"Gangs of Hollywood"

Guardian Angels

Last Time:

After an awards ceremony that saw Erica promoted to Captain II, the Angels decided to divide their attention on two pending missions. While the girls fought a new criminal who thought he could take over Liv's empire, the boys traveled to Washington, DC. Unfortunately, as soon as the guys stepped off the plane, they realized that the President had summoned them into a trap. To make matters worse, Lieutenant Evan "Jack" Taylor had been growing increasingly irritated with Erica's resent promotion. This irritation grew to a head in DC when Jack took his frustration out on Jimmy. After breaking some bones, Jack was arrested and put in a holding cell until Saipia returned. The blue-furred commander promptly removed all of Jack's rank and left him in jail for a couple weeks. This is in addition to the month long suspension he received for recent, unprofessional behavior.

Episode 10: "Gangs of Hollywood"

The little man tried his best not to seem overly nervous. He had been sent by kingpin of Hollywood to the newest gang in town. It had actually been around a while, but spent a long time hiding out in the Dark Side of the city. Now, this gang was beginning to make a name for itself with a string of murders. The only problem was all the victims were human. Now, as the bald man entered the large warehouse that was the gang's hideout, he shook with fear. He knew he probably wouldn't make it out alive. He had crossed his boss more than once, and now, he was the sacrifice to keep the Genoid killers away from the main mafia.

Under a lamp in the middle of the warehouse, the Pride sat around a poker table, smoking cigars. Everything in the warehouse was stolen. Even the cards the lions played with were stolen property. Whenever they killed someone, they simply took everything that person had and made it their own. This, however, was making them more of a nuisance to some of the more prominent criminals in the city. Everyone wanted them dead, but everyone was afraid to go after them.

As the human approached the large table, the lion with the biggest mane merely glanced in his direction. "Looks like that fat Italian bastard has sent us a mid-afternoon snack," he commented.

The other lions laughed with him. "I guess we won't have to kill him just yet," replied one of two lionesses.

"Oh, Isan, we never have to kill anyone. But killing is so much fun," remarked the leader.

"And human flesh tastes pretty good barbequed," added another male lion.

"Indeed it does. But that's only if it's nice and lean. This morsel doesn't look like he'll taste very good," the other female said as she stood to her feet. Kammy walked over to the human and effortlessly lifted him off his feet. Drawing him so he was face to face with her, she sniffed the air around him. "This one's pathetic," she commented as she held him at arm's length. "Look, he's pissed his pants."

The rest of the lions stood at this. "He dares to soil my floor?" Avron, the leader of the gang snapped.

"It would seem Tony wanted to insult us with this pathetic excuse for life," Isan said as she approached Kammy while pulling a large knife from it's sheath on her right hip.

"She is right, Avron. A wiser man would have sent a much braver and better person to negotiate a truce," Tintrin, the second in command replied.

"I say we cut him up and send him back to Tony in gift boxes," suggested the shortest of the group, Zimi.

Isan smiled at that. "Oooo. I like that idea."

Kammy looked the chubby man up and down a moment and smiled even bigger. "I've got an even better idea."

***

Tony wasn't really all that fat. He worked out continuously, and his martial arts training made him a force to be reckoned with. However, even he wasn't a match for the Pride. However, when he signed for a package from them, he had thought he had finally gotten on their good side. Opening the large box he smiled at prepackaged meat in ice to keep it fresh. To celebrate the mafia's good fortune, he decided to throw a barbeque.

It wasn't until early in the morning after all the meat had been eaten that Tony took another look in the box and found the note that read:

Dear Tony,

We thank you for your peace offering. We would love to consider you allies, and as a show of our good faith, we have sent you a peace offering of our own. No doubt, you've enjoyed the meat, by now. You probably know that Isan has won a couple awards for her barbeque preparations and sauces. What you don't know, is that she usually uses them on human flesh. And, to show you we mean you no harm, Isan prepared your messenger as if she were going to eat him herself. However, she does request that if you send us anymore fresh meat, that it would be much leaner. It's hard to create a good meal out of something with so much fat.

