Speedfreak #1

"My name is Jody Kent. I'm 20 years old and I've had an odd life. Firstly, I'm one of a twin. My twin sister's called Laura and, well, she's annoying. But I love more than anything. Siblings can hate each other but still love each other. Even alien ones. Oh, that's the second thing. I'm an alien. I'm from a planet called Eden which is the constellation of Ursa Major. We're a humanoid race and we kind of created the human race. It's a long story that I'll get to some other time but all you need to know is that my planet have been interfering in Human affairs for most of its history. As for me, I'm not sure how Laura and I ended up on Earth. I know we weren't born here but we did grow up here. So I guess that makes us human by assimilation? I don't know. Oh, and another thing I should probably mention. Every single person born on Eden can regenerate their health to be at 100% health all of the time. We do have one weakness but we'll come to that at a later date. Everyone also has...abilities. These abilities vary but we all have them. I guess the people of Earth would call them 'superpowers' or something but, hey ho. If you hadn't already guessed, I have super-speed. I am, as far as I know, the fastest man alive. Kinda like The Flash from DC Comics except...real! And Laura can 'phase out of existence'. Although people would probably call it invisibility. She can remain out of sight but, while she is, she can't physically interact with her surroundings. Which is kind of cool. That's not everything though. There's still one important element of our lives I'm missing out. But to understand that, I need to explain what's happening now..."


Trillingham. November 2015.

The night was dark. It was one of the darkest nights that anyone had experienced for a long time and it was cold. So cold. A young lady was walking home alone in the cold. She'd just been on a date and the date had not gone too well. So, not only was she cold, she was angry.

While walking in a particularly poorly-lit area of town, she made her way past an alleyway. As she did, a figure jumped out behind her, grabbed her and dragged her back into the alleyway. The woman kicked and screamed as she remained helpless to stop the man attacking her. The man pulled her up and pushed her against the wall. She started to cry with fear.

"Stupid night to be walking alone, love! There are some dangerous people about!"

"Please, just take what you want! I'll give you what you want just please don't hurt me!"

"You ought to be careful making an offer like that...because you don't know what I want..."

He strokes her face. She whimpers with fear.

"But as you offered...we can start with your purse. How much money do you have in there?"

"I have...I have...£30 I think..."

"That's definitely a good start..." He said pulling out a knife and pointing it at her. "Get it out..."

Scared, she did what the man asked and removed her purse from her handbag. She holds it out for him to take.

"Open it yourself...", He said calmly.

She does so and produced the money and hands it to him. He snatches it from her.

"Phone?"

She gets out her phone and hands it to him. He snatches that too.

"Anything else you want to give me?"

She desperately rummages through her bag to find something of importance. She doesn't find anything important. But she does find some mints. She gets them out to show him. He looks confused. She offers him the mints in the vague hope he's take them and leave her alone. He smacks the mint out of her hands and hits her. She falls to the floor.

"You stupid girl...You stupid, stupid girl..."

She cries more as she realises what's about to happen. The man stands over her and lifts his arm with the knife in it.

"You prepared to give me anything else!? DO YOU WANT TO BARGAIN FOR YOUR LIFE!? I DIDN'T WANT TO KILL YOU BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO INSULT ME LIKE THAT, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!"

"PLEASE! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

"TOO LATE NOW, BITCH!"

He raises his arm higher with the intention of plunging the blade into the crying woman. But just before he goes for the plunge, a purple light appears behind the attacker for a millisecond before disappearing. The man throws his arm down into her chest expecting the knife to go in but finds a banana hitting her instead. The woman screams for a moment before she too realises that she's being attacked with fruit. They both look at each other confused.

"What the hell?"

"Didn't you have a knife before?"

"Yeah, I did...but..."

As he looks confused, another voice can be heard.

"Things were getting too fruity for my liking so I felt it was time to intervene".

The pair look at the entrance of the alleyway. A figure dressed in blue and black can be seen leaning against a wall, playing with the knife. They look confused.

