The Strike Trilogy (63 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

T
o the east of Boston Common, where Tobin and the rest of the heroes had first emerged over three hours ago, the giant, swirling portal once again reappeared, dropping off a group of passengers from Capricious. Only this time, it wasn’t Tobin, or the rebels, or the animal warriors, or Junior in his mech suit. This time, it was Scatterbolt, Jennifer, Chad, and Keplar Junior.

From where the group was standing, a few hundred feet away from Boston Common, they could see the results of the battle. The trees of the park were either set ablaze or burnt down to ashes, and a few of the more powerful superheroes and villains were still fighting it out, exchanging devastating punches and bright, exploding energy blasts. Above it all, at the opposite end of the park from the skyscraper, Rigel hovered, engulfed in blue flames and watching the destruction.

“My god,” Jennifer said, the glow of the fires lighting up her face.

“How did this happen?” Chad asked quietly. “How has anyone survived this?”

“Look, there.” Scatterbolt pointed to Rigel in the sky. “Rigel is at the other end of the Common. That will give us time to get to the skyscraper.”

“How?” Chad asked. “How will we get there without anyone seeing?”   Scatterbolt flipped open a silver panel on his arm. Instantly, a holographic map of Boston Common appeared, floating above his wrist.

“Luckily, seeing as how I’m a robot and all, I’ve got a pretty good GPS.”

A little route was then drawn on the map, marked in red dots. The route traveled along a street outside of Boston Common, avoiding the battle.

“C’mon,” Scatterbolt said. “We’re going around Boston Common where we’ll be safe, and then we’ll head into the Trident by the back.”

Three minutes later, the group was walking down a quiet, deserted Harrison street to the south of the park. There wasn’t a person anywhere to be seen—only empty parked cars and darkened storefronts—but to their right, the group could still hear the dull sounds of battle and see the glow of fire above the Common.

Scatterbolt and Keplar Junior led the way, with the little robot keeping a close eye on all street corners and alleyways, while Jennifer and Chad followed nervously behind, staying close by one another in the eerily still city. All was quiet and nobody spoke, until the group came upon the smoking, burnt carcass of a Rytonian Rebel, lying on his stomach.

“My god, he ended up all the way over here?” Chad said, his voice tight. “How did he end up here? We’re so far from the battle.”

“Is that a Rytonian Rebel?” Jennifer asked.

Chad grasped at his stomach, hunching over. “Oh my god, I’m gonna be sick.”

“C’mon, guys,” Scatterbolt said, in front of the others. “Don’t look and keep moving. We aren’t that far from—hold on. Wait.”

Scatterbolt held up his hand. Jennifer and Chad stopped behind him.

“What, what is it?” Chad asked.

“Shhh,” Scatterbolt said, holding a finger to his mouth. Then, using his other hand, he pointed at the street in front of them.

Ahead of the group, about a hundred feet away, a Hooded Gore was rummaging through a trashcan on the sidewalk, flinging garbage to the ground with its clawed, vulture-like hands. As it hung over the edge of the can with its feet in the air, the demon was mumbling to itself.

Then, suddenly, as Scatterbolt stepped forward, the Gore stopped searching through the can and looked up. It slowly turned to Scatterbolt. Its red eyes were glowing in its hood.

After a long, sharp hiss from its snout, the Gore charged at Scatterbolt, in a rage. As it neared the group, with its claws raised, Chad screamed and hid behind Scatterbolt, while Jennifer cringed and looked away.

Calmly, Scatterbolt raised his hand. When the Gore was only seconds away from pouncing on him, the robot fired a glob of black oil from his palm. The sticky gunk hit the Gore and sent it flying backward, where it tumbled onto the pavement and eventually stuck there, covered in the black oil from head to clawed-toe.   Walking quickly toward the ensnared Gore, Scatterbolt continued firing his globs of oil, until the demon was completely immobile underneath a big pile of black gunk. With one last shot, Scatterbolt hit the Gore in the mouth, ending its ear-splitting screeching.

When the street was once again silent, Jennifer opened her eyes and looked back to the Gore. It now looked like a featureless, five-foot-tall growth on the sidewalk, slightly moving from side-to-side underneath the tar.

