December 16, 1987
The Palace of Mist
Magic Island
Somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle
“So it begins,” Mist says gazing into the large crystal sphere in the Hall of Knowledge. “He gains more power even as I watch.”
“What begins father?” Shanna asks, still dressed in a lab coat.
“I can feel the pull on the Zenith of this island as another with the power to slip between the fabric of realities has emerged to grow stronger,” Mist replies. “He will go after them first before he finds his way to bring others here.
“I have no fear of him finding this place,” Shanna says. “The heroes are ready, they will defeat him.”
“You seem very sure of that,” Mist replies.
“While away from the island I have studied many of them,” the daughter tells her father. “I have plenty of reasons to be confident in them.” “If not the ones you led, then the others will stop him.”
Saturday, December 17, 1987
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana primps in front of her vanity. She can’t believe she is doing this, going on a real date! Tracey is going to kill her when she finds out. Her best friend is out of town on a big deal photo shoot for a magazine. The thought of calling her to tell her about the date has crossed her mind but knowing Tracey as she does the long distance news might be too big of a distraction for her to concentrate on her work.
Wes Berkley she thinks to herself. The time she has spent with Wes has been both confusing and great, but he will be leaving at the beginning of the new year to return to the Marines. They have kissed but that has been the extent of their physical contact. Diana’s brain tells her to go for it with him but her heart says why start something when he is leaving so soon. His immunity to her powers has made her take more risks than she would with any other man, but not as many as she has fantasized about. Diana has come close to losing her virginity before with Eric but she was still young and scared then, now she is a much more confident woman.
There are so many thoughts running through her mind at once. Wes is a military man who has been all over the world, something that reminds her of William Carter a little more than she would like. But Wes is nothing like her father, nothing! She also knows that military men can be rather base at times and she has no desire to be just another notch in his gun belt.
Dressed in slacks and a silk blouse, Diana takes a final look in the mirror to make sure her boobs don’t look too huge in this shirt. Then Diana thinks, She needs to be herself tonight. Returning to her vanity she slides open the drawer to get the necklace box. Reaching under her hair behind her neck she undoes the clasp of her invisible necklace to take it off. Placing the unseen jewelry in the box she stores it back in the drawer. Grabbing a small navy blue handbag that matches her shoes she moves to the living room. While changing out her purse for the evening Diana finds the tracker that Wes Berkley confessed to planting on her after Miracle Maiden saved him from Robe Rtea. It was very honest of him to tell her about it so that is one good thing. Diana crushes the transmitter between her fingers, there is no reason to give him the chance of using it again.
Diana’s contemplation of the reasoning behind this date is interrupted by the ring of the door bell. “He’s here!” she whispers jumping up from her sofa like a schoolgirl on her first date. Taking a deep breath she struts to the door. She opens the door to find Wesley Berkley dressed in his formal Marine uniform. “Wow, what is all of this?” she asks.
“This is our first date, I wanted to make a good impression,” Wes replies with a slight smile.
“Okay then,” Diana says inviting him in. “Where are we going, the Admiral’s Ball?” She asks trying not to seem too impressed at how good he looks in uniform.
“Admirals are in the navy so, no nothing like that, I made reservations at Tavern on the Green,” Wes tells Diana putting a smile on her face.
“I’ve always wanted to go there,” Diana smiles. “Let me get my coat and we can go.”
The taxi ride to the Restaurant is rather quiet until Diana puts her hand on Wesley’s knee. “I was just curious about the fabric,” she comments. “It looks so stiff, I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable all night.” She quickly takes her hand off his leg to lay it on the seat.
“It takes getting used to, but I’ll be fine,” Wes replies. “I’ve been in the service since I was eighteen, it has been a long time since uniform fabric irritated me.”
“Well it does make you look very handsome,” Diana says softly to put a slight grin on the young man’s face. “Have you always wanted to be a Marine?”
“No, not really, I kind of fell into it,” Wes explains. “Bad childhood, nowhere to go after graduation so I signed up looking for a new home.” “I found that home in the Marine Corp.”
“I can relate,” Diana tells him. “After my mother passed, my father and I really couldn’t see eye to eye on anything.” “I was glad to leave my life here behind to go to college.”
“What brought you home?” Wes asks, “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“My father died and my Uncle needed some help with the family business,” Diana explains. “When I first came back I wasn’t really sure I was going to stay but things have kind of fallen in place for me too.” “Over the last year my life has become something I never imagined it would be.”
“Is that good or bad?” Wes questions.
Diana is silent in thought for a moment, thinking about the girl she was when she blasted her father and stormed out of the condo and the woman she is now, Miracle Maiden and all. “Good, I think,” she finally says. “I’m much more comfortable in my own skin now.” “I think the fact that we are going on a date says that.”
“Oh you think this is a date?” Wes grins. “I thought it was just a thank you for saving your life.” Diana glares at him for a moment. If anyone saved someone’s life, it was Miracle Maiden saving his life. Then Wes smiles broadly, “I’m just kidding.” “I was just surprised that you thought this was a date and not a soldier going off to war booty call.”
“Believe me I feared that is what you thought,” Diana confesses. “So if it is I can get out here.”
“Of course not Diana, I like you, I like you a lot,” Wes says taking her hand from the seat between them. “I would really like to get to know you better before I leave.” “To relieve your conscience I don’t expect the booty call until I come back on leave in six months,” he jokes with his wide white toothed smile.
“Very funny,” Diana says as the taxi comes to a stop at the curb in front of the entrance to Tavern on the Green.
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Steve sits at the kitchen table eating his take-out Chinese when Paddy comes stumbling out of his room in his ratty old bathrobe. “No word on your suspension case yet?” Steve asks.
“Nope, Aspen really wants to make me suffer,” Paddy says getting a cup of coffee from the pot in the kitchen counter. “The fact that I was researching the warehouse and my car had been left there full of evidence that linked me to the human trafficking was not a good turn of events.” “Whatta got there?” he asks tilting the take-out box to look in it.
“Chicken, Broccoli and Rice,” Steve replies. “I’m sorry Paddy, I wish I had been here to help you more.” “Why isn’t Olpere standing up for you more?”
“She needs to cover her own ass now,” Paddy replies turning his nose up at Steve’s food. “What happened with Grimes has put the whole Elite Squad in jeopardy.” Paddy lets out a loud belch as he goes to the refrigerator.
“You know with all that is going on it doesn’t give you an excuse to sit around here and drink beer all night and sleep all day,” Steve says with concern. “Maybe you should try coming to work with me tomorrow, I sure David won’t mind.”
