Previously on "Blue Nexus": The Sentinel recruited Kyle in order to help him take down a new drug ring forming in Southern California. Kyle, finding it strange that he would be called in, found the task quite a bit over his head and he and the Sentinel's ideals began to clash. Soon, a simple mission got out of hand, leading the Sentinel to push Kyle away to get more help, believing that Kyle wouldn't be enough. Discouraged, Kyle complied.
Kyle finished explaining the events to Maya, whose expression hadn't changed in the slightest since he arrived and began telling her the woeful story of he and the Sentinel's mission down in Southern California. She wasn't in her normal crime-busting gear, either; she had her hair down her shoulders with a light blue long-sleeved shirt and comfortable looking black pajama pants. She wasn't even wearing shoes. Maya rubbed some of the sleepiness from her eyes and just nodded when Kyle finally shut up.
"So we've basically hit the fan on this one?" Maya asked.
"Getting there," Kyle said. "Unsurprisingly, it's my fault."
"No, it's not," Maya said. "It's Kevin's fault."
"How do you figure?"
"You ever taken down a ganglord before?"
"I watched a being of ethereal energy vaporize a planet last year."
"My point." Maya rubbed the sides of her pants and then pulled her phone from her pocket. The light bleached her face as she nimbly tapped away at the screen, finally nodding to herself and holding the phone to her ear. She glanced pensively at Kyle for a moment before she had a light smile on her face. Kyle heard another woman on the other end speak up.
"No, nothing too big, I hope," Maya said, glancing at Kyle. He raised his eyebrow. The other woman's voice was vaguely familiar, but only in so much as Kyle had heard it in maybe one other conversation in his entire life. "No, no, nothing magic. It's Realidad. Kevin's been talking them up for a while. Yeah, no. No. No! So far it's just him and the Blue Nexus." Maya bit her lip and smiled at Kyle. "I know, right?"
Kyle couldn't feel more lost. The woman on the other end of the phone was likely Cassidy, Kevin's detective friend and a former reporter for a newstation in Pacific City. She'd been the one who helped them track down where Rafael's sarcophogus was. Kyle crossed his arms and waited while Maya talked Cassidy through their situation, taming it far more than Kyle had. He could understand that much. They were veterans in this field. Did that mean they wouldn't panic? Of course not, but, they could figure this out much faster than he had. The three of them were singlehandedly responsible for taking down an impossibly powerful organization in Pacific City, so, what was one new gang to them, really?
Still, Kyle couldn't help but feel as if he were staring into an antpile while the ants were away. There was just nothing there for him. How was he supposed to know the ins and outs of how these criminals worked? Kyle heard rumor that the Sentinel had once been an incredible mercenary on a dangerous island known as Renza, and Maya had been as well, and if it were true, then they would know how these guys fought, and thought.
Maybe that was it. Kyle raised his hand to his chin and thought. Perhaps he was looking at this the complete wrong way. Kyle saw this as a war, as a flat out battle between himself, the Sentinel, and Realidad, but, how could he fight any enemy he didn't see? Or, maybe, wasn't evne there? The goon they'd taken down mentioned something that they'd never defeat Realidad, that they were so entrenched in everything that defeating them would be nigh impossible. And it probably would be. Kyle glanced up at Maya, who was still talking on the phone.
"Excuse me," Kyle said. Maya raised her eyebrow. "Do you mind if I ask Cassidy something?"
"Oh, sure," Maya said, and handed the phone over to Cassidy.
"...so you can tell that upright ass-hat that I--"
"Um, detective Cassidy?"
Cassidy immediately shut up and the conversation went dead for a moment before, "Hello, Blue Nexus. Nice to talk to you again."
Kyle looked over at Maya, who cheekily had her head bowed while her arms were crossed high on her chest to show as little of her face as possible. Kyle just rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, nice to talk to you as well." He cleared his throat. "Uh, anyway, I had a quick question for you."
"What is it?"
"So, you were a reporter, right? You still got any connections that don't mind living on the edge, and don't mind a little bit of Zanderia protection?"
"...why?"
"I think I know a way to expose Realidad in a big way."
"Media exposure?"
"Yup."
"You think we haven't tried that already?"
