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This message Lair Legion: The New Underground #0: HiberNation was posted by Fin Fang Foom on Friday, December 6, 2002 at 17:13.
-------
I step off the train
And I’m walking down your street again
And past your door
But you don’t live there anymore
It’s years since you’ve been there
But now you’ve disappeared someplace
Like outer space
You’ve found some better place
And I miss you…like the deserts miss the rain…
--“Missing”, Everything But The Girl
------
“Mr. President? We have a situation.”
A wedge of light rotated into the dark bedroom, like shadow on a sundial. Even before The President had fully woken up, he knew this was going to be bad. Since the door was now cracked open, he could hear familiar voices in the hall--Colin, John, Donald. He thought he heard a few of the joint chiefs, too. They were speaking in that hushed, frantic tone that accompanies emergencies.
A reading lamp was flicked on, and it only illuminated the top corner of the bed. Maroon covers, flannel underneath. A picture of the girls was on the bedstand, with a Tom Clancy novel next to it. The President was alone--the First Lady was in Texas, visiting family.
He swung his legs out from under the covers, and sat on the side of the bed. The Secret Service agent who’d woken him up was now saying “He’s awake.”
A silhouette of a man squeezed through the empty space between the door and its frame. He then hesitated, apparently not sure if he should be going in there--someone decided for him, by giving him a good push.
The agent left the room, as the man stumbled into the room. When the man spoke, The President recognized his voice…one of his advisors. Some dark-haired guy. Jeffrey? Jack? The one that was dating the redhead secretary.
“Um…Mr. President…”
“Did we get him?”
“What? Uh, no, this is something else.”
The energy drained from his voice. “Dammit. Okay.”
“Two things, actually. First, NASA has confirmed that…well…”
“What?”
The man took a deep breath. “Remember how there used to be just nine planets?”
The President paused, giving his best you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me look. But in the darkness, it was pretty much useless.
The advisor was reading off a clipboard, counting off dry facts. “NASA has confirmed a tenth planet. It just showed up a few minutes ago. We’re pretty sure it’s artificial. SPUD’s deep-space unit is--”
“Hang on, what’s the other thing?”
“It’s--well, um, it isn’t as big a deal. Archeologists in Greece dug up some ancient prophecy. I guess it was on a--what do they call it? A parchment.”
“Oh.”
The advisor suddenly sounded embarrassed; ashamed to be bothering The President with such a minor thing. He rushed to justify himself. “The only reason I’m telling you is, is because Colin said it has something to do with that protocol you set up, with the Lair Legion and the UN. Contingency Omega.”
The President groaned. “Oh, crap. Oh no. Wait, are you sure about that? Colin said it? You actually heard him say it?”
“Yeah. Um, yes sir.”
“Dammit, get him in here. Get--” The President fell silent.
“…Mr. President?”
In the darkness, The President’s eyes glowed in a tint of radiant purple. He began speaking, but it wasn’t to anyone in the room. “What? What’s--oh. Yes, they just told--no, I understand completely. No, we’re ready. Really. I’m in the war room right now.”
The advisor mumbled quietly. He was tempted to call in the secret service, but he didn’t want to get in trouble. This could be a scandal in the making--he had to be delicate.
“Agreed. Yes, I have that authority. The UN sanctioned it. You want it offically? Fine…by the power vested in me, by the people of America, and the delegates of the United Nations, I give you permission to enact the Omega Contingency. Do it. I pray to God that it’s en--”
Something invisible happened. Moments passed. The advisor wasn’t sure what to do. “Mr. President…are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay. What are you doing in here?”
The advisor honestly wasn’t sure. “I came in here to…to tell you…” He looked down at the clipboard. It contained statistics on national parks. “Um…my apologies. Mr. President.”
The President blinked. He didn’t remember turning on the lamp, or sitting up. He laughed. “We must be tired…can’t even remember what we were talking about. Whatever it was, let’s finish it up tomorrow. You earned a rest. Go home to, uh, to Sara. Let us old folks worry about this serious stuff.”
“Yes, sir.”
The advisor closed the door behind him, shaking his head. Talk about spacing out. Wait…something about space? That thought, and his clipboard, seemed to be connected. But, no. Déjà vu or something. There were times that he thought this job was making him crazy.
