Chapter 31
On our way to the SDC, we can already see Mercury getting close and turning to make his way up to the top. When we get there, we can see the cops already arriving at the base of the building. And as soon as we attach to the side of the building...
Mercury: “You're not getting me that easily, coppers!” He manipulates the towers power to form an electrical cage around the tower to keep the cops out. Thankfully we were already here, and that he didn’t seem to notice us as he zapped himself into the antenna, probably traversing through the electric current.
Blake: “We’ve got to hurry!”
Ruby: “But what about the cage?”
Weiss: “It’s coming from the buildings power. And with the Dust Core active, it’ll last for years and give him a constant power source. Unless we shut it off, the water is useless if he can absorb more power to use.”
Blake: “Then we should split up. You go on ahead and stall him. I’ll go down below and shut off the core. Refrain from using your water until then.” She uses her grapple to lower herself to the ground and enter through the front door, while I climb up the top to reach Jacques. As I’m climbing though, I see the top floor windows shatter with blasts of lightning coming through. We cut to see Mercury in Jacques’ office after he blew the windows out and the office furniture around, with Jacques slumped by the door.
Mercury: “Now it’s time to pay. Schnee!”
Jacques: “Nrgh! Okay, wait. Maybe we can talk about this-Gragh!” Mercury moved to grab him by the throat and lift him up.
Mercury: “You lost your chance the second you made your decision back at the hospital. You’ll get just what you deserve. Just like Marcus!” As he moves to charge his power through his other hand for the kill, but then I reach the top and web his hand to stop him, followed by a web line to his back to pull on him and he ends up letting Jacques go.
Ruby: “I can’t let you do this Mercury! Not again.”
Mercury: “I told you, it’s Electro!” As he fires off a beam at me, and though it did push me back through the window, but I was able to recover faster because I wasn’t actually harmed by the electricity. “And as for you, Schnee! Huh?” He turned back around to see Jacques was gone. “Grr. Damnit...” It didn’t take me long to get back up to the window.
Ruby: “Nice try! But I’ve learned my lesson after the last two times.”
Mercury: “Why you little-!” He charges at me and we both end up outside. I try to be as cautious as possible to stay away from the lightning cage as we struggle on our way to the ground. I was able to get down safely without busting my water tank. “I don’t have time to deal with you! I need to find Schnee!”
Ruby: “Oh no you don’t!” I use my webs to grab him.
Mercury: “Oh please...” He tries to snake his power through my webs again, but thanks to what Weiss did, the shooters are still working.
Ruby: “Thank you, Weiss.” I had to whisper before I yank him down to ground level. “Again. Nice try. But I’ve learned my lesson.”
Mercury: “Maybe so. But I’m still all powerful!” As he goes to absorb energy from the tower, but is abruptly cut off. “What the hell!?” And then the cage shuts down afterwards. “What!?”
Ruby: “Heh. Should’ve been wondering where Black Cat the whole time.”
Mercury: “I still have plenty of power to work with...” To which he fires another beam that I dodged and went to charge him. Though because of close I’m getting, it’s easier for him to hit me when he fires another one. “No one touches me!”
Blake: “Challenge accepted!” As she pops up through the door and delivers a hard kick to him. “Guess I win. Let’s finish this, Scarlet.”
Ruby: “You got it!” We both grab our sprayers and take aim. But he moves up once we start spraying and then works to drain nearby energy. And unfortunately, our sprayers can’t reach that high, and we need both hands to use them so we can’t grapple up to him. “Drat!” And then Vernal shows up.
Vernal: “Water? That’s your plan?”
Blake: “Water and electricity don’t mix. It can neutralize his powers. We just need a way to get him to stand still.” Vernal looked around and saw a nearby water tower atop a building.
Vernal: “Either of you have any sort of explosive?”
Blake: “I have some small ones for distractions.”
Vernal: “Can they blow a hole in one of those?” As she points to the tower.
