Mission: Breaking The Speed Limit

Zetaman's jump back almost the same as Crackerjack, his own teeth gritting at the damage he has taken. He's quick to act though, crossing an arm across his chest. Energy crackles towards him as the wound on his armour closes partially up and a shield forms upon his arm again. His claw is left at his side, tense and ready to strike out again.

"Zed? Zed, are you okay? God Zed, I don't know what's going on, I can barely track what you're up to." Vita said. She pulled off her headphones and set them onto the table, glaring onto the small screen and furrowing her brow in anger and confusion. She couldn't disconnect Zetaman forcibly without sacrificing the mission, and if she tried anything he might stay online just to spite her, unable to receive any more assistance.

"Not... Now..." Zetaman said once he had gathered enough energy to dare talk at all. He charged suddenly with his shield forward, bringing his claw in underhand in a swift and sudden uppercut. So strong was the force behind the blow that Zetaman quickly jumped into it as well, not wanting to lose his footing at the last minute. He hit the ground with a quick set of steps, using footwork to rebalance himself as well as getting away from his opponent's possible attacks.

Not wanting to his his opponent too much space to breath, Zetaman moved back into melee once more, his claw out. "Give yourself up, Crackerjack!" Zetaman said, wincing as he held back an entire speech. If he failed to strike earlier, he'd give another swing at his opponent.

Actions
1: Static Charge Signature Attack: Zetaman (Heals 30 Damage)
X: Generator Shield Signature Attack: Zetaman (1-Hit Shield)
2: RageClaw1 Battle Chip: Crackerjack (40 Damage + Slashing)
3: Dodge
4: IF previous attack fails - RageClaw1 Battle Chip: Crackerjack (40 Damage + Slashing)
Zetaman quickly begins repairing some of the damage he's taken, data defragmenting and stitching itself back together.

Crackerjack takes the opportunity to shoot a flaming fist at the navi; his Generator shield comes up just in time to block the attack as Zetaman closes in. Zetaman takes a swipe at the navi with his Rageclaw the moment he's in range, but the criminal expects it and takes a half-step backwards, out of range-- and then lets off the Firehit once again.

Zetaman dodges the flaming projectile, realizing that he no longer has the safe comfort of his Generator Shield, and takes another swipe at Crackerjack. The claws meet their target this time, thankfully, and force Crackerjack back with their power. Crackerjack raises his fist, something glimmering between his fingers--

--But sighs abruptly, flopping down on the ground. "Alright then. You win, kid." Zetaman can hear a loud, angry burst of chatter over the line connecting Crackerjack and this 'Carmichael'... he doesn't appear to be bluffing.

Crackerjack.exe: 10
Car: DELETED

Slave-1: 25 (Hiding behind rubble)
Zetaman: 31 (Rageclaw: 2 uses left)

Jack-Out Barrier (Portable): 1 turn of power remaining!

Terrain: 30% Normal (Road) 50% Buildings (Along edge of road) 20% Rubble.
"A good choice." Zetaman said, putting his arms down by his sides and still breathing with fair effort. "Slave-1, come on out and read him his rights or whatever." He said, narrowing his eyes at the criminal just in case he did try something.

"Geez Zed, you've got me all worried about you. We need to run a virus check or something." Vita said, sitting back in her chair and letting her head lay back for a moment. "Ah, god Zed. What's wrong with you?" She muttered to herself, bringing her head forward and putting her elbows onto the table next to the PET. "Does Slave-1 want anything else?" Vita asked, a little bit of worry in her voice.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out." Zetaman replied over their personal line, not wanting to disrupt the hoverboard and his duty.
Crackerjack grins. "You really are new at this, kid." The navi disappears right before Zetaman's eyes, then reappears a distance away, running on foot. "Better luck next time!" The navi shouts, laughing loudly as he runs.

Slave-1 could easily catch him, but...

...where is Slave-1?

Crackerjack.exe: 10 (several actions away and gaining)
Car: DELETED

Slave-1: 25 (???)
Zetaman: 31 (Rageclaw: 2 uses left)

Jack-Out Barrier (Portable): RUNNING OUT OF POWER
Terrain: 30% Normal (Road) 50% Buildings (Along edge of road) 20% Rubble.
"Shit." Zetaman said, immediately speeding up to running to chase down Crackerjack. "Damnit Vita, don't let this kind of stupid crap happen! Aren't you supposed to be watching my back?" He yelled at his operator, pulling up his buster. "Screw it, I'll either stop him or I'll stop his data." Zetaman said, charging energy into his buster.

