Supplying Supers - Ch. 25 - The Charon Cube - Beta (Patreon)

Sunday June 18th, 2025 Mazuma City, Mazuma Amerika

Gunner Webb

OSDB Hero Rank: N/A - Civilian

OSDB Threat Rating: N/A - Civilian

Gunner took a deep breath as he watched Flux slither across the lit clearing. This night was the first night in years since he’d taken an active role in his missions. His position afforded him the ability to focus on planning, strategy, and coordination. His employees were the ones to execute his vision to its fullest.

However, the last few weeks had forced his hand. This was personal. Whether it was Mellicent, her followers, or someone else who knew him personally, he was there to find out who it was and put an end to it. His options were limited, however. He dared not activate the power within him. It’d destroyed enough innocent lives. He rebuilt this city from the ashes of the fallen, and he was not about to cause another cataclysm.

But that didn’t mean he was helpless. His core attributes and centuries of combat training kept him sharp enough to handle most threats. And whatever he couldn’t handle, his team could. Gunner glanced over at MartyrDOM and Velocity, giving them both a slight smile as they waited for their companion.

“So she can just turn into slime?” MartyrDOM whispered.

“Yeah,” Gunner answered. “Among other things.”

“What about you?” she asked, nodding toward Velocity. The assassin raised her rifle and curled her finger in the air. “Oh, so you’re just a killer. Got it.”

Gunner shook his head when MartyrDOM gave her a thumbs up. When he looked back to their pointman, he watched Flux slither up along the fence and spread herself between two poles. The metal disintegrated, leaving a hole large enough for a compact car. Once she fell to the ground, she wormed her way toward the generator.

“Get ready,” Gunner said, waiting for the lights to go off. When the distant rumble of the motor silenced, Gunner yelled, “Go!”

The business mogul’s speed activated like it’d done a million times. His legs carried him across the field in less than a second. He slid to the side of the building. Four soft shots of Velocity’s Leopard echoed all at once, reminding him of someone frantically clicking a computer mouse.

MartyrDOM jogged up to him and said, “What the fuck? You’re too fast.”

Gunner wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or a request for him to slow down. He ignored it and cleared his line of sight as he rounded the corner. Flux was working on her last pair while Velocity moved toward her.

Gunner crossed the door and took position on one side while MartyrDOM stood on the other. Seeing the door opened outward, he instructed his companion. “On the count of three, I want you to open the door and pull it behind you, pinning it with your back. I’ll push in immediately. Okay?”

“I can do that.”

“On three. One, two, three!”

MartyrDOM pulled on the release and slung the door around her back. Gunner pushed in and flipped on his SureFire LED light. He stomped up the two stairs and immediately turned left.

The two guards raised their hands in front of their faces as the bright light filled the room. Gunner fired two controlled pairs into each man. They fell back into their chairs, their white buttoned shirts turning red.

After validating that both men were dead and there were no more threats, Gunner signaled the all clear. He adjusted his sling and used his light to search the room. Each wall had built-in desks that extended its length. A mini-fridge sat in the far back corner. An open laptop sat between the two dead men playing sports highlights.

Gunner walked over to the computer and paused the video. He flipped through the open tabs to see if there was anything worthwhile. Outside of a logged in email address, Nothing came back in his quick searches of email, history, or deletions.

He knew this could have value, but he couldn’t waste the time. He needed an expert. When Flux and Velocity reached the door of the trailer, Gunner pulled out his phone and opened his encrypted app. He scrolled through his contacts. When he found who he was looking for, he dialed the number.

A bright fellow with a Californian accent answered the phone. “1800 Hacker, this is Hex speaking.”

“Hex, this is Mr. Webb.”

“Hey Mr. Webb, how’s it going?”

“Good. Listen, I’m in a bit of a bind. I have an unlocked laptop here with a ProtoMail email address. I need everything you can get me from it and anything of value off of the machine.”

“Then you’re in luck, Mr. Webb because my last client is draggin’ his feet on payment. So my whole day has opened up. Just send a message to 12783902 at ProtoMail.com.”

“Can you repeat that one more time?”

