Wasteland Warlords 5 by James Hunter & eden Hudson

Author:James Hunter & eden Hudson [Hunter, James & Hudson, eden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Alley Press
Published: 2024-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

A Dark Moment for the DCU

“Ow!” Joe cupped his bleeding face in his hands. He turned huge, shocked eyes on the Dark Sentinel. “What the hell, guy?”

But Alex had already figured it out. She reset her feet, holding the combination kusarigama-thurible at the ready.

She’d been stupid not to use that helicopter distraction to reload the Mossberg, but it was too late now. Wildflame had her Flaming Lariat lazily wheeling by her side. Crawley flanked her, his tattooed hands open at his side and ready to cast, both with their eyes locked on Alex. If she made a move for the shotgun, she probably wouldn’t be lucky enough to end up picking her teeth out of the sand like Joe. More likely she’d wake up asking Saint Peter what the hell just happened.

“We’re the good guys here,” Joe appealed to the saintly crimefighter in a betrayed voice.

“They know that, Joe,” Alex said. “They’re not here to help us.”

“But… but… but the DCU is a beacon of justice in a dark world. They help the regular joes right the wrongs and save the day!”

“That’s just in the stories. These a-holes aren’t working for the little guy.” Alex glared at the Sentinel. “Are you? The government called you in because we were attacking their prison. You’re working for them.”

“Working for them, but sponsored by the pharmaceuticals industry,” the Sentinel said. “It’s in the name, doofus. The Dellafide Crimefighting Unit. All those movies don’t pay for themselves. Uncle Sam and Aunt Pharma keep the paychecks coming, so we keep the image squeaky clean and the smiles big for the cameras while we’re back across the wall.” He popped his knuckles, the black leather of his suit creaking with the motion. “But out here in the wasteland, there’s nobody to hear Incants scream.”

“Yeah,” the Merciful Shepherd said. “We locked up half the losers in this joint, and got an assload of cash for each and every one of them.”

A crunching, chewing sound interrupted, drawing every eye in the yard to Chonk.

The furry mechacoon had cracked open one of the shellfish guards and was busy stuffing his face with the insides. When he realized every eye in the yard was staring at his feast, Chonk cringed, sheepish eyes rolling back and forth between the DCU and the Jaeger squad.

He took a final noisy bite, licked his paw clean, then bolted across the dirt and up onto Joe’s shoulder pauldron.

“No wonder DCU comics suck,” Alex said, knuckles going white as she clenched the chains in her hands. “They’re just a bunch of lies.”

“We don’t leave money on the table,” Wildflame said with an easy, movie-star smile. “Comics and merchandising are a third of what we pull down yearly.”

“Oh, well, that makes it right,” Alex sneered.

Apparently, Joe had moved past the shocked stage and straight into mourning.

“Man, I used to think you guys were so cool!” he lamented, shaking his head. “I used to defend the DCU to the haters who said Mojave Comics Universe was better!

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