The phone started ringing and the two heroes stared at it for a little while. They didn't exactly know who was on the other end of the line, but they had a good idea.
"You answer it," Sheldon finally ordered, "I've got to see what Felix and Katie are up to..."
"I'm not answering that thing, man!" his companion shouted, "He's gonna be so [ticked]!"
Sheldon merely glared at the scrapper and moved on to another room of the base. The other man pressed his lips together sheepishly and answered the phone.
"Grand Central Station, this is Lum speaking."
"Dammit, Levi!" Kip shouted, causing the regenerator to pull the phone away from his ear, "What the Hell have you done!?"
Baker chuckled a little before putting the phone back to his ear.
"I don't know what you're talking about, man."
"You know damn well what I'm talking about! You had Sheldon build that psychic device for Aaron and Misty's kid, and you forgot to install a tracking device!?"
"Hang on," Psycho13 put his hand over the receiver, "Sheldon! Kip's got a technical question!"
----------
"I'm sorry," Harvey Maylor murmured as he looked over his notes, "Ever since Vanessa was sent to prison, I haven't been able to dig much up on the group. The battle really fragmented her control and now the Carnival has broken into many disparate groups... There's even one in the Rogue Isles now!"
"We know that," Ahren sighed, "What we need to know is what any one group is up to now. If those heroes we ran into are right, they might have stolen an infant!"
"Stolen an infant?" the editor of the Paragon Tattler looked horrified, "Who do they think they are? The Redcaps?"
Sooner Red and Ahren shrugged.
"Well, I'll keep on the lookout, but if you're looking to smash the Carnies, perhaps you can talk to that guy..."
He pointed across the street to where a group of the flashy-yet-skimpy-dressed girls were running, terrified, from what looked to be a Malta Group Gunslinger. He just looked a little short...
"Oh crap," the tanker growled, "Not again..."
The Master Illusionist brought another three Illusionists into existence, but they were destroyed in quick order by an insane maneuver from her assailant. She had never seen a real Malta Group agent cross his arms while firing, it was a very unprofessional and inaccurate method of shooting, but this guy not only did it, but he did it well. The Illusionist Decoys faded, screaming, and Aaron unwound his arms, which leveled his pistols square into the Master Illusionist's face.
"Alright, Mary," he growled through his mask, "Where is he?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, cur!" the woman shrieked, "Who is this 'Carl' you're ranting on for? Why does he concern you and what does this have to do with the Carnival?"
"You took him!" Aaron shouted, shoving the woman as he did and knocking her on her rear, "And I swear to everything holy, I will get him back!"
He pointed his right pistol at her head.
"Even if I have to eliminate every last one of you, one at a time..."
"Hey!" he heard from somewhere in front of him, "Short-shrift!"
He looked up in time to see Ahren's forearm, and the next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the sidewalk. The Master Illusionist righted herself and started to hover away, but Sooner walked up beside her and held her white energy blade to the woman's neck.
"Don't think you're going anywhere just yet," she explained, "Get over there."
"No," Aaron flicked his wrist and a small hold-out pistol popped into his hand, "This'll work better."
"Don't!" Ahren shouted as he tried to move into position to deflect the shot, but Durj squeezed the round off.
Sooner backed away suddenly and the bullet spanged off her prisoner's mask. Aaron's gaze followed the projectile's trajectory, but he seemed satisfied that it wasn't going anywhere dangerous, so he brought his gaze back to the heroes.
"Are you insane?" the tanker shouted as he hoisted the gunslinger by the collar, "What the Hell is wrong with you?"
"I cleared a whole cell doing what I just did here, once," Durj replied, "When fighting Praetorians, one has to have very good aim."
Ahren was about to question the young man, but was interrupted by Sooner exclaiming something. He turned to see what his friend was startled by and gasped.
The mask the Master Illusionist was wearing was breaking apart.
----------
"I appreciate the help you guys are giving me on this," Aaron finally allowed, "I... I just figured I should be the one to save my son, you know?"
"I guess it's alright," Cerise Nation patted his shoulder as the taxi traveled, "This is just so odd..."
"He seems fairly relaxed about it," Ahren almost chuckled, "Heck of a time to be alive, when powerful costumed freaks like us are a common-enough occurrence that we can just take the cab to Paragon Heights..."
The hotel was located in one of the more picturesque districts of Founders' Falls. Mary Wellington, the Master Illusionist Aaron freed by destroying her mask and a former member of high society as an art patron, had informed them that Vanessa DaVore, released from prison on a technicality, was holed up in the penthouse.
Oddly enough, it was just the place Kipland, Aaron's Prime Earth double, had said was the operating base of the Carnival. Of course, the scrapper had just pulled the location out of his butt, however, there was no way Sooner or Ahren knew that. When Aaron explained Kip was just being inductive, or even just making conjecture, they got a quick chuckle out of it.
"So, you know which ones are alive or not?" Ahren asked, "I'm sure a lot of heroes out there would like to know which ones they don't need to kill..."
"Well, for the most part, you can pretty much slaughter any Strongmen you find," the gunslinger replied, "They normally don't take the strongest-willed guys, and the process usually winds up shredding their souls... But I've run across a few that were salvageable... Usually the smarter ones."
"That's..." Sooner looked out the window, "That's good news."
"It's the voice," he continued, "Something about how it echoes... If it sounds deeper, more 'present,' it's a good bet it's a person who's still alive. They're just a little high on magic and the various, um, enhancements the masks place on them. As they do more and more acts that push them further and further from who they were and Vanessa devours more and more of their souls, they start to sound more far away, almost as if they're not the ones talking. Eventually, the echo sounds hollow, and the voices sound the same... If I were to make a bet, it would be DaVore's voice you're hearing at that point."
"That's disturbing," Ahren sighed, "Ah, here we are..."
"That'll be fifty-four, twenty," the cab driver murmured, then he looked at the people he was driving, "Oh yeah... I'll just put a call to the city representative and try to bill them."
Sooner and Ahren gave the man their identification numbers to help him along. However, Aaron actually gave him money, a little over a half of the total due.
"Consider the rest a tip. I assure you, you will get paid what you're owed."
The driver nodded and drove away. When the trio turned to the building, they found that they had been joined by another trio. It wasn't the Carnival minions, like they'd expected, but rather a group of heroes.
"Heya, Sheldon," Aaron muttered, "Hell of a job that hat of yours did."
"I'm sorry," the inventor muttered, "I thought it would be enough, but apparently something caught their attention..."
"It wasn't your fault," Aaron shook his head, "Media coverage of an infant born psychic? With power rivaling that of Penelope Yin or Sister Psyche? Yeah... Poor tyke had a bullseye painted on him from day one..."
"Well, it's time to take that bullseye off," Sarah intoned, "Who are your friends?"
"Ah, Sooner Red, Ahren, this is Sarah Grey, Sheldon Wallace and... Uh..."
"Psycho-Thirteen," Levi reached out to shake their hands, "Pleased to meet you."
"I thought a psycho was a criminal," Ahren's brow furrowed, "It's a rather... dubious... name for a hero..."
"Eh, it's a stage name," the young, oddly-dressed man replied.
Indeed, the other scrapper was dressed like a man from out of the turn of the century. Resplendent in slacks, a simple black tuxedo jacket and a top hat, he looked ridiculously fancy, yet wholly unsettling at the same time as the outfit was "flat-colored" and looked exceptionally worn.
"I figured I may as well dress for a party," he grinned to the other heroes.
"You stand in front," the tanker replied, "And you two?"
Sarah was in a simple red dress with a pair of tiny red feather wings coming out of the back. They weren't real wings, but they flapped all the same. She smiled and a small purplish-pink halo formed around her white hair. Sheldon was in a white trench coat, and his face was schooled to reveal no emotion.
"We're as ready as we can be," he said, his glasses hiding anything telling about his eyes, "I just hope it's enough."
((Sooner and Ahren used with permission from Sooner and Ice9.))
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
"We're looking for Ms. DeVore's party," Aaron told the desk clerk.
The young man blinked at him and his companions. Once he realized they were heroes, he bit his lower lip. The cleanup afterward was going to be terrible.
"Well, sir... The Lady has indicated that she's holding a private celebra-" he stared at the monitor and a bead of sweat rolled down his temple, "Uh... It seems she's indicated that you're to go up to the penthouse immediately."
Aaron, Ahren and Sooner started for the elevators almost immediately. Their new companions, however, weren't so quick to follow. Instead, they looked to each other worriedly and followed only when Durj looked back to them and furrowed his brow.
"That was fast," Sheldon's breath quickened slightly, but he struggled to school his face to its normal calm demeanor, "I don't like this."
"You shouldn't," Sarah Durnan rubbed her arms worriedly, "Vanessa's one of the most powerful psychics on the planet... And she's nasty to boot. The fact that she wants us to go meet her directly, no fighting through her minions, no trawling through a series a hallways to find her, none of the regular bull... It just doesn't bode well for us."
"Just get in the elevator," Aaron growled.
Once they were all in the the lift car, the doors closed and they started rising without any of them ever hitting a button. This made them look to each other worriedly, but Sheldon was quick to point out that all the Carnies needed to do was hit the "recall" button on their floor. Still, their timing was unsettling.
"This is going to be a difficult fight," Sooner whispered as she watched the gunslinger check his weapons, "Do you really think we'll be able to make it?"
"You know what I have at stake," the small man replied, "Do you think I have a choice?"
"No... I don't think anybody does... But that doesn't change our odds, either."
Sarah nodded and looked to the floor as she hoped the mental message she was sending was getting through to her target.
----------
"Welcome, welcome!" a brightly-dressed young woman chirped as she bounced enthusiastically in front of the opening elevator doors, "Mistress DeVore is so happy that you've come to speak with her! The whole room is positively bubbling with... Um... Why do you have your weapons out?"
Aaron kept his pistol leveled at a spot just to the right of the girl's forehead. The depleted uranium round would chip the mask, releasing the girl. Her unerring calm at seeing the heroes brandishing their implements and Ahren cracking his knuckles indicated that she was well under the sway of the Carnival's Grand Mistress. However, her voice was strong. She was still herself, even if she was still a puppet.
"Oh, we're much more comfortable with our implements at the ready," he finally answered, "What with Ms. DeVore's history when dealing with heroes."
"I see..." the girl sounded glum, but finally turned to walk away, "Well, come with me. She would like very much to speak with you personally."
"Does she know why we're here?"
"Of course!"
The heroes looked to each other with worry again before following. They were surrounded by the elite among the Carnival of Shadows. The strongest of the Strong Men, the most adept of the Illusionists, and the most lethal of the Ring Mistresses. However, where they would normally encounter this particular collection in a most violent way, everybody was decidedly relaxed. They even seemed quite celebratory.
It was a penthouse like none they'd ever seen before. It was designed with decadence in mind. A wide dance floor, bordered with windows, overlooked the ridgeline to the south and the rest of the city to the north. Above the floor was a balcony where party guests who didn't feel like dancing or performing could watch, eat, drink and mingle. All about were tapestries, giant masks and all manner of ribbons and decorations. It was definitely a party they were being led through.
Despite the stories of debauchery and other mindless acts, the gathering was surprisingly formal. Psycho13 even grinned broadly and plucked at the lapels of his suit when some of the party goers looked askance at him. Sheldon pushed the scrapper forward so they could join the rest of the group at a table where the very flamboyantly-dressed and imposing Vanessa DeVore rested and was tended to by her most loyal followers in the farthest corner of the balcony from the door.
"Welcome," she announced as they reached her table, "I was hoping to have more prominent heroes attend my return party, but I suppose I can make do with somebody of your needs."
"Heroes?" Psycho13 asked, "Ma'am, I'm just a security guard..."
The woman looked askance at the young man, but waved him off to return her attention to Aaron. Despite the mask she wore, her expressions were still discernible. It was as if the porcelain moved and molded to match her face, but only ever so slightly.
"Now, I know some of why you've come after me and my own, gunslinger," she said to the young man, "But... Well, normally I would just read your mind and determine the rest, but it seems all I'm hearing now is the music..."
"That would be my fault, Ma'am," Sarah explained, "See, I'm a psychic, too, and I'm doing everything I can to make sure you can't get into our heads..."
"That would explain the burst I felt earlier... And you're lucky, young lady, that I don't feel I need to get in there. I could crack your brain open like a nut."
The white haired girl merely squinted and made a light growl. Still, she didn't press the issue.
"So, you're looking for your son, and you two, if I gathered enough on your way into the building, are wondering what I'm up to... The rest of you are just tagging along to help your friend, yes?"
The heroes nodded as she sipped her wine. There was a pause as she considered just what she was willing to tell them, but these weren't "Earth-shattering" heroes, at least, not yet. While Vanessa couldn't be sure that they would never pose any true threat to her organization, she couldn't be sure they would, either. Deciding she would play this one safe, she decided to finally tell the group of heroes her situation.
"Well, Mr. Durj, I wish I could help you. I really do. However, since my arrest, really, since the energy I expended trying to fight back that group of heroes, my control has been broken. There are bands of the Carnival all over, and I've been working on a plan to recover my darlings... A plan which you so callously dashed against the rocks when you slaughtered that outpost I had set up."
"As I recall, they were already slaughtered," Aaron replied, "They sounded just like you when they screamed... Of course, I'd need an example from out of you..."
There was an audible click from under the table and the attendant Ring mistresses drew their blades. As the points hovered below the young man's chin, Psycho13 reached over casually to grasp a glass of wine. His arm was cut into by the sharp points of the swords, but he seemed unconcerned.
"Careful," he murmured, "You want the good life, you break your back..."
He brought the glass to his lips and tossed finished the beverage in one drink. The lacerations along his arms closed and he seemed unconcerned at the standoff.
"...You snap your fingers... You snap your neck."
Again, the leader of the Carnival stared askance at the odd young man, but she waved off her compatriots and leveled her gaze on Aaron. At the gunslinger's sides, Ahren and Sooner Red were tense, the tanker wondering whether or not he should try to break the gunslinger's wrist before he could fire a shot, the scrapper wondering how many Carnies they could cut down before DeVore broke their minds and devoured their souls should things turn for the worst. Fortunately, Vanessa didn't hear any of these surface thoughts, the music from Sarah Grey-Durnan was too overpowering for such simple psychic readings.
Aaron, for his part, holstered his pistol. He was letting his frustration and distress rule his judgment, and he needed to keep a level head, especially now.
"There's no need for hostility," Vanessa finally continued, "Listen, Mr. Durj, when you 'liberated' your wife from my organization, I was in prison and severed from my girls. I was not in any form of control at that time, though I believe the Ring Mistress trying to recruit them may have had more dark thoughts brewing in the back of her pretty little head than she let on."
"But..." Aaron turned to Sarah, "Didn't you read the minds of those Carnies?"
"Yes... The Mistress was an innocent..."
This elicited a cheerful chuckle from DeVore, who swirled her drink happily. Durnan glared at her again before asking what she found so humorous.
"My dear, you think you, a lightweight psychic who treats her powers as a novelty, has any chance of piercing the veils even the least of my Illusionists can develop? Let's see..."
She sat in silence for a moment while the white-haired girl growled obscenities under her breath. Eventually, just as the heroes were about to get fed up, she returned from her musings and addressed them again.
"You'll be wanting to pay a visit to Madame Carina. She's been rather adamant about resisting my reclamation, and from what I can gather from reading the thoughts of my various agents around her, she believes she finally has something to fight me with. If only she knew..."
"Carina?" Sarah murmured, "Was that the woman's name..."
"Well, it's a safe bet. She's the only one currently making overt plans against me, the 'weapon' is reportedly the product of one of her 'former girls,' and, frankly, she's the only one out there with any plans remotely similar to this. Now, I have answered the questions you had when you destroyed what was to be my forceful hand. What do you intend to give me to make sure I don't kill you in reprisal?"
The Ring Mistresses brandished their weapons again and Aaron glared at them in contempt. However, that was when the elevator doors at the other side of the room opened again. A large man, large enough to be imposing even to the Strong Men, marched into the penthouse suite. His sunken eyes glared about and when the greeter girl walked up, asking him what he thought he was doing, he spat on the floor in front of her. Vanessa left her table to see what the latest interruption was, her attendants making sure the heroes didn't leave.
"I'm here to get my daughter out of here," the big newcomer grunted, "Her and her friends... Right Joe?"
"Yes, sir," Durnan replied as he fished a piece of paper from his flak jacket's inner pocket, "Ladies and gentlemen! I am Sergeant Joseph Durnan of the Paragon Police Department! I have here a warrant giving us the right to search this penthouse for any evidence regarding criminal activities..."
DeVore glared at the two. She saw the slight sneer on the large man's face while he was getting wrapped in various types of stone. She almost hissed when she saw the minerals start hovering around his head, which scrambled the brutish thoughts she'd found there and left her wondering at just what the big man was capable of.
"How about this, Mr. Grey," she announced as she leaned against the railing of the balcony overlooking the main floor, "I'll just give you your daughter and her friends, and you can go ahead and leave me be. Hm? Is that satisfactory?"
"It works for me," the big man replied, "Joe, you can stop waving that thing around."
Officer Durnan hummed worriedly as he stuffed the warrant back into his pocket and tightened his grip on his assault rifle. Behind them, another large man with a worried look on his face held the elevator open as the heroes broke away from the Carnival leader and her attendants and joined the large tanker.
"Keep your nose out of trouble," Aaron finally answered the woman in passing, "And I promise you I won't ever have to bring anymore harm to your organization."
"I will extract my payment from you, you little cur," the woman replied, "You have involved yourself in matters beyond your ken. Now get out. You've soured my mood for a moment..."
----------
"Thank you, Randall," Sheldon gasped as they descended in the elevator car, "How-?"
"I called Joe," Sarah answered, "He told Dad. Who's this guy?"
"Hi, I'm Sam," the big man replied, "Sam Bibbins. Your dad wanted me to come with him because of my previous experience with the Carnival."
Sooner looked to the big man, then back to Aaron.
"Is this one of the former Strong men you mentioned?"
"Yeah," the gunslinger replied, "Used to be a computer guy, then they brought him into their ranks when they needed his money."
"Carnies cleaned me out," Bibbins sighed, "And I didn't even know what was going on. First clear thought I had, it was a half-remembered drunk thought about a big bucket being put over my head... Now, I'm much bigger, I'm poor, and I'm still trying to work out the legal ramifications."
"That's..." the young woman bit her lower lip and patted the big man's wrist sympathetically, "That's terrible. What about others?"
"Most find new ways to make a living," Sarah answered, "One we know, she's one of Sergei's designers in Steel Canyon's Icon store."
"My girlfriend," Sam grinned sheepishly, "She's an Icon model now... It's... It's kind of cool. I never thought I'd date a model."
"Gotta love those enhancements," the big, gruff Grey chuckled.
((Ahren and Sooner used with permission from Ice9 and Sooner.))
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
“Why haven’t you figured out what’s wrong with this boy?”
Madame Carina was glaring at a pair of Illusionists who had informed her repeatedly that the young child they’d kidnapped was not the psychic they’d been told he’d be. Carina, however, knew different. She had seen the potential in her former pupil and had intercepted the reports indicating the capabilities of her child.
“I know this child had the power I require!” she shouted at them, “You’re just trying to hide it from me!”
“Madame!” an Attendant shouted as she ran into the main chamber, “There’s an attack in the main lobby!”
Cursing, the Ring Mistress turned to the monitors and saw what appeared to be a Malta Group Gunslinger blasting into one of her Strongmen. Muttering to herself, she ordered her Illusionists to go downstairs and deal with the threat.
----------
Maylor had known who Madame Carina was and where the woman could be found. She was running all sorts of entertainment for high class parties, even if the entertainment itself wasn’t high class. Her girls were decidedly promiscuous, and did little to hide the fact. Despite working for a paparazzo magazine, Maylor was truly disgusted with the material presented to the Tattler by the rebel Madame’s group whenever certain individuals wouldn’t or couldn’t pay off the bribes to keep the dirty little secrets and he was all too happy to let the heroes know where to go.
“Make sure she winds up behind bars,” Harvey sighed, “She must think your son is worth risking everything over…”
“That’s something I already know,” Aaron nodded, “If only for a different reason. Thanks, Harvey. I’ll be sure to tell Indigo how you helped me.”
Maylor tugged at his collar uncomfortably and stammered. In the information brokerage business, one often had to know the competition and the associates. What he’d heard about Indigo and her boss, Crimson, made him very nervous that they would know much of anything about him.
“Nah, that’s fine, Mr. Durj. I’m happy just working in my own personal corner of the media, no need to get caught up in the hussle-and-bustle of international intrigue…”
The heroes made their way to a building just a few blocks away. Ahren dealt with the Nemesis troops patrolling nearby by knocking the Warhulk with them over and stomping through the containment unit. The machine’s fluids ignited and it exploded, sending soldiers hurtling in all directions. They weren’t dead, but they didn’t get back up.
A pair of colorfully-yet-scantily clad women appeared at the doorway to see what the noise was about, and Sooner dove in with a flying body tackle, slamming one against the corner of the door frame and the other tumbling down the stairs. As the one sent down the stairs started to get up, she found a knife at her throat.
“Now, now,” Psycho13 murmured quietly into her ear, “It wouldn’t be terribly wise for you to-AUGH!”
He looked down to see the woman had stabbed a rapier through his heart. Backing away, his face turning pale, he stumbled and fell on his backside as he clutched at his chest. Sheldon, however, was not taken in by the act.
“We don’t have time for theatrics, Levi.”
“Aw, you’re no fun,” the scrapper chuckled as he pulled the sword out of his chest and the wound started closing.
The fencer stared in consternation at the young man. He wasn’t the first regenerator she’d seen, nor would he be the last, but it was always disturbing to run across the ones who treated their injuries as jokes. They always seemed to be a step away from going completely insane with ambivalence.
Before she could do something to further the conflict, however, Ahren walked up behind her and tapped her on top of the head. It wasn’t gentle, and with the man’s super strength, it was enough to knock her out. She slumped over to her side unceremoniously as the gathered heroes made their way to the entrance. They found Sooner there, placing a police drone beacon on the fencer she’d tackled and gesturing for them to go inside.
“I wish we’d brought Daddy,” Sarah whispered as they walked in, “He’s just always so strong and scary…”
“We’ll be fine,” Ahren replied, “I’ve dealt with psychics before. I can handle this as well as a stone tanker… I can move faster, too.”
“Yeah, watch him work,” Sooner Red clapped the white-haired girl on the shoulder, “He’ll make short work of everything that comes our way…”
Which he did. Ahren would dive into the center of most of the groups, followed shortly by the rest of the group. The Carnies, a lot of them Strongmen, would suffer some terrible bout of tunnel vision and focus their attention on the incredibly resilient tanker. The tall man was capable of handling most of the groups himself, but not as rapidly as when Sooner and Psycho13 dove in afterward and laced into the people. Amazingly, they didn’t kill anybody… Not intentionally, anyway.
“No…” one whispered as Psycho13 popped her in the forehead with the pommel of his knife, “…You fool…”
Her whole body relaxed suddenly before exploding into a cloud of dust. The man squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his nose into the sleeve of his tuxedo. Fortunately, it wasn’t like the last time Aaron and company had dealt with this rapid rot.
“My God,” Sarah muttered as she held her hand over her nose and mouth, “It’s almost as bad as the Rodman Dump…”
They made their way through the complex and finally were confronted with a pair of Master Illusionists. They were known as the Twins, Sammi and Tammi. They were powerful psychics alone, even more so when they worked together. Their specialty was in making large monster illusions that were realer than real. Unfortunately, this fight was taking place in a room big enough to allow for just that, and they were in the process of making one. At present, it just looked like a gray blur hovering in the air.
“This is bad,” Sooner muttered, “We’ll have to stop them before they make that… Whatever.”
“Righto,” Aaron barked as he leveled his pistol and fired.
The twin on the left exploded in a flash of light and the Illusionists were gone. Unfortunately, the blur remained.
“Of course it wouldn’t be that easy,” Sarah muttered as she slapped her forehead.
They pushed to the staircase on their left and encountered a crew of Strongmen. One of them, for some odd reason, wore a big gold mask. He also hit harder than the others, even going so far as to knock Ahren on his back. However, Sooner and Psycho13, working on Aaron’s advice, sliced and slashed the straps holding the helmet on the big man’s head and Sarah lifted it off with telekinesis. He looked around confusedly before Aaron accidentally kicked one of the Iron Strong Men in the abdomen, causing him to back into his former boss.
Aaron was slammed into a wall by a Steel Strongman after that. However, before the big man could press his attack, Ahren was back on his feet and tackling the brute down the stairs. The Strongman tried to right himself, but he was hefted up by his ankle and the back of his neck before Ahren hurled him into a group of fencers at the entrance of the chamber. They were trying to reinforce the Carnies, but the big man crashing through them put a stop to that really fast.
“Who is this?” Sooner asked as she looked the man who had worn the Gold Helmet over.
“I think he was the center for the Patriots,” Levi muttered, “My brother would know better, but the guy has been missing since the Playoffs. It wouldn’t surprise me if these girls got him, considering what we’ve been told about them.”
“Oh man,” the dark-skinned man grunted, “My head… What happened? What the Hell is that!?”
The heroes looked back to see the blur had coalesced into the large form of the infamous Devouring Earth Monster, Jurassik. They collectively grunted as it turned toward them and Ahren, shaking his head, caught the rusted sedan as the Giant Illusion swung it at them.
“Gah!” he shouted on impact, “I always hate this part! Where’s that stone tank when you need him?”
“I know you’re kidding,” Cerise chuckled as she dove over the side of the walk way, “You can take it!”
“It would help if it wasn’t fake,” Ahren grunted as he pushed the hulk back and joined his partner, “If I didn’t know this was just some illusion…”
“Cool!” Psycho13 shouted, “I can accept that!”
Despite the protests of his companions, he sped ahead of the others and stopped right between the ankles of the illusory giant. “Jurassik” then swung low and knocked the scrapper clean off his feet, slamming him into the far wall. One of Psycho13’s knives stuck next to him, the other stabbed right in his belly, eliciting a grunt.
“At least he’s not dead,” Sarah sighed as they followed and engaged the monster.
While it was resilient, the fake Jurassik was nowhere near as powerful as the real giant monster. Normally, it took a full crew of considerable strength to fight the beast. Here, the heroes knew they were doing considerable damage as they assaulted the “walking rock” that started to waver as they tore at the psychic energies holding the manifestation together.
As Psycho13 rejoined the fight, hacking and slashing at the monster’s ankles with a fervor that showed he seemed completely unfazed by the powerful blow he’d just received, Ahren leaped up and slammed his fist in the abdomen of the beast. His fist went right through, and the heroes knew the illusion was beaten when the rest of the tanker’s body went hurtling through the ever-widening hole. Gaps appeared in the illusion’s body, and it slowly, surely, fell apart and faded away.
“AUGH!” they heard from above.
Looking up, the heroes saw one of the twins, Tammi, holding the side of her head. She was on the top floor of the walkways, and they wasted no time getting to her and her sister. The Illusionists threw an army of scary looking things at them, but they pressed on. Sarah turned their fear back on them, sending them an image of her father’s face, only gigantic, rushing at them. They broke under the terror, and Sammi went flying away in fear. Tammi tried to stand her ground and was thrown through a window by Ahren for her trouble. When Sammi looked back to see what had happened, a bullet from Aaron’s gun clipped her mask and it crumbled to bits off her face.
“Where is he?” the gunslinger shouted at her as she fell to her knees and started sobbing, “Where is my son!?”
There was an audible thud as the little man jumped from the third walkway and landed in front of her. She looked up, tears streaming out of her eyes and her hair a mess. She was overwhelmed with memories, things she’d done and the people she’d hurt, not to mention who she was returning to the forefront of her mind. All of it, however, could have just been an act, and Aaron wasn’t about to let himself be fooled again.
“Answer me!” he shouted as he hoisted her up and pressed the muzzle of his pistol against her throat, “I will spill your life all over this carpet!”
“Upstairs!” the girl shouted and sobbed hoarsely, “Please! Please don’t hurt me!”
“There is no upstairs!” he barked, pulling the pistol away briefly to fire once into the ceiling before promptly pressing the muzzle into her belly, “You better stop lying to me!”
“The elevator!” her sister shouted from behind as Ahren trudged her down the stairs, her mask cracking in his left hand as he squeezed, “It’s protected by an illusion… We can… We can take it down for you… Just don’t hurt her…”
As Sarah and Ahren took the Illusionists away, Sooner Red walked over to Aaron and confronted him about his behavior. Sheldon and Psycho13 trailed after the others as the female scrapper waved them on.
“This is near-psychotic, Durj,” she whispered so as not to let the echo carry, “If it weren’t for the fact that I remember the news broadcast and your friends telling me it is your son, I’d almost believe that this was some sort of delusion directed at a band of criminals. Don’t get me wrong, I hate them, too, but you looked just about ready to kill that poor woman!”
“I was,” Aaron growled back, “There are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed… And those who fall in with those who would don’t deserve any mercy.”
“But they’re as much victims as the normal people they hurt.”
“That’s what we thought about Carina when we released her last time.”
Sooner Red shook her head.
“You don’t even remember if that was her. You don’t even know if your son is here!”
“I know…” he murmured, “I… I know he’s here…”
“Guys!” they heard Psycho13 shouting for them, “They weren’t kidding, there’s a whole hallway here hidden behind a wall!”
----------
“Tell me what the secret is,” Madame Carina murmured as they pushed her outside.
There hadn’t been a fight. The woman knew she was outmatched, having just watched three of her best get defeated almost unceremoniously, and she surrendered immediately. True, she’d considered trying to threaten the life of the child, but after watching the gunslinger threaten her lieutenant like he did, she reconsidered that option quickly. Plus, her thoughts had broadcast, and Sarah sent an image of what her father had in store for people who committed such heinous acts against children.
It would not have been an easy death, nor would she have likely died. There were plenty worse punishments than death.
Instead, she turned the child over and submitted herself to be handcuffed. Sooner and Ahren took the credit for the mission, as Aaron wasn’t an official hero, and there was some fanfare for rescuing the young psychic. Ahren muttered something about it all being unnecessary, and Sooner seemed to be trying to keep her face out of the cameras’ view, however, Psycho13 and Sarah Durnan proudly cheered as they were lauded for saving the child of their friends.
“It’s a sonic resonance emitter,” Sheldon replied, “Installed into his hat.”
“Impossible,” the woman hissed, “The technology isn’t… Isn’t…”
“I can make such devices,” he replied, “We made this one with the intention of stopping people like you and your friends from detecting Carl. Too bad your goons remembered Aaron’s last name when they went searching for him in the maternity ward.”
The police drove away with the woman in the back of one of their squad cars. With her mask off her face and a dose of the power dampening solution used in the Zig in her circulatory system, she could do little more than scowl at the heroes as she was taken away.
Sarah was just happy for the outcome, but then her friend, Psycho13, had a dark reason for wanting any involvement with the whole incident. She could sense it circulating the back of his mind; the secret thought that he kept hidden from his friends.
He was a man seeking conflict, a hero born of pain and torture and he’d finally found something to do that would get the attention of the people who’d made him what he was. She could hear it radiating from his brain in pulses.
”Here I am, guys. Come and get me.”
((I didn't ask Sooner and Ice9 for permission to use their characters, Sooner and Ahren, for this final chapter of the arc, but I assume they would have wanted their characters to see this bit through to the end. I hope I haven't ticked either of them off with the portrayal.))
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Mauthe's Island. It wasn't really the name of the place, and to be honest, the island and its twin were just two of the uncharted ones within the Rogues. These landmasses were often left unnamed until Arachnos or a team of independent explorers looked through them and registered a likely moniker with the local authorities. However, because of the strange monstrosities throughout the Isles, not to mention the rampant criminal organizations calling the unknown islands home, exploration was often never considered.
However, Mauthe and his small army of refugees had no choice but to explore. Driven from their first home by Arachnos soldiers, theyd found this island, its abandoned temple and a Freakshow monster that had been left for dead. They rescued the monster, and Chaingunnz had been proving to eb a powerful security force ever since.
The group worked simply in a method similar to communism. Most people found their own jobs to do, but Mauthes philosophy stood as if you cant find something to do, we will find something for you. Most wound up on the security detail, armed with the groups sparse shotguns and assault rifles. A few mothers of the recently conscripted young men told Mauthe about their concerns about them being brought into his reserve army, but he reassured them that only volunteers were accepted into the group of thugs he only called into action in case of emergencies.
He was classified as a Mastermind, a type of rogue who could easily command a small cadre of thugs in his capers across the world. However, that didnt take into account the extremely hard work that went into maintaining his village, his people, and his army. They painstakingly turned the island into a farm. Irrigation, tilling, tending, and harvesting were all hard work, and Brother Mauthe was there with them the whole while. He also dealt with the villages politics, such as where newcomers would be placed within the community, and he was the man who got them the special supplies they needed.
This last task often required forays into the main Rogue Isles themselves, and Mauthe and his personal security force were the group that went to war against the criminal groups that called those places home. Sometimes, they went up against Arachnos themselves, but never enough and always with enough cover story so as it never seemed personal.
His crew always knew it was personal, though. Even before the attack on their first home, it was personal. Mauthe had a real hate for the organization, even beyond Brother Hands, Brother Skraps or Brother Bricks. Hand and Skrap had both been in paramilitary units decimated by the spiders. Brick
He simply hated what Recluse and his cronies had done to his home. Brother Mauthe went after them like a man on a mission.
There was a history there that the rest of the group refused to question their enigmatic leader about. Mauthe didnt say much of anything about his past, nothing except that he had a family in Paragon City. Despite the obvious intensity of the situation, though, Mauthe was a surprisingly even-tempered and pleasant man.
Gentlemen, he announced to his two crews one evening, We have a mission ahead of us
Ive finally gotten a green light on something Ive been meaning to do for some time, and weve got to move fast.
Green light? Skrap asked gruffly, Who the Hell do you answer to?
Nobody, normally, he replied, but this time, I had to wait for an all clear
Plus, a certain event has been moved ahead of schedule, so the time to do this mission has been dramatically decreased.
What event? the normally quiet Brother War asked in his deep baritone.
An execution
-----
An armored young man walked up to the Haven House as if he did it every day. The balding man in front of the decrepit, yet oddly significant building stopped him, however, with a wave of his hands and an angry speech.
You fiend! Westin Phipps shouted his repeatedly rehearsed lines, Get away from here at once! I will not let you victimize these people, you
You MONSTER!
Im the monster? Brother Brick growled.
Hang on, Phipps looked around the corner of the building to make sure nobody was watching, Okay, we should be able to talk. Gotta keep up appear-
Brick hadnt stopped marching up to him as he looked, and once Phipps turned back, he found himself staring down the barrel of a very high caliber revolver. Brick pressed it to the mans throat and pushed Phipps to the wall so nobody would see.
The only reason why youre not dead, you sack of [dreck], is that you have information I need, Brick growled again, You think I dont know? You think nobody knows!? We know, you worthless worm, and we really know how to make you hurt
Youve contributed to engendering the most violent generation this nation has ever seen, and Arachnos is about to reap it!
Phipps shook uncontrollably, but Brick held him upright.
Youre going to tell me where the teacher is. You know who Im talking about, and dont you dare try to lie to me!
Phipps looked about for any signs of help. He didnt know that the Bane Spider security detail assigned to him was currently getting tossed around like rag dolls by Brother War. Other rogues also werent likely to show up to help him, either, as business had been slow lately.
Brick pulled the hammer back on his revolver and Phipps simultaneously spilled the information and wet himself. The thug wasnt assured by this, so he swatted the simpering man with the butt of his gun. After a few minutes of wailing on the Arachnos agent, he was certain the information he got was the information he needed.
