CHAPTER 55 - FISHER
Australia had weathered the Collapse better than most countries, and Melbourne proved it. There weren’t many cities that could boast such a resplendent, glittering skyline. The post-Collapse literature was divided on the reasoning, of course. Some theorized that Australia had emerged relatively unscathed due to its global geography—it was merely too isolated for any supervillain to bother with. Others said it was nothing but luck.
We only lost three cities, Fisher thought. What a state the world had been in that three cities being reduced to ruins—one of them practically erased from the face of the Earth, forever locked in the moment of detonation—was a best-case reflection. Fisher worked his neck right, then left. Sleeping in the car had seemed a good idea, to ensure they were ready to face whatever awaited them, but he was paying for it now.
In an hour or two, they’d all find out what they were going to pay for.
“Hey,” Sabra said, sounding oddly terse. “You seen my helmet?”
The idea was to suit up before walking through Star Patrol’s front door. Just in case, given their history and associates and general precedence for fate to kick them in the teeth. Fisher shook his head as he fished around in his pack for a can of cat food. “Nope. Don’t you have two?”
“And they’re both missing,” Sabra snapped. “Forget it.”
She stalked off. What’d happened there? Given her height, sleeping in the car was probably worse. “Think she woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Fisher said, glancing to Sam as she approached.
“Nah,” she replied, sealing up her patched-up armorweave, and slipping a knife into her boot. “I think someone struck out last night.” She mimed swinging a bat, popping a ‘tock’ with her tongue against her teeth.
“What’re you talking about?”
“You telling me you haven’t noticed? The two girls aren’t talking to each other. In fact, Robogirl wasn’t here when you went to sleep. Showed up at about oh-five hundred. Someone had a fight.”
Fisher set a can of food in Octopus’ carrier. “Well,” he said, “that sucks.” But it’d only been a matter of time. They were fire and ice. A woman with a spine of steel and a head tougher than depleted uranium, and the other was a robot.
“Guess so.”
“You wouldn’t believe the amount of teams that ripped themselves apart because of stuff like that.”
“Wouldn’t care, either.”
Fisher nodded. “Fine by me. What’re you going to do when we wrap this thing up?”
“Let’s be honest, Pavel,” Sam said. “Whatever happens when we walk into that cape fortress, the kid and I probably aren’t walking back out again.”
Nothing got past her. Her lackadaisical act was just that—an act. Pavel Fisher would remember Sam Holley, but probably wouldn’t miss her. It’d been there in the back of his mind when he’d come up with the plan, but he was surprised she hadn’t brought it up sooner.
“Yeah,” Fisher replied. “But if we’re being honest, it’s not like the two of you don’t deserve it.”
She laughed. “Yeah. Ah well, I guess I’ll have time to work on some memoirs,” she said. “Hey, you were a superhero—is it a crime to talk about classified state secrets if you’re already in prison?”
Fisher chuckled. “Come to think of it, that’s never come up. Don’t kick off a third American revolution while you're in exile, Sam.”
Her wide face split in a smile that pushed past radiant into glassy, and something exploded above them.
A sonic boom, Fisher thought. He raised his eyes to the clear blue sky and looked for the source. A sound like that meant a supersonic cape, or a supersonic transport carrying a team of capes. Sam’s hand wandered to the grip of her handgun, and Fisher opened his mouth to joke about her instincts, when something slammed into the ground.
It had the force of a meteorite and the shape of a man. The cape stood up, tall and broad in his impact crater. His blue and green armorweave stretched across a build that, to Fisher’s eye, might as well have been sculpted from marble. “I wouldn’t draw that weapon, if I were you,” the cape said, with the rich voice of a hero, too.
“Friend of yours?” Sam murmured and drew her hand away, fingers open.
“Never met,” Fisher said. “But that’s Southern Cross.”
The head of Star Patrol had the public profile that meant a mask was meaningless, and the strong features that argued it was an atrocity—a clipped brown beard and piercing blue eyes. He had the speed to catch them in seconds if they ran for it, and the strength to dismantle them just as quickly if they didn’t.
“Impel,” Southern Cross said, smiling. “I had heard you’d come out of retirement from Great Barrier, but I’ll admit I didn’t believe it.”
Tact, Pavel, tact.
“And I’ll admit I never expected a social visit,” Fisher said, smiling right back. He noted Jack and Sabra prowling about in his peripheral vision, and shook his head slightly. Don’t be an idiot, you two, for the love of...
Cross laughed. “Well, that’s because this isn’t a social visit. As of this moment, the five of you are under arrest. I suggest you lay down your weapons and come quietly.”
It wasn’t like any of them could hurt him, anyway. Maybe Revenant could—maybe. Depending on whatever she was packing, and whether Cross knew about her. The age-old gambit of cape fights: can you do your trick before I do mine, and will mine stop you in your tracks?
