Robert growled and charged, grabbing the energy sword and viciously assaulting Shroud.

  The rest of his team joined in: Punch Up appeared out of a portal in the air, but Shroud’s claw grabbed him without even looking. Flambae blasted him with fire. Mal swung her sword and was blocked by a claw, then she disappeared back into a portal. Shroud let a flurry of lasers loose at Prism—she blocked with a light shield, but it shattered, and she was knocked back.

  Just as Phenomaman came flying back into the fight, Shroud threw a car at him and sent him flying again. All of them tried to take him down, but he relentlessly countered.

  Robert was thrown back into a wall. The mech fell onto its hands and knees. As he struggled to push himself up, Shroud’s spider-mech stalked toward him. The central laser began charging again.

  Mecha Man raised a wrist, firing several energy discs.

  Shroud easily dodged all of them, then let a laser blast loose from one claw, knocking his wrist aside.

  The central beam was ready to fire, bearing down on Mecha Man.

  Everything seemed to stand still.

  The red laser flashed in the center of the spider-mech as it began to fire—

  A beam of light burst straight through the side of the spider-mech, in one side and out the other. It was sent flying sideways, the red beam barely missing Mecha Man. The spider mech fell in a heap on the ground.

  When Robert looked up, he couldn’t believe what he saw.

  Chase was hovering in mid-air holding an internal chunk of Shroud’s mech. He was wearing an outfit that looked both strange and familiar. “Shroud’s got a new suit? What the fuck? How long was I out?”

  Movement in Robert’s peripheral vision caught his attention, and a familiar face emerged from the building—Blazer. But she was a brunette, wearing what looked like gym clothes.

  “You’re not the only one who wasn’t born with powers,” she shrugged and pointed at her chest where a red jewel usually sat. She pointed at Chase, who now wore the red jewel. “My power comes from that amulet.”

  “Holy shit,” Chase said, “look at you.” He flew closer to the new Mecha Man suit.

  “Look at you!” Robert said.

  “Oh shit, yeah!” Chase responded. “Look at me! Shit, no, look out!”

  He pushed Mecha Man back and himself away in the same motion, dodging a flurry of red energy blasts.

  Even damaged, Shroud’s spider-mech was still moving, albeit slower. “No… No!”

  The claws came up, ready to fight, but the entire Z-Team appeared between Mecha Man and Shroud.

  “Blazer always did have a soft spot for helpless losers,” Shroud spat.

  “Fuck off,” Punch Up groaned, and they all surged toward him.

  Flambae and Waterboy launched a combination attack, creating a smokescreen of steam. Several hits bounced Shroud around, and when he reoriented himself, a small army of Prism illusions ran toward him. He launched a hail of lasers at them, but the simply blinked out if hit.

  Punch Up bounced off the spider-mech legs like a pinball, then up into the air, and finally down on top of him, slamming him into the ground.

  Flambae launched a massive wave of fire at the mech, and Chase spiraled around it, enveloping the entire thing in a fire tornado.

  Malevola fell from above, stabbing straight down into the canopy. She dodged a claw, then sliced at the mech again.

  Sonar flew down and under the mech, mauling the wiring underneath.

  Shroud said, “What the fuck?” as a jet of water blasted into his cockpit.

  Waterboy yelled, “I’m helping!”

  Golem raised a wall of rock spikes that shot the mech back, right into Phenomaman’s waiting fist. The spider-mech staggered for footing, stepped into a portal, which promptly closed, severing the leg. Royd grabbed the severed leg, spun, and hit the spider-mech with it, sending him reeling.

  A sedan driven by Blazer sailed toward the spider-mech with Visi on the roof. Prism created a light ramp for them to drive up, and Blazer bailed out. Shroud swung a claw at the car, but Visi jumped off it, acrobatically swinging around the legs. She landed on the front canopy, pulled an explosive from her jacket, and Golem shot a sticky glob of mud onto the mech.

  Visi pulled the pin with her teeth, stuck the explosive in the mud, flipped off Shroud, and jumped back down to the ground just as it exploded.

  The spider-mech collapsed, the front glass blown open. Then it lifted up into the air as Phenomaman grabbed a leg and began to spin it. He launched it into the air, and Mecha Man launched after it. Several claws punched at him, but he dodged every one.

  With a final, massive wave of blue energy, Mecha Man blasted Shroud’s spider-mech. It sailed out of the sky and crashed onto the roof of SDN.

