by Jason Levine
The trip to Sean’s junkyard was tense. After the previous night, Murray wasn’t sure if Brawn would show up to “rescue” his former partner. And, if Murray was being honest with himself, he still wasn’t one hundred percent certain that Eddie wasn’t going to turn his watch off, sprout blades on his arms, and attack.
Eddie traveled light. Murray had found him a change of clothes that fit–a shirt and pants that were very loose on Murray. It was a small miracle that Murray even possessed such clothes. They were a relic from a time when Murray tried wearing his work suit under normal clothes. He quickly realized how ridiculous it looked, but for some reason had held onto the clothes.
For his part, Murray wore plain jeans and a red shirt. In addition to the pack that allowed him to breathe and fly while ghosting, Murray also carried a duffel bag. Inside was a small cooler with the remains of the creature that he and Ruth had pulled off of Eddie the previous night. Murray had also packed the general dampener–which Ruth had left in his apartment when she stormed off–as well as his work suit and some extra cartridges of the sedative that had helped kill the creature. He wasn’t sure if he’d need it, but Murray figured that it was better to be prepared just in case he wound up storming a military base before the day was over.
As Murray walked up to the junkyard, he was surprised to see that all the damage from the previous day had been repaired. The wall that Brawn had punched through, the gate that has been torn and bent, the street that Brawn pounded with his giant fists, even the street lamp that Eddie/Edge had crashed into were fully fixed. They didn’t even look brand new but appeared weathered as though they had been like that for years. It looked for all the world like the events of the previous day had never happened.
Murray walked through the old looking–but newly fixed–gate and wound his way through the giant piles of trash. He almost took a wrong turn a few of times, but finally found his way to the clearing.
Sean was standing in the middle of the clearing. His small shack still stood at the edge. Sean wore his customary gray long sleeved shirt, gray sweatpants, black gloves, baseball cap, and dark sunglasses. Murray knew that under all of that was a weird mixture of robot and man, but it was easy to forget as he walked up to the man who had taught him and built him so much.
“I presume, this is Eddie, also known as Edge,” Sean said as they walked towards the center of the clearing.
Murray looked at Eddie. He had been so focused on not getting lost in the trash maze that he hasn’t noticed how nervous Eddie looked. He hung at the edge of the clearing as if the center were filled with dangerous traps.
“I’m… I’m sorry about what happened yesterday,” Eddie stammered.
“It’s all right, Eddie. From what I hear, you weren’t in control of your actions. Murray, did you bring the creature’s remains?”
Murray placed the duffel bag on the ground and opened it up. Moving the general dampener aside, Murray pulled out the cooler, removed the plastic container, with what was left of the black slug, and handed it to Sean.
A robot came skittering up to Sean as he looked the container over. Sean handed it to the robot who walked to and then vanished into the small shack.
“My robots will run a complete analysis on it.”
“They can do that?” Eddie asked in amazement.
“That and much more. When we have additional time, I’d be happy to show you. I’m quite proud of my creations. Unfortunately, time is a limited resource. From what I understand, we have three days until Thomas is killed?”
Eddie looked at the ground again. “I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen to him. All I know is it’s happening in three days and whatever it is will help the General live.”
“Yes. Ruth told me about this General. So he’s dying?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe? When I was under his control, we weren’t exactly in questioning states of mind. We just did as we were told.”
“Does everyone who works for the General have one of those creatures attached to them?” Murray asked.
“As far as I can tell, yes.”
“Do you know where he got them from?” Sean asked.
“No. I didn’t even see the one get put on me. I only saw it after I was under his control and at that point, I was actually glad it was there so I could serve him. Like I told Murray, that thing messes with your mind.”
“I can imagine. Now, about your powers. I notice you have a watch like the one Murray has.”
“Yes. The General gave us these so we could blend in with normal people on occasion.”
“How did he get those?” Murray said, turning to Sean. “I thought you made those.”
“I did. It’s possible this General found someone with powers that I helped and copied the design. Eddie, would you mind showing me your powers?”
Murray looked at Sean in shock. He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. If Eddie turned back into Edge, he might not be under this General’s control, but he would still be potentially dangerous. Murray wasn’t sure he could subdue Eddie a second time.
“I’d… I’d rather not if you don’t mind.” Eddie replied.
“Do you mind if I ask why? Are you afraid you’ll be under his control again if you activate your powers?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that… I don’t like the pain of the transformation.”
“Pain?”
“Yes.” Eddie turned to Murray. “Don’t you feel pain when you phase through things?”
“Not really,” Murray answered.
“This is interesting. Did your companion have this same sort of pain?”
“Bradley? Yes. If anything, his was worse. His whole body was twisting and contorting between his non-powered form and his Brawn form. It was excruciating. I think if it wasn’t for the General’s control, Bradley would never have transformed at all.”
“I wonder,” Sean mused.
“What?” Murray asked.
“This ‘black goo’ that was used to turn Eddie here. I wonder if it comes from the same source as the mind controlling creature.”
