2/2

Pulling the dinner plate from his thigh pouch, Cooper tossed the A-Wall down and slid out, his feet slamming into the far wall, stopping him behind the cover as he fired his MK6 as soon as it had a look on. The gun barked and bucked as guided bullets were sent on their gruesome one way trips as fast as the gun could fire them. In no time, the slide locked back open, the gun empty. Before he could insert a new magazine, a green baseball flew towards him, clearing the A-Wall and bouncing off the wall behind him.

Eyes widening in realization as he stared at the grenade, the Marauder fired his grapple at one poor unfortunate soul down the hall and pulled himself out from behind his cover. His feet slammed into the goon's chest and pinned him to the ground while Cooper calmly reloaded and gunned down the two other thugs still exposed. Instead of turning the gun on the defenseless man pinned beneath him, Cooper grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up as he spun. The grenade went off and filled the back of the human shield with shrapnel before the corpse was discarded.

A door next to suddenly flew open next to him and three more men rushed him, Cooper landed a shot into the firsts gut, but the Pilot was soon driven to the ground, his weapon knocked away. Panicking, Matthew began thrashing, throwing punches and kicks at his three attackers, but as soon as he knocked one back, another took his place. Firing his jump kit, the Renegade was able to scramble back, but he soon had his back to the wall. Left with no other option, the Pilot attacked. He lowered his shoulder and tackled one, quickly rolling off as soon as they hit the floor and deflecting a fist from another with his forearm before throwing a punch of his own.

As much as he wanted, he couldn't open up the distance. He tried, phase shifting again to keep them off balance before he reappeared behind one thug and threw a quick combo, only for him to be knocked forwards and off his feet. Regaining his balance, he rounded and charged his attacker, only to glance off as the thug dodged and Cooper was hit by the third and driven to the floor. He quickly got back to his feet, but he felt lighter all of a sudden. Cooper soon realized why, when he turned, he was staring down the barrel of his own Cold War, the wielder also bearing an evil snarl.

Cooper immediately hurled the pulse blade that buried itself in his shoulder, staggering the man with the stolen weapon. With a savage growl, Matt drew his axe and went at another, who deftly dodged. Activating his STIM, Cooper struck with incredible speed, burying the pick in his stomach before yanking upwards, causing his guts to spill out as he crumpled to the floor.

The Marauder was then surrounded in a sea of blue light and thrown back, the blast shredding his armor and causing his vision to go white as his visor cracked and failed before it could darken. Cooper screamed out in agony, every move was excruciating. He turned to see the first thug, still holding the EM-4, the shoulder where the blade had been blown to bits, the evil smile back as he squeezed the trigger again, the weapon whined as it spooled up, but didn't fire, the sound continued to build until the battered energy gun could take no more, and exploded in an eye watering blue-white display, taking the goon with it.

He wasn't out of the woods yet, the third man took his place, holding Cooper's own Smart Pistol that had been knocked away as the Pilot tried to stand, but immediately felt his legs turn to jello and go out from under him. The lone remaining enforcer walked up, beaten and battered, and pointed the MK6 right at Matthew's head. Cooper couldn't suppress a slight smile from his lips as he pulled the trigger.

Only for nothing to happen.

The man gave the gun a befuddled expression. "It's keyed to me, dumbass" Matt wheezed through haggard breaths as the man sneered and kicked the pilot over onto his back.

The man leered down at him while pressing his full weight down onto Matt's bruised and broken ribs. "That's unfortunate for you, cause it mean's I'm going to have to do this slow" he growled.

Before he could carry out his threat, a grapple hook attached itself to the gun he still stupidly held in his hand and pulled it away. Cooper craned his neck 'up' to look down the hallway at his savior. "I don't think that belongs to you" said Black Cat as she examined the pistol, slowly walking towards the two. "Only few men pack a gun this big" she said with a smile as she got closer before she lashed out, landing a single roundhouse kick that knocked him out cold.

