Director Nova walked out of the lift and into the Operations center. Chase stood in the center of the room in command and met him with an update.
“The kidnapping of people continues to rise and so far, the World Corps has released none of their detainees. One of the World Corps people just made a big speech about how League Wars is just another intimidation tactic of BADGE, showing superpowers to the world. It was a sick spin on the games and the politicians were eating it up.”
Nova stood next to her and watched the view screens with all the various news broadcasts. “Any good news to report?”
“Only that Ambassador Talos has been on the phone with his contacts in the UN about this. He is in the conference room on deck two.”
“That’s the best news yet.”
She asked, “what about Arx? Any luck getting new information from him?”
“No. We tried telepaths. There are a dozen telepathic people currently on the station, among all the refugees we are housing. None of them can get through his enhanced body.”
“What?”
Nova sneered, “those enhancements he got back when he turned himself silver gave him an invulnerability to energy weapons and most super powers. This is working against us. Our people aren’t able to get into his mind well enough. EB even tried giving him some magic eggs to eat.’
“What could eggs do?”
“EB had a good idea. He enchanted the chocolate to cause Arx to have a better memory. It wasn’t enough. He couldn’t remember enough details to give us any clues to follow.”
A robot announced. “Analysis complete. Data ready. Director Nova, alert.”
Nova turned and said, “report.”
10915 looked at the main screen and a myriad of windows opened, with data sprawling across them. The face of the hero Chase met in North Onnotangu was in the center, and five other photos appeared around her. “Analysis complete.”
Chase looked at the photos with a deep frown. “She isn’t a hero at all. Look, she’s going to work. That’s a photo from what appears to be an office party.”
Nova pointed at the info sheet. “Her name is Susan Miller. She’s a schoolteacher at Barkwood Elementary in Featherville, Massachusetts. She has no previous record of even knowing she had morphonic abilities.”
“What is she doing working for the World Corps?”
“My guess is she has been augmented and brainwashed. The reports we got back from the Washington attack indicated the augments there were not in their own minds. When they became more lucid, they were confused.”
Chase said, “then their loyal little superhero army is nothing but a bunch of brainwashed augments?”
“That’d be my guess. They grabbed them off the streets long before this even started. Look, Susan was reported missing five months ago.”
“Oh, my god. If the UN gets wind of this...”
Just then, Ambassador Talos walked in through a door that led to the stairs. “Are my ears burning? Did someone mention the UN?”
“Yes. We have a situation that you need to bring to their attention.” Chase said.
Ben smiled, “you’ve given me many things to bring to them. I just got off the phone with the director of the Human Rights Council.”
“What did she have to say?” Nova asked.
Ben said, “Well, they share my concerns about the violations of human rights and are very willing to look into these cases. However, they are also worried about the potential of super villains hiding among your heroes. And, though you don’t want to hear this, it makes some sense.”
Chase said, “you can’t arrest everyone in a city just because one of them might rob a bank tomorrow.”
“I agree and said a very similar thing to her. But, you know bureaucracy, it never moves fast.”
Nova pointed to the screen. “We might have something that will expedite the bureaucrats.”
“What in heaven’s name is all that? Who is Susan Miller?”
Nova answered, “evidence that the organization that created the villains that attacked D.C. and the World Corps are the same.”
Nova spent a long moment explaining all the details of this new evidence. Ben had to take a seat and was in a sweat at the implications.
“You mean we’re dealing with the villains trying to tell us they are protecting us from other villains?”
Nova said, “that has been a ploy of evil since the earliest days of mankind. No better way to hide true evil than to pretend it is your only hope.”
Ben said, “I need more.”
“What?” Chase blurted out.
“What I mean is, I know these people. They will listen and some will immediately believe you. However, all it takes is one person to throw in a shred of doubt to the validity of your theory, and then the cogs of politics screech to a grinding halt.”
Nova looked back at the screen. “You are, unfortunately, correct. We need more than one case. We need more pictures of other augments to prove that the supers employed by the World Corps are all missing persons.”
Chase asked, “how? These people have been very clever in hiding themselves from any cameras. They block any media and local CCTV from getting photos.”
Nova pointed at 10915. “Robot, I want our system to scan all social media networks. I want pictures taken by cell phones, tablets, anything that has been uploaded by citizens. QUARK!”
There was a great blue flash, and Quark appeared. He had a bottle of sake in his hand. “Hey, I was in the middle of lunch.”
“Take it with you. I want you to get any photos of those gray heroes working for the World Corps. Do not engage them. In fact, it would be good if they never even knew you were there.”
Quark swigged down the rest of the sake and then tossed the bottle. Halfway to the floor, it transformed into a small duck and flew right over the Ambassador’s head.
Quark said, “Sounds like a plan. I couldn’t get anywhere with Arx. His stupid enhancement kept messing my powers up. I turned him into a giant turkey for a moment...but, then again, I guess that was redundant...ha!”
“Just get going.” Nova said, not giving Quark the satisfaction of a laugh.
In another blue flash, Quark was gone.
Ben stood up. “Arx? I thought he was dead?”
Nova said, “He has been our prisoner since his attack ended. He poses no threat to anyone.”
“Still, a little…uh…stunning to know he is still around. Anyway. I will see if any of my contacts out on the field have pictures of these augmented people.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Oh, look at the time. I have to get in there and set up the online meeting. Good luck.” He rushed back toward the stairs that led to the conference room below Operations.
“Incoming message from League Wars Orbital Arena.” A robot announced.
An image appeared on the screen from the League Wars arena. Chaz spoke to Nova. “The League Wars rounds have all finished. They’re about to get their trophies. Um, where are they supposed to go? Home or the station?”
Nova was quiet for a moment as he pondered this. “The situation down on Earth has only gotten worse. But I see no reason not to let them go home for now. Tell the Leagues to head back to their HQ’s and hunker down for now.”
“They aren’t gonna like that.” Chaz said as the heroes were partying behind him after the last round.
Nova answered. “They’ll have to live with it.”
“I’ll let the shuttle pilots know. Chaz Hamilton out.”
Nova turned to 10915. “Prepare a briefing video to show all the leagues to update them on the current situation on Earth. I don’t want any of our people in the dark. And let them know that staying out of sight is not a request, it’s an order.”
“Understood.”
Nova looked back at the screen. “The world is in great danger and I am forced to tell all the heroes to avoid helping. This is madness.”
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