Nova stood next to a window that overlooked the main hall. Below, the party continued while the guests remained oblivious to being observed. However, the guests weren’t Nova’s issue. He turned around and looked at Chase, Gar, and Santa.
“Let me get this straight. Krampus has been missing a month...”
“That is my estimation. I only noticed his absence a little over a month ago.”
Nova continued, “And you only tell me now. Why?”
“I believed I could find him. BADGE has been through so much because of my people, I didn’t want to throw another problem right after Jinn was defeated. Besides, Krampus has gotten away before and I have retrieved him.”
“BADGE doesn’t get annoyed, they get results. A problem is a problem.”
Santa said, “I understand that. I contacted a friend, The Sword of Gerraxia, she helped me search. But we came up with nothing.”
“Why Gerraxia?” Chase asked.
Santa spent a moment thinking. “Let’s just say I knew I could count on her.”
Nova asked, “Did you find any clues?”
Santa slowly nodded and then took a seat near Nova’s desk. “First, Krampus escaped this time by using a piece of Legion tech. A holomorphic imager.”
“Legion tech?” Chase said. “I thought BADGE had gathered up all the remaining debris and tech from Legion.”
Nova said, “I guess we missed something. The real question is, how did Krampus get it?”
“He didn’t have it when I froze him into that prison after he escaped last Christmas.” Santa pointed out.
Gar said, “Then someone brought it to him.”
“Yes.” Nova said and stared at a map, “Someone out there has Legion tech and a plan that involves using a Mythic.” He spent a moment in silence as no one said anything. Finally, he asked, “what else?”
Santa said, “We followed trails all over the planet. Krampus is good, but normally I can find him. This time, he was nearly impossible to locate. Trails led to dead ends all over the world. Then he utterly vanished. However, Gerraxia came up with something toward the end of our last trail in Russia. A man was gruesomely murdered in a gemstone facility.”
“Can you be certain it was Krampus’s work?” Chase asked.
Santa curled his upper lip slightly. “I recognize his work. Yes, it was certainly something he did. However, it made little sense. By their records, he stole nothing. The only thing we discovered was that this man had recently purchased a rare shard of a gem and was on his way to have it assessed at this facility. That gem was nowhere to be found.”
Gar said, “So, Krampus stole a gem? But I thought he ate children, and that was his thing.”
“No. That is a myth.”
Chase said, “But, last year, he was threatening to eat children, lots of them if I recall correctly.”
“He was just using that sordid myth to scare people. Oh, he would have likely killed a lot of children last year had the heroes not stopped him. He is quite evil. However, he doesn’t feast on them.”
Nova spoke up, “About this gem. Do you have any details?” He was already working the map in front of him, changing things and opening windows on the screen.
Santa nodded. “Yes. Apparently, it was some kind of ruby that was nearly indestructible. I don’t know what it is...or rather was, but I’m sure it’s worth a fortune. Which makes even less sense. None of our kind really need money, even EB gives most of his away.”
Nova continued to work the screen in front of him. “This has nothing to do with money.” Suddenly the screen displayed the images of the destroyed museum in Argentina.
Chase and Gar looked at the video display. Chase said, “What about this museum? I thought we wrote this off as an accident or theft gone wrong?”
Nova nodded. “I sent the local League in to investigate possible supernatural activity and found nothing. However, the museum had only one stolen item.” He flicked the screen, and the image of a chunk of red stone came up from the museum’s records.
Santa stood up, a look of worry on his rosy face. “A ruby shard.”
Nova asked, “Do you have any idea what these are?”
“No.”
Nova touched a button on the screen and spoke, “Computer, scan all available media on Earth for any references to ruby shards, and indestructible ruby shards.
After a few moments, small dots appeared on the map. A running total crept up the side, showing locations and how they were mentioned. Museum after museum had these, a few collectors bought them at auction, and some were being studied by government labs.
Nova turned and looked at Chase, still in her evening gown. “Get ready, we will retrieve as many of these rubies as we can get. We need to study them.”
“What if they are just rubies?” Gar asked.
Santa said, “Krampus wouldn’t be going through all of this to collect stones. They are important to him.”
Nova finished the thought, “Which makes them important to us. No time to waste. Get out of that dress and on a transport back to Earth, I will send heroes to help you. I will also alert the leagues to keep their eyes open for signs of Krampus and his accomplice.”
“Accomplice?” Gar asked.
Santa said, “Someone broke him out of his ice prison. They are part of this. Trust me, no one in their right mind would help Krampus without an evil plot behind it. He is dangerous.”
Gar asked, “What about Quark? Will you send him to help?”
Nova walked over to the window and looked down to where the blue hero was cracking jokes with several ambassadors. “He’s newer to our team, but I know he can handle this. I will send him. He can make the trip quicker than you. Get going.”
***
Krampus slunk through the thick foliage near a museum in Melbourne, Australia. People were leaving after a big reveal party was over. Banners hung near the museum displayed the sizable chunk of ruby that was the newest addition to this smaller museum’s collection.
“Krampus, you in yet?” Skelanimal’s voice came through a small device.
Krampus waited a moment while a well dressed older couple strolled by toward their Porsche. After he was in the clear, he answered. “No. In a few moments, I will be. Don’t contact me until I send you a signal.” He tucked the device away.
A guard exited with the last guest and helped them to their vehicle. He returned to the door and opened it to lock it before he went back in for the night shift. Unbeknownst to him, an identical person now rose in the brush nearby. Krampus had assumed his identity and was ready with his claws to end this innocent man’s life.
Suddenly, a hero landed near the guard and spoke to him. Two more flew overhead and scouted the area.
“Damn.” Krampus hid again in the brush, this time transforming into a small child so he would be less noticeable. He pressed his thumb into the comm device. “We have problems.”
“What sort of problems?”
“Heroes.”
Skelanimal growled, “Kill them and get in there. Leave no witnesses.”
Krampus rolled his eyes hard, “And what if just one gets a word out to BADGE? Santa knows I’m out here, and they must know I’m after those shards. But they are still unaware of our location, your presence, or the reason. We can’t be foolish.”
“Fine. Get your hairy butt back here and we will figure this out.” The comm clicked off.
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