  Robert landed his mech in the parking lot.

  A long silence drew out as they waited to see if Shroud would emerge.

  Finally, Phenomaman said, “We fucked them in the face.”

  The tension broke and the entire team started laughing and cheering.

  “Yachow!” Chase said, hopping up into the air and staying there. “That’s it? Let’s go again. Anybody wanna go again?” He flew over to Visi. “You’re alive. Nice.”

  “You too,” Visi said. “Nice new uh… look.”

  “Why, what happened?” Chase asked. “I still look good, right?”

  “Blonde,” Robert said.

  “You’re like a French soccer player who’s going through something,” Visi noted.

  Chase’s head whipped up to look at the roof, and he yelled, “STOP!”

  Shroud stood menacingly atop SDN, and he was holding Beef.

  “No,” Robert breathed.

  “Is that… Track Star?” Shroud asked. “Well, that is a surprise.”

  “Please,” Chase said, lowering to the ground. “Elliot… put him down.”

  “Who?” Shroud asked. “This fat fuck?” He held Beef out over the edge of the building by his collar. “Like this?”

  Everyone held their breath.

  Shroud chuckled. “Why’s everyone so tense? Don’t worry. I’m not gonna drop him. Cause TrackBlondie there’ll just swoop in and catch him anyway.” He pulled Beef back into his arms. “So, yeah, no. If I’m killing this dog, I’m gonna be sure he dies.”

  “Know this,” Robert said. “If you hurt him, you will die.

  Shroud chuckled. “No shit. So, why don’t you, and only you Robert, fly your father’s suit up here and give me my fucking Astral Pulse.”

  Red Ring goons regrouped and surrounded the team.

  “Oh, and if the rest of you could surrender,” Shroud added, “that’d be helpful.”

  After a tense moment, Robert ignited his thrusters, carefully gliding up onto the roof.

  “Come on out,” Shroud said. “Don’t be shy.”

  Robert sighed and removed the Astral Pulse from its chamber. Then he glanced at the Proto Pulse, sitting in his cupholder.

  The Mecha Man suit crouched down, and the cockpit hissed open.

  “There he is,” Shroud gloated. “So predictable.”

  Robert walked towards Shroud.

  ***

  “I knew this little sloppy guy is your weakness,” Shroud said, holding Beef toward him. “I knew you’d fall for the demon. Not really my type, but to each their own. I knew you'd take, what is it you call her? Invisigal? That you'd take Invisigal under your wing. Teach her the ways. Extra credit. That’s why we planted her here.”

  ***

  Robert looked down at Visi.

  She looked at the ground.

  “Yeah, she works for us too,” Shroud said.

  One of the Red Ring goons stepped forward and handed Visi a mask. She slipped it on, covering her mouth and nose, and grabbed the barrel of another goon’s rifle that was pointed at her, shoving it away.

  “She collects two paychecks for the same job,” Shroud continued, “look at her.”

  Visi disappeared.

  “Aww,” Shroud cooed. “She’s embarrassed.”

  Robert’s jaw set and he looked back at Shroud.

  “So, all that to say, there isn’t a thing you can do that I haven’t modeled out. And once I have the Pulse, I won’t need to predict. I’ll just know. So don’t fuck around Robert. Not right now.”

  Robert took a breath and walked forward. “Same time. I just want a fair exchange.”

  “Just don’t be an idiot and try to give me the shitty prototype. I’m a bad person, but I’m a man of my word. Give me my Pulse, and no harm will come to your stupid dog.” He held Beef toward Robert by the collar and looked down at his men. “You all hear that?”

  Robert looked at the Pulse in his hand.

  “I’ve been through all the game theory on this moment a thousand times.” Shroud held his palm out to Robert. “I’m not steps ahead, I’m miles ahead. So, don’t fucking test me.”

  Robert’s hand extended, and after a moment of shaking, he dropped both cartridges into Shroud’s palm.

  Shroud dropped Beef into Robert’s hand, and Robert stepped back, cradling the dog.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Shroud looked at both Pulses and picked one up. “What the fuck is this, Robert?”

  “You said you wanted the Astral Pulse,” Robert answered. “I gave it to you. One of those is it.”

  “They look fucking identical, Robert.”

  “Look, you’re right,” Robert shrugged. “I can’t outsmart you… cause, you know what? I’m not a smart guy. So the only way to keep you from knowing what I’m doing is to not have any idea what I’m doing. Which is how I feel all the time but, I trust my gut and I take my best guess, just like you used to. Before you plugged all those fuckin’ Christmas lights into your head. Before you were afraid to make your own decisions… Elliot.”

