by Cohen, Bryan
The General smiled. "Not in the least."
As the leader of the dark souls ran forward again, this time Ted was ready. At just the right moment, he scissor-kicked the General's ankle, sending his opponent off balance. He grabbed under his doppelganger's arms and flipped him over his back. Ted wrapped his forearm around the dark soul's neck. "This isn't going to be so easy, General."
Ted squeezed with all his might, but his opponent still wore a smile on his face.
"You're stronger than the last time I saw you."
The General bridged up on his neck and kipped up. Before Ted knew it, the General had reversed control into his own chokehold.
The living soul felt the tight squeeze on his neck. Ted grabbed at the forearm, but the General wasn't letting go and the air wasn't reaching his brain.
"It would be so easy to kill you like this. Far too easy. Then we wouldn't be having fun anymore."
As the darkness closed in around Ted's eyes, he brought his hands together on the side of the General's face. He slammed his doppelganger hard several times, until the dark soul finally let go. Ted rolled backward a couple of times to give himself the space he needed to recover.
As Ted tried to stand up, he could feel himself beginning to wobble.
The General laughed until his joy turned into a coughing fit. As the dark soul struggled to contain it, Ted took the advantage. He ran up and delivered an unblocked punch to the side of the General's head. He followed it up with a spinning kick to the dark soul's right temple. The General collapsed in a heap, blood dripping from his nose and mouth.
"You really should've gotten your flu shot. You look sick as a dog."
Ted leapt into the sky and aimed his knee for the General's neck. But his opponent rolled away at the last second and Ted hit nothing but blood-stained carpet.
They both stood, the General wiping his blood off with his hand and onto his shirt.
"I may be dying, but I plan on taking you with me."
Ted sprinted toward his opponent, but as he wound up for another punch, a sharp pain suddenly exploded in his abdomen. Ted looked down to see a short blade the General had hidden now in his stomach. Blood streamed out of the wound and Ted grabbed at the hilt with both hands.
The General leaned in close to Ted's ear. "You knew it would happen this way. You knew that this is how I'd kill you."
Ted screamed to try to get his adrenaline back up, but there was nothing left. He went down to one knee and willed himself just this once not to let the darkness take hold.
Dhiraj couldn't move a muscle. Even as the Secret Servicemen who'd been protecting them fell one by one to the General's men, his eyes were completely focused on the knife that had just entered the stomach of Ted Finley.
"No. No! No."
Riu said something that Dhiraj couldn't hear. He couldn't believe that once and for all his friend might lose.
Riu grabbed Dhiraj's shirt and pulled him down.
Dhiraj returned to the present. "What?"
"We need to do it now."
Dhiraj shook his head. "If you do it now while Ted's injured, we have no idea what'll happen. Plus, the General might flee before—"
"He's not going to make it, Dhiraj. I saw him fall in my dreams."
Dhiraj grabbed both sides of the boy's head and looked him straight in the eye. "There is no stronger person in this world than Ted Finley. You're going to wait for my cue to pull the trigger. In the meantime, do what you can to help our guards. I will let you know when Ted is finished his mission."
Riu caught Dhiraj's drift and stepped toward the guards with the book in his hand. He pressed his fingers to the pages and shot a bolt of green energy into one of the attackers. He collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Dhiraj looked down at his shaking hand. "Come on, Ted. Let's end this with Earth on top."
37
Natalie worked her shoulder in a circular motion, but despite Christina's patching, the bullet wound continued to send fiery pain down her arm and back.
She knelt back down to the ground under cover.
Christina's eyes showed concern in the midst of the still-raging battle. "What's the verdict?"
Natalie shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere. We hold here until ..."
Christina raised an eyebrow. "Until it's time to push the button?"
Natalie thought about the aircraft carrier full of planes. She thought about how quickly the human race could fall if they stood by and did nothing. She also considered the potential of a life with Ted. She wondered if they'd do normal things ever again, like going to the movies or taking a stroll down Main Street. If they pressed the button, they might stop the slaughter of millions of humans. But there would also be no chance of a future for her.
Christina leaned up against Natalie's good shoulder and took a flask out of her pocket. "So, what would your life have been like if we weren't about to go up in a fiery blaze?"
She passed the container to Natalie.
The former basketball star put up her hand. "No thanks." She gritted her teeth as another wave of pain took over. "I don't know. WNBA MVP. Married to somebody sexy."
Christina laughed and took another swig. "Your someone sexy has always been Ted. The first time you and that little squirt Dhiraj came over, I knew it was going to happen."
Natalie smiled. "Told him that I wasn't going to kiss him. Not until we got back safe." She grabbed the flask from Christina's hands and took a sip. Whatever was inside burned her throat, though it at least took a bit of the sting out of her wound. "Seems silly now."
Christina patted Nat on the head. "There's nothing wrong with being a romantic. Romantics make the world go round."
Natalie heard a wave of gunshots followed by the groans of her soldiers around her. Their army was on the verge of collapse, and there was only one thing left to do.
Christina handed the detonator to Natalie. "You can have the honors, General." She took in a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "It sure was nice knowing you."
