Outlaw: Into The Fire

Chapter 6

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Chapter 6

The heel kick slips through my guard and slams into my chest. My feet come up off the ground and I'm thrown backward. I hit the mat with a wheezing grunt. I try to suck in a breath of air into my empty lungs. The sound that I make would make a zombie proud. It's as if my lungs have forgotten how to work. A thrill of panic starts to work it's way through me. Must stay calm, I must stay calm.

“Try to relax Theo.” Athena chips in. Not that easy.

Someone grabs my legs, and shoves my knees to my chest. Normally you would think this would make it harder to breath, but it didn't. I don't know the physics behind it, but it relieved the pressure in my chest so I could breath. I drag in a welcome breath of air. My chest only twinges slightly in pain.

“Well that was interesting.” Athena quips. I groan in response.

“I believe I have a rule about not killing the new guy.” Chuckles fill the room.

“Sorry sir, I kicked full tilt ‘cause his defense was too good for anything less.” My sparring partner says apologetically.

“Yeah, I saw that. You only caught him ‘cause you sped up. If you had started the fight at full speed, you would have been screwed.”

I open my eyes and see our instructor, as he insists we call him. Thomas Reeve is a former special forces lieutenant. He's twenty four years old and is six feet tall with sandy blonde hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He has deep brown eyes that are hard to look into for long periods of time. He has a lean build with pretty much no bulky muscle. The man is so fast with his hand's that Athena was impressed when we first met him.

Now you’re thinking, what is a special forces soldier doing teaching fighting and self defense classes instead of still being enlisted, being he's so young. He was attached to a unit that assisted heroes. When the government outlawed heroes, he and many others in units like his resigned in protest. Some reenlisted when it didn't work, but most didn't, feeling just as betrayed as the heroes themselves.

“The problem is he doesn't attack enough. He does one punch or kick to his opponents ten.” Says one of the guys watching the match.

“I'm not looking to hurt people, but just defend my self.” I give him a sheepish grin.

The truth is I like attacking. There's just one small problem. Controlling the strength of my punches and kicks. Athena was originally designed for someone who knew how to control his greater strength. Athena is still working on a program that will allow me to turn off and on the strength enhancement of the nanites. Until then, I have to be very careful that I don't hit anyone too hard.

“Theo mostly just want's to be able to make bullies back off.” Leon say's from his place along the wall.

“I'm surprised you haven't told them to back off.” Reeve says evenly over his shoulder to Leon.

“Oh I've made it quite clear how I feel on the subject, sir, but I'm not always around.” I look at Leon in surprise. I never knew he did that.

“Well then it's time to start teaching you locks, throws, and counters. Up an at'em, Theo.” He pulls me to my feet.

I spend the next hour being thrown around and having my arm's an leg's tortured. As I get ready to leave, both Reeve and my earlier sparring partner check on me. I like the vibe of this place. On the mat we beat the crap out of each other, but off the mat there is a camaraderie that I've never felt before. I hobble to my car and get in.

“Theo, I think it's time to wake up Daedalus.” Athena says.

“Are you sure? I've still got a lot to learn.” I say into my empty car.

“You’re right. You've still got a lot to learn, but he's going to need time to make armor and weapons.”

“Yeah, about that. I don't exactly have a lot of tech in the garage.”

“It will be enough to get Daedalus started. I've a few idea's where to get more. Plus, we can't use your home as a base.” She say's.

“No we can't. Just in case, right?”

“Right.”

I drive home, thought's pinging around my head. Meeting Daedalus for the first time is chief among them. Another is the Defiance net cast and Beacon, it's hostess. It's clear that Beacon is female by some of the things she's said. What she's doing is foolish yet brave. Then again, what I'm planning to do is far more foolish than what she's doing.

I pull into the driveway of my families house and park. The garage is heated and attached to the house. My room is in the loft over where the car's would normally be parked, though a car hasn't been inside the garage for years. I climbing the stairs to my room. I walk to the corner of my room where a false panel in the wall conceals a closet sized compartment. I take the panel from the wall and pull out the silver box that is Daedalus.

“Are you sure?” I ask Athena one more time.

“One hundred percent.” She replies firmly.

“What do I do?”

“Place your hand on the center of the box and I will transmit his activation signal.” I do as she instructs.

I feel a strange tingle in my hand. Blue light's race across the surface of the box. I stand and back away quickly as the box splits into I don't know how many different pieces. The pieces start to rearrange themselves. It's dizzying to watch, as all the little pieces start moving faster and faster. After about a minute the pieces stop moving. What I can only describe as a four foot tall silver dwarf straight out of the pages of a fantasy novel is standing in front of me.

Blue lines of light trace throughout his frame. Its arm's, leg's, and even it's chest give the appearance of muscles. I look at its face. The first thought that comes to mind is craggy. It has heavy eyebrows that move over deep set eyes that glow with a blue white light. A wide nose is set over the multiple segments of its lips that form its mouth. Daedalus look's me up and down.

“Go away, you worthless bag of meat and bones.” He say with a scottish brogue.

Perfect. NOT!!!!