Sentinels of Justice: Shadows and Light

[DocQuantum]

by Blackwolf247

Prologue: Is this War?

Continued from Judomaster: Mozambique: Situation Critical

Ripley “Rip” Jagger, the man known as Judomaster, was a World War II legend who found himself transported from 1945 to 1985. Now, two years later, after becoming a U.S. government special operative with the help of the Sentinels of Justice, he awoke to find himself in a jungle. This didn’t surprise him at first, because the last thing he remembered was being in the African island nation of Mozambique. However, he quickly realized that this jungle wasn’t much like the one he had been in moments ago, and nowhere were there signs of the men he had been with or the aliens and their laboratory. Instead, as far as he could see were trees, plants, and nearby mountains.

Suddenly, he heard a load roar that pushed his battle senses up to full alert, and with minimal effort he was on his feet. Coming through the trees was a creature like Rip Jagger had never seen before. It was larger than a tyrannosaurus rex with a head somewhat like that of an alligator, and fierce-looking teeth. And it was headed straight for him.

***

In an office building not far from the Kremlin in Moscow, a very select group of men were in conference. Out of necessity, all kept their identities hidden, for they were involved in a very dangerous project in this totalitarian state.

“The reports we have received concerning our special operative in Mozambique indicates he did indeed solve the situation there, with — I might add — the aid of South West African Police and two American action-heroes, Captain Atom and one we haven’t yet identified.”

“But Vostov did solve the problem, comrade?”

“Yes, he did, and it opens new cans of worms, I am afraid.”

“How so?” a third man asked.

“He and his allies uncovered evidence of an alien invasion — evidence that ties into what others have found — and, of course, we must keep from being released even to our so-called leaders.”

“The Greys?”

“Yes. Apparently, they were running some sort of experiment there. Specialists are already en route to go over the rubble and recover what they can.”

“Good, good. We would not want the Americans in on this, would we?”

“No, of course not, but sometimes I wonder what they know that we do not.”

“No doubt. And our counterparts there must wonder the same.”

“Comrades, I am beginning to think we must consult… her.”

“Is this, then, what I think?” asked one. “Is this war?”

“Comrades, it has been war since we discovered their existence. It was war prior to that, but we were not yet willing participants.”

“Then, comrade, contact her you must.”

“Yes, I am afraid I must.”

***

At the White House in Washington, D.C., Captain Atom was meeting with President Ronald Reagan.

“Sir,” began the action-hero, “from what I saw and found in Africa, it looks to me like the Greys have stepped up operations. I think this was only a test, but a dangerous one.”

“Well,” said the affable ex-actor-turned-politician, “I guess I’d better call in my people who handle this sort of thing. I trust that your group will be willing to help.”

“As always, sir!” said the world’s most powerful action-hero.

Chapter 1: Welcome to Fire Base Jurassic

Rip Jagger was running for all he was worth, and with good reason. The monster chasing him was clearly intent on eating the red-and-yellow-clad action-hero known as Judomaster, not that the tremendously large dinosaur with a head that somewhat resembled a crocodile knew anything about action-heroes, but it recognized a meal when it saw one. Nor, for that matter, did Judomaster recognize the breed of creature wanting to chow down on him, but to him that didn’t matter. What mattered was running through this jungle and avoiding injury, as well as avoiding becoming a dinosaur’s next meal.

Entering a clearing and spotting what looked like a round saucer-shaped vehicle or building and several humans near it, he made a beeline for them. He saw the people notice him approaching, and although he couldn’t hear them, he saw that some were pointing and shouting, while one of them ran to some sort of device. He did, however, feel a barrier that, despite being invisible, still filled him with enough of an electrical current to render him unconscious.

***

New York City, 1987:

“Oh, #^@% no!” The voice belonged to one Roger Davenport, a veteran uniformed police officer of New York’s Finest. The cause of his exclamation was seeing before him a vacant lot with a most hideous sight: four bodies, apparently children, laid out in a perfect square shape, with each body skinned of all flesh.

“Call this in!” Davenport called to his partner moments before emptying his guts of all it contained.

His partner turned away before he might begin vomiting and made for the patrol car. As he fumbled for the police radio microphone, he felt like puking himself. Somehow, he managed to radio in a multiple homicide before he finally gave in to the nausea.

By then Davenport had made his way back to the patrol car and now took over the mike, requesting a hasty response. At this point he wanted nothing more than a double shot of good old Kentucky bourbon, followed by another double. He hoped that would help dissolve the image in his mind, but he also feared that hideous sight would never leave him, no matter what he did.

***

Crown City:

Vic Sage sat in his office going over reports on the ratings of his recent special on communist influences in South Africa. As he had expected, the liberal media was outraged because he didn’t follow the “party line” concerning that nation on the southern tip of Africa. Instead, he had reported as objectively as possible exactly what was going on there. To Sage, Apartheid was obviously wrong, and the government there needed to undergo heavy reform. However, he had never been one to shy away from honesty and accuracy in his reporting, and he covered several signs of improvement in how the non-white population was being treated, and the advancements they were presently enjoying. His report also covered the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela and their close ties to the South African Communist Party and thus the Soviet Union itself, and he openly questioned what their true agenda was, beyond merely ending apartheid. Indeed, his ratings had indicated that the American public was interested in hearing more than just liberal propaganda on that troubled nation.

Just as he was reaching for the phone to make a call, it began to ring on his private line. He answered it.

“Sage.”

“You’re needed.”

Sage recognized the voice on the other end. “OK. Be there shortly.” He frowned as he hung up. Captain Atom rarely made the calls himself, so this must be something very serious.

Vic Sage was heading out of his office when Sam Starr, the elderly owner of WorldWide Broadcasting Co., or WWB, stopped him in the hall.

“Vic! Just the man I was looking for.”

“Sam, I did want to talk to you, but I have an important meeting to attend to,” replied Vic.

“Cancel it, no matter who it’s with,” said Sam. “Even Reagan can wait. I need you now.”

Sage sighed heavily. “What is it?”

“Just across the street and down the block, the police have found a crime scene too bizarre to be understood by them. I want you to take a news crew down and see what you can uncover.”

“Me? What about Lang or Fielding?”

“They’re on other assignments, and you’re my best investigative reporter, so hop to it. We need a report for our eleven o’clock broadcast. Crew’s downstairs waiting.”

Sage swore under his breath as he made for the elevator to take him to the parking garage, where his crew would be waiting. Wonder if this has anything to do with the captain’s call, he thought.

***

When Rip Jagger awoke, he found himself lying on a standard-issue military cot that was inside of a room like something out of Jules Verne or H.G. Wells., complete with a vast array of machines full of blinking lights and strange-looking beings moving around.

“Ah, good. You’re awake,” a voice said. Jagger turned his head and looked into the friendly face of a red-haired, freckled young man wearing a USMC combat uniform. “Name’s Riley,” the lad said. “Welcome to Fire Base Jurassic.”

Jagger felt faint. “Where?” he asked, trying to sit up. His body was in pain, but he noted that his red and yellow Judomaster outfit was still on him.

“Fire Base Jurassic,” replied Riley with a shrug. “Not that we know for sure whether we’re in the Jurassic era or not, but the sarge figures we might just well be, and, well he’s the man in charge, after all. Even the E.T.s listen to Durrel.”

***

The Soviet Union:

Comrade Zastrow sighed heavily as he peered through his coke-bottle lenses at the files before him for the seventh time today. He had given his reports to two KGB committees, as well as another highly secretive committee he was a member of. No matter how many times he read these files, they never changed. Everything indicated that the aliens known as the Greys, for want of a better term, were indeed increasing their activities within the Soviet Union and its allied nations.

To add to his woes, two of the USSR’s own action-heroes, Xopek and Myxa — literally translated as the Ferret and the Fly — had disappeared, possibly victims themselves of these invaders.

Not long after, in a remote location deep within the Kremlin, a grim committee was meeting to discuss, among other things, the fact that as of this morning four members of the People’s Heroes, the Soviet answer to the American action-heroes who had been created at great cost, had disappeared.

***

At that same time, another secret meeting was held in Washington, D.C., concerning American action-heroes. Present so far were Captain Atom, the Blue Beetle, Liberty Belle, the Shape, and Nightshade, while others were expected momentarily. While they waited, the artificial humanoid called the Shape was practicing his ability to transform his body into various forms, and Blue Beetle and Liberty Belle were egging on their plasticized colleague to look like various cartoon characters.

Captain Atom was grumbling over a classified report he had received from a friend in the CIA. “Things don’t look good, not at all,” he muttered, and as he reached for a cup of coffee, he failed to note its peculiar yellow color until he raised it to his lips, and it suddenly smiled at him.

With a surprised yelp he dropped the cup, and it bounced away. The others started laughing, and Nightshade handed him his actual coffee cup, while the Shape regained his basic human form. “Ha-ha! Captain, you looked so funny!”