"Maybe. But you haven't tried it with someone on the Zanderia, have you?"
"I'm not sure I follow."
Kyle started pacing while the idea continued to formulate in his head. "The Sentinel and I managed to capture a Realidad member in So-Cal, right? We could easily have him confess on TV what Realidad has done, under a completely anonymous guise and all of that, and it'll put Realidad on full-blast. How many Realidad members have you guys been able to capture and put on air?"
"Who says he's going to talk? Realidad will still find out about him."
"I want them to," Kyle said. "And I want them to come for him. If they do, I'll take them on and show them that they're not allowed in So-Cal anymore. It's covered by the Zanderia."
"Isn't there already a Zanderia member down here?"
Kyle nodded, making the same realization as she did, probably at the same time. Red Sun, a superhuman from Japan that starred in a ton of movies in the early 2000s apparently, could be a big asset, too, though Realidad would probably suspect his involvement.
"You've also got the issue that Realidad won't just call of their guys after one try, Blue Nexus," Maya said. "You can take down a whole bunch of them but they'll keep springing out of the ground. The only way to beat a gang like this is to wipe all of them out in one shot, which is basically impossible at this point."
"There is," Kyle said, answering Cassidy's lingering question. He didn't take his eyes away from a now-concentrated Maya. "And Maya just brought up a good point. But is Realidad really only infecting So-Cal and all that?"
"No," Cassidy said. "There's been hints of them here. I just got a report about some idiot trying to buy stock in Capital Industries."
"Either they're stupid like you say or trying to make a point," Kyle said. He continued pacing. "I still think my idea is solid. It at least lures out some of them and maybe we can get more out of them. It's easier than a constant witch-hunt for them. We can't just fight them one-on-one anymore."
"I agree, but what's media exposure going to do to Realidad?" Cassidy said.
"Not just media," Kyle said. "Social media."
"Social media?"
"I doubt Realidad is someone as big as other gangs in the country, like out east. Nobody talks about them because either nobody knows about it, or they're afraid to. But what if the Zanderia got involved in the conversation, what if I got involved?"
"You're promising them a protection you can't guarantee," Maya said.
"I'm promising them hope," Kyle said, to both Maya and Cassidy. Cassidy fell silent and Maya dropped her arms.
"I do like the idea, but it's not perfect," Maya said. "Perfect is what we need to end Realidad."
"Like you said, that isn't going to happen overnight," Kyle said. He sighed. "Look, I can't fight these guys. I'll admit, I'm in over my head on this one. I'm good at stopping an invasion or going and fighting a magic monster. The street-level stuff, the stuff for people that are, like, experienced and know how to dodge a bullet and don't need cosmic powers? That's all on you, but that doesn't mean we can't mix the two."
Cassidy and Maya fell silent for a second, but a small smile was forming on Maya's face already. She moved across the way, clamped a firm had on Kyle's shoulder, and took the phone back.
"I'll head to So-Cal to babysit the boys," Maya said. "Make sure to get us a primetime interview, alright? Alright, talk to you then."
The captive didn’t come to until Kyle and Maya arrived back at the hideout, which the Sentinel had all-but sealed off from the rest of the world. Maya was unimpressed by the display, calling it both gaudy and way too much, far more than what this guy deserved. Kyle didn’t care; it helped ensure the safety of his plan.
The Sentinel greeted them with his usual amount of disdain, as his focus was mostly directed toward the groggy gang member waking up from his beating. Kyle stood in front of them both, taking point. He flared his aura once, brightening up the room and blinding anyone not ready for it. It jarred the gang member, knocking his head back and forcing his eyes open.
“You’re safe,” Kyle said.
“Blue Nexus?” he asked.
“And you’re going to help us out,” Kyle said, kneeling down.
The gang member momentarily struggled against his bindings, but he was zip-tied to the chair. When he shook, the chair shook. Kyle saw the circulation in his hands starting to vanish before his very eyes.
“Help you with what?” the guy asked. “Listen, I don’t know anything. I don’t know where anyone is, I don’t know how to get to them!”
“I know,” Kyle said. “And we don’t need you to. What we need you to do is tell us what exactly your gang is involved in, and who they are involved in.”
