by Joshua
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Rob asked, opening the door for him. "Get inside before someone sees you."
Omega stepped into the small apartment and examined his surroundings. Despite the cramped space, the living room was well furnished. A large leather couch that didn't really fit, sat before a massive television and stand. There were speakers around the room, and a large fish tank against the back wall.
"Is this what you spend your money on?" Omega asked, looking at the exotic fish.
"Drug money's tricky, you know?" Can't really invest it or put it in banks. If I buy stuff with cash, no one says a word."
Omega made it to the end of the tank and turned to Rob. "I came here to tell you that things are shutting down. This has to end at some point, so I'm making the first move before it comes down on our heads."
"Nah, man, just a little longer," Rob said. "I've almost got enough put aside that I can move outta this shit hole city. Another month or two and I'll have enough to set up some place nice for a while."
"I'm sorry, but my people are in danger. I've let my anger get in the way. If we call this off now, they might not find us. We've been lucky so far. I can't risk it anymore. Not so you can sell drugs."
"What if I drop your banner?" Rob asked. "Do this on my own instead?"
"If you keep doing what you're doing," Omega said, his lips tight. "I'll take you down myself. Tell your men it's over. Tell them to go home."
Chapter Twenty- Nine.
"What are you doing, baby?" Hope asked, draping her arms around her husband's neck. "It's late."
He stared forward at the bright glow of computer monitor. His hand left the mouse and found its place on her arm. He pulled her closer and nestled the back of his head into her chest. After a moment, he left her embrace and turned in the chair to face her.
"I think I've found something," he said, wiping the tired from his eyes. "Finally."
"What is it?" she asked, stepping between his legs. His hands went to her round stomach and his head rested upon it.
"It's a Russian website. It’s…" A massive yawn kept the words from coming. "It's a conspiracy website. I just happened to find it in a web search. This guy claims a super powered man attacked his lab. Destroyed the whole thing. It sounds like our guy."
"Oh, that does sound like something. You can tell me all about it, tomorrow. I've gotta go to bed. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, and it's all the way uptown. I can't believe she hasn't left town already." She kissed him on the forehead, letting her lips linger for a few seconds. "I love you."
He looked up, staring into her dark brown eyes. "I love you too baby."
She smiled, rubbed his head and walked off, closing the laundry room door behind her.
He scanned the page a few minutes longer and the found a contact button. An email box popped up and he typed in,
Hello, I'm a police officer in America and I'm interested in finding out more on the super powered attacks you wrote about on your page. We are having problems here. Maybe you can help
He hit send and sat back in his chair. Within a minute, an email popped up.
I have much information. Check attachment. You think might be related to the problem with Alpha Male and Villain? A worker at the lab contacted me a few weeks ago. Not sure what to do with information. Sorry for bad English.
Reedy opened the file and saw nothing but Russian on every page.
"Fuck."
He pulled up the email and replied, do you have this in English? Once again, the reply was almost immediate. Nyet, translate maybe?
He hit print, and waited as the full document came out. With his phone, he sent Vaughn a text.
"You don't speak Russian, do you?"
All that came back was another, "Nyet."
*****
Rose closed the door on the interrogation room, leaving behind the cries of a young man, and the yelling voice of his interrogator. She walked down the hall and beckoned Mac with a wave as she passed. With the phone cradled in his neck, he held up one finger. A few minutes later, she heard a soft knock on her door. He came in and sat down across from her.
"I'm so tired of this," she said, pouring them both a drink. She slide the glass to him and he leaned forward to pick it up. "All this interrogation is starting to wear on me."
"I can't believe they’re allowed to do this," he said, his mouth on the cup. He took a drink and winced, exhaling the burn from between his teeth. "It's scary to think. These kids are…well, they’re just kids. American kids."
"They’re terrorists, Mac," she said. "Look what they've done to this city."
"It doesn't bother you?" he asked.
"Of course it bothers me," she said. "But what the fuck am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know. I guess nothing."
"I just need this to be over," she said, and gulped down most of her drink. "I hear their screams in my sleep."
"So, what next?" he asked.
"After this is all done?" she asked. "I'll be surprised if I ever get another job. My face is on every news program in the country. They have polls, you know. Most people think this is my fault for sticking up for Alpha."
"He isn't really doing much to stop this," Mac said.
"Not right now, he's not,” she said. “But who's gonna stop this guy when we find him?"
"There's a rumor going around that Omega Man's trying to stop his guys from doing all this shit. You know, like he’s backing out or something."
"Yeah, I've heard," she said. "It's gotta be bullshit. A guy like this, he has a plan. Anyone who would release this kind of hell on a city has got to be an evil prick. Honestly, I hope our little hero kills him in the process. I'm that fed up with all this."
"Yeah," Mac said. "I guess we just gotta wait until we get lucky, or he fucks up."
*****
"You're going out again?" Ivy asked as Al pulled on his mask.
"They aren't listening," he said. "They won't quit, so I have to make them."
