Chapter TwelveBagheera knew something was unsavory with Beauty’s disappearance, but he didn’t know how wrong until he was well inside the MARC. The building was empty, devoid entirely of life. He could smell the signs of people all around him, but nothing recent, only lingering scents from days before. Someone emptied the building out: all the staff, patients, everyone. No one had walked these halls for at least twenty-four hours. Which meant they were walking in to a trap. He didn’t bother to share that information with Air Raid. It wouldn’t have stopped the kid anyway. He was dead-set on finding his girl, and Bagheera couldn’t really blame him. If it had been Katie trapped, he would have done the same. Instead he found himself constantly on guard as they descended down each subsequent level, made their way across the floor, and traveled down the adjacent staircase on the other end of the building. They made their way down seventeen levels this way before Air Raid spoke up. “What the hell is going on, Bagheera? Where is everyone?” “Gone. Now close your mouth. I smell something.” Bagheera sniffed again. The scent was familiar, but not quite right. He rushed down the stairs to the next level. Air Raid took flight to keep up. Bagheera threw the doors open. A woman stood alone in the hallway, but he could smell the kid’s girl somewhere nearby. But the woman— She looked human enough. Hispanic, tall, long red-dyed hair No one he had ever seen before. But her scent, something about her scent— Her hands morphed in to two granite-like hammers. A moment later, her skin rose up in to chitonous plates. “Hello, Bagheera.” Her voice was soft almost sweet, but the words carried her true malicious nature. Manslayer. “Kid, find your girl,” Bagheera said. “I’ll handle this bitch.” Air Raid looked confused for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. He took to the air and flew down the hall. Bagheera pounced on his foe. He didn’t quite know how she had regained her powers, and he didn’t much care. This time he planned to make sure she was dead. Bagheera swiped a claw at Manslayer’s midsection. Her body went fluid and shifted back and away from the blow. Her own hammer-shaped hand struck Bagheera in the side. He felt his ribs break, and the breath pushed out of him. Bagheera winced but kept his repose. His hand snapped downwards and caught Manslayer’s attacking appendage. He yanked her forward and tore a gash from the woman’s chest with his free hand. Manslayer cried out from the pain. Her free hammer-hand swung around only a second later. It slammed in to Bagheera’s free arm. The bone splintered and his arm fell limply to his side. Bagheera growled as he fought back the rising rage. It’s time to end this and find out what’s really going on. Bagheera braced himself against Manslayer’s captured fist. He used his good arm to push himself up in to the air. As his legs arched up he released the retractable claws in his feet. The claws swiped across Manslayer’s face and chest. Manslayer cried out in pain. Bagheera landed and twisted Manslayer’s arm back behind her. He twined it together with his broken arm. His free hand came up against her throat. “No games, Manslayer. I don’t know how you got your powers back, but I will kill you before I let you play mind games with me and Epsilon again.” “You’re a fool, kitty-cat. I’m just the distraction. Your little meta-babe down the hall’s the main course. She’s going to be quite the sweet sacrifice.” Bagheera yanked his hand down from around Manslayer’s throat. He brought it back, then forward again. His fist struck her temple full force. Her scaled flesh ripped open his skin, but Manslayer crumpled to the floor at the impact. Bagheera rushed down the hall to find Air Raid before whatever Manslayer hoped was going on could occur. ***** A blow like a sledgehammer struck Devil Boy’s cheek. The pain forced his eyes open and his brain back to consciousness. Ooze stood before him, a massive grin formed in his liquid face. He held a fully solid fist at the ready. “Good,” the humanoid blob said. “This will be so much more fun with you awake.” Ooze struck another solid blow, this time to the other side of Devil Boy’s face. “You hurt me, boy. Now I’m gonna hurt you.” Devil Boy struggled against his bonds. They offered no give whatsoever. Without proper leverage he doubted his greater than normal strength could even break them. Ooze delivered a shot to Devil Boy’s gut. Super