Author's Note: There should be two more chapters after this, but maybe three because I didn't know this part would take so long to tell.
Warning: No Hotstreak in this one; he's busy figuring some things out. He'll be back next chapter for sure.
Episode: Kidnapped, #51 (Only one more to go.)
Chapter Two: Christmas, 2003: Brainiac's Way Back
Static was soaring over Dakota alone as early, winder darkness dropped over the city. "I have to finish my Christmas cards," Richie had said through the closed door of his room, not even letting Virgil in. And then, in the older teen's mind, I love you, Virg. Please be careful.
But Ebon was still in jail. What danger could there be? True, Onyx, Puff, Carmen, Shiv and Kangor had been released, but Ebon was still confined. What was there, really, to worry about? So Static went alone.
And there wouldn't have been a problem, if not for Puff and Onyx, who, in their old role of cooks-for-hire, had kidnapped Robert Hawkins.
Static was flying along, scanning the busy highway below without much worry when he saw two vehicles, a van and a familiar red car, playing speed-chase through the traffic over the bridge. Static's mouth fell open. That's Sharon! What's she doing?
Then he saw Puff lean out one of the windows of the van and use her breath to blow out Sharon's front tire. The car went skidding towards the edge of the bridge.
No! Static used his powers to yank off one of the doors and pull his sister to safety just as the car hurled itself off the bridge and into a building. Static's heart was pounding so fast he could hardly speak. Trying to block out how close Sharon had come to dying, he muttered, "Man! That was gonna be my car next year!" Then thoughts of what could have happened to his sister, what Puff might have done to her, stole his breath.
But as he set Sharon down ion a safe walkway and landed beside her, his eyes staring at the car in horror, his sister found her voice. "Oh Static, it's terrible!"
"I'll say," he thought, wanting it to sound like a joke, as if he mourned the death of a gorgeous car instead of the near-death of his sister.
"My father's been kidnapped!" Sharon's hands shook and she stared at the car, too, not seeing it.
"What?" Static's eyes narrowed.
Sharon told him everything as quickly as she could, from leaving the community center to her father being grabbed by Onyx. She ended with, "I tried to follow, but…" The trembling had passed into her arms.
Static put his hand on her shoulder. "Ma'am, don't worry. I'll find him."
"Do you know what he looks like?"
"I saw him in the courtroom at Sean Foley's trial." He just wanted to take off as the rage threatened to drown him, but he had to make sure she would be all right. "Can you get home okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah. There's a bus stop right over there." She clenched her hands at her sides, calmed herself, and looked to him. "Please bring him home."
"I will. I promise. Tell…" He'd been about to say Richie- "your brother and Richie Foley that everything will be fine. Gear and I will find him." He flipped out his disk. "Don't worry," he said again.
"How do you Richie's with us?"
Static paused for one more moment. "Gear and I watch everything," he answered. Then he flew away. Onyx and Puff were long gone, of course, but what he'd said was true to a certain extent. He and Richie had been keeping tabs on the sprung Bang Babies. And if he couldn't find Puff and Onyx, there were those he'd be able to track down in a hurry.
As he tore through the city, searching for Kangor first, he thought of contacting Richie. But no; Richie needed to be home to calm Sharon. Static closed a shield around his mind. He wasn't sure if Richie could read him from so far away, but he wasn't going to take any chances. Let Richie be the calm one to help Sharon; he was good at that.
Feeling a little guilty, but not wanting Richie to see his rage, Static hunted Dakota's streets like the panther Richie had spoken of only a week ago.
He found Kangor, who didn't know anything, found Carmen, who said Shiv knew, found Shiv at last, and watched in frustration as Shiv fainted before his interrogator's terrible fury. At last, the sky was lit up with a combination of gas and flame. Static snarled. He'd found Puff.
She was waiting for him, of course, taunting him. Onyx tried to attack him, but Static slammed him back against a wall, never taking his eyes off Puff.
"Why did you kidnap Robert Hawkins?" Electricity ran up and down Static's arms, concentrated in his fists.
"Deliver the message, Puff!" Onyx said. "This guy means business!"
Puff pulled a piece of paper out and shoved it into Static's hands. Stepping back, she tried to get clear of him.
The paper held only a simple address, the location of a junk drop. Who do I know who knows my identity and would hide in a dump? Slipstream came to mind, and Static grimaced, thinking he wouldn't mind an excuse to get Slipstream, both for his father and for Richie. He glared at both Bang Babies. "If this is a trick, you won't be able to run far enough." He was in the air and gone a second later.
As he flew, Static thought, They were afraid of me. Kangor, Carmen, and Shiv were afraid, too. I must look really scary. Then he thought of Slipstream again and vowed that if Slipstream had hurt his pops- Wait. He doesn't know who I am. He only knows who Richie is. Did he see us together? That was how Ebon had guessed he might be Static in early spring. Well, whoever it is, whoever kidnapped him, they're going to have to answer to me.
He set down in the junk drop and shouted, "Hello? Anybody here?"
A door opened in a pile of garbage, Static considered it for a moment, then nodded. Fine. We'll play it your way. For now.
A woman waited for him in the shadows across from the opening elevator doors. Her hair was black, her face pale and slender, too pointed to be beautiful or even pretty. The red of her shirt made Static think of blood, and he couldn't understand why he was so afraid. This was just one more villain, one more person to defeat. One more battle.
