Portal Combat

by Bryan Cohen

  He took a deep breath. "Let's hope this goes better than my plan to start a women's fashion line."

  A few minutes later, Dhiraj watched from behind a desk as the creature busted his way into the office. The wooden door scraped its way across the linoleum tiles and came to a stop in front of the service desk. While the office looked abandoned from the lizard's point of view, most of the men and women present were lying in wait as a backup plan if Dhiraj's idea failed.

  It won't come to that. It's gonna work.

  As the creature entered the room, Dhiraj could see it begin to sniff around. Up close, the monster looked like it'd jumped straight out of a comic book or the Cretaceous period. It was literally the color of money and it was terrifying. Dhiraj did what he could to slow and quiet his breathing as he watched the lizard move. It looked left and right before settling on the bait. In the center of the room was an apple fritter in the jaws of a bear trap. While the creature seemed to want to resist, it couldn't help but examine the prize. When it reached to grab the fritter, the trap sprung and clamped down on the creature's arm.

  The scream mixed with a gurgle filled the building as the beast attempted to shake the trap off its arm. The sound was like nothing Dhiraj had ever heard, and he couldn't help but cover his ears. He looked over at Sheriff Norris.

  From across the room, the sheriff cued Dhiraj for his part of the plan.

  Dhiraj handled the special edition of The Sound and the Fury with care. He knew what happened to Ted when he'd grasped its cover at the Treasure Public Library. He hoped the same thing occurred with giant lizards. Dhiraj had put on a pair of black leather gloves to unwrap the book without damaging himself. When he was ready, he steeled his nerves and ran toward the creature.

  "You wanted the book? Time to pay the price."

  As the creature lunged at Dhiraj with his free hand, the teen tossed it directly into the beast's chest. When the book connected with the lizard, Dhiraj saw the magic in action.

  The lights flickered as the creature flew backward into the nearest wall. Dhiraj could smell the aroma of powdered drywall wafting through the room after the beast left a lizard-shaped indentation in the wall. The impact seemed to have damaged one of the creature's legs, which now bent at an unnatural angle.

  Dhiraj lifted his chin and looked over at the sheriff. "See, now that's what happens when two great friends put their minds–"

  The creature sprung off the ground and gurgled loudly. Dhiraj froze and held his breath. Even though the beast only had one good leg, it was still agile enough to reach for Dhiraj. The creature snarled and made one last swipe before the sheriff used the sword to stab the lizard through the back.

  Green blood pooled on the linoleum, and the creature collapsed. Steam rose up from where the sword had penetrated, and a foul odor emanated from the wound. While it was an unpleasant sight, Dhiraj figured it was worth it to keep the super items safe.

  "You saved me from a dinosaur." Dhiraj tried to breathe out some of his adrenaline. "I owe you one."

  The sheriff looked up at the ceiling and then back at Dhiraj. He sighed. "We're even, Dhiraj. About everything."

  Dhiraj ran over and hugged the sheriff. "That makes me happier than a dead lizard."

  The sheriff laughed. "Good. I don't understand why he didn't disappear, though."

  A blue portal appeared near the wall, similar to the gateway Dhiraj had seen the lizard come out of. A white electric current seemed to run around the outside of the circle. The shimmering circle reminded Dhiraj of a movie special effect, but unlike a comic book's film adaptation, this was real.

  A woman who somehow looked even stronger than Natalie exited the portal. She was stout and pale with an outfit that seemed to decry style for functional killing. At least, that's what Dhiraj assumed it was for, given the murderous look on the woman's face.

  "He didn't disappear because he wasn't a dark soul."

  Dhiraj had seen a lot in the past year. Magic portals and evil women from another world were new. He wasn't quite sure how to react.

  "Now, give me the sword or I'll flay the skin off your disgusting human bodies."

