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<blockquote data-quote="Insight" data-source="post: 894608" data-attributes="member: 11437"><p><strong>United Heroes Annual #1 "A Time for Change"</strong></p><p></p><p>Scene 2: "A Traitor in the Midst"</p><p></p><p>"Dear friends," Archbishop Brookes began. "We have lost a great friend in the dearly departed Seraphim. A being of power and love, ability and caring, strength and compassion. He has now passed from this world into the next and, in doing so, saved the very world he was charged to protect, saved it from certain doom and destruction at the hands of fiends most treacherous."</p><p></p><p>In the front row of the funeral were the United Heroes: Harpy, Iron Dragon, Torpedo, Electrostatic, Pathfinder, and MorningStar. On the other side of the aisle were non-powered dignitaries such as Police Chief Myrtle, Mayor Paula Castle, and DEMA Liaison to the United Heroes, Joe Marks.</p><p></p><p><em>What the heck is keeping the Scoundrel?</em> Harpy wondered. <em>Maybe I should scan for him.</em> She considered it, but decided to concentrate instead on the ceremony. Seraphim was obviously very ceremonial, and it would serve well his memory for his friends and allies to be here in the moment.</p><p></p><p>Archbishop Brookes finished his reading from Song of Solomon, and asked if anyone wished to speak. Torpedo was the first to volunteer.</p><p></p><p>The Atlantean approached the podium, unsure of what he might say. He was the newest member of United Heroes, and had not known Seraphim long. But somehow, Torpedo felt compelled to say something remarkable about Seraphim's life.</p><p></p><p>"As I'm sure you can no doubt tell," Torpedo began. "I am not a person of the surface world. This process of funerals is rather new to me, but I can certainly understand their significance. I am also new to my team, the United Heroes, and was only briefly in Seraphim's presence. What I can tell you is that Seraphim was a grand representative of the potential of humanity, and that, despite his otherworldliness, Seraphim truly loved humanity and died saving it."</p><p></p><p>Just then, the Scoundrel entered the cathedral through the back entrance he had told everyone he would use. Harpy breathed a sigh of relief. The Scoundrel walked to the stage area next to Archbishop Brookes and pulled out his Hellfire Pistols.</p><p></p><p>Torpedo had not seen this and kept talking. Harpy and Pathfinder stood in surprise, shocked. They could neither act nor warn anyone before the Scoundrel plugged Brookes twice and dropped the archbishop to the floor.</p><p></p><p>**************************************</p><p></p><p>"What the hell is going on?" DEMA Liaison Marks stood and shouted at the Scoundrel's actions.</p><p></p><p>The United Heroes, now well aware of what was happening, stood from the pews and looked to Harpy, the team leader.</p><p></p><p>"What are you looking at me for?" she demanded. "Get him!"</p><p></p><p>The Scoundrel, seeing the heroes coming for him, fired off two pre-emptive strikes, one shot at MorningStar, who had not yet activated her force field, and one shot at Harpy, the leader. Both rounds struck their targets, and Harpy dropped. MorningStar, though hurt, was still going.</p><p></p><p>Electrostatic, while quick, wasn't fast enough to stop the Scoundrel from hurting Harpy, the object of the hero's affections. The electric hero sped to Harpy's side and realized she was out cold and, while injured, would survive, assuming she got adequate medical attention. Electrostatic picked her up and launched out of the cathedral entirely.</p><p></p><p>Because he had not brought his SuperX Crossbow, nor his magical dagger, Pathfinder felt a little useless against the Scoundrel, so he decided it best to usher the vulnerable 'normals' out of the room. He though to try to retrieve the injured Archbishop Brookes, but the body was too close to the action.</p><p></p><p>"What is wrong with you, Scoundrel?" Torpedo demanded as the Atlantean hero lunged onto the hero-turned-villain. The Scoundrel, seeing Torpedo's leap, simply sidestepped the attempt, sending Torpedo sprawling across the cathedral floor.</p><p></p><p>MorningStar recovered from the Scoundrel's attack, but could do little at the moment.</p><p></p><p>Powering up, Iron Dragon sought to knock the Scoundrel out in one punch. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Scoundrel," he said, "But I intend to take care of the problem regardless!"</p><p></p><p>Iron Dragon swung his empowered fist at the Scoundrel who, in a whirl of acrobatics and trenchcoat, dodged the attempt and landed on the stage.</p><p></p><p>Pathfinder, watching the Scoundrel dodge the attacks, noticed something strange about his former ally. <em>I'll have to stay here,</em> Pathfinder considered. <em>I know there's something odd about him, but I'm not entirely sure what it might be.