Enhance: Chapter 35

“Nathan Pierce, are you shitting me?” Darren threw their head back and arms up, almost hitting Yumi.

“Hey watch it Wiz Kid! I thought we went over this already” Cradling her bowl of fried rice and mixed vegetables she started eating with her spork. She sat with Shade on the armchair as she began to eat.

“How can you hold that without a napkin?” He asked shaking his head.

“Fire hands.” She said getting a spork full of carrots and rice, making sure to get a piece of egg as well.

Rogue was leaning against the back of the couch while looking down at Darren. “So Nathan Pierce. Famous politician by day, gang leader at night. Who would have thought?”

“I sure fucking didn’t.” Darren had their bowl beside their computer, which they reached for and started to eat angrily. “Jesus Christ. How could I have missed that?”

“Weren’t you close to that and getting their,” Feint said from the side of Darren.

They grumbled through their food saying, “Doesn’t matter! I’m pissed about it! Supposed to be a genius goddamn it.” They put their hands on their face laying back against the couch.

“That’s definitely him though.” Phase said staring at the screen on the other side of Darren. As he swallowed another spork full he shook his head he pointed at the political ad they pulled up on YouTube. “God, I was close.”

“You couldn’t have done anything about it then.” Feint chided and Darren agreed.

“I was so careless back then. Didn’t even investigate my employer.” Shaking their head Darren frowned. “Which means his brother Nigel is the head scientist.”

“Is Nigel like famous?” Yumi asked.

“Very. Highly educated. Well published documents. Not nearly as public eye as his brother but still prominent. But this is good though. It’s a lead. I can work with this. Very easily.”

“What do you mean Wiz Kid?”

“The Senator is easy to track down. Granted he’ll have more open body guards but for the most part easier to find.” They leaned forward to their computer and started typing. First Googling Nathan Pierce public appearances. There were a few dozen links but Darren went for one that was a news article. Through there they followed a link where you could email your local congressman.

They went through the contact page but then opened up another dialogue box. They cut through the website and jumped a few pages forward and were now in email account.

“Let’s see what he uses this email for.” Darren said as they began to scroll downward.  By now everyone had finished eating, stacking their bowls beside the laptop and were gathering around to look. Darren opened up an email that seemed to be between Pierce and a random resident. Their name was just abbreviated to E. They tossed them up onto the TV so everyone could read without crowding them.

E:                   Are you sure that you want to go out tomorrow? With the threat that’s looming I believe you should err on the side of caution.

nPierce:         And I know that to maintain the peoples favor I need to be out there tomorrow. The people have been losing faith in their politicians. I need to restore that faith.

E:                   The security detail those government officials give is laughable. Nothing they do would stop the Vanguard once they get started.

nPierce:         Well I can’t exactly replace them with my private security now can I?

E:                   No. I suppose not. Luce and Ramon will be busy as well.

nPierce:         I believe that things will go smoothly. I have little faith in the Vanguard’s skill to pull this off. Do not worry.

E:                   It is my duty to worry.

nPierce:         I don’t believe that was your job.

E:                   Just because it wasn’t directly given doesn’t make it less my duty.

nPierce:         And I do appreciate that. I must cut our conversation short. We’ll speak tonight in person.

Darren leaned back from the computer and glanced at everyone. “Well then. The more you hack the more you know.”

“The Vanguard are going to go after him? Why?” Shade asked shaking his head. “I highly doubt they know who he is.”

“They don’t.” Darren said as they pulled up another email. “Addressed to public officials. Any not ‘on the side of the people’ are going to start getting attacked. Fear campaign I’m guessing. Probably one of Rooks plans still being put into play.”

“So, they’re just attacking him because he’s going to be in the city?” Feint asked raising her eyebrow. “Sounds like the Vanguard are getting desperate.”

“I’d believe that. They need to get back on the board somehow.” Shade shrugged.

Phase sighed and nodded. “We gotta step in.”

“So, what you’re suggesting is that we go and protect the guy that we’re trying to get rid of.” Rogue glanced at Phase. “That right?”

“Sadly yes. If they kill him then we lose out on a lot of answers. Potentially all of it. So yeah, we protect Pierce before we interrogate him personally.” Phase said looking at the others who were uneasy but were agreeing. “Good. I’m putting a plan together.”

