Short Story: Old Justice
Tales of Hero City Collection
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Word Count: 8,480
Comedy / Super Hero Short Story
The new blood of Hero City are out and about, ready to fight some evil, and what do you know but a bunch of villains are teaming up ready to be defeated. They're young and have lots to prove.
So when the old hero, Justice Man, offers his help, the new heroes are less than impressed.
The villains however... They've got a bit of a soft spot for the old guy.
AO3 Link, for those that want it:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/63766645
Full Story Under The Break
Old Justice
Moonlight lit the metropolis rooftops, as yellow lights from sleepless rooms illuminated the buildings below. At the edge of the sea of monolithic buildings, a lush green garden sprawled, with trees and ponds standing in contrast to the buzzing city. The garden was surrounded by a twenty foot high wall, topped with barbed wire, and armed with cameras and spotlights. Inside sat a mansion, upon which a glowing neon sign proclaimed “Dr Inconspicuo’s Manor. No Trespassers.” The building had been built months previously by the reclusive, unknown billionaire, Dr Inconspicuo, who had never been seen, heard from, nor had any official records at all.
Needless to say, things were a little suspicious.
On the nearest rooftop to the park, a woman stood, tapping her foot impatiently. She wore a full purple and silver spandex body suit, which even covered her hair, with a pattern reminiscent of a racing car.
“Where are those guys?” she muttered. “We were supposed to siege the building at 10.”
“Or perhaps you’re early,” a voice echoed from the shadows.
The woman jumped, energy sparking off of her. “Bloody hell! How long have you been there, Stealth Watcher?”
At the far corner, a caped figure emerged from the few feet of darkness cast by the roof entrance. A cowl covered their face and a cape covered their body.
“I’ve told you before…” the shadowy figure growled, their voice forcefully gravelly. The voice’s owner was female, and trying very hard to sound otherwise. It was clearly a struggle. “How many times do I have to tell you, Sammy?”
“Tell me what?”
“I am Stealth Watcher II!” Stealth Watcher II growled. “Not Stealth Watcher. I am not my predecessor.”
Sammy raised an eyebrow. “You mean your boss, right? Because Stealth Watcher isn’t dead. He’s not even retired. But, I mean, how could I possibly confuse you two? You’re even more broody than him, which I didn’t think was possible,” she laughed, as Stealth Watcher II rounded on her.
“If you two are going to fight, can we at least take bets?” a new voice called from above.
Both women looked up as two figures descended. One was a regular looking man, Hollywood tan, brown hair and stubble, dressed in some form of karate gi. The other man was a colossal figure, easily eight feet tall and half as wide, with most of his skin covered by green armour plating.
“I bet on Sammy to win,” said the giant, descending on rocket thrusters and speaking with a thick German accent.
“Then I’ve got Watcher II. She’s scrappy,” the martial artist agreed, a magical green aura lowering him to the rooftop. He landed and stood smiling. “Alright girls, let’s see who wins.”
“You first,” Stealth Watcher II warned.
“Yeah,” Sammy agreed, fidgeting with her body suit. “You fight Klaus. I’ll fight Watcher. Then we’ll see who wins, Footie?”
The martial artist turned to the giant beside him. He looked him over, having to look up to finish the job.
“Maybe some other time,” he bailed. “Also, don’t call me Footie. It’s Wandering Foot.”
“Right you are, Footie,” Sammy grinned.
“She gets my name wrong too,” Watcher sympathised. “I am not Watcher, or Watcher II. I am Stealth Watcher II!”
“Right you are, Night Guard,” Foot said cuttingly. “Or have you finally ranked up from sidekick to full hero.”
“It’s a trial period…” Watcher II growled, formulating ways to hurt him behind her mask.
“Can we get down to business?” Klaus changed the subject before any fists were thrown. He held out his palm and a small holographic display appeared from the centre of his gauntlet. It displayed Dr Inconspicuo’s mansion in minute detail, the diagram constructed from blue light.
“Alright,” Stealth Watcher II agreed. “What’s the plan?”
“Go in, fight the bad guys, win,” Foot said simply.
Klaus frowned. “I was considering a plan with a little more detail. For example, we break in through the eastern skylight and then work our way west. That should put us on a direct course with the control room where our targets are waiting. And there, we can stop their diabolical plan.”
“What’s their force strength?” asked Stealth Watcher II.
“Unknown. Could be anywhere from just the three of them to 10,000 men.”
“I don’t think they could hire ten thousand men without us noticing.”
Klaus rolled his eyes. “Well, maybe a few thousand. I just mean it could be a lot of guys.”
“Don’t know, don’t care,” Sammy cut in. “I’ve been waiting on this rooftop for half an hour now and I am buzzing for some action.” She did appear to be gently vibrating.
“Alright then,” Foot concurred. “We go in and we win this. But first things first…” he smiled, as did the whole group. Even Watcher seemed to glower a little less. “Role Call?”
“I love this part. Makes me feel like a proper hero,” Sammy beamed. With that, all four leapt to their corners of the roof making grand posturing gestures. Sammy went first.
“I am Sammy Swift. Faster than the wind, speedier than the crack of a whip, snazzier than a sports car,” she announced, posing arms out. She then ran five laps of the rooftop in a couple of seconds leaving a spiralling blur behind her. She came to a stop on a dime and kept posing.
“I am The Wandering Foot!” Footie proclaimed next. “Student to the Wandering Fist and a master of all martial arts. There is no door or wall that can stop my feet in motion.” He did a few kicks as an example, one firing a green fireball off into the night. There was a squawk as a pigeon got singed.
“Krusher Klaus,” said the gigantic Klaus. “Scientist and giant, I can crush my enemies with my fists or with my mind.” He smiled cockily and tapped his temple in a rehearsed stance.
They all looked to the suddenly darker corner of the roof where smoke now roiled.
