Chapter Eleven: Rise of the Neuroseekers, Part Two

The flames, the flames of war burnt in Dustin’s heart, he was betrayed by his best friend and now everything he had was taken from him. As he warmed his hand in front of the trash fire, he breathed in and out and checked on Elias. The two sharks shared each other’s heat. Elias breathed in and out slowly, his breaths erratic and weak.

Ronan had taken everything from him in one fell swoop. His house, his job, his education and his stable life all lost to Dustin. He had nothing; he only had a trash fire and some people that might help him out. Dustin couldn’t show up and attempt to buy another house, he’d be send to paperwork hell and Ronan would send Neuroseeker after him.

It didn’t help that soon afterwards, all of his funds were taken out of his account and he had nothing; only Elias could help him and slowly he feared that Elias was getting sick; something with his lungs but they only had each other. He couldn’t take Elias to see a doctor, so he had only guesses and people’s option to help him.

Dustin too feared that slowly he too was going to be sick, his hoodie not going to help him in the complete dead of winter. Two months ago before Ronan was taken the first snowfall seemed so nice, so innocent but now it spelled death for those without burnable material or warm clothes.

The shark shivered and looked around, a few other homeless had gathered around his little trash fire and added in a few of their own materials. Dustin smiled at them but as the snow of death rained down, it was hard to feel happy. There was not much to feel good about and there wasn’t much to do feel good.

One would think that the supers would take exception to the Neuroseekers, but there case; the Superbeasts were forced to move outwards and ended up in Canada. Meanwhile the Environmental Bunch was forced to hibernate as their base froze down during winter. They would have to wait till spring to contact them again, a dream of spring.

Rubbing his face off and wiping off his nose. He at least felt lucky that he and Elias had a large blanket they were able to take before shit went down. Stephen and Ronan had turned on him and were completely evil; on the surface the city looked fine, but below the evil within shined.

Old and deprecated bases were converted into prisons. People were taken away from their families and taken to these bases and doing god knows what. He had no idea where or when they could strike. He lived in fear and so did the city. No one could rebel against them, and most of city couldn’t be convinced.

They had no idea where Colin had gone either; the Neuroseekers had taken him as well. If logic served him and Elias well and he hoped that could then, they might have been using Colin’s powers in order to form some sort of aura identification system.

…

“You will never get away with this, you monster.” Colin said weakly as his head was fitted with some sort of helmet; lightbulbs on the helmet lighting up and reacting as his powers interfaced.

“Oh, poo, poor, poor, Colin we’ve already heard this; I already have, every action, every possibility all running around in my head; you’d think it would explode with all that knowledge.” Stephen said smiling as he placed his hand against Colin’s face and smiled with an evil glint on his face.

“Thank you, but you Ronan; we all expected better from you.” Colin said as Stephen followed along, repeating exactly with Colin. “You and Dustin were supposed to work it out, you two were supposed to end the Neuroseekers not join them, you two were the chosen ones.”  

“Oh Colin you expect so many things, but you thought the answer before it even began; I absorb the darkness in Dustin’s body and with this system maybe I can find a bit more darkness to absorb.” Ronan said as he set up the system and connected it to a large processing machine. He smiled at Stephen and Stephen smiled back as well.

Pulling a steampunkish lever, electricity ran through the machine, then to Colin and it was activated. Colin screamed out in pain as electricity ran through his body, burning and chemically changing his body quicker than his baseline superpowers could keep to the status quo.

And then suddenly he felt like he couldn’t move his arms, or his legs or his entire body; he only felt his lungs breathing and heart pumping basic functions. Other than that he was in a vegetative state, completely useless and unable to do anything but breathe.

Stephen walked up to him and pinched his fingers together. Colin suddenly felt a twinge of pain as Stephen flicked him. The madman smiled at the reaction he got and instead turned away and backed up. Still shivering, he saw Stephen and his horrible aura; a complete black and not even comparing to Dustin’s. He closed his eyes hoping to avoid the crazy man. 

Yet Colin could still see, his eye lids might have been closed but just like walls that never stopped auras before. Yet he could see further and further than before, it was like something was overclocking his brain. And suddenly an interface appeared; names and labels; wireframe walls and streets appearing.  

