"No."
Abyss's words rang hollow in Jake's mind. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"What do you mean, no?!" Jake thought loudly. He could hear Abyss snicker.
"I have nothing to gain from coming out, so why should I?" Abyss said coldly.
"Nothing to gain? We're going to die!"
"You're going to die. Whether or not I'll survive and take over your body remains to be seen."
"Yeah, you don't know! If I die, there's a chance you die too."
"I'm willing to take that chance if it means I get to take over your body if I survive."
"Then why did you help me with the Lost Light?"
"Defeating them helped to serve my agenda. I gain nothing from helping you now."
"Except being alive."
"We don't know if you'll die or not. It's a solid deal, don't you think? I'm a pretty curious guy."
Jake cursed and focused his attention on the reality before him. He was on the ground, the Broker above him preparing an attack. He could see the same black lightning the Broker had used to kill Luthor crackling between his pulsing fingers.
And the Broker was still speaking.
"Unlike the flawed mess of mutoxin my father made, this mutoxin is special. Instead of putting the user beyond their control, this version enhances their existing abilities, making them twice as strong. It also helps that it's incompatible with humans. Now those pesky invalids can't get their hands on it even if they tried..."
Broker rambled on and on, but Jake's mind was on everything but the speech. He tried to force himself free, but the mutoxin pumping through the Broker's veins made it impossible to break away from his foot. All Jake could do was send enough blue energy to his arms to block—and pray he didn't die.
Just as Broker raised his arms, he stopped. Something red had hit his back. A red beam.
Jake knew what it was immediately. Broker's back started turning to stone. He released Jake and tried to figure out why. Suddenly, something hit the side of his face harder than any of Jake's blows, sending him flying.
"Ivy?!" Jake shouted, completely forgetting to use her codename.
"Are you okay, Blue?" Ivy said, actually remembering to use his. She ran over to him and helped him up. She used her free hand to grip the handle of her hammer in preparation for Broker's next attack.
"Thanks for saving me. I guess we're even then?" Jake mused.
"Not until we kill this bastard. Especially for what he did to Luthor."
"Yeah," Jake said, a smile forming on his face. He took a better look at her costume; it looked strikingly similar to his. She wore a spandex suit that mimicked the patterns of his skin, except while his was black and blue, hers was black and violet. She had even incorporated his horns and fangs into her mask.
He then noticed the large, pitch-black hammer she held in her hands. "Where did you get that hammer? It looks..."
"Like the Bishop's? Yeah, because it is."
"How did you—"
"Once Milton's forces pulled up to the Lost Light's base, they confiscated a ton of their weapons and equipment. I needed a weapon because my stone beams are pretty limited in actual combat, and he gave me this."
"Are you sure it's safe? You're not hearing any voices, right?"
"None that I know of. Now isn't the time for that. We've got bigger fish to fry," she said, pointing her hammer toward the regenerating Broker.
He laughed. "Damn! That hurt. Those beams of yours pack a punch. Is this your girl, monster guy?"
Jake looked back at Ivy and stepped in front of her. "Doesn't matter. What matters now is that you die."
Broker smiled. He pressed another button, and the mutoxin pumped through his veins. The stone parts of his body started turning back to normal. He was adapting.
"What the...? Why is the stone—"
"He can adapt to anything thanks to those tubes all over him pumping mutoxin."
"The same stuff that mutated me?"
"Yeah, but not quite. He's using this one to amp his abilities. Seems your beams won't work anymore."
"Could I do that? Use mutoxin to amp my abilities?"
"I wouldn't risk it. You might lose control again."
"Damn. Doesn't matter. I've still got my hammer."
"Let's hope he hasn't adapted to it too."
Ivy smiled and got into a combative stance. Jake followed soon after. Broker crouched, getting into a running stance. He pressed the button again, and the mutoxin pumped through him even faster.
"The both of you are pretty damn impressive. Why work for those who hate you? A government that fears you? Why serve the weak when you can rule over them? Aren't you tired of how this accursed world is right now?"
The two were silent.
"That's what I aim to change. The world. Make it so the strong rule over the weak. A world where my fellow numans aren't playthings and subordinates to mere humans. A world where we rule them like gods. Angry gods!"
