The Great Belligerency [Round 4: Static]

Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.

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Wonderful. Why had that blasted spirit decided to be even more infuriating? Cole still had no idea if he was even on the right side of the city.

Left.

Cole flew to the left, still annoyed. Every deity or spiritual being he had encountered here had been every bit as frustrating as Anansi. Balance and his insistence on getting in the way just to make it harder to change the status quo... Soft and her attempts to make a "hero" out of him... Dove, who thought the immobile bugs on his body were more important than his life... Ur, the mad goddess who sought only destruction... And the Executor, who had brought them all here for his own amusement.

Right.

Cole swerved to the right. It occurred to him that Ur might actually be the least unpleasant out of that group. She might be trying to destroy everything, but at least she wasn't judgmental about it.

Descend! Quickly!

Cole suddenly felt compelled to change his flight into a dive. He adjusted his speed just in time to notice the bullet flying over his head.

He looked to the ground and spotted a group of armored soldiers. Wonderful. One more diversion he didn't need.

He sighed, and flew lower. As he landed, his wings vanished, and his body was soon covered by a sturdy armored shell. The beetle from the museum had a horn as hard as diamond; and Cole had realized since collecting it, that its exoskeleton was nearly as strong.

He advanced towards the squad, shrugging off their bullets. It was slow, but effective.

Most of them fled as he approached, seeing the futility. One stayed behind, perhaps desperately hoping that one of his bullets would pierce the strange alien's armor.

He was not so lucky. Cole grabbed him, and tossed aside his firearm. The former biologist was about to ask the soldier for directions, when his captive's wrist communicator suddenly buzzed. Cole pressed the "Audio Only" button.

"Epsilon Squad! Do you read?" The voice from the communicator was unmistakeably Reinhardt's.

Cole's eyeless face fixated on the terrified man in his grip; the prisoner seemed to understand.

"This is Epsilon Squad Leader, sir!" he said, trying desperately not to show his fear in his voice. "I read you!"

"Is there a problem with your communicator? I am only hearing your voice."

"It's malfunctioning. I think there might be interference on the video frequency."

"Hmmph. Never mind. I have new orders for your squad. Nu Squad was nearly wiped out by an alien terrorist; she appears to be able to make plants grow anywhere, and is causing great damage with them. Reports indicate that she is currently headed down 45th Avenue, moving towards Raenforth Street. As you are near the intersection of 45th and Raenforth, I want you to prepare for her arrival. Lethal force is authorized, but if you are able to capture her alive, that is preferable. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir! Understood!"

"Excellent. I await news of your success."

Cole took his finger off the button, then changed his hands to a scorpion's claw and crushed the communicator.

"There," he said, letting the soldier down. "Now that he won't be getting any warnings from you, perhaps you can tell me how I can get to Raenforth Street from here."

The soldier pointed nervously off in one direction, eyeing his discarded rifle. Cole stepped on the weapon, then dismissed his armor in favor of wings.

"Thank you. You've been most helpful. I'm sure you're planning to run off to warn Reinhardt about me. Tell him Cole says 'hello'."

Cole flew off before the soldier could respond.

I hope he's not trying to lead me in the wrong direction, Cole thought.

No, this is the right way.

Cole was too preoccupied with his flight to realize the second thought wasn't actually his.