[center][img]https://www.alltimelines.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/dc-blue-beetle-banner.jpg[/img][/center][right][color=7ea7d8][h2]Cowboys And Aliens: Issue #6[/h2][/color][/right][hr][hr][b]New York City, New York[/b]

Though the blast struck true and the Surfer thrown through a slab of concrete with enough force to vaporize almost anyone else, it proved all for naught. Despite giving it all of the power the Scarab could muster, the herald had risen up again, the only change being a slight disruption in the chrome of his skin and a darkened, serious expression on it's face. It was hard to explain the despair that had weeded it's way into Jaime's gut as he stared the other alien in the eye. That was all he had. He had poured every last drop of power into that shot, and they'd lost Wonder Woman in the process. It had cost them dearly, and yet...it was all for nothing. The Surfer was fine. He was [i]better[/i] than fine.

He was just getting started.

With a declaration of no quarter on it's lips, it used the Power Cosmic to quake the entire facility. Massive cracks formed in the concrete as everything shook and shattered around them. Jaime was thrown from his feet, his head smacking painfully against a chunk of broken stone. Splayed out on his back, he was given the perfect view of the rising Surfer and that terrible crimson that had found it's way into it's eyes. [color=7ea7d8]"...Damn it all."[/color] Jaime breathed a sigh of defeat. He knew what was coming next, and he wasn't sure there was any point in continuing the struggle.

Then the Surfer went flying from his board, and it went careening after to catch him. Jaime's head was on a swivel in search of the attack's source when he spotted a blonde woman in a strange outfit running toward him. [color=7ea7d8]"You guys must be the cavalry. Welcome to the party."[/color] He tried to hide the wince in his voice when she pulled him up onto unsteady feet. He wasn't sure if he could take much more.

The newly arrived foursome, however, looked fresh and ready to give the Surfer a beating. The massive rock golem and the flaming man in particular looked like a fearsome duo. [color=7ea7d8]"You ever been to Cali?"[/color] Jaime shot toward the charismatic pyromaniac. [color=7ea7d8]"Those guys are all dicks. All of 'em."[/color] It was a meager joke, but he was glad he could still summon up the will to make one. It meant he hadn't quite given up all hope yet. Maybe the new blood would help reinvigorate the ragtag group of heroes.

Then the eldest of them began to speak. A tired, ragged looking man that, at a glance, wouldn't amount to much. But when he began to speak, Jaime and the others could do nothing but listen. Captivated by an authority and intelligence that no other man on planet earth could hope to match in that moment. He began assigning roles to everyone with quick efficiency, explaining it all so quickly and so efficiently that it was difficult to be confused by what he wanted.

The man came to Jaime and the Spider-Girl- Spider-[i]Woman[/i]- a grim yet determined look on his face. It was an...odd request, to be sure. One that made him glance uneasily at his partner. But there was something about how the stranger in the spandex spoke that made Reyes trust him. [color=7ea7d8]"Yes sir."[/color] He nodded. [color=7ea7d8]"You can, uh, you can count on me."[/color] Even as he left and Jaime was left with the Spider at his side, Reyes's gaze lingered on the stranger's back. 

[color=7ea7d8][i]'Who is that guy?'[/i][/color]

The voice beside him drew his attention away, and he turned to face New York's resident heroine. [color=7ea7d8]"My mama taught me to keep my hands to myself, [i]esa.[/i] No worries."[/color] He was quick to throw his hands up defensively, just to assure her he was harmless. [color=7ea7d8]"Sorry about the whole, uh, almost killing you thing, earlier. My bad."[/color] He tried to play the apology off as partially a joke, but Jaime wouldn't soon forget that wrenching he felt in his heart the second he saw the bolt headed for her. Even if there was never any intention, and it wasn't really even a [i]mistake[/i], he wasn't sure he could deal with that kind of blood on his hands.

He had another joke about getting to ride Spider-Woman that came to mind, too, but Jaime decided to bite his tongue. [i][color=7ea7d8]'I'm bad, but not that bad.'[/color][/i]

It wasn't the time to consider such things, however; he had a Spider to mount and an alien to shoot in the back. The position was...awkward, to say the least. He hadn't done anything like this since he was a little kid, and it felt like there was little space for him to wrap himself around Spider-Woman. If he was even a little bit taller the whole situation would've been impossible- this would be first time he'd thank his parents for his terrible genes, coincidentally.

Jaime went to work on the Silver Surfer. Each blast from his hand cannons was weaker than the full on beam he'd used before, since he couldn't exactly fire that off on top of Spider-Woman without throwing himself off her back or knocking the two of them to the ground. He was relegated to mostly normal- yet still deadly- bouts of plasma. Each was only loosed when he was sure the Surfer was distracted by one of the other heroes and open to fire. It didn't feel like he was [i]doing[/i] much. Spider-Woman even less so. They were mostly just swinging around and hoping someone else would land an actually critical blow.

Then the Spider said something that gave Jaime an idea. [color=7ea7d8]"Speaking of [i]Star Wars[/i], you remember what they did to the AT-AT's?"[/color] He called forward to her over the sounds of battle. [color=7ea7d8]"'Cause you've got some pretty strong cables there, [i]esa[/i], and I happen to have two jet engines on my back. I think we might be able to get take the [i]Surfer[/i] out of Silver Surfer. 'Course, that would require you being as strong as they say you are..."[/color]