Chapter 60 : Predicament

[Author note : You know the drill : Patréon page (with an e instead of an é), search for Cathbel for more chapters and stories. Enjoy the new chapter !]

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A little while after Ned abruptly left, the workshop stayed silent. Neither the teenagers nor the tech spirits had any idea about what to say in this situation. Bastion and Symmetra could detect the trio's annoyance at being dismissed in such a way. Aaron, in particular, was the most incensed.

It was Kid Flash who reacted the fastest. In fact, Symmetra wondered what took him so long. Because, for a speedster, his reaction time was quite slow. Was he affected by the ambient magic in the workshop ? Then again, their sensors were picking up something from the young man, a kind of esoteric field surrounding and suffusing him. Not quite magic, but neither was it divine like the data Ned had brought about Diana of Themyscira and Hephaestus, or Eighth Metal. It was… unprecedented to them. So, she started to record and analyse the data about him and his other companions in order to find out more about it.

« If we can't help him… » He said and dashed next to the screen, turning to his friends and pointing at the blonde showed on it. « …maybe we should help her ! Where are we, even ? »

« The Stark's residence in New York City, » Symmetra replied.

« So, it's happening right outside ? What are we waiting for ? Let's go ! »

And he was gone before Symmetra could interject or dissuade him. So, she tried with the other two… They didn't seem amenable to a discussion : they left without speaking a word, following after the Speedster.

* * * * *

Minutes later, in Times Square.

The bystanders had mostly left the place when it became clear that the fight was not ending anytime soon. The only ones left were the stupid ones and the medias. You might even say it was the same thing… While Superboy and Wonder Girl continued to pummel each other senseless, they filmed and watched it all, commenting or discussing as if it wasn't one of the most dangerous things in the world.

As they fought, the clone grew better, more reactive, understanding Cassie's way of fighting (or rather brawling) and as he did, he also came to utilize his limited Kryptonian powers better.

When the fighters reached an even ground, two groups of vigilantes also arrived on the scene. They were now standing opposite each other, glaring at the other group with wariness. They all thought the same thing : N.O.W.H.E.R.E. reinforcements ! And they were both right and wrong.

There indeed was reinforcements to help Superboy out, but they weren't it ! In fact, this whole fight had been a ploy to drag them into the spotlight. While N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was hidden and therefore didn't really need validation or authorization for their actions, showing the world how dangerous Metahumans were only helped their cause… It would desensitize people on the disappearance of a few 'freaks'. In the days to come, the bigots, narrow-minded and all-around scum of the Earth would be most vocal about Metahumans, protesting, rioting…

And this is also why they decided to send their most destructive team in the middle of one of the most populated cities on Earth : The Ravagers ! Rose Wilson, whose code-name was also Ravager, was their leader. Although they hadn't sent the whole team, they figured this much should be enough to deal with a group of rowdy teenagers. They would have them back in their cells before sundown ! And the world would thank them for it !

Robin and Bunker stared down the trio of young metahumans. And Kid Flash, Aaron and, in a much milder way, Solstice did the same with them. No one spoke as the tension grew by the seconds. For Kid Flash, it was so unbearable that he was vibrating in place. Already he could see where this was going and hitched to just start the fight…

That's when Superboy yelled after pushing back his adversary :

« No ! I've got this ! »

And then, chaos ensued !

From a violet rift in space, four people suddenly popped up in the middle of the two groups and started attacking them indiscriminately. Ravager fired on Robin and his purple sidekick and was soon joined by a savage looking man, bare-chested and with long brown hair who charged. He didn't mind the bullets, nor the batarangs thrown by Robin. Not even the purple brick constructs Bunker was hurling at him. It all seemed to bounce off his skin without leaving a trace.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a man wearing a very similar outfit to Bunker but with a more feral and sinister look, lashed out with violet psionic whips. At first, the trio facing them thought he was aiming very badly : at the ground, at debris fallen from the fight, at a streetlight… But when those things suddenly disappeared and were thrown at them from unpredictable places, it took all of Kid Flash's speed to take his friends out of the danger zone.

