03x35: Another Dilemma

A Chapter by RA Fernandez

Austin's 100% conclusion is ruined by the Mastermind's new plot.

ANOTHER DILEMMA

The following five days were free days. This was because of the CCP rehearsals and the presentation itself. Monday was a rest day.

That Thursday was pretty uninteresting. He finally got to see Black Swan. It didn’t impress him too much. He watched The Social Network again afterwards. He also read Voyage of the Dawn Treader, his favorite so far.

Friday, however, was an extremely eventful day.

Mo-on, Queennie, Dory, and Rica went off to the mall to buy some supplies for the props committee for the Musical Play. Austin stayed in the hotel, watching Rocky III.

The Silver Chair failed to engross him so he didn’t finish it that day.

Afterwards, he went to the Base to check on a few things. Derek was there in the lab.

“Derek, what’s up?”

“This is it. The final anti-rad dart. Made from Isaac’s blood…” Derek said sadly, placing the dart in a case filled with more or less five hundred darts.

“Can’t you replicate his blood?”

“We can’t do that.”

“I have a friend. His power is replicating things.”

“You already know that that’s impossible with this kind of blood. It’s Anti-Rad. You can’t use your powers on it.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“So… how are you and Scarlett?”

“We’re fine, for the most part. “

Derek took out a small case and opened it. Inside was a beautiful ring.

“Do you like it?”

“Why yes! It’s beautiful.”

“It’s been months now and our love hasn’t waned. I think now’s the right time. Everything’s peaceful. The Mastermind shut the hell up for now.”

“Derek, good luck,” Austin said as he stood up.

“Thanks…”

“I have to go and fix some stuff. See ya.”

Austin went in his room and turned on his laptop. He went to the ENIGMA servers and set it to public. Nobody really knows where to find the servers so it didn’t matter. Austin only knew that John would come running to him, frustrated that he won’t tell him what ENIGMA is.

At around noon, something terrible happened.

Austin received a text message. It was from Kyle… It was over.

Kyle arrived a few minutes later. He talked about it. Austin knew his pain. He was reliving the worst days of his life a mere month after it happened.

Austin cheered him up with some movie clips. He had to go at around 6 so they couldn’t watch Inception but he was intrigued by Scott Pilgrim. They watched it alright.

After the movie, it was pretty late. TO add insult to injury, he received a phone call.

“Hold on, Kyle. Hello?”

“Austin! It’s Mo-on. This place is going to pieces!”

“What? What’s going on?”

“The Mastermind sent some of his a******s to take the mall hostage. He’s drawing you out. What do we do?”
“Hold on…”

He began to think of a plan. Mo-on could manipulate gravity, Rica was a telekinetic, Dory can manipulate density, and Queennie…

“Mo-on, what’s Queennie’s superpower again?”

He heard Mo-on asking on the other side.

“Defensive powers.”

“Does she mean like force fields?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Holy deus ex machina! Alright, I want you to tell her to make a force field separating the a******s from the innocents. Put yourselves in with the a******s. Then I want you to change the gravity in the force field. I want you to turn it upside down, to the roof. Take your time. Try to fend them off ‘til we get there. Wait, how many are there?”

“Four… no! Five. Five a******s.”

“No problem. I’ll round everyone up.”

“Hurry! I sense reinforcements.”

Austin put his phone is his pocket as he put on some civilian clothes.

“What’s going on?”

“The Mastermind sent some a******s to take an entire mall hostage. Mo-on is there and they can’t do anything without harming the civilians. Round up your team and John’s team.”

Austin went to his desk phone and put in 10 �" 0050.

“Houston, we have a problem. Meet me at the Base, pronto!”

“Who was that?” Kyle asked.

“John. Look, if you can’t round up… she-who-shall-not-be-named, I’ll send Ernst to Woodridge.”

“That’s fine.”

“And I don’t really wanna round up Summer anyway.”

“Summer? As in (500) Days of Summer?”

“Yes.”

“So that means you’ve found your Autumn?”

Austin stood there in thought then his mind snapped back to the situation at hand.

“We have to make haste! Round ‘em up!”

Austin contacted Ernst and told him to meet him at the Base as well. He then teleported there.

“Hey, what up?” John asked.

“Long story short, s**t is going down in the city. I think this might be a major attack. We need multiple modes of transportation.”

“Hey, first and foremost, I am not going to move a muscle until you tell me what ENIGMA is. You’ve had your fun, Austin, but this time, I need to know.”

“Not move a muscle? Are you honestly going to risk hundreds of lives due to your insipid curiosity?”

“Yes!”

