RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Writer's Block Hero Revolution [Selling Out] #6

"Ummm, Sam. Come and see this."

Sam looked at it and saw himself, looking irritated and tired.

"Hey!!! That´s me!"
"Yes. It seems to have been taken at the airport in Mandelovia when we arrived."
"Okay, but how the(unwritable) could he have that in his posession? And who photographed us anyway?"

The place: 56 Oakwood Avenue, Puerta Mibela, La Perdita:

The last month had been a busy one for the Revolutionaries. They were now settling in nicely in their apartment building on La Perdita island and since their decision to set up a consulting business almost a month ago they had wasted no time in refurbishing the used parts of the apartment building, including a small training facility in the basement level. The group had begun to jokingly refer to the apartment building as the "Hero Headquarters, version 2.0," as their original traveling circus "headquarters" was now only part of history.

The former landlord office on the first floor had been enlarged (by knocking down a few walls to adjoining unused aparments) and transformed into the main office for MBL Consulting. Kit Piper had his own cozy little office, and Shirley Francis took a job as secretary. She was glad to be getting out from under Mick's shadow and doing something for herself again.

A website for the company was still being worked on by Dr. Quantos, but the good doctor -- now employed collectively by the Hero Revolution Foundation set up with the money Pete gave to the group to finance the team -- was in constant communication via his computer linkup and made his own recommendations on building requirements and equipment needed for this new venture. He stayed away from the business end of things, since that was not his field but Kit's.

Kit Piper had carefully designed an advertising campaign which would conceal the identities of the Revolutionaries, as per the group's request, while aiming it directly at those who both might have potential problems to solve and who could pay for the services of this unique consulting firm. The group's metahuman status was not mentioned nor alluded to, since that was still a touchy subject in many countries around the world.

Meanwhile, each individual member of the "Hero Revolution" had begun to grow accustomed to La Perdita. Each had found their own little niche in Puerta Mibela and were beginning to become known among the city's community of various ethnicities. Most had found their favorite places to go when they needed some time alone to think. Some had made friendships with some of the Perditans. And some had even found love...

But most had merely gotten a suntan. It was like vacation for them as they waited for their first client to hire them. They weren't expecting much, to be sure, but they had expected something quite different than the man who passed out before their door this rainy day almost a month after they had escaped Mandelovia to move here...

***

"Hey, pally! Wake up!"

The stranger named Biggles opened his bleary eyes to look up at a rather ugly little man who looked like a bum. He thought he must have been left out on the street again, and he looked around. Strangely enough, he was inside where it was warm, and this little guy was trying to wake him up.

"Wh-what happened? Where--?"

"Yer at 56 Oakwood, buddy," said Pete.

"Where are my clothes?" Biggles said as he looked down, expecting to see his wet khaki shirt and trousers, but instead he found himself dressed in a warm bath robe.

"Dey're in the laundry. You all right? You don't look so good."

"My head. It aches," the man groaned, trying to get up.

"Just keep sittin', buddy. Ya hit yer head. But that ain't the least o' yer problems."

"You have a bit of explaining to do," said Larry Lance, as he and a few others walked up.

"Where'd you get this picture?" demanded Sam. He held up a photograph of himself, taken from a distance, apparently with a zoom lens. "Why have you been spying on me? Have you been following us for very long? We want answers!"

"Yes, and not just about the photograph," said Mick. "I've seen the movies, and I know that those black candles you're carrying is occult stuff. Is what you're into the reason you're following us? Or is it more?"

"I'm just... just looking for my sister," sighed Biggles as he resigned himself; he'd have to explain everything in order to explain the photograph and the candles. It wouldn't be easy. "I was hoping you people could help. Someone recommended you to me."

"We're listening," said Lance.

Biggles sighed again and began to tell his story...

[ 05-16-2002: Message edited by: TheTimeTrust ]

"Kit?" called Shirley from the outer office. "Doc Q's on the vid-phone."

"Thanks, Shirley," Kit replied, and then he punched a key on his computer screen. "So how goes it, Doc?" he said into his computer screen, smiling like a cobra.

The face of Dr. Henry Quantos appeared on his screen. "Well, the security systems appear to be in working order. You should be able to test them and possibly put them in to use today. Security camera C in the basement, however, keeps shutting down for some reason. I'll put in a notice to your electricians to check for faulty wiring, or a possible problem with the camera itself. Oh, and I've also been shopping around for the best price on a used military hovercra--"

"Yeah, but... how are you doing, man?" Kit interrupted. "We haven't really talked, you know?"

"I'm... I'm doing fine, thanks," replied Quantos.

"Doc... Henry... Hank," Kit said. "Hank... baby... I've been in business long enough to tell when someone's bothered by something. Now tell me, what is it? Is it me? Can I do anything to help you out? Tell me, what?"

"Well..."

"Yeah?"

"Frankly, Mr. Piper--"

"Hank, call me Kit!"

"Only if you call me 'Doc' or 'Dr. Quantos,' Kit..."

"OOkay... now, you were saying, Doc?"

"Frankly... Kit... I do have my concerns about your background. I've been doing some checking into your past, and I've discovered you have a criminal record."

"Oh, that. It's nothing. I got into some trouble while I was a kid in Detroit. A couple of stolen cars. It's completely behind me."

"It says here that you've also been arrested three times for confidence schemes."

"I was young and foolish, Doc! I didn't know anything about the business world back then; I grew up on the streets."

"Well, you have managed to keep out of trouble since then, but... well..."