----------
Why do you do this? Brother Hand asked his erstwhile partner.
Why do you? Skrap replied, If I went back to the Council, theyd kill me for desertion and move on to the same old routine. You? I bet Longbow would bring you back in a heartbeat.
I would, but theyre always shooting at us.
They were walking down the corridors of one of the many Arachnos prisons. Brother Ringo and Brother Hood had started a large fire elsewhere in the complex. Ringo had set the blaze while Hood disabled the extinguisher system (what hed done was fed an accelerant into the system, which only aggravated the fire). Most of the security was busy helping fight the fire.
In fact, only two guards remained. Standing before the energy field containing Miss Francine Primm were two large, powerfully built, Arachnos Bane Spider Executioners. They glowered at the intruders and shook their heads.
I knew it, the left one muttered, I knew as soon as I heard the fire alarm, I knew it was about her.
Good thing we dont move from here unless the boss orders us to, the right one growled back before pointing his wicked-looking Nullifier Mace at the intruders, You two. Stay where you are and prepare for death, or you can leave so we dont have to waste any energy cutting you open from groin to throat.
Brother Hand shook his head and drew his assault rifle. Brother Skrap did the same. The two simultaneously opened fire, spraying bullets at the guards and diving behind the cover of the ramps that led to the next level. The two Bane Spiders started marching to them, each knowing that he was more than a match for both. They intended to take their time tearing the men apart and entertain themselves as they threw bits and pieces at the energy field holding the prisoner.
Of course, if they were just the basically trained goons of Longbow and the Council like they were discussing earlier, they wouldnt have survived for as long as they had. The first reached Skrap, and the former Cor Leonis pressed a button on his wrist that triggered a loud keening noise. Before the Executioner knew what he was held in place by an impenetrable force field of nothing more than vibrating air. The other turned to see what the noise was before realizing his mistake and turned to stare into a gas that made him choke and crumple to the floor. Debilitated, he couldnt fight back as the two men pummeled him into unconsciousness. When the sonic field holding his partner suspended faded, he was subjected to a massive barrage of flying metal that bowled him over.
Hand and Skrap checked the body as they changed their magazines. When it disappeared in a field of red energy, and the one theyd kicked around did the same, they turned to the prison. Francine Primm looked to them hopefully as Skrap worked on shorting out the field.
Hurry up, man, Brother Hand urged, An alarms not going to change anything now.
Skrap grumbled some obscenities until there was an electric pop that signaled that the circuit had shorted out. An alarm sounded, but there wouldnt be any reinforcements. It was a big fire Ringo and Hand had set up.
Come along, Ms. Primm, Skrap growled to the woman, Weve got to get you out of here before they realize this is what the whole thing is about.
They rushed through the corridors as quickly as they could. While they had a good feeling that an attack wasnt coming, they still couldnt be too sure. However, for some odd reason, Ms. Primm continued to talk.
Where are we going? Did Luminary send you? Will she be there when we get outside? Where will we go once we get outside
It continued like this for some time before Skrap and Hand both stopped short. They looked to each other through the corners of their eyes and realized they had the same thought. Whirling around, they leveled their assault rifles on Ms. Primm.
What? she asked calmly.
Too calmly.
The two men opened fire and the woman deftly backflipped out of the way of the bursts. In an instant, her disguise faded away, revealing a Night Widow. They didnt know Shadeheart, but they didnt need to in order to understand that she was a threat. They continued firing and she responded by hurling metal spikes at them. They ducked and dove around the flying metal, and when they got a chance, they fired back, but theyw ere getting nowhere. Shadeheart was smarter than the average Night Widow.
However, if she had expanded upon her psychic training as her superiors told her, she probably would have noticed Brother War tearing out of the floor to grab her by the ankles and pull her under. He wasnt gentle about it, but there was nothing to the attack other than brute force. She scrabbled at the grating to try to keep herself from being dragged, but the big man was too strong and she was yanked down. War pulled himself up over her and finally stomped her down to the next floor, which was a long way down.
[Jebus], War, Hand gasped, that was
That was pretty rough
I could smell the stink of her armor, the big man rumbled, This whole thing was a setup.
I dont think so, Skrap rasped, Probably everything up until we involved that [dastard], Phipps. Remind me to put a bullet in his leg before we leave this [fricking] island.
I dont think well have the time, his counterpart replied, Look!
The circular exit door was just closing, but nothing seemed to have come through. At this point, however, the two soldiers knew better, and could hear the clanking of boots on metal as the Bane Spider Scouts approached.
Brother War pushed past the smaller men and pulled the big sharpened hunk of metal from inside his coat. While his friends couldnt see the Scouts, he could. They were a reddish haze where most of everything was dark, but he couldnt explain that to them. Instead, in one motion, he hurled the war blade at the Scout at his right, sending the man sprawling off his feet. He then charged into the midst of the remaining three and just starting smashing them about.
One reappeared as he bounced off the wall and his stealth unit shorted out. The last thing he saw before the emergency medical system teleported him away was the big mans fist smashing through his face mask.
The other two tried to flank him, but War just grabbed the nearest ones Nullifier and forced the head of it into its wielders face mask. Again, this broke and the suit activated its emergency medical teleporter. It might not have been life-threatening damage, but it was severe enough and the masks were pretty close to the soldiers faces.
The last held his mace at the ready, but War simply pulled a chain from out of his coats pocket. Whirling it over his head in a deft swing, he lashed the links at his foe and the chain wrapped around the mace. With a swift tug, the big man had the weapon in his hand and with a roar, he hurled it back.
When the last Scout faded away, Hand and Skrap gave War a few seconds to collect himself. He turned around to them and nodded. As they headed for the door, he pointed at the hole.
Dont even think about it, his voice didnt even sound winded, You go on and get back in there.
Shadeheart didnt know how the big man had seen her, but she wasnt about to argue. He was busy picking up the hunk of sharpened scrap metal hed used to dispatch one of her support crew, and he seemed ready enough to tear her apart.
----------
So, you didnt know? Power Breaker asked Mauthe once the whole crew was back on the island, Luminary rescued Primm while your crew smashed through the prison you thought held her. She and Citadel can hack computers like theyre turning on a light switch
Like me. She just had to get into a base that had the know-how.
Funny, Mauthe replied, thinking about how theyd almost been stopped by a squad of arbiters, You know, shes the one that gave me the go-ahead?
You
Breaker blinked at that, You took orders directly from a Vindicator?
Mauthe nodded and took a sip of his whiskey.
The arbiters would have had them, right outside of the Haven House, just where Phipps expected Brother Brick and Brother Mauthe to come for him once the duplicitous nature of his information had been exposed. However, what he hadnt counted on was a large number of the people in among the penitents of the Haven House werent really the downtrodden dregs he thought they were. With one shrill whistle, Mauthe and his guard were suddenly surrounded by an army of soldiers armed with anything they could get their hands on, from bats and two-by-fours to pistols, shotguns and submachine guns.
The four arbiters didnt like their odds. Certainly, they could wipe out these people, but Mauthe looked handy with his pistols, and Brick was popping his knuckles as if he was already calculating how to break them down. Brother Mauthes dregs edged away quickly, and the confrontation had been uneventful in the active sense, but Mauthe knew that Arachnos would take note of him again.
They would have to be ready. Fortunately, they were.
Luminary got caught, though, Breaker grumbled, But Longbow forces took Primm to safety. That fire your boys set was a work of genius, though. I dont think Phipps saw that one coming. He probably just told them to set the decoy and the ambush and be done with it. I dont think he expected your crew to be so tenacious.
Nobody ever expects a masterminds crew to be tenacious, Mauthe chuckled back, I didnt know what to expect from all of that, but at least my boys know what theyre doing.
Breaker nodded with understanding, but then blinked and looked around worriedly. After biting his lip, he finished off his beer and started walking away.
I gotta go. Bossmans calling me.
Why do you do Sciroccos bidding? Hes not the real Scirocco, you know
Hes got the mantle, no matter how he got it, Breaker shrugged, Its in the hands of Fate, now. If Fate wants to take it from him, its just got to send somebody strong enough and worthy enough to take it. For now, hes got me doing work that isnt so much furthering Arachnos plans, but policing things up out here. That simple. Id love to debate this more, man, but I really gotta go.
Mauthe nodded and raised his glass in cheers to his departing friend. After the big man left, his crew shuffled in, one-by-one. They knew the story now, as Mauthe had much to explain on their way back home. However, they still didnt know the why, and he told them who had ordered the mission right then.
Sir, why? Brother Hand asked, hope tingeing his voice.
Its obvious, Skrap muttered, Hes a Longbow agent, like that [butt]hole, Wilder.
No, not like Wilder, Mauthe sighed, Im deep cover. Unspecified Operations. I was specially selected for this
He fished out his identification and handed it to his friends. They passed it around and looked it over. Brick and Ringo looked shocked, Hand was disbelieving, but Skrap and War just shrugged. They didnt know the significance of the name.
-Michael G. Marchand-
So
What relation? Hand almost laughed.
Second son, Mauthe replied, I was an infant the day he died
The helicopter flew off while he fended off
The assassin.
So
You know the truth? Who killed your father?
Mauthes eye looked about, but finally he shook his head. He had a good memory of that day, and he didnt know why. However, he just could not remember the face of the killer. One thing that stood at the forefront of his mind though, the Menders were lying to him.
He knew the face he saw in the mirror wasnt the one that took his fathers life. It wasnt any of his crew, either.
So, thats what this is all about? War asked as he folded his arms over his chest, Youre getting your revenge?
Revenge, closure, Mauthe shrugged, Something. I dont know. I never knew my father
My brother
I dont even know what happened to him. Heck, Gerald was so old at the time, he might not have even been my father. I just know Im in my forties, I have a memory of that day, my name is Marchand as well and my mother said she missed him very much. I was also personally recruited into Freedom Corps by Ms. Liberty and trained for just this sort of assignment, so
He shrugged.
Its repeatedly crossed my mind that it could all still be a pack of lies, my whole life, everything up-to-and-including my insertion into the Zig so I could be extracted by Arachnos without them thinking I was an agent. I could even be delusional, but
I dont think so. At this point, however, I dont care. I could find out it was all a lie tomorrow and move on. Big deal. So long as this little colony weve got set up works out and holds as a safe place for people sick of the crap in the Rogues, Im happy. This is whats important to me. The rest
Well burn that bridge when we get to it.
The members of his crew nodded and left it at that. As they filtered out, War continued to look down his nose at Mauthe. However, it wasnt contempt he was conveying. It was a quiet regard.
There was a strange sense of respect emanating from the big man. Mauthe nodded to him before tossing him the bottle of whiskey and nodding in a gesture that indicated that he wanted to be alone.
War carefully picked his way outside, and let his boss rest with his thoughts.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Power Breaker wasnt called into the main hall where Recluse saw over his lieutenants. Scirocco had called him to one of the mystics bases in the Nerva Archipelago. It was on the edge of the large forested Thorn Isle, inside a cavern that was tunneled out and refitted with steel hallways and facilities similar to any other Arachnos cell.
However, his patrons office wasnt the same as the rest of the base. Here is where Scirocco came to work more at his own pace, and the office definitely showed that. There was wooden paneling walled over the steel grid, a few tapestries of various national origins and times, a pair of bookstands and a simple mat in the corner where the sorcerer meditated.
Breaker was shown in by a floating Mu mystic who promptly disappeared as soon as Scirocco waved him away. Ever since the fiasco with MuRakir and his attempt to destroy Ghost Widow, the mystics had learned to step very lightly around their leader. Only a select few were allowed to speak their minds around him lately, but they had earned that right while most of the mystics were simply trying to find somewhere they could get away from the lunatic cult of the Circle of Thorns.
Welcome, Raymond, Imad Malak said without looking from his desk, Please, make yourself comfortable while I finish this.
Power Breaker leaned against the wall and looked to the floor. There was an unusual design there, like some sort of monster that was an explosion at the same time. He was just realizing where hed seen it before when Scirocco answered him.
Its the device that can be found on the shield of Romulus. Yes, I know of the temporal anomaly the Midnight Squad has established. They asked me if I would lend some of my mystics to some of the rituals, and if so many werent in the field, I would have sent more than the few representatives in their club now.
He sighed and rolled up the scroll on his desk. After hed placed it with similar rolls of paper on his bookcase, he turned to Power Breaker and smiled.
Whats this about, boss? the brute asked.
Pettiness, sadly, the mystic chuckled, Though the thought has me so amused, I cant help but smile. I trust you heard that the teacher our lords agent, Phipps, schemed to have arrested was rescued, yes?
Yeah, but they caught Luminary. Sounds kind of like a pretty good trade
In the Arachnos way of thinking, anyway. Frankly, I cant see why theyd want to torture an android, and a party-girl android at that. I mean, she can just shut down, or worse, self destruct. Sounds-
I know what youre thinking, again, Scirocco couldnt keep from smiling, Youre already hacking the Arachnos grid and looking for where theyre keeping her, arent you?
Um
Well, stop. While I know you dont have any serious loyalty to Arachnos, you havent been deemed a threat yet. It would be best if you maintained the charade of compliance at least for a little while longer.
Until you figure out how to use the Mundi in my brain, right? Breaker growled as his nanites stopped their attempts to break through sixteen different ports in the main tower simultaneously.
Of course, the mystics smile thinned a little when he saw Breaker blink in grim acceptance, Oh, cheer up, my student. You still have a chance to escape that fate, and it may not even happen. For now, however, we can help each other, and you get to do what it is you so desperately want to do now.
Youre going to help me rescue Luminary? Doesnt she have a shoot on sight order on you?
And the rest of us lieutenants. However, with what Black Scorpion did to her, she wouldnt be able to do anything to me, even if I were going
----------
The stalkers jaw cracked under Breakers fist. When he tried to right himself, the big brute came crashing down on him, slamming both fists into the scrawny mans head and knocking him out before he could bring his ninja blade to bear.
You see, Black Scorpion already has all the robotic technology he wants. However, hes also a brutally sadistic man. If theres one thing I can give Mako, hes not the sort of monster this cyborg mercenary is. Mister Rodriguez is holding a hunt, a Fox Hunt, and the poor android heroine is the fox; at least Mako would have the decency to kill her himself. While Recluse is somewhat aggravated with his lieutenants audacity, plus the lost chance at utilizing Luminarys technology, he believes theyll find better if they harvest Citadel instead
Power Breaker hurtled through the forest at ground level. It was an island that wasnt too far from the Thorn Isle, but it wasnt considered part of the Archipelago. If the Oranbegans or the Mu werent involved, it was fair game, and Scorpion was definitely using the island for a personal hunting ground. There were all sorts of unusual creatures in this place, from panthers and large snakes to even animals that shouldnt have been in a tropical environment, like bears and deer.
I think this guy was too heavily inspired by the Jungle Book, Breaker grunted as he noted the grizzly lying casually next to a river, Wheres Shere Kahn?
Simply put, I want you to interrupt the hunt
He flew past a stand of brush and nodded as his targeting system located his quarry. His sensors indicated that the hunters were closing in. He had to act fast.
And remove their quarry by any means necessary. The failure of Black Scorpions followers to eradicate this heroine, especially in her disabled state, will surely bring shame to the mercenarys faction. I wont be able to say that you did it, but I could leave enough evidence indicating it was somebody from my faction involved
If it were anybody but me, Harris sighed as he swung back around, Hed have told them if they had a choice as to what to do next
Luminary was crossing the clearing as quickly as she could. Her normally brilliantly shining paneling was now heavily marred with mud, leaves and twigs. This was intentional on her part, as she knew she had to conceal herself as much as possible in order to escape, but there was only so much she could hide as her shiny body still glinted brightly under the sunlight.
She shouted when Power Breaker crashed into her and hoisted her into the air. She thought hed passed by and missed her, but his targeting system had noticed the aforementioned glint. While she wasnt able to fire her energy bursts (thanks largely to the scientists working for Black Scorpion, who had ripped a large portion of her energy conduits out before the hunt), she was still able to fight.
Before Harris could tell her to keep quiet, she had brought her elbow smashing against his head. The brute lost control momentarily, and he turned into a large tree. Banking off of it, he lost his grip on his quarry, and they both went tumbling to the ground.
Before he knew what was happening, the android girl was on top of him. She tried cutting his air off, but he wasnt wearing a shirt or vest, and his neck was just too big around for her to choke. She tried pressing her fingers into his artery and jugular, however, but that only succeeded in proving that he had an energy field protecting him.
Will you stop? Breaker asked before reaching under her and launching her into some nearby brush, Calm down! Theyre coming
A pair of flying corrupters came swopping in. One looked like a flying corpse, the other like a technological demon. They seemed to be getting an overhead view of the area, Breaker looked down the path to see that there were other flying villains (for there was no other word to describe the people under Black Scorpions banner) doing the same thing. When they got to him, the two corrupters dropped down to see if he was alright.
Youre not part of the hunt, the zombie-man rasped, Power Breaker
Youre with Sciroccos faction.
What are you doing out here? the techno-demon asked.
I was just exploring, Breaker shrugged, I dont do much for Arachnos
They dont have anything for me to do that another vil-rogue can do better, so I miss out on a lot of work on their end.
What did you expect to find out here? the zombie asked while jabbing the pommel of his mace in the ground, Theres nothing out here but trees.
I noticed some deer, I thought it was strange
This is Black Scorpions private hunting ground, brute, the techno-demons distorted voice was sounding decidedly aggravated, And youre interrupting an event weve been looking forward to for
Well
Only a day or so, but its an amazing thing, and youre in the way!
They might have found her already! the zombie shouted at his partner, And here we are, wasting time with this miscreant!
Now, hang on, there, Breaker struggled to put just enough irritation in his voice at the disrespect the two corrupters were showing him, I am an accomplished rogue
Not enough to have your name in the papers! the techno-demon chuckled, Get out of the way, newbie, weve got a heroine to gut!
Lets go! the zombie shouted as he spread his rotten wings and took to the sky, The radio chatter indicates they havent found her yet! We might have a chance!
They flew off and Breaker did his best to look sheepish and not smile. When they were over the tree line, he wandered into the brush and helped Luminary back to her feet. She looked up at his face and bit her lip with worry.
What do you want? she asked, not knowing whether to feel defeated or hopeful.
----------
She awoke from a nightmare. The villains had caught her and were pulling her apart, piece-by-piece. Their leader, Black Scorpion, had materialized from the crowd and leveled his tail blaster at her exposed electronics. With a tear of lubricant, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable sensation of her silicon soul being burned away.
Her eyes opened, however, to face the purple eyes of the strange villain that had rescued her. He was wiping his hands clean with a rag and gestured to her forearms.
I had to hack a Freedom Corps terminal in Paragon to get the repair schematics, he grunted, But I think I was able to patch your blasters back together.
She looked to see that her arms had indeed been opened and reassembled. She could feel her energy crackling through, but it was monstrously inefficient. Still, she could fight again. She could blast her way free of this squalid
Apartment
She looked around confusedly to see that she was lying on a couch. Granted, there were newspapers under her (to catch what stray lubricant leaked out of her opened appendages), but she was being kept in relative comfort by this bloodthirsty savage.
Youre the guy who Vanguard cleared the charges on, arent you?
The charges werent cleared, Breaker shrugged, I got some federal pardons.
But youre still out here, the android sat up and looked around the rather well-furnished apartment, And living in Saint Martial, if Im not mistaken
Indeed. The furnishings out here are some of the best in the Isles
That is, if you can keep the Freaks, the Tsoo or the Carnies off your back.
The crystal protrusions on his shoulders crackled with red electricity.
I see youre capable, Luminary muttered, then folded her arms over her chest, So, when are you going to deliver me to your patron so he can do something else despicable to me?
Um
Im not. One, I wouldnt, and two, Scirocco doesnt go after tech-types. He doesnt have much use for them
Yet.
Youre a cyborg.
Yeah
But Im not the first technological rogue in his employ. He even got an android to practice Mu magic somehow.
So, what are you going to do with me?
----------
Hello maam, Brother Mauthe greeted the golden android as she stepped onto the Captured Dream, Its a pleasure to actually meet you face-to-face.
Indeed, agent, she replied, I thank you for receiving me.
She was clad in a loose-fitting outfit to conceal her true appearance. A pair of baggy jeans covered her legs, some tied off bags her feet. A robe was wrapped about her torso and a hood covered her head. Breaker had wondered if theyd need some gloves, but she kept her hands driven into her pockets on their way to the pier.
They hadnt run into many groups that got in their way. One gang of Blue Ink Tsoo thought they could rough up the two for spare change, but Power Breaker demonstrated very brusquely, with a whirling punch that cracked most of the small gang in their jaws. The rest scattered, but they were pretty much left alone after that.
Soon, we shall be embarking for Paragon City, the mastermind explained to the android, And perhaps youll be able to let me in on anything I should be on the lookout for.
Luminary nodded, then turned back to Power Breaker, who was waiting on the dock. The brute nodded to her, and she smiled back.
Hopefully, I wont have to utilize my blasters with the repairs youve given them, she chuckled, But at least theyll prove to be something of a surprise if Arachnos catches up to us.
Well, I hope they dont explode on ya, Breaker grinned back at her, Good luck.
The boats fusion core hummed loudly and the vessel started pulling away from the dock. Power Breaker waved for a moment until he couldnt distinguish their faces with his normal vision and started walking away.
On the altered trawler, however, Luminary kept watching her rescuer. She zoomed her vision on his retreating form and committed several images of the man to memory. If ever there were to be a liberation of the Isles, she wanted to be sure of someone to look for help on the Red Side.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Kipland walked into his apartment and waved hello to Cathryn Fire-Shield Dobson. She waved back and turned to watch the movie with which she was engrossed. It was a science fiction picture, and Kip remembered seeing it in theaters. It amazed him how people could be more taken with a depiction of a hero in a metal suit than the real thing.
He walked over to the kitchen area and started looking through the refrigerator and cupboards. He found various packages of noodles, condensed soups and cereal, but not what he was looking for. There was nothing proper to eat and he was starving.
That last Council cell had taken a lot out of him.
Hey, Cath, Kip called to his roommate, You want to go down to that sub shop on the corner? Maybe get a couple subs?
The movie paused as he started walking to get his jacket and he noticed she was fixing a glare on him. He looked around in confusion for a moment, but eventually nodded with understanding.
No, not for me, he grinned, With me. Theres nothing hearty here and I dont feel like going to the store for a steak right now.
She blinked at him, but finally nodded.
Just let me get my jacket, she said as she shut off the television and the DVD player.
Kip tossed it to her, checked to make sure he had his keys and his wallet, and they were off.
The sub shop was a small Mom-and-Pop establishment. Normally, large chains pushed businesses like this out in short order. However, since Paragon, even almost six years since the end of the Rikti War, was still a hot spot for all sorts of terrorism, crime and other assorted violence, a lot of chains didnt put as much effort into the Jewel of Rhode Island as they normally would. Certainly, their establishments were there, but their product suffered considerably due to the lack of attention.
The Mom-and-Pop duo for this sub shop, called Cait and Murrays, couldnt have been much older than Cedric Grey. In fact, they could have been younger, but Kip was quick to note the creases on their faces that indicated what had to be at least thirty years of age. Still, their eyes revealed that they were full of life, and their exuberance behind the counter was decidedly refreshing.
I dont know why I never dropped by here before, he muttered to Cathryn as the people ahead of them ordered, This place is alive!
I know! Howd we miss this place?
We dont advertise much, the scruffy-yet-friendly-looking Murray replied as he wiped a table off, Ive seen you two about. You live around here?
Were in the building next door, Kip replied.
Ah. Heroes?
Uh
Cathryn rubbed her collar uneasily, Well
Its kind of hard to hide the fact, Kip tapped his sunglasses, But yeah. Were nobody major, we just do the jobs the police are too outmatched for.
Hows that going? Murrays face seemed genuinely concerned, I mean, the militarys back on the buildup, the police are almost replenished
As long as there are bad guys, therell be a need for people like us, Kip replied with a shrug, Besides, Ill be happy if there isnt a need for us tomorrow. It would mean I could focus on a real job
Or maybe Id explore the world. I havent really thought that far, yet.
I never thought about it, either, Cathryn was looking more worried, Its kind of scary
What will there be for people like us once this is all over?
Kip looked askance at her, but not with surprise or contempt like most people tended to when they looked askance at someone. He was concerned about her, and that surprised him. Just last week, hed barely remembered she even lived with him.
Well, I hope everything turns out alright, Murray replied, Im Max. Max Murray. Caitlins my wife, and shes the chef of this delicatessen. Trust me, man, she makes the best subs. The best!
Once theyd ordered and received their subs, they took a seat near the door. It was a cozy place and it reminded Kip of a small chain in northern New York. Of course, this was better. These guys made their subs with choice ingredients, and not with shipped materials. What they lacked in efficiency, they more than made up for with quality.
So, Cathryn, Kip muttered after a sip of his soda, Im wondering
Whats the deal between you and Snug?
Its Brackish now, she corrected him, Remember? I just wish we knew what her real name was
You didnt answer my question.
I dont know what to say, Kip. Shes my friend, end of story. We started our careers together. Sure, I get annoyed with her, sometimes, but shes still a sweetie.
And why is she trying to push you to talk to me about how you feel?
Fire-Shield gulped loudly and her face reddened. She looked around to determine if anybody could see, then lowered her head to the table so she could whisper without anybody hearing. She still kept her eyes level with Kip, though.
How did you know that?
Well, a couple things
One, Nesters girlfriend saw you glancing at me and she kind of let it slip when she found out we were living together
----------
I was wondering when you two were going to hook up! she shouts with a bright smile as he walks through the door, Nester was telling me about your new roommate!
What are you talking about? he asks as he looks to his brother.
Uh
Mindy, I said they were just living together, Nester scratches the back of his neck while grimacing sheepishly, I didnt say they were dating
Huh!?
----------
Then, there were Snugs advances
Kips brow furrowed as his eyes narrowed. Much of the past year had been quite aggravating for him, largely due to what he was about to describe next.
----------
He wakes in the middle of the night. Theres a weight on top of him and a pair of arms snaked lightly around his neck. He reaches up to remove the limbs, but stops when he finds theres a light layer of fur on them.
Snug
he whispers, What are you doing?
Im snuggling, silly, she whispers back, What do you think Im doing?
Tell me youre wearing clothes.
Um
her voice almost squeaks with the playful tone she uses.
Thats it, Kip starts pushing her off the bed through his blanket, Get out. Get out. Get out. You dont have to leave, you can sleep on the couch, but I expect you either gone or in clothes by the time I get up!
Aw, youre no fun.
This isnt a game, Purr. I dont play this seduction crap.
Im not trying to seduce you.
She pulls free of his grasp and turns to face him. He can see from the street lights filtering through his windows that she is indeed wearing underwear at least. He still holds up the blanket in case shes cold, which she waves off.
Fur, remember? Anyway
Im not trying to seduce you. Im trying to make Cathy get up the gumption
----------
Kip, Fire-Shield was mortified, Im so sorry.
Im sorry, too, he replied, Ive known how you've felt for a while, now, and I was so mired in my own troubles
You deserve better than that.
Why now?
Because Im not good at this.
Kip shrugged and took another bite of his submarine sandwich. Once he was finished swallowing the food, he continued.
Does this look like the sort of setting to discuss relationship issues?
Not really
Kip shrugged as if to say Okay then, and went back to eating. Cathryn went back to finishing her sub and they ate in silence for a moment. Eventually, the quiet had to end, however.
Kipland, are you ready to move on yet?
I dont know, he replied, I havent been hearing my second voice as much. The energy armor Ive got still works fine, but my soul isnt vocal anymore, it seems. Im guessing that means Im getting better
But thats largely because I dont want to consider the alternative.
Alternative?
That the Obsidian Blight is taking hold again, and that Im about to die because my soul is getting too weak to hold the stuff back.
Oh my
Wait, what?
Youve seen Shadow Cyst Crystals, right?
Cathryn nodded.
Well, imagine one that can walk, is about the size of a Nemesis Warhulk, and, well, whatever the Nictus can do, it can do. Oh, and in the course of warping the human body to support it, the mind dies from shock. So far, Im one of two cases. The other I helped kill.
That sounds awful! Cathryn was shocked, and she reached out to take Kips hand, But
How do you feel?
Oddly enough, I feel fine, he shrugged and ate the last bit of his submarine, And Ive checked with the docs who checked me out two years ago, and it seems Im fine, still. I just dont want to count my chickens before theyve hatched, you know?
Cathryn nodded.
Enough about me, Kip suddenly barked, What about you? Why are you so worried about your job suddenly going up in smoke? I mean, isnt that the goal of most heroes and heroines? To see an end to all this weirdness?
Yeah, she muttered, Except
I come from a small town
So do I. Thats not
Kip looked at her and noticed her exceptionally orange skin.
Oh
Right.
I was born like this
she held herself as she recalled her history, At first, the doctors thought it was some kind of disease, but their tests didnt show anything wrong with me. Fortunately, the fires didnt start until I was a teenager.
Kip didnt react at all like she expected him to. Of course, she was hoping hed be like this, paying attention, but he was so relaxed about it, it actually got her to loosen up.
Well, I was in high school, and some guys on the football team thought they would, um
Yeah
I hate guys like that, Kip shook his head, Once they prove that theyre nothing but brain-dead jocks, I say its time to neuter em.
Cathryn chuckled at that, and Kip reinforced that he believed people needed to get a license to have kids.
Seriously. Look at how things are going, but people keep spawning at random, he sighed, I know that speculative fiction always depicts it as a terrible thing, but people seriously need to prove that they can raise a kid, you know!
Well, I dont think licensing is necessary, Cathryn chuckled, But these guys? Yeah
I think neutering wouldve been just right for them. I wound up sealing them inside a series of bubbles pressed against the ceiling. They were in stasis, and I couldnt remember how to get them out. Thankfully, the magic wore off, but from that point on, I was a monster. Everybody looked at me with suspicion because I did something to their good ol boys.
That happened to me a lot, except I usually just kicked them in the crotch, Kip blinked, I figured Id let real life show them something they werent ready for
Then the Rikti attacked and
Well
Oh yeah
I sheltered a lot of people during the war, too. They were all grateful for me, then. But once the war was over and everything was rebuilt, a lot of people were quick to suggest that I move here to Paragon City, where my kind was welcome. Like I wasnt welcome in my own home town!
Kip didnt say anything.
My parents
They tried to support me, but I knew how badly they were suffering because of me. My dads buddies were worried hed let his crazy pyromaniac daughter flambé their work if he got ticked and mom had trouble getting work as a gardener
We all had our own problems, but it was quickly getting to the point where I was the scapegoat again.
So you just moved out here?
And met Snuggler right after her rehabilitation and basic training. Her peppy attitude kept me in high spirits, so
Cathryn shrugged.
Here I am, and Ive never been happier.
Kip nodded and looked up to see she was gazing rather pointedly at him. If Kip remembered how to blush, he probably would have.
----------
Well, she said as she started the movie back up, This is certainly interesting.
Snuggle Purr was sleeping on the couch when they got back. Curled up into a tight ball, they could see her armored bikini brassiere lying on the coffee table. Agent Wild had ordered her to wear something more than just the thin string-thing shed been horsing around in, but she didnt like the armor. It was too restricting of her movement was her complaint, and it hurt her a little when her spikes poked through it.
Kips argument, however, was that if she would just wear more clothes, shed be fine. She had a few outfits that she turned to, but she kept on turning to the bikini.
Guys salivate when they see me, she chuckled the last time he mentioned the subject of her outfit, Yet they keep saying they dont like catgirls.
She made a derogatory snort before continuing her argument, which was largely circular logic. Kip and Cathryn both knew the reason she wore the bikini outfit was because she liked to, and that was as far as she was really thinking.
It wouldnt be such an issue if her chest wasnt so large, Cathryn muttered half-disgusted, half-amused, I wonder if thats why she went to Crey
I remember seeing something about, ah
Well
Kip shook his head and started heading for his room.
Whatever. Im just going to hit the hay.
Cathryn watched him go into his room and sighed once he finally closed the door. After making some chocolate milk for herself and pouring a glass of normal milk for her friend, she settled in on the couch to finish watching the movie. Snuggle Purr, or Brackish as she preferred to be called lately, stirred at the weight shift and perked up to see her friend.
Whered you go? she asked in her high-pitched tone.
Kip and I got subs just down the street.
Oh. You finally went on a date?
Something like that, Fire-Shield smirked at her friend, You can stop trying to make me jump him before you get him, Snug.
The brown-furred girl smirked back and stuck her tongue out a little. Despite childish display, it was meant to be playful.
Well, Im glad you two are getting together, finally.
Its something like that, Cathryn sighed, But I think hes finally feeling good enough to give another relationship a try.
The two heroines finished watching the movie. Cathryn couldnt help but chuckle a little every time Brackish purred at the actor playing the metal-clad hero.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
So, Amys alright with it? Roland asked as they drove through Steel Canyon.
Yeah, Kip muttered as he gazed out the window, Honestly, she was already over me a year ago
There was just
Just
Out with it, man?
You know, I think that Lost Curing Wand could cure a Rikti, too? Kip turned to Roland, despite his desperate theory, his face was ambivalent, I just think youd need, like, three or six or something
All firing at once
and hitting at the exact same time.
I bet the Ryats could pull that off
Or we could build some sort of wand shotgun
the scrapper stopped to sigh and looked back out the window, But Amy told me to just stop. Shes a Rikti now, she said, and theres no use trying to rebuild what we had. Shes a different person now, Im a different person now
Its sad, but thats what happened.
Ouch, Roland grunted, She finally dumped ya, huh?
Life dumped both of us, Kip growled, Nothing to do but pick ourselves up and move on.
They pulled up to the parking lot near the Icon store and started walking to the building. A few Outcasts gave them sneers and some Tsoo did some kata poses, but the two heroes were left alone for the most part. Aside from the security differences, the two groups didnt really have any beef with the two heroes.
Instead of going through the front door, they wound their way to the back. Roland knocked on the door and they waited until a young woman answered them.
Yes?
Were looking for Nester and Mindy, Kip replied, Nester looks kinda like me, only taller and skinnier
Oh yeah, he wears those weird green sunglasses, the girl replied, Is it true hes a hero?
Well, were, none of us, famous, Roland grunted with a chuckle, but, yeah, we work in the heroics industry. Nesters actually kind of lucky, hes a field medic, so a lot of heroes all across the board really like him.
Can we come in? Kip asked, his impatience barely in check.
Sure, the girl ushered them in and they were treated with a rare glimpse
The design room of the chain costume store. True to form, the two young men were severely underwhelmed.
You know why comic book artists put all of their heroes in spandex? Roland asked as they looked at some of the hanging outfits that would have all looked the same, if not for their different colors, Its easier to draw a naked human being than a clothed one.
Nester never had trouble drawing clothed people, Kip replied.
Your brother was always bashful in school. He was mortified somebody would find his sketchbook full of naked people, so he would just draw parts of things or clothes or his weird little aggravation-inspired demon rants.
I always loved those pictures
Yeah, and so do psychologists. I guess were lucky he and Snap wound up settling their feud that year and he actually got a girlfriend
Kip got really quiet. Nester got his girlfriend because of their mother. She was working as a traveling secretary for a record label, and she had gotten them some concert tickets in an attempt to reconcile with him. Kip, who had been holding a grudge against Catherine (and the fact that her name was so similar to Cathryns was still grating him) since she abandoned the family when he was five, didnt accept what he saw as a bribe, so Nester wound up with an extra ticket. After that, his brothers luck seemed to skyrocket as he got a girlfriend and a new look at the pecking order of their school.