Resisting the urge to lose his patience with their newest member, Captain Atom instead grinned and said, “Very good. That should teach me to pay more attention!”

At that moment, the door to the meeting room opened, and the assembled heroes were surprised when four newcomers entered their meeting room, when only three of them had been invited.

“We found him across the street at the bar over there,” explained the Son of Vulcan, indicating a very intoxicated Huntsman.

The Soviet archer looked up at the assembled heroes and said, “Big, ugly — hic — sino-sinodaur ate my frien’.” At that, his head lolled sideways.

“I don’t think he’s going to be of much help to us,” Son of Vulcan continued.

The Peacemaker, on the other side of the blue-clad Soviet archer, nodded in agreement. “Got someplace we can put him, to let him sleep it off?”

Blue Beetle walked over. “Here, let me help. We’ll put him on a couch in the back.”

“Blue — hic — Blue Beagle!” the Huntsman said, slurring his words. “My favorite American action-hero after Captain Atomic and — and — hic — Blue Beagle!”

“Oh, great! I’m his third and first favorite — way too much responsibility!” muttered Blue Beetle. “Come on, big fella. This way.”

Captain Atom was barely aware of this development, so focused was he on the fourth person who had walked in. “I thought you were dead!” he said half-jokingly.

“I assure you, my dear Captain, I am alive and well,” said the older man, who looked like a stage magician in his tuxedo and turban. “However, circumstances have brought me out of retirement.”

“Captain, who is this man?”

“This man, Shape, is one of the first action-heroes of all.”

***

Vic Sage looked grimly toward the camera, holding his microphone close to keep it from picking up the sound of the wind as he said, “While at this point the authorities have been mum on what they’ve found so far, they are promising a press conference tomorrow morning at ten A.M., which we will be broadcasting live.”

Having said that, Sage had guaranteed that his network would air the press conference live, if something more important didn’t occur in the meantime. Sage had star power, and star power brought certain perks as well as obligations, such as standing outside as a storm was brewing to report the news, despite having little news to report.

“Several citizens who live in this area have reported that bodies were found down that alley behind me,” he continued, gesturing in that direction. “The police have been diligent in keeping any unauthorized people out of there, and that includes us. However, I can report that we have been told the crime scene is quite unique, and possibly ritualistic in nature.” There, thought Sage. Let them chew on that bit of information. “Vic Sage, reporting live for WWB.”

As the crew prepared to return to the station, Vic looked around, studying rooftops and other sights, while inside he knew that as the Question he had bigger fish to fry tonight than whatever the Sentinels of Justice had going on. After all, he didn’t really consider himself an action-hero like his friends, but an investigator for truth first and foremost.

Nearby stood a tall man in a long dark black greatcoat and a wide, flat brimmed hat. A haunted look was on his bearded face as he also studied ways to maneuver around the alley in order to check things out himself. Spotting Sage looking at the fire escapes, he nodded.

The bearded man went back to his black van, slid in, and turned on a radio that allowed him to monitor police and emergency broadcasts. While he listened with one ear, he also concentrated on preparing two pistols, making sure these .45 automatics were cleaned and loaded. Tonight he was going into action, and he thought he’d possibly already spotted his target.

***

“Where exactly are we, Riley?” Judomaster asked the young Marine.

“We don’t rightly know, sir,” the freckle-faced redhead replied. “Smoke?” Judomaster shook his head. The young man nodded and lit a cigarette. “The Sarge figures maybe the Jurassic, based on the dinosaurs. But hell if we know for sure.”

“How’d you get here?” asked Judomaster.

“I should be asking the questions, there, fancy-pants.”

Judomaster looked and spotted a large, broad-shouldered black man walking over casually. He was a three-striper with a bushy beard and a look that told him exactly how much authority he wielded.

“I’m Sgt. Durrel. Who the #^@% are you?”

“Judomaster.”

“Bull$#!*. I met Judomaster — he’s Japanese.”

Rip Jagger sighed heavily. “That was my former apprentice. I’m the original.”

Durrel squinted his eyes and said, “Could be. You look sorta like the guy I saw pictures of as a kid. Okay, well, got no choice but to accept you for now.” He shrugged and added, “So, tell me, fancy-pants, Uncle Sugar send you after us?”

“I was in Mozambique along with some others,” explained Rip, “when a — well, an alien sent me to wherever this place is.”

“Gray-skinned booger with big black eyes?”

“Sounds like him, yes,” said Judomaster.

“#^@%,” Durrel swore. “Them again!” Lighting a cigarette, he sighed and said, “Well, come on, then. I guess I’ll introduce you around to all the guys. You’d better get used to the place. After all, you ain’t gonna be going anywhere else for a while.”

***

The Question peered over the edge of the high-rise apartment building, and with camera in hand, thumb depressing the button every few seconds, he looked for any signs of what was going on amidst all the red, blue, and yellow revolving lights. As he tried to make out what the voices were saying, he spotted a brief glimpse of a corpse as it was being loaded into a black body bag.

Something about that body did not look right. That much he could tell, but he hadn’t seen enough for what it was to register, so he hoped his camera caught more than a glimpse of this body on film.

“Freeze!” a voice commanded, and the action-hero slowly moved away from the edge, surreptitiously slipping his camera into his pocket even as he prepared to turn and rise.

“You understand the word freeze, buddy?”

Standing near the fire escape stairs stood a very tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a long black greatcoat, and a flat brimmed hat that hid his facial features in shadow. In one hand was a long-barreled Colt .45 revolver that was aimed at the Question’s chest. Most importantly, there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation in this man’s stance; he was definitely capable of swift action.

“I am not your enemy,” the Question said, calmly raising his hands.

“Yeah, right — and I’m supposed to believe a man with no face.” The man then looked around and, seeing there was no one else on the roof, refocused his attention on the man in front of him. “I suppose you’re the famous urban legend I heard of. The Question, right?”

“I am. And you are?”

“Damian Walker. Perhaps you heard of me. ”

“No, can’t say I have.”

“Surprising. I thought all you Sentinels were on top of the news. Or maybe, son, you know me as Gravedigger.”

That name immediately made the normally imperturbable Sage’s blood run cold.

***

Xopek froze. It wasn’t that the wind had stopped; that wasn’t unexpected. What he hadn’t expected was that not one person was left in this cabin — not one — and someone was supposed to be here at all times. The black-and-gold-clad Soviet action-hero did not like this. This was not according to procedure, and procedure was very important to survival in the USSR. Something terrible had happened; he could feel it.

***

“Captain Atom, you haven’t aged a day,” said a tuxedo-clad man who also wore a long, old-fashioned red cape and a golden turban embedded with a ruby jewel. Bowing to the others in the room, he said, “I am Yarko the Great, master of magic, and one-time mystery-man like yourselves. These days, I prefer the company of my wife and my books over adventuring, which I gladly leave to my son.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” said Liberty Belle. “We worked with your son recently, and Amon the Invincible is still your biggest fan. (*) He told us about several of your lesser-known, later exploits that were kept out of the papers. If even half of those are true, we all owe you a debt of gratitude.”

[(*) Editor’s note: See Sentinels of Justice: Panic and the Pantheon.]

Yarko smiled and said, “The honor is mine, fair lady.”

“Well,” said Captain Atom, “what brings you out of retirement?”

“A most serious case of murder, Captain,” replied Yarko. “A most serious case.”

[DocQuantum]

Chapter 2

Yarko the Great stood before Captain Atom and the assembled members of the Sentinels of Justice. “I am afraid I’m not here for a social call, Captain.”

Captain Atom looked at his one-time friend and sighed heavily. “You did say something about murder, so please, come in and have a seat.”

Nearby, the Soviet action-hero called the Huntsman raised his head drunkenly and muttered, “Big ugly lizard!” Saying this, he passed out immediately.

The Shape had assumed the form of a cartoon dog dressed like Blue Beetle. “Look, everyone, I’m Blue Beagle! Watch for me on Saturday cartoons time!” the shape-shifter said in his peculiar form of English.

“Please, Shape, this is serious business,” Captain Atom snapped at the artificial hero. Inwardly he asked himself, I wonder if other action-hero groups have to put up with someone like him? No, who am I kidding? Who else would have a shape-shifter or an artificial man in their ranks?

***

Lighting flashed behind the tall man who spoke his name. Gravedigger. The Question’s stomach sank; he had heard of this man, a federal agent with a reputation for preferring to kill his targets instead of placing them under arrest for trial. Still, the Question was not a dangerous criminal, and this man had not reached for his pistol.

“We are probably here for similar reasons, Gravedigger.”

“Probably but my partner and I were invited here, your not on the guest list.” He started to turn away then turned back “Your help would be appreciated though faceless tell you what. My van is the cool black one back the way you came in. Join us in ten; we’ll talk.” Then he went back down the fire escape.

Beneath his mask, Vic Sage relaxed. He did not want to fight a fellow crime-fighter.

