A chill went down Israel’s back as Manning spoke. Jessen appeared from the back of the hideout.
“Got a weird call from Ronan,” Jessen told them.
“Did he say why he didn’t show today? Or Elaine?” Manning asked.
“Nah just said to watch NCW tonight, but he just sounded… weird. Different.”
“Did he sound… ok?” Israel asked.
“Yeah I guess. Just a little robotic is all.” Jessen turned on the TV. The NCW intro was playing. The three men sat down to watch on the couches.
“Hey Fall?!” Jessen shouted.
“Yes?” Greyfall’s voice responded from the back of the hideout.
“Wrestling’s on,” Jessen shouted. A few seconds went by and the intro to the show ended as Greyfall appeared and sat to watch.
In the arena the lights were all down with only the shine of the audiences cell phones and lighters setting an eerie mood. Nightfall’s music hit and a dim red light shone throughout the arena. A low hanging smoke filled the entrance ramp as Nightfall made his way slowly to the ring. The crowd was unusually hushed, waiting to see what would happen after the previous shows mysterious ending. As Nightfall made it to the ring he rolled onto the mat and simply lay with his back on the ring looking up at the arena roof. It was his trademark entrance, not giving a damn about showmanship or the entrance of his opponent. He would simply lie there on his back. Ronan’s music hit and the crowd began to cheer. His character was slowly becoming that of a good guy or ‘babyface’.
Ronan confidently made his way down the entrance ramp to the ring, making no stops he climbed right into the ring and picked up Nightfall from the floor and dragged him into the corner. Nightfall made no resistance and let Ronan manhandle him. Ronan put a forearm across Nightfall’s throat as if the choke him out but suddenly stopped and took several steps back. Nightfall, unfazed, walked back into the center of the ring. Ronan simply stood staring at him with a blank expression on his face as Nightfall pulled out a microphone that was tucked into his waistline.
“Now… Ronan… what was it you wanted?” Nightfall asked with a sly smile on his face. Ronan simply stared forward as a ring assistant entered and gave Ronan a microphone. Ronan raised it slowly to his mouth.
“I wanted… to show these people that I am worthy of a championship shot,” Ronan answered.
“That… doesn’t really sound like Ronan,” Manning observed.
“I want to offer you the chance… to prove me wrong tonight,” Ronan continued as the crowd began to cheer their approval of the proposed match.
“Yeah it’s like it’s him but not him. Hade is this what he sounded like on the phone?” Israel asked as Jessen nodded.
“You and me… one on one… right now. Winner is number one contender for the belt at Uprising” Ronan finished as the crowd cheered louder. Nightfall looked slowly around the arena to the cheering fans, turning his back on Ronan. After several moments he looked to his left, straight into the main camera.
Jessen felt uncomfortable. He looked behind him as if someone was in the hideout watching them. Israel stood up without a word. Manning kept watching and Greyfall had his eyes shut as if concentrating on something.
“You would offer me this prized position?” Nightfall said, still looking into the camera and not at Ronan. “I accept…. let it begin.”
The ring bell rang.
The elevator door in the hideout blew open in an explosion that knocked all four men to the floor. Stone and wood shattered and splintered throughout the hideout as three more explosions went off. The entire place was filled with smoke as several small fires ignited.
Nightfall ran at Ronan and knocked him flat on his back with a powerful clothesline that shook the ring. The crowd gasped. No one had ever done that before.
“What the hell?!” Manning yelled. “Israel!”
Israel’s body lay on the ground several feet away from him, twisted and bloodied. A bright light filled the room. Manning mustered the strength to push himself off the ground and see Jessen charging his body, shooting off blasts in every direction. Dozens of armed men in combat armour were surging into the hideout with guns blazing. Several fell as Jessen blasted them one by one.
Nightfall picked Ronan up on his shoulder and ran towards the ropes. Bouncing off them he let Ronan’s momentum take him sailing over the ropes and crashing onto the hard ground outside the ring. The crowd was going nuts.
