Chapter 4: Bite Back

  At 6 AM the next morning, Wolf and Keanu meet Odin in front of his house and he leads them to his basement. Odin then picks up a red and blue suitcase from his desk.

  Keanu: Larry will be here soon with her ship. Here's the plan. In order to keep your identity safe and that battle data out of Omni's hands, we'll need to go to the Svartalfheim lab and set off an EMP in their server room. That should fry anything in there.

  Odin looks at the suitcase as the ceiling opens up.

  Odin: I like my definition of “Fry” better.

  Keanu: We don't need to draw too much attention. Just enough to make Omni go to the lab. Then, we'll fly to his other base to save James, all without him knowing.

  Odin: And, my face?

  Keanu: Our route will keep our presence unknown. Just, follow us. Oh! Did you finish the suit?

  Odin: Oh, yes. Turned out better than I thought.

  Wolf: Maybe you should wear it, just in case.

  Odin: I wouldn't worry. All I need is in this suitcase.

  Before long, a small spaceship lands in the basement. A tiger woman with cowboy clothes and a mask covering her face steps out of the ship.

  Larry: Are we prepared?

  Keanu: Yes.

  Larry: Good. The EMP is readied with a ten minute timer. That should be plenty of time to escape.

  Keanu: Let's see it.

  They all walk inside the ship. There's a door that opens upwards on both sides of the ship and there's one seat in each corner of the inside. On their left, there's a passage into the control center of the ship. In the middle, there's a plain, cardboard box.

  Larry: The EMP is in this box. There is a green button on its top that will activate the countdown and a red button is next to it. Only use the red button if you get caught. It will set off the EMP in an instant. I would recommend against doing so, considering your arm.

  Keanu: Note taken.

  Odin: Yeah, yeah. Can we get going yet? My arm's getting tired.

  Larry: Hmm... Cliff, time to depart.

  Cliff: Right away, ma'am.

  Odin: Cliff?

  Larry: My pilot. He will not speak of you, nor this mission.

  As the door closes, they all sit down. Odin sits in the left side's corner, closer to the front and across from Larry, and Wolf sits in the left side's corner that's closer to the back, across from Keanu.

  Larry: I am curious. Do you know of my backstory?

  Odin: I've heard some rumors.

  Keanu: Interesting. I told you all about her, but I guess that was a different Odin.

  Odin: Well, mind giving me the short version real quick, Larry?

  Larry: Yes. I do.

  Larry turns her head away and Keanu mouths the words “I'll tell you later” to Odin. The ship takes off towards Svartalfheim and the basement ceiling closes.

  Odin: Ever been to Svartalfheim, Ma-uh-Keanu?

  Keanu: I've heard that it's an island to the south-west, opposite of Alfheim.

  Odin: I've heard it's a place of hard-working Dwarves. You'd fit right in.

  Keanu: Five foot eight isn't short.

  Odin: Whatever you say, shorty.

  Keanu: Do you enjoy angering people? If so, James must be loving his time off from you.

  Odin: Heh. Yeah, right.

  Odin angrily frowns.

  Wolf: Uh...

  Wolf takes her sheathed katana and wacks her forehead with it.

  Odin: What on Earth are you doing?

  Wolf: Being goofy in an awkward situation!

  Keanu: Heh. You... You just reminded me of Naomi. She used to be so funny as a kid.

  Keanu sheds some tears and wipes them away.

  Odin: We've all lost our families, haven't we? Maybe except Larry.

  Larry: … I-

  Cliff: Approaching target. Heading underwater.

  Odin: Underwater?

  Larry: This is a stealth mission. A hybrid ship was needed.

  Odin: Hybrid... That's a good idea.

  The boosters on the ship get covered up as they turn off and the ship falls underwater. Two propellers come out of a hidden compartment under the ship and they propel it forward. Four evenly spaced windows on the ceiling reveal themselves.

  Odin: This is around my level of design. Who made this ship, Larry?

  Larry: That is classified information.

  Odin smirks.

  Odin: Right. Gotcha.

  Cliff: Approaching land. Surfacing.

  The ship raises to the surface of the water and stops on the beach in front of it. A fifty foot tall rock wall rests at the back of the beach, which goes on into the distance on both sides. There's an iron door with a concrete square around it at the bottom of the wall. The doors on the ship open up as everyone inside stands up.

