The Shit-Town Saga:

Chimera part 5

The Horseman suited up in a kevlar motorcycle jacket and armor. “It’s better than your old gear,” Thomas Barlowe was an Executive Assistant Director of the FBI and the mastermind behind the Horseman’s return to vigilantism, “Of course, we couldn’t give you anything too fancy or else people might suspect something.” Barlowe motioned toward the souped-up custom motorcycle in the garage, “And we customized a chopper for ya as well. She’s a beauty, huh? So, like I said, we’ll report that you escaped custody and we have plausible deniability; if you’re caught, you’re on your own. In a few minutes, I’ll pass you off to a couple handlers and I’d rather not have us meet ever again.”

“Fine by me,” the Horseman examined his new bike.

“Now, my last question is this – with your ankle still healing, when do you think you can get started on your first mission?”

The Horseman looked down at the mechanical cast around his ankle, “You gave me this thing so I could get out there faster and do your dirty work. Just give me the bastard’s name and I can start today.”

Stratton Air Base…

The Cavalier had already gotten the Dragon onto the base without detection due to flying low and fast but now, he only needed to get inside one particular facility. He searched for a building that contained an industrial coolant system attached as that was the most likely place to store alien cadavers. Once he found such a building, he learned that the keycards he had with him were useless. They were taken from Nadie’s men days ago and since they no longer seemed to work, he wondered if the base corporal changed security clearance. Perhaps the National Guard was aware of Nadie’s men having connections. Or perhaps there was a much larger conspiracy at play. Either way, the Cavalier needed inside the facility. Thankfully, he had a device that had been built for his father long ago which picked the electronic lock and allowed access.

He was quite tired as he hadn’t rested since Emily Koboshi had been attacked. Since that time, he had been preparing a trip to this base, gathering all the information available to him for infiltration. After everything that had been happening to him in the wake of the Resurgence, this was the last straw. The failings of authority figures was nothing new, nor was the target on his back. He was used to attacks, both physical and personal, but he had been protecting Emily Koboshi since the death of Paul Kwon. Mano initiating an attack on her was a bridge too far. He was going to bring down their entire operation, starting with their supply.

Some guards were stationed in a hallway outside a storage area so he opened a gas canister and rolled it along the floor. By the time they noticed, their eyes were already heavy. They collapsed soon after. The Cavalier used the lock-picking device once again and unlocked the lab doors next to them. Once there, he came into a large, cold room with freezing pods lined up along the walls that could nearly fill a gymnasium. As he approached, he could see placards indicating cities, mostly New York and Washington DC although there was one curious pod from Winghaven and another from LA. Peering through the glass, he could make out the face of a dead U’ntari soldier despite the frost on the inside. Then someone strong hit him from behind.

****

In a dark alley, a man walked away with a green brick of Star Beast; behind him, a dealer counted money until he spotted three more men entering the alley. He sighed loudly once he recognized the man in the black hood and shoved the money in his jacket, then held on to the gun in the back of his pants.

“Hey, still mak’n money tonight?,” the man wearing the black hood asked

The dealer shook his head in frustration, “You know the price. Whadya got?”

The man in the black hood pulled out a wad of cash, “We got like one sixty…”

“That it?,” the dealer scoffed loudly.

“Come on, man. We’re good for it. I’ll bring the rest real soon.”

The dealer pulled his gun and trained it on the man’s forehead, “You ain’t good for shit! I don’t wanna see your punk asses again. Now keep it push’n!”

The man in the black hood raised his middle finger as he and his friends left the alley.

A few blocks away, Arthur Hawkwood and Mariah Jones walked arm-in-arm down the sidewalk near his home. “I had a good time,” Mariah told him, “Even with all that’s going on in the city, at least we can get a cup of coffee in peace.”

Arthur smiled, “And with things opening up again, we can go back to pickleball and I can keep teaching you how to play.”

“Oh, is that what you think’s been happening?,” she gave him a playful pinch on the side.

He laughed playfully, “I admit, you can give me a workout every now and then.”

Mariah stepped in his path and placed her arms on his shoulders, “Oh, trust me, I haven’t even begun to give you a workout.”

They leaned in and kissed. It had been a very long time since Arthur had been in that situation but it was comfortable. His heart beat faster and he wondered if it was another heart attack. After the embrace, he indicated his home, “So… would you like to come in?” Mariah nodded and smiled, “Sure, Artie. I’d like that.” He led her inside the house and across the street, the man in the black hood watched alongside his two friends.

“I think they’re the only ones inside,” he told his friends, “We’ll see what they got. We need that money.”

“What do we do with them?,” one of his friends asked, indicating Arthur and Mariah.

“They ain’t gonna do shit. Just tie `em up and get to work.” He and his friends crossed the street and began placing masks over their faces.

****

At Stratton Air Base, metal hands gripped Cavalier’s shoulders and he was suddenly airborne. He hit the cold floor and the icy surface carried him the rest of the way until he bumped into the wall next to some cooling cables. Armored boots stomped toward him and Cavalier was able to get a look at who was attacking him: Dragonfly was a National Guard pilot given power-armor by Ryan Bennings. He was known to work out of Stratton Base so the Cavalier was not surprised to see him.

