Chương 137: Zebulun, Part 1

The next day was mostly calm, if rife with this polluting shame of our failure against Father Quercus. The Super Commission didn't seem to have time for shame, however, as they ended up demonstrating the full power of what a very angry government could do if they wanted to learn every little thing about you. Initially there was a slow identification process for the Fathers that were captured, as it was deemed a low priority.

This upset and embarrassment, however, went uphill and made the SC feverish to get their claws into every iota of knowledge they could on the higher-ups we found. By lunch time we were handed a dossier on everything that could be found on each of the major members of the ADU that we've seen. We were all sat at the table in the group quarters area, with the exception of a standing Tancred tossing down papers for each Father and Mother we had encountered up to this point.

Mother Socratea, the sniper who nearly killed me, was part of some Latin American group called the FPL, and was originally imprisoned by the United States before escaping. Father Adansonia, the big fat bastard that I struggled to punch out, was an American sympathizer to some Myanmar Buddhist extremist movement and was a liaison for their arms deals before getting arrested.

"What the Hell kind of background is that?" I blurted out, looking up at Tancred. He shrugged.

"To quote the guy who helped form the Salò Republic, all of America is a lunatic asylum. There's all sorts of wackjobs getting into shit they probably shouldn't. The ADU had no short supply, next up... these guys." He placed down a pair of papers, with mugshots of the two men Chris had fought.

"Bambusa and... Moroides." Fathers Bambusa and Moroides were Chinese nationals as Tancred had confirmed. Apparently someone in the Super Commission was able to get quick contact with the People's Republic Embassy in DC, and they were more cooperative than expected. While not all details were released yet due to time of material transfer, we did learn they were wanted terrorists from a mainland Chinese anti-industrialist, pro-agrarian movement. No names yet. With a lack of information, there was nothing to dig at.

"Anti-industrialist, pro-farmer…" Chris trailed off, musing.

"These guys sound more like nationalists from before the Communist Revolution."

"The Communists were mostly farmers, Chris," Tancred brought up.

"Farmers who got put in factories. My point is more they seem more ideologically pre-Communist. It'd explain their martial arts, too. Moroides used Bak Mei. It's this southern Kung Fu style, it's related to this uh... group, the Hakka people. They're super over-represented in the Communist Revolution." Tancred cocked his head.

"Then wouldn't they be... sympathizers, Chris?"

"Not if you're trying to spite the people in power using their own imagery. I think they might be Punti. They got into what were called the 'Clan Wars' with the Hakka people." Tancred nodded.

"I won't ask how you know so much Chinese history-""There was a movie I watched called The Hawaiians, and Charlton Heston plays a guy who mentions the two groups, and I ended up doing some research out of curiosity." He just stared at Chris for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Okay. So potential racial tensions. Fitting, given..." he then tossed down another paper. This one on Father Benghal. Father Benghal was formerly part of an "eco-guard" group, who were militarized anti-poaching forces, in Uganda. Except his group was one of the ones who used environmentalist protections as a safeguard to instead target and torture rival tribes such as the Baka people by burning down their forested villages and capturing their women for personal use.

His group were specifically quashed out by a Ugandan rebel group who were expanding their territory. It's unknown when the ADU could have gotten their hands on him.

"Horrible…" May said, trailing off.

"I got worse." The next one was one she recognized. Father Assacu was American former pro-baseball player Ray McMichael. He was on the Houston Astros until he was banned as his pitching form was deemed illegal, because it didn't match standard pitching form in any way. That was the official story. The reality, as they had uncovered with some light prodding of the Astros' manager, was he had been secretly visiting some sort of "free love" group.

And that "free love" was a lot more free about things like if it's okay to show free love to girls imported via shipping container. He took a deal with management to say he was banned for balking. Went off-radar in 2007. Obvious weak point.

"Oh my fucking God, he could have-" She started, before covering her mouth.

"He deserved to get spat on," Tancred verified, before moving through a few more. Mother Belladonna was at one point on the FBI's most wanted list. We were waiting on the FBI for a larger biography, but we were told how she used to film videos for a Greenpeace offshoot where they executed fishermen. Father Mangal, the one who I first saw eating one of those wooden hearts, was a former college professor who had ties to the Unabomber. More specifically, he was alleged to have assisted in deliveries of packages.

