Before Bedtime

 

Important Disclaimer:  If you don’t have a sense of humor this story is not for you. 

 

Before Bedtime

 

He looked at his dog Arisia and shook his head.  “One hundred and fifteen days in a row.”  The sun continued to rise as he looked out the window, with the dog’s head on his lap.  Arisia could feel the waves of frustration pouring out of her owner.  His mask and cowl were next tom him on the couch.  He struggled so hard each night to fight crime and the “vampires, demons and the forces of darkness.”  But not even cursing Perry the Platypus would make him feel better.  That Trio was simply the source of frustration for all the heroes and heroines who took care of the night shift.  The White Shadow scratched his dog’s left ear.  “Arisia, they just have so many dang powers!  I mean they’ve been doing this since they were in Pokey Oaks Kindergarten.”  Arisia barked because she helped him each night and the results were always the same when the sun came up.  They simply hadn’t done enough.  He was just one man with a dog.  But dang it she thought.  “He’s the best dog dad ever!”  The White Shadow let his head drop and sighed.  He finally raised his head and hugged his dog.  “There’s always another day at least that’s what Jordan’s always singing.” 

          There were in college these days that frustrating trio.  In his head the White Shadow could hear that annoying narrator calling out their names.  “Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup.”  “Grr!”

He hugged the dog again.  “I gfotta get ready for bed, Arisia but just once I want to beat them at their own game.  I should be happy they do what they do in the daytime I guess but just once I want to be able to say that unlike the Powerpuff Girls the White Shadow and Arisia actually ‘Saved the World before bedtime’.  Just once kid.” 

 

 

 

Director’s cut: It’s just a silly fun short story.  I work nights and, on my nights off I’m usually still up in the middle of the night.  Well, every time I am, and the sun is coming up I will tell my dog.  “Well Arisia it happened again we didn’t stop the sun from coming up.”  It sparked a conversation with my friend Lori of “what if the White Shadow was in a competition with the Powerpuff Girls trying to save the world before bedtime at night while they did so in the daytime.  The song I referenced is called “Don’t Color me Blue” by my friend Jordan Cody. I'm leaving a link to her song to make her famous.  Don't color me blue by Jordan Cody

Kismet's Return

 

Kismet’s Return

 

“Look, if someone wrote a play

Just to glorify what’s stronger than hate

Would they not arrange the stage

To Look as if the hero came too late?”

 

A spark was fading.  Something was wrong.  She watched the sun descend.  Approaching the view screen that allowed her to peer into the Way Between Worlds, the geisha/ kabuki looking blonde aka Kismet the Avatar of Fate saw a pinprick of light blink and darken and keep attempting to light up again.  Telepathically she sent a summons to the Beast King requesting his assistance.  Within two days a cat like astral form came to her door and transformed to a human manifestation of the Beast King.  “How may I assist the lovely Avatar of Fate?  “This pinprick of light in the Way Between Worlds can you hunt it down for me and tell me who it is and why it flicker’s so?”  “For you Kismet it will be done.” 

Two weeks passed and the Beast King returned.  “Avatar Kismet, I bring news.  You asked me to search out the pinprick of light and the Starbearer and Celestial sent me quickly back to get you what you have observed is a person of grave importance to the Four Who Are One.  That light is one of our heroes we once helped empowered.  The Demon has been fighting hard to protect this person because we gave him gifts to make him the hero he is.  Kismet, we need you to make a journey to go help the White Shadow.  Many emotional things have hurt him, and your mission is to go show him hope and purpose to continue on.”  “Beast King, how will I accomplish this task you have laid out?”  “Do you remember your journey where you summoned fighters for a tournament?  This is no different.  Though the mission is more unique.  You can summon those to help.” 

As the Beast King departed Kismet began to ponder the task she had been given.  She thought out loud, “How does the Avatar of Fate help restore hope and a sense of purpose to a hero who has seemed to have lost it.  ?  This will take some special people.” 

She didn’t know she was special in any way but she was about to find out because Kismet had seen something in her thanks to the empathic abilities shared with her by the Starbearer.  In fact the woman that Kismet was observing was practically glowing with emotional power.  The young woman was walking through the food court of La Palmera mall.  She had dirty blonde hair up in a pony tail pulled tight a top her head, wore a lime green crop top, a black skirt, fishnets and green and black converse shoes.  Seemingly she had no care in the world as she headed to get shrimp teriyaki at Sarku.  “Why am I observing this strangely dressed young lady?  Why is she glowing with such emotional power?  Who is this unassuming gothic looking girl”, Pondered Kismet.  The young woman walked up and placed her food order and the cashier asked for her name.   “Astrid Lotus, I had hippie parents.”  While she waited on her order Astrid was approached by a young red headed woman who seemed nervous and troubled.  “Maddy, what’s wrong?”  “I’m just having a long rough day.”  “Where are you sitting, I’ll come join you and we’ll talk. After a few minutes and some food being set down, Astrid hugged Maddy.  Kismet, still near the viewing screen of the Way between World shook her head and thought a loud.  “What just happened to this lady named Maddy?  Her whole demeanor and body language changed when this Astrid Lotus woman hugged her.  That was at least a two-minute hug!  In this day and age, no one hugs someone for that long.  The Starbearer has power over the emotional spectrum, but this is the first time he has shown me a person’s emotional aura like what I just witnessed.”  Kismet tapped into the powers of the Celestial and entered La Palmera mall in the hallway by Charley’s Philly Cheese Steaks.  Kismet emerged wearing a Kiss t-shirt, blue jean shorts and flip flops but still retained her geisha/ kabuki makeup.  She gave a little giggle and ran her right hand through her short blonde cropped haircut.  “Sometimes the Celestial exhibits a sense of humor when transporting and providing my attire.”  She thought as she looked at the t-shirt with the picture of the Four Who Are One in their comic book/ rock music group disguise. 

 

“So let Hope rise and Darkness tremble.”

 

As Kismet prepared to approach the table where Astrid Lotus sat alone something of unique importance to this tale was about to occur in a place called Star City to Ms. Courtney Whitmore aka the Justice Society of America member Stargirl.  Her team had just stopped a plot by Mirror Master and Captain Cold and Stargirl turned to check on her teammate and friend Cyclone when her Cosmic Rod began blinking bright green signaling an object was drawing near to her.  A bright blue object flew past her head, and she ducked.  Three more times it zipped past her and then swooped low and attached itself to her wedding ring finger.  She held out her hand and said, “What in the name of Mariska Hargitay?”  Cyclone walked up and asked her, “Where’d the ring come from?”  Stargirl, befuddled, kept staring at it and blinking and then the ring spoke.  “Courtney Whitmore of space sector 2814, you have the ability to instill great hope.  Welcome to the Blue Lantern Corps.” “But I’m already a superhero!”  She protested.  The ring again spoke, “Your ability to instill hope is greatly needed you will be transported to assist the one called Kismet as soon as she returns to the Way Between Worlds.”  “Do what now?”  Cyclone and Stargirl kept looking at the ring trying to make sense of the odd message. 

 

“Truth comes home in the strangest ways.”

 

The costume was once bright lime green and stark white.  It was befitting a vigilante hero who brought hope to others.  The cape and cowl were frayed at the edges now.  So many things had happened to this stalwart hero.  Mentally and emotionally his heart and life had been shattered.  In his civilian identity he had lost a job and people he loved.  Zac couldn’t even remember the last 8 solid hours of sleep.  It as all a blur.  Pay, bills, eat, sleep, feed the dog Arisia then bury himself in the costume of the White Shadow.  Only in the costume and fighting did he seem to find meaning.  There was no real life to him other than the one consumed by the cape and cowl.  Behind the mask was now long dirty blonde hair and a beard.  The man who once had a clean-shaven head and face was no more.  He was dealing with emotional baggage that kept him from acknowledging even hygiene problems.  He even neglected to notice some criminals had even run from him because his very costume carried a stench.  He was a hero in need of intervention because he would often be so caught up in his thoughts, he would swing his truncheons at enemies not even physically there.  He would teleport and try to pick unnecessary fights and then realize the error.  The White Shadow for all intents and purposes was a hero hurt, confused and lacking hope and purpose.  Of the Four Who Are One, the Demon was trying to keep the White Shadow from hurting himself.  The Celestial was trying to slow the teleporting.  The Beast King was using Kismet to find him help.  The Starbearer was trying to help calm the hero’s emotional turmoil.  It was going about as well as a Zebra trying to get warm in the arctic circle. 

 

“Me, I found a stubbornness that seems to grow with age.”

 

Courtney met with Kismet in the outer room to the Way Between Worlds where Kismet explained the reason, she had been equipped with the Blue Lantern ring.  Kismet also explained to her and Astrid Lotus the reason she needed help from both of them.  Courtney listened and finally spoke.  “If we’re to help the White Shadow and he keeps bouncing from place to place we need two of my friends to join us.  Jesse Quick is a speedster and she can get to places before he teleports there.  Power Girl has all the powers of Superman with a boatload of stubbornness like you wouldn’t believe.  They can come up with a way to stop him without hurting him.  Astrid you’re going to have to help me talk him down and deal with his emotional baggage.”  Kismet then summoned the Celestial to teleport them to go get Power Girl and Jesse Quick. 

 

“Fire on the arena floor

The swords are drawn, hear the lions roar.”

 

He was putting the final touches on a painting.  The man had taken a break from the vigilante hero business for some time.  His life was not consumed by it as some of the people he knew.  He still wore the amulet that transformed him though.  He barely even thought much about it anymore.  That’s why he was so caught off guard when it began to glow and vibrate against his chest.  The man dropped his paint brush and looked down.  He placed both hands on the amulet and said “By the Power of the Fangs of Castle Greyskull I am the White Lion!”  He was instantly changed to a half man half albino lion creature.  An astral projection of the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull appeared before him.  “David, my White Lion, I’m transporting you to a different realm for a time.  Your brother in arms the White Shadow is badly in need of your assistance.  However, it is not your hero identity that he needs but the human David.  He terribly needs a friend to just sit and listen to him.”  “At once madam I will gladly go to help him.”  “In moments you will be transported to the Way Between Worlds there you will meet with Kismet the Avatar of Fate and other heroes she is assembling.” 