The hall outside the bedroom was empty and dark. Of course it was. Why would anyone be there? He thought about what The President had said. At this time of night, Sara would be asleep. He’d go back to his own place--he didn’t want to wake her up. It was late…too late. Too late for anything.
Lair Legion: The New Underground #0
Empty Inside And Out
It was always raining in Parodiopolis. It made an encompassing sound, like a furnace--kicking in all around you. The falling water caused human activity to scatter, leaving the sidewalks empty. Tightly-shut cars roared through the downpour, anxious to get away from the elements. Fall had come far too quickly…it was like everything had died overnight. And in a blocky, chocolate-bricked apartment building, someone was wondering why.
Julie Smithton was sitting in her new apartment, drinking a mocha. She’d dressed for much colder weather--a violet sweater and black slacks, which went well with her long, straight brown hair. She had deep-set brown eyes, which made her look perpetually ill. Her head was always slightly bowed. At the moment, she was dividing her attention between the TV and the window, both of which showed a rain-filled cityscape.
Normally, she was a very neat person…but the place was a mess. Quite a few unpacked boxes had been shoved into corners, under tables, and into closets. The TV was on mute; she had it on CNN, for the morning news. It had a freezing-cold hardwood floor and blotchy white walls. It was stuffy, but she liked it like that--it kept her from getting chilled. A vanilla-scented candle was burning. The underlying theme in her furniture was price, not matching color…it was pretty piecemeal. Money was primarily needed for college, not her living room.
So, she’d collapsed into an oversized, comfy recliner, and sat huddled over her coffee, trying to stay warm. She didn’t know why she had the news on…it wasn’t like anything interesting ever happened. All they had to talk about was diplomatic missions, celebrity news, and the usual political debates. Boring. Which also described Parodiopolis, really. It was just another sleepy city. Which was strange, considering its size.
Julie had been like this for weeks…shuffling around in her socks, never bothering to get her apartment all set up. Going through coffee like there was no tomorrow and listening to the rain. She made token appearances at class, but it didn’t feel right.
She’d heard that this happened to both young people and middle-aged people: the sudden realization that life needed to be different. Julie had woken up one morning and realized that something was missing. It was weird, she used to really love her classes--she’d known that anthropology was what she wanted to do. But now…
Julie set her cup on a hand-me-down endtable, and pulled out some of her recent papers. They were all on heroes of myth, and their relation to culture. The strange thing was, she’d never liked those kinds of legends. And yet, she got A’s on her papers, for all the detail and effort found within. With grading comments like “Your enthusiasm for the subject shows”. How could she have written those?
She heard the door unlock, and Ann bounded through. Unlike Julie, she always had the latest clothes…she wore faded bluejeans, an off-white long-sleeved shirt, and a light-brown leather jacket. Blonde, of course. Always fresh-looking. She had keys tangled between her fingers.
“Hey, it’s me.” She shut the door without looking. “What’s up?”
Julie stared into her coffee. “Nothing.”
“Nothing, huh? Still moping?”
She shrugged.
Ann lightly kicked a box, as if making sure it wasn’t an illusion. “And you still haven’t unpacked.”
“I’ll do it later.”
“You’ve been saying that for the last month,” Ann stated carefully.
Flustered, Julie said “Look, if you don’t wanna share the apartment, just--”
Ann held up her hands. “Whoa, whoa. I’m not saying that. I’m just…” She dropped the defensive tone. “I’m just kinda worried.” She paused for effect. Then, as evenly and rationally as possible, she said “I know you miss him, but it’s been a month. Yeah, that’s not enough time to start dating again--but you should at least be able to be yourself again.” Ann tried to make a joke out of it. “Sitting in the same room all the time can’t be healthy, y’know?” She laughed weakly.
Julie frowned. Her voice took on an accusatory tone. “I was with him for two and a half years--a year of that living together. So don’t go acting like it isn’t a big deal, okay? I deserve some downtime.” She prepared a more extensive comeback, but it fell out from underneath her. Her momentum lost, Julie suddenly heard what she’d been saying. She growled at herself.
“Julie?”
