Metalcore nodded.
“I’ll be monitoring the whole thing from here through the cameras. I have drones too which I’ll send out after you. I have a limited amount of communicators which I managed to salvage from stashes around the city earlier with help from Metalcore. I will divide them out among you and several others. It will be up to you to command our line on the ground.”
Everyone nodded.
“Sorry,” Simpson spoke. “Who is this?” He said pointing to Marcus.
“Marcus you always did have a way of keeping yourself quietly in the background.” Manning gestured to him. “This is Marcus, The Sufferer. He has the ability to take your pain, but not your death. Marcus will stay behind the wall tomorrow and do what he feels he can from there. But I ask nothing of him, only what he wishes to contribute.”
Manning walked over to Marcus who didn’t really know where to look.
“Marcus,” Manning explained. “Is the reason we’re all here. If it wasn’t for him and his friend Josiah, the police officer, Ronan, Elaine and Metalcore would not have broken free of Nightfall’s mind control. Without these three Greyfall and I would never have gotten out of PATMOS and Israel would still be in a coma in the hospital.”
The group acknowledged Marcus’ effort with silent nods.
“Marcus, no offence but you are no fighter. If you do not wish to join the battle tomorrow, you will not face the slightest judgement from anyone here. Your… gift… is not an enviable one and you have already played your part, for which we are all thankful.” Manning praised The Sufferer who simply shook his head.
“Couldn’t drag me away old man,” he said confidently and Manning nodded his understanding, walking back to take his place in the middle of the group.
“Expect no mercy,” Manning said. “The fighting will be fierce and till the death. When we’re inside the Skyborn…”
“Sorry but how do we get through the forcefield?” Warstone asked.
Manning pointed to Maggie. “The Warhorse,” was the only answer he got. Ronan looked to Maggie for an explanation but none came as Manning continued his plan.
“Once inside we will enter the hidden lab through the hole left behind by Mastadon. If it’s repaired then tear a new one.”
Manning pointed at Dustin, The Reader. “Dustin will be able to read how many people are inside. If we get everyone out then we tear the son of a bitch to the ground.”
Everyone nodded in approval. Suddenly a huge explosion sounded near the Skyborn Building. Everyone rushed to the edge of the roof to see a plume of smoke rising into the air. Without warning the power to the entire city went out. Vincent Kennedy’s bulwark was the only source of light in the whole of New Belfast. Glowing the darkness it was almost beautiful.
Chapter 24
Warstone stood in the middle of his luxury apartment which had been turned into some kind of super hero youth hostel. Bodies lay across every single inch on the living room. Packets of food and cans of drink littering the few bits of space in-between the sleeping super powered beings. Holding a large black garbage bag he didn’t know where to begin.
“I hope someone kills me today,” he said aloud to himself.
There was a knock at the door. Warstone shrugged.
“Yeah, come in I guess. If you can,” he called out.
The door opened and a bulky, muscular man wearing a kilt, holding a large hammer and sporting a long red beard peered in.
“Anyone home?” he asked. “Oh… a lot of people home.”
“Yeah, hi.” Warstone waved. “Try and find some floor space or whatever.”
“Eh, might be a bit tricky there pal. There’s forty of us,” the man answered.
“Forty?! Well uh, I’m glad to have the numbers for the fight, but you might have to wait outside.”
By now most people in the apartment were rousing themselves awake. Manning had made it to his feet and was stepping in between bodies, making his way towards the door.
“Are you the Stirling Forty?” he asked the newcomers excitedly, several of whom were now reaching their heads around the door to peer inside the apartment.
“Aye boy,” answered the mighty Scotsman. “Ready to fight.”
“Great. I haven’t been called boy for several decades,” Manning said with a smile, shaking his hand and greeting the Stirling Forty as they waited in the hallway.
“I haven’t been called boy in several centuries. I win,” the Scotsman announced as his thirty-nine companions laughed. “You Manning?”
“Yes. You are very welcome. It is an honour to meet you and… yunno… find out you actually do exist.”
“We exist laddie and we’re ready to fight. So are the others downstairs.”
“Others?” Manning asked.
“Aye. Plenty more downstairs waiting. Weird looking bunch of folk. Forgive us for not being so patient but we’ve come a long way.”
“No it’s not a problem and that is good to hear.”
“When do we begin?” the warrior asked.
“Well… uh… I guess now really,” Manning answered, unsure of himself. This day had long been in the making. The fact that it was not only here but he was standing face to face with the legendary Stirling Forty, whom he had previously thought a myth, was hard to actually come to terms with.
“Then let’s be having the bastards. Come on lads,” the Scotsman shouted to his companions as they turned and began walking down the hallway.
“Uh, yeah… yeah ok.” Manning watched them leave then turned to his rag tag group of companions who were now up on their feet. “Well… let’s do this thing. There’s a handful more of us downstairs. Let’s go see who we got.”
The police, army, navy, airforce and everyone else trying their best to help were utterly spent. Kennedy’s wall was simply impenetrable, the innocent civilians inside presumed long dead.
Vincent Kennedy’s actions had been deemed an act of war, an attack on American soil. President Brady was getting closer and closer to having to make his ultimate decision, to nuke or not to nuke.
