Tag Archives: Sydney

Harvest: Part 6

More to the point, I could answer the question of why there was even any kind of fight going on. With Marcus and Sydney raining down lasers from above and Amy, Cassie and Vaughn getting out of that side of the van, they had a lot of firepower to work with.

In the moment that I looked over there, I fully understood why the fight was still going. Worse, it was coming for us.

Amothel fought Necromancer Thing, but not directly. She couldn’t get near her, and neither could anyone else. Continue reading Harvest: Part 6

Crisscross: Part 1

“Huh. Does that happen a lot? I’d think that they’d want you to succeed.”

Amy smirked. “You’d think that, but a lot of them think I should be staying out of this fight and keeping myself safe so that I can return home. Their logic is that you’ve got people who can handle it, and the kingdom needs me. Why risk the Bloodmaiden for this world?”

I thought about it. “They do kind of have a point.” Continue reading Crisscross: Part 1

Super Social: Part 9

“I didn’t beat them. You were there. Everyone here was there. And when it comes down to it, Lee planned and directed the final battle with the Cabal.”

“I know,” Sydney said. “I fought, but I wasn’t involved–not the way you were. You let yourself get taken captive to help rescue our families, and Lee planned. Sean and I and the rest of Justice Fist followed.”

Camille shook her head. “Justice Fist. It was a nice try, but it was such a mess. You had Lucas, heir to millions or billions and already a doctor saddled with us, a bunch of high school kids who were full of hormones. And then there was Sean who didn’t like playing second fiddle to Lucas and also didn’t like how Julie and Shannon both were seriously crushing on the guy–not that Lucas pursued either of them.” Continue reading Super Social: Part 9

Super Social: Part 8

Marcus put his hand up to his chin, thought for a second, and then said, “It doesn’t sound that big brotherish. You’re only planning to watch for speedsters, right? It’s not like you’re going to watch everyone in town and monitor whatever they’re doing.”

I nodded. “That’s the plan. The idea is that the spybots would detect someone moving faster than normal humans can and watch them, and only them.”

Marcus sat up a little straighter. “I just thought of something. What about friendly speedsters like Jaclyn, for example? It’s not like she’s here all the time anymore, but if we need help, she’ll come. Plus, what about her older brothers or Grandpa?” Continue reading Super Social: Part 8

Super Social: Part 7

It was nice to know that Chris had been maintaining the equipment when I wasn’t around to do it, but I felt a little funny anyway. I would have done it if anyone had mentioned that people needed it. For all I knew, no one was using the mini-rocket packs.

I knew it was completely stupid to care, but it was one more thing that I hadn’t known about—like redecorating the main room in the base. I couldn’t deny it looked better, but it had been a shock the first time I saw it.

It made me wonder what else had changed. Continue reading Super Social: Part 7

Go Time: Part 8

Who was the second glow? Russian Victory Jr.? Victoryboy?

The way I remembered it, all Russian superheroes were state sponsored. The ones that weren’t state sponsored were officially criminals no matter what their motivation.

A third glow appeared behind the two I’d already noticed, reminding me of something. Russian Victory was part of a group of three soldiers in powered armor. My grandfather had mentioned it was connected to Russian folklore somehow.

For the life of me I couldn’t remember the name of the group though. Continue reading Go Time: Part 8

The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 10

“Wait a second,” Haley said, “I’ve got a better idea. Gravity Star, ramp up the gravity around you so that none of them can move, and then we’ll all shoot them.”

Sydney’s voice came over the comm. “And kill them?”

“That’s what they’ll do to you,” Chris’ grandfather sputtered over the connection.

Kayla checked the screen. He’d made it out of the complex, and was walking through the woods. Lucky him, she thought.

The screens showed the breach in one of the doors that blocked off the League’s own tunnels from the abandoned sewer lines that the League used to exit the complex. From what she was seeing, they’d found the exit in the concrete wall next to the beach where Nick sometimes exited the complex.

She couldn’t see where they were in the complex yet. The cameras weren’t showing them.

Continue reading The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 10

The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 9

“Where?” Haley asked. She wasn’t whispering.

“Above the forest. Right in the middle. It’s kind of close to the forest entrance to HQ.”

Haley’s eyes dipped toward the instrument panel. “The AI sees it, and it thinks it’s going to move…”

On the screen, the League jet exited the water, covered in panes of darkness, aiming toward the forest. The white beam, painfully bright even on the screen, aimed off to the side of where HQ’s scanner had identified it as an anomaly.

Above the forest, a silvery shape flickered, resolving into the aliens rectangular landing craft with a long burn down the craft’s side, and a blackened hole three quarters from the back. Continue reading The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 9

The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 8

Then the man appeared. Wearing a black helmet with a transparent faceplate, the alien commander had thick features, somewhere between handsome and Neanderthal. Kayla wouldn’t have looked twice at him on the street.

Then he opened his mouth. His teeth were like a wolf’s—all points, ready to rip and tear.

She thought about how much it would suck to be his dentist, choking down a giggle while reprimanding herself in her head. What was she, ten?

The newscaster’s voice said, “The alien ship hovering over New York City broadcast this message moments ago.”

In a scratchy voice with an unidentifiable accent, the commander said, “You will give us the alien devices. They are not yours, and will only cause you trouble. Give them to us, and we will tell no one. Keep them from us, and we will burn your cities to the ground.”

His nostrils flared and he sniffed in a movement that reminded Kayla of Travis and Haley.

Continue reading The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 8

The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 7

“One more thing,” Haley said. “The armor Chris made for you back when we fought the Cabal is still here, right?”

Kayla said, “Yes,” hoping her voice didn’t sound like she was thinking what she was actually thinking–that this was getting worse and worse.

Haley glanced toward the hangar where they’d kept it, and said, “If it sounds like they’re coming down here put it on. It might make the difference between living or dying.”

“But I was awful in it. I was useless. I don’t like fighting. I’m fine helping you coordinate, but I don’t train all the time like you do.”

Kayla put her hands in her lap, suddenly aware that they were shaking.

Continue reading The Battle of Grand Lake: Part 7