RAID: Augmented Trio Becomes a Single and Double Threat

 Good evening, Sentinel Readers. Chaz Hamilton bringing you the truth the other networks are reluctant to share. The heroes of BADGE are not responsible for the attack on Washington D.C.

Repeat. THE HEROES OF BADGE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK ON WASHINGTON D.C.

Despite the statements recently made in public by Judge Alpha, there has been no proof at all shared with the Sentinel or BADGE to support her outlandish claims. We will admit that a scant few of the BADGE operatives live... colorful lives and have been in the public eye for unseemly acts. When the stakes are highest, even these intense personalities help fight the forces that seek to destroy the world as we know it.

The trio of superpowered beings that arrived in Washington D.C. earlier do not match any known, registered hero. In fact, facial recognition software has identified the two of the three individuals as having been recently reported as victims of kidnapping. Over the last while, across the globe, people have disappeared with the only linking quality being they were low-grade Morphonicly empowered. 

How they managed to become the ultra powerful threat they currently are is under investigation.

Two teams of heroes are currently engaging the trio that has attacked two military bases in the D.C. area. Judge Alpha and her World Corps may have requested that heroes come in for questioning, but instead they answered Nova's call again to arms to subdue a threat to the American Nation's capitol. The heroes are divided into two fighting teams. One group is made up of the newer heroes who are trading blows with one of the trio, while the more seasoned and powerful heroes are uniting against the other two.

As always, BADGE scientists are on the scene doing their very best to study and observe the exchange in hopes of garnering useful information for the battling heroes.

With the lower powered group, they are fighting valiantly. By the estimations of the BADGE technicians, they have reduced the sizable power output of their target by nearly 10%. Some of the powerhouses in this fight are ZOMBIE EX-GIRLFRIEND, THE PAINLESS, and Silver Paladin.

Elemental and magical based attacks seem to be most effective while combating this opponent. 

The other two villains are being challenged by more established heroes and their leagues. Elemental damage seems to be be having more of an effect on these Augmented beings.

WMD: Black Order members Midgardsormr, Hot Wings, and The Wizard are leading the charge against these foes, with CHAINZ, The Gentleman, and The Avenger close behind them.

Reports have it that against this Augmenting Duo, their energy levels have dropped 11% since the encounter began. 

I will keep you informed as the situation unfolds. Remember our heroes, and how they have fought to protect us. Don't fall prey to the disillusioned beliefs spewed by, in my opinion, an organization that has until recently been unheard of by most. For me, the jury is still out on you, Judge Alpha. You're case against our heroes is unfounded and without merit until you can provide some solid facts to the world.

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Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 10

Workers pushed hover-carts carrying the avatars still in their holding cages toward the laboratories on the BADGE space station. Heroes gathered near the sight, each watching with shock and dread in their eyes.

“Director Nova?” Agent Leslie approached.

“Yes?”

She gulped as the Avatar of Supernatural was pushed by, “are...they dead?”

EB hopped up and down between them. “Nope. Just sedated. They are gonna be so sore when they wake. I might make a chocolate with aspirin in it, or something stronger. I…” Nova grabbed him by the ears.

“Not the time for candy talk.”

“Sorry.”

Nova dropped EB. “The situation is bad. They aren’t dead, but we don’t know how to free them.”

A young student hero came up with about a dozen other people with him. “Sir, um, are the protests still happening? Can we go planet side yet?”

Nova took a moment to see the timid eyes of the inexperienced heroes. “The protests are growing in frequency. There’s an evil organization preying on new morphonic people. You need to stay here until it is safer down there. For now, BADGE will continue working to protect everyone.”

Just then, Chase and Gar walked up. Chase said, “Sir, Quark has some info up in operations.”

Nova looked back at the student heroes. “Study and remain calm.”

EB hopped over to the heroes. “As an instructor here. I think I should...woah!” Nova had grabbed him again.

“Come on. You need to be part of this.”

EB threw his arms out and foil wrapped eggs scattered all over the place. “Have some chocolate, it makes everyone feel better!”

***

The skies boiled with rolling clouds over Washington, D.C. A rainstorm had just soaked the city and was about to break. Cars and people still trudged through the sloppy streets, always busy with something important to be done. Even on this cold, wet early autumn day, the political engine of the USA had to continue churning.

Three figures appeared high in the clouds and flew down as if carried by invisible strings. They showed no effort to move other than a slight turning of their heads. Each was a male with a brightly colored super suit and glowing eyes. Their skin was almost devoid of color, making them nearly as gray as statues.

At first, this grabbed little attention, but soon enough, people noticed these strangers getting closer to the ground. Those that paid the most attention to them were an angry mob of protestors outside the gates of the White House. A woman leading the protests aimed her megaphone at them with one hand and held up her anti-BADGE sign in her other hand.

“GO HOME, HEROES! WE DON’T NEED YOU!”

The three men hovered directly over the crowd, their emotionless faces scanning the people.

A military vehicle stopped, and a man stepped out. “Heroes! No heroes have unlimited clearance for this airspace. Please return to your HQ and contact proper authorities.”

The protest leader smugly added, “SEE, YOU AREN’T WANTED!”

Finally, one of the trio spoke. “BADGE doesn't need authorization. We may go where we wishes. BADGE is under its own authority and you will accept that or die.”

“I’D RATHER DIE!” she screamed into her megaphone.

The super next to him held up his hand, and the woman dropped both her megaphone and sign to grab her throat as she gagged for air. The protesters screamed and threw objects at the trio. The woman lifted from the ground, still gasping for air. There was a great crack, and she went limp. Tossing his hand to the side, her body flung away, sprawled across the rain-soaked pavement.

The super leader nodded to each of his companions and they flew away from him. He then spoke to the camera phones trained on him. “BADGE needs no further cooperation with those nations beneath us.”

Everyone yelled and ran as there came a tremendous explosion to their right and then another to their left. Massive balls of fire rose into the sky.

***

Quark pointed at the screen behind him. “Our sensors have scanned the rubble of that lab to the quantum level. Our people have scoured everything we can. We have come up with nothing.”

Nova scoffed, “great. We need a lead…”

Quark interrupted him. “What we do have is this.” He held up his hand as a shard of metal appeared. “A chunk of metallic debris from the lab. I took it from the rubble in front of the central computer station.”

EB hopped up and sat on Gar’s shoulder. “That’s where Dr. Fatso worked all the time. He also played Fort Knight there a lot, while his bosses weren’t watching.”

Quark handed it to Chase. “You’re the best at looking at the past. Give us something to go on.”

She took the metal and focused.

EB said, “she’s so hot when she does this.”

She cast a glare sharper than her shuriken at EB. As he forced his mouth closed and covered it with his paws, she refocused. “Okay. I’m back to when this was part of the floor. Now, I can see the lab. Yes, Dr. Osteen spent a lot of time here. I….I can see the computer screen. But, it’s distant from this angle. I don’t see the data itself. I see a world map… with dots all over it. Major cities, smaller cities, no, I see some words on the screen...military compu...no, compound. Oh, god, they’re targeting nearly every major military location on the planet. Wait, Dr. Osteen and his men are moving a bunch of sedated people out of the lab. They are all dressed like heroes, the sedated men. Strange.” She let go of it and rubbed her face. “That is all I could get.”

Nova took the shard of metal from her. “It was enough. Our enemy is planning a major coordinated attack. But, when?”

“Alert! Alert!” The computer blurted out as all the screens flipped on to images of Washington, D.C.

“Report?” Nova asked.

“Media: on screen.” A robot announced when the screen flipped to the news.

A news woman spoke while the shaky camera scanned the billowing smoke on the horizon. “Moments ago, three heroes from BADGE leveled the two largest military installations near Washington, D.C. The Pentagon was not targeted, but bases were, limiting military response. There are no casualties reported yet. By the blast zone, the numbers are expected to be high. The military has scrambled a counter assault. Five fighter jets have been dispatched...they are approaching the...oh god!”

The camera shifted to the three heroes hovering over the city. Bolts of power came from the heroes and blasted each of the jets. Seconds later, more explosions scarred the streets and buildings of Washington.

“This is...unthinkable. They hardly moved a finger and...I can’t believe what I’m seeing.” Now the image was of three tanks being helplessly lifted by unseen forces. They then threw the tanks through the air and crashed them into approaching military transports.

One hero looked directly at the camera and spoke. “BADGE IS IN CHARGE NOW. STAND DOWN, U.S. MILITARY, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!”

Nova grabbed his comm and hit the call-all button. However, Chase held his arm before he could make the call. “Sir, we can’t send heroes in...they will blame us for all of this.”

Nova shook her hand away, “I don’t give a damn about bad PR. I’m not letting all those innocent people be in danger.”

EB said, “Buddy, those guys are pumped with a lot of power. I mean, serious power. It’ll take a heck of a lot of strength to bring them down.”

“We have no choice.” Nova clicked the comm again. “Leagues, Heroes, everyone, head to Washington D.C. Bring those men down, now!”

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Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 9

Delta stepped into a darkened room where two people sat behind a long desk. Judge Alpha and Marshal Gamma watched tablets on the desk as the news reports were feeding through.

“Delta, I see the laboratory has been compromised.” Marshal Gamma stated as he held up his tablet, showing footage from the explosion at sea.

Delta nodded. “BADGE was able to track the Easter Bunnies location. Dr. Osteen was forced to use the self-destruct.”

Alpha asked, “what of the Avatars?”

“We lost them as well. Osteen survived.”

Gamma fumed for a moment. “We have lost a lot of expensive property in this project. Three Laboratories.”

