PART 2:
by Madam Marvelous
#26130
Tokyo had always been a dream vacation spot for my mother to
visit. Mount Fuji rose in the distance over fields of pink cherry blossoms like
an island floating on clouds in horizon. Not that I had much time to appreciate
the view. BADGE sent me and members of the Star Force to Japan to capture AMA
weapons from the World Corps mercenaries. I think Catalyst said what we were
all thinking the best.
“Going to go over as well as trying to take heroin out of
the needle when it is already in the addict’s arm.”
We knew it would be hard, but it needed to be done. Fortunately,
we had several advantages that we could employ. First, Starmaster used the power
to teleport into the group of them, get in close, and hit them with a powerful
mental assault that stunned the mercs. With their minds vulnerable, Prysmatica
closed in and created an optical spectacle that drew their full attention,
dazzling them into a nearly hypnotized state. Chained Angel, Arcane Ace, and
Infinite Tempest engaged the pseudo-hero into battle, keeping it away from its
wards while the rest of us captured the deadly weapons.
Overall, our efforts went well, but we did encounter opposition
by some of the mercenaries who were able to shake off the various debilitating
effects. The fired their AMA weapons at us, striking Lykos full on in the chest
at one time. To his credit, his fearful look changed to one of triumph as he
wasn’t instantly atomized. Lykos puffed out his chest, and the mercenaries
became the ones to look fearful.
Knowing speed was of the essence, I worked with Wyldfyre to
collect as many weapons as possible. They say four hands are better than two,
but we proved an interspecies version of that concept; eight tentacles with multiple
suckers on two legs are better than four arms. He carried me in on his back and
I suckered as many weapons as I could. We must have looked hilarious as we
moved, but in the heat of the moment, I think the mercenaries must have thought
they were being attacked by some creature out of a zero-budget horror movie.
After returning to the orbital space station and turning in
the scraps of the AMA weapons we collected, all of us heroes felt relieved knowing
that these deadly weapons were off the streets and being turned into helpful
devices. Director Nova finally released us to go back to our homes, the best
news of all. I missed my bed, my room, my home, and most importantly, my
parents.
MM-MM-MM-MM-MM
I sat on the floor in front of the television as my parents
cuddled on the couch. “So, what movie this time? Not one of your classics,
again?”
“What?!” Dad exclaimed as I felt a few pieces of popcorn
bounced off my hair. “You loved The Lost City.”
“Meh, it was better than that other one,” I said. “What was
it called? Idiocracy?”
“What do you want to watch, then,” Mom said as she took the
bowl of popcorn from my dad’s lap, turning on the television with her remote.
…shuttle bringing children back to their families in South
Africa. Look at these smiling children who want nothing more than to see their
parents once m—”
The screen showed a flash of static as the view changed to
black. I rolled to one side and looked to my parents, hoping what I thought
might be happening was wrong. “What happened? Did something happen to the TV?”
Mom fiddled with the remote, switching to a different
station.
…sighted coming out of the explosion. We are conferring with
all available EMS services for information on any possible survivors in the
shuttle.
These kids were going home. My chest tightened, thinking on what
these kids… #%@#... Who would do this?
My BADGE comms unit vibrated on the plush fibers of the blanket
I nested in. I looked at the small black device, knowing what would be expected
of me before activating it. For the first time, I hesitated to answer the
message.
“Honey, those poor children,” my mom grabbed ahold of my
father’s arm, clutching it as if it were the only thing keeping her on the
couch. “It’s horrible, just horrible.”
Why? My mind couldn’t get over the single word, cycling
endlessly over and over in my head.
…The individual flying around Pretoria is wearing a uniform
identifying him as a member of BADGE. Relations between the superhero organization
and the World Corps has been extremely heated for several weeks now, but I
never would have believed BADGE would be capable of such a horrendous act…
NO!!! We wouldn’t have done anything like that. I grabbed my
comms unit and read the text message. “Eggie is going to be here soon. I’ve got
to go.”
“What are you thinking?” Mom said, her eyes all over me as I
stood up. “You can’t be a part of this. No. This is too much. They’ll have to
do this without you. You can’t. You just can’t.”
“I can, Mom,” I said. “I have to. How can you ask me to stay
here? I can’t bury my head and ignore what just happened.”
“They just said that a person from BADGE did this. How can
you still work for them?” Mom stood up as well, towering over me by at least a
foot-and-a-half.
“They may say BADGE did it, but I know BADGE didn’t. That’s
not what we stand for,” I said while looking up at her with eyes as hard as her
own. Hard, and wet with tears over the images on the screen. “We protect
people, and if I don’t go, more people may get hurt or die. How do you expect
me to live with that if I stay here?”
Mom shuddered and started to sob, sinking back down against
my father on the couch. The face he wore was as troubled as ours, but his true
concern shone as he wrapped an arm around my mother’s shoulder and let her cry
into his chest. “We know it is your calling. Go. I’ll take care of her, but please,
promise me you’ll be careful. More careful than you’ve ever been before.”
“I promise.” I nodded to him once before I headed to the front
door. I’d be careful, but that didn’t mean I would take at easy on the augment.
I’d make sure he pay with interest for what he took from those children.
to be continued...
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