Ch. 7 Grey Area
Regret
Fireballs flew from near the entrance of the 539 Club, causing the surrounding walls to burst into flame. The patrons screamed and fled for the exits. Kristin and Richard searched for the source, and eventually saw a red and black villain hurling fireballs from a side door. They looked at each other and nodded. They had left their main weapons behind, but they were not so irresponsible as to come in empty handed.
From within the confines of their clothes, Sachel pulled out two simple katars while Monokrome wielded a small dagger. Sachel also pulled out an explosive shuriken and hurled it at the villain. She chased after it, striking the villain after the shuriken had exploded in his face. Monokrome was about to follow suit when a steel cord with an electric current going through it wrapped around him. Monokrome convulsed as a thousand volt charge went through his body. He dropped to the ground and turned to see Vendettuh on the other end of the nightclub, his energy pistols blazing in his direction.
Monokrome dodged the projectiles as best he could, but three managed to hit him square in the chest. Sachel and he had been smart enough to wear their armor underneath their civilian clothes, but it still hurt. Vendettuh charged on the fallen detective, but Monokrome was quick to recover and sent a telekinetic wave slamming into the former hitman. Vendettuh was sent careening backwards, and Monokrome took the opportunity to press a button on a control in his pocket, transporting the rest of his costume to him from his fortified alcove. Thank you, STAR Labs.
Vendettuh leaped at the newly dressed hero and locked his guns with Monokrome's blade. Hashan saw the anger in the detective's and was pleased to know that he had finally remembered him.
"Pleased to see me again, Richard?" Vendettuh asked.
"Not as pleased as I would have been to see you fry," Monokrome growled. He pushed Vendettuh back and swung the flat of his blade at the villain's legs.
Meanwhile, Sachel was behind him trading blows with the demonic villain that had started the fire. The villain was fast, and focused his fire abilities into a swirling ball of energy that he used to parry Sachel's blades. He successfully landed a blow to her face, and while Sachel was careening he activated his super-speed and raced around her in a circle, striking her multiple times. The assault left Sachel dazed, and Beelzebub used the chance to skid behind her and send a hand blast at her. The blast hit her square in the back, and Sachel screamed as she dropped to the floor. She turned to look at the advancing villain and for a moment her perception reverted to the magnitude of colors and emotions, just as it did in the church. Like in the church, it only lasted a second, but it was just long enough to show her that this was the same speedster that attacked her in the church, as well as contempt for her that went beyond human vs. villain.
"Who are you?" she demanded, "And what do you want with me?"
"I am a seeker of justice," Beelzebub stated, "and justice is what I shall get."
Behind the two, Monokrome swiped at Vendettuh with his sword once more. Vendettuh quickly blocked it with the side of his pistol, but Monokrome was unfazed and just as quickly went for another blow at Vendettuh's legs. This blow was blocked as well, but Monokrome was quick and in a sudden change of tactics, hammered at Vendettuh with a flurry of multiple strikes from multiple angles. The sudden assault caught Vendettuh by surprise and ended up being struck multiple times. He quickly rolled away and opened fire on the black and white hero. Monokrome quickly rolled away, dodging most of the bullets, and with a strain a power, erected a telekinetic shield around himself and Sachel. Vendettuh's bullets bounced off of the shield, and yelled in frustration.
Monokrome smiled, "You never did care for anything that didn't come easy for you, Victor."
Monokrome lunged at the villain, spinning in midair and bringing his sword down hard on him. Vendettuh was dealt the full force of the blow, and was thrown towards the center of the dance floor. He looked up as Monokrome's shield started to fade, and with a smile, started blasting at the hero. Monokrome lifted his sword to parry the projectiles, but the bullets instead struck the multiple liquor bottles on the shelf above him. The alcohol sprayed all over Monokrome, and an ember from the ceiling, now ablaze, quickly set him on fire.
Sachel fared no better. The small drone she had summoned to aid in the battle had been destroyed almost as soon as she had summoned it, and Beelzebub was relentless in his assault. Swinging her recently obtained wings in a precise manner, she summoned a powerful whirlwind that managed to sweep the demon off of his feet.
Sachel gathered herself, "What kind of justice would one such as you seek? You're no tragic villain; you revel in the chaos you create."
Beelzebub brought himself up on one knee and let out a low chuckle, "No, Angel, you are the villain here. I merely seek justice for the lives you took so long ago."
Sachel felt herself freeze in disbelief, "What did you just say?"
"You heard me," Beelzebub sent a blast at Sachel's midsection, driving the breath from her lungs, and blasting her off of her feet. She landed hard on her back, and flames suddenly surrounded her. The smell of brimstone filled her nostrils and the wails and screams of the damned surrounded her.
"No," she whispered. The flames parted as Beelzebub walked through them.
"You ask what justice I seek," he said, "I seek justice for the thousands of people you butchered for your vengeance."
Monokrome felt the fire eating burning through his costume. His first attempts to pat it out were futile, and was more of a reflex than an actual attempt. Thinking quickly, he formed a telekinetic bubble around his body and expanded it, flinging the burning liquor off of him. He looked up only in time to see Vendettuh charging at him delivering a powerful uppercut via pistol whip. Monokrome felt his jaw crack as he crashed into the cabinet behind him.
