***
Tyler was contemplating. Seeing as Ronnie was now the living embodiment of one of the most badass mascots in the history of rock and heavy metal, he could easily go to a concert and attract more attention than anyone else in the audience. The Brit did not want to let such a good idea go to waste:
- So, Ronnie...
- Yes?
- Now that you look so cool, we need to refine and improve the idea of introducing you to the female part of the metal community.
- Tyler, how do you expect me to talk to ladies when I can freeze my arms once I lose my temper and turn my index finger into an ES Five-Seven? - said Ronnie.
- Simple - you keep it cool. Hahah.
Garret accompanied that giggle.
- Also you could easily impress the ladies by making a rose out of ice, for example... once we learn how to do it, of course. - said Garret.
- Oh yeah, and next thing you know I'll be like: "Observe as I melt your friend with benefits' face with acid while popping his ass full of 50 calibre sniper bullets." - said Ronnie.
- I'm not saying you should lose your mind. You're not doing a good job at listening carefully to what we're trying to tell you. We're simply trying to help you, aren't we, Garret?
- Exactly. You need to loosen up a little, to relax, stop, take a breath, talk to people...
- You seem to forget that we have enough firepower to make the armies of the US, Russia and China pee their pants once they find out, Garret.
- Yes. True. Very true. But for now not many know about our secret.
- Do you remember, by any chance, that we look like we're dressed up for Halloween?
The brothers forgot about that detail for a moment. But Tyler had another solution:
- Easy: we build a good reputation and soon enough there will be people who won't be bothered by our fearsome looks. This war against the Overlord's minions is the perfect opportunity. You should also consider what officer Bronco told us about putting criminals into submission. For instance, imagine saving two lovely angels from the hands of a couple of rapists by crushing their wrists, dislocating their jaws, shattering their ribcages - whatever comes to your sick and twisted mind, mate. And once you're done sending them to hell, they'll receive such a jolt that there's no way they won't say: "You're such a good man."
Ronnie saw that hypothetical situation as idealistic:
- This sort of nonsense happens only in Hollywood films and TV series.
Garret was expecting a more casual subject to be discussed, so instead of waiting for that subject to end its lifecycle, he swapped it for the reason they left the house - beer and food:
- You know, I understand that all of what you both said, but how about we think of what we are going to buy from the supermarket?
Both Tyler and Ronnie agreed. The boys could always discuss such a topic at any convenient moment. But that moment suddenly became very inconvenient. The drop ship carrying the small Horde of Ptulens, the Overlord and the three assassins was approaching fast.
- You can't be serious!
- What is it, Tyler? - Ronnie asked and looked at the sky: - Really? Again?
- Should we tell New Hope about this? - Garret suggested.
Ronnie was way ahead of him. He contacted Sable:
- Sable, we have company! Do we engage in combat?
There was nothing but silence for a brief second.
- Sable, are you there?
- Yes, I'm here. My sincerest apologies. What's the matter?
- We see a ship that belongs to the Overlord... probably. It looks very much like the one we saw at the stadium. Should we attack?
- From what we know, Ren'ul is only interested in you so far, so I doubt they would attack anyone else. Prepare yourselves for a fight. Should the situation worsen, we will do our best and send support.
- Alright, guys, you heard him. You know what he have to do. Time to throw some lead. - said Ronnie.
Garret pulled out an M249, Tyler opted for his maces, whilst Ronnie hesitated for a moment.
- What are you waiting for?
He did not want the Overlord's minions to rip his shirt, so he took it off, threw it on the ground, a pair of P90 submachine guns appeared from his shoulder blades and two blades appeared from each of his arms. Tyler smirked. Ronnie chuckled devilishly and grinned once again just like The Guy. He had confidence not only because he had support, but also because it was one of those rare moments when he felt mighty, powerful and unstoppable. Upon seeing the grin, Garret declared:
- Oh, there's the grin again!