Almost too soft to hear, she said “I’m sorry, it’s--it’s everything. I’m thinking about changing my major, and I’m not used to being alone, and it’s like everything feels different…”
“Look, that’s--that’s normal. I know how you are…you like everything to be the same. But everyone says that at our age, things change a lot. That’s just how it is.”
“I know.”
They sighed simultaneously. Ann flopped down on the sofa. “Watching TV?”
“Yeah…”
“Got any plans for today?”
Julie gave her an obvious look.
“That’s what I thought. Well, wanna go do something? How about if we go to your favorite place?”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on…”
Ann broke into a grin. “You know you love it! You used to drag me there all the time.”
“…okay. Okay. But you have to answer a question for me.”
“So long as it isn’t about my date last night, hit it.”
Julie took her time, searching for a way to phrase it. “Do you think…do you think there’s something perfect out there? Just hiding, and maybe waiting to be found? Like, if we found it, our lives would be complete?”
For a few seconds, Ann didn’t say anything. She wasn’t a very philosophical person. “Something? You mean…someone?”
“Maybe. But it could be anything.”
Ann gaped, and her shoulders sunk, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of them. She couldn’t keep from laughing, as she replied: “What, this is what you’ve been thinking about for the last month?! I was terrified that you were depressed or desperate or something, but here you are, off searching for the great unknown!” She was busting up, laughing so hard that tears were running from her eyes. “Geez, if I’d known you were already moving on, I’d have made you clean up weeks ago!”
Julie was now laughing, as well. “I told you I’m weird!”
She took a breath, and they sat quietly for a moment, trying to get the laughter to die down.
More dignified, Julie said “But, it’s been bugging me. I feel like something should be inside me--something I’m really interested in.”
“It used to be myths, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I can’t believe that I used to be into that stuff. It’s like it’s a completely different person.” She shook her head. “And it’s more than just college. I know it sounds weird, but…I feel like there’s something I was really into, but I can’t think of it now. I’m not just talking about a career or a hobby or something, but more like…I don’t know.”
“You mean like a passion? Musicians have music, artists have art, and you have…?”
“I wish I knew.” Julie got up, heading for the window. “And it’s not just me. I look out there and I keep thinking that life is supposed to be… bigger, somehow. I mean, this can’t be all there is. It just can’t. Things are supposed to be better once you’re out of high school, right? So, there’s something out there for me, and there’s something out there for the world.” She sighed. “Does that sound too weird?”
“No…I see where you’re coming from. It sucks to live in a low-budget world, right? All the good stuff is made-up…aliens, action heroes, the guys in costumes. Nothing very cool here.”
“Yeah, really.”
Ann shrugged. “I guess I think there is more to life. Maybe it’s God, maybe it’s some JFK for 2002, who’ll come in and lead us all into a new golden age. Or maybe it’s a shy, tall, dark-haired guy, whose girlfriend doesn’t appreciate him, and he just needs the right girl to open him up…” Ann blinked and cleared her throat. “Um, anyway. We can talk about it some more at the tower. If we’re gonna go, we’d better get ready.”
Ann stood up, and Julie started looking around for her shoes. The more she talked with Ann, the more she understood what was going on inside her. Something special was out there--she couldn’t see it, but she could feel it…
---------------
The usual suspects could be found on the observation floor of C-Tech’s skyscraper: wide-eyed tourists, executives who needed to stretch their legs, and senior citizens who were using the massive, round room as a walking track. It had a marble floor, and its circular wall was actually one long window. A round bank of elevators was in its center.
From the windows, a person could look over all of Parodiopolis--and a good portion of Gothametropolis York, as well. The Atlantic notwithstanding, the cities stretched out as far as the eye could see. Not that there was much to see. A helicopter occasionally flew by, and part of the Spider-Man movie had been filmed in Carrington. As usual, grey clouds were smothering everything.
A man in a brown trench coat and a black suit casually walked to one of the unoccupied sections of window, and pulled out his cel phone. He held it awkwardly, as if he were used to a different type of communicator. His features and hair had been specifically designed to look average and unmemorable.
