Tag Archives: Nick

Arc 8.6.0: Revelations

Revelations: Part 4

9 Comments

The van rolled down the ramp and into the parking area under the building. I wondered if we’d have to go upstairs to get his attention, but ultimately didn’t have to.

He slid down the fireman’s pole in the corner.

That seemed like a good sign. I didn’t know The Thing That Eats particularly well, but it didn’t seem particularly whimsical. Being possessed by a ancient supernatural entity didn’t seem likely to leave you in a good enough mood to want to try the pole.

He walked toward the van and I pushed the button to open the door. As he stepped inside, Haley stepped back into the main area, holding out her hand to help him in.

He took it, and there was no flash of red from her ward. Continue reading Revelations: Part 4 →

Arc 8.6.0: Revelations

Revelations: Part 3

10 Comments

Haley looked over at me, face tightening, but said, “I’m glad that almost everyone is there, but tell us if any of the missing people show up.”

“Yeah,” I tapped the palm of my glove, bringing me into the conversation. “Try to get everyone into the area Samita warded, and if you’ve got a second, read the email I forwarded to you. It’s from Samita. It tells you how to work the wards.”

“If I’ve got a second?” Kayla muttered something that I didn’t catch. “I’ll try.” Continue reading Revelations: Part 3 →

Arc 8.6.0: Revelations

Revelations: Part 2

9 Comments

“Wow.” I rolled that one around in my head, wondering why anyone would bother to hire someone to embarrass us when they wouldn’t have to wait long for us to do it to ourselves.

“Who hired you, and why?” Haley watched Morgan, nostrils flaring and probably getting more information than Morgan realized.

Morgan shrugged. “I don’t know. I wasn’t in on everything. Hank Haseman. The guy with the square force fields? I’m sure you remember him. He was the man with the contacts. He knew who to call, and he handled the money.”

“That’s a lot of trust,” I said. “You didn’t know who had hired you and you let Haseman handle the money.” Continue reading Revelations: Part 2 →

Arc 8.6.0: Revelations

Revelations: Part 1

11 Comments

Grand Lake’s superhuman containment facility wasn’t much to look at. Few SCF’s were. Like the majority of them, the actual prison was located underground, so all we had to look at were concrete walls with barbed wire on the top. Two towers rose above the wall.

Originally located in farmland, the prison was now solidly in the suburbs. If it were daytime, we could have seen a grassy field the size of a city block, but it was night. Continue reading Revelations: Part 1 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 10

6 Comments

The alert also appeared on everyone’s phones, and most likely all of the city’s radio and television stations. After the beeping ended, the message said what they always said—stay in your house until we say it’s safe. Also, the following individuals were released from containment… It listed everyone in the gang we’d fought earlier that day—except for the woman who operated the Eagle suit.

That made sense. She was a normal human, and the city only had ten cells rated for superhuman containment. Why waste one?

I flipped through the pictures, noticing Haley doing the same. The last two pictures showed Alden and Philo, noting that they were the ones who’d broken the others out. Jillian didn’t make the list.

Maybe Alden hadn’t bitten her? Maybe she was resisting The Thing’s takeover process? Continue reading Splits: Part 10 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 9

16 Comments

Jeremy stood with his mouth open, but managed to start talking again. “Yeah. He’s in big trouble with the police. He’s one of the guys who’ve been robbing armored cars in town. Plus, last I heard, Alden was her ex-boyfriend. As in, she was giving information about him to the police.”

Sandra let her phone, and the hand she held it in, drop to her waist. “She didn’t tell me that. Jillian just said he got in trouble with the police. She didn’t say anything about robbing armored cars.”

She stopped talking and her eyes widened. “Aren’t those robbers all metas? Alden didn’t act like a meta. He never did anything weird or… What does he do?” Continue reading Splits: Part 9 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 8

3 Comments

“Not really,” I said. “Because he checks names off his kill list on a regular basis. He’s not going to kill you, but that’s only because he’s got faith in Daniel’s block. Um… But he still wants me to get Daniel to improve it.”

“Right,” Jeremy nodded along as I talked. “The bit where he kills people isn’t fun, but look, the online group I’m part of has been tracking him for years, and I’m right next to him. That’s amazing. It still doesn’t seem real.”

I stared at him without saying anything. “It’s just…” I stopped, trying to find the words. “He killed thirty people who worked for Syndicate L last year because they knew my name, and you walked in when he was talking about something that he’s more worried about getting out than that.”

Jeremy had been leaning back in his chair, but leaned forward as I talked. “I shouldn’t ask about that, should I?” Continue reading Splits: Part 8 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 7

7 Comments

“That’s my roommate, Jeremy. He’s already got the block, and he already knows who I am.” I hoped that would be enough to stop Lee from making any snap decisions.

As Jeremy came in, Lee had touched on the topic of who his people were. He’d probably killed people for knowing less, and to be fair, this was a potentially world ending secret if Jeremy figured it out. Worse, Jeremy had actually been part of an online discussion group about Lee. It wasn’t likely that he’d figure out much of anything from what he’d heard, but he had a better chance than 99% of the world’s population…

That was why I’d mentioned the block.

Looking me directly in the eye, Lee said, “Make sure it’s a good block.” Continue reading Splits: Part 7 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 6

15 Comments

I blinked, trying to think of what to ask next. That opened up too many questions.

Haley didn’t wait. “How low?”

Lee paused, making it either the first or the only time I could remember seeing him hesitate. “Let’s say that there are multiple factors involved.”

He leaned back in his chair, the red leather becoming more visible next to his shoulder length, black hair.

“Yeah? Like what?” I tried to sound interested, but not too interested.

Haley looked over at me. Lee chuckled. Continue reading Splits: Part 6 →

Arc 8.5.5: Splits

Splits: Part 5

8 Comments

Amy looked over at Samita. They’d all sat together on one of the hotel beds. “I think that could work. Psychic teleportation should get us around any ward I’ve ever heard of.”

Brow furrowing, Samita’s face went blank. After a little while, she raised her hand to her chin and waited longer. A moment later, she straightened up and lowered her hand. “It should work. There are wards that prevent teleportation, but I think I’d recognize them.”

Amy grinned. “That’s good enough for me.” Continue reading Splits: Part 5 →