Kip had reconciled with their mother a different way, however. He couldnt just accept her because of a mere trinket. After a brief conversation with their father, he reconciled with her over a glass of milk and a long, tense conversation. It seemed that their family, if it wasnt whole, was at least on good terms again.
Kip had hoped things would remain that way. A few months ago, he got another reminder as to how life has a tendency to happen to people.
After she attacked Zeke, he and Nester were geared up to find and apprehend (beat the ever-living snot out of) her when their father stopped them and told them to leave it alone. Kip was still about to go charging ahead on a rampage anyway, but Nester and Mindy were able to calm him down. Plus, Aaron had proven completely fruitless when it came to providing information on the whereabouts of his wayward mother. After failing to kill their father, it seemed she had fallen off the map.
Kip couldnt figure out why this seemed to worry Nester so much. If the Knives had finished her off, theyd only saved Kip the trouble.
Of course, when Kip actually gave it a second thought, he figured he wouldnt really go that far. Besides, after what Cedric said about how he dealt with Arbiter Taylor, Kip did have to admit that Zeke really did have the first say on this issue, and he seemed ready to let girls be girls. Still, that didnt mean Kip had to feel bad if the Knives had killed the treacherous woman.
Hey guys, Mindy called out as she carried rolls of material into the room, Nesters getting ready to give my boss a heart attack.
Huh? Roland asked perplexedly as he pulled some rolls off her hands, Where do these go?
Just follow me, she replied and kept moving to a side room, Yeah, Serge had us experimenting with outfits, and Nesters been helping model for me in our apartment
We came up with this design
Youve seen all that Roman stuff thats been out and about, right?
Yeah, Kip muttered, remembering the last time he activated his armor and it had been changed from a devil-like exosuit to a Roman-themed suit.
His soul had said something about an imprint being left over from Romulus. It didnt explain the wings though.
Well, Nester helped me blend themes from the Exo-Proto theme with the Enforcer and Roman armor
It
It was hideous, to say the least
What the Hell!? they heard from the main floor, No
No. No. No. No. No! Jakobsen!
Well, here goes, she smirked as she balanced the rolls of fabric on one arm and opened a door with her freed hand, Just stack the colors with their colors in here, Roll.
Mindy! Serge shouted as he marched into the back room with Nester and a number of models in tow.
Kips face went red as he tried to stifle a bark of laughter. It was futile, however, and he wound up staggering to the side as he coughed, hacked and chuckled at the bizarre outfit his brother was wearing. Judging by the looks on the faces of a lot of the models, he wasnt the first to have this sort of reaction.
Is this your idea of a joke, Ms. Jakobsen? Serge intoned as he folded his arms over his chest, Why, the last time I felt so
So aggravated by an outfit was the last time Mr. Subtle came in here for an adjustment!
This memory seemed to visibly shake the tailor, and Serge shuddered uncontrollably for a moment before continuing. Mindy, however, stood her ground.
Sir, I will admit, this is by no means an ideal outfit for a hero or heroine
You wouldnt catch me dead in an outfit like that, one of the models agreed.
Which is precisely why Nester and I made this, Mindy continued, Heroes need to know that while the customer may always know what they want, they arent exactly right. This is a monstrous outfit, and no hero or heroine in their right mind would willingly go and fight crime in something like this.
I would, Nester suddenly announced with a goofy grin, I look damn sexy in this thing!
Serge winced and started checking the pulse of his neck. Without warning, he pulled a thermometer from a case in his pocket and popped it into his mouth. It was a habit hed learned since the Circle of Thorns had abducted one of his models while two members of the Freedom Phalanx were around (so that was a lot of wizards at the time), and it helped him determine how much stress he was going through.
I can stand a little more, he finally said with a smile, Alright, look, you are not a model. I dont want you on the floor in this
Hm
Josiah! Youre of a comparable size to Mr. Durj. Youre wearing it.
What? the male model shouted in disbelief, Serge? What?
Mindys right, he replied, Besides
There are heroes out there in the market for things like this, so itll help sell to even that market. Besides, if anybodys wondering what were thinking, I can come up with some kind of claptrap about how were emphasizing the Roman pieces
Oh
Josiahs eyes rolled around in disbelief,
Kay
Nester walked over to a fitting room and started changing his outfit. Kip and Roland continued chatting with Mindy, this time about their dinner plans, but they werent past the second sentence when there was a commotion on the main floor. Kip walked over to the door and cursed when he saw what it was.
Heroes were strewn all over the place. There had been a series of massive explosions, all of which had Circle of Thorns wizards as their focal points. Some of the tougher heroes were picking themselves back up, but the second wave of wizards was on its way in and they werent at all prepared.
Serge, Kip muttered, Better find yourself and the girls a safe place to stay, it looks like theyre back for round two.
What? the designer shook his head and held his temples, But
the Lebeaux sisters havent been in Paragon for months
I dont know where Candy is, but Mandys in Miami this month
Theyre due back in December.
He turned to the models and pointed.
None of you have any weird birthmarks, strange family history or anything like that, do you?
Five or six raised their hands and a couple others murmured something about cybernetic enhancements. What precisely they had enhanced they left up to the imagination of the listener, because they certainly didnt look any stronger for it.
God help me, Serge muttered, My models keep thinking theyre heroes
One of the wizards ran into the back and found his head kicked into the door frame by Kip. An arrow whizzed over the scrappers head as he landed on the ground and there was a bright flash.
Any of you heroes whore on your feet, try to get back here! Roland shouted, Well get a bottleneck going!
You fools! one of the wizards rasped, The Lebeaux girl will be ours!
Hey, Serge! Kip called back, You were right the first time! How about that?
Ive been living in this city too long, the man muttered as he ushered the models into the panic room, Things get so repetitive lately
A few Thorn Wielders tore after Kip, followed by a large Spectral Demon with wings and a dark aura. Roland hit the demon with an explosive arrow, sending it falling back. Kip braced for the force of the explosion and was still standing once the blast dissipated. However, now the two Thorn Wielders were behind Roland and making their way for him.
Watch out, man! Kip shouted as he squinted and twin streams of energy issued from his eyes and scored into one of the Wielders.
The other turned and grabbed Mindy, but she caught his sword arm, twisted it around, and forced the wizard to stab himself in the belly. As his vacating eyes stared at her with a mix of wonder and hate, she pursed her lips at him.
Former Carnie in training, she explained, So I know how to handle myself in a fight.
The body slumped to the ground and she pointed to the Death Wizard that had stormed through the door. He was draining some of the life out of Kip, but getting a hard kick to the belly for his trouble.
Augh! he spat as he stumbled back, You cur! You cannot hope to stop us! We will find the Lebeaux girl and use her blood to-
Kip punched the wizard in the throat. As he leaned against the door frame and struggled to breathe, Kip leaned in close so he could be sure the withered man was hearing properly.
Okay, buddy, I know you guys are all full of yourselves, so I want you to listen up and listen well when I say this. And I dont want any of your ego distorting the truth.
He pointed to the heroes in the other room that had recovered and gestured that they should cover the door in case any other wizards were on their way in. Roland gestured for some more to help him cover the back, and a pair of fliers promptly bowled the Death Wizard aside as they followed the archer. With the leader of the raid sprawled against the wall, Kip knelt in front of him and snapped his fingers in the mans face.
Khaghck! he sputtered, Graghck!
I mustve broken your trachea, the scrapper smirked at that, Thats too bad. I dont get to hear your pompous, witty banter. Woe is me.
The wizard stopped struggling to breathe and stared into Kips eyes. There was a mixture of a lot of different emotions, but it was mostly rage and hate. Kip could have sworn he saw some confusion, too, and it was probably at how deadpan he was being about the situation.
Alright, look. The girl you want isnt here. She hasnt been here for a while. You just wasted your energy and these bodies for a prize that never existed. I want you to think about that on your trip back to Hell.
Kips eyes glowed violently before he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Synapse standing there. The hero pulled him back before helping the wizard up.
Glad I caught you in time, he said as he dusted off the perpetrator's robes in mock civility, There are lines youre not supposed to cross, you know?
Yeah, I know that, but how do they apply here? Kip almost laughed, These guys arent alive! Theyre just using other peoples bodies as vessels! Theres no redemption, we just send them to the Revolving Door in Hell and hell be back tomorrow in a new skin! There are still plenty of idiots out there willingly selling their souls to these jerks
Good point, the Phalanx hero replied as he placed his hand on the wizards chest.
There was an electric sound and the nearest lights dimmed a little from the altered electrical current. The Death Wizard, who had been preparing to explode, widened his eyes and clutched at his heart before dropping to the ground and crumbling to dust.
Woah, hes been around a while! Synapse chortled, Dang
I almost feel bad about doing that, now, but
He was about to go pop on us, Kip chuckled, Whatre you doing here?
Weirder and weirder, man, the hero smiled, Posi and Valkyrie were having trouble with their communicators, some sort of weird static interference, so when I dropped by to tell them about our afternoon meeting, I see these guys crawling out of their little hidey-hole next to the park gate
Wait
Thats not on the way to Positrons post, Kips eyes darted back and forth as he tried to recall the map.
Oh, I do a quick survey every time I pop into another city, the super-speed hero shrugged and smiled, You know, just to see if anybody needs any help.
I never see you do that.
Synapse grinned.
Smart[butt]
Anyway, I told Posi about the meeting and made my way here. Im kind of bummed I missed the initial blast, but I was busy taking care of the reinforcements.
Kip nodded and pointed his thumb toward Serges safe room.
Well, the rest of us were able to take care of everything else in here. Those guys wiped out the ones in the main floor. Serge and the models are in there. My brothers half-dressed in that fitting room and theres a gaggle of heroes at the back making sure nobody comes in there.
Sounds like a job well done, then! the Phalanxer clapped Kip on the shoulder, I guess States was right entrusting the safety of the city to the newbies! You guys are really shaping up!"
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
"I can't believe I missed the fight! Nester complained once things had settled down, This suits fully operational, too!
Serge seemed doubtful, but let the issue go. However, Josiah seemed to have grown a bit of a backbone during his brief respite in the panic room, and was suddenly very adamant about not wearing the outfit the Defender was wearing.
Well, youll be paying me for my time, anyway, Serge, Mindy grumbled as the young model continued to whine about the future of his career depending on it, You may as well showcase my work.
Oh, Ill showcase it, he replied darkly, And I know just the man to model it. You, Nester, Im going to put you on the runway.
Its a dream come true, the Defender replied as he smirked and lazily waved his fist from side to side, You make it sound like its hard.
If you had any idea-! the designer was about to shout, but the hero interrupted him.
How hard is it to walk with your head level, pause, pose, turn one-hundred and eighty degrees, and walk back. Seriously, if youre trying to embarrass me, Serge, youre going to have to try a Hell of a lot harder than that. Im not a model, and Im not about to be bothered by these modeling world shenanigans
Serge could do little more than grumble as he walked away to prepare for the show. Nester, however, didnt get away scot free. The other models werent too happy about his assessment of their lifes work, and he could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.
He wasnt certain they were ticked at him until he slipped on the petroleum jelly that was somehow surreptitiously left in his path on the runway. It made the show into something of a comical disaster, but it got a good laugh out of a lot of the heroes attending. Nester found himself looking up at one of the most hideous outfits hed ever seen in his life.
Oh
he chuckled as the big man dressed like a psychedelic kaleidoscope helped him back to his feet, Hello, Mister Subtle.
Nice outfit, the big man replied, Not sure if its exactly my style, but its nifty.
---------
Im sorry the show didnt go too well.
They were back in Nesters apartment, cuddled together on the couch, watching the newscast covering the show. The reporter looked like she was having trouble keeping from laughing, and indeed, they showed many replays and differentiating angles of Nester slipping off the side of the runway, flipping, turning on his hover belt while he pirouetted through the air, and eventually banging his head off a chair. His belt, after he accidentally tapped its activation switch twice in his dazed state, turned off and sent him crashing to the ground. Over on his computer, Mindy had a TrueTube video of it playing, complete with funny sound effects and music.
Dont worry, Nest, she giggled, Serge has a sense of humor, even if he doesnt show it. And most of the girls were laughing their [butts] off after what happened to you. I think it would have only been bad if youd been a [jerk] about it and started yelling at everyone or throwing a tantrum.
Heh, Nester hugged her a little closer and nuzzled the back of her neck, But then I wouldnt be the cool-headed, dashing hero you fell in love with.
Cool-headed? Dashing? she rolled over, smirking coyly, Hero? Nester, in case you havent noticed, you only wear a cape in one outfit, and its that hideous thing you were wearing today!
Its the hideous thing you made for me!
With this, they started pinching at and tickling each other. It was playful activity, the kind that usually evolves into more rigorous activity
-----
Later that evening, Nester awoke from a particularly intense dream. He couldnt even remember what it was when he woke, he just remembered it being something great and terrible before he opened his eyes. Whatever it was, it got his adrenaline pumping, and he didnt know if hed be able to sleep.
A small murmur at his shoulder caught his attention and he looked at Mindy. She had her head snuggled warmly into his neck and shoulder, and Nester once again found himself wondering at how hed gotten so lucky. Shed been with Aaron and his girlfriend, and somehow it hadnt turned into some deviant affair. Instead, shed helped the two of them solidify their relationship
Mindy, he mumbled into her ear, Hey, wake up
Mm?
Why wont you marry me?
Mm. Didnt we already talk about this? she hugged him a little harder, I love you, Nester. Isnt that enough?
Well
Yeah
But
Nester, youve been telling me about how youve always been apart from what society tells you to do, and now youre telling me you want to do something as silly and ritualistic as a wedding, simply because you think society tells you that you have to?
He pursed his lips and shrugged. This made her giggle and give him a quick kiss.
Dont purse your lips unless you expect me to kiss you, she joked, but then her tone turned more serious, Nester, I get it. I understand that you want to have a good, strong relationship that your parents didnt have
This caused the young man to shift a little uncomfortably.
But you have to face it, hun, youve got that relationship.
But
I feel like if we dont do something, Ill lose it
I dont want to lose you
Nester, in this day and age, a wedding ring is treated more like a shackle. I dont want to stay with you because some contract or ruling body tells me I have to. Now, I get why a lot of other people get married, I do. But their love is no more held together by that flimsy sheet or that gold and nickel band than ours is right now. Its a fluid, ephemeral thing, and nobody has a right to it.
They sat in silence for a moment. Nester traced his finger along her bare arm, lost in wonder at her words.
Do you think I deserve the privilege? he finally asked.
I dont know if anybody does, she replied, It feels so good
To connect so deeply, so simply
Its better than anything Ive ever felt, but
I just dont see the point in spending a bunch of money on something I already know!
She pushed herself up a little so she could look in his eyes. The ambient light from the street lamps of Skyway City made this less a difficult prospect in the dark than would normally be the case. There, with each of their eyes glinting at each other, the barely perceptible lines of their faces curled into amused smirks, they drank in each others presence.
I love you, Nester, she finally whispered before she kissed him again, And I know you love me. How many times do we have to snuggle before you figure that out?
Durj had to bite back a laugh. The resulting choke of a giggle only made Mindy laugh, which made him finally laugh, too. Finally, Nester answered.
One more time, at least.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Joe Durnan expended another clip into one of the rampaging zombies and squeezed the shotgun trigger on his bizarre combination rifle to finish off the two standing behind it. He popped a new magazine into the well and prepared for the next wave of the horrid monsters.
I cant believe this, his voice shouted tinnily from his helmet, Where the Hell did these zombies come from?
Weird [dung] seems to happen around this time, Sergeant Jones replied, Ive been in this city since the War, so Im pretty much used to everything. I just wish I had to resort to an assault rifle
My psychic powers do nothing to these [freaks]!
Youd think wed at least give them a stomach ache, Sarah commented as she sent some angry music to bolster her husbands and his fellow officers resilience, But I guess they havent eaten yet
Thats why theyre here.
Thats just morbid, Joe muttered as the creatures started bursting from the pavement again, Oh, damn
He started blazing away and the other police, heroes and Freedom Corps agents followed suit. They had been at this war for hours, and it seemed the monsters didnt want to leave Brickstown. Fortunately, most of the citizenry had escaped to their rooftops, and they just had to stop the creatures from getting to them.
Its strange that theyre coming after us, Sarah commented as she tried to make a group of the weaker ones fight each other, I mean, were the best equipped to hold them back!
Right, Sergeant Jones concurred sarcastically as he shot another zombies head off.
They were just starting to push the latest group back when another group crawled out of the ground. This wasnt anything new, but then a third and a fourth suddenly appeared. Sarah shrieked and a swath suddenly fell, but they pushed themselves back up and pressed their advance.
Suddenly, there was a loud roar, like a thousand demons shouting in terror. A light shone on the zombies, and they started rotting away rapidly. When the gathered heroes turned to the source of the noise and light, they saw a monstrous motorcycle with Mattock McGinty sitting upon it.
I heard you guys needed some help, he announced over the barking of his bizarre conveyances engine, So I brought Christine out for a spin.
Christine? Sarah asked as she quirked an eyebrow and nudged a dying zombie aside with the toe of her shoe, Who named your bike?
Malaise
Well, Chris named herself. Malaise just told me her name after I let him borrow her for a week.
You let that lunatic touch your bike?
Yes, I let that hero borrow my bike, Matt drew his weapons off the side of the machine and started walking toward the deepest parts of the zombie outbreak, He needed a break, and I suggested he could tear across New England with her for a week or so. It seemed to help, and Lou and I got a ton of work done over at the shop.
Okay... Snuffy mused, then her eyes widened and she pointed where he was walking, Look out!
A trio of extremely large zombies suddenly burst out of the ground in front of Matt. He drew his axe and chopped the undead-slaying weapon into the nearest monsters chest. He then took his katana and sliced across the chests of the other two. They swiped at him, but he ducked and rolled into their midst, surrounding himself with zombies, and executed a bizarre maneuver to slash all around himself.
Fire rained from above. There were a number of pyrokinetic controller-class heroes descending upon the battle, and they were leveling the enemy. Sarah was forced to hold her nose against the smell of burning flesh, as did many other heroes, but it looked like the battle was finally turning.
The coup de gras came in the form of an armored van. It smashed through the undead ranks like a battering ram and came to a screeching halt on top of one of the extra large zombies heads. The back doors opened and a small rag-tag team of former rogues burst forth, blasting assault rifle fire and an unusual ensemble of powers into the zombies. When Ashen Roast and Blizzard Front emerged, Sarah and Joe waved them over.
Whats going on? the officer asked.
Freedom Corps sent us out here to help finish the job, Ashen replied, You shouldve heard Briggs. The guy was laughing about how the guy who wrote the Zombie Survival Guide didnt know what he was talking about. Garm was trying to remind him that the guide was meant for people without super powers, but Briggs said he couldnt hear him over the sound of zombie bodies breaking under the impact of his ram bar.
Ive got no idea who any of those people are, Joe muttered.
Durnan! Get your head back in the fight! Sergeant Jones shouted.
Relax, officer, Blizzard Front waved off the older mans concerns, Ashen here is a walking zombie blender
No
Sarah pointed, Hes a blender
Matt was swinging both his axe and his katana into the ranks of undead that had determined he needed to die. Unfortunately for the monsters, they werent about to get a rotting hand on him. He hacked, slashed, and even kicked them back, chipping away at their numbers until he was standing on a pile of dead bodies. Still, he fought on. Eventually, he was face-to-rotting face with a full squad of the bigger, stronger zombies, the Nightmares.
The scrapper just smirked, jumped, and kicked the nearest one in the face. When he hit the pavement again, the monsters were on top of him. Sarah shouted and started trying to toss the zombies left and right. While her psychic probing wouldnt harm them, she could still throw them across the street.
Ashen ran over and started guiding his flames into the monstrous creatures. Most couldnt understand how fire tankers could direct their flames to only harm the people they wanted to hurt. For him, the flames felt like a part of him. They were like an extension of his body, an extension that caused indescribable pain and damage to anything they touched. The best part was that he could maneuver them like they were his hands. It was an amazing sensation, and it was especially helpful when he needed to pull villains off of his friends.
The Nightmares turned to him and howled. Just as he started to think hed made a huge mistake, their heads were lopped off. Matt stood up, his face a mask of enraged determination, and he made a few demonstrative swipes with his sword.
Who told you to interfere!? he shouted as he marched up to Ashen and clapped him on the shoulder, You keep this up, and I might have to try to drag you from your group as my pocket tank!
You gotta bring me, too! Blizzard shouted as he hurled shards of ice into the approaching monsters, Were a team!
You aint getting my boys! Garm growled as he snapped another zombies neck, I need a good crew, you understand me, mad dog?
Pft, hell learn more from me than you, troll bait!
Despite the words, the tone was actually quite amusing. The zombies were falling like wheat and Christine was burning a small hole into whatever ranks rose up to reinforce that which the heroes put down. Every so often, Briggs McBain would come around with his van to smash another swath out of the way. Then there were the fire controllers, which had helped immolate the monsters before they could become a threat.
Suddenly, the moon turned clear and the world seemed to calm down. The heroes looked about confusedly as the last of the zombies suddenly gave wet gurgling cries of pain and crumbled to the pavement.
A great cheer erupted, but not from the heroes. The citizens were happy to see that theyd once again been saved, this time in a great spectacular fashion by a large number of mostly obscure heroes. Still, it was an exhilarating spectacle, and more than a little entertaining. The heroes waved to the crowds on the rooftops and took their bows. For once, it seemed that they all were as popular as the Freedom Phalanx or the Vindicators. Even the Longbow troops were able to appreciate it.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
You didnt have to help us with this, Joe said as he and Sarah carried a couple boxes full of books into the new precinct he and his unit were moving into, I mean, this is our job.
Yeah, but I want to help, Sarah replied, pausing to giggle as Ni nuzzled her cheek, I mean, its something of a professional courtesy thing, you know? Im a freelance hero, youre a PPD hero, and Im helping you guys set up your new shop!
Other police already stationed in the precinct glanced at them with mild interest. The whole Hero Cops thing was still being ironed out. With a stream of commanders below Chief Conrad Bochco transferring in and out of the city on an almost monthly basis, it seemed the various offices and headquarters were always in a state of transition. This move into Row 13 was the latest in a series of radical changes that the latest commander, Commander Anderson, had instituted.
Anderson was a meta-human bigot. It was a sad thing to say, but it was obvious he much preferred human gumption to mutant psychics, Kheldian blasters or whatever other abominations against mankind were currently employed by the heroes of the world. It seemed about the only members of the force he didnt mess with were the Powered Armor Corps, even members like Detective Murwell.
Still, he couldnt dissuade Bochco from his massive expansion programs. Indeed, his behavior had him pushed into Kings Row division, where the Chief could both keep a close eye on the dark-minded inspector and hope that working in one of the worst city zones would help improve his outlook on meta-humans as he watched some of the greenest in the city struggle to make the Row a better place.
As it stood, however, Commander Anderson pushed Durnans division to the furthest precinct from the main headquarters . Precinct 13, it had one of the worst reputations for its unlucky designation. Still, there had to be some truth to the situation. Just a few weeks ago, a Nemesis cell had been busted only a few blocks away from the place by a band of heroes at the behest of some mysterious informant (though the Hero Division was informed that it was Agent Six).
It sucks we wont have Blue Steel around to pull us out of fires anymore, Sergeant Jones intoned as he walked in after Sarah, I hear the Phalanx is considering bringing him into their group.
I dont think hell want in on their world-spanning crap, Captain Smythe muttered as he walked in with a half dozen boxes floating around him, At least, I hope he doesnt. He does enough for them when he pulls their [butts] out of the fire when they get the [tar] kicked out of them in the Isles.
They were led into the basement where other officers were already setting up. Sarah took a moment to watch Smythe and Jones work. She remembered when she first started hanging out with Joe, Smythe would simply ooze with fantasies about her. Meanwhile, Jones would work to distort and ruin the fantasies, a maneuver that no doubt irked the other psychic to no end. They didnt have much care for one another back then.
Over the years, however, their rivalry gave way to professional respect. While Smythe was a stickler for rules and protocol, Jones was just as quick to dive into a firefight to rescue innocent bystanders. Something happened, though, something that caused Smythe to get promoted and Jones remained a Sergeant, despite their being on the force for the same amount of time. Something about the incident had apparently rubbed off on Smythe, and he calmed down drastically. Jones, however, reveled in his position.
Ive got a nice balance in responsibility and freedom to work, Jones had explained to her and her husband, I wouldnt have it any other way.
Still, Sarah was certain Smythes disinterest in her had more to do with his latest girlfriend. From what she could gather from his noise, the girl was a bit of a ditz, but was attractive and friendly enough. There were other things she picked up, but it wasnt polite conversation.
Sarah, Joe interrupted her reverie with a pile of folders, Could you pop these into that cabinet in alphabetical order?
Sure, honey, she replied.
It was hard not to give him a quick kiss, but she already knew how the other police would look at it. There was a time for work and a time for romance. Now was not the time for the latter. She would probably be able to do something during lunch, but she would have to make sure they werent in public or Joe would spend the afternoon with a beat-red face.
She was halfway through the folders when there was a loud explosion from above. She looked back to Joe and the other Hero Cops to see that they were just as confused as she was. When the alarm went off, they knew that they had new work to do.
Sarah, Joe said as he opened the armored box Smythe levitated over to him, I dont know how to say this
Ill be right by your side, hon.
Her husband favored her with a brief smile. There was a mixture of emotions coming from him, from fear to happiness to even just plain confusion. There was no way he would know that she didnt read his mind, she just refused to let him go out into whatever battle was going on without her.
As the Hero Cops readied, some of the normal officers from upstairs came down with a prisoner between them. He was a military man of some sort, and from his crisp behavior and thick German accent, Sarah guessed he was some form of Council Archon, possibly one from the Fifth Column days. She hated trying to read Council troops. They always had this nasty static on their thoughts.
Whos hitting us? Smythe asked as he placed a strange technological circlet on his brow, Freaks? Nemesis? Council?
Council, sir, one of the officers replied, This heres Archon Hechler. Apparently, hes got some juicy information and just turned himself in. He refuses to talk to us, though, so were holding him until a F.C. representative can take him off our hands
And the boys upstairs are trying to make sure that wont happen
Seems to happen every other month, sir, the officer sighed, Welcome to Wednesday.
The Hero Cops pushed their way upstairs. Joe and Sergeant Jones cut left and Sarah followed after she was done giving sonic courage to the other officers. When she got to her husband and his partner, she found them fighting desperately alongside the normal officers.
I already saw this movie! one officer shouted as he blasted shotgun rounds at the assaulting soldiers in rapid succession, Heres a hint, suckers! We win! AUGH!
He went down, clutching at his right shoulder. It apparently wasnt the first time hed been shot, because, without showing a sign of panic, he was already getting to a nearby medical kit so he could begin work on staunching the blood flow.
Joe and Sergeant Jones set to work on covering the flank the fallen officer had made. Sarah moved in as well, lifting a minigun-wielding Force soldier and slamming his head into the ceiling before bombing him back to the floor. She then lifted the terrorist and slammed him against the wall. A squad of soldiers pushed through the door and she sent a scattering of confusing thoughts to make them think the troops next to them were really Freedom Corps soldiers. As they fought each other, she turned to the injured officer.
Are you alright? she asked as she knelt by him, Let me see.
Ill be okay, weve got Regenerator in these kits
Theres enough for a few more hits
Im more concerned about ammo
There are a lot of bad guys out there!
Looking up over the counter and out the lobby door, she saw what he meant. A number of large civilian cargo vehicles were parked outside and soldiers were pouring out. The last of her confused minions tore out of the precinct to shoot at his oncoming compatriots and was promptly put down. With a sinking feeling, she turned to her husband.
Im calling Daddy.
How long until he gets here?
Five minutes, she replied.
Five minutes is a long time in a fight like this, Sergeant Jones groaned, We need a trick
Joe turned a dial on his wristwatch and suddenly vanished. The other two watched the blur that used to be Sergeant Durnan move over to the doorway and start tossing little sharp metal bits all over the floor.
Joe? Sarah asked, What are you doing?
The next wave of Council soldiers pressed into the lobby. They hit the caltrops and almost halted in their tracks. Despite the super soldier serum in their veins dulling the pain and regenerating their wounds, the caltrops did considerable damage to their feet and slowed them down significantly. Joe, for his credit, dove back behind the reception counter and launched a grenade into the approaching wave, sending a good bulk of them back into the street.
Durnan and Jones followed this up with a spray of rifle fire and rapid psychic assaults. As they did, Smythe, the Precinct Captain (Captain Walters) and a contingent of officers wielding shotguns and pistols shuffled in and set up positions throughout the lobby. The Council troops started pressing their way in again and were ready for much of what the police threw at them, but they werent ready for the super powers Smythe, Jones, another officer named Kinney (who threw fire from his hands) or the mini-gun Captain Walters wielded. Sarah did what she could to motivate and protect her husbands fellow officers, taking every opportunity to recuperate that she could.
They pushed back two more waves like this, before they saw flashing lights outside. A SWAT team on loan from Skyway City had arrived, Sarah not being the only one to call in back-up. However, the team wasnt the only one to arrive. The cops could see clearly that one of the cargo trucks was about to roll over, and when it did, Joe turned back to his wife.
I think your dads here
----------
This is just what I needed
Randy growled as he batted around the Ascendant Archon, Some exercise to get me out of my funk
Mein Gott! the armored man shouted as he pushed himself off the pavement, Die mountain man! Kill ze mountain man!
The other soldiers had no trouble following the order and already had been blasting ammunition into the tanker in a desperate gamble to take him down. Randy, in the meantime, picked up heavy objects (like mailboxes) and hurled them into the surrounding crowd. When objects werent available, he sometimes lurched into their ranks and used one of the terrorists as a projectile. When the Ascendant Archon decided to shield himself, Randy started bouncing the troops against the shield in an attempt to mock the Council guardians tactic.
Then he did something odd.
I always wanted to see if something like this would work, he growled as he moved to the other side of the toppled truck.
The other Council troops were being routed by the SWAT and Precinct 13 officers. Joe and Sarah saw Randy and were about to thank him for his help when they noticed what he was up to.
Disengage! the Ascendant Archon shouted frantically, Ausrucken! Entbinden! Entlasten!
Try Italian, the big man growled as he started pushing the heavy machine across the pavement.
It was slow, hideously earsplitting as the metal rent across the street, and the momentum was monstrous. Plus, Randy was steadily picking up speed, and the Archon wasnt going anywhere fast. Just as he was hitting the armored man, the shield shut down, causing the former Fifth Column officer to scream incoherently before getting slammed with the full brunt of the heavy truck. Randy pushed him a few yards into the curb before he finally stopped, his body exhausted from the exertion. When he walked around the vehicle to see what hed accomplished, the Archon was lying unconscious under a bent over parking meter that was dumping change on his head.
Thats what you get when you mess with my family, Randy grunted, And youre lucky the rest of these cops are here, or Id get real mean.
Whats worse than bowling somebody over with a truck? Joe asked as he and Sarah jogged up next to him, That you were pushing, nonetheless! On its side!
I could try to pull him out of his tin can
Or pick him up by one arm and slam him against a light pole, popping his arm out of the socket and maybe shredding the rotator cuff
Randy turned to the mortified police officer, his face a grim mask.
Oh, you were being rhetorical.
Daddy, dont you think that was a tad excessive?
No. Everybodys trying to find a way through those damn Ascendant shields, but we cant normally use such extreme measures in the field. I figured Id see if this would be enough
I didnt get a good test, but he seemed doubtful, so its something.
Alright, sir, Captain Walters sighed as he walked up to them and clapped Joe on the shoulder, I think weve got everything else well in hand.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Roland was walking to the Kings Row Yellow Line Tram Station when Mynx stopped him. Sarah had just got done explaining that their dad was finally out and about and ready to work through his funk. This, of course, was celebrated with a big dinner (that Charlene surprisingly cooked; but then, cooking was cathartic for her).
Unfortunately, everything they discussed was promptly torn from Round's mind when the red-headed catgirl appeared in front of him and shrieked in his face. Taking a step back, the hunter blinked and rubbed his ears as Mynx advanced on him, her claws popping in and out of her fingertips as she flexed her hands in and out of fists.
Is there a problem, he grumbled as he backed to a nearby doorway.
Where is she? the heroine shouted at him and when Roland shrugged, she followed up with What did you do to her?
I dont know what youre talking about, he finally replied, Is this about Ms. Liberty? I havent seen her for
Huh, going on a month or so. Isnt she training heroes over in Atlas Park, though?
Mynxs claws retracted back into her fingertips and she straightened her posture. This was good for Roland, as it meant she believed him and he had a bad feeling as to where conversations like this usually led; he was by no means prepared for a fight. Hed probably get a punch or two in, but shed probably tear him to shreds, then sprint over to the hospital to tear him up some more. That being the case, he was glad she believed he was telling the truth.
You can keep a secret, right? she asked after peeking furtively up and down the street, Thats not always us
Its a little trick borrowed from Nemesis
Sometimes we place a hard light hologram or a realistic automaton at our designated greeting post so we can go ahead and work throughout the city or the Rogue Isles
And weve had to leave Sidechicks in Atlas Park for the last week and a half!
What made you think I had something to do with it, then? Roland was shouting now, What the Hell kinds of paranoid thoughts are rattling through that brain of yours when you think of me? What the Hell is the reason why youre always so [ticked] off at me?
Where do you come off? she shouted back, I work with her! Im by her side at the worst moments this city has seen! Ive been through untold torment at the hands of the people plaguing this city! Ive made a name for myself as a heroine! You? Youre just some slob she met at random one day and now
What? he asked when she seemed to just trail off.
You must work magic in the sack, because you aint much to look at.
The portly young man closed his eyes slowly with disappointment and shook his head. He was getting so very tired of this debacle.
I thought we settled this
he started to growl.
Settled what? You two keep insisting that nothing is going on between the two of you, but every day she comes into the Vindicators base reeking of you, shes suddenly acting so laid back, relaxed and, she seemed to bite her lower lip as she folded her arms over her belly,
Happy."
There are other means to that end. Does this look like the face of somebody whos been that lucky?
Could be. You said you havent seen her in a month.
Roland just shook his head at the catgirl and started walking away. He didnt have time for this and he wasnt going to let it bog him down. If Ms. Liberty were missing, it was probably one of three groups involved: Arachnos, Nemesis, or the Malta Group. Of the three of them, his family and friends had ticked off the Malta Group the least. Members of Arachnos had informed Roland personally that Recluse had his father in mind because of that stunt he pulled to get Sheldon back. The worst theyd dealt with Nemesis, however, was a series of odd Fakes that all thought they were the real deal.
Frankly, Roland would have preferred just leaving the score card at that. They had one megalomaniac after them, and, in all likelihood, hed lose interest when more important people became involved in his games. However, that didnt mean he was going to just sit still and let his friend be tormented while he knew something was wrong.
As he boarded the car, he felt a hand grip his shoulder and he looked back to see Mynx following him. It was then that he noticed she was wearing more of a street-attire outfit rather than her classic striped spandex (which he wondered at, personally; Kip often mentioned it had fur, and she seemed to have a thin layer of the stuff on her exposed skin as it was). He also realized hed only recognized her because hed been close enough to get a good look at her face.
So youre following me now?
Were not finished, boy-toy.
You call me that again, he growled, I will drill you into the [fricking] wall.
Mynx was about to say something more, but apparently thought better of it. Instead, she just smirked at him and he could see her tail twitching behind her.
Damn, he thought to himself, Now she knows she bothered me.
They remained silent for the train ride to Atlas Park. It was a long time to be quiet. Roland was wondering how the heck anybody ever thought this was actually a quick way to travel when they arrived at the Atlas Park station. He figured it was just the fact that the heroes on the go always had something to do, and filling that time with planning always seemed to make the trip go by faster.
