The Flight of the Blue Beetle 10
Some hours ago he thought he might, just might be able to put La Dama behind bars, rescue the abducted meta-humans, and keep his family and friends safe. He was so stupid. He was just a kid way over his head. Just because he had Khaji-Da it didn't mean he was instantly a hero that could defy the laws of the universe. If something could go wrong, it would go wrong. That was one of the first things Batman taught him. He had left too much to chance and now he was kneeling before the still form of one of his dearest friends.
"Please don't die," he begged as rain started to pour in the battlefield. Those around him flanked him keeping the rain of bullets from reaching him.
"Get your shit together!" someone snapped at him. He looked up and saw Damper with a gash on his forehead, "now!"
That snapped his mind back in motion. He had no time to think where he had gone wrong. He had to find a way to make things better. But, would they really be ever okay?
Some hours ago…
Some hours ago Asami stood not far from the youth center with Bart. They watched on Bart's phone as the tracked they had placed on Tye was moving away from the youth center. Asami took a deep breath. She never wished to be involved with this type of craziness. Running away from home, getting abducted, experimented on and so on had taken a toll on her spirit. Still, she had refuge on Tye and his family. She could not lose that. She initiated Tye's motorcycle and gave Bart a curt nod before following the signal. She never wanted to be part of the world of heroes, but it was their life now. They could no longer lie to themselves about it.
Soon she found they were heading out of town towards the desert. She slowed down so she wouldn't catch up too fast with them. Though she had a better hold of her powers, she still was no match for guns. She heard an explosion behind her. She only gave a quick glance back to see that it had been indeed at the youth center. It had started on their end just as they had planned. She could only hope they also made it in time to help them.
Bart had been waiting and wondering when it would start. He was impatient to get some real work done. It had been so long since he hadn't been on an actual mission. He had just busting random bad guys that decided to rob a bank or something along the same lines that he had forgotten the thrill of it. They had a plan, a pretty good one, and he wanted to do his best to make it succeed. Of course, it wasn't just because of the thrill, but he also saw the importance of what Jaime was trying to do.
"Do you think they can really do it?"
Bart had jumped before he noticed Probe was standing beside him along with a young teen.
"Is that?" it was one of the primary pieces they would need to make sure everything went okay.
"David's brother, Daniel," she said ruffling the nervous kid's reddish hair.
"Hola?" Daniel said to Bart with an awkward smile, "tambien nos va a ayudar?" the boy asked Probe. (Is he also going to help us?)
"Si chiquillo, y es probable que tú y tu hermano puedan aprender algunas cosas de el" (Yes brat and is also likely that you and your brother will learn a few things from him)
"Por qué?" (Why?)
"Ya veras," (You will see)
"Okay, I know Spanish and I am still confused as to what you are telling him," Bart said to Probe. When she only shrugged with a dismissive smile he took a deep breath. Jaime seemed to have a knack to bring the oddest of people around "Safada" (crazy).
On the other side of the wall Miguel, Mikey, Francisco, and David were looking up at the tall cement block wall. They knew what they were supposed to be doing, but were having little trouble pulling themselves together to do it.
"Nos van a matar" (they are going to kill us)," Francisco said standing farther from the wall than the rest, "they will shoot us."
"At the most you will get tazed and then sent to a lab," Mikey said touching the cold wall. Immediately it started to heat up.
"That makes me feel so much better, pendejo," Francisco said before he noted David was standing very still as he looked at the wall, "what is it kid? You want to go back inside?" he asked without sneer for David was still the youngest amongst the four of them.
"My brother, he is on the other side," David said before a shaky smile drew on his face, "he is fine."
"Is that some sort twin power?" Miguel asked with a smile before he spotted one of the guards and he spotted them, "mierda, could you hurry up!"
"You don't want half a ton of melted wall falling on you, do you?" Mikey said though he did start to work faster.
