[TheFightingSpirit]

Incursion Two: Force Majeure, Part One

The tentacles snapped back to the black mass and the soldiers crumpled the ground. A single unblinking eye formed on the ball, and it spoke in the same voice as before even though it had no mouth.

“This is what happens. Give yourself to us and we will consider sparing your species any more harm.”

Allison raised her hand. “Only consider?”

“We are superior. You will be eliminated.”

“Yeah. Not going to happen.” Robert shook his head. “Flame Advent!”

His crimson flames flowed around the sphere, but this time didn’t touch it.

“We are superior. We will give you time to consider the fate of your species.”

The Black Water shot up into the air and flew clear over the wall. A number of jets screamed passed in pursuit.

A military APV rumbled up the road towards them. For a moment, Robert expected trouble but when the soldiers within first attended to their fallen comrades, he relaxed somewhat. In theory, they were on the same side. Even if things had gotten a little more complicated with the introduction of the magi element.

A severe-looking woman with captain’s pips on her epaulets advanced upon them.

“Who are you?”

It took little more than a second for Robert to consider the power responsible for their transformation, and make up a designation on the spot. “We’re… the Cross Rangers.”

The captain turned the phrase over in her head and shrugged. “I’ve never heard of you, but … thanks I guess.”

Allison played along. “Glad to know we’re appreciated.”

“Be that as it may, white uh ranger, my superior would like a word with you.” She stood to attention and her voice took on a cold, steely quality. “My orders are to bring you in for questioning. Can I count on your cooperation?”

“Can we have a second?” Robert glanced back at Allison. Though unable to read her expression through her helmet, he figured they were on the same wave length.

The captain nodded and turned to gather her men—and the corpses—back onto the APV.

“We can’t reveal ourselves,” Allison whispered.

“I know. Don’t think we want that kind of attention.” Strange to think only a few minutes ago he was just some guy. Now he had to actually think about what he did, because he could have made matters worse if he wasn't careful.

“So what do we do?”

Robert shrugged. “Let’s play along for now, but stay morphed. It can’t hurt to humour them, get them on side.”

She nodded. “Right. Don’t want to piss anyone off.”

“Exactly.”

The captain strode back over to them, assuming they were finished. “Okay you two. Do we have a deal?”

“We do,” Robert replied.

o0o

Ken Powel, Allison’s younger brother, had decided to use the incursion as a distraction. He checked the coast was clear before dashing over the road to community centre.

He and his friends had been watching the centre for weeks. On an ordinary day, the centre would be visited by kids, teens, and adults alike, looking to partake in one of its many activities or simply kick back for a bit. But every so often, a group of men and women wearing coveralls, carrying tools would disappear inside after closing.

Initially they figured the centre was getting a makeover, but when nothing seemed different in the weeks that followed, they knew something was up.

So here he was, because his so-called mates had chickened out.

o0o

Once they reach the military base camp by the wall, Robert and Allison were ushered into the helicopter that would take them to HQ. They quickly discovered they didn’t need the ear defenders or an intercom. Their suits did it all for them.

“I’m not supposed to being talking to you but…” said the Captain after a few minutes. They were now over the other side of the city, about to leave it altogether. “Where do you two come from?”

“Right here. Born and bred,” Robert said without thinking.

“Like, who made those suits? That’s some pretty rad tech if you ask me.”

Allison wanted to believe the Captain was only being friendly, but she couldn’t shake the feeling they were being taken for dissection. She cut in before Robert could say anything incriminating. “Trade secret.”

“Oh…” She turned back to the cockpit. “I understand.”

Intuition led her actions once more. Allison switched to a private comms channel. “We can’t say too much.”

“We don’t really know anything ourselves.”

“These people are suspicious by nature and they’re probably pretty tired of fighting these… these things from beyond the wall.” She glanced at the captain and the pilot. “If I were them, I’d want these suits. I would stop at nothing to ensure they were under military control.”

“You’re right… as usual.”

“If we can get through this meeting, then we only have to worry about not being caught again.”

Silence reigned for the rest of the trip.

Allison struggled to know what to do. Suddenly she was in possession an awesome power, one she could control by instinct alone. Did that make her a hero? If their duty was to use the power to protect people, then maybe they’d just run out of free will. It was out of their control; force majeure.

She had always wanted to help people. Until now that meant demonstrations, rallies, charity work, but none of it forced the Black Water back from where it came. It couldn’t.

Now she had the power to do just that, did she want it?

She looked at Robert. What did he think of all of this? Did he think much of anything, or, usual Robert, was just he going with flow?

The helicopter settled onto a helipad clinging to the side of Mt. Steele. They were directed outside and told to wait.

