Shades of Gray (38 page)

Jet flicked her the patronizing, annoyed glance that she’d learned from Night before he went nuts. “Something to add, Iridium?”

Iridium pointed at the street outside, where the mutants milled among the humans, grumbling or crying or laughing to themselves. “They don’t seem all that interested in plain old humans. I don’t think getting yourself turned into Jet pâté will be a huge help at this point.”

“I can’t leave them to rampage!”

“Just leave them alone,” Iridium gritted, “and they’ll leave us alone.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Jet shook her head. “We can’t risk that.”

Iridium sighed. She was exhausted, her head was throbbing again. “Fine. Do whatever you want, Joan.”

“Fine. I will.”

“You should listen to my daughter, girl.” Lester spoke from the back of the group, where he and Protean were watching Hypnotic.

Jet blinked at him, then turned to face Steele. “What do you think, Harriet?”

“I think we have a prisoner,” Steele said, “and he should be in lockdown yesterday. Hypnotic is the priority.”

Taser pointed at the street. “Something’s got them stirred up.”

First one mutant, then another turned its swollen eyes to the north, and as one they lumbered up the street, occasionally knocking over a frozen civilian. A shine glinted in the weak sunlight, and Iridium caught a glimpse of blue hair. “It’s Derek,” she said.

“And they are on him like fat kids on cake,” Taser said.

“They’re clearly attracted to extrahumans,” Lester said. “Must be something in the way we smell.”

“Terrific,” Iridium muttered. “Dad, Taser, come with me. We’ve got to clear a path for him. The rest of you, stay here and watch the rabids.”

Jet sighed dramatically, but she didn’t argue with Iridium’s orders. That was a nice change.

Iridium ran into the street, throwing a strobe not at the mutants but at the pavement in front of them, exploding concrete and gravel. “Run, Derek!” she screamed.

Frostbite froze the first giant hand that reached for him, dodged the second, then fell under the third pair. He rolled out of the way and came up while Lester used the refracted light in the air to create a dazzling envelopment of prisms around the mutant who’d been about to squish him.

Taser scooped Frostbite up and handed him off to Iridium. “Go,” the merc said. “I’ll cover the retreat.”

“Your six!” Frostbite shouted, freezing the feet of a mutant who’d been about to snatch Taser and snap him in half. The mutant swayed and fell with a crash like a tree trunk.

Iridium tugged at Frostbite. “Come on. We’ve got to get back inside before they realize it’s an all-you-can-smash extrahuman buffet in there.”

They ran, Iridium’s heart pounding like it had only a few times before. As soon as they were inside the apartment building, Lester slammed the door shut. Iridium swallowed, tried to get her pulse back under control. “You okay, Derek?”

“Fine,” he said. “I was waiting for the emergency responders when Meteorite commed me.” He rubbed the shoulder he’d landed on. “Our bloaty pals out there are not the only mutants running loose. Everyman has released a pack of them into the Downtown Grid.”

Iridium sighed. “Of course they have.” She’d beaten Doctor Hypnotic—wasn’t that enough for one day?

“How many is a pack?” Jet asked quietly.

Derek grimaced. “Enough to put it in the We’re All Doomed, Doomed I Say column.”

“Okay,” Iridium said, thinking quickly. “Jet, you and I and anyone else with long-range powers should get down there. Where’s Firebug?”

“Back at HQ,” Jet gritted. “She couldn’t face Hypnotic.”

“Well, I hope mutants are more to her liking.”

Before Jet could open her mouth to argue, there was a scream from behind.

Iridium spun to see Kindle lying on his back, wheezing for breath, the Judge’s gavel lying near him on the ground.

Knife grinned as the fire cage faded. “Feeding time at the zoo, boys and girls. And what a spread we’ve got today.”

Before Iridium could react, an ice wall appeared in front of the Squadron and the Blackbird fugitives, separating them from the rabids.

Frostbite lowered his hands. “What now?”

“Now?” Iridium peered around the shield at the advancing rabids. “We end this once and for all.” She pointed at Kindle’s prone form. “Get him help. The rest of you, pick your nutjob ex-hero and get to punching.”

The Squadron and the Blackbird contingent spread out in a loose formation.
Amazing how well you could work with people you despised when your ass was on the line,
Iridium thought. She picked out Sonic Scream, the wanker who’d caused all of the trouble in Round One.

