The Ardent Saga Omnibus

by Nathan Howe

  The door burst open, and Hammer walked in. Another man trailed behind him. The man twirled his fingers. He wasn't tall, but his presence still intimated Remy. There was something about him. They both stopped in the center of the room. Every eye on them. Hammer stood silently for a moment. “This is Odell. He will be taking over for all of you.”

  Remy shook his head. Did he say all of us? “Say what?” a co-worker asked.

  “You heard me, Jack. Odell here is an Ardent, and he can replace you. Today is your last day.”

  “You can't fire us,” Remy said. His jaw clenched. He was furious. What would he do? He needed this job for his girl. “I have a family to support.”

  Hammer shrugged. “I have a business to run. One that needs to make a profit.”

  The room exploded. Remy couldn't understand a thing said. People yelled at Hammer and the Ardent, a person with superpowers. Remy stood there in silence. Thinking of his girls. What will he do now? It was tough enough getting this job. There weren't that many coding positions in the area. He might have to move. The thought of that scared him.

  The shouting from his co-workers continued. Hammer stood silently with his nostrils flared barring his teeth. This wouldn't last much longer. What Hammer wanted Hammer got. Nothing any of his co-workers could do to change that. All they accomplished with the yelling was pissing Hammer off. “Enough!” Hammer waved his arms. “I am not changing my mind. Get your things and leave. You are not required to show up here again. You'll receive your last paycheck in the mail along with your service pay.”

  The room silenced. Defeated. Remy headed the way out. Nothing to be done. They'd be searching for a new job. Remy made it to his desk and packed up in a few minutes and walked out to his car.

  Remy sat in his car he tried to start it up. Nothing. “Are you kidding me?” He tried again. He cursed at the car and stomped the floor. What a day. His car wasn't even that old. He got out and found the jumper cables that he always carried with him. More to help others than his own car. His dad taught him to be prepared and to help others. So, Remy did.

  “Hey, Jack can you give me a jump,” Remy said as Jack walked by.

  Jack answered without looking up from the pavement. “Sure.”

  Even this late in the evening the traffic was thick in Cynosure. Compared to the rest of Remy's day the traffic was only a minor inconvenience. Remy wanted to get home to his two little girls. They were all he had left. He raised them the best he could after their mother died, a victim of an evil Ardent. Remy slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “Damn it.” Today had been a bad day, he even needed a jump on his new car.

  Remy pulled into his parking spot in his apartment complex. The complex was three stories tall, and he lived in a first-floor unit second from the end. Remy paused in his car silent for a moment collecting his thoughts. He didn't want to tell his girls he had no way to care for them anymore. His oldest, handled a lot of the responsibility when her mother died two years ago, too much for a young girl adjusting to high school.

  Remy opened his apartment door and both his girls greeted in with open arms. Part of their routine. They had already eaten since it was so late but the table still held food for him. He went to the table and sat.

  “Dad, are you okay?” Olivia, his oldest, asked. “You look upset.”

  Remy frowned. “Honey,” he swallowed, “I have bad news. The firm laid us off. An Ardent replaced us.”

  “Oh, Dad,” Shallice said. He hugged them both.

  Tears flowed from his eyes. Olivia whipped them away gently. “Don't worry Dad. You'll find something.”

  He wasn't so sure. The economy was tight these days. Remy forced a smile. “I hope you're right.”

  After Remy had finished eating, he helped the girls prep for bed. They no longer needed his help, but they humored him. It's one of the few chances he had to spend time with them.

  As he departed Olivia's room, she paused at her bed. “Dad, don't worry. You'll get a job. It won't take long. I'm certain.”

  “Thanks, hon.”

  Remy closed the door. He walked down the hallway that the bedrooms shared with the only bathroom and sat on the sofa. That's when the music started. His neighbor who had the corner unit would do this most nights. So, loud it rattled the walls. The TV vibrated on the stand. Tonight, the music sounded through the paper-thin walls, Remy heard the lyrics.

  Remy stood and walked over the shared section of the apartment and slammed on it hard. “Turn it down!” He smashed his fist one more time.

