Highway Knights
“So, the question is “Why”. Why are so called superheroes and supervillains tolerated? The answer is what are called Enhanced Surge Events, and how they happened.”
“The first, original Enhanced were just a bare handful in 1942, the Soviets not even having Enhanced operatives till ’43. Then, late that year, the Nazi’s sent an experimental, high atmosphere Zeppelin called the Arische Sonne With a cargo of Enhancement research and treatment chemicals of unknown but suspected to be varied and in some cases completed compounds.”
“The airship was supposed to be too high for any aircraft to attack it. The Soviets sacrificed the only flier capable of getting up that high, Davydova Yulinka Victorovna who is better known as Zvezdnyy Vzryv, or Starburst. She died in the process, and the contents of the airship were released into the upper atmosphere, slowly spreading across the world.”
“Since the affected people were mostly teens and twenty-somethings, they fell into the concepts culture had already given them, and the governments of the world had no way to stop them. At this point, it’s inertia.”
Alexander Fitzgerald, Analysis of Public Service and the Heroic Age.
"So, how long are we sitting and waiting, and are we sure they're likely to act tonight?" Focus said over the comms, a secondary function of the starter bracelets, which had been explained to Solaris. Both Solaris and Dreadful were in the back of the converted ambulance, in another pair of captain’s chairs, the Armor in its rack, charging and waiting to see if it was needed.
"It's hard to say, but I suspect not too long, they are not going to want to sit on the cars, the longer they store them the more likely they are to be caught. Solaris said.
"Mystic, what are we looking for?
"Based on what we could glean, the thieves likely get dropped off near the target, bust in and get the keys to their targets. It looks like they know what they're after going in, and since dealers keep keys organized that lets them get in, get the keys, and get the cars quickly." She said, "At that point, they blow out a door, window, or what have you and take off with the cars. Any police response is reacting to two-by-two black tuners, model not noted, that appear and do whatever to run the police interceptors off the road."
"Any Vehicular homicide? Solaris asked, “and are we all following the stolen cars or are some hanging back for the goons.”
"No, but that's more luck than intent." Azure replied. "Reports are, they use firearms to take out wheels and engines, and have pulled pit maneuvers on the police cars, sending them into walls and ditches. Several cops are in the hospital due to it."
"Right. So, what is the plan? They'd gone over all this before but now that they were in the field Solaris wanted it repeated, it was easy to forget things in the heat of the moment, it also gave everyone practice using their coms.
"When they hit, we intercept, act like we're trying to keep up. We made these cars to take small arms fire, so we can mostly ignore that." Elenore said.
"When we intercept, our actual goal is to use the pneumatic guns under the hoods to launch tracers onto the cars. Once we get at least two cars tagged, confirmed by Badger and Iteration confirming they're moving, then we 'let' them lose us. We pursue at a distance, figure out where they're taking the cars, and bust in there, while contacting the cops for back up."
"And we don't steal any of the cars for ourselves, even if they're really cool." Qianlima added. "That's for you, Rong. So, you know I remember."
"Make one joke, and the horse girl holds it against you for hours." he grumbled.
Solaris nodded, smiling at Penny. "All right. Now we w- never mind.” She said as a loud crash came in over her speaker.
"We have contact at target one. Seems we called it right." Badger called out. "We have nine suspects entering, all wearing dark clothing and hoods. Two black cars are pulling away."
"Mystic, Weld, your cars are closest. AR, I suggest you hold to see how to get ahead of them. Your back up pursuit."
"Seems our thieves are impatient; they must be closer to the ship date than we thought. Solaris said as the truck leapt into action with the others.
"I have eyes on them, they are going to turn right. Firing tracker now." Focus said her eyes gleaming in the dark.
"Tracker. miss. not moving." Badger said, Iteration cursing in Ukrainian under her breath. A map in a central screen displayed the roads, and general location of the cars in matching colors. Penny stood, leaning forward with a hand on a Hail Mary bar as she watched closely.
