Blue Nexus #51 - The Tiger Trap

            “We’re unsure how and when it began still, but it is clear to all of us that the infamous Tiger Trio have returned and are back on their path of terrorism in our streets,” the reporter said. “Rodney Obermon, aka Fire Tiger, has started his own path and, from the looks of it, is actually causing lakes to steam up around him and is…oh, my…melting the streets around him. Things, well, they aren’t looking much better with his two cohorts, Thunder Tiger and Lightning Tiger. The Zanderia have not made an appearance yet and the police are making district evacuations a top priority.”

            Kyle dropped his drink cup and sprinted toward the mall’s double door exits. Thankfully his backpack was still strapped to one shoulder, otherwise he knew he would have just left it on the table. He had to push through a small swarm that was gathering around the TV. He heard the reporter continue to spew damage reports left by the Tiger Trio.

            He almost broke down the door when he plowed through it. The entryway to the mall was far too open for him to properly become Blue Nexus. He continued his sprint, feeling his backpack bouncing against his back all the while. Kyle stole a look around. Security cameras were up but in a matter of seconds they would not be facing his way.

            Kyle leapt onto the road and came up with a roll. He held his finger over the Nexus bracelet and charged through a bush. When a car was suddenly upon him, he high-stepped onto it and propelled up, swiping his finger over the bracelet. The black outfit took the place of his former clothing but his backpack remained. He expanded his aura to protect the backpack, and like a missile shot through the sky. He opened his arms out and turned right back around, making a sonic-boom over the mall when he picked up speed.

            The communicator in his ear was going crazy with Zanderia members asking what could have possibly happened and how the Tiger Trio could have escaped. Nobody, so far, was taking initiative on taking them on. He heard Phoenix babble on about a rematch, but Kyle knew that this would be way out of Phoenix’s league.

            “I’m headed to the Cube now,” he said, tapping the communicator lodged in his ear. It didn’t affect his hearing at all, apparently it was tech developed a couple dozen planetary systems away that was given to them as a gift for saving their world. Kyle preferred it to the actual handheld communicator. “I’ll speak with Boomer about what happened, then I’m headed to Fire Tiger.”

            “Right now he’s at Cape Canaveral,” Phoenix said. “Thunder and Lightning Tiger are somewhere in the Bahamas. Anyone got a lead on that?”

            “I’ve got them,” Brenda said. Kyle could tell she was already on her way by the muffling of her voice from the wind. “Prism is meeting me there.”

            “Good luck guys,” Phoenix said.

            The coms went dead and Kyle silently muttered relief. The chatter didn’t do him any good, it just compounded the situation for him. The Tiger Trio shouldn’t have been this powerful, and he worried that whatever gave them that power had something to do with Golden Nexus a few days ago.

            He pushed his speed up a little more, carefully flying lower to the water. Waves broke apart around him and the ocean seemed to split. He came up a little higher before there was a ding in his ear. He was over the Cube.

            Kyle nose-dived straight down into the ocean, but his aura was strong enough to keep the compiling pressure off of him. He continued until he saw the thick metallic structure hiding underwater.

            He rushed inside, letting the water drain out behind him rather haphazardly. The criminals all jeered and screamed at him, but Kyle couldn’t hear a peep. He strode passed the Tiger Trio’s separate cages. All gone, and with no sign of leaving. No melted glass nor shattered glass for that matter. It was as if they’d just been let out for some reason.

            Boomer’s door was cracked open, too. Kyle ran inside and found the former mad scientist sprawled out on the ground. The ground itself was charred up as if someone ran live electricity over it. Kyle sprinted over to him and slid when he reached him.

            Kyle lifted Boomer’s head up and the man let out a huge cough. He slouched back.

            “Good…God, what happened?” he asked. His words were slurred and Kyle noticed the glassiness of his eyes. Man wouldn’t be conscious much longer.

            “Someone attacked you,” Kyle said. “I think.”

            “No way,” Boomer said. “I’ve been watching the screen, I didn’t see anything. I blacked out for a minute, but…oh, my head is killing me.”

            “Because someone attacked you,” Kyle said. He checked the screen, which was fuzzy for the Tiger Trio. “What were the Tiger Trio doing before you blacked out?”

            “Just sitting there,” Boomer said.

            “They haven’t tried to make contact with you or anyone else?” asked Kyle.

            Boomer opened his mouth to speak but his eyes shut and then his head lulled to the side. Kyle slid him down to the ground gently and stood up. He tapped the communicator.

