Mod Superhero

Chapter 7.71 - Wight 1 / Icarus 2

Wight and Ava Savanus faced each other in the underground hallway of Venture's laboratory. The antimatter suitcase had done exactly what it was supposed to do. It had muted both of their powers, leaving Savanus cut off from her army of biomechs—

And leaving Wight powerless and alone with a still-deadly cyborg.

That was a strange feeling. He'd been in a handful of playground fights in elementary school, but it had been a long time since someone had bloodied his nose. Wight had manifested his full powers at eleven years old. Since then he hadn't even cut himself shaving.

For the first time in Wight's life, he was staring down a potentially deadly opponent.

Ava's momentary panic at the situation quickly turned to maniacal satisfaction. She raised an arm toward him, one embedded with a micro plasma-launcher. Her shoulder-mounted weapons did similarly. The smell of ozone hung heavy in the room.

She smiled. "Poor choice of words. I'm not powerless... you are."

"You're right," he said plainly.

Ava hesitated and studied him. "That's it? Nothing else to say? ...I should've known you weren't going to beg. Almost takes the fun out of it. You've been a ghost for so long. Now, someone's finally got you dead to rights, and you still don't feel anything."

Ava was right. Fear would be an appropriate response.

So why was he smiling?

It wasn't out of smugness, even though Ava truly didn't understand her situation. And it wasn't out of satisfaction, even though this was one victory of many. Wight truly didn't know why he was smiling—

Not until he felt his heart racing.

"You're wrong, Ava. I think I'm excited—for the first time in a long time. And, more importantly, you don't have me dead to rights."

Ava sneered, and her outstretched arm twitched. It was a slight motion—one that most people never saw. Because most people would be dead. But nothing happened. Instead of firing, Ava's arm quieted and powered down.

She looked down at it in confusion. Her shoulder-mounted weapons powered down, their nozzles drooping.

Wight folded his hands in front of him calmly.

This part was always the same. How many times had he stood in front of a target, watching the realization set in? Wight had quit counting early on and he wasn't the type of spy to keep count of his missions.

Wight said, "You thought you knew how this exchange was going to go. You were so sure. Kill me, destroy the suitcase, and then... Well, it doesn't matter."

Ava ignored him. Her eyes twitched as she ran weapon system diagnostics.

Wight continued, "Even Venture didn't believe me. He insisted that I take Mutagen K-2 and study your schematics, just in case. Then I reminded him that I didn't need my powers. I never needed my powers."

"What did you do to me?!"

"You really haven't figured it out yet? ...I didn't do anything to you. You've been double-crossed."

Ava glanced around, a mixture of disbelief and disgust on her face. Then realization slowly dawned on her.

"...Bastion?"

Bastion's voice came through the speakers so that both Wight and Savanus could hear.

"I am locking down your weapons and your prosthetics."

Ava staggered. Instead of completely freezing her in place, Bastion gave her just enough slack to catch herself. Ava fell to her hands and knees. She struggled, but moved just enough to look up at Wight. Her muscles shook, and her voice strained.