HOPE BRINGERS (Strong superhero women) (Mystical Slayers Book 2)

by Michael W. Huard

  Elchano was a slim man with black hair, tons of jewelry, and a mustache that wound down to his lower jaw. His age was close to fifty, yet he still looked good and much younger wearing a very stylish purple suit with a yellow tie.

  He raised his hands in salute as the pretty brown-haired Aussie woman appeared before him.

  "Ah, the lovely Zaey has arrived. Speak to me, I want to hear your cute accent," he said as he moved in to give her a hug. "How is the notorious Raegan James and her band of rebels these days? You and your crew are welcome here anytime. Come and join me in the back sun porch for a drink and let us catch up," he added.

  Zaey was appreciative of his grand welcoming gestures. Elchano was always sweet, unless he didn't get his way; then he was a fucking asshole.

  "Thank you, we're all good," she said as they sat down. "And how are you?"

  They chatted for a while and exchanged more pleasantries.

  Two servants rushed in, a man with drinks and a woman with chips and salsa. "Let me guess," Zaey said. "Pina coladas and your homemade salsa?"

  He smiled at her. "Young lady, it is never a bad time to have a cocktail with a friend, and yes, the salsa is all homemade."

  He then raised his hands, showing her what he had all about him. "I am very well, dear. There is no place like Texas. This vast area lets people live life the way it should be lived. We are not under the thumb of any authority, and that's the only way I'll ever live. What about you, darling, what can you tell me about you and your sisterhood?"

  Zaey sipped her drink to be polite, but the chips and salsa were genuinely wonderful. She talked for a while, quite casually, not going into any specifics about her team.

  Elchano wanted more. "I want to hear what you're going to do about this new leadership. We live in different times now so you all must have a plan?"

  The servants returned and asked if they wanted lunch, but Zaey waved them off, stating she was good. Elchano smiled and urged both his helpers to leave.

  Zaey explained, "Well, one of the reasons I'm here, is that we need some more supplies. We need to touch base to make sure you're still our ally and will continue to help us in the fight against Y-Wood, even with their new leadership in place. But you knew that, right?"

  Elchano nodded in agreement. "You will always have my support. How could anyone turn their back on such a beautiful woman? But you still haven't answered my question…so I'll let you skip it for now and ask you this instead. Have you finally found a man, or maybe a woman to keep you company on lonely nights?" He winked at her and smiled broadly.

  Here we go, thought Zaey, he never gives up!

  Zaey grinned at him. "Will you ever stop? We are doing our best to make a difference, and yes, we have found a home where we are building once again. It's only a matter of time before we make another move against the Corporation. As for myself, well, I will say that that's private…as I always have."

  Elchano pouted his bottom lip at her answer. He then cleared his voice some and laughed. "Well, of course. Anyway, I have what Miss Raegan wants, and it's all about to be loaded into your vehicle. Do you have the funds or shall we barter? I'm a reasonable guy, am I not?"

  Music started playing a little louder around the courtyard.

  The petite woman gritted her teeth. "The money is being earned as we speak, and you will have it before we leave Texas. I am only here to facilitate the deal, but you can hold the stuff if you prefer."

  "No, no, no," he replied. "I consider just seeing your gorgeous face facilitating enough." He then pulled a small container from his jacket pocket and snorted some white power from the table.

  "Ahhhhhh, soooo good," he said, offering the container to Zaey.

  She declined and pushed it back to him. "No, thank you," she said.

  Suddenly, a B-Purcell news broadcast came to life on a wall-mounted TV screen behind Elchano.

  Today, the Y-Corporation is at the forefront of all technology. Our robotic workers can do anything and everything under the sun, so rest assured your future is in good hands with the Y-Corporation. We have what you need: cleaning bots, cooking bots, companion bots, and much more. Believe in the power of technology; believe in Y-Wood!

  Elchano gathered himself. He stood up and rubbed his hands together. "Since you have no money as of the moment, I'll have to extend you the credit until the funds arrive. You just have to do a little something for me in the meantime."

