#7 - Lady Luck: Part Two

[Stardrifter]

by
Stardrifter

#7 - Lady Luck: Part Two

Twenty Minutes Ago

The sound of revelry drifts in the air above the waves, coming from the cruise ship heading out to sea. It mingles with the rush of the waves, becoming background noise. Background noise the dark figure in the water can barely hear. That doesn't concern him. The ship isn't his focus. The small black raft being paddled toward the ship is.

So many questions come to mind. Who is the man paddling? Why is the man dressed all in black, with a mask over his head? Why is he trying so hard not to be seen? The only reason the figure found the raft is because he can see perfectly in the dark.

The figure slowly wades through the water, keeping up with the raft without drawing any attention to himself. He keeps his head almost entirely submerged, uncertain of the extent of the man's nightvision. Never before has he encountered a situation like this, and his curiosity is greater than his sense of caution.

Before long the raft reaches the large ship. The man doesn't hesitate, as soon as he's within reach he places a hand on the side of the ship, swings down with his other hand, and the raft suddenly sinks beneath the waves. Shocked, the figure swims down and watches as the raft looses it's shape and sinks, paddles and all. He makes a note of we're it's likely to land for later before swimming back up. The man is now halfway up the side of the ship, climbing against the shear surface with ease, a large bag strapped to his back.

The figure has never been this close to a ship before. If the others knew, he'd be punished for sure. Part of him wants to swim down into the dark and hide, afraid of what might happen. Another part wants to follow the strange man in black. He floats along the waves for some time, watching the man scale the side of the ship, unsure what to do. As the man in black reaches the top, a man clad in strange white strips of cloth walks nearby. The man in black jumps out and grabs the one in the cloth. He wraps his arms around the clothed one's head, twists sharply, and ducks down out of sight.

The figure's decision is made. This just got even more interesting.

****

"Mister Hundred! Mister Hundred!

Mitchell Hundred lets out a small sigh, swallows the last of his champagne, and turns toward the man calling his name. As he turns, he puts his face on. You know the one. All smiles and charm. The face of a man running for Mayor of Metropolis. A face that he would be embarrassed to say he spent hours practicing in front of a mirror, at his assistant's request. After surviving Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Brainiac Invasion, never did Mitchell consider just how difficult public relations could be.

"Can I get a picture of you and Mister Pitt?"

Mitchell obliges. He still can't believe how well the turn out for his first campaign fund raiser has been. He imagines most of it has to do with revealing his secret identity. After telling the world he was a super hero and that he's running for office, the stars and fat cats came out in droves to attach themselves in any way possible. That's where Phinneas Theirault, the largest real estate mogul in Metropolis, came in. He offered to finance and host the fund raiser, bringing much needed legitimacy and influence to bear. Mitchell agreed, though part of him worries about what will be asked of him in return. He'll just have to deal with that when the time comes.

After the photo opportunity is over, Mitchell moves on to mingle with his other guests. He runs a hand through his short, expertly styled brown hair and tugs a bit at the expensive tie around his neck. All around him his guests are wearing costumes of various sorts, yet Mitchell himself is in a suit and tie. When he made his initial speech at the beginning of the night, he explained he came to the party as the Mayor of Metropolis. That little joke went over well.

"Sir," a large, bald man in a black suit interrupts as Mitchell is chatting with Bono. The man is one of Mitchell's security team. A team he thought silly to hire at first, until two days after announcing his candidacy the first attempt on his life was made. "We have a problem. Protestors."

****

"KEEP METROPOLIS CLEAN! NO MORE GREAT MACHINE!"

Ada shouts the chant through her bullhorn, certain she's reaching the ears of the sheep aboard the ship. Her fellow protestors hold up their signs and flashlights, shouting along with her. The crowd that begins to gather along the railing of the deck only fuels their anger, making them shout louder and faster.

"You think Hundred is hearing this?" George asks, his voice muffled by the bloody tissues shoved up his nose.

"If not," Ada whispers away from the bullhorn, "he'll be told about it soon enough."

Ada continues chanting along with the others. Spotlights along the cruise ship turn and blind them, causing a momentary disruption to their chant, but the group quickly recovers. The light makes it impossible to make out who the shapes aboard the ship might be. Ada prays one is Hundred and that he's getting the message.

"Champagne, Shubhada?"

Ada jumps slightly at George's interruption and the feel of his hand on her arm. She quickly turns the bullhorn off, tears her arm away, and slaps him in the shoulder with the back of her hand. "I've told you not to call me that! My name is Ada."