There were numerous witness reports of someone matching his appearance helping distribute the bomber's packages into various mailing systems. He was never charged with anything for that, but did face a criminal sentence for falsifying passports. He was taken from his cell in 2005. Then came the more stand-out names. Master Sequoia was an unknown, the present theory was that he grew up in some sort of off-grid agrarian community. That one boiled my blood.

The head of the operation had the least information about him. He was a completely undocumented figure who was able to just magically control wood. The same went for Father Viscum, the old man who had access to those wooden hearts. Since we didn't have any photos of him, there was no means to investigate him. Some relief came with learning that Father Quercus was a known figure.

His real name was Arnold Gellerman, but changed his name to Arnbjörn when he joined a white nationalist ecofascist group known as the Sons of Víðarr. The group was torn apart through a mix of undercover agents and lack of resources in 1990. This meant he was more than definitely one of the earliest members of the ADU to date. Notably, his long arrest record noted his height at 6'1", not the easily nine and a half feet tall I fought him at. Brother Gleditsia was the last one, which made me take a deep breath.

Tancred placed down a blurry photo of Gleditsia from our fight in Virginia Beach.

"So," Tancred started.

"We do not have much, if any information on Brother Gleditsia. Similar to Master Sequoia, he is a complete unknown." I let out a sigh.

"No sulking," he added on, pointing at me.

"That doesn't mean we don't have anything. We were able to put together some basic information. You told us his name was David, so we do have that. Going off of the claim that he is the son of Father Quercus, we did compare facial data on both. It objectively speaking is a match in terms of things like nose, browline, all that. They're without a doubt related." Another sigh from me.

"Great. Crazy runs in the family."

"Unfortunately so, yes. Additionally, we've been estimating his age to be maybe early twenties. Perhaps a couple years older than Chris. That lines up with the Sons of Víðarr falling apart. Him and Master Sequoia might have met and founded the organization based on mutual interests. At some point he found a concubine, knocked her up, and had little David Gellerman. Somehow, over time, David becomes Brother Gleditsia. In terms of psychological targets, I would imagine there's plenty.

But it means he was definitely born and raised into this. He likely knows nothing else." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. I nodded. Chris and May both shot a look at me. They knew what I was about to say before I even said it, probably.

"Which means the only way to stop him is definitely going to be killing him," I conceded. He nodded.

"That going to be an issue?" I wanted to hesitate. I wanted some measure of mercy and good morals that let me stay a goody-two-shoes superhero stand out for whatever goddamn reason. But all I could say was-"No," I answered, shaking my head.

"He's out of his mind. He kills people for fun. At one point he told me during our last fight that he'd be more than content to spend the rest of his life torturing me to death. He has to go." Tancred nodded.

"Good. Thank you. Right, alongside this information, we've also already started uncovering locations. Never underestimate the unbridled tunnel vision of American surveillance technology. We've discovered a supply point along the Rivanna River they've been using for likely a few weeks now. Leo, you're going to be securing it tonight." I raised an eyebrow.

"Why not all of us?"

"Because we have a few other ADU-related targets they'll be handling. Chris is going to be tailing who we think is one of their informants, and May and Jairo will be infiltrating and breaking up what we think might be one last 'recruitment drive' of theirs. Additionally, you're going to have to sneak in to avoid them all escaping the second they know a superhero's around. Four of you, one of whom makes a lot of light as their power, would completely screw that."

"I just don't think I'm very stealthy on my own. Especially in the bright blue and orange." He shook his head.

"Sam's developed something to deal with that. Go pay her a visit in the R&D area and she can go over it. You're dismissed while I handle explaining things to the others." There was no point in debating it, Uncle Sam had given me orders I was stuck following along with. Getting out of my seat, I made my way off. Gave me time to digest the briefing. There was a pretty obvious connecting thread for most of them: Environmentalist extremists. All with violent histories, except for Assacu and maybe Gleditsia.

That made me ponder how he got involved. If they had a mole in with us, maybe they had a government one. That might have been a connecting thread… No, no, too far of a stretch. There weren't enough materials in the middle. Maybe if I could interrogate him. Most people aren't very quiet if you're on the precipice of breaking their arms. And from how May described him, he didn't seem too zealous to the cause.

Sam set up her own lab in the research and development area of the glorified warehouse we called a testing facility. Most of her important equipment was there, alongside a designated play area for her kids. It wasn't safe to have them go out with a nanny while the ADU were at risk of an attack at any point. Even if the Fathers likely needed time to recover, they still had goons with guns and at least two Fathers with Quercus and Viscum. And those tree men they could summon. Knights, Viscum called them.