Fisher frowned. “There’s no need to take us in. We’re just on our way to your headquarters in Melbourne—we’ve got vital information about an imminent threat to Australia’s national security.”
“That’s quite the claim,” Cross replied, “But right now, I am of the understanding that you’re the threat to our national security. My hands are tied, Impel, and Defenda Eureka is standing by with a rapid response unit if you try to force the issue. If what you say is true, then you have nothing to fear.”
“I’ve seen how your people handle things,” Sabra said.
“You must be Defiant. I understand that you had an incident with my subordinate, Great Barrier. She has been formally reprimanded—”
“Wow, that makes me feel so much better. Pavel, this is bullshit.”
“It might just be, but I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Fisher said. “Do as he says.”
Jack and Sam threw down their weapons, with Sam tossing out a second knife that Fisher hadn’t spotted. Sabra powered down her suit and climbed out, and Revenant met it all with her stony indifference, arms crossed behind her back. “Thank you,” Southern Cross said, and went off to call it in.
“This a good or a bad thing, Pavel?” Sabra asked.
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Mm,” Jack said. “Hey, I’ve got a question.”
“Shoot.”
“How’d these guys know where to find us?”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He’d had the same thought. It was a short list of options, Fisher knew, and not one of them was good.
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They all rode together in the one police truck, and none of them were cuffed. Perhaps that meant that Southern Cross was on the level, but it wasn’t much of an answer for the rest of it. No one spoke for much of the trip. By the time they arrived in Melbourne and someone cracked open the door, Fisher was happy to be rid of the tension.
“Wait here,” Southern Cross said.
“Not like we have much of a choice,” Sam murmured.
A pair of uniformed officers were unloading their gear from the truck—Sabra’s armor, their backpacks, and all the Animals’ weapons. One of them picked up Octopus’ carrier, peered into it quizzically.
“Is that a cat?”
“Yeah, he is,” Fisher said. “And he’s not evidence—he’s with me. Pass him over, please.”
The officers looked to Southern Cross. He nodded back to them.
“Let the man have his cat.”
They passed him the carrier. Fisher took it, popped it open, and stowed Octopus under his arm. The cat purred like it was all a pleasant dream.
“If that’s everything,” Southern Cross said, “then, please, follow me.”
The leader of Star Patrol led them to an elevator. With Octopus stowed away as he was, Fisher couldn’t help but think of sardines. Then, the elevator didn’t descend towards the secure levels and holding cells, but rise.
“Where’re we going?” Fisher asked.
“To the command deck,” Southern Cross said.
“This feels very unusual,” Fisher said.
“It is, Impel. But, like I said, my hands are tied.”
The elevator doors opened into a vast space filled with terminals, holographic displays, and uniformed personnel. An entire floor dedicated to the command, control and coordination of the empowered efforts of Australia, national and international both. Men and women darted here and there, the deck humming with the sibilant susurrus of diligent activity.
“After you,” Southern Cross said, and Fisher led the way out.
Great Barrier stood by one of the displays. She turned to look at him and, even with the mask, Fisher saw the glare. Next to her were a man and a woman in SOLAR uniforms, both of them familiar.
“Well,” Aegis said, “Isn’t this a surprise.”
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For a long moment, no one said anything. Southern Cross, evidently having played his part, headed off to see to something else. Aegis stood in the eye of the storm like she owned the place. Blueshift, standing at her shoulder, was as smug and inscrutable as ever.
“No pleasantries?” Aegis asked. “Works for me.”
“What’re you doing here?” Fisher asked.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“But you already know the answer. So, did you get that clearance to help us? Better late than never, I suppose.”
“No,” Aegis said. “Actually, I’m here to be a pain in your ass. I’m going to take a certain problem off your hands.”
“What, Jack and Sam? Fine, but you have to hear us out first.”
Aegis scoffed. “Who gives a shit about them? No, we’re here for Sian.”
Who is— It took Fisher a second to track Aegis’ eyeline and find her lock on Revenant. Fisher glanced to her at the same time Sabra did. Her expression was the same as it ever was.
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Fisher said, “but anything she’s done has been at your request.”
“I can’t comment on that,” Aegis replied, which meant yes, but good luck proving it.
“This is bullshit,” Sabra said, stepping forward. “You can’t take her.”
“Actually, we can. The agreement signed between her father and the IESA gives us broad latitude in this matter.”
“With all due respect, Aegis,” Fisher said, “there are more important things to focus on right now. Monkey has—”
“Impel, one thing at a time.”
“Oh, give me a break—if you could live up to your reputation and disobey some orders, then none of us would be in this mess!”
“We were sent to Asclepion to retrieve her—a favor to her father. That business with Taurine derailed things and that prick Anderton got nervous. Now, people are realizing she’s gone, and they’re getting nervous, too.”