"Your name is Shubhada," George corrects, smugly. He's removed the tissues from his nose, any sign of his indignity replaced by his arrogant smile. When she doesn't take the champagne glass from him, George pulls it back and takes a sip himself. "It's a lovely name, what is the problem?"

"Only my father used to call me that," she whispers through gritted teeth.

"Used to?" George echoes, a look of almost genuine concern on his face. "I apologize. I didn't realize your father was dead."

"I wish," Ada whispers under her breath. George gives her a strange look, but the two are interrupted before he can respond.

"Look!" the dreadlocked girl shouts, pointing toward the ship. The chanting stops as the group follows her gaze. "It's Hundred! I see him!"

Ada quickly looks up. Its hard to make out, the spotlights still blinding them, but it appears Hundred is in fact standing along the railing, flanked by his goons. Its a sobering moment for Ada, to know that the focus of her protest is watching and listening. That her message will be heard.

"FREEEEAK!" one if the group shouts, causing Ada to jump.

"INHUMAN BASTARD! LEAVE METROPOLIS TO THE NORMAL PEOPLE!" another shouts.

The group quickly devolves into a chaotic mess around her. Ada stands silent among them, listening to the hate filled insults of her comrades, all aimed at the super powered individual standing before them. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before whispering, "Freak."

The bullhorn springs to life in Ada's hand as she swings it up to her lips and takes control of her group. "NO MORE HUNDRED'S WHAT WE SEEK! GO AWAY YOU DIRTY FREAK!"

****

The figure silently makes his way up the ladder, doing his best to remain out of sight. All the focus of the ships passengers appear to be on a smaller craft floating along side, making it easier to remain hidden. He looks back up and sees the man in black climbing higher up the ship, apparently looking for the best vantage point. This behavior intrigues him.

The man in black reaches one of the upper levels and crouches down behind the railing. He swings the bag on his back over his shoulder and begins to rummage through it. Its difficult for the figure to see what it is the man is doing, so he finishes his climb up to the deck, crouching down in the darkness and watching. After a few minutes, the man in black lifts up a large device, steadies it on the railing in front of him, and points it toward the deck below him.

The figure follows the direction and sees some men standing at a railing, looking over at the small ship below. He looks back and forth between the man in black and the men standing below and puts two and two together.

<DON'T!>

The sudden intrusion in his mind is enough to distract the man in black for an instant. He nudges the device to the side and a silent flash briefly appears at the end. The figure, fearful he's already done too much, leaps off the ship and crashes into the water below.

****

"Sir, I think you should get away from the railing," the bald bodyguard says, concern in his voice.

"Nonsense, it's just a bunch of college kids," Mitchell assures him. "I don't think they could..." He feels it the instant it begins. The hammer going down. The gunpowder exploding. It's a sensation he's felt numerous times during his life as the Great Machine. Gunfire. "Get down!"

Mitchell ducks down, pulling on the arms of those closest too him. The guards around him follow suit, unholstering their sidearms and looking about for the shooter. The chanting of the protestors ends abruptly, replaced by screams.

****

The man in black curses under his breath, his perfect shot ruined. Hundred quickly ducks down out of view and flees. The element of surprise gone, he knows he won't be able to take Hundred out now. Slinging the rifle and bag over his shoulder, the man leaps down onto the roof of the cabins toward the back of the ship.

He may not be able to take out Hundred, but he can at least cover his tracks. And if he's lucky, maybe it'll take out Hundred too. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a large block of C4. He quickly activates the detonator and tosses it through an open window and into the cabins. Then he leaps off the side of the ship, diving into the dark water below.

****

Ada stands like a statue, staring down at George lying in a pool of his own blood. The others scream and hide, panicking at the sight of their fallen friend. One of the girls tries to grab Ada's hand and pull her down, but Ada doesn't budge. She just continues to stare into the lifeless eyes of George, a man who infuriated her at every turn. A man who obviously wanted to sleep with her, and kept trying despite her hostility toward him. Part of her wonders if he ever would have succeeded. Now she'll never know.

Ada finally tears her eyes away and looks back up at the spotlights shining down on her. All of the figures are gone, including Hundred. Hundred, he's the one. He's a murderer, and now she's seen first hand. A freak and a murderer. Someone has to stop him. Someone has to have the power to stop him. A freak like him.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Ada's hands begin to glow pink. Everyone around her screams and backs as far away as they can in the small ship. She pays them no mind, instead releasing the built up energy and propelling herself up and over the railing of the cruise ship. There she finds Hundred scurrying away with his bodyguards, like the rat he is.