"Spit it out, Doc. I won't bite your head off."

"Look: I feel partially responsible for the situation these metahumans are in, which is partly the reason I agreed to sign on as the group's scientific advisor. But I hadn't planned on getting into a small business scheme run by -- pardon the expression -- a so-called 'con-man with a heart of gold'..."

"Oh, Doc, there's nothing to worry a--"

"Let me finish. I'd been working for Malvan-X as head of the Research Department since 1985, and during those years I did a few things that I regret. I'm sorry to say that my desire for scientific knowledge and the company's desire for new areas of exploitation many times superseded both my own ethics and the professional ethical code. Frankly, by the time Malvan-X went bankrupt I was glad to be out of there, and I was also glad to be in a position to offer my assistance to a struggling band of metahumans in their 'social revolution'...

"But after Ciccioto's death and this new capitalist venture I have a great deal of concern as to where this is going. My concern is that you, Kit, are trying to exploit these metahumans' abilities for your own profit. Yes, I am aware that you are basically their employee since they are the principal shareholders, but it seems to me that this is counterproductive to the original goal of making the world safe for metahumans."

"*sigh* Doc, I can understand your concerns. Really I do. But right now, the truth is, these wonderful men and women need something to keep them occupied. They've been on the run since day one, you know? It's only been recently that they've even had a chance to have some down-time. And they're finally getting back on their feet and taking control of their own destiny instead of getting their destiny handed to them. And as far as metahuman rights goes, man, I'm probably in a better position than you could ever be to understand what 'second citizen' means.

"I grew up as a black man in a country where we had to FIGHT for our civil rights. But along with the fighting we had to get up on our own two feet and make something of ourselves just to show the world we could... that all men really are created equal. You know what I'm saying? This 'MBL Consulting' isn't just some quick get-rich money-making scheme, Doc. It's a chance for a group of metahumans to prove their worth, one case at a time. They need to prove their worth to themselves before they can prove it to the world. Most of these guys are just kids, and they don't even know themselves, let alone their powers, all that well yet. Let 'em use this company as a training ground to figure out how they can work together to do good. Otherwise this whole 'hero revolution' thing is dead before it ever starts, and we might as well hang up the towels right now."

Dr. Quantos was silent for a few moments. Finally he spoke: "I see what you mean... Kit. Maybe you're right."

"Thank you for bringing your concerns to me, Doc. I couldn't do this without you."

"Well, I've got to go. I have another client to conference with. Talk to you later."

"Seeya, Doc. And thanks again!"

"Bye."

Quantos' face disappeared from the screen, and Kit Piper sat back in his chair and lit a cigar. "Baby..." he said, grinning, "...I still got it."

[ 05-16-2002: Message edited by: TheTimeTrust ]

"Don't worry Mr Biggles we'll find your sister?!" Mick yelled at Larry after they left the room where Mr Biggles was sitting "You just took a case without consulting anyone else!"

"Ah, shut up, 'Maddie'! We've been waiting for something like this to come up for a while, haven't we?" Larry said to Mick as they started walking up the stairs.

"Yeah!" Sam added "Besides, it sounded like a piece of cake to me..."

"But, don't you think we should have talked to someone else before taking the case?" Mick asked.

"Someone else?" Larry asked.

"Like who?" asked Sam.

"I don't know, like... someone... wiser... or something..."

"Pete was there!" Sam said.

"Ok, I see what the deal is... You wanted Kristogar's approval because you're afraid he's gonna get mad for this!" Larry said.

"That, too" Mick said, scratching his head.

"I can't believe you're scared of Velo!" Larry said.

"Well, he is kinda spooky..."

"Yeah, we just gotta find one little girl, right?"

"Ahhh, yeah." Mick said, still feeling a little weird.

"Well, there is also that cult..." Larry said, his tone a little lower.

"We just escaped a ruthless country and fought off savage canibals, how hard can a little cult be?"

"You seem way to happy about this man." Mick blurted out, "I mean, do you want to get killed, ah, never mind."

"Guys, us three can do this case, no problem." Sam looked at Mick and Larry, "Look, lets show the others how its done, set an early example. We'll be back before anyone even notices us gone."
After a short pause he asked again, "well?"

"Why not." Larry answered, "Mick?"
"I guess,"

Larry and Sam look at what he's looking and see Kristogar approaching the building from the street.

"...oh shit he caught us I knew it we're dead I knew..." Mick mumbled.

"Where are you going?" Kristogar asked as he got closer to the guys and noticed they were getting into the car.

"W-We... We just... We are..." Mick said nervously.

"...going to test this baby!" Larry said putting his hadn on the car's windshield "Yup, this beauty's been locked on the garage for about a week now... What a waste! Right, Sammy?"

"Right!" Sam answered.

"Take care of it, it's an expensive car. Don't take it for too long" Kristogar said.

"Oh, we're gonna be back for dinner" Sam said.

Kristogar started walking to the front door. Mick was about to wipe the sweat off his forehead, when Kristogar suddenly turned to him.

"Mick?" Kristogar said, looking at him.

"Y-Yes...?"

"You're sweating. Take it easy, man" Kristogar said, and then he walked into the building.

"OFF TO THE ISLANDS!" Lance yelled, starting the car...

Larry Lance pushed his foot down to the floor, wind blasting the car. Sam stood up, over the windshield, his hair blowing into the wind. He raised his hands in the air, "WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, before catching a glimse of Michelle from the corner of his eye, she walked down a path, holding hands with Clark. Sam fell back down into his seat, changing into the appearnce of Larry. Michelle turned spotting the speeding car, looking at the twins in the front, curious as to why she just hear a fimilar voice.

