Shock To The Eco System
"Anger"
A/N: No reviews for the last chapter - this is only because I was inspired by an episode on TV I need reviews to write so please review to get me to write. Twist at the end here hope you get a shock! No pun intended...well...that's not TOTALLY true
Richie helped Virgil through the window of his bedroom. Mr Hawkins was still at work and Sharon was talking to her One True Love on the phone. "Okay, Sharon got in ten minutes ago if she comes up you can tell her you've been sick for hours and just need rest" Richie said. "The cure isn't able to give back all the energy you lost fighting the disease".
"great" grumbled Static. "Does this mean?"
"You'll be back at school tomorrow? Sure does."
"Sometimes you're too smart Rich" sighed Virgil as his friend climbed out the window. There was a beeping on the shock boxes.
"Wildcat to the boys, you reading me?" Richie checked the shock box.
"What's up?" he asked.
"The N-Syndicate just shorted the parole bracelet mainframe" Wildcat said. "The genetic locks and damping modules are on but the tracing devices and the locks are busted, anyone but the wearer can break the locks now. The city has it on the DL"
"How do you know?" croaked Virgil.
"Well they aren't too bright with security at the City Hall. Mayors office...too easy" she sighed. "This is bad. We have to find the metahumans and hope that it doesn't get out of hand."
"Gee are they listed?"
"Under M for metahuman miscreants" sighed Wildcat. "I'll meet you at the corner of Granger and 3rd in five minutes."
Richie gave Virgil a look and the teen stepped back into his room from his window, shut it and hid his costume before climbing back into bed.
Willow blew on her nails and traced a line on the bracelet. The hiss of acid was accompanied by the clink as the bracelet fell off his wrist. "Excellent" hissed Hyde as he began to revert to his usual form. "That's more like it!"
Willow disliked him. Instantly. "Yes, well remember who did this for you, the N-Syndicate" she said.
Madelyn Spaulding stared at her freed arm as the bracelet was cracked by Froggy and his small drill. "Nice job" she said. "Now...what next?"
"You remember the N-Syndicate" said Froggy.
Eclipse was stuck with most of the female metahumans. Tamara, Puff and so forth. But he was currently freeing Carmen Dillo who was chattering...constantly. They were recruiting hundreds of metahumans now. Perfect.
"The N-Syndicate sends their regards"
Dr. Ishtar sat watching the gigantic meta-bang plants flowering under the cold fusion sun she'd designed for the mountain base. The world needed - control. She would give it, her plans would make Dakota the new cradle of life.
She examined the list of metahumans she had sent her teams to recover. Ebon was out of reach, he'd been cured and held in a metropolis facility...it wasn't worth the effort - she had a much better shadow manipulator.
Shiv, Replay, Carmen Dillo, Puff, Onyx, Madelyn Spaulding, Hyde, Kangor, Tamara Knight, Boom and Replikon were all recruited. Ishtar smirked...she was going to batter this city with her army of Meta-Humans. But there were a few more to recurit before Phase 2 could commence.
She put down her Martini and pressed a button on her bracelet. "Team Delta, commence extraction of Target 717" she instructed."
Richie jetted over the city with Wildcat performing her gymnastics along the rooftops to his left. "We have to find the paroled metahumans" exclaimed Richie. "If they get let out..." he let the sentence finish itself.
"The cure's not so great" sighed Wildcat. "After an hour or so in storage it gets diluted and you need eight times the amount to make it work...plus there's something...wrong with it." She shuddered. "The scent of it...it's not right..."
Richie was about to ask about that one when he saw Thomas Kim running. "Please! Leave me alone!" he shouted. Hauntress, Cyclone, Typhoid Maria, Boom and Hyde came from the alley. "Please!"
"Don't worry, it's all gonna be over soon" Cyclone said as she walked forwards.
"Come on!" Richie exclaimed. He swooped down and pulled Thomas Kim out of the way as Hyde stomped forwards. Hauntress shrieked and raised her hands. "Rats!" she shrilled. Ritchie frowned at her as her haze whirled around him. Thomas trashed, clutching at his face shouting that there were rats everywhere.
"He's immune apparently" Typhoid growled. "Fine...we play my way." She snapped her fingers. "Darn, he's just so fast...Boom. Give him a slow dance"
"Damn straight I will" sneered Boom. The blast of sound thickened the air, slowing the flight of Richie. "Sorry, this is all bust" he smiled.
"Nah just annoying" the high heels impacted with Boom's chest. Typhoid swung around but Wildcat was already backflipping away to Richie. Typhoid shrieked.
"Allow me Sister dear" Cyclone said. She ran forwards, leapt into the air and spun. The hurricane sprang up, already people had begun to run but at the might of this storm the remaining civillians finally gave up the ghost.
Cyclone dragged Richie, Thomas and Wildcat through the air back towards her. "I control the winds you morons" laughed Cyclone. "Team Kappa to Dr Ishtar... we have the target and two special guests..."
"Deal with them" Dr Ishtar responded.
