Super Powereds: Year 4

by Hayes, Drew

  Whatever Chad was doing, Vince hoped it went well for him, so long as it wasn’t about hurting Globe. Head down, Vince began running once more, firing off a round of lightning at the nearest group of guards in his path. With Chad out of the way, crossing the rest of the battlefield didn’t seem nearly so daunting.

  308.

  In a sea of guards wearing body armor, the Hero in the black costume didn’t stand out. The trail of bodies he was leaving behind him, on the other hand, were a different matter. Every guard in his way was dropped as he raced after the fleeing form of the amplifier, quickly and without hesitation. Supers that should have been able to put up a real fight were easily knocked aside, their powers never entering the equation. Anyone with a little sense could put it together: the guy was a neutralizer. They were rare Supers, especially ones of that caliber, but rare and strong was what one expected to find among Heroes.

  The upside to knowing his power, however, was that it opened options to counterattack. While the armor he was wearing was clearly of fine quality, a high-caliber bullet from a strong enough gun could likely get through. Situations like this were exactly why the guard on his trail carried such an item. As a Super with an ability of enhanced physique and nothing more, this was a man who was used to having to outthink his enemies. That was also why he didn’t take a needless shot, instead staying on the Hero’s trail, hunting him, waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself.

  There weren’t many windows: this was a Hero who was used to dealing with countless opponents and knew to stay mobile. But sometimes when guards got in his way, the Hero slowed down. Not for long, just enough to deal with the hurdles before him. One encounter at a time, the trailing guard was gradually getting the Hero’s timing down. As the black-armored figure came upon a larger cluster of enemies, the guard knew this was his chance.

  Dropping to a knee, he lifted the scope of his gun, letting out a breath to steady his nerves. One shot. The neck would be the weakest point of the armor, and a bullet there would take down pretty much any Super out there who lacked enhanced endurance. All of the guard’s focus went into his aim, lining up what would have to be a perfect shot.

  That dedication proved to be his undoing, in the end. He never saw the bone-covered young man being hurled across the battlefield, didn’t notice his heavy landing or sudden sprint. It wasn’t until the last second that he even heard a noise: a single footstep at his side. The sound was the last he ever heard, as a blade made of bone sliced neatly through his own neck, sending his head tumbling down into his lap. Perhaps as a final action, or simply because his body tightened in surprise as the pain hit, the gun did manage to fire a single shot. It went wide, missing the Hero completely and opening a gaping wound in the chest of another guard.

  Zero whipped his head around to see the source of the attack to find Chad next to a headless guard holding a giant gun. There were few things in the world that could have pried him from Crispin’s trail, but his godson standing over a corpse turned out to be one of them. Knocking out the last guard in his path, Zero turned and sprinted back to Chad.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. But you need to do a better job of watching your rear. If I hadn’t seen him shadowing you when Vince threw me up in the air…” Chad trailed off, his eyes darting to and from the man he’d just killed. “Sorry, my emotions are a little unbound at the moment.”

  “Vince threw you?” Zero looked around once more. A timely blast of fire alerted him to Vince’s position; the boy was on a direct path for Globe, clobbering anything that got in his way. Just like that, it all made sense. Most of the kids probably came for Crispin, but Chad would have turned up the minute he heard Globe’s name. If he and Vince crossed paths, they would likely have a firm disagreement on how to handle Globe, one that could easily lead them to blows. “I think I see now. You two had a fight, he got you into the air for an attack, and you noticed this guard sneaking up on me. I’m impressed, Chad. I thought you would have kept going after Globe and assumed I could handle this.”

  A sniff. That was the sole giveaway of how hard the day was hitting Chad: a single sniff as he tried to wipe the blood from his arm-blade onto his uniform. He only succeeded in staining his sleeve. “I have spent my life wishing I could get revenge for my father’s murder, and trying to live up to his image. Truthfully, I thought it was the thing I cared the most about in the world, especially once Globe reappeared. But it’s not worth obtaining if it means burying someone else I love. Someone who has always been there for me – and my mother – from the very beginning. I couldn’t do that to her. And I’m not sure I could bear it either. So please, Blaine, be more careful. Even if you’re just my godfather, you’ve been the only flesh-and-blood dad I’ve had.”