He was out in the parking lot and entering his jeep when Mynx finally said something.
Why are you driving when you could just hop to your apartment?
Because I dont take my equipment everywhere I go, he barked back, I have a life outside being a caped crusader. I dont even have a cape! Im hardly a crusader! I have a few patrols I do the rounds on, then I go back to my apartment to get berated by the tenants because Im the superintendent and they all did something horrible to their walls, their plumbing, and sometimes even their windows. Now, I cant go carrying all the stuff I need for that job with me on just my back, unlike some heroes. Im not super strong, Im not super anything. I need my jeep to get about with my supplies, and Im not going to be wearing those [fricking] leggings when I drive!
You dont need to yell, she smirked dismissively again and started trying to open the passenger door, Um
Would you unlock this, please?
Why? You coming with me? Why ride in my jeep when you could just hop over to my apartment?
Dont be a smart[butt], just let me in!
----------
Look, Roland, I dont hate you and Im not irritated by you
You have a funny way of showing it
Much, Mynx continued, But you need to understand where Im coming from. Im Ms. Libertys friend. Im one of her many close friends. I should be someone she comes to when shes having trouble! You
Youre just some schmuck.
Dont you think I know that? he agreed, But take it this way
She talks to any of you about problems shes having with any of you, and thatll drive a wedge into the group. Thats the last thing you need at this point in your careers, what with all the different people plaguing this city.
Mynx glared at him for a few seconds.
Hey, theyre your words, not mine.
So thats what you do for her, huh? she asked after a few minutes at a red light and a sixteen-wheeler was trying to turn, You let her vent and try to help her see things another way?
Yep, thats me. Ms. Libertys personal worry sponge. Just dump your sorrows and wake up refreshed tomorrow.
What does she do for you?
What?
Mynx quirked an eyebrow at him and smirked again.
What, she rested her head in the palm of her hand, does she do for you?
Nothing, I guess
he muttered, Not that I can see, anyway. Frankly, being her friend has made my life more difficult. But then, thats true of my other friend, too, so frankly its going par for the course.
Bull. She has to be doing something with you. Guys dont put up with-
Youd be amazed what Im able to put up with, cat.
Mynx stared at him for the rest of the trip. When they arrived at his apartment, she was wondering what the fat mans angle was.
Why are you following me, anyway? he asked as they walked up the stairs.
I want to see what it is about your apartment that has her so entranced.
Its my couch, he replied, Hellions usually burn everything they get their hands on. Theyre fascinated with fire. But this couch
One of the first cells I busted up while I was investigating whether or not my mother was still alive had this couch. The boss refused to burn it, he even pleaded with me to try to let him keep it in the slammer; thats the effect it had on him. When I dropped it by MAGI, a clerk there told me it had a rare enchantment on it to make it more comfortable. A friend of mine tried the same trick on another couch, his own furniture, and my bed. He had varying success.
So
she seemed disappointed, Your couch?
Look, when
You know her real name, right? I feel silly calling her by a moniker.
Yeah.
Well, when Megan drops by, she actually uses my furniture. I know for a fact she dropped by a couple times while she was dating one guy or another just so she could decompress all the weird crap in her life. I suppose when she smelled of the other guys, it wasnt as strong as me because either, A, she didnt use their furniture for nearly as long or, B, the other guys didnt use their furniture. People have a nasty habit of not living in their homes, after all. They just use them as places to keep their stuff.
As they walked into his apartment, he gestured to the couch. After a couple years of use, it didnt look like much. There wasnt much that made it look too different from all the other brown couches out there. Still, the enchantment on it seemed to have done wonders for its longevity, because it didnt look to be in too bad shape, either.
While Roland went into his bedroom to retrieve his bow and other equipment, Mynx took a moment to inspect the seat. Pressing it with her hands didnt do much to persuade her of what he was talking about, so she actually sat down. At first, she didnt notice any difference between it and other couches, just like her visual inspection indicated. However, when Roland returned, she had completely rolled over so she could rub her whole back on the plush surface.
It feels like my bones are repositioning, she purred, In a good way
Like a massage
Yeah. You know, Meg actually was berating me until she sat in that thing.
This elicited a chuckle from the catgirl and she reluctantly pushed herself up. Roland offered her a sandwich made from some leftover roast beef. She shook her head and he shrugged as he made himself one for the road.
You fell into helping me on this pretty quick, she muttered as they were on their way out.
My friends in trouble, he replied between chews, I thought that was the whole reason why you shrieked at me earlier.
Without anything to really go on, they followed the trail of people in the know throughout Paragon City. A few gave some unusual looks at Mynx, as she never seemed to be the sort of heroine to take on a sidekick. Roland also seemed the last sort of person to be a sidekick to Mynx (most bets were placed on any number of other catgirls or few catmen throughout the city). Eventually, they were directed to Anton Sampson, who had informed others that he was looking for some heroes to investigate some unusual Nemesis activity.
He pointed them in the direction of the portion of the city known as the Abandoned Sewers. Mynx bristled at the idea of going down there, and Roland wasnt too keen on heading into a citys waste disposal system that had its lack of attention and maintenance advertised, but they really didnt have much of a choice.
Roland, Im sure youve been to Perez Park and have seen those hideous monsters that swim in the lake
Yeah. Theres more down there?
Yeah
And theyre bigger.
Fantastic, he grumbled as he started drumming his fingers on his quiver, So, fire and lots of it?
The Hydra Men werent the only problems that deep under the sewers. There were also Rikti and Circle of Thorns minions lurking behind every corner. Mynx carefully picked their path and anything they couldnt sneak around, Roland was pretty good at blinding with arrows that made a bright flash along with a startling bang.
Eventually, they found the lair of the Nemesis troops Sampson said were behaving strangely. In this case, it seemed that an entire Nemesis cell had stopped communicating with its neighbor cells, and the rest of the Army was plotting to go in and wipe out the renegades. Sampson wanted to know what the problem was before Nemesis wiped it out, and Mynx was hoping this anomalous behavior was indicative of her friends presence.
They crept into the section of abandoned sewer and eased past the sentries. Something had to have been going on, because the guards werent being terribly alert. All attention seemed to be centered on a platform in the center of a very deep pit. It was as if the floors had rotted out of this section, leaving a few scant scaffoldings, exposed pipes and a lot of green sludge flowing into the bottomless depths below. Everything was lit by hanging construction lights and powered by some sort of odd steam-tech generator. Roland noticed that it was surprisingly quiet for a generator and wondered if he could snag it on the way out.
Mynx brought his attention back to the central platform, however, and what he saw there made his heart fall. It looked to be a Fake Nemesis standing before a modified Warhulk that was holding up someone.
Its her, he murmured, Got a plan?
Not one that doesnt involve all of these guys raining bullets on us, Mynx replied, At least
I think we could work on knocking everyone else here out of commission before Nuts N Bolts, over there, realizes that were here
Nothing flashy, boy-toy.
Biting back an angry retort, Grey followed her as she leaped from pipe to pipe. As she reached the soldiers, she would perform a quick trip attack and send the men hurtling to the depths. A few would be able to avoid her initial strikes, and he silenced them for her with a freezing arrow or an aimed shot that would break open their suits pipes. Some yelled, but they were hardly ever loud enough to shout over the roar of the effluence flowing into the pit with them. Fortunately for them, they were often landing on the pipes and not in the foulness below.
Good thing theres already crap coming out of that, the hunter commented to the catgirl when one soldier landed a little close for comfort, Too much for any noise to come out, anyway.
Stop!
The voice resounded through the pit, and they both turned to the center. The Fake Nemesis was staring at Mynx. Her bright hair stood out against the junk and it had just happened to look in their direction. Soldiers were trying to see what their leader had found and some that noticed her presence were readying their weapons.
However, the Fake Nemesis waved his troops down.
Come here, my precious precocious feline, the brass machine bellowed, And bring your friend, too.
I came alone, she replied as she stepped to the edge of the pipe, Im here for-
I know why youre here. You want her back. Now, do not presume me a fool, kitten, for I know you had assistance. Step forward, please.
Theres nobody back there.
The machine seemed to sigh as it held its face in its hand. Without looking up, the Fake waved for the Warhulk to step forward. It walked up and presented the struggling Ms. Liberty to Mynx. With her arms clamped in the monstrous war machines clawed hands and extended away from its body, the Vindicators leader was unable to utilize her martial skills Roland could see the heroine panic for a moment and decided it was time to get it over with.
Alright
Alright
he shouted as he revealed himself from behind an elbow of pipe, Let her alone.
----------
They were brought before the two large machines. Mynx refused to be led by the arm, and a couple soldiers found the pipes and hoses still slashed for their trouble. Roland, however, had no problem either way, and let the soldiers take him along as they saw fit. They took his bow, but left him his quiver since it was empty. Mynx, however, kept her claws, as they were a part of her. One soldier took their communications equipment, however, and Roland was hoping they wouldnt notice the yellow light showing that Nester was trying to call him.
It was expensive getting those communicators replaced and this Fake would probably break it if it got the inkling that it should.
Now that they were closer, they could see that Ms. Liberty was, for most intents and purposes, relatively alright. Her Girdle of Hera was still on, which meant that either nobody else knew where she got her powers from (indeed, it was a rather generic-looking article of clothing), or the soldiers were unable to remove it. For a brief moment, Mynx wondered if Roland knew about that.
Once they were all situated, the Fake waved the soldiers back to the entrance. They had to keep their senses sharp, especially now that so many were incapacitated.
I hope you have a plan, the catgirl hissed to Roland, Her lifes in your hands!
Oh, kitten, dont be droll, the big machine chortled as they stood before it, I fully intend to return your darling damsel of danger the moment the Phalanx pays the ransom for her. If I am to fund my criminal empire, Im going to need significant capital.
The two looked to each other, perplexity evident on their faces, but they let the machine rant on.
Now, however, I might get a significantly larger amount, so long as the two of you play nice. I already know who you are, my pretty little Mynx
However, Im not familiar with the company you keep
The Fake leaned in close to Roland and looked into his eyes.
Who might you be?
Roland Grey.
Grey? Really?
Im not related to the woman in charge of Vanguard! the hunter almost shouted, Its just a coincidence! Shes not gonna shell out money for me.
Hm
again, the Fake mimicked human behavior by stroking its chin, Just a hairs breadth away from destiny, eh?
And yet, I still seem to suffer for it.
Nemesis, Liberty muttered, if I get free from this, I swear to God! Im going to punt your head into that crap!
Roland looked over at the communicator in the hands of the one remaining guard. The blinking light hadnt stopped. In fact, the message screen indicated that more people were trying to get in touch with him.
Thats not good, he mused, Soon, Dads gonna come tearing down here
Jebus
I wonder if hell just belly flop his way down-OH!
The Fake seemed to notice his eyes widen at the communicator, and walked over to snatch it from the soldier. Peering at the screen, the big machine seemed to be a little confused before it finally turned to Roland and asked a question. Roland, however, was more concerned with reaching his hand into his quiver and withdrawing something to help them. Not a lot of people knew that his quiver tapped into a rented section of space that was practically filled with arrows of various types that his friend Sheldon developed and tossed in there. He just hoped he had enough time to pull this stunt off.
This Randy
Your brother?
Father.
Ah
I should have figured
He seems old, but the hair
Only recently gray? He simply must be a meta
Kipland
The machine turned to the portly young man. Its posture made it look like it was looking at him for the first time. Mynx turned to Roland, too, wondering what the whole change in attitude was about.
I know who you are, now, the machine said, its voice tinged with wonder.
Oh no, Roland grumbled, Please
Not one of you guys
Yes
You and your brutish group are responsible for the destruction of my brethren!
No
he felt the bomb in his hand and had to force himself not to smile, Not that
Which one are you?
Three, actually, the machine seemed to beam with pride, I say
What should I do with you?
Im sorry, Mynx raised her hand to interrupt them, What the Hell are you talking about?
Oh, nothing too impacting, the Fake replied nonchalantly, Im just one of the first ten Nemeses
Any one of us could be the real one
Me, Im more practical. I already figure that Im not the real Nemesis, but thats not going to stop me from carving my own empire out of those whove spurned me
Wait
Grey waved with his free hand as he shuffled his quiver and concealed grenade behind himself, Wait
Kip said youre already dead
He was trying to unscrew the grenade from its arrow. If he still had the arrow on it, it could mess up his trajectory.
Oh that
Yes
Well
Whomever told him that was probably thinking about another Nemesis
Bull[crap]! Roland shouted as he felt the arrow pop off the grenade, I am so sick of that excuse! When will you bastards die!?
Havent you heard? the machine was finding the whole situation immensely amusing, Nemesis is forever!
Not quite forever, Mynx muttered as she looked over to Roland, desperation about to force her to act.
Then she saw him apparently scratching his butt.
What do you think youre-?
Roland pulled the grenade from the quiver and tossed it between the legs of the Fake. Nemesis Three looked down, but shrugged when he saw that the weapon had passed harmlessly away.
What was that supposed to- the explosion interrupted it, and the Fake looked back to see what happened,
Do? Oh no
This wont do at all.
The Warhulk and its prisoner had been knocked over. Ms. Liberty started kicking hard into the top of the machine to escape. With very little effort, she had torn herself free of one claw and broken the modified one off its arm. Then, before it could explode, she gave it one good, hard shove and the large mass rattled over the side of the platform.
Indeed, Megan hissed, Your head is still attached to your shoulders. This will not do at all!
The big machine started to draw its staff to defend itself, but it was too late. Ms. Liberty had been planning this for some time, and she wasted no more of it getting in close and drop-kicking Nemesis Three in the face. It didnt exactly knock its head off, but it did stumble back. When she landed, she delivered a hard side-kick into its belly, and this sent it toppling over the edge. However, it was able to grab a hold of the side of the platform and stay aloft.
Roland pulled another device from his quiver and flicked it on. A loud hum reverberated around them and he nodded to Mynx. Smiling, she crawled over and raked her claws through the exposed fingers of the Fake Nemesis, sending it screaming into the filthy depths before it could bring its staff up to bare again and take any of them off the platform with it.
What are you guys doing here? Liberty asked the other two, I mean, Mynx, or
Roland? Okay, I expected Mynx, but
Roland?
Coincidence, the pudgy man sighed, Mynx thought-
I thought Roland might have some leads on your disappearance, too, the catgirl interrupted, I asked him to help, and he wanted to make sure you were okay when his resources were exhausted.
Roland shook his head. Ms. Liberty nodded, knowing that shed get the real story from one or the other. She turned to Grey and gestured over the side.
Whats your deal with him? How do you know his story?
Kips taken one out
The guy who makes my arrows took down another. Nemesix and Nemenine. Weird machines
The first one was wholly convinced it was the real Nemesis, the second was a depressed psychotic when it realized it wasnt. Theyre some messed up machines
And we thought there were only a few. Hopefully, that was the last.
Hopefully, Ms. Liberty almost shuddered, I dont think I like the idea of a desperate Nemesis. They do some crazy things when theyre backed into a corner.
Then she collapsed. Mynx and Roland both went to help her up, but she waved them both away.
Come on, Sidechick, the redhead muttered, I know its just a crash, but let me help you!
Ms. Liberty looked up weakly to her friends and nodded. While Mynx fished her bosss arm around her neck and over her shoulders, Roland picked up his communicator and started keying up and Ouroboros Portal. Mynx led her exhausted friend through the golden aperture, pausing briefly to get her communicator from Roland. When they were gone, he took a moment to look around.
Despite the fact that he was alone, he couldnt shake the feeling that he was being watched. He looked to the hole in the wall to see if any of the soldiers were staring at him, but they were conspicuously absent. Seeing the portal start to flicker, he decided not to dwell on it too much longer and walked through the portal.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Nester walked into his apartment and sighed. His day was only just beginning, but his days adventures had brought him to Skyway City, so he figured hed drop by for lunch. He could hear Mindy humming, but as the door closed, she stopped.
Hey, Min-min, he announced, Im hooked up with this crew thats investigating the Malta Group
Nothing major, really, just some political strong-arm cells
There was no answer and he started to make himself a tuna fish sandwich.
I get why Aaron kept telling me to be careful about them, those Sappers are some nasty troops
But the Invigorator nanites do a decent enough job keeping the Tankers and Scrapers going
So long as they fight through, the rest of the teams been able to recover
Its been painful, but
He looked up as he slapped the bare slice of bread onto the spread-upon slice. He expected her to say something by now. She normally talked to him about details of the costumes, anything that she could use as inspiration for her work. Curious, he went out into the living room and his eyes boggled when he saw her.
It was an outfit he knew well. The Knives of Artemis were notorious among the heroes of the city. They were tough to fight and even tougher to talk to. Worse, yet, Nesters family was already having an issue with them, with his mother currently working for them in some clandestine operation that had yet to rear its ugly head.
I hope this is a joke, he half-chuckled as she stared at him, the goggles she was about to wear held before her face, but slowly lowering, Or maybe its an outfit youre working on for Serge?
She didnt answer, but she stared at him. Mindys eyes were wet with tears, her lower lip was quivering. He hoped it didnt mean what he thought it did.
Im sorry, Nester.
Well, there was always hope for the next girlfriend. However, Nester didnt want another girlfriend.
Mindy
How? How long?
Since before we met, Nester, she replied, dropping the goggles by her hip with a sigh, Its been a long time
I dont remember what it was like without them watching over me
I think
I think I was lost, alone and frightened
Youre not alone anymore, though.
She looked in his eyes. Nester had pulled off his green-tinted shades and pocketed them so she could see them more clearly. What she saw there was concern and confusion. She slowly drew her sword and sniffed back some of the tears.
Yes, Nester
her voice almost cracked, Yes I am
He understood immediately. Theyd ordered her to kill him. Whether it had something to do with his adventures against the Malta Group earlier that day or was part of some larger scheme, he couldnt begin to guess. What he did know, however, was what he was going to do next.
Mindy, he whispered as he reached behind his back, surreptitiously clicking an alarm button on his communicator before he reached into his back pocket, Before you do this
Grant me one last request
She held her blade before her, ready to strike, but she paused as requested.
I owe you that much, she barely whispered.
Nester showed brought his hand before him and extended a box to her. Kneeling down on one knee, he opened it and showed her the ring hed been trying to woo her with for much of the past year.
Will you marry me?
She didnt answer. She stood there, silently, unable to decide what to do. She had let him know, in no uncertain terms, what was to happen next and he was still willing to be with her.
The living room windows smashed in and two more Knives of Artemis surged into the apartment. Nester could hear another in the bedroom.
Again, Sister Jakobsen has failed us, one growled through her mask, Well have to do this ourselves
Unless Sister Jakobsen succeeds, here and now! the other shouted, Mindy! Do as youve been ordered! Execute this pathetic man!
----------
With the primary team swarming the walls of the apartment building, the secondary team was standing by and observing from the rooftop across the street. The noises of the busy traffic below could still work its way up to them.
It makes me wish we were back in training, the mercenary growled as she watched the situation across the street through her sniper rifles scope, Cities make me sick
Theyre filled with noise, pollution
Men
Keep your focus, sister, another muttered, Well be out of here soon enough.
I dont see the importance of this, a third sighed, So what if she fell in love? Is that really so terrible?
Her affection for that twerp makes her weak, the Hand in charge of them snapped, As it would make any of you weak! She has to sacrifice him to get her strength back!
And if she doesnt?
Youre looking down the barrel of a sniper rifle. You figure it out.
----------
Her sword clattered to the floor. Mindy dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she grasped Nesters outstretched hand and the box it held. They leaned in to each other, their foreheads touching as they embraced for one last moment.
Wake up Wolfgang, Nester muttered as he held her close.
What?
Though it pained him to do it, he let go of her, leaned back and put his shades back on. She looked at his frowning face and understood. He was ready to fight.
But you cant
Enough of this, one of the Knives drew her sword, Kill them both!
Nester was only half paying attention now. He was more engrossed in what the heads-up display of his shades was telling him. Still, that didnt keep him from responding.
Youre going to wish you hadnt come here, he growled.
And whatre you going to do? the other Knife snarled (not that he could see it behind her mask), Youre just a Defender class
Your weapons are weak!
Only when Im helping a team, he replied as his shades flashed.
Reconfiguration: Complete. Offensive Mode: Initiated. Would you like to run the Tutorial?
Nah, I think Ill just wing it! he shouted as his gloves flashed brilliantly and he hurled a miasma of green vapor in a wave at the women.
Though the wave flooded the room, hed angled his throw so that Mindy would remain safe. The other two Knives, however, were not, and were promptly thrown through the window to the rushing streets below.
The other one in the bedroom rushed into the living room, and before Nester could turn his newly focused energies against her, Mindy was up and firing a crossbow bolt into her former compatriot. The woman shouted, staggered, and fell against the doorframe, staring angrily at them both. Before she could pick herself back up, Nester fired a powerful cosmic burst into her chest, knocking the wind out of her.
We have to get out of here! Mindy shouted, Nester, I-
She couldnt finish. There was a whizzing sound and a high caliber bullet smashed into the wall next to them. They were under fire and they could hear the rest of the first team kicking at the front door.
Ducked behind the kitchen counter, Nester turned to his girlfriend and grinned. She looked to him and the look on her face showed that she was startled.
I never guessed being with you would be so adventurous, he replied with a chuckle.
----------
Fire! the Hand shouted, Keep firing, you imbecile!
Maam! another mercenary shouted.
Shut up! If youre not on a rifle, shut up!
Maam! yet another shouted, Weve got-!
Her words were cut off when a thunderous roar interrupted them. The Hand looked up just in time to see some sort of hideous machine come crashing down onto the rooftop with a wild-maned rider wildly swinging a katana about.
I am the rocker! Mattock McGinty shouted, I am the roller! I am the out-of-controller!
He jumped off the motorcycle and kicked the nearest mercenary into the wall of the roof. The other girls shouted angrily at him and started firing their crossbows and swinging their swords, but he deflected them all with mad glee. He didnt just defend himself, though, he fought back, too. He was a wild man, and wholly different from many of the heroes theyd faced before. His willingness to stab into the Hand of Artemis belly before shouldering her over the side proved that. Theyd never seen any hero so quick to use truly lethal force before.
Whoooooooohooooooooo! they heard from above as Cedric Grey dropped into the fight with them and started smashing Knives left and right, You girls done started a war you aint never gonna forget!
----------
The sniper fire stopped and Nester looked up over the counter top. His shades showed him that his backup, indeed, his teammates up to this point, were currently busy saving his butt. He looked to the apartment door and saw the deadbolt splinter as an explosive was used to destroy it.
Time to go! he shouted, Dont look back, just run!
He and Mindy bolted through the living room and rushed for the window. As they made it out, he felt something sharp jab into his shoulder. Before he could concentrate enough to consider what it was, he felt another hit him in the center of his back. Fortunately, his torso plating knew what had happened, and reacted appropriately.
A green wave of energy blazed out of him, covering him and Mindy in a bright glow that soothed and healed their injuries. He looked over to her as he grasped her hand during their descent. She was gasping for breath and he realized he may have only barely saved her life. He reached over and embraced her, holding her close as his hover belt activated and he felt the thrusters in his sneakers kick on so they could fly more quickly.
Im fine, she said as he looked to her briefly, That glow
Your Healing Wave, right? It got the bolts out of my lungs
More bolts came flying at them, but their path seemed to warp and twist. Nester smiled as his shades informed him that the nanites of his defensive matrix were keeping them safe. A shuriken came dangerously close, though, so he started pulling away from his old apartment and toward his friends.
Hey, Nester! Cedric shouted as his swipe sent one of the mercenaries hurtling through the air, Can you believe how easy this is? Everybody keeps telling me these girls train for years, and they still havent got half the guts as a three-month Marine!
Didnt you also keep training while you were in? Wasnt that five years?
He shoved one of the mercenaries aside and arched his eyebrow thoughtfully. Finally, with a shrug, he raised his axe into the air and it started to glow. As the Knives regrouped, he waved the weapon at them and a brilliant beam of energy wafted across them, sending them sprawling over the side. Some caught ledges, others tumbled into the dumpsters or fell onto Trolls.
Awesome! the tanker chortled as Nester and Mindy landed next to him, Id call this a job well
Uh
He and Matt stared rather pointedly at the woman. Nester saw their reactions, and decided it would be best to stand between her and them.
Guys, now guys
he stammered, Shes
Shes not one of them
Not like them
Yes I am, Nester, she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, And they have to turn me in
We have to, man, Cedric intoned, Im sorry.
No! Nester shouted, We can work something out!
Theres nothing to work out! Matt barked, We tried to arrest her, showing how untrustworthy we heroes really are, and she was forced to run back into the arms of the Knives!
It doesnt have to be-! Mindy started to plead, then turned to the katana-wielding warrior and quirked her eyebrow, What?
I gotta do everything myself, McGinty growled before shoving Nester aside and punting Mindy over the side of the building while shouting This is Sparta!
No! the defender shouted as Cedric caught and righted him.
Matt, what are you doing!?
Mindy, however, could only let out a scream as she fired a crossbow bolt with a line attached to it. The bolt slammed into the ledge of the roof of Nesters apartment building ad she swung to safety, landing in an alley and tumbling into the shadows. Nester watched her disappear, tears finally burning into his eyes as he realized he didnt get a chance to say goodbye.
Im sorry, Matt said, I had to make it look like it did
No you didnt, Nester rasped, We could have done something
Something else
We couldve talked to Aaron, his crew could have taken her in!
This way they stop trying to kill you! At least long enough until your mother catches wind of it and puts a stop to it!
My mother could have started this! Nester shouted back, suddenly realizing why Kip was so resolute against her, Oh my God
Thats a pretty terrible thing to think, man, Cedric murmured, I think you need to take a step back and reconsider it. If your mom wanted you dead, I think shed at least do it personally. Besides, your dad said she wasnt doing what she wanted when she left, but what she was told.
In any case, theyre leaving, Matt pointed across the street, We better do the same.
Nester nodded and started flying away. He bid his groupmates farewell and Cedric let him go. After a lunch break like that, Nester was going to need a vacation.
----------
That evening, the Knives of Artemis celebrated. In a clearing of Eden, they had set up a temporary circle of tents. The days pruning would make sure the Devouring Earth would leave them alone for a while. As added insurance, herbicides were placed in special traps to keep the monsters at bay. While the afternoons events werent exactly as they had expected, it was still a victory. They had regained one of their most proficient agents, and had struck a blow against the vigilantes.
Welcome Sister Jakobsen back into the fold! Sister Diana announced to the Great Hall, We have regained our errant Hand.
Please forgive my prolonged absence, Mindy announced, her voice schooled into submission, I was suffering a momentary lapse in judgment.
You were just getting yourself some action, another Hand chortled, Nobodys gonna fault you for getting laid!
This was met with raucous laughter. As modern-day amazons, it was to be expected. Mindy surprised herself by joining them in the mirth.
Sister Maude arrived, then. Her torso was bandaged and she still wore an I.V. harness on her shoulder. Mattock had damaged her severely, and she glared at Jakobsen fiercely as she struggled to sit down.
You really should be in bed, Mindy said with genuine concern, but Maude thought she was messing with her.
You should really be missing your head! she snapped, We lost soldiers, good soldiers, loyal soldiers, all for this tart!
Now, now, Maude, Diana intoned, Thats no way to react to your Sister.
Its because of her and those men she spent the better part of two years with that this mission was only partly successful! Now that hero doctor lives and shes responsible for it! If Sister Hannah hadnt taken her cyanide pill as the machines sent her to the Zig, we would know the true story behind that crossbow bolt in her shoulder!
Mindy leaned back in her chair and glared at her accuser. Shed already explained that one of the girls Nester had shot out the window had shot Hannah on her way out. It was an accident. She was lucky both had discharged their weapons without realizing it and that the police had already confiscated the arrows from where theyd hit the walls. Not only that, but the ones whod smashed through the apartment door werent terribly good shots in their haste to kill her and her boyfriend, their projectiles had also struck the walls of the apartment. It left just enough room for her story to hold water, but she had to hope they didnt have agents in the Skyway City PPD forensic team, or shed be in trouble.
She didnt doubt that the Malta Group had an agent or someone in power there, but they tended not to share information with the Sisterhood. They just paid them to do certain assassinations or security jobs and left them to their own devices afterward.
Im not going to explain myself until Im blue in the face, Mindy said darkly, You can shout and grumble all you like, I told you what happened. If you didnt want the drones taking her, maybe you should have had the Alpha Team do a better job of cleaning up the scene before they left.
Enough! Sister Diana interrupted them, Im not going to hear anymore of this bickering. Mindy, you can calm down, Hannah, stand down! This is a time of celebration!
With that, the rest of the Knives dug into the banquet. Mindy ate her meal quickly and tried to surreptitiously slip away from the party. A few girls caught her up in the raucous dancing, but she was able to slip away once the crowd had gotten thick and drunk enough.
However, when she was at her tent, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She knew it wasnt aggressive, but it didnt exactly feel friendly.
Hello, Sister Catherine.
Sister Jakobsen, the other woman replied smoothly, So, tell me
Did you finally accept my sons proposal?
Mindy lightly brushed the pocket of her trousers and grinned. There, nestled snugly in the depths of the pocket, she could barely feel the simple circular strip of gold metal. Catherine shared the grin with her and ushered her into the tent.
Well now, we have to discuss how we are to go about our future
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Interesting turn of events...
After a week of dealing with his landlord, the police and a few interviews with Hero Corps, Nester was almost too exhausted to visit with Sarah and Joe for lunch. However, they were offering to cover the bill, so he went with them. He didnt have any food in his apartment, anyway.
Ive gotta start looking for a new place to live, he murmured, the landlord said he wasnt going to risk having a cape under his roof anymore. I figured it wouldnt be prudent to mention what his daughter does when hes not looking, but between you guys and me, it involves spandex and throwing lightning.
Nester, Im so sorry, Sarah was near tears as she gripped his hand, Is there anything we can do for you?
Nah, Ill be alright.
What about those rumors you told us about? Joe asked, That camp in Eden
Gone by the time I got there, he sighed, Not that I was going to be able to do anything. When other heroes want a healer, Im in demand. When I need help, though, nobodys around
What? Cedric or Kip couldnt help you?
Kip was busy in the Shard, Cedric and Matt dropped off the map for a couple days after all that Malta stuff
But they sent me a postcard from where they ended up in Cancun.
I bet they wish they couldve stayed, Joe chuckled.
Well, with the fire they started, that wasnt going to happen, Sarahs smirk did nothing to diminish her cuteness, it only seemed to make her eyes darken in a strange way that made her appear even more adorable, Cedric says they cant talk about it, but the news indicated whatever they hit was big enough for four city blocks, and they leveled it.
I bet he got a hold of his old Marine buddies for the explosives, Nester shook his head miserably, That brother of yours is scary sometimes, Snuffy.
I know
But hes got a good soul.
They ordered their lunches and were in the process of eating when Roland arrived. They greeted him and he took the fourth chair at the table.
Hows married life treating you two? he asked once he was situated.
Its wonderful! his sister squeaked, Joe keeps me warm every night
I dont want to know that part!
Cuddling! she finished, Jeez, Roland
You know I wouldnt tell you something like that.
Sarah could hear his thoughts, and he was already making a quick recrimination toward himself about how he shouldnt really care because it was something married people do, but he felt obligated as a brother to be somewhat bothered by the topic. It was very hard to read such a stoic person. Logic dictated his thoughts, and he often had to debate it in the moment; when he had a notion, however, he was resolute and it was almost as if he were a complete blank, his behavior and actions requiring no thought at all.
Nester, however, she was getting entirely different problems from. He was going halfway out of his mind with all of the issues he was dealing with. From losing his girlfriend and his apartment, to his mounting stress with his job at the LaGrange Medical Center. She could tell something had to give and fast.
Nester, maybe you should take a vacation
I cant afford one. I cant afford a new apartment, I-
You can stay with me, man, Roland offered, You shouldnt be alone right now, man. Ill help you get through this.
Like the good old days.
Itll be alright, Nester, Sarah patted his upper arm, I dont think shes been hurt.
She could sense Nesters emotional state calm slightly. When she felt the rest of their guests arrive, she had to restrain the anger radiating into her mind.
I cant believe her! She must have been one before we joined the Carnival
She must have been using me to get into the Carnival!
She turned and saw Aaron and Mindy walking down the sidewalk toward them. She had the baby curled up in her arms. Carl was soundly asleep, snuggling his face into her shoulder. He was still wearing that blue cap Sheldon had made for him to mask his psychic signature.
Hey guys, Aaron announced as he arrived, Started lunch without us?
Weve been here for half an hour! Joe threw his arms wide in protest.
Im just givin ya a hard time, the CIA spook gave Joe a light jab in the shoulder, We had to change the kid, so we had lunch at the house.
Misty was beside herself with anger, however. She patted Nesters shoulder and tried to convey her regret.
I cant believe Mindy was with
With
Its alright, Nester stopped
No, its not! the woman almost shrieked, We trusted her! She walked among us, lived with us
We thought she was one of us and learned our innermost, deepest secrets
Aaron rolled his eyes downward, wondering how, if Mindy were always a Sister, his cover still wasnt blown. Still, his wife went on with her rant.
And what about all of those heroes she made costumes for?
I think thats stretching the risk pretty far, Nester countered, I mean, she just assembled the outfits for the most part. She didnt really interview the heroes to find out their weaknesses or-
She wouldnt have to! Serge would just tell her which materials would go into what costumes and why she couldnt use nylon or spandex or
Other stuff
Like Argon for the Ascendant
Argon? Sarah asked, Are you sure? Isnt it Kryptonite?
Kryptonites a gas.
Yeah, well, so is Argon
Nester sighed as the rest of the lunch went like this. He knew Mindy wouldnt betray all those people like that, but he also knew no one would believe him. It was a depressing situation that hearkened him back to his high school days where everybody shunned you if you didnt feel the way they did. He just missed Mindy, he didnt see why they were so quick to hate her.
I dont hate her, Misty finally murmured when he brought it up, We were really close in high school
Not that close, but we were like sisters. I thought it was providence when I found her after the Rikti War
We promised to never let each other go
Aaron patted her arm as she sniffled back some tears.
Well find her, Misty, he assured her, Everything will get sorted out.
----------
After lunch, Roland and Nester started moving the furniture and Nesters personal items out of his apartment. The thinner man took his friends offer to stay in the apartment and they moved most of his clothes into a dresser they set up behind the couch.
Your friend isnt gonna be bothered by my sleeping here, is she?
Nah, man, Roland growled, I havent seen mm-Jessica in weeks. Shes been really busy with getting her group ready for a fight in the Rogue Isles.
Shes in charge, huh?
Of her crew, yeah
Otherwise, shes still kind of under the thumb of her old mentor
Sounds rough. Hope he doesnt abuse the power over her.
He doesnt
They argue a lot, though, and sometimes she comes here to let off some steam. She hasnt been around much lately, so I guess theyve been leaving each other alone.
Nester nodded at that as he placed the last of his clothes in the dresser. Now that his things were taken care of, it was time to turn to Mindys stuff.
You could put it in storage, Roland offered, That is
If you intend to see her again.
I do, his friend replied, She took my ring, Round. I guess
I guess that means Ill see her again.
Roland patted his friend on the shoulder. He hadnt been there for him for a while, but then, Nester had Mindy, and he didnt need his burly protector anymore. Now, though, Nester was alone again and needed help more than ever.
You were gonna need a storage compartment for the rest of your stuff, anyway, he explained, Lets get all that situated and then get some dinner.
Nester didnt feel like going, however. He just slumped down on the couch and stared at the corner of the television.
She wasnt trying to learn anything about us as heroes, he murmured, We met after breaking up that initiation ceremony and we just clicked. She wanted to know us. She wanted to know me.