heated air shot from Devil Boy’s throat as the wind was forced from his lungs. I deserve this, he thought. I deserve this for kissing Thief. I deserve this for scaring Thief away. I deserve this for following behind him like a blind fool. I deserve this for not stopping to think for one second, “Why would he leave?” No, I’m just a damn fool in love with his best friend who manages to walk in to his own death trap. Ooze next blow struck him in the left side. He felt at least a couple of ribs give way. Hot tears smoldered down his cheeks. I deserve this. Devil Boy never saw his invisible friend in the corner. Thief winced at every blow delivered by Ooze. He silently cursed fate and swore that the Brethren would soon pay for their actions. ***** Air Raid swooped down towards the hospital room. He saw movement inside, but he refused to slow down. He slammed through the doors and in to a nightmare. Nessa lay naked and unconscious. They had her strapped to some kind of lab table which rested at a forty-five degree angle in the center of the room. A pair of doctors in sterile suits poked and prodded at a mass of green liquid oozing from the pores of her right arm. Four cyber-soldiers, their gear identical to those who attacked the Academy, flanked the room. Air Raid knew most of his teammates looked at him as the weak link of Epsilon, the guy ruled by his emotions. The guy more interested in a good time than combat training. None of them could even begin to grasp the anger coursing through his very soul right now. Air Raid’s hands dropped to his sides as an energy bomb coalesced in each. He hurled them out; each struck a cyber-soldier dead in the chest. The explosions took chunks out of the soldier’s mid-sections even as two more explosives formed in his hands. The remaining two soldiers raised their weapons just as the energy bombs truck them. One lost his weapon and the arm holding it; the other found himself missing a large chunk of his abdomen. Air Raid floated across the room as the doctors looked on him in fear. One broke in to a run for the door—the door directly behind Air Raid. Air Raid dropped to the floor in front of him. Another energy bomb coalesced in his left pal as he grabbed the doctor with his right. “I don’t care what the hell you think you’re doing. Wake Nessa up, get her some clothes, and tell me what you did to her, or I will blow your fucking head off!” The doctor slammed as he looked at the ball of glowing energy next to his head. “I-I-I-Nephthys. They said— they will kill—” “Get her up or the only thing you will be worrying about which wall your brain matter exploded on to!” “I—” The acrid smell of urine emanated from the man as his bowels loosened. “For Nephthys!” The second doctor, still standing next to Nessa lowered a needle towards Nessa’s heart. Air Raid reacted instantly. He turned and flung the energy bomb toward the doctor. It caught the doctor in the right shoulder and exploded. Most of the man’s chest and his entire upper arm exploded. The rest of the arm, including the needle still gripped in its palm, flew up and in to the air before clattering to the floor. Air Raid turned his eyes back to the surviving doctor. “Wake him up now or end up like your friend.” The doctor nodded furiously. He rushed over to the table and lowered it back to its flat position. He began working to pull the IV in Nessa’s arm free. Air Raid floated in closer to watch him and make sure he wouldn’t harm Nessa anymore. He stayed there until Bagheera entered the room a few minutes later. “Everything all right, kid?” Beauty’s eyes fluttered and opened. She looked up at Air Raid and smiled. “Yeah,” Air Raid said. “Everything’s looking up.” ***** Athena woke in darkness. She could feel the cold of the stone surface on which she lay. She heard the sound of a throat being cleared as she opened her eyes. She turned to see Blaine Dresden. “Welcome bank to consciousness, Ms. Chaykin. I regret the need to incapacitate you as such. Unfortunately, it is as both our great master and your friend Rubicon would have it. Alas, I also fear you will not see many more days on this earth. Just take pride that your death will serve the greater good.” “Now, Blaine, there’s no need to frighten the young woman with your cryptic phrases.” Rubicon emerged from the shadows of the room. His robes were now opened in to a cape which revealed the fine black bodysuit beneath. The suit clearly molded to both his body and the