Paddy smiles at his roommate. “I appreciate your concern and the offer, but I think it is best if I stay away from any investigations at the moment.” “Master Warrior too.” “Has David caught on with everything that happened at the warehouse yet?”
“What do you mean?” Steve asks in confusion.
“That Master Warrior is too wrapped up with us?” Paddy laughs.
“That is really not what I’m worried about right now,” Steve says.
“I know I’ve been wallowing for the past few days, but starting tomorrow I’m hitting the gym.”
“Glad to hear it,” Steve replies finishing up his dinner. “In the meantime I suggest you take a shower.” “It’s been a rather dull day so I’m going to take a loop around the city.” Steve gets up from the table to throw away his trash. “Do you really think David suspects that I am Master Warrior?”
Flopping down in his recliner his robe falling open as he reaches for the TV remote Paddy replies, “You really aren’t very good at hiding the duel identity thing.” “And I might have made a few slips.”
“Few slips?” Steve questions walking around in front of his roommate’s chair to block the TV.
Diana Carter’s Condo
The Simpson Building
Ninth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Wes walks Diana to her door. “Would you like to come in?” she asks.
“I would love to, but I did promise this was not a booty call,” Wes smiles. “Why risk breaking that promise.” “I’m not sure I could fight you off, or want to for that matter.”
Giggling Diana gives Wes a good night kiss. “I think you are making the right decision,” Diana says when they break the kiss. “I don’t like to be told no.” They hold eye contact as she closes the door. Leaning her back against the inside of her door she lets out a deep sigh. It makes her feel good that she is not just another girl in a port for Wes. He is a true gentleman.
After getting into her pajamas and taking off her makeup, Diana slips into bed. Still excited from the date she tries to put thoughts of Wesley out of her mind. It is almost all she can think about is him nude in that tank and then fighting off those attackers. She feels completely out of control as she slides her hand in her panties as she imagines Wesley’s smooth hard muscled body. Her fingers moving over the soft moist flesh, teasing her clit until it is a hard nub between her fingers. She moans as she massages her tender twat. Diana has never been one for masturbation but it just feels so good to have this fantasy.
Moffet School
127 W Oxford St
Philadelphia, PA
Master Warrior settles to the playground overcome by the sense that something bad is about to happen. He has never felt anything like this before, this is different from his normal danger sense reaction. Maybe it is just the cold December air blowing over his body that has him off balance.
His power has been changing, at first he saw only visions of his own future, felt only danger to himself, then his friends, but now this totally different. It would mean nothing to him to fly back up into the night away from this school yard. But he knows something is wrong here.
Master Warrior begins to stroll around the playground looking over the empty equipment. He feels nothing coming from that direction so he continues around to the other side of the trees by the school. It is around 10 pm but several teens still shoot hoops on the Basketball court. Master Warrior stands watching them from a distance by the trees for a few minutes as he feels the strange sensation grow stronger.
Now he begins to believe that what he is feeling is not his power at all. This is until a car pulls down Howard Street to the curb by the Basketball court. It sits there unmoving for only a few seconds before Master Warrior begins to walk across the grass toward it. At first he did not want the attention to himself but now he wants the attention from the car focused fully on him. He marches with determination across the school yard as the passenger side window on the car goes down.
His attempt to remain hidden from the ball players is lost as some begin to call and point at him. The boys playing ball don’t even see as the rifle emerges from the car window. Master Warrior on the other hand sees it all. His feet leave the ground and he is to the car like a rocket. But not before several rounds can be fired into the court.
It is too late to stop those bullets but he can stop anymore from being fired. Master Warrior grabs the barrel of the rifle bending it to a right angle as he pulls the ski mask wearing man holding it from the car, tossing him to the sidewalk. The car reverse as Master Warrior frees his arsenal from his leg to form it into a lance that he drives down through the engine block.
The man behind him on the sidewalk comes at him wielding the rifle like a club. Master Warrior’s elbow to his face sends the man back to the sidewalk. Two more masked men emerge from the back seat of the car to come at the hero. He smiles at their drawn guns. It has been so long since he fought simple street thugs. Each of the men is smaller than Master Warrior allowing him to use less force in subduing them. He has been taught all of the proper points to strike without causing permanent injury to the men. A simple two fingered poke to the wrist of the first man strikes the nerves and tendons that cause the man to drop the gun. A flat handed chop to the second man’s forearm does the same. A smooth dodge allows the first man’s fist to knock out the second. Master Warrior gives the final combatant a soft punch with his fist to send him down on top of the other two thugs. Standing over them he thinks how in a way it feels good to bring them down quickly and efficiently without some super powered fight.
At the curb the engine block of the skewered car sparks and flames surge up around the golden spike in the hood. As the car bursts into flames Master Warrior moves to rescue the driver to find there is none. Looking around the dark streets there is no sign of anyone fleeing the scene. “What the hell is going on?” he announces as he hears the sirens of police cars that turn the corner of West Oxford Street.
When Master Warrior finally turns his attention to the basketball court all of the players have fled after the gun fire. The only one to remain is a small blonde boy around the age of eleven. That child has no place here this time of night he thinks. “Arthur?” Master Warrior says stepping toward the fence around the Basketball court. Behind him the car explodes in a ball of fire drawing his attention. When he turns back to the court the boy is gone.
Master Warrior takes a few minutes to walk around the Basketball court to look for anything that might explain what this shooting was about. He found a few drops of blood on the pavement. He knows there were a few shots fired before he took the gunman down, but this doesn’t look like enough blood. Someone might have just got a bloody nose playing ball too rough. He has no way of knowing. His bigger concern is that little boy.
Meanwhile the police have cuffed and pulled the ski masks from the attackers to reveal that they are little more than kids themselves. “Any idea who they are?” Master Warrior asks the Patrolman O’Reilly that Master Warrior met on his first outing in costume.
“Just local kids looking to even a score no doubt,” Officer O’Reilly replies. “Good thing you were here though, these are rather some serious weapons.” Holding up the bent rifle he comments, “You really have to stop doing this it makes it hard match ballistics.”
“Sorry, it just pissed me off that they would shoot at some guys playing ball,” Master Warrior responds taking the gun and bending the barrel back straight. “Maybe tell Ryan to be extra careful when firing that.”
“You know Ryan Solomon in the ballistics lab?” Officer O’Reilly says with surprise. Master Warrior just smiles through his disguised face trying to play off his slip up. Maybe Paddy is right he isn’t careful enough hiding his identity.