  Shroud’s fist clenched at the mention of his name.

  “Maybe we wait til we get home?” Armstrong asked hopefully.

  “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Shroud roared down at him. He looked back at Robert, held up both Pulses, and after a moment of looking between them, he tossed one away. He pulled his hood down, the red mask folded back into his clothing on its own, and Shroud said, “Fuck you.”

  He reached up to the side of his head and removed a cylindrical cartridge the same shape as the Astral Pulse.

  He inserted the Astral Pulse.

  It glowed red.

  So did his eyes. He grabbed his head and yelled, “Eeeeaeeaaagghh!”

  He began to rise into the air, a red aura glowing all around him. Yellow lightning danced around him as his body spasmed, his eyes rolling back in his head.

  When he finally touched back down, he briefly went to one knee. “That… wow. That was worth the wait.” He looked up, and his eyes still glowed red. Around all of his men on the ground, a burning red aura was emanating.

  “You feel that, you fuckin’ fucks?” Shroud said. “I told you! I fucking told you clowns! You feel the power?” He sounded drunk on it. “I see it now. I can see it all.” He was looking up into the sky. “It’s all there. Every permutation. Every…”

  He burst out puking.

  “Uh, oh,” Robert smirked.

  Shroud puked again. “Fuck. Wait.”

  “Just a hunch,” Robert said, “but I’m starting to think you guessed wrong.”

  “No, no, it’s just a—” he puked again.

  Down on the ground, Shroud’s goons started puking too.

  “Oh, this is fuckin’ hilarious,” Chase muttered.

  “This can’t be…” Shroud groaned. He looked around, distraught.

  “You know, someone has to clean that up, right?” Robert shrugged.

  “You sonuvabitch,” Shroud staggered forward.

  “Don’t be mad,” Robert said. “You lost. It happens.”

  “Sorry kid,” Shroud wheezed. “We both lose.” He pulled a revolver from his coat and aimed at Robert.

  He fired.

  Just as the bullet was about to hit Robert, it hit something invisible, right in front of him. A red splatter flashed into existence, then another, a couple inches closer to Robert as the bullet exited. It hit Robert’s shoulder, but so little momentum remained, it didn’t even penetrate.

  Robert staggered to the ground, clutching his shoulder. He looked at the bullet in his hand. Then he looked at Visi, laying visible in front of him.

  She had a hole through her shoulder.

  “I guess I can still be surprised,” Shroud said.

  Robert rushed him in a fit of rage. He knocked the gun from his hand and began pounding fists into Shroud’s face, over and over. The team surged out against Shroud’s men as Robert continued to beat him to a bloody pulp.

  By the time Robert ran out of steam, Shroud was nearly unrecognizable. Teeth were missing, his face was bruised and bloody, and he was weakly shaking.

  “Please…” he begged.

  Robert stared down at him in rage.

  Finally, he took a deep breath, and let himself calm down. He stood and moved over to Visi, crouching next to her. He removed her mask and helped her stand up as fire and water flashed on the ground below them from the team fighting the goons.

  The sun was coming up.

  Robert and Visi looked at it. Then they looked at each other.

  She fell backward and passed out.

  The building was still on fire, emergency vehicles arriving to help put it out. Shroud was rolled away on a stretcher. His goons were handcuffed and loaded into the back of a police van.

  Malevola flipped a car back onto its wheels all on her own.

  Visi was loaded onto a stretcher, already awake again. She looked at Robert. “How am I the one on a stretcher when you look like hammered shit?”

  “Be that as it may,” Robert shrugged, “you did get shot by a gun. Hospital check is pretty customary after that.”

  “It didn’t hit anything,” she retorted. “Bullet went straight through.”

  “Yeah, about that,” Robert said. “Quick hero lesson: when you jump in front of a bullet, you’re supposed to actually stop it. You know? It’s kinda the whole point.”

  As they wheeled her stretcher out of the building toward the ambulance, the entire Z-Team awaited, clapping and cheering. Prism shot a burst of light fireworks into the air.

  “The fuck is this?” Visi asked.

  “Robert smirked at her. “Maybe you should let a nice moment be nice every now and then.”

  “Okay,” Visi groaned, looking around at everyone. “Okay. Chill out, weirdos.”