“I am Stealth Watcher II,” came the voice from the dark, straining to stay gravelly. “I move in shadows and bring punishment to all those who dare to hunt in my night.”
“And I’m Justice Man!”
The four heroes span to see a man standing at the entrance to the roof. His suit was a dark orange and blue, with a large J.M. across the chest, and a cape flowing from his shoulders. He was easily in his mid-fifties, if not older. His head was shining in its baldness, and his face was gently wrinkled. He stood, smiling proudly, utterly unheeding of everyone else’s confusion.
“Justice Man?” puzzled Klaus. “I may be new in town, but who is Justice Man?”
“Local hero,” Foot answered. “He was a hero when me and Watcher were kids.”
“Stealth Watcher II!”
Foot waved her down. “He was one of the big players back then. His nemesis was Mr Intellitron, who you might have heard of.”
“Ah, yes. The glory days,” Justice Man sighed nostalgically, his voice deep and heroic.
“Of course, villains were weaker back then,” Foot derided. “He didn’t even beat Intellitron. The supervillain retired and started up a beach resort.”
“Oh yes. Intellitron Resorts. I went there last year,” Klaus recalled.
“You used to fight alongside Stealth Watcher,” Stealth Watcher II addressed Justice Man.
“I certainly did. He’s always been a good friend,” Justice Man said proudly. “And who are you? You’ve definitely got the air of Stealth Watcher about you.”
“I’m Stealth Watcher II,” she answered seriously. “and like my mentor before me, I’ll be a better hero than you, even without powers.”
“Ah, S.W, that takes me back. It’s like old times. How’s he doing anyway? I miss that cowled crusader,” Justice Man smiled obliviously.
“Alright, why are you here, old timer?” Sammy said untactfully. “Do you need some help?” She mouthed each word like he was deaf.
“I was more offering to help you,” Justice Man smirked. “I heard you were going up against some tough villains. Annihilator, Madame Mechanism, and that terrible fiend, Dark Dragon. Well, I’ve fought Annihilator and Dark Dragon before. And I have some experience with someone like Mechanism. Hell, one time, Intellitron had me pinned under a girder and my only way out was to use my mind powers to grab a rubber duck and…”
“What can this guy do again?” Klaus interrupted, asking Wandering Foot.
“Telekinesis, flight, above average strength. Has a gimmick of a bullet proof cape,” Foot answered. “He used to be a big deal.”
“Ah, alright,” Klaus nodded. He turned to Justice Man and started talking loudly. “Alright gramps,” he joined Sammy in enunciating every word. “I don’t think we’ll be needing your help today, but thank you for dropping by.”
“My hearing’s not gone yet, you whipper snapper,” Justice Man chuckled. “And these villains aren’t push overs. I’ll tell you, one time I was against Annihilator…”
“Shall we go?” Sammy addressed the other young heroes. They nodded and one by one they left. Sammy sped off down the stairs in a blur. Stealth Watcher II slipped into shadow and somehow vanished. Meanwhile, the Wandering Foot and Krusher Klaus left the way they came, flying from the rooftop, while Justice Man continued telling his story.
* * *
Within the mansion, there was a bustle of activity. Workers moved boxes and mechanical parts throughout the building and did various other miscellaneous tasks, the manpower broken into three distinct groups. The majority wore blue jumpsuits with gear logos on the shoulders. The second group at first glance appeared to be wearing bulky hazmat suits, but on closer inspection were actually bulky robots. The final group, and heavily in the minority, were those dressed in dark robes and wearing dragon masks, the Apocalypto Cultists, who were primarily just giving the orders to the others.
An alarm sounded. The structured order turned to sudden panic, as a purple blur sped through the corridors. Guards pulled their weapons, but were disarmed just as quickly. The blur reached a larger room, where some guards had already managed to draw their weapons. They opened fire and trapped the purple blur behind a pillar.
One elder henchman, a large 14 on his lapel, was shouting orders to flank the hero. Before anyone could, a dark figure dropped from the rafters and into the gathering throng. One after another, henchmen were knocked unconscious. Henchman 14 just rolled his eyes, even as the troops began to overwhelm the dark figure.
The window exploded as the colossal form of Klaus burst through, followed by Wandering Foot. Henchmen fled from the falling glass, and the tide of battle swiftly changed. Klaus landed, launching small crowds of people with swipes of his arm, while Foot kicked magical fireballs into the hoard, sending people careening covered in magic ash. No longer pinned by gunfire, Sammy sped out and joined Stealth Watcher II in the fray. The four of them fought on, pushing towards the doors.
Henchman 14 watched, scowled, then retreated through two massive metal doors. With a press of a button, the doors sealed with an epic clang.
Combat continued as the four heroes cleared the room. The Apocalypto Cultists drew swords, but Klaus slapped them to the ground. The robots marched in, but Stealth Watcher II threw devices turning them against their allies. Wandering Foot met the rest of the henchmen, showboating as he took them down. Finally, Sammy Swift got bored and , moving at a blazing pace, swept the room going back and forth like a lawn mower. Her fists knocked down every henchmen she hit. In moments, the room was quiet, other than the sounds of pained groaning.
“And that is why you don’t mess with heroes,” Foot quipped.
“But these were just the henchmen,” Klaus tempered. “The real villains are beyond.”
“Yeah,” Sammy debated, “but we’re young, we’re feisty, and we got this far without any help from that old fuddy-duddy-”
“Wow, that was quite a battle,” Justice Man admired as he floated in through the window.
“Urgh, I summoned him,” Sammy groaned.
“Quite a lot of henchmen. It reminds me of the time I fought Winter Lord and The Surgeon at the same time. A lot of doctors caught colds that day, I can tell you.” He laughed quietly to himself.
“Yep. A guy in a parka and a failed medical student. Definitely the same thing,” Sammy muttered.
