Slaughter howled in agony, a separate animal reaction from his furious battle roar – how many different beasts resided in him? He dropped onto his side with a thud, grasping at both ankles. “Goddamn you, Fiendish!” He yelled. “This is none of your concern!”

Fiendish ignored him and proceeded over to his crumpled friend, helping him to a seated position. “Not your time yet, Manifest.”

“It never is, Fiendish.” Bernie managed, in what seemed to be well-practiced banter between the two.

Slaughter shifted his body into a seated position as well, facing them from across the room. “It seems Famine’s plan was the best of all.” He admitted to Bernie, then raised his laboring voice to address Famine. “What pestilence have you in mind to finish us off?”

Famine sipped his cappuccino then set it down on the counter. “To tell you the truth, I’ve lost interest in my plan. I’ve decided that my life would not be as interesting if both of you were dispatched, even if it would make me a legend. Also – and maybe I’m going soft – but seeing Fiendish come to Manny’s aid touched me. I don’t think I have ever seen one villain rescue another. You three can do what you want but I’m staying out of this one.”

“Well.” Slaughter said to Bernie, massaging the areas of his ankles that had been slashed but were now fully mended. “I suppose we go back to tearing each other apart.”

“Not necessarily.” Bernie replied. “I was telling Fiendish the other day that I’m starting to feel my age. I no longer get the same joy out of villainy that I once did. Gone are the are my golden days of shameless terrorizing of women and minorities. Nowadays if you kill or torture two blacks in a row, the younger villains are calling you every name in the book. I had been thinking more along the lines of retirement but what Famine just said has me considering otherwise. We, too often, get into each other’s way. We could be so much more productive operating in unison.”

“I think that’s asking too much of this bunch.” Fiendish challenged. “If you’re expecting the entire villain community to band together, I think you’re kidding yourself. We are all too selfish for a partnership.”