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Only The Good Die Young
All too familiar sirens cut through the air. The bohemians had all heard sirens before of course, but never this close. They all automatically looked to their leader, who rushed to the door.
He tried to hold it shut, but it burst open and Secret Police agents swarmed in, surrounding the startled Bohemians.
Meatloaf hurried over to Brittney, "What do we do?"
He didn't get a chance to respond as Commander Khashoggi sauntered in, staying clear of the struggle. "Oh yeah indeed," he mocked, "Activate the laser cage!"
The green lights sprang up into a cage, capturing all the Bohemians inside. Brit held Meat tightly in his arms. This could *not* be happening!
Puff made his way to the front, silently gesturing for the others to move back.
"And so Mr. 'P. Puff Diddy-Daddy'," the Commander mocked the leader, "I was just talking to the Killer Queen and guess what?" He smirked, " 'Mama said knock you out!'"
Puff glared, "If it weren't for the lasers Pig..." he let the threat hang.
The Commander simply let out a cruel laugh. "Bring me the Dreamer and his 'Chick'!" He ordered.
Brit's eyes widened. Galileo! Scaramouche! He *had* to get them out of there! If the Commander and his goons got them, it would be all over. He let go of Meatloaf and joined Puff at the front.
The leader's eyes slid over to Brit and he silently hoped that his friend wasn't about to do something monumentally stupid.
"No!" Brittney shouted at the Commander, "You'll *never* take them while *I'm* alive!" He yanked a small piece of glass out of his pocket and stuck it under a beam, reflecting it towards the agent holding the laser cage's control.
The agent yelped and jumped back away from the green laser, dropping the control box. As soon as it hit the ground, the cage shut off.
Brit turned to Galileo, "Run Galileo! Run Scaramouche! Find the Lost Guitar! The future of Rock'n'Roll lies within your beating hearts!"
They needed no more urging than that, taking off through the abandoned subway tunnels. The other Bohemians knew that Brit was right. The Dreamer had to get away. Without hesitation they turned on the agents with whatever was handy, trying to buy Galileo time.
Commander Khashoggi was furious. "Stop them!!" he ordered. He stood out of the way, watching the battle. He had learned a long time ago that it wasn't wise to get involved.
The Bohemians seemed to be gaining the upper hand, even though his agents were giving it their all.... All except for one of them.
He spotted the agent that had dropped the remote, standing off to the side nursing his burnt hand. The Commander's eyes narrowed behind his shades. That was the one that had allowed them to get away, who had allowed the Dreamer to escape. He caught the agent's eyes and gave him a sign of what was waiting for him when they got back to Globalsoft.
The agent gulped and turned away. He glared at Brit with a look of pure hatred. That bloody rebel was going to cost him his job, or worse. (Not to mention the fact that his hand hurt). He made up his mind.
The agent came up behind Brit and yanked him backwards, throwing the Bohemian into a wall. Before Brit had a chance to recover, he punched him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of the Bohemian.
Brit cried out and doubled over, trying to fend the agent off as the man continued to attack.
He was thrown to the ground hard, cracking his head against the ground. Brit saw stars, and when his vision finally cleared, he looked up to see the agent standing over him, holding him down with a foot on his chest. Brit grabbed at his ankle and tried to shove him off.
"You've cost me everything," the agent growled, pressing down harder with his foot, "And now you're going to pay."
Brit gave a cross between a grunt and a gasp, but he met the agent's eyes with his own unfaltering dark ones.
The agent yanked a stun gun out of his pocket and shocked Brit, while pressing down harder on his chest.. The bohemian jerked as the volts went through him, gasping again, but this time in desperate need of air. The agent's eyes were hard with anger as he shocked Brit again.
A soft crunch echoed through Brit's ears, and he screamed with pain as the agent's foot sank further into his chest.
Everyone looked over at Brit's scream.
Brittney was breathing in short gasps. It hurt even to do that, but he was trying to put on a strong face.
Meatloaf screamed his name and then yelled for Puff.
At the sound of her voice, Brit closed his eyes, fighting back tears. No... He didn't want her to see this...
Both Bohemians rushed over. Puff seized the agent hard by the back of the coat and flung him away, not even bothering to see where he landed.
Brit slowly opened his eyes as the pressure was released. The first thing he saw was Meatloaf.
"...Meat...." he gasped out
"Brit," she took him in her arms.
"....Meat..." he gasped out, "b...babes... I..."
"I love you," she whispered.
"I...." He gasped as pain shot through him. He closed his eyes tightly.
"I know Brit," Meat said softly, "You love me too."
He forced his eyes open, meeting her eyes. ".... I'm sorry...." he whispered.
"The... the Dreamer got away," she said gently.
Brit managed a very weak smile. "Then.... then there's still.... still a chance..." he gasped out, "there's still.... ho...hope..."
"There's always hope," she leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead, "I love you."
He tried to reach out to her, but couldn't quite make his body obey him.
"Shh, shh," she soothed, "Don't try to move."