The four younger heroes walked over to the giant metal doors while Justice Man searched the room. Some of the still conscious henchmen recognised him and asked for autographs.
The four stood before the massive doors. Klaus rubbed his metal gloved hands together while Stealth Watcher II examined the keypad.
“I could type every possible code in the blink of an eye?” Sammy suggested.
“No. If you enter the code wrong three times it locks down,” Watcher II answered broodily.
“Me and Foot could pull it open?” Klaus offered.
“Then you couldn’t get through. We might need you in there.”
“I could open it with my mind powers?” Justice Man suggested.
Sammy was the only one who even bothered to turn around. She watched as Justice Man lifted a henchmen’s rifle with telekinesis as a demonstration. She sighed.
“We don’t need your help here, gramps,” she said, smiling falsely. “But if you really want to help, then could you do an aerial sweep of the grounds for us?”
“Not a problem, miss,” Justice Man smiled, then took off back out the window.
“But we did a sweep on the way here?” Foot stated.
“I know. But it’ll keep him out of our hair for a while.” Sammy explained, as Watcher II attached an electronic device to the keypad.
* * *
The giant doors eventually slid open, and the four heroes stepped through into a massive chamber. On a raised platform before them were three ominous figures.
The first was a tall woman wearing a dark-blue, armoured jumpsuit. Grey hair rolled down her shoulders in lightning-shaped zigzags, and some kind of pack was strapped to her back. She was also stood on some kind of giant mechanical spider, which definitely matched the aesthetic she was going for. Around the spider, and below the raised platform, stood 20 henchmen, each numbered, 14 amongst them and noticeably older than the rest.
The second figure, stood on the far side of the platform, was a metal creature that stood as tall as the woman even on her spider. In silhouette it would have resembled a demon, with a long tail and horns. In truth, the horns jutted from its back and up behind its head, which was a security camera encased in a bullet-proof globe. Its arms were long and ended in drill-tipped claws, its legs were reverse-jointed, coiled and ready to spring at any moment, and the machine’s skin was thick and dotted with bolts and rivets. Across its chest was the word “Annihilator” with only the A, H and R being part of the metal’s original pattern. The rest was spray-painted on in pink.
The last figure, sat in a very high-backed chair, was typing at a keyboard. Pointed pauldrons poked out the sides, and a sinister red glow surrounded him. At the sound of people entering, he leaned to look at the newcomers, red eyes scrutinising them. Even over this distance, the four heroes shivered under its gaze. He sat back and raised a hand to his compatriots.
“Kill them,” an unholy voice commanded.
The two other villains leapt from the platform and into action. The woman thrust her arms out, as both hands transformed into energy cannons. Annihilator dropped into a combat stance, as plates of metal moved on his back and two futuristic machine guns extended over each shoulder. For a moment, nobody moved.
“Madame Mechanism. Annihilator. Dark Dragon,” Wandering Foot addressed, trying not to shudder at the last one. “We are here to serve the note of justice against you villains, and stop you from deploying your doomsday device and taking over the city.”
“Note of Justice?” muttered Madam Mechanism. “These heroes keep getting cornier.”
“AFFIRMATIVE. AMEN TO THAT,” Annihilator mechanically agreed.
“Also, I wouldn’t call it a doomsday device. It’s more a satellite bank hacking system, with a built in laser cannon. A super weapon, sure, but not doomsday. Get your facts straight.”
“Well, whatever it is, we will stop it,” Klaus interjected. “Science must not be misused for evil.” He clenched an armoured fist.
“Only evil from your perspective, dear,” Mechanism sneered. “I think I’m doing the world a favour because-”
“Are you ignoring my orders?” Dark Dragon hissed. Mechanism gulped. “I said, kill them.”
“Attack!” Mechanism called.
Her twenty henchmen charged, weapons at the ready. The villain followed suit atop her giant mechanical spider. Annihilator roared like a wild animal, specifically a Tasmanian devil he’d recorded, the robot met head on by Krusher Klaus.
Dark Dragon got back to typing.
Klaus and Annihilator landed blow after blow, energy shields and plasma weapons lighting the room. Stealth Watcher II and Sammy Swift faced the group of advancing henchmen, with 14 giving the commands. Stealth Watcher II fired a grappling hook up into the ceiling, intent to disappear into the rafters. Then she flinched and dropped the launcher as her grapple line zapped her.
14 smiled smugly. “I’m no amateur, Stealth Watcher. Step one, electrify the rafters.” He raised his rifle, but was blindsided by Sammy at top speed, knocking him down.
His fellow henchmen didn’t need his orders anyway and opened fire, dividing their attention between the speeding Sammy and Stealth Watcher II. Meanwhile, Wandering Foot flew towards Madam Mechanism and her spider.
“And who are you supposed to be, karate man?” she mocked.
“I, Madame Mechanism, am the Wandering Foot!” he said brashly, diving a kick towards the mechanical spider. It leapt from his path, while Mechanism primed her weapons.
“Wait, Wandering Foot? As in the Wandering Fist but a foot instead?” Mechanism jeered. “Wow. That’s unoriginal.”
“I’ll show you unoriginal!” Foot snarled and charged, as Mechanism opened fire.
Back on the ground, Stealth Watcher II had thrown a grenade and ripped apart the metal floor. Hefting a large section, she hid behind it as cover. Nearby, Sammy was moving so fast that the trained henchmen couldn’t keep up, their shots at best hitting her blur.
Grumbling, 14 got back to his feet. He ordered Henchmen 5 through 9 to flank left and 10 through 13 to flank right, all to surround Stealth Watcher II. The rest of the men were ordered to keep suppressive fire on Sammy.
Watcher II reached into her combat vest, pulled out some smoke bombs and threw them, but they landed where the henchmen had been before 14 split them up. The only ones caught in the smoke were the ones shooting at Sammy, who all collapsed into coughing fits. 14 himself just held his breath and kept firing to keep the super-speed hero at bay. The pincer movement meanwhile began to surround Watcher II’s improvised cover. She flung out a small boomerang, which knocked a henchman down. But the rest kept moving forwards.
