Barrier City 2
The speck on the horizon rockets closer causing Styles to break into a cold sweat as the armored hero dove towards the scene below. Steeling himself Styles forces himself to remain calm, “Right. We will face him together.”
Snapshot nods slowly, taking up another camera in his now shaking hands. “We could blind him before he lands.”
Before Styles could protest Bingo picks up a manhole cover to throw. “Target still at extreme range.”
“No one does anything yet!” Styles said not unable to take his eyes off the rapidly approaching hero.
Seconds ticked by as the trio of villains stood in the middle of the street, the ruins of the armored car behind them. The armored suit kicks its legs forward in its decent, landing in a skid that digs into the asphalt spraying debris as the suit causes a bipedal trench nearly a dozen feet long. Holding his breath Styles waited for what was sure to come next.
The voice from the armored suit booms distorted and nearly deafening. “RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!” To emphasis his point Tremor raises its arms pointing twin forearm cannons at the three villains.
Styles nearly covered his ears, blinking rapidly and working the inside of his ear with a finger. “Could you lower the volume on that? You could have killed anyone that had a hangover in a two block radius!”
Tremor’s right arm cannon fires, concentrated sonics tore into the street before Tremor adjusts the beam dragging it up sheering through Bingo’s hip diagonally also taking the endoskeleton’s left hand. The skeletal robot crashes backwards cut in two with a shower of sparks.
Snapshot raises his camera before turning his head and hitting the shutter button. The world explodes white for Styles the brilliant flash blinding him. Covering his eyes, “Snapshot! I can’t see!”
The store front across the street from Valerie explodes as a wildly aimed beam rakes through it. Blood pumping in his ears Styles feels a hand on his shoulder pulling him away from the scene. Rubbing at his eyes Styles follows the guiding hand. Down the street a car explodes as Tremor takes another wild shot. “Come on boss! I got ya!”
A second pair of hands helps Styles into a shop, the temperature drops and the bell on the door rings. Massive spots swirl before his eyes, bracing a hand on the wall to keep himself up right. “Snapshot you idiot! Next time warn me first!”
Snapshot watches the street from the door, his accent nonexistent. “Sorry boss. Tremor just shredded Bingo! No rhyme no reason but cut him in half!”
Valerie stays close to Styles, “What was he talking about? What hostages?”
Styles shook his head, feeling a chill roll down his spine. “What is Tremor doing now?”
Peering through the door window Snapshot takes on an incredulous expression. “He’s still blind, anything he bumps into he just blasts. Oh, there went a telephone pole. That stop sign will never offend anyone again. If we are going to make a dash for it we better do it quick, he won’t be blind for much longer.”
Rubbing his temples Styles could nearly see straight. “He can fly at Mach 4, and those cannons can shred most any covering. There is no way we are going to beat him. I’d say we surrender but after what he did to Bingo I don’t think that is an option.”
From outside Tremor’s voice booms, “Your criminal days are over. Step out and face righteous justice!”
Snapshot moves away from the door as the hero’s amplified voice rattles the glass on the door. “What do we do?”
Styles gives Valerie a slant gaze, “Think us a way out of this, quickly.”
Nodding Valerie steadies herself, looking about the café. “We need a weapon that can get through his shielding. Get me the coffee maker over there, the speakers on the wall and…” Her voice trails off before snapping back. “Bingo’s legs. That should do it.”
Snapshot checks the door again and groans. “Fuck me. He is following the Framers and they are heading this way.”
Styles balks catching sight of his reflection. “My hair is a wreck! This suit is ruined. Wait! What did you say, Snapshot?”
“I said, he is following the Framers. Isn’t that against the rules?”
Valerie rips a speaker off the wall. “We don’t talk about them, remember? We are supposed to pretend they are not even there.”
Styles shucks off his suit coat, “Tremor always plays by the rules, appears today is quite the exception. I didn’t even get to monologue. Not that he was even expected to be here!”
Valerie enters a trance like state, her mini Uzi lay in pieces, as she continued to cobble together the improvised weapon. Her hands nearly a blur, “I need those legs!”
