Part 1
In the light of day, the line between the reality of my life and the nightmare is unclear. At night, it vanishes entirely. Things I wish forgotten are remembered, experiences relived, feelings endured over and over. I turn off the light, and it begins.
The girl that was Bonnie lay in the dim light of what could charitably be called a hospital. The door to her room was locked, of course, but on that day, Bonnie was too hurt to even try leaving. On this day, all she could do was stare at the swollen, suppurative mass that was her left arm. This Bonnie couldnt even remember the life that had been stolen from her. She could only feel her own flesh dying, and could only remember what they had done.
The girl that was Bonnie, the girl that still had her life, waited offstage, while the Dean of the College of Engineering of Paragon City University introduced her. She nervously clutched her papers, and determinedly did not look at the audience. Who would have dreamed that so many people would be interested in the theory of robotics engineering?
That girl, that Bonnie, had no plans for her life beyond living forever in her academic ivory tower and playing with robotic design. She had hopes of creating new and sophisticated prosthetics that would help people live better lives. She even dreamed, quietly, of creating prosthetic organs. There would be no need for organ donation, she thought, if she could build a robot heart that would never fail, and never be rejected.
<In my dreams, I hover over Bonnie-that-was and scream at her to run back to her ivory tower. Her life is nearly over, and she stands there dreaming of prosthetic hearts. But Bonnie-that-was never hears me. She only hears the Dean, And now, please welcome Bonnie Rose.>
Bonnie smiled shyly and stepped onto the stage. She reminded herself, again, not to crumple the papers clutched in her hands. She glanced at the power point slide on the screen behind her. It displayed the title of her presentation, and her name, with an impressive string of letters following it, impressive indeed for a girl just now 20 years old.
<I can hear the clanking, whirring sound that will steal Bonnies life approaching. She doesnt hear it. She hears the polite, restrained applause of her audience, and the roar of her nervousness in her own ears. She approaches the podium, sets her papers on it, and clutches at it. She clears her throat noisily, and jumps as the noise reverberates through the hall. Hello, she says into the microphone. Im Bonnie Rose, and Ive been studying robotics at MIT for four years.>
The girl that barely remembered being Bonnie sat staring at everything she needed to make a state of the art prosthetic arm. Her right hand rubbed unconsciously at the nub that had been her left arm. It was healed now, just a little itching from the scar tissue. All she had to do was agree to help them, and it could be hers. The arm she had lost because she refused them could be replaced, if she finally gave in. The Bonnie that had dreamed of making prosthetic hearts was lost in pain and fear and hopelessness. She protested, once, then subsided, as the woman that was soon to be Ebony began constructing a new arm.
<I want to turn away, I dont want to see the end of my life, but I cant stop. Its not real, and I cant stop watching. Bonnie stands at the podium, slim and pale. The clanking is louder, it is growing closer, but she still doesnt hear. She clicks the pointer, going through her presentation, not knowing that each click brings them closer and closer.>
Bonnie was finally getting past her nervousness. She always had loved teaching. She even managed to step out from behind the podium and walk around a little. She began to discuss the importance humans place on lifelike qualities in robotics, and activated the small robotic dog waiting just offstage. It ran on stage, spun around in circles, and then obediently sat and waited for a command. Bonnie smiled at her audience. She picked up a tennis ball from the podium, tossed it toward the back of the stage and then... The world exploded.
<I scream, even though no one can hear, I scream for Bonnie. The entire back wall of the hall explodes inward, and the whirring clanking robots invade the hall, followed by men in hateful archaic uniforms. I try to flee, but Im doomed, shes doomed. >
Bonnie stared in shock. She recognized the machines of Nemesis instantly, of course. She had studied them, even written papers about them. She had never seen an actual working model before, though. She was too fascinated to realize her danger. She was so caught up in analyzing the problems with balance associated with the shifting of weight while trying to approximate a normal human step that she didnt realize right away that it was taking steps directly towards her!
She turned and ran, stumbling in her unfamiliar high heels. Her papers flew around her like leaves in a wind storm. The metallic sounds grew louder and louder. She turned back, and saw a single gigantic claw reaching for her. She threw her hands up, fell, and
I awake, screaming. If the people who now make up my family hear me scream myself awake, they never tell me. Of course, they have their own demons. Perhaps they cant hear me over their own screams. I turn onto my right side, and my hand reaches up to caress the cool metal of my prosthetic left arm. And I stare into night, remembering.
...to be continued...
Was about time you joined us here, Sooner. Me like. Please, do continue. 
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Part 2
The quiet humming sounds of the Ghosts Reborns base machinery were the only noises keeping Sooner Spirit company as she shifted in her chair and sipped her coffee. The enormous table before her was empty except for a thick file folder, open to the picture of a young woman with black hair and a shy smile. Sooner moved the picture aside and revealed a surveillance photo of that same woman wearing a skin tight black leather jumpsuit covering her entire body except for the shiny metal of a prosthetic left arm. The woman in the picture, a villain known as Ebony Rose, was pointing at something out of frame, and the half dozen huge, well-armed robots behind her were firing lasers, rockets, and some sort of flash grenade in that direction.
Sooner rifled slowly through the file, stopping to read a passage here and there. Co-leader of group: Shades of Vengeance, expert in traps, believed aligned with Black Scorpion, identified as a potential Destined One. The case haunted her and she found herself going back to it again and again, trying to make it all fit together. She hardly needed the file anymore, she knew it nearly by heart. She had been there nearly from the beginning of Ebony Roses story. She and several of her friends had gone in to rescue the students that Rose had helped kidnap.
None of those students had been willing to believe that Rose had orchestrated the attack and kidnaping, but the evidence was so solid. Payoffs, secret accounts, information Nemesis shouldnt have been able to get, unless someone, like Bonnie Rose, had been handing it out to them.
Sooner lifted the mug shot from Bonnies arrest. Shed been arrested as she tried to attack Paragon City with a battle robot. A pale, tired, thin woman looked out with dead eyes. Her face was utterly without expression. Corrections officers had taken her prosthetic arm at that point and the stump of her left arm, ending just past the shoulder, looked horribly naked and pathetic. Even at the time, Sooner had thought the attack a particularly foolish plan for a woman of Roses intelligence.
Rose had told a story of kidnaping, torture, and coercion, and claimed that her attempted attack was actually her escape from Nemesis, not an attack at all. But the evidence was solid, concrete solid, and Rose had been sentenced to life in the Zig for an impressive list of crimes including conspiracy, treason, kidnaping, violations of the super powered crime fighting act, and perjury. And there she had stayed until she escaped and fled to the Rogue Isles. She had allied herself with some of the most powerful enemies of the Ghosts Reborn and they had formed themselves into The Shades of Vengeance. The Shades were responsible for the death, disappearance, or maiming of many of Sooners closest friends. The enmity between the two groups was intense.
Sooner laid the mug shot aside and picked up a half-sized manila envelope. It was the latest addition to the thick file, and it contained new evidence about the guilt of Bonnie Rose. In brief, it strongly suggested that Rose had been telling the truth all along. She was the victim, not the perpetrator. She had been the victim of a Nemesis plot. The kidnaping of the other students was merely a distraction from the fact that Nemesis had abducted one of the brightest minds in modern robotics, and held her for years, forcing her to work on their automaton project. Which carried with it the strong suggestion that Sooner herself had created one of their most powerful enemies.
She sighed, rested her hand on the file, and closed her eyes, remembering...
The destruction of the lecture hall was hard-hitting emotional blow. The civilian casualties had already been removed from the hall, but the destruction to property still told a powerful story about the attack. Sooner bounced a small musket ball in her hand as she picked her way through the rubble. There had been no real resistance at all. She looked down at a remarkably lifelike robotic dog, with soft black fur. Lifelike, except for having been ripped nearly in half, and still trying to walk. It emitted a pitiful, electronic barking sound before finally collapsing in a shower of sparks and ozone smell of burning wires.
Sooner Spirit! a man called. Sooner turned. A middle-aged man who had undoubtedly started the day in a suit and tie approached, waving a sheet of paper. His shirt and pants were torn and stained, the jacket and tie nowhere to be seen. His fingernails were dirty and broken. He was sweaty and dusty, and his eyes didnt yet believe what theyd seen that day. Heres the list. Six students in all. All invited as speakers from the department of experimental robotics from MIT. He pointed to a name in the middle of the list, They attacked while this one, Bonnie Rose, was speaking.
Sooner took the list and scanned it. Six hostages, taken by Nemesis. She nodded, Ok, Mr. Harrison, Im on it.
Please get them back, Sooner Spirit, he begged softly.
The phone call came about an hour later. Ive found the warehouse, he said. They were seen carrying the hostages into a warehouse in Peregrine Island. Youll want friends.
Ok, I can call some people. Six hostages, warehouse, Nemies. She opened her closet and pulled out a new cape, checked the drape, and shrugged into it. Im on it.
Five hostages, Sooner, he said. Rose is on the Nemesis payroll. She set the whole thing up.
She glanced down at the list, Bonnie Rose is a target, and not a hostage?
Shes a secondary priority. Get the hostages out. If you can take down Rose without endangering the hostages, do so.
It was a chaos of explosions, choking gas, snipers, and fire. The first four hostages were safe, and Sooner and her team were trying to find the last one, a young man named Tuvar Varun. It was tougher than even her contact had warned, but the Ghosts Reborn were winning. Slowly and painfully, but winning nonetheless.
Ahren scouted ahead. The peacebringer was one of the first people Sooner had called for this mission, he was one of the heroes she trusted most. He flew back to the team, a tall, powerfully built man surrounded by shining white light. She always remembered him like that.
Hes just ahead, around the corner, Ahren said. Theres a stack of crates we can use for cover. Three of them. Sooners team gathered up, rested just long enough to catch their breath, and then broke around the large crate and took the small group holding Tuvar by surprise. Sooners fists flashed. She lost herself in the fever of super-powered battle, the lights, the colors, the sounds. The blinding white energy of the peacebringers attacks flared around her. The glow from Zemurons powers, green, blue, red surrounded them and kept the whole team moving forward. The dark energies of Broken Shadows powers, as well as her own creating shadows where none should be. The satisfying smack of her fists on flesh, and the equally satisfying crunch of Princess Ginsus kicks making hard contact as well. And then the last of the group of soldiers was down, and the last of the hostages was freed.
With the grateful student still gushing his gratitude, Sooner started to lead the way deeper into the warehouse. A strong hand grabbed her elbow. She turned, and met the glowing white eyes of a man she respected and trusted. He hovered there, between her and the rest of her team, the energy that made up his power flaring around his body.Lets go, Ahren said. We got what we came for.
But Rose is still here. If we dont take her now, we may never get another chance, Sooner argued. But then she looked, really looked at her team. They were battered and bruised; expensive costumes torn and stained. Blood dripped from minor cuts and scrapes. She knew if she insisted they proceed, theyd follow. She also knew it would not be what any of them would prefer. The students were safe. Rose was a secondary priority. She took one deep breath and let it out slowly. Ok. Ok, lets go.
Sooner turned to look back into the warehouse. And thats when she saw, for the first time, the woman who would become Ebony Rose. A small upstairs office with a window looking over the large open area. Roses pale face looking down, her black hair mussed into a dark halo around her head, her eyes wide as she met Sooners. It was just a split second before Rose opened her mouth and then vanished. Certain that Rose was calling for reinforcements, Sooner turned back to her team. Ok! Out of here! Go, go, go!
It was late. The base lights were dimmed. Those of the Ghosts who made their home in the base were all long asleep. It was late, but Sooner still sat, rifling through the file. She could still see Ahren, in her mind, it was how she always saw him. A tall, good-looking man, hovering in his own pure white energy. Shed never say it to him, but it might have been better if the Shades had killed him. Instead, theyd ripped the light out of him. Ahren seemed smaller somehow since he came back, scarred and robbed of half his very life. Had Rose participated in that atrocity? Ahren either didnt remember, or didnt care to say. He didnt talk much since he came back, either.
She lifted her coffee cup, but it was empty. With a sigh, Sooner slid the picture of Bonnie Rose from the program, the mug shot of Bonnie Rose when she was finally arrested, and the picture of Ebony Rose, one of the most powerful villains in the Rogue Isles. She laid the three photos side by side and stared into the face of that woman. She studied the photos, and wondered just how much of the villainous life of Ebony Rose was due to the actions of Sooner Spirit.
