by Jamie Hawke
So I told her, leaning there with her and enjoying the downtime. I explained how I’d seen my brother and how he’d been taken away, by the woman I now knew to be Navani. Then how I’d been taken from a prison bus, how I’d been put on that prison ship, and then explained how we got to this point.
“No kidding?” she asked when I told her about running into my brother. “I was there, you know. Not far away, even. How funny life is, putting us so close like that, and then us ending up here, like this.”
“So to be clear… you never…?”
“Slept with your brother?” She shook her head. “I think they wanted me to. Well, I know they did. Part of this prophecy bullshit. But no, he’s too… macho?”
“I’m not macho?”
“You’re nerd cute.” She reached over and gave me a light slap on the ass. “In damn good shape, but I see the nerd in you. I like that.”
I beamed, ignoring the bulge starting to form.
“Still, not the type to rush into anything,” she said when she saw it too. “As flattering as that is.”
I chuckled and turned to face the railing, trying to hide it as best I could. “But you were serious about joining us? About… me?”
“Serious as a waskebon,” she said. “Oh, you don’t know those, probably. Means yes.”
The idea that she’d one day join us in more ways than she already had was almost overwhelming, but more than that I was excited to get to know her, to find out who this lady I’d once found so scary was.
“And your story?” I asked. “Before all this, I mean.”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Try me.”
She sighed, glanced over, then together we stared off at space through the narrow windows. “Talk about being born into it, my father was an Elder.”
“No way.”
She nodded. “One you’ve heard of, by now, I imagine. Hadrian.”
I nearly choked. “The one who makes the portals?”
“Made,” she corrected. “Most of the Citadel didn’t know that I took on some of his powers, including that one. Unfortunately, the enemy found out when they captured me, and it’s how they were able to create new ones, such as the one they used to try and take your brother. It’s limited—at least for most supers—how they can do it, and I’m glad we’ve taken the powers back. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t make any supra tech out of it.”
“Damn,” I said, considering the implications.
“My stepmom was a local and was there when it happened. Others, too, including a sister who didn’t make it.”
“And… your real mom?”
She turned to me and laughed. “Why, I thought you’d know. I said your brother and his team wanted me for the prophecy, so…”
I searched my mind for what I’d heard about this, and then my eyes went wide. “Oh, you’re—you’re one of the sisters?”
“Half-sisters,” she said. “And yes. It’s weird, how all that happened, and even weirder that I’m supposed to be part of some prophecy or grand strategy to take down the Nihilists. I don’t believe in that sort of thing though, preferring to make my fate. And believe me, I plan on taking those bastards down.”
“You and me both.”
For a moment we stood like that, and I thought it was time to go back, when she said, “When it’s over, I’m going to keep on fighting.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Nihilists, Orion Corp., whatever it is… When we’ve defeated them all, I’m not stopping there. I just… thought you should know. There’s always going to be some supervillain, some outside force trying to cause problems… some inside person or group who gets greedy. This is my way, from now until forever.”
I considered that then said, “I can respect that, and think I’d like that too. How can someone return to a normal life after all this though?”
“Exactly,” she said. “Being a superhero is more addictive than nachos, I daresay.”
“Whoa, there. You’ve clearly never had good nachos.”
She nodded, a contemplative look taking over. “I’d like to see your Earth someday. Try your version of nachos.”
“It’s not what it once was.”
“Still. The same can be said of my planet, but who knows? Maybe someday it’ll return to its glory. And it was glorious… I’m telling you, tall trees, woods you could get lost in for years. We used to bring food and tents and just wander off, exploring, surviving in the wilderness…”
“We call that camping.”
“Ah, yes. Camping.” Her eyes danced between mine. “How quaint. If I could take you camping, you and all the rest, we’d lay out under the stars…” She took a deep breath, and I imagined her mind was going places she wasn’t allowing her body to go to yet.
“I’d like that very much,” I said.
She smiled, considered me, then took my hand. “Come on,” she said, guiding me back to the room. “I’ll tuck you in.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, my mind racing with ideas, but when we returned to the room she really just tucked me into bed.
“Sleep tight,” she said, then gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“Andromida,” I said, sleepily.
“Yeah?”
“Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the…” My eyes closed, and I was out.
When I woke again, Twitch was shaking me, Andromida long gone but Charm still at my side.
“Come on, the rest are ready,” Twitch said. “We’ve landed and it’s time to jump.”
20
Stepping out onto Junos after what we’d been through felt like a return home. That this place, a planet I’d only been on for a short battle and follow-up feast, should feel like any sort of home was beyond disturbing. Charm was once again acting sort of strange, so I pulled her aside and asked her what was up.
“Nothing to do with this place, this time,” Charm assured me.
“No?”
“It’s that we almost lost you, back there. I mean, for a bit I thought you weren’t coming out of that sarcophagus.” She ran a hand along my arm, staring into my eyes. “I would’ve stayed with you, died at your side.”
“Please don’t do that,” I said with a nervous chuckle. “If I’m dying, get the hell out of there and live so you can avenge me someday. Please.”
