“Agreed,” Rachel said, shuddering.
Attacking a chemical disposal plant was just scary.
Clarkson Mall, Paragon City
“Mistress Lilith, we have an emergency,” Circe said, and her voice was abrupt enough that it caused Lilith to stiffen in place. “I’m contacting the Sentinels and speaking to Gina and Rachel as we speak, but you can’t assist them, nor can Spark.”
“What’s going on, Circe?” Lilith asked quietly, straightening as a chill ran down her spine.
Lilith had just purchased a couple of pairs of jeans and a few shirts, including the red blouse, but at least she was out of easy earshot of the clerk or other customers. Spark was close by still, having gotten a few pairs of socks, a pair of leather gloves, and a couple of blouses, and the heroine looked at Lilith sharply.
“The Toole Chemical Agent Disposal Facility is under attack by Acheron Dreadnaught, Vincent the Viper, and other minions most recently associated with Dreamer. There are extremely virulent chemical agents on-site, and with current prevailing winds they could spread over Orem and Provo if released,” Circe explained, her words chilling as the AI continued. “The agents mutate into a more deadly form when exposed to electricity, which is why I do not recommend you or Spark assist. Your shield is too dangerous to risk nearby.”
“Ah. That… is bad,” Lilith murmured, her eyebrows knitting. “What can be done if the agent is released?”
“It rapidly breaks down if exposed to sufficient amounts of heat. I am hopeful that Archon will be willing to act,” Circe replied promptly, a hint of relief in her voice. “However, I do suggest that you take refuge in the manor in the meantime. Gina and Rachel will be occupied, and it is possible that this is a distraction, one intended to leave you open to attacks.”
“That…” Lilith began, then paused and sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Very well.”
“Is something the matter?” Spark asked, and Lilith looked at the frowning woman. “You don’t look happy, and Circe is the name of your AI, right?”
“Not my AI, but yes. It seems there’s been an attack, and one which I can’t help with. I’d tell you, but… I don’t want to risk a panic,” Lilith said, glancing around at the people in the store. “Unfortunately, according to Circe neither of us can risk helping with this one, but since it could just be intended to draw the others away before I get attacked, I need to head home.”
“Oh, crap. If it’s that bad, what’s—” Spark started, but her phone rang in mid-sentence and she quickly answered it. “Yes, Dec? Wait, what? Those idiots are… oh, hells, I’ll be there quick.”
Hanging up, Spark looked at Lilith for a moment, seeming to debate, then finally spoke again. “Sorry, but I need to hold down the fort in case something bad happens. I’m not sure why I can’t help, but I’m sure I’ll find out. Get back to your place safely, you hear?”
“And you as well,” Lilith said, watching briefly as Spark turned to trot toward the exit. She wondered why the woman wasn’t using her enhanced speed for a moment, then realized that could have bad results in the store. Finally, Lilith reluctantly turned to head back to the parking garage. This wasn’t how she’d wanted her morning of freedom to end.
At least her car had much better defenses, now. She was even sure that they were legal, after a good deal of arguing with Circe.
Shadowmind Redoubt Invincible, Asteroid Belt, Sol
“What agents is the facility currently disposing of?” Amber asked, setting her mug aside as she tapped the keys, adjusting the orbit of one of her satellites.
“The final canisters of Laughing Hyena’s hilarity juice are scheduled to be destroyed today, and there are two-hundred-and-forty-seven canisters of Doctress Calamity’s Agent Forty-Seven,” Circe reported, then paused and continued. “I have dissuaded Mistress Lilith from attempting to assist in the incident, in part by explaining that there are poor reactions between her shield system and the nerve agents.”
“Which is true. The last thing we need is Calamity’s agent getting even worse,” Amber said, frowning unhappily. “Any sign of Dreamer?”
