by Drew Hayes
At their arrival, Pest Control looked up, waving them over to join. “Good timing! Tunnel Vision finished the last team a few minutes ago, so we can go as soon as you’re ready. Anyone have additional questions or issues to go over?” It had been a little odd, seeing Pest Control take the lead on this job, but he’d proven to be unexpectedly adept at it. Not the actual planning part so much—there had been a few key tweaks needed to his original layout—rather, Pest Control led well because he did a good job of taking input from others. When they brought up issues, they were dealt with, rather than brushed aside for not fitting Pest Control’s vision. While Hephaestus was relatively new to all of this, Tori had witnessed far worse leadership styles than that.
“I feel solid.” Hephaestus clanged her chest, producing a dense ring that briefly drifted through the air. The more she wore the suit, the more natural the movements felt. “Got my position and my job. Fly high, keep my profile low. Scan for any potential issues before they get close enough to surprise us.”
“If they do get close and they’re human, leave them to me,” Pest Control reiterated. “Between my meta-insects and some entomological expeditions, I’ve got a bug for just about every problem. Every problem without special abilities, that is.”
The sound of scales scraping registered as Bahamut slammed a meaty fist into her open palm. Not even her size betrayed just how strong the dragon’s arms really were. Bahamut wasn’t nearly the mightiest of their guild, but her punches would hurt most opponents nevertheless. “Metas who get close, on the other hand, are for me and Glyph.”
“I do have a few new etchings I’m ready to try out.” Tapping his wand, a look dashed across Glyph’s face, one of sudden realization and swift embarrassment. “Almost forgot to tell you both. Just to be safe, I prepared an emergency escape spell as the symbol loaded in my wand. No way I want to get penned in like at the museum again. If anything gets too bad, group up around me when I give the signal.”
The sound of approach drew Hephaestus’s attention. She quickly realized the synchronized steps belonged to Tunnel Vision, a team of teleportation-empowered siblings. She was never quite sure which was which, or even if the names were meant to be separated. Since the two functioned in tandem, it was an academic concern. Nevertheless, her natural curiosity refused to let the point lay entirely.
In less than a minute, the pair had torn a hole through space itself, offering a portal that appeared to look out onto an old logging camp, one that had long ago been abandoned. Hephaestus knew the location already from Pest Control’s plan. This was their entry and exit point, a location far enough from the action to not be noticed, but close enough to run for if needed.
Together with her team, they stepped from the guild’s volcano lair into Ebnerville, site of what was supposed to be a few hours’ simple lookout work for a hefty payday. Hephaestus dialed up her scanners as they walked through, hunting for any single thing that would trip her suspicion. She might be a new villain, but had already seen enough to know few things ever went as easily as they were planned.
Chapter 59
Ebnerville was a city largely in a technical sense. There were adequate facilities and population to claim the title, but those from any actual metropolis would call the town a hamlet, at best. It favored sprawl more than height, meaning there weren’t many tall buildings, and certainly no true skyscrapers for Cyber Geek to avoid as he banked hard to the left, gaining a feel for the turn radius he was working with. There would be ways to refine the jetpack further—he had plenty left before he fully completed Rocket Rangers—but this was essentially the model he’d be working with going forward. Getting used to it now would only make his usage smoother as the item improved.
Blasting along, Cyber Geek tried to keep parallel with a tree line near the edge of the city. Ebnerville quickly gave way to wilderness once one wandered away from the lights; in the distance, he could see the larger, looming forest massed up like an unmoving army, waiting for the signal to strike. It was a strange sight. Most of his work with the AHC had been in either Ridge City itself or other heavily developed areas, as those tended to have the highest levels of crime. Out here, it was almost serene, ignoring the dull roar of the jetpack. There was a reason he’d gotten the upgrades to quiet the noise; he’d be waking every house he flew past or going deaf from sound exposure otherwise —though Cyber Geek suspected he’d still be in for a headache when all was said and done.
“Looking good. Now bring it around.” Medley was seated on the rooftop of a five-story apartment complex, keeping watch from one of the higher points they could find. In the event someone else did fly through, or there was an obstacle Cyber Geek seemed on course to collide with, Medley would radio in. With senses as sharp as his, it would be tough for anything to take them by surprise.
Obeying the directions, Cyber Geek extended the turn, circling back so he was headed toward Medley once more. He was slowly starting to get comfortable in the air, though he did keep a constant watch on the jetpack’s fuel gauge. After this many upgrades, it would take quite a while to run dry at these speeds, but that was not a limit Cyber Geek wanted to test. He’d fallen from a fourth-floor balcony in a set of item-armor and still bruised his entire back. From this height, the injury would be far more severe.
As he looked up to the night sky, admiring the better view of the stars provided to those who settled farther from civilization, a flash caught Cyber Geek’s eye. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but his training kicked in almost before he’d made a conscious decision. Something was off, and he was a superhero; that made it his job to ensure everyone was safe.
“I caught sight of something just now. Toward the western edge of town. Could have been a rogue firework, maybe. I only caught it for a flash.”
