Hell Rising:Part 5 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, 5 minutes ago...
"I'm not sure I can do this."
Nerves were something that Briar Blackwood usually tended to ignore, most of the time his fears were unnecesarry, afterall he was taller then most people his age, he was strong as well, able to benchpress a 500 pound weight with utter ease. But the situation he was heading into was very different from the type of battle he was used to.
"You'll be fine." Briar's driver replied from the front of the limousine, his voice gravey yet still sounding somewhat bored.
"I'm heading into a fight with the Response." Briar pointed out, twirling his brother's axe in his hands. "People with Super Powers. They're different from the idiots and drunks I'm used to fighting... they're more... dangerous."
The Driver snorted loudly, clearly amused by Briar's comment.
"Sure they are." The limo skidded to a halt right next to the sidewalk leading towards the MIdtown area where the Response were in the middle of a huge battle. The Driver turned to his passenger and looked right into his eyes, the black cap on his head tilting forward slightly. "Listen, Briar." He said calmly. "You can do this. Those Response guys are NOTHING! All the stuff they went through last week just shows how useless they really are." Briar looked to the mask lying on the leather seat next to him, it was black on the outlines with a blazing red skull directly on the front. It had belonged to his brother... the small bullet hole in the back of the mask showed that. "Now those idiots are probably out there getting their asses kicked... and all you have to do is wait and dish out the final blow."
Briar listened carefully to his chauffer's words... and slowly nodded. He gripped his brother's axe in one hand and pulled his mask down over his face with the other.
"You're right." Briar opened the limousine door and stepped out, in the distance the sounds of battle echoed. A breeze rushed through the air... and Briar finally understood his destiny. "YOU'RE RIGHT!" He bellowed, feeling adrenaline rush through his veins, Briar turned towards the direction the screaming pedestrians were heading away from and grinned. "It's time for the All-New Axe-Man to get his revenge!" He declared before charging forwards, the rush of battle engulfing him.
It was the proudest moment of his life.
___________________________
Now.
Or it had been anyway.
Briar was lifted carefully via stretcher onto an ambulance, an arrow lodged in his shoulder, blood streaming from his broken nose and tears streaking down his cheeks.
"Oh god!" He moaned in pain as the Ambulance drove off, leaving behind the remenants of the epic battle the Response had taken part in, along with his brother's battle axe. As the Ambulance darted around the corner, the three members of the Response watched in silence. Surrounded by the crater that had been the setting of their battle.
"I think this suits me." Dark Archer muttered while gripping Axe-Man's forgotten axe.
"Who WAS that guy?" Wind Duster asked, in the background Jacob Brighton was being loaded into the back of a CBTF truck. Both of the hero's teammates stared at him, Freight Train in surprise and Alan Maystrike with utter disdain.
"That was Axe-Man's brother, Mark." Freight Train said while brushing the criminal's blood from his knuckles. "It was pretty obvious if you'd been paying attention." Maystrike sighed before walking away from his teammates, casually holding his new found weapon by his side.
"Well that wasn't made clear to me." Mark shrugged before following his teammate, around the edges of the crater a mob of reporters had formed, all swarming around Maystrike as he climbed out, yelling questions loudly.
"What happens now?" Freight Train asked as he watched Wind Duster teleport to the top of the crater.
"Now?" Mark held out his hand, offering his teammate a hand out of the crater. Freight Train grasped it, and was quickly pulled up, a loud cheer from the crowd greeted him causing a small smile to spread across his nervous face. "Now..." Mark slapped his friend on the back before steering him towards the crowd and reporters. "We're the World's Greatest Superheroes."
______________________________
CBTF Headquarters.
"Holy sh!t..."
January Morgan stared at the monitors in utter shock. The screens ahead showed dozens of local news channels, all broadcasting the exact same thing.
It was the Response. And while their media appearance last week had been a complete disaster... this one was an utter triumph. They hadn't killed anyone. None of the members had leaked information to the public... instead... they'd saved the world... or maybe just the City. Either way it was amazing.
And everyone had seen it.
"They actually did it." January muttered, her eyes wide in amazement, her brain whirring at a million miles an hour. It was official. The Response had saved the world...
"Perry?" January said into the office's intercom. "Get me the Secretary of Defense."
And January knew exactly how to twist it in the CBTF's favour.
______________________________
Jacob Brighton had spent far too long in darkness, clinging desperatley to life in Earth's upper orbit for months hadn't done his mentality good. He'd been unconscious for weeks after the week, terrified for even longer... and just as he'd gained his shot at freedom and a feast of life force... it had all been taken away from him.
"I won't let you do this!" Jacob screeched as he was tossed into a dank, empty cell beneath the CBTF HQ. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" He screamed, desperatley clawing at the blindfold covering his eyes. "I'LL-"
He continued screaming for what felt like hours, completely unaware that his cell was soundproof.
WHOOSH!
The cell door opened... and someone stepped inside, Brighton couldn't tell if they were alone or not.
"Who's there?!" He snapped, completely terrified by his unknown visitor.
"Your salvation." A feminine voice answered. "Something you desperatley need, Mister Brighton." Jacob moved to the corner of his cell and curled up into a ball. "You are a being of extraordinary power, Mister Brighton. It's an utter waste keeping you locked in here... and I've got an offer for you."
Jacob's curiosity was piqued.
"....what kind of offer?" He whimpered.
___________________________
"I have to admit, Agent. We're very disappointed."
Alan Maystrike twirled a coin in his hand, completely and utterly bored. The screen before him showed the outline of a figure, making it unclear who Alan was actually talking to. The figure's voice was deep and echoed, helping to further mask his identity.
"Disappointment? From you?" Alan snorted slightly before putting the coing back into his pocket. He was inside an abandonded warehouse in the more scummy area of the City. It had once been owned by a hotshot businessman in Amber City, before his company had gone bankrupt. "That's incredibly rare."
"You had the opportunity to completely tarnish the reputation of the Response upon defeating Brighton."The voice pointed out. "Yet you neglected to do so."
"What can I say?" Maystrike smirked. "I was caught up in the moment."
"You've assisted in giving the Response a positive reception."
"If I'd KILLED Brighton, my mission would have been an utter failure." Maystrike explained. "No amount of Persuasion would have saved me from getting kicked off the team."
The figure seemed to pause as if he was considering what his hired employee was saying.
"Very well, Agent."He finally said."You may proceed as planned. But when we're finally ready to make our move, Maystrike.... you had best be ready."
"You can count on it."
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