  The Z-Team started chanting: “Not a bitch! Not a bitch!”

  Blazer, whose real name was apparently Mandy, strode up to Visi’s stretcher. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

  Visi smiled. “This is—this is just a precaution.”

  “Look,” Mandy said. “All of this was a real…”

  “Clusterfuck?” Visi finished.

  “Shit show,” Mandy agreed. She laughed a little. “Actually, I was gonna say poop show but I’m trying to sound like less of a dork.”

  “It’s already working,” Visi said.

  Mandy grabbed her hand. “I hope the fact that I’ve always rooted for you makes up for ever doubting you.”

  “It does,” Visi nodded.

  “I don’t blame you,” Robert said. “I mean look how untrustworthy she looks.”

  Mandy smiled at Visi. “There’s always a home for you here, Courtney.”

  “I appreciate that,” Visi smiled.

  ***

  Mandy stepped away just as Malevola walked up. She pointed at Visi’s shoulder. “You want me to—?”

  “N-no,” Visi cut her off. “I saw how you screamed healing all those burns off him.” She jabbed a thumb toward Robert.

  “Okay,” Mal genuinely smiled at Visi. “Thanks. For saving him.” She gently petted Visi’s hair.

  Visi immediately batted her hand away, but she smiled.

  Mal’s tail caressed Robert’s back once, then she stepped away.

  ***

  As the paramedics wheeled Visi’s stretcher around near the ambulance, she said, “I guess your girlfriend’s alright.”

  Robert smirked down at her. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Then you’re an idiot. Cause it’s obvious she wants to fuck you.”

  Robert just smirked and asked, “So, here we are. You want me to wait with you?”

  Visi stammered, “That’s—c-come on. Not necessary.” She looked away in embarrassment, then waved a hand at him a couple times. “Go, go, celebrate with your team. It was… a good night.”

  “Yeah, it was, wasn’t it?” Robert said.

  Visi smiled. “Told you to believe me.”

  Robert leaned against her stretcher. “Yeah, I fucked up.”

  “Yeah, you did. But I forgive you.”

  “Well, I will not forgive myself,” Robert said sternly.

  “Oh, and you shouldn’t,” Visi rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”

  After a moment, she said, “Alright, let’s do it.”

  The paramedics stepped up to the stretcher.

  “Take care of her,” Robert told them. “Let me know if it’s anything serious.”

  “I will,” Visi said.

  The ambulance doors closed, and a minute later, it drove away. Robert put a hand in his pocket and felt the Astral Pulse. He pulled it out and looked at it for a moment.

  Then he heard Flambae’s voice getting closer. “Holy shit, she took a bullet for Robert. Something I would never do.”

  Across the parking lot, Chase was being interviewed by a news crew. The camera pointed at the Z-Team and Chase grabbed the microphone, cussing up a storm. The reporter yanked the mic back away from him.

  Royd’s massive arm slid around Robert’s shoulders. “You did good eh, bruddah. Z-Team save de day. We getchoo return of da Mecha Mans. Defend SDN’s… choke damage but inokea.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you,” Robert said. “Seriously. All the work you put into the suit is what made this possible.”

  “Nah. Nah,” Royd said. “It’s not dah hard part fella. All you guys do da hard tings.”

  “Well, no,” Robert countered. “Obviously, you can do that stuff too. I saw you were throwing those Red Ring fuckers around like graduation caps. No joke, I started to feel bad for them. It was mesmerizing.”

  Royd laughed. “Yep dat was a fun scrap fo sho.” He took a step back and sighed. “Get some sleep bruddah. Lotta clean up tomorrow. Good job, Mecha Man.” He held up his fist.

  Robert tapped his fist to it and Royd took his leave.

  Mandy was sitting on the trunk of a car across the parking lot. As Robert started walking over to her, he heard Punch Up hollering, “Whoa, hold on, you got the wrong gal. She’s with us.”

  “You got the wrong knife wielding assassin wing lady,” Flambae added.

  “There must be some mix up,” Malevola told the officers loading a handcuffed Coupé into a van. “Easy mistake. She looks scary.”

  Coupé turned back to them all, a broken look on her face.

  “What do you think?” Mandy asked Robert. “Did she earn a pardon?”

  “Is that my call?” he asked.

  “You’re the one that’ll have to work with her… again.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Robert shrugged. “Why the fuck not.” He waved to the police officer. “Hey! Yeah, nope. She’s with us.”

