A video filmed by a passerby depicted two champions fighting, and eventually killing, a pretty young spryte with a sonic charged voice. The video had gone viral at the start of the week. Shield Maiden and several other monsters across the country had seized the opportunity on social media, pushing for #monsterrights and denouncing the Champion Authority as a fascist organization.
I can’t honestly say that I blame them, either.
“It’s not just sprytes and demons,” said Malcolm. “A lot of normal people are getting involved now, too. Tapestry, this could get really out of hand.”
“Because it isn’t already?” she asked, her voice slightly miffed. “Rain Dancer destroyed our headquarters. He’s not some dignified, civil rights saint, and neither is Shield Maiden.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” said Malcolm.
He’d seen Rain Dancer murder a young gifted teenager in his underground base. It had been worse than what he’d seen in the video of the spryte, but without footage proving that it had happened, nobody would care if he went public with it.
“Anyway,” he continued. “How’s the rest of the team holding up?”
Tapestry sighed. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she took the ends of it between her fingers and started playing with it.
“Greenthumb is still in the hospital,” she said. “He’s awake now, though, and his breathing has stabilized.”
“Good,” said Malcolm.
“Anna’s staying at a hotel nearby,” said Tapestry. “She’s been visiting Greenthumb regularly, and making sure that it’s still safe for him there.”
“What about Wax?” asked Malcolm. “And Multi?”
Tapestry shrugged.
“No word of Multi,” said Tapestry. “He’s still being held by Rain Dancer, as far as I know.”
“Bad situation for us,” said Malcolm. “Rain Dancer has a penchant for trying to turn champions into demons and sprytes. And Multi would make for a very dangerous enemy.”
He’s our former boss. He knows all our weaknesses, and can make copies of himself.
“We just have to hope that he manages to hold out,” said Tapestry. “And we still have Wax on our side, at least.”
“Where has he been?” asked Malcolm.
“In a homeless shelter.” Tapestry sighed. “I offered to let him stay with me, but he said that it would draw too much attention.”
Malcolm nodded.
“That sounds like him,” he said. “Though I’m sure the food at your place would be a vast improvement. Speaking of which, how’s Melanie doing?”
Tapestry smiled.
“She’s fine,” said Tapestry. “Still going to school, living a normal life. She bought one of those ridiculous game consoles that you have, which I think is a huge waste of money.”
“I’ll have to get her gamer tag.” Malcolm crossed his legs and shifted on the couch, his expression growing serious. “And what about you? It’s been a couple of days since the two of us have really… talked.”
In fact, it had been over a week, since before the attack on their headquarters. Tapestry had been all business since then, rebuffing any of Malcolm’s attempts to close the distance between them.
They were friends, but they’d also been intimate before. Malcolm felt a confusing mixture of emotions whenever he thought about Tapestry and how he felt about her. She seemed better at compartmentalizing their relationship than he was, and he wondered if it was due to the massive age advantage she had over him.
“We talk all the time,” said Tapestry. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” said Malcolm.
Tapestry just looked at him. Her expression told him all he needed to know.
She doesn’t trust me like that. And she never will, unless I tell her the truth.
“I’ll have you over for dinner sometime soon,” said Tapestry, her voice level. “Melanie’s been insisting on it. I’d like for us to be close, Malcolm. But it’s as much on you as it is on me.”
Malcolm shrugged. He glanced at his phone.
“Fair enough,” he said. “Anyway, it looks like it’s almost time. Are you ready?”
Tapestry nodded.
“We should leave soon,” she said. “I’m not sure if he’ll arrive a little early, or a little late…”
“There’s going to be a protest there,” said Malcolm. “The monster rights faction got word of his arrival, and plan on showing up with signs and chants.”
“Savior’s probably the most powerful champion that’s ever existed,” said Tapestry. “I think he’ll be able to handle it.”
The two of them headed out of Malcolm’s apartment and onto the street. They took a bus from Vanderbrook to the Halter City airport, the trip taking close to an hour. It was midafternoon when they arrived, and the sun overhead was hidden by cloud cover.
“Do you think the weather is going to affect his arrival?” asked Malcolm, as they headed into the airport through the main entrance.
Tapestry shrugged.
“You’d know better than I do,” she said. “I’ve never met Savior, and obviously, I can’t fly.”
“What I do is a bit more like jumping with style,” said Malcolm. “But seriously… Why doesn’t he come straight to Vanderbrook? It’s not like a superhero with flight powers is limited to taking off and landing in airports.”
“Because it’s the law?” said Tapestry. “He’s actually the one that introduced the bill. All superhuman air travel over a distance greater than ten miles is limited to official flight paths. And it requires that you check in with air traffic on departure and destination.”
“Huh,” said Malcolm. “I did not know that.”
Seems like unnecessary regulation on the part of the government. Then again, Savior is the executive director of the Champion Authority and a Senator, so maybe he’s the bureaucratic type.
The two of them slipped into the airport and walked along a wide hallway, toward the arrivals gate. As Malcolm had expected, there were already a few dozen people congregated in front of the airport. They held signs that said things like “#monsterrights” and “Savior is no Savior”. He frowned, noticing a few police officers who’d been assigned to keep the protesters in check.
“What do you think the odds are of Rain Dancer or a member of his faction making an appearance?” he asked.
Tapestry shrugged.
“It doesn’t really matter,” she said. “None of them are strong enough to stand against Savior. The fact that he’s come to our area in the first place really says volumes about how bad the situation has gotten.”
“You don’t even think Rain Dancer could take him on?” asked Malcolm.
Tapestry furrowed her brow, as though the question was almost too stupid for her to answer.
“Savior is invulnerable,” she said. “He can fly. He can launch directed energy blasts out of the palms of his hands. He’s super strong. And he can create offensive illusions. No, Malcolm, I don’t think Rain Dancer could take him on.”
“Hey, you don’t have to be grumpy about it,” said Malcolm. “I was just asking.”
CHAPTER 4
Savior’s arrival was a little anticlimactic. A small contrail slowly cut through the clouds overhead before trailing off. A few minutes later the tiny dot slowly became discernable as a man. As he descended the last few hundred feet toward the airport’s runway, the crowd exploded into chants.
“Savior, not a saint!” they shouted. “Murderer, full of hate!”
Malcolm glanced at Tapestry, feeling a little awkward standing so close to the protesters. She waved a hand at him dismissively.
“We should wait here for now,” she said. “For their sake, more than Savior’s. We don’t want anyone trying to rush him as soon as he comes in.”
Savior took his time walking through the gate. He was wearing a dress shirt tucked into jeans, with a navy blazer that looked rumpled from the wind. His hair was a salt and pepper black and grey, and he had a handsome face with a strong jaw. He looked about fifty, but still very well put together.