Boratz

Hey bud, yeah I'm sorry if I haven't been as engaged as of late. I have been trying to read them as they come in as well as others but it is harder to comment now. It's hard to find time anymore. I try to write my own stuff with one hand while taking care of the boy with the other. Even then, there have been things that I've tried getting posted that I haven't finished yet. I'm sorry you're are hurting that roadblock, bud. I've worked on matches only to feel let down by the feedback as I don't see much participation anymore. Not like the old days. I think the few comments that I may get definitely helps keep me writing. I enjoy writing, and I also enjoy seeing what all of you write. Since joining this site way back when, I was definitely inspired by your matches. Those Predator matches have always inspired to try and do better with my own stuff. With that said, I am definitely leaning towards Mickey. While I know this is Mirage Mickey, I've been reading the Last Ronin. I can only read so much here and there before I have my attention taken away, but Mickey has quite a bit to offer. I think he can definitely take the victory away from Guile.

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 27: The Fragments of the Upside Down Sitting alone at a bar, there was a man taking a large sip from a glass of whiskey. He slammed down the glass and signaled the bartender for another drink. In his other hand, he had a half-burnt cigar in between his finger. The bartender looked over the man and could not believe that he was still upright. He had lost count of how many shots that he poured for this lone individual. Everyone else would have been passed out by then or at least showed signs of being intoxicated, but this guy was just hunched over the bar. He smoked his cigar and threw back drinks as if they were water. The other customers were stumbling around a juke box that had seen better days with bottles of old stale beer in their hands. While trying to tend to his other customers, the bartender walked away from the lone individual. The lone man finished off another round of hard liquor and signaled the bartender for another drink. As he took a puff from his cigar, the lone man was approached by a small group of men that had just entered the bar. The small group stumbled around the lone individual and surrounded him. With his dark piercing eyes, he stared down the group of men that surrounded him. He could see in their eyes that they were looking for trouble. The man's dark eyes quickly shifted back to the bartender in hopes that he would stop it before anything escalated. To his frustration the bartender was attending to some of the other patrons on the other side of the bar. The man sighed while finishing off his drink. He slammed down his drink and pushed the glass away from him. He put the cigar back in his mouth while one of the guys in the group started talking to him. At first the lone man simply ignored the words of the man. He then felt the man inch closer to him. "Hey, you hear me? I say you got some nice boots. I bet I can guess where you got 'em!" One of the guys smiled while leaning in close. "Look bub, I suggest you get out of my face and walk away now!" The lone man growled while keeping his eyes away from the man. "What the hell did you just say to me?!" The guy screamed as he reached for the lone man. "You best show me respect, or I will beat the shit out of you!" Before he could grab the lone man's arm, the lone individual spun around in his seat. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted in his hands. The lone individual slammed the man's face down against the bar. With blood running out of his nose and mouth, the man staggered back. His companions started shouting. The bleeding man pulled out a pistol while his companions joined in on pulling out concealed weapons. Each one of them were cussing and screaming while they surrounded the lone individual. The bartender screamed for them to take it outside, but his voice was drowned out by the loud ramblings of the group. With a grunt, the lone man gritted his teeth while he lifted his hands. Suddenly, the shouts from the group of men faded as long blades extended out of the hands of the lone individual. The man with the busted face looked over at his accomplices with widened eyes and then stared back at the lone man. "You are one of those mutant freaks!" He screamed as he pointed his gun sideways at the lone man. If it was not for the rage that was burning in his veins, the lone individual would have chuckled. He growled as he was about to slice through the body of the thug. Before he could unleash his rage upon him, the lone individual found himself somewhere else entirely. "What the hell?" He muttered under his breath as he looked around the strange room that he found himself in. The lone man sniffed the air and slowly felt the rage subside. The blades that extended out of his hands quickly retracted back into hands. He sighed while looking around the room with his piercing dark eyes. "Where are you, Strange?! What do you want from me?" The man yelled out while looking around the room. "Hello, Logan." Doctor Stephan Strange greeted as he walked into the room with three other individuals. "What am I doing here?" Wolverine asked while gritting his teeth. "Would you believe me if I said that I was trying to protect you?" Doctor Strange smiled. "What? From those street thugs?!" Wolverine growled. "They were just trying doing a harmless street hustle. I was wanting to protect you from slicing them apart." Strange said with a smirk. "What the hell do you want, Strange?" Wolverine asked. "I need..." Strange replied while looking over the others. "We need your help." Wolverine looked over the Sorcerer Supreme and then turned his attention to the other men. "Who are these guys?" "This is Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., Jack Bauer of CTU, and Abe Sapien of the BPRD." Doctor Strange replied while gesturing at the three individuals. "What do you want from me?" Wolverine asked. "We believe there are dark forces at work. We don't know what or who exactly, but there have been multiple occurrences building up." Coulson replied with a calm voice. "Back in December...." "I don’t give a shit about all of that!" Wolverine interrupted. "What do you want from me?" Bauer and Coulson smiled at each other while Abe simply stared at Wolverine and then looked at the others with a blank expression. Doctor Strange waved his hand through the air to form an image of the Earth. An image of another world formed next to the image of Earth. It almost appeared to be like Earth, but it was a dark warped image. "Back in the 1980's, there was a link formed into a parallel world that was a mirror of our own. While there were similarities, it also contained a darkness that was not meant for our world. This other world, this other dimension was called the Upside Down." Doctor Strange replied while continuing to move his hands. The images of the two worlds soon changed to that of horrifying creatures. "It took the efforts of a brave few in Hawkins, Indiana to stop this darkness. Soon after that; the Sorcerer Supreme at that time along with other sorcerers, magicians, wizards, and witches were able to sever the link between the two worlds. They not only severed the link, but they were able to cast multiple enchantments to make sure that it would be near impossible to ever create another link to that dimension." "So, what? You want me to go there?" Wolverine asked while shaking his head. "My claws don't cut through that kind of crap." "Not exactly." Strange replied as he moved his fingers. An image of the infinity stones soon appeared before the lethal mutant. "After the final battle in the Infinity Wars, there were fragments of the stones that were found throughout the galaxy. While the stones themselves were given to different individuals for safe keeping, the fragments themselves proved to be unstable. As a way to make sure that they do not harm our reality, I was able to cast them into this dimension." "That just sounds like a recipe for trouble." Wolverine hissed. "It created a link once again but one that could not be easily accessed by any normal being. The doorway would prevent any magical being from entering the realm and the process to travel there for anyone else would be excruciating. Most would not even survive the trip." Strange replied. "You're