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‘What the hell are you doing?!’ said Voreese. ‘That guy is beating your ass!’

“Shut up!” Roman’s lungs convulsed in his ribcage. “It’s the acid! It’s really hard to move when I don’t have any fucking muscles!”

‘Don’t be a wuss, Roman!’

“Fuck off!”

The big man stomped toward them. Roman slammed a bony fist to the ground, and the giant sunk through a sudden hole in the concrete. Up to his belly, he struggled a moment, then tore his way out of the ground, preparing another swell of acid in his gut.

Hector covered the man’s mouth in iron.

Acid spewed forth and ate through the metal, but not before splashing back onto his face. His eyes boiled out of his head.

Roman blinked. “Nice one, kid--”

The man lumbered forward anyway and vomited more acid on him.

“Fuckin’ dammit.” Roman struggled to raise a steaming hand as the man drew closer.

Lynnette’s sword exploded out the giant’s forehead. She clung to his back as he hit the ground face-first. Everyone stared at her as she wiped her blade on the dead man’s shirt.

“Where’s the other guy?” said Roman. “If we get both their brains, we can stop them from regenerating.”

“He blew up,” said Hector. “I’m pretty sure his brain isn’t in one piece anymore...”

“Shit. Then his reaper can remake him anywhere.”

‘If Desmond is coming after us again, then we should prepare to receive him in a more favorable location,’ said Garovel.

‘Agreed,’ said Voreese. ‘Roman?’

“Alright, follow me everyone. Carry the Queen, kid.”

‘His name is Hector. And mine is Garovel.’

Hector dragged himself over to the Queen as the last of his broken bones repaired themselves. Lynnette offered assistance, but he was strong enough again to carry Helen on his own.

“Dammit.” Roman stood over the big guy’s corpse. “The acid seeped in and started melting his brain. This guy’s gonna be remade somewhere else, too.”