Fiasco Heights

by Zack Archer

  “They were always here. They evolved from the bythos, the life force that created the universe,” Atlas said. “Their DNA seeded it.”

  “You mean—”

  “We all spring from the same twisted root,” Atlas said, reading my look, “albeit with some significant mutations depending on the planet.”

  The enlarged cone of light pulsed, creating a supernova, a morning star and then everything went white.

  My eyes burned from the flash of light and then—

  An explosion of time and space ripped everything away.

  The blast-wave, a million Hiroshimas, swept outward, birthing stars, the sun.

  I knew in my gut that I was witnessing the creation of the universe. Galaxies upon galaxies were instantly spawned, the universe bulging into a multiverse without beginning or end.The afterglow of that initial explosion stretched across a horizonless expanse, then receded to reveal slivers of hot gas, stars, and protogalaxies expanding and contracting.

  Like an orchestra conductor, Atlas raised his hand and was able to sift through the map, brushing aside spheres and various astronomical bodies until he stopped on a planet at the outer edge of the map.

  He tapped on the planet and was able to fly down through its upper atmosphere. Like a movie on fast-forward, Atlas whipped through the images allowing me to see the passage of time.

  Countless years passed in the blink of an eye and then there was a gathering of hundreds of people. They were large-boned and tall, well over seven feet, and were busy spinning webs of energy, and shooting blasts of plasma in all directions.

  Atlas gestured at the holographic images. “The Elementals colonized this world and later found that it was unique, situated in such a position as to be bathed in a kind of celestial radiation that enhanced their natural abilities.”

  My eyes expanded as the images changed. I saw scenes of the Elementals, who were growing physically larger and more powerful, constructing enormous structures, conjuring up buildings and a habitable landscape out of the nothingness.

  The very beginnings of what I surmised was the city called Fiasco Heights.

  And then a man with a shock of black hair and eyes like pearls, unleashed bolts of lightning and began carving the hole in the ground, the space that we were currently standing in.

  “That’s the Polymath,” Atlas said. “He was the Elemental’s primary builder. Much of what exists came from him.”

  “He helped design and construct this world,” Aurora said.

  Atlas nodded. “And when they had done all they could do here, they grew bored, and turned their attention to other planets.”

  I watched gas and dust merge into protostars surrounded by a protoplanetary disk, a newly-birthed planet taking shape before my eyes. I saw an atmosphere forming, solar winds capturing matter until a fully developed planet was visible.

  Earth.

  In all its primeval glory, splotches of greens, browns, and blacks bisected by watery blues. The Elementals were visible, mixing with what looked like early humanoids.

  “Some of our ancestors visited your world. They were originally sent only to observe, but some lost their way. They mingled with mortal women, had children by them, and engaged in other activities. To men, they taught the fabrication of the instruments of war. To women, they taught the observation of the stars and signs. If you’ve ever heard the expression ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely,’ you know what came next. They grew haughty, proud of their powers, and corrupted in their wisdom. They began to believe that they alone should rule the universe.”

  The images changed again, flickering back to frenetic scenes of combat. The Elementals were fighting each other on the land and in the air, using what looked like swords of light, and shaped charges formed from multi-colored plasma.

  The ground was soon covered in swatches of red and golden blood as the Elementals slaughtered each other in bloody blurs of bestial rage.

  “At a time when the cosmos was still young, a rebellion over the issue of free will occurred between the two opposing groups of Elementals: the children of light, and the children of darkness. One side wanted to harness the power of the celestial radiation to further their agenda, to grow more powerful and subdue the rest of the universe, while the others realized that if that occurred, it would be the end of everything.”