Sunday, December 18, 1987
Trademark Investigations
1267 Pimlico Avenue
Camden, NJ
Steve Roberts wishes this was just a normal Sunday morning sleeping in at home. But last night he had a bizarre dream bordering on a nightmare. He was back in the school yard but in the dream it was not teens on the Basketball court but what he can only describe as Zombies. In his waking mind it seems ridiculous, but in the dream it was all too real. Sometimes it seems like his brain is more observant in his dreams than in reality. In the dream there was a green Ford Fiesta sitting at the curb where the shooters were last night. It clearly had New Jersey license plates that he hopes to find through one of David’s connections.
Steve has spent hours searching every database he could find until he finds a name and address to go with the license plate number from his dream. “Thank God!” Steve announces in the empty office. At least one thing in his dream makes sense! If only figuring out the rest of it was going to be so easy. This is not the first time a premonition dream has come with so many things that are metaphors. The Zombie thing is the biggest mystery to him.
“Hey buddy, what are you doing here on a Sunday?” David says walking into the office by surprise.
“Just doing some research,” Steve replies.
“What research is that?” David asks sitting down at his desk to go through the drawers.
“Whose car with Jersey plates I’m going to get towed from my parking spot,” Steve replies.
“Where was your car?” David queries.
“I took it into the shop for inspection and that doesn’t mean just anyone can park in my spot!” Steve says writing down the address on a pad of paper. “So that brings me to the question, can I borrow the car for a ride to Lumberton, Dad?” Steve asks as he looks up to see David stuff the box of condoms in his jacket pocket that he keeps in his desk drawer.
“Sure, sure I’m spending the weekend at home,” David replied nervously, tossing Steve the car keys.
“Not alone, I assume,” Steve grins.
David gives him the old look of pride he always uses that summer at the beach years go, “Jealous much?” he asks getting up to leave, his bravado returned. “Lock up when you go!”
Carter Industries
The Simpson Building
Fifth floor
303 7th Avenue
New York City, NY
Diana’s Uncle has made it clear that she is not to be in the office on a Sunday, but the impending possible sale of the company has made her very suspicious. She has spent the past month doing everything she could think of to stall the sale and she is running out of ideas. She needs to find a way to put an end to it once and for all.
She has gone over her father’s files hundreds of times but it was only recently that she realized that there is a hierarchy in whatever it was he was doing. Clearly William Carter was not the man on top and now it would appear that someone else has taken his place. Six of the people in the files are dead or missing, she needs to find out why. There must be another link that she is just not seeing, something that not even her Uncle Zac noticed over the years.
Clearly all of these people have some kind of connection. Separating the files into different categories on the desk she at last sees a pattern. All of the people Diana has encountered in the last few months have had Zeni-human powers or some connection to seeking people who do out. She has been distracted in the past month by other events. She has not stopped to think about the fact that there may have been someone else inside the company working with her father. Could there be someone else missing that connection is something she hasn’t noticed up until now.
In the past year or so Carter Industries has begun computerizing their personnel files, so perhaps that is the place to look. A look into personnel is no harder than for her to phase through a locked door now. Carter Industries has the whole fifth floor of the building making only a walk down the hall for Diana.
Diana had been given a password to get into the computer system when she first started her job but this is the first time she needs to use it. She searches for recent employment terminations. There have been five in the past six months but only one has an employment start date that matches up with one of her father’s files, Luke Garrison. The records show that he left the company after his wife and foster-son were murdered four months ago. Nothing more, in fact it almost seems like too much information for a personnel file.
Returning to her office Diana digs out the file with the matching start date, it is labeled Trudy Patterson. This file is different than the others that Diana has investigated. Most of it is copies of New York Foster Care reports. Trudy Patterson’s final foster-parents were Virginia & Luke Garrison. Closing the file Diana hates to admit it but she can see only one option.
634 Eayrestown Road
Lumberton, NJ
Steve stopped for lunch at a KFC on the ride to Lumberton. He eats chicken from a bucket as he drives. He isn’t sure what he is going to say to these people whose license plate he saw in a dream. How can he possibly explain that or whatever it is he is investigating. He has no idea what to even ask them. It sounds like a wild goose chase but he feels compelled to follow it through to the end, whatever that may be.
As he turns onto Eayrestown Road it starts to snow, great just what he needs. Finding the house, it is on a rather large property set back from the road. A white corral fence at the entry to the driveway. It strikes him as odd that such a wealthy family would have such an old beat up car. The thought of forgetting this whole thing crosses his mind again as he turns onto the snowy driveway. Then he spots the green Ford parked at the side of the garage.
As he arrives at the house his danger sense flares on a clearly normal level this time. Stopping about a 100 feet from the house it is clear to Steve that the house is at the center of the white out blizzard storm. A complete impossibility by normal standards. Steve does a slippery U-turn to take the car back to Eayrestown Road, David would kill him if anything happens to the company car. Touching the diamond stud in his earlobe it is Master Warrior that exits the vehicle.
Leaping into the snow storm over the gates he fights to stay aloft. He has never flown in such strong winds before and it is hard to navigate his way back to the house that is only about two hundred yards in front of him. The snow and frigid winds are much colder than normal as it burns his bare skin trying to force him back away from the house. One last mental thrust and Master Warrior escapes the worst of the blizzard that swirls around the house to crash land into the front porch. He collides with a porch post snapping it in half allowing the porch roof to be ripped free by the wind.
Pulling himself to his feet he charges toward the front door to force it open. “Hello,” he calls out. “Is anyone in here?” “It’s Master Warrior, I’ve come to help.” He walks into the living room that has many Asian inspired touches. The photos on the table and mantle make it clear that it is a Chinese family that lives in the home. “Hello!” he calls out again walking to the dining room with a short legged table. There is no response to his calls which leads him to continue forward to the kitchen. The smell of Chinese cuisine fills his senses as he again finds an empty room.
Master Warrior’s danger sense still throbs at the base of his skull telling him there must be someone here, somewhere. He continues down the hallway that leads to the bedrooms of the one floor ranch style home. He can feel the temperature of the air change on his skin as he approaches the master bedroom. On the edges of the closed door he can see the formation of ice crystals that seal it shut.
Master Warrior leans into the door with his shoulder, the frozen wood splinters shatter to the floor inside of the room. The scene inside the room is completely unexpected. The elderly Chinese couple that Master Warrior can only assume own the home stand against the wall frozen up to their shoulders in ice. They are clearly on the verge of hyperthermia.
While at the center of the room a much younger Chinese man stands nude from the waist up, wearing on what appears to be a large white bath towel around his lower half. He is also clearly immune to the cold that fills the room. When he turns to face the intruder, Master Warrior sees something familiar about the man’s face and the white streak of hair in the front if his dark mane.
