The U’ntari Commander Ship hovering above Paris received a message; a hologram of Shujai appeared on the bridge, addressing its commander, “This is Grand Captain Shujai requesting support. Come to Lyon immediately.” The commander gave a salute and answered, “On our way, Grand Captain,” and soon, the ship darted away from the area.

Shujai was surprised by the tenacity of the humans. While he expected the Badges to have had varying degrees of power and training, he did not expect them to be capable of fighting against his platoon as well as they had, considering they were outnumbered. While they fought as one unit, he noticed that they displayed a certain pragmatism during combat that the U’ntari did not. The U’ntari were uniformed and had a rigid set of battle tactics so thinking outside the box was a foreign concept. For instance, the agent known as Intrepid flew behind a Glider and blinded the pilot with a flash-bang so that he would crash into the side of her own HQ. It was a tactic Shujai never considered despite its simplicity. Because of this, much of his platoon had been decimated with only one casualty on the side of the Badges so reinforcements had to he called in.

At this point, Sean Pierce and nearly his entire team were pinned down in the Briefing Room, firing energy rifles at the Un’tari infantry who had busted down the wall leading into the room and were stationed in a hallway. A U’ntari super soldier raised a forcefield to block the barrage from the Badges while his colleagues took turns firing suppressive rounds. “Just give us Rex Robinson and this will all be over soon,” the super soldier shouted. The Badges didn’t respond and continued pressing the attack. Kisi Yeboah, meanwhile, had linked their minds telepathically but was still in her sensory tank in the Surveillance Room.

“How are you holding up, Kisi?,” Sean asked, “They have us boxed in at the moment.”

“They haven’t reached this room yet but I believe they will soon,” she answered, “I am prepared if they enter.”

“I’m certain of it but we’ve already lost Varkov and I’m not interested in losing another part of the team.”

Just then, the floor under the super soldier and the infantry exploded and they instantly disappeared in debris and smoke. A chord shot out of the hole in the floor and stuck to the ceiling. A second later, a figure was pulled along the line by a grappling hook gun. “Now there’s some good news,” Dave Bronson exclaimed as Rex Robinson emerged from the gapping hole.

“I got a bit tied up with some assassins,” Rex told the team, “But since I was already in France, I decided to stop by and pick up an old friend.” More infantry rounded the corner behind Rex but he didn’t bother turning around to meet them. Instead, a figure in a black cloak and hood descended through the ceiling like a ghost with twin gold-plated guns. The figure fired, releasing strange bursts of energy that incinerated the soldiers in a second, leaving no trace. When the figure turned, the face of a pale woman was revealed and it was now noticeable that the front of the hood resembled a nun’s habit. Rex happily motioned toward her as she floated to their location, “Allow me to introduce to you, the Femme Phantom.”

“I’m honored to meet you,” she said quietly.

“The Badges and Allied Front teaming up,” Pierce said with some amount of hope, “If that doesn’t turn the tide, I’m not sure what will. Lord knows we need all the help we can get,” he looked directly at Rex, “We lost Anton.”

“Red Steel,” Rex said the name solemnly, recalling their first few meetings when Anton Varkov was a KGB super-soldier, “He was a good man despite his past. I wish I could have said goodbye.”

“I’ve a feeling there will be far more lives to mourn when this is over. Now, here’s the current situation. We have a fairly dangerous super-soldier topside with Mansoor and the Elite Squad dealing with him. The Cloudburst is up there as well, which would obviously prove valuable in a number of ways, provided we can reach it. Meanwhile, Agent Yeboah is downstairs in the Surveillance Room and is a bit of a sitting duck.”

“I’ll go get her,” Rex made his way back to the hole in the floor, “If we get company in the meantime, take off without me,” then he dropped through the hole.

Downstairs, a small group of U’ntari infantrymen were lead by a super-soldier through the halls; they eventually passed through Sean Pierce’s office before coming to the Surveillance Room. From their intel, they recognized the Ghana woman floating in the upright tank while wearing a mask that covered her eyes and ears. “Take her out,” the super soldier ordered and they raised their weapons, then fired. Kisi Yeboah slunk down to the bottom of the tank just as bursts of energy smashed through the glass, sending shards and water along the floor. Kisi tore the breathing apparatus from her face, but kept the covering over her eyes and ears. “I knew you were coming before you did,” she told them as they lowered their weapons. A second later, psychic energy coursed their alien minds. Their heads exploded in a shower of green blood and bits of skull and brain. When Rex came into the room, he immediately noticed the dead U’ntari, “You certainly have everything in hand, Agent Yeboah. Can I assist you in getting to the Cloudburst? I understand your powers can be a bit overwhelming at times.” “Certainly, Rex,” she said happily, then he helped her to her feet and guided her to the roof.

