The Suns of Liberty (Book 1): Legion

by Michael Ivan Lowell

  And now, all of that, all of those dreams, all of the things that had defined him these many years, that had given him his singular purpose and drive, were being willingly surrendered by the man in the metal.

  Ward rose. He readied the darts. He strode back over to stand next to his friend. He no longer knew what the hell it really meant to be a hero. But he knew one thing:

  The man standing next to him was one.

  And as he peered up at him in admiration, that man, the Revolution, who was still hanging onto the i-hook, was yanked straight through the low brick wall, which shattered.

  Even with all the power being directed at it, the Krill still seemed to realize that the greatest threat came from the man holding the i-hook around its mechanical heart.

  And it was fighting back.

  Revolution had another problem as well. The charge Fiona had given the i-hook was wearing out. The glow began to fade from the gun-like end that Revolution held in his armored hands, dimming as it ran up toward the hook itself.

  The Krill saw this, and instead of trying to merely break the cord, its programming to “eliminate all threats” had focused in on the man wielding the i-hook, rather than the i-hook itself.

  That was fortunate only in that it gave the Revolution a bit more time. On the other hand, the Krill had managed to wrap the i-hook cord around its arm and was pulling the Revolution ever closer to it. The arm was no longer energized, allowing it to pull the cord without burning it into oblivion. The rest of the Krill was pure energy. If the Revolution was pulled into it, he too would be burned to nothing.

  But the exposed mechanical arm presented one clear opportunity. Ward aimed at it and fired a constant barrage of Disabling Darts—that hit home. The machine began to swoon.

  The Minutemen charged forward as hard as they could when they realized Revolution’s predicament. But Fiona pushed them away with a wave of her hand, the other still blasting away at the Krill. She began to step closer to the Krill.

  At the same time, Revolution was still being yanked in. The power was overwhelming to him now. Another ten feet and he would burn.

  Drayger yelled out at the Revolution, “I’m getting him back! Now or never!”

  Inside the helmet, Crustac’s face appeared again out of the swirling red energy. Revolution was only five feet away now.

  Drayger locked eyes with the Revolution and said, “Rip its heart out!” The Krill’s exoskeleton, finally being overwhelmed by Ward’s darts, fell to its knees. But as it did, it sent another blistering beam that slammed into the group of charging Minutemen, bursting them apart in gory gouts of bloody froth. “Do it now!”

  Revolution needed no further impetus. He yanked on the i-hook as hard as he could.

  For a moment, there was silence.

  As if all the sound in the city had been sucked into a giant vacuum.

  In that moment, time stood still for Fiona. She gazed back at the Suns and, moving faster than they could see, sent a swell of energy lancing out, hitting the Revolution first, lifting him high off his feet. And as the wave caught up with the others it lifted them as well. They all slammed to the ground hard—

  And at that very moment, the Krill exploded.

  A blinding flash of light. The accumulated energy of the Krill pulsing out in one devastating ripple

  But Fiona was ready. She raised both of her arms and, pushing with all her might, created a great field of energy that zoomed to life every bit as big as the one she had created at Lake Tahoe to block the giant waves.

  The energy from the Krill hit the wall and simply dissipated in a long violent swirl of red luminescent power.

  Many gasped as the other side of the great ellipse rode forward and sliced the entirety of the vast compound in half. The enormous smokestacks that had stood for a century tumbled into the imploding edifice of the tavern in an ungodly roar. Debris spewed out across the expanse of the river, raining down in a thousand spouts of frothy spray.

  But Ward noticed something else. He had been looking right at the center of the Krill when it exploded. The black spots had blasted out from the heart when it erupted, and Fiona had purposely stepped in front of them, spreading her arms and body, just in time to intercept them.

  As the energy dissipated, Fiona crumpled and fell.

  The Krill was no more. Destroyed.

  But Fiona wasn’t moving. In the chaos of the moment, no one seemed to notice but Ward.

  He picked himself up and made to sprint over to her side, when something descended from the sky right in front of him.

  Spectral and the Lady Rage.