Austin telekinetically moved some parts to the table.

“Walk and talk, let’s go. Ernst, carry that s**t.”

“Fine…”

They went to the elevator and hit the garage button.

“ENIGMA: Enemy Neutralization and Internal General order Management Association.”

“What?”
“It’s the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of this Island. It’s what runs the place. Likewise, it is the defense of this place. We are Team Alpha.”

“Is there a Team Beta?” Ernst asked sarcastically.

“That’s it?! After all these weeks, that was it?!”

“Did I disappoint you?” Austin asked.

“Hell yes, you disappointed me! I expected it to be your masterpiece project or whatnot but it was just some government?”
“It’s been three years. I thought we had to establish something like it.”

“This is an extremely long elevator shaft…” Ernst said.

“And that name? Honestly, did you think of what it stood for or did you think of the acronym first?”

“That doesn’t matter. We’re here.”

“We’re like the Dharma Initiative, haha!” Ernst said.

“What?”
“Nothing…”

There was a Seton Bus there. Austin switched to Physical Manipulation and duplicated the bus.

“Take those parts and turn the bus into a power-absorbent bus. We need as many modes of transportation as possible. I’ll drive the Anonymous, You drive the… Bus, and hmm… who can fly the Pegasus.”
“YOU NAMED THE JET, ‘PEGASUS?!’”

“Yes.”

He remembered the assault on the Mastermind’s Base. He shuddered at the thought of Summer driving his baby. Then he thought of someone he could definitely trust with the jet.

“Ernst, go to Woodridge and pick up the two ladies there. I’m going to pick up the new pilot of the Pegasus.”

John cringed as Ernst took a Telegun and went off.

Austin teleported in front of Michael’s room and told him to round up his team. Then he went to Patrick’s room and knocked. He answered and Austin told him to go with him. They went to the fourth floor and picked up Ivan and Bianca. Then they went up to the tenth floor to pick up Marise.

Afterwards, they went back to the Base. They went down to the garage. Kyle was already there with John’s team and his team.

“Alright, John, is the… Bus finished?”

“Yup.”

“Let’s block out Seton’s name. We don’t want to be sued for any property damage.”

Austin did this.

“Alright. Quick overview of the situation: Mo-on and company are in trouble due to the Mastermind’s troops. They have taken a mall hostage. We will take the Anonymous, the… Bus, and the Pegasus�"“

“Did you pull that out of your a*s or something, jeez,” John said.

“That’s the jet, to the city. We will save the people. As for the a******s, we will… umm… well, I’ll guess we’ll just have to subdue them. Send them back to the abyss or whatever. Our main objective is to make sure that nobody dies.

“Alright, here’s how it goes. Ernst, Bianca, Clutch, and Alyssa. I gotta talk to you so you will be joining me in the Anonymous. John, you take�"”

Just then, Ernst arrived with the two.

“Sorry we took so long. They were checking out the Mastermind’s Base. It lit up all of a sudden,” Ernst said.

“D****t! Basically, people are in deep s**t, we have to get them out of said s**t. John, you take the… Bus along with your team and Kyle’s team. Marise,”

“What?”

“You’ll have to fly the Pegasus.”

“Lame name, right?” John asked.

“Why me?”

“Pyrokinesis, Telekinesis, the essentials. We need you to do this. You take the rest of my team and Michael’s team. Michael, your team, take the turrets at the wings. Be careful not to harm any innocents. John, I fixed those windows up. You can shoot out of them but they’ll protect you from incoming fire. It won’t hold forever so avoid getting hit.”

Then, Renz entered the room.

“Sorry, I’m late!”

“D****t, John, you brief him. Let’s go, people!”

They went through the respective passageways to the surface. Austin used Pyrokinesis to drive the Anonymous. The Pegasus was encased in flames like a phoenix soaring through the night sky.

Austin then received a transmission through his radio.

“John, how do I get this hunk of metal into the air?” John asked.

“Look for a red button. Press it then grab the Power Shift. You’ll know what to do.”

John pushed said button and multiple spikes began to revolve around the bus, looping back near the ground. John grabbed the power shift and used the spikes to lift the bus in the air. The spikes spun faster as the Bus caught up to the other two.

“Alright, guys, Steady momentum. Lui, give us a portal through your window. Everyone, loop around to the portal. SM Southmall Parking Lot, Lui.”

A purple beam shot out from the side of the Bus and it expanded into a portal. Austin, John, and Marise turned the vehicles left and entered the portal.

They found themselves in the parking lot. The fire on the Anonymous and Pegasus died down. John brought the spikes back into the vehicle by pushing the button again.