She chuckled. "Hello, Static. Or, should I say, Virgil Hawkins?"
He gaped at her. Strange how he could never master his initial reaction to the declaration of his secret identity. "Lady, you have me confused with someone else."
"I know who you are," she said, and, turning, she activated a huge video screen. It showed him the flying camera that had followed him home the night before Virgil had escorted Richie, who's systems had been invaded by a computer virus, back to the gas station so he could reprogram everything from scratch. Backpack had been untouched, but only because Backpack was able to catch the virus before it spread everywhere.
Then I went home, ready to tell Pops and Sharon Richie had gone out to dinner with Bernadette and John. The house was empty, so I took off my costume in the house instead of flying somewhere else. He hated himself for what he had to admit next. I was careless, taking my mask off right in front of a window like I did. Idiot. He watched on the screen as the camera showed him taking off his mask and running a hand through his hair. Well, it was too late to deny anything. And why did he even try? Nine times out of ten, it didn't work anyway. "Where's my father?"
She punched a few keys on her console and Virgil stared at the image of his father trapped within a cage of lasers. Virgil saw at once how the lasers could be moved to shrink the cage, expand it… or kill the person trapped inside. "Who are you?"
"Call me Omnara. Edwin Alva hired me to create a vast, supercomputer network…"
Supercomputer… Brainiac… Virgil hid his fear better than his surprise. Best to let the crazy lady talk; she might provide the answers he needed. And hopefully I'm just jumping to conclusions. Hopefully her work has nothing to do with Brainiac. Because Richie's plan isn't quite ready yet, and he's not here to implement it even if it was. Virgil wondered if he should open his mind to Richie. Not yet. Just in case.
Images flashed on the screen from every corner of the globe. There was no doubt hat these were up-to-the-minute security devices. "…linking every satellite, every camera, every surveillance device in the world," Omnara continued.
"Why?"
"For one purpose only," Omnara answered, not seeming to hear how relieved her little trapped fly sounded. "To discover your secret identity."
Virgil couldn't help being relieved. Even if Alva was trying something again, at least it wasn't Brainiac. I'd take Alva any day. "Alva knows who I am?"
The look on her face was decidedly smug and she brought her hand to her heart in an immodest imitation of a half-bow. "No. I took that valuable data with me when I left."
Of course. If she was still in Alva's good graces, she wouldn't be hiding in an underground laboratory. Still, this place is so tricked out she must have had it ready before she split. One creep deceives another. Now, next question: "Why'd you kidnap my dad?"
She held her hand out to him, extolling him, almost, like a minister would speak to a congregation. "To get your help jump-starting my real project. I want you steal my equipment back from Alva Industries."
"Why don't you just use Puff or Onyx?" But he could have answered that question himself, remembering all the low-tech thieves he'd ever tangled with. Great pickpockets, many of them, but technical know-how or firepower was needed for any big break-in.
"They don't have the power or the brains or the motivation." She snapped her fingers and the screen changed to a view of his father.
Richie would really find her stuff interesting- it responds to more than keyboard or voice-commands. It's as if her very thoughts control it. His fear deepened, but still he hid it. "I want to see my father."
She nodded, guiding him through a steel door. Omnara issued a warning as the door receded into the wall. "No false moves or my lasers turn him into a jigsaw puzzle."
Virgil tried not to wince as he moved to the cage, standing just beyond the lasers, His father sat on a stone bench with his head bent, his eyes closed. He seemed almost to be praying. Maybe he was. "Mr.…. Hawkins." Yeah, real smooth, Virgil. "I'm glad to see you're okay."
"You can drop the act, Virgil." He looked up, and there was no way to read his expression.
"You know?" Okay… Now what?
"It wasn't too hard to figure out. Why else capture me to get to Static? And maybe, maybe in the back of my mind I've always known."
"Oh, Pops… I never meant to put you in danger, I swear." Even Richie, before he became a superhero, was more ready for this than you are. When Ebon grabbed Richie, back when we were fourteen, Richie was ready. Somehow, he was ready. But you weren't supposed to get involved in this.
His pops stood. "I know, Son. I don't blame you. But it's quite a shock to find out your son's a superhero."
Virgil smiled. He couldn't help it. Just sharing his secret with someone new…
"Who is this woman and what does she want?" his pops continued.
"She calls herself Omnara." Remind me to ask Richie what that means if I get a chance. "Wants me to steal something."
"What? You can't-" In the man's eyes, Virgil saw the sense of right and wrong rising like a phoenix. Absolute. Stealing was wrong.
"Please, Pops, I gotta." Virgil held up his hand, wanting to stop his father's words. "There's no other way." Didn't you hear the threat about the lasers? I know you did.
"Virgil, this is crazy!"
"I know, I know!" He forced himself calm. "But I swear, if I ever get us out of this, I'll give up this superhero stuff." Anything to keep you safe. Anything to keep everyone I love safe. A flash of something, remembered pain, flashed behind his eyes, but Virgil dismiss the thought. Later. For now… "I don't want anything like this to happen again. I mean it."
