Here's the next Chapter. Sorry its a bit short but its got some action in, and it establishes Franklin and some other characters powers.
Dozens of DEFENDER vans sped towards them, sirens blazing and ready for a fight. Franklin figured that one of the guards must have radioed for help during the attack and now his backup was on the way. Too bad it didn't do him much good.
"Ready yourselves my friends" Richard bellowed. "A great battle lies before us."
The sirens were getting louder, meaning DEFENDER was getting closer, and Franklin was powerless to protect himself. Richard glanced back to the rest of the Conduits who were still under the influence of the sedative.
"Shamus, I must ask you another favor" he said sternly.
"You must stay back and protect our weakened brethren, I know you prefer to be in the heart of the fight but we must protect them"
Franklin looked towards Shamus who did not look happy at all. He seemed to ponder for a while then sighed deeply.
"Fine, I'll baby sit the targets" he said distastefully
"Good" Richard said then nodded towards the rest of the group. "Follow my lead" then took off into the sky towards the sound of the sirens.
Franklin felt so angry about being powerless. He was a pretty powerful Conduit being able to control the earth. But the stupid sedative made him look like just another target that needed protecting. He tried to stand showing that he wasn't as weak as everyone thought but fell down again. He crawled away from the rest of the recuperating Conduits and towards the van they had been in, then lent against it.
"Don't exert yourself too much target, you might hurt yourself" Shamus remarked smiling slightly.
Franklin stared up at him and scowled.
"Why didn't the sedative affect you?" he growled.
"I guess I'm just stronger than you all" Shamus said, pretty indifferent about the whole situation.
That just made Franklin angrier. The fact that Shamus was just insulting him and the rest of the Conduits, but in a way that was so nonchalant made him even more hateful of the guy.
"Uh oh here comes some trouble" Shamus grinned while staring of in the distance. The fight had erupted between the resistance and DEFENDER. It was a sight to truly behold. Richard hovered over the battlefield lifting vans into the air and smashing them into each other. A female Conduit ran towards a group of DEFENDER guards then leaped. In mid-air she transformed into a wolf like creature and tore through the squadron of DEFENDER guards. Another Conduit was glowing orange and melting everything he came in contact with whether it be a DEFENDER van or one of the guards.
Two other Conduits were combining there powers together to cause maximum damage against DEFENDER. One was shooting oil out of his palm and soaking the DEFENDER guards while the other was setting them alight by breathing fire out of her mouth.
The Conduit resistance fought with an admirable ferocity and their powers were even more so. A DEFENDER drop ship suddenly flew into view and things looked very grim. If the ship was able to get in close the resistance would probably lose the fight. Richard new this, and set his eyes on the ship. He flew towards one of the Conduits and lifted him up with his telekinesis. They both headed straight for the ship while Richard deflected missiles with his telekinetic shield.
Richard stopped just above the ship and set the Conduit down on top of the ship. The Conduit, who Franklin deduced was a man placed his hand against the roof of the ship then closed his eyes. For a moment he did nothing then suddenly a jolt of electricity passed through the drop ship and it began to fall out of the air.
Richard and the other Conduit floated down to the ground safely, while the drop ship didn't have as much luck. It crashed right into the ground causing an explosion scattering the DEFENDER troops. Richard put up a force field protecting the Conduits from the explosion that enveloped most of the battlefield.
Shamus suddenly sprang up and a murderous glint filled his eyes. "Maybe I will get to fight after all" he said a bit too gleeful.
It looked like Shamus was going to get his wish in the form of a troop of DEFENDER guards heading right for them. Shamus cracked his knuckles then smiled.
"You DEFENDER bastards are about to make my day"
Shamus's eyes started to glow blue and his hands gradually did the same. He put his arm out with his palm spread and flashed a quick smile.
"Say cheese" he said as a beam of blue energy shot from his palm hitting three of the DEFENDER guards and instantly incapacitating them.
Franklin was transfixed by Shamus he charged into battle. The Defender guards pulled out their MP5s and aimed for straight for him, but Shamus leaped into the air and shot two beams of energy out of his palm hitting the group of DEFENDER guards and taking out two of them.