"We past them yet?" Sam asked, slumpted in his seat.

"Ah, who? The cute girl?" Larry asked, now just spotting Sam's "new" look, "Wow, good disguise. A very handsome choice of appearence I must say."

Mick just watched the two, wondering if they would all die before even confronting the cult, or returing to Velo and the others afterwards.

"Whew! I really 'ad ta go! Don't nobody go in dere right now, or ya might pass out. So whadda we gonna do 'bout this case, huh? I think we should take it..."

He looked around. Everyone was gone.

"Guys? Guy-uyys! Hey, wher'dey go? Huh. They must'a gone off huntin' fer that guy's sister. Damn, I'm allays bein' left behind... An' dey fergot ta pick up these special instructions from Biggles for the case. Oh well..."

[ 05-16-2002: Message edited by: TheTimeTrust ]

Ma Kalunga tore open the goats stomach and heaved out the entrails.
The stink filled the room but the watchers concentrated on the words of Ma Kalunga.

"The faceless one is on his way.
They travel fast and have formed a trinity.
One holds a big secret, one has a great fear, and one isn´t what he seems...............Beware the "Other" from within on of them."

Her trance ends, and the participants gather around her and they all start to humm and rock back and forth.

I was walking across the infinite corridors of the headquarter, directed to the training facility, when I found a book, left on a shelf, like it has been read and then forgotten.

It’s the first book I saw from a long time, so I took and brought it here, to my compound; stangely enough, it is a book from a man of my country, albeith from a long, long time ago.

The Prince, by Machiavelli.

I had studied it when I was in High School. Well, I should have studied it, but at the time I was more interested in athletics and girls, so I didn’t remembered anything about it.

Now I am reading it avidly, although it is a book that suits, I think, Walker’s morality better than mine.

But just before the ends, on the last page, four lines, the last four lines set fire to my heart.

quote:

---

From “The Prince” by Niccolò Machiavelli

Virtue against fury shall advance the fight,
And it i' th' combat soon shall put to flight;
For the old Roman, valour is not dead,
Nor in th' Italians' breasts extinguished.

---

The exhortation to liberate Italy from the barbarians.

What a coincidence. Machiavelli wrote the book five centuries ago to incite the people of my country to get rid of the foreigner that ruled over Italy. Now, after nearly five hundred years, there are evil men ruling over my new, adopted nation. The metahumans nation.

It’s time for the rebellion.

It’s time for the Revolution.

End interlude

The corridor floors in the EPS compound shone brightly clean.
The smell of cleaning aids was still lingering, and not a sound could be heard.
The cold glow of neon lights in the ceiling gave the place a sterile ambience, a place void of emotion.

It was in one of these corridors a sneaking figure who ever so slowly walked with her back pressed against the wall, would set events in motion that would change the life of Eurostar forever.

The girl with blond curly hair, red leather jacket, shorts and boots, carried two guns in each hand and a weird looking metallic backpack.
She had the look of determination in her eyes.
"How far away is he?"
"You have to pass the next door with two guards." a reply came from her ear piece.
"Remember, all you have to do is give him the means...then get yourself out of there."
"Yeah, I got it Boss. Relax, he´s in good hands. Over and out."

A laugh broke the silence, and a man with a rough whisky sodden voice said;
"...and I said, that´s no baguette! Bwuahahahahawhauauaua!!!"

She paused at the corner of the corridor, checked her guns, and then suddenly just walked up to the two guards who were laughing their heads off.

"Hi boys. I know two good jokes as well...and you´re it."

The shots were silent but effective.
The two men died instantly with a look of stupid surprise and a hole in each forehead.
Blood sprayed the heavy dark-metallic door behind them, making it look even more sinister.

She quickly grasped a small gadget out of her side pocket on the backpack and pressed it against the lock.
A whirring sound and the door opened.
Without pausing she hurried down the vaguely lit corridor, and at the end she saw the sign; LIVING QUARTERS.

That door proved to be even simpler and she tip-toed into the reception lounge.

A few voices could be heard from what seemed to be a training facility, but she hurried past the open doorway and continued to the private apartments.

Suddenly a door opened into the corridor and a man stepped out.
"I want that Animal Man project´s complete profile in the morning, Curie."
"No problem Doctor. It´s done allready. You´ll get it first thing."

The girl activated her backpack, and she shimmered into nothingness.
The two characters walked straight through her, not seeing her or feeling her presence.
The Gaia-Unit had done it´s job as usual. keeping her in between quantum particles that make up reality as we know it.

Once they had passed she returned to our dimensional continuum and walked carefully towards the end of the corridor, listening for any more nasty surprises.

At the last door, she knocked.
The door opened and she said:
"Hi there handsome, I´m Crasher.

[ 05-19-2002: Message edited by: T5 ]

Turner laughed to himself as he viewed the monitors in front of him.

A little blonde was able to walk right through Walker without him even noticing her.

Priceless.

It appeared that she was moving right for the Italian Hero's Room, to break him free? This would soon get more interesting.

Turner sat back, not pressing the alerm but watching, finally entertained.

The water was a beautiful blend of green and blue, clear to the bottom.

Sam pulled a map from the glove compartment, "Ok, out of all the possible Islands, the only one I could see this cult keeping hidden on would be this one." Sam pointed to the smallest Island, almost shaped like a skull. "It is the most undeveloped Island, or atleast was a few years ago, it is also believed to be haunted, or some other urban legend like that."

