“The bank robbers didn't get far as Alpha lifted their car and delivered it personally to the police station–”
“–stopped the serial mugger who was continuously targeting older women–”
“–visited the sick children's ward of the hospital to cheer up some of the patients–”
“Alpha still continues to evade interviews, as the mysterious hero continues his efforts to rid the city of Greenwood of crime–”
Dr. Samuel Stone, a middle aged African American man, leaned forward as he studied the footage. He knew Alpha's identity, having witnessed the young hero's origin himself. In fact, it was his machine that was responsible for the accident that created Alpha.
“Amazing,” Stone said as he saw how much good the young man was doing.
“It is time,” a raspy voice said in the darkness. “The boy must fulfill his role in the plan.”
“But doing this could kill him,” Stone said as he looked into the shadows. “Look at all the good he's–”
“I do not care about his actions,” the voice told him as a hissing sound was heard. “I only care about results. Bring me the boy so that I might finally put an end to this exile. Remember, Doctor, the only reason you are still alive is because you have proven useful to me. Do not force an end to this partnership. I can find other humans who can serve my purpose.”
Stone left the room as the televisions continued playing. Seconds later, a black clawed hand punched through of the screens, shattering it.
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#4
JAN 14 |
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“Beacon Your Pardon?”
“This is the greatest day ever!” Andy Maguire shouted as he rushed out of the school. Behind him was his best friend, Casey Russo. The two had just finished another long day of high school and were now headed home for a weekend of relaxation.
“Wait, you have superpowers, and THIS is the greatest day ever for you?” Casey asked as they crossed the street.
“I can fly around and punch bad guys anytime,” Andy told him as he held up his paper, “but how often is it that I get an A on a test? Look, I even got a little smiley face on it,” Andy said as he kissed the little smiley face on the forehead. “I'm framing this bad boy and hanging it over my bed.”
“See, that's what happens when you study,” Casey replied as he patted Andy on the shoulder.
“Stuh-dy?” Andy asked, sounding out the word. “Is that what's it called? I call it being bored while waiting for Game of Thrones to come on. Come on, let's get home so I can show off my 'A'.”
“Just don't show your 'A' to the neighbors again,” Casey told him. “My parents are still getting complaints about you mooning them.”
“It was a neighborly gesture. They let their leaves fall into our yard and I give them a pressed ham,” Andy replied as his hearing picked up the noises of fire engines a few streets away. “Fire. I have to go.”
“I'll see you at home,” Casey told him as Andy ducked into an alley. Andy shed his clothes, revealing his Alpha costume underneath. He pulled his hood over his head and put the black domino mask over his eyes as he took to the air.
Jerrica and Devon were sitting in the office of the school paper as Jerrica looked over the pictures that Devon had been taking for her. The only reason that the star player of the high school football team was doing photography was because his grades were slipping and this was his best chance at not having to go to summer school.
“These pictures aren't bad,” Jerrica told him. “Maybe you should consider staying on with the paper after this year.”
“Are you kidding?” Devon asked with a laugh. “I'm a football player, not a reporter. Once I get this extra-curricular out of the way, I'm out of here.”
Jerrica picked up the picture of Alpha, showing it to him. “You're the only one in town who can get a clear shot of Alpha. Not even the major news outlets have gotten a good glimpse of him. You've got real talent, Devon. It'd be a shame to let it go to waste.”
“Look, Jerrica, I like working with you,” Devon admitted. “You're the only person that I feel like I can be honest with, but...this isn't the life I have to lead. Dad would kill me if I gave up football for photography.”
Just then, Alpha shot past the open the window. The gust of wind from the hero caused the papers on Jerrica's desk to fly all over the place as she looked out in the distance.
“Get your camera, let's go,” Jerrica told him as she grabbed her tape recorder.
The fire was raging as the firefighters were trying put out the blaze at the old abandoned grocery store. The place had been sitting vacant for quite some time, right next door to a department store, which was now in danger of being burnt down as well.
Alpha flew overhead and saw the fire was getting out of control before flying toward a water tower. He used all of the strength he could muster to pick it up and fly it toward the building, tipping it over and dousing the flames. The firefighters cheered Alpha as he took the empty container back to where he got it from before landing in front of the building.