Cooper sneered behind his helmet, the woman who had gotten him into this mess looked down at him, almost concerned. "Thanks for the intel" he said dryly before he coughed, his lung was probably in poor shape too, his entire left side felt as if it was on fire.

"Anytime" she replied before she picked him up and slung an arm around her shoulders and began to carry him towards the window. "We need to get out before the cops take you in, hope you can survive one more fall" she said as she offered him is sidearm back.

The Pilot nodded as he took the weapon, "I'll manage" he said as they reached the window and he fought to keep from blacking out. "I think our first date was better though" he wheezed, noting the small smile on Hardy's face as she fired her grapple at the top of the window frame and looped her free hand around him, the two supporting one another as they descended.

When they finally hit the snow-covered ground, it looked like they would make it, with the police finally recovering, the enforcers were running. Two of them busted out a gate and saw the Marauder and Black Cat and turned to face them.

Bullets peppered the ground and whizzed past them as Hardy half carried, half dragged Cooper into cover, but then Cooper saw a familiar woman step around the corner and raise her pistol. With six quick, precise shots, two to the chest and one to the head of each, Watanabe dispatched both gunmen. "Thanks for the save Captain" managed Cooper. The Pilot had been set down, sitting with his back against the building wall. "Looks like we're even."

Martinez then came up alongside Yuri and both saw Matt's sorry state. "No, I still owe you. You routed these guys" said Yuri as she looked to the burglar. "Thank you," she added sincerely, but Cooper could only nod as Felecia stood. "Now get out of here you two, I'll cover for you, Martinez, go check inside, make sure we got 'em all."

As soon as the Hispanic detective turned, a gunshot echoed through the alley as the fired bullet punched a neat third eye in his forehead, killing him instantly as he fell to the snow. Before the others could react, an arm wrapped around Felecia's neck and a gun pressed to her head. Both Cooper and Watanabe aimed their pistols at Detective Johnson. "Drop them" she ordered, pressing her own gun into Hardy's temple to emphasize her threat.

Both complied, tossing their weapons forwards near the feet of the Detective. "Johnson, what the hell are you doing?" asked a stunned Yuri.

"My job" she spat as she aimed her gun at the cop. "Unlike you captain. Working with vigilantes. We're supposed to be bringing these people in, not giving them free reign" sneered the blonde as she pointed her gun at Yuri.

"Why do you think I told the Kingpin where the Marauder would be tonight? It was him, not you, who wanted to kill that sonofabitch" she declared. "We can't trust these freaks, they're unknown" said Johnson, motioning towards Cooper. "Kingpin and his goons are at least human, but Spider Man? The Marauder? We've seen the shit they've done; they are not human."

Watanabe looked like she was about to blow a blood vessel as she gave the blonde the iciest stare Matt had ever seen. There was a seething cold rage, so much sheer anger, but completely focused. "You" sneered Yuri, "you're the one who tipped off Fisk, the reason good men and women died tonight, all of that for one man?"

"One freak" corrected Johnson. "Kingpin's men promised they could do you in" she said, looking at Matt and shifting her gun to point at the cracked x shaped visor. "Even if they failed, you know what they say. If you can't get a job done right, do it yourself."

Before Johnson could fire, Hardy struck, slamming her elbow into the slightly smaller woman's gut and spinning away. Yuri dove forwards and wrapped her arms around Johnson's waist as she tried to bring her down. Johnson squirmed and managed to stay on her feet, pointing her gun at the Captain. Just as she pulled the trigger, the Black Cat grabber her arm and twisted, meaning her shot missed, only grazing Watanabe's thigh. It was enough to cause her to scream and loosen her grip, getting shaken off while Johnson slugged Hardy, who shrugged off the blow and stubbornly held on to the detective's gun hand.

Cooper, with one leg useless and the other not much better, was forced to claw himself to his discarded Smart Pistol while the three women duked it out. He was finally able to reach out and grab the weapon, raising it and seeing the weapon slowly lock, his battered suit's sensors and cracked visor not helping. "Cat, get down" he managed through strained breaths. The burglar turned to see what he was doing and complied, backflipping away. As soon as she was clear, Cooper took the shot, the guided 9mm round was off aim slightly. The round missed her head and wound up going through her throat, severing an artery, shredding her windpipe, and slicing her spinal cord, meaning Johnson dropped to the alley, one hand clutched to the hole in her throat as she choked and gargled on her own blood before she fell deathly still.

