by Hayes, Drew
“And where do you see yourself in all this?” Mr. Transport asked.
With a quick motion, Mary mentally sheared all of the branches off her tree, creating a smooth floating trunk. “Same as you lot. I work in the background now, helping from the sidelines. Although in this case, being nearby is probably a necessity. Either of you want a ride? I made it big enough for more than three.”
“You’re going into the fray?” Mr. Numbers asked.
“Not unless I have to. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be useful.”
“Maybe we’ll catch a ride down, at least until we know where we can do the most good ourselves,” Mr. Transport suggested. Together, he and Mr. Numbers mounted the rear of the tree while Mary took the front. Everyone locked their legs in tightly as it began to move through the air, leaving the ground and soaring toward the battlefield.
For her part, Mary wished she had the floppy hat from her witch costume. May as well complete the look, if she was going this far.
* * *
“You okay?” George was inches away, cold metal face peering into their leader’s sweat-glazed expression. Globe was on his knees, body folded over Shelby’s, panting heavily.
Every ability had its cost of use, be it mental or physical. There was always a toll on the mind or body, in the way that no one could hold a weight or tense a muscle indefinitely. Enhanced or not, that was true of Globe as well, and maintaining enough barriers to stop all the attacks they’d had thrown their way, on top of conjuring the fog for temporary concealment, was an enormous task, even for a Hero from the Class of Legends. Without Adam and Quentin’s efforts, Globe doubted he could have pulled it off. Even now, there were still attacks coming, but they were fewer than before. The heavier hitters wouldn’t waste their shots: they’d want to take aim at Globe directly. Withstanding another volley like that was almost certainly beyond him. Luckily, the trip up had given them ample time to plan their next move.
“Everyone else, off the platform. I’ll keep drawing their fire. See if you can get away in the confusion. Above all else, though, protect George. We came up here to make sure they have a target they can’t ignore while he slips away. We must keep them focused on me so they won’t give chase. His escape with Shelby is priority one.” Carefully, Globe rose to his feet, handing Shelby Adair over to the metal man. “Somewhere safe. Somewhere Charles can’t get her. After that, reach out to Blaine. He’ll get you to Graham, and her into safe hands. Now go, as soon as they can see they’ll attack again.”
George had known it would come to this and had properly powered up his thrusters as a result. With a sparing glance to the man who had brought them all together, too aware that this was probably the last time he’d ever see Globe alive, George began to lift from the platform. On cue, the others leapt off, using the smoke as cover as they raced into the crowds of guards and Heroes, splitting focus and kicking up chaos. A small distraction, true, but the best they could manage at this point. Besides, the real distraction, the thing everyone wanted, was Globe. Always had been. That was why Globe put himself front and center, to make sure he was where the attention stayed.
Fully-activating his rockets, George blasted upward just as Globe willed away the smoke, giving everyone a clear view of the nation’s most wanted former-Hero. It was no surprise when most of the eyes turned on Globe, a fresh round of attacks peppering his barriers. All George had to do was get high enough and he’d be nearly home free. He was one of the fastest fliers around, and with no one able to teleport out of here, it would be impossible to catch him. The mission would be a success, if he could just get clear.
Since he was facing upward, George didn’t see the attack that slammed into his left foot, completely blowing out the thruster. It must have been strong – George was no pushover – but the guards had been playing with enhanced powers for a while now so that was hardly a surprise. Struggling to maintain altitude, George poured power into his right leg. It was no use. He’d been climbing too fast, and under the sudden attack he was beginning to spin out. The ground rushed closer; crashing now seemed inevitable. With the last of his control, George flipped over, making sure his back would take the brunt of the fall. It was all he could do to keep Shelby safe.
