CHAPTER 16: BLACKOUT

Three days out from the grand opening of the new Yelmorn building, our deadline was rushing towards us with all the fatal inevitability of an incoming train. In a typical fit of Al’s pseudo-parental anxiety, he had twisted our arms into calling another final meeting to finalize the plan and iron out any snags.

So here we were, all six of us. Kalia, Laithe, Redd, Nel and I all draped in various modes of “sitting” on Al’s bunker’s expensive leather upholstered lounges and armchairs, while he glared through his mask disapprovingly. He had surrendered the point of making us sit properly and tried to content himself with his earlier successes on the front of getting us to use coasters for our drinks.

Al was such a dork, wearing his helm while dressed in an open collared shirts, jeans and loafers.

“Are you even sure the superteam won’t have moved in yet?” Redd asked, before hiding behind a bottle of beer she had pilfered from Al’s fridge.

“Yeah the superhero grapevine says they aren’t in yet. The people I talk to are pretty reliable,” Laithe replied as she lounged casually against Kalia. Those two were almost inseparable and blatantly not shy about displays of affection in front of us.

“Yeah well while you do all your parts, I’ll be doing the real work…” she paused, taking a swig from her drink, “I’ll be trying my best to keep as many preoccupied at Limbo. Been putting out word that we are doing a drinking contest there, buy in is twenty bucks and winner takes the pot. Can’t wait for a dozen lightweights who think their powers will give them an edge, to show up. It’s all about practise and technique.”

The wolf girl flexed.

Nel smirked, “I’d love to humiliate you by showing everyone how a tiny irish girl can drink you under the table, but I’m on transport and will be stuck waiting in the cold at our rendezvous point.”

I wanted to see that. Mainly to work out if she was pulling a fast one on them.

“Children! Please! Let's stick to the topic and make sure everyone is one hundred percent on the plan. Next up is Robin, I don’t agree with her part but at least it keeps her safely away from the tower,” an exhausted Al said, wrestling the topic back. I giggled at Redd and Nel being reprimanded until D- Al fixed me a stern look.

“Umm so I need to break into the substation on two hundred and sixty two South Street, then overload the Yelmorn line and take out the substation… Why can’t I be a part of the tower raid? Kelly is my friend! You really expect me to let you to rescue Kelly and cause mayhem in Yelmorn, while I’m off knocking out the power? I promised her!”

Gently extracting herself from her girlfriend’s arms, Kalia moved over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Hey shhh it’s about getting her out of there, not the glory or whatever. I’ll make sure she’s safe no matter what yeah? Plus no one else can do the job you’ll be doing, and you can always come help at the tower afterwards.”

Watching the tip of Kalia’s tail flick up and down, where she had laid in her lap, I nodded. It was sort of soothing. “I guess… I just hope she is actually there… If she is I want to be there.”

“Can I at least say I would worry less, if you were not in the thick of the action and somewhere where you can at least run away if things get too hot?” Al professed hopefully.

I appreciate that everyone cares about my safety but I was getting tired of being the kid in the group that everyone had to mollycoddle and protect. I’m tougher than I look!

“I’m sick of being a bird in a cage to protect! My friends need me.”

Taking a knee to bring himself down to my level, I found myself looking at Al’s sympathetic face, “I know Robin and hopefully if everything goes well you’ll be able to walk free again. I’d take you with me while I infiltrate the top floors and gather as much intel and evidence as I can, but I know that is not where you want to be.”

“I know, it sucks! I know Kalia and Laithe have the most dangerous job in this and I know they have more experience, but it doesn’t change how it feels” I said pouting.

“I mean, you’ll have a hundred or so kilovolts of electricity to play with, that sounds pretty fuckin’ dangerous to me,” Laithe said with a grin and a wink. Al’s head whipped around to glare at her, Ok I like her, Laithe is definitely not a stick in the butt hero. I wonder if she wants a sidekick, as I don’t have to wear a goth costume like her, it’d be pretty cool.

Changing the subject, Kalia said, “So with our super dangerous job. The elevator down to the basement levels is hidden on the tenth floor, but we have to go in through the 5th because there aren’t any windows on the four floors above and below the tenth right? We don’t want to go in where there might be legions of hired goons?”

“Goon?” Redd looked up from her drink, ”Isn’t goon what you down under types call wine? Besides an all out brawl sounds like it could be stress relieving.”

