Full Metal Superhero Box Set [Books 1-6]

by Haskell, Jeffery H.

  “Who are the Th’un?” Amelia asks. Her faceplate retracts as she speaks.

  “Aliens who plan on strip mining Earth,” I say.

  “Oh... is that all. Can you tell me a little more?” Amelia asks.

  I look at her. We don’t seem all that different. She isn’t much younger than me, but dang if I don’t feel years older. There are so many things I could say—but what if I just make matters worse?

  “Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. Close faceplate.” Without saying anything else, I blast off. Carlos leaps after me, leaving a bewildered Amelia and a friendly Behemoth behind. I wonder if this timeline’s Pythia knew this would happen and if that is why Sydney didn’t show up tonight? It’s a mystery for another time.

  Something like pride warms my chest. Sure, this doesn’t change what happened in my past, but it changed someone’s past. Somewhere out there an Amelia will fight alongside Behemoth. Sydney won’t die, Carlos will get to go on living a normal life, and Pythia will live. One little change and everything turns out for the better. I’m a little sad it isn’t my past, but a lot happy to have done it.

  “That was weird, Niña,” Carlos says over our private channel. “You changed an awful lot back there. Are you sure it’s for the better?”

  “No... not really. But I hope it is. Sometimes hope is all we have.”

  I do one flyby of Kate so as not to scare Jasmine and her daughters. Kate waves and I come back around and land. I think it’s best we don’t explain to them the intricacies of time travel. Technically this is a different timeline now, but it is still Frank’s past. He deserves his family and they deserve a father.

  “Thank you,” Jasmine says as the whine of my Emdrive dies down. “For all of us.”

  I shake my head and retract my faceplate. “Your husband is the one who deserves thanks; he sacrificed a lot for this.”

  She nods, holding his hand while he holds his girls.

  “We don’t have much time,” Kate reminds us. “Into the pod you go.”

  It only takes a couple of minutes to secure the four of them. It’s a tight fit, but with Kate there to keep everyone calm, it goes smoothly. The other reason I wanted to bring her along. No one can convince a person of the impossible better than my Kate.

  “You ready Frank?” I ask.

  “Yes. God, yes.”

  “Okay, let’s light this firecracker!” I say with a grin.

  178

  In my time as Arsenal, I’ve had a lot of crap happen to me—not just the broken bones and bruised ribs (of which there have been plenty). I found my parents, only to not really find them. I lost Kate, only to find her and lose myself. I lost Luke… and I’m still looking for him. I’ve been through a lot. There are nights I don’t even know how I sleep.

  Then there are moments like this. All the crap I’ve been through… these moments make it all worthwhile. I watch Frank break down in sobs holding his wife and daughters, and my heart is close to bursting. They’re all so happy it hurts.

  “Epic, text Mom and Dad for me, please.”

  What do you want it to say?”

  “I love you.”

  Message sent. I am very proud of you, Amelia. You have grown into a wonderful woman. I am honored to be your friend.

  “Thanks, buddy, that means more to me than you can know.”

  You would be surprised.

  My apartment is entirely too small for this gathering. I don’t have a ton of space for the five adults and two kids who are crowded into it. I glance at Kate and Carlos and give them a nod of my head.

  “We’re going to clear out. The place is yours for the night. Tomorrow we’ll get you back where you belong. Frank...” I know he doesn’t want to talk about this to them, “has a few things he needs to talk to you about.”

  “It’s hard to believe it’s two years later,” Jasmine says.

  “Our friends are all two years older?” the twins ask in unison.

  “I’ll let your dad answer all of it. I need to get out of my armor and upstairs. Enjoy.” I turn and walk to the bookcase, making sure to cover my secret entrance as I pull back on the book titled Armor. Okay, I guess it’s kind of obvious if I think about it, but it’s also fitting.

  I don’t envy Frank having to explain his version of time travel to them. They died in our timeline. That’s final. They’re from an alternate timeline... but it wasn’t alternate until we changed things...

  My head hurts.