Just when he was sure it was over, the fall stopped. George was floating in the air, sole remaining jet doing absolutely jack shit, as the grass came up to him gently. It would have been a serene moment, if he weren’t fully surrounded by the sounds of battle. Even from his terrible vantage point, he could see the mayhem that had broken out. Globe’s team jumping from the platform had done more than create multiple targets, it had shattered the momentary peace between guards and Heroes. The former were taking any shot they could at Globe’s people, even if it put Heroes in danger. Between the attempts at murder and disregard for their lives, the Heroes were no longer treating the guards as civilians. Some were actively working to restrain the most reckless ones. It was a good effort, but more guards were pouring out of the remains of the base now, the unit meant to stop Globe at the exit acting as reinforcements to the ones outside. All this chaos, and some prick had managed to take a shot at the man trying to leave the battle.
A cluster of guards from a nearby engagement went sprawling, hurled back by an unseen force. This had the unfortunate effect of putting them directly next to George just as he settled to the ground. They saw him, and he them. Weapons and hands raised as they prepared to attack, and though he rolled to the side to act as a shield, George feared that this would be an onslaught Shelby couldn’t survive.
“Get away from my mother.”
As a former Hero, George had heard many voices and threats in his time. He’d heard anger, despair, determination, desperation, sorrow, joy, surprise, and boldness. This voice, however, had something rarely encountered: pure resolve, unrestrained by any sense of limitation. That was the voice of someone willing to do anything, go to any lengths, to do what they’d set their mind to. Not many people could get to such a point, and for good reason. Even if she didn’t like it, in some ways Alice was more like her father than she realized.
The guards didn’t have George’s experience. They didn’t understand the warning when they heard it. So they looked around, weapons still pointed at George. By the time they saw the threat, it was too late. Yells and the sounds of bones snapping met his ears as the guards were driven to the ground so hard and fast their bodies couldn’t bear it.
Seconds later, a set of white boots, the kind that came with a senior HCP uniform, landed in the grass next to George. Alice Adair stood over him, with Vince Reynolds and Roy Daniels bringing up the rear. George had no idea how they’d gotten here since Globe had tried to keep the kids far away from all of this, but it was hard not to feel a little happy at the sight. Alice knelt down and held out her arms, her demand wordless and impossibly clear.
“She needs to be somewhere safe. Somewhere Charles can’t get to her.” George carefully handed Shelby over, setting the thin woman in the strong, trained arms of her daughter.
“Charles Adair will never lay a hand on this woman ever again. Ever.” For a moment, the fire in Alice’s eyes dimmed as she clutched her mother, touching her for the first time since she was a mere baby. Then her resolve brightened, and she stood up, glancing to her friends. “Let’s get her out of here.”
“No.” Vince stepped forward, looking down at the frail form in Alice’s hands. “You go, Alice. You have to go. And I have to stay. My dad is right there. Right over there, in my reach, maybe for the last time. Saving the innocents is what Heroes do. You got yours, I’m going to get mine.”
George was rising to his feet, taking a better look at the field. “Step into that, you probably won’t make it out. There’s a ton more guards than Heroes, and a chunk of them are amped up. I don’t know that this fight ends well for those of us not on the Adair payroll.”
“Guess that means I’m staying too,” Roy added. “Wouldn’t very well make much of a Hero if I turned my back when fut
ure coworkers were in need.”
For the first time, Alice hesitated, looking from the pair to her mother, and then to the nearby fighting. “I don’t want to just leave you here.”
“You’re not. You’re evacuating a helpless innocent caught in a fight that isn’t hers,” Vince told her. “You’re doing exactly what we’ve been training for all this time: keeping people safe. We can only fight because you’re taking her away. So be a Hero, Alice. Get the civilian clear, and trust your team to handle the rest.”
With a face that made evident how unhappy she was, Alice took a few steps back, and then flew off away from the battle. Unlike George, she kept her eyes on the fight, ready to dodge if anything came her way. In no time she was past a line of trees and out of sight.
Testing his left leg, George found that it could still bear weight, even if flying was off the table. “You kids have gotten a lot better at this since I left.”