“Ok so it is settled,” Al said cutting off Redd, “Nel is transport and getaway, Robin is taking out the power and security systems, Kalia and Laithe are on wreck and rescue and I’ll be keeping a low profile this time and gathering as much hard evidence as I can that implicates those at the top,” Al summarized, wrapping things up.

* * *

The substation sat on a fenced lot nestled between the bases of four skyscrapers and out of sight from the city streets down a long access alley. Behind the razor wire topped chain link fence that surrounded the facility, was a red brick warehouse designed to shield the city from the substation’s noise and shelter the transformers from the elements.

Darting down the alley, I took the cover of the shadows with me, wrapping it around myself like a cloak of concealment. A puddle of slush from snow on salted asphalt, squelched underfoot, splashing up and soaking the black jeans I was wearing with cold muddy water. Yuck. I guess I’m off to a good start.

Now at the end of the alleyway, the fence’s padlocked gate barred my way. Beyond it there was only just barely enough room for municipal vehicles to park when visiting the site.The steel chain holding the fence gate closed made little work for my glassy sword as I cut through it. Making sure to grab it before it fell, I lowered the chain soundlessly to the ground. Letting the gate swing open just enough to let my slender frame slip though, I pushed my way through the gap and closed it again.

It wasn’t enough to assume everyone walking through the city at night would mind their business and hope anyone who noticed the gate open late at night would not call the police. Plus knowing my luck in life, it would be a hero who noticed it first and decided to investigate.

The warehouse doors gave me more trouble than the fence. Strong industrial doors with internal locks that had probably been fitted decades after the warehouse was built. I was half tempted to blast my way through, but that would defeat the purpose of avoiding notice. Thankfully before I could do something loud and flashy, I noticed the crumbling cement around the doors metal frame where they had retrofitted it.

I again visualised my sword and moments later, I could feel in my hand the sword’s cold, slick, comforting presence. Cement crumbled away like stale bread as I scraped and chipped at it with the swords tip, loosening the walls grip on the doorframe. The last of the cement gave way with a quiet but sharp crack, followed by a growing squealing creak as the metal door, frame and all, began to fall out in my direction.

Fuck! I knew I was forgetting something, I thought as I braced myself and tried to catch the door.

THUD!

Muddy slush soaked into the back of my jeans, hoodie and hair as lay on the cold ground beneath the heavy door. I want to go home. Uggggggh! Dammit! Kelly be glad you’re worth it… You better be glad to see me after this…

After the hardest pushup in my life, I lifted the door from me, rolled out from under it, soaking the rest of me. With help from the steelcapped tip of my boot, I prevented the door from impacting the ground and ringing out. Moments later with the door safely and quietly on the ground, I crawled through the doorway and flopped down onto the drier concrete ground as I caught my breath.

Bathed in the orange glow of floodlights that hung from the warehouse’s high ceiling, the transformers cast long shadows that flicked on the walls creating an illusion of movement in this cathedral of machinery.

No rest for the wicked, the others would be waiting for my part. I dragged myself back to my feet with a whimper at my protesting and bruised muscles. At least with an open buffet like this place, I would heal quickly.

This substation transformed the main transmission power to usable and more economic voltages for the surrounding city blocks, which included the new Yelmorn building. It wouldn’t be much work to damage each of the transformers and cause a blackout to the area this substation services. All I would have to do is pierce the transformers and allow the oils used to provide the resistance to the current that would greatly lower the voltage, to drain out.

Simple.

Well aside from the fact that the new Yelmorn building had backup generators it would switch to in such a blackout, to power its lights and security systems.

Kalia had a more effective, complex and dangerous idea of how to deal with Yelmorn’s electricity using my powers. I can’t say Al was happy, but considering he was unable to come up with a better idea, his veto was outvoted.

Kalia’s plan was for me to draw in as much of the substation’s power as I could without going into overload and then dumping it all back into the system aimed at Yelmorn’s lines as my own signature shadow energy. She hoped it would not only damage the substation and cause that black out anyway, but also fry all that newly laid electricals in the tower rending the generators useless.

