Dane Curse (25 page)

Chapter 48

“Dane… Dane.”

“He’s dead.”

“Don't say that, he’s not dead.”

“Look at the blood. He is.”

“Look at his eyes, he’s not.”

“I got dibs on his guns.”

“Shut up Rush. He’s not dead. Dane, Dane buddy, come on.”

It was hard to move. The world was full of fuzzy and far away voices. It felt like someone had jammed my head full of broken glass and wet wool.

“See, his eyes are open. He’s going to be fine.”

“I once saw a dead chicken open its eyes Knuckles, and it was dead.”

“God damn it, shut up Smiley, shut up everybody. He’s not a chicken.”

“I’m just saying.”

“Well just don’t.”

“I’m not dead.” My words came out instinctively. I was probably the only person who believed them. “I’ll be fine. Give me a moment.”

“What?”

“What’s he talking about?”

“I told you. That’s dead talk.”

“I’m not dead.” I was positive of that. “Just… just give me a moment.”

Memories of the past few minutes were trickling back in. I had fallen. From the sky. I knew that much, and not just because I still had clouds in my eyes. I tried to sit up but was stopped by eight hands and a whole lot of pain.

“Whoa big fella, there’s no hurry. Can you tell us what happened?”

“Temper. Yeah,” I said, “I got tossed out of the window.”

“Who tossed you out the window?”

“Hey Rush. We went to see Lynchpin.”

Temper said, “This is hopeless, he’s going to need some rest. Rush, go get a bag of ice.”

The kid nodded, and vanished.

“They threw me out the window, Temper.”

“I know buddy. Thank God Smiley was here. If he hadn’t gotten underneath you I don’t know what kind of shape you’d be in. Seriously, that was one hell of a catch.”

“Thanks,” Smiley said.

Temper looked up at the building. “Either way I’m betting you got off easy, even with all that blood on your gut. It sounded like a real slobber-knocker up there.”

I pawed my stomach. It was wet. My wounds were open. “Lynx tossed me.”

“What was that?”

“You heard me.” I sat up and leaned back against a car. Rush appeared with a bag of ice, and I put it on my head. “Lynx is behind the whole thing. She killed Pinnacle and right now is up there giving her dad what for.”

Suddenly I was pressed in from all sides.

Knuckles was the closest. “What do you mean?”

“He said Lynx killed Pinnacle,” Smiley said.

“I heard it. But I want it repeated.” Knuckles grabbed my shoulder.

“Ow, not so rough.” I tried to pull free, but didn’t get far.

“Where are your powers?” he asked, easing up.

“One sec, Knuckles.” Temper leaned down, his face was close to mine. “Hey buddy, do you know what you’re saying?”

“Yeah,” I said, “I know exactly what I’m saying.”

“Ok, but you know, you just took a sky high header straight into the ground. Without your powers apparently.”

“Just the thing to wake me up.”

Knuckles pulled Temper out of his way. “Maybe you ought to explain a little more. What happened up there? Where’s the boss? How’d you lose your juice?”

“Sure thing Knuckles.” I shifted the bag to the side of my head. “It began a few months back, when Pinnacle first met Lynx. He fell hard for her, though I’m thinking she was just in it to thrill bang a white cape, but when her old man got wind of the affair he surprised her by giving up a place on the board. See, back in the day she was the original black cape wild child, but going steady with a guy like Pinnacle showed maturity. The only thing is, people don’t change, so now that she had the resources, and the trust of the two most powerful capes in town, she decided to move on them both, and take her place at the top.

“She contacted Mindgame, asked him to build a nullifier capable of working on Pinnacle. Of course he couldn’t create a power source strong enough, so he stole a busted Kapowitzer to study its battery. And yet even with a model to base his designs on he still couldn’t do it. But Lynx wasn’t going to quit so easily. With her new position she had access to Black Bleach, so she pinched a dose and fed it to him, probably saying it was a safer version, but whatever, knowing him I doubt it was a tough sell. And once it jumped up his cortex the bastard actually improved on Varius’s design and built the impossible: something that could turn Pinnacle into nothing more than a reg.

“Then all Lynx had to do was lure her boyfriend to a controlled room, and use it on him. A TK shield kept her from leaving any evidence, even on the cellular level, and allowed her to punch a hole through his gut before his powers came back. But then the body was found earlier than expected and the board put three investigators on it. Lynx used her pull to get Frosty assigned to the case, and while that icy broad tried to keep me and Sledge off the trail Lynx used the nullifier to mop up the three board members loyal to her dad while feeding the SPECs false info as their anonymous source.” 
And now I knew the origin of that mysterious BOLO. 
“Then, tonight, she wanted me to polish off Lynchpin so I could take the fall for the whole damn thing. I declined. That’s when she tossed me.”