“You think the General is using the creatures to both control people and grant them powers?”
“Possibly. The sample you had ‘obtained,’ where did it come from?”
“Sampson Technologies.”
“Was there more there?”
“Yes. Quite a bit,” Murray replied.
“We’re going to need a couple of those vials. At the very least, I might be able to devise something that would help Eddie use his powers without pain.”
“No thank you,” Eddie said, stepping forward. “I appreciate it. I really do, but I don’t want to become Edge again. It’s not fear of being taken over by the General–though that does terrify me. It’s just that my entire existence as Edge was one of doing some really bad things to otherwise decent people. I’m not going to pretend I was a saint before I became Edge, but at least that was my own choice. When I was Edge, I was forced to do whatever the General wanted me to do. I don’t want to have anything to do with Edge anymore. I just want to live my life as Eddie from now on.”
“Understandable,” Sean said. “Still, we need a sample of that ‘black goo.’ Obviously, the General wanted it for some reason and we need to be as prepared as possible.”
“Do you have a contact at Sampson Technologies that you could use to get us a sample?” Murray asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” Sean answered. “You are my contact. You are going to break in and steal another sample or two.”
Murray thought about it for a second. “I just hit them a few days ago. They are bound to have increased security.”
“Then it’s a good thing you have powers now to even the odds. Let’s get prepared.”
Chapter Fifteen: The General Makes His Move
Sean rooted through Murray’s duffel bag and removed his work suit.
“So, is that what you wear when you go out?”
“Yes,” Murray said, feeling
oddly embarrassed for having brought it.
“Good. Let’s see what else you have and I’ll see if I can’t provide some assistance to tip the odds even further in your favor.”
Sean motioned and a pair of robots carried a metal table over. Sean laid Murray’s work suit out on the table. Murray began taking his various gadgets out, describing them as he went. Eddie watched silently, but Sean was anything but quiet.
“This is an ingenious design,” Sean said picking up Murray’s knife. “Microfilament, am I right?”
“Yes. It’s attached to a blade. I can use it to scale up trees or some walls.”
“Did you come up with this yourself?” Eddie asked.
“I found the basic components at various places that I… was hired to obtain things from. I did assemble much of it, though.”
“It is quite remarkable,” Sean said. “Your skills are incredible–which is saying something coming from me. I wonder why you didn’t get into engineering or another technical profession.”
“I’ve tried, but nothing ever stuck like stealing did.”
Eddie picked up one of Murray’s staves. “What’s this thing?”
“A weapon I use during my jobs.” Murray answered. He took the staff from Eddie. “I can disarm and knock out guards with it. It also has removable cartridges that can be used to inject a sedative that can knock people out.”
“Don’t you have a gun or something?” asked Eddie.
“That’s not really my style.”
“I’m impressed with the lengths you go to to avoid killing. Employing staves and sedative drugs must have made your ‘job’ riskier.”
“Maybe,” Murray conceded. “But I always just saw it as more challenging.”
Over the next two hours, Murray went over every component in his suit. Some were barely mentioned and then set aside. Others sparked detailed conversations about the source and construction of the device. A few devices, like Murray’s goggles, Sean augmented with his powers.
“These should be lighter and have better zoom,” Sean said, placing the improved goggles on the table.
“So, what’s our next move?” Murray asked as he wound down his presentation. “How are we going to save Thomas?”
“Well, you should head to Sampson Technologies. Get another few vials for me to run tests on. Meanwhile, if Eddie will consent to it, he can stay with me. He can give me more details about the security setup of the General’s base and I can run some blood tests on him to see if I can figure out why Eddie feels pain when he uses his powers.”
Eddie looked at Sean, “I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but I really don’t want to have anything to do with this. I don’t need help with my powers. I don’t even want them. As long as I keep this watch on, I’m fine. I just want to get away as quickly as possible.”
“Eddie, do you remember attacking this junkyard when you were under the General’s thrall?”
Eddie looked at the ground.
“A little bit. My memory after heading to the junkyard is hazy. Bits and pieces have been coming back, but not too much.”
“Well, you came here with your big colleague while I was training Murray here. I sent robots to lead you away from the entrance and keep you busy while Murray and Ruth escaped. You, as Edge, wound up doubling back and confronting them.”
“Your point being, besides the fact that the General likely knows about this place?”
“My point is that I escaped via a different route. That shack leads to an underground series of tunnels. I could use them to transport you to another city entirely. It would give you quite the head start on the General.”
“And you’ll do this if I help you attack the General?”
“I’m sure we could use your help in the fight itself, but I wouldn’t presume to try to persuade you to take part in that. All I need at this point is information.”
Eddie stayed quiet as he considered his options. He shuffled from foot to foot on the spot and, at one point, Murray was sure that Eddie was going to turn and run away. After a minute of silence, Eddie finally nodded his head.
“Fine. I’ll help you,” Eddie mumbled. “But I want out of this city before you go to rescue your friend.”
“Fair enough,” Sean said. A robot walked up to Sean and beeped loudly. “Now? In broad daylight?!”