            “Boomer’s out cold,” Kyle said. “Someone must have broken in.”

            “It’s impossible without a Zanderia communicator,” Lalay said. She must’ve been up at the moon base.  “The only person to go into the Cube in the last few days has been you, right now, Blue Nexus.”

            “We’re about to engage,” Brenda said. “Prism is with me.”

            “Be careful,” Kyle said. “Lalay, are you sure? Check the security systems, they seem to be acting up down here.”

            There was a pause and some dead air. Kyle looked around the room. It was untouched save for the door and right around Boomer. Everything else looked the same.

            “They’re running fine,” Lalay said. “I can see all of the cells.”

            “I can’t,” Kyle said. “Were we hacked, somehow they got out?”

            “We would know if the doors were opened,” Lalay said. “Somehow the Tiger Trio left the Cube without opening the door and leaving no trace of ever using their abilities.”

            “Are you suggesting it was someone on the inside?” Kyle asked. He turned to face Boomer. “Do you think it was Boomer?”

            “No,” Lalay said. “His door has the same security lock as the front door’s. We would know if that door were opened.”

            “I don’t think so,” Kyle said. “The door was already somewhat opened, as if it were forced.” Kyle glided over to it. “But it looks like it was pushed in, so yeah, it couldn’t have been Boomer. Whoever, or whatever, it was needed to see him for some reason.”

            “Our only option right now is proper questioning,” Lalay said. “I doubt Brenda and Prism will get anything out of Thunder or Lightning, so it’s up to you to get Fire Tiger talking.”

            “I’ll have him singing and dancing,” Kyle said.

            Brenda landed Prism down in the middle of the once-crowded street. All of the denizens were being scurried off by police in heavy armor. Thunder and Lightning Tiger strode down the city street casually, hands in their pockets and smiles on their faces. Lightning Tiger allowed sparks to continually jump off of his body.

            “They haven’t noticed us yet,” Brenda said. “I’ll take this opportunity to sneak up from behind and lock them down. You just need to hold them off for a couple of seconds.”

            “And what if they go for that huge attack that almost wiped out the school?” asked Prism.

            Brenda pursed her lips. Prism was overly cautious on every mission they worked on. He seemed to need things in order and always wanted to assign tasks properly by either intelligence or power. He never took on more than one enemy at a time, Brenda had noticed. He was surely strong enough, he had the power to bend light and there was plenty of that around, so she didn’t understand what made him so nervous.

            “The area is emptying out, so there shouldn’t be any casualties,” Brenda said.

            “That doesn’t explain how we’ll prevent it.”

            “Keep them separate. From what Blue Nexus reported they can only perform this attack when standing next to each other. If we interrupt it by forcing them apart then we should be fine.”

            Brenda allowed her magic to lift her into the air. Prism hesitated, then nodded and opened up his palms. Two clear balls appeared in his hand until they started to swell with blue light.

            “Sounds easy enough. Which one do you want?” he asked.

            “I’ll fight Lightning Tiger,” Brenda said. “If all he can do is throw lightning and run fast, then all I have to do is contain him. Simple enough.”

            “Hopefully,” Prism said.

            Brenda created a red platform beneath her feet and glided off, zooming down the block and around a building. She heard sparks flaring all around her. With one hand she created a small cube and with the other she balled up a fist.

            A lightning bolt seared passed her head, almost lighting her hair on fire. Lightning Tiger bounded off the walls and attacked her. Brenda dodged him, but he bounced once again off the wall and clung to the side opposite, letting sparks flare off of him.

            “You wouldn’t happen to know where Blue Nexus is, would you?” asked Lightning Tiger. He had a very high-pitched voice, and spoke so fast his words ran together. “Was kind of hoping he’d be here so we could kill him.”

            He said it so plainly. Then again, most of the crazies did, Brenda realized “Sorry, he’s off somewhere else. Dealing with someone much more worth his time. Are you even worth my time?”

            “Wow, rude,” Lightning Tiger said. A clap of thunder roared and then rocked the buildings they were near. “There’s someone else here? Man, two chumps. This sucks. Aren’t you supposed to have fun in the Bahamas? You come here often?”

            “Not really,” Brenda said. Her gaze flicked behind her to the slowly growing red squares behind Lightning Tiger. In a moment she could clamp down on it and trap him inside. “You?”

            “I wish,” he said. He looked to his palm, where sparks ran off faster. “You can stay here, though. As a corpse!”