  Silently, amidst the blood and madness of the battle, Blaine pulled Chad in and hugged him, the spikey bones pressing against his armor. “I’m sorry. I let anger cloud my judgment and put myself at risk. It’s a bad habit I’ve had even since back in my Hero days. Right now, I am still the dean of Lander’s HCP, and as such it should be my main concern to see all of you, all of us, out of this safely.”

  “Emotions do not lend themselves to practical decisions,” Chad agreed. “But perhaps they do show us what we prize above all else.”

  “Then tell me, what do you want to do now? I might be able to get us to Globe, or we could keep chasing Crispin.” Dean Blaine released Chad from the embrace, taking a step back and looking him square in the eye. “Where do you think we should go?”

  “Wherever will end this fight faster, or help keep our friends safe. I’m not thinking as well as normal, so I’ll trust your judgment. You lead, I’ll follow. At least this way someone can watch your back.”

  Choosing duty to those depending on him over the desire for revenge. Dean Blaine couldn’t have been prouder if Chad was his own; the boy was already making better decisions than he did. Good. Those were the kinds of calls a Hero was supposed to make. If this was what the next generation was like, it might not be so scary to put the future in their hands. And given the scene laid out before them, it was hard to believe any of them could fuck things up as badly as his generation had.

  “Helping the Heroes and ending the fight,” Dean Blaine said, scanning for opportunities. “Shelby is gone, Globe is under fire, and the guards show no signs of backing down no matter how much we throw at them. They are protecting the remains of the bunker, as if there’s something in there worth saving; that’s got to be why they won’t relent. Let’s find out what. If nothing else, it will be a good chance to put a dent in their numbers.”

  “Are the two of us alone enough for that?” Chad asked.

  “No. Not without undue risk. But I see some familiar faces not far off, so maybe we can get ourselves a little help along the way.” Dean Blaine pointed toward another section of the battlefield, one with a wealth of guards prone on the ground, the few still standing visibly frightened.

  Chad, now looking pointedly away from the corpse he’d created, allowed himself a grim smirk. “Yes, I suppose they might be quite useful indeed.”

  309.

  Every breath was a struggle to draw. His lungs burned for air yet the act of taking it in was hellish. His body ached, his head was swimming, and even his very bones seemed somehow exhausted. Yet Globe kept on, halting bullets and a sonic blast meant to knock him from his platform. He wasn’t fighting for his life; that was an asset he’d expected to lose in return for what he gained this day. No, Globe was still hanging on for the simple fact that every shot aimed at him was one not sent toward the Heroes or his team. They were all coming so fast there was no time to counterattack, and even if he could, Globe doubted he still had the strength. This was all he could still give them: the remains of his life spent as a giant target. Tracking his people was impossible – the chaos was thick and Globe’s attention was set on defense. All he could do was hope that they were smart enough to escape while they could. When the truth came out, when
everything was laid bare, they might still have lives. Pardons could be issued, reputations redeemed. But if they died on the battlefield, then that was as far as their stories went.

  At least Clarissa was gone. That was a comfort. Never had Globe dared imagine that she would be convinced to leave early, but Clarissa herself had continually reminded him that the mission came first. It would have been nice, in another life, to see where things between them could go without all the Hero work, betrayal, and secrecy. Globe tried to picture that world, a life he could have – maybe should have – lived. It was a lovely picture, but there was one glaring flaw. For as much as Globe loathed all the things that had happened to him, the series of events had led to one shining piece of goodness: his son. Had Charles never tricked Globe into killing Intra, the fallen Hero and starving child would never have met in that alley. Vince would likely be long dead, and Globe’s life would be poorer for the absence, even if he didn’t know it.