“Never seen a warrior that looks much like me.”

 

He was a tall man with reddish hair, a trimmed moustache and goatee.  He had been out of the hero game for a bit.  He had received a strange request from a geisha/ kabuki looking woman who claimed to be the Avatar of Fate.  He found the message while browsing through a graphic novel his friend Zac aka the White Shadow had given him.  Somehow when he tried to look at the artwork of the real Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) the page altered, and the message appeared.   He pushed his thumb on the page for half a second and heard an audible voice.  “Patrick, your military and police experience is needed do you accept the offer to go to the Way Between World and join the mission to help the White Shadow?  All you must do is verbally say I accept or decline.  He shook his head for a moment trying to comprehend and then said.  “I accept. 

 

“So let Hope rise and darkness tremble in your holy light.”

 

She had just come home from a long 12 hour shift as a security guard.  All she wanted to do was relax with her dogs and cats and enjoy her day off.  She picked up the crochet project she had been working on yesterday.  Turning on Netflix, Hope thought to herself.  “Maybe just one episode and then I’ll get some sleep.”  That’s when the commotion began!  There were only a few times in her life that Hope had heard that very distinct sound.  They had fought side by side years ago before the doctors had told her she needed to cut back on her superhero activities as Heart Attack.  But Hope knew the sound she heard and it was not right.  Something was very wrong!  She knew when the White Shadow used his teleportation powers that there was a sound akin to glass breaking and metal tearing but even at his fastest teleportation’s it never sounded like it did now.  Zac was literally screaming with each teleportation.  Hope dropped her crochet project looked at her big black Labrador Bruce and said.  “I don’t care what the doctors said Bruce I have to help him.  He needs to go to the Conclave.  Only Patrick and I are the few people who know where it is.”  Knowing physically it might cause damage to her own heart Hope went to her closet and changed once more into her pink and yellow superhero costume.  She summoned her bio plasma flame powers.  She began to rise off the floor of her apartment, gesturing with her right hand, a switch on the wall opened the bay windows near her.  Her body tilted horizontally.  She flipped her reddish-brown hair over her shoulder and said.  “Bruce keep the place safe, I have a hero to go help.” 

 

“In my life, there’s been heartache and pain.

I don’t know if I can face it again.

Can’t stop now I’ve travelled so far.

To change this lonely life”

 

She was a good 60 pounds, a very muscular dog.  They said she was an American Staffordshire/ terrier mix.  One day the man they called Zac had come to the Gulf Coast Humane Society and chosen to take her home.  He had changed her name to something called Arisia.  He said she was named after an obscure character from a comic book series called the Green Lantern.  Arisia was drawn into comics and barely ever given any dialogue.  He and this dog were going to revive the character’s name.  He had rescued her and given her a large home, couch, a big chair and lots of little beds and rugs.  She had gone from a small cot and a kennel to what felt like paradise for this wobbly butt dog.   But to Arisia something felt wrong.  As kind as Zac was to her something wasn’t right with him. As a dog she sensed great pain just pouring from this man.  Somehow she knew she had to rescue him as much as she needed to be rescued.  He would sometimes come home and be so overwhelmed by tears all Arisia could do was try to crawl into his lap.  Then there was the teleportation.  The noise was hard on a dog’s ears, but it was so much worse when accompanied by his screaming.  Arisia was just a loving dog who didn’t know how to help her owner, but she kept seeing visions of the blonde haired woman with the face paint and knew this lady had a plan to help him. 

 

“When I feel the waves around me,

Calm the sea.” 

 

He had been through so much over the past few months.  Kicked from a work site, betrayed, left by the one he loved most and deceived.  Zac had gone through nearly every emotion a man could feel.  Rage, pain, anger, depression, hurt, loss, emptiness, feeling invisible, no affection, fear, distrust.  You name it; he had felt it in a matter of months.  He was trying to channel all those emotions into action using his skills of teleportation and martial arts skills as the White Shadow never realizing he was hurting himself more than the criminals he was attempting to stop.  The emotional spectrum pouring off of him was as thick as biscuits and gravy from Cracker Barrel.  More than he would ever admit he needed friends.  He was simply teleporting and swinging his truncheons at anything. 

 

“We are not the first to play this game,

Or stand over this plate,

We are surrounded by the legacy.”

 

Jesse Quick, Power Girl, Astrid Lotus, Stargirl, Kismet and the White Lion were putting the final touches on a plan to help the White Shadow but they weren’t even sure it would work.  Suddenly Heart Attack and Patrick appeared in the Way Between World antechamber and said at the same time.  “You must get him to the Conclave!”  Stargirl asked “The Conclave?  What is that?”  Hope responded.  “Have you ever seen the movie the Highlander?  The Immortals cannot fight on Holy Ground.”  Patrick continued the thought.  “Get the White Shadow to Holy Ground he won’t be able to fight have him unmask there so you can reason with him and he can heal.  If you don’t do this all your efforts will have been in vain.” 

 

“You may feel like you’re crawling over broken glass, crying a river into the pillows of your past.” 

“The stage is bare.

The crowds are gone.”

 

So, for those of you who have gotten this far in the story I’m about to pull back the curtain as the writer.  My name is Zac.  The White Shadow is my fictional alter ego.  Kismet is an extremely obscure character from the Kiss Psycho Circus comics.  Yes, the comics based on the rock band Kiss for those that didn’t catch the inside joke about her clothing.  Kismet means fate but for the comics she is the Avatar of Fate.  It has nothing to do with Ang or the live action Ferngully movie with blue people.  Kismet and Kiss are forever linked to the White Shadow mythos.  Over the years and through one story I did called Kismet’s Journey I poured feelings of heartache and hurt into her.  This time though the Avatar of Fate is setting out to rescue me with the help of fictional characters and my real-life friends.   Astrid Lotus is a friend.  I only know her as Lotus though it is not her real name.  She’s been through emotional hurt much like me and will remain anonymous.  Over the course of months I had personal events happen to me that shattered my world.  I got kicked off a job site, had to find a new job, my wife left me, and I’ve had her file for divorce.  I don’t talk a lot about it. Lotus is a friend who every time she sees me she hugs me for two full minutes.  It makes you forget your problems. David is my real-life friend along with Patrick and Hope.  The three of them at different times listened to me and prayed with me.  My parents have helped a great deal as well.  I also need to say a big thank you to my friend Abbey for being a listening ear and supporting me the days around me signing my divorce paperwork.  The Conclave is another name for my men’s Bible study group called Iron Sharpens Iron, that I try my best to go to on Tuesday nights.  The unmasking of the White Shadow is symbolic of the first night I went.  As a 46 yr. old man I broke down crying in front of 3 men of God on a patio and shared all the things I had been struggling with.  Thank you, Carlos, John and Fino.  I have endured a plethora of emotions and I am not completely healed.  For a time, I was on an antidepressant.  Where we meet for this men’s Bible study may in reality be a covered back porch at a friend’s house, but I call it Holy Ground.  We pray and study God’s word and build each other up.  This story has been an emotional roller coaster and release for me.  Trust me, I have both cried writing and typing it.  If people tell you men don’t cry that is a lie!  I have had the ending of the story in mind from the start of it.  I don’t have all the answers and I’m not completely well.  Each chapter except for one (Arisia’s chapter) I started with different lyrics of Christian music.  One Conversation that has gotten me through a lot of this is from Rambo First Blood Part 2.  Rambo has just finished a personal one man war and rescued the prisoners of war when he is asked a question by his only friend Colonel Trautman. 

“How will you live John?” “Day by Day”

With all I’ve been through some days it’s all I’ve got.  I live day by day and try to seek God with every fiber of my being.  I make little choices to pray, fill my mind with God’s Word and listen to Christian music.  Some days these are the hardest choices to make.  If you’re hurting emotionally, I urge you to seek God!  Find Christian people who can and will pray with you and encourage you.   