Suddenly, the roof burst open in one corner of the room. Standing in the rubble was Justice Man, proud and triumphant. He was also facing the wall, his back to everyone, taking a moment before he noticed. As well as that, and more perplexingly, he was now wearing a trench coat, fake glasses, a fake nose and beard, in some futile attempt at a disguise. His super suit and logo were still visible under the trench coat, which wasn’t even done up at the front.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Wandering Foot shouted angrily.
“I thought I should infiltrate this facility in disguise,” Justice Man responded.
“You think that’s a disguise?!”
“But who could it be, if that truly is a disguise,” Henchman 14 called out theatrically.
“Seriously?” Foot almost screamed.
“It is I, Justice Man!” the elder hero responded, throwing the trench coat and fake features off with practiced ease. “I am here to stop you, evil-doers!”
“Justice Man!” Madame Mechanism said in shock. “No one said you’d be here today. I wish I’d done my hair better,” she considered, then took up an intimidating stance. “Whatever the case, we will fight to the last, Justice Man, even against a hero as great as you,” she proclaimed, a tinge of over acting to her speech.
Annihilator nodded his camera. “THREAT LEVEL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. THIS WILL BE FUN,” the mechanical voice whirred.
“And what am I, chopped liver?” Klaus complained.
“Yeah? Are we not good enough for you?” Sammy chimed in. “Were we not kicking your butts well enough?”
“Last I checked, we were kicking your butts,” Henchmen 14 called out.
“Only until I beat your boss,” Wandering Foot argued. “This old codger,” he gestured vaguely at Justice Man, “he isn’t going to change anything.”
“You watch your mouth!” Madame Mechanism snapped. Everyone stared at her. “Justice Man is a legend. He battled my Uncle Intellitron dozens of times and is truly a force to be respected. He’s beaten more villains than you can name.”
“You’re Mr Intellitron’s niece?” Justice Man asked kindly.
“Yep. Just following in the family business. Mum doesn’t approve, but what are you gonna do?”
“But… he’s an old man,” Klaus argued. “Feeble and foolish.”
“JUSTICE MAN HAS BEEN IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION AS LONG AS THIS UNIT HAS,” Annihilator rumbled. “AND HE JUST BURST THROUGH A SOLID CONCRETE CEILING. THAT IS HARDCORE.”
They all glanced up at the sizeable hole in the ceiling. Stealth Watcher II pulled out her grappling line again and held it ready.
“But he’s so old,” Sammy said disgustedly.
An annoyed Madam Mechanism fired something at Sammy’s legs, but she hopped over it, leaving the device on the floor nearby.
“Sure, he’s no spring chicken, but he still hits harder than you,” Henchman 14 countered.
“Do I know you?” Justice Man asked thoughtfully.
“We’ve met before. I’m Henchman 14.”
A spark of recognition crossed Justice Man’s face. “One of Intellitron’s lot, right?”
“I’m on loan from Intellitron Resorts. Helping out the niece.”
“You… hit me with the magma ray many years ago,” Justice Man recalled.
“That’s right. You then threw it at me, as I recall.”
“You were also the one turning the crank when Intellitron was lowering me into a tank of poisonous sharks?”
“I’m honestly surprised you remember that,” 14 blinked.
“Ah, where does the time go,” the old hero reflected. “How many times have we met?”
“Don’t even ask me to count. You’ve punched me in the face so many times.”
“I suppose I must have. But you can’t beat a good henchmen. Now everyone has robots. It’s lost the personal touch.”
“Right? Where’s the heart in it?” The two older men stood smiling for a moment.
The moment was cut short by a sinister voice which had been sitting quietly all this time.
“I very rarely have to repeat my orders more than once,” Dark Dragon hissed terribly. “I said, kill them.”
In a moment, the room returned to the chaos of battle.
Stealth Watcher II fired her grappling line upwards. The rafters were broken from Justice Man’s entrance, the electrical current cut out, so she ascended, disappearing into the darkness above. Klaus was sucker punched by Annihilator, the pair resuming their brawl. Sammy started to speed off, while 14 opened fire again. His fellow henchmen continued to surround where Stealth Watcher II had been, while Madam Mechanism turned and fired a device at Wandering Foot, the machine catching him by the ankles and strapping his legs together.
“I call that an Achilles Heel,” she grinned.
“Don’t make fun of the foot,” the hero warned, floating awkwardly like a flying mermaid.
“I’ll make fun of whatever I want. Wandering Foot is a stupid name anyway. Wandering Fist sounds like a martial arts technique. Wandering Foot just sounds like you’ve got numb legs.”
She laughed manically and briefly closed her eyes… which meant she didn’t see Foot flying at her with two bound feet. He kicked her clean off her mechanical spider, hurling her spinning through the air. However, even as he gloated, she landed nimbly like a gymnast on both feet.
“Built in gyroscope, son. Try a little harder,” she jabbed, and primed her weapons.
Nearby, Sammy was speeding back and forth, trying to dodge 14 and his laser rifle. She darted one way, then suddenly duked back. 14 couldn’t react in time, and she sprinted at him, her fist connecting with his chin, with 14 sent sprawling onto the floor. But, a second later, with some groaning, he got back up. Sammy hit him again, launching him back in the other direction. A few seconds later, he scrambled back to his feet.
“Why won’t you stay down?” Sammy demanded.
“Experience,” 14 answered smugly. “I’ve been hit in the face by Justice Man over 500 times. I can take a punch. Now take this!”
