Chapter TenDevil Boy sidestepped one massive garbage-coated fist only to run head long in to the other. The blow sent him sliding through even more refuse, which immediately rose up beneath him as Ooze subsumed it in to his mass. “I’m gonna crush you flat, boy!” Devil Boy flipped his body back through the air and avoided another blow. “Not just boy,” he said. “Devil Boy. With my good looks it shouldn’t be too hard to remember.” Ooze roared as he rose up even larger. His trash-filled form now stood nearly twenty feet tall. He towered nearly to the ceiling. Twenty feet of decomposing food, old newspaper, and other refuse. Just perfect. Devil Boy edged himself back against the far wall. He took a deep breath and let the oxygen hit the mutant glands in the back of his throat. He felt the embers burn to life inside. He opened his mouth wide and exhaled. A cone of super-heated flame rose up through his throat and burst out over Ooze. The massive degen’s garbage-laden form instantly caught aflame. Ooze cried out as his form started to roll and waiver. He expelled as much of the burning refuse from his body as possible, but Devil Boy could already see the discolored masses where Ooze’s naturally gelatinous form had burned solid. Ooze lumbered towards him, but with every step more of Ooze’s expanded size sloughed away. “I’m going to make you pay for that,” the now-not-so-gigantic epsilon said. Devil Boy smirked as he inhaled quickly and sent another burst of flame across Ooze’s body. Ooze’s body shuttered away from the flame but only for a moment. After just a few seconds, Ooze’s body lost all consistency. His undamaged body turned totally to liquid and splashed across the floor of the warehouse. The large, blackened masses left behind quickly crumpled to dust in the center of the pool. “I know you’re still conscious, Ooze. Tell me what happened to my friend. Where is Thief?” “I’m right behind you, bro.” Devil Boy turned at the sound of his friend’s voice. He caught only a glance of his friend before the escrima stick in Thief’s hand crashed right in to his right temple. His consciousness wavered. Devil Boy barely felt the second blow against the top of his skull. His last sight was of his closest friend looking down at him before everything faded to black. ***** “—I know it’s unexpected and couldn’t come at a worse time, but I have faith in you. Don’t sell yourself short, Flint. Take good care of the young ones while I’m gone. They are our future.” Flint thumbed the recording off and sank back down in to his specially-designed chair. I’ve been back for a matter of weeks and already every member of the team is gone. When in the hell did the guy that left become the only defender of Wave’s vision? His mind continued at a relentless pace. How could she leave me like this? No, you’re a damn fool, Flint. Athena doesn’t care for anything but this school. I was yesterday’s news years ago for her. A knock came at the door. Time to focus on the present, he thought. These students need me now more than ever. “Enter.” Psalm opened the door. She wore a freshly purchased outfit which left little to the imagination. It consisted of little more than a halter top, tight shorts, and knee-high boots with some kind of form-fitting fishnet material covering the spaces in-between. The clothes were a product of a recent shopping trip in to Seaside City with Bobbi Kwok. The two girls seemed to be becoming fast friends since their shared trip in to the mindscape. “All the students you asked for are gathered in the reconnaissance room, Flint. “Thank you, Psalm.” She turned to walk away. “Wait a minute,” Flint said. “Please stay for a moment and walk with me.” “Okay.” Psalm awkwardly moved to the normal-sized chair across from his own. “Your arrival here came at a horrible time, Psalm. I want to be honest with you about that. I also want to be completely honest and say I didn’t really trust you or your visions when your first regained consciousness. But with the fight against Beauty’s acid creature and your help with Bobbi’s psychic distress, I realize I may have misjudged you.” “Bobbi wouldn’t have ever fallen under those visions if it wasn’t for me. Don’t thank me for that.” “I suppose you’re right,” Flint said. “But your willingness to help and your arrival here in the first place speak highly of the trust you place in Epsilon. I think it’s only fair if Epsilon shows you the same trust in return.” He shook his head. “I’m too damn long winded for my own good. What I’m trying to say is will you accept a place on the team?” Flint could easily make out the startled look on her face as she sat across from him and gaped. “Psalm?” he said. “Yeah,” she said with a stammer. “Of course I will, as long as you need me.” “Good. With every other team member suddenly gone I need all the help I can get.” Flint rose from his seat. “Which brings me to the second part of today’s plans. Would you follow me?” Flint stood up and walked right past her and in to the hall. After a few seconds of staring blankly again, she ran to catch up with him. He turned the corner and threw open the door to the reconnaissance room. Six students, all in their mid- to late teens, sat in the room waiting for him. Bobbi Kwok smiled as she saw Psalm follow him in. “Thank you all for coming,” Flint said after all calmed down. “I’m guessing you are all wondering why you’re here. I think if you take a look around the school, you should be able to tell. For various reasons, every member of the Epsilon team sans myself is gone or on leave. “Without them, the school is without its needed protectors. We can’t leave the students of Eastman unprotected again. All