F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (Cthul-who) part 2
continuation of chapter 31
* Newfoundland. June 6, 2011. 06:24:15 *
Saint yawned, letting the coffee perk its way to the thick black sludge his Russian compatriot preferred. He had to add a good dollop of hot water to that stuff just so that it didn't feel like it was dissolving the enamel on his teeth.
He idly made a note to check the seals near the server room of this little base, since the sound of a steady drip of water someplace had been what had gotten him up this early.
Yes, this newest base had its pluses and minuses. Nice little fallout shelter from some survivalist nutcase. Unlike some of those nutter butters, this person had put in welding equipment and a pretty nice set of garages that had supplies his group could make good use of.
The minuses were that it was pretty difficult to get to and the nearest place for groceries was sixty miles off if they flew. By roads it was over double that.
"Hey, Geoff! What's with the power? Lights keep flicking off."
"Inna minute," grumped Saint. "Swear, too damn early for this." Still, water might be getting into the circuitry. He'd just have to pop over to the vault and see if The Laptop was running properly and...
Geoff, aka Saint of the Dragonslayers, looked at the space where the Ascalon computer was supposed to be. Which was showing a distinct lack of that laptop. Which had a trail of water going from there off towards one of the garages. Which smelled rather rank as well.
"Uhm," said Saint.
There was a click over the intercom. "What in hell is going on. Sounds like Soviet submarine."
"Dobrynja. Mags. I'm investigating. Looks like a security breach. Suit up."
"Roger."
"Who is Roger? Is one of mercenaries, yes?"
"That joke was old the first time you did it. None of them are here anyway."
"Is funny! I... oh. This is not funny. Is very very not funny."
"What is?" asked Geoff as he stowed various ammo clips and grenades into place.
"Found reason it sound like Soviet submarine." Dobrynja's voice was unusually subdued. "Looked out airlock."
"What? Did Dragon find us somehow?" asked Geoff.
"Would be preferable. Dragon's friend find us, I'm thinking."
"Tell me it's Armsmaster," said Geoff, thinking that was the least troublesome option.
"Oh no," said the voice of Mags, with the distortion that indicated she was in her own suit.
"You see footage from Canberra. I think is THAT friend of Dragon."
"That would be bad," understated Geoff. After all, anything that could take out the Simurgh...
"If we surrender, there's a chance we can escape afterwards," pointed out Mags. "If one of those gets us?"
Geoff pictured tentacles grabbing him and plucking limbs off casually. "Confirm first. I take it the water trail goes out the airlock."
"I see was..." There was a pause. "Why is water dripping down from ceiling? I am not wanting to look, I think."
"What is it?" asked Geoff. "Leaking pipe?"
"Not wanting to look. It won't get me if I don't look. I just casually go back to room, I think."
There was a sudden burst of static from which various sounds that didn't sound right could be heard.
"Oh shit," said the two other Dragonslayers.
* Dragon *
She wasn't at all sure what to make of the presents that Summoner provided. The laptop was something she took to Armsmaster because she trusted him. The footage of three of her suits running out of some base, firing their guns wildly behind them, before surrendering to Guild forces and apparently very relieved that they were in custody?
A report that all three wanted to be in brightly lit rooms far away from water?
Then she was merely very very... concerned. Yes, concerned.
Though she would be very careful about asking Summoner for help in the future.
* Coil *
He had plans. Great plans. Glorious plans.
He hadn't acted on a great number of those plans because Summoner scared the piss out of him.
Somehow Dinah Alcott had made the acquaintance of Taylor Hebert and Taylor Hebert had apparently come up with a "keep an eye on my ever-so-fragile friends and keep them safe" request for her not-so-fragile friends.
So he had been ready to kidnap the Alcott girl for her precog abilities. He'd been reminded of that.
Tattletale had not been as much help as normal because she took one look at the recording of what happened to the Simurgh and had screamed and curled up into a little ball, speaking a strange gurgling language, and complaining about how something was looking at her.