Sincerely,

The Pride

Tony couldn't believe what he was reading. He had eaten human flesh without even knowing it. It was a fact that made the bald man sick to his stomach. The Pride had greatly disrespected him, and he was determined to make them pay, so, he sent a message to the only person he could think of that would be able to stop the lions: Saipia Jones.

***

Erica slid the old Challenger cruiser to a stop in front of Saipia's house. It was almost noon and, although Saipia had requested the day off, Erica still felt it necessary to check in on her superior officer. That and the Angels had received a mission that need Saipia's attention. The spring sun beat down on the yellow and black feline as she wondered up the sidewalk. She smiled at the neighbor children playing in the yard next door, and even plucked the mail from Saipia's box. Ringing the doorbell, she waited patiently for someone to answer it. She was, however, surprised to see a rather clunky look maid-bot answer it.

The simple, metal fox in a cheap french maid outfit greeted the officer. "Hello, Officer, may I help you?"

"Uh, yes, I would like to speak to Saipia, please," Erica replied with a pleasant smile. She had decided to wear her entire uniform that day, complete with hat. Everyone liked her better with the hat, anyway.

"I'm s-s-sorry, o-o..."stuttered the maid-bot.

"Damn things!" a voice from somewhere within the house exclaimed and suddenly Gjia appeared behind the machine. "Why don't you go mow the lawn or something, Loren."

Erica laughed. "You named your maid-bot?" she asked.

"It's not mine. Trust me, I would never own a piece of junk like this. She's always malfunctioning, as well," said the white wolf.

"You know, if I didn't know Saipia as well as I do, I'd still find it odd that she named her maid-bot. But it is unlike her to buy such on old model," Erica commented, as she rested one hand on her hip.

"That is a very complicated reason," Gjia said with a nod. "Anyways, why don't you come in. Saipia's in the basement."

Again, Erica laughed as she entered the house and wandered over to a door between the kitchen and the stairs to the second story. She was about to knock when Saipia opened the door from the other side. The white wolf was completely naked, but didn't seem surprised by Erica's presence and made no move to cover up. "Excuse me, Captain, but I would like to get dressed."

"So, you're calling it a basement now, huh?" asked the officer as she moved aside to let Saipia through. "And what's with the maid-bot?"

"Technically, it is a basement. And I got the maid-bot in case Gjai wasn't around while I was..." Saipia started as she headed towards her room.

"But it's such a crappy model. I mean, isn't this like a fist generation model?" the leopard asked.

"Third generation actually. And I don't have unlimited money, Erica," Saipia answered.

"Saipia, I know full well how much you make. And I know you can afford a top of the line maid-bot. I understand why you have one. I just don't get why you have such an old one," Erica said, but when she looked at her friend she gave a deep sigh. "You know, Sai, you really need to get over your past."

"What did you want, Erica?" Saipia questioned as she came out of her room wearing a simple shirt and sweat pants.

"Tony paid us a visit today," said the leopard, allowing her boss to change the subject. "Apparently some gang called The Pride..."

"The Pride?" Saipia asked, shocked at the announcement.

"Yeah. Apparently you've heard of them," Erica agreed.

"They're an extremely nasty bunch of lions who think they can do pretty much anything they want. I've had my run-ins with them in the past, but that was when I was living in the Dark Side. I thought they were supposed to stay there," Saipia explained.

"Right. Well, they haven't stayed in the Dark Side. I checked with homicide, and they've been neglecting to inform us that The Pride has been committing a particularly graphic series of murders lately. All of their victims have been humans. This apparently got Tony all shook up, 'cause he sent one of his men to negotiate a peace treaty with them. However, The Pride sent the messenger back...as pre-packaged meat, all seasoned and smoked and everything. After the mafia enjoyed their teammate, they discovered a note on the bottom that told them they just committed cannibalism," reported Erica.

"So, Tony wants me to kick some lion ass, huh? I'm not sure if I should, but I definitely want to," Saipia replied.

"You afraid they're going to reveal your little secret?" Erica asked with a smile, her tail swaying back and forth.

"It's not that little, actually. Anyway, I should shower and get dressed," the slightly older canine replied.

