Supers - Ex Heroes 5

by Jamie Hawke

  And on that note, a man stepped out from behind him, looking very much like my brother but older. And then there was a woman with her arm in his. At first, I couldn’t make her out because of the shadows, but then I recognized her: my mother, whom I had rescued from the pyramid on Gurstrad.

  If my mother was there with this man, and this man looked so much like my brother, complete with the same rugged jaw and strong nose, even the same body type—muscular, manly like I’d always dreamed of being and only now was thanks to my superhero upgrades—could this man be my father?

  “Welcome, son,” he said, and my mother nodded, smiling, confirming it was true.

  “We’ll give you a moment.” Hadrian gestured for Laurel and Lamb to follow him. “Get acquainted. I’ll catch up with my daughter, and offer to have one of our commanders show the rest of the group around.”

  “I don’t understand.” I looked from my father to my mother, as if I’d be able to learn everything about them from their eyes. “How…?”

  “Sometimes, when giving your all to fight evil,” my father said, “the fight truly requires your all. I understand I have you to thank for Artemis’s return to the Citadel?”

  “My team helped.”

  My mother smiled, a hand on my father’s shoulder. “Because of you and your brother, we truly have a chance of succeeding here. We will push our enemies back. We will see a world free of their reach.”

  “And now?” I gestured to everything around us.

  “Now we fight, but not as before,” my father replied. “It’s time to pass the torch. To admit that what we’ve gone through has taken too much out of us, changed us.”

  I nodded. “So when I return, you’ll be here? We can… I don’t know, talk then?”

  “Indeed, we’ll be here looking forward to that day,” my mother confirmed.

  My father gestured toward everything outside our protective bubble as we walked back toward the bar tent. “The sooner we fight them off, the sooner that day will come.”

  Off to the side of that tent, I saw Hadrian and Andromida close together, smiling. It was an appealing look on her. Others from the group had exited, this apparently not being their scene. Some were interacting with the other supers, likely getting a sense of what we’d been missing out on up there.

  “I don’t understand,” I admitted as we drew closer to the pair. “What are we doing here?”

  “We’ve found a way to reach their level.” Drew stopped then stepped closer, taking me in an embrace. “For now, they don’t realize we’ve begun this counterattack up here. They seem distracted, and we’re using that to our advantage.”

  “They are distracted,” I replied. “We just thwarted some of their plans, but now they’re with the supervillain Muerta, along with who knows how many others, and I believe they’re off to attack Earth and the other Paradise Planets.”

  “They’ve already dealt a major blow,” Aegriss interjected as she walked up to us.

  Hadrian overhead my comment and joined our conversation, too. “They’ve reached Earth, you say?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know how far they’ve gotten, but believe they’re heading that way.”

  “I thought they didn’t have our star system charted yet,” Drew argued, turning to Hadrian for an explanation.

  “That’s right.” Lamb, to my surprise, approached Drew and put a hand on his back, giving me reason to believe they’d become close. “They shouldn’t be able to. But…?”

  “But they have,” I confirmed.

  “Ranger led them there, with the powers from Gurstrad and some help,” Twitch supplied as she walked up to join us.

  My parents were still standing there, my father now rubbing his chin in thought. “We can’t have this. Hadrian, our tent?”

  Hadrian took a moment, then said, “We might as well do this here. No reason to exclude them..

  I looked around and caught the attention of the members of my team who’d joined us, along with Letha, Ezra, and Trunk. A quick jerk of my head signaled them all to come over. Once they were gathered around, us, Hadrian addressed the group. I couldn’t help but notice a lack of Charm, but then again, I wasn’t surprised that she’d be into this bar scene.

  “You’ve all been fighting different facets of a much greater fight. We’d hoped to recruit you to our cause here. We have many superheroes who’ve come to join us, but I fear it won’t be enough when the time comes for a major strike.”

  My father put a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll discuss a strategy, and then my sons and I need to have our own chat.”

