Surge, Resistance

Part four of an ongoing series, read the comments for more information.

“Is it on?”

“Yeah, we’re live in five, four, three…” Henry says holding the camera steady, he waves his fingers, two. One and points at the Linda.”

Straightening her jacket and patting dirt from her blouse. Linda clears her throat and speaks into the microphone held in her left hand. “This is the emergency response news team coming to you live at Centurion prison. Just moments ago, a massive burst of energy came from some strange devices placed in the ground by Quake. Neither myself or the rest of the news four emergency response team would have survived if it weren’t for the heroic efforts of Surge.”

The news four channel switches back to its main host Miranda Jones. Tuning her earpiece. She takes a sip from the glass of water in front of her and sets carefully sets it back down saying. “Harrowing stuff. Now is the helicopter capable of flight? Can you get us eyes in the sky?”

Switching back to Linda standing in front the news four ERT helicopter. She calmly waves her hand to the pilot working away at the rear turbine saying. “We should be back in business within a few minutes. We’re hoping we can get eyes on Quake before he gets too far from here.”

Miranda takes a calming breath and smiles for the camera. “I know all of us at home and at the channel four news headquarters are waiting to get those eyes back up. A lot of people are terrified and want to know where Quake will hit next. Now while we wait for the ERT to finish repairs a word from police commissioner Leon Jeffers.

Slowly the camera pans out to show the rest of the long table Miranda sits at. To her left is a tall man with striking and fierce features. His eyes narrow in a cold demeaner as he leans forward in his chair intertwining his fingers saying. “Thanks for having me Miranda. It’s always a pleasure to be here in the news four studio.”

“Of course. Although, I do wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. Please, what updates do the police have on Quake, and the possibility of martial law?”

With a grimace. Commissioner Jeffers looks down for a moment before staring directly into the camera. Clearing his throat with a deep cough his composure never wavers once saying. “We the police are here to declare ourselves as of today. Unable to handle the mutated human known as the alias Quake. I can however give the public an update as to the real identity of this criminal. Marcus Williams. The mayor has also agreed to hand out a fifty-thousand-dollar reward to anyone who can give us more information about the current whereabouts of Mr. Williams.”

“Where does this leave us with the military?” Miranda asks nervously.

“I was told that the army will be here to begin enforcing martial law at ten p.m. this evening. We can expect a strict curfew starting at nine p.m.”

“Very terrifying. Sounds like we can only hope that someone manages to take this monster Quake down before he hurts anyone else. Let’s see how the ERT helicopter is doing. Sounds like we need every resource available hunting this mutated human down.”

Commissioner Jeffers takes a sip from his glass of water while folding one leg over the other saying. “That goes for the mutated human known as Surge as well. Both are threats to humanity and need to be dealt with.”

Miranda speaks over the transition from the station to the emergency response news team now back in the air hanging over the electrical facility near the crater. Tension in her voice she says. “I strongly disagree with that considering his involvement earlier commissioner, but you would know best in this situation. Back to our reporter in the field our own Linda Reynolds high in the sky acting as our eyes in the ERT helicopter. Linda what do you see?”

“It doesn’t look good. Quake hasn’t moved far from his original spot on the edge of city limits. The six metal rods appear to still be active causing the meteorite to float in place. He seems to be breaking the meteorite open and…He’s eating the crystals. Taking small ones and eating them whole.”

A burst of wind pushes the helicopter off alignment forcing the pilot to divot toward the electrical facility a few hundred meters away from Quake and the meteorite. The camera loses focus and slowly shifts back into a crisp picture right as a bolt of lightning cracks upwards from a hole in the concrete building and high into the sky. Following instinct the camera trails a small object in the bolt and zooms in a second too late as the object almost instantaneously out of sight. Not even a second passes before the deafening sound of thunder claps out from the meteorite site.

The helicopter turns for a better angle as the camera man shoves Linda out of the way for a better shot saying directly to the news team in the studio. “Are you seeing this?”

Zooming in and out to regain focus. The shot lands directly on Surge floating a few inches off the ground locked arms with Quake whose eyes have changed from a mindless gray, to a deep shade of violet with shining obsidian pupils retaining the same lifeless void as before. Quake arches his head backwards laughing as purple gas emanates from his lungs. Surge’s suit appears torn along the right arm and chest area and his skin is slowly changing into a burnt red color. With a little focus. Quake forces Surge out of the air and onto his feet. An extra push causes a shockwave in the terrain for meters around them.

Switching back to the studio at home, news four keeps a small pop-up window of the fight active in the top right corner of the screen over Miranda’s shoulder. Both Miranda and police commissioner Jeffers sit there jaws agape for a few beats before someone off screen says. “Miranda?”