***

Below him the police continued their investigation of the murder scene.

Detective Myron Hollis was a man whose physical appearance had been compared to movie star Woody Allen. However, he was in better shape, being a man who worked out on a regular basis and had a reputation as a hard-nosed homicide investigator. He looked at his partner Elayne Browning, an attractive enough blonde woman who had not used her looks to advance her career, but was instead a dedicated cop.

“I want to know how the FBI got here so quickly and why?”

Browning looked at her partner. “Easy – – their office is less than a block away, and from what Special Agent Donahue told me, this isn’t the first such crime scene around.”

“No $#!*. Where’d the other one occur?”

“There’s similar scenes in Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont.”

“Looks like a pattern, then.”

Browning shook her head. “Likely some fancy serial killer. And we may never get our hands on the bastard.”

Hollis was angry. “%*%#ing serial killers!”

***

“Sarge, you really met the Japanese Judomaster?”

“Yeah, Riley, when he was in a Jeep driving by about two thousand of us on parade rest. Now come on; I wanna check the perimeter, and we gotta figure out what to do with this costumed clown.”

“He could be most useful.”

“Yeah, so could a geisha girl; probably more so. Hey what’s Jenkins so excited about?”

***

Gone, all of them gone, not a trace. Xopek was shaken up. There wasn’t even a note, a sign, or anything. Then he felt a chill. Had they found them after all? God, he didn’t want to think about that.

***

Yarko the Great, master of magic, and one of the very first of the modern world’s defenders of good and justice was a tall proud man in a old fashioned style tuxedo, long red cloak and a white turban. His craggy features reflected his years of devotion to the white light. In other words, he looked generally calm and serene, a man not given easily to agitation or worry.

“Captain Atom and members of the Sentinels of Justice who are assembled, please allow me to address you who are assembled here tonight.”

“Granted,” said Captain Atom. “Least we can do for you, sir.”

The others were in agreement. Except for the now-snoring Huntsman.

“Our friend is gonna feel great in the morning,” Blue Beetle quipped.

“Serves him right,” said the Peacemaker. “But right now I am very curious about what Yarko wants.”

“Thank you, Peacemaker, and believe me I shall not waste your time. Why I am here, ladies and gentlemen, concerns the matter of murder.”

Everyone sat and listened closely as the tall magician softly spoke. “It began seven months ago when the first case occurred and has continued right up to tonight.”

He paused and took a sip of water. “There is a cult of death worshippers who have killed, to the best of my knowledge, twenty-eight children. Assuming, of course, all of these murders are connected.”

“Even one child is too many,” Nightshade said. “But how can we help?”

“I am not sure, dear lady, but there is hope that the information I have assembled may show a way to find these fiends, who I am not entirely sure are even human.”

Captain Atom was gazing at his hands folded on the table, but at the mention of not human, his head lifted up. “Aliens?” he asked.

“Indeed, aliens,” Yarko responded. The others turned from Yarko to the Captain and back to Yarko.

“Aliens?” Liberty Belle said. “We have had some encounters with aliens before, individually and as a group, but alien child killers?”

“Yes, I suspect that to be the case.” Yarko said to the patriotically clad heroine.

***

“Alien child-killers?” Nabokov asked the speaker, who was setting up a slideshow for assembled members of the secretive branch of the KGB connected to the Soviet Superpowers program.

“You think our missing lambs are missing because of these aliens?”

“Indeed. I believe our missing ones are missing because they encountered the Greys, and not in a good way.”

“If the mighty People’s Heroes cannot combat these beings, then how can we?” someone asked from a corner.

“I am getting to that,” said the guest speaker, Dr. Asimov. “We actually do have a strong hope awaiting activation.”

“We have been aware of these beings for, well, years — and have had clashes with them — but never, never have I known them to kill children,” Nabokov stated with anger.

“I suspect that our space-born foes have, well, call it a cult within their ranks,” Asimov said. “Now, if you will dim the lights…”

***

Several children ran happily into the large, unassuming cabin, laughing merrily over their recently gathered collection of berries.

“Uh-oh,” stated the blond boy called Hammer after seeing a very angry-looking man clad in black and yellow. “Uncle Xopek not happy!”

“Very observant, Boris! I have told you repeatedly — do not go outside without an adult. There are too many dangers for you.”

“Hey!” exclaimed Molotov, now a beardless and rotund child. “We got powers! We know how to use them!”

“Yes, Dimitri, you all have powers, and I am only a man who uses a gimmicked suit. However, the Greys turned you into children in your last encounter with them, and that only because you escaped before they could finish their devolving of you! Now, I warn you — stay in the cabin!”

“Do you really think they won’t find us here?” Dimitri asked.

“I do not know, comrade, but we hope our special protections will help us.”

At that moment an earthquake began.

***

The Question stood outside the large mobile home that Gravedigger had invited him to visit. With trepidation he knocked on the door, and the mysterious federal agent opened the door and bade the faceless hero to enter.

“This is my partner, Robert Owlman,” he said, indicating a wheelchair-bound Native American sitting near a bank of monitors and computers.

“Pleased to meet you, Question,” the beefy red man stated. “We’re big fans of you mystery men.”

Nearby, the police were putting four bodies into black body bags, and making plans to have a meeting to go over all of the facts thus far known concerning this crime scene where four bodies had been found skinned and placed into a square formation. All bodies appeared to be children. Everyone on scene knew they would not sleep well for months, if at all ever again.

***

“Children are being murdered,” Yarko told the assembled members of the Sentinels of Justice: Captain Atom, Liberty Belle, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, the Shape, and Nightshade, as well as a slumbering guest, the Huntsman.

“At first, when I came across this situation, I thought it was some sort of evil cult. I am now reasonably sure it is aliens — aliens who belong to a most evil cult, indeed!” The aging magician and one-time mystery-man looked older and sadder than when he had arrived moments ago. “My youngest son Shangra has disappeared, and I suspect that he, too, is a victim of these foul beings!” The assembled heroes looked shocked.

“I vow this, my friends — to find these villains and slay them!” Yarko suddenly looked very tall and fierce. “I do not ask you to join me in killing anyone, human or alien, I do, however, ask for your help in locating them.”

“Yarko,” said Captain Atom, “I promise you this: we shall help.”

“Yes, we will!” the others said.

The ringing of the red phone brought further comments to an end as Nightshade went to answer it.

The Huntsman stirred. “Big ugly dinosaur, he ate my friend,” he murmured, then passed out again.

“It sounds,” said Yarko, “as if your friend has some serious problems of his own.”

“Yep,” said the Peacemaker. “Serious ones.”

Nightshade rejoined the others. “Excuse me, boys, but I have an emergency of my own to attend to.” Suddenly she left, leaving everyone looking confused.

***

###Jenkins, a young member of the Marine unit Judomaster had found himself with, was quite excited as he ran up to Durrel, Riley, and the action-hero of World War II.

“Sarge, M’eel found something interesting!”

“Well, drag one o’ them fish-faces over, and let’s find out what, then,” Durrel said.

A tall, stately looking Piscean creature looking rather like a cross between a fish and a human came over.

“M’eel, meet fancy-pants,” Durrel said.

“Fancy Pants, M’eel welcomes you,” he said with a bow.

Judomaster looked disgruntled, then said, “Call me Judomaster, please. And I am honored to meet you, M’eel.” He returned the bow.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Durrel. “Niceties aside, what did you find, M’eel?”

The being clad in orange and purple robes bowed to Sergeant Durrel. “We were scouting Section 42, as per your guidance, where we spotted a building seemingly made of wood, and we briefly spotted there smaller-sized humans. Images are now being transmitted.”

Riley turned to Judomaster and said, “He’s a hive-mind, so M’eel isn’t just his personal name, but the name of his species also. What one knows, all know. Very handy in scouting.”

“No doubt.”

“Though it can be confusing when you have a conversation with one M’eel body, only for the same conversation to be picked up by another,” Durrel explained. “The wolf-like ones are Hraiz — good folk, fierce warriors, too,” he continued. “And the little ones with the purplish hue are Kx-Leel. They, well, they’re odd.” Judomaster nodded.

Another of the M’eel brought several three-dimensional photos over. “As the notable sergeant can see, this building looks rather like pictures some of your people have shown us. Here is the only one of the beings we spotted about the size of Kx-Leel, but looking more like yourselves, we are thinking.”

“The downside of M’eel is lack of individuality,” Riley went on. “And me, I like being just myself. I’d hate to share my mind with the rest of these Joes,” he said, indicating other Marines nearby. Durrel looked at the images, then passed them to his lance corporal. “Have one of the scout cars ready. I want to send some of my men over there.”

“As the honorable leader wishes.” Both M’eel bowed and left.

