Friday, March 11, 1988
Club Zeus
36 Shaftesbury Ave
London, United Kingdom
Steve Roberts enters the club, the music is loud and the air smells of smoke. He is dressed in jeans, a tight blue T-shirt and a brown leather jacket. He feels out of place in this environment. Checking his watch he know this is where he is meant to be on his quest. Since his experience with the Trial of Sins Box his premonition power has been working differently. His dreams have become visions that are leading him on a quest to find a living mythological god to give him the means to imprison the Nozama Samso more permanently. These visions are much more detailed than his previous dreams if not as lengthy. He feels almost compelled to seek out the events he witnesses. For weeks he tried to ignore these callings, but that only made them more intense. The force behind the visions escaped his sleeping hours to occur while he was awake in the day. He had little choice but to begin to enact what he witnessed.
The first of those visions was to buy the international time watch he now wears on his wrist. Then Steve took an extended leave from his job back in New Jersey, not knowing how long this quest would take, it has been a week so far. His first stop had been to Florida to get his mother’s expert opinion on finding a Zeni-human with the powers of a god. For the first time she explained that Zeni-humans are divided into three categories; Physical, Mental, and Mystical. Gods have all three. She also told him that gods are hard to find because they shift from one designation to another to hide. A Physical Zeni-human is usually drawn to another, the same goes for Mental and Mystical.
Dona Roberts grew silent for a minute in her instruction, something she had never done before while teaching her son. “I can’t explain why, but I believe you have two of the three,” She told her son for the first time. “By completing the challenge of the Box of Sins I think it might be able to make up for the one you lack for a short period.” “But a god will see that, it will try to trick you into using up that power so it can escape.” “You must hold fast, control all your emotions, don’t let a god manipulate you.”
They spent three days researching everything they could find that suggested the possible existence of a god in modern times. They even took a trip to Magic Island hoping for a return visit to Zeeza. Unfortunately the gods who had become Mistixs were long gone, leaving nothing to show that they were ever in that realm.
In his last vision, Steve saw this date, time, and place. Steve had no idea if this is where he will meet the god he seeks. Although, the name Club Zeus does make him feel confident he is on the right trail. His mother had called an old friend, Juri Segreti, that Steve had met in Greece years ago on their family trip. Steve knew that there was more to Juri than meets the eye by the end of that stay in Greece. He is sure Juri will know something about his quest, after all it was Juri who suggested they meet at this club.
Steve looks down over the balcony railing at what appears to be a hundred sweaty people dancing to the music played by a DJ. “My how you’ve grown,” Juri says walking up behind Steve to put his hand on the man’s muscular shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be down there finding love for the night?” “Like everyone else your age?”
“That really isn’t my thing,” Steve says, turning to hug the man who secretly saved his life when he was fifteen. “I have a more important reason for being here tonight.” Although Steve had aged from a mid-teen to a man Juri Segreti appears to be the same as he remembered.
“Clearly your mother has raised you well,” Juri smiles. “I would expect no less from her or you.” “A young man like you would surely do better down there with them than up here with me?”
“I am here to find a mythological god, not a date,” Steve says.
“An amazon from the core,” the man named Secrets in English says. “I asked you to meet me here because I think I know someone who might be able to help you in your quest.” “He is something of a researcher of the mystic arts.”
“But my mother led me to believe that a god was a combination of all three Zeni-human categories, Physical, Mental, and Mystical,” Steve suggests.
“They are,” Juri confirms. “You fit two of those categories and hopefully Nate Darius can provide you with the third one.”
“Nate Darius, the stage Magician?” Steve questions uncertainty. “How is a rich celebrity going to help me on this quest, he will draw too much unwanted attention.”
“That is humorous, you worried about drawing attention,” Juri chuckles. “Follow me.” Juri Segreti gestures as he begins down the metal spiral stairs toward the dance floor. Steve follows him through the crowd of sweaty bodies as the loud music pounds in his ears. At the bottom of the stairs a young woman wearing a loose fitting low-cut top that exposes most of her breasts grabs Steve by the arm as he passes by her. She moves in a motion to suggest he should dance with her. That is not why he is here, “I’m sorry I can’t,” he tells her, brushing her off of his arm.
“Tease!” she shouts as he walks away.
Steve follows Juri into a V.I.P. area that is roped off. Two large muscled bouncers allow the men to pass as if they know Juri Segreti well. “Do you come here a lot?” Steve asks as they move into an area where the music volume is lower. Juri just shrugs his shoulders. There are many questions Steve has about this man to which he is sure he will never have the answers.
The V.I.P. area is just as dimly lit but not as crowded. There are several private stalls around the walls of the room. Beads hang over the front of the stalls making it impossible to see who is in each one. Juri seems to have no problem at all finding the stall he is interested in as he makes a bee-line across the room. “Nate might we join you?” Juri asks as he parts the beads to the stall he has sought out.
Looking over Juri’s shoulder Steve can see the man, probably in his early thirties seated on a red couch. He is dressed in a white ruffled shirt, unbuttoned at the neck and black tuxedo pants complete with a cumber-bun. His dark wavy hair is held in place with styling gel. He drinks from a tall champagne flute glass.
Three young women giggle and seat dance to the music on the couch with him as they also drink champagne. Steve recognizes the man as the British Stage Magician known as Nate Darius. He knows of Darius because he has been on several world tours and TV with his magic act. Nate Darius ranks right up there with David Copperfield and Blackwood. The main question in Steve’s mind is what makes this guy different from the others?
“Juri Segreti, of course, come right in, my door is always open to you,” a smiling Nate Darius says waving his champagne glass. “Oh and you’ve brought a big friend with you.” “Ladies get these men drinks!” The girl quickly moved to pour out two more glasses of champagne. “What can I do for you Mates?” Nate quires.
“My friend here Steve is looking to find a living god,” Juri says bluntly as he takes the glass of champagne for a boxum blonde. Steve is surprised by Juri’s bluntness but not as surprised as Nate Darius.
“It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Darius,” Steve says, reaching out his hand to the seated man.
“No need to be so formal, my friends call me Nate,” the Magician replies, ignoring Steve’s handshake offer. “Ladies, why don’t you go dance while we talk business,” Nate says to his girlfriends. The three girls do as asked, quickly exiting through the curtain of beads to the V.I.P. dance floor. “You must be crazy,” Nate says looking at Steve. “Gods are far too dangerous, even if you can tear a phone book in half!”
“So you’ve met a god?” Steve asks, setting the champagne glass aside. “I’m sure I can handle whatever some old god dishes out.”
“Where did you find this guy?” Nate asks, turning back to Juri. But to both Steve and Nate’s surprise Juri Segreti is gone. “I hate when he does that, mainly because he won’t teach it to me!”
“It is called Astral Projection, he was never really here at all,” Steve explains. “It was just like a spiritual form that brought me here.”
“No, he was really here!” Nate insists, pointing at an empty champagne glass on the table. “An Astral Projection does not take a glass of champagne or drink it.” Then Nate looks at Steve with a raised eyebrow. “You know about these things?” he asks.
“I’ve been around a bit,” Steve replies. “I met Juri years ago, he is a friend of my mother.” “He actually saved my life.”
“Appears we have something in common then,” Nate says. “As a matter of fact he saved my life the last time I was searching for a living god.”
“Did you find one?” Steve says with urgency sitting down next to Nate.
“Came close but he set a trap for me,” Nate explains. “If not for Juri I would have died hanging in an ancient Egyptian trap.” “But I came away with this.” Nate pulls a teardrop shaped Aquamarine gemstone pendant on a silver chain from under his silk shirt. The stone is about the size of a nickel.
“What is it?” Steve asks as he suddenly feels the ache at the back of his skull.
His distraction is clearly noticed by Nate. “It was said to be the first tear that the Goddess Isis cried when she learned of her brother-husband, Osiris’ death.” Steve’s attention appears to turn away from Nate’s story. “Sorry if my story sounds crazy to you,” Nate tells Steve as he slips the necklace back inside his shirt.
“No, it isn’t that,” Steve says, still distracted. “There is something wrong, something very dangerous in the V.I.P. room.” Steve pushes back though the beaded curtain to look out over the V.I.P. dance floor. There are not as many people in the room but it still takes him a few minutes to spot her walking towards them. “Madame Maria,” Steve mumbles under his breath. The moment their eyes meet the old witch turns around and begins pushing people aside to get back out the way she came in.
“Who is that?” Nate asks as he watches the woman flee. “Why is she afraid of you?”
“She’s a very old witch and I’m sure it is no coincidence that she is here,” Steve says as he starts off across the floor after Madame Maria.
“An old witch,” Nate says, turning back to the couch where what appears to be a medical bag sits. Nate reaches into the bag retrieving a small vial that he places in his pocket. Nate then follows after the young man. “How old?” The two men hurry through the club abandoning Nate Darius’ lady friends on the dance floor.
As they move into the more crowded front part of the club Steve loses sight of the old witch that has become known to him as Madame Maria. Steve tries to be polite to the club goers as he moves through the crows with Nate following close behind. By the time they reach the street there is no sign of Madame Maria.
“Where did she go?” Nate asks a still distracted Steve who reaches back to rub his neck.
“I don’t know but there is still something very wrong here,” Steve replies.
“Why do you keep saying that?” Nate says, giving Steve a suspicious look. Before Steve can reply their conversation is interrupted by the sound of screams. The two men look down the street as a rumbling noise begins to come down the street. Cars skid off the street onto the sidewalk as something large charges down behind them.
