Chapter 10
A full-head helmet rested on the seat next to a man.
He and several others were traveling in a heli-plane, which obviously was a combination of a helicopter and an airplane. With the blades still in the usual place, two wings protruded out in opposite directions on either side of the transport vehicle right below them.
"Sir, approaching target of the distress call."
The man stood up, took the full-head helmet and placed it on his head.
The others joined in. The man's colors were different from the others. His outfit was outlined in light green, while the others were outlined in light blue. Each person wore a navy-blue and gray-silver camouflage vestment, pouches that lined the body, and the army attire of very distinguishable soldiers.
The green commander took two sub machineguns (pistol size) and holstered them in his white belt. He stuffed ammunition into the pockets and plastic pouches. The letters "W.S.S.," an acronym for the World Security Syndicate, shown on a patch on his right arm. A blue soldier took hold of a gattling gun, while another secured a rocket launcher. One soldier in particular strapped a four-turret blaster to his chest. Another snatched a long, fat cannon.
The green commander watched the pilot's screen as he saw five little yellow dots dance in a frenzy. Then, suddenly two disappeared. The commander's eyes widened at this.
"Gun it!"
"Yes, sir!" the pilot replied in obedience as he thrust the booster controls forward.
The heli-plane sped toward the blimp. The commander turned to the other five soldiers. They were holding on to a metal post by the ceiling for balance.
"Opening doors, sir!"
The side-doors of the vehicle slid open the light of morning brightness shining in their eyes.
They descended to ground level upon advancement toward the blimp. The speed decreased. The vehicle finally came to a complete stop, and the six soldiers disembarked.
"Three life signs," the commander announced, "one in the rubble," he added as he pointed to his right, "another in the rafters," he raised his thumb upward.
Two soldiers volunteered consecutively for each survivor. As soon as the commander informed them of their whereabouts, each one responded with a prompt 'Yes, sir!' and 'Right away!' before dashing off to complete the assignment.
"Everyone else, with me," he ordered, "Now let's move out!"
The heli-plane took off to secure another position, leaving the soldiers on foot.
The men in uniform sprinted behind their leader, following his command. The green commander flicked his index and middle to the right, then swept it to the left – making a motion for them to slightly spread out. They obeyed.
The four of them ran into the heart of the blimp's infrastructure. The captain drew his sub machineguns, preparing for combat.
They came upon two figures. One was in the air, leaping toward the other, who ready to counter.
The figure in mid-air turned his attention to the new arrivals, and was taken by surprise when a large piece of rubble, enveloped in the black flame of negative energy, knocked him away from the boy he was about to pounce on.
As the tall, white figure fell to the ground, the soldiers turned to see that a woman in a white costume had thrown it.
The green commander recognized the boy.
"It's Constantine!" he screamed, "Fire!"
Blam blam blam blam blam blam!
Bratat brratatatata!
"No!" Raven cried, outstretching her hand that created a shield of negative energy to protect her son.
The soldier with the fat cannon pulled the trigger, his aim at Raven. A thick, yellow beam shot out, hitting Raven hard in the chest, and knocking her down.
"Mom!"
Constantine thrust both hands forward, the telekinesis shoving the firer into the wall.
Skelmar got up again, and ran toward his aggressors, blades held high.
The soldier strapped with the gattling gun pointed, "Commander, look!"
"Right!"
Fire from all camo-colored men was targeted toward the menacing bug. Constantine hurled himself off to the side, and ran to his mother.
"Mom! Are you okay?"
She groaned in pain.
Skelmar was soon overwhelmed and had to hide behind a piece of metal, and use it as a shield. The agent charged his fat cannon, and unleashed the yellow streak once more. Skelmar was shocked to see it blast through the parapet, and pass right between his legs.
At this, he backflipped over the metal safeguard, landed right in front of that soldier, sliced the cannon in two, and rammed the other blade through the man's neck.
The other man gritted his teeth as his rotated the lever on the gattling gun, sending forth a bombardment of lead. Skelmar bent his legs, and shot up into the rafters. Like a circus act, the claws clutched the post, and he spun around until he decided to fly back to his awaiting victims.
Deflecting as many blasts as he could, Skelmar came straight at the gattling gun man. The bug whipped his arm back, and threw the electrosword at him with all his might. It found a home in the man's forehead.
Skelmar landed on his hands, the other sparkling rod in his left foot. The soldier with four-turret blaster fired hard, and with some quick maneuvering, Skelmar was able to pick up one of the fallen agents and toss him at the gunner. The body knocked him down, and Skelmar cartwheeled to him. Skelmar's pinky and thumb claw snatched the pin to a grenade in the man's pouch. Skelmar pushed hard into the ground, launching himself away, and leaving the poor man shrieking as he tried to push off the dead body and remove the grenade from hi—
BOOM!
Skelmar picked up the electrosword that he had dropped earlier.
Only one more of these vermin to deal with.
The commander took a step back.
"Backup!" he yelled into his wrist microphone, "Now!"
Immediately the heli-plane crashed through the wall of what remained of the blimp. A bright spotlight shined on Skelmar.
It was still dark in the morning.
Skelmar stood composed, slowly adjusting his stance in the event that he'd have to make a sudden move.
Constantine left his mother's side.
He sprinted at the monster, sword in hand.
"You!!!"
Skelmar thrust his hand at Constantine, who was still running at him.
A red vortex appeared below Constantine's feet, and he fell into it as if it were a trap door.
His cry was silenced as the portal vanished.
"Sorry," Skelmar said coldly, "But I really have to go."
"No!" Raven screamed.
"But when times change," he continued, opening up a similar vortex, "it's all in the past."
Jumping into it, Skelmar was gone.
Raven lowered her eyes, she enveloped herself with negative energy, and phased into the ground.
The commander boarded the heli-plane, and it left the area.
Robin had an I.V. injected into her arm, she opened her eyes, which were just as bandaged as the rest of her body. A man in army fatigues stood over her.
"Where am I?"
"Easy," his calm voice assured her, "You're going to be okay."
"What happened?"
"You've been badly hurt."
"What about the others?"
"Rex Stewart survived," he answered, "but the rest are dead."
"And Constantine?" Robin gasped.
That question went unanswered.
Raven reappeared and watched as the heli-plane flew away, a look of disgust passed over her face at the sight of their betrayal.
She looked back at the site.
The smoke had cleared away.
The fires had gone out.
Constantine, Raven thought to herself, with desperation, where are you…?