The sun was glaring bright that afternoon. The crowd that was flooding the streets was a shock. None of them had expected such a turn out for the senator. Then again, many people supported what he was spouting. Then again half the crowd were in protest with signs and chants.

All of them were walking down to city hall where the man of the hour was in a meeting. Once he left said meeting he would be delivering his speech to everyone assembled. It was a day for the people, as the campaign was said to be, and there would always be time for them.

Darren sat at their computer and pulled up a quick map with several red dots pinpointed within the crowd. “Alright everyone, go over your specific jobs before things pop off.”

“Pop off? Yumi’s rubbing off on everyone,” Phase and Feint were moving through the crowd together. Getting back on the point he said, “Our job is to pick up our favorite senator and get him to the rendezvous point.”

“Though we’re not supposed to get into any fights with security. In and out is the plan.” Feint added smiling at him who gave her a nod.

Echo was on a rooftop nearby her mask on. She stared into the crowd her eyes closed as she slowly opened her mind, filtering through the gathered people. “I’ll be reading minds. Pin pointing Vanguard and forwarding that to Shade.”

“Once I have that I do my best to incapacitate and soften up as many as I can.”

“Me and the fire starter pick up after that. We find the take care of the Vanguard left over in the crowd. When they make their move, we get in the way.” Rogue said.

“No killing.” Yumi grumbled as she and Rogue made their way in a slow circle on either side of the crowd.

“And I’ll be doing my best to delay the Royals when they finally do react to our attack.” Darren said bringing a separate window up on another screen. That window was constantly shifting between several traffic light cameras. “Once communication falls apart, so do they.”

The crowd suddenly exploded to life and all eyes were toward the building. The doors had opened and out stepped the man in question. Same grey hair, white skin, cold green eyes. And yet he had a smile on his face that somehow came off as endearing. He raised a hand up and everyone shouted mixtures of cheering and booing.

Phase watched as he came forward and began to speak but he didn’t really pay attention. He was too busy keeping his eyes on the crowd for signs of trouble. It felt strange to have to be rescuing this guy of all people but they were too damn close to mess up now.

“Shade there’s two about twenty feet from you.” Echo said and he was moving. He didn’t bother to try and use his powers and instead just maneuvered through everyone. People were having a hard time looking at him as he pushed his way through the crowd.

As he came close to one he narrowed his eyes and looked for any signs that they were Vanguard. There wasn’t anything obvious but then Echo gave him a hint. He saw the words that ran through their mind. ‘Just shoot em. Pop pop. He’s dead and I’m outta here’. Couldn’t get more obvious than that. A mind reader was a scary thing.

Wrapping his arm around their throat he pulled them close. Using his strength, he held them in the chokehold, keeping them still before they started to fall. As they fell he stepped away and let them slide into someone else while he just disappeared back into the crowd.

“Moving on.” He mumbled to himself and dipped back into the crowd. There was one more near him and as he slipped through he went after him. He took another down shoving them into the crowd listening to someone shout as he tossed someone else into the crowd. It was clockwork.

“Echo you there?” He said into his mouthpiece.

“Loud and clear. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Does any other part of this feel strange to you?”

“Strange how?”

“Like this might be going too smooth or too easily?”

She frowned for a moment and tried to expand the area in which she was reading minds. “I can’t sense anything right now but trust your instinct and be careful.”

“That’s usually the plan.”

Shade pushed through the crowd going toward the front of it now. As he got closer he could hear the droning of Pierce as he tried to lay out his plans for the future of the city, by extension the state.

“Load of shit.” Shade mumbled and bumped into someone. Rather than apologize he kept walking because they weren’t going to remember his face anyway. However when they grabbed his shoulder he was startled at the forced contact.

“You.” Shade turned around to face them only to stare down at the barrel of a gun. Eyes going wide he tried to start his power, to make himself disappear. “I knew it was you DJ.”

Bang.

The sound echoed throughout the venue and there was silence only for a moment. And then screaming erupted followed by more gunshots. Whether it was intended or not things had started. The Vanguard operation was a go.

Instantly Yumi and Rogue vanished towards one of the charging Vanguard members. He was racing toward the podium gun in plain sight. Rogue grabbed Yumi’s shoulder and then threw her before vanishing at the last second.

She appeared over the man and crashed him to the ground under her weight. With a smirk she turned and watched as Rogue grabbed another by the back of their shirt before shoving them into the ground.