“Cavalier? That you?,” Dragonfly stepped forward cautiously, “The hell ya doing here?” Cavalier pretended to stagger to his feet and gripped the coil on the wall next to him. Once he had leverage, he pulled with all his might, ripping it from its base and sending coolant vapors into Dragonfly’s faceplate. The pilot raised his hands over his face as a fog flooded the room, then Cavalier rushed passed him and quickly exited the door.

Dragonfly hovered a few inches off the floor and flew upright after his target, quickly and silently. His helmet’s sensors detected where Cavalier would be despite the low visuals and once he cleared the lab, he swiftly caught up to him in the hallway. The Knight was pulled against a wall and held by one hand with a grip that could rip titanium apart. “What the hell is going on?,” Dragonfly demanded, “I’m getting answers out of you one way or another.” Cavalier didn’t bother explaining himself. He had only met Dragonfly briefly when the Commission was forming. He wasn’t sure who to trust, nor was he sure who trusted him.

He activated his shield, forcing Dragonfly to let go as the sudden barrier blocked them off. A second later, the shield was replaced by a morning star. There was a blow to the chin, then the side of the knee, which forced Dragonfly into a kneeling position. Another blow landed at the base of the skull which slammed the pilot’s faceplate into the wall. The Cavalier then sprinted down the hall, knowing full well his attacks only threw his opponent off balance but did no serious harm. As expected, Dragonfly rose to his feet quickly and fired a minor, laser-guided blast from his gauntlet. Cavalier felt something hit his back, and he was immediately sent him end-over-end down the length of the hallway until he hit the farthest wall. Everything went black.

****

In New York, Mariah and Arthur sat on the couch in the living room. They had been peacefully sharing a pleasant conversation when they heard a crowbar against the door. “What the hell is that?,” Mariah shouted. Without hesitation, Arthur took her by the arm, “Someone’s breaking in. Come on.” He took her to the bookshelf near the kitchen as the man in the black hood began breaking down the door.

“We should call the cops,” Mariah said quietly.

“There’s no time,” Arthur told her calmly, “They’ll be in the house in a few seconds. Now, what I’m about to show you will be really wild and I just ask that you trust me and I promise I’ll explain when it’s over.”

“I… okay?”

Something mechanical clicked and Mariah noticed the bookshelf sliding away to reveal a long staircase with automatic lights.

Once Black Hood and his men entered the house, the lights had been shut off and the sound of a moving bookcase could be heard. “Yo, we know you’re in here,” he called out as they turned on their flashlights, “We ain’t gonna hurt ya’ll if you come out now!” There was no reply, so the three men turned their lights toward the living room. He motioned for one man to check upstairs and sent the other toward the hallway. Meanwhile, he began searching behind the furniture.

Once he checked the sofa and recliners, he began to carefully open a nearby coat closet. It was then he heard a muffled grunt, followed by something heavy rolling down the stairs. Black Hood turned his flashlight in the direction of the noise and saw one of his men unconscious at the landing. He frantically turned his light up the stairs for any signs of life and when he didn’t find anyone, he backed away and called to his remaining partner who was now in the kitchen, “Yo, get out here”.

His partner quickly entered the living room and noticed their friend on the ground. “Maybe he tripped?,” the partner asked unconfidently. Black Hood slapped his chest in frustration, “Bro, see what happened!” The partner reluctantly began to approach the stairs until a vase flew through the darkness and found its mark. It shattered against the man’s head and he instantly fell to the floor. Black Hood quickly shined his light in the direction of the projectile and again found nothing but a dark, empty house. “Yo, get up!,” he called to his friends as he began to panic. He turned and tried to make a run for the door, only for it to slam shut. He backed away in the darkness and raised his crowbar in defense.

“He’s here!,” he yelled to his friends, hoping to rouse them, “It’s the Knight!”

“Once upon a time,” Arthur whispered in his ear.

Black Hood was pulled into the shadows where there was silence.

****

Back at Stratton Air Base, the Cavalier woke up with handcuffs on his wrists. The room was void of any furniture save for the chair that held him and a desk. Dragonfly paced in front of him, “Feel like talking now?”

“What does it matter?,” Cavalier groaned, “You won’t trust what I have to say.”

“Try me.”

He sighed to himself, “Fine… There’s a cartel stealing alien DNA from this base and they’re using it to create a new drug.”

“Okay… Well, I’m willing to hear evidence.”

“Hey, I get it. I’m the asshole who betrayed Rex Robinson and beat up cops and did whatever else people are giving me shit for these days. Even the team I’m on is the wrong team. I don’t expect many people to believe me.”