“What?” the Sentinel asked.
“We need to get everyone exposed,” Kyle said, still kneeling. “Nobody is going to be spared. I want everyone involved with this on blast, on trial, on whatever. We need to make as big a target for ourselves, for the three of us, as we possibly can.”
“How, wait, what?” the man asked.
“You’re going to be safe,” Kyle said. “I promise. There’s a place I can take you where you’ll be safe from Realidad’s reach, okay?” Kyle squeezed the man’s shoulder. “I just need you to answer a few questions, okay?”
The man looked at the other two, who were no doubt glaring shiny, sharp daggers at him, and he reluctantly nodded. Kyle nodded back and stood up, then cracked him across the face and knocked him back out. He flinched when he did.
“Feel terrible,” Kyle said.
“And you want to put every organization Realidad is in on, what, everyone’s watchlist?” the Sentinel asked. “The more people pry, the more people will get hurt. The more they put their lives at risk. You want that to happen?”
“What’s the alternative?” Kyle asked. “You going on constant hunts and finding low-level guys? No way. People will stand up if they see that someone in the Zanderia is fighting with them. And besides, you know how someone can’t get hurt?”
“How?”
“The Internet. If we raise a presence that something is going down out here, out in the west, we’ll have more than just the Sentinel out here. Red Sun is stationed here, and if the government catches wind of this, if they find out that major CEOs or whatever are doing dirty business? They’ll take care of it.”
“Yeah, great, get the government involved, the people that haven’t even been able to notice anything,” the Sentinel said.
“What idiot is going to say something?” Kyle said. “Look, I have to do this. It’s the only thing I can do. I can’t just get my hands dirty like you, I can’t track these guys down. All I can do is give people a message to fight back, to see that there is a darkness here.”
“There’s a million other places you can do that without needing to fight crime lords,” the Sentinel said. “And how do you know it’s going to work? How do you know that just getting an anonymous guy on camera is going to affect anything? You going to stand on set with him? How can you, just some kid, make a difference?”
“Because someone has to,” Kyle said. “And because you did. You’re the reason any of us are here, Sentinel, because you put that stupid mask on your face and took on an entire city.”
The Sentinel stepped back a bit. Maya flicked her gaze up at him for a moment while he sheepishly just rolled his shoulders back.
“Realidad is a real, serious threat to people around here,” Kyle said. “But I want to shine a light on them and make them come out. Ants don’t come out of the ant pile until someone kicks it over.”
“And then they run wild,” Maya said.
“Right,” Kyle said. “But at that point? We can see them.”
“Right,” Kyle said. “But at that point? We can see them.”
Cassidy never sent a reporter over. She never brought a cameraman or anything. Instead? She brought an entire news’ set. She had lights, multiple cameras, an entire film crew at her disposal. Apparently the news station from Pacific City owed her a few debts from her giving them tips during her detective work.
Kyle could only smile while they brought all of their gear in. She was on call for the majority of the setup with her editor while she prepared for the interview, which would be going live for the 6 P.M. news. Kevin and Maya were nowhere to be seen for the day, likely setting up a good patrol around the house or tailing any stray Realidad members in the area.
The clock ticked closer and the butterflies in Kyle’s gut grew just a bit more. He urged everyone back home—so, Kip, Luke, Andreus, and Mira—to turn on the late-night news, and only told the three boys why. He also asked that the Zanderia tap into the feed and broadcast it for the other Zanderia members to hear about. Phoenix happily obliged.
Cassidy sat down across from the gang member, who had his face marred in shadow, and was assured that his voice would be changed. One of the crewmen fixed the microphone lapel to his shirt, and Kyle stepped onto the set, hushing everyone. He smiled at Cassidy, who did not have a voice-changing lapel on, and did have a camera pointed at her.
“What are you doing?” Kyle asked.
“My job,” Cassidy said, touching up her hair just a bit. “Though I really forgot how uncomfortable this can be at times, I feel like if I just wriggle my nose my entire makeup is gonna fall off. Ugh.”
“No, you’re doing this as yourself?” Kyle asked.
“I’m doing this to put a face to the opposition, like you,” Cassidy said. “To be the first one to stand next to the Zanderia.”