Nester, you know who she was. You know how she felt about you. If she were just using you, well, youd probably be either in the hospital or dead right now. Thats all the proof I need. It should be all you need, too.
But everybody else
he sighed, They think shes just some monster.
Who cares what they think? Youve been doing your own thing from the beginning. Nobodys gonna pressure you into doing something to her you dont want to do
And thats because you never responded to pressure before, so why are you going to start now?
I dont know
Nesters communicator started beeping and he answered it. When he didnt hear anything, he looked at the display screen and saw that whoever it was decided it would be better to text him. Judging by how his eyebrows rose, Roland figured it was important.
We gotta go
he answered the unasked question, Now
Serge just called. It turns out Misty was right
----------
Thank you, the Icon designer said as Nester handed over a brown ledger, And no pages torn out
I didnt know so many heroes had allergies
Its normally minor stuff, and some of it is rather obvious, like the werewolves who cant have silver in their outfits, Serge sighed, But some of it is a bit more esoteric and others are fatal. The last thing we need is the Knives of Artemis selling these secrets to the highest bidder, or worse, using the information to hinder or assassinate countless heroes themselves!
Well, all of it is right there, Nester sighed, So you can stop worrying.
Ill stop worrying when that traitorous
the designer caught Nesters look and cleared his throat before continuing, Well
I guess she had her reasons.
She didnt want to betray us, Serge. She still hasnt, yet.
The other man shook his head grimly. He understood Nesters loyalty to his girlfriend. It had been a while since hed seen love like that up close. It was enough to make him doubt his own understanding of how things like this went, but he couldnt afford to let his profession suffer for such emotional situations.
I still have to warn everybody whose name appears in this book, Nester. I wont tell them Ms. Jakobsens name, but they need to know to keep their proper medications handy.
Thank you, Durj replied quietly.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
((I'd wanted to start something else, but events over the holidays inspired this somehow, and I couldn't write the other idea without this suddenly overwhelming me.))
--New Years--
Roland walked into his apartment and inhaled. At first, he caught the odor of the normal stale dust that would have accumulated in the two weeks hed been gone. Immediately on its tail, he caught another scent and it caused him to wince.
Did I ever tell you that I cant stand the smell of perfume? he asked as he turned to face his uninvited guest.
Really? Megan asked, her eyebrow quirked curiously, Thats
Odd.
I dont know the reason
It all just smells like chemicals to me.
She blinked at him and shrugged. For some odd reason, she had her hands behind her back. Roland didnt dwell on it, though, and turned to throwing his backpack into his room. It had a couple changes of clothes in it, nothing else, so he wasnt concerned if anything got roughed up.
So, he half-barked as he went to the kitchen to see if anything hed left had spoiled, What brings you to my nick of the woods today?
You, actually, Megan replied cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen behind him, I saw in the Freedom Corps rosters that you came back to the city today. Where were you?
Big family get-together back home. My grandmother said she wanted to get all the surviving family members together for the first time since the War...
Roland paused. There were a lot of his cousins, aunts and uncles who hadnt made it. On his mothers side, too. While many had survived, possibly due to their distance from major urban centers or military bases, his whole family still felt the loss of those who were gone. Still, nobody in his family dwelt on such matters, knowing full-well that there was nothing to be done for them but to remember the good times and to make the best of the time they have left. Still, that didnt mean it didnt hurt.
Was it fun?
Oh, yeah
I got to see my cousin, Cody, the portly young mans face seemed to brighten at the mention of the family member he hadnt seen in ages, He told me about how he literally beat the [dreck] out of his sisters boyfriend last Thanksgiving. See, the guy got drunk once, and wound up hitting her. Code wasnt going to let that go without payback, so the tension came to a head that night and they brawled
I bet it was spectacular, Liberty murmured as she looked derisively out the window.
Well, the telling of it was
Cody tackled the guy out the front door of my uncles house and proceeded to just pound on his stomach
Hed promised his sister he wouldnt hit him in the face. After about five minutes of it, the guy pleaded for him to stop and Cody jumped up shouting [Cripes]! You smell like [dreck]! Afterward, the other guy walked around kind of funny until he stumbled into a bathroom where he stayed for a half hour while he cleaned himself up.
Ms. Liberty didnt know what to say to that. It was a mortifying story, but she couldnt help but giggle slightly and futilely tried to stifle the laughter. Roland looked blankly at her, a grin, one of the few shed ever seen on him, creasing his round face.
Its all true, too. My uncle Jed, his dad, got it on tape.
Jed?
Well, when your grandfather sires almost ten kids, names are bound to get scarce
Roland chuckled before sniffing a plastic container, Ugh
Anyway, Jeds actually named after his, and my dads, great uncle
Youve got a very large family tree I gather, Megan muttered soberly, Mines practically a stalk of bamboo
Roland made a concerned sound in the back of his throat and nodded before dumping the contents of the container into the garbage turning on his sink and rinsing out the box. His nose scrunched up and he grimaced a little, but as the hot water blasted away the grime, his face softened measurably.
Shouldnt you turn on the disposal?
It was mostly liquid
Salsa, I think
She stood there, waiting patiently as he went through the same ordeal with a couple other containers. After the third one, he rolled his eyes and simply threw the container away.
Its the flimsy stuff
he growled grumpily at the trash bin, No need to save it
He turned to Megan and grinned.
So, whats going on?
I wanted to give you your Christmas present, Megan happily chirped.
She brought her hands in front of herself and in one of them was the staff of a finely polished wooden bow. Roland blinked at it and his jaw dropped. It was a single length of wood, with a simple lashed-rawhide handle that served as the starting point for the curving of the branches as they gradually pushed away from the wielder before turning back halfway to each tip and curving away slightly again at the tip. It wasnt strung, but then, it wasnt supposed to be when it wasnt in use. A thin black wood burning was scored into the outer surface.
Recurved, he said appreciatively, Polished
May I hold it?
She nodded and handed the implement to him. He balanced it in his hands and closed his eyes. Nodding, he opened his eyes and grinned.
Ash, I believe. Unless its got some kind of enchantment to make it lighter
Im ruling out oak at the moment because it tends to be heavier, but with mystical intervention
I
I dont really know what its made of
Megan murmured, Unfortunately, I dont know the history of it too well. A few months ago, I worked with a hero from Chicago called Lightning Bear
He said he was honored to present it to me
And youre giving it to me?
I asked him if it was okay, and he said that was fine. He said he was glad I found a use for it, since I dont, you know, use a bow...
Did he?
Oddly, no
They called him Lightning Bear for a reason, you know. He wasnt quite as powerful as my grandfather, but he helped when Infernal was busy in the Isles.
Oh, I always figured Valkyrie could fill that role in a pinch, Roland chuckled as he cradled the bow in his hands and strummed his fingers across the smooth surface that faced him, Or you
As tough as we are, we simply cant take the kind of punishment that big burly demon can, Ms. Liberty sighed as if remembering an exhilarating memory, And unlike a lot of tankers, he can dish out much more punishment than he receives.
Well, back to the matter at hand
I dont know if I can accept this, Megan. I mean
This is valuable, and
And I dont have anything to give you
She shrugged and grinned as she leaned against the back of the couch.
I dont really want anything more from you, Roland, she rubbed her upper arms and bit her lower lip before continuing, Wait
That didnt sound right
I mean
You already do a lot for me as it is
You went to that wedding with me so I wouldnt have to fuss about with some moron who would look at it as some sort of relationship or social promotion (however that works
). You dont freak out when I show up here to get away from everything in the Vindicators and Longbow
You even cook meals for me when I do that
And then there was that thing you did with Mynx
You didnt have to help her, you know
I was helping a friend, Roland shrugged and propped the bow on the armrest of the chair, Ive only got a few, remember. I fight to protect them.
Megan nodded. She didnt like to think about what else he might be thinking. She knew hed been developing feelings for her before, and feelings like that didnt simply go away. Still, her psychic friends told her he was honest when he said he just wanted to keep it a friendship, but then honesty was always more a concept of belief than fact. What was true one day wasnt necessarily true the next.
Perhaps thats why she found his aloof demeanor so infuriating. He was so difficult to read. According to Sister Psyche, his sister had the same problem. His thoughts and his demeanor were heavily schooled to be so resolutely similar.
Well, I have to go, she finally chirped, My mom wants me over for dinner
Probably wants to ask me why I havent been looking for a father for her grandchildren yet
Ugh, my brother goes through that with my mom, too. Youd think that with her suddenly being younger and somehow pregnant, shed lay off him, but no! Thankfully, she backed off of me once Sarah got married and she found out who you are
My sister
kind of
let it slip.
I figured it would ripple through your family somehow, Liberty chuckled.
Somehow, weve kept Cedric in the dark, though
for once, Grey looked worried, Lord help me if he ever finds out I spend my free time with you
What about me?
Pft, you wont have to talk to him.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Something odd was going on. Well, Ray couldnt begin to think that was the case, as everybody in the meeting chamber seemed to be going about as if business were normal. Ghost Widow and her entourage were mulling over reports. Mako was standing tall and proud as if in an attempt to intimidate everyone in the room with Barracuda sitting on a small chair by his side, trying not to get noticed. Black Scorpion and his technicians were still rifling through diagnostic checks for his eternally buggy armor. Hindering the technicians was Silver Mantis, who started pressing herself against her boss in a suggestive manner; the odd thing was that the big man didnt seem to notice. The one person that was missing was Ice Mistral, whom Scirocco had said was busy with dissecting the secrets of a powerful relic called Serafinas Crystal (though almost everyone knew the small-minded girl was probably out terrorizing some small village or robbing a bank in Paragon City). Instead, Raymond was surprised to be called in for this meeting, apparently at Lord Recluses behest, so something had to be odd.
Now, the new business, the spider-like monster of a man growled with his inhumanly deep voice, drawing all eyes to him instantly, A nearby set of islands has come to my attention via report from Scirocco
My lord, the sorcerer intoned worriedly, I strongly suggest you grant me more time to-
Youve had quite enough time to survey the island, Imad. No.
Lord Recluse looked over his lieutenants and their flunkies. He was amused that the sorcerer was so willing to bring his personal gentle giant to the proceedings. It made the next part that much more entertaining.
My own research has determined that these islands may be of use to me, after all. One has an encampment of the Circle of Thorns cult in it, the other, some band of refugees. Normally, the latter would be of little concern to me, but surveillance has indicated that the refugees are exceptionally armed. While I would like to neutralize their backer, whoever it may be, certain activities by other individuals have made that mystery better left solved at a later date. We must make plans to take these islands now and glean what secrets are within them.
Ray felt a lump in his throat. He knew Recluse was talking about Brother Mauthe, but he had no clue what could have caused the mastermind to out-and-out ignore the man.
So we invade! Black Scorpion chortled suddenly, swinging his arm so fast it shook Silver Mantis clean off from where she had snuggled against him, We go in with Fliers, bomb the place to oblivion and claim whats rightfully ours!
And inadvertently destroy what Im looking for? I think not.
Captain Mako shook his head at the cyborg before turning to Lord Recluse and smiling a predators smile.
I could go in, kill their leaders, and destroy their supplies. I ache to get some real killing done, especially after-
Recluse glowered at the shark man and the captain stopped. The Spider didnt like when his subordinates made reference to the day when a group of nobody heroes, regardless of the fact that they were under the tutelage of Statesman, raided Grandville and smashed the delivery mechanisms for the Web. Whats worse, it had caused a massive feedback loop that damaged a lot of the major cables, systems and subsystems, and the replacements had been destroyed earlier that day by the same heroes. How they were able to was beyond him, but he thought time travel was involved, and the sudden quiet of people like Dr. Aeon and Viridian since that day was quite telling.
-uh-Besides... Mako growled, suddenly shifting the subject, If the Circle of Thorns is involved, on a mysterious island, it might have something to do with the Leviathan, and you know Im the foremost expert on such-
Oh no, the mastermind interrupted, Were not going through that again. No
But youre right, Mako. I need somebody on this who will know what theyre doing.
He looked about the room, then settled his eyes on Barracuda, Makos lieutenant. He needed someone he could trust to actually investigate the situation and know what they were doing. Her history as a treasure hunter easily fell into that category. She was also easy to intimidate. She put up a strong front, but he knew she felt out of her league among true criminals and her altered physical appearance had severely damaged her total self esteem.
You, he intoned and pointed one of his leg claws at her, You will take the Circles island and you will find out what they think is so special out there.
Excellent choice- Mako began.
Oh, Im not sending her alone. Scirocco
Yes, my lord? the sorcerer asked, his tone somewhat hopeful at the prospect of getting to speak with the wizard, Moriae, at length about the power welling up under the islands.
Your friend there
Broken something
Power Breaker?
I know what I said.
Ray and Imad looked at each other nervously. They didnt know what Recluse was up to, but it couldnt be good.
I want your thug to go with her and make sure nothing happens to her, the spider-like man looked intently from Power Breaker to Mako, his insinuation that he didnt want the shark man interfering and causing another Leviathan incident.
Yes, uh, my lord, Raymond murmured, It will be my pleasure
----------
Let me make something perfectly clear, the fish woman gurgled at the big brute while they flew to the uncharted islands, I am your superior here, and I wont be taking any of your do-gooder crap when we make landfall.
Youve been chattin with Mistral, huh? Breaker chuckled back, Well, let me ask you something. What do you intend to do once we arrive? Lay waste to everything that moves so you can study the temples at your leisure?
I dont see why not.
What if I were to tell you that one island has a monstrous Freak Tank. I mean, one like nothing weve seen, it could be classified as a Monster at least. The other island is run by a wizard who isnt directly related to the Circle of Thorns, and has accumulated, over the length of his life, enough power to probably give Ghost Widow one Hell of a fight. Now, you really think that you, me, and this little band of Arachnos troops can take all those wizards, refugees, and their nifty little tricks?
Barracuda glowered at him, but said nothing.
Or we could bombard the place with the Fliers, the brute continued, Just like Black Scorpion suggested. Sure the temples will wind up a little cracked and crumbled, but hey
I get your point
Of course, Moriae might be able to take a Flier down himself, and Ive seen what Chaingunnz can do
Weve only got these three fliers and you and me as power hitters.
You know the refugees!? Barracuda almost shrieked, Why didnt you say this before?
Because Recluse would have killed me, Raymond almost barked with laughter, No questions, no trial, just, Scirocco, step back a second. Squilch.
This got a chuckle from the fish woman, but she stopped herself quickly. Raymond grinned at her and sat back.
Look, I know what the Devil Cheerleader Squad has to say about me. That Im a goody-two-shoes son of a [dog]. Heh. A bit childish, dont ya think? Im gonna tell ya how things are over there, though. Moriae has taken over the operation in an effort to find out what the temples are for. The other guy, Mauthe, he hasnt done anything and doesnt know what hes sitting on. Me, I was able to read a small bit of what was on those temples, and its not good. Some kind of weird doomsday thing
Hm. Sounds about par for what Im usually sent after, Barracuda muttered, Wait. You could read some of it? Could Scirocco?
I dont know. He never said.
She narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing. There was more to this beast of a man than just brute force. Inwardly, she cursed herself a little for letting the twisted opinions of her colleagues cloud her judgment of someone. Still, he was noted for helping vigilantes at various times, and his remaining in the Rogue Isles when he had most of his outstanding warrants repealed and various crimes pardoned was something to be looked at. A part of her respected him a little for finding a home in the Etoiles, while another part wondered just what kind of game he was playing.
Well land on the Circles island. Im certain theyll be more amenable than the refugees.
Well, I think I could convince either group to let us do the research, but yeah, Moriae pretty much gave Im-uh-Scirocco the all clear.
You know your patrons real name?
Uh
Recluse said it at the meeting
But you almost said it with familiarity, the girl folded her scaly arms over her chest and leveled her gaze on the big mans glowing eyes, Youre close to him. Almost as close as Mistral.
Im not the only one, Breaker replied, Though none of us are close, by any means. I think the one Ive been able to work with the easiest was an android named Toy Dispenser
The woman winced at the name.
Youve met him?
My eyes still hurt from the memory. Almost as bad as when I last fought Mister Subtle.
Ouch.
They chuckled together at the shared memory of horribly dressed meta humans and color blind androids before she looked at him to finish his anecdote.
Well, in any case, the machine was a bit into the whole evil for evils sake thing, and his attitude clearly bled into his minions
He?
Well, I guess, by definition, an android has no gender, Breaker mulled over the notion for a bit, But the personality was clearly male. Theres a batch of them in Paragon City that all look similar but some are male and others are female. But still, my point remains, that even if I came across somebody at this point as close to Scirocco as I am, in the end, they are aspiring to things well beyond my ken. I just worked hard at smashing the cells of various insurgent groups throughout the city and turned out to be good at dealing with problems that needed solving. It wasnt until after they got the Malleus Mundi away from him that Scirocco and I started conversing more, and I know hes just after something he thinks I have.
Which is?
I dont know, Breaker lied, Id let him turn over my apartment if he wanted to just so I could get some sleep at night. In the end, it wouldnt matter. On this side of law, theres no rest for the wicked, only increasing paranoia.
I do alright, the woman shrugged, Of course, nobody really thinks I have anything, so they leave me alone. Anything else they could want
Well
Look at me.
He looked at her and blinked. She certainly wasnt attractive in human terms. In fact, hed first met her when they found they were both investigating Calystix the Shapers cult. She didnt mention it to many people, but he had the oddest feeling she was looking for a cure to her condition. She realized what she said and pointed out the window.
It seems weve arrived.
Harris looked and recognized the two islands. They werent necessarily twins, Mauthes island being the smaller. Squinting, he could see red and white dots. There were numerous wandering spandex-clad troops among the people who looked like civilians, but he knew they were also armed and tactically trained. There were some helicopters, too, indicating that the troops were either recently arrived, or they just got a resupply.
Damn, Longbows out there, he growled, I wonder how the locals are handling it.
Barracuda smirked and rolled her eyes.
Theyre probably learning why we dont like them. Longbow butts in where theyre not wanted or needed. And if you tell them that, they press harder.
I never noticed
You ever meet Agent Wilder? she asked, her eyes narrowing in agitation, That monster is only different from you and me because hes working for them. Numerous would-be Chosen Ones have fallen due to his manipulations and doing his dirty work. And dont think hes the worst. All of them, from the lowest Guardian to Miss Priss Liberty Barbie think that everybody they meet out here is the scum of the Earth, and they take no pains to show their contempt.
Well, theyre not making plans to end this place with fire, Harris grinned back, Im fairly certain our bosses cant say the same about their home or here.
Barracuda nodded and grew silent. The Flier was descending and she never took well to the roller coaster feeling of her stomach leaping into her throat. The brute never seemed to suffer the ill effects, so he simply relaxed and waited for the ride to end.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Citizen, Ive already told you, stand down your patrol. Were taking care of things, now.
The grizzled old man rounded about and glared at the Longbow Guardian before spitting into the sand and waving angrily to the beach. He didnt look like a man on patrol, what with his gray denim pants, plaid shirt and thin green jacket, but the shotgun he had slung on his right shoulder said otherwise.
If Im not out here, you moron, your friendsll set off the traps weve got set for the fish people and the kooks! I dont think any of themll be too happy if they lose a foot or a leg!
Now listen here, old man, the Freedom Corps soldier growled as he tried to use his height and physique to intimidate the island resident into submission, Were here to protect you! Those traps out there should be disarmed, removed and dismantled! Youre not even supposed to be carrying weapon anymore-!
Take it from me, the veteran of three wars growled back, Lets see if they taught you as much about fighting as they did rhetoric.
Enough! came a shout from behind the Guardian, Lou, resume your patrol. Guardian, stand down and find something better to do before I make sure somethings found for you.
The spandex-clad soldier turned to Brother Mauthe and sneered. The leader of the island was wearing what looked to be a Longbow-inspired outfit, with a white-lined red trench coat and red-and-white articles of clothing within. The mans ocular implant even glowed white.
You cant order me around, local, the Freedom Corps soldier chuckled, You may be mayor here, but I work for Wilder.
And Wilders only here because I let him come here. Dietrich and Anderson are here, too, you know, and they hold just as much sway, if not more, within your organization. All Wilders known for is getting local criminals to bumble things up with the Goldbrickers
Hey! Hes a great man!
Clearly the Guardian was troubled at the insinuation that his commanding officer used disreputable means to achieve his goals. However, his argument was at an end, as Mauthe didnt have the patience to listen to anymore.
Listen, soldier, you harass one of my citizens again, I will have a word with your commander about my prime choices for who should be pulling latrine duty! Now get out of my sight!
Barking at the young man seemed to do the trick and the Guardian stumbled off. It bothered him a little that he might have to do this intimidation trick some more. He could have sworn he remembered Longbow being more comforting.
Thank God they havent seen Chaingunnz, yet, he muttered, wondering at the same time how he was supposed to break that tidbit to the Longbow authorities that had tagged along with the archaeologist, Doc Delilah, and her team.
There had been some rumblings in the temple below and the Coralax hybrids had been attacking with some frequency. He figured it was time to get some help in finding out what was going on below his island and he asked for help from his handler in Longbow, a man known only as Agent G. The Longbow coordinator sent the three agents, Doc Delilah (whod been looking to do something more exotic) and a team of archaeologists and Longbow troops to secure the island. In truth, they were supposed to secure both islands, but moving troops and supplies was slow-going when you were trying not to attract the attention of the local authorities.
Freeze! he heard shouted down the street, Stop right where you are!
Vhut is going on? was the Slavic reply of Bioserj.
Oh no
Mauthe muttered as he ran to the saloon in the vain hope of stopping an incident, Whats going on over here?
Two riflemen were aiming their weapons at the radioactive meta human as he attempted to eat a hotdog. He looked worriedly to Mauthe and shrugged.
I said freeze, that means dont move, slimeball! one rifleman barked.
Am I going to have to go through this ever five minutes? the mastermind shouted, Put your weapons down! Bioserj is a guest here!
You keep some strange company, a crisp female voice muttered behind him, Ive seen about five or six corrupters, a brute, even some dominators walking around here like they owned the place.
They walk around unafraid, here, Mauthe replied, irritated, as he turned around, because theyre not threatened unless the alarm sounds. Wilhelmina.
Thats Captain Dietrich to you, Agent, the blonde woman barked back.
And I prefer Mayor while were in my community, so I guess well both have to live with disappointment, Wilhelmina.
She bristled at him, but said nothing more to him. Instead, she turned to the soldiers holding the prisoner and addressed them.
What do you think youre doing?
Maam, he
Uh
one stumbled before the corrupter interrupted.
I was just eating hotdog and they started yelling. What did I do wrong?
Dietrich glared at Bioserj for his interruption, but she didnt have an argument against his claim of innocence. She turned back to the soldiers and narrowed her eyes at them.
Did your communicator tell you this man has outstanding warrants?
No maam
He looked at us and his eyes flashed
Really? Serj asked, obviously distressed, I should see the doctor, then. My eyes should not be doing that.
Carry on, citizen, she muttered to the Slavic man as she waved the soldiers away, Im sorry for the distress. Agent, how did you put up with this sort of thing before we got here?
We treated everyone like people, the red-coated man replied grimly as he nodded to the departing young man, Not like potential criminals.
Dietrich muttered something under her breath, but Mauthe couldnt make out what it was. He knew she caught the backhanded comment, though, so he took a moment to feel a little smug.
Look, she finally intoned, Wilder wants to have a meeting, and you should be there. The troops saw something distressing a few minutes ago and I want to make sure youre involved. I dont want that man trying to dominate things like he usually does.
----------
Dietrich led him to the Longbow camp where the troops rested, trained and received their orders for the day. They picked their way through the formations and hastily-erected general purpose tents to the command tent where Wilder and Anderson waited. Upon arriving, Dietrich closed the flap behind them and ushered Mauthe to a seat so the meeting could begin. He sat himself across from Agent Anderson, a young woman whose intelligence and aptitude had helped her rise through the ranks quickly, but sorely lacking in experience. Still, she seemed at ease in this environment, and she smiled warmly to the man who would otherwise be known as a mastermind villain in other circumstances.
Three Fliers, and they landed on the Circles island, Wilder began, gesticulating and pantomiming like he was on some sort of theatrical stage, Theyre probably brimming with Arachnos troops and probably have a full 8-man squad of rogues.
We should send scouts immediately to see what theyre up to, Agent Anderson suggested, Has there been any indication that the Circle wizards are concerned with the incursion?
Not as of yet, which worries me more. If Mauthes reports are to be believed, the wizard in charge, one Moriae, isnt necessarily an Oranbegan, and this means hes less bothered by the idea of working with outside organizations like Arachnos.
Thats bad. The Circle, working with Arachnos
It wouldnt be across the factions, Anderson explained,
I dont think Recluse ever thought this place was that important, Mauthe argued, Last time, he just sent two, and they didnt come here, they went there and wiped out the Circle forces. Granted, one of them was Scirocco, but if Recluse wanted to do a huge sweep and clear and conquer the islands, were well within range for him to do that with no fuss.
He could wind up damaging the temples, Anderson interjected, I doubt hed like to do that.
Whats on the temples is just a warning. Its whats in the temple thats important, and anything done up here wont affect anything down there.
Still, this Arachnos presence alters out plans
Wilder continued.
What plans? Mauthe almost shouted, We wait until Delilah says we should go deeper into the temple. Right now, she and her crew are reading the glyphs and trying to make heads or tales out of the mess.
Look, Mauthe, its been a while since youve done any field work, so let me clue you in-
I havent done any field work? I havent done any field work! You [turd]! Ive had to do ridiculous field work to build this community up! I have seen with my own two eyes just how far gone and dilapidated this island nation is getting, while you sit in your cozy fortress and laugh about how you got another dumb schmuck to do your dirty work!
He stood up then, his eyes only getting level with the bridge of Wilders nose. Still, it was clear who was intimidating who at this point.
If youre about to tell me that you were planning on turning this place into another staging area for Longbow, you can forget it! Agincourts big enough as it is, and you still cant keep the super powered villains from breaking through your defenses!
Thats why we need this place, Agent Anderson pleaded, Michael
No! your presence brings attention down on my head, on all our heads, and I will not have you risking the lives of my friends! Weve built a community here, a community we have worked damn hard to keep secret
News flash, Mauthe, Wilder shouted, Its not a secret anymore! The first thing those troops in those fliers are gonna do is call home and theyre gonna tell Big Daddy Longlegs that youre all out here. Then hes gonna send sweeper teams to wipe you out, and when that happens, youre gonna need our protection
No. We wont.
As if to punctuate his phrase, there was a shout of Flier! outside the tent and the sound of the community alarm.
----------
They made it outside to see one of the Fliers hovering over the beach, its main gun swiveling about in search of prey. Every so often it blazed away at one of the visible Longbow troops, or sent a flurry of rockets hurtling into the buildings. Mauthe cursed as he considered how much they would have to repair before this was over.
I dont know what youre waiting for, he muttered into his communicator, Get that thing out of my airspace. Now!
There was the sound of a diesel engine starting up, then a monstrous roar. A moment later, a large barn in the center of the community opened up and a large tank burst out of it. Swiveling where the turret should have been was the massive, familiar form of a Freak Tank, only this was five times bigger. A massive bubble dome wrapped around the cyborgs head, encasing it in steel and bullet resistant glass. For its left arm, it had a wicked looking, three-fingered steel claw. For its right, it had a large rotating cylinder chain gun that seemed to be chambered for .50 caliber bullets. Mounted on the shoulders were a pair of rocket pods, one chambered for smaller missiles, the other for four heavy monsters that were obviously designed to punch through armor. The machine had no legs to speak of, but a set of tank tracks that looked to be ripped from any number of wreckages in the Rikti War Zone.
Chaingunnz made a beeline for the beach, his engine spewing out thick black exhaust as he tore down the rudimentary road. When he came in view of the Flier, his gun revved up and he just started spitting steel. The vessel rounded on him and blazed a few volleys of energy into the monsters chest plate, where they dissipated harmlessly.
Lets play some dodgeball! he shouted, his loudspeakers directing the shout like a sonic attack.
He then followed up his challenge with a volley from his rocket pod. The Flier also let loose a burst, but after the explosion, the tank was still better for the exchange.
One more go! he shouted and let loose one of his anti-armor missiles.
The weapon arced into the Flier and detonated one of the hover pods. No longer capable of sustaining its lift, the machine spun out of control and crashed into the ocean just off the edge of the beach. The massive tank cheered loudly and happily as he reveled in his newfound sense of purpose and power.
Yeah, boy! Thats what Im talking about! the loudspeakers blared.
As I told you, Brother Mauthe intoned quietly to Dietrich and Wilder as they stared, gape-jawed, at the monstrosity that just saved the day, We dont need your protection.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Power Breaker and Barracuda both stared, mouths agape, at the wrecked Flier sinking into the ocean between the two islands. Despite the relatively short distance between them, it was surprisingly deep in that water. A boat pulled up next to the wrecked machine, brimming with Longbow troops and a few armed locals to round up the Arachnos troops who thought they could make a name for themselves with their hijacked vessel.
What the Hell were they thinking!? Breaker shouted.
They thought they could simply wipe out the opposition, the fish woman replied wearily, They never stopped to consider that perhaps somebody else would have already done that by now if it could be done.
She looked pointedly at the brute and walked back to the Circle mages that had arrived to greet them. When one started to chuckle, she delivered a hard chop to the side of his neck that crumpled the body to the sand and caused the long-dead wizards spirit to disappear, screaming, into the Aether.
That was uncalled for, one of the mystics rasped, then the corners of his mask pulled up as he smiled, Of course, that doesnt make it unentertaining.
Moriae, I take it?
Indeed, young miss. And I recognize your entourage from the last time he was here. So, Power Breaker, you grew tired of your employ with the slow scheming of the Desert Wind, you instead turned to the Movie Monster?
Movie Monster? Oh
No. Im still in Sciroccos camp. Im just assigned to assist Barracuda until we find out whats in this temple of yours.
Ah, I see, the wizard nodded, then waved his fingers to direct them to follow him down the trail, Well, wed best get started, then. They moved that archaeologist and her team in a couple days ago, so we have a timeframe to deal with.
----------
I know, she said for what had to be the hundredth time, I know
Mako
Captain Mako
Look, we hit the ground and before I could say anything, they were across the bay, getting shot to bloody chunks. How could I
Well Ive never seen you do any better! I dont lead armies!
There was some static-filled roaring on the other end before she furiously hit the End button and threw the communicator out the window. Power Breaker finished coupling the computers to the portable generator and looked up to see if there was anything else that needed doing.
Recluse isnt happy about the lost Flier. Its bad enough when one is taken down in Grandville, or some gaggle of idiots hijacks one
Breaker was glad his eyes glowed evenly across their surfaces. That way, she couldnt see his eyes roll.
But when a controlled operation like this loses one, she continued, It doesnt bode well for the person in charge. And its hard to deflect blame from a source like that.
Well, maybe its not about deflecting blame now, the big man offered, Maybe we just have to succeed that much more.
She rubbed her upper arms and bit her lower lip, but said nothing.
Fortunately, the brute turned on the computers and smiled as everything seemed to be running ship-shape, We wont need to talk to the bosses that much. Everythings being handled by one of their operatives
Some guy named Taylor. I guess, despite his concern, Recluse still doesnt think this place is worthy of his constant attention.
Taylor?
Barracuda arched a quizzical eye as she took up a folder and started flipping through it.
You heard of him?
No. Thats what concerns me. Why would a nobody be entrusted with oversight? Why not someone like Grillo or Renault? Renault's got experience with stuff like this...
Maybe hes just administration
A paper pusher.
Even paper pushers in Arachnos are trained assassins and butchers.
Breaker looked to the rest of the troops assisting them and they nodded enthusiastically. He couldnt help it, but he was reminded of a cheesy movie where the Australian actor playing the bad guy said something about [urine]-head soldiers talking tough and how it made him laugh. Struggling, he tried to keep from grinning.
Once they were hooked up to the Internet, he sent a report to Operative Taylor about their arrival and the subsequent battle that took place. He didnt envy the poor guy being the messenger to Daos and Recluse about the wrecked Flier (because Mako sure wasnt going to say anything), but he was an Arachnos goon, so he didnt care too much. Once he got the delivery confirmation from the Grandville server, he joined Moriae and Barracuda next to the temple.
The Circle had rebuilt their enclave around the temple rather quickly. Of course, it was amazing what kinds of work could be accomplished in very little time when magic was involved. Surrounding the temple itself was a palisade wall, resplendent with the spiked tops to the logs that made up the wall. Defenders, Guardians and Thorn Wielders patrolled the wall regularly. The other buildings werent quite so military by design, instead reminding the brute of the tiki bar in Pocket D or the one down the street from his apartment in St. Martial.
It was in one of these huts Moriae led the two of them. Inside were racks and racks of scrolls. Many were still blank, as the wizard hadnt transcribed anything to them, but others were recently worked upon and, of the ones that were open, told a chilling tale.
As you can see, this temple, and I believe the one on the other island, the corpse-like magician explained, is dedicated to worshipping the Slumbering Goddess. I believe you know of whom I speak rather intimately.
He looked intently at Barracuda and she shivered a little at the gaze. It was not the look of someone conveying information, but an attempt at seduction. When he smiled lasciviously at her, a set of urchin spines extended from her wrists and she clenched them tightly in her fists. The wizard raised his hands in a placating gesture and backed away smoothly.
Dont toy with me, wizard, Ive heard of Circle wizards like you.
Oh come, now, Ive always wanted to know how the transformation takes place, he pressed, Tell me
Did it involve tentacles?
She hurled a spine at Mori'ae, and it stuck deeply into his chest. Surprisingly, this only elicited a laugh from the wizard.
Get out! she shouted, her fury at his insinuation unabated, but she didn't want to let her outburst turn into a drawn-out battle, especially among the documents she needed to pore over.
Another time, perhaps
Mori'ae wistfully sighed as he glided around her with a noticeable lack of deference.
Out!
Breaker stepped out of Moriaes way as the wizard chuckled through the door. If they didnt need his help keeping the Circle in line, they probably would have ripped him apart right then and there. At least, Barracuda would have started to, and he probably would have had to help.
Insufferable, vile
Barracuda went through a few more adjectives, some of which were expletives, before rounding on Power breaker and shouting at him, Have you got anything to say!?
You gonna need any help getting through all of this? he asked, gesturing to the papers strewn about them.
----------
Its funny, you know. When I was in high school, I never cared much for reading
It had been three hours and he was busy trying to help her translate another scroll to make sense of one Moriae had left half-finished. They were sitting on the floor with the papers stacked or piled between them. It was an odd sight for the Arachnos soldiers who delivered them their meals.
I was watching sports, trying to get drunk girls to sleep with me at parties... he muttered as Barracuda glared at a scroll that was making less and less sense, Of course, that was before I had thirty or so languages roiling about in my head.
Do you mind? I cant make heads or tails of this, and every time you open your mouth, it drives me just a little more mad!
Breaker looked over at her, then glanced at the page she was reading. After a few seconds, his nanites had a relative translation and he snatched the page out of her hand.
What are you doing? she shrieked.
You dont want to make sense of this
Nor will you or anyone, he growled, You ever read Lovekings work?
Some. Most of it is rubbish.
Yeah, well, Im sure youve read The Darkness Under Innsborough or Daggoeth, right?
Yeah
she muttered, realization dawning slowly on her face, Wait
You mean
This is something like what drives people insane in those stories?
Probably.
She looked at the crumpling page in his hand and shuddered visibly. When the brute suggested they go for a walk, she agreed.
----------
I think one of us has to go over there and tell them were not trying to hurt them, Breaker muttered as he saw the watch torches being lit, I mean, the last thing we want is Longbow waging a massive attack on us.