The Empire 88 had not been outed yet, because Thomas Calvert had this odd feeling that if the E88 did some massive retaliation about that - he'd find that whole thing traced back to him and some very unfriendly tentacles reaching through his walls.
He couldn't even look at calimari lately without feeling as if something were looking at how he'd taste with a nice sauce.
The ABB and E88 had been pretty quiet too. Nobody wanted to upset Summoner after she dealt with the Simurgh, the Fallen came to visit and ended up dead, the Slaughterhouse 9 ended up dead and videotaped as an example of why Brockton Bay was not a good target, and Taylor Hebert's area of the city was currently considered the safest part of the city.
Because everyone who tried anything in that area heard disturbing noises, smelled things that caused survival instincts to start kicking in, and saw hints of motion where there should not be any such things.
Coil considered Cauldron's plans to set up some sort of fiefdom experiment and thought they'd apparently had some success. If Taylor Hebert wasn't running the city it was only because she'd find it more work than she wanted to deal with.
* Faultline *
"Excuse me. You want MY group to assassinate someone?" asked Faultline, her tone more bemused than anything else. "Someone who lives in Brockton Bay despite my statement that I don't take cases within the city? Not without significantly higher pay. The answer would be no, but who specifically are you putting the hit on."
The trashy-looking individual swallowed nervously, and then managed to speak. "Summoner. That Hebert gal."
The bemusement fell to the side. "Summoner. Someone whose 'other side buddies' have managed an impressive kill count on S-Ranked problems? Someone who Endbringers avoid? THAT Summoner?"
"Well, if you don't think you're competent for the job..." began the rumpled-looking man.
"No. Don't go there. You really don't. Everyone thinks the same thing. That Summoner is just a normal girl and if someone hires a sniper they can end her in a laughably quick and easy manner." Faultline cocked her head to the side a little despite the welding helmet making that difficult. "You are not hiring us for the purpose of going after Summoner. We are mercenaries, yes. We don't take jobs that have zero chance of surviving. If we even made the attempt, we would be lucky to die quickly. Our employer in such a case would die more slowly. That's you, by the way. I suspect that YOUR employer would envy both of us. Worse would be if you succeeded."
"But she's just a little girl," tried the rumpled one.
(Crick-crack.)
"Ah, it's too late for you, I'm afraid," said Faultline, sounding mildly apologetic. "Do try not to make a mess, please."
"What are y- AIGHHHH!"
Faultline, alone in her office now, sighed and shook her head. "As Voltaire once said. There is nothing common about common sense."
To her pleasant surprise, the suitcase with the consulting fee had been left behind despite having been handcuffed to the person's hand. It was nice to see that even Eldritch Horrors From Beyond Time understood the importance of making deals.
* PRT ENE HQ *
"-and that's how I'd suggest bringing this 'Summoner' in," summed up James Tagg.
The various directors in the conference videochat all stared for a moment.
"She asked her 'friends' to deal with the Simurgh," said Director Emily Piggot. "They did. It was as easy for them as plucking a daisy. Then they ATE an Endbringer."
"Which is exactly why we need to bring her under control," countered James Tagg. "She's too powerful to allow to go free."
"Maybe we can see about having them go to your city because we are not trying this in my city," stated Emily.
"No," said Rebecca Costa-Brown, the Chief Director wanting to stop this right away. "Summoner is herself only a normal human. Her 'friends' are not parahumans. We don't have jurisdiction over either."
"Not parahumans?" asked Tagg.
"What part of 'Eldritch Horrors From Beyond' did you not understand?" asked Director Armstrong. "Parahuman includes the word human. Those things? Never were."
* Medhall *
"So how do we deal with this... Summoner?" asked Max Anders as he sat down, his gaze going over the room.
"We don't," said Brad Meadows, showing no sign of Hookwolf's usual attitude. "We avoid. She's avoided us. We avoid her. We encounter her, we wish her a good day and get out of the area. Simple."
