Arc 13 Battle of Bronson city

Chapter 4 Interlude: Ambush

Retro Robo looked her towering machine over, inspecting it one final time before deployment. Auspiciously it was called Evening Star. It was only slightly damaged from the scuffle of the Hero League's arrival. The red and white paint scraped off on one side, revealing the chromed metal below the towering humanoid figure. It had a vaguely feminine shape thin curves yet was thick and misshapen when it came to the body, the back forming a large hump that trailed down to where the legs connected. The large vents and exhaust port made it clear that the oversized back was where the propulsion system was nestled. Though it was nearly twenty feet tall when standing erect, it was still lighter than one might expect.

In total, the machine had eight limbs like a spider, six arms, and two omni-jointed legs that could move in any direction. In truth, this machine scuttled rather than striding proudly when it desired to truly move. The design was based on the movements of a certain wasp woman that had been captured by the hero league earlier that year. It was a nightmare to get the proper movement allocation, but it was worth it. It could easily traverse any terrain and scale buildings, let alone the flight capability with the jump jets.

The head of the machine was a large domed structure much the same as Retro's helmet. The glass was tinted almost black making it impossible to see inside.

Retro reminisced for a moment. If everything had not gone to shit, this machine would have been able to elevate the user to a premier hero of the city. Now, it would be lucky to survive in this escalating game of chicken with the villains. Indeed, it would not be able to hold up to the high rankers. At the rate things were going, Retro would not be surprised if more of the top-ranked heroes and villains of the world were not either dragged into this or drawn in.

Retro tapped at her wrist, and the chest section opened up. Within the cockpit was nestled safely behind the most armored area. Retro climbed into the gaping machine lying in the capsule-like control center. Metal enclosed her, and the chest shifted back into place. Everything turned dark for a long moment before the wires and tubes connected Retro to the machine, her senses leaving her body to inhabit the machine. The field of view shifted from the dark confines within to the hanger around her. The fingers flexed as the hand moved to her will.

Sensors lit up, information scrolling across her vision as she focused on looking around the installation. Names and powers with small descriptions scrolled under them as her eyes sifted over the people in the room. A distinctive name popped up for an unassuming young man, "Adamantine Rank 8 Inventor" Retro focused on him for a moment observing the head honcho of the tech department and the man who had made the Citadel around them. He was a scrawny sort. Overall he had an immaculate cut, a nice guy feel. A bit of a Poindexter at a glance.

He stood across the room looking over holograms of the Citadel, staff reporting to him intermittently as he would pause momentarily to glance over their reports and instruct them.

It looked as though all of Evening Star's systems were optimal, scrolling along through the various sub-menus. A small hologram face appeared in the corner it was a slightly blurred dark-toned woman with a puffy afro, oversized gold-rimmed sunglasses, and hooped earrings slowly bobbing its head from side to side. Glimmering gold lips smirking.

"All systems nominal." Said the sassy face.

"Good, let us depart." Replied Retro.

Evening Star departed the hanger room traversing the spacious corridors that catacomb through the floating city. Retro was getting familiar with the layout of this place; it also helped that she was mapping it as she went, which certainly helped to not get lost. Large windows looked out on either side of the path. Below, the city smoked in rubble and ruins, fighting already escalating through the main streets, gunfire and laser beams scattered about between the opposing sides. Darkened figures scurrying like ants. In stark contrast, the other window gazed out over the Citadel's pristine plaza and spiraling towers, clean, ordered, and glimmering in the sun. The final bastion of law in this Villain infested place.

Retro arrived at the lower deployment deck. A vast staging area with vehicles lined up and cargo containers neatly arranged. Heroes of all shapes and sizes were gathering into different groups, ready to be deployed into the city. Armadillo stood with those that Retro recognized. She made her way over, joining the nuns and Father Penance. It didn't take long for Dr. Voiceless Seer to slink his way over.

Armadillo glanced up and down at Evening Star, "Odd design choice."

"It is efficient."

"What inspired it?"

"A wasp monster that got caught earlier this year."

Armadillo nodded a little, "Ah, I was wondering why it looked vaguely familiar. You mean Vespidian. With any luck, we will track her down so I can avenge Light Fly."

"Oh, that is right Vespidian did kill Light Fly during the last major operation. Didn't she do a number on you too?"

"Threw me through a skyscraper, yes."