“Holy shit!” Steve says as his sharp eyes see what is behind the commotion. “I’ll handle this.” Steve knows that Nate Darius has no idea who he is or his full name. Touching his left earlobe Steve triggers his transformation into Master Warrior.
Nate Darius stands stunned as his companion leaps into the air taking flight. He watches as what Steve saw comes into view, an elephant stampeding on the London evening street. Master Warrior’s first target is the people who are trapped in a car the elephant has flipped on its side. Nate watches in amazement as the man he was just talking to lands on the side of the car. He quickly ripped the door from the car to free the couple trapped inside. He lifts two men out the passage side, his back turned to the massive rampaging animal.
Master Warrior hears what sounds like a clap of thunder as he helps the injured men off the side of the car. He looks to see that the elephant has broken off a power pole, snapping the electric lines. The live wires wriggle in the street. The hero is airborne again in the narrow London street, flying toward the danger. Master Warrior is not fully immune to electrical shock, but he hopes that he can act fast enough to do what he must.
Moving as close as possible Master Warrior reaches out his right arm extending his gauntlet toward one of the twitching cables. The current is instantly drawn to it like a magnet. He can hear the cries of people behind him but he must concentrate on what appears to be an impossible task. As he moves to get the other end of the severed cable attracted to his left gauntlet, the other end follows along. When both ends of the cables are held by the attraction to his gauntlets he brings his wrist together creating an explosion that fuses them together.
The explosion backlashes on Master Warrior sending him across the street into the side of a parked delivery truck. Barely stunned by the blast, Master Warrior pulls himself from the truck to spring back into the air. Instantly changing course he now knows he needs to focus on the escapee from the zoo. As Master Warrior approaches the elephant he spots something very out of place. This elephant has what appears to be a tightly closed third eye in the center of its head. Flying at high speed he turns his shoulder to hit the charging elephant in the side of its head. His momentum and strength are enough to lift the beast from the pavement. It stumbles and then flips tail first over Master Warrior’s back into a nearby storefront.
Back outside the club Madame Maria emerges from the shadows behind Nate Darius. She places her ruby wand against the back of his neck. “Give me the stone!” she demands.
“Sure, sure,” Nate replies, reaching into his pocket. The witch’s wand warms on Nate’s neck as she watches his hand come out of his pocket. In the next instance Nate throws the dry powdered contents of the vial in Madame Maria’s face. She staggers back coughing, withdrawing the wand from Nate’s neck. The magician turns to watch as Madame Maria’s movements slow as she becomes frozen in place. “Concentrated Myrrh,” he explains. “Harmless to normal people, except for being used as an anesthetic.” “To a user of witchcraft it is a powerful paralytic.” “The more powerful the witch, the more powerful the effect.”
Not far away the pachyderm crashes back out of the store front at Master Warrior. Master Warrior leaps up from the sidewalk misjudging the elephant’s speed. Its mighty trunk snags the hero out of the air by the leg smacking him down onto the pavement like a rag-doll. Master Warrior is stunned by the impact with the street. The odd animal swings Master Warrior forward onto the hood of a parked car. In the instant Master Warrior is sprawled out on the car he grabs hold of the front fenders with both hands.
Pulled back up by his leg still held in the elephant’s trunk, Master Warrior carries the car with him. Swinging the car back around at the strange elephant he frees his leg from its grip. Grabbing his arsenal he creates a chain that he quickly loops it around the animal’s neck. Putting a leash on the raging animal does not deter it as its strong trunk still lashes back and forth trying to take hold of the chain. Master Warrior wastes no time knocking the elephant onto its side to hog tie its thick legs together. The elephant subdued Master Warrior scans the street to discover that it is now void of people and traffic, except for Nate Darius who stands on the sidewalk with an unmoving Madame Maria.
Nate Darius has been taking the past few minutes inspecting Madame Maria. He looks at every piece of jewelry and clothing she wears without touching anything. From what he can see she has all of the traits of a very powerful witch, telling him that she will overcome his simple spell quickly. The jewelry she wears has significant meaning in the art of witchcraft. Nate can’t help but to covit some of it, but he knows how dangerous it could be to touch her even in her current state.
“What have you done to her?” Master Warrior asks returning to the sidewalk where Nate and Madame Maria stand.
“Little trick I learned over my years adventuring,” Nate replies. “I don’t know how long it will hold.” Nate turns to look over the blue and gold clad man.
They look to the witch as a grin crosses her lips. “Zymw iv zjyhh O hennim aiej liduj.” “Tiwwuhh tun gyqu eh gi gsu iv aiej liduj.” The bracelet on her right wrist glows. Master Warrior lunges out grabbing for the woman as the witch vanishes.
“Damn it!” Master Warrior exclaims.
“The voice is always the first to return, should have known she would use that bracelet to escape,” Nate explains.
“Why was she even here?” Master Warrior asks, looking back to the street where he bound the elephant. It too is gone leaving only his chain-arsenal on the payment. He runs to retrieve his weapon and return it to his leg. Nate follows Master Warrior into the street. “Clearly that thing, whatever it was, it was a distraction for me.”
“I guess I know why Juri thought you were up to your task now, Master Warrior,” Nate says, reaching inside the collar of his shirt. “I would also guess that the witch was here for my necklace.” “Somehow she got it too.” “I could never get it to do anything, but I assume a witch of her caliber could make use of it.”
“So what is your deal?” Master Warrior asks Nate. “Are you a Magician, a sorcerer or what?”
“Just a student of magic,” Nate replies, as people begin to return to the street. “I suggest we get going.”
“What about your necklace?” Master Warrior asks.
“It was one of the lesser finds I’ve made over the years,” Nate explains. “I have the real important stuff under lock and key,” “Some place she will never find.” Nate grins at Master Warrior. “Can you do that quick change thing again, where we are going that outfit will not fit in well.”
Trademark Investigations
1267 Pimlico Avenue
Camden, NJ
It is late afternoon when David Rogers is straightening up the kitchenette at the back of the suite in preparation of calling it a day. Business has been light through the winter months and has yet to pick up with the pending arrival of spring. Spring is usually a high profit time for a Detective agency like Trademark. People begin to make plans and have a need of extra security or hearts and bodies start to wander with the warmer weather.
Although Steve’s absence will be felt, David is aware that what his assistant is doing must be of high importance for him to take this time off. The arrival of Steve Roberts in his business has been of great importance to his company, but he has handled things on his own for years before that time began.
The buzzer on the front door goes off letting David know that someone has entered the front office. David steps out of the kitchenette at the back of the suite into the front room to find a tall, dark haired man with just a touch of gray at his temples. He appears disheveled and disoriented. He looks around the office as if he is lost. “Hello sir, can I help you?” David says, stepping into the office from the kitchenette.
“I have your card,” the man says, holding up a weathered business card.
David steps closer to notice that the man is wet from head to toe. He takes the wrinkled and damp card from the man. It is worse for wear but it is one of his cards. “Yes that is my card,” David replies. “Why don’t you take a seat and tell me how I can help you.”
The man takes a seat at David’s desk still searching the room with his eyes. “Have I been here before?” he asks. “I don’t remember this place.”
“I really can’t say,” David tells the confused stranger. “How did you get my card?”
“It was in my pocket when I woke up on the beach,” the man explains. “Do you know me?”
“Why don’t you start at the beginning, with your name,” David suggests.
“That is just it, I don’t know my name,” the stranger says. “I was hoping someone here could tell me who I am.”
David has handled amnesia cases before, but none that ever started with a guy walking in off to the street. “You said you woke up on a beach, which beach?”
“I think the sign said Spruce Street Harbor Park,” the man tells the detective.
“Spruce Street Harbor Park, that is on the other side of the river,” David reveals. “How did you get all the way here?” “It must be nearly twenty miles!”
“I walked part of the way and then I got on a tour bus that said Camden Tour-lines on the side,” the wet man explains.
“How did you pay for the trip?” David inquires.
“I had a ticket for that too,” the man says standing up to dig in his pants pocket for another wet slip of paper.
“Is that all you have in your pockets?” David asks before the man can sit down again. “Don’t you have a wallet or ID. of some kind?” “A credit card or ATM card maybe?”
“No, just these two things,” he explains as he sits back down. The man leans forward resting his arms on his knees to hold his head in despair. It is then that David notices something for the first time.
“What is this?” David questions standing up to approach his would-be client. Examining the back of the man’s head he has a fresh wound. “Hold still a minute,” David instructs. He moves the man’s dark hair aside to expose a gash on the back of his head. It isn’t bleeding but it must have been not long ago. At the edge of the wound there is a small orange shard. “I’m sorry if this hurts, but I have to get a better look at it.” David uses his fingernails to dig the orange shard loose.
“What is it?” the wounded man in the chair asks. David holds the orange shard up to the light for only a second when it instantly evaporates into nothingness.
“I’d say it was a clue to your attacker.” David announces.
Nate Darius’s Penthouse
Sixth floor
3 Leicester St
London, United Kingdom
Steve Roberts and Nate Darius arrive back at his luxurious flat not far from the nightclub where they met. “Give me a minute, I need to get changed and make a few calls,” Nate tells Steve as he opens the door to the sixth floor walk up penthouse.
“Nice place, do you have the whole floor?” Steve comments. “Being a Magician must bring in a lot of pounds for you.”
“I do alright, but it is my other hobbies that make me the real money,” Nate says as he exits into an adjacent room. “Do you have a passport with you?” he calls from out of sight.