Natalie took the device and stared at the red button. Ted. If you're out there and there's even a chance we don't have to do this, let me know now.
Natalie heard nothing but silence and placed her finger directly above the button.
Cora danced to her left as she waited for Pluric to make his first move.
The injured but massive dark soul wore a slight smile on his face. "Your lover thought he had me killed. Took over my brain and told me to walk off the nearest cliff. But that wasn't the end of me, Protector."
Pluric reached for Cora, but she narrowly avoided his grasp, staying on her toes and playing keep-away.
"Seems fair after what you and the General did to him. As a lover of pain, you have to appreciate the punishment."
Pluric reached for her again but came up empty. "It's a shame I don't get to retaliate in person, but if everything has gone according to plan, your first home should be a crater in a matter of hours."
Cora waited until just the right moment for Pluric to swing at her once more. She took the opportunity to send a swift kick under his arm and to his midsection. The leader of the siege groaned and took a step back.
"Dance around me all you want, Protector. Every moment you delay allows more of our beautiful creatures to enter your city walls."
Cora took a spare moment to look back at the breach of the wall. It was all the opportunity Pluric needed. He leapt forward with surprising speed and slammed his elbow into the protector's face. She retaliated with a knee to his ribs, but that left her wide open for a relentless assault.
Pluric punched Cora in the face and chest until the protector went down hard. But he didn't stop his attacks there. With his hips resting on top of hers, the second-in-command of the dark souls slammed his fist into Cora's face over and over again. She attempted to put up her forearms to block, but Reena had been right. She was far too weak to be involved in the battle. The familiar scent of blood entered her nostrils and she could feel her fa
ce beginning to swell.
"Revel in it, Protector. Stay right in this moment and focus on the glorious, incredible pain."
Cora attempted to roll to her right, but Pluric wasn't having it. With his next punch, the sight in her right eye faltered. With the subsequent one, she felt several of her teeth loosen.
Cora spit blood. "You think every world belongs to you. But you aren't even going to get this one."
Pluric laughed and wiped the blood from his knuckles. "And why is that? How can you say that when you have absolutely no chance at victory?"
Though it hurt to do so, Cora smiled. "Because of my mother."
Pluric turned, but it was far too late. Mrs. LaPlante had her weapon trained on the dark soul's second in command and she let loose in a major way. Cora counted 20 shots in all, sending hot laser blasts into the leader's chest, arms, and head. Truth be told, the dark soul was dead after the first dozen, but the last eight probably felt fantastic.
Lying beside Pluric's now-charred body, Cora let the full weight of the pain wash over her. Her face had fully swollen now, even covering up most of the sight in her one good eye. Everything above her spun.
Mrs. LaPlante ran to her and knelt by her side. "Erica. Erica, say something!"
"Ow."
Mrs. LaPlante began crying. "I should've been there with you. I shouldn't have let that awful creature lay one hand on you."
Cora wanted to say something comforting to her mother, but instead she coughed up more blood.
Mrs. LaPlante let the tears fall and wrapped herself around Cora's body. "I'm so scared. There are so many of them."
Cora concentrated on her breathing. She could feel as though it was almost time to let the hundreds of years come to an end. But that's when she finally felt the presence she'd been waiting for.
Jennifer hovered above a city in absolute chaos. Below her, she could see the fighting going on inside of the city, as well as the tens of thousands of additional troops ready to enter and kill on the outside.
Nervousness coursed through Jennifer's veins. "I'm too late. What am I supposed to do?"
Jennifer looked over at the countdown clock that she'd brought along with the nuke and the room. There was less than a minute remaining.
Jennifer.
Her eyes widened as the familiar voice echoed through her mind. "Erica?"
If you take out the forces outside the wall, the rest of them will scatter.
Jennifer sniffled, allowing some of the blood from her nose to come back up into her throat. "I'm so sorry about what happened. It's my fault that you died."
Erica's voice calmly shushed Jennifer.
This is your chance to make it right. Put a bubble over the city like Ted did and then nuke the rest of them.
Jennifer nodded as she lowered the device toward the outside of the city. "I love you, Erica."
I love you too.
Jennifer wasn't sure how much strength she had left, but with the support of Erica down below, she knew she had no other choice. She let the nuclear room go and created an incredible shiny barrier around the city. She spared just a little bit of energy to create her own bubble as well.
Her nose was full-on streaming blood now; her eyes could detect less and less light. She felt herself wavering in the air, but Jennifer didn't let go.
You're going to make it. You're going to make it, Jen.
Jennifer let the sound of Erica's voice be her only strength as she closed her eyes. When the bomb detonated, she could feel the power slam hard into the barrier she'd created. And then, amidst the bright light and the massive sound, there was nothing left in Jennifer's world but darkness.
38
Ted sat straight up. He wasn't sure where the will to keep himself conscious had come from, but he pressed aside the pain and yanked the knife from his abdomen.
The General scoffed in his direction. "Impressive but foolish, Living Soul."
The General ran in for the kill, but Ted easily blocked the first punch. With another swing came another block.