  A couple of minutes later the automated armor removal system deposits me back in the lab, right into my oh-so-comfortable chair. To my surprise, Kate is waiting for me. Somehow, in the time it took me to change my armor, she’s changed her outfit and put on some dark red lipstick that makes her look like a million bucks.

  “Amelia, you thought I’d forgotten, didn’t you?”

  I glance around the lab, looking for a clue as to what she’s talking about. Did I forget a date or something?

  “Uh... no... but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  She smiles her million-watt smile. “You need to change your clothes, put on some makeup, and get ready to party. Because the girls and I are taking you out on the town regardless of if you want to or not!”

  “Kate, we literally just traveled through time, fought Behemoth, and changed someone’s past. I’m beat. Can we do this tomorrow?” The unyielding look in her eyes tells me we can’t. I sigh, loud and dramatic, projecting my displeasure at her.

  She presses her lips together in what I am sure is the sexiest pout that ever was. “You’re going to hurt my feelings if you keep that up. I told you, we’re going to celebrate your birthday. Normally I am all for you getting some rest. You can drink an extra Coke tomorrow to keep you together. Tonight, we’re going out. Come on, I’ll help you get ready.”

  An hour later, Kate, Tia, Lux, Tessa, and I are exiting the luxury SUV provided by the company. The restaurant Kate picked is a Mexican-American fusion upscale place owned by one of Arizona’s more famous chefs: Casa De Comida. Which, if the little Spanish I’ve picked up over my life is right, roughly translates to, “Home of the Food.” I certainly like the name. Kate shot me a little pick-me-up in the car and I slammed a White Monster. No substitute for sleep, but I’m twenty-one. I can sleep later.

  The place is slamming. A live band plays popular music, the staff is dressed in brightly colored, vaguely authentic uniforms, and the food smells divine. My mouth waters the second the smell of fried green peppers and tortillas fills my nose.

  “Oh, this was such a good idea,” I say as Kate pushes me to the elevator. We make quite the entrance. My wheelchair catches everyone’s attention, but the five women behind me keep it. Somehow, Kate manages to look amazing even after the long day we’ve had. Black, knee-high boots, distressed jeans, a white top with a scooped neckline, and her patented black leather jacket, along with her red lipstick lend her the look of a rock star.

  Kate is followed by Lux, with her exotic blend of American and Asian features and her long, straight blonde hair that almost glows in the dark. Tonight she’s wearing an equally straight black dress that goes down to her ankles and caps it off with a pair of five-inch white heels, easily making her the tallest of us all.

  Tia, who is only five-four anyways, stuck with flats that are popular in Argentina at the moment. Her forest green skirt wraps around her knees like a glove, showing off every inch of her toned legs. She’d put an Italian soccer player to shame with her calves. Her top is a black sequin loose-fit blouse that flutters in the wind.

  Tessa, true to herself, has her bad-girl cutoff shorts on, with her white tank top that stops just short of her pierced belly button. I don’t know if she does this to mess with me, or if she is really a big fan, but the tank top has an image of Arsenal saying, “Arsenal Shot First.”

  Monica pulls up the rear in a pale blue dress and matching heels. Her icy blonde hair is up in a bun, with what looks like icicles holding it up.

  Needless to say, the
restaurant falls into a hush as we move through it. I hate being the center of attention and I feel like everyone is looking at me. A man slides his chair out in front of us and my heart skips a beat. It’s going to be Seattle all over again. This time, though, it’s civilians.

  “Kate, I—” she puts a quieting hand on my shoulder.

  The man, a good-looking fellow with black hair and brown eyes that look out of place with his too light skin, pushes his chair back in, turns to me and raises his hands. I start to freak out when he claps.

  At first, it’s just him. Then there are people everywhere up on their feet applauding, cheering, shouting our names.

  “I love you, Kate,” a man yells.

  “Girl power, TK,” a woman screams.

  Then the chanting starts... “Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal.” I’m desperate not to cry. After everything that has happened, it’s beyond emotional to hear such support.