“What is going on here?” Master Warrior demands in a firm tone.
The two captives cry out as one, “Help us!” “Help us!” But before Master Warrior can aid them the man at the center of the room acts. A gesture of his arm brings the icy cold winds from outside in through a shattered window at Master Warrior. Within seconds Master Warrior is also frozen in place inside a thick layer of ice that covers his whole body unlike the elderly couple, whose heads are still free.
For the home owners it is a trap that they can not escape and will soon succumb to damaging cold. That is not true of Master Warrior, who with but a shrug of his shoulder breaks free of the icy trap. “Okay, that was fun, now I suggest you tell me what this is all about!” Master Warrior demands raising his arsenal in the form of a thick golden staff.
The man with the white forelock does not speak a word as a look of horror comes over his face. As Master Warrior steps closer the man instantly vanishes, taking with him the cold and the storm outside that quickly dissipates. “What the hell was that all about?” Master Warrior questions as she turns to use his staff to free the captured couple. The cold storm gone from the room the ice on the couple is easily broken away as the hero pulls a blanket from the foot of the bed to cover them. “Who was that man, what did he want,” Master Warrior asks as he tries to warm the elderly couple.
“He called himself Overmind, but he looked like my wife’s grand-nephew, Lee Zhang,” the old man said huddled close to his wife who is having the worst effects from the attack.
Reaching for the phone Master Warrior says, “I’m going to call 911, but until they arrive I need to know more about this grand-nephew.”
After making the call to 911 Master Warrior turns back to the elderly couple. The wife now sobs in her husband’s arms having come out of the state of shock she had been slipping into moments ago. She looks up at Master Warrior speaking Mandarin Chinese. Master Warrior is versed in several languages by the Asian languages have always been more difficult for him. He can make out a few words but the meaning of what she is saying alludes to him. “I’m sorry sir, but does your wife speak English or could you translate for me.” At first the husband appears to be reluctant at relaying his wife’s words. “I’m not the Police or Law Enforcement of any kind, I just want to find the man who did all of this.”
“We pay,” the elderly man begins. “We paid to have Lee Zhang come to this country in secret, but he never arrived.” “Then this man arrive looking like him but not him.” “He wanted to kill us.”
Then it comes to him, Master Warrior remembers where he saw this Overmind before, in that shipping container weeks ago. It was for only an instant then he vanished leaving only the dead behind.
The old woman speaks again trying to remember her English, “He fears you!”
The office of Detective Sgt. Prussia and Special Agent Lei
New York City Hall
City Hall Park
New York, NY
First thing Monday morning Diana arrives at the Police 19th Precinct with her file on Luke Garrison to visit her frenemy Detective Prussia. She not so quickly learns that Prussia has been reassigned to some kind of new unit that has no classification. Finding his office at City Hall it takes a little charisma on her part. No one seems to want to talk about the Detective except one Patrolman named Collins.
Detective Prussia’s new office is hidden away at the very end of the hallway of the top floor of the City Hall with no names on the door. She knocks on the solid door before opening it to peek inside. “Hello, Detective Prussia?” she says softly leaning into the office. She expects to see the large black man she knows as Detective Prussia but instead she finds a small Asian man sitting at one of two desks.
“He stepped out for a moment, but please come in,” Agent Lei says with a smile at the pretty white girl entering the purgatory office. “Can I help you miss, I’m Agent Lei,” the man tells here guiding her to a chair.
“I don’t know I was hoping to speak with Detective Prussia about a …… missing person,” Diana stammers trying to make sense of why she is here.
“Not really our department, but clearly you have a reason for bringing it to Nathan,” Agent Lei assumes.
Just then the door opens again as Detective Prussia returns from the men’s room. “Miss Carter what has brought you to darken our already bleak doorstep. Diana jumps up from the metal chair trying to be as respectful as possible to the detective that she has caused so much trouble. “If you are running out again go, if not sit back down!”
Diana makes her decision quickly by sitting back down. She knows that Prussia is no fan of hers but if she wants his help she will have to deal with that fact. “I was hoping you could tell me something about the murders of Virginia Garrison and Diego Del Santo,” Diana says taking the files from her bag.
“You told me this was about a missing person,” Agent Lei comments as Detective Prussia takes his seat behind his desk looking very displeased.
“It is, Virginia’s husband worked for Carter Industries and now he has gone missing,” Diana explains. “I need to find him.”
“Why?” Prussia asks bluntly. Agent Lei sits back in his chair listening to the exchange knowing that there must be more to this young woman than meets the eye.
“I believe he might have information about an associate of my late father,” Diana suggests. “Until recently I was completely unaware of Mr. Garrison’s involvement in my late father’s affairs.”
“Why would you come here now to talk about your father’s ‘affairs’ when you have done nothing but lie to me for the past year!” Detective Prussia charges.
Diana does not reply she simply hands Detective Prussia the folder from William Carter’s secret files. Prussia flips through the paperwork that shows that William Carter was the one to have Trudy Patterson placed with the Garrisons. Furthermore the file contains all of the missing records of Trudy Patterson’s time in foster care that he has been searching for weeks to find. This is the missing link that brings everything that Diana Carter has been involved with to a close. “Where did you get this file?” Detective Prussia demands.
“My late father was a bad man and he was involved with some very bad people,” Diana answers. “He kept files on them that I found when I returned home in his safe.”
“The safe that you claimed had been robbed!” PRussia reminds the young woman. “So that is what you have been doing all this time, cleaning up his mess,” Prussia realizes like a bolt of lightning.
Diana nods continuing, “But I now believe that he has not the top man, there was someone above him, dictating who he would bring into the fold.” “I believe that Luke Garrison knows who that person is and that is why his family was murdered.”
Detective Prussia sits back in his chair glaring at the girl who has clearly bitten off more than she can chew. All this time he was chasing after her for answers that he now knows she had all along, just not the ones he expected. He looks to Agent Lei who sits quietly taking it all in. “So all of these cases that have nearly ended my career were part of your vendetta to fix your father’s wrong doings?” Prussia asks turning back to Diana.
“I had nothing to do with what has become of your career,” Diana says looking around the small windowless office. “You did that all yourself by obsessing on me rather than the real criminals.”
Prussia is clearly not pleased with that statement but he knows she is not totally wrong. “I want to see the rest of the files!” he makes his third demand that is Diana’s limit.
“Perhaps, if you can tell me about the deaths in Luke Garrison’s family and where he might have fled,” Diana suggests.
