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Join Date: Jan 2008
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The iceman fell forward crashing into the floor with a grunt of pain. He then pushed himself up into a sitting position and shook his head as if to clear it. Arcanum waited patiently for the man to regain his composure before asking questions.
“What happened here?”
“We were ambushed by the Abominable Snowman” the man said “we need to get out of here. I need to call H.Q. and my communicator was busted during the fight.”
“Slowdown, just who do you work for? Maybe I can get in touch with them.”
“That’s not information I share with just anybody but you did just save my life. I am Cyber Jack and I work for a top secret government organization called the A.T.T.A. a unit that monitors time travel and works to avert global crisis.”
“I’ve heard tales of your from Wraithe*. What the heck brings you guys to the snowy mountains?”
*Several of the heroes from Midnight Avengers Comics met the Lost Heroes during the Clovan Invasion.*
“Strange energy readings, H.Q. felt like they might be temporal anomalies*.”
*ATTAs mission is briefly mentioned in Dark Hawks when Time-stream is ordered by Max to rendezvous with Cyber Jack in the Himalayas.*
“So we’re here for the same thing then. I detected the energy but it feels more like magic to me. Let me see if I can radio anyone.”
Arcanum tried to contact his teammates but the strange energy was interfering with his own communicator “no use. Looks like we’ll have to get your friend and get out of this cave before I can radio anybody.”
“Careful with him, the creature broke his bones when he tried to use his powers to open a wormhole and get us out of here.”
“So he’s a teleporter of some kind?”
“Time-traveler” Cyber Jack replied “a relatively new one at that. His code name is Time-stream.”
Arcanum gently lifts Time-stream up and starts carrying him back down the corridor from which he just recently came when a loud roar fills the cavern. Cyber Jack and Arcanum both turn around and come face to face with the Abominable Snowman. The creature was roughly eight feet tall with large muscular arms and legs. He had long ivory tusks jutting out from the corners of his mouth and he was covered in long white fur from head to toe.
“I’ll hold him off; you just get Time-stream to safety” Cyber Jack shouts to Arcanum “besides I’m looking for some payback!”
“Are you sure you’re up to it? I mean your body just thawed out it may take some time for work out the stiffness of your joints.”
“Just go!” Cyber Jack shouts out as he grapples with the creature like two wrestlers locking arms inside the ring.
Center of the Bermuda Triangle, flight deck of the USS Avenger…
The V-22 Osprey touches down and is met by the form of Captain Midnight. Wraithe, Raptor, and Shadowblade disembark followed closely by the pilot. Captain Midnight salutes the woman recognizing her rank of Major and then shakes her hand.
“Thanks for the extraction.”
“No problem Captain. Did you secure the item?”
Captain Midnight looked at Shadowblade “did you get the keycard?”
“Yes sir” John said pulling the card from his hidden pocket.
The pilot snatched the card from his hand and it disappeared into her own pocket “thanks.”
“You mean we were getting the keycard for them” Raptor asked incredulously “what the hell is going on here?”
“Settle down” Captain Midnight responded “I told you this was all in the interest of National Security. C.O.R.E. has agreed to pool our resources. The level 9 keycard belonging to the Secretary of Defense is the only one in existence. The A-51 files used to be located at CIA headquarters* in Langley but they’ve since moved it to Groom Lake.”
*According to Wraithe’s origin story this is where all the secret files were kept including the Roswell Creature and the Bermuda Triangle Time Travel experiment that resulted in Captain Midnight’s origin*
“Nevada” Wraithe put in “but after the debacle with the Roswell Creature* why would they do that? It is no more secure than Langley.”
*See Captain Midnight’s title prior to the events of the Clovan invasion*
“But it is” here Captain Midnight continued “after everything that happened they upped the security at Groom Lake and even coated the facility in a nearly indestructible outer shell that disrupts all known super powers.”
“Which is why our director needs the keycard” the V-22 pilot broke in “the only way into the facility is through the front door. And we need information in those files to stop this war.”
“What information?” Shadowblade spoke up breaking his silence.
Before the pilot could answer a helicopter’s rotors drowned out all sound as it landed just ten feet away from where they were huddled together. A man in a C.O.R.E. uniform stepped out wearing dark sunglasses and a smile on his face.
The man answered the question “the location of the Nuclear Neutralizer Laser Satellite’s (NNLS) activation codes.”
Corey Wraithe could not believe his eyes. How could they be working alongside that man? He quickly charged up his energy rifle and lined up the man’s face in his crosshairs. The man didn’t even miss a step as he closed the distance between them bringing himself face to face with Wraithe.
