1.2 Rising Part 9

Guardian searches her foes for the one that took her weapons. She didn’t see which one it was as she was modifying the phones at the time.

And Guardian can’t spot the culprit in the confusion that she has created.

She doesn’t want to press her luck as despite having taken out everybody in the room as Guardian is still horrible outnumbered if even just a few of their number recovers.

She hears a grunt from in front of her and she looks down.

Metal Man is slowly getting to his feet. Despite being vulnerable to electric attacks like the other gangsters, he is almost fully recovered from it.

Guardian goes through the information that she knows about him.

Metal Man said that he got his powers when he was shot. Since he survived that, I doubt my gun will be much against him. Plus Metal Man mentioned that he was tougher and stronger than normal so I assume that is why he has recovered so much faster than the others. Since he is stronger and tougher, I won’t be able to match him in a fair fight even with my exoskeleton.

Metal Man is almost back on his feet when Guardian hurtles over him, pushing him forwards into the ground as she pushes off his back.

Now what voice?

Retreat.

I agree. It is a good idea.

Guardian gives up on trying to retrieve her weapons as even if she could find them, she wouldn’t be able to get to them with Metal Man recovered.

What Guardian does do as she runs for the front door, is drop a few sensors so she can keep track of what is going on here even once she is gone.

Guardian kicks the door open and it breaks under her exoskeleton-enhanced strength. Without even sparing a glance behind her, the superhero runs off into the night.

***

Guardian hesitates as she reaches the basement. Tonight didn’t go well and Guardian came out behind without a doubt. The only upsides that she can think of are that she wasn’t hurt or killed and she was able to set up a basic surveillance system.

She failed to stop any of the gangsters, didn’t get anything this trip and actually lost her best weapons. Guardian is ashamed at how poorly tonight went and is doesn’t want to face Scott’s disappointment in her.

But she is going to have to at some point so that isn’t any point in delaying that time.

Legacy enters the basement and looks around for Scott. He’s sitting at her computer, reading something.

“You’re back a bit earlier than I expected,” says Scott without looking up, “I assume things went well then.”

Legacy hesitates. She feels guilty at Scott assuming her earliness is due to success rather the failure that is the true reason.

“They didn’t,” replies Legacy, “They actually went extremely poorly.”

Scott quickly gets up and turns to inspect Legacy.

“Are you hurt?” demands Scott, “You don’t look like you are, but...”

“I’m physically fine,” answers Legacy, “But I lost my best weapons and didn’t take any of them out.”

“What happened?” Scott asks calmly.

“It started off as usual,” explains Legacy, “But then I was followed as I went to my chosen location. Once I entered the building, it was a trap and their leader, Metal Man, had powers while the rest of them were armed. I was surrounded and outnumbered with no cover or escape.”

“Go on,” says Scott encouragingly as Legacy pauses.

“I waited and turned their phones into traps to electrocute them,” continues Legacy, “I activated them once Metal Man had finished speaking and I escaped from building while they still down. I was unable to retrieve my weapons as Metal Man was recovering too quickly.”

“This Metal Man,” says Scott slowly, “What powers did he have?”

“His skin was metal,” answers Legacy, “He claimed to have gotten them when he was shot and he also said he was tougher and stronger than normal people. He did recover much faster than the other gangsters even though he was still vulnerable to electricity.”

“Let’s focus on what we can do to solve this situation,” Scott tells her, “Can you make more weapons?”

“Easily,” answers Legacy, “Replacing them won’t be a problem.”

“And what about the surveillance system you were going to set up tonight?” asks Scott, “Were you successful in that?”

“Yes I was,” answers Legacy, “That was the only thing that went well tonight. I was even able to leave some sensors at the trap.”

“So let’s check on how well it is working,” suggests Scott soothingly, “So you’re just going to call your sensors sensors?

“That is correct,” replies Legacy, “It is short for surveillance system sensors. I preferred it to any of the other names I can up with.”

“So can you use your control device to access the network on the computer?” inquires Scott, “I know that you can access it with your power, but I would like to see it as well.”

“Okay,” says Legacy as she goes to get the phone size device.

She sits down at the computer as she plugs the control device in while Scott stands behind her.

“Let’s bring up the sensors in the trap building,” suggests Scott and Legacy does as he requested.

They don’t get any good picture as Legacy was in a rush when she placed them, but they do get sound and other data.

“Those people are the police,” explains Scott as the sensors show people in uniform putting the gangsters in restraints, “They uphold the law, but while they are on the same side as you, they are not your friends as you break the law.”

“I understand,” answers Legacy.

