." she spoke, it would probably have been the first time Pix had ever heard Nina swear "first...I lose my childhood friend and fiancée to those scum Zydons...then I lose two of my best friends to f***ing Russians and an overcharged toaster" she spoke before she folded her arms "I kept most of the stuff with Ixen held back when I was with you guys so you couldn't see how weak I was inside but..." she paused, trying her best to stop herself from crying, rubbing her face with her hands and sighing "even when we brought the Zydons down...I still didn't feel any closure from it, because I was at HIVE my fiancée suffered, and now two of my HIVE allies have gone too...I'm starting to think maybe its a message from the gods Pix, that they won't let us continue without a heavy price to pay" she spoke "I know I never usually go into my religion because I usually wave it off a bit but...maybe that's exactly why these things are happening...the gods aren't happy with us..." she spoke in a soft tone.

"That..." Hugh's wrist cranked as he searched for the correct terminology in order to elicit a tactful response. They were seated in a charged atmosphere and failure to exercise the utmost of restraint could result in catastrophic backlash. With that in mind, Pix realised he had continued speaking regardless, "-theory is unsustainable under practical application. Your gods killed three people to teach you good manners? And I suppose they also killed three people for Kris and Quinn? Or did they just give up on them? At what point do your gods draw the line at people who can be redeemed and people who can't? It ends with a quarter population of Earth in Heaven and the rest complaining that they weren't given fair chance." He shifted uncomfortably, "I'm not helping am I?"

Nina rolled her eyes, she would excuse Pix for his idiocy as she knew what he was like. She shook her head as she stared at him "you know that little voice that tells you to quit when you're ahead? You don't have one!" she said before she folded her arms "you stick to what you think and I'll stick to what I think, I'm not going to rant on and on at you I'm just saying...try avoid getting more of us killed alright? I actually have plans for the rest of the 908 years that I have left" she told him "can I at least see Quinn's body before monkey man gets his grubby paws on her?" she asked him softly.

She was wrong that Pix didn't know when to shut up. Pix knew exactly the point to shut up - but his need to be heard often took precedence. He couldn't help but prove Nina's criticism correct. When someone said something moronic he would always try to set them straight, "Oh! Avoid getting more of you killed? Brilliant. Just brilliant. I'll juxtapose that to my other plan 'succeed in keeping people alive'." It was an unfair accusation. Pix had taken very wise precautions for the sake of Quinn. He had explicitly told her to never rely on her supposed immortality. For this exact reason. Yet somehow in being proven right, Nina thought this was his fault. You weren't suppose to speak ill of the dead - but Quinn was clearly culpable here!

Pix knew Nina wouldn't drop the issue until a concession was made, "I'll tell him you're coming. But careful how you go, Nina. You have a history of not being able to let go." The sprite placed a hand on a charcoal fox statue created by Ixen when he was still alive. It was grubby, out-of-place, and a little garish; but Nina would never get rid of it. These kinds of signs concerned Pix. Fortunately she had made progress recently by making space for Bjorn to move in. He just hoped she wouldn't start to regress, "If you're unable to move on from this it will eat away at you."

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HIVE had been ringing several times an hour. Caesar had instructed his androids to ignore the caller. He wanted to get this dissection over with before an attack of conscience could change anybody's mind. The monkey was inches from a breakthrough in medical science. A breakthrough that would set the stage for his ground-breaking metahuman research. He knew where advancement lay, he just hadn't been able to get his paws on a worthwhile subject until now. Not one but two metahumans had fallen into his lap. And Caesar wasn't going to let petty concerns like the 'sanctity of the body' interrupt his ambitions.

A dictaphone began recording, "Preliminary examination complete. Test Subject Alpha One has demonstrated remarkable preservation. Not only are the no signs of decomposition evident at skin level but there are also no signs of shock trauma as one would expect given Subject's mode of death. I will begin the first incision across the femoral artery in search of where most reptilians have their 'poison sac'." Caesar pulled up his surgical mask and hopped off the operating table, disappearing into the next room.

Nina growled at Pix, it wasn't just a grumble it was an animalistic growl, snatching the little statue back and putting it where it belonged "shut up Pix you have no idea what you're talking about, you've never loved anyone enough to get into a relationship with them, and you likely never will, but if that day does come, and you lose them, you will understand" she said before she looked back up to him fiercely "just because Ixen is still in my heart and thoughts, doesn't mean I'm not "over him", he was my childhood friend and fiancée so of course I'm going to be upset, now can we drop this before I actually want to punch you?" she asked, having done the quotation sign with her hands before she folded her arms.

