Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 12

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As I drew near, I saw the angel’s blade and felt a dull ache in my mind, realizing that the being I faced had some connection to the Artificers.

I also realized that even though I’d gotten a decent sleep, I’d used my minimal Artificer abilities to the limit yesterday in the jet.

Except for the time I’d manifested Lee’s blade and fought Magnus (?) in that vision, I’d only ever managed to use my abilities defensively. Knowing how I felt, I wasn’t sure I’d even manage to do that now. Continue reading Regression: Part 12 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 11

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Vaughn, for example, hit him with lightning again, and Power Burst’s slower speed made that easier. And Vaughn didn’t only target Power Burst. He targeted all of them—Scream Eagle and the two others speeding after them.

The hit on Scream Eagle was, if anything, a disappointment. Whatever designers the military had used for Scream Eagle’s armor before he stole it (or Rook after that), they’d thought ahead about lightning. The suit sparked, but he didn’t fall over.

Put bluntly, Camille’s gravity already held him to the ground, where Sean’s balls pummeled him from all sides (heh). Continue reading Regression: Part 11 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 10

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I checked with Hal via my implant, “Do you know anything specific about how soon they’re going to get here?”

[No. Many of the command center’s staff became engaged in online arguments this morning. They’re distracted and engaging with the discussions at unpredictable intervals.]

I decided not to inquire further about that, choosing instead to watch the horizon for attackers. Continue reading Regression: Part 10 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 9

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Aloud, I said, “The Nine are sending someone for Jody. I’m getting more details. Be ready to fight.”

Everyone turned toward the windows. To give credit to their base’s designers, the conference room had a great view—windows on all four sides and even the ceiling.

You’d definitely see it coming if you were about to be attacked. On the not-so-bright side, you’d better hope the windows weren’t made of glass.

Via implant, I thought back to Hal, “What details do you have? Everybody will want them.” Continue reading Regression: Part 9 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 8

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Vaughn pointed at the lawn outside with its new hole, burned spots, and the damaged store window. “Sounds like a plan to me, but if you wipe his memory of the last few minutes, you’ll have to explain that—not to mention your clothes.”

Like Jody’s, Jaclyn’s and Izzy’s costumes had been spattered with dirt, grass, and gray mushroom bits that must have been leftover in the soil.

Daniel looked over the room, “Right. I’ll also have to explain why there are more of us in the room than before the fight. I’m thinking we did an impromptu training session after the meeting?” Continue reading Regression: Part 8 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 7

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And do you know what? In some ways, that was the most interesting part of the training montage because Jody learned surprisingly little. I mean, sure, Jody did learn how to phase through matter, but he wasn’t great at it.

As we learned in our fight with him, he barely controlled it. Any additional distractions and he wasn’t able to concentrate enough to use it. Continue reading Regression: Part 7 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 6

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I thought about it. “A better idea? I don’t have one. I don’t think it’s going to be a popular idea, though. At the same time, if we don’t have the option of removing the command, and obviously we can’t sedate him until Magnus is defeated, then it’s better than leaving him like this.”

Julie frowned, “I don’t like it, but I don’t know what else you could do. Besides, if you do it, I might be able to chip away at the command. Kals might not be here, but the implant has a library of Dominator techniques. Between knowing the words she used and the implant’s knowledge base, I’ve got a chance. Wiping his memory of being captured gives me time.” Continue reading Regression: Part 6 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 5

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I asked, “Can you remove the suggestion?”

The scene froze, and Daniel frowned, “Well, it’s not easy. Sometimes. Dominator commands have a shelf life. If they’re close to expiring, telepaths have found that you can modify the victim’s memory of the event, and the command disappears. If the victim’s been in regular contact with a Dominator, the Dominator typically reinforces the command. Then, well, you know how the brain stores memories in multiple places? The best thing you can do to memorize something is to associate it with other things—other memories, colors, sounds…

“In that situation, we might remove the main version of the memory, but bits of it will remain connected to other things. Sometimes the connections will even reform. Then the victim will start following the command again or a mangled version, which can be worse.” Continue reading Regression: Part 5 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 4

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The scene switched from his bed to somewhere else. Jody didn’t know where it was. In his memory, we saw a brief flash after he’d reached a people-free corner downtown, checked his phone, and found himself somewhere else.

He’d reappeared outside a great white building. Behind the building towered a volcano. Along with that sight came a pervasive heat, a cool wind, and the smell of the ocean. He’d only ever seen the ocean when Stapledon fought aliens in and around New York City, but this felt different.

He’d seen it briefly then, framed by buildings. Here, it extended outward forever on the three sides in his view. He had to be on an island, literally a tropical island. He could see the palm trees. Continue reading Regression: Part 4 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 3

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“I’m following his associations with Magnus,” Daniel said. “That means whatever comes next might not be strictly in chronological order, but it’ll be close. This next bit is definitely in order. You can tell by how this scene hasn’t ended.”

It hadn’t. While Jody ran and the outside world blurred, Daniel, Julie, and I floated behind him like ghosts or realistic, human-shaped balloons.

Julie looked over to me, “How much of that was true? Do you know?”

“All of it,” I said, “from a certain point of view.” Continue reading Regression: Part 3 →

The Legion of Nothing: A Series of Online Superhero Novels (Updates Monday and Thursday)