Broken Stars

by L Bowers

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt, Tom. Not now that I have seen the danger you were in to save Fiona. I asked too much of you and you almost died because of it.”

  I went to my partner and lifter her chin so she was looking at me. “I chose to come here and see your sister freed. No one is responsible for that decision but me. As far as almost getting killed, which may be exaggerated, don’t sweat it. Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

  “I don't understand this …”

  “I know,” I cut her off. “It’s an expression where I come from. The point is, I’m alive and all this is the result of my own actions. I am going up to the top, and I am going to bring those women down. Nothing short of a giant robot is going to stop me.”

  I kissed Francine then. I can’t say for sure why I felt it, but I felt like kissing her was right. As she met my passion with fire of her own, I knew it to be true.

  “Go and get them to safety. I’ll be along soon.”

  I didn’t wait for a response, or give Francine time to respond. I took off for the stairwell and ran up them at a sprint. Once more I was reminded of how lucky I was to have the Master’s Gear as a part of me.

  Less than five minutes later I stood in front of the door to the top floor listening for sounds of movement. Aside from my heavy breathing there was nothing. Slowly, I pushed the door open and peeked out through the crack. I saw the open elevator doors but it was empty. I knew for sure that I was right and that some dickbag was holding the women hostage.

  My left arm shifted into the negotiating tool I needed for this situation before I slipped out of the stairwell. There was no one there to greet me but I half expected another one of these glowing armored types. Maybe the end boss would turn out to be the Red Ranger.

  The door to the main apartment was open as was the janitor’s closet. I skipped the closet since I could see into it and it was empty save for cleaning supplies and a body. Stealth was an option for going into the apartment but chose the direct route. I ran headlong into the apartment with my arms crossed in front of my face.

  I stopped just inside the foyer. In front of me was a lavish living room with three couches. The eighteen missing women cowered in each other’s arms on two of the couches. The third held a single figure.

  A Tall slender man that looked to have been carved by Michelangelo sat there sipping from a clear tumbler. Aside from the dark grey of his skin he looked just as human as me. He smiled at and held the glass out to me in salute. “So you finally made it,” The ripped scarecrow looking fuck said.

  “Let the women walk out of here with me and you live,” I replied.

  “Oh, so we are making deals. Very well, I have a counter offer. Bring back my women, pay me for damages, and then we can talk about indentured service until I have re-cooped my losses for today. How does that grab you?”

  “It doesn’t grab me at all. Last chance. Let her go.”

  In response the thin man laughed. As he carried on he slapped the closest woman on the back then doubled over. “Too funny. It hurts.”

  I jumped at him blade first. My weapon arm bit deep into couch cushion. I blinked trying to understand what I was seeing. In front of me was the back of the couch, but no blood and dying asshole. My head slowly turned at the sound of more laughter. Scarecrow stood across the room from me with a pleased expression on his face.

  “You are a man of action. I can appreciate that. So am I, as a matter of fact. It is how I was able to rise to the position I now hold. As one man of action to another, I offer you this. I will let the women walk out of here and get on the elevator right now, if you agree to a fight.” He said.

  “I thought me trying to run you through with my arm blade would serve as agreement enough,” I said.

  “I suppose it does. Please extricate yourself from my furniture and let’s get the preliminary work done.”

  I did as he asked and pulled my arm free. He was basically handing me a win so I saw no reason to disagree. Fighting this dude with the women safely away from here was going to make it easier on me. I could tear this place apart without fear of hitting an innocent.

  “Girls,” Scarecrow called out. “It’s time to go. Leave my apartment then get on the elevator and go to the ground floor. Wait there with the guard stationed at the door.”

  The women jumped up and rushed out of the room as if they all shared one mind.

  “They are used to being obedient,” Scarecrow said. “It comes from having been employed here for a little while. Our onboarding process is extensive and effective.”

  “I bet it is. You done talking so we can get this over with? I’m starting to get hingry.”

  Chapter 28

  Scarecrow blurred for an instant then something impacted with the back of my head sending me face first into the carpet. That was followed by a sharp kick to my ribs which sent me tumbling across the floor into the couch. All I knew at that moment was pain.

  “The problem you have now, is that you came unprepared,” Scarecrow said. “Had you gathered all the information you needed you would never have come on this foolish little quest of yours. You see,” He appeared in front of me and bent down so our faces were closer. “I can’t be beaten.” Standing up he rubbed at his chin. “That might not be true. Champions can obviously beat me, but let’s face it. You are no Champion.”

  I slashed out with my blade arm and it passed through empty air. A hard push with my augmented strength sent me off the ground and onto my feet. Scarecrow smirked at me from across the room. He vanished again and I thought I saw a flicker of movement to my right. Either way I knew the outcome of this move and put my arm up so my blade covered the back to my head.

  An impact against the flat of my blade sent me flying forward. Unlike before this time I stayed on my feet. Scarecrow was then in front of me. His shoulder twitched and my head was knocked back. My nose exploded in a shower of crimson. I covered my face and jumped back. A hard blow hit me in the spine and I fell sprawling on the floor face first.

