Centurion Six #2: The Devil and the Agent from the FBI (Part 2)

Our Story So Far:

Last night, Captains Blaine “Centurion Six” Winters and Jacob “Zulu” Mbeke of the New York State National Guard Enhanced Forces Division (EFD) were called out by the NYPD to consult on a multiple homicide in the south Bronx.  The case seemed like routine “skrag” gang violence until our heroes stumbled upon evidence that implicated a former teammate in the murders—ultra-human drug addict Jason King.  However, before Blaine and his team could begin to investigate, they were attacked by a killer cyborg robot-monkey mounting a highly advanced stealth/security system and a small-caliber machine pistol.  In the ensuing firefight, a police officer was killed, the crime scene burned to the ground, and the cyborg robot-monkey escaped.

EFD commander Colonel Joachim “Aguilá” Rodriguez calls in the FBI to help with the investigation, and Special Agent Nora Mahoney is assigned to the case.  But Ms. Mahoney finds the EFD to be a strange and disconcerting assignment.

Note: To read the story from the beginning, click the Centurion Six keyword down below the post.

* * *

 “Ma’am,” the devil said.  He nodded and walked past.

Nora watched him go.

“You’re starring, Ms. Mahoney,” the Colonel said. 

A beat passed, but Nora couldn’t tear her eyes away from Satan, who was walking away like it was a normal, everyday occurrence. 

“Agent Mahoney!”

“Huh?  Oh!  I’m sorry Colonel.  It’s just—“

The Colonel did not look happy.  “Lieutenant Delaney is a good you officer, Ms. Mahoney.  He doesn’t deserve to have you starring at him like he’s some carnival freak.”

“Yeah.  Uh, sorry about that.”

Colonel Rodriguez leaned in close.  “Look Ms. Mahoney, you said you could handle this assignment.  That you wanted to get some experience working with ultra-humans.  If that’s not the case, let me know now, and I’ll have you replaced.  Otherwise you need to get it together and keep it that way.  I can’t have you gawking at my officers and making them feel uncomfortable.  It’s gonna be hard enough having a mundie involved with the team.  Got it?”

“Yeah.  Like I said, I’m sorry, it’s just—“

The Colonel cut her off.  “No excuses.  I need to know we’re clear, Agent Mahoney.”

Nora nodded.  “Yes sir.  We’re clear.”

“Thank you.”  The Colonel turned and started back down the hallway.  “Now, I need to introduce you to my New York field team leader, Captain Blaine Winters.  Callsign: Centurion Six.”

“Blaine Winters?” Nora said.  “Wait.  I read about this.  He’s the son of—“

The Colonel cut her off again.  “Blaine’s not here because of anything his father did, Ms. Mahoney.  Trust me, he’s his own man.”

“Of course,” Nora said.  “But still, the papers made a big deal about it when he signed up.  I remember; it was on TV.  Having the son of the Ice Queen and the original Centurion agree to join the EFD was quite a coup, no?”

The Colonel shook his head.  “Despite what the papers might have you believe, Ms. Mahoney, the real truth is that Blaine’s father, Macon Winters—the so-called original Centurion—was nothing more than a hyper-violent vigilante sociopath.  He had no respect for the law or for the value of teamwork, and he left several men crippled who were later proven to be innocent when the so-called ‘evidence’ of their crimes was examined using actual forensics.  I would never allow someone like that into the EFD.  However, as I said Blaine is his own man.  He is respectful, reasonably intelligent, and far more… circumspect… in the use of his abilities than was his father.

“Now, if you’ll come this way, please.”

As Nora followed Colonel Rodriguez down the hall, she remembered—belatedly—that El Aguilá and the original Centurion had had something of a history back in the day.  Sure, they’d teamed up that time against the Super-Socialists’ Society, but before that there had been something else.  Something different.  After the Radical Robot Rampage, Aguilá had tried to arrest The Ice Queen for her part in it.  The details hadn’t made the papers, but there had been plenty of coverage of the event itself, and all the pictures showed the Ice Queen right there in the middle, riding a giant robot gunship next to Doctor Destructo himself.  Having now met Joachim Rodriguez, Nora felt sure that whatever else had happened that day, Aguilá had been right about the Ice Queen.  But for whatever reason, the original Centurion hadn’t seen it that way.  In fact, he andAguilá had thrown down about it, right there in the middle of 125^th Street, amidst all the rubble and the smoking hulks of Doctor Destructo’s smashed robot tanks. 

Nora almost shook her head as she remembered watching it as a kid.  Aguilá famously had little in the way of ultra-human abilities—just slightly enhanced reflexes or something like that—but he was a soldier and a trained fighter, and he knew how to get everything there was to be had out of whatever abilities God had given him.  But the Centurion—the original Centurion—that dude had been a badass in the biblical sense.  He’d beaten Joachim Rodriguez to within an inch of his life right there on national TV and then dared the police to do something about it. 

In the end, no one had even tried.  Centurion had just walked away with the Ice Queen in tow, and six months later they’d married.  The Post had covered it like it was a society wedding, and the government had played along.  What else could they do?  Nora could only imagine the sighs of relief in City Hall when the Ice Queen changed her costume and started fighting crime alongside her new husband.  Had things gone the other way, there would have been literally no one who could have stopped them.

And now I’m supposed to meet their son, Nora thought, whom they named Blaine for some crazy reason, and we’re supposed to work together to find the guy who sold a Chinese battle drug to another would-be costumed lunatic—a guy who’s half alligator and half grizzly bear.  And oh by the way, that dude kicked Blaine’s ass up between his ears last night.  Blaine, who is the son of the original freaking Centurion—and practically indestructible. 

“So… Blaine,” Nora said, “does he know I’m coming?”

“No.  He’s been in medical all morning getting stem cell injections.  Like I told you when we came in, he got pretty torn up last night.  Why?”

“Just wondering how he’s gonna take the news that the FBI is taking over his case.  Some guys can get a little touchy about that sort of thing.”

They reached the door at the end of the hall, and the Colonel turned.  “Blaine’s a soldier.  He’ll do what he’s told.  It would be better if you were an ultra, but—“

“No excuses, Colonel.  Isn’t that what you said?”  Nora eyed him, and the last of the hero worship from her childhood memories finally fell away.  The Colonel was a professional soldier and a talented leader, but Nora could see that in his own way, he was as nervous about her meeting Blaine as she was.  “Look, I can handle it, sir.  I promise you that.  But I do need to know what I’m walking into.”

The Colonel sighed.  “The truth is, Ms. Mahoney, that’s why we need your help.  Countering ultra-human threats?  That we can handle.  But investigating a multiple murder?  Busting a drug ring?  That’s a little outside our comfort zone.  Still…  the answer to your question is ‘no.’  I doubt strongly that Blaine will appreciate your coming in run this investigation.”

“Fine,” Nora said.  She smiled.  “Now let’s get this over with.”