  "And what would that be?" Zaey asked with a curious frown on her face.

  Elchano walked over and turned the music up louder. "Dance with me, that is all I ask," he replied, reaching his hand out to Zaey.

  She really didn't want to, but she could think of far worse things to be asked to do. She stood and took his hand, and the pair began to salsa together to the rest of an upbeat song. He was actually quite a good dancer, though she had to tolerate his bad cigar breath as the two danced to a few songs together. He ended by dipping her backwards over his arm and then raised her in for a kiss. Zaey blocked his wet lips with her palm. Her host only smiled. He then directed her to another section of his estate.

  Zaey was then taken to a room and introduced to Tyranna Be Rex, an interesting woman with long dark hair, high cheekbones, and a wicked grin. The room was full of all sorts of cool equipment.

  "I have your order set to load," the woman confirmed. "Let's take a look at what we have here."

  She started to sort through various items. "We have guns, armor, grenades, ammo, bulletproof clothing, your special mega missile…it's all here." She then offered another crate of some extra, rather unique things that were not on Zaey's order. The dark-haired woman with a black fingerprint tattoo above her right eyebrow, pointed at the added pistols, armor, and tools inside. "Take any of these as well."

  The Australian woman was not sure about this. She asked, "And what do you want in return for these add-on items, Rex?"

  Rex smiled at Zaey. "I want your soul, of course!" Zaey tilted her head to the side, giving a strange look to Tyranna Be Rex.

  Rex paused and looked about the room to make sure no one else was eavesdropping. She then replied, "I would like for my daughter to join you people. That's all I ask. I'll give you all the samples and more to take back, just take my girl with you. This is not the life I want her to live."

  Zaey was taken aback by Rex's suggestion. As a man appeared and began taking all the equipment out to Zaey's vehicle, Rex went on. "She's too ambitious. She needs better training, a solid backbone. Cally has it in her that she wants to make a difference in the world." The two women discussed the possibility of this plan for a few more minutes.

  Cutting their conversation short, a servant of the compound burst into the room, warning the women that a Corporation flyer had just landed at the residence. "Soldiers are breaking in right now!" the servant shouted.

  Tyranna looked at Zaey and screamed, "YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN! THIS IS NO WAY FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO LIVE! PLEASE, TAKE HER WITH YOU!" She motioned for Zaey to follow her.

  Panic quickly took over the Elchano complex and hoards of frantic people ran in all directions.

  Rex handed Zaey a specialized bulletproof vest. "This will help protect you," she said as she pulled it over Zaey's head.

  The two women sprinted down the hall and cut out through a side door that led to another building. Once inside, Rex led Zaey to her daughter, Cally, a long black-haired girl of around seven years of age. "Mommy, what are we doing?" the young girl asked.

  "It's okay," Rex told her child. "We have to go. This is Zaey, she is a protector of the land. Quick, come with us."

  The three ran out to a rear loading dock, where Rex had an all-terrain motorcycle.

  "Take this and circle back to your SUV. All your gear will be there, and if not, I will have it sent to you ASAP. Now go…you have to go!" She quickly hugged Cally and passed her to Zaey. "I love so much, my baby girl. Go with Zaey…this is your chance for a better life. Go now…go!" Cally was vis
ibly afraid, but she did as she was told. She nervously smiled at Zaey.

  Just as Zaey was about to head out with Cally, a menacing looking, tall silver robot leaped from the roof above and landed before them.

  His eyes lit up green, and wires and exposed mechanisms covered his seven-foot frame. Several flyers appeared in the sky above them, all Corporation machines, but the tall robot waved them off.

  He looked directly at Zaey, and he instantly registered and recorded everything about her using his elite intelligence. He knew this woman was the one that fought his master; the one responsible for his creator's death.

  He stood before her. "It is you," he said with a soft voice. "Today will be the end of your life," he added. Zaey stepped back in shock. How could this super bot still be alive? She could hardly move.