...to be continued...
Part 3
Heroes save people. Thats what they do. They rescue people who are in trouble. They do not leave them in horrible dark places with bad people who will hurt them....or so I believed. Once. Now, lying in the darkness in the depths of another night in which my sleeplessness is broken only by dreams which give me no rest at all, I know better. Heroes just wear their shiny clothes, and wave at the crowds, and rescue the occasional cat in a tree. And they leave people like me behind.
<Its the warehouse again. Bonnie huddles, terrified, in a corner. The soldiers ignore her, except for demanding her silence when she dared to ask what was happening. She still doesnt know her life is over. She still believes there are heroes.>
The room was large, but filled with a dark wooden conference table and swivel chairs upholstered in pale, industrial grey. A large window looked out into the open space of a warehouse. Bonnie could see a metal flight of stairs, leading up to the level she was on, and large stacks of crates on the lower level. Several of the Nemesis soldiers and the small crab-like robots were scattered over what she could see of the lower level, and two of the giant robots, the man-shaped one called a fake Nemesis, and another shed always thought looked like a macabre snowglobe on legs stood just outside the room. She nervously took another step towards the window, and thats when she saw her friend Tuvar, being menaced by three of the soldiers.
Tuvar! she yelled, Help! Help, Tuvar! even as she yelled, she knew he was in no better position to help her than she was to help him, but she couldnt help herself.
<I cry out in my dark room as Bonnie falls. One of the soldiers hit her in the back with his rifle butt. Not enough to do damage, but enough to knock her down and intimidate her into silence again. Shes so frightened, and yet she still doesnt really understand what has happened to her. She stays there, cowed, until the so-called heroes arrive. She cant resist returning to the window. >
Bonnie filled with hope when she saw the heroes. She recognized Sooner Spirit in her red leather and cape, she could tell there was a peacebringer there too, and... yes, Broken Shadow was always with Sooner, there he was. And Zemuron and Princess Ginsu as well. They would save her! She didnt understand what was happening, but it was as good as over.
Bonnie was smiling as she watched the heroes free Tuvar. She could already see them, in her mind, running up the steps, battling the two giant robots guarding the door, and freeing her. She might even get to finish her lecture!
But then the heroes stopped and turned away. Bonnie felt the color drain from her face. They were leaving. They didnt save her. She stared, horrified and stunned, at their backs.
Sooner Spirit turned and looked back. Their eyes met, and Bonnie saw the recognition in Sooners face. Bonnie opened her mouth to scream, to plead for Sooner to help her, and Sooner turned away once more.
No! Bonnie screamed, just as the butt of a rifle struck her again. No! Come back! She fell, and was hit again. Dont leave me here! And again. Please, come back! And again.
I choke back the scream. Twice in one night is too many times to wake screaming. I throw back my blankets and sit up. The sun is not yet up over the sea, but Im done trying to sleep. This is my life, its never going to change. Theres no point in reliving what was.
---
Sooner was surprised to find shed dozed off in her chair. Shed been dreaming of that night in the warehouse, only instead of Nemesis robots, it had been an endless battle against Ebony Roses battle robots. Ahren had collapsed and was crushed under their metal feet. He was just the first in a parade of Ghosts who had fallen to the Shades who found their way into her dream. She had watched a dozen of her close friends burned, crushed, or ripped apart.
She sat forward and rubbed her face with her hands, and stayed that way, staring through her hands at the open file. Finally, she resolutely planted her palms on the table, stood, and strode to the phone. She had some calls to make.
---
Nothing moves at the pace we would like, not in Paragon City, not in the Rogue Isles. Phone calls were made. Meetings were held. Arguments were fought. A deal was reached. And then came the tough part. A purse snatcher in Atlas Park called his brother who was minor muscle for the Family. The message traveled from Family bosses in Independence Port to a well respected consigliere in Striga to a Marcone boss in Port Oakes. That particular Marcone boss remembered an especially unpleasant encounter with Ebony Rose, and the message was nearly lost there. In the end, he decided not to risk her anger, and he passed the word on to a broker there in Port Oakes. The message was passed up and down the network of brokers until Wiggy the Brit in Grandville contacted Rose with the message. It was a name, three words that hit Rose much like the butt of a rifle landing squarely over a kidney. Subaltern Tuvar Varan
---
Youve done what?! The tone was deceptively mild, indistinguishable from a polite inquiry about her health. UPS 2.2 sat staring at Sooner, and if his voice was mild, his expression was not. In fact, all around the table sat Sooners friends, and their expressions ranged from incredulity to fury. And, as if UPSs question opened a floodgate, they all burst into arguments at the same time.
Shes one of their LEADERS!
Shed kill you in a second!
No, shed take about a month or so to kill Sooner. The rest of us shed kill in a second.
Are you out of your god damned mind?!?
Sooner, you cant be serious!
She raised her hands and waited for the noise to subside. She wont talk to me. I need one of you to meet her.
You know you cant trust her, Zemuron said, a statement and not any kind of question.
Sooner stood abruptly, slapping her palms on the table. She. Was. Innocent.
UPS leaned back in chair, his voice still soft, She's been running with and living with evil for a long time now. People do change, ya know? And not always for the better.
Sooner looked back at him, struggling with her answer, before settling on, Zem, UPS, I have to try.
Ok, Zemuron said with a nod, Ill do it.
---
Ebony Rose sat at a corner booth in Pocket D. A glass of ice water with lemon was at the elbow of her prosthetic arm. She stared, speechless, at the masked red-skinned man sitting across from her.
Zemuron shifted in his seat What? You wanted more? There was humor in his voice, but this deal was deadly serious.
Rose lifted her water glass, grateful that her metal hand wouldnt shake the way her right hand wouldve, and sipped at her water. She still thumped the glass back on the table in a rare loss of control. She leaned forward, reading over the documents again.
A full pardon. Immunity from prosecution. A job in Longbows R&D division. She looked up at him.
And you take out Varans base. You share with us everything you know about Nemesis and the automaton project.
And I betray my friends.
You give us the leaders of the Shades.
She took another sip of her water. Her whole body was shaking. She tried to speak, but couldnt. She looked down at the photographs of Shattered Ice9, Cowboy Nightmare, and Death Shrowd. She looked across the length of Pocket D to the elevator that led to Paragon City. When do you need my answer?
The offer expires in 72 hours.
Rose nodded and stood slowly. Ill be in touch She activated her flight field and hovered for just a moment while her equipment came up to speed.
Zemuron stood and held out an envelope. Here... call this a freebie.
---
...to be continued...
Part 4a
Rose held the flash drive tight in her fist. She was a turmoil of emotions, her face felt hot and flush one moment and tight and pale the next. Anger and hate were long-time companions, but hope was something she hadnt felt in far too long, and fierce joy and anticipation were strangers to her. She opened her hand and looked down at the tiny object, and then closed her fist tightly again, as if she were afraid it would fly away.
She had taken the envelope Zemuron had given her and flown high into the sky over Mercy Island, where the chances of being observed were small. She opened it to find nothing but the small, matte black flash drive inside. She did not dare take it to her base until she knew what was on it, so instead she flew to the university in Cap au Diable, found a computer in a far, quiet corner, and plugged the drive in.
The first file detailed the evidence showing that Tuvar Varan had been in the employ of Nemesis starting about 6 months after he joined the department of experimental robotics and became Bonnie Roses friend. The second covered his career with Nemesis since graduating from MIT with honors. The third was the jackpot; detailed plans and the exact location of the base he led. Which just happened to be the base where Bonnie Rose had been held, tortured, maimed, and forced to work. Best of all, all the information was free of any clue who had supplied it, so Rose could safely take the drive back to her base to work on her plans there.
Rose walked slowly into the lobby of the university library. She found a public phone and stood there, staring at her closed fist. She looked up, took one deep breath, and dialed the phone number Zemuron had asked her to memorize. It rang precisely five times before it was picked up, silently. Rose hesitated - the decision she was making would not only change her life dramatically, but profoundly impact other lives as well - then spoke a single word. Yes.
---
Roses new lab was located on ground level of the Shades base. She much preferred it to the old lab for a number of reasons, but most important were it was so much bigger that her old space, and it was away from the basement, where she could sometimes hear screams from some of Shattereds projects. Shed never been especially comfortable with his treatment of what he liked to call his guests, but here, she could at least ignore it.
She had made the lab her own, and it was the one room in the base she felt the most comfortable. One long wall was covered with robotic spare parts, arms, legs, weapons, energy packs, teleport units. Another wall was completely taken up with her chemistry and explosives supplies, including a locked walk-in cabinet, an enormous safe, and a chemical hood to vent away vapors. Neatly covered power tools, a precision lathe, and computer equipment stood against the next wall. A long workbench stretched the length of the room, and several pieces of shiny brass, bundles of wires and circuit boards, and small glass domes resided there.
The final wall was a huge window that opened out into a courtyard where she had planted her roses. She had fought long with Shattered over that window and courtyard, but finally persuaded him. Shattered had an interesting sense of family, and for better or worse, Rose apparently fell in that category.
Rose shook off the stab of guilt. She was ecstatic about her return to Paragon City, but the fact that her return would come at the expense of people she had lived and worked closely with for the last several years was deeply troubling to her.
She was so startled she nearly cried out when she glanced up and realized Shattered Ice9 was in her lab. He was studying the plans she had tacked to wall. She set aside her soldering iron and walked to stand at his shoulder. He was tall, white haired, and, in her opinion, utterly insane. It shouldnt have surprised her that he stopped by, shed been in here for hours, and he liked to know what was going on.
Nemesis again? he asked.
Its the base where I was held, she answered. She let some of her emotion show, he would expect it. She knew he was uncomfortable with the fact that she actually had been innocent of the crimes she was convicted for. It was a subject he seemed to avoid, except when it came to her near obsessive hatred of Nemesis. Hatred he understood. And its being run by the guy who set me up.
That got his attention. When do you want to go? She could tell he was preparing to step in and take charge, but she was not about to let him, or anyone, take this away from her.
Ill handle this one myself, she answered. Its an old score, and Im going to enjoy settling it.
As you wish, he answered, Handle this how you see fit, but if anything goes wrong we will bring the whole complex down on their heads.
She smiled. Thats the plan.
---
Rose crouched outside the carefully hidden Nemesis base. Even though she had been held here for a long time, she had only seen the outside once, during her desperate escape. The base was almost entirely underground, and the building on the surface appeared to be a neat, well constructed barn for storing hay and grain for the cattle grazing nearby.
Rose reviewed her plans one last time. She had spent some extra time and called in a few favors for some special equipment for this particular operation. She had a slim backpack packed with materials, and her belt loaded with extras. She had the base plans memorized, and a detailed step by step operation. Nonetheless, she always had to quell a part of her that panicked whenever she faced Nemesis, convinced she would be recaptured. She reminded herself, as always, that if, by some chance, she were taken, Shattered and the Shades would come after her, taking down the entire Nemesis structure base by base, if necessary, to find her. She resolutely pushed away the rush of guilt that accompanied that thought, and activated her invis-field.
She stood, reminded herself that Nemesis soldiers were trained to look for the tell-tale signs of invisibility and that she still needed to be careful, and strode across the field to the barn. She slipped inside, identified the security cameras and waited until they were all turned away before opening the door that led to the emergency stairs.
She started at the lowest level, placing carefully constructed charges at the base of major support columns. She had a remote trigger set up, but also set a timer on them, just in case. If this were a civilian target she would be expected to set up secondary charges rigged to injure and wound first responders, a trick she loathed but others among the Shades viewed with satisfaction. But she had no need for that particular nasty trick this time. The lower level was unoccupied by Nemesis soldiers, and she had no problems setting her charges at her selected sites.
The next level was trickier and she had to maneuver carefully to avoid Nemesis solders. She had fewer charges to place on this level, but it took longer to do so because of the wandering patrols. She was placing a charge in the back corner of a dark room when a lone soldier walked in. She crouched, holding her breath, as he adjusted his uniform, stretched, yawned, and started to walk back out. She didnt know if he heard her careful exhale, or had just realized what he had seen, but he whirled back towards her suddenly and drew his weapon.