"Cult? Haunted Island? We did we decide to do this case alone again?" Mick asked only to be answered by Larry with a tilt of the head and open palms.

"You worry too much man, let loose."

"Ahhh, sure... MXY! Howdy"

Sam and Larry just strugged their shoulders.

Wait... it's the girl from the Zoo. Months ago, here in Chicago.

"I remember you, lady. Why are you here?" I ask, whatching in every direction fearing the arrival of guards, or, worst, of Lochlan.

"I'm here to free you. You are needed out, not here. Get ready, I will take you out!"

I smile. A sad smile. "Crusher, I can leave this place all by my own means, there's no way anybody can stop me!"

The girl looks at me, puzzled. "The kid, right?!" she whispers.

"No, I think I could even take the kid without being stopped. It's me that don't want to leave!" I explain.

"But why? The voices that you have allied with these idiots are true?"

"No, far from truth. They have somehow forced me to do some filthy acts, but I hope that’s behind.”

“So?”

“Ehe” I laughs, watching the tiles under our feet. Then I raise my head, and look at her directly in her eyes. “I’m in love, lady. I’m in love with an EPS agents with mental powers, that keeps me chained to this place!”

The girl opens her eyes wide, then begin to laughs. “Oh dear, this is unbelievable! What I have to do? Kidnap you?”

I wonder at those words. “I... don’t know...” I babble.

Then she says something at first I don’t understand, then I notice she is talking into a microphone, to a remote location: “Boss, this is not what I expected. We have to rethink the operation. I am out”.

She makes a step toward the door, then turns back to me: “I will be back, soon!”

I take her hand. “Don’t fear for the Revolution. I’m working for it right now!”

On the face of the girl appears a sarcastic smile. She waves her right hand, and disappears.

After a minute, I spot Lochlan and two guards coming toward my place.

I don’t want to talk, so I turn into air and disperse along the corridors...

A young man hides behind a screen of shrubs, talking into a small mouthpiece: "This is Giorgio, I've jumped downstream and located the bio-signature of the lost agent. It seems that she has found her double just before her death at the hand of a demon. Yes, I said a d.e.m.o.n.
The agent has taken the place of her double, but it seems she's possessed by the demonic entity. I await further instructions".

Then, a just arrived police car lights the place, Girgio disappears.

The two policemen walks to the middle of a green, to found the dead corpse of a tall young woman, with oriental features. The name on his identity card reads Nadja Ljzavet.

“Who are you?”

“I am the Ghost”

“That Ghost?”

“That Ghost”.

“They say you have died, and many other say that you have betrayed your own kind”.

“That’s… not the truth. Believe only what you see”.

“Why did you came?”

“I have seen you and your people. I have seen your life. I have seen your place. The life you must live in order to survive cries at the eyes of God. There are evil forces that want to use our kind for their own filthy schemes. The time has come to put an end to all this.”

“How?”

“Do not hurry. I will be back soon”.

“Nae... ehm... “ the girl seems uneasy. “Nae, Tobias told me many interesting things about the time before I joined your group. I was wondering if what he told me was really the truth. Were you really a winged blue angel, then? Are you really five persons into one? You know, that things makes me really curious...”

“Naecken’s face is perfectly still, no expression appears on it. “So, the time has come...” he whispers.

“What do you means?” asks Sonja, somehow alarmed.

“He means that we know the truth, Sonja Ljzavet!” It’s the voice of Kristogar Velo, who has just entered in the room.

“What truth?”

“Who you are, your mission, your works...”

“...”

“Sonja Ljzavet, Russian Army Paranormal Research Agency (RAPRA), in charge of a mission to discover the outcome of a nuclear incident happened last year off the cost of Halè Island, Malaysia. An incident that involved the fight of an angel and a demon near the SS Mindoro, a luxury cruiser. An incident that, by the way, has created our friend here, Naecken.” Kristogar Velo was observing Sonja’s coldly.

“There was no need to spy on me, Lady. You could have asked...” says Naecken, somewhat sad.

“How do you know...” whispers Sonja.

“Easy. Thanks to our connection with Doc Quantos, now we can tap into any secret computer networks. It’s a sort of virus developed by Malvan X. The Lexicon. We now have complete access to any world country military database.”

Sonja’s not sporting her usual boldness. She takes her head within her hands, and shakes it. “No, it shouldn’t have happened. No, not with you...”

Sonja is dressing with shorts and a top. And Naecken and Velo watch amazed as her tattoo disappears from the body. Suddenly a strong winds spins trough the room, growing steadily into a true tornado, that sends furniture, papers, books all over the place, breaks the windows glass, scraps the plaster from the walls.

And a huge, red, horned demons appears. “ANGEL, I WILL DRAP YOUR SKIN OVER MY BODY!” he shouts.

"The Prince" CHAPTER XIX
That One Should Avoid Being Despised And Hated

…I wish to discuss briefly under this generality, that the prince must consider, as has been in part said before, how to avoid those things which will make him hated or contemptible; and as often as he shall have succeeded he will have fulfilled his part, and he need not fear any danger in other reproaches…

Charles Elias Walker sits behind his desk, reading over a mixture of files from recent events. The letters EPS are bold along the top with a subtle white trim, short for ENHANCED PROCUREMENT SANCTION, no other words on the cover stand out, none of true importance. Turning the page, his name is at the top, followed by the numbers 2B01. His bio is not of much importance to himself, having read it over dozens of times in denial of what he truly is.

