5th Column Comics: The Response #2

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TommytheHitman

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Sliced Bread: Part 2

The all powerful Wind Duster! The mighty Freight Train! And the enigmatic Dark Arrow! Formed together due to events that are better left unspoken and lead by the brain power of CBTF Director, Morris Pfeifer, together they are the Response! The World's Greatest Superheroes!

_________________

Carrier Blight Task Force, Director Pfeifer's Office, 4 days from now...

"Charles Hawser, also known as... Freight Train." Ms Morgan said while reading from the collection of files in her hand. The picture of a smiling young man beamed up at her from the file's right hand corner. Beneath the picture were the words, "BEFORE" another picture showed a large, beefy man. Still smiling but he'd gained quite a bit of weight. "AFTER."

"Freight Train..." She repeated before making a slight face and pressing the intercom button on the director's desk before her.

"Yes, ma'am?" The voice of Perry Davidson, the building's main receptionist echoed from the device.

"Perry, please could you schedule an appointment with Freight Train to begin brainstorming some new codename ideas?" She sighed, staring at the bold black words on the paper before her. "We need something a little more... heroic." She heard the sounds of Perry typing through the intercom.

"Charles..." Perry mumbled. "Which one is HE again?" She asked. "Is the rude, stupid one?" Morgan paused before answering, scratching Charlie Hawser's name off her list of suspects.

"You're going to have to be more specific." She answered before scratching off Mark Brooks' name off as well.

_____________________

Outfitting Station

"So, there I was..." Freight Train leaned forward, listening intensely to the man stood before him. "...falling to my death. Fighting a villain more powerful then I could imagine... and for some reason the only thing I could think of was about the twist in the latest episode of 'Pug Detectives'."

"Raise your left arm please." One of the costume outfitters instructed.

Wind Duster sighed before raising his left arm into the air, pointed towards the wall next to him as the outfitter measured the length.

"So, what'd you do?" Freight Train asked, clearly buying into his hero's every word and syllable. Mark Brooks smiled as he opened his mouth to continue his 'heroic' (and slightly exaggerated) story.

"I heard he crapped himself on the way down." Aaron Zdarsky interrupted from Wind Duster's side, having his own measurements taken. He chuckled slightly at his little joke.

"Please stop moving." His own outfitter said in a somewhat polite tone, yet somehow still sounding like an order.

"Sorry." Aaron replied. "Anyway... if it wasn't for Pfeifer being with you at the time I bet you'd be nothing but a stain on the pavement."

"Agreed."

Freight Train looked at the man sat down next to him. As the hours of outfitting and measurements had passed throughout the day, the already depressing figure's mood had degenerated from being somewhat bearable to acting like he was being burned alive at the stake.

"The whole world should agree." The man known as Alan Maystrike continued. "Everything was right on camera." He pointed out, his features completely unflinching beneath his wave of long, black hair. "The name 'Wind Duster' is a laughing stock." Maystrike stopped himself and smirked slightly like he was formulating a battle plan. "Well... more then it already was." He added.

"The name, 'Wind Duster' is a household brand." Mark pointed out. His features hidden beneath his costume. "So, watch your mouth, Mister Lone Wolf Emo." Everyone stared at the usually calm and... somewhat collected Wind Duster in surprise. "I mean... what can you even do?!" Wind Duster pointed at Freight Train. "Superstrength." He said before pointing at Aaron who flipped him the bird. "Weird smoke powers?" He asked, unsure of his answer. Aaron's answer was a simple shrug before being glared at by the outfitter once again. Wind Duster pointed at Alan. His head tilted forward... and beneath his mask he had a somewhat evil grin.

It was like high school... but the other way round.

"What are your..." He raised two fingers on each hand into the air and gestured them forward. "...'superpowers'?"

Maystrike stared at the costumed idiot in silence. Wind Duster stared back, clearly irritated by the whole situation.

"I'm a Sniper." He stated. "Former U.S. Marine that's been drafted into this little... disaster to make you imbeciles look better then you ACTUALLY are."

Both Freight Train and Aaron watched the two in silence, both clearly anticipating a fight breaking out. Both having no intention of doing anything to intervene.

"So you've got nothing." Wind Duster spat as he jumped down from the chair he'd been stood upon. He stumbled forward slightly before standing back up to his full height and acting like nothing happened. "I highly doubt you're going to get a Sniper Rifle in front of the cameras." Maystrike slowly stood up from his chair and stared right into the ticked off Carrier's eyes.

"I don't NEED anything." Alan said, ribbing Wind Duster in the chest with his right hand's index finger and middle finger. It didn't hurt... but Wind Duster reacted exactly as Alan had anticipated. Mark threw a punch with his left hand directly at Maystrike's face. Mark was seemingly one of the tallest member of the ground, with the only exception being Freight Train. He also had the most well rounded build, being not too thin but not too fat either. In comparison Alan Maystrike was the smallest member of the group... and he was so thin it was almost possible to see his ribs tearing through his skin.