14 pounced sideways, grabbed Mechanism’s abandoned device and sent it flying, then fired a burst of laser. Sammy dodged the lasers but step straight into the device, as it turned into a mess of metal limbs and tied her legs together. Sammy reflexively tried to run, but tripped and fell on her face. 14 approached slowly, his rifle primed and ready. He pulled the trigger.
Suddenly, the space between them was filled with a mound the size of a man. The lasers hit blue fabric and ricocheted into the walls. 14 dove for cover as the mound straightened up to reveal Justice Man, the hero having shielded Sammy with his cape.
“You cannot hurt me. My cape is bulletproof,” he said triumphantly, then launched himself at 14. He pulled the gun from the henchman’s grasp and punched him square in the jaw, sending him tumbling across the floor.
“Now that’s a punch,” 14 shouted, before colliding with a wall and falling unconscious.
“I had it under control,” Sammy grumbled. She gripped the leg bindings, then vibrated her hands violently. The bindings rattled apart and she stood, brushing herself down, before running off to help Klaus. Over by 14, Stealth Watcher II dropped from the rafters, bound the man’s hands, and disappeared into the shadows again.
As the rest of 14’s men reached Stealth Watcher II’s previous cover, they of course found her missing. They immediately turned their weapons upwards and opened fire. A shadow moved amongst the beams, and they focused their fire on it, only for it to leap from the rafters and swing down on a long cable. One shot got lucky and cut the cable, but the dark figure was already on a collision course. She landed amongst the troops and began landing blow after blow, breaking guns and arms alike. Soon the crowd lay broken with her at the centre. One by one, she tied their hands together.
“Good work there, Stealth Watcher,” Justice Man said cheerily.
“It’s Stealth Watcher II!” she angrily corrected, but he was already drifting towards one of the other battles.
Wandering Foot floated as aggressively as he could, his legs still bound. Madame Mechanism fired shot after shot from below, but none met their mark. Whenever he could focus, Foot returned fire with a magical blast, but the shots were either shot down or hit the force-field surrounding the villain.
Mechanism charged her cannons and fire two massive blasts. Wandering Foot fled upwards, taking cover in the rafters, where the blasts exploded harmlessly against the beams.
“Need any help?” asked Stealth Watcher II, waiting for him.
“Nah. You help Klaus,” Foot answered.
Watcher II nodded and sped off along the beams. Meanwhile Foot, with his legs still bound, focused and generated a large ball of magical fire between his hands. With a breath to prepare, he rolled sideways and fell.
“Catch this!” he shouted, and threw the fireball.
It roared like a missile as Mechanism fired blast after blast into it. But each shot was just absorbed and added to its growing size. Madam Mechanism braced herself for impact.
The room was flooded with explosive light. When the smoke cleared, Madam Mechanism was still standing, stood on a small protected section of floor in the middle of a blackened crater. Her force-field sparked with energy.
“Nice try, but no,” Mechanism bragged.
“How about this then?” Sammy rushed towards her.
The speedster hit the energy barrier, but rather than bounce off, she began to hit it rapidly like a speed bag. Mechanism just smirked. Then a small watch on her wrist started beeping. The display glowed yellow. Her smile faded. The yellow quickly shifted to red, as the small screen displayed the words “Shield Overload.”
Panicked, she ripped the watch from her wrist and threw it across the room, where it promptly exploded. Suddenly unprotected, Mechanism leapt into the air, jetpack igniting, floating out of Sammy’s reach.
“Now try and fight us,” Wandering Foot called, preparing another fireball.
“If you insist!” Mechanism answered with a smile. She swung her hand and one energy cannon was replaced with an electrified baton like a baseball bat. “Let’s go!” she goaded, and flew towards Wandering Foot.
At the far end of the room, Klaus and Annihilator sparred. Metal fists met metal skin, in both directions, it sounded like an iron foundry on a busy day. Then the robot landed an iron fist under Klaus’s chin, toppling the giant. Annihilator loomed over him, shoulder mounted cannons unfolding and firing into his armour. The sound was similar to steel drums in a firing range. Finally, the guns stopped and Annihilator charged, his drill claws squealing. Klaus rose to greet him, and threw himself bodily against the machine.
The machine monster tumbled, with Klaus landing punch after punch. Armoured fists struck caste-iron plating, denting and clanging the metal. One fist swung, but landed in the robot’s outstretched palm. Annihilator’s claws clamped like a vice. Klaus threw a second punch, which was also caught, Klaus wrestling to get free.
At the peak of Annihilator’s head, a spark jumped between his horns. The spark became a lightning storm which swirled and solidified into a glowing electrical sphere. A pre-recorded laugh track echoed from Annihilator, as a javelin of energy fired. It struck Klaus in the armoured chest and carried him across the room, leaving his gauntlets behind in Annihilator’s claws.
“ARMOUR REDUCED BY 12%. TARGET WEAKENED,” Annihilator rattled synthetically. “I’M GOING TO PICK YOU OUT OF YOUR SHELL LIKE A KING CRAB.”
“That is where you are wrong,” Klaus answered, rising to his feet, his accent thick on his words. “This armour isn’t for my protection. It is for yours.” He raised his exposed hands, which were beginning to glow red. He punched the ground and the concrete split open.
“THREAT INCREASED. BRING IT ON,” Annihilator answered.
They charged each other, both roaring, only for something to leap between them. Justice Man leapt into the fray and knocked Annihilator sideways with a punch. Or at least he would have, had he not missed by a few inches, the knuckles just clipping a bolt with a miserable clink.
The massive mechanical monster looked down, paused, and then lumbered sideways, almost collapsing into the wall. Justice Man stood, beaming proudly, and blinking like he’d forgotten his glasses. They stared each other down, before Annihilator leapt at him and took a wide, telegraphed, swipe. Justice Man hardened his features and focused on the limb. A mild purple glow surrounded the claw and slowed its movement, if only slightly. A moment later, with a hiss and a whir, the arm came to a stop.