She-Spawn Rise of a Heroine

She-Spawn: The rise of a heroine

August 26, 2011 at 9:58pm

          In a dark alley on the bad side of town, there sits a crying young red head by a dumpster reeking of rotten diapers and bananas.  “Why can’t I remember how I got here or what happened last night?”  She raises her arm and sees a weird purple coating where skin should be thinking its some weird clothing she reaches her other hand over and spikes pop up along her knuckles.  Then they show up on the other hand.  Surprisingly enough they don’t seem to weigh anything.  Looking down she sees the purple is covering almost the length of her body.  Her chest and groin are covered by an odd bikini.  She feels no heat or cold and on looking down she sees what looks like boots made of bones.  She knew she had been crying but feels no wetness on her face.  In fact as she runs her covered hands where her face should be she feels what seems to be a mask but her vision is clear.  Then she found every single strand of her flaming red hair pouring out the top of her mask in a ponytail out of the top of the mask.  Part of her longs to scream but she calms down.  Threaded along the spikes on her left hand she finds a chain and dog tags.  “Who do these belong to and who am I”?  The dog tags read Beta, Zelda Brianne.    Strapped to her right thigh she finds a wickedly curved dagger with a skull containing emerald glowing eyes on the hilt.  “Whoa creepy much.”  Her hand brushes against an mp5 submachine gun.  Looking at the wall opposite her she sees a massive bloodstain.  Her left ear begins making a beeping noise.  This goes on for about 5 min and begins to annoy her.  Then she hears a name said over and over but can’t find anyone.  “Who’s talking?  Where are you?  Would you please shut up”?  The voice suddenly gets louder.  “Bri stop yammering it’s me your partner”.  “Get out of my head!  Who in the blue blazes is Bri?  Why don’t you go bug her and leave me alone”?  the beeping noise begins again then the talking resumes.  “Bri it’s Zac it is critical that you pay attention at this time! Where are you what do you see and hear”?  She begins shaking her head and swatting at her ear.  The noise and speaking simply won’t stop.  “Seriously dude if you’re not going to stop talking in my head at least answer my questions.  Who is Bri?  I woke up in a haze.”  The voice replied “Obviously something has gone wrong so we’ll start at the basics.”  “Fine by me be as informative and detailed as possible.”  “Okay what did you find upon waking up and what do you see”?  The red head begins describing it all.  “The dog tags you found are your own.  You are Zelda Brianne Beta or Bri for short.  You are an extremely powerful super heroine and the weapons are your tools.  There was an accident on our last mission.  See the weird getup you are in serves a purpose.  You’re a part of an elite fun loving group of super heroines called the Vixen Force.”  “Okay but who are you and why do you keep talking in my ear”?  “Knew I forgot something I’m Zac I’m your partner on this mission also known as the White Shadow.  We were in a fight with a demon and somehow we got separated as I tried to teleport us out.  You fell from a 20 story up plate glass window.  For 3 days I’ve been trying to locate you.  Other heroes call you She-Spawn you’re a being of great magic.  Your suit can heal most things except for head trauma which you have apparently suffered from given time you should remember things.”  Slowly Bri stands up and starts looking around and puts the strap of the mp5 over her shoulder.  “So now what voice in my head”?  “Now you have to find out where you are and how to get you out of there before something happens to you.  The magic in your suit makes you a blind spot to any and all technology.  We can talk to you but can’t find you.  In time I can get help to you but I need your help to get there.  Do you still have Cryoflame?”  “What’s a Cryoflame?”  “Check your right thigh for a curved dagger with a skull and green eyes.  Only you know how it works but somehow it channels flame from a volcano and ice from Antarctica at the same time.  Send a spike of energy from it upward and I’ll bring another agent and we’ll finish that demon.  Be careful that demon has friends everywhere.  Find the tallest building you can and get to the top of it.”  “Okay White Shadow I’ve got a lot more questions but I’ll ask what I can on the way.  There’s half a clip of ammo and I don’t know how to work the dagger.  Can I do anything else I should know of?”  After a long pause of silence “On certain occasions you have been known to employ a strange powerful green energy.  Also you have some of the best hand to hand combat skills in the world.  Can you run?”  Bri begins stretching at the legs testing the movement of her body.  She looks at the wall at the end of the alley and runs towards it and on instinct alone she does a jumping kick up and off the wall.  She looks down the other end and surveys the opening tentatively.  She draws the Dagger looks down either direction fo the tallest building.  As she stands there a wino throws and empty bottle at her and yells “This is my corner bug off ugly.”  She swats off the bottle with the spikes on her left hand.  Calmly she approaches the wino lifts him up by the scruff of his neck and hurls him down the street.  “When I want your opinion I’ll beat it out of you.”  She spies the sky scrapers and takes off at a run.  “Bri give me some signs and landmarks something to help find you.”  “I see a long…..”  Whoosh Boom!  Suddenly She-Spawn is violently thrown in the air.  Her earpiece crackles to static.  Surprisingly she lands on her feet and turns in the direction of the attack to find a 9 foot tall cybernetic scorpion with a flame thrower on the tail.  Bri begins tapping her earpiece but no longer hears the White Shadow.  “This is not going to be fun at all.”  The scorpion begins to advance towards her as electricity begins to arc between the claws.  She-Spawn grabs the gun and fires 3 times to no avail.  She takes off running full tilt at the foul insect she feels Cryoflame began to vibrate on her leg she doesn’t know why but she draws the blade jumps and slashes at the scorpion’s neck.  A dazzling white and orange blast erupts from the blade and the head explodes from the robot.  In midair she twists 3 times and with each rotation the beam from the blade bistcts more of the insect.  She lands left foot out on her toes right foot tucked under her twirls the dagger in a figure 8 and yells “Sweet!”.  Suddenly the static in her earpiece becomes a garbled voice and then clears up.  “Bri forget the tall building I saw the blast give me the nearest street sign you see and help is on the way.”  Bri stands up overlooks the demolished robot reads off the nearest street sign and resumes running thru town.   “Bri keep an eye on the sky I’m sending a fellow Vixen Force member to extract you.  Hawkgirl is en route.  She-Spawn stopped running.  “What the heck is a Hawkgirl?  Since I woke up from that bad nap things have gotten stranger and weirder.”  She resumes running and half a mile later hears hears a flapping sound she draws Cryoflame and whirls seeing another redhead with a hawk’s face and wings affixed to a harness.  “Easy Bri no need for the blade the White Shadow sent me I’m Hawkgirl.”  Bri just stares not backing down.  “Pardon me if I’m cautious I’ve had a strange day, woke up in an alley with all this on, some dude won’t quit talking in my ear, keeps telling me weird things, fought a robo-scorpion, blade comes to life then you land near me.  If you reach for that mace at your side don’t think I won’t put you down hard.  I’m so not in the mood I’m cranky hungry and tired.”  “It’s okay Bri walk with me to Midtown Park.  I’m your escort the Owl jet has been sent for us but we’re early.  I’ll even let you hold my mace if it will make you feel better.”  Hawkgirl reached up removed her helmet held out her hand and said “I’m Kendra Saunders if can help your memory or you in any way let me know.”  Bri cautiously puts up her blade takes Hawkgirl’s hand and at the point of contact green energy travels from Bri to Kendra and back.  “Wow I don’t know what that just was but I saw a fight with what could only be the demon that Shadow guy talked about and I felt myself falling, and I saw that mace fly past my head.”  Kendra flipped her hair back tied it up in a scrunchie and grinned.  “Glad the Nth metal in my mace and the Mother Box I borrowed from Big Barda helped restore some of your magic and memory.  Now come on let’s go get Zac and have round 2 with that demon this time we lay the smackdown.”  “Before we go I have 2 questions.  That green energy can I use that offensively?  Can I have more bullets in the armor piercing variety?”  “Yes and yes Bri now tap your headset 3 times.  DJ Cindy Lou sent your favorite song for us to run to.  I told her how much you liked Aimee Allen’s song I’d Start a Revolution if I Could Get Up in the Morning and you girl have had a rough morning.”  As the girls take off running their beautiful red ponytails flow with each step.  Suddenly from the nearby trees a group of 20 Hand ninjas descend to surround them.  Hawkgirl slapped She-Spawn on the shoulder and said “Well this should be fun I haven’t got to bash anyone around all day.”  She-Spawn swung her gun around emptying the clip on 5 of them.  Hawkgirl exploded into flight knocking ninjas over with her mace like bowling pins.  Suddenly only 2 were left standing.  She-Spawn grabbed the nearest one cupped her palm while holding him in a side headlock as her hand began glowing green energy blasted thru his head down his spine till he simply ceased to exist.  Hawkgirl grabbed the last one flew straight up and came down in a German suplex from 20 feet up.  “Kenda that was fun but gosh I wish there was more of them”.  So off the ran again laughing and joking.  Then after a fit of laughter Bri inquired “Why are you running with me when you can fly?”  “A long time ago I took you flying with me and you screamed worse than Spider-Man when I grabbed you under the armpits to carry you.  I can’t put you on my back because my wings wouldn’t work so we run.”  As they continued past a motorcycle rental store and a sporting goods store just the appearance of the 2 women and how they were armed persuaded the store owners to just give them 2 bikes and as much ammo as Bri could carry.  “Kendra can we get some food?  Why is the park so far away?”  “Bri as soon as we find a place for food yes.  When you were knocked out of the window the White Shadow bent time and space to save you but the demon counterattacked at the same time.  The opposing magical forces put you in that alley.  In addition every evil force in the surface has surfaced and run amok.  Your suit has protected you.  In the past 3 days we’ve seen super gorillas, zombies and mutant frogs.  If we don’t stop that demon wreaking magic it will get worse.”  “So have any people stayed in the city?”  “Only a handful and they’re just trying to live their lives.  There’s a KFC a mile from here we can split a bucket of chicken and ride on.”  “Stupid question but how do I get this mask off to eat?”  “Think!  The suit is an extension of you it reacts to you and your environment.”  Bri decided to quickly try and slowly the mask came off.  She had blue eyes almost almond shaped a nose slightly rounded her ears were small almost coming to a point, her lips were lightly curved with tiny dimpled cheeks with many freckles and natural red hair billowing from her scalp.  So the girls take off on the bikes dodging potholes, snipers and archers.  They finally get to stop and eat when with 2 chicken legs left they get knocked sideways off their bikes by a 7 ft walking upright armadillo.  Both She-Spawn and Hawkgirl crawl to a standing position and blink incredulously.  Bri was first to rise drawing Cryoflame.  “I haven’t been awake or eaten for 3 days the city is overrun with evil and you just deprived me of my chicken you’re going down ugly.”  The armadillo simply growled and swung a massive arm at her.  She-Spawn thought about what Hawkgirl had said regarding her suit and it responded as she blocked her entire suit with spikes all over.  Hooking the armadillo in a full nelson she head butted the back of it’s head and yelled “Never come between a super heroine and her food!”  Hawkgirl was calmly and slowly just started clapping and laughing.  Bri let the spikes recede and the beast drop then climbed a nearby fence and gave it a heart seeking elbow drop.  “Dang Bri! Remind me to never mess with you and your food.  I guess the armadillo isn’t as deadly as he thought.  You looked madder than a midget with a yo-yo.”  “You got that right Kendra when people mess with my food I get madder than an Ethiopian watching a doughnut rolling down a hill.”  “Okay enough Larry the Cable Guy jokes it’s time we get the rock out of here.”  And so they rode on working their way thru fallen buildings and near missing bridges only stopping at rundown gas stations.  “Kendra, Bri, It’s Zac again.  Listen I’m trying to en route in the Owl jet I have room for the bikes and you 2 but there’s a giant robot crab with repeating missle launchers on it’s arms.  The jets weaponry isn’t phasing it in any way.  I need some help of the magical variety.”  “Roger that.” “Bri there’s a blown out bridge on either sides of the park let’s circle around from opposite sides distract it and turn it into a magic fried Krabby Patty.”  “By the power of Greyskull let’s do this!”  On opposite approach vectors the bombastic beautiful babes get the motorcycles in a semicircle.  She-Spawn jumps her bike and sprays the crab with machine gun fire getting its attention.  Simultaneously Hawkgirl jumped her bike squeezed it between her knees letteing her wings balance her and began firing a crossbow with arrows composed of Nth metal and sulfuric acid.  Both bikes landed and they began drawing missile fire.  Hawkgirl hurled her mace knocking out an eye.  She-Spawn slid her bike under the crab blasting green energy thru its belly as she came around one of the arms knocked her off the bike her suit acting on thought released chains and spikes to stabilize her and rip the arm off while swinging her to safety.  Hawkgirl circled the crab jumped the bike launching the mace thru the skull retrieved it and on the backswing took out the other arm.  She-Spawn drew Cryoflame and melted the robot into a runway for the jet.  “That was awesome teamwork ladies!” said the White Shadow as he descended the landing ramp.  The bikes got stowed away and the girls got inside.  “So far ladies this is the plan.  That demon Malebolgia has locked himself safely away at the La Palmera mall.  He could be roaming anywhere in there.  After our last fight I decided to bring in some help on this.  Once S.H.I.E.L.D. heard you had gotten bikes they sent an upgrade for one of them.  Bri you’re getting a gattling gun mounted on yours.  Kendra since you’re our flight worthy hero I’m taking your bike.  I have a special agent not part of the Vixen Force in the mall already doing surveillance.  Also Dagger and Raven are standing by to join us.  We’re going to swing by the helicarrier to upgrade the bike and get the others.  Upon docking they are met by an unexpected guest a Miss Karen Starr better known as Powergirl.  “Hey gang I was in the neighborhood heard about the trouble you all were having wasn’t doing much so I thought what the heck I’ll join in.  While the techs fix up the bike I brought ya’ll a care package and friends.  Cristal and Rae brought popcorn shrimp from BuffaloWild Wings.  Sabrina brought chicken parmesan from Beamers.  Amanda and Rosemary brought wings from Hooters.  Our other friend Bri from Town and Country brought turkey and dressing.  Dagger and Raven are in the mess hall.  Go dig in.  Almost forgot Shorty is here as well with Blackened fish and caldo from Tailfins.  As they descend to the mess hall and see the huge and the White Shadow’s many friends from many dining establishments, Bri jumps up and hugs Zac and thanks him for working Zac magic to make all the friends he has.  “Oh my stars and garters all this food looks so good!” she exclaimed.  “Now this makes up for the 2 chicken legs we never got to eat.”  Dagger stopped getting wings from a tray turned and said “Bri I don’t blame you for beating up Armadillo because of chicken legs but what was with the elbow drop we heard about?”  Raven looked at her and said, “What She-Spawn did was tap into the magic of the late great Macho Man Randy Savage OOOOOOHHHHHH Yeah Dig it!”  After the meal is finished and all have been sufficiently stuffed the White Shadow and the Vixens gather around to plan the assault on the mall while DJ Cindy begins to get them pumped with the Rambo theme.  Zac sat down with his team.  “I’m not going to lie to you ladies the mall is infested with small demons and the large one Malebolgia.  It’s going to be one ugly fight.  My agent in the field is doing hit and run.  Kendra and Bri that stunt you 2 pulled with the crab may be exactly what we need a multi-pronged attack relying on teamwork.  My thoughts and if ya’ll have better ones tell me.  Bri you and I should work from opposite ends of the mall on the bikes.  I’ll take Dillard’s you take JC Penny’s.  Powergirl you cover me.  Hawkgirl you and Bri seem to make an amazing team stick with what works.  Raven you and Dagger come thru the skylight cause as much chaos as you can.  In fact Dagger you go first thru and have Raven catch you.  Hawkgirl take as many little demons as you can into Oshman’s Sporting goods and do that melee combat you do so well.”  Raven looked up and said “Teen Titans go?”  Dagger simply shook her head “Girl I can’t take you anywhere without you embarrassing me.”  DJ Cindy ended the awkwardness by saying “I love it when a plan comes together.”  The group rises and takes off towards the Owl jet to the tune of Whatever by Our Lady Peace. 

