Battleforce #4

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Battleforce #4
New Alliances

Written by Joel Sawyer (Glippernip)
Edited by Daniel Dyer (Spider-Man Beyond)

"I’m going to kill you now,” the huge man said calmly.

For a moment, Perseus couldn’t move. He had just rescued a careless teenager who had perched himself on a cell communications tower, and the calm, gravelly voice called to him. Turning, the hero beheld the Shark, a huge, powerful being a bit stronger but not quite as resilient as Perseus. The problem is, Shark shouldn’t exist. He can’t exist. He is a figment of Micheal Richardson’s imagination, a four-color, two dimensional character in an unpublished comic book.

So was Perseus, the hero reminded himself.

Shark balled up his fists.

“Shark, wait,” Perseus said, his mind suddenly clicking into overdrive, “I’ll fight you, but let the bystanders go first.”

“You’ll fight anyway,” Shark growled, slapping a fist into his other oversized hand and glancing at the medical crew. Two police approached, their hands on their weapons.

“No,” Perseus shouted. “Don’t! He’s like me. He’ll barely feel them.” Perseus turned back to Shark and said, “Think it through. You know I can outrun you, and you want a good fight. Let these people go, and I’ll fight you toe-to-toe, like you want.”

Shark scowled. “As you wish,” he agreed, “You have five minutes.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

It did not take too long to get the cooperative ones out of the way. “I’ll try to contain him and limit damage,” he told an officer. “Once this starts, you need to keep civilians out of the field of battle.” This is going to get hairy, he mused. I just got used to being shot, and now I have someone I created staring me in the face. DM, did you do this? Thanks for the heads-up.

It was a fraction of a second after that thought when Shark’s hard fist slammed into the side of Perseus’ head.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

As Dawn broke over New Charlesburg, the reporters took over the parking lot, waiting for the tiniest scrap of info or the smallest shot of one of the stars of this show. Federal agents kept the reporters away from the building, but to drive them off would only lead to speculation and cries of a cover-up. Besides, this was big news. When the first Techno-Warrior came out in restraints led by a Vortex agent, the cameras clicked and zoomed in. Several focused on Ace, standing in the doorway of the former cable TV outlet.

Third out the door, Geneva Martel, aka, Magari, looking bruised and disheveled, hissed at Ace, “This is not over. Machine Maker will get us out.”

“Maybe,” Ace countered, “but then he’s never had so many of you jailed before, and the original Blaster still sits in a cell. We’ll see.” Although unseen, his grin weighed thickly in each word.

“Let’s go,” Justice called. “We’ll have to get through some of the Press. Answer any question that is not confidential, No Comment if you are unsure.”

They walked out in a line–Justice in an official looking purple and blue uniform not much different than the Vortex troops; Shield in blue and white, the similarities of his outfit and that of a fictional Kryptonian apparent; Theodore Lynn, Ted to his friends, in a simple sporting outfit that he couldn’t ‘slip out of’ but otherwise looking like shorts and a short-sleeve T-shirt; Molecule, with her Asian features, red lycra tights, blue boots, and all; Starknight, standing out in the crowd as a seven-foot tall armored tank; and Ace, the one everybody really wanted to hear from. The reporters shoved in, hollering their questions and trying to be heard. Most of the heroes ignored the queries, but not all.

“Who are you,” a young reporter shouted at Starknight. “Are you a new Vortex agent, or a robot?”

“Just someone who wanted to see the bad guys get theirs,” he answered confidently with a mechanical ring.

“Ace,” another called, “is this a new Battleforce?”

“No,” he said, pausing for a moment, “there is no Battleforce.”

As the squad entered the Vortex air transport, Justice turned to give the press a brief statement. The others quickly found their seats.

“They called us ‘Battleforce’,” Starknight said in a low voice, just a hint of excitement.

Ace glanced his way. “Any chance of a continued Battleforce died when Mindreader turned traitor,” Ace said, a warning in his voice.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

So far, the battle seemed little more than a boxing/wrestling match between somewhat equal opponents. Then, Shark lifted Perseus off the ground and threw him. 300 lbs of flying/falling mass crashed into a parked Isuzu, the squeal of twisting metal grating deep in Perseus’s ears. He had to force himself from the totaled vehicle as Shark charged.

