CHAPTER 16

OCTOBER 21ST, 1:07 P.M.

--LEO--

"Tommy! What are you doing?!"

"Get off!" he yelled back at Leo.

"What!?" he questioned. He relented on his effort to gouge the axe into Regis for a moment to focus. The roaring wind made it almost impossible to hear Tommy, who was already preparing to jump off. Suddenly, the train violently lurched forward. The cab he was standing in shot vertical rapidly. He and Boone were whiplashed forward from the sudden change in momentum, flying to the front of the cab. Just before impact, something yanked them backwards and up, out of the cab through the torn off roof. Wrapped around him was a pink, gleaming lasso of magic, towing him skyward and safe from danger. Now with an elevated view, he saw a large man of stone, Frank, standing on the tracks. The front nose of the train was in his grasps, completely smashed inward from its collision with him. The halted momentum made the ensuing train cars launch into the air. It coiled up like a snake, forming an arch. The metal groaned as it stressed under the gravity pulling at its joints. With a rumbling shout of strength, Frank swung the train like a baseball bat, with Regis still inside, smashing it through the wall of the fortress. Snow bloomed up and clouded the air as the cabs splintered and broke apart, tumbling through the courtyard with one ricocheting into the upper floors of the main building, smashing a large hole in the wall before falling down. Frank charged in through the newly renovated front door, with hails of gunfire from soldiers and turrets positioned on the top of the walls and behind a makeshift barricade and the back end of the courtyard. Laurel, still towing Leo and Boone, quickly descended, setting down behind an overturned cab to cover themselves from the crossfire. Tommy joined them soon after. The four of them crouched down as bullets clinked against the metal and the snow around them.

"Where's Regis?!" Leo yelled over the cracks of bullets through the air.

"Upper floor of the main building," Tommy said; his eyes shined brighter as he looked through the obstacles. "I'm going to help Frank. You guys need to get after him before he regroups!"

"I have an idea," Boone yelled. "Buy me some time?"

Leo nodded. "Give me a boost," he said to Laurel. He stood up and braced himself as an aura surrounded him. He was lifted a few feet off the ground before Laurel then tossed him forward telepathically. Leo flew overtop the grounds and perfectly through the destroyed wall and into the building, rolling to break his momentum. He stood on one knee, looking around the room for Regis. It seemed to be a conference room: a large wooden table sat in the middle, littering with schematic papers and pens. The walls were a drab gray with construction paper taped over the windows. Pinned to the walls were what looked like diagrams of old projects, but were mostly blacked out with marker, classifying it.

Among all of this, Regis was nowhere to be found. That was until he rushed at Leo from his right, letting out a gargling scream. Leo didn't react, merely creating a duplicate in front of him that planted its hand on Regis' bony forehead, stopping him in his tracks. It then slammed his face down into the floor and chucked him forward, making him slide across the tile towards the back of the room, leaving a bloody streak along the way. Leo rose to his feet and grabbed the corner of the table, flipping it to the side, out of the way and against the wall. As Regis was barely able to get back onto his knees, Leo threw his axe sidearm at him, sticking the blade into his gut. He gritted his teeth as he grunted in pain; they were finally breaking through his poise. Leo held out his hand to recall the axe, but Regis quickly grabbed it, holding it into his stomach, making it pull himself on his knees to Leo. Regis grabbed Leo's shoulders once he reached him and wrestled him to the floor before winding up both his fists above his head and smashing Leo in the chest, punching him through the floor. He fell through multiple levels until he finally hit the concrete basement bottom.

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LAUREL

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Laurel flew overtop of the battlefield; a bubble surrounded her, shielding her from bullets that harmlessly struck it, causing ripples. Below her, Frank continued his rampage. Like a boulder let loose, he smashed anything in his way. Tommy stuck close, using him as moving cover as he shot back at the attackers. She knew they would be just fine on their own. Right now, she needed to go help Leo. She drifted up to the breached wall to see Regis standing over a crater in the floor with Leo's axe buried into his stomach. He looked up at her with his nightmarish face; his blood covered skull stared into her. He was too strong; the piece must come out. But he needs to be worn down enough first.

Laurel quickly froze him in place, casting out distortions from her hands, stopping time just in that room. Snow particles that were blowing in stopped. The rustling papers froze as the wind stood still. All except for Laurel. And Regis, who was somehow still able to move slowly. She then warped him to the back of the room, sticking him against the wall like a bug caught in a trap. Two, glowing blue whips formed in each of her hands, wrapping around her palms and sparking with lightning. She flung them out, having them wrap around Regis' wrist where she then feed energy through them. Regis' was unable to do anything from the slowness as two continuous lightning bolts fired into him. Laurel then let go of them, casting them out to plant into the ground by his feet, chaining him to the floor.