wanting me to go there and retrieve the fragments of these stones?" Wolverine asked. "Not exactly." Coulson replied with a calm smile. "There have been forces at work for some time. We do not know the who or the what, but Doctor Strange has received an alarm that something is trying to access the Upside Down. We need you to go in there and stop whoever or whatever it is trying to acquire the fragments." "Why do you think I would help? I am not the helping type!" Wolverine replied. "Yes, you are. You are an Avenger and an X-Men. While you have much trauma, you are still a noble man." Abe said while his hand was in front of Logan. "Who the hell are you again, Fish Stick?" Wolverine asked. "Abe Sapien of th...." "Yeah, I don't give a shit." Wolverine replied as he shook his head. "So, when do I leave?" "I can open up a portal..." Doctor Strange replied with a sigh. "I must warn you. This will be incredibly painful." "Yeah, yeah... It always is. Just get the damn thing open!" Wolverine growled while reaching for a cigar. In a galaxy far, far away Glancing down at the lightsaber that once belonged to Ezra Bridger, Galen reflected on his battle with the young Jedi. Despite all his efforts, Ezra was no match for the apprentice of Darth Vader. In his final moments, Ezra let out attack on the mind of Starkiller. Galen was almost overcome by the weight of the light. Galen unleashed all the darkness that was built up inside of him and pushed out the light from within him. With one final swing, he cut down Ezra Bridger. In his victory, he sent a transmission to Grand Admiral Thrawn. After sending the message, Galen sat back in his ship and left the planet behind. While flying through the endless abyss of space, his mind was focused on the final moments of the Jedi. He turned off his communicator while flying through the stars. The former apprentice of Darth Vader switched his ship to autopilot and laid back in his seat. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. After waking up from his sleep, Starkiller turned on his communicator once again. He received a transmission from the Grand Admiral. Thrawn congratulated him on his victory over the Jedi. He had sent new instructions to the powerful Force user. While Galen looked over his orders, he could not help but glance over at the lightsaber that once belonged to Ezra Bridger. Starkiller reached over for the hilt. After taking a hold of the hilt in his tight grip, he received a vision. It was as if he was back in that cave with Ezra. With a surge of dark force energy, Galen let out a loud scream. His ship started losing control as it spun around in multiple directions. Starkiller was able to gain control of the ship, he looked down at the lightsaber once again. Galen gritted his teeth as he picked up the fallen Jedi's hilt and threw it inside a compartment in his ship. Galen looked over the orders once again. Galen found the orders from the Grand Admiral to be unusual. In his past life under the teachings of Vader, he was often sent on assassinations. Thrawn had sent him coordinates to a planet far away from him. In fact, this planet was in a galaxy far away. Starkiller took a deep breath and put in the coordinates for this galaxy through his ship’s navigation panel. While traveling to this new world, he received additional instructions from the Grand Admiral. Trawn spoke of a team that he was putting together. With Galen's latest victory over Ezra Bridger, Thrawn hoped that Galen would be able to lead this team. As Galen pondered on the idea of leading this team, he received notification that he was getting close to the coordinates. Once the ship broke through the clouds, Galen searched for a place to land. As his ship opened, he was greeted by a tall slender woman. "You must be Galen Marek?" The woman asked. "Who are you?" Galen asked. "My name is Mercy Graves and I have been asked to accompany you to the portal." "The portal?" Galen asked. "Yes, I trust that you have been briefed on your assignment." Mercy replied. "Not really... Thrawn said he wants me to lead some team." Galen replied. Mercy sighed while rolling her eyes. "It is my understanding that you have unique abilities." "You could say that." Galen said as he glared at the slender woman. "We have a specialist that has been able to tap into a technology that can open portals into other universes. Unfortunately, the portal is extremely unstable, but we believe there are powerful resources that can allow the portal to stable out and work beyond our comprehension. These resources have been locked away in a dimension that is extremely difficult to get to." Mercy said as she glanced into Galen's dark eyes. "I am capable of many things, but I can't travel to another dimension." Galen said with a dumbfounded expression. "Not on your own. The portal will open the door, your power would be able to guide you and protect you in your journey to this other dimension." Mercy said with a smirk. "Protect me? Protect me from what exactly?" Galen asked with squinted eyes. "The forces that locked away these resources have made it rather difficult to travel to this other dimension. They have secured it in a way that the journey would be nearly impossible for any normal man. Fortunately for us, you have a power that can protect you from their security and point you in the right direction." Mercy smiled. Soon, the two found themselves in a large room. Galen looked around and saw a large, armored man standing in corner. His eyes then shifted to see an armored Gen'Dai bounty hunter standing alongside what appeared to be a speeder bike. As Galen followed Mercy Graves through the building, he soon found a woman dressed in black with a cigarette in her mouth. There was another woman with blonde curly hair standing next to the woman in black. Soon Galen found himself standing before the portal device. A man with long spikey hair emerged from the shadows. He had a grin that went from ear to ear. "So, this is the guy that is going to travel to the Upside Down?!" Syndrome exclaimed as he started tinkering with the portal. "He is." Mercy replied. "Well, maybe you can have better luck than old Callaghan. During our little battle, he was able to turn on his portal. The old fool tried to trap me inside, but I was just too dang good. I threw him inside his own machine!" Syndrome boasted while looking into the dark eyes of Galen Marek. “We haven’t heard from the old man since. My guess is he got ripped apart in the portal.” "So, you didn't create this?" Galen asked while looking over the portal device. "How do I know that it will work?" "It will work! Trust me!" Syndrome yelled confidently. "We can run some tests if you would like." Mercy said while glancing back at Galen. "Let's just get this over with." Galen replied. After starting the portal device, Syndrome stepped back to look over the schematics. Juggernaut, Durge, Jessica Priest, and Lori Quaid gathered around to see what was about to transpire. Galen gritted his teeth as he approached the portal. The former apprentice of Darth Vader stepped into the portal and immediately felt as if he was being dragged through fire. With his abilities in the Force, he was able to protect himself from the harm. Starkiller soon found himself in a world like the one that he had just left. Despite the similarities, he found that it was covered in darkness. He sensed a great power there that was ancient and vast. Despite the Force protecting him in his trip to this dimension, he did feel weakened by the journey. As he traveled through the dark and barren landscape, Starkiller found that the source of the power was coming from within a building covered in thick, black vines. Galen was able to break inside this building and made his way closer toward the source of the power. He soon found the room that contained the source of this power. Before he could approach the fragments of the Infinity Stones, he heard a voice from behind. "You best keep walking, bub!" Wolverine hissed. Starkiller stopped and turned back to face his opponent. "You do not want any part of this." Galen warned him as he glared at Wolverine. "I sure as hell ain't going to let you get those fragments!" Wolverine yelled as the blades extended from his hands. "Then you will die." Starkiller said as he ignited his crimson lightsaber. ************************************* The battle takes place in the Hawkins High School of the Upside Down.