Outside, Shujai had stopped fighting once he asked for reinforcements, choosing to hover a few buildings away instead. Mansoor and the Elite Squad watched him curiously.

“What is he doing?,” Deepak Bakshi asked.

“He’s waiting,” Arthit Wang answered, “But for what, I’m afraid to ask.”

“Stay sharp,” Dafne Mansoor warned.

The rest of the Badges emerged on the roof alongside Sean Pierce and Femme Phantom; they also stopped once they noticed Shujai hovering in the distance and before they could ask a question, they received the answer in the form of a Commander Ship swiftly approaching from a distance. “Everyone into the Cloudburst,” Pierce ordered and they all ran to the ship. Mansoor had already gained access to it in preparation so she immediately climbed into the cockpit and fired up the engines.

Rex and Kisi soon followed, racing out onto the landing pad in time to see the approaching ship. “Just what I was afraid of,” Rex told Kisi as he noticed the massive vessel, “Get in the Cloudburst with the others. I’ll follow.” Kisi turned to answer but sensed an approaching enemy, “Rex, get down!” Shujai swooped in toward them and without looking, Rex instinctively pushed Kisi to the ground as the super soldier flew in with a punch that sent Rex spinning. Once Kisi hit the ground, her helmet fell off, exposing her eyes and ears. With the sudden rush of sights and sounds in addition to her telepathy, she received sensory overload. Her mind was open to ally and enemy alike as she no longer had focus; it was a whirlwind of chaotic sensations that gave her a massive migraine. And while Rex only received a glancing blow and despite his superhuman strength, he was still stunned enough that Shujai was able to lift him up by the throat in preparation for the killing blow.

“Now you’ll receive justice for your crimes,” he told Rex, then balled up his fist. Kisi managed to fight through the blinding sights, sounds and thoughts to find Shujai’s mind and hit him with a telepathic assault. With the massive amount of pain and disorientation present, the attack was weaker than what it could have been but it was enough to make the U’ntari drop in an unconscious heap. “Thanks for the save,” Rex told her wearily as he picked himself off the ground, “Can you make it to the Cloudburst?” Kisi clutched her temples, the pain and unfiltered thoughts making it difficult to speak but she nodded and rushed to the ship. Once she was pulled inside by Frakes and Jones, the hatch was shut and they took off. Rex left Shujai unconscious on the ground and rushed to the far end of the building, then leapt off the roof where he landed on a hovering sky bike several stories down.

As the Cloudburst began to fly, the Commander Ship moved in its path, ready to open fire. “We have nothing that could put a dent in that thing,” Adrian Klausman exclaimed. “Allow me,” Femme Phantom’s pistols appeared in her palms and she partially phased through the roof of the ship. Once there, she pressed the triggers on her weapons, releasing a steady stream of mystic flame that began to wash over the ship, then spread rapidly in several directions. Inside the Commander Ship, the U’ntari witnessed a wall of flames stretching out while their sensors were having trouble getting readings from the supernatural fire. The captain gave the order to fire at will and the crew turned the gun turrets onto the wall in hopes of hitting their target. During the barrage, the Cloudburst dipped under the flames and the ship, then flew into the distance at full speed. Once the flames died down, the U’ntari crew noticed the Badges had escaped.

Rex, meanwhile, beat a quick path to his ship miles away. On the bridge, an officer informed the captain that a small vehicle believing to belong to Rex Robinson was leaving the scene with another officer confirming that Rex’s ship had been sighted blocks away. The captain sent a squadron of Fighter Ships after him.

