Epsilon enters the giant hole Grif and Slade made with the jeep in the canyon wall.

Epsilon: Whoa. Guess they came this way. Hm h-hm hm hm hm hmm.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Back with Simmons and Doc.

Simmons: Okay, now's our chance Doc, hit him with an overcharge. It should overload at least one of his systems.

Doc: Um, you do it.

Simmons: What- me? I don't even know how to fire that thing.

Doc: Just pull the trigger and let go, it's super easy.

Simmons: No no no, you're trained with it, you should do it. Go.

Doc: What if I miss? What if it doesn't do anything but make him mad? I already made it mad once and that didn't really work out very well.

Simmons: Whuga-what- well then just, we'll improvise.

Doc: Yeah I don't feel entirely comfortable with that answer.

The fusion coils blow up in the distance.

Doc: What the heck was that?

Simmons: Uh oh, I have a bad feeling that someone just caused him trouble.

The Meta turns and sees Doc charging the overcharge with his scanner.

Doc: Yeuu!

Simmons: Oh no, improvise, improvise!

As the Meta charges towards them, Doc raises his scanner and pulls the trigger. Suddenly a blast of green energy shoots out from the scanner and hits the Meta square on the chest, sending him and his brute shot flying backwards against the wall. With an angry growl, the Meta gets to his feet, his armor sparking with green electricity, and charges at Doc again. The Meta slows down almost to nothing. Kan climbs up and sees the display.

Doc: Am I dead? Am I dead?

Simmons: Doc, you did it!

Doc: He's frozen.

Simmons: No, it looks like you overloaded his time distortion unit. You must have caused some kind of inversion. Instead of making everything else slow, it made him slow.

Doc: Huh huh, yeah! Score one for the pacifist. How you like me now, Meta?

Kan: A valiant display.

Simmons: Kan! You're here!

South groans in pain, gaining their attention. Kan kneels down to her and feels her head.

Kan: What happened to her?

Simmons: Wash shot her.

Kan: My Leader will be most enraged when he learns of this. I will take her to the exit and await for the rest of you by the Prowler.

Simmons nods as he watches Kan carefully pick up South and jump through the grav-lift. He turns and sees Doc waving his hand in front of the still slow-moving Freelancer.

Simmons: Um, Doc? I wouldn't get too close to him if I were you.

Doc: Why, what's he gonna do? Beat me up over the course of the next two weeks?

Simmons: Well, technically he's not actually moving slower, he's moving at the same speed just over a longer period of time.

Doc: Huh?

Simmons: It's relativistic. His fist still travels at the same velocity, we just view it from a faster timeframe. Therefore, it looks slowed down, but theoretically, it should still carry the same force.

Doc: ... Nah, see? It's moving slower.

The Meta's fist finally connects with Doc's head, making a tiny "dink" noise, and sending Doc flying.

Doc: Waahuaa!

Doc then crashes into the wall.

Doc: Ow!

Simmons: See? That's what you get for arguing with science. Stupid bitch.

Doc: Simmons, get me outta this wall.

Simmons: Hmm, how do I do this...

Simmons tries various postures to get Doc free, but to no avail.

Simmons: The fuck- uhh, Jesus.

Doc: You're not pulling from my center.

Simmons: Dheuh- from the center, what the fuck is the center?

Doc: Get down and pull from the groin. Let go- stop rubbing at my head. Hey-

Simmons: Eah-

Doc: It feels like you're saving your strength. Don't save your strength. Hurry Simmons! I think that big guy's speeding back up!

Simmons: Oh shit. Um-

Sarge: Simmons, where are you? Come out here!

Simmons: I'm here, hold on just a second! Doc, it looks like I can't get you out.

Doc: Yes you can! You're, you can, you haven't really tried yet!

Simmons: I know, you're right, I should think about the mission.

Doc: What? No! Not unless this is rescue mission. I'm part of the mission.

Simmons: It's a noble sacrifice you're making here.

Doc: No no, I'm not sacrificing. I'm not noble. At all, listen to me, you don't wanna go I don't want you to go. I don't want you to go!