They were not in any resting period. Upon my approach of her, she half-flinched. Not as bad as it usually was.

"H-Hey, Leo," she greeted.

"Did Tancred s-send you here for your mission equipment?" I glanced at all the technology piled up on folding tables or standing on their own, weaved through by other researchers and staffers. There was no such thing as a private lab in a place like this.

"Yeah," I answered, looking back up at her.

"Apparently you're developing something to help me hide my costume. Did you invent an invisibility cloak or something?" She shook her head.

"No, invisibility isn't really possible with the materials I have. But you'll probably like what I do have…" A garbage bag. It was a goddamn garbage bag. I was standing in the middle of the woods at night wearing a garbage bag. Actually, no, that was an insult to the noble garbage bag. The noble garbage bag was all black. As in, it wouldn't show any of my costume. This fucking thing did show some of my costume. It was translucent. It had this mesh material with some sort of rubbery layer over it.

Sam claimed it did something called "net diffusion" and was a "miracle of material compositing" for me to have what allegedly worked for letting me see through it while others couldn't see the vibrant colors of my costume in the dark. It wasn't reflective, I'd give her that, but it didn't hide my costume. What it did was make it look like I was perpetually sitting on the other side of some sunglasses. Dulled and muted.

While it was dark enough at night now that maybe I'd stand out less, it wasn't giving me much hope. The cloak sat on me awkwardly too, due to being a relatively stiff material. She alleged the materials were also bulletproof due to her making it out of some kind of "ballistic rubber." And, more specifically, that it was only bulletproof because of my durability eating the kinetic punch while the cloak itself handled the more dangerous aspects. Well, that was easier said than done. I'd rather not get shot at all.

My only solace was that it did at least cover my neck. Made me feel better about wearing a goddamn shower curtain. I trudged my way through dirt and soil and fallen sticks and leaves and God knows what else with the lightest steps I could, keeping my arms close to my sides. I could feel Shivvy wriggling around in my suit. He didn't seem to like stealth missions much either. The trail I had to follow ended in this slight cliff as I came closer to the river.

There was an old iron works, which I could identify by a waterwheel probably older than the city itself. The building was much larger than I expected, and I could see lights emitting from it. My best bet would be- Buzzing. It coiled and curdled the air, felt like I was sitting in a pile of brambles. Shivvy went stock still. I knew this feeling. This was the same one from when I was talking to May in that library room. Instinct overwhelmed me to turn around, and there I saw them. One man I had recognized.

Holden Worth. The other man, I didn't, but I had heard about him before. That one stood in the air, about four feet off the ground, hands crossed behind his back. Dressed nice, wearing a hat, but his black lips and empty black eyes where only the faintest glints let you see where he was looking. Chris warned me about him. Holden, however, looked different. He was paler. A bit more gaunt than before, with less fat in his face.

His eyes were still that piercing blue, but they were abnormally bright compared to before.

"Looks like you've been busy," Holden stated, his voice thicker and raspier than before. His neck didn't tense while he spoke, like he wasn't actually breathing out each word. They were following me. Waiting until I was alone. That was the only possible explanation. I remembered what Chris taught me, how he dealt with them.

"Our Father, who art in Hea-""Don't bother," the floating man stated with an interruption.

"The Lord's Prayer only works when one with actual faith declares it. You're an uncertain young man who can't believe in much of anything. And we're not even here for you." My head tilted.

"What?" Holden pointed towards the iron works." truth and I are here to investigate the arms smuggling going on at that mill." truth nodded along.

"I discover hidden things," he elaborated.

"Of those things most hidden, is a detail about the fate of this city. justice and I have found a lead on one who will influence it." justice? Was that the name Holden was going by now?

"Why do you care about the city? Flowstate said you were investigating superheroes." I asked. Holden, or justice I supposed, nodded.

"We still are. But all the leads have run dry here. The Super Commission knows nothing. But I'm still a journalist. I still seek out the stories as they happen. The story we've foreseen happening here is one we need to get out of town for. But I'd like to get some details on it for my own report piece on it before truth and I make ourselves scarce."

"So what, you're going to try and break in?" The buzzing surrounding me made standing up feel even harder. Not out of any great force or resistance. It just exposed more surface area to the sensation.

"Well, no different than you're probably trying to, Hercules," justice called out. truth then spoke up.

"So, how about it? A little hero and villain team-up for the night?" I was gonna regret this.