  The music continued. Twenty minutes later Shallice walked in the hallway, “Daddy, I can't sleep.”

  Remy took a deep breath in. “Sorry, I'll try to get him to lower it.”

  “Thank you, Dad.” She gave him a hug and headed back to her room.

  Remy walked over to the door and knocked. He waited a minute with no response and knocked again louder this time. Loud bangs sounded within the apartment, and the door opened. His neighbor, Ty, was a brute of a man nearly twice as wide as Remy and over two hundred and fifty pounds. He was a mix of muscle and fat with a bald head. Tonight, he reeked of alcohol. “What?”

  “My kids are trying to sleep, and your music is keeping them up.”

  “What that got to with me.” Ty slammed the door in Remy's face.

  “Asshole,” Remy mumbled under his breath.

  He tried Remy told himself. Not his best effort but those encounters never went well. Every time he tried to get him to turn it off he didn't. Back in his own place, Remy picked up the phone. This wouldn't be the first time he had to call the police to file a noise complaint against him. The music increased to ridicules levels. How could he even think with it that loud?

  Remy slammed the phone. He gripped it so hard his knuckles turned white. He paused. And breathed in. Trying to not let it get him. But today of all days. Remy wanted peace and quiet. Time to relax and figure out what to do.

  But this prick next door isn't letting him. He wasn’t allowing his girls to sleep in peace. Remy couldn't allow this to go on anymore. It was time for action. Time to end this endless barrage of music. A quick glance around the room he saw in the corner his old discarded exercise equipment. He strode over and picked up the medicine ball. Tossed it up in the air and caught it. “This will do.” He smirked.

  He marched out of his apartment with purpose. No more of this. He'd settle this. Remy didn't care that the guy made him look like a child. He'd show him who was in charge, that Remy wouldn't be pushed around. Remy kicked and slammed his fist on the door. Making sure it sounded over the music.

  The door opened. “Leave me alone,” Ty grunted.

  Remy aimed and threw the medicine ball. He connected with his target, right in the head. He dropped to the ground with a thud. The bellows of the heavy metal music flowed from the stereo system that lined the wall they shared. Remy stepped over the moaning body on the floor. At the radio, he found the off button and silenced the music. “Ah. Peace. Sweet peace.”

  Part of Remy contemplated smashing the system to pieces. At least that would give them a day of silence but decided against it. Remy glanced to the right, draping a chair in the dining room hung a jacket. A distinctive coat. It bore the marking of a gang. Not just any gang. An Ardent one. “Great, Faith of the Withering. My bad luck continues today.”

  “That's right.” Remy turned. Ty stood next to his couch. “You messed with the wrong guy.”

  Bending over Ty plucked up a cushion from his couch. He grasped it in his hands, and a moment later it burst into flames. Remy threw up his hands in shock. It wasn’t the best defense in the world, but it was better than nothing. “We can talk about this.”

  Ty laughed. “I don't think so.”

  Remy regretted coming over here now. Wished he had called the police instead. He couldn't take his eyes off the burning cushion. The flames had no effect on Ty, but they wouldn't be that way for Remy.

  A crooked smiled covered Ty's face. The cushion hurtled right at
Remy. He ducked. It missed his head by inches. The heat from the cushion warmed the air around Remy. “Whoa,” Remy mumbled.

  He dropped to all fours and searched for a weapon. Anything to defend against flying burning objects. Remy feared he would be defenseless against this crazy Ardent. This man was bonkers. It terrified Remy.

  “You can't hide there.” Ty leaned over the couch looking at him. Remy reached as fast as he could and knocked the lamp off the table next to him. He gripped it and swung. It connected on the head with a bang. The light shattered, fragments fell next to Remy.

  “Ahhh!” Ty grabbed his head. He snarled, “You fucker. You'll pay.”

  The anger on his face was intense and frightened Remy even more. Ty was a brute, one that on his worst day could handle Remy. This was the scariest situation that Remy had ever been in.

  Remy jumped to his feet. The apartment heated up. Behind Remy in the kitchen flames spread, the wood crackled. Soon they would be out from the main living area of the place. Remy needed to get past Ty and get out. Otherwise, he'd get burned alive.