Within a couple of seconds, a stocky man with a buzz cut charged at them across the tarmac with all the grace of a bull, but the captain stepped intercepted and snapped off a salute.

“These are the cross rangers, sir,” she said.

Allison took stock of the mountain side. The helipad seemed to only thing for miles, that and the door set innocuously into the sheer rock face. There had to be more…

The General looked at them with contempt. “Good. Bring them in.” He turned on the balls of his feet and marched straight back inside.

Busy man?

“That was General Bryant.” The captain gulped. “Stay on his good side, kids. Please.”

Only inside the mountain did Allison realise the extent of the military operation here. Were they Agency holding bac?

The captain lead them through what felt like miles and miles of corridor to a small briefing room, where she bade them good luck and so long.

It took at least half an hour for anyone to show up, but Allison didn’t dare speak. She’d read enough about interrogation rooms in crime fiction to recognise what was going on. It was a common technique after all: let your quarry stew for a while, let them worry, and when you finally come round to questioning it’ll be like taking candy from a baby.

Allison imagined it worked especially well when you confined two prisoners in the same room. You just had to wait until they talked themselves into an arrest.

She wanted to tell Robert to stay strong, or failing that, to shut up. If any of them were to start a major international incident, it wouldn’t have been Allison and her demonstrations against the man. That honour went to Robert and his big mouth. She loved him, but he didn’t half have a tendency to run off on one, given the chance.

So far he’d gotten the idea.

Eventually General Bryant joined them, flanked by two young women. One took notes and the other regarded their power suits with a technician’s eye.

He looked at the clock behind their heads. “Time is 1732 hours. General Bryant, Sergeant Cartwright and Lieutenant Moses in attendance.”

The two women sat opposite Robert and Allison, while Bryant paced behind them. He looked as though he were waiting to build a head of steam before questioning them.

“Firstly,” he boomed. “I’m obliged to say thank you, on behalf of the Agency, for your efforts in dealing with this afternoon’s incursion.”

“Don’t mention it,” said Robert.

Allison hung her head. Bryant narrowed his eyes, no doubt making mental notes.

“Secondly, the Agency respectfully asks you to hand over the technology you possess. It surely belongs with us...” He pushed his way between Cartwright and Moses and slammed his hands on the table. “Not a bunch of kids!”

Allison politely raised her hand.

“If I may speak, sir?” A grunt was all the affirmation she got. “As it is, you neither know how old we are beneath our suits, nor how to use them if we did hand them over.”

“Is that so?” He chuckled. “Miss Moses. Bring in the boy.”

They hesitated, and glanced at each other. What could he mean?

The lieutenant left the room and returned momentarily with a blonde young man in tow. Though he wasn’t handcuffed, he may as well have been.

“Ken!” Allison shot to her feet, but General Bryant forced her back into her seat himself.

“I see I’ve struck a nerve…” He rounded the table again and swung an arm around Ken’s shoulders. The boy flinched. “Aren’t you glad to see your brother is okay, Miss Allison Powel?”

He pushed Ken toward the two of them.

“How about you, young Robert Lam?”

Lieutenant Moses took her seat again. She looked at the General once, then spoke in his stead.

Her voice was softer, almost genuine. “We can be friends. We both want the same thing here.”

Robert stood, his power suit melted away from him. No point keeping up a failed ruse. “I’m sure we are. But it’s best for us all if we’re left in peace.”

“Are you threatening the Agency, Mr Lam?” said Bryant.

“What if I am?”

“Okay look.” Allison’s voice cut through the commotion giving every pause, even the General.

She too unmorphed. “General Bryant was it? I don’t know what you’re trying to prove by kidnapping my brother. In the spirit of cooperation… that seems a bit much. You’re fishing for answers that we can’t give you.”

“Be that as it may, Miss Powel, in this city, within these walls, I’m in charge. So you’ll kindly keep a lid on your emotions.” He turned away to face the mirror wall opposite. “It’s my job to enforce the quarantine. Therefore, any efforts to that effect fall under my duress, vis-a-vis, you, quote-unquote, Cross Rangers. Either you’re with me, or against me. Allies, or an obstacle to be removed.”

Allison shot a look at her brother, one that asked if he was okay. He nodded, though seeming worse for wear.

She turned back to the General. “You’re the one who deals in strategy, sir, but even I can see how foolish it would be to fight a war on two fronts.” She cleared her throat. Never in a million years would she have thought she’d stand up to military general. “We’re your best hope against everything beyond the quarantine.”

General Bryant didn’t speak for at least a minute. He stared at Allison, as though he hoped through sheer force of will, she would disappear from sight.

“I would rather my best men be in possession of your suits.”

“I’m afraid they’re quite a part of us, sir.”

He nodded, turning his nose up at them. “I’ll have to see that with my own eyes.”

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