She grinned, hugged me, and said, “I’m glad it wasn’t necessary either way. But… I definitely would choose to die at your side. Sorry, it’s more romantic. Let Twitch or one of the others avenge both of us.”
“Deal.” I kissed her and we picked up the pace to catch up with the others.
Headmistress Angeline was there along with several of the local professors, presumably from both Supraline’s and their rival, Rocadium. As it was explained to me, they would stand guard over our ship and our location, ensuring it was untouched ready for our return.
If we were able to return was the subtext there, and the reason for Twitch’s hard glare as she turned to Andromida.
“This is it.”
“About damn time,” Andromida said with a hint of a smile. She was a different woman since the defeat of Daos and now this, knowing that we were going after the final villain in the story that was her life up to now. A woman, I understood, who was on a planet where powers were limited.
But we had a plan—we had Tier One powers and supra tech that would allow us to use our powers, if necessary. We would go in undercover, try not to let on that we even had powers, and then strike at the right moment.
The only worry was that, if we were using a device to counteract the ‘no-powers’ supra tech they had in place, others nearby might also be able to use their powers. It was a risk we were going to have to take, and one that frankly only worried me a little. After what we’d already taken on, I was starting to feel damn confident.
Plus, I really wanted to use my dragon shifter powers again. That was badass. Maybe after I mastered it I’d find myself a cloak and grow a long beard,
then get some fireball throwing powers and call myself a wizard. My mind was racing with ideas, like could there be a power that let me throw dice, and then my enemy would be hurt according to what I rolled? Oh, man, the level of nerdgasm going through my brain at that moment was off the charts.
“What are you grinning about?” Charm asked, looking at me skeptically. “Remembering last night?”
Now that she mentioned it, I was, so it wasn’t a lie when I said, “Yeah, of course. That was hot.”
She wrapped her arms around me and we watched as Twitch and Andromida did their thing, working up a portal and using the power we’d taken from Ranger to trace his move. While Twitch needed to trace it, it was actually a portal from Andromida that opened the way. As she explained it, she now had her old powers back plus new ones, latching and portals from her father’s side. That seemed to hold some significance that was lost on me, but Gale found it intensely interesting, so I made a note to ask her about it later.
For now, we said our thanks to Angeline and stepped into the portal.
It was like the other times, light flashing and confusion, and then we were through. A glance up showed a night sky, stars in familiar patterns. God, it was good to be back in my galaxy, as odd as that thought was.
“Quickly, move,” Twitch said in a hushed voice, gesturing for a hill nearby. “They could’ve set a trap.”
My brain was still catching up with my body, but I was able to see that we’d arrived at the base of a tower with a sheet-metal wall leading to a nearby hill. Lights were in the opposite direction, but for now we wanted to recover and review the plan.
We reached the hill and found a section that gave us good cover behind a wall of rocks, and gathered there while Shimmer kept a lookout, figuring she could hide us with illusions if there were problems. For now though, she was to avoid using her powers, as were we all, in case their supra tech somehow was able to detect it.
“Breaker,” Twitch turned to me, “you know the most about this place. Brief us.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t watched much of the Abaddon show back home,” I admitted. “It’s outlawed in many places, though I still caught glimpses here and there on illegal feeds. Basically, the part of the planet I know about is set up like Planet Kill—oh, but you all wouldn’t know what that means… It’s set up for viewership. Participants have implants in their eyes there so they can see what sort of bids they’re receiving from viewers, and can choose to accept or not.”
“Bids?” Andromida asked.
“Yeah, like viewers from back home can send money for them to do crazy things. It’s stupid, really, but they love it. Only here, it’s all criminals, not just people trying to escape their old lives. That means anything goes, practically. There are wardens who will step in if they think something will actually affect ratings, but not… generally the more gruesome, the higher the ratings. I hear.”
“Okay, now that you’ve convinced us people from your galaxy are totally fucked in the head,” Gale chimed in, “how will this affect us here?”
“I’ll take over,” Twitch said, “because it’s my understanding that a section of the planet is used for the rehabilitation of the supers we’d discussed. Where we are, I’d assume, is where Orion has taken such supers as Andromida’s final enemy to ensure she’s ready to join their ranks. Maybe she wasn’t in line yet and ready to follow orders, or maybe she’s past the point of insanity and they’re debating where they could throw her—”
“Throw her?” Charm asked.
“Like a grenade,” Twitch replied. “Take a super powerful supervillain, drop them in the middle of a planet that’s been a problem… you either take care of the problem, or just have one less psycho on your hands.”
“God,” I replied, shaking my head.
“So… what you’re saying is we’re going up against a bunch of people crazier than even me?” Charm asked, and to my surprise it was a serious question.
“I think that’s a safe assumption,” Twitch said. “That, and their guards. I don’t know what Ranger had in mind, but I imagine we can’t simply walk up and do whatever we want without worrying about both the guards and the crazies.”
“Right, wonderful,” Gale grunted. “And this ultimate crazy, the one we’re going after…?”
