Discoman & Panzerboy City at War: Episode 2

Submitted by: Eroyan Barmy

“Disco Inferno”

It had been a horrible mess for a few days, with the whole city seeming to erupt in the underworld vacuum left by our capture of Garlak and his cronies. In order to help the Dominion Police more effectively, Panzer and I had split up to cover more ground. I wasn’t a bit surprised to hear Gentleman Caller and the mysterious Lady Huntress had entered the south side of town as well to help with the chaos. Every time I turned around there was someone in trouble or a place being robbed or worse. Leading the cuffed thug to one of Dominion’s finest cop cars I nodded to the officer there as I put him in the back.

“Good work Disco-Man we were worried we lost him out the back when Jenkins got pinned down by gunfire. Thought we were going to lose Jenkins to.” She said.

“You’re welcome Officer, I’m just glad I could help” I replied.

Turning I started heading for my motorbike, Panzer was using The Lady our main vehicle. I couldn’t help but smile, Jenkins was being attended for a gunshot wound to his shoulder but I could see the concern on the Lady Officer’s face. She really cared for that one and that kind of thing always made me smile and think about my own Lady T. Straddling the bike I grinned to myself about how beautiful she was and how I loved to give her control. I reached for the radio to call into Cockbeater my other brother along with Panzer who belongs to Lady T when the news crew arrived.

Groaning to myself I moved to crank up the bike. I didn’t want to do anymore interviews today. The media were having a field day with stories about the war in the city and I had been asked enough idiotic questions by reporters for the past day or so already. The news crew was piling out of the van as I roared the engine to my bike. Already running my way yelling my name I spun the bike around and took off down the street away from them.

Sadly it is usually when you feel the safest that the worst goes wrong. I made it about halfway down the street to check in with Cockbeater, to see if Panzer needed my help with his trouble or where to go next. Just as I passed the Old Gruter Street Theater it exploded into flames.

“Holy Crap!” I cried.

Struggling from the heat and flames shooting outward from the front of the building I barely got control of the bike, to have at least a somewhat managed sliding crash into a lamp post as opposed to just making myself a human pancake against the wall.

Standing up and ripping off my helmet I looked at the theater. It was burning and fast. I started running toward it praying it was closed. Please let it be closed I prayed. That when I saw the first coughing and soot covered person stagger out of the front.

“Oh God,” running up to the man, well teenager I helped him to lay down a bit away from the flames. “Are you alright? Take it easy son take it easy.”

Police were running my way down the street as was the news crew and I could hear fire department sirens getting closer.

The teen wasn’t much older than maybe fourteen or so. Coughing he grabbed my arm. “Please! My little sister and brother are still in there!”

“Where were they?”

“They were running up to the balcony when the whole place just went up I cried out for them. I got to go get them!” He struggled to rise up and it took a bit for me to wrestle him back down.

“I will get them you stay here!” I left him with Officer Jenkins who despite being shot had run to help. I darted through the people running towards and away from the inferno.

Stopping only a moment at the smoke filled lobby door I took a deep breath and rushed inside. Searching through the smoke and flames I yelled for people stumbling about to get out and shoved a few to the door. Looking for the stairs and finding what I didn’t want to find. The stairs were a complete mess. Shredded even and basically nonexistent anymore I looked up to try and jump to the balcony but it was in flames. I was more scared for the little ones than myself but I had to find them or what was left of them no matter what. Helping those I could I carried those who weren’t able to move out one by one.

Covered in soot and coughing from the smoke it was only a few min before I was joined by firemen who took over getting people out. They grabbed me and pulled to get me out but I shook them off violently.

“I can’t leave there are still two small children in here!” I yelled above the roar of the fire.

“Disco-Man we will get them you’ve done enough! You have to get out, you have no oxygen gear!” The fireman yelled back as the hoses began to spray the roof and other buildings and water began to rain down around us.

“I promised!” Then without bothering for a reply took off into the main theater section.

Dodging a falling timber I clambered over seats and yelled for anyone that could hear me. Nearly getting taken out by a section of the roof collapsing I realized the old building couldn’t stand this, it was going to come down. I had minutes if even that.

Jumping over a row of flaming seats I looked up. The theater balcony wasn’t that bad but if the roof was starting to give it wouldn’t be long before the balcony went. Yelling desperately for anyone through the haze I searched for the children, then I saw a puff of white smoke. Different from the rest of the black rolling smoke filling the area I ran to that side of the theater and leapt up grabbing hold of the curtain on the wall, paying it was strong enough to hold me. I scrabbled up it and felt it give. As it did I heard the crying of a little one and without thinking, leapt out into space grabbing the edge of the balcony rail just barely, as the curtain ripped. As it fell away I struggled to pull myself up over the railing. Looking up as I got my leg over, I saw a small girl with a fire extinguisher standing protectively in front of her smaller brother. The fire was like some wild beast trying to get at her. She was keeping it at bay for now.

