A BADGE shuttle flew over, mingling with the rescue helicopters. With Nova sat five BADGE workers in yellow vests. A small screen hovered in the air with the ZNN news. The woman on the screen spoke as their cameras took in the same sights below them right now.
“This is what remains of Poseidon Island, the once popular destination for tourists from around the world. The massive Earthquake that struck the area defies all conventional seismological data. There have been no threats in the recorded data from sensors planted throughout the area. There has never been a quake of this magnitude in this part of the Gulf of Mexico. So far, the death toll has reached seventeen hundred and is expected to continue to climb throughout the night. Not one building remains standing and most of the infrastructure underground was demolished by the strange style of quake the struck. Eyewitnesses reported some kind of foreign insurgent forces surrounded the island, but at this time, official sources can not corroborate this. Rescue workers are needed as…”
Nova turned the holoscreen off. “Pilot, are we detecting any signal from the BADGE shuttle we sent here with Gar and Agent Justin?”
The pilot checked the communication logs. “I’m picking up a weak signal from the shuttle’s beacon.”
“Get us as close to that as you can.”
Nova watched while they came in closer to the piles of rubble that were once Poseidon Island. There was a bright flash and then an echoed popping sound. Everyone looked up to see the medical ship, USNS Mercy, appear near the wrecked docks. The Coast Guard immediately went to work constructing a floating bridge and make-shift docking ramp. Two heroes zoomed off the upper deck of the dock, heading for this shuttle.
Once the shuttle got nearer to the ground, Nova opened the hatch and the BADGE workers jumped out to the most stable place they could find. He ordered them, “Go, help the rescue teams. Stay in touch with BADGE. Heroes will arrive at all times, work with them.” They charged into action.
Starmaster and Strange Quark arrived, hovering above the ground. Starmaster said, “I did it, I transported an entire boat. That made my head dizzy.”
“With a little help from me.” Quark added.
“Good work, both of you. Right now, I need to find Gar and Justin. They’re still missing.”
“No contact yet?” Quark asked.
“Nothing. We’re right near where their shuttles beacon pinged the sensors.”
Quark turned a new shade as his body beamed brighter. “I’ll find them.” He flew away, emitting that light over the ground.
Starmaster almost said something when he dropped down. He vanished and then reappeared with a woman in his arms. “She’s still alive. God knows how many are still alive under this rubble.”
“Get her to the Mercy and join the rescue teams. They need all the help they can get.”
“Will do.” He vanished in a flash of light.
“NOVA!” Quark called out from a short distance away.
“Move us!” Nova barked, and the shuttle shifted to where Quark waved.
“I can sense them, down here.”
“You sure?”
Quark nodded. “I know Gar’s energy better than anyone. Wait... I got this.” He grew in size ten times and then reached down and peeled back the fallen walls and lampposts. With great pitches he threw the debris far into the ocean, blocks away. Finally, he uncovered Gar, who was bent over, covering himself with his wings.
“GAR!” Nova called out.
Gar looked up, revealing that he was hunched over a bloody and unconscious Justin. Gar gave a pitiful plea, “he is not well.”
“Get him to the shuttle, now.”
Quark shrunk down and then put his hands on both Gar and Justin. They all flashed and were now in the back of the shuttle.
Nova shut the door and then ordered, “get us back to the station.”
***
There was an uneasy quiet in the corridor. Gar stood still, looking at the door of the infirmary with unwavering eyes. Quark paced in the form of a duck, and Chase approached from another part of the station.
“How is he?” she asked.
Gar said, “I don’t know.”
Just then, the doors opened and Nova came out. “Agent Justin is going to make it. His injuries weren’t as severe as they looked.”
Quark flashed back into his human form. “Whew, that’s good news.”
“What we need to know is what the hell happened?” Nova asked as he started down the corridor with the others.
Chase said, “That’s why I’m here. There is something you need to see.”
They hurried through the station to the operations center. Dr. Stone worked with a robot, using his sensors while the screen at the front had a frozen image on it, looking down at the destruction on Poseidon Island.
Gar looked at the screen. “A picture of the island?”
Chase said, “It’s more than that. We were able to piece together a video from surveillance satellites.”
“Play it.” Nova ordered.
The image changed, reversing quickly backward through the destruction. Finally, it stopped and moved forward. First it zoomed in on the street near the Fight Club.
“This is just before the battle breaks out.” Chase said.
The video quickly moved through the initial battle and then followed Arx and Supernatural as they fought.
“Here!” Chase motioned toward a robot. “Watch this carefully.”
Everyone was almost breathless as the video zoomed in close to Arx. He placed his hands on the ground and the earthquake started. The video slowly zoomed back out as the waves of Earth rolled and leveled everything in its path.
“Dear god!” Nova whispered.
Dr. Stone came up with a computer tablet. “I have analyzed all the data from those sensors. Arx currently is exhibiting high levels of morphonic energy, the highest I’ve ever registered in any living creature, even those avatar things.”
Nova said, “then it’s true. They’re harvesting the avatars to give him power. What about Supernatural and Strength?”
Chase said, “All monitoring systems in orbit went offline just after this. It appeared to be some kind of glitch, but it happened to multiple systems at a precise time. Which means someone wanted to cut visual. The next video we have started after the rescue began. So far, none of our rescue teams have found anything left from those mercenaries, Arx, or either of the avatars. It’s as if they were never there. If we didn’t have the video of their initial arrival, we couldn’t even prove they were there.”
Nova said, “we must assume that they were taken, which means they have five of the six avatars. We have to protect Magic and we have to find where they took the others.”
Chase said, “sir, we can’t find any other signatures like before. I think they might already have the Magic avatar.”
“I’m not so certain. Arx is not displaying any magic related powers. Somehow, Magic has hidden itself, and we need to find it before they do. If they get Magic, we may not be able to stop whatever plans they have.”
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