“Nothing on-site. None of the local workers or security have spontaneously fallen unconscious as of yet, and the security barriers are slowing down the attackers,” Circe reported, then paused and continued. “However, the attackers are acting… unusually, Mistress. Vincent is a notably cautious individual, and at the moment he is attacking with unusual ferocity and isn’t making poor jokes.”
“He isn’t cautious. He’s a coward,” Amber muttered, pausing as she considered, then ordered, “Video feed of their faces.”
“Yes, Mistress,” Circe replied, and three of her screens changed to show video footage.
The images were a bit grainy, which Amber found irritating, but they were clear enough for her to make out various details of the men and women attacking the site. It also was clear enough for Amber to instantly notice the lack of expressions on the faces of all of them, something she’d seen often enough to recognize.
“Circe, are there any known psychic villains in the region around Paragon City right now?” Amber demanded, sitting up as her thoughts skipped from one thing to another, then to a thought she did not appreciate.
“No, Mistress. You believe that the attackers have been psychically dominated as well?” Circe asked, prompting a scowl from Amber.
“You could have told me you suspected that before!” Amber snapped at the AI. “If that’s the case, have you pinned down the alien’s position?”
“No. You instructed me to leave it to the heroes if at all possible,” Circe said, her tone not even slightly regretful.
“Damn it. Set up surveillance of every facility with a spacecraft capable of launch across the western United States,” Amber instructed, scowling as she removed the video feed from her screens. “No matter what happens, the alien is not to escape the solar system, is that clear?”
“Perfectly, Mistress,” Circe agreed. “Reallocating resources now. Powering up weapon systems.”
The vibration through the deck plates was subtle, but Amber felt it despite that. It was a little irritating that there was a vibration like that from the station’s reactors, but she hadn’t been able to entirely eliminate it, no matter what she’d done.
Perhaps the alien reactor would change that, but for now she worked with what she had.
Chapter 35
Wednesday, May 14th, 2031
Guardian Compound, Paragon City
Spark flashed into the building, the doors barely getting out of her way in time, and came to a screeching halt as she spotted Archon and Shade, along with Decarin. She nearly did a double take, since it almost looked like Shade had been put into a parachute harness, which was confusing enough on its own.
“Alright, what’re you doing, and why can’t I help? I wasn’t going to argue in public, but this is really frustrating!” Spark said, crossing her arms in front of her as she tapped her foot impatiently, her bag bouncing off her leg.
“I’m not entirely confident of the details, since Circe was the one who gave us the info, but she also let us know about the attack a good ten minutes before we’d have heard otherwise,” Decarin said, glancing up at Spark, anxiety in his eyes. “The main gas on-site is really, really deadly on its own, but on exposure to much electricity it catalyzes and… never mind, let’s just say that it goes from incredibly painful, and likely lethal, to incredibly lethal in short order.”
“Which psychopath made something like that?” Spark asked, internally recoiling at the description.
“Doctress Calamity,” Shade said, and glanced up at Archon. “You’re sure you can carry me safely?”
“Of course,” Archon said, and looked at Spark as she explained. “Dreamer is also likely there, but my mind has healed enough to face her, and both Morgan and Warden are already in-flight. The agents break down under sufficient heat, which is the main reason I’m going.”
“Damn it,” Spark said, scowling a little as she
nodded unhappily. “I guess that makes sense. Plus, that is pretty far away. I’m fast, but I can’t go through the mountains safely.”
“Which means we need to go now. Hold down the fort, Spark,” Shade said, and she nodded unhappily, taking a step back.
Archon’s wings extended, and the gate opened wide enough for the heroine to take flight, Shade dangling beneath her. As she shot out of the opening, Spark thought she heard a yelp of surprise from Shade, but she wasn’t quite certain. Then the gate snapped shut, and Decarin let out a breath.
“I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all,” the inventor muttered, glancing at her anxiously. “I mean… sure, villains have attacked the disposal plant on occasion, but never this openly. It worries me.”
