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Posts: 211
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Washington, D.C. 1400 hrs, Tuesday 10 June…
“A terrorist organization known as H.A.R.M. is surrounding the White House and holding the President hostage” a news woman announces to the world “they have yet to make any demands. It appears they have an army of robots and several attack helicopters on location.”
“I told you it was big” Alicia said as the team stared in shock at the monitors.
“What can we do?” asked Luther Vanguard now known as the winged hero Harbinger.
“Let’s figure that out on the way. We need to get there ASAP” the Crimson Shield stated matter-of-factly.
“Move out team” Voltage ordered as he teleported on ahead.
The rest of the team climbed into the new government funded VTOL stealth aircraft prototype codenamed “Defender” that had recently been issued to them by Wayward City’s mayor on behalf of the Department of Defense. The jet flew at subsonic speeds getting them to the White House in mere minutes.
As they came within range the helicopters fired on them. The Crimson Shield and Harbinger bailed out of Defender and into the fray. Bombshell activated the jet’s weapon systems and opened fire on the helicopters.
Voltage was already on the ground trading blasts with a squad of robots. The leaders of H.A.R.M. were nowhere to be seen. He assumed they were inside the White House.
“I have to get in there fast, but I can’t just let these guys run around loose out here attacking innocent bystanders” he thought as he hit one with a thunder punch.
The Crimson Shield slammed into one of the robots on the ground, shattering it to pieces “who’s in charge of these overgrown toasters?”
Harbinger weaved in and out of fire from the helicopters as he tried to close in with his sword “hey did you notice these helicopters have no pilots?”
Bombshell took one of the drone copters out to give him breathing room and he managed to cut the rotor off the tail end of another one.
“Alicia take over the controls so I can go down and help…”Bombshell trailed off, the Ghost Ninja was nowhere to be seen.
One of the robots began shooting at something it couldn’t see but which its sensors indicated was a threat. The Ghost Ninja dodged the bullets and used her intangibility to pull the robots circuits out from within its armored casing. The robot exploded in a miniature fireball.
“Ghost, Shield, handle things out here while I go in and see what I can do to free the hostages” Voltage shouted over the sound of the battle as he teleported inside the White House.
Bombshell set the Defender down on the front lawn of the White House after taking out the last helicopter. Harbinger joined the team on the ground and they began to mop of what was left of the robots.
Meanwhile inside the White House…
The leaders of H.A.R.M. were in the Oval Office with the President. The Gunslinger, a red cyborg (half man, have robot), stood with his pistols to the Presidents head while the green clad Jade Samurai guarded the door and his other associate the orange armored Powerhouse watched the windows.
“Mr. President, you know why we are here” the Gunslinger stated as he hit him in the face with a pistol “I want you to return what you have taken from me.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about; I’ve never even seen you before. So why don’t you just get out of my office” he spat blood running from his head wound.
“Boss” Powerhouse said surprised “it seems we have a problem outside.”
“What is it” the Gunslinger asked?
“Our robots are taking a pounding by some costumed freaks.”
At that moment Voltage teleported into the Oval office, the Jade Samurai was the first to see him. He unleashed a thunderbolt at the android but it was blocked with a shield. Then the Samurai moved in, his overly large katana held high. Powerhouse activated his own personal energy barrier to protect himself and stayed at his post.
“Take him out quickly” the Gunslinger shouted “now Mr. President I guess you will have to come with me since it is no longer safe to speak here.”
President Robert Westlake steeled himself before replying “no, you will not take me out of here like a helpless child!”
As the Gunslinger struck out with another blow Westlake flipped backwards in his chair and kicked out with his legs striking the cyborg in the shins. The metal nearly broke the President’s feet and the kick did nothing to the terrorist.
Robert Westlake rolled under his desk for cover and activated a secret switch. Then he fell through the floor down a secret hatch that led to a secret panic room built beneath the White House. Before the Gunslinger could follow the floor moved back in place. This infuriated the cyborg.