Delta smiled, “Don’t worry. Osteen completed the army project in time. I evacuated all the subjects. We no longer have use of the Avatars. Dr. Osteen’s research with them is finished.”

Alpha waved a dismissive hand at him, “then eliminate him.”

“Don’t be so hasty. His skills with the weapons are invaluable. He helped design these guns for North Onnotangu. We may still have a use for him.”

Gamma asked, “what is the next move in this? Are we ready for the takeover?”

“Not yet.” Alpha stated. “The people of this world aren’t falling in line as quickly as we anticipated. They still have some faith in BADGE. However, the next phase of this plan will hopefully erode that faith enough to give us what we need.”

Delta nodded. “Agreed. I have selected the trio that will instigate the plan. When Dr. Osteen is ready, we will prep the weapons.”

Alpha said, “then, move. We don’t have time to waste.”

Gamma said, “I will prepare our secret prisons and ready the teams for the arrests.”

Delta gave a quick nod and turned to leave. However, he turned back and asked, “where is General Beta? I have not seen him once since we started this process.”

Alpha answered, “He is exactly where he needs to be. Don’t worry about Beta, just make sure this plan continues with no further glitches.”

“Understood.”

***

Chase lay back inside an oval-shaped object, bobbing and rolling as the sound of water crashed around her. Laying next to her was EB, smiling like he had just won the lottery.

“Are you sure you can’t zap us out of this egg you created?”

EB shook his head. “I made an especially powerful shell to protect us at the last minute. Can’t teleport outta here. Besides, this is kinda the perfect ending to my personal secret agent movie. The babe, in a boat, floating away on the ocean.” He put his paw on her thigh. “Wanna neck?”

She calmly said, “you touch me like that one more time and I will make you eat a throwing star. Got it?”

He slid his paw off of her. “Fine. Don’t have to be so stuffy about this. Just wanted to kiss and all. Not like Gar would see us.”

“Why would Gar care?”

EB gave her a frank look, “duh, he’s totally still into you.”

“I’m not blind. I know he still has a boyish crush on me. But, we agreed to be just friends a long time ago.”

EB smiled, “so, that means you’re available. I mean, the only guys around you are Gar, Nova, and Quark. If Gar’s outta the picture, then that leaves Nova and Quark. Nova is waaaaaay too old for you. Like, that dude is really freaking old. I don’t even know how old he is.”

Chase laughed, “he’s not my type.”

“And Quark is...well….”

Both said at the same time, “Strange.”

Chase said, “I don’t need romance. I’m too busy. And that includes necking with a flirty little bunny.”

“Fine. I know I’m cute, you know I’m cute. I could have any girl I wanted, except the one I want the most. The hottest vixen I have ever met. You are so cool, and strong, and HOT!”

Chase was about to tell him what she thought of his assessment when they both were jerked around. The egg stopped bobbing in the waters and was now flying.

“What’s going on?” EB asked.

“Like I should know.”

They were set down, and suddenly a stone fist punched through the shell. Gar reached in and ripped more of the shell away and revealed the sunny blue skies over an island in the middle of the ocean. The smoking husk of the lab nearby. “Oh, good. Chase! I was worried!” Gar helped her out.

EB said, “sure, worry about the chick but not the traumatized bunny. You don’t know what these jerks did to me. I’ve been thrown in cages, yelled at, threatened, forced to watch naked guy after naked guy get altered. Then they strapped me to a table and totally tried to slice me in two. But, sure, worry about her first.”

Nova walked over and pulled EB up out of the broken egg. “You okay?”

EB gained the broadest grin he had ever had. “You were worried about me?! Little ole me! NOVA BUDDY!” He hugged him around the neck.

To everyone's surprise, Nova hugged him back. “You may be the most annoying hero I have ever had to work with, you’re still my friend.”

EB said, "You came all the way here, from the station, just to make sure I was safe."

Nova quickly removed the hugging bunny. “I needed to be here, to check on the info...not because I was worried about you." No one was convinced by that statement, so Nova shifted into his normal stern mode. "We have a problem. This lab is a complete loss. Nothing left to give us any info. As always, these people know how to clean up their tracks.”

Chase asked, “did you save the Avatars?”

Gar said, “Santa has them. We got them out just in time. The place blew, and you guys went flying out inside that egg.”

Nova said, “Santa got the Avatars into his gift sack, cages and all. He’s bringing them to the station with orders for our people to find a way to free them from their special bindings. Right now, we need to find something to go on. I know these people are up to something and it has to be big. But, I don’t know what it is.”

Quark asked, “EB, what happened in there? What can you tell us?”

“Loads. First, they zapped me with this beam that hurt like the dickens. Shot me several times, then everything went black. Well, more like blurry, then I was dreaming, had this wonderful dream where Chase and I were on a beach and…”

“EB, FOCUS!” Nova barked.

“Oh, sorry. So, um, yeah, they dragged me here, put me in a small cage with an anti-magic field around it. Made it impossible for me to get out. It was terrible. I was treated like a common animal. But, I suppose you want to know the juicy stuff. Okay, so, they got these people, don’t know where. All guys, all big and muscly, and naked. Like, free hanging wing-wang dangling in the wind naked...ew. They jammed them in holding cells and pumped them full of chemicals. Their bodies drained of color and their eyes gained light in them, each one different. They must’a done like two hundred a day. Lots and lots of them. Then they all disappeared, and that’s when they tried to murder me. They put something in their heads. I...I could sense them dying.”

“Dying?” Chase asked.

EB nodded, a sorrowful look on his face. “Their conscience faded, like a person who dies. Whatever they did to these people, they killed the person inside them. What’s left is an automaton, programmed and changed. Cold and emotionless. It really hurt me to feel them going like that, one after another after another.”

Quark said, “the missing people!”

Nova nodded. “I had the same thought. These must be the people who have been going missing all over the planet.”

“What now?” Chase asked.

Nova headed for the landed shuttle. “We plan for their next move. I don’t know what it will be, but it will be soon. This is the first time they have failed to cover all their evidence. EB survived. That means they will move quickly. Quark, get back to the station, put the Leagues on high alert and tell the robots to get our sensors over the planet to work triple-time. “

“On it.” Quark flashed away.

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 8

Kid Chaos and Triblade skidded as they rounded a corner. People dodged them as they ran down the street.

“Are you sure it’s this way?” Kid Chaos asked.

Triblade checked a read-out on his wrist monitor. “The alert came from the Sixth Fourth Bank on Main street. It has to be down this way. Nevets and Crossroads should meet us there.”

They came to a stop near a blockade of police cars. An officer handed off his bullhorn and approached Triblade. “We have a situation here. Two psychos are in there with a bank full of hostages. They are currently unloading everything of value, but they also have a bomb...or at least they have reported a bomb. We can’t approach without risking blowing the place to hell and killing everyone.”

Just then, Nevets and Crossroads showed up. Triblade said, “Crossroads, can you slip into that place and find out if they have a real bomb present, or are bluffing.”

“No problem.” She waved her hand over her body, and her super suit changed to civilian clothing. She then turned her body and appeared to spin into nothingness.

Nevets said, “should we just storm the place?”

Kid Chaos answered, “not unless we wanted a lot of dead people to answer for.”

Crossroads re-appeared, in her hand she held two guns. “Those bozos are busy looting the safe and left their guns on a counter. Oh, and their bomb is a paper towel roll duct-taped to an old VCR and spray painted. The only bomb that’ll happen is if they put in Waterworld.”

The officer turned to his men, but Triblade stopped him. “Let us. This shouldn’t take long.” He gave his team a nod, and they zoomed and portaled into the bank.

In seven minutes, they were shoving a pair of bewildered wannabe criminals out while the hostages gleefully ran to the arms of their worried family and friends. There were cheers, and a local newspaper reporter rushed up to get an interview.

“So, you’re with the local Super Hero League.”

Triblade answered, “yes, we are Fifth Precinct Omni…”

Just then, several dozen men and women came running toward them. Many carried signs that said things like, “down with BADGE” and “Arrest Nova!” Objects were thrown at them as well as harsh words.

“Go away, villains!” “Your kind aren’t welcome here!” “Let the police do their jobs, we don’t need heroes!”

A glass bottle hit Kid Chaos and shattered. He caught the second bottle and was about to throw it right back when Nevets stopped the potentially deadly return projectile.

“No, don’t respond.”

Another band of loud protesters came from a different direction, this time with actual weapons. They carried a banner proclaiming ‘The Anti-BADGE Peoples Militia.’

Triblade grabbed the others. “Let’s get outta here. No confrontation, just move.”

***

Nova watched the screes before him, each showing a different protest happening all over the planet. Quark stood with him, a new tint of blue as he controlled his anger.

“Incoming transmission. League HQ connections active.”

“Good, put them on screen.”

The massive monitor changed to dozens of video feeds from inside the League HQ’s across the planet. Leaders of these leagues all waited for Nova to speak.

“Everyone is present. Good. Okay, first order of business. Dr. Stone, has your Psy League investigated the protests?”

A bald black man in a lab coat answered. “Yes. We scanned the minds of several of the larger protests. You were right. There are instigators seeded among the people. They aren’t who they appear to be and they are stirring the protests to become as violent as they can. But, we couldn’t dig out any useful information.”

“At least we know that this is not just spontaneous protests.”

“How does that help?” Necromaniac asked.

“It tells me we can put a stop to this once we end the real threat. Remove those sending in the instigators and the protesting should fade.”

Ace said, “sir, we have been tracking the transmissions from the local police across the planet. People are going missing by the hundreds. Every single case is a person who registered as a conduit for morphonic powers, but they never got the full test before they vanished. This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Our enemy is up to something and these people are part of it.”

Suzie X asked, “what do you need us to do?”

