Portal Combat (3 page)

"This is bad." Erica took out her phone and attempted to dial. She prayed she'd be able to get a signal out.

"Erica, we've gotta hide or something. Calling a cave locksmith isn't gonna help."

Erica waved away Natalie's hand. "Look, if they know about the message room, they might know about other stuff, too." She had yet to hear a ring from the other side of the call. "Like the books. And the sword."

If Erica couldn't get through, there was a good chance the dark souls would get all they'd need to win the war.

Chapter 4

Dhiraj couldn't believe his luck. As he pulled his car into the Treasure High parking lot, Jennifer Norris was the epitome of cute in his passenger seat. Her licorice-black hair was pulled back into two braids, which seemed to match her knee-high pink socks and purple shorts. He had half a mind to pull through the lot and go straight to Wayne Park, but they had a mission today.

Jennifer seemed to be in her own little world when Dhiraj tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, Pippi Longstocking, we're here."

Jennifer blinked a few times and turned toward him. "Oh, sorry."

Dhiraj leaned over and kissed her on the lips. She gently returned the lip lock.

"You're cute when you're oblivious to your surroundings."

"You say I'm cute whenever I do anything."

Dhiraj kissed her again. "I've got this bad habit of telling the truth."

She shook her head. "I think you may actually have a silver tongue."

"It's an investment."

Jennifer laughed and grabbed up her duffel bag. She glanced at the sweet-smelling, white box that lay across the backseat. "You think today's going to be the day?"

Dhiraj took a deep breath. "You know from experience that I never give up."

Jennifer gave him a reassuring look. "I hope he's not too mean to you." She kissed him on the cheek and opened the door. "Bye, dollar."

"Bye, cents."

He watched her jog off to join the rest of the field hockey team.

A few minutes later, Dhiraj pulled into the Sheriff Department parking lot with the box of apple fritters in the back seat. He'd spent close to a hundred dollars on treats for the sheriff and his staff that summer, but he had yet to achieve his main objective: stopping the sheriff from giving him the cold shoulder. Jennifer had done her best to convince her father that Dhiraj had little to do with her pursuit of Deputy Daly five months prior. She'd even pointed out that Dhiraj had probably done more to keep her from doing something stupid than anybody else. The sheriff wasn't having it.

"Donuts didn't work. Donut holes didn't work. Let's give fritters a try."

Even though Dhiraj wasn't allowed in the house, at least he was still permitted to date Jennifer. And doing that was like a dream. With Ted gone and Natalie palling around with Erica, Dhiraj decided to shun an internship with his dad to spend all season with his lady friend. With the school year fast approaching, though, Dhiraj knew he'd have to get back on the sheriff's good side to get any afterschool Jennifer time whatsoever.

The inside of the Sheriff's Department had received a major makeover after Nigel and his gang escaped the previous year. The state diverted extra funding to the renovation, given the increased attention having a superhero around meant for the government. Dhiraj passed by a shiny bronze memorial to Grayson Riley and the other employees who'd fallen that day. He couldn't help but wonder how the last few months would've been different if Deputy Daly had suffered the same fate. The former deputy would be six-feet-under instead of behind bars, and he and Jennifer might still be just friends. Dhiraj spied Doris behind the counter. His favorite secretary looked like Natalie might in 20 years with 20 extra pounds of muscle. Dhiraj plopped the box on the partition between them.

"If it isn't the little money-miracle worker himself."

Dhiraj had a sneaking suspicion that Doris wanted to pinch his cheeks. "Hey, Doris. How's that new retirement account treating you?"

Her cheeks lit up with a creased smile. "You're a literal life saver, Dhiraj. What've we got here today?"

"Fritters. Is the big guy in?"

Her smile faded. "He is."

Dhiraj knew what that tone meant. While almost everyone in the office was pulling for him, few of them thought he had a chance. Sheriff Norris was a reasonable guy in all matters that didn't include his daughter.

Dhiraj placed one of the fritters on a paper plate. "Wish me luck."

Doris sighed. "I always do."

Dhiraj knocked on the half-open door to Sheriff Norris' office.