  Chapter 8

  Ted looked up at the rubble above him. He was surprised he could see any of it until he noticed an emergency light built into his boots. Despite the weight of the building crashing down upon him, he'd been able to create a perfect protective dome around himself. If he hadn't done so, he would've been crushed for sure. In each direction he looked, all he could see was the remnants of the hospital.

  If I ever tried to fake my death, this would be the time to do it.

  Given the conditions of the city, it'd take the government days to search through the rubble. If he placed a little blood here and a piece of his outfit there, then he'd no longer be the subject of tabloids and tweets. He wouldn't have to make deals with the government to keep himself and his family safe. Faking his death would be the ultimate out, offering a relief he hadn't felt in months.

  "Ted! Are you still in there, Ted?"

  Agent Vott's voice brought Ted out of his thoughts. While the morbid idea of faking his death was in the front of his mind, Ted decided to save that trick for another day.

  "I'm here. As soon as I can figure out how to leave without crushing myself, I'll meet you at the rendezvous."

  Vott breathed a sigh of relief. "And the girl?"

  Ted saw the portal again in his mind. He'd seen some odd stuff, but never anything as strange as the girl walking into the otherworldly portal. Ted didn't know how to explain it, so he opted to leave a few items out. "I lost track of her. I'm not sure she made it."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Me too. I'll see you guys in a little bit."

  Ted tried to move the pocket of air closer to the exit. As he moved to the left, a piece of ceiling tile slipped into his protective bubble and landed beside his feet. When he tried moving to the right, one side of a metal beam came within inches of slamming into his shoulder. He looked straight above him.

  "Onward and upward then."

  Ted lifted off the ground and moved the pocket up as he pushed his way through the rubble. He could hear the sounds of broken wood and metal clearing his way as he moved through what used to be a building. After a minute of pushing, he found he way to the surface, where the Hurricane Winston continued to rage. He blasted through the air and made it to the rendezvous point within minutes.

  Ted tapped his foot on the ground at a rapid clip. Nobody seemed to notice his anxiety as the rest of the agents focused on Vott. Ted had changed out of his wet clothes, and he'd been given a few minutes to recover before being pulled back into bureaucracy. Every mission he'd gone on that summer was immediately followed by a debriefing session. Ted dreaded them all and wished he could simply do the hero work and then take a well-deserved nap. But no such luck. Vott's words melded together, and for all Ted knew, the man was talking about the birds and the bees instead of their latest mission.

  As Ted's mind wandered away from the discussion, all he could think about was the portal and Sophie. A tap on the shoulder extracted Ted from his guilt and confusion.

  Ted looked over at the tapper to see a female agent in her early 20s. The blond beauty must've been straight out of college, because Ted wouldn't have been too surprised to see her roaming the hallways of Treasure High.

  "Hey, you did great out there."

  The agent's soothing voice may have been exactly what Ted needed.

  He nodded. "Thanks, agent–"

  "Just call me Allison."

  Ted extended his hand. "Ted."

  She giggled. "As if anyone in the world doesn't know your name by now."

  Ted gripped Allison's hand. "For better or worse."

  Agent Vott cleared his throat and stared right at the two of them. When Allison rolled her eyes, Ted laughed for the first time in a long while. A summer of helping people out of burning buildings didn't exactly promote comedic situations.

  When Allison turned her attention b
ack to Vott, Ted checked his phone. Whether it was the cement walls or the storm, Ted had no signal whatsoever. He desperately wanted to talk to Erica and see what she'd say about this portal business. Given the lack of action in Treasure most of the summer, he was certain she'd want to discuss it in depth. She certainly didn't seem to want to talk about their relationship during the last few phone calls.

  "Lastly," Vott said, "we need to thank Ted Finley for his service on this mission. He saved more than two dozen people and we're all thankful for his efforts."

  Allison and the rest of the agents turned toward Ted and began clapping. He scanned their minds as they looked his way. Their thoughts of praise matched their applause for the most part, and he welcomed the positivity. When the meeting concluded, Ted made sure he was the first one out of the room. After all, if he stayed there even for a second, he'd have to go through at least 45 minutes of handshakes and conversations that couldn't have interested him less.