Blake: “A small handful should.” As she hands them over to her. “We’ll keep him busy and near the tower while you get up there and attach them.
Ruby: “Good luck.” To which she runs off to the fire escape, whereas Mercury finishes up and comes back down.
Mercury: “You guys are so gonna get it!” To which he moves to fire off more lightning. During the struggle, Vernal reaches the roof, moves up to the tower's catwalk, and works to attach the bombs. After about five minutes, we see look up to see Vernal coming back down the tower and moving for the fire escape, to which we work to push Mercury back into the building vicinity to where the water will splash him, by using our sprayers that he tries to avoid. “Damn, you guys are persistent! Just give up already! You can’t beat a god!”
Blake: “Maybe not. But this can.” As she pushes a button on her arm, and the bombs go off, blowing out a hole in the tower and unleashing all of the water on top of him.
Mercury: “AAAAAAGH!!!” Even after all of the waters gone, we spray him with the rest of our water for good measure, until he’s now on his knees, completely struggling with his powers. *cough, cough*”Damnit! How could this be!?”
Ruby: “Sorry, Electro. But your grounded.” As Blake and I move to get him into the straitjacket.
Mercury: “Agh! Wait! Get away from me! Gragh! Just wait till I get my hands on you!” And Vernal comes up on us with her men.
Ruby: “Alright officers. He’s all yours.”
Blake: “Just make sure to completely insulate his cell too.”
Vernal: “Trust me. We’ll make certain the Vault gets to work on that. Take him away.” To which they grab him with rubber gloves on and take him to a nearby truck.
Ruby: “Oh and Captain? Thanks for your help today. And for helping us yesterday too.”
Vernal: “Yeah, well, I give credit where credit is due. Despite your methods, I truly believe guys like you are helping.”
Ruby: “And what about your partner?”
Vernal: “Branwen may share may views, but he’s not willing to risk his badge on pursuing them. He's just trying warn me away from it to keep me on the force, since you guys are still vigilantes. We're just letting you go now because of your help today like always. I just wish we can actually work together.”
Ruby: “Well, we might not be able to work with the whole force. But I trust you enough to work together. Which is why I thought I’d give you this.” As I hand over one of our comm links. “It’s a direct line to our personal comm channel. Use is whenever you may need us or if you any info we could use.”
Vernal: “I’ll be sure to do that. You can count on me.”
Blake: “Well then. We should probably get going.”
Ruby: “Right. Catch you later, Captain.”
Vernal: “Please. Vernal is just fine.”
Ruby: “Eheh. Then see you later, Vernal.” To which we take off, and she joins the others in escorting Mercury. After getting the power back on, Jacques and Glass meet up after that whole debacle.
Jacques: “That damn brat almost killed me!”
Glass: “Well, then it’s a good thing the Spider saved you, right?”
Jacques: “Maybe so, but I don’t plan on changing my view on her. *sigh* And on a different note. How is the specimens transfer going?”
Glass: “I just got word that it has left the main company building and it on its way through Atlas as we speak. We should have it with us within a matter of weeks.”
Jacques: “I suppose that’s to be expected, to avoid accidentally releasing it. Just let me know when it arrives. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have some other work to do.” And then Glass was left alone to go to his office.
Glass: “Hm. After what happened with Torchwick, I think it’s time that I called in a more professional fighter to test my gear on the Spider. And I already have the perfect candidate. All I have to do is settle then deal and arrange his transport from Anima.” As looks at a file featuring a picture of a man with dark brown hair in a braided ponytail resembling a scorpion tail, with crazy looking golden eyes and a wicked smile on his face. Meanwhile, we cut to the office of Jax Asturias, meeting with some of his men.
Jax: “So, even someone who saw himself as a god fell to the so called ‘heroes’. Honestly, he was pathetically arrogant.”
Thug: “Um, sir. Shouldn't we be worried?”
Jax: “No. One arrogant man with powers doesn’t change anything. Not when he stopped with a mere bath. This city is still ours to control. And soon, they’ll realize why.”