"I have the beast, General." said the robot
"Very good, Sergeant." said General Evil "How was the flight over?" He mockingly asked Sawyer who growled in response.
"I know that you understand what I am saying, but I can't understand you." said the General "Not a problem. I prefer to do the talking around here anyways."
Sawyer made a rude gesture with his paws.
'You understood that, didn't you?' he thought to himself
"Disobedient." said General Evil "But that will change."
"Bring him with us, Sergeant. Let's show this beast his new home."
Sawyer glanced around the abandoned building as he was carried around by the robot. General Evil explained what the various floors and rooms were for as they went. It appeared to be an old abandoned train station. The first room Sawyer saw was very large and filled with robots, all standing in formation. Just like the ones he and Ryan had destroyed in Romoskovia. The next room was just as big, but instead of completed robots, an assembly line was making more.
"You and your pathetic friend made such a mess of my last army, I was forced to make more." explained General Evil "Not to worry, though. You'll make it up to me soon enough."
Finally, General Evil showed Sawyer a smaller room with just one robot being put together. Sawyer was surprised to see this robot's features. It wasn't like the others...
"This is why you are here, beast." said the General "I will have many more of these built later and you will command them."
Sawyer felt uneasy. He could never command a robot army to destroy innocent people, but General Evil seemed sure that he would, anyways. Then the General took a metal collar from out of his pocket.
"I want to give you this collar, beast, as a way to... convince you to cooperate." said General Evil as he approached Sawyer
Sawyer struggled as hard as he could to free himself, but it was no use. The robot held him down even tighter as the General put the collar around his neck. Then, the robot released him. Sawyer made his move. He ran away as fast as he could, glancing back to see if he was being chased. To his surprise, General Evil was laughing. Suddenly, he slowed down and stopped. Sawyer tried to keep going, but his body wouldn't listen.
"What has he done?" thought Sawyer
Then Sawyer's mind started to cloud over. He couldn't even think for himself.
"Come here, beast." said General Evil
Sawyer turned and walked back to the General, then sat beside him. General Evil showed Sawyer a picture of Ryan and Annie.
"These are your enemies, beast. You will hate them." said the General
Sawyer looked at the picture and tried to fight it. How could he hate Ryan and Annie? All those good times, they had... then Sawyer growled at the picture. He felt uncontrollable rage as he grabbed the picture with his mouth and shredded it. If he ever saw Ryan again, he would destroy him upon command of his new master, General Evil.
* * * * *
Ryan loaded his shotgun and Sawyer's rifle into the back of their Malibu. The car wasn't finished yet, but it ran great. It just needed a coat of paint, but they hadn't decided what color to paint it. Ryan climbed in and started the engine, then pressed a button to reverse the car. He and Sawyer had decided to take out the steering wheel and pedals and replace them with a video game controller, so Sawyer could drive if needed. According to Barney's instructions, Sawyer was being held at Michigan Central Station in Detroit. It was an old abandoned train station; the perfect hideout for General Evil.
After a few hours of driving, Ryan arrived at the abandoned building. It was eerily quiet around the old train station. Ryan knelt down next to the fence that surrounded the building and began cutting a hole big enough to fit through. After cutting the hole, he carefully made his way to the entrance of the building and inside. He kept close to the walls, trying to stay in the shadows. Debris littered the floor, making it difficult to walk quietly. Ryan walked down a long hallway and slowly opened the first door he found. Inside, he found many of General Evil's robots all lined up in formation. He closed the door, then made his way to the next. Behind that door was an assembly line, making more robots. Ryan closed the door and continued down the hall. The next door he opened revealed a smaller room with only an empty table in the middle. Then Ryan saw Sawyer's collar on the ground. He picked it up and put it in his pack, then continued down the hall. At the end of the hall, was an open area with pillars holding up the ceiling. Just as Ryan stepped inside, a door slammed behind him, locking him in! Then General Evil revealed himself. He was standing behind a ticket counter, holding a microphone.
"So glad you came, Ryan." said General Evil "You saved me a trip to your pathetic home."
"Where's Sawyer?" Ryan demanded
"He's with me." said the General "And I don't believe he is interested in being rescued."
Sawyer stood up from behind the counter. As soon as he saw Ryan, he growled and barked, trying to claw through the glass to get after him.
"Sawyer? It's me..." said Ryan, confused by Sawyer's hostility "What did you do to him!?" asked Ryan
"I told you, he is not interested in being rescued." said General Evil "But since you are here, perhaps you would like to meet my... other pet?"
A door across the room opened slowly, then out stepped a robot dog. It looked like Sawyer, but was made of dark metal. The Mecha-Sawyer stood on it's back legs and waited.
"Meet my newest creation!" said General Evil "I call him, MAX. Multi-Arms Exterminator. He is the first of many, and your beast will command them for me."
"He'll never command an army for you!" said Ryan
"He will, but you won't live to see it." said General Evil "MAX, kill the intruder."
MAX's eyes glowed red as it activated. It found Ryan and aimed it's front paws at him. His paws dropped down, revealing machine gun muzzles. Ryan ran for cover just as MAX fired at him. He hid behind a pillar and checked to see that his shotgun was loaded. Seeing it was, he side stepped the pillar and hit MAX with a round of buckshot. The bullets hit their target, but had no affect as they bounced off.