“What’s going on?”
“When you told me that Sampson Technologies was the source of the substance, I tasked a satellite with observing it. A few military trucks have just rolled up to the gate.”
“Military?” Murray asked.
“I don’t believe this is a coincidence. A man calling himself ’the General’ holed up in an abandoned military base and now military trucks at the laboratory with the goo?”
“You think he’s trying to take the rest.”
“Yes. I was going to recommend taking the subway, changing once there, and breaking in at night, but I fear there won’t be anything left if you don’t leave now.”
“You want me to ghost and fly there? The last time I did that, the General’s men found us here.”
“He can sense when some people use their powers,” Eddie said. “It’s how we knew where you were.”
“My shack leads to drop off points around the city. I’ve sent it the coordinates for one location not far from the laboratory. You should change now.”
Murray grabbed his work suit and ducked behind a nearby junk pile. He removed his clothes and quickly put on his suit. Stepping back out from the junk pile, Murray placed his clothes in the duffel bag and took out many of his devices. He began loading the pockets up with as much as they could carry.
“Take these,” Sean said. “Place them in your ears. It will let us communicate. I had modified your goggles earlier to broadcast video so that we’ll be able to see everything you see. As for you communicating back...”
Sean touched the pack on Murray’s back. He felt it vibrate slightly before Sean removed his hand.
“A minor change. I just added a microphone to the mask. Now, when you extend it, you’ll be able to talk to us.”
“I don’t usually talk when breaking into places,” Murray said, placing the last items into his pockets. “Too noisy.”
“It’s all right,” Sean said, “The microphone can detect faint whispers so you should be fine. Remember, there might be people who are controlled by the General. They aren’t responsible for their actions.”
“Don’t expect them to go easy on you, though,” Eddie added. “They’ll kill you without hesitation if they can. Or capture you and take you back to the General to become part of his army.”
“I understand,” Murray said as he got the last of his gear in place and picked up his pack. “I’ll be careful. What about keeping the samples cold? Last time, I picked up a cooler from the lab. I might not have that luxury now.”
Sean motioned and a robot maneuvered to Murray carrying a thin rectangular box with a strap on it.
“This should help keep the samples cool. It will automatically sense the temperature they are at and will keep them at that pretty much indefinitely.”
Murray put the strap over his shoulder and across his body. He walked over to the shack, opened the door, and looked back at Sean and Eddie.
“Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, Murray. When you get back, we’ll have a better idea of how to save Thomas.”
Eddie ran up to Murray.
“I might not see you again… Not because of something happening to you, I mean. Because I might have gotten out of the city by the time you return. I just wanted to thank you again for getting me out of the General’s control. I really do hope you stop him. I just can’t go back there.”
“I understand. Hopefully, when this is over, you’ll let Sean help you. Even if you don’t want to use your powers, it’d be better if you didn’t have to rely on the watch as much.”
Eddie shook Murray’s hand. Murray walked into the shack and closed the door.
The inside of the shack was incredibly dark. It took Murray a minute or two for his eyes to get accustomed to the lack of light. Finally, he was able to look around, but was almost disappointed when there was virtually nothing to see. The shack was completely empty save for a seat in the middle. It reminded Murray of the seats in roller coaster rides. It was molded plastic, wide enough for two, with a bar up top that Murray surmised would swing down to keep him in place. What wasn’t clear was whether the bar was there because it would be needed or because Sean had scavenged the entire setup from some closed down amusement park somewhere.
Faint lights were blinking in a line leading to the seat. Murray guessed that meant that he had to sit down. At first, this was a little tricky since he still had the pack on his back. After a few seconds, though, the seat started moving, reconfiguring itself to accommodate the backpack as well as Murray. This might have been an old amusement park relic but Sean had certainly added his own flair to it. Just as he got comfortable, the bar lowered in front of him and locked into place. Murray gripped it tightly. He had a feeling that this was going to be a wild ride. He had never liked roller coasters that much.
Slowly, the chair tipped backwards. Murray’s hands shook as he held tight to the bar. He risked looking down and was able to see that a five foot circular section of the floor around the seat was lifting up as well. Once the chair reached a forty-five degree angle, it stopped. For five seconds, it just remained still. Murray wondered whether he was just going to get shot down some tunnel at high speeds, backwards.
When the chair started slowly backing up, Murray braced himself. There was no high speed descent, though. Instead, the chair slowly slid onto a wheeled cart. A series of clicks sounded–likely locks to keep the chair in place. The floor tilted back upright and Murray was able to see what was in front of him. He seemed to be in a long, straight tunnel with a series of tracks on the ground. Lights were interspersed along the walls every few feet giving just enough illumination to show how little there was to see. Murray’s chair and cart inched forward slowly. He heard a sound behind him and turned around in time to see an empty chair/cart behind him moving into place as the floor tilted back down. He heard the sounds of the empty chair moving onto the floor. As the floor started tilting back upwards, Murray’s ride began moving forward.