On the streets, Mystic fought to spin the wheel as she power slid into an intersection, slamming the gas and watching the RPMs slam towards the red line as she left rubber behind to cross over. Qianlima seemed unmoved by the g's being pulled by the maneuver, snarling as a blue Ferrari entered the screen, the targeting for the air gun. She twitched her fingers "Tracker away!"
"Tracker Hit, I have contact. Badger said jubilantly. The signal is coming in loud and clear.
Thud cursed as one of the Black chaser cars started firing at Iteration and him. the bullets pinging off the armor on their blue charger. " I am going to try and take that thing out before they get a lucky shot. Iteration can you get me close enough to splash those bastards?
"Hell yeah." The smaller woman said, Slamming the breaks for a quarter second, letting the gunfire pass over the hood, unfortunately into the window of a dollar general. She slammed the gas, supercharger howling as she shot forward, aiming for a corner of the black car, a pit maneuver if Thud couldn't land his own hit. The Black car had instinctively braked, the gunman leaning out of the car to try and keep firing, only to visibly panic when they shot forward. "You get them or I will!" The chef yelled.
Thud opened the door and drove his hand into the asphalt "Rahhhhh!" he shouted, sending a wave of material onto the black car. Gluing it in place. the driver jerking at the sudden stop. He swung back up into the car wincing. "Okay asphalt is worse than trying to work soil. I think I taste tar."
Iteration spun the wheel, managing to lose only a mirror as they blew past the car he'd trapped. The driver was slumped over the wheel, the passenger still hanging out the window, where the side air bag had slammed into his back and knocked the air out of him.
"We're going to stop and intercept these guys." Iteration called out, pulling to a stop and climbing out of the car. "I don't think they have any fight left in them.
"Thud got out of the car and winced then puked. "Yeah...not playing with asphalt again. He said wiping his mouth and going to help Iteration cuff the first two goons. "You want to go join yourself. I can keep these guys safe till the cops get here?"
"Yeah, then the rest will know what I was up to." She poofed as Thud picked up the submachine gun the goon had been firing, unloading it. "You a dumbass brah... don't stick your ass out of a car unless you want it beat."
In the truck Iteration jerked, then winced. "I'm going to need you to tell Kar1n that I did everything I could to not bust a mirror off a car."
"She knows these are combat cars, she’ll be more angry if any of us get hurt. Plus, Mirrors are replaceable, it's not a maintenance issue." Badger said. I take it one of you...Joined up?
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Thuds got the goons we took out. The airbags deployed when the asphalt grabbed their wheels and caused the car to nose into the ground like a cartoon character hitting glue."
"That's why we painted them black, Iteration." Focus called out, as she struggled to keep up with a Bronze Lamborghini Countach. The driver was good, weaving through late night traffic, trying to get to the highway. Even as fast as the Chargers were, the V-12, electric hybrid super car was going to blow them away on anything resembling a straight away. "Come on, give us a shot..."
"I'll get you an opening." Azure Rong zipped in front of the car forcing the driver to break for a moment before darting back out, not wanting to risk the goon rear-ending his bike.
The driver lost control of the Lambo for a few moments, not crashing but dumping a lot of speed. That allowed the Iteration sitting next to her to get a shot off moments before they ended up overtaking and passing the car. "Tracker fired!"
"Tracker hit." She replied to herself, watching the Lamborghini tracker roar off at a right angle from the direction the Charger had gone. "That's two."
"I think we can get one more for three... FUCK!" Weld yelled, having to slam his breaks to avoid getting hit by the second black sedan. He watched the Aston Martin they'd been chasing disappear onto the highway, but disregarded it, turning instead to pursue the black tuner. "Never mind, I'm putting this guy into the rails."
"We have two trackers we should be good to go." Badger said. "Dryad, Focus are you still on the trackers. I am behind but we knew the command van wasn't keeping up.
"We still see our car, but it's getting away from us." Focus responded, listening to her boyfriend curse as he broke off chasing the tuner.