“You ruined my chance” the Gunslinger screamed at Voltage as he opened fire with his pistols. Voltage quickly teleported out of the way and watched from the other side of the room as the bullets bounced off of the Jade Samurai’s helmet.
The Samurai at this point opened up with his arm mounted flamethrowers managing to set the entire office on fire. Powerhouse crashed through the window and onto the lawn where the outside battle was still underway. The Gunslinger swore under his breath and leapt through the window as well.
The Jade Samurai activated its jet pack and punched a hole through the roof as it exited the building. Voltage looked around the office then attempted to teleport into the President’s panic room, but found himself unable to get through. So he readied a thunder punch and hit the secret panel as hard as he could. The impact threw him backwards and through the wall onto the lawn.
Meanwhile…
The Fire Department was already on scene. Firefighters were working hard to contain the blaze. The robots of H.A.R.M. had all scattered and the leaders gone. The Superhuman Defense League stayed on scene trying to help the police cordon off the area.
When the president seemed all but lost he emerged from the ashes of the Oval Office. Secret Service members helped him from the rubble that was once his office and surrounded him as he made his way toward the heroes.
The fire chief caught up to him along the way “sir, we managed to save the rest of the White House from the fire, though parts of it will have some minor smoke damage.”
“Thanks John” President Westlake replied solemnly as he finally reached his destination.
“Mr. President, thank god you’re okay” Voltage said, relief evident in his voice “I tried to get you out of your panic room but…”
“Yes well, you see due to the recent activity of the more dangerous super powered community I’ve had to remodel my panic room to repel all superhuman advances.”
“Sir, do you know what those machines wanted” the Crimson Shield asked?
“No, though the leader said I took something from him and he wanted it back. I’m not entirely sure what he meant.”
“But you have an idea” Ghost Ninja urged gently.
“Maybe though I don’t know how it is all connected” Robert Westlake conceded.
Flashback 40 years…
Two American agents were deep in the jungles of Vietnam. Karl Granger and Robbie Westlake carefully made their way around the dangerous land unseen. They were here for only one reason, to retrieve highly sensitive documents classified as top secret. They had no idea what information it contained only that if the Vietcong were to decipher it the consequences would prove fatal.
“So do you actually think we will make it out of here alive Robbie?”
“Of course we will. This is simple, we get in, we get the documents, and we get out. No problems” he said though he himself didn’t believe it “why do you ask?”
“It’s just; no one even knows we’re here. We have no extraction plan. The jungle itself is deadly enough. The Vietcong camp is supposed to be heavily guarded and we are running low on ammo.”
“Well we shouldn’t have to shoot anybody else. Hell we shouldn’t even be seen if we do this right. And don’t worry about extraction; I have a friend that will help us if we can just make it across the border.”
The mission was going as planned until the two agents found the top secret documents. Then they were ambushed. The tent was surrounded and a man shouted in Vietnamese for them to come out! Robbie glanced once more at the documents and mentally photographed the first page titled “Man of Tomorrow”.
As the two exited the tent Karl, holding the documents, pulled the pin from one of his grenades. The Vietcong backed off to a safe distance. Robbie dove for cover behind a metal table as the grenade went off. Karl Granger managed to complete the mission at the cost of his own life.
Robbie disappeared into the jungle and escaped his pursuers, eventually making his way back to the United States.
Back to the present…
“So you see back then I was a coward, caring more about saving my own skin than completing the mission” the President finished.
“What does this have to do with the robots” Bombshell demanded impatiently.
“Calm down Melanie, remember where you are” Voltage reprimanded.
“No she’s right” Robert Westlake intervened “after I made it back I was debriefed by some men in black suits. They told me what the Man of Tomorrow was. It was a plan to create an army of superior soldiers by combining men with robotic enhancements.”
“Like the men who attacked you” Harbinger pieced together.
“Yes, apparently the documents weren’t destroyed. Maybe the Vietcong figured out how to complete the project themselves.”
“Or maybe someone else did” Voltage stated “either way we need to find out who they are and what they are after.”
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