Hell Rising: Part 2 of 5.
The all powerful Wind Duster! The mighty Freight Train! 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 and Head of Public Relations, January Morgan, alone they're powerful, yet together they're the World's Greatest Superheroes! Yet even they can't defeat their latest threat!
__________________________
Indigo City, Early morning.
Lasagna.
It was Sunday... or at least it had been. Judging from the colour of the sky it was probably early morning... every Sunday evening, Sam Green would return from his job as a construction worker to his home near Niswander Heights and have his wife cook him lasagna. It was perfect the way she cooked it... and one of the only things she was somewhat decent at. Every Sunday evening Sam enjoyed his wife's cooking... and then the Great Impact had shaken the City... and Sam had found himself spending less time with his betrothed, there'd been fights... and tears. Work had been busy... and deadlines had to be met at work.
"Hey, buddy!" Sam yelled, staring into the crater before him, the flickers of flame dancing around the edges of the smashed concrete slowly beginning to decrease. "Are you alright?"
Sam had been heading home when the meteor had landed, drunk from a night of alcoholic indulgence at the local bar. He'd seen the explosion and... in his emotional state had decided to investigate... what Sam had found was pure destruction... with a body lying in the middle of the impact area.
There was no reply from the apparent corpse lying on the floor. Sam jumped into the crater without hesitation and approached the charred, mangled body, he crouched by its side and placed his fingers on the neck to check for a pulse.
He found one.
"Thank you." The body's hand clutched Sam's wrist tightly, its eyes flickeredopen revealing bright green eyes... and as Sam tried to pull away from the man's tight grasp, a bright green light generated around Sam's body, completely and utterly enveloping him in its blinding aura. Sam tried to break free as his body began to burn... his skin began to peel... and as it peeled the man's own skin began to regrow. Before Sam could scream his mouth was covered by the assailant's other hand. He kept screaming in silence until the attacker let go letting Sam drop to the floor... and his body slowly crumbled to ash. Jacob Brighton stood up, completely naked, scratching at the bright new pink skin he'd created. "I'm feeling much better."
Jacob clicked his fingers and mentally summoned several pieces of the metal debris surrounding him to wrap around his body. The grey steel slowly creating makeshift body armour.
"I'm starving..." He muttered.
_______________________
Now.
"Mark? What's wrong?! Mark?!"
Wind Duster wriggled on the ground while clutching desperatley at his skull. An endless scream escaped his mouth as what felt like mental daggers stabbed their way into his mind and began peeling through his memories.
"Wind Duster..." Jacob's face twitched with amusement as he stared down at the costumed individual screaming at his feet. "...Mark Brooks. Aren't you a bit old for superh-" He focused upon another section of the Carrier's mind. "-ah. Fair enough."
"Let him go!"
Jacob quickly jabbed his hand to the left, plucking an arrow out of the air like it was standing still. He glanced at the shooter, Alan Maystrike who was standing across the lobby, bow at the ready with another arrow primed for shooting.
"Giving away your position before shooting at someone isn't a good idea." Jacob pointed out.
THWIP!
Maystrike fired another arrow, hours of practice on the range had improved his skills tremendously, this time the arrow exploded in mid air, letting loose a type of black adheisive goo which sprayed all over Brighton, covering his body and limbs, severly impeding his movement.
"This won't stop me." Brighton sighed as the goo slowly enveloped his face, Maystrike ignored his opponentwhile walking towards his injured teammate.
"Get up." Dark Arrow gripped Wind Duster by the arm and yanked him up off the ground by the shoulder.
"...yes, sir..." Mark muttered as he put his weight on Maystrike's shoulder. The two slowly made their way towards one of the building's walls, behind them the gooey form in the middle of the room had started to glow bright green, Brighton was attempting to burst his way out.
"Maystrike, what's happening?" The voice of January Morgan echoed in both the heroes' ears.
"We've encountered a hostile." Maystrike pulled a grenade arrow from his quiver and threw it at the wall.
"Do you guys need help?" Freight Train asked. "I c-"
"Negative, Freight Train." Maystrike interrupted.
BOOM!!
The grenade tore a hole in the wall creating a quick escape route for both Maystrike and Brooks to escape through.
"We're coming to you."
A green light flashed inside the lobby as Wind Duster and Dark Arrow limped back into the outside courtyard.
"Take him." Maystrike instructed before carelessly tossing Mark over to one of th nearby CBTF guards, a small perimiter of CBTF soldiers had formed around the building, in the background the Police were busy trying to get the crowds of civillians out of the area, all the soldiers were aiming their weapons towards the hole in the wall.
"Are you alright, Dark Arrow?" Freight Train asked, he'd grown in both height and width to something similar to a small Van.
"I'm fine." Maystrike growled before pulling his hood back and grabbing his bow.
"I'll be alright in a minute..." Wind Duster stumbled next to his teammates before slowly standing up straight. "Thanks for asking..."
"You guys should get back." January said in their ears. "Let the troops handle this. It's what their tr-"
"She's right." Maystrike concluded. "I doubt either of you c-"
"We're not going anywhere." Freight Train answered.
The Response glanced at each other, Maystrike prepared one of his sulphuric acid arrows, Freight Train picked up a slab of concrete and held it above his head as he prepared to throw it, Wind Duster stretched his body and focused his mind to summon all the wind he could muster.
"Good!" Jacob Brighton appeared before the small army of Soldiers and Carriers, green energy steaming all around him along with remaining bits of goo, he smiled at his opposition. "The more the merrier!"
"Response!" Freight Train stepped forward in front of his teammates and allies, he remembered the rallying cry he'd spent his weekend thinking up and smiled as it escaped his lips. "Rough him up!"
All the Response and CBTF troops collapsed to the ground screaming as Jacob Brighton entered their minds and activated their deepest darkest memories.
"Nice try." He said sarcastically.
______________________________
Indigo City Airport.
"Mister Blackwood! Glad to see you've arrived!"
Briar Blackwood ignored the odd looks he was getting from passersby. A man of his stature (both in title and size) was quite the sight to the average person. He looked down at the short, smartly suited limousine driver his uncle had sent to greet him.
"My axe." He snapped. "Do you have it?"
Briar's chauffer held up a brown, leather case and smiled.
"Of course, sir. And a bit extra."
"Excellent." Briar pulled the steel cerimonial axe from the case and basked in its glory. "Now... time to find the Response."
"You're in luck, sir!" The driver said, Briar raised his eyebrow questioningly. "They're busy in Midtown, now."
Briar grinned. "Perfect."
Log in to comment