"Come in." The sheriff's tone was the happiest Dhiraj had heard in months. He hoped that this would be the day for forgiveness.

The room had a retro feel, obviously missing out on the renovation that had modernized the rest of the building. It was dim inside, causing the light from the hallway to cast harsh shadows on the sheriff's face.

The sheriff leaned forward into the light. When Dhiraj met the man's eyes, he felt the color drain out of the room.

"If it isn't my daughter's kidnapper."

Dhiraj smirked. "Technically, she kidnapped me, but let's not split hairs."

The sheriff let out a huff. "What do you want, Dhiraj?"

Dhiraj smiled as big as he could. "I brought some fritters for everyone to share. I thought it'd be a nice–"

"Leave it there." The sheriff gestured to the door. "I've got a lot of work to–"

"Sheriff, what do I have to do for you to forgive me? We used to go on ride-alongs. I still have my honorary deputy badge."

Sheriff Norris leaned back in his chair and into the shadow once again. He looked over his daughter's boyfriend from top to bottom. Dhiraj felt the anxiety wreaking havoc with his insides.

The sheriff cleared his throat. "Dhiraj, you violated my trust. That sort of thing takes time to get over."

Dhiraj wanted to hold his tongue, but he couldn't stand it any longer. "It's been five months. There's got to be something I can do to speed the–"

The ringing phone interrupted the exchange. Sheriff Norris put up his hand and answered. Dhiraj could feel a burst of anger building up inside of him. Even though the sheriff was Jennifer's father, the idea of anyone trying to keep him from the girl he loves was making him start to pace back and forth.

"Erica? I can barely hear– Are you sure?"

The sheriff's tone had changed once again. Now, instead of ire, it was thickly coated with worry.

"Alright, stay safe." The sheriff hung up the phone. "Dhiraj, you've gotta get out of here."

Before Dhiraj could reply, an otherworldly noise emerged from the parking lot. They bolted to the window to see the source. Beside the row of cars, a glowing, blue portal had opened up outside the Department. A green, scaly creature leapt out of the portal and landed on one of the cars in the lot. The lizard caught their eye and let out a gurgling scream. The sheriff drew the blinds.

All of Dhiraj's anger was replaced by utter terror. "What was that?"

The sheriff looked as pale as Dhiraj felt. "Erica's been attacked. She thinks... she thinks they're after the books and the sword."

The sheriff ran back behind his desk and flipped some kind of switch. An alarm sounded, accompanied by a red, flashing light that cut through the shadows.

As the sheriff ran out of his office, Dhiraj kept pace.

"This is the secret hiding place? Why would Erica leave them here?"

The sheriff continued to look straight ahead. "I guess she trusts me. You really should get out of here, Dhiraj."

Dhiraj scoffed. "No freaking way. Let me know how I can help."

They turned toward the front doors of the building, which the sheriff's switch had automatically locked. A loud thump shook through the floor as the doors seemed to bend inward. While they held from the first few efforts, Dhiraj wasn't sure they would last much longer.

"You want to be a part of this?" Sheriff Norris took out his gun and pointed it at the door. "Then you help me figure out how we're going to kill whatever comes through that door."

Dhiraj racked his brain for a plan to defeat a giant lizard-person. The first few ideas revolved around the presence of Ted.

The doors bulged again as the creature continued to smash ahead.

Dhiraj held his breath. "It sure would be great if we had a superhero right about now."

Chapter 5

Ted flew in through the front door of the hospital and landed in a puddle. At least, he thought it was a puddle, until he realized the entire ground floor of the building was now a six-inch-high wading pool. Vott and Harding had equipped him with waterproof boots, but the patients who remained inside weren't as lucky. Ted saw a nurse trudge through the water with a patient who didn't even have shoes on.

He should be wearing these, not me.

Ted flew over to the nurse. Her eyes widened, but her face relaxed when she recognized him.

"How many patients are left?" Ted put his shoulder under the man's other arm.

The nurse's voice was hoarse. "At least 20."