  Larry: That door out there is the end of an escape tunnel made to evacuate important personnel during an attack. It will lead you almost straight to the server room. I will stay here and defend against any trouble.

  Keanu: Thank you.

  Larry: This is a simple ordeal.

  Odin: Later, cat lady.

  Larry: Good luck, faux cyborg.

  Keanu picks up the box and leaves the ship with Wolf and Odin. They all walk through the iron door and into a long and wide concrete hallway with a ladder at the end of it.

  Odin: I thought that'd be locked.

  Keanu: Maybe, they didn't want to lock their escape route?

  Odin: Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this.

  Keanu: If there isn't more resistance on our way there, I'd have to agree with you. Until then, don't assume anything. Paranoia stems from unhealthy amounts of suspicion. That reminds me, did you sleep last night?

  Odin: My messed up sleep schedule isn't of your concern. I can still fight with 100% of my ability.

  Scar: 87%, sir.

  Wolf: Did your suitcase just talk?

  Odin: N-No. No! Neither of you heard any voices from this suitcase. In my hand. Right here. So... How are we getting that box up that ladder?

  Keanu: I'll grapple onto one of the handles once we're up there. You two, go first. Wolf, make sure nobody sees us.

  Wolf: Yes, sir!

  Wolf climbs up the ladder first, followed by Odin and then Keanu, after he sets the box down that is. They then find themselves in a small room with guns along the left wall and an open door that leads into a hallway on the right.

  Keanu: Wolf.

  Wolf: Right!

  Wolf runs into the hallway and Odin puts his back to the right side of the door as he looks through it. Keanu shoots his arm down the hole and grabs onto the left box handle. He then brings the box up at a moderate pace and Wolf comes back.

  Wolf: No guards, or even any scientists. Is that weird?

  Keanu: You were right, Odin. If there's a suit in that case, take it out before things get serious.

  Odin: Agreed. I'll take my life over a decent surprise. Come on out, Scarlet.

  The suitcase moves itself around Odin's right arm and then stops.

  Odin: What the... Scarlet?!

  Scar: There is an error, sir. Trying to fix it now.

  Odin: Great!

  Keanu: While you have performance issues, let's carry on with plan A.

  Keanu lifts up the box and they walk into the hallway. There's a staircase to the left and some vending machines to the right. The hallway is very clean and bright, with white and blue floors and walls. There's a single high tech door on the wall in front of them. It has a fingerprint and eye scanner on the wall to its right.

  Odin: Once Scarlet finishes up, I'll hack into the door.

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  Keanu: Hmm. I like my definition of “Hack” better.

  Keanu pulls out his sword and slices a rectangle into the door before kicking it in.

  Odin: That works too.

  Wolf: Can I slice it next time?

  Keanu: I'll think about it.

  They walk into a dark room that's filled with servers that have blinking, blue lights on them.

  Odin: We should put it in the center for the most damage.

  They walk to the end of the servers on the right end of the room. There are four rows of servers. Keanu places the box in the center of the room and opens it up. He then pushes the green button on top and walks back to the end of the servers.

  Keanu: This is far too easy.

  Omni: You're Right!

  Omni, in his Solid Suit, crushes the EMP under his foot.

  Keanu: Odin?!

  Odin: Scarlet?!

  Scar: Almost got it, sir.

  Keanu: Very well, stand back.

  Keanu walks up to Omni.

  Omni: You're a fool for facing me like this, old man.

  Keanu: The truth is quite the opposite. Give us back the boy before things get violent.

  Omni: I will, Once I Get My Gem!

  Omni throws his fist towards Keanu as he quickly draws his sword and deflects the attack.

  Keanu: What's the matter? Can't hit an old man?

  Omni: Silence!

  Keanu continues to deflect Omni's attacks as the others watch.

  Wolf: Why hasn't he just beaten him yet?

  Odin: He can't. Couldn't beat Ozark either. He's just making time for me.

  Wolf: But-

  Scar: Error fixed. Suiting up.

  As Odin suits up, Keanu blocks against a kick that breaks his sword in two.

  Keanu: How did you...

  Omni: Would you look at that? Looks like I win!

  Omni pulls his fist back.

  Odin: Get Down!

  Keanu ducks as Odin flies into Omni with a clothesline and lands past him as Omni falls to the ground. Keanu then picks up the two pieces of the sword.

  Keanu: Odin! We'll get James! Distract him!

  Odin: I was planning on it!