Steve looks around the expensive decor of the penthouse as he calls back, “Yeah, why?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not looking to learn the rest of your name, American,” Nate says returning to the room pulling on a sweatshirt over a polo shirt. He is also dressed in green cargo pants and work boots. He has combed through the gel in his hair to loosen his curls. “We’re taking a plane to France and you will need it to board.”
“France?” Steve questions.
“There is more than one living god in the world and I have more ideas of how to find them,” Nate says walking to another room. Steve follows Nate this time to the door of the office. Nate moves behind a large antique oak desk where he begins to go through the draws. Steve steps into the office to admire the framed photos on the wall. Most of them are of Nate posing at some performance at a theater or showroom. Then there are others that look like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. In one of them he is standing with a few other men holding up the pendant necklace that was just stolen by Madame Maria. “So you really don’t believe that necklace of yours had any special powers?” Steve asks.
“Ahh, here it is,” Nate announces, finding his passport in one of the desk drawers. “I spent nearly a year researching the thing, it was just a common Aquamarine gemstone, nothing special as far as I could tell.” “I’m sure that witch will have no more luck with it than I did.”
“You have to forgive me, it isn’t often that a three-thousand year old witch shows up to steal something, by chance,” Steve replies. “Whatever she plans to do with it I am sure it will come back to bite me in the ass.”
“Three-thousand year old witch?” Nate repeats leaning back in his high-backed desk chair. “She’s in pretty good shape for being that old.” “That is some powerful magic.” “The only spell that I’ve ever known to give immortality like that is the ‘Eternal Love’ spell.”
Steve finds a photo on the wall with Nate posing with a group of showgirls in Las Vegas. “‘Eternal Love’ doesn’t sound so bad,” he comments. “Looks like you get plenty of ‘Love’.”
Nate sits forward in his desk chair to reach for his personal phonebook. “The girls I run with are not looking for eternal love, only a good time and my money to show it to them,” Nate replies. “Besides, eternal love doesn’t mean both parties have to be alive.” “I have to admit, 3000 years is a long time to study magic.” “Excuse me while I phone a mate over in France.”
Steve believes he has convinced this man that his concern for Madame Maria’s motives might be real. He looks over some of the other things on display in the room, most of them under glass. It is an even stranger exhibit than the one he and his mother saw at the Renaissance Faire. He has to wonder if this guy bought all of these artifacts or acquired them some other way. “So you don’t seem to be very surprised by any of this weird stuff,” Steve says after Nate hangs up the phone.
“I’ve seen plenty of weird stuff in the past ten years or so,” Nate tells Steve as he gets up from the desk. He walks across the room toward one of the cases. “Have you ever seen my show?”
“Yeah, on TV once or twice,” Steve replies, following him.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know how I do half of the stuff or how they even work,” Nate explains. “But I think this is the reason why Juri brought you to me.”
Steve approaches the glass case that contains a large painted vase that stands about three feet tall. It looks very old with cracks in its surface. As he draws closer, Steve sees a photo laying at the bottom of the display next to the vase. It is of Nate Darius holding the vase standing next to Juri Segreti at the edge of a dead forest. “Themyscira?” Steve whispers.
“I had a feeling you’d been to that shithole too,” Nate says. “Did he take you there too?”
“What do you know about Themyscira?” Steve asks.
“I know that there is nothing alive on that hunk of mud,” Nate says in disgust. “It is like the aftermath of an A-bomb or something a lot less radioactive but just as destructive.” “It is the first Archaeological dig I have been on where the only sign that life ever existed there was this jar.”
“So how did you get ashore?” Steve asks, testing him.
“Believe it or not we had to swim ashore from a boat anchored offshore,” Nate explains correctly. “There were only four of us, Juri and two other guys we hired in Rome.”
“So you just took this artifact?” Steve asks to walk around the case to look at the hand painted art on it.
“If you are asking if I filled in any paperwork on the discovery, I tried but no one cared,” Nate explains. “A lot of the locals think the place is cursed, and want nothing to do with the island.” The men are silent for a moment looking at the display case. “Thing is, I spent a month deciphering the pictograms on it.” “It tells the story of an amazon offspring that became the most powerful of them all.”
Steve looks at the artwork on the jar that depicts a woman dressed in amazon armor holding a child to her breast. Stepping around the case he can see the next drawing showing the amazon warrior training her child. The drawings begin small and grow larger as the child ages. It appears as a standard amazon training session. That is until the child becomes more mature and the artwork is large enough to clearly show the amazon offspring has a penis.
“So, you have noticed it too, I see,” Nate comments standing next to Steve as he eyes the vase. “This jar dates back to 530-520 BC.” “My research tells me that in that time period the amazon nation was in its prime.” “Did you know that the amazons killed male children at birth back then.” Nate looks at Steve’s face and can tell from his expression that he knows of what he speaks. “I never understood how an amazon boy could live to manhood until today.” “The story continues to tell how this child grows to adulthood to at last end the conflict between the amazon’s and a race of men, supermen you might say with the help of a god.” “It doesn’t make clear what god.”
Steve’s eyes move to the bottom edge of the jar to spot the artist’s signature. It is signed by Medea. “Why is the artist’s signature in English?” Steve asks.
“That is the oddest part, it makes no sense at all, something that old signed in modern English,” Nate replies. “I’m guessing you have the answer to your own question, amazon boy.”
Steve turns to the magician, “It is a message.” “My mother told me that Madame Maria’s real name was Medea, Princess of Colchis.” “It would seem that she has more than just immortality, she has precognition as well.” “How else could she have known about me back then.” “I would guess that her ability was unclear about the surroundings of the future so she represented it all using what she knew at that time.”
“Are you saying that the witch that stole my necklace is the same one who painted this jar?” Nate exclaims. “That would explain why she took the necklace, to stop you from finding a god.”
“Not necessarily,” Steve suggests. “Everything represented on the vase implies that she helped me to defeat the Nozamas.” “Medea has a very strange history with the amazons.” “Sometimes she is at war with them and then others she is helping them, she is very hard to pin down.” “It is possible she was only preventing me from finding the god the necklace would lead me to.”
“So this quest you are on is to end a three-thousand year long war of your people?” Nate asks.
“I hadn’t thought about it on that large of a scale,” Steve replies looking confused. “I thought finding a living god was only to imprison a crazy Nozama King.” “Frankly there are not enough amazons left to consider them a nation anymore.” “Is it possible for me to touch the vase?”
David Rogers’ Apartment
second floor
1267 Pimlico Avenue
Camden, NJ
David returns home to his apartment above the Detective agency with his new client. After several hours in the Emergency room it was determined that the mystery man has a mild concussion that has brought on amnesia. Given the name Bob Smith at the Hospital for their records, he had nowhere to stay. David suggested that Bob stay with him and they could get to work on finding out who he really is first thing in the morning.
“Make yourself at home,” David says, inviting Bob into his living room. “Can I get you a drink; a glass of water, Iced Tea, soda?”
“How about a beer?” Bob suggests sitting down on the sofa to put his feet up on the ottoman.
“I don’t know if that is a good idea with your concussion,” David replies to his guest, stepping into the kitchen for a moment.
“Seems to me that it might loosen up my memory,” Bob suggested looking around the small apartment. “Do you have any other ideas?”
“While you were being examined in the ER, I’ve already reached out for help in getting information,” David tells him. “Since you woke up in Philly, I called a source at the Philly PD to do some research at Spruce Street Harbor Park.” “Get the manifest for that bus tour first of all.” “Figured we’d go there tomorrow to see if it triggers anything for you.” “I also asked my guy at the Philly PD to look into what he could find out about that disappearing orange shard I found in the back of your head.”
“What would a cop know about that?” Bob asks as his host returns carrying two beers.
“He is on a rather unique task force.” David says, handing his guest one of the lite beers. “He should be able to turn up something by tomorrow.”
“Is he your only informant on the police force?” Bob asks in a curious tone, taking a chug of the beer.
“I wouldn’t say he is an informant, more like the friend of a friend,” David explains, taking a seat across from Bob.
“Must really come in handy to have a friend like that when you are a private detective,” Bob comments.
“I guess, usually it is my associate Steve who calls him, but he is out of town at the moment.”
“Your associate Steve?” Bob repeats, almost grinning.”
“He’s really become more of a partner,” David smiles while drinking his beer. “He has been a great boon to my business since I hired him.”
“How did you find this boon?” Bob asks as David gets up to retrieve a second beer.
“It’s a rather long story actually,” David says, returning with a second round. “He went to school with my cousin,” he chuckles, popping open his second beer to sit back down. “I met him one summer at the shore when we were kids.” “A couple of years ago I heard he had become a cop, by chance I ran into him at the beach in Atlantic City not long after that.” “Turned out that he was looking for a new path.”
“New Path?” Bob repeats, finishing his beer with a belch. He reaches for his second beer that David has sat on the table next to him. “Strange way to get a new job?” “Sounds like he was starting a new life.”
David gets a rather distant look on his face. “Maybe I should have gotten us dinner for this beer, it’s hitting me pretty hard.”
Nate Darius’s Penthouse
Sixth floor
3 Leicester St
London, United Kingdom
Blackness is all around him as Steve Roberts stands in an empty void, it is empty of light, sound, and fragrance. He turns and there is still nothing. Then he hears something in the distance, a soft laughter at first. It is strange and sinister as it grows louder. The laughter brings with it a growing light that allows him to see himself. The shimmer of gold on his wrist and chest reveal that he is dressed as Master Warrior.