"I wonder which is stronger? My Evening Star or the wasp?"

"You will have to find out. Although she did get the jump on me while I was fighting a traitor hero, Neon Nurse. Treacherous sort, as to be expected from Villains."

"Typical villains ganging up on people." Said, Father Penance.

"We will get them this time. I have made some preparations just for that bitch."

"Did you find a weakness?"

"Yes, she is hypersensitive so just need to overload her senses."

"Good, one less Villain to worry about. So where are we deploying?" asked Moon Shadow.

"As mentioned earlier, our scouting teams have pinpointed areas of excessive activity. We will check these for hidden lairs, report the locations, and destroy them. Our major target for today is South Bronson Emergency Center. There has been a lot of activity in the area. The villains might have taken over the Hero League Junior Station in the area."

"What are we waiting for then?" Moon Shadow said, looking out over the city.

***

The immediate area below the Citadel had been cleared of buildings leaving a vast barren expanse in the urban jungle around it. To the North, West, and South, battle lines expanded out, gunfire and explosions reverberating between the smoke-choked streets of Bronson City. As for the East, it had been scorch earthed, leaving nothing but burned rubble in its wake. The once thriving and fertile agricultural sector of the city is now a glassed, blackened plain devoid of all life.

Armadillo took the lead in the city. The front line had advanced to a park. Statues were destroyed, water boiled from the lake, leaving it empty, and all the trees were charred and blackened from the intense heat of the Citadel's laser weaponry. Holes melted through buildings in clean cuts.

Retro followed closely behind Armadillo, scanning the surroundings as the small group carefully proceeded. They stayed along the structure's shadows rather than being out in the open of the park proper. Several streets over, a loud boom reverberated as windows blew out above Retro. The rumble of a building collapsing grumbled as background noise broken by the incessant spatter of gunfire.

A sudden thud sounded from the lead as a crumpled bullet fell from the Armadillo.

"Take cover! Sniper!" bellowed Armadillo putting himself between the group and the open.

More shots came. Impacting against his thick armor plates, denting them. As suddenly as it had begun, the hail of bullets quieted. The ground vibrated as a building across the park collapsed. Bursting out through the dust, the dark metal of a tank lurched to a stop. Blackened figures scurried about as they invaded the surrounding buildings.

The tank's turret honed in on the group electricity arched from the spinning tube-like protrusions on the back end of the armored exterior. An ear-splitting whine vibrated the air as the weapon discharged.

Armadillo took the hit, blocking the full brunt of the shot. It flung him from his feet, chest plate caved in. Retro grabbed the downed man dragging him behind the building. Gentle Spirit was on him in a moment looking at the hole in his armor. She stopped chanting when she saw that there was no injury to him physically.

Retaliating, Merciful Raven chanted, her voice raising into a passionate, manic exaltation, "Forgive me, Father, for what I must do. In the name of the Lord of Light and all that is holy, I condemn you sinners of the flesh and vile despots of man. You will burn for your wickedness by fire be cleansed and by fire be purged. Beg the Lord for mercy, for I have none!" holding up her rosary beads, and a pillar of fire engulfed the tank. It swept out in a storm of fury, swallowing the surrounding buildings as she screamed, "BY FIRE BE PURGED!"

The yellow spandex-clad Electric Arrow scaled up the building taking point on the roof. He fired amped-up arrows into the occupied buildings, and EMP bursts pulsed out of the anchored arrows frying unshielded electronics. Some of the black figures retreated in disarray.

Moon Shadow and Messy Shadow flanked around while the soldiers concentrated their fire on the leading group. Retro Robo shielded the more squishy members back behind her metal bulk. Bullets and hyper-accelerated rods crumpled on the machine's thick outer layers.

The back of the Evening Star opened up, releasing a swarm of rockets that honed in on the villains. Explosions reverberated as their silhouettes emerged from the inferno, marching onwards. Their weapons retaliated with heated plasma and heavy munitions pelting into the mech and the surrounding buildings.

***

The shadow duo quickly made their way to their namesake, swiftly moving through the open streets to cover. They slowed, keeping track of where the villains were held up. Fire and explosions blossomed up over the rooftops. They skulked about, slipping through a hardware store.

The power had long since been out in this establishment, causing deep shadows over the ransacked isles. Light filtering in through the broken windows. It was still, almost quiet in this place, save the metal on concrete of heavy armored boots walking.