“You’re not the only one. At least they have a few supers on the security staff,” Spark said, glancing at her bag as she added, “Still, I’ll go get changed. You never know when some idiot is going to decide that now’s the time to rob a bank.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. I’ll be in the command center,” Decarin said, turning to leave.
Spark glanced in the direction that Archon had gone, and even through the window she couldn’t see the other heroine anymore, which was both good and bad as far as she was concerned. Thinking back on the frustrated look that’d been on Lilith’s face, Spark felt a hint of amusement well up inside her, and she murmured, “I suppose we have at least one thing in common. No, two, if she’s pretty much immune to tasing.”
That was a thought that made Spark wonder if they’d have been able to get along if Lilith wasn’t in a pair of relationships already. It didn’t matter, though, and she headed for her room to get changed.
Toole Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
The door broke under yet another of Dreadnaught’s punches, groaning loudly as it sagged out of the way, and Vincent lunged through it smoothly, only to recoil as a blast of silver energy flashed through the gap, barely missing him.
“Get out of here, you bastards! Nothin’ you want is here!” a man with silver sunglasses and in the uniform of a security officer demanded, light shimmering around his hands. Next to him was a burly man in a similar uniform, his blond hair in a buzz-cut.
Dreadnaught rushed into the gap, frustration welling up inside him as the man with silver sunglasses blasted him with energy, which sprayed off him uselessly. As much as he wanted to stop, he couldn’t, and the worst part was that the facility defenses had been doing so well at slowing them down until now. He’d seen a few ways to make things easier, but fortunately the alien’s compulsions didn’t take instructions from Dreadnaught’s thoughts and simply forced him into a headlong assault. The problem was that the next set of security doors were open behind the idiots trying to stop them, and he could see the sign pointing to the weapon storage vault.
The burly man charged forward to meet Dreadnaught, his hands covered by heavy metal gauntlets, and the man ducked Dreadnaught’s first blow, delivering his own punch into Dreadnaught’s solar plexus with immense force. The man was strong, he had to be to cause a twinge of pain, but the man’s grin froze as Dreadnaught barely rocked back on his heels, and the only real result was a dent in his armor.
“Oh, shi—” the man began, trying to retreat, but he wasn’t quite fast enough, as Dreadnaught caught his arm and swung, hard.
Metal groaned as the man slammed into the wall with bone-breaking force, and inwardly Dreadnaught was startled, as the man didn’t lose consciousness or break anything on impact. Obviously, the man was a superhuman, and a reasonably potent one at that. Unfortunately for him, that just meant that Dreadnaught would keep swinging him until he lost consciousness.
“Evan!” the other man exclaimed, blasting Dreadnaught even harder, his attention turning away from the doorway as he focused on Dreadnaught, which was an unfortunate mistake.
Vincent lunged into the room as the man was distracted, acting with far greater speed and efficiency than Dreadnaught had ever seen out of the villain before. The defender only focused on Dreadnaught for a moment before he realized his mistake, but that was a moment too long.
As Dreadnaught used his victim as a living baseball bat, Vincent laid into the other man with a furious series of punches and kicks. The man tried to defend himself, but he was too slow, and within seconds he may as well have been a punching bag, then was thrown back into the wall, his glasses bouncing off the floor, one of the lenses cracked. The man was unconscious or dead, and Dreadnaught couldn’t tell which, with how his body was focused on beating the other man into a pulp. Meanwhile, Vincent moved ahead, turning the corner to leave sight, and there was the popping of gunshots from down the hallway, along with yelling.
It took longer than he’d have preferred to deal with the security guard, but eventually the man stopped struggling, and Dreadnaught tossed him aside with barely a sideways glance. The one good thing about it was that the man had slowed them down a little more, but with the doors open, Dreadnaught was concerned the heroes wouldn’t get there in time.
The other minions were trotting up behind him, and he silently followed Vincent as the gunshots came to a halt. He turned the corner to see another security door, and Vincent limping toward it, some blood trickling from a wound in his leg. That made Dreadnaught even more frustrated, since the mental control obviously didn’t care if they were injured.