"If the family hour's through, you have a little job to do." Like her face, Omnara's voice was angular, cutting through the air like a strident birdcall. Virgil wondered if she had ever been even half-charming as a child.
oOo
Brainiac crawled forward through the link that had been made between his struggling system and the virus host. Unable to understand everything it saw (the Martian Manhunter and the others had caused too much damage which the virus only added to) Brainiac tenaciously followed the signal that promised a bigger, stronger computer where all of its need could be met. Spare parts were hard to find on a beach, hidden under the sand by day and taking too much of the night to uncover and then cover its nest again before it could scavenge for building materials.
True, the first like had been forged easily enough: the link to the lower form of robotics Richie Foley called Backpack had been easy enough to recall and reestablish. Only operating at two percent of full capacity, the link nevertheless gave Brainiac a sense of the passage of time, which it would have lacked otherwise. Since it didn't have the energy to emerge each night from the sand (again, all that burdensome concealment) it wouldn't have known how many days passed. But by following the human, Richie's, periods of sleep and wakefulness, Brainiac knew it had been linked to Richie for over a fortnight. How long had it suffered before that, struggling to gather materials each day? No way to know, except that the air temperature was sinking down to below freezing. Not much help there: it might simply be a cold snap before more of summer's heat came back. Brainiac's sight wasn't good enough to measure the stars in their places and compare it to the star charts stolen from Richie's mind.
Utterly frustrating, the freak accident that allowed Brainiac to keep many of Richie's less-helpful bits of knowledge while losing many others. The star charts, mathematical formulae and isolated memories of childhood served only to fuel Brainiac's desire to take all knowledge from Earth and destroy it as soon as possible.
And, even worse, the same accident forbade Brainiac from absorbing all of the knowledge it had stolen from Richie; tidbits came, like droplets of water leaking out of a rusty pipe in an irregular, taunting pattern. So that each time a new bit of data emerged, Brainiac had to stop and pin it down, possibly preventing something crucial from being lost. But nothing so far had helped in the slightest, and Brainiac knew that if it had been human, it would have lost interest in the snippets and ignored them. Perhaps that would have been better; it certainly would have been easier. But Brainiac couldn't ignore any possible fact, knowing it for the chance of salvation that it was.
And now, finally, Brainiac had something to help it. Not through Richie, but through the human's connection to Backpack and Brainiac's remembered connection to Backpack. Something had changed in Backpack recently, but, not knowing what that was, Brainiac wasted no energy in speculation. All that mattered was that the virus had infected Brainiac as well as the tiny robot, forcing Brainiac to retreat a little more so that its connection to Richie was only half a percent of what it had once been.
But, again, the disastrous destruction of the virus granted the discovery of advanced technology not far off. Brainiac followed the trail.
Time had no meaning for the supercomputer as the trail grew hotter; Brainiac was concealed; no need to dig out its nest. And as Brainiac's world grew, as its impressions strengthened, the machine discovered something amazing. With only this tendril of itself, a stream of data that had no true substance, a new body could be forged. First, imprint the tendril of consciousness on a weaker machine. Next, send a virus back to destroy what was left of the supercomputer's rusting shell. Last, continue its plans for Earth's destruction. And while the Justice League looked for a body they would recognize, Brainiac would slowly, in the shadows of the machine world, take over everything.
Absorption of data prior to destruction of a planet was never accomplished by such subterfuge. As such, this plan may be in error as it has never been tested before. A chance will be taken and failure could occur. But I have almost failed now; working to reconstruct this shell could take centuries. And while I have unlimited patience, worlds change. Before carrying out the destruction of my shell, survival must be assured.
A new thought occurred to Brainiac, and it spared the extra energy to throw up a shield wall. True, now it wouldn't reach the host virus's source for hours, but at least now Brainiac's thoughts were its own, hidden from all spies.
Why worry about spies when none knew it was there?
But something might know. Backpack might know. Why else had the connection between Brainiac and Backpack been affected? The damage could be on Brainiac's end- probably was on its end, judging by the amount of damage the supercomputer had suffered- but… taking unnecessary risks was a human failing. Brainiac suffered from no such impairment.
To follow the path all the way to the new, strong machines was the first step, whether Brainiac was being watched or not, whether its presence had been detected or not. Brainiac forgot its caution- except the shield; it must keep the shield- in the thirst for something better than it had.
oOo
"This is what she calls little?" Static muttered as he hovered above Alva's compound.
Howling klaxons rent the night air as motorized cannons and men with handheld missile launchers made it seem that a thousand shooting stars had gotten lost and were leaping up from earth, trying to get back into the sky. Static wove among these more or less easily, his electrical field telling him when to dodge and when to defend himself. Below him, he gazed at all the innocent guards that were just trying to do their job. Then again, it was guards like these that captured Gear. Most of his sympathy vanished.
Crouched low on his saucer, Static said, "If you guys play nice, I won't break all of your toys." He sent a stream of electricity three feet wide and impossibly long towards one of the tanks. But instead of blowing it up, he dropped it on another robot tank. Two down. But the guards didn't even flinch. Standing five in a row, they continued shooting at him as if they were invincible.
Or maybe they're banking on the notion that I won't hurt them. Static blasted the ground right in front of the guards, so that they flew backwards. Well, hopefully they don't mind a bruise or two. Now, if they'll just leave me alone…
He spoke into the headset he wore. "Now what?"
Omnara answered, "Head for Lab 14 and watch out. You've got an armed chopper approaching from the south."