He shot a flare of green energy high and far ahead, passing out between the buildings and down the road. "Next time I should just step of his goddamn neck." Zetaman pointed out between his teeth. The flare formed into three heavy spears of energy that all began to turn downwards towards the ground. His target wasn't Crackerjack himself, but instead ahead of the both of them. With the amount of space the buildings took up, filling three panels with the electrified spikes could be enough to fill the road completely.

Another shield formed onto Zetaman's arm as he speed into a dash to catch up with his target. "I hope you remember those from earlier." He threatened.

Actions
1: Charge Time
2: Bolt Towers Signature Attack: Road ahead of Crackerjack (3 10 HP Objects, deals 30 damage on contact)
X: Generator Shield (1-Hit Shield)
3: Tactical Movement - High-speed run.
4: Tactical Movement - High-speed run.
Crackerjack begins laughing as he nears the bolt towers. "You bet I do, kid! Which is exactly why-" Crackerjack disappears, but his voice continues from the other side, "-I ain't falling for 'em again! Catch ya later, loser!" Zetaman sees a beam of light shoot off into the sky...

...and then run smack into a jack-out barrier. The beam hits at an angle that causes it to ricochet, heading straight back down behind Zetaman on this side of the bolt towers. It crashes to the ground in the shape of Crackerjack, who is yelling a furious string of curses, most directed at his operator.

"I thought you said the jack-out barrier was DOWN! No? Well why the hell did you say it was then?! Yer makin' me look like a goddamn jackass, AND wasting perfectly good escapes!" Crackerjack yells a few other choice words at his operator and their replies as he stands back up, then pauses long enough to cast a glare Zetaman's way.

Crackerjack sighs. "Look, kid. I heard you yakking with that piece of plywood earlier about how you can't kill me, yeah? Need me 'alive', yeah?" Crackerjack pulls out his buster... and points it at his head. "Well, here's a little factoid for ya: I got no undershirt, smartass, so you can either let me walk out of here or lose your precious paycheck." Crackerjack laughs a little bit to himself. "So what's it gonna be, sparky?"

Zetaman can see something off in the distance, behind Crackerjack...

Crackerjack.exe: 10 (Buster aimed at head)

???: ??? (Off behind Crackerjack; approaching.)

Zetaman: 31 (Rageclaw: 2 uses left)

Portable Jack-Out Barrier: No Power Remaining
Terrain: 30% Normal (Road) 50% Buildings (Along edge of road)
Zetaman lowered his head a bit as Crackerjack passed right through the barrier of Bolt Towers without any trouble. He hadn't expected a technique like that so suddenly, but swore to himself about it. The attempted Escape had him a bit concerned, but as he saw that his opponent was still stuck in the same place, he grinned a bit to himself.

"Zed! We've gotta stop him!" Vita told him, nervously chewing on a finger. If Crackerjack was really willing to destroy himself in order to not be turned in, then that was really a problem. They had spent a while chasing him down, not to mention damaging Zetaman badly in the process, and to lose everything... Well, it was a thought that Vita didn't even want to think about. "Zed, let me speak to him or something. Tune my link to your vocal program and I'll be able to talk to him directly."

Zetaman reached up to his helmet with his unclawed-hand and turned a dial by his ear, causing his connection with Vita to lower down to nothing more than a mumble. He slowly began to walk towards the suicidal Crackerjack, suddenly looking up with wild, darkened eyes.

"So you're willing to just kill yourself, huh?" He asked, digitization in his voice making the ending of his sentences rattle. "Do you think that I've tracked you down just to let you do that... To yourself? Heh... Heh heh heh..." A wave of energy swept over him as his Static Charge restored his body armour.

He reached his Bolt Towers barricade and grabbed the middle tower with his RageClaw, ripping it from the ground and walking through, now wielding it much like a club. "So you think you're so smart for overhearing me? You think that I give a damn about that now?" Zetaman swung the improvised club around a bit. It would shatter on contact with his opponent, true, but the electric shock it would dish out would destroy him instantly. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not an officer. I'm doing this as a special little request." His darkened eyes flared again. "And you've taken this too far."