“What did you want to talk about?” Bianca asked.

“If we live through this, we’ll drive home slowly and I’ll tell you but for now, we have work to do. Let’s go.”

They stepped out and they all flew to the top of the mall. They peered in trough the glass and they saw Mo-on and the others battling upside down.

Austin telepathically told Mo-on to switch the gravity back to normal. They all dropped to the ground as Rica gently lowered them. The a******s fell straight down.

Austin shot a psychic blast at the roof and they jumped in. Before the others can jump in, some of the Mastermind’s superpowered henchmen came in and grabbed them.

“We can handle this, go!” Ernst said.

Austin, Patrick, Ivan, Kyle, Clutch, Lui, Marise, Michael, and Lanz dropped in as the others fended off the henchmen.

“The Mastermind has missed your company,” one of the henchmen said.

“Well you can tell him that he’s a boring-a*s host and he can burn in hell.”

The henchman lunged towards him with electrified hands as he switched the band to Pyrokinesis and flared up his hands.

Clutch replicated himself and all of him jumped onto one of the henchmen.

Patrick and Kyle took on one of the other henchmen while Marise and Michael took on the other.

Since the other combatants were upstairs, Ivan and Lui merely annoyed the last henchman inside the mall.

Austin knocked out the henchman he was fighting and he went after the henchman Lui and Ivan was fighting.

Patrick told Clutch to steer clear as he fired a fireball at the henchman. Kyle was having a hard time with his opponent, his mind on other matters.

Marise and Michael were doing fine, eventually knocking out their opponent.

Out of nowhere, a bunch of henchmen rained down from the roof. The other members jumped down and got rid of the other henchmen.

Finally, something worth noting happened, two figures emerged from the roof and just stood there.

“Austin, my good lad, we meet again!” Landers yelled.

“You still owe me for killing my father,” Spike said.

“What was that?” Marise asked.

“Long story, tell you later,” Ernst said.

“You know that was an accident. I was not myself,” Austin said.

“Nonetheless, it was by your hand that I lost my father. Prepare to die.”

Spike shot spikes around him and used them to levitate down. He grabbed Austin and sent him to the parking lot.

“As for you little pricks, I guess taking you all on would be impractical,” Lander said. He snapped his fingers and another group of henchmen appeared behind them.

“These are the elite forces of the Mastermind. We didn’t send them in earlier because, well, that’s how things go I guess.”

They jumped in and it was a gigantic battle. Landers jumped in and went after Kyle.

He transformed into Berna and shot Psychic orbs at him.

“Oh, Kyle. Your poor aching heart. That’s one of life’s biggest enigmas. Well women, can’t live with them; can’t live without them.”

He transformed into Dave and punched him across the face.

“You should have let us have our own way. All we wanted to do was buy some time for the other Elite Force. We didn’t have to fight in here.”

“What the hell are you saying?”

Landers grabbed him and threw him across the room. All he civilians backed up against the doors which were bolted shut by the henchmen guards outside.

“I’m saying that this could have been a clean diversion. We can’t afford to waste manpower, or staffing in this case, but you just had to bring your entire f*****g battalion of pinprick p*****s. Austin couldn’t leave you alone in mourning, could he?”

“Shut up!”

Landers switched to some random henchman Kyle did not recognize.

“Kyle, I’d like to introduce you to Larry. Larry, this is Kyle.”

Landers punched him across the face, knocking down his glasses.

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I’m sorry, my dear. I knocked off your glasses. Let me get that for you.”

He put Kyle’s glasses back on. He was limp. Landers lifted him up at face level.

“Have you ever felt like this was happening all over again?”

Landers used Larry’s powers and shot a laser beam through Kyle’s glasses. The glasses magnified the beam and it burned through Kyle’s eyelids. He screamed in pain as the rest of Team Alpha looked in horror.

Outside, Austin and Spike were battling when he heard Kyle’s screams.

“No!” Austin said as he punched Kyle with a fiery fist and rushed towards the doors. Spike shot a spike at his foot and ran back to him.

“Too late. Everything is going according to plan.”

Austin switched to Darkness Control and turned his hand into a dark blade. He stabbed Spike and he screamed in pain.

“WHAT IS THIS?!”

Austin withdrew the blade and turned his hand back to normal. He went back in the mall and saw everyone watching.

“What the hell are you watching for?” Austin yelled as he lunged for Landers. He dropped Kyle and transformed into Janella.

“You a******s are simply too young for romance. You see what happens? You get hurt!” Landers said.

“I’ve heard that lecture again and again. My advice? Shut up and get a job!”