Reaching for her glass of water. Miranda knocks the glass over, spilling water all over her section of the table. Without a second thought. She ignores the water dripping off the edge in front of her and looks to the police commissioner asking. “I’d love to know your opinion on the current situation commissioner Jeffers. Do you think Surge is still our enemy?”

Staring at the image projecting before him. Police commissioner Jeffers pulls on the edges of his jacket and composes himself saying. “He may not be our enemy right now Mrs. Jones. But that doesn’t mean that he may not become one in the future.”

“How can you say that?”

Holding a firm hand up. Commissioner Jeffers calmly responds. “The truth is. If he were truly on our side he would have come forward by now. Why don’t we know the man behind the tinted visor? Unlike Quake. Surge has managed to maintain anonymity. Which is a luxury these new mutated humans shouldn’t be granted.”

Passion stirs Miranda to standing on live television. She waves her hand forwards to something off screen shouting. “Are you even watching the same thing as me? As all of us? Just about all of centurion city is at home held up watching this man stand up against evil while you…you cower here, waiting for the military.”

“Please. Mrs. Jones, I can understand your passion. But you have to understand.”

Cutting commissioner Jeffers off. Miranda points off screen. “Look at him. Please. Commissioner. Please, just look at him.”

All angles focus in on the commissioner, and slowly move to show a screen projecting the ERT camera feed. His face once composed and calm slowly shifts to dread while watching. The small window in the corner expands to full size as the fight continues.

The ERT helicopter circles overhead the two combatants and below crayon gray skies slowly gathering overhead. Andrew the camera man has strapped himself onto the side of the copter and is trailing the battle best he can. Surge flips violently through the air inches past the helicopter and manages to stop somewhere in the clouds. Thunder cackles as lightning illuminates the sky around Surges shadowed visage. Here like Zeus or some titan out of myth. The man flies toward Quake literally hurling a bolt of lightning taken with him from the stratosphere. Smoke and debris explode upward from the impact. Within a second all of this is contained by a circular wave from Quakes closed fist. All of the material gathers in a large sphere behind him.

Standing exhausted. Surge rips the oxygen tanks from his lower back and tears the ventilator from his face. Blood drips from his mouth where he chipped his teeth earlier and he can’t seem to catch his breath. Before he’s ever given the chance. Quake focuses the sphere of debris with Surge in the center. Gathering whatever energy, he has left to create a magnetic barrier with the copper lining his left gauntlet. The debris rips and tears away at his right arm and leg leaving each with multiple deep gashes. As the debris fades and both men are left standing there. Surge stumbles on his feet, before taking a classic southpaw boxing stance.

Fading back to the smaller screen in the top right corner. News four focuses back in on Miranda Jones and Police Commissioner Jeffers watching in horror. Miranda steps toward commissioner Jeffers asking. “Please. You have to help him. Don’t…Don’t let him die out there.”

Abruptly standing, commissioner Jeffers accidentally knocks his chair over onto the floor. Clearing his throat, the commissioner rips at the microphone in the collar of his jacket saying. “Help me get out of this.”

Multiple crew members come his aid and quickly get the commissioner out of his set up. Jeffers hastily leaves the studio with few words along the way.

Silently. Miranda watches Surge take the southpaw stance and covers her mouth in awe. Everyone in Centurion city felt the same emotion at the same time as Quake dashes at Surge with immeasurable speed. Planting his hand into Surges left temple so hard the prison could hear the sound of his helmet crack and shatter to pieces. Blood sprays from Surges mouth and nose as he stands firm against the blow. With a cracked skull, blood seeps down into his left eye half blinding him. With heavy haggard breathing Surge dodges the second punch coming for his broken ribs with a back step. Shifting downward with a spin, Surge trips Quake. Then arches backward lifting one heel into the air and axe kicking Quake in the sternum with lightning speed and force. Blinking away the blood, Surge leaps into the air from the leg planting in Quakes chest. Spinning once in the air to gain momentum. Surge plants his knee in Quakes sternum a second time causing Quake to vomit blood and gasp for air.

With deadly precision and force. Surge bounces from his knee back to his heels and lifts his right hand into the air. Electricity starts to form in the palm of his hand and arcs upwards into the sky. Higher and higher with each passing second. Lightning rips along Surges skin causing deep intense burns as he keeps charging power. With cold eyes. Surge drops his right arm with an open palm at Quake as he regains his composure.

Another massive strike of lightning hits the ground hitting Quake, causing the feed to become riddled with static. Smoke emanates upwards toward the ERT helicopter as the feed gets fully cut off, turning to pure static.