"FRUITY! You see what I did there? I made a...a...pun?"

They look confused.

"Jeez. Tough crowd!"

The attacker walks towards the man.

"It's you, isn't it? That guy that runs around everywhere. The Flash or something?"

"The Flash? Come on, man! He's a comic book character. I'm the real-deal!"

"I ain't seen you before..."

"Yeah well that's because you're new to this shit aren't you! So allow me to introduce myself. I'm Speedfreak. I'm a guy who can run stupidly fast and the guy that's going to kick your ass and deliver you to the police station 10 minutes up the road. Sound good?"

"Is this town that crap that it needs a purple man to save it? You look like Elton John's wardrobe came to life!"

Speedfreak looks offended.

"Now, was that necessary, sir? I mean, come on! It's not my fault you're about to get your ass kicked by a guy in a purple and black suit! Plus, the Government keep cutting resources and funds to the police force so, what can I say, desperate times and all that. Don't worry, miss, you can go home very soon".

"She's staying here!"

"Oh no she isn't..."

"Oh yes she is..."

"OH no she isn't..."

"Oh yes she...wait...are you doing panto?"

"Yup. And I'm really happy that I managed to get you do to it. It's genuinely amazing when I manage to make a criminal look so utterly stupid. It's one of the best things about this job".

The attacker pulls out a gun. The woman screams again. Speedfreak doesn't flinch.

"That's a very big gun...Compensating for something?"

The attacker fires a couple of shots but Speedfreak catches them. The attacker looks surprised when he sees Speedfreak holding the two bullets he just fired. The bullets drop to the floor.

"Yeah, maybe you didn't hear the part about running stupidly fast? It's ok. That parts gets glossed over quite a bit!"

The attacker, in a panic, fires the rest of the bullets. Speedfreak dodges every single one. After the gun is emptied, in a flash, the blue light engulfs the attacker. When the purple light dissipates, the attacker has gone. Speedfreak is also nowhere to be found either. The woman looks around confused before getting up and looking around. The purple light returns.

"Oh, just so you know, you can go home now!"

He speeds off again. The rush of the getaway goes through her and ruffles her hair. She smiles with relief, picks up her things and goes.

Starcaster #1

"All I ever wanted was to be a star...I couldn't even have begun to imagine that I'd become so much more..."

Southampton. July 2010.

"Can I at least get an explanation?"

Marion Gold stood there in the audition room. The three people judging the potential cast members looked at her. The producer removes his glasses and sighs.

"I'm sorry, Miss Gold, but you're just not what we're looking for!"

"But I was invited here. I was told that I would probably get a part because I was invited!"

"I don't know who told you that but that isn't how it works! Everyone comes in here with a fair chance of being cast".

"Bollocks! I bet you've already cast everyone haven't you. You cast them before this process started. You're just doing this as a formality".

"I don't appreciate your tone, Miss Gold".

"And I don't appreciate my time being wasted!"

The man sighs. He puts his glasses back on.

"I'm sorry that you're upset, Miss Gold. I truly am. But I think it's time you left. I do hope you come and see the performance though. It should be good!"

"You can shove your production up your arse".

Marion throws her script on the floor and storms out of the studio. The man calls in the next candidate.

Marion walks out of the main doors and carries on down the street. She comes to an alleyway and breaks off to catch her breath. She leans against the wall and slumps down onto the floor. She cries. She takes a few moments to sob before regaining composure. She stands up and leaves the alleyway.

She walks into a supermarket car-park where her Dad is waiting by a car. He sees her and waves. Marion doesn't wave back and it's this reaction that leads her Dad to come to the conclusion it didn't go well.

"How'd it go, kiddo?"

Marion walks up to him, hugs him and cries once more. Her Dad's suspicions are confirmed.

Marion and her Dad get into the car as Marion wipes away the tears.

"Did they give a reason this time?"

"What do you think?"

Her Dad looks annoyed.

"Well, it's their loss hun. You'd have made them a lot of money".