Kyle grimaced, and nodded. He pulled up a seat next to the gang member, who nervously looked at Kyle.
“They’ll kill me once I’m done,” the gang member said. “They’re going to find me and massacre me.”
“They won’t,” Kyle said.
“They’ll find this place,” he said. “They’ll find everyone involved. You don’t understand.”
“I hope they find this place,” Kyle said. “I want them to find me.”
The final few checks were made. The butterflies in Kyle’s stomach started doing laps around each other. He squeezed his fist tight, and when the lights blared on, he pulled the cowl of his hood down to keep his identity down.
Kyle had them purposefully position a tablet just off-screen for him so he could read reactions off of social media. They waited for a few moments, with Cassidy strumming her hands on her lap while a boom mic positioned properly overhead. Kyle looked at her, nodded, and then back to the conversation on Twitter, with the hashtag “ExposedCrime” waiting with no responses there.
However, the moment Cassidy started speaking, there it was. Just one, at first, then two, and when she said the words “Blue Nexus,” the feed exploded. Kyle smiled and glanced up at Cassidy, and the camera pointed right at him.
“Good evening,” Kyle said, firm as he could.
The Sentinel slinked along the fire escape of the building, keeping on hand constantly on his gun while he moved along the outer part of the building. He stopped at his first checkpoint, glancing across the way. A green light glimmered; Maya’s signal to keep moving. He pressed forward.
Through the earpiece connected to the Zanderia communicated, the Sentinel listened in on the interview. The gang member, with his voice done over to mask his identity, was going over everything. He didn’t give names but he gave locations, he gave places he’d once met, and he gave places he’d been where business was known to be conducted.
The Sentinel reached his final checkpoint and Maya’s signal glimmered in his eye again. He pulled himself to the roof of the building and watched a car go speeding down the road, back toward the house. He clenched his fist on his pistol, then brandished it and stooped low. He was exposed and in the open. The sun dipped a bit beneath the Culver City skyline, and he was basked in shadow. He took one shot just before the car could get out of range of his pistol, and a tire exploded, and the car veered hard to the right, crashing into an alleyway dumpster.
“Alright, Blue Nexus,” the Sentinel muttered. “That should rattle them up enough for you.”
He moved along the top of the roof to a ventilation hatch and kicked it open. He braced himself, listening to Cassidy ask one final question, and then slipped in, feeling a sudden heat clasp his body.
Cassidy settled down a bit. Kyle saw her hands stop shaking while the camera lights started to dim. The gangster next to him also let out one big sigh of relief, but the butterflies in Kyle’s gut weren’t going away at all.
“You done?” the Sentinel asked in Kyle’s earpiece.
Kyle stood up, nodding to Cassidy. Immediately she was on her feet. “Alright, everyone, get downstairs! Move, move!”
Everyone, it seemed was already on their way. The gangster was one of the first to lead the pack, though Cassidy was not far behind him. She followed them to the cellar door, and then moved into the cellar with them.
“Don’t open the door,” Kyle said. “I’ll come get you guys when it’s over. You just make sure that nobody else gets in.”
“Window’s sealed?” Cassidy asked.
“Window’s sealed?” Cassidy asked.
“Yeah, but not from gunfire,” Kyle said.
“Let me worry about that,” Cassidy said. “Good luck out here. And, hey, where the hell are Kevin and Maya?”
Kyle tapped his earpiece. “Yeah, where the hell are you guys?”
“Doing a bit of complementary work. You worry about your job, I’ll do mine, and progress will have been made. Just make sure Cassidy doesn’t die.”
“On it,” Kyle said.
With one final gesture, Cassidy slipped into the basement door. Kyle heard it lock from the other end, and then closed his eyes, expanding his aura, and letting his senses heighten. He heard the slight mumbles from down below, but nothing that grand.
He moved across the room to the tablet still resting with the rest of the camera gear. Kyle gently set it all down and pressed it against the wall, then took the tablet up and powered up his aura. He flicked up and down the screen, marveling at just how many were involved with the conversation. So many celebrities, newscasters, and millions of normal people were talking about this.
The sun vanished beneath the horizon. The interview had lasted the entire newscast, miraculously, and Kyle was finally starting to feel the effects of hunger. However, that also meant his plan would be right on time.