Ronnie growled in the same voice, which he used when he had the visions and strode towards the landing spot of the ship. The brothers followed closely. They were just as motivated as Ronnie was. This was the right time for some further words of encouragement:
- Alright, just like we did it last time. Only this time we have much more power at our disposal. I don't need to tell you what to do once I give you the signal.
- Through thoughts? - Garret asked.
- Eh?
- I mean you won't say it out loud.
- Oh, yes, I will! Though I'll give you a warning through my thoughts.
- I like your thinking.
The drop ship landed. This one was only a little bit different to the last one, though it had similar colours and shapes. The ramp lowered, but no one descended. Nothing was happening. Then the Ptulens flew out, followed by the Overlord and the assassins. The eerie look in their eyes made Tyler cringe, as they circled around them in the air, but it didn't stir any panic in his heart. After a while they landed in a formation and folded their wings. Furot stared at the boys with his usual discontent when things did not go his way, with profound torpidity and anger.
- Ankonian! - his voice tore the air.
Ronnie did not expect the Overlord himself to walk out of that ship. His presence was vigorous, but not such that gave life. It was corrosive, his footsteps were thunderous. Furot was a towering behemoth, an immovable monument of power and he knew exactly what he wanted. His seemingly endless search for the Immortals came to an end. The boys thought that Ren'ul did not know that they were not the real Ankonian, Kugen and Hexer.
- It has been quite a while since I last saw you. You seem to have changed, my old friend.
Ronnie knew he had to play along.
- How have I changed, Furot? Please, explain that to us.
The brothers hopped on the bandwagon.
- Yes, Ren'ul. Elaborate on it. - Tyler spoke with fervour and continued: - You are a different case entirely. You're an antiquity: frozen in time, never changing. That's... shocking... and pitiable.
Furot was irritated by the arrogance, but he made an effort and did not let the assassins know that he has been swayed:
- Aren't you the least bit concerned that you are all alone in the universe, with no help from your brethren, whom, I might add, are now dead?
Ronnie's comeback was not late:
- Aren't you concerned about the fact that you summoned a small infantry and three useless harlots to support you, when you could easily end all of our lives without any help and take what you believe is yours?
Furot clenched his fists.
- Ouch. Now that stings! - Garret blurted out.
Tyler whispered to Ronnie:
- Do we attack now?
- No, you fool. We need to piss them off more - hopefully they will not fight like they normally would, because of the blinding rage.
The idea made sense, but little did he know that The Overlord and the assassins were quite experienced in the art of combat and self control. However they mostly encountered fear and rejection in the nations that they murdered, not arrogance and jauntiness. The Overlord resumed:
- Is this all you can do? The great Ankonian using vocabulary to sway me? You're letting yourself go like this. I propose we settle this the old fashioned way; the one you prefer and deify.
This was the moment Ronnie was talking about earlier.<
br />
- "Alright, screw it. You wackos ready?"
The brothers waited in a battle stance, when Ronnie shouted:
- Kill 'em all!!!
Tyler shot a bolt of lightning towards one of the Ptulens, which fell to the ground and shivered until it died. Garret began discharging his machine gun and managed to kill several more, whilst the remaining Ptulens flew into the air to safety and once again circled the sky. They were pissed and wanted to avenge the death of their sisters. Ronnie fired his P90s at the wretched creatures and perforated their wings. He ran towards them and took them out before they could stand up and fight back. Soon after that happened the Overlord knew that the Ptulens alone would not be able to stop anyone with access to such abilities like those of the Immortals, so with a simple gesture he ordered the assassins to rush into battle. Tyler had no issues murdering the winged abominations, but as soon as Mintelk attacked him, he knew this fight would not end well.
- Ga... uh, Hexer, help me out a little!
Tyler stuttered for a second and almost used Garret's real name. He did not want to spoil the lie. Garret was a little preoccupied, but eventually he freed himself and ran to the rescue. He swung with his right hammer, but a force field summoned by Mintelk deflected it.