Police men huddled around in groups sharing out food and water like the homeless. With the power outage across the city communication was difficult at best. Every hour more and more buildings were crumbling as the dome spread slowly but surely across New Belfast.
Josiah and his team of ten officers were stationed twenty five blocks away from the Skyborn building, one block away from the edge of the dome. They sat on the ground on Austin Avenue, the widest and most prominent street in the city. It ran for three miles end to end and featured some of the cities most exquisite architecture, most expensive shopping areas and housed a large portion of celebrities and politicians.
“I give it three more days,” officer Shannow said. “Three more days of this and they’ll nuke. We’ll all get to go home.”
“My home is a pile of dust in there somewhere,” Millar responded. ”…my… my wife…”
Josiah put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. The man was trying his best to keep himself together but failing.
“My son…” Millar was closing his eyes so hard the tears could barely make their way out.
“We’ll get in Millar. We’ll get in… and we’re gonna arrest him,” Josiah told him.
“Or put a bullet through his skull,” Shannow proclaimed.
“Or that,” Josiah agreed. “But hopefully not. Vincent Kennedy needs to stand trial for what he’s done. Death would be the easy way out for him.”
Millar snorted. “Well sorry Jo, but if I get him in my sights I’m painting the walls with his brains.”
Josiah sighed. “Yeah… I wouldn’t blame you.”
Suddenly other police officers were scurrying about in the distance behind them. Something had startled them and several were running back to Josiah’s position, others taking up a defensive stance behind anything they deemed bullet proof. The fear was obvious. Josiah reached for his gun.
“Up!” he told his companions. They all jumped t
o their feet and followed Josiah’s lead, each taking out their guns.
Frank rushed into Vince’s office without knocking. He caught his boss off guard having a nap on the sofa in the corner of the room.
“Sir!” Frank said loud enough to ensure Kennedy woke up. Vince startled and woke up, looking around to see if anything was wrong.
“Damn it Frank, what?!” he scowled.
“You need to see this.”
Austin Avenue regularly had high rollers, celebrities and leaders of the country walking or driving up and down it’s wide lanes. Normally the centre of high end buzz in the city, today it hummed with an all new energy.
Israel, Greyfall, Ronan and Elaine walked side by side in the middle of the empty street. Metalcore flew several feet above their heads keeping the same pace. Closely behind them walked Silvercord, sword in hand and Simpson wearing his head to toe black armour, a black helmet and mask, large automatic weapons held in both hands. Closely behind the Stirling Forty with weapons strapped to their backs and Silvercord’s eighty woman warriors marched.
Josiah slowly raised his hand to his fellow police officers.
“Holster your weapons,” he ordered.
Without looking back he started walking towards the on comers. His walk slowly sped to a jog, his jog sped up to a run. As he got closer his heart began to pound, not from the running, but from the excitement, from the hope. Goosebumps formed on his arms and a shiver ran down his back as he was now close enough to fully survey the scene.
Behind Manning’s selected leaders of the super powered, forty-thousand men and woman shook the ground as they marched on the Skyborn. Forty-thousand super powered beings declared with every step that they would fight and die to end Kennedy’s reign. Flight, strength, laser eyes, extendable limbs, flaming bodies, invisibility, mind control, super speed and animal likeness were among just a few of the powers that marched behind Israel and Greyfall.
In Ronan’s apartment Manning watched on across seven screens. Metalcore had followed his instructions and placed cameras in strategic locations for him to monitor the battle. The key players had in ear communicators and would relay Manning’s instructions to the rest of the force as best they could. As they marched a thought came to Israel.
“How on Earth are this many people going to hear and understand the instructions?” he thought to himself. The thought didn’t last long and he almost chuckled to himself as he realised it was a very good problem to have. Something caught Israel’s eye about fifty yards back and to the side. He continued his march with his neck craned around to look behind him.
“Manning?” he said.
“Yeah?” Manning responded from several blocks away.
“There’s… there’s a giraffe walking with us,” Israel informed him.
“Yeah that’s Phil. Battle Giraffe. He’s an asshole. Tell him he still owes me forty bucks.”
Israel continued to walk and stared back at the giraffe for several moments.
“…No,” was all he would say.
Back at the apartment Manning laughed. By now Josiah had reached the group, sweating with a huge smile on his face.
“Guys! You’re… you’re here to help?!” Josiah asked with hope in his voice.
“We’re here to end this,” Israel declared, looking the police officer square in the eyes. The march had stopped for the moment.
“Israel!” Josiah was shocked to see the man he had only recently been guarding in a hospital bed. “You’re ok?! How have you… Marcus?! Was it Marcus? Is he here too?” Josiah scanned the front line for his friend.
“He’s in there somewhere,” Israel informed him. Activity from the side grabbed everyone’s attention as suddenly a large army general followed by several policemen appeared from a side alley and onto Austin Avenue, marching aggressively to the front of the pack.
“What the hell is all this?! Who are these freaks?! You!” the general pointed at Josiah. “Who are you, who are they and what is going on?!” he shouted.
