5th Column Comics: Diver #8

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knightofthechronicle

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Chapter 8: Collapse

I feel my heart rate slow down more and more as I inch my way closer to the door, the sea staring at me through the floor to ceiling window, almost like it's taunting me.

"Come on," it seems to say. "You can do it."

My thoughts shift though suddenly when the buzz of motor cuts through the eerie silence. I watch, still struggling to get out, as a helicopter appears, flying away from the Crux. My brain, even though it's on the verge of a shutdown, has the mental capacity to understand that Malcolm's on that helicopter, heading towards Indigo City to blow up Temper Industries and-

"JANE!"

I scream with whatever oxygen's left in my lungs and lurch forward, clearing the doorway and entering the hallway. Step after painful step, I finally get to the window and press against the glass, watching as Malcolm's helicopter gets farther from sight.

No…no…

"No!"

I slam against the glass with all of my strength, my powers having only seconds left before I'm back to my normal levels.

A crack appears on the bullet proof glass, followed by another one when I slam my fist against the window again. My oxygen-deprived brain flashes the only image I care about right now over and over in my head, the face of the woman I love.

I scream with one final burst of energy and I lunge at the glass.

CRASH!

The window breaks under my force and I feel myself topple through into the open air.

- - - - - -

I'm coming out and saying it, the Broad River sucks.

I scramble up the shore of the river, completely exhausted from swimming for thirty minutes straight. I collapse in the mud, sucking in the salt water from my water tank while I try to calm down. I roll my head over and see a piece of water paper on my shoulder. I peel it off and toss it into the mud.

"Disgusting…"

The fall from the Crux obviously didn't kill me but it sure as hell didn't tickle either. My water tank activated when I hit the water too...somehow, not exactly sure how.

I feel my heart rate begin to slow down to close to normal levels just in time to see the helicopter pass overhead, heading straight for Temper Industries.

"Son of a-"

I quickly get to my feet and run up the hill. For the first time in a year, I see the skyline of Indigo City glitter in the midday sun. I take the scene in for just long enough to spy the helicopter slowly approach the Temper Industries building and I break into a dead sprint towards Golden Roads.

I ignore the sidewalk completely and run straight down the road towards Temper. I probably look like an idiot wearing a skin tight blue and black costume with a water tank on my back, but I don't care. My vision tunnels as I get closer and closer to the front door of the building. The security guards posted at the doors quickly take notice of me as I get closer.

"Excuse me sir," one them says, holding his hands out, "can we hel-"

"Nope!"

I activate my shock gloves and bring the guards down to the ground with a slap on the neck. I barge my way into the lobby and run up to the bewildered receptionist.

"Please, we don't want any…wait a minute, is that Ed Turner?"

I breathe I sigh of relief when she says my name.

"You remember me?" I ask, holding on to her desk to steady myself. She nods.

"Great, then I need you to clear out this entire building. A bombs about to go off."

…bad choice of words.

"What?!"

I hold my hands out to calm her and back away, stealing a glance at the awaiting elevator.

"I mean, I'm here to stop a bomb from blowing up. You need to call security and get these people out of here! Do it! I got to go!"

I don't wait for her to unfreeze from the shocked expression on her face and run for the (thankfully) empty elevator. The doors close behind me as I try to find the right button.

"Lobby, parking, basement…crap where's the testing bunk-"

A ring of light underneath all of the other buttons appears, followed by the starting descent of the elevator.

"Well, well. You're more persistent than I gave you credit for, Mr. Turner," the voice of Sinclair sounds over the elevator speakers. "Unfortunately, you're not supposed to be-"

"Just shut up for a second, Sinclair!" I yell, pacing the elevator. "Malcolm's crazy! He's got this whole place wired up to blow any second now! Now make this damn elevator go faster and get me down to the bunker!"

Sinclair says nothing but I suddenly feel the elevator lurch downward faster. In seconds, the doors open up to the worried face of Sinclair, his beady eyes showing actual concern instead of their usual fierceness.

"WHERE THE HELL'S MY WIFE!" I scream, throwing my former boss against the wall, pressing my arm against his throat.

"S-safe…She's safe!"

I let him go and he drops to the ground.

"Where!?"

"…In a warehouse across town."

I pull him up to his feet and we start down the white painted hallways.

"Where's Malcolm?" I ask, breaking into a jog.

"As soon as he gave me the drive he went back to his bunk," Sinclair states, trying to keep up with me. "It's just down the hall."

Sinclair points to a door and I rip it open with my hands. In place of Malcolm sitting on his bunk, there's the world's largest bomb taking up most of the room. I stare blankly at it, almost in awe over the size of it. On top of the stacks of C4 is what I can only guess is a receiver, a red light shining.