  The images disappeared, and I was left trading looks with Atlas and the others.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “The rebellion lasted for centuries, cost innumerable lives, and resulted in the destruction of much of this planet, but eventually it was put down by Greylock and some of the others,” Atlas answered. “As part of the Reconciliation, the cessation of hostilities, the warring sides agreed on two things that have kept the peace ever since: a king and a shield. Unlike Earth, we don’t have an ozone layer to shield the Upperworld and flatlands from radiation, so one was created. A kind of shield, an atmospheric membrane built to block the celestial radiation, to prevent any further mutations amongst the Elementals that might lead to more violence. Once that was accomplished, Greylock was chosen to become the ruler.”

  “And he’s the guy who was killed, right?” I said.

  “Murdered,” Aurora said, correcting me.

  “The fucking Morningstars did it on the orders of Big Dread,” Splinter growled. “And now they’re after the Light Breaker.”

  I held up my hands, utterly confused. “Okay, whoa, whoa. Hold up right there.”

  “What’s the matter?” Liberty asked.

  “Look, I appreciate everything you showed me, and I really enjoyed the tour of your world and city, especially the golden showers thing I saw earlier...”

  Lyric winked at me.

  “But I don’t belong here,” I continued.

  “How do you know?” Kaptain Khaos asked.

  “Because I’m not like you. I’m just an ordinary, average guy—”

  “Who’s been blessed with abilities beyond his comprehension,” Aurora said.

  “She’s right, Quincy,” Atlas added. “Haven’t you ever wondered why you’ve heard those sounds for most of your life?”

  “Yeah, because I was hit by lightning and I’m a freak,” I answered. “I’ve probably got some kind of disorder or a traumatic brain injury.”

  Aurora tilted her head toward me. “Ever heard of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva?”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “Nope. Never heard of it.”

  “It’s a state where your body heals much faster than the normal person. What about mutations in the erythropoietin receptor?”

  I shook my head.

  “They allow your body to carry fifty percent more oxygen in the bloodstream,” Aurora said. “This allows you to run faster than the average person. And then there’s congenital analgesia, where a person doesn’t feel pain, and myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy.”

  “What the hell is that?” I asked.

  “A condition that causes one to have upwards of forty percent more muscle mass than an average person.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because each of those things is classified as a genetic disorder on your planet…and each of them is a gift, what we call a ‘feat.’ A reminder of the days when the blood of our people mixed with the blood of yours.”

  “Okay, so maybe some people are special, but that doesn’t mean I am.”

  I said that even though I was beginning to suspect that maybe, just possibly, I did harbor some unusual powers which I didn’t know what to do with.

  Atlas pointed at me. “You are, and you don’t even know it. In truth, you’ve been blessed with a feat, the power of magnetoreception, Quincy. The ability to perceive and summon powerful forces beyond the perception of mere mortals.”

  “Face it, dude, you’re a harvester,” Splinter said, nodding.

  “A straight-up shaker and baker who can harness solar winds, electro-smog, even ambient environmental energy,” Kaptain Khaos said. “You can
use it and reuse it, baby!”

  I snorted because I couldn’t believe any of what I was hearing. Only an hour or two earlier I’d been getting ready to work the night shift at my crappy job and now there I was, surrounded by a group of alleged superheroes who were telling me I was, to a certain extent, the shit.

  Atlas approached me. “There are maybe ten people in the universe who could’ve passed that test before, and you’re one of them. That’s why we need you.”

  “To do what?”

  “To help us secure the Light Breaker before the Morningstars reach it.”

  “Why don’t you just go to the cops,” I said.

  “The what?”

  “The police. Law enforcement.”

  “We call ‘em Snouts,” Splinter said.

  “And there’s a problem with going to them, Quincy,” Atlas said. “When Greylock was murdered, the Morningstars made it look like we might have played a role.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  “But that’s not what the Snouts think,” Splinter said.

  “I thought you guys weren’t in trouble?” I said, incredulous.

  “We’ll only be in trouble if we’re caught,” Atlas replied, a gleam in his eyes. “And we won’t be caught because you’re going to help us.”