  The others leave Odin and Omni stands up.

  Omni: The boy isn't even yours! Why did you take him from me in the first place?

  Odin: I'd tell you, but your brain is too small to handle it.

  Omni: That's It!

  Omni aims and fires a missile at Odin and it causes a big enough explosion to send Odin flying back into the wall behind him. Odin then laughs as he recovers.

  Odin: That all you got? Allow me to introduce you to the Super Missile!

  Odin's Solid Suit quickly takes five missiles and makes them into a much bigger one.

  Omni: Oh, crap.

  Odin: Hasta Luego!

  Omni blocks with his arms in an “X” shape as Odin fires the Super Missile at him. The explosion destroys all the servers and the ceiling and throws Odin through the wall behind him and onto a couch in the hallway. The couch gets crushed under the suit.

  Odin: Wow! Maybe I went a bit too far in some places.

  Once the smoke clears, Odin looks around the destroyed room. The walls have been structurally damaged. The ceiling from the floor above falls down onto the servers.

  Odin: Scarlet, scan for Omni.

  Scar: Yes, sir... Solid Unit not found. He may have escaped.

  Odin: Better get outta here, then.

  The boosters on the Solid Suit activate and Odin flies through the destroyed ceiling and towards Midgard at high speed.

  Odin: While we have the time, what was wrong with the suit earlier?

  Scar: The error was due to a misplaced comma.

  Odin: I see. Remind me to not code when I'm tired.

  Scar: This action would only have a 32% chance of working on a good day, but I will try, sir.

  Odin: Is that sass I sense? You really Are my program.

  Meanwhile, James sits, tied with rope, in Omni's office chair. There's a guard with a red bandana on his head, armor on the chest, and a TMP in his hand at the door.

  James: So, where did Omni run off to?

  Biggs: Probably to finish off your old man.

  James: I find that hard to believe. Even if the suit is less powerful than Omni's, my guardian has the clear strategic advantage.

  Biggs: Power beats brains any day. Let's say you have a knife and I have a rocket. Who do you think would win?

  James: Rockets work best against targets that barely move. I would dodge the rocket and stab you in the neck as you're reloading the launcher.

  Biggs: You really think you can dodge a rocket?

  James: I've dodged bigger things.

  Biggs: Well, try getting past these new shrapnel rockets. Old Odin's dead for sure.

  James: Odin? Who said it was that man?

  Biggs: Don't deny it. My buddy, Wedge, saw his face. Got Omni off our backs.

  James: (What was that idiot thinking? I thought we weren't sharing secret identities) I see. He will be the first to die.

  Biggs: I guess arrogance runs in the family.

  A loud bang comes from behind the massive, metal doors of the factory.

  James: It's best to think twice before-

  Biggs: Shut Up!

  Biggs puts his back against the wall to the left of the door and another loud bang comes from outside the factory.

  Biggs: What am I gonna do? This thing is probably just a peashooter to that guy. I don't wanna die just for some kidnapping.

  Biggs opens the office door as a metal man bursts into the factory and he sees that it's Omni.

  Biggs: What was that about thinking twice?

  James: Zip your lips.

  Omni shoots a missile into the ceiling and then rocks fall around him.

  Omni: Get These People To The Niflheim Base!! Solid Man's Not Far Behind Me!

  The guards start rounding up people and putting them in trucks as Biggs walks up to Omni.

  Biggs: What Are You Doing, Man! That rock ceiling could collapse on us!

  Omni: Don't make me angrier, Biggs. Start gathering, Now!

  Biggs walks behind Omni and then turns around.

  Biggs: What're you gonna do with the kid?

  Omni: That is not of your concern.

  Biggs: If you'll kill him, then it is.

  Biggs points his gun at Omni and he aims a missile at Biggs.

  Omni: Yes. His legacy dies with mine. You wanna join them?

  Biggs drops his gun.

  Biggs: You're lucky I don't have a suit like that.

  Biggs gets in the driver's seat of a truck on the left and drives off. Odin then enters the scene as more trucks leave.

  Odin: Miss me?

  Omni: Enough Games! The boy dies, or I get that gem.

  Odin: Well, the thing is, this little gem has been close to my heart for a while. I can't just give it up like that. Persuade me.

  Omni shoots a missile and Odin catches it.

  Odin: You're really a one trick pony. My AI is getting used to your missiles.

  Omni: Clearly not.