All these facts didn't stop the former Sniper from grabbing Mark's wrist in mid-air, twisting him towards the ground and clutching his arm so tightly that if he moved even slightly Mark's arm would snap.... for the second time that month.

"Because I'm the best." He said before letting Mark drop to the floor and kicking him in the side with his steel toed boot.

"Holy CRAP!" Aaron yelled, watching Maystrike casually sit back down in his chair and taking a picture of Mark's collapsed body with his phone. Wind Duster groaned slightly on the ground in a mix of surprise and Adrenaline.

Overall the whole encounter had lasted about 40 seconds.

"Are you alright, Duster?!" Freight Train asked while helping his friend up off the ground. Mark pulled his mask back on tightly. It had stayed on... just been ruffled slightly by the fall.

"I'll be fine in a minute." He grumbled before preparing to slam his fist into the Marine's skull with all his power. Maystrike stared at him with a look of disinterest on his face.

"Hey, guys.." One of the outfitters called from across the room. "I know this is a bad time but... your costumes are ready." He held up two costumes in his hands. One was a full skin suit outfit with a full face mask and a small shoulder cape covered in a bright yellow colour. The outfit itself was a mixture of dark blue, black and yellow. The other was practically the same, minus the cape and a different mask showing the wearer's mouth and eyes. Its colour scheme was bright green, brown and orange.

"Wow." Aaron mumbled staring at his newly crafted suit with a smile. "That was quick." He commented just as the door to the room whooshed open.

"Not the quickest thing I'VE seen today, Brimstone." Pfeifer walked into the room dressed head to toe in his dark green power armour. "Breaking your contract... betraying the team... that was much quicker."

Aaron's eyes widened in surprise, as did everyone else's in the room (except for Maystrike who simply started to read a Magazine left on the table next to him), he dropped his costume to the floor and stared at the armoured giant towering over him.

"What?!" He yelled. Pfeifer's shoulders ejected several energy weapons all trained on Aaron's chest.

"You were active on Social Media sites during my ENTIRE presentation."Pfeifer growled.

"There was a presentation?" Mark asked.

"Your Email contacts list shows the editor of the Indigo Citizen newspaper as one of your MOST recent clients."Pfeifer's helmet eyes flashed bright red. "You've leaked everything about the Response to the public. Which is not only a d!ck move... but also puts you in violation of your contract."

Everyone in the room (again except Maystrike) looked at Aaron in shock.

"You... you hacked my email?!"

Before Aaron could even comprehend the situation Pfeifer had already slapped a pair of electronic cuffs around his wrists.

"Time to have a talk." He snapped before shoving the down beat Olympic Athlete out the room and following him.

"Welcome to the Response!"He yelled as the door closed behind him.

Wind Duster and Freight Train looked at each other before grabbing their new costumes.

"Guess it's time to clock out..." Wind Duster muttered as he dashed for the door.

"See you, tomorrow..." Freight Train replied, following after him.

Alan Maystrike watched them leave before closing his Magazine. He tossed it to the side and picked up his new, black costume and pulling out his phone from his pocket and checking his email.

Currently he was logged into: theRealZardasky@coldmail.org.

Maystrike smiled before logging out.

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johnjo719

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Wow, Maystrike is kinda a d^ck

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TommytheHitman

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Alexander_Wolffe

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Ill comment on this and Lex Hard later

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ImpurestCheese

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#6  Edited By ImpurestCheese

@tommythehitman: Ah infighting already like the grubby peons they are. Do I print the Cassie was Right!! T-shirts now or later?

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TommytheHitman

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@impurestcheese: Yeah it's pretty safe to say that most of the team hates each other already.

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TommytheHitman

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Alexander_Wolffe

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#10  Edited By Alexander_Wolffe

"The name, 'Wind Duster' is a household brand."

This line made me lol for some reason.

Very fun issue, I always love the Pfiefer scenes.

And Maystrike is a former Marine? That could be... Interesting.... Especially with a certain character I know....

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TommytheHitman

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knightofthechronicle

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@tommythehitman: They're all blending together so nicely, aren't they? Hey, at least they haven't blown up the CBTF headquarters yet

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TommytheHitman

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@knightofthechronicle: Writing a team book is fun because it just lets the writer throw several characters into a blender and see how they mix.

I would say it's ended up tasting pretty delicious.

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Claymore1998

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Awesome stuff.

Keep up the good work.

^_^

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batkevin74

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@tommythehitman: Mark's gotta learn to chill :) Nice dialog too

Wind Duster is a household brand made me smile

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TommytheHitman

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@batkevin74: Man's gotta let his anger out.

THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!