Chapter 37

As O'Shay reeled out of the way all eyes turned to Seduction as a roar of fury reverberated off the walls, sending a shock of terror through each of them. Super heroes and villains who had faced and fought their greatest foes involuntarily took a step back as their ears echoed with the deep, animalistic growl that assaulted them.

Fever dropped Vis' legs and spun to face the sound, just as Vis immediately scrabbled away from it. Crunch stepped back from Quake as the latter pressed his back hard against the wall for protection. The shock of the sound made Jolt drop on his arse from his crouching position and Hawk and Simmi sat bolt upright to stare.

On the ground, Brains covered his head and rolled on his side, knowing already that he couldn't escape its path.

Seduction stood there in the doorway, staring at his flock, as behind him the shadow barely kept pace with Jackhammer charging through the entrance, eyes flaring with fury, mouth wide with the sound that erupted from the deepest depths of his soul. Seduction had no time to react as Jackhammer rammed full pelt into his back, sending the villain flying forward, spinning out of control as he tripped over Brains and sailed across the room.

Jackhammer slid to a halt, his bare feet stopping inches from Brain's exposed back. He changed direction and surged towards Crunch, lifting him into the air and throwing him across the room, flipping through the air and meeting Seduction as they hit the far wall in sync.

He was there before Crunch could rise, lifting him again and tossing the behemoth back across the room. Jackhammer lifted Seduction to his feet and landed a jaw-breaking fist. Seduction bounced off the wall and hit the ground dazed. For a brief second he lost consciousness, and a round of gasps erupted around the room.

Jackhammer turned to see his former allies stagger with a dazed look in their faces. It was just a moment, but it was enough. He'd found Seduction's weakness. In sleep, the villain could still control them, subconscious to subconscious. But knocked out he lost control. Jackhammer moved in. This war was going to end now.

Seduction saw his approach and struggled to rise, blood pouring from his mouth. His lower jaw hung open even as he reasserted his control on the Superhero League. Jolt grabbed Hawk's leg while Simmi scuttled to release Bounce from his prison in a last ditch hope to even the battle. He had to trust Bounce was on their side.

Quake dropped on Crunch and held him down with a constant barrage of bad vibrations that splintered the floor beneath the muscleman.

Cutting across Jackhammer's path, O'Shay rammed Seduction and dropped on his back. Seduction moaned, sandwiched on the floor as O'Shay grabbed his head. Jackhammer's mouth opened to shout but he was too late to stop it. The crack! of Seduction's neck seemed to echo above the furore that filled the room.

O'Shay sat on the motionless body looking down at what he'd done and the room slowly fell into silence again. One by one the lost members of the Superhero League shook off Seduction's mind control and stepped back from their battle that had just re-erupted. The Brotherhood hesitated, confused but wary as The League clustered in the centre of the room, arms outstretched in a motion of retreat to show they no longer meant any harm.

O'Shay looked up at Jackhammer, who had frozen on the spot when he'd realised what O'Shay had been about to do. O'Shay had done what he himself couldn't do. He'd done the only thing that could ever truly stop Seduction.

Despite all of his own strength and skills; despite his fury; despite all his deepest desires, Jackhammer had still be bound by his oath to never kill if it could be avoided. O'Shay had no such mantra.

He had become the unlikely hero of the hour.