  As Ty regained control, Remy attempted to sprint past him. Ty flailed at Remy. His fingers rubbed against Remy but didn't have the strength to hold on. Remy let out a breath.

  The fire spread faster than Remy fathomed. Fire from Ardents must act differently than regular flame. The stereo along the wall melted. Remy grinned. A small moment of happiness in the chaos.

  “Nooo!” Ty screamed. “You ruined my place. My collection.”

  Remy smiled and continued to try to escape. He was almost out the door when pushed from behind. He fell to the ground and rolled feet over head out of the apartment.

  Ty picked up Remy and carried him out to his car and slammed him on the hood. Metal crunched beneath Remy. His car now dented with him as the outline. With his fist on the hood, Ty screamed, melting the hood under his hand. Ty disengaged Remy and stared at his apartment. Remy's body tingled from the heat Ty radiated from himself. He needed to find a way to get away. To stop him before the fire spread.

  Remy inched his way along his car. In the passenger seat sat the jumper cables he used earlier. He opened the door and pulled them out. The cables had length to them. Remy held one end and used them as a whip. He swung. Connecting with a crack on the right side of Ty and broke his ribs on impact. The crunching of the bones made Remy cringe. The sound curdled Remy’s stomach, it was disgusting.

  Ty remained standing and then turned. “You'll have to do better.” He rubbed his side and rushed at Remy.

  Changing his hold on the cables to the center. Remy swung with two circles in front of him, using both ends as a weapon. When Ty tried to punch, Remy landed a shot on the arm, wrapping around it.

  Ty yanked. Almost pulling them free.

  Sirens sounded in the distance, both Hero Coalition, and the fire department. Remy didn't have to last much longer.

  He used the free half of the cables and struck at the head. Missing this time.

  “Not again,” Ty said.

  Ty grunted and pulled Remy close. With the strength that Remy couldn’t match Ty swung in a circle. Remy's back was now to the apartments. Ty pushed him away while keeping hold of the jumper cables. The force dropped Remy to the ground he skidded to a stop, ripping holes in his pants. Ty marched over and blocked out the street light as he sneered at him.

  Remy had no way out. It frightened him. The fear nearly left Remy frozen in place. His eyes darted around hoping for help. Shallice and Olive raced through his mind. He couldn’t leave them orphans.

  “You're mine.” Ty kicked Remy's leg above the knee.

  “Ahh!” Remy screamed in agony.

  Ty leered. His eyes glistened over. Remy needed to act fast. With his own leg throbbing Remy kicked Ty with as much force as he could.

  Ty howled, before backing away.

  This gave Remy a moment to recover. Slowly, Remy used his car to support himself. The hole that Ty formed when they first arrived at the car exposed the battery. An idea formed in Remy’s mind.

  Before Remy could act, Ty punched. Connecting on Remy's shoulder. Pain burned. Remy cursed. He hated Ty now more than ever. Ty was a disgusting person.

  Remy’s arm weakened from the blow, tingling, and burning. And his vision blurred.

  The cables were close enough. Remy launched into his plan. He attached his end of the wires to the battery. Sparks shot from the other end wrapped around Ty's forearm. Remy let him close the space between them. He grabbed the other end of the cables and latched onto Ty.

  Both men shot apart from each other. Remy lay on the ground hazy. His mind mush.

  He gingerly stood. Smoke bellowed from his apartment. “No!

  Remy feared he lost his girls. He sprinted wobbly inside. All that mattered was saving his babies.

  His place burned. On the other side of the living area, his girls stood, between them flames. “Help! Daddy,” Shallice screamed. Tears flowed from both girls. Remy saw no way to put out the fire.

  “I'm coming.” Remy stepped back and then ran and jumped. His feet and legs passed through the flames. “Ouch.”

  He made it. They hugged him. Remy dashed into the kitchen. The fire extinguisher hung on the wall. He grabbed it. “Follow me.”

  With the extinguisher in front of him, he led the girls to the cusp of the flames. He used the extinguisher. It helped but didn't douse the flames completely. “We have to jump.”

