The Conglomerate part 6 (finale)

The Top Floor…

Mano had been taking cover behind some cubicles to avoid Intrepid’s stun gun shots. Seeing Sawyer leaving the area, he realized they had been played and opted to retreat; he simply needed to find the opportunity. He produced the 9mm from his jacket and raced into the hall while firing. Intrepid was forced to find shelter as he disappeared through a doorway, then she quickly flew after him.

Syfire likewise realized the plan had fallen apart. “If Sawyer doesn’t have to keep up her end, I don’t either,” he thought to himself and tumbled away from Cavalier’s sword swing. Shujai was nearby, gradually pushing an arm through Queen Faith’s forcefield to reach her. As he came close, Syfire wrapped both tendrils around Shujai, absorbing massive amounts of bio-energy before pulling both of them to a broken window. Before Shujai could retaliate, they fell out of the building.

Queen Faith, not realizing three of her allies had abandoned her due to her lack of sight, reached out to grab the nearest soul she felt. As Cavalier chased after Syfire, she wrapped her hands around his face plate and they both dropped, phasing through the floor to an unknown part of the building. The room was rapidly emptying out.

On the other side of the lab, Ryan unleashed a swarm of small drones to attack Recall. “It seems I must deal with you before I can take my leave as well,” Recall began performing acrobatics to avoid the electric bolts sent his way. “Just gotta keep you occupied,” Ryan told him as he left the room, seemingly to follow his teammates. “That’s frustrating,” Recall complained as he smashed a drone with his fist.

The Roof…

Astra’s shapeshifting abilities were fighting against Sawyer’s device, so when they reached the landing pad, Astra was still a large mound of metallic putty, incapable of escaping. Sawyer carried her swiftly to her aircraft, the hatch opening for her as she got close. Before she could step foot inside, a concussive blast struck her, sending her into the wing. Her body stitched itself together and she left Astra on the ground before standing up.

Alysa Saraki stood at the doorway to the stairwell, her hands glowing with mystic energy, “You ain’t go’n nowhere, bitch. Not with Astra.”

“You seem very concerned with this machine,” Sawyer calmly morphed two sets of large claws, “I hope you don’t consider yourselves friends.”

“What do you care?”

She summoned force winds that blew Sawyer off the ledge. Her arms stretched out and her claws dug into the tarmac before pulling herself violently back to the roof. Realizing Sawyer’s trajectory, Alysa threw herself out of the way but Sawyer hit the pavement with enough force that it rolled Alysa several feet, nearly making her fall off the opposite side of the roof.

“You make a fair point,” Sawyer calmly approached, “I never did see the point in friendship. Such a useless endeavor.”

The Hallway…

Intrepid silently made her way down the hall in search of Mano. Most of the doors were open, leading to various offices and labs. As she expected, Mano was hiding in one such office with his knife ready. He had already spent every bullet in his mag in order to escape but he still had one more weapon.

Intrepid stole closer. Sounds of battle echoed all throughout the building so her enhanced hearing wasn’t as useful as it could’ve been. She neared one open door and Mano lunged out, slashing at her gun-hand. The cut across her knuckles forced her to drop the gun and Mano kicked the weapon into another room across the hall. Intrepid retaliated by flying into Mano, sending him through the doorway where she slammed his forearm into the corner of a desk. The impact made him drop his knife so he grabbed the back of her hair and slammed her face into the surface of the desk. Intrepid elbowed him in the chin and flew backwards while holding on to his arm; the attack sent him into a cubicle, toppling it. While on the ground, he delivered a kick to her stomach, then swept her legs out from under her. She fell back but hovered an inch over the ground to stop herself from hitting the floor. When she righted herself, she noticed he had disappeared in the shadows.

“You were IMD, correct? Maybe you still are?,” she heard him in the dark office.

“Maybe I am,” she responded, “What of it?”

“You people like your secrets. Heroes in the light, basking in the glory of your empires, but devils in the dark.”

He rushed out of the shadows, wrapping both arms around her waist, then he hefted her over his head, ready to body slam her. She flipped over, once again allowing her flight abilities to carry him into the ceiling. She slammed him into the light fixture and then dropped him onto another desk. He quickly rolled off and when she landed, he spun into a kick that sent her back into the hallway.