  I rolled to the right. Scarecrow hit the ground where I had been with his feet together. He meant to squish me with that blow. His legs bent at the knees and he straightened, then he was gone, again.

  I jumped to my feet and looked around not seeing my sparring partner. One thing was certain, I faced an enemy unlike any I’ve seen to that point. If there was going to be victory, I had to adapt and overcome Marine Corps style.

  I jumped back and kicked off the wall. As I sailed across the room at head height I did a series of horizontal and vertical slashes. I didn’t know where Scarecrow had gone, but I didn’t want him stopping me. There was an off chance I would get lucky and hit him while I was at it. That didn’t happen.

  After reaching the apex of my jump I flipped and landed on my feet. The moment my feet touched down I rolled forward into a summersault then dashed to the left. Once more my blade swung out at empty air. This time I saw a flicker of movement to my left and I started to put together the pieces. While Scarecrow looked to be teleporting that might not be the case.

  Taking a moment I scanned the room in hopes of seeing the flicker of motion. I saw it and paid for it. Scarecrow appeared right in front of me and landed a solid kick to my jaw. I feel back, but he was there behind me with a fresh kick for the back of my head. I stumbled forward and he was on my right with a kick to my temple.

  It occurred to me that while I was sure I knew how this guy was getting the drop on me I had no clue how to beat him. Then I did. I allowed myself a small smile before springing into action.

  Running straight to the wall I slashed out with my blade-arm tearing the couch in half. I hit the wall spun and ran at a forty five degree angle from the path I took to get to the wall. I lashed out again hitting a corner of the couch and a coffee table.

  “Ha!” Scarecrow barked. “You will never hit me like that. But I give you credit for effort.”

  Scarecrow rambled on while I ran back and forth slashing furniture a
nd empty space. He thought my plan was to strike blind and cross my fingers. I let him keep that delusion. His voice coming from all over the room as he also moved around did emphasize his point though. I never saw him, but heard him speak from different spots every couple of words.

  Once the furniture was gone I did a circle around the room. As I slashed at the wall freeing chunks, I kicked debris out of my way and closer to the center of the room. The goal was to make sure the ground was littered and I was doing an admirable job of it.

  Scarecrow appeared in front of my causing me to skid to a stop. “I don’t know what is funnier watching you flail about like an idiot, or that you think your ministrations will allow you to win against me. Either one is really amusing.”

  My response was a slash at his chest, which he avoided. Much to his dismay my plan started to work. I saw him briefly as he was tripped up on debris, then he was moving too fast to see. I allowed another little victory smile then went back to work. I dashed in the direction he was going with my blade leading the way. He appeared by the wall and his eyes went wide. I plunged my blade into the wall where he had just been.

  “Ah shit!” Scarecrow’s shout was followed by a clatter of sound.

  I did a one eighty as I pulled my blade free from the wall. Scarecrow was pulling himself up off the floor and scowling at me. I think it was safe to say he figured out my plan.

  “Having some issues moving around?” I asked.

  “You think you are funny? I’ll show you what this little stunt cost you,” he said just before he vanished.

  Dropping into a fighting stance I scanned the room. There was no sign of Scarecrow. I slowly backed up until I was against a wall. My chances of not being caught unawares went up if he couldn’t strike from behind. After another minute of nothing happening I moved along the wall until I was in a corner. There I waited, secure that his attack vectors were now narrowed.

  Another couple minutes passed before someone appeared. Instead of Scarecrow a woman fell at my feet landing on her back. Wide sea-green eyes looked up at me pleading. She clutched at her light blue skinned neck as thick red fluid poured from between her slender fingers.

  “Oh god!” I shouted as I dropped to my knees.

  My left hand returned to normal and I pressed it down over her hands. Maybe if I helped apply pressure the bleeding would stop and I could save her. “Hang on,” I said to the woman whom I didn’t know. “Please hang on,” I begged.

  The light left her eyes as she looked up at me. I failed this woman and she paid for it. A sob left my mouth.

  Another woman fell next to the one I watched die. This one kicked and thrashed as she clawed at her ruined neck. Bright green blood spurted out of the wound hitting my chest. I recoiled from the impact not because of the force of it.

  I sprang forward determined to help this one. Her kicks weakened as I moved. When I dropped next to her and placed my hands on her neck it was too late. Her hand flopped onto the ground. Her large coal-black eyes dulled to grey as I searched them for signs of life.

  I jumped up and roared. Scarecrow could only be getting these women from one place, and I knew exactly where that was. I ran for the window. No way could I beat him by taking the stairs. I was not fast enough, but terminal velocity might be enough.

  The blade that was my left arm hit the glass first shattering the window pane. The rest of me followed falling feet first. I didn’t know if I could survive the fall, but death was better than watching another woman die. Panic hit me briefly as the wind whistled by. There wasn’t enough time to psych myself up or dwell on the fear.

  My feet hit the ground with an earth shattering boom. Dust and rocks shot in a circle with me as the epicenter. I stood with my knees bent and my arms dangling down in front of me panting. The dust cleared enough for me to see the glass wall of the lobby.