  I nodded, definitely looking forward to that.

  “The dilemma being that we need certain kinds of warriors here, and others to go defend the Milky Way?” Andromida asked from where she’d been standing behind and to the side of Hadrian.

  “Correct,” Hadrian said. “So some of you will have to make a choice. If you feel strongly that you belong on the Earth defense team, that’s where you belong. I don’t want anyone where their heart isn’t.”

  “Agreed,” my father chimed in. My mother, who was standing beside him, nodded.

  “However, there might be a way in which Earth doesn’t need large numbers so much as the right team.” Hadrian looked at his daughter and sighed. “I’d hoped you could stay here longer, that we could have some time, but… they’ll need you.”

  Andromida returned his gaze and the ferocity in her eyes melted a bit, but she stood tall. “Whatever is needed of me, I’m ready.”

  “What kind of team are we talking about?” Charm asked, glancing over at Laurel, then me.

  “The kind that doesn’t just shoot out of ships,” Hadrian answered. “The kind that can find a way into the enemy craft and take them out, basically sending them back across the universe, banishing them again, after erasing our systems from their star charts.”

  “And we can do that?” I asked. “I mean, of course we can, but… how?”

  “Actually, you can’t.”

  Murmurs rose among the crowd. Letha stepped forward. “Then what’re we talking about here? I have business to attend back home, and… I don’t mean to be kept from it.”

  Hadrian held up a finger. “There’s someone that, if she were on this team… well, she would be the missing puzzle, let’s say.”

  “Great, where is she?” I asked.

  “Missing,” Hadrian admitted, but before I could protest at this absurd conversation, he added, “But I believe she can be found.”

  “Perhaps if you were less convoluted in your speech, old man,” my father chided, earning a grin from Hadrian.

  “Here it is then,” Hadrian said. “There was a woman a long time ago, one who fought for the defense of Earth. To bring a final victory, she sacrificed herself to go into the other side, locking their entry into our world. Apparently, they’ve found another way in, however.”

  “From the Syndicate Event?” Laurel asked. I was surprised by the calm, sing-song way she spoke.

  Hadrian nodded.

  “But then… she would have died long ago,” I protested.

  “She fought at my side, and I am still alive,” Hadrian reminded us. “You might have heard of the Shadow Corps, of one who led them… the one they call the Shadow Mystic. If you can find her, tell her what has happened… I believe this is the way to save the Milky Way.”

  Laurel was nodding enthusiastically. She was apparently the only one there who knew this name, other than Hadrian and my parents.

  “Decide among yourselves which team you belong on, Earth defense or here,” my father directed the group. “The team out on the attack at the moment should be back soon, and then we’ll take out a group of you to fight them, to show you what we’ve been able to learn about their weaknesses and strengths. And after that,” he paused to look at Hadrian, who nodded, “then we’ll split our ways, as much as it saddens me to say it.”

  “One day, it’ll all be over.” My mother smiled at me and then Drew. “My family will be r
eunited. All of us will return to the Citadel and have a feast the likes of which none of us have ever experienced. Until that day, bring us glory.” She held out her hand and sparks flew around it. More sparks rose into the air above us, coming together to form the statue of a warrior, fist held high in the attack. “To commemorate this moment.”

  It was good to see my mother in full health again, to hear her voice full of confidence and strength. A glance around at the metal surrounding the translucent platform we were standing on made me realize that these war-tent constructions had been pulled up out of the metal, and this was probably my mother’s doing. But I didn’t think it was anything like the power Andromida possessed. Instead, it was more like what she’d used at the pyramids to control the station’s core.

  I was in awe, and wondered if I, too, would be able to master this power someday, as I’d also been able to manipulate the core.

  “Come,” my father said, guiding me to the camp. “While they decide their paths, let us talk. We need to come up with a plan for finding the Shadow Mystic.”