“I don’t think you’ve got the guts to squeeze the trigger” the man said.
“What the hell are you doing here Westlake?”
Robbie Westlake was the former director of the CIA and was the overseer of the experiment which gave Wraithe his abilities. The man had tried to keep Wraithe imprisoned after the fact and even sent out a heavily armored soldier to attempt to capture him just after the Clovan invasion.*
*see the Wraith: Consequences 1-shot*
“I was reassigned” Robbie Westlake answered “but the details are none of your business. I don’t like you and you don’t like me but right now what we like isn’t worth a damn. This country needs us and if it takes working together to get the job done then that’s what’ll we’ll do.”
Corey Wraithe lowered his weapon somewhat reluctantly but figured if Captain Midnight trusted the man and his team then he would just have to find a way to get along for the time being. That’s when Wraithe saw another familiar face step down from the helicopter and he swore under his breath. The armored soldier that attempted to capture him on Westlake’s orders was here as well.
Jacob Hammer affectionately known to his colleagues as Jackhammer strode over to the group. This time he simply wore the standard C.O.R.E. uniform and not a suit of powered armor. He whispered something in Westlake’s ear and shot a disgusted look in Wraithe’s direction before returning to the helicopter.
“It seems your shenanigans at the Pentagon have now made it to the media. Your team has officially made it to the top of the FBIs ‘Most Wanted List’. According to Washington you are now fugitives.”
“You set us up!” Wraithe shouted at Westlake.
“No but I was afraid this might happen that is why I wanted to ensure that C.O.R.E. was not implicated in this operation. We’ll smooth this over with the government after the crisis has been averted. Until then you just need to stay underneath the radar.”
Sun City, Hyde’s apartment…
Deadlaw has his hand placed on Hyde’s forehead and is searching his mind trying to find what remains of Jekyll’s will. He was astounded to find a large amount of pent of aggression as well as depression welling up inside the green behemoth. Deadlaw had to navigate past mental barriers made up of suicidal thoughts, anger, and hatred. Hyde shouldn’t be fighting vampires he should be getting seen by a psychiatrist.
Finally he found Jekyll’s mind locked away in the recesses of Hyde’s mind as if he was locked away in a jail cell unable to get out. Deadlaw delicately hammered away at the cell with his mental telepathy until it finally cracked open allowing him access. He felt Dr. Henry Jekyll’s mind fill his own and he almost screamed out in the agony of the crossover.
“What form of sorcery is this?” asked the voice of Dr. Jekyll emanating from Deadlaw’s body.
“I need your help” Luminary replied softly.
Looking around the small room Henry Jekyll sees Hyde being touched by a gloved hand that seems to be coming from Dr. Jekyll himself but yet is unfamiliar to him “how is it that I am in this body and Hyde is there? Have we been separated into two different beings?”
“Not exactly” Luminary explained “you see your mind is now being channeled into another’s body so that we may speak.”
“Why should we speak? I must find away to rid myself of Hyde. I have no time to speak to you.”
“But sir, I have altered your formula and I need help to duplicate the process in which you can revert back to normal. This would possibly help both of us” she pleaded with the scientist hoping to earn his sympathy.
“No I will not be a part of anymore scientific pursuits until I rid this world of the monster I created.”
“But Hyde is no monster anymore. He’s become a force for good in this world. And trust me at the rate this world is plunging into madness it needs all the help it can get.”
“Hyde has made amends for his…my evil deeds? I don’t believe it. There was a time when I could watch Edward Hyde’s movements from within his mind and see the debauchery in which he reveled. But something happened that has locked my mind away from his so that I have been unable to observe his movements. It seems as if I was trapped in a dark place with no hope of escape.”
“Will you help me?”
“Alas I cannot for I already feel this connection starting to sever. I will not last here much longer. But perhaps being Hyde permanently is not as bad as I once feared. If he can use his strength for good purpose then I, Dr. Henry Jekyll, can finally rest in peace.”
With that statement the connection was lost and Deadlaw regained himself once more. Hyde too looked a little bit better for the experience as the look on his face brightened a smidgen as if a great weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Luminary however had the opposite look on her face as her hopes were shattered in that instant.
“I guess that’s it then” she said to the two men “Jekyll could not help me. I best be getting back to headquarters. The team will probably need my assistance soon.”
“For what it’s worth I am sorry” Deadlaw consoled.
“Wait” Hyde spoke up “I know Jekyll could not help you but you have inadvertently helped me. Thank you.”
Tabitha Utterson nodded and turned her back to the two of them so they could not see the tears as they strolled across her cheek. Then she exited the apartment and was gone.
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