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Chapter 26: In the Arms of a Thief While bullets flew overhead, Helena Shaw the puzzle box fall on the floor in the middle of the gala. She smiled as she slid across the floor and grabbed a hold of the ancient box. Her dark brown eyes looked at area above her and she saw the intense battle that was taking place between two female assassins. With a devious smile, Helena slid the key box into her pocket and sprinted out with the rest of the panicking crowd. Despite the wealth that she accumulated after selling the piece of the Crown of Bethmoora to Lex Luthor, Helena saw an opportunity and she was not going to let his slip through her fingers. Once she was far enough away from the museum, the archeologist leaned against a brick wall in a dark alleyway. She reached down into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the small object. Helena pulled out the small relic and looked over the object with delight. There were Egyptian markings carved into the octagonal box. From what little she knew of the ancient language; she was able decipher that this box was a key. After moving the octagonal puzzle, the top of the box opened. It formed into what appeared to be the shape of the sun. Helena was fascinated and intrigued by the possibilities of what this key would unlock. It did not take her long to realize that whatever those assassins were fighting over must have been what this key went to. Helena reset the puzzle box and slid it back into her pocket. She sighed while leaning against the wall. While the box itself would sell for a nice sum on the black market, it would not sell as much as the entire set. Helena knew she could not go back and retrieve the rest of the items safely. She thought about it for a moment and grinned. Helena was already well off after selling the piece of the crown to Luthor. She realized that she did not need the full set to make a decent profit from selling this puzzle box. It was not long until Helena heard the multitude of emergency vehicles in the distance. She peaked out from around the corner and glanced out at the direction of the museum. There was still panic in the surrounding crowds. The young adventurer slipped off into the shadows and ran away from the chaos as fast as she could. Her hotel villa was not far from there. After returning to the hotel, she was immediately greeted by the hotel staff u der the false identity that she provided to them when she had checked in. With a grin, she returned the greetings and immediately headed up to her villa. When the elevator doors opened, she looked around her villa and let out a sigh of relief. The adventurer reached into her pocket once again to pull out the puzzle box. She looked over the artifact and then glanced over at a bottle of wine that she had sitting on a counter. With a large grin, she sat down the puzzle box and snatched up the bottle of wine. Helena glanced over at the different glasses sitting in the cabinet but scoffed as she shook her head. She decided that she did not need a glass while walking over toward a recliner. The adventurer sat back in the recliner and popped off the cork at the top of the bottle. She took a large sip from the bottle and leaned back in the seat. Helena closed her eyes and felt relaxed while drinking the bottle of wine. Her mind went back to those old sayings that she heard from Indy as a child. "Fortune and glory..." She obtained the fortune and now she wanted the glory. While the puzzle box was a small piece to history, she figured it would be a fine addition to someone else's collection. While thinking over the words that her godfather once said, she then thought about what Indy would do if he were there. The gruff old man that she remembered would probably want the small artifact put away in a museum that would collect dust until the end of time. She then remembered the crown piece of Bethmoora that she had sold to that mysterious man on the boat. While she had regrets about what she had done, the man paid her more than she could ever imagine. Despite the payment that she received, there was a lingering feeling in her chest. It was as if she had made a grave mistake in selling that crown piece. Since that fateful day, it seemed as if she heard multiple voices in her head. They were the voices of her father and Indiana telling her that she made a mistake. The voices urged her to do what was right. While she dismissed these voices as her imagination running rampant, she did often think about what they would do in that day and age. Helena took another large sip of wine before glancing back at the puzzle piece on the counter. Helena groaned as she leaned forward in her recliner. For many years, the adventurer always sought to obtain fortune. Now that she had it, she did not feel complete. She thought about the adventure that she shared with her godfather and how they fulfilled her father's dream. In that moment, she felt conflicted. Helena looked down at the bottle of wine and then sat it down on a table next to the recliner. Her eyes lids were growing heavy while she kept hearing Indy's voice talking in her ear. The young woman stood up and sauntered to her bed. She fell down on the mattress and laid there for a moment. While staring up at the ceiling, she thought about the regret that she had in selling that crown piece to Lex Luthor. There was a part of her that felt something was off with the billionaire. As she laid there thinking, she thought about what Indy would do. She almost chuckled once she realized Indy would probably try and go after the crown piece but Helena realized that would be impossible. There was no way of finding the billionaire, let alone what he had done with the crown piece. She then thought about the puzzle box. Helena groaned while coming to the conclusion that she could take the puzzle box to the proper authorities. She leaned over and stared at the box in the counter before drifting off to sleep. Meanwhile, After delivering the ancient books to the Mistress of Evil, Mercy Graves watched while Maleficent looked over the artifacts. While Luthor's assistant was expecting her to be overjoyed by the successful mission, she found herself surprised when the Dark Fairy screamed in a burning rage. Maleficent threw down the case with the ancient books and turned her attention to Mercy. Mercy staggered back