Let them come, Barracuda scoffed, They dont pose any real threat. If they did, dont you think the Etoile Isles would be annexed by the United States? Well, its not, because we hold real power.
You dont really believe that.
Makos lieutenant whirled around and slapped Power Breaker across the face. She glared into his eyes, but he looked back impassively.
Sorry, he muttered, But its true. If you were more interested in lording over people with your power, youd probably be running a batch of Coralax minions and trying to carve your own empire out of the sea. You wouldnt be playing remora to Mako for bits of chum.
She went to slap him again, but stopped halfway to the connection. Instead, she turned and waved for him to leave.
Look, I know youre freaked out-
Freaked out!? she shouted, whirling around again and arching her neck so she could look him squarely in the eyes, Look at what they did to me! I dont even know how they did it or why they let me go! Now Im out here, doing this
And Im only a couple feet from getting yanked back in and having God-knows-what done to me again! Yes, Im freaked out! I used to be pretty! I used to have a life! Now Im a hideous freak whos forced to play monster because its whats expected of me! Mako, Mantis, Mistral, Recluse
They hold power in Arachnos because theyre ruthless and I have to measure up! You have to measure up! We all do, or were just going to get swallowed whole
She trailed off as she lurched to the base of a tree and cradled her face in her hands. Breaker sat across the trail from her, his back to the sea and the opposing island. He let her sob for a moment until she was ready to talk again.
I just want to be normal again, she sighed, Of all of us, Im the one who was cheated in life. So what if I robbed a few temples
Those things were abandoned! Nobody would have known about the artifacts I found if I hadnt found them! I risked life and limb to bring lost relics to the eye of our culture! That makes me a grave robber? Should I not get paid for braving rotten bridges, spike traps, pitfalls, and wild animals who made the lost temples their homes? And dont get me started on that rolling boulder trap! Do you have any idea how often those things were used? You'd think it was the pastime of ancient civilizations, 'Outrun the Giant Boulder.'
I didnt say anything about your past, Breaker grunted.
But its connected with who I am, now. What was so wrong with my Karma that I had to be turned into this? Now, whenever the Coralax or anything theyre up to raises eyebrows in Grandville, Recluse points his claw at me and says Go fix it. Like I have any sway with them. I checked a few things out on my own, yeah, but those were all the same dead ends, and they spewed spines at me as much as they did anyone else. I'm not welcome among them. I'm not welcome among anyone.
Breaker nodded and looked over his shoulder to watch the other island for a moment.
Youre not the only one turned into a beast, he muttered, You think I was born like this? Yeah
Circuitry scarring is definitely natural.
You think to compare yourself to me?
Juxtaposition isnt the idea, he replied, Heh, to think, I used to not know that word
Im not comparing, Bare. Im just telling you youre not alone. Just
He looked back to her and sighed. She gazed back at him and pulled her knees to her chest. It was strange being so forthright with someone, especially someone from an opposing camp, but there was just something about the big man. Despite his terrible appearance, there was something friendly and honest about him. It was a rare thing in the Isles.
I know Im not the only one. I know others suffer like I do
Like we do
But its so hard to find someone whos soul hasnt been destroyed by their trial.
We cant all be Job.
I never took you for being religious.
Im not, Harris finally allowed himself to grin, But the parallel exists.
Youre a strange man, Breaker. Im glad I met you.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
The next day was an incredibly hot one. A warm front had come up from the Equator and was sweltering Delilahs team. Still, everybody seemed to be in high spirits, as this was the first temple a lot of them had ever had the chance to work on. The purple-haired doctor herself remarked that it was an incredible find and that she wished shed been called earlier for it.
Still, she finished with a sigh while gazing across the island from the peak of the ziggurat-like structure, I suppose its for the best. I was still taking care of business in Overbrook
Lots of old supergroup bases out there, and all that.
Im glad youre not too ticked, Brother Brick replied, Is there anything else youd like to know?
I think weve reached the limits of what you can inform me of. Sorry, hon, I dont mean to offend.
No offense taken. Frankly, I gotta get back to the Dream anyway and help Ringo with giving it a tune up. If theres anything you or your team needs, feel free to drop by the docks and give us a holler. Mauthe said the teams free to help itself in the saloon, too.
Thank you, she replied, favoring him with a genuine smile, How do we
You guys accept American, right?
Why not? The rest of the Isles seem to
Doc Delilah quirked her eyebrow at that. He raised a valid point. The Rogue Isles were full of people who regularly raided Paragon Citys various banks, and they were always after money. She was certain Arachnos was surreptitiously goading the criminals into the acts of wanton mayhem, possibly to probe the citys defenses, but the super-powered monstrosities always returned to the Rogue Isles with United States currency, which didnt make any sense for a short-term goal. In order to use it, theyd need to get it exchanged, and she was more than certain that Arachnoss exchange rate was one of the worst in the world, often skimming huge percentages through ridiculous charges, taxes and fees just to line Recluses coffers. Then there was the laundering involved, shifting all the bills about to cover the fact that theyd come from a bank.
Yeesh, makes you think they should just get a normal job, she muttered as the stress of the circular thinking started giving her a slight headache, Fewer people trying to kill you and the money you get is yours to keep. Heck, I could always use a few more shovel rats
She joined her crew at the excavation site, which were actually the grounds extending for a hundred foot radius stretch from the edge of the temple wall at the base. This extended partly into the road the strange man-tank had used the day earlier, but the strange man, Mauthe, seemed confident that theyd be able to reroute so the machine could still provide optimal protection.
As she reached the bottom of the steps, she saw another Longbow landing vessel pulling in with a pair of Cataphracts in its personnel hold. She shook her head as the big machines started lumbering out as soon as the landing hatch opened. Before long, this whole place, these two mysterious islands, were going to become a massive arms race and a war was going to break out.
Not terribly interested in the excavation of the exterior grounds, the doctor decided to go inside the temple and see what the team inside had found so far. She didnt tell them that shed fit a hero in with the crew, even though she knew Charlene wasnt crazy enough to try using her powers in her condition. Seeing the bright-eyed young woman, she made her way to where she diligently worked at cleaning off an inscription.
More of the same, Grey muttered as Delilah reached her, Behold the Hand of Merulina. Fear the Wrath of Merulina. All Worship Merulina or All Die. Its strange
Its in numerous languages, Aztec, Olmec, Inca, Navajo, Cherokee
Well, not exactly, there are numerous discrepancies, but its all there. If it werent for the disturbing implications, wed be inside another Rosetta Stone, I believe
You can read all that?
No
Charlene admitted sheepishly, My communicator has a translator
Whenever it comes across a word that it cant translate using the accepted language
Like this Mayan inscription here
It highlights at this All and adds a question mark at the end because it wasnt sure. Whats odd is that it doesnt highlight the other All, which is a slightly different glyph.
Delilah nodded and clapped the woman on the shoulder lightly.
Must be historically recognized, she offered, The others close enough
Could just be historical wear and tear
Tropical storms do come through here, after all.
I dont think so
This whole temple
Its remarkably well preserved
The stone doesnt look like it was carved yesterday, of course, but it also doesnt look like its been around for hundreds of years. And what exactly are all of these different languages doing here? The Northern Native Americans werent known for having written languages, either, so how is it Im getting translations for their imagery and the like here, and why is it translating as these Merulina phrases instead of their counterparts? Why would each of these languages refer to the same god when none of them had the same god or pantheon?
Its a mystery well have to solve as we work, Delilah sighed, then whispered, Have there been any problems?
No
Charlene whispered back, No roaring, no murmuring, and no whispers at the edges of our memories. Nothing like the guy running this place said theyd been hearing. Still
For as hot as it was out there, its very cold in here, even just inside this entrance chamber.
Delilah nodded and turned to work with the rest of the interior team. They had stories similar to Charlenes, and there were even more languages, from even farther parts of the world and even more obscure. She was starting to wonder if this whole thing was a hoax when her communicator warbled because Agent Wilder wanted a status report. Grumbling, she left the temple with the realization that every day was going to be just like this until the job was done.
------
Doctor Stein didnt waste time thinking that Wilder was genuinely interested in the work at the temple. She knew he was just wondering how soon it would be before he could move her and the crew out so he could turn the whole place into another Longbow base. Fortunately, Mauthe was just as concerned about such a goal, and that was part of the reason for his hospitality. It was something he was affording exclusively to her team, she noted, for there had almost been a brawl when the Longbow forces first arrived and the bartender refused to serve them because Brother Mauthe didnt give the word that it was okay, and he apparently still hadnt.
Weve only just begun, she explained in the Command Tent, Its a little early to be asking if you can pull the plug on this excavation.
Thats not what Im asking, Wilder began to protest, but she cut him off.
Spare me. Okay? I dealt with your kind enough when I was a heroic adventurer, I know well when one of you is trying to blow smoke up my-
Doctor, please, Agent Anderson interrupted, Try to see this from our perspective. Arachnos has moved in to the adjoining island, which seems to have a sister temple to this one. We need to know as quickly as possible what is inside them so we can neutralize the threat if there is one or take advantage of the power before Arachnos does. Weve got a time limit to this, and we simply cant risk a full inquiry!
You do realize that kind of thinking is what leads to some of the most ridiculous horror movies, right? You know, the ones where it has the dramatic close-up of the military leader going What have I done!? before God-Kong steps on him.
Delilah folded her arms over her chest and glared at Wilder, he looked away suddenly. Hed been staring at her for quite a while, and she had just noticed that he hadnt blinked for almost five minutes.
Yes, [dip]head, I saw, she grumbled, The last guy wasnt quite so obvious, and I still folded his jetpack into a knot. I wonder what you hold as near-and-dear to your heart as that?
Wilder cleared his throat and turned his back on the discussion table. Anderson scowled at her commander and shook her head agitatedly. Handing a set of papers to Delilah, she asked for the doctor to join her outside so they could discuss further without the commanders obvious disinterest interrupting them.
Look, Im sorry about that, the agent sighed, Hes
Hes
Hes a real dip[dung], is what he is, Delilah finished the sentence, How is it that someone like that has such high standing in your organization?
Hes like Ace McKnight or Agent McGowan, may he rest in peace. They do great work in the name of justice and have brought down numerous criminals! Of course were going to promote them for such worthy performance in the name of their duty
We owe them more than that, too
We dont owe them the right to act like snobs. We dont owe them the right to try to rob us of our dignity! And if youre going to be in charge of the excavation of a possibly world-affecting artifact, you had damn well better know what the Hell is going on and stop treating it like it was some kind of normal military operation!
I know. Thats why Im here.
Agent Anderson bit her lower lip and sighed.
Im not doing a very good job, am I?
That depends
Stein replied and turned to the papers the agent handed her earlier, What are these?
Satellite photographs
Seismic and sonar imaging
Some ladar and magnetic resolutions, too.
Delilahs face scrunched up as she considered the possibilities of what the maps were conveying. It showed the island she was on as well as its sister. Submerged between them, however, was what looked to be a massive temple, but it was clearly a large coral reef. It wasnt too unusual that it connected the islands, either, there were reefs across the world that did the same thing in varying scales.
However, when paired with the seismic imaging, it told a different picture. Using the ocean waters motion as well as natural earth movement, the satellites had been able to map that the two temples had been burrowed quite deep into their islands, and at a point about half a mile down, they turned toward each other. The imaging ended, oddly, at the reef, which seemed to connect the two tunnels of the temples.
This is ridiculous, the archaeologist shouted, Nobody could have built anything underwater that long ago, much less a temple!
Well, maam, thats the situation," Anderson shrugged, "I was hoping you could expedite the interior excavation so we wouldnt have to worry about Arachnos possibly getting through and using the temple to attack us from the inside out.
Its hardly a Trojan Horse, but I get the idea. Ill see what I can do, but Id really like to be sure I know what were getting into before we go charging headlong into danger.
Anderson smiled and nodded.
I understand. Thank you.
----------
--Paragon City
He was flying through the air. Life always seemed simpler when he was doing this, and he could never understand why. Perhaps it was because it kept him detached from the rest of the human race, so he could look at it objectively. Vaguely, he worried if that was what made people think he was inhuman. He forgot so often how emotionally involved people could get when they were grounded in their respective lives. If they were told to make any sacrifices or compromises that damaged not so much themselves, but their little worlds, they reacted so harshly.
But then, they couldnt see the world the way he could. They couldnt see how everything connected. They hadnt been alive for a little over a century. They never got the chance to redeem the mistakes of their natural adulthood, much less have to suffer for them generations down the road. They didnt see the signs as easily as he did, the ones that told a person how they would turn out after a few years.
Statesman knew he was sometimes far too critical with his friends, much more with the many heroes who had come to Paragon to help him and the Phalanx repair the Jewel of Rhode Island. There was still so very much to do, but the many groups were divided as how to go about any of it. Some favored rebuilding the broken sections of the city, others wanted to focus on driving the criminal elements out for good. Unfortunately, there just werent enough on either side to truly accomplish anything. There had been great strides in Overbrook, to be certain, but Baumton and Woodvale were in as terrible shape as ever and Eastgate was still a caved in wreck.
He mused a little longer until the sky suddenly turned a violent shade of purple. He stopped suddenly and wondered idly if Rularuu the Ravager had returned and why there hadnt been any rumblings in the mystic community about it if that were the case. However, when lightning flashed and the city, in fact, the world, was wiped out in the blink of an eye, yet he remained, he realized two things.
The first was that this was a dream. Anything that could have as much destructive power so as to destroy everything around him would have done the same to him. The other was that this wasnt Rularuu. The Ravager, despite his terrifying moniker, was a regal, imposing being. This was something else, something far more monstrous.
Who are you? he called out to the darkness, Why are you in my dreams?
There was no answer, just a vast void. For a moment, he wondered if hed actually said anything.
Suddenly, a great eye opened before him. It was golden-yellow with a black slit down its center, much like a reptiles. It glowed dully, and Statesman could see that its lids had thick, writhing tentacles in much the same way a human has eyelashes. Whatever it was, it was staring at him, measuring him, judging him. It was malevolent, this was clear, and Statesman had just gotten the nerve to do something (something being punching it right in the pupil) when there was a terrible keening and he woke up.
He sat up in his bed, panting. It wasnt the first time hed had a vivid, terrible dream like that, but the feeling was the same. Something powerful and dangerous was about to strike his world, and there was nothing he could do to stop its arrival.
But just like the other times, he could stop it from doing any damage. Checking his alarm clock, Marcus pushed himself out of bed and started getting dressed, knowing full well he wouldnt be able to get back to sleep, not with this terrible weight on his mind. The number of times hed wound up like this had long-since become countless, and each time it was just as critical.
He wondered at the lazy manner in which Tyrant sat in his throne the last time hed confronted his doppelganger. He didnt care that his world was crumbling around him. He didnt bother to protect or maintain it. He let his underlings handle such matters, and they obviously were doing the same. As Upsilon Beta 9-6 crumbled away, his counterpart cared little and seemed to relish the destruction and decay.
Statesman idly wondered if the stress he was dealing with was what had driven Tyrant to be the man he was. Maybe hed just given up and gone on a rampage, gathering his monstrous forces along the way.
He might never be back the way he was that last time, the hero muttered grimly, Not if he never repairs those power plants
But this isnt the time for such consideration. Were you there, Stefan? In that world, did you try to help him, or did he simply kill you like youve told me Im a fool for not doing to so many others who call me their enemy?
He looked in the mirror and sighed. These musings werent going to help him get through this next challenge, and he had to act quickly. He marched out of his home and started dialing for Numina on his communicator. She answered, but not through the device.
I know, Marcus, her voice rang clearly in his mind, Infernal and I suffered similar portents. I believe Azuria may have as well. Well meet you at the M.A.G.I. office in Atlas Park.
Thank you, Numina, he intoned as he took flight, wondering idly if anybody who saw him this early in the morning would be bothered by the look of an average-seeming man hurtling through the air.
He considered that perhaps he should have worn his outfit, but decided against going back for it.
----------
--Grandville--
Lord Recluse was mulling over plans for the future. He often did this in his sleep, arguing with his subconscious as it erected archetypes and ectypes to challenge his notions and logic. He bounced his plans off the figments of his lieutenants and their minions. Sometimes they appeared as Arachnos soldiers, other times as some of the possible or discarded Chosen Ones who had made his notice recently.
He didnt waste time dealing with the figment of the one called Power Breaker. The brute simply lacked any drive or ambition to pose any kind of serious obstacle to the Spider Lords path to glory, nor did he have the mental acuity to posit a reasonable argument as to why Recluse shouldnt go through with Operation D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.
Stop or I will hurt you, he muttered as he casually waved and the figment dissipated, Argument heard and discarded.
Still, it bore thought. Not so much the argument, but the reason why the brute had been brought to him in the first place. His personal agents among Makos forces had explained that there were rumblings throughout the Coralax, and that was part of why he had acted so quickly to get an Arachnos presence on what simply had to be a temple for the bizarre creatures. Perhaps his subconscious presenting him the brute was more its way of telling him that the temple bore closer scrutiny.
Just as he came to this consideration, the mental construct of his throne room shattered and he was floating in an unending expanse of red space. He muttered about how it was a waste of his time to destroy the projection, but conceded that he was no longer in control of his dream, if only for a moment.
As he performed the mental exercises to regain control, starting by examining and taking note of the details of his hands, then defining the rest of his body, he became aware of a presence. Looking up, Stefan beheld a great golden eye looking down at his twisted spiderlike form. Tentacles writhed at the edge of its lids, which seemed to be the space itself, as if the eye had ripped open the fabric of reality itself just to look down on him.
Im not impressed, he growled in his demonic baritone, I suggest you let me resume my musing before I decide to really hurt you.
He was answered by a loud keening. He roared back and started hovering toward the eye, intending to shred it to pieces with the claws that extended from his back. The tentacles at the edge of the eye reached for him, and just as he started slashing at them with deft, precise strokes, he woke up.
He was sitting at his throne again. The chamber was empty, his lieutenants returned to their domiciles, fortresses or towers to sleep. He figured Ghost Widow and Scirocco probably had suffered similar visions, possibly MuDrakhan as well. Mako probably had a similar dream, but probably attacked the eye, got close to striking it and wound up tumbling through darkness until he would wake hours later.
Checking the multi-purpose computer built into his wrist guard, he noted that it was very early in the morning, shortly after zero three hundred hours. Still, he expected to see Scirocco and Ghost Widow very soon.
In fact, the undead witch materialized before him just as he was thinking about her. He leaned back in his throne and steepled his fingers over his lap. She glowered at him for a moment, then knelt before him.
My Lord, theres a disturbance
Its a threat to Arachnos.
I know, he intoned, It came to me as well.
Its from the site of that temple you sent Makos whelp to investigate.
I know.
We must send forces to eradicate the threat at once!
Recluse thumbed his chin for a moment, then shook his head. Ghost Widow looked up to see this and stared in unrestrained horror at the apparent contempt for the situation that her Lord was displaying.
No forces, he explained, They wont be necessary. Its not the first time Ive seen something like this. All we would wind up doing is throwing away good men against something nigh-unstoppable. No
I will handle this personally. You just make sure nothing falls apart while Im gone
And try to keep Miss Rudenko from killing Scirocco. Id hate for any of those possible futures of Project D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. to come into fruition just because I was dealing with something dangerous that merely threatens my bid for world domination rather than facilitates or is a part of my scheme for it.
My Lord?
Well, thats what his students inform me when they come back from tampering with the Project. You know what yours say.
She nodded and hovered in place as her lord continued typing into his wrist guard computer. In a moment, his personal Flier would be prepared and ready to take him wherever he wanted to go. He pondered it, and added an addendum to the order, stressing that there was no rush. After all, it wasnt going to be a long trip and he wanted to get back to sleep.
He knew the crew would still prepare the vessel as quickly as possible, and shook his head a little as he settled back into his throne and drifted back to sleep. He chuckled a little as he saw Scirocco burst into the room, half-dressed and face pale with worry. Ghost Widow would waste the next couple hours trying to placate him with an explanation of her encounter with Stefan, but it wouldnt satisfy the sorcerer. Of course, they wouldnt dare try to wake him, and that was how he preferred it. He still had some other plans and notions to work out before he left.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
The days wore on and the opposing teams progressed as quickly as possible. Many of the rooms had traps of various kinds, and while Barracuda and Power Breaker were able to hold their own against summoned specters and animated statues, Delilahs team had to call for a security detail of Longbow troops and some of Mauthes bravest citizen soldiers (who were led by brother Brick).
As they descended, the imagery continued to become more and more profane. Stylized depictions of torture, execution and sacrifice were scrawled, chiseled and sculpted into the walls. The ceiling was carved to look like a writhing mass of tentacles and eyes. There were warnings in many languages, sometimes started in one language and finished in another. At some points, the phrases stopped making sense, saying things like I want more chicken or The snail empire cannot withstand the cricket uprising, and other nonsensical snippets and lost metaphors.
Eventually, both sides came to an obstacle that they couldnt surpass. They were below the ocean, now, the temples walls were slick with slime, but the cobble-stone flooring was surprisingly dry. Before them, great doors blocked the way, with a message etched into it repeatedly in multiple languages, but it also had a translation painted across it in plain English.
Only those with the Heart of the Sea can enter the Chamber of the Hand of Merulina
This gave both sides pause. The paint was fresh, or at least recent enough that somebody would have noticed the culprit. The rogues attempted to smash their way through the door, but any damage they did to it was mysteriously regenerated almost immediately. Delilahs archaeology team decided it would be best to mount an investigation to determine who was messing with them.
---Circles Island of the Hand---
I can assure you that none of these wizards have been down there without my knowledge, Moriae barked angrily as he swatted the fish womans scaly hands away, And I dont let them down there, anyway. The magic were dealing with here
Its dangerous and corrupt, even for us.
Well somebody got down there, Power Breaker growled, And youve been the caretaker here. Chemical analysis shows that the paint was applied only a few weeks ago, and youve been in charge here for a few months.
Intriguing, the dark wizard replied, I will have to discuss this with my lieutenants. In the meantime, you two will have to puzzle over this Heart of the Sea question. I would think it means the Heart of the Leviathan, but that serves a different purpose, especially since the Leviathan is much bigger than these pitiful islands.
I guess well have to go searching, Power Breaker grumbled.
Not today, Barracuda sighed wearily, Im exhausted, we punched through to the end of the temple, I just want to make my report, eat something, and go to sleep
----------
---Mauthes Island of the Hand---
So, after interviewing the local guards and suspected citizens, the sergeants report that nobody has gone into the temple, aside from Steins team
Agent Anderson explained.
And my people were getting too spooked to split up, Doc Delilah added.
So a third party was involved, Brother Mauthe growled, And I would have appreciated a heads-up when you decided to interrogate my citizens.
Time is of the essence, Agent Mauthe, Agent Wilder waved of the argument, Look, Im more concerned about this Heart of the Sea and Hand of Merulina thing. What the Hell is going on down there?
Well, Merulina is believed to be an ancient, alien goddess that crash landed in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly in the vicinity of the Etoile Islands, and is pushing the weird fish people that have been popping up all over the Atlantic seaboard, Doctor Stein explained, At least, thats what Mr. Loveking has been saying in his books. There have been some references to this unusual goddess in a couple small, secluded temples across the world, but most archaeologists figured they were hoaxes.
What do you think, Doctor?
I think
I think we live in a world where people can lift and hurl tanks, fly, and shoot lasers from their eyes. Theres no reason why this wouldnt be real, too.
Well then, Agent Dietrich stood and hefted her combination rifle, Where do we start looking for this Heart of the Sea?
----------
---Circles Island of the Hand---
We wont be able to do this anymore once this assignments over
Barracuda whispered quietly as she embraced the massive brute sharing her bed, I mean, it was fun and all, but I think it would be safer for both of us to let the relationship end on this island.
I guess youre right, Power Breaker replied as he started to pet her scalp, You know, I was kind of worried youd try to rip my throat out during all of this, but this assignments been pretty cool.
Its been a long time for me, she murmured dreamily, Thanks for being
Receptive
The big brute chuckled and hugged the fish girl. It wasnt something hed expected to happen when coming here, but it was a pleasant surprise.
They had shared dinner that night while they puzzled over the meaning of The Heart of the Sea. If it were an artifact elsewhere in the Isles or on the planet, they could be at this for ages. Barracuda had been quick to point out that it couldnt be something unique, but probably something very rare.
Her logic had been that few things in the planet were designed to be used only once, and then they were things that were usually cheap and easily replaceable. Breaker couldnt argue with the logic, but it was hard to determine just what would be considered worthy enough to open the chamber door.
Ive got it, Barracuda suddenly announced, leaning up so she could make sure Power Breaker was looking at her, What is it that everybodys been going nuts over here in the Isles?
Vigilantes? Project Destiny? Weird technology? That big dead tree that seems to keep getting bigger on Thorn Isle? I dont know
Theres so much going on in the Isles that its hard to keep track
No, Ray
The Red Coral! The Circle wants to find a use for it in their rituals, the Coralax protect it greedily
The stuff brings those slag heaps to life in Sharkhead, maybe it can also be used here as part of a ritual
Whatevers behind that door must need it for a ritual of some kind!
Makes sense
I guess we need to see if we can get some Red Coral brought over.
Ill call back to Grandville tomorrow, Barracuda sighed happily, Grillo owes me one, and I bet hed like a scoop on what happens. Hes convinced magic is just another form of scientific reaction and he keeps a log of magical occurrences and their effects
Alright, well
Breaker rolled his eyes and grinned, What do we do until then?
The fish girl kissed his neck and snuggled close again. Laughing, the big man hugged her and the two felt human for a moment again.
----------
---Grandville: Recluses Tower---
Mako was muttering as he entered the oversight center. Hed been trying to call Barracuda for a few hours. For some reason, she hadnt been responding and he was getting worried. He located the operative that was supposed to be cataloguing and handling the mission.
When he saw the man, he almost did a double take. He didnt look like the average Wolf Spider. Instead, he was wearing the normal black body armor with the bright, pearlescent plating of the Arbiters over his boots, wrist guards, shoulder pads, chestplate and helmet.
Operative Daniel Taylor was typing out the last of the latest report from Barracuda into Weaver 1s Master Computer when he heard a heavy breathing next to his head. He knew the sound well, as hed had to deal with Mako more than once when hed worked as an Arbiter before his unceremonious demotion. Turning slowly, he saw the shark man was inches from his face, baring his sharp teeth as he glared into the red lights of Taylors sensors.
Can I help you, sir?
Call Breaker, Mako hissed, I cant get in touch with Barracuda.
Very well.
Taylor pulled his communicator from his belt and dialed up the number his dossier said would be able to reach the cyborgs head phone. A moment later, there was a ringing and a strained answer.
Hello!?
Hello, Power Breaker. This is Operative Taylor.
What do you want? Im a little busy here!
Doing what?
Many things didnt bother Operative Taylor. Since having to try to claw his way back through the ranks of Arachnos, hed bore witness to the misery his organization was really putting the whole island nation through. Still, he struggled on, and was witness to even more atrocity, some at the hands of the Circle of Thorns, others at the hands of Arachnos (though Becky seemed to be adapting extremely well).
However, what Power Breaker told him was too much. It was horrifying and wholly unbelievable.
How is that even possible!? he shouted in terror as he dropped the communicator and backed away from the device as if it were diseased.
What? Mako asked in confusion as he picked up the device, This is Power Breaker, yes? I am Captain Mako, and I demand to know what-!
He didnt finish. There was a triumphant, static-filled shout on the other end, and Mako simply crushed the communicator in his hand before turning slowly to Operative Taylor, who was now brandishing a Nullifier Mace.
You got out of my arms reach, he hissed while shaking in anger, It wont help you, but it irks me still
It would have helped more if youd stayed within range for me to kill you with but an angry swipe of my claw
Careful, Taylor brandished the weapon and the projector lens glowed brightly, This thing has taken down plenty of meta humans as powerful as, if not more than, you.
Besides, a deep, confident voice said from behind the shark man, Lord Recluse is calling all of his lieutenants in for a meeting. You dont have time for this, sir.
The shark man rounded on the voice and came face to face with an unusually decorated Bane Spider. It wasnt often that one saw an Exterminator and lived, but Null was an unusual Exterminator. It was also unusual that one would do something as simple as deliver a message to one of Recluses lieutenants.
Alright, Mako muttered as he trudged off, grumbling obscenities under his breath.
What was that about? Null asked the former Arbiter.
Something I need a lot of alcohol to forget, Taylor sighed as he logged off his work station, Come on, Im buying
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
---Circles Island of the Hand---
The next day was opened with a humming sound. Breaker woke up and hugged the snuggling Barracuda next to him. It was weird to think of her in such a way, but it happened.
Mm, the girl hummed as she awoke, too, Oh, what time is it?
Six fourteen, the brute muttered as she reached over him to grab her communicator from the wicker nightstand.
Barracuda activated the device and hummed to herself. She started pressing buttons with disinterest, a behavior which Breaker recognized as deleting old messages. At one point, her brow furrowed and she deleted the final group of messages with growing concern.
Breaker, she asked as she got out of bed and started for the door, Do you have any idea why I would have six messages from Mako, all saying HURRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!?
Well
Its a funny story
----------
They were outside shortly thereafter, joining Moriae where he stood with a small entourage of Guardians to receive the latest Arachnos Flier. He looked confused, especially since nobody had contacted him earlier about another Flier coming to his island, and he hadnt heard any rumblings from the Arachnos troops camped in his village about it, either.
Where were you two?
We were, uh, Breaker started, Well
Ray had a little trouble putting his pants on
Barracuda replied playfully.
And now I have to re-evaluate my entire belief structure, Mori'ae's impossibly deep voice echoed from his throat, Do either of you know what this is about?
I have no idea.
Breaker was already calling back to Scirocco to find out whom this was, as the fish woman hadnt called back for the Red Coral yet. The answer chilled him to the bone.
He couldnt say anything, though, as the passenger of the vessel emerged before it touched down and hopped to the ground. His extra appendages waved about a little as he stretched from the cramped conditions.
No matter what I do to fix it, that Fliers always cramped, he grumbled, Maybe I should install some sort of bed instead.
Lord Recluse! the fish girl suddenly stood up straight from surprise then knelt before the leader of the Rogue Isles, My lord, we are honored by your presence.
Greetings, Power Breaker gave a low bow, bending his body as near to ninety degrees at the waist as he could, What can we do for you?
Barracuda hissed at him. It was a repeated warning to kneel down like her. Grunting with disgust, he belatedly mimicked her. Recluse merely hummed at them.
My lord, Barracuda looked up from her position, curiosity and confusion evident on her face, What brings you to these islands? Have our reports not been sufficient?
Oh, theyve been sufficient, the spider king replied, Get up. You look ridiculous.
Sorry, the brute murmured as he stood after Barracuda, Youre not the first godlike entity Ive had trouble kneeling before, sir
Lord, sir
Shut up.
Without flourish, he showed them a simple metal box he had clutched in his hand. It was
This is a chunk of Red Coral
Ive been having dreams that something like it might be necessary
He thrust the box into Power Breakers diaphragm, dropping the big man in one shove. As the brute writhed on the ground, gasping for breath and clutching at the container, Recluse nonchalantly turned to Barracuda and Moriae.
Ill require a secure domicile for my meditations. You can continue your research and reporting as usual, Barracuda, but dont bother me about it. You, wizard, will bring me meals at regular three-times-per-day intervals, and I expect to have the very best this island can offer. If its not good enough, you can expect to find your head detached from its shoulders unless you find me something proper.
The two nodded and Moriaes wizards led the spider king to a hut that was furthest from the temple. A Bane Spider Executioner entourage surrounded the dwelling and started standing guard immediately.
I guess I ticked him off a little, Power Breaker choked as he pushed himself off the ground, Ugh
Whats he even doing here?
I
Dont know
Barracuda replied worriedly, We should
We should get back to work
Yeah
The brute tapped the box thoughtfully, then his eyes brightened.
Hey! Lets see what this does to that door!
Doesnt that strike you as a little reckless?
Not as much as just sitting here while Recluse glares at us.
Barracuda looked to the hut Recluse had been led to, and one of the Executioners gave her a curt salute with his Nullifier Mace. Shuddering, she turned back to Breaker and nodded.
Good point. Lets go.
----------
---Mauthes Island of the Hand---
Statesmans arrival was a little more ceremonious. He and an entourage of Ballistae, Nullifiers, and a few Midnight Squad and M.A.G.I. wizards was received with a full formation procession at the impromptu landing pad next to the Longbow camp. He gave a short speech about how everybody was doing a great job and that he didnt want to get in the way, so he would be playing the role of observer for the next few days. True to his word, he transferred command of his contingent, minus the Ballistae, to Agent Wilder and dismissed the formation. From there, the Midnighters and M.A.G.I. wizards joined the archaeology team and started comparing notes.
Mauthe was a little more than aggravated at the sudden upsurge in conspicuous behavior and the unexpected arrival of one of the greatest heroes in the world. It made him wonder just what was in that late Arachnos Flier that had arrived on the other island that morning.
A little heads-up would have been nice, he growled at Dietrich as she walked past, And thank you, by the way. If Id known you people would go to all this trouble to expose our colony, here, I would have simply blasted the temple and kept the matter to myself. Now that hes here, I have to start making plans to leave this place and find a new home for these people!
Oh, calm down! Dietrich barked back, I didnt know he was coming here until Wilder announced the formation, either! As for your colony, well, these people could always go to the States and become citizens of a truly free nation.
Maybe you dont get it, Wilhelmina, but these people didnt build their lives in the States! This is their home, these islands, this corrupted nation, and were doing everything we can to repair it! In just a few days, youll have dashed everything weve accomplished here against the rocks and you dont care!
Dietrich rounded on the undercover agent, and he realized he may have crossed a line. Her eyes were starting to tear up with rage.
You think I dont know what all of this is doing to your friends, Michael? You really think I dont care? Ive seen some terrible horror in this world, Ive lost friends, too! Ive seen what happens when everything spins out of control, and thats precisely whats happening here, and Im sorry, Michael, but its out of your hands, now! It was probably out of your hands before you got here.
What are you trying to say?
Im saying that Statesman wouldnt be here unless something really dangerous was here, and youve been sitting on top of it for almost a year, now.
Mauthe couldnt think of anything more to say, so he waited for Dietrich to finish.
I know its a terrible price, but it has to be paid. Something awful waits for us in that temple of yours, and it may cost your little community here to defeat it.
That
Mauthe started, but chewed his lower lip in aggravation, Sucks. Damn.
----------
Heres the door, Brother Brick announced as he led the Midnighters and M.A.G.I. wizards into the final chamber, Were still combing this temple for any sign of this Heart of the Sea, and Charlene Grey says she might have found something over in the western portion of the temple, but so far, nothing.
What about the temples defenses? one of the Midnighters, a magician named Kevin Tramere, asked with a slight crack in his voice.
Well, the physical stuffs been handled by Longbow, local security forces, and Doctor Stein and Mrs. Grey. That last one was a surprise, Brick chuckled, Turns out shes a Peacebringer.
The wizards looked at him with shock and he suddenly felt nervous.
Did I say something wrong?
No, the senior member of the Midnighters, an elderly woman named Lorraine Rush, replied warily, Its just that wherever the Kheldians go, dark forces seem to converge. Its not so much their fault, really, but there are those that they threaten and those that seek to use their energy for their own nefarious ends.
Sounds risky, the slugger chuckled, Especially after what I saw Char do to that golem
She made these balls of light that just blew that walking statue apart! If somebody wants to use her for a battery, Id say coal minings safer!
The Midnighters and M.A.G.I. magicians chuckled at this and proceeded to conduct their survey of the temple. Their scrying determined that there was a powerful energy located within the structure that grew more powerful the closer one got to the sealed door. It was also very demented and left the wizards wondering whether or not they should have left it all alone.
