Dashing Devil Omnibus 1: Books 1-3, page 26
Contusions covered his chest, arms, and legs. Several ugly lacerations slowly leaked a thick, dark red blood. His healing factor was already acting to slow and stop the bleeding, making it thicker and slowing its flow as it coagulated. Boyd could feel several deep cuts on his back, too.
He reduced these pains to a mild discomfort with his Mental Domination Power. He’d been hit by enough damage from several explosions that he knew he’d need at least eight or more hours of complete rest to heal. While that happened, he wasn’t going to be of much use to anyone.
“If you’re okay, I’m going to go pick up Kitsune and go after them. They’re still retreating but the drones are tracking them, they haven't split up yet.” She said over the comms.
“I’m grounded but alright,” Boyd reported over comms. “Go get the rest of them, I’ll jump over there and keep an eye on that one.”
As he spoke, he started sprinting in Silvie’s direction. The buildings weren't very far apart, all being on the same block and roughly the same height. Boyd leaped to the next building over, clearing the distance easily.
“Okay, Darling,” Silvie said as she flew off back towards The Tower. “Kitsune, I’m on my way.”
“Gotcha. Looks like the Bionics are in the clear to reach The Tower, so I’ll break off, now,” Kitsune’s voice answered in the even tones of someone who was running but used to talking at the same time. “Look for the big green arrow.”
Boyd leaped over the last gap and jogged over to the prone Powered Criminal. The man wore blue jeans and a black shirt featuring a band that had been popular thirty years ago. Part of the band’s logo was missing, that part of his shirt having burned in a circle of a size Boyd was intimately familiar with—that of Silvie’s palm.
The skin underneath the hole in his shirt was blackened, but the man’s chest rose and falls steadily. His ribs didn’t look quite right, though. Silvie probably broke a few of them when she’d slammed him into the roof. Overtop the shirt, he wore a black leather jacket, the shoulders lined with steel studs. Boyd kicked the body over, not really caring if he worsened any of the man’s injuries. They could patch up almost anything these days, and a little extra pain would be good for him.
On the back of the jacket was the image of a white skull, one that Boyd instantly recognized from his encounter earlier that day. Well, technically it had been yesterday, since it was now sometime after two in the morning.
“Whoever they are,” Boyd growled, “they’re definitely targeting Heroes. This guy is wearing the same jacket as the ones who attacked Silver yesterday.”
“We had intelligence that suggested the same group was planning an attack. It’s why The Bionics were in the field,” Deputy Director Ellis replied.
“Sounds like that was part of their plan, the target of this attack was The Bionics. This guy is going to need medical if he is going to answer any questions. I could also use an extraction,” Boyd said.
“Transport inbound. ETA one minute,” Ellis replied.
Just then, the pink shield on Boyd’s arm flickered out and the device unclasped from his arm. He caught it as it fell and tucked it into his waistband alongside the gun. He really didn’t care that they were pink at this point. Those explosions might have killed him without the shield, and the gun had bought him the time he needed to lay a Mental Domination smackdown on his foe. He would be dead without either of them.
“Tinker, are you still on comms?” Boyd asked.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Tinker's high voice replied. She sounded exhausted but relieved.
“I just wanted to say thanks. You probably saved my life.”
“No shit? The shield held up?” she asked.
“Clear comms,” Ellis barked. “Mission ongoing.”
“Yes, Sir,” Boyd replied.
“Got the other group of Powered Criminals in sight. Dropping Kitsune off,” Silvie’s voice said.
“Get me closer,” Kitsune urged, and Boyd’s chest clenched.
“You sure?” Silvie asked.
“Yeah, let's get them. Bring me right in on top of them.” Kitsune sounded more excited than she should have, considering these four had given three of The Bionics trouble.
“Okay, let's go!” Silvie seemed to feed off the other woman’s energy. Her excitement was clear in her voice, and it thrummed down their Bond.