As the light expands Master Warrior can see that it is Medea who stands laughing not more than four feet from him. She is dressed in a colorful outfit, not at all like the gypsy attire of Madame Maria.
Then another figure appears standing behind her, Xander Beachum who appears human except for a third eye in the middle of his forehead, He too grins at Master Warrior as if he knows some secret to which Master Warrior is not aware.
Next to Beachum, Jayson Roberts materializes with the same smug look on his face that he had the first time Steve Roberts met his long lost cousin. What connection could these three have to each other, Master Warrior wonders as the trio stares at him. A thought he quickly puts out of his mind as The Dominator, Samso takes his place with them. More figures from Master Warrior’s past arrive quicker now; Janice Jones, Paul Grimes, Double Dee, Niantic and Hellion.
The masked man from the Philadelphia Art Museum draws Master Warrior’s full attention now as he pulls off his mask. His face is out of focus except for his lips that whisper the words, “Save me.” The Rodney brothers appear and are quickly transformed into E.S.P., Smilodon bounds into the growing crowd as Centaurs and Cyclops begin to mill around, followed by their master Decagon. It is as if everyone who has ever had a conflict with Master Warrior now stands before him laughing, even the angry old woman Pearl Johnson makes an appearance.
Then there are others who do not know him as Master Warrior that join the crown; Barton,his friend from Olestra that he believed dead; Monstro the creature that attacked him at the cavern of the Bernr Queen, Craig Donovan, Tyler Bruce a mutant he fought when he first became a cop, and Warren Garrett from High School who nearly killed Gary.
Soon there are hundreds of people standing in his path that he does not recognize. There appear to be Queens and Kings, monsters and thieves. In unison all speak to Master Warrior directly, “We all stand in your way.” “To be the hero you must defeat us all!” Together all are assembled to join in on the laughter that Medea began.
Startled back to reality Steve Roberts cries out, “NO!” He drops the jar to the floor, shattering it. Steve stands over the pieces of the broken pottery mesmerized for a moment. Then realizing what he had done he looks to Nate Darius to apologize, “Oh wow, Nate, I am so sorry!”
“What the hell happened?” Nate asks, looking at the fear on Steve’s face.
“I saw something,” he replies hesitantly. “I have more enemies than friends.” “Or at least I will one day.” “But I broke that jar, it must have been priceless.”
Nate Darius smiles like he does on stage after finishing some fantastic magic trick. “Did you?” Nate steps aside to reveal that the jar is still in one place sitting on its pedestal in the glass case.
Looking back to where the broken vase laid on the floor, the pieces are gone. “How, how is that possible?” Steve asks.
“I’ve broken that thing several times,” Nate explains. “It is some kind of time displacement spell, is my best guess.” “When it is broken it slips back in time to when it wasn’t.” “I wish I had known it was that witch that made the jar, I’d love to know how she did it.”
“You are probably better off not knowing, believe me,” Steve replies, stepping closer to the case to look at the unharmed case. “I have no idea if what I saw was true or something Medea wanted me to see to scare me.”
“I can’t begin to imagine what you saw, but I have a bit of advice for you,” Nate says, putting his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “With that said, it sounded very one sided.” “If there is one thing I’ve learned about magic in my years of research it is that every spell has two sides.” “The side that is seen and unseen.”
Looking around the office at the many other display cases Steve asks, “Do all of these things have enchantments like this one?”
“Not like that, but some of them have weird little talents,” Nate explains. “Nothing too powerful.” “Some of them don’t even live up to their legends.”
Behbeit El Hagar
Temple of the Goddess Isis
Lower Egypt
Medea and her companion arrive at the lost temple to enact her plan with the Isis necklace. Medea holds out the ruby wand speaking a spell in her strange witchcraft language, “Gijxsuh potsg iej lygs.” The long dead torches mounted on the walls of the tomb’s tunnel spark back to life. The flames leap from one to the next down the hallway creating a trail of light.
“What are we doing here, witch?” her companion demands. In the light of the many torches his appearance is that of Xander Beachum with one unmistakable difference, a third eye in the center of his forehead that remains closed. His skin is also inhuman in appearance having a dark gray hue like the elephant he became to distract Master Warrior in London. “I wish only to taste the flesh of that Master Warrior!”
“Silence!” Medea scolds. “If not for me neither of you would still exist!” “I could have left you as dust on the street!” “You shall have your foul feast but first I still have more use for the amazon offspring.” “That naive dabbler in magic had no idea the power he wore around his neck!” “This gem is not the source of the power of Isis, but the key to it.”
The man-creature towers over the short witch as he follows her through the tunnels. He must obey her every command for now, fearing that she could revoke her spell as easily as she cast it. As they continue down the trail of burning torches Beachum opens his third eye to reveal its white iris and blood red pupil. He uses thermal vision to scan the surroundings for anything living. He finds only the witch’s heat signature in the cold of the tomb. He could easily use his third eye’s other power to destroy the witch where she stands, but that too might be a risk to his continued survival. Closing the third eye’s heavy lid it is almost hidden again.
As they near a great archway into the temple’s cathedral there are paintings on the wall. The pictogram artwork tells the story of Osiris and Isis. Like so many of the ancient gods they were both husband, wife and siblings. When Osiris was murdered and dismembered, his body parts scattered over the Earth, Isis sought out and found each piece of her brother-husband in an attempt to return him to life.
Isis was a goddess of magic and it is Isis’ magic that Medea now seeks to unlock. Medea has become a powerful witch over her long life but there is always more power to be had. Unlike Master Warrior Medea has no desire to deal with some living god when she can simply take the power she wants from a dead one. Only one as old as Medea would even know that the remains of Isis lay hidden under this temple.
Entering the large four story tall cathedral Beachum continues to follow the witch to the altar at the front. Stepping past the altar to the ten foot tall marble obelisk behind it, the base of the monument stands six feet wide by six feet deep. Medea admires the gold and gemstones mounted in the stone face. Each of the gemstones represents a child of Osiris and Isis. At the pinnacle the marble is carved to a four sided point. On the face of that obelisk below the point there are hieroglyphs over empty settings for two missing stones. One hieroglyph represents Osiris and one to represent Isis.
From a small satchel on her waist Medea draws out the Aquamarine necklace she stole from Nate Darius. Its shape and size make it clear it is one of the missing stones. In another small satchel on the other side of her waist Medea retrieves another stolen artifact. This one she has carried with her for a very long time. A teardrop ruby that is mounted on a large gold ring band. It is the same size and shape as the Aquamarine stone. Its legend is that it was the first drop of Osiris’ blood spilled by Set.
To the novice the legend that is the first tear Isis cried for her dead brother-husband it would represent the goddess herself and the first drop of blood shed by Osiris would represent him. The settings on the obelisk are identical in size and shape, just as the gemstones. Medea, Princess of Colchis is no novice to magic, she knows the tricks of the ancient gods, she knows the truth. Holding up the two artifacts she chants words in ancient Egyptian, casting a very old spell. A magic even older than Medea is summoned to free the jewels from their long hidden placements. The ruby and Aquamarine stone float upward toward the top of the obelisk to their respective placement. Mere inches from making contact with the marble surface of the monument Medea shouts another word in the witchcraft language, “Hdogxs!”
Instantly the two stones swap positions, each taking what might be believed to be the other’s placement. The Ruby adheres to the setting under the mark of Isis and the Aquamarine under that of Osiris. Medea has long known the true key to this spell was that each stone was a gift shed for the other. Each becoming a representation of the other. The spell completed the obelisk trembles to slide back to expose a passage in the floor.
Saturday, March 12, 1988
The Palace of Versailles
Versailles, France
>Translated from French<
“The Palace of Versailles is where we will find a living god?” Steve inquires as they walk across the pavement toward the grand castle.
“It is the first step.” “There is more than one living god in the world,” Nate explains. “Living gods hide from the world, but their egos are too big for true hiding.” “They leave clues if you know where to look for them.” “The Salon of Mercury has one such clue.” >”Good Morning, Philippe,”< Nate greets in French to the man waiting at the door of the Museum at this early hour. >”Steve this is Philippe Morand, curator of the museum and a good friend.”< >”Philippe this is Steve Masters, the man I wanted to show the ceiling mural.”<
>”Of course, Masseur Masters it is a pleasure to meet you,”< the museum curator greets Steve, taking him by the shoulders to kiss each cheek. >”I am glad to help any friend of Masseur Darius, he has help the Museum acquired many priceless exhibits.”<
>”It is my pleasure to meet you as well,”< Steve replies, taking the Frenchman’s hand to shake and guide him back. Masseur Morand holds the door open for the men allowing Steve to go first.
“You see I am not all just flash and showmanship,” Nate whispers over Steve’s shoulder as they enter the front hall of the historic Palace. The inside of the Palace turned museum is amazing. Steve can’t help but to feel in awe of it as he is led to the room Nate wants to show him. Nate continues to chat in French with the curator who is clearly a good friend. As they walk Steve half expects his danger sense to flare, but it does not give any hint of danger.
Arriving at the Salon of Mercury that is furnished as a bedchamber. The bed is huge and ornate fit for a king. But it is the ceiling paintings that Nate wants to show him. >”Philippe, might we have some time alone to study the painting,”< Nate suggests to the curator.