"You!" shouted the office, "stop!" the police officer didn't know what he was seeing, but he was pretty sure it was not normal. But it was definitely the kind of stuff La Dama paid well for.
"Move!" Francisco said pushing Mickey to the said. He moved his hands barely to hover over the heated bricks. "Miguel, please try to keep us from getting killed" and with that he touched the burning wall before directing the shock waves his body generated to the wall alone. For half a second, nothing, then the whole thing exploded.
"Just for the record," Miguel said as his companions looked at the dome made of purple bricks hover over them, "I have never constructed anything like this so fast."
"Freaks! Stop!" and then they heard gunshots.
Instinctively the boys threw themselves to the ground for exception of Miguel. His mind instead worked to create a wall behind them to cover them from the bullets.
"I thought you said the worse they would do to us was taze us!" shouted Francisco as he took deep breaths trying not to pass out.
"Hermano?" (Brother?)
They looked up to see a boy who looked exactly like David standing before them with Kid Flash and Probe.
"Daniel!" David had cried in happiness before the boys embraced each other.
"So sweet, can we get out of here now?" Mickey had said before they heard a crackling noise. They all turned to watch the twins as small surges of energy started to come from their bodies.
"We were afar for too long," David said before his brother nodded.
"Enséñenosles a no meterse con nosotros" (Let's teach them not to mess with us)
"No way," Bart said with a smile before the two boys were gone in a blink of an eye, "speedsters!" he shouted in glee before he too disappeared.
"And I thought coming out to my parents was the hardest thing I would ever do," Miguel groaned as his wall started to crack, "would you guys please start getting a move on?"
"Wait, there are more meta-humans in there," Probe said with a frown, "at least three more."
"Leave that for another day!" shouted Mickey over the sound of the guns, but then they stopped.
"What a?" Miguel had removed one of his bricks before he spotted Kid Flash and David and Daniel tying the last of the guards who were shooting at them.
"Got all the files on your end?" Bart asked as he dismantled a gun to its minimum pieces.
"All of them," David said as he and his brother looked proudly at their work.
"I guess it will be now," Probe said before she led them to other meta-humans.
888
In the outskirts of Austin, Bianca Reyes paced back and forth in their motel room. Her husband was very tempted to use his cane to trip her over so she would calm down. Of course, he didn't since his mother was there would use the same cane to punish him. She really would. Conchi Reyes was not one to stand for rude behavior towards women.
"I still don't see why the boy can't join us now, what is really going on?" Conchi asked her son.
"Is kind of complicated mom," Alberto told her.
"Is he in a gang?" Conchi said with narrowed eyes.
"Actually, you could say the opposite," Alberto said scratching the back of his head. Conchi knew her son and knew that whatever he was hiding she would not like.
"I am calling him." Bianca finally said stopping her pacing and taking out her phone.
"Bianca, please stop," Alberto told his wife placing his hand over hers.
"But I…" then she saw her young daughter's worried expression. She kneeled before the troubled child and hugged her, "Sorry sweetie. I just worry too much."
"Let me take the child for a walk," the grandmother said standing. She patted her son on the back and then went to Milagro, "C'mon little one. You need to get some fresh air."
Before either parent could complain, they were out the door.
"She is just going to buy her some candies and bring her right back," Alberto told his wife as she started to pace again, but now also looking at the door worriedly.
888
Bonita was as her name said very lovely. Even without her powers she could make any man melt to tell her the truth. The issue was that she needed to get close enough to them for her powers to work. She knew her involvement with the Posse would be necessary to defeat La Dama, but had always hoped to have more cover than Esteban, the shapeshifter.
"Ready Bonita?" he asked her in a feminine voice.
She did her best not to shudder and nodded. With Jaime's spying at one of the clubs belonging to La Dama, they had found they all worked as centers of money laundry which were cleaned every week. They started with one of the most popular.
"This is so weird," Esteban said before getting elbowed by Bonita.
"Stop touching yourself," she almost growled as they watched the manager of the club walk towards them looked very spooked.