“Shark, hold on,” Perseus said, pulling a piece of the car’s door off his shoulder.

“I’ve held on long enough,” Shark growled. “My hatred for you grows larger every second.”

“That’s just it,” Perseus said calmly and clearly. “I’m sure you hate me as if we’ve met on numerous occasions and I’ve always gotten in your way. But do you actually remember fighting me before? The times, the places, the circumstances?”

“Of course I...” Shark began, but then his face fell a bit, his expression softened as he thought about it. Then he hardened. “So my memory is bad,” he spat. “You don’t have to tease me about it.”

I don’t remember making him brainless, Perseus thought.

Shark ran into Perseus, sending him flying. Despite his resistance to damage, his skin stung as he slid across the pavement. Shark bore down on him at full speed, so Perseus let his built in fighting skills take over, rolling onto his back, planting one foot on Shark’s tummy and hooking the other foot behind Shark’s unmentionable parts. Perseus kicked as he rolled and Shark went airborne. With an unholy amount of banging, crashing, and ripping, Shark took out a mailbox, newspaper dispenser, and a stone and wooden bench.

Not ten feet from where Shark landed, an old man who had been sleeping in a doorway unnoticed sat up, blinking at the racket. Shark glanced at the old-timer, and Perseus stiffened with dread. He wanted to scream, Don’t do it!

But Shark simply turned back toward Perseus and surged forward.

We need to move this elsewhere, the hero thought. Without hesitation, Perseus turned and ran.

Shark snarled and bellowed, his voice echoing off the buildings around him, “You won’t get away. I can feel your presence! Wherever you go, I will catch up!”

Feel my presence, Perseus asked himself.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Vortex Staging Area, New Charleburg.

There were no other agents there, just the six who had taken part in the fight with the Techno-Warriors. Justice finished their debriefing.

“That was impressive work for a thrown-together team. Help yourself to more refreshments. Transportation will arrive soon to take you home.”

“Impressive seems too much,” Ted Lynn said to Shield sitting next to him. Short haired blond with brown eyes, he didn’t look special. He looked young, younger than his twenty-five years. “I didn’t do much,” Ted continued, “I couldn’t even keep hold of Blaster.”

Despite the goggles he wore, Ted could see Shield’s eyebrows raise in surprise. “Are you kidding? I was impressed. Justice might be dead right now without your assistance. Blaster doesn’t miss at that range.”

“Maybe, but I still hesitated. I was scared about what I was getting into.”

“Mr. Lynn, you took three close shots from The Kronus’ sonic cannon, and while Blaster escaped, you made him a non-entity in the battle. He was not effective once you entered the fight. You did far more that I. I had some difficulty with Hypnotisor, and he’s generally a pushover when he has no slaves to control.”

Justice approached Ted, with Molecule following. “Can I speak to Mr. Lynn, Shield?” he asked.

Shield nodded and walked away.

“I just wanted to present another option to you, Mr. Lynn,” Justice began. “As the government department dealing with superhumans, we occasionally require the services of supers. Shield, Electroknight, and Starfall work for us on a case by case basis. We are very interested in hiring you as well. You would be compensated well.”

Ted’s chest tightened, and he felt a huge weight press down on his head and shoulders. He inhaled deeply through his nose, and his ears grew warm. He spoke in a calm, controlled tone, almost masking his emotions.

“My wife and I had been married for not quite one year when government agents told her I had died, Justice. If Erin hadn’t escaped to tell the world I had lived, I might still be in that secret research facility. I could forgive our government for imprisoning me for eighteen months, and I appreciate your role in my release, but Lord help me, I cannot forgive that my government denied that I had lived and made my wife a widow for no reasonable purpose. The government has already compensated me well due to Erin’s lawsuit, Justice, and I will not accept a government paycheck.”

Justice stared for a long moment.

"I’m sorry for causing you additional pain,” Justice offered, a bit stunned, “I didn’t realize.” Justice stepped away as Ted let a ragged breath escape through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry, too,” Molecule offered. “I couldn’t convince him you would decline. He wanted to hear it from you.”