</em></p><p></p><p>The Scoundrel turned on the stage and his Hellfire Pistols blazed once again, this time his fire concentrated on Iron Dragon. The Asian hero, expecting the barrage, tried to evade the attack, and managed to sidestep one fiery bullet, but the other lodged into his shoulder. Iron Dragon shrieked in a manly way and then dropped to one knee as his body was ravaged by the pain.</p><p></p><p><em>I wish Harpy was here,</em> MorningStar thought. <em>She could read the Scoundrel's mind and find out why he's attacking us!</em></p><p></p><p>Pathfinder looked more closely at the Scoundrel, and he spotted something on the amnesiac's back, hidden beneath the folds of his trenchcoat. <em>What is that?</em> he wondered. <em>It looks like some kind of device I've not seen the Scoundrel wear before. Perhaps it's not of his own choosing. What if that's some kind of control device?</em></p><p></p><p>Pathfinder called out, "I believe our friend Scoundrel has a... monkey on his back!"</p><p></p><p>The Asian hero jumped onto the stage to square off with the elusive Scoundrel, and was a little surprised by Pathfinder's suggestion. "What?" he asked.</p><p></p><p>"Look on his back!" MorningStar shouted, understanding completely what Pathfinder was trying to say.</p><p></p><p>Torpedo understood, and charged forward to make a try for the strange device attached to the Scoundrel's back. The Scoundrel turned toward the Atlantean hero and assumed a defensive posture. "I know you're not quite yourself," Torpedo said. He could not get at the device, so Torpedo took a swing, hoping perhaps to knock out their erstwhile ally. The Scoundrel easily dodged the attack, though he had temporarily forgotten about his other opponents.</p><p></p><p>Though she wasn't entirely certain, MorningStar felt she might be able to melt the device without harming her ally, the Scoundrel. She concentrated, and fired a narrow beam of fire at the amnesiac's backside, but the Scoundrel easily dodged the attack, assuming of course that MorningStar was trying to harm him.</p><p></p><p>Iron Dragon concentrated, and his fists glowed with inner power. He leapt behind the Scoundrel, trying to spot the object to which Pathfinder was referring. He saw something metallic somewhat hidden beneath the Scoundrel's coat, but could not grab it for the moment. Instead, Iron Dragon tried to tackle the Scoundrel, a tactic for which the Scoundrel apparently had to countermove. The Scoundrel and Iron Dragon fell in a heap, rolled, and fell off the stage. One of the Scoundrel's Hellfire Pistols went flying, and skittered across the cathedral floor. He had held onto the other one, so the Scoundrel had been partially disarmed as well as tackled.</p><p></p><p>"Help me!" Iron Dragon shouted as he struggled to keep the Scoundrel still. "Get that thing off him!"</p><p></p><p>Torpedo, the closest, surged forward and grabbed the silvery, oblong device. It was slippery, as if made from a Teflon-like material, but the Atlantean managed to hold on to it as the Scoundrel struggled with Iron Dragon.</p><p></p><p>"Hurry," MorningStar urged as she could only watch and hope for the best.</p><p></p><p>Pathfinder finished clearing everyone else from the cathedral and noticed that ambulances were on their way, as well as police cars. <em>The civilians and innocents should be fine now,</em> he realized. <em>I can now help with the Scoundrel.</em> With that, the Native American hero moved in. <em>Archbishop Brookes! I forgot about him.</em> Pathfinder rushed past the wrestling Iron Dragon and the Scoundrel to fetch the unconscious and badly wounded priest. He turned and sprinted outside, where EMTs would be waiting for the injured.</p><p></p><p>"Hold him still," MorningStar urged. "Maybe I can melt this thing."</p><p></p><p>"No, wait," Torpedo countered as he pulled it off. The Scoundrel shrieked as the device tore his skin, as well as his trenchcoat.</p><p></p><p>"It was attached to his body!" MorningStar commented. "What the heck is going on?"</p><p></p><p>"Uhh," the Scoundrel moaned as Iron Dragon released him. "What's happening? Where am I?"</p><p></p><p>Iron Dragon shot the amnesiac hero a stern look. "You attacked us, remember?"</p><p></p><p>The Scoundrel was confused. "I did? Why?"</p><p></p><p>Torpedo stood and examined the device that had been attached to the Scoundrel's back. "I would hazard to guess this device had something to do with it."</p><p></p><p>"What is that?" the Scoundrel asked.</p><p></p><p>"I don't know," Torpedo replied. "But we need to find out. I think someone may have used this device to control you. The question is why..."</p><p></p><p>A figure peered through the back door of the cathedral, watching the scene unfold.