"But I didn't, Dad. I didn't. And it's not their loss. They made the decision based on what they required and I didn't fit that requirement!"

"Well, you'll meet the requirements of the next one!"

"This is the 7th production I've been turned away from. You've said that every single time. It got a little boring after number 4!"

Her Dad remains quiet for a moment. Marion looks up and stares out of the windscreen.

"I'm just not good enough, Dad. I never was. Maybe this is God telling me that I'm not supposed to do this!"

"No. You ARE good enough!"

"Then why can't I catch a break!? Why am I always second best to the gorgeous, talented, stuck up people who can get a part whenever they want!?"

"Because they have an outgoing personality. They have that dickish personality that people who cast these stupid things like. And those people who go for the roles don't care for them. They're just doing it to get more shit on their CV. But you're genuinely passionate about drama and making people happy. You love making people smile and you love brightening up the room. You do it because you love it. These other numb-nuts just do it in the hope they get recognised. You're sincere. That's something you've got that they don't have. Sincerity".

"Is that why you gave me that nickname?"

"That's exactly why I gave you that nickname".

"Well, stars run on energy. And, to be honest Dad, I think I'm all out of energy. I just don't know what to do anymore...I don't deserve to be called that..."

Marion opens the door, slams it and runs away from the car, crying once again. Dad gets out of the car and calls after her but she doesn't respond.

After running for a short time, and with the day becoming night, Marion ends up on the banks of the River Itchen. She walks along the river bank and looks into the water. She makes her way up to the bridge and looks over the side. The water is dark along with the sky and looks as murky as ever. She looks ahead and sees it flowing into the Solent peacefully. The river doesn't have to put up with what she has to. She's jealous of the river.

"I wish I could be that peaceful..."

She thinks for a moment before coming to a decision. She stares at the water like she's possessed. And, almost without hesitating, she steps onto the barrier of the bridge. She stands atop it and looks down at the river once again as it flows and flows and flows peacefully. She's dying to be as peaceful as that water and now she's found a way she can be. She thinks back over all the rejections she's had.

"You haven't got quite the right voice for Cosette..."

"You've got the wrong build for this character. I'm sorry but you need to be thinner..."

"Your hair isn't blonde enough!"

"You're the wrong height!"

"Your voice isn't strong enough for this part. You can't project enough..."

And then she thinks about other rejections she's had.

"I don't think you're quite right for this Drama school. You don't really have the right kind of confidence that we're looking for. It'd be more advantageous to work on that".

"I like you, Marion, but not like that. I'm sorry but you're more like a sister to me than anything else..."

"You're not pretty enough to be our friend, you skank!"

"Why would we want to hang out with you?"

The voices went on and on in her head. Even when she tried to do good things for people...

"I don't want your charity! Do I look like a fucking charity case!? Piss off you little bitch and leave me alone!"

"It's very sweet of you to volunteer to go out to that area to help but you're too young. And many girls your age who go out there don't come back. They get abducted..."

"I can do it myself! I don't need a girl to help me out! Piss off!"

So much rejection. It wasn't difficult to see why she was on the edge of a bridge about to jump. She'd had a rough time. And, sadly, her life didn't seem to have many redeeming features. Everything she did was wrong to everyone else, even when she tried to help people purely altruistically. She was genuinely selfless and all she wanted to do was make people smile. To brighten up their day and bring light back into people's lives. She remembers a conversation with her Dad when she was a child.

"When I grow up, Daddy, I want to be an actress so people can come to my shows when they're upset and I can cheer them up and make them happy!"

"You already make people happy, sweetie!"

"Like who?"

"Like me, silly!"

"Even though Mummy's gone?"

"Even though Mummy's gone. Marion Johanna Gold, you are the light of my life and, one day, you'll be the light of everyone's lives. And, even though I don't want to, I'll have to share you with the rest of the world!"

"But I want to help the rest of the world!"

"And that's why you're my little Starcaster...bringing light to people's lives, brightening them all day, every day!"