After walking up to the sticky mound, Scatterbolt kicked it with his toe, making sure the Gore was trapped.

“Nasty little guys, aren’t they?” the robot said. “Okay, let’s keep moving. We better make this quick. There might be more of them.”

Chad turned to Jennifer. “More of them? Did he say more of them?”

Outside, at the front of the skyscraper, the battle was surprisingly quiet. As Tobin and Orion crouched behind a stonewall, hoping for a shot at Rigel the next time the giant made a pass overhead, the boy peered out over the top of the wall. He noticed not many of the heroes or villains were around.

Then, Keplar’s voice sounded in Tobin’s earpiece.

“O, we gotta figure something out here. Most of us have retreated into the buildings like you said, but nothing’s working against the guy—not even our most powerful can slow him down. We can’t keep this up forever.”

“He’s only one man,” Orion said. “If we keep hitting him, all of us, there will have to be an opening where we can—”

“Good god,” Tobin said, standing up.

The boy looked to the eastern area of the Common, where a blue light was glowing in the air and coming nearer. As expected, Rigel was hovering toward them in the sky. But, this time, it wasn’t Rigel that made Tobin’s heart skip a beat.

Underneath the floating giant, marching in formation, there were dozens of Eradicators, lined up in perfect rows. Many of them were the same Eradicators that had been defeated by Tobin and the other heroes earlier in the battle, but now the robots were back on their feet and reanimated—and all of them were glowing with blue electricity. The black-armored, gas mask-wearing robots were directly under the control of Rigel.

“I control everything,” the red giant said from the sky. “It’s like I always told you, Orion: I was meant to bring order to the universe. I am the only one who can see what strengthens the universe, and what poisons it. I am the one with the power of judgment.”

The electricity-swarmed Eradicators marched toward Tobin and Orion and fired their wrist-mounted laser blasters. However, the robotic soldiers were more powerful than ever—instead of green lasers, their weapons now fired concentrated bursts of blue electricity. The old man and the boy dove for cover.

“Your judgment has come,” Rigel said. “Earth and its protectors must die. For the continued life of the universe.”

Rigel rose into the air, with his arms outstretched and the blue-and-white electricity growing around him.

“Vincent’s new world has been born,” the red giant said.

Ducking from the Eradicators’ electric blasts, Orion shouted into his earpiece.

“Power levels eight and above, return to battle! Re-engage! All others tend to the wounded and wait for my word!”

From all around the Common, Tobin watched the superheroes reemerge from the surrounding buildings—flying and dashing to their aid against the Eradicators and Rigel.

But Tobin knew it would not be enough. He knew this was all going to come down to him. He was the only one who could stop Rigel. The other heroes could keep hitting the red giant, but Tobin knew he was the only one who had any chance of surviving a fight with him.

“I’m going to give us ten minutes to try and get through to him,” Orion said into his communicator. “If we can’t weaken Rigel by then, you’re getting out of here, Tobin. Earth’s only chance for survival beyond today is you. You have to get to safety if—”

“Orion, I’m not going anywhere. I’m with you guys now, to the end. That’s how it has to be.”

“This is still about the Daybreaker, Tobin. Rigel was never supposed to be the Daybreaker, no matter what he says. The real Daybreaker is still in that skyscraper somewhere, and he is still the key to this fight. We need you safe, so when the time comes, you can confront him with your bo-staff and send him—”

“Orion, right now, dozens of my friends—and some people I haven’t even met before yesterday—are fighting for me. I can’t just leave them here to fight and run off to—”

Orion ignored him. “Ten minutes, Tobin. If things are still headed this way, you and the strongest of the others need to escape back to Capricious. A new strategy will have to be formed, for the long term.”

Tobin looked across the battlefield toward Orion. “I’m not giving up yet, O. We can still take Rigel down and—”

A burst of blue fire hit the ground from above, sending Orion flying backward.

“Orion!” Tobin yelled. Another blue explosion of flames erupted in front of the boy, and he had to dive out of the way. Looking up, he saw Rigel hovering over him.

“I am the Earth’s destiny,” the red giant said. “For 6 billion years, this world has been leading toward this moment.

