AGONY'S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Chapter 9
WNTW Channel 3 Studios
Midtown, Freedom City
“Look at that.” The Omnibot tapped a television monitor with his telescoping prod. “She walked into the lobby downstairs and people just keeled over. You can actually see the cloud of vapor coming off of her.”
Nine Lives nodded. “Everyone survived except for the two anchormen. I think she wanted to make a point.”
"What are those hooded things entering with her? They're moving unnaturally." On the video, the small cloaked shapes moved like lurching penguins, wobbling back and forth every time they took a step.
"I have no idea. They apparently accompanied her in and guarded the studio workers, never saying a word."
“We think her real name is Aggie Caufield,” said Agent Morrison. “Does that name sound familiar?”
“Vaguely.” Nine Lives frowned, his forehead wrinkling his black mask. He turned to look at Morrison. “Fan Club?”
The AEGIS agent nodded. “Fan club. In particular, the former president of your fan club. She’s obsessed, one year out of high school, apparently a whiz in chemistry, and currently missing. I’ve got to say, it looks like a match.”
“Hopefully it won’t be hard to find her before tomorrow night.”
Across the studio, the Eternal Sentinel slowly rotated as he hovered in mid-air. His nostrils flared as he memorized the stink of Agony’s poison. “I’ve got her scent. I’ll know her if I cross her path. There also seems to be something interesting jammed into the cushion of the chair she was sitting on.” The Sentinel gestured and a thin beam of light shone across the room to spotlight the clue. Then he looked back at Nine Lives. “It’s a blank, acid-scarred membership card for your fan club.”
9-L thumped the heel of his hand into his forehead. “Restraining orders don’t go as far as they used to.”
Boulder plodded over, lifted the entire desk with one hand, and plucked out the card. A crime scene technician quickly took it from him. Suddenly a petite Asian woman was standing in front of the massive concrete superhero. Using Boulder as a backdrop, the woman turned to speak directly into a mobile camera.
“Good evening. I’m Amy Feng with Channel 3 News. We’re here at Channel 3 News studios in Midtown with an exclusive report on the super-powered massacre that killed two WNTW anchormen less than an hour ago. There are several meta-humans here at the crime scene right now. At this point it is not known whether they are under arrest, or how precisely they are involved in this crime scene investigation. Behind me is alleged mobster Antonio Valenti, previously revealed by this reporter to be a known felon with a criminal history who has changed his appearance to hide under the alias ‘Boulder.’”
Amy Feng turned and shoved a microphone upwards towards Boulder’s mouth. She had to extend her arm completely. “Mr. Valenti, would you like to confess exactly how you were you involved in this crime?”
Boulder extended one massive forefinger and poked it towards the small woman’s face. His voice was cavernous. “I got no comment for ya.”
“Are you here as a suspect? Is it true that you have no formal law enforcement credentials? Do you know this so-called ‘Agony’ who committed the murders here?”
“No. Comment. Get that thing outta my face.”
“What sort of illegal activities are you currently involved in?”
Boulder looked Amy Feng up and down, as if measuring her for a coffin. “None at the moment. But that might just change.” His tone was ominous.
“Indeed,” said Amy Feng to the camera, and fearlessly moved away from Boulder. “Now we go to the man who Agony claimed to be her fiancé. Nine Lives, do you have just a minute for our viewers?”
Nine Lives turned away from his conversation with the Omnibot and moved in front of the camera. “I sure do, Amy. It’s nice to see you safe. Although this is a tragic situation, I’m glad that more people weren’t killed in the attack.”
Although it’s hard to tell in the harsh glare of the television lights, Amy Feng might have blushed slightly. “Do you know this ‘Agony’ woman?”
“I do not, Amy. As far as I can tell it’s no one I’ve directly met before, although we’re chasing down leads on that right now. Having public heroes is fine, but this might be a classic – and tragic – example of what happens when appreciation turns into obsession.” Nine Lives’ voice was somber.
“Our sources indicate that she might be linked to your international fan club. Can you confirm that?”
“It’s really too soon to say.”
“How are you planning on handling her demands?”
“I’m afraid I can’t comment on that yet. All I can say is that we’re on the scene and eager to resolve the problem so that no one – no one – else gets hurt.”
“Have you taken charge of the investigation?”
“We may be investigating the problem as an adjunct to the FCPD, but it’s really the boys in blue who do the hard work. They’re the ones who deserve all of our esteem.” His voice was sincere and respectful.
“Thank you, Nine Lives. I see that you have other superheroes and vigilantes here with you today, some of whom were members of the famous group Code-4. Is this the beginning of a new team, or the rebirth of the old one?”
Nine Lives gave her a charming smile. “Sorry, Amy. No comment.”
Amy turned to the Omnibot V. Without looking the least bit fazed, she held the microphone up to his external speaker. “Here we have what appears to be an intelligent robot. Would you please ident—”
In the middle of her sentence, the Omnibot completely withdrew all of its appendages. Legs, speakers, sensors. . . all snapped instantly into the main body, leaving a featureless black globe that clanged onto the studio floor and sat unmoving. Amy stared at it for a few seconds in surprise for smoothly transitioning on to the next hero.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Wave.” She stretched slightly, arching her back as she hovered in place. Thousands of Channel 3 News viewers across the eastern seaboard fell unexpectedly in love.
“What’s your involvement with Nine Lives?”
Wave looked at the reporter with disdain. “I just want to say that you’re a really horrible person. You’re using these peoples’ death as a chance for shameless self-promotion. You’re trying to advance your career because your friends died, and for that you ought to be embarrassed.”
Amy Feng’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly in anger. “I see. So you’re not denying that you and Nine Lives are involved? Were the murders this evening motivated by jealousy for you?”
“Oh, please.” Wave blew air out from her lower lip, sending strands of her golden hair flying. “Get a spine. Or some ethics. I don’t care which.” Rudely she turned her back and surfed over to the other side of the studio. The camera indulgently followed her retreating form until Amy Feng cleared her voice and distracted the cameraman from his reverie. They turned to interview the Reformer.
The Eternal Sentinel watched this with growing concern. This is a public relations disaster, he thought. Someone’s got to do something! He dropped to the ground and strolled in that direction just as Amy Feng began to turn to the Reformer. The Sentinel threw his head back and opened his mouth slightly. “Ah. . .” His body began to glow. “Ah. . .” Roiling light coruscated up and down his torso, and the camera turned to film whatever was happening to him. “Choo!” As he sneezed, blinding radiance flashed from his form and enveloped everyone nearby in a luminous halo.
FZZZAP!
Amy Feng and her cameraman paused for a minute, eyes blinking after the sudden brightness. “I’m tremendously sorry about that,” the Sentinel apologized. “I think it’s the residual poison in the air.” Amy Feng nodded at him before finishing her interviews. With one more venomous glance towards Boulder and Wave, she and her camera crew headed out of the studio.
“What was that?” whispered the Reformer.
“Electronic dazzle,” whispered the Eternal Sentinel back. “They were taping, not live, and I just disrupted their camera. If there’s anything on that film but static, I’ll be amazed.”
The Reformer grinned widely. “You can do that? Nice.” The Sentinel winked and stroked his short gray beard.
Agent Morrison walked over. “I think we’ve got everything from here that we need. Are the interviews over?” He glanced at Wave and frowned in a preoccupied manner.
“I’d say so,” said the Reformer. The other heroes gathered around them.
“Let’s go,” said the Eternal Sentinel. “There’s not much time, and a lot of work to do.”
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