“It may be hard to say this, but I need all Leagues to refrain from being outside their HQs as much as possible. We have to curb the insanity. These are civilians being encouraged to violence. Let’s remove their target. Small time crimes will have to remain in the hands of the police. Low-level villain activity will have to go unchecked. Just keep your comms open for when I give the signal. I know something is going to happen and soon. I’ll have Quark and non-hero agents out looking into these kidnappings.”

“Understood.” Several stated, and the screens went dark.

Quark asked, “what now? Do we know who our enemy is?”

“Not exactly. But, I’m absolutely certain that this Judge Alpha is part of something deeper and darker than just the World Corps. So far I have met a Gamma and now an Alpha…”

“Don’t forget Arx mentioned a man named Delta.”

“Yes. These must be cover names for a secret organization.”

Quark asked, “what are they after?”

“From my experience, a good villain will shift the blame for what they are doing to their enemy. So, they are accusing us of trying to overthrow the world governments. I wager that’s exactly what they’re up to.”

“World domination...unoriginal but problematic.”

A siren went off and one robot turned on a monitor, which showed a billowing cloud of smoke. “Alert, large energy explosion in the middle of the ocean. Morphonic energy signatures are extremely high. Location: Last known location of Agent Chase and Agent Gar.”

***

EB trembled and eggs appeared beside his restrained hands. They would hit the ground and scattered chocolate everywhere. Above him, the beam hummed as a little light grew brighter on the tip. Dr. Osteen walked over to check part of the laser. Each time he created an exploding egg, an anti-magic beam would destroy it before it could explode.

“Come on, you don’t want to do this? You don’t want to be the man responsible for murdering the Easter Bunny? I know, I can be annoying. Everyone says that. I talk too much, I’m accident prone, and I talk too much...I already said that. But that’s no reason to kill me. You want money? I can make you a very, very rich man. I’m filthy rich. I got cash all over this world and I hardly use it. How about some of the best chocolate you’ve ever eaten? I mean, magical stuff I don’t normally give to humans. You look like a guy who likes his candy. I mean, I’m not calling you fat, you’re fluffy. That’s cool. Come on, pleeeeeeease, I don’t wanna die!” He was crying and making eggs without even meaning to.

Dr. Osteen snatched a chocolate egg before it hit the ground. “Thanks, but no thanks. My new friends are already making me rich beyond my dreams. Also...I don’t like you.”

Osteen marched over to the computer and slammed his fist on the big, red button. At the same time, a new hole was made in the wall and Gar came blasting through, with Chase right behind him. The action forced the laser emitter to break free from the ceiling and it blasted Dr. Osteens’ metal leg instead.

Santa jumped in from his sleigh and held a sword in his hands. “EB!”

“I’m on the table! HELP, HE’S TRYING TO FRY ME!”

Chase ran over to him while telling Gar. “Get the Doctor!” She sliced through the bindings with her magic blades and picked up the bunny. “You okay?”

He whispered, “I need...mouth...to mouth…”

She dropped him. “He’s okay.”

Gar ran for the doctor. Dr. Osteen, with a missing metal leg, pressed a button on his eyepiece and the floor opened up and he slid away.

“Damn! Get him!” Chase ran for the hole, but not before the room shook. The lone computer had a twenty-second countdown on it.

Santa said, “this place is going to explode. We have to leave!”

Gar scooped up EB, but the bunny jumped free of his hands. “No! The Avatars. They’re still here.”

“Gar, help!” Chase ran for the caged, sedated avatars.

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Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 7

Nova simmered in fury as he watched the screens. Every news outlet across the world was showing the battle in Neo Utopia. Partially destroyed buildings smoked while overturned cars blazed on fire. Large sections of the Central Square of the city were smoking holes. 

A newscaster spoke in front of a camera. “We are still unclear about the identities of the responsible parties. BADGE has, thus far, refused to comment on the situation.”

“Mute this!” Nova ordered, and the screen in front of him went silent. “Get me Hotwings, NOW!”

In a matter of seconds the monitor changed  to show Hotwings  with both a normal sized Midgardsomr

and Skelanimal. “Sir, the situation is under control here.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Skelanimal said, “it was a strange fight. They came in like they had some kinda grudge against me and Midgard. The way overused their powers, blew a lotta crap up, and fought like they ain’t ever fought a hero before. It was kinda fun, but...oof!” Hotwings elbowed him.

Midgard added, “they went down quickly. The fight was bad, but quick. Too quick if you ask me.”

Nova nodded in agreement. "It was over so quickly, I hadn't even had time to call for back-up."

"We didn't need backup." Midgard stated. "Two puny supers attacking us was hardly anything to worry about. Although, they seemed bent on causing a lot of damage in the fight."

Nova spent a moment considering this and then said, “yes, something about this doesn’t seem right. Bring those villains back for…”

Hotwings interrupted him. “Sorry, we can’t. They’ve already been apprehended.”

“By who? We’re the only organization capable of containing super humans.”

Skelanimal answered, “some dudes from something called the MHA…”

“Meta Human Activities.” Nova growled out. “A branch of the World Corps. This is definitely deeper than a simple attack. Get back to your HQ. A BADGE shuttle should already be waiting nearby.”

“Alert: Announcement involving BADGE!” A robot blurted out.

Hotwings looked at his wrist monitor. “I just got something too.”

“Put it on the screen.” Nova commanded.

Judge Alpha stood before the gathered members of the World Corps Representatives. Cameras flashed as she opened a folder on her podium. “Ladies and gentlemen. I am Judge Alpha with the World Corps. You may not know much about us at this time, but we are an organized, democratic body established to help secure our world against threats. In the recent years, those threats have gone from normal to supernatural.”

On the screen, images of destroyed cities appeared as she spoke.

“Rome Italy, Bursa Turkey, Paris France, Lawton Oklahoma, Naha City Japan, Fort Knox Kentucky, Tokyo Japan, North Onnotangu, Hallows Port North Carolina, Poseidon Island Florida, and recently Hollywood California. All severely damaged or destroyed by these threats. At the center of each threat is an organization that you believe to be protecting this world, BADGE. While BADGE claims to be protecting us, it seems that they do the exact opposite. Lives are lost, property is damaged, history is irrevocably destroyed. They placate the world with their competitions called League Wars, using an age-old tactic of feeding the masses entertainment while secretly enacting dangerous actions. And, just now, in Neo Utopia, the prime example of who BADGE truly is.”

On the screen was displayed the battle involving Midgard and Skelanimal against the two strange men.

“Neo Utopia, a city of hope and dreams, a city built on advancing peace and knowledge. Crassly attacked by two KNOWN super villains. Skelanimal tried to overthrow an entire country and did considerable damage. Midgardsomr has, on many occasions, shown complete disregard for human life, even attacking Tokyo with the help of other known agents of BADGE. This isn’t an organization of heroes, it is an organization of thugs, villains, and murderers. One can only imagine what their ultimate goal is. They have pretended to be the protectors of this world, but once we depend on them solely for our protection, what then? It is the logical opinion of this body that BADGE is attempting to take over this world. We are ordering their fight clubs closed, their leagues disbanded, and their members called in for questioning. We must end this threat before it is too late.”

The room erupted in applause at first. Nova could hear the seething sounds of Midgard on the other comm as his breath cut between bared teeth. Skelanimal smashed his monitor on the ground and then had to watch it over Hotwings’s shoulder.

Nova was about to mute this when he heard the reporters present call out questions. They asked about the threat level, about the danger, about how to truly stop super humans. Then came a voice he knew well.

“Judge Alpha! Chaz Hamilton, News Sentinel. I find your logic hard to accept. I have been present in many situations where BADGE heroes have been active. They didn’t cause the damage, they stopped who was causing it. Also, many heroes have given their lives to ensure the protection of this world. All I have said is well documented with irrefutable evidence. What proof do you have of your allegations?”

The reporters all fell silent to that question. Alpha calmly looked at him. “We will be glad to review your alleged evidence. However, we must also take into account the mountain of evidence we have, which is just as irrefutable.”

“Would you be willing to produce that evidence for the media?” Chaz asked.

Alpha shook her head and then turned away from him. “I’m afraid this news conference is over. We have a lot of work to deal with. Thank you for coming.” She brushed off the several dozen more questions thrown her direction, many of which were similar to Chaz’s.

Nova turned back to the other two. “This is a new turn of events, but not entirely unexpected. That you were attacked only proves to me that this World Corps is behind all of this. To what degree, I don’t know. But I know there is a great deal more to this than meets the eye. Midgard, Skelanimal, go back to your HQ now and stay there.”

“Aw! So we get grounded!” Skelanimal moaned.

Nova rolled his one good eye. “No. I want you out of the sight of the media right now. I don’t believe you were behind this. You are not to blame...this time. I believe this was a set-up. But, we have to get a handle on this situation. Hotwings, keep your team on high alert and be ready for anything.”

“Understood.”

Nova pressed a button on his wrist comm, “Santa, I want good news right about now.”

***

EB squinted in the bright light shining in his eyes. His four paws were currently strapped down to a table in the middle of the laboratory. A laser lowered and aimed right at his head. He struggled against the restraints, but could not do anything.

“Not fair! I just wanna go! How are you keeping me here? Seriously, how? This has to be some awesome tech to hold a mythic.”

Osteen walked over, bug-eyed goggles on his face. “Thanks to our magic book friend there, I learned how to make restraints for any magical energy user, even you. Now, shut up and get ready to be divided.”

“Hey, you don’t have to do anything rash. I’m a bunny. You want more than one, gimme a little time. Of course, I’m not really a bunny, but I could, ya know, make things happen. You don’t have to split me down the middle. Though, I still doubt you can do that. I am way more powerful than even you give me credit…” a hand clamped over his mouth.