“Your mind is blanked, no function but your circulatory system will run the rest of your mind is our processing system now functional CityOS, you are our eyes and ears Colin, everything that happens in this city is monitored by you.” Stephen said stepping up and looking at Colin. “Not that it matters to you.”

“Now then Colin, I would have found you and the Outsiders long ago had it not been for you and your pesky mental training. But even the Outsiders cannot hide their aura.” Stephen said as he looked over to the screen and saw all the identities of the New York people get added to the system. “Ronan find me an Outsider!”

“Yes sir.” Ronan said as he entered a few names into the system and started to run a search. Six large boxes and a map of New York appeared as Colin ran through his visual data and was forced to give up the secret location of his friends, dooming them all. Stephen smiled as he saw the pain on Colin’s face.

He walked forward and did a spin as he walked over the City Hall window and saw the map of New York with all the remaining Outsiders. He imagined his perfect view outside the window, smoke and smog would clog the sky and dust run close against the ground; buildings would be knocked down and the few standing in flames; and in the perfect twist legions of Neuroseekers would be marching through out, all under his command.

“Now then Mr. Ronan send out the command to the first legion, make sure they all converge on Dustin and Elias; make sure those two do not escape. Make sure they know the pain that I went through and make sure they do not strike back.” Stephen said as he walked back from the window and looked around at Colin, he smiled a bit again knowing how much pain it would cause Colin.

…

Of course these previous events didn’t happen side by side, maybe days or hours, or weeks in between. After that even through, Dustin and Elias felt that something was wrong as the hours leading up to the strike. They should have acted but they felt that even leaving the alley would have endangered more people.

So as Dustin grilled his tiny weenie dog on a stick over the trash fire, not caring about what was in the smoke but more so caring that his food was warm and hopefully germ-free. He let his guard down and would pay the price.

“Elias I think, I think that it’s going to warm up soon and maybe then we can contact the Environmental Bunch; that’s all we need to wait for; when spring comes all our problems will be over and we will be free of this course.” Dustin said as he shivered a bit, Elias pushed off the snow from their blanket and started to hug Dustin.

“Oh, Dustin; you were always so hopeful. I don’t think dream of spring will ever come; I don’t even think we’ll survive to see the winds of winter.” Elias said as he rubbed his hand over Dustin’s body warming him up. Their trash fire mates looked at them strangely as they pointed towards the entrance of the alley.

Standing up Elias, saw the familiar black and read armor of the Neuroseekers approach as he realized there time had been called. He sharpened both of his hands, if he was going to regenerate or maybe die; he was going to set up one hell of a fight before he would.

Dustin stood up and wrapped the blanket around himself; he didn’t need to be captured and he didn’t need anyone else getting hurt because of his actions. With a shoo, he quickly started to evacuate the people around the trash fire, sending them deeper into the alley and hopefully away from the Neuroseekers.

“Go with them, you need to carry on the legacy of the Outsiders!” Elias yelled as he turned around and encouraged Dustin to run. The shark seeing this, pushed over the trash fire and placed hopefully a bit of a barrier between him and the Neuroseekers but knew he wouldn’t have long until they found a way to him.

Wasting no time, the shark ran in front of the people and opened up a sewer tunnel. Dustin knew this portion of the tunnel was empty and uninhabited by anyone, even the Neuroseekers were down that portion. He kept the manhole open as he allowed everyone into the tunnel so that they weren’t taken by the Neuroseekers.

…

Elias stood still in front of the Neuroseekers; putting his two blades together he sharpened his hands as he prepared to fight. Jumping forward, he made the first move and impaled someone with his hands. As they bled out; he jumped to the next person and before he could attack he was fired out.

Stopping in mid-air; Elias turned himself into a blob of liquid metal as he waited for the machine fire to stop. Yet, some of him was forced off by the machine gun fire. Blobs of liquid metal were raining on to the ground, parts of his body all gone. Soon enough before he could even fight back and kill a good half of them; he was a collection of blobs on the floor.       