“She might know something about our current case,” Agent Lei pipes up.
Detective Prussia contemplates all the discussion and he has to agree with Lei, those files could shed so much on so many cold cases of recent months. “Garrison’s family was not murdered by some secret group that your father worked for, they were murdered by the girl,” he says pointing to the photos in the file. “I shot Trudy Patterson dead myself right there in your building, in a condo paid for by your company!” “Where were you on August 6th?”
Diana looks at him in confusion, a shooting in her building? “I was away, for the weekend,” Diana stammers again as she tries to remember the events of the weekend in August. “So you think Garrison just wanted to start over some place else?” “Put the past behind him?”
“Perhaps, but the real problem is Trudy Patterson doesn’t like to stay dead,” Detective Prussia relates. “She died the first time in Professor Williamson’s sleep study.” “You remember Professor Williamson, don’t you?” “At present her body has disappeared from the morgue twice.” “The first time she came back it was for vengeance on the foster-parents that wronged her and my partner died in the crossfire.”
“So you believe this girl is a Zeni-human?” Diana says stumping the two lawmen with her knowledge of such things.
“And I don’t believe she is the only one running around New York City,” Detective Prussia adds.
“We have another case of a person returning from the dead,” Agent Lei says handing Diana a file that contains a photo of Abe Woodlawn.
“I know this man, he is the father of a friend of mine,” Diana says in surprise that they are investigating Fox’s dad. “There is nothing special about his return, he was MIA is all.”
“Was he?” Agent Lei suggest. “Read on.”
“If you know this guy so well maybe you can talk to him for us,” Detective Prussia asks. “He won’t tell us anything.”
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Another Monday morning and Steve lay in bed after his alarm sounded. He is in no hurry to get to work across the river this morning. Thoughts of this Overmind character still in his head and what threat he might pose. Moreover why would Overmind fear him like the old lady said. From what the Wangs told him the car belonged to Mrs. Wang’s grand-nephew until he was deported back to China. They had given a good deal of money to get Lee Zhang back into the country but never heard back from the men. If Zhang was one of the corpses in that Shipping Container the only thing that makes any sense is that whatever was in that crystal sphere from the Renaissance Faire reanimated him. Thus the zombies in his dream with the car?
The phone on the nightstand rings and Steve rolls over to answer it, “Hello?”
“Did you get your ticket?” Dona Roberts asks on the other end of the call.
“Of course I did,” Steve tells his mother. “I will be on the plane first thing tomorrow morning.” “But I have a question or two for you,” Steve changes the subject. “Any idea what was in that sphere from the Faire?”
“It could have been almost anything,” Dona replies. “A spirit, a demon, or even a poison, there is no telling what was trapped in it or for how long.”
“Well remember I told you it got broken,” Steve reminds. “It would appear that it resurrected a corpse, he calls himself Overmind.”
“Never heard of him,” Dona replies. “Sounds like an asshole to me.”
“He appears to have weather control powers,” Steve explains. “And he is afraid of me.” Steve is silent for a moment. “I can’t help but feel like I’m responsible for creating this guy.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, kiddo,” Dona tells her son. “If anyone is at fault it is me for throwing that crystal out of the box.” “Don’t forget it was whatever was in that orb that took you to those corpses.” “Not the other way around.”
“Is there anyway we can put it back in the box,” Steve asks.
“No once I gave the box to your Aunt Barbara there is no way she is giving it back,” Dona replies.
“What about another Trap box?” Steve asks.
“They are not easy to come by,” Dona explains. “I would say you’d be better served finding out why he is afraid of you and use that against him.”
“Any word from Dad?” Steve asks wonder how his secret mission is going.
“Only that he is making progress,” Dona replies. “Gave me the impression that he was somewhere cold.”
Hudson Veterans Clinic
28 Hudson St
New York, NY
It is nearly lunchtime when Diana finally gets up the nerve to go talk to Abe Woodlawn about his resurrection. She has never met Dr. Woodlawn since first learning about his return. Fox has had nothing but good things to say about his father since his return and Diana would hate to put a damper on those feelings. Entering the clinic there are still several patients waiting when the receptionist closes her window for lunch.
Diana takes the woman’s absence as her opportunity to slip into the back of the clinic. She walks down the corridor of exam rooms hoping not to run into Fox and that his father is having lunch in his office. Dr. Woodlawn’s office is at the end of the corridor with the door closed. Knocking softly Diana cracks the door slightly. “Excuse me, Dr. Woodlawn might I have a moment of your time?” she asks to have the door quickly yanked from her hand.
“You know you are not supposed to be back here miss,” Dr. Woodlawn says pulling her into the office.
“I know, I was just hoping to have a private conversation with you while you were on lunch,” Diana tells him. “My name is Diana Carter and I am a friend of your son’s, this will only take a moment.”
“Oh yes, I’ve heard Tracey and Fox speak of you many times,” Dr. Woodlawn smiles. “Please have a seat, Diana.”
“I’m here hoping to get some answers to some rather strange questions,” Diana begins as the Doctor goes back to his pre-made salad. She is more nervous than she imagined she would be as she begins. “My father passed away at the beginning of the year, not long after you returned to New York, William Carter was his name.” “Did you know him at all?”
Dr. Woodlawn looks up at Diana seeing the resemblance for the first time. “You look so much like your mother,” he says smiling. “I had no idea you were their child.” “I was the doctor that delivered you.” Woodlawn suddenly catches himself to turn his eyes to the top corner of the room where he knows the General watches him from afar.
“Oh really, I had no idea,” Diana replies sincerely. “It’s rather surprising to me, Fox never told me that you were that kind of doctor.”
“I’m not, I was an intern at the hospital where your mother came suffering from premature labor,” Dr. Woodlawn explains. Diana’s mother never spoke of her birth, she had no idea that she was a preemie. “Yours was my first and last birth, it all happened so fast there really wasn’t much for me to do.”
Diana can’t help but to wonder what else he might know. “I recently learned that I was one of twins,” she confides in the doctor as a test to see if what he is saying is true. “My sister was stillborn.”
edit
Dr. Woodlawn gets something of a frightened look on his face as he calmly says, “No, who told you that?” he says nodding his head strangely. “I cut the cords there was no stillborn twin.”
Diana watches his body language as he scribbles on a notepad. His actions do not match his words, but that does not surprise her. Prussia told her that they believed he was lying because he was being watched, possibly by hidden cameras in the office. On the pad she sees the words; not safe. Clearly the good doctor knows much more than he is comfortable to say about her birth. “But you did know my parents?” she asks as he moves to underline the words he has written on the pad.
