Direwolf: Cold Iron & Hot Steel - part 5 "That was just far too close..."
by Direwolf

The Freedom Flyer grounded on the Fortress landing pad amid a wash of vectored exhaust. Bone tired, AlcheMiss triggered the latch and the hatch door swung open. Minute Man rushed in, followed by Mentor.

"How are they?" Minuteman asked, setting his hand on her shoulder.

"Order and Bullet are battered but all right, I was able to wake them up to help with the rest," AlcheMiss shackely answered. "Diablo's sedated. I didn't want him moving with his cracked ribs. I thought we should bring him back rather than let Law try to heal him in the field, that takes a lot out of her. Microwave..."

Her voice hitched as she looked at the battered robot strapped into one of the chairs. Sparks still danced across the savage hole ripped through its chest.

"Mentor can repair him," Minuteman promised. "And...?"

"In the back, still out and trussed up like a roasting turkey. Any word on Nuclear Winter?"

Minuteman's jaws tightened as a steely glint settled in his eyes.

"Black Bird and Man-o-war were too late. He was long gone by the time they reached Camp Iroquois. But he left a swatch of injured men and destroyed equipment. It could have been a lot worse but he seemed more interested in escape than destruction. Black Bird and Man-o-war stayed to lend a hand with the clean up."

Minuteman gently lifted the sedated Diablo from the Freedom Flyer. "I'll take him to the infirmary. Mentor, can you do start repairs on Microwave? Order, if you and Bullet can see our...guest is properly restrained in the repair bay, we can all meet in half an hour to see if we can get some answers out of him."

AlcheMiss ran a hand through her mussed and dusty hair. "That will give me a chance to clean up, I suppose."

Minuteman heard the flat tone of her voice. He knew part of it was exhaustion but there was a measure of deep depression as well. That came with command. Rightly or not, Alche-Miss blamed herself for the damage done to her team.

"You did fine, " Minuteman assured her. "Everyone will recover. And you brought in a dangerous criminal. No one could expect more from you."

AlcheMiss signed deeply. " That was just far too close."

She looked over as Order and Bullet were lifting the slack form of Direwolf from the back of the Freedom Flyer. Right now, he looked far from dangerous. His long jacket hung open, revealing his tattered and blood stained clothing. His blond hair was gray with cement dust, and dried blood glued his black mask to the side of his face. His head lolled to the side. Thick bands of steel held his wrists.

"He's a heavy one, that's for sure," Order rumbled as he shifted his grip and walked out of the hanger.

AlcheMiss watched them go with their limp captive. She couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong tonight.

Croc had the carburetor fully assembled and ready to go back in his bike when Silver Scarab came in through the roof. The old skylight swung up as if moved by invisible hands and a sphere of darkness drifted through, settling gently to the floor. The darkness drew inward as if funneling back into the slender woman in the black and silver costume. Jackal, Sunny Boy and Gusty were all with her. They immediately began telling everyone about their expedition.

"It was so cool, one lighting bolt and bang, both of ‘em out like lights...."

"Never felt myself move with such precision. Man, I swear there isn't a lock made I can't tickle open..."

"...like having a flame thrower in my hands. That missile was scrap!"

Croc set down the wrench and walked over to the silent woman who watched impassively from behind a mask of shadows.

"Something interesting happened while you were gone," he murmured. "Thought you might want to know about it. Seems this new character the press call Direwolf got into a scrap with Freedom Force nearby. I got Hawk and Walker into position, they watched just about the whole thing and reported back."

Scarab flinched slightly at the word Direwolf.

"Tell me everything they said," she hissed.

There was a bright light shining into Direwolf's face, dragging him up from unconsciousness. His eyes pulled open. It took effort, they were gummy with dust and dried blood. Jason tried to reach around to wipe his face but his arms hardly moved. There was something holding him back.

"He's awake," a voice said from beyond the light.

Direwolf groaned and shifted. His body ached as if a building had fallen on him and his memory was a confused maze of fragments. He remembered fragments of his battle with Freedom Force but the pieces didn't seem to fit together. But one thing he knew. He'd lost.

By the feel of the bands on his arms as well as his body position, Direwolf realized he'd been chained to a wall. The wall felt smooth and hard, like stone or cement. Around there were neat piles of equipment. Steel cuffs held his wrists, linked by a heavy chain that was bolted to the wall over his head. Direwolf straightened, taking his weight off his shoulders and tried to look at the figures past the light.

