The elevator doors slid open and Director Nova stepped out into BADGE
HQ. He hated that two mile ride down, but this was the most secure
location on Earth. The headquarters of the most advanced base on the
planet were surprisingly vacant, but this was normal. Most of the
work conducted here was done by robots along with the most
sophisticated AI system in the world.
After a short walk
down the corridor, Nova came into a large room filled with computer
consoles and a massive set of screens. Two robots worked at the
consoles as the only crew today.
“Let’s check in
on the teams.” He stated. “Call up the world maps, I want to see
where these leagues are?”
“Understood
Director.” The computer answered and the screens filled with maps
of the world. Each map had the location of the various teams of
superheroes that worked for BADGE. They organized themselves into
leagues so they could fight crime locally as well as more easily
respond to a call for international emergencies.
“Unit 10915,
contact the leagues around the Detroit area. I want to know why the
crime rate there has doubled this week.” The robot at the computer
stopped moving and nothing happened, “10915 respond.” Nova
approached the rigid robot.
Before he could find
out what was wrong both robots stood up and started dancing around,
their bodies acting like puppets on strings.
“What the hell is
going on?” Nova struck a fighting stance.
Just then the
computer monitors buzzed and the lights flickered. The screens began
to run through map after map, and then it all became fuzz. The two
dancing robots flung themselves at Nova. He was pummeled to the
ground, pinned down. He shoved on them, unhurt but furious. “GET
OFF OF ME!”
One turned it’s
head all the way around and then cackled at him. In a high, cracking
voice it screeched, “Having fun yet?” and then laughed.
Nova finally shoved
them off of him and backed away, “Okay, that’s creepy.”
A green energy
streamed out of the robots and formed a sinister looking
Jack-o-lantern in the air. It laughed in that same horrible voice and
then flew around the room, passing in and out of the computers like
they weren’t there. When it went through something, the already
crazy machine went even more haywire. Computers exploded, the lights
shut down, and the fuzz on the main screens became the only light in
the room.
Nova pulled out a
communicator and pressed a switch, “Nova to...” suddenly that
Jack-o-lantern flew right into his body and he felt it filling him.
He lost control of his left arm, his head twitched erratically, and
his mind was slowly fading as if he were falling asleep. It didn’t
take much to realize this creature was taking over his body. He
managed to hold that communicator up, "To...any...heroes who can
hear...me. BADGE has been compromised….help...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Krystal had received
the distress call, and headed for the HQ complex, arriving there in
about 20 minutes.
Upon arriving, she
learned that several teams of Agents were about to enter the complex
by various entry points branching off from the elevator.
She quickly tapped
into the surveillance feed, and provided team leaders with the
situation.
The battle began as
robots engaged Agents throughout the complex, apparently under the
control of Director Nova. The teams were under constant pressure as
one of the greatest strategic minds of this generation directed his
robotic warriors in the battle.
It was quite fierce,
with many injuries to the Agents involved, and much damage to both
the robots crewing the facility and to the facility itself.
More than once, the
Agents positions were overrun, only to have the Agents recover as
fresh troops joined the battle as they arrived.
A stalemate of a
sort was achieved, as neither side could gain a clear advantage.
Suddenly, for no
apparent reason, all of the robots went dark, then began to function
normally, and simultaneously Director Nova slumped unconscious at the
control console.
Krystal shouted into
the communicator as she hurried into the control room.
"Med team to
the control room STAT!"
She knelt by the
Director, checking his pulse.
In the hallway
outside, she could hear the med team...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What no one present
knew was that not everyone affected by the Morphon release had
conscious control of their new abilities or even were aware of those
abilities...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miles away, at a
local university campus, a young history professor awakens and raises
his head from the desk where he had fallen asleep while grading
essays.
He read again the
title of the paper he had been reading when he had dozed off and was
both astonished and slightly amused.
"Samhain, the
History of All Hallows Eve"
Professor Sam Haines
chuckled and began to re-read the essay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every Agent with a
scientific background and a small army of technicians began analysing
every sensor and recording device available within the HQ complex to
determine what had happened and how to prevent it from re-occurring.
When and if
Director Nova recovered, he would need that information...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 weeks later-
Krystal looked down
at the figure in the hospital bed.
"How did it
happen?", she asked.
"It occurred
during the 'incident'. His position was overrun by a dozen robots..."
the deputy Director answered.
"Will he
recover?"
"They tell me
that while he will physically recover, there was significant mental
trauma... it just depends on whether or not his regenerational
ability extends to his psyche, in most metas, it doesn't... While he
is out of action, the team can be stood down, or a new leader
appointed... if you'd care to take over..."
"I'm not a
leader... I'd rather be re-assigned...", Krystal stated in a low
monotone.
"Understood.",
stated the Deputy Director, and walked away.
"Get well soon,
Jac.", Krystal whispered as she brushed some disarranged hair
away from his eyes, then sadly turned away.
Nobody saw Jaconis'
eyes spring open for a moment, glowing an eerie green.
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