The two women looked at the battered Pilot in a state of shock. "You…you just…" mumbled Hardy as she looked back at the corpse of the detective, a splotch of red recoloring the snow around her neck.

"It was us or her" replied Cooper weakly as he holstered the weapon. "And I'm not dying yet" he said lowly as Hardy nodded and came to help the SRS Pilot up. "Cover this up Captain, say it was all a trap from the beginning. The detectives both died in the line of duty…" said Cooper, the adrenaline fading, his voice tired as he looked down at the two bodies while Hardy wrapped his better arm around her shoulders. "Blame me if you have to, but you need to have your people ready to go."

"Do you really care about her reputation that much? You would sacrifice your own to spare it?" asked a stunned Watanabe as she looked at the cracked, flickering blue visor.

Cooper looked down at the dead detective and snorted. "No, I don't. But we can't waste time with a big internal affairs investigation" ground out Cooper as his vision started to fade. "Because I think this is going to get a lot worse."

With that, the Militia Pilot nodded to the Black Cat, who fired her grapple hook and pulled the two into the night.

When Cooper woke the next morning, the excruciating pain from the injuries he had sustained came back in full force. Wincing as he tried to sit up and failed, he found his chest and left shoulder completely wrapped in tape and bandages. Since he was only in his boxers, he could tell his legs got similar treatment, having been set and bandaged. His breathing was still labored, but better than he remembered it, so his lung is still in bad shape too. To the side of his bed he saw his gear, or what was left of it. It looked like a complete loss, at the very least it would need serious work.

Only then did he turn his attention to his surroundings. He was in an unfamiliar place; the luxurious bedroom was larger than his own. The coloring was more tasteful as well, with an absence of his flags that hung on the walls, that of his home state and the famous 'Come and Take It' flag. Instead of Hardy's painting, there were post-modernist pieces that Cooper couldn't look at for more than a few moments before he felt his brain cells commit suicide.

If there was any doubt about where he was, it was obliterated when a platinum haired seductress strutted in in a bath robe that barely covered her ample chest and only went halfway down her thighs. In her hands she held two steaming mugs, offering one to the Pilot as she sat down on top of the bed. Cooper took a sip of the hot tea as he looked at Hardy's elegant features in profile. There was a small smirk on her face, "see something you like?" she asked softly.

Cooper laughed for a second before wincing, clutching his bandaged ribs. "Not on the walls..." he replied with a smirk of his own. It soon fell away as he wanted to press on to business. "About last night…"

"I'm sorry," replied the thief nearly instantly. When she saw the questioning look on his face, her lips formed into a frown. "I was the one who tipped off the police, and that bitch informed Kingpin" she said apologetically. "The best laid plans of mice and men, and cats too…"

She stopped when Cooper placed a placating and on her shoulder. "Thanks…thanks for telling me" he said simply, knowing it wouldn't be enough. His own head was spinning, his assumption at the time was that she was working for Fisk but dismissed that when she saved him. Her explanation made sense as he thought about it, part of him was happy to hear that she hadn't intended what had happen. He wasn't afraid to admit he was starting to like the woman, there was a lot to like about her, but she did things differently and he wasn't one for games. "Though I gotta give it to ya, not a bad plan with what you knew. I wouldn't've minded helping" he added dryly.

"You're not mad?" said Hardy as she turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "I nearly got you killed."

Matthew smiled weakly, "All this?" he asked, gesturing to the myriad bandages on his body, "I should be thanking you, chicks dig scars," he said cockily, causing the Cat to shake her head. "I'm not mad, at least, I don't think so. I just point and shoot, way I see it...I don't get to judge anyone." It was easy for him to admit that, he wasn't going to be able to outsmart her, or play her game. "I should be mad, right? You almost got me killed, but the truth is I know when someone is trying to kill me. A lot have," he admitted, "what you did? I hope that if you were trying to kill me...then someone as smart as you could come up with something better than that." He managed to crack a smirk as she looked down at him with wide eyes. "Though, I would appreciate if you would refrain from using me as bait in the future without telling me first," he drawled with a lazy grin.