"And I will turn this hunk of junk off," Gjai replied.

"Excuse you, Gjai, but I am not a hunk of junk. I am a J98 Service Droid..." the maid-bot stated with a decidedly bitter tone.

"Crap, I thought these things weren't supposed to have emotion drives," the taller and older wolf commented.

Saipia smiled. "But all machines have ghosts, my dear sister."

[center]***[/center]

James was just filling out the last of the paper work when Saipia slipped in. The two tended to share the office despite Saipia's name being on the door. But, whenever the blue wolf was away, the maned wolf kept her chair warm. Saipia didn't mind as along as it was neat and tidy when she returned. "Ah, so Erica did brief you on the situation. But are you sure you're ready for the job?" greeted James.

"I'm fine. I can finish what I was doing after this," the wolf replied.

James smiled at that. "I figured you couldn't stay away from this case. I'm sure Isan will be happy to see you."

"And I'll be the last thing that bitch sees," Saipia spat.

James shook her head. "It's so like you, Saipia: holding a grudge for this long. But don't get carried away. The chief doesn't want any unnecessary bloodshed."

"Well, any bloodshed when fighting The Pride is necessary. I should have killed those bastards when I had the chance," said the commander.

"Sai, I'm serious. Don't get carried away and kill any of them without probable cause. That means, no swords, understood?" James insisted.

"Hey, while I'm here, I'm in charge, so I'll take my swords if I want to," the blue canine countered.

"Saipia Jones, I'm not telling you as an officer, I'm telling you as a very old friend, not to kill any of them. I don't think you'll regret it if you do," said the red and black maned wolf. "You've never gone against my advice yet, and I would hate to see you start, now. If you kill one of them, you better make sure you kill them all, 'cause if you don't, they other will hunt you down and kill you, me, your sister, Erica and everyone else you hold dear. And they'll save you for last so you can watch them rape, cut up and consume your loved ones. You know exactly what The Pride is capable of, Saipia."

"And that is why I should kill them all. But, I will do my best to just arrest them. However, I am taking my swords just in case things get ugly," conceited Saipia. She gave a heavy sigh. "Ten through fifteen. The Last of the Demon Children."

"I thought the rumors of the first fifteen Genoids were pure fiction. Then again, there is Liv and The Pride," James replied.

"Yeah. But, no one knows where the other eight are. Maybe they're behaving themselves. So far, the chances of that are good. But, everyday I'm afraid that I'll discover them and have to arrest them. But, everyday I pray that will never happen. I would much rather never know who they are," the blue wolf replied as she stared off into her memories.

***

James, Erica, Saipia and Bryan rolled up to The Pride's hideout in a heavily armored SUV. The vehicle had armored omni-directional wheels that allowed it to get into places a normal vehicle couldn't. Everyone carried an assault rifle, and everyone wore full body armor suits that could withstand even the impact from a .50 sniper round. This was to make sure they all survived their ordeal with the lions within the warehouse. "Alright, Angels, listen up. These lions we're about to face are some of the first Genoids created and they're not to be taken lightly. They've had plenty of time to build up their skills as mass murders. The reason they've never been officially caught is because they usually remain here in the Dark Side and they eat their victims. The rumor is, this is because Dr. Ivan screwed up when making them and they still have their predatory instincts, but, personally, I think they're simply crazy. Because they're considered dangerous, you are allowed to use deadly force, but try using your tasers and Blue Betties first," Saipia explained.

"So, I guess getting captured is out of the question, right?" Bryan asked.

"If you get captured, you better pray they just make you the main course. I've known people who were captured by them and had to watch their families and friends get raped, killed and consumed before maybe having a limb or two hacked off. These guys believe in mental and emotional torture. Sometimes, they'll make someone's so horrible they either die of a heart attack, or commit suicide. Then, these bastards will come in and eat them. One of them, Isan, even has her own line of 'exotic meats' which are made from various Genoids and humans," Saipia warned.

"Isan Lancer? Doesn't she have a perfectly legal meat company, as well?" Erica questioned.

James nodded. "That she does. In fact, this warehouse is legally owned by her company. She also has her own TV show, but don't let her charming personality fool you, she won't hesitate to kill you if she gets the chance."