  That was the other place where Globe could find comfort as his stamina dwindled and the attacks grew steadily closer to connecting: Vince was safe. Safe, back at Lander, and hopefully celebrating a successful Intramurals with his friends. It pained Globe that he couldn’t be there to cheer for him, but Vince would go on to great things, even without his adopted father in the wings. He was a good boy who had grown into a good man, and if Globe had one regret in these final moments, it was that he wouldn’t be around to see the kind of Hero Vince would become.

  A nearby explosion drew Globe’s attention. He tensed, ready to knock back any debris sent his way. Instead, only dirt was tumbling through the air, the consequence of someone in the battle punching another person into the ground, hard. Globe started to turn away, but a flash of silver made his heart drop. It couldn’t be. Plenty of Supers had unusual hair or eye colors, and even more people faked it. Just because it was that particular shade didn’t mean it was Vince.

  The self-delusion lasted briefly, only until the cloud of dirt settled. There, standing amidst the fight, surrounded by guards who clearly didn’t appreciate the recent attack, stood Vince. He’d grown a little taller and broader in the shoulders, but there was no mistaking that stubborn, willful expression.

  How? How had this happened? Sean wouldn’t… no, it was silly to waste time wondering. That boy and his friends had an almost supernatural knack for getting into trouble. What mattered wasn’t how Vince arrived, only that he managed to escape safely. Even as Globe had the thought, he realized that the guards were surrounding Vince, preparing to attack with multiple methods simultaneously. Whether they knew he was an absorber or had just decided to be cautious was up for debate; the impact such a strike would have, however, wasn’t.

  At the sight of his son in danger, Globe found he didn’t care so much about the pain in his lungs or the aches in his bones. For some causes, there was always more to give.

  * * *

  “Joan, you should go now.”

  Nick was still calm as he watched the madness, still peaceful. People were dying, some of them good people, but that was inevitable. The paths of fortune were not infinite; there was no version of today’s events that ended without bloodshed. At most, Nick could nudge probability to protect the people he loved first, and the other Heroes second. It was a cold, calculated decision, but even once back in his proper mind he wouldn’t feel guilt for it. This was the burden he’d chosen to bear: watching from the shadows, doing the things Heroes never could. If the fight continued going the way it was, then Nick would have to fill that role again before the day was done, and he would do so without hesitation.

  “Go north through the woods so you don’t give away our position, then start knocking out as many of the guards firing on Globe as you can. He’ll probably need room to maneuver soon.”

  She was gone before his words died, racing through and then out of the trees, weaving between the fights as fast as she dared. Clarissa looked to Nick expectantly. “And me?”

  “You don’t need a head start. You can teleport as soon as the anchors are down, and I don’t expect them to last much longer. A pair of friends found one another, and with their mentors guiding them, they are preparing to make a true assault on the bunker. Charles must still be keeping the anchors stashed inside, otherwise at least one would have fallen by now. As soon as they’re found, you’ll be able to use your gift again. Of course, so will every other teleporter waiting to join the fray.”

  “I’ll have to move fast to get Globe out before he’s captured, that’s what you’re saying.”

  “If that’s your goal, then yes, you would indeed need to be quite fast. But the harder task might be convincing him to go. Assuming his son is any indication, I’m guessing Globe can be tiringly hard-headed, especially when it comes to self-sacrifice.”

  The sigh from Clarissa’s lips spoke volumes. “You have no idea.”

  “Oh, I think I have a pretty damn good idea. But we won’t get to talk about it. You need to move. Head to where Joan made her exit, and then wait for my signal. I’ll let you know the instant your power will work again. As soon as it does… well, we’ll see how the situation at hand looks when that moment comes. I trust you’ll know what the best move is. It’s your life, your team. Make the choices that feel right to you.”

  Clarissa crooked an eyebrow. “You said before that I didn’t need to move ahead of time.”

  “And at the time, you didn’t. But one person’s fortune took a turn earlier than expected, so I need you to not be here. Something is going to happen, and it’s not for you.” Nick finally turned to look Clarissa in the eyes, or do as good of a job as possible through his sunglasses. “I’ve got my own people to take care of, after all.”