The Commander just stood by, watching. Normally he would just take the opportunity to seize the last two remaining, since it was clear that the fallen one was dying. All the others had been rounded up.
But... he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Something inside of him was informing hin in no uncertain terms that if he didn't leave them alone, he would have no peace for a long time.
He held up a hand, ordering his agents off.
Meatloaf took one of Brit's hands, so he would stop trying to move. "I'm... I'm right here Brit..." her voice shook.
"Don't.... don't cry babes...." Brittney whispered, "Not.... not for me...." He hated to see her cry, "I'll... I'll be alright...."
"I'm not crying," she lied.
"I'll be alright," he tried to assure her, "For I'm the biggest...... baddest.........meanest.........nastiest...." His voice grew weaker, and each pause grew longer,
Puff knelt down next to Meat and set his hands lightly on her shoulders. He would not leave her alone for this. He hoped Brit could see that.
Meatloaf lifted Brit's hand and kissed his fingertips gently.
He took a shallow breath and continued, "Most raging.... rapping.... rock'n'roll.... sick punk.... heavy metal.... ps-psycho bastard that.... that ever got g-get.... get-down funky.... I am the.... the one and.... and only...."
His hand fell limp.
"Brit?" Meat asked, shaking his hand, "Brit??"
Puff closed his eyes and blinked back tears.
"No..." Meat whispered as she slowly realized. "No!!" She sobbed, hugging Brit's body close, "No, no no!" Tears streamed down her face, "You can't be gone!"
Puff silently put his hand back on her shoulder.
"Come back Brit," she begged, "You promised you'd always come back.... you promised..."
The Commander finally sent his last two agents over to collect Meatloaf and Puff. She didn't want to let go of Brit, laying over his body, still sobbing.
Puff blocked the agent's hand with such an authoritative glare that the agent instinctively stepped back.
"Come on Meat," Puff whispered softly, gently pulling her to her feet.
"But... Brit..." she protested softly.
"I know," Puff said gently, taking her in his arms, "I know..."
She turned away from her fallen lover and buried her face in Puff's chest, starting a fresh round of sobs.
Meatloaf went limp in Puff's arms, and just allowed him to lead her. Brit was gone.... dead. She wanted to die too. She was dimly aware of getting into a car and driving off somewhere, but she didn't care anymore.
Slowly her sobs quieted, but she couldn't stop the tears from coming.
Puff went quietly, moving forward of his own will so the agents wouldn't touch Meat. He went into the Globalsoft building, looking straight ahead. He still had his pride. He may have been caught, but he was not defeated.
They were taken to the cell that was holding the other Heartbreakers and Meatloaf and Puff were pushed inside. She stumbled a bit, but Puff caught her, holding her up. He knew that if he let og of her, she'd collapse.
All the other Bohemians gathered around, asking about Brittney. They'd heard him cry out, but where was he? Was he okay?
Puff just shook his head sadly.
"You mean he's..." Prince started.
"Gone," Puff whispered.
"Gone..." it echoed through the room. It couldn't be true. That word sounded so... final.
Meat sagged further in Puff's arms, and he shifted his hold on her. He thought she was going to faint.
"Want me to take her?" Prince asked.
Puff nodded and shifted her into the larger Bohemian's arms.
"I'm sorry Meatloaf..." Prince whispered.
She opened her eyes and gave him a look that tore through his heart. "Why?" she asked softly.
Prince just shook his head sadly. He didn't know why... He leaned against the wall, sliding down it slowly to sit.
"Well," Puff spoke after a long moment of silence, "Brit has joined the ranks of those who have died young." The least they could do was give him a proper memorial.
"A hand above the water..." Aretha started singing softly, "An angel reaching for the sky.... is it raining in Heaven? Do you want us to cry?...."
"And everywhere the broken hearted," Prince picked up the song, "On every lonely avenue... no one could reach them.... no one but you..."
Meatloaf mouthed the words silently. She knew she should sing along, but she just couldn't...
"One by one, only the good die young," the others joined in, "They're only flying too close to the sun. Life goes on... without you...."
"Another tricky situation," Puff joined in, "I get to drowning in the blues and I find myself thinking... what would you do?"
He held out a hand to Aretha. "Yes, it was such an operation, forever paying every due."
"Hell!" Aretha broke in, "you made a sensation!"
"You found the way through," Puff added.
"One by one, only the good die young. They're only flying too close to the sun. We'll remember.... forever..."
"And now the party must be over," Puff continued.
"I guess we'll never understand," Prince responded, "the sense of you leaving..."
"Was it the way it was planned?" Aretha asked.
"And so we grace another table," the three sang together, "And raise our glasses one more time..."
"There's a face at the window," Meat sang suddenly, her voice quavering slightly, but still powerful, "And I ain't NEVER, never sayin' goodbye!" She sat up, "One by one only the *good* die young! They're only flying too close to the sun!" Her voice faltered a bit, but she went on, "C-crying for nothing.... crying for no one..."
The others fell silent, bowing their heads in respect.
"No one but you...." she finished.
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