Austin infused his hands with grim thoughts and put them through Landers’ abdomen. His eyes dilated and his jaw dropped. He did not scream but his expression was full of pain.

Spike barged in, clutching his stomach in pain.

“To the streets. Cause as much havoc as possible!” Spike said.

The Elite Force rushed out into the streets as Austin pulled his hands away from Landers. He dropped to the ground.

“Team Alpha, go after them. Michael, take your team to the Bus. Kyle’s team, in the Pegasus. ” Austin said.

They went back in their respective vehicles. Austin took Kyle in the Pegasus instead. He went back out. The Bus had already gone thanks to Roey.

“Mo-on, Rica, Queennie, you take the Anonymous. Mo-on, take the wheel. Turn it into a van and open the door, just like in September. Shoot out below. Use your powers to your advantage. The traffic can be a b***h. Dory, you go on the Pegasus.”

Mo-on nodded as he stepped in the Anonymous. Austin went back in the Pegasus.

“Marise, leave the bottom hatch open.” He said. He then faced the rest of the team.”Guys, Marise is going to fly over the chaos. It’s your job to subdue the Elite Force. To do this, we’re gonna use the turrets”

Austin went to the console and pushed a button. The seats turned 180 degrees, now facing outwards. Multiple consoles went down from the ceiling. There was a scope that can fit one head and two “Power Shift-like” openings where you place your hands.

“Just shoot through those openings like usual. They will channel through the turrets outside. Save as many civilians as possible! Move!”

The Pegasus flew up in the air, covered in fire. It cruised through the streets.

Berna, Nica, Marella, and Janella took the turrets. Austin, Patrick, Lui, and Dory stood near the hatch.

“Dory, Lui, use your combo to knock out some of them. Use the cockpit at the top. Good luck. Patrick, you go ahead.”

Austin switched to Healing as Patrick jumped down and flew after the Elite Force. He went to Kyle and healed up his eyes. He put him in a vacant seat and strapped on his seatbelt. He then went to the front.

“Marise, I’m going to jump out. You have to close the hatch. Do not open it at any cost. Fly steady and straight. If all fails,” Austin took out a Telegun and gave it to her. “use this. Get everyone out. Good luck.”

Marise nodded as he jumped out of the back. The hatch closed and they were on their own.

Mo-on was driving through the chaos.

“He said use your powers!” Bianca said.

“I know. Do I just grab this thing or what?”

“DO IT!”

Mo-on grabbed the Power Shift and shifted gravity upwards. When they were high enough, he shifted it to the left. They landed on the side of a building as the Anonymous turned upright on the side of the building.

“That… was… so… F*****G COOL!” Ernst said.

“Shut up, Ernst.”

“Hold on to the shift. I don’t want us crashing,” Bianca said.

“Yeah. Alright! Let’s go.”

They opened the door of the van as the other passengers aimed at the members of the Elite Force down here. Mo-on drove on the sides of the buildings. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, it was so insanely awesome.

Roey was using a Ninjas and Magic cars to keep the Bus aloft. It was really slow. The other passengers used the windows to shoot outside.

Austin and Patrick were taking out EFM’s (Elite Force Members). They were grabbing on to them and sending them crashing.

In the top cockpit, Lui and Dory were doing pretty well. Lui would teleport debris inside the cockpit and Dory would make it denser. Lui would then teleport it on top of an EFM. He led them a bit, of course.

Suddenly, the Pegasus bumped into something. Lui was sent back, hitting a button. A console was sent down.

“SORRY!” Marise said, regaining control over the jet.

“Isn’t this a turret?” Dory asked.

“Yeah,” Lui said as he sat down and placed his hands in. “Let’s see what we can do.”

Suddenly, a purple beam shot out of the top turret and a giant portal formed.

“Where is that headed, Lui?” Dory asked.

“I don’t know.”

“LUI!”

The three vehicles went through the portal along with some of the EFM’s.

They were now in a flyover between Pasig and Makati. Austin flew to the Pegasus.

“What the hell happened?”

“I’m sorry!” Lui said.

There were three paths, one on each side going in opposite directions. In the middle were the Metro Rail Transit tracks.

The EFM’s flew forward and went in the MRT.

“Patrick, go after them!” Austin said. Soon, he saw Marise go up in the cockpit with Lui and Dory. She pushed a button, opening it to the outside world.

“Who’s flying?!” Austin asked.

“Janella took the wheel. I’m sorry. I think I can save that train.”

Austin was irked that Sumer was flying his baby.

“Alright, go for it. Lui, Dory, get back inside and watch over Kyle. I’ll handle this turret.”