  Dozens of women stood motionless staring at me. In the center was Francine with her guns up and behind her was Scarecrow. He held a woman up by one arm with his hand held motionless a few inches from her neck. His eyes were locked on me with his mouth open in the universal expression of surprise.

  I leapt forward with a roar on my lips. The blade had done a great job on the window of the top floor so I lead with it once more. The glass wall burst with a deafening boom. Shards of clear glass rained down around me creating a chorus of tinkling sounds as they hit the floor.

  Scarecrow shook his head in quick jerky movements as the sight of my barreling toward him broke his trance. To bad for him clarity came too late. My blade slashed upward taking his left arm off at the elbow. He screamed as the woman and the liberated section of arm fell away. Black gore sprayed the women as Scarecrow spun looking for a way to get far from me.

  I dropped to a knee and plunged my blade down as Scarecrow started to step away. His leg blurred, but once again he was too late. The tip of my blade sunk into the floor with a thump. Scarecrow screamed and fell on his face. The heel of his shoe rested against the inside of my blade with Scarecrow’s heel still inside.

  He rolled onto his back clutching his stump with his remaining hand and drawing his quartered foot up to shield it with his body. Fear laced his expressive eyes and his mouth opened and closed in soundless screams.

  I stood and flung the dark blood from my blade. “Hey, Francine. This the guy running things,” I said as I pointed to Scarecrow with my blade. I saved him for you.”

  Scarecrow looked up in time to see a heavy armored boot stomp down on his face. His skull shattered sending blood and gore everywhere in a dark shower of goo.

  A part of me wanted to laugh and joke about blood making the grass grow. The deaths of those two women I promised to save played in my mind. I couldn’t find it in me to joke.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I said.

  “Are you okay?” Francine asked as she placed a huge gauntleted hand on my shoulder.

  “I will be,” I said, but I tasted the lie on my words as they left my mouth. The deaths of those women would be another shadow darkening my life.

  Chapter 29

  Herding a gaggle of half starved and half crazed women turned out to be nothing like herding cats. We made it to Tevor’s place of business without incident.

  “Tom!” Tevor shouted as he sprinted around the counter.

  “Hey, Tevor. I brought some friends,” I replied

  My friend ran across the store and pulled me into a tight hug. “I did not think I would ever see you again.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I chuckled.

  Tevor let me go and stepped back.“ You don’t understand. Clavern Michrells is said to be almost as strong as a Champion. He is unbeatable.”

  “Yeah, about that. I think I met that Clever guy and I have to say, not so tough.”

  “But …” Tevor’s mouth hung open and his eyes widened. “How can this be?”

  “You might not have noticed, but I am something like a badass killing machine. It’s going to take more than Mr. Not-So-Clever to put me down.”

  As we spoke Francine lead all the women into the store. The small space quickly became crowded. “I think we need to move to the phase of the plan where we get these girls someplace safe and warm,” I said.

  “Yes, yes of course.” Tevor raised his arms above his head and froze. That was when Francine walked in with her massive armor. Shelves lined with movie cases rattled as her heavy feet hit the floor. “What the hell is that?” Tevor mumbled.

  “She’s with me, Tevor,” I said. “This is my friend Francine. Her sister was being held in that awful place. She’s the reason I came here.”

  Tevor lowered his arms and bowed to Francine. “We owe you a great debt. Because of you this mighty warrior has came and cleaned up a vile hive of evil.”

  “No, Tom is going to free us all from the Champions. This was going to happen eventually,” Francine replied.

  Tevor stood and gave me a skeptical look. From what I understood the Champions were no joke so I didn’t blame
him for his doubts. “This is truly your mission?” He asked me.

  “Yes. I was given an amazing gift and I plan to show my gratitude by freeing the galaxy from the yolk of the Champions.”

  I stepped closer to Tevor and placed my hand on his shoulder. The man proved to be resourceful and intelligent. One of the most important lessons I learned while serving my country as a Marine is that no one person can win a war.

  “Tevor, I would like to enlist your aid in the fight against the Champions. Will you join me?” I asked him as I met his gaze.

  “What could I possibly do?” His Adams apple bobbed up and down as he spoke. “I am a simple business man with no combat skills. I don’t think I am your man.”

  “Your skills and experience as a business leader are exactly what I need. I need more than just a couple of guys with guns. I need a movement, an organization of like minded people ready to fight and support our bid for freedom. Tevor, I need you to lead the resistance on this planet. Will you help me save the galaxy?”

  I knew it was a big ask. That saying yes placed himself, and his family at risk. I also knew the rewards were worth the risk.

  “I … I don’t know if I’m the man you need. But if you are willing to place your trust in me, how can I refuse?”

  I smiled at my new partner in crime and gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “I knew I could count on you. Now we need to see to these women. What’s your plan for that?”

  “Ah, yes. That is the easy part. I have a warehouse not far from here. As we speak contractors are building to give these women a place to stay. Admittedly, they will have a small cubical each to live in, but it offers privacy. It will be just until we can get them reunited with family, or moved to a place of their choosing. It is the best we can do for now,” Tevor said.