>”Not a problem,”< Philippe replies. >”Remember the museum opens at eight.”< “It was a pleasure to meet you Messuer Masters,” Philippe says before leaving the room.
>Yes, you as well,”< Steve smiles.
“Your French is impeccable,” Nate comments to Steve once they are alone.
“Thank you, I’m self taught, always been good with languages,” Steve tells him looking up to the ceiling. The mural depicts the god Mercury in his chariot, drawn by a rooster. Around him there is a group of people, two of them appearing to be important historical figures the rest most likely scholars or philosophers. “It is a magnificent piece I must admit but what is it you want me to see?”
“Can you see how perfectly all of the faces are painted?” Nate suggests “There is one that does not fit in with the rest, over here by the edge.” Nate directs Steve to the side of the room where one face appears blurred unlike the rest of the artwork. “When you did your quick change thing I noticed that your face had the same distortion.” “I hoped you could see that man clearly.” “That is why I asked Philippe to give us some privacy.”
“That isn’t really how it works,” Steve explains. “When I look in a mirror I can’t see my face clearly either.” “But I guess we have nothing to lose.” Steve reaches for the diamond stud in his left earlobe to trigger his transformation into Master Warrior.
“Hmmm, I hadn’t noticed that the first time,” Nate surmises. “The trick is triggered by that earring.” “Is it the stone?”
Master Warrior doesn’t answer Nate’s question as he turns to look back at the blurred face on the ceiling. “I guess you were right,” he says. “The stone in my earring was given to me by the Roman god of war, I guess it makes sense that it would unlock a clue left by the Roman messenger god, Mercury.”
“You mean you can see the face clearly now?” Nate asks eagerly.
“Yes, and I recognize him too,” Master Warrior replies, turning back to Nate. “I was reading Time Magazine on the flight to Europe, there was an article about an Italian philanthropist.” “It explained all about the work he was doing in Iraq to help with the intro-structure.” Master Warrior touches the ear stud again and his costume vanishes to be replaced with his jeans, T-shirt, and leather jacket again. “When I read his name I thought it was rather odd, but it kind of makes sense now.”
“What was his name?” Nate questions.
“Roman Mercury,” Steve answers.
Spruce Street Harbor Park
301 S Christopher Columbus Blvd
Philadelphia, PA
David and Bob talked long into the night before David passed out. It is a short drive across the bridge to Philadelphia to take Bob Smith to the place where he woke up on the beach with the Trademark Investigations business card and amnesia. “I heard back from my source at the Philly PD,” David says as they drive. “He got a list of the passengers on that bus and everyone is accounted for, it would seem that you were not even on that trip.”
“Then why didn’t anyone say anything when I got on the bus to ride back to Camden?” Bob asks.
“Lack of security I would guess,” David replies. “I just hope we can find something at the Park to give us a clue to your identity.” “Detective Berger is going to meet us there to help look around.”
It is a beautiful almost spring Saturday at Spruce Street Harbor Park and it is filled with people eager to get out of the house after a long cold winter. David manages to find one of the few parking spaces left and then gets out of the car. “It all seems so strange now,” Bob says, trying to get his bearings looking around the crowded area.
“Start simple,” David instructs. “Where was it that you woke up?”
“It was down by the water,” Bob answers. “I remember walking up to where the buses were parked.” Bob points to an area of the lot with signage to direct bus traffic. Just then an unmarked police car pulls up next to them.
“Hey David,” Paddy calls from inside the car. “It is going to take me some time to find a parking space, where are you guys headed?”
“Bob Smith, this is Detective Berger, that I told you would be meeting us here,” David introduced the two men. “We’re headed down by the water over by the bus pick up.” Paddy reaches his hand out to the car window to shake the amnesic man’s hand.
“Good to meet you, Bob,” Paddy says, noticing a strange glint of orange in the man’s eye for only a second as their hands touch. Paddy pulls his hand back in the window feeling strange for a second. Shaking off the feeling he says, “I’ll park and meet you guys over there.” The car pulls away headed to the end of the lot to find a space.
David and Bob walk toward the area marked for bus parking. It is still early and not many buses have arrived. Bob grabs David by the arm in a firm grip to say, “Why don’t we wait here for your friend then I don’t have to repeat myself.”
David nods his head, “Sure if that would be easier for you,” David replies walking over to a bench at the bus station drop off. Something has changed about this man, David thinks to himself. He is suddenly more confident. He seems rather impatient as well as he watches Paddy’s car circle the lot. It appears to David that Bob is almost worried that Paddy will not return. David is experienced in body language even when someone is trying to hide their reactions to situations.
After parking, Paddy walks across the parking lot toward David and Bob. It is clear to David that Bob is relieved by the man walking toward them. Bob shakes Paddy’s hand again, getting a broad smile on his face for the first time since he came into the Detective Agency yesterday.
Behbeit El Hagar
Temple of the Goddess Isis
Lower Egypt
Medea stands back from the passage opening in the floor she reaches into her pocket to draw out a small pouch of herbs. Untying the thin string that holds the pouch closed she sprinkles it on Beachum while speaking more words in the strange witchcraft language, “Wuygs ymw Wymtujh huu impa son yh aiej gyjtugh!” Then she stretches out her arm telling Beachum, “After you.”
Beachum is too frustrated at this point to argue with the witch, his only hope is to be free of her power. He begins down the limestone steps beneath the floor under the obelisk into the darkness.
“Gijxsuh potsg iej lygs,” Medea speaks as she follows after Beachum causing the old dead torches on the walls to flame to life. She smiles as the fire of the torches ignite the gases in the cavern. The flames are instantly drawn to Beachum’s pale gray skin. He continues to walk pulling the fire along into his body going completely unaware of what is happening to him. Her spell has worked, every lethal trap in this tomb will be drawn to this dead thing she has brought with her.
Soon on the walk through the tunnel spears jut from walls piercing only Beachum’s body. He feels no pain as he becomes trapped by the sharp wooden lances. Some of the spears bend oddly to avoid Medea to reach Beachum but all do the job they were meant to do. Pinned in the center of the tunnel by the spears, Beachum transforms into a robin, too small to be held by the spears. Flying to the end of the spear trap, Beachum returns to his human appearance to wait for the witch.
Medea speaks a spell, “Hluyjh gi wehg!” and the extended spears in her path crumble to dust on the floor. She walks forward unimpeded as Beachum turns to continue on deeper into the tomb. Medea and her dead thing continue on in search of the burial room of Isis.
London City Airport
Hartmann Rd
London, United Kingdom
“I just wish I could come with you to Iraq, but I have a show tonight that I can not miss,” Nate laments as they walk toward the airport terminal after disembarking the plane.
Steve stops in his tracks in the middle of the blacktop. “Something really bad is about to happen!” Steve announces looking up to the sky. He is the first to see it, then there is a low pitch squeal that draws the attention of others. High in the sky a beam of Ionic energy appears stretching down toward the airport. Seconds before the meter in diameter beam strikes the roof of the airport terminal people begin to panic, scream and run away. “I have to go!” Steve says reaching for the diamond on his earlobe. Transforming out in the open like this is something he needs to get a handle on before returning home!
Master Warrior is airborne as the Ionic beam begins to retract back up into the sky from the point of impact. Flying up over the roof he can see the meter wide hole the beam has left in the skylights of the two story food court. Moving closer he descends down through the hole that’s edges are cleanly sliced through both tempered glass and steel girders. Entering the airport Master Warrior can smell Ozone and the burnt destruction below on the floor where the beam hit bottom. Gliding to the side as to not land on the still smoldering spot on the floor, that is the only damage to the area. The destruction was enough to empty out the terminal and ticket lines. He can’t help but to wonder what this is all about? An attack? A freak accident? He soon finds his answer.
Master Warrior is hit from behind with a blast of energy strong enough to send him sailing across the terminal toward the ticket area. His body out of his control, his feet catch the metal poles and ropes of the waiting lines to drag them along with him as he smashes into the ticket counter. Only having the wind knocked out of him, Master Warrior frees himself of the debris.
Across the terminal a tall, nearly seven foot, gaggly man stands dressed in a blue business suit. His bald head pulsates in a bizarre rhythmic fashion. His face is not at all familiar to Master Warrior, it is almost alien in its features. The tall man steps forward as the few remaining people in the terminal begin to flee. “Let me introduce myself, I am the Ultra-Humanoid,” the well dressed alien man announces as he raises his long thin arm.
Master Warrior will not be caught off guard again by this new threat as he attacks again. The Ultra-Humanoid balls up his long bony fingers into a fist as his pulsing head begins to glow. A beam of glowing force rockets from the attackers head toward Master Warrior, who raises his gauntlets to absorb the attack. The pure mental force reacts differently with Master Warrior’s gauntlets than he would have expected.
Master Warrior’s gauntlets do not absorb the blast as they have with every other attack he has ever incurred. Instead the force of the blast sends him crashing back through the plate glass windows behind the crushed ticket counters. Splashing down into the river that separates the terminal and the plane runways, his momentum finally ended. Treading water for a moment to gather his thoughts, Master Warrior takes stock of the fact that his gauntlets can not absorb mental energy. As he begins to swim for the island that holds the plane runways he knows he must adjust to this loss in his defenses.
Several emergency personnel come to the edge of the water to help Master Warrior up the side of the canal to the ground. All are shocked at his costume. “Mate are you alright?” one of the EMPs asks. “You came through that window like a bat out of hell!”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Master Warrior replies. “The question is who is that guy and what does he want?” Master Warrior begins to run down the pavement to take flight like many planes do daily. The EMPs look on in amazement as the blue and gold suited man flies back toward the broken window from which he was blasted.