Osteen leaned in with his hand pressing on EB's face. “You know, I’m not going to miss the constant chatter from you. YEOOOOW!” EB bit his hand.

“Yuck! What did you last use that hand for?”

Osteen walked over to the last working computer terminal and checked the growing energy signature. “Come on, charge already. I got a bunny to fry.”

EB laid his head back against the table. “You know, I always wanted to be in a Bond movie. And here I am, in the clutches of a mad scientist working to help take over the world. I’m even strapped to a table with a laser pointed at me. The only thing I’m missing is a Bond babe...and that’s like the best part.” His thoughts lingered on that smashed crystal egg. Someone was looking for him. But would they find him in time?

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 6

The hologram led all three deep into the base to a room that seemed to be a dead end. The back wall beeped as a hidden panel flashed when the hologram inputted a code. Panels lifted and parted, revealing a multilayered door. Each door required a new code and was timed so that if the code was not entered fast enough, the vault would re-seal itself back to the first door.

“Wow, even I wouldn’t have been able to get into that.” Chase said.

Once it was finished opening, the hologram turned and said, “you have full access for one hour only.” then flickered off.

Santa was the first to step in. The vault was considerably smaller than the other containment vaults at BADGE. Shelves were lined with items of all natures. Swords and spears, glowing golden armor, bottles of shimmer liquid.

“What is all this?” Gar asked.

Santa paused as he looked at a helmet from the Mesopotamian culture. “Relics of a warrior’s life. Each contains some level of power or magic, which is why they are sealed away here and not merely placed in a museum. I could linger in here for years, telling you the amazing stories of the few items that I know about. But, we don’t have time.”

Gar asked, “what are we looking for?”

Chase answered, “This.” She stood before a pedestal with a glass dome on the top. Inside was a glowing crystal egg.

Santa said, “precisely.”

“What is that?” Gar asked.

Chase said, “EB gave one to me around the first time we met. It’s a magic egg. When broken, EB will come to your aid.”

Santa gently removed the dome. “He doesn’t give these often. Only when he believes the holder is worthy. EB might be silly and playful, but he is wiser than anyone gives him credit.”

“How will this help?”

Santa took the egg in his hand. “This is a unique magic, something EB created before we even came to this world. It’s a tiny piece of his magic. That is how he knows exactly where it is when it’s broken. However, that connects it to him in a special way. Once broken, a link will be made from this location to him. If we are lucky, it will bring him directly to us, as that is how the spell works. However, even if that fails, it will create a connection from this point to him. Giving us something to follow. In either case, it will be our way of finding him.”

“What are you waiting for? Bust it.” Chase said.

“Let me.” Gar took the egg in his hand and then crushed it. A flash of magical light burst out and bathed the room for a moment.

***

In the middle of the high-tech city of Neo Utopia, two heroes wandered down a bustling street.

“What the hell are we doing here?” Skelanimal moaned.

Midgardsomr walked with him, both the size of a regular person right now. “We’re on patrol! That’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”

“I’m bored!” Skelanimal whined.

“I know. I am Midgardsomr. I shouldn’t be saving felines from trees and stopping simple heists. But, we’re still on probation with BADGE.”

“Probation...bleh!” Skelanimal stuck his tongue out. “Just because I tried to take over a small Asian country and kinda messed up a whole city doesn’t mean I need to do this crap. And why are you out here? You’re big and stompy, but you didn’t do anything wrong...that I know of.”

Midgard gained a devilish smile. “Oh, I have made enough trouble. Also, I was told to escort you on this. Nova’s orders.”

“I hate this whole thing, and Nova can just stick it!”

“We’ve only got two hours left today. Stop griping.”

Both their earpieces buzzed and Hotwings came through. “Hey, guys. We got a ping on the sensor for Neo Utopia. Looks like there could be some action.”

Skelanimal said, “what, a little girl lost her balloon?”

“Shut it! This looks like something big. Something is heading your direction.”

Midgard smiled, “good. Some action.”

“Don’t destroy the city.” Hotwings said. “If you need help, signal.”

“We can handle anything.” Midgard stated.

The signal cut and both turned yet another corner, now walking down the central square of the city. People stopped and stared at them more than once. No one dared approach the fearsome duo.

“Why are there so many news vans and that helicopter?” Skelanimal noted.

“Don’t know, don’t care.”

All at once, two people came flying toward them. Each wore gray suits with capes. While their bodies were devoid of color, their eyes beamed with bright color, each eye different.

“Who the hell are they?” Skelanimal asked.

Before Midgard could answer, these strange men attacked them with beams of energy. In a flash, Midgard grew ten times his size and went after one enemy while Skelanimal launched himself at the other.

***

EB stood at the edge of his cage, squinting to watch the monitors. The media was alive with reports from Neo Utopia where Skelanimal and Midgard were both battling villains. Only EB knew these men were not villains, but augmented heroes brainwashed in this lab.

EB shook, and his body flashed. “What?” The energy barrier around his cage made a buzzing sound and rippled. His body continued to flash and partially fade. “One of my eggs! I’m transporting! Oh, happy day!”

Delta turned around. “What’s all the commotion?”

The alarms went off, and the computer announced. “Disturbance in magical containment unit E1.”

EB gave off a quick little rude salute and said, “bye suckers!” And he flashed away. He reappeared five feet outside the cage, in the middle of the lab. “Uh...that didn’t work right. Your stupid barrier messed up my spell!”

“HE’S FREE! GET HIM!” Alpha screeched.

“Not this time!” EB zoomed around the room, dodging hands and weapons as both Delta and Osteen went after him, along with five mercenaries that rushed in at the sound of the alarm.

“GET THE ANTI-MAGIC WEAPONS!” Delta ordered.

EB threw an enormous egg at Osteen, which exploded with a stinking green fog. “So long, fatso!” he hit the door and bounced off an invisible barrier. “Ow, stupid anti-magic stuff.” Just before a pair of hands nabbed him, he zipped away, leaving an exploding egg in his wake.

Over and over, he threw eggs and dodged the people. No one was fast enough to catch the Easter Bunny.

“Oh, just let me leave. You guys are embarrassing yourselves.” He slid under the legs of one man and threw an egg at another, covering him in a thick goo that stuck his hands to his sides.

“STOP THAT RODENT!” Delta screamed.

EB stopped on top of the computer console. “Know what Nova HATES about me? Huh, huh? I break things.” He ran across the computers and left a dozen exploding eggs. Stations erupted in sparks and fire as he blasted an entire wall of tech. “This is fun!”

A blinding flash of light hit EB and he went flying into a wall. One of those colorless, augmented men stood there, his eyes glowing from where he had blasted EB.

Osteen sneered, “Looks like you just proved my heroes are as fast as any super out there.”

“End that vermin!” Alpha ordered. “Come, we have to get moving.” She led Delta out of the room.

The augmented hero grabbed EB up. The drooling bunny mumbled, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. “I can’t feel mah face…or anything.”

Osteen smiled and said, “Strap that rodent to the table. I’m gonna slice the Easter Bunny in half.”

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 5

EB sat with his arms, and legs tucked up against himself and his chin resting on them. His eyes were cast down as he rocked a little.

“Wonder what Nova’s do’n right now? Probably worried sick about me. This place sucks.” He gazed up at the glassed in room where a different man was being augmented using their strange technology. “At least it doesn’t look like it hurts them too much. How many are they going to do? Why are they all naked? Why are they all guys? I mean, this place stinks and I hate what’s happening to these people, but one girl would be a nice change of pace. Something fun to look at. What am I saying? I don’t want to see anyone in those cells. I doubt they are doing anything nice to them. Bet they kidnapped them. These sickos love kidnapping people…”

“Do you ever stop talking?” Dr. Osteen walked up to the cell and checked the data on the monitor.

EB snarled at him. “Gotta have a decent conversation with someone intelligent around here.”

“Pfft.” Osteen responded and made several notes on his tablet.

EB asked, “so...what’s up with the naked guys and those tube thingy’s you got stuck in them?”

“Just working on the project.”

EB stood up and smiled, realizing he was getting some info. “Really? What’s the project? Why are they all colorless when you’re done?”

Osteen opened the door to this person’s cell, adjusted a tube, and then left, resealing the room. “We’re pumping them with a special morphonic energy that I devised using the data gathered from the avatars. Each person has a proclivity toward a morphon type, so we are augmenting them. Really, these are still just test subjects for the big project. I can’t wait to see that one in action.”

“Wow, so cool. What’s that project going to be?”

“We are going to...wait, why am I spilling this to you?” Osteen stepped back.

EB grinned, “Oh, what harm is it to tell little ole me? Who am I gonna tell, the sleeping kitty next to me?”

Osteen rolled his eyes. “Nice try, bunny. I told you too much. Now, shut up.” He walked on.

EB plopped back down, “fine. Try to have a decent conversation round here? Sheesh. Man, I’m hungry.”

Osteen checked a different cell. “Feed yourself. You can do it, I’ve seen you.”

EB materialized one of his famous eggs. “Sure, chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even I’m sick of that. Bring me a carrots, or a steak, something. What’s this place, a torture chamber?”

“Shut up.”

“STOP TELLING ME TO SHUT UP! I AM TIRED OF BEING IN HERE. I AM A FREAKING LEGENDARY, MYTHICAL FIGURE! I WILL NOT BE TREATED LIKE THIS.”

Osteen stomped over to him. “You’re nothing but a big mouthed rabbit.”