My thoughts on this? It sounds insane and I am both terrified and excited to try it. I mean I could overload myself and end up in another energy drain state or worse, but it could be really really cool. I mean I had tried drawing 120 volt power before during training and it was like adrenaline, but this was something like a hundred kilo-volts or something. I’ll admit to not remembering exact numbers and I was shivering with excitement at the thought of trying to draw in all that power.

It wouldn’t do at all to keep them all waiting any longer, it was time to start. Showtime. The notes Kalia had provided me were at this point, sodden, ink starting to run and falling apart in my hands as I unfolded and read it, but I managed to find the distribution lines that led to Yelmorn’s tower by the serial numbers.

“There it is, just gotta grab the extremely high voltage wires take as much as I can, then walk over and dump it into the distribution line. Oh! More importantly not die… This will be fun. Well… Here goes nothing…” I muttered as I walked back to the transformer and ignoring all the signage, placed the back of both hands on the transmission wires.

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My blood was fire. It was ice. It was the very energies of creation. I could feel a raging storm growing within me. Rivers breaking their banks, pouring over the top of dams. The painful bruises I had just acquired were already a distant memory, my limbs felt ready to snap into action like a drawn bow being released, like a railgun being fired.

One second…

The energy wanted to be used, it chafed at being held and contained. It wanted to be channeled and set free. In my hands I could do anything. I could level Yelmorn and rescue Kelly single handedly. I could destroy any and everyone who had or would harm us. Put fear into anyone else. I wanted more of it. I needed more of it!

Two seconds…

I was riding a tsunami of energy. With this much power I could be a god! Tumultuous and as destructive as a natural disaster! I could tear down the structures that harm people. I could build something better in its place. Justice for those who would use power to harm those different, those who would hoard wealth, food, shelter or health.

Three seconds…

Something wet trickled down my face and neck. Removing a hand from the wire, I used it to feel and wipe away the liquid. A few cursory touches told me it was coming from nose, ears and eyes. I tried to draw breath and felt like I was drowning. A hacking cough bent me over. With my hand I covered my mouth, it came away wet and red.

Robin, you must let go! Release it before it destroys you! We can’t protect you much longer...

Fuck… The voices were right. Voices? I thought I was alone. The short distance to the distribution line seemed like a marathon away. Each step on the way was more like a drunken stumble, as my vision swam and the ground lurched beneath my feet. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot…

Stumbling across an imagined finishing line at the end of my marathon I latched onto the distribution line with all the desperation and relief of grabbing a lifeline.

Into that line I poured every last joule I could of the electricity I had absorbed as shadow energy. I was like a dam that had cracked, the weight and force of the water breaking free and pouring out in a destructive wave. I attempted to direct that wave, attempted to will it to flow down the line and burn out everything in its path.

I was mostly successful too, but not all of it went where I wanted and the backflow was tearing the machinery of the substation apart in bursts of shadow turned black lightning.

Energy spent, I collapsed onto the hard floor and let the comforting darkness take me.

* * *

I woke coughing on smoke, my nose filled with the smell of ozone mixed with burning oil and my mouth tasted like I had been sucking on coins. The splitting headache I’d awoken with was a poignant reminder and souvenir of my earlier almost deadly brush with insanity. Next time someone asked for me to take in a hundred kilo volts of electricity, I’d make sure to kindly ask them to go first, I have no aspirations to play Icarus twice

Am I still loopy from the power?

Probably yes considering how I was thinking to myself, laying on the ground as the substation burned around me. Good way to get tossed back in that cell by heroes, if the fire or smoke doesn't kill me first. Well it could also be the smoke…

Time for me to move.

One. Two. Three.

Groaning loudly in protest, I rolled over and heaved myself into a crawling position and began my journey, keeping low, below the smoke and along the concrete to the entrance. Once I’m out I can surrender if anyone is there or find safer spot to collapse.

The reward of cold, fresh night air greeted me as I pulled myself outside and over the fallen security door. Now away from the crackle of the fire and the noise dampening smoke, I could hear the whine of sirens coming my way. Well, I guess this can also serve as a distraction for the raid.

Without the acridic smoke to choke on, I could feel the residual power healing my abused body. A few deep breaths later and feeling substantially better, I wrapped myself in shadows and made my escape back through the alleyway I came.

My part in the plan was now done, but hell if I wasn’t going to try and make it to the tower and Kelly first. I owed Kelly too much.