Then suddenly there is a loud noise and screams from the outer office. Diana springs up from her seat looking to the door. “Wait here, I’ll have a look,” Diana says rushing into the corridor closing the door behind her.
“No!” Dr. Woodlawn shouts going after her trying to get around his desk in the tight space. By the time he gets to the door the corridor is empty.
Miracle Maiden emerges from the exam room door into the waiting room where a Chinese man wearing only a white sarong stands over the patients on the floor. Each to the people have a crude metal spike through their chests. “Who the hell are you?” she questions as the man raises his hand toward her. Instantly another crude metal projectile forms in the air sailing toward Miracle Maiden at a high rate of speed.
Instinctively, Miracle Maiden phases allowing the metal spike to pass harmlessly through her body. She steps forward at the homicidal visitor as she hears the cry of pain from behind her. Turning back she sees Dr. Woodlawn falls back against the wall, sliding to the floor as a heart wound caused by the metal spike sticking from his chest gushes blood. Her first thought is for her friend’s father as she rushes to his aide. Pulling the spike out Miracle Maiden moves heal the large chest wound. But it is too late, the damage is too great, Dr. Woodlawn is already dead.
“You bastard!” Miracle Maiden shouts as she stands to face the murderer in the clinic waiting room. With a blink of her tear filled eyes she fires the strongest Bio-energy blast she has ever mustered. An instant before her is hit the strangely dressed man vanishes leaving behind the room of corpses. What is she going to tell Fox and Tracey is the next thought in her mind as her vision clears from the massive blast. How can she tell one of her best friends that his long lost father is dead and it is her fault.
“Jesus Christ!” comes the scream as the receptionist returns from lunch to see the horror seen in the clinic. She staggers back against the wall her hands over her mouth in shock.
“Call 911” Miracle Maiden directs trying to put on a strong front as she stands in the center of the room filled with the dead patients. Then the thing she dreaded happens, Fox walks into the bloody scene.
“What, what the hell?” he mumbles at the sight of the four dead men slumped in the waiting room chairs. Looking at the woman in red he gasps, “Miracle Maiden?” “Then he panics at the sight of the blood on her hands and the wall behind her. “Where is my father!” he shouts.
“Fox, I am so sorry,” Miracle Maiden says dropping all pretence of not knowing him.
“No, no, NO!” Fox Woodlawn babbles overcome with impossible thoughts.
“It is okay, son,” Dr. Woodlawn says stepping back out of the exam rooms door. Fox rushes past Miracle Maiden to hug his father as she turns to see the perfectly healthy doctor standing behind her. When the father and son end their embrace Miracle Maiden can see the blood on the doctor’s neck and hair. He has changed his shirt she realizes.
“Dad, I’m so sorry for everything,” Fax says about his recent suspicions.
Dr. Woodlawn looks to Miracle Maiden. “I am concerned about Fox’s friend Diana Carter, she was here right before the attack.” His eye brow raised at the heroine.
Miracle Maiden stammers then responds, “I saw her run out the back door just as I arrived.”
“What was Diana doing here?” Fox asks confused by everything as the police arrive.
“Looking for answers,” Dr. Woodlawn replies glaring knowingly at Miracle Maiden. “Perhaps we could invite her to your place for dinner one night soon and we could talk privately.” Fox nods his head as Detective Prussia and Agent Lei approach Miracle Maiden.
“So new hero in town, hanging around to answer some questions?” Prussia asks less than politely.
“Yes, Detective, it is the least I can do,” Miracle Maiden answers.
Standing outside on the sidewalk across the street from the clinic, Steven Roberts, Sr. watches as the police string tape around the scene. He catches sight of the woman dressed in red wondering if his son knows her? She is a striking woman as she stands talking to the police Detective. There is something familiar about the distortion that hides her face that is not unlike what Master Warrior uses.
Whatever is happening it isn’t part of what he is helping Abe to solve. From what he can see it is something very different indeed. It is something for the police and that pretty young woman to workout. He decides heading back to his hotel is best for now, he will tell Abe what he learned later when they meet privately.
edit
Tuesday, December 20, 1987
Philadelphia International Airport
8000 Essington Ave
Philadelphia, PA
Steve took a taxi to the airport and now stands in line waiting to board his plane for Miami, Florida. He has always been a people watcher which sometimes makes him paranoid that people are watching him too closely when he becomes Master Warrior. The guy standing in front of him is line looks familiar to him even from the back. He has freshly cut dark hair and is dressed in a button down shirt with a tie and pleated pants. He appears rather overdressed for a plane ride compared to Steve’s jeans and a Corona T-shirt. Steve looks down to the ticket in the man’s hand to spot his name, Michael McCoy. Steve met this guy in Boston, her is Eileen McCoy’s younger brother.
Touching the man’s shoulder Steve says, “Excuse me, Michael, I’m Steve Roberts, I know your sister, we met in Boston a while back.”
The young man turns looking rather shy about replying to Steve. “Yes, of course I remember,” Michael says shaking Steve’s hand.
“Almost didn’t recognize you without your Cassock,” Steve smiles. “What are you doing in Philly?”
“Another assignment in my education,” Michael explains. “I keep the Cassock in my bag when I travel, cuts down on the confusion.” “I’m headed to Miami now for a few weeks at St. Vincent’s for Christmas.”
“I’m headed there too, well not St. Vincent’s to my parents house for the holiday,” Steve clarifies. The line moves forward and Steve says, “You’re up, have a good trip.”
“Thanks, you too,” Michael says turning to the ticket counter.
Finding his seat Steve stows his carry-on in the overhead and flops down hoping to catch a nap. He reclines his seat to lay his forearm over his face, his bicep flexing. He hears his seatmate arrive not knowing what he is looking at. “Looks like we meet again,” Michael McCoy says sitting down in the seat next to Steve.
Steve moves his arm to sit up again bringing his seat up from reclined. “What are the odds?” he asks thinking now that he knows his seatmate he won’t be getting that nap. It is probably for the best anyway. He watches as Michael puts up his bag in the overhead. He can’t help but to wonder why a young athletic man like this would choose the priesthood. Quickly followed by the thought that it would be impolite to ask him, seeing as he is a virgin too. Michael sits down holding a small Bible in his hand. “Apprehensive about flying?” Steve asks gesturing to the book.
“It’s just a ritual, plus this way if I need something to read I have it handy,” Michael replies. “At this point air travel is old hat to me, I travel all over the world.”