"Not going to say you can take her?" asked Alabaster.
"I could kill her easy enough. Catch her by surprise, slice her to ribbons, done." Brad Meadows shrugged. "Her friends might take offense to that. Probably would. People, even some tough capes from Germany, were throwing up just from one of those things talking. If we're taking any votes my vote is 'stay away from Crawling Nightmares that could kill the Simurgh in less than two minutes and only took that long because they wanted to enjoy the meal.' Just saying."
"Hardly expected you to be the voice of reason here," muttered Stormtiger.
"There's prey, there's predators, and then there's something like that. Alien. Doesn't fit into any category." Brad made a gesture towards Max's desk and the computer screen there. "There's video. Watch it. It doesn't even regard capes as something to pay attention to, much less normies. With one exception and that's Summoner. Who is kinda their pet or something. We're better off not being noticed by them, I'm thinking. Some people are really possessive about their pets, I'm thinking you do something to Summoner - you get noticed."
There was silence about that as everyone involved considered.
"Yup." "Uh huh." "I could see that, oddly enough." "Or they might ignore it altogether." "You want to risk it? I'm pretty sure you resetting would just prolong the agony."
* Honest Al's Used Cars *
Al swallowed nervously and considered how to get this customer to shop elsewhere. Any of his rivals would do.
Summoner was looking at used cars.
"Have you considered Sunshine Motors down the street? I think they've got some newer stuff in?"
Al Frunkle knew what he was. The usual customer who had an IQ value over room temperature generally had an idea when they entered the lot if not when they heard the name. He sold junker cars, had a huge markup on the listed price, allowed dickering over the price to bring it down to "still high for what it actually is but not ridiculously so", and had things cleaned (mostly) with a spritz of air freshener to cover those previous owner indiscretions.
"I'm pretty sure we don't have anything you'd like. Maybe the Honda dealer? We don't get many Hondas so they have a good track record regarding maintenance and mileage."
He wore a loud suit, usually manifested the sort of fast-talking high-pressure persona that you shouldn't trust around children or pets or any large sums of money. He made no illusions to cover that this was exactly the sort of business he ran. He still sold some. There were guys who liked to take junker cars and tune and fix up the cars to something halfway decent and then sell them. Good chunk of his business was that sort of thing. The other main customer type he got was the sort who wanted to go through the "sleazy used car" experience for whatever reason. He didn't pick bones - a sale was a sale.
"Heck, there's Freddy's place. It's two streets over almost in E88 territory. 'Rebellion Automotive'? It's because it's next to Empire territory, get it? He needs the money - pays protection to be overlooked by them - or to at least shoot as accurately as those guys in the movies."
Summoner glanced at him, her mask had added a fabric third eye to the uppermost part. It was obviously fabric and a stick-on. He still had the feeling that it was looking at him.
"Look, I'll give you the price as is - no haggling, as far down as I can go," said Al. "Just... move on afterwards. Please?"
"It runs?" said Summoner, her voice sounding as if there were multiple Things speaking all at the same time.
"Yes!" responded Al quickly.
"Good," spoke/gurgled/hissed Summoner.
A few minutes later, Summoner was driving her new pickup truck off the lot. A crack formed in mid-air and a tentacle stuck out. Taylor high-fived it and it retreated back across to the Otherwhere.
There were a couple of mechanics and an auto-painting place that had offered her some services because of the lack of gangs doing things that might attract her attention. Surprising her Dad with a fixed-up truck sounded like it would be easier than she thought.
And the voice thing had sealed the deal, so that had been a good idea too.
* Dschinghis Khan *
"No, we're not doing a Summoner song. It might get someone's attention."
"It's also not Eurobeat enough. Sounds more like a Disney song."
"'I've got friends on the Other Side' is catchy though."
"While I like getting attention, there's areas of attention I'd rather avoid."
* Brockton Bay *
Leviathan was on the move.
At first it was heading straight for Brockton Bay and they'd assembled to meet it.