  As he walked through the hall, Ted tried to find an area with a signal. He passed by a TV that displayed a report of Ted's heroics, along with an image of Sophie's parents crying when they heard the news. Ted wasn't sure where the portal led, but he had to hold onto some hope that the girl was still alive. Otherwise, he'd lose it right then and there.

  After a few seconds, Ted found the signal he needed to get a call through. Before he could dial Erica's number, he received a series of text messages.

  The first came from Dhiraj, telling him that the Sheriff's Department was under attack. The next one was from Erica, describing a similar situation at the caves. The third came from Natalie, and it displayed an image that looked Photoshopped. It was a selfie, with Natalie and Erica riding on the back of what looked like a miniature Godzilla.

  "What in the hell?"

  Ted passed the TV one more time and went back into the room where Vott, Harding and several others were discussing the day's mission.

  Vott smiled and pointed at Ted as he came back in. "There he is! The man of the hour."

  Ted tried to build up his resolve. "I need to go back to Treasure."

  Vott's face went from happy to annoyed in a hurry. "As I told you last time, the only reason you can go is–"

  Ted pulled up the picture. "If my town comes under attack from otherworldly creatures?"

  Vott pulled the phone closer. "What is that thing? A freakin' dinosaur?"

  Harding piped up. "Can you forward me that picture? My niece would love that. She's really into science right now."

  Vott glared at his partner. "Ted, there are things left to figure out here. Relief efforts."

  Ted rubbed at his chin. "None of which you need me for."

  Vott took a step toward him. "We can't spare the resources to fly you–"

  "Not a problem. Just give me permission to go."

  Vott put his arm around Ted's shoulder and led him away from the other agents. "Ted, do you really want to fly up the entire East Coast? Just wait a day."

  Ted shook his head and stared right into Vott's eyes. "We had a deal."

  Vott flared his nostrils. "Fine. Take some goggles at least."

  Ted wrapped his arms around Vott for a hug. "Thanks, man. I mean, agent man."

  Vott laughed. "Don't mention it. Let us know when you get there."

  Ted let go of the hug and nodded. He waved to Harding, Allison and the other agents before speeding over to a supply closet for some goggles. He sent a group text to the gang and said he was on his way before opening a window and flying out.

  It took Ted a moment to get his cardinal directions right, but once he did, he flew due north and tried to pick up as much speed as possible. He'd flown fast before, but he'd never tried hopping over several states at a time. The air was cold against his skin, so he formed a protective barrier around himself. It seemed to help, though he wasn't sure he had enough speed. It was nearly impossible to gauge until he came up upon a commercial airplane.

  Ted felt a competitive spirit bubble to the top.

  Let's see what this body can do.

  Ted pushed himself to zip past the plane, waving as he went. At this rate, he'd get to Treasure in under an hour. He hoped that Erica and the gang would be able to hold off the threat until then.

  Chapter 9

  Senator Kable kept his smile wide as the makeup artist placed some powder on his cheeks. He'd learned a long time ago that a positive demeanor made a major impact on the people around him. His campaign runner, Terry, often made notes about how his pearly whites had won him the heart of America. Kable's poll numbers showed otherwise.

  Once the makeup session had concluded, a local Florida producer gave him the two-minute heads up. Some of Kable's staff members thought it was distasteful to go on the air with the hurricane still raging. He'd told them nothing was off the table until he was the one sitting in the White House.

  When he got the cue for the last five seconds, he adjusted his earpiece and prepared himself for the painful sounds of Rudy Bolger's voice.

  "Today, I have Presidential candidate Senator Kit Kable live from Florida. Senator, thanks for being here."

  Kable traded out his grin for a respectful frown. There would be a place and time to display happiness. This was not one of them.

  "Thanks for having me, Rudy."

