Author’s Warnings: What isn’t mine isn’t mine. That snippet from “Blackhole Sun” belongs to Soundgarden, or whoever makes their records. Other things belong to others.

The Second City Enforcers

Chapter 20 – Certain Devastation?

The Basement

“The circus is back in town,” quipped Wendy.

“Actually, this is the curtain call,” retorted Dr. Worm. “It is the curtains for you!”

Nira spread her tail, and Wendy, Randy, Stereo, and Ranger assumed fighting stances.

“I have a score to settle with you,” said Number Three, aiming his guns at Ranger.

“Settle it later,” barked Ranger, as he pointed an automatic at Number Three.

Wendy and Sullen Moon were fighting. Wendy assumed she’d have the advantage, not wearing a full length nightgown. But Sullen Moon was surprisingly good with her fists. And the fists started to glow. “LUNAR PUNCH!” Wendy was sent backwards with a powerful punch.

Stereo was in a fight with Dr. Worm. Dr. Worm took out a gun, but it was kicked from his hand by Stereo. Stereo was struck with a cattle prod and knocked down, but he quickly recovered. “This fight is an insult to me, I’m a scientist, not a bar-room hooligan.”

Nira faced off against Particle Man. HE fired a blast at the ground beneath her, and it liquefied, making it difficult to move. “That was too easy,” said Particle Man. Nira spread her tail. Her eyes began glowing. “Are you trying to scare me with a display of photons? Unless it is focused in a manner of a laser, I’m not worried.”

“I am Nira, but I have a spirit like KATHERINE!” With that, her eyes fired small energy balls at Particle Man, knocking him down.

“Fool, my composite armor protects me!” He had difficulty getting up until the onslaught ended. “MASERS!” He fired concentrated microwave lasers at Nira, who ducked. The blast hit Number Three, who spun around and fired warning shots with one pistol, while firing the other at Ranger. He didn’t see Ranger come up from behind him and tackle him to the ground. Ranger jumped on him and turned him so he was facing the floor.

“Git offa me, ya galoot!” he yelled. Ranger was over him in a Boston Crab pin. Ranger took the liberty of punching him out.

Particle man zapped Nira at a sensitive (for her, at least) part of her tail, while she hit one of his wrist-mounted blasters, damaging it. Nira broke free of the semi-liquid floor and dashed at him, and they exchanged blows. Particle Man charged his other wrist blaster, but Nira grabbed his arm and forced it into such a position that he literally shot himself in the foot, causing a burn mark on his boot. He yelled in pain, and Nira was able to pummel him. “I learned from a Ranger, where did you learn to fight, off a cereal box?”

Nira turned her attention to Sullen Moon, and focused to fire an Enagi sphere at her, knocking her down. She crawled to the Worm of Steel.

“Wait for me,” ordered Dr. Worm, as he dragged Number Three. Particle Man followed, and the vehicle left.

“We have missiles to stop, let’s go,” said Wendy.

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They arrived at the main controls to the bio-reactor, at the end of an elevated walkway. “Just throw the switch and it’s all over,” said Wendy. “Nira, you have the honors, honey!”

Nira reached for a red-handled lever.

“FLIP IT AND YOU’RE DEAD!” shouted a voice. Other elevated walkways dotted the room, with armed guards on all of them. Tubes with liquid and Pororos inside them were glowing brightly. They all raised their hands. The Prophet himself appeared on a balcony.

“And so it ends,” he proclaimed. “Your blasphemy shall now be punished, and you will be purified!” The guns were finely aimed, and several red dots appeared on the Enforcers. Nira tensed her muscles, holding her breath, waiting to die. The guards squeezed their triggers. Almost. With a loud clanging noise, the guns were knocked out of the hands of the gunmen. Nira pulled the lever down. The lights dimmed into nothingness, followed by a bright flash of light. Dim emergency yellow lights activated, revealing that the Enforcers were gone.

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The next thing the Enforcers knew, they were in a roughly hewn rocky tunnel, that led to a concrete passageway. A Department of Defense logo was vaguely visible. “Where are we?” asked Wendy.

