H.E.R.O. - Horde (22 page)

Once she'd changed her looks, she told the group to stay there, but that Kar was free to return home.  Then she climbed down the side of the building into an alley and went into the club.  Once she was inside the floating creatures backed up slightly and began playing games on their cell phones, while keeping two eyes each poked out over the edge of the building.  The brown orb kept its hold on me the entire time....

Chapter 19 - Watermane

Razorwing's Viewpoint

I flew around for a while until I saw Watermane leave the heroes just outside the side exit of Blacklight.  I watched her jog toward the river and followed her from above.  She was fast, moving perhaps thirty or so miles an hour.

I swooped down to head her off after a mile or so.  She slowed to a walk and approached me after I'd landed.

"Hello again, winged one."

"Greetings, Watermane.  Sorry I didn't take the time to chat back there, I'm trying to stay in the good graces of the mutant community - and they aren't on great terms with H.E.R.O."

"True.  So what did you want to talk about?"

"You mentioned chemical dumping at Pier 34.  On Monday, a group of us found the research firm Fargene after some kind of accident.  Right now, we believe that they somehow activated some of the meteorite, kicking off a new wave of mutation.  This time it mutated animals and people."

"And they were dumping chemicals in the river?"

"Not that we know of, but their first reaction to an emergency was to lock down the building rather than to ensure the safety of the people.  Nearly everyone that worked there died.  At least three became horrible mutants - extreme examples."

"More than you?"

"Yeah, well, I think so, anyway.  One became a cross between a man, a centipede and a scorpion.  Another had an arm that became a mass of tentacles, plus four more long ones, plus horns.  The third changed into a huge demon person with massive claws and fangs.  Those three attacked another research firm called Regenetics."

"Okay, so...?"

"They started killing people at Regenetics, and attempted to gather lab supplies until we stopped them.  However, that has probably drawn some attention to Regenetics in the last few days, and I'd suspect that they may be eliminating evidence that might incriminate them in something."

"I could see that."

"Alternately, the only other research firm of this type - Laronics Research - may have done it out of paranoia.  You know, two nights in a row now these red guys have apparently shown up.  You said the dumping just occurred yesterday?"

"I think so."

"The timing is suspect, don't you think?  Maybe it's what is causing the people to change into red brutes."

"I guess that's possible, how would so many all change though?"

"Maybe someone's spiking drinks or food with it?"

"Hmm.  That's possible too.  That worries me; with it spread through the river it may affect the beach or the wildlife."

"We could really use a sample of the chemical....  Hmm, if it could be a chemical in a drink, then I better contact Rayna, I have a feeling she's checking into the metal places now."

"All right, I'll get a hold of a sample then, if any is still on a rock or part of the pier.  Are you in H.E.R.O.?  You just said you were trying to stay on good terms with the mutant...."

I interrupted her, "Right.  I'm not in H.E.R.O.  Do you have a H.E.R.O. phone on you?  Here's my number."  I held up my cell phone with the About page on it.

She pulled out her H.E.R.O. phone and created a contact for me.

She said, "That's kind of annoying, you ought to just join H.E.R.O.  Everyone's got the contact number then."

"Everyone everyone, or just the other heroes?"

"Just the other heroes.  Someone can call H.E.R.O. HQ and ask to be passed through to one of us though, the call can be transferred."

"Hmm, for now I want as little tying me to H.E.R.O. as possible or I have a feeling the mutant community will turn a cold shoulder to me."

"Whatever.  Kind of silly to do it all without ... wait a second, why
are
you doing this if you aren't getting paid.  I haven't seen your picture in a paper, so you aren't getting publicity either."

"No.  I do it because I can."

"Err, okay.  That doesn't make much sense.  I mean, you don't have a cause, right?"

"Nothing specific.  Do you?"

"Of course, I want the waterways kept clean.  I happen to like to see Metrocity hitting the charts as having a top beach."

"Wait a second, that's right - I've read something about that.  You do something to keep the water clean?"