“It’s me.” He glanced around, making sure no-one was in earshot. “I don’t care what the long-range scans said, this isn’t it. Don’t--look, trust me on this. No, they aren’t even in the early stages. The scientists are all losers and the detectives are all corrupt. The geniuses work for the government and live in the suburbs. Of--dammit, of course I checked out the Victorian connection. Nothing there, either. Well, obviously, in fiction, they had--yeah. Yeah, well, what about the Eurasia team? Pffh. See? Nothing.”
A new group of elevators arrived--Julie and Ann stepped out from one of them. The man briefly checked them out, but knew he didn’t have the time.
“Come on, don’t make me wade through 30’s newspapers. I’m sure there isn’t anything there. Okay, okay. Just three hours. I hate this air. Is anything else going on? What? Really? She said--oh. Geez, that’s…yeah. Did you ask her about it? Well, you’d better--no, come on. I know that. Yeah. Yeah. Will you be at the staging base on Mars, or…okay. I’ll see you there.”
The two girls paced towards the window near the man, who casually stuck his cel phone back in his jacket. He smiled and nodded at them, and then walked off.
“Well,” Ann announced, “here it is.” They were overlooking the bay, which contained Parody Island. A huge, grey statue was on it, not unlike the Statue of Liberty. But this one had a man in explorer-esque clothes, with a staff in one hand, and two rolled-up scrolls in the other.
“It’s…it’s nice.” Julie gave a noncommittal shrug.
Ann goaded her on, elbowing gently. “Come on, this is where you tell me that there used to be a mansion there, but they tore it down in the twenties. And you go on your thing about how the statue represents whatever it is.”
“It’s dumb…it isn’t even real! I mean, the statue isn’t even based on a legend or something, they just made it up.”
Ann’s eyes both darted to the side, and she nodded hesitantly, as if waiting for Julie to realize something obvious. “Wellllllll…yeah. I mean, it’s not like there’s anybody real for them to make a statue of. The only heroes we have are the ones in movies and stuff.”
“Yeah…”
Ann sighed quietly. Her master-plan to cheer up Julie wasn’t quite working. Before she went to Plan B--get a few drinks in her--she noticed a guy that was checking her out. Or was he looking at Julie? “Um, I’ll be right back, I want to take a look at, uh...”
As sexily as she could, Ann walked over to another part of the window. She acted like she was looking at something. The guy’s eyes had followed her, instead of staying on Julie.
As Ann walked back, Julie was looking at a small sign, which had been posted on the window. “Did you see this? It says that visitors aren’t allowed after six. That’s weird, it used to be open ‘til midnight.”
“Maybe it’s because they don’t want you to see the aliens.”
“The what?”
Ann activated her best spooky voice. “The stuff on the front page of all the tabloids…the weird lights in the sky. Always at night, of course--and they never get decent pictures. I guess none of these UFOlogists have heard of a digital cam.”
Julie kept looking at the sign.
“Anyway, see that guy over there? With the blonde hair? I think he was checking m--uh, us out. Maybe he has a friend.”
“Ann…”
“Come on, it’s not like you’re really loving it here…could be a fun way to kill an afternoon.”
Julie smiled. “Go on. I just wanna go back home.”
“Are you sure? Because--”
“I have to work on a paper, anyway. Ugh. You want me to take the car back?”
“Sure.” She handed Julie the keys.
They hugged. “Good luck.”
Ann checked the guy out--he was obviously interested. “I don’t think I’ll need too much luck…”
And in a similar skyscraper, a few blocks away, a man lowered his binoculars. Another voice spoke on another cel phone. “She’s alone. Do it.”
----------------------
Julie took her time, wandering through the dank garage building. She didn’t really want to go back to the apartment, as it meant trying to get up the interest to write a paper. And she was actually feeling better, like she didn’t want to just sit around all the time.
She was now in a part of the garage that was completely empty. It didn’t strike her as odd, as it had the usual Parodiopolis feel: lifeless, eerily quiet. Her car was just around the next corner.
She looked down in her purse, rummaging for the keys. When she looked back up, she was surrounded by three well-dressed men. She hadn’t even heard their footsteps. Two were on either side of her, with one in front. Two were Asian, one was white.