“How did the fire start?” Alpha asked the man in front of him.
“We're not sure yet, but we can't rule out arson,” the firefighter told him. “Thanks for the assist. You're not as bad as we thought.”
“Thanks,” Alpha said as he got ready to fly off, just before a man walked up to him. “You look familiar. Don't I know you from somewhere?”
“Alpha, we haven't been properly introduced,” Dr. Stone told him. “My name is Samuel Stone, and I know who you are under that mask.”
“How?” Alpha asked as he took a step back.
“Perhaps we should talk somewhere more private,” Stone said as he handed Alpha a card. “Meet me at my lab tomorrow afternoon and we'll talk there. I can explain where your powers came from, as well as anything else you wish to know.”
As Dr. Stone walked off, Alpha looked down at the card in his hand. It was the same place he'd been involved in the accident that gave him his powers.
“Alpha, can I get a quote for the school newspaper?” Jerrica asked as she came running up, pen and pad in hand. As he saw her coming, Alpha felt a strange feeling coming over him. He'd had a crush on Jerrica since the first time he saw her, only he was never able to really talk to her.
“Uh...sure,” Alpha said, trying to disguise his voice as Devon took the picture of him. “Perhaps a...one on one interview?”
“Your first real interview and you want it to be for a high school paper?” asked Jerrica with a raised eyebrow.
“Hey, we all gotta start somewhere,” Alpha said as he lifted off into the sky. “I'll be in contact with you.”
“I think that guy has a crush on you,” Devon told her. “He could be a superpowered stalker.”
“Or he could be insanely cute under that mask,” Jerrica replied as she smiled at him. “Either way, I've got the world's first exclusive interview with the mysterious Alpha.”
“I don't like it,” Casey said as he lay in his bed, reading a book later that night. “This guy knows who you are, what's to stop him from blackmailing you?”
“Alpha can stop him,” Andy said as he stepped out of the bathroom in his pajama bottoms and a green tank top. “If he threatens anyone I care about, I'll take him down a peg or seven.”
“You can punch holes in metal…you wouldn't–”
“What? No!” Andy shouted as he got into his own bed across the way from Casey's. “I'm not a murderer. Doesn't mean I'm going to let someone take advantage of me, though. Trust me, Casey. Besides, he knows where my powers came from. Maybe he can help learn to control some of them, maybe figure out what I can and can't do with them, like the force field that springs up whenever someone shoots at me, yet I can be knocked out from behind.”
“Just be careful, okay?” Casey told him as he put his book down. “My parents worry about you, and so do I. We've all gotten used to having you around. You're like family to us.”
“I like you and your parents, too,” Andy told him. “I never had anyone who cared about me like this before. It feels weird, but cool.”
“Lights out, boys,” Casey's mother said as she peeked in. “Time for bed.”
“Yes, ma'am,” both boys said in unison as Casey reached over to turn off his lamp. “Goodnight, Andy.”
“Goodnight, Casey,” Andy replied as he rolled over and went to sleep, thinking about the long day ahead tomorrow.
Down the hall, Casey's parents were in their bedroom, discussing the current living situation.
“I don't know if this is right,” Mrs. Russo said as she sat on the bed. “I feel like we're overstepping our boundaries by doing this.”
“It's what needs to be done,” Mr. Russo told her, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder. “Andy needs a proper home with a loving family. And that can't happen the way things are now. I'll call my lawyer in the morning and tell him to get the paperwork ready.”
The next day, Andy headed downtown to Horizon Labs, an affiliate of a much bigger branch in New York. He walked in and asked to see Dr. Stone, who had been waiting for him. Andy was led upstairs to the room where the device that had given him his powers was sitting.
As he stepped into the room, it all came back to him like it had happened yesterday: the accident that had given his him powers; waking up from a month long coma; discovering his powers and learning to save people as the hero Alpha. And all of it was because of the machine in front of him. As he was about to put his hand on the machine, Dr. Stone coughed to get his attention.
“The machine hasn't worked since the day of your...accident,” Stone told him as he approached the young man. “The power that was supposed to be funneled through the machine seems to be funneling itself through you.”
