Justin led the team into the Operations center where the main viewscreen was covered in small video feeds already.
“Oh my God, what are those?” Chase paused at the sight of the monsters attacking the city.
Justin frowned. “Are those... dragons?”
Torrik walked down to the front of the room. “No, those are Wyverns. And those other creatures are
wild goblins, and...” He seemed lost for a moment as the images played out. “This isn’t possible. This is simply not possible!”
“Do you know what this is?” Justin asked.
Torrik nodded, “There is a space between our worlds. We call it The Great Divide.”
EB said, “You told us about that. It keeps the bad people from getting across.”
“Yes. It is a barrier to protect each side from the other. To cross it is dangerous. There are many guardians who protect it. Those creatures attacking that strange dome in the ice are from the divide. But the problem is, they’re not supposed to leave and they know it. It is a wild and dangerous place, but it actually does have some accepted order.”
Gar said, “Obviously, something has gone wrong.”
A robot announced, “Incoming transmission: New Meta City.”
“Put it through.”
A window on the screen opened that was bigger than the rest. The tired face of a disheveled woman appeared. She had white hair and eyes with no pupils. “Oh, thank goodness. Our communication system has been damaged. We jury-rigged this to get through.”
“Mayor Messenger, what is the situation?”
“We aren’t sure. One of our citizens went out to do a routine check of the system and a dragon attacked her. She barely survived the attack by unleashing her super power, which nearly killed her to use. Fortunately, her power detection system alerted us and we got her to the hospital just before the full assault started. We have been under direct attack for hours.”
There was a loud explosion behind the mayor and she looked to the side as the video feed fuzzed. “Oh, god! The west defense plates are buckling.” The image fuzzed more as she desperately called out, “We need help, send... “ the line was cut.
“Torrik,” Justin turned and gave the Satyr a severe look, “Is this an invasion?”
Torrik shook his head, “No. Not on our end. I don’t know what is happening, but those creatures should not be attacking outside The Great Divide.”
EB said, “I may think he’s a flirt and needs to put on pants, but I trust him.”
Chase asked, “What would Nova do?”
Justin looked at the screen for a moment and then said, “No, what will Justin do is all that matters right now. Chase, EB, take Torrik with you and get there ASAP. Bring with you medical supplies and a portal shield emitter. New Meta City is under our protection and we will not let it fall. I will summon the heroes. This may not be a planned invasion, but it is an invasion and we will stop it.”
Gar asked, “What about Lady Echidna?”
Torrik said, “I know she is behind this. This is just like her, to set off something terrible to distract everyone. Do not devote everything to her distraction. Protect yourselves from whatever she has planned.”
Justin nodded. “I will. But lives are at stake, and that is paramount. Please, hurry, there is little time to waste discussing this.”
Chase led EB and Torrik out of Operations in a hurry, but Justin stopped Gar before he followed.
“No, you stay.”
“Why?”
Justin watched and waited until the others left. “I have a special mission for you.” He walked with Gar up to the door that led into Director’s office.
A blistering wind raced around both Lady Echidna and Nova as they stood outside their landed shuttle. A smile of satisfaction sat on their faces as they watched the many mythical beasts raining terror down on the dome of New Meta City. Some beasts fought with each other while a few raced off into the distance.
Nova said, “It seems we have started something quite amusing.”
“I started it. You’re merely an observer of my brilliance.” Lady Echidna quipped.
“I stand corrected.”
“Ah, but you are correct in calling this amusing. Those beasts have sat far too long, waiting for something to come along and tease their delight. Just a small taste of my darkness, and they are feral beyond control.”
“BADGE will not know how to handle them quickly. This will be quite the job for them.” Nova said.
Lady Echidna asked, “What of the magical members of BADGE? That Easter Bunny is annoyingly strong, and there is the Fae woman, not to mention Santa.”
“They are wise, powerful, and well accustomed to adapting to any situation. I have no doubt they will make containing this problem easier. But this isn’t the same magic they are used to. Besides, the point, I believe, was a mere distraction.”
“True.” Lady Echidna said, “However, I want it to last long enough for us to obtain the Eye of Hydra from wherever they are hiding it. And, possibly, seek the third stone after that.”
Nova said, “Then we shouldn’t linger here. BADGE is efficient.” Nova turned and pressed the button to open the door.
Both stepped into the shuttle. Inside was the small contingent of her brainwashed mercs huddled near an electric warmer. They looked upon her return with the same eyes of a yearning puppy first seeing its master.
“What are your orders, my lady?” The leader of the mercs asked.
She smiled and gestured toward Nova. “He will guide us to the location BADGE has hidden the eye.”
Nova sat down in the co-pilot’s seat and activated the computer. “Take us up, out of this weather. Head for these coordinates.”
The pilot worked his controls, and the shuttle lifted off from the ground, fought against strong winds, and zoomed away from this frigid climate.
Lady Echidna stood behind Nova’s seat. “Where are you taking us? A BADGE vault?”
“No. I doubt they will be so foolish as to hide it in one of the vaults, which I am well aware of. I trained them better than that. We’re heading for Security Post Seven.”
“What is that?” She asked.
He pointed to a blinking dot on a map of the Atlantic Ocean. “It is a defunct oil rig that BADGE repurposed as a security observation post, which was only used when the League Wars Arena was still on Earth. This was to protect the arena from attacks by villains. Now that the Arena has been rebuilt as an orbital station, this post has gone back to being defunct. However, it has access points for BADGE communications.”
“Brilliant as always, my loyal general.” She kissed the side of his face while he worked the computer.
Two hours passed as the shuttle sped quickly over the ocean’s surface.
“Approaching coordinates.” The pilot announced.
The shuttle drew closer to the ocean’s surface and sped along toward a towering structure in the water.
“Damn, I’m detecting a small security force present.” Nova pointed at a blinking read-out on his screen.
“That is no problem. My team of mercenaries is more than a match for that small band of people.”
“We can’t start a fight. That would instantly set of automated distress signals from each BADGE agent on that station. Their body armor is designed to send out a signal the moment they’re attacked.”
She laughed, “Then, I suppose, I should adopt them into my ranks.”
“Good idea. Pilot, take us down cloaked and land on that helipad. Lady Echidna will take it from there.”
The shuttle hovered over the platform and slowly lowered down. Lady Echidna pressed the button to open the door. The four BADGE agents rushed toward the shuttle with weapons drawn. One was reaching to hit his alert signal on his comm when she cast a black fog over them.
“Get this party started, and start it right. I am here to be worshiped all day and night!” She sang these words, and the agents lost their stern faces and descended into a loopy state of mind. They were now in a dance club, swaying and enjoying the music that only they could hear under her spell. She stepped out and walked among them, touching their faces as she went, “Bow before me, that is this scene, obey me as you one true queen!”
The agents knelt down, bowed their heads, and said, “Whatever you desire, my lady.”
She reached down and lifted a woman’s face to look at her. “Tell me, are there others here who haven’t joined our little party?”
“No, my lady, we are the only detachment for this post.”
“Good. Join the others, and remove those abhorrent patches.”
The four stood and ran for the shuttle, ripping their BADGE patches off their uniforms as they went.
She looked back at Nova, who now stood at the door of the shuttle. “Find me the Eye of the Hydra.”
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