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Voices。 Something about 〃I'm sure I got him。 Switch on the lights。〃
Rock smiled； and froze in place。 He was just a dozen feet from the voice； he could make it there in the dark。。。
He threw himself forward； swinging the deadly baton in an arc； intending to smash anything it encountered； and hit the soft Morris chair； not a man。 He knew it the minute the baton demolished the plastic…and…fiber affair。 And the lights came on； blinding。 He spun and dove behind a cabinet。 He peered over it。
There stood Bdos and his two henchmen； the martial arts masters known as Nunchaku…man and Dedman。 Bbos held his familiar bullwhip in his left hand； coiling it tighter。 Nunchaku…man took the twin sticks of death from his waistband and smiled a toothsome grin of evil。 Dedman's implacable huge face was enigmatic as he stood like a straight robot； holding his spear in the left hand； his other hand on the handle of his sword。
〃We will see if you are as powerful a fighter as I suspect by your courage； Rockson。 We will test you one at a time。 Each one a fair fight。 Prepare to die； intruder from the dark realm。〃
Nunchaku…man stepped forward； the first of the movements that would e to render him dead。 The man slowly began to circle to the left。 Rockson kept his distance。 The man took out his two sticks of steel linked by a chain。 He was starting to swing it over his head。 An opening move； tentative。 Nunchaku against baton and balisong knife。 Well； so be it。 The huge man didn't know Rock had the knife。 It wasn't very obvious； tucked into his waistband。 It would be his little surprise。
The knife was a versatile instrument of death。 And the bolt…baton was not without its own virtues。 Reach was not a virtue of either； though。 Rockson had to get Nunchaku…man to move in close； or get handily defeated。
Rockson had trained in the use of the baton for many months in Century City。 It was one of the standard martial arts weapons most Freefighters carried。 But he'd never faced a man with skill in nunchaku manipulation with the baton。 The balisong he had used in mock bat against multiple 〃attackers〃 in the Century City gym。 Just a test of skill； a feat that showed the potential of the weapon。 Now he was in real bat； against three attackers。 He doubted the other two； hanging back now； wouldn't join in if they could help their monstrous buddy。
A baton and a balisong against nunchaku； sword； spear； and bullwhip。 One man against three towering sadistic genetic monsters。
〃Piggy…face want some action？〃 taunted the intruder…from…the…surface。 〃Or is Piggy…face man afraid of me？〃 Rockson thought the taunt too simple； but Nunchaku…man responded with anger。 And anger makes one too impulsive。 The worst thing to be in a fight to the death。
Rockson let his attacker make the first move。 The snarling mass of exomorphic madness stepped into Rockson's defensive circle。 He held the nunchaku by one stick； swung the other over his head and then forward with a whoosh； intending to break Rockson's cranium to shards。
Rockson brought his baton up。 The steel rod； by the flick of a recessed button； suddenly exploded out from both ends； to three times its ten…inch length。 The extended weapon met the nunchaku chain。 The stick intended to smash Rock's skull swished by his nose several times in an instant。 Rock had entangled the man's weapon for good。
Now Rockson； taking either end of the long baton in his steely grip； pulled with all the tensile strength his mutant muscles could deliver。 He twisted to the side； yanked his attacker past him。 Then Rock made him pay for his anger。
Any ordinary knife； even a huge bowie； would have been useless in this situation。 The balisong； an ancient dual…handled butterfly knife of Filipino design； could be quickly drawn and opened。 Rockson let go of one end of the baton； continuing to sweep his opponent past。 Nunchaku…man wasn't bright enough to let go of his now useless； entangled weapon and roll away。 He struggled。
Rock used his free hand to pull the balisong from his belt crosshand； and with the same hand opened it。
Then he delivered the blade into the back of the man's skull； slicing into the spinal cord with a sickening snap； and twisting the thin cold blade。 The blood ozzed out the open wound as the body sagged。
The cries of encouragement from the other two fighters became that of startled outrage now。 One of their finest was gone within the flash of an eye。 They could hardly believe it； judging from their wide eyes and their backing off a few feet。
Just enough pause in the action for Rockson to slip the baton from the nunchakus and get ahold of the dead enemy's weapon of choice。
Then the remaining two recovered from their shock。
〃Lucky shot；〃 Dedman snarled； sliding the gleaming broadsword from his scabbard； throwing his spear to the side。 〃Our friend was unaware you had the knife； and we're not。〃
〃You're wele to e and join him in hell；〃 Rockson taunted。 He smoothly snapped the butterfly knife's blade back into the handle and slipped it into his waistband。 He swung his newly acquired nunchakas so rapidly the whooshing sound blotted out the shout of 〃Killll；〃 that Dedman made as he charged at him。
Rockson's response was a fluid single movement； stepping to the side； dangling the nunchaku sticks at his side； redrawing his balisong from his waistband。 Dedman wanted him to raise the sticks： the overwhelming overhead swing of his massive weapon would meet the chain of Rockson's weapon and snap it and cut through the intruders head。
But always do the unexpected； Chen had taught。
Rock kept the knife closed。 He jabbed at his attacked neck with the handle； smashing the blunt hardness inches deep in the pressure point exactly midway between the Adam's apple and the jugular vein of the swordsman as the blade clanked； sparks flying； against the hard floor tiles。 Rockson did this maneuver instinctively； sensing rather than seeing where his opponent's neck was … a trick of ninjutsu he'd learned well from Chen。
It would have killed any normal man； but the peculiar exoskeletal structure of Dedman's mutated skeleton； just under his skin and thicker than normal； merely fractured。 He rolled and stood up； screaming in pain； but he was alive。
