Patreon or PayPal Me keeps this site and its author alive. Thank you. |
Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 147: Takano 130
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Brown 334
Keeping pace with Uncle Brian stretched her legs well, and while he talked of the various features of the manse, she kept her questions short.
Having almost reached the bank, they were in the shade of an ornate three story furniture store when a darker shadow went by overhead. Looking up, expecting to see The Eagle, instead she saw a black-haired woman arcing down back-first from the roof. Looking both ways, and deciding that this was a superheroine thing so she could cut across the street, she ran with Uncle Brian sputtering for a second behind her. The woman crashed on the hood of a Chevrolet parked on the far side of the road, and Tommy tried to prepare herself for gore. Bits of glass from the window spun brightly through the air, and Tommy came up to the woman who was lying on her back.
Oddly, she was dressed in leather leggings, moccasins, and a leather tunic, with braided hair on both sides of her head. Also a necklace of small stones hung around her neck. Uncle Brian caught up with Tommy.
“Are you okay?” both asked at the same time. It was a stupid thing to ask, but she was not sure what was better. The woman looked up at both of them with a small smile.
“I’m Sockajawea.” When this failed to produce any results, she spoke again. “You two must be from pretty far out of town.” She raised a slow hand, and with a finger touched each stone in the necklace around her neck.
“Speed of the mountain lion, strength of the bear, eye of the falcon, breath of the fish, life of a turtle and most importantly, for now, tail of the lizard.”
“What, oh, you’re a superheroine?”
“Yes. I’ve been doing this for, well, since Captain Eagle. Thirty years. That’s the effect of life of a turtle. I’m fifty.” She looked twenty-five at most.
A roar came from up high behind them, and they looked. A black haired gorilla, eight hundred pounds of muscle and power, stood on the roof of the furniture store. He wore a pair of gym shorts, and a white lab coat, 8X Large.
“Gorillaxe. Letting me know he won. Most important part right now is the tail of the lizard. I can regrow limbs, or in this case I can regrow a broken spine. In five minutes, I’ll be up; in ten minutes, as good as new. But Gorillaxe will be long gone by then.”
“Not if we have anything to do with it,” Tommy said, and a light seemed to go on in Sockajawea’s eyes.
“Ah, the two new superheroes in town. Well, go get him. Best of luck.”
Tommy suddenly remembered that her uniform was at The Paris. Uncle Brian was carrying his duffel bag in which he carried his own uniform. She said as much, and Uncle Brian suddenly darted over to a man in a suit, like most of the men on the street. He asked, and got something. The man gave him a quizzical look, but shrugged his shoulders, and moved on. In Uncle Brian’s hands was a neatly folded up handkerchief.
“What?”
“Green Hawk said a handkerchief could hide one’s identity.”
“That’s insane,” she objected.
“Yet true, Truth,” Sockajawea said from her current bed.
“Come on. We need to go to the bank, get the money, and talk to the pastor, and--” Uncle Brian said as he handed her the handkerchief.
“Are you saying we let this ape go free?” Tommy asked incredulously, but even as she said it, she realized she was not keeping up with the conversation or events.
“No, just let’s try to knock him out, or capture him quickly. We’re on a clock,” Uncle Brian said. Thankfully, Uncle Brian was too nice to call her on her mental goof-up. She rolled her eyes, and ran for a nearby alley to dress in outlaw fashion with a handkerchief mask. It was easier for her than for Uncle Brian, although he said his union suit was well designed for quick donning and doffing. They were back out, and saw Gorillaxe turning away. How to catch him was the problem.
“Hey, Gorillaxe! I have two more who want to take you on!” Sockajawea yelled, and the great beast turned back, and looked. Tommy could have yelled in outrage for surely he would run now, and whatever advantage they had was lost--but no, he dropped to one knee, and waved at them to come on up.
What? She looked at Sockajawea in confusion.
“He’s a scientist, and--” Her back popped. “He’s curious about superpowers and ‘improving mankind’”
“But he’s a gorilla,” Tommy objected.
“Oh, no, Truth. He’s a man who transplanted his brain into a gorilla’s body.”
Mister Justice and Truth just stared at each other for a long second in shock. What kind of madman would put his own brain into an ape’s body? The duo turned back and ran for the fire stairs, Justice carrying his duffel with him. Clattering up them, she found her new stamina quite nice, and reached the top only breathing a bit heavy. Once they got to the top, they saw that there were three large purple bags presumably of loot on the flat roof. Justice dropped his own bag on the top landing of the fire escape.