“12783902 at ProtoMail.com.” Gunner did as asked and waited. “Okay, now I replied with a link. Just click that and run the executable and I’ll be good to go.”

Gunner clicked the link and hit Run. A terminal window flashed for half a second before Hex said, “And I’m in.” The cursor moved, and several console windows popped up on the screen as Hex’s scripts ran.

“I’m going to leave this here,” Gunner said. “It looks like it’s got a cellular connection and several hours of power. I’ll call you once we’re done.”

“Hey, no sweat, Mr. Webb. I’ll run the streets on this thing and hit you up with what I find. Standard rate as always.”

“Thanks Hex.”

After Gunner hung up his phone, he rummaged through the men’s bodies. He took out their wallets and emptied the contents. They both had out-of-state IDs that Gunner assumed were fake. There were no cards and only cash. An ominous sign.

Gunner exited the trailer and stared over at the dirt ramp that descended into the giant chasm. It wasn’t ideal to traverse into enemy territory without intelligence. He knew that. However, the clock was ticking. He wasn’t sure how close they were to finalizing the ritual. And if Justice and Tetro were the seventh souls needed for the ritual, as the Gale script hinted, their enemies could have their victory within reach. He made his choice.

“Flux, I want you to head in and scout for us,” Gunner said, pointing at the tunnel. “You’ll have a much better chance of not getting detected, and can give us an idea of what we’re up against. Report back anything you find.”

“On it,” Flux said before sliding down the ramp and into the tunnel.

Gunner loaded a fresh magazine as he walked down the ramp. Once he reached it, he positioned his rifle in a low ready position and watched Flux reach the end of the tunnel before disappearing over the edge.

“This place is huge,” Flux said. “The tunnel curves in a circle, descending another fifty feet.”

“Any threats?” Gunner asked.

“None that I can see so far.”

After another minute, Flux returned on the radio as she said, “Okay, we’re straightening into another tunnel and—woah.”

“What is it, Flux?” Gunner asked.

“The tunnel opens into a loading bay. Half a dozen SUVs and trucks are parked down here. Massive vents are cycling air through this place. There is a carved stone hallway that leads from here. It looks like an underground bunker. They have a ton of equipment, too.”

“Any suppliers we know?”

“Hold on, let me get a closer look.” Flux went silent for a minute before returning. “Murdoch Industries. That’s all that’s here.”

“Kevin Murdoch?”

“Do you know him?” MartyrDOM asked.

“Not personally, but we run in the same circles,” Gunner said. “He owns a private conglomerate much like me, just on a more global scale. They have their hands in everything from pharmaceuticals to food to missiles.”

“Maybe they put in a bulk order?” Velocity suggested.

“Maybe… but I’m not a believer in coincidences.” Gunner raised his hand, adjusting his earpiece. “Flux, do you see anyone?”

“No, but I think I can hear voices further in.”

“Hold your position. We’re coming down.”

Gunner raised his rifle and marched down the long tunnel. They moved single file with Velocity covering the rear. Concrete archways held the ceiling at bay. LEDs hung everyone twenty feet, illuminating their walk with ease. Strands of wires and piping ran parallel along the ceiling.

When they reached the descent, Gunner waved his hands and pointed down below. “Keep your eyes open.”

The corkscrew pathway was wider than the first tunnel. Dirt tread marks slithered their way down the entire length. When they reached the lower level, Gunner held up his hand to pause before he crept his team in.

The vehicles were all newer SUVs with out-of-state plates, signaling to Gunner that they were stolen or rented. The storage racks descended up into the ceiling, requiring the forklift that rested in a nearby corner. Everything was neatly ordered and had its place.

When they marched in, Gunner saw a shadow appear along the curved stone hallway. He muttered frantically to his team to move to the trucks and take cover. He peeked around a taillight with his weapon up as he watched the soldier enter.

They wore a complete black ensemble with a tactical jacket, pants, and boots. Knee pads and elbow pads protected the bends of their bodies. Their plate carrier with magazine pouches, radio, and day bag hung across their upper torso. Their helmet was self contained, providing a ballistic top, two glowing red eyes, and a gasmask front that sealed around their head. A HK416 dangled from his side.