and looked down at the case. She then quickly looked back up at the Mistress of Evil. "The books were retrieved. What is the issue?" Mercy asked as confidently as she could. "Where is the key to open the books?!" Maleficent cried out while glaring at Luthor's assistant. Mercy looked down at the case and realized that the puzzle box must have fallen out while Jessica Priest and Fox were fighting. Luthor's assistant let out a calm and steady breath while slowly turning her attention back to the Dark Fairy. "It will be fine. The box must have fallen out at the museum. I can send someone to retrieve it." Mercy said with a stern expression. "That will not be necessary." Maleficent replied while walking around the room. "While your employer and that Thrawn have been searching for candidates to join their little team, I have also been searching for recruits. I found one that may not bring much attention to herself. I will send her to retrieve the box." Maleficent said with a scowl. "Very well. What do you need from me?" Mercy asked. "Nothing from you." Maleficent hissed. After Mercy Graves left, the Mistress of Evil glared down at the ancient books. While chanting words under her breath, a green smoke started to pour out from her staff. The room around her filled with this green haze as the words that she was chanting grew louder. Maleficent soon found herself in a new location. She could hear sounds from the next room. The Mistress of Evil slowly sauntered toward the sound in the next room. Her devilish eyes peered onto a blonde woman that was doing a tennis work out from a screen in the room. A scowl formed over the Dark Fairy's face as she watched over the young blonde woman. It was not long until the young blonde woman quickly lunged toward a pistol that was laying on a countertop. She pointed it at the Mistress of Evil. Maleficent's scowl turned to a fiendish smile as she circled around the young woman. "What are you doing here, Maleficent?" Lori asked as her pistol was still pointing at the Dark Fairy. "I have something that I need you to acquire for me." Maleficent replied. "What is it?" Lori asked. "A puzzle box." Maleficent replied as she stepped closer toward the young woman. "Get it yourself!" Lori snapped while laying down the pistol. "I need someone that can get it done discreetly." Maleficent said while standing over the young woman. "What is in it for me?" Lori asked. "I can make it well worth your time. If you are successful, then you will have the opportunity to join a team that is being put together by my associates." Maleficent replied with a sinister smile. "What kind a team?" Lori asked while reaching for a towel to wipe off the sweat from her face. "Complete the job that I have for you, then I will give you more information about that team." Maleficent replied. "Where is this puzzle box that you want so bad?" Lori asked. "It's in London. I have learned that it was taken by a thief that stole something else from me a while back. I want her dead!" Maleficent growled. "I'll get back your little box and I will make short work of your little thief too." Lori said with a smile. "Just make sure that it is well worth my time." "See it through. I don't want to have to make an example of you like I did with Ms. Braddock." Maleficent hissed. A look of concern fell over Lori's face as Maleficent disappeared in a flash of green smoke. She stood quietly for a moment while wiping the sweat from her face once again. The assassin soon walked over to a desk that she had in her room. After opening a drawer, she took out passports and gear that felt she would need on this assignment. The assassin made arrangements to travel to London. Maleficent had left information about her target, and Lori studied the information while getting her transportation lined up. She grinned once she realized that her target was a female archeologist from the past. Lori figured it would be an easy assignment. After arriving at the hotel where the target was staying at, Lori was able to charm her way into obtaining access to the upper villa. She manipulated the hotel staff and found herself in the elevator. Meanwhile, Helena had a dream of her father and Indy the previous night. In the dream, they pleaded with her to do what was right rather than chasing after additional fortune. Once she awoke, she bit down on her lip and thought about the adventure that she shared with her godfather once again. She glanced over at the puzzle box that was laying on the counter and groaned. She pushed herself out of the bed and walked over to the puzzle box. She reached down and scooped it off the counter. "Damnit Indy." She muttered under her breath once she realized that she had to do what was right. Helena got herself ready for the day. Once she was dressed, she slipped the puzzle box into her pocket. She realized that there may be other interested parties that would be after this relic. The adventurer sauntered over to one of her travel cases and leaned down. She took out a pistol and a small container of pepper spray. Helena looked over the gear and smiled. While she hoped she would not run into any trouble, she wanted to be prepared. She suddenly heard the sound of the elevator door opening up. The adventurer thought it was strange as she did not order any room service that morning. In the corner of her eyes, Helena saw a blonde, curly haired woman entering her villa. Helena quickly ran behind one of the lower cabinets in the room. She took out her pistol and listened as the woman walked deeper into the room. "Funny, I didn't order any room service." Helena joked while trying to find the right opportunity to escape. "Don't even try to escape. If you come out now, I'll make it quick." Lori muttered while searching for her target. "Not interested." Helena replied. "Well, don't say I didn't try. At least I got to come to London for this assignment. You may be one of the easiest jobs that I've ever had!" Lori joked while pulling out her pistol. "I wouldn't count on it!" Helena laughed as she reached up to grab the bottle of wine. *************************** The battle takes place in a hotel villa. Helena can either fight or try to escape. Lori needs to kill Helena and obtain a small ancient puzzle box. Helena is armed with a pistol and a small container of pepper spray. She also had a large glass bottle of wine. Lori has a pistol and knife.