“We had damn fine teachers.” Roy’s expression couldn’t have been more plain that he wasn’t including George in that statement. “And a lot of motivation to improve.”
“Well, let’s see how much you’ve learned. We’re going to need something miraculous to turn the tide of this one.”
As a veteran Hero, George really should have known better than to offer the universe such a perfect line. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a massive tree, growing at an impossible rate and racing across the ground like a slithering serpent, burst out from over a nearby hill and slammed into the battlefield. From it, seven figures dismounted, one wearing an armored costume that George would recognize anywhere.
“All of the HCP deans. Damn, that almost feels like overkill.” He turned to Vince and Roy, making sure they’d seen the new players enter the battlefield. “Pay close attention, boys. You’re about to see just how good those teachers really are, and the kind of power it takes to be the dean of an HCP.”
302.
“Attention everyone! This is an official order from the Department of Variant Human Affairs. Capture and restraint of Globe is now officially top priority. Any of you who are not Heroes should leave this area at once. Failure to do so, or continuing to attack Heroes and other DVA representatives, will result in you being treated as hostile enemies and subdued with the necessary amount of force.”
Graham DeSoto’s powerful voice, amplified by a portable megaphone, carried well across the battlefield. From the turns and stares, it was plain that many of the guards heard him. Unfortunately, so far as they could tell he was only one of seven arrivals who’d shown up on a giant tree, and while that was impressive, it didn’t quite convey the full might of the DVA. A few paused, waiting to see how things would go down, but when the other guards pressed the attack the rest soon followed suit.
“They were warned. As far as I’m concerned, what happens from here on out is on their own heads. Deans, go remind them why it’s a good idea to stop when Heroes say so. Casper, help any Heroes who need you. And maybe save a few guards, if you can, although I don’t recommend healing them all the way to full health.”
Dean Jackson, clad in the same clothes as before with a simple gray mask in place, asked the question on everyone’s mind. “What about you, sir?”
“Someone has to guard the tree.” It took a minute for them to realize that Graham DeSoto had just made a joke. Mercifully, he didn’t wait for them to manage forced laughter before continuing. “Listen, as it stands, I can be here as either Captain Starlight or Graham DeSoto, head of the DVA. I can’t be both, because the public will never see it that way. Right now it’s important to show that I can lead from the backfield, at least metaphorically. I’ll jump in if you need me, but otherwise I think the best thing I can do for all of us is leave it to the current Heroes. Besides dealing with any of these idiots dumb enough to get close to our healer, I mean.”
Zero snickered under his helmet. “Not sure we qualify as current Heroes.”
“As long as you’re in costume, you’re Heroes. Go show them why.”
* * *
The monster leapt away from the tree as quickly as it had appeared, a hulking four-legged beast sporting thick armor and savage fangs. With a bone-cracking snap it landed on a group of guards, several of whom were too slow to dodge. At the same time, giant branches fired out from the tree, spearing into groups of guards that were shooting at Globe, impaling several through limbs and knocking more down. A section of ground suddenly gave way, sending a trio of guards plummeting into the subterranean base, leaving behind only a man in simple clothes and a gray mask. Not far away, a man in black armor with a white circle on the chest began assaulting one guard after another, each of whom seemed to experience identical processions of surprise followed by pain.
“Holy shit on a skillet,” Roy muttered, taking in the scene. “Those are the other deans?”
“Those are the other deans fighting alongside fellow Heroes they have to protect. You should see them when they don’t need to hold back. Overgrowth can cause and manipulate plant growth on a scale unmatched by any other Super in history. Reaction is a shifter with the power to change aspects of her form to suit the needs of a fight. Grasp is a brilliant hand-to-hand fighter who plays his density manipulation powers like a concert cellist. Blind Spot – well, you probably won’t notice him, and neither will his enemies until he’s put a bullet between their eyes. And, of course, I think you’re familiar with Zero. Not everyone agrees on all the aspects of running an HCP, but it’s generally considered common knowledge that whoever heads it should be able to defend the place.” George’s voice didn’t stammer or waver, despite running full speed. It made sense; robots probably didn’t get short of breath, no matter how hard they were sprinting.