  Although she briefly hesitated, Clarissa didn’t bother protesting. They’d already bet a tremendous amount on Nick and his amplified power; there was no point in not trusting him now. Besides, so far none of her people were dead. How much of that was due to Nick’s power was impossible to quantify, but given the degree of fighting going on it was downright miraculous. As long as his way kept resulting in their people staying alive, she’d go along with it. Once her friends started dying, on the other hand, all bets were off.

  Clarissa jogged off through the trees, following the trail Joan had left behind. She was barely gone for three minutes when a figure stumbled out of the fray, one without armor or weapons, a tired man who was clearly fleeing for his life. Nick’s vicious grin was meant for no one to see. It was an expression he’d have never shown to an audience.

  Yet he still clung to the shadows, waiting.

  Twisting the fortune of so many had led to someone taking notice of Crispin’s escape, someone with a dangerous grudge. Not far behind Crispin, another figure emerged, trailing him carefully. Even through the gray mask, Nick could easily recognize Alex, although this was his first time seeing the supposed-Jedi with murder in his eyes.

  310.

  What little remained of the bunker’s top floor became even less stable as a meaty fist burst through one of the southern walls. The impact was shocking; however, the guards had been expecting some manner of attack for a while now. They didn’t hesitate, unloading bullets, energy, one guard with enhanced strength even threw bits of rubble as hard as he could at the invader. It was an impressive assault, enough to wound almost any Super on the planet at the very least, if not kill them outright. The trouble, though, was that “almost” meant exceptions, and in this case it was one of the world’s most famous examples.

  The figure kept on coming, pausing only long enough to widen the wall’s hole. He loomed over them, huge, muscular, and utterly unbothered by their attempts to slow him down. One of the guards finally took notice of the mask, hands shaking as he realized who they were trying to stop with something as paltry as powers and bullets. “Shit, is that… Titan?”

  Behind Titan’s imposing figure, they could now see the fallen bodies of the dozen guards who had been trying to hold the perimeter. They were all in one piece, probably u
nconscious, although it was impossible to say from a glance. One thing that did become clear was that Titan wasn’t alone. Not far away was another man, shirtless and swinging a heavy bat as he dropped the last guard in his range. That done, the stranger waltzed up to Titan’s side, eyes on his newest batch of targets.

  “Well boys, Titan here’ll probably tell you to throw down your weapons and surrender. But me, I’ve got a lot of frustration built up over the course of today, and I’d welcome more outlets for it. Your call.”

  Two of the guards locked eyes, trying to think things through. The new guy was clearly a strongman as well, so while this pair would be tough as hell, they wouldn’t be able to do much against environmental abilities. If the last guard could turn the dirt into quicksand, then they might have a shot at getting away. It was, to be fair, the correct strategy to use against such a threat. Unfortunately, the guards had failed to properly assess the extent of the danger they were in.

  A swift blow to the head dropped the man nearest the exit, with a pair of strikes taking out two more guards in rapid succession. The others turned in time to see the bone-covered blond man who had somehow snuck up on them. They spun to flee and found themselves staring at a Hero in black armor with a white circle on the front.

  “See, this is why you use your bulk to make a distraction rather than go for a frontal assault with the team,” Titan explained as Dean Blaine and Chad worked their way through the surprised guards. “If we’d all come charging in, we consolidate into one threat. Going from multiple angles, especially with people as silent and well-trained as these two, gives us the advantage of surprise multiple times.”

  “I never said your way wasn’t smart, I just pointed out that mine was more fun,” Roy countered.

  With the last guard tumbling to the ground, the room was officially clear. Dean Blaine did a quick sweep of the halls to make sure no one was coming before addressing the group. “Right now, our primary goal is to find and neutralize the anchors so that the DVA can send reinforcements. This whole building is in tatters, so presumably the anchors are hiding somewhere below. Chad, we’ll be counting on you and your senses to help us find them. In the meantime, let Titan and Roy take the lead. They can withstand more punishment than us, so they’ll be the hammer we use to smash through while you and I act as daggers to strike those trying to slip past.”