Heroes Rising Fiction: Mythic Chase part 7

Part 7

Chase and Gar arrived at HQ and found the place bustling with activity. Heroes were coming and going while the robots scurried everywhere.

“You need to go to the medical bay,” Chase said.

Gar shook his head, “I am fine. Feeling gone.”

“If you are sure.”

Suddenly several heroes rushed by, then other robots came through with stacks of computer tablets. Even Gar seemed bemused by this flurry.

“What’s going on?” Chase asked.

Gar shook his head, “I do not know. This is how the place looked when Krampus was active.”

“This isn’t good. Come on.” She led the way toward the operations center.

Nova stood in the center of several screens displaying activity across the planet. Several were showing some kind of battle in a densely populated town.

“What’s happening?” Chase asked.

“See for yourself.” He held a hand out toward the monitor.

People were dashing around while a dust cloud billowed down the street. The drone capturing this rose higher and the moment she saw the person in the center of this destruction, she gasped.

“Cupid?”

“Yup.”

Cupid swung around an ax that had hearts on the head of the blades. He screamed and then brought the ax down on the stone street, demolishing a huge section of the old road and sending a wave of energy out that flung people and cars in the air. He flew up on his enormous white wings and slashed his ax down right into the back of a screaming woman.

“OH GOD!” Chase covered her mouth.

“She won’t die.” Nova calmly stated.

To her surprise, she saw the woman fall to her knees and then began wailing and wringing her hands.

Gar asked, “What has he done?”

“We can’t be certain, it makes little sense. But, instead of killing people, those impacted by his attacks go into dire sorrow and fear.”

Gar said, “That is what Quark talked about. He lost all happiness.”

“We’ve already connected the dots. But, we don’t know how to face this. He has lost his mind. Some local heroes have been trying to combat him, but he is damn good. I’ve seen no one fight like this since the last documented battle with Legions best.”

Chase spent a moment watching the horror, then her mind went back to Santa. “His bow, he needs his bow.”

“What?”

“Santa told me that Cupid needed the bow returned. I think he means that if we give the bow back to him, he will come to his senses.”

Nova nodded, “I was worried about that. We have to get that bow and then stop Cupid long enough to...Gar, what’s wrong?”

Gar’s wings were slumped and he swayed for a moment. “Director, I...I do not...” he grasped his chest and fell to his knees and then hit the ground entirely.

“GAR!” Chase came to him. “Come on, wake up!” She was slapping his face. “He’s cold!”

“He’s always cold.” Nova pressed a button, “MEDIC TO COMMAND CENTER, BRING A HIGH-POWERED LIFT!” He rushed over and held Gar’s shoulder, “What happened to him? I’ve never seen him hurt.”

“Some kind of shadowy arrow hit him from that bow.” Chase whispered, “He was protecting me.” She gulped and asked, “Is he dead?”

Nova sighed, “I don’t know. He doesn’t have a pulse and he doesn’t breathe. Dammit, this villain has made me mad.”

Just then two medical robots arrived with a special lift for especially large people. They spent a long moment picking up the heavy stone man and then carted him away.

Nova walked back to his monitors, “I’m gonna make that jackass pay. Give me his location, I’ll send everyone we have there to get this bow and bring this guy in if there’s enough left of him.”
Chase walked over to him and said, “I’ll tell you what I know under one condition.”

“I already promised you a clean slate, that...”

“No, not that. I want you to help get the bow.”

“What? Why?”

“No one has ever protected me with his own life. I have always been out for myself and thought everyone else was the same. He had no reason to protect me, I’m still on BADGE’s wanted list for Christ’s sake! Yet he did and now...he could be dead. I will get that bow back after I have pinned that jerk in both eyes.”

Nova gave her a half-cocked smile, “I like the passion. Fine. Give us a location and I will let you join the team going directly from HQ.”

She pulled out a blade and smiled back, “It’ll be my pleasure.”