Tales of the Black Case Book: Five Star #4/Made Men #1

Forest of Blean, North of Canterbury

Clay gunned the Fiat Panda’s engine as they reached the police exclusion tape, the little car slashing through the flimsy barrier before slamming into the car-park’s locked gate. Cursing he slipped out of the driver’s seat as Monique hopped out the other side, before grabbing the impressive torch from the back-seat, the beam lighting up the car-park and the headless bodies of the police officers and CSIs who had been investigating the crime scene.

“I think I preferred it with the lights off.” Monique gulped, as Clay headed round to the boot and unlocked it, his hands wrapping around a spade with a rusty blade. “Who what are you doing, we’re here to help Colleen not go all shovel killer on her cranium.”

“You saw her back at the house, she’s become some kind of space ninja or something, plus someone is running around biting people’s heads off!” Clay yelled back at her, as he re-joined her at the gate, before ducking under.

“You don’t think Colleen did this?” Monique asked timidly as the pair of them crossed the car-park and headed onto the main jogging track, the torch beam slashing through the darkness as they ran. “I mean she blasted out of the house twenty minutes ago, she couldn't have done this right?”

“I don’t know.” Clay replied, as they reached in a fork in the path. “I have no idea what she is any-more.”

“Please tell me she couldn't have done this!” Monique pleaded, tears sliding down her cheeks, her bottom lip quivering. “She’s my best friend.”

“She didn’t do this, at least not the Colleen we know and love.” Clay told her, as he bent down and whipped a tear off Monique’s cheek. “And trust me we will find a way to get out Colleen back.”

**

Colleen stood rigidly before the swollen cocoon, her arms crossed and her head bowed as if in reverence to its contents. While she couldn’t see the moon, she could feel its cold light on her shoulders and shuddered with pleasure at the thought of the euphoria she had felt when she had flown to the clearing.

“Drone, I am ready.” The mysterious commanding voice announced. “Rebirth your Queen from this chamber of metamorphosis.” It ordered, causing Colleen to stir and turn to face the cocoon, her red armoured hands gently massaging the silken outer layer, the strands melting away to reveal a humanoid figure inside, its body shivering from the process of being reborn onto a strange alien planet.

“My Queen it is done.” Colleen stated, as the last strands melted away, and the figure inside landed softly on the forest floor, her three toed bare feet digging into the moss and leaf litter. Shaking her head, the Queen looked up at the moon with glowing green eyes, the luminosity of the celestial body running down her flanks and back to form a large pair of lacewing like wings, the blue veins running up and down these new limbs contrasting to the light green tinge of her skin.

“I feel this planets rhythms, this will be a good home to us drone.” The Queen stated, as she ran a six fingered hand across her torso and the armoured layer of chitin that ran down her shoulder and torso all the way to her naval. “The aboriginal population is physically weak and mentally undeveloped, we will have little opposition from them when my arm has been bread.”

“You intend to start your nuptial flight now my Queen?” Colleen asked, as the Queen ran a hand over her drone’s body, her own features shifting, becoming more human save for the wings on her back.

“Yes, we do not yet have the numbers required to overtake this world. As such I must harvest genetic material from as many of the aboriginal population as I can, lest they discover our presence prematurely.” The Queen ordered. “Stay here and guard ‘The First Nest’ it will be needed very shortly.” She added, as she took to the sky, her wings glowing in the moonlight as she flew south towards the orange glow of the city. Taking a deep breath, Colleen re-assumed the position she had been standing in before the Queen had emerged from her cocoon.

**

Monique angled the torch up, as something large flew over the tree-line, its wings gleaming in the torch light as it passed. Following the flying figure’s path she watched as it vanished from view before turning back to face Clay, his eyes wide with amazement.

“Was that Colleen?” She whispered, fearful that the airborne entity would hear her and return.

“I don’t think so.” Clay answered. “There was something about it, something that smelt like roasting almonds. I don’t know why, but when I smelt it I felt…felt like my brain had shut down, that I could no longer control myself.”

“It looked like an insect.” Monique stated. “I mean so does Colleen, so maybe what she said about the giant worm was less killer leech from outer space and more insect grub. That would explain a lot.” She added, as the pair of them walked along the path towards where the Queen had taken off from. Reaching the tree line of a clearing the torch picked up on a figure stood hunched over as if waiting for instructions. Without even thinking Monique ran over, and was about to place her hand on Colleen’s shoulder, when her enslaved friend lashed out, knocking the smaller woman back onto the floor.

“Intruder, you encroach on the First Nest. Surrender or die!!” Colleen snared, as her hands blazed with celestial energy.