It was already dark on the East Coast of the US as the Cavalier and Farrell Creed made their way to Boston in the Dragon. Creed had been teleported to New York by the angel Briathos with an unclear but certain mission while the Cavalier had been invited to Boston by Ryan Bennings who hoped to form an offensive team. Creed followed as he had few options. His thoughts concerned his partner Alysa Saraki as she had been teleported to Washington DC and he was greatly concerned. Cavalier, likewise, was concerned about leaving New York as it was where most of the fighting had been up to that point.

“So… Ryan Bennings,” Creed attempted to break the awkward silence of the long flight, “That’s the Brain Boy, right?”

“Yeah, but I’ve heard he doesn’t like being called that,” Cavalier informed him.

He nodded in compliance, “No full grown man would, I guess. How long have you known him?”

“This is honestly my first time meeting him, but yeah,… probably not a good idea to call him Brain Boy.”

Their trip to Boston was mostly silent as both men considered their next actions carefully while unsure of what to make of each other and being equally unsure of what a meeting with Ryan Bennings would look like. The Dragon could fly nearly as fast as a passenger plane when at full throttle so it took two hours before they reached his home. Once there, they noticed piles of smoking rubble scattered along the cliff where his home was supposed to be. Before either of them could say anything, they heard the voice of Ryan Bennings radioing them, “Ignore the mess. Come on in.” The hologram faded away, revealing an expensive penthouse (albeit one with a flattened garage). “I had a bit of a skirmish with a U’ntari tie fighter or whatever they’re called,” Ryan explained as they landed, “The hologram is to make them think the mission was a success.” Once the Dragon was on the ground, the hologram returned.

“Cavalier,” Ryan shook his hand as the two men entered the living room, “I met your predecessor when I was a kid. Good guy. I figure as long as we have one of you on the team, things are looking up.”

“Uh, thank you.”

He noticed Creed, “And I’m not sure we’ve met.”

“Farrell Creed,” he shook his hand, “You can just call me Creed.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ryan gave him a curious look and seemingly peered past as if expecting more people to show up.

Creed laughed a bit as if reminded of something, “Y’know, I saw ya hosting SNL years back. You did a skit where you were the Smartest Boy on Earth and Adam Sandler played the Dumbest Boy on Earth. That was some funny shit.”

“Right,” Ryan squinted his eyes, “I’m sorry, are you affiliated with a group in New York or…”

“Nah, just a PI from Winghaven. That’s where you caught the Pentagram Killer if you remember.”

Ryan appeared defeated, “Oh, a small town private investigator.  Just what we need to turn the tide of this interstellar war.”

Creed gave Ryan an offended look and Cavalier quickly noticed the awkwardness of the situation, then tried to deescalate, “I think, at this point, we need all the help we can get. Glad to have you on board, Creed,” he gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

“Glad to be appreciated,” Creed gave an annoyed glance at Ryan but said nothing else.

“So what’s the plan?,” Cavalier asked Ryan.

“As of right now, I’ve been trying to recruit. New York is overrun and the Badges have their hands full in Lyon. I would get us out of here but that alien ship took out my garage along with any and all vehicles, particularly the flying ones. Meanwhile, your hovercraft is only a two seater. On the bright side, Rex Robinson is on his way.”

“That makes me feel better,” Cavalier relaxed a bit, “I’ll admit, I’m a little wary leaving New York in the lurch but if Rex is in charge, I know everything’s copasetic. Me and Rex go back a long way.”

“That’s what I understand. Same here.”

Creed appeared a bit more relaxed as well once the name was mentioned, “Rex Robinson?  How long will it take for him to show up?”

“Normally, an hour or two max,” Ryan explained, “His ship’s fast but he’s trying to avoid running into more enemies so it may take a bit longer than usual.”

“Sounds good,” Creed scratched his beard, “In the meantime, we should get out there and look for some information about these things. Learn their weaknesses, y’know.”

“What do you think you’ll find?,” Cavalier asked.

“I dunno, but it’s been my experience that even the toughest, ugliest shithead out there has a weakness to exploit.  These things should have one, too.  Something that’s hopefully easy to come by.”

He shook his head, “Sorry, but I think we need to stay put until Rex shows up.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Ryan seemed exhausted as he faced Creed, “Listen, I’m sure you’ve cracked your fair share of cases but this isn’t the same thing as tracking down a deadbeat father who’s late on child support. We’re dealing with a worldwide threat here.”

Creed cleared his throat in frustration, “I’ve gone up against a lot worse than a deadbeat dad.”

