Gauntlet

The Fate of JTF Arcana

Entry for Write To Rank: Round 3 - Orange Belt by action
(Prompt: Flash fiction featuring dialog between good and evil characters; 785 words)

The submarine Bahamūt made its way towards Storstburg, cruising as fast as possible while remaining in stealth mode. The sub held its course, keeping the glass-and-steel facade of the Framsteg Mässan convention hall in view. Every moment was critical — the Security Forum would probably be underway by now.

"Gomabseubnida, Walid!" said 'The Magician' Park Joon-ho. "We're grateful for letting us beta test your toys."

"Well, it's fair dinkum. If the Eye of Providence goes live, that's me bottom line gone, right there," said the dusky technopreneur. "Consider it a proof of concept, mate. Besides, you'll be needing suppliers if Joint Task Force Arcana gets reinstated."

"When it gets reinstated," said 'The High Priestess' Shanice Brooks. She bundled up her dreadlocks with cocksure bravado. "Because if it doesn't, the world is gonna be whole lot deadlier for all of us."

In a daring move, a platform surfaced from the top of the Bahamūt, launching the Efreet infantry mobility vehicle into the air with precision timing. The IMV hurtled through the harborfront windows of the conventional hall. The Global Council's Peacekeeping Force rushed to surround the empty Efreet, with assault rifles drawn. With the Peacekeepers' attention focused on the decoy, the surviving members of JTF Arcana infiltrated the conference grounds via the Marid mini-sub.

* * *

"The Council has been totally compromised. There are mercs with OMNI insignia fighting alongside the Indigo Helmets," reported 'Justice' Mateo Araújo over the commlink, as the sound of laser beams fired away in the background. "They're not even trying to hide it anymore, mermão!"

"Hey, Magician! I've got a tentative reading on The All-Seeing Eye's position," announced 'The Chariot' Ishant Reddy. "That bhenchod should be crossing your path any moment now!"

* * *

"Well, it's just you and me here," said Joon-ho, pointing his blaster at OMNI's top commander. "Why don't you take off that stupid helmet, Jonkheer?"

"We both know Sebastien Jonkheer died in the crash at Brčko, so spare me the mind games, Magician!" said the All-Seeing Eye, his voice amplified by a device in his mask. "This has been my real face for decades now."

"You don't seriously think you can get away with this?"

"Oh but I already have!" said the All-Seeing Eye.

"There's a whole hall of elected leaders who agreed to use the Eye of Providence," he continued. "Authorities that were voted into office by the same people who spread fake news and sign over access to their personal data, so they can find out exactly who's inside their echo chambers. By the time they recognize what they've consented to, it will be too late."

"And that is why you never became The Emperor," said The Magician. "What kind of ruler looks down on his subjects?"

The villain cackled. "Do you honestly believe that it matters one iota now?"

OMNI goons rushed into the room with blasters drawn, surrounding The Magician.

"Surely even you can realize that your little group are the bad guys in this story. Impressions are everything. It makes no difference who or what you're really fighting for, if the rest of the world doesn't see it your way."

"As far as the public is concerned, Arcana is a relic," he continued. "A brutish vestige from the era before 9/11. And I'm going to make sure it remains that way!"

The All-Seeing Eye shot his ray-gun at Joon-ho's left knee. The Magician crumpled to the floor in pain. Then he shook his head and began to laugh.

"Oh, Jonkheer! You call me a relic but you're still the exact same blowhard from training camp," said Joon-ho. "See, I know this much: the Providence activation codes need your biometric imprint. So while you've been rambling here, The Chariot has already hacked the failsafe for the satellites. The first one should be burning up in the atmosphere above the Caribbean as we speak."

"Nooooo!"

As this was happening, The High Priestess leaked several petabytes of data into the open web, proving OMNI's infiltration of the Global Council.

Without public opinion in his favor, The All-Seeing Eye ordered his ranks to stand down.

* * *

Several days later, The Magician and The High Priestess chased Panoptica — the last remaining officer from OMNI's command structure — through the dusty back alleys and crowded souqs of Khartoum. In the fray, Joon-ho knocked over carts full of merchants' wares. Shanice flaunted the city's dress code, forgoing a veil to stay aerodynamic as she busted out her parkour moves. In hot pursuit, the Priestess used throwing stars concealed in her tourist hoodie to take down Panoptica.

Yes, their approach could often get messy. In some ways, it really did seem hopelessly old-fashioned. But hey, it got the job done. And daaaamn, it felt great to be back again.