Gustav managed the rest of the control room as they coordinated the demon hotel's first step forward. There was surprisingly little disruption in the control room as it stepped forward, no tremors or shaking, only a vague skimming motion, like being on a boat.
"I'm not sure what's going on," said Abby when Dane had drifted back over to her.
"Carmichael summoned a demon into the hotel then reshaped the building into a giant demon and he's going to use that to destroy the city," said Dane.
"That's insane! How can you even believe yourself when you say stuff like that?" said Jameson. Within the control room, they had no way to see the changes that had occurred outside.
Dane shrugged. "It's what happened. The tremors were the transformation. This was their plan all along. If you don't believe me, look out those windows. We're moving!"
Jameson stood and walked closer to the front of the room. Kripp's men did not stop him, only watched that he didn't mess with the workers. The guards either grasped that tight security didn't matter as much at this moment or were so overwhelmed that they were not being quite as proactive. Jameson looked out the window and at the street that was slowly passing by them with a vague up-down motion that came from how the demon stepped. He walked back to Dane and Abby.
"So," said Jameson reluctantly. "I do believe that we're moving, possibly even walking. I'm not sure how. But I'm still not buying that demon stuff."
Dane shrugged. "As you like. The demon part is probably not important."
"Do you have any ideas how to stop this?" said Abby.
"Not yet," said Dane. "Disrupting Carmichael might be the most likely part. But there's a lot of security here. And part of me wonders if we disrupt Carmichael then the trapped demon will take over and things will be worse."
"Worse?" said Abby. "Things can get worse?"
"They haven't actually destroyed something yet," said Dane. "That will happen soon by my predictions, but we have time. Find anything in the satchel which will help?"
"Dane, I don't know what half this stuff is and the other half is useless here," said Abby. "How much time do we have? Before things get bad? How do you even know how long we have?"
"Oh, there's just a certain megalomaniacal villain script they all go through," said Dane. "First is planning, then gloating, after that pressing the button, and then they watch things start to work. Next is a long period of time where they like to get a feel for their new toy before going into the next phase of their plan. After that is lofty and excited pronouncements followed by maniacal laughter. Then he'll start destroying stuff."
"I'm still not convinced that you're not some delusional mental patient," said Jameson.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Dane. "Your disbelief and snide comments are getting a little old. I know this is way out of your comfort zone. I get that the whole demon and megalomaniacal villain situation is not in your usual terrorist rogues gallery. So believe it or don't believe it! But there are things right in front of you that you have to work with. We've been taken prisoner. That is the main who threatened to destroy the city. We are now in a walking building. Consider this building some new WMD - figure out your own mental gymnastics so that it is plausible. The important part is we need to do something to stop them, whether this is a demon or WMD. Got it?"
"I don't appreciate your tone," said Jameson, eyes flaring, pushing himself into Dane's personal space, clearly emphasizing that the older man was both taller and bulkier. "I'm a federal agent!"
"Then get your head on and start acting like one!" said Dane, not backing down. "Do you love New Avalon?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then help me save it!" said Dane. "Whatever you believe, these people mean to destroy it! Whether you are not sure about us or not, we're the only ones trying to stop Carmichael and we're your only help here! Stop disbelieving everything and start helping us think of what we actually can do!"
There was a long moment as both men glared at each other, blood boiling, nostrils flaring. Then Jameson let out his breath and relaxed, turning away to look over the room.
"Are you two done?" said Abby. "None of this posturing is helping us. And that includes you too, Dane."
"There are six guards in this room, including Kripp," said Jameson, with his back still turned. "Five visible, but I've seen them talking to another when they opened the door. All armed. Just pistols, but his men clearly know how to use them. They've got minor training, but nothing military. I'm thinking they're bouncers, bodyguards, at best maybe an ex-cop or two. They would have a tough time holding off a raid or a SWAT team, but they could easily keep the floor from us three."
Dane smiled. "Thank you."