But before the hero can reach the broken window the man who attacked him comes sailing out of it. Master Warrior dodges out of the way to let the Ultra-humanoid streak on by him. It is clear that his attacker is not leaving the airport terminal of his own accord. Master Warrior’s flight vest does not allow him to hover so his movement must be continuous as he veers around to go after the Ultra-humanoid. The speed that his foe moves is faster than he can move.
Then there is another moving even faster than Master Warrior. Moving as fast as a lightning bolt, a blurred bolt emerges out of the hole in the airport terminal roof. Grabbing his arsenal from his leg, Master Warrior whips it out in the form of a rope to coil around the fast moving object. Weapons created by his arsenal have never caused a reaction like it does at this moment. Held still in the air the top half of the bolt changes into the human torso of a young man. He is dressed in a pale blue shirt with a yellow arrow shaped lightning bolt in his chest.
There is a sudden spark in Master Warrior’s memory as he recognizes the young man. It has been nearly two years since Dharma had helped me to see a distant future event. There were people he did not recognize in that dream. But as that event draws closer he has already recognized Sentry as the woman he fought and he is sure that Miracle Maiden was the other dark haired woman. Now this guy was clearly the younger boy from that dream.
The half lightning boy doesn’t struggle to escape the rope that binds him. He glares down as Master Warrior comes to a landing on the runway. The boy continues to float like a balloon on a string over the runway. For the first time Master Warrior knows his name, “Voltage, what are you doing here?”
At first the young man appears surprised at the name he is called, then he replies, “This alien attacks the Earth, he must be destroyed!” Master Warrior wills his arsenal to contract, to hold this young man who will one day be his teammate. “Why do you call me by that name?” Master Warrior’s captive shouts as his torso vanishes in an electrical burst. The strange metal of the arsenal conducts the charge, sending Master Warrior head over heels back, releasing his grip on the metal rope.
It is too late for Ultra-humanoid to regain his advantage. The power of his mind quickly takes control of the younger hero’s body to fully restrain it. Voltage’s body is completely parallelized as he floats in the air like a beach ball on the ocean with the metal rope dangling. His body may be unable to move but his mind and power are still very active. Voltage’s entire body surges with raw electric powers. Then a charge of electric power erupts from his core.
Ultra-Humanoid instantly raises his hands in defense to the on coming blast. The strength of his mental power is enough to shield him from the electrical blast. Voltage continues to fire at his foe. Ultra-Humanoid to resist the hero’s attack but just barely. His mental powers are stretched to the limit to save himself from electrocution.
A half a mile away Master Warrior pulls himself up from the rubble of a statue that once stood at the front of the Airport. Witnessing the events taking place between the Ultra-Humanoid and Voltage. The kid really does intend on killing this guy! Master Warrior launches himself forward to become airborne. Heading toward his Arsenal that still wraggles with electrical current from Voltage’s waist. His command of his prize weapon has increased as he wills it to wrap around his gauntlet that shields him from the current. He pulls the metal line to fly around a sign post that effectively grounds the young hero. Voltage’s power drained into the ground the young man returned to human form tumbling to the ground. Freed from the attack Ultra-Humanoid also weakened, he falls to the ground.
Master Warrior releases Voltage from his arsenal to whip it out at the Ultra-Humanoid hoping the strange power dulling effect it had on Voltage will repeat itself. The Ultra-Humanoid’s mental powers are already drained as the metal rope coils around him. As Master Warrior steps closer another Ionic beam identical to the first reaches down from the sky striking the Ultra-Humanoid where he sits on the runway. It radiates light and heat forcing Master Warrior back.
When the Ionic beam ends all that remains is the smell of Ozone, Master Warrior’s Arsenal, and a scorched circle on the pavement where the alien once sat. “What the Fuck!” Master Warrior shouts as he turns to look for Voltage. He too is gone leaving Master Warrior standing alone on the runway as Airport security and rescue arrive with sirens wailing.
DeScalo Estate
Ridley Park
South Philadelphia, Pa
The man who has been calling himself Bob Smith walks into the DeScalo home unhindered by any of the security staff. He strolls into Nicholas DeScalo’s study as if he has done it many times. Nicholas DeScalo, local on the rise crime lord sits at his desk watching the man who enters his home uninvited. Bob helps himself to a glass of Scotch from a crystal decanter that sits on a silver tray on an oak table against the wall. He sips the Scotch before taking a seat in a leather chair across from DeScalo’s antique desk. “So Badger, Have you made contact?” DeScalo asks.
“I have begun working on the plan,” Badger replies.
“I am still unclear on the plan and what value it is to me,” DeScalo comments.
“I thought I made myself clear the last time we met,” Badger grumbles. “My cousin holds his perfect life over everyone with whom he comes in contact.” “I intend to knock him down a few pegs and that will be of benefit to you as well.” “All I ask is for some financial gratuity for my work.”
“You have yet to show me how your game is going to work to my benefit,” Nicholas replies, walking over to the Scotch decanter. “I’m going to need results before I give you a dime!”
“The roommate and former partner is the key to everything,” Badger explains. “He has a power that I could exploit.”
“Patrick Berger is a Zeni-human!” DeScalo exclaims falling back into his chair.
“It is small and unimpressive, but it has given me a door to learn everything I need to know,” Badger smiles, sipping at his Scotch. “He has total recall of every moment he has spent with Steve Roberts, every detail!” “And now so do I.” “It will take some time to process it all, but I have written most of it down.” “If need be I can return to the well any time I want.”
“I will admit that Roberts has been a thorn in my side,” DeScalo says, drinking from his glass of Scotch. “But this new development, that Berger is a Zeni-human, is what really interests me.” “I have had my suspicions about Roberts for a while, but I couldn’t act against him.” “Berger could be the bigger asset to me.”
“Once I bring down my cousin, you can do whatever you want with Berger, until then he is mine to play with,” Badger demands with a strange glare in his eyes.
Behbeit El Hagar
Temple of the Goddess Isis
Lower Egypt
By the time Medea and Beachum reach the burial chamber of Isis and Osiris, Beachum’s dead body has diffused all of the death traps in their path leaving him worse for wear. His right arm is gone and his left leg is stripped down to the bone. He limps into the chamber dragging his left leg. “Witch, you used me!” Beachum shouts, turning to look back at Medea. “Were you ever going to free me?”
Medea ignores the creature of a man she has resurrected. She steps up to the two sarcophagus going directly to the one that is marked with a moon disk within cow horns. She cares nothing of the power that radiates from the tomb of Osiris. Medea seeks only the power of the Goddess Isis. Laying her hands on the stone crypt she speaks aloud in English this time. “I, Princess Medea, Witch Queen of Colchis have defeated all that have faced me!” “I have conquered death just as you have O’ mighty Goddess Isis.” Kneeling down at the edge of the crypt she bows her head as if in prayer. “I plead for your blessing, the gift of your mighty power.” “I offer up my slave as a gift of my faith.”
“You evil Witch!” Beachum shouts as he lunges forward at the back of the kneeling Medea. She is silent and motionless as Beachum is lifted from the floor. She doesn’t even turn to see the resurrected man tossed around in the air as what remains of him is returned to the dust she created him from in the Philadelphia street.
Medea remains silent as a small drawer on the side of the crypt slides open in front of her. In the drawer carved from stone a glowing amber light shines on her face. She smiles as she reaches down to take the glowing stone from where it has rested since the age of the Old Kingdom. Medea has won her prize and it is time for her to go. The bracelet on her right wrist glows as she at last speaks, “Zymw iv zjyhh O hennim aiej liduj.”
Medea is gone in a swirl of air and dust, leaving the long empty tomb, empty again. Without Medea’s magic to support them the torches on the wall soon die out. The darkness is almost complete then the sound of the stone drawer sliding shut triggers something else. The dust on the floor begins to spark and swirl again. A glowing form is created in the center of the tomb and it draws a deep breath as the darkness becomes complete.
Sunday, March 13, 1988
Al Salman, Iraq
Steve Roberts arrives in Southern Iraq at a small airport in the desert. There is very little around the location other than desert. Most of the men working at the airport are American military personnel. Steve has known that the American government has taken a bigger interest in this area of the world recently, but he had no idea it was this big. He is trying to keep his presents here low key, no need to draw any unwanted attention to himself.
On the plane he fell asleep to have another dream that made it clear to him he was on the right path, as long as he didn’t cause an international incident. Although he has never made any public statement of governmental affiliation, his dream showed him that the people of Iraq see Master Warrior as an American threat. Master Warrior making a public appearance will also alert the living god he seeks of his arrival.
This last dream has shown him much about the god he seeks. Steve knows the identity that the former god Mercury is using. He is an Italian Military contractor living at a Hotel not far from this Airport. In Steve’s dream he witnessed a skirmish between some enlisted personnel and locals that led to Master Warrior intervening, making things even worse. This time Steve will prevent the conflict without exposing himself as Master Warrior.
It is a short walk to the Hotel where the Military Contractors are staying. It is an even shorter run as Steve needs to make up for lost time. Outside the front of the Hotel armed American soldiers stand on sentry duty. As Steve approaches he spots the angry locals coming out of a Mosque across the street, looking for trouble. He needs to find a way to prevent the conflict before it turns ugly.