Largely ignorant of the terms and phrases the wizards were using, Brick left a detail of troops with them and made his way to the western portions of the temple. When he came across Charlene and another wizard, he almost cursed.
Brick! the woman greeted warmly, This is Cory! He works with my husband and me in our group!
Greetings, the young, dark-skinned man reached out and grasped Bricks hand in a warm shake, Charlene has been telling me of your brave struggles in this light-forsaken place. I came with the Midnighters at the behest of her husband.
He must want to make sure Im not getting into trouble in my condition, was the derisive commentary.
Well, it hasnt been so terrible, Mauthes henchman replied, Charlene was able to handle herself plenty of times.
Hey, you havent been so bad yourself! Cory, this guy punched a golem in the face with his bare hands!
Hurt like Hell, too
Oh dear, the warlock chuckled, I trust you wound up suffering a sound thrashing for your heroic effort.
Actually, no, Brick replied confusedly, The thing crumbled to dust as I was rubbing my hands
I never knew I had any kind of oomph in my punches
Let me see your hands for a moment
He submitted to the scrutiny of the wiser man and Cory looked the appendages over. Once he was satisfied, he tapped the gold ring on Bricks right hand and its silver twin on his left.
These
These have sentimental value to you, yes?
Brick rubbed them and got really quiet. They were his and his wifes, but she was gone and had been gone for a long time.
Id rather not talk about it. Theyre my demons, okay?
I understand.
Charlene patted the man on the shoulder comfortingly before leading them further into the western chambers of the temple. Here, they beheld a number of fantastic frescoes depicting a terrible titan ravaging the seas. Cory closed his eyes for a moment after taking it all in, only to shudder and reopen them.
What is it? Grey asked.
I was trying to communicate with Azuria and Montegue Castellana, but it was... Distorted
And I got the feeling of something watching me
He looked around the temple and rubbed his shoulders.
Its still watching me
Its watching all of us
Charlene turned to Brick and the man shrugged. Some of the nearby archaeologists stopped their excavations as they saw Corys behavior.
Is it dangerous? the Peacebringer asked, Should we leave?
No
Its
Its unfocused, Cory replied with relief, It doesnt know what to make of us
Probably feels were undeserving of scrutiny, but its still wondering what were doing here
Almost as if it expected someone else.
Well, I guess well just have to get back to trying to find this Heart of the Sea artifact and find out whats going on.
----------
---The Temple of the Hand---
Within the central chambers of the submerged temple, a robed figure chanted. The fifteen coral pillars around him glowed with an eerie green light that reflected off of the figures iridescent scales and made them shimmer. Over his chanting, a great rushing sound could be heard as water flowed toward the chamber.
The pillars started to hum and motes of light coalesced in the center of the circle. Floating there, they drew in toward a central point and started clustering together. As the mass ebbed and bobbed, shifting and morphing in an attempt to find form, the rushing sound grew stronger.
Then there was a great explosion as water burst forth into the chamber. At first, it just poured into waiting pools, filling the once-empty crevasses until they were brimming with seawater. Just as the pools were about to overflow, the robed figure started shouting his gargled chants. Instantly, the spouts from the fountains arced up and away from the pools and swirled toward the central light within the chamber.
In a matter of seconds, a great orb of ocean water started to form around the motes of light, the glow from within turning the eerie green glow blue. The orb filled to the edge of the circle, just to the point where its bottom almost touched the floor and its top almost touched the ceiling. Once at this point, spouts emerged from the sphere, wove between the pillars and found their way to drains that would lead the water back into the ocean outside.
With the magical flow complete, the figure stopped chanting, bowed to the orb, and stood upright again. Flipping back his hood, he revealed the scaled and scarred head of Calystix the Shaper. He was tired, broken, and frightened. The conflicts of the surface world were driving him to this, yet he still had his doubts.
Bring me the orbs, he ordered and a red coralax hybrid waddled up behind him to deposit three red spheres in his outstretched hand.
Calystix approached the floating orb of water warily and brought the spheres near its surface. The orb rippled visibly, and the Shaper reeled back as if struck.
I know it is not what you seek, but the filthy landwalkers have your heart
he hissed, Besides
I wouldnt give it to you if I had it! You were imprisoned here for a reason, and if I werent out of options, I wouldnt even be here!
The orb rippled again, this time more violently. This didnt seem to cause Calystix as much pain as before, though.
You stopped being worthy of our worship the moment you tried to wrest control from the Mother Goddess! She placed you here so you might learn humility! Now, I come here because it is time to test your faith
You wish to be free, I wish to punish the landwalkers for their intrusion into our kingdom.
The water rippled again. It was less violent, but Calistix wasnt impressed by the shift in attitude.
Unless you show me that you can act within parameters of control, I will have to leave you here. You should know that if you continue in your belligerence, I would be just as happy to let your temple be destroyed by the landwalkers and seek another method to dealing with them. Is that what you want? For your only method of rebirth to be decimated because of your pride?
Calystix turned and walked away from the orb, motioning his followers to do the same. Before he left the chamber, however, he turned back.
Merulina hasnt given up on you, yet, and neither have I. I will see you tomorrow and hope that the days time, this close to reincarnation, has softened your resolve
He walked out, muttering one last phrase.
Dagoeth.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
---The Circles Island of the Hand---
Barracuda, Power Breaker, and a contingent of Bane Spiders wasted no time scouring the temple for their next move. Pressing the Red Coral Lord Recluse had surprisingly supplied to the insurmountable door didnt open it, but it did produce a loud keening noise and some of the markings on it glowed. This told them that what they were searching for had to be a specialized chunk of Red Coral mineral skeleton. On a desperate hunch, the team searched the temple in the hope that the artifact they searched for was in the temple.
They pressed farther and farther away from the door. The wall carvings and frescoes started to become more elaborate, telling a story of what the purpose of the temple was. Power Breakers nanobots interpreted much for him, and it was a grim tale.
Apparently, the temple and its sister on the other island served as houses of worship to the Star Goddess Merulina and was overseen by a being of godlike power that was referred to as the hand of Merulina. This monstrosity was able to command the ocean waters to do his bidding, and he often would smash coastal communities and wreck ships to bring victims to his islands.
While here, the haggard survivors would do battle in a grand arena that the Hand constructed for its own amusement. The victors of the struggles would live to fight the next day while the losers had their hearts cut out and fed to the monster itself. The worshippers seemed to think that this aided in rising and setting the sun.
Its disturbing, the brute muttered as he ran his hand over a fresco that depicted the ocean surrounding the temple not so much as water, but as a writhing mass of tentacles, How does a faith like this take hold?
When your faith revolves around the destruction of your enemies, it tends to be very easy, Barracuda replied nonchalantly, The transition from enemies to unwanted individuals within your own nation is just as simple, then, if enemies or the unwanted are in short supply, you can convince any random citizen that it is an honor to be sacrificed for the greater good of your people. Now, what youll find just as disturbing, is that the same behavior is still continued by those one would call civilized individuals.
I would hardly call execution the same thing as a sacrifice to the gods, Breaker muttered, missing her point.
I know. Thats corporal punishment. But what did your excursion into the Destiny Project reveal to you?
Power Breaker shuddered visibly and returned to searching. They hadnt explored these chambers before, but his motion sensors werent indicating any movement or defenses.
They came upon a wall that was decorated with an image that seemed to be a blend of woman and
Breaker didnt know what. It was like every critter in the sea in the shape of a woman, with Lusca for the face. It reminded him of when he helped deal with a Mu Hequat Cult uprising and the vault door that protected her realm.
Hequat was prettier, though, he grumbled.
I think this might be it, Barracuda said suddenly, Look! Theres a seam at the edge of the wall!
One in the ceiling, too, maam, one of the Bane Spider Scouts added as he shone his flashlight where the wall met it, There must be some kind of mechanism that-!
Power Breaker started punching into the wall, smashing into the knees of the fish goddess. Barracuda and the Bane Scout started shouting at him, demanding to know what he thought he was doing, but he didnt listen. Hed dealt with enough ancient temples to know that if the mechanism that ran the door wasnt trapped, it was probably damaged. If it werent damaged, then there probably was something nasty on the other end anyway, in which case hed need his adrenaline pumping anyway.
His fists smashed through the wall, some of it crumbling away. It certainly wasnt enchanted like the door on the other side of the temple, but it was some pretty thick stone. With each successive strike, he felt the masonry shudder a little more. Finally, he saw some of the blocks fall back into the other chamber, and he reared back, slamming his fists against the final bits and smashing a hole through the wall.
As the dust settled, smoke wafted from his arms along the circuit scarring. The excessive power channeled through his limbs had damaged some of the tissue and his nanites were already starting to repair the damage. It would take a little time, but hed be fine in the next few moments if he really had to rock and roll.
Backing away from the hole he made, he let the grumbling Scout smash it open a little more. Meanwhile, Barracuda called him over to where she stood next to another wall. He looked to where she indicated and noticed what looked to be a stone button. His nanites translated the image on it to mean something along the lines of to open the door, press here.
Well, you want to risk it being some sort of trap? he grumbled.
She sighed and walked away from the wall to see what the Bane Spider had achieved. There was a red glow coming from the hole. Once the Scout had the entrance cleared away, she stepped inside and beheld the object that simply had to be Heart of the Sea
Or at least part of it.
Floating in the center of the chamber was what looked like half of a sphere of the ubiquitous Red Coral that was the basis of so many secret power struggles throughout the Rogue Isles. It wasnt actually the coral itself, but a red crystalline mineral that behaved much like a coral skeleton in its growth patterns. Usually, it looked similar to any coral skeleton one would find in a reef in terms of shape or composition, the more impure versions taking on a pinkish hue while the purer types that were known to animate the Slag Golems were a darker crimson.
This softball-sized orb portion, however, was blood red and shaped into a spiral. Once Power Breaker entered the chamber, he analyzed the object. It wasnt carved into its shape, there were no chips or polishing scratches. It was grown into its literally twisted form.
This must be it, he grumbled, looking it over and registering massive energy readings.
No, its only half, Barracuda replied, Look at it! Look at the drawings on the wall!
The art on the wall here was different from the rest of the temple, the red glow from the Heart Half giving it a disturbed quality. It depicted a chamber unlike this one, with a circle of pillars and a man-thing upon a throne within the circle. The worshippers depicted elsewhere throughout the temple presented him two halves of the Heart of the Sea and he accepted them, joining them together into one solid orb. The final image showed the man-thing holding the completed Heart over its head while the goddess depicted on the wall gazed down and the oceans roiled and raged in the background.
Well, thats disheartening.
You, take the Heart, Barracuda ordered the Scout, Well head for the surface and work out a plan to steal the one from the other island.
That might not be necessary, the brute interrupted, These temples seem to have been designed in tandem
Perhaps we just need to present this half to the door and it will open. If it doesnt work, then we can try stealing the other half
Are you a coward? the fish girl asked acidly, A big monstrosity like you, scared of a few pistols and shotguns
Or is it that you dont want to hurt some innocent bystanders?
Did that seem right coming out of you? he growled back, Or are you just posturing because the little guys here with us?
Barracuda turned to the Bane Spider Scout gingerly reaching for the Heart of the Sea. As he gently plucked it from where it hovered, the red light instantly went out and only the glow of his eye lenses and Power Breakers eyes shone in the room. The Bane Spider clicked something and a glow rod flared to life, showing that he was clutching the Heart to his hip with his free hand.
This things surprisingly heavy, he explained, Like a bowling ball.
It wont hurt us to try, Barracuda, the brute continued his argument, And with that Longbow contingent, not to mention what we saw when we got here, theyve got considerably more than pistols and shotguns.
I know
I know
she muttered back, Its just
You get caught up in a scheme and it gets kind of hard to calm down.
As they walked back to the door to the submerged temple, they talked some more. Barracuda asked the brute why he smashed through the wall rather than look for the switch to open it.
Frankly, I was frustrated, he muttered back, The boss himself shows up, out of the blue, or black as it may be, and hands us what we were already about to ask for. It was like he knew what wed be after. But just like that, his interest disappears and he locks himself up in a hut. Its just
Really weird, you know?
I agree, she whispered, But I usually just deal with the situation at hand and relax in my submerged hideout for a few weeks afterward to forget about it. I try not to think about whatevers making my superiors break their routines.
Yeah, but this has caused Recluse to break his routine
Its got to be something dangerous.
Well find out in a moment
They reached the chamber with the door that couldnt be broken and refused to open without the right artifact present. Just being this close caused markings to glow across the stone and a faint hum could be heard.
The two meta humans turned to each other and took deep breaths to steel themselves for what they were about to do. Barracuda turned to the Bane Spider and ordered him to return to the surface to report what had transpired thus far. The man tapped his helmet, but she glared at him and he left after handing the spiral to Power Breaker.
The brute took the Heart of the Sea and pressed it to the doorway. In a moment, they would find out whether or not they would need to raid the other island.
----------
---Mauthes Island of the Hand---
Doctor Steins archaeology team had a similar experience in trying to find their half of the Heart of the Sea. However, they had started their search in the temple for any other mention of the necessary artifact. What they learned, however, was far more shocking than a simple instruction manual.
This is very odd, Charlene Daring-Grey explained to Delilah, According to these frescoes, there was an ancient arena on one of these islands
But this one bears no remains of any ancient structure save the temple, and the satellite images you showed me of the other dont indicate any other ancient remains from the temple, either.
You dont suppose the submerged temple was the arena, do you? Stein asked, sounding exasperated and bewildered, Is this another one of those magic things? I really hate magic temples, you know
Not as friendly as the ones with mechanical tricks and traps, eh?
Maam! one of the other archaeologists shouted, We think we found something!
The wall was adorned with the same imagery as Power Breaker and Barracuda had found on their door. A brief search along the neighboring walls quickly indicated the stone button that had to be pressed in order to get the ancient mechanism to lift the door and gain access to the chamber beyond.
My goodness, Charlene whispered as the door lifted away to reveal the floating spiral of Red Coral, Its
Its pretty.
This must be it, Delilah intoned, The Heart of the
Oh my
She noticed the frescoes that told the story of the Heart of the Sea in a crude fashion. Realizing the implications of the images, she grasped the spiral and pulled it from where it hovered. The glow stopped, but the illumination from the lights installed in the rest of the temple was enough to see their way back out.
We should take this to Wilder, the doctor explained as they headed upstairs, I mean, Id love to talk with Statesman about it, but he seems
Odd
Like hes distracted. Besides, Wilders the guy in charge here, him and Anderson.
What about Dietrich? Grey asked.
Shes really just here for security purposes. I dont know what happened to her in that last battle with the Rikti, but shes been burying herself in work. Agent Gs been talking to me about some of the stuff hes been seeing throughout the rest of his compatriots. Its kind of sad, really.
But understandable. My son, Cedric, said he ran across the same behavior whenever some of his fellow troops suffered personal losses of some kind
Its a coping mechanism.
They reported to the Longbow agents and Wilder immediately convened a meeting. Brother Mauthe was growing worried that the fact they only had half of the necessary artifact would lead them to have to raid the Circle-controlled island, and he was worried about what they would find there. Agent Anderson seemed to share the same concerns and argued against raiding the Circles island until they had more information about how the artifact worked.
However, Agent Wild had other plans. They had to get to whatever was down there and they had to do it before the villains did. However, he agreed that their chances of successfully fighting the forces on the Circles island for the other half of the Heart were slim, so he decided that they should take a contingent of troops down into the deeper warrens of the temple and attempt to open the door with their half.
Mauthe offered a contingent of his own troops, led by brother Skrap, to supplement the forces. It wasnt that he thought the Longbow forces were insufficient, he just wanted to be sure he had a hand in what was going on.
Standing before the door to the Submerged Temple, the commanding agents debated who should apply the stone. Wilder wanted to be the one who was ultimately responsible, considering the fact that it was his operation. However, Agent Anderson pointed out that if there were some kind of harm to come to the individual, they stood the risk of losing one of the most valuable Longbow assets in the Isles. Dietrich offered, but was promptly shot down by Wilder.
Youre one of our best, Wilhelmina, he whispered quietly to her before she started to protest, I know youre still in pain, but you cant just throw yourself in danger just for the chance to be reunited with your lost friend.
He let the implication hang between the two of them. Many knew of how close she was to Tendaji, though it was a relationship born of reliance. Wilder was one of the few people who knew they werent having an affair, though he had his suspicions that she wasnt happy about the arrangement before his end.
Agent Anderson settled the discussion, though. They werent about to just throw one of their troops into possible danger, and they needed to act quickly. While her two counterparts were distracted with their argument, she took the oddly heavy spiral and pressed it against a depression in the temple door.
Nothing happened. The humming sound continued as before and the various markings glowed just as they were before, but there was no other change. Confused, she turned to the other two, who were staring at her in shock, and shrugged.
I guess well just have to- she started before a rumbling noise behind her indicated the door was opening.
----------
---The Temple of the Hand---
Power Breaker and Barracuda shuffled through the cavern-like corridors of the submerged Temple of the Hand of Merulina. The tunnels were usually round, as they were made from a coral mineral skeleton rather than carved stone, though there were a few hard edges that indicated carved stone may have once been a part of the original structure. The current, smoothed down appearance of the tunnels, however, instead of having jagged growths, seemed to indicate that there had been heavy use of these tunnels, even after the coral somehow invaded and built up a skeletal mass that choked out the original shape of the structure.
They crept through the tunnels, wary of anything that might be on patrol. However, when they reached a chamber with Coralax guards amidst a number of pools of water, Barracuda lost it. She stalked into the warren and dispatched three of the green ones before they could raise and alert. When she started dealing with a blue one, though, it let out a keening shout that brought her to the attention of the rest of the guards.
They turned to her, but found a pair of glowing purple eyes waiting for them instead. Power Breakers stealth field wore out as soon as he threw the first punch, but his offense always was his greatest defense. The two meta humans were able to make short work of the fish people in short order, though one fled into one of the water pools.
Barracuda gave chase, finding out in the process that the pools were actually tunnels to elsewhere in the temple. She didnt want to risk reinforcements reaching them, and it turned out she was a much better swimmer than the Red Coralax hybrid trying to escape her. Upon reaching her victim, she impaled him with a series of urchin spikes, stapling him to the wall.
There, she gasped as she returned to the surface and Breaker helped her out of the pool, I got him. Hes fish food, now.
You mind telling me what you were thinking? he growled back, Maybe we could have snuck around them or found another way, you know?
No, Im taking my pound of flesh for what they did to me! Any chance I can get, I kill them!
Granted, they dont pose much of a threat on their own, but you didnt have much cause other than the fact that they had a very faint connection to how you became
You. Regardless of your suffering, its very unlikely that these people are responsible for your fate.
Dont philosophize with me, brute, the fish girl hissed suddenly, Just because you slept with me doesnt mean you hold any sway over my decisions! Until Im restored or Ive had my revenge, I will slaughter every Coralax minion I come across, and nobody can stop me!
Then you run the risk of exterminating that which could restore you, he shook his head with pity, but it came off as irritation, Bare
Ive got no problem with you wanting revenge. A lot of people might get antsy about the idea, but Im a believer in the concept that revenge can also be justice. The problem is knowing when revenge is just an obsession, and youre teetering pretty damn close. I havent seen you like this since that Freakshow Cult of the Shaper incident
But you were far more inquisitive, then.
Be that as it may, the Coralax have been violent against Arachnos for years. Even when Mako arranged a truce with them, they still turned on our troops. We cant trust them and they certainly have no intention of making any true peace with us!
Fine
Its just
When you came back out of the water
You looked like you enjoyed whatever you did down there. I guess it bothered me a little.
Well, you dont need to worry about that. After were done here, I never have to see you again.
Barracudas brow furrowed as she regarded the bigger man for a moment. The brute nodded and she turned away to head down another tunnel. Power Breaker followed, muttering one word to himself with disappointment.
Right
-----
They eventually made their way into the central chamber of the temple. The sight before them was awe-inspiring, as a great orb of water surrounded by fifteen pillars that looked to have been grown like stalagmites and stalactites of coral reef. Everything glowed with an eerie greenish blue light, including the robed figure of Calystix the Shaper.
He was waving his outstretched hand to the orb and it rippled angrily. Next to power breaker, Barracuda winced and hissed. He was about to say something when his nanobots informed him that something had attempted to communicate with him through psychic means, but there was also malicious intent detected, so it resisted the probe. That was when he noticed an itching in his scalp that usually indicated that something had used psychic powers on him.
Calystix continued to argue with the orb and the brute figured the fish-preacher must have finally lost his mind, just like Maros. However, there was something odd going on. Calystix argued, then the orb would shudder and Barracuda would wince and hiss again, then the process would start all over.
I will not fetch you the Heart until I have your oath, on the Goddess very essence, the essence you utilize for your very existence, that you will restrain yourself! You may be nigh invulnerable, but an overt assault on the surface world will-!
The orb rippled again and Barracuda seemed to lose her mind. Howling angrily, she charged into the temple chamber, dropping the spiral half of the Heart of the Sea on the floor as she closed with Calystix. The leader of the Coralax looked confusedly at her, shouting something unintelligible before she collided with him and she started pummeling at him in her fit of madness, screaming obscenities and demanding to know what the priest had done to her. The orb seemed to ripple, and Power Breakers nanites translated the psychic emanation as being something akin to laughter.
The brute walked in casually after the fish girl, stooping deftly to retrieve the Heart half, and yanked her off the broken high priest. Calystix gurgled an angry remark of gratitude that Breakers nanites could only interpret in the most basic sense before the broken man scrambled about, horrified. Breaker looked down at him in confusion until he looked up and pointed in terror at the floating orb of glowing water.
The brute turned and was distracted by the sound of Barracuda muttering about her head and feeling nauseous. When he turned back to the floating orb, he saw it had grown somewhat smaller. His nanites zoomed in on a few floating objects inside it and detected the Red Coral spheres that were floating their way to the shining center. Once they got there, the glow turned a violent shade of purple, and Breaker handed the half of the Heart of the Sea to Barracuda.
Get out of here! he barked as he pushed her in the direction of the entrance to the chamber, Run! Go!
Shaking her head, the fish girl regained her senses quickly and scrambled out of the room. One of the floating arms of water feeding into the orb moved slightly and she ducked to avoid it. Once she was clear, things continued to get bad, however.
Villains! a Longbow Nullifier shouted, Open fire!
The red-and-white special spandex-clad troops filed in, but they never got a shot off. Instead, the temple started to shudder and they lost their footing. Calystix took the opportunity to flee out another exit and Power Breaker became aware of a lurching sensation hed long associated with being in a rising elevator.
Alarmed, he lifted the Nullifier to her feet and leaned close to her face.
Get out of here! Get your men and women and get out of here! Now!
I dont take orders from you monsters! she shouted back.
Fine, he growled, shoving her back through the entrance she and her compatriots had come from, Ill try the next guy
Picking up the next one, he made very certain not to be threatening.
This place is about to move, and I dont think you want to be here when it does! You guys get out of here, fast!
Alright
the athletically built man stammered before pulling one of his partners off the floor and stumbling to the exit.
Power Breaker took a moment to take another look at the floating orb of water. Now, however, it wasnt nearly as large as it was when he first entered the chamber. Instead, it was now barely the size of a basketball, but now it was expanding again. It was taking on a new shape, too. Five appendages extended from the object that was looking less and less like an orb with each second.
This cant be good, the brute grumbled before making his way out.
----------
---The Islands of the Hand---
There was a resounding boom that heralded the rise of the Temple of the Hand of Merulina. Circle wizards, Arachnos troops, Longbow soldiers and Island security forces stopped what they were doing and headed for the coast to see what was happening. Even Statesman had gained a unique vantage point, rising up above the islands to get the best view possible of the cataclysmic event.
The sea between the islands was churning and the land was shaking. A dark form appeared under the surface of the water and started pushing up out of it. Spires of coral reef jutted skyward and in moments, the mass started to resolve itself. It was a temple, but so overgrown with coral reef (of various kinds, including the pinkish Red Coral) so as to have most of its features obscured.
Statesman, however, saw that the roof of the temple was still bare of coral reef. It was as if someone or something had meticulously kept it clean. The shape of the smooth surface, framed as it was by jagged spires of reef, reminded him of a sports field or
An arena, he breathed before swooping down to the temple surface.
Upon lending, there was an explosion of lightning he couldnt help. Some of the electricity lanced through the wet puddles still on the smooth, multi-colored, marble-like surface. He looked about with concern, searching for whatever was the cause of this massive disturbance.
He was rewarded with the spider-like arms cresting the wall on the far side of the temple surface. Lord Recluse sauntered over the jagged minerals like it was something he did every day. Upon seeing his near-lifelong foe, he barked out a laugh. Statesman waited for the other man to finish his swagger over to him. He was through trying to talk to his demented friend.
I should have figured youd come here, Recluses impossibly deep voice growled, Youre driven to
Help
Im driven to protect, Stefan, the patriotic champion replied, What drives you this day?
Power
Curiosity
the spider kind shrugged his shoulders and his bladed appendages twitched in anticipation, a vague notion that Im one of the very few people who can stop this thing and I wish to do so before it can become a serious threat.
Really?
They turned to the sound of the bizarre voice. Theyd expected anything but what they saw.
A humanoid shape stood in the center of the massive arena. It was androgynous, its form simple and clear, save for a red glow in the center of its chest. In a moment, the glow faded and the form seemed both solid and fragile. However, the weight in the atmosphere indicated that there was still considerable power before them.
What are you? Cole asked, knowing simultaneously that he didnt want to know.
A true god, standing before pale imitations. If you were truly beings of any kind of power, you would have made this world your own, the way you should have. Instead, you wage a petty war and quibble over your little differences all in an effort to satisfy your vanity. I have slumbered for millennia, and still I find this surface world an insufferable abomination!
Thats it? Lord Recluse chuckled, Your small, watery form and deep voice are supposed to intimidate us?
Stefan, Statesman warned, but the figure cut him off before he could say more.
Silence! Today I will end the conflict between your cities
I will end the conflict across the world! The seas will rise up and dash your civilizations against the rocks! The world will tremble at the name of Dagoeth! You will all know to fear the wrath of the Hand of Merulina!
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
((This section refused to let me stop!))
Statesman and Lord Recluse didnt waste any more time trying to talk to the strange creature. They dove in to assault Dagoeth and try to eliminate him quickly. Under the force of just their punches, the body collapsed into a puddle and was seemingly gone.
It cant have been that fast, Recluse muttered, Your thoughts, brother?
Dont call me that, Statesman replied as he scanned across the temples surface, Its creepy
Im sorry that youve forgotten our history together
Statesman rounded on his foe. If it werent for the fact that he knew he needed the other mans help in this struggle, he would have tried to vanquish his opponent once and for all, right here. Instead, he figured he would disabuse the twisted man of any notions that he owed the tyrant anything.
Weve had this discussion before, Stefan. I already-WAUGH!
He didnt notice the water snaking around his leg and coalescing into Dagoeths humanoid form again. The water god then lifted and hurled the star-spangled hero across the clearing. Statesman flew upside down for almost a hundred yards, catching himself before he landed head first and toppling his body to flop chest-first on the hard surface. When he looked up, he saw the water-man had turned to Recluse.
The leader of the Rogue Islands was putting up a barrage of hard-hitting punches and raking his bladed spider legs into the watery surface of his foe. The strikes made little real impact, sinking through without resistance, but when Dagoeth struck him in the belly with a punch, it felt like a battering ram had just hit him.
What the Hell are you? he shouted as he backed away.
I told you before, pretender
Im a god in this world! If I had my full strength, I would obliterate you and your counterpart! I would use your blood to slake my thirst and your bones to season my meal of your flesh!
Recluse allowed himself to smile. It was rare that he got the opportunity to do so. For a moment, he thought that maybe he needed to get a little more personal more often.
Youre not at full power, then, he chuckled, I suppose that means weve got a chance
Not much of one!
Dagoeth reared back and spouts of water leaped from the ocean and arced into him. With the water channeled into his corporeal form, he thrust his arms toward the villain and a jet slammed into Recluse with rock-withering force. Knocked backwards, Recluse was pushed into the jagged wall of the temple where he felt the coral reef stab into his back.
Shouting angrily, he pushed himself off the points. He was set to continue the fight, but Dagoeth was already focused on Statesman. In order to cover the several hundred foot distance, the demigod had collapsed into formless seawater again and flowed to the tanker that was hurtling toward him. When Dagoeth was under Statesman, he burst up in a devastating uppercut, knocking Paragon Citys champion out of the sky.
Ill give him this, Recluse growled as the wounds on his back closed back up, Hes got some sense of style
Statesman was back on his feet in an instant. Shouting angrily, he started wailing away on Dagoeth with the old One-Two to the face. Water splashed away from the figures head, but it reformed as quickly as it was damaged. The demigod took one more punch to the face before retaliating, delivering a number of savage body strikes to the hero and finishing with a hard kick that toppled him flat on his back.
Damn, he muttered.
----------
A storm was forming rapidly overhead. Brother Mauthe cursed as he saw the water starting to roil and churn unnaturally. However, his concern wasnt the changing conditions of the local climate. He was trying to figure out how to convince Wilder not to throw Longbow troops away on the battle raging on the temple roof. Fortunately, that problem was settled for him.
Brother Hood shouted something about the beach and the situation changed violently. Coralax hybrids were storming the community, clawing their way up the temple and filtering into the woods toward the Circle of Thorns encampment. They had one thing on their minds: War.
New order! Wilder shouted into his radio, The Coralax! Fire at will! Shoot to kill!
The Longbow forces turned quickly and focused on the beach. Before they got too close, however, there was an explosion as one of the fish men stepped on a land mine and was blown sky high. With the hybrids getting killed on the beach, the Longbow troops formed up ranks and started picking off survivors.
Still, there were a lot of the monstrous humanoids, and the traps were limited in number. Agent Dietrich directed the soldiers as best as she could, but they were outnumbered and outgunned. Before she could begin to consider losing hope, a shotgun blast heralded that Mauthes security forces were joining the fight and there was an explosion on the Circles island to indicate that the Coralax werent having an easy time over there, either.
You alright, maam? Brother Hand asked as he got close to Dietrich, Guardsman Lucas Conroy
Uh
Former Guardsman
What are you doing here, soldier? Dietrich asked, Weve got this situation in hand
Could have fooled me, Brother Skrap chuckled as he sauntered up behind his partner and handed him an assault rifle, Look, Bandaid, you need help out here, and we can give it. Weve been preparing for a fight and weve got the guns and the experience
What do you say we stop making a show of joint venture and actually help each other?
Weve got this situation
You keep your forces behind us, where its safe
I know one of us isnt going to listen, the former Council soldier chuckled, And there he is
Brother War leaped into the center of the Coralax, swinging his hefty metal blade about and dismembering swaths of the fish people. Some struck him, but the blows only seemed to enrage the scary brutish man, and he leveled the field with another wide swipe.
Brother Brick wasnt privy to the argument between Dietrich and his associates. Instead, he found himself leading a small band on the edge of the battle dealing with a thick push of hybrids. The fish men smashed into his forces and their assorted baseball bats, 2x4s and other bludgeoning implements were hardly a match for the bizarre, shell-adorned weaponry of the hybrids.
Brick, however, wasnt ready to leave this battles outcome on the differences between weapon materials. When a Red Coralax Hybrid smashed through the 2x4 of the man next to him and started brandishing its weapon to intimidate him, Brick hefted his magnum pistol, aimed it at the hybrid, and squeezed the trigger. The red-tinted creature tumbled to the ground and tried to push itself up, but Mauthes soldier walked over, set the muzzle of his pistol just inches from its back, and fired again, finishing it off.
Another rushed up behind him, but he whirled around, swinging his arm up in an arc ahead of him to catch any incoming flailing weapons and knocking them aside. He then brought his other fist up and his brass knuckles smashed into the temple of the Blue Coralax Hybrid and dropped it.
Dont just flail at them! he shouted, Fight them like weve shown you!
The area around them was flooded with green light and he looked to find the source. Bioserj stood in the center of his troops and he was radiating energy that helped mend the injuries of the island dwellers. With a salute to Brick, the corrupter-class rogue turned to hurl a wave of gaseous radioactive particles into the Coralax.
In the sea, Brother Ringo piloted his ship, the Captured Dream between the two landmasses, keeping the modified trawler near the coast. His men were battling fish men that tried to climb onboard while the men on the turrets fired toward the temple to take down the creatures crawling up the jagged walls. Minigun ammunition rained into the creatures and shattered the minerals build up, causing some portions to lose integrity and crumble, toppling groups of Coralax and impaling them upon the lower spikes of reef.
A Longbow soldier who had accompanied the local troops on Ringos boat smashed the butt of his rifle against a Green Hybrid and toppled the creature over the rail of the ship. Another pair of the emerald-like creatures came up from behind him, however, and tried to push him over the side to join their friend. As the soldier gripped the rail, he heard two reports from a shotgun and the creatures rolled into the drink. As he pulled himself back up, the wrinkled hand of the man who saved him gripped him and yanked him back up.
You again! the soldier shouted at Lou, and the old man smirked back.
Watch yer [butt]. I cant keep haulin ya outta the deep six!
Grinning, the Guardsman who had earlier tried to confiscate the old mans weapon pushed himself back up and leveled on some of the creatures trying to scramble onto the bow of the ship. Squeezing the trigger a couple times, he then turned to the red fish man hauling itself up and smashed it in the face with the butt of his rifle.
God, I love that feeling, he said with satisfaction as the creature did an unconscious back flop into the water.
----------
Dagoeth punched Statesman in the face and smashed his elbow into Recluses. After delivering a kick to the heros abdomen, the front features of the creature shifted to the back and he turned his attention to the villain, whom he toppled with a small tidal wave.
Recluse pushed himself up, sputtering, and backhanded the approaching demigod. The body exploded in a burst of water droplets that fell away and reformed into the humanoid body. The villain followed up his backhand with a blast from his eyes that vaporized the top half of the monster. An instant later, however, Dagoeths upper half reformed from surface water on the temple roof.
Are you trying to embarrass me? the dark lords deep voice rumbled, Me? The future ruler of the world?
Even if you survive today, I will ensure that your kingdom is rubble and slag, the watery figure replied, Though your chances of survival are slim, so you shouldnt worry yourself with that.
If you could kill us, youd have done it by now, Statesman said from behind the creature, Youre lacking in power, and we will hold you here as long as it takes!
Lacking?
Dagoeth turned and waved his arm at Statesman. A gargantuan wave reached up out of the sea, carrying Coralax hybrids with it, and slammed into the hero. Salty water flooded the arena and Recluse would have been amused at how his aged foe looked stabbed against the reef walls with the fish people, but he really needed the other mans help in this fight (though he would never admit it).
Marcus pushed himself off the coral reef and winced as the twisted growth pulled out of his gut. Hed be fine in a moment, but that hurt like Hell. The stuff was ridiculously sharp, and he realized that the hybrids adorning the wall next to him werent well rewarded for their faith in this thing.
Except he knew this thing wasnt what they worshipped. It was too immediate, too near-sighted. It was a weapon, a champion of a cause that no longer existed. Without a purpose, it had gone rampant. Marcus wondered idly if this temple were really a home for the demigod. The fact that external elements had to get involved made it seem more like a prison to him.
Dagoeth tried that flowing water teleport punch trick again, but this time Statesman deflected the punch. He returned the favor with a hard jab to the water mans belly and brought down a lightning strike at the same time. Dagoeth fell away, his body evaporating so fast that his form seemed to turn into steam as it collapsed on the marble-like surface.
The fight still wasnt over, though. The heavy feeling still wasnt gone and the storm still raged overhead.