On the roof, Medley rose, shaking a touch of evening moisture from his fur. “I’ll come, anyway. Better than sitting, and you still need a spotter.”
“Not going to argue that point after less than ten minutes of practice,” Cyber Geek agreed. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I can slow down for you.”
“Slow down? I was going to say this is finally your chance to be able to keep up.” Without any additional warning, Medley took off for the edge of his building in a dash, leaping and easily clearing the divide. Claws sank into the next rooftop for purchase, then immediately released as he took off again, racing for the next roof.
Cyber Geek watched him for a moment, in awe of the strength and grace his friend was displaying. This was miles from the unsure, awkwardly moving version of him that they’d known after the initial change. The more accustomed to the body Medley became, the more dangerous he grew. That was an arrangement Cyber Geek would have been quite happy with, except for the fact it stuck his friend in the body of an animal hybrid. Had there been a cure, a chance for him to be fully Ren again, he wouldn’t have blamed Medley for taking it. Until that option arrived, however, he was grateful to have him as a teammate, and a friend.
It also didn’t hurt that Medley hadn’t been kidding; he really was cutting a furious pace. Adjusting his angle to properly lead the way, Cyber Geek slightly increased the speed of his jetpack. Time to see what this thing could actually do.
“All quiet to the north.”
“Of course it’s quiet to the north. There’s nothing that way but wolves and trees.” Bahamut’s annoyance was steadily rising as the night wore on, which was understandable given her situation. She was currently cramped into a doorframe down a dark alleyway, one of the few places that could effectively hide her sizable green form while still being in a central position. Getting her in had been an ordeal, and the tight quarters were fast eroding her spirits. If someone did wander through, they were going to get one wrathful dragon for their troubles.
“Still quiet,” Hephaestus reiterated, perhaps suppressing a snicker at her friend’s momentary, but humorous, misfortune. For her part, she was on the roof of a cracker factory, one of the few high points Ebnerville really had
to offer. Southwest of them, deeper into the industrial district, the plan was being carried out. Hephaestus still didn’t know what it was, and the deeper in they got, the happier she was about that. The guild was treating this with gravity, and that made it way above anything she wanted to be involved in. Guard duty was more than enough.
A blip in her visor alerted her to the flare of energy just as it spiked into the night sky. The flash was brief. Whoever made it was either aware enough not to make a scene, or had been cut down before they properly could. “Anyone else catch that?”
“Catch what?” Glyph’s answer was genuinely interested, a sharp contrast to Bahamut’s reply:
“Nope, still just brick and alley—the only things I can see.”
Pest Control, thankfully, confirmed Hephaestus’s sighting. “A few of my bugs saw that, too. It’s blocked by a lot of the other buildings between. Anyone not elevated when it went off probably didn’t notice.”
That should have been more reassuring, considering the layout of Ebnerville and the relatively low number of active metas. They barely had any street-level capes trying to make a name for themselves, let alone ones patrolling the skies. Nevertheless, the pessimist in Hephaestus refused to trust in those odds. She began scanning more actively, searching for any potential threats.
For roughly three minutes, she kept at it, her heightened concern slowly dissipating. Just when she was about to give the all-clear, another blip caught her attention. Heat signature, approaching from the east. Quickly spinning her head, she activated the lens’s zoom, pinpointing the source of the heat. A jetpack. Of course, it was someone in a jetpack. As the image sharpened, Hephaestus felt a sudden weight slam into her stomach.
“Shit. We’ve got a cape approaching.” A cape in a costume she recognized quite well. Hephaestus may be too new to have allies, but Tori had kept up with this friend’s career. “Cyber Geek, zipping over using a new flying item.”
The silence in her ear stretched on, finally broken by Pest Control. “We have to stop him. For his sake as much as the job. Whatever is going on, it’s expected to be a bloodbath. We’ve got councilors fighting. A new cape wandering into that... even if our people try not to hurt him in the chaos, the other side won’t have that concern.”
They didn’t have long to talk about it. Cyber Geek was cutting a solid pace. A leaping form caught Hephaestus’s eye; Medley was along for the ride, because apparently, nothing was going to go right tonight. “Update: add Medley to that equation, too.”
“Crap. If it was just one, he might be smart enough to steer clear. With backup, it gets riskier.” Glyph paused, pondering a notion. “Pest Control and I have something of a working relationship with these two after the riots. If we go out there, they might be willing to listen.”
“To what?” Bahamut asked. “That there’s a crime going on nearby, but we’d really appreciate it if they hung back and didn’t radio anything in? I don’t see any cape going for that, working relationship or not.”
That wasn’t even touching on the fact that it depended on Cyber Geek and Medley being willing to listen, which was far from guaranteed out here in the field. They needed a plan that didn’t require talking, a way to lead them away instantly, something they couldn’t resist.
Unfortunately, Hephaestus knew exactly what would work. She’d wanted to get in some flying practice, anyway; this functioned as well as any other occasion. “Bahamut is right. We can’t count on diplomacy for this. We have to trust something more dependable: spite.”