“I assume that one is Metal Man,” says Scott as the leader of Lakeside Devils is taken away from a teenage girl.

“I know that girl,” Legacy says suddenly, “I saw her earlier when I was shopping.”

“That’s Alexandria,” Scott tells her, “She is Atlas’ little sister and has the same powers as her brother, but weaker.”

They go silent as they hear Metal Man screaming profanity at Alexandria.

“It was that dumb bitch Guardian!” curses Metal Man as he is taken away.

1.2 Rising Part 8

The interior walls of the building’s ground floor have all been knocked down and there are several armed gangsters waiting for Guardian. She can count nine in addition to the large brute of a man that Guardian assumes is their leader.

He looks particularly tough with shiny metal skin, extremely large muscles and lacks any bodily hair on him. His clothing consists of a sleeveless white shirt with strains and ragged jeans. Unlike his fellow gangsters, this man has no gun and is completely unarmed.

“So you’re the Guardian,” sneers the metal man, “That superhero bitch who has been giving us so much trouble.”

Guardian thinks though her options as the two men that have been following her enter the building via the same door as Guardian.

I’m surrounded and outgunned. I have no cover and no route of escape. I can’t fight back without getting killed in the opening moments and I have no options. Now what?

Wait.

More advice from the voice. I might as well follow it. It’s not like I have come up with anything better and the voice has yet to give me bad advice.

“Surrender girl if you know what’s good for ya,” says the metal man and Guardian is sure that he is the leader of these gangster.

Guardian slowly draws her two stun-pipes and drops the on the ground.

“Smart girl,” chuckles the metal man, “Looks like we haven’t got a complete idiot, boys.”

Some of the gangsters join in with their leader’s laughing as Guardian tries to figure out how the situation is going to go down.

They know my name and they should also know about my pipe weaponry. I don’t know if they know about the gun that Scott insists I keep on me. I haven’t used it yet there is still the possibility that they don’t. I don’t think they seemed to be interesting in killing me right now, but I have no doubts that will kill me without hesitation.

“What about your other weaponry?” demands the metal man, “Don’t pretend you don’t have anymore.”

Guardian pulls out her pipe-gun and drops that on the floor with the stun-pipes. The gangsters stare at her as if they are expecting her to have more weapons on her.

“I don’t have any more,” Guardian tells them, “Well I do, but I left the rest at my hideout.”

The metal man grunts and orders one of his lackeys to collect the weapons.

Now what voice? I’ve been waiting and I don’t think this is going to go in my favour any time soon.

Phones.

Phones. More advice even if it is a bit unclear on what the voice is suggesting. A win to this fight I hope. I don’t have any phones, but I have noticed that most of my enemies do.

Guardian reaches out with her power, searching for phones. She can find on all of the gangsters. Even their leader.

What could the voice want me to-

“Girl!” yells the metal man, “Pay attention! Perhaps you prefer being called Guardian? Would that get you to pay attention to me?”

“Maybe,” replies Guardian and the metal man grunts in annoyance.

“Do you know who I am?” demands the metal man.

“Metal Man?” suggests Guardian.

Whatever the metal man is going to say, he freezes as he thinks Guardian’s reply over.

“Yeah, I might go with that,” mutters the metal man before speaking up, “I am Metal Man, the leader of the Lakeside Devils!”

Some of the others look uneasy at that declaration. Perhaps they dislike him or the fact he holds that position.

“I got my power when the old boss of our old gang decided to off me,” declares Metal Man, “One of his followers shot me, but I didn’t die. Instead I got my metal skin. Now I am tougher and stronger than any normal person! That was when I decided I wasn’t gonna to let my attempted murder go. After all, I now have real power that doesn’t rely on other people. And soon I will crush my rivals and the police will be helpless to help me. Only Atlas or Alexandria can beat me and I won’t be stupid enough to take them head on.”

While Metal Man has been gloating, Guardian has been going through the phones of the gangsters. She has been using her power to change the phones so they will electrocute the gangsters as a signal from her.

“A shame that you decided to be a hero,” drawls Metal Man, “But at least I have the opportunity to bag my first superhero, first of many I’ll bet.”

He gives Guardian a feral grin just as she finishes altering the phones. Her trap is set and will give her opportunity to turn things around.

Metal Man reaches for Guardian with his beefy fists. She instinctively leans away and sends the signal.

As a limitation of her abilities, Guardian can’t activate all of the modified phones at once.  Instead she had to link them and then used her power to modify one of her sensors to send the signal. With a device capable of sending the signal, Guardian than uses her power on that device to make it send the signal to make the phones electrocute the gangsters.

The men scream around her as electricity pumps through their bodies.