          The jet departs and lands in Moore Plaza then they all begin to fan out.  DJ Cindy sends a tune to everyone’s earpieces a little ditty called Freak the Freak Out by Victoria Justice.  It just felt right.  Powergirl burst thru the doors of Dillards followed closely by the White Shadow.  The demons Powergirl didn’t melt down with heat vision or freeze with arctic breath the White Shadow rode by beating them into submission with his truncheons.  While on the JC Penny’s end Hawkgirl bashed the doors off with her mace and a primal scream.  She-Spawn rode right under her firing her gattling gun with abandon.  Bodies of misshapen demons were scattered almost the length of the mall.  The 2 girls split by the escalators Hawkgirl tossed She-Spawn a battle axe “First one to the top and whoever takes down the most demons buys the other dinner at Catfish Charlie’s.”  “You’re on Bri”  While in the food court about 50 little demons were raiding all the food joints when the skylight exploded downward Daggers light knives and Raven’s ebon magic rained down thru the upper and lower levels.  Down on the opposite end Powergirl and the White Shadow were waging sneak attacks working from store to store.  Hawkgirl and She-Spawn played their little race up the escalators with neither redhead winning.  They proceeded to Oshman’s and lured all the demons they could to the batting cage and golfing range.  Wham! Splat! Squish!  Bang! The girls became a veritable demon wrecking crew.  While down below Raven grabbed Dagger before she could hurt herself in her freefall.  Together they worked their way towards the center of the mall sending light knives and ebon blasts at anything moving while fighting back to back.  Powergirl having a weakness to magic decided on a new tactic now that her element of surprise was lost.  The White Shadow would lure a group of demons out to the open wile Powergirl deep fried them with heat vision.  She became a literal super powered sniper.  Having the skylight shattered increased her powers as the sunlight washed over her Kryptonian body.  One filthy demon grabbed the White Shadow and tried to strangle him.  The hero simply bent time and space and came up behind the little imp before he had time to fall and beat him senseless with his truncheons.  Further down the mall Dagger fell under assault and saw Raven in trouble as well.  She punched and kicked till there was enough room in the horde she had become trapped under to bring her hands together and summoned a light blast so powerful it freed her and Raven while destroying all the glass doors and windows along with the aquarium.  Raven brushed herself off slapped a dizzy demon upside the head then used her ebon magic to shoot him between the legs with a 2x4.  “Dagger thanks for the save but no one is going to believe this fish story.”  “Well Raven you know I’ve never been an environmentalist tree hugging hippie type better the fish than us.  Care for some sushi?”  “No thanks your light blast cooked that fish too long.”  All 6 heroes began working their way towards the center of the mall from different angles when a hissing sound began and screeching more annoying than 10 million nails raked on chalkboards at the same time.  Powergirl queried “Does anyone besides me smell brimstone and sulfur?”  All the heroes confirmed her suspicions something was about to happen.  As they passed the fountain a man in all red and black jumped out of the water and yelled “Hiya kids look at all the hot chicks!  Can just anyone join the demon slaying squad?”  Hawkgirl smacked the White Shadow bowling him over.  “Deadpool?  Really you agent in the field is Deadpool?  Of all the people you could ask for help you get us the one guy who hits on every woman on any planet and is crazier than a sack full of weasels?”  Dagger helped the White Shadow back to his feet.  “Um surprise ladies Deadpool has been my special agent in the field since all this mess started.  All of you are great heroines in your own right but we need someone who is just not right in the head and can be unpredictable.  Update me Wade because we just went thru a whole lot of demons to get this far.  Where is Malebolgia?”  “Well dude I was following him kinda teleporting from store to store when the hot girl in black and blue over there Crow, Chicken, Vulture or Buzzard or whatever the girl is called caught plastic Bagger or whatever I got distracted.”  Hawkgirl smacked Deadpool with the handle of her mace.  “Their names are Raven and Dagger you moron.”  The White Shadow thought for a moment.  “Okay enough.  Powergirl, Hawkgirl, Raven fly ahead the rest of us stay on ground the attack can come from anywhere.  As the 3 girls flew ahead their earpieces began playing the Powerpuff Girls theme song.  As the group moved on mannequins exploded into parts as a gigantic ball of fire erupted from the entrance to Victoria’s Secret.  On two legs with huge eyes and slavering jowls emerged the evil demon Malebolgia breathing fire and tossing bolts of azure magical energy.  Deadpool quipped “Ewww fire in the hole!”  He swung his dual automatic rifles emptying both clips lowering them to the belt at his waist slamming 2 more home.  Powergirl opened fire with her heat vision.  The White Shadow began hitting and running at super speed.  Hawkgirl was flying overhead trying to dent his scaly hide with her mace, Raven employed ebon energy to try and ensnare his legs.  She-Spawn was deflecting and hurling green energy back.  Dagger started throwing light knives at the monster’s eyes.  Maelbolgia screamed throwing off all manner of attacks.  “Plan Bri’s Popsicle Stand.” yelled the White Shadow.  Powergirl began alternating arctic breath and heat vision.  Deadpool yelled at She-Spawn teleported away for 5 seconds then ported back tossing her a rapid fire grenade launcher.  Raven and Dagger withdrew for 10 seconds then unleashed the most poerwul blasts either woman could summon.  She-Spawn was firing away while Deadpool was teleporting all over tagging Malebolgia with plastic explosives with 30 second timers.  Powergirl suddenly began to attack only with her arctic breath freezing the demon solid.  Hawkgirl went for the head with her mace while the White Shadow thumbed buttons on his truncheons extending blades with which he took out the legs.  She-Spawn finished the fight with a crater forming blast from Cryoflame.  Deadpool surveyed the damage and said “Ooohhhh did I win the Teddy Bear?”

