He walks down the alley at toward the toughs. His steps resound in the dark like taps. Click. Click. Click. Click. Only the clean one notices the noise,
Quite! Someones comin.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
His flickering form comes into view under the haphazard incandescent store light from across the street.
Would ya look at that mates. Someone draped a flag over this cape. Ever seen someone like that?
The small one smirks, We can take him
we can put that flag over his grave.
A dark echoing voice comes from the shadows and another form emerges from the shadows. A double click of a safety resonates through the alley, I saw we burn it.
Echoes
Look Sergeant, we only asked for the toughest volunteers to participate in this study. Out of the hundreds of applications only a few have made it this far. Now that you know what we are trying to do you would back out now. What would your family think if they knew you would bow out when the chips are down.
Sir, I want to participate but this is more than a study!
Sergeant. If we can get the expected results we will be able to kick the damned 5th Column straight off American shores. We could take this war back to them. We could stuff the American flag straight down their fascist throats. Make them pay for what we have lost.
But sir, immersion in this liquid? I mean, is this the only way.
Sergeant, I dont claim to understand exactly what this stuff is. Hell, only a few people even know it exists. We dont expect real results from the Manhattan Project for years and this war is not going to end itself. It is going to take courage to defeat the enemy and you have that.
He barely remembers what the scientist said. Psychotropic this and catalyst reagent that. Robert was never very good at science.
Is there no other
You going to step up to the plate here Sergeant and hit a home run for Uncle Sam and apple pie. Or are you going to stay in the dugout and let the home team down.
Sir, no sir!
They strapped him onto the table and lowered him into the empty testing cylinder. He never really could get the hand of these new fangled breathing apparatus. The lid sealed shut and whirling noises clamored about the cylinder like baby spiders crawling out of an egg. With a rush the orange liquid flooded into the cylinder. He screamed in pain through the apparatus it felt like he was being burned alive.
Click. Click.
Let them go or you will feel the might of
The masked one opened depressed the trigger of the submachine gun and it smiled death. With a split second to spare he willed his defenses to action and his skin became as steel. The bullets slammed into his abdomen and the trio of toughs charged. The beefy thug came in swinging a sledgehammer thinking he was Babe Ruth. He decided to let the hammer fall and it skipped off of his shoulder. The other two just suddenly stopped.
He gave a toothy grin and finished his opening, The Armed Forces. He threw a massive overhand swipe down upon the meaty one sternum sending him across the alley. The thinker had pulled a pistol and was firing randomly down the alley. The slimy thug was moving in for a slash when he was caught by a jab to side of the head followed by a close-line across the neck. A sickening snap was heard both of his collarbones gave way under the force of the blow.
Armed Forces charged at the pistol user hoping to trod him under foot. He almost made it when another cacophony of rounds blasted into his side from the masked thug. He felt a small caliber round bounce off of his right peck and a sweeping blow across his back. The stars cleared to the meaty one taking another swing with that hammer, again. He thought to himself, they outlawed selling spray paint to kids to reducing huffing but they must give construction equipment away. He leaned to the right letting the hammer find nothing but air. He used the hammers momentum to his advantage and delivers a one to two combination to the meaty thugs kidney. A large wet stain appeared in the toughs pants as his legs gave way under him. Forces decided it was best not to run into this one again and slammed his elbow across the back of the thugs skull quickening his slumber into the trash litter alley.
The masked one seemed to be having some trouble with his military grade firearm as he was trying to clear the jam. Armed Forces jumped behind the distracted thug and proceeded to make methodical blows to his opponents backside.
He slammed his open palm into the spine of the thug, S Squeeze the trigger.
P Pull back on the charging handle, echoed down the alley as she grabbed the thug buy the shoulder and they he down the alley.
The thug stumbled to his feet and tried to clear the jam. The masked one was so intent in using the weapon at hand he forgot to use his head.
Forces barked, O Observe the chamber as he drove his fist into his masked ones stomach. He expected the fight would be over by now but the masked one let out a laugh as he finished clearing the jam. The submachine smiled again as Forces jumped into the air. He took a round or two in the legs but avoided most of the barrage.
R Release the charging handle. T Tape the forward assist. More blows rained down upon the masked one and he began to wave from the impact of some much punishment. Blood was flowing from the mouth of the mask and his breathing was ragged.
Forces scooped the masked one up into a bear hug and cooed S Squeeze. The masked one went limp under the pressure and the machinegun let off a few disappointing rounds.
Echos
He awoke surrounded by the burning orange liquid as it solidified around him. His last breath being squeezed out of him by the hardening chemical.
