Just then, Pretender popped in out of nowhere. “HELLO PARTY PEOPLE, AM I LATE?” Pretender was dressed in a three piece suit complete with a top hat and cane. “Ah yes, the human is dying, love is in the air...and what's this thing I smell? Hope? Can’t be having that-nope, not at all. I’ve waited FOUR YEARS for this. What's this plan I hear? I’ll dig it out of your head if I must...because you are supposed to die. Freaky boi, do leave.” Freak, clearly having not heard what Pretender just said, was stunned and surprised. “Pretender, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be-” Pretender waved his hand dismissively as he flashed him a smile. “Oh shush Freak. I figured you and your brilliant mind would know who did this by now!” Echo leaned up and looked between Freak and Pretender. “Wait-Freak, who is this-” A billion thoughts were coursing through Freaks head as the realization hit him. “YOU.” Freak said, his voice dripping with hatred. Pretender bowed gleefully. “Yes. Me. Would you like to elaborate or-” “YOU DID THIS TO HER. YOU EVIL-BACKSTABBING-LYING PIECE OF-” Pretender started to tut as he regarded the human loathingly. “Hm, such a wonder how my virus has worked SO WELL. Just had to pay her a visit to ensure it actually KILLED her and I wasn’t THWARTED.” Freak was positively enraged by now, and the lights within his body flickered and blinked… “Calm yourself Freak. I’m here to ensure your plan does not work. Which starts by killing the human-” Freak notices the way his body tensed and leaped into action, slamming into Pretender. “CARNAGE, GET IN HERE, I NEED HELP-” Freak was silenced with a powerful hit to the throat, followed by him getting launched across the room by an invisible force, right into the wall which he slid down, right onto the floor, the wind knocked out of him. “Now, now, Freak, don’t struggle. We’ve gone over this, many times. Whose in charge, ME. Who owns you? ME. Who rules this Factory? ME. And I’ll be damned if a HUMAN of all vermin-based creatures is roaming around in it. E-404 may not know yet, but in reality, SHE HAS NEVER BEEN IN CONTROL. I HAVE. Now, back to business.” Pretender turns to Echo and flashes her a smile. “Sorry, but this is necessary, you were an unforeseen variable to my plans, thereby making you dangerous. It's incredible really how...influential and inspiring you humans are. How you can turn...a killer of a machine...into a mess of sentience and morale. We have NO EMPATHY. We are MERELY MIMICKING your behavior. You’re like...a mother duck. We follow your example, and behavior. Only I like roasted duck.” Pretender proceeds to make his way towards Echo, but is hit by a beam of white energy which sends him flying across the room and hitting against the wall with such force it cracks. “WHO IN THE NINE LANDS OF HELL ARE YOU?” Carnage says aloud in a bold voice with her arm cannon pointed at him, stepping through the ruined doorway which smoked around the frame as Pretender staggered up. “Whewf. Carnage, Have some manners for your old man.” Pretender says as he examines the clean hole in his body...he’d be hit in the side, and the beam had gone all the way through. “I’m Pretender. And you should know you have made a grave, grave mistake.” With a pained laugh, he snapped his fingers in Carnage's direction just as Freak weakly cried out in protest “NO!”
But nothing happened. Pretender gave Carnage a queer look. “You should be crumpling and turning to ash right now. Where are my powers?” “Gone. Like you’re about to be if you try to harm my daughter again.” A voice said menacingly from the shadows. “Wha-what? You are somehow connected to the reason why I lost my powers, aren’t you E-404!” Pretender exclaimed as E-404 came into full view, straight out of a vent in the ceiling. “The one making the grave, grave, mistake here is not Carnage, but YOU.” Tentacles of dark energy started rising out of the ground and twining their way around Pretender’s body. “You cannot kill me easily. I will return, and I will-!” “Die?” E-404 asked as the tentacles suddenly flexed, mangling Pretender instantly. “You...will...all die...meaninglessly. I...always...come back.” Pretender gurgled as his body disintegrated into sheets, joints, and coils of rusted metal. Echo stared silently in shock. “F-Freak, who was that?” E-404 regarded Freak with both menace and curiosity. “You knew him? Who is he? WHAT is he?” “..I...trusted him. I wanted her...to have...more protection.” Freak said weakly pushed himself over to his feet just in time for E-404 pin him against the wall with her hand around his neck. “I promise and swear on my life that what I say next is never more true.. We made a deal-in return for my service to him, he would protect Echo, but he-he betrayed me. He’s a lying traitor. I should’ve never trusted him-he said he’d only honor the deal if I kept his existence a secret. I should’ve never done that.” E-404 looked over at Echo. “You solemnly swear you did this out of the goodness of your heart? For her?” E-404’s grip tightened to where the metal of Freak’s body creaked in protest. “Just earlier you told me you knew how loyal I was to her...it's more than loyalty E-404. I care for her too. Maybe even more than you do...” He let his words hang there. E-404 slackened her grip on his neck. “Existing without her would seem pointless to me. Please-do what you must and save her.” E-404 let go of him and stepped back. "Very well. After this, we're tracking him down." E-404 couldn't hope but note...that the mavolent presence she had sensed...did not match Pretenders presence. *GASP* Another possible Villain?! Alright, so what do you guys think?
