���� And now before him was his prize.� Several different artifacts from the N-ROM era; a rod said to contain great power, a colorful suit almost clownish in it's design.� Several others, mostly weapons sat on pedestals around his "throne".
���� Looking to his servants, he motioned.� "Use the notes I gave you.� Take these items apart and build this."� Marcus handed the manservant a scroll that the technician glanced over.��
���� "Marcus," he began, "This could take a lifetime."
���� Marcus smiled a devilish smile.� "You only have yours."
���� Trembling and shaking the technician bowed and led his subordinates out of the chamber.
���� Marcus Aralieus laughed.
�����
------------
END PROLOUGE I
------------
-----------------
PROLOUGE II
RHODE ISLAND 2113
-----------------
���� The city of Happy Harbor stood no more.� In his zeal to acquire his new target the android known as Amazo had leveled the town to "Test it's design functions".� The programming was the same, only different.� And the design of the body had been redone yet again.� This version of the android appeared like a large man whose burgundy skin had been drawn tight over his bones.� The face more resembled a large dark red skull with a gold gem in the center of the forehead. The arms and chest were bare except for the emerald gem buried in the center of the chest.� The legs where the traditional green tunic pants.
���� Across his field of vision crimson words scrolled.
���� [System Check:� Power Aquired-Designate MM-001: Flight, Strength, Invisibility, Designate GL-001:� Energy Manipulation; Weakness Yellow, Designate BC-002 Unable to access, Designate AM-001: Unable to access, Designate F-002: Partial Access Granted; File damaged or corrupted.]�����
���� [Systems Check complete]
�����
���� As the Justice League cruisers cleared the horizon Amazo vanished from sight pausing only to look at the JL symbol as if trying to remember a faded program.� Then he flew off unseen into the night sky.
���������
----------------
END PROLOUGE II
----------------
�����
WASHINGTON DC 2113 LATE FEBUARY
-------------------------------
���� Alex looked over the refinements he had made to his armor.� Here deep in the "Tank" as he called it he had redesigned the armor from the form he had first found, into the arsenal he now looked upon.�
���� ["Are you sure this is the form of justice you want to take?"]
���� "Unfortunately," Came Alex's humble reply.� To his left a light on one of the many computer panels had begun to flash began to flash.� Reaching softly Alex flipped a switch.
���� "What do you have for me?"
���� ["Well brother dear, I have a find and a half."] Came the feminine voice of Alex's sister Amanda.� ["South Central Noram.� Level Alpha readings."]
���� Alex grimaced.� "How many times must I say it Amanda?"
���� ["Sorry.� South central UNITED STATES."]
���� "Very well," Alex smiled as he sealed the helmet over his head.� "I'm on it."
------
TEXAS
------
���� Allison Barron ran as fast as she could.� She would have flown, but that would require sacrificing the protection of the transparent violet field surrounding her body.� Three years ago on her sweet sixteen she learned that she could project fields of energy from her body.� But she also discovered that even though these fields were translucent, except for slight shading of color, she could only use one at a time.� And Violet meant safety.
���� Safety because the bullets and energy blast of the pursuing Justice League team were bouncing off of her.
���� "If you stop running child," came the taunt of the team leader. "I shall let you live."
���� Behind her the JL team blocked off the alley she had dived into.� The energy being floated above the ground, pulsating with Meta human energy.� Below him a female whose eyes matched the being of pure energy above her.� Their leader, a man dressed in a lightning trimmed purple skin suit with cape smiled.
���� "Shall I drain her Voltaic?" Asked the energy being.
���� "Not as yet Template," came the leader's reply.
���� Allison's eyes flashed yellow and the alley wash bathed in a blinding light, taking all but the energy being off guard.� As the shade of her field shifted to red, she flew into the air.� Template was hot on her tail.
���� Above them Alex arced into view.� Scanners locking onto the scene below.� Scrolling text across his eyes.
���� {TARGET DESIGNATE: Unknown-Level Alpha.� TARGET: DESIGNATE: Template-Level Beta MetaEnergy Vampire}
���� Voltaic looked at the scene before him.� They had chased a scared young girl into this alley, and now it appeared she had changed into a seven-foot tall armored man.� "Well this is an interesting turn of events." He commented as electricity arced across his suit.
���� Before he could move, the armored form held out an open hand and then closed it slowly into a fist.� As he squeezed the air, Voltaic felt as if the air around him was crushing him from all sides.