“So,” Sabra said, “Why don’t you tell them about the part you played in all this? Why don’t you tell everyone here?” Sabra swept her arms to indicate the whole deck. No one looked up, no one cared. Aegis might as well have been a rampart for all the concern she had for Sabra’s gambit.
Jack spoke first. “What I don’t get is how you found us, and why it took so long.”
“We’ve had you tracked ever since you left Asclepion,” Aegis replied. “We lost you in the null zone, picked you up again when you left. SOLARIA vectored you here. Revenant didn’t mention this, I’m sure.”
“A tracking device.”
“I knew it,” Sam said, and she laughed. “I fucking knew it. Gotta keep tabs on your deniable assets, huh?”
“Perhaps. Either way, Sian knew the price of leaving Geneva, and she knows the price for disobeying us now. Come quietly, Sian. Don’t make me make it an order.”
It wasn’t a surprise that SOLAR was keeping tabs on their self-aware robot. Frankly, Fisher thought, he should’ve seen it coming. Revenant endured like a soldier being dressed down, hands clasped, bearing impeccable.
Sabra stepped in front of her. “She might,” she said, “But I won’t.”
“Defiant,” Revenant said, “do not throw your life away for me.”
“Your life is the same as anyone else’s—not for anyone to dictate.”
Aegis sighed, shook her head, and glanced at her subordinate. “Blueshift.”
Still standing at her shoulder, he turned his right wrist slightly, so his fingers and palm were facing the group. To Fisher, the gesture had all the imminent threat of unbuckling a holster or, perhaps, drawing a weapon.
“It’s kinda funny,” Sabra said. “I didn’t really care about any of this. All I wanted to do was bring in the guy who shot my dad. Well, there he is. All I wanted to do was go home and give this whole idea up. But now? Christ and Allah—now I want to bring in that King Kong asshole and slam dunk him into your boss’ office just to make you motherfuckers squirm.”
“Charming,” Aegis said. “Officer, cuff her.”
One of the guards by the elevator stepped forward, pulling a set of cuffs from his belt. Sabra waited, but Fisher noted the shift in her stance, and she only offered her hands to the officer so she could grab him and get him in a headlock.
Southern Cross and Great Barrier stepped forward as Sabra yanked the officer’s sidearm free and pressed it against the man’s head. “Step back,” Sabra said. “Step the fuck back—I’ve never handled a gun before so I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing!”
“Jesus Christ, Sabra!” Fisher shouted. “No one start killing anyone! I’m carrying a fucking cat here!”
Blueshift raised his hand, but nothing happened. It was a silent command to halt, and the two Australians paused. He smirked as Aegis said, “You’re making a big mistake.”
“Maybe, but if you’d seen what I’ve seen, then maybe this is for the best! Pavel, tell them what we found out!”
Fisher shook his head. His heart was going a mile a minute and his mouth was dry. He swallowed. “Listen, Aegis. That man, Monkey? He has one of The Engineer’s weapons in his possession—the Staff of Command. We think he’s here in Melbourne and planning to use it for something big.”
Aegis frowned.
“Captain,” Revenant said, “I can submit data that will verify this account.”
“And if that’s not enough,” Fisher continued, “I bet you have some way of tracking down Gate. He can verify everything we’ve said. And something else—that the Concordiat’s involved, too, that the mess with the Adriatic was their doing. Aegis, this whole thing has been rigged from the start and we need to figure out why.”
“Goddamnit,” Aegis muttered. “Fuck it—Blueshift, get me a secure line to Geneva. No one else do anything—everyone just stop.”
Everyone did. Sabra let the man go and handed his sidearm back. Jack said, “Huh, that’s weird.”
“What is?” Fisher asked.
“The sky. Look at it, out over the ocean.”
Fisher did. There, maybe two kilometers away, was the ocean. The clouds above were thin and patchy, but thickening by the moment, darkening and condensing with the prospect of a thunderhead.
“What about it?”
“I could’ve sworn it was clear a minute ago.”
Blueshift looked up from his terminal and out the window, frowning. “You,” he said, pointing to one of the techs. “I need the latest update from the Challenger Array at New Atlantis, and I need it five minutes ago.”
“Storm’s coming in fast,” Sam said, and whistled.
“That,” Fisher said, a chill descending through him as the clouds shifted from white to charcoal in moments, boiling and churning, “isn’t a storm.”
One of the technicians raised a hand to their ear. “Getting a report from the airport—it’s gone, signal lost, heavy interference.”
“Monkey,” Jack said.
“No,” Fisher replied, shaking his head and clutching Octopus an inch more tightly under his arm. And he was just about to name the harbinger of Melbourne’s end when the hand of an angry god struck the command deck and blasted the entire world out from under him.