"Isan once had an intern who crossed her, and, as punishment, she first made the intern watch as she slept with and killed her sister. Then Isan force fed her sister to her before letting her go. Or, at least Isan said she let her go, but no one actually knows for sure, 'cause the intern has never been heard from again. Out of all of The Pride, Isan is definitely the most dangerous. The leader, however, is a male lion by the name of Avron. The only reason why he's the leader is because he isn't afraid to kill the others if they cross him. Kammy, the other lioness, is the smartest of the bunch. She's also Avron's mate. Isan is no ones. She'll sleep with anyone she wants," added the commander.

"The other two are males named Zimi and Tintrin. Both are just as ruthless as the others," James continued.

"Oh, and Kammy and Isan are actual sisters. And they're very protective of each other, so be careful when facing them. In fact, let me handle those two," Saipia ordered.

James sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, Saipia is right. Leave the sisters to her. She's the best qualified to handle them."

"Alright. With that said, Erica I want you to do your best to back me up. You and I will go in first. James and Bryan, you can follow us. Do your best to take on one of them at a time. Taking on more than that could be a really stupid idea. These suits are tough, but they're not indestructable," commanded the commander.

Saipia personally hated the armored suits. They were big, heavy, slow and weren't designed to be used by Genoids. As a result, her tail was crammed uncomfortably in a space it wasn't designed to be in, her pointy ears were jammed against her skull and her long snout made it so her head could barely move. On top of that, her normally keen senses were severely dulled. The suit stank of human sweat and blood blended with oil and steal. Her hearing was filled with the infrasound and ultrasound the machine pumped out. Even her sense of taste was filled with the dust and grim of the machine. The suits were so cramped that the Angels could barely wear their uniforms. However, being the good commander that she was, she had procured a contractor to build her team new suits that would be built to their individual specs and tastes.

The suits were old, and Saipia didn't know for sure how much punishment they could actually take. But, as soon as she stepped from the SUV, she figured a well placed .50 round would render the suit useless. This made her pause in her assault and turn pack to her team. The suits were all the same and, if it weren't for the rank badges on the arms, it'd be impossible to tell who was who. "Be safe, you guys. I don't want to loose any one of you. I would suggest removing your rank for the time being. That way they'll simply treat us equally."

There was a nod from the members of her team who quickly removed their magnetic ranks from their suits. Saipia followed suit before turning back to the warehouse. "Alright, Captain Martin, let's get this over with."

Without another word Saipia and Erica smashed through the wall of the warehouse, luckily, not breaking any of the stolen goods on the other side. Saipia was instantly thankful that the suits active camouflage was still working as all four suits were invisible to the lions inside who were instantly alerted to the sound of the officers crashing their spades party. "Who dares disturb us at this hour?" Avron shouted.

Isan sniffed the air, detecting a familiar scent. "Cops, huh?" she commented. "No, not just any cops," she kept sniffing air. "I smell a ghost. Particularly a certain skanky wolf that should be long dead by now."

Saipia smiled at the lioness's sensitive nose. Isan always did have the better sense of smell. "Oh, so you haven't forgotten about me. I'm flattered, Isan. But, if I'm still alive, that means you failed in your mission, right?"

That tweaked the cat's nerves. "Shut up, bitch! It just means I haven't finished it, yet. Now, why don't you come out and play, old friend."

"Erica make your way to the roof. I'll lure the sisters that way. They do have an old score to settle with me. But try to remain invisible as long as you can. The rest of you, take care of those boys. Erica and I will join you once the ladies are arrested," Saipia ordered on a secure com line.

Erica gave a nod and took off towards the stairs. Saipia watched her friend and teammate for a moment before turning her attention back to The Pride. Turning off her camoflage, Saipia quickly ran up to the five felines. "I'm not sure you want to play with me, Isan. After all, I did promise to kill you last time I saw you. And, your sister pronounced her undying love for me."

"Yeah, and you should have taken me up on my offer, Sai. We could have been great together," said Kammy.

