Eagless 110

“I think I’m going to head back to Duncan here in the next few days,” Lance told Ashley as they put their weapons back on the rack after their training session.

“You’re what?” She held onto the staff even as she rested it on its stand, using the wood to hold herself up on her suddenly wobbly legs. He couldn’t be leaving yet. They’d just started training.

“Yeah, I think it’s time. I think it’ll be good for me to get back up there soon. I’ve been here three weeks, and I think I’ve taught you really all I can right now. You’re ready to fly solo.”

“I’m not so sure of that. The last two times I “flew solo,” I about literally got myself killed. Why do you need to go back already?”

“You’re not the only hero that needs a sidekick,” Lance laughed. “There are things happening in Duncan that aren’t good. We’re going to have to move on it soon, now that Sam is figuring out his powers. I need to be with them for that. And, equally important, you need to be on your own down here. You need to be able to go back out there without someone by your side and be a hero again. You have it in you to do this, but you’ve got to take that leap.”

“But what if I fall?”

“You do what you’ve done every other time you’ve fallen. You get back up. I know what you’re going through. I’ve been in a place where I could’ve died, where I should’ve died, because of this. I know what you’re feeling. But you’ve got to get back up and try again. It’s the only way forward.”

“You really think I can handle this on my own?” Her voice came out stronger, more confident than she felt.

“I do. You just got to get yourself a team to work with. Work with Nicole. Bring her into this. I was able to make it work down here as basically a start-up hero. In just three weeks, I can already tell you’re better at this than I am. I know you can handle it.”

“I hope you’re right,” Ashley answered, walking to the door and closing her eyes as Lance blindfolded her again before taking her home.

That night, Lance returned to their house earlier than usual after Nicole insisted he come have dinner with them.

“You really didn’t have to do all of this,” he told Nicole as she joined him and Ashley at the table.

“It was my night to cook for the house anyway,” she answered, waving her hand. “Lasagna is one of my favorites.”

“Which is odd, because it’s usually sandwich night when it’s Nicole’s turn. Or cereal. Maybe a nice frozen pizza.” Ashley batted her eyes at her friend, who was glaring at her.

“Well, I really appreciate it,” Lance answered, seemingly oblivious to the unspoken conversation she was having with Nicole. “Everything looks great.”

“You’re more than welcome anytime.” Nicole beamed.

“Well,” Lance responded, looking across at Ashley, “I’m actually planning on heading back to Duncan soon. I think you and Ashley are ready to really take ownership of this thing, and I have some upcoming business to attend to. But, if this food is half as good as it looks and smells, I might have to come down every few weeks to just check in on things and go on a patrol that doesn’t include wearing that suit.”

“Oh, it’s sad to hear you’re going so soon. We were enjoying having you around.”

“Yes, we really were,” Ashley agreed after swallowing a bite of her salad. “I was really enjoying having you teach me to fight with weapons, and the best places on campus to patrol, and general superhero stuff, and Nicole was—” Ashley paused as she took a bite of her breadstick and waved it around while she thought. “Well, I’m not sure what Nicole was referring to. What have you been enjoying, Nicole?”

“I’ve been enjoying someone else taking on the responsibility of keeping you alive, if you must know, Ashley.” Nicole tilted her head and stared at her across the table while Lance was too preoccupied by his salad to notice their staring contest. “It’s been a very peaceful three weeks with him in town. No broken bones. No near arrests. I haven’t even had to hit a single person with my car.”

Lance started coughing and reached for his water, and Nicole never once looked away from Ashley. “You what?” he finally choked out.

“Oh, right,” Nicole said, finally turning to look at Lance. “I had to hit someone with my car to get Ashley out of trouble. She likely would have gotten herself killed that night had I not been forced to commit a felony for her. And to finish answering your question, Ashley, I’ve also just enjoyed talking to someone who listens. It’s been a refreshing change of pace.”