“And you never suspected Lynx?” Temper said. 

“Nope. I was convinced the evidence pointed to someone else. And I thought she was innocent because…” 
she’s got good mouth feel.
 “She’s a talented liar.”

“You’re kidding?” Knuckles said. “So what’s happening now?”

“Now? Now they’re forcing Lynchpin to sign over his life one paper at a time. And when Lynx is the new top dog she’ll pick off Team Supreme and all their white cape friends one by one, and take over our city. Unless I get up there and stop them.” I got to my feet and looked at the boys.

A whole lot of silence was hanging around. I got the feeling they might want a bit more evidence.

“I’ve heard enough,” Knuckles said. He nodded to Smiley, and the big goon returned it.

Temper looked at the duo. “You believe this, Knuckles? You?”

“That I do.”

“But you work for Lynx,” Rush said.

“Wrong kid. I’m loyal to Lynchpin. He’s my boss, Lynx is the job. And from what I’ve seen that girl do over the years makes me think Dane’s right.”

“But that doesn’t explain why you’re ready to charge up the Mountains,” Temper said.

“Actually it does. But we also got a debt.”

Temper said, “What debt?”

“Who was it?” I asked. “Who’d Pinnacle save?”

“My niece,” Smiley said. “A while back.”

I turned to Temper. “I told you, it’s a popular tune.”

“Yeah well, we shouldn’t just charge in. We need a plan,” Rush said. He must have done some growing up since I saw him last. “We walk in there empty handed and we’re as good as dead.”

“We won’t be empty handed,” I said. But then I remembered Rico. “Damn, where’s my Thumper?”

All eyes turned to Rush, who reached into his pocket and produced my iron. “I saw it come down with everything else.”

“Thanks, kid.” I looked at the artillery. It was in fine shape, but there was still one outstanding issue. “He’s out of slugs.”

“Here you go.” Rush handed me three magazines, all fully stocked.

“How?”

“The closest open ammo shop is only forty miles away. I stopped by on my way with the ice. Figured I had the time.”

“Well that’s something we’re out of,” Temper said, “and besides, even if we get up there we’re way outgunned.”

I looked to the top floor. “You just get me up there, and I’ll take care of the rest.” I holstered the pistol, then tightened my tie. I never wore the white cape, never even thought about it, but if Gold Coast was to survive then someone had to stop Lynx. What the city needed was a hero.

But all they had was me.

Chapter 49

The boys fell in behind me as we entered Ultar Tower, and walked across the lobby.

“The elevator?” Temper pointed at the far wall.

“Nope. It needs a key card,” I said. “We take the stairs.”

We charged up the large, looping spiral that ran the entire circumference of the building, corkscrewing up to the forty-fourth floor as fast as we could. It took a long time, but with every step feeling returned to my skin, like the slow warming that chases out the numbness after too much time in the snow. That meant my powers were returning. Fast enough, I hoped, to be of some use.

Rush was out ahead. He raced up to each landing, and waited for us there. When he reached the one with a ‘40’ etched into the glass he turned and called down. “For a bunch of guys who were so gung-ho you’re moving like tar uphill.” The echo amplified his voice.

“Shut it,” Temper said, “they’ll hear you.”

“Come on. They know we’re coming,” Rush said in a loud whisper, “our only hope is that they don’t open fire on us first.”

“Pipe down, we’re almost there.” I looked up. Only four more flights before the stairway disappeared into the ceiling above.

We took those last steps quick, and reached the final landing. The staircase took one more trip halfway around the perimeter before vanishing into the floor above us directly on the opposite side. I looked across the empty expanse. Two armed men were on the staircase there. I yelled, “Get down!”

The pair opened fire. Bullets buzzed us like horseflies. One caught me in the arm. I spun to the ground, screaming.

Smiley stepped up, and Temper and Knuckles dove behind him for cover. I crawled to them, and checked my throbbing arm. No hole. But it hurt way more than it should’ve.

After another few shots it stopped.

I called out, “Hey, we’re on your side!”

“Sure you are,” was the reply.

I glanced around Smiley. It was Franky. He was standing next to the gunmen. “Head back down and you won’t get hurt.”

“Nuts to this.” Knuckles let loose a few blasts from his fists. The red pulses flew across the empty air. They missed Franky and his friends, but sent them scurrying up the stairs.

“Last chance,” I said, “second thoughts anyone?”

Nobody said a word.

“Ok, let’s get to work. They must have a team right above us, but I bet they’re thinking we’re going the way they went, but we’re not. We’re going to go straight up.” I looked to the ceiling. “Temper, can you feel them up there? How many we facing?”

Temper looked up. “A half dozen. And yeah, they’re all on the other side of the building, flanking the entrance above the stairwell. This side’s clear.”