She sprang from her hiding place and sprinted towards him. He was still trying to target her when she planted a gas trap at his feet. The thick green fog spewed out around them. Rose had given herself, and all the Shades, treatments making them immune to this gas, but to others, it could be incapacitating. As the choking gas swirled up and around the soldier and into his airways he lost interest in trying to shoot at Rose, and started concentrating on trying to breath. He dropped his weapon and his hands scrabbled frantically at his throat. With a grimace of distaste, Rose picked up his weapon and rammed the bayonet end into his chest. He was still struggling for breath as he collapsed.
Rose peeked out into the deserted hallway, and heaved a sigh of relief. She dragged the heavy body back into the shadows of the room. She checked for a pulse, didnt find one, and carefully wiped the blood off her hands on his uniform. She knew she would have to pick up the pace now. There was no way of knowing how long before the dead man was discovered missing or his body was found. And the most difficult part was yet to come.
She stood at the doorway to the next level, the office level. It was late, but the information on the flash drive included the fact that Tuvars student habit of working late at night continued in the service of Nemesis. And if she didnt find him in his office, she knew where his quarters were. She checked her equipment one last time. Every step had to go perfectly.
She pushed the door into the hallway open an inch and peeked out, then slipped through, opening it no wider than necessary. Quietly, slowly, not counting on her invisibility to keep her safe, she slipped down the hall. It was dark and quiet and mostly deserted. She could hear voices ahead and around the corner, but when she looked, the pair of soldiers were actually chatting in a room and not watching the hallway at all. She slipped past, and then she could see ahead Subaltern Tuvar Varuns office. She smiled to see the lights were on, and both the inner and outer doors were open. That made the first part of her job easier.
She readied herself with her back to the door. Her heart was racing, and she closed her eyes to force herself to calm down. This was not the time for nerves. She held a gas trap in one hand, a web grenade in the other, and had slipped a roll of duct tape over her wrist. With one final deep breath, she slipped around the doorway and through the first door of his office. She was counting on him not having the combat training of his soldiers, being a technician and not a combatant, but she was prepared for the possibility that he might see her. She walked slowly and quietly through the second door into a large, lushly appointed office. It was like the set from a period movie. Dark rich stained wood with ornate scroll work, tapestry curtains, paintings of hunting scenes with carved wooden frames. The carpet was a rich, thick oriental design and even the ceiling tiles were embossed with an antique design. Classical music, Mozart she believed, played quietly in the background.
Seated at the enormous desk, with his uniform tunic unbuttoned and a cup of steaming coffee in a delicate china cup at his elbow, was Tuvar, a man she had once believed was her friend. When she had gone to MIT at 16, hed been like a big brother to her. Her emotions swirled up into a confused storm at the sight of him sitting there, but she resolutely stamped them out. He had filled out, from a scrawny nerd to a much more attractive man. His dark curls, long and unkempt when she knew him before were now cut short and neat. The bold primary red of the uniform suited his dark skin.
Rose circled the room carefully so as to make no noise. She could see he was working on a budget, and didnt seem happy with it. She was quite pleased to see that his chair was heavy and sturdy, that would help. She made her way back around to the door and carefully reviewed her plan one more time.
She waited until he lifted his coffee cup for a sip, then reached out and pushed the door closed. When he looked up, startled at the sound of the latch, she raced forward and quickly placed a gas trap right on his desk. He gasped for breath, but managed to stand, not completely incapacitated by the gas. Rose was prepared for that possibility, and tossed the web grenade at him. He was instantly engulfed in the sticky web, and Rose leapt onto and over the desk shoving him back into his chair. He was nearly twice her weight, but she had surprise, gas, and web on her side. She quickly slapped a strip of duct tape over his mouth. While he was distracted by trying to breath through his nostrils with the poison gas still filling the office, she taped his wrists to the arms of the chair. He began to fight in earnest then, but it was really too late for him. It was a battle to tape his ankles to the heavy chair legs and he did score one heavy booted foot to her face before she had his ankles secured. She finished it off by wrapping tape around his waist, chest, and throat. She took a quick step back, shoving the pain from his kick to the back of her mind, and surveyed her work. She was satisfied, he wasnt going anywhere.
She had a lot to do, and a short time to do it, but she did pause, standing in front of him with a smile, Hello Tuvar, she said.
...to be continued...
Part 4b
part 4 as originally posted was well over 4000 words long, so I broke it into two section.
Hello Tuvar, she said. His eyes widened with recognition, and he tried to yell. He struggled frantically to get up, but he was too well secured to have any hope of getting free in time.
She activated her teleport devices, and her robots appeared before her, unfolding themselves from their crates. She instructed them to guard the door, and then moved quickly to the heavy wooden file cabinets. She yanked on a drawer, only to find them locked.
Tuvar, I want you to know, it is good to see you again, She inserted an electronic lock pick and popped it open. I was so very surprised when I learned it was you who set me up. She rifled through the files, searching them quickly and thoroughly. She removed books, thick files of documents, and even found some prototype parts stashed in the back of some of the drawers. I was disappointed in you at first, but then I realized something. She carried her prizes to Crimson Queen, and opened the special compartment she had added. You spent four years at MIT, and you were never as good as I was. You were always in my shadow. That must have really frustrated you. She removed four heavy, compact metal cubes from the compartment, and replaced them with the documents. So, thats why you did it, isnt it? With me gone, you could be the star. She carried the four metal cubes to his desk, and removed the first one from the stack. It was the only way you could win over me. But, Tuvar, here I am. Im one of the most powerful villains in the Rogue Isles. I lead a strong group of powerful men and women, I have the ear of not just Black Scorpion, but Lord Recluse as well. I have my own lab, and I get to spend time working on projects like this. She pushed a button on the metal cube, and it unfolded itself into gleaming brass and glass, a perfect scale model replica of a Nemesis warhulk, only 12" tall. Once activated, it began patrolling the surface of the desk. She smiled fondly at it, before picking up the next cube, and activating it as well. You should be aware of a few things, Tuvar. The green substance inside the globe is a very powerful acid. It will likely corrode through the glass in about.. Oh.. 25 - 30 minutes. She activated the third and the fourth as well. Four perfect little warhulks clanked across the desk, looking terribly menacing. The next thing you should know is that these hulks are fully functional. From the flamethrowers to the claws, which are surgical grade steel, in this case, and scalpel sharp. She set the mini-warhulks on the floor, where they began to strut importantly around the room. Dont worry, Tuvar, you are perfectly safe from them, until I tell them to attack you. Her captive was beginning to make rather pathetic whimpering noises behind the tape, shaking his head frantically at her. The last, and most important, thing is Ive placed bombs all over your base, and Im going to bring it down. But, if I placed my charges correctly, this room should remain intact. Completely buried, but intact. I dont THINK the fires will get here before the hulks finish with you, but you should survive everyone else in this base by a few hours. Not much longer than that, I wouldnt think, what with blood loss and acid burns, but, unless I miscalculated, you will have those few hours, with your new little toys here, to think about which of us won. She finished her preparations by placing several trip mines just inside the door, in case anyone tried to save him. Just then the haunting notes of Mozarts Requiem in D Minor began to play. With a smile, Rose found the modern stereo system hidden behind a lovely carved screen, and turned the volume up.
Tuvar, I must say, it was a pleasure seeing you again. Ill be keeping an eye on you. She lifted her wrist to display the tiny monitor she wore there. She pressed a button, and the four tiny warhulks all froze, pivoted towards Tuvar, and advanced on him. The closest one ignited its flamethrower and Tuvar strained upwards, a muffled scream escaping from behind the duct tape as his pant leg ignited. Rose watched for just a moment, then instructed her battle robots to lead the way, waved jauntily, and strolled out.
She broke into a jog as she left Tuvars office. She hadnt wanted him to see it, but she was far behind schedule. She didnt have time to sneak around the base, she was just going to have to run for it. It was eerily reminiscent of her first escape from this base, only this time, she ran with 6 robots, and any one of them was far more powerful than her single scrounged robot she had managed to cobble together under the eyes of her captors.
Rose ran silently, but she had never found a way to make her battle bots quiet. With 6 noisy robots following her, the Nemesis troops were converging on her fast. However, they were surprised and unorganized, and she had little trouble disposing of the resistance she met along the way. One soldier went down, then a pair, then another. She was nearly to the staircase that would lead to safety, she rounded a corner and found a full sized warhulk waiting for her. It laid down a patch of fire with its flamethrower and then advanced on her. Rose dived behind her robots and frantically issued attack commands. She hastily constructed her acid mortar and left it to fire while she drew her own rifle and fired on the hulk as well. Battle bots Dainty Bess and Fair Bianca were destroyed almost instantly, but Crimson Queen stood its ground, its own flamethrower blazing. Bleu Magenta collapsed in a spray of hydraulic fluid and sparks, while Sweet Juliet limped in to bat bravely but futilely at the hulk. Rose desperately activated the self-destruct charge in Juliet, just as another group of soldiers came up from behind. A musket ball banged off Roses shield, and the impact sent her flying to land at the feet of the warhulk just as Juliet blew up. Rose curled into a tight ball as the hulk exploded as well, and cried out as her own clothing ignited. She rolled frantically to put out the flames, and climbed to her feet, bruised, battered, and burned, but not nearly defeated. With just Glowing Amber and Crimson Queen still standing, Rose limped forward, placing her last gas trap at the far limit of its range. It went off, and as soon as the soldiers began to gag on the gas, she darted forward and placed a trip mine at their feet. It went off as soon as it was activated, flinging their bodies around, and Queen finished them off.
Rose clung to Crimson Queen until she could get her breath back. Her lungs felt seared from the hulks explosion, her face felt hot and swollen, and she could barely open her left eye. From the blood dripping down her right leg, she knew she had at least been grazed by a bullet, she was burned and bruised, and she was pretty sure her hair was singed.
Go, go... she said, as much to herself as anything, and started forward again. She was hurt, but she had survived worse, and the most important thing was getting out of this base, fast. Her two surviving robots followed as Rose began to pull herself up the stairs. It seemed like forever before she made it to the top, and placed a half dozen trip mines at the door to the outside.
She activated the teleporters for Queen and Amber, to send them back to the base, and limped out into the field away from the barn until she was sure she was a safe distance. She coughed several times, becoming progressively more light-headed as she gasped for breath. Finally back under control, she glanced at the monitor on her wrist, showing the unfortunate Tuvar with a mini-hulk sitting on his lap, and activated the explosive charges. It felt like an earthquake, and then the barn collapsed and the cattle stampeded away. Flames shot up where the barn had been, and the earth seemed to settle. Satisfied, Rose lifted into flight, and started home.
---
Exhausted, Rose limped into the Shades base. She was startled to find her friends, her fellow leaders waiting for her. They stood as she entered, and for a moment Rose was terrified they had learned that she meant to betray them. Cowboy Nightmare touched Roses face with her cold fingers, and said, Thats going to be a black eye.
Death Shrowd pulled her in for a bear hug, a fairly impressive hug from a man eight feet tall. You should have let me come with you, he scolded.
Shattered looked her up and down. Did he do that?
Rose gestured at her destroyed outfit. A warhulk did most of this. She touched her swollen, tender face, He did this. He didnt want to stay in his chair.
Cowboy Nightmare returned and placed an ice pack on Roses face, as Shattered asked, Is he still alive? It was that tone that indicated quite clearly that if he was, it was a problem Shattered intended to see to himself.
Rose glanced at the monitor on her wrist. Yes, for now
Shattered angled his head to see for himself. His eyes widened and his face broke into a smile. Good girl, he said, and laughed.
---
<I hurt all over, but there is a part of me that is glowing in satisfaction. I can feel the pain-killer starting to take effect, like a warm billowing cloud starting in my belly and engulfing me. I touch my metal arm, stroking my right hand down it from shoulder to wrist. What I did tonight cannot bring back what they took from me. No, I cant have my life back, my arm back, but revenge will have to be enough. And for right now, as the drugs drag me down into sleep, it is.>
---
Rose woke slowly from her drugged sleep. Shed heard something that made it seem very important that she be awake, but she couldnt recall what it was. She blinked, confused, into the darkness, and then her eyes drifted shut. Then she heard it again, and knew it for what it was. A very bad sign indeed: Shattered Ice9's enraged cursing.
Rose stood too quickly, and sat back on her bed abruptly. She wasnt sure it if was pain or pain-killing drugs slowing her down, but she did not want to be sleepy and half-dressed if Shattered was making those sorts of noises.