She cries as she remembers that conversation. She thinks about her Dad for a moment but remains resolved in her endeavour. She gets out her phone and sends a message.

I'm so sorry, Daddy...please forgive me...xoxo

She puts the phone back in her pocket and puts her arm out like an angel. She takes a deep breath before leaning forward. She goes head first off the bridge, the wind rushing past her before everything goes black...

****

The light breached her eyelids as she regained consciousness. The light was so bright that it took a minute for her eyes to adjust. She stared up at a white ceiling with a strip light across it. She took a minute to adjust to everything and to get her bearings. 

"Where...where am I?"

A few moments after this, a face appears. It's not like anything she's seen before. The face of the creature was ovular, blue and weird looking. It smiled.

"Finally! You're awake!"

Marion screamed as the shock of seeing this strange creature sank it. She immediately got up off the bed she was laying on and looked around. The room was full of these creatures in what appeared to be some kind of hospital get-up.

"WHERE AM I!?"

"Please, Miss Gold, you need to stay calm!"

"TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK I AM RIGHT NOW!"

"You're in this hospital!"

"I DON'T REMEMBER THE BLUE MAN GROUP RUNNING THE NHS!"

"Please, you've been in a coma for some time. All of this might seem a little bit weird but you need to remain calm..."

"COMA!? I'VE BEEN IN A COMA!? FOR HOW LONG!?"

The creature takes a few steps towards Marion but she holds out her hand. As she does, a charge of light appears from her palm. The creature moves out of the way just in time so that the light hit a box on the other end of the room. Marion looks shocked and looks at her hand.

"WHAT THE...HOW DID I DO THAT!?"

"Please, please just calm down. We'll give you the answers you require but you need to calm down..."

"I SHOT LIGHT OUT OF MY HAND! HOW THE HELL DID I DO THAT!?"

As she finished this, the doors to the room opened. Another blue creature in very regal regalia entered and looked at Marion, then at the flaming box she shot, and then back at Marion.

"Marion Gold. I'm glad to see you awake. It's been a long time!"

Marion doesn't know what to think.

"And who the hell are you!?"

"My name is Regan Khan. President of the Ashatar Confederacy".

Marion looks confused.

"The Ashawhatnow?"

Before Regan can answer, she pushes the nurse out of the way and runs towards the door. She runs past Regan and out of the room. Regan's body guards raise their weapons to train them on her but Regan stops them.

"It's ok. She's not a threat".

Marion runs around trying to find something look out of. She's struggling to deal with what's going on but she's desperate to find answers. She finds an open door and runs into it. She runs into the room but eventually stops when she runs into a window. She hits it with some force and falls to the floor. She gets up and shakes herself off before looking out the window in question. She stares out of it and can't believe her eyes.

She looks out and sees a series of galaxies in a cluster. She recognises the Milky Way galaxy right ahead of her and looks confused.

"That's...that's..."

"Your home".

Marion turns around with a start and sees Regan Khan once again. He walks up to her and stands next to her, looking out the window with her.

"It's beautiful isn't it!"

"It is...but...that's the Milky Way galaxy. How can I be outside of it? I was in Southampton...I was..."

"About to die".

Marion remembers. She looks ashamed.

"Yes..."

Regan laughs.

"I know you have many questions, Marion Gold of...Southampton? I've never heard of the Planet of Southampton. I was told we picked you up from Earth but never mind. I know you have a lot of questions, Marion Gold. And we will answer any question you require an answer to, But you must rest for a moment. You've been through a lot and there's much you will not understand. You must regain your strength in order to process what's happened to you. It will be tough but I have every faith that you will be ok".

Marion looks up at Regan.

"Is this a dream?"

"No".

"Damn".

Regan looks confused.

"Why?"

Marion looks out the window again.

"I was rather hoping this was all Morphine and I was in Southampton General. But I'm actually in space aren't I".

"Yes".

Marion breathes a sigh of acceptance.

"Ok. I think it's time you started explaining what the hell is going on here..."

Regan smiles.

"Come with me..."

