The Freedom Forcers parted the vines and walked back out into the frungle.

“Why don’t you just kill him?” asked Atatasuki as he watched Devlin vanish in the bushes.

“He told me I wouldn’t get another chance, yet he’s given me so many. I think having me go for the kill is exactly what he wants. Besides, I have no reason to kill him. And killing without reason is murder,” said Exp 8, looking up at the sky with a firm fist.

“Then I’ll do it. I’ll drill right through his rib cage,” said Bob with a grin.

“No! Killing is murder. I don’t know what’s so hard to understand about that, hugh.”

“And here I thought you all were the Freedom Forcers. You should forcibly free Devlin of his material form, thus bringing freedom to all his creations. Or did you just choose the name because it was catchy?” asked Bob with a condescending look.

“Well, it is strikingly catchy,” said Atatasuki with a nod.

“There is more to force than violence. For example, we could force Devlin to reconsider enslaving our kind,” said Exp 8.

“This is pathetic. You are neither forceful nor free. You are a slave to your own ethics. You let your idealistic morality limit your own freedom. It is an insult to be part of the Self-Contradicting Slaves. Do you even know if your sister is still alive?” asked Bob with a sly grin.

“He’s right. We don’t even know what happened to Kawai. What if my sister is dead all because you didn’t kill Devlin? What then, huh?” yelled Atatasuki, clenching his fist.

“He won’t kill her,” said Exp 8, turning away.

“How can you be so certain?”

“She joined our side…because Devlin ordered her too.”

“What?”

“She came back in order to kill you. I don’t honestly know how much of it was orchestrated by Devlin, but she’s not our ally,” said Exp 8 with tight knuckles.

“That’s an odious lie!”

“I’m not lying. I couldn’t believe it either. I knew she was upset at you, but I never thought she would try to kill you,” said Exp 8, putting a comforting arm on his brother’s shoulder.

“She would never. She cares about me! She loves me! You’re a damned liar!” yelled Atatasuki, shrugging the deceiver’s hand off.

“I had to give you fair warning. Look, I understand why you want to deny it. I don’t want to admit it either, but we can’t afford to be careless. If Kawai returns, she’ll be our enemy,” said Exp 8, his eyes tearing up.

Atatasuki punched him in the face. “You take that back!” he said softly, tears about to burst from his eyes.

“We have to be prepared! Devlin wants to kill you! I’m just trying to keep you safe!” yelled Exp 8, harshly gripping his brother’s shoulder.

“Who said I need your protection? I can fight fine on my own! You must have said something to Kawai! You broke her heart, didn’t you?” asked Atatasuki, pushing Exp 8 away.

“We have more important things to worry about. Stop being so childish!” yelled Exp 8, firmly planting his feet on the ground.

“You made her cry! She left because of you! She doesn’t hate me! You are a god-damned liar!” Atatasuki punched his brother with great might, smashing him through a tree.

Exp 8 turned to the downed tree trunk. He put his hand on it lovingly. His hand then started to quake as his eyes met his brother’s.

Atatasuki’s head was fuming. “I despise the way you treat my sister! She gives you her heart, and you crush it in your bulky hands!” he yelled, rushing at the heart-breaker with pure hatred.

“Is that jealousy I hear, or are you just making up lies to act purposeful?” asked Exp 8 with quaking fists.

“What was that?” asked Atatasuki, his head shaking with fury.

“You heard me! You have no purpose, so you try your hardest to fabricate one. That’s where your destructive muffin obsession came from,” said Exp 8 as he fired a laser net.

Atatasuki’s jumped into the laser net. He kicked his clone’s face in midair while covered by the net.

Exp 8 was knocked off his feet and skid against the wet grass. “I don’t need your help to stop Devlin. You couldn’t fight your way out of a bounce house!” His jets activated, propelling him into his stubborn brother. He pummeled him as his eyes teared up more and more.

“Maybe if I kill you, Kawai will love me again. I’ll be the closest thing to you. She’ll have no choice,” said Atatasuki, breaking out of the net.

Exp 8 spit out a wad of blood from his mouthpiece and stood up from the ground. “She wouldn’t cry if you died. She would be happy. Isn’t that what you want more than anything?” He jumped at his fractured clone, knocking him off his feet and landing on top of him.

Tears flowed out from Atatasuki’s shut eyelids. “You’re right. I want her to be happy. And if it’s the only way…then go ahead,” he said, lowering his head as his teardrops pelted the ground.

Exp 8 burst into nervous laughter.

“What’s so damned funny?” asked Atatasuki.