armor over his mid-section. “Athena, I will mince no words with you. Tonight are the preparations; tomorrow will be the sacrifice. By your choice of names, the order believes you to be what they call an avatar.” He looked down at her with a humorless grin. “What’s an avatar you might ask? They quite simply believe you to be an ancient deity reborn for the twenty-first century. Athena, obviously, in your case. “Now, I do not know if such a thing is true, but I do feel the death of the Eastman Academy’s new headmaster so close to Wave’s own will be the final blow to my rival’s belief system.” “You’re a fool, Rubicon. Epsilon will come after me soon enough.” “Really?” Rubicon chuckled. “From how I understand it, your entire team has vanished. Only your former love mans the fires at your precious academy.” “How-how do you know that?” “Perhaps it is time I introduce you to my newest Brethren.” Rubicon turned with a flourish. “Boy, show yourself.” Athena held back tears as Thief appeared out of nowhere. No, it couldn’t be. “I’m sorry, Athena,” Thief said. “No need for sorries, boy. Be proud of your heritage and embrace the way of the Brethren.” Rubicon turned back to Athena. “And you will be happy to know he’s already brought his old friend Devil Boy to us. Manslayer has your dear Beauty secured at the MARC as well. Already, half your team is in my grasp.” No, I will not cry. She closed her eyes and focused on her powers. Pain instantly shot through her head. She writhed in pain at the sudden agony. “Phantasy has placed a psychic block on your powers. We are not fools, Athena.” Rubicon walked up to the stone altar and stroked Athena’s cheek. She struggle to pull away, but failed. “Know that I am not a cruel man. Phantasy should already be working her powers on your weakened mind. Soon you will sleep. You will rest until tomorrow and the ceremonies. Alas, Dresden insists you must be awake for the sacrifice, but know that I grant you peace until that time.” Athena struggled to get free. She had to escape now. Now or never, she thought. But her bonds were too tight and she could already feel the urge to sleep threatening to overwhelm her. “Good night,” Rubicon said as her vision blurred. “Sleep, dear woman, and dream of better times.” ***** Nessa finished donning two pairs of doctor’s scrubs and a lab coat with Air Raid’s help. She still seemed to be in a haze, but Bagheera knew the drugs would fade. She would soon escape from her stupor, but for now, they would have to help her. Bagheera grabbed the surviving scientist by the collar and pulled him face to face. A low growl rose from his throat before he spoke. “I need a phone. All I want to hear from you is where I can find one.” The man nodded and slowly reached in to his torn sterile suit. Bagheera tightened his grip. The doctor slowly removed a cellular phone. Bagheera yanked it from the doctor’s hand and promptly threw the man to the floor. He dialed in a familiar number. The phone picked up on the third ring. He spoke as soon as he heard the click. “I don’t care who the hell this is. Put Athena or Flint on the phone right now.” Bagheera heard a sudden intake of breath before the phone on the other end of the line obviously dropped down to the desk. Just under a minute later the phone was picked up. “This is Flint. Bagheera, is that you?” “Yeah, Rocky, it’s me. I’m in New York, where I found Air Raid and his girl. We’re in the middle of a smash-and-grab at the MARC.” He quickly explained the event of the last few hours. “If Manslayer’s got her powers back, then the Brethren can’t be far away and these wacko doctors keep mentioning some guy named Nephthys.” “Stop right there, Bagheera,” Flint said. “Are you sure they said Nephthys?” “Yep. You know it?” Bagheera listened intently as Flint explained Athena’s sudden departure, also to New York. “Looks like our girl walked in to a trap,” Bagheera said. “Looks like,” Flint agreed. “I’ll scramble the jump-jet. I’ve been training some of the younger students in combat and it looks like they will get a trial by fire on this one. I’ll be there in four hours and we can hit the Order as a team.” “Sounds good. We’ll meet you there.” Bagheera hung up the phone and threw it to the ground.
“We got no way of knowing if Athena’s got four hours in those psychos’ hands.” He turned to Air Raid. “Get Beauty full conscious. Looks like we’ve got us another mission, kid.”
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