Mo-on and the other guys in the van were falling to their doom before Mo-on shifted gravity towards the side of the flyover.

They drove on this side, the others shooting at the airborne EFM’s.

The Bus was still doing its thing but it was much more effective since it was in a narrower road. Out of nowhere, a henchman threw a fireball at the Bus, sending it to the road below.

Marise flew over to the Bus.

“Keep the bus there but make it catch up to the MRT!”

Roey nodded as Marise zipped through the air to catch up with the MRT.

Austin was knocking out multiple EFM’s when suddenly, an explosion beam hit the back of the Pegasus. Austin furiously went down.

“What half-assed evasion was that?” Austin shouted.

“I didn’t see it coming!” Janella said.

“Oh, we all know that. Everyone evacuate!”

Austin took the Telegun, opened the hatch, and jumped back out. He made a giant portal in front of the Pegasus’ path and it went through. Austin flew after Patrick and Marise.

A henchman jumped down at the Anonymous, standing on the van’s side.

“Guys, problem!” Ernst said.

“Go out and fight him!” Bianca said.

“What? With laughing gas?”

Bianca eyes sparked for a moment.

“Exactly! Go!”

She pushed Ernst out and he sprayed the guy’s face with laughing gas. He got woozy and fell of the van.

“He’ll live…” Ernst said.

“Well, look guys! It’s Little Miss Badass!” Bianca said.

“Damn right! Wait, what?!”

Marise reached the MRT and Patrick was fighting two EFM’s. One of them caught sight of her and climbed out of the window to the top. He charged an energy beam but she shot fire through her hands and knocked him off the top. He dropped on to the Bus.

The flare of fire continued to go. She looped it towards the window of the MRT. She sent it through Patrick’s opponent and he was sent out through the other window.

Austin caught up to them.

“What did I miss?”

“I just knocked out two guys.”

“I helped!” Patrick said.

From the front car, five guys came in again.

“I have to deal with someone. You can handle this, can’t you?” Marise asked.

Austin and Patrick nodded at each other as Marise went towards the bus. Austin went in and he and Patrick fought the EFM’s.

Mo-on maneuvered the Anonymous back to normal and he transformed it back into a smaller car. He drove through the road, the others shooting at the EFM’s through the windows.

He then drove it on the MRT rails and skidded behind it.

“Gondor calls for aid! GO!” Austin said. Bianca, Alyssa, Rica, and Clutch hopped on the train and fought the EMF’s. Another horde entered from the front cars and it seemed like there was no more hope.

Then, a giant portal opened up in the sky and the Pegasus went out through it.

“False alarm!” Janella yelled.

Nica, Marella, and Berna jumped on and helped them.

“Mo-on, go down and call for Lanz and Michael. I need them,” Austin said.

“LANZ!!!!! MICHAEL!!!” Mo-on yelled from the car. They actually heard and they climbed out on top of the Bus where Marise was taking on an EFM. Lanz clapped his hands and sent the guy flying.

“Thanks.”

“No prob.”

“Lanz, separate this car from the rest. Then, Michael, I want you to blow it up!”

Lanz clapped sideways and the car was separated.

“Everyone, jump onto the Anonymous. ON the count of three! One!” Austin said. Everyone tried to escape the EFM’s.

“Two!”

Then one of the EFM’s fired at the Anonymous, sending Mo-on back.

“Michael! Wait!”

Austin switched to Pyrokinesis and he and Patrick grabbed as many people they can and turned them into fiery masses. Michel shot a missile at the car and it exploded. Austin and Patrick dropped everyone off at the rail as Mo-on drove up next to them.

“We need a vacation,” Mo-on said.

Austin looked around and saw that everything was ruined. There were still a few EFM’s around. The Bus drove up from below and the passengers inside shot down the remaining EFM’s.

Austin took the wheel back from Mo-on. Bianca, Alyssa, Rica, and Clutch went back in. Queennie and the others transferred to the Anonymous.

“Lui, take us away!” Austin said. Lui made a portal and the three vehicles flew through it.

It was a bit off course as they landed in the far side of the Island.

“Well, how about that drive?” Austin asked.

“What was it anyway?” Bianca asked.

“Well, Kyle helped realize that… yes; I did find my Autumn…”

“No really? Who?!” Ernst asked.

“Want to play 20 questions?”

Eventually, they did find out and they swore not to tell anyone.

When they arrived at the Base, they found Derek, Scarlett, Nelson, and Erika on the floor, unconscious, with darts sticking out of their necks.

Austin rushed to Derek.

“Derek! What happened?!”