Super Sales on Super Heroes 5 -Ch24- (Patreon)

Carol brought them around in a sharp turn. Flying over the very obvious location where the hostage situation was occurring.

Holding tight to the back of the Dragon, Felix scanned the area to try and see if there was anything to see from up here. If there was perhaps something he’d miss if he was on the ground.

It looked much like any supermarket he’d ever seen before.

If I ignore the huge number of police, SWAT, and bystanders. That’s a massive crowd.

Massive.

Lots of reporters, too.

“Romina, you streaming?” Felix asked.

“No. I’m recording though. I can push it out later after editing. Just in case we get things on camera we shouldn’t,” answered Romina. “Is that okay?”

“That’ll be good,” Miu answered for Felix. She was directly behind him and wearing a full Centurion’s armor. He needed her here and now more than making sure things didn’t go sideways back at Langley. “I can provide some alternative shots from my own camera, though it isn’t as clear as yours.”

“Yaaaaas. That’d be perfect, Miu. Thank… thank you so much. Your advice has been perfect, by the way,” Romina said with an obvious hesitancy.

“I figured it would. You should listen to me,” said Miu, who then pointed down to the ground. “Carol, bring us in near that large van. That’ll be where they’re planning things.”

Felix followed the line of Miu’s arm and found that she was pointing down at what was quite obviously a rally point for Lily and Kit. If they were here, then they were most definitely in charge of the situation.

“Can… can we do a hero landing? You said that this armor could withstand a drop like this, right Tribune? Can I please… please do it?” asked Romina in an increasingly eager voice.

“The armor can withstand the fall. I have prepared for such an event and loaded appropriate body physic guidance so that you’ll land upright,” Tribune answered.

“Yes. You’ll all perform this entrance,” Miu interjected before Felix could address that. “I’ll go first. Give me your camera. Land in front of the HQ area.”

Romina handed the camera to Miu, who took it and dove off to the side. Cutting through the air and rapidly vanishing out of sight.

“I’ll wait for a minute,” Carol said loudly over the wind. “Then move you in to a spot that, if you drop, you should fall straight down and land in front of them.”

“Oh my gosh. This is so lit. I’m so excited! Hero entrance! I’m totally going to use it as my splash intro. Or maybe the sub gif?!” Romina squeaked in a high-pitched voice.

Felix held back a sigh and just waited.

This felt ridiculous but also might actually help bring everyone into the spotlight for the younger generations. A real-life hero entrance was something that’d likely push the news in their favor.

“I’ll drop in later. It wouldn’t be good for me to land naked. Amy… clothes?” Carol asked, holding one of her claws back over her shoulder.

A green-eyed Green Dragon put the bundle of clothes between the tips of Carol’s claws.

“Off we go!” Romina giggled insanely, then simply rolled off Carol’s back.

Felix waited, watching the Dragon Maidens as they did the same, moving off Carol’s back and tumbling through the air.

As soon as they were all gone, Felix did the same. He needed to be the last to arrive, being the Legate.

The wind tore at him as everything rushed by him loudly. He could hear it even through his armor. Getting his legs straight under him took a bit of fiddling around.

After a second, the armor assisted in this endeavor and began moving him about in minute ways. If he fought against it there was no chance of it overpowering him.

Faster than he understood it, the world rushed upward.

Then he slammed down into the concrete. Felix had managed to land behind the others who were all in the process of standing up.

All eyes were on them and their entrance.

Standing up, Felix moved forward toward Lily and Kit.

“Cute. I liked the flashy entrance,” Lily said with a laugh as he came forward. She gave him a pout that was clearly fighting a smile. “Think you can give me some armor so I can do that? You gave Kit a present, don’t I get one?

“You can’t treat us differently, that’s not fair if you do. No favorites allowed.”

I… err… what? That’s… hm.

“I’ll think about it,” allowed Felix, coming to a stop in front of the two women. “What’s the situation and how can I help?”

There was a thud behind him that caused him to glance back over his shoulder. Carol was there, getting to her feet. She’d managed to somehow dress herself as she fell to the earth.

The other five Dragons arranged themselves quickly around Carol, who moved into place behind Felix and Miu.

Romina was on his left and her camera was already back in its original position and recording.

“Armor, Legate,” Lily said when Felix had looked back to her. She’d closed the distance on him and put a fingertip to the center of his chest. “Armor specifically for me. Okay? I want a set. You know… everything about me I’m sure, so I don’t need to even say anything more. Even what day is coming up, I bet.”

Lily punctuated the statement by tapping his armor with her fingernail.

Okay… now I know there’s something going on here. I missed something, I know it.

The only day coming up of any significance to her is the anniversary of her parents’ death, but that’s two weeks out. But she never wanted anything on that day.

Damnit, is it a test?

Lily had turned around and motioned at Kit as she went.

“Two Supers,” Kit said, entirely unphased by the back and forth just now. Which meant she’d already raided Lily’s thoughts, knew what was going on, or was entirely uninterested. “One is a crack-shot. The other is able to completely invalidate Super’s powers.

