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Athens, Georgia – Seventeen Months Previously
The house on the hill shuddered as the eight foot tall chrome skinned man slammed through the door, the timber shattering into wood chips as the two robbers broke their way in.
“Subtle ‘Car Face’.” James sneered, as he pulled the bandana over his mouth and drew his heat-pistol. “I don’t suppose you know where this old fool’s treasure trove is?” He asked before firing off a shot at the smoke alarm, the device melting into a dripping deformed lump of liquid plastic.
“Mick O’Hare has a safe in the basement.” Car Face grunted, as he ripped up the rug and tossed it into the air, the fabric igniting as James took a pot shot at it before turning his attention to the floor, his laser pistol incinerating the timbers to reveal a brick lined hall below them. With a malicious glint, he turned his weapon on the area Car Face was standing on, the timbers vanishing under is feet and sending him crashing to the floor below.
“So where next?” James snickered, as he lowered himself down into the seemingly empty cellar.
“You idiot you could have killed me!!” Car Face bellowed, as he advanced on James and picked him up by the scruff of the neck. “That was nowhere near funny.”
“Yeah it was.” James replied, as he wriggled free. “Now like I said, where is this safe?” He asked, as a section of stone wall slid open to reveal a wizened old man with a crooked nose standing watching there.
“So you two have come to rob me then?” The man announced in an Irish accent. “You wouldn’t be the first to try, and you likely won’t be the last.”
“Out the way gramps!!” Car Face roared, as he surged towards the Irish man only for the elderly fellow to slam a fist into his chin, the force sending him skidding across the floor on his back, sparks spitting out to mark his trail of humiliation.
“Who did you say this fossilised piece of leprechaun s**t was?” James asked, as the Irish Man took a step into the cellar, each footfall causing droplets of water to drip down onto the robbers below. “Did you know he was a super hero?”
“Not a hero,” The old man stated. “The name is Mick O’Hare, but most folks who know what I am call me the Goblin Shark. You boys obviously think you have what it takes to be the villains of this story, well let me tell you something for free before I send the pair of you on your way.” He announced, as James levelled his weapon at him. “You have no idea what being a villain is all about, but trust me, by the time the night is done you’ll be acquainted with it in the hardest way possible.”
**
Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta, Georgia
The fire slithered like a serpent, tongues of smoke and ash flaring up as the remaining criminals headed for the central life shaft, the few remaining hostages running alongside them terrified of what lurked behind them. Looking over his shoulder Ram-Raider saw the gleaming fire-suited figure striding through the flames behind him.
“The doors locked!” A voice yelled, causing his focus to shift back to the space ahead of him. The electronically locked door standing before him and the other fugitives. “We’re trapped!!”
“No we’re not.” Another voice announced, as a woman dressed in a skimpy brasserie and petticoats, her plated red hair draped over her shoulder. “It’s a KL22-09 Bio-Lock, easy enough to hack if someone can buy me some time.” She added, as she bent down by an electronic keypad and started unscrewing the face plate.
“Easier said than done Fire Sale.” A metallic voice hissed, as the green armoured figure with a shield strapped to his left arm. “James is not going to go easy on us.”
“Don’t worry Fire Sale, you will have all the time you need.” Ram Raider stated as he lowered his head, the pneumatic ram mounted in his helmet powering up in expense to the power units in his thruster boots. “Shield Bug, let’s take the fight to that upstart reptile.” He snorted, as he charged at Salamander, the impact coupled with the ram firing sending James firing back into the burning building. “Take that you scum!!” He snarled. Moments later a torrent of flame shot out of the doorway engulfing Ram Raider and sending him flying back into the room.
“Are you done yet?” Shield Bug asked, as Salamander advanced on the group, fire rolling off his suit and charring the floor and walls around him.
“Two minutes.” Fire Sale stated, as Ram Raider got to his feet and ran at James, only for a wall of fire to flare up before him, forcing him to come skidding to a halt. Seconds later the wall collapsed forwards down onto Ram Raider, before dissipating to reveal a charred floor but little else. Looking up in surprise James saw a series of metal wires dragging Ram Raider away from him, their wielder, a teenage girl dressed in a business blouse and skirt with her blonde hair done up in a bun, glowering at him with a pair of gleaming blue eyes.
“Tell me puppet, how many of your bodies do I have to burn before you feel pain?” James asked, as he levelled his heat gun at the woman, only for a metal fist to slam him round the face. “Hold that thought!!” He hissed, as he blasted Shield Bug at close range, the buckler strapped to the armoured figures arm absorbing the thermal output before releasing a sonic blast, one that shut down the laser gun’s power systems.
“What were you about to say?” Shield Bug asked, as the shield on his arm de-energised just as a tri-barrelled launcher on the right arm popped up. “You’ve kicked up so much of a stink, what with killing your friends, your family not to mention sullying your grandfather’s name. Well guess what I can do stink!!” He warned before opening fire with the launcher, a trio of grenades streaking towards James before bursting open and releasing a foul cloud of gas around the Salamander.
“One minute.” Fire Sale stated, as Puppet Girl’s whip-cords snaked out and wrapped around James’s arms, before lifting him up off the ground.
“More than we need.” Ram Raider growled, as he powered up his boots and sprung at James, the impact causing the smaller man’s ribs to crack. “We don’t want it to go down this way Jimbo, but you’ve forced our hand.” He grunted, as the yellow chevrons on the Salamander’s fire suit began to glow, eventually igniting the gas dispersed by Shield Bug’s grenades, the thick vapour clinging to his suit like a corona of living fire. Shrieking in pain, Puppet Girl withdrew the wires, and looked down at her blackened hands and burnt clothing in disgust and fear.
“More than I need as well!!” James hissed, as he ran at Ram Raider, the larger man lowering his head and running to meet him, the pair colliding with enough force to send each one slamming back into the opposite walls of the room. And while James got to his feet, Ram Raider didn’t, the skin and muscle of his face melting off to reveal a burning flame dancing where his brain had been. Not wasting any time Shield Bug activated his defences and closed the gap, the laser fire reflecting off the buckler and into the floor.
“Shift the frequency all you like.” Shield Bug grunted. “It won’t help you.” He stated, as his boots sunk into the molten floor, before with a crunch he fell through the marble and down to the floor below.
“Thirty Seconds.” Fire Sale stated, as James strode towards her, only for Puppet Girl to leap onto his back, her legs bending unnaturally around him as tiny wire filaments tried to bore out of her arms and into his fire suit, the sheer outer temperature setting the woman’s body alight as she desperately tried to keep him away from the door. “Everyone get ready.” She ordered, as the doors screeched open with a metallic groan, the hostages swarming through in a bid to escape their ordeal.
“I’ve got him.” Puppet Girl hissed, as her body went limp and dropped off the Salamander’s back. “Kill me and he dies too.” She screamed, as James took off his helmet to reveal the same glowing blue eyes as his former team-mate.”
“I’m sorry.” Fire Sale stated, as she removed her own sci-fi looking sidearm and switched on the laser targeting system, the red dot dancing over James’s forehead. “I’m sorry for everything.” She stated sadly before squeezing the trigger.
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