I took off running, but not downstairs. Not yet. I burst into Doug’s room, but he wasn’t there. I ran to Drew’s about to barge in, but then I thought back to the other night. I slammed my fist on it, and the door swung open. Drew was standing there, half dressed, trying to pull his shoes on.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“Jigsaw. He’s got hostages. Have you seen Doug? He’s not in his room,” I asked, trying to figure out where he could be.
Drew shook his head. “I just woke up,” he said, looking down at the fact that he wasn’t fully dressed.
“Right, of course,” I said. “You find everybody and make sure they get to safety. I’m going down to take care of Jigsaw.”
“Okay, don’t worry I’ll find everybody,” he said.
I left Drew and ran down the stairs as fast as I could. I swerved between people in the crowded stairwell as they moved in slow motion, their faces frozen and filled with fear. I had to make sure I didn’t touch anybody, since anything moving at hundreds of miles an hour touching you usually didn’t end very well, even if it was a small tap.
I grabbed a hold of the hand rail, and lifted myself up and over the edge of the stairwell, falling five stories down to the first floor. People continued running down the stairs towards the basement where the emergency shelters were located. I, on the other hand, ran out the door, and found Doug.
He was sitting with Avery to his right, along with a dozen or so other government agents, explosives rigged on and around them. They were surrounded by a bunch of Jigsaw’s men, with Jigsaw himself standing in front, a gun in one hand and detonator in the other.
There was a gap of a hundred feet or so before there was a line of soldiers, their guns aimed at Jigsaw. I looked behind them and saw Ellie standing nearby Mr. Auder and Ms. Ava, along with a whole contingent of superior officers.
I ran over to them, finding it hard to take my eyes off Doug. He didn’t see me yet, but I could see the look of fear on his face easily.
“Kane, let me debrief you on the situation,” Ellie said when she saw me approach. She pulled me aside and began to explain. “This morning Jigsaw and his men hit us like a whirlwind. They flew through and grabbed as many hostages as they could while others rigged the explosives. They were all set up so fast our heads were spinning. I tried ringing your mobile, but you wouldn’t answer, but I guess when we pulled the alarm that did the trick.”
“I’m sorry, I had my phone on silent. Not used to having one of them again,” I explained. “What does he want? Why haven’t you just taken him out yet?”
Ellie pointed towards Jigsaw, and that’s when I saw it. He was wearing some sort of wetsuit looking thing that flowed with Eximus. “If anybody touches him, their powers are gone. Nobody’s going to be able to get close without him letting his thumb off the detonator. He hasn’t listed his demands yet. All this has happened within the last few minutes, but we should know more soon.”
Right when Ellie finished getting me caught up on the situation, Selena came running over to us. “Hey, what’s going on?” she asked, her gaze focused on the hostages.
As Ellie filled her in, I walked over to the line of soldiers who had their guns trained on Jigsaw and his men. I surveyed the situation, trying to figure out if there was any way I could end this all right then and there.
Jigsaw’s men were surrounding the hostages in a semicircle, their back against the wall. Jigsaw stood in front of them all, the detonator in his head, his eyes glowing bright and blue. His thumb was pressed down on its button, and if he let any pressure off, the hostages were going to go boom. I looked close and saw the Eximus flowing across his suit like it was a fence keeping out Supers. As evidenced by the fact that his eyes were glowing bright and blue, he still had his powers. The suit must’ve worked in a way that the Eximus stayed on the outside, and the inside was insulated.
I looked over at Doug who sat huddled on the ground next to Avery. He was watching Jigsaw, but his eyes wandered from him to the soldiers. That’s when the two of us made eye contact and he smiled. I did my best to give him a reassuring look. From the look on his face I could tell he knew I was going to save him.
Now I just needed to figure out how I was actually going to do that.
“What do we have here?” Jigsaw said finally.