She nodded absent mindedly and turned away, almost seeming to zone out as she stared blankly out the window. "What's wrong?" he asked, causing her to jerk herself from her trance and look back at him. "Something's bothering you, right?"

Felicia nodded and let out a breath, slumping slightly, an oddity considering her usual, regal, posture. "Last night…I've seen the results of Rhino or Electro, but that…was terrifying. People dying in the streets, gunned down, you…just executing that woman. I heard about how you operated, but to see it up close…."

Cooper placed his hand on her exposed leg while hanging his head in shame. Typhon had normalized what he did, at least to him. But seeing Hardy's reaction reminded him that nothing about what he did was normal. When he pulled his hand back, he felt a smaller one take hold of it. "I…I won't deny what I've done. I don't regret it either, none of it," he admitted quietly, "It's why I'm not going to judge you. What I do? It's not moral, it's not just, hell, it's not even right. But if Typhon taught me anything, it's that when a situation is do or die, then you'll do just about anything."

He looked up to the curious look she was giving him, he could guess what she was wondering. "Typhon was where…where I became what I am. I had to become a relentless, remorseless killer, because, if I didn't, then I would have died on that godforsaken rock." He worked his jaw as he pondered his next words carefully. How the hell was he supposed to try and explain what had happened to him? And why to the woman who had, by her own admission, betrayed him? Though that second question was far easier to answer; he might not have been able to call the burglar a friend, but after BT she was the closest he had. That only left the how, but after a moment he decided to throw caution to the wind and come out and say it. "Felicia, that detour I mentioned? It was through a different dimension, the far future. Spaceships and the final frontier, the whole nine yards."

The room was silent for a moment. Hardy looked straight at the Pilot, scrutinizing every one of his features. "You're not lying, are you?" she asked, almost in disbelief. Cooper shook his head, meeting her gaze and able to see the cogs in her mind turn as she processed everything. "So why are you here?"

Cooper tried to shrug before instantly regretting his hasty decision. "Fate? Chance? Dumb fucking luck? Hell if know honestly," he replied, almost exasperated. "All I know is I just had to try and play hero one more time. Save the day, get the girl, ride off into the sunset. Instead I got thrown to a different universe and hav to start from scratch" again he added mentally, his tone bitter.

"Look on the bright side," said Hardy, causing Matt to have to fight to not roll his eyes, "you still might get the girl" she added with her evilly seductive smirk before standing. She walked over to the dresser and pulled out a fresh pair of sweatpants and matching sweatshirt and placed them on the bed. "What are you going to do now? Try your hand at hero again?"

With great effort, Matthew managed to sit up and swing his legs over the side and began to put on the shirt, wincing at the pain. "Something like that," he answered distractedly as he thought about that question himself. "Right now, I need to get back to my place. Don't suppose you could help me get a ride?"

Felecia crossed her arms, bringing one hand up and tapped her chin with her finger, appearing deep in thought. "I could, but on one condition." Cooper just stared blankly at her. "I'm coming with you."

Matthew sighed as she went back to her arms crossed position. "I don't suppose this is up for negotiation?" he suggested lamely. His only response was a 'what do you think?' expression from Hardy before the Pilot sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine."

Felicia looked at Matthew as he stared out the window of the chauffeured Audi A8 sedan, watching as they left the island and got closer to his hideout. He hadn't spoken since he agreed to let her come with him. It was clear he was still deep in his own thoughts, and she was content to let him be. Hardy was still trying to figure her own out as well.

After she had carried him back to her penthouse he had immediately passed out on the couch. Doctor Benson, the woman she had on speed dial to treat her when she sustained injuries, was called and came over with her usual punctuality. The grey market Doctor had treated the Marauder with no hesitation and confirmed something that surprised the cat burglar.