"Do you have any ideas?" asked Abby.
"My partner's still out there," said Jameson in a low voice, once he turned back to them.
"Do you know where he or she is?" said Abby.
"He," said Jameson. "And no. He could be lost in this place or he could be right outside the door. The problem is, without a real distraction I don't know what he could do. Just busting down the door would get him killed. Kripp's men aren't as good as they could be, but there's still too many of them. I'm sure he knows that, so he might even be right outside that door waiting."
"Or stuck twenty floors below us," said Abby gloomily.
"Now now," said Dane, "no time for doom and gloom! Let's assume for the best and improvise when it comes to the worst! Let's think of or watch for a distraction. Hopefully one that doesn't get us shot! Jameson, that was a great distraction earlier, but I don't think that'll work again."
"I'm pretty sure Kripp would shoot me rather than argue with me again," said Jameson with a small smile. "And with all this going on, I think Carmichael's people would be less concerned with Kripp's men just killing us as they were before everything went weird. I doubt Carmichael himself would even notice."
"I'm inclined to agree with that," said Abby. "The attitude around here has changed. They don't care about us now - which is good, but it also probably means if we get in their way, they don't care if we survive. In fact," Abby paused and grabbed the camera she had gotten back at Alastair's. "I might as well start filming. I just hope this doesn't end up to be Found Footage."
"So what else do we have?" said Dane. "What are our options?"
"I could overpower one of the workers easily," said Jameson. "Any of the untrained personnel would be easy. I could take of one of Kripp's men straight on, two if I had the jump on them. But things would go bad very easily after that. Even if I got one of their guns, at best I could hold out in a corner. We need more than that." He paused. "What if I shot Carmichael?"
"Not sure," said Dane. "As I said, all hell might break loose - literally. We don't know how he has the demon bound. Best case is it might stop the city's destruction, but I'm pretty sure we'd all get shot. That may be our final option. I'm willing to sacrifice myself, but I don't really want Plan A to be us getting killed for the greater good."
"Dane, there's one other thing I haven't mentioned," said Abby.
"What's that?" said Dane.
"I turned on the jammer," said Abby. "The one that allows Honnenheim to see where we are. I... I wasn't sure. We needed some sort of break in the situation. The panthers inadvertently helped us once -"
"Panthers?" said Jameson with an eye raise but Dane waved his hand dismissively at him.
"- I thought that maybe it'd be some sort of distraction or disruption for Carmichael," finished Abby.
"Maybe," said Dane. "Only time will tell."
Honnenheim walked across the metal loading catwalk, his feet making a tapping reverberation that echoed in the large chamber. The silo had to be extremely large to hold the entirety of Omega-6. The catwalk itself was hundreds of feet off the ground. But Honnenheim displayed no fear of heights as he stepped off the catwalk to climb inside the Omega. As he pulled himself inside, his mechanical henchmen continued to load more of the Omega-6's ordnance into the containers on its back.
Honnenheim climbed a metal ladder down into the control chamber. Sitting in his own throne-like chair, he slid his special key into the ignition and turned. All at once, the panels before him sprung to life. Systems initiated with the logo of Honnenheim's special operating system and began displaying startup diagnostics. He confirmed all was ready.
The professor smiled in anticipation. Then he pressed the big red button to launch.
Destruction
"And now the city will see the true power of the Terminus and the Architect of Avalon's destruction!" said Carmichael in a gleefully loud voice.
"Okay, now that sounds like the start of the next phase of villainy," said Dane. He and his allies had not come up with a more worthwhile plan. They had a better feel for the precariousness of their position, but had not decided on a course of action. Nothing so far has seemed effective without also including the possibility of getting shot in the first minute. "We're onto the main event now. He's flexed his muscles, and he's going to destroy things. I should get back over there."
"If we don't have a plan, what use is it going to be standing over near Carmichael?" said Abby. "You could stay over here and help us brainstorm."