  “Okay,” Olivia said.

  “You first Olive.” She nodded and jumped making it over without getting burned. “Go. Get out.” Remy turned to Shallice. “You now.”

  “I'm scared, daddy.”

  “You're a big girl. You can do.”

  “I can't.”

  “Together.”

  She nodded. Remy held her hand, and they jumped. He tripped as he landed but they were clear. They rushed out. Olivia waited for them. They hugged each other.

  The fire department arrived along with the Hero Coalition. A young dark skinned Ardent dressed in white, and blue Hero Coalition uniform stood over Ty. He held a bow with an arrow out. “Withering?”

  “Yeah,” Remy said.

  “I'm Heldonhaft. We'll need to get your statement. But that can wait until after the paramedics arrive and take care of your injuries.”

  “Thanks.” Remy leaned on his car thankful that he was alive. Today turned out to be a day he'd never forget. His life forever changed again by Ardents. He watched as the fire department extinguished the fire.

  Thirty minutes later he rode with his girls in the back of an ambulance to the hospital. Both girls sat half asleep. Remy smiled. They were all he desired. It didn't matter that he had no job. No car. No home. He had them. Everything else would come.

  Remy stood in front of the hospital. They made him and his girls stay the night to be examined. They cleared him already. The doctors wanted to run a few more test on the girls. It scared him at first, but they assured him it was routine. Yesterday turned into anything but usual for Remy. As he lay down in the hospital last night, he hoped he'd wake up at home, but he didn’t. Instead, he woke in a sterile room. Remy breathed deeply. The sun shined shown bright in the sky. Today would be a beautiful day. Remy was about to walk back in when he saw the Ardent from the Hero Coalition, Heldonhaft walked up the sidewalk. Remy waved.

  “They release you?” Remy nodded. “How about your daughters?”

  Remy shook his head. “Not yet. Running a few more test.”

  “I'm sure they'll be out soon.”

  “I hope so. Last night was painful.”

  “I'm sorry.” Heldonhaft's shoulders drooped. “I wanted to see you before you left. Just to make sure you were okay. And to see if you remembered anything else from last night.”

  “I'm okay. Rattled from the day in general but fine. And I'm sure I told you everything.”

  “Don't hesitate to call the Coalition or me. If you have any problems.”

  “I won't.”

  Heldonhaft t
urned to leave. Stopped. “Did they give you a place to stay while you find a new one?”

  “No.”

  “Let me make a call. The coalition will usually set people from an Ardent attack up for a week or two in a hotel.” He walked several steps away and talked into one of the coalition's communications devices. Steve hoped they would. The last thing he needed was a lengthy stay in a hotel. He hadn't seen his place yet. But doubted it would be livable. Heldonhaft returned. “You'll be taken care off. When you leave here met me back at your apartment, and I'll get you to a place.”

  “Thank you.” That lifted Remy's spirits. At least in the short term. He still had to find a new job. He didn't look forward to that. The whole process of it. The grind of job hunting. Applying for jobs and hoping beyond hope your resume stood out. It took him months to land this last job. He couldn't last that long this time.

  He entered the hospital and waited for his girls.

  It was midday before a shuttle bus dropped Remy with his girls off at his apartment. Sure enough, Heldonhaft stood out front with another Ardent. This one taller with a Mohawk, he wore a blue and white uniform like Heldonhaft's but with a K on the front.

  “Glad to see they are both out. This is Kraftig.” Heldonhaft gestured to the Ardent.

  Kraftig snorted. Shallice tugged on Remy's arm. “He's scary looking.”

  “He's a good guy honey.” She looked doubtful. “I promise.”

  Heldonhaft smiled. “A gentle guy until you break the law. You plan on breaking any laws today?”

  Shallice shook her head. ”No,” she whispered.

  “Then you'll be okay.”

  “Stop being such a baby Shallice,” Olivia said. “He's a hero. He stops bad things.”

  “Okay, you two. Let's see if we can salvage anything,” Remy said. He led them past Kraftig, Shallice gripped his hand so hard it turned white.