Once Pix had seemingly finished listening to his own voice Nina headed off to HIVE, taking her fox form to rush through the crowds at a nimble and fast pace, getting to HIVE as fast as she could and heading down to the labs, following Quinn's scent as she slid between the legs of the androids who tried to catch the wily fox, turning to her human form at the last second as she burst through the door "STOP YOUR HANIOUS CRIME MOJO MOJO! FOR IT IS I! THE POWERPUFF FOX! HERE TO STOP YOUR EVIL DEEDS!" she yelled out as she stared at Ceasar "seriously don't you even poke her with that knife, I mean it..." she said, narrowing her eyes at Ceasar, it seemed she had made it just in time.

Of course through the magical power of retcon - Nina was not in HIVE. The most sinister scene to be found at HIVE base she could hope to burst in on was Blake sneaking a joint of hard catnip. No, Caesar was not stationed there. The simian operated a complex on the outskirts of Jump City. The Russian advance had recently forced him to centre himself more snuggly within the city's infrastructure, but he was not to be found in any area frequented by law enforcement.

Selecting the necessary implements from a tool-kit, Caesar was surprised to encounter Nina, though he did not show it. His face was stoic, like a mere animal lacking comprehension of the situation. Yet he understood well enough. His association with HIVE over the passed couple of days allowed him to identify the individual as one of their number. Slight morphological peculiarities, such as her ears, had marked her as a person of interest from the get go. Caesar did not know what she was but he was confident a member of her species had never featured inside an anatomical journal before.

At length he replied, betraying the mind behind his primal countenance, "If you could tell me how you got in I would be most grateful. Mine is a patchwork security, you see. For we all learn best from our mistakes." Cyborg bodyguards stormed into the room and Caesar held up his hand commanding them to stop. The monkey then returned to sorting his toolkit, "I take by the incorrect use of personal pronoun that you still believe the cadaver can be saved. Allow me to alleviate your sensation of personal responsibility to the deceased by informing you that the decision has been taken out of your hands. 'She', as you call it, belongs to me now. I can show you the documents your leader has signed." They were legally binding. And they were all civilised people here.

Nina grinned "now now if I told you how I got in, I wouldn't be able to so easily get in again" she said, despite her seemingly rash actions, she wasn't stupid enough to make it harder for her next time. Nina then smirked and folded her arms "yeah, funny thing about that monkey boy, being a villain and all, we tend to break the rules, even if there are documents saying otherwise so...if you don't mind, I'll be taking Quinn back now" she said as she scratched an itch on her cheek, her whisker marks seeming like tattoos, it was obvious they weren't make-up, her five tails swayed from side to side, they all had their individual rhythm though.

Pix had given up on Quinn.It wasn’t for the want of trying. It had been ten days since the fatal incident at the Jump City prison, an incident that had left its mark upon HIVE as the group was left to retrieve two of its own in body bags. The mission had ultimately proven successful with the capture of Kilowatt, but the cost of success had stunted any feeling of triumph.

Quinn had assured Pix not all that long ago that if she was to unfortunately fall into Death’s grasp that she would slither her way out. But that had not appeared to have been the case. Ten days on, and there had been know notable sign of significant improvement from the Snake-Girl. She appeared to be dead, as dead as dead could be. The decision to hold off on passing her on to Caesar had been delayed long enough, and now she was Caesar’s property.

Quinn was very much dead. But her body was in a state of regeneration. Gradually her body had been recovering, recovering from the damage caused from the sudden surge of electricity that had been felt all throughout her being. It didn’t help that Caesar had been going about his tests rather than let Quinn be. But what did he care, what did HIVE care. They didn’t even care that Quinn was now naked, stuck in a lab with an open window as cold air seeped in, chilling to the touch. No respect was shown for the dead.

But, Pix needed to show some belief as Nina had done. Quinn had never lied to HIVE, nor had she ever let HIVE down before. Even in death, Quinn wouldn’t. On occasions Quinn may find herself out of her depth. But HIVE should be aware by now that it didn’t matter to Quinn. She was good at one thing, more than anyone else; survival.

The fox-eared female seemed immune to good reason. Her grief had blinded her. It was such scruples which had crippled human scientific advancement. Caesar would not allow it to cripple him. Great discoveries had been made on the backs of abused men. Their sacrifices were not in vain. They had gone to the betterment of all mankind. And since he was not blinded by personal bias, not being one of their species, Caesar was able to see clearly how much they all stood to gain from abandoning morality. Especially himself.

It would not be murder. It would be necessity.

Relations with HIVE be damned. Caesar could not let mourning get in the way of his first great scientific contribution. The body was his now. There was no way he would allow that to be taken away from him. Drastic action was required.