The supervillain held out a wide hand signaling a pause, stood, reaching six feet, and spoke. The voice was posh, that of a British aristocrat.
“I will let you catch your breath because I want to see you at full capacity. If I may, can I have your names? Male specimen #1 and Female specimen #2 is inadequate.”
“I am the latest Mister Justice,” Uncle Brian said. Tommy thought he was trying to save time which is why he brought the bag with him.
“I am called Truth,” Tommy said.
“Excellent. A good beginning to our relationship. I am attempting to rob several jewelry stores. In fact, I have already done so.” Tommy winced internally as she remembered her thoughts of doing likewise. “You are trying to stop me. I hope that we both learn useful information to help us in personal growth, and to improve mankind from its unfortunate state.”
“We’re kind of in a rush, so let’s get on with it,” Tommy said.
“Very well. Show me what you have.” He stood and waited, and Tommy found it harder to just attack someone who was not immediately attacking her. Mister Justice ran forward, and she ran as well. Before he could reach the gorilla with the flaming sword, she flung out a side kick into one of the gorilla’s large calves. Justice slashed with his sword, and the modest-sized steel ax with rubber-covered handle was used two-handed to block it. Gorillaxe shoved the ax, and Mister Justice was pushed back. Then the supervillain flicked his very thick leg her way, and Tommy had to roll to keep from being taken off her feet.
As she did so, he shook his leg, and stomped both legs taking an even firmer stance.
“Disappointing. I fought the previous Mister Justice and he was much more of a challenge. Also, young woman, your side kick, while a useful weapon against thugs with ordinary human strength, is going to have significant issues against the strength of the ape. In my old puny body, before I transplanted my brain, either of your attacks would have won the fight, but you face a brilliant brain in a mighty body now.”
Tommy gathered up a handful of rocks from the roof. Gorillaxe applauded.
“Force equals speed times mass. You have little mass, but you can have much speed. Good. Good.”
Mister Justice stepped back, and keeping himself faced toward Gorillaxe put one hand behind his back. Using it, he pointed at her, and then up high. She was confused, and then thought she deciphered it. You go high. She nodded.
“Improvisation. Good--” Gorillaxe was about to say more but she ran in, and then did a sidekick as a distraction before she sent her rocks from a hidden hand snapping into his face. His hands went up to shield his large eyes, and Mister Justice came in sliding with his blade out ready to cut the gorilla’s legs--that is, until the gorilla leapt forward over Mister Justice, and with a heavy, thudding roll came down on the far side of him.
But Truth pushed past her shock and dismay, and charged the rising axe in the supervillain’s hand. She felt as if she were operating in a groove, as if she knew what to do. Throwing herself airborne, she pulled on the ax as hard as she could. This overbalanced the gorilla, but before her momentum could pull him to land on his back, he dropped to a three foot stance, roaring out his approval. She hit the ground, dazed, and began to rise. Mister Justice having regained his feet ran at inhuman speed, like before with Blue Ray, and bull-rushed at the gorilla, who was raising a hand to stop him.
A flash of light to her right blinded her, and she heard the slide and the “uhhh”, and another “aaaaaa”.
“Well done. I suppose I shall have to make my escape.” Shhhhh, and there was no more noise. Footsteps were coming toward her, and she reached for her kawanaga before she remembered that she had not brought it today. I need to bring it with me all the time, she thought, and her mind settled as she shook off the impact, but putting her hands in front of her to block an incoming attack occupied her attention until she heard a soothing, deliberately calming voice.
“It’s Mister Justice. Sorry about blinding you. It will go away. We won.” Relief flooded through her at hearing these words.
Thirty seconds later she could still see some of the effects of the flash, but she could also see Gorillaxe lying unconscious, with his ax far from him. Uncle Brian was pacing up and down impatiently looking over the side of the building. Oh--he was waiting for Sockajawea to recover so they could go house checking.
She removed her mask and stuffed it in her pocket. Uncle Brian grabbed his duffel bag from near the top of the fire escape, and changed into his work clothes. A minute later Sockajawea ran up the fire stairs.
“Nice job. I can see you two are really busy, so I’ll take him to prison if you don’t mind?”
They both agreed, and hustled down the stairs heading toward the appointments for which they were already late.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