  I wave at the crowd and then point at the lift. Kate gets us moving again. People turn to cheer and applaud as we make our way to the elevator. They’re still applauding when the doors close on the six of us.

  “You planned that, didn’t you?” I ask Kate, looking up at her.

  A single tear wells in her eyes and drips down her chin. “No. I just know how people feel about you. I wanted you to feel how I feel about you,” Kate says.

  “How we all feel about you,” Monica adds.

  “On two worlds,” Lux says.

  I don’t even know how to process what I’m feeling. My mouth hangs open for a solid ten seconds and my heart clouds my vision with tears.

  “Thank you.” Is all I manage to choke out before the doors open.

  179

  Annoying bugs dive-bomb me on an alien planet. Massive stalks of green vegetation engulf me as I try to swim away—but I can’t swim because I’m six and I haven’t learned yet.

  I open my eyes with my face stuffed in a pillow and my arms and torso wrapped up in flannel sheets. The alarm continues its dispassionate assault on my ears.

  “Epic, shut it off,” I groan.

  He does. I sigh. Rolling over, I toss the pillow aside and stare up at the ceiling. I’m covered in sweat from the nightmare and I just want to go back to sleep. But, if I close my eyes I know I’ll be right back there. Trapped on an alien planet, unable to walk. A long sigh escapes my lips. Okay, enough wallowing, time to work. I check the clock. By now Kate, Carlos, and Frank Parker should be on their way to Greece. If they can travel back in time right from the Oracle’s lair, then it should be a quick trip.

  “Epic, what’s the status on decrypting Strungel’s database?”

  I have successfully decrypted the entire thing. I have all his notes, work, and prototypes on file. If it helps, he did indeed have a superpower that allowed him to copy your work. I don’t think he knew the formula for your metal, or he would have put it out for the world to use. The satellite was the most interesting thing I recovered. It was wholly original, not based on any of your tech.

  “Oh?” Weariness flees my muscles as curiosity floods my system. “How so?”

  I will fill you in once you are dressed... and showered...

  “Everyone’s a critic...” I smell myself and realize how right he is. “Epic, make a note. Never let Tessa hand me a drink again.”

  Note made.

  She knows I don’t really drink. Yet I let her goad me into a Tequila. I should have dumped it out when she wasn’t looking.

  I’m in the spare apartment I keep on the third floor. This is where Lux would have stayed, but she elected to move in with Tony while she’s on Earth. Convenient for both of us. I don’t know about the legalities of him marrying an actual alien from another planet, but I won’t be surprised if they make an announcement soon.

  Thirty minutes later I’m freshly showered and sitting in my favorite wheelchair with my chin in my hands, looking at the screen. There’s a complex array of calculations scrolling by just slow enough for me to scan them, each one containing a piece of the puzzle. Had Strungel’s satellite detonated, it would have killed every single superpowered person on the planet. I don’t know why he thought it would only cut us off from the other dimensions where the powers come from... the shock alone from this much energy being released on this wavelength would kill even ordinary people who weren’t attuned. I don’t know how many casualties it would have caused, but billions isn’t out of the question. All the more reason I’m glad we stopped it.

  “So you think,” I say to Epic. “That Strungel’s abilities, were modified by the Gem as well?”

  Yes. I think, either knowingly or not, he was serving the entity in the Gem. If the Gem has been here for a long time, why wait until now to attack?

  “That’s a good question. Rafael had it for at least thirty years. Who knows who had it before. Do you have a theory?”

  Yes. It really is no different than Ericsson.

  That name still sends a shiver up my spine and has me looking over my shoulder.

  Sorry, Amelia. All I mean is this, Ericsson spent decades maneuvering the world to the place he needed it to be. Why not just run the coup twenty years earlier?

  “He didn’t have the tech.”

  True, but he could have anyway. He needed people to be in a certain mental place. He needed enough superhero related disasters that when he took over it would be seen as a blessing. It is not like he would be immune to a normal rebellion. No, he needed people to want him in charge.

