Supplying Supers - Ch. 14 - A Reason to Huddle - Beta (Patreon)

Monday June 12th, 2025 Mazuma City, Mazuma Amerika

Gunner

OSDB Hero Rank: N/A - Civilian

OSDB Threat Rating: N/A - Civilian

The nice thing about being his own boss was setting his own hours. On the days that he had no meetings, Gunner took the liberty of sleeping in until nine. He awoke feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead, with no concerns about his team’s ability to accomplish their mission. Everything was out of his hands, and there was no need to worry. If the operation went awry, he would have either heard about it on the news or received a call from Flux by now.

Gunner believed breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and he always attempted to eat something. After finishing a morning workout and shower, he splurged, making himself a caramel macchiato and eggs benedict. The smell of coffee and cooked eggs filled his high-rise home, making him excited for his meal. He glanced out his windows. The sky was overcast, with the sun poking through pockets of clouds. He didn’t want to chance the idea of getting rained on, so he stayed in.

After making his plate, Gunner walked to his study and opened a side drawer. He pulled out the manila envelope that Detective Lyons had left him at the drop point. With Tetro’s mission all but assured, he could focus his time on the new threat that plagued his city.

Gunner brought the folder with him to his kitchen counter and took a seat at one of the bar stools. He flipped through the contents as he ate his breakfast. Detective Lyons wasn’t wrong. The murders were gruesome. Each body looked like a mummified corpse that had been stripped of its wrappings. Each super had runes carved into their dried skin.

The images didn’t bother Gunner. He’d seen enough creative death that this didn’t faze him. In a world of heroes versus villains, he’d seen it all. Children used as meat shields. Families held hostage as bait. Powers that leveled entire cities—the last one he pushed out of his mind and focused on the report.

As Gunner flipped back and forth between each site, he found the differences in the murders odd. His mind ran rampant as he sipped on his coffee.

Diamond Dust and Three-eye were found dead in their beds. The ritual performed would have been extremely painful. However, there were no witness reports of screams of agony. Then there’s Cleaver and her gang. Whoever did this killed her entire crew, along with her. Their bodies were hung from meat hooks, displayed like disciples around her body. It’s like the killer did so in honor of her. Was she the first sacrifice? Maybe this was the first one, and they rushed it? Another thought appeared in his mind. Maybe there are multiple killers?

He took another bite of food and washed it down with his beverage as he continued. But why these three? The only connection I can find… is me. They were all clients of mine. Could this be personal? And if so… who would target me like this? If this was someone who wanted me dead, they would have either come after me. If it was business related, they would have hit my suppliers or attacked shipments. There’s only one other person I can think of who has the knowledge to do something like this and is tied to me… But she wouldn’t do this… would she?

After finishing his food, Gunner pushed his plate away and sprawled all the pictures on the island. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions and needed more information. His eyes gravitated toward all the runes. The ones carved in the bodies he didn’t recognize. He’d never seen them before. But he was confident that they were written in Old Tongue, the language of the Gale.

Leave it to the Gale to always be changing and teaching me something new, Gunner thought. As he scanned the rest, his eyes caught the runes drawn in the circle of blood surrounding Cleaver’s body. However, the blood was smeared, removing the entire incantation.

Seven souls pay thy toll. Thy song calls—“Calls what?” Gunner whispered. He stacked the images into a pile and flipped through them once more. Even though he’d gone over them a dozen times, by bringing them closer to him, he thought somehow he’d see something he’d missed.

It was moot. His eyes were perfect. If there was anything to see, he’d have caught it the second time around.

While Gunner didn’t have all the information, what evidence he had was concerning. These weren’t just killings. They had a purpose behind them. I should try to see if I can see the bodies. Maybe Lyons still has access to them.

A deep chopping noise caught his attention. When Gunner looked out the window, he saw a black helicopter flying from the south. He wouldn’t have paid much attention to it until he saw the second and third flying close behind it.

They were Bell 412’s, models commonly used by public safety departments across the United States. However, these were unmarked. He walked throughout his home, following their trajectory across the sky. They circled before landing on one of the tallest buildings in the city, Paragon Alliance Headquarters.

