Published at 28th of March 2026 7:57 am

Chapter 16 StarGaze Dynamics Pt II (Isaiah Pov)

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Follow me, Rorschach said, moving through the lobby.

Tuesday skips after her, and I take up the rear. I can't worry about Rorschach. If she's confident leading us through this place, then she must be confident she won't be getting gunned down anytime soon. And I'll never say no to a front row seat to that ass. Once inside, a few things stand out to me: the lack of employees or security forces. There's supposed to be a second checkpoint inside, but there's not even a metal detector here. There's no way those pitiful grunts were the full sum of two different checkpoints. So where is the actual bulk of their forces?

We walk by an empty welcoming desk. The computer screens are dark, all the chairs are tucked into the desk, and the phones are all unplugged. I spot a bit of steam coming off a mug of hot coffee that says best dad ever that clues me in to the fact that someone is trying very hard to convince us that no one is here. Are they afraid of us taking the employees as hostages? Or are they trying to limit the potential casualties? Whatever the reasoning is, it's a wonder how they managed to hide so many people so quickly. Where the hell are they? Clearly, StarGaze Dynamics cares about its employees safety. A good quality for an organization to have, but it means we're unlikely to find people willing to give up information. Loyalty can make people go to extreme lengths.

Where the hell is everyone? I asked Rorschach.

I haven't found any regular employees yet, but I have found plenty of men and women with guns. They're set up at several key choke points we have to go through. Whoevers in charge is brilliant. They correctly predicted our destination and have boxed us in. They made it impossible to avoid their traps. We're going to run into a minimum of five fights no matter which way we go, Rorschach replied.

Oh, thank god, I was worried this was going to be too easy, Tuesday said sarcastically.

Which way are we taking? I asked, looking at the four branching hallways.

Far right, Rorschach answered.

Not surprised, honestly, you're such a slut for capitalism. I'm more of a neo libertarian myself, Tuesday joked.

Rorschach ignores the bait and breaks off into a sprint toward the far right one. Tuesday, and I jog after her. It isn't like she's going to get too far ahead of us. Rorschach may be fit, but not in the way that Tuesday and I are. Her cardio sucks. The hallway we're traveling down is sterile in the way government black sites and cartel organ harvesting warehouses are. This place has an unsettling vibe, like an uncanny valley sort of feeling. There aren't any work posters or artwork of any kind on the walls; it's an oppressively unpersonalized look. Creepy ass building.

Without Rorschach guiding us through identical-looking connecting hallways, I could see how someone could get turned around in here. It's probably a purposeful design choice. After fifteen minutes and not a sign of another person, I'm starting to get paranoid. It's the waiting that gets to me. Eventually, we start passing doors instead of the plain, cream colored walls. To the right of each door is a placard that says Lab 001 or Lab 009, etc. I wonder if there's anything in these labs that would be worth stealing. Environmental Protection is such a vague ass name for an entire sector of research and development. What does that even entail? What we need is someone whom we can persuade to give us the information we need.

We're coming up on the first choke point. This next right will put us directly in their crosshairs. They're blocking one of the larger labs that we need to go through to access the emergency exit stairwell. There are fifty of them, and they have brought out the bigger guns for this. They have those laser rifles from before, along with what might be railguns and explosive launchers, Rorschach said to us.

Tough but doable. Tuesday, I highly doubt you've been holding back, but if you have, it's time to stop. Rorschach, just stay behind some cover and I'll do my best to draw their fire, I said, laying out the rough plan.

No, fuck that. I told Nobody I was going to be an active participant, and I meant that. I've got more up my sleeve, Roschach said.

I can tell by the tone of her voice how serious she's taking this. What happened between you and Nobody? What changed you so much? She has never been shy about sharing her dislike for Nobody's actions or displeasure with some of his decisions, but clearly, their dynamic has shifted. Veritas couldn't get her to do anything more than reconnaissance, so how did Nobody get her to volunteer for this? Nobody is obviously ten times the leader Veritas was, but still. I know it's stupid and baseless, but I can't help that I am jealous of her. What did he say to you? What did you two share with each other?

Yo, Smolder, you good? Tuesday asked me.

What? Yeah, I'm fine, I answered.

You sure? You were spacing out, and I don't want to take one between the eyes because you're distracted, Tuesday said.

I said I'm fine, I barked at her.

Smolder, Rorschach said. Shes pronouncing my Cowl name, like it's making her physically ill. Flood the hallway, and I'll open them up for you two. Ive got this.

No, Rorschach, you don't. You wanting to be out here and taking a more active role in some field work is fine. But you're going to get yourself killed rushing headfirst into danger. This isnt a gang initiation; you dont have to prove anything to us, I said, choosing my words carefully. You will support us from behind cover and a safe distance away. Do not take unnecessary risks.

WE DONT HAVE TIME, Rorschach shouted at me. Hes going to die if we arent fast enough; am I the only one who fucking cares if he dies?

Youre getting too emotional. Your body is in fight or flight mode currently; the adrenaline pumping through your system is heightening your emotions beyond what youd usually be feeling, I explained. Well do it just like we did before. Wait for the perfect time to strike and take 'em all out at once.