Its no good Sir. He is dead.
He cant be dead. Look his heart is still beating.
No look. See these alpha waves. He is brain dead. The psychotropic effects flash fried is higher brain functions. His heart will stop as soon as the chemicals effects wear off. The chemical did have some of the desired properties
it did harden. It would take us hours just to cut out a small piece.
Well, he did make it farther than any of the other test subject. Do we have anyone left?
No sir, he was the last volunteer.
Notify his family. Just like the rest of them. Tell them he died in a Viet Cong ambush. His body, as usual, was unrecoverable.
Yes sir. What about what is left?
Leave it in the cylinder. Put it in storage. We may be able to analyze it later.
All was darkness
He let the thug slide from his grasp as he looked around. The intelligent proved his real worth. The smart thing to do would be to run. Instead he grabbed the sobbing girl and produced a curved blade. I will cut out her heart I will.
He closed the distance between himself and the pair slowly.
Click. Click
His hands could barely contain the blade he was shaking so much. She will die and it will be your fault.
Click. Click.
I am warning you. I will do it.
Click. Click.
He screamed, I will see BLOOD!
Click. Click.
He shot his arm out at cuffed the thug across the brow. The shock caused the thug to loosen his grip on the girl and Forces took advantage of the moment. He swept her up and jumped onto a nearby fire escape. Letting the girl go he peered down upon the thug. The blimp passed slowly overhead and a random light bathed down across the hero. Seven feet tall, blue body suit with a prominent white star on a red field in the middle of the chest. I dont negotiate with enemies of the state!
The thug turned to run as Armed Forces slammed his knee into his back. Armed Forces slammed his chest into the ground like a tent stake with his entire mass riding down his frame. The thugs fractured ribs punched ragged holes into his lungs and he spit out a wad of sputum.
Armed Forces stood up, And so you did.
He retrieved the young girl from the fire escape and helped the lad to his feet. He quietly escorted them from the alley.
The orange light from across the neon sign across street illuminated them as they came out of the alley.
Click. Click.
The orange chemical softened and he took a deep breath. He staggered to his feet and looked about. He was in a warehouse and by the look of neglect it had been so for many years. He took a few steps and slipped in the orange muck. He fell to the floor fast and hard, but he did not feel any pain. Getting back up he did his best to find others, someone that could help him. He walked about aimlessly and tried to find something to get the good off with. He almost had to duck to get through a door way and that had never happened before. He found a small bathroom and pulled the cord on the single handing bulb.
The swaying light cast shadows about the room but enough to see in the mirror. His skin was quickly absorbing the orange goo and in moments he was dry. He noticed his arms were now the size that he always wished his legs were, and his legs were huge. He looked like one of those pictures of heroes of old. Almost seven feet tall and as broad as a chimneystack. He made his way out and finally found the entrance to the building. He looked outside of the building to see a huge sprawling city on the horizon. He pushed open the door and it fell straight of the hinges with a thud and a rattle. The old chains that had wrapped the door had been broken as too. He turned about to see the sign above the building Armed Forces Storage Building #3.
A few papers blew by in a light breeze and one stuck to his foot. He picked it up. The Paragon Tribune??? Dated 2004!!!
Them sums-a-bitches
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Armed Forces
- Science Tanker
- Invulnerability / Super Strength
- Virtue Server
Its prom night and he looks down a grimy alley at a trio of toughs terrorizing a young couple. The blondes apparel and make up says she is trying to act twenty but her pleading eyes show she is still just a child. The poor is barely a teen with questionable taste in rental clothing. The short wiry thug produces a blade and snickers, I think she wants to dance with me. The boy acts like a man as he attempts to put himself between her and the toughs. He does not even to get to complete his first step before the thick, greasy goon slams his fist into his gut. You can hear the wind leave his lungs as he collapse to the welcoming embrace of concrete. She sobs, Please let us go, we just wanted to get home. The clean looking thug retorts, Home is where the heart is love. Where the heart is!
Echos from past call to him,
Pop relax. I will make you proud.
You would make me proud if you give up this foolish notion of defending the world and come back home
You know I cant do that. I have signed the papers. I have to go.
Look here, them recruiters are no good liars. You are my only son and they cant make you go!
Pop! I am getting on the bus. All my friends have already been called up. I have to go. What will people think of our family, of me if I dont?
Forget them sums-a-*******.
Pop, I am going. Kiss mom for me.
Franklin grabs his son by the shoulder and looks him straight in the Dont you volunteer for anything. You hearin me? Not a damned thing!
Sure Pop, whatever you say.