"Ms. Cardenas, what a wonderful surprise to see you here. How can we be of service?" the short man gave Bonita one appreciative look, "are you looking to entertain your friend."
"I am here for business," Esteban said hoping he got La Dama's voice right, "some numbers don't add up."
"I- but…"
"If you are not stealing from her, you have no reason to worry" Bonita said leaning towards the short man.
"Of course, you are right. Please follow me," Fabian said as he led them to his office. Bonita was slightly surprised. The man indeed was so scared of La Dama that he indeed didn't have anything to hide from her. This was a good sign for them.
Bonita was surprised at Esteban's skill. She knew he had been an aspiring actor before all this, but didn't expect him to be this good. As all the paperwork and numbers were laid out before them, she felt her heart start beating frantically. She was not just a beautiful face. She could see where the numbers of the club fit plus the ones of La Dama's other businesses.
"I have to make other stops," Esteban didn't even bother sitting as he handed Fabian a suitcase, "place everything there and a list of our people and their contacts. I want to talk to each one of them."
"But-" the man started.
"Or is there something you are trying to hide from me?"
"Of course not! Please feel free to ask us anything," and they would and the owners of the other clubs.
888
Tye woke up in a rough bed and with a lot of people standing around him whispering. He jumped to his feet before looking around. He had swallowed before he had a better look at those around him. Some looked normal enough, but others were easy to distinguish as Meta-humans. Still some were as young as him or even younger. Many spoke many languages meaning that it was as they had thought; La Dama wasn't just sticking to the Meta-humans from Texas, but any she could get her hands on.
"You know my Miguel," a young man said pushing other aside, "don't you?"
Tye gave him a suspicious look. He had never met this guy before.
"Sorry, name is Gabriel, but any friend of Miguel's can call me Gabe" the young telepath said.
"Not his friend, but I am here to get you out," Tye said taking in their surroundings. They were in a sort of a military bunker.
"Right, unless you have Superman's powers you won't make it out the door," someone said.
"There are others coming soon to get us out. I need you to tell me all you can about this place."
Outside looking over a sandy hill Asami was waiting for the rest of their group to join her. From her last conversation with Kid Flash, she learned that they had gotten away from the youth center with three more meta-humans than expected. They had broken into teams. One was going their way, another towards La Dama's home, and another to protect Bonita and Esteban in case they got into trouble.
"The rest are in the way," Kid Flash said arriving along with Daniel and David.
"What is this place?" David asked wide eyed.
"It looks like an old military base," Kid Flash said before disappearing and reappearing in a blur, "abandoned and forgotten. Also, is surrounded by those Coyote things"
"How many?" Asami asked.
"Too many for us to fight on our own," Kid Flash said with a frown. The twins and he would get those trapped to safety, so they had to wait for the rest to fight off the Coyotes.
888
Jamie made sure to not get lost in the movie or the sensation of having Brenda laid her head on his shoulder. He knew that he should have made the move a while ago, but he couldn't. He was counting the minutes. It wouldn't be long before Damper and the rest attacked the mansion drawing the attention of all the guards. This would give him a chance to slip into La Dama's office and getting the last of the evidence they needed to tie her into her crimes.
"Are you okay?" she asked him removing her head from his shoulder.
"Yeah, why do you ask?" he asked.
"I don't know, you just feel distant Jaime. I get the feeling you want to tell me something," actually she had that feeling anytime he pulled back from a kiss or embrace.
"I do, but right now is not the time," he told her unable to meet her eyes.
"Why ever not?" she said trying to have a better look at his face.
"Because I know you going to hate me for it, and I want to delay that as much as I can," it was only a few minutes away. He couldn't do this without some sort of warning.
"There is nothing you can do or say that would make me hate you. If it is related to that tattoo on your back, I don't care. If you are in a gang, you are going to quit, and if you already did, that's good."
"I am not in a gang," he sighed, "that's simple compared to what's really going on."