Dragonfly raised his eyebrows beneath his helmet, “That’s… definitely a reaction. Look man, we all know you’re getting kicked in the balls out there. I don’t know you too well but I know the legacy of the Cavaliers and I know you’ve been doing your best in New York. I’ll admit, I hated hearing about what happened to Rex but… I know what he means to you because he meant the same to me and the rest of us. That includes Ryan Bennings. As much as I hate that guy, I know he’d never turn Robinson over without a really good reason.”

“Glad you see it that way,” Michael calmed down a bit.

“I’m sure, whatever’s going on in your city, it’s a lot to handle… that said, you can’t just waltz into my air base and expect anything less than an ass-kicking.”

“Nadie has people on your base! I don’t know how deep it goes!”

“Yeah, you said that,” Dragonfly sighed, “I’ll look into it because I don’t want organized crime on my base anymore than you do. Not that I expect to find much.”

“Why do you have alien bodies here?”

“Study,” when he raised his arms in exasperation, it made the sound of scraping metal, “We’ve no idea what kind of diseases those things might carry. At the same time, if they come back, we need to be sure we can take them down as quickly as possible and knowing what makes them tick is a good strategy.”

“What are you doing to keep the bodies guarded?”

“I’m doing enough, trust me. I mean, I caught you, didn’t I? That should tell you we’re keeping a close eye on things. You’re honestly lucky I’m the only guy who knows you’re here at the moment.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I can sweep this under the rug. I can tell my commanding officer the whole thing happened because of a telepathic villain… it wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened here, trust me.”

“Why would you help me?”

“Because you obviously need it,” he unlocked the handcuffs, “Guys like us gotta stick together because sometimes, we’re all the world has to keep it from turning to shit. I can get you outta here but you need to promise that this won’t happen again because if it does, I won’t be so forgiving. You keep going on like this, you’re gonna end up far worse than you already are.”

****

At Arthur Hawkwood’s house, a bookshelf slid away from a wall, revealing a very perplexed Mariah Jones. He held her hand and guided her out of the stairwell as the bookshelf slid back in place. “Ready to tell me everything?,” she snapped in a swell of various emotions. Arthur ran his hand through his hair, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

****

Roughly ten miles outside New York City, the Dragon flew quietly as the Cavalier contemplated his next move. He wasn’t able to get the answers he wanted at Stratton but with Dragonfly’s investigations, there was hope. As he returned to New York, he received a call from Commissioner Reins.

“Hey Cav, I hope you’re available ‘cause protestors are heading out to the streets and I could use your help in cooling things down.”

“I’m on my way to the city now.”

“You left town? Where’d you go?”

“Following some leads. I’ll let you know if anything turns up.”

“Since I got you on the line, you’ll be interested to know a few things. First, my guys looked into Dynamic Renovations. Turns out, it’s owned by the Costa Tristen government. What’s more, the company used to be owned by members of City Council and some general from Costa Triste.”

“Nadie had them killed and took over the company as a front.”

“Seems that way. The next little tidbit is that I got the lab results back. That Star Beast sample you gave us?… It’s heroin.”

“Heroin laced with what?”

“Nothing. I’m telling ya, it was just heroin the whole damn time.”

Michael picked up speed out of frustration, “That doesn’t make sense. Why the hell was it green?”

“Nothing you can’t find at any supermarket.”

Michael’s grip on the steering column tightened, “No,… people have been going after that shit like crazy.”

“Addicts, man. You tell them the product is better than their usual shit, make them think it’s laced with something exotic like alien DNA and they’ll pay attention. More importantly, they’ll pay more than street price. It’s all business. And when they shoot up, they’ll convince themselves it’s the best they ever had. It’s a placebo.”

He pounded the steering column with his fist, “There has to be more to it, people have died!”

“Sad reality of drugs. People OD all the time. The shit don’t need to be from space for that to happen, you know that… Someth’n wrong, Cav?”

“I… I broke into the National Guard base tonight.”

“Goddammit, Cav! I told you not to go in there! You couldn’t have waited another day?”

“Mano had the Four Horsemen attack Emily Koboshi. After all the shit I’ve been through with the Horseman and Agartha…I know I needed to finish it before they hurt anyone else.”

“Man, Nadie knew you were coming,” Reins sighed, “You beat up those dudes at the construction site, right? Those dudes just so happened to have keycards to that base? Did those things even work?”

“…No.”

“You said they blew up some vans on the same night after a kid gave you info. Those vans probably had nothing in them because they knew you were coming. If I had to guess, they put those kids to work precisely because they figured they’d talk and you would show up at the right place. It was all for show, get you worked up thinking there was some link to a base guarded by a guy wearing a suit of power armor. Then there was that mess between the Horsemen and Emily. Sounds like they purposefully put you in a place where you might go off half-cocked and get yourself killed.”

Michael closed his eyes in frustration, “But… the base did have alien cadavers.”

“Easy guess. It’s public knowledge the National Guard cleaned up after the Resurgence. New York City had the largest number of alien bodies and was a three hour drive from a National Guard research facility. It was easy to put two and two together. You said it yourself.”

“I almost died tonight,” Michael shook his head in defeat, “… I got lucky.”

“Sorry Cav, … they played you.”

Continued…