Blasted Past: Part Twenty-Nine

The Green Man moved like a flash, knocking aside the man who had drawn a gun on Sparrowhawk. His fist smithereened a man's jaw, and the shot went wide. He looked to see whether Sparrowhawk had been hurt, only to see her knock a man out with a jolting high-kick. She made eye contact with him for a while before knocking out another man. She laughed, a fresh, exhilarating sound, as she carved a swathe through the ranks of the wicked. Bending, the Green Man picked up a fallen gun. Ms. Madison did the same, while Sir Richard Arcos let out a whoop of joy, as he laid into the Grey Tabby's men. Lady Sylvia and the man in the brown trechcoat both displayed surprising martial arts abilities, as they dived into the battle beside Sparrowhawk.

"You fools!" The Grey Tabby shouted, urging his men on, "kill them! Kill them all!"

"No dice, Tabby!" Sparrowhawk spoke before the Green Man could do so, at the same time as she kicked a technician into a bank of computers with enough force to knock some stuff onto the floor. Lady Sylvia knocked him out with a blow to the back of the neck.

"Why I had you kidnapped I'll never know..." the Grey Tabby snarled, "you hell-cat."

"Temporary mental abberation, old chap?" Sir Richard laughed, at the same time pounding a man into a pulp. "That's always my excuse, of course." He reached the table on which their things were, retrieving his cane.

"You show an annoying talent for disrupting my schemes." The Grey Tabby glared at the little group of adventurers.

"We try." The Green Man shot a man who was drawing a bead on Sparrowhawk. "You can't win now, Tabby. Give up!"

"Give up?" The Grey Tabby laughed grimly. "No, Green Man, I do not give up." He pushed a button on the control panel. The floor opened beneath him, and the villain laughed, as he vanished. Ms. Madison and the Green Man fired, but it was too late. He was gone, and, moments later, the massive generator was shaken by an explosion.

"Self-destruct!" the Green Man pulled Ms. Madison towards the exit. "If we don't hurry, we'll die!"

The small group of heroes hurried for the exits, followed by the remaining mercenaries. As they emerged onto the hill, the ground split in places, smoke pouring out. The mercenaries surrendered to the Green Man's party. Ms. Madison leaned back against the column, her face streaked with smoke.

"Did we just win?" she asked.