by Drew Hayes
“Thank you, Ivan. It means a lot to me that you set this up. But just so we’re clear, there’s not really a meeting going on tonight, is there?”
“Of course not,” Ivan replied.
“Hot damn am I glad to hear that. I’ve got a suit to repair and a gravitational anomaly generator to install.”
Ivan shook his head, but the smile still didn’t dim. “Go get to it, then. I shouldn’t be more than half an hour dropping off my kids. I’ll knock when dinner is ready.”
“You’re the best landlord ever.” Tori turned away as she spoke, not wanting Ivan to catch sight of the slight wave of sadness she wasn’t sure she could hide. Exciting as the idea of living with Beverly was, Ivan really was a pretty awesome landlord, and she was going to miss living here. But leaving was inevitable. Even if she’d been on the fence about how long to stay before, this meeting had lit a fire under her.
Ivan had a family to protect. He’d taken a big risk by letting her live here at all. The sooner she was gone, the more removed his life would be from the guild, and the safer his kids would be.
No matter how much apartment-hunting it took, this would be the last week she spent living at Ivan’s house.
Chapter 75
The office was abuzz with activity as Tori and Ivan walked in Tuesday morning. Both registered this anomaly; them not being among the first people in was strange enough, and anything requiring energy before nine, which was typically when everyone had finally brushed the last bits of sleep from their eyes, was nigh unheard of.
They didn’t have to wonder what was going on for long, though. Barb from Human Resources, again in her plastic fireman’s hat with “Safety Officer” written across the top, soon barreled up to them.
“Ivan, glad you’re in a few minutes early.” The woman looked almost frantic, stray wisps of brown hair with gray poking up from the under the plastic red hat. “Word just got sent down from the head office: apparently the AHC is testing their defense system and corporate has decided that it makes sense to give everyone a half-day. I need you to spread the word to the whole department as quickly as possible; we’re already trying to coordinate with the people who run the car pools and make sure this doesn’t throw off anyone’s commute.”
“Wait, what are the capes doing?” Tori asked.
“A test of their defensive perimeter,” Ivan said. “It means they’ll turn on their dome to keep people out, cycle through their offensive systems to make sure everything is working, and maybe have a few of their capes try to bust in just to be certain it’s all functioning properly. They used to do them once a year, but it’s been a while since the last one.”
“Which I was thankful for,” Barb added. “All buildings within a block of them evacuate, just in case something goes wrong, and traffic becomes a total nightmare as tons of people head to the perimeter to see the show. That’s not even including those who somehow miss the message that it’s a drill and think Ridge City’s superheroes are under attack. Anyway, since the test is scheduled for three, we’re officially dismissed at noon so we have time to safely leave the area before things get crazy.”
“I will make certain all of my employees are abreast of the situation,” Ivan told her. “I daresay many will be enthused about the time off more than they’ll be bothered by the surprise.”
“Thanks, Ivan. Pass along the word to any other managers you see, please.” Barb was off before the sound of her words had even faded, scampering toward another woman in a suit who was likely about to be brought up to speed.
“Is there anything to worry about?” Tori asked once she was sure Barb was no longer within earshot.
“Doubtful.” Ivan headed toward his office, seemingly unbothered by news of the AHC’s activities. “This really did used to be standard procedure for them. In fact, I think the only reason it fell off was because so few criminals ever get around to trying something as ridiculous as assaulting the AHC base head-on.”
Though Ivan didn’t say it, they both knew exactly why that sort of thing had tapered off. With the guild watching from the shadows, any criminal who would stir things up to such a degree was usually culled long before they built up enough power or confidence to try and take on the capes directly.
“It was inevitable that they’d have to make sure everything still worked right sooner or later,” Ivan continued. “After the scuffle I saw on the news last week when several tough crooks evaded capture, putting on a show of force makes perfect sense. It’s a good way to remind people that while slip-ups happen, the AHC is still a force to be reckoned with.”
They finished the journey into Ivan’s office and he shut the door, freeing them from having to use doublespeak and subterfuge when talking about the AHC. Despite that freedom, Ivan made no attempt to recant his earlier statements. Instead, he just booted up his computer and pulled out his daily schedule, which had been printed the evening before as always.
“We’ll need to rearrange a lot of my meetings for the day; probably best to assume some people will try to press their luck and cut out by eleven.”
“Not if I pin them down as soon as they get through the door,” Tori replied, pulling out her own day-planner to keep track of whatever assignments Ivan doled out. “But… we’re really okay, right?”
“Tori, our situation means that we are never entirely okay. There is always the possibility that something we didn’t see has given way and the peace we currently know is about to come tumbling down. This particular instance gives me no suspicion or need to worry; then again, if it’s part of an attack on us, it would be designed to do exactly that. That said, if you spend your life looking for capes around every corner, it will be a very stressful one. Be prudent, be smart, and leave paranoia behind you if at all possible.”
“Got it.” Tori pulled out her pen and flipped open the day-planner. “Any ideas on what you’re going to do with your afternoon off?”
