The Ardent Saga Omnibus

by Nathan Howe

  Every time I went to the main Hero Coalition building it scared and impressed me. My skin tingled at the sight of it. The sheer size making it look imposing in a sea of big buildings. Heldonhaft pulled into the rear. A secured lot had been built to handle the massive number of cars the coalition had.

  Exiting the vehicle, I looked up at the buildings. Memories poured in of the first time I saw it in my youth. My parents took me to see it once they learned I had abilities. It left me in awe then and still does now. Not all the memories of the building were happy. Some brought back pain, and others a loneliness I never kicked.

  “It really is the most amazing building in the world,” Heldonhaft said. He stood next to me, Inflamed was already walking to the building.

  “We don’t have all day,” she snapped.

  We rushed to catch up to her. I wasn’t sure what all was going on. Just because Cyberhex escaped didn’t mean I needed to be here. She was hacking them, but Inflamed hadn’t been very specific on all that was occurring.

  Inside, I’m greeted by the first line of security. Kraftig, another Ardent I was familiar with, was sitting at a desk. I had met him at a reception and seen him on patrol. A brutish sort of a man with a mohawk and beard. He looks like one mean dude. Heldonhaft stopped and handed him the keys as Inflamed continued past. I follow suit and board an elevator with only her.

  I groaned to myself. I would have liked Heldonhaft to stay with me. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Inflamed, I do. She’d helped me with the Butcher and then drove me home from an encounter with the crazy killer. It wasn’t one of my finer moments and the main reason I’m here. If I hadn’t needed her help, I wouldn’t have joined part-time, and I could have told her no.

  “Just us?” I asked.

  “This is above Heldonhaft’s pay grade.”

  I nodded. As much as I wanted the help, I understood. This wasn’t going to be pleasant, and she hadn’t said who I was going to talk to. It didn’t matter all the people that worked here had a stick up their butt. I wasn’t going to like it.

  The ride up was a long one. We had to be going to the top floors of the building. My nerves were on end, anxious about what was going to happen next. I wished now I had turned down the first case and never gotten involved in the Cyberhex case at all.

  “How much longer?” I asked and rubbed my arm.

  “Not much.”

  The doors opened on the top floor. I gulped. If my information was right, this floor was used for one thing only. The office of the leader of the Hero Coalition.

  “Holy shit,” Jack said. He was finishing up the outline of the first sword before putting the fine details that made it come to life for me.

  “I know. I was freaking out when I realized it.” The pain of the needles was something he never got used to. The bullets he’d taken over the years hurt less. It amazed him to realize the connection. It also made getting the tattoos that much worse, but he needed them.

  “I’ve met him once,” Jack said as he continued to work.

  “Let’s hear it.”

  Jack shrugged. “One of those Hero Coalition rally days. He came to my high school and shook every student's hand. He wasn’t the leader then, but still.”

  Steve nodded. “He is an impressive sight, no matter what his job title is.”

  “That is for sure. He was in his costume that day. Nothing but a kilt and those combat boots. He looked like he could destroy the school in a second.”

  “He probably could. That stone mallet isn’t for show.”

  Most everyone had seen the mallet Invincible carried into battle with him. It was massive. Almost no other person could even lift it. If he hit a person with it, they went down and hard.

  Steve had heard the story of the Spector Invasion and about him jumping off the top of the Coalition’s building. He landed on the ground unhurt and then wreaked havoc on the horde of zombies with the mallet.

  “He’s a one-man army,” Steve agreed.

  “He is. What did he want?”

  Inflamed lead me to a large open waiting area with several chairs and tables for people to linger around. It was filled with fresh bunches of flowers to provide a pleasant aroma of lavender to the air. And it didn’t relax me one bit.

  I slumped down lifelessly into one of the chairs as Inflamed went to talk to a woman who sat at a desk, apparently Invincible’s secretary. She buzzed her phone and said something before Inflamed left her.