- Hey! What the fuck?
He could hardly believe it. As it turned out, the assassins had force fields that they could use to deflect projectiles, punches and kicks. Ronnie finished off the remaining Ptulens. Helaka plunged towards him with a pair of bent daggers that she pulled out of her boots. Ronnie yelled because of the pain and fell on his right knee, but he had the nerve to answer arrogantly:
- That fucking hurts, you bitch!
- Be silent!
Helaka kicked his shoulder and knocked Ronnie down. That note of romance, if one could call it that, was repulsive in the eyes of Helaka. Compassion was now foreign to her, whilst violence, murder and death were a form of art to her, a cause, a means to reach her goals.
Ronnie stood up and covered his arms in acid. He breathed acid into her face and unsuccessfully tried to punch Helaka several times, until she stabbed him again; this time she aimed for the stomach. Ronnie was in pain and in a slight shock, but his regeneration healed the wounds and he pulled the knife out of his body. Once again he used arrogance as a weapon:
- Are you always this annoying?
Ronnie tried to stab her leg with a simple throw, but he hit the ground instead.
Kunala attacked Garret, after she dashed out of his gunfire, and knocked him down. Garret did not understand how it happened. There was no way he would have missed, because the distance was not that great and no one knew any living beings able to dodge bullets. Tyler had a similar experience... only his was more up close and personal.
Ren'ul joined in the fray. He'd had enough of Helaka's futile attempts and took matters into his own hands. The tides turned almost instantly. Tyler and Garret realised it once they saw Furot choking Ronnie. As the brothers raced to Ronnie's aid, Mintelk tried to stab his shoulder with one of her short swords, but he quickly knocked it out of her hand and punched her in the jaw, which was followed by the words:
- Awfully sorry, love.
Ronnie could hardly answer the relentless attacks of the Overlord. He had the force of dozens of races and nations, while Ronnie had no experience, regardless of the technology he had access to. It was not fear as much as it was confusion. The brothers could not help him out, because as soon as they tried to do anything even remotely close to help their comrade, the Overlord countered them. Neither of them could stand back on their feet.
This gave Ren'ul an opportunity to talk to Ronnie. He did not shout at him; instead, he whispered to him with his cold, chilling voice:
- You aren't the Ankonian I'm looking for. He has never been this weak. What have you done to him? Have you killed him and taken his place? What sort of atrocity are you?
- The sort of atrocity... that you can't possibly imagine.
The brothers could hear the entire conversation, though they did not dare to intervene.
- You're very foul-mouthed and arrogant for someone who's inferior to me.
- That's only the topping, Ren'ul. You have yet... to see... the core.
- If you're not Ankonian, how do you know my name? How did you defeat my armies?
- Simple; I have reliable sources of information... and your soldiers are weak and pathetic.
Furot laughed.
- It's amusing how arrogant you are, when you can't defend yourself and have no idea who I am, how I think, what my intentions are. But know this; once this conflict between us is over, neither you, nor your friends will walk away the same. My eyes will be everywhere around you. Remember that.
This marked the end of the conversation and Ren'ul threw Ronnie to the ground in a fit of rage. The Overlord strode back to the ship and scolded the assassins:
- Do I have to handle everything by myself every single time an obstacle appears in the way? Move it! My patience is far from infinite!
Helaka came to the realisation that she did not do well enough. Maybe the next attempt would lead to success and the long-awaited revenge that she sought with vigour. Her sisters helped her walk back to the ship, gazes buried in the ground. She was mad at herself. A stern talking to was inevitable on behalf of the Overlord, the one who brought them up as warriors, as seekers of blood. Kunala rested her palm on her shoulder and looked at her as if she wanted to say: "It's all going to be alright - I'll be there for you, my sister. You can always rely on us." The door of the ship closed and the vessel flew away. It was, as Tyler pointed out, a scare tactic. But that did not mean he wasn't scared - he was just as surprised and shocked as Garret and especially Ronnie were. Stromak contacted Garret:
- We heard the entire conversation.