            Brenda clamped down on her right hand and the cube suddenly opened up and was about to shut on Lightning Tiger. He flicked his gaze up and the zoomed out of the way, onto the room. Brenda cast a shield up just in time to deflect two powerful lightning bolts he cast.

            She heard sparkles sizzle in the air around her as Lightning Tiger advanced, hovering over her now. Brenda placed another shield atop her. Lightning Tiger dropped down onto it and tried to electrocute the magic. Brenda grunted and turned the shield upside down, then pushed them to the ground.

            They crashed through some of the concrete, making huge cracks in it. Brenda stood up, feeling her shoulder not in its proper place. She braced her arm against the wall and managed to pop it back in, then overflowed the area with magic.

            Lightning Tiger reappeared just ahead of her.

            “Nice try,” he said. “Really, nobody’s ever tried crushing me before. Then again nobody I’ve fought has ever actually been able to make it so I was almost crushed. So kudos, um…Shindari? Right, that’s your name or whatever?”

            Brenda flung a cube at him and he backed away. She advanced the cube and opened up her spare hand. Lightning Tiger ran along the wall and almost into her trap. He jumped away at the last second and the second containment cube missed him. He bounced along the wall and ran right into Brenda’s spin-kick. He crashed his face against the wall, and Brenda pummeled him inside the building with another barrier, keeping him trapped underneath.            

            “Ah, can’t dodge everything,” Brenda said.

            Lightning Tiger wiped some of the blood from his lip. “Nah, but I can escape everything.”

            He cupped his hands together and swirled them around, then plunged into the ground, as if he were some sort of drill. Brenda reacted immediately, slamming her hands on the ground to create an area-wide barrier and stop him from popping back up.

            A clap and boom later and Brenda was rocked to the ground, covering herself from the falling debris of the building. Electricity surged through her bones moments later, and a loud, annoying cackle filled her ears.

            Brenda blasted the rubble away and flipped out of it. She was punched across the face by a fast jab but the moment from his run carried into her and she flew away to the opposite end of the alleyway. She barely had time to block all of the oncoming lighting bolts. She placed a barrier between herself and Lightning Tiger. He ran up and coursed electricity around the wall, arcing it up into her. She faltered for a moment and that gave Lightning Tiger enough time to run up the wall and leap down at her, throwing another lightning bolt her way. She placed another barrier above her, having to weaken the one in front of her. A stray lightning bolt blasted her back even further.

            She managed to get to her feet, curling her hands into fists. Lightning Tiger bounced on two feet, putting up fisticuffs. He pretended to jab at her.

            “Oh, calm down,” Brenda said. She raised her own fisticuffs.

            “We’ll do this a classic way, then,” Lightning Tiger said. He zipped at her, punching her twice in the sides and once in the shoulder.

            Brenda, though, was far more durable than any opponent Lightning Tiger faced. She absorbed five more punches before firing back and catching him across the shoulder. She knocked him out of his cadence, and took the opportunity to slam him into the ground, and then bury him with a kick. Lightning Tiger shouted with pain, but made Brenda do the same when he gripped her leg and shot electricity through her.

            She gritted her teeth together, balling up another fist and knocking him straight in the face. Lightning Tiger’s head slammed against the ground and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Brenda slouched back, looking to her leg. It was burnt significantly. She waved a hand over it and a slight red aura appeared to heal it.

            Another loud thunder clap, only this time it was followed by the sounds of collision. Prism burst out from a window on the side of the near building Brenda was on and crashed into a tree, knocking it over. She heard a hearty yell and could almost feel the force from Thunder Tiger this time as he punched his hands together and the foundation of the building exploded. The building, a smaller, four-story one, leaned one way and then prepared to topple and crumble atop Brenda. She leapt over to Prism and created a barrier around them.

            The building exploded on impact with the ground, and dust swelled around in the streets. The barrier held well enough. Prism, Brenda noticed, was alive but barely conscious. It appeared that he’d managed to take a couple shots to the head from Thunder Tiger, and they were direct shots. With power like that it could do significant damage to any of the Zanderia, she realized.

            When debris stopped falling she lowered the barrier and took a look around. The dust and dirt was settling back to the ground. She saw a hulking shape through it all lifting a lankier one out of the ground. She held up a glowing red hand.

            “Don’t move!” she shouted. She wanted to say something better but couldn’t think of anything. “Put him back down and surrender, Thunder Tiger. It’s over.”

            “No way,” Lightning Tiger said. Static filled the air. “Ah, you think a couple punches like that’ll put me down? Nah. I know what’ll put you down, though. Might even be able to put down this whole damn town if we have to! Let’s do it, bro!”

