Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 9

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Ten minutes later, the crowd started screaming.

The announcer shouted, “The Murdilator wins! The paramedics are taking Electroman out of the arena, and in five minutes you’ll be able to see the next round—Rook versus Frog! That’s right, the up and coming Rook versus a brand new opponent in powered armor. All that, in just FIVE minutes. Get your drinks and snacks now because you won’t want to miss a second of it.”

Larry took a breath, realizing that he actually felt nervous. And how crazy was that? It was just a fight. How many of those had there been in the last few years? This time his opponent would at least be human, and a kid at that. He’d seen worse.

No denying though, that Rook probably hated him, and wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 9 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 8

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Lim’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t tell you what to do, but I can’t ignore it if what you do helps our enemies either.”

Larry shook his head. “I’m not going to do anything to help the Russians, but if I’ve got to help my friend a little to get your job done, I’d say that’s okay. He’s not going to get anything he wouldn’t have gotten on his own–if I hadn’t been here–and he’s probably getting less. I don’t want to hand anything over to the Russians either. Hell, if it’ll make you feel better, Alexis and I are planning a mission to get Abominator artifacts away from the Russians after we finish this.”

Isaac’s eyes widened. “What kind of Abominator artifacts?”

“I don’t know. Nothing good, I bet. Alexis told me that the Kremlin sent a team up to the moonbase, and grabbed stuff. I don’t know what they grabbed. It could be anything.”

“What’s going to happen to them?” Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 8 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 7

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Alexis snorted. “When is it not complicated? The last time we fought together we faced the Abominators on the moon, and had to convince the Xiniti that we weren’t the Abominators’ servants. At least here we can breathe.”

Larry looked out at the arena. People were still training. “Yeah, this time around we only have to worry about your people and my people instead of both of those plus evil aliens. That’s progress.”

Alexis laughed. “A little progress. Very little.”

“So,” Larry said, “we’ve got to arrange it so you get enough that you don’t get in trouble. Technically all I was supposed to do is talk to the guy. There’s nothing stopping you from asking him afterward. It’s just that if I do it right, he’ll be too scared to take orders for a while.” Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 7 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 6

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“You didn’t have to do that!” The kid shouted, and tried to brush the tears from his eyes, but mostly succeeded in smearing whatever she’d sprayed on him.

By that time, Larry was within reach—just a couple steps down.

The kid muttered something, and as he pulled one hand away from his face, Larry saw that the kid had made a fist.

It wasn’t much of a punch. He swung wildly, missing by more than a foot.

Cheryl stepped backwards, moving unsteadily up the stairs, away from the punch. The high heels and mini-skirt didn’t do her any favors.

Larry grabbed the kid’s forearm from behind as the kid recovered from his swing, and then grabbed the kid’s bicep with his left hand.

“Relax, kid.” Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 6 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 5

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“Rook?” Larry tried to remember if he’d ever heard the name before. “What, does he have some kind of chess theme?”

Alexis shook his head. “I don’t think so. He has wings.”

Larry frowned. “What’s a rook look like anyway?”

“His armor is black. It seems very like a crow. I do not think we have rooks in Cuba.”

Larry gave an grunt in reply, and looked back toward his suite. Could Lim be done debugging the room yet? He doubted it, and he doubted that the Feds would understand why he was friends with Alexis at all. Most of them wouldn’t have the clearance to read the reports they’d need to find out either.

“You want to go somewhere? Talk, maybe?” Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 5 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 4

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When they landed, the runway crew had the mobile stairway next to the plane practically as soon as it stopped—which wasn’t until it was inside a hangar.

Larry followed Lim down the stairs, stopping as they met the greeting party. It didn’t include any midgets.

It did include a woman, and three men in tuxedos.

Larry guessed the woman was his age—mid-twenties. She had a wide smile, and wore what he would have thought of as a business suit if it weren’t pink, and didn’t include a mini-skirt.

“Welcome to the Metafight Games, Mr. Mori?” She looked up at Lim for confirmation.

Isaac nodded.

“And, you sir, you’re a late entrant, and I don’t know your name. What should I call you?” She held a pen and a notepad.

“I’ll be wearing the Frog suit, so call me Frog,” he said.

Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 4 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 3

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Larry exhaled. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Joe told me not to take the Rhino suit.”

Agent Lim looked up to meet Larry’s eyes at the sound of Joe’s name.

“Yeah? Did Joe tell you anything else?”

“Not really. He just explained about the jurisdiction issue, and how you guys wouldn’t mind if I blew the whole place up.”

Lim gave an uncomfortable laugh. “I don’t recommend it,but it might make things easier. Metafight Games was incorporated in the Seychelles. The company’s owners are US citizens, and the island’s only a little outside territorial waters. I don’t have any jurisdiction there, but the island doesn’t have a government so it’s hard to say who would. Legally, I’m not allowed to give you directions, but if you did kidnap the leadership or Armory, I wouldn’t complain—not that I’m directing you in any way.”

Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 3 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 2

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Larry shrugged, raising his hand as he said, “I won’t try to. If he’s green and can’t handle it, it’s not my fault.”

Joe leaned forward, “I know, but you can make it harder or you can make it easier. So, make it work. Besides, everything I’ve heard about him is good. He’s just new.”

“I wasn’t saying I wouldn’t work with him. So, what’s the plan?”

“Well,” Joe frowned for a moment, “they’re not telling us everything—“

Larry laughed, and said, “As usual.”

“But,” Joe continued, “here’s what I know. Metafight Games owns an island. It’s just outside US territorial waters near Florida, so technically the Feds don’t have any jurisdiction. On the other hand, no country claims it, and the owners of Metafight Games are US citizens, so I’m sure the Feds think they can get away with more than usual.”

Joe smiled and said, “This whole mission exists because of the confusing jurisdiction issues and because of what Metafight Games is—“

“Supers fighting supers,” Larry said. “Heard about them.” Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 2 →

Arc 5.6: Enter the Larry

Enter the Larry: Part 1

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March, 1984—No doubt about it, Larry thought, the kitchen sink’s plugged. Worse, he didn’t have a snake that would fit through the little holes in the goddamn drain.

Both sides of the sink were filled nearly to the top with water. Annoying. And their drains shared the same pipe—which would make it just a little more difficult.

He decided to start with the plunger anyway. If he got nowhere he could still open up the pipes. It’d probably be what he’d do in the end anyway. He thought about that, and considered grabbing a wrench and cutting out a step. Then he reconsidered. He’d try the plunger first, and maybe it would work.

The stupid plunger.

An hour later, he found himself putting a bucket under the sink. As he picked up the wrench to start on the pipes, the dogs started barking.

He decided he’d better get out there before the dogs scared the visitor off, or, depending on who the visitor was, maybe he’d let them.

Continue reading Enter the Larry: Part 1 →

Arc 5.5: Rachel in Infinity City, Area 551

Rachel in Infinity City: Part 23

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Then Red Lightning took to the air, flying out to the street where Günther inspected the living and the dead.

Grandpa stood in the street, staring down at the asphalt.

I turned away from watching him, and back toward Ghostgirl. She’d been watching him too, but turned her head back toward me.

“That was weird,” I said.

She turned to look behind herself again, looking out of the alley and toward the street. When she turned back to look at me, she said, “Weirder than you think. We don’t exist in their universe. A supervillain attacked Mom, and she lost the baby.”

Continue reading Rachel in Infinity City: Part 23 →

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