Julie opened her mouth to scream, but she heard guns escaping leather, and couldn’t find her voice. She took a step back, and bumped into the fourth man--white, and also with a gun. No way out.
Fumbling for her purse, she tossed it on the ground. “Take it.”
They didn’t seem interested. Each of them took a step forward. She closed her eyes, wincing.
Then, she heard a sharp cry of pain, and something smacked against the cement behind her. Also from behind, two jets of air blasted by her, hitting the men that were on her right and left. It sounded like rushing sand, but looked like vapor.
They staggered backwards, as if punched. Their previously-hard expressions were melting into something that looked drugged, and they were having a hard time moving, as if they were heavier. Both collapsed on the floor.
The man in front pointed his gun at her, and her heart went into overdrive--but she felt a hand on her shoulder, and for no logical reason, she relaxed. She turned to see who it was.
He was stepping off of the man behind her, who was now sprawled on the floor. Had he landed on him? At any rate, that attacker was unmoving.
The hero wore a grey trench coat, slacks, tie, gloves, and fedora, with a black shirt. A metallic, black mask covered his head and neck. It had lenses shaped like downwards-pointing silver triangles. And the area where his mouth and nose would be was covered with an upwards-pointing one, but the surface was different…it was bumpy like a speaker, or a filter. No skin could be seen.
When he spoke, it was with a rich, deep voice, and an accent that sounded almost British. The mask distorted it, without making it sound electronic. More like a ghost.
“Tell me your name, child.”
Julie started to answer, but she realized he was talking to the man with the gun.
The gunman was transfixed; unmoving. Sweat was pouring off him, but he was rigid. As if against his will, he said “Sean Kwiang.”
The hero steadily advanced on him, apparently not caring that the man was pointing a gun in his direction. His mask’s lenses were playing with the dim light, with an almost hypnotic effect. “Why have you done these things?”
“Ms…Ms. Masamune. She had dreams. She said the girl knew about what was going on.”
“And what is that, Sean Kwiang?”
“We don’t know. Nobody does.”
Julie noticed that some strange black technology crept out from under the hero’s sleeves, forming a flat exo-skeleton over his fingers. She thought she saw small grey holes in his fingertips.
“I have found that you speak the truth, Sean Kwiang. Now, you shall be on your way, or you shall join your ancestors. Choose the path of the wise.”
Kwiang lowered the gun, his arm relaxing, while the rest of his body remained tense. It clattered to the floor.
The hero held a hand to Kwiang’s cheek. “You shall remember none of this. The girl was a dead end. Your friends were knocked to the ground by a reckless driver.” He extended two fingers, placing them below the man’s ear. “Peace be with you, Sean Kwiang.”
Kwiang’s body shook, like he was having a heart attack. He then dropped to the floor.
The hero scanned the garage, searching for witnesses. He looked over Julie. “Unharmed?”
“Y-yes.”
As if wanting to make sure, he took her hand, and placed two fingers on her wrist. She suddenly felt her pulse echoing in her mind. When he let go, it felt like a lover’s embrace had been cut off.
“Excellent--unharmed, and you remember. My name is Sleepsand…I believe our intuition has led both of us to the same search.”
“Uhh…okay.”
Sleepsand extended an arm, sweeping Julie behind him. He then extended his other arm, and vapor poured from his fingertips, settling on the unconscious men. “An extra dose to help them forget.”
Julie blinked. For some reason, she wasn’t terrified. Some crazy guy with a mask had just saved her, but she wasn’t afraid. Everyone knew that superheroes only existed in movies and on TV--this had to be some psycho. But being there with him felt…familiar.
Sleepsand took a step back, removed his fedora, and made a formal bow. “My apologies, miss. Let me make a full introduction. My name is Sleepsand--disciple and practitioner of the Silent Arts. I come from Earth-2, with a warning for your peoples, and your champions. A new threat has dawned, and I suspect it has something to do with the fog over your world. Would you like to know more?”
She nodded enthusiastically. Answers, at last.
“Excellent. Once you’ve been informed, we shall go to Parody Island…their home, in another lifetime. And the best place to pick up their trail.”
-------------------
The storm clouds had gone from grey to black, as the invisible sun weakened with afternoon. School buses and those anxious to beat five o’clock traffic now filled the streets. And in Shelton, a navy sedan with tinted windows was splashing down a mostly-empty avenue.