Hauntress waved her hands and a wave of illusion washed over Wildcat who was suddenly struggling with mental chains. "No way to save yourself Kitty-Cat" spat Hauntress. "Time to die!" She advanced with Boom and Typhoid Maria and Cyclone. The explosion flung them off their feet. Richie was standing in front of Thomas near an alley, he hurled another cylinder at them. Cyclone blew a gust at him and the device blew up on a dumpster.
Boom unleashed a sonic blast and Richie was knocked over onto Thomas who yelped as they landed against the wall with Richie sprawled on top of him. Thomas stared at Gear then Richie rolled off him and hurled a sphere at the oncoming Metahumans. Typhoid shrieked as she was trapped in a ball of foam that exploded from the sphere.
Hauntress strode over to Thomas. "Let me go" he shouted as she grabbed the Korean's arm and ripped the bracelet from it. "No! Please!" he shouted. "NO!" His eyes glowed green. "What have you done!" he croaked.
Hauntress pulled back as Thomas brust from his clothes...he roared. "Hurt!" he shouted. His punch sent Typhoid flying. He pulled Cyclone out of the strong wind she was spinning into and hurled her into a dumpster. Booms sonic blast hit him and knocked him back...he grew slightly as the pain increased his anger. With a roar he planted a firm punch on the man and knocked him flying down the alley across the street, through the window of a clothes shop all the way into the back through the racks so he finally landed in a dressing room.
Tantrum was back on the rampage.
Hauntress walked forwards. "Hush little baby" she purred. The waves of psychic illusion hit Tantrum. He swayed...slowly shrinking...Wildcat flipkicked her into a wall. Tantrum looked at her.
"Kitty?" he grunted.
"Yeah - okay" she sighed.
Tantrum picked Cyclone up as she started to spin. The girl unleashed a cyclone at him and hurled him aside. Richie tossed a blast cube at her knocking her flying into a wall. Wildcat flipped onto the attack. She planted a kick on Typhoid's chest...the woman stumbled and shrieked in rage. She took a wild swing at Wildcat's head but missed.
Wildcat lashed out with a kick.
Richie was busy. Cyclone and Boom were on his case...he was seriously missing Static as he weaved around the attacks and managed to get Cyclone to blow Boom back. That's when it happened...red hot flame shot into the air from a few blocks away.
Richie tasted the lump in his throat and decided he preferred chocolate as opposed to Fear. Something had happened...at the school...involving Fir- Francis Stone!
"Oh dear - that sounded upleasant" Typhoid sneered. Hauntress blasted Tantrum with illusion, reducing him to Thomas Kim in a pair of stretched and torn trousers and what remained of a tie.
Richie bundled the lithe fram up in his arms.
"That's bad" he said.
"That's good" Wildcat said as she pointed. Static shot along overhead. "Though if he's still in recovery..."
"Let's go" groaned Richie as he skated along the road with Thomas, afraid to leave the boy where harm could befall him. Plus Thomas may have been unathletic but he had very, very nice pecs.
Static stared. The Larva man was clinging to a wall of the school, Shiv was chasing the faculty around, Puff was melting the Gym open, Froggy was bounding around as Quagmire crushed the doors of the school with his fists. Magma had created a river around the PE teacher that was searing red lava...
Eclipse pointed and a blast of darkness hit a Quarter back. "Never was much of a sportsfan" Eclipse added as the Quarterback was tangled in the inky blackness launched from the cane.
Static descended and lit up like a lightening storm. "Who said parole was allowed? Coz thos board says...DE-NIED!"
"Charming" Willow said. "We go to all this trouble and that's the best we get? I don't know even The Flash had better quips then that!"
"Are you -"before he could ask whatever question it was Willow blew him a kiss and sent him shooting backwards. He swerved the disk and swooped down on her. "Okay fine by that way Ms MaxFactor!"
The Tarot Cards swept out and Shiv mounted his one. Gel and Eclipse leapt onto their own and then Willow. They swept about around Static.
Shiv hurled the shuriken, Gel lashed with a large fist of hard gel, Eclipse unleashed darts of shadow and Willow swiped with her fan and nails. Static thrust out his arms and an orb of energy surrounded him. Shiv hurled more Shuriken and Eclipse unleashed a heavy blast of darkness.
"This - is not - FUN!" Static gasped as the stress built up. He turned the shield into a pulse and knocked the four card riders away. "man, that takes a lot out of a guy!"
"So does this!" Puff exclaimed. She blew the dart at him...he weaved out of the way... "And this! And This! And This!" the darts flitted after him...
"Smoking really is bad for your health - especially if you come out with a voice like yours" Wild Cat waved at Puff from the rooftop where she held a fire hose. Puff shrieked and dived downwards...
"Backpack, if you would" Richie said. The robot obliged and the wrench attachment twisted the fire extinguisher. Puff flew right into the water. Her screams gathered attention. "Okay...we got their attention!" he realised the problems this raised. "We got their...attention?"
"Of course you did dear...have a demonstration of our adoration" Willow said as she blew a kiss at him. He dived aside as the burst of smokey ether melted a hole in the pavement. Static blasted Willow but she recovered and swent after him, blowing her kisses of death.