With Regis now slowed and subdued, she rose up, nearly hitting her head on the ceiling as she spewed flames from hands. A thick pillar of fire engulfed Regis, which then billowed out and spread across the entirety of the wall. She pushed more and more effort, turning the flames white, then blue as she relentlessly attacked. Finally, she let up, letting the last of the fire she casted dissipate. Time resumed back to normal speed. In the aftermath, Regis still stood where he was. His clothes were charred completely black and tattered, revealing his now burnt, smoldering body that had no more skin left on it. His muscle and bones were exposed; the bright red color of his insides was tinged black with some embers stuck in the tissue. He was freed from the electric chains, having pulled them out from the floor and now holding it in his hands.

"What?" Laurel said in shock. She reached out her hand, summoning the lightning whip back into it, but Regis still held on to the other end. He snapped it forward, sending a bolt of electricity through it and at Laurel. It struck her fingertips and zipped through her whole body. It felt as if her whole nervous system seized as it zapped through her. Her vision went white as she dropped, nearly falling through the hole in the floor. Her legs dangled as the rest of her body lay flat on the tile. Laurel looked up; her vision still blurry as she saw Regis removing the axe from his gut. He raised up the blade as if to admire it, adjusting his grip on the handle. She needed to get up, but her mind couldn't but the thoughts to actions. Just as Regis started to walk towards her, the axe suddenly shot downwards and stuck into the floor. He tried to lift it back up, only for it to force itself back down again, like it was being pulled down by an invisible rope. Regis was able to lift it up again, holding it high for a second just for it to turn back down and plow through the floor.

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Suddenly, the lights went out. The light still shined in from the outside, but it was now met with the red hue of emergency lights. A solid white beam hit Regis in the chest, making him stumble backwards. Flying in above Laurel and glowing brightly was Boone. He rapidly fired blasts at Regis, who futility tried to block them with his forearms. He then flew straight into Regis, tackling him through the wall and into the heart of the facility.

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BOONE

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Boone held Regis by his arms as he flew into the main atrium. It was a massive room with large crates attached to a track on the ceiling that wasn't moving with the power out in the building. The dim, red, battery powered lights barely illuminated the space. The floor was so far down it couldn't be seen; like there was a black void below them. As he was flying, Regis managed to free himself from Boone's grip, crashing into a hanging crate in the process. Boone quickly stopped and turned around as Regis climbed onto the top of the crate, holding onto the chain that suspended it in the air. He stepped forward and yelled at Boone like he was an animal.

"Shut up," Boone aptly responded. He ascended higher in the atrium, firing down beams of energy at Regis. He had no way of attack Boone while he was up high and distanced from him, but he couldn't do that forever. It wasn't effective enough, and he would soon drain himself of energy. But he also couldn't get onto the hanging crate with Regis; he was too strong. That's when Boone realized to cut the chain, to drop Regis to the bottom. He fired a laser from his hand and sliced the chain easily, but Regis jumped to the next one over and grabbed the chain of the crate before it fell. He swung it in a loop like a softball pitcher and let it go at Boone. It crashed into him, knocking him backwards and shattering it. Wood splinters and metal parts scratched him as it broke across his body. Boone regained control of his flight, slightly disoriented but now angry. As Regis stared at him through the dark, the piece lodged in his head dimly glowed its own golden light. A piece full of intense power...

Boone flew like a speeding bullet, crashing into Regis' legs, taking them out from under him and making him fall onto his face. He stood over top of him, planting his foot on the back of his skull. He reached down, touching the piece, feeling the energy it held inside. Boone opened himself to it, allowing its power to flow into him. The moment it entered his body, he felt a shock of pain. His body revolted from how immense it was. Boone's body wouldn't be able to take it. But now he had a taste of it. He needed that piece. He needed to find a way to have that power.

Boone reached down and grabbed the sides of Regis' skull with both his hands. He kept a foot planted down on his back as he pulled up. He wrapped his fingers underneath his chin as he strained, trying to rip his head off. Regis struggled against him, trying to pry his hands from his head. Regis then reached up and grabbed his arms from the inside of his elbows and yanked him forward. Boone flipped over top of him but still held on to his head. As he completed his flip, he used the momentum to throw Regis forward, launching him into the next crate on the track. He slammed into the side, creating an indent before he fell, plummeting into the darkness. Boone quickly flew down after him but it wasn't long before he was in complete darkness; he had to slow down to not accidentally fly straight into the bottom. A few seconds later, the thud of Regis' body hitting the ground echoed in the chamber. A new light started to glow down at the bottom. A golden light, in the shape of an axe blade.