“Near where you need to be,” said a voice. Martha Hoopla appeared there. “Those missiles must not fire. They won’t. I’m not supposed to help you, but this time even THEY would agree. Hopefully later I can tell you more.” A pair of armed soldiers with helmets marked “M.P.” walked into view, and aimed their guns. Martha threw golden hoops at their knees, making them drop in agony. “They will live. They’re not even real soldiers. Why would the Syndicate leave loyal soldiers at a nuclear base?”

“You’re right,” said Ranger.

“I must go,” said Martha. “But know this. We are on the same side, even if it doesn’t seem like it. And you are living up to your potential, Nira.”

“Thank you.”

“We are enemies, but not by choice. But it won’t always be this way. I must go now, so that I may distract the Blessed Ones. Farewell!” She dashed away.

“Ranger,” said Wendy, “lead the way!”

Ranger, knowing the layout of many bases, was able to get them through, although they had to be on the lookout for guards. Eventually they came to a heavy double-door that was locked. “Be careful, this type of door is usually attached to an alarm.” Next to it was a plastic pad, and above that was another pad, this one with a code on it. There was also a retina and cornea scanner.

“Shit,” said Wendy.

“No problemo,” said Stereo, “I like electronics.”

“I know a bit about it myself,” said Wendy.

“I’ll cut it open,” said Nira, producing her Dragon-Blade, and focusing, to carefully cut open the pads and the scanners. Wires were cut and re-routed and connected. All were sweating. Eventually, green lights flashed, and the doors slowly creaked open, but stopped. There were chains on the other side preventing them from fully opening.

“The alarm should be disarmed though,” said Ranger. “Somebody should blow it up. STAND BACK!” The others ran back, and he attached plasma charges to where the door was opened. He ran away. Powerful explosions forced the door open, and sparks flew as the sliding mechanisms complained. The interior had controls and monitors lining one wall. The other wall had huge glass windows, showing the missiles.

“Let’s get to work,” suggested Wendy. Smoke rose from the ground in the actual room the missiles were in. Loud motors whined. “Shit!”

“Remote Launch Sequence Verified, Presidential Authorization Verified, Hatches Open,” trumpeted a female voice.

“Oh man,” said Stereo.

“I’ll destroy them,” said Nira, holding out her sword.

“DON’T!” shouted Randy.

“What?”

“They will explode if you destroy them, and we’ll all die.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Think, Nira, where are the missiles going to leave the room?”

“The ‘hatches.’”

“Then let’s say we make the hatches cave in.”

“The missiles would have to stop,” said Nira.

“Exactly.”

“Then how do we get the windows open?” asked Stereo. He punched one. “It ain’t your grandfather’s glass!”

“Maybe we don’t have to,” said Randy, noticing a door. The door was made of metal and had a large ring with handles instead of a knob or handle. The door was heavy, but it wasn’t locked. They were able to push it open.

“The door is ajar,” said a voice. The inside fo the room was billowing with smoke, and it was hot.

“Quicly, this is a fucking sauna,” said Randy. “Shoot up!” He took out a gun and fired upwards. Wendy focused, and launched a chi-ball up one of the hatches, damaging the side.

“I’ll do this,” said Nira, using her Dragon Blade. “All of the rest of you, GET OUY!” She held it up, and the mouth opened. It fired glowing pink blasts, and rocks fell.

“BE CAREFUL!” shouted Wendy. Falling rubble mixed with the smoke, obscuring everything. A low rumble was heard on the other side of the windows.

“HATCHES OBSTRUCTED, LAUNCH SEQUENCE ABORTED!”

The door that was ajar was still ajar, but with rocks sticking out of it. “Oh no,” said Randy.

“NO!” shouted Stereo.

“Dear God no,” added Ranger.

“NIRA!” shouted Wendy in disbelief. The pebbles began to shift. Dust rose. “NIRA!”

“It’s time to go,” said Ranger.

“cough Wait for me,” choked Nira, through the rubble. One of the windows gave way, and out poured Nira, covered in dust. She coughed some more. Wendy helped her up.

“I thought you were dead.”

“I’m not!”

“I’m glad!” said Nira.

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The Prophet’s Chamber

A video call came in. It was Chameleon. “You failed,” were the first immediate words.