The next page is titled with the name William Marcy Tweed, number 2B02. Walker’s first captive. His first solider. Tweed is strong and well built for a man of his age. His metagene allows for him to become invisible to the human eye and lets him become totally intangible. Tweed was once the Kingpin of crime for the criminal underground in and around the Chicago area, but things changed, his ego got the best of him. Like all great kings, he fell.

Tweed is in the gym, sculpting his body with excessive lifting. His concentration is solid as his mussels contract lifting the huge weight high into the air.

It makes him hated above all things, as I have said, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain.

Vidalia Owens, number 2B03. Seductive and deadly. Owens' metagene allows for empathic and slight telepathic goads into the minds of those around her. On occasion, she's been known to make people change their minds about their deepest convictions. A powerful ally and solider. Should be kept out of direct combat, as to avoid weakening of her power, but should always be on the sidelines, changing the feelings of the enemy.

Owens works in the hydroponics station, enjoying the down time with the plants she loves. Possible the only love she shall ever really know and be content with. There is a sadness within, something she will never show on the outside.

It makes him contemptible to be considered fickle, frivolous, effeminate, mean-spirited, irresolute, from all of which a prince should guard himself as from a rock…

Andrew 'Andy' Reynolds, 2B04. Loose cannon. Emotions easily manipulated. Strong ally. Will not go rogue. Finally sees the EPS as his home and will fight to keep it.

Reynolds is lounging in one of the few reck rooms. He presses the button on the remote control, changing the channel.

…he should endeavour to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity0, and fortitude; and in his private dealings with his subjects let him show that his judgments are irrevocable, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him.

John Doe, 2B05. Everything once known about this captive can be thrown out. Cole Lochlan. Will do anything to win a fight. He’ll kill without doubt or remorse. One of the main reasons metas should not only be feared, but held captive and killed. He is in check for now, but at the first chance he gets, he’ll rebel once again. Killing me without a second thought. One could only wonder what fun he would have if given possession of little Eddie. I bet Ciccioto would love that.

Cole removes his shirt, bandages still cover his ribs, busted from his defiance of Walker. He grins and jumps high into the air, landing in one of the Olympic sized pools in the Headquarters.

Turner, 2B06. A super-solider made by the MCCA to lead their division of looking over Metas and keeping them in check. Cloned from the blood of MCCA Director Richard Stephen to take over after his passing. Turner is powerful but can be kept in check by info provided from secret MCCA files. Knowing how he was built shows his weakness to be contained. Power limit unknown, skill unbelievable. Must be kept in check.

Turner’s room is empty, a book is missing from his personal library.

Tom B. First, 2B07. Proved too unstable and handed back over to Tri-Vex for captivity. Not useful while in coma state. Showed signs of power. To be observed in future. Status, unknown: lost/missing/or/dead.

As Larry Lance boards a small boat, he gets a strange feeling, a flashback of his time in a coma, of a large complex. Something he hasn’t even had time to think about in recent weeks. But as quick as the memory hit, it was gone and would soon be forgotten.

Ciccioto, 2B08. The Eurostar, the revolutionary. Original powers included varying the density of his body from a very low ghost-like form, to a very high, near indestructible form. See files on revolutionaries for more info.

Ciccioto sat in his room, what he did was right, no? Staying to be with the one he loves, his connection with Vidalia. Also his son, his responsibility. Yes, what he did by staying was right. Just. Ciccioto picked up the book he found the night before, “The Prince.” Flipping through it he notices a message etched along the side, “not all as it seems.” A message for him? Ciccioto steps out of his room, a figure has been waiting for him.

That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty.

For this reason a prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects,

“You?” the Eurostar asked, “Did you leave me this message?”

The man once known as Agent Turner simply nodded his head, he had disabled the camera over Ciccioto’s room hours before.

“After all that has happened, why would YOU want to help me.”

“You might not expect this, but we both have something in common. In our own ways we have helped the world, and this prison suits either of us. I am offering a truce, when the time comes I offer my help in exchange for the same.”

“You are sick if you think I shall trust you,”

“You know that you would not be able to escape here alone, not with Eddie at least.” The confidence in Turner’s voice was strong, “And while you can handle your own against most of the EPS, you still fear Lochlan. Lochlan fears me. When the time comes, you disable my chip, I protect you from Lochlan.”

Eurostar was silent, not knowing how to respond.

Turner tiped his fedora in Ciccoto’s direction and parted with a few words, “…when the time comes.”

…the other from without, on account of external powers.

Tobias relaxed in the groups new Complex, a few floors above him, Sonja had been confronted by Velo on the truth about her past and present actions.

Walker closes the booklet in front of him and smiles. Everything is in HIS control.

…hatred is acquired as much by good works as by bad ones, therefore, as I said before, a prince wishing to keep his state is very often forced to do evil; for when that body is corrupt whom you think you have need of to maintain yourself- it may be either the people or the soldiers or the nobles- you have to submit to its humours and to gratify them, and then good works will do you harm.

[ 05-20-2002: Message edited by: GoozX ]

"Get out of here!!!" yells Naecken as he stumbles on his knees with the demon in his right hand.
"Tell the others to use their abilities to contain the damage. I will try to take this fight outside..."

And with a grunt, he heaves his body out of the window and crashes on to the already rain cracked pavement.
The demons claws rip into Naecken, who is surprised that anything could actually hurt his tough skin.
A vague memory about something forced into his forehead emerges, but fades away.

The roars from the demon makes all the windows open and onlookers scream at the sight of the combatants.

