Tag Archives: The Atoner

Arc 12.6.0: Probationers

Probationers: Part 2

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The Atoner frowned, “I don’t think so.”

Time stretched and Dr. Transylvania began to open his mouth to say goodbye when The Atoner said, “Talk in my office, Doc?”

Dr. Transylvania nodded and they got up from the table, walking out of the concrete-walled room as Mistress Madness muttered, “Looks like the grownups are going off to have a private conversation.”

The Atoner smiled at her, “If it’s important, we’ll let everybody know afterward. This is a team. Doc and I don’t run this team. We all do.” Continue reading Probationers: Part 2 →

Arc 12.6.0: Probationers

Probationers: Part 1

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Dr. Transylvania could have bought a more impressive headquarters for the Probationers himself. He had the money.

Four stories high with gray concrete and steel beams being the most noticeable pieces of the interior, it looked like what it had been—a warehouse used by the postal service. Even though the building now held offices and laboratories, it still looked like an abandoned warehouse from the outside. It even had a worn post office symbol on the outside of the building, the eagle so light and worn that he couldn’t tell what color it had originally been. Continue reading Probationers: Part 1 →

Arc 12.5.0: Older Enemies

Older Enemies: Part 4

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We didn’t have long to think about Guardian’s statement. Even as I wondered whether or not he was going to chew us out when he got here, a hole opened in the air above the parking lot. Guardian floated out, muscles showing under his silver suit as it shimmered in the sunlight. Flying along with him came Daniel’s father, Mindstryke in a black costume with the Greek letter Ψ on the upper left of his chest.

Flick jumped out of the hole to the right of Daniel’s father, landing on the sidewalk going down the middle of the parking lot. Small, blond, and wearing a light blue costume with large, metallic gauntlets, already glancing around the parking lot to understand the situation. She’d been one of our teachers at Stapledon. Even though her power didn’t put her in the top ranks of heroes by itself, she’d made the most of it. Continue reading Older Enemies: Part 4 →

Arc 12.5.0: Older Enemies

Older Enemies: Part 3

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Both reporters, Alissa and whoever the other reporter behind her was, didn’t seem to notice the Atoner’s comment because they were still looking past him where they were seeing Mistress Madness strolling out of the door. She stopped to check the lobby behind her.

Not seeing anyone following us out of the hole we’d made in the floor, she joined the rest of the group, smirking as she turned around.

I couldn’t help but think that it might have been wiser for her to hurry. Given what happened downstairs, I couldn’t be sure that part of the building wasn’t about to collapse. Continue reading Older Enemies: Part 3 →

Arc 12.5.0: Older Enemies

Older Enemies: Part 2

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I’d have argued with him except that Rook was just a picture on a cellphone screen.

Pausing, possibly to smirk behind his beaked helmet, Rook continued, “We’ve let the Heroes’ League alone despite our conflicts in the last few years. Why? Because we don’t want to kill a bunch of kids.”

Next to me, Cassie scoffed, “Right.” Continue reading Older Enemies: Part 2 →

Arc 12.5.0: Older Enemies

Older Enemies: Part 1

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We left. It would have been stupid not to, not to mention more than a little unkind to our backup that, past careers notwithstanding, was risking their lives for an information-gathering mission that had turned into something much bigger.

Jaclyn jumped up, crashing through the floor and then jumping back down to grab Izzy before jumping up again. Cassie didn’t even have time to say, “I could have taken out the floor for you,” though she tried. Continue reading Older Enemies: Part 1 →

Arc 12.4.5: Underground Tower

Underground Tower: Part 12

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It wasn’t all bad news though, because even if Izzy was out, Jaclyn wasn’t. In a blur, she ran out from behind a group of crates, grabbed Izzy, and disappeared before the True could do anything. White light hit the spot where they’d been.

For all the True’s ability to predict people’s moves, they couldn’t necessarily move quickly enough for it to matter. Continue reading Underground Tower: Part 12 →

Arc 12.4.5: Underground Tower

Underground Tower: Part 5

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I didn’t need to explain the toxic waste comment, Daniel caught the gist of it from my head.

Got it, he said, but then I felt a pulse of worry from him. One more thing… They’ve got mental shields built into their suits, so I can’t get a read on what they’re thinking, but I did learn something. One of them jumped up and tried to grab me. I knew it was coming before he did, but still, I only barely got away. As he got close though, I got a flash of Rook talking about the armor. I heard one word, ‘stasis.’ Continue reading Underground Tower: Part 5 →

Arc 12.3.5: Transitions

Transitions: Part 9

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Jaclyn and Izzy stepped into the warehouse as the red beams of lasers appeared in the smoke. Izzy grabbed a missile out of the air, crushed it, and threw the pieces to the ground before smashing through one of the building’s undamaged bits of wall.

I’d have fired off the anti-personnel lasers to give them cover, but between the explosions, smoke, fire, and moving figures inside, I wouldn’t be doing them any favors. Continue reading Transitions: Part 9 →

Arc 12.3.5: Transitions

Transitions: Part 8

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Minutes later, I was running through the plan with Jaclyn and the Probationers. Jaclyn had heard all of what we had in the process of keeping the rest of the team involved, but she was listening in as she ran to Indiana.

Not only couldn’t I see her face, but I only saw one of the Probationers as he sat in the jet they were flying. All I could see of the Atoner was his red and white costume, the metallic gray of his exoskeleton, and the gadgets that hung from it. His helmet covered his face, giving a hint of light brown skin and dark, black hair.

Even though Grandpa had helped train him, all I knew about the man was that he’d killed his team while under mind control and changed his name to the Atoner afterward. Continue reading Transitions: Part 8 →