“I’M THE EASTER BUNNY! I WAS HIDING EGGS BEFORE YOUR GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS BORN. PROBABLY ON A PIG FARM BY THE LOOKS OF HIS DESCENDANTS!”

“OH, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF…”

“Now, now, Dr. Osteen, stop arguing with the vermin.” Delta walked into the lab with a woman at his side.

Osteen slapped EB’s cage for good measure and then greeted his guests. “Delta, who is this?”

The older, craggy woman in a red pantsuit answered. “I’m Alpha, I’m here to check on the progress.”

Dr. Osteen smiled, “glad you’re here. Things are going great. The army is almost completed, and the first augments are ready for deployment.”

“Show me everything.” Alpha demanded.

EB perked his ears up and listened to everything that was said. What that idiot didn’t spill to him already he was gleaning from this conversation. His sneaky little smile quickly turned to horror as he learned the depth of their evil plans.

***

Santa set his sleigh down in a grassy pasture in the middle of New York State. A pair of guards stood outside what appeared to be an abandoned old shed.

Gar landed, having followed behind on his own wings. “What are we doing back here? I thought you wanted to see Director Nova.”

Santa disembarked his sleigh and then helped Chase down. “We are going to find what we need here.”

They approached the guards. One look at the trio, the guards stepped aside and opened the door to the shed. Inside was the lift that led down to the original HQ of BADGE before the construction of the space station.

After a long trip down, they stepped out into the hallways of the old base. Lights flickered on at their presence.

“Is anyone still working here?” Gar asked.

Chase nodded. “Yes, we have a small team of specialists to monitor the vaults.”

Santa looked up and down the corridor and then headed toward the old command center. “This is where BADGE still maintains their artifact vaults. This is possibly the most secure vault on Earth.”

Chase smiled, “yeah, back in the day I dreamed of getting in here. Tried to on a few occasions.”

Gar said, “I know. I caught you, twice.”

“Once.” Chase corrected him. “I broke in once and you caught me when I missed that last sensor and set off the alarm. The second time, I wasn’t trying to break in, but you still grabbed me and detained me. That was when my father sent me to help Nova with the whole Cupid situation.”

Gar said, “lucky he did. You joined us after that.”

Santa said, “luck had nothing to do with it. I wanted my little girl to stop being a thief and do something useful with her life. She had skills that could help people and BADGE would put them to proper use.”

Chase said, “you were always looking after me, even when I didn’t know you were my father.”

“Of course. A parent never forgets their child. Ah, here we are.” He tapped the button on the door and it opened.

All three walked into the old command center of the underground base. A hologram greeted them in the middle of the room. It appeared to be Justin, but it was just an AI designed to operate the base.

“Greetings, Santa Claus, Agent Chase, Agent Gargoyle. How may I be of service?”

Chase said, “we need access to Nova’s secret Vault.”

“I am sorry, Agent Chase, but access to that vault is prohibited to any other person except Director Nova.”

Santa said, “we know. Please, contact the Director at once.”

The hologram flickered off and the screen on the view screen activated, with Nova looking at them from the Space Station. “I see Santa has joined the search. Good.”

Santa said, “Actually, they are joining my search. But we share the same goal. However, we need access to your personal vault to continue the search.”

“My vault? Why?”

Both Chase and Gar were just as curious. Santa hadn’t divulged this yet to them. Santa said, “I know EB has given you one of his special favors. You’ve never used it. Unless I’m mistaken, and I rarely am, it should be in your vault.”

Nova nodded, “you’re correct on all accounts. However, how will this help?”

“Trust me. I understand our magic better than anyone else. It’ll do the trick.”

Nova said, “Nova to BASE One, Clearance Gamma Seven Seven Pi. Access is granted to Santa, Chase, and Gar to my private vault.”

The hologram returned. “understood.” He walked through the table as though it weren’t there and the door opened as he approached it. “Follow me.”

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 4

Chase checked her sensors again, wiping snow off the screen. Behind her, Gar lay in the snow.

“What are you doing?”

Gar got up and brushed the snow off his stone body. “Making a snow angel.”

She looked and saw he had merely made an imprint of his own body, with wings outstretched in the snow. “You have an advantage, real wings. Though, normally angel wings aren’t bat-like.”

“Dragon.”

She laughed, “sorry, dragon-like.”

“Better.”

She slapped the side of the sensor and then shivered as a new breeze cut by. “This dumb blizzard is making it hard to find the old entrance.” A shadow came over her and two large wings wrapped around her body. Then two arms held around her waist.

“Better?”

She couldn’t contain the coy smile. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to flirt.”

“I am trying to make you warmer. We’re just friends.”

A kind, older voice said, “And I shall never have a grandchild while all the men in my daughter’s life remain ‘just friends.”

Gar opened his wings and turned. Chase ran around him and right into Santa’s arms. “Daddy!”

He stood there, his famous sleigh behind him. “Chase, dear. What brings you up here?”

“Nova sent me.”

“Ah, so work related. Oh, well. Guess I’ll take any kind of visit from my only daughter. Hop in.”

Chase jumped in with Santa and the sleigh took flight. Gar flew behind it, using the strong winds to keep up.

***

EB sat on the floor of his cage, situated along a wall with the other prisoners. From here, he had an excellent view of the entire lab, including the containment units near him that were currently unoccupied.

“This place totally sucks.” He muttered and then looked over at the lion man hooked up to tubes and cords in his own cage. “Wow, you’re, like, really ripped. You awake? Oh, right, one of those avatar dudes. The magic guy was nice, really informative and stuff. I liked him. He told good stories. Bet you’re the avatar of strength, or is it physical? I don’t remember the terms well. I just remember that you don’t have a name, just ‘avatar of…’. You should be called Leo, that’s cool. Man, I wish these people would just let me outta here. I want to go home. I bet Nova is worried sick about me. Oh, he pretends he doesn’t like me, but I know better. That guy doesn’t have lots of friends, but I am one of them. Known him the longest. We even fought together in…”

“You really do like the sound of your own voice.” Delta came into the room with several laboratory assistants wheeling in tables with naked men strapped to them.

EB looked away. “I ain’t talkin’ to you.”

“I don’t care. Just stop talking.”

“Sourpuss.” EB threw his paw out and an egg appeared, but it didn’t go beyond the cage and merely bounced back. It splattered all over him with a sticky goo he had intended to hit Delta with.

Delta chortled at him. “Nice try. Magic resistant cages, thanks to the information we got from the avatar of magic. Now, stop fighting, stop talking, and you might survive long enough to see us take down BADGE.”

“Like hell. Nova is gonna mess you up. He’s dealt with WAAAY worse than some arrogant scientists and their well-dressed smartasses.”

Delta ignored EB while several assistants wheeled in tables with men on them. Dr. Osteen came in with a small device that he typed on. He casually waved at the holding bays, “put them in there.”

The assistants propped the men up in the glassed rooms, standing them as though they were awake. Their bodies already had round patches glued to their skin at specific locations.

“Are they worthy?” Delta asked.

Osteen showed him his tablet. “The data came back. They are all conduits. They can use the morphonic energy as powers.”

“Good. Begin the process. Alpha will pay us a visit soon, and I want progress to show her.”

Dr. Osteen walked into the bay of the first man and hooked various cords to the patches on his body. Each cord had a different color of energy flowing through it that fed into the body. Once he was done with one, he went to the next and then the next.

Delta watched him work on the last man. “How are they standing without being awake?”

Osteen finished and left the small room, sealing the glass door. “That’s part of the initial preparations. We have almost complete control over their bodies. If at any point they aren’t doing what we order them, we can control them like puppets.”

Delta said, “but we’re wiping their minds. They’re merely drones doing our bidding.”

Osteen walked away with Delta behind him. “The human brain is a complex computer that we still don’t fully understand. If one regains his free will and turns on us, we could have another Arx.”

EB watched this horror show as the scientist left the room, turning out most of the lights. From his place on a ledge, he was right next to one bay where a man stood, attached to multiple tubes.

“HEY! DON’T LEAVE THEM IN HERE LIKE THIS! I DON’T WANT TO SPEND MY TIME STARING AT SOME NAKED MANS JUNK! HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?” He punched the cage with his tiny paws. After throwing that fruitless tantrum, he looked up at the poor soul being experimented on. The color on his skin was draining, leaving him gray. “What are they up to?”

***

Chase stepped into a memory once forgotten. This room was the picture of a Victorian Christmas card. Plump armchairs near a crackling fire in a stone hearth. Stockings hung from the mantle, holly strung across the walls, and a tree hung with glass and wooden ornaments in the corner. A toy train ran circles around the base of the tree, giving off the rumbling, clacking sound as it moved.

Taking gentle steps in this pristine room, Chase slowly approached a short table with books and toys on it. Sinking to her knees, she picked up a book and brushed the dust off the cover.

Santa came up behind her. “I could never bring myself to move that. It has sat there for a long time...well, since you left.”

Chase smiled at the hand-painted cover. “Winter Poems. I loved listening to you and Uncle Krampus read them to me by the fire.”

“It was a different time, a peaceful time.” Santa sat down in one of the two rocking chairs.

Chase wiped her eyes. “Some days, I wish I had never remembered my past. I get so sad when I think of Uncle Krampus and what he was to me back then. That he died to save me… I can’t keep from feeling terrible.”

“I think it is good you are sad for him.”

Chase tenderly put the book back. “Why? Sadness is pain.”

“No, it is truth. You remember him for who he truly was. You brought out the man under all that hate and anger. He grew so bitter during his time here on this world, then you came along and I saw a new light in his heart. He fought it, but could not defeat the truth. In the end, it was that truth, the real brother I once knew and loved, that returned to save you. I would never want you remembering him as someone you hated or feared. I certainly don’t.”