  The fire-powered hero walked over to me. She seemed relaxed and calm, Inflamed most likely met with the leader every day or so, but this was a first for me. I wasn’t looking forward to it. On the way over to headquarters, I had expected to talk with some computer guy or something, not the head of the Coalition.

  My body sweated from head to toe with nerves. Inflamed looked me over. “You okay?”

  “Just dandy,” I said. Inside I was a wreck, and I couldn’t explain it. This wasn’t the first time I met a powerful Ardent or a CEO of a company. I didn’t worship the guy like many did, but I was on edge. Scared of what was to come.

  The large ornate doors opened, and a man over seven feet tall stood there in the nicest suit I’d ever seen. His long hair rested on his broad shoulders, and he radiated power. No wonder he was called ‘Invincible.’ His eyes darted around the waiting area and came to rest on me. I gulped.

  He strode over with fluid movements I hadn’t expected from such a large man. He stopped in front of me and extended a large hand. “Steve, I’m Invincible. I hear you’re the man to help us.”

  I stood and shook his hand. “Yeah. I caught her before.”

  He smiled. “I’ve read your name on my reports a lot recently.”

  That was ominous. “Oh? All good I hope.”

  He laughed. “Mostly,” he said. “Come into my office.”

  He led the way, and I followed him, glancing behind to see Inflamed following. I relaxed a little. When the three of us entered, he closed the large wooden doors. I gasped at the view he had, it was as impressive as I heard it would be. It looked out over downtown and into midtown. It was a sight to be seen. Being this high up, I could see for miles and miles.

  “Impressive,’ Inflamed whispered into my ear.

  “It is.”

  Invincible walked past us ignoring the view and sat at a large desk that was neatly organized. It had several stacks of paper on it next to a large computer monitor. It made my desk look insignificant in comparison.

  “What all do you know about the escape?”

  “Not much. Cyberhex escaped and is hacking you.”

  He nodded and leaned forward. “She is getting into secure databases. One that houses our secret identities. If she released that information the lives of thousands of Ardents would be ruined.”

  I understood the problem. While I was one of the few, who didn’t have a secret identity, most did. I met a hero once who arranged it, so not even the coalition knew his real name. They typically frowned upon that, but it might have been a bright idea on his part now.

  “That isn’t good,” I said. “If I’m being honest. I got lucky with her when I caught her.”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Invincible said. “I’ve read the report from front to back a few times. You got her with a good plan. I was hoping it would work again.”

  I tilted my head. I couldn’t see any reason why it wouldn’t. “It should, but she has to attack, and I have to be here when she does.”

  “I know. It’s the best plan we got. Our team has tried to track her with our usual means and failed.”

  It didn’t surprise me. The same tracing attempts had failed before when I took the case in the first place. “I need to go see my magic ingredient supplier. I’m short on supplies.”

  He nodded. “Very well. I’ll have a few people go with you.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” I said. “She really isn’t a fan of most Ardents. She treats them like data. Stuff to learn about.”

  “Okay,” Invincible said
and turned to Inflamed. “Take him home and wait there.”

  She nodded, “Let’s go.”

  I followed her out without hesitation. I had been in the office long enough and was ready to get the job over with. I bumped into Inflamed as we rounded the corner, not realizing she had stopped.

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “Who would have thought,” Inflamed said. “The mighty Steve in awe of Invincible.”

  “I’m not in awe,” I said.

  “Could have fooled me.”

  “It’s just that he could kill me with one punch.”

  “I could kill you with one blow.”

  “I know, it's just, how do I say this? He looks like he could do it without his Ardent powers while you don’t. No offense.”

  “None taken. It doesn’t bother me anymore. At first, it did, but villain after villain underestimates me. I started using it to my advantage.”

  The rest of the trip down and then back to meet up with Heldonhaft was in silence. When he saw us, he left Kraftig and rushed over. “What was it like?” he asked. “I’ve never had a one on one with him.”