Attempting to revert back into his previous form, his liquid metal pieces attempted to roll back together; but instead the Neuroseekers gathered his blobs in a tiny circle and placed a ring around it. As it did, it suddenly formed a shield above it and one below it; with a flash of light it vaporized the dirt in the spherical container. One of the Neuroseekers picked up the Azbantium container and knew that Elias would be stuck in his form.

…

Dustin looked as the Neuroseekers captured Elias. He backed up against the wall and silently walked over to the manhole cover, he shed a tear for Elias and lowered himself into the sewers as he knew that he had to find somewhere better to hide. And finally closing the manhole, he disappeared into sewers along with the last trace of the Outsiders.

…

It was two days later, Dustin had managed to find a castle under New York; he believe that if he was right Azbantium might have blocked Colin’s power and while he couldn’t be sure, no one had attacked them. So walking forward, as Dustin attacked a Neuroseeker, he was glad they walked by.

Summoning some of the water from the ground, he threw it at the Neuroseekers and he squeezed his fist. The collection of water droplets froze into ice crystals he made sure that the Neuroseekers would give him the information he needed.

With three-fourths of the Outsiders with the Neuroseekers in one way or another, he needed an end plan. Hopefully if he was right then this Neuroseeker would have a way to facilitate his end plan. He calmly and carefully walked up to the heavily armored solider and waited for a second as he stood still.

 “So have you heard the stories about the Outsiders?” Dustin asked as he looked at the Neuroseekers, rubbing his hand against the ice. The solider managed to make a noise that sounded like he was in agreement. Dustin smiled at him, he looked at the massive one that was painted on his shoulder.

“Now then you’re a part of the First Field Battalion, you and your friends report directly to Stephen himself.” Dustin said as the solider whined in agreement for a second before he too realized what that meant for them. Dustin looked over the solider and seemed to be looking for something. Backing up Dustin tightened his ice’s grip on the man.

“Now then, City Hall is abandoned protected by massive and or deadly traps; however like I said you report right to Stephen, meaning you go straight to City Hall in order to report.” Dustin said as he smiled a bit, he felt the water go through the man’s suit trying to feel for something. As the water touched the piece of paper he smiled.

“Now then, I’ll be taking this.” Dustin said as he melted a patch of ice near the Neuroseeker’s hip and he reached in. He smiled as he felt the pocket and he pulled out the piece of paper. Pulling the water from it, he looked at the piece of paper that had a diagram of the area in front of town hall.  

“Oh Stephen would be so disappointed in you right now, but don’t feel bad you will be returned to your friends when they find you. As for me however, I have a thing to plan and trust me you will hear about it.” Dustin said as he let his control of the water go and moved back towards the Azbantium lined castle.

Entering the castle, everyone was working hard to ensure their survival. While in the castle, they at least had not had to worry about snow and heat was less of a problem when it was contained underground. The men worked and Dustin knew that they might become of use.

Still he was troubled, he had no army to defend himself with and no one to march with up to City Hall. So as he climbed up the later and exited through the alley, way he passed through the Neuroseeker raided camp and looked out onto the street. Ignoring the people passing him on the street, he stood still and broke down in laugher as saw that the winter had ended, or at least the snow.

Hiding himself in the crowd, Dustin walked forward as he looked out and saw an old public telephone. Maneuvering his way through the crowd, he arrived at the telephone and hid himself with in it as he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his last quarters. Slipping it into the phone he hoped that Stephen wouldn’t be able to wire through a physical connection.

The phone rang a few times and then as someone on the other end picked up, Dustin silently celebrated as he was fired at with insults.

“Listen, we don’t have much time; we need to get together, and you will do this because you owe me; you two owe me, you know where to meet me don’t worry I’ll survive.” Dustin said as he set up the final moments of the Neuroseekers; this time he would make sure they died, even if it meant he had to kill Ronan. He took a breath to himself as he made sure he knew what mean and what he would have to do.

Still war would be brought to the Neuroseeker’s front doors and as Dustin looked up to the building of City Hall Tower, he smiled and pointed his finger at it making a banging noise.