Once he stopped, Aaron pushed him roughly, wanting to complain, only to stop. If he opened his mouth right now, he feared to throw up. Moving at super-speed wasn't for anyone, it seemed. Solstice wasn't as perturbed but it still took her a moment to understand they were under attack. But then, a man wearing some kind of high-tech armor suddenly lunged at them, claws stretching from his open hands. Instinctively, she blasted him backwards with her photon powers.

« Sorry ! » She said, looking very apologetic from her demeanor.

Recovering, Aaron shot her an exasperated look and told her :

« Don't be sorry ! They're N.O.W.H.E.R.E. ! Let's blast the mother-fuckers ! »

And without another word, he proceeded to do just that, aiming at the one teleporting stuff in their faces. Pointing his hand, he yelled : « Die ! » as he projected a bolt of pure magic from his hand. He'd come a long way since his imprisonment… With Mel and Winston helping him harness his magic, he had been able to use in creative, but mostly destructive ways.

Leash, Aaron's target, teleported himself out of the way, behind Aaron and whipped him in the back, using the opportunity to teleport him out of the way. Although he wasn't the most troublesome of the lot, he didn't seem to share his friends' altruistic and peaceful sensibilities. He wouldn't want to get blown up by accident, or something…

Warblade, the one downed earlier by Solstice rose up, dusting himself off but otherwise, visibly unharmed. His helmet was disturbing : it looked like he had a huge mouth of sharp teeth, stretched in a feral smile. His eyes, and teeth glowed green. He told Solstice :

« No worries, child. You can't hurt me with a little blast like this. I, however… »

The metal on his legs coiled like a spring ; he crouched, tightening the spring, before jumping at a speed Solstice could see. His hands changed into blades, aiming directly for her limbs… Thankfully for her, Kid Flash could see his movements easily. He pulled the girl backward a bit, before diving forward and ducking under his blow, unleashing a series of very fast and powerful blows toward the armored opponent. And shattered all the bones in his hands.

If possible, Warblade's smiled seemed to only stretch as Kid Flash stopped his assault, crying in pain as he looked at his mangled hands. Before he could recover, Warblade turned one arm into a hammer and struck the kid with a powerful blow to the gut, sending him sprawling on the ground like a thrown doll.

« Two out… » Leash commented, sharing a grin with his partner. « Looks like you're alone, little girl ! »

On the other side, Robin and Bunker were also struggling. Ravager was a consummate fighter with an obviously enhanced physique. Her shots were precise, difficult to dodge. On the other hand, she had no trouble that Robin could see in dodging his own projectiles. As for the other guy… This one was even more trouble ! Nothing they threw at him seemed to be working. Even the bullets of his partner ricocheted off his body like pebbles on the hood of a car. Unlike the car, however, there wasn't even a mark left on him !

In a few exchanges, Robin had easily discovered what his opponents were made off. The girl was obviously an experienced, if somewhat young mercenary with a ample weapons mastery… At least when it came to the rifle she was using. Her senses and reflexes were enhanced and maybe other things were, too.

The other guy, the wild one was a cocky shit ! He taunted them, laughing uproariously with every one of their failed attempts at taking him down. Oh ! And also, he was talking about himself in the third person, which was why Robin knew his name : Grunge. He was a meta, obviously ! But his power was an enigma… He possessed metamorphic power. If it was only that, however, Bunker's psionic powers should have been useful against him, even if he turned into metal. It didn't. And that puzzled him greatly…

While he was thinking of how to solve this predicament, wondering if they should join forces with the other group of attacked kids, Bunker was taken down. Grunge pummeled him into the ground with ferocity and was continuing to do so, as if he didn't mind killing him. Thankfully, his partner, and leader Robin guessed, ordered him to stand down. He complied grudgingly, commenting something like they didn't need weaklings like them.

Then, he looked over at Robin and asked his boss :

« What about him ? He's no Meta ! »

The woman seemed to consider him for a moment… and shrugged. Grunge turned toward the young man with a grin on his face.

« Looks like you're out of luck, Boy Wonder ! Always wanted to fight the Bat… I wonder if killing you'll give me the chance ! »