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LEO

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A loud smack suddenly boomed nearby. It sounded meaty; like a body had just fallen. Leo knew exactly who it was. He charged up his axe, letting its glow act as a light for him. He walked steadily toward the direction of the thud where he saw Regis, now scorched and even more devilish than before. He lied face first against the concrete floor; a large splatter of blood marking his landing spot. He looked up at Leo, his skull now shattered from the fall. The bone was cracked. Pieces were missing. The front of his brain was mashed. His teeth were gone. His chin was cracked down the middle; his jaw hanging open like a snake. It was then that Leo could finally see somewhat of a person inside, despite being a monstrosity beyond the likes of anything he's seen before. His body was worn down. He was finally feeling the pain. The piece could only do so much for him. The blind rage that held him all through the fighting was nearly gone. Leo couldn't do anything for him now. All that is left is to end it.

"Regis," he said to him. He moved closer, holding his axe with both hands as its light guided him. The survival instinct of the abomination returned. His moment of weakness was quickly ushered away as rage returned. But with every bone in his body shattered, he was left to lay there, squirming and twitching, only able to grunt in protest. Leo planted his feet right next to Regis' head. He craned his neck, trying to look up at Leo who stood over him. With no line of defense left in him, he still tried his hardest to get up and fight. Commendable, almost.

Leo looked down at the man he once took orders from. The one that he once saved from the hands of terrorists. One that he used to hold respect for. Until he killed billions of people. That is unforgivable. Irredeemable. But still, Leo believed him to be a good man at heart, just misguided. And now as a monster thanks to Rayshe. It was unfortunate that it had to be this way.

"May you go in peace," Leo said to him. Regis still resisted, trying to get his arms under him and push off the ground. His body suddenly became distorted, blurry, as a force lifted him up to his knees, keeping him in a hunched over position. A ball of light suddenly appeared over top of them, providing a space of clarity through the darkness. Leo looked up to see Laurel hovering close by, keeping Regis held up for him.

With a small step backwards, Leo lifted the axe up high and swung it down hard on the back of Regis' neck. The blade effortlessly cleaved through, separating his head from his body. The skull fell to the ground, shattering as it hit. Now, laying there in its full glory in a pile of bone, was the piece. Just one part of the key, yet powerful. Leo picked it up, observing its details closely. It hummed softly in his touch. It glowed naturally like a fire in the night. It was perfect. And familiar...

"I've seen this before," he said. Boone then dropped in from above, gently setting his feet down onto the floor.

"You've seen that somewhere?" he asked Leo.

"Yeah. At the U.S.S. banquet three days ago."

"That was there?" Laurel asked, joining them on the ground.

"Not really," he replied. "Let's find the others. I know where the next piece is."

The three of them walked outside; the sunlight was inviting compared to the darkness from inside. The courtyard was littered with debris. Some small fires burned in destroyed vehicles and turrets, but the snow and the wind kept them weak. Tommy and Frank stood in the center, leaning against a mangled train cab that tumbled through the place. By the looks of it, they didn't have much trouble handling the forces outside. Frank, however, was still brushing some rock off his skin. As they approached them, Tommy saw Leo carrying the piece.

"I take it Regis is no longer with us," he said.

"For the second time," Leo remarked. He held out the piece for Tommy to see. "Take a look." Tommy took the golden fragment, gently holding it with his fingertips.

"Well great," he said. "That makes one. We need two more."

"And I know where we can find another one," Leo said.

"Spit it out then."

"At the banquet, three days ago, someone handed me a card. They were auctioning an 'artifact' at the NLV. The Palace to be exact. Just so happens that it looks identical to this. I didn't see the resemblance until I saw it up close."

"Regis was there too," Boone said.

"And that's when he kicked the bucket the first time," Laurel added.

"Do you suggest that there is a correlation?" Frank asked.

"It's possible," Leo said. "But Rayshe keeps his business tight. Guy was probably networking for future clients."

"Lot of rich people to choose from at something like that," Tommy agreed. "When did he say the auction was?"

"The 24th. Not much time," Leo said.

"And don't forget about the barrier," Boone said.

"So, what?" Laurel asked. "We bid in the auction?"

"We don't even sniff the kind of money that people will be putting down at The Palace," Tommy said. "We can't bluff either. You have to be screened to participate."

"We must come up with a plan," Frank said.

"If we're doing this without powers," Leo started. "We'll need to get there early. Tonight, even. Scout the place. Figure out a strategy."

"Where's that card you said you got?" Boone asked him.

"In my pants pocket at Laurel's," he answered.

"So we'll stop by there first," she said. "Then we're off to the NLV."

"Let's go then," Tommy urged. "No time like the present."