"Look at you all broody and stuff, but no matter what you say you won't get rid of me that easily Jaime," she said before pulling him into a kiss.
Jaime allowed to be taken in one last time. This was the last kiss they would share and he was fine with it. She would be much safer away from the influence of her aunt. Then the first explosion shook the house and he pulled back.
"What was that?" Brenda ran to her window to watch what was going on outside.
Jaime followed slowing taking out the spray of sleeping gas given to him by Batman. He didn't want Brenda running into danger.
"I am really sorry," he said before she turned around. Before she could even say a word, he sprayed her and then caught her before she hit the floor. He placed her on her bed and then left. He covered himself in the armor before hurrying towards La Dama's office. As he went up he found all the guards missing. He could hear the shooting outside as they tried to fight the Posse. When he reached the top floor and passed in front of her witching room, he couldn't help shuddering. When he reached her door, her felt his chest became tight. It was as if a great fear was invading him. He froze in place for a moment trying to gather his thoughts. As they had suspected, La Dama had set a spell in the place to scare away anyone unwelcome.
He felt the amulet given to him by Kid Flash burn in his pocket. It was something given to him by a man of the name Constantine. As he had said, the amulet burned the spell away and he could move again.
He entered the elegant office and felt out of place at once. La Dama was one for the finest things in life. The carpet, furniture, paintings; the whole place was beautiful. He walked to her desk and pulled out the drawers and took out everything he found as he turned on her computer. He sorted through the papers before sorting through her emails before downloading anything useful.
"What you doing here?" he had been so absorbed in his work that he didn't realize Brenda had woken up and entered the office.
"Voice distortion activated," Khaji-Da said.
"I am the Blue Beetle. I am here to gather information against La Dama."
"At my aunt's office? Why? And with what authority?"
"I recommend you to return to your room Ms. Del Vecchio. Things are about to get dangerous."
"Not until you answer my questions bug breath! Or you think just because you work with the League you can do whatever you want!"
She had picked one of the plants around before she threw it at him. The Blue Beetle only dodged it, but more items followed after.
"Where is Jaime! You did something to him didn't you! You Reach scumbag!" she continued to shout as she threw more things at him.
"That's enough!" he shouted. That had actually hurt, "go hide somewhere and don't get in the way!"
"You… you got no right," she said a little scared at his tone.
"She had your father killed," he said trying to make her see reason, even if it hurt her.
"That was me!" she shouted.
"What?" he stopped his search and asked.
"He stopped drinking and we were better than ever, but that night he said he was going to buy some beer and I got so upset," and she started tearing up.
"But you couldn't have…" he advanced towards her. It couldn't be true.
"I always thought my dad was lying when he said I had witch's blood. I thought he was just mean, but I saw him in my mind and wished for him to just stop and he did. His car got out of control and he crashed. Is my entire fault! Not hers!" Brenda fell to her knees, "arrest me, not her."
"Oh Brenda," he kneeled before her.
"Don't pity me. Just don't take her away, please" she begged him taking hold of his arms.
"I can't do that Brenda. She has hurt a lot of people," this was what he feared.
"I know, but she is the only family I have left" she wasn't blind. She knew her aunt was not exactly a good person, but who was it really? Or at least, this was what she liked to tell herself.
"That's why I said you would hate me," he told her before she looked at him confused.
"Jaime Reyes, revealing your identity is too risky," Khaji-Da told him but he didn't stop.
He removed the helmet part of the suit so she could see his face.
"Jaime?" she asked shocked.
"I am really sorry Brenda," he said knowing she would never forgive him.
"But-" she started.
"There is no time to explain," he said before a larger explosion was heard, "you really need to hide. I don't want you getting hurt."
"Is she really La Dama?" it hadn't occurred to her that it was so bad.
"Yes. I know I will never be able to say it enough, but I am really sorry" he said before leaving through the window with the evidence.
"Not as much as me Jaime," she said before leaving the office, but not to hide.