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Chapter 25: The Dangers of Technology After lengthy battle with the dangerous assassin known as Fox, Jessica Priest emerged victorious. While walking over toward the body of the fallen assassin, the deranged mercenary leaned down to pick up the case that contained the ancient books. Little did she know, the small puzzle box slipped out of the case during the battle between the two assassins. One of the guests that attended the gala swiped the puzzle box and escaped during the conflict. Jessica gazed down and blew a kiss at the corpse of Fox before sauntering away. As Priest walked out of the museum with the case in hand, she was expecting a call from Amanda Waller on what she would need to do from there. Before she could check her phone, she saw a limousine approaching her. The back of the limousine opened and a tall, slender woman emerged from the vehicle. Jessica scowled as she looked over the woman. "Jessica Priest?" The woman asked with an expressionless face. "Who's asking?" Priest hissed while pulling out cigarette. "My name is Mercy Graves. My employer and his associates are very much interested in your services. They are willing to pay well beyond your typical rate." Mercy replied. "And who is your employer?" Jessica asked. "Lex Luthor." Mercy replied with a cold smile. Shortly after, Sitting inside a prison cell, Robert Callaghan simply stared at the walls. With each passing moment, all he could think about was his daughter. During his trial, she spoke of her disgust against the actions and atrocities that he committed during his plot to enact his revenge. While he was grateful that she was rescued from that portal, he hated what had happened since then. The way that she looked at him and the words that she said against him, he found it unbearable. While sitting alone in this solitary confinement, Callaghan felt that the punishment of his daughter disowning him was far worse than these prison walls. Despite his sentence, Callaghan was determined not to lose himself inside these walls. He trained his body to become more than what it had ever been before and sought to meditate within this seclusion. The former professor at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology read as much as he could and wrote even more. Callaghan still had ideas on how to change the world. While he had ideas on how to change the world, he figured that they would be lost within these walls. As he sat down within the confinement of his prison cell, he heard a strange buzzing noise. The robotics genius turned his head and saw a small object flying around his cell. Most individuals would have mistaken this small object for a mere insect, but Callaghan knew better. This small object was a microbot. It was much different than the ones that he created after Hiro's invention, but it was still a microbot. Callaghan reached out to grab a hold of the small machine but quickly it flew away from his grasp. The small machine then flew outside the prison cell and deep inside a lock on the prison door. Within a matter of seconds, the lock sprang open, and Callaghan slowly rose to his feet. He walked over toward the opening of his cell and glanced out into the rest of the prison. He turned his head and looked in all directions. While looking around, his eyes caught a glimpse of a couple more of the microbots. Callaghan watched as they started flying towards another end of the facility. The former Head of Robotics started following the small machines through the rest of the prison. From solitary confinement to the other portions of the prison, Callaghan realized that it was eerily quiet. There were no alarms or sirens going off. A strange thought entered his mind once he realized that he did not find any other guards or prisoners roaming the different sections. In fact, some of the prisoners were passed out in their cells. A strange feeling started forming in his stomach as he looked over the sleeping prisoners. As he continued walking, he saw a few of the guards were unconscious along the way. After leaning down, he felt the pulse on one of the guards. While he had a temporary moment of relief once he felt that he still had a pulse, the former professor was still overcome by questions. Callaghan soon found himself near the entrance of the prison. He stopped for a moment and turned his head back from where he came. There was a sense of hesitation within the former Head of Robotics. He looked back at the direction of the prison and sighed. His memories fell on his daughter while she was trapped inside that portal. Callaghan rubbed his eyes and face as he thought about his prison sentence. Part of him felt as if he should turn back and return to his cell for what he had done in the past. With the way that his daughter looked at him upon learning of his actions, Callaghan became overwhelmed with regret. He soon found himself looking upon the microbot that was flying around his face. The former Head of Robotics proceeded forward and left the prison behind him. He followed the small machine far away from the prison. There were no sirens, no flashing lights, and no guards trying to retrieve him. The brilliant scientist’s eyes widened in shock as he saw a large ship up ahead. As he approached the ship, Callaghan stopped once he saw a large, armored figure emerging from the ship. He then heard a sound from behind and the scientist quickly turned his head back to see another metallic figure approaching. Callaghan staggered back and stumbled into a human female that was dressed all in black. The scientist fell on the ground and tried to crawl away from the trio. He started breathing heavily as his look upon the large, armored figured and metallic creature. There was an eerie silence that was soon drowned out by the laughter of the woman in black. The woman’s lips were covered in a bright red lipstick, and she had a crazed look in her dark brown eyes. Durge slowly sauntered toward the trembling scientist and reached out his hand. Callaghan glanced at Durge’s hand and then looked back up at the metallic figure. He slowly reached over and grabbed the creature’s hand. Durge helped Callaghan to his feet as he was approached by the other individuals. “Don’t be alarmed, Doc!” Juggernaut laughed while looking down at the scientist. “What is this?” Callaghan asked while trying to regain his composure. “Your services are being requested.” Durge replied. “What?” Callaghan asked with squinted eyes. “There are some powerful individuals that are wanting to recruit you for our little team. They recruited little ol’ me recently!” Jessica Priest laughed while staring down the robotics specialist. “I… I don’t understand.” Callaghan replied. “Dr. Callaghan, perhaps I can better explain.” A voice called from behind the trio. Callaghan looked past the three and saw a woman approaching. This woman had a cold expression on her face, but she seemed more approachable than the woman in black. “My name is Mercy Graves. I am an assistant for Lex Luthor of LexCorps.” Mercy said as she stood before the robotics specialist. “This here is Durge. The larger one