###”Formal f—-ers” Durrel muttered “But damn helpful. They rescued us when we and a bunch of Charlie’s boys found ourselves here. and yes fancy pants we got some of the Cong with us. We worked out our own mutual survival peace treaty” He snorted “Just a bunch of scared teenagers about 14,15 damn war!” He laughed bitterly. “More then happy to not be fighting us. I can tell you. Come on lets get some grub then I’ll fix up a scouting party. The M’eel who went out will be a while and if any more sightings like this turn up we’ll know it. Umm Riley get one of these fishies to go with us in thirty”

Riley nodded and motioned to one of the M’eel who didn’t look busy at one of the numerous devices around the interior of this building. Which Judomaster learned was actually the M’eel space ship which had been downed by their enemies the beings Durrel and others called the Greys.

***

Nightshade left the building the Sentinels of Justice operated as a team out of and was met by a black limousine. A tall man in a black suit opened the back door and she climbed in “Mrs Reagan” she said as she saw the first lady.

“Nightshade I am so glad you could come.”

“I hope this is important as we were just about to..”

“This involves the murder of children” The stately slender woman told the action heroine.

***

“There have been several of these scenes,” Gravedigger told The Question. “And clues are damn scarce”

“Indeed” stated Owlman. “A few reports of lights in the sky and thats about it”

“I see” Said the faceless hero. “Indicating a u.f.o. presence possibly like the notorious cattle mutilations out west.”

“Yah apparently the bad guys have moved from farm animals to humans” Gravedigger said “We got indications these killings are happening elsewhere as well possibly even behind the Iron Curtain but the reds ain’t telling us nothing typically” He spat some chew into a can “Probably wouldn’t even if they found the bodies in Red Square at High Noon”

“However,” said the wheelchair-bound Native American Robert Owlman. “We are concerned with the murders right here in the U.S. first and foremost.”

The Question nodded. “How can I help?”

***

“Mrs Reagan? This sounds very much like the case we are working on.”

“I understand Captain Atom met with my husband yesterday and I have no doubt the team will be of major help in solving this case, however my astrologer told me you personally had to tackle this one investigation”

“Astrologer?”

“Don’t knock it Nightshade she has been very helpful to me in guiding my husbands career and I have to admit she has never stirred me wrong” The first lady handed the action heroine a very thick folder “All of the details of this case are here, and please dear do accept this challenge. To many children die every year as it is.”

“I can’t refuse you Mrs Reagan you know that, and yes I will tackle this.” Nightshade responded hefting the folder.

“Good my driver is taking us to a meeting with a special investigator who will be working with you. I believe you know him, his name is Roberts, Dale Roberts.”

“Yes I met him a few months back.”

***

Somewhere in the Soviet Union a small village is awakening to discover in their town square the bodies of four children, all of them skinned, and placed to form a square.

“This is not good!” one comrade stated seeing the bodies.

“I have placed a call to the local military already, an investigation team will be here in an hour” The police officer on duty said to several people standing around “In the meantime everyone clear this area and go about your business. Also please make sure all children of the village are accounted for.”

Xopek surveyed the sky, some of the children had spotted a craft flying around, unknown in origin but not identical to what the Greys had so far been seen in, however no one had stood around waiting for the craft to land. He had a sick feeling their enemies had found them and he was preparing himself to fight to the death for these youths, most of whom had been adults a month ago.That and the child who had once been SilverFire was missing and no one knew where she was. And that scared him even more. She was the ###most powerful of the People’s heroes here### and if she had been captured then the chances of the rest of them were not good.

“Comrade a second flying craft has been spotted and is landing near our cabin”

“Okay everyone wait here, I shall investigate. Sergei please make sure the others stay here.”

As he made his way through the underbrush he wondered what had happened to the other two adults who had been with them since they had arrived here?

[DocQuantum]

Chapter 3

Nightshade was dropped off near an old office building where a man was standing and waiting.

“Roberts” He spoke coming out of a shadow, He was very tall, broad shouldered, moved light coiled lightning, and had an air of danger about him, as reflected in his scarred face, He was one of the best of the President’s Secret Service agents and rarely worked outside of the shadows.

And shadows were a place the action heroine known as Nightshade was very comfortable in.

Very comfortable.

“I recognized you” The mystery woman said “And the first lady speaks well of you. How are you?”

“As well as can be expected” His voice had a sound that reminded many people of the grave. A voice that like the scars on his face had been earned in service to his country.

“And you Nightshade are you well?” His manner as ever was impeccable. A gentleman to the bone.

“I’m fine thanks for asking.”

“Then come the third member of our team is waiting”

“Third?”

“Yes I uh brought in a specialist who may be of immense help to us.”

He indicated the front door and held it open for her. Inside she saw a person setting at a table. As she approached he stood up, placing a broad-brimmed hat down onto the table. His features were craggy, and his complexion very pale, with long scraggly gray hair framing his face. He wore clothing that resembled someone of a bygone era, a white shirt with broad sleeves, a leather vest, wide black belt with brass buckle, black breeches and high black boots.

“Nightshade may I introduce you to the third member of our special squad. This my dear lady is Spookman.”

The Soviet Union

“Comrade the Army unit is en route and should arrive shortly, also coming is one of the Workers heroes.”

“I have long wished to meet one of these fine warriors of our noble cause, now has anyone made a list of all of our communities children?”

“Yes comrade all are accounted for, these here are mysteries indeed”

“What kind of mad man murders four children, skins them and leaves them in the town square like this?”

Before the village constable could be answered some American rock and roll music interrupted his thoughts.

“Well bless my soul, I love rock and roll, uhhhhuhh”

“Comrade the uh the hero has arrived. I think”

“Well thank you, thank you very much”

“Comrade is he for real?”

Silverfire was joyous, utilizing her elemental powers she had enabled herself to regain her adult form and that felt very very good. She was dancing in celebration when the small craft landed near where she was, to her surprise as he whirled around ready to fight was not the aliens who had kidnapped all of these people she was with but rather “Americans?”

“So Captain Atom and fellow heroes, would you come with me to my home and I can show you all of the information I have gathered.”

“Yarko speaking for the team we are in”

“Yea what about our Russian friend?” Blue Beetle asked.

“uuhm yea he’s not exactly..”

“I have a potion that shall sober him up” Yarko said “But first gather all in a circle. please.”

What they saw when they arrived was totally unexpected.

And to Yarko devastating.

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The small scouting craft was flown by a M’eel pilot but the landing party was lead by Sargent Durrel and he was accompanied by four of his men and Judomaster.

Silverfire crouched behind a bush and watched -caution overruling the desire to rush out and greet these newcomers.

“All right men tread lightly, that cabin M’eel spotted could be made by folk like us who ain’t here by choice, or it could be a Grey trap just because we ain’t found one like it before doesn’t rule out the possibility.”

“Uh Sargent what if it is human built but their in league with those alien devils?”

“If their bad guys we take them out.”

“NO!” Silverfire stood up and the Americans were so surprised by the sight 0f the tall long haired nude woman whose skin was the color of silver and glowed they nearly dropped their rifles.

Judomaster bowed “I am Judomaster of the U.S. ”

“Silverfire of the Soviet Workers heroes you are truly enemies of the Greys?”

Durrel said “Lady we ain’t in dinosaur land by choice.”

She considered this and nodded “Our enemies are the same then, let me call the others and we shall welcome you.”

She flew off then and O’Reilly turned to Durrel

“Can we trust her?”

“Because she’s Soviet doesn’t make her a communist” Judomaster stated calmly looking around “And this island incidentally certainly doesn’t resemble the landscape I saw around your base.”

“No we have noticed that elsewhere almost like this place and time is a permutation rather then the actual time frame.” One of the other Marines said “The majority of what we’ve seen resembles the Jurassic era but some places seem out of place.”

“Well said Gunner now look sharp I ain’t paying you to be a tour guide.” Durrel said “Someone’s coming”

“Looks like another costumed guy.” O’Reilly said raising his rifle.

“Hold! I am Xopek,” He was a well built muscular man in skintight blue and gold, “Leader of this band of time-displaced. Silverfire told me you had arrived. Welcome.”

Minutes later Durrel, Xopek, Silverfire, and Judomaster were setting in the log cabin cups of freshly brewed tea before them

“Before being recruited to become a people’s action hero I was a furniture maker” Xopek said explaining the furniture.and wooden cups.

“So what happened anyways?” Judomaster asked.

“A band of experimental heroes were summoned to do battle with the aliens, some 37 in all, 17 of us remain, and with the exception of myself and the now missing Giant all of the others were turned into children. Wicolai whose codename is White Dwarf did not get turned into a child either, he should be back soon, and Silverfire found a way to return to her adult form, For some reason only the ones with superpowers were affected. I do not understand the science involved. None of us do. The others have all disappeared and I suspect the worse.”

“I can dig that” Durrel said.

O’Reilly burst in “Sarge M’eel says a Grey attack ship is heading this way and we got maybe two minutes to evacuate. If we’er lucky!”