As Steve approaches he scans the scene for anything to cause a distraction. He spots a livestock salesman that has several camels corralled in a pen. Changing his path Steve moves toward the livestock stable. If there is one thing he knows it is that camels have a very bad disposition when provoked. Moving at a speed that easily conceals him as the sunsets on the horizon, Steve unlatches the gate on the fence. Leaping up over the camels to the back of the pen he lands out of sight of the salesman.
Finding several small pebbles on the ground, Steve takes aim pitching a pebble at each of the animals. It doesn’t take long to get the camels stirred up into an angry frenzy. It is only natural as the riled pack animals begin to stampede out of the stable and down the street. The frantic salesman begins to cry out in Arabic as he chases after his livestock. The cloud of dust stirred up by the heavy hove camels quickly becomes near blinding as they move down the dusty street. The six camels cause a big enough distraction to prevent the local men from crossing the street to the soldiers at the door of the Hotel.
In all of the commotion Steve slips away to the side of the Hotel out of sight. In his dream the reborn god Mercury attacked him from a room on the fourth floor of the hotel. Even without his flight belt it is a simple jump up to the fourth floor ledge to enter the Hotel room. The room is empty except for a wooden chair at its center. He knows that he must appear submissive otherwise he could insight the same violent reaction from the god as in his dream. Stepping forward Steve sits down in the chair, his back to the closed door and his face to the setting sun that has cast its light on the ceiling. Someone with the powers of a god will not accept less than to be the complete dominance of a human. Steve’s attention is drawn to movement in front of him as a coil of rope slithers across the floor like a snake.
Steve is worried how this meeting will turn out. His past experiences with gods in Zeeza were not cut and dry or very friendly. He can feel the magical rope coil up the front legs of the chair to bind his ankles to it. His hands left free he can only guess that this will be a test to see if his hand requires bondage. Steve waits for only a few moments until he hears the door open and close behind him. Steve does not react as he hears the sound of bare footsteps approach him. The new arrival walks up behind Steve placing a hand on each of his shoulders. “Steve Roberts, son of Dona,” the man’s deep voice says, exploiting his knowledge. “So you came anyway.”
“I had no other choice,” Steve replies in a calm tone.
“Humans all have choices to make in their short lives, you made the wrong one,” the man tells Steve.
“I tried to resist the callings at first.” “I finally accepted that I had to see this through to the end.”
The man steps around from behind Steve who remains restrained in the chair. He is tall, over six feet with wavy dark blonde hair. He stands nude in front of the bound man, his body is flawless and hairless. Steve notices that he has a crown tattoo on his lower abdomen in Steve’s direct line of sight. It is of a five pointed jeweled crown. The center point reaches to his navel where he has a dime sized ruby inserted. Steve looks down to the floor trying to be polite in this uncomfortable situation. As the man steps closer Steve can smell the sweet fragrance of fresh soap on his body, the nude man smells of orange and cherry blossoms like some spring day in a meadow.
“I am Roman Mercury,” the man says bluntly. “Do not avert your eyes from me.” “I will not be disrespected in such a manner!” “I appear as I am for your pleasure, not mine.”
“It brings me no pleasure to have your private parts in my face!” Steve asserts looking up into the Roman’s deep green eyes.
Roman smiles broadly, moving to straddle Steve’s legs as he sits down on his lap. “Nothing that I have is private,” he says nearly nose to nose with Steve. “I see that Hershel has told you not to react to my actions.” “He is a wise old man, is he not?” Roman asks, running his fingers through Steve’s thick hair. “He told you that this would be a test, that I would do things to get you to react.”
Steve’s eyes remain open as he stares at the Roman’s hairless chest. Roman removes his hand from Steve’s hair to lean back, squeezing his thighs tight around Steve’s waist. Steve feels like a bride to-be at some male strip club for her bachelorette party. “Do what you want, I have a mission to complete.” Steve says. “One too important to be derailed by this test.”
“But you already failed this test,” Roman whispers in Steve’s ear. “Why do you still suppress those memories of what the witch did to you?” Roman quizzes rubbing his ass on Steve’s lap. “She still took what she wanted from you, no amount of denial can change that.”
Steve’s mind wanders back to that day when Cynthia Steel took him home to her house. He has not thought about that day in nearly a decade. Roman is right he still has no idea what happened to him after he drank the soda she offered him. That was until his mother rescued him. But his thoughts quickly return to this man’s hard penis poking his belly.
“Deep down you enjoyed all of it, all of those things that witch did to you to get what she desired,” Roman grins as he stands up to drag his cock up Steve’s chest.” “In truth you loved how all of those things she did felt.” “That is why you suppress those memories.” “Pleasure and desire are the beasts you seek to vanquish, a task not easily done.”
With every fiber of his being Steve wants to push the man off of him to the floor. But he knows he must restrain himself to pass this test to put things right. Steve tries not to tense his body. He must stay relaxed as this former god gives him a lap dance that only angers him. His eyes remain wide open so as to not disrespect Roman again. He must keep his eye on the prize. “Is this how you conduct all of your business dealings?” Steve asks as the man’s hard cock comes to rest on his throat.
The former god smiles down at the man’s smart remark. “I must admit you surprised me amazon boy,” Roman says, stepping back away from Steve. “I thought you might be a more fierce warrior.” “Perhaps you are more of a lover than a fighter?” Roman’s erect cock pointing directly in Steve’s face from only a foot away. Steve dare not speak for fear of what this godling might do next. “I have always been a lover, a lover of all,” Roman says, turning his back to Steve. “I was the father of so many different children in my day.”
“I know that not all of the tales that are told of the gods are true,” Steve replies to Roman who now caresses his own ass seductively. “In fact you were not gods at all, just powerful Zeni-humans.” “I also know that you were the messenger of the god, not god of love, sex, or seduction.” “I would assume that your powers remain the same in each incarnation.”
Roman turns to look at Steve dropping his seduction act. “You are an impressive one aren’t you?” “I may have underestimated you.” Roman’s erection quickly falls as he sees Steve through different eyes. “You are a clever young man, but still so naive.” “We were the most powerful of Zeni-humans!” “First born of the thirteen daughters of the Zenith!” “The grand-children of Quzita!” “That is why we were gods!” “We brought order to humanity!”
“Some would still argue that Zeni-humans bring Chaos,” Steve comments.
“Fools!” Sweat beads on Roman’s body as his temper flares. “But over time we learned that even we had our limits.” “Some of us continued to live on beyond the rest.” “You’ve already met those who became Mistix.” Roman walks to a dresser at the side of the room, taking a robe from a chair next to it. He slips on the bathrobe letting it hang open.
“So you are an immortal too, is that why you hide?” Steve suggests. “To prevent anyone from learning your secret.”
Roman smirks at Steve as he paces the room, the tail of the robe flapping behind him. “I am immortal but not in the way you are accustomed.” “I still grow old and die.” “Each time I die, I am reborn to a new life, with each of my rebirths my powers are slightly lessened.” “There are others like me and we all hide from our past.” “We must avoid things we have done.”
“What kind of things?” Steve asks, beginning to feel more at ease as Roman calms.
“Things that we created, we were foolish, we use our power to create things we should not have created,” Roman says, showing fear in his eyes. “Things like that Trial of Sins Box that has led you to me.” “That is what binds me to your bidding.” “I must be sure that you are worthy.”
“That is why you are testing me too?” Steve asks. “As if what that box put me through was not enough.”
Roman stands in front of the seated man. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” Roman says as he swings out his fist to land a right cross on the seated man’s jaw. Steve’s head is snapped to the side, then back as Roman lands another punch on the other side of his face.
Roman is stronger than he appears, but his strength is not even enough to raise a bruise on Steve’s cheek. “Is that the best you have?” Steve questions looking up at the man standing over him preparing to hit him again. “You’re no Samso.”
Roman punches Steve several more times leaving his own blood on the seated man’s face. Then linking the fingers of both hands he swings back to strike Steve. Both the wooden chair and Steve are knocked backwards to the floor, breaking the chair into several pieces. Steve remains passive as he lays on his back on the floor. A red mark on his right cheek where Roman Mercury’s fists struck him finally appears.
“Very well then you have proven you can take abuse, but can you dish it out as well?” Roman asks, stepping back from the man on the floor.
“Haven’t I done enough to pass your test?” Steve asks, standing up to his feet kicking off the previously enchanted rope. “I don’t want to fight you, I just need a way to permanently imprison Samso.”
“I know why you sought me out,” Roman replies, tying his robe shut for the first time. “It is rare to find someone as talented as you.” “I was only looking to have some fun with you.” Steve just gives the man a cold stare. “Very well then, the best prison is one that the prisoner does not know he is in.”
“That is clever but how does it help me?” Steve asks.
Roman does not answer Steve’s question as he twists his wrist to gesture with his hand. Steve’s danger sense twitches at the base of his skull telling him to step aside as the nails and metal feet from the chair behind him on the floor leap up. The metal fragments sail past Steve to land in the palm of Roman’s hand. He squeezes the mental fragments tightly in his hand as it glows red. When he opens his hand to reveal that the nails and feet have been transformed into a locket embossed with a caduceus symbol on it. The steel of the nails had been changed as well, transmuted to gold. It is an amazing feat even to Steve, but he says nothing of what he has witnessed.