is Juggernaut, and that is Ms. Jessica Priest.” “What am I being recruited for?” Callaghan asked. “Mr. Luthor and several of his associates are interested in the microbot technology that you were able to replicate and create during the San Fransokyo incident. They are also interested in your knowledge of portal technology that was used.” Mercy replied. “I have no interest in helping you or any of you! What I became, that cannot be undone!” Callaghan replied. “Dr. Callaghan, Mr. Luthor is very much interested in your talents. He is aware of your past and what you have done. He is even aware that your daughter is no longer interested in having a relationship with you. While he is more than willing to offer whatever amount that you would desire, he also knows that you are not driven by money. You are driven by something else entirely. You are wanting to find redemption in making the world a better place.” Mercy replied. “So, what? What are you asking of me?” Callaghan asked. “We want you to replicate the microbot technology and for you to become the Yokai once again.” Mercy said as she opened a case that contained the rebuilt Yokai mask. “Then we need you to go to an island to help retrieve the remnants of the portal device that is being assembled by a dangerous individual.” “There are others that could do that. Why me?” Callaghan asked. “You have knowledge of robotics and technology. You also have experience with the portal technology that is being used. This individual has an island full of technology and robotics that we feel you would be better equipped to handle.” Mercy replied. “Okay…” Callaghan shook his head and sighed. “I will work on recreating the microbots and then I will do what needs to be done. I do have a request.” Callaghan asked. “What is that?” Mercy asked. “I want my daughter to be taken care of for the rest of her life.” Callaghan replied. “I am sure Mr. Luthor, and his associates will be more than willing to see that through.” Mercy replied. Sometime later, Nothing seemed to work. All the tests and experiments came back with unfavorable results. Buddy Pine looked over all the schematics and data with disdain. With his zero-point energy ray technology, he obliterated the computer that was in front of him. Several of his henchmen came to see what was taking place, but the psychotic genius screamed at the top of his lunges that he did not want to be disturbed. A couple veins started to bulge from his forehead while a couple lines of sweat started to drip down his face. Then like the flip of a switch, he started to giggle. Despite the several setbacks that he had with the transportation technology; his other goals were going as planned. He looked over the screens regarding the Omnidroid models and then he glanced over a list of nations that would be willing to purchase the dangerous technology. He leaned back in his chair and thought about his plans to finally enact his revenge against Mr. Incredible. Despite the humiliation and rejection that he faced all those years ago from his idol, Buddy became something more. He was going to show that world that he was far superior than any superhero known to man. Syndrome was going to not only humiliate Mr. Incredible, he was going to destroy everything about him. His plans soon shifted slightly once he heard about the San Fransokyo incident with the teleportation device. He could not begin to fathom what he could accomplish with that kind of power at his disposal. Syndrome started walking around his room and pressed a button on his wrist. One of the walls in his office started to rise up and from underneath it revealed a display. The psychotic genius stood before the display with a look of satisfaction. The display was a collection of belongings from the superheroes that were lured to this island and slaughtered by his Ommidroids. With each one of these fallen heroes, Syndrome was able to modify his machines to become more capable of facing off against other superpowered individuals. The doors of his office opened and Syndrome's silver haired assistant walked into the room. Buddy rolled his eyes and groaned while turning his attention to Mirage. "What did I say about not wanting to be disturbed?" Syndrome asked. "There's been a perimeter breach." Mirage responded while handing off a tablet to Syndrome. As he looked over the screen, the deranged genius started to grit his teeth. "Who could it be?" He muttered while trying to looking over the different security footage in the area. "Something is blocking the transmission in the area." Mirage said as she stared at Syndrome. "Hmmm... Get the Omnidroids in the area and send out a couple squads. I want whatever came here to be put down." Syndrome said while pushing the tablet into Mirage's chest. "Understood." Mirage replied while turning around to walk out of the office. "Oh, and Mirage..." Syndrome said before his silver haired assistant could leave the room. "Yes sir?" Mirage replied. "I want you to go out there as well." Syndrome smiled. After several of his henchmen and Omnidroids left the base, Syndrome walked into his laboratory. With cameras and sensors down throughout the island, the psychotic criminal started suiting up in his gear. He looked at his reflection up and down in the mirror. Syndrome grinned as he prepared his suit for battle. He stepped back and heard a noise within his laboratory. With a steady breath, he started walking around the room and looked around in all directions. While walking passed different pieces of machines that he was testing, Buddy saw a dark figure standing in front of the teleportation device. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped as he slowly approached the dark figure. "Well now, how did you get past my security?" Synrdome asked while circling around the figure. "Your calibrations are off. It is a wonder how you even managed to secure these fragments of my device." Yokai grumbled as he looked over the computer. "Wait, you're the Dr. Robert Callaghan?!" Syndrome exclaimed as he smiled and stepped back in disbelief. "Your work in robotics is groundbreaking. I applied for your program years ago but I... " "I personally rejected your application." Yokai said without flinching. "What?" Syndrome asked with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "You had the intellect but you were unstable. Emotionally too immature for my program. It does not seem like much as changed." Yokai replied. "Ha." Syndrome chuckled while his grin quickly faded. "You should talk. You almost destroyed half of San Fransokyo. And for what? Your little daughter." "Do not mention my daughter!" Yokai snapped as he glared back at Syndrome. "You are a washed-up old man who lost his daughter. You were the past. I am the present and I am the future!" Syndrome screamed as he pointed one of his gauntlets at Yokai. "That was a mistake!" Yokai growled as the room started to fill with microbots. *********************** The battle takes place in Syndrome's lab. Yokai - is armed with over a million microbots. Syndrome has his suit with zero-point energy rays, rocket boots, and there are some prototype Ominidroids in the lab.