"Stay here with me," she said, grabbing his arm. He placed his hand on hers and held it there for a moment.
"I've got to. This is all spinning out of control because of me," he said. "It's my name they've rallied behind."
"It's not your real name!" she said.
He removed her hand from his arm and kissed it.
"I'll be back soon. I just need to make them see how serious I am."
He left her standing there, and made his way into the sewers. It wasn't long before he was back out on the streets.
The city was dark and silent, with few lights and even fewer people. He stalked the back alleys, using his powers to disarm the few groups he came upon. The Omegas who ended up in his path were spared, but not without a few bruises. Some tried to fight back, but it was useless. His powers held them back with no effort, diffusing each situation with little effort.
It wasn't long before he came to Rob's apartment complex. He watched from the shadows as desperate men made back-alley deals. He waited, unmoving, for almost an hour before walking up to the building. The two men at the front flew back, hitting the wall as he passed, without a second look. The front door slammed open against its hinges, beckoning him to enter. As he made his way up stairs, every door he passed flung open. The place was deserted save for a few vagrants. He glared at them and said, "Leave". That was all they required.
Once upstairs, he busted Rob’s door in and stepped over the threshold. Rob came at him with a steel pipe, but Omega bent it backwards in midair, causing Rob to fall to his back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you," he said, shielding his face.
"Leave," Omega said.
"What? I'm not leaving my house."
"I'm not gonna say it again. Get out now, before I pull it down on top of you."
"What?" Rob asked.
The place began to shake and tremble as Omega held out his arms. Pictures and trinkets began to fall, smashing
to pieces as they hit the ground. The wood began to groan and pop under the strain. Cracks ran up the sheet rock, launching a fine white dust into the air. It wasn't until chunks of the ceiling started to fall that Rob got up and ran.
The stairs shook as he descended, vibrating with the rest of the place. As he ran out the front door, the strong odor of natural gas filled the apartment building with its pungent stench. He made it to the street before the place erupted in a loud yellow flash of light and collapsed upon itself, crumbling to the ground. It was flat except for a single spot in the middle; a small mound of debris. Rob watched as Omega moved the rubble and stepped out onto the street.
"All my stuff," Rob said, but Omega didn't seem to hear. Instead, he walked into the alleyway across the street and disappeared into the shadows as sirens blared in the distance.
*****
Alpha Male could smell the burning building from a mile away. The acrid stench of plastic and chemicals clung to the air in large black clouds that plumed up, like a beacon, from their place of origin.
The pulsing lights of the police and fire trucks lit up the street with red and blue as the fire men worked to douse the flames. The police had set up a barricade to keep the crowds away, but there was only a few people standing around to watch.
Alpha touched down in front of the building and with one look, knew who was responsible. The building was little more than a smoldering heap as the group of firefighters sprayed it down. The two structures between the wreckage were both charred on each side, leaving the red brick black.
"Was anyone inside?" he asked a nearby police officer. The man's uniform was untucked, and his top button was undone. He stood only a few feet away with his hat under his arm.
"It doesn't appear so, but we aren't entirely sure. Locals say only one guy lived in there. This neighborhood's always been something of a turd, but lately, people have been finding other places to stay, you know?"
"Did you find the guy who lives here?" Alpha asked.
"Oh yeah," the officer said with a slight chuckle. "He's in the back of the car over there, quite hysterical. I think Jim was just about to take him in. Guy says he's got something say about Omega Man."
"You don't say.” Approaching the back of the car, Alpha knelt beside the open door. A trembling man sat there, wrapped in a safety blanket. "Are you ok?" Alpha asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just take me in so I can talk to someone. What I've got to say is important."
"How about you tell me," Alpha said.
"I need to tell this to someone important," Rob said, turning towards Alpha. His eyes went wide shock and recognition. All he could say was, "I know where he is."
"Show me," Alpha said.
Chapter Thirty.
"OK, yeah," said the hesitant voice on the other end of the line. "I've read it. Is this a joke? Tell me this is a joke, because it's very late."
"I don't think it's a joke. What exactly does it say?" Reedy asked, staring at the screen. The text was indecipherable, but he kept looking over it.
"It's some ridiculous story about these experiments to give a guy super powers. It's pretty gruesome in detail. If it was better written, it would be kind of sad."
"What did they do?" Reedy asked, getting up from his desk. He began to pace around the small room. "What kind of experiments, I mean?"
"Well, it says here that they started with gene therapy. A treatment worked in limited forms, but the subject’s immune system caused adverse effects. This first subject was lost when a massive tumor…the tumor split his skull, it grew so fast. I must have read this earlier part wrong, because I only thought there was one guy. Apparently, there were many more, and they went through each phase. It's crazy.
"They inserted fiber optics into the brain to stimulate the different parts. It was theorized to grow the brain in order for the subjects to develop super powers, but it was extremely painful. One subject killed himself over it, by drinking acid. Man, this shit is extremely rough. Do you really want me to keep reading?"