The soldier marched across the garage, straight toward the vehicles. Gunner shuffled to the back of the SUV, keeping his weapon trained on the threat. The man opened a passenger door, reached in, and grabbed something Gunner couldn’t see. The soldier stuffed it inside one of his vest’s pockets before shutting the door and walking back.

When he reached halfway back, the fighter’s hands jutted for his throat. Panicked gurgling echoed from him as he dropped to his knees. Gunner glanced around to see MartyrDOM pulling one of her butterfly knives from her throat. Her neck glowed a dim blue. It shined like she had cut it, but there was no blood. The gap sealed itself almost immediately. When Gunner glanced back at the man, he lay dead in a pool of his blood.

When Gunner turned back to her, she shrugged and said, “What? You all were doing your thing. I figured I’d help.”

Gunner smirked and shook his head. He knew he should have expected something like this. This was the price for working with newbies.

He approached the body in the middle of the floor. They were too far deep for him to worry about that now. They needed to push in and finish the job.

For a split second, he thought about asking Flux to clean it up. But he knew that was an even worse idea. Having her eat would likely make her even more unstable. She always became harder to control when her primal nature festered.

Gunner raised his weapon and marched to the stone hallway, resting against the side once he reached the opening. It was large enough for two full size men to stand shoulder to shoulder, making it extremely tight. Once everyone stood behind him, Flux dropped from the ceiling, splatting on the floor. She rose to his side without changing from her transparent form. Everyone turned to him, waiting for his instructions.

“Change of tactics,” Gunner said. “Flux, do you remember that shield thing you did back in Czechoslovakia?”

She hesitated for a moment before she said brightly, “Oh yeah! I remember.”

“Let’s do that on me,” Gunner said before turning to his other squad members. “MartyrDOM, you’re behind me. Anyone you see that I don’t, drop with your ability. Velocity, cover our rear. Everyone got that?”

When the team confirmed, Gunner raised his weapon and pushed in. Flux wrapped herself around his whole body, acting like another layer of ballistic padding. Her weight wasn’t a concern, and she flexed with his body to where he barely felt her.

As the pointman, ‌if an opposing shooter took shots, he was likely the one they were going to hit. For Gunner, that wouldn’t be a problem. However, Flux’s ability to expand would protect rogue shots from hitting those behind him.

The hall was tall and thin. It had a rough, rocky surface. The lights were smaller and spread out every ten feet, making the hallway dimmer. It also slightly curved to the left, limiting his vision to less than twenty feet.

He came up on the first opening to the left. He paused his team and readied them to push in. After issuing a hand signal, he stepped in.

He squeezed his trigger in rapid succession. Four soldiers that were sitting around a card table fell out of their chairs. He moved through the makeshift bunk to the other end. He cleared the hall and stepped back through it.

Even with suppressors, the tight quarters amplified everything. He knew if anyone was around, they would have heard the shots. He readied himself for anything.

A soldier walked in front of him from a perpendicular hall. With a squeeze of Gunner’s trigger, he collapsed dead. A man’s head popped out around a distant corner, only to receive a bullet through the red goggles. They came up to a four-way intersection of halls. Gunner wasn’t sure which way was the right way to go, so he continued forward. His assumption was that their target was deeper into the complex.

Velocity’s rifle sang, telling him that they now had enemies behind them. As he took down two more guards jogging down the hallway, he heard a meaty thunk of MartyrDOM stabbing herself. When he turned to clear a corner, he saw a robed man dead in a side room.

Gunner’s eyes hyper focused on the color and strands of the robes. They were the same style and color of his night with Mellicent, Annabelle, and Dorothy; a sign they were getting close. And with the number of bodies that were piling up, they needed to hurry.

At the end of the hall, two guards stood in front of a closed metal door. Even though they had their weapons raised and ready, Gunner was faster. His shots knocked them both to the ground. Gunner double-tapped the one who tried to crawl forward. The other, he kicked square in the balls just to make sure he wasn’t faking. He didn’t move.

When he looked at the side of the door, Gunner saw a card reader.