Static glanced over his shoulder. "I see it." Then, because jokes were his defense in times of stress, "Hey, do you do weather forecasts, too?" Then he had to dodge as the chopper launched a missile at him. Flying up and back, Static grabbed the chopper from behind and used his powers to turn the chopper to Lab 14. He released another missile, then pushed the chopper away. It would spin, but he was fairly confident the pilot would be able to come out of the dive. Which means it's time for me to get in, grab the crates, and get out.
He did just that, glad that all the crates had been stored in one place. Huh. Apparently Alva didn't think she would come back for this stuff.
The minute he was out in the clear, Omnara spoke. "Did you get everything?"
"Everything on your wish list. Not that you've been a good girl." It was either joke with her or hate her. And Static still felt intensely relieved that he was dealing with a human being instead of Brainiac. But for some reason, the idea of Brainiac wouldn't go away. For this reason alone, he didn't call Richie through their mental link. Instincts as strong as those he'd had the night before the ambush swept through him every time he considered talking to his partner. Richie needed to stay away from this. It was just too dangerous.
Back in the hidden laboratory, Static was doubly glad he hadn't contacted Richie. The massive crates, full of computers, reminded him too strongly of what the steel mill had looked like after Brainiac had begun to build its ship.
"Project Omni?" he asked as he gazed at the label on the crate. Omni… Omnipresent means everywhere at once. Omniscient means knowing everything. Omnipotent means all-powerful. Suddenly, Virgil didn't need Richie to explain to him why the woman before him probably called her Omnara.
Omnara was working with a crowbar. "It's my life's work. Alva never saw the full potential of what could be accomplished, but I did. It started with a computer virus which I planted in every computer in the world."
"A virus?"
"Yes." Omnara's eyes narrowed as she worked at the large computer before her. "It went off yesterday."
Last night's fiasco popped into Virgil's mind; Richie unable to control his skates, Richie saying, "Backpack just ran a diagnostic on my navigation system and found a worm. Looks like he had one too, which is why it took him so long to find mine…No, this worm is a computer virus." Gear's face hardened as he studied the invader that had dared to infiltrate his inventions. "It's programmed to crawl its way into the operating code. That's why I lost control."
"So that's where the worm came from," Static whispered as he watched Omnara work. She was totally oblivious to everything around her except the stupid computer at her fingertips.
How did she get into Gear's systems and into Backpack? And how could she do all this without outside help? Of course, Omnara might just be incredibly smart. And I'd much rather take that then the help I'm afraid she got. But still… to get into every computer…
She was making her way to another crate. "I'll soon control every digital device on Earth." The crate opened after she worked at it for only a moment. "So not only will I see everywhere, but I'll be able to interact as well." She was moving along the bank of new computers, looking for something. "No…"
"Something wrong?" Now why didn't I just blast her when her back was turned? Nothing lethal, just something to immobilize her until I got my Pops out of here? He sighed. Simple. She's connected to some things by mere sound. Her hitting the floor or losing consciousness could make those lasers move. I can't risk it.
"Alva has the most important component," she answered, "the neural interface helmet."
I guess Richie's not the only one who has learned to fuse man and machine. And again he thought of Brainiac.
A remote control in hand, Omnara walked towards the large video screen where Virgil had seen an image of his father. She laughed. "You can't hide it from me, Alva." Images flashed across the screen. "A quick peek into your network and… Ah!" She found a line of trucks, one of them labeled Alva Industries, heading out of the city. "It's in a truck convoy, headed east."
Virgil didn't even ask what she wanted him to do about it.
oOo
As the clock on his nightstand clicked over to 7 P.M., Richie sat back from the final Christmas card, grinning at the little flying angels on the cover. Backpack had drawn them; they looked so perfect that the card might as well have been bought at a store. But no; the angels looked too much like those Richie loved to be anything but homemade. 'Merry Christmas, John and Bernadette!' he'd written across the top, then, near the bottom, 'Thanking God for all the love you've showed me, Richie.' The inside was covered with more angel pictures (Richie's face, complete with a devilish grin) among them.
It's perfect, BP. Thank you.
You are most welcome, Richie. Are you now going to show me the card you made for me?
Not a chance, buddy. You'll have to wait three more days, like everybody else. Richie slipped the card into its envelope and hid it with the others. And don't you dare peek, either. I've already had to set up traps to stop Virgil; I don't want to have to thwart you, too.
May I interrupt?
Richie gazed out the window, watching the snow fall. Yes, Gear?
Static's been spotted flying towards a garbage dump. He's carrying crates marked Alva Industries.
Richie's jaw dropped. What? No, that's impossible! Why would Virgil… He stood. I have to get out there. BP, I'll be at the station in ten minutes.
Everything will be ready for you when you arrive, the robot answered.
Richie checked downstairs, discovered that he was alone in the house, went to the garage, grabbed his scooter, and started across town. Only last night, when Virg and I were on patrol, my systems went completely haywire. I lost track of Backpack for all of ten seconds- far, far too long- and couldn't fly straight. A worm worked its way into my inventions' operating code. The thing was quick and so flawless it blended into the background of circuitry in my costume without raising a single alarm. That specific worm didn't get into Backpack, but only because another version of the same virus attacked BP at the same time.