People were scattering away from the city hall steps, which made the chaos even more favorable for their fighting. However she looked toward the podium at the top as Pierce was being escorted off by suits on either side of him.

“He’s on the move. Leader and Feint, it’s on you.”

Phase laughed softly as he ran. Glancing at Feint he pointed toward the target. “You get Pierce. I’ll take out the suits.”

“Good luck with that.” She laughed and then he was seeing through her. He did the same and passed through the panicking crowds. The few people she walked directly through, shivered and nearly stumbled to the ground every time but they weren’t the focus.

Phase darted forward doing the same closing the instance to his goal quickly. He grabbed one man’s leg and fazed it down into the concrete. The man tried to keep moving but nearly broke his leg from the sudden immobilization.

Phase slid through the other suit’s legs whipping around. Once on the other side he started to swing when they were shot through the chest and fell over. He looked past and saw a pair of Vanguard sprinting toward them.

Phase ducked to cover and stared at Pierce whose eyes narrowed with almost rage before he was lifted off the ground. Feint had landed and then jumped as hard as she could carrying the man. They landed atop city hall and she dropped him and stumbled, trying to regain her balance again.

“You mistakes. What do you think you’re doing?”

“Outside of saving your hide?” Feint asked and laughed as more gunshots started below them.

“Get a move on Feint. You’ve got incoming Royals. Cars racing toward your location. I count at least a dozen bodies.”

“Thanks.” She walked toward him and grabbed his arm roughly. “Come on. We have to get you out of here.”

“You’re going to regret this.”

Phase appeared on the rooftop and grabbed his other arm. They locked eyes and Phase tried not to smile. “You’re not in any position to make a threat.” He told them before the pair jumped off. Their first jump had them soaring and a rough landing on a storefront.

Their next jump was more controlled as they started toward their rendezvous location. Back at city hall things were still very much chaotic. Yumi and Rogue were fighting while Darren was doing his best to delay the Royals. Apparently, the Vanguard had decided to send in some of their enhanced men to fight.

Rogue blocked a punch, turned and chopped at his throat. Gasping for breath he held onto his throat as Rogue kneed him in the chest and palm struck him to the ground. Rogue turned and then vanished toward Yumi.

She was struggling holding one man back and didn’t notice the second. Rogue grabbed the advancing Vanguard and threw him into the ground.  Yumi lunged and shoved both her burning palms into the man’s side. She closed one hand and punched him roughly knocking him to the ground.

“Pay attention fire starter. You’re gonna get yourself killed.” Rogue said toward her.

Yumi shook her head. “Whatever I got this. Wait, shouldn’t Shade have joined us by now. Echo where’s Shadeow at?”

“I think I found him. He’s about twenty feet to your right. Hurry. He’s hurt bad.”

Yumi eyes widened slightly as and she started to run but Rogue appeared beside her and dragged her to the ground. A gunshot echoed behind them and they whirled around. A car crashed onto the scene and they watched as easily ten people jumped out, some with assault rifles and others with pistols. All wearing suits.

“Shit the Royals are here.” Rogue looked at Yumi as he vanished them away and toward city hall for cover.

“No!” Yumi struggled against him as she tried to run back toward where Shade was but Rogue kept him back.

“Hell no! I’m not gonna let you get shot trying to find him.”

“And I’m not letting him die out there!”

Rogue growled and then shook his head. “Stay here. I’ll be back.” With that he vanished back toward where they had gone. Yumi watched him go and then dashed forward, going down and picking up a pistol.

Getting down on her knee she took aim and started firing on the new comers. She hit two of them after five shots before they all wizened up and took cover behind their cars. They tried to return fire but she had already ducked away.

She kept herself hidden, firing back every few seconds but ducked down after three rounds. Rinse wash repeat. Not getting over confident like normal. When Rogue appeared behind her she started almost shooting him. She glared and then her heart nearly stopped.

He was holding onto Shade, who was holding onto his stomach and the growing spot of red. “DJ,” She stepped forward raising his head gently. Shade didn’t react with anything but a groan and even then it wasn’t loud. “Get him out of here.”

“Give me your hand.” Taking her hand as well he ducked his head and focused on a spot far away from city hall. A gunshot whizzed past them and then they were gone leaving the chaos behind.