          The ladies and gents spent a week using all their powers to restore the town.                                                                          

Why am I not memorable

Why am I not memorable?

“So the stories say I was created by a strange man named William Moulston Marston who by the way also created the lie detector.  In his mind and due to an artist I was unleashed on the world as a comic book heroine.  There was Batman and Superman but Marston decided the world needed Wonder Woman.  Yeah that’s me you know the story born to my mother Hippolayata had life breathed into me by Zeus and Athena made of magic clay.  I grew up different than other kids being the only kid on Themyscaria.  You know allegedly Paradise Island all women everywhere.  We all run around in robes and armor and such.  So I won a contest held among my sisterhood to allow me the chance to be the Amazons representative to man’s world.  It was sort of medieval times meets the miss universe pageant.  Yes I did earlier say Amazon and I don’t mean the website you Shopaholics.  So in man’s world they call me Diana Prince just recently I found out I’m not real; I’m a comic book heroine.  And apparently there’s statues, action figures, TV shows, an animated movie even lunch boxes of me.  As Spider-Man would say ‘When do I start getting the royalties from all of this?’  I’ve got big full breasts, a nice butt, body of a goddess so I’m told; bulletproof bracelets, speed, strength, flight you name it, even get to run around in a star spangled swimsuit.  Body of a goddess right, no pms what more could a girl want?  Aw hush don’t sing that dumb Christina Aguilera song.  Anyway born to a family of Greek gods try to top that my family history is more dysfunctional than the Simpson’s, Bundy’s, and all the rednecks in the world combined.  I’ve even been part of the Justice Society and Justice League.  Did I mention artists make statues of me?  Yeah I think it’s really cool.  You’d think I really have everything going for me.  I mean heck I’ve even helped fight dragons, demons, monsters, win a world war, killed Maxwell Lord, saved the universe, Multi-verse.  All that fun stuff and more.  Heck I even lived thru comic book reboots, the Death of Superman, JLA vs. Avengers and the super villain of the month routine.  Do you want to know the thing that really ticks me off though it was that article that Wizard magazine ran a few years ago.  I wasn’t even mad that Wonder Girl is a blonde and apparently blondes have more fun.  I didn’t even get too mad when I had to spend time with talking gorillas, wear bell bottoms, or have my friends and lovers killed off.  No madam, it was that terrible article it just shot my self esteem to well…… to Hades there I said it.  Here you thought a nice girl like me didn’t use profanity.  There I said it Hades!  Oh sorry got sidetracked again.  Oh right the article.  Sorry when you get as old as I am and take as many blows to the head as I have you forget easy.  As you know my history dates back to the 1940’s and that’s a lot of comics.  It’s a lot of guys drooling over me.  It’s a lot of girls idolizing me.  Yeah I should be happy with all of it.  But you see it’s an article and for all my magical powers I can’t fight words.  Who do they think they are anyway?  I mean to a degree they were right and you see that’s what hurts me the most because the words in the article made me feel inadequate!  It made me feel like a failure!  Me!  Amazon Warrior!  Princess!  Daughter of the gods, Wonder Woman!  Failure, inadequate, Defender of the Earth!  Yeah that exact same girl.   They made me feel stupid, retarded, slow and special.  I’m going to have to trade my invisible jet in for a short little yellow bus.  Not even Ares in all his cruelty or Vandal Savage got to me like this article did.  I admit some of the things written about me over the years were pretty darn good.  I mean so I never got the Geoff Johns or Brian Michael Bendis treatment.  I mean Merciful Minerva not every girl can say she was written by Gail Simone.  I mean what she did for me and the Birds of Prey that was some pretty awesome stuff.  For crying out loud Linda Carter brought me to life for several years.  I was even voiced by Kerri Russell in an animated movie.  You would think I could see myself as a bit of a big deal.  I told you that article made me mad it really hurt.  Whoever said that stupid thing about sticks and stones not breaking bones I’m Wonder Woman I can take those and not get hurt.  I mean what the Hades right it’s just one article?  Not to me its not!  This is like that time Jennifer Love Hewitt got the worst actor ever award.  It’s just as wrong!  I mean so really its one article but its not like the end of the world because Athena knows I’ve seen that enough times.  I mean I’m still one hot babe not many women can pull off a tiara, bracelets, swimsuit, breastplate, girdle and boots like I do.  But yeah the article made me mad I mean I could stop being a hero any day of the week.  I don’t do it for the praise and adulation of people I do it because it’s the right thing to do.  I believe in it and what the Hades these powers are a gift not a curse.  So really Wizard Magazine how dare you say for all I’ve done in my life that I’m not very memorable for things I’ve done in my own comics on my own but I’m only remembered for things I do with a group and there aren’t very many memorable Wonder Woman moments.  I should take your magazine and send it to Hades.  Grrrrr!!” 

            Rising from her seat Wonder Woman threw the chair out the nearest window breaking the Plexiglas just as the Flash grabbed it keeping it from putting a hole in the Watchtower.  The Flash looked at the Green Lantern and asked “What’s got her star spangled panties in a bunch?”  Wonder Woman stomped by.  “Shut up Wally I’m not in the mood for your childish humor.”

            Minutes later in the Watchtower lunch room Princess Diana can be found talking to Black Canary.  “I just don’t get it Dinah how can they talk about me like that?  I feel so worthless.”  Dinah rose from her seat placing her leather jacket around Diana’s bare shoulders, wrapping her arms around her.  “Diana you’re my friend first and fellow warrior second, when you hurt so do I.”  The Black Canary simply sat with her friend till she stopped crying.  Wonder Woman finally looked up at her with bloodshot eyes and a tear stained face.  The table and room were suddenly not as empty as they had been.  There were Justice League, Teen Titans and Justice Society members everywhere.  “What’s going on here?”  Wonder Woman asked.  Martian Manhunter was the first to speak.  “I’m a telepath Diana your grief and anger from the words you read have been pouring out breaking my heart.  Do not rise my friend all of us have things to say to you.”  Stargirl walked up with tears in her own eyes she hooked her arm around Wonder Woman’s and said “Come with me for 5 seconds Diana I’m going to give you what you gave me a few years ago.”  The 2 women walked to the observation deck.  Stargirl turned Diana to face her she removed her mask and said.  “I’m Courtney Whitmore of Earth I live in a small suburb you’re a goddess, a princess a magical being.  I grew up wanting to be you.  I grew up hearing tales of you in the JLA and the JSA.  I grew up with you as a role model.  You teach of peace yet you are one of the fiercest warriors on the planet.  Years ago you and I stood in this same spot and you Wonder Woman, champion and role model of women, everywhere answered a question for me.  I asked you why Sentinel and Superman came up here and looked out over Earth.  You said perspective. You’re letting a magazine article get to you.  You need perspective my friend, my sister in arms.  Now don’t argue just look outside.”  As she starred Stargirl walked away.  Superman and Supergirl approached her.   Supergirl spoke first.  “Diana you took me to Paradise Island.   You helped shape me as a warrior, a fellow Amazon and a sister. When Darkside tried to use me and twist my mind to evil you, Bruce, Barda, and my cousin risked all to save me.  They couldn’t have done it without you.  You stood up for me!  To say your deeds alone don’t matter is the biggest load of crap ever.  In my opinion you absolutely rock!”  Superman cleared his throat and spoke.  “Diana you have been one of my best and most loyal friends for years.  You share one of the biggest weaknesses Kara and I both do.  For all your power, gifts and abilities your greatest asset and at the same time weakness is like us; you care.  Your heart is broken right now but you still have and continue to impact people around you and that truly is the legacy of Wonder Woman!  Come back in the cafeteria for a moment.”  They sat Wonder Woman back down and one by one hero and heroine walked up giving her hugs and kisses on the cheek and words of encouragement.  They used words such as sister, friend, hero, role model, inspiration, confidant and beloved. 

            Diana was found later by the Flash.  “Diana next time you’re really that down I’m not really a jokester like Plastic Man I’m your friend.”  He pulled his mask off and continued.  “This is not the Flash speaking just simply Wally West I’m your friend I care about you and I love you as your friend.  Now listen Hal and I are going to OA tonight.  Guy is cooking at Warrior’s diner we would love for you to join us.”

My question to the reader is this have you been there before in the place where Diana was?  I’m sure you have.  Hurtful words destroyed your entire world.  It got to her just as much as it does to us.  The article about Wonder Woman is real.  As I wrote this it really drove home something I heard a few years ago.  Proverbs 18:21 is as true today as it was when King Solomon wrote it please take these things to heart.  “Words kill, Words give life.  They’re either poison or fruit you decide.”  Words have power!  People’s spirits can be built up or destroyed by what we say.  You may even have a friend like Diana who has had their world shattered.  I urge you to go to them be the friend they need.  Be their hero.  Use your words with care.

Round Robin saga part 2

Round Robin Saga 2

The rain was pouring down outside.  It was splattering off the sidewalk onto the tires of the cars in the parking lot of Panjo’s.  The restaurant was very quiet in fact only one table had food on it.  Three small pizzas sat in front of a trio of people at a long wooden table.  They had all been friends for a very long time; in fact the man with the black briefcase was the couple’s best man at their wedding.  He kept glancing out at the parking lot.  Finally the man opposite him spoke.  “Are you okay Ryan?  You have done nothing but glance out the window since we got here.  Marion and I are almost done eating and you haven’t really touched your pizza.”  “Yeah this is not like you by this time you’re usually asking if one of us are going to eat the rest of our food.”  Ryan glanced out the window and looked down.  He put his face in his hands.  Finally he looked up and met their eyes.  He opened his mouth to speak and closed it shaking his head.  Three times he did this.  Finally the words came out.  “I don’t know how to say this so I’ll get to the point.  I need help.”  Zac and Marion both in unison said, “Anything you need man you know that.”  “You don’t understand I need the other kind of help.  I need the White Shadow and Thunder Kitten, but just the two of you are not going to be enough.  Even with my Cisco Kid armor I was not enough.” 