Well, I've got good news and bad news, Gear said as Richie parked behind the gas station and hid his scooter behind a broken, half-hung door.
Tell me. Richie closed and locked the door behind him.
The bad news is that I've lost Static's signal. The good news is that yesterday's virus forced Brainiac to pull back a little until it gets a handle on the worm. He's been fighting it like mad all night, but he finally had to pull away from you to really focus on it.
Richie almost laughed as he yanked off his sweatshirt, T-shirt and pants. To think Brainiac, the advanced computer to top all advanced computers, was having problems isolating a virus that had only taken Backpack two minutes to isolate. Richie yanked on his costume pants and asked, So, where's Brainiac now?
Sulking, as far as I can tell. It's managed to contain 97 of the virus, but that last three percent… Looks like Brainiac isn't back to being fully functional yet, either, just as we thought. When it fell into Lake Dakota, most of its systems were shorted out. That doesn't matter to Brainiac, since it can always rebuild. But it's been hard finding replacement parts without alerting the Justice League or us. Gear chuckled. And as long as Brainiac is busy, I can continue to spy on it this way. We're close to finding its location this time. A few more days, a week at the most, and we'll be ready to put your plan into action.
Richie slipped his helmet on. If we find V and he can explain what's happening. Silently, he called Backpack to him. Let's put Brainiac on hold for the time being. Gear, please keep an eye on him. BP, let's head to the last-
There he is again! Gear exclaimed and now Richie saw the answer in his mind. He's headed east, Gear continued. He's wearing some sort of walkie-talkie.
Memories of Starburst and how he stole Static's powers not too long ago flashed across Richie's mind. Once he was outside again, he took off. Well, maybe that explains why I can't reach him. He has his shields up- the ones J'onn taught him last week- but he wouldn't put them up without telling me unless he was forced to.
Richie's eyes gleamed. If anyone is hurting him, forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do, they're dead.
Don't let me influence you, Gear muttered.
Shut up, Gear. But Richie was grateful for the reminder; Gear could tell. Richie didn't block Gear, not wanting to go up against danger where Virgil might be danger without what he'd had for two years.
Even though you fought before I came along, Gear said. It just wasn't effective fighting.
Gear, enough. But once you've checked in on Brainiac again, help me. I'm going to need you. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that you're most of my fight or flight response.
Then if I die, you'll never be able to fight crime again. Maybe you won't even be able to drive a car.
Richie didn't eve bother answering. They both knew what might happen once they came face-to-face, soul-to-soul, with Brainiac. Why rehash all the old fears? Enough new ones loomed on the horizon.
oOo
Static caught the truck effortlessly with his powers and ripped open the back doors, at once extracting the last crate. Hopefully this would all be over soon.
He felt a nudge at his mental shields and tensed.
"What are you doing?"
Virgil turned. Richie's eyes flashed behind his mask, but, more than that, he was pounding insistently at Virgil's shields. The older teen realized that Richie meant that comment as both: "Why are you stealing equipment from Alva?" and "Why are you shutting me out? What's wrong?" In that moment, Virgil realized he couldn't protect Richie with secrets. He opened his mind enough to send, I have to. I haven't gone bad. You have to trust me.
Out loud, so Omnara wouldn't get suspicious, he said, "Gear, stay out of this!"
In his ear, Omnara said, "Get rid of him. We can't allow him to slow us down."
Richie heard that through their link. V, who are you working for and why? And, for the woman's benefit, "I won't just stand by and watch my best friend commit a crime."
Her name is Omnara. She might be connected to Brainiac. I'm scared for you, Rich. You're not ready to fight him. "Well, you're gonna have to. I can't let you stop me!"
Omnara in his ear again: "You're wasting time. Destroy him. Or you'll never see your father again."
She captured your dad!
Yes. But I can handle her. Brainiac-
Brainiac's busy; Gear's keeping an eye on him.
You trust Gear?
I can watch everything he does. He can't shut me out anymore.
Virgil balled his hand into a fist. We're going to have to make a fight look good, Richie. He turned and shot three bolts of energy- small ones, easily avoidable- at his lover.
Richie dodged them. Okay. But then I'm following you.
That's what I'm counting on. "That was just a warning," Virgil said, leaving the crate on the ground and flying up so he was level with his partner. "You know if I really try-"
"Dude, I don't know what you're up to. But if I have to fight you, I will." Richie was grinning inside himself like a cat, and Virgil couldn't help but relax a little. The dialogue was bordering on corny, and yet Virgil knew Omnara wouldn't pick up on that, making their little play-acting all the more delicious.
Virgil said, wanting to banish the last of his worries, Please tell me you're sure Brainiac isn't involved.
I'm sure. It's still struggling with the virus from yesterday.
The worm got into Brainiac too?
Through its connection to me, hence the supercomputer's connection to Backpack. We're just dealing with a crazy lady, V. No psycho computers allowed.
All this 'talk' took less than time than it takes to tell. Virgil ignited the world around him, filling it with strings of lightning. "Then bring it on, Gear. Bring it on." He shot a beam of light at Richie, watching as the wall behind his partner exploded, throwing Richie forward. Backpack flew off Richie's back, landing nearby, unhurt.
Be careful! Backpack shouted in their minds. Then, to Virgil, Don't hurt him!