“So you can tell me about where my powers come from,” Andy said as he looked at the man. “You can help understand why I can do all of these things.”
“I can,” Stone told him. “But first we need to test your abilities.”
“Superspeed, strength, flight, hearing, energy blasts and a force field that I can never tell when it's going to work,” Andy told him in a bored tone. “At least that's what I know I can do.”
“Which is why we have to run tests,” Stone replied as he looked at the young man.
Shortly, Andy was running on a treadmill while Dr. Stone watched. He picked up speed as Stone monitored from behind the glass. As Andy ran faster, the gauge started overloading once it hit 120 mph.
“Uh, Andy, you can stop,” Stone said as Andy picked up the pace, causing both the treadmill and gauge to burst into flames. As Andy stopped, he flew backward and flew through the wall. He picked himself up and smirked.
“Awesome.”
Next, Andy's photon blasts were tested as he blasted several targets that were set up. He hit several bullseyes, hitting every one dead center. He heard a radio playing Justin Bieber and shot a photon blast at it, blasting it to pieces.
“Okay, what's the next test?” Andy asked as he stood in an empty room, tapping his foot impatiently.
“Strength,” Stone replied.
“How?” Andy asked as he looked around. “There's no weights in here to –”
Andy's question was cut off by the walls closing in on him. He tried using photon blasts to get through the wall, but they had no effect.
“Okay, doc, this isn't funny anymore,” Andy said as he tried pushing the wall as it got closer. As the space got shorter, he put his feet against one wall while pushing the other with his shoulder. He strained as hard as he could before finally pushing the walls away, giving the one against his feet a good shove, sending it flying back. Andy hit the ground as he looked up. “Is it over?”
“Just one more test,” Stone told Andy as he returned to the firing range.
“Didn't we already test my energy blasts?” Andy asked as he looked around.
“Yes, but now we're going to test your force field,” Stone said as several large guns aimed themselves at him.
“This is going to suck!” Andy shouted as the guns fired several high powered lasers. Andy raised his arms to try to block the blasts, but a force field stopped them. Andy lowered his arms and laughed. “I'm alive!”
Which was when another laser struck from him behind, incinerating the back half of the top of his t-shirt off. Andy hit the ground face first as he moaned in agony. “That stung.”
“But look at your back, not a scratch on you,” Stone said as he entered the room. “Why don't you go get clean up and we'll discuss your test results.”
Andy pulled on a spare tank top he had in his backpack as he returned to Stone's office and sat in the chair. “So, what's up, Doc?”
“Your powers, like the intent for my device, are powered by the universe itself,” Stone told him. “You have an unlimited energy supply provided by the cosmos. You're a living conduit, Andy.”
“What about the force field thing?” asked Andy as he looked at his hands.
“From what I can tell, it's a subliminal reaction,” Stone replied. “If you see what's coming, your mind will automatically throw up a force field to deflect it. But if you don't see it coming...”
“I'm dead,” Andy finished with a sigh.
“Not exactly, your body can take a lot of punishment,” Stone told him. “Of course, bullets may be able to harm you, but we won't know for sure until it's tested.”
“...let's not and say we did,” Andy said as he stood up. “So, my powers are tied into the universe itself. Am I going to...be okay? This isn't going to give me cancer, or space AIDS, is it?”
“No, you're perfectly healthy,” Stone said with a sigh as a secret passage opened in the wall behind Andy. “Unfortunately for you, I can't guarantee that health.”
“Why?” Andy asked as what felt like reinforced steel hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out. The object that struck Andy was a six foot long, hard black tail with a stinger on the end of it. A large, pitch black alien creature with pointed teeth stood over him. There were no visible eyes on the creature that looked like a cross between a scorpion and a snake.
Jerrica and Devon were on their way home when they saw Casey pacing around the front yard.
“Casey?” Jerrica asked as she looked at him. “You look worried.”
“It's Andy,” Casey told her. “Remember that accident that put him into a month long coma?”
“Yeah, that was classic,” Devon said as Jerrica poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
“He went back to Horizon to talk to the doctor about his accident, I think he might be in trouble,” Casey told her.
“Well, let's go make sure he's okay,” Jerrica told him as she grabbed his arm. “It could make for a good story to go along with my Alpha interview that I'm getting soon. Come on, Devon.”