Regan offers his hand, which Marion takes. They walk out of the room and towards another. Marion has no idea what's going on. And, after everything's explained, she may regret asking...



End.

Very special thanks to Emily Chick for proof-reading this and making sure it's all shiny and nice to present to you all :)

SERENGETI #1

Berlin. May 1945

They looked around the city with disbelief. It had been ravaged. It'd been a number of days since the Red Army had entered Berlin and captured it and only a week since Hitler killed himself. It was a tense time but they still had a job to do. Hitler may be dead and the war might have been coming to a close, but there were still a few Augs running around that needed to be taken care of. 

The SERENGETI team walked the battered streets of the German capital with vigilance. Out of the original 6 members, only 4 remained so they had cause to remain alert. The war might nearly have been over but the Augs were still the same threat they always were.

The group walked in a square formation with the team leader, Cal Hartman, and his deputy, Sarah Cole, at the front. The remaining two members, Dr Marsh and Reginald Power, followed up the rear. Despite being on high alert, there was hope among the team and a notion that they were very close to winning their own war. Once they defeated the Augs, the Nazis would fall fast and Admiral Donitz would have no choice but to surrender to the Allies. And, after 6 years of war and 4 years of their own fighting, the prospect of peace was far too inviting.

Cal, who was a biologist who had become bioluminescent during a lab accident, was the only one of the team who still had an air of cynicism about him. Sarah, a woman who was able to open up small wormholes at will, didn't share his cynicism. 

"You need to loosen up a bit", Sarah declared.

This was ok for her to say. Sarah had only been recruited to the team 2 years ago and hadn't gone through the same amount of pain Cal had. Cal had seen so much more than Sarah could even try to imagine. He'd seen his oldest friend die at the hands of an Aug who had super-strength who could make even the most determined and experienced fighter look like a ragdoll once he had his hands on them. Cal was glad the war was nearly over, but he was also mindful of the general cost of the war. Besides, they'd been caught up in their own separate conflict. They didn't once consider the human cost of this war.

After walking up a long road, Dr Marsh stopped and put his hand out.

"Guys?"

They stopped and looked around. Dr Marsh had heightened senses as well as being able to map an area purely with his heightened senses. He'd been invaluable in the fight against the Augs.

"I can hear something...they're close..."

Marsh closed his eyes and mapped the area around them. He could hear something to their left. Though he couldn't quite make out what it was. But he could tell the size of the being...it was superhuman...

"It's Mastodon..."

The remaining three started to form a defensive position around Marsh. Cal, who was also able to expel 'venom shards' and use an elongated tongue as a weapon, turned to face where Mastodon was coming from. Sarah got ready and summoned up blue energy from her palms. Reginald, who was effectively a ghost, also assumed a defensive stance. Reginald died in the Battle of the Somme during World War I. But, due to a strange quirk of nature known as the Veil, he was sent back to Earth during the Second World War to help with SERENGETI. He could possess any living thing for 5 minutes at a time and reconnect with the physical world. This gave him a lot of advantages in war situations. Marsh was continuing to plot the area to find any more. He scanned under the rubble too and it was here that he found another signal. A woman this time.

"Bombshell is here too..."

Sarah immediately tensed up. Sarah and Bombshell were bitter enemies, though they were friends during childhood. When the war started though, they had a difference of opinion about which side would win. Since then, they'd been locked in battle with one another.

This didn't matter for the moment. Because, just as Marsh finished his new discovery, Mastodon jumped out the building near them and kicked Cal out of the way. Cal went flying through the broken window of another building and landed in a heap. The others looked up and saw the 8-foot muscular gargantuan loom over them.

"Missed me?"

Just as Sarah was about to make her first move, Mastodon gets slapped from the next building by Cal's elongated tongue. Mastodon falters for a moment before looking right at Cal.

"Oh. Did I hit you? I'm so sorry(!)"

Mastodon laughs.

"You're mine, Hartman!"

