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Posts: 1674
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Aboard the Defender…
The Superhuman Defense League ponders their next move as Bombshell pilots the stealth aircraft at subsonic speeds. The communicator on the console started beeping and Melanie put it on speaker for everyone to hear.
“Mark here, I have two locations on the tracer Midnight planted. It makes no sense.”
“What do you mean two locations?”
“Well the GPS shows one location in Washington D.C. and the other right here in Wayward City about a block and a half from Sentinel Tower actually.”
“Wait, how is that possible?” Alicia asked.
“They could have found the tracer and duplicated it. One or both locations could be decoys” Midnight stated.
“We can’t take that chance” Voltage said “we’ll have to split up and check both locations. Crimson Shield, Harbinger and I will go to D.C. while the rest of you head back to headquarters in the Defender.”
The hatch opened and Harbinger and the Crimson Shield both took flight while Voltage teleported on ahead. Midnight, Bombshell, and Ghost Ninja turned the jet toward Wayward City.
Meanwhile back at Sentinel Tower…
"This is great" Mark exclaimed "I have to tell the others. The drones all give off the same signal, where ever there is one we will be able to track them. But that means they are actuall in both locations..."
The alarm claxons blared to life in the Tower starting up the automated defense system. Mark went to work quickly at the computer terminal bringing up all the security cameras and putting them on the big screen in order to monitor them all at once. Gunfire sounded outside as the robot drones broke into the building. Gunslinger was leading them as they broke for the stairs and elevators.
“Damn it, there is no way the others will make it here in time I have to do something” Mark swore aloud as he bounded from the chair.
The automated laser cannons targeted the drones and fired away take them out one by one. The drones fired back however until all the cannons were out of commission. Gunslinger laughed at the pitiful attempts to slow his squad down and used his cybernetic legs to run up the stairs at top speed.
Mark quickly put together a makeshift suit of armor out of spare components lying around the armory. He uploaded the helmet with various sensors and visual enhancers while he grabbed a web-belt and filled up the pouches with various gadgets and devices.
He met the first wave of drones head on firing blasts from a micro EMP gun he attached to the arm of the suit. The electromagnetic pulse shut them down with a minimum of effort. The next wave fired their own energy rifles at him and he had to activate the electromagnetic field generator on his belt in order to deflect the blasts while the EMP recharged.
The sensors in Mark’s helmet alerted him to a form sneaking up from behind him. The thrusters in the suit rocketed him out of the way of a grenade as it exploded where he had just been standing. Then the Gunslinger entered the room and opened fire with his revolvers. The EM field easily deflected the bullets as Mark fired the EMP gun.
The Gunslinger leapt out of the way effortlessly and delivered a cybernetic punch sending Mark reeling backwards into a table. Then the Gunslinger picked Mark up by the neck and slammed him through a wall.
Back in D.C. on the grounds of the White House…
“Anyone else have a feeling of déjà vu?”asked Crimson Shield as he punched a drone in the face.
“We have to find and protect the President” Voltage urged as he struck one of the drones with a thunderbolt.
“No worries there” Harbinger chimed in “the President is safely aboard the chopper I think he’s being taken to Air Force One!”
“Good let’s hold them off until he’s safely away.”
Powerhouse fired off several blasts as his armor carried him into the air. Voltage fired back in his direction but the suits energy barrier simply absorbed the lightning. Then Powerhouse was off flying in the direction of the President.
“Don’t worry I’ve got him” Harbinger said flapping his wings faster in order to pick up speed as he trailed after the HARM agent.
As the winged warrior caught up with the armored menace he struck out with his sword watching it blaze to life as the fire struck the armor melting it about Powerhouse’s shoulders. The HARM soldier unleashed an energy pulse trying to knock Harbinger away from him.
Harbinger struck Powerhouse in the head with his sword cutting the helmet from the body armor. The man beneath the metal screamed in pain as the circuitry pulled away from his head and he lost control of the armor.
He plummeted to the Earth smashing into the concrete of the interstate. The armor protected most of his body but the lost of his mental link with the armor fried his brain. He began rambling off nonsense in between the screaming.
“How could this happen to Kyle Samson? This is impossible” Kyle screamed as he continued “Granger never said it would be this painful to separate me from my armor! He will pay for this, the Gunslinger will pay!”
With that last spurt he passed out from the pain and Harbinger lifted his body off the street and flew him to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile Voltage and Crimson Shield mopped up the rest of the drones before heading back to base.
Sentinel Tower, ten minutes earlier…
The Defender safely parked in the hanger, the team unloaded and ran towards the sound of battle. The lights flickered on and off as they climbed the stairs. Ghost Ninja simply phased through the floors making her way up to the top quicker than the others.
She saw the Gunslinger as he turned from throwing Mark through the wall and she slammed her fist into his neck only to feel pain as her knuckles broke. Bombshell and Midnight arrived just then and the three of them surrounded the HARM leader cutting off any retreat.
First Bombshell struck him with an energized punch that sent him stumbling backwards. Ghost Ninja kicked him in the back of the leg dropping the Gunslinger to his knees. As the Gunslinger fired off a couple of shots Midnight shot out his grappling cables. They caught hold of the revolvers and he yanked them from the Gunslinger’s hands.
Voltage teleported in instantly and hit the cyborg with a massive thunder-punch sending the robotic man’s circuitry into overload! The HARM leader went down for the count.
Epilogue…
News reporters on television are talking about HARM “three of HARMs supposed leaders were captured earlier this week and are now being detained in a federal superhuman holding facility fifty miles off the eastern coast of Rhode Island. Karl Granger, a former agent of the U.S. government, previously believed dead was the first test subject of the Man of Tomorrow project which was thought destroyed during Vietnam. His compatriots Kyle Samson, former weapons engineer for the Russian KGB and Jack Savage, a mercenary working in the employ of Germany are also being questioned by authorities.”
Hercules Cole shut off the television and turned toward his fellow super humans “we did good work out there this week people and we owe it all in part to our friends John Dark and Mark Watson. I would like to extend to them an invitation to join the team” turning to John he added “I do hope this time you will accept the offer.”
John replied “I think I will take you up on that this time, thank you, as for Mark…”
“I accept” Mark finished “just one question…”
Hercules cut him off this time “yes you can have a superhero name. Considering your extensive knowledge of computer systems how does the name, Mainframe, sound?”
“Well” Harbinger spoke up “seeing as how you have just acquired two new members what I have to say will be a little bit easier. I need to leave. Finding the Cadmarian power sword reminded me of my true mission. I already know that the Russian Kremlin has in his possession one of the swords. I need to get that one and search for the others. So I must take my leave.”
With those final words Luther Vanguard unsheathed his sword and sprouted his wings then took flight leaving the Sentinel Tower for what very well could be the last time.
Alicia Martin also stood up visibly shaking as she started to speak “I don’t like to make any more trouble, but I too must go. I have left my responsibilities to my former master linger too long. The Shadow Dragon Clan is still out there and a threat to this world. I need to find them and put a stop to their plans. Taking on HARM made me realize that these organizations truly are a menace that needs to be stopped. I must go.”
With that she vanished from sight so that her teammates could not see the tears that now trickled down her face as she vacated the Tower.
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