“No one can get close. Anyone who tries, gets shot. Several fatalities, eight wounded. I’ve been able to read the minds of some of the hostages at times, but not often.

“Man caught his wife in the grocery store with another man. Shot them both dead. His brother was with him at the time. There was an off-duty cop in the store who held them up long enough for more police to arrive, though he paid for it with his life.”

Felix nodded his head to that. It seemed pretty simple to him.

This was an impromptu situation, which meant there was no real plan for these two. They were just acting on impulse.

“No demands, no requests, nothing,” Kit added, confirming Felix’s thoughts.

“Juno, get in there and see if they’re willing to talk. Three Dragons go with you,” commanded Felix, looking to Juno then Carol.

Carol pointed at three of the five Dragons and then gestured to Juno.

“Shadow,” Felix said, turning to look at Miu. “Get on the roof. Take two with you and see if there is a false ceiling you can get into. Worst case, just right above where the hostage takers are.

“Carol, you’re with me. We’re going to go see if we can’t walk right through the front door and reason with them.”

“Legate,” came Tribune’s voice, crashing through his speakers. “I think there’s been an incident with Thomas and Anya. Michael shook his police tail and handlers. There were reports of gunshots around the area of the bar they work out of, and I can no longer get a location ping from any of their cell phones.”

Felix was staring ahead as he listened. Seeing nothing as he processed it.

“Send whoever’s close enough and that can respond to it. I’ll move to it as soon as I finish this up,” commanded Felix.

“That’d be you, Legate. You’re the closest and the only Legionnaire who can respond,” countered Tribune. “Everyone else is busy, Sir.”

Sighing, Felix closed his eyes and let his chin dip down slightly.

“I need a Dragon and Miu,” Felix murmured quietly, the helmet interpreting that as only wanting to be transmitted to the com system. “Carol, I’m leaving you in charge here. Make this happen without any losses. None. I want everyone who’s alive right now, to walk out alive.

“Have Romina process the Supers for registration once it’s done, then hand them over to Kit and Lily. After that, return to Goldie and Andrea.”

A heartbreakingly pretty Red Dragon rushed forward and stood in front of him. In her ear was one of the earpieces they’d given to all the Dragons so they could listen in and talk through the system if needed.

“I’ll go, Legate,” offered the Red.

“Great,” he said and sighed. “Then please strip for me. You, me, and Miu have a trip we need to take, and I need a ride there.”

“I’m guessing something changed?” asked Lily. Clearly she’d only heard the Dragon speak and the fact that everyone had frozen up.

“CIA is misbehaving,” Felix lied. “I have to go deal with their Director.”

Taking the Red Dragon by the elbow, Felix began escorting her away. He needed to get going. He couldn’t afford to let Anya or Thomas fall now.

Felix needed them for the League of Villains.

Which meant he had to rush off to keep one of his spinning plates from falling off and shattering on the ground.

***

“The name she chose is Evelyn, though goes by Evie,” Miu said, her voice transmitting through the helmets. “They didn’t really have names when they died. Not ones we could pronounce at least.”

“Thanks,” he muttered. They were nearing the point where they'd have to get down to the ground. Find a place that Evie the Red Dragon could put them down, change, dress, and then get ready to go find Anya and Thomas.

Miu squeezed in closer to him, her hips practically thrusting up against him, and her arms tightened around his middle. He could feel her helmet hard pressed to his shoulder plates.

“I love you, F-Felix,” Miu whispered. “I’ve never known anything so perfectly true in my life. It isn’t just my power talking either. I can see that Mikki would easily fall into the same trap I did.

“It isn’t the power that does it, it’s that you look at us as people. People that you want for yourself, for who they are. Without fear or judgement.”

“Love you, too, Miu. You ready for this by the way? Once we land, I need you to hide and see what you can do. Evie and I will play bait and see what we can dig up,” Felix tried, hoping to course-correct her.

“Yes, that’s fine. Is there… any possibility of giving me my Wraith powers back?” Miu asked. “I don’t know what the cost is anymore, but hopefully it isn’t too expensive. I can be far more useful with them.”

“Let me see,” he muttered as Evie started to slowly bank around. Felix lifted a hand and pointed. “Evie! We need to go get to that building there. Get us somewhere near that so you can shift, and then we go in on foot!”

“Yes, Nest-mate!” responded the Red, turning much more sharply now.

Felix ignored it and then tried to call up the ability to modify Miu.

To give her the power she’d had previously had back again. The powers to hide and be part of the shows. A powerset the Super known as Wraith had possessed.

Name:   Miu Campbell

Condition:   Insane. In love.

If   No Action Taken: None

Action   >> Alter Power: Cost 3,916,342 points

Arrrghh!

That’s… more or less everything I have, but this is probably something she’ll need. I’ll need her around me at all times moving forward.

I’m a lot tougher than I was, but I’m still just one man.

I have to invest in everyone else… to be able to invest in me.

Closing his eyes, Felix accepted the cost and just hung onto Evie.