She dragged herself up again, and drew on a robe over her thin gown. She limped stiffly across her room and opened the door that led into the hallway. She found herself face to face with Bitter Ends, a new member of the Shades who looked not at all happy to be standing in that hall. His eyes flicked to her bruised face, down to the robe which had come open to reveal her night gown, and then rested uncomfortably on the doorframe. "Sorry Ma'am, but the Boss says I'm not to let you leave your quarters."
Rose felt the color drain from her face, but kept her expression a calm mask. Did they know? Did Shattered know about her deal? A wave of nausea swept over her and she felt her knees start to give. She stumbled back a step or two before recovering her balance.
Maam? Are you-
Bitter started forward, but Rose thrust her hand out at him. Get out of my room, she demanded. Rose inhaled deeply once, then again, then lifted her head to look at the young man. Only, it wasnt Bitter Ends standing there, it was Shattered. His face was dark with fury.
What the hell do you think youre doing? he growled at her.
She just stared at him, too drugged and hurt to even begin to respond. She knew where her rifle was, though, and figured she could get in at least one shot if her hurt leg didnt betray her.
Shattered, I- she started, but he cut her off.
Just get your [censored] back to bed. You are in no shape for this. She blinked at him, running the words through her mind again as if she were translating a foreign language.
What are you talking about? she finally managed.
He advanced into the room. "There's been some trouble in Paragon City. I sent Black Sam in with Brygid, but they got fingered to the cops and Brygid has been captured."
What about Sam? Rose slumped down on her bed, numb with relief and playing up her weakness and injuries to cover.
The room dropped several degrees. He left her there. Shattered began prowling the room. You're sitting this one out, you're in no shape for a fight right now, but I'm taking a team and we're getting Brygid out of jail before they have a chance to move her to the Zig." It was obvious he was not in the mood for debate or protest and without another word he turned and walked out.
Shattered, what about Sam?
He turned back, and Rose drew her robe around her more tightly as the chill in the room became painful. "We do not leave our friends to rot in the enemy's hands Rose. I'll be back to check on you once all our Shades are home again."
Rose drew her blanket around her shoulders and sat shivering. She stared at a miniature rose bush on her dresser. It was completely covered with a fine layer of ice.
...to be continued...
Part 5 (this chapter was very long as originally posted, so will be broken up to be more managable)
***Prologue***
This story includes characters created by several other players and as much as possible, I have tried to stick to their stories, without telling their stories for them. Since Roses friends are important to who she is, it is very difficult to tell her story without involving others, both on the red side and the blue side.
Rather than trying to force any more exposition into the following, Im going to just tell you in narration some of the events surrounding Statesmans invasion of the Rogue Isles, the involvement of the Ghosts Reborn, and its impact on the Shades of Vengeance.
When Statesman lead the invasion, most of the high ranking members of the Ghosts were with him. Ice9, who founded the Ghosts, and his wife Cowboy Dream were among them. Ice9 fell at that battle and was presumed dead. As the battle turned against the heroes, UPS 2.2 insisted that the Ghosts retreat, leaving the body behind. UPS dragged Cowboy Dream away himself. Cowboy Dream was killed not long after that as she was recklessly hunting in the Shadow Shard.
Shattered Ice9 appeared in the Rogue Isles, and everyone believed his claim that he was Ice9, escaped from a Crey lab, but driven to evil by what they had down to him. Cowboy Nightmare, his wife resurrected by the bizarre magics of the Shadow Shard was with him, and at that time, they had already formed an allegiance with Ebony Rose and Death Shrowd.
Further complicating this situation much later was the arrival in Paragon City of Glacius9, a peacebringer also claiming to be Ice9 and just escaped from a Crey lab. So, the question of who or what Shattered and Glacius are is Ices story to tell, and I am delighted that he is obliging my request that he repost his own stories. The first is The Rise and Fall of a Hero **************
Rose Black, Part 5
The Shades were gathered in their large meeting hall, watching a news report out of Paragon City. Shattereds eyes were actually glowing as he stared fixedly at the view screen. Rose, feeling and looking much better after a few days of rest, sat between Shattered and Death Shrowd. Cowboy Nightmare sat on Shattereds other side, her pale hand resting on her husbands arm, and was easily as transfixed as Shattered.
Cowboy Nightmares voice was as cold as a wind over an open grave as she spoke, Again.
The image went black, and then the recorded segment started again. The newscasters deep, pleasant voice played over an image of Skyway at night, while Babbage clanked his way into frame, It was a battle that deserved the title epic. Babbage was out in Skyway, again, but it was late, and there were few of Paragon Cities heroes to fight him. The giant clockwork was wreaking havoc in a poor industrial area of Skyway and was pounding his way towards an area of low rent apartment buildings. The news was showing constant footage from helicopters safely out of range as he stomped his way through Skyway, leaving a scattered trail of defeated young heroes behind him.
Then a new hero arrived. He swooped down out of the sky like an avenging angel. He glowed and shimmered with power, and when he shouted at Babbage the monster turned. The news scrambled to identify the man, and finally they did. It was UPS 2.2, a well known and respected hero in Paragon City, and the news casters eagerly began to tell all they knew of him. He was a member of the Ghosts Reborn, he had been there when Statesman led the raid on the Rogue Isles. He had helped rescue Statesman from Tyrant. His power was believed to come from nanites infused into his body, creating the shimmering shields that kept him safe from the giant clockworks attacks.
UPS led the monster away from the buildings and into the street. And there he stood, alone and toe-to-toe with Babbage, glowing like a hero off a recruiting poster in his blue on white Ghosts Reborn uniform, defiantly daring the monster to try to take him down, each step luring Babbage further away from vulnerable civilians.
The battle continued, Babbage trying again and again to squash the hero standing before him, UPS shrugging off blow after blow and determinedly refusing to allow Babbage to attack anything but him. Then the Ghosts Reborn began arriving, in ones and twos. Flying, jumping, teleporting to surround Babbage, each in their blue on white uniforms. The voice over was hard-pressed to identify them all fast enough. There was Ici Cold, Ahren, Atarax, and Celestial Nav. Strif, Sooner Spirit, Princess Ginsu, Neely, Broken Shadow, and Zemuron, and more were arriving by the minute. They threw themselves at Babbage, all the while UPS continued to hold his attention, distracting him from the attacking heroes.
They came at him, ice, energy, fire, fists, feet in a blaze of light that could be seen throughout all of Skyway. Babbage was showing signs of his impending defeat. Small pieces had fallen off, and his right arm had begun to make an ominous grinding noise. His head was cocked to the left and didnt appear to be able to straighten up. Still, he fought on like the machine he was.
There was a lull in the battle. One of those moments when, for no particular reason, everyone pauses. UPS made another of those wordless challenges to Babbage, and Babbage responded with an attack none of them had seen before. A bolt of blue-white energy arced across the space between them. UPS let out an anguished cry and his body convulsed as the attack flared around him. The impact took him from his feet and threw him back to strike a concrete wall. He slid down and crumpled to the ground. He dragged himself to hands and knees as the electricity played over his body, and Babbage continued to advance. The heroes were stunned and stared as Babbage actually picked up the heros body and flung him savagely down. UPS let out a strangled noise that only the sound equipment closest to him even picked up, and then the giant clockwork savagely stomped down. Several of the heroes screamed, angry, defiant, or full of disbelief. They renewed their attack as Zemuron and Celestial Nav converged on the fallen man.
Even distracted as they were, the heroes finished off the clockwork monster with a savage renewal of attack. As the monster fell, the Ghosts Reborn turn to gather in a circle around their friend, as the news cameras zoomed in for a close-up of the broken and bloodied hero. The bright red blood showed up clearly on the shining white of his uniform. Zemuron and Nav were covered with it as they knelt on either side and frantically tried to heal him. The news cameras zoomed in to show an arm bent back at a sickeningly unnatural angle. Ici dropped to her knees, sobbing, and Atarax laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. All the Ghosts faces were shocked and pale as they gathered up UPS and gently carried him back to their base.
The newscasters voice-over continued as they showed once again UPS arriving and drawing Babbages attention. No word has been released about his condition other than he does live, but is not responding to any treatment. Our super-power analysts have been unable to identify the particular attack Babbage used, and the suggestion has been made that the attack was specifically designed to target UPS 2.2's nanites. It would certainly explain what we saw, as it appeared the attack completely incapacitated UPS 2.2.
Cowboy Nightmare never took her eyes from the screen as she spoke, Again.
---
A similar watch party was gathered in the Ghosts base. UPS, looking considerably healthier than the news reports would have led one to expect, sat with a faintly disgruntled expression on his face as he watched himself fall helpless to the ground.
With a shimmer, a small blue pixie appeared, and plopped down cross-legged on the table, her lovely blue and purple wings wafting gently, and her emerald green eyes sparkling under hair far too red to grow out of a human scalp. You dont like it, UPS? she chimed, as her ever present phantasm drifted down to hover over her shoulder.
Was that much blood strictly necessary, Phantasii? he asked in his mild voice.
Sooner said to make it look real. Phantasii laughed and spun to face UPS. You were stomped by a giant robot. SQUISH!
It was perfect, Phant, Sooner said. UPS is just getting stung by his pride. You made it look like he got his [censored] kicked!
When this is over, UPS announced, Im finding that walking junk heap and kicking it all over Skyway.
---
Rose knelt in the freshly turned earth of her rose garden with her latest plant. It was a Black Beauty, and Shattered had given it to her as a belated get-well gift. He probably wasnt aware of that the Black Beauty was simply a very dark red rose, but it was still a thoughtful gift.
Instead of her normal sleek black clothing, she wore a faded pink tank top and old, comfortable jeans. She closed her eyes and felt the sun on her shoulders. She could smell the sea air and hear the calls of the gulls, the distant clanging of buoys, and, further in the distance, the sonorous blare of a foghorn. She loved her rose garden, and she wondered if her roses would live after she left for Paragon City and her fellow leaders were back in prison. Would anyone care for them? Or would they wilt and die?
She added bonemeal to the hole shed dug, and carefully and precisely placed the roots in the center. She used a spade to fill in around the roots with a mixture of soil and peat moss until the crown was complete covered. She covered the turned soil with bark chips, more for aesthetics than any real purpose, and then turned to a control panel on the wall, where she programed her gardening robot to add the Black Beauty to its watering rounds. She studied the dark, thorny branches of the Black Beauty and wondered if anyone would ever see it bloom.
......to be continued.....
The large room of the Ghosts Reborns base filled slowly to capacity. Novice heroes and their more experienced colleagues gathered around the tables, and then began to fill in chairs at the back. The leaders of the Ghosts sat together at the table nearest the front of the room. View screens displayed the current screen saver, which some wit had replaced with looping footage of UPS getting stomped by Babbage, with copious animated blood spatter added. UPS himself was studiously ignoring the screens and the associated laughter that arose each time a new arrival noticed.
He waited until precisely one minute after the appointed start time, then stood. Welcome heroes, he said. As you know, we are in the beginning stages of an operation that will break apart the leadership of the Shades of Vengeance. Each of you will have a part to play, but some of you will be more active than others. He paused, looking out at the assembled heroes. These people are deadly dangerous. Some of us may not return. But this is the best chance weve had in nearly two years to take out these villains, and I intend to see to it that they know they have seen the very best we have to give.
However, this has been Sooners project from the beginning, so she now will review it for you.
Sooner stood, a tall, slim, strong woman in red leather. Shed left her hood and cape in her room, and her long strawberry blonde hair waved down her back. She picked up the pointer, and began the presentation.
As you know, we have begun to spread the misinformation that UPS has been incapacitated. It is vitally important that no word leave this base suggesting otherwise. We have been releasing leaked doctors reports with information about his condition, and it should suggest to the Shades that, if he were away from the protection of the Ghosts base, he would be an easy target.
She clicked the pointer, and a murmur rose up at the image of the two former Ghosts, onetime friends, now turned deadly enemies. We know that Shattered Ice9 and Cowboy Nightmare have an obsessive hatred for UPS, and believe that this will make them reckless in their pursuit of him She looked out at the assembled heroes, making eye contact with those who had known Ice9 and Cowboy Dream when they were still with the Ghosts. It is important that we not let sentimentality get in the way of our job. Neither of these individuals will hesitate to kill you, or worse. Glacius9 sat quietly, studying the image, his eyes lingering on Cowboy Nightmares scarred face and ignoring those few who glanced his way.