Ted shook his head, a tear oozing from his eye from the sheer rage he had felt a moment before. “Don’t apologize,” he said with a weak smile. “You’ve done more for me and my wife than I can ever give back. Don’t feel the slightest amount of guilt for his actions.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

So what are your plans?” Ace asked Starknight.

“I don’t know,” the tank replied earnestly. “I expected that dealing with the Technos would take longer.”

Ace glanced over to the others, then stated in a low voice, “There is a man in there? This is armor?”

Starknight did not move at all. “How did you know?” he asked, trying to whisper despite the mechanical voice augmentation.

“Little things,” Ace replied, still speaking quietly. “You sometimes adjust your stance when standing for a while, something a robot shouldn’t need to do. I’ve heard a breath or two. You also grunted when the sonic cannon hit you. Can’t say I’ve ever heard a robot grunt before.”

Knight sighed. “I guess I suck at keeping it secret.”

Ace laughed. “I have an advantage in ferreting out information, and I can keep your secret. You did a fantastic job today. If you don’t mind, I would like to trade contact numbers. I personally would appreciate your assistance in the future.”

An agent stepped through the door. “Justice, there is a fight between two superhumans in Big Rock, sir,” the agent called. “We think one of them is Perseus.”

“I’ve been wanting to check him out,” Justice said. “Prepare a transport. This meeting is adjourned. You are free to go once your ride is here. Shield, are you up for another job?”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

A Brief Interlude:
The Atlantic Ocean

For forty-one men on the nuclear submarine USS Chesapeake, their last moments on Earth are lived in fear. The reactor leaking, the sub sinking, there seems no real chance. They will not be able to pressurize effectively, and the hull will buckle before the sub reaches bottom.

That does nothing to explain how the forty-second crewman, Lee Wakefield, is found floating in the ocean, unconscious but alive, by a rescue ship the next morning.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Perseus ran across the Fox Bridge, a long span that crossed a deep tributary to the Atlantic. Once across, away from the city and traffic, he would turn and face his pursuer. Too bad Shark didn’t feel like cooperating.

The hero stops short as the larger man lands about thirty feet ahead. Shark charged, and Perseus met him head on.

Have you ever seen footage of two mountain rams smashing their horns together? It was kind of like that, really. With sort of a muffled PLOOMP sound, they slammed into each other and stumbled back. Perseus swung first, still pulling his punch despite his knowledge of Shark’s toughness, not yet ready to believe his opponent can take a full-strength shot. Shark felt no such hesitance, and his next punch caughtus Perseus in the abs.

Must be what a cannonball feels like, he absent-mindedly mused as he caught his balance. They pounded on each other for nearly a minute before separating, each backing away for a moment. Then they both noticed their audience, a small woman floating about fifteen feet away.

“What the...?” is all Shark could grunt.

“You are Perseus, correct?” she asked hopefully. “I am in need of assistance. My name is Magic Woman!” She dressed in bright red, yellow, and orange tights, with an orange Lone Ranger mask on her face. It looked ludicrous.

I’ve completely lost my mind, Perseus thought, then he said, “I’m kind of busy right now.”

“Of course, I’ll reciprocate,” she said cheerfully. As Shark approached Perseus, Magic Woman floated closer to them. Her entire form shimmered and rippled, and willowy violet force drifted from her and enveloped Shark. He grunted, growled, then howled in apparent pain. He glared at her and moved to attack her.

Which left him open to Perseus. The Greek-styled warrior drove his fist into Shark’s face, spun and smashed his elbow into the big man’s head, then shoved him upwards. The foe landed over 30 feet further across the bridge. “That was very good,” he said to his new ally. “Shark usually ignores pain.”

“Pain?” she asked. “He shouldn’t be able to move!”

“Perseus and I are different than others you may have met,” Shark angrily stated, then he charged forward. Magic Woman floated up out of reach. Her eyes turned a yellow color and her entire form began to shine and give off light. Shark started to steam.

“You fail to understand,” Shark bellowed. “I can take things that would crush a stone statue to sand.” Shark began to tear a piece of the guard rail from the bridge, his intent to throw it at her.

