Dusk Harbor 1999

Deadcode

Flying through the air with a cat on his shoulder was inconvenient, to say the least. It was helpful that he couldn't feel pain, because her claws were digging into his skin for dear life.

There were helicopters thundering in the sky just ahead of him, hovering above Sam's Cafe. Blue and red lights bouncing off the walls and windows of the buildings around it. Chatter from the street below.

He dove to the ground just a block away from the cafe, so he wouldn't be seen by police nor villains.

"You fly like a lunatic!" The cat hissed in his ear.

"Well then don't ride on my shoulder!" Jake yelled.

He landed steadily on both feet, and knelt down. She leaped off his back and landed on all fours. Looked up at him for a second. Blinked and turned her back on him.

Jitters, Ice Breaker, Rhinestone Cowgirl, and Total Chaos were already there, tapping their feet, waiting patiently. All they had to do was wait for Mason and Olivia to show up, and they could form a plan. Wait a second. Mason wasn't there to hear the leader's commands... he doesn't know to meet us here... uh oh.

"Guys, we may have a uh, problem," Jake said.

A massive blue and purple portal ripped open right in front of him. Olivia flew out of it and crashed into him, sending them both to the ground.

"Out of the way!" Olivia yelled as she scrambled to her feet.

Jake stood back up, wiped the dust off his uniform. Let out a loud exhale.

"Like I was saying, we might have a problem,"

"Such as?" Ice Breaker asked.

An engine louder than Olivia's portals came tearing up behind them. It was loud enough to startle him forward. Loud enough to be annoying. He hated loud engines. He turned around, and his heart dropped when he saw a black motorcycle with gold trim roaring towards them. Sitting on it was a man holding a machine gun in the air.

"Yeahahaha!!!" The man yelled out.

Jake looked closer. It was Living Weapon, Mason. "Later suckers!"

"That. That's our problem." Jake said.

The motorcycle rounded the corner, and he heard rapid gunfire explode in the night. People yelling and screaming. Cops shouting through bullhorns.

Wild Claw shook her head and grew into her human form. Went to the head of the group and cleared her throat before speaking.

"Apparently not all of us got the memo about not going in guns blazing. And when the plan goes awry, we have to roll with it. Herald, Rhinestone, try to get a handle on Living Weapon. Jitters, Total Chaos and I will sneak up behind the cafe and rescue the hostages. Ice Breaker, Evanesce, keep the police at bay, tell them we're here to help so they don't shoot at us. When the hostages are free, we fight. Got it?"

Jake and everyone else nodded. They all lined up and got ready to take off and run for it.

"Wait, how can you help with the hostages? Shouldn't you be talking to the police?" Olivia asked.

Wild Claw gave a quick wink, tapped her collar, and started transforming. But instead of turning into a small black cat she grew into a large, lithe cheetah with rippling shoulder muscles.

"I think this is far more effective." Wild Claw said.

With that, she and Jitters and Total Chaos took off running.

Ice Breaker looked to Evanesce and sighed heavily. Gestured for her to follow. They went off together. Jake glanced at Rhinestone Cowgirl. His shoulders sagged with disappointment. Working with her again? Why me?