…

“Stephen I think Dustin’s finally here to give up.” Ronan said as he looked out the window and saw that the shark was standing before the gauntlet of traps they had set up for any attacker or wandering citizen. This made Stephen very happy, smiling as he walked up to the window and looking out. Currently Stephen was standing on the piles of cars, that lead up to their perception field covered shifting maze.    

“Ah finally Outsider, we didn’t know how long it would be until we expected your visit.” Stephen said as he opened the window and peered his face out into the air. Dustin had a sour look on his face and raised his hand as the snow reacted. Falling off of buildings and coming up from the snow, Dustin formed a massive ball of snow as he moved it around with relative ease.

Stephen looked in confusion as he tried to figure out what the hell Dustin was planning. The shark was crafty and he knew what he was doing, he was smart and knew how to trick him.

“So you want to have a snow ball fight, we’ll good luck getting through my maze of wonders and crafts.” Stephen said as he saw Dustin act, the shark pulled the snow over his body and seemed to pass through it; his body freezing into ice as he absorbed the energy from the ice. The snow turned into water as Dustin entered his ice form and in seeming violation of the second law of thermodynamics threw the water down in front of him and froze it into a battle field of frozen ice.

Dustin walked backwards, knowing that he couldn’t pass through without showing off. So instead he passed back towards the entrance into the car maze and Stephen smiled knowing that Dustin still had his love for puzzles. However, looking on the aura view panel he was surprised to see Dustin quickly pass through all three puzzles showing no trouble as he did so.

And then with a moment of peace, Dustin appeared at the end of the puzzles with seemingly no trouble. That was when Stephen saw the cheat sheet. The paper Dustin was waving in the air, wasn’t a white flag of surrender but how he easily passed through the mazes. And as if to rub salt in his wound, with a snap of his fingers the entire maze exploded; leaving them unprotected.

“Well we’re boned.” Ronan said commenting on their current situation. Stephen looked at him.

“Oh really him and what army?” Stephen said as if trying to jinx himself and then suddenly Colin groaned as if he was overloaded. Turning towards the aura screen, he saw a massive collection of flying people over their base. With a snap of Dustin’s finger once again a massive appear of superheroes appeared.

“Now then Stephen, you have shattered New York to pieces; and I will once again act the glue, together the Outsiders, the Environmental Bunch and the Superbeasts will take you down and return the status quo!” Dustin said as the forces of New York landed and walked through the exploded mazes. Dustin smiled as Wildebeast and Treehugger stood behind him.

“So then kid, we’ll take care of their armies and we’ll take care of ourselves; you go up there and take down the Neuroseekers; anyway this is your fight and your victory.” Wildebeast said as he signed thumbs up to Dustin. Dustin smiled and gave his own thumbs up.  

“Good luck; don’t be afraid to do what you have to; don’t hold yourself back and know that sacrifices will have to be made in order to save New York.” Treehugger said as he referred to Ronan up in the City Hall. Dustin looked down and tried to not force himself to think about it. Treehugger sighed as well, knowing that something would happen.

As Neuroseekers scrambled out of City Hall’s side entrance as they tried to climb out and made their way out to icy battlefield; climbing over the massive spikes of ice and nearly slipping. Meanwhile while the Neuroseekers appeared to come out to fight, Dustin walked forward towards City Hall. His feet stuck to ice as if they were covered in half dry glue, but he continued forward and entered through the large doors.

Passing into the City Hall, he finally got a look of the area. The secretary was replaced by his old mayor, glued to the seat and decomposing in his position; flies and maggots in his muscles and skin.

Dustin ignored that and walked at the stairway; none of the Neuroseekers, even the ones flying down the stairs dare not to get in his way. Instead they parted like the Red Sea; avoiding the shark as if he had caught the plague. Dustin made his way up the stairs and continued as such, looking through the second floor window and seeing the battle.   

The Superbeasts pounced on and grouped up the Neuroseekers guiding them into a centralized area and then bam! One of the Environmental Bunch’s sent vines and roots through the ground; knocking the ice out and presumably into them at high speeds, which itself would cause damage; and then sending them into the air.