The rest of the guards retreated back to their group and Shamus stood triumphantly.
"And that's how you do it" he declared proudly.
Franklin looked a way, half disgusted and half jealous. But as he stared in the opposite direction he noticed a Defender sniper in a tree not too far away aiming right for Shamus's head. With no time to warn Shamus Franklin closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the power of the earth surge through him and mustered all the strength he had, then he struck his fist into the ground, causing a quake and knocking the guard out the tree. He then focused on the ground beneath the snipers feat and summoned all his power turned the earth soft and eventually into quicksand. He waited until the snipers whole body, minus his head was beneath the ground, and then he made the earth solid again.
Franklin collapsed on the floor weakened from using his powers but felt proud about what he'd accomplished. Shamus walked up to him and looked as if he was sizing him up.
"Good work Target, you saved my arse back there." He said dully. Then turned his back and returned to the other the resting Conduits. Some of them seemed to be recovering from the sedative and were even attempting to help out in the fight. One of them, a girl was protecting the group by creating an aura shield around them. Another had summoned a dust devil to incapacitate a DEFENDER van.
Franklin brought himself to his feet and hobbled over to the rest of the Conduits. He was so weak that he didn't see the DEFENDER van heading towards him.
"Look out!"
Franklin glanced back and braced for impact. But when he opened his eyes the van hadn't hit him, but stopped in its tracks. He stared upwards and saw the girl who had been protecting the other Conduits. Except now she was enveloped in a 20 ft. tall aura version of herself. She through the van into another which was heading their way, then shrunk back to normal size collapsing.
"Watch where you're going, Target! You almost got yourself killed" Shamus yelled as he jogged towards the girl and scooped her up in his arms.
"And I can't have you die I still owe you a debt, which I intend to pay. C'mon!"
Shamus waved his arm forward then began heading back to the group of Conduits and Franklin shuffled after him. He finally felt like his strength was returning.
Once they had reached the other Conduits, Franklin surveyed the battlefield and found that the fight was pretty much over. Richard was hovering above, watching for any DEFENDER guards that might try and run away. The others were rounding up the live ones and getting rid of the dead ones.
Once Richard spotted him and Shamus he grinned and hovered down towards them.
"You have done very well my brothers and sisters" he said happily congratulating everyone, even the ones who had done nothing.
The rest of Richard's men finished rounding up the DEFENDER guard and came to join him.
Richard ushered out one of the Conduits, a tall guy with long black hair. He brought him close and started whispering to him. Franklin could just make out what they were talking about.
"Simon, take Leona and interrogate the prisoners we need to find out about DEFENDERS current plans. Gina will come collect you later"
Simon nodded then beckoned the wolf-girl towards him. He looked at her then she nodded too and they walked off away from the rest of the group.
"Now my friends, we have fought hard and well. I think it's time for a victory meal!"
The group roared in agreement.
"Gina, if you wouldn't mind" Richard glanced towards one of the conduits, a short, stout girl with blonde hair in pigtails.
"No problem" she replied
Gina closed her eyes and focused. She then reached out her arm and a crack appeared in the air. The crack ripped open forming a gateway that just hung in the air.
"Thank you Gina" Richard said. "Everybody enter the portal. It leads s to our hideout and we'll be safe there"
Richards's men lead the way, followed by the liberated Conduits. Franklin headed towards the portal until he was stopped by Richard.
"Franklin is it?" he asked smiling his kind smile. Franklin nodded.
"I'd like to talk to you about something after the meal. I'm quiet intrigued by your gifts and I think that they may be able to help us all" Richard's smile was gone and it was replaced with a mask of dead seriousness.
Franklin stared, his mouth open. What would a Conduit as powerful as Richard need help for? Especially from someone he'd just met.
"Anyway enjoy the feats and well talk after" His smile had returned and he hovered of the ground then through the portal. Franklin hesitated for a second, and then walked towards the portal. Whatever lied in there was either really good or really bad, and according to his luck it was probably really bad.
'Well' Franklin thought. 'What could possibly go wrong?' and with that he walked into the portal.