His hand tightened on the wet moss crawling over the bricks. His feet sliding an inch while his attention drifted, but he was quick to shuffle them back into position.
He shouldn’t be here. Like a cold iron bar, the understanding weighed down on Skip. He shouldn’t be here, crouched behind a chimney on a rooftop. The risk of being caught was enough to make this little expedition stupid. Yet he was still here. Thinking of what was to come.
What would drive him to do something this stupid? To put his life on the line. The image of Bank-Breaker, mid mad rant was all he needed. He had to make sure he got something out of their relationship. The danger he’d put himself in from joining the man wouldn’t be worth it otherwise.
It wasn’t like he wanted to be on the wrong end of one of those discussions. But he’d seen enough of the old Cowl to realize his plans for revenge hung by a wire. The man was just as likely to leave him waiting as to deliver. With that being the case, who could fault Skip for taking matters into his own hands.
Skip was debating the merits of what he was planning. Two SUVs pulled onto the street. The sleek black vehicles marched down the road like they owned it. And at this moment, they just might. The strength packed into the two vehicles was enough to send people running.
Skip, though, was smarter than to antagonize those inside. At least, until what he needed was in reach.
He knew what was in the vehicles. Knew what chance he stood against it, in a straight fight. He wouldn’t just jump down there. No, he had a much simpler plan in mind.
The vehicles made their way down the street until they reached an apartment building and pulled in front. It wasn’t the most luxurious place in the world, but was better than where Skip lived during his youth. Solidly lower middle class.
The SUVs came to a rest and the first vehicle’s door opened. Skip’s grip on the chimney tightened as he leaned forward. Was his risk coming here going to pay off? The first person to exit the vehicle was a man with a long red cape. A matching mask and bodysuit, sitting snugly on his athletic frame. Despite his age, the man carried himself with the self confidence only gained through actions.
The man was a retired Hero. Someone who’d put years into the craft. Reaching a level of proficiency Skip could only dream of. Despite the man being retired, his skills were still sharp. While age weakened the body, experience would fill in the missing pieces. The man would be a challenge to fight.
While the first person looked around, two others, wearing green and brown, exited the trailing SUV. The colors of their outfits differed from the first, yet their stances showed they were just as deadly as him. This was a group every sane Cowl avoided, but could Skip claim to be that now?
Skip leaned back into the shadows. Hugging the darkness like he would his own mother, for protection.
Again he debated leaving. It’d be easy. From where he was, they wouldn’t even notice his departure. He could make it back before Bank-Breaker was any the wiser. But he was committed. As soon as he’d left Bank-Breaker’s base, he knew this was for real. Unless some cataclysm forced things to a halt, the ball was already rolling.
For now, he had to focus on what was at hand. Everything else could wait until that was done.
The seconds flashed by as the three arrivals surveyed their surroundings. Skip holding his breath as he watched.
As his heartbeat thudded away, the group swiveled. Taking in everything around them. Skip pulled back around the chimney another few inches before the group looked up at his building. When they did, Skip was obscured by the shadow playing across his body and soon their focus shifted away.
When the group was sure the area was safe, one of the former Heroes entered the apartment building. The other two took up positions on either side of the second SUV. Their asset and his target were still inside. It was another minute before the first man came back from the building, giving the others a thumbs up.
With a nod, one of the men opened the door to the SUV and out stepped a young woman. One famous across the US. Not for what she’d done, but for the actions of her brother. Skip’s breath caught at her sight.
Moving with the fluidity of dancers, the three retired Heroes formed up around the young woman. Their wall of flesh and power, stalled even Skip and his thoughts. As one, they escorted the young woman inside, never once providing an opening.
The display made it plain that anyone getting in their way would soon learn why that was a bad idea. It was something Skip was taking to heart.
The front door of the apartment building opened and closed as Skip debated what he was going to do next. The building’s light showing the group’s progress as they spread out throughout the inside, clearing the rooms as they went. With the first floor safe, the Hero cohort moved upstairs and the young woman stayed on the first floor.
Skip hadn’t known the team’s exact protocol, but had counted on something like this. She was a young civilian, after all. There was no way they’d be able to stay next to her at all times. People needed some personal freedom, and that was something he could exploit.
While Skip would never fight the Heroes face to face, their defense left a glaring weakness. One Skip had pointed out during his own escort missions in the past. And one the DCP refused to rectify. Too bad for them, they never listened to him and now he’d show them why that was a mistake.
Skip watched the procession inside and waited. The minutes falling away like grains of sand, one by one slipping through his grip. The focus of the people inside also slipped, or at least Skip hoped it was. They were safe. Done with another long day. Why wouldn’t they relax under those conditions?
Eventually the sister moved to a love seat in the living room. Sliding into it, she turned on the TV. The screen blared to life. Skip could make out the familiar appearance of the world news anchor. A man who’d been giddy when he’d told the world of Skip’s fate. One day Skip would have to right that wrong. But there was an order to things, and for now the girl was at the top.