The Marauder was human. Not superhuman, not a mutant, not even any cybernetics, the vigilante was a completely normal human. Seeing the level of injury he had sustained beneath his armor only confirmed this. In Hardy's mind that only made the man even crazier. Unfortunately for the both of them, she liked crazy.

"Here's good" said Cooper suddenly to the driver suddenly brought the big sedan to a graceful stop and the Marauder opened the door. Taking that as her cue, Hardy got out and slung the bag containing his ruined gear that he insisted come with them. The pair slowly approached the dilapidated looking warehouse, Cooper supporting himself with an ornate walking stick that she had stolen and given to him.

Hardy began reflexively casing the area and noticed subtle differences since the last time she had visited. Concealed sensors and cameras were around as well, though she didn't doubt she could get passed them, their presence unnerved her nonetheless. "BT, it's me, open up!" called Cooper suddenly.

The doors to the warehouse opened enough to let the pair in as the lights kicked on. Hardy could see the shelves packed with neatly laid out weapons and equipment plainly visible. As soon as they walked inside, the doors closed behind them, the scale of the armory apparent, though the shelves didn't extend across the whole space. Before Felecia could ask why, a new, unexpected voice startled her. "It is good to have you back Pilot" said a deep, mechanical voice. "What is your status?" asked the unknown.

"Down but not out BT" replied Cooper as he continued forwards with a limp and Hardy followed him until he rounded a corner and her jaw dropped. "But we've got our work cut out for us."

The massive hulking machine swiveled its singular blue eye towards the two. "Affirmative Pilot Cooper. NYPD are still actively searching for you at hospitals and healthcare centers. It is reported that you have sustained a high amount of injuries."

Hardy stepped back a half step as she looked up and down the massive black machine, the mess of wires coming from the framework around the vaguely humanoid robot. Two arms, two legs, with orange around the knee, ankle, and elbow joints. There was a single eye at the center of the torso that turned to her. "What…what is that?" she managed.

Instead of Cooper answering her, he went over to a locker and pulled out a kit. "Greetings Felicia Hardy" said the machine, the blue eye rotating inquisitively and blinking in time with its speech. "I am Militia Vanguard Class Titan BT-7274, linked to Pilot Matthew Cooper of the Special Recon Squadron. You may call me BT."

"Uh…hello BT" stammered Hardy as she tried to process what she was seeing.

Cooper chuckled from a nearby cabinet, where he had removed his shirt and jammed a needle into his side, wincing as he depressed the plunger. "He may not be the most sociable guy out there, hell, he makes me look downright outgoing, but he's a good friend, my best friend."

"Did you make him?" she asked suddenly.

Before Matthew could reply, BT answered. "I was not created by Pilot Cooper. This chassis was produced on the Militia planet Harmony. I linked with then Rifleman Matthew Cooper on the planet Typhon 29 days ago" deadpanned the Titan.

"Longest lasting friend I've got left" provided Cooper dryly as he put his shirt back on and hobbled back alongside Hardy. "BT, show Felecia Typhon…start with the pursuit of the Draconis" he said after a moment of thought, looking almost wistful.

"Pilot" replied the machine, almost scolding. "All information regarding Special Operation 217 is still classified under…"

"Overruled" stated Cooper, his voice just as hard as the machines. "BT, that woman is the reason you still have a pilot. I don't give a flying fuck about Militia rules when they're a few dimensions away."

The eye blinked a few times before finally resting on Cooper, who nodded. "Understood" conceded the Titan as he began to project something onto the opposite wall, an image that looked to be from a helmet cam, the man looking out from the side of a flying craft with a rocket launcher resting on his shoulder.

"Get comfy, this was a good one" said Matt, a tinge of pride as he limped over to the machine and sat down, his back resting against one of the metal legs. Hardy followed and sat next to him, leaning gingerly into his less injured shoulder.