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 24: Hell Hath No Fury Like an Assassin's Scorn Shortly after meeting with Homelander, the Director of ARGUS knew that she had to take additional precautions for the relics that were uncovered in Egypt. While she had multiple teams of specialists working on the books that were recovered from deep beneath the sand, they were nowhere close to uncovering the secrets held within them. To prevent these ancient books from falling into the hands of her adversaries, she started to contemplate what her next move could be. After contacting one of her subordinates at ARGUS to search for operatives in the area, she was given a name. Before getting back in her car, the Director of ARGUS looked over the information that was sent to her phone. She scoffed and sighed while rubbing her hand against her face. The name of the operative in the area was Jessica Priest. While Priest proved to be an asset for some of Waller's more questionable operations, she also displayed sadistic personality traits. With much disdain, Waller dialed the number to Jessica Priest. She soon remembered that Priest was already on a mission to take out a potential threat at a secured compound. Despite Priest already having an assignment, Amanda knew that she was the closest person to the ARGUS facility in Egypt. While Priest would be no match for Juggernaut or this other unknown enemy, she could at least get the books before they arrived. The phone rang for several minutes while Waller squeezed into the back of her car. She nodded at the driver to proceed forward while the Director of ARGUS leaned back against her seat. It took a while before she heard Priest answer the call. Waller could hear something the background and realized that Priest was in the middle of a job. Waller shook her head once she heard the loud laughter of Jessica Priest followed by rapid gun fire. It took several moments before everything went quiet. She then heard Priest take a couple deep breaths before acknowledging Amanda Waller. "It is a little early to be contacting me, Waller. You just sent me this assignment." Jessica Priest muttered. "I have a new assignment for you." Amanda responded coldly. "Huh, I hope it is somewhere with a view." Priest joked followed by the sound of gun fire. "I am sending you the information now. It is a simple mission but time sensitive. You will be retrieving a couple items from a nearby ARGUS facility." Waller responded. "Sounds boring and a little beneath me." Priest scoffed. "You are the closest asset that we have. These are your orders." Waller replied. "Since I am being pulled off this current job, my usual rate will be a bit higher." Priest said. "You'll get your money, but just get it done!" Waller growled. "Sure thing, Waller!" Priest chuckled. After the call disconnected, Jessica looked over the bodies of the men that she had taken out. While looking at the barricaded building that her original target was locked inside of, the sadistic assassin blew a kiss before walking away. As she was walking away, Jessica reached into a pouch and pulled out a cigarette. She lit up the cigarette and placed it between her bright red lips. The assassin left a trail of bodies behind as she left the area. Once she got back to her humvee, the assassin threw the cigarette butt on the ground. She glanced back at the battle zone and smirked once she saw the rising smoke that filled the skies above. Priest got into the vehicle and sped away. She plugged the coordinates into her GPS and looked over the details of the mission. Priest shook her head in annoyance once she realized that all she would be doing was retrieving a couple ancient books from the facility. While Waller emphasized the importance of the mission and that time was of the essence, Priest still felt that this was beneath her. Once she pulled up to the compound, she looked over the facility with disgust. The appearance of a power plant was not subtle as this facility was literally in the middle of the dessert. Priest stepped out of her humvee and was met by multiple ARGUS personnel. The trained assassin showed her identification and was led through the facility. She could tell that with all the armed individuals, this facility must have contained some vital secrets that Waller held close to her chest. Priest was led into a room deep beneath the facility itself. The air was still, and the temperature dropped considerably once she entered the room. There were statues and artifacts lined up through the room with different machines analyzing each one. The assassin then saw a man scurrying around a table. Jessica took out a cigarette and placed it between her lips. She lit up the cigarette before approaching the table. Sitting upon the table, she saw what appeared to be two books. One was a black book made of pure obsidian while the other was covered in gold. In between the two books laid a small box. Before she could step closer toward the books, she heard the frantic yells of the scurrying man. "Put that out!" He demanded while pointing at the cigarette in Jessica's mouth. "The last person that told me to put out my cigarette, I skinned them alive." Jessica replied while taking a puff from her cigarette. "These books are highly valuable objects as old as the great pyramids, perhaps even older. They cannot be contaminated with those disgusting things!" The man yelled with piercing eyes. "Very well." Jessica smiled while dropping the cigarette on the ground beneath her. She stepped on the butt of the cigarette while giving a devilish smile at the man. "Are you ready to get out of here, doc?" "No! No, there is too much to do! These books do not need to leave this place, these grounds are sacred. Waller should know this! She should know that these books are not supposed to leave these grounds!" The man said while walking around frantically once again. "Look, I have my orders to get these books out of here. Now, I can shoot you in the kneecaps and take them, or you can help!" Jessica replied. "This land is sacred. I don't think it is wise to take them away from this place!" The man muttered. "No living being of this world is worthy enough to take these books from this land." "Unfortunately, I've heard that the thing that is coming may not even be from this world. Consider this a final warning. Either you help me get these books and that little box thing out of here, or I will hurt you really, really bad." Jessica replied with a smile. "Very well." The man said as he took out a container. He gently placed the books in the container along with the puzzle box. His hands shook as he handed the case to the assassin. Jessica smiled as she looked down at the case. She was slightly curious why these books were so vital to Amanda Waller but as long as she got paid, she was not going to ask too many questions. Jessica reached down toward her holster and took out her pistol. She aimed it at the man. The frantic man stumbled back as he raised his hands up in the air. "Wh... What are you doing?" The man stuttered. "You annoyed me." Jessica smiled before squeezing the trigger back. The bullet pierced through the man's throat. He immediately dropped to the ground and started squirming around. Jessica started to giggle while she watched him struggling for life. She then looked at her watch and sighed. The sadistic assassin rolled her eyes and looked down at the ARGUS researcher. "I'd love to stay, but I got a mission to complete." Jessica said before leaving the researcher there to bleed out. Jessica Priest left the facility and placed the container in the back of her humvee. She sped off into the dessert with a trail of dust and sand behind her. On a tablet that was connected to her humvee, she received an alert. The assassin pressed the screen and saw that the facility was being attacked. With the books safely in her possession and far away from the attack, a demented smile formed over Jessica's bright red lips. Waller had given her orders to take the books to a museum in London. The assassin started to make arrangements to head to the London while speeding through the dessert. Battered and beaten, The leader of the Seven had never taken this much pain in his