"Destroying you utterly would be a far better reward than anything else they can offer." He said with infinite gravity, Vita's voice calling in his ear.

Actions

1: Tactical Movement (Forward)
2: Static Charge Signature Attack: Zetaman (Recovers 30 HP)
3: RageClaw Battlechip: Bolt Tower (Lift and Carry)
4: Tactical Movement (Towards Crackerjack)

Free Action: BE MENACING.
"Don't play chicken with me, kid. You want to taze me, bro? You go right ahead. I wouldn't put a gun to my head unless I was ready to pull the trigger." Crackerjack laughs. "Come on, kid. Do it. Hit me with that thing. Come on. Just one little smack right here." Crackerjack taps his buster against his chin, chuckling darkly.

The shape in the distance continues drawing closer...

Crackerjack.exe: 10 (Buster aimed at head)

???: ??? (Off behind Crackerjack; nearly here.)

Zetaman: 31 (Rageclaw: 2 uses left)

Portable Jack-Out Barrier: No Power Remaining
Terrain: 30% Normal (Road) 50% Buildings (Along edge of road)
He checked the angles, checked the distance, and then began. Zetaman moved forward with a single step, his stride widening as he moved from a walk to a dash. A second one and he twisted his arm to the side, brandishing his club for the swing. The third brought him close enough to attack, the swing cutting across the air. It was just short. A couple inches more and the electric mace would have smashed Crackerjack across the face. The air was full of the crackling energy and Zetaman sped up the mace to move it out of his way.

A fourth step brought him into range of his real attack. Zetaman swung his armoured foot upwards, aimed to punt the criminal program directly in the groin.

Actions
1: Take Aim with Bolt Tower swing [To miss]
2: RageClaw1 used to swing Bolt Tower: Narrow Miss on Crackerjack (No damage, obviously)
3: Groin Kick: Crackerjack (1 Damage)
4: Prepared to react.
Crackerjack smirks as Zetaman swings his Bolt Tower-- only for his expression to change to surprise as it swings right by his head. He took a step back reflexively as Zetaman closed the distance, and then- laughed as Zetaman kicked him in the groin.

"What, really? Are you serious?" Crackerjack chortles, rubbing up against Zetaman's upraised foot for the split second before he pulled it back. "We're made out of DATA! I don't even have anything to kick down there, kid!" Crackerjack nearly doubles over laughing as Zetaman stands there--

Only for that shadow in the distance to finally reach them...

Crackerjack finds himself thrown harshly from his feet due to a high-speed impact from Slave-1. The criminal navi goes flying, end-over-end through the air, only for a small black projectile to meet him there and then explode into a net.

The weight of the net clings on to Crackerjack in the air and immediately brings him falling straight downward, where the weighted spike tips dig into the ground, trapping him in place.

A female navi clad in a black leather dominatrix outfit hops off of Slave-1, then walks over to Zetaman. "This is the civilian you told me about?" She says, looking towards Slave-1.

"Yes, Mistress." Slave-1 responds.

Mistress smirks. "You did well keeping him busy for this long, freelancer." She says silkily, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. "Go tell the netpolice you helped out Mistress. They'll give you your reward."

She walks over towards Crackerjack, and slaps the cuffs on him through the net, which disappears after she does. She hoists him up by the cuffs. "So long, freelancer."

She, Slave-1, and Crackerjack all jack out.

Mission Complete! Go see the netpolice for your reward!

((And apologies for taking so long.))
"Haaa..." Zetaman sighed, having finally completed the mission. He didn't know why he went for a crotch-shot, it didn't make any sense.

"Good work Zed, we finally got 'em." Vita said, letting out a sigh as well.

"Haaa..."

"Yeah, I know you're tired. Well, jack out and we'll head out for your rewards, then maybe see about checking out your systems." Vita told him, clicking through a few windows as their battle had ended.

"H-h-h-h-h-haa-aaa....aaaaa....aaaaa"

"Zeddy? Hey, Zed? Can you hear me?" Vita said, looking at her data. "Zed! What's wrong? Zeeeeed!"

[Jacked Out]