7.c.xiii.
The portfolio
shield emanating from the smart phone crackled and hissed as The Crash pushed
against it. Senior Executive was losing
ground. The force of the financial
disaster’s onslaught pushed him back toward the end of the pathway; the edge of
the ledge.
Corporate Man
signaled, gesturing toward the drop off, indicating that they should leap to
the side where the path-maze forked at a T-shaped junction and that this action
would result in the blinded Crash falling into the trench.
It didn’t
work.
Somehow The
Crash knew, as if the shape of the maze was a part of it and the thing turned
when the two men made their leap, as though it could see them.
“We’ve got a
problem,” said Corporate Man.
“I see
that. How can it anticipate the shape of
the maze?” said Senior Executive.
“That’s not
what I meant,” Corporate Man said, shifting Commander Credit’s body onto one
shoulder. “I think we chose the wrong
path back there. This lane dead ends in
another hundred feet.”
The Crash
surged forward, spurred on by Corporate Man’s words. Sparks
erupted from the smart phone shield.
“It’s reaching
Depression levels,” shouted Corporate Man. “You got any tricks left?”
“Not
many. We may have to sacrifice Credit,”
said Senior Executive, straining to hold his position on the shield as blue
sparks rocketed past his face.
“That’s not an
option,” Corporate Man said. His foot
teetered on the drop off. The Crash
continued to push. Senior Executive
skidded backwards and into Corporate Man and they nearly toppled.
“Enough!” a
voice rang out.
The Crash
hesitated, lifting its head in an effort to locate the voice.
A flash of
gold and silver streaked over Corporate Man’s head and a silvery flash exploded
at The Crash’s temple. The giant
stumbled back and a golden explosion burst under its chin sending it sprawling
across the top of the ledge.
Franklin Buck
stood atop the maze. His fists
glowing. One gold and one silver. He glanced back at Corporate Man and Senior
Executive, cocked a smile, and then advanced on The Crash.
“I’m here, you
monster. I’m Franklin Buck, the One
Hundred Dollar Man and I wield the power of the Gold and Silver Standards.”
The Crash
twisted onto its feet and charged, howling, milky eyes wild. Franklin
crouched and rammed a silver punch up into The Crash’s groin. Then he jumped and delivered a golden hammer
blow, knocking The Crash backward. A
flurry of alternating punches, silver gold, silver gold, fired like pistons
into the staggering behemoth. Gold
across its massive jaw, then silver to the sternum. Gold snapping the bridge of its nose.
The Crash
dropped to its knees and Franklin
chopped, silver and gold, on the sides of its neck. He reached back for one final golden blow and
punched with all his might. With all the
Gold Standard could bear.
His fist
slammed into The Crash’s open palm.
The Crash
growled, its hand clamped around Franklin ’s
golden fist like a bear trap. Franklin
screamed as The Crash stood. It hoisted
him off the ground. Golden light flared
between the monster’s fingers.