Hashan grabbed Monokrome's collar and pulled him in close, "Was it really so easy to turn me in, Richard?"
"It became much easier the moment you betrayed us," Monokrome spat.
"I'm not the one who turned on a friend on a dime!"
Monokrome grabbed Vendettuh's wrist as the assassin went for another blow and crashed him into the shelf.
Monokrome pulled Vendettuh close and whispered into his ear, "David's widow would beg to differ."
With a final blow to Vendettuh's face, Monokrome's felt his foe slump. He dropped him to the floor, and turned to see Sachel on the ground with the demonic looking figure advancing upon her. He rushed to aid her but felt a Vendettuh's cable wrap around his ankle. He struggled for freedom, but before losing consciousness completely, Vendettuh sent the charge going through the cable. Monokrome convulsed and fell to the floor, helpless to do anything for his friend.
Sachel crawled backwards as Beelzebub advanced on her.
"You've hidden yourself on this plane for a long time, Sachel, but in the end your crimes always catch up to you. Everyone must pay for the crimes they have committed. You fashion yourself a hero? You see yourself as a seeker of justice? You are the very scum you try to eradicate. You scorn me for reveling in chaos, yet not even I have caused the death and destruction you have. You ask what justice I seek. I seek justice for the lives of the citizens of Sodom and Gomorra, and I name you as their murderer, Archangel Sachel!"
"NO!" Sachel screamed as she lashed out at the demon. Beelzebub caught her wrist and twisted it hard, causing her to drop to her knees in pain. His grip unrelenting, Beelzebub smiled underneath his helmet, "You hunt down murderers and thieves, yet you fight the retribution of the thousands of humans that you murdered in cold blood. Very unbecoming of a hero, even less so for an angel of God."
Sachel's tears flowed down her face both from the pain and as the guilt she had thought had she subdued threatened consumed her once again. Again, the faces of those she had killed surrounded her. Was this being truly the avatar of their retribution? Did she have the right to fight back?
A wave of mental energy crashed into Beelzebub, causing him to release his hold on Sachel. The Angel of Tech didn't have the time to look behind her before Monokrome's powerful hand grabbed her own as he rushed past her towards the exit. They met no opposition on the way, as all of the club's occupants had fled when the fire started and all of the resident villains had been warned of Beelzebub's and Vendettuh's plan before hand, and had fled the nightclub accordingly.
Once outside of the burning safe house, Monokrome held Sachel close and fired his grapple at the nearest building. By the time Vendettuh and Beelzebub made their way out, the two heroes were long gone.
"They got away," Vendettuh stated flatly, as if merely noting the weather conditions.
"It matters little," Beelzebub said just as plainly, "Unless you dithered, the plan was not to kill them, simply to rattle."
"Indeed."
Beelzebub turned to his partner, "Now for part two: I mentioned to you the third wheel of their wagon, did I not."
Vendettuh smiled, "Yes, I believe you did."
After several moments of travel, Monokrome and Sachel finally came to a stop on the roof of a building. Monokrome rolled upon landing on the roof and sprang to his feet facing behind them, sword in hand. After he was satisfied that they were no longer being pursued, Monokrome let loose a sigh of relief and sheathed his blade. He turned to Sachel only to find her crouched on the ground, weeping. Her sobs tore at Monokrome, for she had always had a light-hearted disposition to her.
Automatically, Monokrome's thoughts went to the things he heard Beelzebub say, the accusations he threw at the Angel of Tech. While he didn't give them much thought before, seeing Sachel like this, seeing the way the demon's words had on her, Monokrome could not help but feel worms of doubt creep into his mind. However, he knew this was not the time to discuss it.
Sachel jerked as he placed his hand on her shoulder, signifying that they needed to go. She nodded and dried her tears. Five minutes later they were parting by the nearest police station, Sachel using the teleporters to get back to Metropolis while Monokrome headed to his apartment.
Sachel arrived back at her apartment and was relieved to find Lexicon already sound asleep. She undressed and slid into her own bed, but tossed and turned for a good hour while the same terrible thoughts of fire and pain tortured her mind.
Richard quickly gave up sleep. Thoughts of Hashan and what he had done before Richard had arrested him plagued his mind. Walking over to his desk drawer, he opened it and pulled out a picture of two cops. The one on the left as himself, shaven and slouching on the desk with his arms crossed in front of him, sporting a goofy smile. The cop standing next to him was a younger gentleman with short brown hair and a gangly build. He was doing his best to look professional, with one hand resting on his hip and the other hanging to his side. He was attempting to look as stone-faced as possible, but the smile he was trying to stifle still shone through. The name plaque on the desk they were in front of read "Det. David Flowers." The picture was taken two days before Richard had arrested Victor Hashan.
After staring at the picture for a few minutes, Richard put the photo back in the drawer. He tried to sleep, but it was in vain. Along with all the other thoughts that plagued his mind, another had managed to creep in that, while not as disturbing, was still rather unpleasant.
Batman is NOT going to be happy with this.