“Uh, you two go on ahead,” Devon replied. “I don't care for science labs. Or Maguire. Or Russo.”
“There's a store that sells old football antiques next door to it,” Casey told him as Devon pushed past.
“I'll drive.”
Andy woke up, chained down to a table, with several wires attached all over his body.
“Dr. Stone?” Andy asked, his head still hurting from earlier. “Come on, Dr. Stone, I thought the tests were done. This isn't funny!”
“No, it is hilarious,” the alien said as it stepped out of the shadows, hissing at the young man. Dr. Stone came out behind him, wishing this didn't have to happen. “You'll enjoy the coming joke, human, it's going to be a killer.”
“Doc, what are you doing?” Andy asked as he struggled, but felt too weak. “I trusted you!”
“I'm sorry, Andy,” Stone told him. “I had no choice in the matter. The machine I built was supposed to serve the purpose of this creature, but you...you ended up becoming the conduit.”
“Yeah, for the power of the universe,” Andy replied. “So?”
“Not just that, but the energy was to serve as a beacon, a homing device,” the alien told Andy as it prepared the machinery it needed. “My name is Scrotor, and I come from a planet beyond your universe. Years ago I was exiled here when I failed to colonize your world to be conquered. Due to your atmosphere, I lived while 700 generations of my species has come and gone. My failure forgotten, the current leaders of the planet Abercrombienfitch agreed to let me return to my people, provided I give them a new planet to colonize. You are about to become the doorway through which my race will come through and ravage this world.”
“Doc, you can stop this,” Andy told him. “Let me go and I'll show this clown a thing or two about invading our planet.”
“He is my puppet, boy!” Scrotor shouted. “Just as you now are. Once I activate the beacon, my people will know exactly where to come to invade. Unfortunately for you, you'll die from the energy overload.”
“You think you'll be able to take this planet? With the Avengers, Fantastic 4, X-Men and Squirrel Girl guarding it? Dream on!” Andy shouted.
“We have measures in place to deal with your friends,” Scrotor said as it prepared to throw the switch. It was then that a security alarm sounded. “Someone is here.”
“It's probably no one,” Stone replied as the alien threw him at the door.
“Make sure it's no one!” the alien shouted. “Nothing must stop me!”
Downstairs, Jerrica, Devon and Casey had snuck in and were walking up toward the lab.
“Security's pretty light for a place that was the cause of a near fatal accident,” Devon said as they followed behind Casey.
“This place should technically still be closed,” Casey told them. “So why would Andy be asked to meet that doctor here?”
As they got to the lab, Casey put his hand on the door as Dr. Stone stepped out. “What are you doing here? No trespassers!”
“Where's Andy Maguire?” Casey asked Stone.
“He left,” Stone told him bitterly. It was bad enough that he was participating in Andy's death, he wasn't going to let more people die. “He went home, just like all of you should. Now go! And don't come back!”
“This guy's hiding something,” Jerrica whispered to Casey. “Me and Devon will distract him, you go find Andy. Excuse me, Dr...Stone, is it? Jerrica Johnson, reporter for Fromme Tooley High News. Mind if I ask you a few questions about Horizon?”
Devon started snapping pictures, blinding Stone as Casey snuck through the door. He heard noises and made his way toward a room in the back, where he saw Andy strapped down to the table.
“Do not struggle, human, those chains are made from the strongest substance on Earth,” Scrotor told him.
“Adamantium?”
“No, stronger, they're made from Evemantium,” the alien hissed at him as Andy continued to struggle. “In a matter of moments, I will be able to contact the rest of my species. Too bad you won't live long enough to see it.”
Casey looked around for anything he could use to help his friend, finding only a fire extinguisher. He picked it up and snuck around the room before tossing the extinguisher to the opposite side to get the alien's attention. As Scrotor let out a low hiss, it jumped across the room to attack whatever was there.
“Don't worry, Andy, I'll get you out of there,” Casey whispered as he tried to help Andy out of his chains. “Then you can kick this alien's butt.”
“You will do no such thing,” Scrotor said as it picked Casey up by the collar of his shirt.
“Put him down!” Andy shouted as he struggled.