"Oh, but haven't your heard, I've been sleeping with another feline lately. And she's make you look like a two dollar whore...No, scratch that, you're much worse that a two dollar whore," the wolf teased.

The lionesses were getting irritated at the wolf. They both clinched fists and teeth in anger. A low growl billowed from Isan's lungs. "That mouth of yours was always getting you into trouble," the older of the sisters spat.

"Really? I could have sworn it was my lady parts that got me in trouble with you. Or was that Kammy's ass and tits? I can't remember," Saipia taunted. "Enough chatter, though, why don't you come with me so we can play."

"You against Kammy and I alone? I like those odds," Isan agreed and the two women quickly chased after Saipia in her suit as she headed for the stairs.

"You don't honestly think that bitch came alone do you?" Avron asked of the other two guys. A taser round to the chest of Tintrin answered the question. Instantly the other two scattered.

Saipia did her best to reach the roof before the to cats caught up, but Kammy quickly put a .50 round from a Desert Eagle into the back of the armored suit. "Damn!" the wolf exclaimed as warning lights instantly began flashing. "What the hell? Auto-self destruct? I guess that's my cue to ditch this hunk of junk." Quickly, the front of the suit peeled open like a banana and the white wolf quickly jumped out, trailing a sword behind her.

Kammy ran up around the malfunctioning suit when it exploded, sending her flying forward. The younger lioness slammed hard against the roof of the warehouse and slid a good twenty feet. A trail of blood showed her path. "Kammy!" Isan screamed as Saipia quickly ran over to check on the injured feline.

"She's alive. But barely. If we set aside our differences, I can get her the medical attention she needs. If she doesn't receive help soon, she's going to die," Saipia announced.

"But, you'll just arrest us when she's out of the hospital. I'm not letting my sister be locked in some cage for everyone's amusement!" spat Isan.

"Isan, listen to me. My duty, right now, is to protect Kammy. I have orders to take you all in alive, and I'm doing my best to obey that order. But, if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to kill you. We've had are horrible moments, Isan, but we were friends once. Hell, if it wasn't for me, you would have never achieved the success you've achieved," Saipia shouted across the distance between them as she slowly stood, sword at her side.

Isan stood there a moment, her breath short. She thought about Saipia's words. But, as she stared at the wolf and the body of her sister, she saw her sister begin to stir. A wicked smiled crossed her face, but she didn't know Saipia was fully aware of Kammy. The wolf hadn't taken her ears off her the entire time. Isan didn't see that Saipia's sword was only centimeters from Kammy's neck. Even as the wounded feline wrapped a bloody hand around Saipia's calf, the wolf held her ground.

"Don't listen to the bitch, Isan. I'm fine. A little shook up, but I'm..." Kammy paused to cough up some blood. "...perfectly fine."

"Like hell you are, Kammy. The fact that you're coughing up blood means you have internal injuries. If you don't get medical attention you'll be dead within an hour. Trust me," replied Saipia.

Without warning, Kammy wrapped her hands around the blade of Saipia's sword. That caught Saipia off guard, and she quickly pulled her sword away, cutting into the lioness's flesh. "Well, that wasn't that smart was it?" the commander asked.

Wordlessly, Kammy slowly stood to her feet and glared at the wolf. Blood soaked her fur, pieces of metal poked out from various places on her body. From the way her breathing was labored and the way she stood, it was easy to guess she had at least a couple ribs broken. Her right arm looked shattered and Saipia was instantly surprised she was able to lift it a moment earlier. "Looks like you'll be needing some prosthetic work," the canine commented.

"And be some artificial piece of junk? No thanks. I'd rather die," Kammy commented as her left eye began to slip from it's socket.

"Watch your tongue, Kammy. You still forget you broke my heart all those years ago," Saipia warned.

"Only after you broke mine. But, now you're here to arrest us anyway. Although, I'm sure my sister and I won't see the inside of a cell with her connections. You might as well kill us and get it over with," defended the younger lioness.

"Besides, Sai, we're immortal," commented Isan.

Saipia laughed. "You two aren't immortal. Just lucky."

"You're still alive," Kammy retorted.