Simmons: I'll always remember you, bye!

Doc: Start by remembering me right now! Simmons!

The Meta returns to full speed and fires at Simmons as he runs across the base.

Sarge: Hurry it up!

Just as the Meta fires his Brute Shot, Simmons leaps off the base with a scream and, just as the Warthog drives past, he grabs onto the barrel of the turret but his momentum sends it spiraling around several times before he hits the back and holds on.

Sarge: Simmons, stop showing off and get in already!

Simmons: This isn't on purpose!

On the Base's upper level, the Meta fires more grenades at the retreating Reds. As the jeep hits a bump, Simmons loses his grip on the turret and ends up hanging from its back bumper, scraping along the ground.

Simmons: No, wait wait wait! Guys, guys, just slow down a little, why don't you-

Simmons gurgles underwater as they drive through the creek.

Sarge: What did he say?

The Meta jumps into the grav-lift and starts firing at the Reds from the air.

Sarge: Grif, incoming.

Grif: Don't worry, we'll just do what we did last time.

As the Meta nears the ground, he performs a half-twist somersault and lands right on the Warthog's front, crushing the bonnet, catapulting Sarge and Grif out of their seats and sending the jeep flipping up into the air. Then, just before the jeep hits the ground, the Meta raises his brute shot and fires, sending it barreling towards the other Reds.

Simmons: I'm scared to hold on, but I'm scared to let go!

Grif: Look out!

Sarge: Whoa.

Grif tackles Sarge away as the jeep hits a rock near them, destroyed and on fire. A tire rolls over Grif as he tries to get up.

Sarge: That was the worst driving of all time.

Grif: Because that wasn't driving, that was flying and burning!

Sarge: Touché.

Simmons staggers around, holding the bumper of the Warthog.

Simmons: Wuhu, wuh huh weeaha, wha- what happened, where am I?

The Meta approaches, reloading his Brute Shot.

Sarge: Get ready men. Remember, he can't kill all of us.

Grif: Why can't he kill all of us?

Sarge: Hmm. That is a good point.

Simmons: Whit- weehu heenu- hey, I'm okay.

Sarge: Get ready.

Grif: This is not going to be good.

Before the Meta or Reds could attack each other, Slade jumps in yelling as drops on top of the Meta and starts repeatedly stomping his helmet with his boot.

Slade: GET READY TO DIE, YOU FUCKER!

Slade yanks the Meta up, having him in a strong choke-hold, making the white Freelancer struggle and wave his hand as he tries to break free. Epsilon then flies up to them all.

Epsilon: Hey guys, what's going on? Man, your jeep got fucked up! Who's the big dude? Sup Gigantor?

The Meta stomps on Slade's foot and throws him over his shoulders. The Meta then takes a swing at Epsilon.

Epsilon: Whoa! You kiss your mother with that mouth?

Grif: What're you doing here?

Sarge: Who cares, just lead him out of here!

Epsilon: Hey ho- where?

Sarge: Anywhere that's not here.

Epsilon: Hey, come on big boy, follow me! Look how shiny I am, woohoo!

Sarge: Come on!

Simmons: What the fuck was that floating thing?

Grif: We'll explain later, run.

Slade gets his bearings and shakes his head as he sees the Reds retreating. He also sees Kan running to the exit, carrying South.

Slade: (gasps) Nat....

Slade then sprints off towards the exit.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Epsilon arrives at Blue Base and stops.

Epsilon: Come on big boy, come this way. Wait a minute. I know this place. Hello? Somebody in there?

The Meta growls as appears behind him.

Epsilon: Oh, shit, you scared the crap outta me.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The Reds continue to run towards the hole.

Sarge: Quick! Everyone, through the hole. Just sayin' that makes me miss Donut.

Grif: What're we gonna do? We can't outrun him and our jeep is destroyed.

Kan: And the Prowler wouldn't be able to get away fast enough carrying this many people.

Sarge: We have to seal the opening.

Simmons: Do we have any grenades?

Sarge: Negative, we need a plan of action.

Slade runs towards Kan and South.