  Bolger took on his fake sympathetic tone and pressed on. "What's it like down there?"

  "As during any disaster, there are hardworking Americans trying to keep their neighbors safe and secure. They've taken action into their own hands, and it's a good thing, too, because action isn't on everybody's mind these days."

  Kable could hear the sly smile forming on Bolger's face.

  "Are you referring to someone in particular?"

  Kable psyched himself up to be as authoritative as possible. "I am, Rudy. President Blake knew this hurricane would be brutal, and yet he didn't encourage evacuation until it was too late. Instead, he sends in superhero Ted Finley to clean up his mistakes. It wasn't enough for some innocent Floridians, like Sophie Kent."

  Bolger made a grunt of assent. "Here at YNN, we offer our condolences for any of the families who have suffered losses during the storm. Senator, are you saying you wouldn't have sent Ted to Florida?"

  Kable loved interviews with Bolger. The rat was prone to serve up big fat meatballs of questions that Kable was much obliged to devour.

  "I wish Blake had sent leadership down to Florida. I recently met Ted Finley, and he's a good kid, but we can't rely on him to bail us out of problems caused by the White House."

  Bolger's smile came out in his voice again, and Kable assumed the rodent was counting the number of times that quote would be replayed on the other networks.

  "Senator, do you have a message for the people of Florida?"

  Kable sat up a little bit straighter. "I do, Rudy. People of Florida, it will be a rebuilding process to fix up your homes and businesses. I'm already here and ready to help. Let me guide you through this challenge for the next four years."

  After Bolger transitioned to commercial, he became a completely different person.

  "Kit, Kit, Kit. You are something else. It's like you're out of some ratings fever dream I had after too much lobster and scotch."

  Kable chuckled. "After I get elected, you'll have to have me over for some of that lobster."

  Bolger laughed as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "Oh, man. As long as you treat me to cheesesteaks in the Oval Office."

  Kable suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "It's a deal. Good luck with the election coverage."

  "Make up the five points. Give us something to get excited about."

  "We're on it. Bye for now."

  When Kable took off his earpiece and got the all-clear, Terry led the rest of the room in a round of applause. After his makeup was wiped off, the group gathered in the next room over. It was dull beige from top to bottom and the staff crammed in around a long cafeteria table.

  "This was a turning point, ladies and gentl
emen." Terry's eyes twinkled. "And you have your fearless leader to thank."

  Kable watched his staff members as they grinned like idiots. Most of them were young, in their 20s and full of life. They laughed and held conversations underneath the noise of another round of applause. Many wanted to be right where he was sitting in a few decades. These people had devoted much of their time to him and his cause without really knowing what it was, and Kable didn't plan to reveal that until inauguration day.

  "Please, Terry. I couldn't have done this without you. It's been one heck of a day." Kable let his shoulders relax to appear more down-to-earth. "What's say we take the rest of the night off and get ready for the next step tomorrow?"

  This brought about a small cheer, which echoed against the walls of the room. After countless long days in a row, he hoped the full night's sleep would energize his staff for what lay ahead. Before long, Terry was the only other person left in the room.

  "Senator, do you want me to send you updates for any polling numbers after the interview?"

  Kable put his hand on Terry's shoulder. The man was willing and able to work 20 hours a day if he had to.

  "Terry, you're incredible. You won't get much sleep for the next three months, so I would take a night now if I were you."

  Terry took the hint, though he felt the need to offer his hand for a high five first. Kable slapped his hand and watched him exit the door. As soon as it closed behind him, a shimmering portal opened up on the other side of the room. Cal Fortbright stepped out of it before sitting down and crossing his legs.

  "I thought they would never leave."

  Kable walked over toward Cal and took the seat next to him.

  "They're very excited. You can't blame them."

  Cal laughed. "Do you think they'd still be as excited if they knew you caused the hospital to collapse?"

  Kable pondered the question. "You know, half of them would probably stay on the campaign. Scruples don't win elections."