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The guys pulled up to see a few police cars in front of the apartment building. They noticed Jill leaning against one of the cars, talking to an officer. She did not look happy.
"Now we have to rescue our boss," Deadguy commented. Valkadaidan was already out of the car. Our Hero followed. "Boss," he exclaimed. "You getting arrested is setting a bad example for your employees."
She gave him the glare of death. "I'm not getting arrested, my phone is," she replied.
"How do you arrest a phone," DG asked. "What's there to handcuff?"
"Think she means it was confiscated," Valk answered.
"You're just a big ball of enigmas, aren't you," Our Hero asked. "One moment you're cracking jokes, the next you're breaking mine."
"He's also really good at karaoke," Jill remarked, heading back to the car to grab her handbag.
"Whoa, wait. Hold on. Have you two been dating?"
"Not dating," Valk corrected. "Team building."
"Um...Valkster? Team building usually requires the entire team. If it's just you two, it's dating."
Jill grabbed her tablet from her handbag. "They have my phone, but I can still get my photos," she explained.
"Or you can just use that tracking app of yours," Deadguy suggested.
"Beg pardon," she asked.
"I had Deadguy hit the van with one of your tracers," Valkadaidan answered.
"What makes you think they didn't switch vans," their boss questioned. "or just left it in an alley somewhere?" Our Hero had a confused look while Valk sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"What makes you think they left a clue at the apartment," DG asked, more like a response to an argument than an actual question.
Jill tapped her tablet a few times with a smirk, then showed the guys one of the photos she had taken. It was of the wall behind the Langley's couch. It looked a total wreck. Pictures were smashed. The wall mirror was shattered. Holes were visible in various spots.
"...And we're looking at..." DG asked.
Jill spun the tablet back around, expanded a section of the photo, and turned it back to them. There, under one of the smashed pictures, were a set of coordinates written in a color that almost blended into the wall. "Something, or someone, is at these coordinates," she stated.
"Where do these coordinates lead," Valk asked.
"To the car," she ordered. The guys looked at each other, confused. "I'll figure it out as soon as we're away from the cops."
The Heroes pulled into a parking garage a few blocks away from the location. Deadguy stretched his legs as Valkadaidan grabbed his katana from the trunk. Jill was scanning the building with the help of a global satellite. "Okay," she said. "we're looking at at least four scouts on the roof. One on each corner. I don't see anyone out front or back, so we need to presume that they have a few guarding the doors on the inside. Possibly two or three."
The Heroes started walking towards the building. "We have to expect them to be expecting us, which means we need a battle plan. Deadguy, I'll need you to be a distraction out front while Valkadaidan and I sneak behind and take out the guards there."
"Or we could just walk in the front door," Deadguy suggested. Jill stopped and glanced up from her tablet. The building was an old movie theater that was converted into a type of church. CHURCH OF ONE hung on the marquee. Underneath read 'All Are Welcome'.
"Front door it is," Jill said. "Valk, you might want to leave your katana."
Valkadaidan continued walking, not listening to her.
As the Heroes entered the church, they were greeted by several devotees dressed in black and white robes. "Welcome," they chanted in unison, bowing their heads each time.
"Hey, how's it going," Deadguy said, nodding to each of them. "How's it going.? What's going on?" He stopped after a few devotees and rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow. You could really suffer from whiplash in a place like this."
They entered into the grand theater that has been remade into something resembling a congregation area. More devotees were walking the aisles. Some were sitting in red velvet seats, praying to whoever or whatever they looked up to for salvation. The walls were a golden brown. The grand stage held an equally grand pulpit. Behind it was the chorus section. The stage seemed empty outside of these items, as if the emptiness was used to draw people's focus to the pulpit. They continued to look at the simple elegance of the church.
"I've got a weird feeling about this place," DG commented.
"Same here," Jill agreed.
Valk just let out a low growl, his hand on his sword.
"Welcome friends," a soothing voice called out. The Heroes turned to see a young man walking up to them. He was dressed like the rest, but wore a red vest with gold trim. His hair was parted down the middle. He smiled like a politician. "I am so glad the Professional Heroes have come to join us," he continued.
Deadguy felt something creeping around in his head. It was invasive, yet soothing. It was trusting. Our Hero shook his head. This mental invasion was starting to aggravate him. "I'm sorry," he remarked. "Who the hell are you again?"
"Where are my manners?" The man bowed slightly. "I am Hannes, the High Priest of the Church of One."
One. That word started to echo throughout the church as various followers repeated the word over and over.
"Wouldn't it have been cheaper to get a bunch of parrots," DG asked, trying to massage away the growing headache.
Hannes chuckled. "Oh, your wit will be a wonderful addition to our community."
'Community' echoed around the Heroes.
Deadguy instinctively reached out and grabbed Hannes' tie. He yanked the leader close. The mental invasion stopped suddenly. "Professor Langley. Where is he," he asked.
"I...I don't know what your-"Hannes stammered.
"Don't toy with me," Deadguy growled "You know who I am. You've probably seen what I can do. Hand over the Professor. Now."
"The Professor is safe," Hannes said, his voice dripping with honey. "Shame I can't say the same about you Heroes."
A strong hand grabbed Our Hero's arm. He quickly looked over just in time to see a giant fist ram into his face. He staggered back, falling over the chairs. There was a roar as Valkadaidan unsheathed his blade and began attacking the devotees that were foolish enough to challenge him. Jill started throwing kicks and punches, fighting off the invasion. Our Hero turned his attention back to the towering behemoth that was about to slam both his fists square on his head. He clenched his fist, then covered his other hand on top of it. With a mighty swing, he slammed both fists right into his opponent's abdomen. The giant crumpled to the floor.
Two more devotees jumped out of their seats and tried to land on Deadguy. He elbowed one in the gut as he was still in the air. He sidestepped the other and quickly punched him in the chin, sending the man reeling. Another ran up from the other side of the downed giant. Deadguy leapt off the giant's back and ended up kneeing the attacker in the nose. "Hey," he asked, dodging another punch from an uncoordinated assailant. "what happened to Mister Creepy-weird?"
"Looks like Hannes is making a run for it," Jill exclaimed, pointing towards the back of the stage.
Deadguy knocked out one of the goons. "Exit stage left, gang," he quipped. The Heroes took off after Hannes, following the trail through the backstage. They stopped short at an old, rickety elevator. "There's a down in this place," he asked.
"Probably a sub-basement," Jill answered. The three stared into the elevator shaft.
Our Hero pried the crossed gate open. "Last one down buys lunch for a week," he commented, then grabbed the cable and started sliding down.
Valkadaidan reached over and pulled Jill to his side. "He forgets that you won't survive the fall," he said. "Just hold on to me." She wrapped her arms around his neck as they leapt into the elevator shaft. They quickly flew past Deadguy as Valk unsheathed his katana. Slamming it into the wall, their fall slowed as Deadguy caught up. All three Heroes landed on the roof of th
e elevator at the same time. Jill turned to Our Hero with a sly smile.
"It's a tie," DG grumbled.
She gasped in anguish. "Bullshit. We landed two seconds before you."
"No you didn't. Besides, you landed after Valk."
"I'm the boss. What I say goes."
"You're not the boss of physics."
"Alright children," Valk growled. "Keep it down before-" There were a swarm of red dots suddenly appearing on them. The Heroes looked to see several guards with guns aimed at them. Hannes was standing behind them, smiling.
"Pleasure to have you here to witness my first steps to glory," the leader said. "Come down and join me.'
"This is your fault," Jill hissed to Deadguy as they walked behind Hannes, hands in the air. "We get out of this, you're buying lunch for a month."