The arrival of the deans was indeed an inspiring sight, one that had spurred the Heroes to fight onward. However, more guards were still pouring out from the bunker, joining the fray to take the place of the ones who’d fallen. And what was worse, these new ones all seemed to come out amped up and ready for a fight.
One guard let loose an energy blast that tore into the mighty beast named Reaction’s flank, cracking the armor and drawing a short whimper of pain before the behemoth rolled to the side. The blaster took aim for another barrage, but before he could fire a single gunshot rang out and he fell to the ground, revealing a mustached man casually holding a pistol. Other guards turned to see the source of the shot, eyes skimming right over the attacker as he took aim and killed another. Reaction managed to get away, running back to the tree. Her skin suddenly healed and the armor reformed, growing back thicker at the cost of mobility, a ripple of change that ran over her entire body.
“She can heal?” Vince asked.
“Not that I know of. They must have brought a healer.” George adjusted the zoom on his eyes, tightening his vision on a man not far from the tree, looking visibly annoyed to be there. “Well I’ll be damned, looks like they brought the healer.”
“Good thing, they’re gonna need it.” Roy pointed at the creatures appearing on the battlefield, guards with shifting abilities whose forms had been too large to deploy indoors. Things were only getting crazier as more Heroes and guards fought each other, attention turning from Globe to pure survival.
George barely registered the movement in time – some sort of dark orb of energy blazing through the air at an impossible clip in exactly their direction. He hadn’t seen this power yet, so there was no telling what it would do. “Get clear!” That was all the warning he had time to give them, and even as the words left his mouth, George knew they wouldn’t be enough.
Vince and Roy both turned in the direction of the orb an unknown assailant had thrown, the former raising a hand on reflex. Too late, George realized that rather than dodge, the kid was going to try and absorb something without even knowing if he could. He started forward, hoping he could at least knock Vince to the ground and give some cover. Globe had given them all hope and purpose; the very least George could do was save the man’s son.
Good intentions or not, George simply wasn’t fast enough from his position. But someone else was. Flinging himself forward, Roy Daniels slammed his bat into the orb full-force, hitting it like a pitch he wanted to put over the fences. It exploded on impact, engulfing Roy in dark flames that tore outward, searing the grass wherever they touched. Horrible as the explosion was, it also occurred at a distance, since Roy had intercepted the attack before it could reach them.
When the dark energy finally cleared, Roy was still standing, albeit barely. His bat was scorched, the upper part of his uniform entirely gone, and horrible burns coated his upper body. Panting, he turned slowly around, revealing the seared flesh of his chest and face. “How good was that healer, exactly?”
That was all he got out before slamming heavily to the ground, no longer able to hold himself up.
303.
Vince’s eyes traveled the battlefield, scanning carefully. It didn’t take long now that he knew what to look for. Some ways off from the main fight, taking shelter on the sidelines not far from Vince’s current position, were a few guards firing off shots into the fray. One of them was conjuring another ball of dark energy like the one that had left Roy a smoldering heap. Short of Titan himself, Roy was one of the toughest people Vince had ever met; he could only imagine what that sort of attack would do to normal flesh. The guard had to know that, had to realize what his power did. He was casually throwing out orbs of unadulterated murder, and that wouldn’t stand.
It was a fair distance off, one farther than Vince would have dared try under other circumstances, but he didn’t even pause. Taking precise aim, Vince shot a bolt of electricity directly into the orb-thrower’s heart, just as he raised another dark ball. Instantly, the guard collapsed, dropping his orb in the process. Just like the other had, it exploded on impact, engulfing many of his fellow guards along the sidelines in the process.