“That would be some bitch who calls herself Muerta,” Andromida answered. “I didn’t know it was her when we saw the image… but no doubt now.”
A gasp from Gale was followed by stunned silence from Charm and Shimmer, though Twitch was nodding, a disturbed look in her eyes. I gulped, not sure if I wanted to know what had earned such a reaction.
“You’re fucking kidding me?” Charm said. “The same Muerta who led the assault on Compound Twelve on Planet Korkuas? Fuck me. The same bitch who, they say, slew everyone on that planet afterward and was found bathing in their blood?”
Andromida nodded curtly.
“Wait, is this…” Gale looked around at us, then back to Andromida. “The same Muerta who went all whacko and had like ten husbands, but they were found decorating her house in various forms of disembowelment, and she claimed it was art?”
Again, a nod from Andromida.
“Hold on, why isn’t this lady dead or in some Citadel jail?” I asked.
“They tried to take her many times,” Gale said. “I was on a raiding party, actually, but she has friends in high places. To include,” she looked at Twitch now, “a mutual enemy, I believe. Plague.”
Twitch nodded, eyes taking on a distant look before focusing on me again. “If she’s here too,” her chest started to rise and fall as her breaths came heavy, “I’m taking her down.”
“Shouldn’t we focus?” I asked.
“There’s no way I’m letting her back out in any world in this universe or the next.”
“Fair enough.” I frowned, trying to take this all in. “So it’s likely they have Muerta, and possibly Plague is here as well. And we think Ranger went to them, at least Muerta, for help. But why, if she’s locked up in here?”
“That’s what we need to find out,” Twitch said. “I’m guessing there’s more to this than we’re seeing on the surface.”
“And their powers?” I asked. “I mean, I get that they shouldn’t work here, but… in case something happens?”
“Muerta… I’m less sure about.” Twitch turned to Andromida, but didn’t say anything.
Andromida’s eyes went to the ground, then met mine. “Simple as the name implies… death.”
We all waited for more, but when none came, I asked, “Like, with a stare? Touch?”
Andromida shook her head, and after another couple seconds of silence said, “I don’t know, to be honest. All I heard was that she’d appear, go through a part of town, and afterward everyone would be dead. Never got a chance at her myself…”
“Fuck,” Charm said, grinding her semi-pointy teeth. “If I get my claws on her—”
“You’ll give her to me,” Andromida cut in, her tone allowing no arguments, and none came.
“Plague’s powers can also be assumed,” Twitch said. “Suffice it to say, they aren’t so different from Earth’s biblical plagues. The only one that’s worrisome in a quick fight would be if you’re the first-born son,” she glanced my way and I shook my head, as I was the younger brother, “and you don’t want to be caught with the sores she can give you.”
“As far as we know, Ranger’s powerless,” I said, “but we have no idea what others they’ll have on their side.”
“And all of this shouldn’t matter,” Gale reminded us. “The powers shouldn’t work.”
“Right.” Twitch pulled out her screen and scanned the area so that it made a little map of everything within range, then projected it out into the center of our group. “These areas here,” she indicated where we’d come in at and the lit area below, “seem to be outposts. I’m guessing at the edge of the no man’s land, one line of defense and what we’ll call the asylum areas.”
“Where
they house the psychos,” Charm said.
“I’m trying to be less offensive about it when possible,” Twitch said. “But… yeah.”
“Ah.” Charm thought about it. “Since I’m a bit out there, maybe it’s not as offensive when I use the term psychos?”
We all turned to her, then back to the map, ignoring that question.
“Out this way, then,” Twitch continued, “I imagine you’d find the real crazy parts of Abaddon, these black market televised portions Breaker tells us about.” Next, she indicated the start of a tunnel that ran through the hills. “And here, likely where they transport those from the asylum side who they’ve given up on. Those who will join the fight out there.”
“This place is fucked,” Gale said, turning to try and get a glimpse of the tunnel. From here, not much was visible other than a darker spot than the rest of the hills.
“But, based on Ranger’s arrival here,” Twitch said, gesturing to our location, “we’d assume Muerta is still in the asylum… maybe.”
“Maybe?” I asked.
She nodded. “For one, we traced him. So why did he arrive here? Why not on the other side of the asylum? Why not inside even? I know there’d be a risk in many parts, but he could’ve gone for a roof or some area where there wouldn’t be people in his way.”
“Shit,” I said, and turned back to the tower. “He knew we’d follow?”
“Or it’s worse than that.”
A transport ship flew over at that exact moment, not far from us, and we all ducked. The roar was enough to give me the sense it wasn’t trying to scout for us, as they would’ve used something less conspicuous like a stealth ship or something similar to do so.
Twitch scanned it, her shoulders visibly relaxing. “Just a hunter.”
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m guessing I’m the only one who doesn’t know what a hunter is?”
“Bounty hunter,” she explained. “Or cop, like we were discussing. That ship right there is likely delivering a new bunch of whackjobs—er, I mean mentally unstable supers. Nothing to worry us.”
“Wait,” I said, turning back to Twitch. “You were about to say… worse?”