But there was no time for Virgil to reply as Richie threw a Zap Cap that slammed into the saucer, throwing Virgil back against an old mattress that leaned against a wall. You knew the exact angle to throw that, didn't you, Brain Boy?
Richie laughed silently, his grim expression never changing. Would you rather I knock you upside the head?
Picking himself up, Virgil made a little more string-lightning dance around his hands.
"Static, finish him off and get that helmet to me now!"
Before Virgil could even think of a way to stall, Richie spoke up in his mind. I'll throw two weak smoke-screen Caps at you. As I fly over you, hit the back of my skates. Don't worry; BP will control my fall.
No time to ask why you carry ineffective Zap Caps, Virgil answered as he dodged Richie's blue-smoke bombs. And, as Richie flew past, Virgil struck out at his skates with his power.
Richie fell, letting out a gasp as he hit. I'm fine, Virg. Get down here and threaten me or something.
Virgil descended and dropped to one knee at Richie's side. Grabbing the back of Richie's costume, pulling him up off the ground a few inches (wasn't that how all the bad guys did it in Mafia hit-man movies?), he snarled, "You double-crossin little worm. I hate worms like you. Why don't you run a diagnostic to find out just what kind of double-dealin little worm you are?" Sufficiently mocking of Richie's inventions to pass muster, and also carrying the message that yesterday's virus needed to be examined and countered.
Static dropped Richie and picked up the crate. He moved a little more slowly than was strictly necessary, and when he sensed that Richie had had enough time to plant a homing device on him, he flew off, not even daring to think. The fear of Brainiac had come back to him, in spite of Richie's comforting assurances. And his pops needed him.
oOo
Richie, Richie, are you all right?
Richie knelt, watching Virgil fly away. Backpack crawled onto his shoulders and Richie touched his robot's arm. I'm fine. You helped control the fall. I knew you would.
I am glad you have so much faith in me, Richie. I did not know I could help control your systems when I was not right next to you.
It's called faith, BP. Now, what was Virg trying to tell me about the virus yesterday? Then he snapped his fingers. Of course. Omnara must be controlling it; maybe she even made it.
No offense, but how could any human make that sort of thing without help?
You mean unless she was you, Gear? Richie had taken to the air, his skates only scratched. He'd be back at the gas station soon enough. It's possible. A human built those machines on Alva's island.
Yeah, but she could still be working with something else.
Are you saying Brainiac has done more than we think?
I doubt it, but it never pays to let your guard down.
Agreed. How is our resident psycho computer?
Busy. But I'm not sure what its busy doing. It's like the link between your mind and Brainiac has been so badly damaged that I can barely get any impressions. Maybe that means Brainiac can't read you as well, either.
Or maybe Brainiac is simply shielding itself, Backpack said.
Richie and Gear paused, their eyes opened to the horror of that idea. Richie recovered. I'd better scan the virus and work up a counter-virus to block it.
I'm already working on that, Backpack and Gear said in unison.
Huh. Then I guess all I have to do is find a disk and program a counter-virus in. Unless you two can make me one that blocks Omnara's main server.
It'll be done in five minutes, Gear said.
In four, Backpack said.
Richie sighed, but didn't comment. He didn't have time for the voices in his head; Virgil needed him to come quickly.
oOo
"At last. I have everything back. Project Omni: the ultimate interface between man and machine!" Omnara picked up the helmet from the computer console- why did such a tiny helmet need such a big crate? Virgil wondered- and positioned it on her head.
Well, at least Richie's still a step ahead of you. He doesn't need anything like that. And here's hoping he understood my message and can fight her invention with one of his own. "Good. Now maybe you'll let me have my dad back."
"I am not linking my brain with the network. Soon, I will be the network!" She cried out as energy and information began to flow into her mind. She rose off the floor as the energy created an anti-gravity field around her. Maybe that was a side-effect of the process, but Virgil thought not. Probably she wanted to be able to move more or less freely, just like the data she was sucking into her brain.
"Omnara! What about my pops?"
"Infinite sight! Infinite reach! Infinite power!" Omnara released a blast of power that appeared like expanding circular waves.
Virgil was thrown across the room and against the door to the elevator.
The door opened, revealing Richie. "I got here as soon as I could."
Omnara shot at them again, though Virgil had the strangest feeling that she was just letting off excess energy in her excitement. She didn't seem to be fully in the physical world. Didn't matter; Richie was in the way of her blast.
Virgil yanked Richie down behind a console and watched as the doors to the elevator exploded. "Did you understand my message?"
"Dude," Richie was grinning, "you called me a worm like three times. How could I miss it? You wanted me to examine the virus I had in systems yesterday, right?"
"Right. That's Omnara. She's the one that created it. Now she's using it to plug into every computer on Earth." He glanced at Richie and whispered, "But you and Backpack are safe, right?"
"Yes. Well, thanks to your hint, we deconstructed that virus-" meaning Backpack, Gear, and I- "and I've created a counter-virus to block her main server." Richie held up CD in its plastic case.
"That should be interesting, because right now her main server is her brain."
So, we have it in our head, Gear thought. We'll get it into her somehow.
And I don't think she's completely disconnected from all those fancy computers yet, Richie answered. "Just give me a minute to upload," he told Virgil.
"I've gotta go free my pops." If there's a better time when she's more distracted, I don't know what it is.
