Chapter 234: Just Keep Running
"The fuck's Pilar gotten off to?" Christy grouses as she stares at her rat-kebab.
Rebecca shrugs, "Ori sent him off to grab Maine, about time too. There's only so much time a gal can spend in caves."
"Where's Ori then?" Christy questions.
"Still checkin' up on Luce'. Didn't anyone ever tell ya' not to pull a Runner's plug while they're in deep?"
"No... That kinda stuff never came up while touring and singing... H-how long will she be out for?"
"Who knows, I heard if it's more than a week she's probably a goner. 'Ego got ate by a Daemon' or whatever the nerds say... Ah, that's them," she points out as Ori and Falco make their way over.
"Before you ask, I'm not really sure but I think she'll be okay." he sighs, "Sasha would know what to do... For now we'll stick around until she wakes up, Christy, you still good to get prepped?"
She nods, "Yeah, go out, grab a truck and caravan, supplies, etc, then grab you guys."
"Why is her ass not on the bounty list again...?" Falco questions.
"Cuz' it's Aliya who spread it. Probably had it set up to get sent out if she died, since Christy was 'with her' she wasn't on it." Ori shrugs, "Pilar still not back?"
Rebecca shakes her head, "Nah, was just thinking of grabbing him." she stands and brushes herself off.
"Right, Christy, take the Eds and get started, David'll stay with Lucy. Falco, come on with us, hopefully we won't run into any more mole-men." Ori orders.
"Okay, boss..." Christy sighs.
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Ori, Rebecca, and Falco head off to find Pilar and Maine, but their search soon becomes ominous when the stench of blood reaches Ori and the others. The smell of gunpowder was also evident, but not as pronounced as it should be, meaning it was at least ten hours old.
The blood though? That only stunk if it was rotting or fresh, which had the group speeding up their march. Soon enough, they find the cavern, a cave with a low ceiling and limited entrances, perfect for an ambush.
Judging by the bodies strewn about the place, Maine stayed here to ward off the mole men... The Corps couldn't really enter the caves, so they'd started rumours that he and his crew had stolen a shit load of gold, along with hiring people to help the search.
The hunters weren't really hard to deal with, it was just annoying with how many they were. Not that they could make use of their numbers in the caves. It was like a conveyor belt, people shuffling to their doom against a firing line.
In the middle of the room, the trio spotted Maine just standing there, head up and staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Maine?" Ori tentatively asks.
...
"Maine, where's my bro!?" Rebecca loudly asks after the man's lack of response.
...
Maine looks down from the roof and at them, expression numb as something falls out of his hand... An empty bottle of Immunosuppressants... "W-whaddya talking about...? He's sittin' right over there. Sleepin' or somethin'" he waves his hand at the half-headless corpse near the wall.
Rebecca gasps and runs over while Falco and Ori turn grave, both refusing to put their backs to the large merc.
"BRO!?" she shouts, pushing him to sit forward which reveals his collapsed skull, "BRO! DON'T YOU FUCKING DO THIS TO ME!" she shakes him, causing his body to fall limply to the side.
"Maine, did you do this...? Did you kill Pilar?" Falco quietly asks.
"Kill? That gonk's not dead...?" Maine looks over at Pilar's limp body and his eyes flutter, "Ah, must've been these fuckin' mole men. Probably shot 'em..."
Ori slowly walks to one of the corpses and inspects it. Warm temperature, coagulated blood, body already decomposing. They'd been dead for a day... In contrast, Pilar's body hadn't gone into rigor mortis yet, his blood still fluid... "You're lying." he growls.
...
Ori glances at Falco when Maine goes silent, quickly sending a meaningful glare at him. He nods in understanding and quickly makes his way over to Rebecca, "We need to go, shit's about 'ta go down."
She shakes him off and turns to Ori who was in a staring contest with Maine, the man unable to keep his eyes straight and centred. "Did you do it!? Do you kill my brother!? ANSWER ME MAINE!"
Maine's hand flexes instinctually, "Why're you bothered...? Bastard was always a pain in the ass, weren't you always talking about flatlining 'em anyway...? I-If I did kill 'em, I did you a favour."
"YOU CRAZY BACKSTABBING SACK OF SHIT!" she screams, pushing Falco aside and pointing her arm at Maine, her Thermite Launcher mobilizing.
*THWOM!*
It fires, but Maine almost condescendingly leans to the side, almost stumbling as he steps out of the path of the molten projectile. "You too, huh!? I knew it was you guys who were losing it!" he growls and extends his arm cannon at Rebecca.
*SHIING!*
Only for the entire limb to drop to the ground, severed from his shoulder down. He looks down, blinking, then up at Ori who had his Monowire active. "I knew it..."
"No point in talking to you..." Ori sighs, getting flashbacks to Six, "You're already gone."
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S GONE! YOU WERE GONNA DO THIS FROM THE START!" Maine roar, drawing his pistol with his remaining hand and pointing it Ori. His aim falters however as Falco and Rebecca light him up, bullets hitting him in the chest, arm, and face.
Most bounce off, but the occasional sprays of blood give them all a sense of morbid progress. Maine fires off a single shot but Ori blocks it with the back of his fist, slinging his Monowire once again.
Like a lasso, it flies up into the air with the intention of wrapping around Maine's neck, but the mad-mans experience comes to the forefront as he leaps forwards, avoiding the deadly blow and trying to smash his forehead into Ori's face.
*Crack!*
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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