  Drew followed us. “Actually, father, before we do that, do you mind if I have a moment with my brother?”

  Our father paused, nodded, and then walked off to give us some space. Drew lowered his voice, glancing nervously back in the direction of the bar. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about Threed’s sister…”

  I stared back, blankly. “Aren’t they all sisters?”

  “Half-sisters, except the angel and demon-looking duo, who are full sisters as they both had the same father. But I mean Threed’s full sister, same mom as the rest of these, shared other father. Didn’t—I mean, did we talk about that? On Abaddon?”

  “I’m drawing a blank,” I admitted.

  “Shit.” He ran a hand over his bald head, glanced back again, and leaned in. “Thing is, we’ve all been busy, distracted… Threed’s sister was on Abaddon. And with you going, I thought maybe you’d hear something. At first I didn’t think much of it, but then I found out her sis and one of your teammates had butted heads in the past, so…?”

  “This really isn’t helping. She have a name?”

  He nodded. “Plague. Your girl Twitch apparently had—”

  “Yeah, I know all about it,” I interrupted, the blood rushing from my head. “Fuck.”

  “That’s not a good ‘fuck,’ is it?”

  I shook my head.

  “Fuck!” he exclaimed, catching on. “How?”

  “Me. Mostly.”

  He nodded. “She was a supervillain, after all. But I think Threed had been holding out hope that her sister could be persuaded to come over to our side.”

  “What… I mean, how will she react?”

  Drew shook his head, then rubbed his chin, thinking. “Don’t tell her yet, okay? Let me do it. I think I can work the news in gently. She gets it—the supervillain part—and will understand… to a degree. I mean, eventually, but she might explode first. So yeah, I’ll deal with it.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “And also… what the fuck?”

  He laughed. “I know man, it’s fucked up. It’s just, after you all told me you were going there, I was talking to the team and she mentioned it again. She’d told me about her sister before, but not when actually going there was on my mind. And then when she said it again, you all were out of reach already.”

  “Honestly,” I replied, “there wouldn’t have been anything we could’ve done differently. Plague was working with Muerta—actually, was Muerta’s lover.”

  “Hot shit.” He clapped my shoulder. “Let’s not make them wait, huh? I’m excited to get to this mission with you. Show you the ropes a bit. I just wish we’d been able to have more time together.”

  “Me too, bro.” I wasn’t sure calling him ‘bro’ was my thing. It wasn’t like we saw each other often enough or even talked often enough to gauge it, but when the word left my mouth he smiled.

  “Let’s do it, bro,” he replied, and we walked back over to the bar together.

  3

  We were going to collect the ladies when a crash sounded from the bar tent. A man went flying through the doors, Threed following with a shout of anger. Next came Cheri, laughing. A moment later Charm glanced out through the open door, saw us looking, and ducked back in again.

  “Not sure those three should be allowed to play together,” I said with a groan.

  “Threed has that effect on people,” Drew replied.

  But both of our faces contorted and we made eye contact as the realization hit us.

  I winced. “Charm told her.”

  Drew nodded. “Damn. So much for my plan of gently easing her into it.”

  Threed had turned back to the bar, her hands outstretched with green smoke rising from them. “Who else wants to talk shit, huh? Who else wants to try to say something about me or my late sister?”

  She stood there seething, but nobody came forward. Finally, she spun around, looked at me, and glared. A moment passed, and then she stormed off, walking away from the bar with Cheri in tow.

  Charm emerged again, gave me a guilty grin, and walked over to join us. “Anyone else know Plague was Threed’s sister?”

  “Just found out,” I said, grimacing. “Sucks, how it went down.”

  “But can’t change that now.” Drew nodded after Threed. “I’ll talk to her, see if we can at least… I don’t know… not lose focus.”

  “Her sister just died,” Charm countered. “Losing focus is to be expected.”

  He nodded solemnly, then jogged after his teammate.