Jake chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Broker asked, slightly annoyed that Jake wasn't taking him seriously.
"I've heard that all before from your father. I've got the weirdest case of déjà vu."
"I'm sorry, what? His father?" Ivy said, shocked.
"Yeah. This guy is one of Mr. E's old experiments. I can see he pumped some of his DNA into him. Got his ego and everything," Jake said, expecting Ivy to snicker at his small jab.
She didn't. Instead, she glared at the Broker, a strange sensation driving her thoughts. Jake noticed it immediately.
Broker continued, "I am no mere experiment! I'm his greatest creation. The pinnacle of his scientific might. His most powerful offspring. So powerful, in fact, I didn't need him holding me back. He wanted to make a new world; I want to fix this one. You see, I—"
"Oh my God, will you just stop talking?!" Ivy shouted, catching Jake off guard.
Broker's smile faded.
"Holy shit, that worked? I never thought he was going to shut up," Jake mused. Ivy ignored him.
Broker didn't even know what to say. Usually, the supers he fought would let him finish his speech. This was the first time he had been interrupted by someone so frail-looking. He needed to make sure it was the last.
"Get this through your head, Broker," Ivy said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I'm going to kill you. Just like your father. For what you did to my teammate, my friend, and what you're going to do to the world."
Jake was shocked. He never knew Ivy had this fire in her.
Broker's smile returned. "I'd like to see you try."
Broker was in a full battle stance. Ivy's instincts flooded her senses soon after. "Brace for—"
Before she could finish, he was just a few inches before them, his arms raised for an attack. He slammed his arms down but missed the two as they jumped out of the way. He quickly turned to his left, grabbed Jake by the face, charged lightning into his arm, and slammed him into the ground. He then charged that same lightning into his foot and kicked Jake into a nearby warehouse.
"Jake!" Ivy screamed as she shot three red beams at him in quick succession and ran as far away as she could.
He dodged all three and immediately caught up to her, charging another lightning attack. She grabbed the side of her mutoxin inhibitor collar and pumped some of it into her veins, similar to how he did, making her skin scaly and her muscles much bigger.
She sent her hammer at him with as much force as she could muster, backed up by her new amp. He sent his fist at her with all his power, and the two clashed. For a moment, they were evenly matched.
For a moment...
He charged the black lightning into the hammer and electrocuted her, causing her grip to slip. He took the opening by charging up another punch. Realizing how dire her situation was, she fired another red beam at him, hitting his approaching arm.
However, it didn't turn to stone as fast as she wanted. Thanks to his adaptation, the effects of her beams were hindered. Using this, Broker grabbed her by the neck as his arm was changing and slammed her into the ground the same way he did to Jake.
As soon as he let her go, she turned and tried to fire another red beam, but her eyes shot out blood instead, blinding her. Broker laughed, stomped on her head, and kicked her away. Just as she landed, she coughed up blood and struggled to get back up.
Broker's smile turned into a laugh. "Is that it? Is that the best you could muster? All that talk about killing me and this is all you've got?"
Ivy tried to fire another beam, but all that came from her eyes was another spray of blood. Broker cackled and punched her square in the jaw, causing her to stumble and fall.
"Humanity made you soft. I saw it. That collar. You're just like me, aren't you?"
"Sh... shut up!" Ivy said, grabbing her hammer and swinging at him.
He dodged effortlessly. "No. I get it. It keeps the mutoxin at bay! My father's flawed recipe? You took too much as a mere human, right? You're a numan, aren't you?"
She kept trying to swing at him. He swatted her away like a fly. As she landed, her hammer flew out of her hands and landed on a nearby pile of boxes.
"A monster, right? Definitely one of my father's creations. This must feel horrible for you, huh? You probably needed this win as closure. Wanted to see him pay for what he did to you. Having you wear that collar for the rest of your life."
He punched her again in the gut, sending her crashing into the concrete floor.
"Sh... shut..."
Broker stepped on her neck just as she spoke the words and began pressing down. "You couldn't stand a chance against my pathetic father, and you think you hold a candle to me? Pathetic!"
Ivy tried to grab his leg, but it was no use. She was too injured. Her arm was broken, her eyes were bleeding profusely, making her nearly blind, and her entire body was too damaged to move properly. At this point, she was at his mercy.