He went down with one hard strobe, but that left her with Creeper, who tangled her in his rubbery arms and sent her down, hard. Something in Iridium’s arm gave.

“Remind me,” she said through clenched teeth, summoning up radiant light-heat. “What temperature does rubber melt at?”

Sweat worked down Creeper’s face while he tried to squeeze the life from her. “How much pressure does it take to break a mouthy Lighter’s back?”

She could burn him badly enough that he let go, or he could crush her unconscious. It all came down to willpower.

Finally, Creeper released her as he fell to the ground, screaming. “My hands!” He writhed on the floor, holding his smoking hands away from his body. “It hurts!”

“Tip for next time,” Iridium gasped. “Human flesh melts faster.” The sound of electric charges made her turn to the left, and she saw Taser unleash a stream of electric bolts. Three rabids dropped.

Iridium smirked. “Show-off.”

“Only for you,” he said, and she knew he was winking under the goggles.

Jet, fighting with Knife, threw Taser a pained look before she dodged the rabid’s steel-tipped claws.

“Keep your head in the game,” Iridium snapped at Taser, frowning for Jet’s benefit. Why, she had no idea. “This isn’t over until the fat rabid sings.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Taser said, still with that infuriating grin underneath his mask. He turned back to the battle, and Iridium followed him, taking note of the fights around her.

Lester and Steele worked together to bring down the lizard creature that Iridium didn’t recognize.

Nevermore broke Freefall’s arm and his concentration with it, destroying his gravity well.

Lionheart, elephant-sized, took out two more rabids by sitting on them.

Iridium herself strobed the Judge and his partner Gaslight, and when she looked up, it was over.

Lester approached her hesitantly. “You did well, girl.”

Iridium mopped sweat from the back of her neck and managed a small, stiff smile. “You too, Dad.”

“And your new friends aren’t half-bad in a scrap,” Lester said. “Perhaps there’s a future in pooling our resources. Things change, after all.”

“Yeah,” Iridium said, looking to where Protean was helping Jet up from the floor. “They sure do.”

CHAPTER 52

JET

Abducted by Shadow freak. Forced to show her lab rat. End result was both gratifying and disappointing. Serum worked exceedingly well. Hoped rat would be harder to kill. Almost ready to begin Project Sunstroke.

—From the journal of Martin Moore, entry #290

S
omeone was offering her a hand. Jet, still shaking off Knife’s attack, accepted. She was surprised to see it was Protean, still gallant after taking down the rabid. “Thanks,” she murmured.

“Sure.”

“This is what, an even dozen of rabids?” Iridium let out a laugh. “The press is going to love it.” She held up her hands, as if imagining the headline. “New Squadron Takes Down Dirty Dozen. Yeah, that has a nice ring to it.”

“Deadly,” said the Goth girl—Nevermind, or something like that.

Jet frowned as she looked at the unconscious rabids. Something nagged at her. She counted, blinked, then looked around.

Next to her, Steele said, “What?”

“Nothing. I guess I miscounted. Thought there were thirteen all told, including Hypnotic.” The man of the hour was still out cold, his hands cuffed behind his back. Turning to Arclight, she was suddenly taken aback, seeing him standing there, his skinsuit torn in numerous places, his white cloak covered in dust.

She remembered the night he had saved her life. He’d seemed so big, larger than life, as he’d reached for her, promising her that now it was safe, that everything would be all right.

That had been a lie. But it had been a pretty one. And the five-year-old girl she’d been had needed to hear it.

Her voice firm, she said, “I suppose now we’re even.”

Something passed behind Arclight’s eyes—remembered pain, perhaps, or the ghosts of old friends. “Never even, little girl. We were too late to save your mum.”

Yes. And Light, how that still hurt.

Jet approached Arclight, reached out to take his hand. “He would have killed me too,” she said, her voice breaking. And he would have. Blackout had been insane, lost to the Shadow voices. He’d been coming to kill Jet just as he’d murdered Angelica. Jet remembered trembling alone in the dark, hiding in the closet, the Shadow first whispering to her then, promising to make her one of them.

She still had the nightmares. Sometimes.

“Even so, I wish it could’ve been different.” Arclight paused, a glitter of emotion behind his eyes. “So many things I wish could have been different.”

“As touching as this Hallmark Moment is,” Taser said, “we sort of have a situation outside. Oof.”

“Shut it, Bruce.” That was Iri. “You have the soul of a used-hover salesman.”