Saipia's grin was quickly wiped off with that. "Just because I'm standing before you, now, doesn't mean I'm alive. You have no idea who and what I am, now. You don't know what I endured to get this false immortality."

"I do," Isan grinned. "I can smell it. And I figured there's only two ways out of this. Either I kill you and save my sister, or you kill us both. Either way, someone's gonna die."

"Don't do this, Isan. Don't forget I was the school fencing champion," cautioned Saipia as she prepared herself for a sword fight.

Isan laughed as Kammy quickly wrapped her good arm around Saipia's neck and began choking her. "But there's two of us, my dear Saipia," whispered Kammy seductively into the officer's ear.

Saipia watched as Isan began her charge while the sound of Erica's suit moving across the room sang in her ears. "I don't know how much longer I can stay invisible. I've got warning lights up the ying-yang. Looks like Christmas in here," Erica said.

The Angels always wore hidden communicators with them when they were on a mission. The commander was glad to have one then. She was hoping Erica would be in position before she ran out of air, but that probably wasn't going to happen. When she was sure she wasn't going to be rescued, Saipia shoved the tip of the sword behind her and it easily slide into Kammy's already battered body. When Isan saw the shock in her sister's eyes she paused a moment to watch her sibling slump to the ground, death finally ridding her of her pain. Saipia collapsed to the ground in an effort to regain the air that was stolen from her.

Isan walked up to the weakened wolf and pressed her Desert Eagle against the back of her head. "You killed my sister, Saipia! Dammit! You killed her! And now, you can join her in hell,"

"Speak for yourself, Isan. Too bad, though. You were a great cook," Erica said as she slipped out of her now visible armored suit.

The remaining lioness swung her gun towards the leopard and fired. Erica's shot was a second later. The large round hit Erica in the arm, causing her to drop her weapon. Erica's single shot, though, hit Isan right between her eyes. With both sisters, dead Erica wandered over to make sure her boss was okay, making sure to take her rifle with her.

"I guess those video games are paying off, huh?" Saipia joked.

Erica laughed. "I don't play them that much. And shooting someone in real life is a lot different than on a video game, smart ass."

"You going to be alright?" Saipia asked with a nod and a smile.

"Yeah. I probably won't even miss a day of work. Anyways, we should check on the others to make sure they're okay," Erica replied and the two quickly headed back down the stairs from which they came.

No one escaped injuries on that mission. James even lossed an arm when Tintrin hit her suit with a rocket launcher. "It's a good thing you and I are friends," Saipia told the maned wolf. "I'll give you the number of the best prosthetic maker in the country."

"Oh, I was counting on it," James replied. "Unfortunately, we only got a single member of The Pride. Tintrin's dead and Avron escaped."

"Right. The sisters are dead as well. And before you jump down my throat, I tried to end it without them dying, but both of them took turns trying to kill me. And Erica killed Isan," Saipia replied.

James still gave the commander an irritated look, but sighed away any complaints she had. "Well, at least most of us are in one piece. Now, let's get out of here."

***

Avron limped across the large, dimly lit room and took a seat in front of the desk of Sebastian. "Welcome, my dear Avron. I've heard you recently had a run in with GUEST. Well, I'm here to offer my services to you. For the moment, we're on the same page. We both want that bitch Saipia dead. I can provide you with anything you need."

The lion gave the human a skeptical glare. "Prove it."

A wicked grin came across Sebastian's face. "With pleasure, my friend." And with that, Sebastian pressed a button. From within the shadows behind him three figures with glowing red eyes emerged. As they stepped into the light, they were revealed as the deceased members of the Pride.

"What the hell? I thought you guys were dead!" The cat shouted, thinking he was seeing ghosts.

"Oh, we did die. But, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, they were able to put our consciousness into prosthetic bodies," Isan commented.

"And these things are armored," remarked Tintrin who imphasised his point by knocking on his metal chest.

"Yes. Each of these bodies are able to withstand a small explosion. And they weren't cheap. However, if you kill Saipia Jones and her little band of miscrients, we'll call it even. Oh, and just so we understand each other, each one of those bodies is armed with a high explosive device. You betray me, and they won't be able to find enough of you to put you in an new one," Sebastian warned.