“My mind powers are superior to you, metal man,” Justice Man stated proudly.
Annihilator played stock sound effects of struggling. Then it managed to free its arm, even though Justice Man was still apparently holding it.
“YOU WILL NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS, DESIGNATION: JUSTICE MAN,” buzzed Annihilator. “WE HAVE FOUGHT MANY TIMES, AND NOW AGAIN EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. YOUR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, HERO.”
“Well, I’m not done yet,” Justice Man retorted, throwing a punch. It impacted with a loud clang, even denting the metal. A full second later, Annihilator lulled backwards.
“YOU ARE STILL SO STRONG, JUSTICE MA-”
Annihilator didn’t finish, as Klaus’s fist knocked his head clean off. The camera inside its bullet proof orb rolled and looked around in surprise.
“UNFORESEEN RESULT. ERROR. THAT WAS RUDE,” it babbled.
“Do you think I care?” Klaus shrugged.
“Good job, sir,” Justice Man admired. “Caught the mechanical menace off guard.”
“…yes,” Klaus said, gauging if he was being mocked. He wasn’t, so accepted the complement. “You’re… quite impressive yourself, Justice Man,” he added disingenuously. “So much so that would you mind cleaning up the mess here while I go join the others?”
“Gladly. I’ll be right with you in a minute,” Justice Man grinned proudly.
Klaus discretely rolled his eyes, then retrieved his gauntlets before running off towards Madame Mechanism.
Madame Mechanism and Wandering Foot danced in the air, exchanging energy blasts and magic fire. Both could dodge as well as they could shoot, so the air was filled with the deadly bolts. Below, Sammy ran back and forth, attempting to find a vantage point. Above, Stealth Watcher II observed from the rafters.
As the two airborne warriors danced, Madame Mechanism attempted to zap her opponent with the baton. Back and forth, she dove at him, her weapon buzzing. On one attack, Foot grabbed her wrist, keeping the crackling metal from his skin.
Until Mechanism raised her other hand and fired an energy blast square into his chest.
Wandering Foot fell and landed with a thud, only a scorch mark on his chest to remember the injury. Madam Mechanism hovered above, laughing maniacally, truly milking the moment.
As she laughed, there was the tinkle of metal, and something small fell into her jetpack. After a moment, the jetpack sparked, sputtered, and finally gave out with a burst of black smoke. Mechanism was unceremoniously deposited on the floor, landing heavily on her rear.
Sammy sped over to the stunned Wandering Foot and grabbed the restraints around his legs. With a moment of vibration, they were gone, and Foot tiredly clambered to his feet. Together, they surrounded Madame Mechanism, joined by Stealth Watcher II, who dropped from above holding more electrical charges. Madame Mechanism rose and tried to run, only to meet Krusher Klaus coming the other way. The four heroes cornered her. Finally, she stopped, dropped to her knees, and put up her hands, both back to ordinary gauntlets. Justice Man landed outside the formation and nodded appreciatively.
“Alright, you caught me,” Mechanism submitted. “At the very least I’ll get to tell Uncle Intellitron I got caught by the one and only Justice Man,” she smiled excitedly.
“Hey, we did all the work!” Wandering Foot scowled.
Madam Mechanism stuck out her tongue. Her arrogance was short lived, as Stealth Watcher II threw an electric charge at her and she fell unconscious. The heroes stood over the fallen villain and smiled to each other at a job well done.
They were interrupted by a chair flying at them.
The five heroes all leapt back with varying speeds and stared up at the platform. There stood the tall and imposing figure of evil, a knight, armour ornately designed in coal-black. The helmet was shaped like the mouth of a dragon, with the dragon’s tail winding around his neck then flowing down his spine. The pauldrons were shaped like wings, the gauntlets and boots were clawed, sharp as knives, and the only facial features that could be seen of the wearer were two glowing red eyes which shone out the dragon helm’s mouth. A crimson aura surrounded him, his piercing eyes scarlet, and just the sight of him formed a pit in the stomach of every hero there.
“Dark Dragon,” they all muttered in concerned unison.
The armoured figure leapt at blinding speed, landing amongst the team. With a roar, a wave of fiery energy surged forth, blasting each of them back. Klaus was the first to recover and charged, only for Dark Dragon to catch him by his giant torso and lift him clear off the ground. Wandering Foot was next, running in, only to wind up crushed underneath Krusher Klaus as Dark Dragon threw him.
Sammy zipped towards the dark fiend, zigzagging back and forth. She picked up speed, and with something approaching a sonic boom, punched the knight’s chest at top speed. Dark Dragon didn’t move; it was like hitting a metal post. She span out and tumbled over herself, skidding into a heap of one, clutching her aching hand. Dark Dragon strode over, grabbed her by the leg, and threw her into the forming pile of her friends.
Finally, Stealth Watcher II struck. She threw a handful of smoke bombs which exploded in the warrior’s face. He raised a hand to wipe away the smoke. She launched electrical devices and sparks surged across the surface of his armour, but he brushed them off. Finally, she charged headlong, jumping and launching into a flying kick. She stopped abruptly three feet from her target, Dark Dragon having raised a hand, his red aura surrounding her. He held her floating as she struggled, before lining up his shot and launching her with a flick of his hand into the pile of her friends. With a final dismissive gesture, he released a massive pulse of fiery energy and sent the entire pile crashing into the wall.
“Pitiful,” the villain scowled.
“Stop right there, you felonious fiend!” Justice Man proclaimed, landing heavily, having hovered overhead during the fracas.
Dark Dragon stared down the old man, his eyes casting the hero in a red glow.
“Justice Man,” came the chilling, hissing tone. “It has been many years since we last met in battle. Finally, we can settle this, and decide the fate of this world once more.”
“I will never yield to a demon such as you,” Justice Man said triumphantly.
“As it must be,” the terrifying voice audibly grinned. “Now DIE!”
