Beneath Riccapoor
October 12, 2008, 1:55 a.m.

Suspended between four energy siphons, one each connected to his arms and legs, Atoman hung over a massive machine deep beneath the streets of the slums. He could not move, but his eyes were alert. Anger and frustration showed on his face.

“You walked right in to my trap, Atoman! I hoped to get one of the lesser powers to attack me, perhaps American Crusader or that Legend fellow that popped up a few years back. But no, I get the crème de la crème! I get you!”

The yellow-skinned creature cackled an inhuman laugh. Half a dozen of his local Lady Foulplays worked around him at various computer terminals. He made his way past them and verified each device worked to specifications. After he verified each one, he turned back to Atoman.

“You are connected to energy siphons as you no doubt know. Each device will drain your massive powers and move them in to a mass diverter cannon I have placed in another location here on the island. Once it’s fully charged, and with you that will take only minutes,” he cackled again, “I will destroy those fools that pushed me from China! Then I will be the supreme ruler of the entire East!”

“We’re not going to let that happen, Claw!”

Black Owl hurled himself in to view. He threw a handful of throwing blades towards the Foulplays. The women quickly took to the air to avoid the attack. Black Owl smiled. The Foulplays’ drone-like thinking pattern fell right in to his plans. The blades struck the computer terminals and exploded on contact.

“No!” The Claw instantly shot to three times his normal height, over fifteen feet. His bladed fingers slashed down at the Owl. Black Owl dove out of the way.

London charged in to the fray. His hand hit the activator on his harness as he charged the giant. He felt the strength flood in to his body. He struck the Claw’s leg with all his might. The giant staggered, only to grow even larger to save himself from a fall.

The Claw’s hand reached down and swiped London in to the air. He laughed evilly as he yanked the British hero upward towards the fangs of his mouth…

*****

Beneath Riccapoor
October 12, 2008, 2:04 a.m.

Silver Streak shot past the melee. She silently prayed to Buddha for the other heroes’ safety. But she had her own mission. She moved up and down every winding path of the underground catacombs. She stopped at each door, used her superhuman speed to vibrate the lock from its hinges, and peered inside.

She found nine supply closets, seventeen living quarters, two holding cells, a restroom, three generator stations, and a tunnel to the sewage treatment center before she found anything worthwhile.

But it was very worthwhile.

She didn’t move inside her prison of glass. The tube was only slightly bigger than its occupant and the soft orange glow made her features almost impossible to see. But the costume looked quite familiar.

The prisoner was Lady Fairplay.

Silver Streak vibrated her hands at superspeed. The entire room shook as she focused the force forward and in to the massive tube.

The prison shattered around its occupant. Yellow-orange fluid splashed across the floor. The woman slumped towards the floor. Silver Streak sped forward and caught the woman before she could strike the floor.

Lady Fairplay’s eyes opened and looked up at her. The woman in her arms carried every bit of her ninety years on her frame. She looked barely able to stand, let alone move under her own power.

“Where…?”

“Quite,” Silver Streak said. “We have time to talk about our location later. I need to know how you got here.”

“It was Claw. He captured me… it must have been months ago. He locked me in to that tube, used it to siphon off my power. I think he was making duplicates with weaker versions of my abilities.”

“When was it that he locked you in here?”

Fairplay looked confused as she tried to come up with an answer. “It was… March? Yes, March.”

“What year?”

“1944.”

Silver Streak couldn’t hold in her shock. Her eyes widened at the older woman’s words. “Oh, blessed Buddha…”

“What? What is it?”

“I’ll explain in a bit. We need to get you out of here right now, okay?”

“If it’s a fight, I want to help.”

Streak shook her head. “You’re in no condition right now. We need to get you out of here, before this entire place comes down around our heads.”

*****

Beneath Riccapoor
October 12, 2008, 2:13 a.m.

Coward hurled his body through the air with no care for his own safety. He moved with an eerie silence as he pivoted down from the wall. He hurled the boomerang in his hand at the massive beast that was his greatest foe.

The Claw cried out in pain as the boomerang sliced in to the back of his hand. The bladed boomerang cut in to the tendons of the hand, and the Claw involuntarily lost his grip. London plummeted from his hand and towards the earth.

The Claw’s slavering teeth grew even larger as he lunged towards Coward. Coward could only grin as the creature’s massive form filled nearly the entire room. The Claw’s own devices shattered in to piles of metal and diodes beneath his feet.

The Claw’s free hand whisked out towards Coward. But this was a battle Coward fought many times in the past. He waited for the hand to near, threw his own feet out in front of him, and bounded up and off the monster’s hand.

He landed on the claw just above the monster’s shoulder. His loose boomerang, mystically attuned to his hands, returned to his grip as he hurried up on to the monster’s shoulder.

The Claw’s fanged jaws unhinged as his head turned at an impossible angle. His mouth opened and a cackle emerged from deep within his throat. The stench of death fell across Coward as the massive jaws closed on him.

He ignored it all. He turned and hurled both boomerangs towards the energy siphon device. His body dropped backwards as he threw. He plummeted to the ground, well aware of the pain in store for him upon landing.

His eyes focused on the twin boomerangs.

They struck the energy siphons on Atoman’s left arms and legs. They sliced instantly through the metal of the device and disappeared in to the darkness behind them. Everything seemed to stand still as they whistled back around.

The blades sliced through the remaining two siphons before heading back towards their master. Coward crashed to the ground. He felt his leg snap beneath him. He winced, but he refused to cry out in pain. Never again, he told himself.

The Claw’s eyes went wide as he saw Atoman stir in the smoldering remains of the energy siphons. Atoman hurled skyward. Atoman’s body seemed to ripple with energy. Claw screamed in fear.

