HOPE BRINGERS (Strong superhero women) (Mystical Slayers Book 2)

by Michael W. Huard

  And who could forget the one with diamonds in her cheeks? Chaya was her name. He also knew of their cyborg, Tyne Gem. He marveled at all he knew. There were others, too, but if no one wanted to listen to him, screw them, he thought. "I'll just keep this knowledge to myself," he announced.

  His time would come. The time for his own dominance. For now, he would simply obey his president.

  ***

  This morning was like most for the young girl named Sun. She was not your average kid at the sisterhood's main compound.

  She was one of the more mysterious ones.

  As a child, she had pretty much just turned up out of nowhere and worked her way into the inner circle. Even at her young age, she had experienced a lot, mainly due to moving around to so many different places with no true clan, and of course, the bombings in Boston—all while suffering her own very devastating injury. On the other hand, she now received the best of the best from the Mystical Slayers. Not only was she one of the very few chosen to be administered the Starigen 6280 drug, she was also given extra training by the best sisters in the compound during their downtime.

  Raegan had been with Sun from the early hours, and the two spent time in discussion and training, which was always the first thing that Sun did when it came to her lessons. She truly looked forward to these moments.

  Her time with the leader taught her many things that went beyond technique, such as learning what the vision was for the country.

  Raegan was becoming more of a history teacher, so Sun learned everything about the past and listened intently to thoughts of a brighter future. The red-haired protégée had been groomed well. She just knew she could make a difference in the world one day.

  Perhaps the one thing that Raegan could teach Sun the most about, was the aspect of love beyond the sisterhood. Sun enjoyed listening to stories about Raegan's love of her late family. Something about it made her feel comfortable and at peace.

  Sun loved all the women, the men, and the kids at the compound. She enjoyed the closeness of the women in the inner circle and her friends. She listened to Raegan explain that when she found a man she truly loved in Lomax and they had a child together, it had given her a greater sense of meaning and hope than she had ever experienced before; there was nothing quite like it.

  Sun's continued time with Dr. Jansa also made for precious moments that she cherished. The elder of the sisterhood, though still in her late twenties, taught her many things about physical and emotional well-being. Jansa had a way with crystals, and the two studied them intently in order to calm the mind. The medical knowledge she was schooled in was of prime importance as well; learning about the healing of the body was very important training for the young Mystical Slayer.

  Jansa, just like Raegan, loved teaching the young one everything she knew when it came to combat. They spent a lot of time grappling, and Sun was getting good at it.

  Chaya loved teaching the little redhead as well. Being able to speak well and keep spirituality within was something Chaya taught through meditation and yoga. And more often than not, Sun found herself back with Mahira, learning great details about becoming a fighter. A person had to know how to fight in a world like this; they needed to know so many things, and all of the women made sure Sun learned as much as possible during the time they had with her.

  The days got even better for Sun when the young Wyoming girl, Karma, joined them. It really made it much more fun for Sun to have a friend her age, and almost everything she was learning now, she had Karma as her partner.

  Karma was a young, part Asian girl who had a tremendous amount of energy and great physical skill for her age. The kid could sprint around the entire complex when many of the sisters could only jog the long route.

  There was another new kid that both Sun and Karma were keeping their eye on. A girl from New York named Victory. They weren't sure if they liked her or not just yet, mainly because she was a cocky brat and too good at all the physical training, which made them slightly jealous.

  Chapter Ten

  The first step in forming anything worthy of standing on its own in California was for the sisters to join those they knew were against Y-Wood.

  In truth, the Corporation hadn't gotten any stronger overall; it had just gotten more powerful military wise. As far as the general populace was concerned, the Corporation was about nothing more than dictating and making others comply. Any who rebelled would be punished for not following their laws.

  So, as the leader of the team, Raegan prepared to make a very important journey to meet with representatives of California. She handpicked Chaya, Zaey, and Mahira as her traveling companions for the trip.

  As they went over the details together, Raegan explained, "There is a woman in San Francisco who has been a representative for quite a while now, and it's pretty well known that she is now heavily against the Y-Corp. Her name is Ella Von Stybeck. She will be the one person that we work with to create a union between everyone in our state."

  The others continued to listen, each asking questions and giving answers.

  Raegan added, "I want you all to know we're going to do the same thing with Washington D.C. in the future. There's also someone there that is outright against not only the leaders in that region but also against the Y-Corporation overall. We will talk more on her in the near future."

  Gaining allies first was a plan the sisterhood leader knew was of extreme importance. She saw success in her visions.

  "Are you guys all happy with my choice for this trip? Faith tells me that whatever lies ahead of us, God is already there. We can do this, guys, I know we can."

  Everyone was eventually packed up and the ladies hit the road.

  Their first destination was a bridge that separated their vineyard region from the more populated ones in California.

  Air travel was at the barest of minimums these days; the new president had put a no-fly zone in effect throughout the States, and drones were all about the different regions searching for anything and everything in the sky. Their orders were simple: shoot everything down. So the women took an armored vehicle as their ride instead.

