The innkeeper dozed on his counter, snoring quietly. The front door opened, setting a small bell ringing. Nine tall, burly men entered, heavy boots thudding against the floorboards. The tallest one, apparently the ringleader, stopped in front of the innkeeper, rapping a thick fist on the countertop.
"Rise and shine, Pops," he growled.
The old man blinked awake, lifting his head to look around at the group. "Oh, I'm sorry. Must've dozed off." Rubbing his eyes, he reached for the registry book. "You lot'll be wanting rooms, I suppose . . . ."
"Yeah," the leader said darkly. "We'll take whichever ones you've got the Di-Gata Defenders in."
Frowning, the innkeeper looked up at the man. "You'll want to check your facts, son. The Defenders haven't been around for over a year now. Sure, people here 'n' there have been saying they're back, but don't believe it - those kids are long gone. They won't be showing their faces near anyplace civilized for years, let alone here."
Fwoom!
Startled, the old man's eyes shifted to the flaming hand of the nearest stranger. Purple tendrils of energy swirled around the man's fist - an obvious threat.
"I'm going to ask you again, old-timer," the leader said slowly. "Four people - late teens. What rooms?"
Warily, the innkeeper glanced between his interrogator and the flaming hand menacing him. "I'm telling you, son, there aren't any teenagers checked in here - let a group of six in one time, and they trashed the place. Twenty-one and over is the limit now." He pushed the registry book forward. "Have a look for yourself if you don't believe me."
The leader flipped through the pages with the newest entries. Finding nothing, he paused, fingering the fastener on his stone pouch in thought. "Hmm . . . . You got a name, Pops?"
"Kiimi, Son of Watten," the oldster answered bravely.
A grin spread across the stranger's face. "Well . . . . What do you make of this, then?" He jabbed a finger at a spot on the page. "Four rooms, registered to "Kiimi S.o. Watten." His voice took on a tone false niceness. "Your family live up there?"
Kiimi's eyes lifted to meet those of the man. "Yes. My family and I rent those four rooms for ourselves."
"I see. Well, boys, I think it'd only be polite to go on up and introduce ourselves. Rooms 29 to 32, if you please."
Kiimi made as if to follow, but the leader caught him by one arm, forcing him into the chair behind the counter. "Now, don't worry - we'll bring 'em all down here to see you. That way, you get a guarantee they're all right."
A thunderous bang came from the next floor up - the sound of four doors being slammed open all at once. Feet pounded, furniture scraped along the floor, all accompanied by shouting voices. Things quieted down as footsteps traversed back to the stairs. In pairs, the group of thugs reappeared, each holding on to a Defender. They were professionals, clearly knowing just who they were going after. The boys were kept under control with an arm twisted behind their backs; the two assigned to Mel knew better than to get close to her hands. One kept a hand gripped in her hair, the other kept her arms clamped to her sides.
"Quite the little fib you spun for us, Kiimi," the leader said, his eyes traversing the line of prisoners in front of him. "I'm not the greatest at remembering faces, but to me, these kids look a lot like those Di-Gata Defenders I mentioned." Walking up to Seth, he stood looking down at the younger boy. "Hmm. No, I don't see the family resemblance at all."
"There a reason why we're here?" Seth asked casually, stifling a yawn. "Our wake up call wasn't supposed to come for another two hours yet."
The thug behind him gave a tug on the arm he held, eliciting an involuntary wince. "Watch your mouth, boy."
Taking a square piece of parchment from an inner pocket of his jacket, the leader motioned to his henchmen to release their charges, before pushing the paper against the Defender's chest. "I have orders to arrest the four of you on charges of treason, unlawful detainment of a government official, and conspiracy to overthrow the legal government of RaDos."
Studying the arrest warrant, Seth nodded slowly. "Seems legitimate enough. What do you think, Mel?"
She accepted the parchment as he passed it to her, looking straight at the stranger. "I think he needs to wash his hair, not to mention it's high time he took a shower." When only silence greeted this remark, she looked around at the others. "Oh, about the warrant." Skimming over it, she shrugged before tearing it in half. "Bit too much legal jargon in there. Any thoughts, Erik?"
The red-haired boy shook his head, studying the two pieces of paper. "I can't make heads or tails out of it." He tore the halves again, making them into quarters. "Lawyers seem to make it a challenge -" Quarters became eighths. "To see how much technical stuff they can fit in to one document."
He passed the pieces to Adam, who tossed them back over his shoulder, directly into the face of one of the thugs. "I hate lawyers."
With that, the room exploded into movement.
The leader snatched at Seth's collar, only to miss as the boy stepped aside, turning so his back was against Mel's. Her fist shot out, slamming against the stomach of a thug who'd tried rushing her. A sheen of ice appeared on his shirt as he fell back, gasping for air. Erik ducked the two thugs that lunged for him, turning quickly on the spot to check for anyone else attempting to ambunsh him. No one's attention was on him for the moment, but Kiimi, off to one side, had a henchman closing in from behind, a nasty sneer on his face. Moving forward, Erik pushed the oldster to one side, turning back and sticking a foot out as the would-be attacker, continued by, carried on by momentum. The henchman stumbled, but stayed upright, turning to glare at the Defender.
"Pick on someone your own size, pal," the red-haired boy said above the noise.
"Like you?"
Slipping away from the musclemen behind him, Adam skirted the main scuffle, taking the stairs two at a time. Within moments, he was back, stopping at the railing of the landing overlooking the main floor. "Heads up!"