“It was a happy childhood.” Chase quietly said.

Just then Gar came in playing with a paddle-ball, or at least doing his best to make it work. “You got some neat stuff here.”

Chase put her hand on her face. “We don’t have time to play with toys or reminisce.”

Santa said, “yes. I believe you were sent by our friend, Nova. What is the purpose of your visit, if I even need to ask.”

Chase said, “we need your help to find EB.”

“I thought as much.”

Chase stood up and took the paddle-ball from Gar before he tried one more time. “Father, I know you want to distance yourself from BADGE, but we need your help.”

“I know. And I don’t want to fight any more wars or battle any more supervillains, but Easter Bunny is an old friend and I cannot allow him to stay captured. You can join my effort to find him.”

Gar said, “but, we came to ask you to help us find him?”

Santa chuckled, “oh, you think I don’t know what is going on? I knew of his capture almost as soon as it happened. I have already put a lot of effort into finding him. And I do have an idea of how to locate him. We’re going to need Nova’s help.”

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 3

Nova and Quark stepped out into the Operations center. Chase and Gar stood down front, observing the large map.

“Anything to report?” Nova asked, which was his way of greeting them.

Gar turned and rolled his shoulders, “I’m getting movement back in my body.”

“Good.”

Chase walked over to Nova. “I see you aren’t in a cast any longer. All healed up?”

“Almost. My ribs are still sore, but nothing too concerning.”

She turned her attention to Quark. “any luck?”

“No. I couldn’t find one trace of EB or those people.”

Gar asked, “did you check Canada again?”

Quark and Nova walked with Chase down to the front of the room. All gazed up at the map of the world. Quark answered the question. “I’ve searched Canada seven times. I scoured the site where Arx destroyed that underground laboratory. We checked all over the entire country, out into the waters. Nothing. Those people are good at hiding their secrets.”

“Then we are back at square one.” Chase said.

“Not exactly,” Nova firmly stated. “We know where they aren’t, which is a start. Now, we just need to find more evidence of where they are?”

Chase materialized one of her blades. “Let me have a stab at Arx again. I can crack that Hollywood egomaniac.”

Nova shook his head. “We have all the information we’re going to get out of him.”

“I’d still like to draw a little blood from him. Scar that pretty face of his.”

Gar said, “revenge isn’t the answer to our problem.”

Chase tossed her blade aside, “but it’d make me feel better.”

Nova said, “we need to change our focus. We have been simply looking for them, for a way to follow them. They’re too clever at hiding their trail, at covering their tracks. What we need is to look at this with a unique plan.”

“And what plan do you have in mind?” Quark asked.

Nova turned his attention to Chase. “We need help from someone who knows hiding places better than anyone in this world. Someone with a connection to EB that might give us the boost we desperately need right now.”

Gar frowned, “who? Chase?”

Chase answered, “he’s talking about my father.”

“Santa?” Quark gasped. “But, he said he wanted to get away from the superhero business.”

Nova said, “I know. Santa made that clear to all of us, and we will respect that wish as best we can. But this is a unique situation. I think Santa will be convinced to help if it is to save EB. But…”

“You want me to ask him.” Chase said.

“Yes. He’s a friend of mine, but each time I go to see him, it is to ask for his help. It might be nicer coming from you.”

Chase took Nova by the shoulder. “You don’t have to convince me. I don’t get many opportunities to see my father.”

“Can I come?” Gar asked, almost sounding like a little brother begging to be brought along.

Nova nodded, “yes.”

“Director Nova: Incoming transmission from Hero: Ace.” A robot announced.

“Put her through.”

All four turned their attention to an in-set screen on the monitor. A hero stood in the street near a Fight Club. “Director Nova, my League has been patrolling the streets around Paris and the local Fight Club called in a missing person report.”

“This is a matter for the police, not BADGE.” Nova answered.

Ace said, “I thought the same thing. However, the man in question had scheduled a test for morphonic powers, as he had already set the initial sensors off. He never showed up. When the police checked out his flat, he’s gone. He hasn’t shown up for work, church, anything. The camera outside the Fight Club shows him arriving, but then he turns and walks down the alley, and that’s the last he’s seen anywhere.”

Nova stroked his beard. “I don’t like this. An untrained super could get himself hurt, or hurt others.”

“What should we do about this?” Ace asked.

“Work with the police for now. Let them be in charge, but make sure to be part of the investigation. Also, make sure the Fight Club is under constant observation, just in case.”

“Will do, Ace out.” The com ended, shutting the small screen off.

Quark asked, “something wrong?”

Nova shook his head, “It’s nothing...I think.”

Chase asked, “you think? What is it?”

“I hope it is just a coincidence. But our enemy has a penchant for kidnapping their victims. This is probably unrelated, but it bothers me.”

“Should we investigate?” Chase asked.

“No. You head to the North Pole with Gar. Quark will continue the general search. I’ll monitor things up here.”

Chase and Gar hurried out of Operations for the shuttle bay. Quark merely flashed and was gone. Nova spent a long moment looking at the screen. One might see the glint of light on the corner of his eye as he stood there in silence, wishing an annoying little bunny was talking his ear off right now.

***

“HEY, I WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE! YOU GUYS ARE GONNA REALLY BE SORRY WHEN I GET AHOLD OF PETA OR THE ASPCA! THEY DON’T LIKE ANIMAL ABUSE! EVEN TALKING ANIMALS MATTER. I mean, they don’t know I can talk. I tried calling them to tell them what I think of their efforts to save bunnies from having their feet chopped off for some silly superstition, and they hung up on me. Me, The Easter Bunny. But, what can ya do? They aren’t all rude. If they really KNEW I was the Easter Bunny, they might not have been so huffy. There was this one guy who talked to me about what they were doing to help fight the fur industry. He was nice and all, but kinda dumb when you really listened to him. He went on and on about how much he liked his pet tree, like you can have a pet tree. It wasn’t even a bonsai. Now there are interesting trees, humans really…”

“WOULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!” Dr. Osteen walked into the lab, carrying a small device in his hands. He now sported a large metal plate across half his face, and his right leg was artificial, all thanks to the explosive exit by Arx, which destroyed his former lab.

EB, locked in a special cage, banged on the side with his tiny fists. “I ain’t shutting up until you let me leave. I want out of this stupid closet. I have been in dirt holes with more room than this place. What do you do, store your toilet paper in this room? Hello! You can have that stuff delivered nowadays. You don’t need a room like this. Hey, did you know they will deliver toilet paper right to the bathroom if you order from...WOAH!” The irate doctor yanked his small cage up. “Where are you taking me? Letting me go, I hope!”

Dr. Osteen used a gravity beam to hold the unique cage aloft as he marched down a long corridor. “Oh, I’ll let you leave...THIS PLANET!”

EB rolled around the cage as he was unceremoniously carried into a large room. This place had tech in it that looked to be from a far future. Computers, special equipment, screens floating in the air, and glassed in smaller rooms where cords hung from the ceiling. In the back of the room were six containment units, each holding one of the Morphon avatars in specialized stasis, depending on their unique powers. EB was slammed down on a pedestal in the middle of the room.

“Hey, I like the idea of leaving and all, but I get space-sick. No off-earth travel, thanks. Just open a door and I’ll be on my way.”

Dr. Osteen pressed a button that activated a menacing laser carried by an arm attached to the high ceiling. “Oh, don’t worry about space travel. This anti-magic beam will turn you into ashes. At least that’s the theory. So, you will be a test subject. Goodbye, you chattering, annoying…”

“Now, now. That isn’t how we treat such honored guests.” Commander Delta came in and causally yanked the control out of Osteens’ hand.

“I want to test it on this subject.”

“No. We will not vaporize the Easter Bunny. He’s too valuable.”

EB said, “At least someone gets it. I’m a big time celebrity and…”

Delta leaned over and glared at EB. “You’re only alive because you’re connected to BADGE and we need your information.”

EB folded his tiny arms. “Well, you aint gett’n it from me. No, sir. Nuh uh.”

“We’ll see.” Delta snapped back around to Osteen. “Put him with the others and restrain him so he can’t talk.”

Osteen grumbled while he took the cage and placed it next to The Avatar of Strength.

“Osteen, we have the last of our subjects to begin phase 3 of the project. Get to work.”

Continue the Story

FIRST PRIZE Contest Entry: Heart of Ice

By Shadowbourne

Maybe registering her powers with B.A.D.G.E. wasn’t the best idea, Rennie thought as she exited the convoy just outside of Bakersfield, California. She’d seen the news: Arx took over Hollywood and was holding the inhabitants hostage. All the country’s heroes had assembled and now she was among them. Arx and his mercs were going to crush her like a bug and she would counter attack by causing a light drizzle, making flowers bloom or extinguishing all their candles. She barely had powers. What was she even doing here?

“Rainy Summers?” an agent called. She stepped forward.

“Sign here.”

Rennie scowled at the clipboard as she signed, “You spelled it wrong.”

The agent ignored the comment and pointed her toward her unit. There, a B.A.D.G.E. special operative called Commander Owens briefed her and seven other agents, mostly non-morphon enhanced field operatives from tactical and medical. They were to avoid the main conflict, thank goodness, and infiltrate the Ice Palace hotel to free and evacuate hostages. The Ice Palace was one of the newest star attractions in Tinseltown, a literal ice palace like from that James Bond movie, only much closer to the equator. It was definitely morphon powered, but the exact method was a well-kept secret.

Each unit member received a waterproof pack that included nasty-looking dried meat, a flashlight, comm gear, rope, a knife and some other useful stuff. In addition, tactical officers were issued guns, medical officers got a cache of first aid kits and med tech, and Rennie got... a lighter.