  As the trip started out, Zaey, Chaya, and Mahira were overwhelmed by Raegan's talking. She wouldn't stop. They were used to it by now, and they knew that she still held the loss of her son so deeply inside that the only thing that helped was talking about him. Chaya had told her sisters more than once that it was a form of healing, and so they should always give Raegan open ears when she needed them.

  She wouldn't stop at Johan either. Lomax, her true love, was always on her mind as well. For someone with visions and dreams, these deaths added up to one tortured soul. Venting was how she coped. It had to be done.

  "Johan used to love to play games. It was like his one little salvation when we lived in Boston underground. If not me, Lomax was at it with him almost daily.

  "The one thing he always said that stuck with me and always will, was whenever something came up that was hard on us all and dangerous, he'd look up at me with his beautiful brown eyes and curly cute hair and say, 'It'll be all right, Mom.' God, if I could just have him in my arms again and hear those words. My heart just aches…it doesn't stop aching. When I see him in my visions, it's like he is still alive."

  As the big SUV rolled on, everyone felt a little down, but they knew healing was happening as they drove.

  Chaya, who was in the back seat with Mahira, gave a quick thought. "There's a famous saying, which states that the paradise of the rich is made out of the hell of the poor. The ups and downs of life that we have to go through are almost overwhelming," she added.

  Zaey, who was driving, suddenly took a sharp turn across the road. The gladiator in the back screamed out, "Holy friggin' crap! What the fuck was that?"

  The women all looked back over their shoulders and saw what looked like some sort of armadillo. Zaey had it under control. "Relax, girls, I got this."

  Mahira yelled out, "I would have
hit the damn thing!" They all laughed at that comment, more so because of the way she said it.

  As they continued their travels, Raegan went on. "You guys know that we've been studying about God, and I believe that when we die, we will go to a place called heaven. We then get to reunite with the people that we have loved dearly and lost. Oh, how I would do anything to see my husband and son one more time, to tell them how much I love them and miss them. I want them to know how much I wish they could still be with us. It just hurts, ya know?"

  Mahira broke the tension. "Hey, you guys, so I have been thinking about maybe whether you would all let me fight again. It's been quite a while now, and I'm starting to get a bit antsy. I like to take out my frustrations on someone, as you all know. Come on, guys! The arena battles are running again. I have got to get involved."

  Zaey was first to reply. "It's going to be hard to do that type of fighting for money without being noticed. I mean, you're going to have to be heavily disguised or altered somehow. It's still too soon, I think. People from Y-Wood are going to recognize you."

  Mahira blurted out, "I know, I know. Tell you what, I'll wear face paint, and I'll dye my hair bright blond or cut it all off if needs be. I just gotta fight!"

  Raegan added, "It would be too dangerous. You would need a proper disguise, one that doesn't involve you wearing your flag attire."

  Chaya put in her two cents as well. "If you have to battle, maybe some places off grid would be best. You know what I mean?" The others seemed to like that idea and agree.

  Raegan again spoke up. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you how the new young girl is doing back at home. The one you got from the quarry in Long Island. Mahira, what is her name?"

  Mahira grumbled. "Ha! Anything to take the subject off me fighting. Her name is Victory, and you all know it. I've been really impressed with her. She's probably picked up more physical techniques than any of the others. There's a few other good ones, obviously. Sun is impressive and as smart as a whip, but Victory is a natural fighter."

  Chaya asked, "So you think it was the right decision to start her as well as the others on the Starigen 6280 as soon as they joined the sisterhood? That was a bold choice we made."

  The backseat gladiator replied, "Absolutely. I have no second thoughts on her preparing to be something special as she grows older. Out of all the newer recruits, especially the younger members, she definitely has some of the best fighting potential. There's another girl called Karma that is darn good, too."

  Zaey was wondering about Tyne Gem. "You know, guys, we've got to get Tyne going again. Remember what we discussed at home? We have to find the right parts to make sure we can get her fully activated."

  The women all voiced their agreement. It was imperative that they got their cyborg sister fully operational as soon as they returned back from this trip.

  It was going to be a big part of making this whole trip worth it. However, it would be a dangerous endeavor dealing with the kind of people who sold non-Corporation robotic android parts on the black market.

  Looking out of their windows, the ladies saw that most of the landscape here was sparse, and many of the buildings had been blown up as a result of past battles. Yet signs of life could still be spotted here and there.

  They traveled through off-the-map, mostly secluded areas, but as they approached the connector bridge, the women knew more cities were about to spring up on the horizon.

  Slowing down, they noticed that the bridge had some sort of roadblock in place. Each sister rose up in their seat for a better view. It looked to be Corporation police bots. Chaya zoomed in with her binoculars for a closer look.

  There were dark armored robots with "Police" written on their vests and "Purcell Metro" sewn on the lapel. Each had many layers of armor on their bodies and illuminated blue eyes.

  This was not a good sign. The women immediately became very concerned as Chaya relayed all the details about what she was seeing. They decided to stop on the roadside before the bridge. Raegan was first to speak. "We can't let them be on this bridge. I can't believe they have come this far. This is the first time I've heard of any Corporation sponsored guards being this close to crossing the bridge."