There were at least five of them.

"Great," Direwolf thought. "Chained to a wall and outnumbered.

"All right, I want to know what you know about Nuclear Winter!" Minuteman stepped out of the light, reached in and pulled off Direwolf's mask. The Velcro parted with the sound of ripping fabric. Reflexively, Direwolf snarled and snapped his teeth at Minuteman's hand. The leader of Freedom Force was too quick and drew back in time to evade Jason's teeth.

Jason understood it had been a psychological trick to make him more vulnerable to interrogation. But it still made him mad. They literally had no right to restrain him like this, they were violating any number of laws. For a moment, he considered his options he could stonewall them and see what they did, he could tell them what they wanted, he could see if his hunting howl panicked them, or he could try to rip free. He chose a different path instead.

"Only what I read in the papers," Jason said. He stood straighter and flexed his shoulders trying to work out some of the knots, and testing the strength of the chain. And he looked Minute Man square in the eye. Even though his stomach was trying to do summersaults, Jason acted with an icy calm. He would not let these people think he was beaten.

"I doubt that!" Minuteman snapped. "I think it's highly unlikely you just happened to provide a diversion while Winter staged his escape!"

"News to me. For what it's worth, some armored guy calling himself Cold Iron jumped me. Not sure what happened to him but when I came out, your man Bullet showed up to ask me over for what I'm sure was supposed to be a polite sit-down supper. When I didn't want to be manhandled, he decided to pick a fight. Then Diablo shows up and says hello by means of a fireball. Not wanting to end up flambéed, I fought back. Then the rest of your crew pitches in and it looks like I ended up on the bottom of the heap. Oh well, happens when you are outnumbered five to one. You might as well turn me over to the police, though I wonder if they'll be interesting in my story? It includes kidnapping and false imprisonment!"

Minuteman recoiled, not only from the words but from the savage tone as well. But he wasn't going to let that stop him from getting to the truth. "I don't believe you! Winter has to be behind this and there may not be time to play games! Mentor, can you discern the truth?"

"Perhaps, but I am troubled by this..."

"There may not be time," Minuteman insisted. "Sukove had an atom bomb last time we fought. What if he has access to another?"

"I tell you, I have no idea where Nuclear Winter is," Direwolf protested. No one paid attention.

"Very well, if you insist this is the only way." The alien mentalist stepped forward into the light. His high domed forehead hinted at his amazing powers and the green cape fluttered behind him as he walked forward. Mentor raised his arms towards the ceiling. "Bare your mind to me!"

Direwolf felt the first brush of another presence within his head. He knew he was telling the truth and if he let Mentor riffle through his memories, the bald alien would discover that. Then they would let him go. But something deep inside rebelled at the thought of meekly submitting to the intrusion. This wasn't right and it was arrogant of Freedom Force to subject him to it.

"Get the hell out of my mind!" Direwolf roared, tapping into the wellspring of inner anger that seemed to propel him at times into a blind rage. This time, he used the anger.

Mentor recoiled from the raw fury he sensed boiling in the young man's mind. It was physically painful. But he pressed on. Minute Man believed this was necessary. Mentor bore down.

Direwolf arched his back and drew a great breath as if ready to howl. Instead his arms smacked back into the wall, then snapped out and down with the full might of his muscles while he threw his body forward. The chain went instantly taunt. Then the bolt holding the chain to the wall shattered with a metallic crack.

When the metal broke, nearly everyone froze. No one had expected Direwolf to be able to escape. Even Bullet, perhaps for the first time in his life, was caught flat-footed in surprise. But Direwolf was already in motion and Mentor was within reach.

The chain linking his wrists made a glittering loop as it settled around Mentor's neck. Direwolf drew back on the ends, cinching the metal noose tight. He spun Mentor around and set his back to the wall, using Mentor as an improvised shield.

"All right, everyone stop!" Direwolf shouted. Bullet was already bluring forward. Past the light, Direwolf spotted Minute Man and Alche-Miss beside the chromed speedster. The hulking form of Iron Ox and the blindfolded woman called Law were there as well.