She clicked again, and the tall, heavily muscled Death Shrowd appeared, engaged in battle with a horde of Longbow forces. Death Shrowd will not be made reckless by this bait. He will take advantage of any opportunity to attack me, however, so when the time comes, we will release information that I will be at the safehouse as well.
And this is Ebony Rose. Sooner looked up at the photo from her file, the photo showing Rose instructing her robots to attack something out of frame. She has been fully cooperative with us, and tells us that Shattered Ice9 and Cowboy Nightmare have not questioned the fabricated reports for a moment. She is able to feed them information that she has obtained from various contacts and that they are already trying to make plans to capture or kill UPS. Rose believes they will jump at the chance were about to offer them. It is our intention to remove Rose early and safely from the battle and return her to Paragon City.
Sooner stepped out into the middle of room and looked around the crowd of friends. She was about to make most of them very unhappy with her. Ok, heroes, everyone get out your Hero Registration card. She held up her own, with the gold border that designated a security level of 50. Everyone with a security level of 50, stand and come to the front of the room. She paused while a dozen heroes stood and followed her direction. If you have a 48 or 49, join us as well. She could see several of the younger heroes starting to scowl, and Neelys twin sister Keely was starting to take on the purple glow of a warshades power. Ok, 47? 46? And 45. If your card has security level 45 or higher, come stand up here behind me.
The heroes remaining in their chairs were beginning to grumble. The noise level was rising fast in the room until Sooner put her hands out for quiet. As I said, everyone has their part to play. But this will be profoundly dangerous. These people are deadly. And all four of them are threat level 50s themselves, as are many others of the Shades. We cannot count on these four coming alone. If you are not standing up here with me, you will not be participating in the actual arrest.
At the confirmation of their suspicions, the lower level heroes broke out into vocal protests. Sooner observed several who had achieved security level 44 plotting to meet the last few requirements for a new level as quickly as possible. Glacius9 said nothing, but his opinion was clear on his face as he stared levelly at Sooner. Then a voice rose from the back. It was Keely, who had never managed to completely shed her bad girl from the streets attitude. This is [censored]! she announced, tossed her card on the floor, and stalked out of the hall.
The meeting adjourned, and Sooner finally threw up her hands and walked away from the mob of lower level heroes lobbying for a place on the arresting teams. The decision had been made for their own safety, but it was not sitting well with them.
As she pushed her way out of the double doors, she heard a familiar voice behind her, Cyd! Hey, Cyd! Wait up! Since only one person in the entire base called Sooner by her given name, Sooner made the decision to pretend she hadnt heard, and stepped up her pace. But, of course, she heard the double doors swoop open behind her, and an irritated soprano yelling after her, Cydney Anne Nation!
Sooner whirled with that particular wide-eyed irritated expression that only one of her sisters could bring to her face. What, Caryn? What!?
Caryn Nation had come to Paragon City just the previous winter, and taken on the name Sooner Magic. Her campaign to be called Magic was failing, and the nickname Little Sooner was starting to stick.
Green eyes met green eyes as the sisters stared at each other. The stare-down might have gone on for hours if they hadnt heard a strident voice from behind Sooner.
Because it IS [censored], thats why! Keely was still angry, and arguing vigorously with her own sister, her twin Neely. The twins had merged with Kheldians the same night, and the fact that Neely had joined with a peacebringer and Keely with a warshade had only complicated the dynamic between the two. Good girl, blonde, responsible Neely joined with a shining white peacebringer, and bad girl, brunette, wild-child Keely with a dark, guilt-ridden warshade. Keelys basic rebellious nature had held her back while Neely had advanced quickly to the highest security levels. Neely said something too quiet to hear, and Keely responded by shoving her sister back and shouting, Shut up! Just SHUT UP! Keely turned on her heel and stalked away.
Caryn Nation exchanged one last look with her sister, Were gonna talk about this, Cyd, she said, and ran after Keely.
---
Another meeting was taking place in the Shades base. Rose sat with Shattered and Cowboy Nightmare, both with that maniacal light in their eyes that had not changed since the first time they saw UPS fall. Death Shrowd leaned against the wall behind them, not really interested in the planning stages, just waiting for the cue to start hitting things.
Heres what my contacts have for me so far, Rose explained. UPSs nanites appear to be malfunctioning. They dont know if they were destroyed in the attack, or just badly damaged, but either way, he is severely weakened.
How do we get to him? Cowboy Nightmare demanded. This information is useless if we cant GET to him!
Rose held up her hand. Hes going in for treatment I dont know when, yet, and after that, hell be transferred to an isolated safehouse where his recuperation will take at least a couple of weeks.
Two opportunities to attack then, Shattered said. When they take him for treatment, and at the safehouse.
I recommend the safehouse, Rose said. Theyll most likely be prepared for trouble at the treatment center, but will count on secrecy and isolation to keep them secure at the safehouse.
You talk to your contacts, find me a way to take him at the treatment center. Shattered demanded.
Shattered, would you prefer to strike fast at a risky target that has a high probability of failure, and would simply warn your target that youre coming for him, or wait a little longer and take the sure thing?
Shattered rose from his chair like a rocket. I want him broken! He pounded a fist on the table, and Rose grit her teeth when she noticed the frost crackling across the table from under his fist.
Cowboy Nightmare placed a single, cold hand on her husbands arm. At the safehouse, we can take our time with him. Her voice sent shivers up Roses spine.
Shattered looked back at Rose, his jaw still working with frustration, Find the damned safehouse, then.
Rose nonchalantly wandered the streets of St. Martial, sipping a drink in a paper cup. Her path took her underneath the Golden Giza, where the running water set up a very nice white noise. She leaned back comfortably against a concrete wall there, sipping her drink, and looking for all the world as if she were waiting for a date inside the glamorous casino.
She heard his approach first, then smelled him. He was an unlovely combination of fish, old cheese and sour wine. He was dressed in tattered, dirty clothing and appeared to handle his grooming needs by chopping at hair growth with a dull knife.
Benny, she greeted him, then put out a hand. Thats plenty close enough.
No need for rudeness, Miss Rose, he scolded halfheartedly.
You called this meeting, Benny. Now talk.
Heard stuff, from the city. About them Ghosts? That worth anything to ya?
Rose stared casually out over the water. Ghosts? Isnt that a super group?
Oh! Miss Rose! Everyone knows you know who the Ghosts are. She nodded at him to concede the point. That hero, the one that got hurt by the big clock? Hear he aint half so hurt as theyre telling us.
Rose straightened and dropped any pretense at casual. Whered you hear that, Benny? she demanded.
A man hears things, Miss Rose. Like, its all a trick to lure you and your friends there.
Benny, where did you learn this? She leaned towards him and enunciated clearly.
Thats my business, Miss Rose. What need do ya have for me if you can just get it straight from my sources, eh?
So... money? A bath? A woman? A meal? Good whiskey?
He shook his head. No maam.
She smiled at him, and took a step forward. Stubborn to the end, Benny. She took one more step, and used her momentum to drive a blade deep into his belly. As he crumpled over her arm, she drew back and struck a second time, under the ribs and into the chest. She twisted savagely, but the poison on the blade was already doing its job before she even struck the second blow.
She stood over his body. Dammit, she muttered, and kicked the body into the flowing water. She knelt, carefully removing fingerprints from the blade, and then dropped it into the water as well. Finally, she washed the blood off her hands, straightened, and strolled back out from underneath the Giza.
She made her way inside, found a phone, and dialed that number. It rang 5 times, then was picked up. Someone is talking. About the bait. We need to move up the schedule. She hung up the phone, and strolled back out into the sun.
...to be continued...
[When I wrote this, I didn't love using the "security level" wording. I still am not crazy about it. I left it both because that's how it was originally worded, and because that is the phrasing that in game NPCs will use. I'm not crazy about it, but it's what I'm stuck with. I use if occassionally in other stories, as well.]
Part 6a
<I stare into the night, as I have done so many other nights. In the darkness, the line between reality and dream blurs; the distinction between dream and nightmare vanishes. I hadnt dared to dream that I could return, but in the cool darkness, I begin to doubt: is it even what I truly want? I drift slowly down, and it begins.>
The girl that was Bonnie, lost in pain and fear, lay on a narrow bed in a hospital wing of deep within a Nemesis base. Her glazed eyes stared at her own dying flesh. The pain at least distracted her from remembering what they had done to her. Movement caught her eye, and she looked up at the thin strip of window in the locked door of her room. She recognized the hero there, tall, slender, dressed in red. Their eyes met, and then Sooner turned away and vanished. Bonnie screamed at her to come back; she screamed, but no one answered.
The girl that was still Bonnie walked nervously to the podium, clutching papers in her hands. She looked out at the audience. The entire auditorium was filled with the Ghosts Reborn, most in their blue on white uniforms. But Sooner, seated at the front, wore her trademark red leather and cape. They stared politely as Bonnie introduced herself. They watched disinterestedly as she called and the small, black robotic dog pranced onto stage.
The doors blew inward and Nemesis soldiers and robots charged into the room. The entire audience of Ghosts rose in unison and filed out. Bonnie screamed at them to come back and help her, but only Sooner even turned back to look. She never even broke her stride and then she was gone. Bonnie ran from the robot that chased her, but fell. She rolled onto her back, hands lifted in a last defensive motion, and screamed as the robot reached for her with its clawed hand.
The girl that had nearly had Bonnie beaten out of her stared at a table covered with the materials to make a prosthetic arm. She rubbed at the itching scar tissue that was all that was remained of her left arm, while the last of Bonnie cried softly and hopelessly deep inside her mind. She knew making the arm would mean agreeing to help them, and she knew a part of her would die if she did. The woman that was soon to be Ebony reached out, but just as her fingers touched a small gear, the door burst open. She recognized the heroes as they charged in : Sooner Spirit, Ahren, Zemuron, Princess Ginsu, Broken Shadow, All but Sooner ran by without even a glance. Sooner paused in front of the table, and their eyes met. The girl whispered, Help me, but Sooner turned and followed her team, vanishing into the darkness.
The girl that was Bonnie Rose huddled in the corner of the warehouse conference room. Her back ached from the blow of a rifle butt. She was terrified, but the sounds of battle below were a lure too strong to resist. She hesitantly stood and looked out the window into the warehouse. She saw Sooner Spirit there, with her team. Sooner glanced up, and their eyes met. Bonnie screamed as Sooner turned away, and the heroes left her there. The soldier struck her again, knocking her to the floor, and again, and... Bonnie looked up just as the slim blade of a katana erupted from the soldiers belly. Cowboy Nightmare crouched behind him, and Bonnie saw the blade twist savagely as Cowboy withdrew it. The room filled with sleet as Shattered joined the fight, and Death Shrowd followed, fists swinging. Bonnies tormentors crumpled to the ground. And the room fell silent.
She looked up. Shattered stood in front of her. We do not leave our friends to rot in the enemy's hands Rose, he said. He extended his arm to her. She stared, as frozen as a mouse crouched before a lazy cat. She hesitantly lifted her hand and placed it in Shattereds palm. His cool fingers closed over hers and pulled her to her feet.
<I startle awake, and stare into the darkness. Tomorrow, I go to Paragon City. I join the heroes. Why dont I think of it as going home?>
---
Skyway is normally overcast, but on that pre-dawn morning, the clouds were even more oppressive than usual. So grey and dismal in fact, that a small dark body flashing overhead was barely visible from the ground. A nova, tentacles waving, tail flicking as she flew in her own dark cloud, as if instead of glowing as the bright novas do, she was absorbing the light around her.
Keely often changed to nova form and flew when she was upset. It might have been because novas cant cry, or because her sister didnt have the ability to take on nova form, or it might have been because in one of its own forms, the warshade part of her was stronger. And while the alien mind was full of guilt for all it had done in its past, it was still far older and wiser than Keely, and, when Keely would allow it, was a calming influence.
Today, it was Keely consumed with guilt. The Ghosts were working at a frantic pace after Roses warning, and there was tremendous concern that if the Shades knew about the trap, they might reverse it onto the Ghosts. And then how many of Keelys friends, colleagues, and, yes, possibly her only remaining family could be hurt, killed... or worse - captured by the Shades. And Keely was terrified that it was her fault.
