DARING – Along with Sara and the Brilliant 5, were trying to figure out the Spectre’s next move, when the power went out and the building started to collapse.
Sara and Daring looked up as the ceiling over their heads started to collapse. They carried Sergoff as they tried to avoid the falling rubble. Suddenly, the floor crumbled under their feet, sending them tumbling downward into a lower section of the building.
Getting to their feet, they managed to get out of the way of the tumbling debris. They made their way to the exit stairway, descending the levels as the ominous rumbling continued around them. Exiting into the parking garage, Daring led the way.
Hope seemed dashed as they came across his roadster, flattened by a sizeable chunk of concrete that had landed squarely onto the roadster. Tossing the keys, he said, “Well, I hope you have a car.” Sara led them further down the lane to her white car. Even the garage was starting to become unstable as more rubble started to rain down on them. They crowded into Sara’s car, and she sped off. She screeched through the parking lot, dodging the random pelleting of wreckage.
Sara expertly drove around a large slab of concrete, and finally pulled out of the parking lot. She safely took them to rejoin the others at the Institute of the Brilliant 5.
The Institute had become a makeshift headquarters for the refugees from the destroyed government building. Miraculously, almost everyone had evacuated the building with minor injuries. The halls of the Institute were overrun with doctors, local police officials, and news reporters.
In a little quiet corner, Daring had rounded up the Brilliant 5 along with Sara and Sergoff. Sergoff was still visibly shaken, but he started to slowly respond to others around him. Sara watched over him, hoping that he’d come out it soon.
Daring shushed Junior and Old Timer, who were bickering as usual. “As you know,” stated Daring. “We were not told much about the mysterious item that was being built. And it seems that that very weapon was used against us, and we all know how effective it really is.”
“But, dangnabit, what is it already?” asked Old Timer.
“I allow us to answer that,” replied Teresa. She and Marissa stood up. “What little Daring’s found out about it, we’ve managed to figure it out.”
“We know that it is fueled by the unstable Compound X,” stated Marissa. “We think it is probably mixed with a number of other chemicals, and using an electrical charge, it produces or at least imitates an EMP.”
“EMP?” asked Junior. “As in Electromagnetic Pulse?”
“Correct,” replied Marissa. “An EMP can seriously damage electrical systems by creating current and voltage surges.”
“But in this case, it seems that our Spectre fellow has changed the weapon. Not only does the faux EMP take down the electrical equipment, but somehow weakens the cellular structure of the building itself,” said Teresa.
“But how?” asked Daring.
“Our best guess is that these EMP particles are very unstable,” replied Marissa. “As they pass through solid structures, they weaken the overall cellular bonds, possibly yanking out “keystone cells” that cause the rest to fall.”
“How about that in English?” asked Old Timer.
“We called it the Peacemaker,” said Sergoff, suddenly. Everyone turned to see the professor on his feet, a distant look in his eyes. “It was going to make war bloodless, but now, he’s ruined everything. All those people dead…”
Sara caught him as he collapsed. “Get a doctor!” shouted Sara.
“Is he okay?” asked Johnny Highpitch.
“He’s been through a lot,” replied Sara, checking Sergoff’s vitals. “It’s probably just exhaustion.” They watched in silence as a medical team came in and went off with the unconscious doctor.
“I hate to sound like a broken record,” said Junior. “But what now?” While he said that, an officer came in and spoke with Daring. Daring nodded his head as he listened to what the newcomer told him.
“Good news everyone,” said Daring after the officer left. “Dekker is nowhere to be found.”
“How’s that good news?” asked Johnny.
“Because,” interrupted Teresa. “Our escapee is wearing my patent pending homing beacon, woven directly into his prison uniform.”
“Exactly,” said Daring.
“And you think he’s going to run right back to his old boss,” said Sara.
“Let’s find out,” said Daring while he turned on the holographic map. The room was soon engulfed in a computer generated model of the city. A glowing beacon marked the movement of Dekker. They watched in silence as the beacon slowly made its way to one building in particular.
“Computer, zoom in. Coordinates: 350 by 211.” The computer responded to Daring’s command and enlarged the image of interest. “Overlap with satellite imagery.” The boxy images were instantly replaced with realistic pictures taken by orbiting satellites.
They all looked at the crumbling remains of a once-elegant building. No one said anything until Sara spoke up. “I think I know who the Spectre is. That building, I recognize that building. It’s…”
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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.
1 comment:
It's . . it's . . . P.E.T.A.!
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