Despite
his reluctance, Jack decided to go with Bruin’s plan of letting Jack
and the Dionysus worshippers try to rescue the healer Felix, while Bruin
and Lanna attempted to destroy a Darcarre nest. They made it deep into
Boston unopposed, but this also made sense for the Xemmoni no doubt
wanted them as far into the city as possible before they set their trap.
For the team would be kidding themselves if they didn’t admit there was
a trap being set for them. The only questions would be if Felix still
lived or if they would be able to live through it themselves.
Urban Issues
The
tension, in the new van Jack had purchased, lay thick and no one had
spoken for so long that Phillip’s voice caused him to jerk the wheel.
“It’ll be great to have a healer with us, if nothing else. All we need
to do is be able to fight our way toward him and he’ll get us ready to
fight our way out.”
“I just hope he still lives,” Cleo said, with less optimism in her voice.
Jack
glanced at her in the rear view for a moment before saying, “Phillip’s
right though. We have just one goal. Grab Felix and go.”
“What if he still refuses to leave with us?” Phillip asked.
“We
just have to assume, by this point, he’s knows better. Even if he’s too
scared to hit our enemies with us, we can still hide him in some hotel
and use him as a healer after our conflicts.” They rode in silence for a
while, but then Jack added, “And one more thing. I could care less
about coordinating some attack with Bruin. If the Darcarre come at us
and lighten his burden, so be it. But I’m not risking our safety to do
anything other than rescue Felix.”
Soon
they arrived at Felix’s home. It was lit up like the man expected
company, and Phillip mumbled, “I hope all those lights are a good sign.”
“Or maybe he’s just trying to keep the Darcarre at bay,” Cleo said.
“Brace
yourselves,” Jack said, through clenched teeth, seconds before he
hopped the van over the curb, drove across the lawn, and pulled up next
to the front steps.
Phillip jumped out of the van first. “So far so good. No sign of anything.”
As one, the trio raced up the steps. Cleo gazed in every direction. “Is it possible that there isn’t a trap set for us here?”
Before
he answered, Jack reached for the doorknob. It proved to be unlocked.
Looking back over his shoulder, “This is getting strange.”
Phillip’s
voice dropped to a whisper as they shut the front door behind them.
“His room is upstairs. He’s either there or in the library on this
level.”
They
checked the library, but found no signs on him. Phillip and Jack lead
the way up the stairs while Cleo watched their backs. Approaching
Felix’s bedroom, the Stalwarts drew weapons. Again the door was
unlocked, Jack opened it, and the men rushed inside.
The
sight before them caused even those veteran Stalwarts to draw back and
gasp in horror. Felix floated in mid air like he had been crucified on
an invisible cross. He moaned slightly, but gave no indication that he
was aware of their presence. His naked body showed signs of horrible
abuse. Bruises and angry red lacerations covered more parts of his body
than not. Only the whites of his eyes were visible, but they only had
just enough time to take this in before the healer exploded.
Death of Felix
His
very body became weapons and Phillip and Jack cried out as sharpened
bones impaled them and viscera blinded their eyes. The men stumbled back
into the hallway and struggled to wipe what was once Felix from their
faces. Before this could happen, an insane laughter filled Jack’s veins
with ice.
He’d heard that laugh before.
“VILE!”
Vile Darken
Jack
looked on in horror as Vile Darken himself, both the Earth’s and Jack’s
ultimate enemy, stood before him opposite of the stairs. His nemesis’
black sorcerer’s hat did little to contain Darken’s wild mane of unkempt
hair. His goatee had become a raged beard since the last time Jack had
confronted him, but insanity still burned behind his evil eyes. Tall
ebony jack boots met a midnight blue uniform that made the foul villain
look like some sort of space pirate. One hand clamped onto a smoking,
black cutlass, while the other had Cleo’s body suspended by the neck so
that her feet dangled a full foot of the floor.
“Ho,
Jack Primus we meet once more, but then again, I’ve meet you so many
times over across the Everywhere War, that such encounters tend to lose
their uniqueness.”
He has your love in his hands
“Let her go, you horrid freak,” Jack hissed. “Your battle is with me. Let’s finish this!”
“Jack,” Phillip said in a low voice. “Behind us.”
Jack
took a second to discover that dozens of Xemmoni rushed into the house
behind them. In seconds they would be heading up the stairs at their
backs.
Vile’s
voice drew Jack back to the dark villain. “I’m been enjoying causing
people to explode latterly. You could say it’s my newest trick or
perhaps hobby.”
Evil thy name is Vile
Then, before Jack could do anything, Cleo exploded into a thousand gruesome pieces.
To be continued next Monday
Vile Darken
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