“Colleen please I'm your friend.” Monique whimpered, as Clay rushed towards the pair of them, only for the release of celestial energy to spark towards him, the blast hitting the spade and reducing the blade into rust. In that moment Colleen was distracted Monique struck with the torch, the tool slamming into the taller woman’s knee and causing her to stagger backwards. With a scream Colleen retaliated and slammed her armoured foot into Monique’s leg, the force of the blow causing the bone to creak.

“Colleen stop!!” Clay yelled, as he threw the remains of the spade at the mind controlled woman, the wooden shaft hitting her on the side of the head. Turning round Colleen glowered at him, the moonlight reflecting malevolently off her eyes. Unperturbed Clay stepped forward towards Colleen, only for her to lunge at him and tackle him to the floor, her fists going to work on his nose and throat.

“Please Colleen stop it!!” Monique screamed, as she shuddered to her feet and limped over, the torch hanging loosely from her hand. With a grunt of pain she swung the ad-hoc weapon again, the bub shattering as it impacted with Colleen’s armour plunging the clearing into darkness, a thud sounding followed by rustling leaves and a woman’s scream of pain.

“Monique is that you!?” Clay asked as he fumbled for his phone, the screen barley lighting up the forest before him.

“It was me.” Colleen gasped, as she got to her feet. “I’m so sorry, I could see everything, could feel everything but it wasn't until that smell that I could fight her.”

“What smell? Was it like almonds?” Clay asked, as Monique bent down next to him, the remains of the torch held in her hand.

“No it smelt like vinegar, it washed the mind control away. I think it was all the formic acid in the soil, somehow it overrode her control of me.” Colleen said, her armoured hand outstretched to help Clay up. Hesitantly he took it, and looked Colleen in the face, her eyes gleaming in the light of the phone, drops of condensation dripping down the hardened lenses. “Please forgive me.”

“You were not you.” Monique announced, as she wrapped her arms around Colleen’s body. “You still aren't kind of. It’s cool though, like some kind of Sailor Moon thing, only with weird insect skin.”

“Speaking of insects, we saw something heading for town.” Clay interrupted. “It was big and it was airborne.”

“That was my Queen, she left for her nuptial flight.” Colleen gasped, her body shivering. “If she completes it, then we've already lost.”

United States Bullion Depository, Kentucky, United States

The vault door slammed into the ground as the industrial laser was powered down, the operator hopping off of the gunners chair before removing his goggles and whipping his hands on the jumpsuit he wore. Walking to the door in awe he and the six men dressed identically looked on at the horde of gold before them.

“We did it Nick!” One of the men told the operator. “Look at all that gold, and it’s ours for the taking.” He added, as a metallic figure stepped out from behind them, insect like metallic limbs sprouting from his back.

“Wrong, all this bullion belongs to me…Goldbug!!” The armoured man announced proudly. “You work for me and you’ll get what I pay you.” He added, as he clicked a button mounted on his gauntlet, a light quickly flashing before fading. Angrily he pressed it again, although this time no light came on. “What is wrong with this accursed thing!! Where is my ‘Bug-Ship’?!”

“Repossessed.” A voice announced from the entrance to the vault. “Or crushed, I'm not sure what Erik did to it.” The man stated, as Goldbug and his goons span round to face the newcomer dressed in purple armour.

“Rock Python!!” Goldbug spat, “Serpent Society hirelings are not welcome here!! Leave now before I make you regret interrupting my hist you treacherous snake!” He added, as he drew a laser pistol from his waist holster.

“Where have you been for the last few months bug? I’m with the Thunderbolts now.” Rock Python asked, as he casually threw a projectile across the room, the orb exploding open, thick steel coils emerging from inside and wrapping around Goldbug, the villain tottering forward before falling onto his face. Almost immediately after he had fallen, the henchmen sprang into action, rushing Rock Python as a group, with Nick leading the charge. The resulting fight didn’t take long, all of Goldbug’s goons were on the floor bound and unconscious within a minute of their boss being captured.

**

Green River Correctional Facility, Central City, Kentucky – 10 Months Later

Nicolas Adams walked along the banks of cells, his dark skin contrasting with the orange jumpsuit he wore. He hadn’t had a visitor since he was locked up, so when the guard came to his cell and told him someone was here to see him, his curiosity was peeked. That changed when he was led past the usual visitor reception area and into one of the interrogation rooms, something that made him extremely nervous. It wasn’t made any better when the elderly man dressed in a brown suit and white dress shirt accented with a red tie sitting at the interrogation table.