  Inflamed smiled. “Steve has a man crush.”

  I squinted my eyes and glared at her. Turning to Heldonhaft. “It was all right. He is massive and that view.”

  Heldonhaft talked the whole way back to my place asking hundreds of questions about Invincible and his office. I sat in the back alone thinking about what I was supposed to do. It wouldn’t be fun. The first run in with Cyberhex wasn’t the most pleasant experience of my career. While I’d say truthfully, it was better than the torture haven the Butcher had, but that wasn’t saying much.

  Back at my run-down place on the edge of Djinn Park, Heldonhaft parked. And Inflamed, and I exited the vehicle while Heldonhaft remained inside. “We will be waiting here for you.”

  I stood shocked. “You aren’t going back to wait? I can call.”

  “No. We need you at the HQ for the long haul and as soon as possible.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that one bit. Staying at the coalition headquarters was not on my bucket list. I hated the time I spent there for the little training I did do. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes.”

  I examined her face and could see there was no winning this argument. “Okay.”

  I went into my building and packed a bag that would last a week. If Cyberhex were up to her usual pace before I caught her, I wouldn’t have to wait long. But, I figured I better be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

  I exited my office/home and tossed the bag in the vehicle. “My stuff. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

  “Make it quick,” Inflamed said.

  I waved her off and went to my car. It was old and beat up. Many people told me I needed to replace it, but I didn’t listen. I broke this car in, and I liked it.

  I drive through the park to get to my contact’s business. Ambrosine sold mostly herbs and stuff to the general public. However, to a select few clientele, she sold potions and supplies for magical spells. While my healing potion was stocked up, my other supplies were not.

  Her business technically wasn't in Djinn Park, but the district in Cynosure just next to it, on the other side of the street. She liked to mention every once in a while that she was in a better part of town than I was.

  I walked into the shop, and a bell sounded letting her know someone was there. The place was dimly lit and was a mix of potted herbs. For the life of me, I could never separate all the scents that bombarded me every time I entered.

  As I approached the front counter, she exited the back of the place. “I wasn’t expecting you. I haven’t read any reports of dangerous fights recently. I figured your potion would last.”

  I smiled and tapped my trench coat pocket. “Potion all stocked up. I need supplies for the tracking spell.”

  “Oh. Interesting new case? Who you tracking?”

  They hadn’t told me that I couldn’t tell anyone of the escape, but I still hesitated. I could see Invincible saying it was implied. “Old case.”

  “Now I’m really intrigued. Do tell.” Ambrosine flashed her best smile. The only one she did better was for Jack. That one still threw me for a loop.

  “Cyberhex.”

  “Boring.”

  “I know. You don’t like that type of stuff. Neither do I. Computers aren’t my thing. But the Coalition lost her. They need me to find her again.”

  “I’ll get the stuff.” Ambrosine disappeared into the rear of her shop. She didn’t keep any of the good stuff out here where it could be taken without her knowing. Everything in here was the usual stuff regular people bought. She tried a few times to get me to start a little herb garden in my office, but I refused.

  She was back in less than ten minutes with a bag. “Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  “I swear,” Jack said. “You see her more than I do.”

  “Not my fault,” Steve said. “I only go when I need stuff.”

  The first sword was complete, and Jack was halfway done with the second one. The pain over time doesn’t lessen, and Steve did his best to pretend it wasn’t there. He was doing the ‘I’m a manly man face.’ It wasn’t easy.

  “How is the dating?” Steve asked trying to distract himself.

  Jack lifted the needle and wiped away the blood. “Not bad. I’m only kidding about seeing her more than I do. We have plans for tomorrow unless you need one of us.”

  Steve growled out, “I’m good. As long as you finish these up. And even if you didn’t, I’m not getting between you and her. She’d kill me.”

  Jack laughed. “She probably would. She might be the only non-Ardent that could kill a person, and no one would know.”