In a flash, Dark Dragon raised a hand and a red orb formed in his palm. Justice Man leapt back and avoided it by inches, a smouldering crater left where it struck. With speed beyond his age, Justice Man swept through the smoke and punched the demonic warrior in the chest, forcing him back several yards. Dark Dragon kept his feet, scraping the metal floor with his clawed boots, only to be hit by another punch. And another. Soon the two had covered half the width of the chamber before Dark Dragon retaliated. He launched a wave of crackling energy at the floor, but Justice Man flew over it with ease. He then yelped and rolled in the air, narrowly dodging a fiery sphere which carved a hole in the far wall.
“Justice will always triumph, Dark Dragon. I’ve beaten you before and I’ll do it again,” the hero boasted. Nearby, the younger heroes each rolled their eyes, attempting to disentangle themselves from the pile.
“I have toppled empires in ancient days. I have fought armies and gods. Every hero falls eventually, Justice Man, and you are no different,” the demon’s dark voice echoed.
Justice Man only smiled in response. “But you’ll fall first, Dark Dragon.”
Dark Dragon growled, then reached to the waist of his armour. The air at his hip boiled, and from nowhere, a crimson sword formed. The blade was massive, a two handed broadsword with an ornate grip. The demon warrior held it aloft, both gauntlets on its handle.
Justice Man stared back, smiling yet unarmed. He reached back and unhooked his cape, then wrapped it around each hand and twisted it like a wet towel. He held it like a garrotte wire, though the image was not exactly intimidating, as it was a man holding some cloth between two hands. After a moment of tense silence, both combatants leapt at each other.
Dark Dragon swung, searing the air, but Justice Man dodged and blocked with his cape. The improvised shield refused to yield against the glowing blade, even as it carved chunks out of the floor on the back swings. The two fighters exchanged blow after blow, Justice Man on the defensive, while Dark Dragon attacked.
“You. Can’t. Hurt. Me,” Justice Man panted between strikes. “My. Cape. Is. Bulletproof!”
Nearby the younger heroes continued to get back to their feet, now partially distracted by the battle. None of them were in any hurry to get involved or help.
After minutes of combat, Dark Dragon stabbed with his glowing broadsword. It avoided Justice Man’s cape, slotting neatly between his arms from below, aimed straight towards his heart. Dark Dragon pressed forwards murderously, as Justice Man activated his telekinesis, holding the sword from his chest.
Something in Dark Dragon’s expression smiled. Justice Man puzzled this, until the demon pulled back, hooking the cape on the blade like a sling. With the force of a trebuchet, the villain swung and hurled his nemesis across the room. Justice Man cried out and landed in a crumpled heap, groaning from various aches and joints. Dark Dragon marched towards him ominously. Justice Man rose to a sitting position as the villain stood over him.
“Oh, I’ll need a sit down after this,” Justice Man grumbled.
“Rest forever more, my old enemy,” Dark Dragon growled, sword raised.
Justice Man’s gaze narrowed. “Who are you calling old?”
With a burst of speed, he unwrapped the cape from one hand and whipped it, an end striking right between Dark Dragon’s eyes like a cat o’ nine tails. The fabric made a crack like a gunshot, and the unholy gladiator roared, landing some distance away on his back.
Justice Man leapt to his feet, returning his cape to his back, as Dark Dragon rose, snarling like an engine. His sword had dissipated and the beastly warrior stood with his sharpened gauntlets glowing like fire. As Justice Man finished replacing his cape’s clasps, he briefly stopped to rub a pain in his back.
Again, the hero and villain leapt for one another. Justice Man punched, Dark Dragon slashed and breathed fire, and the pair danced in a lethal display of skill.
Meanwhile, in the corner, the younger heroes were standing again, but were still more focused on watching than helping.
“You know, I didn’t expect the fire breath,” muttered Wandering Foot.
“Why did you think they called him Dark Dragon?” asked Sammy.
“The armour?”
Klaus raised a hand. “Do you think that, perhaps, we should help him?”
“Yeah, I guess,” Sammy agreed. “Looks like DD is going easy on him anyway.”
“You think?” Foot raised an eyebrow. “It looks pretty tough to me.”
Watcher II readied a boomerang. “So, do we wait for an opening, or do we just-”
“Charge!” Klaus proclaimed.
The four heroes charged towards the fray. Dark Dragon took notice. Without breaking stride, he swung an arm in their general direction and a wall of flame erupted, cutting a foot in front of the team. They each struggled to a stop as the flames died, none of them wanting to cross the new gaping chasm in the metal floor.
Dark Dragon returned his attention to Justice Man, as the hero swung and landed a hefty blow. Dark Dragon stumbled but kept his feet, launching another flame breath. But Justice Man had already moved. With practiced ease and knowledge of combat, Dark Dragon span and caught Justice Man behind him, claws wrapped around his throat. He held the hero aloft, Justice Man struggling to break free. Within the demon’s helm, the pilot light of his breath took form. The glow reached its zenith, and Justice Man stared into it, before desperately focusing his mind. There was a flash of purple.
Dark Dragon screamed.
He released the hero, clutching his helm in pain. He hissed and shrieked, unleashing the flame breath harmlessly into the ceiling. Justice Man triumphantly landed on his feet.
“What is this weakness?!” cried Dark Dragon furiously, his red aura fading.
“Your weakness, Dark Dragon,” Justice Man said in his heroic tone. “I have long suspected that certain kinds of energy can hurt you. It was just a matter of focusing my telekinesis to generate the right frequency of energy.”
“No! It can’t be!” the armoured warrior roared. “This fight is not over!”
Dark Dragon leapt, swinging his claws, but Justice Man floated clear with ease. The demon slashed and roared, but Justice Man fired another telekinetic blast, which cause the knight to scream in pain. As the younger heroes drew closer, emboldened by the turn in battle, Klaus poked at a screen on his arm.