"Then, it brings me great distress to relate that an unidentified intruder snuck into my laboratory. That a fight with my cybernetic security broke out. And that she was, without pomp and ceremony, terminated before an identity could be asertained." Monkey C still had not turned to face Nina, "I am grief-stricken over this tragic occurrence and hope practicality will allow HIVE to put it behind them as quickly as able." With one fluid motion, the monkey spun round and tossed a knife at Nina. It flew like a well balanced throwing knife with pin-point accuracy.

Nina grinned and suddenly ducked, letting the knife hit the cyborgs behind her "heh you may have intelligence but I have cunning" she said as she created her clones "which one is the real one?" they all said before they all began running around the room, the real Nina ducking off to the side and turning into her fox form, sneaking through the doors and turning human "c'mon Quinny, snap out of it girl, I'm getting you out of here" she whispered to her friend as she looked to the window and grinned "perfect..." she muttered before she ran to the window and would start to try and gently slide Quinn's body through the window.

In many cultures, when someone does pass to the afterlife - their passing is honored with some sort of tribute or ritual. It was clear as day that the members of HIVE needed something of an education about this. For as smart as some of the members are, they sure knew how to make a mockery of the dead. Here Quinn was, naked as the day she was born and there was a fox-gal now trying to shove her towards and out of the window in the lab that had been opened wide. If Quinn was alive, perhaps she could slither her way through. But in this rag-doll like state, it wasn't worth the effort.

On a side note, Nina sure was 'grabby'.

The cyborg that the knife hit started to bleed. It did not acknowledge this in any way. No flinching, no groan, no exhalation, no emotional response, not even a casual glance in the blade's direction. Only when the foxes began to fly did it initiate movement. Both cyborgs levered their arms up at ninety degrees. The ends of their fingers withdrew to form a hollow barrel. Caesar admonished them quickly, "No guns! No guns in my prep room!" Both cyborgs lowered their arms.

The clones ferretted their way across floor, wall, and table-top. Fragile equipment went flying and smashed with a delicate tinkle. The wires of carefully calibrated machines were tugged from their plug connectors or just plain snapped. As each cyborg bodyguard stepped into the fray to try and stop the rucus their sluggish manoeuvres proved no contest to their slippery foe. Caesar had seen enough damages for one day.

Subconsciously his brain went to work. Every movement the girls made was picked up and registered. They were clones and so their form was identical. In no time at all Caesar felt confident of their pattern. He knew where they would go next.

Another knife flew. The erratic flourishes of the clone put her immediately in its path. It disappeared in a puff of smoke. This provoked a direct attack from another clone. Or so it appeared. Caesar recognised the feint and caught her tail as she passed by. The monkey was abnormally strong for his size, he halted her momentum before reversing that momentum and catching her in the stomach with a perfect kick. A third clone rained debris down on the monkey. He chased her from countertop to countertop, every bit as nimble as she. An axe kick brought this one down.

The final two clones scurried out of the doorway into the corridor, "After them." Caesar instructed his bodyguards. He hadn't miscounted. There was one missing. The monkey blundered towards his operating theatre.

------

Meanwhile the room provided its own death-defying challenge. Nina would soon find that her window of salvation... didn't open all the way!!! It was on a hinge which prevented anything much thicker than an arm from crawling through. This was an operating theatre after all. Caesar had to choose the most inaccessible section of the building to reduce the risk of bacteria.

Nina tried to thread Quinn's body through the window, shoving her through the window clumsily before scraping through the window herself, both bodies landing into a bush by the side of the building, Nina then lifted Quinn's body over her back, giving her a piggyback as she ran towards her car, the hardest part was seemingly over. She ran over to her car and tossed Quinn into her car and drove away from the labs. She figured that Pix would have probably blabbed where Nina's store was so it'd be stupid to think her home was safe, she decided to instead just drive, trying to get out of the city as fast as she could, taking back roads and keeping away from places where she could be easily found and pursued.

As she got further and further out of range the remaining two clones would poof away just like those before them.

It was a darn good job that Quinn was nowhere near conscious for this. As little care was taken in Nina's frantic attempt to free her friend from the dirty mits of less than desirable ape. In no time had the Snake-girl been thrown into a car, that then sped off with no exact destination in sight. Very little thought had been put ahead into this plan, it was aimless.

Quinn currently remained naked, in the same position as Nina had left her upon throwing her into the backseat of the car. But, things were at work here. In an instant there was a resurgence of life, as life force surged through Quinn's being as she returned to life. Quinn sat up instantly, her eyes drawn wide as she let out an initial gasp for air. Her breathing soon returned to normal, and the chill she felt brought about the realization that she was nude. Of course, Quinn had little recollection of the fight beforehand, and thus could only offer up a quip in jest. "Must've been a good weekend...".