Nova stood before the large view screen in Operations while the robots monitored every sensor focused on Africa.
“All sensors are showing nothing out of the ordinary.” 10915 stated as it processed the collected data.
EB zoomed in and stopped with a paw up as a salute. “All heroes and BADGE agents are currently enchanted with an anti-brainwashing spell. Sir!”
“Stop saluting. That isn’t a BADGE thing.”
EB smiled, “It should be. It should be something unusual, not what everyone else does. Or, what if it was a secret handshake, or dance... ooh, a dance. Like the bunny hop, and everyone has to know it and do it before every official meeting. No, even better, a song with cool lyrics and a great guitar solo...”
“Is this conversation necessary?” Nova muttered.
“Just trying to make BADGE more interesting.”
“Alert: Contact missed.” One of the communication robots announced.
Nova said, “Report?”
“Scheduled contact has not been made.”
“Then send a request.”
There was a pause and then the robot stated, “Pilot robot reports no contact with agents since the departure of the shuttle.”
“Get me the ATLAS team members and the leagues in the area.”
“Contacting. “
A buzzer echoed in the room and the geological map of Africa had several red dots appearing with warnings. The computer announced, “Seismic activity rising in designated area. One hundred million people in danger zone.”
“I want boots on the ground! Activate all leagues and ATLAS teams. MOVE!”
Moments before:
“I told her not to come back unless she wanted to join me.”
Pepo looked back at him with a critical gaze on her wrinkled face. “Do you have feelings that will interfere with your plans? She is your sister.”
“She hasn’t been my sister since I became more than human. She has betrayed me and even brought BADGE goons to hunt me down. They are all fools, and she will join my ranks with your help.”
Mama Pepo smiled and leaned over Arx. She swished her hand in the air and a green cloud formed. “This one is resistant to my powers, but he will succumb. Your sister is already under my control.”
“What about that one? I’ve never seen a superhuman with goat's legs before.”
Pepo moved over Torrik and touched the horns on his head. “This one isn’t human. I don’t know what he is. There is great power in him, but I cannot connect to him like the others. No matter, he fell, he will rise under my command soon enough.” She did the same, swishing over him and let the cloud form. Once it was in place, she stood and walked back toward Antaeus. “Your army is powerful, and you need to be ready. BADGE will not give up now that we have captured even more of their agents.”
“I have a legion of human shields. BADGE won’t cut down women and children. Even if they do, they will be surprised by the army of morphonic humans under my control.”
“Good. Now... AHHHH!” A vine grabbed Pepo by the leg and yanked her off the ground.
More vines sprung up and picked Antaeus up as well, holding him aloft.
Torrik pushed himself up, his eyes and horns glowing with a golden hue. “Thanks for letting me sense your powers up close. Now I know what I’m dealing with.”
“WHAT THE HELL!” Antaeus struggled against the growing vines.
Mama Pepo called out a few words of magic and a blast of green energy shot at Torrik.
He put both arms together and deflected the attack with easy. “I have been fighting dark magic users for years, trained by the best in Yohan. You’re an ancestor of one of the few witches who stayed behind when the rest of the magical kinds left this world long ago. There is real magic in you mixed with this morphon stuff. A bad combination, but nothing I can’t fight.” He side stepped another blast and then threw his arm out. A new vine grew out of those around her and wrapped her face to keep her from speaking. “Enough word magic.”
A blast of energy hit Torrik in the back, and he staggered forward. Turning, he had Alex dashing toward him with an anti-morphon gun. “Oh, great. Good thing I don’t use morphons for magic. Here, enjoy a nice rest.” He whispered something in the wind and a blue energy hit Alex in the face, who skidded to a stop and flopped over, fast asleep.
“My minions are nothing compared to me. No one can stop me!” Antaeus struggled, and the ground beneath Torrik shifted and shivered.
Torrik wobbled, but kept his footing. “Nice. Your control is impressive.”
“Glad for the review. Now, try THIS!” Antaeus yelled and a fissure split under where he was dangling and sped toward Torrik, attempting to swallow him.
Torrik stomped on the ground just as the fissure got to him, and he stopped it. “I’ve fought rock golems, sand golems, and earth elves. Don’t bother.” He flipped his head back and his horns glowed extra bright. Several hundred vines joined the first batch and plants nearly mummified Antaeus.
“As for you.” Torrik casually approached Pepo and put a hand on her forehead. “I know exactly how to stop you.” Pulling his hand back, he spoke a spell and a green ball of energy came out of her as her eyes rolled into her skull. With a motion like squishing a bug, he destroyed the ball of energy. She screamed under the vines and a cloud erupted out of each person in the area that was controlled by her power.
Arx groaned and pushed himself up. “What... what happened?”
Adrianne got up to her knees and held her head. “I could hear everything. But I couldn’t control my body.”
Arx looked around in the early morning light. The people scattered all over the area were in the same state of bewildered awakening. Men, women, children, and even the guards who worked for Antaeus.
“It’s over,” Torrik triumphantly announced, but his announcement was cut short by screeching old women and then yelling men.
“What’s happening?” Adrianne asked.
Antaeus laughed, “Insurance. My followers weren’t just obedient, but also had a deep connection with me. This could not control the super powered, but it could control the normals. The power that enchanted them tied their very souls to it. Now that you took away the control, Mama Pepo’s spell will rip their bodies apart. Give me back control or watch thousands of innocents die.”
“WYNN! NO!” Adrianne cried out.
“I AM NOT YOUR BROTHER!” He struggled, the vines around his body snapping and ripping apart.
Torrik ran over to Mama Pepo and yelled, “Stop this!” She cackled under the vines around her face, delighted at his fury.
Arx said, “BADGE Will send a legion after you, Antaeus. Free these people.”
“It’s too late. I can’t free them and I won’t try. I want to watch BADGE endure this suffering, knowing they could have avoided it if they just let me be.”
“Your a monster!” Adrianne said.
“Your a traitor.”
Torrik spent a second watching Antaeus freeing himself and then at the agonized people. He glanced back at Arx. “Take him down. I’ll give you time.” Without explanation, he rushed into the thick of the writhing mass of innocent victims and got to his hands and knees. His body emitted a glowing white light that spread out. The people stopped crying and wailing, but they were still in obvious pain.
Antaeus hit the ground when the magical vines all evaporated. The earth trembled at his impact and he stood, growing in size as he got back up to his feet.
“If I can’t have this world, I will destroy it. I am the Earth, I am the heart of this planet. I can rebuild it in my image. You will rue the day you tried to stop a GOD!” He was now several stories tall, and the ground rocked and cracked at his steps.
When Antaeus reached down to crush his sister, Arx body slammed his massive hand, deflecting it, and then quickly grabbed her and bolted. “We have to get help!”
“It’s too late. BADGE can’t get here fast enough.” Adrianne said.
A blinding blast of energy hit Antaeus, followed by dozens of smaller bolts of power. A tree flew by and nailed him in the head while a dirigible blasted out missiles.
Nova’s voice came over their comms. “BADGE to ground teams. This is a full alert. Arx has lead, follow his orders. GO!”
“How did they know?” Adrianne watched hundreds of heroes spilling out of rifts and aircraft.
Arx laughed, “BADGE watches over this planet for a reason.” He clicked his comm, “All heroes, focus all your attacks on Antaeus, the big stone guy, hard to miss. Bring him down. ATLAS team alpha, I need a civilian extraction at my location. Bring medical teams. All other ATLAS teams, you’re on civilian watch, get to nearby towns, cities, and any other inhabited location and evac. MOVE!”
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