“Excuse me…” she bagan, but Owens was already loading the team into a nondescript tan SUV. Time for soccer practice, she guessed.

They made their way through the chaos of the occupied streets with surprising ease. A fellow powered unit member, a cyborg with a cloaking device, scouted the way and removed any obstacles. In the alley behind the Ice palace, Owens looked to Rennie.

“Agent Sommers, use your powers to melt that ice and make us a door.”

Ah, so that’s why they dragged her along. Now it made sense. Rennie placed her hand against the cool shimmering outer wall and felt the strange power it radiated. She focused her energy, but the wall resisted. Normally, water, even frozen, bent to her will, but this ice was not budging.

“I can’t. It won’t let me.”

“Well that’s a problem, then” Owns barked. “You were our ace in the hole for this.”

Rennie got an idea.

“Wait. Give me a second,” she said. “I’ve never tried anything quite this big before, but I might have something that might work.”

She retrieved the lighter, thankful that it was a zippo and would stay lit easily. She flicked it open and concentrated on the flame, strengthening it and directing it towards the wall.

Owens lifted his eyebrows. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Maybe he should have read his team’s dossiers more closely,” Rennie thought, but the flames took too much of her concentration to allow the words to come out. That was probably not a bad thing.

After twenty minutes, she fell to the ground, gasping for air and sweating, despite the ambient chill of the ice wall. Her super-accelerated heartbeat pounded in her ears and her vision was blurry, but before her was a rough, ugly hole in the wall big enough for most members of the team to crawl through.

“If that’s the best you can do,” Owens remarked, “I guess we’ll take it.”

He glanced at the bulky cyborg who had scouted their way through the city. “Looks like you’re staying out here to guard the door.”

“Keep your guard up.” Owens said, “Our intel puts twelve to fourteen mercs stationed throughout this building.” We make our way to the west stairwell. Hostages are in the grand ballroom on the third floor, but there’s a potential threat we need to neutralize first. So our first stop is the basement.”

Six of them, including Owens, disappeared into the interior of the palace.

The cyborg lifted Rennie to her feet. “In, you go,” he grunted. “Commander didn’t dismiss you.”

Rennie sighed.

The architects had made the stairs of ice and carpeted them in rubber to prevent slipping, but a second perk of the design muffled the team’s footsteps into silence as they descended. The tactical team took the three mercenaries in the room at the bottom completely off guard and dispatched them with tasers. Rennie hung back, knowing she would be useless from here on even if she wasn’t completely drained from cutting their way into the building.

A huge machine, like an industrial sized boiler-cryogenics-chamber hybrid took up most of the room.

“Agent Michaels,” Owens barked, “You’re up. Find what makes this tick and get it contained.”

Michaels, an older lady bursting with tech gear, laid two boxes on the floor and opened them. One was full of tools. The other was much larger and empty, save for a whole lot of foam padding around the edges. Whatever they were putting inside they wanted to make sure to keep safe.

Michaels examined the machine and flipped some switches to power it down. Then she removed a metal plate on one side to reveal the power source.

The older agent worked so quickly Rennie barely saw the object, but the familiar thrum of power hit her from across the room. It was the same power the ice walls radiated, only quadrupled. As Michaels deftly yanked the power crystal, from the machine with both hands, bright blue sparks shot from it and a frantic beeping issued from the cryo device. The Mondo Gauntlets Michaels wore protected her from the shock and allowed her to successfully remove the crystal, which was about the size of an oblong basketball.

Michaels started to utter a curse, before an explosion rocked the room and partially collapsed the ceiling.

When Rennie opened her eyes, which she hadn’t realized she’d closed, a pretty young girl from the medical team stood with her arms outstretched, creating a shimmering prismatic  shield around her, Owens and one other agent. Rennie had assumed the girl didn’t have powers. Luckily she was wrong.

The ringing in her ears drowned out all sound, but Rennie watched Owens navigate the wreckage where he found Michaels and two other team members dead among piles of ice shards. This is not what Rennie had signed up for. She thought she’d be dealing with purse snatchers and lost kittens.

“Find the box! Find the box!” Ownes ordered, ”It’s unstable!”

The machine remained untouched, but the item the machine’s defenses were meant to protect was no longer inside. It remained clutched in between the Mondo Gauntlets where it pulsed with a bluish glow like a heartbeat. Thin white cracks lined its exterior.

Rennie rushed to the crystal. She could hear its voice. Feel its pain. She felt it seething, ready to burst, but she sang to it from within herself as if trying to soothe a savage beast. She touched it and her vision went white. Her hairs stood on end and power seeped into her, deep within her core. She could feel the whole Ice Palace as if it were a part of her. She knew what she had to do.  

*******

Rennie awoke in a B.A.D.G.E. medical tent. She couldn’t remember much past laying her hand on the crystal. The nurses called Commander Owens immediately.

“That was stupid and reckless, Agent Sommers.” Owens said. He didn’t sound angry or scolding. Just stating facts. “You brought the whole Ice Palace down. Melted it from the ground up. Do you realize you flooded two city blocks?”

He continued, this time scoldingly. “My orders were to find the box, not grab the morphon anomaly barehanded.”

“What was it?” Rennie asked.

“We call it the Heart of Ice. B.A.D.G.E. has located a number of them around the world.  They’re unstable and very dangerous. We planned to put it in a lead box and extract it, but that mission went sideways and now you have it inside of you. You’re lucky your powers were in sync with it or who knows what would have happened?”

Rennie’s breath caught, “What do I do now?”

“The unit is being redeployed. Arx is down, but there are still mercs holding hostages all over Holywood.”

“The hostages… our hostages?” Rennie asked tentatively.

“A lot made it out, but we’re still cleaning all that up. It’s complete chaos out there.“

“I’m ready. I can do it,” Rennie said, sitting up in her bed.

“Oh no,” Owens said, “You’re being shipped back to B.A.D.G.E. HQ on the next plane.  Director Nova wants to see you, personally. He has some questions for you.”

“Oh shit,” Rennie said. “This is not what I signed up for.”

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 2

 Nova walked across an artificial island in the middle of the ocean. It was massive, with a pyramid shaped building in the center. Small parks were on each side, with landing platforms stuck out over the water. The entire island sat on a metal base that had pillars going deep into the waters. Flags from almost every nation on Earth flew around the main building.

With a heavy sigh, Nova sat down on a bench near a glistening clear pond that had lilies planted around it. A single blue duck bobbed in the tiny waves.

Flicking open the comm device on his wrist, Nova said, “Shuttle five, you can return and pick me up.”

“Understood.”

The duck waded toward him. “This place sucks. The water smells like chlorine and the lilies are all plastic.”

Nova laughed, “this whole place is like that, fake.”

The duck flashed and became Quark, who stood knee deep in the pond. “So, how’d it go in there?”

“Bad. I don’t like this new organization. There is something about them that simply doesn’t feel right. But, I can’t put my finger on it.”

“What did they have to say about their men attacking the station?”

“Not much. They seemed genuinely surprised by what I had to tell them, but then didn’t want to believe me. That’s when their head judge showed up and she is a real piece of work.”

“Oh? Is she cute?”

Nova gave Quark a snarly glance. “Hardly. She is arrogant, pushy, and obviously doesn’t like BADGE. She accused me of lying about the whole situation.”

“What? How?”

“Just like a good politician, with dismissive words and double talk. She didn’t come right out and say we were lying or staged the event, but she might as well have. I doubt we’re going to get much help from them. And, now, we have to return their men.”

“Like hell! Those guys are in for some serious questioning.”

Nova said, “I’m angry too. But, if we don’t play their game for now, they could cause us trouble. The last thing we need is diplomatic troubles in the middle of this investigation.” Nova hit his fist against the bench, “if we only had something to go on! More information.”

“I know.” Quark sat next to him. “It’s been three months and no one can find any of the avatars or EB. Those mercenaries have all vanished, and Arx knows nothing of value. Trust me, I’ve probed that doofuses mind like a hundred times. What isn’t empty space is filled with popcorn. Whoever did this to him, kept their secrets well hidden.”

Nova nodded. “Arx was a guinea pig. They promised him glory. In exchange, he let them experiment on him. I’ve seen this kind of crap go down a dozen times. The moment they got the info they needed, their promises dry up and their guinea pig was abandoned.”

Quark said, “I just want to know how they can be powerful enough to keep someone like EB hostage. That little guy is seriously strong. He’s a Mythic.”

Nova stood when the shuttle appeared over the island. “They are able to hide from the dozens of heroes searching for them using powers of all kinds. This has given them the one thing that is the most dangerous for a villain to have...time. The longer they work on their plans, the more likely they are to succeed.”

Nova and Quark boarded the shuttle.

“Why did they make you send our shuttle away?”

Nova let out a snarky sigh, “only World Corps ships may land or dock on their private little island. I think they just wanted to make it harder for us since they don’t like us.”

“Well, I’m learning I don’t like them right back.” Quark clicked his belt.

Nova sat down and waved at the robot, “get us back to the station.”

“Understood.”

Quark asked, “where are Chase and Gar?”

“They should be back from Neo Utopia now that the situation there is cleaned up. They’ll meet us at the station.”

Quark said, “we will make new plans and figure this out.”

“We have to. This dark organization has remained ahead of us for too long. I want them brought down, I want… our people back.” He seemed to be covering his real thoughts.

Quark smiled at him. “Admit it, you miss EB.”

“I don’t like leaving anyone behind.”

“EB is your longest, closest friend.”

Nova huffed, “he is an annoying, energetic, annoying…”

“You said that twice.”