“Very well,” Scrotor said as it headed toward the window, hanging Casey outside of it. “I'll let him down twenty stories!”
“Stop!” Dr. Stone shouted as he re-entered the room, having finally gotten the two annoying teenagers to leave. “We could use him in case...things with the other one don't go as planned. It never hurts to have a back up experiment.”
Scrotor pulled Casey back in and tossed him into a closet before closing it and blocking it with a desk.
“He lives only until I contact my planet,” Scrotor told him as he went back to work. “Then he and all humans will be crushed.”
Dr. Stone went over to Andy, looking down at him. “I am sorry for all of this.”
“Sorry? You just wiped out the entire human race, pal,” Andy told him.
Dr. Stone unlocked the chains while the alien's attention was turned toward the console. “Kick his butt.”
“I will,” Andy said, but a powerful surge of energy was sent through his body. He screamed in pain as the alien at the console started cackling.
“No!” Dr. Stone shouted as he grabbed the fire extinguisher off of the floor and charged toward Scrotor, but its tail knocked him across the room.
Andy tried to focus with all the pain surging through his body as he lay on the table. He summoned all of his strength and threw the chains off of his body before landing on his knees beside the table. His body was smoking as he stood up and stared at the alien.
“You are too late, the beacon's already been sent,” Scrotor said as Andy cracked his knuckles. “My species will come to this planet and reduce your people to nothing.”
“Then we'll go down fighting,” Andy promised as he flew at the creature, punching him with everything he had. The alien used its tail to block his punches while striking back at Andy with its own pincers.
While the two were fighting, Dr. Stone started pushing the desk out of the way to release Casey. As soon as the two were out of the room, Andy grabbed Scrotor by its tail and swung it around rapidly, sending it flying into the wall.
Andy flew down to punch the alien, but was caught off guard by Scrotor's tail and sent to the ground, skidding along until he came to a stop. As Andy rolled onto his back and looked up, he saw Scrotor's tail coming down at him. He caught it with one hand and pulled the alien closer before punching him as hard as he could.
“Do you think you're strong enough to kill me, boy?” Scrotor asked. “I've lived too long for a child to beat me!”
Scrotor swung his tail at Andy, scratching across his chest. Before he pulled his tail away, Andy grabbed it and shoved it into the console, sending a large ton of electricity charging through the creature. It started screaming in pain as Andy backed away.
“The Abercrombians are coming!” Scrotor shouted as he started disintegrating into a pile of black dust. “Your planet is doomed!”
As the last of the alien turned to dust, Andy slowly came toward it, not sure what to expect. Just as he was about to kneel down to touch it, Dr. Stone put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump in fear.
“He's dead,” Andy told him as he turned around. “Is is really too late?”
“I don't know,” Dr. Stone told him. “But if the beacon really was activated, then we could be looking a full scale invasion. And you might be the only one who can stop it. This...thing has been around for a very long time, feeding information about earth's defenses and heroes to its species. They may have counter measures for virtually every hero on Earth. Except for yours.”
“And where do I come in?” Andy asked.
“You have unlimited powers at your disposal, but your skill is raw, undeveloped,” Dr. Stone replied. “Perhaps I can help you learn how to hone your powers. Your powers might hold the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe.”
“Okay, if it'll help save the Earth and all,” Andy sighed.
Shortly, Andy headed downstairs where Casey, Devon and Jerrica were waiting.
“Andy, are you okay?” Casey asked as he rushed up to his friend.
“Yeah, I'm just going to be busy afterschool for a while,” Andy told him as they started walking along.
“What, you got a job interning at this dump?” Devon asked. “They're still closed because of you.”
“Why is he here?” Andy asked as he looked at Casey. “Look, let's just go home. I think I'm going to need all the rest I can get.”
Several light years beyond our solar system, on the planet Abercrombienfitch, an alien who looked exactly liked Scrotor received a brief transmission before it cut out again.
“The signal was brief, but we managed to locate its source,” the alien told its leader. The creature approached a cliff, overlooking his species.
“Prepare the ships. Soon we leave to conquer a new world!” the leader of the Abercrombians shouted to its followers. Several thousand alien creatures raised their scorpion like tails and roared with anticipation.
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The End...
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