The Spectrum Force by Heather Ray (good inspirational books .TXT) 📖

her body from hypothermia, and it contained a reasonable amount of air, allowing her to breathe as she searched through the blackness. Finally, it exuded a bright orange light, giving her some light to search with. Of course, it also made her easily noticeable to the creature she searched for.

A dim flash of purple light caught the Orange Enforcer's attention, and she struggled to follow its source. She managed to push herself through the blackness with her powers, catapulting her deeper into the water. She finally found her teammate, still entangled in the thick tentacle that had dragged her under the water a few minutes ago. She seemed unconscious, yet her Spectrum Shield, which protected her from the cold and provided her with a cushion of breathable air, continued to glow faintly. Jocelyn followed the tentacle around her friend with her eyes, and saw what it was connected to. She just barely managed to keep herself from screaming.

The creature was as black as pitch, with seven long tentacles. One tentacle kept the Purple Enforcer hostage, while two others reached up through the water to the surface, obviously fighting the remaining Spectrum Enforcers topside. The remaining four tentacles were waiting, most likely to surprise the Enforcers and capture them in the same manner they caught their leader. All seven tentacles connected to a round surface, lying flat at the bottom of the freezing river. On the face of the disk sat a large eye, and a wide mouth. Jocelyn shuddered when she saw the sharp fangs- each as large as a human being-- that surrounded the edge of the open mouth.

Once Jocelyn recovered from her initial shock, she pushed herself towards her friend. She remained as silent as possible, hoping that the large creature was too busy flailing its tentacles at the rest of the Force to notice the intruder. The tentacle holding Rachel remained still, allowing Jocelyn to reach it.

*Ray?*

Jocelyn asked telepathically, *Ray, do you hear me?*

To Jocelyn's alarm, Rachel didn't respond. Jocelyn swam closer, and looked at the tentacle. It squeezed Rachel extremely tightly, nearly smothering her to death. In fact, the only thing preventing that was the faint energy shield that protected Rachel. Unfortunately, it was slowly fading out.

Gotta do something...

her mind echoed. Jocelyn immediately reached her fists out, creating a continuous stream of bright orange light which plowed into the tentacle fiercely. The tentacle began swaying, causing the current to wash the Orange Enforcer away as if she were a fly. Jocelyn struggled against the force, but she couldn't even figure out which way was up as the current dragged her deeper into the river. Finally, Jocelyn came to a stop, and looked back at the tentacle. It had stopped stirring, but it didn't loosen its hold on Rachel.

Well, that didn't work too well,

Jocelyn reflected grimly. But I have to get Rachel out, before her shield collapses completely! Think, Brainiac!!

Suddenly, Jocelyn felt her thoughts disperse as another voice appeared in her head.

*Jocie? Are you okay down there?*

*Matt! Yeah, I'm okay. I just can't get Rachel free from the monster's tentacle!*

*Get a grip, Kiddo. You'll think of something.*

A small smile appeared on Jocelyn's face. *Get a grip! That's brilliant, Matt!!*

*Huh?*

*Just keep your eyes peeled for more tentacles. Ray and I will be up there before you know it.*

Jocelyn swam back to the tentacle that squeezed her friend. She then touched the weakening purple shield, and concentrated. The shield began to take on an orange-purple tint.

Good. I managed to merge her shield with my own. Now, to get a grip, and loosen his.

Jocelyn extended the merged shield, so it encased both Rachel and herself. Since they were inside the same shield, Jocelyn managed to grab Rachel's shoulder. Then, she pushed out on the shield mentally, causing it to stretch. In the process, it forced the tentacle to expand its grip, so it was no longer crushing Rachel. There was at least a foot of space between Rachel and the orange-purple shield. Jocelyn smiled, and pulled Rachel out of the tentacle easily. Then, she constructed another orange shield inside the larger one, so it surrounded both young women. Finally, she collapsed the larger shield, and the tentacle released when the creature realized it was no longer holding something. Jocelyn then flew through the water, her friend in tow. In seconds, the two Enforcers broke through the surface of the water, and continued upwards.

"Jocelyn!" the Green Enforcer called, flying to his friend, "Is she okay?"

"She's had the wind knocked out of her," Jocelyn responded, "She should be coming around-"

"Wha--?" Rachel whispered, her eyes slowly opening beneath her blue visor, "What happened?"

"That

happened," Jocelyn said, pointing to the flailing tentacles that continued their offense against the Yellow, Red, and Blue Enforcers. Rachel looked, and frowned.

"Thanks for the save, Joce," she said, allowing her own powers to hold her in the air. Jocelyn released her friend, and smiled.

"No problem."

"Correction," Matt said, looking back at the fight, "Big problem!"

The Orange and Purple Enforcers looked down, and saw all seven tentacles standing erect. Tamara, Craig, and Keith flew upwards, and rejoined the rest of the Force at a reasonably safe distance.