“Stay here and work, of course,” Ivan replied. “We’re more than far enough away not to be part of the mandatory evacuation, and this will be a blessed opportunity to get ahead on my reports for a change. With no one around to distract me, I may even be able to knock out a week’s worth of work in one lone afternoon.”
“Wow, you sure know how to party.”
“And I suppose you won’t flee home to lock yourself in the basement and work more on your suit?” Ivan had brought Tori’s dinner down to her lab Monday night, only to find her so engrossed in work that she didn’t even notice his arrival. A few hours later he’d found her passed out at her work bench and had carried her upstairs to the couch, hoping she might get at least a few hours of rest.
“Don’t blame me, you’re the one who gave me an awesome new addition to work in,” Tori countered. “And now that I’ve finally finished that part, all I have to do is fix my right gauntlet and I’ll be back at a hundred percent. Assuming I can get it done before I have to meet Donald for coffee.”
“You should brace for disappointment,” Ivan cautioned her. “These tests tend to be ‘all hands on deck’ situations, which means he might not be able to make your date.”
“Not a date, Ivan, just coffee and catching up. And if Donald has to flake, so be it. More time to work on the suit,” Tori said.
Ivan admired the way the idea of a broken arrangement rolled off Tori’s mind so easily. Capes were not the easiest people to care for, be it in a friendly or more advanced capacity. They lived at the beck and call of the people, always most accountable to a world that needed them. The first canceled plans were easy to bear; the thousandth, far less so. That was a lesson she would have to learn on her own, however. No combination of words would be enough to impart such wisdom. Some things, some pain, had to come firsthand before they stuck.
“The suit will have to wait until this afternoon. With the few hours we have, I plan to cram in as much productivity as possible,” Ivan said.
Tori clicked the top of her pen, dragged a test line of ink across the top of her
planner, and looked up with a hungry grin. “Give me the orders, boss. I’m ready.”
* * *
“Everyone understands their order, correct?” Four figures stood before Balaam, four carefully selected members of the guild. Out of everyone, only these four had been deemed capable enough, trustworthy enough, to participate in such a crucial step of the plan. Here, betrayal would mean utter failure, and the death of every person currently standing in the bare, heavily-warded room where Balaam had gathered them.
Their meeting place was not as grand as the executive break rooms inside the guild; in fact, it was downright squalid. An abandoned gas station, long ago given to neglect, was where Balaam chose to have this final meeting. Aside from the fact that such delicate issues couldn’t be discussed inside guild walls, Balaam rather enjoyed the squalor. It reminded him of the old days when he was on the run, taking shelter in whatever hole might conceal his presence for a few hours. Yes, he greatly preferred the luxury of his guild quarters and had no desire to actually lie down and make a home in such a place, but just for visiting, it wasn’t so bad.
“I handle the girl.” This voice was thick and heavy, not unlike the scaled head that spoke it. Rust Tooth was a wide man whose body was completely coated in dull, bronze-colored scales. A bit of misfortune in a lab that was trying to fuse organic and biological components had created more than one cape along with the savage creature standing before them.
“That’s right,” Balaam agreed. “Use the charms I provided to break the barriers around Pseudonym’s home. They will take a few moments to work, so be prepared for her to expect a fight.”
“Lucky for me, I don’t burn, and I’m a lot tougher than any tin can,” Rust Tooth replied.
“Which is why you’ve got that job, after which you need to meet up with the others,” Balaam replied. “Bombastic, what about you?”
“First the mayor’s office, then the bus stations, then the kids.” This voice came from a small wiry man who had the edges of a thick mustache sticking out from under his mask. “But for now, I just get in place. No moves until you send the signal.”
“Correct,” Balaam agreed. “Torkak and Endless Blitz, once Bombastic kicks things off, it will be on you to lead the attack. Use your forces to overwhelm as many as possible, make sure they know exactly what’s going on. Rust Tooth will join you when he’s finished tying up a loose end.”
A humanoid creature with orange skin, an oversized head, and hands that had seven fingers gave Balaam a nod. Next to it, a regular-looking woman who could have blended in at a boating convention also signaled her agreement. However, along with that signal came a comment.
“Just one thought,” said Endless Blitz. “You’ve been telling us what we’re doing, but what about the rest of the guild? Specifically the council.”
“The rest of the guild will be caught completely off guard,” Balaam assured her. “I have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that any members of the council who might actually be able to interfere are dealt with. What you see here is only one subset of the team preparing for today’s events. There are others, all working separately so that even if one of you falls, the rest may still see us win victory today.”
“I don’t even care if we win or lose anymore,” Rust Tooth growled. “I just want a fight. I’m sick of this fucking peace and the ridiculous code. We’re villains. It’s time we got to act like it.”
“And you will,” Balaam agreed. “In only a few hours we will redeem our entire guild for the past decade of subservience and inaction. By the time the sun falls this evening, that ludicrous peace will be destroyed, and we will all finally be true villains once more.”