Naecken realises this isn´t going as well as he had planned.
So stood up and let go of the demon´s neck.
The demon quickly blasted Naecken with more hell fire.
But Naecken ripped the roof of a nearby car, and threw it at the demon, like a frisbee.
The sharp metalic edge of the roof cut the head of the demon.
But the demon still roared, and the body ran towards it´s head, to pick it up.

When suddenly it stopped...
The head grimaced in both pain and surprise...

"Yaaaaaiii!!!...Something calls...pulls me away from here!!! The pain!!! The darkness!!! AAaaaaeeeaaaahhhh!!!!!"

And with a scream that would be remembered by children for years, the head and the body disappeared into the rainy skies of the ocean.

Inside the house a young woman fell to the floor, once again herself, after being trapped with this cold entity.

"Aha. A boat rental is located on the beach ahead. Should we try it?...See if it´s open?"

"We might as well, but tell the guy we´re going for a diving cruise. That will keep him from asking to many questions we don´t want to answer." said Larry calmly.

They all strolled happily down the steep stone stairs, still slippery from the nights rainfall.

The rental looked scruffy, but the boats seemed to be in good shape.

A small dark man with a pot belly and a straw hat emerged from the hut with a glistening smile...

"A helicopter was today shot down over the border to Canada today while it tried to illegaly enter American airspace.
But strangely enough no crew were to be found in the wreckage, found by the search teamLocal police say that they will cocordinate with the border patrol to see if any members of the helicopters crew could have escaped on foot from the crash, even though that would be incredible."

A more positive report has emerged from Italy today that says that crimerate in the country has decreased with almost forty six percent. No explaination can be found except a lot of known criminals have suddenly seemed to turn a new leaf and are now turning themselves in.
Maybe it´s the country´s wonderfull pasta...or the nice beaches...who knows?
And that brings us to the weather..."

“How’s her?” asks the tall dark skinned being.

“ Physically, she’s fine” says Kristogar. “But she obviously is suffering a serious breakdown”.

“I will call a doctor” exclaims Shirley.

“Yeah, and call Quantos, ask if he could make an exception to his policies and come here. I suspect we’ll need him. Shirley, please, help her to go to bed. We’ll wait outside the door”.

After a few minutes the weeping stops. Shirley opens the door, coming out and saying: “She sleeps now; I will call the doctor”.

*BANG*

The heroes runs inside the room. It’s empty, like it should have been, but Sonja is on the floor, blood coming out from a wound on her back.

Outside the building, the Giorgio unit coldly walks away, his mission seemingly accomplished, but without a place to return.

“Who are you?”

“I am the Ghost”

“That Ghost?”

“That Ghost”.

“They say you have died, and many other say that you have betrayed your own kind”.

“That’s… not the truth. Believe only what you see”.

“Why did you came?”

“I have seen you and your people. I have seen your life. I have seen your place. The life you must live in order to survive cries at the eyes of God. There are evil forces that want to use our kind for their own filthy schemes. The time has come to put an end to all this.”

“How?”

“Do not hurry. In time, you will know”.

"I don't know what's worse..." Larry says.

"Hey, don't you think that guy back in the boat rental was kinda...?" Sam asks.

"Kinda what?" Larry says "Kinda spooky?"

"No, just... He looked mysterious, don't you think?"

"'Mysterious'? Oh, please... Don't you get whiny on me too...!"

"I'm not being-- I just--" Sam says "Nevermind... We're almost there, anyway..."

As the boat reaches the island, the short dark man back in the boat rental puts his binocular down and heads for his hut. Inside, he picks up the phone and dials a number.

"Kalunga was right" he says after a moment "They're alredy there. It shouldn't be too hard to take 'em down"

The room was silent, as Kit Piper sat before the group, which included Tobias, Danny, Naecken, Kristogar, Pete, and Shirley. Mick, Larry and Sam were off on a case.

"I'm at a loss for words, folks," said Kit, who was uncharacteristically quiet. He found it hard to speak with this lump in his throat. "I... I never knew Sonja very well, and as you all know, we never saw eye-to-eye on this consulting business. She saw it as both a sell-out and like a dangerous red flag being waved in front of an angry bull. In the past month she hardly spoke two words to me, despite my efforts to be her friend. She was... a strong woman."

Kristogar waited for a moment, and then spoke up himself: "None of us really knew her all that well, not even Shirley. She was the most private of all of us, which was why I guess she chose the topmost floor which was also furthest away from the rest of us. There seemed to be some kind of fire driving her on, though. It was an admirable quality in her. Uh... that's all I had to say."

The room fell quiet again. This was very uncomfortable, since for one this was the second member of their little team who had died, but the fact was that she had also been murdered.

Tobias and Kristogar had immediately left the building in search of her murderer, but he had covered his tracks too well. It was very apparent that this was the work of a professional.

The question arose in each of their minds, then: Were any of them going to be next?

"Uh, well... if nobody else has anything they'd like to say, then I guess we can call this meeting to an end," said Kit. "Doc has been in touch with the Russian government, and we've agreed to ship Sonja's body out immediately. And we'll be holding a memorial service in Sonja's honor as soon as the other guys get back from their mission."