"No problem, I've got them on the map, break off." Mystic said. Weld are you okay? I'm sending back up. She reached out and a black winged saber tooth materialized and flew towards The Maroon charger.
"I can see the markers on my navigation system up here." Dryad replied from the cab. "They seem to both be heading away from the city. That's unexpected, if they're shipping them out. That's where the big harbors are."
"Wait for it. I'm betting they'll turn back. They might even get loaded onto something else to hide them coming into the city." Weld suggested.
The young mechanic and the other goon car were dancing, trying to run each other off the road, when a huge cat dropped onto the roof of the enemy car the claws going through the roof. In a panic the driver jerked his wheel causing him to spin out.
Weld pulled to a stop and jumped out, grabbing a door with red hot hands, ripping it off and snatching the gun from a dizzy goon. Tossing it just before the ammo started cooking off, he slapped a hand down on the dashboard causing it to melt. "Get out. Now."
Fuck the man jumped out of the car not wanting to have melted dashboard in his crotch. Amzy knocked him to the ground and cuffed him. the other goon was staring at them from the passenger side. holding his hands up. the door won’t open. he said desperately.
"That's fair." Weld said. He walked around the car, keeping an eye on the guy, before pulling the door open forcefully, melting a grip for himself into existence. "Get out."
The guy stepped out looking desperately for a place to run. Holding his hands up. “Chill man chill.”
"Sit down. Run and I'll throw your door at you."
Penny, listening, chuckled. "I'm going to go to where the kids have the racers stopped, walk them through dealing with the cops." She said, opening the gate on the mech and climbing in as it opened, letting it seal around her. She stepped out as the back doors opened, then launched into the air, flying towards the IDs for the two cars.
“I was actually about to ask if you minded handling the prisoners that way more of the kids can take part of the raid.”
"Can do." Came over the radio. "Drop off an Amzy so one of them can watch when the truck goes by. I'll tell the others to take off."
"Dealing with the paperwork is part of the gig, too, after all."
"I've got eyes on, they're pulling up to a group of semis, and loading into the boxes. Looks like they're going to ship them into the city, eighties TV style."Azure Rong said, his motorcycle's lights were all off.
“Thud, Dreadful is coming to get your prisoners, Iteration after that she is coming to you and Weld after she gets there you can take Maroon to the fight.
"Roger that." They all replied, Dreadful landing with a crunch of shattered asphalt. "Nice." she said, her voice digitized by her helmet. She stomped over to where Thud was eyeing the crooks from the car. "Off you go." She said, confirming they were cuffed. "Drive safe-ish."
“Yes Dreadful.” Thud hopped in the car and headed to meet up with the pack “this is Artic back in route. Are we to the boat?”
"We're following the caravan." Amzy said, from the truck. "We'll know where they are. If they've loaded a boat, I think we know someone who can handle that. Otherwise, we'll figure out how to breach and call the cops in too."
“Got it. I’m moving. Thud said. “Maroon, Hunter, how are you?”
"Just waiting for Dreadful to take over watching our friends here." Weld replied.
"We're on the road, lights off, and heading to join up with Azure to start following from a distance."
"Does anyone else realize our cars seem to have codenames now too?" Focus asked.
“To be fair it’s easier if multiple people are in a car.” Weld said, looking at the scrapes on the side of his car. “Man, those are going to suck to buff out.”
"Yeah, well, gun fire and near vehicle destroying hits are like that. Let's go!"
"Amzy's fired up." Thud noted absently, before peeling out after the others.
“Later Dreadful,” he said hitting the gas’s and going to caravan up with the rest of the pack. “Hey, is anyone else sorry we couldn’t get Rose ready in time.” He said playfully referring to the soon to be rose gold tank they were doing an engine swap on.
"God, could you imagine their expressions if we drove through the door with that!" Badger laughed. "It'd be worse than Robocop coming knocking."
“Who?” Qianlima said confused.