“Excellent. Since you’re not bullet proof stay down here and shoot them full of as much fear as they’ll take.”

“Dane, I don’t know how effective it’ll be. Not all capes are susceptible to my powers. The mental ones sure, but those with physical…”

“Do whatever you think’ll slow them down.” I turned to Knuckles. “You put a hole in the ceiling big enough for me, then Smiley, you toss me through it.”

“You using the Kapowitzer?”

“No,” I said, “not unless I have to. I don’t know if the building can handle it at this level. I’ll use Rico and surprise them, lay down some suppression. When I say it’s clear, both of you follow me up.”

Knuckles and Smiley looked at each other and nodded.

“But first,” I said to Rush, “you shoot over there and draw their fire, give us a little time. Got it?”

Rush gave me a salute.

“You sure about this plan?” Knuckles asked. “How’s the hide?” He reached over and pinched my arm.

His metal dug in, but not as deep as it did on the street. “Thick enough. Now let’s give them a taste.” I pulled out Rico. “Ok, kid, do your thing.”

Rush shot around the stairwell stopping a few meters from where it disappeared into the floor above. Live fire exploded down on him. He dodged back and forth like a blurry matador.

“Now!” I said.

Knuckles pointed one hand up, and blasted a hole in the ceiling. White, dusty rubble fell on and around us. I put a foot in Smiley’s hands and he flung me straight upwards. I flew through the hole, and landed in the room above.

The space was completely empty save for the thick, marble columns in each corner, and the six men on the far side of the room. The four guards were focusing their fire on Rush one floor down. I looked for Franky. Hate, still covered with metal, obstructed my shot. So I fired at one of the gunmen. And hit him dead center. A red burst sprayed out his back, and the goon went down. I aimed at a second one, and did the same with similar results.

Franky leaned out from behind Hate and spotted me. “Over there.”

The remaining two shooters turned my way and fired. I rolled to the nearest column in the corner, and ducked behind it. Bullets knocked chunks of marble down on me. I took a deep breath, leaned out, and returned fire. Hate was charging towards me. I shot him twice in the chest. The bullets bounced off his silver hide. Then the Biogradium slid down his arms and formed long wires that hung from his hands. With a quick snap he swung them at me like whips. I ducked behind my cover. The cords struck the column, and bit one foot deep into either side, stopping just shy of my arms.

Hate yanked his hands back, trying to retract his tendrils, but they stuck fast. I leaned out and blasted him a few times in the legs. The bullets knocked him free, and onto the ground.

“Hate! Pull back,” Franky cried, as a wave of black flames came rolling off his hands toward me. The fire wrapped around the column. It formed walls on either side of me. I was trapped. The smell of burning filled my nostrils, thick and hot. I covered my face. Then it stopped. I leaned out to give Franky a dose, but no one was there. He, with the rest of the opposition, had regrouped behind the columns on their side.

I fired at both, keeping the men there at bay. “Let’s go already, Knuckles!”

He popped up through the hole with Smiley close behind. The big man dropped to the ground in the center of the room, and Knuckles ducked behind him.

“Now what?” Knuckles said.

“Ok,” I said. “Let’s-” a swarm of projectiles cut the air around us. This time they were joined by beams of yellow light. One missed Smiley by inches.

Rush appeared next to me. “Get down. They’ve upgraded to lasers.” He ran across to the column on the other side of the room so fast it looked like he teleported.

I poked my head out for a quick peek. Franky’s two remaining guards had new artillery. They were rifles, but silver, long, and cartoonishly thick. “Damn, energy cannons. Rush, I need to-” The air between me and kid filled with beams of hot light. They burned through the walls behind us. Our columns were holding, but wouldn’t for long. “Get over here, kid.”

“I can’t!” Rush’s eyes were wide with fear. “Those are lasers.”

“So?”

“So, I can’t outrun light, Dane!”

“Not with that attitude,” I yelled back.

Dark flames filled the space between us. They licked Smiley’s back. “Dane, I’m getting burnt up here.”

“Then get some cover with the kid!” I said.

Both he and Knuckles moved quick. They didn’t get far. Smiley took a blast to the knee that knocked his legs out from under him. As he fell he brought down Knuckles. I left my cover to help them, and was immediately engulfed in flames. I clamped my eyes tight, and stumbled back. One, two, three steps and I was out of the heat.

Then the air cleared. Franky was standing in front of me. “Dane’s mine. Hate, take care of Knuckles and Smiley, the rest of you, cook the kid.” The two gunners blasted away at the column Rush was hiding behind, keeping him pinned down. Hate, coated completely with metal, moved towards the pair in the middle of the room.

“Nuts to that. You’ll deal with me,” Knuckles said. He rushed at Franky.