Readying himself, Skip knew he had one chance. As soon as he was in there, the gig would be up. Things had to go right. If he failed, the girl’s security would double and he’d never be able to try this again.
He could’ve run through the plan again, checking for any issues, but that wasn’t his style. He’d already done so a number of times, what would doing it one more time get him? To some startling oversight? He doubted it.
Without dwelling on things any longer, Skip took a deep breath and was gone. Committed to this course of action, regardless of the result.
Without a sound he was there, standing in the living room, the love seat nestled in front of him. The girl hadn’t noticed his arrival. With a smile, Skip knew this was all but settled.
Skip took a split second to look over the room, no one else was inside. No noise to hint his arrival had been detected. He’d been worried about that. With a techie in the picture, you could never tell what they might build. Bank-Breaker proved that to a disturbing degree. Yet, that didn’t appear to be the case here. Source must’ve decided the three Hero guards were enough to protect his sister.
Next time Skip saw Source, he’d point out just how easy this had been. How Source had left his sister with no real protection against him. It wouldn’t be enough to satisfy him, but it’d be nice to twist a knife in Source’s gut.
Smiling at the thought, Skip reached out and grabbed the woman’s shoulder. Suddenly, the world turned to white. There was noise, but Skip didn’t know if it was someone’s voice or something else. All he knew for sure was that his world had devolved into three things; noise, white, and pain.
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Like a knife being dragged over his skin, pain radiated from his hand. With each second it pulsed as the imagined cuts grew larger.
Then it was gone, the taste of iron permeated his mouth. Skip could see again. Though the world had turned sideways as he found himself on the ground. The girl had scooted away, huddled in the corner as she held the remote out in front of her like it was a sword. Her clothes had scorch marks radiating from the shoulder, yet she didn’t appear injured.
Idiot, Skip scolded himself. Source wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave his sister unguarded, even in her own home. He didn’t see the Heroes guarding her as anything more than peripheral security. Keeping the real protection on her person. How could he underestimate the brat, even now, after everything he’d done?
Skip had thought he’d been ready, outsmarting Source for a change. Yet the kid was a step ahead, again.
The girl screamed, “Call Source!”
Skip didn’t have time to worry about his own stupidity, he still had a mission to complete. Now he’d just have to finish things here instead of somewhere quiet. Rolling over, Skip pushed himself off the ground.
At that moment, the ceiling caved in. Bits of the drywall, wood, and carpet spraying from above in a hail onto the floor below. Skip and the girl both covered their faces from the sudden blast.
When Skip turned back, he found the man in the red cape falling through the new hole. The two other Heroes were quick to join him. One positioned himself to the man in red’s side while the other raced to the girl. Grabbing her, he pulled her from the room, her phone left behind in the process as she screamed.
“Surender and-” the former Hero in red started. Skip didn’t wait for the man to finish as he jumped away. He’d give them this round. It hadn’t been his best performance, but he knew when he was beat.
Only Skip didn’t find his surroundings changing as he’d expected. From the angle of the room he’d only moved a few feet, not the miles he’d expected.
Skip spun as the Heroes dashed forward, one of them was blocking his power!
The man in red switched over to a new form of communication. His fist doing the talking as it came forward, Skip spun to the side. Dodging the attack by inches.
The wall behind him wasn’t as lucky as it exploded outward from the impact of the man’s blow. Opening a new window to the outside world.
One, don’t get hit by that, Skip thought. Two, big red wasn’t causing the block. Anyone with that kind of physical power had a strength related ability. Though, looking into the man’s eyes, Skip thought he’d been expecting the blow to do more. Maybe he was also under the influence of the block and his powers were diminished?
Skip hurdled over the couch as he looked for the other two men. One, was running away, with the girl. If he was causing the block, it should lift soon, assuming it was tied to his location. Which, given what Skip knew about powers, made sense.
The other option for the cause was the man in green. That Hero was still here, two sticks in his hands. He seemed the more likely option.
Testing his jumping again, Skip teleported a few feet to the left. This time he’d meant to move back to the chimney, but he’d only gone a fraction of the way. His ability was still being locked down. Not fully, but enough to make it very limited.
While Skip was determining his new constraints, Red attacked again, feet screaming forward. Skip jumped back, dodging a blow that would’ve sent him to the hospital.
Then Green was on him. His baton smacking against Skip’s back. Skip twirled and pulled his knife, slashing at Green’s neck. The man blocked the blow with his other baton, then front kicked, like he was the king of Sparta and sending a man into the pit.
The attack left Skip stumbling backwards. A piece of the fallen ceiling caught his heel and brought Skip down with a thud.
Red darted in again with a jumping kick of his own. Skip teleported upright and to the left of Red. Avoiding another crippling blow, if the explosion of drywall behind him was an indicator.