"Yeah, I can purify the water; it takes work to keep it clean - especially with us getting filth coming down the river from the north.  When someone dumps extra junk in it then it takes even more time and effort for me to clean it."

"How do you do that?"

"It's hard to describe.  I go into my water form and well, ugh, I don't know, I filter it."

"You were in your water form when we attacked the pirate starship?"

"Yeah."

"How does your costume stay on?  I'd think it would just fall through you."

She chuckled, "Think of me as hard water.  Seriously though, I kind of turn into a more solid form of water - does that make sense?"

"No.  Solid water would be ice."

She shrugged, "It just works.  A normal human's body has a high percentage of its composition as water.  Think if me as having watery skin around the more fluid water."

"All right.  Is it real water?  Have you had it tested?"

"You mean have I had myself tested?  No, that's just strange."

"I was just asking.  Thanks for stopping - I better get this text off to Rayna."

"Good luck.  I'll see if I can find that sample."

"Thanks."

I sent the text to Rayna mentioning that the chemicals being dumped could be the same ones changing the red brutes, and to look for anything being added to drinks.

Speaking of strange, we haven't seen any women changed - whoever is doing this has to be choosing to exclude them, or they are immune.

In a minute Rayna replied to my text with "got it."

I flew back to Blacklight and watched from the rooftop for a while longer.  Rayna called after a half hour.

"Are you sure someone is spiking the drinks?"

"No, it just happens to coincide pretty well with the dumping of chemicals that Watermane is looking into.  Why?"

"Well, if we're pretty sure I can shut this place down and have a horde of cops here to test all the drinks."

"I don't know, so far we're assuming.  What if someone is just adding it to pitchers of beer or some such?  I'm assuming it's being used as an additive.  For that matter, someone could be selling a new drug on the market that is doing this."

"And all the new users just happen to be from the same club?"

"Actually, that fits the scenario too.  One dealer, they head to a club and either let a bunch of people try the new stuff or something like that.  Boom, you have a bunch of people from one place all changing."

"Cool, so
don't
close the place down then.  I need to check for drinks and for possible people pushing something."

"I agree.  I'd think they are already gone for tonight, though.  This latest batch of people already changed."

"Were they grunting some words when fighting?  I couldn't quite make out what they were saying."

"They kept saying 'Hate Goth' over and over."

"So someone has an agenda."

"I think so.  Most were saying that."

"Gah, okay, assuming it's someone either going around spiking drinks or selling a new drug on the market, how are we going to check all the clubs to find them?"

"I don't know.  I think we need a group of people who each go to a different club and keep an eye out."

"That'll be a nightmare; I don't think we have enough heroes for it."

"I agree.  Are your eye creatures good enough to each recon a different place?"

"No, Fluff and Gruff wouldn't be good at that at all.  I'll see how many heroes I can get a hold of that could do recon work while incognito."

"All right, I think we've got a plan, if we can just implement it."

"Yeah, okay, back to recon.  See how many more times I can get hit on...."

I smiled.  "You're going in yourself?  Not Duff?"

"No, I don't have something specific for him to look for - that's what he's good at."

"Ah.  You still have your costume on?"

"No, I changed into jeans."

"Ah.  That must be an interesting look for you.  Good luck in there - be careful."

"Hey - be nice!  And will do, talk to you later, RW."

I hung up and went back to watching Blacklight.  Once the police and heroes had gone, there was a flurry of mutant activity around the building.  I wasn't about to learn anything more sitting up on top of a building, so I leaped down and walked in just behind another mutant.  He turned and looked at the sound of my wings, but at the sight of me, he simply nodded, turned and walked in.

There was a large group of mutants inside - at least two dozen from a rough headcount.  A group of three caught my eye off to the right, two men and a woman, all of whom were extremely pale and either wore blood red lipstick and nail polish or perhaps even had them naturally.  While the eyes weren't identical on all three, they all affected clothing that screamed 'vampire' at first glance.