Several screeching tires resounded outside. Kyle slid behind the island in the kitchen, and chaos ensued. He wasn’t sure how Realidad would find out where they were, but there was never a question of if, only when.
A maelstrom of bullets poured into the safe house, obliterating all of the windows and walls. The entire house was completely surrounded on all ends, but thankfully, the only accessibility that the gang could get was through the main doors. Kyle had made sure to barricade the cellar door so nobody could get in by sealing it with his Nexus energy.
He only kept his head low to avoid the slight irritation of being stunned as a bullet would ping off his aura. No bullet made their way inside the aura as he had it flaring at its full power; each bullet that hit him veered off into a cabinet or a nearby piece of furniture.
A pair of explosions resounded outside as the fake news vans were likely destroyed. The real news vans were parked a house over as plain white vans that Cassidy used as a part of her undercover work.
The first wave of bullets ceased and several voices, none of them matching the supposed description of a Realidad member, resounded into the shambling house. Kyle stood up in full view of the flashlights that were bounding their way toward him. Kyle could see the Readlidad members plain as day: meager white men with guns raised high as their only defense against a movement with a voice. Kyle grinned.
“You’re already done,” Kyle exclaimed. “Everyone knows about you!”
The next wave of bullets began, but they were too slow. Kyle was already moving, faster than their basic human eyes could comprehend. The first one dropped like a rock, slamming into the ground and losing control of his gun.
The next wave of bullets began, but they were too slow. Kyle was already moving, faster than their basic human eyes could comprehend. The first one dropped like a rock, slamming into the ground and losing control of his gun.
A blue blur skirted across the sky, spinning and launching small balls of energy at five gunmen, taking each of them down. Kyle slid to a halt, rising as he swung his arm up and blocked another hale of bullets from banging against his aura. Three gunmen this time went airborne, flying into the streets. Kyle glowered at one who only held a pistol and unloaded the entire chamber on him. Kyle caught each bullet as it approached, and dropped them all before leaping over the house, spotting the rearguard, and roaring as loud as he could before crashing and creating a small crater that knocked all of them back.
Kyle glowered through the house, through all the damage that was done, straight through the broken mirrors to the other side where their boss ran toward a car, trying hard as he could to somehow escape. Kyle could only grin at the effort.
Within seconds he was in front of the car. He slammed his fist down and the car flipped end-over-end before crashing atop the cab. Kyle glanced over his shoulder to another car readily speeding away, running through a red light and almost slamming into another vehicle. In another matter of seconds, again, Kyle caught the car—literally—and simply set it down next to him.
“I guess you decided to watch the news tonight,” Kyle said.
The room was dark, with only a small lamplight and the tiniest embers of a cigarette in the corner to light it. A single phone light revealed the police chief’s face while he frantically spoke on the phone.
“Yeah, and what do you want me to do about it?” the police chief asked. “Wait, he did what? How many men did you bring in? No, don’t come here you idiot, do not come here. If you do we’re screwed, and this is all over.”
The Sentinel braced once against the door, looking to the recorder in his hands. He ignored the several men that were slowly moaning or groaning as their bodies adjusted to the sleep gas that’d been thrown into the room just a few moments ago. He blinked once, ignoring the effects of the gas, and pressed his ear against the door.
“Yeah, we’ll pack up and take down Pacific City,” the police chief said. “You’ll still let me see your sister, right?”
The Sentinel rose instantly, slamming the door open. The police chief screamed and swung his arm out. The cigarette flew across the room. The Sentinel caught it and squeezed it in his hand, putting out the flames in an instant. He strolled into the room, keeping his hand behind his back, touching just the butt end of his pistol.
The Sentinel rose instantly, slamming the door open. The police chief screamed and swung his arm out. The cigarette flew across the room. The Sentinel caught it and squeezed it in his hand, putting out the flames in an instant. He strolled into the room, keeping his hand behind his back, touching just the butt end of his pistol.
“That was a nice conversation you had there,” the Sentinel said.
“What are you doing here?” the chief asked. “What have you done to all my men?”