* * *
“Now remember: when the dome goes up, getting in or out of the base will be nearly impossible,” Apollo said. He stood on a catwalk overlooking the hangar where most of the AHC’s current personnel had gathered. Next to him, silently scanning the faces of the collected superheroes for any signs of confusion, was Quorum. If he saw too many, he’d have Apollo repeat the order, but otherwise, Quorum preferred to remain quiet during such meetings. Before he’d let Lodestar and Professor Quantum take the reins, so leaving the speech to Apollo was a natural transition.
“That means I don’t want to hear anyone saying they left a tool or a piece of costume inside,” Apollo continued. “We’re going to be outside, but we are far from off-duty. All of our communication and tech people will still be in here, and if a situation arises where you’re needed, we expect you to follow orders. Now, some of you have been taken off the response call list because we’re going to need people to test the defenses, as well as perform crowd control. This is a big undertaking, and it’s easy to let things get out from under us, so I want everyone sticking to their orders. Don’t worry about what you see someone else doing: making a machine like this work takes a whole lot of different cogs.”
Of course, some of those cogs would be off keeping the peace while others would be ensuring that the unseen part of today’s activities ran smoothly. Finding others who felt the same as Apollo hadn’t been hard; the challenge came from selecting the ones he knew he could trust. Things would unfold quickly; if anyone dropped their ball or started telling tales when the dust settled, everything could come undone. That was why he’d taken his time, been careful, built up to this moment slowly. He needed his cogs to be diligent so that everything would run properly.
At least, until the machine was supposed to self-destruct.
“As a reminder, all of our new members, debuted or not, are on crowd control near the base. Those of you more experienced staff also assigned to that task, be sure to help them when they need it. We all know a few people will try to slip by the perimeter to get a better look, and while we certainly can’t let civilians endanger themselves, we also can’t be too rough when we escort them out. Those of you coordinated into teams, look out for each other. Finally, everyone on crowd control should be prepared for anything. With this many of us out there, only a suicidal idiot would try something, but we’ve seen that sort rear their heads before.”
Cyber Geek, Medley, and Cold Shoulder were staring up at him, admiration in at least two sets of eyes. It was a shame; Apollo might have liked to have used them today, but they were too green and unpredictable. His cogs had to work flawlessly. Still, if they performed well, they might make an excellent media tool for rebuilding the public’s trust: innocent babes, scrambling into action and doing their best. He needed to incorporate the final member before things kicked off. She’d nicely round out the pictures and video that would no doubt be all over the news when things were done.
“All right, we’ve only got a few hours to finish prepping, so everyone get your work done. If you have questions, come find me, and if you’ve got briefings, attend them. As long as we all work together, this day will go off without a hitch.” A small cheer met Apollo’s words, and he replied to it with an appropriately polite smile.
It was funny, in a way. That whole speech and he hadn’t told a single lie. He just hadn’t elaborated on what, exactly, they were trying to pull off without a hitch. They would thank him later, though, the ones that survived and understood. They would thank him for finally making them true heroes once again, for no longer abiding the known existence of evil, even if it hid behind secrecy, bureaucracy, and lawyers. Today, the Alliance of Heroic Champions would once again live up to their name and duty.
Today, they would purge the world of that nest of villains that called itself a guild.
Chapter 76
“A pleasure to meet you all. Please, call me Hat Trick.” The young woman in front of Donald, Irene, and Ren took a long bow, giving a bit too good of a view down the cleavage of her tight black blazer. Her hand effortlessly plucked a top hat from her head as she made her gesture, adding a level of formality that would have been out of place even if they weren’t all gathered in a small meeting room.
Aside from the blazer and hat, she wore dark pants that shimmered as
though they’d been dipped in glitter, a dark cape with red lining that fell halfway down her back, and a white shirt that poked out from the edges of the dark blazer but did nothing to obscure what was obviously an intentional view of her chest. She was quite pretty as well; red lipstick accentuated her pale skin, and an infectious smile was nicely offset by the smattering of freckles across her face. As she rose, the hat danced between her fingers before settling on her head once more, cocked slightly at a jaunty angle.
“I’m Donald, but I go by Cyber Geek,” Donald said. “This is Ren, aka Medley, and Irene, who goes by Cold Shoulder.”
“Ah, well, in my more mundane hours, I go by Lucy,” Hat Trick replied.
“Lucy Donovan is a great asset. We’ve been looking for just the right team to fit her in with,” Jessica said, jumping in for the first time since she and Barney had called everyone into the room. “During that freak storm some while back, it seems a bolt struck a beginner’s magic kit. Lucy bought it a couple of weeks later, and when she opened it up, poof!”
“The cheap garb and plastic toys were replaced by true implements of the arcane arts,” Lucy explained. “They bonded to me, making me a conjurer whether I wanted to be or not.”
“Now, Hat Trick isn’t quite as strong a combatant as you three,” Barney cautioned them. “But last week’s fight showed us how badly you need few support member to round things out. And there, Hat Trick has got you covered.”
“My hat functions as a transportable miniature dimensional pocket.” Lucy pulled the hat off again and stuck her hand in, her arm going far deeper than the fabric should have allowed. “Case in point: last night I left a soda in here. And now, TADA!” She pulled out a can and tossed it to Ren, who easily snagged it out of midair.