Styles cranes his head to the side, popping his neck. “I’ll get the legs. Snapshot, I need a distraction.”
Pointing at himself, Snapshot’s eyes grew wide, “Me? What do you expect me to do to him? I used the only flash bulb I had. I can’t pocket dimension him, I only carried one shot.”
Shoving Snapshot out the door, Styles yells, “Well think of something!”
Snapshot stumbles onto the sidewalk, facing Tremor’s armored suit. The right arm of the suit raised up pointing in Snapshot’s direction. Static danced over the end of the barrel. “Get on your knees, hands behind your head, criminal!”
Raising his hands Snapshot began to move to his knees slowly. Styles takes the opportunity to dash out of the shop and using Snapshot for cover runs towards the fallen Bingo. Tremor turns to follow the movement the sonic cannon discharges, tearing up the ground behind Styles.
Tucking into a diving roll Styles evades the beam, dust filling the air nearly blinding him again. Hands clawing at the ground, Styles scrambles to his feet running in a crouch as another beam sheers through the top of a parked car. Snapshot rifles through his pockets on his vest. Coming up with a Polaroid photo he winces as he tears the photo in half tossing it at Tremor’s feet.
Space unfolds above Tremor as a old styled banker’s safe appears and comes crashing down upon the armored hero. The heavy steel safe clips the armored hero in the shoulder sparking off the force field sending the Tremor to a knee. Spinning to sprint away, Snapshot nearly slams into a hovering camera, ducking the device he curses under his breath. “Damn Framer.”
Tremor rises to his feet, kicking the safe out of the way, training his forearm cannon at the fleeing Snapshot. Tearing another photo Snapshot took cover behind the rare, blue Cadillac Reamer as it materializes from being released from its pocket dimension. The hovering camera moves higher to get a panning view of the scene its quad fan blades working in overdrive on its ascension.
Styles baseball slides the last stretch of the ruined street to Bingo’s remains. The robot spasms, its remaining hand twitching in time with its shaking head. Its speech slurs like a record winding down. “Why? Why did this happen…Styles help me.”
Styles takes up the heavy dura-steel legs, pausing long enough to see the car Snapshot was hiding behind being pulled apart by Tremor. The force field around the armored suit flickered. Turning to Bingo, Styles had his game face on. “Sorry Bingo. You are just a victim of fashion. One week you’re in, the next you’re out.”
Bingo jerks its remaining arm trying to catch Styles by the ankle, “Help me!”
Casually stepping back Styles began his dash towards the café, leaving Bingo’s slurring pleas at his back. Calling to Snapshot, “Keep it up, he is using up his energy!” Styles felt his chest with a hand, his heart was racing and it felt good. He felt alive as he reached the door to the café. Slapping the legs down in front of Valerie, “I got the legs. Work your magic.”
Snapshot was nearly in tears, expensive cars, valuable paintings, heavy sculptures he had stolen with his pocket dimension Polaroid were blasted and smashed without a second thought by Tremor. The armored hero slowed, the force field faded but still the suit lumbered on. Snapshot pivoted to evade Tremor only to trip over his own feet. Sprawling on the ground Snapshot looked up at the towering Tremor. An armored foot stepped down on Snapshot’s ankle pulverizing it under the weight. Snapshot flopped over on his back screaming in sheer pain hands tangling in the straps of the multiple cameras slung around his neck and shoulders.
Styles gazed out the window in horror. “This makes no sense at all. Tremor is not a killer, never once has he even gotten close to doing that. Everything is wrong about this.”
Valerie wipes her brow, “Finished!” Holding up a contraption that resembled a long handled sledge hammer with various knobs and tanks attached to it. The remains of Bingo’s foot could clearly be seen as the counter weight to the heavy ‘hammer’.
Styles gazed upon the object, skeptically, “What am I supposed to do with that?”
Cringing as Snapshot screams again from outside, “You have to hit him in the chest plate with it, and then push the red button, it should take him out.” Valerie explains in a rush.