Roman opens the gold disk the size of a quarter, he has created from the scraps in the room. Then reaching under his robe he plucks the ruby from his navel and places it in the center of the locket. Closing the oval shaped piece of jewelry, he hands it to Steve. “If you can get him to swallow this stone it will transform him.” “He will become a different person with no memories of ever being the Nozama King Samso or the Dominator.” “As long as no one reveals to him who he once was, the prison will hold.” “Samso will be a normal human with no supernatural powers at all.” “His prison will come complete with a mundane life history.”
“But will he still be immortal?” Steve suggests. “What happens when he doesn’t age?” “Or die?”
Roman smiles sinisterly, “But he will, or at least he will believe he is aging.”
“What about the people around him?” Steve questions. “Friends and lovers, what will they see?”
“Does any of that matter?” Roman suggests.
“Yes it does!” Steve insists. “All of that matters, won’t his suffering at the death of friends and lovers trigger something to break the spell?”
“You believe that there is only one person in the world for you.” “You honestly believe that in your immortal life you will only make love to one person.” “Sex and love are two different things.” “For a man who can see the future you know little of the present.” “You were much more receptive to me the last time we met.”
“We have never met before today,” Steve tells the strange man. “Who I love or have sex with is none of your concern.” “And it has nothing to do with any of this!”
“My power is that of awareness, I see and understand nearly all things,” Roman replies. “And I know that we have met before in your previous life, a life when you were a woman.” Steve can only wonder if this is another of this godling’s tricks. He tries not to react too much to the revelation. “You were much more accommodating back then as Sabrina.” “You see the difference between you and me is that I remember every one of my previous lives.” “You do not.” “The beauty of this prison will be that if such a trauma happens to Samso or whoever he becomes, will change again.” “It will be an endless cycle of new lives to keep him hidden.” “Now lets see that flight vest of yours.”
Steve is cautious about following Roman’s instructions. Even if it is some kind of trick, he will be prepared for it. He reaches for his earlobe to trigger his change to Master Warrior. The moment the change is complete Roman steps forward to press the locket into the center of his chest. It burns slightly for a moment as it becomes part of his flight vest. “Now it is time for you to leave!” Roman says pushing Master Warrior with a strength that he didn’t seem to have before.
Master Warrior vanishes leaving Roman Mercury alone in his hotel room. “I know you followed him here.” Roman turns to face the bathroom door where a shadowy figure stands watching the events that took place. “I had wondered what your stake in all of this was.” “But when I touched that vest I became aware of the truth.” “A truth I am sure you have come to make sure I do not repeat.”
The mystery person remains out of sight in the bathroom as Roman walks away. He goes to a suitcase on a stand next to the window. From his suitcase he takes a .357 magnum handgun. “Have no worries, I have as much to hide as you.” Roman Mercury then places the weapon under his chin to pull the trigger. The bullet fires and the man’s blood, skull, and brain matter are splattered over the wall and ceiling as his limp body falls back onto the bed.
Monday, March 14, 1988
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Paddy Berger, David Rogers, Paula and Julie Snyder sit around the dining table. Paddy stands to slice into the cake that Julie has prepared for dessert. “I’m just glad this is all out in the open now!” Paddy says cutting the cake into rather small slices. “It was doing none of us any good to keep these secrets.”
“I have one more secret,” David says, standing up to reach into his jacket pocket. He goes down on one knee in front of Julie holding out a small black box. “Julie Anne Snyder, I have never known a woman like you before in my life.” “Will you be my wife?” He opens the lid of the box to reveal the diamond ring inside.
Julie’s face turns pale, her expression of surprise and fear as she begins to cry. But before she gives him an answer there is a large crash in the living room only a few yards away. Startled the foursome to see that Master Warrior had crashed down through the coffee table in the middle of his living room. The people at the dining table jump up to hurry into the living room. The two men are silent as the local hero gets up from the debris. His entrance seems impossible because there is no other damage to the room.
“You’re that Master Warrior guy, aren’t you?” Julie says almost forgetting her tears of joy from a second ago.
“I don’t care who he is, why is he here busting up Paddy and Steve’s apartment?” Julie’s mother Paula shouts. Master Warrior stands with a blank look on his face not knowing what to say to his friends gathered in the room.
“That’s okay Paula, we found that thing at a Goodwill store,” Paddy says trying to calm his date. “Master Warrior and I have worked some cases together, I’m sure that is why he is here.” “Why don’t we step outside to talk about it.”
“Yes, that case you and I were working on,” Master Warrior agrees as Paddy leads him to the door.
“I think I should come along too,” David says, slipping the ring box back into his pocket without even noticing.
“That’s alright David, you wait here this will only take a minute,” Paddy tells the other man.
“No, I’ve been waiting for Steve to come home and I need to discuss something with Master Warrior first,” David says with raised eyebrows making both of the other men uncomfortable. The mother and daughter are also confused by the situation that has occurred in the middle of a marriage proposal.
“Look, let’s just make this quick!” Paddy says, taking David by the arm toward the door. “We’ll be right back girls”
Walking down the hall to the back fire stairs the three men don’t say a word. At least two of them hope that none of the other tenets of the building decide to step out into the hall to see Master Warrior. Once they are in the stairwell Master Warrior turns to David to say, “What is it you need to tell me, Mr. Rogers?”
David gets a look in his eye that neither of the other two men has seen before. “Cut the crap,” David tells them both. “I’m an experienced detective, I’ve know there was something up ever since that spider-man trick in that cave to save Gary!” Master Warrior and Paddy remain silent as David continues to lay out his case. “Actually Gary was the catalyst to allow me to finally figure it out.” “The way he turned on Steve and then me.”
“You’re not being clear,” Master Warrior says, not sure if his secret is out or if David is going on a completely different path.
“Is this clear enough, the betrayal that my cousin Gary has been pissed off about for years now is the fact that his best friend had super powers and never shared any of it with him!” “And now, Steven, he thinks you told me and I am betraying him as well!”
“David, are you saying that you believe that Steve is Master Warrior?” Paddy laughs nervously at the suggestion. “That is ridiculous!”
“Please Berger, give it a rest!” David retorts. “I’m no idiot!” “Look at the facts, Master Warrior gets his ass kicked by a Cyclops and the Dominator on Market Street a few months back, Steve takes a couple of days off of work to show up with a black eye and split lip a few days later.” “That was gone in two days after that.” “There are so many other smaller things like that, I see looking back.” “Then there was this trip Steve needed to take with no questions asked.” “I heard you book the plane tickets to London and low and behold, the next day Master Warrior shows up on the World News from London.” “Now, Master Warrior comes crashing into your apartment?”
“He’s right Paddy,” Master Warrior confesses. “There is no sense in trying to convince him otherwise.” Master Warrior reaches for his earlobe and his costume vanishes to be replaced with jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt.”
Even though he was sure of himself, David is dumbfounded by what he has just witnessed. The world’s first Super Hero, Master Warrior has just turned into his work associate and friend Steve Roberts.
“But you are wrong about why Gary thinks I betrayed him,” Steve Roberts tells his boss. “There was no Master Warrior back then for him to find out about.” “And if he did find out about my powers, why wouldn’t he confront me like you just did?”
“Then what else could have turned him against you so much?” David asks.
“I don’t know but you still can’t tell him what you figured out,” Steve explains. “In fact you can’t tell anyone!”
“Look this is all great but you have to leave,” Paddy tells Steve. “I knew this was churning around in David’s head for a while now, but you showing up after Master Warrior crashed into our place is going to make the girls ask questions we don’t need to answer!”
“I know, that was a big mess, not anything I planned,” Steve explains. “It’s a long story we don’t have time for now.” “Probably best if I get a motel room for a few days, stay out of sight as myself.” “Make Master Warrior’s return to Philly clear before mine.”
Sunday, March 20, 1988
Steve Roberts & Patrick Berger’s apartment
1701 Tulip St
The Fishtown section
Philadelphia, Pa
Steve lays on his bed staring at the ceiling for a time and then he looks to Diana’s business card laying on his nightstand next to the phone. Rolling over he reaches for the card and brings the phone to the bed next to him. If there is one thing this adventure has taught him it is that he really does want to see her again. Dialing the number written on the back of the card he impatiently waits for an answer on the other end.
“Hello Diana, it’s me Steve Roberts,” he says timidly.
“I had been thinking about you lately and I didn’t want to wait that long again,” Steve tells her. “I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday.”
“Of course I remembered, I just didn’t know where to send the card until now,” Steve jokes. “Are you busy?” “Can you talk?” He can hear her lay the phone down on a hard surface.
It is only an instant when he hears her pick up the phone again. “That is good to hear, I was a little scared about calling,” Steve says. “It was just so good to see you again at the wedding.” “I wish I had known who you were from the start.”
“I can understand that, it is the story of my life anymore too,” Steve jokes.
“I was hoping that if you weren’t busy this next Saturday that we could get together for dinner?” Steve says feeling like a teenager asking a girl out for the first time.
“What did you say?” Steve asks. “Is everything okay, is someone else there?” Steve is quiet for a second rethinking this idea. “I’m sorry, this was a bad idea.” “We both have lives in different cities.” “I’m sure you know plenty of guys, you don’t need me chasing you.”
“Oh believe me I remember, still can’t figure out how you out ran me that day,” Steve confesses.
“I don’t know about things being different, but I certainly am,” Steve says shyly. “I’m a big boy now you don’t scare me anymore.”
“I could take off from here to be there by two, all you have to do is say yes,” Steve says eagerly. “I hope that didn’t sound too desperate.”
“Bye,” Steve says, hanging up the phone to flop back down onto his pillow. “Holy shit!” “Did I just do that?”