A few of the Neuroseekers screamed as they landed right on the spikes. Screams and battle cries rang out over the battle field as the three sides fight. Dustin nearly felt a bit proud, glad that he did the work and allowed the Environmental Bunch and the League of Supers to work together for once. So Dustin then turned away and continued up another set of stairs till he arrived at the top floor, at least for the executive offices.

Looking forward the shark only saw one way to continue and that was to pass through the door in front of him and go into the Mayor’s office where Ronan and Steven surely awaited. He walked forward and swallowing his dignity knocked on the door.

Suddenly a chair came out underneath him and he was forced to sit on it as it pushed above the floor and made sure his rump landed on it. The door opened and he was dragged in, no binds or handcuffs; the only thing keeping him on the chair was static friction and his own fear of falling two feet.   

“And finally face to face; we meet, and now we shall fight.” Stephen said walking forward. Dustin could smell the dominating personality and the ego in the room. He felt bitter, that Steven had taken Ronan from him and forced him out onto the streets and now it would be that day where it all ended.

“Ah yes Master, I could rip him to shreds in my werewolf form.” Ronan said as his muzzle started to extend and his teeth sharp and long. Standing still Stephen only had to turn to look at Ronan and suddenly the wolf started to whimper like a puppy. “I’m sorry, please forgive my sins.”

“You are absolved; please do control the outbursts next time.” Stephen said as he laughed a bit to himself, Dustin looked shell-shocked as his arch-nemesis brought his once defiant to the end friend seemingly down on his knees and begging for mercy. Dustin didn’t know what to make of that.

“As for you Outsider, well Dustin you put me through hell and you know what that is like; it feels like having your heart ripped out of your chest, every single day, every single living moment; feeling every blood vessel, every part of your body all ripped out of you through your mouth at the same time.” Stephen said nearly foaming out of the mouth as he tried to convey how he felt. “But then I would be getting ahead of myself; you stand as the accused please make your case.”

Dustin looked, Ronan and Steven were judging his every move; every single motion he made and were going to judge everything syllable out of his mouth to a tee. He saw Colin hung in the corner, his brain actively at work at trying to render the auras of battle below him. Elias was still condensed into a few pieces of liquid metal in an Azbantium lined container. Everyone was judging him and everyone counted that he would be right.

“Well you know how it started, we we’re exploring the sewers that one day and we found the cairn in the wall. When that happened we went in and we gained out powers; I never knew what yours was but you seemed knocked out, I took the necklace and…” Dustin said as he was interrupted by Stephen.  

“And you abandoned me, all of this would have never happened if you didn’t abandon me; All of this is your fault, take a look at the world you created Riptide, how much do you enjoy it now?” Stephen said laughing as he if had finally achieved something. Still as he looked to Dustin, he expected a more destroyed, distraught look; not a confused smile.

“I left to get help, there was no one in the sewers and went I surfaced no one believed me; and then when I came back you vanished.” Dustin said as he tried to explain himself tears falling down his eyes. “No one could find you, everyone thought you had perished; I threw that necklace away and then here I am; King of all Sharks.”

“Ah yes, it’s always that simple in the end; no one believes you; no one wants to help, well unfortunately that hasn’t worked out so much for the non-believers now has it?” Stephen said as he walked forward towards Dustin, “When I see what we have become, even what you have become; I remember a line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

“What do you want, to exert your control over the world, you want to enslave them, you want to commit genocide?” Dustin said backing away from the mad man in front of him; Stephen looked to be becoming increasing unstable by the moment; his powers either being too strong for him or himself never being able to control himself.      

“Exactly, Dustin; Riptide; King of all Sharks; join me and we will eliminate the scum of this world; for thousands of years humans have intended on killing this word, but now they shall get there just deserts and we the superpowered shall take the rest over.” Stephen said; his eye glowing red and his body starting to produce a limp, his voice deepened and in that moment Dustin realized his friend was truly gone.

“Stephen, I will give you one last chance to end this or else I will strike.” Dustin said raising his voice as he still realized that he was in his ice form. Stephen paused in his steps and took a look into Dustin’s mind, and with what he saw he started to turn the other way.

With a frozen tear being produced, he put his arms out and formed an icicle; he at least wanted it to be quick. And before Stephen could escape, he threw the icicle forward and closing his eyes; he heard the child scream out in pain and fall to the floor. Opening his eyes, he threw away his ice form and instead walked forward knowing that the battle was through.