Greyfall had one of the attackers in a headlock. He wrenched his head and broke his neck, the body falling limp to the floor. One bullet struck him in the arm, another in the leg. Wincing, Greyfall took to one knee and smashed a fist into the gut of an oncoming assailant who wailed in pain then fell. Greyfall stood and charged at another oncoming attacker.
Nightfall was now outside the ring with Ronan hunched over, his opponents head between his own legs. Lifting Ronan’s waist upwards, he held him now at his own shoulder height for several seconds. This was to let the crowd and the cameras get a clear view of Ronan’s bloodied face. Nightfall fell forward forcing Ronan’s body to smash through the commentators table who scattered to save themselves from the attack.
Manning reached Israel’s body. He was unconscious but alive. Jessen was blasting assailants with pinpoint accuracy but a stun grenade went off right in front of his face. Manning writhed as a high pitch shriek tore into his ear drums and blinding light burned into his eyes. He couldn’t see or hear anything. Was anyone alive?
The referee finished his count to ten and the bell rang. Ronan was knocked out. Nightfall climbed into the ring and stood in the middle, lifting both arms. The crowd was baffled by what they had just witnessed and applauded loudly. Nightfall looked straight into the cameras with a grin on his face.
Greyfall fell. He didn’t see the man who landed the hit, or if it was a projectile but he was knocked backwards and unable to breath. The hideout was taken.
Chapter 15
The live studio audience applauded as Vincent Kennedy appeared through the curtain waving to his adoring fans. Host Shelly stepped forward into a warm, embracing hug from the tycoon.
“Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!” Shelly gestured to the couch for Vincent to sit on. Shelly took her place in her host chair.
“Thank you.” Vince smiled for the cameras.
“It’s been too long Vince!”
“It has indeed Shelly, sorry I’ve been kinda busy with a lot of things,” Vince joked as the audience laughed.
“I’ll say! Is there anything you’re not involved in? Yunno, any aspect of science, business, real estate, health care, politics or media you aren’t part of at all?” Shelly asked sarcastically as Vince smiled.
“Eh, no to put it simply. It’s a busy life.”
“We can only imagine. Now the latest venture is one of… what is it, cleaner energy?”
“Yes. My scientists and I are making leaps and bounds every day in the field of creating sustainable, clean, efficient energy.” Kennedy smiled at the audience who lapped it up, applauding.
A jolt! Vomit. All over myself. Never known pain like it. Where is Greyfall? Where am I? Another jolt! Vomit. Tears. What the hell is that smell? Who’s crying?! Jolt!
Manning looked across at Greyfall as the truck came to a stop. In the back of a heavily armoured vehicle eight guards pointed automatic weapons at them.
“The first gate of Hell,” Manning muttered.
“Quiet!” a guard yelled and smashed the butt of his machine gun into Manning’s chin. Greyfall struggled to react but the restraints were too strong. He may as well have been cemented into the side of the truck. If Manning was right, if they were at the first gate of hell and this vehicle was for prisoners going to PATMOS, the Prison for Alternative Terrorists and Menaces of Society, it was well kitted out for such a job. Neither Manning or Greyfall could move a muscle.
“Can you hear me?”
Israel struggled to remember anything. A rhythmic bleeping was drilling into his skull, telling him
that, for now at least, he was alive. “Can you hear me?”
The guards forced heavy black bags over Manning and Greyfall’s heads, securing them tight. Heavy, thick, metallic bands were strapped around each of their necks. The back doors to the van opened with a bang and the two were manhandled out of the vehicle. Greyfall could feel several hands all over him, could smell the oil in the guns around him. He thought about resisting but knew it would only get him hurt or killed, or even worse, get Manning killed. Both men’s ankles were cuffed and joined by a chain and their hands were buried inside a solid block of metal, far more effective than handcuffs and extremely heavy to lift. Greyfall pitied Manning. If he himself found them heavy to move, Manning would be desperately struggling. What Greyfall could not see was that Manning was simply in a pair of normal handcuffs.
Both men were urged forward and began walking without sight. Afraid to take too large a step and risking tripping or falling, they walked slowly. The guards were used to this behaviour and thankfully were merciful. As long as the inmates were moving, they were satisfied.