              For about a year now their friend Ryan had been working as a part time hero in a suit of armor styled like an old western cowboy.  He called himself the Cisco Kid it was a play on words going back to his and Zac’s Cisco computer network training.  The armor was a thin microfiber weave that fit in his briefcase.  It absorbed solar power and channeled blasts into wrist mounted Gatling guns that fired high power lasers.  When the armor was on his strength was amplified.  The helmet bore the face of a bulldog and had a cowboy hat on the top of the head. 

              “So what are you saying Ryan?”  “I found a problem I can’t handle.  It almost killed me and destroyed my armor.  I stopped what seemed like a simple weapons trade deal a few weeks ago.  There were these guys in suits and glasses meeting with these other people with robes and helmets that sported Roman numerals.  I opened fire on them and went to destroy the weapons.  I found stuff that looked like it belonged in a science fiction movie.  As I was looking at all this I heard a roar then felt a blow to my head.  Hours later a wino spilled his drink on my armor causing it to reboot.  Half the systems were malfunctioning I finally got back to my base and found a note.  “Our employers asked us to make you go away. Signed The Wrecking Crew and other powerful people.”  I finally got my armor functional again but I need help finding and stopping these people.”  Marion sat tapping her phone.  “All I can find on robes, helmets, and Roman numerals is some vague info involving Spider-Man, Punisher, Darkhawk, Nova, Night Thrasher, Moon Knight and some Secret Empire.  Seems they are a splinter faction of A.I.M. or Hydra bent on world domination.  They have been known to employee super powered help.”  “Ryan stay low for a while let us do some leg work.  I’ll see what help I can get you.”     

              Three nights passed.  Two young women were crouched on the roof of the American Bank Center.  The redhead handed the blonde a pair of binoculars and whispered.  “Look by the seawall off to the left of the gazebo there.  I saw something strange in my scope I need another set of eyes.”  Lifting the binoculars to her eyes Artemis sighted in on what Cover Girl had asked her to look at.  A small motorboat was nearing the seawall.  “I see a big muscular man in black and white with a mask of a skull over his face.  There’s a skull and crossbones on his shirt.  I also see 2 men in dark blue robes hard to make out.  Wait, wait a huge green shape just jumped out of the gazebo.”  Cover Girl caught movement near the street.  With instincts born of many years fighting on the G.I.Joe team she swiveled the rifle and trained it on the approaching van.  She watched thru her scope as more men in robes poured from the van towards the water.  “CG we have a problem the green figure is Emil Blonsky the Abomination my bow and your rifle will just tickle and make things worse.”  “Well Artemis those are Secret Empire goons alright and Crossbones.  Direct assault is out the window time for the pajama party.”  Cover Girl reached down ejected the clip from her Walther 2000 sniper rifle picked up another and loaded it.  Artemis walked behind her prone friend and came up on her left.  During her move she had silently deployed a collapsible compound bow and drawn a very special arrow.  Pfft pfft.  The bow gave a soft twang almost at the same time as the rifle spat a bullet of very special design.  Cover Girl spoke into a headset.  “JQ can you confirm that we are the tag team champions and the package is ready?”  “Roger that will have package confirmation in moments JQ out.”  From the emergency exit of the American bank Center there came a stirring of air and a swish od red and yellow.  Three minutes passed then a response came.  “You are the tag team champions and operation Pajama Party is a go.”  “Alright Artemis the van and boat are tagged let’s get out of here.” Cover Girl switched clips in her rifle again this time to live ammo with armor piercing rounds.  She checked her waist for her 9 mm automatic pistols and followed Artemis in running across the roof.  Pfft.  Artemis fired another arrow she secured the line attatched to it then used her bow to rappel to the next building.  Cover Girl was right behind her using a grapnel gun.  As they both landed on the rooftop an access door swung open and a young woman in yellow and red shimmered into view.  “Artemis, Cover Girl good shooting I’ve already requested transport the Owl Jet is on its way.”  Jesse Quick was the resident speedster helping the women on their recon mission.    “I gotta go meet my partner time to rock and roll.”  “Go get em Jesse.” replied Artemis. 

              The Owl Jet was halfway to get Cover Girl and Artemis flying low and fast.  Marion sat at her communications console.  “Targets 1 and 2 on the move sending interrogation teams Pancho and Lefty to Cisco time to get Marvelous be advised Abominable snowman with Bonehead.  Starr, Quick you are clear as well beware the unknown.”  Zac pressed a button on the pilot’s console.  “Be right back TK off to teleport the boarding party.”  With that the White Shadow vanished and in moments was back with Cover Girl.  In seconds he came back with Artemis.  “Strap in ladies we’re leaving.”  Controls are yours again White Shadow.”  He reached up again enabling the thrusters.  Fwoosh! 

              In the few days that Zac had told Ryan to wait he and Marion had called in favors in the super hero community.  They had trained and put together some phone calls and even informed some powerful people to help them.  While their assault was in progress a phone call several states away was being made.  “Taylor Foundation this is Joann how may I help you?”  “Yes, I need to speak to Dwayne Taylor the owner of your foundation.”  “May I ask who‘s calling sir?”  “Tell him it’s Marc Spector of Spector Corp.”   “One moment sir as I attempt to get a hold of Mr. Taylor for you.”  A few moments passed as the operator made a phone search thru the tower for her employer.  She had orders if a call ever came in from such a high priority person the boss was to be notified a.s.a.p.  Dwayne was in the gym near the penthouse in the middle of an intense workout.  He was doing one-armed handstands on a block of wood 5 feet off the ground.  Suddenly an alarm sounded and a computerized voice spoke.  “Incoming call from a Marc Spector.”  Dwayne brought his right arm down thrusting off with both hands launching himself airborne back flipping twice landed and ran to the phone.  “Taylor Foundation Dwayne Taylor speaking.”  “Dwayne this is Marc Spector I’m not calling on business but about your more heroic job.  Do you remember when we fought the Secret Empire a few years back with Spider-Man, The Punisher and some of your teammates?  I received a call from one of my informants seems more local heroes from New York were leaving to stop the Secret Empire in Texas.”  “Marc I’d like another crack at those goons for how they treated Nova and Darkhawk.”  “After the way they treated Midnight I’m inclined to agree with you.  I hear they may be employing super villains again so if you can be free in an 20 min we can go.”  “Let’s do it!”     

              The van full of men in shades and suits pulled away from in front of the American Bank Center.  It got about 10 miles down the road with the arrow stuck in the side then pursuit began.   Within seconds Power Girl and Jesse Quick were a mile behind them.  From high above in the cloud cover Power Girl spoke into her headset.  “Jesse take a sharp left at the next stop light they’re stuck in traffic.”  “3x2(91/2)4a” was the only response she received.  “Jesse the plan is Shake and Bake but we need someone to interrogate.”  “Roger that PG do you want to bake or shake first?”  “Shake I’ll be down in a second.”  “I’m on it.”  Jesse Quick poured on the speed coming up on the right side of the van.  In full run she grabbed the rearview mirror from the passenger side of the van punched out the window and threw the mirror in the lap of the person in the cab.   “Here hold that!” she yelled.  Before he could respond she went to the driver’s side of the stalled van and repeated this.  Finally she began punching the hood.  She was simply a blur to the guys in shades.  In the back of the van sat 5 men who began to feel the van bounce.  “Hey what’s going on up there?  Why aren’t we moving?”  One man got up and looked out the window to see what appeared to be a woman with close cropped blonde hair in a white one piece swimsuit with ample cleavage exposed and a red cape.  “It’s Power Girl open the doors and fire.”  The men raised high power plasma rifles.  “Jesse meet me at the rendezvous point I have to get airborne they’re armed need to protect civilians in this fight.”  Power Girl reached down and took the entire van airborne.  A rifle blasted a hole in the door and an arm pointed it out trying to get a shot at her.  More and more shots flew by her body as she levitated the van.  She tilted her head up and shot the man’s hand with heat vision.  He began cursing and making all manner of obscenities fly from his mouth.  “Really that’s just rude! First you shot at me I defended myself the you have the nerve to call me that.  Now I’m mad!”  After a 10 minute flight she finally set the van down close to Ropes Park.  Power Girl removed the doors of the van after she had flipped it upside down.  The men tried to resume shooting again as they were attempting to raise their weapons the air shimmered as Jesse Quick disarmed them all.  Then she proceeded to do the same to the driver and passenger.  Jesse and Power Girl pulled all the men out then they took portions of the vehicle and bound them all.  “PG to TK we have prisoners from the van permission to ask them questions.”  That’s a negative PG there are interrogators inbound the Moon is going to eclipse the Night.  Can you keep them chilled for a good 15 minutes?  Look for a Crescent Roll.”  “Roger that.”  Jesse addressed the men.  “We have questions.”  The foul mouthed former gunner told her with obscene references to her parentage they wouldn’t talk.  “PG can we do something about him before they get here?”  “Sure just make sure he can talk later.”  Jesse grabbed the man ran and drug him by his feet about a mile out in the Gulf of Mexico bouncing his head underwater repeatedly.  When she returned she punched him in the nose hard and fast.  “That should have washed your mouth out.  Now stop using profanity it’s a poor use of the English language and it’s offensive.”  Power Girl grinned and said, “If any of you want to use profanity around us or while being questioned and we hear about it I will personally neuter you with heat vision.”  Having established some semblance of fear the ladies calmly awaited the arrival of a Moon Copter.  Within 17 minutes it arrived.  Out of the fantastic machine disembarked Night Thrasher of the New Warriors and the vigilante known as Moon Knight.  Both Dwayne Taylor and Marc Spector had dedicated their considerable wealth and lives to becoming living weapons in the ongoing war on crime.  They were here to find out what the goons in suits knew about the Secret Empire’s plans and what the secretive meeting had been about.   