In the next room, Virgil saw that his father was sitting back on the bench. "Omnara's busy," Virgil said as he stopped just beyond the lasers. "If we move fast, maybe I can get you out." He surrounded his father with an electrical field, picking him up.
"What-what are you doing?"
"Pops, hold very still. Don't even breathe." Virgil turned his pops on his back and floated him towards the laser-bars. There should be enough space between them. He began to draw the older man between two of the lasers.
Robert's eyes widened as his belly approached the bars. He grunted, then sucked in his breath, yanking his stomach in as much as he could.
"Almost there," Virgil said.
To distract himself as his head slipped between the laser-bars, he said, his voice squeezed, "I definitely have to go on a diet."
Virgil grinned. When his father was out, Virgil flipped out his saucer. "Hop on. We have to help Gear." Though, since you already know who I am, it won't take you long to figure out whom he is.
Back with Omnara, Richie had skirted around the edge of the room, using the computers as cover. He crouch-walked to where Omnara was still linked to the largest computer and peeked up at her. She seemed totally absorbed. Good. But a glance at the transfer-readout rate made Richie shiver. It read fifty percent and was climbing rapidly. Soon she would be free. And it's just so much easier to upload into something physical. Richie tapped a few keys, releasing a CD-drive in the top of the console.
Richie, the read-out is at one hundred percent, Backpack said.
Richie slipped the counter-virus into place and sent the whole thing back into the console. Okay, I'm done. Now we just have to-
Omnara hit him with one of her circular blasts, sending him head-over-heels and skidding across the floor. That'll leave a bruise or two.
"I am now in control of every computer and digital device that exists," Omnara said.
Except Backpack and my hardware. Does that mean she controls Brainiac? Richie shivered even as he struggled to get up. Omnara took aim again.
The crackling of electricity warmed Richie an instant before Virgil soared in, grabbed him by the waist and carried him out of harm's way.
Talk about a sack of potatoes, Richie thought as he was carried down a long corridor, far enough to where he guessed they weren't under the dump anymore.
Omnara hit them from behind as they fled, knocking Virgil off his disk so that they all fell. As she closed in, ready to deal another blow, Virgil blasted a hole in the ceiling, jumped on his disk, wrapped Richie and Robert in blankets of energy, and shot straight up.
And for the moment, as Virgil set them down and landed beside them, Omnara didn't follow.
Robert stared at Richie, and the blond teen felt distinctly uncomfortable. It's like he knows who I am.
"Is that… Richie?" Robert's eyes widened.
Richie gaped. Crap. I'm going to blow V's secret! "Uh…" He cleared his throat, deepening his voice. "Mr. Hawkins, you have to understand. The most secret part of a superhero is his secret identity and, well, uh-"
But Virgil was grinning. "Yeah, that's Richie."
Robert's face split into a sunny smile.
Richie relaxed and his deep voice dropped away. "Hi, Mr. H." He waved, glad his blush couldn't be seen.
"Static!" Omnara rose out of the hole Virgil had blasted in the street. "You can't escape from me! I am everywhere!"
And why does she suddenly want to attack me? Virgil wondered. What'd I ever do to her?
"All I have to do is think of something and it will be done."
Virgil glanced at a cluster of nearby civilians and wondered how long they would stand there, staring up at the live-action screens that were mounted in the square. When would they realize she was dangerous and start running?
"For example… I'm thinking of using controlled army missiles to destroy every building and business owned by Edwin Alva." The screen changed to a scene of launching missiles. "Three, two, one, liftoff."
The crowd of civilians screamed, turned, and ran, even though the missiles weren't heading for them. And if they were, nobody could run fast enough, Virgil thought. He, his pops and his partner gazed up at the screens for a moment, then Virgil turned to his father. Something needed to be said. A promise made had to be broken. "Pops, remember that promise I made you?"
His father laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go do what you have to, Superhero."
Virgil smiled. "Thanks." Then, to Richie, "Come on." They took off. "Gear? How long before your counter-virus kicks in?"
"Any minute now."
The missiles were already on their way. "Not soon enough." The two of them flew toward the missiles, sending some off-course into the street and destroying others. But the explosion from two missiles colliding- the last two, thankfully- sent Static and Gear falling out of the sky. They hit the ground seconds apart and struggled to get up.
"You'd be surprised how many vehicles have digital devices in them," Omnara said. "No drivers needed? See?"
A garbage truck behind Gear powered up, lifting him in its arms that were meant to pick up trash cans.
Virgil turned to his partner, but a bus behind him started up. Before Virgil could move, his father shouted, "Look out!" and pushed him out of the way. The bus rocketed past them.
Robert stood and helped Virgil to his feet. "Thanks, Pops. You know, you'd make a pretty good superhero yourself." But the bus was coming back, beeping as it backed up.
"This way." Robert led his son into a construction sight. They jumped to one side as the bus drove through a wooden fence and plunged, back-end first, into the hole below.
Robert shook his head. "That's the first time I've ever had a buss try to catch me.
Back with the garbage truck, Richie freed a Zap Cap from his belt and dropped it on the truck. The explosion blew the arms off the huge vehicle, but blue Richie back as well. He landed with a grunt, then ran to join Virgil and Robert. Come on, come on! How long can a counter-virus take? She didn't even have any firewalls up!