Ted looked down another hallway to see a doctor pushing a patient on a gurney as fast as he could while trying to hold onto the IV that led into the patient's arm. Ted watched another two patients coming from the other direction when the building creaked all around them. It was as if the hospital warned those inside to get out fast. Despite a summer of saving people from disasters, Ted felt a moment of panic.

We're not gonna make it.

The nurse must have noticed his facial assessment of the situation, because she pinched his wrist behind the patient's back. "Hey, we're gonna be fine. After all, you're here. You're not hiding like the politicians in some kind of bubble."

Ted nodded. That's when it hit him.

"Nurse, you're a lifesaver!" He paused. "Literally. In at least two ways." Ted tapped his earpiece. "Vott, Harding. You guys still there?"

"Yeah. Ted, you better–"

"I need somewhere in a three-mile radius where I can send about 20 injured people."

Vott didn't hesitate. Ted heard him tapping away on a nearby keyboard.

"There's a building we have secured and boarded up. You couldn't get in through the front."

Ted looked back to see the patients splashing their way to his position.

"Roof access?"

Vott made an affirmative noise. "What are you planning?"

"I'm gonna make a bubble."

Ted gathered all the patients and nurses in the lobby of the hospital emergency room. On the night of the prom, Ted floated the disguised Dhiraj and Jennifer through the air to lure the brainwashed mob away from their limo. Now, he was going to do the same with way more people, all while trying to protect them from the harsh effects of the storm. Ted explained his plan, but most of the looks he received back were dubious.

Nancy, the nurse he'd met, was the leader of the pack. She folded her arms in distrust. "Have you ever tried this before?"

He half-grinned. "Not really. But think of it as experimental surgery."

The nurse and the others didn't seem pleased at that line.

Ted shrugged. "One that works?"

The building uttered another large creaking noise and the ground seemed to move beneath them. A male patient in his 40s began crying, and an intern did her best to comfort him.

Ted straightened his spine. "Look, guys. I need to get you off the streets and somewhere safe. I don't know if this is going to work, but I'm here to help. Anybody who wants to take a chance with me, step forward."

Everyone in the lobby, from the patients to the doctors, stepped forward or did their best injured-version of the act.

Ted nodded. "Good. Everybody outside."

As they complied, Ted concentrated on blocking all wind and rain from coming into contact with the patients. It wasn't perfect and a few raindrops fell through, but to the naked eye, it looked like there was a clear glass box around the entire group.

The corner of the Nancy's lips turned upward as she nodded. "Okay. Okay, Super Ted."

Ted looked upward. "That's just part one. Vott, are your people in place?"

"Yes. On your cue."

Ted took a deep breath. Flying and moving objects were second nature to him now, but this was going to take all his facilities.

"Paint me a picture, Vott."

Off in the distance, through the raging storm, Ted could see a red flare fly high into the sky.

Ted locked onto all the patients, doctors and nurses and shifted them up two feet to ensure he had control. All of them moved as he intended, though even that small movement felt like he was lifting 100-pound dumbbells.

Ted tightened his face and muscles. "See you guys soon." With a hearty grunt, Ted lifted the entire group high into the air.

He heard several screams coming from the giant, invisible elevator he'd created. Ted had almost become numb to such pleas for help – the more shrieks of pain and fear he heard, the less his nervous system seemed to react. The group reached the same height as the top of the building, and Ted floated himself high into the air beside them to get a better view of the destination.

"Ready another flare."

"Alright, but it's the last one we've got."

Ted grumbled. "Next time, send your people to Costco to get 'em in bulk."

As he pushed the patients away from the hospital, the hardest part was keeping himself steady in the storm. The wind and rain beat against his face so hard, he could hardly feel it anymore. He was about to ask for the other flare when a giant gust of wind picked up his body and sent it flying. In his effort to regain control, he lost the protection around the bubble, though the group remained steady in the air.

Ted watched as the patients' paper gowns became drenched and the wind pushed the medical equipment every which way. He shuddered.

"Flare. Now!"

Ted thought the wind might rip the clothes from his body before Vott could comply. Thankfully, the red flare shot into the sky and Ted used all his energy to push the group to the rooftop as fast as possible. In the distance, Ted could barely see as they moved into position above the roof.