Jesseca tried to wiggle free, but Hannah held strong. Jesseca looked down at the wrecked streets, littered with bodies and robot carcasses, she took a deep breath and charged up her hands with energy and encased her feet in stone. The weight of her stone feet caused Hannah’s grip to slip, and the force of Jesseca’s energy caused her to not be able to regain her hold, and she screamed as she watched Jesseca plummet to the Earth below.

Jesseca hit the ground only about twenty feet from Babbage, the robot looked enormous in comparison to her small stature, and she was sure that she was soiling herself just looking at him. Running toward the mechanical beast, Jesseca smashed her charged fists into it’s foot, barely denting it. “Shit.” Jesseca thought as the foot rose and came crashing down on her, smashing her through the concrete and into the sewer below.

“Jesseca!” Hannah screamed as she watched her best friend succumb to the force of Babbage. Hannah was blinded by tears as she flew toward the monster, “Die!” she screamed as her body began to glow green with radiation and she plowed into Babbage’s chest, and rocketed him back with her progression.

A rift was torn into the concrete by Babbage’s dragging feet as Hannah pushed him back with her energy. Windows shattered as they went past, and the concussive force of Hannah’s energy field that she was generating. Nearing the harbor, Hannah altered her course, and pushed herself and Babbage into the air above the water.

Pushing with one hand, Hannah turned on her communicator, “If anyone can hear this, please let my loved ones know that I’m doing this for them, and for the city, Hell probably the world. The heroes of this city are the finest in the world, and I, Half-Life Hannah am proud to have fought alongside them, even if it was for only a brief time. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you Dandy, but we’ll be together soon.” she said tearfully as she climbed higher into the sky with her opponent who was struggling to break free.

Hannah closed her eyes for a moment, and her body began to glow brighter, she opened her eyes, and beams of radiation erupted from them, her mouth performed a similar action as her body began to hum loudly with energy output.

The armor that covered Babbage began to melt as the radioactive energy reached critical mass. Hannah’s screams were barely audible as the pair were engulfed in a tremendous ball of atomic energy. The explosion could be seen for miles, and it spread through the air, and sent a shockwave to the city below. Buildings close enough to the harbor disappeared as they were blown away by the blast, vehicles were sent flying like toys through the air. The water in the harbor was sent into a tidal wave by the blast, and flooded nearby streets and buildings, boats crashed into the cityscape, and destruction came in a mighty wave.

Nothing was left of either combatant after the blast, and the city was deathly silent for a long while.

<center>****************</center>

Jesseca slowly regained consciousness, and climbed her way out of the sewer cautiously. Seeing no signs of Babbage, she emerged, a bloody and battered mess, but alive.

Sue flew down to her as she saw her come out of the crater, she picked her up and held her close to her chest as she flew the injured girl to safety. “It’s good to see you’re alive.” she told Jesseca with a tear in her eye.

“Hannah, where’s Hannah?” Jesseca asked weakly.

Sue was silent for a moment, she was crying now as she looked down at the weakened hero in her arms. “I’m sorry honey, but she didn’t make it.” she said.

Jesseca’s mind shut down, unable to cope with the news she’d received she began to bawl, and scream like an errant child throwing a temper tantrum.

Sue hugged the girl tighter, and cried her own mournful tears for all of the fallen heroes that paid the ultimate price for the city they loved.

Jesseca stood on the dock of Independence Port, and looked out at the now still waters. She wore a black dress and held a single rose in her hand. She wiped a tear from her eye and sniffled back her sadness.

“Do you wanna say something honey?” Sue asked, placing a hand on Jesseca’s shoulder.

Jesseca nodded without looking at the woman. “Hannah, I can’t thank you enough for the sacrifice that you made for this city, and for the love and care that you gave me in our short time together. You were family to me, I loved you, and will miss you forever.” she said, her tears free flowing as she finished, and tossed the rose into the water.

“Ready?” Sue asked.

Jesseca turned and nodded, and taking Sue by the hand the two walked back to the car.

<center>****************</center>

“So, my prize creation was destroyed, and my plot was foiled by someone that you were supposed to have killed anyway.” the Clockwork King said to Rick Davies.

Rick cowered before his metallic task master. “I’m sorry that I failed you my master, it won’t happen again.” he said, and wiped the sweat from his brow.

The Clockwork King hung his head for a moment, “That’s true,” he said, and grabbed Rick by the neck and picked him up, “you won’t fail me ever again.” he said, and squeezed the man’s fragile neck and popped his head off like a cork from a wine bottle.

Letting the lifeless body drop to the floor the Clockwork King turned and looked at the monitor behind him which was displaying a picture of Half-Life Hannah and Diapered Dandy. “One down, best to take care of the other.” he said, and set to work laying out a plan to destroy Jesseca and the people of Paragon City.