The door was sealed, and another half-dozen guards were on the ground around it, obviously the ones who’d injured Vincent. The other villain checked the door, and when it didn’t open, he stepped aside to wait. It was rather stupid since Dreadnaught could see the keys on the belt of one of the guards. He wasn’t going to argue, though. Not since it meant another delay while he beat down a door.
Hopefully this one would last a bit longer.
“Ah, crap,” Morgan muttered, paling as she saw a forklift get thrown through a cargo bay door, then the fuel tank exploded, showing that it was an older design that’d been powered by propane.
Her one complaint with the helmet that Circe had added to her armor was that the second she’d put it on, her nose had started itching, which was aggravating. It wasn’t enough for her to take it off, not with the danger of nerve gas, but it’d been bugging her for the entire flight.
“You can say that again,” Warden agreed, barely audible over the wind. “At least Lil is safe at home!”
“She’d probably argue about that,” Morgan replied, her eyes narrowing as she saw a figure appear in the distance, staggering under the weight of a long, thin canister. The figure had red armor at a guess, and that probably made it Vincent the Viper. What surprised her was that she didn’t see a vehicle to carry the weapons, which made no sense to her at all.
“Don’t care, if she’s safe, that makes it easier for me to—” Warden began.
Vincent’s actions cut off Warden’s words like an axe, and Morgan barely had a moment to feel shock and horror as the man threw the canister down onto the concrete like he was trying to break it. Sparks flew everywhere, but it didn’t breach the canister. Unfortunately, right behind him were a few minions, and they were carrying still more canisters, each pair carrying one.
“They’ve gone insane!” Morgan exclaimed, glancing over.
“Going in!” Warden exclaimed, and she flickered, streaks of azure energy running over her suit, then a crack of imploding air echoed across the landscape as she vanished. Almost instantly she reappeared right next to the building in the distance, and Morgan cursed.
The minions dropped their canisters, turning toward Warden without pause, while Vincent lunged toward her, though something about his movements seemed a tiny bit delayed to Morgan. Warden threw out her arms, and a barrier of golden light flashed into existence, knocking the villain back just as he lunged at the heroine, his punches only creating faint ripples in the barrier.
“You could’ve taken me with you!” Morgan said, frustration rushing through her as she threw almost everything she had into speeding up. She could fly
pretty fast, but covering the couple of miles between her and the building wasn’t going to be quick.
“Sorry, didn’t think about it!” Warden replied, and as she spoke, parts of her barrier were swirling and coalescing into golden spears, which would probably deal with Vincent, assuming they hit him. Still, she had the problem in hand, and—
One of the minions spun toward a fallen canister, and Morgan’s eyes went wide, pulling up short and snatching one of her wands off her belt, but she simply didn’t have time to stop him. Warden noticed a moment later, and the spears launched out of her shield like a rain of light, but it was too late as the man fired, then was hit by a spear that launched him sideways into the building. Vincent managed to dodge, but all of the minions were too slow.
The canister exploded in a pale green cloud, enveloping the nearby minions as it spread toward Vincent, and Morgan cursed, rushing forward again, aiming her wand at Vincent and murmuring the words of a spell, forcing her magic through it and into the shape she needed. It formed in the shape of a large, purple arrowhead, and Morgan launched it with a flick of her wrist, hoping it’d hit.
Warden wasn’t idle, as a second shield snapped into existence, this one over the minions and the cloud. The heroine’s voice was slightly more strained as she spoke. “Okay, this’s bad! Could use a little help here, it’s hard to keep air contained with wards!”
“On my way!” Morgan replied, then flicked the comm over to a new channel as she spoke. “We’ve got containment breach! The idiots are trying to release the weapons, and we need help, fast!”
“That’s… damn, we’re about two minutes out, so hold on,” Shade said grimly.
Queen's Move (Lilith's Shadow Book 3) Page 28