���� "What are you doing?" he cried out in horror.
���� A voice that sounded like it came from the divine above itself answered.� "Even you know electricity can be contained with a proper magnetic field."
���� Voltaic hit the ground unconscious.� The backlash of the contained energies knocked the woman against the wall.� She joined her teammate on the ground.�
���� The armored form lifted into the air.
--------------
���� Template was closing on her.� Allison knew it.� And she had no more speed in her.� Just as he touched her, his energy signature changed color, matching the transparent red of the field surrounding her.
���� "YYYYYEEESSSS!" he bellowed as if he were a man consuming a meal after weeks of no food.
���� Then something cut his contact with his meal off.� Allison could still fly but felt weak as she looked behind her past Template.
���� Palms up, fingers spread an armored angel stood hovering.� Invisible pulses of magnetic energy embraced Template.� Inside the systems were trying to adjust to the fight they had to maintain.� The magnetic projectors were never designed to contain so much energy.� Alex had to play one of his trump cards.
���� "Temple, Eric L. you have only one chance to escape my hold.� You and I both know that a magnetic field can not contain your flesh and blood form.
���� Template looked down at the mile of air between him and mother Earth.� "How do you?"� He started to ask then decided against it.� A slight flash and he was mortal once more.� And before he could begin to fall Alex blasted him with a bolt of pure force, knocking Eric Temple into dreamland.� One moment later Alex had Eric in one arm and was landing next to Allison on a rooftop.
���� "How did you know his powers and name."� Allison asked.
���� "That information is classified," smiled her armored savior.� "I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you."
���� "Heh.� Yeah right," Alison grimaced.� "So how do I make it unclassified?"�
���� "You run along and live a happy life, marry a nice man and raise fat babies."� With that her armored savior lifted into the air on compressed ion energy.
-----------------------------�����
NORWAY�
A SECLUDED MOUNTAIN FORTRESS
----------------------------
���� "It is ready Marcus."� Came the scared voice of a man dressed only in a toga.��
���� Marcus looked at the man that cowered before him.�
"Lead the way underling."� He absent-mindedly ran his hand along his face.� It mattered not, today Marcus Aralieus would die.
���� The two entered a chamber lined from wall to wall and floor to ceiling with computer and other data gathering/monitoring equipment.� The centerpiece was a suit of steel-blue armor with a purple cloak.� In front of the armor was a raised dais, which Marcus stepped up on.� Working at the several data banks was man-sized robots.� Culled from technological databases around the world these "servants" had been here since he finished the fortress three years ago.� The toga wearing man was his only living servant.
���� He stood akimbo, arms outstretched.� "Adorn me," he commanded.
���� The robots did as requested, stripping him of his normal cloth dress, and placing the pieces of the armor on his bare flesh.� The helmet was a Marcus accomplishment.� It would allow him to eat and drink without ever having to remove it.� As it clicked onto the mounts above the shoulders, wires descended from the ceiling.� The wires were attached to a clear globe, which contained the prize of his collection.� Inside was The Spear of Destiny, the only Earth artifact that would be used in the ritual.� As the servants attached the wires to the outer shell of the armor, inside he smiled.
���� The robots returned to their tasks.� At the flip of a few dials, the dais began to rise.� Lifting him and the spear out above the fortress into the gale wind of the approaching storm.� He held his arms out as if to embrace the wind and rain.��
���� The lightning struck the spear.
���� Power flowed through his body and the armor.� He could feel the metal burning permanent attachments into his flesh.� He reached up and caught the falling spear in his left hand as the dais slowly descended within the safety of the fortress.
���� "Did it work Marcus?"� The technician who built the armor asked�
���� To answer him the armored form pointed his gauntlet in his direction, and a stream of plasma left only ashes of his one human servant.
���� "Yes I believe it was very successful."� Once more he smiled.� Then he looked down at the ashes on the floor before him.� "I told you it would be finished in your lifetime mortal slime."
-------------
WASHINGTON DC
THE "TANK"
-------------
���� Alex removed his armor and smiled as Amanda looked up at him from her chair.
���� "Is there a problem?" He asked.� His voice sounding like it came from the very center of his being.
���� Amanda blinked.� "Well let's see," she paused.� "Top UN Official secretly fighting UN forces under the pretence that 'we need the Gods to return,'" Amanda smiled.� "No, no problems except my brothers a loony.� Why?"
�����
���� Alex again smiled and gently placed his hand upon her shoulder.� "Let me show you...."