I turned and realized he was looking straight at me. I pushed the soldiers in front of me aside and stepped out into the open. I looked over my shoulder and saw Mr. Auder’s and Ms. Ava’s disapproving glances. I hoped just jumping the gun and stepping out there wasn’t going to come back and bite me. “What do you want?” I asked.
Jigsaw grinned. “Straight to the point. I like it. I’m glad you made it here in time for the show.” Jigsaw shifted on his feet, his grip on the detonator tightening. “My demands are simple,” he said, his voice raising as he addressed everyone in the room. “I want something you have. I have something you want.” He gestured to the hostages. “I’m proposing an exchange.”
“What is that you want exactly?” I asked.
“I want access to the government’s classified archives, specifically in regards to items and artifacts of unknown use or origin,” Jigsaw said.
“What, you lose a trinket?” I asked. My joke probably had bad timing, given the fact that Jigsaw held a detonator in his hands. Still, I couldn’t help myself.
Jigsaw spat on the ground next to him. “Of course you wouldn’t understand, Kane Andrews. What is it Atlas said to you? ‘You’re falling behind’?” Jigsaw said.
The words of Atlas echoed in my mind. He said that right as he took the asthenés plásma from Raven, moments after killing him. The same time I saw his amulet for the first time. And now he’s sent one of his lieutenants searching after some sort of artifact that the British government had? I had pieces to a puzzle, I just didn’t know how to put them all together. “You’re going to let the hostages go, Jigsaw. And you’re not getting anything.”
Jigsaw shook his head and laughed. “That’s not for you to decide, Tempest. Last I checked, you’re an American. You have no business saying what the British government does or does not release.
“No, he doesn’t,” Ms. Ava said, stepping forward, casting me a disapproving glance. “But neither do we. We can’t just release classified government documents and items to a madman. Even if we wanted to, it’s not our authority. Unlike America, we still have a government. A hierarchy.”
“Well either you get on the phone with the people who have the authority, or my men and I start killing enough people until you’re at the top of the food chain and can make that call.” Jigsaw gestured towards me. “Just ask Kane here. Killing government officials is something we’re good at.”
Ms. Ava wasn’t sure what to say. She thought for a moment, cleared her throat, and spoke. “I’ll see what I can do.” She turned and walked back behind the front line.
I turned and followed her, the line of soldiers opening before me and closing behind. I grabbed her arm and she turned around, yanking it from my grasp. “You can’t give in to these men. Trust me, whatever they’re looking for, if they get it it’s not going to be good.”
“What would you have me do? Shoot the Prime Minister myself?” Ms. Ava said, wanting to yell but keeping her voice down. “No, you may be okay with America turning into a wasteland, but I won’t let that happen to Britain without putting up a fight.”
“This isn’t putting up a fight. This is giving in to fear. Just give me a cha—”
“—A chance? We have no chances to give. One thing goes wrong and Jigsaw doesn’t give us another try. You stay out of this. This is business of the British Government. If you’re caught interfering, I’ll have you thrown into prison with Eximus chains on conspiracy to commit terrorism.” With that, Ms. Ava marched away.
I stood there fuming. People were trying not to stare at me, but they couldn’t help it. I probably seemed like I was a gasket about to blow. I couldn’t believe how I was bein
g treated. Did Ms. Ava not remember that one of my closest friends was a hostage? Did she really think I’d just sit around while—whether she knew it or not—was about to aide Atlas in his mission?
If she thought I was going to sit around, if she thought her threats meant anything to me, she was about to be in for a rude awakening.
23
PLAN OF ATTACK
“This is bullshit,” Selena said as I walked over to where she and Ellie were standing.
“It is. We have to figure something out before they’re given access to whatever they want,” I said.
Ellie’s phone buzzed. “Oh shit,” she said. “They’ve found explosives rigged all around the building.” She looked up at us. “If Jigsaw lets go of that detonator, it’s not just the hostages that are going to go up in flames, it’s this whole building. Our whole operation will be set back months.”