“I can’t believe I got so worked up. I shouldn’t have let a killer like you upset me,” said Exp 8, lowering his arm.

“How am I a killer?” asked Atatasuki, standing up.

“You eat. You eat all those muffins. Exps don’t need to consume food and yet you do. The wheat died for naught because of your pathetic attempt at originality. And what happened to the female chickens once they were spent after laying the eggs that are used to hold your precious muffins together. You have inflicted suffering for frivolous reasons.”

“My muffins are made with a cruelty-free binder, no chicken slavery in these muffins, only love!”

“Waste is still waste. You eat without necessity, without concern and without respect. I’ve felt anger toward you since I first saw you eat a muffin,” said Exp 8, turning away from the glutton.

“Oh yeah? Well, I’ve hated you since the moment I saw your blueprints. I knew you would take my sister away from me.”

“That doesn’t excuse your wasteful eating habits.”

“I didn’t say that it does. You’re right, I am a killer. I kill what I love. It is an uncontrollable urge and it is inextinguishable. But I have to love something.”

“That isn’t love! It’s just a selfish desire. You can’t love food.”

“Then what do I love? I’ve seen my sister’s affection for me deteriorate into hatred. Kawai and I were once inseparable…and then one day she forgot me. I had to find a new love. Kawai threw a muffin at me and told me to choke on it. I ate it, and now I am a slave to my addiction.”

“So it’s just displaced affections? You really are a strange one.”

Atatasuki pressed his head to the ground with a humble bow. “Please, save my sister from Devlin. She must be so scared. She needs you. Please, don’t lose faith in my sister.”

“Our sister,” said Exp 8, pulling his brother back to his feet. “We’re going to rescue our sister. Now come on, let’s go kick Devlin’s ass.”

“Well that was disappointing. I thought you were going to kill each other,” said Bob.

“He’s not a killer,” said Atatasuki.

“Now I’m thirsty because of your lack of bloodshed,” whined Bob.

“What do you want?” asked Atatasuki, standing before a soda machine hidden behind some dead palm fronds.

“What the hell is this doing here? How dare Devlin pollute this land with commercialism,” said Exp 8 with a clenched fist.

“It does seem a bit suspicious, but there’s only one way to find out.” Atatasuki pushed the generic brand soda button on the machine. “Wait, how do you drink?” he asked, turning to Bob with astonishment.

A multitude of guns popped out of the soda machine. The mass of guns then stood up. “Finally, I’m out. It’s a good thing you arrived. It was so cramped in there,” it said, stretching its gun arms.

Devlin then slid out from behind the soda machine.

“Meet Karson, one of my newest Exps.”

Karson was a construct of weapons: his eyes shotgun barrels; his mouth was a grenade launcher; his hands were revolvers; and his feet were Uzis. The soldier’s head was an upside-down missile with the glory of Britain’s colors adorning it. The rest of his body was made from a vast arsenal of weaponry. A sleeveless British military soldier uniform concealed the guns beneath it.

Atatasuki pushed another button and got a can of grape juice. He opened up his chest and pulled out a muffin.

“I shall dispose of them, Commander,” said Karson in a proud British soldier accent, saluting and accidentally firing off his revolver pistol.

The bullet shot right through Atatasuki and the muffin he was holding.

“You destroyed my homemade chocolate-chip muffin…you’re dead!” said Atatasuki in a whisper.

“You can’t kill me,” said Karson, crossing his arms.

“I’ll make a way,” said Atatasuki with burning eyes.

“I guess you’ll be the first to die then,” said Karson, cocking his shotgun arm.

Atatasuki put his hands behind his back. “Super Mega…Muffin!”

Karson was thrown completely off guard and was hit directly in the face with a flaming muffin.

“Don’t mess with the muffins. That was only the first of my armada! I may be a prototype of Exp 8, but I have a special ability.”Atatasuki opened his chest up to show his enemy that it was actually a microwave. “I was turned into Devlin’s microwave oven! I can heat muffins to delicious temperatures,” he said, adding emphasis to every word. His chest made a ding noise, signaling that the muffins were ready. “My super microwave ability can even create flaming muffins!” He propelled the burning muffins out of his chest.

The muffins shot into the gunman like comets and knocked him to the ground.

“But…I’m invincible,” said Karson, looking at the burns with disillusionment.

Atatasuki took a flaming muffin in his fist and punched the armed soldier up into the air. He jumped up and then struck the criminal with two flaming muffins, sending him to the floor with a crash. He then leapt on top of his enemy and beat him silly. “Never underestimate muffins!”

The final punch sent Karson skidding into a nearby tree. He stopped just inches before making contact. Bullets started dropping from his body as he breathed in deeply.