Ripping his street stained shirt open revealing sculpted abs and chiseled chest. Styles smirks grimly, “Well if I am going out I might as well go out doing what I do best. Making the scene.”
Valerie leaned up and kissing Styles on the cheek. “Knock him dead.”
“That would be something, wouldn’t it?”
Stepping out into the ravaged street, Styles walked towards Tremor and the fallen Snapshot with a practiced ease. The Framers buzzed by, fanning out to get maximum coverage of the showdown. Styles sneered approaching the armored hero from behind. Tremor stepped back from the writhing Snapshot turning to face Styles. Raising a forearm cannon the hero attempted to fire the weapon. Styles raised a perfect eyebrow as Tremor’s weapon sparked but failed to activate. “What is the matter, Tremor? Need to find a plug in?”
Striding forward the armored suit balls a fist and swings clumsily at Styles. Easily ducking the attack Styles pirouettes and flanked the hero. Striking out with the hammer Styles connects with the hip of the armored suit. Dodging the return swipe, Styles paces himself, his breathing heightening sensing blood in the water. Striking at the legs and thighs, the hammer began to leave dents in the armor. Styles set the pattern, duck, and strike. Side step and strike. Runway heel turn, strike and pose! Finally Tremor’s suit fell to its knees. Smoothing back his hair Styles smiles, shark like. “Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!”
Snapshot shivered in shock curling up in the fetal position, Styles circles the legendary hero. “Get your camera ready, I’m making history!” Snapshot lifts a shaking hand to give Styles a one finger salute.
Styles pauses dramatically, raising the hammer again. With clenched teeth he hisses softly, “Come on, Tremor. Do something.”
Seconds tick by as Tremor’s suit continued to try to raise its arms and work its legs into motion. Styles slammed the hammer down over the hero’s armored chest and pressed the button as Valerie instructed. The hammer head magnetized, vents opened along the handle pouring out gouts of flame.
Shielding his face Styles backs away as the thrusters go full bore. Tremor gripped the hammer shaft as he is propelled along the street, bouncing and twisting as the suit sparks from the friction of the asphalt. Tremor was slammed through the ruins of a car, bounced off the street, and taking to the air before plowing through a brick wall back first. Valerie cheers from the door of the café, “Finish him, Styles!”
Prancing down the street, through the dusty debris Styles picked up a jagged piece of scrap metal. It was indeed time to finish the job. Styles deftly climbed through the hole in the brick building waving at the dust. The armored suit was slumped against the far wall, half buried in pulverized brick.
Kneeling down next to the armored suit Styles took in a breath of pride. “You had it all, money, fame, the perfect look. Not as good looking as me mind you, but not bad. I always told you I was prettier, and now you know it. Why did you come back? To relive the good old days?”
Styles examined the suit, even it its battered state it held a majesty that could never be stripped away totally. With a hydraulic hiss the shattered chest plate parted, and the helmet visor lifted. Flipping the shiv around in his hand Styles readied himself to plunge the steel into the soon to be exposed face below.
Terrified eyes widened staring up at the victorious villain. Styles felt his heart skip a beat, as his stomach dropped. Bile attempted to fill his throat the shiv almost slipping from his now weak fingers. Inside the reinforced suit was a child. Not the charismatic hero of old but a child. Sniffing the air the child worked a slender arm free to wipe at a bleeding nostril. Slumping to the side Styles wretched, wanting to vomit but nothing came forth. Covering his mouth Styles stifled an anguished remark as he heard the familiar whir of a Framer attempting to poke its way into the hole.
With sheer willpower, Styles threw the jagged metal expertly into the hungry lens of the hovering camera. The hovering camera now blind quickly crashed as its rotors caught on the edge of the hole in the wall. Speaking to himself, Styles shook as personal horror flooded him. “I almost killed a kid. I almost killed a kid. What twisted plot point is this?”
Staggering to the hole in the wall Styles wailed. “WHY? Why would you want me to do this? What do you want from me? Answer me you celestial assholes!”
Backseat Muse 