entire life. Despite his best efforts, nothing worked against the Juggernaut. Marko was far stronger than anything or anyone Homelander had ever faced. All Homelander's attacked appeared to bounce off Cain Marko without any effect. The Supe unleashed a powerful blast from his eyes and Juggernaut simply laughed as he grabbed Homelander and threw him through several walls of the ARGUS facility. The leader of the Seven struggled to get to his feet. Before he could regain his composure, the Juggernaut unleashed a powerful blow against the top of Homelander's head. The facility shook and the ground cracked beneath the Super as he fell to his knees. Marko then unleashed a series of powerful punches that caused the leader of the Seven sink into the ground. Homelander cried and screamed as Juggernaut continued his devastating attacks. Tears ran down the cheeks of the humiliated Supe as he started to sob. Through the humiliation, the leader of the Seven started to search for a way to escape from the Juggernaut’s wrath. Homelander unleashed as much power as he could muster from his eyes. After blowing a hole into the ceiling, the leader of the Seven flew as fast as he could away from the Juggernaut. Marko laughed as he watched the Supe fly away in complete terror. The Juggernaut smashed through a wall and made his way down into the lower levels of the ARGUS facility. Once he arrived in the lower level, he found himself surrounded by ancient artifacts. He then saw Durge in the corner of his eyes. Marko sauntered past the artifacts and walked up to Durge. They saw a lifeless body in a pool of blood. Juggernaut looked around then gave a piercing glare at the bounty hunter. "Where are the books?" Juggernaut asked. "Not here." Durge replied while lifting his arm. He pressed a couple buttons on his wrist computer. A message was sent to Grand Admiral Thrawn. "Someone must have taken them before we arrived." Durge growled while staring at something on the ground. The bounty hunter leaned down to pick up the cigarette butt that Jessica Priest was smoking earlier. He saw the stain of lipstick covering the cigarette butt. The bounty hunter then received a message from the Grand Admiral. While he was expecting orders to track down the books, he was surprised that Thrawn ordered them to stand down. Durge looked over at Marko and shook his head. Thrawn advised them to be leave the facility and await further orders. Meanwhile, Luthor waited until Thrawn finished sending the transmission to the powerful beings. Unsure of what the Chiss had planned he stood up and sauntered over toward a cabinet that had an assortment of drinks. The billionaire poured himself a glass of a strong liquor before walking over toward the Chiss Imperial. "Why did you have them stand down?" Lex asked as his dark eyes glared into Thrawn's red eyes. "I want to see what this Amanda Waller is going to do. Durge attacked her prison and then this facility in Egypt. Rather than calling in the full force of their military or one of these teams of superheroes, she sends this Homelander to confront the Juggernaut. The books were taken away before their arrival but not by a large military force. It appears to have been taken by a small group or rather a single individual. The facility was not even evacuated which may signify that she did not want too many questions to be asked." Thrawn replied. "You figured she was going to move the books before Durge and Juggernaut arrived?" Lex said while shaking his head. "Why did you not send word to Durge and Juggernaut beforehand." "I know that those two will be able to get away from Egypt without any issues. This is more of a test for a new recruit that I have in mind." Thrawn said with widened red eyes. "Who?" Lex asked. "A human assassin by the name of Fox. Her profile is extensive and what interests me is the mention that she can curve a bullet." Thrawn replied while looking over a transmission that he had sent earlier. "I have already sent her the mission to retrieve the books." Back on Earth, After completing a complex assignment, Fox found herself back in one of her apartments in England. At first, she thought she could take some time for herself. It was early in the morning and the assassin had heated up a pot of coffee while turning on the television. Fox watched in the corner of her eyes while reports came in surrounding the death of the mob boss that she had taken out the night before. The assassin took a sip of her coffee before sitting down in front of her computer. Before she could plan out her day of relaxation, she noticed an unusual alert on her computer. Knowing the security that she had built into her computer, Fox decided to see what the message had entailed. The assassin sighed once she realized that it was for a job. Fox leaned back in her chair and bit down on her lip. While reluctant at first, she saw the job was paying out more than all her previous of couple assignments combined. With much curiosity, the assassin figured that the assignment would entail taking out a significant political leader or a warlord. While looking over the details, she found herself surprised by the details of the job. It was not an assassination but rather a retrieval of a couple ancient artifacts. Fox leaned back in her chair for a moment and rubbed her hand against her face. She took a small sip from her coffee and leaned forward to look over the details of the mission once again. Fox saw that these artifacts were stolen by a government operative out of Egypt and that Intel pointed to her taking the ancient items to London. The deadly assassin smiled as she believed that this could be a simple job in which the reward would be greater than most she had come across. After finishing reading the assignment details, she accepted the mission. Once she headed to the location in London, the assassin found herself outside a large museum. Fox looked over the architecture of the building and gazed upon the statues. While looking over the building, she made a mental note of the numbers of windows and exits. She then drove around the building. Fox was able to disable the power to the museum while she prepared herself to enter the building. She gathered her weapons and gear from the trunk of her car. The assassin snuck into the museum and used a tracker to move deeper into the building. There was a gala being held that night in the lower level. While the gala was taking place, Fox was able to break into the secured area where the books were being held. After knocking out a couple of the guards, Fox looked over the ancient books. Her brown eyes gazed upon the gold and black books as well as a small box. She quickly slid the books and the strange small box into a case and put them into a bag. As Fox was making her way out of the museum and over the gala, she heard the alarms starting to sound. Suddenly, a woman standing over a balcony with two machine guns started shooting off over the crowds. Fox slid for cover and immediately drew one of her weapons. Lights started flashing on and off as she heard the party goers scream from down below. She then heard the voice of the deranged woman that had held the machine guns. "Is that you, Fox?!" Jessica Priest screamed out while starting to chuckle. "Jessica Priest? I didn't know you were working as a security guard!" Fox yelled while holstering her pistol. The assassin then steadily pulled out a machine gun and glanced around at her surroundings. "What can I say? I just love old relics. So, why don't you do us both a favor and come out so I can kill you quickly. I'm ready to call it a night!" Priest screamed while shooting in Fox's direction. "I'm going to walk out that front door but not before putting a bullet between your eyes." Fox said with a smile while she became familiar with her surroundings. "You don't have the guts to kill me!" Jessica Priest hissed. ********************************** The battle takes place in a ballroom of a museum. There are several innocent bystanders that were attending a gala that are also trying to escape the chaos. Jessica Priest has two machine guns and a small pistol concealed to her thigh. Fox has a machine gun, pistol, and a sawed-off double barrel shotgun.