“Cover me,” Gunner said before kneeling near the dead soldiers. He flipped their bodies over before snapping off a lanyard off their neck. He stood back up and raised his rifle as he scanned the badge. It lit green, and the door opened.

Gunner pushed into the room, only to slow down and gawk. The room was structured like a temple. A stone stairway led down to a central chamber with thirty-foot tall ceilings. Four pillars of smooth rock connected the ceiling to the floor. Giant stalactites hung from the top of the ceiling.

In between the pillars, a giant bloody ritual circle was drawn. In the middle of it, a white husk of a body lay shriveled up like dead coral. Gunner assumed it was Tetro based on the inhuman appearance.

Gunner’s eyes widened when he saw the intricate metal box that lay on his chest. It was the size of a small trash can. Small gears and intricately carved golden metal lined its surface.

“It’s a Charon Cube,” Gunner muttered.

When he looked above it, giant metal clasps clamped onto Justice’s wrists and ankles suspended her in the air. A visor flashed sequences of light across her eyes. Her head slung back, drool dripping from her open mouth. She was wearing dirty sleepwear that Gunner assumed was from the same night that she was taken.

Above her head, the final anchor floated. A glass overlook protruded from the wall behind it. That’s where he knew he needed to be.

I bet that’s where the controls are, Gunner thought. I need to find a way up there.

As Gunner raised his rifle and tiptoed down the stone stairs, he called to Yokai across the void. “Yokai, are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“These people. They have a Charon Cube.”

“A Charon Cube?” Yokai shouted. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Tetro’s corpse is holding it. Justice is here. She’s tied to some kind of mechanism which is keeping her suspended. I’m pretty sure she’s still alive.”

“You can’t let them activate it. They won’t just be able to bring Mellicent through, they’d be able to create a rift stable enough to bring anything they want through.”

“I know… it’s the same device the SOC uses to power their Gale Gate. Only they’re not using human souls.”

“Where are you?"

“Somewhere in the city’s northeast side. We’re underground. The location was masked as a construction site. These people have to have been here for months planning this. I—I should have detected this.”

“It’s not your fault. Just focus on stopping them. We can figure out things later.”

“You’re right… thanks.”

As Gunner led his crew down into the center of the ritual room, Gunner saw a shadow appear in the overlook. He fired two quick shots. The bullets didn’t penetrate the glass.

A man stood in the window wearing one of the cultist's robes. Scars covered his hairless body from head to toe. Dried blood flaked from the wounds on his arms from his recent self-flagellation.

Gunner gritted his teeth and said, “Flay…”

“I thought I heard rats scurrying about,” the villain said over an intercom with a sadistic chuckle. “However, I did not expect it to be the one this has all been for… It’s good to meet you in the flesh, Mr. Webb. You’re just a few minutes early to your party.”

“Can’t say I feel the same way.”

“That’s such a shame. I’m such a huge fan of yours. Your work on the Gale paved the way for people like me. Without it I would never have been able to hear the lessons of the Ancient One.”

“You mean Mellicent?”

Flay let out an elongated laugh, like he’d told the funniest joke. “Oh, not anymore, Mr. Webb. She’s so much more than that now. She’s spent a thousand lifetimes in the Gale, learning and growing. Something I believe you both share in common.”

“She and I are nothing alike.”

“Be that as it may, she is much more than just the witch you met centuries ago. She is now the Mother of the Gale.”

“It doesn’t matter what she calls herself now. No matter how strong she’s gotten. I WILL defeat her.”

Fly took a slight bow. “Then allow me to be the harbinger of that opportunity.” Three hidden doors shunted open, spilling in waves of soldiers. Gunner backpedaled his team and opened fire. Flux expanded herself off of Gunner’s body, creating a shield for her allies as bullets thumped against her body. It bought them enough time to get behind cover.

From behind their protection, Gunner and Velocity both fired at the flood of enemies. Each burst of fire dropped another soldier. Any stragglers that slipped through their crossfire, MartyrDOM transferred a stab wound to their brain. They dropped without warning.

