El Tigre: Evolution
"Hey! I'm not little!"
-Frida
Chapter 20
The reunited alliance sprinted down the streets of Miracle City, the LuxeCorp. building looming ahead of them.
"I think we'll beat 'em there!" Mer cried. "Ha! Suckers!"
"I wouldn't count on it," Antonio responded. "They can fold into the demon dimension and cover vast distances in the blink of an eye."
Mer let out an exasperated groan. "Isn't it enough they can fly?"
"Hate to interrupt," said El Tigre, "But we got more problems!"
He was right. They were almost to LuxeCorp, but standing between them and the building was a police blockade, which was reinforced by a garrison of LuxeSentries. Police Chief Suarez was at the head of the pack. The alliance ground to a halt.
"EL TIGRE AND OTHERS!" the Chief shouted through a bullhorn. "CEASE AND DESIST! YOU ARE WANTED FOR THE PREVIOUS-"
"Um, Dad?" Frida waved to her father.
Suarez lowered the megaphone. "Frida? What are you…why do you have wings?"
"Neat, huh?" she said, showing them off.
The chief shook his head. "Frida! Get over here this instant! You are not a criminal, and should not be associating with them!"
"Hey!" Trina chirped. "Who are you calling criminal?" Mer was doing his best to hide his smirk.
"We don't have time for this," Antonio whispered to Manny. Manny nodded and called out to Suarez.
"Uh, Frida's dad? You don't understand! Luxe is evil! We have to stop him!"
The police officers all exchanged glances, and then burst into laughter. Manny boiled as he watched them waste his time.
Another officer wiped a tear from his eye. "Luxe, evil? You really expect us to believe that? The man donates thousands of dollars to charities every year!"
"Well that got us nowhere," Frida said plainly.
Mer grinned. "I have an idea. Just stay right here, guys." He raised his hands in a sign of surrender and took a step forward, caduceus above his head.
"Okay, you got us. I'll go quietly."
"What are you doing?" Trina demanded. Mer glanced back and flashed a smile.
"Trust me." He advanced slowly, eventually reaching the blockade. The cops were wary.
"I'm going to have to ask you to drop the stick, sir," said one officer. Mer ignored him and slowly pushed his way through the police force.
"Sir, I'm not going to ask again-"
Another grin spread across Mer's face as the orb at the end of the caduceus sparked. Chief Suarez saw this, his eyes widening, and tucked and rolled out of the way.
"TELEPORT!" The familiar flash of light filled the area. When it vanished, it was evident that it had swept away not only Mer, but the entire blockade as well.
Trina laughed. "Go Mer!"
"We're not out of the woods yet," Antonio warned.
He was right. More LuxeSentries began to pour out of the LuxeCorp. Building and take firing positions.
"How many of these guys are there?" Frida moaned.
"PULSERA!" Trina changed into her alter ego, and Antonio unfolded his wings, hands bursting into flame. El Tigre growled as he unsheathed his claws. Frida gulped, and fluttered her wings a little bit.
But suddenly, the strum of a guitar echoed throughout the city, and a magical energy blast struck the ground in front of the LuxeSentries, sending a few flying. The alliance turned to see…
"Sartana of the Dead!" cried Frida.
It was indeed Sartana of the Dead, marching down the street, and she was backed up by most of the villains of Miracle City: The Chipotles, the Moustache Mafia, El Mal Verde, etc.
"Don't start the fiesta without us," Sartana said.
Manny shook his head. "I never thought I'd be happy to see Sartana!"
"CHARGE!" Sartana commanded, and the villains rushed past the alliance and met the LuxeSentries. The sounds of battle and laser-fire filled the air.
"Let's go!" Antonio motioned. The four heroes pushed their way through the chaos, knocking heads whenever necessary. As El Tigre slashed his way past the guards, he suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of a laser rifle.
"Gotcha, ya little brat," said the LuxeSentry.
In the next instant a wave of liquid metal slammed into the sentry, knocking him against a nearby wall. The Titanium Titan followed after and checked on El Tigre.
"This changes nothing between us, El Tigre," he said in his high-pitched voice. "I do this for the memory of Rodolfo!" Then the Titan rejoined the battle, leaving El Tigre with a half-smile on his face. It only lasted a second though; Frida was by his side with bad news.
"Manny! I lost Trina and Antonio in the craziness! It's just us!"
At that moment Sartana passed by, using her mystic guitar as a blunt instrument to bludgeon several LuxeSentries.
"El Tigre!" the undead woman called out. "You and your little novia need to get moving!"
"She's right!" said El Tigre, grabbing Frida's arm. "Let's go!"
"Hey! I'm not little!" Frida complained as El Tigre began to drag her away. But someone stood in their way…Chief Suarez. He had managed to escape Mer's teleportation trick.
El Tigre and the Police Chief glared at each other for a moment. It was Frida's father who finally broke the silence.
"What would your father think, Manny?"
El Tigre's eyes narrowed. "My father would be right here by my side, fighting for what's right."
The Chief sighed, and did nothing as El Tigre and Frida passed.
Once the LuxeCorp doors closed behind them, the sounds of the battle raging outside were silenced. The futuristic building was disturbingly quiet and empty.
"I guess everyone took off early," Frida mused.
They made their way to the elevator platform, and to Luxe and the Tome of Torment.