              The yacht had gone out away from the shore about 2 miles out.  The Cisco Kid and Ms. Marvel went airborne from the roof of the First United Methodist church.  “Got the tracker locked in Ms. Marvel time to pour on some speed and see where this is going.  Let’s use the clouds and night sky for cover.”  “You got it Cisco.”  The duo streaked across the water on an intercept course.  There was a soft whirring in the housing of Cisco Kid’s armor as Ryan deployed the Gatling guns from his gauntlets.   From his knees and shoulders appeared long titanium spikes these were both offensive and defensive weapons as he could fire them like rockets.  His armor was almost in full battle mode and he was ready for a fight.  On his right flew Carol Danvers known to the world as Ms. Marvel a Kree/human hybrid warrior possessing flight, strength and energy manipulation powers.  Their mission was simple recon to see where the yacht led them and why Abomination and Crossbones were helping the Secret Empire. 

              Meanwhile back at Ropes Park the moon was high in the sky.  Night Thrasher approached the captives and addressed Power Girl and Jesse Quick.  “We’re your designated interrogation team”  PG asked him “Is this going to be a sort of good cop bad cop type of thing?”  Moon Knight said “No this will be more of a talk or Night Thrasher will gladly break their jaws thing.”  Night Thrasher popped a blade from the armor on his wrist and said “It’s also going to be a when I want their opinions I’ll beat it out of them type of thing.”  All this was said within earshot of the prisoners.  Moon Knight pointed to the man who had gotten a bath courtesy of Jesse “What’s the deal with him?”  Power Girl replied “He wouldn’t stop using profanity and he shot at me so we taught him a lesson.  “Can you set him free for the moment I have an idea.”  Moon Knight walked across the grassy field and waited for the man to be turned loose.  “Why did you ask for me to be freed?”  The man asked.  Moon Knight said nothing he simply handed his bo staff and belt of crescent darts to Night Thrasher.  Finally the cowl of the white and jet Avenger looked at the man and he spoke.  “If you beat me in unarmed combat you’re free to leave along with your buddies.  If you don’t you all get to stay and answer our questions.”  His friends began to cheer him on.  The man still seemed nervous but started walking towards Moon Knight.  They circled each other for a few moments.  Moon Knight let him have the first blow taking a kick to the left thigh.  The man tried to press the blow trying for a left hook.  The punch was good and solid but never landed.  Moon Knight went under the arm and delivered a nerve strike inside his elbow joint.  The man tried to pull his arm back which now hung limp.  The next blows were faster than the eyes could follow.  The man took a foot sweep landed head first on the hero’s knee bouncing in the grass.  Moon Knight took his left weakened arm and popped the shoulder out of socket.  The man screamed!  “I give up ask me and them whatever you want!”  “Why did you meet with the Secret Empire tonight?”  “They were buying weapons and missiles from us said something about a hydro base.” 

              “Cisco kid to TK we are about a mile back from the yacht now it has disappeared and the tracking signature seems to have gone underwater.”  Suddenly his communications were cut off by heavy weapons fire as an underwater base surfaced bristling with all manner of gun turrets.   “Cisco report what happened?”  “Ms. Marvel and I are under attack my armor is transmitting the coordinates.”  Thunder Kitten thumbed another communications link.  “Frenchie get everyone aboard your Moon Copter we have some fish to fry and dip in secret sauce!”   As the fight over the water started to rage; Frenchie, Moon Knight’s copter pilot, worked frantically to get his employers attention.  Power Girl having been blessed by her Kryptonian heritage with super hearing listened in on his whole conversation.  She amplified her voice and said “Moon Knight, Night Thrasher, Jesse forget these small fry.  Cisco and Marvel found the base and need our help.”  Within moments all heroes were present, aboard and in route.  The Owl Jet and Moon Copter streaked thru the sky. 

                Ms. Marvel was dodging missiles left and right.  Cisco Kid took down one cannon when out of the corner of his eye he saw something fly by.  Ms. Marvel was hit by a blast and landed hitting the water.  Her body all 120 lbs. hit skipping like a rock.  “TK where’s that backup Ms. Marvels down?”  As he finished the question 3 missiles and a gout of flame shot thru the air.  A voice filled his helmet.  “Shields at 92% warning Crimson Dynamo approaching.”  “Targeting lock onto his boot jets” Ryan commanded the armor.  He lowered his arms to his side and went on the defense weaving between concussive energy blasts, machine gun fire, and missiles.  Thru this deadly flight Crimson Dynamo followed closely firing on him.  Cisco Kid cut a sharp left and flew as close to energy cannon as he could.  He reached to the hips on either side of the suit of armor and withdrew 2 discs.  One disc he hurled down the cannon’s barrel the other he threw at his pursuer.  Both discs were highly explosive and heat seeking.  The cannon started exploding as he was flying away.  Cisco Kid took off taking a sharp right.  From out of the water he saw Ms. Marvel’s lithe body shoot skyward.  Energy was pouring off her body in currents of blue and green.  She yelled “Cisco disable your jets 3, 2, 1!”  Crimson Dynamo shot over Ryan while Ms. Marvel blasted him point blank with Photon energy.  Cisco Kid fired his boot jets and came back up lasers blasting.  He unleashed about 6 of the armor’s spike rockets.   Crimson Dynamo hit the water like a one ton rock.  Weapons fire continued to fill the air.  “Good timing Cisco but we’re not done yet let’s find some landing pads for our friends. 

              Aboard the Owl Jet Cover Girl unfastened her seat restraints and started walking towards the armory where Artemis joined her.  “That right there set those out for the White Shadow.”  “What about the electro morning star?”  “Thunder Kitten might want it leave it out.  It’s a full assault I say we go loaded for bear.”  Cover Girl set an m249 machine gun against a wall along with a box of ammo.  She drew her 9mm’s from her holsters ejected the clips and checked them again.  She continued by picking up a bandolier of grenades wrapping it over her shoulder.  Artemis grabbed 2 quivers of arrows putting them on alternating shoulders.  On each quiver was written the words “special arrows and party favors.”  She and Cover Girl faced each other and grinned.  In unison they said, “It’s all about the game and how you play it we are the game you know you can’t take us.”  Not more than 40 feet away on the Moon Copter the bomb bay doors opened.  Power Girl and Jesse stood looking down at the water flying by at an incredibly high rate of speed.  “Whenever you’re ready Jesse you tell me.”  “You set me down somewhere I’ll get us ways in.”  “Moon Knight, Night Thrasher you two ready?”  Night Thrasher was checking all the armaments in his armor and nodded saluting with his 2 inch blade in his gauntlet.  “Let’s crack some skulls and destroy that base.”  Moon Knight seemed to be muttering something to himself only Power Girl picked up with her super hearing.  “I’ve become a ghost the Moon’s Knight of vengeance and I’ve got work to do.” 

              Ms. Marvel and Cisco Kid were flying between blasts unleashing their own firepower taking out as many weapons as they could.  They finally secured a small landing pad for the Owl Jet.  Meanwhile Power Girl and Jesse Quick had jumped from the Moon Copter.  Jesse was running before her feet even touched the water.  The speedster shot across the Gulf of Mexico spraying a huge wake behind her.  Power Girl streaked over to help the other airborne heroes.  The Moon Copter and Owl Jet landed in an unprotected spot on the hydro base.  The collected heroes disembarked and ran for where Jesse was using her speed and strength to make an entrance. 

              Inside the Hydro Base orders were being barked by a Secret Empire agent with the Roman numeral for nine on his robes.  “Man the battle stations, get our super powered help.  Crossbones, Abomination go defend the larger missile silos let nothing stop their launch.”

              Finally Jesse had established an opening for them and they began to split into teams as the corridor they entered curved in opposite directions.  Night Thrasher, Moon Knight and Artemis took off in one direction while Cover Girl, Thunder Kitten and the White Shadow off in the other.  The mission was simple: wreak havoc and destroy the missiles before they were launched at any target.  Both teams were employing hand to hand fighters and someone with firepower while keeping their airborne teammates in reserve and as a distraction.  Jesse Quick was to use her speed and run recon and report to each team where the missile launch points were. 

              Thunder Kitten walked along wary of any movement.  She and the White Shadow were proposing ways to end this battle.  Cover Girl had an idea all three of them liked.  “Have Jesse kill any circuit breakers she finds.  No power no missiles can launch.  Night Thrasher was listening in to all of this on the radio frequency.  “She can’t do it all alone bring Power Girl in with her.  “Let’s make it happen people” said the White Shadow.  No sooner had he finished speaking when Cover Girl pushed between him and Thunder Kitten and screamed.  “Get Down!”  Gunfire began filling the hallway.  Secret Empire agents were unleashing firepower with wanton abandon.  Cover Girl returned fire with her M249 machine gun.  Thunder Kitten advanced blocking bullets with her armor and flaming sword.  The White Shadow waited for a break when people were reloading slipped in a side door and teleported behind the gunmen.  He began subduing the m one man at a time.  When the last man fell he took a step forward when the wall next to him imploded as a huge steel ball connected to a chain hit it.  It was quickly followed by a man clad in green and yellow.  The White Shadow was forced to go on the defensive as a huge fist flew towards his head.  “Blue Blazes!”  As he rolled to the ground he triggered his communicator in his cowl and yelled “Marion, Allison look out!”  A man wearing purple and deep blue clothes charged from a side door swinging a massive glowing crowbar.  Between blows Zac spoke into his communicator “Cisco we need help fast lock in on me.  The Wrecking Crew is aboard we just found Wrecker and Thunderball.”  Moon Knight broke into the frequency.  “We’re having the same problem we found Bulldozer and Piledriver They’re making things bad.”  Ms. Marvel replied “We’re on our way to help.”  The Wrecking Crew would do almost anything for a price.  The Wrecker possessed a mystical crowbar endowed with Asgardian magic that granted super strength to him and his three friends they were also pretty much invulnerable. 