“Don’t even think about it.” Bahamut was already ahead of her, probably trying to wriggle free from her alcove at that very moment.
“You really think it will work?” Pest Control asked, keeping his head on the mission as a whole.
Hephaestus’s mind flashed back to the sight of a smoldering Medley, to the look in his eyes as she was flown out of reach. “I lit the guy on fire and escaped from their clutches. Pretty sure they’ll chase me, given the opportunity. And if they don’t, I’ll just have to encourage them.”
Flight systems were operational; she’d kept them on standby while waiting, just in case. Lifting off her perch, Hephaestus rose through the air, gravity’s grip on her heft knocked back by the technology hidden amidst her suit’s dark depths. She momentarily disabled her sound-suppressing system and blazed into the air, engines roaring. For this to work, she needed to be both seen and heard. More than that, she needed to be recognized.
Staying low until she was away from the others, Hephaestus took a sharp turn skyward as she came closer to Cyber Geek. She rose steadily higher, the brilliant flames bursting out, propelling her forward as she seared the night. There would be no way for him to miss her, even with the suit’s stealth-friendly coloring.
In fact, it ended up being more effective than planned. Due to a bit of poor timing, Hephaestus’s trajectory was slightly off. That meant, instead of rising up before him like an ascending demon, she very nearly collided with the cape, both of them having to spin off in other directions to avoid a crash. She righted herself almost immediately, whereas Cyber Geek nearly went into a spiral, managing to gain control only seconds before Hephaestus might have felt the draw to help.
On a nearby roof, Medley was screaming, and while she didn’t care enough to isolate the sounds, she could more or less put the gist together. He definitely recognized her. The question was, would it be enough?
Hephaestus watched as Cyber Geek reoriented, letting out a small sigh of relief when he pointed himself in her direction, exactly opposite that of the site she was guarding. It worked. The capes were giving chase.
That thought was at least some comfort as Hephaestus blasted further up into the sky with no idea what to do with the capes now that she’d managed to attract them.
Agent Quantum carefully applied the handcuffs, taking pains not to break the suspect’s wrists. It wasn’t an issue that had come up before, but working with Cyber Geek’s team had shed a lot of light on just how strong they were compared to a lot of the criminals they put away. If those slip-ups did happen, it reflected back on the AHC, and capes as a whole. That knowledge had added a layer of caution to every movement these last few days, and even with the week of shadowing over, he wanted to keep those lessons in practice. If they didn’t improve, then what was the point of that effort in the first place?
Watching the police lead his latest efforts into a waiting car, Agent Quantum opened up his communication lines, checking in to the AHC’s central hub. “Hey, team. New Science Sentries reporting assignment completion. What’s the next thing we can help with?”
The voices always changed—running an operation of the AHC’s size required a sizable staff—but their readiness was constant. He’d barely finished before a voice was providing answers. “We’ve got nothing but some minor security alarms reported near your current position—probably going to be due for another jump to get to the action. Hope you had fun in California.”
It was a trite joke that got used every time capes were spirited off to a destination location, only to then spend their time working. Agent Quantum offered up a polite laugh; this too was part of the job, in its way.
“Let’s see... if we’re jumping you anyway, looks like Cyber Geek just called in something suspicious. Potential wanted criminal spotted out in Ebnerville. Not a high priority, but since you’ve been working together, I thought I’d offer.”
The issue didn’t sound especially pressing; then again, it also didn’t seem like there were any major emergencies to tackle anywhere else at the moment. After letting them tag along for a week, the very least his team could do was make sure Cyber Geek didn’t need any assistance. On the off chance he did, all the better. It would be a chance to show their thanks for the help he’d provided.
“Get me a jump to Cyber Geek’s position as soon as someone is available. Looks like the New Science Sentries are visiting Ebnerville.”
Chapter 60
The longer a chase went on, the
worse it was for the one being pursued. A cape could call in more help, additional surveillance, whatever they needed to lock down their target. Generally speaking, Hephaestus’s strategy would have been to speed up and start weaving through the trees, losing her pursuers in the confusion and then sneaking away. The trouble was that she had to stay visible for this to work. If escape was out, and continued pursuit put the odds against her, then that meant Hephaestus needed another idea. It took almost two minutes of racing through the skies, but eventually, she hit upon a solution.
She’d been approaching the issue as a criminal, when this was actually a villain’s job.
Decreasing her speed, Hephaestus began the process of descent. The area she’d selected was well off from the battle site—also relatively deserted at this time of night. A strip mall, filled with discount shops and chain eateries, all darkened and empty. The closest thing to other human life was a large cutout of Flex Force showing off in a nutrient shop’s window. No civilians to get involved if things took a turn for the messy.
Dropping low, she landed roughly, leaving a scorch mark on the cement. That part would take more practice; had this been grass, she might have accidentally started a fire. With a quick mental note to tweak the landing systems, she scanned the sky for her pursuers. Cyber Geek wasn’t far behind, though Medley flagged slightly farther back as his rooftop options ran short.