Walking over to Stephen’s side, he knew that his friend was dead; now in both senses of the word. A tear ran down his eye, his childhood had ended and now the real challenge had begun. He stood up after checking Stephen’s pulse and looked at Ronan who had cornered himself in the side of the room.

“Ronan, he’s dead; don’t let him influence you any more come with me and we can end this; there are no more massively evil organizations or threats in New York City; it can go back to how it was before the Neuroseekers arrived.” Dustin said not really realizing until he ended that sentence what that really could mean.

“Oh don’t worry, you fools; I completely intend on making this city exactly how I saw it before the Neuroseekers arrived; bye-bye dears.” Ronan said as he pulled the arm of his black jacket away and revealed a wrist teleporter; with seemingly no regrets pushed it.

Ronan was engulfed in a blue light as he teleported; outside a blue glow hit the window. The Neuroseekers too had teleported away and with everything done, he was teleported away; his best friend gone and his other best friend killed at his own hands. Dustin should have felt depressed but he felt nothing, he felt oddly neutral. Still there were worse things, Elias didn’t die; Colin’s brain didn’t overload and his family wasn’t in danger.

Walking over to the table, he grabbed the Azbantium lined ball and saw Elias inside of it. Pulling it apart, the liquid metal splashed out onto the floor and in seeming defiance to the second law of thermodynamics expanded and formed into a fully-fledged person.

Walking over to the wall, he disconnected Colin from the machine and the lizard awoke as if just from a very long sleep. Colin yawned as Dustin disconnected his cuffs and the Outsider nearly fell on the floor. Dustin looked at him and Colin back and both started to laugh.

…

“So good news, Stephen is dead; if you didn’t notice from his corpse. Second, the Neuroseekers are definitely weakened in forces now; we shouldn’t see them for a while.” Dustin said trying to keep himself happy as he discussed the events of the days with his friends. “Sadly however, Ronan is gone; he is AWOL now; he is either leading the Neuroseekers himself or going to find someone who can lead them. Even further, in the reign of the Neuroseekers, the Outsiders were relentless attacked and we have lost many members.”

“And, is there anything else; surely you didn’t do this on your own?” Elias asked as suddenly the sound of clapping and cheering interrupted from outside the office. The sharks and the lizard walked over and peered out of the windows. A massive celebration had begun people running through the destroyed maze and starting to celebrate as they realized the reign of terror had ended.

“Well if for anything we can say New York is united, we are one town and we’re crazy enough to have three superhero teams; and now that their working together, that’s just how we like it.” Colin said as he leaned against the window and opened it, a chill of wind entered the room and he shivered. “Jesus, its freezing how long have I been gone?”

Dustin and Bright turned their head and smiled as they wanted to figure out who would tell Colin that he was gone for two months.

…

“You know as I go as per breaks up that one wasn’t the worst one I’ve seen.” Elias said to Colin as they snuggled on the rooftop, looking at Dustin and trying to make sure he was okay.

Dustin looked up into the sky as he saw the stars come out, laying on top of the tallest building in New York City meant that pesky light pollution didn’t work for the most part; and he could see everything. Orion, Draco, Cetus; all flying up in the night sky; shining down on him.

Dustin identified the stars, Beetlegoose, Sirius, Tau Ceti; and he felt they were all watching back on him. Looking over he ignored the sight of Colin and Elias making out next to him and instead he decided to focus on the celebrations happing around him.

Poking his head over the building Dustin looked down into Times Square and saw everyone partying as the New Year timer counted down. He didn’t know how the New Year would go and he didn’t want to know how it would go. He wanted to enjoy the times ahead and have fun.

As the time started its countdown to zero and the ball started to lower; Dustin poked Colin and Elias and made sure they were standing up to see the New Year coming. All three of them put their hands on each other’s back and swayed side to side as the crowd below them counted down.

“Five!”

“Four!”

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”,  And just as the year came in, it went out just as quick the ball dropping and signaling the start of a New Year. And somehow just somehow, Dustin knew he would make it right.