“Xopek Silverfire get your people into our craft we are outta here”

“I shall fight!” Silverfire said “I am tired of running! My powers grow stronger!” She suddenly flew out the door.

Xopek shrugged “Women!”

O’Reilly turned around “Oh sh– forget the clock their here!” outside an explosion caused the building to shake,rattle and roll.

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“Drink this my young friend” Yarko said handing a small vial to a very intoxicated Huntsman. Who drank of it and made a face “Whew that is the most disgusting thing I have ever drank! And I have drank American beer!” Suddenly the young blond hero realized “Hey I am sober!”

“Yes” said the elderly looking magician. “That potion is fast acting. Now my friends we travel to my home. ###Ibisstick### – Home!” fog began to cover the assembled heroes and they left their base and found themselves in a large house filled to the brim with antiques and artifacts many of them middle eastern in design.

“Taia! I am back my darling!” Yarko called and a young beautiful woman with long black hair entered the room.

“Grandmother is in the kitchen preparing a welcome for your friends grandfather. Gentlemen if you will follow me.”

“Friends my granddaughter Cleopatra named after the famous queen of my homeland.”

She bowed with a smile “It is a pleasure to meet such famous people now come grandmother is anxious to meet all of you.”

The Question was looking over information Robert Ohlman had given him “From what I am reading here there seems to be two killers or groups of killers.”

“Yes” growled Gravedigger “We thought so, considering the differences just this morning a killing scene turned up in Florida more like the New England ones then the urban ones like out there.” He said indicating out the window of the vehicle they were all in.

“It seems to be a large spread cult or maybe the differences say two cults. Either way we got to find these motherf—— and stop their murderous a—-”

“To start with” Ohlman said “I suggest we leave here and go to our base. I have more information there that may help our faceless friend.”

“Yes and I can call the Sentinels and inform them of what I have found.” The Question stated.

Nightshade turned to Roberts “So whats the first step?”

Spookman responded. “I want to check out the scene in Collinsport Maine ”

Roberts nodded “The first one? You think you can find some new clues old friend?”

“Yes I do.”

“Then lets go there.”

“Through this door my friends” Spookman said picking up his hat and indicating a green door behind him. “We’ll be there within minutes”

“How?” Nightshade asked.

“Trust me my lady fair this is nothing compared to what he can do.” The three stepped through the door and were momentarily within shadows then emerged in a dark woods near a small sized city.

Nightshade smelled salt water in the breeze.

She was till taking in the scene when the three of them heard wolf howls. Roberts reached for his pistol. There was movement in the trees right near them. Spookman tensed and Nightshade got into a defensive attack position.

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Judomaster saw that Xopek had put on his fighting gear, a helmet which had large wing like protuberances, and yellow year goggles, folding wings under his arms and gloves with long sharp claws, The american master of master arts followed the Soviet Workers Hero out the door of the cabin and stepped into hell.

Already the battle had been joined, super-powered children were running flying or spinning like hurricanes and the invading forces were dropping from the skies firing rifle like weapons swiftly cutting down the Soviet children, while from the landing craft of the friendly aliens, ray weapons were firing at the Greys’ craft and individual attackers, Durrel had organized his own men to form a circle and were doing their best to cut down opposing forces of their own.

With a mighty yell Xopek leaped into the air and instantaneously began ripping into the hostiles, Judomaster himself saw two of them coming at him and went into an attack posture leaping forward with his right leg extended taking both Greys down.

He whirled on his feet preparing for another attack while simultaneously picking up one of the rifles of the Greys, quickly observing how to use it. Judomaster being a combat veteran of WWII had no qualms about killing particularly in a kill or be killed situation.

He was angry which was not a good emotion to feel in battle but as he surveyed the situation he saw a number of corpses, children were dying and that fueled his hatred of these aliens.

He spotted several of these enemy preparing a bizarre looking cannon and began firing at them even as Xopek swerved in midair to head towards them himself,

But suddenly a glow began surrounding Durrel, O’Reilly and three other U.S. Marines and in a flash of bright light they vanished. “What th?” the red and yellow clad action hero gasped!

“Seminole Florida?” The Question asked of Robert Ohlman who was looking over some data as Gravedigger drove the van to the base these two new allies of the faceless hero.

“This morning another four youths died, its more like the New England crime scenes then the one we were checking out, but despite the differences slight but there, I think all of these killings are connected.” The wheelchair bound native american stated.

“If only I could put the pieces of this puzzle together it would give me a better handle on who we’er dealing with”

Gravedigger a massively sized fierce looking man spit a wad of chew into a can and growled towards the back”Talk radio has a lot of s— about alleged u.f.o. sightings over this here city earlier tonight,and all this week.”

“U.F.O.S!” Ohlman sneered “Like thats relevant.”

“Still” said the analytical crime fighter Question “I can’t help wonder if theres some connection”

“Yah” growled Gravedigger “Check the records Owl see if ufos been sighted around other such crime scenes our friend here just gave me an idea.”

“What next?” puzzled the mystified Ohlman “Compare these crimes with cattle mutilations?”

The Question shrugged.

Meanwhile just outside of Collinsport Maine three people prepared for the worst as Roberts a Special Government agent, Spookman a pale skinned man in 17th century appearing garb and the female fatale known to the world as Nightshade were ready for the possibility of a dog pack or wolf pack attacking them.

Just as they heard a voice yelling “Quiet down! Quiet down! I got them in my sights” with a chill Nightshade realized the yeller wasn’t talking to her and her companions.

In India, in the home of the elderly magician hero, Yarko the Great received a shock.

[DocQuantum]

Chapter 4

“Don’t move, don’t so much as flinch or your dead!”

Roberts, Spookman, and Nightshade froze in place as from the shadows several gray-uniformed police officers emerged.

“Collinsport Sheriff’s dept. and who pray tell are you?”

“Roberts Secret Service. I have my authorization in my jacket.”

A tall beefy red-faced man marched up to the Federal agent and said coldly “Ease it out slowly.”

Roberts did so and The sheriff took it held a flashlight up and peered at the card.

“Okay looks real enough.” He looked around at the other two “On your way to a costume party?”

“I am Nightshade of the Sentinels of Justice” the raven haired woman in black and orange said “And this is Spookman.”

“Spookman? what kind of name is that?”

Spookman sighed. “A close friend nicknamed me that and when he died I decided to keep it as my codename.”

“Okay so a fed an action hero and a well a spook comes to Collinsport care to tell me why?”

“We’er investigating a series of murders sheriff” Roberts said.”Murders of children. And I believe your town recently had such a situation here.”

The sheriff nodded glumly motioned to his men to lower their weapons and said “Yes damn it. Okay come with me.”

Yarko the Great one time one of the worlds greatest action heroes in the fight against the Axis had a shock as he entered his kitchen. Setting at the table chewing on a cookie was his youngest son, Shangra.

“Shangra! Your alive!” he exclaimed.

“Yes, father, he showed up this morning” said Amon the Invincible, Yarko’s eldest son.

“Father I have a message for you,” Shangra said swallowing some milk.

His head rolled back his eyes glazed over and a cold voice emerged from his throat.

“Yarko the Great and friends. Do not seek to interfere with the works of ZHA-KHAN or you and all of your families shall perish” Then the boy returned to normal.

“By the ###Great Buddha###!” Liberty Belle exclaimed.

“You know the name?” Captain Atom asked his friend. who nodded.

“Indeed I do, they are a most foul cult in truth.”

“Durrel, Lawrence Aaron, Sargent United States Marine Corps serial number 78-” Durrel was slapped across the face by the angry Vietnamese interrogator who had been questioning him on how it was that five Americans suddenly and inexplicably appeared in downtown Hanoi.

For four hours all he had gotten was name rank and serial number,nothing more.

“Take him away” he growled to an underling as he lit a cigar. He hoped but doubted at least one other member of his interrogation team had gotten some information. Outside American bombs landed on the city.

“Well this war never end?” he sighed pouring some rice wine. He hated his job, hated beating and torturing prisoners, hated what his government required of him but knowing if he quit he himself would end up in a labor camp. So he continued to do what was required of him for the greater good of the Peoples Republic of Viet Nam and cursed the names of Ho Chi Minh and Lyndon Baines Johnson but silently and only when alone.

The battle was over, the Greys dead or fled. Xopek looked around and saw Judomaster tending to the injuries of a wounded American. Five of them were missing, and almost all of his charges were dead but at least they had died fighting. Grudgingly he removed his helmet. These other aliens could be of help to him and the three remaining youths. He hoped so at least.More then anything he wished to return home to his Marina whom he missed intensely ever since being recruited for this damn action hero program.

Near the tiny island the battle had taken place on a volcano began to rumble.

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Collinsport Maine-

A tall black man entered the sheriff’s department building, sighing heavily, it was getting late and he was tired, but he was in this town because someone and he didn’t know who had sent a special request to his department for someone involved in investigating the recent murders of four children in his town and his captain had chosen him as the one to go from their task force.