Mastodon launches himself at Cal but Cal manages to blind him by a sudden burst of light. Mastodon flies into the building and Cal follows him. They both vanish...

At this moment, an explosion occurs a few feet from Sarah and she's thrown back. She looks up and sees Bombshell. A stick thin young woman who's wearing a more skimpy and sexualised version of the SS uniform. She giggles and looks at a bemused Sarah. Her broad American accent betraying the clothes she's donned.

"Heya, sweetpea. Missed me?"

Angrily, Sarah gets up and opens up a portal. She disappears into it for a few moments before reappearing from another one and kicking Bombshell in the face. She goes lands on her back and the pair engage in hand to hand combat. Marsh and Reginald remain for a moment.

"And what do you suppose we do now, Reggie?"

Reginald looks around and notices some Russian soldiers coming towards them.

"I might have an idea..."

Runs towards the Russian soldiers and flies straight into one. Reginald disappears as the Russian soldier falters and collapses for a moment before getting up. The soldier shakes his head and shouts orders in Russian.

"We have a superhuman situation here. Keep an eye out for a woman in an SS uniform and an 8-foot tall Mexican wrestler. If you see these two, shoot on sight!"

The soldiers, who seem confused at the recent actions of their commander, accept these orders and keep an eye out for the individuals that he mentioned. 

A portal opens and Bombshell is kicked through. She skids across the ground as the Russians look in awe of the portal. Sarah jumps back through. The commander steps up again.

"That's her! Restrain her!"

The Russians concentrate their guns on Bombshell. She looks up to see the situation. She chuckles.

"Now, boys, are you sure this is how you wanna play this?"

The Russians continue to point their guns at her, determined not to upset their odd commander. Bombshell nods.

"Ok", she sees gleefully. 

She carefully removes a grenade and pulls out the pin. The commander gives a retreat order while Sarah opens a portal to retrieve Marsh. The grenade explodes and the Russians are killed. Reginald removes himself from the body of the commander and looks around. Bombshell is nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, Cal is still fighting Mastodon. Neither are gaining the upper hand but both are giving as good as they get. Until, after short time, Mastodon grabs Cal by the throat and slams him against a wall. Cal tries to get himself free but Mastodon continues to slam him again and again. Eventually, Cal gives up. Mastodon smiles.

"I killed your friend and now I get to kill you. Life is good..."

"You think I'm afraid to die? Because I'm really not..."

"I don't care. Your death means our cause wins. The human race shall become Augmented by our design! You've failed, Hartman. You've failed".

Cal laughs.

"All these years of fighting me, you still don't completely understand me do you..."

Mastodon looks confused. At this point, Cal opens his mouth and fires a venom shard at Mastodon. It lodges in his eye as Mastodon lets out an agonising scream. He drops Cal and attempts to remove the shard from his eye but Cal bombards him with more and more and more. Mastodon violently swings around trying to stop him but he can't. Getting slowly weaker, Mastodon slumps to the floor.

"I don't know how much Venom is needed to take an 8-foot body builder down. But I'm sure I've given you enough to incapacitate you at least. Your time is up!"

Mastodon laughs.

"You can kill me if you want to...but there's still the big boss, yet..."

Mastodon falters and falls to the ground. He doesn't move. Cal goes to check his pulse but finds there isn't one. Mastodon is dead.

Outside, Sarah has found Bombshell again and they have continued fighting. Realising that Sarah needs some help, Reginald runs up to Marsh.

"Permission to come aboard?"

Marsh nods.

"Ok. But, please, be careful. Mildred will be most upset if I'm damaged!"

Reginald nods and fades into Marsh. Marsh looks up and joins the fight. Reginald was skilled at hand-to-hand combat during the First World War and helps Sarah with Marsh's body. Bombshell realises and tries her best to hold them off but can't. Eventually, Sarah beats her down to the ground and eventually knocks her out. Bombshell crumples up onto the floor and remains still. Reginald leaves Marsh and they all look at her.

"Well done, Sarah. Send her back to HQ".