Darting down the blacked out streets, I couldn’t help but think back to the night I emerged and the helplessness I felt in the face of the unfolding chaos. I might not be a powerful superhero or villain, but I was anything but helpless now.

Also unlike that first night, there was a sort of quiet that even the approaching sirens didn’t seem able to fill.

And tonight I was going to prove it by rescuing Kelly and putting the hurt into those who’d put us through hell.

Ahead the Yelmorn’s helix wrapped spire of glass and steel rose above the city skyline, sparkling from the reflected light of the still lit building beyond the blackout.

Coming up on the tower’s front plaza, I found the mangled remains of construction fencing strewn about as if a tornado had passed through. My friends had already been here.

Even here at the tower the silence was unbroken. I had to wonder if Kalia and co had already come and gone both unnoticed and unopposed. My phone hadn’t made it out of the substation intact and my sense of time was off, I’d spent who knows how long unconscious on the ground and blacked out streets at night didn’t help.

Do I go inside and try to find if they are still here? Wait outside? Head back to the meeting point as planned? Al is probably going to give me an earful for deviating from the plan, maybe even Kalia and Nel too.

I mean they both had a flair for subverting authority and playing tricks, but they also had a lot more experience than me at this. Kalia had committed how many successful heists since she had emerged? How many heroes had she tricked or beaten? And even though Nel wasn’t directly taking part in our raid, she’s waiting for us at the meeting point, probably worried since I hadn’t returned yet.

I was pacing. Pacing out the dimensions of my former cell, lost in thought. A bad habit. One I had picked up during my time incarcerated.

The splitting crash of glass shattering and raining down on pavement ended both the silence and my pacing. Head jerking up to find the source of the sound, I caught glimpses of a shining blur of gold and white arced out of a broken window above me, before plummeting. At the last moment the blur, flared its six wings slowing its fall. Hitting the ground rolling and coming to a rest only meters from where I stood the ball of armor and feathers, untangled itself and stood, revealing an enraged Seraph.

“YOU!” she accused, spotting me, “Unbowed’s little lackey, you did well staying beneath my notice in the time since your prison break, but it seems you have fallen in with that dangerous thief Vulptrix. There will be time to regret your actions once I return you to finish your sentence.”

“Who-,” my attempt at ignorance was cut short by a golden blade flashing past my throat, thankfully stumbling backwards just fast enough to avoid it’s tender caress.

Rude!

Seraph held out her sword, the tip threateningly pointed at my chest, “I don’t want to hear your excuses, surrender so I can get back to chasing Vulptrix. Or else!” she demanded.

Materialising my sword just in time, black blade met gold blade as I managed to block a second blow that came from overhead. Jarring pain travelled down the length of my arm. Spitting out a stream of swears, I was now doubting I had this sword thing down yet.

Seraph however had no such worries and with practised control she leapt forwards, unleashing a horizontal slash aimed at opening up my guts. My sword swept down to meet it barely in time, but the burning in my side from her blades shallow bite put that barely to doubt. Fuck.

“Are you trying to kill me? What kind of hero are you!” I screamed out in pain.

Blindly swinging my blade to create room, I danced backwards and unleashed a blast of shadows barely pausing to aim. Paving stones exploded into a cloud of dust and shards of stone at her feet. I continued to back away as an even angrier Seraph charged through the debris, blood trickling down her cheek where a sharp rock had caught her.

Well... Charged through the dust right into another blast I had loosed at her face. Who said anything about playing fair? Halting, golden blade flashed up in time to deflect the ball of shadows of her shoulder. If I had needed to pee, I would probably have wet myself at this point. Fuck she is scary!

Staring daggers at me, she wiped her bloodied cheek with the back of her swordhand and unfurled her golden wings, “Fine… Let’s play it your way!” she spat before launching herself into the air.

Like the flash of bright lightning on a dark night, a blinding beam of white gold light lanced down and burned as it glanced my bicep, exploding behind me. Right where my chest had been only moments earlier. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!”

Blinking to clear my eyes, I dove and rolled to the side as two more spears of light narrowly missed me. Scrambling to my feet I launched a volley of shadow blasts in reply, only to watch her dodge them with contemptuous ease, gliding to the side with a dipped wing.