It approached a two-story brownstone, which seemed to be outfitted for storage purposes--it actually had a garage entrance, in the alley behind it. The segmented door rolled up, and the sedan cruised through. It left wet tracks on the cement, and the vehicle’s occupants didn’t get out until the windowless garage door had closed.
As soon as she got out, Julie’s first thought was that it was warm. It was a large garage--it had a high ceiling, and a lot of empty space. A pegboard filled with tools hung at the end of it, with a narrow workbench underneath. A few crates were stacked against wall on the right, with a door on the left. Strangely, it had no handle or knob.
Sleepsand walked to it, and when he got close, a previously-unseen mark on the door glowed. It was a simply-drawn, glowing-yellow eye. It then faded, and the door opened by itself.
She followed him in. It was cozy--almost cramped. Cabinets lined the walls, hanging from the ceiling, and wood paneling was everywhere. There was a small rug filled with shoes (all the same kind), and an empty coatrack. A living room was just ahead…it was filled with paintings of lush forests, and its furniture and carpet were natural, earthy colors. There was an unlit fireplace, and a bookshelf filled with ancient-looking texts.
“We haven’t much time, so please, sit down.” Sleepsand gestured to a dark green recliner.
She sat. “So, uh…what do we have to do here?”
“Before we proceed, I need to make sure that this really is the right reality. Don’t want a wild goose chase.”
“How are you gonna do that?”
“With your help, of course.”
Sleepsand pulled a round footstool in front of her chair, and sat on it. The tech on his hands retracted into his sleeves, and he pulled off his grey gloves. Taking her hands, he interlocked their fingers.
“Remember.”
Julie gasped, and her mind broke free from the third dimension. She suddenly wasn’t able to hold onto her body--her point-of-view escaped spiritual gravity, and she was flying upwards, into the thunderclouds. She wanted to scream or laugh, but she’d left her mouth back at 1749 Opal Street.
Parodiopolis, dreary and wet, rushed underneath her. For some reason, she was hearing a majestic, ascending soundtrack. This was still the introduction, all dark rhythm and steady bass…
Everything faded to black, and she heard Sleepsand’s voice. He was telling her to rebuild. Extrapolate outwards, piece by piece. He said it would come naturally, as there wasn’t anything more natural.
A framework of Parodiopolis became visible. She saw neon blobs pulsing through 3-D blueprint streets. Their forms clarified--trucks, carrying exotic technology, making deliveries to hospitals and relief organizations. In the sky, digital gold was being broadcast. It curved towards charity groups around the world, flowing from a never-ending stream of weirdness and genius, located in the heart of Parodiopolis. Mossy fate grew, and it tried to grab people, but failed. Their lives kept blinking back in, shielded by some unknown energy.
She felt strength gather, as humanity augmented its abilities of healing, science, knowledge, protection. Hope blanketed the city, and the future was being built in the present.
Though some unknown instinct, Julie recognized the pattern. It was them.
Cosmic trumpets went off, and the sun ripped through the clouds. Parodiopolis was transformed in the process; its sleek, futuristic landscape having returned. She felt solar warmth on her soul. Strange creatures and amazing people were springing up from between the skyscrapers. High-tech knights and alien dragons roamed a land of sentient storms. Thought pooled in shadows, forming strategems for mankind. All kinds of technology, magic, power, biology, and intelligence swirled over the horizon, blurring into something too bright to look at. Everything humanity and life itself was capable of being, doing, or knowing.
Her preception was working on all levels of existence. Danger--glowing energy lines--spiked up like a graph, and was pounced on. A glossy sheen of peace had settled on everything…though it was occasionally interrupted, it was flexible, not fragile.
And most of all, she could feel it. The energy coursing through the city--the world. Humanity being preserved and advanced. It looked new, but it was very, very old. Primal. Pure. The way things were meant to be.
She became so relaxed that everything shifted to an unfocused state. Colors rearranged, and she was back in the living room, with Sleepsand looking over her.
Her body was too weak to move. Julie just smiled, and said “This is it.”