Ashley used every ounce of willpower to not crack and start laughing like a maniac. She sat there and stared across the table with the same polite, slightly deranged smile on her face as Nicole as Lance looked from one to the other with his mouth slightly agape.

“Well, uh, thank you, Nicole. I’ve really enjoyed being here. Unfortunately, I do have to get back to Duncan. Some big things are happening that the White Knight needs to be a part of.”

“I can understand that. Well, I guess we should eat,” Nicole declared as they began. With one last look and a slight tug at the corner of her mouth, they silently agreed to a ceasefire. Lance stayed and talked for a couple hours before he and Ashley left for their rounds at a quarter to eleven.

Ashley and Lance climbed their usual building right on the edge of campus and perched on the ledge. They sat in silence, looking out over the campus. Not much had been said between the two of them since they’d left training that morning, as dinner had been mostly Lance and Nicole talking while Ashley sat silently eating her food.

The silence dragged on as they watched over the quiet campus. Thirty minutes went by, and then an hour. Ashley stood to stretch as they waited for something to happen. Anything to happen. They continued sitting in silence. Thirty minutes later, Lance stretched. Fifteen minutes after that, though, a scream broke out below.

“Help me!” a young woman’s voice carried through the still night.

Racing down the escape, the two of them sprinted out into the walkway. Lance made it a half-step before Ashley did, rushing in to free the young woman from the two men around her.

“Wait!” Ashley screamed to Lance after rounding the corner. Not again. Two more men came from across the walkway as three came from behind them, just past where she and Lance had entered. Her heart dropped.

Ashley sprinted after Lance, arriving in time for them to face the group together instead of split apart. Lance had his nightstick drawn while Ashley pulled out her staff as the group of eight circled around. Each of them once again carried a stick or pipe. Ashley leaned her back against Lance’s as she whispered, “What’s the plan here?”

“Dispatch and disappear. Fight until we can’t be followed, and then we flee. There’s no one to save here but ourselves, so we get out as soon as we can.”

“Roger that. But what’s the strategy to get to that point?” she asked, her head swiveling around the circle. “We’re outnumbered four to one.”

“All in a day’s work,” Lance answered before leaping forward, brandishing the nightstick.

Ashley followed suit, twirling her staff to parry two swings of pipe as she exited the circle, turning to take the two men who had lashed out at her.

Neither had ever trained to fight before; that much was clear as soon as they began chopping at her with their pipes. Within ten seconds, she’d knocked one pipe away, and, a few seconds later, the other followed suit. With three swings to their knees, Ashley left both men on the ground as she danced away from two more that approached her. Having a weapon and having trained using it had an even larger impact than Ashley had allowed herself to hope for. The staff was like an extension of her now.

She had maneuvered back next to Lance, who had also dispatched two of his goons. These two fared slightly better than the previous two, but not by much. Forty-five seconds later, they, too, found themselves on the ground. Lance was fighting off his one remaining opponent as she turned back around. He had their leader on the ropes, beating him pretty handedly with his nightstick, but one of the men he had earlier dispatched had crawled back to his feet. Before Ashley had time to yell, the man had pulled back his pipe and swung at Lance’s head.

The pipe rang out as it made contact with Ashley’s staff. Having deflected the blow from connecting with Lance, she dispatched the man for good as Lance finished off the leader. Sirens blared around them as they sprinted back into the alley and up the escape. The first officer on the scene entered the alley just moments after they cleared the ledge.

“You saved my life back there,” Lance panted as he stared up at the stars on his back.

“I owed you,” Ashley answered, also panting.

“No, really,” he insisted, “I would’ve been toast without you. I told you that you had it in you to do this. Now I know leaving for Duncan is the right call. You have this more than taken care of on your own. I believe in you.”

“Thanks, Lance. That means a lot.” And I think after tonight, I might just believe in myself again, too.

Eagless will continue with episode 111, December 8th.

For more stories set in this world, buy my books, The White Knight and SAMSON – OUT NOW! Or read my short story series The Street Rat for free like Eagless!

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