  Before the monstrous metal bot did anything further, Rex tossed something out at it that exploded into a pool of silvery liquid at its feet. The strange substance froze and solidified, trapping the super robot in situ.

  Rex told Zaey and Cally to run as she threw another holding grenade—her own invention—down to make sure Omagus stayed put.

  The mega bot began pulling at his legs as Zaey threw her backpack on, grabbed Cally, and ran to the motorcycle. As Zaey and the young girl began to speed away, Omagus honed in his super vision and threw a tiny star-shaped tracking device, which landed with pinpoint accuracy right on Zaey's backpack. It burrowed in hidden.

  Tyranna Be Rex tossed a real grenade right in the face of the massive robot. "Die, you son of a bitch!" she screamed in a rage.

  Everything exploded as Rex dove to the side to take cover. Omagus finally tore his legs free and, unfortunately for Rex, looked to be only slightly damaged. He walked over and grabbed the woman off the ground.

  He lifted her up and launched her into the building to his left. Rex's ribs were busted, but she got back up and drew out a knife. Omagus, laughing to himself about her silly choice of weapon, came straight at her and snapped her arm off like a twig before tossing her back down to the ground.

  Turning to look with his supreme vision, he zoomed in on the escaping cycle and morphed his high-tech robotic arm into a laser rifle. Once focused, he locked onto his target and shot right into the back of the fleeing woman. The bike swerved to the right and then hit the ground. Omagus was standing next to the fallen bike within a matter of seconds.

  The young girl, who had been cradled on the bike in front of Zaey, was now on the roadside, injured but alive. Zaey lay motionless beside her. But, thanks to her protective vest, she wasn't dead. She staggered to her feet and faced the deadly super robot.

  He turned his head slightly right, looking at her as he explained, "I want you to know, I don't find any delight in killing."

  Zaey didn't wait for him to continue his speech; she threw a roundhouse kick at him, but Omagus swiftly leaned back and made her miss.

  She then attempted to pound the sole of her boot into the back of his leg, hoping to mess up the connections in his joint, but he raised his shin and knee upward as a shield and blocked her powerful kick. Upon contact, Zaey screamed out in agony as a bolt of pain shot up her leg.

  Zaey followed with another stomper of a kick to his chest, but Omagus caught her foot and flipped her backwards to the ground.

  She jumped right back up and punched out at him. He slipped her left jab, then her right cross, and then he grabbed a hold of her with one hand and smacked her in the face with the other.

  Zaey spun about, blood now pouring from her gums and lips. Being a relentless Slayer, she ran at him next with a flying sidekick, which he ducked under as she flew right over his head. Landing, she spun around with a heel kick aimed right at his head, yet he raised his metal arm and blocked her yet again.

  Omagus held on to her leg, twisted it, and slammed the Mystical Slayer back to the ground. He loomed over her and went to stomp on her back with his size twenty-three metal foot. She rolled away milliseconds before he crushed her.

  Zaey landed near Cally on the roadside.

  The child stared at Zaey; her eyes seemed sad, yet she was still alive.

  Zaey pulled herself back up. She had to keep fighting.

  She looked towards the robot and asked, "What is wrong with you people? Don't any of you care about human civilization?"

  Omagus felt nothing for such pathetic excuses of life. He raised both his fists up high in the air, replying, "Your kind care nothing for no one. You live to satisfy your ego. These human beings you speak of are good for nothing."

  He strode over to her and picked her up by the throat with one hand. He then proudly proclaimed, "The time of humans has ended!"

  He then prepared to snap her neck, but at that moment, the young girl on the ground sat up with some sort of a pistol in her hand and shot something directly into Omagus.

  A stream of liquid, which looked like a kind of goo, fired out of the end of the pistol. As soon as it made contact with Omagus, it coated his chest in a greenish gray liquid that spread over his neck and shoulders and instantly froze solid. With the robot stuck in place once again, he released the woman from his grasp and dropped her to the ground.