"Holy crap."

Sinclair steps next to me and carefully looks over it, quickly pointing to a bundle of wires running not towards the bomb, but away from it, into the walls.

"He's probably got more rooms like this wired up to blow all over the bunker," he says. "And knowing him, there are multiple receivers in case we cut one off."

"Make the call to evacuate the building," I tell him and run out of the room. "Save as many people as you can! Malcolm's bound to be here somewhere! I'll try to stop him from detonating!"

I sprint down the hallways, using every last scrap of energy that I have left to run to the only place that I know Malcolm will be.

He can't be above ground yet or the signal would never get through to the C4, I think. And there's only one way to get out of this place. The loading bay.

I push myself to go faster, blasting past different workers and scientists. Above me, I hear the sound of a bell, followed by Sinclair's voice over the intercom: "Attention all Temper Industries personnel, due to an impending bomb threat…"

I block out Sinclair's voice as I barrel down the hallway, past the different workshops and fleeing workers until I finally reach the loading bay. Several trucks have already pulled out, probably carrying more of Sinclair's property than workers, but one truck's still left. The driver notices me and looks at me curiously.

"WHERE IS HE!" I scream over the sound of the motor. My question is answered when Malcolm suddenly materializes beside the driver and opens fire, shooting through the truck's window.

I dive over to a box just in time. Malcolm fires off a few more shots before the truck starts out of the bay and up the ramp to the surface. Behind me, I can hear the sound of a symphony of explosions going off.

Oh no…

"No!"

I sprint up the ramp after the truck as the explosions rock the entire floor. The square of light, the secret entrance to the bunker inside a closed down factory building, grows larger as I race after the truck. Behind me, the shock waves of the exploding building propel me faster. Cracks form above my head and I can swear I can hear the sound of collapsing concrete behind me. I see the truck clear the opening but it's still about a football field's distance from where I am. I push myself harder, hearing the tunnel collapse behind me.

Jane's face flashes through my mind again, her long, brown hair blowing the breeze while her green eyes catch the sunlight just right. She smiles at me with her perfect white teeth, dimples forming on her cheeks…

"I'm coming Jane!"

I tap into a reserve of energy I didn't think that I had left. The opening grows faster than ever and the falling debris starts to lag behind. With one final leap, I propel myself through the opening and onto the concrete floor of the factory, my heart feeling like it's about to burst from my chest.

The sound of the building collapsing is still in my ears, probably since it's still happening just a mile away. I suck in what feels like a gallon of water into my lungs as I look around the factory. There's nothing around but a few random boxes and dust. No sign of Malcolm or the truck except for a lot of tire tracks leading to the open bay doors.

With a deafening crash, I hear the sound of Temper Industries falling to the ground a mile away…and everything goes black.

To be continued…

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johnjo719

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Hey......this issue is pretty amazing

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knightofthechronicle

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cbishop

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ImpurestCheese

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#6  Edited By ImpurestCheese

A few issues with tense that need dealing with, but other then that a solid issue.

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knightofthechronicle

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@impurestcheese: That's always been a problem for me. I'll be in the present and then suddenly switch to the past tense. Thanks for the feedback Imp

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#8  Edited By ImpurestCheese
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TommytheHitman

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Well... at least Diver got Temper Industries. Good issue with a few good action moments from Ed himself.

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Alexander_Wolffe

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Dang, seems like Indigo City is being torn apart by terrorists recently. Nate Lime from PK, Wolffe from Wolffe, and now Malcolm from Diver. The Response's premiere prolly seems even more necessary with all this going on.

*light bulb* but... It'd be a real shame.... If all these carrier terrorists.... Were united... <.< under one banner..... For Indigo City domination.... >_>

Seriously though, really enjoyed the issue. Still shocked with Malcolm's twist, but enjoying it a lot. Some seriously huge developments here for Diver's series as a whole, which is great to see. Looking forward to seeing what happens next, which I will go find out now....

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#11  Edited By TommytheHitman

....Wolffe pretty much said what I was going to say.

Seriously... the Great Impact probably did less damage then all the crap we're causing at the moment.

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knightofthechronicle

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@tommythehitman: That is probably true...

@alexander_wolffe: thanks for the feedback man. If all of these guys got together...whew, I can just hear the people going "What the hell happened to the city? It was here just a second ago!"

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Alexander_Wolffe

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#13  Edited By Alexander_Wolffe

@knightofthechronicle: Yeah, exactly.

I'm actually going to bring it up in the PM, cuz seeing as how they're all carriers Wolffe wouldn't have an issue with them, which means a uniting would prolly work out.

Would be like an Anti Response team.