“Can I help you?” the graying man behind the desk asked the newcomer.

“Detective Lawrence Durrel Star City P.D.” The man said flashing his badge and I.D. card.

“Oh yes part of the task force being put together. Say where is Star City I never heard of it”

“Massachusetts, its not overly big, about the size of your fair city” Durrel said lighting a cigarette.

The desk sergeant nodded.

“The Sheriff will be in shortly, if you’d like some coffee…” He indicated a pot near his seat.

“Thanks” Durrel yawned and poured a cup. “Nice looking town you got here Sergeant.”

“Thanks me I was born and raised here, Name’s Samuels, Ben Samuels” The two men shook hands.

At that moment the Sheriff and his guests Roberts, Spookman, and Nightshade entered.

Durrel nearly dropped his mug.

“O’Reilly!” he exclaimed.

Sheriff O’Reilly grinned from ear to ear “Sergeant Durrel! my god man its good to see you again!”

Somewhere in India.

“The Zha-Khan is an ancient cult, believed to be connected to aliens, and they have a long gory history involving the black arts” Liberty Belle was explaining to the other members of The Sentinels of Justice.

Amon nodded “Following in my father’s footsteps I have encountered many an evil force. I have heard of this cult and yes have even fought some of their members, but this this series of bizarre murders speaks immensely of what lengths they will go to.”

Yarko entered the living room with a thick volume in black leather binding “This book contains much information about this cult.”

Captain Atom glanced at it with a heavy sigh “Can you give us the Classics Illustrated version Yarko? Peter?”

Liberty Belle nodded “Evil,powerful and dangerous”

“I can agree with that” Amon said, and his father nodded.

Yarko added “My ###Ibis stick### tells me Shangra was taken to a coastal town in Maine called Collinsport.”

“Lets go then!” exclaimed the artificial being called The Shape. “Surfs up!” he changed into a bright yellow surfboard. Captain Atom shook his head with a groan.

New York City

Robert Ohlman turned from his computer as Gravedigger brought him some coffee. These two Federal agents and The Question were now within the federal building in Manhattan. Vic Sage a.k.a. The Question was going over a thick sheaf of transcripts that had been printed out for him. “I see we do have a lot to deal with, and I am sorry my teammates are unavailable. However I have spotted something most interesting.”

Both feds perked their ears.

“According to this the first of these murders occurred in Collinsport Maine. twenty years ago,that town was host to a Nagul cult. It could be a long shot but I suggest we head there perhaps we’ll find something your people missed earlier.”

Gravedigger took a chaw of tobacco into his mouth “Knowing you you’ll probably find a lot our people missed faceless. I happen to know in either of your roles your a first rate investigator. Okay Sage I’ll make arrangements for a plane.”

Sage nodded then did a double take.

“Why did you call me Sage?”

Ohlman chuckled “We ain’t bad investigators ourselves son”

Gravedigger laughed a hearty laugh “Yah boy you wanna nose around as yourself then show up as a mystery man you should check for cameras first. Don’t worry that info goes into our eyes only file.” Robert Ohlman tapped his head “And thats up here”

Somewhere on an island in the distant past.

Judomaster went up to Xopek who was puzzling over the wrecked craft of the M’eel “The base is to far for you to fly and carry everyone my hope is these M’eel back at base know their pod mates are dead and come looking for us.”

Xopek sniffed the air, it was getting thick with sulfur.”I pray they are not long in coming or when they get here, this island will resemble Pompey and that includes us!”

A rumble caused the island to shake knocking people off their feet. “their coming back!” yelled the injured American marine pointing to the sky.

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Collinsport Maine a fairly good sized community along the Atlantic coast line of the New England state and it was here that Secret Service Agent Roberts Sentinels of Justice member Nightshade and independent operative Spookman were setting in a room along with several police officers from several different police forces as well as the Collinsport Police, and a very agitated Mayor and business man Phillip Collins, the youngish looking man was a cousin to the family the town was named after and still looked upon with a combination of awe,envy and fear.More then once in this towns history a Collins or two had been suspected of some criminal activity. Not always of the usual sort of understandable crime.

Collinsport Maine was also the destination of several other members of the Sentinels of Justice, notably Captain Atom the most powerful man on Earth, The Blue Beetle third in a line of action heroes to use the name, but first not to have the mystic ruby scarab that gave one immense powers, Liberty Belle ###who was trained in the martial arts and mystic arts by a small but strong colony of Monks in the Himalayas###, The Shape an artificial human with the ability to change his form into almost anything,and a child like intelligence,on many levels,The Huntsman technically a guest member a Soviet action hero with a variety of amazing arrows to use in his fight, and the Peacemaker, who used a jet pack and gun in his fight for peace and freedom.

Along with them was the legendary hero of the occult arts Yarko the Great and his son Amon the Invincible already beginning to gain renown as a magical hero. At least in some circles.

Traveling to Collinsport Maine by private jet plane are federal agents Gravedigger and Robert Ohlman along with another Sentinel the mysterious Question.

None of these heroes had a real inkling of what was coming,but all of them whether police officer,action hero or federal agent were prepared to drop whatever needed to be done to solve the mystery of the child killings and bring the perpetrators to justice on either side of the grave.

Meanwhile in the far distant path Judomaster was searching for a usable weapon when Xopek the Russian hero pointed at the craft coming towards them “That looks comrade like the one that brought you here.”

Judomaster looked up “It is its a M’eel craft. Thank God!” The ground shook and rumbled. “And just in time to.”

Moments later four soviets and three americans were heading towards what had been called Firebase Jurassic unaware they were being followed.

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Sheriff O’Reilly went to the head of the Collinsport Sheriff’s dept. briefing room and raised his hands, people immediately quieted down.

“Ladies and Gentlemen Please bear with us a few more minutes ah here he is folks the reason your departments were asked to send you, Doctor James Monroe”

Doctor Monroe was a gray-haired man who walked with a cane. He wore heavy black framed glasses and had a studied look on his face.

“People, thank you for coming. I won’t keep you long. I am Doctor Monroe a profiler for the F.B.I. for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term that means that I examine crimes and the facts if any are known about the perpetrators and put together a picture of their psychology ”

There was quiet murmurs about this statement and he allowed it to continue for nearly a minute.

“Okay so why are you here you ask? Well many of you come from communities like Collinsport which have experienced recently bizarre murders of children. I am hopeful that together we can solve these crimes. Why Collinsport as our meeting place you ask? Because this community has experienced two such murder scenes, making it unique so far.”

That caused more murmurings. Dr. Monroe again raised his hands.

“Just earlier tonight New York City experienced a similar scene but I had already begun the processing of this gathering here and am hoping later to have more info on that crime. But…[pause] but I hope we can solve this crime tonight.”

There was shocked comments.

“Not just because we have been joined by a couple of action heroes although they are most welcome here. But because I have already come to the conclusion that the villains behind these murders are right near here.”

That caused shocked ripples in his audience.

“Not fifteen minutes ago I received new information, which I shall be sharing with you as soon as my assistant finishes typing up the report. In the meantime If I may have your indulgence just once more.” people quieted.

“Perhaps people we could begin by comparing notes please.”

O’Reilly motioned to Durrel and the two of them slipped into the hall

“Sarge your looking good.”

“You to Red hey you ever hear anything about the boys who didn’t come back with us.”

O’Reilly shook his head as he lit a cigarette, “Nada, officially their all still M.I.A. and believed to be buried somewhere in country.”

Durrel nodded “What I heard last I checked. No word on Judomaster either eh?”

“I was hoping that Nightshade could tell me but all I got from her was a blank look.”

“S—” Durrel swore lighting a butt of his own. “Didn’t know that fancy pants long but he was a good man.”

At that moment a very attractive blonde woman came bursting in to the building. She looked to be in her mid-twenties and very very distraught.

“Oh God!” gasped O’Reilly “I got a bad feeling about this.”

“I got a bad feeling about this.” Judomaster said to Xopek as they and the other survivors returned to Fire Base Jurassic one of the M’eel had just discovered the small object trailing them and it had been blasted out of the sky.

“Those murderous Greys are definitely out to find us sir.” The wounded Marine whose name is Joseph Contral. “We get back to base we should have everyone on full alert”

“I agree comrade” Xopek said and Judomaster nodded. The M’eel who was piloting the scout craft turned to the humans “The base is on full red alert and all personal have been called back, The human leader named Sargent Woh has his men all in along with seven more of your people. and all of ours. Reports are coming in of a massive build up of the Zha-Khan whom you call the Greys. We are preparing for what appears to be our last stand.”

“Comrade alien” Xopek said “I shall fight to the death against these creatures. ”

“We all shall” M’eel said. “For all that it will be of worth.”

“I am hoping this information shall take us directly to the location of our enemies” Amon told the assembled action heroes.”Be prepared for one hell of a fight if they are there.”