The General growled as he reached for Ted's bleeding midsection. The living soul evaded the attack and slammed the General hard in the face with the hilt of the knife. As the General stumbled back, Ted was on him quickly. He swung his left and connected with the dark soul's temple. He powered his right into the General's cheek.
Despite the injuries and the pain, Ted continued to slam his knuckles against the General's face. When the General bent to one knee, Ted kicked him straight in the side of the head. The dark soul landed with a thud on the Oval Office carpet.
The General got back on all fours and stared with intense focus. "Even if you win here, Earth will never survive what we've done."
Ted kicked the General over to his back and plunged the knife into the commander's stomach.
Ted reveled in the surprised look on the General's face. "I know you haven't had much practice, but you're kind of a sore loser." Ted gripped the hilt of the knife tightly. "And you're about to get a lot more sore."
Ted dragged the blade across the General's abdomen, opening his doppelganger up from left to right. The blood and guts emptied out onto the blue floor below.
The General gasped as he tried to say one last thing, but Ted would never hear those words. The creature who'd almost taken down the planet stopped moving entirely, his mouth frozen with the words he never finished.
Ted breathed heavily as he cradled his own stomach wound. He looked down at the knife inside his greatest enemy and yanked it out. He took some of his own blood from his hand and wiped it on the knife.
When he heard footsteps, he turned with the knife at the ready, but it was just Dhiraj and Riu.
A look of relief shone on his best friend's face. "I knew you could do it. You really gutted that piece of trash. Now it's done."
Ted coughed, causing a new agony within him. "Not yet. Riu, dump Erica's blood on one of the pages."
Riu nodded. "Of course, Ted."
As Riu did as he was told, Dhiraj reached Ted's side. "Hey buddy, we don't really know what this supercharged kiddo is going to do to you. Are you sure you don't want to give it a minute? You did just kill the General after all."
The living soul shook his head. "We can't wait. Nat and the others are still in danger. Dark souls aren't just going to stop killing people because there is one less of them."
Ted watched as Riu poured the entire contents of his vial on one of the pages in the book. Ted gestured toward him, and the boy passed the book over. Ted used the knife with both his blood and the General's to spread the crimson all over the same two-page placement.
Dhiraj put up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. We don't need to rush into this."
Ted took his friend's hand and squeezed. "Dhiraj, you were meant to warn all of us about the oncoming danger. Riu here was meant to bring the world back. And me." Ted looked down at the book and looked up at the sky. "Well, I guess I was meant to be at the right place at the right time. But I think that the living soul isn't supposed to live forever."
Ted handed the book back to Riu.
Dhiraj squeezed Ted's hand back. "You're one hell of a hero, Ted. I don't think this is the end of you."
The living soul smiled. "You're not so bad yourself. And you're one hell of a manager, too."
Dhiraj laughed. "Now, you're going to make me blush."
Riu cleared his throat. "I just learned the term, but if you two are done your bromance, then I think we should get started."
Dhiraj shook his head. "Super-powered, green-glowing kids say the darnedest things."
Ted let go of Dhiraj's hand and took a step away. "Just give me one second, you guys."
Dhiraj and Riu nodded as Ted took one more step away. He whispered something low enough that only he could hear it. Well, he hoped that one other person could hear it, too.
Ted turned back and gave Riu a nod. The boy smiled as he placed his hand directly onto the bloody page. In an instant, a supernova of green detonated in the middle of
the Oval Office. Ted felt the energy blow him off his heels as he flew through the air. A sense of peace and calm washed over him as the light carried him away.
39
Natalie was about to press the detonator button when she set up a silent prayer.
I hope I see you on the other side, Ted.
But she never expected an answer. The words beamed straight into her brain from who knows where.
Sit back and enjoy the fireworks, Nat.
As Natalie pulled her finger away from the red button, a green blast of energy shot out in every direction. It was impossible to tell where it had come from, but Natalie had a feeling that it had emerged from the nation's capital.
The remaining dark soul fighters all collapsed at once. A plane that had been firing heavily at mermen below suddenly fell out of the sky and slammed into the water. When the downed soldiers came to, they no longer had the anger of the dark souls behind them. They were confused, but the members of Natalie's army opened their hands to welcome them back to the world.
Natalie felt something break within her as tears reached her eyes. She laughed and cried at the same time as Christina snatched the detonator from her hands.
"Let's not have you accidentally hit that while you experience your first happy cry." She took out the batteries from the detonator and snapped the device in two. "My twerp of a little brother did it."
Natalie wiped the tears from her eyes as she grinned broadly. "He did. Ted saved the damn world."
Jennifer came to with a lump on the back of her head. She rubbed at it and sat up, realizing the protective bubble had stayed around her even in her unconsciousness. She looked outside the translucent barrier and witnessed the devastation the General's bomb had wrought. The thousands of dark souls who'd prepared to enter the city had been turned to ash. Inside the bubble, the light souls seemed to have turned the tide. She watched a group of prisoners being led from one part of the city to the other. Their enemy's last-ditch effort to take the capital had failed. And if it weren't for Erica, it never would have happened.