“Does it ever become too much, being away from your family, your home?” Steve asks hoping the question isn’t too personal. “I mean, when my parents moved to Florida it was rough at the start.”
“Well my father is passed away and Eileen is five years older than I am so she pretty much had her own life by the time I graduated High School,” Michael explains. “Eileen has always been very independent, last few years she seems to have even less free time.”
“What about your mother?” Steve asks.
“She encouraged me to follow my calling,” Michael says somberly.
“Well, I guess we have that in common,” Steve smiles. “My mother always encourages me to keep going when all of the odds appear against you.”
Michael chuckles, “That sounds like Eileen.” “She didn’t even call me when Corey passes.” “I found out a few months later.” “I was worried she hadn’t mourned him properly.”
“See, I knew you had concern for your family even if you come off otherwise,” Steve tells the young man. Steve looks around the cabin as other passengers take their seats around Michael and himself. The couple in front of them laugh and giggle holding hands, clearly honeymooners on their way to beach romance. Across the isle are two college guys, their Temple University Jerseys giving them away as well as talk of girls and partying. In front of them is clearly a mother and daughter arguing like he has heard his own sister and mother do many times.
Once the plane takes off, Michael and Steve chat some more before Michael turns to reading his Bible and Steve gets a chance at that nap he wanted. But napping has not always been the best means of rest for Steve Roberts and his dreams sometimes turn to premonitions. This is one of those times as he sits in the seat to hear the screams of passengers. Looking into the aisle of the plane, Overmind stands at the row in front of their seats, holding a knife to the throat of the Co-pilot. Steve looks to Michael McCoy in the seat next to him. He realizes he is trapped with no way to change to Master Warrior without giving himself away. He is helpless to watch as Overmind slits the Co-pilot’s throat with a long sharp claw from the back of his hand. Overmind has more powers than just weather control it would seem.
Steve is startled awake nearly jumping out of his seat. “Whow, are you okay?” Michael asks at Steve’s sudden reaction.
Steve looks to the aisle just as the cockpit door begins to open. “Let me out!” Steve demands pushing by Michael, “I have to take a leak!”
“Sure, sure no problem,” Michael replies to the man who really must have to go.
Steve hurries down the aisle to the small restroom in the middle of the plane. Inside the small cabin Steve quickly switches to Master Warrior to return to the isle just as Overmind appears next to the Honeymooning couple’s seats. The Co-pilot spots the underdressed man and calls to him, “Hey who are you, what are you doing?”
Master Warrior reacts before the Co-pilot can reach the intruder. He charges forward down the aisle to restrain Overmind. Overmind raises his hand to swirl it around the cabin of the plane creating a glowing ribbon on the hull on either side of the four pairs of seats.
“Everyone fasten your seatbelts!” Master Warrior shouts grabbing the back of Michael and William’s seats. No sooner does he speak the words than the section of the plane falls free of the rest.
The women begin to scream as the eight seats begin to plummet. “Stay calm!” Master Warrior instructs as his mind races to save these passengers. He looks forward to the edge of the donut of the plane hull where Overmind stood only moments ago. He spots eight fingers clawing at the edge. Rushing to the front of the seats Master Warrior falls to the floor to reach down taking hold of the wrist below the edge. Standing up Master Warrior pulls the Co-pilot Davis Taylor up onto the plane fragment.
Something is very wrong here. If they are falling how was this man hanging on the edge? “Take that seat, hurry strap in!” Master Warrior instructs the Co-pilot who pushes past Michael to Steve’s seat. Gravity holds as the man moves to the seat. In fact the movement of air through the ring of metal is not at all as it should be. “Listen everyone!” Master Warrior announce to the eight people that look on in horror. “We are not falling out of the sky!”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” the College Student Branden Wurthy shouts back at Master Warrior. “We are all going to die!”
“Oh God!” the Real Estate Agent Joan Riker cries out holding her daughter tightly.
“No, we must all remain calm!” Master Warrior insists. “Look around the physics are all wrong.” “If we were falling I would be pinned to the ceiling right now!” “Not only that, I pulled that man from under this hull not down from above!”
“He is right!” Davis agrees. “I was hanging not falling.” “If this plane was crashing in open air we would not even be able to hear our speech!”
“Then what in God’s name is happening?” Michael pleads.
“We have been sent somewhere else!” Master Warrior guesses. “I don’t know where but we have to stay calm!” “Not panic!” “I have to do some recon.” “No one leave their seats!” Master Warrior takes his arsenal from his leg to form it into a long thick golden metal rope chain. He ties the rope to the arm of Michael McCoy’s armrest and then around his waist. “Just everyone be patient we’ll figure this out,” he says before taking a running start along the two rows of seats. Michael’s eye never leaves the hero as he runs to leap out into the void around the ring.
Master Warrior’s momentum carries him about fifty feet from the plane hull fragment. From his vantage point where he floats weightless, he can see that they are no longer in the blue sky over the East coast of the United States. The donut of the plane is in a shifting void of color and motion. Concentrating he can see movement in the hull piece of the plane, it is sliding sideways ever so slowly. Could they be in some kind of limbo, a space between Earth’s dimension and another. Then it is like he takes a long blink of his eyes as the hull vanishes for a second to reappear. He remembers his trip to Zeeza and what is happening can only be explained by dimensional travel. There is a second blink of vision and Master Warrior feels his danger sense kick in. He needs to get back to the plane hull. Leaning forward with no surface to push off of he has no source of momentum for flight. The rope is his only means of return to the plane.
Back in his seat Michael McCoy watches as Master Warrior blinks in and out of their sight. Then he spies the hero as he begins to pull himself back on the rope line tied to his arm rest. Unbuckling his seat belt Michael looks to the College boys across the aisle. “He is in trouble!” “We need to pull him back!” Michael shouts. Without a thought the boys, Branden and Billy unbuckle and jump up to grab hold of the rope with Michael to begin pulling the hero back to the ship as he blinks in and out of their vision. The Co-pilot Davis joins the tug of war to get Master Warrior back inside the plane fragment.
Master Warrior is only feet from the ring of metal that the group sits in as he appears to blink out of existence for the last time, the rope snapping free. The four men fall to the floor in a pile as the rope goes slack in their hands. “Dear God, we lost him!” Michael sighs.
Rockefeller Center
W 51st St
New York City, NY
Diana and Wes are walking back to the Jewel Hotel after dinner, where Wes is staying. “So are you eager to get back to the service?” Diana asks Wes as they walk the city street.
“It is like going home, I will be glad to be back,” Wes says reaching out to take her hand. “I must admit though there will be things I miss about being here.” “Like the time we have spent together.”