</p><p></p><p>"Curses," the figure said. </p><p></p><p>He walked outside to meet his wooden soldiers. They did not move at his approach, recognizing their master and creator. </p><p></p><p>The figure, revealed in the afternoon sunlight, was a balding, middle-aged man dressed in a stout leather apron and matching gloves. "Those United Heroes foiled me again! But this is not the last they will hear from <span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Gepetto the Puppet-Master!</strong></span>"</p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Watch for Scene 3, Coming Soon!</strong></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Insight, post: 894608, member: 11437"] [b]United Heroes Annual #1 "A Time for Change"[/b] Scene 2: "A Traitor in the Midst" "Dear friends," Archbishop Brookes began. "We have lost a great friend in the dearly departed Seraphim. A being of power and love, ability and caring, strength and compassion. He has now passed from this world into the next and, in doing so, saved the very world he was charged to protect, saved it from certain doom and destruction at the hands of fiends most treacherous." In the front row of the funeral were the United Heroes: Harpy, Iron Dragon, Torpedo, Electrostatic, Pathfinder, and MorningStar. On the other side of the aisle were non-powered dignitaries such as Police Chief Myrtle, Mayor Paula Castle, and DEMA Liaison to the United Heroes, Joe Marks. [i]What the heck is keeping the Scoundrel?[/i] Harpy wondered. [i]Maybe I should scan for him.[/i] She considered it, but decided to concentrate instead on the ceremony. Seraphim was obviously very ceremonial, and it would serve well his memory for his friends and allies to be here in the moment. Archbishop Brookes finished his reading from Song of Solomon, and asked if anyone wished to speak. Torpedo was the first to volunteer. The Atlantean approached the podium, unsure of what he might say. He was the newest member of United Heroes, and had not known Seraphim long. But somehow, Torpedo felt compelled to say something remarkable about Seraphim's life. "As I'm sure you can no doubt tell," Torpedo began. "I am not a person of the surface world. This process of funerals is rather new to me, but I can certainly understand their significance. I am also new to my team, the United Heroes, and was only briefly in Seraphim's presence. What I can tell you is that Seraphim was a grand representative of the potential of humanity, and that, despite his otherworldliness, Seraphim truly loved humanity and died saving it." Just then, the Scoundrel entered the cathedral through the back entrance he had told everyone he would use. Harpy breathed a sigh of relief. The Scoundrel walked to the stage area next to Archbishop Brookes and pulled out his Hellfire Pistols. Torpedo had not seen this and kept talking. Harpy and Pathfinder stood in surprise, shocked. They could neither act nor warn anyone before the Scoundrel plugged Brookes twice and dropped the archbishop to the floor. ************************************** "What the hell is going on?" DEMA Liaison Marks stood and shouted at the Scoundrel's actions. The United Heroes, now well aware of what was happening, stood from the pews and looked to Harpy, the team leader. "What are you looking at me for?" she demanded. "Get him!" The Scoundrel, seeing the heroes coming for him, fired off two pre-emptive strikes, one shot at MorningStar, who had not yet activated her force field, and one shot at Harpy, the leader. Both rounds struck their targets, and Harpy dropped. MorningStar, though hurt, was still going. Electrostatic, while quick, wasn't fast enough to stop the Scoundrel from hurting Harpy, the object of the hero's affections. The electric hero sped to Harpy's side and realized she was out cold and, while injured, would survive, assuming she got adequate medical attention. Electrostatic picked her up and launched out of the cathedral entirely. Because he had not brought his SuperX Crossbow, nor his magical dagger, Pathfinder felt a little useless against the Scoundrel, so he decided it best to usher the vulnerable 'normals' out of the room. He though to try to retrieve the injured Archbishop Brookes, but the body was too close to the action. "What is wrong with you, Scoundrel?" Torpedo demanded as the Atlantean hero lunged onto the hero-turned-villain. The Scoundrel, seeing Torpedo's leap, simply sidestepped the attempt, sending Torpedo sprawling across the cathedral floor. MorningStar recovered from the Scoundrel's attack, but could do little at the moment. Powering up, Iron Dragon sought to knock the Scoundrel out in one punch. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Scoundrel," he said, "But I intend to take care of the problem regardless!" Iron Dragon swung his empowered fist at the Scoundrel who, in a whirl of acrobatics and trenchcoat, dodged the attempt and landed on the stage. Pathfinder, watching the Scoundrel dodge the attacks, noticed something strange about his former ally. [i]I'll have to stay here,[/i] Pathfinder considered. [i]I know there's something odd about him, but I'm not entirely sure what it might be.