“Christo, woman, do you sharpen your elbows? I’ll have a bruise under my ribs now.”

“Quit your crying.”

Jet squeezed Arclight’s hand once more, then let go. “No, he’s right,” she said, turning to the others. “The people outside, the ones Hypnotic entranced. They need to get to a hospital.”

“I can make a sled out of ice,” Frostbite said. “Not the most pleasant thing for them to touch, but they’re all zombied out anyway and won’t feel the cold.”

“Hook it up to me,” said Lionheart, his human voice sounding monstrous coming from his lion’s throat. “I’ll haul them over to Cook County.”

Jet frowned. “The mutants will charge you.”

His fangs flashed as he managed a feline grin. “They can try. At this size, I’ve been clocked at twenty-four kilometers per hour.”

“Good,” Jet said, nodding. She still didn’t trust the former Blackbird inmates, but as long as they were here and helping, she’d use them. To Frostbite she said, “Can you make a special delivery to Blackbird?” She motioned to the unconscious rabids littering the ground.

“Sure thing. I’ll have Meteorite call ahead so they’ll be expecting the care package.”

“Excellent.” That would not only get the rabids out of the way; it would also take Frostbite out of the scrimmage. He was paler than usual, and purple smudges bruised the skin beneath his eyes. He’d need rest, and a lot of it. Getting him out of the fighting was a good start—and it was the fastest way to get the rabids locked up.

Arclight said to Lionheart, “You’ll come back after you drop off the invalids, yes?”

“’Course.” He transformed back to his human shape. “Don’t want my special pass all torn up.”

Arclight slapped the other man’s shoulder, then Lionheart headed for the door. “Come on, Ice Man.”

“Frostbite,” Frostbite growled.

“Whatever.”

The two headed outside to load up the civilians. “Steele,” Jet said, “watch their backs. Any mutants get close, push them back. Defense only.”

“On it,” the other woman said.

“Protean, help her,” said Arclight. The huge man nodded in agreement, and the two joined Frostbite and Lionheart outside.

Jet slid Iridium a look. “This proves we can’t just leave the mutants to run through the city. With all the rabids and rogues still making trouble, the mutants are sure to attack. Civilians could get hurt.”

Iridium sighed, rolling her eyes. “Fine, fine. You’ve made your point. The evil sewer mutants from hell must be stopped.”

“They’re civilians too. Everyman junked them up with a serum that turned them into those monstrosities.”

“Right, right, no taking out our frustrations on the sewer mutants,” Iridium said with a huff.

“They won’t think twice about ripping you apart,” Jet said, thinking of Hornblower. “And they’re fast.”

“So we need to tranq them,” Arclight said.

Kindle, looking outside, let out a whistle. “That’s a lot of tranqs.”

“We don’t have those sorts of resources,” Jet admitted. “Maybe we could approach the military …”

“I can hook us up,” Taser said. When Jet looked at him, he said, “What, you think I’ve just been working the Runners? I’m still a merc, honey. I’ve got access to a lot of equipment. You’d be amazed how easy it is to just knock out targets instead of fighting them.”

“No,” Jet said dryly, “I’m pretty sure I have a good idea.” Next to her, Iridium snorted.

Around his hidden mouth, Taser’s mask pulled into a grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to charge for supplies as well as labor.”

“You do that,” Jet said, her voice clipped. “Just get the tranquilizers. Fast.”

“Rush delivery’s extra.”

“Of course.” Well, until Corp froze those accounts, they’d be able to pay whatever the mercenary demanded. And then some.

“While you’re at it,” said Iridium, peering outside, “tell the Runners to start working the press. Get the media on our side for a change.”

Taser was already pulling out a handheld from a pouch on his belt. He started tapping keys. “What should they tell the newsies?”

“They should clear the streets while we clean up Everyman’s mess,” Jet said. “Maybe Lee will listen to good old human Runners—he sure won’t listen to us. And make sure Wagner gets that message as well.”

“Ooh. Idea.” Iridium smiled wickedly—a smile Jet remembered all too well from the Academy. “Make sure to also tell them that Hypnotic had attacked the Squadron when he first escaped from Blackbird.”

Jet frowned at her.

“That’s why the extrahumans had gone crazy,” Iridium said, winking at Jet. “It was Hypnotic’s fault. You see? It’s
perfect.
The media will eat it up and beg for more.”