  The officer uncuffed her and a hopeful smile crossed her face. Malevola reached into a portal that appeared out of thin air and pulled a six pack of beer out.

  ***

  Coupé looked wide-eyed at Mal. “You’re not still mad?”

  “Eh, let’s not go that far,” Mal shrugged. “One step at a time Coop, drink up.”

  ***

  Prism shot more light fireworks into the air as the team all clinked their bottles together, posing for pictures with the press. Coupé caught Robert’s eye across the parking lot and raised her bottle up, smiling at him with appreciation.

  He nodded back warmly.

  Mandy was taking a long pull of her beer on the trunk of the car.

  “Hey, so,” Robert said to her, “you maybe got an extra one of those?”

  “I do, actually.” She hopped off the trunk and reached into a box on the ground.”

  “I wasn’t actually—I mean, where’d all the beers come from?” Robert asked.

  “Oh, there’s a ton of booze in the Rec Room. That’s where they got it. I’m honestly shocked it hasn’t turned into an issue.” Mandy was struggling to remove a bottlecap with her bare hands. “Shit. No powers.”

  “I got it,” Robert took the bottle from her and popped the top off via the car bumper. “Forced to open beers like a normie.”

  They sat on the trunk of the car together and clinked their bottles.

  “I’m getting drunk like a normie, too,” Mandie said. “I’ve had half a beer and I’m already feelin’ it.”

  Chase zipped through the air above them with Beef in his arms.

  “So, is that permanent?” Robert asked.

  “Nah,” Mandy said. “He’s borrowing it until we can figure out a different solution for his… issue.”

  “Right, the whole being on the brink of death issue?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Well,” Robert said. “He looks like he’ll enjoy it while it lasts.”

  Mandy pulled her knees up to her chest. “You did… a great job with them. With Invisigal. She really stepped up. Took a bullet for you and everything. I wouldn’t have put my money on this team being the one to save SDN but here we are.”

  “Yeah,” Robert said, watching Flambae spit flaming alcohol at Golem’s chest. “They deserve to be celebrated. Hopefully it doesn’t go to their head.” He leaned back against the car window.

  ***

  Mandy laughed. “I wouldn’t count on that.” As Robert took a long pull from his beer, she added, “I heard Malevola was quite flustered when she finally picked up her phone. Something about healing you and making out in the middle of the office?”

  “There was no making out,” Robert protested. “There was one kiss. To calm her down.”

  Mandy laughed. “Gonna have to talk to HR about that.”

  ***

  “Oh shit, yeah,” Robert said awkwardly, sitting up. “I hadn’t thought about that—”

  “I’m joking, Robert. Relax.”

  “Cool,” Robert said. “So we’re good?”

  “Yeah,” Mandy said. “More than good.”

  They leaned back against the car window together.

  After a while, Robert asked, “So does this mean the team’s off Monday?”

  Mandy laughed. “I was just trying to figure that out.”

  They sat up as they heard the Z-Team chanting, “Robert sucks! Robert sucks! Robert sucks!”

  “I think you might need to go,” Mandy said.

  Chase flew down in front of them. “I need to take this young man if you don’t mind.”

  “By all means,” Mandy said, taking Beef from Chase.

  Chase picked up Robert in a bridal carry.

  “That’s new,” Robert said.

  “You were right, and I was wrong about Visi,” Chase said. “She didn’t actually kill me, just almost. Now, let’s see if I can make you throw up.

  They blasted into the sky in a blur, flew through several clouds, and descended again. Chase hovered right above Z-Team and dropped Robert. They caught him and started tossing him into the air over and over, chanting, “Super bowl. Super bowl.”

  “Oh, okay,” Robert said as he was repeatedly thrown in the air. “Yep. Okay.”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” Mandy strode up, phone in hand. “Let me get a picture.”

  “Nah, Blazer, come over here,” Chase said. “Have someone else take the picture.”

  “Wait, are we taking a picture?” Robert asked.

  The orange cat suit mascot tapped Mandy on the shoulder.

  She laughed and said, “Yeah. Thanks,” handing over her phone, then rushed over to join Z-Team.

  Robert continued to ask, “Are we taking a picture? What’s happening?”

  “Everybody get in here,” Chase said. “Come on y’all. Come on.”

  “Let’s be careful,” Mandy said.

  “He’s fragile,” Flambae said. “Careful everybody.”

  “Woah, woah, woah,” Robert yelled as they dropped him. “Okay! Instantly painful actually!”