“I dehydrated him,” she questioned. “Shouldn’t that have hurt him even more than a normal person?”

“He gets his name from his appearance, not from any real connection to water.” And that gave Perseus an idea. Shark cocked his arm to throw his makeshift missile, and Perseus leapt forward, ramming his shoulder into his enemy’s midriff, and then he shoved with all of his strength using both arms. Shark neatly rose up into the air until gravity took over, at which time he disappeared over the side of the bridge. He howled with rage the entire way down.

Perseus looked around urgently, seeing no onlookers. “Can you keep a secret?” he asked. A millisecond later, Micheal Richardson stood on the bridge instead as Magic Woman, momentarily surprised, floated down to stand next to him. With his first close look at her, he thought she looked more like a Magic Girl. It was difficult to tell if the short, slight, tan-skinned girl had even reached eighteen or not. Maybe it was the outfit, which was very distracting.

“I felt magic in that transformation,” she told him, “but not a spell. Unusual.” Then she frowned. “I’m not very good at this, am I? He shrugged off my attacks.”

“Nonsense,” he corrected. “If he is what I think he is, then he and I could have pounded each other all day and tore this bridge apart. You didn’t know his strengths or weaknesses, but your distraction gave me an opening. That’s teamwork. He said he can feel my presence and follow me. I hope, by transforming, he loses the trail. You call yourself Magic Woman?”

She nodded.

“That’s pretty awful.”

Again, shock played on her features. A hundred responses flew through her mind, many of them even more rude. She didn’t know if she should be shocked at his frankness or plain insulted. But then, she had wondered about the outfit herself, and it was not comfortable to wear. “That was very rude,” she ended up saying in a huff.

Micheal turned ten shades of red. “I’m sorry,” he stammered. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that.”

She turned her head and gave him a side-long look. “My real name is Shawnee. What would you suggest I call myself?”

He paused, relieved that she was not very mad at him. “Give me some time to consider that,” he told her. “You said you needed my help?”

Shawnee quickly explained her recent experiences, both her encounter with Centaurus and meeting Justice, even as the two of them removed themselves from the bridge. Micheal nodded as she spoke.

“I don’t have many contacts yet,” Perseus offered, “but there is someone in Chicago who isn’t too hard to find.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

CHICAGO– Dusk

She walks slowly, confidently, as she has done for 3 years. Once upon a time she would get nervous about walking to her car this late, but that was a long time ago. Of course, two of the lights that illuminated the lot are now out, and there hasn’t been a lot attendant in three weeks or so.

The attack comes quickly, two men in their early twenties. Each has a record, both have committed violent crimes. If they are caught, both would go straight to jail. But they don’t care. They live in the “Now” of the streets, the smaller black-haired man would say.

She doesn’t run fifty feet before they catch her. One smothers her with a towel over her mouth so she cannot scream or bite, and with two of them, she cannot fight, either. As they pulled her around the back corner of her own employer’s building, they feel a slight breeze come up and hear a faint whistling in the air. Intent on roughly disrobing their victim, they do not notice the missile shooting towards them.

The new arrival feels the concussion on his fists as he slams them, sending them flying. Grabbing the girl and her purse, he flies her to her car. “Do you have a cell phone?” he asks, softly, watching her nod tearfully in response. “Call 911,” he commands. “I’ll make sure those men do not get away.”

His flight speed truly incredible, the man in the costume zooms back around the corner, his maneuverability as fantastic as his speed. The two men nearly soil themselves when they realize he is back. Suddenly, a localized gale-force wind throws them into the air and against the stone wall behind them. The taller man hits the ground running, but he is met by a true flying elbow to the face.

“Stay down,” the masked man commanded, standing over the would-be rapists, one whose nose gushed blood while the other’s leg would not support him for two weeks. They looked up in fear at the man in the white and sky-blue uniform, a “W” slashed across his chest. The spandex ski mask, also white and blue, covered his features. “When are you roaches going to learn,” he spat at them, “Chicago is under my protection, now. Stick your ugly heads out of your hole and you might answer to Windstorm!”

–END–