I was not going to be able to keep up if she kept her advantage of distance, height and maneuverability. From my earlier testing I knew that I could fire off twenty seven of those blasts before I collapsed from exhaustion. But that was while fresh and rested, without having already destroyed an electrical substation and fired off six shots already.

Who knows how many more I could blast into the sky for her dodge?

If only I could fly too. Some Robin, I am…

A pillar of light exploded at my feet, sending me flying back in the remains of a decorative shrub. I didn’t mean fly that way! It could be worse I guess… Perhaps I should be grateful staring at the beams of light hasn’t turned me to salt. I could use a miracle right now.

I guess my prayers were answered as Seraph paused her onslaught, giving me a chance to breathe.

“You’re clearly outmatched Wraith. I’ll offer you ONE last chance to surrender while you are still in one piece and you’ll be returned to your cell to finish your sentence plus any additional time you have earned,” the bitch generously offered.

I’d never hated anyone more than my interrogator back in prison, but this sanctimonious arrogant bitch was threatening to steal second place from Jakob and he had tortured me. I spat in her direction for an answer knowing it wouldn’t reach her.

My defiance was met with a swift response as another Lance exploded at my feet, painfully catching me in the blast and sending me careening through the air. To my surprise, the pain of impacting hard ground or, hell, even the sensation of falling didn't follow.

To my shock and judging by the look on her face an equally shocked Seraph, I was hovering in the air. A quick glance over my shoulder revealed a second surprise. Wings. Not wings of feathers like Seraph or Nightbinder, nor the leathery wings of a bat. Skeletal wings made of floating shards of the same obsidian-like crystal as my spikes and sword, like some sort of nightmare chandelier.

“Well this is new,” I giggled, “Bet you didn’t think I could do that Seraph!”

Soaring up into the air above her, I gave her the finger and watched as her eyes seemed to bulge in apoplexy. Screaming in rage she shot up in my direction with her sword thrust before her, aimed for my heart. Shit I think I finally broke her.

Fuck no time for idle thoughts! Sending another volley of shadow blasts her way, I attempted to, clumsily mimic her earlier maneuvers and dodge. Again my inexperienced showed, barely managing to wobble away down and to my left.

And I was out of time, having already dodged or batted away my attacks, Seraph was almost upon me and I was near-shitting myself in panic. Eyes closed, I blindly lashed out with my sword.

And hit something. Anxiously peeking with one eye, I saw blood trickling down a wounded wing’s golden feathers. Our eyes met. Mutual disbelief. A panicked expression replaced the rage that had only moments before stared up at me. Seraph was frantically trying to stay aloft on just one flapping main wing, as the other hung limp. Her four lesser wings were in disarray as they uncoordinatedly struggled to save her.

Then less than a second later as if the strings holding her up had been cut, she was plummeting to the ground. Golden feathers trailing in her wake.

She hit with a wince inducing thud and a crack.

She wasn’t moving.

Fuck I hope she wasn’t dead. Even if she was a bitch, I didn’t want that on my conscience or record. I’m not a killer.

Getting down to her was a shaky crash course in aerodynamics of how to descend without following Seraph in to the ground. Three barely controlled dives and almost faceplanting later, I had two feet firmly on the ground.

Dismissing my wings was another thing, but thankfully once I got a feel for them it wasn’t any different to returning my sword to shadows. With that accomplished, I staggered over to where she lay sprawled on the pavers.

First aid lessons were kicking in.

I felt slightly moist warm air on my cheek and heard a soft rasp as I checked if she was breathing. She was out cold, but alive. The wings crumpled beneath her must have cushioned her fall, I knew better than to try and move her after a fall like that. Even if she was breathing she could have spinal damage. Spinal damage that if present, I could exacerbate if I tried to move her.

Our fight must not have gone unnoticed because sirens were finally on their way and hopefully there would be an ambulance among them. Fuck, I was worrying about someone who just moments earlier was trying to put me in a cell or coffin.

Fuck Fuck Fuck. Do I run before the sirens get here and leave her or do I watch over her till she gets help?

I was on my ass. When did I get down here? My heart was pounding in my eyes and my breath ragged and panting, burning my throat. Fuck I’m dizzy. For the first time since my changes I was shivering. Cold…

A pair of familiar arms scooped me up, “You can rest now honey.” His chest was warm, Al is that you? Exhausted. I’m so tired, I think I’ll have a short...