“Do you fear the power of muffins now?” asked Atatasuki as more dough filtered into his chest.

Karson bowed. “You’ve beaten me honorably. May I accompany you—”

Devlin whipped out his revolver and shot the thimble-sized red button on Karson’s back.

All of Karson’s guns fired off at once before he exploded. Confetti shot out, then fireworks, and finally balloons that popped soon after they were released.

“That was fun!” exclaimed Ada with a whirl.

“I won’t be betrayed again,” said Devlin, picking up the left over capsule while giving Exp 8 the death stare.

“Face it, Devlin, you’ve lost. No matter how many Exps you send over, we’ll just beat them and turn them to our side,” said Exp 8, standing a few feet in front of his creator.

“Indeed you will! Ahahahahaha!”

“How did he turn that one around? Damn it!” yelled Exp 8.

A hover bike suddenly raced out from the bushes.

Devlin jumped on the seat and zoomed out of sight.

“Why did you let Devlin get away, again?” asked Atatasuki.

“Beating him here won’t prove anything. If he’s going down, I’m going to take him down in his lab,” said Exp 8, slamming his fists together.

“But in the meantime, we’ll stock up on allies, right?” asked Atatasuki.

“It’s a shame that Karson died. He looked like a decent guy. I’ll make sure that Devlin doesn’t kill anyone ever again,” said Exp 8 with a salute.

Meanwhile: Devlin sped up a hill just outside his lab. He rode his hover bike through an open window and into a depot with various vehicles. After parking his bike in between his helicopter and tank, he hopped off and then sneaked into a nearby elevator.

A force field came up before the elevator started rising.

“Those damned Exps are really getting on my nerves. I swear if I have to call Kanasta to do this…I’ll never forgive myself. I need to relax. The next Exp to go after them is obedient. Or at least was obedient. Nonetheless, she will show them that no one betrays me without repercussions.” The doors opened and he walked down the hallway. He stopped in front of the dressing room.

A woman came out of the dressing room, walking right past him.

“Ah, Nina, it’s so great to see you,” said Devlin, turning to her with admiration.

“Huh, did you say something?” asked Nina, her hair swaying as she turned around.

Nina was strikingly beautiful. Her long, flowing, silky dark-purple hair shimmered brilliantly. As she batted her dark, elegant eyelashes, her amethyst eyes dazzled Devlin with the slightest of ease. A plum satin scarf loosely fit around her slender neck. Her lightly tanned, supple skin accentuated her luscious light purple lips. Her curvaceous figure was slim and flexible, perfect for both speed and stamina. She was wearing a lilac overshirt that was split in the middle, showing the lilac zip-up tank top beneath it. A pair of black latex gloves rode up to her perfectly rounded shoulders. Below her natural belly was a violet skirt that dropped down to the top of her knees. The rest of her sleek legs were hidden beneath her lavender thigh-high stockings. The woman’s sexy breasts practically burst out of her shirt. Not even she was able to fully contain them.

Devlin approached her and pulled out five artifacts from his lab coat. “With these artifacts in your possession you will become my most powerful Exp,” he said, entranced by her eyes.

Nina absorbed each artifact into her chest. “I’m the most powerful…and….”

“And obviously the most attractive,” said Devlin with a smile.

“Damn straight. Not everyone can be born gorgeous. We all have our gifts, some are just…better,” said Nina, struggling to close her overshirt. She then walked past the love-struck boy and went back into the dressing room.

“Don’t you want to fight them? You’ve been moping about how bored you are for days now. This is a chance for you to have some excitement. Take my hover bike and stop them! They’re right near the big tree at the center of the frungle. Come on, I know you’ll enjoy it.”

“I’m getting ready,” said Nina in a pompous but still seductive voice. She pulled a dazzling pink robe off the wall and slipped into it. “Sleek, slender, and explosive.” She grabbed a carry-on rocket launcher from behind the door and strapped it to her leg. “Let’s go,” she said, before racing down the hall.

Devlin followed after her, entering the elevator. He put his arm around her.

She knocked his arm aside and pressed him to the wall of the elevator.

“You don’t want Dr. Anthrax to have to reattach your hand again, do you?”

The elevator door opened to the depot and Nina rushed out. She jumped onto a hover bike and stopped. The gorgeous warrior leaned down to see her reflection in the steel. She pressed up against the bike and pushed up her breasts. “I’m such a bombshell,” she said before putting her shades on. “There’s just sooo much to cover.” She slipped on some indigo, pleather boots and then became lost in the reflection of her smile.