  The missile electrocutes Odin's arm and it goes limp.

  Scar: Rebooting right arm.

  Omni runs to Odin with a clothesline and Odin stops him with his fist.

  Odin: Heh. I was wrong. You're a copycat, too!

  Odin kicks Omni away and then jumps at him and kicks him with his heel, causing him to crash onto the ground.

  Scar: Right arm rebooted.

  Odin: Great! You see, Omni, power is one thing, but practice is everything.

  Omni: Says the man with the gem with infinite power in it!

  Omni gets up on his arms and kicks Odin with both legs. Omni then stands up and readies his fists.

  Odin: You know that's not how the gems work, right?

  Omni rushes Odin and he gets Omni in a headlock.

  Odin: I mean, even if they Did have infinite power, I couldn't just use it all at once.

  Omni: Wait. “Gems”? There's more?

  Odin: You didn't hear that!

  Odin throws Omni forward, grapples onto him with his right arm, pulls him in, and gut punches him. Omni then falls to his knees as he tries to catch his breath.

  Odin: Anyway, I think this fight is over.

  Odin rips off Omni's helmet.

  Odin: But before I go, why? Why go through all this trouble? All this work just for a chance at more money?

  Omni: Why should You, of all people, get an explanation out of Me?

  Odin: You know what? You just made your first good point today.

  Odin walks into Omni's office, but James isn't there and the window is broken.

  Odin: James! Where's James?!

  Odin looks back at Omni and sees James behind him with a piece of bloody glass in his right hand. James signals for Odin to keep quiet.

  Odin: JAMES, NO!!!

  Odin grapples onto James and pulls him to himself. His helmet then automatically retracts into his suit.

  Odin: What Are You Doing?!

  James: Doing what I should've done. This man needs to be killed.

  Odin: No, James... You wouldn't understand, but you can't kill him.

  James: I'm tired of you saying that I can't understand things. Why can't you just make me understand?!

  Odin: I-

  More rocks fall from the ceiling.

  Odin: Let's get outta here.

  Odin walks out while carrying James and Omni walks out while covering his chest.

  Omni: I still know who you are. How to find you.

  Odin: Yeah? Same to you. Only, with a bigger gun.

  Omni walks away and Odin sets James down and kneels to his height.

  Odin: Let me see that hand.

  James drops the glass and shows Odin his cut up hand. The suit gives Odin a small medical kit and he starts fixing up James' hand.

  Odin: You wanna know why I let him go?

  James: Yes.

  Odin: You see, I... I am from a future. One where the worlds are all destroyed... I lost everyone I knew at just fifteen. It was all so sudden... I figured that I must've survived for some reason. Took me around twenty, or more, years to make Scarlet and a time travel suit.

  James: So, you want to save your future? Wouldn't killing Omni help with that?

  Odin: That's not how time travel works. My future can't be saved. They'll never get the second chance they deserve. All I can do is make sure This world doesn't suffer the same fate. Maybe I should've killed Omni, but maybe he'll turn out well someday too.

  James: I see... I'd still like to destroy this place, at least.

  Odin: I think we can do that.

  Odin finishes with James' hand and then forces open the massive, metal doors of the factory. He and James walk about a hundred feet away. Odin then kneels down, makes a Super Missile, and aims it at the roof of the factory.

  Odin: You can launch it.

  A button reveals itself on the arm of the suit and James presses it. The Super Missile then fires into the roof of the factory and it collapses along with a chunk of the mountain above.

  James: I just thought of something. If you saved me from here all that time ago, I must've been someone important to you, yes?

  Odin turns away from the factory and sees Keanu and Wolf in the distance.

  Odin: I'll tell you later.

  They walk up to the others.

  Odin: Finally! What took you guys so long?

  Keanu: This place has no back entrance. We were going to infiltrate, but I suppose brute force has its place as well.

  James: Hey.

  Wolf: Hey.

  Wolf smiles and James grins.

  Odin: Oh gosh! Get a room! Honestly! I can't stand this awkward teenage crap!

  Keanu: Heh. Reminds me of when I was young. Never could find the right words.

  James: Who's this guy?

  Odin: That's another subject for later. Speaking of, let's go home.

  The End Of Book 2:

  Solid Man MK.1

  Written By

  Joshua F.R. Chitwood

  Inspired By

  A Certain Man Of Iron

  “Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them”

  -Aristotle