Silver Paladin flew with The Painless over several buildings, heading right for the green clad augment. The APS had the enemy distracted with clever cat-and-mouse tactics in the air. Other heroes fired at the villain from the ground or air. Most of the heroes were keeping their distance. When they ganged up on him, he would use some kind of force wave to scatter them all over the place.
“Should we get this close?” Silver Paladin asked.
The Painless sneered with a glint of anger in his eyes. “I want to put a boot up this guy’s arse. Hang back if you want to.”
“I’m all in.” Silver said.
Both sped up and met the green villain with a double punch to the back. The enemy was flung forward and came face to arm with Gar, who clothes-lined the man. The villain tumbled out of the sky.
The APS went after the falling hero while Silver Paladin paused. “Gar... what are you doing here? I didn’t think…” suddenly Gar spoke with a female voice.
“It’s me, Madam Marvelous.”
“Oh, makes sense. Good work. You nailed him.”
“With a little help. Now, let’s go kick this jerk’s butt.”
They dashed for the ground where several heroes had converged on the fallen enemy. He would gather energy to respond to their attacks, but before he could use it, someone else shot or punched him. It became a tennis match between The APS and The Painless as they punched the man back and forth.
“Looks likes he’s gonna be minced meat.” Madame Marvelous, still appearing as Gar, said.
Silver huffed, “Not good.” He swooped down, shooting a white beam of energy that knocked the Augment clear of the other heroes. This last attack sent him down.
The APS yelled, “SILVER! WHY’D YOU DO THAT, WE HAD HIM!”
Silver answered, “Nova said bring him alive.”
“Oh...uh...right.”
Madame Marvelous landed near the fallen enemy. “Uh, guys, something isn’t right.” She knelt down, seeming to speak with the green augment on the ground.
_
Across town, nearer the Capital Building, the pair of augments were going round after round with the
“They’re weakening!” Lumpsum yelled out.
Skynett said, “good! You get blue, I got red!”
They each got to a villain and flew around them to distract them. Lumpsum got one excellent shot and sent the blue villain flying backward. The red villain dodged an attack by Skynett and kicked the hero square in the face. Skynett turned to respond when a thrown Might Glove hit the villain in the head.
Chromatic death stood on a nearby rooftop, laughing. “BEST USE OF THAT PIECE OF CRAP TODAY!”
The two villains quickly regrouped and were charging with energy. However, just as they were about to unleash hell, Midgardsomr grabbed one by the leg and use him like a bat to slam the other directly into the pavement. He then threw the other straight down, crashing him into his compatriot, creating an even larger hole.
“THAT’S FOR USING ME YOU PATHETIC MORTALS!”
Skelanimal rushed up to the two slammed villains and grabbed the top one and started beating the man still in the hole with him. “I...don’t…like...being...used. I...ain’t...no….villain….!” Each word constituted yet another slam of one body against another.
“STOP!” Nova jumped out of a hovering BADGE shuttle. His voice boomed in an unnatural way, causing all the heroes, even Skelanimal and Midgard, to come to a standstill. “I said to take them alive.”
He walked over with Chase at his side. Chase asked, “are they dead?”
Skelanimal dropped the man he was using as a weapon. “They’re still breath’n.”
Nova pointed at the hole. “Get them up. I want restraints on them now.”
Gar landed near and said, “Director...the media is already here.”
Nova looked up and saw several helicopters coming way too close. In fact, several flying heroes had to get out of their way. “Great, just what we need.” Clicking on the comm, he said to the heroes. “Don’t interfere with the media. Do not answer any questions. Don’t give them any ammunition right now. Any hero not part of clean-up or security, get back to your HQ as soon as possible.”
Many heroes left the scene immediately. A few went to work clearing up the debris. Chase and Gar held morphonic restraints in their hands. Chase said, “get them up so we can put these on them.”
Skelanimal held one of the two villains up by his collar while Hotwings helped the other. Midgard remained present, in case these two became a threat.
“Good.” Nova ignored the helicopters getting even closer. “I want you to…”
“Please...what...what’s going...on?” The man in blue asked.
The man in red weakly looked up. “I am in so much pain. I can’t move...where am I?”
Chase gasped. “Oh, my god. They’re coming around.”
Just then, Silver Paladin arrived with another Gar carrying the green clad man.
“Nova, good. We have a problem. He’s talking to us.” Silver said.
Gar looked at himself. “But...who…” his doppelganger changed back into Madame Marvelous after setting down the green man.
Nova looked at the men. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I hope we’re seeing a reversal to whatever changed them.”
A great commotion stirred all the gathered heroes and media. Several dozen men in what appeared to be military garb rushed up. They wore insignia bearing the letters MHA.
“We are here to apprehend the villains, surrender them, Director Nova.”
Nova, who had a legion of heroes behind him, glared at these men. “Not a chance. Go back and tell your Judge Alpha that her jurisdiction is null and void, as I have found no record of it in any international or national agreements or treaties. I…”
“You must comply.” The commander ordered.
“I must do no such thing. I…”
“Who...what is…” the green man looked up.
“GO, GO, GO, THEY’RE ACTIVE!” The commander gave a signal, and the soldiers lifted bulky laser runs and fired. The villains were vaporized instantly.
“STAND DOWN AT ONCE! HOW DARE YOU!” Nova was taken aback and unable to construct a solid response.
Chase quickly held him back from approaching the men. “Those guns...those are the anti-morphon guns they used in North Onnotangu.”
Nova seethed while the surrounding heroes all grew extremely nervous. “International agreements ban those guns. I know, I wrote those agreements myself.”
“The MHA or World Court does not recognize your authority.”
While the other heroes were scared, both Midgard and Skelanimal looked like they were about to rip these people apart.
Nova said, “Stand down, everyone. Return to your HQ’s...NOW!” This last word sent the heroes, even Midgard and Skelanimal, away.
Once the heroes had left, Nova said. “Tell Judge Alpha this is far from over.” Without another word, he led both Chase and Gar back into the shuttle.
***
Three hours later, on the space station, Chase, Gar, and Nova watched a special speech from Judge Alpha. She spoke from her podium at the World Court. Behind her were images from the battle, most of them during the last few moments.
“It is with great sorrow we were proven correct. BADGE, in an attempt to conquer the United States of America, sent three of their so-called heroes to invade. When it appeared they would not get full capitulation, they pretended to battle these three heroes. This thinly veiled attempt at coercing the world to believe BADGE is legitimately in the business of protecting freedom and liberty was a complete farce. When the battle concluded, which cost both civilian and military lives as well as terrible property damage to the US capital, the culprits were seen being escorted back to BADGE. They are so brazen and arrogant that they didn’t think we’d see them helping their own after they play-acted this little incursion. We caught them red-handed. The troops of the World Corps arrived and dealt with the primary enemies. However, we were unable to fully stop BADGE. Let me say this. The World Corps does not believe that all heroes are evil or have nefarious plans. But, we cannot recognize the good from the bad, we must interrogate. Therefore, upon reviewing the evidence shown here, we have convinced nearly all nations to allow us to apprehend and interrogate the heroes within their borders. Do not worry, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. We will be fair and honest. When we are done, we will bring BADGE and their villains to justice. This I swear.”
Chase looked at the stoically silent Nova. “What do we do now?”
Nova said, “what we must.”
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