As the bodies piled into the chamber, Gunner saw Flay raise his hand and spout an incantation. The blood circle on the floor illuminated a crimson red. The top of the Charon Cube opened in four points. A long stream of red smoke rose and connected to Justice’s chest. Her muscles tensed as it pulled her toward it. Her skin tightened and Gunner watched as it sucked the life out of her.

I’ve got to get to him, Gunner thought. If the Charon Cube absorbs her essence, they’ll have enough powered souls for the ritual.

“Flux, stay here and protect the others,” Gunner

His assistant melted off of his body and slid next to him while keeping herself expanded. “Where are you going?”

“I’ve got to stop Flay.”

Without waiting for a response, Gunner spun around the corner and sprinted. Everything slowed down as his body moved for speed. He raced through the hail of bullets into the far back doorway. He held down his trigger as he plowed through the line of bodies in the hallway. When his firing pin clicked, he let go of his weapon and lowered his shoulder. His speed and momentum flung the armored bodies into the jagged side walls with bloody thumps.

When he incapacitated the remaining foes, he slid in front of a stairwell that led up. He cleared it in two jumps, tossing a soldier down it when he reached the top. After darting to where he believed the overlook to be, he found another metal security door.

When he scanned it with the badge he had, it flashed red. Gunner dug his fingernails into the thin crevice and pulled. The metal groaned and popped as the gears broke, holding the sides together. Once it was large enough to squeeze through, Gunner slipped inside.

Flay spun, but before he could cast his spell, Gunner lunged and swung. His foe froze, mouth agape. He slowly looked down to see Gunner’s arm punctured through his chest. When he looked back up, he gave a bloody smile.

“This isn’t over. There’s too many of us now. More than you know.”

“That may be the case now, but I’ll not stop until every last one of you is dead,” Gunner spat.

Flay’s body slumped to the floor when Gunner pulled his arm back. He crushed the man’s heart in his hand, spraying the rocky floor with blood. Confident his foe was dead, he gazed out of the overhang. With the spell no longer activated, the Charon Cube closed. The gunfire stopped except for Velocity taking care of anyone still breathing.

Gunner looked down at the command console in front of him. Dozens of multicolored lights and buttons were illuminated. In the center was a lever that was flipped up.

He pressed the intercom button and shouted, “Flux, get underneath Justice. I’m going to deactivate this thing. She’s probably going to drop.”

Once his companion was underneath Justice, Flux extended several tentacles to wrap around her. Gunner pulled on the device and the hum of electricity faded. The clasps around her hands and feet opened, and she fell into Flux’s arms.

Gunner raced back down the stairs and jumped over the piles of bodies. When he reached the center of the room, his stomach sank. Justice was a shadow of her former self. She looked as if she’d aged a hundred years. All of her muscle and fat were gone. Her skin hung loose off her bones. Her hair was no longer a pristine gold, it was white and gray.

“I tried to heal her and nothing worked,” MartyrDOM sighed. “It’s like there’s nothing wrong with her.”

Gunner kneeled down and took the visor off her eyes. “It’s because they drained her soul essence, her lifeforce. This isn’t a wound that can be healed in the same way as your power dictates.”

“Do you think you'll be able to fix her?” Velocity asked.

Gunner shook his head and looked up at her with heavy eyes. “I—I don’t know.”

Justice groaned as she shifted in Flux’s grasp. When her eyes cracked open, they were still the same bright-blue ones Gunner had met when she picked up the stuffed animal from his home.

“Gunner?” she wheezed, her voice completely aged.

Her savior smiled warmly. “Yeah, it’s me, Justice,”

“W-where am I? What happened?”

“It’s a long story.”

She tried to move, only to wince and settle back into Flux’s arms. “I feel awful.”

“We need to get you somewhere safe and feeling better. Then we can all talk about it.”

She closed her eyes and nodded.

“Grab that box,” Gunner nodded.

“Is it safe?” MartyrDOM asked.

“No, but it’s inert for now. We have to take it with us.”

Gunner took Justice from Flux and carried her in his arms. His blood boiled as he felt how light she was. Seeing her in this state and his expended use of his power took every ounce of self-control not to lose himself. The thought of getting her help and not hurting his companions was the only thing keeping him together. He held her frail body tight and marched out of the facility.