“The past does not have to die. Everything that is gone can be remade, the same as it was before. We will all live in peace once again.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

S
oon, Scatterbolt, Jennifer, Chad, and Keplar Junior reached the eastern side of the skyscraper. As they peered around the corner of the building and looked to its rear entrance, they could see that scientists and other government workers were still dashing out of it, carrying personal possessions and running into a swirling portal behind the building, which was being watched over by two Rytonian guards. Because Scatterbolt and the others were much closer to the Common now, the sounds of the battle were much louder.

“Look,” Chad said. “People are running out of the building. Do you think we should be going in?”

Floating in the air thanks to his head-mounted helicopter, Scatterbolt jammed his metallic fingers underneath a window on the side of the skyscraper. Soon, with a loud
CLICK!
, he was able to pop the window open.

“There,” the robot said, landing on the ground. “Head in, be as inconspicuous as possible, and try to get to the top of the building. That’s where the Daybreaker should be.”

Giving Jennifer a hand, the little robot boosted her up into the open window.

“No one should realize who you are because you’ll just blend in with the other Rytonians,” Scatterbolt said. “Luckily, they aren’t all green-skinned. Plus, with all the chaos going on, no one should give you a second look, anyway.”

“What?” Chad said. “You’re not going in with her?”

“No, I can’t. My face has been on wanted posters all over this place for months. Plus, I’m a little robot. I won’t blend in as much as Jen.”

“And what am I gonna do?” Chad asked. “Should I go talk to the Daybreaker, too?”

“No, he’s already seen you on the island navy base. He might think it’s a trick or something. Jen’s gonna have to go on her own.”

“Are you sure?” Chad looked to Jen. She was already in the skyscraper, peering out the window. “Jen, are you okay with that?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. You just stay here with Scatterbolt.”

Scatterbolt pointed to a nearby flower shop, across the street from the open window of the Trident. “Me, Chad, and Keplar Junior will be right over there, Jen, across the street and hiding in that shop. Chad, you stay with me and don’t move. I’m in enough trouble as it is.”

“You don’t have to worry about me going anywhere,” Chad replied. “Just make sure you’re nearby.”

“I will,” Scatterbolt said. “And Jennifer?”

The robot turned to the window. Jennifer looked back at him.

“Good luck,” Scatterbolt told her.

Seconds later, Jennifer was quickly making her way down a dark hallway in the skyscraper, heading toward the main lobby. Due to the ongoing battle outside, the electricity in the building kept going out—every few seconds, the lights would flicker on-and-off, as power surges ran through the building. To make matters worse, the floor underneath Jennifer’s feet continuously trembled, shaking to various degrees with each explosion or energy blast from the war being waged near the building’s front entrance.

However, luckily for Jennifer, the battle was having one important positive side effect: just like Scatterbolt had predicted, hardly any of the Rytonian scientists or government workers were looking at Jennifer twice as they ran toward the rear exit of the building, even though they were all traveling in the opposite direction and Jennifer was the only person heading deeper into the skyscraper.

Surrounded by the panicked Rytonians, and as scared and as nervous as she’d ever been, Jennifer finally reached the building’s main lobby. To her left, directly across from the building’s main entrance, she spotted a golden-doored elevator. Taking a deep breath, she quickly walked toward it, but she was soon stopped by a Rytonian scientist carrying a large box.

“Hey! Where are you going?” the man asked her, grabbing her arm. He looked her up and down. “Do you work here or something?”

“Yes,” Jennifer replied, pulling away from him. “I have to—I have to go up to the top floor.”

The man furrowed his brow. “What are you, nuts? Can’t you see this whole city is coming down on our heads?” The man grabbed her arm again and pulled her away from the lobby, back toward where she came from. “We’re evacuating. Come on, there’s an escape portal in the rear of the building.”

“No!” Jennifer shouted. She pulled away from the man again and pushed him away.

The man was shocked, confused. “Are you crazy? The building’s being evacuated!”

“I know, but I have to get up to the top floor,” Jennifer said, trying to calm down and catch her breath. “Please. Someone—one of my family members is stuck up there. Can you help me get to the top floor?”

“One of your family members?”

“Yes.”

The man looked at her, then shook his head.