Outside…

When Syfire and Shujai hit the pavement, it left a huge indention in the parking lot. Syfire still had his tendrils wrapped around Shujai when he stepped on the back of his head and forced him into the broken concrete. Shujai knew he was rapidly growing weaker as Syfire grew stronger. “Let me ask you something, Grand Captain,” Syfire mockingly used Shujai’s former rank in the U’ntari military, “What is it that drives you to protect these things? I only spent a short time with Sawyer and her team and I honestly considered killing them a few times. It’s a planet of savages!” Twin bulbs of energy emerged from Shujai’s palms and the force of the blasts pushed him up to his feet and threw Syfire off his back; a moment later, Syfire slammed into the wall behind them, leaving a spider-web shaped crack. Shujai turned to his foe with calm anger, “Were we any different?”

The Basement…

The Cavalier was supposed to use his Round Table weapon to exploit Syfire’s energy weakness while Shujai was meant to overpower Queen Faith. His father once told him, “You should always have a plan but you should also expect that plan to go to shit” and he was suddenly reminded of that quote. The basement was dark and since Faith no longer had the use of her eyes, she likely thought it gave her an advantage. He turned on his helmet’s night vision and hoped her hatred of technology would prevent her from making that conclusion.

Queen Faith was bathed in a green glow from his point of view. She approached with her chin up, likely going by a number of other senses besides vision. “I know you’re there,” she whispered threateningly, “I know you in ways you cannot fathom.” Cavalier activated a sword and shield from his Round Table, the hard-light weapons now providing a slight light source. Queen Faith titled her head as if detecting something, then quickly raised her hands. A fireball exploded against his shield and sent him sliding along the dirty concrete floor. Next, an animalistic spell generated the image of a panther and she raced across the basement in a burst of speed. She made an insane shriek as she began clawing Cavalier, his armor providing protection from getting mauled. His weapons disappeared from his hands as he opened his palms and then his gauntlet gripped the sides of her head with his thumbs over her damaged eyes. She screamed in pain and rage before the Cavalier threw her into a darker corner.

The Top Floor…

Recall performed a back flip, narrowly avoiding a streak of electricity. While in the air, he gripped the drone in his hands before dropping down, smashing it into the tiles. He had destroyed the last of Ryan’s weapons and was prepared to leave the building when he saw Intrepid entering the room. She positioned herself near the door, blocking off his escape. “I almost made it out,” he said to himself as he leapt into a flying kick.

His boot passed through Intrepid and she disappeared from view, revealing it to be a hologram. He realized quickly that the drones were there to buy time and the hologram was to get him into position. He spun around, not surprised to see Ryan Bennings for a second before an electronic scrambler was thrown into his forehead. The device affected his cybernetic brain implants and after a few spasms, he passed out on the floor.

“Creativity trumps analytics every time,” Ryan said aloud.

The Roof…

Sawyer grew several inches taller, her arm turning into a machete. Alysa formed a forcefield as the blade came down but the impact brought her to one knee and she could feel the roof buckle somewhat. “Hear all that fight’n below us?,” Alysa asked, “All this shit you caused just so you can have Astra?” Sawyer formed large spikes on her fist, “Of course.” She punched Alysa’s forcefield and she could feel it start to give way. She summoned a fire spell and a globe of flames surrounded her; Sawyer quickly backed away as a chunk of charred flesh followed.

Sawyer began showing signs of anger as her body healed, “Why do you care if I manipulated some criminals? Aren’t you opposed to what they do? One of them recently burned down your home as I recall.” Alysa clapped her hands and raised them to the sky as rain began to pour down exclusively on the roof. Sawyer stretched herself toward Alysa as she continued the spell, but then a bolt of lightning dropped down and she was electrocuted. She screamed as her body began to fry and she slunk back once again. “I don’t gotta prove nothing to you,” Alysa told her as the rain picked up. Sawyer moved forward and flipped her hair; her locks cut through the air like small whips and scratched Alysa’s cheek. She cried out in pain just before Sawyer swung her arm down low, taking her feet out from under her. When Alysa hit the ground, Sawyer calmly stood over her, “Is that all you have to say for yourself? Is that all the self-reflection you can muster? You’re truly lost.”