He nodded. “Your memories match my own, though I haven’t been here in some time. But there’s no record of any superhuman activity, of any kind--ever. And none of the other strangeness that’s come to mark this dimension.”
Julie considered this, and shook her head. “No…my name is Julie Smithton. I’m an anthropology major. I study superheroes and their relation to culture. I remember. So, it’s out there--I can feel it.”
------------------
The security on Parody Island just wasn’t that good…they were only used to dealing with regular intruders. But then, what other kind were there?
A small ship was bobbing in the boathouse, surrounded by a U-shaped loading dock. Men in overalls were unloading crates, which were filled with items for the island’s gift shop. Through the skylight, a portion of the statue could be seen. The only lighting came from a series of glowing orbs, which were sloppily strung overhead.
Some of the workers were heading through a door that led to an upwards-sloping ramp, while others had gone inside the boat, to get more crates. A few were playing cards and smoking.
Sleepsand and Julie quietly stepped onto the dock, and approached two metal push-doors. He held her hand, so she could feel the perception of those they were trying to avoid. It was like a spotlight; just a matter of staying out of its way. She stuck to the shadows without even needing to think about it.
Somehow, he opened the door without making a single noise. An ugly cinderblock hallway laid beyond. It had a single lightbulb every twenty feet. He let go of her hand, and they went for it.
Their new environment flickered by, as they cautiously ran down the hall. She wasn’t entirely sure what they were looking for. Occasionally, they’d come upon a door--he’d go ahead of her, look through the thin glass partition, and shake his head. Whatever he was after, they hadn’t found it yet.
All Julie could think about was the scene from The Breakfast Club, where they were all running through the emtpy school, trying not to get noticed. The whole thing felt light and surreal. And she was starting to get scared--not of their current situation, but the larger picture. Someone had taken all the wonderful things, all the superheroes and their trappings, and erased them. She didn’t like the idea that a person could spend their life doing good, and then one day, it just hadn’t happened. What was to stop someone from doing that to her?
They went down halls that gradually got lower, and stairs, and twists and turns. Sometimes, they’d go down, and then up a little, and then down again. Were they making any real progress?
There was a wet smell, which was increasing. They had to be getting closer to water-level…or maybe under it. Finally, they came to a dead end--the hall just stopped. No door, no sign, no anything.
Julie tried to catch her breath. “Now what?”
“Now…we call upon the gods to intervene, as they did in days of our forefathers.” Sleepsand put a hand in his coat, and pulled out a small, shield-shaped badge. It looked like an antique, and read “LSA”. “This was made before WWII--not much range. And I think it’s only got a little bit of charge left in it. But we’ll try. If you have a better idea of where to get their attention, I’m listening.”
She said nothing.
He set it on the floor, and pressed the logo, which made a slight clicking sound. Sleepsand stepped back, and looked up, addressing some invisible audience. “Your people have need of you! Show yourselves!”
For a moment, nothing happened. But only for a moment.
Throughout the long hall, the lights systematically flickered. There was a trembling, which abruptly cut off halfway up the wall. Suddenly, Julie experienced the sensation that they weren’t alone.
The flooring near the dead end began to turn to a coherent liquid, which smartly parted, forming a swirling tunnel. Sleek metal flooring could be seen through it, with otherworldly blue lighting. She heard footsteps, and shadows were thrown.
Julie thought she sensed Sleepsand smiling, underneath his mask. He ushered her down through the tunnel, where many arms made sure she didn’t slip and fall.
It was a lengthy, narrow hall, and there were dozens--maybe hundreds--of superheroes. Maybe every single one in the world. They were all just standing there, looking at her.
Despite herself, she rushed to hug the first one she saw. A surprised Fin Fang Foom rocked back, and then put his arms around her (without touching, of course). Her voice was drained. “Thank God…thank God. I found you. Everything’s different out there, you have to change it back…”
“Different?” The dragon nodded. “I know…we made it that way.”
Continued…
Could you be dead?
You always were two steps ahead
Of everyone
We’d walk behind while you would run
I look up at your house
And I can almost hear you shout
Down to me…
Next: Everything. What else?
Fin Fang Foom
*flies away*
This poster posed from 63.171.208.120 when they posted
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