       Thunder Kitten yelled at Cover Girl.  “Can you keep him busy till Cisco arrives and I’ll go help the White Shadow?”  “Go Thunder Kitten go!”  She took off running dodging a swing by the Wrecker.  Thunderball had regained his ball and chain and was keeping the White Shadow at bay swinging it.  The White Shadow wanted to teleport but he had to be able to move in order to do so and in the narrow corridor he was quickly being cornered.  He tried many times to block with his truncheons but the impact behind the ball and chain nearly tore his arms off.  That’s when the cavalry arrived in the form of his gorgeous wife clad in teal armor.  With Thunderball occupied she dropped her left hand unclipped and readied the electro shock morning star.  In her right hand she twisted Widow Maker into a reverse grip.  She swung both weapons connecting with his neck and waist.  “Fight me!” she roared.  He turned grunting with pain.  “You actually hurt me you’ll pay for that”  He turned to attack her but turn was all he was able to do before he dropped to one knee.  The White Shadow chose that exact moment to bring both truncheons to bear on the back of Thunderball’s knee.  He followed it up with an elbow to the back of the neck.  “Thunder Kitten time for shock therapy.”  She swung underhanded catching Thunderball under the chin with the electro shock morning star.  Twelve thousand volts channeled thru his body launching him thru the air. 

              Cover Girl dodged another overhead chop by Wrecker’s crowbar.  “You’re kind of a one trick pony aren’t you?  You’ve swung like that six times already and never connected but you have given me an idea.”  Wrecker swung again leaving a hole in the wall where Cover Girl had been.  She whispered something into her com-link.  Suddenly the roof caved in as the Cisco Kid burst thru with his boot jets launching himself fist first into Wrecker’s head.  He twisted in midair landed and brought a right cross to the villain’s jaw.  Wrecker growled and tried the overhead chop on this new opponent.  Cisco dodged brought his mini guns to bear on Wrecker’s body.  He turned his head and asked “is there a flood warning in effect today Cover Girl?”  She ran by rolled dropping the bandolier of grenades under wrecker triggering them with a device in her hand.  The White Shadow teleported the Cisco Kid out of the blast zone as Thunder Kitten pushed Thunderball into the Wrecker.  The ensuing blast caused both of them to drop thru the deck of the Hydro Base into the Gulf of Mexico.

              Jesse Quick came to a stop before an array of computer systems and circuit breakers.  Between her goal was an array of lasers crisscrossing in the air filling the room with the smell of burnt ozone.  She spied a man at the computer controls dressed all in black fatigues a shirt bearing skull and crossbones and over his face was a skull mask.  He began laughing and spoke.  “I have already triggered the missile launch and self-destruct sequences.  You’re all going to die here.  All the lasers are motion controlled you’re quite trapped here.”  He stood pressed a button on a wall and left.  “Power Girl I need help I’m in a room with motion sensors attached to lasers and the base is on self-destruct with missiles set to launch.”  “Hang tight girl I’m on ow ow ow………”

              Power Girl had been streaking thru a corridor when a huge green fist stopped her flight diverting her head into the nearest wall.  She tried to get up when a foot of the same green tint made her dodge.  “Suffering Shad that hurt” Jesse spoke into her earpiece.  “Karen what happened?”  “Abomination happened!  Get the White Shadow to bring you help I’m going to be busy for a while.”  The massive green monster came towards her again.  A ham sized fist shot thru the air.  Whoosh!  Power Girl’s thought was there happened to be a lot of air behind that fist.  It took her a full thirty seconds to realize her left cheek had been hit and blood was coming from her mouth.  She turned firing heat vision from her eyes.  Abomination snarled and began running towards her.  He swung his left arm palm open.  The gamma irradiated nails ripped her white outfit.  Half a second later his right fist caught her ribs and she heard an audible pop.  “Just give up or I’ll kill you.  I’m stronger than you.”  “Abomination you might be stronger and you might even hurt me but I’m the most stubborn hero ever.”  Power Girl got to her feet again her breath hissing between her teeth.  Her Kryptonian body had seriously not been this hurt in years.  Abomination tried to kick her knee.  she snagged his tree trunk like leg with super speed and brought her elbow down hard on the patella.  A thunderclap erupted from the blow.  She swept her foot under his other leg knocking him to the ground.  He tried to rise only to be met with a forearm to the nose.  He rolled then backhanded her into a wall.  She rose again levitating and unleashed a double axe handle blow.  Abomination tried to rise but the blow to his patella had been very brutal.  He grabbed a doorframe and the plastic walls became splinters in his huge powerful hands.  Bam!  His head was suddenly rocked by Power Girl’s blue glove.  His vision spun momentarily.  He launched himself into her abdomen shoulder first.  She hooked his head and peppered his back with heat vision.  The ham sized fist shot out in rage connecting with her thigh with the force of a motor scooter launched from a back hoe.  Power Girl was no longer feeling stubborn about how the fight was going.  Oh no she was beyond that she was enraged! 

              The White Shadow, Thunder Kitten, Cover Girl and Cisco Kid had heard the distress Jesse Quick was in.  She spoke slowly so as not to be picked up by the motion sensing lasers and risk getting shot.  “Jesse help is on the way just stay calm and breathe.”  “Ok White Shadow.”  “Cisco you’re with me.  Thunder Kitten here take the remote for the Owl Jet get all the heroes you can out of here.  Someone tell Frenchie to get his employer out of here.  Take all the aircraft and target anything that looks like giant missile silos.  If this place is set for self-destruct we’re going to help it sink.  Cisco, show me a map of where Jesse transmitted from.  I’m going to teleport in with you and we’ll bring this place down.”

              On the other half of the base Moon Knight was doing hit and run attacks with his bo staff and throwing crescent darts at Bulldozer.  Piledriver had chosen Night Thrasher and Artemis to harass.  Piledriver charged making the heroes set their bodies into forward evasive rolls in opposite directions.  Artemis rose to a kneeling position raised her bow firing 2 arrows in succession.  They flew on either side of the villain stuck in the walls.  “Ha you missed me.”  No sooner had the words been uttered when the arrow heads popped open and sonic blasts bombarded his head.  Night Thrasher chose the distraction as a chance to unleash a few punches to Piledriver’s abdomen.   His full body armor added more pain to the blows.  Piledriver lashed out and broke the arrows and shoved Night Thrasher away.  Artemis let loose another arrow straight to the shoulder it flew.  Upon impact a sedative began to pour into the skin of Piledriver.  His swings from his right arm became slower.  Night Thrasher ducked under his arm popped the blade on his wrist jabbing it straight up into the bicep.  Piledriver roared in pain.  As he staggered back Artemis unleashed her favorite arrows in her quiver.  Twang, twang with unerring accuracy her cement arrows flew.  Piledriver screamed from the pain in his arm then a light bulb went off in his head as it finally registered he was stuck to the wall.  Night Thrasher ran using Piledriver’s own knee as a springboard vaulting thru the air bringing an armor plated boot to the side of his temple.  “Nap time”, said Artemis.  They turned to check on Moon Knight and Bulldozer fighting.  The wall behind Bulldozer suddenly exploded as Abomination’s huge body came crashing into him.  Moon Knight heard the wall behind him begin to shake.  Ms. Marvel blasted her way thru her plasma blasts collided with Bulldozer’s head.  Abomination tried to rise but was greeted promptly by Power Girl flying thru the hole his body had made.  As he fell she grabbed his head and hammered it with her knees knocking him out cold.  Power Girl stood scanning with her x-ray vision.  Her hair was matted with sweat, blood poured from her mouth and a huge bruise and welt had formed on her thigh.  “The missiles are three rooms over I’m pretty well spent but I can freeze them with arctic breath if you get me there.”  Ms. Marvel grabbed her and flew.  With one hand she fired plasma and the other carried her friend.  Night Thrasher, Moon Knight and Artemis ran for their transport.  Both women began destroying the missiles then flew skyward. 

              Jesse stood motionless with sweat pouring down; then with the sound of glass breaking and metal tearing her cavalry arrived.  Cisco Kid stood in front of her.  His armor withstood the blasts.  The White Shadow teleported her out and then came back for his friend.  The Owl Jet Moon Copter flew back towards land as the Hydro Base sunk worse than the movie Titanic. 

People often read my stories and seem to want things explained at the end.  I wanted to do a story for my friend Ryan but I didn’t want it to be just any story because he is my best friend and was the best man at my wedding.  We both took Cisco computer networking classes together in college.  He’s my tech support.  The bigger story behind is this years ago I bought a comic for my friend David for Christmas.  Years later I traded stuff for the same comic.  It was part of a series called the Round Robin saga.  I became a comic book fan because of that and a Fantastic Four comic.  I used many of the same people in the Round Robin saga and made a sequel.  I’ve always thought Power Girl is one of the most underwritten heroes in the DC Universe.  She’s been called one of the most stubborn heroes ever.  I’ve also heard her referred to as being Super Girl with a different cup size.  I have a wife I can talk about bras its okay calm down.  I’ve read that Abomination is a former Russian soldier and an enemy that stands toe to toe with the Hulk.  Give PG a real challenge I thought someone who can hurt her, then let them beat the crap out of one another.  It also reminded me of the awful Street Fighter live action movie where Blanka and Zangeif fought like King Kong and Godzilla throughout all the chaos in the movie.  I mean really when’s the last time you ever read that in a story? 

              The biggest story of all this though is what happened in my life.  Marion had been sick.  I had somehow developed the oddest form of writer’s block.  It wasn’t till I turned her health over to God that I was able to write again. 

              The anti-profanity rant and lesson is something I really wanted to put into a story.  I often listen as people talk as well as watch TV and movies.  One thing that truly makes me mad is profanity and people using God’s name in vain.  I remember telling someone once “Once you begin to understand the holiness of God it literally hurts to hear people use his name in vain.”  Also Ephesians 4:29 says “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment so that it will give grace to those who hear.”  God says stop it!  Also if you were to ever look up the definition of most profanity you would see it as a poor command of the English language. 

              As with any story I’ve done I use heroes you can find in comics, video games, WWE and cartoons.  You can look them up and get a frame of reference for them.               

             

                    

my friend @john Simonson created this picture just for my story.