of you are either the oldest or best-trained in the Academy. “And from now on you are all part of a little project I have dubbed Epsilon 3.0.” The students’ eyes all went wide as if on cue. His eyes surveyed the students in front of him. Bobbi Kwok, the telepath. Mitch Heisler, the naturally inflated student already nicknamed Balloon Boy. Rico Takenaga, with the ability to absorb the characteristics of any material. Sid Leiber, able to connect mentally with any computer system. “Cheetangus” Miller, speedster. And Heather Efron, whose diamond hard skin made her invulnerable, but also caught off her senses of touch and hearing completely. “I know none of you are even seventeen,” Flint said. “But you all have shown your ability to be capable defenders to me in the last several weeks, and I think you are the best choices to serve as back-up to myself and the regular team. Your training will start as soon as we leave this room.” Mitch cleared his throat and raised his hand. Flint nodded in his direction. “Sorry, sir,” Mitch said. But, well, I don’t think I’m really that impressive. My powers just aren’t that good.” Flint nodded. “You’re on this team, Mitch. Training will cover any inherent issues with your powers on a by-need basis.” Flint glanced across the room. The rest of the students wore expressions stretching from elation to worry. “I won’t have any quitters. The school needs you and I expect all of you to answer the call. Combat training begins tomorrow morning at 0600. Get some rest and I’ll see you then. Flint watched as Psalm and the others filed out of the room. He silently prayed his words were more than just bluster. If Psalm’s visions prove true, this school’s going to need every protector it can get. ***** Athena frowned as she saw the limo waiting for her. She already felt bad about her sudden departure; this kind of extravagance just made it that much worse. Nothing to do about it now. I’ve already came this far, and the school does need this money. The driver held the door for her as she slid in to the seat. She sunk in to the plush leather seat with a sigh. After over five hours in coach it felt like heaven. She jumped as she looked up to see the man sitting across from her. His suit was impeccably crafted and perfectly tailored. His hair was finely coifed and even his skin seemed radiant. He smiled at her surprise. “I’m sorry if I took you off guard, Ms. Chaykin. My name is Blaine Dresden. I am honored to have you join us in the Order of Nephthys.” “Th-thank you.” Athena didn’t quite know why, but she felt utterly star-struck next to this man. This beautiful, beautiful man. Athena shook her head, pushing her sudden lasciviousness off. “I’m very grateful you chose to meet me personally. Honestly, I’m a bit nervous. This is an honor I never quite expected.” “Quite,” Dresden said. “However we of the Order believe in only the best and brightest. We think you will do might Nephthys proud.” “It’s an honor really. I’m looking forward to it. Though I might be looking a little more towards a comfy bed after that flight.” Dresden scowled. “I apologize that you weren’t informed by my subordinates. The initiation must begin immediately. We have not a moment to waste.” “Immediately?” “It is as Nephthys herself commands. But do not worry. The ceremony is quite short. We can finish it in just a few minutes once we reach the mansion.” Athena mutely nodded. She didn’t know what else to say to this man. Dresden grinned again. Athena felt her heard, and certain lower extremities, melt. “Quite fine,” Dresden said. “I know you will enjoy the experience.” ***** “What do you mean there’s nobody here by that name? I just visited her yesterday!” The receptionist, a heavy-set man in his mid-thirties, shook his head at Air Raid. “I am quite sorry, sir. The Metagene Active Research Center has not held a patient by that name ever, let alone in the last two days. Now I have tolerated your filthy presence for quite some time. I will have to ask you to leave as not to scare away our human clientele.” “I’m not leaving until you take me to see Nessa!” Two men, both dressed in all-black riot gear, emerged from the shadows of the lobby. They moved to flank Air Raid. Air Raid held up his hands. The one thing the team and the academy drilled in to him again and again was that fighting civilians solved nothing and created more problems. “I’m leaving,” Air Raid said. “But I’ll find her and let’s just say you had better be telling the truth.” The receptionist gave him a smug grin as the security guards escorted Air Raid to the door. Air Raid stood outside the massive twenty-four story, block-long complex. One of the most secure facilities in the world, designed to protect and care for metahuman and metahuman-related injuries. Promises are great and all, but there’s no way in hell I’ll ever be able to get in there, let alone find Beauty. And that’s if she’s still there. God, Nessa, I should have never let you come here. Flint warned us about this place. Why didn’t we listen? “Kid, you worry anymore and you’re gonna end up looking as old as me.” Air Raid jumped away from the voice in the shadows. His wings carried him up in to the air and back several feet. An energy bomb coalesced in his right palm. Bagheera emerged from the shadows. “You look like you want in to MARC ‘bout as bad as I do.” “Bagheera?” “Good to know you still remember me.” “They—Beauty came here and—” “I already know, kid. Something bad’s going on in this town, and you and me are going to start fighting it by saving your girl. Or die trying.
“Either way, they won’t know what hit ‘em.”
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