"You can't stop him, fool!" General Evil laughed
"Sawyer! Help me!" said Ryan
Sawyer continued to watch the battle as Ryan dove back behind the pillar. MAX approached the pillar and opened it's mouth. Ryan peeked around the pillar and saw a small flame inside MAX's mouth. Suddenly, a huge flame surged out of MAX's mouth, hitting the pillar. Ryan could feel the heat increasing around him as the flame thrower in MAX's mouth burned the pillar. Ryan picked up a brick from the floor and threw it to the side. MAX saw the brick, stopped the flame and fired his guns at it. Ryan used this chance to run to another pillar, arriving just as MAX realized his error and fired at Ryan. Ryan fired at MAX a second time and again the bullets did nothing.
"This isn't going to work." thought Ryan "Maybe if I could get a shot inside it's mouth, but I can't get close enough without it shooting the flamethrower."
MAX fired the flamethrower at the pillar again. As soon as MAX stopped, Ryan charged. He got behind the robot dog before it could turn around, wrapped an arm around it's neck and held it's mouth shut with his free hand. MAX struggled to open it's mouth and point it's guns at Ryan, but he couldn't reach behind. Ryan couldn't let go or else MAX would fire his flamethrower and burn Ryan's arm.
"Give up, fool!" said General Evil "You can't win!"
"Sawyer!" said Ryan "I'm sorry I made you leave!"
Sawyer listened, but did not respond. Deep in his mind, he struggled for control, but the collar prevented his free will.
"Help me, Sawyer!" said Ryan "We'll watch hockey again! We'll order pizza!"
Sawyer shook his head slightly, as he almost gained control, but the collar overpowered him.
'I can't believe I'm going to do this...' thought Ryan
"Remember your favorite song?" said Ryan "Friday night and the lights are low. Looking out for the place to go..."
Sawyer remembered that song. He used to sing it all the time when he was alone. He first heard it on TV during a commercial for greatest hits from the 70's, but who was this guy singing it?
"Anybody could be that guy!" Ryan sang as he struggled with MAX "Night is young and the music's high!"
'That's Ryan.' thought Sawyer 'He's singing my favorite song. He hates that song, why is he singing it?'
Sawyer was starting to overcome the collar as Ryan continued.
"You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen!" Ryan sang
'Why is Ryan fighting with that robot dog and... why am I standing next to General Evil?' thought Sawyer
Then he remembered everything. He stepped behind General Evil and removed the collar as the General cheered for MAX. General Evil glanced back just as Sawyer broke the metal collar over the General's head, knocking him out. Sawyer hurried out of the ticket booth to help Ryan.
"See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen!" said Ryan as he saw Sawyer charging "Finally! Either kill me or help me! I don't care anymore!"
Sawyer grabbed Ryan's shotgun and pointed it at MAX's face.
"Open it's mouth!" said Sawyer
Ryan let up on his grip as MAX opened his mouth. Before it could react, Sawyer shoved the barrel of the shotgun into MAX's mouth and fired, knocking MAX and Ryan back. MAX's eyes flashed, then went out.
"Sawyer, you're back!" said Ryan as he climbed to his feet.
"I'm sorry, it was the collar." said Sawyer "Nice singing though..."
"You had better not tell anyone!" said Ryan
"General Evil is in the ticket booth!" said Sawyer "Let's get him!"
Ryan and Sawyer ran into the ticket booth, but General Evil was gone.
"He got away!" said Sawyer "We'll never catch him in the truck."
"I didn't bring the truck." said Ryan "Let's go! We still have a chance."
They ran outside and jumped in the car.
"I'm driving!" said Sawyer
"There he is!" said Ryan as he pointed at General Evil who was climbing into a jeep.
Sawyer mashed the gas button and steered the car towards the jeep. Ryan reloaded his shotgun and leaned out the car window as Sawyer closed in on General Evil.
"Hit him!" said Ryan
Sawyer rammed the jeep and revved the powerful engine. General Evil looked back in surprise as Ryan fired his shotgun, shattering the back window.
"Get me along side him!" said Ryan
Sawyer increased the speed and got Ryan next to the jeep. General Evil swerved towards them, causing Ryan to duck inside the car. General Evil hit them, but Sawyer kept control of the car.
"Finish that prick off!" said Sawyer
Ryan leaned out and fired a round into two of the General's tires. General Evil struggled to control his vehicle.
"Hit him again!" said Ryan
Sawyer turned hard and hit the General's jeep, causing it to flip over and roll down the highway. Sawyer stopped the car.
"Is he dead?" asked Sawyer
"I don't know." said Ryan "He's hurt, that's for sure."
Just then, one of General Evil's flying robots landed next to the jeep, ripped the door off, grabbed the General and flew away.
"Dang it." said Sawyer "I don't suppose this car can fly?"
Ryan shook his head.
"Let's go home, Sawyer" said Ryan
* * * * *
That night, Ryan, Annie and Sawyer went to Starbucks and relaxed on the patio seating.
"So the car runs good, then?" asked Annie
"Yeah, it's really fast." said Ryan "Not too good on gas, but really fast."
"What color are you going to paint it?" asked Annie
"I think we're going to leave it as it is for now." said Ryan
"Primer?" said Annie
"I've seen worse." said Ryan
Annie stood up to get a refill as Sawyer leaned over to talk to Ryan.
"Do you think General Evil will come back again?" Sawyer asked
"Yup. I'm sure of it." said Ryan "But I'm also sure that when he finds us, he'll have one heck of a fight on his hands."