Richie weaved away from Onyx's attack and avoided a stomp from Quagmire a rolling drop from Carmen Dillo and a light shuriken from Shiv both nearly got him but he managed to evade them.
"Hey! Cog wheel! Catch!" Richie dived aside a fire ball blasted at him. Hotstreak stood on the steps to the school, flame had ignited his hands and hair...all around him wildfire burned. "Hey! I SAID STAY STILL!"
"Oh yeah like I plan to do that!"
Static and Eclipse exchanged energy bolts across the sky and Froggy had leapt to the roof to try and get to Wildcat, he was accompanied by Replikon with Wings and a roaring Tamara Knight.
Francis unleashed a wave of heat and flame at Gear who flipped over it...he stumbled, falling at Hostreaks feet.
It was strange. Francis looked down into the boys eyes...and he couldn't do it...he couldn't burn him to death a slow painful death...he couldn't do it. He tried but he couldn't. Gear scrambled aside as Gel tried to body slam him.
Francis shook it off and hurled the flames. One impacted with Gears back and knocked him off a wall. Francis crowed with glee. The metahumans closed in. Wildcat gave a cry as she fell of the building, managing to dig her superhumanly strong nails into the brickwork, shredding lines down the front but slowing her fall enough. There was an explosion overhead and Shive and Eclipse laughed as Static crashed down to lie with his friends.
"This is it" Typhoid Maria called as the metahumans gathered around. "The end of all our troubles!" They closed in, a line of metahumans...walking towards their victims...
Static stood up, fingers crackling faintly, Daisy was inside the school at the volunteer meeting. She wasn't going to be hurt. Richie struggled to his knees, searching for a device. Thomas Kim was lying unconscious at a Burger Fool Joint that owed Gear a few favours for saving their deep fat frying "bath" they'd taken away his safety from Tantrum that was wrong. Wildcat looked up at Larva with pleading eyes...Her mask was knocked asked...
"We're not giving up so forget that option..." Static said
"...You won't win this, we won't let you..." Gear grunted.
"...Come what may you're all going down" Wildcat growled.
"have it your way" Typhoid hissed as she advanced. Wildcat swung a leg at her. Typhoid blew a purple haze.
"I'm immune" Wildcat stated. "Rapid Healing and an anti-germ guard."
"I don't need my germs" Marie said. She grabbed Wildcat and hoisted her off the ground. "I have superhuman strength and endurance too!"
Hotstreaks eyes fell on the hip of Wildcat that displayed a small twisted black tattoo on the left hipbone. He sharply took in breath then as calmly as he could said. "Let her Go"
"What?" Typhoid scoffed. "get real! She's been a pain for too long!"
"Let her go" he repeated.
"You've gone soft" Monster Tamara hissed.
"LET. HER. GO" the flames were dancing on his outline now. He unleashed the wave of fire forcing a retreat. "LET HER GO!"
"What's happening!" shouted Hauntress
"He's Pissed off! What did you think was happening? 4th of July" snapped Eclipse. Typhoid was kicked off balance by a strike to the knee from Wildcat. She slapped Wildcat aside and grabbe dher by the hair and neck.
"I warned you...to. Let. Her. Go" Francis roared, barely legible over the rush of flames that struck Typhoid in the side of the body, forcing her to let Wildcat Go.
Quagmire lurched forwards. "idiot! Don't---oh forget it I forgot he's a man - bog for brains regardless of mutation" Willow Snorted.
"ladies and Gentlemen the Eclipse express is now departing please keep your hands, arms, tails, horns, vapor trails and legs and extra appendages of any kind inside the portal at all times" Eclipse said as he opened a gateway of shadow in a wall. Froggy stared as Quagmire attacked Wildcat, seeing her has having a power over Hotstreak.
Big mistake. Froggy darted to the portal...he looked up at Eclipse. "What are you waiting for?" he asked.
"Same question" responded Eclipse.
"I'm w-w-waiting for you" Froggy said.
"I...don't wait for me - ever. I'm not worth it. But I don't leave my comrades behind. Not now and not ever. QUAGMIRE! COME ON!"
"We can break him out later" Froggy said. "Please! We need you! The metahuman squad is on its way!"
"I - I can't just leave him"
Quagmire slurred a "GO" before attacking Wildcat. Froggy grabbed Eclipse's hand and dragged him into the shadows as they sealed. Quagmire, slashed at Wildcat, she vaulted backwards over the attack and slashed with her nails.
"Not much of a scratching post are you?" Static and Gear charged but Quagmire swatted the weakened heroes aside. Then he snared the feline.
"I clearly said LET HER GO!" the flames hit Quagmire in the back, he roared and swung. His roots and bog slashed at Francis and knocked him down. Quagmire constricted on Wildcat. She cried out in pain.
"I SAID LET MY SISTER GO" screamed Francis. There was fire...nothing but a column of fire...
TBC
Reviews thoughts comments etc all welcome, wanted, required needed!