  She gritted her teeth in thought.

  "Do any of you have a plan for us to either get by them or get rid of them? If we stop for too long, they're going to know who we are. They're gonna at least want to check us for some sort of identification, surely?"

  Mahira replied right off the bat, "I have an idea. Why don't we all just kick their asses and throw them over the bridge?"

  The others liked her plan.

  Raegan questioned, "And what happens when Corp radios to them and they don't reply back? Will they send more to the area?"

  Chaya replied, "We need to think, and think quick."

  Chapter Eleven

  As the woman contemplated their next move, a sudden rainstorm came into play. The wind about them picked up as the sky darkened and a heavy downpour burst from the sky.

  Raegan was glad to see the weather take a turn for the worse. "This could give us an advantage. But I'm still very concerned as to why a police bus and other vehicles are here in the first place."

  Chaya made a point. "What if we smash through the roadblock to get their attention so they follow us?"

  Mahira raised an eyebrow. "I have heard better plans. That's a solid barrier, and those guards look heavily armed. Having said that, pissing off a bunch of Purcell's police bots and then have them chasing us around sounds like a whole lotta fun to me."

  Zaey added, "So do you think there will be repercussions in this area once Corp finds out their police squad was taken out and run over? Could it hurt us in the long run?"

  Raegan thought out loud, "Not if we get far enough away from here before they catch us. My only guess as to why they are in this area, is just to show that they are the force watching in the west…I dunno!"

  Chaya explained, "There's no real reason why they even should be on this bridge, but it is a pretty good size bridge that connects to a lot of the vast land out here. The Corp must be trying to dig their heels in even more. It's all we can do to put a damper on their plans." She turned to Raegan. "Rae, it's your call."

  Their leader grabbed the binoculars from Chaya and took a long look at the road ahead. "I say we make them chase us. Yup, I like the idea. We will have the upper edge because we know where we're going. It'll give us time to get set up so we can battle them in a spot of our own choosing."

  With the details of the plan finalized, they stepped out of their vehicle and into the pouring rain, which instantly made them look like a bunch of drowned rats. They pulled hats over their heads and tried their best to look like normal women as they jumped back in their SUV and slowly approached the barricade. The rainstorm battered down on them with frequent bursts of thunder and lightning, which was hopefully going to work in their favor.

  The police bots looked thoroughly soaked as the sisters' SUV drew nearer. Most had already vacated the area to seek shelter inside their own bus, but one dark armored bot holding a thick rifle remained on watch at the check point. As the women pulled up to a stop before him and rolled down a window, he strode straight over and peered inside the SUV.

  "Where are you going?" he demanded of the women inside. Zaey smiled at him from the driver's seat. "Just heading to see some friends," she proclaimed. He then demanded to see her Corporation administered license.

  Lucky for her, she still had her license from her lawyer work, so she passed the police bot her paperwork. She had doctored her license a while ago to amend the previous expiry date.

  As the bot returned to his vehicle to examine the license without the inconvenience of having to stand in the pouring rain, the women leapt from their vehicle and moved the roadblock aside as much as possible before quickly jumping back in their SUV.

  Certain that the robot police would eventually figure out the license had been tampered wi
th, Zaey drove a little ways down the bridge and smashed into the edge of the wooden barrier alongside the big red and gray Corporation bus to get their attention.

  Surprisingly, the bot didn't reappear, so she backed the SUV up to where they had started a few moments earlier. Trying another tactic, Mahira stuck her head out through the back window of the SUV and waved a middle finger at the police vehicle. The women felt confident that the bots would now give chase, so Zaey once again sped off down the road towards the bridge. All the ladies looked back in anticipation, but they still saw no signs of the police.

  Zaey turned to Raegan. "What the…I think we need something more extreme here."

  Chaya then declared, "These bots are lazy!"

  Zaey pulled their SUV over to the side of the road in a fit of annoyance.

  Raegan then jumped right out of the SUV, and before any of her sisters knew what she had planned, she focused a steady aim on the robots' bus and fired a volley of laser bullets at her intended target. She hopped back in the SUV and said with a sly grin, "That ought to do it."

  It certainly did. A few seconds later, the police bus had spun around and was speeding down the road after the women.

  The girls knew of a hilltop rest stop area up ahead that used to be some type of trucking facility. It no longer served its original purpose, but they made sure the police bots saw them take the turn and head up the hill towards their planned location.

  Five minutes later, the girls reach the top of the hill and parked their SUV alongside the one remaining building on the site. Even though the ramshackle structure was pretty much derelict nowadays, it was surrounded by a mass of thick trees and undergrowth, which they planned to use as extra cover. Raegan yelled out, "Everybody spread out, but keep the building or the vehicle in front of you to block their shots. This SUV is bulletproof, so let's use it wisely."

  Mahira jumped out and passed each of the girls a rifle. She then instructed Zaey to move to the other side of the building with Raegan.