Three unmarked copters, arriving at PA headquarters in the middle of the day… something’s going on, Gunner thought. He finished his coffee before reaching inside his pocket and pulling out his phone. After entering his living room once more, he tapped the app to turn his television on. He swapped it to the local news channel and turned halfway to watch as he cleaned his dishes.

A female anchor stood in front of a local high school as she wrapped up her segment. “—And the Franklin Bulldogs will head to the state finals after the performance of a lifetime last night. Back to you, Jack.”

The camera shifted back to the morning news anchor, a tall, fresh-shaven man with short curly hair. “Thanks Joline. And now we go back to the latest update in the Super Serial Killer Saga—” A dramatic overlay filled the screen, with flashes of black and white murder photos and somber music.

Gunner finished scrubbing the dishes by the time the anchor returned and said, “Today, a series of ritualistic killings has Mazuma City citizens on edge. WXBX news has learned from MCPD that there are now five supers dead since this story broke a little under a week ago. The victims’ identities are currently being withheld under the guise of identity protection and concerns over the ongoing investigation. What started out as a belief of inter-gang related conflict is now being treated as a Serial Killing spree. One that seems to target supers only, a first in Amerika’s history.”

As the story shifted to unsubstantiated eyewitness accounts, Gunner turned the TV off and hung leaned over his counter. Seven souls to pay thy toll… they’re already up to five. The power gained could be… astronomical. Especially from someone with a high rank. I need to make some calls.

Gunner grabbed his phone and dialed Detective Lyons’ number first. It rang a few times before the gruff officer answered.

“It seems like you just can’t get away from me, can you?” the detective said wryly.

“Yes, well, given the situation, I figured it would be best to call sooner rather than later,” Gunner said.

“Oh? Is something wrong?”

Gunner tilted his head as he spoke of something he felt was obvious. “The murders…”

“Have there been more?”

“You don’t know?”

Detective Lyons burst into laughter until interrupted by a heavy cough. “Not at all. It’s nearly midnight for me.”

“Where are you?”

“My daughter and I are in Palau. Did you know they have a lake you can swim in full of jellyfish? Something about them not having predators, so they never developed their stingers or something. Ain’t that somethin’?”

Gunner smiled, realizing he’d assumed incorrectly. “I take it you took my advice, then.”

“Sure did. After I dropped that thing off for you, I turned in my badge the very next day. Told them it was health related, and they didn’t bat an eye.”

“Well, I apologize for the interruption.”

“No problem at all. In fact, I’m having a hard time sleeping, anyway. The time difference has got me all sorts of out of whack. So… what did you need to call about?”

“I need more information. The packet was a good starting point, but it doesn’t give me the full picture. Do you know where they’re keeping the bodies?”

“Last I heard, they were all at the sixth-precinct morgue.”

“Not at the SOC office?”

“Nope, we had jurisdiction up until I left. But if what you said was true and there were more murders, then the SOC has probably taken over the case by now.”

Gunner took in a deep breath and blew it through his nose. That’s not what he wanted to hear, given the way Director Reeves had stonewalled him during their last call. The MCPD was more corrupt. It was malleable and there was a better shot at him getting in there without federal involvement.

“Do you think there is someone in the morgue that could be persuadedto let me see the bodies?”

“Maybe? Gus Turner is the department’s lead coroner. He’s a bit of a straight shooter, though. You’d have more luck going in with another detective or higher up.”

“Any references?”

“I’m a dying breed,” Detective Lyons said. “Everyone that I trusted is either dead or gone. After Vice got nailed a few years back because of all the money they were taking upon arrests, the mayor and governor both came down hard on all the precincts. I’m sure there’s someone you can squeeze or entice enough to give you something, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable referring you to anyone.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Sure, Mr. Webb. You’ve always done right by me—” Detective Lyons’ hacking cough finished his sentence for him. Gunner could hear the strain in his breathing and constant spitting. It didn’t sound good.

“Sorry about that,” Detective Lyons said, clearing his throat once more.

“No problem, Barry. I just have one more question for you and then I’ll let you go. Do you know if there were any more photographs taken of the crime scenes besides what you gave me? Maybe you took some yourself?”