  I considered this for a moment, taking in the expectant looks from Lyric, Liberty, and the others. Overwhelmed by everything and still not believing that any of it was real, I shook my head. “Look, I appreciate everything and think your little story there would make an awesome movie, but I need to get back to my place.”

  “The cargo container?” Aurora asked.

  “Yeah,” I slowly nodded.

  “The one in the shitty part of town with the two roommates who treat you like crap?” Splinter asked.

  “Okay, so maybe they don’t treat me the best, but it’s my home.”

  “Not for long, chief,” Kaptain Khaos said.

  Atlas’s fiery gaze fixed on me. “You are free to leave, but that doesn’t change the fact that you killed a very bad man, Quincy.”

  “It was an accident.”

  Atlas waved his hand dismissively. “They won’t stop, Quincy. Damnation Man’s brothers and the rest of his gang know who you are, and now so does Big Dread.”

  “How do they know?”

  “Because all of us have kept an eye on you for a very long time. Given the attack by the Phantasm, there’s little doubt that their spies know that you’ve come here and met with us which means they’ll find you soon. Don’t be deceived, if you go back to your home you will be hunted down. You might be able to survive for a while, but eventually, they’ll ambush and kill you before killing anyone you’ve ever known. Your father is dead, but your mother still lives, does she not?”

  “How do you know that?”

  “It doesn’t matter how I know. It only matters that it’s true.”

  Atlas strode forward and stood a few inches from me. “The thing to remember is that everyone dies twice. The first time is when you stop breathing. The second time is when there’s no one around to speak your name. Just because it’s in their nature, they will cross over everyone you have ever known or who has so much as spoken your name to ensure that you die that second death, Quincy. And then, once that is done, they will probably destroy much of your world.”

  A moment passed between Atlas and me. There was absolutely no emotion in his face, and I knew he wasn’t fucking around. I also knew that I probably didn’t have a choice. I didn’t want the bad guys tracking down my mother and besides, assuming the whole thing wasn’t some mind-bending delusion, I was stranded in Fiasco Heights and would have to rely on Atlas and the rest of the Shadow Catchers if I ever wanted to get back home.

  “If what you’re saying is true, if the cops think you helped take Greylock out, then I guess you need me as much as I need you,” I replied.

  Atlas nodded, brooding on this for a few seconds. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

  “Assuming I stay and help, what do I get out it?”

  “Typical human,” Atlas replied with a smirk. “Always thinking of yourself first. What would you like?”

  “I’d like to experience things no other person has ever experienced.”

  Atlas grinned. “I think we can accommodate you.”

  “Okay,” I said. “I guess I don’t have a choice. I’m in. Let’s do this.”

  13

  We exited the airlock room and moved down a tight corridor.

  “We don’t have much time,” Atlas said. “A day, maybe two is all that we’ve got to prepare and make ready.”

  “For what?”

  “The mission to get the Light Breaker,” Aurora said.

  “I keep wondering why you guys just can’t use your superpowers to get it.”

  Atlas stopped. “Feats, Quincy. We call our powers feats, and you’re right of course. We have been endowed with certain abilities, but they’re limited,” he said.

  I locked eyes with Aurora. “That whole ‘wings clipped’ thing?”

  She nodded and said: “When the Caul blocked the vast majority of the radiation, our inherent abilities were never…enhanced, at least not like they were for the Elect. The Elect are the first generation after the Elementals. Many of them died during the rebellion. All that’s left is a council of twelve elders, men and women of high station, led by a figure named the Harbinger.”

  “They’re long in the tooth, Quincy,” Splinter said, adjusting his hat.

  “Geezers,” Kaptain Khaos added.

  Atlas held up a hand to silence Kaptain Khaos and Splinter as we moved down a spiral staircase. “The Elect have always charted a middle course. Like all politicians, they care only about their survival. When confronted with controversy or the need to make hard decisions they refuse to act. Even after the murder of Greylock, they won’t get involved. They’ll sit on the sidelines and bide their time.”