"What's going on?" Tamara asked.

"Oh boy," Jocelyn whispered, watching as the tentacles began pushing through the water, forming a circle, "Guys, do you remember 'The Odyssey'?"

"Vaguely," Craig said, rubbing his chin, "Why? What does that story have to do with anything?"

"Uh oh," Keith muttered with understanding, "Remember that chapter with Scylla and Kharybdis?"

"The monster in the cliffs, and the whirlpool..." Tamara whispered, her eyes wide. All the Enforcers looked downwards, and saw the seven tentacles spinning powerfully, creating a whirlpool in the center of the river. At the bottom of the whirlpool, which reached all the way to the bottom of the river, the disk-like body of Shiva was visible. And the mouth was open wide.

"What is that?!" Keith yelled.

"That's the monster we've been fighting," Jocelyn said, "I wonder what its up to..."

Jocelyn got her answer when a sphere of pulsing white energy flew from the mouth of the creature, heading directly towards the team of assembled heroes hovering above it.

Chapter Fifteen

Meanwhile, the blazing white figure of Chris Greyson flew across Langstrum Alps. The strong winds that accompanied the blizzard made it increasingly difficult to fly, but he discovered that if he merely glided along the current, he would suffer from less wing fatigue. So far, his afternoon had been eventful. Besides saving the two reporters, he had also rescued several other citizens who were trapped due to nearby firefights. He also helped the National Guard in several spots, in order to help them fend back the invasion army and minimize casualties. Still, all his efforts didn't mean that much. After all, if the Spectrum Force didn't come up with a plan, the entire planet would be destroyed in a matter of days.

"Hey," he whispered to himself, flying low near a hotel, "isn't that Rachel's minivan?"

Out of sheer curiosity, Chris lowered to the ground to investigate. Sure enough, the purple dice in the windshield gave testimony to its owner. But what caught the young mutant's eye wasn't the dice. Rather, it was the shattered windshield.

"Not a good sign," he concluded, turning full circle. All he saw was pure white snow, covering everything surrounding him. There was at least three feet of accumulation by this time. However, there was a patch of red-tainted snow not far from the van. A sudden chill crept up Chris' spine as he realized what it was.

"Blood," he whispered, kneeling on the snow. He dug through the snow nearby, and found the body of a middle-aged man, nearly completely buried in a snowbank. Chris pulled the man free, and his stomach wretched when he saw the black arrow protruding from the man's chest.

"He doesn't have his wallet on him," Chris said, checking the man's pockets, "I wonder why he seems... familiar to me."

Chris then checked for a pulse at the base of the man's jaw. Fortunately, there was one, albeit faint.

"I've got to get him to a hospital," Chris decided, looking once again at the arrow. He was then struck by an idea. "I wonder if the arrow has any memory energy stored in it. Maybe it can tell me what happened here."

Chris looked at his hands, and willed his gloves to vanish. Once they did, he grabbed the arrow with both hands. At first, he gasped at the cold of the black marble. But then, images flowed through the young telepath's mind.

"So, Mister Stephen Maloy III, you are related to this young man," Celea stated, showing Stephen the photograph.

Stephen looked at Celea, bewildered. "What of it?"

Celea smiled again, and tore the photograph in half. "Guilt my association," she remarked, "Your connection with the Red Enforcer has sealed your fate, old man."

"My son, the Red who?" Stephen asked, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Celea nodded at her troops, picking up her bow from the snow. All the soldiers stepped back, leaving the bewildered human being alone before Celea. Stephen's eyes widened when he saw her draw an onyx arrow from her quiver. He staggered to his feet, and stepped back as Celea pulled the drawstring back on her bow. She smiled as she took aim.

"My signature arrow," Celea explained, "I want Keith Maloy to know who exactly killed his father."

"NO!" Stephen cried as the shiny black arrow streaked through the cold winds. It plowed into Stephen's chest, and wedged itself there. Stephen choaked out another cry, as red blood stained his shirt and jacket. The strength in his body vanishing, Stephen fell onto his back. Red blood stained the fresh white snow beneath him.

"Majesty," a soldier said, approaching the unconscious man and touching his neck, "he is still alive."

Celea shrugged. "Perhaps, but not for long. The Spectrum Force is fighting Shiva, and there is no way they can get to him in time to save his life. Besides, I don't want his death to be so easy. I want him to suffer. The more he suffers, the more the Red Enforcer will suffer. Let us go."

The mental image fading like a dream at dawn, Chris pulled his shaking hands away from the arrow. He pressed his lips together firmly, and stared at the hapless victim for a moment.

"This... this is Keith's father," he choked, "Celea wanted him to suffer before he died. I guess the snow that buried him slowed his bleeding, allowing him to survive longer than expected. But he can't hold out for much longer."

Chris gently lifted the wounded man, and leapt into the sky, flying towards the LA General