Okay, new Flash Fiction Challenge from
Terribleminds.
Enjoy.
When deciding where to hide your evil laboratory who picks a brothel in the middle of the Nevada desert. I mean, seriously, couldn't they have found an abandoned warehouse or something. There was always a ton of those lying around.
Arc just hoped his parents never found out about this. And that he would be able to make a good excuse. And that he could forget this whole incident later. And that he would stop babbling to himself.
And really wished that he hadn't picked blue and yellow as the colors for his costume. Creeping down a hall decorated in lush fabrics and deep rich colors he stood out like a sore thumb.
Guess he'd just have to be quick about this, so focus. Find the lab, trash everything in sight, rescue any prisoners, and get out before...
The entire building shook around him. A deep rumble reverberated through the walls. Red light immediately filled the hall and alarms began blaring up and down the corridors.
Things could never be simple could they?
Well, at least he didn't have to worry about sneaking around anymore.
Reaching down into the core of his being, the thrumming center that was always at the edge of his awareness, Arc let the power flood through him.
Feeling the energy crackle and buzz along every nerve, through every muscle, he raised a hand, electricity dancing between his fingers. And was flung across the hall as the wall next to him exploded.
"Oh, come on," Arc muttered, shoving a chunk of drywall off himself.
Staggering to his feet Arc let electricity spark from his fingers and peered through the dust and smoke. Where the wall once stood a hole now gaped, dangling bits of wire and the smoldering ends of studs jutting from the ragged edges.
And striding through it all came The Judge. Clad in black from the top of his shining faceless helmet to the advanced body armor that adorned his body, he held machine-pistols in his gloved hands, while throwing knives, ammo, and grenades dotted the belts that criss-crossed his body. Over one shoulder peeked the hilt of a katana balanced by the grip of a shotgun opposite it.
Oh, great. Just what he needed, the poster-boy for crazed vigilantes.
"Arc," The Judge intoned in his deep, altered, voice.
"Judge."
"This is none of your concern. Leave."
"Make me," Arc taunted, electricity sparking and jumping around his fists.
"Very well," the vigilante said and his pistols flashed up.
But before they could get to mauling each other a group of attractive young women burst through a door down the hall, their hair carefully done, make-up flawless and, while their attire wasn't exactly revealing it was certainly suggestive. Though over all, the effect was kind of spoiled by the rather large guns they were pointing at him.
Arc was definitely never going to be able to look at a pretty girl the same way again.
"Kill each other later?" Arc asked The Judge without looking away from the armed beauties.
"Agreed," he said and spun, guns spitting lead and fire.
One hour, ten thousand rounds, a dozen grenades, several agonized screams, a hundred million volts
And a giant explosion later
Well.
That hadn't gone how he'd expected.
Note to self. Quantum disassemblers and random lightning bolts do not mix.
Around him the rescued prisoners stared at the smoking hole in the ground where the brothel once stood, gazes dazed and shoulders slumped.
Couldn't really blame them. They come out here for a little...well, um, personal time...ahem...and wind up being taken prisoner by a mad scientist bent on world domination. Taking into account that they had almost been blown sky high - which just for the record was totally not his fault - and he could certainly understand their shock.
He was in a bit of shock himself at finding Senator Nills amongst the hostages. The man was seventy for crying out loud, and it made Arc shudder at what the elderly man was doing in such a place.
Though, speaking of the good senator, he was quickly approaching the somewhat disheveled hero with a wide grin on his wrinkled and dirt-smudged face.
"Son, I don't know where you came from, but I just want to let you know how grateful I am for the timely rescue. And I can assure you that as soon as I get back to Washington I'm going to make sure that you get the proper recognition for your heroic actions here today. You can count on that. Because when George Nills' says he's going to do something, he does it."
"George Nills?" The Judge asked, turning to look at the older man. "Senator George Nills?"
"Yes?"
Uh oh. Don't tell me that...
"Senator Nills, you are guilty of excepting bribes to support foreign powers and corrupt business practices," the vigilante stated, hand reaching for the hilt of his katana.
Oh, you have got to be kidding me!