  “Shit, Charm,” I said. “What happened?”

  “Nobody told me. Did you know?”

  I shook my head.

  “Exactly.” She breathed a heavy sigh, her tail twirling. “So, I started telling them what happened after we, you know, swapped some sex stories and all that. Her smile faded and some guy said something that pissed her off. It went downhill fast, and only in the maelstrom of punches and kicks did I learn what had set her off. Fuck. Sorry.”

  “Not your fault.” I took her hand and gave it a squeeze, then turned to see Hadrian, who had brought the rest of my ladies outside and was waiting for us. “Come on, we can deal with that later. I’ll apologize, or… hell, I don’t know.”

  She nodded and we made our way over to the others.

  Hadrian led us into a nearby metal tent. Laurel entered a moment later and immediately reconnected with Charm. My eyes went to the two of them. Charm grinned at me, apparently very excited by all of this, while Laurel seemed to be unsure what to make of me so far, weighing me to see if I was worthy of her friend. As far as I was concerned, no man could be worthy of such a lady, but I was putting my full effort into trying to be.

  The inside of the tent had more sculpted metal and glass, rising out of the surface of this platform. I noticed some strange patterns on the ground here, and knelt to get a closer look. My mother walked in just then and commented as she moved to stand at my side, “I fashioned this from one of the first of their ships that we took out. One of the supers has been keeping us hidden from the enemy. Illusions, similar to your friend Shimmer’s, only… of a different sort.”

  “We strike out from here, like daggers in the night,” my father said, walking in and taking a seat at one of the metal chairs that looked like a throne befitting a god. It spiraled up with all manner of intricate patterns—clearly made for him by the woman he loved.

  “So you whittle them down?” Twitch asked. “That’s the strategy?”

  He nodded. “For now, it’s the best way. We’ve managed to capture some of their ships, and now we’re preparing to launch an assault against them with their own firepower.”

  “Our ships can do damage, but not nearly as fast,” my mother said. “And since the enemy can’t get through the Citadel’s defense any more, taking the longer approach with less casualties works.”

  “It’s time for the new Elders to take charge,” Hadrian stated. “We repel this invasion, the Elders are na
med, and we proclaim a state of law again. It’s time to put our collective foot down.”

  “And the other Elders?” I asked.

  “Some like you, others brought in from Tier Ones who have finally decided it’s time to serve the Citadel full-time, such as the man Drew met who goes by the name of Arthur. Others have been chosen… But I have to say, it will be hard to replace the likes of Xin.”

  “To be clear: Lamb was gone, you were gone… Is Xin really gone? The others?”

  My father leaned forward. “They are.”

  “I’ll be staying with the Citadel,” my mother announced. “To ensure this never happens again.”

  “As one of the Elders,” Hadrian added, beaming.

  A glance at my dad showed he had no such sentiment. It was hard for me to process these two not being together, or the man who shared my blood not being the type to devote himself to something like the Citadel, but I had to try to understand it. He was who he was, after all, there was no changing that.

  “I’d like to know what all this means for me,” Gale spoke up. “Sorry to make it personal, but… the Citadel and I didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.”

  “You are now part of an Elder’s team,” Hadrian answered. “Not officially, yet, but practically. You have all accomplished much, and I can assure you, you have a place here whenever you want.”

  She nodded, good with that.

  “And these Nihilists?” Twitch chimed in. “We know what they are now? Who?”

  “We know they have a similar origin,” my father replied. “They were supers, supervillains most likely, who wanted more power and got it, but with a price.”

  “But before we go any further,” Hadrian turned to Charm, his serious expression melting into one of compassion.

  “What?” she asked, licking her lips then brushing at her cheek. “Something on me? A spider?”

  “There are no spiders here,” Hadrian informed her.

  “It’s time, isn’t it?” Laurel asked, her normally wide eyes going even wider. She turned to Charm, a hand to her mouth, and looked torn between hugging her and running away.