Captain Atom flexed his arms, “Its what we do best.”

“Then” said Yarko “To Collinsport ###Ibisstick###”

“Collinsport up ahead” Gravedigger told The Question and Robert

Ohlman “Looks peaceful enough.” he said as he contacted the flight tower.

“Which means trouble which starts with T which rhymes with C which stands for Collinsport.” Ohlman sang “Okay hey whats those lights over there?”

Gravedigger and The Question looked in the direction indicated by the native american federal agent “Looks like some sort of out door get-together.” The masked man said to his companions. “I got a feeling we should check that out.”

“Already turning, told the airport we’d be back momentarily.”

“Sheriff something is happening out by the Stokes estate!” The blonde woman said “Aunt Carolyn told me to get here as fast as possible and get help!”

“Whats going on out there?” O’Reilly asked the young woman “Some masked men are gathering near there and aunt Carolyn says no one is answering the phone at Professor Stokes house. Earlier he told my aunt that someone had sent him a death threat.I don’t know if he ever called you or not.”

The desk sergeant shook his head O’Reilly thought a moment “Okay Margaret we’ll send a car out to check it out. If it looks serious well I got me a station full of lawmen here.”

The young woman nodded and sat down putting her head in her hands.

“I am so scared right now.”

O’Reilly sat next to her “It’ll be okay child.”

“I hope so. Uncle Barnabas and Uncle Quinton went out there to O God I hope their all right!”

[DocQuantum]

Chapter 5

“There are definitely times I miss being a vampire” Barnabas Collins said huffing as he and Quinton Collins climbed a hill to see if they could find out what was transpiring at the estate of their friend Professor Stokes who had recently retired.

Quinton nodded “I was an immortal werewolf for about a century, times like this make me wish I still was.”

“I was glad Angelique repented and cured me as well an undoing so much she had done” Barnabas stated pausing to catch his breath “But on the other hand right now being able to fly would be handy”

Whatever Quinton was going to say in response was lost when suddenly several tall slender men in long black robes and hoods appeared surrounding both members of the Collins family.

They aimed pistol like weapons at the two men and indicated they were to raise their hands and surrender.

“Looks like we got us a situation down there.” Gravedigger said indicating a large bonfire where robed beings were dancing some of them clearly not human.

“Give me a parachute!” The question said.

“No not alone. Robert take the controls I’ll join faceless in the jump” the muscular redhead growled.

Sheriff O’Reilly followed by Detective Durrel entered the conference room to interrupt the meeting of minds in progress.

“Sorry to interrupt you Doctor but we got us a situation that could well be connected to the cases your talking about. I am sending some of my men out to investigate and I’d sincerely like everyone here on standby to move out in a moments notice. Including you to costumes if you don’t mind” O’Reilly said indicating Nightshade and Spookman who both nodded and arose.

“We’ll join your people right now if you don’t mind” Nightshade said.

“If its what it feels like we’ll be needed” Spookman said quietly. Roberts nodded and checked his pistol “I’m going to”

With a bright flash of light Yarko the Great, Amon the Invincible, and the assembled members of the Sentinels of Justice found themselves leaving India and moments later appearing outside of a large colonial building in Maine.

They were instantly surrounded by robed men aiming weapons at them.

“Situation red!” The shape chanted immediately changed into a ball shape and bouncing himself towards several of their potential captors. The other heroes were right behind him on the attack.

Outside of the sheriff’s station Spookman clutched his head. As he fell Nightshade grabbed him.

“What the hell?” gasped the pale-skinned hero “I have never felt this way before!”

Nightshade eased him to the ground “Hang in there Roberts get help”

Spookman writhed in pain.”By the Light!” the mystery man choked out. Behind them a black cloud began to form.

WAR OF SHADOWS AND LIGHT -19 Message List Reply | Forward Message #2247 of 3201 < Prev | Next >

Fire Base Jurassic

“Mister fancy pants Judomaster sir!”

Judomaster sighed heavily “Please Hraiz drop the fancy pants that was just Sgt. Durrel’s joking.”

“Oh right, sorry, your human names and titles sometimes confuse me, but sir our base is about to be attacked.”

“We got defensive weapons here Hraiz?”

“Indeed but it was felt you should be aware, in case you wanted to engage in combat with the enemies.”

Xopek nodded “I am ready comrade,but I not so sure of the children.”

“Keep them inside Xopek and lets see what we can do.If anything” He nodded to the alien “So us some weaponry my friend.”

Nightshade sensed before she saw the shadow form behind her and whirled around ready to fight even as Spookman rolled on the ground in intense agony. She reached for her inner strength as she prepared to fight.

What appeared out of the shadows surprised even this veteran action heroine.

To say nothing of the surprised reactions from the various police officers already gathering in the parking lot.

It was huge,slimy looking very very reptilian and radiated pure evil.

Meanwhile Nightshade’s fellow Sentinels along with the father son team of Yarko the Great and Amon the Invincible were fighting for their own lives and doing quite well at it to. The robed beings human and alien alike were folding like paper before the blows of the assembled heroes.

Quinton and Barnabas to once they were on flat land began their own fight for survival. Encouraged by the sight of a blood stained alter neither man wanted to become a human sacrifice and although no longer empowered by vampirism or lycanthropy both had experience working for them and Barnabas had his silver wolf-headed cane. But in their case the numbers were to strong and they were beaten down.

Near by one man watched as he loaded silver bullets into a rifle. He did not know if silver was needed but in the past such had worked and even if silver was not needed bullet definitely were.He was older now but could still see quite well and had continued his sharpshooting skills. This much could be said about Navy veteran Roger Collins, many considered him a fop and a spoiled rich guy but he was at heart a Collins and cowardice was not a part of the Collins heritage.

Carefully he aimed his rifle looking for the leaders of this band of miscreants.

“Comrade Judomaster the enemy approaches.”

“I see that Xopek well here’s mud in your eye!”

“Mud in oh American slang! Yes same to you!”

The two action heroes were aboard a flying platform and ready to meet the attacking Greys head on.

Both men were prepared to die so that hopefully others could live.

The attacking forces hit hard, coming in with small flying crafts and following them were larger ships, bristling with arms.

Inside the base every one was praying to whatever deities they believed in none expecting to live through the day, but they were not going down without a fight.

And the sky rumbled.

WAR OF SHADOWS AND LIGHT -20 Message List Reply | Forward Message #2249 of 3201 < Prev | Next >

The attack on Fire Base Jurassic came fast and furious and casualties were mounting on both sides, when one of the child heroes Ivan Kondrossiev found what looked to him like a flying land mine, his abilities enabled him to grow to gigantic form with increased strength and being nine he really resented being kept out of the battle. So he had an idea, examining this alien object he decided he would join the battle and use this device, he ran outside pushed a button and began to enlarge.

An explosion sent him flying through the air and he landed hard with the possible weapon under him. With a blue-green and black flash it went off and he was surrounded with eerie greenish-yellow light and vanished.

No one saw this as they were to busy fighting for their lives, but as Judomaster dragged an injured M’eel away from the fight he to felt the prickling tingle caused by this machine and vanished from the scene.

That Xopek saw and swearing plunged himself back into battle, using his claws to rip the underside of one of the Zha-Khan craft which caused it to crash into the ground, as he maneuvered out of the way.

Then as quickly as the attack came the Greys fled, leaving many of their ranks behind dead or dying. The defenders looked around and did a quick head count, Xopek, two of his children one Marine, and Hraiz were the only ones still alive and able to fight, several M’eel were alive but badly wounded.

The base was destroyed, ammo was low, and the ground was beginning to shake as if undergoing a level nine earthquake. Xopek found a small craft still functional.

“Comrades we must evacuate and quickly.”

“Where’ll we go?” asked the Marine

Xopek shrugged “I have no idea.”

Drawing on years of training and experience, Roger Collins aimed, drew a breath and fired, without looking to see if he had hit his target or not he aimed at another of the robed beings, Quinton felt the splatter of gray matter and icy green blood, this propelled him to fight and Barnabas also began wrestling with one of their captors. Three fell under the bullets of Roger Collins before he moved out of his location into his second preplanned position, He admitted to himself he had no idea who these men were but he knew they were evil and had to be stopped. He laid down and checking his ammo prepared to begin firing again, just as soon as his relatives were not where he would accidentally hit them.

Captain Atom and crew had won their fight and hearing gunfire and shouts began moving towards the location of these sounds, He took to the air, What he saw caused him to signal to his teammates which way to go.

Nightshade reached into her belt hoping she had something that might stop this huge black evil that was slowly approaching her and the fallen Spookman, even as police personnel began firing pistols at it. To no effect that she could see other then drawing its attention. Someone she didn’t see who grabbed a flare pistol from his squad car and aimed it at the creature.Even as she felt something she thought might help.