Kraken agents were here as well. They seemed to be everywhere in this half of the city. Distorted echoes chattered from their suits as they conversed. From a distance, it was hard to determine what was being said over the outside cacophony.

Moon Shadow crept along, motioning for Messy Shadow to flank. They circled about the segmented department store. Evading the Black-clad soldiers as they observed the ongoings of the outside. Moon Shadow silently got into position, hiding behind an isle, ready to strike. After a short delay, Messy Shadow arrived at the other end.

Before them, a pair of Kraken super soldiers stood, watching out the windows. They had thick black plates covering most of the body; only the joints were less armored as they were flexible. One of them raised a hand to its ear.

"Orders received. We will engage shortly. There will be no survivors."

Messy Shadow and Moon Shadow nodded to each other. Blades in hand, the pair swiftly closed the distance. Grappling the soldiers from behind, they thrust the blade into the weak spots where the chest plate and leg armor met. Despite it being a clean surprise attack, these were super soldiers. The moment the initial shock ended, both of them retaliated, gripping the arm around their necks and hurling their assailant away.

"Mamba 3 and 4 have engaged. Neutralizing hostiles."

Their weapons raised honed muscle memory from countless hours of training kicking in. Burst fire shotguns in hand, the Kraken agents unleashed pyro rounds into the store, lighting it ablaze. The recoil was enough to tear an average man's arms off, yet it didn't phase them. Moon Shadow narrowly avoided the flaming munitions, dodging back behind several isles.

Messy Shadow took a full burst igniting with a scream as he was knocked clear off his feet, holes punched through him by the incendiary bullets.

Moon Shadow threw down a smoke bomb, blinding the Kraken agents momentarily. They tapped at their helmets switching between visual filters until they tracked heat signatures. A blip appeared, and they fired relentlessly, unloading on the form and watching it burn and melt away. No mercy, no hesitation. Their eyes scanned about, looking for anything else. Not seeing anything other than one another, they approached the flaming body.

Thin wire tightened around their necks, yanking with a sharp clink as it sliced through the flexible armor. The heads hit the ground as Moon Shadow made his way over to his downed partner. He put out the flames. Kneeling down as he looked over the holes and charred outfit.

With a pained sigh, Moon Shadow covered his friend's face, "Sleep well, old friend. I will avenge you."

***

Despite being a dark red leather-clad target, Scarlet Owl stealthily shot a grappling hook between the buildings. He, and Rapid Smasher zip-lined from window to window, taking advantage of the main force distracting the super soldiers. They dropped into an abandoned coffee shop, much to the surprise of the two black armored soldiers occupying the run-down place.

Shots hurriedly rang as the heroic duo darted across the room, throwing tables between them and the arranged guns of the villains. Rapid Smasher juking up, ducking, and weaving around the bullets before using his trademarked boxing gloves to rapidly jab his opponent. Blow after blow vibrated the building before the Villain exploded in a hail of gore and crumpled metal.

Scarlet Owl closed the distance, holding off the other soldier, throwing little owl-shaped knives that electrocuted the Kraken mercenary causing him to seize up as little arcs of power bristled from his armor. Despite that, he powered through the current and aimed his rifle, firing at the bird-themed masked crusader. Scarlet Owl spun from the hit in the shoulder, going down as Rapid Smasher darted over, throwing a full-powered punch that splattered the man through the wall and left a blood silhouette on the next building over.

"You good?" Asked Rapid Smasher, still looking over the room to make sure it was clear.

"Yeah, I am fine. It didn't get through my armor; impact just stunned me." Scarlet Owl got to his feet, wincing a bit as he rolled his left shoulder.

"We should-" started Rapid Smasher before the building shook.

Something had crashed into the wall down below. Wearily they looked down out the broken window, and a car had been overturned and crumpled into the wall. The street below buckled as black and blue arms emerged, pulling some sort of monstrosity from the depths of the sewer. Tentacles slithered about as it burst free and bulldozed their way through the building below them, causing it to shift and start to collapse.

Scarlet Owl grappled to the next building and took Smasher with him, swooping out the window and crashing into the opposing structure. They watched as the massive black silhouette rampaged away from them. It was heading straight for Moon Shadow and Messy Shadow.