“There’s no way they’re not going to give him what he wants now,” Selena said.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to think of a solution. “And if he does get whatever it is they’re searching for, it’s going to be bad for everyone on Earth not part of The Legion of Richter.”
“What do you mean?” Selena asked, her voice lowering.
“Jigsaw repeated something to me that Atlas said when he took the asthenés plásma. ‘You’re falling behind’. That’s the same time I saw the amulet that he wore. That, the plasma, and now whatever artifact Jigsaw is searching for? They’re all connected somehow. Atlas knows something that I don’t. Something big, hence the fact that I’m “falling behind”. We can’t let him get whatever it is he’s searching for,” I said.
“You think maybe that’s why he’s been laying low since his initial outburst? He’s been searching for all these things? The amulet, asthenés plásma whatever he’s looking for?” Selena asked, gesturing towards Jigsaw.
“I can’t know for sure, but it makes sense.”
“Kane, you know who else is connected to the plasma,” Selena said, raising an eyebrow.
“I know, I know,” I said waiving off her suspicions towards Athena. “That’s not important right now. What’s important right now is that we stop Jigsaw getting his hands on whatever it is that will lead him to what he’s searching for.” I turned to Ellie. “I know that by helping us it’s technically treason for you.”
Ellie nodded. “Yes, but from the sounds of it, not helping you I’d be betraying the good of mankind.”
“Well, kinda dramatic, but yes essentially,” Selena said.
“Alright, let’s figure us out a plan.”
“Okay, first thing’s first, we have to figure out a way to get that detonator out of Jigsaw’s hands,” Ellie said.
I looked over my shoulder across the large foyer where Jigsaw stood, detonator in hand. I couldn’t just run up and take it from him. We had to figure out some way to deactivate. And the only person I knew that would know how to remotely do so had a few pounds of explosives strapped to his chest.
“If only that Eximus could short circuit it somehow,” Selena said, thinking out loud.
Something clicked in my head. I turned to look back at her. “Do you know where Eddie is?”
She thought about it for a moment. “He’s probably in the workshop. It’s in the basement so it might not have even gone to the emergency shelters.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back. Don’t let them hand anything over to Jigsaw,” I said. I turned and ran towards the stairwell so fast no one saw me. It was tempting to just run over and grab Doug and Avery as I watched them, frozen in time. But Jigsaw would immediately blow the whole place up. No, I had to be patient and follow the plan that was beginning to form in my mind.
****
I entered the workshop, the bright lights lighting up the spotless metal tables. Eddie was in the back, messing around with some equipment at one of the empty workbenches they let him use. I ran over to him. “You didn’t go to the shelter when the alarm was going off?”
He rolled his eyes. “That thing? It wouldn’t shut up. I fried it,” he said pointed over his shoulder to the blackened speaker that once shrieked the alarm. “I’m safe down here anyways.”
“Well, I might need your help up there,” I said, pointing at the ceiling above. I filled Eddie in on the situation. “I was thinking you could use your electric powers to fry the detonator—maybe even his Eximus suit while you’re at it. Then we could move in and rescue the hostages while taking care of Jigsaw and his men.”
Eddie shook his head. “I’d never be able to get close enough before Jigsaw would cause the whole place to explode. I’d have to be right on top of his in order to get the electricity to arc the right way anyways. Sure it might get Jigsaw, but it also might fry some of the hostages too.” Eddie held up a finger. “But I think I might have something.” He pulled out a drawer, and picked up a silver cylindrical device that was about as thick as my thumb and as long as my middle finger. “It’s the electricity grenade I was telling you about. I can load this one with just enough charge to fry the circuits, but not so much that it’d turn anyone else around it to toast.”
“I thought you said you were still working on these things?” I said as I took it from his hand. The device didn’t look quite as haphazard and thrown together as the one he’d made in the garage in Texas, but I was still wary. We only had one chance—nothing could go wrong.
“I’ve been able to work out most of the kinks using the equipment they’ve got here,” he said, gesturing around him.
“Most of the kinks?” I asked, unsure of his plan.