“I didn’t do anything,” the Sentinel said. “But those two Realidad members in the lobby? Oh, they’re going to be in big trouble.” The Sentinel revealed his other hand, holding the recorder. “Or, is that three members?”
“I—I’m not!” the police chief exclaimed. He slammed his hands on the table and one of his cabinets opened.
Kevin’s other arm was out with the gun pointed right at him before his hands could even get below the desk.
“You’re done,” Kevin said. “Realidad in Culver City is done for. Now, I want you to think this through: this isn’t even my city, and I took you out. Now you want to move to Pacific City, to my city, and take me on?” Kevin grinned. “Bad idea, but I’m open to you giving it a shot.”
“We’re so much bigger than this town,” the chief said. “We’re everywhere.”
“I know,” the Sentinel said. “I’ve known.”
“So what?” the police chief asked. “You going to throw me away? And then what? My troops are loyal to the payroll they’re on, you asshole.”
“So what?” the police chief asked. “You going to throw me away? And then what? My troops are loyal to the payroll they’re on, you asshole.”
“Sure,” the Sentinel said. “But the Zanderia aren’t. All the SJWs we just pissed off on Twitter sure as hell aren’t, either. It wasn’t until yesterday, too, how I realized how out of your league you guys are when I call in the big guns.”
“The Zanderia can’t know about us,” the chief said.
“They did when I did,” the Sentinel said. “And they have a much bigger reach than any of you ever could. You’re still operating in a world where people have nobody to look up to, where the only heroes are ones that we have to make up. Now? Aliens are here every goddamn day, ones that want to help us out. You can’t compete with that.”
The police chief flinched but the Sentinel didn’t. He held steady. The police chief continued to glare at Kevin, but finally, he broke and tried to slump back into his chair.
Kevin fired his gun before he could sit, blowing a hole in the back and knocking it away. The chief fell straight to the ground. Kevin up-ended the desk and slid the gun back into its holster, then pocketed the recorder in his vest.
“See you in court, chief,” Kevin said.
“You think we don’t own those?” the chief asked.
“Not the ones for cops,” the Sentinel said, and strolled out of the room, feeling the ghost of a smile touch his lips while he moved through the crime scene.
Much as Kyle wanted to see all of the Realidad members he took down get their day in court, the Sentinel decided it would be best to kick him out of the situation.
“You’ve made enough of a mess online already,” the Sentinel said. “Cassidy can handle it from here. Trust me, she’s dealt with enough stiff suits to get through this.”
“I just feel a little bad,” Kyle said. “There’s still so much of Realidad left. We didn’t even take out their leader or anything.”
“We didn’t have to,” the Sentinel said. “We just needed to get them on the run.”
Kyle nodded, and behind them, a bit of the ceiling broke off and tumbled to the ground. They both ignored it, and ignored the rest of the damage done to the hideout.
The Sentinel held his hand out to Kyle. “Thanks, Blue Nexus. I know it feels as if you didn’t do much, but, against an enemy like this, there’s no way to check progress until it’s all done. As stupid as that sounds.”
“Makes sense,” Kyle said, and clasped his hand. “Now you owe me one out east, got it?”
“Makes sense,” Kyle said, and clasped his hand. “Now you owe me one out east, got it?”
“I’m not fit for alien invasions,” the Sentinel said. “Or crazy mage battles or something like that.”
“What? No, I meant getting a cat out of a tree.”
The Sentinel just shook his head and pushed Kyle away. “Get outta here already, would you?”
“On it!” Kyle exclaimed, and blasted out of the hole in the roof, soaring into the California sky before turning his attention due east and blasted off through the clouds, curving up into the air, feeling the wind rush by, as he bit farewell to the west coast. He sighed, and a large smile formed along his face.
The Sentinel just shook his head and pushed Kyle away. “Get outta here already, would you?”
“On it!” Kyle exclaimed, and blasted out of the hole in the roof, soaring into the California sky before turning his attention due east and blasted off through the clouds, curving up into the air, feeling the wind rush by, as he bit farewell to the west coast. He sighed, and a large smile formed along his face.
They had hope now, Kyle thought, hope that wasn’t there before. He nodded. It was enough. For now, at least, it was enough.
No comments:
Post a Comment