by Bryan Cohen
Chapter 35
Before they left for the school, Stucky asked Nigel if he could hold the sword. It looked as if it had been pulled from a museum's collection of most prized possessions. It was handcrafted and ancient, and Stucky wanted to know its secrets.
"Can't I just touch it for a second?"
Nigel did not look pleased.
"This isn't just some magazine to pass around to all of your friends, Stucky. It's an all-powerful weapon from another world."
Stucky fidgeted.
"I promise that if you let me touch it–"
"No. And that's final."
Stucky assumed he'd get some points for busting the gang out of prison. But aside from a pat on the back, Nigel claimed he himself was the hero of the day. He said that he willed Stucky to him, using powers from the other side. Stucky had powers now, too, but aside from the occasional bloodlust, he didn't feel all that different.
As Nigel and the others prepared for the school, Stucky snuck over to the sword and grasped the hilt.
He'd remembered things about the other world since the crossover, but the sword made his view clear in multiple dimensions. A dark, crackling sky muffled the sound of footprints. Thousands of dark souls were marching into position. They were prepared to go through the gateway, if Nigel and his group were able to open it. Stucky didn't expect the dark souls to look so gaunt. Several even appeared on the brink of death. That's all Stucky could view before Nigel kicked him in the back of the head.
Stucky dropped the sword as Nigel’s boot propelled him forward. His stomach slid several feet on the ground before he came to a stop. Nigel wasn't done. He gripped the back of Stucky's shirt and tossed him into the wall with a grunt. Despite his newly inherited super strength, the wall stung. Stucky held up his hands.
"What gives, boss? I just wanted to–"
"It's like a phone call, you idiot. It can be traced. If we fail, the living soul will find the sword and end all of this."
Stucky rubbed his neck.
"OK, I'm sorry. You could've just told me that."
"I’m on edge, Stucky," Nigel said. "Trying to end a civilization is more pressure than you’d think."
Stucky ripped himself away from the wall, where he'd left a Stucky-shaped impression. He patted his boss on the shoulder.
"I know just what to do."
Before they left for the heist, Stucky traveled to the gate of the woods and picked up the pizzas he'd ordered. When he got back, the group devoured them.
"This was a good idea, Stucky," Nigel said.
"We're still part human, after all."
"If I'd known we'd have pizza, my wife would not have packed lunch," Yarrick said, presenting a soggy-looking sandwich from a paper bag.
As they finished up the meal, Stucky cleared his throat.
"Nigel, who was the man with half a face? Why did he trust us with the sword?"
Nigel's smile turned serious again. He looked over at the sword, which sat in a somewhat camouflaged case on the other side of the room.
"The other side is desperate. They’re losing the war. The faceless man is the general of our army. To cross over and obtain the sword, he had to use ancient magic that cost him greatly."
Tank nodded from across the table.
"So, it cost him his face?" Stucky said.
"Among other things. A mass crossover. Opening the gateway and bringing the rest of the army to this world is our only hope."
With that, Nigel gave the cue for the gang to prepare to raid the school. Stucky had multiple unanswered questions, but he complied without hesitation to all of Nigel's commands.
As they progressed toward the school, Stucky realized he felt less and less human with each passing hour. Some of the images he held onto when he died – his parents, him and his brother as little kids – were beginning to fade away. Stucky looked at Tank and barely saw a sibling anymore. Tank was a comrade in arms, and the two of them would help to save their people from oppression. Or something like that. Stucky hadn't been paying full attention to what Nigel had said.
Storming the school didn't pose much of an issue to the five of them. Even though Tank wanted to rush in for an ambush, Nigel let Carter the tactician handle the plan. They quietly took out the security guards and put them in a utility closet. After the gang had taken over the principal's office and sent out a message, they let most of the students go before securing all the exits in the building. After that, it was time for the hunt. Nigel had the school and the positions of Ted and Erica mapped out before the operation began. Sandra had been planted in the school as backup earlier in the day. Everything in the plan worked until Erica took out Carter without much of a problem. Stucky and Nigel watched the encounter using the school's security system.
"She's got spunk," Nigel said. "It'll be fun watching her die."
"Should we help him?"
"Don't worry, they're not out of the woods yet."
Stucky's brother likewise met with an unfortunate fate. Stucky was about to leap out of the room to help him, when Nigel put a hand on his shoulder.
"Patience."
They watched as Sandra gained Ted and his friend's trust and led them to the gymnasium. She gave Nigel a signal through one of the cameras and he stood up in response.
"Time to join the party."
Walking down the empty hallways brought back vague memories for Stucky. He'd only spent two years in a regular high school, until he and his brother got in too much trouble to stay there. Nigel opened the doors to the auditorium and saw about 30 nervous teens. All of them had symbols similar to the henchmen displayed on their arms. Nigel and Stucky passed by a couple of tough-looking twins and ascended the stage. Nigel cleared his throat.
"The teenage years are the most awkward and challenging years of your lives," he said. "Trust me, you won't miss them at all."