"In case something occurs to me as I stand there," said Dane. "Or there is a moment I need to seize!" He shrugged. "I'm not sure why, but he trusts me to stand next to him. I wouldn't trust me to stand next to me in my moment of megalomaniacal triumph, but that's his problem and our benefit. Maybe I can talk him down from city-ending destruction or somehow slow him! Maybe I'll find a clever way to use the gas grenade!"
"If you can even get your supposed gas grenade," said Jameson.
Dane looked over to Carmichael's throne. On the other side of it was a small table with the snow globe. Right next to that table was Colette. Not far from her and barking orders was Gustav.
Dane smiled mirthlessly. "Maybe I'll get lucky, but I'm not counting on it. You two keep thinking up plan! The day is not yet lost!" Dane casually walked over to Carmichael's throne, where Colette eyed him uneasily but said nothing.
"Is this how he usually works?" said Jameson to Abby. "I get the impression he's done this before and that frightens me."
"Supposedly," she said. "I haven't worked with him long."
"He's brave, confident, and he's willing to act," said Jameson. "I'll give him credit for those. But he also seems stupid - the dangerous kind of stupid where the person doesn't even know they're stupid. I just hope he's got the luck to go along with that."
"Oh, he's lucky," said Abby. "Let's hope that his luck also extends to us." She frowned as she remembered Jaya's laser wound and her implication that Dane's luck seemed to only protect him.
The room seemed to shift, the whole room leaning forward at a gentle incline toward the windows. Carmichael's voice rose in volume, making his pronouncement to the room. "If we consider Avalon infected, then we need to burn out the virus at all places! We will get onto the heart and the source of the initial infection later. But this is the head, this is the mind! And so it is fitting that we start here!"
Abby turned to look out the window. The Terminus was looking downward, as she could see the ground and a particular gated building. Sitting in one corner of Old Avalon, it was one of the most significant historic buildings still in use for its original purpose. An ornate and old fashioned piece of architecture from Avalon's earlier past that had been renovated and expanded, it was arguably Avalon's most important residence. Before them was Willowsby Hall, the mayor's mansion.
"Oh no!" said Abby.
"It's been evacuated," said Jameson.
"But still, it's part of Avalon history!" said Abby.
"And so it begins!" said Carmichael. He began laughing maniacally, his chuckling becoming almost fevered as his voice's pitch increased. Dane turned and caught Abby's eye as if to say I told you so.
The Terminus began to move and Gustav began calling orders.
The Channel 5 news helicopter turned in a wide, lazy circle around the gigantic demon. Jack Steadman had asked the pilot to get only as close as they needed for the story. He had a bad feeling about the demon, story or not. He had faced danger before, but the demon made him uneasy. If not only Channel 5, but the whole city as well, weren't depending on him for this story, he would have already bowed out. But this was the news! The news waits for no man.
The chopper had followed the demon across Old Avalon to Willowsby Hall where it paused, tilting its head to stare at the mayor's mansion.
"This is not a good sign," said Jack, his words relayed to the Channel 5 studio. "The creature is taking a long look at the mayor's mansion!"
"Do you think it has nefarious intentions?" said Tug.
"It's a... I apologize to the censors and people at home, but this is true," said Jack. "It's a goddamn demon! Of course its intentions are nefarious!"
"But has it done anything yet?" said Tug. "We're on a video delay compared to you, remember."
"It's just staring so far. It's crushed a few cars and broken the streets on the way here, but nobody has gotten hurt. It's also swiped a few buildings with its wings, but those have been minor fires."
There was suddenly an ear piercing shriek. Jack looked down to see the creature roaring. It was a strange double sound, simultaneously high and low at once. It sounded like no creature Jack had ever heard. And Jack had done stories at the Houghton Zoo.
"What was that?" said Tug, having winced at the sound that came through his earpiece.
"That was the creature!" said Jack. "It's attacking Willowsby!"
