by Nolan Fury
The Savage Storm may not have been much to look at from the outside, but on the inside it was pristine and decorated in DE’s somewhat extravagant style.
In the passenger compartment, an autographed guitar hung from the wall encased in a glass box. Ultra-phonic speakers hung from each corner of the compartment. The leather passenger chairs were soft and luxurious. A small disco ball dangled from the ceiling. A black leather couch fit snug against the bulkhead.
The minibar was stocked with an assortment of liquor from Earth and the Ultraverse. A small pool table stood in the corner of the room close to a stripper pole. Lava lamps glowed as balls of wax floated to the surface and fell back down. It was the ultimate bachelor pad for a guy like Duane Earl Armstrong.
“Oh, and if you find any zorcaine in the passenger compartment, it’s not mine,” Duane said as he strolled to the cockpit.
“Zorcaine?” I muttered to Surge.
She tapped her nose and sniffed.
DE climbed to the pilot seat and powered up the craft. The gauges came alive. He went through a series of preflight checks. Surprisingly, the system came back green. He engaged the vertical thrusters, and the Warbird lifted from the tarmac. It pitched and rolled slightly, then Duane pulled on the controls and nosed the craft skyward. I slammed back against the seat when he engaged the vertical thrusters. For an older vessel, this thing had some get up and go.
Bulkheads rumbled and rattled as we raced toward the upper atmosphere. The chairs squeaked, and the pool balls rolled across the felt. Someone should have stowed those before takeoff. A pool ball to the face wouldn’t have felt pleasant. They floated into the air as we entered the weightlessness of space, then slammed back down as Duane engaged the artificial gravity. They clacked and rolled across the felt. Some dropped into pockets.
I glanced around the compartment. Ranger’s eyes were closed and his snores rattled the room.
I unbuckled my safety harness and moved into the cockpit. I took a seat next to Duane in the copilot’s chair.
“The cockpit is for flight crew only.” Duane flashed a smug smile that begged me to get out.
I ignored him. “Tell me how you threw that ball of energy. Are you an energy manipulator?”
22
DE wasn’t the kind of guy who liked to chat with his passengers. I got the impression he had a disdain for most other living creatures—except for beautiful women. I figured we had that in common.
“So, you've been around the Ultraverse a few times. You must have seen a lot of crazy things?”
“I’ve seen a few.”
I figured if I could get him talking, he might be more forthcoming. “I’ve only seen Cygnus Reticuli, Vega Station, and Earth—and not much of the latter.”
“Good for you.”
“Have you ever been to Earth?”
“Yup.”
“How did you get here, in the Ultraverse?” I asked.
“That’s a long story, kid.”
“We’ve got time.”
Duane glared at me.
“Which dimension has the hottest women?”
“Shit, that’s not even a question.”
“So which is it?”
“This one. Hands down.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Sheer variety. There is every kind of woman imaginable in this dimension. This is a place where people come to start over. I’ve seen complete losers back on Earth become total studs here.”
I glanced away, sheepishly.
“Hey, this place has its problems, just like everywhere else. But on its worst day, I’d take this over Earth.”
“It's the crystal, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Around your neck. That has something to do with your ability.”
Duane clutched the green crystal protectively. It was an unconscious move. He eyed me suspiciously for a moment, then relented. “Okay. Fine. You got me. I’m not a super. I wasn’t that lucky. But this…” he said, pulling the crystal away from his chest, “this lets me siphon powers from those around me.”
“That’s how you could throw the energy ball.”
He nodded. “I’m not near as powerful as one of you guys. But it gives me the ability to hold my own.”
“Doesn’t sound all that different from those vampires.”
Duane scowled at me. “Don’t you ever compare me to one of those bottom feeders.”
“Sorry.”
“This is nothing like what they do. Those walking vacuums will suck you down until you are a withered raisin. They feed off energy to stay alive.”
“Where did you get the crystal?”
“You ask a lot of questions.”
“I’m new here. That makes me curious.”
Duane sighed. “I’m not going to tell you all of my trade secrets.” He paused a moment. “I will tell you this, when it’s your time… go peacefully. Don’t be like those assholes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hasn’t anybody told you yet?”
“Told me what?”
Duane shook his head in disbelief. “Figures. This whole superpower thing that you’ve got rolling… it ain’t going to last.”
“You mean the power fades?”
“No. You fade. You’re burning your life-force out at 10 times the rate of normal people. Most supers live five to ten years, tops—if they’re lucky. Then you’ve got to make a choice… are you going to feed off the energy of others to survive? Or are you going to go out gracefully?”
I swallowed hard. I had no idea I was in store for such a shortened lifespan.
“Why do you think it’s so easy for supers to turn to evil? When you’re faced with your own mortality, you’ll be surprised by the things you’re capable of. It’s one of the reasons regular people hate supers.” He sighed. “Of course, you could always go back to Earth and live your life normally.”
I knew this whole thing was too good to come without a severe downside.
My face grew somber. We sat a moment in silence. It was a tough thing to hear. It made sense, though. That’s why my parents left the Ultraverse and came back to Earth to raise me. But with their powers diminished on Earth, it made them an easy target for Titus.