            A chill ran down Brenda’s back. They locked fists, and she knew she had seconds before destructive impact. She propelled off of the rubble, feeling their power swell between the two of them. She reached out and pulled back her hand, a barrier forming around Lightning Tiger.

            KRA-BOOM!

            A small explosion rocked Brenda as the barrier closed in around Lightning Tiger. The ground seemed to erupt all around them and everything fell to black for an indeterminate amount of time.

            When Brenda found the use of her body again, she picked herself up and looked around. Prism was planted against a wall unconscious, a stream of blood dried sitting on his face. Lightning Tiger was mangled about some of the debris and Thunder Tiger was just barely picking himself up as well.

            She realized that they were sitting in a huge crater, one that perhaps only a small asteroid could create. Brenda felt her magic returning to her and got all the way to her feet. Thunder Tiger looked around lazily as well. She lifted her arm, mostly pulling on the magic within her body to keep her awake. A red cube formed around Thunder Tiger, tight around him. She groaned and grunted and plunged him into the ground. He was out.

            Brenda tripped over piping and fell to the ground again. Her strength was returning bit by bit, though the bits seemed to be miniscule to her. She reached out and placed barriers over the two Tigers, ensuring they couldn’t get back up.

            “Thunder and Lighting Tiger dispatched,” she said. “Someone, please, take out Fire Tiger.”

            Kyle could feel Fire Tiger before he even saw him. Through his aura he felt the heat that Fire Tiger was putting out. He’d carved a molten path from one of the cruise ship docks onward into the main part of the city. Most everyone had evacuated, and there were still some policemen and military men trying to confront him.

            He dove down in between all of them, holding his hand out peacefully to the policemen. They had their guns aimed at him now.

            “Get going, I’ve got this guy,” Kyle said.

            Thunder boomed in the distance. Kyle looked ahead, toward the ocean. There was no way that was Thunder Tiger, and hopefully it wasn’t a bad omen for Brenda and Prism.

            Kyle returned his attention to Fire Tiger, who held his hands out. His body seemed to be far more flame than ever before. Flames danced off of his body, reaching into the sky. It was indeed so hot that the concrete at his feet began to fade beneath him. Two fire balls appeared in Fire Tiger’s hands.

            “The last time I saw you, all I had to do was punch you once and you were out,” Fire Tiger said. “I’m hoping that’s not the case this time.”

            “You’re out of your league, man,” Kyle said. “I’ve fought demigods and demons. A mutation isn’t really something I hold my breath on.”

            “You should, though,” Fire Tiger said. He clenched his fists and more flames erupted over him. “I think you’re just bluffing me, trying to size up after last time.”

            “Don’t even count last time,” Kyle said. “I just took your cohort’s attacks straight on. Besides, I heard that another Nexus came in and whooped you for me. Also heard he had a pretty easy time about it, too.”

            Two drops of rain fell down on Kyle. He looked overhead, noticing the large dark grey storm cloud driving in over their heads. Good, this might slow down Fire Tiger.

            Fire Tiger clapped his hands together. “Then let’s see how you do, Blue Nexus!”

            Flame jets appeared behind him and launched him forward. Kyle heightened his protective aura to keep the heat off and waited for Fire Tiger to make his move.

            Kyle smiled when he realized the ultimate flaw in Fire Tiger’s moves. He dodged his first attack, then his second, and punched him in the chest to knock him back. Fire Tiger leapt up and his flames once again dictated his movement. Kyle stepped to the side, ducked, and kneed Fire Tiger in the chin. He shouldered him away.

            Fire Tiger hit the ground and rolled back to his feet. Thicker rain was falling now, though not in any great increment. Kyle rolled back his shoulders, putting up fisticuffs.

            “Oh come on, dude, is this it?” he asked.

            Fire Tiger ignited once again. He jumped at Kyle, but the licks of flame all over his body continued to telegraph his movements. All Kyle had to do was dodge them. Fire Tiger grunted and shouted with each successive punch. One almost made it’s mark, so Kyle pushed Fire Tiger away.

            Now it was his turn. He leapt through the air with magnificent speed and kicked Fire Tiger in the head. The mutation spiraled toward a building but stopped at a street sign, knocking it over and melting the steel. Kyle propelled toward him, pulling back a fist.

            Just as fast did Fire Tiger respond. Kyle received a nice flaming fist in his nose that blasted him back over to where he was. Tears flooded his eyes, as did the feeling of warmth flood his body. He dodged one attack but was hit across the face once again by Fire Tiger and sent stumbling back. Kyle blocked the next move and their fists collided.