That's when Boyd’s transport arrived. Four Non-Powered Officers in full tactical armor poured out of a grav-sled and secured the Powered Criminal. A woman in the white and red field uniform of a paramedic ran up to Boyd and urged him into the transport. He climbed inside the grav-sled and the officers dragged the criminal in behind him.
The nurse jabbed him with an injector gun and then turned to grab another one. “Sir, you aren't going to want me to, but I’m going to put you under.”
“Why?” Boyd asked, startled.
“Your biometrics indicate that you have suffered extensive internal injuries. You are likely in shock, and it would be better if you were unconscious before the adrenaline wears off. Trust me,” the parametric said.
Boyd's vision was starting to go blurry. He could only lock up so much pain, after all. Ignoring it longer than he needed to for a mission could be dangerous. He needed to make sure that Silvie was safe, though. Part of him admitted to being almost as worried for Kitsune as he was for his lover.
“I would like to remain conscious until the situation is resolved,” Boyd grumbled, being very careful not to sound intimidating. Some of his pain was starting to slip through, being much harder to control after he’d used it as a weapon.
“Alright.” The parametric sighed. She turned the dial on her injection gun to the left. “I’m giving you a strong anesthetic, it’s not enough to put you out but it should help with the pain. I need you to go ahead and lay on the grav-board.”
She indicated a backboard on which she pressed a couple buttons. It extended out another couple of feet so that it was about the right size for Boyd, and he laid down on it. She pressed the injection gun to his forearm and pulled the trigger. He heard a hiss but there was no corresponding pain.
“There we go,” the parametric said as a cool wave went through him.
“All targets down, send medical,” Silvie’s voice sounded in his ear.
Boyd let out a sigh of relief and both his anxiety and pain faded.
“Both Kitsune and I are unharmed, Darling. Let the nice lady put you under now,” Silvie said.
“Yeah, big guy,” Kitsune purred over comms, “get some rest. I expect breakfast in the morning. I like my eggs sunny side up.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle and it tried to climb into a laugh when the parametric, who was clearly patched into their comms channel, blushed. Boyd felt something twinge in his chest when laughing turned out to be too much, and he groaned.
“Okay, ladies. See you in a bit. Please put me under, nice lady.” He said this last to the parametric. She fiddled with her injection gun and presses it to his arm.
Moments later, blessed sleep overtook him.
Chapter 29
Boyd regained consciousness sometime later in a hospital room. He could tell where he was even before he opened his eyes, based on the stink of antiseptic that filled the air. He found himself reclined in a bed. Checking in with his other senses first before opening his eyes, he judged that it had been several hours since the nice lady had put him under based on the level of healing he had achieved.
His wings were held out and open by a rack of some kind, probably something cobbled together just for the occasion. Hell, maybe The Authority’s medical centers all had wing braces on hand. It’s not like such extra appendages were uncommon. Based on how they felt, Boyd still had another three or four hours before they would be usable—at least the bones had all set. His internals felt a bit tender, but he was hungry and that was always a good sign.
The bed was comfortable, and he was covered in heavy blankets. They were likely lead-lined, although for him they didn’t need to be. Some Powered’s healing processes gave off a low-level of radiation. Boyd’s didn’t, but Silvie’s blood, for example, did. It was enough radiation that regular exposure could be problematic for normal people.
Part of the blanket down near his right hip felt a little heavier and warmer than the rest. When it shifted slightly, his initial assumption was confirmed. Boyd inhaled deeply, knowing that Silvie’s scent would bring him comfort. He hated hospitals, but knew it would be hours before they let him leave. It was not the sweet floral smell of Silvie that greeted his nose, it was a richer, spicier scent.
Boyd blinked his eyes open slowly. He saw the basic hospital room ceiling he’d expected to see, with view screens mounted in one corner and cabinets along the other wall. Currently, the lights were dimmed—lights he knew that would normally be way too bright. He tilted his head to the side to look down at the bed.
Sure enough, a head of fiery red hair lay on his thigh. Kitsune had pulled a chair up close to the bed and must have slumped forward onto him. Her breathing was even, and she was apparently asleep.