Diana pulls on his hand bringing their walk to an end. She turns to him giving him a kiss. “You are very sweet,” she tells him.
Suddenly there is a crackling coming from behind them. The couple turns to see a swirling of light in the evening street. People on the street flee from the startling aberasion as a portal opens up on the sidewalk. What happens next is even more bizarre as Zombies begin to escape onto the New York sidewalk.
Wes pushes Diana back shouting, “RUN!” She steps back to watch as Wes begins to fight the Zombies. It is clear that the Marine has no idea what he is up against as the undead creatures try to drag him back through the portal.
It is time for Diana Carter to take her leave as she disappears into an alleyway. Seconds later Miracle Maiden returns from the alley to fight her way through the mob of Zombies, throwing them back into the portal. At full density the creature’s teeth and sharp nails have no effect on her skin. She quickly makes her way through the mob to grab Wes by the arm. Amazingly he still is unscratched by the attacking Zombies. She yanks Wes away from the mob throwing him out of the portal back onto the New York sidewalk. Wes lands hard on the pavement but he scrambles back to his feet to run back toward the portal. He is only inches from the opening in the dimensional fabric as it snaps closed.
At first Miracle Maiden doesn’t even realize what has happened as she continues to fight the walking dead. When the light from the portal dims Miracle Maiden turns back to see that she is trapped. Whatever is going on, fighting these things no longer matters. With a thought she shifts her density to nothing and the clawing hands of the zombies can no longer harm her. She walks out of the mob, leaving them to claw at each other.
Miracle Maiden walks from the crowd into a cityscape that is not New York City. She looks to the road signs that appear to be English but make little sense to her. She looks back to zombies that still fight among themselves. “Where the hell am I?” she mumbles to herself. Walking clear of the creatures that fight each other she stops releasing her concentration to return to normal. Instantly she feels it. That strange feeling she had when she was in Zeeza. This is not Earth is her only guess, that portal brought her to a different dimension. Her first thought is to somehow reach out to Shana or Mist to bring her home, but she has burnt that bridge.
Miracle Maiden is lost for the first time in years, she has no idea what to do. As she watches the Zombies fight and fall over each other, something unexpected happens. From the building overhead a group of people fire blobs of what can only be described as glue onto the zombies. The polymer expands and instantly hardens into a solid mass that imprisons the group of zombies. She watches as the figures descend from the rooftops to the street. They scramble around the glob of polymer that encases the zombies lashing it down with cables as the exposed arms thrash and the heads howl. An odd looking flatbed truck pulls up next to the mass as the hunters move to load their capture.
Miracle Maiden knows she must learn about this place if she is to ever figure out where she has landed. It is then that she hears, “Who are you and how did you escape the horde?” Miracle Maiden feels the barrel of a gun pressed against her ribs.
“Like this,” Miracle Maiden replies, turning to pass through the weapon and the gunman. “What is this place?” “What are those…zombies?”
The gun toting woman dresses in army fatigues swings her weapon around at Miracle Maiden, who appears to be a ghost. The look on the woman’s face makes it clear to Miracle Maiden that she has never seen anything like her.
Then another woman dressed in the same clothing turns from the scene at the containment area. She marches forward toward Miracle Maiden her rifle drawn at the stranger. “Where did you come from freak?” the armed woman demands.
It is now that Miracle Maiden realizes that all of the zombie capturers are women so she chooses her words, “I am from Earth, I have no idea how I got here, where is here?” Miracle Maiden replies.
“Is she some kind of new demon?” the first woman asks the second. “She is not dressed like anyone I have ever seen.”
“I assure you I’m no demon,” Miracle Maiden tells them.
“Where did you say you were from?” the second woman who appears to be in charge asks.
“Earth, New York to be exact,” Miracle Maiden repeats.
“I have never heard of such a place, this Ghaza,” the leader tells Miracle Maiden. “But the Zombins rarely possess women, it is our men that they take.” “Still you are an odd one.”
“I don’t know what a Zombin is, but I am not one of them,” Miracle Maiden assures the women. “I just need to find a way home.” Miracle Maiden looks around the street feeling something else for the first time, a pull to the south. “What is in that direction?” she asks pointing south.
“Totem, we have loaded the captives,” another woman says after recieving a call from the strange truck on her radio.
The woman in charge turns to Miracle Maiden, “The Breach Station is in that direction, it is where we are headed, you can come, but mark my works if you step out of line you will join the demons!
Miracle Maiden controls her temper as she is told to climb into the back of truck with the other guards and captives. She wonders how Wes is going to act when he can’t find her. They only have a few days left together and disappearing on him is not going to look good. In a way this is going to end up being a test of how she is going to handle any romantic relationship now that she has this double identity.
Miracle Maiden eyes each one of the four women in the back of the truck. They are nothing like she would imagine soldiers to be. Each of them have their own scars of war. Whatever is happening in this world has been going on for a while.
Miracle Maiden then looks to the creatures that struggle to escape from the solid mass at the center of the flatbed. Arms and legs protruding from the hardened polymer thrash about randomly as well as heads that moan and growl. The woman sitting next to her wears the name “Sloan ” written in ink on the left side of her chest. She holds a rifle like she has not been doing this type of thing for long. “What happened to these men?” Miracle Maiden asks the armed woman next to her.
The woman looks at Miracle Maiden in confusion as if she has just asked why the sky is blue. “They have been taken over by Zombin demons.” “What few men that haven’t been we keep hidden.”
“How did this start?” Miracle Maiden then asks shocking the soldier again. “Like I said, I’m not from around here.”
“It isn’t just here it is all of Ghaza that has suffered from the invasion of the Zombin,” the novice soldier explains. “The Zombin broken into our world after their was a great famine.” “There were so many dead and the Zombin demons reanimated those corpses.” “It wasn’t long before we were over run with them.” “The Zombies where a thing of legend before that.” “We knew that only the women could gather together to fight them, so we did.”
“Why only the women?” Miracle Maiden questions.
“Scientists learned that it is because men have denser muscle structure, the male corpse lasts longer,” Sloan replies. “The Zombins have taken woman when they must but they prefer men as hosts.” “When the corpse decays too much the demon must find a new host no matter the sex.” “That is why we must capture the Zombins and not kill them.”
“This all sounds so horrible, what do you do with them now that you have captured them?” Miracle Maiden asks curiously.
“There is a base to the south, Hgielar, that has found a way to put the demons back behind the barrier,” Sloan reveals.
“Enough talking back there!” the Totem shouts from the cab. “You are on guard duty not gossip time!”
To Be Continued