Frontier #16 - Control pt. 3

                A refreshing ocean breeze rolled over the hot white sandy beaches of Claria, bringing in a much needed cooling for Steve as he laid out in the early afternoon sun. Natalie was sunning herself next to him, and he gazed out over the ocean, breathing deeply and relaxing for once. Steve couldn’t remember the last time he got a chance to just relax and enjoy the serenity of a world at peace. After a little while though, he lifted his head.

                “Do you think we should check up on them?”

                Natalie turned her head and lifted her sunglasses. “No, love, let them be. They don’t get many chances to be on their own, and this is a good test for them. They know to call if anything happens.”

                “Hmm, you’re right,” Steve said as he closed his eyes once more. “It’s only been a few days. I’m sure they are just enjoying the freedom right now.”

                Tony walked into the command room as Marian hung up the phone. He plopped down in a chair and hung his head back.

                “Guess you didn’t find him,” Marian said without looking at Tony.

                “No, I did. We stopped at a burger joint, had a bite to eat, and then he went on his way, promising to be a better person and help the little kids in need.”

                Marian rolled her eyes at Tony’s sarcasm. She was too tired to get angry anymore. The four of them had been up since last night when they discovered Sewage had melted his way out of the holding cell and escaped into the city’s sewer system. The entire day had been spent searching the city for him, but as the evening came on, there was still no sign of him anywhere. Marian had already contacted the waste plants to alert them to the potential threat, but upon checking in none had seen any suspicious activity. Even Francis got in on the search, after the three younger metas convinced him not to call Steve. He had just reported in with nothing, and was on his way back to the mansion with diner. As for Matt, he hadn’t returned yet either. Both Tony and Francis saw him flying around the city, but his radio had been silent all day.

                “Do you think we can trust him?” Marian asked Tony as she stared at the overhead map of Hopling. “This whole thing just seems…weird, to me.”

                “Who, Matt?” Tony asked in reply. “Yeah we can trust him, why not? And it’s weird cuz we’re on our own. Steve and Nat aren’t here to tell us what to do.”

                “No, it’s not that. It’s just…he shows up randomly as you take down this Sewage guy, explains how powerful Sewage can be, and then acts devastated that he escaped. You saw how surprised he looked. You’d think he would have known better.”

                Tony shook his head, “Nah, I think he just assumed our cells were stronger than that. Or that Sewage wasn’t quite that powerful. Either way he’s a good guy and I’ll trust him.”

                Marian was quiet for a moment. Then she pulled up files on the giant computer screen in front of them. On the screen flashed pictures from the fights with Volt, and a few quick snaps from surveillance videos showing Snake Eyes. “What’s happening to this city, Tony?”

                Tony was taken aback by the question. “What do you mean?”

                “It was something Alex and I talked about. Why, within the last few months, have all these super-powerful metahumans showed up? We had nothing but petty criminals for the longest time, and then bam; first Volt, then Snake Eyes, and now this Sewage guy, along with Matt. What’s bringing them out all of a sudden?”

                “Huh, that’s a good question. Maybe West City is getting flooded with superheroes, and they are all coming out here now. Hopling never had many super villains; it’s kinda fresh, you know? Ripe for the picking.”

                Marian stared at the screen which had a picture of Volt upon it. Finally she spoke, “If that’s the case, do we stand a chance?”

                Tony snorted. “Come on, what’s gotten in to you, Mare? Of course we have a chance. We’re Frontier; no matter what bad guys threaten the city, we can take them out. Plus it’s not just bad guys; look at Matt. I doubt we will need it, but help is there if we do.”

                “Still cocky as ever, Tony.” Marian smiled as his glare. “I’ve missed you. I didn’t think I would, but I did.”

                Tony looked away, not wanting Marian to see the hurt in his eyes. “Yeah well, it’s been quiet here without you. We’re all glad you came back from paradise as the same person.”

                “Well, I’m not exactly the same. I’ve learned a hell of a lot training with Alex. We should spar some time.” She winked when she said this, but before Tony could respond Matt’s voice blasted on the radio.

                “Found him. And there’s a good chance I’ll need some major back-up here.”

                The waste disposal plant was shut down as normal, with all the employees going home and the building being locked up tight. Security had been warned about the possible intruder, but the warning was largely ignored. No additional guards were brought in, for fear of paying them extra for nothing. One by one, as the guards made their rounds, they were picked off, until nobody remained at the plant except one individual in tattered clothing.

                The last guard fell from the intruder’s grip and landed on the ground with a thud. His skin was a sickening color of gray, and in places it had already rotted off, exposing the decay that penetrated the entire body. Sewage looked down at the dead guard and smiled; to him, the guard wasn’t dead. He was merely converted into something better.

                Sewage had been busy these past few months. He had learned so much on his own; much more than Matt ever taught him. For all his power, Matt was really weak. You didn’t need control if you had raw power at your disposal. What did it matter to Sewage if destruction happened in his wake? He was much too powerful now to let a little thing like a conscious stop him. This city was ripe for the picking, and he was just the person to corrupt it.

                With a wave of his hand, Sewage instructed the micro-organisms in a complex dance. He had never tried this with so many hosts, but it was worth a shot. As he concentrated, the bodies of the dead guards began to move, slowly lifting themselves up on lifeless limbs. As two fell, Sewage began struggling with his ordeal. Finally with an exhale he stopped, dropping to his knees along with the bodies.

                “Dammit!” he cursed, punching the ground. “I can do one or two, but any more is too much. I need more power!” Desperately he got up and looked around, trying to find what he was seeking. He pushed open a set of swinging double doors and stopped, an evil smile spreading across his face. In front of him were the storage tanks, where all the unfiltered waste was held.

                “I thrive in waste and death,” he said, throwing out waves of the organisms to corrode the tanks. In less than a minute, the sludge began seeping out of the tanks. Soon the room began to flood, filling with the stench of human waste and byproducts. As his personal filth increased, so did the number of organisms he produced. The microscopic creatures dove in and multiplied; soon they coated the surface of everything within the entire plant and filled the air with a choking cloud of particles. In the storage room, Sewage stood in the hip deep sludge and smiled. The doors were pushed open again, this time by the six reanimated guards. Their lifeless eyes watched as Sewage pulled the sludge around him, layering his body in the waste and growing in size. With the body of a giant and a power which he had never dreamed of achieving, Sewage tore through the roof and let out a roar.

                “I am corruption!” he bellowed into the night sky. Then quieter, to himself, “Let’s see who’s more powerful now, Matt.”