It felt a little strange to see her there. He’d honestly expected to awaken to find Silvie ready to mother-hen him. She tended to be a bit of a worrier when he got banged up like this—even though—so far—he’d healed through just about everything. As far as they could tell, as long as Boyd didn’t bleed out rapidly or suffer an instantly fatal wound, he could pull through nearly anything in a few days' time.
Hell, he’d once regrown a hand after Silvie took it off when she was trying to form her energy Power into something like a sword.
Kitsune didn’t seem the worrying type, though, as least not as far as he could tell. She must have sensed his attention or maybe his movement, because she slowly raised her head. Her fiery locks were mussed, and her bright green eyes look tired, but they brightened a little when she saw that he was awake.
“Hey there, big guy. How are you feeling?” she asked, sitting up slowly.
Boyd noted that she was still in her suit, which looked spotless. “I’m fine,” he rumbled back. “Everyone make it back okay?”
“In addition to the four members of The Bionics, we lost sixteen Non-Powered Officers. Luckily, the building was mostly empty when the bomb went off. No civilian casualties,” Kitsune rapidly listed all the relevant facts.
“Silver is fine. She wanted to be here, but they have her flying a very randomized grid to reassure the populace that Glorith City is still protected. I’m on standby because they don’t want Silver flying me around or me moving around on foot. These attacks are targeting Heroes; no reason to give them an easy target.”
Boyd didn’t like that Silvie was out in the field alone, but with her speed and agility, she was probably safe as long as she stayed on her guard. “You should be resting, then,” he said.
Boyd frowned at Kitsune. She looked okay, but he could sense her exhaustion through their nascent Bond now that his brain was fully awake. He doubted she needed less sleep than the typical person and they had gotten maybe three hours of sleep before being rudely awakened and thrust right into an emergency situation.
“Nahh. I’m fine.” Kitsune tried to wave off his concern, but was betrayed by her body as she was forced to stifle a yawn. “Okay,” she admitted, “I’m bushed. But I promised Silver not to let you out of my sight. Apparently, it wouldn’t be the first time you snuck out of a hospital.”
Boyd whistled a few random notes. She wasn’t wrong, he had snuck out of a few hospitals in the past. It was not like he needed the care, or that they could do much for him. He was pretty tired, though—too tired to bother trying to leave right now.
“What if I promise to stay put?” Boyd asked.
“Just what someone planning to sneak out would say.” Kitsune grinned at him. “I may have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night.”
“Hey, my word is my bond. I don’t break my promises,” Boyd grumbled.
Kitsune studied him for a moment. “I believe you,” she finally said, “but I don’t break mine either, and I promised not to leave your side.”
Boyd huffed. He knew she wasn’t going to back down, he felt a prickly sensation that he associated with stubbornness across their Bond. It would be pointless to argue. He could also feel Kitsune’s exhaustion through the bond, and he wanted her to rest.
“Fine.” He scooted away from her as much as the wing braces allowed and lifted the blanket up. “Get up here, then. You can keep your promise and still get some rest. I promise not to go anywhere without waking you up.”
Kitsune looked at the spot he’d cleared longingly, the conflict clear her face. “I’m going to be pissed if you’re lying to me,” she muttered after a moment as she crawled up into the bed.
Boyd lowered the blanket as Kitsune gingerly laid her head on his chest, hiking one of her legs over his thigh. The material of her suit was thin enough that he felt the heat of her body. The material it was made from felt smooth against his side as she pressed against him.
“You're not too hurt for this, are you?” she asked, peering worriedly up at him. “You were pretty messed up when they brought you in. I saw the pictures and the scans.”
“Yeah,” Boyd responded, wrapping an arm around her and inhaling deeply. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her scent.
“I’ll be fine in a few hours.” He glanced over his shoulder at his tattered wings, judging how they were coming along. “Maybe another four to six for the wings.”
“That must be nice. It would take me weeks to heal from injuries like those,” Kitsune replied, settling her head and the rest of her body against him more firmly. “Let me know if anything hurts, okay?”