"Why did it change course?" asked Eidolon.
Alexandria pointed. "Just a guess. But..."
Eidolon looked to where there was a gap in the group of heroes and one young girl there by herself. "Oh."
"New course determined. Looks like Leviathan is heading towards the Norfolk area," said Dragon's voice over the armbands.
Alexandria pushed a button on her armband. "Suggest all forces except Summoner teleport into the new staging area. Summoner can join when battle is actually underway and Leviathan is committed."
* Norfolk *
It had gone pretty much how she'd envisaged it.
Leviathan arrived, the fight was on. It appeared the target was the Naval shipyards. Damage. Destruction. Casualties.
Then Summoner arrived. Whatever Leviathan used for senses picked up on her presence within seconds. At which point Leviathan went directly towards Summoner's location, using powers that had not been seen previously. Capes suffered severe dehydration damage as fluids were sucked out of them, but few actual deaths because Leviathan was going at full speed.
The attack had just reached Summoner when her Friends reacted. Leviathan was very very fast. When her Friends were motivated, as they were now, they were faster. In grabbing Leviathan and pulling the Endbringer up and away. At which point they slowed down, toying with their food.
Watching the panic and frantic struggles of Leviathan as it was drawn into the crack in reality, well, Alexandria was pretty sure the pictures of that were being put up on the walls of people who had suffered from the Citykiller's previous rampages. Alexandria herself had looked into Leviathan's seven eyes and thought she might have imagined a silent plea for mercy.
Not that she had any mercy for an Endbringer.
The golden glow appearing in the air indicated the day wasn't done with problems.
* Scion *
The pattern was being disrupted. Again.
There had been repeated shudders in multiple timelines and the dimensional walls had been broached by something. Most likely candidate was one of the others of his kind. There had been a brief hope that a replacement for Thinker had arrived and noted his lack of a partner.
Then Conflict Engine #3 had vanished. Followed now by Conflict Engine #2. Investigation had led to this one.
An individual insect among the teeming masses. One who might have the requisite Shard the True Species had been looking for to continue feeding without restraint.
Destroying the host so that the Shard could be harvested was step one. A yellow beam was fired that should have eliminated the Host and the building it was located atop.
The beam stopped a good four meters from the target. Analysis indicated a dimensional fold had intercepted the energies, shunting it into the small spaces.
Easily corrected for. The next blast was sent with three course corrections, zigzagging in a pattern that the primitives would not be able to anticipate.
Except they apparently did.
Scion cocked his head, his emulation of the insects automatically conveying his curiosity and frustration. Well, if you weren't hitting the nail hard enough then the solution was obvious.
Hit harder.
Twelve beams shot out, twisting and bending in their courses, all eventually heading to the target host.
The beams were again intercepted and Scion noticed that the other insects were all scattering away with very few exceptions. There was some indication of a fear response among them, not unexpected.
One of the beams had continued, control of it suborned somehow. Now the energy level was increasing steadily, again without his control.
Scion frowned and tried to cut the attack off. Instead the power being emitted increased by a factor of 1000. Also, the aperature that it was vanishing into was actually moving along the beam's path towards him.
Impertinant.
He tried to redirect the beam, at this level it should eliminate a good portion of this continental plate.
The aperature into the small spaces simply moved along with the beam as it continued up the path towards him. If anything it was moving faster.
Scion tried to cut the beam again. Again it failed to stop. Next he tried throwing more energy at it, going straight to worldbreaking levels. He'd only be able to manage this for a brief time but...
The aperature had sped up and was now almost upon him. It... seemed hungry?
More beams sent out to stab at the apparently dangerous host now. All failed, this time as soon as the beams were emitted and within one meter of emission.
Scion tried to flee, traversing dimensions away from the difficulty in order to analyze and respond appropriately.
This was his last mistake.
The golden man projection dropped to the ground on his knees, threw back his head and screamed.
And then he was simply not there any longer.