“Mr. President, I can explain,” said Jeffrey, “and none of them will make it out alive.”

“Those missiles cannot be launched now, do you realize that?”

“I didn’t know it was that serious!”

“Well think about it. In fact, you should spend the rest of your life thinking about it.” A grin appeared on his face, and Johnson was petrified. “It’s not that long, only fifteen minutes. We did install your Instant Glorification Device that uses the warheads, we can activate it. And when those missiles blow up, try not to go all to pieces!”

“AUTOMATIC CELESTIAL PURIFICATION SEQUENCE INITIATED,” came a female voice. “Sealing blast doors!” Heavy doors slammed shut on the Prophet and his wives.

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Sirens blared, red lights flashed, and a buzzer buzzed. The Enforcers were running amid the cacophony. “This way,” said Ranger. As they dashed, brighter lights were flashing. They ran into some fleeing guards, who turned their guns on them.

“BE GONE, FILTH,” shouted one of them. Before he could draw his weapon, Stereo crashed into him. Another soldier swung at him, but he ducked, and then focused a punch, but it was ineffective.

“I am blessed!”

“Are you blessed against nuclear explosions?” asked Wendy.

“Of course, fool, watch us, we shall stay here,” he said.

“TEN MINUTES UNTIL RAPTURE,” warned the voice. The group continued past the bio-reactors, where scores of Pororos were escaping. They entered an elevated walkway, and a door closed behind them. They rushed, and as they did, more doors closed behind them.

Ahead of them, another door slammed shut. “What about the Pororos?” asked Randy. Then he saw a ventilation tube that had Pororos scurrying through it. “Just the time to be this big.”

Nira held her blade in front, and fired a blast, destroying it. They entered a room with a spiral staircase. “SIX MINUTES REMAINING!”

At the top was another door that was closing. It abruptly sprung close, but a hoop flew in at the right time, and the doors bounced off it. The group went through, seeing Martha Hoopla leading the Pororos out. In the distance they saw a group of men and women with glows around their bodies. One of the women fired a glowing rock at Wendy, hitting her in the shoulder, and knocking her onto one knee.

“I love you Randy,” said Wendy, as she hugged and kissed him. She did likewise to the others. “If I don’t see you, I LOVE YOU!” She ran up to them, and they began firing blasts. “HURRY!” More guards were attracted to the battle, while the rest of the group escaped.

“THREE MINUTES UNTIL TOTAL PURIFICATION!”

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Nira, Randy, Ranger, and Stereo were thrown by the outer reaches of a multiple-headed mushroom-shaped cloud. The nearby town had all of its windows shattered.

“No,” screamed Randy. “NOOOO!” he cried.

Nira walked up to him, and cried on his shoulder. “Why?” she whispered.

“For us,” said Ranger. “She wanted us to get out. It’s a sad fact, but this game involves casualities, just like the Army I once served with pride.”

Stereo whistled Taps, as he took some pieces of rubble, and lay them so that they’d point towards the blast. “Forgive us, Wendy, but we have to go, before the radiation leaks to us.”

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Up in the Air, Aboard a Plane

The same plane took the Enforcers out of Utah. Silence pervaded. At last, Nira finally spoke. “I hate them. I truly hate them. I know Wendy’s sister said it was wrong to say it, but, I hope they all die.”

“We all feel that way, Nira,” said Randy, as he walked over to her.

“I lost my real Dad a long time ago, now the only Mom I like was killed by those morons.”

Randy hugged her, while she cried. Soon they were all gathered around her.

Music started playing. It was a song by a group from three decades earlier. Nira and the others sat there in silence as they heard it, before singing along with the refrain of the Soundgarden song.

“BLACKHOLE SUN, Won’t you come, and wash away the rain?

BLACKHOLE SUN, Won’t you come, won’t you come?”

Depression lingered as the plane flew on. Nira remembered Martha’s words. They rang true. And she had to be more now, now that her best friend, effective mother, and mentor was no more.

Le Fin

Well, there’s no way Wendy could have survived the blast, eh? Or maybe…Anyways, I decided it would end on this depressing note. The Enforcers WILL make an appearance later, however.