���� He turned her around and gently gave her a brotherly push forward.
���� "...Amanda.� Look here."� Alex led her to a wall where he pressed a button revealing a secret panel.� Inside the wall compartment was a class case for holding important documents.� In the case was a poster depicting the Twencen hero Superman.� Behind him was the flag of the old United States Empire.� He smiled as he saluted all those who would look upon his face in years to come.� Below his picture was a simple slogan.
���� "Truth, Justice, and the American Way."
------------------------------
JUSTICE LEAGUE PLANNING CENTER
ALPHA FIVE
------------------------------
���� Soundwave looked over his updated equipment, and around the room at his newly formed team.
���� Paulina Rostonov, Code named Aviatrix.� She had been a beautiful Russian model who had allowed herself to be submitted to the "Meta Application Treatment" of the League.� This treatment granted her superhuman strength and the power of flight, but it robbed her of the beauty of her face.� She was the airborne power of the team.
���� Cerebus, real name unknown, paced the room.� Cerebus had been a vagrant captured by the League, and submitted to various cybernetic enhancements, now he appeared as a large werewolf shaped humanoid with Glowing red eyes and four arms and the ability to breath flames from his mouth.
���� In one corner stood Razor.� The beautiful cyborg with retractable blades in fingers and wrist, who decided to supplement this with added blades on her silver body armor.
���� Javelin was talking to her, ranting about the German Superiority.� He had a cybernetic implant in his lower back which allowed him to fly.� On the hips of his Yellow and Blue costume he carried several collapsible trick javelins.� Razor appeared to seem bored with him.
���� Off to herself in another section of the room was Bolt, this attractive female was wearing the costume of the TwenCen Assassin of the same name, Black with a skull impaled by a lightning bolt between her breast.
���� Ambush Bug, who most of the team just called "Bug", was the teams infiltration specialist.� No one knows where he got the lime green suit of armor he wore.� All they knew is that it allowed him to teleport anywhere he wanted.� It also allowed him to cling to walls and ceilings
���� And of course there was Shockwave, Soundwave's twin brother, and reoccurring pain in the ass.
���� Soundwave got their attention.� As a holographic image of the armored man who had "killed" Blitz appeared above the table he began his speech.
���� "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a problem"
----------
THE "TANK"
----------
���� Alex smiled.� He left his work.� He had redesigned the symbol.� Now it was the same "Superman" triangle, but it had a black background, and the "S" was more technical more like a red slash across the chest of the armor.� "Something is missing"(See Kingdom Come Design: Azrael)
���� Amanda stared at the armor and laughingly answered.� "A twenty thousand round rail gun mounted on the shoulder?"�
���� Alex frowned.� "What do you think this is a comic book?"������
���� Alex took a small piece of equipment from his armor and added it to his watch.� Placing his watch back on his wrist he stepped onto the elevator leading to his office.� "I'll be back soon, I have a date."
---------------------
SEATTLE THAT NIGHT
---------------------
���� Carey Davis had started off with reservations about her date with Alex Tempest.� She had only known him a couple of weeks.� She had relocated to Washington from Gotham after the death of her husband.� She had been befriended by Alex's sister Amanda, who demanded that she get out, "...And take my brother with you," she had said.
���� Now here she was at the top of the Space Needle.� Placed in New Seattle, it was the tallest building next to Tempest Tower.� A rotating Restaurant mounted on its roof.� Alex had been excellent company.� She was disappointed he couldn't dance.� She so wanted to dance.��
���� The conversation had been the usual: What do you like, What are your hobbies.� She had been surprised to learn that he invented most of the technological advanced from TI himself.
���� "So I take it you went to school to learn all this techno babble?" she asked, sipping her champagne.
���� "Well I suppose I am a natural," Alex smiled.� "I completed ten years of school at MIT in four."
���� Her bright blue eyes widened at that astronomical number.� "Four?" she asked running her fingers through her shoulder length blond hair.
���� "Well four years and a semester."� He grinned.� Finishing his club soda he stood, grasping his cane.� He held his hand out to hers.� "Shall we?"
���� "Yes lets," she smiled back.� Standing and adjusting her dress which showed off her slim long legs before taking his hand.
���� They were just about to enter the elevator when an explosion behind them claimed their attention.
���� Behind them a hole had been opened in the restaurant right were they had been seated.� Hovering above the plasma fire he had started, and the burning bodies the fire had claimed, was a burgundy skeleton wearing green pants.�
���� "Alexander Tempest!" the mechanical digitized voice of Amazo yelled.� "I know you are here!"