“Thank you Mr Lewis.” The man stated in a refined Californian accent. “As per our agreement the ten-thousand dollars have been deposited in your account.” He added, as the guard sat Nick down at the table opposite the man. “I will call you should I require your assistance.” He finished, as the guard left the room. “Now Mr Adams, I assume you want to know why you and I are meeting today.”

“I want to know who you are first.” Nick asked, as the man picked up a bag sitting to the left of his chair. “Are you my lawyer?”

“My name is Curtiss Jackson, although in professional circles I am known as the Power Broker.” The man stated, as he removed a pool ball sized device covered in wires and blue sensors from his bag. “And I can assure you that I am not your lawyer, although me and my associates are very interested in men like you.”

“I’ve heard of you, you were in the wrestling business or something like that. Also aren’t you dead, I remember seeing your obituary in the Daily Bugle.” Nick asked, as the Power Broker pressed a button on his device, the machine levitating off the table, the sensors glowing blue.

“And I would be the first villain to fake my death to keep the law off my back would I?” The Power Broker asked, as two holographic figures appeared around the table. “But where are my manners, these are my associates Phineas Mason AKA the Terrible Tinkerer and the Lady Shazana of Drakos.”

“If you want to hire me as a henchman you can forget it.” Nick stated, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “I’m done taking orders, once my sentence is served I’m making an honest living for myself.”

“There is a fire in this man,” Shazana purred as she ran her holographic hand across Nick’s cheek, “he will be of use to us.” She added, as Nick looked around at the people standing around him.

“Indeed, this young man has potential to act on our behalf.” The Tinkerer added, as the Power Broker removed a sealed box marked with a bio-hazard symbol. Eyes fixating on the box, Nick watched as the Power Broker slipped on a pair of metal gauntlets and removed a glowing green steaming capsule from the hazardous crate. “You see the three of us have grown tired with the villain scene, and the men and women who run within the underworld. Now I will admit there are certain clients who I honestly admire, people like the Trapster or Taskmaster who pay their bills on time, but some of them…well I could bury you alive in the number of IOUs I have gotten from the Shocker alone.”

“In addition Mason and myself are responsible for the creation of a number of super criminals, yet our level of recognition within the Underworld is sorely lacking.” The Power Broker added. “Nowadays there is no respect for our work, even among the rest of the Old Guard. That is why we are acting now, people like you Mr Adams, have suffered the idiotic requests and humiliations of the Shockers and Whirlwinds of this world, just as we have. That is why we are looking to make you an offer that will change everything you have ever known about this world.”

“And what if I say no to joining your scheme?” Nick asked, his eyes still locked on the capsule in the Power Broker’s hands.

“Well then we find someone else, it’s not like your kind is hard to find.” Shazana stated seductively. “Oh that and we can make you disappear just like that.” She added clicking her fingers, flames springing up around the table, the sudden increase in heat causing Nick’s skin to blister instantly.

“Okay so what do you want to do with me?” Nick asked, the flames extinguishing the moment his words left his lips.

“This is a blood sample from the Abomination spliced with that of the Lizard, its high level of gamma output should make the initial triggering process very easy.” The Power Broker stated, as he held out his hand and the capsule. “As a master geneticist I was able to get the traits required for your transformation.” He added as Nick took the capsule, the outer skin searing his hand and causing him to scream in pain.

Within seconds of the ‘handover’ the door swung open and the guard from earlier ran in, a baton clenched in his hand. Groaning and screaming Nick didn’t pay him any attention, he was more concerned about the blade like scales sprouting along his arms and legs, not to mention how the world’s colours swam in a technicolour sea of reds and blues. What worried Nick most of all however, was a cold, almost icy feeling slithering through his brain, one that whispered snake like to him.

“Sir you need to move away from the inmate.” The guard ordered the Power Broker, as he stepped forward, his baton raised. “Inmate stand down and return to your…cell.” Before he could finish the Power Broker grabbed him from behind by the scalp and twisted his neck with a sickening crunch before looking up at Nick, taking in the armoured scales, enhanced physique and burning red eyes with a smirk on his face.

“Well you are a real marvel to behold Mr. Adams.” The Broker stated, as he removed a pen like device from his bag and shone the light on the wall, a swirling vortex opening up. “You will fit in nicely with the others.” He added as he retrieved the holo-orb.

“Others..?” Nick hissed, as he looked hesitantly at the portal.

“Of course.” The Power Broker replied, as he walked into the portal, his voice distorted by the gateway as he moved through. “Did you honestly think you were special enough to be the only one..”