"Hold it, team!" Minuteman snapped. Bullet stopped mid stride. AlcheMiss had a green nimbus of light shimmering over her hands. Law's sword was leveled and Iron Ox looked ready to charge. But Minuteman had assessed the tactical situation. And while he was sure his team could overwhelm Direwolf, he had seen just how strong and fast Direwolf was. The real question wasn't if they could bring him down, it was could they do so before he snapped Mentor's neck.

The rage-fuelled rush that had propelled Jason into action ebbed as fast as it had risen. Shaken, the young man found himself facing down Freedom Force with one of them in his hands as a hostage. In his opinion, this evening had spiraled far out of control. He was suddenly convinced that if he looked around, he'd see Rod Serling standing in a dark suit talking about how a young would-be hero had stumbled into the Twilight Zone.

"Lad, you really don't want to hurt him, do you?"

Minuteman's voice brought him back into the moment. Jason took a deep, somewhat ragged breath before answering.

"You are right, I don't want to. But don't confuse want with won't. You people attacked me, kidnapped me, chained me to a wall and tried to lay open my mind." He looked down at Mentor. The alien looked back and his expression surprised Direwolf. Mentor didn't look afraid. The former Dominion scientist looked calm and interested, his watchfull eyes assessing his captor without hostility.

"There are reasons for this all." Minute Man adjusted his grip on Patriot. He thought he could launch a Minute Missile in time to knock Direwolf out before he could hurt Mentor. If nothing else, it would give Mentor a chance to free himself

"Don't try it!" Direwolf snapped, shifting Mentor to block any possible attack.

Minute Man frowned inwardly. It was as if this young man had sensed he was about to be attacked. "So, now what?"

"You can read my mind and see the truth, right?" Jason asked Mentor.

The alien scientist nodded.

"Ok, then let's get this over with." With a flip of his wrist, Jason freed Mentor. The rest of the gathered heros nearly charged but Mentor held them back with an upraised hand.

"Will you open your mind to me?" Mentor asked.

Direwolf nodded, not trusting himself to speak. A low hum resonated through the air as Mentor marshaled his amazing powers. Direwolf didn't resist. He felt the alien's awareness slip in among his thoughts. He steeled himself and let Mentor sort through.

After a seeming eternity the presence withdrew. Jason resisted the urge to shudder and slump against the wall.

"This young man speaks the truth," Mentor intoned. "He fought an unknown foe in the ruins of the building, one it seems who was not directly powered by Energy X. The confrontation with Bullet developed as he says, a misunderstanding it would seem between the two of them, fueled by raw emotion. And he knows nothing of Nuclear Winter's escape. I sense no evil within him."

Mentor stepped back and folded his arms over his chest. Direwolf allowed himself a deep breath of relief.

"Well, it seems we owe you an apology, lad," Minuteman said, extending his hand with Direwolf's dusty mask. "Good to have you on the team!"

Jason's eyes narrowed. He reached out and took his mask back, and put it on. "I don't think so. If this is you people's idea of how to evaluate potential recruits, I'll stay solo."

"But, we stand for Freedom, don't you?"

For a moment, Jason's resolve wavered. Minuteman seemed sincere. Perhaps he was overreacting, letting his own anger cloud his judgment. But then he thought about what they had done to him, even if they thought they were doing right. With a savage twist, he tore one of the steel cuffs from his wrist, then the other. He tossed them along with the length of chain to Minuteman's feet in a clattering pile.

"I stand for what I stand for. And I stand alone!"

Gathering as much dignity as he could, Direwolf walked out leaving a stunned silence behind him.

In the hallway, Jason realized he had no idea where he was but he wasn't about to go back and ask directions. He picked right and started walking. After several braches, he found the entrance to an elevator and stabbed the call button. Then he waited.

The sound of footsteps told him someone was coming. Jason turned and a slender young man in a red and brown costume walked up and stopped as if waiting for the elevator himself. He was at least a half foot shorter then Direwolf though the long antenna by his ears more then made up for that.

The door opened and the two of them got on. Direwolf spotted a button marked ‘G' and pressed it. The lift started up.

"Hi! I'm The Ant, pleased to meet you."

"Uh, Direwolf."

The two shook gloved hands.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I was on monitor duty so I couldn't do anything to help. I never expected it to turn into some sort of Spanish Inquisition. What I'm trying to say is that Minuteman was out of line, but he meant well. He really cares about all this and thinks of us as his kids or something like that."