And mad as hell。
It worked once； so why not again： 〃Here； piggy。 Piggy； piggy；〃 Rock taunted。 〃e to my slaughter…house。〃
Dedman was wracked with pain； the blood from the blow that nearly had killed him coursed down his forehead； warm and sticky。 But he had survived。 And now he would change strategies； control his anger and attack a new way。
He shot an eye toward Bdos Err； who understood。 Bdos had retrieved the spear and now he threw it to Dedman。 Dedman caught it in his free hand and smiled crookedly … he only showed hints of emotion in battle； otherwise nothing moved him。 Now； tasting his own blood on his lips； he approached the strange man； the one who fought so unpredictably。 Dedman got into a crouch。 The sword。。。 This time he would use a sideward swing； avoid the nunchaku the intruder was now swinging over his head。 Avoid it by blocking it with the steel spear。
It was all over for the surface dweller。
Rockson threw the balisong with deadly accuracy。 The blade stuck deep in the cruel heart of Dedman。 The seven…inch blade； thrown with unerring accuracy； was so thin that it had done what Rock prayed it would do … split the bone shield under Dedman's slimy skin。 And it had； sliding in to cut the aorta。 The sword fell from the meaty hand that held it； clattering to the ground。
Dedman now lived up to his name。
〃Sorry to be so unsportsmanlike；〃 Rockson said； 〃but time is a…wasting。〃
One opponent now。 The most deadly。 Bdos circled to the left。 He had his bullwhip out。 The main event。
With a sinking heart； the Doomsday Warrior stood to face this challenge with the knowledge that it was probably too late to stop Stafford by now。 At least two minutes had expired； enough time for Stafford to have escaped … with Factor Q。 In just a few more minutes； he would make it to the probeshaft and fire it up to the surface。
Rockson shouted； 〃Bdos； here's a little knife for you too；〃 and made like he was throwing something。
Bdos ducked the imaginary knife； shielding his eyes for a second … enough time for Rock to yank the balisong from its bloody home in Dedman's chest。
God； it was stuck in good。 He barely made it。
Rock had grown attached to the slender weapon in this fight。 It had accounted for two deaths； why not a third？ As Chen stated often： Always fight with the weapon you are most skilled with … if possible。
But Rockson added； as he saw what was ing； But don't get hung up on digging it out of a dead man。
SWWOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHH。 The long lash of the bullwhip sailed out； and wrapped around Rock's legs so fast that he was spun off his feet and dragged across the floor in a mere fraction of a second。 A second swoosh and a surprise shorter whip tore a red line across the Doomsday Warrior's back as he rolled； trying to unravel himself。 The lash tore off his shirt。
Rock took advantage of his closeness to the attacker to jab with the balisong。 He hit metal armor。 Shit。
Rockson spun himself out of the grip of the bullwhip's cord before the second blow from the shorter whip struck。
He needed cover … and dove to get behind a cabinet。 The whiplash came again； more accurately。 The long leather cord sang through the air so quickly that Rockson was struck in middive。 The long； snakelike thing caught him in the ankles and wrapped around them so tight that Rockson was stop…motioned and pulled down hard onto the floor。 Bdos； with incredible strength； pulled the whip back toward him； with Rockson entrapped in its grip。 Feet first； the Doomsday Warrior was headed toward death。
Using a ninja trick； making himself into a tight ball； the axis of which was his imprisoned ankles； he spun ten times to the side like a whirlwind。 He was free … for now。
He quickly recovered； snapped open his body； and leapt to the side … too late to avoid the tip of the long whipcord slashing a red gouge across his forehead。 His eyes became obscured by blood。 The whipcord's steel tip had missed them by mere inches。 And then again； and again； the whip cracked the stillness。 And Rockson rolled and rolled； like a mad dervish。
He found the baton。 The whipcord sailed out again。 Rock held the baton above his head。
The cord wrapped around the baton … and Rockson's wrist。 The pain was intense。 But he endured it。 He held on as a mighty tug tried to free the whipcord。 Blood pulsed out of torn cartilage on his wrist。 Blood oozed down from his forehead into his eyes。 The pain in a dozen parts of his steel…muscled bronze body was agonizing。 But he held on。 He had not only his own life at stake。 The whole world depended on the next few seconds of this terror。
And Rockson； knowing the additional pain it would create； still forced himself to roll for his attacker； holding onto the long bullwhip cord。
He had to get this over with。
The smaller whip snapped out its message of ultimate pain； hitting the Doomsday Warrior in the groin。 The blow was partly … but only partly … ameliorated by the metal zipper of his pants。 The pain was unbearable yet had to be endured。
The shorter cord struck his face； slashing a gouge across his cheek。 Dimly； through the blood in his bleary eyes； Rockson could see the look of triumph on Bdos Err's countenance。
Bdos struck again at Rock's face。 And the Doomsday Warrior； always unorthodox； snagged the second whipcord in his teeth； and bit hard onto it。 He held on and got to his feet。 Twisting like a top； he spun now； ramming his skull into the man's face。
His tormentor oomphed as his nose cracked； and as Rock raised his face before the man； he knew Bdos could take less pain than he could deliver。 He was shaken。
Rock took the sheathed knife from Bdos Err's belt； used all his might to lift up one of Bdos Err's arms； and slammed the blade in toward the one spot on his massive chest area that the armor didn't cover … the space in the armor under the armpit。 Pain drove him like no other incentive to destroy this man； this last fearsome obstacle to the pursuit of Stafford。
It was over； the look in his eyes told the story。 Waning life。 The strength of the man