The beast had sprung into motion, lashing out at the building with a claw. Its huge hand swiped through the building with ease. Masonry and wood crumpled, walls were smashed together, wires torn, plumbing smashed. The famed Willowsby Minaret was shorn in two, its pieces raining down upon the lower floors of the building. The fourth floor of the building was now open to the sky, dust and smoke pouring upward.
But the Terminus's assault had just begun. A second arm swung out at the building, its gigantic digits extending for maximum coverage. The fourth and fifth floors were smashed. Metal, stone, and wood were crushed together. The creature followed through on its swipe, the higher floors of the building being swept onto the grounds next to the building. Gas lines and sparking wires interacted to create a fire which began to burn the remaining floors of the building. The billowing cloud coming from the building increased in intensity.
"It's.. it's terrible!" said Jack Steadman. "You have no idea of how terrible the power of this thing is. I'm beginning to feel like I'm not safe in this copter!"
The final attack of the demon was to add insult to injury. Willowsby Hall had already been knocked down to its lowest floors, fires raging over what was left. Whether the building could be salvaged from here was unknown. It could burn down to the frame or it might be saved if the demon vacated the area and allowed a fire crew to reach the Hall.
But the Terminus intended to destroy the building utterly. It wanted Willowsby Hall obliterated and unsalvageable. There was a repeat of its initial roar, the screeching sound echoing in the heads of all witnesses, the fires in Willowsby Hall actually slightly affected as if the roar was its own wind. Then the creature raised one hooved foot up and then brought it down with a fearsome power. The hoof plunged down on Willowsby Hall, crushing the second floor, piercing straight through the first floor, and on down into the foundation level. At first it just crushed all the wreckage, tamping them down. But so much force was behind that hoof that it drove everything down, completely cracking the foundation. This caused an explosion. A cloud of flame erupted from the broken foundation, welling up around the hoof and then dispersing. The creature seemed unaffected by this flame.
The demon pulled its hoof back and resumed its standing position. Then it threw its head back and gave out another roar. This was different. The pitch of this sound seemed lilting, an up and down warbling compared to the previously flat sound.
"It's... it's... laughing..." said Jack. He
paused. "Tug, I don't know what else I can call it. This terrible creature destroyed the mayor's mansion. And now it's laughing about it. Tug, I'm not sure if I'm safe out here..."
"We appreciate the sacrifice you're making by staying out there to be our eyes and ears," said Tug Johnson. "To those at home, the mayor's mansion, Willowsby Hall has just been destroyed. In what we're not sure is a terrorist attack or an act of... well, not God, the mansion has been destroyed by a fifty story tall demonic creature that once was the Terminus Hotel. Earlier today, Roger Carmichael claimed the city's destruction before entering that same hotel. We have many questions and ideas, but we don't know much for sure. We're covering this story as it develops."
In her office at Avalon University, Linda Grayson was livid. It wasn't just having a creature destroy the town; any Avalon citizen would either be angry or afraid about that. This was more than that. The demon had just destroyed Willowsby Hall! That building had stood mostly intact for over a century! The paintings in the ballroom alone were a chunk of priceless Avalon history! Linda only got to tour Willowsby Hall in between mayors' terms, but there was still much there worth studying. And now the building was lost forever! This was a travesty no matter the cause. But that the cause was one of Dane's villains also had her blood boiling.
She didn't blame Dane for this one. She knew that he often caused his own destruction, but this was clearly premeditated and intended. Whether it was Carmichael or some pretender, she knew this to be the work of a villain. She didn't usually get so angry. Since parting ways with Dane's adventures, she had often been sympathetic to the cast of colorful characters that populated Dane's world. She knew it was almost never as black and white as Dane treated it. His enemies were rarely outright evil. Many were simply mentally ill or misunderstood. Of course they were dangerous, but they were rarely deserving of the fate they met in Dane's wake.
Manic Monday: (Dane Monday 1) Page 22