"Oh for... How the hell do you not know who Robocop is? Were you Frozen in a basement too? Dreadful, add that to movie night, and not the crap remake."
"We're going to need an eighties movie night."
"Just save Die Hard for Christmas. It's a holiday classic."
“Agreed! SaidFfocus, and if we are doing cop movies for Christmas, I want Lethal Weapon!”
“We should do James Bond!” Iteration said.
“They made a movie from Fleming books. Lord, God favors dicks,” Solaris said dryly.
"I've read the books." Thud said. "They are NOT the same."
"Well considering the original bond is a Scott, which does throw things a bit off."
"Either way, we're coming up on the warehouse, I think.” Azure said, shutting down his bike, and pulling his phone off its clamp, slipping towards a door to peek in. "Oh yeah, this is them, and there's a small container ship getting boxes lifted onto it off the dock."
“Mystic what’s the entry plan,” Solaris said glad her new costume had gloves she really didn’t want to damage her nail polish.
"Right," She looked at the camera view coming from the boy’s phone. "Alright. Azure, you are already at the door. Honey team is going to come in the door you’re at, and I'll open with a full-on pepper ball barrage. Azure and Q can go with my pets to herd the crowd. Cherry and Arctic teams come around the buildings sides and give them the spice there as well. Hunter, team you're on pursuit if one of them runs for it. Dryad, your batting clean-up if someone runs instead of drives off. Sound good?" She was glad the cars had gotten code names, it did make things easier even if the names were made up mid car chase.
Z hit the button to switch ammo sources, going from the small well of tracers to the pepper balls the two pneumatic guns hidden in the hood could fire rapidly.
“Okay. I am ready. “Oh shit, I didn’t think we’d be the breach team. Let’s go before I freak out. Knock-knock!”
Mystic hit the button for "Intimidator mode" and the engine roared as they screamed into the bay door. The pneumatic guns, on small electric actuators, traversed as they fired a dozen balls a piece into the startled gang of thieves, leaving many of them grabbing their eyes or coughing at the powder exploding on and around them. Q dove out of the car, rolling and pulling her pair of tonfa, swinging one into a man with a wrench’s stomach while blocking his downward sweep with the other.
Azure Rong on the other side of the car burst in and drove a stomp kick into a big man’s chest, the spartan kick bouncing him off a stack of dry rotted plywood. He looked up when two flying sabretooths roared, the thieves giving up and breaking for the opposite door.
Weld pulled into the exit his own intimidator screaming as his Iteration laughed Maniacally as she pepper balled the thieves.
“Surrender now.” Thud said into a microphone. Lay down on your belly and you will not be hurt.” the eerie green glow of their light bars casting odd shadows in the garage.
The ship's crew started churning, a dozen out of forty boxes loaded, allowing the small ship to pull away quickly. The men left on the dock threw themselves to the ground, especially when the tigers came stalking out into the night, their eyes reflecting the green in a demonic way.
"I knew that ship was going to try to rabbit." Focus muttered. "Need to add a rifle to my toy list."
“I assume this is where I step in, Solaris said politely, stepping out of Command, she flew over towards the boat. She dove under the water, giggling to herself as she lifted the boat out of the water balancing it above her head. Oh nice! She said looking at her uniform that shed water so easily, it was mostly dry.
"Tell me we're getting a picture of that. I mean, that's hilarious." iteration said, laughing. Another of her said "Oh yeah, this truck has cameras everywhere."
Police sirens started piercing the night air, and several officers pulled up, only to step out and stare at the ship that was in the air and being carried over the warehouse. "Thud, I think she needs you to make a divot somewhere to settle the boat in."
“Can do! Fortunately, a lot of concrete here.” He said, placing his hand down on the pad outside the warehouse and pushed letting the stone flow away like water. Solaris hovered over and as carefully as she could she set the boat down. It still made a long, angry bonging sound. She walked over to check her fledglings. “Everyone good? That was very well executed.”