Slade: South! South! Come on! Talk to me, love!

South groans again as she just slumps against Kan, falling unconscious.

Slade: Goddammit! Who did this?!

Kan: Simmons stated that Washington had shot her.

Slade roars in anger.

Slade: I'M GONNA KILL THAT-

Kan: Slade! Vengeance can come later. For now we must think of a plan of escape so that we can focus on healing South Dakota without fear of being attacked.

Slade grits his teeth as he then exhales slowly.

Slade: Right. Right.... sorry, mate.

Epsilon then flies up to them.

Epsilon: Hey I know he's a friend o' yours, but I gotta tell you that guy with the shiny head is kind of an asshole.

Simmons: Well if you're here, then where's the- oh no, there's the Meta! Come on we have to hurry!

Grif: I have an idea. Hey, you, dipshit!

Epsilon: You talkin' to me?

Grif: Yeah, you. This is all your fault you stupid piece o' junk. You got us in this mess.

Epsilon: Me? It was your friend we had to rescue.

Grif: Ah bullshit, now the Meta's coming up here and he's gonna kill all of us, starting with you.

Sarge: What are you doing?

Epsilon: I wasn't even looking for you guys, I was trying to find-

Sarge: Oh, I get it. Can it you overgrown ornament!

Epsilon: Oh, now you wanna start?

Grif: Hey, I'm not done with you yet ball bearing.

Epsilon: That's rude.

Slade: Even with no hands you've still got shitty aim!

Epsilon: Hey! I killed that one guy, didn't I?

Sarge: Your mother takes it in the exhaust port!

Grif: Come on Simmons, help us.

Simmons: I don't even know what you're doing.

Sarge: Your mother gets paddled like a pinball!

Epsilon: Hey, let's leave mothers outta this!

Grif: We're trying to increase the stress level.

Sarge: We need some insults!

Simmons: Um, okay. Grif, you're so fat you broke your arm and gravy came out. Slade, your accent is more annoying then Donut and his hobbies. Sarge, I find a lot of your tactical decisions to be questionable if not downright mediocre.

Sarge: Not insults for us Simmons, for him!

Simmons: I don't understand the rules of your stupid game! I just got here!

Epsilon: Ah, you guys are idiots.

Grif: This isn't working. We need something to make him mad. Really mad.

Simmons: Has he seen the last episode of The Sopranos yet?

The Meta and Wash approach.

Epsilon: Uh oh, look out, it's the big guy! And there's-

Wash: Get them Meta! Get them!

Epsilon: WASHINGTON!

Epsilon's eye glows bright red as his laser beam shoots out and blasts around the hole, causing the wall to collapse over it and blocking the way for Wash and the Meta.

Epsilon: What? No! Open it up! Open it up! I have to go back!

Sarge: Go back? Son are you crazy? After what we just went through to get outta there?

Epsilon: No, he'll find her! Don't you understand? I can't let them, get to her... first.

Epsilon falls out of the air and his power systems shut off.

Slade: Oh shit. (in his mind) Guys, please tell me he wasn't talking about who I think he was....

Rho: (in Slade's mind) You mean a certain blonde with a balls-kicking fetish?

Tex: (in Slade's mind) Well, that's just perfect.

Theta: (in Slade's mind) Who knows what memories have probably resurfaced in his head?

Delta: (in Slade's mind) I advise that we remain offline for the time being. Epsilon may ask us to assist him in unlocking any additional memory blockage he may have when powers back online.

Slade: (in his mind) Good idea. But I need you four to run that healing unit STAT. South's health is priority one.

Slade gets brought out of his mental conversation when Grif speaks up.

Grif: Wow, I guess he ran out of juice.

Sarge: He's had a hard day. Let him sleep it off. Load him up, let's hit the road.

Simmons: So, what is this thing, like some kinda pet?

Grif: Yeah, I guess you could say that. Come on, I'll fill you in.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Outside the wall, the Meta grunts.

Wash: Don't worry, we'll find them again. We just need some leads. And I know exactly who to ask.

Doc: (from afar) Hey guys? A little help here. Hello? Assholes.