Neither woman voices any complaint about my plan. Nice change of pace. I reload both of my guns, pulling ammunition out of the smoke pouring out of me. I really need to give these girls a name. I take a deep breath and then dive around the corner, rolling forward and then leaping toward the guards. Time to show those two why Im the one Nobody trusted with his identity. Putting my full strength into my legs launches me down the hallway. Im flying through the air so fast that they dont start shooting until Im out of the enclosed area and in the room with them. By then, its too late for them to stop me. A hurricane of bullets tracks me through the room as I dash to the right side, following the wall. Every one that hits me passes through me harmlessly, smoke trailing out of the holes in my body. I cant take any chances after seeing that the bullets are capable of causing me pain. They might have FMJ rounds, and Im not keen on getting turned into a trypophobics worst nightmare.

The Security Forces arent speaking; the only sounds are the roar of gunfire and the bullets blowing chunks out of the walls. For as many as I have attacking me, they havent used any of the bigger guns. I need to take care of those before its safe enough for the ladies to join me. The muzzle flash of all those weapons going off is like a fireworks display on the Fourth of July. My idea to get them to waste a clip and attack during the reload isnt working; theyve offset the firing so that the group is never not shooting at me. New game plan: fuck them up. I run up the wall and jump off it tolaunch myself straight into the center of the armed guards. Like a God of death, I descend amongst them and begin reaping lives. Each shot from my guns blasts chunks out of men and women alike. Limbs explode, sending bone fragments blasting out like shrapnel. Their armor does very little to shield them from me, and its only the clicking of the hammers hitting the empty chambers that stops my slaughter. Only having seven bullets in each is the only limiting factor of the guns.

Quickly counting, I managed to kill or maim twenty-eight of the fifty soldiers. The remaining ones have all put on air filtration masks to deal with the smoke. Four of them charge me, the underbarrel blades on their rifles glowing red. Based on how much the bullets hurt, Im not interested in testing my skin against whatever the fuck those are. I dodge their opening swings easily, but the four of them spread out to attack me from all sides. Another couple of them are keeping me pinned down with the occasional shot to cover any escape route I might have. My torso and legs arent even corporeal anymore. I look like a fucking genie. I wish I were dealing with goons and gangbangers instead of men and women who were trained for war. Two of them bring their bayonets down and force me to use my guns to block them. The knives cut halfway into the barrels before getting stuck. MY FUCKING GUNS. I yank their rifles out of their hands, dissipating my weapons, and turn their rifles back on them. Wielding assault rifles akimbo, I start spraying lead at the four who have been boxing me in. Once those four have been transformed into Swiss cheese chunks, I try to take a moment. Keeping myself partially transformed while trying to track everything going on is mentally exhausting.

I dash away into a cloud of black to give myself some space to take a breath and reform. Despite the thick black smoke covering the room, the one with the railgun tracks me with insane precision. Even with a God Bod like mine, enhanced senses, and superhuman reactions, I cant react in time to do anything about the projectile moving so fast it looks like it teleports. It hits me in the chest, and it feels like Im back in the Doublin Down bar fighting Virtue. The smoke cloud is blown away, and a mixture of blood, bile, and spit sprays against the inside of my mask as my sternum shatters along with the majority of my ribs. It doesnt even register that I got hit until my back collides with the wall, my chest indents, and my lungs fight to inflate with the entirety of my torso crushing them. FUCK! I was wrong. This hurts worse than fighting Virtue, so much worse. The pain is blurring my vision, my head is ringing, and Im struggling to stay conscious. It takes every ounce of concentration I can muster to shift my entire torso to smoke. The suffocating pressure stops, and I can breathe somewhat normally again. Before they can fire again, a wall of scarred flesh grows in front of me. A familiar face emerges from it.

Dude, you look like shit. You do know you arent supposed to let them hit you, she said, mocking me.

I cant believe that Im actually happy to hear her voice.

Why dont you leave this to the ladies? Anything you can do, we can do better, Tuesday laughed.

(Rorschach POV)

*Just A Few Minutes Ago*

Hey, nice job being a hysterical damsel back there. Seriously, great look, just absolutely showing off how emotional we women can be, Tuesday said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Go fuck yourself, I spat at her.

Her bandana covers her face, so Im not ready when she jumps at me. She knocks me to the ground, climbing on top of me. What the fuck is wrong with this psychotic bitch? Tuesday wraps her hand around my throat so hard I cant speak. Forget speaking, Im having trouble breathing. Swinging a fist at her doesnt do anything; she catches my wrist effortlessly.

Im fine with some good ribbing between teammates, everythings better ribbed, but the blatant disrespect stops right now. We dont need to be BFFs, just treat me like you do the others, she said, slightly releasing her grip on my throat.

Or what? I asked venomously.

Or Ill bite your throat out and drink the fuckin blood, Tuesday threatened.

One of the butterflies I created in the next room sees Isaiah getting shot by the railgun. Its bad, real bad. Theres so much blood coming out of him. Ive never seen him get as injured as he is, even that Cape didnt do this much damage to him. I roll out from under her, ripping my arm out of her grasp. No, I cant let him die like Kristina did.

This can wait; Smolder needs us, I said desperately.

Tuesday pauses. nodding at me and then running down the hallway to where Isaiah is. Isaiahs words from before about keeping myself safe echo inside my head. He was right about me needing to fight smarter. The power that Nobody gave me, its about time it saw some use beyond just practicing. Closing my eyes, I stand up with my arm outstretched, palm facing down. I cant hold anything back. A new perspective joins the collective, one that is slowly emerging from a pool of black ink. Hovering above the ground, I see myself as I get a feel for the form Im now possessing. Who says a bad bitch cant also be a Queen?

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