Direwolf started to say something, but the Ant continued. "I'm not trying to talk you into staying, we're short enough on elbow room right now as it is, but I just want to ask you to think about what happened. Yeah, Bullet and El Diablo overreacted, but that's who they are just like Eve loves everything natural, Liberty Lad can't stop making wisecracks and I get along with bugs. And Minuteman takes everything seriously. He didn't mean anything personal by what happened, it's just who he is."

"Maybe you are right," Direwolf said after a moment. "But that doesn't excuse what happened. I mean, come on, they chained me to a wall like I was Kong or something like that..."

"Good thing you didn't head for the for the Central City Tower with AlcheMiss over your shoulder!" Ant quipped.

Direwolf laughed. It felt good.

"Ok, I admit you have a point. But I think I'll try this solo first."

"Sounds like a good idea. But I have a feeling that you and the rest of us may bump heads occasionally."

"Are you saying the city isn't big enough for all of us, hombre?"

This time, The Ant laughed.

"We could square off at Patriot Park at high noon, I suppose. No nothing like that. I think the city can use us all. I just hope sometime we end up fighting on the same side, that's all."

The elevator door hissed open, admitting a rush of night air. A short flight of white marble steps led down from the single surface building that marked the Freedom Fortress. Trees lined the small park that surrounded the building and from beyond came the sounds of traffic on the city streets.

The Ant stopped as Direwolf stepped out the door. The two young men shook hands again.

"Think about what I said," the Ant suggested.

"I will." Direwolf walked into the night.

The Ant watched him go, then sighed and shut the door.

Jason walked aimlessly for a few blocks while his mind whirled. Then, he spotted a phone booth. On impulse, he went in, fishing out a dime and Sergeant Joe's card.

It was well after midnight and Sergeant Wojoesky and Direwolf were seated in the back booth of Fat's diner. Joe was sipping coffee and Direwolf had finished off his third soda.

"So I walked out," Direwolf concluded. "I just couldn't stand to stay there after all that. Did I do the wrong thing do you think?"

"My God, so young with so much power," Joe thought.

"I don't think so," he said. "You told me before that you wanted to try things your way and you seem interested in seeing what you can do within the law. You're right. Freedom Force were way outside what would be considered legal when they captured you, but like I said, I think a lot of legal statutes are going to change soon to reflect the fact that people like you are popping up out of the wood work. The times are changing."

Joe paused to drink from his mug, and then continued. "I found out the building you were fighting in was scheduled for demolition but the owners had defaulted and had no money to tear it down. It was only a matter of time until either the City sucked up and demolished it, or it came down on its own. So no one is going to press charges for destruction of private property against you or Freedom Force. Now I wonder what would happen if you decided to file charges against Freedom Force..."?

"No!" Jason exclaiming, "Can you imagine the field day the press would have with that?"

Joe chuckled. "Yeah, the people would be breaking out the feather pillows and melting a good sized tub of tar with your name on it. But as it is, you can bet there will be shockwaves from this."

"Why?"

"Freedom Force is a respected city icon already. You are an outsider and the press was there for your dust up. You can bet it will be all over the papers come morning."

"Oh great!"

"You think you have had enough?"

"Yes...no... I don't know. This isn't working out the way I had planned."

"Life seldom does."

"Maybe, but I've got to think this all over. Make some decisions."

Joe nodded. "I understand. For what it's worth, I may have a lead on that truck you were interested in. Not sure but it could be the same one. You get some rest and call me Sunday evening if you are still interested. It will wait until then."

Direwolf sighed. "Sounds like a good idea, sir."

He reached into his pocket looking for a dollar to pay for his soda.

"My treat," Joe insisted. "Now go off duty, go get a shower and then get some rest. It's the same advice I'd give one of my own men if they had a night a fraction as tough as you've had. I'll settle up and get back to work."

"Thanks, next time it's on me," Direwolf insisted as he pulled on his gloves.

Then he was up and walking out. Joe watched him go as he finished his coffee, taking his time. Once the mug was empty, he set it down. He picked up Direwolf's soda glass by putting his fingers inside the rim. He tipped out the ice using a pencil then examined the glass. There were several good sets of fingerprints smudging the glass. Joe put a couple of dollars on the table then walked out, carefully carrying the glass. He hoped he would never need to use the prints they held. But right now, he thought it wise to take them just in case.

To be continued...