"Does it explain why they were doing all this?" Reedy asked, his head cradled in his hand as he looked down at his desk. Looking up, he saw the beginning light of the morning sun bathing the horizon with its soft glow.
"Best guess, from what I've read; I'd say weapons. There is this sub document about mind control experiments and such. It's all very MkUktra."
"I don't know what that is," Reedy said.
"It was a government mind control experiment from the fifties, it’s not really important. The lab was funded and controlled by the local government which was in turn funded by the Kremlin directly. It says here that the project was deconstructed after failing to reproduce the results of one subject. It says that he was a success, but he was unruly, and resistant to the mind control they subjected him to."
"Well, what happened to him?" Reedy asked.
"It says there was a break in, and he was taken."
"By who?" Reedy asked, raising his voice with impatience. He looked out the door to see if he had disturbed Hope.
"It doesn't say! Everything was tanked after that and the Lab shut down."
"Can you tell me where the lab was?"
“No, but I think I can tell you the survivors name. I’m not sure because the document isn’t put together very well, but I keep finding reference to the name Emil Sokolov. He’s one of the only members of the experiment mentioned throughout. This isn’t a complete document, where did you get this? Is this real?”
“I um…I don’t know,” Reedy said, writing the name down. “I’ll let you know when I find out. You can pick up your check tomorrow, OK?”
“Can you have them mail it out to me? I’m not in the city right now.”
“Yeah, of course. Just contact them and I will verify everything. Thanks again,” Reedy said, and hit end. He sat down at his desk and pulled up the search engine. After typing in Emil Sokolov, he watched as thousands of useless search results came up. He refined the search a number of times before finding something. It was an article about an Emil Sokolov opening up a genetics lab in the city. A smile crept over his face as he hit print.
*****
As he came into the chamber, Al pulled his mask off and let it fall to the floor. He lumbered over to the dais, his body heavy and sore. Sitting in his chair, asleep with her head propped up, was Ivy. A warm smile worked its way across his face as he saw the slight rise and fall of her chest. He turned to leave, moving on quiet feet, but she stirred.
"I tried to wait up," she said.
He turned back to her, and climbed up to where she was. "I know." He moved a large strand of hair from her face and kissed her.
"Did you do it?" she asked, her voice soft.
"I did."
"Can we leave now?"
"Soon," he said. "There a few things I still need to do. I want to get these people some more food before we go. I think things will be hard for a while. At least until all this settles down."
"It's going to be weird, but I think this is for the best," she said.
"So, it's true," Xavier said, standing by the door with his hands across his chest. "You're going to leave us with this mess."
"This mess was already here," Ivy said. "Eddy started all of this!"
"And now you're going to run away. Leave us, your people, behind?"
"It's for the best," Al said. "I’ve done nothing but bring you trouble."
"That asshole up there is the one bringing us trouble. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for him."
"I'm sorry," he said. "But I have to go."
“No, you don’t,” said Jon from behind Xavier.
“I told you to stay put,” Xavier said.
“You can’t leave,” Jon said, pushing past Xavier.
“We have to,” said Ivy. She got up from the dais and met him at the floor. “The longer he stays here, the worse things are going to get. You’ve seen everything that’s happened so far.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jon said, almost petulant in his tone. “We have no one else.”
Al watched, stunned by the boy’s plea.
“Jon, you don’t understand,” Ivy said. “We have to leave. Things are too dangerous.”
“Things were dangerous before!” he replied.
*****
Alpha snuck through the tunnels around the subway terminal, peeking out at the people where he could. The tents and makeshift structures were only a few feet away. He moved in the shadows where he could, using a dingy blanket he found on the ground to cover his face and costume.
The place was worn down and the people were tired and malnourished. He hid among them and watched as they walked around with nowhere to go, haunting the place with their dead eyes. He saw a few children, dirty and unkempt, playing in the murky pools of water that had accumulated from rusty pipes. The place had the acute smell of rot or mold everywhere he went.
Fires burned in metal pails, and the people gathered around them like campfires to share stories of their past lives. They rarely spoke of their lives after moving to the terminal. Instead, they told nostalgic stories of previous jobs and missing family. Content to live in a better past instead of accepting a destitute present.
He moved through them with quiet intent, turning his face when a stray eye would catch him passing by. They didn't seem to notice him for long, and if they did, they didn't seem to care. They were broken, and alone, even amongst each other.
It didn't take him long to find the room where Omega and his friends were. He passed by, giving the chamber a few quick glances before moving on, right as they walked out. He hurried to the safety of the shadows and watched as Omega climbed up onto a ledge that overlooked the terminal.
"Excuse me!" Omega said, speaking to everyone around. The people all looked up at him, and moved closer in order to hear.
"I know you've come rely on me, but my time with you is almost over. I'm sorry, I wish I could stay, but it's not safe for you if I do." His words caused a ripple of upset chatter amongst the people below. Omega stood there in silence until it died down. "Once again, I'm sorry. I've come to care about all of you, and that's why I must do this."
