It’s a strange crew that venture into digital space. The Seven Wonders member D-SOL-8 - joined at the last minute by his teammate Motormouth, the technopath. Vigil of the HHL. Ellie Dee of Rex Tyran’s Stellar Six, another technopath from the feel of it. And herself, Mirage.
“I got a lock on the incoming missiles,” Motormouth reports. “Follow me.”
She spouts out a code that Mirage recognizes as hexadecimal, and the group re-orients itself and dives deeper into the abyss of the electronic world.
They encounter a barrier, and Vigil is the first to recognize it. “Department of Defense security protocols. The HHL is cleared for this level of access in emergencies. I will open it.”
The mysterious vigilante presents a shimmering golden key and the barrier creaks open. Mirage can feel the ancientness of it - the systems used by the DOD date back to the 1970s in some cases, an epoch of time in computer terms.
Beyond the DOD’s gate are numerous conduits through the darkness of digital space.
“Tyran resources are being tasked to assist in a communication break-in,” Ellie Dee announces in a calm voice. “The intruders are using Tyran Communications systems. I have privileged access to those systems. This way.”
She leads the party along one of the conduits, fast as light, until the darkness gives way to a raging inferno that engulfs what looks like an entire city. Light and fire duel in the darkness, and Mirage recognizes what’s happening even as D-SOL-8 explains in his monotone, terminal-like inner voice. “Self-replicating virus. Released into DOD command and control systems. They have taken control of American military assets in the region and are directing them.”
The party hovers over the inferno.
“There’s no technopath here,” Motormouth says, after studying the warfare between software agents. “This is strictly a mundane attack. Regular computer viruses.”
“Still effective,” Mirage announces, feeling like it’s her time to contribute. “If the Grasscutters are following Dr. Chin’s typical M.O., they won’t be directly connected to the network. They’ll have inserted a viral payload into the system which will contact a command-and-control node outside the network for instructions. This node will in turn be compromised from its original function, with the Grasscutters’ operators relaying instructions from a rotating series of locations.”
She addresses her fellows. “There are two missions. Cleanse the DOD systems of the virus. Identify the C-and-C node, then either disable it or attempt to trace the Grasscutters’ incoming signals.”
“I will effect cleanup,” D-SOL-8 declares dispassionately.
“I should work on this too,” Ellie Dee says. “My access should help.”
Mirage ‘nods’. “Very well. Vigil, Motormouth, and I will try to cut the beast off at the head. We need only wait for the virus to phone home. Be - vigilant.”
In due course, there’s a flash, like lightning from the heavens. The bolt is brief, but Mirage knows its significance. This is the call.
Upward, away from the darkness of the American military’s secretive systems, and into the greater electronic world, the three defenders fly.
Stingray finds Harry in a corner of the studio. The battle is raging around him. But Harry Gale - Mercury, Halcyon’s Silver Son - is just slumped over, clutching his neck in pain.
Stingray slides close and pulls the hand away, checking for injuries instinctively. He sees nothing, then hunches down and looks Harry in the eye. “Dude, you okay?”
Harry looks back, haunted. “Something stung me. Something I didn’t see coming. When I go to super-speed, it hurts. Like, really bad. I think I’ve been poisoned.”
He’s shaking, ever so slightly. Stingray can see it now, up close.
“I’m out of the running,” the speedster says softly.
Stingray isn’t sure what to call the feeling he feels when he hears that. But part of it turns swiftly into anger. He hauls Harry to his feet. “Fine. I’m either taking you outta here, or you’re gonna help us out some other way. Pick one.”
The challenge seems to focus Harry’s attention, and he looks at Stingray with a freshly renewed determination. “I’m still not good, but… how can I help?”
God dammit, Stingray thinks to himself. He’s supposed to be the perfect hero. Why throw this in my lap? I’m useless.
The situation does not afford him the luxury of self-pity.
“Is everyone rescued?” Stingray asks over comms, to Tatanka.
“Roger. I’m returning now. The building itself may come down at this rate.” The senior hero’s voice reminds Stingray of those guys from Mission Control in the rocket films - calm, even when delivering the worst news.
Stingray looks back at Harry. “A10’s down. We’re gonna get her outta here. Tatanka, can you tank Khyrrsz while we do that?”
“Will do,” the hero assures them.
Stingray and Harry look at each other, and nod. There’s still work to be done, and they can do it.
The moment comes, but Ninjess is too busy to see it.
Glom leaps away from another round of attacks. Blackbird seizes her chance - and Guardian. She rushes at Glom at high speed, and throws. Guardian wraps his limbs around Glom, and exerts all his power. Suddenly, all of the villain’s attract and repel power is being neutralized. Suddenly, she’s more like an anchor. Suddenly, she’s falling.
The pair crash into the ground. Blackbird sees her chance. She plows through one of the outer walls of the building, creating a large enough hole for her needs. She rushes back to the stunned pair, and grabs hold of Guardian, and lifts.
It’s a strain, but she can do it. She carries the pair out, and floats over a ten-story drop.
Guardian releases his hold on Glom, who is frantically trying to stick to him to avoid the fall. But his powers zero out her stuff.
“Geez, you really know how to let a woman doooooooowwwwwwwwnnn—”
Glom falls, picking up speed. The two heroes watch her hit the ground - and bounce, far away from the building and getting farther with every second.
“You know, they recruited me to deal with her, then left me to my own devices,” Guardian muses, looking over one shoulder at Blackbird. “First time I’ve really felt part of the team. Thanks.”
“I always did look up to you,” Blackbird confesses, rather bashfully.
Guardian glances back at the building. “We got another teammate to help now.”
“Right!”
They find Ninjess sprawled out on the ground, and Veneer crouching over her curiously. Guardian roars and hurls a chunk of rubble at the villain, while Blackbird charges at her full force.
Predictably, Veneer slides into the ground and slips away as a two-dimensional projection. It seems like she has no stomach for tackling two career heroes solo.
The HHL heroes rush to Ninjess’ side, and check for injuries as they’ve been trained and drilled.
In the middle of their investigation, the girl opens one eye. “She is gone?” she mouths.
Blackbird lets out a sobbing sigh of relief, and nods. “She left. Glom uh, bounced too.”
Ninjess opens one hand, revealing a handful of paper-thin tracking tags. RFID circuitry has been printed onto a flexible strip of cloth, and part of the surface is chemically adhesive.
“I remembered a ninja proverb,” Ninjess whispers. “Ask yourself in the moment, ‘what is victory?’ I do not need to defeat her here. We will find her again.”