While he couldn’t jump as far as he wanted, Skip was finding the new constraints on his ability and with this, his ability was turning into an asset again.
Green didn’t want to give Skip time to think and attacked again, baton going in low. Instead of dodging as he’d been doing, Skip waited for the man to get close, then teleported behind him. Based on the jumps he’d tried so far, Skip had figured out his new range.
Skip’s knife plunged into Green’s side as the man attacked where he’d been. As the blade sunk in, Skip felt the air rush from the man’s lungs.
With his leg, Skip swept the other man’s feet out from under him and pushed him hard onto the ground. Green landed with a thud, a small moan escaping his mouth.
With the man laying semi-conscious on the ground, Skip knew this was the best chance he’d get to test if this man was causing the block. Skip tried to Jump, his target miles from where he was.
The world changed and Skip found himself surrounded by grape vines. The sun shining down on him. It’d worked, Skip thought, only for the feeling of euphoria to die down as he jumped again and again. If they could block his jumps, who was to say, they couldn’t follow them.
For the next five minutes Skip jumped around the country. Mixing long and short jumps, doubling or even tripling back on himself, and the rare jump high into the air only to jump again before he hit the ground. If someone was following his portals, that one jump would be a nasty surprise.
Despite that, Skip never stayed anywhere longer than a few seconds. Each jump sending him to the first place that came to his mind.
His final destination was a mountain lake. Miles from the nearest person. Reaching it, Skip fell to his knees and screamed! His soul poured into the call.
Why was this happening to him? All he wanted was revenge. Source had ruined him, wasn’t it fitting that he could exact something in return? Hurting his sister wouldn’t change anything, but it would go a long way in making him feel better. If the world was fair, that would mean something.
Skip pounded a fist into the cold, hard ground. Pebbles skidding away at the impact. He should’ve ended it there. A knife in the back would’ve been enough, but he’d wanted more. Now the chance was gone. There was no way he’d find the opportunity like it again.
It was a long while before Skip was ready to move again. This time to what he could only assume would be a fate worse than his earlier defeat. Yet what choice did he have? The man could track him. He’d proved that before. Skip either went back now, and faced whatever was coming his way, or let the man stew and the consequences grow.
Skip wasn’t stupid enough to let that happen or to jump straight back into the base. Instead, he jumped a little ways away from it and flagged down a sentry robot. He was half convinced the thing would try to fry him, but his worry was in vain and the machine escorted him inside. Doing nothing to hint at the possible danger facing him inside.
Arriving back at the base, Skip found that Bank-Breaker was there. His customary trench coat pulled tight, hat covering his face. Even without seeing the man’s face, Skip knew he’d been waiting for him. This was looking to be a fun experience.
“You had to attack Mel, didn’t you?” the man asked. Voice steady and calm.
“Mel?” Skip asked. Unsure who Bank-Breaker was talking about. He’d attacked Source’s sister, not this Mel woman.
“She’s Source’s sister,” Bank-Breaker said as his arms went to his hips.
“Oh, that was her name?” Skip asked as he fidgeted between feet.
“Yes, it is. How were you on a team with him, but didn’t know his sister’s name?”
“The kid was horrible to work with. Always yapping about rules. How would I remember his sister’s name with all of that?”
“Why do I even work with you?” Bank-Breaker asked, throwing his hands into the air. Skip’s spine froze as his hand twitched towards a knife. “Now we have to change everything because of your stupidity.”
Skip stopped reaching for the blade. The man wasn’t going to fight. He was just upset. Why else would he be talking about their plan?
“It wasn’t stupidity. If they didn’t have the blocker there, I’d have gotten away with it.”
“They had a blocker? Why didn’t you know about that earlier?”
“Because I just attacked them.”
“Darn, a missed opportunity there. Though it doesn’t matter, but I may want to find this blocker in the future. What did he look like?”
Skip described the Green Hero’s outfit and weapons. Bank-Breaker nodded as Skip spoke.
“We’ll have to follow up with him in the future. We can only hope they keep him guarding the woman or it’ll be impossible to find him again.”
“Couldn’t you,” Skip started as he waved at some of the computers around the room. “Tech the information out of somewhere?”
“First information just doesn’t appear out of nowhere.”
“I mean, I know that. But you can find it, right?”
“That’s not where I excel. If I went snooping in DCP systems, they’d catch on to what I was doing. No point in giving the Heroes any indication of what we’re doing”
“True.”
“Now, how should I do this?”
Skip swallowed. Maybe he’d assumed he was in the clear before that’d been decided.
“I can use the attack,” Bank-Breaker said. A covered arm reaching up to his cowled face. “It kept the spotlight on us. If anything, it’s brighter now than it was before. All we have to do is put on a show.”
Bank-Breaker stood from his chair. His bones creaking like old gears. Walking around the room, his body jerked in its motions.
“Grab your gear. It’s time to find the proper stage for the finale.”