She had stomped out of the base after the meeting ended, furious that she was being passed over AGAIN, but Neely, of course, pretty, blonde Neely would get to go. Sooner Magic was coming after her, calling to her, but Keely just kept going. She found her way along the streets of Founders Falls to Donovans, a favorite of the Ghosts, a little below ground Irish Pub near one of the canals. It was dark, smelled of good beer, and was always filled with music and people laughing.
Shed sat in a booth, drinking Harp. Little Sooner slid in the booth with her, and ordered a Magners cider. Not terribly long after that, Glacius9 joined them, and rounded out the tab with Guinness. Keely barely remembered the details of the conversation, expect that they all agreed it was horribly unfair that they were excluded.
Glacius left first, then Little Sooner tried to convince Keely to return to the base. Keely refused, and her friend finally gave up and left her there, drinking alone. Then a man approached her. He was tall, muscular, with scars and tattoos, a face that was attractive in a rough way. He invited himself to join her, and they drank and talked until last call. Keely had always had a weakness for bad boys, and her Kheldian other half seemed to fall silent under the influence of copious amounts of Harp.
The next morning, Keely really couldnt remember what shed talked to the man about, but when word came back that the secret about UPS had leaked, she was horribly certain she must have talked about it to him. Was that man an Outcast? Council? Or perhaps even an Arachnos agent? She should never have talked about SG business with anyone, she scolded herself. It was just the latest in a lifetime of irresponsible behavior, but this one might just get people killed.
She turned, and flew back toward the base. Today was the day.
---
Sooner was enjoying a last few minutes of quiet before rejoining the Ghosts and taking the journey to the safehouse. She pulled out her best costume, boots, hood and cape and hung them nearby, as she pulled her hair back into a braid.
Shed spent the first part of the morning being approached by a handful of heroes who had just managed to earn their security level 45 card and campaigning to go along. Shed had one more argument with her sister Caryn about the injustice of not being allowed to go, and a surprise confrontation with Glacius9 on the same subject. She expected stubborn rashness from her sister, but had thought Glacius9 would at least accept the decision, even if he didnt like it. Shed also caught Keely watching her nearby, but the young warshade never approached her, and frankly, Sooner was glad for it.
The Ghosts had decided to respond to the leak by moving up the schedule and spreading a counter-rumor that the leak was a deliberate move designed to protect the injured and helpless UPS. No word yet if their plan had worked, but it was the best they could do to correct the mistake that someone had made.
After patting a last stray strand of hair into place, Sooner pulled on her uniform. She checked the fit of the snug leather in the mirror, made a note to include more cardio in her workouts, and, with a bracing breath, strode out into the base.
---
Rose stood in her lab, staring out into her rose garden. The Black Beauty had just started sprouting a few tender green shoots. The Moondance had just opened a trio of creamy white blossoms, and the nearby Damask rose had just started developing a few buds. Rose was filled with a longing to see those pink roses, but she never would. This would be her last time ever to see her garden, and it made her sad.
She turned to her lab instead. Her robots were neatly crated and waiting for the summons to join her. This might be the last time she would see some of them as well, since she didnt dare reset their teleporters yet. If they were damaged, they would return here, and she might never recover them. She walked through the lab, trailing the fingers of her living hand over the equipment and things shed constructed. She touched the original of her mini-warhulk design, and a bitter smile came to her face. She stroked the fur of a small, black robotic dog, and stopped to hold a prototype of a new machine shed been working on in her spare time. She trailed her fingers over the pumps and hoses, and then resolutely set it back on the shelf. She didnt dare take much with her at all, and it was hard to say goodbye to some of the memories here.
She turned at the sound of booted steps approaching her door. Shattered made a token knock at the doorframe before entering the room. Rose, have your contacts told you about these rumors of a trap? he asked.
Rose had been prepared for this question for days, and didnt even hesitate. Ive heard some talk, but nothing Ive been able to confirm. And I cant locate one of my contacts. Hes been missing for days.
Benny the Drifter? Shattered asked. Rose nodded. Hes Benny the Floater now. He was found - or whats left of him was found - off the shore of St. Martial.
Hmm... perhaps he was killed to keep him from talking to me, she mused.
Perhaps. Were bringing in a bigger force, just in case.
Rose nodded. I think thats best, she agreed. Since such a move had already been anticipated by the Ghosts, it simply meant that more of the Shades would be arrested, she thought with a guilty pang.
Quit moping around in here, Rose. Your roses will still be here when you get back. Lets go, then. He turned back, Oh, bring several spare teleporters with you. I want as many prisoners as possible.
Rose opened a drawer, stuffed 3 of the slim teleporters into a cargo pocket on her pants, glanced one last time at her garden, and followed Shattered out of her lab.
The Ghosts selected to join Sooner gathered in the basement of the base. It was a amazing gathering of older, more experienced heroes, and younger heroes eager to prove themselves. Many had taken part in the Rikti invasion , those who arrived after that landmark day might have been there for the invasion of the Rogue Isles, but for many this would be their first large operation.
Clustered around the walls were those heroes who were not going. They were there to offer their support, but some were a bit more grudging than others. Sooner Magic, Keely, and Glacius9 were in one small knot, separated from the others. Keely was dressed as she always was, jeans, snug t-shirt, displaying her tattoos, but her face was dark with conflicting emotions. Sooner Magic wore her red and white leather body suit, and a grim, worried expression. Glacius wore a simple t-shirt and pants, and leaned back against the wall with a calmness that fooled absolutely no one. He was pissed, and no amount of casual dress and casual attitude was hiding it.
Sooner finished calling out instructions to those staying behind, most specifically to those manning the medical bay, as there were likely to be serious injuries coming in fast and soon. She flipped a page on her clipboard, and began calling out transportation assignments. It was important that the Ghostss arrival be unnoticed, so they were breaking up into small groups and traveling under stealth. Those who could fly unseen were taking off in groups of two and three, the others were loading into submarines for the trip to Sampsons Island, a small island just off the coast of Paragon City, where Longbow used to have a safehouse. The facility had fallen into disrepair after a particularly brutal storm had demolished several of the outbuildings, but it was judged to be safe enough and isolated enough for them to lay their trap.
The last hero loaded up into the last sub, and a calm fell over the Ghostss base. Glacius straightened up from the wall. Lets go, he said quietly.
Are you sure this is going to work? Keely asked.
Itll work, he answered
Oh, my God... shes going to kill me, Sooner Magic muttered.
Who? Sooner? Shell get over it. Glacius answered.
No! she answered, My mother!
Just come on! Keely grumbled.
The three of them casually made their way to the roof of the base, looking out over a beautiful view of south Founders Falls. Keely disappeared into a puff of purple energy, and Glacius fitted Sooner Magic with a belt. When it was activated, she vanished. He vanished from sight himself. Lets go, ladies, he said, and they took off into flight, following their friends to Sampsons island.
---
The four leaders of the Shades stepped out onto the shore of Sampsons island ahead of a small army of villains. It was beautiful, in a wild, overgrown way. The sun was just rising and the wind off the sea was cool. Sea-birds called raucously in the distance, and the gentle rise and fall of the waves was soothing.
This is a safehouse? Death Shrowd scoffed.
Cowboy, Rose, recon, Shattered ordered. Cowboy Nightmare faded from sight, while Rose activated her invis-field. Stay in touch. Find UPS
Rose had hoped for this opportunity, and headed straight for a designated landmark. Once there, she removed a bulky device from under a hollowed out rock. It was a teleporter that would take her to the Ghostss base when the time was right, and she was satisfied to see that her own design was half the size and probably 1/3 the weight. She stuffed the teleporter into a belt pouch, and continued on her way.
Cowboy spoke then, into her earbud, I have 3 buildings, two demolished, one still standing. The intact one appears to be a home. I dont see any movement or sign of life as yet.
Rose, what do you have? Shattered asked.
Nothing yet, she continued moving, then paused, Oh.. Ive got a fallen building here. Two exterior walls up, the rest down. No roof. No signs of life.
Be careful. I dont want any mistakes from either of you, Shattered cautioned. There may be Ghosts crawling all over this island.
Rose put her hands to her face and rubbed. The further she went, the more confused she became. She slipped away into the half-demolished structure, just struggling to think. Was it too late? Could she go back? And back to where? Golden, shining bright Paragon City where she could live the dream shed always imagined just quietly building robots? Or back to the Rogue Isles, where she had power, prestige, respect and she had friends who were more than family.
Habit had her placing trip mines and gas traps around her hiding. She called in Crimson Queen, and instructed it to guard, and then she crouched in the corner of the dilapidated building with her head in her hands, and tried to get her scattered thoughts in order.
---
The trio of younger heroes arrived on the island just ahead of the last group arriving by sub. It was no part of their plan to be seen and sent back. They stuck together, and began to travel across the island. Glaciuss goal was just to set eyes on Shattered, Sooner Magic just didnt want to be left out because of an arbitrary number, and Keely.. Keely needed to make sure her careless mistake didnt cost lives.
Glacius pointed out a fallen building. Lets pause there, and plan out how were going to get across this island.
Keely, filled with nervous energy, led the way. She was in a hurry and not watching her feet, so the third time she tripped, she cursed and switched to nova form. Her small, quick shape quickly flitted ahead of her companions, and she ignored Glaciuss hissed call for her to wait. She entered the dilapidated building from the north and flew further in. She caught sight of something moving and called out, the alien tone shrill with excitement, Theres someone here!
---
Rose was unaware that she even had company until she heard the alien sound of the attack. She looked up and saw a dark nova just inside a door. The dark energy of the attacks puffed harmlessly off Roses shields, and she heard Queen cycling up to attack, just as the novas momentum carried her into the room and three gas traps went off at the same time.
Rose called Queen off as the nova suddenly dropped back to human form. A slender, young, brunette woman, dressed in jeans and a baseball style shirt with the sleeves cut off to display the tattoos on her arms stood choking and gasping as the gas billowed around her. Her blue eyes, watering painfully, met Roses defiantly as she coughed. She looked familiar, but Rose couldnt place her beyond recognizing her as a member of the Ghosts.
Rose stood. Time slowed to a standstill. Rose could see her future clearly now. It was a forked road, splitting right at the point where this young woman stood helplessly. One choice, and Rose returned to Paragon City. The other, and Rose returned to the Rogue Isles. One decision led to the future shed dreamed about, one led back to a life shed thought she hated. One path was returning to good, the other was committing irrevocably to evil.
Rose advanced on the helpless warshade. Her left hand, her metal prosthetic, reached out and grabbed the womans shoulder, steadying her. The other hand, her flesh hand, reached down to her belt. Her enormous choice was simplified to two pouches, side by side, on her belt. Her fingers touched the cannister containing an injectable antidote to the gas, and then dipped into the other pouch. She stood that way for an endless moment, her index finger still on the antidote, her other three fingers in the second pouch.
She lifted her right hand from her belt. She placed her palm on the warshades other shoulder, and both her hands slid down the young womans arms pulling them slowly and gently behind her back. Then with her arms around the warshade like an embrace, she applied the police-style flex-cuff to her wrists and pulled it tight. Her captive was trying to back away, but just breathing was taking all her concentration. Rose applied another flex-cuff to the ankles, and then supported her carefully when she fell. Rose reached into a cargo pocket and withdrew one of the three teleporters shed brought with her and strapped it to the warshades bare arm. Her captive was shaking her head frantically and trying to speak, but she was still held helpless by the poison gas. Rose reached for the button on the teleporter, even as she heard the ghost of Bonnie Rose screaming at her to stop.
Rose looked up at the sound of a footstep. Shock froze her motionless for a moment. There in the doorway stood Sooner Spirit shoulder to shoulder with Shattered Ice9. Except, it wasnt Sooner, and it wasnt Shattered. Rose realized quickly that the woman just bore a close resemblance to Sooner, but the man... The man could have been Shattereds reflection. Rose recognized the expression of dark rage that was coming over his face, but with the rage came the brilliant white glow of a peacebringer. She watched Shattereds eyes vanish behind the mask of fiery white energy, and his body engulfed in the bright shields and auras, as the woman with him tugged on his arm, trying to pull him away. Rose felt as if her mind had actually stumbled as she struggled to understand what she was seeing. She was still as confused as a punch-drunk fighter when the peacebringer wearing Shattereds face attacked her.