“An energy frequency? I believe I can replicate that,” Klaus muttered. “Let me just try this.”
He raised his arm and fired an identical energy pulse, striking Dark Dragon in the back. Dark Dragon didn’t scream though. Instead he rose, his red aura returned. He turned to the younger heroes with rage in his eyes.
“Pathetic!” he roared and thrust a glowing hand.
With a flash of crimson, smoke flooded the air. When it cleared, there was suddenly a deep trench right down the middle between the four heroes, two on each side of the chasm. Part of the wall was also missing, exposing the room to the night outside. The four sat in shock, while Justice Man swung in for another pass, incapacitating Dark Dragon with another telekinetic blast.
Finally, after a few more strikes and passes, Dark Dragon fell to his knees, his crimson aura barely even visible. Justice Man landed before the monster.
“I will rise again,” Dark Dragon hissed weakly. “I will not be defeated.”
“You will today,” Justice Man claimed, then punched the villain with a metal clang. Dark Dragon collapsed and lay unconscious on the floor.
Victorious, the five heroes quickly gathered the assorted henchmen and villains and tied them up as quickly as they could. Klaus had cable in his armour, Foot could summon spectral snakes to tie people’s hands, and Watcher II just produced a whole load of rope from somewhere, having apparently come prepared. Soon enough, the police arrived and began carting the henchmen and villains away in as many cars as they could muster.
The police chief, an elderly gentleman with red hair, came forward and addressed the group of heroes.
“Thank you, heroes,” he said in a thick Scottish accent. “Always good to see the new generation at work.”
“It’s not a problem, chief,” said three of the four in unison. Stealth Watcher II just nodded.
“And you, Justice Man,” the chief turned to the caped hero stood nearby. “I thank you for being here to show the new blood how it’s done.”
“It’s not a problem, Chief McElroy,” Justice Man smiled.
“Also, if it’s not too much trouble, could you sign this lunchbox for me?” the chief asked excitedly.
“Very well,” Justice Man chuckled. “Who am I signing it too?”
“My wife,” the chief said nervously. “Just sign it to Chief McElroy… It’s her nickname.”
“Very well,” Justice Man sighed. “After this, I need to go and have a rest. I’m not as young as I used to be.” He rubbed his back.
The four younger heroes looked on in annoyance as McElroy ignored them. The police bustled around them, but few gave them a second glance. Everyone just watched as the supervillains were bundled into a special armoured personnel carrier.
“He got lucky,” Sammy Swift grumbled. “Random energy signatures my butt.”
“I’m sure I replicated that frequency correctly.” Krusher Klaus tapped the panel on his arm.
“Maybe it had to be applied differently?” Wandering Foot suggested. “Like via telekinesis?”
“Well, one thing’s for certain,” came the gravelly voice of Stealth Watcher II. “I’m still pretty impressed.”
Sammy looked at her wide-eyed. “You are?”
“Yep,” the dark hero nodded. “Lucky or not, he’s still beaten each of those guys in the past, and a dozen villains besides. By himself. I mean, there’s a reason me and Foot used to idolise the guy when we were sidekicks.”
“Watcher!” Foot protested.
“What? We did, didn’t we?” she enforced. “How many hours did we spend trying to solve his secret identity to impress him? Tell me you wouldn’t have been his sidekick if he asked.”
Foot floundered and crossed his arms. “Still not as cool as Wandering Fist,” he grumbled.
The four watched on as the villains were brought out and bundled into the massive troop transport. The vehicle doors sealed shut with a hiss, and the carrier trundled off into the night.
Inside, Dark Dragon, Madame Mechanism, Henchmen 14, and Annihilator, sat around with chains on their arms and legs. That was except for Annihilator, who was still only an orb with a camera in it, as his body was being transported on a separate truck.
“Well, that was just like old times,” 14 said almost cheerily.
“I can’t believe Uncle Intellitron got beaten up like that every week,” Madame Mechanism groaned, trying to stretch out her sore neck.
“ERROR. HAPPINESS DETECTED DESPITE FAILURE. IT WAS FUN,” Annihilator agreed robotically.
“One thing I don’t understand is how we lost,” Mechanism muttered. “We’d planned for everything, right?”
“Not Justice Man,” 14 responded.
“THREAT LEVEL WAS BEYOND EXPECTED PARAMETERS,” Annihilator added. “THEY KICKED OUR BUTTS.”
“As usual,” Mechanism sighed.
“The one thing I don’t understand though,” 14 continued thoughtfully. “How was DD beaten?”
Dark Dragon growled at the nickname but did nothing else.
“Mechanism was electrocuted, Annihilator got his head taken off, and I got punched by Justice Man. What took down Dark Dragon?”
“He got beaten by Justice Man using a special energy from his telekinesis. I was watching half conscious from the floor,” Mechanism explained. “The energy was apparently Dark Dragon’s secret weakness.”
“OBSERVATION: ENERGY FREQUENCY MUST HAVE INTERRUPTED DOOM FIELD OF DARK DRAGON,” Annihilator beeped. “THE OLD GUY GOT LUCKY.”
“But… Dark Dragon is immune to all energy attacks, isn’t he?”
The three others turned to the dark creature who had been silent so far. They stared, awaiting some explanation. Finally, Dark Dragon spoke.
“We were beaten already,” came the terrifying voice. “Sooner or later, those delinquent heroes would have overwhelmed even me. But Justice Man is a warrior of honour and power. There is no dishonour in losing to him.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“And, given the choice, I was not going to lose to those weakling, pathetic, dishonourable children, and let their victory over us today feed their wretched egos!” Dark Dragon finished with venom in his voice. “I fell to Justice Man!”
“Hear, hear!” 14 called in agreement, as the others cried in support. “Now, do any of you have an escape plan? I have to get back to Intellitron Resorts.”