“I meant to. EB is one of the oldest friends I have ever had. He bothers the hell out of me most days, but I appreciate him. I honestly never thought he could be caught by a human or hero. He is fast and powerful. It scares me that this group of people have the technology to capture him and hold him hostage. And, I’ll admit that I owe him many times over for saving me, BADGE, our heroes, the world, and so much more. He must be so scared right now.”

Quark said, “careful, Nova, that almost sounded sincere.”

“It was. I will deny it the moment I see that bunny, but he is my friend and I know he actually cares about me. Which isn’t the easiest thing to do. I won’t let him be hurt by these people.”

“With any luck, he is talking their ear off so badly that they will throw him out just to get him to shut up.”

***

A teenager ran across an open field near Enid, Oklahoma. He skidded to a stop and then bent his knees and jumped five miles in one bound. His hands were aglow with light and his long, dark hair flew

around in the wind. He landed in a cloud of dust next to a small row of homes surrounded by open plains.

“HEY, GUYS! CHECK IT OUT!” He was waving a paper wildly.

Several people came out of the homes, all covered in oil stains.

“What’s all the yell’n, Dakota?” An older guy asked. "What're you wearing? Is that a swimsuit?"

Dakota showed off his skin-tight outfit. "This is my supersuit."

"Super?"

Dakota shoved the paper toward the man. “I got this today. It’s official!”

The man took the paper and read it aloud to the others. “Dear Dakota Brown, BADGE has reviewed your recent morphonic energy scans and has cleared you for a two semester education on the BADGE space station. Please, report to the local Fight Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to register with a BADGE official for transportation. Signed, BADGE Corps Recruit Center.”

A different man asked, “what’s this bout? I thought they required heroes to be educated up there or something like that? This sounds like you applied.”

Dakota snatched his coveted letter and smiled at it. “Only the real powerful ones are required to be assessed in the BADGE training program. People like me, with low levels of the Morphonic Power, must apply. Some don’t make it, but I did. In a year I’ll be in a League, might even be competing in League Wars!”

A younger man pushed his way to the front. “Oooh, can ya get me that Chase’s autograph?”

A different man said, “to hell with her autograph. Can ya get me her number?”

A woman in overalls shoved a man aside and said, “ferget that Chase chick. I wanna meet that Gargoyle feller. I’d like to polish his boulders if ya know what I mean?” Everyone gave off a round of lewd laughter.

Dakota remained serious. “I will be call’n it quits, boss. No more oilfields for me. I’m heading into town to buy some new clothes and get my stuff in order to leave.”

The boss took Dakota around the shoulders. “How bout we buy you a round to celebrate. Yer gonna make one hell of a hero, kid.”

Dakota left his crew of oilfield workers and made yet another giant leap toward town. He landed in an open parking lot. He folded the letter up, tucked it away in his overalls, and strutted into town, feeling about twenty feet tall.

“Dakota Brown?” A man in a dark suit asked.

“Who’s ask’n?”

The man smiled, “I’m with BADGE.”

“Oh, really. I was expect’n ta head over to the Fight Club and register.”

“No need. Come with me.” The man escorted him around a building and toward a car in the back.

Sliding into a seat he frowned at the men dressed in dark combat uniforms. “What’s going on?”

Before he could get an answer, they pressed something into his neck, and he passed out.

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: The Gathering Storm Part 1

 With a good grip on the bar, Bill lifted it from the rack on the bench. His body beaded with sweat, his feet firmly planted, his back arched, he grunted and shoved the weights up. After ten repetitions, he replaced the bar.

Gerald came over and looked down at Bill’s reddened face. “Boy, that was some lifting. 1,200 pounds.”

Bill pulled himself up and dabbed his face with the towel. “Been getting stronger for some time. Real strong. Don’t know how far I’ll take it.”

Gerald gave Bill an inquisitive look and then waved at him. “Come with me.”

The aged Fight Club director snaked his way through all the men and women working out in the main part of the gym. They came to a door where Gerald had to swipe a card to unlock it. The moment they stepped into this room, a body slammed against a nearby wall.

“GOTCHA!” a woman bellowed.

People in colorful spandex applauded around the room as the man picked himself up off the floor. “Good shot, Stella. Wanna try that again?” The man brushed debris from the seat of his outfit.

Gerald interrupted this. “Wait a moment, I found another potential.”

All the people in the room took an interest in Bill. The fading red on his cheeks returned as he found all the eyes on him. “Hi.”

Stella came over to Gerald. “you sure?”

“He just bench pressed 1,200 pounds and wants to do more. Nuff said?”

“Sure.”

Bill asked, “are you guys superheroes?”

As the other heroes nodded, Stella answered, “yup. This is the reason these gyms are called Fight Clubs. We train and practice our enhanced skills back here and then test each other in combat.”

“Cool. Can I watch a match?” Bill asked.

“Nope. Not unless you pass. Only supers are allowed.”

“How can I tell if I’m a super?”

Gerald came back with a small controller in his hand. “That’s my job. Everyone, stand back, don’t interfere with the scanner.” The other heroes all took steps back, standing against the walls. Gerald pointed to the middle of the room. “You, go stand there.”

Bill waited where he had been directed. The room darkened and a blue light filled the area. Everyone had a strange light glowing from them except Gerald. Bill suddenly realized he too had that light glowing on his skin.

“What’s this?”

Stella answered, “that would be morphonic energy. You’re a super.”

Gerald turned the scanner off, and the room returned to normal. “Yup, but a weak one right now.”

“What do you mean I’m weak?” Bill took umbrage at that description.

Gerald put the scanner away. “Now, don’t get your tights in a twist. I mean that your morhponic energy is lower than standard. You can still train up and become a super if you wish, but take some time and train here. Then, you can decide. It ain’t an easy life, kid.”

“Oh, okay. Do you mind if I think it over?”

“Take your time. Just be careful with your training. Heroes train in here because this equipment and their partners can handle stronger people.”

“I’ll just go clean up my bench and think.” Bill left the room to get his towels and cell phone.

Leaving the special room he glimpsed a person heading out the front door with his phone. “Hey!”

Running into the street, two men in black uniforms met him. They pressed something into his neck and the world went blurry.

***

Dozens of men and women sat in rows around a circular amphitheater. Small lights illuminated each so they could see whatever paperwork was in front of them. A beam of light bathed the podium at the center of the room where Director Nova stood. All the others were sitting in the shadows it cast. Behind the podium was a massive screen displaying the image of soldiers being held captive.

Director Nova faced the gathered people. “These are the surviving members of the World Corps guards sent to bolster the BADGE station security. Every single World Corps guard turned on us and attacked, injuring and killing many BADGE agents in the process. They also kidnapped not only one of our closest advisors, but the person we were trying to protect.”

A woman with a small flag on her stand for the nation of Italy asked, “What are you saying, Director? We ordered this attack?”

The representative from Canada added, “that would be difficult to believe. The Word Corps is anything but a military.”

Nova waited quietly for them to stop interrupting his opportunity to answer. Finally, the room was silent. “I’m only informing you of the facts. I’m here to find answers. If one or two soldiers had acted on their own, then I would be inclined to believe they were spies for yet another organization. However, the entire security force acted as one. Each one checks out, they are members of the Word Corps security forces.”

This drew a considerable amount of murmuring from the people. Several yelled out questions or comments, but their mics had not been activated. Nova refrained from responding to any of them.

Suddenly, a sharp sound of heels against the floor approached. A wave of silence befell the room as each person realized who was approaching. A woman stepped out of the shadows near the base of the conical shaped amphitheater. She was short, skinny, and had a tightly pulled hairstyle. Her face was ridged and severe, her makeup only enhancing the severity. Her dark purple pencil skirt suit blended well with the shadows until she was nearly into the direct light.

“Nova, this story of yours is… hard to believe.”

Nova gave her a single raised eyebrow. “And just who are you and who do you represent?”

She stepped up to the same level as the director, her back to the room, her eyes glaring up at him. Yet, there was still that thin, self-confident smile on her lips. “I am Judge Alpha, leader of the Word Corps.”

“Why haven’t I heard of you?” Nova asked.

She laughed, “amusing, you truly think yourself so powerful, so above us mere mortals that you know everything. The World Corps is a representative organization, dedicated to democratic ideology to further peace on Earth. As the leader of this organization, it is my duty to stand back and let it operate until my voice is absolutely needed. And, my dear Nova, it is needed when someone comes with false claims about our actions.”

“False!? I spent days in the infirmary after nearly being killed by your guards. My station was nearly destroyed. I have two missing...no, strike that, I have seven missing people. What more evidence do you need?”

She was just as calm and collected as him. “What I need, Nova, are my soldiers back. I want to hear from them what happened. We all know BADGE enjoys its autonomy. That autonomy has left you with the idea that your word never requires scrutiny. You come here, accuse this body of authorizing an attack on your station, and then expect us to just accept that. My dear Nova, that is not how it works.”

“We will return your security team when we are done questioning them.” Nova stated.

“You will return them at once, or we will revoke BADGE’s autonomy and have the UN and other nations recall all their support.”

“You can’t do that.” Nova stated.

She came dangerously close to him. “Try me.”

“I still have missing people. A member of my chief staff has been taken and we cannot…”

“That is your problem. And I wish you the best of luck. However, you will return our soldiers and let us deal with them. If we find they were part of some scheme, we will do what we can to fix the situation.”

Nova spent a moment in silence, considering his actions. He finally said, “Fine. We will return them after…”

“If they are not planetside, in our custody, in twenty-four hours, then we will act accordingly. And, that means returning any of the bodies as well.”

Nova picked up his tablet, shutting off the image on the large screen. “It seems I have little choice.”

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