Atoman’s fists crushed in to the Claw’s jaw. Teeth shattered in the beast’s mouth. The Claw staggered and turned. He lost mass as he stumbled down to one knee.

The Claw laughed through his broken teeth. “You can kill me, but I will return! You can’t stop me, I am immortal!” He cackled again. “And you young fools… you have no idea who your real foes are! I pale in comparison to your true masters!”

Atoman made no sign of hearing the Claw. His eyes glowed a burning yellow as he focused on the giant. Beams of blinding white light shot out from his corneas and engulfed the Claw.

The Claw roared in pain. The other metahumans present could only watch as the Claw’s body literally disintegrated beneath the atomic heat.

In less than a minute, they stood in a room full of ash. The only remains of the Claw fluttered to the earth around them. “It’s over,” London said.

Black Owl nodded. His cape was in tatters and most of his mask was destroyed. He could feel the bruises up and down his body. But London wore little more than rags, his body bruised and his chest heaving to catch his breath. Coward bled from numerous wounds and the nasty break in his right leg. He came out lucky, but they were a sorry lot.

Silver Streak arrived just as Atoman delivered a knockout punch to the last remaining Foulplay. “Did I miss all the fight?”

Owl, Coward, and London all stared daggers at her. But they said nothing.

“It’s like that, I see.” Streak bowed. “I thank you for your assistance in this battle. You have freed my home from a monster.”

Coward shook his head. “It’s only a temporary reprieve. The Claw will be back.”

Owl shook his head. “He was atomized. No one comes back from that.”

“The Claw does not die,” Coward said.

The others let the conversation drop. London and Owl helped Coward to his feet. Atoman hovered above the battlefield, but said nothing.

“We should hurry back to the surface,” Silver Streak said. “I think I have someone that all of you will want to meet.”

No one questioned her statement as they all made their way back to the surface.

*****

Leila’s condo, Singapore
October 12, 2008, 7:14 a.m.

Terri Danville was not a happy camper. Perhaps if she didn’t come from wealth, her host’s extravagant lifestyle might be endearing. But after sixty years as a high society matron, she couldn’t help but feel Leila’s choices were anything but vulgar.

The parties annoyed her the most. She tried to sleep at night, but it proved difficult when her host returned at three or four a.m. The days Leila did not spend out late were spent throwing parties in her own apartment.

Terri wanted to complain, but she knew she was a guest in the pop star’s home. An unwelcome guest, perhaps, but still a guest. She couldn’t bring herself to complain about anything. It could be worse. I could be on the street.

She worried about Doug every day. He hadn’t communicated with her since his departure. She knew about his knack for getting lost in his work, but after a sixty year separation she thought he would be more considerate.

Now as morning dawned on the island, she felt more refreshed then she had in nearly a week. She slept the night before like a baby. Leila didn’t disturb her at all late at night.

Cindy, a local girl with an Americanized name for her employer’s benefit, worked in the kitchen as Terri emerged from her bedroom. She served as maid, cook, and personal assistant for Leila whenever she visited Singapore. The pop star constantly berated the girl, good work or no. Terri felt bad for Cindy, who couldn’t be much over eighteen, but again felt it wasn’t her place to step in.

“Good morning, ma’am.”

“Hello, Cindy. You got the coffee on?”

“It is brewing for you, ma’am.”

“That sounds great.”

Terri made her way in to the kitchen. A large island with a build in stove and dishwasher dominated much of the space. The entire room was decorated in a black and white marble blend which even covered the dinner table at the far end of the room. Terri marveled at the extravagance of the design every time she entered the room. She poured herself a cup of coffee and padded over to the dinner table. A plate, bowl, and a mug were already ready for her.

She grabbed the mug and went to retrieve a cup of coffee. As soon as she took the first sip she felt instantly rejuvenated. She could almost feel the warmth suffuse her body. Nothing else woke her up in quite the same way.

“So much better,” she said. “Where’s the lady of the house this morning, Cindy?”

Cindy ignored her attempt at sarcasm. “Ms. Leila rang just a few minutes ago. She will be here momentarily.”

“Interesting,” Terri said. Whore.

She silently cursed herself for the thought, but she also knew she couldn’t help it. She and her host were from different eras, different lifestyles. They weren’t meant to mesh. She contemplated returning to Chicago, but she wanted Doug to find her as soon as his mission as Black Owl was complete.

A knock came at the door of the penthouse. Terri looked at it suspiciously as Carol turned towards it.

“Wait,” Terri said. “Who would be at the door to the penthouse? No one can even get up here without the proper pass.”

“Ms. Leila probably just lost her keys again. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

The door splintered behind them. A man dressed from head to toe in red spandex entered the room. Terri instantly recognized the American Crusader. A few steps behind him stood another figure from her past, the Amazing Man.

“No, you’re not allowed—”

American Crusader soared across the room. His hand clutched Cindy around the neck. He threw her to the side. She crashed against the far wall. Paper and wood walls shattered as she fell in to the guest bedroom. She didn’t stir.

Crusader turned towards Terri. Terri gasped. She stepped back and stumbled in to her chair. Have to find a way out. I can’t let them do that to me. I don’t know what’s wrong with them, but I can’t let them—

Crusader’s hands grasped the front of her gown. He hoisted her high in to the air. She could see the malice in his eyes.

“You will tell me where to find Atoman or you will end up like your friend. Do you understand?”

“I—I—”

“Do you understand?”

Tears filled her eyes as she felt his gaze fall on her. She had no other choice. God help me. She slowly nodded.