Most were typical mutants - they had varying hair colors and styles, most had tattoos of skulls, dragons, and a few lewd pictures of ladies.  The majority had claws, a sword arm or tentacles.  Some had horns of varying shapes and sizes.  A very few looked nearly normal but for the eyes and teeth.

A pair entered - the man was around seven feet tall and built as wide as Spartan was, but he had fin-like spikes coming out of the back of his hands, forearms, shoulders, thighs, and two rows on his bald head.  His mouth split his head fully from one side to the other, with large razor-fangs filling the entire mouth.  His fingertips were all black talons.  His eyes, skin and lack of ears made him appear reptilian.  He wore a black tank top along with black leather pants.

Behind him came an unbelievably gorgeous woman, as beautiful as the male before her was horrible.  Her hair was golden, nearly identical in color to Psystar's, with a straighter style but longer.  Her eyes were golden as well.  Her only oddities were the golden wings - a match for my demon wings but for the color.  She was dressed more in jewelry than clothing, and from the way everyone's expression changed as she walked past to one of dreamy desire I felt reasonably sure that she had pheromones as well.  The beauty walked past the crowd to the stage, where the spider woman and vampiric woman stood already.

The spider woman spread her four spider legs out wide and the group fell silent.  I had to work to keep my eyes on her; they kept pulling over to the beauty with the wings.

The spider woman said, "We have been beset upon by outsiders specifically attacking our kind and style of life.  Something is mutating humans into smaller bricks.  These men are somewhere in strength between most mutants and most bricks, and have skin armor capable of rendering our weaponry mostly ineffective against them.  We need to find who is behind this and eliminate the threat."

Heads bobbed as most mutants nodded their agreement.

The spider woman looked to the tall woman next to her and said, "Lady Celeste?"

The vampire woman said, "We need to dress and appear as those who attend the heavy metal and rock clubs.  Find this drug and bring the information to Lady Nocturne, Lady Rapture or myself."

One of the mutants in the crowd asked, "What about the heroes?  Some of them aided us both last night and tonight."

Lady Nocturne practically spit out, "We do
not
need the aid of the heroes!  We have been spread out, making us weaker when attacked by large numbers as they have done.  When we face this horde of attackers head on we will not need them."  Her spider legs trembled with her anger.

Rapture said in a seductive, seemingly quiet, yet easily heard voice, "Seek each night until we find who is behind this, I implore you.  Go now."

About half of the crowd practically rushed the door.  Another six or so left slower, but obviously more of their own willpower.  A few remained, talking amongst themselves.

Rapture looked at me, and I locked eyes with her.  It wasn't until Lady Celeste stepped between our line of sight directly in front of me that I realized I'd been entranced by her eyes.  I hoped her power wasn't greater the closer one was to her.

I looked into Lady Celeste's black eyes and raised an eyebrow.  She held out a hand to me.  I smiled, took it and raised it to my lips.

She smiled, "A gentleman.  What brings you back?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing without the police and heroes here."

"You will likely have difficulties fitting in at most club scenes."

"I know.  I stand out almost everywhere."

I noticed that she hadn't released my hand - she asked, "May I?"

I wasn't certain what she meant until she attempted to pull my hand to her.  I let her - she brought my hand up to her face, and then ran her nose down the bottom of my wrist.

"You will not face the red horde again, but will have dealings with the heroes."

I asked, "Good or bad?"

"These are merely flashes.  I do not see you dead or imprisoned."

"That's nice to hear.  Is there anything I should watch out for?"

"I don't have enough information for that."

"Since you mention heroes, why not work with them?  They helped here tonight, one was even a mutant."

"Black Tiger, I am aware.  The history of our kind and theirs has not gone well, particularly for Nocturne."

"Is that anything like Shrinker and those mutants recently jailed?"

She dryly laughed, "No, those are anarchists.  We have an order of our own."

"Ah, ni...."

Rapture walked around Lady Celeste to stand in front of me as well.  I couldn't look away from her.