“Yeah. It’ll be fine, just be sure you hit your target. I don’t think Jigsaw’s going to give you a second chance.”
“So I’ve heard,” I said. “Just throw it at my target? I don’t need to push any buttons?”
Eddie shook his head. “It’s force activated. Once it hits something it’ll go boom. That being said, don’t trip on your way back up there.” He held his hand out. “Give it here, I’ll fill it up with a charge.”
I handed the pill-shaped grenade over, and Eddie filled it up with the appropriate amount of energy. He handed the device back to me, and I held it carefully in my hands. “You might want to get out of here, just in case I miss,” I said.
“Yeah, I guess I better go to the evacuation bunker. Just to be safe. Still, please don’t miss.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control,” I said. I ran out of the workshop and back up the stairs to the first floor.
The situation still looked the same. The hostages were still huddled together covered with bombs and surrounded by Supers, while Jigsaw still had his hand on the detonator for the explosives.
I ran over to Selena and Ellie who were standing towards the side of the gathering of soldiers and agents.
“So? What’d you find?” Selena asked.
I showed her the device in my hand and explained what it does to the two of them.
“You’re going to short circuit the detonator? That’s a risky move. What if you miss?” Ellie asked.
“I won’t miss,” I said. “I’ll run right up to him and practically smash it on him. You guys run in and get the hostages to safety. If we move fast enough, we can have them out of there before Jigsaw and his men have any idea what’s going on,” I said.
Selena and Ellie exchanged glances, trying to gage what each other thought about my plan.
“I don’t have any other ideas,” Ellie said.
Selena nodded. “Okay then, we’ll do it.”
I took a deep breath and held the electricity grenade up in my hand. “Let’s hope this thing works.” I looked at the two of them. “Ready?”
They both nodded.
“Okay. In three…two…one…now!”
24
SHORT CIRCUIT
Everything slowed around me. My eyes focused on my target: Jigsaw’s hand. I held the electricity grenade above my head, ready to smash it down on the detonator. I bounded across the room, just a few feet awa
y from him.
A thought crossed my mind.
What if this doesn’t work?
I pushed it out of my mind. I gritted my teeth as I reached Jigsaw. It had to.
I smashed the silver device down on the detonator, and the grenade exploded, electricity arcing from it in slow motion. I stopped moving, and everything moved at real time.
The electricity ran from the device and through Jigsaw’s suit. He threw the detonator to the ground. It was now just a black smoking piece of junk. The shock from the grenade was enough to fry the Eximus generator in his suit.
I grabbed Jigsaw by the throat before he had any idea what was going on, and slammed him into the ground. “Why don’t you tell me what you were looking for?” I asked with a smirk. “Maybe I can help you find it.”
Jigsaw’s eyes grew wide with anger. He seethed, spit flying from his mouth. He reached for the charred detonator, but I kicked it and it exploded in a puff of ash. He let out a shot and pushed me off him.
I looked behind me and saw that Selena and Ellie had gotten all of the hostages out. They stood behind me, our backs to each other. We were ready for a fight.
“Prepare to fire!” I heard someone shout to my right. I looked and saw the line of soldiers prepare their Eximus blasters.
Jigsaw didn’t hesitate. He charged for the soldiers, ready to take them all out before they even had the chance to fire a blast. I dove after him, but he was fast. The world around us slowed as we raced to be the first to reach our goals. Jigsaw was just inches away from the first soldier, a young boy who was still tightening his gun against his chest. He had no idea what was coming right at him.
I grabbed a hold of Jigsaw’s ankle just inches away from the young man. I pulled him down, and he slammed to the ground, sending cracks through the ground and rubble flying through the air. The soldiers close to him fell backwards to the ground, shaken and terrified.
I pulled Jigsaw right back towards me, and right before his body hit mine I slammed him into the ground again. Jigsaw hit the ground and rolled backwards, making a quick recovery.
The Secret of the Supers (The First Superhero Book 4) Page 10