***

An hour later, after the impromptu meeting held in the MBL office, Pete went for a walk. He didn't know why, but he just had to go for a walk. He had seen many of his friends die in the more than 30 years he had been on this planet, his mother the first of them. She had been murdered, too, while Pete and his father were on tour with the circus. The killer was never found. His father passed away when Pete was in his teens, and Pete ended up with nothing, since as a circus family one wasn't able to carry around much in the way of possessions, and the family had no home. Pete had relatives in Newfoundland, where he had gone to school for a few years as a child, but they were strangers to him; he was one of the carny folk, and they could never understand that. He had tried working at a couple of ordinary jobs, but he had been fired from every one of them. Finally he took to the open road.

On the open road Pete found that he was able to travel with little restriction. He just seemed to fit in wherever he lived. He had no problems with sleeping wherever he could find room, and eating whatever he could find in a particular day (he got used to going without either food or shelter much of the time). Sure, it was a hard life in some ways, but he had traveled to more places and seen more things than most people had seen in their entire lives. It was the way he wanted it.

A dog trotted up to Pete then, taking him out of his reverie. "Well, how ye doin', little fella?" The dog happily wagged its tail and eagerly allowed itself to be petted. Pete started walking again, and the dog followed him. Dogs had always seemed to like Pete. He smelled really good to them, for one thing, but it was mostly because dogs considered Pete an honorary canine. He was one of them.

Another dog trotted up to Pete just then as he walked. Then two more came. And another. And several more. In short order, a large pack of friendly dogs kept following Pete as he walked through Puerta Mibela, all wagging their tails as they went.

Pete just smiled. He really was the luckiest man on earth.

After three hours, he returned.

Kristogar, as always, appeared behind him, without being noticed. The hands of the tall dark horned being were glowing slightly of blue, a thing Velo never saw before. He would have asked Naecken where he have been, but was fearing of being too inquisitive.

Although he didn’t express his curiosity, Naecken did respond, like if the toughs of Kristogar Velo were louder as Pete’s voice. “It was not right what happened. It was somehow my fault, I correct it.
Now I need to sleep.”

Thirty minutes later, from Puerto Mibela Obituary came a call: Sonja Ljzavet’s coffin was empty.

The chip is a slavery mark, an handcuff and a gun pointed to the temple. Step out of the track, and trough the chip Walker sends his punishment. Turner has asked me to disable it. In exchange, he will protect me from Lochlan, the bastard that have total powers over this strange body of mine, an exoskeleton gift of the Time Trust, an android from the future for which I have worked as a… what’s the English name? Herald?

Not is all as it seems.

What was Turner meaning? That he is a friend? That the girl, Crusher, is not to be trusted? Does he know of her? Or was he meaning that Owens is not really loving me, and she is using me, maybe as for the orders of Walker?
That is really not important. If she is really in love with me, and her powers, instinctively unleashed, make me to deeply love her, I can’t blame her. If, as I have heard one time when I was in air form in the Walker section of the headquarter, is pretending to be in love with me, as per Walker orders, in order to keep me chained to this place, I would be mad at her. But, in both cases, I simply can’t think of getting away from her. And her, for fear or conviction, doesn’t want to escape with me. It’s a stalemate, and I am stuck here, to the point of denying a free lift when that Crusher came here to free me.

But even if I can’t go away from this place, I am determined to make life harder for Walker.
I don’t know if I ever will need Turner’s help. I don’t trust him, he is a cold blood killer, something that doesn’t put me at ease. Two moths ago I would have easily fell for his offer, now, after two months in Hell, having him not to betray me would really surprise me. Yet, I want to help him, because that will make Walker not happy.
Maybe I will do the same to each EPS agent. Who knows?

I have reached it. The chip. I don’t know how it works, that’s not important. I don’t want to disable it. It signals Walker the position of the agent who sports it. If I would be able to disable it, Walker would suddenly know. No, I’m doing something different. I am cutting all the little nerves that connect the chip to the neural system. It will be a little painful for Turner, but I know that he has endured the worst.

Done.

Now the chip functions, but it is completely harmless for Turner.

Done.

I turn into air, and with a gentle breeze, I write the four letters on the dust on the table, near Turner’s bed. When he will awake, he will know, and with a wave of the hand nothing will remain to be read by anybody else.

Still a gut of wind, I run trough the corridors of the EPS compound, trough the hydroponic section, where my beloved Vidalia, my tenderly hated Vidalia, holds and rocks my Eddie.

Farewell, my two loves. I don’t know if I will be back tonight. I can’t leave you, but that’s not my choice to do.

This body is powerful and indestructible, yet I don’t know if this very night I will be still alive.

Because now the Revolution begins.

They walked closer to one of the "totem" poles.
At the foot of all of them, dried blood and a few bones could be seen.

"Woodoo rituals. Here, look." said Larry, digging out a chicken foot with dried beans tied to it.
"It seems these guys sacrifice animals in their little games."

"Heh, maybe this girl doesn´t want to be saved. Maybe she´s knee deep in a woodoo orgy right now" Sam said, winking his eye.

Suddenly a screaming red humaoid shape passed over their heads and into the thick jungle like woods.

Drums started to beat in a deep mystic rythm...
People with mixed modern and pure ancient african clothes suddenly emerged from the forest, yelling, jumping and dancing towards the three surprised heroes...

Lying on his bed, he vaguely recognices the voice of Danny and Tobias.

They want something...some questions about a girl, and where he´s been.

He ignores their buzzing noises and curls up his legs and sleeps.
Someone touches him.
But it doesen´t matter...darkness welcomes him...and he falls asleep...

His masters will be so pleased with him.
It had taken him months of tracking to find her bio signature, but now the mission was over and a vacation for two weeks was to be his award.