Running over and taking it from her I used it on another angry lick of flame from the doorway and turned to them.

“Alright little ones, it’s alright we have to leave now.” I told them

Through their whimpers the little girl said strongly. “My older brother said I’m not suppose to talk to strangers and not to go anywhere without him!” She gave me such a defiant look that I couldn’t help but grin at her resolve.

The little boy piped up then. “But sis this is Disco Man he’s not a stranger.”

“And your brother asked me to come get you he is outside waiting on you.” I told her as I fired another shot at the fire.

“We’ll okay, I am supposed to protect my little brother, so you just take us outside and that’s it Mister Disco-man.” She then looked at me very sternly and said “No funny business!”

I really did laugh then thinking I had seen Lady T use that look with me and my brothers many times.
“Yes Ma’am, No funny business” I replied.

Helping the children down to the balcony edge I looked down and saw we still had a pretty clear path to the side emergency exit. The curtain I used to climb up had ripped and was hanging down too far to grab. So we made our way to the other side of the balcony to make use of the other one. Holding the little girls hand and the boy in my arms, just as we got close to the other side, the balcony shook. Another large chunk of ceiling collapsed and the balcony dropped a good foot. Pillars supporting the balcony broke through the floor and scared the hell out of the kids. Not to mention scaring the hell out of me. I could feel the balcony rolling under my feet and the fire sensing blood seem to rage even hotter and louder. We didn’t have much time at all. The only good news was we were closer to the floor. I told the children to trust me and carefully put them on my back telling them to hold on tight. Grabbing the curtain I prayed it would hold us long enough and swung out on it. Painfully slow to not lose the children I slide carefully down it even as I watch the flames finally reach the curtains and the fire erupted along it as if to try to prevent its prey from escaping.

The curtain gave way about a foot from the floor and we dropped, I made sure to twist so I landed first. Already having, a bad time breathing as it was I coughed violently from having to gulp what little air there was as I got up and luckily with only a few bruises the children were fine. Picking the children up, I ran towards the side exit.

We were surrounded by fire, I had no trouble seeing now as every wall was in flames. The roar was deafening and the heat was unbearable. I held the children close to me doing my best to keep them calm as the balcony finally crashed to the floor behind us. Leaping over another burning timber the exit was just ahead and it was a race between the fire and me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see it running along the floor in my direction toward the door. It was so fast I almost stopped to watch it. So beautiful and terrible a thing is fire and can mesmerize the best of us. But I poured on the speed. I swear the fire screamed at me as I hit the exit door and felt the flames lick at my back and feet as if grabbing for me.

Panting and coughing even harder due to the cleaner air, I keep running. The roaring of the fire was being replaced by the rumble of falling brick and timbers. The light of the street was just ahead as once again I was being chased this time by the dust and rubble falling off the theater as it was collapsing. Exhausted to no end I put everything into it and made it to the street just as the pressure from the building falling, kicked me out into the street and the inferno roared in glee and shot into the air happily feeding on the old theater’s bones. Twisting my body again I held the children to my chest as I landed again into the street panting.

I was surrounded firemen and police and medics in an instant. The children still whimpering where being looked at by medics as was I. I looked up in time to see the teenager hugging them tightly and the little boy yelling about being saved by me. I laid back down panting and breathing clean air a medic gave me from a tank. Officer Jenkins had to come over and tell everyone to back off from me so I could get some air in peace without people running over congratulating me and calling me a hero. I smiled thankfully at him as he tipped his hat and smiled at me.

I breathed deeply thinking I really needed a bath as I got my lungs clean when I felt a little hand take mine. Looking over it was the little girl.

“Thank you, Mister Disco for saving us.” She said sweetly even covered in soot and her hair all a mess.

“You are welcome Little Miss.”

Then she kissed my cheek and ran back to her brothers. I laid down for a just a little longer before sitting up. When I did the street erupted into cheers. Blinking I looked around and it seemed the whole neighborhood had been watching. Blushing I waved which was met by another cheer. Standing up one of the medics told me I needed to rest and take it easy. But I shook my head as I picked up my bike from the lamp post where I had left it and put my helmet on.

No a bath would have to wait till later.