Hands would tug at their arms to direct them around corners and up stairs. The walk felt like an eternity but eventually, mercifully came to an abrupt end. The restraints around their feet and hands were taken away. Manning rubbed his wrists. The bags over their heads were removed and the two men found themselves looking at a black wall. A loud clanging sounded behind them. The cell door was locked. Manning and Greyfall stood in a bare cell, alone, without a word of explanation or even a threat. It didn’t matter. Manning figured he knew why they were there. He looked up to Greyfall.
“That son of a bitch wrestler. Nightfall is a telepath. He must be one of Kennedy’s.”
“He read Ronan’s mind?” Greyfall asked. Manning sighed and slid his back down the cell wall until his back side hit the floor.
“Yeah. That’s how they got the hideout. I could feel something digging in the back of my mind when were watching NCW but I was helpless to move.”
“Where are Jessen and Israel?”
Manning stayed silent for a moment. “Kennedy wanted Hade. Alive. As for Israel…” Manning couldn’t finish the sentence.
Greyfall walked over and sat on the floor beside Manning. The two sat in silence.
Ronan pulled a tooth out and spat blood into his sink.
“That’s perfectly normal,” He said as he went about his day.
Israel didn’t know which was more irritating; the beeping or the same question being asked over and over again.
“Yes I can bloody hear you! Where am ?!” he muttered.
“Oh! One second!” the nurse responded and immediately ran out of the room.
Israel glanced around his room at the South City Hospital. The posters on the walls told him exactly where he was and that he needed to get his prostate checked. Checking himself he saw that he was covered in a multitude of bandages and casts from head to toe. Feeling a claustrophobic pressure on his neck he reached his hand up to feel a thick metal clamp around his throat. He knew what it was. Manning had taught him about the power dampeners used at PATMOS to keep the super powered at bay. The instant anyone tried using their powers would be the instant they lost their heads. Someone obviously thought Israel had enhanced abilities beyond human possibilities or didn’t want to risk it.
‘Not only is it uncomfortable but it’s pointless. Where did that nurse go?’ he thought to himself. ‘And why am I here? I feel fine!’
A few seconds later Israel heard footsteps approaching his room. His door opened and he did not like what he saw. A man in a NBPD uniform entered the room.
“Sir. Are you able to talk?” the officer asked.
“Yes. What am I doing here?” Israel responded.
“May I ask you your name first sir? We have had nothing to identify you with.”
“Israel.”
“Alright, Israel. You don’t have any memory of what happened three days ago?”
“Three days ago?! I’ve been out for three days?!” Israel exclaimed.
“Yes sir. You were in some kind of attack. Busted up real good. You are lucky to be alive.”
“I… I was?…I was!” Israel suddenly remembered the attack on his home. “Where are the others?!” He asked. This question took the officer by surprise.
“Others? What others? You were the only person we found,” he answered. Israel showed obvious signs of concern. “But… I mean… we didn’t find any other bodies if that’s what you are worried about.”
Israel relaxed slightly.
“Who were with you? Family?” The officer asked.
Israel didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what he should say. The rest of the guys were completely off the grid now in regards to identities. Israel began even regretting telling this man his name was Israel.
“No… no I’m not thinking right. Wait, there was an attack? Where?” Israel bluffed.
The police officer nodded, feeling where this was going.
“I’ll be back in a couple of days to see if your memory comes back at all. Your lawyer is outside. He wants a word with you.”
“My lawyer?” Israel asked.
“Yeah. Guy was here before we were,” the officer answered while heading for the door. “If you remember anything in the mean time my name is officer Versette.”
Israel jolted to attention.
“You can get a hold of me at the forty-fourth precinct. Just ask one of the nurses to put you through.”
“Josiah!?” Israel asked before he knew what he was doing.
Josiah stopped just before the door and turned back to Israel.
“Yeah… yeah how did you know that?” he asked as he walked back to the bedside.
Again, Israel didn’t know what to say. What could he say. He began to panic slightly but was relieved as the door to the room swung open.
“Officer that’s enough questions for my client.”