[/i] The Scoundrel turned on the stage and his Hellfire Pistols blazed once again, this time his fire concentrated on Iron Dragon. The Asian hero, expecting the barrage, tried to evade the attack, and managed to sidestep one fiery bullet, but the other lodged into his shoulder. Iron Dragon shrieked in a manly way and then dropped to one knee as his body was ravaged by the pain. [i]I wish Harpy was here,[/i] MorningStar thought. [i]She could read the Scoundrel's mind and find out why he's attacking us![/i] Pathfinder looked more closely at the Scoundrel, and he spotted something on the amnesiac's back, hidden beneath the folds of his trenchcoat. [i]What is that?[/i] he wondered. [i]It looks like some kind of device I've not seen the Scoundrel wear before. Perhaps it's not of his own choosing. What if that's some kind of control device?[/i] Pathfinder called out, "I believe our friend Scoundrel has a... monkey on his back!" The Asian hero jumped onto the stage to square off with the elusive Scoundrel, and was a little surprised by Pathfinder's suggestion. "What?" he asked. "Look on his back!" MorningStar shouted, understanding completely what Pathfinder was trying to say. Torpedo understood, and charged forward to make a try for the strange device attached to the Scoundrel's back. The Scoundrel turned toward the Atlantean hero and assumed a defensive posture. "I know you're not quite yourself," Torpedo said. He could not get at the device, so Torpedo took a swing, hoping perhaps to knock out their erstwhile ally. The Scoundrel easily dodged the attack, though he had temporarily forgotten about his other opponents. Though she wasn't entirely certain, MorningStar felt she might be able to melt the device without harming her ally, the Scoundrel. She concentrated, and fired a narrow beam of fire at the amnesiac's backside, but the Scoundrel easily dodged the attack, assuming of course that MorningStar was trying to harm him. Iron Dragon concentrated, and his fists glowed with inner power. He leapt behind the Scoundrel, trying to spot the object to which Pathfinder was referring. He saw something metallic somewhat hidden beneath the Scoundrel's coat, but could not grab it for the moment. Instead, Iron Dragon tried to tackle the Scoundrel, a tactic for which the Scoundrel apparently had to countermove. The Scoundrel and Iron Dragon fell in a heap, rolled, and fell off the stage. One of the Scoundrel's Hellfire Pistols went flying, and skittered across the cathedral floor. He had held onto the other one, so the Scoundrel had been partially disarmed as well as tackled. "Help me!" Iron Dragon shouted as he struggled to keep the Scoundrel still. "Get that thing off him!" Torpedo, the closest, surged forward and grabbed the silvery, oblong device. It was slippery, as if made from a Teflon-like material, but the Atlantean managed to hold on to it as the Scoundrel struggled with Iron Dragon. "Hurry," MorningStar urged as she could only watch and hope for the best. Pathfinder finished clearing everyone else from the cathedral and noticed that ambulances were on their way, as well as police cars. [i]The civilians and innocents should be fine now,[/i] he realized. [i]I can now help with the Scoundrel.[/i] With that, the Native American hero moved in. [i]Archbishop Brookes! I forgot about him.[/i] Pathfinder rushed past the wrestling Iron Dragon and the Scoundrel to fetch the unconscious and badly wounded priest. He turned and sprinted outside, where EMTs would be waiting for the injured. "Hold him still," MorningStar urged. "Maybe I can melt this thing." "No, wait," Torpedo countered as he pulled it off. The Scoundrel shrieked as the device tore his skin, as well as his trenchcoat. "It was attached to his body!" MorningStar commented. "What the heck is going on?" "Uhh," the Scoundrel moaned as Iron Dragon released him. "What's happening? Where am I?" Iron Dragon shot the amnesiac hero a stern look. "You attacked us, remember?" The Scoundrel was confused. "I did? Why?" Torpedo stood and examined the device that had been attached to the Scoundrel's back. "I would hazard to guess this device had something to do with it." "What is that?" the Scoundrel asked. "I don't know," Torpedo replied. "But we need to find out. I think someone may have used this device to control you. The question is why..." A figure peered through the back door of the cathedral, watching the scene unfold. "Curses," the figure said. He walked outside to meet his wooden soldiers. They did not move at his approach, recognizing their master and creator. The figure, revealed in the afternoon sunlight, was a balding, middle-aged man dressed in a stout leather apron and matching gloves. "Those United Heroes foiled me again! But this is not the last they will hear from [size=2][b]Gepetto the Puppet-Master![/b][/size]" [size=3][b]Watch for Scene 3, Coming Soon![/b][/size] [/QUOTE]
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