Like the kick of a mule, time resumed its normal pace. The peacebringers attacks lacked the power to do her any real harm, and Rose finished the gesture shed started, pushing the button on the teleporter, and sending the warshade to a cell in the Shadess base. The peacebringer responded with an enraged scream and a renewed attack. Rose winced away from the brightness of the attacks, and flinched as a little bit of that energy leaked through her shields. She reactivated Queen, just as the red-headed woman stepped into the room and resolutely assumed a fighting stance.
The assault bot attacked savagely and the peacebringer crumpled to the ground - his light flaring out as he fell. The savage energy of Queens attacks threw the woman in red back out of the room. Rose advanced on the fallen peacebringer, planning to send him back to the base as well.
She heard Shattered behind her, but didnt turn away from his fallen double on the floor, Rose, what the hell are you doing in here! he demanded.
Come and see she said. She knelt by the peacebringer as his eyes began to flutter, and decided shed be best off placing the teleporter first, as it blocked the Paragon City emergency transport. She strapped it quickly to his arm, as she heard Shattereds startled gasp. She glanced behind her to see his already pale face drain of all color as his eyes fixed on the other man. Shed never seen Shattered look so at a loss. His mouth fell open, and he whispered, Who...
A womans voice called out, Glacius! No! Rose and Shattered both turned back to the door to see Sooner, her eyes shocked and wide, but filled with fury as well. There was no question that this was Sooner Spirit, as she stood there in her red leather, with the hood and cape, and shadows shielding her from harm. Sooner risked a quick glance down at the fallen peacebringer, then lashed out with an attack of her own. As Rose froze, held tight in a fist of darkness, Sooner bent, ripped the teleporter from the peacebringers arm and flung it savagely into the room.
Hello Rose, hello Ice, she said, her voice low and soft.
Rose, Shattered said conversationally, what have I told you about your FFG?
Rose finally shook free of the shadows holding her and activated her floating force field generator. That it works best when I remember to use it, she answered.
Good girl, Shattered advanced to stand side by side with Rose as she began teleporting in her other robots. Now, Sooner, my old friend, perhaps youd like to tell me.. Who the [censored] is THAT!? Shattered whirled to point directly at the fallen peacebringer, and Rose could see his control fragmenting.
Sooner dropped into a crouch by the peacebringer and reached across to activate his emergency medical teleporter. He grabbed at Sooners wrist and tried to say something, but the teleporter activated and he vanished.. That was Ice9, returned to us. Rose glanced at Shattered and saw the madness as it overtook him.
He threw himself in all his frozen fury at Sooner, and Rose, as she had so often before, joined the battle with him, all six of her robots blazing away, dancing in and out to set traps. Sooner hovered just off the ground and flew at him like an arrow. She struck at him again and again, but the cold was taking its toll on her. She drew energy from all her attackers to try to heal herself, but the two Shades were slowly beating her down. Shattered was screaming Who is he! Who was that! and other less articulate comments.
Sooners dark energy could only sustain her so long against the attacks of the two Shades. Shattered threw blast after blast at her, and finally, while Sooner was still fighting her way past the effects of Roses gas trap, one hit. Sooner was suddenly encased in a block of ice, immobile and alone.
Shattered dove for the teleporter that Sooner had taken from the peacebringer. He strapped it on her arm and jabbed the button, but it was obviously broken. Another! You have another! It wasnt even a question, it was a command that she would indeed have another. Rose fumbled in her cargo pocket and found the last teleporter. Shattered snatched it from her hand and turned back to Sooner.
Just then, the younger version of Sooner appeared in the doorway, and shouted, Here! Help her!
Zemuron was right behind her, and raised one hand towards Sooner. Sooner, what have I told you about your empath? The ice crumbled away from her even as UPS, a fit, healthy UPS glowing with all the power of his nanites, grabbed the young woman by the scruff like a kitten, growled, Get the hell out of here, at her and tossed her out of sight.
Sooner took just a moment to rebuild her dark shields and said, My empath works best when I dont run off and leave him, Zem?
But, Cyd! the young woman called from out of sight, Its Keely!
Sooner yelled over her shoulder, Caryn, if you dont beat me back to the base, Im calling mom!
UPS added, If you dont get your [censored] out of here, Ill knock you out myself and send you there.
UPS flinched and whirled as Cowboy Nightmare appeared behind him, with her sword skating along his ribs. With that, the battle was joined. The Ghosts and the Shades arrived in ones and twos to join in. It was a mad chaos of light and sound, taunts and cries of pain. Shattered and Cowboy mindlessly struck again and again at UPS, Death Shrowd was equally mindless in his attacks on Sooner. Rose directed her robots, placed traps, offered support, all the way nimbly keeping her robots between her and her would be attackers.
One by one, the numbers in the battle dropped. Emergency teleporters activated again and again, carrying the fallen to safety. The tide would turn when a critical person dropped, but then turn again when someone else was forced to flee.
As seemed inevitable, the battle was reduced to Shattered, Cowboy, Rose, and Death Shrowd, battling Sooner, UPS, Broken Shadow, Zemuron, and Princess Ginsu. Rose had lost two of her smallest robots, but the remaining four still fought. Rose advanced into combat again, placing more gas traps and mines, but then UPS whirled, and Rose was struck a glancing blow that dropped her to her knees. She crouched there, trying to remember how to stand, when Shattered, standing right beside her, froze. She glanced up at him and saw he was held in tendrils of pure darkness.
Sooner leapt forward, We got him! she cried out, and strapped a bulky device like the one Rose carried in her pouch to his arm.
Rose had only a second to act. One of her own teleporters lay on the ground by her hand. If it was broken, Shattered was lost. She snatched it up and fastened it onto his ankle, certain the whole time he was going vanish under her hands. She glanced up at Sooner, You cant have him, she said, and they pressed the buttons at the same time. Shattered vanished, and Rose scrambled up. She glanced around, and realized Cowboy was gone, and Death Shrowd as well. She was alone with the five heroes. She backed towards her robots as they advanced on her.
We wanted to save you, Bonnie, Sooner said, shaking her head.
Turns out, Id already been saved. And call me Rose. She ordered her robots to stand in place as she continued backing away. She was nearly to the doorway in the wall behind her when the heroes attacked. Her robots responded, but she was no match for the five of them. Sooners fist was the last thing she saw as she fell. Her robots, deprived of her instruction, collapsed and teleported themselves back to the base.
As she felt her consciousness fading, Rose realized that she had a choice of which teleporter to activate - the hero or the villain. Her mind slipped away as she chose to go home.
...to be continued...
Part 7
The Shadess medical bay was in chaos. Cries of pain and anger, rapid-fire chatter from the caregivers, various powers being activated, and an all-pervading green glow which came from three spirit trees and a pair of triage beacons stacked nearly atop each other in the corner.
Rose arrived in the midst of this scene with a blaring headache, still dizzy from the blow that had knocked her out. Before she could get her bearings, she was dragged from the resuscitator and roughly turned to face the room.
She whirled to face her handler, Get your hands off me! she demanded as she jerked away from Brygid.
Sorry, maam, Brygid responded, but we have to clear the bay. She looked Rose up and down, Are you injured?
Rose stared around the small, crowded room. The trio of hospital beds were occupied, and the half-dozen cots set up in any spare space were full as well. Pallets were visible in the hall as well as what appeared to be the entire able-bodied membership of the Shades lingering just outside the door.
The enormous Conall Cian let out a not entirely human bellow and knocked aside the medic tending his head wound. Death Shrowd was draped face down over a seriously over-burdened cot with what appeared to be a table lamp protruding from his back.
Then, with vast relief, she saw Shattered, propped up in one of the beds. A deep laceration starting at his shoulder and extending across the midline of his chest to past the level of his waist continued to ooze. Young Shepherds Fire gingerly cleaned the wound, and Shattereds very calmness spoke volumes about the extent of his injuries. But, she noted with satisfaction, that wound was being treated in the Shadess base, not an infirmary at the Zig.
Rose! Brygid snapped. Maam, if youre not injured, would you mind getting the hell out of our way?
Rose nodded and carefully picked her way out of the medical bay. With each step, however, a bewildering sense of unreality grew. She had done this - she was responsible for the blood and the pain. Conall roared again, and his human facade slipped. Rose felt her stomach somersault, and she lurched into a clumsy run, desperate to get away from everyone before her stomach emptied itself.
Rose ran through the antiseptic, dimly lit halls of the base until she was finally alone. She leaned into the wall, pressing her forehead into the cool metal, hoping it would drain the flush, the clammy sweat from her. Her mind chanted a constant litany, What have I done? What have I done?
A noise slowly penetrated her consciousness., an unusual percussive humming followed by a dull thump, repeated again and again. Rose lifted her head and realized she was standing at the head of the steps leading down to the basement. And she know what - or who - was making that noise.
Her boots clicked on the bare metal treads as she made her way, step by step down into Shattereds realm. The noise that had caught her attention became louder with each descent.
The basement was cold, but not solely because of the temperature. The large, open room was austere and dim. There was something in the atmosphere, as if dozens of people still screamed out their agony and fear in the shadows and memories of the room. She drew in upon herself whenever she walked into this space, and she could always feel the faintest stirrings of Bonnies ghost protesting.
The walls were lined with equipment that did not bear close examination, if one cared to sleep well: machines liberated from Crey labs, Council bases, Malta garrisons; chairs and tables with leather or metal restraints; locked cabinets filled with assorted pharmaceuticals. Her eyes sought and found a device that would surely be getting some use, and soon. It was an evil construction using a void hunters rifle as its base, and, with a shudder, she forced herself to look away from it.
The fourth wall was lined with cells. Many were simple barred cages, but a half-dozen were designed to confine super powered captives. Those special cells were fitted with extra control panels and special shields for keeping their prisoners secure. Those cells were always kept ready, at Shattereds insistence, for an opportunity like the one Rose had seized that day. Rose could feel her stomach tying itself in knots as she approached the newest occupied cell. The noise was extremely loud now as she slid open the view panel.
A dark nova hovered in that cell, blasting determinedly at the cell door. It was a futile effort, of course. That cell had held Ahren, an extremely powerful peacebringer, for months, and it had been improved upon since then. The room was nothing but concrete and metal, and the nova looked fragile and tiny confined within it.
As Rose leaned forward to peer into the cell, the nova changed abruptly to the slim brunette human. She ran to door and pounded her hands against the reinforced metal. Oh, God, let me out! she pleaded, Please! Let me out! The warshades pale blue eyes met Roses deeper blue. Rose was transfixed, remembering another girl, in another cell, pleading for her freedom. It had not been nearly long enough for Rose to forget what it felt like to be trapped, alone, terrified and helpless. Even if this captive didnt know it, Rose was fully aware of just how horribly excruciating the young womans future was going to be. She set her jaw with determination, and turned on the red light in the cell - the one designed from a quantum rifle - that would render the kheldian helpless.
Roses stomach made that slow forward tumble again, and she turned away from the cell. She tossed her hair back and set her jaw. She started walking. Behind her the captive screamed No! Dont leave me here! Help me! Please, help me! Each word was a blow as Rose climbed back out of the basement step by slow step.
She put it behind her. The same way she took her memories of being Bonnie - of what had happened to Bonnie, bundled them up, and shoved them away into a dark corner, she took her pity, her sympathy, and her regret for the captive and pushed them aside.
Then, she entered the lab shed been certain shed never see again. She pushed open the sliding door into the courtyard garden shed said goodbye to already. She bent over the lovely white blossoms of the Moondance rose and inhaled the slightly spicy scent. Then she settled down on the ground, lifted her face to the cool breeze, tasted the hint of the sea, and let her head fall back so the Rogue Isles sun warmed her face and cast a red glow through her closed eyelids.
---
An exhausted Sooner stepped out of Neelys room in the Ghosts base. The peacebringer was devastated by the loss of her sister and alternated between hopeless despair and impassioned rage. Sooner had never seen the normally sweet, calm Neely like that and was deeply concerned that her friend might try something foolish.
Sooner snagged a passing Ghost, and struggled for his name. Stay here, please. Let me know if she leaves that room. Sooner took one deep breath, and said as she walked away, We cant lose her too.