He felt Miu clutch even tighter to him as the power activated. Then she released him and simply slid off Evie. Causing Felix to open his eyes and look down.

They’d landed and he hadn’t noticed.

They were in a small overly wooded park. One that was full to bursting with trees.

Getting off the Red Dragon, Felix immediately started to peel his armor off. He’d have to hide it somewhere nearby and come back for it afterward.

In no time at all Evie was dressed, Felix was in his street clothes that were under his armor, Miu was gone, and they were ready to start moving to the bar.

“This’ll be interesting,” Evie said, pulling down on the blouse. It fit her fairly well, though it was a bit tighter around her waist and hips.

Evie shared a very similar shape with Goldie, though she had a little more and a little less in a few places. Felix had a hard time looking at her though.

As far as he knew, he’d never met someone better looking.

Ever.

Dragons are too damn gorgeous. This is ridiculous.

Evie was wearing clothes they’d more or less stolen from Goldie. Having raided her closet at the trailer on the way here. A blouse, skirt, and some sneakers that fit her feet.

They’d almost stopped long enough for Felix to get out of his armor, but they weren’t sure if he’d need it for where they were going later.

“Why’s that?” Felix asked, glancing at the Red Dragon curiously.

“I’ve never had alcohol. I’ve only been in two vehicles in my life and I’m going to see a bunch more. Everything I ate in my life was either cooked by my breath or raw until yesterday so… cooking, is very fascinating,” Evie said, grinning at him and tilting her head to one side. “I’d never worn clothes. Seen buildings or… anything, really.

“Even speaking like this, in a tongue that isn’t my birth tongue, is interesting. The whole world is new to me and I’m excited to be here.”

“Oh,” Felix murmured, realizing the truth in her words. To the Dragons, the world was completely unknown to them.

He only now realized that they were incredibly strong mentally to have stepped into such a thing. That if he’d been put into their place, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle it as well as they did.

“How good are you at hunting?” Felix asked and began walking away from the park. He stopped briefly to put his armor at the bottom of a trashcan, beneath the bag itself. While it was possible someone might find it, he doubted it very much.

From the look of it, no one checked these cans regularly for much of anything, let alone clean them out.

That, and Tribune was able to access it directly. She’d be able to find it regardless of where it went. After that, they’d just send Miu or Andrea by Dragon.

“I’m very good at it!” Evie boasted, catching up to him with a little bounce. Her red hair was pulled back and hung behind her head in long waves. “As a Red, I’m… not as strong as others. Or as fast as say, an Orange.

“I have to be smarter, cunning, vicious. Which meant I had to be an amazing hunter, since I’m terrible at all that other junk!”

Evie had said the last bit with a wave of her hand and a laugh. It’d been said in just the right way that Felix couldn’t help himself and laughed along.

He also felt a need to compliment her, though he didn’t say anything.

“Hunting was probably all I was good at. Had to find dead or dying things all the time to survive, too,” Evie continued, her head turning and looking ahead of them. Her tone was good natured. “Well, I think I was good at it at least. I did kinda die to starvation so… couldn’t have been that great. I blame that on there not being any food nearby though and that I was wounded.

“Ha, guess we’ll find out.”

Grinning, Felix felt a lot better about Evie.

She didn’t seem as brutal, feral, or hard edged as so many of them did.

In fact, she reminded him a lot of Goldie. Like she was far more concerned with things that had nothing to do with being a Dragon.

“Did you try to fight Goldie to the death?” Felix asked as they reached the street. Turning, they started moving down it toward the bar.

“No? I surrendered and ran off to the table. The… fridge… had a bunch of other things than just what Goldie had prepared. I ate all that. Drank a bunch of metal cans with sugary liquid in it. Found dried meat in a cabinet, too,” Evie gushed. “Then there was a glass box thing that had a bunch of bags with crunch bits in them. I busted that open and ate everything inside.

“Next to that was another box but it had a plastic front. I just tore that open and drank everything inside. The world right now is awesome. Though… uh… I think I’m gonna have to start moving around a lot more or I’m gonna get fat.”

Felix was laughing without a concern now. Unable to help himself, he was now very interested in the exuberant red headed and red eyed Red Dragon.

“What? It’s not funny! I’m already kinda chunky in some areas. I’m going to have to be careful. Food is way too easy to get in this world,” complained Evie, looking down at herself. “Goldie is in way better shape than me. I wonder how she manages it.”

“Alright, we’re here. Lots of mind reading will be needed. Also, you need to pretend to be my wife,” Felix said and then took Evie’s hand in his.

“But I am your wife? Your Dragon House-wife. Goldie said so. There’s no need to pretend,” Evie argued with a confused look. “Do you mean I need to pay more attention to you? I can do that. Don’t worry. I will look very much like your Nest-mate.”

Felix was now worried and nervous. He didn’t want to continue any further with someone who didn’t even know what a vending machine was, but he needed to get to Anya and Thomas.

He noted that the placard in the window said the Doctor was in.

There was a brief presence behind him. Two hands pressed to the middle of the back in a supportive way.

Ah.

Miu.

Okay then… here we go.