  Shit! He’d forgotten about them.

  A strong hand grasped Ward’s shoulder. The Revolution pushed him back and strode forward.

  The duo simply floated in the air, Spectral holding Scarlett close. The android’s skin was dark, like a mixture of onyx and granite; its cape was solid and extended, allowing it to fly.

  Behind the duo, Fiona rose to her feet, wincing from pain. All over her glowing body, the black Shards had embedded themselves, sizzling into her skin. Horrific ebony sinkholes. Still, she peered over at Rage and her android with the searching yellow-green spotlights of her eyes.

  Fiona—the one person that this duo, despite all their power, could do nothing to stop—straightened up, stared into the Revolution’s eyes, smirked, and—

  Flashed away.

  Scarlett had been watching her, and with Fiona now gone, she turned back to Revolution and lowered her head like a cat about to strike. Her eyes, barely visible below her furrowed brows, locked on his.

  “This fight appears to be over. But you’ve let Lithium and X-Ray escape,” Scarlett said. “You did take a toll on the Legion, however. Hardly seems fair to leave it like this.”

  Revolution stepped in front of his team, hoping to make himself a human shield. “Leave them out of this. If you want someone, take me,” he said.

  “A noble act,” Scarlett hissed, “but unnecessary. It’s you we want, no one else.”

  “No!” Ward screamed. He could see what was coming, and he lunged forward despite his many injuries, Paralysis Darts ready—but Spectral’s head turned with robotic speed and blasted him with an optic beam.

  Sophia lunged at them, firing the bracelet propulsors, but her energy was blocked by Spectral’s force field. The android made quick work of her as well.

  Rachel readied two MagCharges and disappeared.

  The android fired at the others, and they dove for cover. Dirt, rock, concrete, and everything else showered into the sky and rained down all around them as if bombs were exploding.

  All they could do now was watch.

  Scarlett’s unholy power gripped the Revolution. His armor shut down first. Then he felt his body stiffen as every muscle cramped. He dropped to his knees. The signal coursed through his body. Nothing the drugs could do to reverse it. He fell, with no fanfare at all, and collapsed forward, facedown.

  Scarlett gazed at the Revolution’s prone form and flashed a satisfied grin, and she and Spectral lifted off into the air above the trees, her menacing laughter fading into the night.

  And like that, they were gone.

  Rachel appeared at Revolution’s side. She scanned him with her RDSD. Lantern dashed over as well.

  “She’s fried the armor,” Rachel said.

  Lantern ran his own scan and frowned grimly under his visor. “Neurotoxin effect. His body is dying,” he said, still scanning.

  Ward and Sophia hobbled up, bloodied and stunned. A couple quick jabs of serenity serum and the two were alert.

  They gathered around their fallen leader.

  “Okay, let’s assess our options,” Sophia said.

  Ward swallowed hard. His earlier thoughts about the man in the metal were still running through his brain. Yet another sacrifice he’d made. One he might not bounce back from. How could he?

  Ward blinked, bringing himself back into physician mode. “We have to get him back to the HQ. Leslie can help
me treat him, but we need the equipment to get through his armor.”

  “Too far away. He’ll never make it that long,” Lantern said grimly.

  They stood there, helpless. Revolution dying in front of them.

  “Norristown,” Drayger blurted from behind them. He was now leaning back up against the low wall, the serenity serum starting to wear off. “Take him to Norristown...closer...has stuff he needs. He told me. Dr. Gibbons...walk you... through the armor,” he said to Ward.

  “Neuro’s right,” Lantern said. “We do have a safe house there. Might be our best shot.”

  Ward strode forward, knowing there was not a minute to lose. “Then, let’s go, before it’s too late.” Knowing he had no idea how to reverse a neurotoxin that didn’t really exist.

  CHAPTER 50

  “Hang on,” said the man in the shadows. “I’m getting a message.”

  Von Cyprus leaned over the console, adjusted his settings, and clicked the gauges over to self-control mode. He needed only one more protocol before his latest, greatest creation sprang to life.