“Like what?,” Ryan wasn’t able to help himself from saying the next sentence, “A Hell in a Cell match against Mankind?”

“Okay…,” Cavalier raised a gauntleted hand, hoping to calm the situation down before further escalation, “Let’s focus.”

“I am focused,” Ryan said defensively, “All I’m saying is someone needs to hold down the fort until Rex shows up and that person needs qualifications. For instance, and I’m just throwing it out there, maybe someone who might hold multiple degrees.”

Creed stepped forward, towering over Ryan, “Smart guy like you should be able to understand you don’t know everything.”

“That’s enough, guys,” Cavalier tried to position himself between them.

“You’re right, I don’t know everything,” Ryan gave a mocking nod, “But I tend to know a lot about things that are important,” he met Creed’s glare, “Like how to deal with planetary threats. I’ve kinda spent my entire life fighting big scary things if you weren’t aware.”

“I been in my share of fights,” Creed crossed his arms over his chest in a threatening manner, “But the only difference between you and me is that I was in the real shit and gett’n hurt. I’m not some pampered TV star with a talking rat who had everything handed to me… Brain Boy.”

“Stop it right now,” Cavalier’s warning fell on deaf ears once more.

Ryan’s smile turned into a sneer of contempt, “Yes, I was a child celebrity with a cartoon and a pair of underwear with my face plastered on the ass. We’re all aware. And yet, even when I was being exploited for the cameras by a TV mogul, I was still saving lives. What were you doing, pray tell?”

“I was doing your -”

Just then, a holographic message appeared in Ryan’s living room, displaying the face of Rex Robinson, “Hello, Ryan.  I hope you’re still in one piece.”

“I am,” Ryan turned his attention to the hologram, “So’s the house… minus a garage.”

“I’m here, too, Rex,” Cavalier stepped forward, “Ryan contacted us and we were hoping to formulate a plan.”

“It’s good to see you fellas putting your heads together. Sit tight and I should be there soon. As you know, I’m trying to avoid being seen by the enemy as much as possible and I’ve already had a nasty run-in in Lyon, so it may take some time but I’ll be there as soon as I can. We’ll make it through this, yet,” the hologram disappeared.

“That was really him,” Creed said to himself in amazement, “Rex Robinson.”

“I can also introduce you to Cardi B, if you like,” Ryan sneered.

“Seriously!,” Cavalier shouted.

In New York, a group of Silencers crept through an empty street, making their way to Madison Square Garden which had been repurposed as a base. The main fighting had stopped and Dragonfly, military personnel and some local heroes were stationed there to rest, treat wounds or reload. One of the Silencers made themselves invisible to avoid detection but it did not account for the highly advanced sensors of Astra Machina who dropped down in front of the group and began firing from multiple canons that sprouted along her body. Her human allies needed to rest but as long as she had a constant ambient energy source, she could keep the fight going. And yet, while she was able to defeat ground troops, she knew that the real fight would have to be taken outside Earth’s atmosphere.

In Washington DC, a helicopter landed at the Pentagon. The U’ntari Commander Ship floating in the area had not attacked yet but the military was taking no chances. They were afraid a direct attack or any constant aerial movement might provoke them into a battle but they also wanted to make sure it was fortified. The helicopter’s side hatch opened and the Upstarts poured out.

“What are we even doing here?,” Alexis groaned, “This is a bad idea. We’re not trained for this.”

“Dad said we’re ready,” Kyle told them.

“It’s just for defense. We might not even have to fight,” Dante added.

“I kinda hope we don’t have to,” Kaley said.

“I do,” Da Mutt jumped up and down in excitement, “Let’s go!”

They bickered as they were led inside. Hidden from sight, Alysa Saraki watched them silently.

The Resurgence Reading List

The Resurgence Prologue

The Resurgence #1

The Resurgence #2

Formerly Known as Brain Boy #8

Winghaven #20

The Cavalier #21

The Badges #12

The Resurgence #3

The Resurgence #4

The Resurgence #5

The Resurgence #6

Astra Machina #10

The Resurgence #7

The Upstarts #11

The Resurgence #8

The Resurgence #9

The Resurgence #10

The Resurgence #11

The Resurgence #12

The Resurgence Epilogue