“Here. This will get you to the top floor.” He tossed her a key card from his pocket. “It’s your funeral. I still say you better get out of here while you still can.”

Jennifer took the key and walked past the man, quickly making her way into the elevator. Once inside, she waited for the doors to close, and then inserted her key card into a slot at the very top of the buttons. After a light above the key slot blinked green, the elevator began to rise.

Only ten seconds later, Jennifer was at the top floor, and the doors opened. Stepping out, she walked into a small lobby. It was nicely decorated with flowers, paintings, and comfortable furniture, but there was nobody nearby. Looking at her surroundings, Jennifer saw that there were four hallways leading away from the lobby. She didn’t know which way led to the Daybreaker and there were no signs, so she would just have to pick one and hope it led her where she needed to go. If not, she would just have to head back to the lobby and try again.

But then, just as Jennifer stepped toward one of the hallways on her left, she heard a loud voice call out.

“Hey!”

Jennifer turned around. A six-foot-tall, two-hundred-and-fifty-pound, green-skinned security guard was walking toward her, emerging from one of the other hallways.

“What are you doing here?” he shouted. “How did you get up here?”

Jennifer felt her knees buckle. “I—I just used the key and I—”

The guard snatched the key from her hand.

“Where did you get this? How did you get into this building? Where is your identification?”

The guard grabbed Jennifer by her wrist and whipped out a scanner device from his pocket. He then pointed the black machine in her eyes, shining a light into her face. She turned her head to the side and tried to pull away from him.

“Please, I just—I just—”

The scanner in the guard’s hand beeped. Its screen read: NO ID ON FILE.

“You’re coming with me,” the guard said. “You shouldn’t be up here.”

“No, please!” Jennifer pulled on her arm, trying to free it from the guard. “I need to—I can explain—”

The guard brought her toward the elevator.

“I’m sure you’re confused with all the madness going on,” he said, “but that’s no excuse to sneak up here and—”

The elevator door opened. Jennifer knew this was her only shot. “Please, I’m here to see the Daybreaker,” she said. “Please. I’m his friend. You have to believe me.”

Jennifer finally freed her wrist and maneuvered away, stepping back into the center of the lobby. The guard was not happy.

“Look,” he said, reaching for the stun gun on his belt. “You better just come back here and go with me. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

Jennifer began to cry. She was running out of time. “I’m here to see the Daybreaker. I’m his friend. I need to talk to him. Please.”

The guard grew more concerned. He placed his hand on his walkie-talkie.

“What are you talking about? What do you mean, ‘his friend?’”

“I’m his friend, since before all of this,” Jennifer said desperately. “Before you all came here. And I need to speak to him. Please, please help me.”

“Who are you?” the guard asked, his voice raised. “How’d you get up here?”

Jennifer threw her hands up. It wasn’t working. What else could she do? “I already told you,” she replied, shaking her head, trying to hold back the tears.

The guard was suspicious. He wasn’t buying it. He pulled his walkie-talkie off his belt. “Hold on. You stay right there. I’m calling this in. Don’t move.”

Suddenly, Jennifer heard a voice to her left.

“Wait.”

Jennifer turned in the voice’s direction. A pretty, green-skinned girl with blonde hair and brown eyes was standing there, wearing a nurse’s uniform. She looked young, Jennifer thought, not much older than her.

The nurse stepped forward, toward Jennifer and the guard.

“I know who this is,” the nurse said to the guard. “Rigel told me she would be coming.”

“You do?” the guard asked, surprised. “He did?”

“Yes,” the nurse replied. “She has vital information for the Daybreaker on the next phase of the battle. It’s important that she speak to the Daybreaker right away. I suggest you let her through.”

The guard thought it over. “Okay. But I’m still calling this into headquarters.”

As the guard pushed a button on his walkie-talkie and waited for a response, the nurse took Jennifer by the hand and brought her down one of the hallways.

“Thank you,” Jennifer said, confused, looking at the nurse. “Who are you? Why did you do that?”

Nurse Somerset stopped and turned to her. “Are you really the Daybreaker’s friend? From before all of this?”

“Yes,” Jennifer replied. “Where is he? Do you know where he is?”

“Come on,” Nurse Somerset replied. “We don’t have much time.”