“I’m fine, really. Get some rest.” He kissed the top of her head, sensing that she could use some reassurance, herself. Such things were hard for him to ignore. Given the quickness with which their Bond was forming, it was startling.
“By the time you wake up,” Boyd said, “I’ll be close to one hundred percent.”
“Alright.” Kitsune yawned again. “You rest, too.”
“Mhmm,” he murmured back.
Boyd knew he was unlikely to sleep any more, but he laid his head back and closed his eyes. He wasn’t ready to watch the news yet, anyways. He could only imagine the panic losing four of the city's defenders in one night would cause, not to mention the Non-Powered Officer Headquarters being bombed.
Boyd would rather just lay there and try to recover as fast as he could. There was not much he could do until they cleared him to leave the hospital. With that in mind, he went through his normal boredom avoiding mental exercises while he waited.
Sometime later, the door slid open, letting in a swath of brighter light from the hallway. Kitsune grumbled and nuzzled into his chest, pulling the blanket up over her face a little but not waking.
“Hey kid, you awake?” Royce’s familiar voice asked.
Boyd blinked his eyes open and nodded gently, raising his left hand to press a finger to his lips before pointing down at the sleeping Kitsune.
Royce stepped into the room and the door slid closed behind him, cutting off the brighter light. He walked over, making an effort to do so quietly. Royce sported a pair of heavy bags under his eyes and one raised eyebrow as he looked down at the head of very red fluffy hair resting on his chest.
“Well, that was quick,” he said softly. He’d been quiet, but still managed to inject a noticeable degree of wryness into his tone.
Boyd scowled. “She promised Silvie not to let me out of her sight, but was clearly exhausted and needed the rest.” He flicked a thumb over his shoulder at the wing rack. “I couldn’t exactly give her the bed. I’m just sharing a bed with my teammate.”
“Uh-huh,” Royce responded, sounding skeptical. “You two look a little too snug for just ‘sharing a bed with a teammate’,” he muttered.
“Annywaay…” Royce drew the word out. “I thought you should know that you’re being activated. Limited field duty. The Director called an emergency meeting and we’re bringing in a new secondary team—they’re already en route. Solid team, too… even have a couple of S-Ranked. Pinnacle Watch, heard of them?”
Boyd remembered hearing something about them, but he couldn’t bring up the relevant facts at the moment so shook his head.
“They’ve been active for a while as the primary for Clolis City—going on thirty years, now. Most of them are starting to slow down a little, so it was determined that a secondary role here in Glorith was a more fitting position for them.”
Boyd remembered, now. “I think I know about them… solid team. I’m glad to have them watching our back. But what’s this about limited field duty?” Boyd asked.
He slipped up and his voice came out a little louder than he’d intended. Kitsune grumbled and shifted against him, drawing the blanket up higher as her ears twitched in agitation. Boyd placed one hand on her head and gently rubbed one of her foxlike ears. He got the sense that she liked that a lot, especially when she was sleepy.
Royce shook his head and chuckled. “You’re fucking dense, kid, if you think you're going to fend that one off for long.”
Boyd sighed and murmured, “Yeah. Between her and Silvie pushing for it, I doubt I’ll last the week. Back on topic... limited field duty?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Royce grinned, “You’ll be on forty-eight-hour medical leave when they release you in a couple of hours. I know you’ll be right as rain in six or less, but rules are rules, and you got banged up pretty good. They’re pissed about that, by the way, but agreed that this time you acted reasonably and within the bounds of a Heroes responsibility of ensuring public safety. That fucker could have done a hell of a lot of damage if he’d started targeting buildings.”
“If it hasn’t been already said, point out that it was the only way to complete the extraction mission I was assigned,” Boyd replied, having put a little thought into his own defense. “He was coming in hot, and I had to draw him off the team in order to get them out.”
“Good point. I don’t think it’s been said, but I’ll add your statement to the file for the event,” Royce agreed with a nod. “Anyway, this is a shitshow that The Authority needs to get ahead of. Losing four Heroes in one night—fully half of the city's defenders—is going to cause a stir.”