A guttural scream escapes her lips, attracting the attention of a lingering guard. Dumbfounded, he turns and reacts on instinct, swinging wildly with his fist. Ada takes one step back, and then a loud explosion erupts from the back of the ship. It shakes the deck and the man stumbles forward and over the railing, crashing into the water below.

Her eyes hard and her hands glowing pink, Ada walks with purpose after Hundred. Anyone who crosses her path is met with an energy blast and knocked aside. She quickly finds herself on the main deck, where the dozens of party guests are milling about in their costumes, unsure what's going on. She scans the crowd and sees where they're parting to allow Hundred through. "HUUUUUNDRED!! Get back here and face me!"

All the party guests turn to face her, then flee in panic as Ada starts blasting her way through the crowd. They scatter like ants, running over each other in fear for their lives. A gunshot rings out behind her, and Ada can feel the bullet hit the deck at her feet. She turns and sees a man in a black suit aiming for her. He fires again and the pistol goes wild, missing her entirely. She raises her hand slowly and returns fire, sending the man flying across the deck.

Behind her she hears a small explosion and the cries of a man in pain. A gunshot rings out and a woman to her left falls. She turns to see four guards, two frantically playing with their weapons, and one lying in agony on the deck. She raises her hands and blasts them all, knocking them back.

Before she can resume her search for Hundred, she sees a man leaping toward her. He hits her in her shoulder and knocks her back, but Ada is able to roll with the hit and land on top of him. Pushing her left forearm into his throat, she raises her right hand and prepares to blast him in the face. Before she can, he speaks.

"Ada?"

Her name gives her pause. She quickly scans the man's face, wet and covered in remnants of white and red makeup, only to discover a hint of recognition. "Arthur?"

In unison, they say. "What the hell are you doing here?"

****

Before either of them can react, Arthur sees two more men run forward with guns. Still unsure what's happening, he pushes Ada off him and covers her with his body, allowing the bullets to slam into his back. Arthur knows he can take a beating, but until now he's never had to take a bullet. To his surprise, the bullets simply bounce off his skin. The impact hurts like hell, but nothing more.

Ada reacts quickly, leaning over Arthur and blasting the two guards. Trying to put an end to this madness, Arthur leans forward and pins Ada to the deck, holding her wrists in his hands. "Ada stop it! What's going on?"

"They killed him!" she screams, fury in her voice. "Hundred! He's a murderer!" <I know it! He killed George! He killed him and he's going to die! It's all his fault!>

"Ada, calm down! I'm sure there's a rationa..."

Another explosion rocks the ship and flames begin to spew out onto the deck. Arthur is knocked off balance, lets go of one of Ada's hands, and she blasts him away. When he gets back to his feet, he sees Ada running toward the cabins and the flames. <Hundred! Hundred! You're gonna die!>

The pure hatred in Ada's thoughts hit him like a slap in the face. Realizing he won't be able to reason with her, he runs after her to try and stop her. Just as he's about to tackle her again, his bare foot slips on the deck and he falls hard, landing on his chin. More embarrassed than hurt, he gets back to his feet and continues to follow her.

Inside the ship, the flames rage, drying out the air and filling his vision with smoke. Arthur follows the hazy vision of Ada, yet every time he gets close something stops him. A flare up of flames, falling debris, or the floor giving way. No matter how close he gets, he's always stopped at the last second by bad luck.

Eventually they reach the exit through the cabins to the back of the ship. Once outside the flames are less oppressive and it's easier to breath. Arthur finds Ada staring off into the distance. He follows her gaze and sees the lifeboats sailing off toward shore.

"He's gone, Ada. Let him go. We have to get out of here."

Ada ignores Arthur and continues staring off into the distance. <I have to find him. He has to pay. Freak. Father said, "Freaks like you have to pay." He has to pay. Where is he?> "There!" Off in the distance, Ada sees the one lifeboat not manned by costumed guests, but rather men in black suits. Her hands glow pink and she prepares to blast after them, when Arthur grabs her around her waist.

"Stop Ada!" He pulls her back but trips over himself. The floor gives way and the two tumble down to the deck below. Fires rage all around them, and when Arthur lands a large beam falls on top of his chest. A couple feet away, he can see Ada get to her feet. Her clothes are tattered and scorched, her hair soaked with sweat, yet she remains unharmed.

