It's raining as we see Chuck still running
Chuck is out of breath, he stops for a moment as we hear a police officer
Officer
Keep moving! He has to be around here somewhere!
Chuck
(Fuck, fuck!)
(This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
Chuck begins running again
Chuck
(I thought I would wait here and let the heat die down while continuing my arson before moving on to my next target!)
It's all that brat's fault!
James
What's my fault?
Chuck freezes as he turns around and sees James waiting at the end of the alleyway
Chuck
No!
How did you find me?
James
I followed my nose
Because you see…
…you reek of death.
Chuck lunges for James before getting pushed to the ground
Chuck
Agh!!!
What is that force pushing me down!?
James
Chuck Berry, you're under arrest.
Chuck
No! There's no way this is happening!
Something's wrong with you!
You're cheating!
There's no other way you could have caught me!
Chuck tries to reach for James
James steps on his hand to stop him from moving
James
I figured you out a little while ago, this was all one big game to you.
So I had to figure out, how do you win?
Then it hit me.
This is like chess.
A really bad game of chess.
You win by capturing the opponent's king.
One of us has almost all their pieces while the other has nothing…
…despite these seemingly impossible odds, the king with nothing is still capturing more pieces and evading capture at the same time.
If things kept going, they would end in stalemate.
That's where I come in.
I know how to move the pieces and can look at the game from an outside perspective.
To me, it's all just one big puzzle.
Do you get it?
Since the start we've been playing two different games.
I'm not cheating.
Lighting strikes to reveal the rain outlining an invisible figure standing behind James
James
Your rules just don't apply to me.
Chuck recoils in fear as he tries crawling away again
Lacerta fires another bullet into his leg
Officer
Spectre!
Did you catch him?!
James
I have him cornered, he can't move.
Chuck gets picked up by two officers as they start to drag him away
Chuck
Spectre…I'll remember that name until the day I die.
I swear, I'll be back one day and I'll burn you and turn this entire city into ashes!
James
I'll stop you then too.
James looks at Chuck with a hollow expression, showing pity as the rain drops paint his face like tears
Chuck
(What the hell?)
(Don't you dare look down on me!)
(I won't ever forgive you, Spectre!)
Narrator Chuck
It was my undying hatred that got me through all those hard days in prison.
In a twisted way, if it weren't for you, Spectre, I wouldn't have been able to endure prison, but the idea of you begging for mercy as I slowly killed you was enough to push me through.
No matter what I did or where I went, I kept obsessing over becoming like you, gaining power like you.
That's when he found me.
John finds Chuck hiding in a gutter
The two of them stare at each other without saying anything
John
I'm sorry, is there something I can help you with?
Chuck
Your eyes.
John
What was that?
Chuck
You have the same eyes as me.
The same eyes as him.
John
I-I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean, but I'm afraid I'll need to be on my way–
Chuck tries to grab John, and as he does, John snaps and Corvus attacks Chuck
John
Get your filthy hands off me, you inhuman piece of shit.
Just knowing filth like you has touched me makes my skin crawl.
Chuck
You…you have the same power as him!
John
Hm?
So you know about Corvus?
Chuck
No, all I know is it's all connected to him. To Spectre.
Chuck perks up at the mention of James' name
John
Oh?
Come with me and tell me more about this "Spectre"
Fade out, John and Chuck are seated in a lounge
Chuck is wolfing down the food in front of him
John
Slow down, the food isn't going anywhere.
After hearing your story, I'd like to extend an olive branch.
Chuck
What's that supposed to mean?
John
I'd be willing to give you power to rival that Spectre if you're willing to listen to me in exchange.
Chuck
Really?
And what's to stop me from killing you the second you give me this power?
John snaps his fingers and a butler comes in
John
I'm sorry Brian, however I need to teach him the value of loyalty.
Brian
I understand, I'd sacrifice anything if it means helping you sir.
John
Just what I wanted to hear.
John slices Brian in half with one clean motion
The blood splatters on Chuck and himself
John begins to calmly wipe the blood off him
John
Don't worry, the second you even thought about betraying me, I'd deal with you.
So I'd be more worried about yourself.
What do you say?
Chuck
…
(This man is insane…)
(But the power he has is real…)
(This man has power that could rival–maybe even kill–Spectre!)
I'd love to take you up on your offer!
John
Good, then from today onwards, you are my disciple.
I'm looking forward to working with you, Chuck Berry.
Chuck
Likewise, mr…what's your name?
John
That's for me, and me alone to know.
In the future, you'll only speak when spoken to, understand?
Chuck sweats bullets as he sees the hand reaching for his neck
Chuck frantically nods his head
Chuck
(I was wrong…)
(Spectre is nothing, he has power, but nothing close to this beast.)
(Spectre is merely an ant on this man's path.)
We now see James and Chuck together as Chuck leads James down a path
Chuck (dead)
I never did get your opinion, what do you think about my new look?
I bet it will catch on in a few years!
James
What do you want.
Chuck
Oh, nothing big.
I just wanted to show you that at the end of the day, no matter what you do, we're one and the same.
James
Don't be ridiculous, there's no way I could ever turn out like the sick freak you are!
Chuck
Really?
You're saying you would never kill to satisfy some unexplained bloodlust?
James
Of course not!
I've never had that–
James flashes back to when he killed Chuck, his fight with John, his fight with Sinatra, as well as John's description of his Manifesto
Chuck
Looks like I was right on the mark there!
I mean, of course I was!
How else would you explain all these bullet holes in me?
This wasn't some freak accident!
I realized something when I met him!
I didn't really want to become like you…
…I wanted you to become like me!
Or, to be more specific, to prove that you were already like me.
James
No…
Chuck
I mean, we're both hollow inside.
James
No.
Chuck
We both kill when we're mad at something.
James
You're wrong.
Chuck
And most importantly, we're all alone in this world!
James
No!
Chuck
Nothing and no one left to comfort us after we killed our only family!
We're like two peas in a pod!
Chuck begins to laugh hysterically as James starts breaking down with the death of all his friends and family rushing through his mind
???
You're wrong.
James & Chuck
!?
Chuck
What? Who are you?!
Someone puts their hand on James' shoulder
The figure is revealed to be Caroline
Caroline
I'm his friend, now beat it baldy, before I beat you to a bloody pulp.
No one messes with my friends and gets away with it.