Sarah opens up a portal and Bombshell falls through it. It closes.

"That felt damn good..."

Cal joins them once more. They all look at each other.

"Bombshell?"

"Gone to London. Mastodon?"

"Dead. I had no choice".

"We know".

They all congratulate each other before hearing a cawing. They look up and then find themselves being pulled up by something invisible. They struggle to get free but they can't. Another figure reaches the ground, slowly. He looks at the team evilly while he has both hands held up.

"So this is what's left? I remember dealing with the A-Team once upon a time but THIS is all that's left? London must be desperate if you're here!"

He closes his hands and releases the team. He walks around them as they recover.

"And I suppose you came here to finish it. Once and for all? End the Aug experiments? Finish us, finish the war, is that it!?"

The team stand up. The figure looks around.

"I notice you've killed Mastodon. Shame. He was a good worker. And Bombshell, well, she was very good for...using her wiles. So, well done, you've removed the rest of MY team. But now you're left with me. Are you sure that's a battle you can win?"

Cal steps forward.

"I think we have a shot. Because we've won, von Sterm. You're the only one left. There's 4 of us and only 1 of you. So make this easier on yourself. Come quietly. Surrender. It's only a matter of time before Donitz does so you might as well lead by example".

Von Sterm laughs.

"You really think you've won, don't you?"

He continues to walk around them.

"Each time we've met, I've defeated you. I haven't killed you because I like this game we play but I've defeated you. Time and time again. What makes you think you can defeat me this time?"

"Because you're alone. And, even you, cannot so as much damage as you could with everyone else. Sure you can rule the world with Mastodon. Bombshell, Spider, Tomahawk and Weedman on your side. But alone, you're useless. Worthless".

Von Sterm smiles.

"You make a valid point, Hartman. But as always, you're very...VERY...wrong..."

Von Sterm throws something at Cal which ends up going through his throat. Cal splutters as he fails to continue breathing. Sarah screams and runs over to him. 

"CAL! CAL! NO!"

After a few moments of struggling in her arms, Cal's eyes close and he dies. Sarah screams out and cries. Von Sterm laughs.

"Did you ever tell him how you felt, Miss Cole?"

Sarah looks at him angrily.

"I suppose not..."

Sarah gets up and runs towards Von Sterm and starts to fight him. Von Sterm not only has telekinesis, but he's a high-ranking general in the SS. He also takes his alias from a nickname his platoon gave him due to his ruthlessness in dealing with the enemy. Vulture.

They continue fighting for a short time before Von Sterm manages to get Sarah in a headlock. She attempts to open portals to get out but Von Sterm breaks both of her arms. She screams out in agony as she realises she cannot escape his grasp. Von Sterm laughs.

"You're a brave, brave girl. And a credit to your team and your country. But you lack the ability to separate yourself from emotion. Now, look at Hartman..."

He forces her to look at Cal's dead body.

"He couldn't detach himself from his emotions either and look where it got him. A place in the Veil I'd expect. Do you see a pattern emerging here?"

Sarah realises what's about to happen.

"Now you can be with him for all eternity..."

Von Sterm jolts his arms and Sarah stops struggling. Her neck breaks. He lets go and she slinks to the ground. Von Sterm then turns his attention Marsh and Reginald.

"Gentlemen, you have two choices. You can either surrender and join me...or you can join your friends in the Veil".

He glides over to Dr Marsh.

"What will it be?"

Marsh is nervous. He's not sure what to choose. He once again looks at Cal and at Sarah. He realises that he's going to die either way.

"Surrender...is not in my nature..." Marsh says while shaking with fear.

Von Sterm nods.

"And compassion, Herr Doctor, is not in mine..."

Von Sterm plunges his fist into Marsh's chest and rips out his heart. Marsh looks at it for a moment before collapsing to the floor. Reginald looks around at his friend's dead bodies as Von Sterm starts to eat Marsh's heart. He eats a little bit more, enjoying each morsel as he does. When he finishes the heart, he looks around for Reginald but he is not there. Von Sterm looks around again. He knows Reginald has not possessed him so where can he be? Suddenly; Cal's voice can be heard again.