“No. I gave you everything we had. Why is something missing?”

“At the Cleaver’s warehouse, her body was surrounded by runes. In the images they were smeared. I can’t get the full translation.”

The detective paused for a moment before speaking. “No… that was everything. If I remember correctly, it was smeared when we got there. There was hope the forensics team could pull a boot print or foot print from it, but we didn’t get anything. A ton of evidence was still in processing by the time I gave you that folder. Could be more now. I don’t know.”

“I see… then I’ll have to make a few calls myself.”

“Sorry I can’t be more helpful.”

“No, you’ve definitely helped, Detective. Thank you.”

“Hey and if you ever need to give me a call for anything, you’ve got my number.”

“Will do,” Gunner said, smiling. “Enjoy your vacation with your daughter.”

“Thanks, I will.”

Gunner hung up the phone and wasted no time dialing Director Reeves. It was a call he didn’t want to make, given how their last call went. He didn’t want to come across as weak by asking the director for favors or to allow him to intervene.

Maintaining the upper hand was important in a relationship such as theirs. The better he could position himself as both a useful ally, but one he also feared meant the better he could shape the director into what he needed. However, given the growing size of the threat, Gunner felt it prudent to throw the politics out the window.

When the director answered, his voice had a tone of annoyance about it. “Mr. Webb… how am I not surprised to get this phone call?”

“Director Reeves,” Gunner said, squeezing his jaw to maintain his smile. “Thank you for picking up.”

“What can I do for you, Mr. Webb?”

“Well, I was hoping we could discuss the string of murders in Mazuma City.”

“Let me stop you right there, Mr. Webb. As I discussed on my last call, I am not your personal line into the SOC, no matter what kind of relationship you had with Director Evans. I will not speak to any ongoing investigations. In fact, I don’t even know why I keep answering these phone calls, to be frank.”

This guy is really making things difficult, Gunner thought. A bureaucrat through and through.“Director Reeves, you’ve read my file, yes?”

“You know the answer to that question.”

“Then you know I am one of the leading experts in matters of the Gale. The murders are all over the news. Each day you go without providing something to the public, the restlessness grows. Now I am aware of the husk the bodies have become, the runes etched in blood and all over their bodies. I can assist you with your investigation. All I need—”

“Mr. Webb, if you have access to classified documents, you should know that penalty of unauthorized access and mishandling is—”

“Up to ten years in federal prison, yes, Director Reeves, I know. I’m well versed in that part of the United States legal code. But this is getting out of hand. I’m offering to lend my expertise to these matters.”

“Mr. Webb, while I applaud your contributions to the Department of Paranormal and Supernatural Investigations, it’s been a long time since you’ve been a federal employee. Regardless of your former service, you are not privy to any information as a civilian.

“Director Reeves, you and I both know you have the authority to bring me on as a consultant at any time. The only reason you wouldn’t do that is because you believe it would make you look weak given you’re new on the job.”

When there was no response, Gunner continued. “Now I saw three federal helicopters arrive at Paragon Alliance headquarters today. My guess is that they flew straight from Washington to deliver a team of SOC agents. It’s likely, given the fact that the death count has increased from three to five, that the SOC is assuming command over this investigation, just like we discussed on our last call.”

The director spoke with the confidence that came with perfect repetition when he said, “I can neither confirm nor deny—”

“Director Reeves, please stop this nonsense,” Gunner said, laughing in disbelief. “The only thing I care about is maintaining stability in Mazuma City. The city is made of glass. Too much pressure and it will shatter, and it will rain broken pieces on the rest of the country. Losing supers and the increasing public concern is not good for either of us. Allow me to help you.”

The director let out a condescending laugh. “Mr. Webb, I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t like you one bit. I think you’re a manipulating and conniving son of a bitch who’s a shadow of the past. You want things to continue like they were because it was good for you and your businesses. Well guess what, I play by the rules, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit here and let you speak to me like you know my motivations for not including you. But don’t you worry. The SOC will take care of everything as needed.”

Gunner’s jaw clenched. He knew this was always a possibility, but had hope that he could work with the director on some level. But this wasn’t beginning to look unsalvageable. The director was no longer a potential ally. He was becoming an adversary.