“There has got to be a way for supers to live longer here. I mean, without killing other people or draining their life-force.”
“You and every other super are looking for the solution.”
“But there is a solution, right?”
DE shrugged. “I hear rumors. But that’s all they are. Fantasies. Like the fountain of youth, or El Dorado’s gold.”
Ruby jumped into my lap and curled up. Her loud purrs vibrated my body. I stroked her luxurious fur.
“She likes you,” Duane said. “That’s unusual.”
“She’s got good instincts,” I said with a smile.
“You must be okay. She is a good judge of character.”
I petted Ruby until she fell asleep. The moment I stopped, she peeled open her eyes and pawed at me to continue. Apparently I was stuck massaging the cat for the rest of the journey. It looked like I had gained another member of my harem, at least temporarily. But this one was a lot higher maintenance.
We arrived at Vega Station several hours later, emerging from quantum space. The bulkheads bulged and rippled, and time stretched, then snapped back. My stomach twisted and rumbled. I was queasy for a moment afterward, but it passed quickly.
Duane flew the Warbird through the dome’s portal, then glided over the towering skyscrapers. Surge directed him to the Academy. I still didn’t know my way around well enough.
The courtyard was big enough to accommodate the ship. The vertical thrusters of the Warbird rippled the air below as the craft descended to the grass. Landing gear extended and compressed under the heavy weight of the ship as it touched down. The landing feet pushed several inches into the ground. It would leave a helluva footprint when it took off—right next to the keep off the grass sign.
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DE powered down the vessel, and the hum of the engine dissipated. “I got you to your destination, now how about you get me those 35,000 credits?”
“Sure thing,” Surge said. “Do you want to wait here, or do you want to come with me?”
“I ain’t letting you out of my sight until there’s cash in my hand. I’m sure you can understand.”
We strolled down the ramp of the Warbird. The wide eyes of students gazed at us.
DE surveyed the grounds. “What the hell is this place?”
“It’s an Academy for supers,” Surge muttered.
DE’s crystal emitted a strong glow.
We entered the main administration building and weaved our way to the professor’s office. Surge knocked on the door.
The professor’s deep voice rumbled, “Come in.”
Surge pushed through the door and we followed.
“Did you acquire the item?” the professor asked, his crystalline face full of hope.
Surge cringed. “I’ve got bad news, and I’ve got really bad news.”
The professor deflated. “Spill it.”
Surge caught him up to speed.
The professor remained calm and composed, despite the bad news. He moved to a wall safe, and the biometric security measures scanned his retinas and did a voiceprint analysis. Zyrco pulled open the safe and removed a thick wad of cash. He counted out a stack of credits, then put the rest back into the safe and closed the door. The professor handed the bills to DE. “That should cover your troubles.”
DE thumbed through the currency with a gleam in his eyes. “That’ll do it!” He shook hands with the professor. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
DE spun around and strolled to the door. He handed me his card as he passed. It was a thin piece of smart glass with an animated message on the face. It contained DE’s smiling picture and listed his service of interstellar transport, among other things. A button read push to contact. The business card was a mobile device that could call one number—DE’s. “Call me next time you need a ride.”
He marched out of the office, and I slipped this card into my pocket. I figured I’d never see him again, but his card might come in handy if I was ever stuck across the galaxy again.
DE’s exorbitant fee was the least of the professor’s concerns.
“We worried that Titus might attack while we were gone,” Surge said.
I think we must prepare for the inevitable. When Titus was a student here, he swore an oath of allegiance to the Academy. To uphold truth and justice, like the rest of you. It is clear that he doesn’t intend to honor that oath, and I wouldn’t put it past him to attack this sacred ground.”
A window in the professor’s office faced the courtyard. I watched DE march back to his ship and climb aboard. Moments later, the Warbird lifted from the grass and vanished into the sky.
It wasn’t long after that when Scar and four other supers landed in the courtyard. I recognized MegaStrike and SuperFrost. I assumed the large man in the center of the group was Titus. His broad shoulders and rippled muscles were intimidating. Carved from stone, he was like a Mack truck. Thick and bulky. His red suit hugged his chiseled frame. He had a square jaw, ice-blue eyes, and short blonde hair.
“Shit,” Surge muttered as she saw them. “We’ve got trouble.”
All eyes focused on the window as they strolled up the walkway.
The woman beside Titus was a deliciously sexy redhead. Dangerously cute. Her creamy skin and crystal green eyes, along with her incredible curves, had me mesmerized. Her sleek red and black bodysuit hugged her breasts. The exotic outfit was designed so that one of her toned legs was bare down to her knee-high boots. The styling revealed parts of her abdomen, exposing her belly button. She was definitely going to be trouble.
The professor’s office filled with tension.
“They picked the wrong place to start a fight,” Ranger said.
“I don’t think they’re here to fight,” the professor said. “Not yet, anyway.”
Titus stood in front of the main building and yelled. His booming voice rumbled through the entire structure. “Professor Zyrco! I’d like a word with you.”
The professor grimaced.