  “Okay, that makes sense. Are you saying the Gem has done the same thing?” I run it through my head a few times. No, not the same thing. Just that the strategy is similar. The Gem is trying to—

  “Oh my God.”

  I think you see it.

  “Ericsson wanted to control all the supers, but... are you saying the Gem manipulated everyone until it could find the right person to kill all the supers and make sure no one else was ever born with superpowers?”

  Yes.

  “For what purpose? If no one had superpowers it pretty much results in a zero-sum. It’s not like it would really change anything—people are still people and...”

  Wait for it.

  “Oh. Holy. Crap. It really is just like Ericsson. The Gem, whatever it is, once it’s the only thing capable of granting superpowers, then it would be unstoppable.”

  I think that is it. Once Strungel succeeded, nothing could stop the Gem from taking over the world. For what purpose I cannot say. Clearly, the last time Mr. Parker went into the future it was a future without him. A future where he never went back in time and saved his family. Which means something has happened, or will happen, that would not have happened if he was present. Either in that journey or the next.

  “We already went back and saved Frank’s family. What else is there...?” Kate, Carlos... they’re going back today. “Epic, call Kate!”

  Do you think it is them going back in time that he is trying to stop? How would he even know they were?

  “I don’t know, but it’s the only other thing—”

  Red lights flash and our emergency sirens kick in. My screens all flicker to life, showing exterior cameras around the Spire. My heart leaps in my throat for a second; the last time this happened was Strungel hacking Artemis and sending an Arrow our way.

  Amelia, the FBI is approaching rapidly in unmarked vehicles. Two helicopters are at the edge of our sensors, moving fast. They would not be taking this tactical approach unless they are planning on raiding the Spire. If this is their course, there is a high probability their plan includes your incarceration.

  Of course, dang it all. This is the worst timing in the world. I allow myself the luxury of swearing at agent Brown for a second. “Epic, fill Kate in and—”

  Our communications are being jammed and the Internet hardlines have stopped responding. All cell traffic is down as well. I cannot contact Kate or Carlos for the moment.

  “Milton?”

  “I’m here, mum,” he says in his upper-crust British acce
nt.

  “Stall them as best you can. Evacuate the building and lock us down,” I tell him. “Order security to cooperate fully. Also, call legal and get them on this situation fast.”

  “Right away, mum.” The klaxon for the building’s fire alarm sounds a second later.

  What are you thinking?

  “We need to warn Kate. Are they in Greece yet?”

  No. But soon.

  “Luke will be waiting for them. That’s my guess. I don’t know how he knows, but I’m certain he’ll be there to try and stop them.”

  To what purpose, though?

  “I’m going to assume that if Kate and Carlos succeed, Pythia will be able to help us defeat him. After all, the Gem keeps referring to Carlos as a ‘son of Apollo’, maybe the Gem is tied into the Greek gods.”

  That is a possibility. What suit do you want?

  “Spin up the flight suit. I feel the need for speed.”

  Despite their attempts to jam all communications, my lab is perhaps the most heavily signal-shielded place on Earth. The quantum gate opens to my little pocket dimension. I throw myself in, fall for a half second before hitting the hammock netting. The gateway closes behind me and I scoot around to finish the process. I don’t know what trumped up charges Brown is coming at me with, but they must be pretty good. I still have a lot of friends in the Government, including the President. Of course, with the news media attacking me day in and out, he might think it isn’t politic to support me right now—even though last night in the restaurant showed me a different side of things. What the media thinks and broadcasts, isn’t what people think.

  “Epic... initiate!”

  180

  It takes less than thirty seconds before I’m deposited out the other side of the quantum gate into the launch tunnel. The HUD shows all systems are green. All four Emdrives are ready at one-hundred percent, as well as the individual ZPFMs assigned to each. Special heat-resistant paint, similar to but more advanced than what they used on the SR-71, coats the flight suit in preparation. This really is the fastest suit I’ve ever made. Theoretically, the only thing that can slow it down is the atmosphere. However, I plan on being out of the atmo long before friction becomes a serious problem.