"Ada!" Arthur calls out over the roaring flames. When she doesn't show any signs of hearing him, he tries another route. <Ada! It's Arthur! Please stop!>

Ada turns to look at him, confused by the thoughts in her head. She glares at him when she realizes he's doing it on purpose.

<Ada, I know you're hurting. But you're not a freak. You're special! And you're not alone! Whatever happened, I'm sure Hundred didn't do it. And if he did, we can make sure he's punished, but not like this. Please, let him go for now!>

Arthur waits for what seems like an eternity for any response from Ada's thoughts. When he finally gets one, it's one word. <Freak.>

Arthur watches as Ada walks toward the center of the hole in the deck above them. All his options race through his mind, but he knows he can't reach her in time. Not that it matters, anything he tries to do to her seems to get thwarted by some unseen force. All the examples run through his mind, the guards firing on her, his attempts to tackle her, and his attempts to pursue her. Everything anyone has tried to do to her that would harm or thwart her fail. So perhaps the answer is something not directed at her.

Arthur's train of thought is quickly lost as the smoke and flames surround him. He begins to cough uncontrollably, the air too thick to breath. The tries to push the beam off himself, but isn't able to stop coughing long enough to gather his strength. His brow grows cold and wet, his thoughts focused on one singular need.

<Water.>

A loud, roaring sound begins to pick up in the distance. Arthur's coughing fit distracts him from it, but he does notice Ada suddenly staring behind him. He lowers his head back in time to look through the windows and see a giant wave coming straight toward the back of the ship.

When he looks up, Ada blasts upward, only to be met by a torrent of water flowing in. The ship quickly fills with water, quenching the fires, and dragging the ship down under the waves. Arthur takes a deep breath through his gills, relieved. The ship rolls side over side and Arthur, now free of the beam holding him down, struggles to find Ada.

<Ada!> he shouts with his mind, searching all over for any sign he can find. <Ada where are you! Answer me!>

He continues to call out with his mind as he searches the ship, it's tumbling causing all manner of objects not bolted down to fall toward him. No matter where he goes, he can't pick up on thoughts anywhere. Which either means she isn't in the ship, or she's dead.

Finally Arthur gives up his search of the ship and breaks out. He heads toward the surface, continuing to call out with his mind, hoping maybe she made it out of the ship and headed for the surface. Still he continues to get no response. <Ada. Ada please be okay.>

<Hello?>

The thought enters his mind unbidden, the word forced in rather than read by him. Arthur turns about, looking in all directions for what might be the source, before finally seeing a shape moving toward him. It doesn't move like a fish, but it doesn't swim like any man he's seen before either. In fact, he's only seen one thing swim like that before. Him.

When he comes into view, Arthur finds the being is shaped like a human, with arms, legs, and head all in the right place. Yet he has an inhuman look to him. His limbs long and slender, yet toned. His skin is pale, almost milky white, and closely cropped black hair covers his head. His ears are smaller than that of a normal human, yet still distinctly human shaped. His eyes are large, larger than any human he's seen before. They almost remind him of the stylized eyes you'd see in an anime. The large irises inside are purple.

<Greetings. My name is Garth.> The thoughts again enter his mind on their own, a sensation Arthur finds unsettling at first. <I have never seen one quite like you before. Which part of Atlantis do you hail from?>

<Atlantis?!>

****

The helicopter hovers over the ocean, it's spotlights shining over the black waters. Men in black, unmarked military gear look out over the water with their rifles raised. Finally, a light reveals what looks like a person clinging to a piece of driftwood.

"Over there!" one of the soldiers shouts over the radio. "Five o'clock! Over there!"

The pilot veers the helicopter around, circling down toward the survivor. A blond man in a black suit and tie steps out of the copilots seat and walks back to watch as the soldiers lower a man down to rescue the survivor. When they reel them up, he places the soaked Indian woman down carefully. A fellow soldier quickly slaps a collar around her neck, then performs chest compressions. She coughs and spits up some water, blinking at all the lights shining toward her.

"Are you okay?" the blond man in the suit asks.

"I'm...I'm fine...I," Ada mutters, confused and overwhelmed. "Who are you?"

"DEO, ma'am," the blond man says, nodding to someone behind her.

Ada reaches up and feels the collar on her neck. She tries to leap up to her feet, but the strong arms of the men around her hold her down. She holds out her hand toward the man in the suit, her eyes full of anger, but nothing happens. He smiles at her, a smile filled with contempt. She tries to blast that smile off his face, but again nothing happens.

"Get used to it, Shubhada," the blond man says, his smile widening. "You're gonna be with us for a long time."

-The End-