***

Moon Shadow tensed, tilting his head, listening to the chaotic noises of the city as the all-out battle went on. The ground was rumbling, vibrating, but the pattern was not that of a tank; it was heavy thudding footfalls. He darted up swiftly, moving to the ceiling.

The wall burst open, and there was some sort of monster. It looked about the room, black and blue clad in the robust, hardened carapace. Clearly, it was a Villain, just looking at the damned thing made it obvious that it had no good intentions. Tentacles waved through the air as the bone-white face shifted from side to side, observing the room. Smaller orange tendrils flicked about as the massive creature's many eyes moved, peering at every little corner of the room. Several of them honed in on the dead bodies.

"Oh? Was I too late? It seems to already be over here." Said the deep yet feminine voice. She paused, listening to something, "Eh, confirm the bodies? Ok, ok, I will. What do you mean don't eat them? Why would I eat them?"

The large hands picked up the bodies, all three of them. The creature looked them over, setting them aside as she orderly identified them.

"Looks like two of ours and a hero. No idea which he is burnt crispy. Kinda got a red and silvery outfit." There was a little bit of back and forth, "Yes, there appears to be a hood. Oh? Messy Shadow? Never heard of him. Who the hell is that? What an odd name. Kinda cringy, don't you think? Oh? He was just a vigilante and didn't really have powers? I don't care if he was a ninja. He might as well just be a normy out here. Still, somebody killed these two. Pretty sure it wasn't him."

She paused, looking about the room, the orange feelers wiggling about as she honed in on his location. She squinted, trying to find the source of the smell. The many eyes all at once concentrated on Moon Shadow hidden up in the rafters.

He dodged, leaping away as a thick arm slammed through where he had been, the giant wasp monster swatting at him as though he were some sort of cockroach scurrying about. She followed his movements just a little bit slower than him.

Moon Shadow released a bundle of wires that formed a barrier. Her colossal hand slapped through it, breaking the cables, though they tore and cut into the thick carapace. Fearfully Moon Shadow dived out the window and scaled up the wall to the roof. Swiftly he darted across the open ground.

A hand burst through the roof ahead of him. Moon Shadow slid and altered his course, avoiding the emerging monster. He ran full sprint and leapt towards the next building over. He didn't quite make it, hitting the edge and gripping on. Behind him, the deafening thuds of that thing's footsteps rose. He almost pulled himself up but noticed below a pair of Heroes were rushing over. It was Scarlet Owl and Rapid Smasher.

He let go dropping down and narrowly avoiding the hand that punched through the concrete wall where he had been. That thing was above him, large enough to reach the buildings and scale between them. The six limbs swiftly moved that massive creature down in a sickening and unsettling motion that set off every warning instinct in his head. Moon Shadow felt fear and terror enough to make him shiver. He threw more of the wires, hitting her in the face, several of her tentacles severing off as she barreled down through it, not even flinching. The unblinking eyes never left him as it closed the gap.

He grappled to the building across the street and swung. It was slower than he had planned, not enough momentum. To his horror, all the bad premonitions he was getting came true. The massive clawed hand coiled around his grappling rope and yanked, dragging him back into the waiting arms of the wasp monster. Her hard hands tightened to the point bones cracked and broke. Moon Shadow screamed.

"Don't be such a baby," she growled, "I can squeeze your inside out like toothpaste."

"Unhand him, you fiend!" Shouted Crimson Owl as he and Rapid Smasher arrived.

"Why should I?" she replied, genuinely baffled.

Crimson Owl flung a flurry of the little bird knives into her side. Most of them harmlessly bounced off. A couple gave her minor scratches that healed almost instantly, and a single one stuck in her joint. It shocked her, little arcs of electricity sparking out before it spent all its power.

The giant wasp woman just looked down at it, unfazed. "What was that? Did you just try to tase me? You will need like a hundred times more than that just to make me feel anything, let alone get me off. I have had car batteries clamped to my-"

"Release him at once!"

"Keep that up, and I will squish him like a furry little grape."

"Who are you?" asked Crimson Owl, "I don't recall hearing about a villain like you."

"Oh? You want my name and yet have not introduced yourself. How rude. I am new to this whole Villain thing, so not used to this. But I digress. Go on, I will wait."

"Crimson Owl."

"Rapid Smasher."

"Well then, if we are being polite," The wasp almost seemed reasonable and smiled, "I am Vespidian."