  Steve thought about it for a moment. “Yup. She could.”

  It made him wonder if she ever had. She was a friendly woman and helped him a lot, but he wouldn’t put it past her to have done just that.

  We arrived back at the Hero Coalition downtown. After I left Ambrosine’s place, I made it back to my own office, and they hadn’t moved an inch. I had hoped maybe some sneering thugs might attack them for being in their territory, but no such luck. The trip back to the HQ was uneventful as well. I kept hoping for anything to keep me from having to spend a lot of time there and tracking her down again.

  Nothing interfered, and I was soon back at headquarters. “Why the long face?” Heldonhaft asked.

  “I really don’t want to face her again.” It was tough getting over the last time I met her. It was lucky she didn’t know about my powers and thought I was just an ordinary private investigator. This time she knows better. Would I be lucky again? I kept pushing my luck hard recently. With Cyberhex, with the Butcher. Soon, it would run out.

  “Don’t blame you,” Heldonhaft said. “I’m glad you took that case, and it wasn’t coalition related.”

  “Jokes on you,” I said. “Here we are.”

  He stayed silent. This time the three of us rode up to a different floor, dropping off my bag of clothes in a dormitory looking room that brought back some nightmares I had tried to forget.

  Afterward, Inflamed led the way to what I had been expecting the first time. A floor that was nothing but computers and people leaned over smashing away at the keyboards. This was what I expected with hackers and the like. Not Cyberhex. I had imagined people spending hours upon hours typing away. Writing codes or whatever it’s called that I knew nothing about.

  A tall, slender woman in horn-rimmed glasses walked to us. “Ah,” she said. “This must be Steve.”

  I nodded. Inflamed introduced us. “This is Richelle, the head of our IT Department and Operations Security.”

  Richelle smiled. I tried to figure out if she was a human or an Ardent. The Hero Coalition employed both and had more employees than most other organizations in the world. I never did find out which she might have been.

  “Follow me,” Richelle said.

  She led us quickly through a maze of computer and other
techy looking stuff. I wanted to ask about some of it, but I didn’t think they would have told me what it was. Eventually, we arrived in a room with only one other person in it. He slaved over a monitor and keyboard like all the others, but he had a frantic look on his face. It was clear he was worried about he was doing.

  “Jacob,” Richelle said. The man looked up and frowned at us.

  Glaring, Jacob said, “I see you ignored me and got the hack.”

  I assumed he was talking about me and didn’t particularly care. He was right, I was a hack. I had absolutely no business being here. Inflamed appeared displeased with his response as did Richelle.

  “He found her before. That is more than you can say,” Richelle said. “Give him that much respect. He’ll be here with you until one of you finds here.”

  Jacob disrespectfully rolled his eyes at her. “Fine,” he snapped.

  He went back to pounding on his keyboard even louder this time. Even I knew that wasn’t helping him. I turned to Richelle, “Friendly guy.”

  “Jack doesn’t like failing. He takes it as a personal insult. You not knowing computers only makes it worse. Inflamed and I don’t care. We just want to ensure the people working here are safe.”

  I nodded. “I’ll find her.”

  “Good luck,” Inflamed said. Both women departed leaving me with the angry man. He was fitter than I expected for a guy in this field. I had pictured a ‘typical geek’ in my head. He was close to the opposite of stereotypical, and I needed to readjust my perceptions. Something to think about another day. He appeared just a bit shorter than me, with a crew cut, and square jaw on an athletic frame.

  I passed the time in the room waiting for an attack like I did the last time. Making sure I had all I needed ready to go when the assault happened. Jack didn’t seem to like my presence at all but remained quietly working. We both stayed in the room all day with nothing happening.

  It went on like this for several days. Me pacing, and Jack typing away muttering under his breath. I tried a few times to talk to him, but he ignored me and pretended I wasn’t there. It made it rather lonely.