  The man in the shadows spoke again. “It’s done. Spectral just confirmed it.”

  Von Cyprus clicked the final button. “Then we have only one great enemy remaining.”

  “The Fletcher girl,” the man in the shadows said.

  “Yes, the Fletcher girl,” Von Cyprus replied.

  A massive steel machine in the shape of a man stepped out of the dark from the far corner of the room. The man in the shadows gasped. It raised its arms, and the Black Matter Container that had held Fiona Fletcher’s power captive sprang back to life at the robot’s command. The black lightning shot out from the anti-laser’s needle-like gun and played over the robot’s open hands like black Tesla coils from hell itself.

  The great machine soaked up the black matter of the anti-laser. Blackness glided over the metal outer skin of the machine until it covered it. The now all-black robot then raised its arms again, and Von Cyprus hit the high ceiling lights so that the man in the shadows could watch the process, and the great mirrors that took up most of the lab’s walls began to melt. They liquefied into a silvery fluid-like substance that streamed across the room and poured onto the robot’s black shoulders—which rapidly turned sliver. The mirrors, the same mirrors that had hurt Fiona earlier, had melded onto the robot, becoming the machine's outer-armor.

  Von Cyprus swung his arms toward the massive mirrored android. “Mr. Chairman...”

  The man in the shadows flashed a knowing grin. He did like the sound of that. Premature to claim the title so fast, but Eric could be forgiven for his excessive fervor. He was a loyal servant. One a new chairman was going to need when that day came.

  Bannister Tarleton stepped out of the shadows, at last, to get a better look.

  “Meet Photuris. The Fire Fly's Kryptonite.”

  The Sikorsky landed at Norristown, and they wheeled the Revolution out on a gurney from the chopper’s emergency hold. Two medical assistants met them at the door.

  Drayger was wheeled in shortly thereafter.

  The facility was just an old warehouse, but inside, Ward found an impressive medical suite. Any normal patient could likely find the care they needed here. But most patients weren’t wrapped in unbreakable titanium that you couldn’t take off.

  The entire staff had huddled around the room where Revolution’s prone body lay. Rubbernecking. Everyone wanted to see the famous leader.

  “Clear the door!” Ward shouted. “Give us some room!” He was worried they’d have no way to get through the suit.

  The staff scattered and Lantern, Rachel, and Sophia lumbered in behind him. Lantern pulled out his RDSD, pointed it at the Revolution, and pressed a few buttons. Then he zipped over to the medical hub, a large array of computers and monitors along the wall that was designed to track a patient’s vitals, even if that patient was “unconventional.” Lantern figured the Revolution qualified, and he digitally synched the unit to scan through his armor.

  A three-dimensional scan of Revolution’s body materialized above the patient, and Ward gasped.

  “What’s wrong?” Sophia asked.

  “It’s his...suit. It’s not just a suit,” Ward said absently, still staring at the scan. He had no idea how much any of them knew about Revolution’s armor, but both Sophia and Rachel looked genuinely surprised. Lantern’s reaction was hidden beneath his visor. “I...I can’t tell where the suit ends and his body begins,” Ward told them.

  Suddenly, the heart monitor blared to life. “He’s going into cardiac arrest!” Ward shouted. The two assistants bolted to Ward’s side.

  “What do we do?” one asked.

  Ward’s mind raced. Despite the emotion burning through him, he tried to focus. Work the problem, work the problem! He closed his eyes tried to drown out the fucking alarm. There are two problems. Have to get through the armor. Have to stop the toxin. The toxin that doesn’t exist.

  “Leslie’s on!” Lantern yelled, pointing up at the floating monitor.

  “Leslie, how do I take off this armor?” Ward asked, his voice wavering, trying to keep his emotions in check.

  Leslie looked weary on the fuzzy digital screen that had materialized next to the vitals scan of the Revolution.

  “You don’t,” she said, dropping her eyes from Ward’s gaze.

  “That’s not acceptable!” Ward shouted. “There has to be a way! You all have to have thought of this at some point, goddamn it!”