Well, Marcus, Recluse shouted, What do we do now? Wait for him to get in a sneak attack?
----------
The battle was turning against the island defenders. While the Captured Dream was able to pull some of the battle off of them with a few well-placed rockets, the defenders had to regroup deeper within the island so they could focus more support in a smaller area. The Wardens were getting tired, however, and Mauthes forces were running out of Regeneration Projectors.
Brother Mauthe hoped things wouldnt get like this. When Chaingunnz burst out and saved their butts from the Arachnos Flier earlier, Agents Wilder and Dietrich ripped into him something fierce. They shouted about how he couldnt really control the Freak Monster and that he was dooming his encampment to a terrible death. It was a worrying conversation for the community leader, as it reeked of their prejudice that criminals really couldnt be rehabilitated and that the only real way of eliminating crime was killing off all criminals. Rather than get into the debate, however, he placated them by saying he wouldnt bring Chaingunnz out anymore.
When he informed the big machine of the decision, the former Freak had chuckled. That was a good reaction in Mauthes opinion. If he were still a Freak, he would have gone into a tantrum and brought the barn that housed him down on their heads. However, when he told the cyborg that he would be leaving the big robot in the barn as long as Statesman was around, Chain almost lost his mind.
What!? he shouted, This is the opportunity of a lifetime! I could see if Ive got what it takes, in this body, to give the beatdown to Statesman!
It didnt turn out so well when you fought your old boss, Dreck, did it? Mauthe was forced to remind him.
Yeah
But you guys gave me upgrades since then!
Upgrades I will shut down if you set one tread out that door
Mauthe hoped the big machine hadnt taken the situation as seriously as he sounded. Bioserj had been staying with him and trying to keep the big former Freak entertained. The two had an unusual bond, but Brother Mauthe had yet to understand what it was.
Chain, he shouted into his communicator, Its hit the fan
We need your help!
Im sorry, came the reply, Ive been confined to quarters for the duration of the spandex infestation on the island. Please call back once the red and white symptoms have subsided
Now, Chaingunnz! The fish are trying to kill us!
Fish sticks? Why didnt you say so!?
The roar of a diesel engine firing up met the retreating defenders and Dietrich turned to the community leader. Mauthe nodded and she shook her head angrily.
A moment later, the big tank trundled down the main road to the beach. The Coralax paused to see what this new threat was. Those that were smart started fleeing for the shore again. When the heavy main gun on the monstrositys right arm starting singing that tell-tale whine that it was revving up, it was too late for anything still on the beach.
----------
Power Breaker met Barracuda at the top of the tunnel and found her watching the battle between the three titanic figures. She was clutching the spiral of Red Coral tightly to her chest and making whimpering noises.
Are you alright? he asked and she held his hand as he touched her shoulder.
Theyve ripped him apart and he just keeps coming back together, she said with a touch of fear in her voice, He keeps coming back with something new and he keeps knocking them over like bowling pins
I saw
I saw Lord Recluse bleed
Its probably best not to let him know that, the brute muttered.
Recluse swiped at Dagoeth with one of his clawed appendages and the demigod caught the attack full in the chest, fell backward and dragged the villain with him. Before hitting the ground, the watery form slid from the impaling arm and morphed into a standard two-handed grip as it jabbed the point into the surface. Upon hitting, Dagoeth rammed his shoulder into the joint of the limb and there was a crunching sound as it broke, then he twisted it around, dragging Recluse with him as he went.
Roaring incoherently, the villain fired an energy beam from his eyes that the demigod avoided by turning into liquid and hitting the ground. Statesman took the brunt of the blow and was thrown backwards. Recluse, however, suffered from the teleport uppercut that Statesman was the victim of earlier and was launched skyward.
In the air, spouts of water arced into Dagoeths body as he came down and he landed on Recluse with a savage knee to the chest. He grabbed the villain by the throat and seawater started gushing from the limb and flooding the area.
I will watch you drown, avatar, the monster intoned, I will feel the life force drain from your body as you-!
Recluses eyes flashed brightly again and another burst of energy blasted through the demigod, splitting him apart and relieving the beleaguered arch villain. Lurching back to his feet, Recluse grabbed his broken appendage and twisted it about, roaring as he did so. Once it was back in place, there was another crunching sound as it refit itself properly and regenerated in position.
Ive got to stop this, Power Breaker muttered.
What can you do? Barracuda asked.
Statesman pulled Stefan back and hurled a lightning bolt at the demigod. Dagoeth caught the bolt on his forearm and the electricity channeled through his body and into the ground, spreading an impressive light display across the surface. Recluse joined in on the assault, firing channeled volleys of dark energy into the monster that were either batted aside or simply absorbed. The streams of seawater continued to flow into Dagoeth, and he turned the pressure being funneled into him on the two arch enemies, almost blasting them off their feet with the blasts of body-shredding water.
Ill do what I can, the brute whispered as he started heading down the jagged reef to join the battle, but he stopped before getting too far away, Dont let him or the Coralax get a hold of that. If hes this powerful with just a few pieces of Red Coral, Id hate to see what he could do with the real Heart.
Hell kill you! she shouted back, not knowing why she should care.
Better today than tomorrow. At least today I have a fighting chance. Tomorrow
Tomorrow hed kill us all.
What are you talking about?
Damned if you do
Power Breaker sauntered toward the demigod, ducking out of the way of one of the spouts that twisted a little close to him at the last second. When he got to the monster, he grappled the smaller figure in a bear hug and the watery assault on Recluse and Statesman stopped. The two were still standing, but it had taken all of their focus to push against the watery assault. Now, they looked slightly miserable. Their outfits were somewhat disheveled and damaged from the blasts that could have torn mountains apart. Icon and Facemaker did good work when it came to those two.
What do you think youre doing? Dagoeth asked the brute, You think you have what it takes to hold me? You, most definitely, are not a god.
He reached up and grabbed Power Breakers left hand.
Allow me to demonstrate just how out of your league you are
With the lightest amount of pull, he snapped the big brutes wrist. Rays nanites started shrieking at him that massive damage had been sustained in his left limbs extremity and that the manipulating appendage was currently being crushed into pulp. Al he could do, however, was yelp in pain and try to let go of the water man. However, Dagoeth reached up and grabbed Power Breakers right forearm, holding him in the hug effortlessly.
No
Dont go, little mortal. You think your size has an advantage over this form?
The demigod leaned forward, hefting the bigger man up, and jumped into the air. When they came back down, Power Breaker was stabbed by the jagged reef wall so deeply, it tore through into Dagoeth. However, the demigod was made of water, and was barely harmed by the spikes. When he pulled himself off the wall, and Power breaker with him, the big brute shouted in pain. Recluse and Statesman could only watch; the hero in shock at the audacity of the demigod, the villain in deep thought about what the brute had planned.
Just what did you think you could do?
Power Breaker didnt answer. Instead, he turned to his nanites, which were frantically telling him he needed to retreat, no matter what the cost, so the body could be repaired.
While I would love to do that he thought to them, We dont really have that option right now
Open up the file youve been translating
File opened.
Run program
CNCDQD.
Program incomplete.
Probability of system failure: 95%.
Risk to Stability of Housing Integrity: 97%
Chance of Otherwise Fatal Outcome: 99%
Confirm?
Confirm!
God Mode activated. Good luck.
Power Breakers eyes snapped open and the pain stopped. He felt like he was made of light. With a roar, he pulled at his left arm and his hand reformed while his wrist snapped back into place. It was a strange feeling, almost like the bones were just sliding around inside his skin. Dagoeth shouted something, but Power breaker wasnt listening. Instead, he just saw that the water spouts were funneling energy into the demigod and decided he needed it more. A great blue orb of energy radiated from his body and he started pulling the life force out of Dagoeth. The water god moved like he was in shock and tried to get away, but Power Breaker held him fast with his right arm.
What am I going to do? he asked, his voice sounding surprisingly normal, Im going to rip out your fake heart
He reached into the water gods body and an odd thing happened. Small glowing particles started to coalesce in Power Breakers outstretched hand, forming into three spheres of Red Coral that were the same blood red as the orb half Barracuda was clutching. When they were finished reshaping themselves, he grasped them and yanked them out, tossing the demigod aside like a ragdoll.
And crush it.
Wait! Dagoeth shouted, The power inside those stones
Its immense! The resulting explosion will surely destroy you!
Behind the water man, Recluse and Statesman were edging away from the confrontation. This whole situation was new to them and wholly unexpected. However, Recluse was getting an idea of just what secret Scirocco had been keeping from him.
Didnt you say you survived a nuclear blast, once? he asked his old foe.
It hurt like Hell and I was out for the better part of a year, Marcus replied, You thinking we should run?
My experience with that individual is that if hes got a notion in his head, hes ready to go through with it. So
Yes.
As they fled, Dagoeth continued to plead with Power Breaker. He didnt realize the brute was just waiting for the bystanders to get a relatively safe distance away.
If you crush that surrogate heart, it may very well be the end of you
Better me than the world, Power Breaker replied casually, fully aware that his nanobots were informing him that his body was starting to dissolve from the inside into an unstable energy anyway, Better I stand the chance of living, than certain death in the end.
I see youve made your choice, mortal, the monster said soberly, And its one that I cannot see the fault in. The day is yours, though when I return, you will not be around to stop me again.
Someone will.
Once the two legends reached the edge of the wall and hopped over, Breaker took one last glance back to see if Barracuda had followed their example. Seeing she wasnt hiding where hed left her, he assumed she had and crushed the stones in his fist. A red glow shown through the cracks of the fingers in his left hand and the world disappeared in a bright, glorious flash.
----------
The explosion rocked the surrounding area. It wasnt nearly the power of a nuclear explosion like Lord Recluse and Statesman had feared, but it was powerful enough to topple trees, houses and knock the rampaging Freak Main Battle Tank over. The two powerful meta humans were thrown from the temples walls into the dirt next to the islands normal stone temple and they waited there until the world stopped shaking.
The shaking, as it turned out, was caused by the coral reef temple sinking back into the sea. Despite the explosion, the arena rooftop remained undamaged, save the numerous jags on the walls being destroyed in one fell swoop. There was no sign of the water-based enemy, which was to be expected.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
As the temple sank, Barracuda picked herself up. She had been thrown from the wall of the temple like her Lord and his foe, though she wound up on the Circles Island of the Hand instead. During the course of the descent, however, she passed out and lost track of her half of the Heart of the Sea.
Looking frantically for it, she didnt notice Calystix approaching. He pointed a gnarled finger at her and hissed.
This is your fault, my child
You brought this day upon us, because you refused to stay with me and learn the truth of your heritage
Now, now, Cal, an impossibly deep voice intoned from the nearby thicket.
Moriae emerged from the vegetation, his body ravaged by battle. His head was broken open, missing the upper left portion entirely, and his flesh had been torn away from his right arm, ribs, and left thigh. Still, his remaining glowing eye and sly smile exuded confidence.
Dont go trying to fill the girls head with nonsense. We all know you intended to try to find a new way to control the beast and it failed. Youre just lucky Dagoeth was defeated, or your entrails would have wound up decorating these islands.
I dont know you, Oranbegan
No, no
Not Oranbegan. I just use their methods to live longer and have been fortunately able to keep my soul intact. Ah
But Ill miss this body
It was so useful for enjoying earthly pleasures
I guess Ill need to get a new one.
Moriae leveled his gaze on the Coralax high priest.
How about yours?
You think to intimidate me? Calystix hissed, I will tear you asunder!
He flicked his hands and a horde of coral skeleton golems burst from the ground. However, Moriae made a similar motion and a batch of spectral demons and a dark shadow monster appeared in much the same manner. What remained of the dark wizards mouth continued smiling that horrid smile of his.
Plus, I still have her in my corner for the duration of this fight.
Barracuda stood and regarded the two of them. Moriae cocked his head at her, his smiling shifting slightly as he regarded her. Calystix, however, looked horrified. That was when she became aware of an excruciating pain in her chest.
Looking down, she found the Heart of the Sea. It was burying itself in the hollow of her chest and sinking deeply into the cavity. Screaming, she tried to pull it back out, dropping to her knees as the pain became blinding. She couldnt stop the mineral Heart from lodging inside of her, and with one final, shuddering spasm, it stuck in place, leaving her at the edge of blacking out as she curled up in a fetal ball on the ground.
No
Calystix whispered, No, this cant be possible
Whats the matter? Moriae asked as he dismissed his ghostly backup with a wave of his hand, Never considered that your artifacts of power could be used by other beings? You know, this is why the Oranbegans horde their knowledge. They know that in more wrong hands, a lot of what theyve got could do some serious damage
They just feel that their hands are wrong enough.
You fool, she consumed half of the Heart of the Sea! Dont you know what this means!?
No, and I dont think you do, either. I dont think she does. But, hey, itll be fun to watch and find out.
Calystix stared in shock at his foe. When Barracuda, breathing slowly but evenly, pushed herself off the ground and stood up, she seemed unchanged by her experience. In fact, she looked terribly confused.
Whats going on? she asked.
Youre safe from this idiots reprisal, Moriae explained, Isnt that right, idiot?
Calystix looked angrily at the other wizard, but started edging away. Barracuda slid some urchin spikes into her hand and prepared to hurl them at the Coralax wizard, but the golems got in the way. As she reloaded, Calystix fled and the golems closed in. Moriae helped her deal with the rocky monsters, but when the fighting was over, the high priest was long gone.
Sorry, he muttered as Barracuda stared wordlessly in the direction of her foe.
Youre oddly subdued, she said back flatly.
Getting your body torn apart by Coralax hybrids because your Circle of Thorns support was less-than-capable of defending the colony tends to do that. Those Arachnos troops were hit or miss, though. The ones Recluse brought were top-notch, though. Highly efficient.
Thats why theyre his guard.
She looked around one more time. Power Breaker wasnt in the clearing. She looked to Moriae, the question out of her mouth before she knew she was asking it. The broken wizard shook his head, though. He didnt know what had happened to her colleague. Barracuda took a moment to consider that she didn't know how she felt about that.
It wasn't that she felt anything for the man, but she also hoped he was alright. It seemed wrong to her that he should have to die like that, but she couldn't figure out why.
----------
---Brother Mauthes Island of the Hand---
Well now, Statesman, what do you intend to do with me?
The champion of Paragon rubbed his shoulder as he regarded his foe. In his weakened state, it was a prime opportunity to finally capture and imprison the malicious leader of the Rogue Isles. Recluse didnt seem to be in any state to fight, either. Two of his spider-like limbs had been broken again in the fall, though he was busy resetting them.
Longbow troops filed into the clearing next to the stone temple and leveled their weapons on the Lord. He looked at them and let out a low, contemptuous laugh, but did nothing to show he was going to be a problem.
If you arrest me, he explained, and in the unlikely event that you can really keep me imprisoned, you do know what will happen in my Isles, dont you?
Recluse, Statesman started, but the megalomaniac continued.
The factions within Arachnos will splinter and go to war with each other! My lieutenants will tear each other apart! There will be no more back-alley strikes, no more covert operations
It will be war and blood, spilled into the streets! No one will be spared, not the Wyvern and Longbow forces that attempt to undermine my rule, not the criminals who use my islands as their haven, and especially not the so-called innocents who live under MY protection! And dont think the war will be contained there, Marcus, for there is too much power in that small space for it to remain! They will spread out, carving a swath across the world!
I know
Sir? Captain Dietrich asked, worry tingeing her voice, Youre not really considering letting this maniac go, are you?
We dont have a choice, Paragons champion admitted soberly, Even if we had the means to hold him, Recluses absence would cause a power vacuum that the world cant recover from
You know what it would take to stop it, the dark lord stated as he folded his arms over his chest in triumph, A demonstration, if you will, but I know you wont do it.
Youre one of the few people who sorely tempts me
Statesmans gloved hand clenched into a fist as he locked eyes with his arch enemy. One of many, and one of the worst, Recluse was one of the few people that Marcus still seriously considered killing if he had to. The other man had proven time and again that there would be no alternative to defeating him once and for all, but the hero still couldnt stomach the thought of actually committing what he saw as murder. So, he let his fist unclench and waved the villain off.
Call your flier, Stefan. Just get out of here.
Before I go, Id like to remark on something, old foe
I know what my purpose in this world is. They have a great need for me in my nation. In yours, however, theres a literal army of spendex-clad, armored, masked or unmasked vigilantes of varying skills and capabilities, all working synergistically with each other to keep the city safe
They have their own leaders, the government is still in operation and in time, even the military and police forces will be strong enough so as to make the massive presence of freelance vigilantism so unnecessary as to be ludicrous. What is it that they need you for?
Statesman didnt answer. It wasnt that he didnt have one, it was just that he wasnt going to let Stefan Richters glib dismissal of his purpose in life goad him into another fight. Instead, he just walked away, letting his old friend think hed won the mockery of a debate.
-----
Brother Mauthe?
The community leader shuddered. Hed never met Statesman before, and his actions in the Rogue Isles, regardless of the necessity to maintain the appearance of being a villain, were enough to be considered rogue by Longbow in the champions eyes. Then there was the fact that he had Chaingunnz in his employ, and the hero had chosen to have the conversation right next to the tanks overturned body.
Yes, sir? he said after a moments hesitation and turned to look the powerful tanker in the face.
Youve been doing a good job here, Marcus stated, his hand extended toward the red-coated man and the mastermind shook it in bewilderment, I was wondering if you were ready to go home.
Home?
Back to Paragon City. Your file indicated you have a family in Kings Row.
Mauthe shook his head in wonder. It had been a long time since hed been Michael.
Theres
Theres still more that needs to be done here. What of my brotherhood? My community? This nation is their home. I promised them I would help restore it to a proper order. I cant leave, yet.
Statesman nodded and smiled. Hed expected dedication from the man, and was surprised that he was willing to keep helping his friends.
Well, just remember youre always welcome back home. Your community, as well. We in Freedom Corps will do everything we can to make them full citizens of the United States if it all comes to that.
Thanks. Ill keep it in mind.
----------
---The Next Day: St. Martial---
When the morning tide sank back into the sea, it left a bulk lying on the beach. Power Breaker rolled over and looked up at the sky. It was blue for once.
He was in an indescribable amount of pain. His left arm felt numb and he was feeling very nauseas. His nanobots were scrambled, but were running a recovery. The most he could tell was that he was still alive. It was almost enough.
Lifting his arm, he looked to see why it was numb. Simply put, it wasnt there. Half of his upper arm was gone, with a strip of flesh and some of his bone extending toward where his elbow should have been, and the rest was nowhere to be seen. His bone was lacerated with the same circuitry channeling as his skin, which Breaker didnt take as much of a surprise, though it was the first time hed seen a dismembered limb that looked like that. There were bits of sand grit and salt in the exposed internal flesh, too, and that was probably why his whole arm felt numb, he was blocking the pain.
How did he survive? The nanites were pretty clear that the Godmode Program theyd worked out from their translations of the Malleus Mundi would rip him apart. He was certain that was what he was feeling right before he crushed the three stones that blasted him to
To
Looking to his left, he saw the dawn glow of the Golden Giza. He was, oddly enough, home. Specifically, he was at the other end of the bridge that led to the massive casino. He didnt know if hed been thrown the distance between the Islands of the Hand and the Jackpot or if hed somehow just floated over here. It was probably a mix of both, and considering the fact that the Coralax would have ripped him apart in his unconscious state, it was probably more of the hurtling through the air than floating.
A wailer demon crept up to him. He reached out with his right arm, grabbed it and hugged it close.
Oh man, his voice came out as a strained croak, I never thought Id get to see one of you ugly monsters again!
Oh! the demon yelped and tried pushing against the brute, Youre crushing my brain!
I missed you, too, Breaker gave the critter a slight squeeze and let it go, Now, remember this next time you try to eat something bigger than your head
The demon hobbled away unsteadily, but it was alive. They were an unusual breed of monster, apparently more concerned with listening to music than anything else. He still remembered the time he was told to ambush a pack of the demons with some Johnny Sonata music.
You okay down there? a man called to him from the street.
I think so, he grunted.
Hey
Power Breaker?
Wondering who could remember him among the myriad monsters and freaks, he looked back. A man in a dark blue business suit stepped over the concrete guard rail and started heading down to meet the brute.
You probably dont remember me, the mans voice lowered to a light intone, Im Slim Tommy, you pulled me and my boys out of a bad situation a couple years back in Port Oakes.
Oh
You okay?
No
the brute waved his left arm at the man, Does this look okay?
Yeah.
Breaker looked back at his arm and saw that it had rebuilt itself. His nanobots were rebooted and they were giving him a detailed report about how they were regenerating him. Unfortunately, the process had depleted their resources.
Got it
Ill schedule a trip to Cimerora and look into getting all the Shadow Cyst crystals I can find.
You need a ride anywhere? the mobster asked, You look like youve been through Hell?
Yeah, Ive been to Hell and back. They gave me a T-shirt, but it didnt survive the ride through the Brimstone Catacombs.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
--...One Week Later...--
"Alright," a young heroine said to her partner as they checked their equipment outside of a building, "We've got our emergency medical equipment, the enchantments, and, in a pinch, those tiny gems... Is there anything else we need, Ahren?"
"No, Baby," the tall man next to her replied brusquely, "We've been planning this for days, we've got what we need. I just want to get this over with. I hate fighting Carnies almost as much as I hate Carnies."
"Everybody hates fighting Carnies," the girl replied as she drew a pair of handles from their moorings on her belt and glared irritatedly at her partner, "And don't call me 'Baby,' Ahren! Call me Sooner Red!"
"Yeah, if I call you that, I keep thinking I'm talking to one of your sisters..." the man grinned sarcastically at her, his eyes showing a little mirth at the light, friendly jab.
She made to say something else, but something seemed to get her attention and she pointed down the street as a blade of energy emitted from the handle in her hand.
"Who's that guy?"
She indicated a man approaching them from down the street. He had an assault rifle strapped across his back, a harness holding a pair of pistols to his sides under his shoulders, and a mid-waist girdle carrying an assortment of pouches for his ammunition. Despite his armament, what was far more intriguing was his outfit, which was disturbingly similar to a Malta Group Gunslinger, but he just looked too short.
"Hello," he said curtly as Ahren puzzled over his communicator that indicated the “Gunslinger” was an ally, "Don't mind me."
He then kicked in the door the two heroes were about to enter, drew his pistols and stepped inside. The red-and-white clad heroine whirled her head around to her partner, her face a mask of shock as her pigtails bobbed around haphazardly. Her tall friend was glaring at the door.
Before either could say anything, the gunfire started.
"Who the Hell was that?" the tanker shouted, "Did he just... He just stole our mission! Crimson assigned this to us! US! I mean, who cares, we can move on… That one paparazzo usually has better leads when it comes to the Carnival, but... Who does this guy think he is?"
Ahren started marching toward the door, but Sooner stopped him.
"Let's wait a moment. Maybe this can work in our benefit. Once he runs out of ammunition, we can go in and pick up the pieces. It should make for a much quicker mission, and we can work from there on the Carnies' latest plot..."
"Did you see how much ammunition that guy was carrying? He's not going to run out in a couple hours, girl! He's not going to run out in a couple days!"
"Hey!" they heard the man's voice again, a high-toned, shrill thing, only this time it was behind them from the other side, "Did you guys see somebody who looked like me, only dressed like a Gunslinger, come by here?"
"Yeah!" Ahren turned around and was about to say more when he did a double-take.
It looked like the exact same guy, only now he was wearing a black vest and a gray shirt with a fist design upon it. He was flanked by a couple other heroes. One was a dark-skinned man with red hair, fire wafting from his eyes and clad in a black trench coat. The other was a man who looked similar to the young man, only taller and thinner (he was probably a brother), and he was clad in a dark green trench coat.
"Was he your twin?" Sooner asked the first hero.
"He's me, actually, but he lives here now," Kipland replied, "we call him my brother... You didn't send him to the Zig, did you? I mean, Crimson can get him out and everything, but it's a real hassle..."
Ahren and Sooner Red looked at each other worriedly before turning back and gesturing to the still-smashed-in doors. At that moment, the body of a Steel Strong Man came crashing out of a window above and slammed into the sidewalk next to them.
"Holy crap!" Nester shouted as he reached down and checked the big man's wrist, "I... I was hoping my readings were wrong... There's no pulse."
Kipland and Cory Simmons looked to each other, but their expressions didn't change. They looked back to the heroes and shrugged.
"I know we're not supposed to kill," Kip said to them, "But I would really appreciate it if you guys didn't try to kick Aaron's head in when we find him."
"Something bad's going on, isn't it?" Cerise Nation asked, and the short young man nodded, "Alright, I won't hurt him."
"I'm making no promises," Ahren growled, "We had this cell, we were all set up, and now, days of planning, DAYS, all to waste because some idiot decides he wants to start a war."
"We'll explain if we get the chance," Kip muttered as he marched into the building.
Inside was what could only be described as a charnel house. Bullet-riddled corpses littered the floor, and they weren't all Strongmen. Broken porcelain, bits of metal, torn ribbons and tatters of cloth were strewn about, but what was most haunting were the bodies. Most of them still had their masks, but those that didn't were just as expressionless as the fake faces they'd once wore.
They didn't even look like they felt pain when the bullets tore into them.
"My god," Nester gasped, "I never... I never th-..."
He couldn't find the words.
"Aaron's from another world," Cory explained, "To him, this sort of ruthlessness is a simple and understandable response to what these people have done to him. Some would say that we would respond in just such a fashion should the same happen to us... I know I would."
"Doesn't that terrify you, though?" the trench coat-clad man asked as they reached the elevator and stepped inside, "That you know you're capable of an atrocity such as this?"
"I don't see why it should," the warlock replied calmly, "And no, that's not my devil's blood talking... If somebody stole my son, if I had one, I know I would try to move Heaven and Earth to find him, and I would make the people who committed such a sin against me pay with flesh, blood, and if I can get it, their very souls."
Simmons didn't notice, but at the mention of his "devil's blood," the young Sooner heroine suddenly stared very intently at him and tensed subtly. Ahren, who had been grumbling to himself about "wasted time" and a "need to figure out how to make it up later," came out of his reverie and placed his hand calmingly (and a little warningly) on the heroine's shoulder. Cerise's hands relaxed off of her energy blade hilts and she took a breath as her partner asked the obvious question.
"So, your friend up there..." an explosion above interrupted him, "Jeez... Sooner, he has grenades, too. Anyway... The Carnies kidnapped his child?"
"It's a bit of a long story," Cory replied, "It-"
"Wife used to be a Carnie," Kip muttered in a high monotone, "Child's a psychic. Yesterday, found the child was missing from the hospital. Doctors and nurses couldn't tell us much of anything, heck, nobody could remember anything from the night before. Only clue we had was some kid who said something about 'clown girls' and Aaron made some calls, got his guns, came here. We've been trying to catch him before he did something crazy."
"Too late, huh?" the tanker almost snorted derisively.
"Maybe."
Nester was staring at a holographic screen emitting from his wrist. His face seemed scrunched up in disbelief. However, before he could say anything, the elevator door opened and they were moving again. However, this didn't stop the medic's scans.
"I can't say I blame him," the red-and-white clad heroine commented as she saw a burned out helmet still rocking on the floor, "Lord knows what I would do if something happened to one of my sisters..."
"I trust it would be quite unpleasant for the individuals responsible," Simmons commented, again not noticing the hard glare directed at him by the heroine.
Kipland noticed, however, but before he could say anything, his brother stopped him and pushed him around a corner with a pretense of discussing his readings. Before his younger brother could protest, Nester put a hand to his mouth and lowered his green-tinted shades so he could look directly into his eyes.
"They don't know us," he whispered, "They just want to know what the Hell Aaron was thinking. Yes, I saw how she looked at Cory, almost like she was considering killing him, and I'm concerned, too. But unless they do something, we've got no reason to exacerbate the situation. Things are bad enough as it is!"
"Nester, things always get worse," Kip replied, "Worse always seems to find a way!"
"True... But do you want to be the catalyst responsible?"
Kip didn't have an answer for that, so he held his tongue.
"Let's get Aaron and get the Hell out of here. And try not to make a scene, we're already in enough of one and these two are irritated enough that our errant brother spoiled their day."
"Like they can't find something else to do in this crazy burg..."
"See, that right there," Nester wagged his finger in his brother's face, "Don't say things like that."
"Fine..."
They continued on, and it seemed as if the battle had grown more heated and violent as it wore on. They could hear Aaron above them, still fighting. Sometimes there were lulls in the gunfire, but they were quickly followed by heavy thuds as large, heavy bodies hit the floor, never to move again. Then, once his weapons were reloaded, the gunfire resumed.
"Is he registered with the authorities?" Ahren asked as they reached a set of stairs leading to the next floor, "I'd hate to think actions like his are sanctioned by heroes like Statesman or Sister Psyche..."
"He's not a hero," Nester replied, "Not in our sense. He's... He's with the C.I.A. He works for Crimson."
Ahren slapped his forehead and barked a curse.
"That explains why he knew about this place..."
"You think maybe he wanted us to take care of this so his child wouldn't get kidnapped?" Sooner asked worriedly, concerned that their delay so they could come prepared may have had this terrible consequence.
"Not likely," Kip replied, "There's no guarantee that this cell had anything to do with it... Besides, even if it did and you took it out a couple days ago, DaVore would have just sent a different group. She's sick like that."
"Top floor," Nester sighed, "This should be the last of it."
Just as he touched the doorknob, the shooting stopped. Other sounds of battle, the plodding of heavy boots and the sounds of heavy metal hitting the floor stopped as well. Nester turned the knob and pushed the door inward.
Inside was a wide expanse. It wasn't an office, it wasn't a suite. It was still in the process of being remodeled. That remodeling would never finish now, however, not after Aaron Durj had blasted red stains across the sheet rock walls.
"What took you guys so long," the man asked as he holstered his pistols and kicked the corpse of a Master Illusionist over, "You missed out on all the fun."
"Air," Kip asked, "Did you find out what you needed to know?"
"Interrogations?" the gunslinger asked, "Oh no, Kip, that's not what this was. This... This was a message... I was sending a message to that [censored] and I'm damn sure she got it. This was one of her favorite puppets over the past year... Well, she doesn't look like a woman anymore."
He gestured to the broken body, then across the room.
"None of them do."
"Aaron..." Nester's voice was cracking a little, "You murdered them..."
"What? Nester, check your facts. None of these dolls had much more time left in the world anyway. There's only so much their [censored]-queen can do to keep them going, but I made sure she understands... I'm looking for her, for him, and I better get back whats mine, or I'm going to keep doing this and it's only going to get worse."
"Puppets?" the medic asked as he looked at his holographic monitor again, "Oh... Oh! Now it makes sense... Wait a minute..."
"Now, I have to report in," the gunslinger said as he looked out the windows on the other side of the room, and he saw the heroes he'd met outside standing in his way, "Oh, you two... Did Crimson send you here?"
"Yeah," Ahren replied, "That was a raw deal, little man. We're entitled to some kind of compensation. I've lost sleep trying to figure out how Sooner Red, here, and I were going to tackle this, and you single-handedly trounced the entire cell. Why were we even sent here?"
"Because the oversight committees frown on our using depleted uranium to do jobs like this," Aaron replied, "I'll talk to Red to see if he'll shuffle the paperwork so you get the credit, alright?"
"It sounds okay..." Ahren growled, "But you tell him I don't appreciate getting jerked around like this! If he wants heroes to work with him, he's going to have to treat us with a lot more respect! I'm not doing anymore of this 'clean-up' crap for him, and I'm not serving as a face for his flunkies."
"I'll run it by him. For now, I gotta get back to Indigo..."
With that, Aaron withdrew his communicator from his belt and pressed a button. In a flash of white light, he disappeared. He didn't even reappear outside the windows.
"That was just plain weird," Cerise sighed, "You guys work with that guy?"
"No, we're just related," Kip replied, "I can't... I can't believe this is happening. What do we do now? He doesn't really think the Carnies are going to invite him to the penthouse of Paragon Heights and Vanessa's just going to hand over to him the bundle of joy, does he?"
"With enough-" Cory was about to explain the idea the young man seemed to be operating on when Nester interrupted them.
"Guys, if my readings are correct, all of these people were dead long before Aaron did this... I mean, according to this, all of these people have been dead for nine months... Give or take a few days or weeks."
"Really?" the warlock asked, "That long?"
"Yeah," Nester replied, "And I'm seeing something weird..."
"We should probably leave," Ahren suggested, "There's nothing else we can do here and I'll talk with Crimson... I guess it makes sense and all... I don't know, seeing that guy was a little unsettling. I always figured the people on our side were, you know, uncompromising."
"Morality is relative," Kip shrugged.
"Wait," Cory suddenly sounded very worried, "Nester, you said they've been dead for nine months?"
"Roughly," the medic replied.
"And Aaron called them puppets..."
"Right."
The warlock's head shook sharply fro left to right and he seemed to be whispering to himself. Sooner Red could have sworn she head voices running past her, one sounding vaguely like Simmons, and the other sounding like... Like...
Azuria?
"We should leave, now," the warlock suddenly said, "Go for the windows, we can't go downstairs!"
"Why?" Ahren asked, folding his arms over his chest in irritation.
"Because magic was keeping these people 'alive,'" Cortland replied as he ran for the windows, "But once their bodies were damaged beyond DaVore's ability to keep them together, she withdrew that magic."
"And?"
"Well, the way it works is that nature takes effect once magic is removed from the equation. However, it acts as if magic had never been there, it makes up for lost time!"
Nester's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"No..."
"Yes."
"Run for the windows!" Nester shouted as he took to the air and started flying for the reinforced panes, "we can't go downstairs and we've got to get the Hell out of here, now!"
The heroes followed, and to Sooner's relief, it was Kip who asked his brother just what was going on.
"Nature takes effect as if the magic had never been there," Nester fired his radiation bolts into the windows as Cory hurled fire and ice, "That's nine months of rot... All at once... Sure, the later months are probably perfectly fine, but it's the first three that are going to kill us!"
The scrappers and tanker shook visibly at the thought, and while Sooner looked a little queasy, Ahren and Kip ran for the windows and tried to help get through the glass. In the end, it was a savage uppercut from the tanker that smashed through (really, he smashed the frame, blowing out two panes instead of one) and releasing the heroes as noxious gasses started exploding throughout the building.
It wasn't over yet, however, and they had to dive from the ledge or risk getting smothered or blasted from the building anyway. With no other options, the heroes leaped. Kip and Cory were preparing their own methods of possibly rescuing the other two heroes (as the scrapper and blaster knew they could fly, but didn't know what Ahren and Sooner could do) when they all suddenly just stopped in mid-air.
"I never thought I'd have to use that..." Nester explained as he tapped a few buttons on his wrist.
Little sparkles revealed the rapidly oscillating nanites holding the heroes aloft as Nester gently floated them to a nearby building. Kip and Cory glared at the man since they were certain about their safety, but Ahren and Sooner seemed at least a little grateful.
"Thanks!" the heroine said once they'd landed and Nester had shut down the field, "That was much better than being over there..."
A thick cloud of sickening gas was emanating from the windows of the structure they'd just escaped. The heroes could see the headlines already, that much of downtown Skyway City was about to have a very stinky day due to a heroic event.
"Holy cow," Kip grunted as he doubled over from the stench, "I don't suppose we could call Project Whirlwind over here to help blow this air into the stratosphere, could we?"
The heroes could only quietly, sadly, shake their heads.
"I don't want the credit for that," Ahren said pointedly to Kip as he waved his hand toward the building, "Oh shoot, that's right... You're not him."
"We'll let him know," Cortland chuckled.
(("Baby" Sooner Red used with permission from Sooner. Ahren used with permission from Ice9. Thanks, you two. I like being able to show that our characters are all in this world together.))
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.