  Zaey, once free, spun low in a dragon slicing sweep, taking out the massive robot's legs and sending him tumbling backwards.

  Zaey immediately grabbed Cally and pulled her to their motorcycle.

  The two of them flew down the highway back to Mahira without so much as a backwards glance.

  Omagus grinned and broke himself free of the frozen goo with minimal effort. After all, that's what billion-dollar robots do.

  This Zaey woman was a feisty one indeed, he thought. But he would let her go this time. He enjoyed the hunt.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chaya was chosen to make the long trip to Maine by herself. A single traveler, albeit an extremely dangerous one, posed little threat on her own as she journeyed to the far northeast.

  However, this journey was too long to be traveled by land, so a flyer was her chosen transport for today.

  She made various stops at sisterhood compounds to help break up the long flight. It was always great to visit those loyal to their cause. Thanks to her vessel being heavily disguised, no issues had arisen so far and the trip was going well.

  The welcome sight of a familiar coastline confirmed she was approaching the Mystical Slayers' hidden cave system base in Maine.

  Her main objective was to bring back an ample supply of the American stars and stripes, the infamous red, white, and blue flags.

  The American flag, which used to be proudly displayed all across the land of the fallen United States, had now been replaced by the Corporation's banner of steel-gray and red. The gray represented the clones and robotic soldiers of the Y-Wood Corporation, while the red was rumored to portray the blood they spill. Chaya never really knew what the red represented, so she was happy to go along with this assumption. It seemed like a fitting explanation in her eyes.

  ***

  Back home, with the darkness of night taking over, the four young girls gathered together in one room.

  Karma explained that one of the few things she could remember was that she was from Wyoming. Her clan was part of an old mining community, who stayed out of the Y-Corporation's way as much as possible.

  Victory told the other three girls of her time in the quarry in Long Island, New York. "I only remember being tossed about and used as an errand girl mostly, right up until Mahira and Tyne took me away."

  When it came round to Sun's time to speak came, she shook her head and said, "I'm going to be honest with you. I don't really remember anything of my past."

  Victory asked, "You must recall something?"

  Sun responded simply by saying, "I really don't."

  Karma asked, "So who raised you and gave you your name and all that?"

  Sun went on. "I simply don't remember. I think I have a mix of past lives inside me or something because I don't re
member anything substantial."

  "Oh, come on," said Victory. "Who named you Sun? You must know that!"

  Naiera simply sat and listened. As the new girl, she was just happy to be allowed inside this room with the others; it felt like she had friends and family again.

  Sun continued. "I just kind of ended up with the sisterhood. When they took me in, I'd already lost my memory so they immediately put me on the Starigen and started raising me. That's it really."

  Victory asked, "Okay, so answer me this…do you believe in God? I mean, we keep hearing these stories from Raegan and the others, but there's no actual proof."

  Karma added, " And look at the world around us…everyone is struggling! When you're told that someone could be looking over us and protecting us, but then you see this all around us, it's not easy to feel so secure."

  Sun wanted to say more, but in her gut, she felt it wasn't the right time to talk about the voices she heard.

  She said, "Yes, I do believe. I have faith that the world will get better. I get it, though, that it's easy to second-guess everything, but my heart tells me somebody is watching over us and for me, that's all it takes. If you believe that, then you have something by your side to carry you on. If not, you have nothing."

  "I'm starving," said Karma. "Let's go out to the kitchen and make something to eat." The others nodded their heads in agreement, so they scurried off to make a midnight snack and talk more about the future of the world.

  Little did they realize at that moment that all of them, one day, would play a big part in it. A very big part!

  ***

  The brown-haired Mystical Slayer now made her way to the hidden, rocky coastline home of the many sisters of Maine.

  She stopped after exiting her ship and climbed up to a higher point to admire the beautiful coastal scenery before her. Land like this took her breath away. This was the way life should be, so free and clean.

  Then she saw a figure standing at the edge of a cliff top above her, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean's deep blue waters.