  “I’m afraid he wouldn’t let us, Paul. I’m so sorry. I argued with him a thousand times. He was never going to let us do it.”

  Ward noticed her use of the past tense as she referred to the Revolution.

  Then Leslie’s head shot up. “Wait! Earlier, when we were in the chamber, Rage said something about the effect being a simulation of snake venom.”

  Ward’s eyes grew large. “If we introduce an antivenom aimed at that kind of toxin, it might trick the body into reversing the effect!”

  “Sir,” one of the techs said, “his heart rate is slowing!”

  Ward blinked. “Wait, that doesn’t make sense. Snakes don’t use endogenous toxins. Their venom would be exogenous, right?”

  After all, snake venom introduced an outside agent into the body—exogenous. And that was what started the process of poisoning. Ward glared at the techs. “Does anyone know?”

  They all shook their heads.

  “Well, look it up or something!” Ward shouted, and one of the techs darted over to a computer.

  “We’re running out of time!” Sophia shouted.

  “I know!” Ward barked back. He had to think. What would you use to reverse endogenous neurotoxicity?

  Two major sources cause endogenous neurotoxicity—nitric oxide and glutamate, he remembered.

  “EKG is dropping!” one of the techs shouted.

  Ward scrunched his eyes. He needed something that would reverse the process.

  And suddenly—he knew what it would be.

  “Get every antioxidant you have in liquid dispensable form and pump them through that bullet hole!” he commanded, pointing at Revolution’s shoulder wound. “Fast!”

  The techs scrambled.

  Antioxidants are effective at countering neurodegenerative diseases, Ward knew, so he figured their presence might trick the brain and the body into reversing the neurotoxic effect as well.

  It was worth a shot.

  Across the room, Lantern’s body stiffened. Ward caught it out of the corner of his eye. Lantern was staring at his RDSD, and he snapped his head up and gave Ward and Sophia a look that, even through his helmet, said he was worried about something.

  “I’ll be right back,” Lantern said and marched out of the room with purpose, into the hall, and bounded toward the entrance.

  The techs were finally ready. They pumped the antioxidant fluids into the wound. Ward searched the monitors for any sign of hope. All of Revolution’s living systems were in decline.

  And then Ward saw a
sign of hope.

  Rachel saw it, too. “They’re slowing down!” The numbers were still falling, but at a slower rate. She pressed forward and gave Ward a hug with one arm, never taking her eyes off the monitors.

  And then the numbers stopped.

  “C’mon, c’mon!” Sophia breathed. “Go back up!”

  “This is it,” Ward said, taking a step toward the monitors. “Either they go back up, or they fall with no way for us to stop them since we can’t get through that armor.”

  Suddenly…

  A huge explosion rocked the entire facility.

  Ward and Rachel held onto each other as they nearly fell on top of Revolution’s operating table.

  “What the hell was that?” Sophia shouted. They all readied their weapons. Even Ward. No longer the doctor. None of them had changed from their uniforms, and now that seemed like a very fortunate thing.

  “How the fuck did they find us so fast?” Rachel asked.

  Voices shouting from the entrance. They couldn’t see what it was. “Everyone stay put,” Sophia said, and she began to stride toward the hallway.

  That’s when they heard the beep.

  One long, constant beep. They were so focused on the mystery attackers that at first they didn’t recognize it. Even Ward, who should have, instantly.

  “What now?” asked Sophia. Then she blanched. “Shit!”

  “What?” Rachel asked.

  “Some bombs use an audio signal as a detonator,” she said.

  And then Ward realized what it was. There was a reason the sound was familiar. It was no weapon. He turned, his heart frozen in fear. Dread washing over him like he had never felt.

  Another explosion shook the room, and the lights flickered. But Ward didn’t care about that anymore.

  His eyes were wide. He knew there was nothing he could do. He saw what the beeping sound was.

  The Revolution had flatlined...

  The Suns of Liberty will return in:

  THE SUNS OF LIBERTY: REPUBLIC

  AUTHOR’S NOTE