Barnabas fell unconscious struck with his own cane, but before his attacker could hit him again its head exploded Roger aimed again, then felt a pistol on the back of his head.And the pressure of a knee on his back.

WAR OF SHADOWS AND LIGHT -21 Message List Reply | Forward Message #2268 of 3201 < Prev | Next >

“Easy cowboy he’s one of the good guys, but the bad guys have started coming up the hill after us!” The question said grabbing one of Roger Collins spare rifles and aiming at the cult members charging up the hill to their position.

Gravedigger got off the back of Roger Collins “Sorry pilgrim” he growled pulling a second pistol out, and aiming both at the charging cultists.

Roger groaned at the pain in his back but swiftly recovered his senses and grabbed his rifle.

Captain Atom, Son of Vulcan and Peacekeeper buzzed another group of cultists from the air, taking down who they could while on the ground Blue Beetle, Liberty Belle, and The Shape laid fists feet and in the case of the plastoid one other body parts into the enemy.

Nightshade pulled a light bomb out of her pouch and threw it at the large black oily creature coming towards her even as a police officer fired his flare pistol at it, swiftly she covered the body of Spookman as the two forces of light and heat hit the creature, it screamed and growled writhing in pain, someone fired another flare at it and it began to smoke and collapsed.into a smoldering heap.

Not far away at a colonial manor called Collinswood a beautiful blonde was very very agitated. “I can’t wait any longer Julia! I got to get out there and find out whats going on.”

Dr. Julia Hoffman shook her reddish gray-haired head “Caroline that would be foolish”

“Setting here waiting feels foolish to me!” Caroline said grabbing for her coat. Julia was right behind her. “I’ll drive” she said.

David Collins entered the foyer then, he had grown into a tall handsome man and was currently holding a hunting rifle. “I’m going to Professor Stokes is sleeping soundly and Maggie is wide awake and prepared in case those fools come here, but I have extra guards on duty so I wouldn’t expect them but out the window I saw an explosion in the direction of the police station and that worries me.”

Julia nodded “Lets go.”

The Huntsman meanwhile had circled around the main battle and made his way towards the back where cultists were dragging Barnabas and Quinton towards a large stone altar decorated with serpentine symbology. Carefully he aimed his bow and light-bomb arrow, hoping he was capable of stopping these evil ones before it was to late.

Yarko the Great and Amon the Invincible had approached from the other direction and were watching cultists falling dead or wounded as they attempted to scale a small hill.

“We have allies up there” Yarko told his son.

“I see father.” Amon nodded “I pray they are strong enough.”

Yarko nodded and both men raised their wands. They had only moments to act and each prayed they had arrived in time.

Spookman began to recover. Durrel ran over to the remains of the attacking creature now a smoldering heap, which was beginning to spark and undergo a transformation. He aimed his pistol at it, just in case.

“Oh my God!” he muttered as O’Reilly and others ran up to him they to saw the creatures changing form.

“I don’t believe it” Sheriff O’Reilly gasped.

[DocQuantum]

Epilogue

Sheriff O’Reilly and several others ran over to the now smoldering remains of the creature that had appeared in the Collinsport Sheriff’s Department and watching nauseated as black slime flowed into the ground away from the body. And had to step back as black smoke rose.

Then moments later it was all said and done.

“Oh my God!” Gasped O’Reilly.

Spookman felt much much better and made his way over followed by Nightshade he looked down at what was left.

“I do not believe it!” he gasped.

Already state police were moving in on the scene at Professor Stokes manor and rounding up fleeing cultists. As were the Sentinels.

Several ran towards The Huntsman and one was carrying a large rifle like object. The Soviet action hero fired an arrow and it flew straight and landed true, knocking the weapon from the robed ones hands. The other cultists stopped and raised their hands but the now disarmed one had other plans and pulled a smaller version of his weapon from a sleeve. He fired a green ray from it in the direction of where the arrow had come from.But the Huntsman had already changed locations and his second arrow felled the would be killer.

Yarko the Great and Amon the Invincible on the other side of the house were chanting as they raised their twin wands bringing forth the intense power of their brand of white magic the sky erupted with bright white light bringing night into day momentarily, but it was enough to cause a number of cultists to fall down. Others stopped and froze in place. Raising their hands in surrender.

Gravedigger and The Question helped Roger Collins to his feet “I am getting to old for this sort of nonsense” Collins muttered to himself.

“Frankly so are Barnabas and Quinton if you ask me.” secretly inside he was proud of himself and his cousins. He dusted himself off and looked down the hill “Looks like its just about all over.”

Gravedigger merely nodded, spit out a wad of black tobacco and refilled his pistols bullet chambers.

Down the road Robert Ohlman taxi’d his small plane to a side road to allow the police and ambulance to come towards the estate of the noted scholar. He had to flash his own badge to keep from being arrested but he felt good, His teammates had done good.

David Collins stashed his rifle under the seat when he saw the revolving lights of the state police but was allowed through when Julia flashed her Medical I.D. Glad she was she still maintained her right to practice medicine. And judging from what they were hearing on the radio she would be needed.

Quinton crawled over to Barnabas who was regaining consciousness.

“You know cousin I think I’m getting to old for this hero stuff.” Barnabas said feeling his whole body ache.

Quinton laughed. “Come on your what 203 or so? you got a few good years left old man” then he groaned at his own pain “On the other hand…maybe your right.”

Spookman, Nightshade, O’Reilly and the others looked down on the body of a child dressed in a red body suit.

“That say CCCP on it?” Someone asked.

O’Reilly shook his head “Looks like yes, and man its been 20 years but that kid looks familiar.”

Durrel looked down to”Yes one of those Ruskie kids we met on that island before we ended up in the Hanoi Hilton.”

“Wonder what those goomers did to this poor kid” O’Reilly said cursing silently.

The news was full of the activities in Collinsport on that night, but no one could explain why so many robes were found filled with grayish-green slime which officially was considered a coverup by some cultists who had escaped. The ones who had been captured claimed they had been subjected to mind control by aliens. Not that the authorities believed them of course.

When Durrel and O’Reilly talked to Captain Atom about Judomaster all the worlds most powerful action hero could do was shake his head.

“Well now I know where he disappeared to two days ago, but as far as I can tell you to are the last to see him alive. Time travel eh? Wonder how they did that.”

The two policemen were clueless to.

Like how several Marines ended up in downtown Hanoi in 67 the fate of Judomaster would have for now to be written off as an unsolved mystery.

Upon hearing that the cultists were being charged with numerous murders a red-haired man living in The Collinsport Inn laughed and laughed. “Those fools tried to get in on my action now let them pay for it!” On his desk was a photo taken with a tele-lense of one very attractive blonde member of the Collins family. He was already thinking of what he could do with Miss Caroline Stoddard of Collinswood.

Judomaster groaned and looked around.He was in what looked to be a desert.

“Don’t move hombre!” he heard shouted followed by the clicking of a pistol hammer.

WAR OF SHADOWS AND LIGHT -22-Finale-Part Two Message List Reply | Forward Message #2301 of 3201 < Prev | Next >

Setting in their bedroom the President and First Lady were going over reports from various sources including F.B.I. Secret Service and

The Sentinels of Justice regarding recent events in Collinsport Maine

“Well it seems to be over Nan” President Reagan said happily.,

“I am not so sure Ronny to many unanswered questions.” The first lady said getting off the bed and tossing a folder down.

“I have a feeling the surface has just barely been scratched.”

“Our Soviet friends report their own action heroes took out three encampments of these cultists ”

“Of course they would, We stop one they have to claim three.” She snorted.

President Reagan shrugged. And went back to previewing a report that had been written by Captain Atom.

“There are times I wish I had super powers Nan it would be fun to be able to fly.”

“Not for me bugs in my teeth have no appeal” Mrs. Reagan stated.

“I’ll be right back”

The first Lady walked into the bathroom, started water in the bathtub and said to her self.

“Time to make a call.”

She looked at the mirror, pressed a stud only she knew about, her face changed slightly and her eyes glowed greenish.

She spoke softly so as not to attract notice from the man in the nearby bedroom.

“Situation moving as expected, both of our enemies have no knowledge that I can tell of our true purpose.”

A voice spoke from the mirror.

“Excellent. The humans and the Zha-Khan are such fools! I am pleased with what I have observed on the Terran news good work agent xc soon you will be able to return home!”

“Thank you master and the real Nancy Reagan?”

“Doing well do not worry when I am ready to return the status she will have no idea she was ever here.”

Nancy Reagan smiled. nodded and said “I live to serve master.”

The screen went blank and her eyes ceased glowing green. As she climbed into the bathroom she enjoyed a good laugh.

CONTINUES IN THE EMPEROR OF NORTH AMERICA

[DocQuantum]

This story needs a lot of editing, not just for the usual spelling, punctuation, and grammar, but also for continuity. Blackwolf had a great imagination for storytelling, but he liked to take liberties with continuity quite often.