“Can you do it today?” asked Devlin, tapping his fingers together.

“You have no patience. Don’t you want a goodbye kiss?” asked Nina as she squirmed her legs into long, baggy pants.

Devlin walked up to her with hope twinkling in his eye.

Nina grabbed him by the chin. “You’re so greedy. You want me all to yourself.” She pushed his head away. “Only someone as sexy as me could ever be my lover. And I only know one person who fits that description,” she said, putting on a violet motorcycle helmet. The seductive warrior then zoomed up the exit ramp and toward her destination.

Devlin lowered his head and sighed.

Nina cruised through the frungle as she combed her hair with her fingers. “It’s too bad they won’t get a chance to see my knockout body,” she said, dragging her hands up her thighs. She became increasingly distracted by her reflection in the bike. She blew herself kisses and giggled in delight. The stealthy seductress suddenly stopped, realizing she was at the big tree. “I forgot how close this place was.” She jumped off the hover bike onto a branch fifteen feet above the Freedom Forcers.

“There’s that bike again. No way Devlin could have sent another Exp after us already,” said Atatasuki, rolling his eyes.

Nina hung from the branch with her legs. She looked down at Atatasuki and smiled. “Poor boy wants his sister, his small puny unattractive sister. Once he sees me…he won’t desire her ever again. I’m going to free him from his life of bondage. Well, at least I’ll rearrange the chains. Who am I kidding? He’ll be dead before he even knows I’m here,” she said, dangling from the branch.

“Enemy!” yelled Atatasuki, pointing at the upside-down woman.

“Invisibility On.” Nina vanished from sight. “Now, watch me destroy you,” she said, landing without a sound.

“We can’t; you’re invisible,” said Atatasuki, scanning the grass for movement.

“Computer, give me an analysis,” said Exp 8.

“Sound Block,” said Nina.

“Ada, hello, Ada?” asked Exp 8, tapping her.

“Ice Shot.” Nina sent a frozen shard at the ground where Atatasuki stood.

The shard exploded and encased his body in ice.

“What the hell? Play fair, damn it,” said Exp 8, blindly throwing his fists around.

“Frozen Field.”

Icicles froze the ground and even Bob who was floating above it.

Exp 8 activated his jets, propelling him out of range. He then zoomed into the source of the attack.

Nina grabbed his arms and flipped the enemy commander, causing him to fall flat on his back. “You are the only one left now. Prepare to be obliterated by my sexy pose.”

“You’re kind of invisible. You might want to undo that first,” said Exp 8, powering up an orb behind his back.

“Good thinking. Invisibility Off.”

Nina’s body slowly came into view. Her butt was pushed out and her hands were pressed against her cheeks. She dramatically ripped off her motorcycle helmet and waved her hair around.

“You have only seen my Illusion, Ice, and Sound artifacts. I still have two more abilities to reveal. There is just so much of me you have yet to witness,” said Nina, tossing off her robe.

“You’re powerful,” said Exp 8 with a nod.

“And?”

“Um…skilled.”

“And?”

“Obnoxious!”

“Sexy! What do you do to look so great?” asked Ada.

Nina tossed her sunglasses aside. “Exist,” she said, her hair flowing in the wind.

“Computer, do you have any info on Nina?” whispered Exp 8.

“Let’s see. Nina: the sexy Exp,” said Ada.

“That’s it?” asked Exp 8, gripping his forehead.

Grenades slid out from Nina’s sleeves into her hands before she tossed them at her opponent.

“She’s also a great fighter and Devlin’s first gi—watch out!”

Exp 8 knocked one grenade aside and then destroyed the other by crushing it in his right hand.

Nina backed up into a tree. “What the hell are you?” she asked with fear-stricken eyes.

“I’m the Ultimate Exp, and I’m going to kick your ass without any cheap artifacts.” Exp 8 rushed at her with a black pulsating orb.

Nina flipped backwards and kicked off the tree. She knocked Exp 8’s arm to the ground and then rolled out of the way of the explosion. “My, my, aren’t you confident? I guess it’s time I get serious. Super Sexy Slo-mo Pose,” she said, puckering her lips. The alluring enchantress pulled her bulky pants down inch by inch. “And now that I’ve got you, it’s time to say buh-bye,” she said, grabbing the carry-on bazooka from her left leg. She lined up the laser sighting and then fired.

“DODGE ATTACK,” said Exp 8, rolling out of the way of the oncoming missile.

“That’s impossible! I did my tent-popping pose. How did you repel my sexiness?” asked Nina, grabbing her hair.

“Is that really what you call serious?” asked Exp 8, walking toward her.