The legendary one turned to him, and loosed a fireball.

It caught Knuckles dead center. His chest burst into flames, and he danced backwards, swatting at the fire.

“Watch out!” Smiley yelled.

It was a second too late. Knuckles took a wrong step, and disappeared down the hole he made in the floor.

“Knuckles!” Smiley lunged at Franky. But Hate jumped in front of him. One was an offensive powerhouse, the other able to absorb untold damage. I wish I could’ve watched them dance, but I had other things on my plate.

“Now it’s your turn.” Franky lobbed a ball of fire my way. I dove forwards, rolling under the attack. Coming out of it I jumped to my feet, and tried to pistol-whip him with an uppercut. Franky weaved to the side. I followed with a left hook. But he stepped back, and I missed again. Then he pushed his hands onto my chest. They exploded like napalm. Screaming, I flew backwards into the column. My shirt was burnt away, and the skin beneath was charred black. I lifted Rico and aimed. Franky sent a river of fire flowing towards me.

I rolled to the right and shot at the center of the flames. The bullets disappeared into the roiling, black heat. Then the dark fire died down, and Franky stood there unharmed, with smoke rising off him. “I told you to come over to our side, gave you the chance.”

“And I told you I don’t like clubs.”

“Wrong answer.” Franky moved forward.

I took a step back. And hit something.

“Out of room?” Franky asked.

I looked around. He was right. I was trapped with my back pressed against the wall. Franky released a flood of black fire and it swallowed me whole. I dropped to a knee and pulled into a ball. It felt like he was peeling the flesh from my body. I pulled in tighter, exposing as little skin as possible. Every inch of me screamed in pain. Even at full strength it would’ve hurt.

Then Franky relented. He stood over me, looking down. “I want you to know I’m going to enjoy this.”

My jacket had been completely burned away. I gulped cold air. Only one choice left. Ignoring the pain I pulled Lois out and aimed at Franky. “Me too.” His eyes got wide. He held up both hands in front of him.

My finger was about to hit the trigger when one end of a metal cord wrapped around my pistol’s barrel like a silver whip. At the other end of it was Hate. He pulled hard and Lois flew from my hand. The gun bounced twice on the floor, and slid away. It came to a stop on the edge of the hole that Knuckles made. “God damn it!” I said.

“Nice try.” Hate walked towards me. Behind him Smiley was flat on the floor like a deflated balloon. In the corner was Rush, still pinned down.

Franky said, “Now how do you want it? Stabbed or cooked? It’s your choice.” He and Hate stood side by side, grinning like twin jack o’ lanterns. I looked around, searching for a way out. There wasn’t one.

Hate’s metal was swirling on the surface of his skin. “How about both? We can give him the old shish kebab.”

Franky nodded. His smile was as sharp as ever. “Yeah, I like the way you think. Alright Dane, this isn’t going to be easy, or quick. In fact, I bet it’s going to feel like forever.”

The two of them closed in on me.

Then someone screamed, “Dane!”

The pair stopped and turned around.

Knuckles had poked his head through the hole. He drove an uppercut through the floor right below Lois. Debris exploded into the air, along with my pistol. It was headed straight for me. I reached out.

But Hate stepped between us, his hands open wide.

“No,” Franky said, but it was too late. As Hate’s hand wrapped around Lois’s grip, her electric charge pulsed through the metal, and into his body, locking every muscle he had. He began to shake. The veins in his eyes burst and he wept blood as the pride of Professor Varius taught him not to play with other kid’s toys.

“Hate, drop it!” Franky danced around the ogre. He couldn’t separate his pal from my gun.

But I could.

Reaching out I pulled Lois from the big lump’s silver mitt like Excalibur. I switched off the safety. She jumped to life. The barrel grew in size and width as it started humming strong and glowing green. I put my finger on the trigger and metal ribbons lashed out from the bottom of the handle, wrapping themselves around my arm, chest, and back.

Franky’s eyes got big.

I leaned forward, and clicked the setting to scatter shot. “Give my best to the boys.” I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.

Lois roared.             

Light filled the room. Her blast kicked me backwards into the wall. The entire building shook. Then there was stillness. Even with my eyes shut tight I was blinded by the blast. I blinked to clear out the stars, and the room came into view. Everything in front of me; the floor, the ceiling, and the far wall, everything was gone. Lois had blown the other side of the building out into the night. Half of floors thirty-five through forty-five were missing, replaced by a gaping hole. To anyone outside it probably looked like something big had taken a bite out of Ultar Tower exactly halfway up it.

I stood on the edge watching Franky and company fall to the ground like so much ash and cinder, pulled more by the wind than gravity. Rush, Knuckles, and Smiley joined me on the floor that still remained.