"Do you feel good?"

Von Sterm turns around to see Cal standing up. The blade from before still in his neck.

"Does it feel weird to possess your friend, Herr Power?"

Cal looks annoyed and saddened. Von Sterm throws away what's left of Marsh's heart and walks up to Cal.

"I can't kill you...you can't kill me...we appear to have reached an impasse".

"It seems we have".

"Either way, you have failed. By not killing me, the spirit of the Augs is very much alive. Our flame will burn throughout the 1000 year Reich. We will smash the Allies, we will take their lands and we will kill anyone who stands in our way. Naturally gifted...or normal!"

"I can't let you do that".

Von Sterm laughs once more.

"And we've already agreed that you cannot stop me..."

"I said I couldn't kill you. I didn't say I couldn't stop you..."

Cal presses a button on his chest and a device flies out towards Von Sterm. The device expands and produces a transparent cuboid. Once everything settles, Cal looks on as Von Sterm becomes trapped in the device. Von Sterm looks around in anger.

"WHAT IS THIS!?"

"It's a cryogenic chamber. When I press this button, you're going to freeze. Then you'll be shot into the sky, High above the atmosphere where the vacuum of space will determine where you go to next. We knew we couldn't kill you. So Dr marsh devised this instead. Artemis sent us to "remove you". They didn't give specifics on how to".

"You tricked me..."

"Always come up with a back-up plan, right?"

Von Sterm smiles evilly.

"You're absolutely right, Herr Power..."

Von Sterm reaches into his pocket and pulls out a device of his own. He presses it. A small explosion can be heard miles away. Cal looks back confused before looking back at Von Sterm.

"What was that!?"

"Your failure".

Cal walks a few paces away, looking at the dust cloud in the distance.

"Before Artemis shot down Tomahawk over the Mid-Atlantic, he placed a series of devices right across the world designed to enter the water supply of every population on this planet. The devices contained a serum. The same serum that changes the DNA of humans to become...Augmented..."

Cal looks back. He realises.

"That serum...it diffuses...it multiplies in liquids..."

"And the whole Earth is going to drink it. Shoot me into space, I don't care. But know this, Herr Power, I have won. For the final time. I. Have. Won. Because when those people drink that serum, and they will, there will be a whole generation of people with Augmented abilities. Then, once their DNA changes, they will pass it onto the next generation. Even if the changes don't affect them and only carry the genes, they'll pass it on to their kids. And they'll pass it onto their kids until the Earth is overrun with Augmented Humans. But do you know what the funniest thing is?"

Cal looks around.

"When the abilities are revealed, the people of Earth won't be able to tell the difference between the Naturally Gifted and the Augmented Humans. There'll be a witch-hunt either way".

Von Sterm laughs. Cal realises he's lost. Von Sterm steps back in his cell. He knows what's going to happen to him but he enjoys the moment anyway. Cal looks defeated.

"So, go on...remove me..."

They look at each other one final time as Cal presses the button. The cell fills with a gas. When the gas clears, Von Sterm is frozen. Cal presses another button and the cell is fired high into the sky until, eventually, it can't be seen anymore. Cal drops the button and looks around at himself, Sarah and Dr Marsh. It was all for nothing. Cal picks up a radio and tunes it.

"Artemis HQ this is Reginald Power possessing Hartman. Vulture is secured and removed but...we failed. I'm the only one left. I'm sorry...but we lost..."

He drops the radio. And after a deep breath, Reginald leaves Cal's body. The body drops onto the rubble next to Sarah. It was only right to put the two of them together in death. After he does this, he hears more soldiers coming. Looking at his friends one last time, he fades away in nothingness. The soldiers run to see what's happened. They look confused. They haven't got a clue. The commander looks at his second in command.

"I don't see any remnants of an explosion nearby. But there's a reservoir nearby. Let's check that out and stock up on the water..."



End