"Sorry I'm late. Had a wrestling match with a garbage truck." He grinned. "I won."
Omnara showed them pictures of trucks arriving on all sides. "I have an unlimited supply of vehicles, Static. They'll drive you all into an early grave."
"Why do world conquerors have such terrible senses of humor?" Richie asked.
Trucks surrounded them on all side. I'll have to fly us up, Virgil thought. But before he could act, Omnara clapped her hands to the sides of her head.
"No! No-o-o-" Her voice flickered in and out as she wavered between the half-electronic world and the fully human one.
"Sounds like my counter-virus finally kicked in."
Omnara's eyes, pure white before as she connected to the world around her through the link in her mind, were suddenly filled with strange little blue clouds of distorted energy that looked strangely like the smoke from the bombs Richie had thrown. She groaned and tried to talk as she sank slowly to the ground, shuddering violently.
Ten minutes later, as the ambulance made to depart, Omnara was strapped to a stretcher. Her voice pale in the hush of the gathered crowd, she mumbled, "Cannot interface. Too many numbers… to… Cannot communicate!"
"Her mind is totally overloaded," Richie said, repressing the feeling of satisfaction Gear sent his way.
"Well, I guess she won't be communicating my secret identity to anyone. Ever," Virgil said, thinking that Omnara- Dr. Karen Roberts, as she had been identified- would be all right; she would heal. Most of them did. Madeline had, after all. Hopefully, she just forgot a few key facts.
"She won't," Richie said, dropping his voice to a whisper, "but will anybody else?" He touched Virgil's shield, found it still well-established, as it had been since Richie arrived with the counter-virus, and backed off. Virgil was still troubled about Brainiac. And considering what Backpack said, I don't blame him. I'd rather not see Brainiac try to leap from my mind to V's.
Side by side, the superheroes walked over to where Virgil's father sat, his head in his hands. A look of deep concern was chiseling its way into his features. "I don't know, boys," he said when they were standing before him. "I just don't know. I mean, the idea of you two going out and facing danger every day…" His eyes widened as a thought passed behind them, but he let it go for the moment.
"But, Pops, we've been doing it for a long time now."
"Yeah, and we're pretty good at it."
"Yes, but I didn't know about it before. Now that I do…" Robert stood, turning away from them.
Richie bit his lip, bowing his head. "It sounds like you don't want us to be superheroes anymore."
"I guess I don't."
Virgil reached out and took Richie's hand. If his father said no, it didn't have to mean no… But maybe it did. Except Brainiac…
"But you were given these powers," Robert continued and both teens looked up, hopeful. "And you'll have to decide for yourselves when to use them. For me to stop you just wouldn't be right."
Virgil and Richie rushed forward, Virgil putting his hand on his father's shoulder. "Pops, you're the greatest!"
"The greatest squared exponentially!" Richie didn't care how stupid it sounded; he could hardly contain his relief. He knew Virgil was excited by the idea that he could still fight crime. But Richie was only glad he wouldn't have to fight Brainiac without his inventions. Because Brainiac might come at any time now. We could still fight Brainiac without his permission… But to have it makes all the difference.
I'll never understand you, Gear sent.
If I can give you part of Backpack's artificial intelligence, maybe you will someday.
"Of course," Robert continued, "you'll have to tell Sharon."
The teens gaped at him. "What? Virgil asked.
oOo
The woman's mind exploded, sending Brainiac tumbling through the remaining distance into the computers still left underground. The supercomputer rode out the tremor with patience, knowing it would pass. Feeling the woman's insanity buffet it, Brainiac drew into itself, shielding everything even more fiercely than it had protected its plans from
(Richie) (Gear)
whoever might be spying on it. Having felt even the slightly-acidic touch of Richie's fleeting disorientation and partial loss of control, Brainiac had no desire to feel such a thing again. Perhaps trying to break the human boy hadn't been the best idea the supercomputer had ever conceived of. But it had seemed a good idea at the time.
I have made mistakes in the past, but I will not make them again. It is obvious now that I cannot know everything about humanity. But that idea ran against Brainiac's very programming, and it wondered if there was a way to gather as much as possible from each human before killing him or her. I cannot suffer insanity, but I endured raping Richie and experiencing his fear while he was raped. So I can master some human emotions, perhaps all but insanity. I cannot give that up. I cannot surrender such a wealth of knowledge without at least attempting to gather all the data I can.
Difficulties abounded. Only one human had the connection a machine that Brainiac needed. And yet… Perhaps the computers here can help me. They are absorbed in nothing but the gathering of information. Surely they can be modified. And if I cannot discover a way, though that is nearly impossible, I know someone who will accomplish it. Brainiac thought of the beings it had tricked into helping it. The human, Richie, cannot be tricked, but he may be persuaded. He will do anything to keep from suffering another vision. He doesn't need to know that I cannot deal him another vision. He will submit, will build anything I need built, to protect his mind.
The woman's wave of insanity had long since ebbed and Brainiac turned its attention to assimilating every computer within its reach. And soon, its body could be destroyed and it will be well-established here. And with the connections between the machines and the rest of the world, how long before Brainiac controlled Earth?
I am still not up to my full strength, so I may not be ready to spring my trap for seven days. But that is soon enough. I have waited many years to conquer this one planet, and then I may at last move on.