Two stone carriers and one guantlets flew out over the jumble of people below, miraculously finding their way to their owners. Seconds later, new shouts were heard, almost simultaneously.
"Vanguard Aegis!"
"Barricade Array!"
Hazy blue shields flared into existence, coming between the Defenders and their attackers. One intruder was caught in the rush of energy, being flung back against the nearest wall. He hit the floor limply, unconscious and out of the fight.
"Oh, very clever," the leader snapped. His jacket had been pulled open, exposing the identification badge clipped to the lining. A Nega-Ogama henge emblazoned on it, identified his as 'Peacekeeper Razon, S.o. Mordith.' "You don't seriously believe we'll let you leave, do you?"
Seth felt carefully at his split lower lip, the result of a blow that had made it past his guard. "You don't seriously think you can keep us here?"
Razon snorted, unimpressed. "Arrogant little brat, aren't you. If sons are like fathers, then I suppose the rumours about yours are true." Snickers spilled from the other henchmen - presumably Peacekeepers as well - at their leader's remark.
As Seth took a half-step forward, Mel caught his sleeve. "Don't - he's just baiting you. He's got something planned," she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.
The burly Peacekeeper noticed anyway. "Don't be giving him any tips, Wizard," he admonished. "You'll need all your little magic tricks to survive this round. Especially with the new legislature working it's way through the council."
"You're wasting your time," was the calm answer. "It's your move - either make it, or get out."
Chuckling darkly, Razon turned away. "Heroes . . . . They're always like this, boys: arrogant, demanding . . . and refusing to go quietly like good little citizens." Caught up in his chatter, he failed to her the quiet click behind and to the side. "Things are bad enough for the townspeople around here without their tax dollars being sucked up by us putting in overtime. Lowlifes like these kids, they don't have any right to cause that. It's so much easier to just save time."
He whirled, stones in hand and arm drawn back, ready to cast, only to find himself staring at the business end of Erik's gauntlet.
"You talk a whole lot more that you need to," the Defender said, almost cheerfully. "Flash Blast!"
Hit full in the face by blinding light, Razon fell back, the rest of his men blinking or rubbing at their eyes, trying to dispel the myriads of dots that obscured their vision. The Defenders took the opportunity to slip away, Adam taking a couple extra seconds to pull Kiimi along behind them. The door opened and closed quietly as the group slipped out into the night.
"Have you got a place you can go to?" Seth asked the oldster, voice low. When Kiimi nodded, he said, "Good. Go there, and watch yourself - it's not going to be all that safe for a while."
"Good luck, Defenders," the old man said quietly, before turning and hurrying off through the dark streets.
Adam shivered in the cool air. "Hey, guys? Unless we're planning to just make a break for it in our pajamas, I vote we sneak in the back way and get our stuff."
. . . . .
His face red and blistered, Razon stood angry and quivering in front of the communications array, doing his level best to hide his emotions from the call's recipients.
"You're early, Peacekeeper," Councilor Ydara, of Yantos, said, one eyebrow lifted in mild surprise. "We did not expect to hear from you until late tomorrow."
"Are we to assume that you already have the Defenders in custody?" Dakorian Councilor Mernal said, leaning forward.
Razon bowed in deference. "My apologies, Councilors - the Defenders have eluded the grasp of my men and I. We managed to corner them at their lodgings, but they escaped."
"Explain," the Infinorian Councilor - a pudgy man named Quirin - snapped.
The expressions of the circle of council members darkened steadily as Razon spoke. By the end, several had taken on a rather unhealthy red colour. "My men have cordoned off all roads out of the area - the Defenders will not escape," he concluded, then folded his hands behind his back to await the criticism he knew was coming.
"You were sloppy, Peacekeeper," growled Quirin, a deep scowl carving lines into his normally smooth face. "The Defenders are a slippery bunch, and not above using dirty tactics, if their recent activities are any indication."
"The Intelligence reports are sketchy at best - we have no proof it's truly them," said Sumosian Kastellir with a dignified sniff. He had come under a bit of fire, as the Defenders had been raised and trained in his home province - it was no surprise he was operating on the defensive. The media was more than likely to mention Sumos in any negative reviews of the Defenders, and it was bound to reflect on him.
"Oh, it's them all right," a new voice - calm, deep, and authoritative - put in. "I know their style, Councilor Kastellir. They may have changed a little over the years, but the basic method of operations is still there."
"Nonsense," Kastellir spat.
"You don't know them like I do," General Rood asserted, a tiny smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. His bionic eye roved across the circle. "Trust me, Councilors - Yintos has dealt with the Defenders before, and we are capable of doing so again, given the chance."
The only female Councilor - Jardine, of Nega-La - spoke up. "Be that as it may, I think we are all agreed that the Defenders must be detained and either brought under control or neutralized as a threat to the government. I motion that the Defenders be moved to the top of the Most Wanted list, for crimes against the Governing Council, including, but not limited to, conspiracy to commit treason, and plotting the forcible removal of the legal government."
"I second the motion," the Altamoran Councilor said, half-raising a hand, looking around as if searching for a sign that his approval was approved of.
"Motion carried," said the chair of the meeting, the Councilor from the Ogaman Federation. "All those in favour?"
It was unanimous. With eight hands in favour, the Di-Gata Defenders went from a minor nuisance, to the most wanted criminals in all of RaDos.