She still wore the tattered, burned, and bloody clothing she had been wearing all day. Shed had an emotional reunion with her younger sister Caryn - who had returned physically unscathed, but as close to hysterics as Sooner had ever seen her. And then shed talked with Glacius - or tried - the peacebringers emotions were running so hot there was no real talking to be done. He was a confusing stew of angry defensiveness, a deep, personal guilt, and a murderous fury at his wicked double, all writ large on his face. Hed thundered out of the base, his brilliant white aura burning with an intensity that made it clear no one should attempt to stop him. I want to be alone! hed shouted to the one poor soul whod made a token effort to get in his way.
Sooner finally made it to her own quarters and was able to take a moment for herself. She discarded the leather pants as non-salvageable and packed up the bustier and boots for a refurbish at Icon. She limped into her steaming hot shower and braced her arms against the wall while the water pounded on her neck. Her head dropped forward and she fought an ultimately losing battle against tears.
---
Rose had gathered a pile of files, papers, and parts on her worktable when Shattered found her. He had taken the time to clean up and change, and he strode into her lab, after his usual token knock, with all his normal energy. His movements were a little stiff, otherwise he seemed fully recovered.
Youre alright, Shattered? she asked.
Im fine, Rose, he answered offhandedly, That warshade... you know who she is?
Rose shook her head. She looks familiar, but no. Shattered opened a file on her table, and scattered out a half-dozen photos of a slender blond, several of them showed her glowing with a peacebringers shining white auras. Thats Neely... shes Neelys sister?
She is indeed, he said with a chilling smile. He gathered up the file, and turned. And I believe Ill go make her acquaintance right now. We lost our first guest but thanks to you we have a replacement. One Kheldian is as good as another for my purposes, what's inside her matters to me. Of course, the fact she's a Ghost makes it even better. He put a hand on the doorway, then turned back. Rose? he called How did you happen to come across this one and her.. he paused, and she could see him dragging control over his temper out of his depths, her companions?
Oh. I had paused in that building for a moment, and she actually attacked me. She was far too weak to be a threat, and I used a teleporter to send her back here. She shrugged. I knew you regretted the loss of the peacebringer, and that you would appreciate another subject.
And what, exactly, were you doing in that fallen down building? His pale eyes lifted to hers and held her gaze.
She hesitated, looking for the trap, and realized that this would be the price of her decision, every time she was questioned, she would have to wonder: did he know? I had twisted an ankle in the underbrush, and went inside the walls to remain out of sight while I tried to walk it off.
He held her gaze a minute longer, then laughed. You really shouldnt wear those heels when going out in that terrain, Rose. Ive told you that. Youre going to break an ankle that way someday.
She laughed with him and relief washed over her in a warm wave as he turned away. But, then, she couldnt stop herself from asking. Shattered? she said to his back, Who was that peacebringer?
If she hadnt been watching, she would never have noticed the hesitation in his step, or the way he drew himself up just a little more squarely. It was his only response, and then he was gone.
---
The sun was setting over Founder Falls. The fading light gilded the clean lines of the skyscrapers and painted the sky with flowing shades of purple, red, and orange. The brilliant colors were reflected darkly in the still water below. A distant sailboat flashed its running lights as it passed, and a swooping night bird screamed out as it dived towards the street far below.
Sooner leaned against the railing surrounding the roof of the Ghostss base, staring out at the deepening sunset and considering the emotion regret. Her thoughts were dark, and growing steadily darker. If only Id left Ebony Rose alone, Keely would never have been taken, If only I hadnt trusted her, What if Id listened to Zem and UPS? What if I had just taken the time to look more closely at the evidence about Rose when this all first started? If only I had never started messing with magic, What if Id never left home?
She was lost in her spiral path of regret, second thoughts, and self doubt when her dark reverie was broken by a faint foot scuff and a polite cough. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Glacius standing there. When she acknowledged him with a nod, he stepped forward and leaned on the rail with her. She looked back over the water, with a stern self-admonishment that she would NOT cry again, and certainly not in front of Glacius.
Thought Id find you up here, he said. His voice was rough with some unspoken emotion, but Sooner didnt turn to him. She wasnt quite ready to forgive him for whatever part hed played in what happened to Keely. For that matter, for putting Caryn in danger as well. It went badly today. But tomorrow is another day with new challenges.
I lost her, I failed her. Sooner said finally, her voice breaking just slightly with her emotions. It was my fault Rose was in the Rogue Isles to begin with, and I wasnt... good enough... to fix it. Theres no turning back for her, now.
She made her choice, and she slammed and locked the door behind her when she sent Keely to that lunatic, Glaciuss voice was not entirely even as he spoke, either, and Sooner did, at last, glance at him. His face was filled with dark emotion. It was too raw and her own emotions too close to the surface for her to share it. She looked back out over the water, a deep, dark blue now with the sunset nearly over. Well take the battle to them, Sooner, he went on. I want Shattered Ice9" to know his world is not what he thought it was. Hes not the man he believes he is, and when I'm strong enough I'm going to make him pay for everything he's done.
She glanced at him again, the question, Are you really Ice9? Or is he? hovered insistently in her mind, but she turned away without asking it. All of them, she said instead, Well make all of them pay for what theyve done.
...to be concluded...
Epilogue
One week later, the senior members of the Ghosts were gathered tensely in the meeting hall with all eyes focused on the monitors. Junior members hovered quietly in the hallway outside, careful not to draw attention to themselves. The monitors displays an empty room, a deeply buried, heavily reinforced room hidden far underneath the Ghostss base. A large shipping box set harmlessly on the floor.
Sooner could not sit still. Her nervous energy drove her to her feet where she prowled around the walls. Neely, still red-eyed and pale, stared fixedly at the image of the box. Her expression was set in stern lines, but her eyes were fearful, as if she expected the box to contain pieces of her sister. Sooner Magic crept in and found a seat near the back, where she sat quietly and silently.
On the monitors, the door to the room opened, and UPS 2.2 stepped in. He glowed with every shield he could muster, and was surrounded by bubbles, shields, and enhancements put on him by others. He approached the box slowly, walking lightly on the balls of his feet.
He looked up at the camera, and recited,This box arrived this morning. It is addressed to Sooner Spirit, care of this base, and originated from St. Martial, Rogue Isles. X-ray examination revealed several mechanical parts inside, we cant confirm explosive residue.
Sooner watched nervously as UPS cut the tape piece by piece. He looked the box over carefully, then gingerly opened the flaps, turning his face away as he did so. Neely took a deep, shuddering breath, and held it as UPS peered into the box and then looked up at the camera again.
I have files, bound manuscripts, several mechanical parts, a wooden box and... a stuffed dog.
The watching Ghosts began to chat among themselves, Neely let out her held breath in a single sob, and Sooner resumed her pacing along the walls. Her tension ratcheted up another notch as UPS began removing the contents of the box and neatly sorting them into stacks.
Automaton Project - Soldier, he read from the cover of one file. Technical Specifications - Storm Rifle; Maintenance of the Elite Automaton. he stacked the files, and then began sorting through the various parts. He examined a delicate gear assembly and looked back up at the camera. These appear to be replacement parts, or perhaps prototypes of new parts for automatons. He removed the stuffed dog, set it aside, and lifted out a stained wooden box, with a note taped to its lid. This has Sooners name on it. he said. He sat the box aside and continued removing files, parts, and bound copies from the box, unaware that Sooner had left the meeting hall.
Sooner strode through the halls, and then lifted into flight until she reached a small service elevator. She punched the button for the lowest level and chewed nervously at her lower lip while the elevator took its slow journey deep underneath the base.
The elevator doors slid open on a small antechamber with orange warning signs posted on the walls. Sooner opened the door slowly, so as not to startle UPS or disrupt his concentration, and slipped into the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
UPS looked up at her and frowned, Are you out of your mind? he demanded. Get out of here! She just held out her hand for the small box. UPS looked back at her with the air of a man trying to pick his battles carefully . Finally he gestured at her, Shield yourself, then, he insisted. She nodded, and brought up the dark energy that protected her in battle as he handed her the box.
She held it on the palms of both hands and examined it before opening it. It was a little smaller than a shoebox and curiously light. The handwritten note said simply, Sooner, this belongs in Paragon City, please see that it gets to someone who can use it. Sooner carefully lifted the hinged lid and cocked her head to the side as she looked in. She lifted the unusual fist-sized apparatus from its protective padding and turned it side to side, running her fingers through the delicate tubing coming from the top and trying to understand what it was.
UPS stepped up beside her and bent to look at it as well. What is it?
Sooner opened her mouth, then closed it again as Zemuron ducked into the room, his eyes fixed on the object in Sooners hand.
You are both crazy, UPS muttered through clenched teeth.
May I see it? Zemuron asked.
Sooner handed it over. Do you know what it is? she asked him.
At the sound of Sooners voice, the small robotic dog suddenly activated. It stood and pranced quickly toward Sooner. Emanating from a sound box was Roses light soprano voice. Too little, too late, Sooner, she said as the dog began to spin in excited circles. UPS dove and tackled Zemuron, but Sooner stood sadly watching it approach. Rose continued to speak Id rather rule in hell--
And then it exploded in a blinding flash of light.
---
The three Ghosts, unharmed except for ringing in their ears and spots in their vision, stood up slowly. The room was covered with brightly colored confetti and dark pieces of artificial dog fur. Smaller bits of brightly colored paper still drifted down. The air was filled with the odor of flash powder.
Sooner was cursing steadily under her breath, but Zemuron was still transfixed by the object in his hand, as if he hadnt even noticed that hed been knocked to the ground and lived through an explosion.
What is it, Zem? Sooner asked again.
He held it up, touching first the pump on the right side, then the pump on the left side, then trailing his fingers through the tubing. With surprise and wonder in his voice, he said, Its an artificial heart.
The End
Postscript
Ebony Rose was born as soon as CoV went live (I mean.. within 30 seconds of CoV going live, I was in the character creation screen, creating her). She, Shattered Ice9, Death Shrowd, and Cowboy Nightmare set foot on the Rogue Isle at almost exactly the same time, and leveled up to 50 together.
Roses back story started out very much as it was presented in the first few parts. She was a robotics genius, set up by Nemesis for the express purpose of kidnaping her and putting her to work. A team of Ghosts failed to rescue her, and her bitterness and anger at them was part of what made her a villain. She eventually escaped from Nemesis, but upon returning to paragon city, was arrested for her supposed crimes and imprisoned.
This story developed further when rumors of redemption and fall from grace surfaced. I knew Rose would jump at the chance to switch to heroes, so I needed a reason that she could. I formulated a story, in my head, in which the Ghosts found evidence showing that Rose had actually been innocent and presented her with a deal, but at the last minute, she warns her friends so they arent arrested. That was how Rose was going to switch sides.
Then, sadly, the word came out that redemption was not going to happen anytime soon. I was already really excited about Rosess redemption story, so I simply modified it so that she backed out of the deal completely.
So, the bones of this story have been floating around in my head for quite awhile.
I also want to thank the members of the Ghosts Reborn and the Shades of Vengeance for allowing me to use their characters, and especially Ice9 for all his help. He became my first reader, my editor, my technical expert, and my dialogue coach. I could always count on him for a good idea if I stalled out.
And finally, let me attach a quick cast list. Its possible I have missed a few toon names mentioned, but Ill try to get everyone.
Sooner
Heroes: Sooner Spirit, Sooner Magic, Neely, Keely, Ici Cold, Phantasii
Villains: Ebony Rose, Brygid
Ice9
Heroes: Ice9 (never actually appears, but mentioned frequently), Ahren, Glacius9, UPS 2.2
Villains: Shattered Ice9, Conall Cian, Bitter Ends
Zemuron
Heroes: Zemuron, Atarax
Cowboy Dream
Heroes: Cowboy Dream (Never actually appears, but mentioned), Celestial Nav
Villains: Cowboy Nightmare, Shepherds Fire
Princess Ginsu, hero
Strif
Heroes: Broken Shadow, Strif
Villains: Death Shrowd
Introduction:
Hi. I'm Sooner. I've been writing fan fiction for some time now and posting it in Protector forums.
This is my first story and - after some encouragement from friends - I am posting it here for the first time.
I hope you like it, and I welcome comments. This story is complete, but since it's pretty long, I'll actually post a section every day or two.