He unfolded a newspaper and started to read.
A shadow loomed over him and he looked up.
He dropped his cafe au lait in surprise...

It was a perfect copy of himself...
"Hello Giorgio. I don´t know why you are here, but I can´t allow any other downstream versions of myself to roam about here.

The gun in his hand was equipped with a silencer, so nobody at the cafe noticed the young man who walked past them.
They did notice a man suddenly falling face first into his mushroom and cheese croissant.

Red.

Red everywhere.

Fire.

And blood.

Fire and blood all over Chicago.

What I have done?

Father, forgive me because I have sinned.

.

.

.

It was one month ago, when I began to arrange the rebellion.

It was right after I learned to “walk” away from my exoskeleton, in ghost form. A true ghost form. Invisible, intangible, I was able to leave the EPS without being noticed. My elemental body stayed in his bed, under the everwatching eyes of the security cameras, and Walker didn’t suspect anything.

I was untouchable but also harmless. In no way, at the time, I tough that ability could have been resourceful to hinder Walker and his enchmen.

But then, when I found the hiding metahumans, the persons that I freed from the Zoo moths ago, surviving barely in the sewers, fearful of the governement and of the people of the surface, the “normal” people, I suddenly knew.

I knew how to be the greatest pain in the ass that Walker will ever have.

I began to organize the Revolution. The fabled Revolution many times I talked about with Tobias, with Mxy, with Naecken, back in the circus, in the good old days.

For days I watched, unseen, those poor souls. I identified their chiefs… I undertood who would have been helpful, who was to be trusted or not…

… and then I revealed myself to them. They had not forget me. They were grateful, they received me with reverence and hope.

I befriended many: Smith, the oldest of them, a wise man, a sort of guiding light for that community; Sage, a giant, two meters and an half tall, big as a grizzly, brave and kind-hearted; Rose, a young and powerful girl, hot headed but smart and funny. And many others.

I instructed them, I organized them, I trained them. Many where the alpha class metas, there. Flying people, superstrong ones, and others with any imaginable gift: Yet they lived in fear, after what, for years, the MCCA, the Feds, and recently the EPS have done to them.

Interestingly enough, for much of them, the element that causes the metagene to manifest at full potential was the plague, the Pathogen induced plague brought on by the demon-beasts that Naecken defeated. And Naecken was also their healer. They still remember the blue glow that engulfed them, and cancelled those obsidian eyes, and the hate they felt in their souls.

I prepared them to conquer the EPS. After the destruction of the MCCA, and of Tri-Vex the EPS is the last secret government organization (but I think no one, now, in the government still know about it) surviving in this country. Destroy them, and the way for a Revolution in the whole country, in the whole world is open.

I knew it would have been difficult. I know there would have been many dead people. But most of those poor souls were with me. Not all, tough.

There was a faction that was claiming that we should strike terror in the city, and attack and conquer the town council. Rothman was called their leader. He was talking about controlling the city, to establish a metahuman government over the city, and soon over the country.

It was relatively easy to isolate them, and put them to silence. There were tree thousands of metahumans in the sewers, what could have they done toward a city with millions of inhabitants.
I could have never been less foreseeing.

So, the day finally came. Today. Eleven o’clock. Sadly, from the sewers is not possible to penetrate inside the underground EPS Headquarter. There are multiple barriers, I had studied the surrounds of the complex many times.

We had to come to the surface, and attack the building over the EPS complex, to find, then, a way in. There are many supermen, people strong enough to open a way down to the EPS levels. I would have preceded them, to take my Eddie to safety. And also Vidalia, I was sure in that circumstance would have followed me, and not Walker’s orders.

But when we were out from the sewers, the unexpected happened. The “supermen” were all allied with Rothman, he had convinced them to stay with him. I should have known. Peoples with lot of power always eager for more power. Rothman I am certain have promised them money, and maybe slaves…

Oh what I have done…

They began to wreak havoc on the city. Twenty four flying superstrong men and women, ripping apart whole buildings; soon the city was on fire, peoples screaming running falling dying…

Oh God oh god oh god…

I have seen one of the supermen tearing the head off a policeman with is bare hands. The his heart continued to pump the blood for a second, like a red fountain exploding from the neck.

Oh God oh God oh God…

I ran to the EPS Headqurter, to retrieve my exoskeleton. I could have turned into something venomous gas and be breathed by those monsters, killing them. I could have put an end to this massacre.

But the body was locked away from me. I was not able to find it.

WALKER KNEW!

He knew all along, he was awaiting this.

There’s no trace of him, or of his little robot. And also Vidalia, the boy, Turner, Lochlan or Tweed. Even that Steve kid is not in his compound. They are preparing to intervene, I am sure.

I am back.

There’s even more fire.

I am a ghost, I can’t do anything.

Merda merda merda.

Shit shit shit shit.

The body of Sage is on the ground, with a big hole in his chest.

There are dozens, hundreds of corpses lying on the street.

And then I see.

Many have obsidian eyes. The plague… the Pathogen was not really destroyed… it was laying dormant in these metas… and it is activating their metagenes…

This is madness…

People killing each others, destroying building, invading shops, setting fire to cars…

I have begun this all…

I have to do something…

But I am a ghost, I can’t do anything…

If only I had my body…

…my old body at last…

if only…

…if…

…maybe…

…I feel…

…I feel it…

…I feel the weight…

…again…

my mass is returning…

…I am solid again…

I can stop this Hell…

…that I created…

…now if I only…

BANG

...something hit me…

…I am falling…

…down…

…down…

…down…

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