  “Buncha pussies,” Lyric said, smacking her hands together.

  “The Harbinger is in on the whole thing,” Splinter said, licking his lips. “He set Greylock and us up.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” Atlas said.

  Splinter cracked the knuckles on his hand. “We know enough, don’t we? We know how he’s been consolidating power and sending his enemies to Halja.”

  “What’s Halja?” I asked.

  “A penal colony on a desolate moon—”

  “The place where all the galaxy’s bad guys and gals are sent for physical and mental reconditioning,” Kaptain Khaos continued.

  “It’s basically a planet-wide battle royale for anti-heroes and villains,” Splinter said.

  Aurora whistled, unfolding her metascreen for all to see.

  On the screen was a soundless image of a regal-looking man with a chiseled jaw, gray hair and beard, who was standing in front of an ornate throne, giving a speech. He looked to be in his sixties in human years but was still well-muscled, a vein pulsing at the side of his thick neck as he gesticulated.

  “That’s him,” Aurora said.

  “The fucking Harbinger,” Splinter sneered. “He’s probably giving some speech about how he’s taking over.”

  “What does all of that mean for us?” I asked.

  Liberty stopped and pinned me with a look. “We can’t turn to him or anyone else. We’re the only ones who can prevent the bad guys from taking over the universe.”

  “It’s all about the Light Breaker, baby,” Kaptain Khaos said.

  Atlas nodded. “The Light Breaker is the sum total of antimatter that existed at the time this world was created. During the rebellion, the children of darkness tried to collect the antimatter and use it to destroy the children of light. After the Reconciliation, Greylock gathered up the antimatter, trapping it in a location designed by the Polymath somewhere in the Empty Quarter.”

  My head spun as I fought to process the information.

  I felt like I’d been suddenly been thrust into the middle of a comic
book, that I’d become some kind of living, breathing trope. You know the ones that center around the average guy, the unlikely hero like the dudes in “PS238” or the “Wanted” comic books, who are ultimately called upon to save the day. Yeah, the guys who also sometimes get killed in the process. I swallowed hard and nodded along even though I had no fucking idea what Atlas was talking about.

  Atlas explained that after the death of Greylock, Big Dread had sent six of the worst villains out on missions to track down what would be needed to collect the antimatter, weaponize it, and use it to destroy the Caul. That way, their feats, their powers could once again be energized allowing them to take over the universe. Apparently, the last piece of the puzzle was the trap bottle.

  So…in accidentally killing Damnation Man, little old me had apparently thwarted the master plan of the universe’s worst villain.

  Lovely.

  “The Empty Quarter, by the way, is a desolate area hidden many levels below where we now stand,” Atlas continued.

  “It’s located on the other side of The Bridge of the Requiter,” Splinter said.

  I ran a hand through my hair. “Okay, no biggie. So all we have to do is cross over a bridge?”

  The others exchanged nervous looks as we walked across a landing at the bottom of the staircase. “Yeah, well, here’s the thing about that bridge, ace,” Kaptain Khaos said, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Only one or two people know exactly where it is, and from what we hear, it’s guarded by things.”

  “Things as in…what? Like security gates?”

  “I wish,” Kaptain Khaos said.

  “More like the very worst things that the Elementals could find from the far corners of the galaxy,” Splinter said.

  “You mean like…the very worst people?”

  Lyric smiled darkly. “More like the very worst monsters.”

  Fuck-a-doodle doo.

  Monsters!

  Exactly what I didn’t want to hear. My stomach knotted. “How are we gonna beat monsters?”

  “With bravery, cunning, our genetic feats, and weapons, Quincy.”

  Splinter smiled. “Lots and lots of weapons.”

  Atlas moved to a metal door and waved his hand over a scanner. A red light flashed green, and he heaved open the door to reveal a room that looked like Santa’s Workshop by way of an NRA convention or a SEAL Team Six weapons depot.