“I know I’m lost,” Alysa gave her a smile, “But I’m also real good at being a distraction.” Astra had finally recovered and sprung to life, firing multiple cannons along her limbs and torso which punched more holes in Sawyer. Sawyer screamed, her body now badly damaged as she pulled herself closer to the ledge. “Friendship has its perks,” Astra told her as she and Alysa regrouped. Sawyer rolled her eyes and produced one last device. When she pressed the button, her aircraft began to light up. “Alysa!,” Astra called out and wrapped her arms around her friend before leaping off the roof. In a second, the ship exploded and the entire roof went up in a fireball.

The Hallway…

Moments before the explosion, Mano and Intrepid had still been locked in battle. Mano threw a quick one-two combo which Intrepid blocked before delivering a throat-strike. Mano responded with a back fist across her cheek. He tried another punch but she caught his wrist and tried to put him in an arm-bar but he twisted around with his free-hand and grabbed her throat. They both fell to the floor in a lock, neither one willing or able to let go.

“Your plan was quite good,” Mano told her, “You made things personal, got us to fight one another, and generally thought exactly like we do. It was all very deceptive.”

“What makes you think this was my plan?”

“That’s what intelligence agencies are good at. Thinking like the ‘bad guys’.”

“Whatever you might think, special agents are trained not to be affected by psychological bullshit. Your little barbs mean nothing to me.”

“I heard the IMD and the Commission butted heads in New York not long ago,” Mano deflected, “I wonder where your loyalties lie… And I wonder if they know?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she told him.

“Sure you don’t… Agent.”

The explosion on the roof rocked the building and the lights flickered. Intrepid was forced to let go and she looked up at the ceiling with dread. Behind her, she could hear Mano run to the stairwell and escape, but she had more important matters to attend to. Ryan entered the hallway a second later, “You heard that, I’m guessing.” Intrepid led him to the roof, “Let’s go.”

Outside…

Shujai and Syfire noticed the massive explosion above. Syfire took advantage of the distraction and slammed his whip across Shujai’s face. Shujai raised a hand to fire a bio-blast but Syfire slapped both tendrils against his forearm, which forced the blast off-target. A utility van soon exploded across the parking lot.

Shujai’s strength was waining but he used what he had to vault into the air, purposefully making himself an easy target. He sacrificed his defenses, hoping Syfire would take the bait and, as expected, Syfire sent a tendril straight at Shujai’s chest. As he took the hit, he charged his fists with energy and grabbed the tendril. With his weakness exploited, disruptive energy coursed through Syfire’s body and he was thrown back. Shujai dropped to the pavement and rushed him as Syfire weakly began to rise. Shujai’s punch landed across his jaw and he spun around before landing face first on the pavement where he spit green blood and a broken fang. Once he propped himself up on his knees and elbows, Shujai wrapped one arm around his throat, placed his other hand against the back of his head, then sat him up in a choke hold.

“Tell me…,” Syfire flashed a bloody set of teeth with a single gap, “Tell me you don’t miss being with your own people where they celebrated you as their greatest champion. Tell me you don’t want to return to U’ntrall every time they call you a monster. You saved their lives and they spat in your face! Before this ends, you tell me you don’t miss the love and respect of the U’ntari!”

Shujai was quiet for a moment. After some quiet reflection, he responded, “I do miss it.”

The Basement…

Cavalier had heard the explosion above and was very concerned, but there was little that could be done. As he searched through the basement, he became increasingly aware that Queen Faith hid herself from not only his sight but also from his armor’s sensors. It was quiet and he held his sword and shield firmly in anticipation.

In a flash, he saw a demonic face appear and instinctively swung his sword at it, but hit nothing. Something moved behind him and he found himself thrown to the ground. “You blanket yourself in manmade armor, relying on technology to protect you,” Queen Faith’s voice echoed, “Where has that gotten you?”

“It’s gotten me pretty far to be honest,” Cavalier picked himself off the floor.

“It has done little to save your city.”

“Should I have caused a zombie outbreak in New York?,” he continued his search while talking to his enemy, “That seems to be more your speed.”

“I did what was needed.”