“What have I done to deserve such ire in your eyes, Director?” Gunner asked. “All I have offered is help.”

“I’ve read your file, Mr. Webb. All of it. I’m probably one of the few people who knows the real you. And I’m not going to be a thread you can pull to your heart’s content. So… you can go ahead and cancel this phone because this will be the last conversation we have on it.”

Gunner spoke slowly and with purpose. “Director Reeves, I implore you to reconsider.”

“Or what, Mr. Webb?”

“Or you’re going to regret it.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Webb?”

Gunner smiled wickedly. “No, Director Reeves. If I was threatening you, you’d know it. I don’t mince words.”

“Good bye, Mr. Webb.”

When the phone all ended, Gunner shook his head. What a complete and utter fool. He has no idea what he’s just done. This decision is going to shake the foundation of the city, I’m sure of it. All just to save face. But I will not allow his idiocy to stop me from protecting my city. If he’s not going to do what’s best for the people, then I need to put the pieces into motion.

Gunner raised his phone and looked at the time. Flux and Velocity should have landed by now. I need to get them both back. There’s work to be done.

He called Flux’s number. It only rang once before her frantic voice echoed in his ear. “Sir! Is everything okay? What’s wrong?”

“No need to fret,” Gunner said with a slight chuckle. “I’m doing all right.”

“But you rarely call.”

“Yes, well, I needed an update on the mission. Things have escalated back home.”

“Escalated how?”

“Slow down a minute. How’s Millie?”

“The rescue is loading her onto a tanker right now. They’re getting ready to depart. However, Tetro wasn’t here like you said he’d be.”

“He isn’t?”

“No. When we asked about him, the rescue hadn’t seen him either. They’d expected him to be there.”

A heavy weight filled Gunner’s stomach. This was his operation. There wouldn’t be any reason for him to miss this moment. Unless it was something keeping him from being there. Whether that be a mission or something else.

“Is Velocity still with you?” Gunner asked.

“She is,” Flux said.

“Get to a safe spot and put me on speaker.”

After a minute, Flux returned to the call with her companion. “We’re here.”

“I want you both to get the earliest flight back that you can. There’s been more murders.”

“Murders?” Velocity asked. “What murders?”

“Five supers have been killed in Mazuma City in the last week.”

“So like a serial killer?”

“I don’t think they are killing in the name of being a killer. I think there is an ulterior motive. The killings are ritualistic. With the SOC taking over the investigation, there’s more to this than just straight up murder.”

“Did you talk with Director Reeves?” Flux asked.

“I did. However, he’s proven to be a dead-end.”

“What happened?”

“The short answer is that he doesn’t like me. He thinks I’m a threat. And likely that means you too, Flux. This… changes things. We need to huddle back and discuss options. Velocity, I don’t know what your plans are, but if you’re open to it, I’d like to discuss bringing you in for more work.”

Gunner heard some brief whispering between the women in the background before the assassin responded. “I’m open to it. We needed to have our conversation, anyway.”

“Thank you,” Gunner said, smiling. “I appreciate it. While I wait for you both, I’m going to work on pursuing other leads. I need to see if there are any contractors or informants that can get me the latest information on the investigation. When you arrive back in town, I’ll have a car waiting for you to take you both straight to the warehouse. We’ll discuss the next steps there.”

“You got it.”

“How’s the news on Ocean World?” Flux asked.

“Everything is good right now,” Gunner reassured. “The news is mourning Millie, and Miami PD actually pointed the investigation toward Bismuth, believing him to have done it for insurance purposes. So we have a bit of breathing room.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“If there’s nothing else, you two hurry back here and I’ll see you when you get back.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow!” Flux said, full of glee.

“Have a safe flight back.”

When the call ended, Gunner looked down at his phone. He called Tetro and waited. With each ring, that heavy feeling in his stomach grew heavier. When it went to voicemail, he scrolled up to Justice’s number. His thumb hovered over her name as he contemplated whether he wanted to know the truth.

He touched her name and brought the phone up to his ear.

It rang.

And it rang.