"This is Commander Sarah Briggs" announced a commanding voice in the recording. "We have to recover the Ark! The IMC are taking it to the Fold Weapon aboard the Draconis. All ships, flank speed, we have to hit them hard and fast. Briggs out." Felecia watched as she realized that the object in the lower half of the screen was a massive ship, at least judging by the mountains it was flying past.

The two watched as Cooper leapt from ship to ship, tore through the IMC soldiers manning the gun batteries of the Malta, met the 6-4, and battled the flying titan driver, Viper. Felecia stared only in stunned amazement at what he had done on Typhon and the incredible experience of seeing what the man next to her had experienced from his point of view during one of his most heart pounding missions. She saw the Pilot and Titan go down with the ship after securing the arc, watched as they got captured and were forced to give up the Ark before they made their final charge on the Fold Weapon. At the end of it she turned to the Marauder and only had one thing to say.

"You weren't lying."

The Pilot merely chuckled.

Cooper's Logbook – Launcher: EM-4 Cold War

Second in rarity only to the MK6 Smart Pistol, the EM-4 is the premier devastation dispenser on the Frontier. Unlike most weapons, this launches metal encased chemical pellets. The 'barrel' is a linear accelerator that also charges the chemical and metal coating, this destabilizes the projectile and gives it its distinct blue glow. The firing system is electronically controlled instead of mechanical, so the four pellets in a burst come out blindingly quick to saturate an area with explosives. The name comes from two different traits; the cooling system needed to keep the weapon functioning since simply venting the heat would probably burn the hand of the wielder. On top of that, the detonation is an endothermic reaction, meaning that it causes frostbite instead of burns.

Of course, getting frostbite is depending on whoever's unlucky enough to be on the receiving end surviving the initial barrage. And even if they do, I have three more on tap.

Log – Light Machine Gun: X-55 Devotion

Few guns offer raw firepower and versatility like the Devotion. This experimental electronically operated weapon is a screwball of a gun. Like its 'little brother' the Volt SMG, the X-55 fires experimental rounds where the projectile is relatively normal, but instead of gunpowder the 'case' is a small battery that charges the battery inside the weapon to keep it functioning. The coating that keeps the projectile attached to the battery is burned up as the linear accelerator launches the slug to supersonic speeds and it burning up due to friction is what gives the rounds their distinct blue tracer.

But that isn't the first thing you notice when you pull the trigger, that would be the weapons…unique firing characteristics. The gun 'spools up' to its full output level of 900 rounds per minute, but the first few rounds come out so very slowly. As a result I have a love/hate relationship with this thing, depending on if I appreciate the ability to easily squeeze of aimed single shots or if I am in a full on panic situation and want to spray and pray right now. If I do get the gun up to its maximum rate of fire then the thing is a meat chopper and offers more firepower than any non-launcher type weapon.

But holy shit is the thing is long, unwieldy, hard to handle, and can really kick like a mule, but when you need all of the firepower…accept no substitutes.

Closing notes: As I said up top, I really like this chapter, it is certainly my favorite thus far. The massive shootout came out almost exactly how I imagined it and I think it's a cool fight that bumps up the scale. We also get to see the result of Felecia's four dimensional chess skills and see her make a mistake and have something not go exactly as she foresaw. She is also the first to learn about Cooper's past and meet BT, though she won't be the last.

If you were wondering the mission is called 'The Ark' if you want to watch it on YouTube. It's not 'That mission' but it is probably the most epic. It also features the greatest boss fight in the entire game, "Your journey ends here pilot, the skies belong to me, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide" because "Viper's got you in the pipe, five by five."

I also included the radio conversation from Die Hard because it is awesome. John McClane was an influence on Cooper's personality when writing and Kingpin has the refined intelligence to play Hans Gruber. I really couldn't resist using this bit and I think it fit in quite nicely.

This is also the longest chapter yet by far, but while the last few sections could have been shifted to the next chapter that one has a defined problem of its own and that option would have only killed the pacing. Especially since its seconds out...round two.

And in that next chapter our heroes learn that you can't fight the Friction.

Stay frosty, Misfit Delta out.