A Dark Trail - Chapter 8

Calvin followed the fiddle out the window, but where it fell to the parking lot below, he hopped onto a narrow ledge and off to the side. He was angry about getting shocked, not suicidal.

His adrenaline and desire to get clear caused him to almost overshoot and sail into empty space like the instrument, but he was able to regain his balance as electricity sparked and snapped out the window on his left and into the air. He made his way along the narrow path to the next hallway down, where he found the window was entirely intact. Looking over his shoulder, he saw his new best friend's head sticking out the window he escaped through, scowling.

"Aw, crap."

Then the elderly-looking man went flying out the window, the fat end of the bat Calvin brought having taken his place, one slim hand holding it tightly. For a moment the Electric Man seemed to cartwheel helplessly into space, until the electricity surged forth from his hands again. It reached back to the building, seeming to almost grasp the metal framework that ran along the exterior, then arcing back to its master. His descent slowed, then stopped, and he began to steadily rise back to their level.

Having forgotten his own very exposed position, Calvin watched as the bat withdrew from his sight into the hall. Before the walking skeleton could surge after it, Cassanee leapt out to meet him. She kicked him squarely in the face, and used the force to push her up, and she floated backwards enough to grab the edge of the roof with one hand. As the Electric Man halted his fall again, Cass easily pulled herself up. He glared up at her, while the Lady in Orange looked down at him impassively, no emotion showing.

For a few seconds, they held this position, and then he sent a little more power out and was launched up into the air above her, Cass darting back smoothly while he rained bolts of sheer power down on her as he descended. Calvin continued down the ledge, trying to find some way to access the roof and help.

Up on the roof, Cassanee felt steadier. There was less cover, just a few AC units, but the open roof gave her far more room to maneuver than the close quarters of those halls and offices. Not that she would say she was winning, exactly. Getting close enough to strike him was tricky. She couldn't tell that he had a recharge time between attacks, and didn't plan to take another direct hit to find out. She stayed to one side of him or the other, so it was more difficult for him to use both hands, since using both seemed to allow for stronger attacks and a wider range.

At least he hadn't been able to stay airborne. She'd have been in real trouble if he could claim the high ground, she reflected as she ducked behind an AC unit. A moment later, she darted back out in the direction she'd come from, heading for more cover. She saw his right hand rise out of the corner of her eye, but she'd already slowed her pace by the time he'd decided where to aim, so he led her by too much. She immediately turned 90 degrees, heading directly for him as his attack crackled past ineffectually wide left.

He raised his left arm in response, and she adjusted smoothly to her right just a bit. Just enough that it missed doing any harm (other than her cloak getting singed), but not enough to divert her. She held the bat in one hand by the end of the handle, letting it trail behind her just above the roof. She could bring it to bear in a full swing on any number of places on his emaciated body. She saw his eyes widen, and then the right hand was there, crossed over his left bicep, palm out towards her. She was able to glide sideways again as a wall of current erupted between them. The barrier unfortunately redirected her long enough he could bring his left arm back into the fray and she had to retreat quickly.

Cassanee felt her teeth grind in frustration. She was faster than him, but he could cover such a wide range with little movement or effort. And he was staying on a section of roof with no cover nearby. Drawing him into an ambush was impossible. She started to wonder if she'd been better off in the maze of halls and offices after all. This was slightly outside her range of expertise.

"Hey! Heeeeey! Old Man! You gonna do your version of Fiddler on the Roof? Oh that's right, you ca - awk!" Calvin dropped back onto the fire escape out of sight of the roof. The metal fire escape. Crap. Well he couldn't be picky. He'd been lucky to even find this rickety fire escape around the corner of the building. Especially since he hadn't seen a way to access from inside. Maybe they renovated the building and left it behind?

At any rate, he'd reached the roof and tried to give Cass an opening the best way he could: being a smart ass. Well he got the guy's attention, but when Cass tried to capitalize, the Electric Man flung one hand to his side. His energy arced out and wrapped around an AC unit, pulling him that way. Cass' swing grazed his left side, but nothing more. To her credit, she didn't break stride, flowing smoothly in a gentle arc that tracked his movement, and kept her between him and Calvin.

Calvin popped back up into view and flung the metal platter like a Frisbee. Focused on Cass as she looked for an opening, the Electric Man didn't notice that the platter ricocheted off the AC unit he was being drawn towards, and it collided solidly with his jaw. The current coming from his hand abruptly cut off, the upraised arm straightened out and jerked higher on some invisible puppet string.

The tray spun off in the direction of Cass, who let it drift over her shoulder as she darted in and struck the stunned man once in the face with the end of the bat. He flew backwards before he hit the roof and rolled another few feet.

Calvin walked up, holding the tray in one hand and shaking the other. "Captain America always makes catching it look so much easier. You have any rubber coils or insulation or anything?"

Cassanee's eyes stayed on their downed opponent. "Usually wears gloves, doesn't he? And, rubber coils?"

"Yes, and he takes performance enhancers. And I mean something to absorb any electricity he tries to discharge."

She shook her head. "Nothing like that."

"Me neither. Should we try getting the others and leaving while the getting is good?"