And he had no intention of sparing her.
At least, that's what she thought until he released his foot from her neck. She then heard a voice—a chuckle. Max's voice echoed around the docks.
"Oh? More backup?" Broker said to Max, keeping his foot near Ivy's head.
Max smiled.
"Well?" Broker asked.
"Well what?" Max replied.
"Aren't you going to stop me?"
"No, keep doing what you're doing. I don't really care about her," Max said coldly.
Ivy heard every word and started to cry. This was it. She was going to die. Broker was going to kill her, and Max was just watching.
But he didn't. Instead, Broker lifted his foot from her neck, prompting her to hold her throat and cough profusely. Broker didn't care; his mind was on Max. The way Max stood before him with a smile on his face and blood on his lips terrified him.
"Simon's blood," Broker said, taking a few steps away from Ivy. "I can smell it. You didn't..."
"Yeah. I killed your little friend. Not just me, though. My team made quick work of your men."
Broker's smile disappeared again. Just as he was having fun, this guy had to show up. That's when a random thought invaded his mind, making him angrier by the second.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Broker asked, pointing at him.
"Me?"
"The guy who killed my Shakers? It was you, wasn't it? It's written all over you."
Max smiled. "Yeah. Your little friend was lying. No need to think of any punishments, though. I took care of him."
"How the fuck couldn't I see it?! You were right there and I killed some random human? No matter. His life was worthless. Just as much as yours."
Max didn't react. He just kept on smiling.
"Say something!"
"I heard you're one of Mr. E's creations," Max said, still smiling.
Broker's head tilted in confusion. "B1-5155?"
Broker's jaw dropped. "How did you...?"
"I was with him when he made you. I used to work for him."
"No! That's not possible. He never had assistants. Only that..."
Max's smile grew wider.
"It was you! That one weakling he invited to his lab. I saw you from my stasis tube. How he liked you! How he paid attention to you! How he ignored me!"
"Aw. Daddy issues?"
"I remember it all now. He forgot about me completely. All his attention was on you. He kindly made it his mission to make you superior. But you! You ungratefully ran away from him, freeing several of his creations in the process. Me included."
Max's smile faded for a second.
"You took all his attention from me! His greatest creation! His magnum opus! Well, it doesn't matter. He's dead now, and I've surpassed him in every way."
"Oh, really?"
"I've got better mutoxin than him, a better plan than him, a better army than him..."
"A better plan?"
"To restore the world to its rightful order. With the strong on top and the weak fighting for scraps. I plan to form an army powerful enough to destroy the Super Society and take over this godforsaken country. Then, with its nuclear weapons at my disposal, no country would stand in my way. I'll turn this world into a numan utopia!"
Max chuckled again.
"Why are you laughing?"
"It's a fine plan, I guess. Too bad you're not going to live to see it happen."
"Same could be said for you, since I'm going to kill you."
Max chuckled for the third time. Broker screamed, lunging at Max, who quickly grew wings and flew out of the way.
"Get down here, coward!" Broker shouted in anger. Max laughed as he flapped his wings to stay in the air.
"No, not yet. I need to know if you're worthy of facing me."
Broker was about to lunge again but decided to humor him instead. "And how do I do that?"
"Take down the Blue Shadow."
"Blue Shadow? Wait, you mean tall, dark, and ugly?"
Max nodded.
Broker finally laughed again. "Oh? What's so funny?"
"I already did that, dumbass. Sent him flying into a warehouse. Now get down here and let's do this. Or do I need to get up there?"
"No, you didn't."
"Of course I did. You saw the whole thing, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did, but you didn't finish the job. Luckily, the opportunity is about to present itself."
"What do you..."
Suddenly, Broker turned. He saw blue smoke coming out of the warehouse—the same one he had sent the Blue Shadow flying into. Then it exploded.
Out of the wreckage, Jake emerged.
Covered in a pillar of blue energy, Jake stood amongst the debris and roared Broker's name. His body vibrated rapidly, and the energy crackled around him. His horns, eyes, and the markings around his body all shone an even brighter blue than ever before.
"Good luck," Max mused.
"I don't need it," Broker said, and he charged at the blue figure.
To be continued...