Israel couldn’t believe his eyes. He tensed and tried to push himself upwards in his bed but his arms wouldn’t work right.
On the roof of the hospital Marcus writhed in pain while clutching his left wrist. Metalcore laid a hand on his shoulder to support him.
“Dammit Israel just lie still!” The Sufferer grimaced.
Josiah sighed, backed away from the bedside and made for the door.
“Good day gentlemen,” he said as he left.
“What… the hell… are you doing here?” Israel asked the newcomer.
“What?! Not happy to see your old uncle Frank?” Frank, Vincent Kennedy’s right hand man, joked. “I just got the fuzz outta here for you. Think you’d be a bit more grateful.
“What the hell are you doing here?! Who are you?!” Israel was really starting to get worked up.
“Relax kid. You’ve been through a real war. I’m surprised you’re even this awake and alert. Even with the meds you should be in agony!”
Israel glared at Frank.
“The bar. All those people. You were behind it weren’t you?!”
“Which bar?” Frank asked casually, standing at the foot of the bed and flipping through Israel’s chart. “‘Name: Unknown.’ Just what name did Manning give you?”
Israel’s eyes burned into Frank’s, his anger growing within him.
“Where is he?” Israel asked. “How do you even know him?!”
“Don’t worry about Manning. You’re back in the family now. Uncle Frank’s gonna bring you home to your dad.”
“Dad?! What the hell are you talking about?! My parents are dead.”
“Well… specifics. Biological yes…. adoptive no.”
“Manning is my adoptive dad!” Israel protested.
“Manning is a kidnapper,” Frank responded coldly. “I mean… in every literal sense of the word he is a kidnapper.”
A cold chill ran down Israel’s back. A curious rage was boiling up inside him.
“Start… talking… now!” Israel demanded.
“Meh. Plenty of time for that
. You need to rest up. You must be in a lot of pain what with the… what was it… thirty broken bones?”
Israel furrowed his brow. He didn’t feel any discomfort. Realisation hit.
‘Marcus! Sufferer, where the hell are you?!’ He thought to himself.
“I’ll be back soon. You’re room is under NBPD guard… yunno, seeing as you’re one of those ‘freak terrorists’, so I know you aren’t going anywhere. The boys at PATMOS would love to welcome you into the fold. I’m sure you would much rather come with me when you are well.”
Frank made his way to the door but stopped with his hand on the handle.
“Oh by the way, Jessen says hello.”
Frank left Israel alone in the room. A million thoughts were rushing through his brain at once. Where was everybody? Can Marcus get him out of here? Suddenly the door opened and Frank reappeared.
“Actually, he isn’t really talking very well. He says something more along the lines of ‘UNG! AAHH! STOP!’ through tears while he vomits all over himself and craps his pants every day.”
With that Frank left the room.
“Hey!” Israel yelled
He could do nothing.
Outside the hospital officer Josiah Versette sat in his NBPD squad car.
“I just spoke to the suspect,” Josiah talked into the radio. “Are the boys positive there was no one else there? Not even a body?”
The radio crackled as the response came through.
“That’s affirmative. The suspect was alone.”
Josiah sighed. Something didn’t feel right about any of this. How did this Israel guy know his name? Josiah didn’t buy the act of ignorance when he asked about ‘the others’.
Metalcore stood on the edge of the roof of the hospital looking down on the squad car.
“That’s him,” Marcus said, still lying down and holding his wrist. “I’d know that shoulder injury anywhere.”
The squad car revved to life and started off down the street. Marcus sighed and writhed in pain.
“Follow him. I’ll be here,” He instructed.
Without a word or motion to Marcus, Metalcore took a step off the building. Flying in broad daylight was never a wise but considering everything that had happened over the past few days he simply didn’t care. Jessen, Manning and Greyfall were all missing, potentially dead. Ronan and Elaine weren’t responding to any communication. Metalcore had checked in on both of their apartments several times over the past few days but neither were home nor had shown signs of being home. They weren’t answering their phones and had no signs of online activity. Daniel knew Ronan, or Warstone, could look after himself, but he feared for his sister.
The Hade War Page 14