            A blue energy ball separated the two of them before they charged at one another. Kyle swung low under Fire Tiger’s advance and brought a fist up into his gut, launching him through the sky. Fire Tiger shouted and Kyle followed him, elbowing him back into the ground.

            Fire Tiger landed rough on the small guard rail separating the dock from the regular sidewalk. Kyle landed next to him. Fire Tiger launched a jet of fire. Kyle swung around it, but Fire Tiger wrapped him up and slammed him into the ground. Kyle kicked off of the ground and flew low, burning Fire Tiger’s back along the ground. Fire Tiger let go and Kyle flew backwards.

            He had just enough time to get up and avoid the next attack. With one quick step he was behind Fire Tiger and punched him swiftly across the face, dropping him to the ground.

            The rain was falling much heavier now, but was having no effect on Fire Tiger. Kyle sighed and stooped down, grabbing his opponent under his armpits. He raised him up with both hands, then tossed him into the air and kicked him like a soccer balled.

            Fire Tiger skid along the ground for a few feet until he was near the regular docks, where several boats were resting. The waves had picked up significantly and were becoming violent, crashing and breaking against the sea wall. Fire Tiger got up to one knee and spat a small lick of flame.

            “You’re good,” he said. “Fast, smart. Much stronger.”

            “How did you get so strong?” Kyle asked. “I’ve hit you in the head how many times and yet you can still stand straight?”

            “Don’t worry about that,” Fire Tiger said. “I’m just glad that you gave me a good run is all.”

            Kyle shoved Fire Tiger to the ground and pulled back a blue energy fist. “How did you escape the Cube? Who set you free?”

            Fire Tiger laughed. Thunder boomed and lightning clapped all around them. The rain was coming down fierce now, pounding against the ground all around them. Fire Tiger had a stupid expression on his face that Kyle really did want to punch, but that would end this conversation and he would be no better off.

            “Stop worrying about it,” Fire Tiger said. “I’m not telling you anything, kid. What can you threaten me with? Safety in the Cube? You can’t let me go. And you won’t do what you should to get answers.”

            “I don’t torture people,” Kyle said.

            “It’s effective,” Fire Tiger said.

            “It’s not,” Kyle said. “The only torture is time. And it’s on my side.”

            He powered up his fist and punched the ground next to Fire Tiger. The force of the blasted rammed into his opponent’s head and knocked him out. Fire Tiger’s head lulled to the side.

            Kyle stood up. Water slid down his cloak and arms like small water slides and fast streams. He reached up to touch his communicator when he saw another man standing there. He had long silver hair and wore a plain tank-top with jeans and flip-flops. Sunglasses obscured his eyes. All along his arms, though, were multi-colored markings.

            The new arrival clapped a few times, matching it with the thunder and lightning overhead.

            “Didn’t think the fight would be over so fast,” the man said. “Good job, Blue Nexus. My name is Oz, and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to intervene. Personally I think I would have had a quicker time of things, but who is really to say?”

            Kyle pointed to his arms. “You’re a mage, right?”

            “I am,” Oz said. “A special kind of mage, but so are you, I understand. Demonic powers from another dimension are special, I think.”  

            “Are you from the Magus Forest?” asked Kyle.

            “Yes.”

            “Good,” Kyle said. “Met a few people that aren’t really a fan of that place. But, what do you have to do with him?”

            Kyle pointed to Fire Tiger…or rather, where Fire Tiger had been. He swiveled around, looking for any burn marks on the ground. Oz moaned behind him.

            “You have a long way to go, Blue Nexus,” Oz said.

            Kyle spun back around. “What are you talking about?”

            Oz hesitated and Kyle almost shouted at him before static filled his ear, and then Lalay’s voice came through, “Blue Nexus, it’s so strange. They’re back in their cells, same position they were in before. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s as if they never even left?”

            Kyle looked back to Oz, who shrugged. “If you’re going to impress the Six Pillars and try to stop them, you’re going to have to become less in touch with what you know, and more what you’ve left unexplored.”

            Kyle once again almost shouted but Oz waved his hand and dissipated into the rain, a lightning bolt striking where he’d once been. Kyle looked around once again, checking the area around him, but there was nothing.

            Only questions.

Next time: Blue Nexus heads west when a fellow vigilante runs into trouble, and of course, it has something to do with new mages. But the Sentinel isn't your average, nor nicest, ally to have. Check it out in "Blue Nexus #52 - Distress Call"!