“Officer Josiah Versette, NBPD.” Josiah answered and gestured to the sea of help in front of him. “They’re… friends. They’re here to help us.”
The general turned away from Josiah and stood defiantly in front of the leading line of heroes as if to block their way.
“And who the hell is responsible for this?! Who is in charge of this muck?!” he barked.
Israel and Greyfall pointed to each other at the same time.
“He is,” they said together, both visibly surprised by the other’s answer. They looked to each other for several moments.
“Uh… We are.” Israel finally answered.
The general tilted his head sarcastically. “Awww, that was a nice moment wasn’t it?” he mocked. “Well you’re not marching any further! Turn around and go home immediately!”
“But Sir!” Josiah began.
“But nothing! We’re in charge here and we don’t need any of you super freaks coming in here and killing us all! We’ll be inside that wall any day now and we’ll be blowing that tower to kingdom come!” the general declared.
“And what of the innocent people inside?” Greyfall asked calmly.
The general spat. “Collateral damage. Look around you! Look at the city! You think I give a damn about one or two mutated freaks Kennedy has locked up in there?!”
A murmur began to ripple in the crowd of super powered beings. After a moment Warstone slowly stepped forward.
“Now you just stay there boy!” the general barked at the hulking wrestler whose face was hidden behind his green and black helmet.
“I said stay there!” The general raised his gun at Warstone who continued to approach him. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” The general pulled his trigger, the shot echoing down Austin Avenue. The bullet crumpled in on itself against Warstone’s chest and fell to the ground.
“What in the name of…” the general began but was cut short by Warstone who was now towering over him. The general stood looking up at Ronan as his gun was snatched from his hand. Ronan calmly closed his fist around it and opened it again. Holding out his hand he presented the now mangled gun back to the general who took it and stared at it in silence for several moments. Greyfall slowly stepped forward.
“Your fight is over,” he said calmly and the general looked up at him. “Tell your men to fall back.”
“We got this,” Warstone said, still towering over the confident general.
After several seconds without an answer the general finally turned to the police officers that accompanied him.
“Alright boys, let the freaks get killed. See if I care,” he declared. “Get on to any one with a radio. Tell them to fall back four blocks.”
The general gave Greyfall and Israel one last look as he walked back the way he came, followed by the police officers. Josiah stayed.
“He would nuke you all without a moments hesitation,” Josiah said.
“Then let’s pray he doesn’t get a moment,” Israel responded.
Vince patted Frank on the back and laughed.
“You honestly think this ragtag group of Manning’s buddy buddies cannot only get through the bulwark, but also march in here and stop us?”
“Sir I’m simply suggesting that we at least put out a line of defence-“ Frank began to protest but was cut short.
“No no no no. We sit, we drink scotch, we watch on the monitors and we laugh at their attempts. It’s what we do Frank, cliche bad guy stuff. If I send out a line of defence now it will look like we actually think they can break through and makes us look weak before we even begin.”
“Sir, just one group to the bulwark, that’s all I’m suggesting. Just in case they miraculously find a way through.”
“A miracle is exactly what they would need. I think we’re good.”
Forty-thousand people shook the earth as they marched towards Kennedy’s bulwark. Now only two blocks away from the dome the Skyborn was clearly visible in all it’s towering and terrible glory.
At the front of the pack Greyfall took out his gun from his holster and raised it into the air. Without a word Silvercord and her women reached behind their heads and drew their swords from their backs, holding them high into the air. Simpson raised one of his guns over his head. Elaine and Ronan raised their fists. The Stirling forty followed suit raising whatever axes, swords or hammers they had. Behind them the sea of super powered simultaneously followed their lead. If anyone had no weapon they simply raised a defiant fist into the air. As they got closer to the bulwark Greyfall roared at the top of his voice.
Behind him a deafening roar erupted into New Belfast, echoing through the remaining streets, boulevards and alleyways. Police and army personnel surrounding the scene stood in awe and fear at the sight and sound of the army making it’s way towards the Skyborn. Josiah, walking beside Warstone at the front felt his entire body immediately tingle, covering in goosebumps. An excited chill travelled down his spine and a joyful tear rolled down his cheek. The several hundred flyers elevated themselves into the air one or two stories high as a show of force, giving the army an even greater appearance.
Back in Ronan’s apartment Manning sat with a huge smile on his face.
One block away from the bulwark the defiant cry continued as, without a word, the front line began to split in two. Silvercord’s women followed suit as did the Stirling Forty. Slowly the entire force was splitting evenly down the middle. No one in the main bulk of the group knew why but obediently fell into place. Suddenly the ground began to shake violently. A roaring sound could be heard about half way back in the force. Josiah automatically found himself taking a few steps back onto the street to look back at what was happening. A dazzling light surrounded the woman Maggie who was confidently walking down the middle of Austin Avenue by herself. Light was flickering around her as she appeared to grow in size. She opened her mouth and let out an unworldly roar which terrified Josiah. She broke into a full pace run toward the front line on her on, cheered on by those who actually understood what was happening.
“Get ready Greyfall,” Manning instructed. For a moment Greyfall pondered what Manning could mean, but quickly a calm realisation came over him.
The Hade War Page 25