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Posted by Blue Beetle
on 8/19/2008, 11:59 am
76.84.93.240
"Now!" I watch as Red Arrow shouts the order. Roy's really matured over the years. In accordance with his command both Speedy and Conner Hawke let a volley of arrows fly towards the blue skin cyclops called an OMAC. The arrows don't pierce the nanite comprised shell but they do annoy the creature.
"I think we got its attention!" Speedy yells the OMAC turning toward the three defenders of Star City. Its eye glows red as it analyzes the new players on the field. They scramble as a concentrated blast of ionic energy scorches the air. Concrete and pieces of the Gorilla Habitat fly into the air. I can hear the tiny chunks of concrete and plaster as they ricochet off the cloaked hall of the Bug.
"Damnit." I want to help, I want to go down there and fight with them considering. This is partially my fault afterall. Not all of it though, most of the blame rests on Waller's wide shoulders.
"Relax Kord; we have more agents on the way. It took a few favors but Stark has been kind enough to loan us a few S.H.I.E.L.D Cape Killers. They're fifteen minutes out." Osborn's voice booms out of the Bug's internal speakers, it's almost loud enough to drown out the sound of the battle below me.
"I can help." I plead, trying to reassure myself that I can make a difference. Osborn doesn't care one way or another. Luthor used nanite technology to create the first versions of the OMAC virus. While the virus itself has mutated it still operates on the same basic principles. I've spent the last two days going over all the files that Waller was kind enough to declassify when I threatened to take the true story the Black Queen.
"I hate to say it but we need you alive, and that OMAC down there will only kill you just like it's about..." I don't hear Osborn finish instead I hit the port side of the Bug. The explosion from below rocking my transport back and fourth. Dashing towards the front of the ship I watch as a cloud of smoke billows up into the sky. Standing in the center of a crater, that I'm pretty sure wasn't there five minutes ago is the OMAC. I see Red Arrow and Speedy lying on the outskirts of it. Conner is holding his arm, judging from his limp I'd say his leg is broken. Her body hangs limp in the OMAC's arm, even with her powers she couldn't take it down, what are a bunch of Cape Killers going to do to it?
"Eight minutes till S.H.I.E.L.D's arrival." Osborn says forcing me to turn my attention away from the fight and to the screen with his image on it.
"It'll be over in two." I stare the image of him down.
"Calm down Maverick. The U.N. hasn't authorized us to engage in this operation. If you go down there you will not only be jeopardizing your position but the...." I turn off the screen, cutting his triad short. S.H.I.E.L.D is supposed to have authority over matters that occur on United States soil, while Checkmate is supposed to keep out of it unless otherwise told. They are to run their operations off the record, quickly and quietly, the delicate sword to S.H.I.E.L.D's, sometimes obtuse, hammer.
I pull the blue gloves tighter over my hands, after the last couple of months it feels good to be back in uniform. I see the world through the familiar yellow, slightly golden tint. As the small bay door opens, I briefly realize that Osborn was being a voice of reason, a fact which scares me more then fighting the machine designed to kill me. The smell of smoke and ash tingles my nostrils as the wind whips around below. I place my hand on the steel bar, connected to the Sky-Line, my gloves sealing themselves to it magnetically.
I jump through the hatch taking out my BB gun in the process, after two days of looking over the files for weaknesses, I might have found one. I just need one shot. I land on the ground to meters away from the epicenter of the crater, my knees absorbing most of the impact for better or worse.
The woman it holds I recognize immediately, Vixen, a member of the League. It's been a couple years since I've talked to her, although she's graced the cover of many magazines since then. A beauty like hers is hard to find.
"Hey there." I say, my tone is firm. I'm not sure that's a concept the OMAC understands. "Put her down. Once chance."
It stares at me; I can see my reflection in its red eye. It raises Vixen higher into the air; she gasps for breath, her mind is to scattered to call on her powers, to use them to break free.
"Ok then." I fire my BB gun, instead of a compressed blast of air I fire a very precise EMP. OMAC's are constantly adapting, Luthor designed them pretty well. The inventor in me wants to tip my hat to the psychopath. The blast hits its arm shorting the nanites which make it up, I see the exposed skin from the host, it's discolored with a gray hue. Not the shot I was hoping for but it will have to work.
Vixen falls to the ground, she uses the opportunity to try and regain her bearings. The short the EMP causes in the nanites is only good for a minute, a minute and half at most. I swear I can almost see a scowl on the OMAC's face as the red eye in the center of its head glows. I barely have time to dodge it; I tumble behind a broken pillar.
"AHHHHHHH!" The scream is in human, it's the sound of pure pain a part of me is grateful, another part is sick. I stand up to see Vixen's mouth wrapped around the discolored arm. The OMAC falls to the ground as she lets go, the blue armor that had surrounded it falls off in rather large chunks before liquefying. I walk over and look at the two bite marks. Vixen wipes her mouth, a little blood trickling out of the side.
"Rattle snake?" I question looking at her, she's a little taller then I am.
"King Cobra." She smiles back running a hand through her short black hair. "Thought you were dead Beetle?"
"You don't know how often I've been getting that these days." I smirk, hearing the sound of heels as a woman dressed in civilian clothes runs towards us.
"JOHN! JOHN!" The words are shouted between sobs. She falls to the ground besides her husband. The wedding bands on their fingers a dead give away. "Is he...?"
"He'll be fine; there are S.H.I.E.L.D agents on their way. The remaining nanites in his blood stream will neutralize the venom." I try to assure the spouse, it doesn't work. She's more hysterical now then she was before.
"You had me worried." I recognize the gruff voice immediately. The white shirt he's wearing is torn, so are his jeans. Red Arrow, Speedy and Conner all walk behind him. I watch Vixen run towards the older man and embrace him. He's worse then Hal sometimes. I wonder what Dinah thinks about this? Bet he hasn't even told her.
"No hug for me?" I ask shaking the breaded man's arm.
"You know me, one woman guy." He wraps his arm around her waist.
"I thought I told you to get out of here." She looks him in the eyes, Dinah used to give him the same look.
"Damsel in distress, someone had to look out for her while you were playing hero." He gives her the same answer.
"What was that thing Beetle?" Red Arrow asks, his bow still drawn and arrow ready. The tip of the arrow is pointed at the unconscious man.
"Something very bad." I reply as the Cape Killers drop down from the sky, surrounding all of us.
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