“It’s funny how often I hear that sort of thing,”

Suddenly, Cavalier was levitated into the air by telekinetic energy and hung helplessly, a few inches from the ceiling. Faith appeared from the ether and strode toward him. “You’ll never understand what I do nor why I do it.” The Cavalier nodded, “You’re right about that part.” He finally removed the canister he had on his belt throughout the battle. Queen Faith couldn’t see it or sense the sedative gas inside, although she heard the metallic sound when it was opened and clearly heard it bouncing off the concrete floor. She tilted her head curiously while she was surrounded by the fumes. Cavalier was dropped and he landed on his feet as Queen Faith began generating winds to push the gas away. It was too late, however; she had inhaled enough of it while Cavalier’s helmet filtered the gas. Queen Faith coughed and choked as she tried to escape but soon fell unconscious on the floor. Once the threat was neutralized, he opted to go outside to find Shujai.

The Roof…

What was left of Sawyer’s aircraft smoldered and smoke reached to the sky. Astra had pushed Alysa off the roof just before it blew, and they landed on an annex roof a few stories below, Astra making sure Alysa was cushioned.

“You saved me,” Alysa said happily.

“You saved me,” Astra answered as she helped her friend to her feet.

“You know Sawyer got away, right?”

“Yeah, she does that.”

“Hey, Intrepid,” Ryan Bennings’ voice came from the burning roof above, “I found `em.”

Intrepid flew overhead and landed swiftly next to the women, “Are you two okay?”

“Yep,” Astra said happily, “It’s nice that you’re always concerned about us. I know we can trust you.”

Intrepid said nothing in response.

Below…

Shujai gripped Syfire tightly, the assassin no longer having any fight in him.

“What happens now?,” Syfire asked.

“You’ll be taken to the Ice Box,” Shujai answered.

“No execution?,” he scoffed, “They have made you soft.

“I choose to show you mercy.”

“This isn’t mercy. Being imprisoned here is worse than any death for me and you know that. Unlike you, I cannot bring myself to live among the humans. I wasn’t exiled here. I was declared MIA, or at least, that’s the likeliest outcome. I maintain my loyalty to the U’ntari. What are you loyal to?”

“I simply want to save lives.”

“Why?”

“It’s who I am.”

“No, it’s who the U’ntari made you to be… And yet, you are no longer U’ntari. Not truly.”

“I’m still trying to understand that.”

“For your existential crisis, you have my condolences. As for me, I’d rather you truly show mercy and kill me.”

“No.”

“Do it, Grand Captain!,” he shouted, “Let my death be a symbolic act. Remove yourself from the shackles of what once was by killing me and making yourself the only U’ntari on this shithole planet. Let this final act set you free! You made the choice to side with the humans over your own people so why hold on to something that no longer exists? I once read of your exploits and looked up to you but now that I’ve met you, I see that you’re just pathetic. Do you have any shame? Any guilt? I resent ever aspiring to be like you! Do you realize when you finally die, there’ll be no planet in the universe that will mourn you? You have no home! No identity! Are you truly so weak that-”

Shujai gave his neck a twist and after a dry snap, the body hit the pavement. Shujai stood silent over Syfire and a few seconds later, the other Commissioners joined him outside. Ryan looked down at the body, “Things must’ve really gotten heated.” Shujai nodded but said nothing.

“Mano and Jennifer Sawyer escaped,” Ryan explained, “I got Cady and Recall unconscious and restrained in forcefields upstairs, so they’ll be off to the Ice Box soon. Syfire won’t be a problem any longer from the looks of things. What about Queen Faith?”

“Unconscious in the basement,” Cavalier answered, “Although I didn’t have anything on me to restrain her.”

“Don’t worry `bout it,” Alysa told him pessimistically, “She’s probably woken up by now and got away.”

“That sucks.”

“I’m gett’n used to it.”

“So that’s it, then?,” Ryan clapped his hands together, “The Legion of Doom has been properly thwarted and we get to go home. With any luck, we won’t have to worry about any big villain team-ups for a while.”

They turned and left. In the distance, aircrafts approached, ready to take the remaining villains to prison. Shujai remained silent as did Intrepid.

Next: The Commission vs The Badges