Nina patted her cheeks. “Calm down, Nina. He’s just a little stronger than the others. He’s still mortal and he’s still a man. Super Sexy Slo-mo Pose Combo,” she said seductively as she attacked with a flurry of seductive positions all accentuating her rounded elbows.

For her final pose, she opened up her overshirt, revealing her lacy deep-purple tank top.

“Okay…is that it?” asked Exp 8, walking up to her.

“Rocket Wall.” Nina fired five rockets in slow motion, creating a barrier of explosives. “Normal Speed.”

All five rockets shot forward at full throttle. Exp 8 jumped out of the way, but was still hit by the periphery of the explosion. He crashed to the floor, landing at his attacker’s feet.

Nina leaned down to the metal man and rushed her hands down his legs. “Ice Coat.”

Ice rode up Exp 8’s legs, connecting him to the ground.

“Well, well, not so mobile now, are you? Huhuhu-agheheheheh.” Nina ran her fingers down her victim’s chest, freezing everything but his face.

Exp 8’s head moved around in rebellion.

“I don’t get how you could possibly be unaffected by my jaw-dropping poses? Wait, there is one way…but it can’t be. It isn’t possible. But what if it is? Could it be that…you don’t think I’m attractive?” asked Nina, both hands covering her mouth in horror.

“I’m not going be affected by such a useless attack!”

Nina grabbed her enemy’s frozen neck. “I know Devlin wants you alive, but I could just kill you here and now. Maybe then he’ll finally understand that I’m through with him. I’ll tear out your eyes first. There is no need to have them if you are blind to beauty,” she said, caressing his face.

“Get off of my brother!” yelled Atatasuki, steaming mad.

“Didn’t I already freeze you?” asked Nina with a raised eyebrow.

“When you took off your clothes, I saw your breasts. They may not have been bare, but it was enough to overheat my body. Now, get off my brother and get on top of me!” exclaimed Atatasuki, pushing out his crotch with great valor.

“My body turns even brothers against one another. How about this: if you kill your brother, Exp 8, I’ll let you see them directly,” said Nina with a wide smile.

Atatasuki ran up and kneed her in the face. He then grabbed her tank top with his hands, trying to melt it off.

“That hurts damn it!” yelled Nina, kicking him in the face as she tried to wiggle out of his grip.

“You show off that great body! You can’t expect me not to touch!” exclaimed Atatasuki, his hands racing up her legs.

“That’s enough! Sound Blast!” yelled Nina.

A massive sound wave shot into Atatasuki, knocking him off.

“Flirtatious Flash,” said Nina, unzipping her tank top before swiftly zipping it back up.

Atatasuki’s eyes practically popped at seeing her lacy purple bra.

“It’s over,” said Nina, turning around dramatically.

“That was great! Can I see more?” asked Atatasuki, pawing at her legs.

“You shouldn’t be able to move. If Medusa’s hideousness can turn someone to stone, then why can’t my beauty do the same?” asked Nina, grabbing her chest.

“Your sexiness is on another level. But even so, it just doesn’t compare to Kawai’s cuteness,” said Atatasuki, his hand aflame.

“Cuteness is only for softening someone up. It is sexiness that makes them stiff,” said Nina, tightening her fingers before lunging at the impassioned prototype. Her fingers cracked as they hit his armor.

Atatasuki kicked her chest. “Then I guess I just like cute more. You’re an obstacle in my path. If I don’t beat you, then I can’t rescue Kawai. So get out of my way!” he yelled, rushing at her.

Nina pushed off the ground with her hands. She wrapped her legs around Atatasuki’s neck and flung him to the ground. She reconnected her fingers as her opponent rose off the grass.

“That’s enough, Nina. Bring the Exps back to my lab,” said Devlin, dropping down in between them.

Atatasuki rushed up to the enemy leader with a burning fist.

Devlin knocked his hand into the prototype’s elbow, causing the attack to miss. He threw a punch, but Atatasuki grabbed it before it could hit.

“I’m not like Exp 8. I will kill you if it’s to free my sister!” Atatasuki shook violently as electricity fried his body. He fell to the grass, knocked out.

“So predictable,” said Devlin as his glove coursed with electricity.

“We won’t give up! I’m going to break free and then I’m going to beat you!” yelled Exp 8, still trapped in ice.

“Really? Let’s see how you handle my new glove. It has bolts of ridiculous frequencies that can knock out a hundred elephants before shorting out,” said Devlin dramatically as he grabbed onto Exp 8’s head.

The electricity burst out.

“I’ll never give…” said Exp 8 before falling down and losing consciousness.