“What are you going to do?” Surge asked, her eyes filled with concern.
“I will talk to him. See what he wants.”
“You already know what he wants. What if this is some type of setup? What if he attacks you the moment you step outside?”
“He would be a fool to attack me here.”
“Don’t underestimate him,” Surge said.
“And he shouldn’t underestimate me,” the professor replied with confidence. He strolled out of his office to confront Titus. Things were about to get interesting.
We followed the professor and stood alongside the him on the steps of the Academy, ready to throw down if things got nasty. Rage boiled on my face. My fists clenched, and my whole body tensed.
“So good to see you, old friend,” Titus said to Professor Zyrco.
“As I recall, the terms of your suspension forbid you from setting foot on this campus,” the professor said. “If you’re here to apologize and make amends, I’m sure we can work something out.”
Titus chuckled. “You haven’t changed a bit, Zyrco. I think you know why I am here. I want the last remaining piece of the tri-stone. Give it to me, and there will be no further conflict between us.”
“I do not have the tri-stone. Nor would I give it to you if I did.”
Titus side. “I anticipated that you would choose to do things the hard way. Why is it you make everything so difficult?”
The professor glared at him.
A crowd of students had gathered in the courtyard.
“It’s inevitable. I will acquire the stone. There’s nothing you can do to stop me. Not even your precious new protege can stop me.” Titus’s condescending eyes blazed into mine.
“If you’re so sure of that, why did you attempt to have him killed?” the professor asked.
Titus ignored him.
I pulled up his stat screen.
[Name: Undisclosed.]
[Nickname: Titus.]
[Power: Undisclosed.]
[Level: 50.]
[Special Abilities: Undisclosed.]
Holy shit! Level 50???
“You have two hours to give me the stone,” Titus demanded. “Then I start killing civilians. The blood will be on your hands.”
Titus leapt into the air along with his companions. The redhead gave me a long disdainful look. Her green eyes filled with malice and hate. Then she sprang into the air. The villainous gang soared into the sky and disappeared in the maze of buildings.
“You’re not going to give him the stone, are you?” Surge grumbled through gritted teeth.
“As long as I’m alive, he will never acquire the last piece of the tri-stone,” Zyrco vowed.
23
“We need to take that ass-hat down,” I said.
We sat in the rec room, trying to formulate a game plan. The room was filled with games of all sorts—a pool table, a foosball table, ping-pong, arcade games, virtual reality simulators, and several large screen plasma displays. There were vending machines that dispensed soda and beer. There was even a machine that dispensed mixed drinks with hard liquor. This was exactly what they needed on campus back home.
“He’s stronger than we are,” Surge said. “He’s evenly matched with the professor now.”
“When did that happen?” Ranger asked.
“It was inevitable,” Surge said. “Zyrco is not an Omni. He’s limited to a certain range of powers. That’s why he puts so much hope in Ben.”
I checked my stats screen. I advanced to Level 4 after killing the vampire. I had added the skill of energy transference. “I’ve got a long way to go.”
“Shit,” Ranger grumbled. “Zyrco’s advantage was the only thing keeping us remotely safe here.”
“He gets his power from Cerise
,” Zepha said. “Kill her, and he’ll lose over half his strength.”
“Couldn’t I just fuck her?” I asked, my voice full of hope.
“Please,” Zepha said. “Did you see the way she looked at you? You don’t stand a chance.”
“Don’t underestimate my charm. As I recall, you were interested not too long ago.”
Zepha scoffed. “Please. Especially now that you’ve added Chrome to your harem, I have no desire to be third.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Chrome said in singsong. Her eyes sparkled, and her infectious smile displayed her pearly teeth.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Zepha said.
“Methinks thou doth protest too much,” Chrome said.
“I think we need a more legitimate plan than having Ben fuck Titus’s main squeeze, don’t you?” Zepha said in a derisive tone.
“Ah shit!” Ranger exclaimed, griping at the TV. “Look!”
All eyes focused on the screen.
A reporter stood on the sidewalk in the shadows of a skyscraper. “Moments ago, a city bus full of passengers was hijacked. It appears a super has snatched the bus from its route and taken it to the top of the Warby Tower. There it dangles precariously with 42 lives hanging in the balance. No demands have been made as of yet by the super.”
The camera panned up the tall skyscraper and zoomed into the bus. Scar stood atop the building and held the vehicle over his head. He was in full orc mode. His green muscles bulged as he strained against the bus. He could toss it to the ground below at any moment, and the passengers would turn to mush.
“Lets get moving!” Surge commanded.
We sprang into action and raced from the rec room. As soon as we hit the courtyard, I grabbed Chrome, and we flew into the air. We rocketed through the city. Shimmering skyscrapers blurred by. I followed Surge as we twisted through the steel canyons. We landed on the roof of the Connolly building, directly across from the Warby Tower.
Scar still had the bus pressed over his head. A devious grin curled on his foul lips as he saw us arrive. “Ah, my favorite people. I was expecting you.”
“Put the bus down!” Surge yelled.
“I don’t think that’s really what you want, is it?” He teased throwing the bus to the ground.