���� Two armored Seattle Police Persons burst from the elevator behind Alex and Carey and took defensive positions behind downed tables.� Discharging several rounds of ammunition into the android as he landed in the debris he had created.� Ricochets claimed seven more lives, including one of the officers.
���� Alex shoved Carey into the closing elevator.� Two rounds snaked in between the shutting doors and six more left huge indentations in the doors themselves.� Alex lifted himself off the elevator floor.� He noticed the blood covering the floor and did a self-check before he noticed the large exit wound in Carey's chest.
����
���� "ARMOR ON!"
���� There was a flash of electricity as his clothing was replaced by his armor.
---------------
���� The two police officers fell before him easily.� One downed by his own bullet, the other by a glowing emerald harpoon.� As he surveyed the scene before him he smiled.� Here his programming had led him.� His target was here somewhere and if he destroyed his target the prize could be his.� The fire would claim this building, and several more.
���� Above him thunder cracked and the downpour began.
���� "NNOOOOOOO!"� Flying back out the entrance he had made he saw the cause.� One hundred yards above the restaurant was another armored figure.� A symbol on his chest that Amazo remembered, buried deep in his programming.� Above his head the armored man held an empty water tower from a nearby rooftop.
���� "There you are!" Amazo commented as bio data from his optic sensors filtered across his consciousness.� Amazo flew at his opponent, striking him in the chest with both fists.
----------
����
���� It was the skeletal freak that had killed Carey.
���� "Who do you think you are?" Alex demanded.
���� The skeleton held out an empty palm that filled with emerald energy.� The energy leapt from his hand and as it approached Alex it took form and solidified.� Slamming into Alex as a huge emerald battering ram shaped like his assailant's face.� Alex lost concentration.� Lost concentration was bad.� His boot jets turned silent and he fell.
���� "I am your doom."
���� Alex only fell a few yards before he regained control.� He hurtled himself back up before this 'doom', brought the right fist of the armor into contact with Amazo's chest.
���� The gauntlet was met by an emerald glow around the Android, knocking both combatants back in the air.��
���� "I grow tired of this Human," laughed Amazo.� "I am indestructible."� Pointing with both hands, Amazo unleashed a torrent of Emerald energy from his palms matched only by the crimson energy of his eyes.
���� Alex took the brunt of the blast.� The various energies ripping at his armor.� Falling he was about to pass out.� Smashing through the first hover car shook him out of his daze.� The second one slowed him even more, but jostled him so much that he could not regain control.
���� "I hate the midnight rush hour." He thought as he impaled upon a third killing its engine.� The driver jumped to safety as the car crashed into the ground.� It's engine and fuel source exploding around Alex.
���� Amazo hovered above the motionless form of his enemy.� As Alex lay on his back Amazo's computer brain locked on the emblem he had learned to hate so long ago.� With a single stroke he plunged an emerald trident through his armored opponent's stomach into the ground below him.
�����
���� "Just a reminder.� Your vaunted ideas, that mighty symbol you bear.� Does not make you the Supreme Being he was."� The trident faded into nothingness.� "We shall meet again." another beam of energy lanced off his hand into the wound.� Amazo flew off, part of his original programming taking over.
���� An unmarked hover van landed near Alex's armored form as Marcus began a dot in the sky.� A masked Amanda leapt out and with effort half-carried half-threw her armored brother into the back.
-----------------
THE TANK
THE MORNING AFTER
-----------------
���� "You should be dead Alex," Amanda spattered.
���� Alex felt as if she were correct.� She sat beside him on his bed hovering.
���� "There is no evidence of the hole in your abdomen that you had when I picked you up last night.
���� "He wanted me alive," came Alex's response.� He began to sit up.
���� "Where do you think you are going?" Amanda demanded.
���� Alex stood out of the bed.� "I have to repair the armor.� I'll show him what it means to meat a Supreme Being."
---------------------
Well here it is, Issue 3.
[email protected]
AND NOW�
TO THE HEART OF IT
Another great issue of Heart of the Storm!� It was cool seeing Alex Tempest
taking on some Justice Leaguers.� I was suprised to see Alex get blamed for
the death of Blitz.� It was very sneaky that Justice did that and you captured
his essence well. I will be looking forward to the next issue, keep up the
good work!
Mike Rehor
---Well Mike what did you think of his bought with Amazo?�
�
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