- I... I guess he did not want us dead... not yet, at the very least. - Garret said.
- Did he manage to cripple you in a specific way? - he continued.
- No. Not really. We were just... caught by surprise and did not expect Ren'ul to show up. - Garret said.
- Alright. We'll discuss this once you return. You can relax now. From what we can tell, there aren't any other ships in the vicinity. Head back to your homes after you burn the bodies.
After the end of the transmission, Tyler helped Ronnie stand back up on his legs. He swayed left and right briefly and tried his best to assess the situation. But even that had to be done later - there were bystanders, who most likely had seen most of the fight. Tyler had no interest in talking to people who would judge, label and do anything but understand the situation, which is why he suggested they all head straight back home. Garret concurred:
- Yeah, I, uh... I guess we'll skip the beer today.
As the bystanders began whispering, the boys quickly incinerated the corpses and ran away from the spot. They still had little to no idea how to approach the people: the ones who are not tied to large companies of any sort, the ones who are wondering who they are, what they are trying to do, their aim, their intentions. Are they on their side or are they against them? How dangerous are they? What's going to happen next? Should they fear about their own safety?
Chapter IX
A meeting with authority
- Sweetie, are you sure about this? Those boys don't seem reliable. You know better than anyone else how young people usually don't follow the system.
Debora knew that her husband Lawrence was synonymous with the word "safety".
- You're well aware that once they go off the beaten path, everyone's going to know and I'll personally send them in prison. So far they seem to know what they're doing. We'll wait and see. Just keep this a secret from the children.
Their son noticed that they were talking, so he approached them:
- What are you talking about, mum?
Naturally the mother hid the actual topic of the conversation and replaced it with the usual - a criminal who happened to be more problematic than the usual. The kids would bel
ieve these sorts of tales, because their father had to deal with that sort of scum on a daily basis. Under normal circumstances Debora and Lawrence share as much as possible with the children, because the truth is important, or at least the one that seems most reasonable and believable. Though keeping a secret is not always easy and Debora expressed her concern once the children went upstairs:
- How long do we have to lie to them, Lawrence? You know how hard it is for me to lie as a whole.
- Here's what we are going to do: should they earn themselves a reputation for being heroes and guardians of peace, we will show them as the good guys to the kids. Should the opposite happen - we tell them that that is what happens when someone abuses power of any kind. They're not our friends and we're not obliged to treat them as such.
It was true: the fact that Mr. Bronco provided cover for them did not mean that the two sides completely trust each other. Lawrence thought about the boys and their special "status". So far there has never been a case in human history, where so much power had been distilled into a single person. And now such power had been distilled into three.
***
Mr. Bronco was not the only person in Frankfort to think about the three newborn warriors in that sleepy night. Ronnie's sweetheart found out about their scuffle with the Overlord earlier that day and wrote to Ronnie on Skype:
- Are you alright? I heard about you and your friends fighting some... some... were they aliens? Tell me! Why are you so silent?
- Everything is alright. Yes, they're aliens. We were caught by surprise, but we handled it. Keep this conversation a secret. Even we have yet to figure out exactly how to tackle this issue. I'm sure that everyone is asking themselves a lot of questions, but we simply cannot give any answers - that would only cause chaos. Plus we can't keep this a secret forever. It's a time-bomb.
- I need to see you first thing in the morning, Ronnie.
- I can't - I'm busy. Have to go to university tomorrow and talk to the teachers about my absence. Later I have to help dad change the cylinder casket of the car.
Ronnie was forced to lie. Truthfully speaking, he had to go to the university tomorrow and discuss his exams and how he's going to take them. His mother talked to the dean and he agreed to talk to Ronnie in private. Sadly the part about the cylinder casket was false. He didn't like it when he had to lie against his own will. He sank into his own thoughts:
The Immortal Trinity: Inheritance Page 10